Pembrokeshire

April 30, 2023April 29, 2023 ~ Cat ~ Leave a comment

2020 was certainly a year like no other, and forced me to look closer to home for holidays. During the summer, I’d booked a glamping pod on a farm on the Pembrokeshire coast for 3 days in late November. As autumn progressed and things got worse with the pandemic, I’d resigned myself to not being able to go. As it turned out, there was a short window here in Wales where we were able to travel. And so it was that I set out on a beautiful, crisp, late November morning from Cardiff, and a couple of hours later I stopped for a packed lunch on the beach at Newgale.

After lunch I headed a few minutes down the road to Solva and had a brief wander to the lime kilns, before hopping back in the car and carrying on to the small city of St David’s. I visited the cathedral (hence it being a city) as well as the ruins of the Bishop’s Palace.

After a very short walk around the town, I then headed approximately 10 minutes up the road to the farm where my pod was located, in the hamlet of Square and Compass (such a great name!). Whilst it looked as though there were hookups for caravans, there was no one else staying, and so it was a blissfully peaceful few days. The pod was super-cute, and you could just about glimpse the sea from the front decking.

I’d planned myself a little itinerary, and so the next morning, after making a packed lunch, I headed back to St David’s and across to Caerfai Bay. After a walk down to the beach, where I was the only person, I then set off west on the coastal path and arrived at St Non’s Chapel and Well.

It was a glorious late autumn day, and I carried on along the path to Porthclais Harbour, where I found myself a sheltered spot on the harbour wall for lunch.

After lunch I retraced my steps back along the coastal path, back to Caerfai Bay and my car. I then drove back through St David’s and out to Whitesands Bay. A lovely, sweeping bay, which looked evocative in the setting sun on a winters afternoon. I had a walk to the north of the bay, towards Porthmelgan Beach, and back again, before calling it a day and heading back to my little pod.

The next day it was a short drive in the other direction, to Aberreiddy Beach and the Blue Lagoon, a remnant from this area’s slate mining past. I was so fortunate with the weather, which really highlighted the blue of the Blue Lagoon. I then walked north along the coastal path to Porthgain. This part of the walk was spectacular, hugging the cliffs, and with a couple of detours down to secluded bays.

Porthgain Harbour; the Blue Lagoon; along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path

I arrived in Porthgain at lunchtime and found a picnic bench for my packed lunch, before making the return trip along the coastal path. I then drove to Fishguard (somewhere I’d return to when going to Ireland in 2022), before returning to my pod for a relaxing evening with wine and S1 of Ted Lasso.

This part of Wales is stunningly beautiful and I was so lucky with the weather in November and the ability to travel more than 5 miles from my home during the dark days of the pandemic. I really do recommend it.

Mexico City Stopover

March 5, 2022March 5, 2022 ~ Cat ~ Leave a comment

On my way back from Cuba, I had a 3 day stopover in Mexico City – as I had a layover there anyway, I figured I might as well spend a couple of days there.

Mexico City, Ciudad de Mexico also stylised as CDMX, is the largest city in North America and is also at altitude – over 7,300 feet, which I hadn’t realised beforehand. The city is in a basin and surrounded by peaks and volcanoes which makes for an interesting descent into the airport.

I had arrived from Cuba in the early evening. I was staying at an Ibis Styles in Zona Rosa district. After a brief wander and a McDonalds (ordered in my faltering Spanish), I had an early night as I had an early start the following day for a guided tour around some of the main sights in the centre of the city.

I was met at the hotel by my guides and we took a local bus and then the Metro to the historic centre of Mexico City. We emerged from the metro onto the Zocalo, the main plaza in Mexico City. We visited the Templo Mayor and its museum which contains heaps of artefacts from the excavation of the site, and lots of history on the Mexica peoples. We popped into the cathedral briefly as mass was taking place, and then walked through the streets towards the Palacio de belles artes (Palace of Fine Arts) and Alameda Park. The trees all around the city had this gorgeous purple blossom (I visited in March 2019).

Cathedral; Beautiful blossom in Alameda Park

We then had authentic Mexican tacos for lunch (delicious) and visited Diego Rivera’s famous mural before heading to San Juan market to try some (less delicious) local delicacies including grasshoppers and ants. I can’t say I enjoyed them, but when in Rome…

Authentic Mexican tacos for lunch; Diego Rivera’s ‘Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park’

That was the end of the guided tour, and I took an Uber back to my hotel for a quick refresh before heading off down the Avenida Chapultepec towards Chapultepec Castle (featured as the starting point of series 2 of the BBC’s Race Across The World). I wandered around the castle and its grounds for the rest of the afternoon before heading back to the hotel for another early night.

The view down Avenida Chapultepec from Chapultepec Castle

The next day I had another guided tour – in the morning we took the metro out to the Basilica of Our Lady Guadalupe in the north of Mexico City. The site contains the Old Basilica and a Modern Basilica which was built in the 1970s as the Old Basilica was sinking due to the terrain on which CDMX is built. Following repairs, the Old Basilica is still open to the public to visit but the masses are mainly held in the Modern Basilica which can hold up to 10,000 people.

Old Basilica (left) and modern Basilica (right)

In the afternoon, we took a local bus about 25 miles outside of the city, to the Teotihuacán pyramids. The 2 main pyramids here are the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. I was quite surprised to find that we were allowed to scale both of them, as well as some of the smaller pyramids surrounding the site.

We then went to a local obsidian shop, and stopped by a local hostelry where we tried pulque and tequila, and then went for dinner for some more genuine Mexican fare. After dinner we headed back to the city on the bus, and then I took the metro back to my hotel.

The next day was my final day in CDMX, though my flight wasn’t until late in the evening so I still had a full day to explore. I’d booked a ticket to the Frida Kahlo museum, and made my way there via the metro. The metro in Mexico City definitely has a reputation and as a solo female traveller I certainly had to have my wits about me. The front carriages on Metro trains are reserved for women and children only, and I used these when travelling on the metro by myself. I also wore my backpack on my front, as indeed many of the locals were doing. I didn’t feel unsafe, but I was well aware that I needed to look out for myself.

The Frida Kahlo museum is in her former house in Coyoacán, and is a bright azure blue. That, along with the queue, makes sure you can’t miss it! An incredibly interesting woman.

Casa Azul, Frida Kahlo Museum, Coyoacán, Mexico City

So, in summary, Mexico City was well worth a couple of days on a stopover. Lots of history, great food and loads of interesting things to see. Definitely recommend!

Cuba

January 15, 2022January 15, 2022 ~ Cat ~ Leave a comment

In March 2019 I went to Cuba, having been inspired by seeing some amazing photos from someone I met on previous travels.

