Chasing a Dream - Part I

Bohemian Trek

tiltingwindmills — Thu, 2 Jun 2016 19:41:00 GMT

Croatia - 28 May

The second Busabout tour got off to a rough start when myself and one of the other girls missed the tour departure in Split. We had arrived into Split Friday night and slept that night on the boat. I had thought we had Saturday night in Split, so took my time in the morning checking off the boat, and went for breakfast with some of my new friends. We were discussing our plans for the day and if we wanted to take an excursion to one of the surrounding National Parks, when I thought I would check my trip notes to see what time I needed to check into the hostel. To my dismay, it departed at 8am, which was an hour past. Surprisingly I wasn’t panicked, not much I could do at that point anyway, so I called the hostel to try and get some information on when the tour departed. The Busabout guide had left her phone number behind, thankfully, and I was able to get in touch with her to find out where I could re-join the tour. Meanwhile my friend contacted Tulsi, the other girl who was also continuing on with Busabout on the same tour and found out that she too had missed the departure. She arrived at the cafe in a total panic and was fairly unhelpful while I figured out what we needed to do. It actually ended up being quite simple; we just needed to join at Zadar, which thankfully was still in Croatia. We were able to catch a local bus from Split to Zadar, literally just as it was pulling out of the station, and arrived into Zadar around 1pm. We were several hours ahead of the tour, as they had made a stop at Krka National Park and were not due to arrive in until 5pm or so. We got checked into the hostel, which was actually super cool (the beds were cube like pods instead of standard bunk beds), and I had a much needed nap. I opted to skip the group dinner and instead had a snack while watching the sunset from the harbor. Later, Tulsi and I had a cocktail at a really chill garden bar tucked into a back corner of the old town, before heading back to the hostel for a relatively early night.

Slovenia - 29 May

Sunday we departed Zadar at 8am, and this time I was on the bus. This group was 24 women and 1 guy, but more of a mix of nationalities, and I wasn’t the oldest anymore (yay!). The border into Slovenia was somewhat backed-up and it took about 1.5hrs to cross. We arrived into Ljubljana around 3pm, got checked into the hostel, then went for an orientation walk. The town center is fairly small and is situated around a canal. There was a really nice open air market selling mostly foodstuff, including some delicious cheeses which I greedily sampled until encountering a particularly stinky one that nearly made my nose hairs curl when it hit the back of my throat. I picked up some snacks for dinner, and spent the next few hours exploring the small side streets and boutique shops. The rain was off and on, which made it slightly less pleasant, but overall a really charming little town, though a single day was sufficient to explore it.

Monday was leisurely morning, departing for Lake Bled at 10am. The drive was only 1hr and we arrived with a full day and the following to explore. Again the rain followed us, but the area around the lake was beautiful and tranquil. The hostel we stayed in (Jazz Hostel) was owned by an entertaining character by the name of Jani; nearly every sentence was emphasized by a head toss and a wink. The rooms were spacious and clean, and it was only a short walk down the hill to the main part of town. The first afternoon I explored the town a bit before heading back to the Hostel for an evening BBQ. The following morning everyone else on the tour went for a rafting day trip to the Emerald River; knowing it would be cold and raining, I opted out. Instead, I spent a lovely day exploring the area; I hiked up to the castle, then back down to the lake via a wooded trail. There was a nice walking path around the lake and I took my time stopping for pictures and a coffee when the rain got too heavy. Then I treated myself to an afternoon at the Ziva Spa.. There was a large pool complex overlooking the lake, filled with heated mineral water and a separate adult only Sauna area. I had been to several Saunas while traveling through Eastern Europe and knew that swimsuites were not allowed, only a sheet to wrap around you. However, I was quite surprised to find everyone walking around naked, men and women alike. Once over the initial shock (no one else seemed to care the least), I got down to relaxing and enjoying the various saunas, whirlpools and steam rooms. It was great to soak in the heat, especially given the rainy weather, and let the tensions of travel be soothed away. I arrived back at the hostel around 6:30pm, the others around 8pm, and I was not the least bit jealous of their day in freezing water, though they did have a great time.

Austria - 1 June

We left Lake Bled late Wednesday morning for a 3hr bus ride into Salzburg, Austria. It was still raining (of course), but thankfully eased up after about an hour. I hid out in the H&M shop during the worst of it, buying more clothes I didn’t need or have space in my luggage for. Again most of the others on tour booked day trips to either the Salt Mines or the Sound of Music Tour, but as we only had the one day, I choose instead to explore the town at my own pace. Compact and charming, I enjoyed wandering the alleys and shops and picked up some more chocolates. I snapped some photos of Mozart's house, which is now a museum (I didn’t actually go in), then I hiked up the hill to the castle and got some great, albeit wet, views of the old town. I wandered through the famous Mirabell Gardens, before joining up with the others at 6pm. We checked into the hotel, then the others left to visit a local farm for schnapps tasting and BBQ ribs. Since I don’t eat meat and am not a fan of schnapps, I choose to stay back at the hotel with a few of the other girls. The partygoers got back around 12am and were in a pathetically sorry state; some having vomited on the bus, some in the hotel lobby, some in their rooms, and my roommate in our sink (it got clogged of course). Neither the bus driver nor the hotel were very pleased with the results, as to be expected, and I was glad I didn’t attend.

Czech Republic - 2 June

It was a five hour bus ride from Salzburg to Prague, with the majority nursing hangovers. We arrived into Prague around 3pm and had a few hours free to wander before the bus came to pick us back up and take us to the hostel, which was a good ways outside the city center. The hostel (Plus Prague) was massive and was surprisingly well equipped with a swimming pool, gym, and sauna, and had clean spacious rooms. The location was however unfortunate, with really nothing of interest nearby. It was the final night on tour and I was glad to be going on my own way. The tour had been well run, but the pace of changing cities everyday was a bit tolling. When I had come through last month on my way down from the Baltics, I had liked but not loved it. I loved Eastern Europe as a whole, but I’m ready for a change of scene and I’m looking forward to Ireland.

The Dalmatian Coast

tiltingwindmills — Sun, 29 May 2016 20:04:00 GMT

What do you get when you combine 1,800 km of turquoise coastline, pirate costumes, a wicked case of the sways, and 24 awesome people? An amazing 8 days sailing the Dalmatian Islands of Croatia from Dubrovnik to Split with Busabout. Once again the group was all Aussies, minus one Kiwi, one Londoner, and myself. Knowing how much Aussies like to drink and get rowdy, I thought I might be in for another booze cruise like the Topdeck tour had been. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that even though a lot of alcohol was consumed in those 8 days, the atmosphere was way more chill and easy paced, and I had an equally fun time not drinking. The first few days were fairly mellow, everyone hanging out on the deck getting to know one another. Although we were a diverse group of personalities, by mid week we were all the best of friends.

