Straight outta Tampa

The city of champions as noted in 2020 and 2021 with Super Bowl and Stanley Cup wins. It’s the city of FUN for sure and there is always something fun to do!! Whether its a Lightning game, boat outing, bar crawl or concert, we truly are spoiled with choices.

One of the first places we visited was just north of Tampa and is slice of paradise. Weeki Wachee is known for its crystal clear water, calm stream and abundance of manatees. While the manatee count is not as high as Crystal River or Three Sisters up the road, the abundance of beauty is 100% worth the trip. Weeki Wachee also has one the deepest freshwater caves in the U.S. and you can also find a mermaid show during the summer.

Being new to the area we did not have our own gear and sought an affordable tour over Memorial Day weekend. We found SUP Weeki on Facebook and the owner Pam provides daily posts of the current conditions on the river. Affordable and highly knowledgeable, I cannot recommend Pam at Sup Weeki enough.

Typical tours are 3-4 hours and you can chose a few routes along the river. We always prefer to head up to Hospital Hole and then make our way to the State Park after. Most of the river you can stand and no paddling experience is needed to enjoy a day out along the river. The great thing about Weeki Wachee it’s very rare to see alligators here.

Weekdays provide a slower pace and less paddler traffic, but on the weekends it’s totally enjoyable if you arrive early in warmer months. Manatees love the colder water so Spring, Fall and Winter you do have better chances to catch one cruising along the river or having a snack along the banks.

Days following heavy rain causes the river to have darker green tint. So if you are looking for clearer waters try to avoid days post rain. Make sure to pack sunscreen, bug spray, snacks and a water bottle. The local sheriff patrols on jet ski so I recommend keeping the booze at home.

Enjoy a slice of paradise on the Weeki Wachee river.

Happy Traveling,

Katrina

Central Asia - Part 1 Turkmenistan

Central Asia was just named Best Region to travel in 2020!! I cannot agree more. 

Many years ago I became completely fascinated by the Silk Road. The journeys, spices and textiles make it a cultural paradise. I wanted to maximize my time in the area and many friends raved about Lupine Travels - 5 Stans tour. Its a jam-packed and adventure filled two weeks. The days were long, but you really get a great feel of the region. Another reason I love Lupine Travel is the mix of people they get on their tours. After joining one of their tours a year earlier in Bangladesh and Bhutan. I knew the kind of people they attract on their tours. We had people from ages 24 to 70 and everyone meshed so well. 

The 5 Stans tour starts in Turkmenistan and ends in Kazakstan. If you are not a lover of long days and nights this is not for you. We were up most days before 6am and turning in for the night around 11pm. 

I decided to arrive a day early into Turkmenistan to enjoy a day of leisure before the big group showed up. We landed into Ashgabat in the early morning hours. The city was vibrantly lit up from the sky and looked somewhat to the Las Vegas strip from the air. Not what I had expected when we landed. I met up with my roommate and some of the group that morning. We decided to head out to the cable car and some locations in the city not covered in the tour. The cable car was interesting and it offers a great view of the city. I could spot this amazing looking building from the lookout point and after a bit of convincing the drivers took us. Who would have thought a broken ferris wheel within the Alem Cultural and Entertainment Center would look so cool. Its been broke for a few years, but was really neat to get up close to. 

We headed into the Russian style market for lunch. It was filled with tasty goodies and fresh fruit and veg. Another gem I did not expect was the amount of candy stores we would find. I am talking wall to wall confectionary goodness. I brought back nearly a kilo of chocolate and ate triple that over the two weeks. 

We had a traditional dinner nearby the hotel and copious amounts of vodka, for you know medicinal purposes. That is pretty true for the whole tour, as stomach illness is fairly common for everyone in this region. 

The next morning we met up with the rest of the group to start our real adventure. We took a short city tour visiting Monument of Neutrality, Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque, Independence Monument, Memorial Complex and The State Museum of the State Cultural. 

We then setoff to the desert for our overnight stay at the famous gas crater. We left the large tour bus behind and started our convoy into the desert in 5 SUVs. The roads were less than favorable, but in the end its all an adventure. We arrived at the grater at dusk and awaited the guides to put up our allocated tents. The camping was one of the highlights for me as you are hours from any city. The star filled sky paired with the light from the crater was breathtaking. The guides made a delicious lamb and veg kabob meal and we drank by the campfire until nearly sunrise. 

