Eynsford

 A very short day trip from London is this cute little village in Kent called Eynsford. This is a village but it had very many attractions. A 15minutes walk from the station is my first stop called Lullingstone Roman Villa. This site is managed by English Heritage and is free entry even for non-members. The old ruins cannot be viewed closely due to maintenance work but you can view it from the upstairs gallery. The site is a typical Roman villa and did farming! You can watch a short video relating to the history of the site and upstairs you get to see some artefacts of  what has been excavated from the site. This was a quick visit but perfect for any history geeks as the mosaic tiles were well preserved.

10minutes walk from the Roman Villa is Lullingstone Castle and Gardens. It has an try price of  £10 for the gardens and the grounds. The actual mansion is lived in so you can only visit on events days. The grounds are beautiful with a lake, with the River Darent flowing through the it. The walk around the grounds takes 15minutes. The gardens is called the World Garden and features plants and flowers from around the world. It was a nice garden to explore with an Orchid garden, a cacti garden and other unique features! The Lullingstone Castle and Gardens was a nice and restful stop!

I then walked to Eynsford village centre which took me directly to the iconic bridge with the river flowing through it. The best thing was to walk through the river.  The walk was very picturesque too taking you through some beautiful fields! 

On the other side of the village, is Eynsford castle ruins which is free to visit. It is well documented as to what used to stand in each corner of the castle!

The whole trip took me half a day and really enjoyed it!

Whitstable

 A very easy and nice day trip from London will be Whitstable. Such a cute little town by the sea.So here what I did:

-  Tankerton Beach - pebbly beach with lots of colourful beach huts

-Whitstable Castle and Gardens - this is not a castle and not a manor. It is completely free to visit and there are comprehensive guided tours which takes about 30-45min. The gardens was small but very beautiful. It has also a play area.

- Whitstable museum - this is a small museum which also doubles as a gallery. It has a small entry fee but if you want to know the history of the area, then highly recommend it

-  Whitstable Oyster Trading Company - Whitstable is famous for its oysters and you can tour an actual oyster farm via https://whitstableoystertours.co.uk/. These need to be booked in advance!

I really enjoyed the high street with its quirky shops! 

Madeira

 I don't know if this blog will do justice to this beautiful island which I will like to call 'Heaven on Earth' and I don't say that lightly. The island is what you'll think it before humans came! So green, full of waterfalls and unbelievable views! This was my first solo trip and this island was perfect for those who love nature, hiking and adventure! I had spent 5 days  and stayed in Funchal for its entirety as it was easier to stay in the capital when you don't have your own transport. I will highly recommend to hire a car, if you can drive! However, driving in Madeira seriously involves guts! The roads are steep and narrow. If you drive in Madeira, you can drive anywhere in the world. public transport is unreliable and only well connected within the Funchal area. Hence the best way to explore the island, if you don't have a car, is to do it through tours. Here's what I had been up to on this beautiful island:

- Booking with Joao on this one day adventure was the best way to explore the island while hiking (https://www.airbnb.co.uk/experiences/3911233?location=Madeira%2C%20Portugal&currentTab=experience_tab&federatedSearchId=39545ca7-5b2a-4417-b016-480f66666659&sectionId=31e105b2-1eb5-4307-aca7-c3a7c495d6e8) You will never regret this experience! From sunrise, you will see and walk through stunning sights. He will surprise you and doesn't have a fixed itinary. He will feel your energy and take you to places that  are unique, isolated and free of crowds! I didn't want the day to end!!! You can't miss it if you are on the island! This is not your usual guided tour! This is an adventure!

- The below tours were the usual guides tours and best way to see the most popular sights on the island if you are short on time. I booked my tours through Get Your Guide:

•     The East Tour involved the famous Pico Areiro ( you won't have time to do the 'Stairway to Heaven' hike but you will have 30mins to walk around), Laurisilva de Madeira (where you will have time to do one of the Levada walks called PR11 Levada dos Balcões) You will need to pay a small charge but a nice and quite hike through what looks like a jungle! Santana is famous for its thatched house but there isn’t much to do in the area. We did a few viewpoints. We also stopped at the tail of the island Ponta de São Lourenço where the island drastically changed from the other side of the island!
• The West Tour includes Ponta Da Sol which had a nice little church and a nice beach. Porto Muniz was such a cute little town with so much to offer! There was an adventure park where you can zipline across valleys and do giant swing. I loved the Giant Swing – the views were awesome. The town is home to 2 lava pools (the old ones - naturally formed and free with no changing rooms, the new ones – which is man-made, with a small fee but more comfortable). I went to the old ones as I wanted to swim in natural pools amongst the fishes! Wha an experience! Highly recommend it! The views also were outstanding overlooking the Atlantic Ocean! The town also has a fortress and an aquarium to enjoy for everyone. We also went to Seixal beach which is famous for it’s black sand and small but quite a beautiful sight! There were also lots of other viewpoints on the way  which were all stunning!

 

In Funchal, you must do the unique experience of tobaggoning in Monte! Be prepared to queue in heavy season but well worth the wait and the price! The Monte Tropical Gardens were also  beautiful.  I didn’t expect to see flamingos! I don’t know where the time went! In the city centre, you get many museums. I only visited the unique ones such as the sugar museum which is small and free to visit. I also walked through the English neighbourhood which was nice with its church. I would also highly recommend visit the Funchal cathedral with it’s beautiful baroque architecture and design! Palácio de São Lourenço is also free to visit and an important fortress in Madeira! In the old town, you have another fortress Forte de São Tiago which stands out with its yellow colour! I loved the painted murals in the old town too! A perfect place to catch the sunrise or sunset there!

Another perfect place to catch the sunset is the mystical Fanal Forest! It was literally walking on top of the clouds and the trees gives such a fairyland feeling! It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and a core memory that I will dearly cherish!

On my last day, I went canyoning in Nun’s Valley and god, what an experience! I have no idea how 3 hours went but the jumping cliffs, abseiling waterfalls, swimming and sliding through waterfalls was the best way to bid farewell to this beautiful island!

The people were great! The food was great! A small island that will steal your heart!!

Walking around Tunbridge Wells

A very easy day trip to do from London is Tunbridge Wells. There's the usual museums but I concentrated on things to do around the area. The first stop was Scotney Castle which is hidden in the High Weald National Landscape. The Castle is surrounded by beautiful land and makes it a beautiful drive!

Scotney Castle is under the National Trust so it is free to visit for members only. It has quite a bit grounds for you to do nice walks. The ground includes  lake, the old castle, gardens and a house (I'll call it a mansion though!). The old castle can be visited by guided tours but you can still visit the outside of it! I loved walking through the grounds with the spring colours in full show! The house was lived until the early 2000s and you can still see the original furniture! As with any National Trust properties, there's a cafe and play area. During school holidays, there's also fun activities for kids with plenty of room to run around!

Another place to visit near Tunbridge Wells is High Rocks which is a nice walk from the city centre (40mins walk). High Rocks is a National Stone Age monument and quite nice with reasonable price. The area seems to be large on the map but can be done easily within 1.5hours. You can go on top of the rocks  with nice wooden bridges connecting the different rocks. The views are also very nice. The rocks were quite an unusual sight so worth a visit!

I really enjoyed exploring the different places and seeing some unusual sights.

Unique things to do in Exeter

 We did  a day out to Exeter to visit some unique spots  in Exeter! We went to Underground Passages which is in the city centre. Exeter is the only city in the UK to have underground passages of this type. Guided tours have taken place here since the 1930s. The prices are reasonable. These passages are quite narrow and you will need to wear a hard hat. There a nice museum explaining the significance of the passages. Before the guided tours, you will be provided a safety briefing and a video about the passages. The tour in total will take 1hour. We really enjoyed the tour which was very informative. There's a fun little bit where you have the optional way of crawling through the smaller tunnels which was so fun as you get to crawl! A must do if you enjoy doing unusual stuff and learn history in a fun way.

Next, we took a 25mins drive to Canonteign falls which is the tallest waterfall in England. Reasonable proceed and you can easily spend hours as it has a lake, woodland walks and quite a few waterfalls (all man-made)! The setting was literally like walking through a rainforest in some places. Alongside the Canonteign Falls, there's also 2 other smaller waterfalls. There's also a nice cafe to quench your thirst after the many walks you do!

