Adventures at Niagara Falls and Beyond | RebeccaWanderlusting

Adventures in Niagara Falls

On November 7, 2017 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Canada, International Travel1 Comment

Niagara Falls is an easy hour an a half drive from Toronto, making it the perfect day or weekend trip from the capital city. The town surrounding Niagara Falls is full of hotels, chain restaurants and kitschy attractions like mini golf, wax museums, and fun houses. We were staying at the Four Points by Sheraton, which was connected to two other hotels by a mall and casino. We checked into our room and walked directly back out of the hotel to see the falls. This was my first time seeing this natural wonder and to say I was excited would be an understatement.

The hotels were situated on a hill above the scenic path opposite the falls, so we walked down the steep sidewalk to get there. It was misting when we started walking down, but despite the cloudy weather, I was jumping for joy when we first saw it. It was beautiful. The sidewalk runs parallel to the falls, and there is a large welcome center/gift shop/food court on the side near the larger horseshoe and the entrance to the Hornblower boats and another gift shop on the other side. The main drag (with all the kitsch) is closer to the Hornblower side.

We didn’t want to go on the boat tour in the rain, so we bought our tickets for the next day and then went in search of some dinner. This proved to be a difficult task in this neck of the woods on a Monday evening. We stopped into Niagara Brewing Company for a beer and a snack so we create a game plan for the evening.

We ordered a cheese plate that featured local cheeses and fruit and contemplated our next move. It was rainy and we were surrounded by restaurant chains and tourist attractions. We decided to lean into the kitsch. On our way back to the hotel, we stopped into gift shops, and took pictures with the wax museum statues and the haunted house monsters. We took a wrong turn somewhere and somehow ended up in a very seedy area with deserted restaurants and broke down motels. Running through the empty parking lots in the pouring rain, Mike gave me a look I knew well. It said “why do I let you lead me into these situations”. Once we were finally back within the very warm and dry lobby of the collective hotels, we let the bright lights of the casino lure us in.

We decided to gamble $10 each. Mike lost his right away, but I kept winning and splitting the winnings to bet more. It was thrilling, but I can only spend twenty minutes max in casinos or I’ll gamble my life away so we moved on to Shoeless Joe’s (as I said, really leaning into the kitsch) for dinner. The food was meh and the atmosphere was meh, but it did the trick. We decided to be a little bit fancy and headed to the top of the Hilton Niagara Falls for a nightcap and a view of the brightly lit falls. We got martinis and stared out the window for quite a while, rebuffing the very sweet waiter’s frequent offers for a refill. Once our glasses were empty and we had our fill of the view, we headed back to our room to sleep.

The next morning, we got an early start to fit in as much as possible on our last day in Canada. After a quick breakfast, we walked back down the path from the hotel to the falls and straight to the line for the Hornblower boat. They run every fifteen minutes, so we were able to get on-board fairly quickly. As we moved through the line, we were given short sleeved ponchos to protect against the spray of the falls. The boat was fairly full, with most of the crowd up top. We chose to stay on the bottom level. Once we got going, there wasn’t a bad view to be had: the first waterfall was to the left, the small skyline to our right, the second falls ahead of us and the bridge connecting the U.S. and Canada.

As we pulled up to the first set of falls, the wind brought the mist into the boat and we were soaked everywhere the poncho didn’t cover before long. Being that close to the falls was exhilarating, and the combination of morning fog, mist and circling birds made it feel like an Alfred Hitchcock film. The boat moved on and mike and I clung to the railing, taking in the views and approximately 1,000 photos. The second portion of Niagara Falls was a different experience entirely. The boat could only get so close because the current was strong, but we were certainly close enough to feel the force of it and, again, get soaked through. We weathered the spray to get a glimpse of the falls up close. It was one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever had the pleasure of beholding. No photo could do it justice, but I’ll try:

Everyone else on the boat was comically running back in forth, trying to get the best view and the best selfies. The boat stayed put for awhile, allowing everyone to take it all in. Once we started heading back, I kept my eyes fixed on the falls. Once we docked, Mike and I decided to check out the Journey Behind the Falls experience, which was on the other side, near the horseshoe. The tickets were sold within the welcome center, which also was the entrance to the experience. It started with a hallway of informational posters detailing the history of the falls, which led to the elevator down to the tunnels. Once off the elevator, we were handed two more ponchos and directed to an overlook that was positioned right next the falls.

It was the best view from the Journey Behind the Falls by far, as the other overlooks just included the running water passing over the holes in concrete walls that separated us and the waterfall. It was a cool experience, but perhaps not quite worth the entry fee, which was $14.

We got a quick, cheap lunch from the cafeteria and slowly, slowly made our way back to the hotel. We were due to check out at 1pm. The sun had finally come out, changing the water of Lakes Ontario & Erie from dark gray to a brilliant turquoise. It was absolutely stunning. I stopped every couple of feet to take photos, which made our progress back to the hotel even slower. I found it so hard to leave, but we had to head home. Niagara Falls will forever be one of my favorite views of all time.

Have you ever been to Niagara Falls? Were you on the American side or the Canadian Side?

Reykjanes Peninsula Tour

On October 12, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Iceland, International TravelLeave a comment

The Reykjanes Peninsula may be known as the home of the Blue Lagoon, but the rest of this amazing landscape should not be missed! Because it is also the home of Keflavik Airport, so it’s typically the first glimpse of Iceland that most people get. The Peninsula is a geothermally active, otherworldly landscape full of wonders. I’m so glad that I got an in-depth look.

