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 

Sunshine and Southern Africa

Sunshine and Southern Africa

After watching a recent reality show where two men road tripped from Scotland to Cape Town. I was completely intrigued about what Africa had to offer. All great things start with a flight and a ton of planning. I decided to use Victoria Falls for my base to travel around the region. Many safaris and overland tours use Victoria Falls, as a starting and end-point for their tours. Usually only spending a day or two in the area.

There are 3 airports that serve the region, and all are in three different countries. Picking the right one and the right visa is key to a seamless trip. I watched quite a few American’s come via Botswana and did only single-entry visas for the region. They were held at the border for over 3 hours trying to enter. I cannot stress enough that if you plan to country hop the Kasa Visa (Zimbabwe and Zambia) 30-day visa was the best option. I do not believe it’s possible to obtain this when coming into Botswana currently.

Now do you book ahead or wing it on arrival? I came in the height of high-season and many of the tours I had booked were sold out when I arrived. So, it’s a risk you must weigh if you chose to wing it. Choosing who to book through was the hardest thing by far. With the amount of tour companies in the area, it was overwhelming to say the least. I decided to go with Shearwater Adventures, as they were budget friendly and offered the largest variety of tours. They even helped with organize an external camping trip, but due to the water levels it had to be cancelled last minute.

Day One

Upon arrival I was collected by the Shearwater staff and taken to Explorers Village in the heart of Victoria Falls. The village offered camping and chalet accommodation. I stayed in a tent the first two days and then moved to the chalets the latter three days. To be honest knowing what I know now I would have stayed in the tents the whole time, as it was feasible for time I spent in the “room”. The shower/toilet block was large and clean. Don’t forget a towel and a lock for your tent and you are set.  The village was a five-minute walk to local craft markets and most of the restaurants. The falls were under a 10-minute walk.  

Straight off the plane I wasted no time and headed over to get some views of the bridge and waterfalls. There is a small trail that runs parallel to the road to the falls. Along the way you will see signs for the “Lookout Cafe” which is owned by Wild Horizons another prominent tour company in the area. I turned up as lunch was ending, but they did not skip a beat in letting me order. The view from here was downright incredible. From their viewpoint you can watch the zipline and swing that plunges into the falls. I called it an early night and headed back to camp.

Day Two

The next morning, I was collected for my trip to Botswana. The border crossing was quite quick, if you have the right visa to exit Zimbabwe. I love pedestrian border crossings, as they always have that good amount of chaos and excitement. We had some free time in Kasane to walk around before heading down to Chobe Safari Lodge on the river. Killing some time before our safari boat launch and I opted for a speed boat tour along the river. It was amazing, as you get into areas where the large barges cannot reach. If you an elephant lover, you are in for a freaking treat!!

I had pre-booked the game drive and river safari cruise with lunch to commence at 11am. You will get close to crocodiles, hippos and if you are lucky you will see tons of elephants. I preferred the water safari over the land, as many of the animals had already started migrating due to the bush being dry in areas. We saw a lot of impalas, water buffalo and a family of giraffes.

The group headed back to Zimbabwe and I met up with some of the other campers. We had found out that there was a free bus to Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, which is said to have the best sunset views. Off we went on the bus to check out this new-found gem. Upon arrival we headed to the bar for drinks and grabbed a seat overlooking the national park. The sunset did not disappoint in the slightest and glad this saved us the chaotic burden of the sunset cruise.

Day Three

Another morning and another activity. This by far was the one I was looking forward to the most. Canoe safari down the Zambezi river. I convinced one of the campers to join me, as I had book two spots to have this private tour. We headed through the national park for about 25km until reaching our landing point. As it was very early the game in the park was really on the move. We spotted so many animals, including a mother and baby giraffe.

We stopped and had a quick breakfast with the guides. The guides went over all the risks and safety information and we set off down the Zambezi. I say risks, as there are points when you come in close contact to hippos and they do try to capsize boats. I will not sugar coat it, I was damn scared. But how cool to talk about if you survive. This is quite strenuous, as you do canoe for over 20km down a river avoiding wildlife and debris. I got the experience of a lifetime and while we did have a near miss. I call it a win in my book.

As the excursion was quite early we ventured out to the Victoria Falls Bridge for some views. This was the perfect time to watch the bungee jumpers from the main platform. I cannot believe that over 1,000 people a month jump off that bridge. 90% of them women. The money from the activities on the bridge is used to paint and provide restoration. Sunset was approaching, and we whisked off to local brewery for some beer and grub. The River Brewing Company was touristy, but tasty.

Day Four

The next day was a bit chaotic, as I naively crammed three tours in one day. It usually works, but my transport in route was shared and well the group sharing transport turned up nearly an hour late (no apologises either). I started my day in a foul mood to be honest. The transport rushed me to the border to start my historic bridge tour, but I had missed it. They sorted it out and got me a private guide Simba. He really made the best of my frustrating morning. You are given some information about the bridge and then jump in a harness to walk the underneath of the bridge. I found this interesting and had the pleasure of a train coming over the top when we were underneath. As we finished the tour I walk to meet the bus and see it leaving back to Zimbabwe. Apparently, the others who were late, were too impatient to wait another 5 minutes for me to finish. The irony I tell you. The driver came back shortly after, as he saw me waving him down from Zambia. (HAHA)

I was rushed to the National Park to meet my guide Thabani for our waterfall tour. It was well worth the wait!! As it was now mid-afternoon most of the tourist had left. We had the waterfalls to ourselves for most of the tour. After a picturesque walk in the rain forest we headed back to the lodge. I killed a few hours before the sunset cruise I had booked for this evening.

I will spare you the grim details, but if you want to feel like cattle on a boat this is for you. We had arrived nearly last and others had already rearranged tables for their parties. I get it, but spare seats were sparse and forget anyone being considerate when asked to use a chair they had their bags in. I ended up standing right above the stairs in a nook to even get breathing room. Only bonus is unlimited booze was included, but we got some very unpleasant looking snacks. There were lots of boats on the river that looked orderly, but this was not it. So, do your research and book a sunset dinner cruise. I believe I got a better experience for free at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, but to each their own. The amount of alcohol consumption helped my fear of heights, as impromptu booked the helicopter flight for the next day.

