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 

Colors of Cartagena

Our time was short in Cartagena, but it was incredibly memorable. We started the morning with what many say is a must-do while visiting this gorgeous city riding in a Chiva Bus. A Chiva bus cam only be described as a party on wheels. Upon arrival to the bus we were handed a bucket of ice, local rum and coke. The entertainment on board was a 3-man band located in the middle rows of the bus; which truly bring the party to life. While some shy away from 8am cocktails, we embraced the experience like a local. When in Rome, right?  

We took a short site seeing tour stopping to take photos at San Felipe Castle and Las Bóvedas. Las Bóvedas at one time was the cities dungeon and now turned into a tourist hub for souvenirs. Outside the shops was an authentic Colombia coffee kiosk made out of an old Willys jeep. From Las Bóvedas you can capture views of the ocean or even start a bike ride along the city walls. 

We headed back through the city on our party bus and were dropped off at the clock tower to finish the city highlights. Beyond those walls were some of the most colorful buildings I had ever seen. The balconies, flowers and colorfully dressed ladies carrying baskets of fruit on their heads were along every street. We strolled for hours just taking in each and every square block of this fantastic city. We even stopped into the famous Juan Valdez. 

Cartagena sparked our curiosity for Colombia and we cannot wait to go back to see more. 

Happy Traveling, 

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. 

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