Category Archives: Travel Stories

The Isle of Skye Road Trip: A Video!

January 31, 2019 Beth Leave a comment

In July, 2018, we spent a few weeks driving around Scotland, and during that time, had a chance to visit the Isle of Skye. We camped near the fairy pools, wandered around the epic Neist point, were entranced by the fairy glen, said hello to the Old Man of Storr, and hiked through the Quirang.

Here is a video compilation of our epic road trip about this most beautiful place.

Music: Line of Sight (Reprise) [Instrumental] by ODESZA

What to read next: Three Days in the Isle of Skye

Our time on the Isle of Skye were unforgettable. The island boasts epic walks, beautiful views, and some of the most spectacular coastline I’ve ever seen. It is easy to get around too, so you don’t need too much time to see a lot of it. That being said, I could have stayed another week, driving, discovering, and wild camping in magnificent spots.

Want to watch another video? Check out The Ultimate Slovenia Itinerary

Europe, Travel Stories

The Ultimate Slovenia Itinerary – A Video!

October 22, 2018 Beth Leave a comment

Our Slovenia itinerary was totally epic. From summiting Triglav, the highest peak in the country, to refreshing swims in the freezing Soča River; From tasting wine in the Brda wine country, to canoeing in the spectacular Lake Bohinj. This is a video compilation of our ultimate trip through Slovenia.

To read about our epic road trip, and see the stops on our Slovenia itinerary, click here and check out this post!

Check out my fave places in Slovenia:

The perfect day in Lake Bled

A Wine Tasting in Brda Wine Country

Spending the day in Ljubljana

Summiting Triglav

Never miss a beat.

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North America, Travel Stories

Hiking the Berg Lake Trail in BC, Canada

September 28, 2018 Beth 1 Comment

Day One:

We arrived at the Berg Lake Trail parking lot and joined the group of eager hikers gathered around the information desk. After a quick safety briefing, we watched a quick video, and then went outside to the big deck behind the building. There, standing at 3,954m (12,972ft), scraping the sky, was Mt. Robson. There was not a cloud in sight — a rarity for the area — and Robson looked as mighty as ever with a bluebird sky surrounding it. We jumped back in the truck and drove down the road to the trailhead.

So, we decided to cheat….

From the trailhead to the first campsite, and our first snack stop, at Kinney lake, is 7km. The trail is wide and well traveled by both hikers and mountain bikers. Michael had the idea to cheat a bit. We could mountain bike the first 7km, save ourselves some time, then lock the bikes at Kinney and continue on foot! I wouldn’t necessarily call it cheating — I heaved my 50 pound backpack up and onto my back, adjusted my helmet as best I could so the top of my pack wouldn’t keep knocking it over my eyes, and took my seat on a mountain bike for the very first time. It was hard; hard to keep balance with a heavy pack, hard to bike up hill with the weight, hard to go downhill without feeling like I’d fly over the handlebars. But of all the pain I was feeling in my back, my lungs, my legs, my wrists, it was my butt that hurt the most. We finally arrived at Kinney and locked our bikes next to the others on the bike rack, and my butt and I were relieved. (Read about the time we took bicycles around Tuscany!)

It’s Autumn!

We stopped next to the lake for a quick snack, and then continued the hike up to our next snack stop, Whitehorn campground. The climb up was tough. There were stretches that were just straight uphill for what seemed like an hour! My layers came off and I wore just a t-shirt and hiking pants. We hiked through deciduous forest and the fall colours were just spectacular. The blue sky, the orange leaves, the brown of the trail, it really was autumn at it’s best. At Whitehorn, we sat down by the river, pumped some fresh water into our bottles with the filter, and chowed down on some nuts and berries.

The “real climb” begins…

Whitehorn is where a lot of people decide to spend their first night. Those people are sensible. We are not sensible people. Today we are hiking all the way to Berg Lake. We continued through forest and came to the bottom of a hill. Michael said, “this is where the real climb begins.” WHAT?! We had already biked and climbed 11km and 300m, and now the climb begins? Yes, because Berg Lake is another 11km and 700m up. See? Not so sensible.

I don’t have to go into detail. The climb was hard, I was sweaty, the end. We stopped by Emperor Falls on our way up. The falls were not as full as they are in the spring, with all the run off, but from where we sat, with the falls booming in front of us, and Robson standing high above, it was a pretty epic snack spot. (Read about another epic climb we did to the tallest mountain in Slovenia!)

Home, sweet home

We arrived at our campground, Marmot, where we would stay for the evening. We went down to Berg Lake and pumped some more water into our bottles. There, across the water, was the giant, and utterly bewildering, Berg Glacier. We were pumping glacial water into our bottles. It doesn’t get much fresher than that! The glacier rumbled and groaned. Tremendous cracks, like thunder, echoed across the lake and through the valley. I stood on the shore of the lake, unable to move my legs, and felt my chest vibrate with the sound. Whoa.

We set up our perfect little tent, inflated our Thermarests and air pillows (I know, boujee), and began making dinner. Tonight we enjoyed Indian food! Lentil curry over rice. Nothing beats a hot meal after 22km of hiking.

Head over to my Instagram account to watch a video of our adventure!

Day two:

I slept well, considering the colossal cracking of the glacier continued through the night. This morning, we would cook some breakfast couscous. I prepared the mix at home by combining couscous, with cinnamon and sugar, and some dried fruit and nuts. I felt pretty fancy! But, like an idiot, I forgot to write down the ratio of couscous to water, so this morning we had to guess. After our breakfast of sweet couscous soup, we enjoyed tea and coffee down by the water. The bluebird, cloudless sky from yesterday, was now covered by a thick layer of clouds. The top of Robson hid behind them, and the glacier disappeared into the cover. After our lovely, lazy morning, we continued onto our next camp spot, at Adolphus Lake only 7km away.

Hey Bear!

