We were prepared for a wonderful holiday however we have been amazed beyond belief.  From being 2 metres away from Mountain gorillas in Rwanda to seeing elephants,  giraffes, hippopotami, zebras, wilder beast, water buffalo, gazelles,  baboons up close and wild in Kenya and Tanzania, and doing a welcome dance with  the son of a Masai chief,our expectations have been exceeded [….]

Chianti is one of the most beautiful areas in Tuscany. Breathtaking landscapes and good wine makes Chianti a must for your holidays in Tuscany. Our final days in Tuscany were spent, visiting wineries, castles, hiking and retail therapy. The Brolio Castle which is owned by the Ricasoli Family since 1141, is still resided by the family. The residence is located beside [….]

Yesterday we enjoyed a Beautiful walk through the hills near Siena, discovering some of the evocative churches and abbeys hidden in the woods which tell of a time when the trails were busy with merchants and pilgrims. Meeting at the medieval village of Torri and visiting the Cloister of the Romanesque-Gothic towers, before climbing the wooded hills around the village [….]

We departed Venice by train to Pisa with a change in Florence. We were not expecting the journey to go smoothly,but it did except for the lack of luggage storage on Italian trains, basically zero. Reaching Florence we had plenty of time to transfer to the train which took us to Pisa. During the 1-1/2 hour journey I guarded our [….]

It was fascinating to learn some of the history of Gorizia and the effect of its border location on the lives of its inhabitants. As a result of World War 1 and 2 they changed nationality several times. Many families were split with some members on one side of the closed border and some on the other side. Fortunately today [….]

 The most memorable part of today was our  visit to a vineyard owned and operated by an Italian couple who made us feel more than comfortable showing us through their home, the cellar , and sharing their own life with us. The way these people work together in a close community spirit has to be admired. A short bus trip took [….]

We departed today to one of the most historical places in Gorizia Aquilieia a World Heritage listed town.  On the way we took a detour towards the coast to a very large  playground port for sailing and fishing situated only 30klms from the  border of Slovenia and Italy.  The architectural development of the Basilica of Aquilieia, dedicated to the Virgin [….]

We caught the train from there to St Jean Pied de Port in the foothills of the Pyrenees! We started our incredible Comino trek from there and the scenery was breathtaking!!! There were lots of other pilgrims doing the 1400m climb, experiencing varying degrees of difficulty but even those who had to stop and gasp for breath regularly were rewarded with amazing views of the mountains [….]

On a clear sunny day we departed  Kobarid by vehicle for 1hour drive to the start oh our 6 hour hike. The narrow road winding up the mountain provided us with amazing views of the mountains. We stopped at a small settlement of only a few houses and farms to begin our hike. We  climbed steadily on a rough but [….]

KOBARID, is one of the most renowned historical places in Slovenia. We departed our hotel to walk to the Italian Charnel House which was built on Granic Hill near the Church of St Anton. The stations of the cross are erected along the road, leading to the Charnel House. ST Anton Church, consecrated in 1696, is built at the very [….]

We depart Lake Bohinj after breakfast and drive approximately 1-1/2 hours through the most picturesque and stunning scenery. The road winds through the mountains as we pass rich farmland, quaint stone and timber homes which all have neatly groomed gardens, flower beds and vegetable plots. We begin our walk today through alpine forests, our path passes remote farms and small [….]

We are not disheartened by the weather, rain actually adds a mystical and fairy tale touch to our visit to Lake Bled Castle. The castle is one of the oldest castles in Slovenia and was first mentioned in a written document on May 1011. The magnificent castle perched atop a cliff rising above the turquoise lake Bled, with its romantic [….]