Author Archives: Jodi

5 Weeks in Northern Europe: A Journey Through Lithuania Latvia & Estonia

August 15, 2024

This is the beginning of a 5 week solo trip through Northern Europe. After 3 days on my own in Vilnius, I started with a tour with G Adventures of the Baltic countries, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. From there my plan is to travel on my own through Finland, Sweden and Denmark.

I arrived at Vilnius airport sleep deprived and checked Google maps for directions to the comfort inn. Less than an hour’s walk. 🤔. Too tired for that but too cheap for a taxi I found the bus stop. A man there said I needed an app to pay for the bus. I downloaded it and was trying to figure it out when my bus arrived. The driver accepted cash. I nicely even had the single euro it cost. Perfect!
By the time I’d settled into my hotel it was 6 pm and I just wanted to sleep. So I booked 2 free walking tours ( my favourite way to get to know a city) for the next day and went exploring to make sure I could find the starting point. Vilnius is lovely! I tried Kibinai (a meat filled pastry), while enjoying the music of 2 violins and a cello playing in front of a church.

Vilnius, LITHUANIA
  • teapot cafe
  • University of Latvia courtyard
  • Curved streets of Vilnius
  • Russian orthodox churc

Aug 17
I woke up refreshed and ready to take on the 2 walking tours I booked through freetour.com. The first was Secrets of Vilnius old town. It was really interesting and the guide was passionate and obviously loves her country. A highlight for me was the “country” of Uzupis. Just cross the River Vilna. There’s a sign with the rules. One is a speed limit of 20km/hr and another is that you have to smile. Apparently they separated as Vilnius is boring.
I had about an hour to find a bathroom, fill my water and sit for a bit with a snack before I joined the second tour Undiscovered Vilnius which was completely different and also interesting. We visited the wooden houses and learned more about the impact of the Soviet Union’s occupation on Lithuania
By then I was done so found a restaurant, enjoyed a beer and goat cheese salad and walked back. A 24,000 step day


Aug 18

The Republic of Uzupis

Today I spent some time visiting the republic of Uzupis. Population 7,000. An independent republic has to have money, power, an anthem and constitution, and above all, a free spirit. So. They made sure they have all this. The constitution is posted on a wall in town in about 40 languages. The sign on the border orders you to drive only 20 km/hr and smile. 😊 Well. I noticed speed limits exceeded and the usual grumpy faces. Oh well. It was interesting

  • On a government building.
  • Wooden houses of Vilnius
    Wooden houses of Vilnius.
  • Old and new
  • Old and new

I visited on a Sunday morning so everything was closed. It slowly wakes up by around 11 am. The cemetery is a nice walk anytime. 

I also visited Lukiskis prison where they filmed the 4th season of stranger things. I had pink soup there. Seemed appropriate. Lukiskis has an interesting history having been used during ww2 detaining Jews, then for political prisoners during the occupation by the soviets and a regular maximum security prison. The last execution was in 1995.. it was closed in 2019 and is now can be visited by tourists who eat soup and drink aperol spritz. It even has an airbnb!

  • Pink soup!! YUM
  • Vilnius prison. Site of 4th season of Stranger Things
  • Putin in Prison. LOL

By the time I’d done all that and taken many detours, including watching a huge cycling event that shut down many streets, I was pooped. I managed to find a bus that reduced my walk back by 20 minutes. Hey. It meant I got to sit for 20 minutes too, plus see a different area of town.

Monday

I met the 14 other members of my G adventures group last night and today we headed out on a public bus to Trakai castle. It’s a nice way to spend a morning.

Klaipeda

Klaipeda is a really nice city with pretty flowers and lots of character. Our group enjoyed lunch in a ship on the river the first day and then walked around town while Sigurd explained some of the history and high lights. It’s fun to go for a walk about and see how many weird statues you can find. Also, make sure you try the pink soup. It’s delicious!

The next day was spent exploring the Curonion spit. We explored witches hill and Sigurd treated us to several stories and fables about some of the sculptures as well as lore about how the spit was formed

We had lunch in Nida where I tried smoked squid. It was ok but I don’t need to eat it again. Later we climbed the dead dune, so named as vegetation has been planted to insure the dunes no longer move

From one dune we had a view of Russia off in the distance.
Back in Klaipeda some of us went to Devi where we enjoyed a delicious meal of Indian food.

  • More pink soup.
  • EEEK! It’s a swamp creature!
  • Mermaid of Vilnius
  • Dead dune
  • Leaning into the wind
  • Preserving the dead dune
  • Surprise! No birds but we saw a foc!
  • Many fables and stories are told here

The next day we carried on and drove to Riga, Latvia. That’s the next post!

Budgeting tips for TRAVEL! You CAN travel for less.

Tips for travelling for less, budget & packing tips and MORE!

Costa Rica. Can it still be done on a budget?

January, 2024

Costa Rica is a beautiful country with so much to offer. Jungle, animals, culture and a wide assortment of beaches are just a few of it’s attributes. It’s stability and good infrastructure has contributed to it being the most expensive country in Central America. It can still be somewhat budget friendly if you’re careful.

Liberia Airport to La Fortuna

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This trip was for my daughter who (EEK!) turned 40 on the trip. I’ve never been one for gifts of “things”. To me there is no greater gift than travel and experiences. Melanie loves the beach but I convinced her that she couldn’t visit Costa Rica without seeing something of the wild life. Our first stop was La Fortuna. In the end she had to admit it was her favourite!

I’d researched various ways to get from Liberia airport to La Fortuna. There’s a bus but it involves changing in Liberia and takes hours to get there. The shared shuttle leaves at 3:15 pm and I was concerned we’d miss it if there was even a slight delay in our flight. I got quotes from several companies and all were over $200USD for the 2.5-3 hour drive. The best option ended up being the private transport arranged by our hotel. ($160USD) 

La Fortuna

Xilapalo turned out to be a fantastic choice and I highly recommend staying there. It’s right in town but backs onto a jungley area with a great view of Arenal. Armondo sets up bird feeders with fruit every morning so you can eat breakfast and see an amazing array of birds. We saw THREE different varieties of toucans on the 4 mornings we ate there. The rooms are large and the AC works great. It’s very clean and there are lots of places to sit and relax AND they have a nice pool. The desk staff will book any activity you want and offer a discount on most of them. 