I booked this tour on a whim after enjoying the South Coast tour so much. It was relatively inexpensive and only took the afternoon, so it was a perfect choice for my last day in Iceland. A Grayline Bus picked me up from Hotel Holt and shuttled me and the other passengers to the main bus terminal (right near the AirBnB I stayed at!). From there, I took another bus to the Blue Lagoon to catch yet another bus, which would take us on the actual tour.

I didn’t feel the pull to actually visit the Blue Lagoon, but I’m really happy that I got to see it at least because it is BEAUTIFUL. I checked in with the tour guide, DeeDee, to make sure I had time, and then ran off to take some photos of the bright blue water. There’s a path that winds around the Blue Lagoon Spa where other people were also wandering around in awe like me. It was such a gorgeous site to behold.

I was smiling so hard that my cheeks hurt by the time I boarded the bus to get on with the tour. I really enjoyed this tour guide because she was quirky and talkative (her first line of the tour was “BUCKLE UP EVERYBODY, THERE’S A WOMAN DRIVING!”), and made sure to stop anywhere and everywhere that we might want to take pictures. So, naturally, our first stop was a scenic overlook of the lava fields that cover a lot of the area.

We did a quick driving tour of the fishing village of Grindavik, which DeeDee narrated, spouting out interesting facts as we went. Like, did you know that fishing was the #1 industry in Iceland until last year, when tourism took its place? The drive along the peninsula was stunning. We had volcanoes to our left and the Atlantic Ocean to our right. Our next stop(s) were in the geothermal area, starting with the Green Lake and moving on to Krysuvik, a bubbling, sulfuric area.

The green lake was beautiful and its smooth surface resembled blue and green agate; it was amazing. We hopped back in the bus after taking our pictures and drove across the street to the active geothermal area. We walked through it on a boardwalk that zigzagged over the steaming ground.

The colors were gorgeous, from shades of orange and red to deep purple. The sulfur smell made us all try to breathe exclusively through our mouths, but it was a beautiful place to explore. From there, we drove down the road a ways to Kleifarvatn Lake, one of the largest lakes in Iceland. It was freezing and windy over by the water, so we ran to take our pictures of the moody, choppy lake set amongst the green-topped hills.

Recently (in 2000), an earthquake caused the lake to drain a bit and the water level went down a significant amount. This, plus murder of course, became the plot of a famous crime novel written by one of Iceland’s most well-known authors. We also stopped up the mountainside so we could take in the view of the lake from above, which was a thoughtful addition to the tour.

Our last stop of the tour was a whole area of the peninsula devoted to drying fish heads to be shipped out to whoever buys dried fish heads. It was quite the sight to see; all those fish heads dangling from wooden posts.

Deedee drove us back to Reykjavik and dropped us off wherever we wanted to go. And where I wanted to go was the Sea Baron in the Old Harbor, but more on that later…

Have you visited the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland? What was your favorite spot there?

Black Sand Beach, Vik, Iceland, RebeccaWanderlusting

South Coast Tour Part Two

On October 9, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Iceland, International Travel1 Comment

The first half of the South Coast Tour was jaw-droppingly beautiful; full of lush, green land, gorgeous waterfalls and world-renown hiking trails. The second half was a completely different landscape, much like how the landscape of Iceland as a whole changes from mile to mile. Our first stop after the waterfalls was the quaint south coast fishing town of Vik, Iceland for a lunch break.

On our way there we passed miles of farmland and mountains, all of which was spotted with fluffy, little sheep. The tour van took the hills and curves at about 50mph, which was thrilling to say the least. We came over a hill to view Vik for the first time in all its cute, small town charm. Siggy, our tour guide, brought us to a roadside café for lunch. It was an order-at-the-counter kind of establishment, so our group made quite a long line. There were a lot of great looking local options, most of which came in the form of a stew. By the time I got up to the counter, I ordered a cheeseburger out of pure indecisiveness. It was pretty good! From the diner we could see the backside of the Black Sand Beach, with its telltale stone pillars lining up into the ocean.

We finished up our meals and were ushered back to the bus. We drove on to the front entrance to the beach and were set loose to explore. I love being anywhere near the sea, so this was my favorite stop of the day. The waves were quite large, and crashed onto the black stones on the beach, slipping through the cracks between them and sending tourists scurrying away from them to avoid getting soaked.

In addition to the stunning view of the ocean, the surrounding hillside and rock formations were strange and beautiful. Opposite the water was a hillside comprised of what looked like stone jenga pieces stacked up behind each other. Just to the right of this sculpted hill are the two stone pillars sticking up from the ocean.

If I were on my own schedule, I could have sat on the rocks watching the waves roll in all day. However, I was on tour time, so we moved on after spending 30-40 minutes admiring the Black Sand Beach.

Our next and final stop of the tour was the Solheimajokull Glacier, which was a little ways away. Siggy got out with us and walked us the half mile towards the glacier, giving us the facts as we went. Along the way, I got to talking to two retired teachers who travel together frequently, one was American and the other was Canadian. As it turns out, they were going to Copenhagen next too, so we made tentative plans to meet up there.

The tour stopped a bit away from the actual glacier and Siggy explained that the year before, the glacier had come up to the point where we stood. It’s been receding rapidly, and even when we moved up to stand next to it we could see the water running out from underneath.

The glacier didn’t look how I thought it might look; it was black on top with white and icy blue beneath. We walked up the glacier a couple steps, but only a couple because none of us had the spiked shoes needed to glacier hike. On the glacier, there were cracks that went through to the bottom, where I could see the water running underneath.