A short indulgent interlude before I get into the trip. I’d decided a few years ago that if I was on a long haul flight over 7 hours, that I would try and go ‘not economy’ if the price was not completely outrageous. By and large, this meant going premium economy, which I did when I went to Seattle and Alaska in 2018 and Utah and Arizona later in 2019. When looking for flights, I will always have a look and see what’s available price-wise. Usually, business class is prohibitively expensive (£4k+), but I’d spotted a deal via Skyscanner from Heathrow to Havana via Mexico City with Aeromexico for £1900 return. Obviously still expensive, but very reasonable by business class standards, plus as the UK-Mexico leg was 11+ hours overnight, and long time readers will recall my inability to sleep on aeroplanes, plus with a 3-4 hour stretch between Mexico City and Havana, I was eager to grab the deal before it disappeared.

One of the many advantages of travelling business class is the swift journey through the airport – priority check-in, fast track through security and relaxing in the lounge. I did get a slightly odd look at check-in as I was travelling with a backpack and was in my smartest ‘comfy’ pants. After relaxing in the lounge with a glass of vino, the flight departed at approx 10.30pm. We were then fed an evening meal before I then spent 7 hours lying horizontal in the lovely flatbeds on the Dreamliner. I know I’m rubbing it in but it was utter bliss, and definitely helped me cope with the 6 hour layover in Mexico City which was between the hours of 4am-10am local time. Another advantage of flying business class was that I could spend that time in the business class lounge at Mexico City Airport instead of trying to find somewhere to sit in the not-enormous departure lounge..

I arrived at the airport in Havana (actually a reasonable distance out of Havana) in the middle of the afternoon, and negotiated immigration successfully (I was ready to produce all the documentation that I’d been warned about but needed none of it). After changing approximately £300 for CUC (Cuban convertible currency, mainly used by foreigners, there is a second currency CUP used by the locals) I then had my organised transfer to the casa particular in old Havana. A lot of the accommodation in Cuba is in casa particulars which are nominally rooms in people’s houses, but in most of the cases that I experienced, are analogous to boutique hotels.

Some of the casa particulars we stayed in

After meeting the group in the evening and going out for our first meal (roast pork with salad and the first of many Cuba Libres), we bonded over rum on the casa terrace. I caved in at 11.30pm having had a very long day.

The next morning we had a vintage car tour around Havana – definitely a must-do. The vintage cars are an iconic part of Cuba and it’s so cool to be riding around in one. We went to Revolution Square, drove around some neighbourhoods and down the Malecon before ending in Old Havana where our tour guide then gave us a guided walking tour around some of the beautiful squares in Old Havana. The architecture is amazing – crumbling facades and buildings alongside some brilliant, bold, colourful ones.

Then we were treated to normal Cuban service for lunch. The longest lunch ever – we waited over an hour and a quarter from arriving to getting food – the food was good once it arrived, but it just took forever to do so!

We had what was left of the afternoon to ourselves, so I continued wandering around the streets of Havana Viejo. In the evening we went for dinner and then went to the Buena Vista Social Club to listen to some fabulous Cuban music – very enjoyable.

The next day we headed west, and after stopping at Fusterlandia in the outskirts of Havana (inspired by Picasso and Gaudí), we continued our drive out. After a baños stop and a morning Piña Colada (when in Cuba…), we carried on to a tobacco plantation for lunch (roast pork, pumpkin, rice, beans and salad). Cuba is world-famous for its cigars and it was interesting firstly to see how tobacco leaves are grown and then dried, and then to see Cuban cigars being rolled.

Afterwards we continued our journey west towards Viñales. We stopped off to watch more cigars being rolled, and they were passed around the group. I’m not a smoker and so didn’t partake. The one thing I did notice was that Cuban cigar smoke does not linger on clothes and fabric like cigarettes do, and I actually quite liked the smell of the cigar smoke.

We arrived at the casa in Viñales in the afternoon and after a brief wander which was cut short by rain, we went for dinner (and got absolutely soaked on the way there). Tapas and cocktails, followed by a bar with Cuban dancing.

The next morning we went for a hike through Viñales Valley. It was a little cloudy and it briefly rained but the scenery is insane – like Jurassic Park. In the afternoon we had a salsa lesson which was fun (and involved more drinking) and then we played dominos – a massively popular pastime here – with more drinks.

In the evening we went to a restaurant a little way out of the town which had a great view over the valley. We then went to a bar for a dance show, and carried on drinking.

The next morning was an early start as we had a long travel day from Viñales in the west of the country, to Cienfuegos on the southern coast, towards the centre of the island. On the way out of Viñales valley, we stopped off at a wonderful viewpoint. With the blue skies it really looked like a landscape out of pre-history.

After one too many Cuba Libres the previous evening, it was a quiet journey. After lunch, we stopped at the Bay of Pigs for a refreshing swim in the sea – definitely a recommended hangover cure!!

We arrived in Cienfuegos in the early evening and went for dinner. After dinner we walked along the Malecon, which had a wifi spot and therefore large groups of people using the internet! The notion of mobile phone data hadn’t made it to Cuba, and very few of the casas had internet.

The next morning we had a walk around Cienfuegos including to the plaza major, and also went up a casa tower for a great view over the town. Cienfuegos felt much more well-maintained than other areas of Cuba and the architecture had a different feel from other areas we had already seen.

We then carried on travelling east for a couple of hours to the town of Trinidad. The heat was more intense here than the other places we had been. In the afternoon we had a wander around the old town – very colonial and Spanish-influenced. Another good view from the top of a monastery tower.

In the evening, after dinner we went to watch salsa by the steps, and then went to the Cave for some Cuban raving.

After a 2am finish, we went for a walk the next morning to a waterfall, and then went to the beach at Playa Ancon in the afternoon. A beautiful blue Caribbean Sea to swim in and some palm trees providing me with some shade to sit in. We stayed for sunset which had beautiful orangey red skies. After dinner I had an early night for a change as I was full of rum and sugar at this point!

The next day we headed back to Havana, via Santa Clara and a visit to the Che Guevara museum and memorial – an enormous statue of the revolutionist.

Back in Havana we had our final dinner of the trip at an Asian Fusion restaurant and a couple of enormous cocktails to finish me off.

So, my impressions of Cuba – a fascinating country, loved the architecture especially in Havana and Trinidad, the scenery in Viñales was spectacular. The food was ok, be prepared for menu items to not be available. There were signs that capitalism is encroaching. I didn’t go to Varaderos, which is the main ‘resort’ part of the island where the all-inclusive hotels are, but there was a lot of building going on in Havana, especially on the waterfront. I’m glad I went when I did as I can imagine it might be very different in 5-10 years.

Cambrian Mountains

May 21, 2021June 12, 2021 ~ Cat ~ Leave a comment

With the current state of the world, I think 2021 is the year I finally explore the UK.

