Tom L
What it's like to fly during COVID-19 pandemic ...

Unfortunately, the year 2020 has been the worst of all for all those who loved or had to travel. Many airlines went bankrupt as well as other travel companies. It was the first year when we didn’t travel at all until now. Recently, some flights have resumed and some restrictions eased. However, we can never be sure if that doesn’t change in the near future. In this post I will describe what it’s like to fly during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. I also want to add that the flight I took was not for leisure or vacation.

What it's like to fly during COVID-19 pandemic restrictions
Tom L
How to Visit National Parks in the US if You ...

Ever wanted to visit the magnificent National Parks of the western USA? That might be complicated if you can't drive or don't have too much time. However, there is one solution - we have visited 8 of the most important National Parks in 9 days - yes it was rushed and exhausting, but the experience was unreal. Here's how we did it with all the pros and cons.

It was always my dream to see the Grand Canyon and the other exceptionally magnificent National Parks and canyons in Utah and Arizona, such as: Bryce, Antelope Canyon, Arches and Monument Valley. Finally, having had visited nearly 70 countries, I planned a trip to the USA. We didn’t have too much time - only 9 days and we couldn’t drive. So, the only option was, as a last resort, an organized tour. Something we always try to avoid. How did it go? How much did it cost? Was it efficient? What were the downsides and upsides of such a journey?

How to Visit National Parks in the US if You Don't Drive and Don't Have Too Much Time
Tom L
Best Hike in Slovenian Alps - Triglav Lakes ...

Slovenia is mostly known for the amazing lake Bled. Few actually know what this tiny country hides one of the most spectacular Alpine valleys - the Triglav Lakes valley. The purest rivers and mountainous lakes surrounded by silver rocky peaks and karst formations can be found here. Don’t miss this incredible hiking trail - stay a few days more in Slovenia and enjoy the best of what nature has to offer. Contrary to similar places of this sort in neighboring countries (Italy, Austria, Croatia), you won’t find crowds here - therefore the whole area seems even more enjoyable. In this post I’ll describe the trail and how we got here from lake Bled and continued onwards to the Soca River valley.

Best Hike in Slovenian Alps - Triglav Lakes Valley (part 1)
Tom L
What You Must Know Before Traveling to Egypt in ...

Are you wondering if it's safe to travel to Egypt? Besides the amazing ancient monuments and great fun, these are the not so great things you must be aware of before traveling to Egypt. It's better to be prepared rather than disappointed.

I traveled to nearly 70 countries before Egypt, therefore I’d had some expectations and thought I had prepared myself mentally before visiting the lands of pharaoh. Nevertheless, many things still managed to surprise me in Egypt. The following part is based on my subjective experiences and may differ from what others experienced. However, I would like to share what it was like to follow the trail of ancient Egyptians - from Cairo down to the Sudanese border. I haven’t been to the resorts, so I can’t comment on that.

What You Must Know Before Traveling to Egypt in 2020
Tom L
How to get to Uvac River Canyon, Serbia (if you ...

A couple of years back, we visited the Serbian capital - Belgrade. And to be honest, it wasn't my favorite city in the Balkans - you can read my post here. This year, we decided to go back and rediscover Serbia again. Not only did we give Balgrade another chance but also wanted to see some other places in this little Balkan country. One of them was the beautiful Uvac River Canyon - a place that can be tricky to get to and is virtually unknown among tourists outside of Serbia. In this article I'll focus mainly on how to reach the Uvac River Canyon by public transport (if you cannot drive). I will also show the exact points of the maps where to start the hike if you have your own car and where the best viewpoints are.

How to get to Uvac River Canyon, Serbia (if you don't drive)

India

Araku Valley and Borra Caves, India - Land of Great Adventure

Araku Valley and Borra Caves, India - Land of Great Adventure

Araku Valley - located around 100 kilometers (62 miles) northeast of Vizag (Visakhapatnam) is not one of the most visited tourist destinations in India. Here, you can really experience the local life among the beautiful rolling hills of the valley. It's like being teleported to a different world and time.