It was a lot colder by the glacier, so by the time we had to go back to the bus, most people were more than ready. The bus ride back to towards Reykjavik was pretty quiet as I think everyone was reflecting on all the beauty we got to see. The tour bus dropped us each off at our hotels, where we each thanked Siggy as we got off.

When I arrived back in my hotel room, I quickly changed and headed back out to get some dinner. I wanted to go to the Sea Baron, but the line was out the door, so I set about finding something else that was in my budget but wasn’t fast food. This is kind of a struggle in Reykjavik, because a lot of the restaurants are pretty pricey. After thirty minutes of wandering, I landed at Fish & More for their specialty, which was a sort of fish casserole served with broccoli, sweet potatoes, rice and rye bread with a Viking beer on the side.

It was either really delicious or I was really hungry. The restaurant had a really fun vibe, with stacks of National Geographic magazines on the side tables, comfy benches along one wall and bags of water (like the ones you’d bring a goldfish home in from the state fair) hanging from the ceiling. Their playlist was also really good, with bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Death Cab for Cutie. It was a great place to end a day full of adventuring.

Stay tuned for more adventures in Iceland!

Have you ever been on a tour through Iceland? Which one and what did you think?

South Coast Waterfalls

On October 5, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Iceland, International Travel2 Comments

The morning of my South Coast Tour, I waited outside Hotel Holt for the Extreme Iceland bus to scoop me up. I had a rocky start to the day after I spilled a cup of coffee all down myself and on my notebook while I was trying to enjoy the complimentary continental breakfast. This unfortunate event sent me running back to my room to change while apologizing to everyone I passed for making a mess. I tried to salvage the outfit, but it was no good so I changed and hurried back downstairs to jump on the bus, still smelling a bit like coffee.

We had a relatively small group of seventeen people plus our guide, Icelandic Harrison Ford (aka Siggy), and everyone was chatting excitedly as we left Reykjavik. The landscapes we passed were otherworldly; scruffy green hills, golden fields for miles, mountains and ridges. We passed Icelandic horses (shorter and prettier than American horses) and tons of fluffy sheep (fun fact: there are three sheep to every one human in Iceland).

The bus stopped briefly for a bathroom/coffee break before moving to our first South Coast stop of the day: Seljalandsfoss. This gorgeous waterfall stopped me in my tracks. This is exactly what I came to Iceland to see and it hit me right in the gut. The waterfall cascades from a cliff into a small pool, with an inlet carved out behind it so it’s possible to hike all the way around the fall. Sets of stairs were situated on both sides that were perfect for photo ops. The view from behind the waterfalls was breathtaking. Jagged rocks led down to the pool where the falls landed, where it was possible to wade in a bit.

It was also very wet, and everyone came out on the other side a little damper than before. We were given thirty minutes to explore this waterfall and the area around it, which included a couple other small waterfalls and green grass as far as the eye could see. I bonded with a mother/daughter team from London during the first stop. They were from right by where I lived when I studied abroad in London, which gave us plenty to talk about. Making friends on the tour was really easy because we were all on the same small bus for the whole day, which was very nice. Of course there were some rotten apples in the bunch, but only a couple (I’m looking at you girl who ate a stinky sandwich on the bus and loudmouth that absolutely had to be the center of attention at all times).

Once we all piled back onto the bus, we headed to our next site, another waterfall named Skogafoss. While this waterfall is very different from Seljalandsfoss in appearance, it is equally as beautiful. Skogafoss is wider and taller, with a staircase snaking up one side that leads to a hiking trail (Laugavegurinn pass) that National Geographic named one of the 10 best in the world.

A rainbow stretched across the bottom of the falls, where a pool stretched over the rocky ground. There are three vantage points from which to see this waterfall: from the ground, halfway up and from the top. At the halfway point, there is a very small peninsula of land jutting out from the cliff, no railings, no safeguards. I have just a small fear of heights so it was a little scary on that ledge, but the view was beautiful.

At the top of the waterfall, there’s a barbed wire fence with a slanted wooden ladder to climb over it. This leads to the famous hike that goes along the Skoga River, where there are more waterfalls and lush green hills. The scenery here looks like something out of Lord of the Rings, it’s stunning.

I would love to come back and hike the trail; it was really tempting not to go off and let the tour go on without me. Unfortunately, I resisted the urge to split from the group and made my way back down from the top of the waterfall back to the bus. The next stops were going to be the fishing town of Vik for lunch, the Black Sand Beach and the Solheimajokull Glacier. Stay tuned for the second half of the South Coast Tour, coming soon!

Have you ever taken a group tour? Where at? And did you enjoy it?

Solo Trip Snapshots, Iceland, RebeccaWanderlusting

Hiking Mount Esja, Iceland

On September 20, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Iceland, International Travel3 Comments

Mount Esja, which can be seen in the background of Reykjavik in most photos, is just a quick hop, skip and jump from downtown. I was very lucky to have such amazing AirBnb hosts that drove me there on their way to a family event. As we got close, Hulda pointed out her old neighborhood, school and stomping grounds; this area was where she grew up.

When they dropped me off in the parking lot, they explained how I would get back and were off. When I reached the trail head, I made my best guess as to which trail was the scenic route to the top, as the sign was in Icelandic.

I chose a path to my right and walked happily along, realizing about a half mile in that I was headed in the opposite direction as the mountain I wanted to be on top of. The walk was beautiful, taking me through fields of wild flowers, wooded areas, and on wobbly bridges over streams.

