Luggage

This was a really hard question for me. What to take with me and what to leave at home.

Anyway I think I decided to travel more luxurious. This means that I took more electronic stuff with me, which were/are not that light-weight, but I did not want to miss the opportunity to use them.

On my list:

Passport (and two copies in plastic laminated)
Card Games
Vaccination history
Photos (for visas)
Bussiness Cards for staying in contact
Note book (analog)
First aid kit (added some things to it)
like Disinfection liquid, clasp pins, additional plaster and ones for blisters

Sunscreen
Shampoo
After sun, body cream (filled them in silicon bottles)

Lenses
Tannacomp (for stomach and intestinal problems like diarrhea)
Iberogast (stomach pain etc.)
Malarone (malaria medicine)
Micropur (water disinfection due to long travel and desserted places)
Paracetamol (headache, dengue fever)
ASS (altitude illness, not good for dengue fever, source)
disinfection towels
Alka Seltzer
Fenistil (mosquito bite)
hair wax
small mirror
lighter
condoms
rope (drying laundry or repar something)
Smartphone
Tissues
Deo
shaving foam
shaver
number locks (I took three with me)
head flash lamp (I bouht one with IPX8, 1 meter underwater for at least 1 minute)
mosquito protection liquid
thermometer
brush and toothpaste
cotton sticks
multifunction tool (in my case I proudly present the Swiss Army Knife)
Glasses cover

Notebook (microsoft surface with good protection cover)
Headphone (the bose quitecomfort 25)
Cheap In-ear headphones
Plug Adapter
JBL Charge 3 (heavy but hopeyfully worth it)
Diving goggles and snorkel
Book
Divers Log book
Language helper 😉
Beauty case with the tooth brush and the shampoo in it
Lucky charm (red chilli)

Clothes:

t-shirt: 5-6 (including tank tops)
boxers
shorts
1x light long trouser
socks
flip flops
trekking shoes
light shoes
ultra light beach bag
buff
bags for organizing stuff
microfibre sleeping bag
A4 and A5 plastic meshed bags

Did I forget something?
flight ticket
emergency numbers (family on paper)

This equipment I will test the next 365 days. That means in the future I will write a summary about my items!!!

Never ever post your Boarding pass with all information!!!

This is my first article about E-saftety.
I did also some tries with my old pictures of my boarding passes, which I have never posted online (of course) due to safety reasons.
But nevertheless I was interested in the results I got from just a normal screenshot of my barcode on my boardingpass.

Just with this small picture I could gather more information.

With the help of:
https://online-barcode-reader.inliteresearch.com/

I found out my booking reference (PNR), my iberia miles gather number and also all the middle names you need for changing your bookings.

So my advice to you is never ever post your boardingpass on instagram or other social media without covering important data like PNR, Names and barcode.

Also with the help of checkmytrip.com you could find out all flights which were booked together with the flight above. Also if you know the airway you could change the ticket or chose refund and you get “flight money” for it. More information you will find in the youtube video. It is really an interesting talk.

Anyway I made a test with instagram.
Lets look what is online:

#boardingpass on instagram

Oh look here a picture with all information needed:
for private reason I covered all important data.

On the picture all relevant data was visible even the PNR, name and airway.
But I tried it out by myself and took a screenshot just of the barcode.

Hit. Name was right and even the PNR was correct. Next step was to find more information about the whole flight.

I tried my luck and look what I found:
Maybe this time not that successful but imagine if somebody does it to make a fraud.

The next day was short, I packed my stuff and checked out of my hostel in Hilo. Next stop was at the waipio valley, the first visit at the valley was not that successful. This time I had more luck and the view was beautiful, I enjoyed the view for at least 10 minutes and then I had to leave already to the north of big island due to my flight in the afternoon. On the way to the airport I made some fun off-road drives and also discovered some hidden places around the north of the island. The time came and I had to give back my Jeep and had to check-in for my next flight to Honolulu.

After I landed in Honolulu I went to the budget car rental, where I got my strange fiat punto “SUV”. For me as an European there is no Fiato Punto SUV existing, you can take the normal small Fiat Punto and at on each side around 30 cm. Anyway I headed to my Hostel near the Waikiki Beach. Fortunately the hostel could rent me the last parking place, I was really grateful for that. On the same day I took snorkelling gear with me (in that hostel the snorkelling gear was for free). On the beach I met that guy from Canada, his name was Hassan, we had a great time on the beach and later on we went out for dinner and also for some drinks. Also that night I also met another guy with which I experienced the next adventure.