Adventure in Fortuna

White water rafting was intense, but a lot of fun. I signed up for class 2 and 3 but ended up doing class 3 and 4 – something to do with the river conditions. I highly recommend Arenal Rafting. They were great! Find them here: https://arenalrafting.com/arenal-rafting-tours-la-fortuna/balsa-river-white-water-rafting-class-3-4-la-fortuna/

Zip lining at Los Lagos was great fun! Not as intense as some courses but enough for us and felt very safe, as safe as you can be zipping through the tree tops on a cable. The hot springs there were really nice too with a great range of pools. 
Go on Armondo’s sloth tour. He knows where to find them. In the evening he led us on a walk through the trees behind the hotel and found lots of frogs and critters. Sometimes he finds sleeping birds.

Click here for Xilapalo Arenal, La Fortuna

  • Armondo finds the sloths and even helps take pictures!
  • Opportunistic cows love the left over fruit after a stop on the Balsa River
  • Blue jean frog

Montezuma

Melanie wanted to go to the beach and I wanted to avoid the heavily touristed areas. Montezuma seemed to fit the bill. We took a shared shuttle there from La Fortuna which takes about 6 hours. ($72 USD p/p)  It’s only 240 km but everything takes longer in Costa Rica as there’s no such thing as a straight roads. Montezuma is a cute little town with lots of choices of places to eat and beaches to explore. Plus it’s got a pretty amazing waterfall. The entrance is just a 15 minute walk from the Hotel Tajalin. 
The hike in is a bit of a challenge but that makes it even more fun. 
On Melanie’s birthday we did a trip to Isla Tortuga. We took an excursion that offered 2 snorkelling sites and lunch. The snorkelling wasn’t great but we did see a few fish. Lunch on the beach was nice and the swimming there was really nice.
We stayed at Hotel Tajalin. It’s very basic and a little run down but it’s clean and pretty much right on the beach. The included breakfast was nice too. 

Click here for Hotel Tajalin

  • The path starts with crossing slippery rocks
  • The largest of the Montezuma waterfalls includes a refreshing pool to swim in.
  • Then stepping over lots of roots
  • Climbing down
  • The rope helps
  • Montezuma beach
  • Walk further to another small beach
  • Keep walking and you end up on Playa grande
  • Wild pigs on Isla Tortuga
  • Isla Tortuga

Brasilito

I booked the shuttle with an agency in town. There was some confusion over whether it would go as far as Brasilito as they generally just go to Tamarindo. Tropical tours kindly took us all the way. You can book shuttles online but you’re better off in person as it’s cheaper if you pay in cash. $60 USD per person was pretty reasonable.

It took her a while to find our reservation but eventually we got to our room, checked in and set off to explore the beaches. A 10 minute walk across Brasilito beach gets you to Playa Conchal which is a gorgeous spot covered in sea shells. There’s even some decent snorkelling there. The only down side is that even without parking or road access, it’s been discovered and was always busy. It’s a great place to relax though as the shells are actually quite comfortable with a towel on top. Vendors come around with drinks too. We had a delicious passion fruit smoothie. Expensive, but tasty!

Braslito Hotel is great but you might want to book direct to insure you get to STAY in your room. Check it out here: https://www.brasilito.com/

  • Smoothies on the beach
  • Pllaya Conchal
  • Shade on Playa Conchal
  • Playa Conchal
  • Love the patterns in the sand made by the outgoing tide

There are 2 Sodas in town that serve a great breakfast and one on the beach that’s excellent for fish with a great view of the sunset. We were really enjoying it there when I got a message while on the beach that we had to check out. Weird as I’d paid for 2 more nights. We went back to the hotel to settle it and discovered that yes, we were being evicted. Apparently there was some mix up with Expedia. Ok then! That’s a new adventure. I’ve never been evicted before! The hotel refunded me for all 4 nights and I quickly found a place in the next village. We packed up quickly and took an uber to the Curiol boutique Hotel in Protero. Our room was actually a glamping tent. It was comfy, though hot at night since no AC but the pool was lovely and we enjoyed our last day just relaxing. Protero beach is nice but it’s the fine, black sand that gets in everything. I much preferred Brasilito. 

  • Sunset on Brasilito beach
  • Delicious cassada on the beach

Find the Curiol Hotel here: Curiol Boutique Hotel It’s a lovely place if you want to do a lot of relaxing. It’s very quiet, though right in town, and a 10 minute walk to the beach.

  • Our glamping room at Curiol Boutique
  • Pizza was a delicious treat
  • Interesting light fixture

Thus ends another great trip to Costa Rica. It’s an amazing country and I’ve visited a few times as there’s so much to see. You can’t go wrong no matter where you go!

Other posts on Costa Rica can be found here:
Trek Hidden Costa Rica. Into the jungle we go!
Cahuita. Caribbean Costa Rica! Just the grandkid and me
Dominical & Uvita beaches plus cave dwelling at Daimonte. Costa Rica has everything!
Costa Rica
http://www.mytripjournal.com/dejongcostarica

Trinidad!

Here’s a fantastic post on Trinidad. One day I will get there. Thanks Celly!

13 things to do in Chaguaramas, Trinidad

Dominica Travel Tips: Navigate by Ferry and Experience Nature

December, 2023

Dominica has been on my list of places to see for a while now. It’s hard to get to from Canada as It involves flights with lots of stops….etc. When cheap flight to St Lucia came up I jumped on it, then realized I can get to Dominica by FERRY! So, this trip was a 2 for 1. Find the St Lucia portion of the trip here: St Lucia on a budget? Yes! It’s possible! 
Once there I found out the ferry company has a special island hopper option. For $300 EC (about $150 CAD) you can visit Martinique, Dominica and Guadeloupe. There’s a trip for you! Find a cheap flight to one of the islands and visit them all! 

Travelling by ferry wasn’t as hassle free as I’d hoped. You still have to do all the security stuff and their xray machine was broken which meant searching EVERY bag that went through. After all that the ferry left an hour late. Once there I could walk to my accommodation in Roseau. The Roseau Hostel https://www.booking.com/Share-bPNUY5 was clean, fairly quiet and right on the beach and empty the 2 nights I was there. I walked around town, asked people and researched and still couldn’t find reasonable ways to access most of the popular hikes and sights. I ended up going through a tour company called Waitukubuli https://www.waitukubulitours.com/ which apparently also owns the hostel. The whale watching tour was really good and reasonably priced but the hike was really expensive. I did the Middleham Falls & Ti-Tou Gorge  Tours are obviously geared to cruise ships and priced accordingly. 