Eventually I made it to the top of a hill where a couple were taking photos, and I asked them how to get to the top of Mount Esja. They pointed me in the direction from which they came and said I would come to a fork in the trail, which would put me on the right path. While the detour was very pretty, I was happy to be on my way.

The path consisted of loose gravel and was extremely steep, and after each switchback it became even steeper than before. I had to bribe myself with water and bites of cliff bar to keep going. Truth be told, this is probably one of the hardest hikes I’ve ever done. The views from each switchback was gorgeous, especially with the sun coming up, reflecting off the lake below and making it look metallic.

There were two paths that went to the top, and I chose to go up the steeper trail and down the longer, more scenic trail. I thought the steeper trail might be quicker, and maybe it was, but it was also pretty rough. The terrain was rocky and a little precarious in places, so much so that I had to move in an awkward crawl, pulling myself up the steep hill with my hands.

When I reached Steinn, the first summit, I stopped for some water and tried to decide if I wanted to keep going. The wind had picked up and the path to the very top looked a little intimidating. I asked a man passing by if it was safe to keep going up with the wind as it was, and he said “Ehhhh yeah, is not so bad.” Then I asked him if it was OK for beginner hikers and he said “Sure it is.”

So I started climbing up. The path was tricky, with multiple paths sprouting from what I thought was the main trail. I saw a climber above me slip, and slide down the gravel until he caught himself on a rock, which was my cue to head back down. I wasn’t confident that my legs, which felt like jelly, wouldn’t betray me and send my clumsy butt tumbling down the mountain.

As I turned to go, I saw the gentleman I was speaking with earlier pass me going up a different path. I waved and kept moving. As soon as I started down the longer path back down to the bottom, I slipped on the gravel and fell right on my ass, scraping my hands on the way down. I brushed myself off and kept moving, glaring at the super humans that were actually jogging past me like it was a high school track and not a rocky slip’n’slide.

The scenery was so beautiful that I felt like I had accidentally walked onto a movie set. There was a creek that ran along the path that was crossed a couple of times along the way over the most picturesque bridges and stepping stones. I really couldn’t believe how stunning the view was, which was probably why I kept tripping over my feet.

The last 15 minutes of my hike were probably the most tiring, a feeling that was made worse by the sight of the bus back downtown pulling out of the parking lot as I was getting so close to the ground. The next one was an hour and a half away, so I stopped into the café at the bottom of the mountain for a late lunch. Esjustofa Restaurant opens daily at 11:00am and serves soups, sandwiches, pizza and beverages. I got a sandwich and a latte and settled in to write for a bit. The food was typical café fare, but the guy behind the counter was very kind and helpful.

I caught the #57 bus to a bus terminal closer to downtown, and then the #12 bus back to the Airbnb (which can also be taken to downtown Reykjavik). When I got back, Hulda explained that it was probably good that I didn’t hike to the top because a few people fall down the mountain and break a couple bones each year. So I guess I made the right decision! Mount Esja was a wonderful, beautiful, challenging hike, and, with its close proximity to the city, it is a perfect day trip from Reykjavik. Here are a couple of tips if you choose to visit Mount Esja:

Bring plenty of water and a snack, you will need it
Wear good hiking boots or gym shoes and warm clothes
Bring a hat that will cover your ears and fight the wind
Enjoy the scenery! But maybe stop walking to do so
It’s okay to only make it up to Steinn, most people turn around there too

Have you ever hiked in Iceland? Where’s your favorite hiking spot there?

Top Five Friday #15

On August 26, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Top Five Friday2 Comments

Happy 100 Year Anniversary National Parks System!

In honor of the 100^th Anniversary of the United States National Parks Service (which was actually yesterday, I know), this is a very special Top 5 Friday post. These parks are a huge part of what makes America truly beautiful. The National Parks have been a huge part of my personal relationship with travel. Thanks to my parents, I grew up learning about geysers in Yellowstone National Park, climbing mountains in Olympic National Park and hugging sequoias in Yosemite National Park and visited countless other beautiful parks on family vacations.

I have many, many fond memories of enjoying these parks when I was young, alongside my sister and parents. Recently, I’ve been lucky enough to explore new (to me, at least) US National Parks with Mike. Among the many great experiences I’ve had exploring the National Parks, of course I have some favorites, which is where the top 5 comes in! So, below in no particular order, are my top five favorite National Park memories.

