“Snorkeling with seals in South Africa, truly is a wildlife adventure that brings you nose-to-nose with playful and inquisitive wild animals in their natural habitat, and affords you the privilege of viewing them on their own terms.” – Animal Ocean Seal Snorkeling Tour Agency
I know what you are thinking – “Are you crazy! Snorkeling with Seals in South Africa! What about the sharks?!”. I had the same thoughts at first and certainly every friend told me I was crazy for wanting to do it. And considering Cape Town’s popularity for Great Whites, it does sound like a crazy thing to do.
For many people, the city of Amman is just a stop over on the way to the more famous sites of Petra, the Dead Sea and Wadi Rum.
But Amman has so much to offer visitors! It’s a mix of old world and new world with its modern cafes, art galleries, ancient ruins, hip bars and bustling souks. I would recommend spending atleast two days exploring the city during your time in Jordan. It’s also a great jumping off point for a lot of days trips. Check out my 2-week itinerary for visiting Jordan which includes day trips from Amman, as well as other tips.
Just outside of Cape Town, nestled between the cliffs of Chapman’s Peak and the Atlantic Ocean is the majestic boutique lodge, Tintswalo Atlantic.
The setting is what truly makes Tintswalo what it is. Located in Table Mountain National Park, the property was designed to blend in and be in harmony with nature. From the famous and beautiful Chapman’s Peak drive above you can barely see the lodge located down a long and windy road at the base of the ocean. While it feels like you’ve escaped it all when you are at Tintswalo, it’s also only a 20-minute drive from vibrant downtown Cape Town.
Located on the east coast of Sri Lanka is Arugam Bay, or A-Bay as it is also known. A small beach and fishing town with an eclectic mix of cultures – from the more conservative local Muslim community to the hippy vibe of all the foreign surfers who flock to the area. You’ll see brightly colored board-shorts and surfboards next to traditional ox carts carrying fruit. The pace is slow in Arugam Bay and it’s easy to lose track of time while you’re there. It’s the perfect spot to spend a few days unwinding on the beach. But don’t worry! If you are like me and love lots of activities while on holiday, there is still plenty to do. In this post I’ve detailed 12 things to do in A-Bay!
I’m sitting half naked surrounded by a group of Palestinian women, many of whom would traditionally be covered with a hijab and jilbab. It feels very much like I’ve stepped into some hidden world. It’s 100 degrees (40 Celsius), and I’m sweating and drinking hibiscus tea in a hammam steam room in Ramallah, Palestine. The women are all singing and clapping. I can’t tell if this is the normal hammam experience or if they are celebrating an engagement or impending wedding. It’s an odd experience to be sitting with them like this. All of us sweating half naked as they celebrate and we attempt to speak and interact. My broken Arabic isn’t getting me far but we laugh and smile at each other through the steam anyways.
Located southeast of India and northeast of the Maldives, the small island of Sri Lanka can easily be over looked. But, despite it’s size, Sri Lanka has it all – jungle beaches, mountain hikes, interesting wildlife, temples, surfing, friendly people and the most amazing street food. This country definitely deserves to be on your bucket list!
Recently, one of my close friends – Allie from The White Apartment – took an amazing two week trip around Northern Italy! I lusted after her photos on Instagram as she ate her way around the cutest of Italian villages and cities. One of which was Bologna, in the heart of Italy’s most famous food region! Of course I had to ask her to share her absolute favorite things about Bologna with us. And in this post she’s detailed all there is to do, eat and see in the city!
When my husband and I were planning our trip to Italy we knew we wanted to make a stop in Bologna because it’s where some of Italy’s most recognizable food comes from. We love to cook at home and have been making pasta from scratch for years (here andhereare some examples).
Bologna is a bit less touristy than other Italian cities, but has so much history. The oldest University in the world is located there and as result the city has always had a strong connection to arts, sciences, and culture. It’s an interesting contrast to the largely religious cities that dominate most of Italy’s history. Because the university still operates, Bologna has a young, vibrant feel that’s rare among so many medieval towns. On top of all this it’s in the heart of Italy’s most famous food region. Continue Reading →
Keep close to nature’s heart…and break away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean. – John Muir, the Father of the National Parks
The beautiful words of environmental philosophers such as John Muir and Edward Abbey have always inspired me. As a kid and teenager I didn’t have many opportunities to go camping or hiking, but I romanticized the wild of America and it’s something as an adult I’ve loved exploring. Continue Reading →
One of the top things I wanted to do while I was in Sri Lanka was to see an elephant. I’d seen so many in zoos growing up, but I had never actually seen one in the wild.
And what better way to see one than on an early morning safari in Udawalawe National Park!
Cairo. She’s feisty, suffocating and exhausting but she’s also invigorating and inspiring. And sometimes it’s beyond me how she – with her layers and layers of people (22 million!!), buildings, cars and dust – manages to function. But she does and that’s half the beauty of the city. That it functions despite itself. From high atop the Saladin Citadel, the chaos of Cairo feels a bit more bearable. And it provides an expansive, and often hazy, view of the urban sprawl of the city.