One day I tried taking a bus to see a waterfall. That was tricky. First you’ve got to find a bus stop. None are labelled so I just kept asking people till I found it. Don’t ask taxi drivers as they just tell you buses don’t go there. I never did figure out what a bus looks like. They’re just white vans and I couldn’t see any kind of signs on them or different licence plates. As in St Lucia they don’t leave till they’re full. There were only 3 of us in the 16 passenger van so it looked like a long wait. Then another couple showed up, also wanting to go to the Emerald pool. The driver offered to leave right away if I and the other couple paid double the fare. We were ok with that since it was still only $5 and the locals got to go where they needed to as well. The emerald pool was an easy hike and a gorgeous setting. Rather than wait for the bus back (who knows when it will show up) I hitched a ride with a couple of girls and their driver. I paid him $5 so it was all still a lot cheaper than the $50 USD a cab would have charged me.

After all that I decided not to pay a fortune for more hiking. The Middleham hike was tough enough but it was also hot and rained for half of it. It was gorgeous but I’ve decided hiking in hot weather is not for me, especially when you’re promised the guide will have water and he forgets it. You can hike free on the national trail which goes across the whole island. It’s call the Waitukubuli trail. https://waitukubulitrail.dm/

  • Beach in front of the hostel at sunset
  • Emerald Pool
  • Emerald Pool
  • View along the road
  • Middleham falls hike
  • These little guys are everywhere
  • Middleham falls. Yes, I’m soaking wet. It’s either sweat or rain.
  • Titou gorge. You swim through there
  • Entrance to Titou gorge
  • Looking up in the Titou gorge

The next 6 days I spent at the Soufriere guesthouse. Most of the other guests were there either teaching or taking courses in free diving. It’s an interesting sport! they go down 50 METRES or more! Soufriere harbour is apparently the perfect place for it. It’s a lovely village and the people very friendly. I met and chatted with many different people. I swam and snorkelled at Soufriere beach, Champagne beach and Scott’s head. I walked about town and hiked a bit of the national trail. There’s a hot spring just up the road that I enjoyed one evening. Sometimes I took the bus. Sometimes I hitched a ride. It was a really nice, relaxing visit and I loved getting to know the locals. 

A major news event occurred during my stay. It was interesting to hear about it from the perspective of residents. It was devastating to the community as beloved residents were murdered. Read about it here: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67644263

Dominica rarely makes international news for good reason. It’s a laid back, safe place that’s wonderful to visit.

  • Soufriere hot springs
  • Hot spring
  • ”Scott’s head
  • Scotts head snorkelling’
  • Scott’s head
  • ‘Scott’s head
  • Champagne beach. Volcanic activity produces these bubbles under water
  • Champagne beach

I might not have seen all the sights there are to see but I learned a lot about Dominica and it’s culture. Cruise ships appear to be a necessary evil. The total population of the island is about 74,000 people. The capital city of Roseau has less than 17,000 people and Portsmouth less than 4,000. Yet there can be 4 or 5 cruise ships at a time docked in those 2 cities. That is a LOT of people to dump on a tiny island for several hours most days during high season. It makes Roseau a zoo but the rest of the island is pretty much undeveloped so very hard to get around.

  • Soufriere beach
  • Soufriere harbour
  • This fellow showed me his house. Most of it created from stuff he found on the beach including this lounge chair
  • Views while walking the roads

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St Lucia on a budget? Yes! It’s possible!

December, 2023

Not all of us want to be pampered at luxury hotels that don’t remotely reflect the culture they’re set in. If you do, that’s fine. This post isn’t for you then 😀

Honestly St Lucia wasn’t on my radar as a place to visit as I thought that’s all it was. Boy was I wrong. I saw a cheap flight advertised, (which is often how I choose my next destination) so I started to do some research. I learned I could get to Dominica by ferry from there and booked myself 16 days. I could have done much longer. Express ferries has a deal. For $300 EC (about $150 CAD) you can visit Martinique, Dominica and Guadalupe! That’s a great deal. 

Check it out here: https://www.express-des-iles.fr/en/

LABORIE

I started my trip in the Laborie area. I had booked a room with Anne’s Homestay and Cletus picked me up from the airport and took me on a 2 hour tour, stopping at an ATM and a grocery store. Now THAT is hospitality! Cletus pointed out bus stops and told me how to get a ride. 


Their amazing hospitality didn’t stop there. Breakfast was included and Anne made me delicious local food, explaining what a lot of it was. The next 3 days I spent exploring the area, going for walks and spending time in the town of Laborie. The beaches there are nice. At Rudy John beach there’s a small reef area that’s fun to snorkel around. People greeted me everywhere, many asking if I was enjoying my vacation. Several people told me I had to eat at Mama Tilly’s so I did that one evening. She cooks up good, simple food on the barbecue You choose your protein (I had fish) and she fills the plate with various sides that were all delicious.

  • Laborie Beach
  • Rudy John beach
  • Downtown Laborie
  • The church

At the end of my stay, the family was going to Vieux Fort so offered to drop me off at the bus stop. St Lucia has a interesting system of white vans with green licence plate. The buses leave when they’re full so there’s no schedule. I didn’t have to wait long for a bus to fill up and was on my way to Castries. The bus cost $9 EC ($4.50 CAD) A taxi costs about $100 USD. I was willing to give up air conditioning and put my suitcase under my feet for that. You can even buy a seat for your suitcase if you want. 

CASTRIES

The hotel I booked was a 10 minute walk from the bus stop and the ferry terminal. Perfect. If you need to catch an early ferry, check out the Harbour INN.

Castries is a typical port city. It’s BOOMING when the cruise ship is in and everything closes around 5 pm. So if you want dinner you need to plan. I wandered around and saw the sights and was at the ferry terminal for 6.30 am. The xray machine was broken so they searched EVERY bag. It was tedious. The 4 hour ferry ride was uneventful, though delayed an hour. I spent the next week in Dominica. That will be the next post. Find it here: A week in Dominica on a budget. The nature Island!

