For this trip we were going with Amy and Chloe, something we hadn’t done for a few years. Had to go during the half term as it was the only time we could all get together.
The day before we left the UK we had a bit of an issue when we found that you could no longer get a tourist visa at the airport. June had been to Turkey with work several times and had always paid for the visa on arrival. When checking the cost on the Friday afternoon June found that was no longer the case and you had to get a e-visa. Thankfully it was a simple online process with immediate delivery of the visa but at $36 each, slightly more expensive than the previous £10 on arrival!
This was a British Airways holiday and having arrived in Istanbul late afternoon, we had a pre-arranged transfer who took us to the Hotel Byzantium in the old City. When we got there we were told that due to planned building work going on in the hotel we would have to stay in another hotel next door for one night…. Not a good start but it got better.
We had chosen the Byzantium as it was right in the middle of everything in the Sultanahmet area and surrounded by restaurants and cafes.
The first night, somewhat spoiled for choice, we ate at the Magnaura. Really nice restaurant. The girls went back to the hotel while we had a short bimble.
Blue Mosque
Sunday 16th February
The next morning we returned to the Byzantium where the staff were very apologetic about our first night and quickly sorted us out with a family 2 room suite.
Once settled in we headed off to Hagia Sophia. As we arrived there were quite long queues for tickets. At that point Omer, (omercakircali@yahoo.com) a local guide, approached us and won us over with his patter and the fact he could by-pass the queues….
Once in Hagia Sophia Omer came into his own. His ‘bullet point’ guide style was perfect for us as he showed us around the stunning building.
Hagia Sophia
It was hard to miss the fact that there was a lot of renovation going on, not just here, but at a lot of the other tourist attractions. I guess it must be a constant job with buildings as old as these.
Omer left us for 30 minutes to look about for ourselves before we caught up with him again to visit the Basilica Cistern which at 9,800 square metres, is the largest of the cisterns that lie beneath the city. Originally fed with water from 19 kms away to the north via aqueducts
This setting was used in Dan Brown’s Inferno and other films. It is a real must go to place.
Basilica Cistern
Again this was having work carried out and once completed you will be able to walk on a glass floor looking down on fish in the water below.
Several of the columns in the cistern are recycled and include one carved with the head of Medusa and installed upside down as it was the best fit. After all when under water the fish won’t mind too much.
Medusa column
After a tasty lunch at the Karadeniz we returned to the hotel for an afternoon kip….. Well it had been a busy day 🙂
That evening we ate at the Turkuaz gurme Restaura just a few metres from the hotel, again really nice food…. This was going to be the theme of the stay to be honest.
Monday 17th February
At the hotel we had bought a ticket for a IBO boat trip on the Bosphorus, a short cable car ride and coach ride around the old city walls.
We were collected from the hotel at 10.30 and headed off to the moorings and then headed off along the Golden Horn and into the Bosphorus. The day was beautiful with clear blue skies. There were no more that 30 of us on the boat, but we can imagine in full season it would be crowded and you wouldn’t have the space that we did.
We passed many palaces and beautiful buildings as we headed north towards the Black Sea. After about an hour we moored up at Bebek where we jumped off the boat and grabbed a coffee at the best Starbucks in Istanbul. Well the view across the Bosphorus was stunning.
The return was along the eastern side of the channel and passing Maiden’s Tower before returning to the starting point.
Once moored we jumped on to the coach and headed off to Pierre Loti a cafe with a bit of a view across the Golden Horn
View from Pierre Loti Cafe
The cable car was a little disappointing but I guess it was never going to compare with those in the Alps.
The coach then took us on a short trip around the City walls where the guide explained that it actually consisted of 3 walls and that is why it was quite a secure city ‘in the day’
Beautiful meal and wonderful location. Thank you Amy and Chloe.
Tuesday 18th February
Today was a wandering day.
First we headed to the stunning Blue Mosque where like many of the places we visited there was restoration work going on. It remains a functioning mosque and was built between 1609 and 1616. It constantly amazes us how these huge building were built without today’s construction equipment.
Blue Mosque
Next on the list was the Galata Bridge. One of the bridges over the Golden Horn.
On the bridge there are dozens of fishermen catching small to medium size fish that they then sell to commuters on their way home.
#ClewleysStopForCoffee
After a coffee, of course, we continued over the bridge to the Galata Tower where you can get a great view over the city. This nine story tower is almost 67 metres high and was built in medieval times.
Galata Tower
From the tower we meandered back to the Galata Bridge where we had fish for lunch. When I say fish, they brought out a whole Sea Bass weighing 1.4 kilos for us to inspect. Off it went to the kitchen to be cooked coming back very tasty.
That night we ate at the Babylonia Garden Terrace Restaurant. Again very good food.
Wednesday the 19th February
Topkapı Palace was the first place on the list today… This is a large museum and previously the main palace for the Ottoman Sultans.
Topkapı Palace
After dropping into Hafiz Mustafa for coffee and sweets, great recommendation Imran) we headed off to the spice bizarre and what is regarded as one of the first ‘shopping malls’ in the world, the Grand Bizarre.
We could have wandered around here for days on end. Much like a calmer version of the Souks in Marrakesh it has stalls for everything you could think of. Amy came away with a silver chain and pendant…. the rest of us came away with wallets intact.
Grand BazaarGrand Bazaar
Thursday the 20th February
Today was going to be a little different. One of June’s former work colleagues is Turkish and lives in Istanbul and they hadn’t met for over 20 years.
The tube system in the city is clean and, from what we saw, very efficient. Fortunately we met a German guy, who is now living in Istanbul, who seemed to pick up that we hadn’t a clue where to get the tickets ( apparently the Oyster card from London doesn’t work 🙂 ). He took pity on us and led us to the platform where we bought 4 tickets and off we headed to Haciosman at the end of the line.
A few minutes later we were picked up by Ozge and we taken for coffee of course. It was great to meet her and hear about the real Istanbul life.
Ozge took us to Emek Mantı for lunch which was was great. We had some great recommendations including, Cig Borek, a deep-fried turnover with a filling of ground or minced meat and onions and Manti, dumplings with spiced ground meat and onion, is one of the all time favourite dishes in Turkey.
Mantı
After lunch June and the girls headed off to the hotel spa for a bit of pampering – you can’t come to Istanbul and not have some sort of scrub down and massage!
That evening we ate at the Şiva Cafe Restaurant which was almost next to the hotel we were staying at. The food was really good. June and I having a kebab that was cooked in a clay type pot which was then set alight before serving… Lots of show 🙂
Friday the 21st February
This afternoon we would catch the flight home but not before more food and coffee at Hakki Zadc where Bob tried Tavuk Gogsu. Ozge had recommended this the day before but even for me there is a limit to how much I can eat in one day.
This sweet dish is milk pudding made from shredded chicken. Yes you read that right shredded chicken. It is one of the signature dishes of Turkey and sprinkled with cinnamon it is beautiful. Like a think white blancmange in texture and no chicken taste at all. However as milk causes Bob to cough it did cause a few irritations for a few days.
It also rained a little today, which was the first we had seen. We had been very fortunate with the weather with blue skies.
Oh how we laughed
This was a great trip and we would really recommend Istanbul. The hotel we used was in a perfect location for us and what we did.
June had travelled to Tel Aviv many times for work but never really had time to explore too much. As this looked like being her last trip (redundancy imminent) we decided to tag on a few days so as Bob could join her and see some of the sites.
Tel Aviv is a city of contrasts and probably not what a lot of people expect. The beachfront is no different to many European resorts and there are plenty of good bars, cafes and restaurants to be found. Recent years have also seen the growth of small boutique hotels which are great alternatives to big (and expensive chains) which have typically dominated the market. We stayed in the Hotel 22 Rothschild which is centrally located and just a short 10 minute walk to the beach.
Once work was over we took a late afternoon stroll along the beach to the old port of Jaffa to watch the sun go down and enjoy dinner at The Old Man and The Sea restaurant – great place where you choose your fish main course and they bring 20+ bowls (small bowls!) of various salads which are constantly replaced. The fresh bread is to die for but be careful not to fill up on bread and humus before the main arrives!
With the public transport system being mostly buses and Tel Aviv often paralysed by traffic jams, we booked two coach tours so we could get out of the city. On the first trip we headed north along the coast as far as the Lebanon border with stops at the following:
Caesarea – ancient Roman ruins of Herod’s Harbour and the amphitheatre, one of the biggest built during the Roman era.
Haifa – a quick stop to see the terraced Baha’i Gardens, the headquarters of the Baha’i faith
Rosh Hanrika – limestone grottos carved out of the white cliffs and right on the border with Lebanon
Acre – a UNESCO World Heritage Site of fortified city walls and underground Crusader passageways used by the Knights of St John
No trip to Israel is complete without a visit to Jerusalem which we combined with also visiting Bethlehem.
Our first stop of the day was dedicated to another “king” – the Elvis diner. This was certainly more of our more unique #clewleystopsforcoffee!
From there it was onto the outskirts of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives for views across the city.
We then left the coach and walked into the old town via the Western Wall (also known as the Wailing Wall). As it was a Saturday and the Sabbath we were unable to take photos of those in prayer at the Wall but from a small distance you can see why this is such a troubled area with the Dome of The Rock and the Al-Aqua Mosque sitting right on top of it, all highly significant places in their respective religions.
In the old city we walked along part of the Via Delorosa along which Jesus is said to have carried his cross, to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre built on the site where he is believed to have been crucified and the location of his empty tomb. Whatever your religious beliefs, it is difficult not to feel something in this place.
In order to go on to Bethlehem we had to cross through a check point in the controversial wall being built by Israel to enter an area of the Palestinian West Bank. Here we visited the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square.
Back to Tel Aviv and tonight’s dinner was off the beaten track at a recommended Ethiopian restaurant called Balinjera. There is a large population of Ethiopians in Israel after two waves of mass immigration assisted by the Israel government between 1984 and 1991. The food was totally new to us but delicious!
We spent our last morning around Tel Aviv with, finally- June had never managed more than a paddle previously, a swim in the Med followed by a stroll around Carmel market.
We really enjoyed a few days in Israel and would highly recommend a visit – don’t be put off by what you see in the press. It’s a bit on the pricey side but as more places open it is getting cheaper and there are more choices with flights including EasyJet.
Our Honeymoon was 2011 however this was previously hosted on Blogger
A great trip
Friday, 20 May 2011
Almost ready to go.
Well we have the house sitter arranged ( well can’t let the grass and plants die can we?) and almost packed. Did Paddington really have this much stuff when he left deepest darkest Peru? I somehow doubt it. Early start tomorrow and we aim to update this as often as we can. Which bearing in mind we are on the Inca Trail and in the Amazon for part of the trip… May not be as often as we would like.
First day
A long flight, total of 14 hours, but we managed to get emergency exit seats to Madrid then over the wing exit to Peru. Loads of room;-)
Total of 17 in the group of all kinds I feel:-). Leader is Alex a local from Cuzco. He will be with us all the trip. Only one of the group is not doing the Inca Trail. First hotel in Lima very nice. Much better than we expected. Even free Wi-Fi. We had a short walk towards the local mall that over looks the sea. Coach leaves at 8.00 tomorrow. Off down the coast.
Sunday, 22 May 2011
First night of the honeymoon
I knew that would get some of you reading this…I would like to thank whoever put out the sign in front of our hotel saying ‘ toot the honeymoon couple as you drive past all night ‘…. Or is that normal in Deepest darkest Peru ?
Lima to Paracas
Left the hotel at 8.00 to travel south out of Lima. We passed a lot of poverty along the way. It appears in Peru a lot of people move to Lima from other part looking for a ‘better life’. Typically, like all of these type of hopes, it never materialises. However in Peru the folks can just find a plot of open land and put up a temporary building for 12 months or so. Then they approach / demonstrate to the government and they get the basic services…. Water, albeit via a bowser and electric. The result is still very basic by UK standards but at least a part way to their wish of a better life.
We stopped at Pachacamac which is a very large site that appears to have hosted many early civilisations. The area has, over many years, been excavated by various archaeologists from a few nations.
The museum is small and only had a few exhibits on display but explained the chronology of the area really well. After a trip around the ruins we managed to grab a quick coffee…..ah…The geology of the area is fascinating. On one side of the road we saw conglomerate from really heavy floods moving tonnes of rock while on the other side of the road was solid rock. The whole area was desert and the dunes stretched for miles.
Once we arrived in Paracas we went straight to a restaurant and a plate of Ceviche and beer.
Hotel not quite up to last nights Best Western but still very comfortable and probably quieter.
Later in the afternoon we visited the National Park at Paracas. To get to it we were driven across more desert landscape. The sand dunes here were yellows and redish.
At the second stop we watched the sun go down. The redish glow across the sandy desertscape was beautiful.
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
Paracas to Nazca
Sign in hotel… In case of earthquake escape.
Before leaving Paracas we took a boat trip to Islas Ballestas. Fast boat to the islands which was the home to seals, Peruvian Boobies and cormorants. One or two pictures taken here as you can imagine!
Most of this part of Peru is desert but we had lunch at a beautiful oasis.
There were massive sand dunes and several restaurants. We shared our lunch with another couple on the tour and with a very loud Australian. Well she was several tables away but talking to someone on skype and clearly didn’t see the need to lower the volume of her voice. Still it was beautiful and reminded us of Meski oasis in Morocco.
After lunch we drove for miles and miles across desert. We hadn’t realised there was so much desert in Peru but nothing like the Sahara – in fact like nothing like we’ve seen before.
Then to the Nazca lines. Due to bad safety records with flying trips over the lines this option wasn’t open to us. Instead we climbed a viewing tower… Well I say a viewing tower I think it was an old water tower that had been moved. The Nazca lines were seriously underwhelming. We both expected a little more. The Peruvian government had also chopped one in half when it built the highway.
However the scenery was fabulous …. Stunning !!!!!
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
From Nazca To Inca Pueto
Several stops today starting with a burial site, just outside Nazca where all the bodies had been removed by those looking for ‘treasure’. From there it was on to the ancient underground aqueduct which still provides water to the town today (both for drinking and crop irrigation) and then the Antonini Museum which had all kinds of artefacts on display ranging from disformed skulls to cactus needles used for sowing / tapestry. After that we stopped at Taller de Artesania, a local pottery using traditional methods and designs. We then hit the Pan American Highway again heading south towards tonight’s hotel. 170km through some of the bleakest but constantly changing desert scenery. Hotel Puerto Inka is a bit of a find being nestled in a small cove on sandy beach with nothing else around it.
Tonight we will sleep not with the sounds of lorries thundering past but with the waves of the Pacific crashing on the rocks below.
June has only picked up 3 ( no 5 now) small pieces of rock so far……although she is contemplating a rock cabinet solely for Peru!! Today, maybe, we’ll manage to bag our first geocache by the Inca Ruins near to the hotel
Yes we did manage to bag a geocache as we visited the Ruins
Thursday, 26 May 2011
A day in Arequipa
Nice lay in today as we are not leaving the hotel until 9.00 for a short walk to Monasterio D Santa Catalina. Before leaving though Alex, our guide, tells us there may be problems ahead at Puno. There are strikes by the miners there (no not the children but the people who work below the ground) that are bringing the city to a grinding halt. Apparently there are 3,500 tourists trying to get but all the roads are blocked. Hey hoe… It will be what it will be but even if we have to miss Puno hopefully we’ll find a way to Lake Titicaca. We as I am sure all our readers are keen to know, Inca Belly is taking a hold of the group and desperate times call for desperate measures….
Fortunately the facilities are a little better than those of the old mother superior at the convent!
We guess it is not surprising as we even have to use bottled water to clean our teeth. We take TOO much for granted in the UK
From there it was on to the Cathedral on the main square which was very simple yet beautiful. We were also taken up to the bell towers (one of which had to be restored after the last big earthquake in 2001).
Despite not having done much other than sit on a coach for the past four days a siesta was required this afternoon! The altitude is noticeable even at this level (2,335m) but we should acclimatise albeit slowly after drinking plenty of coca tea.