It was mostly blue skies and the vast majority of the time was spent on the deck, soaking up the sun and seas, and rocking it to the beat. We caught the beginnings of a storm on Monday off Hvar so we anchored off the back of the island in the hamlet of Stari Grad and took a bus into Hvar to tour the town and hit up the popping nightlife at Kiva Bar. What started as a fairly chill dance club, soon turned into a raging mosh pit; the majority of the patrons all Aussie or American tourists determined to outdrink each other. I had a great time dancing, but made a quick exit once the crowd surfing started as it was a bit too rowdy for my taste, not to mention I was the only one sober. The party spilled out into the alley and I found a perch to sit back and watch the drama unfold, deflecting a number of pathetically drunk advances. Then it was a 1am mad dash back to the bus in the midst of a rain and hailstorm. It was a pretty sorry state we were in both mentally and physically when we loaded up, and a civil war nearly broke out when a group of drunk Sail Croatia folks joined us on the bus and started mouthing off. There were some close calls, but surprisingly we managed to escape the night without an outright bar brawl.

As to be expected, Tuesday morning was subdue, most folks nursing a hangover. The weather matched the mood as storm clouds broke open, dumping a torrential downpour. There wasn’t much to do, so we watched an episode of Game of Thrones, then spent the rest of the afternoon just lounging. Later in the evening, we took a tour to a farm, where we sampled local wine and cheese and ate a traditional home cooked meal and watched the sunset amidst the tranquil surroundings, before it was back on the boat for a quiet night.

Though most days were spent lounging on deck or beachside, we did have a couple of great outdoor activities. On the sleepy island of Mljet we rented bikes and rode through the National Park to a secluded swimspot, and in Omis we had a steep hike up to the former Pirate fortress, for a stunning view of the coast. It was with melancholy we arrived into Split, our final destination, but we made the most of our last night and went out with a bang. It was a week of hilarity, good company, and fond memories that I will carry with me as I continue on my travels.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

tiltingwindmills — Sun, 22 May 2016 20:05:00 GMT

Friday, 20 May

We arrived into Dubrovnik late in the afternoon, then went out for a final farewell dinner together, before touring the old town with a local guide. The old town is completely inclosed by a thick fortress wall which can be walked (it takes about 1hr to make the full circuit), and is built all in marble. It was so beautiful, especially lit up at night and filled with romantic cafes. I regret that I did not have enough time to explore the town more and would have liked to have had a few days there. After the tour, we all went out for drinks, but I wasn’t really feeling the vibe, so I left early and went back to the hotel. It's a good thing too, because by the time I got back, I began to feel nauseous and was soon emptying the contents of my stomach in a rather violent manner. It was a rough night and I didn’t get any sleep, unable to even keep water down. I was in desperately poor form Saturday morning, and struggled to make my way to the marina, where I boarded the Busabout boat for the 8 day Croatia Sail. Getting on a rocking boat was probably the worst thing I could have done in my condition, but I managed to keep it together for a few hours to introduce myself to the other passengers, then went straight to my cabin (which I thankfully had to myself) and slept for the remainder of the day and night. Luckily not much went down that night, so I didn’t missed anything.

Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina

tiltingwindmills — Fri, 20 May 2016 14:11:00 GMT

Wednesday, 18 May

It was a stunningly scenic drive from Belgrade into Bosnia as we passed through the lush countryside, winding our way along the river. We stopped for a few hours at Srebrenica at the memorial site of where approximately 8,000 Bosnians were slaughtered by Serb forces. We were led by a survivor of the genocide, who told us of his personal experiences, and then shown a rather confronting film. Although what happened was terrible, and I understand why the survivors feel the way they do, I did find that much of the material presented felt more like propaganda to incite hatred of Serbs and the UN for not fighting their war for them, and the Americans for brokering a peace deal that they are now bitter about, yet can safely walk down the streets because of. Instead of presenting the facts in a way that brings awareness to prevent further atrocities, I fear it will only propagate the bitterness and hatred between Serbs and Bosnians, Christians and Muslims. Later in Sarajevo, when we visited the tunnels and listened to another guide rant for 20min about how democracy was the worst thing ever, the UN was evil, and that Trump and Putin were going to cause WWIII, instead of actually talking about what the tunnels were used for, I had had quite enough of the preaching and was less than enthusiastic about visiting the city. However, I was pleasantly surprised, and once turned from the topic of war, found the Bosnians to be quite friendly and pleasant. The old town of Sarajevo, reminded me very much of Istanbul, and the Ottoman influence is clearly present in the buildings and culture in general. In fact, nearly all the shops sold mostly Turkish items, from coffee, to delights, to brass and silver serving plates. The city itself is surrounded by green hills, scattered with terracotta roofed houses, and is fairly compact. A day was more than enough time to explore the old town, and by late afternoon the rain moved in, so I walked back to the hotel and spent a relaxing evening in.

Belgrade, Serbia

tiltingwindmills — Wed, 18 May 2016 22:31:00 GMT

Monday 16 May

The Topdeck tour runs its own coach bus, which took us from city to city and it was a nice change from the hassles/joys of navigating public transport. It was a half day’s drive from Budapest to Belgrade, Serbia, with a smooth border crossing. On arrival into the city, we picked up our Local guide and took a driving tour of the city. Then he took us on a walking tour of the old fortress and gave a brief but informative lesson on the recent history of the country, the breakup of Yugoslavia, and the rebuilding of the capital after the nato bombings. Then we went to the hotel to check in, meeting up later in the evening for dinner and drinks.

Since Belgrade was a metropolitan city, and the only major sights to see where the fortress and Orthodox church, both of which we had seen on arrival day, I had no pressing agenda for the following free day. After a leisurely morning and breakfast, I joined up with the Kiwi girls and we spent the day wandering the shops and streets. We took a break at one of the cafes along Skadarlija, the charming Bohemian street, soaking in the brilliant sun on the open patio. Then we made a stop at the local post office, so I could get another package of chocolates and souvenirs sent back home to make more room in my suitcase. After the post office, we stopped by a pastry shop to pick up some local delicacies, then headed over to the park for an impromptu picnic. Unfortunately, the clouds started to roll in and it got a bit chilly, so we decided to call it a day and headed back to the hotel for a rest until dinner. After having a delicious dinner at Tri Sesira (caution: massive portion sizes!), we wanted to check out the famous nightlife of Belgrade, and headed over the river to one of the floating dance clubs. They looked very stylish on the outside, and were very swanky on the inside, but the amount of rules prevented us from having any fun; we were allotted an 1m space at the bar and was told in no uncertain terms, that we couldn’t spread out from that spot. One of the girls in the group happened to lean her elbow on an adjoining table and was immediately scolded by a passing waitress. Additionally there was no actually dance floor, just a bunch of tables laid out in a grid, that prevented people from moving or mingling together. Quite unimpressed, we shortly walked out and headed back for bed.

