Special video about US

This is going to be our last blog post and to make it very special, we filmed a video!!!

In this short video each of us tell where we would like to travel next and why. We all have different destinations in mind and various reasons why we want to visit that country.

But one thing is common: we are very excited to start our next journey.

Everybody equally contributed to the video. Everyone was in both positions, once the interviewer, then the interviewee. Special thanks to Theodora who made video editing.

Thank you for taking time reading our blog and hope you enjoyed our stories, adventures and experiences!

- The Voyagers Team -

Mykonos Magic

In the final stretch of our trip to our ancestors homeland, my family and I visited the magical island of Mykonos. 


The beauty of this city cannot truly be captured with photos, with the narrow pathways between villas engraved with culture and the streets thriving with history.

(https://www.e-mykonos.gr/en/mykonos-history/)

Out of all the cities that my family and I visited, I enjoyed Mykonos the most because of the peacefulness of the city itself and hospitality shown by the locals! During our time in Mykonos we indulged in fresh home made waffle cones and gelato alongside the picturesque beach of Kalafati. 

(https://mykonostraveller.com/listings/kalafatis-beach-mykonos/)

With the fresh breeze of summer sweeping through the Island, we had the opportunity to go windsurfing and snorkling on two of the days spent on the Island. 

(https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g662620-d7985173-i214824732-Kalafatis_Beach-Mykonos_Town_Mykonos_Cyclades_South_Aegean.html)

With our trip coming to an end, we enjoyed the last few days soaking up the European sun and enjoying the endless amount of traditional Greek food!  

--Theodora--

Lillafüred

I’m going to show you one of my favourite place. I have been there in countless times, but i never get bored of it. Lillafüred a popular tourist destination because it has many thing to offer such as closeness of the forest, narrow gauge railway (which is really fun especially for children), hotel, waterfall, cableway adventure park and a lake.

The narrow gauge railway climbs up the mountain in a slow pace allowing passengers to look at the beautiful view. Also, it goes through two long tunnels where it’s pitch black, and kids always scream there. The whole tunnel echoes and it filled with the noise of children. It’s really fun!

Source: https://borsodihir.hu/helyben-jaro/2018/02/ujra-a-teljes-palyan-jar-a-lillafuredi-kisvonat

The main attractions are the Hotel Palota, terrace gardens, the Lake Hámor and the waterfall. Hotel Palota was built in 1930 and it’s a spectacular building. Right next to it is the terrace gardens where many colourful flowers are planted. On the a lake you can hire a boat and view the place from a different angle. The best to visit the waterfall after rainy weather or in spring when the snow starts to melt because the more water flow the more beautiful the waterfall is.

Source: https://blog.szallas.hu/a-meses-lillafured-kalandjai/

Terrace Gardens (my picture)

The Waterfall (my picture)

When last time I was in Lillafüred, I went to cable way adventure park which was recently opened. If you are afraid of height, don't go there. But if you are up for a challenge, I highly recommend. You need find balance and use your strength to overcome obstacles. I was struggling with one obstacle and did know how I will do it. Accidentally I asked this question aloud "Who had this stupid idea of doing this???". It was funny because it was MY idea. I was happy because I completed the whole course. In overall, I enjoyed doing it and I would definitely do it again.

It's me climbing across. (my picture)

Me after going down from the building using ziplines. (my picture)

-- Reni --

City of Lights

The beautiful city of Paris is home to some of the world’s most visited landmarks. I was lucky enough to visit Paris in 2012 with my family and experience the exquisite residential streets, landmarks, tasty food and wonderful shopping.

If you visit Paris it is an absolute must that you climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, as you experience a spectacular view of Paris from above.

(View from the top of the Arc de Triomphe – own photo)

(Arc de Triomphe – own photo)

(View from the top of the Eiffel Tower – own photo)

(Eiffel Tower – own photo)

The Louvre Museum and the Notre Dame Cathedral are also must see sights. When I visited Paris, we chose to explore some of the city from a top deck bus, which I would definitely recommend as you are able to hop on and off at any time, while also being able to listen to facts about Paris whilst on the bus!  

(The Louvre Museum – Retrieved from: https://theworldismymuseum.com/2016/07/10/how-to-visit-the-louvre-paris-france/)

(The Notre Dame Cathedral – own photo)

Whilst in Paris, you visit a traditional French bakery and try a delicious pastry!