From Inca Pueto to Arequipa
We have never seen so much desert. This was our fourth day of driving through desert scenery. Having said that the view is often breath taking. It was our longest day in the coach and ended up in Peru’s second city Arequipa. The hotel was formerly a colonial palace, I doubt though in colonial times they had Wi-Fi. Bob is suffering with Inca belly. Not good when you have to spend 7 hours on the coach and arrive in a city that is famous for it’s chocolate.
Saturday, 28 May 2011
And on to Chivay
Today we made a way to Chivay via …. The highest point we will reach this trip 4800m which is 3 miles high!! Highest either of us have ever been. On the way to the 4800m mark we stopped quite a few times. The guide said it was to see the llamas and alpacas. I think it was more to get us used to the height. At that height even walking a few hundred yards can take your breath away. June suffered a little with soroche ( altitude sickness) but recovered very quickly once the guide rubbed her down with some alcohol. He explained that they had forgotten the oxygen so if go had got any worse it was going to be ‘mouth to mouth’!!The scenery was stunning again. Volcanoes all around us. We stopped at the summit and even there the local had stall out selling their goods.
There was a geocache only a couple of hundred feet away but we didn’t manage to get it …. Maybe tomorrow when we return that way.
The hotel in Chivay is very nice with free Wi-Fi again!!
The latest news about the next leg to Puno is that it has been cancelled. So we won’t be getting to see lake Titicaca or Puno. We will, however, be spending more time in Cuzco which will help us acclimatise for the Inca Trail.
Sunday, 29 May 2011
Only a small flame….
An even earlier start today but managed to get the flight OK…. despite the coach driver’s attempt to stall us by turning up at the airport at 6.00am rather than the hotel. Fantastic views as we flew to Cuzco.
A little excitement as we were taxiing after landing at Cuzco. June looked out of the window to see 5 foot of flame coming out of one of the engines that started licking around the edge of the wing. This lasted for a few seconds before the pilot shut everything down PDQ. We were joined by two airport fire engines faster than a pilot can walk to the loo when it’s his round.
After a short while we were moved and allowed to disembark.
So on to the city of Cuzco. The hotel is a renovated colonial building with all mod cons. Much of the accommodation we have stayed in was described in the brochure as basic but we’ve had no complaints so far.
Alex the guide took us for an orientational walk to the main square before we had lunch and the second decent cup of coffee since we’ve been here (well for June anyway as all the milk so far has been evaporated).
The extra days in Cuzco mean that we have time to have some rest and hopefully recover from all our ailments before heading off on the trail. Also allows us to get some laundry done properly – one pair of Bob’s underpants hanging out of the window to dry is probably enough for the locals!
Canyon and Condors
On the road at 06.30!!! To go to Colca Canyon.Colca is the second deepest canyon in the world, the deepest one being Cotahuasi Canyon also in Peru. The early start was so we could see condors at Mirador Cruz del Condor. What a show they put on for us too. There must have been at least 12 condors soaring on the thermals at the cliffs edge.
As far as the canyon is concerned we both agree it is one of the most beautiful places either of us have ever seen (apart from the inside of a pilots wallet of course). It is more than 1km from cliff’s edge to river below. The photos we took will not do it justice I feel.
Along the 35 km dirt track to the viewing point we had spectacular views of Inca and Pre Inca terracing
From there, and via last nights hotel to collect one very poorly member of our group who had spent the morning in bed, we made our way back to Arequipa.
Latest Puno news is that we all catch the 8.00 flight out of Arequipa to Cuzco tomorrow and spend 2 extra days there.
Could be a lot worse we could stuck in Puno, which has been under effective siege for quite a few days now.
Tuesday, 31 May 2011
Weaving, terraces and salt.
After a more respectable start of 9.00am it was off to see some of the sights surrounding Cuzco.
Our first stop was the village of Chinchero where they produce textiles using traditional Inca methods. We were given a demonstration of how the wool, sheep and alpaca, was spun, dyed and woven before being let loose in the shop. It was fascinating. From there to Moray where the Incas farmed on terraces in a bowl on the side of the mountain. This means it had it’s own micro-climate which acted like a greenhouse and a different crop grew on each level.
Our last stop was the salt pans near Maras an almost deserted former colonial town. There are approx. 3,000 pools and a person would own 5 or 6. The source of the water is deep inside the mountain where the water passes over a very large block of salt before exiting out into the valley and the pools.
On the health front we both seem to be almost back to normal and are at least eating again…..
Our favourite coffee shop so far… Trotamundos in Plaza De Armas, Cuzco.
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
Spending, walking and drinking.
Today we went to the Sacred Valley. As we see more and more of this area we are growing more and more fond if it. It is truly beautiful. On the way to Pisac Market we stopped to take photos of the valley ( we will publish a link to our best shots once back in the UK and we have uploaded them to our Google Photos).Once at the Market we visited a local Silver jewellers that actually make the items on site. We managed to find each other a ‘special’ little pressie and the bank account only gave a little sigh.
From there we went to Ollantaytambo – almost a mini warm up for Machu Picchu, where we climbed 240 steps to the top. This is the site of an Inca Fortress and Terraces.
While most of the terraces have been reconstructed the main section at the top is original. It is amazing how the Inca managed to build walls without using mortar and getting the blocks to fit so flush.
There is no gap at all in between the blocks and the ones at the top are about 10 feet high by 4 feet wide. These blocks were quarried from a hill side 12 kms away the other side of the very steep valley.
On the way back to Cuzco we stopped at a house to try some Chicha.
This is a natural alcoholic drink made from maize. I think we were all expecting something a little rank but were pleasantly surprised. The girlies had a special version made by adding strawberries.
Thursday, 2 June 2011
A bimble before the storm
Today was our last day before the 48 km hike starts. First place on the tour was Sacsayhuaman. This is a large Inca ruin above the city of Cuzco. Typical Incan stone work but some massive blocks. Including one at 30 feet.
We then walked down into the old town part of Cuzco and saw where the Spanish destroyed the Incan temples but then built over them. You can see clearly the remains of the Incan building at the base. Still after the 1650 and 1950 earthquakes it was the Inca buildings which were still standing. We also saw the 12 angled stone which when you consider what tools they had is quite a feat.
About midday we had a briefing from ‘Hector’ our guide for the Inca trail. Few of the group are starting to get a bit anxious about the climb on the second day and about what bag to take
Lunch at our, now, favourite coffee bar…. Well now is not the time to experiment with food. It seemed most of the group felt the same way as they slowly joined us.
We spent the rest of the afternoon continuing our cultural tour of Cuzco finishing off as the sun went down with a large Cuzquena beer, sitting in one of the numerous small squares. Here we met Angela. A 12 year old who, like many adults and children, try to sell the tourists various craft items. She was a real character. She knew who our PM was and the name of our queen and the capital of England was London. Her English was better and clearer than some teenagers we have met in the UK. Yes we did fall for hers sales patter and spent a whole 5 soles ( £1.25). She left us with a smile and moved on to the next table of Brits who were not so easy to charm.
After a quick stop at the supermarket for essentials for the trek (chocolate, energy bars and toilet paper) it was back to the hotel to pack again. A small bag of essentials to last 5 days weighing no more than 7kg and the rest stays locked up in the hotel until our return.
The adventure begins…..
08.30 start and all our kit loaded in the bus that was going to take us to the start of the trail. Stopped at Ollantaytambo to take a look in a typical Incan style house. It was here too we first saw our porters who were loading our kit into a truck that was to take them to the start point. It was very reassuring to see our sleeping bags being thrown on board. We were then taken a few Km to where we were to start from but first we were fed with rice, mince and lupins.
As we ate we watched the porters weigh and pack the kit they were to carry. It appeared that no one really wanted to carry 3 dozen eggs though.
Through the start check point and at last onto the trail. To be honest we only did about 4 miles but at this altitude, 2600m, it was a little harder that back in the UK.
As we approached the edge of a down hill section we stopped and could see our campsite below. The porters had raced ahead and almost had finished sorting out the whole site…. erecting 9 x 2 man tents, a mess tent and a cooking tent.
The honeymoon suite.
The tents are 2 birth and somewhat compact. Not too sure Bob can lay full out, but, you can’t beat the location at the foot of some Inca ruins and next to the Urubamba River.
The second day…challenge
Top advice. If you intend doing the Inca Trail do your utmost to avoid getting Inca Belly on the first night!!Up at 6.00 for tea and breakfast. Then we all introduced ourselves to the porters and them to us. Left about 8.30 to pass almost straight away another Inca ruin.
This was a long day walking ending up at 3850m with a total climb of over 1100m (3600 ft), which does not sound too much but at this altitude is hard work. The last 2 hours was 500m continuous climbing up stone steps.
To be honest Bob does not remember too much of it in detail. The night before it was touch and go if he could even carry on.
The scenery continues to be stunning. Every corner you turn gives you a more and more spectacular view. The climbing uphill was tough but we did it.
2nd day camp site
The porters are amazing. They leave after us having packed all the tents etc up and over take us on the trail, often running, to get to the next stop be it lunch or overnight camp site. The food is plentiful and we have certainly not been hungry.
Dead Woman’s Pass and beyond.
Thankfully Bob is feeling better to day. Still not eating fully but much better.5.00 wake up call!!!! With snow falling. Breakfast and Coca Tea, which helps with altitude sickness they say. Left the campsite at 6.30 for a 400m climb to Dead Woman’s Pass, the highest point on the trail at 4200m, so called because of the rock formation. Personally I think they have been drinking too much Coca Tea. The rock formation left a lot to the imagination :-).
Dead Woman’s Pass
As the saying goes, whatever goes up must go down… And so did we. More steps. As the Incans were very small people why oh why did they think it necessary to build such high steps?
The scenery still manages to impress us all the time.
We continued to a second pass where we had an Incan Ceremony to bring us luck.
Then another steep descent and short climb to our lunch site. By this time the porters had overtaken us, erected a mess tent and cooked us a 2 course lunch!
After lunch the climbing and descent was less severe. After just over an hour we reached our third campsite.
The last day….
Up at 5.00 again today but mainly due to voting in Peru and the Porters need to be back in their village in order to vote. If they don’t the get fined 150 soles ( just under £40 which is a huge amount to these guys)Still it was a great start to an easier day. The route took us past several Inca ruins.
Hector our trail guide. A really great bloke…. With a great sense of humourIncan terraces where they grew foodView from the sun gate to MP… This is what we had walked 48km for… Wonderful
4 days, 3 nights, 48 kms, lost count of no of steps but in excess of 2000 and highest point reached 4200m ( just under 14,000 feet).
Over all the best outdoor experience either of us have ever had. The guides were brill. Good sense of humour, vast knowledge of the area, they were there when you needed them and not when you didn’t. A good pace bearing in mind we were a mixed group with some not maybe at full fitness ( including Bob on day two).
Certainly if you’re thinking of doing this trek DO IT !! And on our experience we would have no hesitation in recommending Explore Worldwide, who use local guides with lots of local knowledge.
The porters were great. As you arrived at the camp site we were greeted with Coca tea and bowls of water to take a wash. Same in the morning. Such service at such remoteness.
Machu Picchu
Up for an 8.00 start and caught the bus to Machu Picchu. It is walkable but as it takes 30 minutes by bus zig zagging up the mountainside we thought as the ticket was paid for we would use it:-)The site itself if massive. There are no words we can find that would do it justice. Even the photos we have taken will only get part of it over.
We had another guided walk around the site by Hector our guide. He has such a deep knowledge about the area including the geology, botany, history, there wasn’t a question he couldn’t answer. Back to the village and a coffee or two and a bit more shopping for June.
Will be sad to leave here but tomorrow we are white water rafting and then on to the Amazon for a couple of days.
This trip is just wonderful. We are both very lucky (bit of an understatement really).
Later we take the train back to Cuzco. To give an idea of the terrain the 90km (about 60 miles) or so journey takes 3.5 hours as it weaves around the mountains following the course of the Urubamba River.
Easy peasy lemons a squeezy. ( sorry in phrase for the group. )
White water rafting.
Back to the Sacred Valley for a session of rafting on the Urubamba river. Just eight if us and two boats. Great fun. It was a level 3 for those in the know, I’m not!!, and the first time either of us had ever done it. Probably not the last. Part way along we had the chance to jump off a bridge into the river if we wanted… Well it would be rude not to wouldn’t it? After 11 km we came to a spot where the organisers had set up lunch. So after getting the boats out and getting changed we ate in a summer house somewhere in the Sacred Valley.
All this for $35 each and that included transport (1 1/2 hours each way)
Tonight we had the last supper. Some of us tomorrow will be off to the Amazon while others will be leaving to Lima and then home. Just a question now of working out what we need to pack for the next three days and what can go into storage…
Wednesday, 8 June 2011
It just gets better and better.
Today was the day when the group split up. Out of the 17 only 10 were taking the ‘ Amazon Extension’. Having said our farewells we were taken to the airport at Cuzco and then flew to Peuto Maldonado. From there, having left any kit we didn’t need in lock up storage, we were taken by bus along a dusty track for 45 minutes to a river port to catch a boat.
The boat trip lasted 3 hours and we managed to see caiman, turtles, humming birds and the worlds largest rodent, Capybara.
We pulled up at a small dock and walked into the forest for about 10 minutes. Then we saw the lodge!! Bob was expecting a posh shed :-)… But it was a little more than that.
It was a pucker lodge which even has electricity, albeit only between 5.30 and 9.30pm. It even has a bar :-). After a short introduction by the manager we were shown to our room. Double bed, hammock, shower, and open one side to the forest. Heaven – not sure I will be saying that at 03.00 with the night sounds of the forest and mosquitoes trying to attack through the Deet, citronella and mosi nets, but time will tell! You do have to be a little careful as it is so open, sound wise, you can hear what people nearby are up to.
Nice cold shower, well it is about 27C at the moment and now we are thinking of having a beer. Even that it not bad value at £4.00 a large bottle when you consider the transportation costs:-).
A walk in the woods.
June got a bit of a shock when she went to the bathroom in the night there was large frog ‘suckered’ onto the clear plastic shower curtain. Needless to say she didn’t have her camera with her. And we thought we had left the early starts on the Inca trail….Up at 04.30 for breakfast at 05.00. Then off for a walk in the forest. After about 10 minutes we came to a 30m high observation tower.
From here we could see parrots, toucans, weaver birds and even caught a glimpse of a howler monkey.
Then we continued into the forest stopping now and again for Frank, our guide, to point things out or to tell us what the latest sound we had heard was.
The track led to a lake where we all got on board a canoe for Frank to row us about on whilst spotting the wildlife – birds, bats and fish including piranha (needless to say we kept our hands inside the boat!).
It was then back to the lodge for a few hours r & r including lunch (no skimping on the food again!).
Later we went for a walk to a hide near to some clay where animals visited….or so we were told. Sadly nothing popped up while we were there:-)
After tea, and the food is wonderful, we had agreed to go on a boat in the dark looking for caiman. While we were waiting Frank our guide said’ so Bob what do you do?’ Bob, ’I am retired’ Frank, ‘ what did you do?’ Bob, ‘ I was a cop’ Frank,’ A cop?’ Bob,’ A policeman’ Frank, ’Ah a cowboy!’ So my reputation had arrived before me.
The boat trip was a little more successful that the afternoons walk. We did see 1 caiman on the river bank. We also saw a line of leaf cutter ants on the way to the boat plus a few scorpions and spiders. Amazing.