We walked through forest, across gravel flats, through a swampy field, and yelled “HEY BEAR” the whole way. I love a good wildlife sighting, but I just wasn’t keen to cross paths with a bear today. We arrived at the campsite and set up our home. The whole reason we came to Adolphus lake, is so we could cross the provincial border back into Alberta, where, under the Jasper Parks rule, we could build a campfire. We went on a mini adventure around the lake, and on the way back to the camp, collected a bunch of firewood.

This evening, we had the place to ourselves. We built a big, beautiful fire and set up a couple of logs around it so we had a table and two chairs. We played dice! I kicked Michael’s ass. My achilles tendons were starting to fatigue after our long day yesterday. I took off my boots, held my feet to the fire, and massaged my calves a bit. The sun went down and we climbed into bed. Once our headlamps were off, it was pitch black. There was not a sound around us. Now this is private.

Day three:

When, I woke up this morning, and looked up to see the fly of the tent pushing on the inside walls. I put my hand up to push it off, and a HUGE layer of snow slid off the roof of our tent. I zipped open the door and stuck my head outside. Greeting me this morning was a thick, fluffy blanket of snow, coating the ground, hanging from the trees, covering our tent. It was still snowing. The magical flakes floating down were big and fluffy, and landed on the ground without a sound.

Our breakfast couscous was much less soupy this morning. We packed up some snacks in our little daypacks, hauled our food up into the bear hang, put our big backpacks in the tent, and left for an adventure! My achilles tendons were so tight as we started walking. I popped an Advil — extra strength — and hoped it would numb the pain.

A nice day hike

We hiked back to the BC side of the valley, and took a left towards Snowbird pass. The climb was difficult and my achilles were giving me such a difficult time. Then I had the thought, “they are ‘achilling’ me,” and I laughed. The clouds continued to move, and before we knew it, the valley was socked in. Our day trip to Snowbird ended with lunch just below the cloud line. We still had an epic view from our snack spot, looking out over the Snowbird glacier and down the whole valley from where we came. On the hike back down we saw mountain goats! They sat, high up on a sheer rock face, just hanging out, escaping the wind. Now that’s the kind of wildlife sighting I like — from afar!

Collecting wood for the fire

We continued our walk back to camp. On the way was a huge, dead tree, laying next to the path, with so many perfectly dry branches for a fire, so we began collecting some. I was able to balance a bunch of wood on my daypack, and Michael took a few armfuls. Here, I thought we were only a few hundred metres from camp. Turned out, we were over a kilometre away. I trudged through the mud and snow with an enormous bundle of wood, laughing at our premature firewood collecting.

Meeting new neighbours

We arrived back at our tent and met Andrea and Phillip, two folks from Edmonton who are on the last night of their eight day trek along the North Boundary Trail. They confessed we were the second couple they had seen on their entire journey, but it wasn’t hard to know; they couldn’t stop talking, telling us stories of what they had seen, the rivers they crossed, the meals they ate, the wildlife they ran into, the sunsets and sunrises they enjoyed. I was happy to be the first to hear it all!

Both Andrea and Philip, and Michael and I were enjoying our last night in the backcountry. My favourite thing about the last night of a big hiking trip is eating ALL THE FOOD you have left. We had such a feast — noodles, Indian food, miso soup, chocolate — and enjoyed the gigantic fire we built with all that wood. The snow began to fall, the wind picked up, and when the sun went down, we retired to our tents.

Day four:

We were up early this morning. Not as early as Andrea and Phillip, but early for us. I climbed out of the tent, and went to the bear hang to retrieve our food, then, I set up the stove and began cooking while Michael packed up our camp. Today the breakfast couscous was perfect. TOTALLY perfect! We enjoyed our breakfast and warm drinks under the skirt of a huge fir tree, staying out of the snow for as long as we could before hiking through it.

The path was covered in snow, thankfully, we could follow Andrea and Phillip’s footsteps to stay on the trail. My achilles are absolute hell today. I popped another few pills and tried my best to hike through the pain. We were only a few metres from the border of Alberta and BC, and across the path were fresh bear tracks. The tracks were on top of Andrea and Phillip’s, and oh, so perfectly clear. For me, this is the ultimate bear sighting.

Back to the truck….

We walked all the way to Berg Lake, where we stopped for a quick snack, and then continued on all the way to Whitehorn. Here, we stopped, took out the stove, and cooked up our last pack of noodles for lunch. A couple sat nearby and we chatted with them. They had also just come from a multi-day camping trip to Berg Lake. They looked to be in their 60s! I hope to continue to be as active as I age.

Finally, we arrived at Kinney Lake, and never did I ever think I’d be so happy to see that damn mountain bike again. The ride down was much easier than the ride up; my pack was lighter and much smaller, and I had the greatest motivator of all — desperation to get off this dang mountain! We flew down the hill, passing other hikers as we went. And then, lo and behold, passed Andrea and Phillip! Ok, now I understand why the bikes feel like cheating.

When we arrived at the truck, my face was speckled with mud, my achilles tendons were tight as can be, my shoulders were raw, my lungs exhausted, and the biggest, goofiest smile plastered across my face.

To read how to do the Berg Lake trail check this out!

Looking for more to do in the Rocky Mountains? Click here!

Head over to my Instagram account to watch a video of our adventure!

Asia, Travel Stories

A Magical Nighttime Scuba Dive

September 27, 2018 Beth 1 Comment

Gili Trawangan

We boated to Halik, a dive site Emma and I had not visited, just as the sun was setting. The water was calm, the air was warm, and the sky entertained us with bright pinks and oranges as the sun disappeared behind the horizon. By the time we arrived to the sight, the sun was gone, and the sky was dark. We had already completed the taxonomy dive, and the photography dive (where the photos in this post are from), and this was the third dive in our Advanced Dive course, the night dive. Emma and I were beside ourselves with excitement!

The night dive

We set up our BCs, did our buddy checks, each chose a flashlight, and did our backwards roll off the side of the boat, into the water. Our descent was eerie, with only our flashlights illuminating our surroundings. We were told to point the lights down, so we could see where we were going. We reached our diving depth and I looked around; it was pitch black. Without the flashlights, you’d have absolutely no idea where you were in regards to the ocean bottom, or even the surface!