We then headed back to Exeter to visit Exeter Cathedral which was beautiful!

A good day out was had by everyone!

A fairytale Christmas in Lesser Poland

Lesser Poland is the South of Poland and it has the Tatra Mountains in its areas hence why it is the perfect destination for a winter getaway as snow can be mostly guaranteed!

We spent  days in December just before Christmas Day and stayed both in Krakow (2nights) and Zakopane(3days)! We only did things we wanted to do so not done any usual museums or attractions like Wavel Castle. It is quite a budget friendly place but some main attractions such as Schindler's museum and Salt Mine can be quite expensive. I will advice to book tickets for famous attractions in advance and through their main websites! Weather wise, the fog was a big concern. It was quite thick and quite cold so please wrap up warm especially in the mountains, as expected! I found the people could be quite rude though so do beware. The food was mazing. We tried most of the Polish dishes and really enjoyed it! Public transport was outstanding, easy to navigate and ridiculously cheap. The train tickets in Krakow can be bought on the train itself and the machine is found in the first carriage. Intercity trains were really good. All were running on time. We also used Flixbus to travel which was very efficient!

Here is our itinerary:

·       Krakow - I explored the Jewish Ghetto with the Eagle's Pharmacy, Hero's Square and Schindler's Museum. I will advice you to book Schindler's museum tickets in advance as the queues to buy on door tickets can be quite long. I had booked a guided tour which was quite good but you can easily do it by yourself and in your own pace. The tour takes 1.5hours.  Schindler's museum was mostly about Krakow's history especially during WW2 and little bit about Schindler. Only towards the end of the museum, does it have his office and other bits and bobs. A good museum with so much information and historic videos and documents! A few towns away from Krakow was Plaszow concentration camp which not people know about. It is now mainly a memorial site where everything is destroyed except the Grey House which was the commander's house! It has a lot of information plaques and quite eery!  The camp was established in late 1942, initially as a forced-labor camp for Jews from the liquidated Kraków Ghetto and surrounding areas. It was built on the grounds of two Jewish cemeteries. In January 1944, it was converted into a full concentration camp. In the evening, we visited Krakow Old Town and Christmas Market in Rynek Główny Market Square which was cute surrounded by restaurants!

·       Wieliczka Salt Mine – The salt mine is a unique attraction with just a short train ride away from Krakow! It is one of UNESCO World Heritage’s sites. In the 13th century it was known as the largest source of salt in Poland, and over the years it became crucial for the country’s economy. Do bear in mind that only guided tours are available and you won’t see all the chambers as there are about 245 km

Galleries. The tour takes about 2-3 hours if you do see the museum which is optional! You go quite deep down and has many levels. There are 2 routes – the tourist route which is the one I went one and as the name suggests is a great overview of the mines. The miner’s route is a more adventurous routes used by miners. The mines are still in use but not the ones open to the public. I really enjoyed the tour and especially how everything is sculpted in salt and stone. The main Chapel was absolutely stunning, and Mass still happens there on Sundays. The museum was cute as you get to see unseen galleries! The way into the mine is by stairs and there’s quite a lot of stairs! Way out is by lift however, if you are claustrophobicdo beware that there are no lights and depending on how busy it is, you will be squashed with other people like sardines in a tin! It is very unique place of marvel and should definitely be on your list if you are in Krakow!

·       Auschwitz and Birkenau – you cannot miss visiting Auschwitz concentration camps while in Lesser Poland! There are many ways to get tickets. The earlier the better though whether you book directly or through other operators. As mentioned, you can book guided tours through the main website which comes with a price much cheaper than booking through operators. Operators can take you on tours and can be quite expensive depending on how close you book to your ideal date. However, I have read stories where the operators couldn’t secure tickets and hence doing very early morning pick ups such as 2am to queue and try and get tickets which cannot be guaranteed. We  have done self-guided tour which is free. The self-guided tours start at 1pm and because we went during winter, the closing times were 3.30pm which doesn’t leave much time therefore we done Auschwitz camp on 1 day and Birkenau on the 2^nd day so we didn’t rush and explored both camps thoroughly. With the use of ChatGPT, I was a self-appointed guides to my kids and was very good, if I say so myself! You will need your passport to go through security. There are toilet inside the camp in Auschwitz but not Birkenau!  There is luggage storage too and restaurants outside the camp. Auchwitz had more blocks and exhibitions. You can also enter an actual gas chamber. The amount of details and objects you see can be quite overwhelming as expected! It was a very sombre experience. It is adviced that children under 14 are not to visit any of these camps. On the 2^nd day, we went to Birkenau using the free shuttle  just outside the Auschwitz which comes every 10-15minutes. Birkenau was more overwhelming and the vastness and stillness of it was quite bone chilling. You get to enter actual bunkers, the infamous railway track and ruins of gas chambers and crematoriums. I cannot believe that nobody learns from history and horrors like what happened in these camps, still happening! Laksha always wanted to go to these camps and it really hit her quite hard! I have no idea how we are still allowing such levels on human suffering still today!  You can reach the camps by car with plenty of parking available on site, by taxi, Auschwitz train station is a 20minuteswalk or you can get flixbus!

·       Zakopane - Zakopane is Poland's premier mountain resort town, nestled at the foot of the Tatra Mountains, known as the "winter capital" for skiing and snowboarding, but also a vibrant hub for summer hiking, mountaineering, and exploring unique highland culture and "Zakopane Style" wooden architecture. We visited the very famous Krupowski street with its vibrant atmosphere!  We also saw the wooden church and wanted to see the cheese museum but it was only opened during certain days! You can get to the famous furnicular ride which takes you to Gubalowka Hill from the bottom of the hill. We couldn’t go to the hill as the only evening we were free, the cable car closed earlier than expected. You couldn’t hike during the dark hours. It wasn’t clear if we could go by taxi so left it! At the top of the hill ,there are eateries, snowtubing and ski slopes! The town was so picturesque especially in snow and surrounded by mountains! Sunsets were just stunning!

·       Chochołów - Chochołów is a historic, picturesque wooden village in the Polish Tatra Mountains, famous for its beautifully preserved 18th-19th century highlander cottages and local traditions like smoked cheese, ostapek. I went on a little adventure. The kids didn’t want to do it so it was just me for the day! I booked a quad biking and thermal spa experience through GetYourGuide. The quad biking was so good and lasted for 1 hour.  The scenery through the snowy valleys were mind-blowing! We then headed to a shepherd’s hut to have sausage cooked over a fire and smoked cheese which was very filling! We then headed to the biggest thermal spa in Poland, Chochołowskie Termy. It was packed!  It has 30 pools with 2 outdoor pools but the fog blocked the mountain views. There were slides, plenty of jacuzzis and sulphur water, sauna! The outdoor pools had volleyball nets, basketball hoops and a rope structure! We spent 3hours and that was plenty of time!

·       Moskie Oko – this was the highlight of my whole trip! The national park was 30-40minutes from Zakopane bus station. The bus costs 15 zloty per person. The entry free to the park was 11 zloty. There are many hikes in the national park but the most famous one is Morskie Oko which is a 4hour roundtrip hike along a very long asphalt road so this hike is completely accessible! However, if you cannot walk that long, there are horse carriages which will take you about an hour and 150 zloty per person one way. The day I went was snow free but there was ice. The shortcuts were full of ice so was a tad challenging! But the views along the way were beautiful and the Morskie Oko was just wow! Absolutely jaw dropping! The lake was completely frozen and I walked on it which was a new experience for me and I cannot tell enough how beautiful it is. There’s a café and toilet as well but take time to admire the views! I mean, once in a lifetime experience.

·       Kuznice – Kuznice is a small village near Zakopane and the bus costs us 5 zloty per person. Kuznice is famous for the famous Kasprowy Weirch mountain. It is one of Poland's main winter ski areas. Its dominant southern crests mark the border with Slovakia. It is accessible in most conditions by foot and daily by cablecar. The cable car takes about 15mins and we booked our tickets in advance as we didn’t know how busy it will be. However, we picked the wrong day as it was very foggy and snow so we couldn’t do any hikes. You have 1hr40 at the summit! There is a restaurant as well! We nevertheless enjoyed the mountains! It was like in the movies and the first Christmas Eve we spent in snowy environments!