So that’s why they call it the RAIN forest
Up at 6.00 ( I thought this was meant to be a holiday! ) and after breakfast down to the boat and upstream for a few minutes. Then back into the forest. At this point it was drizzling a little…. The aim was to see some parrots and macaws ( yes we know you can see them at the local zoo but not quite the same ) licking clay!!!! Yes these birds eat a fruit diet and need to lick clay to balance their diet ( how on earth did they find that… Did they start with tree bark moving onto bamboo maybe give a dead caiman a go before they found out clay was the answer?).It took about an hour to get to the hide and just as we were on the home stretch the rain began big time. And it didn’t stop… In fact it still hasn’t stopped. But this is the rain forest after all. Frank our guide said that we had been the hardest ‘rained’ on customers he had ever had….. Thanks Frank knowing I am first at something helps a little.We managed to see a few macaws getting their fix of clay and they are quite impressive birds in their natural habitat.
The walk home was ….. Wet and fast. The short boat trip was like a scene from Perfect Storm with a local Peruvian taking the role of George Clooney.
Still we are back at the lodge now and a little dryer. But there is a little mound of wet cloths now that I guess won’t dry before we leave for Lima tomorrow first thing.
After the rain
It appeared to rain all night… And the river Tambopata had risen by at least 2m, and this is a river that is over 100m wide for most of the way.
Early river trip back to the airport but nearly foiled by the bus driver who collected us at the river port when he decided to go off road a little on the dirt track. We were well and truly stuck in the mud! We were all asked to get of the bus as the guides pushed and dug. As is normal in situations like this half the coach became instant experts about getting stuck in the mud, comments like ‘ well he should have backed up and taken a run at it’ and ‘ he should have got us all out before he tried to drive out of the mud’ flew thick and fast. I am sure it was all this hot air that helped dry the mud a little and help the crew eventually launch forward out of the gloop and get us back on the road.
Sat at the airport just comparing it with Heathrow…. Well it’s just got a little better in that the air con has just kicked in… Someone switched on the 6 ceiling fans
Sunday, 12 June 2011
Last bit of culture.
No real lay in today. We are so used to getting up a silly o’clock we were both up at 7.30…. On a Sunday too. Still managed to visit Huaca Pucllana in the Miraflores area of Lima. This is a pre Inca pyramid type structure made up of adobe bricks stood on their ends with small gaps In-between. This made it earthquake resistant. Managed to bag a geocache on the way too. From there to the markets…. Last chance for June to get shopping :-). Then to Starbucks before we wend our way to the seafront to grab some food.
Our bus leaves just after 4. Then home to the UK, a big bed and a little rain I fear.
Thursday 22 August – starting the holiday in style!
Thanks to our Amex credit card and June’s previous work travel we get to use the BA Lounge at Heathrow and travel business class on the upper deck of the plane to Nairobi. Champagne and gin cocktails – don’t mind if we do!
We arrived a couple of days before the organised trip started so carrying on the theme, we were booked into the Sarova Stanley Hotel for two nights. This is one of the oldest hotels in Nairobi with a lot of history and still very colonial in style.
Friday 23 August – Nairobi
A day to ourselves so we walked a little to Uhuru Park and Central Park in the morning and headed back to the hotel to make the most of the facilities – coffee in the lounge with the butler (I kid you not!) telling us all about the hotel, and then a splash in the pool.
Good choice of food and places to eat in the hotel too. Fridays include a Swahili breakfast (alongside the usual hotel buffet) which is in the restaurant containing the “Post Tree”. People used to exchange letters here by attaching letters to the tree. Dinner was in the Thai restaurant with friends living in Nairobi who had recommended it.
Post tree
Saturday 24 August – Nairobi
With the morning to pass we visited the Gallery Museum which is very small but crammed with artefacts and history. Good coffee too!
Always time for #Clewleystopsforcoffee
In the afternoon we transferred hotels to join the tour at the Kenya Comfort Hotel and what a difference! Possibly one of the worst hotels we have ever stayed in although the bedroom itself was clean, which is what really counts, and the staff friendly.
An evening meeting with the Tucan Tour leader, Arthur, and an introduction to our fellow travellers – one of the things about group travel is never knowing who you will be with for two or three weeks but this time round we were very lucky. Due to it being census weekend very little was open so we were forced to eat in the hotel who didn’t really seem to know how to cope with more than two customers!
Sunday 25 August – Nairobi to Kigali
An afternoon flight meant we had another morning in Nairobi so we visited the National Museum of Kenya. We should really have visited here on a day when we had more time as we had to fly round the exhibits and there was so much to see!
After a late, but uneventful flight, we arrived at our hotel in Kigali in the early evening and checked into the Steptown Hotel, another small basic hotel but such a contrast to the Kenya Comfort! Being a little outside the city centre we ate the hotel which provided a limited menu but the food was delicious.
Steptown Hotel
Monday 26 August – Kigali to Lake Bunyoni, Uganda
Rwanda hasn’t tried to hide it’s recent history, instead learning from it and moving on. As we drove out to the Nyamata Church Genocide Memorial, you can’t but notice how clean the city and surrounding countryside is. The country has banned plastic bags and one day a month everybody goes litter picking and that includes the PM!
The church was the site of a particular massacre with bullet holes and shrapnel damage still visible on the outer walls. Inside the church the pews are covered in the dirty, torn clothes of the victims and the grounds contain three mass graves for the 10,000+ bodies. The coffins in the graves are filled with bones as there were just so many victims.
We also visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, the country’s main memorial and a really interesting place to spend time at. What man can do to his fellow man is horrific and the European colonisation of many countries has a lot to answer for. Now though, tribes are not detailed on ID cards and everyone is Rwandan, not Tutsi or Hutu.
We left Kigali for a long drive to Lake Bunyoni involving a border crossing into Uganda – road crossing are always a fun experience! Here we had to get off the bus to officially exit Rwanda (not helped with the power going out with half of us still to complete this!), walk 50 metres or so across no-man’s land and check in at the next booth to be allowed into Uganda.
Chaos that is a border crossing
It was then another couple of hours to the campsite including a supermarket stop so we arrived late. We were in tents at this site and we were allocated a lakeside pitch but with it being dark we didn’t really appreciate it!
Tuesday 27 August – Lake Bunyoni and gorilla trekking
The first of our really early starts (4am alarm) to get to the trekking place in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – the roads don’t really allow for much speed so all the journeys take two or three times longer than back at home. It was still dark when we left so we still hadn’t seen the campsite properly but as we drove we caught a spectacular sunrise in the rolling hills.
SunRise
Gorilla trekking is big business in Rwanda and Uganda with numbers limited and one of the reasons for our booking this tour was that Tucan arranged the permits for us. After the briefing we headed off with our guide full of excitement at what we might see. The spotters were already out ahead of us and after only about 45 minutes of walking we were told to stop and wait. After a break of half an hour or so we got the location of a nearby group and it was full speed into the undergrowth following the guides as they slashed at the vegetation with their machetes.
We came across a small family group and spent an hour just watching them – they didn’t seem to bothered by us.
The Main Silverback
Little one playing, like all kids do
Having found the gorillas so quickly (our other group came back a few hours after us!) we headed back to the campsite and were finally able to take in its beauty. A few beers on the terrace bar also went down well!
Lake Bunyoni
Wednesday 28 August – Lake Bunyoni
A slightly more relaxed morning with a walk around the surrounding area to meet some local families and see part of the lake from viewpoint above the campsite.
Our tent on Lake Bunyoni
Lake Bunyoni
After lunch it was into a boat to travel across the lake to visit the Batwa Pygmy village and school. As we came to the lakeside we were met by a group of children all eager to help us up the hillside by giving us sticks and holding our hands (all for a small donation as we were to find out at the end of the visit – learning to make a living starts at a very young age!). The school was set up by an ex-tour leader and the company has continued to support him by bringing tour groups to visit who donate supplies and money to the school. Sadly the visit was somewhat impeded by the rain coming sideways at us as the children were preparing to sing and dance but it didn’t curb their enthusiasm.
It did stop raining for a few seconds
Thursday 29 August – Lake Bunyoni to Kampala
To be honest we were feeling a little sad at leaving this campsite. It wasn’t perfect by any means (some of the facilities just needed the attention of a good handyman so nothing major) but definitely our sort of place, surrounded by beautiful scenery and so tranquil.
This morning we met “Sail” our Tucan truck which would be our transport for most of the next week or so including today’s 14 hour journey to Kampala, and our driver Timan. We crossed the Equator for the first time today and discover Ugandan Rolexes which are actually an omelette wrapped in a chapati and are delicious!
Equator
Sail the Truck
Kampala is chaotic – more motorbikes than people apparently and most of them are a form of taxi.
Kampala is chaotic
Tonight’s hotel is the Red Chilli Hideaway, on the edge of the city and close to Lake Victoria (first mosquito warning from Arthur!). After intermittent hot water at Bunyoni, we upgraded our room for a princely sum of USD20 to one with en-suite facilities just so June could actually wash her hair properly!
Friday 30 August – Kampala to Jinja
Breakfast this morning was at the truck cooked by Arthur and Timan – the first of a few meals taken this way. Good food and communal washing up to get us on our way to Jinja at the source of the Nile. Second truck meal was a BBQ and definitely not one for the vegetarians (although they did cater perfectly for Shelly) with a huge piece of steak for all of us.
Another campsite with large military style tents and we were lucky to be allocated one on the river view terraces. Good facilities too – large (well stocked) bar area and lots of hot showers. The campsite also offered activities including white-water rafting and kayaking. We opted for the white-water rafting the following day.
Not really camping
Tonight we did the Nile Sunset Cruise which provided plenty of food and drink but no real sunset sadly. A good evening though.
Saturday 31 August – Jinja and drowning in the Nile, well almost!
We had originally signed up for level 3 white-water rafting but when we got to the Nile River Explorers base we (that means June) were talked into upgrading to level five. The route was the same but on the lower level you walked around the more “aggressive” rapids. After collecting helmets, life jackets and paddles we were bussed a short distance and entered the river – June via the steps down and Bob via the 40m slide!
Fastest way to get into the Nile
Before heading on to the river proper we were given a short briefing and practised getting back on to the raft should we capsize….
Great fun
What can we say about the day? Thunder, lightening and six rapids graded one to five plus paddle boarding at one of the rapids if you wanted it (we didn’t preferring to sit in the river as it was warmer than in the raft!). Exhilarating barely begins to describe it and so pleased that we actually did the level 5 trip. And yes we did capsize……
Seconds before the capsize
Saturday night and one of the locals just outside the campsite was throwing a party (we weren’t invited) and the music stopped just as we left the site at 4.45am!
Sunday 1 September – Jinja to Lake Naivasha, Kenya
Another 14 hour driving day as we travelled back to Kenya but at least a chance to catch up on last night’s missed sleep in the comfort of the truck. A slightly more orderly border crossing this time, although our first with a brief test for Ebola (!) and a roadside truck lunch including freshly made guacamole.
Making Guacamole
Tonight’s hotel was the Fisherman’s Inn on the edge of the lake. Another late arrival meant that we didn’t see much but a good hotel with decent food.
Monday 2 September – Lake Naivasha
Our first real wildlife encounter today as we did a nature walk in the morning and saw, up close, monkeys, zebras, giraffes, warthogs, impala, gazelles and buffaloes plus many species of birds.
Warthog
Flamingos
A boat trip, after a lunch at a floating restaurant, on Lake Naivasha led us to hippos, flamingos and sea eagles who were diving for fish.
Sea Eagles with a fish in its talons
We were due to do a gorge walk in Hell’s Gate National Park but after a deadly flash flood the previous day, that part of the park was closed. The park had been the inspiration for the Disney film The Lion King and we got to see the gorge from a viewpoint.
The area around Lake Naivasha also supplies much of the world with roses with greenhouses lining the roadside for miles.
The park is in an area of geothermal activity and we passed a large power plant harnessing the power to generate electricity.
Tuesday 3 September – Lake Naivsha to the Masai Mara
Transferred this morning from the truck to small minivans to explore the Masai Mara as the roads to the park are almost non-existent! Just after we checked in to the Miti Mingi Eco Camp (back in tents again but this time with en-suite shower and toilet) and as we were about to head out on our first game drive the heaven’s opened for 20 minutes or so of torrential rain which sadly meant that we didn’t see too many animals.
Oh how we laughed in the rain
Wednesday 4 September – Masai Mara bucket list day
Up, up and away my beautiful, my beautiful balloon…. Another very early start to watch the dawn rise over the Masai Mara followed by a champagne breakfast. Expensive but worth every penny!
Early Morning Balloon Flight
Spent most of the day on game drives and saw four of the “big five”, just missing any rhinos but to make up for that we did get to experience the “migration” – the crossing of the Mara river by wildebeest and zebras closely watched by crocodiles on the hunt for their next meal. The photos say so much more than any words I can type.
After returning to the hotel we visited a local
Masai
camp to see their way of life. It was very touristy and a full on sales pitch to buy their wares – we were strong enough to walk away empty handed but others had felt pressurised into buying things they didn’t want.
Yesterday’s lunch at a roadside cafe started to catch up with people and a number of the group started to fall ill with stomach upsets including Bob.
Thursday 5 September – Masai Mara to Nairobi
Spent the morning on the road and the afternoon in the hotel room after arriving back at the Kenya Comfort Hotel in Nairobi. We had requested a room change this time so at least it was a little quieter but the maintenance of the room still left a lot to be desired.
This evening was our last meal as this group as some were leaving today and tomorrow we were being joined by new people doing the second part of the trip. Bob was still unwell so stayed in the hotel. As mentioned before this had been a good group to travel with and those leaving would be missed. We also had in the group the CEO of Tucan Travel and his partner, who held another senior position in the company and it was great to be able to feed back to them directly. We’re sure there’ll be a few changes to this trip now!
Friday 6 September – Nairobi
Leaving Bob still in bed, June carried on with the itinerary. First visit was to a giraffe centre where you can hand feed the animals and from there on to the David Sheldrake Elephant Orphanage. The orphan elephants are hand reared then moved to another site before gradually being returned to the wild. It takes years but has lead to the increase in the wild elephant population in Kenya.
Giraffe Centre
Saturday 7 September – Nairobi to Arusha, Tanzania
With Bob thankfully starting to feel better we checked out of the Kenya Comfort Hotel, joined up with Sail again and hit the road to Arusha. Another border crossing and the most orderly of the three road crossings we did.
We arrived at the Lush Garden Hotel to find three wedding receptions and a party taking place. It seems the hotel took pity on us and put us in rooms as far away from the noise as possible, which really wasn’t that bad. We had the biggest hotel room ever but with only a couple of bits of mismatched furniture and what felt like a single sized quilt on a king size bed, it was all a little bizarre! The food wasn’t much to write about either! Oh and June’s phone had a bit of a meltdown today resulting in it being wiped and losing everything on it….
Sunday 8 September – Arusha to the Serengeti
We were picked up this morning in 4WD vehicles to head to the Serengeti via the edge of the Ngorongoro crater. Lunch was on the top of the crater trying to avoid our food being pinched by a resident kite!
Sandwich Thief
After completing the formalities to enter the Serengeti, the vehicle roofs were popped and it was straight into a game drive. A very different setting to the Masai Mara but still amazing and still no rhino!
When we arrived at tonight’s hotel, the Seronera Wildlife Lodge, we genuinely thought we were at the wrong place. After tented camps and basic hotels, the level of accommodation suddenly rocketed! This lodge is built around a rocky outcrop and the rooms had a window wall on to the Serengeti. Sadly no animals spotted overnight but an amazing place to stay. Surprisingly we were the only group there so basically had the run of the hotel!
Stunning location
Monday 9 September – Serengeti
A morning game drive but still no rhino. Seems they were going to evade us on this visit.
Lunch was back at the lodge before we returned back along the edge of the crater to tonight’s hotel just outside the park, Farm of Dreams Lodge. We were greeted by the staff singing and our rooms were individual thatched huts.
Farm of Dreams Lodge
Tuesday 10 September – Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha
Back along the same road to the crater but this time we drove down into it. Technically, it is a caldera (and the largest unbroken caldera in the world at that at 260 square kilometres!) and formed two to three million years ago, but whatever you call it, it is a breathtaking place to visit and teaming with wildlife.
Ngorongoro Crater
Almost a full day of game driving but the rhino continued to elude us – just means we have to try again some day.