Early morning departure to Dashoguz for an overnight stay before we headed into Uzbekistan. This day was quite a blur due to being fairly ill. Not sure if it was food or the amount of booze consumed, but I was in a pretty bad place. Lots of meds, water and sleep once we arrived to the hotel. The group enjoyed a tour of a temple and dinner that evening.  

Onward to Khiva we crossed the border in the most humorous way. There is a small bus you must use between the border. You pretty much pack in like sardines and allow the driver to toss you around for around 5 minutes weaving through barriers. 

To be continued in Part 2 - Uzbekistan

Happy Traveling, 

Katrina 

Roaming in Rwanda

Rwanda is a country that is known by many for the devastation that happened in 1994. What Rwanda is today is a country vast in culture, pride and beauty. It’s a country that will leave you in awe and coming back for more. The country is clean, I mean so clean you would think that litter did not exist in the country. In 2006 Rwanda banned plastic bags and even has a day a month dedicated to cleaning (Umuganda Day).

 Our original intention was to visit Bwindi from Kigali for an incredible Gorilla trek, but our Brussels Airlines flight was diverted back to Brussels due to plane malfunction. As fun as it was to come in for an emergency landing with fire trucks chasing us in; it was bittersweet that a full day in this country was missed. It was a guarantee we would be back in the near future.  We did not let the little hiccup get us down. Arriving a day late, but ready to visit the most underrated African safaris.

Upon arrival we were whisked away by our driver Emmanuel. We stayed in The Nest boutique guesthouse, which was in the heart of Kimihurura. A standard room with a city view, comfy bed and warm shower is what they delivered. Just a short walk away from the hotel we grabbed a quick dinner with city view from the infamous Republic lounge. The food was incredible and I was dreaming of my grilled goat and garlic potatoes the rest of the trip.

The next morning Kagera Safaris picked us up before the sun for our day trip to Akagera National Park. Nearly a two hour drive through the Rwanda countryside; it was definitely a highlight of our trip. Akagera is a point to point safari, meaning we came in the south and came out the north of the park. There is an optional boat safari, which in hindsight wish we had booked. The park offers all of the Big 5!! It is one the most affordable safaris I have done so far in Africa.

After 100km of driving through the park spotting wildlife at every turn, we headed back to Kigali at dusk. The infamous Republic Lounge was closed for the day, so we headed to the Crêperie next door for some sweet and savory creations.

To occupy our last day in the city we found GoKigali Tours to show us around. Boy we were in for a treat. The guide Eric was authentic and the tour ticked every desire. We visited markets, tasted local fruit, sailed on boats, drank coffee & milk. We even visited the Genocide Memorial, which is worth the visit to learn more about the Rwandan devastation.

If you visit Rwanda you are in for a treat. It was definitely the best country I could have picked for country number 100!!

Happy Traveling,

Katrina

(Photos credit by D. Miraballes)

Sri Lanka – Land of such diversity

The country with beauty from within

The time spent in Sri Lanka can be days or even weeks. We had 6 short days to capture as much of this countries beauty as possible. We definitely did not see all of what this amazing country has to offer, but we did get an amazing sampler.

Our goal was to take in the ancient history, food, mountains, rice terraces, beaches, tea plantations and the native animals. We accomplished our itinerary with the guidance of our knowledgeable guide Rana. We decided to book everything on our own, but he does offer itinerary planning, as part of his services.

Day 1-

We arrived at 4:30am to the island; I had about 3 hours of sleep after a 14-hour flight. I was armed with some granola and coffee to get through the day. Our guide greeted us promptly and we set off from Colombo to Dambulla.  Dambulla is the site of the exquisite rock cave temples. The paintings with-in the monastery date back nearly 2,000 years.  Take your time here and make sure capture all the views from above the temple. If it is a clear day you can see Sigiriya from the distance.

Our intentions were to climb Sigiriya Rock next, but due to an injury prior to the trip the hike was not feasible for me. We made the most of the extra time and Rana set up a traditional herbal oil massage close by. This totally hit the spot after that long flight. I found myself relaxed and well rested after this experience.