 

Overall, we enjoyed Poland. We will return to explore other areas! Poland, you did not disappoint!

Exploring Portsmouth

 If you think of Portsmouth and only think of beaches then I hope this blog post reveals everything hat Portsmouth offers!

I headed to the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in Portsmouth Harbour. The historic dockyard explores the maritime history of the area. There are a few options for tickets. You can either pay individually for the different museums or the ultimate tickets which includes all attractions including harbour tours which I bought for £46 and you can use it for unlimited visits for a year which was convenient for me as I couldn't visit everything during the restricted winter hours. Portsmouth Historic Dockyard spans over 2 sides of the water and there are water buses which can take you across. A few museums were closed hence why it is good to come back during warmer days. Here's what I visited:

-  HMS Warrior - this was the largest Royal Navy ship in the world and has 4 levels. It was immense! I wish there was information around to explain the different sections! There was a trail for children to do!

- The Mary Rose Museum was my favourite. This is where the shipwreck of the Mary Rose, Henry VIII's favourite warship, is housed and it is amazing! Fully accessible with well documented history of tudor objects found onboard! There's a 4D cinema to fully immerse in the history as well as special guided tour which takes you closer to the shipwreck. This must be pre-booked and are quite expensive.

-The Royal Navy Museum explores the history of the Royal Navy and was very child-friendly with interactive points for everyone!

- HMS Victory Musuem is a small museum attached with the HMS Victory ship which is being renovated and you can view the renovations. The museum is small but I really liked the figurehead bit!

- The Dockyard Apprentice Exhibition was outstanding. I didn't expect i to have so much information and properly details all the different jobs available at the dockyard!

On my next visit I will explore the other bits that I couldn't explore this time.

I also explored the outlet. The Spinack Tower was right nearby. There's an entry fee but apparently provides beaitful views of the area! More to follow!

A Dickensian Christmas in Rochester

 If you are looking for a different kind of Christmas celebration in the UK, Rochester offers a very unique Festival called the Dickensian Festival. The name comes after Charles Dickens' inspiration for some of his novels and even lived close by. The Festival is free to attend and usually runs the first week of December over a weekend. The festival's highlights are the parades with Dickens characters' costumed-people. It also has a Christmas Market on the grounds of Rochester Castle. However, there's many attractions in the area which makes it a whole day to spend in Rochester.

Here are the attractions that you can visit:

- Rochester Cathedral - free to visit

- Rochester Castle - free to visit if English Heritage member. It is not accessible as the lots of stairs to reach the different levels. If you go to the top you have beautiful views of Rochester! The grounds is where the Christmas Market and rides are. However, the queues to enter the grounds are long but there are 2 entrances which helps manage the crowd. Nevertheless, please be ready to queue for a while. The market had a lot of stalls and a wide array of rides were available which guarantees the fun element for the whole family!

- Eastgate House  - entrance fee applies. This house features 'In The Mystery of Edwin Drood'. It is currently a museum but once was Victorian boarding school, a hostel and a family home of a senior officer at the Royal Tudor Dockyard. In the back there's a a chalet which was a present for Charles Dickens.

- Guildhall Museum holds the history of Rochester including a part about Charles Dickens' life and  connecting to Medway and Rochester. It has a small entry fee. During holidays, there are arts and crafts for children. I particularly liked the  part about Hulks, old prison ships, which I was never aware of so glad to have learnt this part of history!

Overall, I loved the festive atmosphere and being part of this unique annual festival! Even if you go any other times, Rochester is great!

Betws-y-Coed

 If you want to see Autumn in its full glory and just want to be one with nature then the stunning, quintessential, alpine-like village then Betws-y-Coed is the place to be! It literally felt like stepping into a fairytale village right from stepping into the train station, which is the most beautiful UK station I have been to. We spent 3 days in Betws with the last day spent in Llanduno! We stayed at a B&B not far from the centre which was great for us. As usual, we didn’t have our own transport and so used Fliccsbus which is basically a bus in demand (there’ an app where you can request date and time and where to pick up)  which was so cool and very efficient. The only thing is that it stops running after 6pm. There were plenty of places to eat but I advice to book in advance as there were either no tables available or we had to queue which wasn’t ideal.

This is a paradise for hiking! There are so many hiking trails in and around the village with many waterfalls, which as you know is what I yearn for! Here are the hiking routes I did:

-            Pont-y-Pair Bridge to Swallow Falls via Miner’s Bridge in Gwydir Forest. Pont-y-Pair Bridge is the main defining attraction in Betws. With waterfalls cascading below the bridge was a beauty and loved sitting on one of the rocks and admiring the scenery. Afterwards, I took the trail through Gwydir Forest which was a nice stroll through picturesque forest. For me, I was in heaven while being surrounded by greenery and hearing the water and waterfalls I came across. The walk to swallow falls took about 45mins. You have to pay a £2 entry per person,  no mater the age. Swallow Falls is a beauty and worth the money for anyone who enjoys waterfalls. You have a few viewing platforms and highly recommend the one right at the bottom as it takes you the closest to the waterfalls and if you are lucky, you will be sprayed! I thoroughly loved it!

-            Conwy Falls to Roman Bridge. The walk around Conwy Falls is enough of a hike but a highly rewarding one as the views were indescribable. You had to pay £2 to enter Conwy Falls but I think it was worth it. I also extended the walk to the Roman Burdge which is behind Conwy Falls and came across more waterfalls. Absolutely loved it!

 

Below is what else we have been upto:

-            Zipworld – Since it was Halloween, we enjoyed the extra spookiness of the forest (Ffear Forest). You will need to book your tickets in advance. We enjoyed it but there weren’t as many rides as we would have liked. The alpine coaster was definitely  a hit!

-            Go Below Underground Adventure – this was the highlight of the trip. I went on my own. This involved a caving adventure which requires a lot of your energy as you will be abseiling, climbing up waterfalls, a short boat section, ziplining and a lot of walking! It was 5hours of great fun. Here were moments where I thought I was going to give up, especially walking up the waterfalls but it was so rewarding to finish the course! There’s 3 levels and I did the beginner ones suitable for anyone aged over 10years old. You will need to pack lunch and snacks as you will have time here and there to grab a bite. The entry to the cave is quite  steep walk through the forest but the guides will take you through a nice pace so you don’t really feel the steepness. I thoroughly enjoyed it. You will need to wear waterproofs as you will get wet! Boots and other equipments will be provided. The guides are total experts and do not rush you. They give you clear guidance and where applicable, give you history lesson as you are going an old miner’s cave.

-            Llanduno – on our last day, we spent a day in this town before our train back to London. We went to Great Orme mine, the world's largest prehistoric copper mine. It takes about 45mins ogo around. It Is very narrow but very informative with information plaque around the attraction! When you are in the area, the Great Orme Railway is a must and takes you to the town centre. Yes , it is a bi pricey but a unique experience! There’s also a few walking trails so will highly recommend as the scenery with the sea in the background was a beauty!

Overall, we had a great time! I needed time to be amongst nature and recharge which Betws-y-Coed complete aced the job!

Corris in a day

Corris is a small village located just Snowdonia National Park in mid-wales. What’s special about it is its slate quarries and the abundance of family activities to do in the area! 

The nearest train station to Corris is Machynlleth which was the old Welsh capital and where the first Welsh parliament was founded. You can visit this parliament which is now a tiny museum and completely free to visit! They also do guided tour of the wider building! An amazing piece of history! 

I then took a bus to Corris Craft centre where you can easily spend a whole day as a family doing quite a few things! As the name suggests, it hosts a number of craft shops which offers workshops either as drop-ins or have to book in advance. From chocolate making, candle making and even wooden sculptures there is something g for everyone https://www.corriscraftcentre.co.uk. 

The craft centre has a cafe, a little park! But what attracted me to the area are:

1. King’s Arthur’s labyrinth/ this is an underground adventure which involves a boat ride to learn about King Arthur’s legend! Perfect for kids as it is very engaging and doesn’t involve too much walking ! I really enjoyed the storytelling and the special effects!  I also loved going through a waterfall while on the boat ride! This is a guided tour and therefore better to book in advance.
2. Corris Mine Explorers- this has to be one of the best cave explorations I have done! It is a guided tour and involves quite a bit of walking in rough terrain but I saw small children come along! The way our guide told the history of slate quarry was very comprehensive! We even had to go through a small space to see some magical site like a beautiful waterfall and natural skylights! Highly recommend if you want to do something unusual!