It was truly a stunning day. Mixing geology and wildlife on such a huge scale it was always one of the big attractions to this tour. Finding ourselves at the bottom it really does show how small humans are in the grand scheme of things. No Europeans were known to set foot in the crater until 1892.
The Lively Lady
Back to the Lush Garden Hotel for the night and this time no parties and rooms within the main part of the hotel. On the recommendation of a friend we opted to go out to try a local restaurant and dragged a few others along with us. The nerves kicked in as the taxi headed down ever darker back streets but no need to have worried as “The Lively Lady” lived up to Felicity’s recommendation! The food in Tanzania has a strong Indian influence and this was a great choice. She had also said that if we were there then we should look out for Ali and Bob found him. Unfortunately with the taxis waiting we couldn’t stay so just the one shot downed before heading back to the hotel.
(Thanks for the recommendation Flic x )
Wednesday 11 September – Arusha to Zanzibar
The final stages of the trip were spent in Zanzibar which always sounds so exotic and we boarded a Tropicair flight with our hand written boarding passes for the flight. Having been given a bit of local knowledge we all sat on the left hand side of the plane to get a view of Kilimanjaro peaking out from above the clouds – probably the closest we’ll ever get.
Kilimanjaro
It was a quick transfer to the Safari Lodge Hotel in Stone Town. June had been lucky enough to visit Stone Town previously when on a work trip to Tanzania and had always wanted to come back thinking Bob would like it as much as she did. Luckily she was right!
That evening, after watching the sunset on the Indian Ocean from a bar, quelle surprise (!), we ate at the night market where they BBQ the most amazing choice of seafood.
Stunning Stone Town Sunset
The Night Market
Thursday 12 September – Stone Town to Nungwi Beach
In the morning we had the opportunity to do a walking tour of Stone Town, one of the most fascinating places to visit. It’s now a UNESCO listed town and is a crumbling mishmash of Arabic (Omani) , Indian and European styles. The meat and fish markets are not for the faint-hearted and nor possibly the former slave trading areas but like Rwanda, they acknowledge the history and highlight the forms of modern slavery to try to raise awareness.
Stone Town
Stone Town Of course, no visit to Stone Town is complete without a visit to the home where one of their most famous citizens was born, a certain Mr Farrokh Bulsara, aka Freddie Mercury!
Freddies Birth Place
Although we could have spent longer in Stone Town, it was on the trip and we were heading to the north of the island for the beach via a spice plantation which was more interesting than it sounds, and lunch in a local house.
People usually associate Indian Ocean islands with white sandy beaches and Zanzibar is no exception. Our hotel, the Nungwi Beach Inn was right on the beach and provided comfortable, clean accommodation.
We had a group dinner at a nearby restaurant, dining under a canopy on the beach. Seafood of course!
Sunset at Nungwi Beach
Friday 13 September – Nungwi Beach
A morning boat trip out to Mnemba Island to seemingly walk on water along a barely submerged sand bar which stretches for miles and snorkel in the clear turquoise waters. The dolphins hadn’t really come out to play during the trip to Mnemba but we did at least see them. The snorkelling was good and on the way back the one of the crew dived to pick up various starfish to show us.
Snorkelling in beautifully clear water
Another sunset cruise in the early evening but this time we got the full spectacular to a soundtrack of the drummers on the boat. The boat crew were attentive with the gin, wine and beer – maybe too attentive…..hic! Dinner again at the next door restaurant but no objections from us for our final dinner of the trip.
Saturday 14 September – Zanzibar to Nairobi to London
A bit of a subdued morning as most of the group were leaving that day, although not all were heading home.We spent the morning hanging round the hotel awaiting our transfer to the airport for the flight to Nairobi. More luck thank anything else, we were on the right side of the aircraft so see Kilimanjaro again but no luck in finding the BA desk to try to blag (or even pay for) an upgrade on the overnight flight home. Back of the plane for us it was going to be.
We had the most amazing three and a bit weeks. It really wasn’t a holiday and as Arthur often said, the holiday doesn’t begin until we get to Zanzibar! But we did and saw so much it was worth every early morning and long day spent on the road.
Tucan Travel are not known for using luxury hotels but on the whole, everywhere we stayed was perfectly fine. Whilst the basic holiday cost is cheap, once you add in the local payment, flights and optional excursions the costs can add up but we have factored all that in when we booked the trip. We are one of the few that do study and digest the trip notes before we go! We would use the company again if they offered the trip we wanted.
We never went hungry but food on the whole was very samey with every meal having both rice and potatoes. Meat was generally beef or goat and the seafood once we got to Zanzibar was worth waiting for. Alcohol was available everywhere except the food market in Zanzibar but as the population there is 95% Muslim that is to be expected. Prices vary but certainly cheaper than home. Most of the wine we drunk was South African so no objection there.
This year I booked a Shepherd’s Hut near Wells in Somerset.
It didn’t have mains electricity but did have USB charging sockets. Well we would need to charge our phones at least 🙂
On the edge of a field it came with all you needed for a few days away. Log burner inside along with gas fridge and a 2 burner hob. In the bathroom it had a conventional toilet and a shower with hot and cold water.
Outside, along with table and chairs, was a wood fired hot tub! Perfect size for 2 people.
For once not a stupidly early start for our annual jaunt with the Woods as late morning we headed to Gatwick for our flight to Tromso in northern Norway. Yes, northern Norway in late February! This is our continued hunt for the Northern Lights which have so far eluded us. This trip has been planned to optimise our chances as we’ll be above the Arctic Circle for a week, so fingers crossed.
We arrived without issue, picked up the hire car (a 4×4 was in order for this trip) and headed into Tromso and our hotel for two nights, the Smarthotel which is in the city and a great location from which to walk around. Buffet breakfast was included which given the price of food was a good option.
Wall art in the hotel
First stop the pub and as expected it wasn’t cheap – two beers and two glasses of wine came in at around £40 so get over the shock we had another round.
Not cheap, even by London prices
Dinner was a local pizza restaurant, Casa Inferno, at which we thankfully got discount through the hotel. Quirky place though.
3rd February
A day to explore Tromso. It was cold….no not just cold, it was bloody freezing especially when we crossed the fjord to take the Fjellheisen cable car from where at the top there are great views over Tromso town and the surrounding area.
It was a little cold
Given the constantly changing light we ended up spending most of the day up there with a few visits to the cafe for a much needed warming hot chocolate or hot wine. Given the location the sunset was early but stunning.
June dancing in the SunSet
A slightly more traditional dinner tonight at Kaia with Bob tucking into a reindeer burger (no real difference to venison) before heading back to the hotel to pack as the next day we were heading to Bo in the Vesteralen Islands.
4th February
Not being sure of the road conditions and with driving time being estimated at 5-6 hours plus a supermarket stop and maybe one or two photo stops on the way, it was a reasonably early start.
Everywhere you looked was beautiful
Lunch was hot dogs from a petrol station – like our previous trip to Iceland, we found a few petrol stations that also cook fresh food. Nothing spectacular but good enough to top up an empty stomach!
We’d booked a property in the southern Vesterlan Islands via AirBnB and yet again we were not disappointed. A great location with windows on all side of the property overlooking fjords and despite there being a substantial amount of snow around the house was warm and cosy.
Our AirBnB
5th– 7th February
A few days exploring the region with Bob in his element driving through anything Mother Nature could throw at us! It’s a beautiful area and maybe even more so covered in snow and with the light making it almost impossible to take a bad photograph.
Stunning snowscape
On our way back from Andenes there were times we thought we weren’t going to get back to the house as each time we turned a corner in the road the weather changed and at times closed in to very limited visibility. Obviously the locals are used to lots of snow and every house seemed to have a snow plough or blower and even the remote round the house was on was cleared a couple of times every day. What we didn’t expect was the snow plough coming up our drive and the man clearing the front porch – an extra touch from the house owners.
8th February
Today was our last day before heading back to Tromso so we decided to stay around the house and use the hot tub – it was a wood fired one so once lit we couldn’t leave. The instructions were to fill the tub the night before which we did so the first thing that had to be done was to remove the layer of ice that had formed overnight! It was then six hours of refilling the log burner and waiting for the water to come up to a decent temperature.
Hot tubbing it in the cold
After a quick run through the snow in swimming costumes and walking boots, it was into the tub with a G & T (fresh ice of course) to watch the sun set. Amazingly the water even got too hot at one point!
9th February
The drive back to Tromso for our evening flight back to Gatwick was uneventful although there were many stops to take more photos as the light had changed from the previous journeys! And it was the coldest day we experienced with the external car temperature heading down until it reached -23°C!
-23 degrees C
Northern Lights
Although it’s not something you can guarantee we really hoped that this time the Lights would come out to play for us and we weren’t disappointed as the displays got stronger as the week went on. We had all downloaded various apps to help spot the Lights but they really didn’t help too much as despite the forecasts not being that good we still got some strong displays.
Top tip for taking photos of the Lights – use a tripod or even better, a GoPro on a tripod but don’t forget just watch and enjoy them.
All in all an amazing week away – Norway is stunning. The only downside was the cost once we were there but we knew it would be expensive before booking so were well prepared!
[wpanchor id=”Barbados”]Week 2 – the not so cold bit!
Previously it had been June that travelled for business but out of the blue Bob had the opportunity to go to Barbados (yes Barbados in the Caribbean) to help deliver some training for Princes Trust International. And with June having been made redundant a few weeks earlier there was no way she was going to sit at home and miss out!
9th February
Having arrived back from snowy Norway around 10.30 pm and needing to be back at Gatwick around 8 am the following morning, we spent the night at a nearby hotel with just enough time to grab a few hours sleep and switch the bags over – out with the thermals and in with the beachwear!
10th February
Breakfast care of the BA Lounge followed by an eight hour flight and although flying economy we got the emergency exit seats so plenty of legroom and entertainment as we watched people trying to open the toilet door which, believe us, is more fun than it sounds!
And it was 27°C on arrival – a temperature swing of 50°C in 24 hours.
Hotel for a couple of nights was the Blue Horizon at Rockley Beach, a well located small hotel sadly let down by the quality of its food.
11th – 14th February
With Bob now working, June was left in a strange situation – absolutely nothing to do! A few walks along the beach were called for and the occasional dip in the pool ensured the days passed without any boredom, along with, for once, reading all her magazines and a couple of books.
Pool side
All along this part of the coast are beach bars and restaurants so we were spoilt for choice on where to go for cocktails and seafood.
Due to some confusion when the original booking was made, and due to the England cricket team being in town to play a test match, we had to move hotels to the Palm Gardens Hotel, Worthing Beach, but luckily it was only a few minutes away. After one night in the hotel annex, our second room was fine and also had a small self-contained kitchen so we could at least store some food and drink and not rely on restaurants for all our meals.
We were in walking distance of the St Lawrence Gap, a great area for restaurants so visited there a couple of nights.
Sunset
15th-17th February
We had decided to stay on when the training course finished it seemed a shame to come all this way and not see some of the island. The extra days made the flights considerably cheaper as well as we would be staying over the weekend. Beach holidays are not our normal type of holiday so we signed up for a couple of day trips to see as much as possible.
Trip 1 was the Natural Wonders of Barbados tour and the first stop was Harrison’s Cave, a complex of limestone caves and tunnels in the centre of the island. A special train takes you underground for a fascinating trip to view the caverns and pools awash with stalactites and stalagmites.
Lets go Caving
From there it was on to Hunte’s Gardens, a stunning tropical garden set inside a collapsed cavern. Small paths take you from one area to another and there are lots of hidden chairs from where you can just sit and take in the beautiful plants. A few quirky statues and ornaments along the way too!
We had lunch (included in the tour price) at Chill ‘n Breeze on the east coast of the island where the beaches are pounded by the Atlantic and a short stop at Bathsheba Beach to get a little closer to the waves. In contrast to the calm Caribbean Sea, this part of the island is popular with surfers.
Our last stop was the Barbados Wildlife Reserve home to peacocks, iguanas, tortoises, red brocket deer, a couple of Patagonian maras (look like a bit like a rabbit) and the Barbados green monkey. Our arrival coincided with feeding time and the monkeys, which are free to come and go as they please, came in from all sides to feast on the buckets of fruit and vegetables!
Showing off
The tour bought us back along the more genteel west coast where all the large (and expensive!) resorts are located plus a few golf courses and the home of probably one of most famous locals, Rihanna.
That night we jumped on a local bus to Oistins, the place to be on a Friday night in Barbados. Every week there’s an outdoor fish BBQ with dozens of stalls trying to attract your attention and such a great atmosphere. Later in the evening there’s live music but we didn’t stay for that.
Oistins
No visit to the Caribbean is complete without a boat trip so the next day we joined a catamaran cruise for some snorkelling and general lazing around on the water! We opted for Elegance Catamaran Cruises rather than one of the larger boats and the dozen or so passengers were well looked after by the crew.
The first part of the day saw us heading the south west part of the island for some snorkelling above shipwrecks and with turtles.
Once the “active” part of the day was done, the bar opened as we sailed along the west coast past the big hotels and celebrity houses with the attentive crew ensuring that our glasses were never empty. A delicious lunch was again included and served on board as we sat off-shore in a small bay.
#JustTheOne
It’s not normally our choice to sit around doing nothing and be waited on but just sometimes it has to be done!
We spent our final morning soaking up the sun as there was going to be too much of that when we got home. It was then an overnight flight back with poor Bob having to head straight into the office on Monday morning!
We fancied doing something different so booked a week’s cycling trip covering the highlights of Jordan through Explore holidays. Being November it wasn’t go to be too hot and having done a 90 mile charity ride in October the cycling didn’t look too strenuous so a gentle week of mixing two of our hobbies seemed a great idea……
We didn’t get off to the best of starts as having boarded the plane we heard lots of screaming and shouting from the back coming from a man who was being deported. That calmed down once we took off but after landing and collecting our bags, we appeared to be forgotten by the local agency who were picking us up from the airport. We eventually arrived at our first hotel in Madaba some 90 minutes late around 2am after a bouncy journey in a hastily arranged local taxi.
A bit of sightseeing in Madaba visiting Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics before collecting our bikes and heading to Mount Nebo, reputedly the burial place of Moses. From there it was around 30km all downhill to the Dead Sea – easy! The Dead Sea is a bizarre experience as all you can do is float with swimming being nigh on impossible and getting any water in your eyes or mouth is painful and disgusting! There was also the chance for a slathering your body with mud full of minerals and we had a few giggles doing that.
Dead Sea
Throughout the trip we were accompanied by a coach and when cycling, a small van carrying the maintenance crew and spares, plus a local police escort! The latter was mostly for our protection from the madcap local drivers.
After a couple of hour coach journey to our second hotel we were again bussed the next morning to Shobak Castle, the first of the Crusader Castles built in Jordan (cue the dressing of guards at the castle in Crudaser uniforms) and dating from 1115. Today’s destination was Petra so it was to be around 45km of cycling through “undulating” countryside but including 10km straight of gentle uphill along the King’s Highway. After that though it was another long downhill section before the final short and very sharp uphill section into Petra. June took the easy route by jumping on the coach for this section – dodgy gears being the excuse!
Petra had long been close to the top of places to visit and we now had three nights here. One of the optional excursions had been Petra by night where the walk in and the area in front of the Treasury is lit by candles. Everyone is seated on the floor in lines whilst waiting for the night’s event to begin and given a hot drink. I think it’s fair to say that the level of anticipation far exceeded the content of the evening which consisted of what seemed no more than 15 minutes of music and “entertainment” followed by the front of the Treasury building being lit in different colours.
The Treasury Petra
The following day we got to explore Petra properly and this certainly lived up to our expectations. The rock carvings are stunning and after we walking through the main area we carried on to the Monastery – well worth the extra walking. A first tonight with camel kebabs but to be honest they tasted like any other kofta we had eaten!