Day Five

Final day in Victoria Falls and my hike to the Boiling Point was cancelled the night before. Rightfully so as the water was still too high, and we would have been swept away. There was one spot left to visit the local Elephant Orphanage. It was a before sunrise departure, but I felt it was totally worth it. On arrival you are greeted by the staff at the lodge and paired up with an elephant for your 45-minute walk.  I will spare you too many details but consider the Elephant Back Safari. After a walk in the bush, snacks with the elephants and breakfast we left. I was thankful I was able to go and learn more about the elephants native to the region. This is no dog and pony show, so if you really want to learn about elephant migration and conservation this place is for you. They limit the visitors to around 30 people a day.

Then the finale happened. Somehow convinced that getting in a helicopter over the falls was a great idea. My fear of heights and questioning the safety of the aircraft kept playing over and over in my head.  The van showed up to take me about 10 minutes away to the helipad. After arriving I jumped on the scale with my bags in hand and was briefed on my 15-minute flight. The couple I was to share the trip with had flown before, so pretty much told me I was taking the front seat. It was incredible and memorable seeing the falls from a few thousand feet above. You can get the video from your flight after your tour if you wish.

This trip was really one of the most amazing trips I have been on. It was great to meet so many people along the way, but enjoyed being outside my comfort zone alone.

Happy Travels,

Katrina

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. 

Georgia and Beyond- Journey through the Caucuses

When people say Georgia, they usually think of the small state in the USA and not the country squeezed in between Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and the Black Sea. Georgia is known for its vast vineyards, snowy mountains, ancient sites and UNESCO Monasteries. The country first sparked my curiosity as its proximity to the famous Silk Road and ancient sites. Georgia for me is where religion is a way of life and wine is the sacred nectar of all social functions.

My first impressions of Georgia were a 3am arrival at the airport, in which I could not find my driver. In country where my friends and family only knew it as war ridden and unstable, I will admit going alone had me on edge. People could sense I was looking for something or someone as I paced up and down the corridor searching the signs to see if I could find my name. They were helpful, but my guard was up and not prepared for so many genuinely helpful people. A quick phone call to the hotel and I heard my name over the intercom. A 30-minute transfer and I was in the heart of Tbilisi.  

I entrusted Envoy Hostel and Tours to keep me safe and show me around the amazing country and beyond.  On about 3 hours sleep, a simple breakfast and 2 cups of coffee I was ready to start my day in Georgia. A trip to Jvari, Mtskheta, Gori, Uplistsikhe and the infamous Stalin Museum offered a nice variety of culture and scenic beauty. What I loved the most about the Envoy tours was the knowledge of the guides and the people who joined the tours. Every day was truly an adventure which usually had some consumption of delicious food and wine. The lunch with the locals was a highlight for me on this day as our host was from the region where it is now forbidden for Georgians to go. 

Our first stop was the hilltop church of Jvari which was built overlooking Mtskheta the oldest village in Georgia. This church is said to be the holiest church among the Georgians. The church was built between the 5th and 6th century over the original location of the wooden cross; which was erected by King Mirian.  We made our way down to Mtskheta and stepped into what felt a boutique village. The fences, houses, and flowers were in perfect order within the village. You could see the amount of pride the Georgians have in preserving their longstanding heritage here. After a few hours walking around the churches and village we made our way to Uplistsikhe.

Uplistsikhe I think is a nice place to visit if you do not plan to see David Gareji, in my own opinion. While some of the buildings were intact it was truly just an afternoon of crawling through caves, but not much factual information to be told about the site. The Stalin Museum in Gori gives you a chance to visit Stalin’s hometown and you can see his childhood home on site. The museum was one-sided and all the good was told about his life in the museum and none of the bad, I would leave it at that.

We headed back after a long day into Tbilisi. I was completely exhausted at this point and searched for a good place for dinner. I found Pastorali and ate their everyday as the food was so delicious and the staff was super friendly. Its always really awkward for me showing up to a restaurant asking for a table for one, but the staff always let me pick a great seat to people watch from.

I truly loved Georgia and cannot wait to plan my next visit to the area to see more of what this country has to offer.

Happy Traveling,

Katrina

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

Kiev, Ukraine- City of Culture and Curiosity

Lets be honest—when I told my husband I wanted to visit the Ukraine, he told me I was nuts. Well, if you have followed me long enough, you know I am always willing to step outside the comfort zone when seeing new places.  I do not follow the news, not because I chose to be naïve to the world, but I think the best way to truly know a place, is to see it first hand instead of relying on preconceived notions.  This is how the Kiev trip was born. To provide my spouse some piece of mind, my friend Kristi joined me on the trip. Her husband had the same thoughts, but at least we were in it together.

As be boarded our flight to the Ukraine not really knowing what to expect, we were excited and nervous. Upon landing, we breezed through passport control and onward to our prearranged car provided by Dream Hotel and Hostel. The taxi dropped us off down the street and we began to walk to our hotel, down a very busy and crowded street full of vendor stalls. It was all so overwhelming.

The staff at Dream Hotel and Hostel was absolutely incredible. At check in we met our welcome hostess who showed us facilities and to our room. The hotel was just meters from the famous Andriyivsky Descent and 15-20 minute walk to most of the historic sights.

Andriyivsky Descent offered everything from food to souvenirs, and lots of handicrafts. Over the years I’ve found the best way to get my bearings in a new city is to jump on a Free Walking Tour. We chose http://freetours.kiev.ua/free_tours.html for our tour because they had great reviews on Trip Advisor. Currently, there are two tours a day covering historic sites and some further afield in the evening. The 4 pm Tour went along Khreschatyk street and included such sights as the Arch of Friendship, Mariyinskiy Palace, National Bank of Ukraine, House of the President, National Theatre and famous House with Chimeras. Alex, our guide, gave us a local perspective on not just the sites, but also the changes since the revolution in 2014.

It was hard to believe by the cities liveliness that it had one of its biggest revolutions just a few short months ago. Every place we ate, drank or shopped the locals were always looking to help and friendly.

Here are some places that I think are truly not to be missed:

Kyiv Pechersk Lavra and Caves.