Next I headed to Corris Village itself, which is a 15mins walk from the craft centre. Here you can find the Corris Railway, another perfect activity for a family! You can ride in a steam engine and take in the beautiful sites of the Welsh countryside with his lush green rolling hills! They also hold special events so do check out their website for more details https://www.corris.co.uk

Corris is excellent for hiking! I did one that took me by the  miniature Little Italy village! This is a replica of Italy’s famous bundling and the level of detail is amazing! Take that for a hobby! When you hike, you come across beautiful forests, abandoned houses and quarries and plenty of waterfalls big and small. The hike will also take you to the Binocular Tunnels which is an old slate quarry famous for its double bored holes! You can climb inside for a sense of adventure! 

Overall, I had a great time being surrounded by all that greenery. My lungs were full of fresh air and my adventurous side was also satisfied!

Do visit Corris!

Road tripping around Andalusia

In our case, road tripping was not by car but by coach which I highly recommend but I will explain further below. However, I wish I had a car, especially in Almeria, as some of the places didn’t have public transport but all other cities had great connections and run on time!

 

Andalusia refers to Southern Spain which consists of 8 provinces; Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga, and Seville . All these provinces are quite different from each other and have their own unique traits. There’s a big Arabic influence due to the Muslim reign for 800 years until the 14^th centuries. Andalusia is therefore so rich in history, culture and nature! The architecture is just mind blowing and you can clearly see the battle between Muslim and Christian in the buildings and how the Catholic Kings tried to impose their sign everywhere. Out of these provinces, we visited all of them except Jaen. We visited Andalusia over the summer so although the heat was bearable on the coast, we found some cities such as Cordoba quite unbearable. However, there was AC everywhere so you will be ok. Do stay hydrated and invest in some portable fans, hats and lots of suncream!

 

Card was accepted everywhere but some buses prefer cash so do carry cash too! We didn’t use many intracity buses but it was quite confusing in terms of getting tickets for some buses that couldn’t accept any form of payments ( then we realised, that was just a faulty system on that particular bus). There are travelcard available though and works out cheaper. Make sure you specify age of child as mostly, children under  certain age don’t need a ticket.  For all our intercity travel, we used ALSA coaches which I have to say, has been top notch (except the lack of USB ports). I used the ALSA plus app to book all my coaches which came out cheaper. You also collect points when completing each journey and these points can be redeemed against other journeys! They all run on time and there were no issues at all which made our journeys smooth! The earlier you book, the more you save. If you would like to change your tickets, you can do that easily on the app but can’t make any changes closer to time!

 

We stayed over in 4 cities – Seville, Malaga, Almeria and Granada. This was mostly used as a base so it was easier for us to do day trips from these bases. Granada is the only place where I wished we stayed longer to do more adventure activities as it offered more than any other cities! All our activities were booked through GetYourGuide (GYG) or the activity provider directly.  We stayed in airbnbs. In terms of food, that is where we were let down. The big cities completely disappointed us therefore we only ate in small villages to get authentic regional cuisines.

Here is our itinerary:

1)       Seville (Day 1-2):

a.        We spent our first day exploring Seville. Seville cathedral and Giralda tower (https://www.getyourguide.com/seville-cathedral-l4543/seville-cathedral-and-la-giralda-entry-ticket-t131913/) and the Royal Alcazar. I recommend booking in advance the cathedral and the Alcazar. We did the non-guided tour and so researched a lot to know about these place. The Giralda Tower was a long climb and I thought not really worth it as it just provides views of the city. However, both the Cathedral and the Alcazar were stunning and not to be missed. There are walking distance from each other.  15minutes walk away from these monuments was Plaza España which is free to visit and another architectural wonder! You can row on the canal for an additional cost.

b.       Day trip to Aracena and Rio Tinto – this was outside the tourist route and an exploration of the Huelva province (https://www.getyourguide.com/seville-l48/from-seville-full-day-aracena-rio-tinto-mines-tour-t82914/) I wanted to do this region as I heard a lot about the Iberian pigs but also the Red River (Rio Tinto). The trip didn’t disappoint at all. The Red River was indeed red thanks to its microorganisms and the minerals. We got to see the mines for different minerals and such a unique landscape! We then moved to Aracena which is famous for its Iberian pigs. We got to see these pigs and also explore the town with its castle, bullring, cave and amazing food! I will highly recommend this trip if you want to do explore some unknown areas!

2)       Malaga (Day 3-5)

a.       Malaga historic centre – We visited the Alcazaba as well as Malaga cathedral. There are combined tickets as well. There’s also a bullring and the beach was close by.

b.       Day trip to Ronda and Setenil de Bodegas –  A must do! (https://www.getyourguide.com/malaga-l402/malaga-ronda-setenil-de-las-bodegas-optional-sunset-t583609/)   Ronda has my heart and we had enough time to explore on our time. I hiked down to the bottom of the infamous bridge and this was so worth it despite the climb up! I chose the guided tour as part of the activity and it was well worth it! I also visited the Bullring and it was amazing! I even got to walk in the actual bullring and it had a great museum! Setenil is an unusual village built within cliffs. In our own time, I visited an actual house in the cliffs which was very compact. There was also a Nasrid palace I wanted to visit but the signposting wasn’t very clear so couldn’t visit!

c.       Nerja was meant to be another day trip but due to weather conditions our sea activity was cancelled and therefore didn’t go to Nerja!.

d.       Day trip to Benalmadena – the famous Colomares Castle, a tribute to Columbes, is a must! It has a very small entry fee but it is so beautiful especially with views of the coast. Other things to do were the Butterfly park, Buddhist temple and sealife as well as a good swim in the many beaches available nearby! This town had surprisingly so much to offer!

3)       Almeria (Day 5-7)

a.       Almeria historic centre involves the  Alcazaba, Jesus Christ statue, Almeria cathedral. If you can’t afford a trip to Brazil to see Christ the Redeemer statue, then you can go and see this smaller size statue blessing Almeria. The Alcazaba was free to visit and not to be missed. It is an archaeological site so you will see amazing ruins but it is so well maintained and the views were well worth the climb!  I loved Almeria as it wasn’t crowded and less touristy so enjoyed it! Please check opening times for all these attractions!

b.       Day trip to Oasys MiniHollywood  -  This is a Wild West themed park set in the Tabernas Desert and perfect for the whole family. Many Wild West movies were filmed here, including Clint Eastwood’s movies, and something unique to do. The first half of the park is all Wild West themed with performances such as Cancan. The second half was an animal reserve and there’s quite a bit of walking. There were animals such as rhinos which I have never seen before! The park has 2 swimming pools which I will recommend to do after you explored the park.  The one thing I won’t recommend is the buffet! It was so disappointing so bring a sandwich! Regardless, this was the kids’ favourite thing to do!

c.       Day trip to Cabo de Gata and Nijar National park – again not on the tourist path but wanted to explore rugged landscape and explore this area (https://www.getyourguide.com/almeria-l1076/almeria-4x4-tour-of-cabo-de-gata-nijar-natural-park-t386531/ ) It was beautiful and loved listening to he history of the area. We saw flamingos in their natural habitat which was such a great experience!

 

4)       Granada (day 8-11)

a.        Granada city centre – I concentrated on the Andalusian monuments which highlighted monuments from the Muslim reign such as the Moorish Bath, Moorish houses and palaces in the Albacin area! As a history nerd, I learned so much and not sure how 4 hours went by! I then visited the Christian quarters which involved the Cathedral and Royal Chapel1

b.       Alhambra -  must do! I cannot explain how beautiful this is and what talent this showcased so do visit to find out for yourself! The tickets sell out about a month in advance so do book as soon as you can!

c.        Day trip to Las Alpujarras – we headed to the mountains to see different villages in the Sierra Nevada (https://discoveringspain.net/) This was one of the highlight of our trip and so worth it with so many surprises on the way! We visited 5 villages, waterfall and a Jamon Factory! I would redo this experience all over again!

d.       Day trip to Cordoba – We visited the Jewish Quarter and Mosque-Cathedral as well as the roman bridge. The Mosque-Cathedral is another must do monument! You will need to book in advance! Each corner was stunning!