SOUFRIERE

The ferry from Roseau to Castries was a little easier, mostly because my ticket was printed and the xray machine worked. Note that the departure tax for Dominica is $86 ED! 

Again I took the bus. $9 EC vs $100 USD is a no brainer. That’s probably different if you’re travelling with a group but as a solo traveller, all expenses are mine.
I checked into the Frenz guesthouse, which turned out to be a GREAT choice. It’s a 10 minute walk anywhere. It’s reasonably priced, has AC and a very usable kitchen.
Check it out here: Frenz
I met Danuta who was also staying at Frenz. She too was travelling alone and this was her third time in Soufriere so she knew how to get around and what to see. I wasn’t interested in the tourist spots but wanted to see the real St Lucia. Right up her alley! We spent the next 4 days visiting the New Jerusalem hot springs, Diamond falls and the botanical gardens, Sugar beach and Anse Chastenet. If you keep walking past the resorts on Anse Chastenet you come to Anse Manin. That was was my favourite. There’s some nice snorkelling there too. Behind that beach are some trails that belong to Jade Mountain resort. They’re really nice and there are some ruins of a sugar plantation there.

  • Jerusalem hot springs
  • Can you see Danuta?
  • Anse Chastenet
  • Anse Manin
  • Soufriere beach
  • Gros Piton
  • Diamond waterfall
  • ‘Original bath from the 1700’Original bath from the 1700
  • Ruins of the sugar plantation
  • Jerusalem Hot Spring


Several times we got rides with kind locals going in our direction. Once it was a lumber truck who stopped and offered us a ride. Turns out he was our host’s cousin. It’s a small town. Several people gave really good restaurant recommendations. One woman helped us buy some rum on Sunday. (Liquor stores are closed) Fedo’s has really good local food but it closes at 4 pm. Voila was higher end but absolutely delicious and the chef even came to the tables for a chat. A new restaurant, Big Mama’s has local food and is open for dinner.

Dr John’s blog post on the Frontenac challenge!

October, 2023
I had the pleasure of joining John and 4 other Pine Ridge hiking club members on this trip to Frontenac where we completed the challenge. He describes it beautifully in his blog post. It was one of the toughest multiday hiking trips I’ve done other than Machu Picchu. Interested in trying it yourself? Read on!

Frontenac Challenge 2023

Exploring Edinburgh solo: Top Activities and Hidden Gems

My niece’s wedding was the instigator for this trip. After spending a whirlwind week with family in London, I said good bye to them and carried on travelling alone. Why not make the most of the flight?
I enjoyed a couple of days with a friend I’d met in South America and then joined a tour with Rabbie’s Trail Burner’s to Wales. What a great trip! That post can be found here: 5 days in Wales with Rabbie’s Tours

Back in London I boarded a train to Edinburgh. Yes, flying can be cheaper BUT it’s not as environmentally friendly and you have to factor in the cost of getting to and from the airport. Train stations are usually right in town. Besides, the scenery from London to Edinburgh is amazing! After a wonderful 5 days exploring the North West area of Scotland with Rabbie’s Trail Burners, ( How to visit the north of Scotland, one island at a time. ) I’ve got 4 days on my own in Edinburgh before heading to Dublin. What to do?

June 7, 2023. I stayed at the Kickass Grassmarket hostel in a very comfortable pod in a room with 13 other pods. The first night I wore earplugs as I assumed it would be noisy. Nope. These folks are quiet! There appear to be lots of other folks my age here too. The breakfast is decent. The price is right and the location is amazing. I can walk everywhere. Which I did.

  • Fancy breakfast table
  • My “pod” Very comfortable!

One of the first things I like to do when visiting a new city is take a free walking tour. Edinburgh has lots to offer. I just picked the earliest one. It was great, as usual. Not only did I learn lots about Edinburgh and Scotland, I got lots of tips on how to enjoy the the city as well. The city is built on a hill with the castle at the top and the palace at the bottom. The street connecting them is called the royal mile. It’s actually just over a mile. It’s intersected with lots of little alleys called “closes.” So I headed down the hill and past the palace to climb Arthur’s seat. It’s a good hike pretty much straight up. I climbed the last little bit past the seat and that gets a little sketchy but the rest is a good trail. After spending some time enjoying the view, I took pictures for folks. Then, I wandered around. I headed back down and then up the hill to investigate some of the closes. I found the Haggis Box, recommended by the morning’s guide, and thoroughly enjoyed the classic haggis with whisky sauce. Just don’t think about what’s in it. It’s good! I finished off that day with a ghost tour that ended in the Grayfriar’s graveyard. That was fun! Good thing that’s close to my hostel as I was beat. My pedometre said I walked over 30,000 steps!

  • From the top of Arthur’s seat
  • The place to spit?
  • Holyrood palace
  • Scots are funny people who like to do things with traffic cones
  • Edinburgh castle view from the hostel
  • Spider man?
  • Haggis at the haggis box

The next day I took it a bit easier. I purchased a ticket for the hop on, hop off bus. I got the orange one as it offered a 48 hour ticket. I spent a few hours wandering the royal botanical gardens. Then I hiked up Calton hill, which was not nearly as strenuous as Arthur’s seat. After that, I did the Mary King tour of the city UNDER the city. That tour is kind of pricey at 21 pounds but it’s worth it as it’s excellent. I finished of that day with dinner at another recommended restaurant where I again had haggis. Makar’s Mash. It was completely different and just as tasty. I was seated at the window and started chatting with the woman next to me. We had a lot in common and it was nice to have a dinner companion. She too was travelling alone.

Calton Hill

Botanical Gardens

  • Giant sequoias
  • Haggis from Makar market

My dinner friend had recommended the village of Dean so I checked it out. What a gem! Lots of interesting buildings and a beautiful path beside the river. After that I walked back to the Princes St. gardens where I checked out he floral clock, the oldest in the world . Then I caught the bus again, listened to more commentary and got off at the Royal Britanica stop. I didn’t want a tour badly enough to pay the price so just walked around and looked at the ship before getting back on the bus. The commentary is great on those things. I got off at the Grayfriar’s graveyard and wandered around trying to find the inspiration JK Rowling used for the names in the books. I found a few.