We went during Sunday mass, so it was rather crowded, but very much worth the wait. Come prepared with a scarf to cover your head and most of the churches prefer you wear a long skirt or dress. You can borrow a shawl to wrap around if you have forgotten.  There are two ways to visit the caves- One is with a tour guide (which runs rather infrequent from what we gathered) and the other is self guided, which will cost you about 3-6 UAH depending on the candle you purchase to light your way through the caves. If you are claustrophobic in the slightest, I would not recommend the caves, they were narrow and at times very busy, also, there is only one-way in and one-way out. Once finished in the caves, you can visit the rest of the complexes and the main church tower near the north east of the monastery. You can enter many areas for a small fee, but some were free. I recommend paying to climb the tower as the views of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, Motherland Monument and river are stunning. 

St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery.

I highly recommend visiting this, it was recently renovated and the frescos inside the church are breathtaking. It is not very large, but it sure was grand in appearance. The monastery is just a short walk from the funicular, which brings you up from the lower part of the city.

If you love food and beer, well you came to the right city. We had the most enjoyable lunch at a local brewery Solomenska Browarnia on the famous Andriyivsky Descent. 2 flights of beer and some snacks put me back about $5. I was so impressed we came back for dinner to enjoy more food and local beer. They will actually bottle the tap beer to go, so if you are in a hurry this is the place to pick up that special pint.

The city is one of a kind and that made it that much more incredible.

Happy Traveling,

Katrina

Uniquely Tokyo

When most people think Japan, they think technology. Japan is so unique in its own right, that Tokyo truly lives up to the hype. 

Imagine ordering food from a vending machine, cuddling cats in a cafe or riding Mario Karts through the city. Well its all available to try in Tokyo.  

I headed to Tokyo to run the 2017 Marathon. Having lived in Japan before, I already had my heart set on some of the top crazy things to do in the city. 

I used Shinjuku as a good base, staying at the Keio Plaza Hotel. The hotel was centrally located near metro and JR stations. The hotel offers a penthouse Karaoke bar if thats something to tick off your bucket list. 

Vending machine restaurant  

Tokyo is truly the city that never sleeps. Suffering from jet lag made it easy to wander out late to see what crazy things happen after dark. The night life is incredible and you will be spoiled for choice on what to eat and see.  I mean even the man hole covers are gorgeous. After a long day I headed in to get some rest before the adventure truly began. 

Man hole covers.  

Shinagawa Port Area

A lot of things in Tokyo book up in advance, so I highly recommend prebooking if possible. While I came for the race, a chance to dress up and drive go-karts through the city was a dream come true. I left busy Shinjuku for Shinagawa port. What I found there was ornately painted temples and beautifully done metal doors. Each one offering a different part of the port towns story. 

I turned the corner to find about 20 cars all tucked in and ready to tour the city. This experience is truly a MUST do!   

After 2 hours wizzing around Tokyo it was time to find more fun. Now off to see what the Cat Cafe and Robot restaurant were all about.  For a small fee you can go in and pet cats!! 

And if thats not enough. Go have dinner with a few robots. 

Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto, you know you were thinking it. Dinner was not open yet, so I did my robot moves out front and moved on. I was on a mission now and in search of the holy grail of Japanese treats, the KITKAT. No, I am not kidding. The flavours are unique and endless. Don Quiote is where you can find these magical treats. 

I loaded up on flavors such as red bean and sake. This store was packed with so much!! I decided a costume for the race was a must. 

I mean how many times will I have a chance to run in a Kimono with Pikachu and the gang. Tokyo lived up to all its expectations and a little more. 

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 

Dubai on a dime

Going to Dubai was at the top of my bucket list, but the pretty penny it costs to stay totally deterred me. I was afraid I could not do it within a reasonable budget. I was so wrong and let me share some tips I learned to save money vacationing in Dubai with my family.

Madinat Souk entrance

I followed numerous sites that offered discounts on Dubai through facebook. This was everything from hotels to bus tours. I signed up for a free Emirates card which also helped save 15-20% on food. We were going for sites, but the biggest thing we wanted to do was water parks. These are high ticket items in Dubai so being thrifty was key. 

While it was unplanned at first, going during Ramadan was the best decision we made. During Easter some Dubai hotels offered BOGO nights and flash sales for a few nights stay. One of the offers was on Atlantis which included unlimited waterpark access daily and unlimited Lost Adventures aquarium for everyone in the family. Jumping on this offer saved us nearly 50% because we no longer had to pay for waterpark access. The thing about Ramadan is during the day the city is quiet. I mean this was an introverts paradise and my husband who does not like crowds was in his element. My friend Hannah who lives there swears by the Entertainer app as you can get discounts on waterparks and meals all over the city. In which she cashed in on the Dubai Aquarium while we were there. 

Dubai Aquarium in Mall of Dubai

Due to our flights arriving late we decided to stay closer to the Mall of Emirates. The Akas Inn Apartments fit the bill at about $100 for two nights stay which fit 4-5 people. This was self catering with a roof top pool. Which is perfect during Ramadan as unless you are at a resort or food court you will not find many places open during the day.  

Now that I have shared some tips to save. Here was how we planned our 5 days in Dubai. The first full day we headed over to the Madinat Souk, which most shops were closed during Ramadan there were a few open just after lunch. We headed down to the Jumeriah beach area as one of the hotels had a large place where sea turtles are kept during recovery from injuries. 

Sea Turtle Rehab

There was surprisely a Costa open so we stepped inside to grab a quick lunch and headed over to the Mall of Dubai. Taxis are cheap in Dubai and you can also use the Metro for about a $1 a ride.  The Mall of Dubai houses the Dubai Aquarium and anything for sale you could imagine. To my shock there was a Texas Road House in the mall. 

Texas Roadhouse

As it was Ramadan and food was not served until 7:15pm the lines start to form around 6pm. We went to a restaurant that had inside and outside seating near the famous fountains. While they had fans it was still 100 degrees out while we waited for them to break the fast. Be Social did not disappoint with service, food or the view. It was perfect as the fountains started at 7:30pm so we were in place for the first show. They continue to play every 30 minutes. After a exhausting day we headed back to hotel to get a good nights rest. 

View from Be Social

We got up early to catch the first Hop On Hop Off bus leaving from the Mall of Emirates. We went with Big Bus Tours as they offered free water and we were able to eat on board. Seats were free all over the buses for each time we got on. The ticket included three water cruises as part of the ticket. This was great as the Abra in the Madiant was 100 AED a person and this was free now with your ticket. It also included the Marina cruise which has a great view of the Palm Jumeriah. The last cruise is the river cruise in the old town which we were unable to see due to timing. We rode the Blue and Green lines most of the day as it was the best way to stay in the AC and see most of the sites.