As it was nearly midday we set-off towards the National Parks of Minneriya and Kaudulla to see the daily Elephant Gathering, which takes place in dry season within the parks. With the help of our guide he called to see where they had been spotted to ensure we picked a safari. We jumped in a private safari jeep and headed to Kaudulla where the elephants had been spotted earlier that day. I highly recommend getting into the park prior to 2pm if at all possible. When we arrived there was a handful of jeeps on the safari and 40 plus elephants on the pasture grazing.  We stayed on the park about an hour watching numerous elephant families play in the mud and fields. We even spotted a large herd of water buffalos along the lake between the parks. By the time we left the safari it was so crowded with dozens of jeeps trying to make their way down the one-way road into the park. Dozens more waiting for their time slot at the gate to enter the park. We finished the day at our remote hotel, the Ruins Villa in Polonnaruwa with a homemade dinner and sunset.

Day 2-

We had an early morning start to try to beat the heat as we headed to the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. A visit to the museum is a must to fully understand the history of the site. We spent around 2.5 hours across all the sites with our driver moving us along most of the complex to save my poor knee from giving out.  The temples are still in tact in most places giving you a real picture of what the village looked like thousands of years ago. We finished with a local lunch and made our way to Kandy for some more historical sites.

Kandy is known for the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and for being the cultural center. I found it overwhelming, crowded and expensive. After spending time in the remote areas near the ancient city of Polonnaruwa where the only sounds you heard were that of the toucans and monkeys in the trees, the people in the city completely made me want to run back to our sanctuary in the hills. We had a few hours to kill before heading to the temple, so we caught a local show inclusive of a fire walk!!

 

After the show we braved the crowds and headed to the temple for the unveiling of the Tooth Relic at 6pm. The ceremony within the temple was incredible to watch, but the pushing from the large tour groups going up the stairs in the peaceful temple had me ready to escape. The monks were the only people not rushing people through the temple and allowing people to pay their respects. Here we stayed in a boutique hotel atop the hills called Sweet Kandy; which did not disappoint on amazing views.  

Day 3-

After another early morning start we headed for the hills, quite literally.  The area Nuwara Eliya (known as Little England) was filled with hills upon hills of tea plantations. The scenery changed drastically over the next 2 hours. The palm trees turned into large rolling hills filled with rows of tea plants. As it was early in the day we were able to catch some of the tea pickers are work. The tea plant blooms every 7 days so it’s essential that they are picked often for the freshest tea possible. Due to the delicate process women primarily pick the tea. We visited Glenloch tea factory for a close up view of the tea making process. You finish the tour with a small tasting session and a chance to buy any local tea.

We stopped off at numerous waterfalls and look out points along the way. We almost chose the train to come down from Kandy, but we would have missed a large amount of scenery that you could stop off at along the way. Nuwara Eliya was quaint and it was very apparent that the British had colonized the village. The buildings still had the quintessential look of a typical village in the UK complete with horse racing. We stopped into the local markets here to get a glimpse of how the locals shopped. We were spent and headed back to the hotel for bed and another early morning on the train to Ella.

Day 4-

We awoke with the sunrise to enjoy the crisp air. The weather in this area was far colder than any other place we have visited in Sri Lanka. The area was nearly 2,000 meters above sea level so the temperature change was nice when you do not have A/C in your accommodation. We took the more rustic commuter train versus the faster train down to Ella. While it was nearly twice the journey time on the train, the train offered far more character than the faster tourist train. All windows including 1st class opened on this train providing ample time for the best views.

Once arriving in Ella we stopped into Adam’s café for a quick lunch. To my surprise this was the best meal we had while in Sri Lanka. The variety of curry’s and fruit juices was fantastic. We stopped over at the nine arches bridge to see the last train of the day pass over. Based on recommendation from our driver Rana we booked the Srilak View Holiday Inn located in Haputale. All the food cooked in house is from their garden below the hotel. The views from the hotel are pretty damn incredible.

Day 5-

After a few days in the mountains we were glad to toss the coats and head back to lower ground. As we drove from Haputale to Induruwa we crossed rainforests, rice terraces and numerous beaches. I chose Bentota/ Induruwa based on recommendations for quiet less touristy beaches. It did not let us down at all. Most people flock to Mirissa and Galle for beaches due to the calmer seas in the south. We found the seas perfect to take a quick swim. The non-existent people in the area made strolls along the beach so peaceful and quiet.