Yellowstone National Park – This list would not be complete without the first National Park I’ve ever visited. The year was 1998 and I was 8 years old. We drove across the flattest parts of the country to a world so unlike my hometown that I was convinced it was magical. The smell of sulfur permeated the car as we got close to the park. We witness Old Faithful, hiked on boardwalks through color changing geothermal areas, and rode horses across fields. On this same trip through the West, we visited Mount Rushmore, The Badlands in North Dakota, and The Grand Tetons. In other words, we got a lot of National Park bang for our buck, which was a great experience for a National Park first-timer.
Haleakala National Park – My family visited this park on a vacation to the island of Maui in Hawaii. I distinctly remember being roused out of bed in the early, early morning to watch the sunrise from the dormant volcano of the same name of the park. My sister and I were bundled up in our blankets, huddled between our parents, watching the sun make its way into the sky. It was an experience that I would be hard pressed to forget. In fact, the whole trip was one of my all-time favorites, from driving to Road to Hana in our bright blue Mustang convertible (thanks, Dad!), to jumping off the tops of a waterfall only to smack painfully into the water on my 10 year old butt… it was all perfect.
Jean Lafitte National Park – This park will always hold a special place in my heart because Mike and I visited it on our first ever trip together. The Jean Lafitte National Park is just a short drive from New Orleans, and it is definitely worth a visit. The portion of the park that we explored was the Barataria Preserve. There, we walked through the forest/swamp on a boardwalk path and peeled our eyes for alligators. The walk took us through the humid swamp, under spiders as big as my head and alongside other critters, like lizards, snakes and birds. The park was beautiful and lush. We eventually found an alligator, a baby one, and it made the walk through the swamp complete.
John Muir National Forest – Just outside of San Francisco, this park is just too pretty to miss. This coupled with the drop dead gorgeously scenic drive along to get there makes it a must see in my book. Mike and I walked into the park and instantly fell silent to marvel up at the trees. We hiked into the forest, making several Star Wars references as we went (Return of the Jedi was filmed here). We chose a path that wound up into the mountains and lamented the fact that we both chose to wear Chuck Taylors. Despite our aching feet, the hike was one of our favorite parts of our trip to San Francisco.
Smoky Mountains National Park – Started with the first and now ending with the last one we visited. Smoky Mountains National Park was amazing for multiple reasons but mostly because I had my whole family and Mike with me. We hiked as a crew and ate picnic lunches together in the picturesque rest areas and enjoyed the city of Gatlinburg in the evenings. My favorite memory of the trip was ascending the slow, cement spiral to the top of Clingman’s Dome and taking in the view of the whole park from there. We had to take turns going up to the top so someone could watch the stroller, but being there all together made it perfect.

What was the last National Park that you visited? And which is your favorite?

Trip Planning: Iceland

On July 29, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Travel Tips, Trip Planning3 Comments

In 5-ish weeks, I’ll be boarding a night plane bound for Reykjavik, Iceland. I’ll arrive in the early morning, as most direct flights do, and stay for six days before moving on to Copenhagen. I am so beyond excited for this trip that every time I talk about it, my voice takes on a high-pitched squeaking quality. I have never been to this enchanting island country, but, with everything I’ve read and seen of it, I think my only problem will be trying to see it all in one go. I’ve been doing a ton of research on tours and activities in Iceland in the past few weeks. It would be very easy for me to book my whole trip full of tours because they all look so amazing. But, I also want to make sure I leave plenty of time to enjoy the city of Reykjavik. I’m entranced by this colorful city and I can’t wait to explore it.

Here are some of my trip details:

Accommodations:

AirBnB for (2) nights – this is my first time trying AirBnB and I’m excited to see what all the fuss is about. The location is a little bit outside of downtown, so I will definitely be utilizing public transit.
A Boutique Hotel for (3) nights – for the second half of my trip, I’ll be staying at an artsy boutique hotel that is more centrally located.

Activities:

Whale Watching – I’ve booked a whale watching tour with Elding Tours which involves three hours on a boat in the arctic. I am ecstatic about the possibility of spotting some whales.
South Shore Excursion – A minibus will be transporting me to the magical southern coast of Iceland to see glaciers, waterfalls, black sand beaches and hopefully puffins!
Kolaportid Flea Market – I’m lucky enough to be in Reykjavik over a weekend so I can visit this unique flea market. I will have my eye out for some local specialties.
Heading out to the Grotta Lighthouse to try and spot the Northern Lights
Hiking on Mt. Esja
Swimming at Nautholsvik Beach
Walking along the old harbor

The two things I can’t decide if I want to splurge on or not are the Golden Circle Tour and the Blue Lagoon. I know that these are both very popular Iceland activities, but I am still on the fence. They are both pretty pricey and I’m not sure I’m as interested in them as I am other things.

Resources:

I’ve been reading a few blogs on Iceland to get some ideas of what I want to do while I’m there, including: Unlocking Kiki, Young Adventuress, and Hand Luggage Only. I also acquired an Iceland Lonely Planet book from a friend which has become a great factual resource!

I can’t express how much I am looking forward to this adventure. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to go and explore a new country. If you have any Icelandic travel tips, please share them in the comments and stay tuned for more details on my Reykjavik travels!

Adventures in Gatlinburg, Part 2

On June 28, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Tennessee, US Travel1 Comment

We started off our last day in Gatlinburg, TN started off at The Pancake Pantry, the oldest pancake house in Gatlinburg. This is an impressive title considering how many breakfast joints there are just in Downtown Gatlinburg alone. Somehow, we beat the breakfast rush and got seated right away, just as the line was starting to form. They had a HUGE selection of crepes and pancakes; I chose the mountain blueberry pancakes. They came with a delightful blueberry syrup and were absolutely delicious.

The coffee here was also very good, and the service was great and fast. We all really enjoyed the family atmosphere of the Pancake Pantry, especially having the baby with us. From breakfast, we headed to a different entrance to the Smoky Mountains National Park than the day before to hike the Grotto Falls trail. Unfortunately, when we got there, the trail was closed for a couple of hours while they did maintenance, so we occupied ourselves at the Ogle Farm Houses until it reopened. The houses have been there since the 1800’s and are empty save for the tourists snapping pictures in their open rooms. The grounds surrounding the houses are gorgeous, with a small stream running behind them and the trees stretching up above.

Once we were able to get to the trail it was already a little crowded, but we’d find out later on that we actually beat most of the crowd. Even so, the parking lot was full, so we were forced to park along the one way street heading out of the lot. The hike was a little less than three miles to Grotto Falls and back. The trail was riddled with rocks and knotty roots, and it crossed small streams that snaked their way down the mountains. There were some steep drop-offs coupled with beautiful views. Clumsy me tripped just about a hundred times because I was so distracted by the gorgeous scenery.