The Monastery Petra
Back on the bikes today for a short ride (20km) to Little Petra and then back for a visit to the hammam for a good scrub and massage. Wasn’t the best one but at least we came out feeling clean! And tonight was our first taste of Mansaf, a delicious lamb and rice dish which has been recreated a few times at home.
Mansaf
Today was to be our longest cycling day but still we thought, an easily manageable 58km having again been bussed to the top of a large hill. “Undulating” here should really be reworded and a long constant climb and today’s route included 20km of undulating constantly upwards!
We had stopped halfway through the uphill section for coffee (always an important part of our cycling!) and where just mounting the bikes to continue when the accident happened. At less than 5km, so very slow walking pace, in the car park of the cafe Bob’s chain slipped and he crashed to the tarmac and was knocked out when his head hit the floor. Luckily we had an intensive care nurse with us and the tour company called an ambulance which considering we were in the middle of nowhere was there in minutes. Fortunately other than a cracked helmet, no long term damage was done (some may beg to differ!) and with a replacement helmet Bob was back on the bike within 30 mins digging in and getting up the rest of that climb although being “monitored” by TT, our nurse, the whole way. June, on the other hand was a complete wreck who couldn’t get back on the bike that day although the terrain later that day made cycling almost impossible – unmade roads and sand.
Always wear your helmet folks
One of the other highlights for us was the overnight stay in Wadi Rum. We arrived at the tented camp on the back of trucks, bumping over the sand as the sun was setting. After an evening spent around the campfire it was up early the next morning for the sunrise which was well worth the 5am alarm call!
Our last day of cycling was around Wadi Rum across the Jelada, the hard dried mud. Good fun, all flat and no further incidents!
Wadi Rum
It was then back on the coach for the trip along the King’s Highway to Aqaba. We arrived in time to have dinner and do a little shopping (luckily plenty of luggage space to accommodate the spices June bought!) with a late evening visit to a sweet shop to eat our way through trays of baclava.
Spicy Lady
The weather wasn’t great so we didn’t get to fully experience Aqaba. The sea had been rough so the visibility for snorkelling wasn’t good (although some of us did wonder if by this point the guide had given up as we’d had one particularly troublesome member of the group). So after a coffee, what else, and a quick trip on a glass bottomed boat it was off in the coach for a long journey back to Amman for just the one night, and sadly no time to visit anything in the capital.
Usual departure routine with Bob leaving home at lunchtime, June leaving work at 5pm and meeting up again at Ashford International railway station. A quick trip down the motorway soon saw us at Eurotunnel for our crossing to Calais. Luckily this time we had already decided to go no further than Citie Europe as the trains were all running late so we finally parked up around 11pm local time.
21st April
A day on the road heading in a south east with tonight’s destination being about 100km beyond Dijon with the only detour being a shopping stop at Carrefour in Reims.
Overnighted in Aire Le Bresse Poulet, a large but relatively quiet service station.
22nd April
France, Switzerland and Italy today. Left France via Chamonix but no stopping in Switzerland this time other than to pick up the vignette (form 1519, 32.50 Swiss Francs and required for vehicles over 4t).
Switzerland into Italy was via the St Bernard pass but unfortunately the actual pass had not re-opened after the winter snow so we had to use the tunnel at the extortionate cost of €41.80. After a slight detour, (ie going the wrong way!) along the Autostrade we turned off the main road to drive up the Cervino Valley for tonight’s stop at the motorhome park in Breuil-Cervenia. Great spot for a two night stay at €7.60 per night with facilities to take on clean water as well as dump the black and grey water.
23rd April
With good weather forecast for the earlier part of the day we walked into town (there is a shuttle bus for €1 per person but it’s only 10 minutes) and bought a cable car pass, €31 each, to head up to the Plateau Rosa. We don’t ski but it seems this is a popular resort amongst our friends and given the multiple ski runs we could see why! In the absence of skiing there was not much for us to do other than indulge in some people watching initially with coffee and then, seeing as it was lunchtime, a bottle of local red whilst, with the exception of a brief snow shower, enjoying the glorious sunshine.
Plateau Rosa
As the cloud came in we took the three cable cars back down to the town to look for a coffee but everywhere seemed closed – the town was very quiet but this time of year is between seasons.
24th April
Today’s original plan had been to drive to Lake Garda but a warning light on the dashboard indicating there was a problem with the brakes had us trying to find a Mercedes garage on route. After some toing and froing via Google translate we found a place in Ivrea and arrived there just after lunch. Although they did not speak much English and our Italian is almost non-existent, we soon got to the source of the problem but they couldn’t fix it on the spot and tomorrow is a public holiday. Given that we are heading back into the mountains we felt we had not choice but to stay in the area and are booked in for first thing Thursday morning. In the meantime, thanks to a very nice man we got chatting to in the garage who spoke perfect English, we will be staying in a little sosta/campsite on the edge of Lago Sirio.
Unplanned stop for a couple of days
Cost here is €5 per night plus €3 for electricity plus a €5 refundable deposit for the site access card.
25th April
Today was a forced day of rest. Not that was a problem as we were staying in a pretty nice little site that was just cross the road from the lake around which we took an all too brief post-lunch stroll (the indication was 90 minutes but we did it in 45 and were certainly not racing!.
26th April
Arrived at the Mercedes dealer for just past 8.00 where we left the van while we went off to Carrefour and Decathlon.
New Front Brake Pads
Both sets of front brake pads were changed at a cost of €260. Not bad we felt as we left for our next site at Lago di Ledro via the western edge of Lake Garda. Up until now the Italian driving was OK… However the drivers we encountered along the lake side had a different, more ‘adventurous’ style. Some of the overtakes were a trifle risqué to say the least, including the overtake around a blind bend in a tunnel!
The Camping Al Lagois a great little site with good facilities. The free Wi-Fi worked on our pitch really well and we were almost as far away from the buildings as you could have got.
Not a bad view
27th April
The big day! As it was Bob’s birthday we had planned to go on a Via Ferrata trip that we had booked with Roberto from www.discoverydolomites.com
Roberto collected us from the entrance to the campsite at 9.00 and a short while later we parked up on the outskirts of Biacesa di Ledro. After about an hours walk it was time to put the harness and helmet on before we clipped on the line.
Bob and Roberto
This had always been on Bob’s list of things to do, not June’s though.. as always she took the challenge and joined in the fun. This particular Via Ferrata, Cima Capi, was a good one to start with and is one of the original routes used by the Hungarian-Austrian army during the First World War. This marked the frontline with the Italians on the other side of the valley.
It really was a fantastic day that we both enjoyed and we both ached a little less than we imagined we would the following day. All in all a Grand Day Out!
Cima Capi
Evening time we went to a local restaurant, Osteria La Torre which was a great way to finish a great day.
28th April
We had decided to stay at the campsite an extra night and walked around Lago di Ledro stopping for lunch for a pizza, well when in Italy etc, at Hotel Pizzeria Cima D’Oro over looking the lake.
Bronze Age houses in Moliana
29th April
As it was the weekend (and a bank holiday one at that) and with a tendency to squish as many motorhomes in as possible we had a bit of manoeuvring to get off our pitch but soon were on the road again. Destination into the thick of the Dolomites.
The first real mountain pass we came to was the Passo Rolle 1981m which was beautiful and quite a lot of snow at the top. We dropped down into San Martino di Castrozza where we stopped in an Sosta like no other. Sostas, known as Aires in France, are locations where motorhomes can park quite cheaply, sometimes free. Often not much more than a car park but lots have somewhere that you can drop off your grey and black water and top up with clean water. There are some with free WiFi. Yes the UK has a lot to learn about encouraging motorhome tourism.
Aire at San Martino di Castrozza
Dump station at the San Martino di Castrozza Aire
This Sosta was €10 and included free WiFi, albeit we didn’t realise at the time. The dump station was under cover and one of the best we have ever used facility wise.
The town, like a lot of towns we were to find, was almost closed. It appears that there are 2 distinct seasons, winter and summer, and during the gaps between a lot of the towns and cable cars don’t just reduce servcies but seem to go into hibernation. We should have done a bit more research, I guess, as we had wanted to take a few cable cars to reach hikes, however with the scenery we were not going to complain.
30th April
Looking at the map, we do now and again, we saw a large lump of dolomite in front of us that we could drive around. The rock gets the name from Deodat de Dolomieu a French mineralogist who identified the rock formation was a variant of limestone, calcium magnesium carbonate. This area was subsequently named the Dolomites in his honour.
So off we set to circumnavigate the Pale di San Martino. It was, as most of the drives in the area were looking to be, stunning. On then to Passo Pellegrino. Who knew they would name a mountain pass after a soft drinks company! Leading up to this pass were quite a few hairpins… But more, far more, were to come.
From the western end of the pass we headed north to Ortisei St. Ulrich via the Passo Sella at 2218m which had dozens of hairpins. A great drive.
The aim was to grab a cable car to a rock outcrop called Seceda. Sadly the cable cars were shut down so after a bit of shopping we headed to a Sosta at Plan De Gralba. It was a large car park (and one of the few we found that along this stretch of road that would actually allow motorhomes) but we had it all to ourselves and as no one came to collect payment it was free!
1st May
Back tracking a little we headed east over the Sella pass again and to Campolongo via the Passo Pordoi 2239m which had 33 hairpins on the downward side heading east!
As thePasso Gardena 2136m was reported closed we thought we’d check it out to see how far we could get. Well it appears we could get to the top! One of the reasons for ‘giving it a go’ was that a friend had mentioned there was a shop at the top that just had to be visited. Indeed there was. A shop that sold everything from aprons to serious rock climbing hardware. We came away with nothing 🙂
After lunch at the top we headed to our next campsite ‘ Camping Sass Dlcia’.
Camping Sass Dlcia
This site is the highest in the Dolomites and although quite a big site it is in a pine forest you really don’t get that feeling as the pitches a well spaced out although again given the time of year there weren’t that many visitors. The showers really good and the staff very helpful.
2nd May
As the weather was closing in a bit it became a stay at home morning where June baked cake and bread. Using the MrD Thermal Cooker and the Omnia stove top oven.
As it brightened up we took a bimble along on the few mountain tracks nearby. Following a series of zigzags we ended up at a mountain refuge with a small church nearby. Again this church was dedicated to the First World War. Albeit I am not a religious man at all but it is quite powerful to think of the dedication that folk had to build churches in so many difficult to access locations. We also managed to grab a quick Geocache. As we started to make our way down it began to rain and sleet a little…. OK a lot!
3rd May
Leaving Camping Sass Dicia we headed to an Aire near Tre Cime (Three Peaks). In an attempt to bag a few more passes though we didn’t take the most direct route though. We managed to hold up traffic on the Valparola2186m and the Falzarego 2105m passes. Maybe now is a good time to apologise formally to all past and future drivers that may be held behind a 4 tonne Motorhome from the UK that is crawling up, or down, an obscure mountain pass. We do pull in to let the traffic pass if safe to do so but when going uphill, this is a little less likely as once we get going I like to keep the momentum. On this trip we have pulled over many times…. probably letting 10s of vehicles pass but to-date we have only had an acknowledgement from 2. It doesn’t take much for a friendly wave or toot as you pass. You never know it may make me more likely to pull over next time you are behind me 🙂
We stopped at Cortina for a few supplies and a coffee… It is taking us quite a while to get our heads around the lunchtime closing hours of about 11.30 to 3.30 or any time between. But hey we are on a holiday and we don’t mind grabbing a coffee ot two while we wait.
As I mentioned at the start of today it was our aim to park up very close to Tre Cime in an Aire. However when we reached Lago d’Antorno we found the road was closed. This was a bit of a blow as the hike around the peaks was one of the big things on our list. Still it does mean we will have to come back 🙂
We found an aire close to the nearby Lago di Misurina which was free, at the time.
Aire at Lago di Misurina
4th May
At this altitude, 1754m, there was still quite a bit of snow about still. After a quick wander around the lake we moved on to Lago Braies. Time was running out and although we had quite a few days left we had to start travelling west’ish.
On the app Campercontact, which we use a lot when in Europe, there were a couple of car parks close to the lake that said motorhomes could stay overnight in. We parked up in the one closest to the lake and for €12 not a bad location. No facilities but it was good hard standing and very quiet over night.
Lago di Braies
Now Lago di Braies..what can be said? It is a truly beautiful lake and the large hotel next to the water’s edge was used during during the last weeks of the Second World War.
Lago di Braies
The water is a stunning shade of green and, at this time of the year, a really tranquil location. There is an easy walk around the lake, about 5k, albeit a few steps on the way.
5th May
Still heading west we had a longer driving day today as we left the ragged peaks of the Dolomites and drove through rolling green hills (and apple orchards – have never seen so many!). We managed one pass – theGiovo 2094mbut our plan for the Stelio, where we intended to overnight, was scuppered by the approach roads being closed.
After tight squeezes through several Swiss villages and a two way, one lane tunnel (traffic lights either end) we spent the night in Livigno. An OK site with facilities to drop and pick up water, electrical hook-up and free wi-fi for €20 per night
6th May
We left Livigno, back through the Munt la Schera tunnel €22 each way into Switzerland and headed to Randa near Zermatt for a few days. Essentially we’re pretty much back where we started the trip proper in Cervinia – just the other side of the Matterhorn!
A drive of extremes – motorway, main roads, large towns and little villages. A heavy winter snowfall meant that the major passes were still closed but we ticked off two smaller ones, the Flüelapass, 2383m and the Oberalp, 2004m, although the snow was still piled high on the roadside and skiers were out.
Oberalp
With the Furka Pass being closed we took the car train (CHF58 for the motorhome) which was an experience but it probably cut hours off the journey!
Furka car train
Stopping atCamping Attermenzen, Randa in the valley that leads to Zermatt. The site has a few level pitches but I would always bring levellers if you are intending staying here. Very quiet at the moment but I can imagine in summer this, like many campsites in the area, will be very busy.
7th May
As you can’t access Zermatt direct the easiest way is via train from the next town down the valley, Tasch. The site has taxis available at 8.00, 9.00 and 10.00 (CHF14 per person return) that will take you to Zermatt however Tasch station it is an easy 20 minute walk.
At the station we bought a combined ticket for Zermatt and the Gornergrat (CHF114.80 per person return) which is a stunning train ride up into the mountains that gives you a cracking view of the Matterhorn.
The Matterhorn
The train winds around the contours of the hillside using a cog system until you are over 3000m up. There was still quite a bit of snow at the top but the views were amazing. The iconic top of the Matterhorn drifted in and out of view. After quite a few photos and just ‘mountain watching’ we grabbed a bite to eat in the summit cafe (not cheap but, hey, all part of the day out) and then made our way back to Zermatt.
View from the Gornergrat station
8th May
This was just a day at the campsite… No more and no less 🙂
9th May
Leaving the campsite we headed west to Chamonix where we spent a few hours in the town. The Aire at Chamonix is one we have used before. Not much more that a big car park, it is very handy for the town centre and the Cable Car to the Aiguille du Midi, which if you haven’t visited we would recommend…. on a clear day as the views can be stunning.
10th May
Finally heading home…. Stopped at an Aire near Troy. Again no more than a car park but very close to a man made lake. Nice walks but I can imagine in the summer it will be packed.
11th May
Onwards to the tunnel. The van had developed a small snag in that the battery ignition light would flash on and off for the first 10 miles or so of most journeys. Probably the alternator brushes we think but will get it looked at as soon as we can once home. In addition the Goldschmitt levelling system had started to play up. Once the legs were retracted one of them would slowly lower which set off the warning buzzer. Thankfully this would sort itself out within a few miles of driving. One more for the list once we get home.
All in all we cannot complain about the van at all. We have owned it for 5 years now and this trip is the first time we have had to source a Mercedes dealer. Not bad when you consider we have driven over 36,000 km. I guess that is the advantage of having a Hymer built on a Merc. Just reliable.
Tonight we will stay at the French side of the Tunnel in the Citi Europe car park again.