The rich soils abound with coffee and black pepper plantations and the area can boast some magnificent waterfalls, caves, cliffs and forests. Also, don't forget that you are in India and the mentality is quite different, more relaxed, not everything works properly and according to a timetable and as a result of that you are about to enter the land of great adventure and if you keep on reading, you will see for yourself why.

Visiting Taj Mahal, Agra and Mathura in India

Visiting Taj Mahal, Agra and Mathura in India

Taj Mahal is the most famous attraction of India, it goes without saying. I just couldn't miss it during my hectic stay in this country. After visiting the tropical south: Visakhapatnam, Kerala and the paradise Lakshadweep Islands, I arrived in New Delhi. Now I had to get to Agra, where the famous Taj Mahal is located, so quite a long ride in a pre-booked taxi was awaiting me. I traveled with an Indian family throughout this vast country and it was a really good chance to meet the culture, customs and habits from the inside. The taxi was a mini van, really comfortable and air conditioned (which helped to endure the heat).

New Delhi and Hyderabad, India

New Delhi and Hyderabad, India

New Delhi, the capital of India and the city of Hyderabad were last two places I visited in India. After traveling through south and east as well as Lakshadweep Islands, those cities seemed a bit more organized and less polluted (according to Indian standards) to me than the rest of the country. The climate is different than in the south, drier and a bit cooler in winter, there's no lush green patches of coconut forests covering the hills but bare dessert like plateaus (especially in Hyderabad). I spent two days in New Delhi, then I took a domestic flight to Hyderabad where I stayed one day and from there I flew back home.

Lakshadweep Islands - Hidden Paradise in the Indian Ocean

Lakshadweep Islands - Hidden Paradise in the Indian Ocean

Crystal clear blue waters, coral reef full of colorful fish, white sand beaches, coconut trees leaning towards the sea, a perfect recipe for paradise. This is what Lakshadweep Islands are like. Formerly known as Laccadive Islands, they are situated around 400 kilometers (250 miles) from the west coast of India in the Laccadive Sea (above the well known hot tourist spot - Maldives). The archipelago consists of twelve atolls with around forty islands and islets, ten of which are inhabited. The name "Lakshadweep" means one hundred thousand islands in Sanskrit. The islands are governed by India.

India, Visakhapatnam - Land of contrast

India, Visakhapatnam - Land of contrast

The beautiful park located on the hill near the city was the first place I visited in Visakhapatnam. The traffic was absolutely mad and I still couldn't believe my eyes that all this was real. But the park and the view from the hill were stunning. It was cleaner there than in the rest of the city, but still, to see a lot of rubbish thrown everywhere in such a beautiful place was an eyesore. The interesting thing is that my friends and I didn't encounter any western tourists there with the exception of two white people during our 3-day stay in Vishakapatnam. Therefore we noticed huge interest and curiosity of the locals. They kept looking at us all the time and quite often someone (especially children) asked where we were from and they wanted to know  something about our life and culture.

India - First impression and a bit of cultural shock

India - First impression and a bit of cultural shock

A couple of months after I received my visa, everything was booked and prepared I was ready to set up on a trip to India. After 2 flights that took about 10 hours I and my friends finally landed in Hyderabad. From there, we were going to take another (domestic) flight to Visakhapatnam - our first destination. When the door of the aircraft opened, I reminded myself about all the stories I had read on the Internet and was wondering what my first impression would be. And... to be honest, nothing exceptional, no big crowds, no thousands of people, no smell, just heat. It was very hot indeed.

How to prepare for a trip to India

How to prepare for a trip to India

Before I came up with the idea of traveling to India, I'd had a chance to meet  a few Indian people. It turned out that they are a very friendly nation. I quickly made a couple of friends and one of them invited me to visit him and his family in India. I couldn't say no, I was very excited because it was going to be my first journey to such a far away and different culturally land. I didn't know what to expect at all. I tried to prepare myself for what I might see there but it was hard to imagine how India could look like. I browsed through many websites and forums looking for information and experiences of people who had visited this vast country. Some of the articles scared me, saying that once you get off the plane your jaw is going to drop immediately because of what you see around. There were supposed to be crowds of people, bad smells everywhere and beggars that didn't want to move away from you no matter what. Other posts, however, filled me with even more excitement, I just couldn't wait to see for myself whether the reality is the way I'd read on the Internet.