I’d booked a Wigwam Holiday at their Hafren site, near Llanidloes in mid Wales, for 3 nights in the middle of the wettest May in recent history. It’s about a 2 and a half hour drive from Cardiff, up the A470, which once you get past Merthyr Tydfil is a very scenic drive.

I’d planned a couple of pit stops on the way, and after 2 hours I stopped for lunch in the pretty town of Rhayader.

After a quick walk around the town and down to the River Wye, I hopped back in the car for the short drive to Llyn Clywedog, which has some lovely views

Llyn Clywedog, from the Clywedog dam on the left and from the viewpoint on the B4518 on the right

After that it was a 10 minute drive to my home for the next 3 days, a Wigwam cabin just outside of Staylittle. There are 6 cabins on site, all of which have a double bed, kitchenette, and an en-suite bathroom, and 3 of the cabins also have wood-fired hot tubs. It’s owned by very friendly farmers who made me feel very welcome.

After settling myself in, I decided to go for a short drive to the nearby Dylife Gorge, with this fabulous view:

After an evening spent hoping the clouds would part to experience the Dark Skies that this region is famous for, I retreated unsatisfied to bed.

The next morning after a slowish start hoping for the rain to stop, I headed off on the short drive to the Hafren Forest. This is a working forest, with several trails, some on short loops and a longer one, approximately 8 miles round, to the source of the River Severn. There is a small car park with toilets, and from there, all the trails are very well signposted. I started off doing the 1.5 mile loop to Severn-Breaks-Its-Neck, a waterfall. After stopping for my packed lunch at the picnic benches on the Cascades Trail, I continued on to the Blaenhafren falls, which was approximately 2 miles from the start. Originally I’d intended to turn around at this point, but I felt good (despite the rain) and as the Source of the Severn was only another mile and a half, I decided to carry on.

This part of the walk is described as ‘strenuous’, and it does get quite steep in parts, rising to over 2000 feet. It is, however, a very peaceful walk, following the Severn as you wind your way up onto the open moorland. The source itself is marked by a wooden pole. All the paths are well maintained and well marked. It was quite cold and still raining so I didn’t hang around for too long before retracing my steps back to where I’d started.

All in all, it was just over 9 miles in just shy of 4 hours, and a great way to spend a day in the outdoors, despite the rain.

The next day, after another slow start, I headed 40 minutes south, back towards Rhayader, and out to the Elan Valley. I parked up at the Visitor Centre and paid for parking (£2.50 all day), and then set off walking along the well-maintained trail which runs alongside the reservoir. It was quite pleasant as I approached the first dam, but the weather quicker turned and I steadily got wetter and wetter. I kept wandering through the rain, hoping for it to brighten, but turned around after 3 miles and retraced my steps. I had a short detour across the Garreg Ddu Dam to see the Nantgwyllt Church. Obviously as I approached the end of my walk, the weather cheered up enormously. All in all I walked 6 miles in 2 and a half hours.

I then got in the car and decided to drive along the road which hugs the shores of the lakes and made it to Pen y Garreg Dam.

After that, I retreated back to my cabin, where apparently the weather had been pretty reasonable all day – typical!!

I returned home through the rain the following day. Even though this was only a short break, I was so thankful for the change in scenery and to spend some time outdoors instead of being glued to my laptop. I think that UK-based breaks are likely to be the norm for a little while, and you could definitely do worse than spend a few days in this beautiful and peaceful part of Wales.

Sevilla, it makes me happy…

September 13, 2020 ~ Cat ~ Leave a comment

In 2018 my holiday plans were primarily to ‘cold’ places – Iceland, Alaska and Jersey (which can be, and was, warm but it wasn’t guaranteed!), so I figured that I needed a hot weather break before we headed into winter. I’d very briefly visited Seville in 2017 when I did a trip through Spain and Morocco, but we basically only had half a day there and it was so hot I could barely move, let alone see everything I wanted to see. So, it seemed like the perfect option for a long weekend break with a good friend who I met on a trip to New Zealand in 2014.

We flew from Gatwick and arrived in Sevilla in the late afternoon. It was cloudy but warm. After checking into our hotel we headed out for a wander towards the Plaza de España

The cloudy skies gave it a different ambience to 2017’s blue sky visit:

With the temperature in the high 20s rather than approaching 40, this time round it was a much more comfortable temperature for meandering through the streets and taking in the sights.

After wandering back around to the cathedral we found a nice tapas restaurant for dinner and a couple of drinks. Afterwards a walk through the city back to our hotel

The next morning we headed over to the Bull Ring. Bull fighting remains a spectator sport in Sevilla, and you can go on a tour of the bull ring, as we did. It was very interesting to learn about the history of bull fighting in this part of Spain, and the arena itself is very impressive, but I can’t say I’d be rushing to see a live event

In the afternoon we went on a tour of the cathedral, which we had booked in advance. An immensely impressive building (the largest gothic church in the world) and a must-do when in Sevilla. I would also recommend climbing La Giralda, the clock tower, for some great views over Sevilla.

The intricacies of the cathedral ceiling; views from the clock tower over Sevilla

Afterwards we continued our wandering through the pretty streets of Sevilla before dinner, wine and local speciality tinto de verano (makes red wine drinkable in my opinion!).

The next day, with a slight hangover, we had a tour of the Alcazar, which again we’d booked in advance. It’s an enormous complex, both the buildings and the gardens, and you could easily spend hours there. Another must-do if you are in Sevilla.

After more tapas and wine in the evening, it was an early start the next morning for our flight back to Gatwick.

I would absolutely recommend Sevilla as a great short break destination. It does get extremely hot in this part of Spain, so great for visiting in Spring or Autumn – we went in mid October and it was still 30C. It’s a good idea to book ahead for the Cathedral and the Alcazar as they can get very busy, and it saves you queuing in the heat. Wandering around the pretty streets and enjoying wine and tapas is an ideal way to spend a long weekend.

Oman & India

August 21, 2020August 30, 2020 ~ Cat ~ Leave a comment

Next up in my series of ‘catch-up’ blog posts – a family trip cruising Oman and India. This trip was December 2016.

We had a direct flight from London Heathrow to Muscat, Oman – approximately 7 hours flight time if I remember rightly. We flew with Oman Air and arrived in Muscat in the early evening. At the time of travel, British citizens were required to purchase a visa on arrival for $17USD to be paid in cash.

We were transferred over to the port area to board our vessel before having dinner and the required life jacket muster.

The next day we remained in Muscat, I went on a Muscat city tour which included a visit to the Sultan Qaboos Mosque. This is one of the very few mosques in Oman which welcome non-Muslim visitors, though visitors are obviously required to be respectful. Women are required to be fully covered apart from the face so be sure to wear trousers/long skirt, and have a cardigan/shawl to cover arms all the way to the wrist. Once inside, it is quite an awe-inspiring sight, with some wonderful, ornate features such as the chandelier below.