This trip had been in the planning for many months. It turned out to be a little different than we expected but being the adaptable, rather than the moaning ‘it’s always going wrong’ type of people we still had a fantastic time.
The main differences were down to the cable cars being closed. We had planned to do much more hiking. It appears that a lot of the towns close down in between the winter and summer seasons. The big benefit to us was that it was very quiet.
As far as the hiking is concerned….. well we will just have to go back again. Sometimes it can be a tough life.
2 Nov 2017
Overnight flight from London to Buenos Aires – a long 13+ hours but with it taking off just as we would normally go to bed and having the extra space of emergency exit seats, we both managed some sleep. The couple of glasses of wine taken in the BA Lounge prior to take off might also have helped! Very soon into the flight and we realised the extra we paid for ‘extra leg room’ seats were worth every penny and gave us a front row seat to watch folk attempting to get into the toilet. Now I’m not the sort of guy that hangs around loos but it did appear that at least half the flight couldn’t manage the basic action of ‘push to open’ despite there being a sign!
3 Nov
Arrived at 9am local time and were transferred directly to the hotel where thankfully our room was ready. Time for a couple more hours sleep before heading out to explore the city. When we booked the trip we were offered an extra free night in the hotel and were really pleased we took it as we had the chance to see the city without the constraints of being part of a large group.
After finding a cafe for the obligatory #clewleystopsforcoffee we headed to Puerto Madero, the riverside port area which has undergone a lot of development – we compared it to Canary Wharf in London with all the tall glass buildings and converted wharfs. Had our first dinner of steak and Malbec at Bahia Madero and this combination became quite a habit over the next couple of weeks!
4 Nov
After a decent night’s sleep and an early breakfast (jet lag!) we set off to La Boca despite having been on the way from the airport it’s not safe to go to without a guide (funnily enough it was a guide telling us this!). We stuck to the main roads at at no point did we feel unsafe but like all big cities you just need to keep your wits about you.
We wandered along the riverside at Puerto Madero to the Puente Transbordador which is quite a stunning transporter bridge dating from 1908 and crosses the rather smelly Rio Riachuelo.
From there we entered the vibrant and colourful world that is La Boca.
Quite a busy area that started as the city’s first port and an African slave colony before the Italian immigrants settled in 1880. It’s still quite a poor area but while money might be missing colour certainly isn’t.
From there we wandered past a football ground (June will tell you more about that I am sure. Bob – that would be the home of Boca Juniors, one of the biggest clubs in Argentina!) and into the busy Plaza Dorrego, an old square full of bars and restaurants where of course we had to stop for a quick beer #JustTheOne of course!
That night the tour proper began and we met up with the rest of the group with whom we will be spending the rest of the trip. Given the early morning we had coming up on Monday we also visited a tango show that night. The dancing was brilliant but it was a shame the band and dancers looked bored!
5 Nov
The following day we took the organised city tour which took us to visit the Recoleta Cemetery, Plaza de Mayo and La Boca to name just a few places we saw. The cemetery is worth a visit and not just because it is the final, final resting place of Eva Peron (long story!) but to hear the stories behind some of the other mausoleums. The Plaza de Mayo is party to many stories which shaped the Buenos Aires and Argentina we know today. Well worth taking a guided tour. Dinner tonight was our first of three visits to El Establo, a steak restaurant almost opposite the hotel – great food and good value.
6 Nov
After a 2am breakfast (no, that is not a typo!) it was off to the local airport for a 4.30am flight south to Ushuaia. After a stunning flight in, we arrived to find the town basking in a positive heatwave with temperatures peaking at 20C!
We stayed at the Villa Brescia Hotel located on the main street close to the shops and restaurants. After breakfast number 2 and lunch we took the optional tour to the Harberton Estancia to visit the penguins. We didn’t see as many as anticipated as it’s nesting season so many of the birds were sitting on their nests in burrows underground but we did get to see three types of penguin: the Magellanic and Gentoo plus a lone King. Fascinating creatures to watch. The estancia also has a small museum and research facility focusing on the local marine life.
King crab is one of the local specialties so dinner had to involve it somehow although we couldn’t be bothered to faff with pulling a whole crab apart so opted for meals where that was already done. Dinner was at El Viejo Marino – not much to look at from the outside but great food.
7 Nov
A more reasonable start today and it was off for the first walk – a gentle 8km stroll around part of the Tierra Del Fuego National Park and an inkling of the scenery we were going to see over the next couple of weeks. We thought this area was quite stunning but how little did we know!
The afternoon was spent taking a trip across the Beagle Channel. Stopped at a couple of islands to see sea lions but not much to say other than it’s unlikely we’ll ever get much further south in the world!
8 Nov
A long, long day on a coach as we travelled from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas. This involved crossing the Argentina/Chile border as well as a ferry across the Magellan Straits. Away from the mountains the scenery is all undulating steppes so not much to look at but the coach was comfy (as coaches go) and therefore plenty of opportunity to catch up on missed sleep. Just a warning – they are very strict on what crosses the border in terms of fruit and other foodstuffs and there are BIG bins for all the prohibited stuff!
Hotel for tonight – Hotel Savoy. Bit wacky in its furnishings having seemingly kitted out its rooms from a car boot sale( we had 3 beds, a full size fridge and a computer desk complete with pull out keyboard tray and others in the group reporting equally strange items in their rooms). Clean though and perfectly fine for an overnight stay.
A change from Argentinian wine and now on to equally good Chilean and still in seafood mode!
9 Nov
After a quick scoot around the town on the bus we headed to Puerto Natales where we stopped for lunch and a quick supermarket shop to buy lunch stuff and snacks for the next couple of days (oh and a small box of wine or two may have fallen into the trolley plus a pack of Cusquena beer!) as where we were heading next, there was little opportunity to buy anything.
Tonight’s stop was Cabanas Del Paine in the Torres Del Paine National Park. If we had been impressed in Tierra Del Fuego then our gob was about to be well and truly smacked with the scenery here. This was the view from our window:
Need I say more!
10 Nov
Big walking day! One of the optional trips on offer was a 20km round trip hike to the base of the Torres Del Paine and it was one of our favourite days. The day began with an hour’s coach ride through the National Park to the visitor’s centre which gave us the opportunity to scope out the area for a potential future visit in a motorhome (that’s a whole story in itself). It was then straight into the walk which was uphill to start with, then a flat section through the woods and finished with the last 1km up steep moraine but the view at the end was well worth it….
With not much else to do and feeling thoroughly exhausted it was straight to bed after dinner!
11 Nov
Back into the National Park, driving along the edge of Lake Pehoe and a short walk to the Cuernos lookout via the waterfalls at Salto Grande. We have been so lucky with the weather and have had the most amazing views of the Torres.
Today’s optional trip was an afternoon on a rib out on the Serrano River to the Serrano Glacier. Great fun zipping across the ice cold waters fully kitted out in warm, waterproof clothing (all provided by the boat company) and then a short walk to the glacier. Another of our top trips from the holiday.
12 Nov
A second long travel day as we head back to Argentina and tonight’s location is Calafate – only a short distance as the crow flies but with the terrain and border crossings it takes most of the day. Away from Torres Del Paine the scenery returned to the rolling steppe but we weren’t ever too far from the mountains.
From there it was along the southern edge of Lago Argentino, a stunning turquoise lake, to Calafate on the edge of Los Glaciares National Park. It’s a buzzy little town full of bars and restaurants and here we had our first taste of Patagonian lamb cooked on a BBQ with a difference.
13 Nov
One of the drivers for us booking this trip was the glaciers and the opportunity to get up close to them and with today’s activity, actually on them! We visited the Perito Moreno Glacier and spent the morning in the main visitors area which gives views across the end of the glacier. It was mesmerising just standing and watching the glacier, trying to spot where the next chunk would fall, and listening to the constant creaking, cracking and rumbling as it moved.
We took the optional afternoon trip to do the glacier walk and this was another of our top acitivities. A short boat trip took us out to a small rocky area to the side of the glacier and it was a five minute walk to where we were provided with crampons and given a quick talk on how to walk on the ice. Words cannot do the walk justice so maybe some photos can
The excursion finished with chocolate and scotch on the rocks with ice chipped straight from the glacier!
14 Nov
Today we moved from Calafate to El Chalten and on the way we had our first stop at Parador La Leona (www.hoteldecampolaleona.com.ar), allegedly Butch Cassidy hid out there for a while) on Route 40 which is one of the main tourist roads across Patagonia.
El Chalten is a very small town within Los Glaciares National Park and a base for hikers and climbers to access the Fitzroy Massif. Freetime in the afternoon allowed us to follow a small trail along the De las Vueltas river to the Chorillo del Salto waterfall.
Clear skies also meant we could see most of the Fitzroy Massif from the town centre which is quite a rare event as it is almost always covered in cloud (the indigenous Tehuelche called it Chalten which means Smokey mountain).
15 Nov
Our second and final long trek of the holiday was into the Fitzroy area but unfortunately the weather did finally catch up with us and it was too windy to do the final few kilometres of the 21km trek. We did manage to walk along a little further at a lower level to see a hanging glacier.
16 Nov
Leaving at 10.30am to get our flight back to Buenos Aires didn’t leave time to do too much in the morning other than have a leisurely breakfast but that was a bit of a novelty in itself!
The flight out took us over Lago Argentino where we could truly appreciate the colour of the lake.
It was back to our favourite hotel in Buenos Aires and into one of the tiniest, noisiest rooms we’ve ever stayed in but luckily it was only for one night! Dinner was back at El Establo as a group as this was the last night of the basic tour; only ten of us were doing the Iguazu extension.
17 Nov
Having left the cold weather gear behind in BA, we took the short flight to Puerto Iguazu to stay in the Argentinian side of the falls at the Exe Cataratas Hotel. Definitely a more luxurious hotel than the others we had stayed in with a reasonable restaurant and swimming pool but we did lose the power a few times during heavy rain (the rain was only to be expected given we were in the rainforest!).
After lunch a short bus ride saw us in our third country of the trip – Brazil, where we got a spectacular view of the full extent of the Iguazu Falls and got a little damp as we walked along the various paths out over the water.
18 Nov
No more border crossings as today was spent on the Argentinian side of the falls, exploring the falls at different levels including going into the falls on a boat! We signed up for another optional tour which took us on the back of a truck for a short journey through the rainforest and down to a dock to pick up the boat which took us into the Falls. Needless to say we got very,very wet but had great fun!
19 Nov
A free morning spent by the pool before heading back to the airport and BA for the final time. Total chaos at the airport as the check in / luggage systems had gone down and given the airport only had two gates, it wasn’t long before the entrance hall filled up and the arguments began; nothing for us to do other that sit back and watch! We did finally get on the plane (with handwritten boarding passes and baggage tags) and were able to get our last view of the Falls from the plane.
Final night in BA in the Hotel Waldorf and because we hadn’t had a bad meal there, dinner for the few of us left was in El Establo again.
20 Nov
Our last morning saw another leisurely start as there was no real time to go anywhere before being picked up for the transfer back to the airport. It was great to be able to use the lounge again as we had a couple of hours to kill there but it was an uneventful flight home arriving as one of the first flights in to Heathrow the following morning.
Safe to say this was a trip of a lifetime and we both ticked off bucket list items. Yes it was full on and we were constantly on the go, but we saw and did so much. Now to think about the next trip…….
24.09.16
After a long but uneventful flight where we discovered Greenland from the air we landed in the US to the usual queues at immigration. We stayed at the Handlery Union Square hotel a huge sprawling hotel which is in a great location for shopping and the cable cars.
Cable Car San Francisco
Our first impression of San Francisco was dirty, smelly with lot of rough sleepers. Having said that the city grew on us but still a shame to see so many people with mental health issues out on the streets. We will be coming back though.
25.09.16
With breakfast included we made the most of it and ate heartily before the first day’s exploring. The cheapest way to get around is on public transport and we bought 3 day Muni passes for $31 each. With the cable cars being $7 for a single journey or $20 a day, we soon got our money’s worth.
Fisherman’s Wharf was just as the guide books said and very touristy but a great place to people watch which we did over a nice lunch at Alioto. We soon realised that the advertised prices didn’t always include the local tax and tips. We had booked a night trip to Alcatraz before we left the UK and it is well worth doing. The cost of the trip ($40 per adult) included return boat trip and audio tour and the bonus of the night tour is you get to see San Francisco and all its lights on the return boat trip.
Alcatraz
26.09.16
A bit of a later start but paid for the lie-in with a 25 minute wait for breakfast. The hotel was very close to the end of one of the cable car lines but there was always a really long queue, so we followed the advice in the guide book to walk to the next stop where the queue was inevitably shorter.
Bike Ride Day
Today was to be a cycling day. From the sea front we hired a couple of bikes from Blazing Saddles to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge. Having paid our money we were given a very quick talk about the bike and route and off we went…along with a lot of others from several different companies. At times the bridge was a little congested with both riders and people on foot. Some were totally unaware of their surroundings and you have to keep your eye out for sure.
Before we crossed the bridge we stopped for coffee and cake at the Warming Hut. Once over the bridge we carried on to Sausalito, a quaint little seaside town. Lunch, shopping and a large serving of local ice cream killed any ideas of cycling back but luckily plenty of ferries run across the Bay so there was an easy option back to get back the city.
The cycle hire cost $36 each with $5 insurance and $10 ferry fees on top (shorter trips can be booked and paid for by the hour). If you decide to cycle back the ferry fees will be refunded. The ferry is really well getting hundreds of bikes on very slickly. 27.09.16
Earlier start to check out and pick up the hire car…. Not just any hire car it was a Ford Mustang Cabriolet. A beautiful car. Maybe I should provide some background to this trip. It is June’s ‘special’ birthday this year and she always wanted to be on a Harley Davidson cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway. However the stumbling block was neither of us can’t ride bikes! However Bob did arrange a trip on a Harley a couple of years ago in the Warwickshire countryside with the help of a mate…well done Rod. With this under her belt she was happy with a convertible for Highway 1.
After our first Uber ride to National Car Hire and a quick checkout we were on our way towards the night’s stop at Fernwood Resort a couple of hours south of San Francisco along Highway 1. This of course included a few stops for photos and a brief shop before a couple of nights glamping in amongst the redwoods. The riverside site takes tents, motorhomes and caravans and on the site there were a few permanent residents. It also has a bar and restaurant and breakfast stuff and fresh coffee can be picked up at the site shop. The glamping option gave a us a proper double bed, heater, outside chairs, firepit and two clean bathrooms shared between the three glamping tents all of which had parking.
Our Adventure Tent
28.09.16
We decided to head south further along the Big Sur but unfortunately lots of the park areas were closed due to fires. It’s a fantastic road to drive, all twists and turns dipping in and out of the banks of coastal mist which led to endless photo opportunities.
We got as far south as Elephant Seal Beach (the name is a big clue as to what you can see there!), and stopped at Ragged Point Inn for the obligatory coffee break in both directions. The Nepenthe Café was a worthy recommendation for the final coffee stop with its terraces and their stunning views of the coast. We caught a brief glimpse of the McWay Falls ($10 entry fee) as the sea mist cleared for a few minutes and stopped off at Pfeiffer Beach ($10 entry fee) to see the purple sand…albeit you had to dig for it.
Evening meal at Fernwood again which is a great place to stay if a little noisy at times. The Adventure Tents are cleaned daily and the towels are changed. Certainly different and great for a couple of nights!
29.09.16
Another early start as we left Fernwood and headed back north to Carmel and then Monterey. We took the 17 mile drive around the Pebble Beach peninsula. $10 to see the big houses but a very scenic coastal drive.
We didn’t really stop in Carmel but both really liked Monterey which although obviously catering for tourists, it wasn’t too tacky. Lunch at Sly McFly and June had a sneaky little Margarita.
Off then to Marina and the Sanctuary Beach Resort…our one night of full on luxury where we were driven to our room on a golf cart. The beach was right outside our windows… really stunning and a great sunset, albeit a little on the cold side in late September! A late email told us the hotel’s restaurant was closed for refurbishment but we found a nice little Vietnamese that hit the spot in a local strip mall.
