Flashback Friday - Stonehenge 2018

 The day began early as I headed out to meet a tour for the day.  I had chosen an archaeologist guided tour that went to the Stonehenge complex, Salisbury and Avebury.  I was really excited.  I had heard Stonehenge was a bit of a “tourist trap” but I still wanted to see it, and I was so excited to hear all about the great Neolithic monuments with such a knowledgeable guide.

We were picked up by the Victoria and Albert Museum to start, it was a small group but included another single woman so we became friends for the day to have someone to chat too.   The bus ride out of London was a bit boring, but likely why we had to start early to be able to get out easily!

The first stop was Woodhenge in the same area as Stonehenge.  The wooden poles have of course all rotted away, but the complex pattern was discovered through the post holes they left in the ground.  The site is interesting to see has it now has short concrete posts to show where the tall logs would have been. It is connected to Stonehenge with its proximity to a large pathway that runs along from the Avon, and Woodhenge, to the great stone monument.  

There are theories about the wood vs stone representing birth vs death and other mystical aspects of Neolithic worship.  Right beside the Woodhenge site we also saw the Durrington Walls, which was a settlement site and speculated to be where the builders lived.  There is evidence of a lot of activity around the winter solstice, showing that the importance of the sites may have more to do feasting during the shortest day of the year than the more publicly known summer solstice that attracts the modern pagans to this day.

Next was the great Stonehenge.  It definitely has its huge visitors centre and long circular route.  But even the end of June I didn’t find it too crazy.  There were a lot of people, but I was never jostled or had people blocking my photos.  The stones themselves were so interesting to see, and to have the small details, like the ring ditch that is what gives it the ‘henge’ name, pointed out just made the trip.  We didn’t stay for the gift shop, and just a quick peak at the rebuilt Neolithic huts, before we headed to Salisbury for lunch.

In Salisbury we also visited the Cathedral which was built in the 13th century when the church decided they wanted to relocate the main church from the near by hill fort of Old Sarum. It has the tallest bell tower in England, the oldest working medieval clock, and a copy of the Magna Carta.  As well the building and the grounds are just stunning.

We explored the medieval town and my new friend and I had lunch in the town square, before getting back on the bus for the next stop.  Driving through the countryside, we stopped to see a Neolithic long barrow, that is right beside Silbury Hill.  The hill is the second largest man made hill in Europe and no one knows what it’s for.  There has never been any remains or structure discovered within, and studies seem to show it likely took decades to be built.  It’s just a big cone in Wiltshire. 

We drove past the chalk figure of the white horse carved into a hillside, which was one of the inspirations for the device for the Riders of Rohan.  Our last stop was the town of Avesbury, which is the only English town built inside a Henge.   The massive bank and ditch would have been carved entirely with antlers.  Within are dozens of standing stones.  Many are still in their original location, but many were thrown down but the Church in days past.  Some were restored by antiquarians.   As well some concrete markers have been installed where there was evidence a stone had stood in the past.

The town itself is beautiful, and interesting to explore.  We didn’t have much time, but I did have a quick half pint at the Red Lion- “the only pub inside a Neolithic Henge.”  It also has the dubious attraction of an ancient well that is now used as a table, and “contains the remains of at least one unfortunate villager.”  Charming!

We got back to London a little late, so it was pretty much right back to the hotel for me!  I was a little frustrated trying to find somewhere to eat, all the more traditional pubs in the area had stopped serving food and the only things open were cheap takeaways.  I did not fly to London to have cheap takeaways!  Although yes, I ended up having some cheap Chinese food.  At least it was pretty good!

Flashback Friday - London 2018

I talk a lot about England in this blog, as I have been a few times.  So this trip I won’t go into quite as many details, but I will talk a bit about the special things I did this time.  I flew to London in the summer of 2018 for a cousins wedding.  That part of the trip was just wonderful, as I got to see family from all over that came for the day,  it was really special and unique.  Most of that part of the trip won’t be interesting so I’ll gloss over that part.

I flew into London on a Wednesday morning. I was staying at the Devonport Hotel in Greenwich.  It was a very interesting hotel which is also part of the University of Greenwich now.  It was a large mansion, that in later years also was the nurses residence for the Naval Hospital.  The hotel is situated right beside the Naval Museum, the Greenwich park and Greenwich palace.  It also has an old cemetery on the grounds that includes monuments from the time of Lord Nelson’s engagements.