After we’d finished the mosque visit, we also visited the palace, a museum and a souk before returning to the ship for lunch. I then enjoyed a free afternoon relaxing on the ship whilst some of the other passengers were on a full day trip inland.

The ship sailed east overnight to Sur. Here the ship moored offshore and we got to land via zodiacs, which made for an interesting ride! Once ashore we had a trip visiting a local fish market before heading to a fort with some great views overlooking the city, and finally to a dhow boatyard to see dhows under construction (dhows are traditional fishing boats in this part of the world).

Back on the ship at lunchtime before continuing to head east to India. It was a day and a half’s sailing to India, so plenty of time for relaxing on board on the sun deck, and practicing my photography skills.

We arrived after lunch the following day at our first port of call in India – Porbander, in Gujarat. Porbander is famous for being the birthplace of Gandhi, and in the afternoon we went on a trip to the house where he was born. It was extremely hot but the inside of the house was surprisingly cool. We also had a tuk tuk ride to a temple in Porbander before returning to the ship.

As first impressions of India go, Porbander was a massive assault on the senses. Of all the places we visit, I felt that this was the ‘real’ India. Bumpy roads, cows on the roadside, hustle and bustle in Porbander itself, and signs of poor living conditions.

We were moored overnight in Porbander, and the next day I went on a trip inland to the fort at Junagadh. Getting there featured the singularly most uncomfortable bus ride of my entire life – 3 hours of being flung around on the back seat of a bus. When we arrived, we visited Uparkot Fort, which had some good views over the city. Later we also stopped at the Mahabat Maqbara Palace, which is one of the most intricate buildings I think I’ve ever seen.

Uparkot Fort and sights over Junagadh (top); Mahabat Maqbara Palace (bottom)

The return bus journey was just as uncomfortable as the outbound journey and I was relieved to be able to stretch out my back when we arrived back at the ship. We sailed south overnight to Diu and arrived at anchor early the next morning. After using the zodiacs again to get to shore, we visited another fort before wandering around the pretty town and visiting a very colourful market.

Diu harbour and coast (top); colour in Diu

We had lunch back onboard and set sail for Mumbai in the afternoon. We arrived the next morning. One of the features of a cruise to India is that we must clear immigration each time we enter the country. Before travelling to India, we had to obtain a ‘multiple entry visa’ which was quite a laborious process requiring a lengthy form and 2-inch square photos to be sent off to the Indian Embassy in London, along with your passport, payment and a stamped addressed envelope. Make sure to leave plenty of time to obtain the right visas before leaving, especially if making multiple entries to the same country.

Once we cleared immigration (again!), we had a tour of some of the main city sights in Mumbai including the Gateway Of India, and the Taj Mahal Hotel. We also visited some markets – I love visiting markets in Asia – so many sights, sounds, colours, and saw some of the Dhaba-wallas at work outside Church Gate Station. After a short ride on a train, during which I noticed that Mumbai uses the same signage for its stations as the London Underground, we also walked passed an open air laundry before having lunch – actual Indian food in India – delicious!

The Gateway of India; Taj Mahal Hotel; Churchgate Station
Market sights; Dhaba-walla’s at work; some familiar signage
Open air laundry

In the afternoon I took a trip to Elephanta Island, off the coast of Mumbai, which is where the Elephanta Caves are. The caves a dedicated to Shiva and contain many carvings for both Hindu and Buddhist iconography. It’s quite extensive and I really enjoyed this trip – a must-do if you find yourself in Mumbai.

The following morning was a free morning in Mumbai before we set sail in the afternoon to Goa. We arrived in Goa the next day, and headed off on a trip to a spice plantation, which was very interesting, before visiting old Goa. We visited a basilica and a church. It was extremely hot and I was extremely hungover so I wasn’t able to enjoy it quite as much as I’d hoped!

We sailed overnight to Mangalore, I didn’t partake in any trips in Mangalore and spent the day relaxing on board. We sailed overnight to Cochin.

We had 2 days in the Cochin region. On the first day we had a tuk tuk ride to a village where we learnt about traditional skills such as coconut shelling, crabbing, fishing and weaving – in fact this was very similar to traditional skills I’d learnt about in other regions, particularly the Pacific Islands, which goes to show that these are fundamental skills that humans have developed regardless of where people live.

After lunch we had a punt across a river which was very relaxing. In the afternoon we went to Fort Kochi and watched some traditional Kathakali dancing. I’ve never seen anything like this before – a lot of the performance was based around eye movement and facial expressions with brightly painted faces to convey the story.

The following day was one of the things I was most looking forward to in India – a cruise on the Kerala Backwaters. We drove for about 90 minutes before getting on our boat and cruising around for around the backwaters for around an hour and a half after which we stopped for lunch at a hotel. One of the noticeable things was the amount of building work going on – lots of new hotels and resorts being constructed. It’s easy to see why – the Kerala Backwaters are a beautiful, peaceful spot, but it seems like that is on the cusp of changing into a very commercialised area. Hopefully it won’t take away too much of the reason that people would like to visit in the first place.

After lunch we had a shorter boat ride back to our bus, and then travelled back to the ship.

Overnight we continued sailing south, and arrived the next morning at the port of Vizhinjam, for Trivandrum. Immensely hot and sweaty – we did a morning tour of Trivandrum where we visited some more amazing architectural sites including the museum of horses.

Port at Vizhinjam; horse iconography decoration; Trivandrum

In the afternoon we set sail for the last time, and arrived into Colombo in Sri Lanka the following morning. Aside from a drive through Colombo to the airport, we didn’t get to see much of Sri Lanka (that’s for another time!), and after heading to the airport for the long flight home, we arrived in a cold UK in the early hours of Christmas Eve. It was quite the juxtaposition coming from the heat and hustle and bustle of South Asia to the cold festive season in the UK.

This was a family holiday, and without it, I’m not sure I’d ever have got to India. But I’m glad I went. An assault on all the senses, and such an interesting country, even if all I saw was a few ports on the west coast. It’s a culture shock, it’s hot, it’s busy and gives you lots of things to think about. I’d also never particularly considered Oman, and didn’t know what to expect. It seems a prosperous country with some interesting sights, and seems to be up-and-coming from a tourism point of view. Certainly somewhere to consider for near year round sunshine in the Middle East.

Gooooooood morning Vietnam

July 25, 2020August 14, 2020 ~ Cat ~ Leave a comment

It’s actually over 3 years since I went to Vietnam, better late than never in writing up about it! This trip was March 2017.