30.09.16
Busy day! We felt like we were sneaking out as we tried to avoid the over helpful staff – neither of us is particularly comfy with top end hotels. Having dropped off the car at San Francisco Airport, it was then the air train to the terminal where we grabbed our second Uber to take us to Fremont on the other side of the Bay to pick up the RV. Arrived a little early but the staff at Cruise America could not have been more helpful and we managed to get off to a quick start. First impressions of the RV was it was a little ‘willowy’ but Bob soon got used to it. Stopped off at a nearby Walmart, much more of them later, to stock up with ‘stuff’ (as regular motorhomers we just forgot the basics that we always have on board…took a bit of thinking). We had prebooked the personal kits so had towels and bedding and the kitchen equipment so we could eat and drink!
With road works and a few detours the total time from Walmart to Yosemite was 6 hours but we had prebooked the campsite so were able to pull straight on to our allocated pitch. We arrived in the dark and had no idea to what was out there for us to wake up to…..
Our home for 3 weeks
01.10.16
Woke to a neighbour starting their generator up at 7.00. Most sites that allow generators post the hours that you can run them. Typically 7.00 – 9.00 and again 16.00 – 20.00. Our RV package came with unlimited generator use and although we didn’t expect to use it, it did come in handy a few times.
We opened the van up to find ourselves surrounded by huge pine trees, clear blue skies and lots of rock faces. We walked into Yosemite Village and totally gob smacked with the scenery. There was lots and lots of ‘upness’. Very majestic and maybe one or two photos taken!
We took the Valley Loop Tour which is on the back of a trailer and guided by a park ranger. It was a really good orientation trip, costing only $25 each and lasting 2 hours. Not something we’d normally do but glad we did and would thoroughly recommend.
Yosemite
We used the free shuttles to get around for the rest of the day, visiting the really well stocked Village Store. More fresh food that Walmart! Back to the van where we started our generator to charge all the tech.
The campsite we used was Upper Pines, $26 a night with a bus stop just outside the front gate. We did book as soon as the pitches were released though. They are up for grabs on the US National Parks website 3 months in advance. 02.10.16
Early shuttle through the valley to the trail head for Glacier Point via the 4 mile trail, which is actually 4.8 miles each way although we had planned to come down via a different route. The views from the trail are stunning and we both welcomed the stops to take photos as the track is quite steep.
Glacier Point
At the top Glacier Point gives views to die for and worth every aching muscle (driving and shuttle options are available for those less inclined to walk!).
Glacier Point
After a #clewleystopsforcoffee at the café at the top, we started our way back down via the Panorama Trail. Not quite so stunning views, still beautiful though but definitely the harder route. Total walking time 5 hours (double that for the whole day) with 15 miles under our boots including 4000 feet of ascent! Arrived back in the van in the dark, totally exhausted yet feeling exhilarated at what we had accomplished.
Despite thinking he was prepared for anything, on the way down Bob felt outkitted when we passed a guy with an ice axe on his rucksack. Not a drop of snow in sight or forecast. 03.11.16
As we left Yosemite we bought an Annual National Parks pass for $80 which seems a lot to pay out but it would cover us for all the national (not state) parks we intended to visit and with each park costing around $25/30 it would pay for itself in a couple of days.
It was overcast and raining slightly as we drove to Kings Canyon and Sequoia to see the really big redwoods; firstly the General Grant tree and then along the General’s Highway to the General Sherman. The size of these trees needs to be seen to be believed but Bob was able to stand fully upright in the trunk of a fallen tree.
June does like a tree
Vans greater than 25ft long are not allowed to exit the park through the southern gate due to the gradient and twisty road so we decided to find a campsite in the Sequoia NP. Only one seemed to be open which was Lodgepole but it turned out to be a good choice! Hundreds of places, self service check in (something we’d get used – find an empty pitch and drop your money in a safe box), a cafe and a laundry and all for $22. The campsite is at 6,720 ft and with no light pollution we were afforded stunning views of the clear night sky.
04.11.16
Vegas bound!
A long boring driving day (446 miles) although we did go through part of the Mojave Desert and past the Andrews Airforce Base. Having spent the previous few days in the mountains, this was a total contrast.
We had three nights booked at the Stratosphere Hotel which has a car park for oversized vehicles so the RV would be fine for a couple of days. Staying on the Strip was just something that had to be done so after a quick dinner in Dennys (free wifi!) there was time for a walk to see the sights closest to the hotel. A lot of the Strip is being rebuilt so there are several huge empty plots.
05.11.16
One of a few very early starts of this trip as we were being picked up by limo at 5.30am for our helicopter trip to the Grand Canyon. A stretch limo is not our usual style but totally in keeping with being in Vegas!
The helicopter sat six passengers and we were lucky enough to get the front seats on the way out. We left around 7am, flew over Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead before landing in the Canyon for breakfast. Words cannot describe the stunning views of the Canyon as the sun was rising. The area where we landed for breakfast was a little overcrowded once an another half dozen helicopters had arrived but it was still one of the most awe-inspiring places for our little picnic breakfast. We used Sundance Helicopters and although it was an expensive morning out it was worth every penny.
Single engine too! Bob is used to having a second engine as back-up
Having got back to the hotel by 10am, we had plenty of time for shopping and with outlet malls at either end of Las Vegas Boulevard we had plenty of choice too. We used the buses to get around with a 24 hour pass costing $8 per adult. The Deuce service runs up and down the Strip but the SDK also goes to the northern mall.
After a quick afternoon nap and cocktails from the viewing deck of the Stratosphere it was back on the bus to the far end of town to see all the hotels we had missed the night before. Dinner at the Harley Davidson Restaurant – yes there is a recurring theme on this trip!
06.10.16
Action day!
Part of the reason for staying at the Stratosphere was so Bob could do the jump off the top of it and today was the day. An 855Ft drop attached to a couple of ropes and it’s all over in seconds! $120 or $100 to hotel residents.
From there we headed downtown to the Fremont Street area which we decide is the US equivalent of Blackpool. The purpose of this visit is to do the Zoom zip wire which runs the full length of the arcade. You are strapped in to a harness Superman style and emerge from a slot machine to fly across the heads of the crowds shopping below. Great fun and $40 for an afternoon “flight”.
Great fun
Then spent a couple of hours at “Whiskey Licker” drinking cocktails whilst listening to an amazing busker who even did “You Make Me Feel Brand New” for us.
Dinner that night was at Lotus of Siam, a great Thai restaurant off the Strip which was recommended by one of June’s friends. The food was great and it’s obviously a popular place as we hadn’t made a reservation and had to wait a while, albeit sat at the bar!
07.10.16
Left the big city lights of Vegas and drove a short distance to spend the day with friends in Boulder City. Tony took us out kayaking on the Colorado River and as well a great day out on the water, Tony also gave us some of the history of the river. At one point we got out to walk on the “Catwalk”, one of the original gaugers’ trails from when they were first surveying the river. It was then back to join Marge for an early dinner and a quick tour of the City including a building with a mural painted by Tony. Having seen the Hoover Dam from the helicopter, today we got to drive across it and also view it closer up from the new bridge built across the river. Also saw the “Concrete Critters” (literally as the name suggests, statues of concrete animals!) and the long-horned sheep who live wild on the edge of the city.
Kayaking on the Colorado
A fantastic day with two of the most hospitable and welcoming people you could ever meet. Tony has boundless energy and even in his late 70s (we think) he still participates in triathlons and indeed had one the following day.
Spent the night at Canyon Trail RV Park where we were dwarfed by the full size rigs you could only find the America and hook-ups to the mains water and sewers. $45 per night with all the facilities except decent wifi.
08.10.16
Grand Canyon bound but all via main rounds so no exciting driving! Stocked up on supplies at Safeway where it’s worth getting their membership card (don’t need to be resident) as we saved ovre $35 at the till. Also picked up fuel – we’ve noticed the full prices vary widely and we’d seen as high as $3.29 (at this point) and as low as $2.09 per gallon. Also worth noting that some places charge less for cash.
We hadn’t realised it was a three day weekend and hadn’t booked a campsite so we arrived at the entrance to the Grand Canyon to find all the campsites full. We spoke to a ranger who advised that whilst you cannot “boondock” (wild camp to us Brits) in the National Park you can do so in the surrounding forest. We still went into the Park to get out bearings and stopped briefly at Mather Point to watch the lightning bolts across the Canyon as a rainstorm set in.
We found a spot to camp just off the main road to the Grand Canyon (lat: 35.9791, long: 112.1301) and not too high tonight at around 2000m.
Total driving today: 244miles
09/10/16
An easy start as we head straight to Desert View Campsite within the Grand Canyon National Park in the hope of grabbing a pitch as people leave. The plan worked as there are plenty of empty spaces at 10am although it does fill up as the day goes on. Another great little site at $12 per night but no facilities other than toilets (water filling, grey waste dump and toilet emptying facilitites can be found at the main campground and are open to non-residents).
Watchtower Campsite
We wondered down to the Canyon Rim and the Watchtower – so many photo opportunities. A quick scoot around the souvenier shop/supermarket and it was back to the van for a relaxing afternoon although as we got back we found a rather large elk grazing by the van!
Watching the sun go down later over the Canyon is a must and we get our seats early to enjoy the sunset with a beer in hand. We bought wood for a campfire (all the sites provide fire pits) but as tomorrow will be an early start we keep the wood for another night.
10/10/16
Another must do – watching the sun rise so it’s up at 5.45am to get to Navajo Point. We try to leave the campsite as quietly as possible but that never works and at least we weren’t the only ones with the idea to start early. Got to see the sunrise just before the obligatory influx of Chinese tourists arrived all jostling to get the best photo!
Sunrise Over the Grand Canyon
We stopped at several viewpoints along the way to the Visitor’s Centre to pick up the shuttle bus to the Bright Angel Trailhead but before that it’s breakfast in the car park. We’ve learned that it’s often best to get to a car park early to be assured of a RV parking place which are often used by cars who can’t be bothered to drive round for a space.
Today we are walking down into the Canyon via the Bright Angel Trail. We’re not going all the way to the bottom but to one of the resting places three miles along the Trail and about 600m down from the rim. That does mean it’s another three miles back up again but it’s not too difficult and the trail is quite busy.
Bright Angel Trail
A quick shower in the car park (in the van of course!) before heading to the Camping Services area to fill the water tank and empty the grey and black tanks.
11/10/16
Desert View to Page – a fairly non-eventful few hours on the road. We picked up fuel and gas in Cameron and then straight to Walmart in Page. Topped up supplies and confirmed it was OK to overnight in the car park. Turns out we weren’t the only ones with that idea as there were at least a dozen vans parked up by the time darkness fell.
We spent the afternoon around Lake Powell – the Glen Canyon Dam, a few hours by the beach and then up to Antelope Point.
Lake Powell
A couple thoughts so far on the trip:
Start early to be on the campsite by mid-afternoon as even in mid-October sites were full by 4pm
Don’t underestimate travel times – speed limits are lower than the UK and winding roads add time too
12/10/16
Another 5.30am start and this time to get to Horseshoe Bend for the sunrise and we weren’t the first there by any means. Another magical moment!
Horse Shoe Bend Page
Horse Shoe Bend Page
Breakfast in the car park to prepare for the long drive to Moab. We stopped in Monument Valley but as most of the main rock features can be seen for the road we didn’t do any of the tours. We drove through numerous non-descript towns on the 191 and had lunch overlooking Church Rock.
We arrived in Moab to find that it stretches for miles along the main road and we quickly lose count of the number of massive RV sites. We finally settle on Sliprock on the edge of the town. It’s $39+tax for the night but it’s a well equipped site and has laundry facilities. If you like outdoor sports Moab is the place for you as you could find pretty much anything here!
13/10/16
Today’s plan – pop into the National Parks at Arches and Canyonlands before heading towards Brice. Ha!!!
OK a slightly later start as we didn’t take into account the time change from Pacific to Central and a quick FaceTime with Amy back in the UK, so we finally got to Arches about 10am. More gob-smacking moments which neither of us expected and we basically ended up spending the entire day there. We then drove 50miles or so to find a campsite in the Canyonlands area but they were all full so we ended up back in Moab on the same campsite as yesterday but with no choice other than a fully serviced (ie mains water and sewer again) pitch at $62.62, including tax. We therefore plugged in and charged everything we could!
The Arches National Park
The Arches National Park
14/10/16
Back on the early starts so on the road by 8.30am. First stop was Dead Horse Point State Park (not covered by National Parks ticket so $10 entry) for stunning views over the Colorado River and gorge.
Onto Canyonlands where we used the same approach as we did at Arches – take every right turn and viewpoint to see everything. Totally different scenery here but equally as breathtaking.
Dead Horse State Park
Then hit the road again for a few hours to find a camping spot in the Dixie National Forest. We tried a couple of campsites but they were either full or closed so we ended up wild camping in the trees just off the 12. The scenery had continued to be amazing throughout the whole drive and each tunr bought different views and geology – some of the strangest we had seen. En route we passed through Capitol Reef National Park which is well worth doing of time allows.
15/10/16
We continued our drive along route 12 from Dixie National Forest to Cedar City via Bryce. The scenery continued to be stunning, so much so that when we found a geological map of the route a few days later we just had to buy it!
Safe to say we had one of out most unique driving moments ever as we drove along the top of a ridge around Escalante with sheer drops on either side!
We arrived in Bryce to discover more jaw-dropping yet different geological features as we walked amongst the “hoo doos”.
Bryce Canyon
Spent most of the day at reasonable altitude – 9600ft in the Dixie Forest and Bryce at around 8000ft. Tonight’s choice of accomodation was another Walmart car park in Cedar City. We wondered when we arrived why some motorhomes were parked across blocks of spaces rather than in them but as the night progressed and the wind picked up we understood the reason why as a couple of times it felt like we would topple over! We obviously should have followed the local experts lead and parked nose on into the wind.
16/10/16
Another early start to get to Zion National Park and walk up to Angel’s Landing before it gets too hot although both of us were shattered after being battered by the wind the previous night!
We reached Zion at about 8.30am and the park was already filling up so we headed straight to the shuttle to the trailhead. It ws definitely the best decision to go early as a lot of the trail was in the shade at that point and not as busy as when we came down. We did the chain section to make it to the top without any problems but why do they make all the steps for people with long legs (June not being blessed with them!). The views from the top were as spectacular as we expected!
Angels Landing
We checked into the Watchman campsite ($30 with electric) but unfortunately there was no space for a second night although we had the option to queue from around 7am for a pitch at the next door campsite the following morning but with no guarantee of a spot. So one night it was to be and after a short nap and some retail therapy we finally had our campfire.
Angels Landing
17/10/16
With no campsite in Zion National Park for tonight we moved the van to the RV carpark early to ensure a parking place and had a leisurely breakfast there.
We took the Park Shuttle Bus to the end of its route for our walk along the Narrows. We normally try to keep our boots dry when walking so it was a bit strange today to walk straight into the river wearing them. A fun walk and boots aside we managed to stay dry and we then headed back to Zion Lodge to do the Emerald Pools trail. Probably because it was the end of the summer but the pools certainly weren’t emerald coloured – more like a sludge green!
The Narrows
We left Zion NP to spend the night a short distance away at Zion River Resort, another huge campsite. $55 inclusive for a fully serviced pitch and pretty good wifi.
18/10/16
A driving day going from Zion to Death Valley covering four states – Utah, Arizona, Nevada and California, and mostly on highways for a distance of around 300 miles.
Valley of Fire
We broke the day up with a visit to the Valley of Fire State Park (entrance $10) where we saw more amazing sandstone features and some petroglyphs. We had booked into a campsite in Beatty but decided to wild camp at a derelict RV site on the way to Death Valley. It was a good choice being surrounded by nothing and nobody and with a clear sky the Milky Way was on full view.
