The Pyramids of Giza were constructed some 4,500 years ago. And the Great Pyramid of Khufu is the only one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world that exists intact today! How the pyramids were constructed is one of Egypt’s biggest mysteries. But the recent identification of a hidden void in the Great Pyramid of Khufu is hoped to give some insight into the illusive pyramids and how they were built!
With huge five-storey square Baroque houses sitting on the meandering Salzach River and a medieval castle towering above the city, strolling the beautiful narrow streets of Salzburg I could feel the city’s opulence and wealth. Salzburg’s culture and history come alive against this picturesque setting, and is only reinforced by being the birthplace Mozart. And the whole scene felt even more perfectly Austrian when I realized the Sound of Music was filmed in and around the area too!
Soaking in hot springs is a tradition which dates back to viking times, and an essential part of the Icelandic experience. And while the Blue Lagoon may be the most famous hot spring in Iceland, there are so many other AMAZING and STUNNING spots dotted throughout the country that are worth a visit too. You should probably just go ahead and plan to visit a hot spring a day, every day! I spoke to a few female travel bloggers who shared their favorite tucked away spots to help you get started with your planning – check out the 7 hot springs they recommended below.
Iceland truly is the land of fire and ice, where roads will take you from white-capped mountains and glaciers to volcanoes and 100-degree (F) hot springs.
There are an infinite amount of things to do and explore in Iceland and in this post I’m sharing some tips and an itinerary to help you get started with your trip planning. I saw Iceland by van and if this is how you plan to travel the country, this article might be particularly helpful for you.
The first time I came to Paris I was fresh out of high school and on my first sans parents backpacking trip with my best friend. These were the days before everyone had smart phones, when you had to use calling cards or Internet cafes every few weeks to let family or friends know where you were. Perhaps I’m glorifying these days (a sign of getting older!?), but I remember Paris being absolutely magical!
We took photos underneath the twinkling Eiffel Tower at night (that I’m pretty sure we uploaded to MySpace once we were home), romantically rowed boats at Versailles, and ate all the croissants a girl could ever desire. Many years later I’ve since been back to the City of Light a few times, and it’s always just as magical – with a million more things to see, eat and do around every beautiful Parisian street corner!
Once upon a time I lived and worked in Jordan. During that time I was able to explore a lot of the country. And let me tell you, Jordan is INCREDIBLE! There are so many beautiful places to visit throughout the country. Here are some of my favorite spots for two weeks in Jordan + some tips for getting around.
There are so many beautiful spots in Jordan – from spending the night in the other worldly red desert of Wadi Rum, to exploring ancient and impressive Petra, to floating in the Dead Sea, or hiking in the many Wadis (canyons) around the country. BUT my absolute favorite spot and thing to do in Jordan is to hike in Dana Nature Reserve and spend the night at the beautiful Rummana Campsite.
In my post on biking the pacific coast highway, I said that bike touring was my favorite mode of travel (I also said at one point that hot air balloons were my favorite too!). But the truth, the truth is that road tripping is my absolute favorite way to travel. Just thinking about it I can feel the wind and freedom, hear the faint tunes of the road trip playlist that has been far too overthought, and see the fleeting landscapes of unfamiliar places and open roads.
The wonderful thing about living in London is how connected it is to the rest of the world – flights are always readily available and cheap. And they seem to be even cheaper in winter when most of Europe is bitterly cold and less appealing to tourists. I took full advantage of this in January when planning a long weekend trip to Budapest for my birthday!