Overall, this was another memorable trip with both my nature and history geek completely satisfied!

Scarborough

Another day trip from London but wish we could have stayed overnight as there was so much to do.

Here's what we've been upto. These are all out of town about 20 to 30mins away from the centre:

- Skipton Castle -part of English Heritage which provides beautiful views  of the coastline. This was more ruins of the castle but the grounds were beautiful.

- Peasholme Park - this was a surprise as I didn't expect much but it had a lake with Oriental Gardens and waterfalls. You can go boating on the lake as well as mini golfing. The highlight of this park is that it showcases mini ship battles on the lake which is the highlight of the year. 

-Water Chute is a water ride and one of the few ones in the country

- Right by the water chute is the North Bay Railway which is a little railway that will take you upto the North Beach Bay

- The North Bay Beach offers more attractions than the South Baby beach. It has an Open Air Theatre and a Sealife Centre as well 

- Alpamere is a water park with all indoor slides as well as 2 outdoor thermal books offering nice views of the North Bay. The water park is decent with 4 big slides, a wave pool and small splash park as well. You could stay as long as you like but I thought for what it offered, the price could have been a bit cheaper. 3 of the 4 slides requires floaties which means you will need to queue. Depending on how busy the pool is, the queues can be very long.

Scarborough has so much to offer and wish we had more time to explore it.

A day trip to Skipton

I always wanted to go to Skipton because it had a few waterfalls I wanted to explore so here is our day trip fron London.

We first headed to the town centre to visit the Skipton Museum which was free to visit. It was small museum but it detailed the history of Skipton so well and even my grumpy teenagers enjoyed it.

We then went to Skipton Woods behind Skipton Castle. We didn't want to visit Skipton Castle but there is that option for you if you will like to explore a castle. Skipton Woods is a nice woods by the river. You can do the circular trail which won't take much long. It is very nice and quiet despite it being in the town centre. It also had waterfalls which was a highlight for me.

After that, we headed to Bolton Priory which was stunning. There's a few walking trails through beautiful woods and waterfalls. Walking through the woods, there were also games dotted around which made the walk fun for the kids. 

There is also a steam rail which will take you quite close to Bolton Priory from the next stop after Skipton.

We had a great day out in Skipton amongst beautiful nature and fresh air!

Soaking up the sun in Mallorca

 I have been a big fan of Rafael Nadal, one the greatest tennis players and athletes that this world has ever since, for 2 decades and counting. I fell in love with this guy since 2005 Roland Garros and I have never wavered in my love or support for him. So, as you can imagine, going to see where he was born and grew up has been on my bucket list for a very long time. It has been 20 years in the making and I have finally made it happen! 

We spent 4 days on the island and we saw everything I wanted, except Nadal unfortunately (I had missed him by a day and found out that on a particular day, we were just a few metres away from each other!)

Before I go in depth about our trip, here's a few things to know before you go to Mallorca!

- I have never used cash except the bus to the airport.

- There's authentic food everywhere so was very pleased with it

- I travelled by bus which was easy to use. You will need to pay contactless when you enter the bus (you can also pay in cash but the fare will be higher). When you exit the bus, you will also need to tap the same card you tapped in so they can charge the right fare. Uber is also used around the island.

- There are jelly fish skin in some beaches which can be quite stinky. Most beaches are sandy

- Although the weather was great in April, we couldn't do as much as swimming as the water was cold but that didn't stop some people.

Below is our itinary:

1) Port Soller - 

We stayed overnight in Port Soller and that was a great decision so we can the north of the island and it wasn't as busy either. The centre was small with plenty of places to eat along the port and beach. We stayed at Hotel Eden Nord which was great with a swimming pool and we went half-board too. It was very close to the centre so very convenient. We did a speedboat tour around the north North of the island coming across Sa Calobra, Cala Tuent and other coves and caves along the way. It was short and sweet with time for some swimming and walking around! The tour is 2hours and we had a great time with some stunning views! Perfect if you are short on time! We saw lightouses and fortresses on the way too. This is the activity provider we used: https://www.getyourguide.com/mallorca-l47/from-soller-speedboat-tour-a-sa-calobra-with-swimming-stop-t451657/?ranking_uuid=86ca23c2-1b04-439b-af3a-9a86edc3b6e0. 

After lunch we headed for a little walk to the National Sea Museum and look at views of Port Soller. The museum is free to visit. Do check times before going. There are pplenty of hiking trails as well. I wanted to hike to the lighthouse of Cap Gros and also Torre picada but since I've seen them from the speedboat tour so I didn't go on to these hikes. But if you have the time, do go on the hikes as the different views of the Tramuntana mountains is majestic!

2) Soller:

 We took the iconic vintage tram for Port Soller to Soller. It is 10 euros per person and under 5s go free. Do check the timetable as it varies for the seasons. I really enjoyed this short trip and loved the views especially when it started to pull into Soller. Once we arrived in Soller, we went straight to the main square, Placa de Constitucion and saw the very beautiful gothic cathedral Esglesia de Sant Bartomeu. It was also the Citrus Festival so there were lots of interesting decorations around the Sqaure. Soller was too busy for my liking. We did take a 20-30mins walk to the next village Biniaraix to see the orange and lemon groves on the way there. It was a very leisurely walk. We didn't go all the way to the village as we came across the groves before them. You can't enter the groves unfortunately but if you do, you can go through Ecovinayasa which offers tours around the groves with snacks. There is also a botanic garden about 15minutes walk away from the centre. Jardin Botanic de Soller also has a Natural Science Museum which is included in the ticket price. Overall, I didn't enjoy Soller as much as I thought I would as it was too busy and commercialised for my liking.

3) Valldemossa:

We took the bus from Soller to Valldemossa through Deia and loved the journey as the views were stunning. Valldemossa has my heart. I would highly recommend this gorgeous little town where you could spend a day easily there! I headed to the Carthusian Monastery (you get a discount if you book online in advance). This was the Royal residence of King Sancho. There are various ticket and I picked the general entry with tower visit which included the climb to the tower which offered stunning views of Valldemossa, entry to the monastery which had different little museum such as one dedicated to Chopin, the Polish composer who lived in this town and Sancho Palace. You can also listen to a nice Chopin piano recital included in the ticket. I would highly recommend these places to visit as it tells the story of the town but also the royals. Valldemossa is also famous for its pastry 'Coca de Patata) which was nice. I would also enjoyed walking around the cobbled streets, don't worry about the directions, just enjoy the views! Valldemossa is a must on your itinary!

4) Porto Cristo:

Rafael Nadal's town. We stayed there for 2 days and wasn't crowded at all despite having many things to do. Porto Cristo is on the other side of the island so we took the bus across the island which only took 1hour. We stayed about 5minutes from the centre and we enjoyed our stay at Marina Drach Aparthotel! We did a once-in-a-lifetime experience with Lucky where we went sea caving with AV Caving Mallorca (https://www.airbnb.co.uk/experiences/3603719?location=porto%20cristo&currentTab=experience_tab&federatedSearchId=9284769e-fb62-43a0-b6d1-86549d6d26e0&searchId=d30b9f85-66ab-44be-81b7-4b38d12c2f58&sectionId=9301c7fa-6399-4015-baac-411acb1ab5c0) . I took about 5 hours but if you want to do something unusual and discover hidden gems, I would highly recommend this experience especially with AV Caving Mallorca as it was relaxing and well organised with plenty of stories. We came across other groups but I felt they looked rushed! The experience involved walking, swimming in the open sea (you will be given a float but you must be good at swimming), climbing and down formations as well as crawling through tunnels. It sounds intense but Vanessa and Antonia took it at a very relaxed pace. It is suitable for kids over 8. You will swim through beautiful caves and see because formation! The sights are just unbelievable but highly recommend it! Other things we done were Drach Caves which has the largest underground lake. You can treated to a little classical concert and even a short boat ride on the underground lake. Porto Cristo has many beaches including one in the centre. There are also a lot of hiking trails which leads you to very beautiful views of the island. Close to Drach Caves was the Majorica Pearl Factory and Shop which is home to their famous synthetic pearls. It is free to visit and you can learn the story of the pearl and even get to see a small side of the factory where pearls are made with live demonstrations. We also took a nice walk around the marina, The marina is crowded with places to eat so you will never go hungry. I also took a morning walk to a little fortress on the edge of a cliff which offers picturesque views of the bays and the sea! A short bus ride away is Dinosaurland and Hams Cave. We didn't do this as the kids didn't want to do it but if you got young kids, it could be worth a visit! You can walk anywhere and always come across stunning little places and hidden coves so take the time to walk around!