(Retrieved from: https://www.parisianist.com/en/eat-and-drink/top-ten/top-5-best-croissants-in-paris) 

Paris is a great city to visit all year round, however the spring time is especially beautiful! 

I would love to hear your travel experiences if you ever visit Paris!! 

Home of the Bengal Tiger

Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, known to be the densest city in the world. Trust me, you will have to visit the country in order to see what 1,252 people per square kilometer feels like.

                                  (source:https://www.ghurbo.com/blog/Beautiful-Bangladesh)

On your trip here, you will get to take a stroll around the largest bay in the world, The Bay of Bengal. World’s longest unbroken straight 120km sandy beach meets the bay at Cox’s Bazar.

          (source:https://steemkr.com/travel/@greentree0/world-largest-sea-beach-the-cox-s-bazar)

Bangladesh’s national animal is The Royal Bengal Tiger, with a roar that can be heard up to 3 kilometers, the animal graces the Sunderbans.

             (source:https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g293892-d8818812-i170437945-Royal_Tiger_Safari_Resort-Chitwan_National_Park_Chitwan_District_Narayan.html)

.
Also termed the land of rivers, Bangladesh is a hidden tourism treasure, waiting to be discovered!


By Shuprova

                                                                                                                                                   

Santorini Dreaming

The second stop on our trip was to the picture perfect Santorini! 

As we explored the city, we travelled deeper into blue seas and white villas, could you imagine anything more perfect? 

(Imerovigli, personal photo)

(Imerovigli, personal photo)

During my time in Santorini, my family and I stayed at the Laokasti Villas where we woke up each day to an open buffet of warm fresh croissants and freshly cut fruit with home made Greek yoghurt made by one of the local Greek villagers. Our breathtakingly beautiful hotel overlooked the sunset of Oia, which is actually considered to be one of the main attractions of the city, and definitely should not be missed. As the fiery sunset slowly descended, we enjoyed a traditional Greek dinner of Lamb sovlaki and salad in a warm pita bread.

(Sunset of Oia, personal photo) (Sunset of Oia, personal photo) If you're looking to get in a bit of exercise into your trip and enjoy stunning views, I would highly suggest you book the infamous volcano walk. The walk usually takes around 20 minutes where you can travel all the way to the top and will see smoking craters and views of the crystal blue water that surrounds the island of Santorini.

(https://www.in-santorini.com/santorini-volcano-tour.php) 

--Theodora--

Vietnam: Rich in Culture and History

Hey Everyone! Its Brooke again. 

Vietnam is a beautiful country, rich in culture and history. I visited Vietnam in September of last year. It was my first trip alone, and a trip I will never forget! Landing in Sai Gon, I was met with extreme heat and over a million motorbikes in this city alone. Sai Gon is known for its chaotic but vibrant streets, and also the Cu Chi Tunnels near the city, a large maze of war time tunnels from the Vietnam War.

Sai Gon Motorbikes. Personal Photo

Next, I headed up to Hoi An, a delightful little town with colourful French buildings crossed with Chinese temples; a reflection of the city's melting pot of colonial history. The Hoi An markets are a tourist favourite; where travellers from everywhere take a bit of Hoi An home, a lantern. 

Hoi An Lanterns. Personal Photo

Next, the sleeper train took me to Ha Noi, Vietnam's capital city. Here, historical figure and Vietnamese hero Ho Chi Minh lies, where many line up for hours to pay their respects. 

Sa Pa is a mountainous region not far from Ha Noi; a place I highly recommend visiting. The rice terraces make for a beautiful hike. 

Sa Pa. Personal Photo

-Brooke-

Escape to Malta

In 2012, I was lucky enough to visit the beautiful Mediterranean island of Malta. My mum’s family is Maltese so we spent the majority of our time in Malta with them, while they showed us around the island. Malta is located south of Sicily, Italy and there are three islands that make up Malta; Malta, Gozo, and Comino.

Over the time we spent in Malta, we visited some incredibly beautiful places and hot spots which are definitely worth a visit. Some of these included; the capital city of Valletta, St Julian’s, Sliema and its famous waterfront promenade, and the island of Gozo.