Sea life

We each carried our own flashlight, six in total, and the lights brought the coral to life. Some divers couldn’t contain their excitement and flung their lights all over the place. I held up the rear, and scanned my light slowly and steadily over the reef below so I wouldn’t miss anything. Big sea slugs, a colossal sea cucumber, a blue and yellow moray eel, a huge lobster, even a sea turtle hanging out in a little cavern. We were instructed to not shine our lights on the sea life for too long, as to not blind them and lower their defences.

Up ahead, I saw our dive instructor’s light waving excitedly up into the open water. I looked up to where his torch was shining, and there was a shark! A nurse shark with white tips on its fin, maybe two metres long, swam over the reef, and as quickly as it arrived, disappeared into the black water. COOL! We continued along the reef. With my light in front, illuminating the way, I looked behind me into the total pitch blackness. Whoa. The ocean is a big place. Who knows what’s out there? I brought my light around to look behind me and illuminate the black. There, following curiously behind the group, a few metres away, the nurse shark! I jumped and screamed into my mask! I was startled. Being followed by a shark would do that to anyone!

The magic underwater

We settled down on a huge field of broken torches and our instructor had us turn our torches off. I deflated my BC completely and came to rest on my stomach. Emma effortlessly came down to rest next to me. All the lights were out, and you couldn’t see a darn thing — not even your own hand in front of your face! Then, next to me a burst of colour and light. Our instructor waved his hand in front of us, and tiny phosphorescent organisms illuminated the field. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. We waved our hands, kicked our legs, and were enthralled by the explosions of light. I lay on my back to look up at my flippers, kicking up the colours. I laughed, and a big bubble came out of my mask. The air moved quick enough that it stirred the water. I breathed out again, colour and light, sparkles and magic. I was euphoric. Tears filled my eyes as I kicked and danced in the water, surrounding myself with the splendour.

We arrived back at the boat, I passed my BC up to the team aboard, and climbed up to the deck. I lay down on the roof of the boat, next to Emma, staring up at a sky chalk-full of stars, and cried.

Read about some of the Indonesian adventures I had on dry land! Check this out!

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Europe, Travel Stories, Travel Tips

The Ultimate Slovenia Itinerary

September 3, 2018 Beth 1 Comment

Spending Ten Days in Slovenia

When we drove into Slovenia, I really had no idea what to expect. Before we arrived, I had to look up “best places to go in Slovenia” and I only found the beautiful blue Soča river and the quaint little capital city, Ljubljana. Turns out, there are SO MANY other things to do in Slovenia! We began our ten day road trip in Triglav National Park, named for the highest mountain in the country, Triglav. The national park boasts beautiful mountain peaks, stunning mountain valleys, and all the beauty that goes along with such a landscape. Here, you will find hiking, climbing, epic waterfalls, and of course, the intensely blue and crystal clear Soča river!

There is so much to see and do in Slovenia, I made a list to help narrow it down, make it easier to plan, and inspire a little wanderlust! Here is the ultimate itinerary for a road trip through Slovenia:

Day one:

Try an extreme sport!

Among the best places to go in Slovenia, Bovec, I would say, is the capital of extreme activities, and the best place to begin adventures in the Soča river valley. There are so many companies in Bovec offering white water rafting, caving, canyoning, paragliding, and zip-lining excursions. We opted for a white water rafting trip with the company based out of a hostel, Hostel Soča Rocks*. Here, we found a white water rafting trip at a very reasonable €41, and the company runs the trip twice a day, so there is plenty of room and availability!

*I am not in any way affiliated with this tour company

Day two:

DO go chasing waterfalls!

With so many mountains, and clear, natural springs around every corner, it is not hard to find a waterfall. As you leave Bovec, south on the 203, you will see signs for Slap Boka (in Slovenian, the word for waterfall is ‘slap’). You can park on the side of the road, and take a quick 30 minute walk up through a forest, to the lookout point. The view might take your breath away!

Next, continue your drive along the 203, through the quaint village of Zaga and Sprenica, and take the exit for Kobarid. Here, you will cross over Napolean’s bridge, a beautiful, and super Instagrammable bridge, and find parking for Slap Kozjak. A 45 minute walk through yet another, beautiful forest, will bring you to the very cool lookout point of the waterfall in a cave!

Pro Tip: One of the best things to do in Slovenia is any time you see a sign that says ‘slap’ just pull over and check it out!

Day three:

Wander the boardwalks of the Tolmin Gorge and enjoy a Slovenian beer by the Soča river.

Through the town of Tolmin, past the fields, and up into the mountain valley, you will find the Tolmin gorge. Entry is €5, and well worth it. The boardwalk takes you along the river, and then turned into steps up along the cliffs. We had beautiful views, both from down next to the water’s edge, and from high above the river. The water is crystal clear, and the rocks are covered in moss and lush, green, leafy plants. It’s really something else.

After the gorge, head down across the river to the restaurant Labrca. Here, you can enjoy a Slovenian beer – it’s a must on the list of things to do in Slovenia! There are two major breweries in Slovenia, Laško and Union. They are very similar, but Laško is a bit stronger. When deciding which one to drink, we were told to think of how many you want. If you are just going to enjoy 1 or 2 beers, choose Laško. If you want to drink 3 or more, choose Union. Your body will thank you in the morning.

Day four:

Do a wine tasting in Brda wine country.

I bet you didn’t know Slovenia has a beautiful wine country! This is a surprise on the list of things to do in Slovenia! The Brda countryside is home to remarkable wines, and delectable cherries. In Dobrovo, you will find Klet Brda, the largest winery in Slovenia. You can do a self-led wine tasting for €12, and have a chance to taste ten of their wines! Read a story about this, the best wine tasting ever, here!

Day five:

Don’t forget about the quaintest capital city in Europe!

From Dobrovo to Ljubljana, the drive is about an hour and a half. There is no doubt, that this little capital city is among the best places to go in Slovenia. There is so much to see and do in Ljubljana, but of course, the best way to start your day in any city, is with a free walking tour! To read about my favourite things to do with only a day in Ljubljana, here!