We visited a local turtle sanctuary who rescues and launches turtles everyday. It was completely destroyed by the tsunami a few years ago, so the funds go toward rebuilding the conservation effort. They hold one of each type of turtle local to Sri Lanka within their compound for educational purposes. Some injured (like the blind turtle) and even the rare albino which have a short lifespan in the wild. There are quite a few excursions from here, but we chose to relax the last day before our long journeys home. 

While our time was short in Sri Lanka, it was unforgettable. Our trip could have not been made possible without our amazing driver Rana. He was flexible and adjusted the itinerary to make sure we got the most out of our itinerary. What I loved the most is that he does not take you to the huge tourist shops or factories. He truly has a love of his country and wants you to see if through his eyes at local restaurants and shops.

He does custom itineraries or just driver only packages.

http://www.srilanka-guide.com or on FB https://www.facebook.com/sarath.ranasinghe.18

Happy Travelling,

Katrina

* The recommendation is not to my benefit. I gain nothing for the recommendation. 

Dordogne Valley – Best villages for a weekend getaway

Dordogne Valley – Land of Fairytales

La Roque-Gageac - Upper Village

There are no words to describe the beauty of this region. Dare I say it; it has the most beautiful villages I have ever seen. Perfectly placed flower boxes in each window with honey-toned buildings overlooking the winding Dordogne River.

La Roque-Gageac Promenade

The region covers a vast area between Bergerac and Brive, but we picked a small area that was far less populated. We chose to stay at the Domaine du Château de Monrecour, which was just one village over from Beynac-et-Cazenac, where we spent time strolling the quiet cobblestone streets at dusk.

The local hot air balloons launch from the castle grounds, which was quite the site to see at sunset. The hotel offered two heated pools and an incredible backdrop to the gorgeous area.

In my opinion the three best villages to visit in no apparent order are:

Domme, Beynac-et-Cazenac and La Roque-Gageac.

La Roque-Gageac:

We started the first day off roaming around the bustling La Roque-Gageac. This town truly had a lot to offer, there are many viewpoints from all over the village.  There are caves high above the town, but at the time of writing they were under renovation.  There were more activities and restaurants here than in the other villages we visited later in our trip. You had the choice to take a riverboat, which takes you up stream for a one hour ride with a guided tour.  Alternatively, you can also rent a canoe from various vendors along the water and make your way down the river yourself. Some of the streets felt like quiet alleys tucked away in a fairytale. 

 

Beynac-et-Cazenac:

We set off to Beynac-et-Cazenac right as the shops were closing, which no doubt made the experience in the village that much more exciting. We strolled around for nearly an hour getting lost in the streets without a soul in sight. We hiked up towards the Chateau to get some of the views of the hot air balloons launching from our hotel. It was down right magical. The photos alone do this village no justice. You could see numerous Chateaus’ in the distance from the viewpoints in the village.

We finished the evening with one of the best meals I have had in a long time at Hotel-Restaurant du Château. You must try the Foie gras while here; it’s a local favorite and can be found at most restaurants. This village took my breath away, I truly felt as though we were on the set of Beauty and the Beast.

 

Domme:

We started the morning off on the east end of the Dordogne River into the village of Domme. Domme is set up high on a hill overlooking the winding valley below. The village is well known for its caves “Grotte de Domme”. We opted for ice cream and a stroll along the city’s still remaining fortification walls. Each street offered such breathtaking views. The colors of the doors and shutters in this town by far were the most picturesque. 

 

Happy Traveling, 

Katrina

Cotswolds - Land of Honey Colored Homes

Hues of honey colored homes and manicured landscapes. Yep, you have just entered the Cotswolds.

Over the Christmas break I was going a bit stir crazy. I wanted to explore an area close to home, but not packed with tourists seeking Christmas markets. I broke the trip into the Northern Cotswolds and the Southern Cotswolds. Not really referred to as this, but two distinct areas with so much charm.