I had a direct flight from London to Hanoi with Vietnam Airlines, an extremely reasonable flight price of around £450 return if I remember rightly. After a 12+ hour flight, I landed at 4.30am local time, and after swiftly clearing immigration (British citizens didn’t – at time of travel – require a visa for stays under 15 days) I had quite a long wait for my bag as it was basically the last one round the carousel – always a slightly worrying time! I’d arranged a transfer to my hotel in central Hanoi, and after arriving at the hotel at around 6.30am I took myself off to bed. Top tip, especially when travelling somewhere where accommodation is cheap by western standards – if you are arriving somewhere first thing in the morning, book a hotel room for the previous night so you can check in and either get some kip for a few hours, or freshen up before you start exploring. The hotel I was staying in was approx £30 per night which was worth every penny to be able to crash for a few hours.

As it turned out, I was absolutely knackered, the product of being in a job I didn’t enjoy (part of the reason I’d gone on sabbatical the year before), and at the time I’d actually just been successful in interviewing for another job in the same company which I would start shortly after returning from this trip. Much less stress and a better work/life balance, but that isn’t the topic of this blog, and as such I pretty much slept through the entire day. Fortunately I’d arrived a day early to join the trip so I didn’t miss out on that much, and it gave my body clock a chance to adjust.

After a long sleep, I awoke refreshed on the second day and after breakfasting in the hotel, I set off exploring Hanoi. One thing I had been warned about prior to this trip was that attempting to cross the street in Hanoi would be an interesting experience, certainly if you waited as you would in the U.K. for a break in the traffic, I’d still be stuck on the wrong side of the street now! It is a little unnerving basically having to walk out into traffic but, unbelievably, it works. Most people in Vietnam ride scooters as the taxes on (usually imported) cars are prohibitively expensive, and they are used to adjusting their speeds for pedestrians. After building up confidence to cross the street, I made my way to Hoan Kiam Lake and walked around it, enjoying the early morning sights including the locals enjoying some early morning yoga/meditation along the shores.

After some more wandering to a temple and to the market, I headed back to my hotel for some much needed air-con. After a short break from the heat, I ventured back outside and grabbed lunch – a delicious Bánh Mì from Banh Mi 25, one of the top-rated places for Bánh Mì in Hanoi. Bánh Mì are a delicious fusion sandwich, a baguette-style bread roll filled with pate, grilled meat, cucumber and pickled veg, and an absolute bargain with a Bánh Mì and bottle of water costing the equivalent of 75p!

In the afternoon I walked to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum complex and around the botanical gardens before retreating back to the hotel. In the evening I met the rest of the group (a G Adventures trip) and we headed out for dinner.

An early start the next morning as we headed to Halong Bay. It was a 4 hour drive punctuated by a stop at a project which creates employment for disabled people by teaching them crafts and needlework which is then sold. A very interesting idea.

We arrived at Halong Bay and boarded our overnight junk boat in time for lunch. As we set sail through the bay, the limestone karsts that we passed through reminded me a little bit of Milford Sound. I’ve since also been to Khao Sok in Thailand which was very reminiscent of Halong Bay. We sailed through the bay in the afternoon, stopping off in a couple of places including Ti Top Island where we climbed up 400 steps to take in the views.

We had dinner on the boat, all freshly made on board and plate after plate of delicious food was served up. After enjoying the stars with a couple of drinks, I retreated to bed. Another early start the following morning with breakfast at 7am before we visited a Sung Sot Cave, the largest cave in Halong Bay, which had this amazing, wave-like ceiling.

We then headed back to land and late morning got off the boat and headed on the 4 hour journey back to Hanoi. We were taking the overnight train south to Hue but had a few hours spare before then, so I went on a street food tour. If you haven’t already gathered, I absolutely loved the food in Vietnam. I think it’s the best food I’ve had anywhere, and certainly the cheapest. We wandered the streets of Hanoi, sampling lots of delicious food before ending up in Hanoi Food Culture where we had the Vietnamese speciality of egg coffee (or egg chocolate in my case as I’m not a coffee drinker)

Egg chocolate – an alternate version of the Vietnamese speciality egg coffee

We boarded the train in the evening, around 9pm. We were travelling in first class which comprised of 4-berth bunks with shared toilets/squats at the ends of the carriages. Second class was 6-berth bunks, followed by soft seats and hard seats (as you might recall from the Top Gear Vietnam special). I took a top bunk. The journey itself was very loud and the train was very shaky, and I don’t remember sleeping too much. The overnight train I’ve since been on in Thailand was a much more comfortable ride.

We arrived in Hue at 10.30am the next morning. It was noticeably hotter and more humid. Despite arriving early, we were able to check in to our hotel where I promptly showered before heading out for a quick wander before we went on our included trips in the afternoon. I ventured for a walk along the Perfume River before retreating to the air con ahead of our afternoon tours. Firstly we went to the Tien Mu Pagoda:

We then went to the main attraction in Hue, the Imperial Citadel. An imposing collection of buildings, and much, much larger than I imagined. The citadel was built in the early 1800s and was targeted during the Vietnam War. You can see the bullet holes from the Vietnam War in some of the walls.

We also squeezed in a visit to the Royal Tombs on an busy sightseeing afternoon.

The next morning I did a motorbike tour (as backseat passenger!) – an absolute must-do in a country where motorbikes/scooters are the primary form of transport. We were taken out to the countryside outside of Hue, seeing rice fields, monasteries and a colosseum where elephants and tigers once fought. We had an included vegetarian lunch at the monastery which was, once again, absolutely delicious.

We arrived back in Hue after lunch and then headed south over the Hai Van Pass towards Hoi An. Unfortunately it was a bit cloudier than ideal which didn’t make for the best photos, but we still saw some great views.

We arrived in Hoi An in the late afternoon. Our guide took us on a brief orientation tour as we had 3 nights here to explore. We bumped into Jack Whitehall and his dad filming their Netflix travel series whilst we were wandering down tailors row – an unexpected sight! Hoi An is famous for getting cheap tailoring which can be ready in as little as 24 hours, but I didn’t partake on this occasion.

The following day we had an included excursion in the morning to Planeterra’s project here, Oodles of Noodles. This project taught local kids both the skills of cooking in a professional environment, as well as some English language. We learned to make rice pancakes, and then enjoyed a delicious bowl of noodles for lunch:

We had a free afternoon where I enjoyed walking around Hoi An old town. Sincerely the prettiest place I’ve ever been.

Sights of Hoi An, the prettiest place I’ve ever been

The next day was a free day. The weather was a bit dodgy, grey with the occasionally downpour but still very warm, so after a relaxing morning at the hotel, I went for a hot stone massage in the afternoon. £20 for a 90 minute massage was an absolute bargain, even if I was a bit sore the following day! In the evening we enjoyed a walk (and some bargains) in the night markets.

The next morning was an early start for a flight from nearby Danang to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), formerly Saigon. Even hotter and more sticky than Hue. After checking in to the hotel mid morning, and then going for lunch to have pho (finally!), we then had a free afternoon. Ho Chi Minh City has some pretty spectacular architecture, including many remnants of the French colonial era:

Notre Dame Cathedral, HCMC; City Hall; The Post Office, HCMC

The following day we had an included trip out to the Cu Chi Tunnels, a network of tunnels built by the Viet Cong outside of Saigon during the Vietnam War. It was fascinating to learn about the guerilla tactics used by the Viet Cong, and amazing to see the size of the tunnels, which were utterly minuscule.