5) Manacor:

The whole purpose of this Manacor trip was the Rafael Nadal Museum and Academy and it didn't disappoint. My kids were quite apprehensive but they surprisingly had a good time due to its interactive nature. The first half of the museum is a place for you to take part in a number of sports using virtual reality such as tennis, football, mountain cycling, football and racing! The kids had a blast in there and tried every single activity. Dotted around are obviously Rafa's achievements and objects. The real dedication came on the lower ground where you see all his accomplishments. There are also gifted sporting display from other athletes. Once you finish the museum, I will highly recommend going around the academy to look at the grounds! We easily spent 2 hours and this was thoroughly enjoyed by my kids who are not big museum fans.

6) Palma:

Palma is the capital of Mallorca and very beautiful as it set by the sea. I loved the architecture. We went to Palma Cathedral and the Royal Palace which are next to each other so very convenient. It is also very beautiful. We also walked around the grounds which was so beautiful! There were museums too but as I said, kids don't like museums much so we just concentrated on the unusual things to do!

It may look like we have done a lot but it was quite relaxed. If I had more days, I would have definitely done the more natural parks and hiking and spend time in the North East and  South East of the island but this itinerary included everything that I wanted to do as his trip was mostly dedicated to Rafael Nadal. Mallorca is a nature's paradise and another great trip!

Winter in Bosnia

 I wanted to spend the Christmas holidays in a country nestled between mountains and with plenty of snow. I also wanted somewhere that was not too touristy and full of history and culture! We were also working on a tight budget (as usual). Upon doing a lot of research, I focused on the Balkans (it truly has my heart) and zoomed in on Bosnia and Herzegovina! It didn't disappoint and had a magical 5 days!

As transport was an issue for us, I booked a guide to take us everywhere we want to do. Mirnes (+387603412728) was the perfect guide for us who was patient and put up with all my requests. His rates were very competitive too. Mirnes was always on time and very professional! Bosnia is a Muslim country herefore if you wish to visit any mosque, please carry a head covering for women and no shorts for men! We loved that the food was still very traditional just like we loved it as it is not too touristy. In terms of money, we took euros and then converted to Bosnian Convertible Mark. Except Sarajevo, everywhere lese took cash so always carry cash instead of card. Bosnia and Herzegovina was very cheap therefore you will get your money's worth! Everywhere we visited had entry fees. 

We went at the end of December and it wasn't that cold except when we got to the mountains however it is best to wear show boots as it is very snowy. 

Here was our itinerary: 

- Sarajevo - the capital city is full of charm especially the Old Town with a nice market and beautiful mosques. We visited the Latin Bridge where Franz Ferdinand was assassinated and caused WW1. We visited the Jewish Museum. I have never visited a temple so this was quite opening. The museum is set on 3 floors and details the influence of Jewish people in Bosnia and the local community. We then visited the Gazi Husreq Bag Mosque which was so beautiful. Please bear in mind that during prayer time, usually around lunch time, you are not able to visit inside the mosque. I have never visited a mosque so to visit the oldest Ottoman Empire's mosque in Bosnia was a great life experience! It was so peaceful! A must visit! We then went to the 1992-1995 Genocide Museum. It is a must-visit museum which details the events of the Bosnian war. It will be very heavy as there's video footage and explicit photos depicting violence. If you have young kids, I wouldn't recommend it. My kids found it very evocative and were quite chocked up to read about the horrors! Lucky especially got quite emotional drawing parallel to the Sri Lankan Tamil war. After that heavy visit, we went to eat, There's plenty of places to eat offering lots of traditional cuisine. We also had traditional sweets Baklava which we found a bit too sweet! To round up the day, we visited the Great Hall, which is basically Sarajevo City Hall and you must visit for it's internal architecture. In the basement, there's a museum of when the city hall was bombed during the Bosnian war and its reconstruction. Sarajevo has lots of  museums and galleries to offer! Trebevic Mountain is also nearby where you can get a cable car and see the views of the city. Sunnyland is an amusement park further in the mountains where you can experience an alpine coaster which is perfect entertainment for the whole family. Near Sarajevo airport is the Tunnel of Salvation which takes you through underground tunnels and how people lived during Sarajevo Siege in the 90s a must visit!

- Olympic Mountains - Winter Olympics were hosted in Sarajevo in 1985 and you can still visit the ski sloes and bobsleigh track. Igman mountains has the ski jump course and Bjelasnica is a famous ski resort where you can ski as well as sledding where you can rent traditional sleds to go down the slopes. The kids didn't want to go skiing so we did sledging which was so much fun! The roads can get very snowy and the fog can be very thick so please be careful when driving!

- Visoko,  Travnick and Jajce - can you believe that Bosnia has pyramids??? Well it has and it has special powers too. You can visit the tunnels beneath the pyramids with a tour guide. We went first thing in the morning where there were no crowds. We definitely felt some changes in our body. Mahi had a heavy cough for a couple of weeks and after visiting the pyramids the cough just disappeared!!! The tour took about an hour and was very detailed! We then drove to Travnick to visit the fortress which gave us a stunning view of the snow covered town. I also enjoyed visiting the museum within the fortress! We also visited the coloured mosque which was so beautiful. We weren't able to visit insdte but it is absolutely stunning. Not far from the mosque was the Nobel prize winner novelist Ivo Andric's house which we stopped by quickly to visit. We then drove to Jajce to see the famous water mills. It was right out of a fairytale! Around the corner, was the famous Jajce waterfall which was majestic! it was so beautfiul especially with the different colours around the waterfalls. There's also a museum, fortress and catacombs close to the waterfall! This town has many things to offer and you can easily spend a day in this town.

- Konjic, Buna Spring and Pocitelj- these 2 towns is in the Herzogovina state and was our favourite part of the holiday. The weather is completely different and the landscape very different too! We first visited Konjic. The river was crystal clear with many different hues of blues and greens. We went on the famous bridge and also visited the huge memorial on the hill. We then visited Tito's bunker. You need to book in advance and provide passprt details before visiting as this is a military guarded place. We had to go on  a special transport to the bunker. It takes 2 hours to visit and it is huge! There's of course a guide to take you around and explain the place. It is absolutely mind-boggling to see how they built such a huge bunker in secret and with so much technology in the 50s! We then visited my absolute favourite part of the trip which was Buna Soring! I cannot describe this place to you! It was magical and I didn’t want to leave it! You can also visit the Sufi Hiuse by the Soring!  During summer time, you can go inside the cave by boat too! What a beautiful place and a must visit. We then watched sunset from Pocitelj. During winter, it is completely abandoned and loved the eerie feeling. There’s a fortress and a mosque to visit and sunset was so worth the walk in the dark! 

Mostar and Jablinka - we visited the Mostar bridge both at night time and during daytime too! We loved Mostar and its charming old town and its cobbler streets. We wanted to visit Kajitaz House but it was closed on Monday. This was a house which depicts traditional living during the Ottoman Period. Jablinka is famous for the fallen bridge which was a strategic move by the Yugoslavia army during WW2 so enemies don’t enter important cities. The bridge is the actual bridge. Nearby is the Battle of the Wounded Museum which is another important museum to visit to learn more about the local area.

Overall, we had a great time. The hospitality of the Bosnian people was so heart warming and their resilience despite their recent history is truly awe inspiring! Bosnia is truly a hidden gem and realised my dream of having a white Christmas! The country is so full of culture and history too and we were learning so many things every day! I would also recommend driving through the country as the road trips were just so scenic! A beautiful country to not miss!

24hours in Blackpool

 I have no idea what I thought when I booked this trip but its done and we had a great time. We went at Halloween and did a 1 night overnight stay. We booked all attractions in advance so we could save a couple of pounds. We ravelled by tram using a day pass which to our delight was so convenient and fast! 