Budapest, Hungary

tiltingwindmills — Mon, 16 May 2016 16:41:00 GMT

Saturday, 14 May

The train from Vienna arrived into Budapest around 11am; I said a quick goodbye to the Tucan tour group and headed off on my own to The Hotel Flamenco, where I would join the new Topdeck Balkin’s tour. I picked up a 24hr transportation pass while I was at the train station, then jumped on the metro toward the hotel on the Buda side of the river. I was a bit disappointed as the tour was originally supposed to stay at the famous Gellert Hotel, which was also located closer to the central part of town. However, the Flamenco was still a nice hotel and with the 24hr pass, I was able to get around the city fairly efficiently. Included with our stay was a free pass to use the mineral baths at Gellert; since it was raining and I had a few hours to spend before I was to meet the tour at 4pm, I decided to spend it in the baths. The facility was ornately decorated with lofty roofs and mosaic tiles, but was packed with loud tourists and was not at all a tranquil experience. In fact it was a downright zoo, and I spent only 1hr there before having enough. Thankfully it was free, but if I were to revisit Budapest, I would definitely choose one of the other bathhouses and either go early or late in the day to avoid crowds.

I picked up a falafel wrap (my go to snack when traveling) on the way back to the hotel, then headed to the welcome meeting with my new roommate Emily. It was a young group of travelers, which was not unexpected since Topdeck has an age restriction of 18-39. There were 14 other passengers, 10 of which were from Australia, 2 New Zealanders, 2 Norwegians, and of course myself the lone American (and likely the oldest). They were a friendly bunch, but like most young Aussies, they were loud and rowdy and always on the look-out for the nearest pub. As the tour went on, I found myself spending a lot of time on my own or with the laid back Kiwi girls. That first night in Budapest, we went on a driving tour of the city, which was super helpful to get our bearings and help with planning the following day's activities. Then after the tour, we walked over the steel bridge to Pest and had a traditional Hungarian dinner, however, since “traditional” Hungarian is mostly meat, which I don’t eat, I went with the fish and chips. The portion sizes were absolutely massive and I only finished about a quarter of my plate. We spent quite a bit of time there, just chatting and getting to know one another, before the Aussies headed out to the bars, while all the non-Aussies headed back to the hotel for sleep. With only 1 full day in Budapest and so much to see and do, I didn’t want to waste my time on a hang-over.

I woke up early the next morning and hit the city by 8am. Not much was open, so I went first to climb up to the top of Gellert hill and get some nice morning views of the city. Then I spent the next hour or so getting the hang of the local bus and metro lines. I made my way up to Hero’s square, then wandered over the lake and took some pictures of Vajdahunyad Castle. I had planned to visit the National Gallery but was disappointed to find out that they were closed for the next 3yrs for renovations. I got back on the M1 line, stopping at the Opera house to take a quick tour of the ornate interior, before changing to the M2 and walking around the Gothic Parliament building. Then it was back on the M2 to the Astoria stop, and from there a short walk over to the Hungarian National Museum. As the oldest Museum in Budapest, it was a fascinating and in-depth look into the entire history of Hungary, and was very well laid out and presented in a series of flowing rooms and exhibitions. I spent a good 2.5hrs here, before weary feet and hunger drove me out. From there I took the M2 back to the main square of Deak Ferenciek, where there were several food carts and craft stalls. I ate a delicious lunch of sauted forest mushrooms and cheese piled up on thin crusted bread, similar to a pizza, minus the sauce. With some much needed fuel in my stomach, I wandered through the pedestrian streets and tourist shops toward St Stephan’s Basilica. I didn’t bother going in, since by that time I had seen and entered quite a few churches and cathedrals during my travels through Eastern Europe. I then returned the way I had come, and caught the #16 bus from Deak Ferenciek to the top of Castle Hill. Then spend another 3hrs wandering the Buda Castle grounds and surroundings. At the base of the Castle there was a large folk festival in full swing and it was fun to wander the food and craft stalls. Then from the Castle, I headed north; passing Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, all the way to the end of Fortuna road, before catching the #16 back down the hill, then changing over to the #49 Tram back to the hotel doorstep and feeling utterly exhausted. I took a much needed rest in the hotel’s sauna and relaxed for a few hours while I waited for the sun to go down, before heading back out one more time to take some night shots of the city lit-up. I fell blissfully into bed that night, feeling like I accomplished much in the short time I was here.

Vienna, Austria

tiltingwindmills — Fri, 13 May 2016 23:48:00 GMT

Thursday, 12 May

It was a 4hr train ride from Prague to Vienna and by the time we arrived, and got checked into the hotel, it was close to 2pm. That left little time for many of the sites, as most the museums and palaces close around 5:30 or 6pm. Not wanting to waste any time, myself and one of the other gals on tour, Lisa, set out right away. Because the city is spread out, and since we only had 1.5 days, I bought a 48hr metro pass for 13 euro. It was much cheaper than the hop-on-hop-off and went to the same places and more. It really came in handy after it started raining, and I found I was not completely exhausted by the end of the day, as many of the others were. We took the metro to Karlsplatz and then walked the short distance to St Charles, a beautiful domed Cathedral. Inside there is a elevator to a viewing platform near the cupola, and you can see the ceiling frescos up close. You can also continue up by foot to the very top and look out over the city, but the views are somewhat obstructed by wire over the windows. From Karlsplatz we walked along Lothringerstrasse, where we happened upon a quirky cafe called Fresh Charlies and stopped for a quick refreshment. Then is was a few blocks north to the Opera House, stopping for a few pictures before continuing to Albertina Art Gallery. If you are a fan of Art, there are many galleries and museums to choose from, so research what they have on display to find one that suits. We chose the Albertina because they were having an exhibition called “From Monet to Picasso” and it was a brilliant chronicle of the evolution of art from Impressionism, to Cubism, to Art Nouveau and how the trends and politics of the earas helped shape it. We only had 1.5hrs before closing, so toured at a quick pace, but were able to see all the sections that were open; some of the royal state rooms were closed for a special event so we missed out on viewing those. After the Albertina, we headed up toward Stephansplatz, the hub of the modern shopping district, and took a look a peek inside St Stephen's Cathedral to admire the Gothic architecture (entrance is free). There was a small food and crafts market on the east side of the church and we enjoyed some free samples of the treats on offer. We then wrapped up the evening with cocktails at the Sky Bar; the drinks were expensive, but good, and the views unbeatable.