Next morning we woke up early and went to Pearl Harbour. I think as average tourists We took the wrong entry and wanted to enter to the military base on Pearl Harbour. The soldier ask for my permission and at this time I showed them my Swiss ID, which is of course a free ticket for everything :). The soldier looked a little bit confused but gentle told me that the next street to the right will lead to the visitor area. I put the car in first gear or was it D (never mind). Finally we arrived at the spot. As far as I can remember the free tickets were limited up to 1’000 per day, if you want to visit Pearl Harbour please inform yourself, but for sure wanted to be early at Pearl Harbour due to this limit. Anyway at Pearl Harbour you could choose from different attraction packages. We took the package with the submarine and the memorial, the memorial was for free. We had an audio tour through the submarine, which was informative. After the submarine we queued for the memorial (we got a ticket for that which tells you at what time you have to queue). Before you can embark the fairy to the memorial you have to watched a documentary of Pearl Harbour from the side of the Americans, how can I describe that neutrally, let’s say they subtle left out important bits of the history. Finally we could get on the fairy and we had the chance to see the memorial and the wrecks. Unfortunately the view on to the wrecks was not really good and excitement was limited.

Fellow Americans and people, the memorial has a big meaning and also I pay tribute and respect to the history and to the fallen soldiers. For me as a third party person, who has no direct connection to the whole story, therefore it is not as emotional for me than for any person who has a connection to Pearl Harbour.

After a small road trip we arrived at the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, which is a really nice beach for snorkelling. Due to the nature preserve you have to pay an entry fee and also watch a 10 minutes long movie how you should behave during your stay. The snorkelling was really awesome and amazing a lot of fish, riffs and corals. Just awesome!!!

A friend of mine also recommend me to walk to the top of the diamond head so back in the car we headed there, but unfortunately the diamond head has opening hours……. Keep in mind to visit the diamond head during opening hours.

Opening hours (Nov 2016) is 06:00 to 18:00
Diamon Head Website

Disappointed we went back to the hostel and looked for dinner and also some nice drinks next to the Waikiki beach. I enjoyed the time with my freshly met friends at the Waikiki beach. We sat in the Duke’s Canoe Club until late in the night!!! Totally recommend it!!!

From there on I had to pack my luggage wake up early in the morning and go to airport, where I took my next flight to Sydney, where I met my Swiss friends!!!

***Back to overview Around the world 2016***

Recommendations:
Early small visit at Pearl Harbour
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve small snorkelling trip
Diamond Head
Duke’s Canoe Club (wait for a table at the terrace)

Today we woke up early this morning. We had a lot to do.

First on the plan was to visit the two waterfalls nearby and the waipi’o valley in the northeast of the island. So we bought some snacks, water and some food for the day.

We started with the rainbow falls, which are 5 minutes drive from hilo center. The waterfall is really nice and due to the water particles you nearly always can see a rainbow.

Rainbow Falls

Akaka Park

Akaka Fall

Waipio Valley

Back in the car we drove to the Akaka Falls, which are located near Honomu.
In that park (entry fee 10$) you have a nice walk around and in the end you can see the Akaka Falls (135 m), which is really astonishing. I totally recommend it.

Next on the list was the Waipi’o Valley Lookout point. When we arrived there unfortunately the waether was not that good, lets say rubbish, fog everywhere. Maybe you could see 10 meters far and that was it.

Anyway we headed back to Hilo, where I picked up two other backpackers.But before we arrived at Hilo, we drove the Pepeekeo Scenic Drive, totally awesome. Do it when you can.

On tripadvisor 4.5 rating

Our next destination was Mountain Mauna Kea.

***See also small update***

We packed clothes, enough water and food and some courage. First I refilled my Jeep with pertol and we were ready for the next adventure!!!

But before keep in mind about the danger up there. High altitude, gravel streets, really steep, weather conditions etc.here are my recommendations:

Recommendations:

• Your car must have real 4 by 4 better said a good engine break for going downhill without overheating your breaks.
• Stay at the ranger station some hours until you feel comfortable.
• Take enough water and food with you
• Enough fuel
• Enough clothes, it is really cold on the top
• Also listen to the ranger about the condition and weather
• enough money on you bank account when an accident will occur 😛

Our first stop was a the ranger station at around 2’800 m. We arrived there at around 16:00 as far as I could remember. You should stay there at least half an hour better one full hour to acclimatise to the altitude. The visitor is a goldmine of information about all kind of stuff of astrology and the summit itself, even there you can watch a movie about the summit.

After certain warining sings and danger warnings etc. the paved road changed into a gravel road and the steep increased dramatically for the next 8 miles or so, this part was full of fun!!!

After minutes of excitment we finally reached the top in the lazy mans way ;). I think I can say that I parked my Jeep on the highest carpark on the world.

After an astonishing sunset and some star gazing the ranger told us that we should slowly decend due to the darkness. The drive down was even more amazing, scary due to the limited view. We stopped again at the ranger station and they were starting to set up some telescope. I learnt a lot about astronomy also you could see Jupiter, Pluto, Moon and Venus I guys, unfortunatelly I already forgot all the interesting information about the stars, which are surounding us… and everything was for free, awesome.

Total Spent = CHF 3’448.84.-

Total 2016 = 98’666.26 km
Total 2016 = 61’308.37 miles

Small update:
Today was just perfect.

The journey started at 14:30 in Hilo with my rented 4 by 4 Jeep.
After some hours I reached nearly the top of tge world.

Longer blog will follow asap!!!

Mauna Kea on Big Island Hawaii!!!
A must!!!

Yours wwW