We arrived late in the afternoon and headed straight to Ripley's Believe it or Not. This is an attractions with lots of weird things to see and read about. Some exhibits were interactive. Ripley's is located by the Blackpool Pleasure Beach on the Southern Pier. We then headed to the Pleasure Beach theme park. We did the theme park as part of Halloween's Fright Nights and would highly recommend. it wasn't busy and did all the rides (bear in mind that not all the rides were open). It also hosts has the best water ride I have ever been on in my entire life. We were so soaked and highly recommend the ride ( the name is Valhalla). There were also lots of live actors in scary costumes walking around trying to scare you which added a spooky element to the night! The Fright Nights are recommended for kids aged 12 and over but it is absolutely upto you. Passejo del Terror was the best in terms of giving us the scary feeling where we were chased by scary beings through the whole attraction. This attraction is not included in the Pleasure Beach tickets and you will need to pay separately for this! A great night was had at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

During the night, you can see the Illuminations dotted along the beach which were quite nice to see. There's also a lot of game arcades everywhere so do carry coins to get your gambling hat on!

The next day, we headed to the central pier to do some rides and play in the arcade. Mahish loves arcade games and for £10 we managed to do quite a lot of games. The rides came be paid for individually or you can buy tickets for multiple rides which works out cheaper. After this, we headed to Blackpool Dungeon which is located in the Blackpool Tower. We booked combination tickets for the escape room and the dungeon. We first did the jail- themed escape room and unfortunately, after lots of bickering and arguments, did not manage to get out (we are quite bad at escape rooms but love the experience). The dungeons were similar to all the other dungeons with the same set-up but the history is mainly focused on Lancaster!

Before our train, we walked around the town centre which was very big and also had a stroll by the beach (thankfully, the weather was decent!). There's plenty of places to eat at different price ranges. We stayed by Blackpool Tower in Blackpool North with great access to attractions, eateries and transport.

We had a great 24 hours to get our Halloween spirits tamed!

Croatia's Dalmatian Coast

 I feel like it was all a dream because surely the sights we saw could possible be not of this world??!! It's hard to believe that a country can hold so many climates, terrain and stunning views. It was beautiful wherever we turned!

We headed to the Croatia's Dalmatian Coast after their heatwave, but it was still between 30-35°C so I dread to think how it was like during the heatwave. I always say I was supposed to be born in hot country and so the heat didn't bother me so much but the kids did struggle a bit. Thankfully, we were staying in AC flats and most of the cities we visited were by the seaside so it was cooler than staying amongst buildings. Before I take you through our 2 weeks in heaven, here is some things you should know about Croatia:

-  There's not much of a railway system in Croatia but the bus services were great! I would highly recommend hiring a car to get through to hidden gems and cities but I believe we did quite well with the transport systems we had. Flixbus was our best friend throughout the whole trip and very purse friendly.

- Carry cash as many places accept cards

- It is extremely hard to find authentic Dalmatian food which I was disappointed about. However with lots of advice from local people, we were able to taste some yummy Dalmatian cuisine. For anyone who wants their pastas and pizzas (the regular food basically), you have no shortage of this. Dalmatian cuisine is mainly seafood.

- Croatia is made up of many little islands which I had no idea about. There are ferry services to the main islands but if you want to visit the smaller ones, you might need to hire a skipper or go on an organised tour.

- I booked all day rips and tours we wanted to do beforehand via Viator which was reduced lot of my stress. The good thing with Viator is you don't have to pay until 2 days before and you will free cancellation until those 2 days before.

- The Croatian people are some of the nicest people you will encounter. They were so friendly  and helpful! 

- I would recommend using Bolt or Uber if you need a taxi. If you do take a cab, it will be rip-off. Bolt offers cheaper rates than Uber.

- Always carry your swimsuit with you because the beaches are everywhere and so inviting and you don't know when you will want to jump in! None of the beaches have lifeguards so know your limits!

- Carry water bottles with you as there are no refills stations.

- Supermarkets only sell fruits and vegetables that are in season.

Our first week of the trip was in Split. We stayed in the city centre which was very useful as we had planned lots of day trips so needed easy access to the bus station and ferry port. However, I did struggle with the crowds. It was just too busy for my liking. In Split, we got to know the area so had a little walk around the Old Town. We visited the Diocletian Place which you can walk around from free around its perimeter as the kids didn't want to go inside. There was also the Ethnographic Museum for those who like their museums. We got our history from the boards dotted around the city. There's also free history walk tour that the major cities offer. We shopped at te only UNESCO supermarket too! We also visited the city gates with its nice little park. The city centre was so cite by the Marina and lots of shops. There's also the Marjan Park where I did a nice hike from one end to the other with stunning views of the city. The kids wanted to rest so I did this on my own.  It was a hilly hike. The hike took me through across some churches and some historic sites. My hike ended at Kasjuni Beach. it was such a refreshing swim after about 2 hours of hiking from start to end with lots of stops to take in the views. The colour of the water as different shades of green and blue and you just need to appreciate what you see. I chose Kasjuni Beach, even though there were more popular beaches by the City centre, because it has less people and wanted to swim with views of the hills and greenery.

We did a number of day trips as below:

- Makarska  - This is a beautiful fishing village with the Biokovo Mountain the background. the town centre reminded me of the Mamma Mia village in some parts. It wasn't too busy but thats propable becuase we went in late afternoon. We wanted to walk to the free Botanical garden Kotišina  on the mountain and take in the views but the heat got to the kids and there were no Uber/Bolt available so we skipped it. There is also a skywalk at the Biokov Mountains for those interested in going on top of the mountain. We headed to the Macological Museum as Mahish loves all things shells. The museum was part of a working Monastery and had specific opening times so do check before going. With a small entry fee, the museum hosted shells from across the world and it is amazing to see the designs of nature. We then headed to Osejava Beach which is by the port so the waves were quite strong even for us competent swimmers. It was by the Osejava Forest Park where we took a little stroll after our swim. There's something about swimming against mountains hills. There's also plenty of other beaches but  a little out of town. After dinner, we headed to Makarska Observatory which only opens after 9pm. However, the observatory is very hidden and took us a few false detours to get there. However, due to unforseen circumstances, the Observatory was closed which was  shame as we timed our whole trip around the Observatory opening times. 

- Krka National Park - There are 2 national parks that are must see when visiting the Dalmatian Coast; Plitvice National Park and Krka National Park. I picked Krka as it was chepaer and will be less busy.  And it disappoint! We went as part of a tour so transport was provided. You have to pay extra from the National Park and you are left to do as yu please until departure time at a nearby village. Our tour guide was very good in explaining the area and timings ,etc so it wasn't like we didn't know what to do. We also had a whatsapp group to communicate with the guide should we need her. We did the tour through https://pelicantourssplit.com/. I heard a lot about the beautiful waterfalls of Croatia and hence headed to Krka and it didn't disappoint! Ah the colours and the beautiful views. I cannot describe it but you must visit. It had a lot of waterfalls leading to the mian waterfalls. There's also a square by the main waterfals with food. You cannot swim there anymore unfortunately. Afterwards, we took to boat to the nearby village Skradin where we had a swim in the river until it was time to go. 

- Omis - another easy daytrip from Split. Omis is a beautiful town set along the Cetina River Canyon. It has 2 forts and beautiful beaches. Omis is known for all the adventures it offers such as river rafting, canyoning, paragliding and zip lining across the Canyon. We picked canyoning as it looks more fun and seeing the canyons, its waterfalls and caves up close. We picked our adventure with https://maldukadventures.com/ who answered all the questions I had, patient and very professional. Before we started the advenure, we went through safety intructions and put on our kits. Canyoning is not for the faint-hearted. You need to have a lot of stamina but it was the experience of a life-time. This experience is definitely for the adventurous and the athletic kinds. Children must be aged 12 and over. The groups are quite small The water was so refreshing to jump into after the very steep climb down the canyon. The water was so clear and you can drink from it. As it was the summer, the water levels were low so we mostly walked on rocks instead of swimming. Sometimes, we were sliding down mini waterfalls. It was epic! We couldn't unfortunately finish canyoning as we struggled a bit so it was wise for us to stop and were retraced our steps with another instructor. But it was worth it and like I said a once-in a lifetime experience. 

Klis - For the Games of Thrones fan, the Klis fortress will be a highlight. We went through Solis which is a little town with roman ruins and water mills. All for free. Visiting Klis took us 2 hours as it quite large with well placed information boards. The views were absolutely stunning. The fortress is well maintained but I will recommend good shoes as it is cobbled. 