Grayfriar’s Kirkyard

  • Grayfriars bobby

Village of Dean

Princes Street Garden

  • Yet another view of Edinburgh castle

Through facebook I stay connected with some folks I meet while traveling. I’d met Sara 5 years ago on a sailing trip around Sri Lanka. Since then we’ve been watching each other’s travel journey through social media. She saw via FB I was in Edinburgh and invited me for brunch, We had a great time catching up in her home town. I LOVE when that happens!

  • More Scottish shenanigans
  • Grassmarket

So. That’s what I did in Edinburgh. There is a LOT more to do. I didn’t visit any of the museums as that’s a rainy day activity and it never rained on me.

Next I boarded a flight for Dublin. That post is next.


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Exploring Edinburgh and Beyond: Iona, Mull, Staffa, and Skye Islands. A Travel Journey

This trip was different for me. This trip was to attend a wedding. Usually, the way is to find a cheap flight and plan a trip around that. My niece got married in London. I wouldn’t miss that for anything. So, I got plane tickets for my hubby, son, and myself.

That post is here: A week in London with the family! England, here we come!
Of course, I needed to optimise the cost of the flight. I also needed to optimise the carbon footprint. So when hubby and son went home after a busy week in London, I carried on.

I spent a couple of days with a friend I met in South America. Then, I went on a 5-day trip with Rabbie’s tours in Wales. That post is here: 5 days in Wales with Rabbie’s Tours

Next I took the train from London to Edinburgh. Flights are often cheaper. However, you have to get to and from the airport, which can add up. Also, it doesn’t take much less time with all the waiting. Plus there’s the carbon footprint. The train to me is MUCH more enjoyable! The journey from London to Edinburgh took about 6 hours. There are faster trains but I’m in no hurry. The scenery is amazing. With free wifi on board you can even get things done.

Upon arrival at Waverly in Edinburgh I headed straight for the hostel I’d booked. The Code was a mere 15 minute walk from the station. Straight up hill. Another good reason to travel light.

After checking in I went on a walk about to get the lay of the land and grabbed a shwarma for dinner. Edinburgh is a delight! It looks like something out of a Harry Potter movie. More about Edinburgh in the next post.

June 2, 2023
I walked to the bus station and met Paul, our driver for the next 5 days and the 8 other passengers on this Rabbies Trail burners tour of Iona, Mull and Skye Isle. ( https://www.rabbies.com/en/scotland-tours/from-edinburgh/5-6-day-tours/iona-mull-the-Isle-of-skye-5-day-tour )We immediately set off and stopped at several places before reaching our destination of Oban.

  • Kelpies
  • Inverary
  • Inverary castle

Day 2

Paul picked us up at our various accommodations promptly at 6:30 am and we headed for the ferry to Mull. I befriended some birdwatching men who visit every year. They told me that the glass calm sea and sunshine were very unusual for the islands. Lucky me! They pointed out seals and I even saw a minke whale from a distance.

We drove all the way across Mull on the single track road. There are sporadic wide spots for passing and getting out of the way for oncoming traffic. There’s a lot of friendly waving . Drivers are patient and it all seems so considerate and calm compared to city and highway driving.

There we left Paul and boarded a small boat bound for Staffa. It’s a volcanic island and a nesting ground for puffins. Beautiful! The boat took us to Iona where we spend some time wandering before meeting Paul for the ferry to Mull. The drive back was different as it’s from the other direction. Sounds weird but the views are not the same.

  • Basalt rock columns

Then another fery back to Oban where I joined 3 other ladies and we went for seafood dinner. Yummy mussels!

They’d had enough walking so I took of on my own to see McCaig’s tower. Straight uphill and a lot of steps but the view was fantastic.

Sunday.

The first stop today was at an oyster farm. Fresh oysters are left in a cooler at the gate and you pay on the honour system. The farm is owned by friends of Paul’s. We all got to taste one. Hmm. It was salty and weird and I wasn’t sure if I liked it so I tried another. I think they’d grow on me.

Next stop was a nature reserve at Glencoe. What a gorgeous area! We went to the visitor’s centre, learned about homes built from turf and went for a short hike.

Then the infamous Loch Ness (no sign of Nessie) and the Caledonian Canal. Of course Paul had some great stories along the way.

  • Loch Ness. Where is Nessie?
  • Lift locks on Caladonian canal

Next stop was the Eilean Donan castle. The tide was out so I got to have great walk around it. It was still early so Paul stopped at another park where we could go for a nice walk. I love how the itinerary is flexible with Rabbie’s! There were 9 people on our tour. MUCH easier to manage than a big bus tour

I was dropped of at my b&b in Kyle of Lochalsh while the others proceeded to Plockton. Rabbie’s did a great job booking my accommodations but I ended up paying moore than the others, simply beause I booked so late. So. It pays to plan ahead folks!

Monday. We spent he whole day of the Isle of Skye. Paul found some great places for amazing views and pleasant hikes. I’m going to have to come back someday and do more of some of those hikes. Skye is gorgeous! We had dinner together in Portree before heading back to our accommodations.

  • Dinosaur footprint

Tuesday, June 6. Time to head back to Edinburgh. Paul made the most of the time with several stops along the way.

This was my second trip with Rabbie’s and I’d go again in a heartbeat. If you’re going during high season though, book as soon as you can. Accommodations are hard to get in some areas.

Paul dropped us off at he bus station and we all said good bye. I walked to the hostel I’d booked in Grassmarket. ( The KickAss Grassmarket )The next few days I spent on my own exploring Edinburgh. That ‘s a separate post!

5 days in Wales with Rabbie’s Tours

When my niece invited us to her wedding in London, I immediately said “Yep, we’ll be there” and started watching flights. They never did come down in price. It seems post covid there are far fewer deals to be found. Oh well. I booked return flights for my husband and son and decided to make the flight worthwhile for me by booking my return from Dublin 5 weeks later. When I booked it I had no idea what I’d do with the extra time but knew I’d figure it out. And I did. 😉

A week in London with the family! England, here we come!

So, after a busy week of wedding things and touring London with family plus a bonus visit with a friend I’d met on a South America trip, I was ready to venture on my own. First stop. Wales.