Day six:

Go to Lake Bled, as beautiful as it is touristy.

Yes, Lake Bled is touristy. Yes, you will spend your time there walking next to large groups of other travellers from all over the world. Yes, there is a casino on the waterfront. But, you know what? There is a reason it is so busy, and that reason is because it is so spectacularly beautiful, and easily one of the best places to go in Slovenia. Any place that is so touristy is a bit more expensive, but I was successful in remaining a cheapskate while I was there. Read about our perfect day in Bled here!

Day seven and eight:

Climb to the summit of Triglav

One of the top things to do in Slovenia, according to the Prime Minister of Slovenia himself, is to climb the highest mountain in the country, Triglav. He has said that it is the duty of every Slovenian to complete the hike and reach the summit. With an altitude of 2863m, the trip requires two or three days (one if you are a seasoned trail runner), with an evening spent in one of the mountain refuge huts! There are a number of trails you can take up to the summit, some are easier than others, some are more scenic with better views, but all lead to the same place: the top! Read about how I got to the top of Triglav here!

Day nine and ten:

Go to the way less touristy and unimaginably beautiful Lake Bohinj.

Only a 45 minute drive away from Bled is the much quieter Lake Bohinj, less touristy, but still one of the best places to go in Slovenia. Here, you will find a much more wild lake, with way less people. There is a walking trail around the perimeter of the lake, and unlike Lake Bled, there will be very few people on it with you. You can also visit the waterfalls in the area, go up the Vogel gondola, or rent a canoe and paddle around the lake (In Ukanc, at the campground, you can rent a canoe for only €9 an hour!).

So there you go, the ultimate list of things to do in Slovenia! Let me know below if you have comments or questions, and if you like this post, go ahead and share it!

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Driving through the Dolomites next? Check out one of my fave spots here!

Europe, Travel Stories, Travel Tips

Three Days in the Isle of Skye

August 1, 2018 Beth Leave a comment

Day one:

The Fairy Pools and Wild Camping

The Isle of Skye is a beautiful and rugged island off the west coast of mainland Scotland. For many years, it was only accessible by ferry, but in 1992 a huge bridge was built that connects the island to the mainland. We filled the gas tank of our tiny blue rental car, and drove from Fort William to the bridge, and then over the sea to Skye. The Isle of Skye is chalk-full of spectacular and totally stunning natural phenomena and, what’s more, it’s not very big which makes it easy to get around!

The Fairy Pools

We arrived on the island in the late afternoon, and drove straight to the Fairy Pools in the southwest part of the island. In the bottom of a big, wide, and very beautiful munro valley, a small river of water has cut through the ground. The water carved away at the rock and formed multiple waterfalls and swimmable pools. They are aptly named “The Fairy Pools” and truly, this is a spot where I imagine Fairies come to frolic and play when all the humans are gone. We arrived in the early evening, and while the sun was still out, we wandered down the path, and followed the water upstream to where the waterfalls were. The site wasn’t too busy, but I think it was due to the time of day. I imagine between noon and 5pm, this place is super busy with folks soaking up the magic. We sat by the water, and watched the sky change colours as the sunset. When the sun was gone, we walked back to the car.

Wild Camping in Skye

In Scotland, one has the Right to Roam, which allows one to set up their tent and camp almost anywhere in the country for one or two nights. Our first night on Skye would be spent next to the pools. We found a lovely, foresty spot near the pools and set up our tent. There were a few little flying bugs around, but we weren’t too bothered by them. Then a few turned into a bajillion little flying bugs, and they began swarming and biting! Midges! The bane of any Isle of Skye camper’s existence. They are teensy little flies that swarm and bite and are maybe the most annoying thing one can come across. We escaped to the safety of our tent and prayed they would be gone in the morning. Here’s hoping!

Day two:

Neist Point, the Fairy Glen, and our Oceanside Campsite

After a quick peanut butter and apple breakfast (enjoyed while sitting in the car in an attempt to avoid the midges that clearly weren’t gone by morning), we visited the Fairy Pools again, how could we not? We walk up to the waterfalls and soaked in the magic before walking back to the car and hitting the road.

Neist Point

On the most western part of the island is the Neist Point lighthouse. Built over 100 years ago, the lighthouse sits on a terribly rugged and rocky cliff-top, and looks out over the beautiful coastline of Skye, and the causeway between it and the isles nearby. Talk about an epic view. We parked the car, said hello to the grazing cows nearby, and waked the few hundred metres to where the path starts. I couldn’t help but notice all the wild campers tearing down their sites from the night before. Now this would be an epic spot to wake up at! We came to the edge of the cliff and my jaw dropped. From where we stood, past the jagged and treacherous cliffs, we could see the lighthouse. Wow. We walked along the path that took us up to the top of the cliff nearby, and we sat up there for a while, speechless. We looked out over the deep blue water, scouring the surface for signs of whales or dolphins, but none graced us with their presence.

The Fairy Glen

Back to the car, and back on the road. Our next stop? The Fairy Glen of Uig (pronounced ooo-ig), in the northeast of the island. We parked behind a few other cars stopped on the side of the road, and climbed the closest hill. The Fairy Glen is another mystical spot in Skye. Numerous hills pop up from the ground and create a rippling and rolling landscape. The hills, while not high, are surprisingly steep and very close together. At the top of a hill, we could look out and see the landscape, busy with other tourists wandering around the site. When we walked back down, we found ourselves in narrow dells (the small space between the hills), with nobody around. In one flat spot, we found a fairy spiral made out of rocks. This is how you greet the fairies! We found the outermost part of the spiral and entered the maze-like structure. We followed the path round and around, until we reached the very middle of the spiral. Here, is where you gift the fairies with something shiny or special, and make a wish! Piled in the middle were coins from all over the world, bracelets and rings, and perfect little seashells. I regretted leaving my wallet in the car, and put my hands in my jacket pockets, hoping to find something. Lo and behold, my fingers were happy to find the green rock with chunks of quartz I picked up from a river in Chur, Switzerland (haven’t worn this jacket in a while…)! I placed the rock on the pile and closed my eyes to make a wish. “Nice to meet you, fairies,” I thought.