One thing to note, and was a bit bothersome, any time you stopped to take photos, you were instantly swarmed by touts in period costumes trying to sell Mozart “concert” tickets. It seems just about every establishment in Vienna has a so called symphony orchestra performing nearly every night of the week. If you want to see a symphony, don’t bother with these tourist traps; go for the real thing: the world renowned Vienna Philharmonic Symphony.

The second day was even better than the first. I started early by taking the metro to Schloss Schonbrunn, the summer palace of the Hapsburgs, and it was a real highlight of the trip. Both the rooms and grounds were absolutely stunning. I opted for the Grand Tour ticket, which gave me access to 40 of the 1400+ rooms. It also came with a free audio guide and was as good as having your own personal historian. It allowed you to wander at your own pace, drinking in the opulence; you keyed in the number of each room into the device to get a wonderful in depth explanation of the room, furnishing and quite a bit of personal history of the inhabitants. In one room, called the “Mirror Room” is where the 5 year old Mozart gave his first public concert, and where he also met the then 7 year old Marie Antoinette. There were few crowds at 9am, but it quickly got busy and the rooms and passageways are narrow, so I would highly recommend arriving right at opening time, to ensure a more pleasurable experience. After touring inside the palace, I spent some time roaming the huge garden complex. One could easily spend an entire day there, but I was limited on time, so I hiked quickly up to the Gloriette to get some great pictures of the palace and city in the background. Then it was back on the Metro to Michaelerplatz, to check out the Hofburg and the Museum district. As I was wandering the Hofburg I happened to pass the office of the Spanish Riding School (The School of training for the famous Lipizzaner white stallions), and saw that they were having a special Tribute to Vienna show that same evening, with a live symphony performance by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. I bought standing room only tickets for only 25 euro (tip: line up at the door a little before opening to get the best spots, as there steps you can sit on along both sides of the theater, so you don’t truly have to stand the entire time).

With my evening plan set, I had some hours to burn until the show, so I headed over to Schwedenplatz and made it just in time to catch the 2pm Danube river cruise. The full cruise was a 3.5hr journey from the Danube canal and into the river, passing through green space, the modern city front, some ugly looking industrial areas, and out into the outer edges of the city, before looping back through the historical area. For only .50 cent more I got the combo ticket that included a sampling of three strudels and a hot drink. It was a very pleasant journey and felt great to put my feet up while still getting in some sightseeing. Plus, the cruise had few people on board and I was able to see some areas outside of the normal tourist haunts. After the cruise, I picked up a falafel wrap for dinner, and made my way back to the Hofburg to catch the show. Since I was early at the door, I was one of the first in line and was able to get a sweet spot in the center of the arena. There were 5 or 6 choir steps along each wall and it made for excellent seats. The show was a combination of symphony, operetta, and horse ballet. The Lipizzaner stallions had such beauty and strength, and were so incredibly amazing, I thought I might cry. You could actually see the concentration of the horses as they prepared for a particularly difficult feat. I was so glad to have happened upon the ticket office as it was a superb experience and kept me smiling the entire way back to the hotel.

Prague, Czech Republic

tiltingwindmills — Thu, 12 May 2016 09:00:00 GMT

Tuesday, 10 May

We arrived into Prague earlier than expected at 6:30am, and my bunk mates and I were scrambling to get dressed and off the train. Luckily it was the last stop, otherwise we never would have made it, as our tour guide didn’t bother to check up on anyone. The hotel let us check in early and it was refreshing to take a shower and brush my teeth before setting out for the day. After an expensive coffee and croissant (food in Prague is expensive compared to the low prices of Poland, and particularly so in the main square), I joined a free walking tour of the Old Town, New Town and Jewish Quarter. One thing that was immediately apparent to me, was although there was some beautiful architecture, the Old Town lacked the charm that was so abundant in the previous cities. In Poland and the Baltic states, I loved spending hours just sitting in a cafe and soaking up the ambience, whereas in Prague, there was no desire to linger. It was definitely a larger, more modern city, however, the locals were friendly and spoke excellent english. The walking tour was a nice way to see the major sites and was very informative.

After the tour ended, I went for lunch at one of the places recommended by the guide. Appropriately called Lokal, it looked like a large beer hall and served inexpensive Czech dishes (mostly meat!) and beer, with blazingly fast service. I ordered the fried cheese, which was good, but a bit heavy as a stand alone meal. After lunch, I walked off the calories, by heading over the river and up the hill to the castle complex. Somewhat tired of castles, it did have a large cathedral with a beautiful display of flying buttresses, and the Royal Gardens were an oasis of serenity. Best to go early in the morning, or after 5pm to beat the crowds. Right before the entrance gates there is a great lookout for taking pictures of the Old Town and the river Danube. Rather weary of foot, I took the evening river cruise to watch the sun set and see the city from a different perspective. It was a great way to see the popular Charles bridge without bumping elbows with the hordes. I got a bit lost on the way back to the hotel (the streets are not in a grid), and put to use one of the tips from the guide (blue street numbers get lower the closer you are to the river), and eventually arrived at my intended destination, a kebab stand later.

The following day, I decided to have a leisurely morning, getting some sink laundry completed, and my photos edited and uploaded. Since I knew I would be back through Prague at the end of my tour through eastern Europe, I didn’t feel the need to pack my day with activities or buy souvenirs. Instead I had cake for lunch, beer for late afternoon snack, and caught a free classical concert in the main square in the evening. Then is was sushi for dinner, before heading back to the hotel for an early night.

Photos: Eastern Europe

tiltingwindmills — Thu, 12 May 2016 08:03:00 GMT

High Tatras, Slovakia

tiltingwindmills — Mon, 9 May 2016 19:06:00 GMT

Sunday, 8 May

We left Poland early in the morning and took a scenic 4 hour bus ride, passing into Slovakia and arriving at our guest house in the Tatry Mountains. It was a treat to get away from the city and crowds and take in some fresh mountain air. It was cooler here, but still sunny, so I took off for a 3.5 hour hike, taking a roundabout trail to Hrebienok from Stary Smokovec, and having a nice picnic lunch at the top. After my hike, I rewarded myself with a coconut salt scrub and aromatherapy massage at the Grand Hotel. The following morning, I rented a bike and attempted to cycle to the lakes of Strbske Pleso, making it 16km (all up hill), before rain and cold finally turned me around. What I didn’t know, was the the turn off for Strbske Pleso was only 1km away! At least it was a quick return all down hill back to Stary, where I wolfed down last night's leftover pizza on a sunny park bench. That evening we caught the overnight train into Prague.