Greenwich is an amazing part of London, the old Greenwich Palace is now part of the University of London, was once part of the Royal Naval College.  While there has been a royal palace on the site for centuries, not much remains.  It was called the Palace of Placentia in the days of the Tudors. On the hill behind the palace is the Greenwich Observatory, which is where Greenwich Mean Time started.  One of the original places to think of standardizing time.  There are also many telescopes and examples of early astronomers there.  As well there is a line demarking the Prime Meridian, which isn’t exactly 0° anymore, but that was one of the first places it was discussed. 

On my first day in London, I arrived about mid day and was exhausted from the overnight flight.  I was able to drop my bags at the hotel and push through. I started by exploring Greenwich Palace and had been told by family there was a restoration happening in the Painted Hall.  For a bit extra one could take a tour of the restoration work.  I was a little reluctant, but I am glad I listened to my uncle who pushed for it.

This was an opportunity of a life time I think.  The ceiling of the hall had been done in the era of William and Mary II.  The entire ceiling and all of the walls were painted in beautiful and complicated designs.  As part of the restoration, a scaffolding had been build to just about 7 or 8 feet below the ceiling so the tour went right up close to see the art and the restorers at work.  Some of the design was done with different perspectives, so seeing them up close was remarkable.   

I explored a bit of the grounds of Greenwich Palace next, it is a beautiful building that is featured in plenty of movies from era pieces to elves blowing in up in a Marvel Thor movie.  As it sits along the Thames it was also an excellent place to have a gin and tonic and enjoy the summer sunshine.  While I was walking along the river I noticed a funny little hut by itself.  It turned out to be the entry way to a pedestrian tunnel that runs under the Thames. It opened in 1902 so workers could more easily access the Isle of the Dogs and the docks on the north side of the river.  It was closed during WWII as it was damaged during the Blitz and become unsafe due to threat of collapse.  It is open now and still a popular access point - but check the website before going.  It is a long way down and if either elevator is not operational you might have a lot of stairs in your future.  Especially if one is just going across for a peak!

I had an early night that night, I wanted to be rested and ready for the next day as I was doing a guided tour that included seeing Stonehenge and other neolithic monuments near by.  I had chosen a tour guided by an archeologist and I was excited to learn more about the history of England.

Flashback Friday - The Pacific Coast, Costa Rica 2017

We had a really neat drive down to the coast, stopping for lunch a river that was filled with crocodiles, really with some long plains and interesting trees the spot reminded me a bit of an African Savannah.  They used to feed the crocs for the tourists entertainment, that isn’t allowed anymore but they still cluster around the bridge which is by the little shops the tour buses stop at.  Maybe they are waiting for someone to trip.

Next we arrived at the town of Quepos.  Small little town up on the hills beside the ocean.  We had a nice little hotel, along a line of restaurants and hotels to visit.  It was a simple bus trip down to the beach and to Manuel Antonio National Park, which is supposed to be another beautiful place to see wild life.

I think this is where we were offered a chance to do a night walk, it was here or the cloud forest, and I turned it down.  I do not like spiders and other unmentionables.  While I can handle seeing them and know they are around, a night walk makes me shudder.  You don’t realize how close they are till a flash light hits so you can’t even be prepared!

That night a few of us went for happy hour at one of the little bars along the road.  Turned out to be owned by a Canadian who had packed it all in for warmer climes.  It was fun to chat about various life stories from him and the group.

In the morning a number of people decided to do a tour of the Park, but I was a bit peopled out.  So I had a slower start to the morning and took myself down top the beach.  I ran into our guide in town, as she had just dropped the group off, and we had breakfast at a nice spot by the beach.  Then I went to a little shop to stock up on drinks and snacks and found myself a nice little spot along the beach for the day.  It was pretty overcast, still lovely and warm which was all I needed.  I had a quiet morning to myself and then met up with some of the group to play in the surf later in the day.

In the evening we went to dinner at El Avion, an 1980s era plan that is now a restaurant in the forest.  Abandoned by the Americans in the wake of the Iran-Contra affair, it was bought by a businessman who relocated it to Quepos and used the fuselage as the restaurant.  It was a really neat experience, having a meal in a rustic old plane!  The ambiance was very well done, and a beautiful spot.