We could check in at 3pm into Atlantis this day so it was perfect that on the last round of stops we went and grabbed our luggage from the hotel to finish the scenic tour right into the Palm. This was genious was it drops you off right at the hotel entrance. Saving us again money on transport. Upon check in we were told that due to Ramadan upgrading to a full food package was the best bet. We jumped on the offer for the Imperial Club which included breakfast, afternoon tea, and happy hour cocktails and snacks.

Go to the club in the West Wing as its larger and food for afternoon tea and happy hour was enough to not grab a full lunch or dinner. We had breakfast in the Kaleidoscope and it was the largest buffet I have ever seen. This options saves us nearly $200 a day in meals alone. So if its offered jump on it because it also gave us jump the line at Aquarium and Aqua Adventure waterpark. At the waterpark towels were included as well due to the upgrade which renting them each was 40 AED. Remember the Emirates card I talked about early? That will save you all over Atlantis so put it with your room key for safe keeping. 

Atlantis from Beach

The waterpark was great and as it does not open till 10am you can spend the morning in the many pools or explore the property. You will get a new color armband daily to enter the park. We did this on floor 12 each morning as it saved us lining up at the park. The waterpark was empty!! I mean we rode every ride a dozen times, pop over for afternoon tea and came back till it closed. 

Empty corridor midday

There are so many places to eat on site and I highly recommend booking on arrival if you truly want to get a seat. We found it quiet this time of year, but I am sure it is not always this way.   

Hope this helps enjoy your time in Dubai on a time crunch and budget.  

Happy Traveling,  

Katrina

Mallorca, Spain - Sand, Sea and Sun in 48 hours

Sun, Sea and Sand in 48 hours

Everyone knows I am always up for a quick weekend trip. Usually seeking out city breaks and walking miles to get all the sites in within the short amount of time. We decided to check out uncharted territory and head to the beach for a birthday weekend away.

First off we stayed at the most incredibly stunning “Adult Only” resorts. When I say adults only I mean we were the only one not using the motorized scooter at reception. Kidding a little, but there was one thing for certain we were the life of the party at this place. We stayed just a 20-minute cab ride from the main airport in Mallorca on the bay of Santa Ponsa. The resort SENTIDO Punta del Mar had two pools, loungers on numerous floors, and a café overlooking the bay. You want to see an incredible sunset this is the place. People charter boats to this bay just to get a glimpse of the sunset in the region.

On arrival we headed straight to the hotel to have lunch and then have a look around. Walking from the hotel through the main road you will come across bars, grocery stores and numerous beachfront restaurants. The beach is less than a 20-minute walk and there are a lot of activities offered right on the beach. They had these cool water slide paddleboats, but as we went at the beginning of May it was not really summer yet and the winds did not allow us to try out these fun rides. The great thing about Spain is that the area never really sleeps. Santa Ponsa did not celebrate the daily siesta time, which we found surprising, but everything did stay open late, if not until the next morning. After an afternoon of checking out the beach and walking around barefoot in the sand it was time to head back to the hotel to freshen up. When I say freshen up, I mean cocktails on the sunbeds overlooking the ocean and a quick nap.

The area has a substantial amount of karaoke bars and clubs, which each one seemed to have a theme. The music was everything from Abba, Motown and 80’s. Since we were celebrating a friends 40th we decided to keep it classy with a quiet place right along the water. After a late night of dancing we headed to bed for a full day of activities.

On the Sunday we were collected by ZOEA Diving Center just across the bay. We rented Kayaks by the hour to tour some of the caves and inlets along the coast. It was around 12 Euros per hour for a single kayak. They had free lockers and a snack bar on site. They are a certified dive center as well and that morning we saw numerous boat dives headed out when we arrived. A relaxing day of kayaking was just what we needed, but the sun was more than we could handle coming from the UK. We finished up our session and headed to a place recommended by the staff for lunch before our afternoon flight home. I would highly recommend stopping in to Meson del Mar for some Paella and Sangria on your trip to Mallorca.

The hotel offered a spa and one of the most incredible breakfast buffets I have seen. The staff was friendly and truly made sure we were having an incredible time. Overall it was a successful, unrushed and peaceful sunny getaway.

Happy Traveling, 

 

Katrina

Geneva - On a Budget in 36 hours

Geneva – 36 hours and a budget

Before even arriving in Geneva all I had been told was prepare for how expensive it is. So with this in mind and my budget I did not know what to expect. Well the people were kind of right, but it is totally doable in a penny size budget.

On arrival into Geneva head towards the baggage claim area and you will see a silver machine near the exit with a sign that says free travel card. I pressed the button and there I was awarded a ticket for my onward journey into the city. I went for a city break, but Geneva is at the heart of many ski resorts so upon exit I found hundreds of people trying to locate their hotels signs to take their journey to their resorts. I was excited for a city break and that’s just what I got. I proceeded on to the train station which is located just on the end of the airport. From there I got the first train posted for city center which was about a 4 min wait. There is information staff in yellow shirts to assist you to the right track so do not worry. The journey into the central train station was about 15 minutes.

On arrival to Hotel Central I was given a travel card and explained what I could use it for. This in itself was already saving me about $5 a day and given to you at each hotel you stay in. The hotels photos on the website are outdated and they were recently refurbished. Breakfast was served in the room and you set this up on check in. I set off for the United Nations building and palace which was about a 1.5 mile walk from the hotel. You can catch the Bus 5 to Nations from just near the hotel. Your key card has this information and more about taking the Bus 10 back to the airport from the hotel. I decided to walk as I wanted to soak up the sun along the lake area and took advantage of the yellow boat trip across the lake to see the famous fountain. The United Nations tours run on the weekdays only in winter and from April to September offer weekend tours as well. Arrive early as this was popular from the time slots they had available.

I headed back to the hotel on the Bus 5 which brought me back to the edge of the river and lake. It was about a 5 minute walk back to the hotel from here. There is a market on Saturday right outside the hotel area in the square. I highly recommend getting one of the fresh rotisserie chicken and potatoes served there. There was a line each time I approached so come patient and hungry. I headed over to Jardin Anglais to watch the sail boats take off, see the famous flower clock and make my way to get a better look at the fountain (Jet d’Eau). With Geneva bordering France and Italy you get the feeling of family and the café culture that Europe really has to offer. I grabbed a cup of Joe and headed to the grass to soak up the sun with the locals. You can set up tours of the cities many chocolate and watch factories prior to arrival. I would highly recommend this as coming around Easter I was overwhelmed with the amount of chocolate around each corner. I did a lot of window shopping as some of the most exquisite watch designs exist in Geneva.