As we got closer to the falls, the path became rocky and tad treacherous and the bugs became a little more prevalent. Grotto Falls itself was absolutely gorgeous. You can walk behind the waterfall, but be prepared to wait in line behind hikers wanting photo ops. The trail was crowded with hikers, with more and more coming up the path. The Falls pooled in a few separate places, which spread the crowd out a bit. We were able to get one to ourselves to stick our sweaty feet into without too much trouble.

The water was very cold and refreshing. On our way back down, we picked up the pace due to some thunder rumbling close by. We ended up being safe from the storm for a while, so we drove the scenic route around the park, driving by more waterfalls, across wooden bridges and alongside beautiful creeks. I won’t lie, I made everyone stop a couple of times so i could get out of the car and take pictures, but the photos are certainly worth it. We had another picnic lunch, which is really the only option if you’re spending the day in the Park.

After lunch, we drove to the Arts and Crafts Community, which is a neighborhood of stores featuring local artisans. There were quilters, weavers, glass blowers, candle makers and more. It was fun to look around, but prepare to spend some time here if you go because you have to drive between small groups of the shops to find the good stuff. It is very possible to find some unique souvenirs and treasures here.

Close to the Arts and Crafts Community is Gray Hawk Enterprises, where you can find hand woven blankets and rugs, handmade dream catchers, and beautiful turquoise jewelry. Mike and I got a rug for home, which we still have yet to put out, but it is very pretty! Our plan for our last night in Tennessee was to make dinner and hang out enjoying the amazing cabin. We were celebrating my parents’ 36^th Anniversary, so us kids were in charge of cooking. While Mike and my brother-in-law, David, went to grab the ingredients, my sister, niece and parents and I made good use of the game room.

We played pool and Centipede and Pacman, and while it would have been silly to sit inside playing games amongst all this natural beauty… it was really fun. Soon after the boys came back, dark clouds started rolling in over the Smoky Mountains. It looked like something out of Lord of the Rings; it was beautiful and a little frightening. We sat out on the porch for a bit to watch, until it started pouring. We were grilling for dinner, so we took turns running out into the rain to check on the steaks. And then the power went out.

Everyone had to scramble around to find our phones and flashlights and attempted to figure out how to continue cooking. Before we could even begin to Macgyver our way to a cooked dinner, the power came back. The storm rumbled on as we sat down at the huge dining room table to enjoy our steaks, baked potatoes, grilled onions, asparagus, and salad. It turned out to be an amazing dinner, which we followed up with some rummy and wine. The next morning we had breakfast at the cabin and finished packing up to go our separate ways. All in all, it was a perfect Smoky Mountain vacation. I wouldn’t change a single thing we did. The scenery was beautiful, the hikes were solid, and my family was amazing as always.

Have you ever been to Smoky Mountains National Park? Which was your favorite hike?

**A special thank you to my very generous Mom and Dad, who gifted us this trip for Christmas. Love you guys!**

Korea has Seoul

On September 22, 2015December 1, 2015 By rebeccawanderlustingIn International Travel, South Korea8 Comments