I’d booked “Discover Wales” with Rabbies tours as it had a nice itinerary and worked with my dates plus has a maximum of 16 people. I don’t like big bus tours and being shuttled around like cattle. Neither did I want to drive. Public transit doesn’t get you to the hidden gems and a guide can be a goldmine of information. Rabbie’s looked like a good choice for me. It turned out great! (https://www.rabbies.com/en/england-tours/from-london/5-8-day-tours/discover-wales-5-day-tour)
The meeting point is a little difficult to find as it’s tucked inside the Victoria Coach station and there appear to be 2 Greenline stantion 3’s. That’s why I like to be early. I often get lost. It’s a talent that I embrace as I find lots of interesting things when I have no idea where I am 😉 In this case it was apparent that it’s a common problem as the fellow I asked knew where the Rabbie’s stop is and pointed me in the right direction.

Burford, England
May 2023

Jack picked the 12 of us up promptly at 9 am and we immediately set off. The first stop was Burford, a gorgeous little town in the Cotswolds. The main street had portions lined with wisteria and John the Baptist church had an interesting story of the most disliked man who ended up buried INSIDE the church thanks to his manipulative wife.

  • John the Baptist church
  • Creepy grave inside the church
  • Wisteria!
  • Very old stone

Hay on Wye

Next we stopped at Hay on Wye, the world’s first book town. Of course there are several bookstores and there was book festival going on.

Elan Valley

Then came a scenic drive through the Elan Valley, one of Jack’s favourite places. Jack told stories most of the time so the drive was never boring, not that it could be with such amazing scenery. He also had a music play list for every occasion. Our final destination was Aberystwyth (pronounced: Ab ber IST with)where he dropped us off at our various accommodations. I dropped my bags and set of exploring, finding a Sainsbury for the meal deal then had a picnic at the waterfront. Twas a wonderful day!
Rabbie’s booked my room for me but you can book your own if you like. I stayed at the GwesTY. It was very comfortable and the full Welsh breakfast was amazing.

  • Pronounce THAT?
  • Aberystwyth
  • Aberystwyth

Jack picked us each up at our various places by 9 am and we set off again. Jack had more history, stories and assorted music to share.

Our first stop was the sea side village of Barmouth. Unfortunately there were no dolphins but I had a nice chat with the young woman watching for them. Volunteers take turns observing their behaviour, should they choose to show up.

The drive is gorgeous no matter where you are in Wales. The narrow lanes are lined with spiraea bushes, lupines, foxglove, buttercups, queen Anne’s lace and sometimes even bluebells. Sheep graze everywhere and sometimes cause traffic jams. Seascapes are wide expanses of beautiful beach or craggy, rocky outcrops. All is green.

Our next stop was Harlech castle. It’s got a lot of history and is very photogenic.

  • Canon balls!

Aberystwth

We carried on with a stop a nice little waterfall and a stop at Betws-y-coed where we heard the story of the dog, Gelert (click here to read the story) before heading back to Aberystwth for the night.

  • Gelert. One special dog!

There I walked all over the town checking out h the castle and walked the beach that goes on for miles.

Thursday. Today’s stops included Tally abbey and the church next door It’s pretty much just ruins now but impressive none the less. The church is different in that the pews are in boxes.. Odd

One of my favourite stops was in Llandielo. The castle Dinefwr (din neh fer) included a really pretty hike. First it was up hill about 20 minutes to the castle that was gorgeous and had amazing views and then Elisa and I walked back the long way through the deer forest to the estate Newton House where we met the others again.

  • Fairy tree

Tenby

Stops at a few more places including where Dylan Thomas did a lot of his writing, Castle Laugharne, and lots of winding roads before our destination of Tenby. Again I dropped my bags and set off wandering. A Tesco meal deal on the beach was perfect end to a great day.

  • Castle Laugharne
  • Tenby
  • Persistent flowers
  • Cave on the beach at Tenby

The next day Jack had more in store for us. I love that the itinerary is somewhat flexible and the driver can take us to some of his favourite places. It keeps it fresh and I’m sure is more interesting for him too

Today Jack proved that Elvis was Welsh and took us to St David’s cathedral, a woolen mill plus a couple more places and droped some of us of at Pembroke castle. There I enjoyed bits and pieces of a kids’ tour including the “knights’ school” Sir Larry and Sir Womyn (yes she was a woman) taught the kids a rhyming way to chop of arms, legs…you have it. It was hilarious and reminded me of something from Monty Python.

That night in Tenby we enjoyed a meal together as it was our last evening.

  • Under the castle!
  • Proof that Elvis is Welsh? lool

The Cotswolds

As we headed back to London there were still a few places to stop. St Faganas national museum of History was fun and even with almost 2 hours there I couldn’t see it all. The village of Castle Coombe in the Cotswolds was adorable and nice walk about

  • Outhouse!
  • In the school
  • Pigpen
  • People paid for their own boxes to sit in
  • ‘Castle Coombe (there’s no castle)

I really enjoyed this tour with Rabbie’s which is a good thing as I’ve booked 2 more. 😉

I got spoiled by the nice hotels though and had to come back down to earth and take the tube to the hostel bed I’d booked at Publove at Exmouth Arms. It was fine. The bed was comfy and the bathrooms clean.

The next day I was to take the train to Edinburgh. With all the strikes I was a little concerned. Thankfully the cancelations were for the 31st and the 3rd of June. My June 1st route was fine. Nice for me. Not for those who’d booked those dates!

Onward to Scotland. That’s the next post.

Quebec City and north with Public Transit. It can be done! But should you?

I’ve travelled all over the world using public transit but not in Canada. Sure, I could drive my car but I don’t love it and driving alone is NOT my idea of relaxing when I don’t know where I’m going, especially when it involves city driving. Via rail is expensive but it’s not bad if you plan ahead, as in, book your train tickets at LEAST a month in advance, and when there’s only one of you.

I love the train. You don’t have to arrive 3 hours early, separate your liquids, go through ridiculous security and airport nonsense. Onboard you can get up and walk around and the seats are far more comfortable. When there’s a stopover / connection you can leave the station and walk where ever you want. The train usually gets you right down town so you can often get where you’re going on foot.

Quebec City
August, 2023

Thus I arrived at the Gare du Palais train station in Quebec City and walked uphill to the Auberge Internationale de Quebec. (https://hiquebec.ca/) It’s a large hostel with an assortment of accommodation choices. I chose a bed in a 8 bed female dorm. It’s perfect for the solo traveller. There’s plenty of opportunity to meet people or you can be as isolated as you want. Breakfast was included so I started the next 4 days with lots of coffee and bagels before setting out. If you stay more than 3 days they offer a free bus pass as well. Nice!