The next morning, and our last full day, dawned hot and clear.  Thankfully we only had a couple hours in the morning by the pool, since even with a few layers of sunscreen, I got absolutely burned!  We then drove back to San Jose for one last night at the hotel, before everyone scatters back to where they came from.

I remember this trip very fondly, I would highly recommend Costa Rica as a beautiful and interesting place to visit!  I really should go back there sometime……

Flashback Friday - The Cloud Forest, Costa Rica 2017

We had started the day by taking a boat ride across the reservoir from La Fortuna, and then drove through the hills into the cloud forest by Monte Verde.  A cloud forest is similar to a rainforest, but at a higher elevation so it exists within the clouds.  It’s a fairly unique ecosystem accounting for a very small percentage of rainforests.

After arriving at Monte Verde, a few of us chose to go to a local plantation where they grow cocoa beans and sugar cane.  We got to try incredibly raw chocolate, so bitter, and help make sugar, very delicious, and also were given a shot of rough guard liquor.  Which the guide told us after his girlfriend uses as nail polish remover.

We stayed at an incredible little hotel, my roommate and I were lucky enough get a really large room with a gorgeous deck with a hammock.  It really was just a lovely spot, with a fun bar that made a fun frozen drink using a local liquor made from sugar cane.

The next day, we went on a tour of the national forest, and learned about the ecosystem of the cloud forest. There we saw so many birds, some type of small cat that darted across the path, and a sloth.  Sloths are interesting, because they move so slowly, they can be hard to find in the trees.  There is no flash of movement to catch ones eye.  However, once one is found, the guides can usually keep an eye on him for several days before he changes position and the hunt starts again.

In the afternoon we went zip lining.  I had never done it, and had a bit of an irrational fear from a ridiculous scene of a medial drama.  And a little fear of heights.  It was an absolute blast though, we started small by crossing between trees, before finishing by zipping across a massive canyon and back.  The grand finale was a Tarzan swing.  You can feel the bungee pulling at you as the guides say they will count to three and then shove you off on two.  I still remember the primal scream of the initial drop, then switched to delighted screams for the swings.

It was a free evening, and the one group of friends wanted to have dinner at the Tree House restaurant, and welcomed me to join them as it looked amazing.  This entire restaurant was built up around a massive tree.  The centre was open so we could hear the rain pattering down the leaves as we ate.  The tree itself was really well lit too.  The food was great, but the atmosphere was incredible. 

It was really a special spot, I would definitely recommend Monte Verde to anyone.  But tours gonna tour and the next day we moved on to the next town.  It was a drive down from the mountains to the Pacific coast for the last few days. 

Flashback Friday- Costa Rica 2017

This one is going back in time a bit, this trip would have been planned shortly after I got my first big full time job.  So this was my first big excursion trip with my own funding.  I chose Costa Rica, a bit at random, I’d heard good things about it, but didn’t have a big reason to go there.  Just sounded nice.

This was my first big trip travelling Solo, so I opted to go on a tour.  I generally travel with G Adventures on my tours, they are a good Canadian company and I have had a lot of luck with them.  For this trip, it started and finished in San Jose.  I decided to fly in a day ahead to have some time to explore and make sure I wasn’t late due to any travel snafus.

The hotel we were at was nice, in the morning of my first day I got some instructions on taking the bus into San Jose.  There was a nice broadway to walk along, with lovely old buildings and a museum of local history.  I had lunch in town, and just walked down the Main Street.  I had decided to take a taxi back to the hotel instead of trying the buses again on my own.  Making small talk and lots of “um hmmmms” in my incredibly basic Spanish to try and seem less like a tourist to be taken advantage.  Not sure if he bought it, but I was dropped at my hotel without a full unnecessary tour of the city. 

That evening the group got together for the first time and introduced with the guide.  I was pleased as it looked like I would have my own room, which is a treat.  Unfortunately it was just a miscommunication. My roommate had travel issues and I met her when I was woken up in the middle of the night to someone else coming in my room!  That small hiccup aside, she was a great companion for the trip. 

As I recall, the group mostly knew each other, there was one other single man on the trip, the rest was a friends group, a pair of couples, and a father with his teenage daughters.  Our guide was an amazing local woman, she was just fantastic. 