Korea has Seoul

Some trips hit you on a deeper level than others, spark big ideas, and stay with you forever. For me, it was a matter of the right opportunity coming at the exact right time.
I traveled to South Korea a little over a year ago. It was a trip fueled by self-indulgence and a little bit of self-pity. I had just been passed over for a cross-training opportunity at work and also was just dumped by someone I never had much of a future with anyways. I needed to get away, and conveniently, my cousin, Katie, was living in Seoul at the time and invited me to visit. I used my whole tax refund to purchase the round trip ticket, with a little left over for extra expenses. It felt really good to make the journey to Korea, with a short layover in San Francisco, on my own. The flight was 12 hours from SFO to ICN, and I spent it watching movies and reading the first Game of Thrones book, too excited to sleep. By the time we landed, I was so exhausted but did my best to keep up with my cousin and her boyfriend, James, who took me out for dinner.
Our first meal included Shabu Shabu, a Korean style hot pot, and bibimbap, a vegetable and rice dish. By the time we made it back to my cousin’s apartment, I was spent. We talked a little bit about what I wanted to do while I was there and she showed me the guest room before I passed out. Katie obviously still went to work while I was there, which allowed for a good balance of having her as my Seoul guide and giving me time to explore on my own. Most days started with a hike through Namsan Park, which was walking distance away from their apartment.
The park was gorgeously maintained and every time I walked through it I tried to go a different way. The walk up to
N Seoul Tower, which was located in the park,was a great hike; it was very steep and provided an
excellent work out. I didn’t go up in the tower itself, but
walked around the plateau it stood on, which featured a memorial, a gift shop, a café, and a beautiful view of the city. There was also a chain link fence covered in padlocks, known as “Locks of Love”, similar to the Pont des Arts in Paris. After my walks, I’d head back to the apartment to meet up with Katie and zip around Seoul on her Vespa. We browsed the markets, ate street food, and saw the sights. Not many of the locals spoke English, but I found I could get by with knowing just two Korean words: hello (“annyeonghaseyo”) and thank you (“kamsahamnida”). I picked up a few more as I went, but a hello and a smile went a long way. I loved browsing through the markets and haggling with the vendors. We went to Insadong and Namdaemun markets on one of the first days I was there. They both had their own unique atmospheres. Insadong was my favorite, with its great mix of new stores and old goods. I obsessed over the kitschy t-shirts and the traditional Korean masks, the red bean donuts from the street vendors and shoppers walking around with huge, curly ice cream cones (called Jipangi). My cousin had lived in Seoul for a while at this point, and knew all the best little restaurants with the most authentic Korean cuisine. We had Mandu dumplings, Tteokbokki (rice noodles in a spicy red sauce), Korean soups, barbecue, and kimchi, so much kimchi. Of course my favorite meals were the Korean BBQs.
I loved all the banchan served on the side: the pickles, fish cakes, seaweed, bean sprouts, rice… so many little dishes crowding the table. The wait for the meat to cook at the table made it taste that much more delicious. All of that chased down with shots of Soju and glasses of beer mixed with sprite (it sounds weird, but it’s actually very refreshing). One night, we went out with Katie and her boyfriend’s friends for Korean Barbecue and then out on the town. Our first bar stop served us a plastic-lined picnic basket filled with ice, fruit and an amazing punch, with extra-long straws poking out.
Needless to say, that started our night off right, and we stayed out until the bars were closing. One of my favorite places that Katie took me to was Gyeongbokgung Palace, a beautiful historic site that we wandered through for a full afternoon.
The architecture, koi ponds, and gardens were stunning, and with the addition of the blooming cherry blossoms, it was almost impossible to leave without taking about three thousand pictures. We also walked to the King Sejong statue, which was very close to Gyeongbokgung Palace.
The beautiful gold statue sits in the center of the Main Plaza and has the view of Bukaksan Mountain behind it. When I had a morning to myself , I took a taxi to Jogyesa Buddhist Temple, with help from a note that Katie wrote in Korean for the driver. The temple was starting to be decorated for Buddha’s birthday, which is in the beginning of May. It was absolutely breathtaking.
There were lanterns of every color strung up in the trees to form a canopy over the courtyard. I listened to the prayers and lit incense, and tried to take in the whole scene. It was a very humbling experience to be in the presence of something so spiritual.
Afterwards, I met Katie at a traditional Korean tea house for a mug of thick, spiced tea with Korean cookies. The tea house was atop one of the stores in the market, and looked out on the cherry blossoms right outside the window.
We rode everywhere in Seoul on Katie’s Vespa, which was so exciting and a little scary. We rode up steep hills in the mountains, and in traffic through the city – everywhere.
It really made the trip that much better to be able to see the city from the back of a scooter, zipping around to wherever Katie wanted to take me next. Many people use Vespas as their main choice for transportation in Seoul, from businessmen to delivery men. We did have one scare while we zooming around, when a delivery driver on a scooter slid under the back bumper of a car right in front of us. The driver was okay, thank goodness, but I definitely wore my helmet a little snugger, and hung onto the scooter a little tighter after that. That weekend, we, Katie, her fiancé, James, and his daughter, Louie, decided to take a little trip to Nami Island, which was a train and ferry ride away.
The Island, a popular destination thanks to a famous Korean Soap Opera: Winter Sonata, was like a fairytale. The main walk was lined with white, balloon-shaped lanterns. There were interesting statues at every turn, and a man in what looked like a smiling potato costume acted as a mascot. We rode a four person bike-mobile around the island, taking in the scenery. I had one of my favorite delicacies, a red bean bao…ok, more than one. The island was only a little crowded, and we spent a good amount of time exploring and looking at everything there was to offer. They did have accommodations on Nami Island, however, they book pretty far in advance so we ended up staying elsewhere. We took the ferry back to the mainland and had a delicious dinner of Dak Galbi, a specialty of the area made with rice cakes, chicken and spicy sauce, then took a taxi to our hotel. The hotel happened to be in the middle of nowhere, which was weird enough, before you factored in the rave that seemed to be happening next door to the hotel. It was a long day, we just rolled with it. We put Louie to sleep in the hotel room, and sat on the porch and drank Cass beer and talked. It had already been an amazing trip and I still had a few days to go.
We had a pretty low-key day after Nami Island, taking our time getting back to Seoul. Katie dazzled us with her fabulous Korean cooking skills for dinner. After dinner, we planned out what else I should do before I returned to Chicago; referring to the Seoul Bucket List I had made in the beginning of the trip that was now mostly crossed off. On Katie’s suggestion, I took another solo excursion to the National Museum of Korea, where I spent a few hours learning more about the amazing country I had become so fond of. The museum was very large, and had an outdoor portion with gardens and statues. I wandered through these and stumbled upon a waterfall full of very vocal frogs, aptly named Dragon Falls. They were so loud, I ended up staying awhile on a bench, just listening.
After exploring the museum, I, again, met up with Katie and we were off to wander around Bukchon Hanok Village, an area of traditional-style houses. It was a beautiful time warp in the middle of this bustling city.
From there, she very generously allowed me to give in to my shopping addiction and took me to a few cute neighborhoods to browse, including Myeongdong, a hip fashion area.
She also had directed me to one of the more famous department stores, Shinsegae, where I fell in love with Korean Fashion and got hopelessly lost in the underground market below. I walked up and down the aisles, searching for the exit that would lead me to the corner I was supposed to meet Katie at. While I wandered, I still shopped, of course, and marveled at the interesting, bargain fashions. I finally made it out, and found my cousin. It was a moment equivalent to a toddler finding their “lost” mom in a supermarket. I was so happy to see her.

