A small yet important city in history that is located in-between 3 volcanos. It had been the most important cities in the early days in the whole of central America. My first impression of this town was that it is filled with too much Gringos (Americans). Most of them have flocked here to volunteer, learn Spanish, Salsa or spend their holiday hence falling in love with it and decided to spread theirs roots in this city. I came for the same reasons too. This town has thus became one of the most expansive cities in Central. After spending a month here, my perception changed after finding some cool spots around the city. Therefore, this indie guide is  for anyone wants to spend their time differently in Antigua.

1) Earthship, Guatemala

The Earthship is a fully self-sustainable house built with recycle materials such as car tires, cans, plastic bottles and glass bottles. The building can provide electricity, potable water, contained sewage treatment and sustainable food production. Earthship had built 2 houses in Comalapa as a gift for the locals family. You can take a bus to Chimaltenango and change another bus to Comalapa. From the city centre, it a 20 minutes walk to the site. Please be really considerate when visiting the Earthship, it’s a family there.

http://earthship.com/guatemala

2) La Canche Tienda

Don’t be fooled by the looks of this innocent looking shop. Take a brave step inside, walking across the counter and you will find the kitchen with tables. I recommend trying the Pepian, a local Guatemalan food serve with chicken with a special sauce and rice for Q25. A homely and local ambience!

Located opposite La Merced Chruch.

3) Pastores 

The small town is a 15 minutes bus ride north of Antigua. The sole existence of this town is  about satisfy all the leather needs. The leather product ranges from cowboy boots to customized leather shoe for less than US$50. I was really tempted to custom made a boot but the thought of carrying it for the next 7 months, stopped me. Nonetheless, I came back with a leather belt for Q100.

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Here some inspiration for aspiring backpacker when packing their bag. After having been traveling for 5 months, these are some items that I will definitely pack into my bag for any future trips 🙂

1) SNAKE POWDER (Prickly heat)

The snake powder is one of those tricks that I’ve learnt in my army days, going out to field camps and not having to shower for 5 days straight! Although I have no encounter any situation that is as bad, the snake powder does keep me fresh and cool. It also can be used while camping to prevent snake from going near your campsite as the cooling agent will irritate the snake skin.

2) TIGER BLAM

This bad ass have literally save me from a million mosquito bites from the beaches.  Other than that, you can use it for headaches, blocked nose, stomach upset, muscles aches and even bladder pain. It is one of those asian miracle remedy for everything.

3) CABLE TIE

As mentioned in previous posts, I use these things to prevent theft in many of my bus rides. They are light, inexpensive and unflashy which is perfect for security.

4) NEXUS 7

This is a fantastic little tablet made by Google. I have been using it for many occasions. It can Skype, Facebook, Instagram, watch a movie, check my lonely planet and the Google maps is amazing. You can download the map of the area and view it without any wifi, the GPS function can locate my position without any wifi too. I usually mark out all the attractions on Google maps so that I am able to plan my route for the day. Moreover, unlike an expensive iPad, Nexus are inexpensive, so it won’t be the end of the world if something happens to it.

Here the rest of the guide.

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If you see any of these mafias in the picture, you need to freak out and run as fast as you can! These are the people who will organ out and allow you to bleed dry. haha.

After traveling for about 4 months in America and Mexico, I have learned some safety tips to share with any aspiring travelers.

1) Prepare before you leave home

Before leaving for your trip, make copies of your passport, visas, ATM card, credit cards, birth certificate, driver’s license and other important documents or ID cards. Leave one copy at home with your family or a close friend, and the other should be stored online in your e-mail. This will save a lot of trouble if anything gets lost or stolen.

2) Secret pocket

The problem I found with a traveller’s pouch is that it is very uncomfortable to carry along and if you were robbed at gunpoint that is the first thing a robber will target. I recommend to have a secret pocket in your underwear. It is the perfect thing to bring to a late night drinking session when you know you can get drunk. All you need to bring is your ID and cash. You can either purchase one from http://www.clevertravelcompanion.com/ or be like me, and make it yourself.