Sleeping Oceanside

We drove north on the highway, enjoying the rolling hills surrounding us. The highway took us through farm fields, and past quaint villages, until it spit us out right next to the water. We found a wee pullout with a picnic table and a super flat spot, perfect for a tent. We set up our camp, and boiled a cup of tea each. We sat, drinking our tea, looking out over the causeway and across to the Western Isles. Anywhere else in the world, a camp spot with a view like this would cost money, and you definitely wouldn’t be the only ones there. But there we were with the place to ourselves. We were happy with the view, but the best part was probably the slight breeze blowing in from the water. Slight breeze means no midges! It doesn’t get much better than this.

Day three:

The Isle of Skye Brewery, the Quirang, the Old Man of Storr, and a Rainy Evening

We woke up to the soothing sounds of the ocean. The slight breeze remained through the night and into this morning, which meant there were still no midges about. Woohoo! We jumped in the car and drove back south, back to Uig.

Isle of Skye Brewery

The Isle of Skye Brewery is a small and traditional brewery right in Uig. At the moment, they don’t offer tastings, but in the next year they hope to acquire the right licence, and begin offering tours that end with a tasting. We visited the shop and were given so much information about the tasting notes of each beer, I didn’t need to actually taste any before buying the ones I knew I would love. We bought the Black, the Blaven, the Red, and the Tarasgeir. We nestled them in the ice in the cooler in the boot of the car. We will save them for later!

The Quirang

We drove into the Quirang and parked the car. The main hike began right from the main carpark, and took us up into the hills. There wasn’t a single moment along the entire hike that the view stopped being stunning. We looked down the south coast of the isle, and when we turned the corner, could see the entire north coast. The rock formations along the trail are jagged and epic, and the view never gets old. The whole loop is about 7km and took us about three hours to complete.

Old Man of Storr

Our next stop was to another famous rock formation, the Old Man of Storr. We parked on the road and began the walk up. It was a short walk, but quite steep in some places, and with lots of loose rocks, we had to be careful of where we stepped. The site wasn’t too busy, because the weather wasn’t very nice, but I imagine this place is teeming with people when the sun is out. We reached the top, the perfect viewpoint of the rocks, and wow, it’s almost supernatural. The rocks were carved by glaciers melting, and look like they are precariously balanced on the side of a hill. It really is something else. Again, from up top, we could see the south east coast of Skye, and the other isle in the distance. What an amazing horizon!

A Rainy Evening

We drove into Portree, the main settlement on the island, and found the public pool. Here, we paid a few pounds for a shower. There is nothing quite like a hot shower, and after living in a van for ten months, I can honestly say I will never get over it. After we were both squeaky clean, we took our tiny blue car to another perfect camping spot. We found a little road turn off and set up the tent right on the edge of a cliff overlooking the water. The sky threatened rain, so we set up the tarp from the car to the tent, and created a little dry spot between the two where we could cook dinner and enjoy our Isle of Skye Brewery beers!

Visit the Isle of Skye!

Our three days and three nights on the Isle of Skye were unforgettable. It boasts epic walks, beautiful views, and some of the most spectacular coastline I’ve ever seen. It is easy to get around too, so you don’t need too much time to see a lot of it. That being said, I could have stayed another week, driving, discovering, and wild camping in magnificent spots.

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Europe, Travel Stories

Singing at Bearpit Karaoke in Berlin

July 29, 2018 Beth 1 Comment

The Bearpit

A magical thing happens at 3pm on summer Sundays in Berlin, Germany. In Mauerpark, one of the many public parks in the city, in the amphitheatre aptly nicknamed “the Bearpit” a man named Joe puts on Bearpit Karaoke the most epic karaoke afternoon you’ll ever see. The Bearpit amphiteatre sits as many as 2000 people and there are always folks standing at the back, around the sides, and all the way around the platform at the front that acts as the stage. Joe provides the speakers, the computer, the microphone, and acts as the enthusiastic and incredibly supportive emcee.

I discovered Bearpit karaoke last year when we visited Berlin the first time. We sat and watched and laughed and sang-a-long for a few hours. I said to Michael, “I want to perform!” We agreed we would come back the following Sunday and I would try my hand in the Bearpit. Cut to the following Sunday (the day after the pride parade), and we were too hungover to get out of bed! I was so upset, but knew that the next time we were in Berlin, I would finally have my chance.

“I want to sing”

That brings us to July 8, 2018. Michael and I squeezed into the seats of the Bearpit, and awaited Joe’s arrival. When he did arrive, he set up the stage, and sang Copa Cabana to get the crowd warmed up. He reminded the audience that this gig costs money, and he sent a pot around to collect donations. One at a time, people’s hands shot up in the air and he selected people from the crowd to come perform. There is no list here, no sign up sheet. To perform you just have to be chosen! Each time a singer finished, I threw my hand up in the air, hopeful he would see me. Michael suggested I just go over to him and tell him I want to sing. So, I did! I put €5 in his donation pot and said, “I want to sing.” He laughed and asked what I want to sing. I told him my song and where I was sitting, and he nodded.

Introductions…

After the guy who sang “Hit the Road Jack” by Ray Charles, it was my turn! Joe pointed at me and I made my way down to the stage. While he queued up the song he asked me a few questions: What’s your name? Where are you from? How long are you in Berlin? I answered each one and then told him I was here last year and didn’t get a chance to sing, so now I’m back. He asked if I went to Canada and then came back. I answered, “No, I’ve been traveling around Europe in a van for the year!” “You’ve been living in a van for a year?! By yourself?!” he asked. I shook my head, no, and said, “no, with my lover.” The crowd burst out laughing. I pointed to Michael in the crowd. Joe told him to stand up! He did, then he waved and the crowd erupted with applause!