Poland

tiltingwindmills — Sun, 8 May 2016 10:34:00 GMT

Warsaw - Wednesday, 4 May

It was a long 8hr bus ride from Lithuania to Warsaw Poland and we arrived quite late in the evening. Since Lauren had not yet been to Warsaw, I accompanied her on a quick reconnaissance of the Old Town, so she could get her bearings prior to leading the group in the morning. Most places were closed at that time but we did find an open kebab shop run by a friendly Pakistani guy and had a couple of falafel wraps to go.

Thursday was a free day and our only day to explore Warsaw. The city had been nearly completely destroyed during WWII (only 15% of buildings remained post the war) and was painstakingly rebuilt. The reconstruction of the historical part of the city, was in keeping with the old world architecture, yet the newness was apparent, giving it a Disneyland like feel. Since we only had the one day, I spent it exploring the Old and New Town areas. I regret not having visited the Warsaw Uprising Museum and would recommend that as a must do for anyone visiting. In the morning I climbed up the Taras widokowy, and was rewarded with excellent 360° views of the city. Then the rest of the day was wandering the alleys and squares, and a good amount of time spent lounging at the Multimedia Fountain. If I had more time in the city I would have liked to have rented a bike and ridden along the Vistula River.

Krakow - Friday, 6 May

It was a comfortable 2hr train ride to Krakow and to our lodgings in the Jewish Quarter. I loved the location of our hostel, off of Jozefa. This was the place for a more authentic experience, filled with quirky cafes and restaurants, bars packed with young locals, and great food trucks and Zapiekanki stalls. For a wide selection of delicious chewy bagels in a chilled-out ambience, head to Bagelmama, off of Dajwor. For a pleasant laundry experience and a cheap beer, head to Frania Cafe off Starowislna, where you can do your laundry for 18 PLN, while having a drink in their cozy cave-like bar. Or if you are in a hurry, they will wash and fold your clothes for 28 PLN and you can pick it up later. The Old Town and main square of Krakow was markedly more touristy than Warsaw had been, and by afternoon the massive and constant crowds were a bit too much. There are some nice food stalls and craft markets in the main square that were fun to browse, however, for generic souvenirs they are cheaper the further you go from the square. I bought a ticket to go up the clock tower, expecting something similar to the tower views in Warsaw, but was sorely disappointed. You can’t go outside on the the balcony and the windows are barred, so the view is limited and obscured. Even if it had been free, which it wasn’t, it wouldn’t have been worth the steep climb up. The green park space encircling the entirety of Old Town was a great place to take a peaceful break, or along the Visla river bank behind the Wawel Castle for sunbathing and people watching.

I visited the Wawel Castle early the next morning, arriving to the grounds around 8:30 and there were very few people around, so it was a great time to take pictures. The ticket office didn’t open until 9am and most of the exhibitions didn’t open until 9:30am, and that was the time the large tour groups and crowds started arriving. The grounds and courtyards were free to explore, but various exhibitions and rooms required separate tickets. There was a da Vinci painting on loan (Lady with an Ermine), so I bought a ticket for that and also the Dragon’s Den, and ancient natural cave located under the castle that spawned local Dragon lore in the 13 century. The entrance is via a long and narrow spiral stone staircase, so wear sensible shoes if planning to visit. Both evenings I had dinner near our hostel in the Jewish Quarter and there was a huge variety of various ethnic cuisine, and at amazing prices. In an empty lot on the corner of Jakuba and Ciemna was a collection of food trucks. A group of us, picked up some beers from the market then sat in the provided lounge chairs, and had a hipster meal to live music.

On Saturday afternoon, we had an organized tour to Auschwitz Death Camp. The depth and cold precision in which the Nazis engineered the torture and debasement of over a million people was horrifying, and walking through the barbed wired gates made the reality of it felt in a way that reading about it in history books could never match. It was a profoundly emotional experience, but one that all visitors to Poland should experience.

Vilnius, Lithuania

tiltingwindmills — Wed, 4 May 2016 17:00:00 GMT

Monday, 2 May

It was a 4hr bus ride from Riga to Vilnius, Lithuania. We arrived in the early afternoon, and immediately set out for a walking tour of the Old Town; similar to both Tallinn and Riga, though much larger and with many more modern boutique shops. Since the weather was nice, a few of us took the short hike up to the Gediminas Tower, then down through the park, and up to the Three Crosses for some great view of both the old and new parts of the town. Then it was back to through the park, and over to St Anne’s, a beautiful gothic 16th century cathedral. From there is was a short stroll over the river to Uzupis Republic, a quirky self-governing bohemian and artist neighborhood, where we got our passports stamped. I set off to explore the neighborhood on my own, and found a fantastic restaurant a short distance up Kriviu street called Uzupio Klasika. With only 5 tables it was the epitome of cozy. I ordered the Halibut steak with roasted veggies, a glass of wine and dessert for $18 euros and everything was prepared excellently.

The following day, my new friend and tour guide, Lauren and I took the bus (1.60 euro) to Trakai Castle, about 45min outside of Vilnius and definitely worth the trip. From the bus station it was a pleasant 2km walk along the lake to the Castle. It rained briefly, but shortly after entering the castle, the weather cleared and the sun came back out. Fortunately for us, the rain had driven all the tourists away and we had the place mostly to ourselves. They did an excellent job of reconstruction and had set up each room of the castle with a display of some sort, and it was fascinating to wander through it. We took a break midway through and had a picnic lunch in the sunny courtyard, then had a couple of laughs taking pictures in the stockades. I was able to get some beautiful shots of the exterior from across the lake, with the the castle reflected in its surface.