When our time in Split came to an end, we headed to Zadar for 5 days. Zadar for me was my favourite place to stay. It wasn't too touristy or busy. It is so beautiful with more history than Split, in my opinion. We explore Zadar Old Town- the Roman Forum, the Old Church the markets and the Riviera. The Riviera consists of the Sea Organ which emits music as the waves hit the hole filled walls. It was actual music. Just beind it, is Greeting to the Sun. It is a waterfront light installation that  comes alive post-sunset with a solar-powered display. Imagine your evenings with the sea organ and a beautiful light installation at Sunset. It's pure bliss where you feel grateful to be alive. We also did a half submerged-submarine trip along the city. It took 50 minutes but we didn't see many fishes and th kids lost their patience. It was the only thing throughout our whole holiday that we were disappointed about. Zadar had more authentic Dalmatian cuisine which we were so happy about and it didn't disappoint at all! Other day trips we have done while we were in Zadar were:

- Velebit Mountain - Velebit Mountain Range is the largest mountain range in Croatia. It is the backdrop of Zadar. this was a private tour that I had booked through Airbnb. I like to do things outside the normal and I wanted to see everything that the Croatia offered. When I hear people think about Croatia, they only talk about the beaches. I wanted to explore further and when doing my research came across the Velebit Mountains. There is national park attached to the mountain but apart from from taking a walk through it or doing rock climbing, there wasn't much to do. And that's when I came across Aleksander's rpivate trip to the Velebit mountains as well as everything else we loved - caves and swimming amongst waterfalls  https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/4031758 . Aleksander was the best - his passion for the area and his country was palpable. He was extremely flexible and offered a personalised trip according to our needs and wants which was slightly different  to what he offered. On the day of our scheduled trip, he was on time on picked us up in his Jeep. While on the way, to the mountains, we stopped in beautiful viewpoints such as canyons and bridges. He also explained about the different weathers affecting Zadar due to the mountains such as the strong Burra Winds that Zadar encounters and causes some nearby islands to be cut off from the mainland. When we drove up the mountain, we encountered mild turbulence from this famous Burra Wind. The views as we climbed up were beautiful. As we climbed up, we also came across the Croatian footballer Luka Modrić's childhood home. Aleksander knew the area very well and it showed as he stopped the jeep wherever there nice photographic moments. On top of the mountain we came across graves which were of those soldiers that that were part in the guerilla movement in the 1990 war and used the mountain as their hideaway place. The top of the mountain was indescribable! Obviously the temperature cooled down significantly and the winds were strong but I was living life! You can do a hike up there but we decided not to do it. As we crossed the mountain to the other side, it felt we were in the Austrian Alps. It was amazing the change of scenery and climate. We headed to Croatia's largest cave complex, Cerovac Caves. Bear in mind, you can visit either the Upper cave or Lower cave and you won't know which one you will visit until you get there. They do tours every hour and can only visit the caves on those tours. We visited the Upper Caves which was a 20 minutes walk up. The cave was beautiful with some very impressive stalactites, stalagmites, and stalagnates.  Once we relaxed a bit a the cave, we headed around the mountains to the Zrmanja River to swim. You can swim anywhere along the river which can be very busy. Aleksander took us further down where it was less busy and right by the waterfalls. What can I say? It was one of my reams to swim by waterfalls and I was so glad. We could also do cliff jumping at various heights . We didnt venture too high but did cliff jumping at lower heights. It was such a refreshing swim after such a long day. Aleksander was so great that I organised another personalised trip with him.

- Pag Island - Pag is one of the largest island of Croatia. It is known from its lace, cheese and for the Mars-like terrain! To me, I feel it is one of the must visit places which offered unique experiences. Aleksander was able to fit in all that I wanted to see and do. If he thought there were things we weren't able to do based on our walking abilities under the heat, he would tell us. For example, while researching about Pag, I came across that there was WW2 concentration camp called the Slana Concentration camp. However, it was about a 45mins walk on a hard surface and with no shade from the team. I am glad he told us this advance as we definitely couldn't have done it. But for those who can do it, the concentration camp doesn't have ruins or anything. It just blends in with the landscape but we wanted to see the area. So when we entered Pag, Aleksander's knowledge was impressive. We stopped  on route many times to admire views. We first headed to a working Pag cheese factory called Gigliora which did daily tours at specific times. We were all keen to do this cheese factory tour as we love cheese and we had to know what was special about the cheese. This was a 20minutes tour. You had to wear protective gear and it was a great tour to see all the different cheeses with really interesting flavours. We then had some tasting of the cheese in the shop and had a blast! Definitely recommend for something unique to do. We then headed to the town centre of Pag where there was a salt factory   ( as you drive to the centre, you come across salt pits). However, we headed to the little lace gallery where you can see the famous Pag lace being made. Now, don't expect too much it. It is a one room gallery with a tiny entrance fee. We were lucky that it was opened as when I read the reviewed, past visitors were complaining how the gallery was clsed when it was supposed to be opened. The lady was charming and shared the history of the lace and specialised school where you learned special embroideries with that lace and its patterns. She even gave us a demonstration which was excatly what I wanted to see. It is unfortunately an art that is being lost so I felt very lucky to be submerged into Pag's culture. The town centre is quite small but charming. you can see ladies on the street doing Pag lacing too. Pag island is also known for its party vibes if you are into parties! We then headed to do a little bit of 'Life on Mars' walk and so headed to Rucina beach. This was good stop for us to cool down and swim but also it was closest to  Stogaj which is a vertical rock formation. We walked to it which was 20 minutes from the car park. as i said, the whole island felt we were on Mars so there's no shade from the heat. You also need to have good shoes as the ground is full of loose stones. However, the view were phenomenal. It did feel we were on another planet. After this we visit the Olive Garden which was on the other end of the island. This is more a whole park instead of garden with olive trees as old as a few centuries but were still producing olives. I loved walking among the trees. There's also cute little gifts shops with local produce. The park had the factory and ampitheatre too! Like I said, Aleksander was good at his job and didn't complain once about the long distances we travelled. He was the perfect guide and we had such a great time exploring some of Croatia's hidden gems.

- Dugi Otok - this was another guided trip with Alamar travel https://www.viator.com/tours/Zadar/Dugi-otok-Island-discovery-day-tour-from-Zadar/d22433-278137P2 . I chose this particular trip as it offered a stop at Gobulinka Cave which ater seeing photos of it during my research, I had to see it. Marin was our skipper for the day. It was a small group (10of us). This is a very busy, active day so the disclaimer is if you plan to just relax on the boat, that won't happen. This tour had lots of stops but you had time to relax in the water and learn about the area you were anchored in. We first visited a war tunnel for a little history lesson. To get our dose of white sandy beaches we headed to Sakarun beach to swim and do snorkelling. The colour of the water was just a beautiful turquoise. And the water was so nice and warm. We spent 1 hour swiming and relaxing on the beach. Next was m favourite stop which was Gobulinka Cave. You have to swim to see the sea cave. Marin stopped our boat by the entrance and it is a 5 minute swim to the back of the cave where you can sit and relax. My God, it was a sight! It is so beautiful with different colours of the water and walks coming into play. The waters were clam so the swim wasn't as exhausting as I expected. We stayed in for 30minutes. Do bear in mind that this is a famous stop for kayaking tours so you may come across a lot of kayaks. We got there before it got too busy so we only got the inundation of kayaks when we were leaving the sea cave. Before our lunch tops, we stopped at a shipwreck and swam amongst it which was another box ticked for me. You can touch the shipwreck as it wasn't that deep. Our lunch stop was at Veli Rat with its towering lighthouse and delicous food with fresh seafood. Our last stop was secret away from all people and it was nice to have the area all to ourselves. Marin was great and I even got to steer the boat for a little bit. It was a great experience and enjoyed it so much.

Unfortunately, our trip gallivanting around the Dalmatian Coast came to an end. But it won't be tje ;ast time we will be visiting Croatia. I am absolutely in love with the country and will need regular doses of it for the rest of my life! It was affordable for those that are always on a tight budget like me but I believe, we managed well while staying within budget. We didn't spend money on anything we didn't want to do and we stayed in Airbnbs so we only ate 1 meal outside daily. Most of the things we did were free and the organised trips, were booked in advance which saved us a bit of money!