Cu Chi Tunnels, barely big enough for a body to fit through

We came back to HCMC for lunch and then had a free afternoon. I decided to go to the War Remnants museum which is is a sobering affair. Be warned – there are some very graphic pictures of the effects of the chemical warfare. It was also horrifying to learn that people still live with the effects having been exposed at the time, but also because some of the effects can be passed on to offspring. A sobering reminder of the legacy of war, and well worth a visit.

That evening was our final group dinner before I left the following day. More delicious food, this time Vietnamese barbecue.

I had most of the next day free before an evening flight back to London via Hanoi. It was extremely hot and sticky again, and after a walk in the morning to the Reunification Palace and a failed attempt to find the Jade Emperor Pagoda, I retreated back to the hotel and air con and a shower before heading to the airport in the late afternoon.

So, what were my impressions of Vietnam? Genuinely part of the reason I went was after I’d seen the Top Gear Vietnam show, it looked a beautiful and fascinating country. A few people I’d met on my previous travels had also been and talked about what a wonderful country it is. And it certainly was. Everyone was friendly, I didn’t feel afraid walking around by myself, a solo female traveller (albeit on a group tour). It was very cheap – obviously I’d paid for the trip and accommodation/transport beforehand, and so all I had to buy whilst there was food, drinks, excursions and souvenirs. I was there for 10 days and spent less than £150 – and that included a $40 motorbike trip and a £20 massage. The absolute best food I’ve had anywhere I’ve been either before or since (with Peru close behind). And a fascinating, and devastating, recent history. Would absolutely recommend, and when I do go back again to South East Asia, I wouldn’t think twice about going back.

Thailand

January 4, 2020 ~ Cat ~ 2 Comments

I’ve previously taken holidays in November, in many ways it’s a great time of year to take a holiday, just before the festive season gets into full swing, and before the worst of winter sets in. It’s been a while since I took a winter holiday though, and I was excited to get back to it. I was even more excited about being able to get to Thailand from Cardiff airport. Less than an hour between me leaving the house, to being sat in the airport lounge with a glass of vino – ideal.

Qatar Airways fly 3-4 times a week from Cardiff via Doha, and to say the plane wasn’t full would be an understatement – I had 3 seats to myself! I would definitely encourage anyone in south Wales or the south west of England to use this route if you’re thinking of heading to Asia, Australia or New Zealand, it is no more expensive than flying from London, particularly when you factor in the cost of getting to Heathrow, and especially on the way back, being home just over an hour after landing is almost priceless. Anyway, after that pitch for Qatar Airways (I am not affiliated with them in any way…), onto Thailand…

I had been warned that immigration in Bangkok could be a long experience, but I must have landed at a fortunate time as there was a very short queue. British citizens don’t need a visa for trips up to 30 days, you just need to keep hold of your stamped departure card until you leave. After picking up my rucksack (gotta live the backpacker lifestyle in Thailand), I then had a transfer to the hotel. It was about an hour in some pretty heavy traffic.

I travelled with a company I haven’t been with before, Intro Travel, always good to try a new company. You can see the trip itinerary here.

We were staying in a hotel one street away from the famous backpacker mecca of Khao San Road. The plus side of this was that it was very close to the hubbub of this part of Bangkok, and the nightlife, the downside was trying to sleep over the noise coming from outside!

I arrived mid afternoon, and after a brief snooze, we met up as a group in the evening and went for dinner before going to a sky bar on the 84th floor of Baiyoke Sky Tower. I love getting up high in a new city, especially at night

The next day was a late start (10am!), we had breakfast, and then headed out on a bit of a city tour. The first stop was Wat Chana Songkhram, a temple (Wat means temple), where we received a Buddhist blessing, and then individually we offered a prayer along with incense and a lotus flower, which is an important symbol in Buddhism.

We walked through the streets and then had a short river cruise. I had no idea that Bangkok had so many rivers and canals in it. After that we headed to a market for some coconut ice cream before heading to Wat Pho, one of the largest temples in Bangkok and home to an enormous reclining Buddha

as well as numerous smaller Buddhas

We then had a tuk tuk ride back to the hotel for a little down-time before our big night out on Khao San Road. First up we went for dinner at Bombay Blues, an Indian restaurant (when in Rome…), where we started the drinking with enormous sharing cocktails and jelly shots, before heading to a bucket bar on Khao San Road for buckets of alcohol and some critters as snacks (the second time this year I’ve eaten fried critters on holiday, they have got no better since Mexico!)

I retired at midnight and left the others to it. The next morning we had a cooking class, for which I was very glad I didn’t have a hangover. We made Tom Yam soup, Pad Thai and Massaman curry, all delicious:

We then had a free afternoon before we were getting the overnight train south to Surat Thani. The train journey was about 14 hours, we were sleeping in bunks (which had been converted from seats) in an open carriage. Definitely comfier than the bunks on the train in Vietnam:

In Bangkok, the skies had been clear, but as we headed south it was greyer and more prone to tropical showers, still very hot though, absolutely no need for a sweater. When we got to Surat Thani the next morning, we had breakfast before hopping on the minibus inland to Khao Sok National Park. We drove for about an hour and then got on a boat across the lake for about an hour to the floating bungalows. A pretty idyllic place, the lake is man-made, but the scenery reminded me of Halong Bay in Vietnam. We spent the afternoon lounging around in big rubber rings with an adult beverage in hand, admiring the scenery and enjoying life.

The next day was a long travel day, we started off with an hour back across the lake, and then an hour in the mini bus back to Surat Thani, then an hour’s break in a mall for lunch before another hour or so to the ferry port, before a two-and-a-half hour ferry to Koh Pha-ngan, and then a 15 minute taxi ride to Sarana Bungalows, our home for the next 4 nights. It’s in a perfect location right on the beach, I could definitely get used to this view:

Koh Pha-ngan is famous for its Full Moon Parties on Haad Rin beach. Despite not being there for full moon, we still partied as though it was. We had dinner at Same Same in Haad Rin, got painted with luminous body paint before heading to a bucket bar to get pre-fuelled before eventually heading to the beach. A fun night of drinking and dancing before getting into bed at 3am

The next day I felt surprisingly well, which was a good job as I had a Thai massage at 11am. Not necessarily a relaxing experience as I was pulled into angles I didn’t know I could do! I spent the rest of the day relaxing by the pool and in a hammock – blissful. We went to Pandip Food Market in the evening, there was a large array of food to choose from – I had sushi and some Thai-style ice cream, before heading back to the bungalows for a chilled evening.