Riga, Latvia

tiltingwindmills — Mon, 2 May 2016 14:03:00 GMT

Saturday, 30 April

In the morning we departed Estonia for Riga, the capital of Latvia. It was a comfortable 4hr bus ride on a surprisingly well equipped vehicle; there was WiFi onboard and each seat had its own entertainment system showing the latest hollywood movies, and cost only 8 euro. We arrived around 2pm into Riga and our hotel was a short walk from the bus station. It was another beautiful clear day and we went for a quick orientation walk around the historic city center before having the rest of the afternoon free to explore on our own. There was more of a mix between modern and old than with Tallin, and though not nearly as charming, it also have a lively cafe culture. There was however an abundance of green space with a large canal bisecting the city and manicured parks along its banks. As it was the weekend, the park was filled with leisure goers out to enjoy the spring sun, and it lent a very festive atmosphere. As in Estonia, being this far up north, it stayed light until 9pm, with many folks still out and about. The majority of both days were spent exploring the town on foot; splitting my time between charming cafes and relaxing in the park by the canal, in general relaxation and appreciation of the sunny weather. For lunch one day I had surprisingly good sushi at Tokyo City, a local chain with several restaurants in town. There were a number of craft stalls scattered around the various squares, and it was a good place to shop for local souvenirs, and if you like amber jewelery, this is the place to get it.

Tallinn, Estonia

tiltingwindmills — Sun, 1 May 2016 08:00:00 GMT

I arrived into Tallinn Estonia in the late afternoon to rather disappointing weather. It was raining hard and was quite a bit cooler than London had been. Too tired to deal with the public bus, I paid the 10 euros for a taxi to the hotel. I was a day early for the Tucan Baltic’s tour, and as a matter of convenience had booked the same hotel as the tour accommodation. However, in hindsight I would have been much better off booking elsewhere in the area of Old Town. The hotel (Tatari 53) was located at the end of an unappealing alley and was basic in the extreme. The worst being the cold rooms. At first I thought the radiator was broken as it was turned to the max but the metal remained cool. However, after switching rooms I discovered it was the same, the radiator being merely a decorative piece. Since it was late in the day and being so cold I decided not to venture out and explore the town.

I was thrilled the next morning to find the skies clear and the sun shining brightly. I spent the whole of the day exploring the medieval charms of the Old Town, and was regretting my decision to not go out the night before. Encircled by an ancient crumbling wall, the narrow cobbled streets are filled with quaint shops and open aired cafes, bustling with activity. Leave the map behind and instead wander about the twisting alleys; no matter how lost you may seem, you are sure to eventually wind your way back to the main plaza. I stopped for lunch at Troika, choosing traditional potato dumplings, which came in a delicious clear broth and was served with a creamy and sour yogurt, and a large mug of local draft beer. Here I sat back and enjoyed the sun and people watching in the plaza.

After lunch I went in search of a spa and was surprised to come across quite a few gentlemens spas offering “erotic massages”. Worried I might accidentally stumble into one of these, I went to the tourist office and asked for a recommendation for a reputable place. I was directed to Kalev Hotel and Spa which was located right in the Old Town. They had a large swimming facility with jacuzzis, and both wet and dry saunas, and happened to be running a special for a 1hr aromatherapy massage for only 28 euro! I spent a pleasant few hours at the spa before rushing back to the hotel to meet with the Tucan Tour. It was a large and diverse group of people I would be traveling with for the next few weeks and I looked forward to making new friends.

England and Scotland

tiltingwindmills — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 20:31:00 GMT

It was a bit of a shock to arrive into the cold rain of London after two months of balmy weather in Africa, and I had to dig into the bottom of my backpack for the down jacket. Despite the chill, it was still nice to enter the bustling heart of the city. I met K at the hotel, which was conveniently located across the street from Hyde Park and a few minutes walk from the Underground. K arrived a few hours after I did and it was a joyous reunion after so much time apart. He also brought me some much needed clean clothes, and I was happy to ditch the safari gear for a more urbane wardrobe.

With only 2 days in London, we made the most of our time, exploring much of the city on foot and the iconic double decker buses. I dragged K with me to Wagamama's; my favorite place to eat in London, where we had a couple of steaming bowls of ramen at their communal tables. We made quick passes through the British Museum and the National Gallery before hoofing it over to the Thames for some people watching. We were discouraged by the obscene queue at the London Eye, but forgot our disappointment shortly after when we stumbled upon a food cart mecca nearby. The care and craft of the food on offer would put even Portland, OR to shame. There were pots of simmering paella and curries, crispy chips and calamari, and slowly rotating gyro spits, the difficulty was choosing just one. We certainly ate well, and the weight I lost traveling through Africa, I am sure to regain in the short time here.

From London we took the train to Oxford, rented a car and explored the countryside of the district known as the Cotswolds; a collection of quaint villages, oozing with provincial charm. The first night we spent in Lechlade at Vera’s Kitchen in a small cottage. Unfortunately by the time we had arrived in the late afternoon everything was closed, other than the pub. But the food was good and the locals friendly and chatty. The following day was a leisurely drive through farmlands, stopping for Afternoon Tea in Bourton-on-the-Water, which was like walking onto the set of a Disney movie. Then it was a short drive north to Stow-on-the-Wold where we stayed at the Porch House, the oldest Inn in England. We had dinner at The King’s Arm, an unassuming pub, where K had the 2nd best burger in his life. The following day, we made a brief visit to Stratford-Upon-Avon, hometown of Shakespeare. Although we enjoyed the display of Elizabethan architecture, we found the smaller villages in the Cotswolds much more charming and less touristy. After Stratford, it was back to Oxford to return the car and catch the train to Edinburgh.

Edinburgh was love at first sight; the train station exits right into the heart of the Old Town and all around you can see the rich history in perfect harmony with modern Scotland. Here we met up with our Portland friends Ben and Jen, who by random coincidence happened to be traveling through Edinburgh the same days we were. Totally crazy! We spent the morning on a free walking tour with an enthusiastic young Scottish lad, where we learned many interesting and random facts that we never would have in a guide book, such as the city’s hero is a dog, and JK Rowling got many of her character names from a local graveyard (Tom Riddle is buried there). After lunch and a pint in Grassmarket Square, we headed up the hill to the Castle, arriving just in time to catch another free tour of the grounds. After a few hours spent in the Castle and enjoying the amazing views, we took advantage of the rare Scottish sun and strolled along the Royal Mile, shopping for whiskey and plaid. In the evening we had a lovely dinner at The Devil’s Advocate, before trolling the entire city for a pub with live bagpipe music. Nearly every pub had live music, but ironically, it was all contemporary American Pop. The only bagpipes we heard, was the guy playing in the street for money. We finally settled on a music free pub, but one filled with locals, and put up our weary feet and enjoyed some craft brews. After an amazing day, we said goodbye to our PDX friends.

