by Kathy | Jul 16, 2017 | Antalya, Asia, Destinations, Eurasia, Turkey
“Just don’t let go” and “pull yourself up” they shouted. I felt the pain in my fingertips, they were too tired. I felt myself falling down the cliff face, then snap, my climbing buddy caught me. I dangled on the rope like a worm on the end of a fishing line. I’ve never been so scared for my life as I was rock climbing in Turkey.
Now I am no expert at rock climbing and I hadn’t climbed since I was 16 years old but I felt like I was doing ok until we attempted a second climb here in Turkey, near Antalya. I am well known for not being scared easily and to me, rock climbing is all about trust and basically climbing from one hand and feet hole to the next. Well so I thought, but this was something else!
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by Kathy | Jun 27, 2017 | Travel Tips
I love Couchsurfing. I wrote about it in several of my posts such as ‘How to make friends on the road‘ and ‘My 8 top tips every traveller should know’ so I have decided to dedicate a post just to Couchsurfing safety.
For those who don’t know, Couchsurfing is like a Facebook profile for travellers. But instead of sharing statuses about the hardships of life or if you are single, in a relationship or it’s complicated, you are sharing your sofa, spare room, floor space or your time to a traveller. The idea can have its own set of safety concerns- both for the surfer and the host. It is therefore important to observe couchsurfing safety tips at all times.
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by Kathy | Jun 17, 2017 | Antalya, Asia, Destinations, Eurasia, Inspirational Trips, Turkey
With each step I take, I sink further and further into the soft snow. Perhaps there is a cavity due to rocks below me but with each step I felt the snow give way a little. I needed to move a little to the left, or perhaps to the right! Either way, I am not going to get very far if I continue like this. I’m hiking up the snow flanked Bronze mountain also known as Mount Tunc, near Antalya, Turkey.
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by Kathy | Jun 11, 2017 | Asia, India
India is a massive country, so 7 years ago when I first visited Tirupati, I never imagined I would be back here but this time, not as a foreigner but as an honorary local. Rewinding a good few years, I completed a pilgrim walk of 3500 steps, in bare feet, to Tirumala where the Sri Venkateswara Temple is. This was a walk that thousands of pilgrims a week completed and one I had read about but hadn’t fully understood its importance.
Now visiting Tirupati for a second time as a guest of my Indian friend’s family after attending his wedding, I was going to view the Sri Venkateswara Temple not as a tourist but as a local. This is his family’s temple and we are here the day after his wedding with his family and new bride.
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by Kathy | May 21, 2017 | Travel Tips
There are certain things which I really must take on my backpacking trip yet the rest of the time they stay in a box unused . . . Unloved. However, I would feel lost without them whilst backpacking. I have therefore compiled a list of essential items every backpacker needs to help those who have still not mastered the art of packing.
I wanted to share these items with you so that you don’t have the same trial and error that I had with these items. So here is my list of essential items every backpacker needs.
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