The next day we did an island tour, heading firstly to Secret Beach:

As became the norm with the weather, the day started off with blue skies before turning cloudy and showery in the afternoon. There was a downpour whilst we were at lunch, and then it was showery at Malibu Beach in the afternoon. I lounged in a hammock, sheltering under some palm trees, whilst some of the others played volleyball.

After that we headed to Apichada viewpoint, where we would have been able to see a lovely sunset if it hadn’t been quite so cloudy.

In the evening we had a barbecue and bonfire on the beach, a lush, chilled evening. The lights you can just about see in the distance are on Koh Samui:

The next day we had a Muay Thai boxing class in the morning. Hot and sweaty but very enjoyable. After a chilled afternoon we had a final dinner with those only doing the 9 day trip, including more buckets and beach-partying. A late evening was then followed by an early morning and another long travel day to Phi Phi Islands.

A 6.15am start (following a 2am finish), with a taxi to the pier, a 2+ hour ferry back to the mainland, a coach (I think 3 hours but I was asleep for most of it) across the mainland to Krabi, and then another 2 hours on a ferry to Koh Phi Phi, and a 10 minute walk (no cars on Phi Phi) to the hotel. A downpour greeted our arrival. After relaxing in the room for a bit, we then went for dinner, and went to see a fire show, somewhat similar to those I’ve seen in Fiji and Rarotonga.

The next morning we met at 8am to walk up to the viewpoint on Phi Phi, it was a sticky walk as it was very humid, but the view was well worth the effort:

All the main hotels, restaurants, cafes and bars on Phi Phi Don are on the isthmus you can see in the photo, and from this angle you can imagine the devastation which was caused by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. The isthmus is so low-lying and would be easily washed away by a tsunami. Thankfully it has been rebuilt, but as the island is so heavily dependent on tourism, this brings new issues. Everything has to be shipped on and off the island, including all food, drinks, consumables and waste. It certainly eye-opening and made me think about the environmental impact of tourism on these idyllic islands.

In the afternoon we had a boat trip to some of the other islands, including Ko Phi Phi Lee, which is where Viking Bay and Maya Bay are located. You might know Maya Bay from the film The Beach. As a consequence of over tourism following the popularity of that film, Maya Beach remains closed to tourists. You can see it from the water but can’t get close or land on the beach, the red flags signal it’s closed, and later on there was a security boat patrolling the bay.

It was also raining again. We all got in the water for a swim – lovely and warm, like having a warm bath – before having dinner on board. After dinner, once it had got dark, we all got back into the water to see bioluminescent plankton which reside in these waters. I’ve seen this phenomenon once before in New Zealand whilst kayaking, but this time I could see it up close. It’s pretty cool to see the water lighting up beside you.

The next day, after a free morning, we went on another boat trip, this time around the main island of Phi Phi Don. We went to Phi Phi Village, Nui Bay and Monkey Bay. The monkeys were cute, but be sure to keep back as they will bite!

That evening was our last night on the trip, we went for a final group dinner before drinking and dancing the night away in some of the local bars.

All in all, a great trip. Lots of great (and different) sites, lovely food, great people, and generally good weather – I even came home with a bit of a tan!

Monument Valley and Grand Canyon (again)

October 13, 2019 ~ Cat ~ 2 Comments

After leaving Bryce Canyon, we had a long drive day to Monument Valley which was punctuated by a couple of interesting stops.

First up was Glen Canyon Dam, near Page, Arizona, which dams the Colorado River and created Lake Powell. Similar to how the Hoover Dam created Lake Mead, this area and the Lake provide a variety of recreational water-based activities that would not otherwise exist in this part of the US Southwest.

After stopping at a Subway in Page for lunch, we then had a stop-off at Horseshoe Bend. Apparently it’s grown massively in popularity over the last couple of years due to it’s very instagrammable nature. It’s approximately a 15-20 minute walk from the parking lot, and despite what it looks like in the photo, there were hoards of folk there.

It is a fabulous example of how rivers meander, and really is horseshoe-shaped. The colours, yet again, were amazing. The mixture of the blues/greens of the water with the orange and red of the rocks was perfect. I was really glad we were able to make this stop-off. Last time I was in this part of the US in 2016 we didn’t see it and I was really pleased to make up for that this time round.

We then carried on towards Monument Valley, and just had time to drop our bags off at the hotel in Kayenta (which apparently I’d stayed at last time I was here as my phone auto-connected to the terrible WiFi – be warned that phone signal and internet connectivity is scarce around here) before heading into the valley and onto our included Navajo Jeep tour.

The vistas in Monument Valley are so iconic, having been the backdrop to numerous films, tv programmes and adverts over the years. I’m very fortunate to have been able to revisit his place, and the scenery still hits you second time round. It’s like being in a movie.

We did the same jeep tour that I did last time when I was travelling with Trek America, though this time it was an included part of the trip (it was an additional excursion last time). We went on the backroads that you can’t ordinarily get to, and got much closer to the mesas and buttes (the stone structures). It’s brilliant doing it in the late afternoon/early evening when the sun is setting as the changing colours really add to the atmosphere.

Once the sun had set, it was time to enjoy some delicious Navajo tacos and be treated to some traditional song and dance. A fabulous opportunity to learn more about the Navajo and their traditions, as Monument Valley is within the Navajo Nation, a Native American territory covering parts of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico.

The next morning we left Kayenta and headed towards the Grand Canyon. Our first stop off was about 30 minutes outside of Kayenta, at the Navajo National Monument, where we did a short trail to a viewpoint:

In the cave were dwellings which the Ancestral Pueblo people built and lived in around 1250AD – really cool to see, if not that closely! Yet again another glorious late summer day with not a cloud in the sky.

We approached the Grand Canyon from the east, so our first glimpse of it was from Desert View. On the way, we’d stopped off at a deli for a packed lunch, and so we enjoyed our lunch with a view over the Grand Canyon, a pretty epic lunch-spot, I think you’ll agree:

After lunch we had time to take in the views and snap a few photos from Desert View before driving over to the main Visitor Centre at the South Rim. The bus parking lot was absolutely rammed, and the viewpoints were absolutely packed. It was a Friday, and just about still the summer season, but I was really surprised at how busy it was. Although it’s one of the busiest National Parks, with more than 5 million visitors annually, it seemed way busier than last time I was here in June 2016.

After some more photo opportunities, we then headed to the hotel in Tusayan, which again was somewhere I’d been before, though this time we were in the hotel part rather than the motel part.

Some of the group headed out on a helicopter trip, I didn’t as I’d done it last time. Definitely recommend doing it if you have the time and the pennies. The moment when the helicopter flies low over the trees before you get to the edge of the rim, and suddenly the canyon falls away below you is one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had.