The next day I headed out around 9am to catch the Palm Sunday Mass at St. Pierre cathedral just up the road. The Cathedral is very simple on the inside, but what lies below was 2,000 years of history. Around the back of the church you can make your way into the archaeological site. The cost was under $10 and took about an hour if you follow all the signs and watch all the videos about the excavation. This is the largest of its size in Europe so it’s well worth a stopover for some of the Christian history in Geneva. During the tour of the site they provided some more places to see in Geneva that were part of the first settlements along the river. I headed to find the bus 10 and set off for the airport. Besides the splurge on a new swatch I spent less than $30 across the two days. So Geneva on a budget was a success.

Good Tips:

Bring a water bottle as there are water stations all over the city

Getting food to go and sitting at the parks will save you a hefty surcharge in most places

 

Happy Traveling,

Katrina 

Portugal - Part 1 - Algarve, Sintra and Evora

Tapas and Port

When I think of Portugal these two things come to mind Tapas and Port. While I am not much of a drinker I do love some amazing cuisine. Living in the UK in winter can be quite drab and lack of sun can really ruin your mood. With a long weekend ahead in January I needed that my daughter and I should jump on a small trip. We knew we wanted south and began to look at sunny and warm places in January. We came across Faro, Portugal in the Algarve. With 300 plus days of sun in Portugal we were headed to the right place.

Benagil and Sagres

On arrival to Faro we picked up the rental car and headed straight into the city center to our quaint hotel for a good night’s rest. We headed out to Benagil to try and catch the first excursion to the famous caves. Due to a storm in the Med the waves were too high and it was deemed about 9am unsafe to begin our journey. We didn’t let this affect our day and decided to head down the Sagres Fort at the edge of the Algarve. The Algarve is quite easy to get around as the toll roads provide easy connections to all the smaller cities along the coast line. Based on some recommendations we headed to Restaurante O Telheiro Do Infante on the beach near the fort to have fresh fish and the largest tray of mussels we have ever seen. We enjoyed the day down on the beach taking photos of the honey colored sand and blue skies.

Sintra and Evora

As much as we were in love with the Algarve and what we were seeing the rough seas really affected our ability to see the caves which was a main attraction for me. So we decided we would head north to Lisbon for the day. We had been to Lisbon on two occasions already, but we really missed out on the city of Sintra. We got into Sintra about lunch time and headed straight over to the Quinta da Regaleira to see the famous unfinished well and the gorgeous castle that still existed on site. Words cannot describe how gorgeous and mysterious this place is. My daughter said she felt as if we were in a fairy-tale with the moss covered trees, hidden tunnels and gorgeous landscape.  We headed for Sintra Castle for the afternoon on the way to lunch. This castle is at the top of the mountain making it quite the adventure in our car. Once at the top we were able to get some amazing photos of Lisbon from afar and the gorgeous castle and gardens.

After our adventure in Sintra we headed for Evora, known for its Greek theatre and wine. We stopped over in some of the wine shops in route, but many were closed for the season. Getting into Evora at dusk we headed straight for the theatre and town center. Evora was such a quaint town and I am sure in summer it is livelier, but there was not much to see in January.

Silves and Olhão

The next morning we headed out to the market in Silves and then onto Olhão based on the hotels recommendation to see the national park area. It was a great day out walking along the wooden platforms along the Ria Formosa area.  Olhão is such an easy city to walk around and take in some of the colourful Portuguese churches.  We were looking for a relaxing holiday in the sun and that is exactly what we got. A great 3 days in Portugal with a stopover in one of the prettiest cities that it has to offer.

Happy Traveling

Katrina

Egypt - Cairo and Giza with On the Go Tours

Egypt with On the Go

Egypt was one of the biggest highlights in my traveling. Many say do it on your own, but as two women traveling alone we decided to entrust On the Go Tours. There have a large array of things to do and see. We chose the 5 day package which included Pyramids, Giza, River boat cruise and museums. It was the best bet for our short trip.  

On arrival we were met with a transport van and transferred to our hotel. We stayed at the Mena House Oberoi which was classified as 5 star deluxe, but for us the view of the pyramids was the true seller. As it was a late night flight we got some rest to be ready for the next days adventure. 

On Day 2 we set out for Cairo to visit the famous pyramids and lion-headed Sphinx at Giza Plateau. Sole survivors from the ancient Greek listed seven wonders of the world. Whilst here, you we could have opted to enter the inside of one of the pyramids, but chose to observe from outside due to the narrow passages. The guide offered to set up camel rides for us if we would like. From Giza we traveled to the ancient necropolis of Saqqara, to explore the many tombs and temples and see Zhoser’s step pyramid. After the sites we washed up and headed to the river cruise for our dinner and entertainment. This was great until I realized I had melted ice in my drink. Things went down hill from here for my night. 

On Day 3 we headed out to visit the famous Egyptian Museum, and enjoyed the guided tour and free time to browse and explore the famed treasures of King Tutankhamen. After a long morning at the museum seeing artifacts I had read about in school books we headed to the Citadel of Saladin and a highly rated perfumery market and Papyrus Museum. I bought some amazing paintings from here. This market was more touristy so the vendors were not as pushy as in the local markets. 

On Day 4 we spent the time relaxing by the pool and when perfume bottle shopping at some of the local markets. This was a day on our own and my feet were killing me from all the walking so it was quite enjoyable to put my feet up for a day. We took in an early dinner at the hotel and got ready for our early morning flight. Our guide Mena with On the Go was amazing and found us a nice jeweler to get our cartouches made. 

Good tips: 

Egypt could be done on your own, but I would recommend that a guide be used as the city is large. The traffic in the city can have you waiting around hours if you do not start early. On the Go was a best bet to maximize our stay. 

Happy Traveling

Katrina
 

Singapore - Fun for all

Fun for all ages

Singapore is a great stopover location in Asia. Many low cost carriers leave from Singapore and the it has many direct links to Malaysia and beyond. We stopped in Singapore for a total of 3 days as we embarked on our cruise through Asia. The best way to describe Singapore is envision Disneyland. There is so much to do and see for all ages. 