Earlier on in my trip, Katie had introduced me to her friend and mentor, Okjung, who is a Korean writer. The first time we met, the three of us shared grilled mackerel and went out for a beer on Hongdae, a popular club-y neighborhood in Seoul. On one of my last evenings in Seoul, Okjung invited us to her apartment for a home-cooked meal. She made us Pajeon (scallion pancakes) and other delicacies, and we talked about Korea, writing, and life in general. We had a lovely time with Okjung and her husband, and I’m happy to have had the opportunity meet them. On my last day in Seoul, Katie and I rode a tandem bike along the Han River in Hangang Park. I didn’t want to leave. I enjoyed everything about this trip: the people I met, all the food, shopping, sights…everything. Seoul inspired me. In a way, Korea is the reason I started this blog. The first picture I posted on RebeccaWanderlusting is me at Gyeongbokgung Palace. Seoul gave me some soul, and led me to this amazing adventure I’m living now.
***Big, Big THANK YOU to Katie and James for housing me and being amazing tour guides. Your local expertise made this trip so much more than simple tourism. I love you both!

The Eternal Optimist

On August 20, 2015September 25, 2015 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Travel Tips3 Comments

The Eternal Optimist

I’ve been writing this blog on and off for a year now, and my friends and family have been very supportive (Thank you, guys!). However, I have received a very accurate criticism lately that has made me reevaluate my writing style a little bit. The criticism was that I never really talk about any challenges I face when travelling. I completely agree with this statement. I have always been hesitant to complain about anything, because I don’t want to put anyone out, or be negative. For example, my mom always likes to tell people that when I was younger, I would wait until my big toe was sticking out of my shoe before complaining that they were too tight. I guess it’s just the people-pleaser in me. So, after mulling it over, I’ve decided that if bringing up the negatives will help the lovely people who read this blog when they travel or bring a little more depth to my writing, then I’ll do it. I realize I have some catching up to do with my old blog posts, and I will edit them, I promise. But in short form, here are the Top 7 issues (and solutions!) I’ve faced this past year of traveling:

New Orleans: My boyfriend and I travelled to New Orleans over Labor Day Weekend last year. We had so many things we wanted to do, that some of the more time sensitive things were pushed to the end of the trip. For this reason, we were not able to go to Longue Vue House or Saint Louis Cemetery, which both were very high on my must-see list.
Lesson: You don’t have to plan out your whole trip, but pay attention to operating schedules of attractions when prioritizing what you want to accomplish.
New Orleans #2: It is very hot and muggy in NOLA in the summer months, which is a given. If you’re smart, you know that you should hydrate more when it’s hot. Especially after physical activity, like hiking through a swamp. Unfortunately, we hydrated with rum slushies and very little water one day during our trip. This resulted in an early departure from a tour and a number of stomach problems for both of us.
Lesson: Hydrate!!!
Salt Lake City: I booked this trip through Frontier Airlines during one of their (many) sales, about a month before I was to fly out. In my hurry to beat the curfew of the sale, I purchased a ticket to fly back a day later than I was supposed to (having to be back to work that day). I didn’t realize my mistake until the my last day in SLC, or so I thought, when I checked my email and noticed I didn’t have anything from Frontier to check in for my flight and I pulled up my booking summary. As a result, I spent an hour on the phone with a representative from the airline and had to pay an additional $100 to change the date of my flight. Not really a fun way to spend my last night.
Lesson: Reign in your travel excitement until the booking process is complete and correct.
Shanghai: This one is not so much of a mistake as a cultural misstep. I was in China during Chinese New Year, which, in Chinese Culture, is typically a time to be family. For us (my coworkers and I), this translated to very large crowds in the popular areas and everything closing earlier than normal. One of my coworkers and I were trying to get something special for our managers, a task that we had thoughtlessly waited to do until Chinese New Year’s Eve. We cabbed and trained to three separate locations only to find that everybody had already closed. We got so frustrated with it all that we ended up going back to the hotel and ordering cheeseburgers from room service. Once we got over our pity party, we were finally able to go out and enjoy the rest of the celebrations.
Lesson: Know a country’s culture and traditions before travelling there and it will make your trip infinitely better.

Starved Rock State Park: This day trip was mostly ideal, however there was one kind of major problem: multiple hours of hiking in Chuck Taylors. Yowch!! I stuck it out for a long time because the surroundings were so beautiful. However, by the end of our time there, my feet were so pinched and swollen I could hardly walk. When we got back to the car I immediately took them off and vowed never to make that mistake again.
Lesson: Wherever you go, whatever you do, bring the correct gear!
North Carolina: Two words: Lake Lure. I was there, I walked around, I took pictures, but I didn’t swim! Why didn’t I do it?? I had my luggage, with my swimsuit and a towel, in the car with me. In my head, I was thinking “Oh, I don’t know, maybe I don’t have time. I have to check into my next hotel all the way in Black Mountain, blah blah blah…” I should not have been so worried about time constraints and just done it. Because now I regret not jumping into that gorgeous lake at least once.
Lesson: When you’re on vacation, don’t hold back from doing things that pique your interest. Do everything possible.
Miami: Oh Miami, my solo travel before I knew how to solo travel. I never blogged about it, because it was before rebeccawanderlusting’s time. Let me first say that Miami is beautiful and vibrant, and if done right, highly entertaining. I chose to go there because I needed to be on a beach and it was a cheap flight. Overall, it was a perfectly average trip, but it could have been so much better! I was so timid about going out on my own that I spent most of my time there around my hotel. As a result, I came back feeling like a travel failure and regretted not seeing more while I was there.
Lesson: Don’t be afraid to head out on your own! Do what you want and trust your instincts.

I am very aware that if these are my worst problems when travelling, that I am very lucky. And I’m positive mistakes will keep happening, but I will continue to learn from them, I promise.

What is a travel mistake you’ve made? How did you move past it?