Day 1 – Northern Cotswolds 

https://goo.gl/maps/Ljpy8mLaPo72

Chipping Campden was great for a nice morning stroll through the famous market town. The town is most known for its wool and market square. Many of the well-known sights are right along the High Street. If you follow the “Cotwolds Way” signs towards the bottom of the village you will come upon Hoo Lane. The houses along this historic street were picturesque. The thatched roofed architecture seen in many of England’s oldest villages.  I am sure you can spend hours gazing through the boutique shops, but we headed up the road to Stow-On-The-Wold to get a glimpse at one of the oldest Inn’s in England.

Stow-On-The-Wold was quite compact with many of the 1500 and 1600 century sites right in the main quarter. If you plan to visit The Porch, which is said to be the oldest Inn in England, I highly recommend booking in for lunch. We were lucky enough to try the pubs namesake beer the 947 AD. The service and cuisine did not disappoint on a cold winter day.  The fireplace set in the middle of the pub brought a warm and cosy vibe to building. Have a peek around the venue as numerous signs share a bit of the history around the Pub and the local village. A quick photo stop around the town and we headed to one of the more famous villages Bourton-on-the-Water.

Bourton-on-the-Water was by far the busiest village we visited. I highly recommend coming early and parking down at the miniature museum at the end of town. The village has a series of bridges connecting the two banks with some of the most wonderful views. We spent an hour or so strolling through the various alleyways and streets. The village had an auto museum and a handful of pastry shops. We stopped into the Bakery on the Water for some fresh bakes sweets for an afternoon snack.  

Just a few villages away from finishing the day, we started our way towards Bibury. Bibury is one of the more well-known villages, known for its postcard picture-perfect Arlington Row. A stopover in Burford to see another picturesque village filled with medieval homes and historic buildings. I have to admit that Burford was well worth the stop. Take a stroll down Sheep street towards The Lamb Inn, a view not to be missed. The bustling market town is set out on a hill; making the architecture different from many of the other Cotswolds villages. We made it to Bibury right before sunset. The iced over roof tiles and smoke coming from chimney’s truly made the moment spectacular. Many of the tourists were nearly gone, which enabled us to get some amazing photos. A trip up to St. Mary’s Church and we called it a day. We stayed the night at the most incredible B&B, The Priory Inn of Tetbury. If you want the most incredible pizza, then this is the place. People come from all over the world to try some of their brick oven pizzas. All ingredients for the restaurant are bought within a 30 mile radius, even down to the grain for the dough. The prices were reasonable allowing me to splurge on the England cider sampler and salted cookie dough ice cream and caramel cake. The day was done and I had officially eaten my way through the Northern Cotswolds. 

Day 2 – Southern Cotswolds

https://goo.gl/maps/68VpFdsrGko

Another early morning start before heading home. If you have not been to Bath, I would highly recommend you add this in to the day and either spend less time in Bradford-on-Avon or miss it altogether. Bath has far more things to offer, but a quick stop over in Bradford-on-Avon to see the Old Saxon church was fun.

Our day did not go as planned due to a fog advisory. Starting our way to Lacock Village to only find out that Lacock Abbey (Where some of harry potter is filmed), did not in fact open for quite a few hours. The church was also closed, but we took a stroll around the village trying not to bust our behinds on the thick ice all over the roads and walkways. We walked alongside the Abbey down the main road in order to grab some photos from a distance with the grazing sheep.  

Just a few miles up the road and we reached Castle Combe. The photos online did this place no justice. Catching it before lunch we beat a lot of the crowds along the road. This town has limited parking due to most of the roads being too narrow. There are numerous walking trails from this town along the river. If you have time stop into Ellen’s Cottage across from town market stall and pub. She has fresh backed cakes out front, all paid for on the honor system. Torn on decisions I had both the carrot cake and coffee cake, to which neither disappointed.

An attempt to see a few more places was unsuccessful due to winter closures and visibility. A small stop over into Bradford-on-Avon for a stroll along river. The churches, market square and an old Quaker meeting house are worth a visit. It was quaint, but felt more of a city than a village. Again if you have not been head to Bath for a day in the Roman Baths and stroll along the medieval streets.

A last minute effort to make the most of the day, we headed back north to see Blenheim Palace, birthplace of Winston Churchill. The Palace puts on a Christmas lights event in the evening. It was more geared towards families with small kids, so a great day out if you are in the area. Highly recommend having afternoon tea in the main hall of the Palace. It was divine and every little piece of food was made to perfection.