Bearpit Karaoke

My song

The song was ready. Joe said, “Ok, Beth from Canada, ready?” and handed me the microphone. I remember when I was a kid, nervous to perform, my singing teacher would say, “butterflies in your stomach are good, as long as they are flying in formation.” I smiled. My song began, “Somebody to Love” by Queen. Of course, my voice shook the first few lines! I was standing on a stage, just me, a microphone, and 2000 people! I looked over at Michael, who was smiling bigger than I’ve ever seen. I forced those butterflies to fly in formation, and I channeled the only person who could possibly help me get through this song: Freddie Mercury.

It’s all a bit blurry.

I remember belting out, “I get down on my knees, and I start to pray, ‘till the tears run down from my EYES!!!!” I remember when the instrumental began, I grabbed my air guitar and played it like I’ve never played it before. I remember during the chant, “find me somebody to love” I got the audience to join in! I killed that final note, and the audience stood up and broke into thunderous applause. I somehow managed to stay standing on my gelatine legs, my heart pounded in my chest, tears stung my eyes. I just stood and looked at the people in front of me. Then I curtseyed…weird choice.

Today I learned…

Today I learned what people mean when they say, “I can’t even” because I just can’t. It was such a rush to be up there, to finally have the chance to sing my favourite song in front of this incredible crowd. I stood watching the people at the end, and filed it away into my memories. I never want to forget the feeling of all those shiny, happy faces, beaming down at me, cheering and hollering.

Bearpit Karaoke

Wow.

Check out the Bearpit karaoke facebook page here!

Looking for more things to do in Berlin? Look no further, check this out!

Europe, Travel Stories

Hiking up the Triglav in Slovenia

July 19, 2018 Beth 3 Comments

Day one:

To Uskovnica Hut

We were up at 6am that morning. My body begged me not to leave the bed, but I had to ignore it. This was the day that we would summit Mount Triglav, the highest mountain in Slovenia. Triglav in Slovenian means ‘three heads’ and the biggest ‘head’ has a peak that stands at 2,864m. Triglav wouldn’t be the tallest mountain I’d ever stood on, but considering our hike would begin at 526m, it would be the greatest altitude gain I’d ever hiked. Summiting Triglav is a rite of passage in Slovenia. It is said that one isn’t a true Slovenian until he/she reaches the peak. When we heard this, we knew we had to do it.

The bus that would take us from where we slept in the van to the trailhead didn’t start running until 9:30am and so, knowing that our day had to begin much earlier than that, we rode our bicycles 7km to the trailhead. We locked them up at Hudičev Most or Devil’s Bridge, which is a commonly used name for bridges in Slovenia that cross highly dangerous water (seriously, look it up), and hit the path. Gosh, it was boring. We hiked straight up and up and up, through thick forest. There were no beautiful valley views and no stunning vistas, just the occasional spiderweb that got caught on my face. After two hours of this, we arrived at our first stop of the day, the Uskovnica mountain hut. We took our bags off our backs, sat at a picnic table, and shared an apple with some nutella while we stretched our ankles. Ok, two hours down…

To Vodnikov Dom

The hike up continued. Dang, we gained a lot of altitude! Finally, after what seemed like forever, we cleared the trees and could see the view. From where we stood, we could see Bohinj Lake, where we started our day. We stopped for some water and a piece of chocolate… gotta keep that energy up! We walked along a cliff for a few more hours. We came to a big climb, and as we hiked up, the sweat began to drip. The sun was shining right on us, and was unforgiving. Just then, a couple of trail runners ran by. Carrying nothing but water on their backs, they scaled the hill like it was nothing, which made me feel ridiculous for sweating and panting like a dog. Michael assured me I was doing well, and his words of encouragement gave me the energy I needed to push through to the next stop, the Vodnikov Dom mountain hut. Again, we sat at a picnic table outside and had a snack — wraps with tuna and cucumber! From where we sat, we could see the final stop, the Kredarica hut, where we would sleep this evening. It looked so far away. If my legs could guffaw, they would have at the mere idea of climbing up to that hut. We filled our water bottles from the spring nearby and hit the trail. One. Last. Push.

To Kredarica Hut

Somehow, I didn’t collapse. Somehow, I didn’t stop. Somehow, my legs continued to step one foot in front of the other, and climb. We carefully crossed steep ice and snow patches that blocked the path and scrambled up loose scree. When we finally reached the top, I could have cried! My legs ached, my back burned, my feet were tight, and I yearned to sit down. One thing I love about hiking in Europe are the mountain huts. In Canada, you arrive to the backcountry cabin and have to build a fire, boil water, cook the food you brought. Not in Europe. Here we were, at 2,515m, and they were serving cold beer! Other hikers gathered around on the picnic tables, looking a lot less tired than us. We hiked 24km, gained 1,989m of elevation. We sat down and sparked up a conversation with Sarah and Jordan, from Pennsylvania, USA. We were all exhausted and loopy, and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s tired hilarity. We laughed so much. I’m not even sure that what we were saying was funny, but we were so tired it didn’t matter. At 8pm, we retired to the dorm beds and I was out like a light.

Day two:

I woke up at 4am when another hiker in the dorm room began rustling his clothes and preparing for his day. I’m sorry, 4am?! Through sleep-crusted eyes, watched him don his warm hiking layers, grab his poles, and head out the door. I lay in bed, looking out the window at the fog-covered Triglav. You should have heard the pep talk I was giving myself! I could have done anything after words of encouragement like those! At 5:30am, Michael woke up and rolled over. “What do you want to do today?” I asked. He smiled and said, “Let’s climb a mountain!”

The summit

We ate our breakfast at a picnic table on the deck, and watched as the clouds danced around the summit. At 6am, we were ready to go. We put on our helmets, harnesses, and checked our gear. The last 875m of this hike was a via ferrata with steel cables to clip our carabiners onto. Let’s do it! The first five minutes were the hardest. My body was stiff and cold and I was out of breath quite quickly. We had to climb up Kleiner Triglav (the smallest head of the mountain), walk across a skinny rock path, and then climb the rest of the way to the peak. I felt like I had three points of contact with the rock at all times; my hands were doing just as much work as my feet! We reached the top of the little head, and then came to the narrow walkway. This is the perfect example of when someone should say “don’t look down.” On both sides of the path were sheer drops of ice and rock. I can’t tell you more about them, because I took my own advice and kept my head up.