I had 3 full days in Quebec so started off with a walking tour provided by the hostel. It was ok but Yves did all his talking in French and English which meant for half of it we were standing around waiting. Ugh. So, after spending a couple hours wandering and checking out some of the places he’d mentioned, I joined another walking tour led by Samuel Dubois. That one was excellent! Find it here: https://www.afreetourofquebec.com/book-online

  • Tiny artwork everywhere. A mouse house

Montmorency Falls

If you stay more than 3 nights the hostel provides a free bus pass. I hadn’t planned on using the bus until I realised I could get to Montmorency falls that way. Perfect. You can catch bus #800 in Youville, a 6 minute walk away from the hostel, and take the 40 minute ride to the waterfall. The $7 entry fee is worth it as I spent several hours there. You can climb down the 487 steps or take the gondola for $15 return. Of course I did the steps. The climb UP was HOT and by the time I got back up I was ready for a break. I found a picnic table occupied by two welcoming ladies from Oakville and had a nice chat.
Next I did the short nature hike and the suspension bridge before catching the bus back to the city.

There I had dinner at a restaurant recommended by the hostel. Buffet du Antiquaire (https://www.restoquebec.ca/resto/buffet-de-lantiquaire-quebec/6918/en/ ) did not disappoint. I had the meal of the day while sitting on a table on the street where I could watch people. The server was very impressive. He spoke to me in English, the table next to me in Spanish and several others in French and he switched languages seamlessly. Wow!

  • s some of the step’

Quebec City

The last day was spent wandering. I walked the plains of Abraham, including the nature walk. I walked the governor general’s promenade. Both were really nice. I also tried to walk the wall as I was told you CAN walk around the old city on, or beside it . It’s apparently 4.8 km and surrounds the old city. At one point it was fenced and I couldn’t carry on.
I took the ferry to Levis and back as that had been recommended. Meh. I don’t get it. It’s a boat you ride across the river. Then you ride it back. OK?

For dinner I walked all the way to Saint Roch to find, what I was told, is the best poutine in Quebec city. I’ve never understood what’s so wonderful about poutine (I know, bad Canadian) but decided when in Rome….I ordered the special. There was lots of stuff piled on top of fries. It was a LOT of food and I couldn’t finish it. It was okay but I’m still not a lover of poutine If you want to try it, go here. As far a poutine goes, it IS really good.
https://www.chezgastonquebec.ca/ Chez Gaston

  • Interesting bar at the waterfront
  • Represents loggers
  • Young man leaving to fight in a war
  • Governor general’ s promenade
  • Joan of Arc park
  • Hmm. It was good but Kwartha dairy is just as good and much cheaper
  • train station
  • Chez Caston
  • POUTINE
  • Fountain in front of the train station
  • Rene Levesque
  • Visitor or resident of the Parliament buildings
  • Le Chateau
  • ‘When you don’When you don’t want to ride your bike home?’
  • train station
  • train station

There’s a lot of history in Quebec City and I learned a lot. Since I don’t speak French I was a little concerned that I ‘d have trouble understanding things but I need not have worried. Everyone I met was kind and did their best to speak English. As soon as I said BONJOUR they could hear that French was not my forte 😉

RIMOUSKI – Domaine Floravie

The next day I boarded the bus (https://www.orleansexpress.com to Rimouski. Yes, the train is a bit cheaper but the times are terrible. I arrived around 2 pm and walked to the grocery store to get enough food for the next 3 day as I was going to be nowhere near town. Then I called a taxi to take me to Domain Floravie https://domainefloravie.com/?utm_source=GMBlisting&url_medium=organic

There I spent the next 3 days relaxing, hiking, walking and exploring the waterfront of the St Lawrence River. I also kept my eyes peeled for whales but never saw any. Donald (the owner) says he does occasionally see them.

Here is where I wished I had my car. There is no public transit so no way for me to get to the Bic National park besides walking. It’s only 8 km away so quite doable but the weather wasn’t great. I could get there only for it to start raining. The hiking trail is about 15 km so add that to the 16 there and back, it’s a lot. Even for me 😉
The property at Domaine Floravie is beautiful and I found plenty to keep me amused for 3 days anyway. I highly recommend it, especially for a couple wanting some time away as the tiny cottages are very private, self contained, adorable and have amazing views.

  • Tiny house at Domaine Flavorie
  • Great blue heron and a giant rock
  • ‘One of the tiny cabins on wheels.

Barnabe Island, Rimouski

Donald kindly offered to drive me back to town at the end of my stay. Not only that, he drove around and showed me where things are, including his favourite crepe restaurant. What fantastic hospitality!

First thing I did was follow Donald’s advice and walk the waterfront trail. Once you get past town, it’s a gorgeous walk. On the way back I stopped at the tourist centre and got some info. The next day I followed her advice and headed to the marina. There I purchased passage on a zodiac boat to Barnabe Island. ($28 return) https://tourismerimouski.com/en/attrait/ile-saint-barnabe/

There are lots of trails on the island. It’s 6 km long and 3 km wide (at the widest point) and uninhabited. There’s a small museum and a few campsites but I saw very few people. I started with the water front as it was low tide and the best opportunity to see seals. I found a couple playing in the water and sat and watched them for a while. Next I did some of the inland trails, hoping to see moose. I didn’t. Honestly I was kind of glad as they’re big and scary looking.

By the time I got back to town I’d logged close to 30,000 steps and I was tired. After a delicious crepe dinner I went to bed early in preparation for the trip home. My train was to leave at 2 am. Yuck.

  • Zodiac ride
  • Seals playing
  • Weird mushrooms
  • Inland path was a little wet
  • Glacial erratic?
  • ”There is no English translation on the information signs 😦

I thoroughly enjoyed this visit to Quebec and was very impressed with the hospitality. Most people were eager to speak English so don’t worry if your French, like mine, is abysmal. So, one day I shall come and explore more of the Gaspe peninsula but not by public transit. In order to see the best of it you need to get out of the cities.

Just go!

A week in London with the family! England, here we come!