The first full day of the tour we drove up to the town of La Fortuna which is at the base of the Arenal volcano.  They didn’t actually know volcano was still alive till the 60’s.  The first clue was the local river ran hot.  Then it exploded.  Sadly a fair number of people were killed, and three villages were destroyed.  The government took advantage of the sad situation, instead of rebuilding they relocated the surviving villagers and then built a dam that had been previously considered that flooded the land the old villages had been on.

Along the way we stopped at a coffee plantation, where we got a tour of everything from the plants growing to how they roast and prep the beans.  I am not a fan of coffee, but the others in the group said it was delicious.  When we arrived in La Fortuna the group went out on a Canyoneering expedition, where we climbed and jumped along trails along a river running along a canyon.  That evening the tour all went to a local hotel that uses the local hot springs to make some delight full swimming pools.

The town of La Fortuna is thriving at the base of the volcano, which has slowed down in the last 15 years. Our guide was from the area, and on a free night in town she took us to the local river that still runs hot. The locals had built up rock walls to make pools in the river, and it was a lovely temperature for relaxing in.  She had organized coolers for us and everyone had bought drinks and snacks to enjoy.  Sadly the local spot was being discovered and as we were heading out a couple coach buses were arriving.

The next day I chose to do a similar waterfall jumping trip, it was a smaller group of other tourists.  It was amazing as it started with a 60ft rappel along side a small water fall.  It ended with jumping off a 6ft cliff into a deep pool.  I attempted a flip.  It didn’t go well, I didn’t quite get the rotation.  But was still a ton of fun! At the end of the trip the snack for everyone was some fresh pineapple.  I was a little disappointed as I don’t care for pineapple.  Then I learned what I don’t care for is the imported pineapple we get in Canada.  Fresh pineapple is AMAZING.

After two days in La Fortuna we took a boat ride across the reservoir and then a long drive into the cloud forest and the town of Monte Verde in the mountains. 

Alex's Advice - Hostels for Solo Travellers

Lots of people can be quite nervous travelling alone, and travelling on a budget doesn’t help.  I started my solo travelling late in life so my concerns are not quite the same as young women.  I am just hoping to share some of my personal experiences.

When I did my epic trip, I spent the first two months in Europe.  As I had a long journey ahead of me, I chose to stay in hostels most of the time.  With the exception of one hostel in Dublin that used a headache inducing cleaner in the bathroom, I managed quite well.

One concern was that I was going to be the old lady at the hostel even at the ancient age of 38.  While most backpackers were of a different generation than me, a few were of an unexpected direction.  My first hostel in York there were several senior citizens staying there.  It helped me feel more comfortable immediately.  Also most of the younger people couldn’t care less, in Venice I hung out in the bar a few nights and chatted with a variety of people.  While I never chose to join the pub crawls, everyone seemed happy to meet anyone passing by.  

Though once in Edinburgh a pack of high schoolers on a trip were slamming doors as they chased each other through the halls.  I actually did channel my inner old woman and went to ask them to be quiet. Chagrinned they swore they would go to bed.  I had to laugh and said I didn’t care if they went to bed - just pick a room and stay there!

Still, there are safety concerns.  Many hostels do offer women’s only dorms.  I never really minded if I was in a co-ed or not.  I did notice however if Women only was available and I chose mixed, usually to be in a room with less beds, I would end up being the only woman.  I never had issues, but it is a consideration especially for young women travelling alone.  If there was an option, I started picked the women’s dorm.  

For privacy, it can be good to look at pictures of the rooms and see if there are curtains that come with the bunks.  If it’s not an option, I had planned ahead.  Most people are going to be traveling with a lightweight towel that can work as a curtain, or a sarong wrap works too.  Buy a clothes line from a camping store, these often come with attached clips.  Ask for a bottom or lower bunk, and you can wrap the line around the posts of the bed, attach your towel and get a little extra privacy.  It also works for longer travels to have something to hang clothes to dry.   

Be sure to also pack a lock, not just the one on your luggage, but a combination lock for a locker.  Try and look for hostels that have locker space in the rooms.  It’s a lot more comfortable leaving things behind if you know you can secure them.  I never liked carrying my passport out and about, but I was also never going to leave it unsecured.  In the same way, I also travelled with cash and back up bank cards.  I split them up into separate envelopes or wallets and hid one in various bags.  If something got stolen I should always have back ups. 