3) Locking up

There are plenty of bags around that are left unattended or thrown hastily on the overhead rack while its owner sleeps soundly below. Once, I forget to lock my front zipper of my bag pack that is left in the trunk of the bus to Guatemala. After getting off the bus, I discovered that the zip was slightly opened and my pencil box is nowhere to be found – all my favorite stationary! One of the best ways to protect your bag on buses, sitting in a park or even in your hostel dorm room is to make it inconvenient for someone to snatch it up. You can either use a padlock or small Cable-tie. I use cable tie because it less flashy and you can easily buy a pack of 100 pieces from your hardware store.

4) Don’t look rich

It is always a delima for girls to dress nice but not looking rich – even locals in the country make the same mistakes. My suggestion is plain colors with interesting fabric or cutting. Those seems to be the best traveller costumes. Avoid names brands and carry and old bag.

5) Back up cash

A few carefully stashed bills can be the insurance policy that gets you that train ticket, that hospital bed stay, that bottle of red wine, or that emergency call home. I usually have US$100 that is split between my first aid kit and the pocket of my coat.

6) Put everything in front of you

For women, bring a purse or bag where the strap crosses over your body and rests on your hip. These can be easily held against the front of your body. For men, I recommend wearing a backpack as a frontpack. It may sound silly, but I’ve had numerous friends have thieves open their backpack zippers and pull out money, cameras and phones without them even noticing. Always have your belongings in sight.

7) The GO Wallet

Consider carrying an extra wallet filled with a couple notes in the local currency. If you get mugged, you can hand over the decoy. Your mugger is likely to be in a hurry and might run off with this first offering. If successful, this strategy will spare you the loss of your bankcard and other hard to replace documents.

8) Prey your devices

If you are carrying a laptop or iPhone, my friend recommended me a free website to track your devices if it ever got stolen. The app mask itself as a game when it is install in your phone. Many people have actually relocate their devices in a different country and got it back safety. Check it out – http://preyproject.com

9) Don’t assume your room is safe

I’ve met many travelers who assumed they could leave their valuables lying around their hotel room, only to have money, passports and electronics “go missing.” I don’t care if I am staying at a budget hostel or a five-star hotel, thefts happen. And, don’t always trust the front desk with your things, either. To keep your things safe, make use of in-room lockers and safes, where only you know the combination. If there are no lockers, hide your valuables under the bed or sofa. The thief are usually in a hurry to get out and probably don’t have time to search the whole room. If you feel the place is really unsafe, unscrew the power point and hide your money there.

Safe travels guys!

If you think that Mexico City is some third world country filled with people and good food, You are half right! Mexico City is full of amazing food but more than that, the city has a lot more to be praised. The transportation system is intricately knotted like a spider web with train and buses that runs every 5 minutes, only costing less than US$0.50 to get anywhere. A public bicycle can be rented for 400 pesos a year bringing you from home to the closest train station. Other than that, there are also many more noteworthy happenings like the arts scene, partying and their awesome Interior design. Here goes the indie guide to Mexico city.

1) Downtown arts District

My first advice is not to go on the weekend – It felt like 20 millions people is being squeezed into the area. The area is packed with really awesome art museum and galleries; Palacio de Iturbide, Palacio de Bellas Artes and Casa de Los Azulejos. Do not miss out the street where all the street performers busk!

2) Churros

This is my favorite snack in Mexico – it is simply an desert that came from heaven. The dough is fried, coated with sugar and you can choose your favorite fillings. I love the caramel filling. I have already eaten 6 Churros on the third day in Mexico city.

3) Tepito Street Market

The Tepito market was introduced to me by my host, Miguel. He asked me if I would like to see a very local place but dangerous. I say: “Me gusta peligroso”.  Guess what, the previous time that Miguel has been to this place was 10 years ago. I was given strict instruction on safety precautions which is why I don’t have images inside the market. This market is truly amazing, you can find anything from a baby Hedgehog to a gay haircut. Although many locals believe that the prices are extremely cheap in the market, Miguel concluded that it has become more expensive – do your research before buying anything. The market has also become safer with the police patrolling the streets.

3) Lagunilla Antique Market

The market happens every Sunday beside Tepito. There are some really cool vintage pieces that are being remade into works of the art. Definitely worth checking out!

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