May 17, 2023
This is a much different trip than I’m used to and it’s hard to wrap my head around it. I travelled with my husband, special needs son and 21 year old grand daughter to London for my niece’s wedding. Meeting us there was my daughter and her boyfriend and my sister (the bride’s mother) with her husband, 2 sons and 1 girlfriend. That’s a LOT of people to accommodate! So.. a whole new experience.

One of my strategies for beating jet lag is to get into the current time zone as quickly as possible. So, after an overnight flight from London during which none of us were lucky enough to get more than a couple hours sleep, we hit the ground running. I bought oyster cards and we took transit to our rental in Peckham. That involved 3 trains and a bus. There we dropped of the bags and took a bus to Temple station to join a free (tip based) walking tour of the old city with Sandemans which we all thoroughly enjoyed. Then we met the rest of the family in a pub in Covent Garden where we had dinner and drinks. Devin was falling asleep sitting up so we all left and checked out the Canadian pub Haley (the bride) used to work in. After a bit more wandering we’d had enough and Haley gave us instructions for transit back to our flat. We barely unpacked and crashed.

  • A little bit of Canada in London
  • Checking out wisteria
  • The moat is full of wild flowers
  • We got to ride a double decker bus
  • The iconic phone booth. No Superman though
  • Canada Bear

The next day there was much confusion coordinating all those people so we eventually just headed out to tower bridge as I wanted to be inside it when it lifted. That was interesting! There’s a glass floor and mirrored ceiling in the west passage.

We met the others after and wandered some more before heading to Borough market to try some food. The men enjoyed mushroom risotto. Alex and Ariel got various treats. Mike, Devin and I were tired of the market craziness and walked to Shoreditch. Another interesting place. Then more transit back to get ready for a bachelorette and bachelor party.

  • The Shard
  • Shoreditch
  • A lot of walking!

Friday. I had booked a spot on a Muggles tour (for the Harry Potter fans) so we had to leave again by 10 am. The tour was a lot of fun and our Harry Potter knowledge was sorely tested. After lunch near the market, Ariel made her own way back to the flat. She’s mastering the transit! Mike, Devin and I went up the glass elevator in the mall across from St Paul’s to view the city from above. It’s free! There’s not much of that in London. It’s an expensive city! Then we headed back again to take a bus to yet another pub for prewedding festivities.

  • Pineapples on the spires are a sign of wealth
  • The Golden HInde
  • Southwark Cathedral
  • South wark cathedral
  • s ‘ St Paul’s Cathedral
  • Artwork in gum on the Wobbly bridge
  • View of St Paul’ s from the mall
  • Hagrid stood here.

Saturday. WEDDING DAY!

We let Devin and Ariel sleep and Mike and I went out walking. We found the Nunhead Cemetery which is gorgeous and a lovely walk. After breakfast in Nunhead we came back to find them barely awake, though it was NOON. I wish I could sleep like that.

Even the speeches were entertaining. We danced all night and got to know Haley and George’s friends, all of whom are a lot of fun. Not being a lover of drink, I had anticipated leaving early as I generally find drunk people annoying 😉 These were a hoot and we stayed till they closed the place at 1 am. Much as public transit is fun and cheap, it’s nice to have the option of uber at that hour.

The wedding was at Assylum Chapel in Peckham and was absolutely perfect for Haley and George. The weather was amazing, the venue quirky and delightful, the guests were enthusiastic and the couple relaxed and beautiful. George’s best friend was the celebrant and he was very entertaining. The reception was at a venue under the railroad tracks and it too was very different. Dinner was casual as a pizza truck produced assorted pizzas and salads for a couple of hours and we just ate as wanted. Dessert was fresh crispy creme donuts. Ooh they were good! I’ve only ever had packaged crispy creme and they’re “meh” so these were a delightful surprise.

Sunday we got together again at the pub in Mayfair and enjoyed a typical English roast dinner. It was really good. On the way there, my men and I wandered through St James garden, past Buckingham palace, Green Park, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, etc. On the way back we wandered through the Soho area, saw seven dials, an interesting cheese restaurant with a conveyor belt, passed some theatries and even a wand shop. Devin was definitely not feeling well by that point as it barely registered so we made our way back. Google is my friend for finding public transit options no matter where we end up.

  • My sister (and travel buddy) Anita, Haley and George

The next day Ariel left us to join her cousin on a back packing trip to Europe. I was a little nervous but mostly excited for her to go and enjoy and hope she develops her own passion for seeing the world.

We let Devin sleep as long as possible then packed up and moved to a hostel (Acacia Hotel) I’d booked in Kensington. Accommodation in London is brutally expensive and the family room was as “budget friendly” as I could find. The location was perfect. Minutes from the piccadilly line and we could walk walk the the museum of Natural history, the Science museum, Royal Albert Hall and Hyde park. Once we’d seen all those we went back to Central London, saw the changing of the guards, visited Trafalgar square, Piccadilly circus and the men went for a ride on the London Eye. One night we went to see the Rocky Horror show at the Peacock Theatre. Last minute tickets can be purchased pretty cheap.

  • Museum of Natural history
  • Big Ben
  • The moat around the tower of London
  • Devin exhibiting his inner Vanna White at the museum of Natural history
  • The Newfoundland gate at Buckingham Palace
  • The cheese cafe
  • London Eye
  • Peter Pan
  • In Hyde Park
  • Big Ben
  • Sunday Roast dinner
  • Mural under a bridge

I think we covered London pretty well but were I to do it again I’d devote a good portion of a day to visiting inside the London tower. We walked around the outside.. I had no idea it was that big and it looks really interesting The “moat” is now full of wildflowers.

May 25th
After delivering the men to the airport, I spent the next couple days with my friend Davindar (we met on on the last trip to South America) who had graciously offered me a bed in her home. Not only that she cooked me delicious Indian food! We ended up enjoying most of that time in the Royal botanical gardens. Kew gardens are huge and there’s so much to see. It was so nice as it was certainly something my men wouldn’t appreciate. 😉

  • Corpse flower!

Davindar escorted me to Victoria Coach station by bus and the tube (LOVE London’s transit system!) where I was to meet the van taking me to Wales. I said goodbye to Davindar and hope to meet her again, likely in another far off place on this beautiful planet.

That’s in the next post. By the way, Wales is amazing!