Whilst most of the group went on the helicopter trip, my roommate and I went in search of food and snacks for the hike we had planned for the following day, as well as picking up a bottle of vino, which we enjoyed whilst waiting for the others to return. We went for dinner at a Mexican restaurant. Tusayan is a strip of hotels/motels and eateries, not heaps of choice (Mexican, Italian, steak house – you don’t come to this part of he world for the food!). After a burrito and a large strawberry margarita it was off to bed before a big hike the following day.

We left at 8am and our tour guide drove us into the park. Grand Canyon operates a shuttle bus system to get around the South Rim, and so we hopped on a shuttle bus to take us to the Bright Angel Trailhead. The Bright Angel trail is a there-and-back trail with turnaround options at the Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse, the Three Mile Resthouse, Indian Gardens (at 4.6 miles) and Plateau Point (6 miles). The hike to Plateau Point and back is longest day hike, at just over 12 miles and going over 3000 feet down into the Canyon. Going to the river and back in a day is not an option.

We started hiking at around 8.50am, it was cool and a little windy on the rim, good hiking temperatures. As we got down into the Canyon, it was much less windy. We stopped for breaks at the first 2 Resthouses, and made it to Indian Gardens (our aim) at 11.30am.

Indian Gardens are a complete oasis in the Canyon, lots of trees and vegetation, and a nice cooling breeze as respite from the heat of the day. We stopped here for around 40 minutes for lunch before starting the long hike back. Indian Gardens is 3040 feet below the rim, a long way up! We started back at 12.10pm and were back on the rim by 3.40pm. I was really pleased with how this hike went, it was almost 10 miles and the climb on the way back was hard. I drank about 4 litres of water, there are water taps at each of the resthouses and at Indian Gardens, and even though it wasn’t as hot as it can be at the height of the summer, it was still very hot work. Eating lots of salty snacks is also important to prevent dehydration, so make sure you’ve packed plenty of trail mix!

Last time I was here I just hiked along the rim, and one of the reasons I came back was to hike into the Canyon. It is so stunning in the Canyon, when you get below the rim, you get such a different perspective of the landscape, and the clouds on the day we hiked meant that the colours were constantly changing.

When we got back to the rim, we had an extremely long wait for a shuttle bus back to the Visitor Centre, the queues were very long, I think in part due to it being a fee-free day in the park. When we got to the Visitor Centre, we then had another wait for the shuttle bus back to Tusayan.

After the quickest shower ever, we then met up as a group to come back into the park for sunset. Sunset at the Grand Canyon is a definite bucket-list experience, and one I’ve now been fortunate enough to witness twice. The way the colours change as the sun goes down is just magical.

The next day was our last day of this whistle-stop trip through Utah and Arizona. On our way back to Las Vegas, we made a stop-off at the historic Route 66 town of Seligman.

After an In-N-Out burger for lunch (the best burgers!!), we tried to go and see the Hoover Dam, but the security presence deemed all our suitcases/bags too much of a risk (or too much of a hassle to check) and so we were turned around. A shame. We were able to stop off at a scenic overlook for Lake Mead as a consolation.

After that we headed the short distance back to Vegas and the end of the trip. It’s always sad to say goodbye, but we packed so much in to a week and I had a blast.

Zion and Bryce Canyon

October 3, 2019 ~ Cat ~ 3 Comments

When I travelled extensively around the USA in 2016, we didn’t get to either Zion National Park or Bryce Canyon, and they’ve been on my radar ever since. I found the ideal trip with Grand American Adventures which fitted the dates I had off work perfectly.

The trip started in Las Vegas on Sunday evening. On Monday morning we set off for Zion National Park, approximately a 4 hour drive out of Nevada and into Utah. We arrived mid afternoon after a couple of stops for snacks in Walmart and lunch at Chick-Fil-A.

We were staying in Springdale, which is right at the entrance to Zion National Park. After our tour guide gave us a brief rundown of how the shuttle service works (you can’t drive into the main part of Zion Canyon), and talked through some of the hiking trails, we then set off into the park. As it was already mid afternoon, I just hiked a couple of the shorter trails, and admired the awesome colours of the park:

We went for a group dinner in the evening (massive cheeseburger and a beer for me), and then had a fairly early night as I had a big hike planned for the following day.

Angels Landing is one of the 2 most famous hikes in Zion. It’s 2 and a half miles one way, and climbs up approximately 1400 feet. The trail for the first 2 miles is pretty good, well paved and with some decent shaded areas to shelter from the blazing sun. The last half mile is basically scrambling up rocks, with a chain to hold on to, to save you from the 1000 ft drop either side – not for the faint-hearted!:

There were also a lot of people on the trail which made this section pretty challenging as there isn’t much room with people going in both directions. The views at the top are totally worth it though. I spent around 40 minutes at the top, having my lunch and soaking up the epic views.

It was somewhat easier to get down, partly because there weren’t so many people trying to come up the chains. I was so proud of myself for completing this hike. To be honest, the chance to hike Angels Landing was the main reason for booking this trip, and I was elated, if completely knackered, after I’d done it.

After I’d got back to the start of the trail. I then hopped on the shuttle bus to go to the end of the line – Temple of Sinawava. This is where the other famous hike in Zion starts – The Narrows. I just did the river walk to the start of the Narrows but some of the others in the group hiked the Narrows on the first day:

After that I headed back to the hotel for a soak in the heated pool and jacuzzi – a welcome relief for my aching limbs.

In the evening we went to a Thai restaurant in Springdale which was a nice alternative to American fare. There are not a lot of dining options in Springdale, it’s a functional strip of hotels/motels and easy-dining restaurants catering for the park tourists, so don’t go there expecting gourmet dining!

An unreal view from the hotel the following morning:

Look how blue the sky is!! So clear, and not a cloud to be seen. We set off for Bryce Canyon in the morning.

Bryce Canyon is around 90 miles/145 km from Zion. We arrived around lunchtime and enjoyed our deli sandwiches with a view:

The rock formations are known as hoodoos, and look other-worldly. The way the colours layered in the rocks reminded me of Badlands, but the rock formations themselves were like nothing I’ve ever seen.

In the afternoon we hiked the Queen’s Garden and Navajo loops into the Canyon, to get up close the the hoodoos.

The colours were just spectacular. It was a nice walk in amongst the hoodoos and down into the Canyon, certainly a good workout for my still-tired legs. Afterwards we went to check in to our hotel in Bryce Canyon City (not a city in the traditional sense of the word, another functional strip of hotels/motels and eateries). We ate at a pretty decent buffet in the evening and then headed back into the park for an excellent view of the night sky. It was clear and there was no moon so we could see a lot of stars and the Milky Way – here is a somewhat wonky attempt at some night-sky photography. More practice needed!! (Or a tripod)

The next day was an early start for the long drive to Monument Valley, but that excitement is for another post.

Disclaimer – I am not affiliated with Grand American Adventures in any way, and was a full fare-paying customer on this trip.

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