A few weeks ago we had a big burst of energy and made some serious progress on planning our itinerary for Australia. In this post I’ll try to cover some of the main planning considerations and tools we used to make our itinerary.
Around the World
Places I Want to Go: Hallstatt, Austria
[via fanpop.com]
The original plan was to stay 3 days in Vienna and soak in some culture, music, and pastry. But as I started planning, I realized we’d be remiss to go all the way to Austria and not see the country-side. So while looking for places nearby that we could visit for the day, I came across this beautiful picture of Hallstatt. This idyllic town is about 3 hours away from Vienna by train, nestled between a lake and towering mountains in the backdrop.
If this looks familiar to you, it’s because this picture and others like it have been used in many screen savers. In fact, this place is so beautiful that a replica of the village has been created in China. I can’t wait to see the real thing for myself in a few months.
Photo of the Week: Cascading Waterfall
Watkins Glen, New York
A few years ago I saw a picture of this place on Pinterest. The cascading waterfalls and the curious rock formations immediately grabbed my attention. This ethereal landscape looks like it came straight out of a fairy tale. I thought for sure it was in New Zealand or some other far flung place; imagine my surprise when I discovered instead that it is located in Watkins Glen State Park, near the Finger Lakes region in upstate New York.
It’s nice to discover beauty right in our back yard, and we wanted to go and see it for ourselves so we rented a car and drove 4 hours upstate. Hiking along the main gorge trail, you’ll be able immerse yourself in Mother Nature’s embrace and appreciate her grandeur.
If you are in the area, this place is definitely worth a trip.
Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing. If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.
Hiking Mount Taurus: In Photos
Fresh from my success with the Inca Trek, I am now convinced that I am a hiker (cue eye-roll from Fausto). I tried to convince the hubby that it’s better to spend the weekend trekking up the mountain than sitting on our butt watching TV. I am not sure he is entirely convinced about the fresh air and exercise, but nevertheless he was game and off we went.
Day Tripping to Cold Spring
View of the Hudson River from the train
This past weekend, once again finding ourselves in the city on a long weekend with nowhere to go, we decided to venture out of the city on a day trip. We’ve seen those posters in the subway that urge you to “get out of town” and see the all the natural beauty that New York has to offer. Lacking a car, we had to find a place that’s convenient and accessible by train. After a quick search, we came upon Cold Spring, a small historical village nestled in the Lower Hudson Valley right on the bank of the Hudson River. Continue reading
Photo of the Week: Illuminated
Paris, France
This photo was taken at the Eiffel Tower, one of the most recognizable landmarks in Paris, perhaps in the world. While we were there, we decided that it was a good idea to go up to the top of the tower. Even though the line was long, we were not deterred, that is, until a few hours in. Four hours later, we FINALLY made it to the observation deck. The view was amazing, but I am not sure it was worth the wait.
The line down was almost just as long and we didn’t make it down until midnight. At this point we were starving because we hadn’t had dinner, so we decided to spread out a scarf and have a picnic on the grass right at the base of the Eiffel Tower. A guy came by and try to sell us a 5 Euro bottle of champagne. Again, for some reason we thought this was a good idea. It was not.
It was a long night full of bad decisions, but it was memorable. We will never forget the night we had dinner under the Eiffel tower with a cheap bottle of champagne.
Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing. If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.
Connecticut: Adventure Rooms
I first heard from my sister in Canada about a new game called the Adventure Rooms. After doing some research, I found out that there was also an Adventure Rooms in the States and one of them just so happened to be in Hartford. Awesome! So this past weekend while we were in Connecticut visiting family and friends, we decided to give it a try.
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Deal Alert: 2-for-1 Broadway tickets
It’s that time again when the summer is winding down and Broadway week is kicking off. For the first two weeks of September you can get 2-for-1 tickets to a lot of shows including Lion King, Mamma Mia, Chicago and many other new and old favorites. If you are around the city, it’s the perfect time to catch that show that you’ve been thinking of going to, but never had the chance. The show that I’ve been dying to see is Phantom of the Opera, a classic. If you are not from the city, Fall is also the perfect season to visit.
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Photo of the Week: Foggy Cliff
Cliff of Moher, Ireland
This photo was taken at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. After watching this spectacular site featured in many movies, we were excited to finally make it to the Emerald Isle in the summer of 2013 to see it for ourselves. This Irish natural wonder is where coastline rises high above the Atlantic ocean. If you are not scared of heights, you can walk along the cliff side all the way to the edge, staring down into the abyss. This magnificent vista is one of the most popular tourist locations in Western Ireland.
Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing. If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.
Trip Report: Peru
It’s hard to believe that it’s almost 2 months since our trip to South America. Time flies! This trip report summarizes all the posts related to our trip to Peru and provide a break down of the cost.
- Time Cost
- Total Days In Peru: 8 day – 1 days in Lima, 2 days in Cusco, 1 day in Sacred Valley, 4 days in the mountain
- Total Days Off From Work: 4 days (we went over July 4th weekend).
life after 9to5 