We climbed up the big head and reached the top of Triglav. We did it! We stood on top of Slovenia. It’s an incredible feeling, standing on top of a mountain that towers over everything around you. I felt huge and tiny, like I could laugh and cry, all at the same time. In the far distance, we could see Grossglockner, the highest mountain in Austria. It stands at 3798m, which dwarfs Triglav, and was the only peak we could see above the clouds in the west. Sarah and Jordan soon arrived at the top, too. We took turns taking photos for each other and sharing our thoughts on the ascent. Sarah confessed she is afraid of heights, so I was wildly impressed that she made it up to the top! I stood on the edge, wrapped my arm around Michael’s waist, and soaked in the view. What an extraordinary moment.

Then we saw wildlife!

Then I remembered the hike we have today and the moment was over. We climbed back down to the hut and arrived at about 8am. Michael bought an espresso and we sat to enjoy the view for a moment before heading down. We scrambled back down the scree and back across the steep ice and snow patches that blocked the path. We saw a marmot! Oh my gosh, I’ve never seen one so close. They are dang cute! Then, buzzing from our wildlife high, we turned the corner, and standing on the path in front of us was a zlatorog (a Slovenian mountain goat)! It was totally startled and bounded up the side of the hill into the trees. Woah! Two wildlife sightings in two minutes! That’s gotta be a record.

Hiking back down

We walked past Vodnikov and stopped briefly only to fill our water bottles. Then we arrived at a fork in the road. If we continued straight, we would take the same path down as we took yesterday coming up. If we turned right, we would walk along a totally new path! We chose the latter, hopeful for some new views. We hiked and hiked, down and down, through a thick and totally whimsical forest. We may not have had the views we hoped for, but I did see about a million butterflies! We sat on a big boulder for lunch, and while we ate, we watched the ants working hard on the ground, the busy bees buzzing around, and the butterflies fluttering by. I looked at my watch. We left the hut four hours ago. I looked at the map. We have only gone halfway. Holy moly, we’ll be hiking forever!

Out of the mountains

Down and down and down we went, until we reached a meadow with a few old buildings. It didn’t look familiar, but I took it as a good sign that we must be close to Devil’s Bridge. We followed the trail and walked along a dirt road that cut a field of tall grass right down the middle. A horsefly landed on my arm and I wiped it off. Another buzzed near my ear, so I whacked it away. Then another flew close to my face. I waved my arms and shrieked like a child. I looked at Michael and he too was swatting at big black flies. AHHHHHHHHH! We began to run! We ran as fast as our desperately drained legs could. We swatted at the air around our bodies. My pony tail did what a pony’s tail ought to do, and kept the flies away from my head. We ran through Hell’s Meadow (as I so aptly nicknamed it), and returned to a forested path. No more flies. Breathless, sweaty, and absolutely exhausted, I burst out laughing.

I think this was around the time we started brainstorming, nay, daydreaming about what we would have for dinner. The discussion began: We should definitely barbecue. Maybe burgers? No, too much work. We could just do rice or pasta. No, we should cook outside. Oh, let’s buy cold beer. Yes. Definitely cold beer. A few minutes of silent thought. I wanted pizza. Can you barbecue a pizza? Can you just buy a frozen pizza and put it on a grill? That would probably burn the bottom. A few more minutes of silent thought. Maybe we could wrap it in tinfoil? That would probably melt the cheese on top. Mmmmm, cheese. Oh my gosh, let’s add extra cheese! And meat! More silence. We could buy two frozen pizzas and put one on top of the other. Like a pizza sandwich! We could have a barbecued pizza sandwich! This will work.

Then we got lost

We walked and dreamed and planned until we didn’t know where we were. We started passing people walking the other way, which was a good sign, but didn’t know how far it was until our bicycles. Two young women joined us on the trail. I stopped them and asked if they speak English. They do! Alana and Katrine from Germany. They spent the afternoon at the waterfall nearby and were now walking back to their car. They invited us to follow them, so we did. To be honest, it was at this point I turned my brain off. I mindlessly followed these two German strangers, and would have followed them anywhere really. I was so ready to be done walking. We passed the time with them with conversation about our hike up Triglav, about their trip through Slovenia, and about Michael and my epic road trip the last ten months! And then, like a beacon, a parking sign appeared through the trees. It pointed us down a path, and on this path we found Devil’s Bridge and our bicycles! Oh my gosh, we still have a 7km bike ride!

After a quick stop at the tourist info centre to drop off our rented via ferrata gear, and an even quicker stop at the supermarket to buy cold beer and two frozen pizzas — yes, we are making a barbecued pizza sandwich, this is really happening — we cycled the rest of the way around the lake and arrived at the van. Faster than you can say “don’t forget the beers,” we were changed into our swimsuits, had the barbecue coals ready, the food in a bag, and the cooler in hand. We walked from the van to the edge of the water, placed everything on the ground, and dove right in.

We walked 24km on the first day, and a total of 27km on day two. There are easier ways to get up to the summit of Triglav; Sarah and Jordan started from Krma and it took them only 4 hours. Why we chose the long way? I’m still not sure. Would I do it again? Probably not. Am I glad I did it? I’ve never been prouder of my body.

Did the barbecued pizza sandwich work? Abso-fucking-lutely.

Looking for more things to do in Slovenia? Click here!

We also did a via ferrata in Spain! Read about it here!

Europe, Travel Stories, Travel Tips

Spending the Day in Ljubljana, Slovenia

July 9, 2018 Beth 2 Comments

You know Paris, Berlin, and Madrid. They are the big, metropolitan, European capital cities, that probably take up 75% of travel posts on Pinterest. They are the well known cities, the top travel destinations, the ‘bucket list’ vacation spots. But, there is a European capital city you may have not heard of. I know I hadn’t. And now I know, that the quaintest, most walkable capital city I’ve ever been to, is Ljubljana, Slovenia.

We enjoyed the perfect day in Ljubljana, and here are my top six things to do in the quaintest capital city in Europe:

1) A free walking tour!