(Valletta Town Square - own photo)

(St Julian's - own photo)

(Sliema – Retrieved from: https://holidaysinmalta.net/best-place-to-stay-in-malta/gzira-malta/) 

(Gozo – Retrieved from: https://www.newsbook.com.mt/artikli/2018/07/04/new-development-authority-for-gozo/?lang=en)  

When I visited Malta it was spring over there, so it wasn’t warm enough to enjoy the spectacular beaches Malta has to offer. If you travel to Malta, I would highly recommend visiting in the summer months as my parents have said the weather is glorious and the beaches are crystal clear blue. The hotspots you don’t want to miss in the summer months are; The Blue Lagoon in Comino, Mellieha Bay, and Birzebbuga Beach, just to name a few. 

(Blue Lagoon Comino – Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCBLxGJgKMk) 

(Mellieha Bay – Retrieved from: http://uncovermalta.com/listings/mellieha-bay-one-family-friendly-beaches-malta/) 

(Birzebbuga Beach - Retrieved from: https://www.gulet.at/buchen/italien-malta/malta/birzebbuga/hotel/waters-edge_311205) 

I would love to hear your travel experiences if you ever visit Malta! Enjoy your travels! 

~ Ainsley ~

The melting pot of Asia

 ( source:https://www.lonelyplanet.com/singapore/travel-tips-and-articles/25-free-things-to-do-in-singapore/40625c8c-8a11-5710-a052-1479d277a73e)

Another remarkable travel experience of mine was a tiny island nation called Singapore. With a majestic skyline that watches over a river, Singapore was truly picturesque. In an ultramodern society, the Southeast Asian country still manages to stay true to its cultural and ethnic diversity.

It is common knowledge that Singapore is not only one of but THE most expensive cities in the world to live in. Despite that, touristing here is well within your bounds. The public transports are super-efficient and the food is surprisingly cheap. Some of the must see structures include Marina Bay Sands and Supertree Grove. Buses will take you out for spin around the nations multicultural places including: Chinatown, Little India, Arab street and Kampong Glam. This is an island you do not want to miss out on!!

By Shuprova

Extensive Cave System and Extraordinary View

This time I am going to take you to deep undergrounds and show you Hungary’s longest cave system, Baradla Domica Cave. This amazing cavern is 25.5 km long and consists of hundreds of caves. The expensive cave system runs across Hungary and Slovakia, therefore it is impossible to trek the whole system at once. However, there are multiple entrances and it’s possible to visit them in smaller sections. This attraction is one of a kind which was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Source: http://www.anp.hu/en/baradla-barlang-aggteleki-rovidtura

The interior of the cave system can be described in one word ‘magnificent’.  A dripstone grows one millimeter in one year of period. Can you imagine how long it takes a dripstone to become an enormous column like that on the picture? It takes millions of years.

Another interesting fact is that the cave have a huge hall which often gives home to wedding ceremonies and concerts due to excellent acoustics.

Source: http://www.anp.hu/en/baradla-barlang-aggteleki-rovidtura

Source: http://www.top7hungary.com/aggteleki-baradla-barlang/

P.S. I recommend to take with you a jacket when visiting this site, especially if you go during summer because the average temperature is 9.5 celsius degree. Tours are range from 1.5 hours to 3 hours and I can tell from experience it is cold.

-- Reni --

Picturesque Positano

Hey everyone! I thought for my first blog I would talk about The Amalfi Coast, as it is a place I would love to visit, and I hope that this blog will invite you there as well! 

The Amalfi Coast is located in southern Italy and is a 50km stretch of coastline. The town of Positano is home to picturesque villages and views of Amalfi.

(Retrieved from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Positano_street.jpg)

When travelling to the Amalfi Coast and Positano, the peak season is summer. If travelling in summer, you will experience the breathtaking pebbled beaches and sunsets, nightlife, and the mountainous village streets.

(Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positano)

I love summer and the water so to experience Positano would be amazing. My parents have been lucky enough to visit the Amalfi Coast and they always tell me how beautiful it is and that I most certainly need to experience it. Some of the main touristy things to do whilst in Positano include:

• Go on a day trip around the Amalfi Coast
• Visit Franco Senesi (art and sculptor gallery)
• Relax on the beach at Spiaggia Grande

(Retrieved from: https://carla-coulson.myshopify.com/products/product-4)

~ Ainsley ~