Zoo and promenade

On arrival we negotiated a fare with the taxi to watch our bags and take us around Singapore before we set sail. We set off on our first stop to the zoo. It is known as one of the largest and most prominent zoos in the world so we had to check this out. Take my advice and pay the extra money for the tram, as I cannot explain how huge the zoo is in words, but rather blisters and sweat. There is a reason it is deemed worlds best zoo and it did not disappoint. the pandas were visiting from China on our visit so that was an exciting experience. After the zoo we set off into town to see the famous Merlion and the Marina Sands Hotel. A walk along the promenade, a detour to Starbucks and off we set off on our cruise.

Culture

We stopped in Singapore again on Day 4, but this time armed with a map of sites to see. We decided to focus on the temples and cultural side this visit and then headed to Little India area which is the oldest area of Singapore. We used the MTR to get around which had great connections all over the city and a short walk from the main cruise terminal. 

Sentosa

Day 8 we stopped over for our last stay in Singapore, but this time porting on the island of Sentosa. This can too be reached by the MTR if you are on the other side of Singapore.  The island has Universal Studios, Hard Rock and numerous outdoor and indoor activities. We just spent a few hours walking around and located the bridge that led us to the southernmost part of Asia sign. The beaches provided lots of facilities for families. We rode the Luges down the side of the island, if you have older kids this is a nice way to get the adrenaline running.  

Good tip: 

A great tip while in Singapore its the hub for most Asia airlines so for under $50 you can get to Kuala Lumpur, Bali, Indonesia, Thailand and even India. 

Balkans - 5 countries in 5 days - The adventure with a 9 year old

Montenegro, Bosnia, Albania, Croatia and Kosovo

As Spring Break approached I had to find a place that I could take my daughter. A full 7 days off from work and Europe in the back yard. We started by looking at photos on Pintrest to become inspired. We came across the Ostrog Monastery and the trip began to come together. I knew nothing about this country Montenegro, except it often some gorgeous scenery and was nestled between lakes, rivers and mountains. 

5 countries in 5 days

We flew into Podgorica, Montenegro, we rented car through Europcar as it was the only agency I found in Montenegro which offered an automatic and full coverage to all the neighboring countries. You will need the cars insurance paperwork close by as you will need it, your driver’s license and passports for the numerous border crossings. I suggest you invest in the extra 11 Euro a day in the excess as the driving there was quite hectic with locals passing on blind turns and making very close calls. We rented a Polo and it was the perfect size for the roads and parking spaces. Again, I did this alone with my 9-year-old daughter.

We used Kotor and Neum, Bosnia for our base to start to see the sites. We stayed in various apartment rentals with our favorite being Hotel Nancy in Kotor, which overlooked the bay from our balcony. The apartments were located next to local markets, eateries and just a few minutes walk down to the seaside. I bought a Garmin Nuvi 2597 as it was the best Sat Nav I could find that had all of Central and Eastern Europe. It literally had every road within each of the countries and I was super impressed that it navigated me around traffic and congestion during peak border crossing times. 

We landed midday and set straight off for the Ostrog Monastery .From the airport it took about 1 hour, the road there is a little crazy. There is a cliff either side and you must take it slow looking for oncoming traffic at all times. After the monastery we headed back to Kotor for some amazing dinner at the local pizza place right up the road. Nancy can make some recommendations if you have a cuisine in mind. 

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The Dervish House

The next morning we setoff to Mostar, Buna Blagaj, Ston island, Kravice Falls and then to Neum to our hotel.  In Mostar we were able to park with pay and display right on the main road near the Old Town. The pay machine took Euro and their currency. At Buna Blagaj,there is a car park on the top of the hill where you are able to park for 1 Euro the whole day and then walk 5 minutes down to the Dervish House. Bosnia is truly where I felt the people were super friendly and there were police everywhere so I felt pretty safe. The tourist information is right near the bridge in old town Mostar. I would suggest stopping in there first as it had detailed directions to Dervish house, sites highlights and more places to see. All the reviews I read about Bosnia talked about landmines. I would like to say we did not encounter any, but I did get a little risky and took a dirt path to one of the sites. I would not recommend this though.

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The following day we headed to Dubrovnik and on the way back to Kotor. We made a few stops along the way as there are numerous beach towns and sites just along the coast.  Dubrovnik was a gorgeous city, but arrive before 9am if you plan to find parking. It was super crowded on the Thursday morning and we ended up parking about 1.5 miles from old town and having to walk down the hill. There is pay and display parking throughout the city. It takes Euros and Kona at the machines we found. While the Euro is widely used it is not the official currency.

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Bullet hole filled building in Old Town, Mostar

Only Montenegro used the Euro officially at the time of our trip. If you get down to the port you can do a boat trip for about $10 per person around the neighboring islands and through the caves on the bay. It was totally worth every penny. Dubrovnik was the pricier of all the cities as it is a very heavy tourist spot for ships. There is a cable car, which you can take to the top to view the city, and it ran about $15 per person. We stopped in quite a few small towns on the way back down to Kotor as there is large parking areas along the route to capture photos of all the gorgeous bays.

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Dubrovnik

The next morning we had an early start off to Kosovo. We took the main road leaving Kotor to Bar and then into Albania. The wait to get into Albania even at 8am was about 45 minutes. Once to the border this is the only one where they asked a ton of questions and wanted to see all my paperwork. Once through the country you will follow the main road for about 45 minutes until you reach the dual carriageway towards Kosovo. The route there you will see numerous Spain settlements atop of hills and scenic lookouts.

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In route to Prizren

The route to Prizren was about 2 hours in total with good conditions even with fresh snow in the mountains. The border crossing for Kosovo was simple and took about 15 minutes. See below post about entering Kosovo from other neighboring countries. You will require additional insurance at the border if you are taking your own car. You will see numerous booths set up to pay. Once in Prizren, just follow signs to Old Town or Stari Gard. Parking was easy and the city had a few sites to enjoy. We had dinner and it was time to head back to Kotor.