 

Happy Traveling,

 

Katrina 

Temples, Sand and Sea- Myanmar (Burma)

Have you ever laid eyes on a place and thought, I must go there. This was my first thought when I came across a photo of the city of Old Bagan. It appeared to be untouched by civilization and just the type of adventure I wanted to end an epic year.

Getting there from the UK was half the adventure. It took 36 hours door to door, across 4 airports and half a dozen times zones. The feeling when I landed in Yangon was exhaustion and excitement. I met up with some incredible ladies, who months before agreed to jump on the trip with me. A few Facebook communications and the trip was booked. I will admit that planning the trip at first seemed overwhelming, not much has been written about it and finding trustworthy blogs with updated information was hard. That was until I came across this site: http://www.go-myanmar.com/ that offered the largest amount of accurate content and information.

Picking the right destinations for the 10 days was another battle. I wanted culture, sunshine, beaches and relaxation. Choosing Yangon, Bagan and Ngapali were indeed the right choices.

Spending around 1 full day in Yangon we stayed at the Hotel Esperado, which overlooked Kandawgyi Park and the Shwedagon Pagoda. The hotel was just a short walk to the Royal Barge and Shwedagon Pagoda. Shwedagon Pagoda is a great place to watch the sunset as the building seems to magically glow at dusk. Traffic was absolutely manic when we left Shwedagon Pagoda, so we ended up missing Old Town and the historic area. We used our time wisely and booked a few hours into the spa that evening. Feeling relaxed we went to bed for our early morning flight.

Coming into Yangon, I entered a 5 star airport, newly built and shiny. Leaving for Bagan from the domestic terminal was an entirely different experience. You enter the small building to the west of the international terminal. There were no fancy signs and the check in process was so relaxed. Handed over our passports and given simple boarding passes and our colored stickers placed on our lapels. These stickers are crucial into ensuring you make your flight. Once through security and into the waiting hall, we realized it was not as 5 star as next door. A small toilet area and café is all the airport had to offer. Thank goodness the hotel packed us a boxed breakfast, as this was a just what I needed in the morning chaos. About 15 minutes before our departure staff shuttled us outside where a plane had just landed, allowing some of the passengers to disembark. We jumped in our seats on the tiny propeller plane and we were off. I slept most of the flight as jetlag was getting the best of me. By the time I woke up we were coming into Bagan. If you are sitting on the left hand side of the plane, you will get to the see the incredible view of all the temples amongst the trees. This view was even more spectacular than I could have ever imagined.

On arrival into Nyaung U airport you will buy the Bagan Zone Pass that provides access to archaeological zone. The cost was 25,000 Kwat, it was about $20. Having done a lot of research I found that while many hotels in Old Bagan were closer to the famous temples, the hotels in New Bagan offered some of the best views for balloon watching. Having chosen B&B Hotel Manisanda, as the other travels raved that it offered the best views for sunrise over the temples. As you can see their reviews did not disappoint. There are a few ways to get around Bagan, and you can chose a taxi, ebike or horse cart. There are only two main roads running through the area, so it is hard to get lost even with no sense of direction like myself. The ebikes really allow you to get to some of the more remote temples.

 

Spending three days in the Bagan area was more than enough, as it allowed us to taken in the sites without feeling rushed. There is day trips to Mt. Popa and while it was a long card ride, it was a change of scenery from Bagan. You can set up a taxi to this for about $40 from one of the taxi shops off the main road where you can rent ebikes. Get one of the free maps and explore as many of the temples as you can. Many of them you can enter and get some great views of the whole area. Some of the temples caretakers expect a small tip to allow you to view from the top. I brought quite a few dollar bills for this, as it was suggested by another blogger. I have to admit we did not try many restaurants as the first trip to The Moon 2, we were hooked and kept returning.  

Concluding our amazing time in Bagan we headed into Ngapali for some sand and sea. Amata Resort Suites was just what we needed after long fun filled days in Bagan. On arrival the resort met with us and put us into a bus to transfer to the other end of the bay. Amata is one of the last resorts along the bay providing a nice secluded beach area. The lack of tourists made it feel like utter paradise. The spa, beach and happy hour were just what we needed to relax.  

 

There is not much to do once in Ngapali, but if looking for a livelier atmosphere stay closer to the airport. We saw quite a few bars, cafes and tourists. If looking to relax head to the end of the bay.