I am such a huge advocate for free walking tours. It is absolutely the best way to see a city, learn a bit about the culture and history, and to get a local’s suggestions for things to do and places to eat. We chose to go with Ljubljana Free Tour (website here). We met in front of the bigm pink church in Prešeren Square. Our guide took us around for about two hours, to the different sites, points of interest, and best photo opportunities in the city.

2. For a coffee or an afternoon drink, go to Pritličje (don’t ask me how to pronounce it…)

For a trendy, super hip break from your day, head here for a coffee, a beer, or a fresh juice. With a shopfront right on one of the main shopping streets, Pritličje boasts an openly welcoming space for people of all sexualities, and identities. I am so happy that such an inclusive cafe thrives here, just two doors down from City Hall.

3. Try a piece of local cake.

Pardon the fact it’s half eaten. It was just so tasty!

After a two hour walking tour, you’ll be ready for a sweet little break. It’s the perfect opportunity to try a slice of the local cake, Prekmurska Gibanica. The cake is a layered pastry made of walnuts, poppy seeds, apples, raisins, and cottage cheese. There is a lot going on with this cake, and oh, boy, it’s is ALL right. We had a slice from Gujžina Prekmurska Gostilna. It was €3.50 for a slice to go, and €4.50 to eat it at a table. We chose to have ours to go, and enjoyed it on the steps of the city hall nearby.

4. Drink a beer!

Slovenia has two major beer brands, Laško and Union. They are very similar, but Laško is a bit stronger. When deciding which one to drink, we were told to think of how many you want. If you are just going to enjoy 1 or 2 beers, choose Laško. If you want to drink 3 or more, choose Union. Your body will thank you in the morning.

5. Wander through the open market.

In a big open square in the middle of the city, is the open market. Here, local farmers come and set up their tables to sell fresh fruit and vegetables from their farms. The market happens every day of the week, except Sundays, and is the perfect place to procure an incredible picnic. And, keep a sharp eye, for the Prime Minister of Slovenia is often seen perusing the stalls too!

6. For dinner? Eat a delicious meal, and support a noble restaurant.

We went to Druga Violina for dinner. The restaurant is known for its large portions, reasonable prices, and for employing people with special needs. Here, we enjoyed the Slovenian sampler plate for two people to share. It was €28, and probably the most expensive thing on the menu, but well worth it. The food was delicious, and we had the opportunity to taste ten or so different local specialties. If you go here around 7pm, prepare for a wait. We arrived just after 7pm, and waited for about 45 minutes. Our table was on the patio, and we enjoyed some wonderful people watching as we enjoyed our meal.

Slovenia, Travel Stories, Travel Tips, Uncategorized

At a Wine Tasting in Slovenia

July 5, 2018 Beth Leave a comment

After a few epic days, hiking, white water rafting, and waterfall chasing in the Triglav National park, we decided we wanted to see a totally different side of Slovenia. We hit the road, and drove down south, to wine country! Wine country? In Slovenia? “But I’ve never had a Slovenian wine,” you’re thinking. I know! Me neither! Turns out, they make wine, and the grapes are grown on beautiful rolling hills, very Tuscan-esque. We arrived in Dobrovo, an incredibly quaint little village, and home to the largest winery in Slovenia, Klet Brda. We quickly found it, and parked the van in front.

Inside, we went to the little shop and asked about the wine tasting. The young lady who worked was so nice. She explained that the tasting costs €12, and it is self led. That meant, she would give us a bit of an overview of the winery and its history, give us the tasting notes for each wine, and then let us try the wines at our own pace. She said people often stay for an hour or hour and a half! Sounds like a pretty good deal! We followed her into the tasting room. In the banquet room next door, through a temporary wall, we could hear the chatter of some kind of party, but our tasting room was completely empty. The lady gave us a brief history of the winery, the names of the various grapes, wines, and some of the techniques used. She handed us the tasting notes for each wine, and told us that all ten wines are for sale in the store. Wait a minute. Ten wines? She smiled and left the room. We found ourselves in the tasting room, on our own, just Michael, me, and ten wines to taste. Ohhhh dear.

We started with the two sparkling wines, served straight out of the bottle. We sat near the big, picture windows, and looked out over the rolling Slovenian hills. Gosh, this countryside is stunning, and so, SO different than the mountainous, rocky, and extreme Triglav National Park from where we just came. As we tasted the sparkling wines, the party in the banquet room next door, sang a Slovenian drinking song and cheers’d! We joined them in raising our glasses and cheers’d each other.

We moved onto the whites, the six whites (!), that were served from a machine. Each bottle was connected to two buttons with an icon next to each button — one was a half full wine glass, and one was a full wine glass. You can guess which button we chose. We pressed the full wine glass button once, twice, three times. We read the tasting notes of each wine, and half pretended to follow along. I have never been that good at tasting the notes and nuances in a wine, and today was no different. Sure, after I read notes that the wine smells like kiwis and tastes like wood, the wine smells and tastes just so, but until I read it, it really just smells and tastes like wine. Every time someone walked through the room, to go to the banquet room, or through to the wine shop, we stuck our noses deep into the glasses and rambled on about tannins, the subtleties, and the tones.

By the time we moved onto the reds, again served in bottles, we were happily pouring very healthy portions. The first red was delicious, and I opted for a second ‘taste’ before moving onto the last wine. We thought those who spent an hour and a half in that tasting room must be crazy people, but, there we were, two and a half hours later, stumbling into the wine shop.

We paid for our tasting, and bought a few big bottles of our favourite wines. We left the winery, and went back to the van. We knew that after that much wine, neither of us could drive, so we went for a hilarious, drunken stumble around the vineyards.

We arrived back to the van after an hour or so. There was a big parking lot across the road from the winery, and it looked flat enough, like a decent place to sleep. So, because neither of us was fit to drive, we pushed the van across the road into our perfect little parking spot. The beauty of having your bed with you at all times is that after having way too much wine, you can just fall right into it. Thanks for the epic wine tasting, Slovenia!