Kukes

On the way back we took the turn off to Kukes and enjoyed the views of the lakes, mountains and blue skies. The color of the water is a blue like I have never seen before.  There were numerous waterfalls, churches and historic site seeing posted along the way through all the countries. If spotted a sign that said a site was ahead and it was less than 10k we usually took the turn off and explored it. The trip needed minimal planning as I used the sat nav and found all the locations prior to arriving so just started the day with plugging in saved places. I did a total of 2,000Km in 5 days and only had to fill the car twice and it was under 35 Euros each time. 

All in all, it was a great trip for me and my daughter. We were able to see once amazing sites and what felt like an area untouched by tourists. 

Things to know before you go

I used DK guide books  to help plan my trip. Note that if you plan Kosovo best bet is to enter from Albania and you cannot go into Serbia via Kosovo. To this day, Serbia considers Kosovo to be part of Serbia — and that causes implications for travelers. If you enter Kosovo via an international border, as I did from Macedonia, you can’t exit through a non-Kosovo Serbian border. If you do so, Serbia will declare that you entered Serbia illegally.

If you want to visit both Serbia and Kosovo, I recommend to do either of two things: 1) Arrive in Serbia, travel to Kosovo (there is no border crossing between Serbia and Kosovo), then return to Serbia and exit Serbia. 2) Arrive in Serbia, travel to Kosovo, and exit via Kosovo.

Though I can’t definitively confirm this, I’ve  heard rumblings that Serbia will not be happy if you arrive with a Kosovo stamp in your passport, so consider taking option 1 if you want to visit Serbia again on the same passport. All this info is featured in the following blog focusing on Kosovo: http://www.adventurouskate.com/kosovo-a-warm-welcome-from-a-newborn-country/

Happy Traveling, 

Katrina

Israel and Jordan - A New Year to remember

Road tripping through Israel

With the end of the year nearing it was hard to decide where I want to spend the upcoming New Years celebrations. I usually allow Ryan Air or Easy Jet's sales determine where the next adventure awaits and the place we chose surely surprised everyone we spoke to. Israel known for its conflict in the Middle East and Petra known for its Pink City was high on my bucket list, but I did not think it would be something I would do without a tour. 

We decided the most effective way to travel through the country was by car. So the hardest decision came we had to decide if we should rent a guide or do it on our own? Looking at costs and efficiency it looked as though the Budget rental car was going to be the way to go. So we boarded our flight from London to Tel Aviv and the adventure began. 

Eilat and Jordan

On arrival we collected the rental car, opened the Waze app and on we went for the 5 hour drive down to Eilat. We stayed at a local hotel called Motel Aviv as it was close to the bus station and just a short walk from downtown. Remember I talked about how Israel was portrayed in the news? Well on arrival to Eilat we found a thriving city right on the banks of the Rea Sea. Jokingly we did say its appearance was more Miami than what we thought Israel would look like. Bright city lights, night clubs and restaurants full of people. We caught a quick nights sleep before we made our onward journey to Jordan at 6am the next day. 

We arrived at the border for one of many checks before we were able to cross. We decided to go with Desert Eco Tours as they had high reviews and were efficient in responding to my many questions about Israel and Jordan. Petra was one of the highlights of our trip and we knew on arrival we made the right decision not to skip this easy day trip from Eilat. We left all the planning to the tour group and enjoyed the journey with not a fuss in the world. On the way back into Israel we came into issues crossing as we had asked for our passport to not be stamped leaving, but a form fixed the issue and we were on our way to celebrate New Years. 

As we came to Israel we did not pack our best clothes as we honestly didn't know what to expect. Threw on a maxi dress and a cardigan and headed out for the "Sylvestor" as they call it in Israel. We booked in advance through our hotel a South American restaurant called El Gaucho's. We were not disappointed. Welcomed with warm sangria shots to warm the pallet this place effectively kicked all my cravings for some southern cuisine.  After an eventful dinner we headed to popular hot spot called the "Three Monkeys". Be warned cocktails in Israel are expensive, I am talking $14-20 for a beer. So drink in moderation, or until your pocketbook empties. From here we got an amazing glimpse of the fireworks show and embraced the New Year with some lovely locals. 

Dead Sea and Jerusalem

The next day we made our way to the Dead Sea through the Arava valley area. We descended on the 'Snake Path' driving from there to Ein Gedi Nature Reserve near the Dead Sea.  By the looks from the pictures and information we have seen we figured it was a great day for a dip. Well a polar plunge is the best way to describe the experience, but it was done and I guess another bucket list item was ticked. I could not believe you could actually float. A quick shower and back on the road to Jerusalem for the night. We were pressed for time due to a late start (you know those cocktails I discussed earlier). We had to get to the city before Sabbath started and the car was to be parked as the city shut down. We arrived into the city about 5pm and set off to the Agripas Boutique Hotel for the night. After the eventful day we had we ordered in a Dominoes pizza and called it a night. 

After a bit of research we decided to take on the "Free City Tour" as it covered the majority of the highlights and we really wanted to take in a lot of the city on our own. The tour was great and our guide was very informative about all the history. Link to tour:  http://www.newjerusalemtours.com/daily-tours/new-jerusalem-free-tour.html

Here is what was covered: 

ON THIS 2 HOUR WALKING TOUR WE COVER:

All four Old City quarters: Jewish, Muslim, Christian & Armenian

View of the Western (Wailing) Wall

Visit the hidden rooftops of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher

Excavations of Ancient Jerusalem

Incredible rooftop views: Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Dome of the

Rock, Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Mount of Olives

Jaffa Gate

David’s Citadel

Roman Cardo Maximus

Hurva (Ruined) Synagogue

Suq - Covered markets

Leave in evening head to Tel Aviv for the evening.

 

Tel Aviv and Old Jaffa

After our tour we headed to Tel Aviv. We used this day as a relaxig day just covering areas of Old Jaffa and the coast. Old Jaffa offered some great shopping and boutiques within the walls. We visited the shop of the famous http://www.frank-meisler.com/ which you must stop in to see some of the masterpieces. 

All in all, the trip was a trip of a lifetime. A little courage and you could do this trip on your own too. This book was a lifesaver for everything we needed to know. http://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Sue-Bryant/Israel-Travel-Pack/16581764?gclid=CKDw4bCkkMoCFRcYGwodG7cFNQ

Happy Traveling, 

Katrina

Essential Websites for Things to do in the UK

Well, there's no exuse for staying home and being bored. Get out and explore the UK. A lot of these sites have current things to do if you check back regularly.