 

Leaving Myanmar (Burma) was so hard. It was one of the most amazing trips that I have ever planned. The country offered some of kindest people in the world. Always willing to help and making sure you enjoy their beautiful country.

 

Happy Traveling,

 

Katrina

Les Escaldes - The Heart of Andorra

Micro-country packed with beauty and adventure

Andorra sits right smack between Spain and France in the Pyrenees mountain region. A short flight and 2 hour drive from Perpignan made for a nice quick getaway. Andorra offered gorgeous views paired with thermal springs. My main goal for Andorra was to take in the small villages along the main road and visit the Caldea Spa.

We used Les Escaldes as our base for the 2 days. This was perfect as it offered walking trails up through the mountains, as well as great views of the natural flowing thermal river. The Mola Park Hotel had parking and was within walking distance to all the sites that Les Escaldes had to offer.

The Caldea spa is one of the largest in Europe with over 6,000 square meters of pure thermal spa bliss. We chose the evening package for about 30 Euros, which included 3 hours at the spa, and to our surprise, an acrobatic routine in the main pool.

Andorra offered so much to see and do, in such a small package. We stopped over at some ruins in route back to the airport. The snow capped in the mountains, quiet streets, paired with an incredible pink sunrises made it one of Europe's hidden gems. 

Happy Traveling, 

 

Katrina

 

Norway – Fjords – Journey to Trolltunga - Part 2

The trip was high on my husband’s bucket list. The man who could care less about travelling, expressed interest in doing some Norwegian hiking. We were only in Norway for 3 full days, so making the most of it was essential. Flying into Haugesund would have truly maximized the trip. It would have cut out about an hour of driving and using the ferry, but we would have missed some incredible views going this route.

We started in Stavanger, arriving around midnight on Friday night. SIXT rental car staff will stay out of hours if you provide your flight information when booking. We stayed overnight near the airport in order to get a good night’s rest for the rest of the trip. Saturday morning we set off to Kyrping Camping. I chose this location as it was centrally located along the area we wanted to see. They offer a variety of accommodations to stay in, we chose one of the log cabins along the lake. The drive took about 3 hours with the ferry and winding roads from Sola Airport. There were so many lakes and gorgeous photo stops along the route. We were able to check in early, drop bags and headed towards Røldal. Røldal is known for having one of the oldest stave churches in Norway, dating back to 1200. https://www.visitnorway.com/listings/r%C3%B8ldal-stave-church/1267/

Breath-taking scenery

On the way to Røldal you will see numerous waterfalls, including Langfoss, also known as the 5th largest waterfall in Norway. It was voted in 2006, as the World’s Most Beautiful Waterfall. There is a hiking trail at the base to the top, which could be done in about 3 hours. We chose the photos from the bottom option due to the heavy off and on rain most of the day. There is a small parking lot next to the falls which offered a bathroom, snacks and souvenirs. https://www.visitnorway.com/listings/langfoss-waterfall/2135/

Upon arrival to Røldal there is signs for the church along the road. We arrived after they had closed for the afternoon, so a few photos of the exterior and we set off to Skjeggedal.

Along the road you will approach another large waterfall. The famous Låtefoss, also known as the twin waterfalls. It was quite the site to see. There is a waterfall a few hundred yards before Låtefoss that is likely to drench your car enroute. The waterfalls were definitely a highlight of our trip. https://www.visitnorway.com/listings/l%C3%A5tefoss-waterfall/1268/

As we approached Skjeggedal we started to see signs for Trolltunga. We stopped in to assess where to park and where the start of the hike was. I had read numerous blogs leading up to the hike and wanted to know what to expect myself. We wanted no surprises at 6am for the start of the hike. We found that there is a large car park at the bottom of the hill which is 100NOK a day at the time of writing.

It is another 6km to the top from here. Many people were parked here, because in high season if you arrive late to the top carpark, you will have to park here and hike up the road to the top. The 6km road to the top was an adventure in itself. It is a single lane road along the cliff side.  Watching for cars and people that afternoon was quite the task. Once at the top you will find another carpark at the base of the hike. This one is hourly parking. We read some of the information on the signs and then headed back to the lodge for dinner and a good night’s rest.

https://goo.gl/maps/ZCeBDgkYgQt

Time to hike

Now here is where the adventure truly starts!!! Remember this was a family holiday and we have decided that it is a great idea to take our 11 year old on an expert level hike in Norway. When I say expert level, I mean grown men were turning back in the beginning realizing how under prepared they were. But, we were committed to making it up and down, and in one piece.