Valley of Fire
Wild camp at a derelict RV site on the way to Death Valley
19/10/16
Before entering Death Valley we went to Dante’s Peak for an overview of the area and then to Zabriskie Point. It was then straight to Furnace Creek to check out the campsite options (plenty) before going to the Ubehebe Crater (extinct volcano) where we had an interesting conversation with an American couple regarding the upcoming election. Their comment was that it was a choice of a criminal (Clinton) or a joker (Trump). Well as we know the latter triumphed and time will tell what his legacy will be.
Ubehebe Crater
We explored the rest of the Valley via the Sand Dunes and Badwater Basin which is the lowest point at 282ft below sea level.
Badwater Basin
We camped at Sunset campsite just across the road from the Furnace Creek village. $14 per night but no facilities other than water filling and waste dumping (all we really needed).
A note re fuel in Death Valley – fuel in Furnace Creek was $3.89 per gallon but a few miles away in Stovepipe Wells is was “only” $2.93. It was quite a distance though before we found another garage.
20/10/16
And so the journey back to San Francisco starts but in true Clewley style it will not be the quickest. most direct route! We always have an “old-fashioned” paper map open alongside Tomtom and through this we found a gem of an area around Lake Isabella. We had lunch by the lake and drove another “wiggly” road until we could avoid the freeway no longer! Tonight’s destination is another Walmart car park but for the first time we didn’t feel comfortable at out first stop so we moved on to another, larger store.
Lake Isabella
21/10/16
A relatively short drive (two hours) to our final campsite so before leaving it was into Walmart for some shopping as an extra bag was required to pack everything in (luckily we had upgraded coming home so had extra luggage allowance!). In a bid to delay the big cleaning the session (van was supposed to go back clean to avoid an extra charge and it was definitely going back cleaner than when we collected it!) it was another detour via Bob’s favourite US store – “Bass Pro Shop”. For a UK person, these shops have to be seen to be believed (last time we were here the girls were looking at child size pink shotguns!) but only clothing bought.
The final stop was at the Alameda Fairgrounds RV Site and we arrived only to find a dog show in full process! So not only were we surrounded by huge RVs but these ones all had the biggest cages around them for the pampered pooches.
This was possibly the worst site of the trip ($40 fully serviced) but it served its purpose and allowed us to clean the van and empty all the tanks.
22/10/16
A leisurely start as it was only 30 minutes or so to the Cruise America depot so plenty of time to fill the fuel and gas tanks (the latter at U-Haul) and give the van the final once-over before dropping it back. A smooth handover with only a cursory check and it was then off to the airport for a long wait for the flight – we got there before midday although the flight wasn’t until 19.15 but unfortunately the return time for the van was before 11am and we couldn’t really go into San Fransisco with all the luggage.
When your anniversary falls on a weekend you have to make the most of it I think….
So October 2015 I started planning for May 2016.. I wanted to find something different and special. I found a Tree House on the East Sussex / Kent that looked stunning and it didn’t let us down.
All booked, June had no idea at all where we were going. I threw in a few red herrings like ‘we need sleeping bags’ etc to throw her off any scent she may have picked up. I even packed the sleeping bags in the car as I left for a training course the week before.
Picking June up from the station she still was totally unaware of the Tree House.
The Tree House
The Tree House
It was a stunning location. Complete with king size bed, en suite, heating and even a breakfast hamper. Everything I had hoped and more.
The next day we decided to use our National Trust membership and visit a couple of nearby. First on the list was Scotney Castle…. Not a bad pad
Scotney Castle
Scotney Castle
From there we moved on to Bodiam Castle…. A slightly better pad albeit a lot of roof was missing 🙂
As we may have mentioned once or twice before, we love Morocco and we love Marakech! So when looking for a few days away it wasn’t difficult decision as to where to go and then to return to a Riad we have used before.
Dar Rocmarra is ideally located inside the medina walls and is a real gem – a warm welcome always awaits. The accommodation is wonderful and, if you decide to eat in once or twice (which you must), the food is second to none.
An early doors EasyJet out from Gatwick allowed us to be sat in the Riad by midday talking to Jamila ahead of a home-cooked lunch – well worth the early start!
Our Room
After grabbing a few minutes sleep we wandered into the souks and the main square. Jemaa el Fna is a hive of activity day or night. Daytime sees stalls ranging from dentistry to orange juice while the evening brings out the food stalls and story tellers.
Stall 97
The first night though we ate at a restaurant at the side of the square and just absorbed the atmosphere. It was the first time back for Amy and Chloe since the Motorhome trip of 2009.
As we wandered about the main square, Jemaa el Fna, June pointed out Michael Portillo walking away from us. For those that don’t know, he has a TV programme where he travels by rail around the world using Bradshaws guide. The fact that he had an old book in his hand should have given us a clue…. However it wasn’t until Bob went up to him and started chatting that it dawned on him that they were filming ….. So when Michael’s programme goes to Morocco keep and eye out for a 6’4″ geezer stalking the star of the show!
The trip was always going to be a shopping fest for the girls but we also managed to get a couple of day trips in too.
The first was to Cascade d’Ouzoud. These stunning waterfalls at about 2 1/2 hours drive away from the city. The car and driver was arranged by Jamila and cost €150. This was for the driver and car for the whole day.
The falls from the Top
Just stunning
Thursday had been inked in the diary as a shopping day and the girls have been saving for months. Lots of bargains bought so everyone happy all round.. While walking to yet another shop one teenage lad went up to Bob and asked if he spoke French…. Bob, in his best French accent said a little. The lad then spoke in English…. Obviously Bob’s French wasn’t too convincing… He asked for an introduction to the girls (previous offers having been for camels so this was a different approach!) as he liked them although clearly he didn’t like them that much as he’d gone as we left the shop.
Our second excursion was to Essaouira and again the cost was €150 for the day for the car and driver with journey time being around 2.5-3 hours from Marrakech. Chloe had asked to visit this pretty seaside town as she remembered it from 2009 and wanted to recreate a photo we took then at the fort.
2009
2016
Mission accomplished it was time for lunch followed by a stroll along the beach and before leaving, the Moroccan equivalent of #clewleystopsforcoffee…..#clewleystopsforminttea !!!
On the Beach
We have been looking for a painting to hang in our bedroom for ages and finally found one but it was twice the size we needed. The guy in the shop ran off, having asked the size, and returned a minute or two later with a smaller version. The price started at 1400 Dirham but was soon, maybe too soon, brought down to 1000 Dirham although he did throw in a free scarf for June. Price didn’t matter so much though as we wanted something that meant something to us and this was it.
Another early Easyjet departure but a smooth flight, a short train ride and we were in our hotel in Berlin by lunchtime. Having hoped for real Winter weather we were a little disappointed to find Berlin was experiencing the same mild grey days as London. Still it was dry so no complaints really especially as it stayed that way for the three days we there.
After being allowed to check in early it was off to get our bearings. We were staying at the Ibis Hotel Potsdamer Platz which was picked in line with our standard requirements – free wifi, location and price. The room was basic but clean (all you need when you don’t intend spending any time there!) and the hotel was conveniently located between the Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie.
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of EuropeFirst stop was the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, an area of various sized grey blocks built to commemorate the Jews and others murdered in the Nazi concentration camps. One thing we liked about Berlin was that it has not tried to hide its history but has used it as to bring about change – far more thought-provoking than simply sweeping it under the carpet. From there it was on to the Brandenburg Gate where we grabbed a quick spot of lunch, the Reichstag (book online a few weeks ahead to be able to go up inside the Sir Norman Foster Cupola) and then we just wandered around until we reached the Gendarmenmarkt and our first taste of a real German Christmas market. As it was custom we had to partake of the Gluhwein and the markets here all sell their drinks in commemorative glasses for which you pay a €3 deposit and then it’s your choice if you take them back or keep as a souvenir.
GendarmenmarktCheckpoint Charlie had always been on Bob’s to do list so that was our final destination for the day (the 3.30am start and Gluhwein were taking their toll!) but it was too dark by the time we arrived to see too much so it was back to the hotel for an early dinner and bed. We ate in the hotel that night which had a reasonably priced restaurant serving a good selection of food.
CheckpointCharlieOut early the following morning in the glorious sunshine to stop back at Checkpoint Charlie where one of the original guard huts still remains along with some signage. For many the fall of the Berlin Wall is a moment many of us remember as well as the proceeding rhetoric of the Cold War which makes the history so accessible.The Wall is marked throughout the City by a line of cobbles and signs, it is hard to comprehend the difference in the lives of those living either side.
Old route of the WallThe early start was to get us to the Berliner Fernsehturm, a 368m high TV tower and the tallest building in Berlin. We’d picked up last minute tickets online the night before but had to be there at 10am before general opening which in hindsight was the best move as by the time we left around 10.45, the queues to get in were getting rather long. We only went to the viewing platform and since found out that the restaurant on the floor above rotated but given the bright morning we had great views over the City.
The TV TowerThe next stop was the East Side Gallery, one of the original sections of The Wall still standing but now covered both sides in grafitti.
More Christmas markets and Gluhwein around Alexanderplatz before a quick trip back to the hotel for a nap (another early start!) and then returning to the market by the Berliner Rathaus, a beautiful red brick building for the evening, for a spin on the Ferris Wheel and severe calorie overload from the food available on the stalls.
Ferris WheelOur final day was spent around Potsdamer Platz, a total contrast to the grand historical buildings that make up much of this part of the City. Most of the shops there can be found in any European shopping centre but the trip up to the Potsdamer Point viewing platform via the fastest lift in Europe is well worth it for views over the city. Lots of bars and restaurants although we didn’t visit any.
PotsdamerFor some peace and quiet we strolled through the Tiergarten, a large wooded area to the west of the City, to the Siegessaule, the rather blingy monument originally erected to signify Prussian military victories. €3 and 285 steps will get you to the viewing platform at the top and again worth if for an entirely different view back over the city. Again, despite thoughts at one point that the monument should be dismantled, it hasn’t been and the area is now used for public celebrations including a New Year’s Eve party.
SiegessauleSo another wonderful weekend away although with only three days we barely scratched the surface of Berlin but we did the highlights and visited the markets. Safe to say we will be back!
With basic flights from Gatwick to Malpensa at around £50 return this was always going to be a good trip away with friends….
Having finally sorted out the hire car (and you think you’ve done everything from here….but that’s another story), we drove along the beautiful Como lake side roads directly to the B&B Miralago Bellagio . I guess this was a family home in the day and still had a great look about it.
Miralago
With free wifi and a really substantial breakfast it was a winner and another lucky pick from TripAdvisor! Located on the other side of the headland in a peaceful setting, some rooms are lake facing but all clean and comfortable. Staff were friendly and accommodating and were on hand for wine and beer of an evening at very reasonable costs. Have to say it again though….the breakfast was amazing – fresh fruit, homemade pastries and cakes as well as the continental staples of meats and bread as well as cooked eggs. Our room was over the kitchen and the smells wafting in of a morning were worth waking up for! The main town of Bellagio is a 10 minute walk up along winding paths in amongst the houses over a small hill. Walking down into the town revealed a stunning view out over the lake.
Bellagio
Lake Como
We had dinner that night at Ristorante La Terrazza Belvedere and with it’s view over the lake, it provided a good end to the day. There are a number of lakeside restaurants as you would expect and offer good spots for people watching as the sun goes down behind the mountains. Aperol and Prosecco are not necessary but it would have been rude not to!
The Stelvio Pass
The next day had been planned for a while… A ride out to the The Stelvio Pass on the Swiss border. It is one of the roads that Top Gear has used in the past for some of its programs. Following a post on Facebook friends suggested that we took in the Gavia Pass too. Great idea..however when we reached the pass we found it closed.
Road Block
After a quick lunch of pasta in the town of Ponte di Legno at (a Pizzeria which wasn’t actually selling pizza – I would have thought that was a first in Italy) we continued on to The Stelvio Pass. It is a stunning drive reaching snow as we approached the summit. At the top we had been told of a stall that sold the best Bratwurst… however as we were running late he was shutting up as we parked!..
We did manage to find a place for a coffee though..albeit there was a man sat reading porn at a nearby table….Very odd but the coffee was good.
View at the top
The Stelvio Pass
Messing about on the water
Saturday was going to be a more relaxing day… For €15 you can buy a boat ticket that allows you unlimited travel on the mid section of Lake Como. So with tickets in hand we set off from Bellagio to Menaggio, having stopped off in Varenna the night before for a Pizza.
Mid Lake in Yellow
Its is a really relaxing way to get about and see other small towns in the area with the inevitable coffee or two. From there we took the ferry to Cadenabbia and walked, quite a few kms, to Lenno before returning to Bellagio. If you feel so inclined there are a few cycle paths off the main road but we stuck to walking this time.
That night was a belated birthday treat for Sarah and Colin… We went to Hotel La Pergola which was only a few minutes walking distance of our hotel. The food was superb and not overpriced given the location (the restaurant is right on the side of the lake) but we thought the place lacked atmosphere – it was a Saturday night and we were the last to leave at around 9.15pm. However that may have been the time of year as nowhere we visited seemed busy and some places were closed for winter.
Romeo, Romeo where are ya
Coffee… of course
Sunday was off to Verona. Only a 2 1/2 hour trip and easy parking which is always a bonus. Of course the first stop was always going to be a coffee but from there we went to the Arena, which to be honest was little disappointing. It would have been a stunning place but they were still dismantling the stage plus all the lighting and sound rigs from the summer opera season. We were told this though when we bought a discounted entry ticket but we didn’t realise the extent to which the Arena would be covered. On the other hand we can’t imagine a more breathtaking venue in which to watch opera – not our usual theatre choice but here we would certainly give it a go!
Arena di Verona
Arena di Verona
We had to see the Casa di Giulietta which is said to be the location of the balcony Shakespeare based the Romeo, Romeo where are ya story. It is a real tourist trap – despite every where else we went being fairly quiet, we found all the tourists here! But still we were in Verona so it had to be done. A beautiful building from the outside (we didn’t pay to go in) and yes we did leave our names on the wall on the entrance to the courtyard. With both Bob and Colin being so tall it may be a while before ours are covered!
Casa di Giulietta
Casa di Giulietta
That night we ate at a place we had noticed the day before called Enoteca CavaTuracciolo.
Enoteca CavaTuracciolo
We chose this place based purely on it’s looks being somewhere very different from our usual choice of restaurant and once inside we were not disappointed. Not the largest menu on the food front and don’t expect too much choice of beer (in fact the night we went they had sold out the night before with a large party) but don’t let that put you off.
Enoteca CavaTuracciolo
Having little knowledge of Italian wine we opted for a suggested food/wine menu of which there were four depending on your wine preferences – pick your combination of red and white for the three glasses and for each there is an accompanying 3 course menu. The staff were very helpful and didn’t make us feel stupid for not being wine experts. The simple but delicious set menus were €24 each – we opted for cold meat starters, pasta main and all options had a cheese platter to finish. The wines varied in price – our choice of 3 reds was €18.
Enoteca CavaTuracciolo
All in all a great place to spend our final night in Bellagio and would highly recommend even to non-wine buffs!
Como and home
Our last day, this time around, saw a trip to Como town.
It is really worth taking a trip on the funicular. A great place for views over Como and the surrounding area. €5.50 return journey for adults and cars every 15 minutes or so, so not too much hanging around waiting. There are restaurants and bars at the top but we didn’t visit any of them.
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Como
Como
All in all a great location for a weekend away and the timing was perfect – it would probably be too busy for us in the summer. Just over an hour from Milan and we had our perfect combination of water and mountains; the food and wine were pretty good too!
We didn’t really stop in Carmel but both really liked Monterey which although obviously catering for tourists, it wasn’t too tacky. Lunch at Sly McFly and June had a sneaky little Margarita.
Dinner that night was at Lotus of Siam, a great Thai restaurant off the Strip which was recommended by one of June’s friends. The food was great and it’s obviously a popular place as we hadn’t made a reservation and had to wait a while, albeit sat at the bar!