The following morning it was back to the train station for a scenic journey to the heart of the Highlands, Inverness. We dropped our bags at the guesthouse and set off to explore town on foot. We wandered up to the Castle, then headed down the hill to walk along the river, admiring the charming manor houses we passed by, before happening on a lively pub called the Castle Tavern, filled with locals. We stopped in for lunch and a pint, K tried haggis for the first time, and I had a delicious bowl of mac and cheese made from smoked Scottish cheddar. In the morning we set off for the Isle of Skye, enjoying the drive through the remote Highlands in our bright orange mini-Fiat. We had heard many good things about Skye and it did not disappoint; the backdrop of rolling hills covered in heather reflected off the deep lochs was absolutely stunning. This was a time where the journey itself was the attraction instead of the destination. We spent the entire day touring the island, making a large clockwise loop around the island ending in Portree. We hadn't booked any accommodations for the night, instead opting to wait and find a B&B we liked. The options were endless, as it seemed every other home was a guest house. We found a charming place called Greenacres a minute out of town with great views of the harbor for around $100 US, including a full Scottish breakfast. I would definitely recommend not booking a place in advance as there are literally hundreds of places to choose from and many would likely not have websites, also it gives you the option of finding one that best suits your preference.

The following day we left Skye and made our way back to Inverness passing the famous Loch Ness, and stopping in the village for lunch and whiskeys. Unfortunately we missed the boat tour and didn’t have time to wait for the next one as we needed to return the rental to Inverness. We arrived back there in the later afternoon and had several hours to burn until our night train back to London. Most of the shops were closed by that time, so we walked around a little more, then had tea and refreshments in the warmth of the Royal Scotland Hotel lobby. We had booked a sleeper berth on the Caledonian and found it to be quite pleasant, though rather expensive, but it was nice to sleep during the 11 hrs back to London, and we arrived in the morning feeling refreshed. We had originally intended to take the train to Canterbury and Dover, but on arrival into London, we were feeling rather lazy and prefered to spend our last day in town. We had found a 2 for 1 pass for the London eye online that could be used with a valid train ticket, and being a Monday the queue was tolerable, so we decided to go up. The views were great, despite our ill luck to be in a car full of unruly children. For dinner we found a tasty Indian restaurant near the hotel then went back to the room and cracked open the bottle of Brut Rose I had brought from South Africa, to celebrate the end to a fantastic trip.

It was a sad farewell to K the next morning as he was headed home and I would be continuing on to Eastern Europe solo.

Cape Town

tiltingwindmills — Sat, 16 Apr 2016 20:33:00 GMT

Let me start by saying a week is not nearly enough time to spend in Cape Town, there is so much to see and do that in 6 days I was only able to get a small sample of this beautiful city and its surroundings. I spent two nights in the city center, right on lively Long Street. This is where all the backpacker hostels, bars and restaurants are located, plus of plethora of African craft markets. Unless your goal is to bar hop every night, I wouldn’t recommend more than two nights here; it gets very noisy at night, and this part of the city can be pretty sketchy even during the day. There are some great atmospheric restaurants, including some traditional African ones, like Mama Africa’s and Addis (Ethiopian), and for the locals, Food Inn, which pretty much serves up everything at spectacular prices. Without a car hire, the Citysightseeing bus is a great way to get around, and takes you to all the key places in Cape Town, including up to the Table Mountain tramway station. If the weather is good, make the trip up to the top as the 360 views are unbeatable. If you have time I would highly recommend hiking up and/or going for a sunset picnic at the top. I could have easily spent a half day hiking around the summit.

No trip to the Cape would be complete without a visit to the Winelands. I opted to stay two nights in Stellenbosch town. My original plan was to rent a car and stay one night in Stellenbosch and one in Franschhoek, but alas I had forgotten my drivers license back in the states, so this limited my options. I took a taxi to Stellenbosch then got a two day ticket on the Vine Hopper bus, which has three routes through the wine country. I was pleasantly surprised; the bus was actually a mini-van and at most had 8 people and we went at our own pace, On both days I met some interesting people and we were all quite friendly by the 3rd winery. The wine tasting fees and the bottles were shockingly cheap, particularly compared to places like Napa Valley. I did both the Southern and Eastern routes, and found the Eastern route to be much more scenic and the wineries better than those visited in the Southern route. Visit Neil Ellis, you have your choice of wine tastings and the cheese platter is not to be missed! I stayed in a small guest house right in the center of town called de Oude Meul. The rooms were simple and clean and it was located right above a cozy coffee shop, where guests could take their breakfast. I would have liked to have seen Franschhoek, and if you are pressed for time, I would recommend taking an all day tour from Cape Town, which allows you to see both regions.

My final two nights I stayed in the idyllic and upmarket area of Camps Bay, an absolutely stunning crescent of white sandy beach, sheltered from the infamous Cape winds. All along the beachfront is a promenade of restaurants and boutique shops. My guest house (le Balfour) was a short 5 minute walk from the beach and had an amazing view of the ocean and Lion's Head from the private balcony. It's easy to tell this is where the elite and famous live, yet I think it manages to still feel relaxed and unpretentious. It was nice to unwind here from the constant go go of the last few months.

Namibia to Cape Town

tiltingwindmills — Sat, 9 Apr 2016 21:02:00 GMT

On the 4th day in Namibia we drove 400+ km on an unpaved desert highway, passing rugged mountains and wild horses, before arriving to the fresh coastal air of the Atlantic Ocean. Seeing the desert open into the sea was a pleasant change after a month of traveling through the interior of Africa. The weather was also much cooler here and with that came welcomed relief from both the stifling heat and mosquitoes. We spent the next two days in the quaint coastal town of Swakopmund; the German Colonial architecture seemed a bit out of place in Africa, but was charming none the less. Unfortunately due to our arrival on the weekend, the place was a complete and utter ghost town; the shops all closing by 1pm on Saturday and remaining that way until Monday, the day we departed. Despite the empty streets, I still enjoyed walking around the town and beach, and it was nice to have a down day to catch up on some much needed laundry. I think my clothes have been permanently imbued with red dust.

We departed Swakop on Monday April 4th, and headed inland via the Trans-Kalahari Highway to Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. We had a free afternoon to explore before meeting up for a farewell dinner for the 4 people leaving the tour.

With our group dwindled down to 6, we left the city early Tuesday morning and journeyed toward Sossusvlei, passing through spectacular rugged mountains, and stark desert landscapes. There is so much raw beauty in the desert; it’s like looking into the soul of the earth, displayed in red and golden hues. We paused at the Tropic of Cancer to take a couple of photos before continuing on to to our camp. This would be the final night of camping for on tour and it was a brutal 4am wake up call, putting our tents down in the dark, in the middle of a sandstorm, so we could make the climb up Dune 45 in time for sunrise. Totally worth the effort, the dune, one of the tallest in the world, rises up above a flat plane and takes about 20 mins to summit. We watched as the early morning rays illuminated the sand and turned it a flaming red. Then it was back into the truck for a scenic but uncomfortable 5-6 hour drive to our next lodge. I had a fine layer of sand covering every inch of my body, and each time I ran my hands through my hair I could feel the grit stuck to my scalp. When we arrived to our homey lodge in the middle of nowhere, the very first thing everyone did was jump in the showers, eager to desand ourselves.