Travel - All of UK:

Days out in the UK (mainly London area) - http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk

Day out with KIDS - http://www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk

With DOGS - http://www.dogfriendlybritain.co.uk/

Beaches - http://www.goodbeachguide.co.uk

Best 50 Beaches - http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/the-50-best-uk-beaches-125-480372.html

Plan a pub crawl - http://barcrawl.co.uk

Castles - http://www.castlexplorer.co.uk

Castles - http://www.castleuk.net/list.htm

Free things to do - http://www.frommers.com/slideshow/index.cfm?group=315&cat_cd=ARTCULTURE&p=1#slide

UK Travel - http://www.picturetheuk.com

Holidays in the UK (mainly outdoorsy) - http://www.holidayuk.co.uk

National Trust (England and Wales) - www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Travel - England:

Quite things in London - http://www.timeout.com/london/features/1607/The_A-Z_of_Quiet_London.html

London - http://www.frommers.com/destinations/london

The Lake District - http://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk

Tour Norfolk - http://www.tournorfolk.co.uk/index.html

Norfolk Broads Cycling - http://www.norfolkbroadscycling.co.uk

Great Yarmouth - www.great-yarmouth.co.uk

Hunstanton - http://www.norfolk-on-line.co.uk/hunstanton/pages/index.php

Cambridgeshire - http://www.familiesincambridgeshire.co.uk

Cambridge - http://www.visitcambridge.org

Cambridge - http://www.cambridge.co.uk

East Anglia - http://www.eastanglia24.co.uk/wp

Ipswich - http://www.visit-ipswich.com

The Midlands - http://www.visitheartofengland.com

Northeast England - http://www.visitnortheastengland.com

Suffolk - http://www.suffolktouristguide.com

English Heritage - http://www.english-heritage.org.uk

Travel - Wales:

Wales - http://www.visitwales.co.uk

Cardiff - http://www.visitcardiff.com

Travel - Scotland:

Scotland - http://www.visitscotland.com

Scotland - http://www.welcometoscotland.com

Scotland top 10 - http://scotland.costasur.com/en/ten-must-see.html

Edinburgh - http://www.timeout.com/edinburgh/features/220/20-great-things-to-do-in-edinburgh

Edinburgh - http://www.edinburgh.org

Physical Activities/Sports (all of UK unless otherwise noted):

Walking/Cycling/Horse riding - http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk

Hiking guides - http://www.contours.co.uk

Walking and hiking guides - http://www.walkingandhiking.co.uk

Biking - http://www.cycle-route.com

Mtn biking trails - http://www.moredirt.co.uk

SEASONAL

Christmas:

UK Christmas Markets - http://www.christmasmarkets.com/UK.html

Bury St. Edmunds Christmas market - http://www.burystedmundschristmasfayre.co.uk

Other:

Pick your own - http://www.pickyourownfarms.org.uk

Pick your own - http://www.localfoods.org.uk

Top 5 Things to do in the UK that are not in London

After living in the UK for nearly 7 years the first thing I get asked is what is there to do in London. I get it, home of Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral. What is there not to love about one of the oldest bustling cities in Europe.

The thing is there are so many gorgeous places to see outside of London. There are traditions and events to take in that really give you the feel of the UK.

#1 -Punting in Cambridge

If you have never gone down to Cambridge and took part in this age-old tradition you are missing out. Punting down the River Cam and taking in 8 of Cambridge’s 31 colleges is a must do. Punting in Cambridge goes back to the early 1900’s when the river was once used for commercial use.  

The great thing about punting is you can either rent your own punt to wander down the river. Or you can chose one of the many guided trips along the river, giving you a brief history lesson about one of the most scenic areas in Cambridge.  Scudamore’s was the original punting company in Cambridge and now has a fleet of over150 boats. http://www.scudamores.com

#2 Medieval Festivals

What is there not to love about watching age-old traditions take place on castle grounds. Each summer numerous castles in the UK host jousting and medieval feasts. Many of the actors that take part in these events practice for months. Watching trebuchets catapult boulders in competitions and knights on horses going head to head for their glory.

This is truly an experience for people of all ages. As you walk around old castle walls as reenactments of the medieval events takes part it, makes you feel you have experienced traditions going back years. Check English Heritage and National Trust for up to date info.

#3 Waterfall Trails

A detour up to Yorkshire should not be passed up on your vacation to the UK. I mean it rains 300 days a year; the waterfalls in the country are overflowing with beauty.  One of the most memorable trips was through the Ingleton Waterfall Trail just North of Manchester.

The Ingleton Waterfalls Trail boasts some of the most spectacular waterfall and woodland scenery in the North of England. With its fascinating history, breathtaking views and a rich variety of plants and wildlife, a visit to Ingleton Falls is a great family day out or education field trip. Source: http://www.ingletonwaterfallstrail.co.uk

#4 White Cliff’s of Dover

Well if you took the ferry over to the UK you might have got a glimpse at one of the fascinating landscapes along the English Channel.  These high chalk cliffs look out onto the English Channel, giving far-reaching views towards the French coast. The best time of year to visit the White Cliffs is in spring when the green grass surrounding these breathtaking cliffs are covered in fresh flowers.

The best way to see the cliffs is to take a walk along the coastal path towards South Foreland Lighthouse. You’ll get a great view of the cliffs and also see the chalk grassland that’s home to so many unusual plants and insects like the chalk hill blue butterfly and the pyramidal orchid.

The cliffs also have a special place in our national history and they were used for defense in both World Wars. You can see reminders of this past at the newly opened Fan Bay Deep Shelter a complex of Second World War tunnels hidden within the chalk. Source: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/the-white-cliffs-of-dover

#5 Royal Ascot

A chance to spot the Queen on her Royal Carriage or in the Grandstands, well this is the place. Royal Ascot is the highlight of the year for anyone the UK. It’s second to none to the Kentucky Derby in the USA.  Ladies are glammed up from head to toe in their finest attire donning gorgeous boutique hats and fascinators. UK Horse racing season kicks off in June or July making this a must visit in the summer.

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Royal Ascot is just a few miles from the Windsor Castle and well worth a stop over on your way home with winnings. Tickets sell out fast so be sure to reserve before April for the best seats. Want a more casual experience, visit on family day where there are kids playing in the various parks and people with their packed lunches sunning on the lawn. Source: https://www.ascot.co.uk/Royal-Ascot