As for booking hostels, there are lots of websites out there, I usually would browse a few of them, the main hotel ones and also Hostelworld.  It can help to read a variety of reviews from different sites to be sure a location has what you want, and too see if complaints are dealt with or ignored based on responses on the big sites. 

I enjoyed staying in hostels, it was definitely a different experience and took me back to my younger days of travelling.  But if you aren’t planning to spend a lot of time at your accommodations it’s a great way to save money. You can meet people to hang out with if you are feeling a little lonely, or pick a place with a bar if you aren’t up for exploring your city alone after dark.

Be sure to have some headphones, both so you don’t disturb others or to help fall asleep when others are being loud.  And even in hostels - you do get what you pay for.  At the $20 pod hostel in Singapore you definitely got your moneys worth and not a cent more! 

Flashback Fridays - Machu Picchu 2019

The final day of the hike luckily did not have near as much hiking.  My group all voted for an early start, we wanted to be at the front of the back and we managed it quite well.  We had to be out of camp early to allow the porters time to pack up and catch their train home, so we were in line about 90 min before the gates open for Machu Picchu at 5:30. (Times are approximate. This was six years ago!) Our group was the second or third in line, so we were pleased.  Everyone had to be checked in to enter grounds as a ticket is required.

We hiked for about an hour towards the Sun Gate entrance, which included the Gringo Killer steps, which barely qualify as steps, more like a ladder.  I think they were also called the Monkey Steps as they were so steep you could use your hand for balance.  Luckily, there were not too many of them.  We made it to the Sun Gate in about an hour.  This is a spot where you can watch the sun rise over the epic old city. Of course this was the view we had. 

Still, we had a little break in the gorgeous old ruins before starting the hike down into the city itself.  When we arrived at the main city, tourists who’d come in on the train were in the city as well, though it was obvious we had arrived via the multi day trek as we had hiking poles and large packs which were not allowed in the city.  It was fun as we got a lot of cheers and people shouting their congratulations at us.  

The next stop was the classic Instagram Lookout for some obligatory photos posing with the ruins behind us.  Luckily it was not too over crowded so everyone was able to get some amazing shots.  After his the tour group actually filed out of the city, we were to leave all our gear at the buses waiting to take us back to civilization and re-enter for the proper tour.  There was an option to get a stamp in your passport (which i think we had had to carry to match our ticket into Machu Picchu) and then left in a cafe to wait for the guide to arrange things.  Everyone ordered something to drink, a few of us went for alcohol.  Someone pointed out we were drinking beer at 8:30am.  I was shocked for a second, then pointed out we had been awake and moving for the last five hours.  Not quite as bad!

Eventually we headed back into the city for a proper tour.  I could have stayed all day taking pictures and had to keep rushing to find my group after getting distracted.  There are lots of llama’s still wandering around, they actually are the previous pack animals that were just abandoned when the ban on hooved creatures on the Trail was set up.  Don’t worry though, they are cared for by those caring for Machu Picchu and are useful lawn mowers. 

The ruins were amazing, the views were breathtaking.  And one doesn’t need to walk the arduous trail to appreciate it.  The journey we were taking home is one that can be done in both directions for people who don’t have the desire, time, money or ability to hike the multi day trail.  After an amazing day exploring the old ruins, we took a bus down to the town of Aguas Calientes where we had lunch before catching the train back.  A few people took advantage of the hot springs that the town is named for, while i normally cannot be kept from soaking in steaming hot water, I just knew I would struggle putting my grimy old clothes back on after getting properly clean.  So I explored the town before lunch, then we took the train back to Ollantaytambo and a bus back to Cuzco to end our journey.  

I flew home the following day after a morning walking around town again as well as having a pint in the Worlds Highest Irish Pub.  It was an incredible experience.  Of course I wish I had a smoother time, but life can be boring if it always goes perfectly!  I had an amazing time on my tour and would recommend it to anyone.  Though as I said, if for what ever reason it isn’t for you, my mom did a similar tour with G, half the group did the hike, the other half continued to explore the area and then met the group for the tour in Machu Picchu.  Don’t miss out if it sounds like a place you want to visit!  

I loved the idea of walking in the footsteps of people who lived 500 years ago.  Canada doesn’t have near as much ancient history that is tangible.  Peoples may have lived here for countless centuries, but they left little evidence of their passing.  I love going anywhere, where I can reach out and touch something that has existed for so long and seen countless generations passing by. And the Inca left a heck of story behind.