Thursday was a leisurely 8:30am departure, and a few hours later we found ourselves at Fish River Canyon, considered to be the 2nd largest canyon in the world. There was a scenic 1km hike along the rim, offering a multitude of great photographic vantage points. An easy 3hr drive later we found ourselves at our lodge on the Orange River, just a short distance from the South African border. The thatched cabanas were beautifully laid out on manicured lawns overlooking the river, and I enjoyed sitting in the evening enjoying the breeze and the stars. Unfortunately like many of the amazing places we stayed, we only had the one night to enjoy it. Friday was a 5am wakeup for a 6am departure and border crossing to South Africa. We were rewarded by arriving early afternoon to the Highlands Lodge on a working vineyard, where we enjoyed a refreshing swim, followed by a sundowner wine tasting from the veranda overlooking the vines. It was a gorgeous end to an amazing tour that would end the following day in Cape Town.

Namibia

tiltingwindmills — Sun, 3 Apr 2016 20:00:00 GMT

We’ll spend 10 days traversing the whole of Namibia; I think one of the most scenic of the Southern African countries I have visited thus far, primarily for the diversity of landscapes. We entered Namibia on Tuesday, March 29th, breezing through the border crossing. Our first stop was Divundu, which was primarily a waystation on our way to Etosha National Park. The Rainbow River lodge was located right on the Kavango river, where we watched a beautiful sunset while sipping ice cold beers. It was a long drive the following day, passing from verdant hills to flat and dry shrublands. There was a marked difference in the moisture content of the air as we passed into the arid desert, my skin drying up almost instantly. We arrived into Etosha NP by late afternoon where we spent the next two nights camping, with a game drive in between. During the game drive, we passed through the Etosha Pan, a large dried up salt dessert with an absolutely barren landscape. Here we had fun with the camera taking trick photos with the use of perspective. The concentration of game was much lower than that found in either Kruger or Serengeti, however there were several scattered waterholes where numerous animals gathered together due to the scarcity of water. At our second camp there was a large watering hole that was dimly lit at night; we sat here for several hours watching animals come and go, including giraffe, elephants, rhinos, jackals, and a solitary juvenile lion.

The 3rd day we passed out of Etosha and headed south toward Otjiwarongo, stopping along the way to visit a local Himba Tribe village. These amazing people have managed to retain much of their traditional culture; preserving their language, dress, and way of life. The men in loincloths, and the women topless and elaborately decorated in beads and bangles. They had the most stunning of hair styles; wide plaits covered in ochre paste, forming a red chord that ended in a large pom-pom of hair that crowned their shoulders. The women never bath with water, instead they used perfumed smoke to purify the body, then cover their skin with ochre mixed with butter to form a red claylike cream, which gives them a beautiful copper tint and protects them from the sun. Unfortunately they are not completely without western influence as tourism has brought with it the concept of a cash economy; the women selling bead work to earn money to send their children to western schools, where they adopt western dress, and like Eve, their eyes are open to nakedness and they feel embarrassment or shame in their heritage. At the same time, having westerners come on village tours allows them to present and take pride in their way of life, and so it is a double edged sword.

After the village visit, we traveled to our lodge in Otjiwarongo on a cheetah farm. The cheetah population in Namibia is dwindling as farms are expanding into their natural territory, the cheetahs then hunt sheep and cattle, causing a nuisance for the farmers who respond by killing them. The owner of the farm was once of the same philosophy, but had a change of heart and now captures the cheetahs that encroach on his farm and puts them in a large fenced area where he feeds and protects them. He has requested multiple times to release the cheetahs to Etosha NP, but unfortunately the government is in favor of killing the cheetah and actually make it harder for conservationists. Export laws also make it impossible for him to send the cats to National Parks in surrounding countries like South Africa. He uses tourism to help pay for the food and vet bills; people staying in his lodge and camping on his property are able to go along during the feeding time where they can see the cats leap in the air for the meat as it is thrown off the back of the truck, which is an amazing sights. The lodge itself is beautifully incorporated in the natural surroundings and uses all solar energy, and staying there was a real highlight of the trip.

Botswana and Okavango Delta

tiltingwindmills — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 16:34:00 GMT

Another day, another border crossing. This time from Zambia into Botswana on a short ferry across the Zambezi river. Wealthier than most of its neighbours due to the large diamond industry, it is a beautiful sparsely populated country. The evening we arrived, we went for a sunset cruise on the Chobe river. We saw so much wildlife and were able to get very close to them while in the boat. There was a large herd of elephants, with several small babies that were incredibly cute, and a couple playing in the water together. We also saw a large group of hippos that were clustered tightly together, sort of climbing on top of each other as if they were trying to snuggle. We were lucky enough to have one pose for pictures with its mouth gaping wide open.

I really loved the lodge we stayed in Chobe NP (Thebe River Lodge), constructed of rough wooden beams and thatched roof, it had a very African Safari feel. The rooms were spread out around a large open courtyard, and was located right on the river. We only stayed the one night before heading to Maun, our launching pad for the the Okavango Delta excursion. It was a 1.5hr drive through the bush passing some small mud and thatch villages to the delta where we met with our polers and loaded into our mokoros (small dugout canoes). We spent the next 2hrs gliding serenely through the waterways of the Okavango Delta, following hippo trails through the tall reeds and grass. By early afternoon we arrived at the bush camp, situated on a large island in the delta, and had the rest of the afternoon free to explore around on foot. There was a nice crocodile free swimming hole to cool off in before setting out on a walking safari. There wasn’t much wildlife to see, but we were lucky to get within 25m of a couple of giraffe.

On the way back to camp our guide got heat stroke and nearly fainted. He was lying in the grass shaking while we forced him to drink our water. Fortunately for both him and us, he recovered enough to walk us back to camp, as there was no way we could have found the way ourselves. The poor guy went straight to his tent and we didn’t see him again until the next morning. The evening was spent around the campfire; our polers entertaining us with African songs, and we reciprocating with classic rock and roll of which we knew only a few verses.

Photos: Zambia & Botswana

tiltingwindmills — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 14:06:00 GMT

Victoria Falls from Zambia side, Botswana's Chobe NP and Okavango Dela