We woke up at 5am in order to make the 1 hour drive to the base of the mountain. We packed everything that was mandatory to hike in Norway. All listed here for your reference. https://www.visitnorway.com/listings/trolltunga/8625/

I had read the day before that the car park payment machine was broken. Many people waited until 8am when they opened to start their hike. We decided we were not waiting around 2 hours and paid once we came back. We paid 400NOK for the 12 hours we were gone. The area gets quite a bit of rain so expect a bit of mud. I do mean the thick pull off your shoes kind of mud. Everything I read about the hike stated that the 1st kilometer was the worst. They have closed the funicular to which offered stairs to the top. So the only way up was through a wooded path in the forest or a tour company using the sky ladder.

The 1st kilometer offered a variety of terrain and somewhat stairs along the way up made of rocks. The route up you will use ropes in numerous areas to pull yourself to the top.  I might have been a bit ambitious to get to the top and I rushed to the top. DO NOT do this! As much fun as this part of the route was, my 30 something body paid me back at the back end of the hike.

With the 1km done, I remember roughly the sign said 21km total for the hike. We proceeded up numerous mountains, across waterfalls, wood planks, rivers, mud, lots more mud, more water, cliff side drop offs, and sheer rock face. We took 10 minute breaks a few times, but overall snacked in route. 3-4 kilometers into the hike gets interesting again with lots of terrain changes. This was up there with the 1st kilometer in my book. Worn out and sore, but at 7.5 miles later, yes that 12 kilometers, we reached Trolltunga. We arrived just before 12 meaning it took just over 4 hours to get to the top. The view was incredible to say the least. The line was about 20 people back when we arrived. We agreed to swap out with others in line to take photos. If not we would not have been able to take a photo together. We spent just at an hour here with photos, lunch and a pee stop.

Thrilled with our achievement we headed back with our heads held high. At this point the overnight hikers and many others were all heading back at the same time. There was far more overtaking from experienced hikers. This made the way down much slower as many points it’s a small path along the mountain side. My knees two weeks later still remember the down portion like it was yesterday. At this point even changing out of wet socks and bandaging blisters was not doing the trick. I was tired and we had unusually great weather. That meant that all those layers we packed were wearing us down. The temperature peaked midday to about 85 degrees. We packed two water bottles and filled at each waterfall we encountered, which was quite often. So do not feel you have to pack tons as you can refill about every 2km along the route.

We reached 3-4 kilometers again and the mud was even worse than the way up. Over the hills, through the woods, waterfalls, rivers and mud for another 7.5 miles. We reached the last kilometer and this was my final breaking point. My knees were screaming from the down, down, down and more down. A marathon runner I am, a hiker I am not. The mud, people, terrain and ropes made the last kilometer one of those moments that you wished you got better trip insurance. But WE MADE IT!! We kissed each other, happy that not only that we completed the 25 kilometer trek, but that we FREAKING survived to tell about it. I lived up to my word and my kid got a Fanta and 2 kinder eggs for not complaining the whole time!!

My suck it up, you will survive maternal instinct was clearly on point with this trip.

I am a big goal setter and I used my Garmin Fenix to track the hike. You can find it here: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1344917714

We paid our parking and headed back to the camp ground. We were exhausted and starving, but totally excited for the opportunity to take on this amazing hike.

The next morning we headed into Stavanger for the day. The journey back to the airport was just as gorgeous as the way up. We parked next to the cruise port in the city following the “Old Town” signs. We visited the cathedral and the oldest part of the town. The old town area is filled with 100 white houses and cobblestoned streets. Perfect for an afternoon stroll to stretch out our legs. Enroute to the airport we stopped over to the Swords in the Rock for a photo op. https://www.visitnorway.com/listings/swords-in-rock/1852/

All in and all it was a good 3 day trip for the family. It offered a bit of everything for everyone. Fun, adventure, sites and relaxation.

 

Happy Traveling,

 

Katrina