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Ushuaia: The End of the World

There are few places on the planet like Ushuaia.   It is one of those places you don’t accidentally end up visiting.  It is a village of beginnings and endings.  

Perched on the southern tip of Argentina, Ushuaia claims the title of the southern most city on the earth.  It is often called the “fin del Mundo” (end of the earth).  Tourism provides the lifeblood of the village.  Ushuaia and her sister city Punta Arenas, Chile, are key departure points for tourist, scientific and activist departures to Antarctica.  

Port of Ushuaia

Ushuaia is far from just a transit port.  It is a beautiful and interesting area all on its own.  The backdrop for the city are dramatic peaks, dense forests, and alpine lakes.  The Beagle Channel marks the southern border of the city.  The dramatic scenery attracted the eye of Alejandro Gonzalez Inarriu who shot his famed film, The Revenant, here in 2015.  Even an ill fated edition of Top Gear was filmed here (until they were run out of the city for making references to the Falkland War.)

According to tradition, the word Ushuaia comes from the Yaghan language: ush and waia (“bay” or “cove”) and means “deep bay”.  This name is very fitting.  Its port hosts expedition ships with flags from around the globe.  

A Storied History

The city was founded by British explorers and settled by missionaries.  It was later converted into a penal colony that housed the worst of the worst offenders due to the fact that escape was impossibly dangerous.  The prison was done away with by President Peron in the late 1940s.  The rough edges of the city’s former residents remain.  Plucky year round residents face harsh winters of isolation.

Instead of a place to avoid, the city now attracts flocks of Northface and Helly Hansen clad wanderers.  Wide-eyed and well-healed journey men and women crowd the many eateries along the port docks.  High tourist season runs October to March during the southern summer.  Hotels of every level of hospitality dot the front of the mountain range that plays host to the city.

The Fin del Mundo!

Getting There

The city sports a sizable international airport.  With connections to major hubs like Buenos Aires, Rio, and many other key South American cities, getting there has become much more easier.   Do be aware, the city sits smack dab between a cold and warm ocean.  This causes turbulence on the water and in the air.  The video below was taken on our flight.  It was bumpy!  There are a fleet of taxis that ferry folks from the airport to downtown or to lodging.  We also used Uber, which was very affordable. 

Getting There the Hard Way

As you begin to spend some time in Ushuaia you start to notice the abundance of long distance road bikes and converted VW and sprinter vans.  Ushuaia is the southern terminus of the Great Pan-American Highway.  Brave motorists begin north in Alaska and take the epic journey that crosses the equator and delivers them to the end of the road literally in Ushuaia. 

The Stories

Ushuaia is not a center of learning and art; nor is it a place of culture and refinement.  It is a place of stories.  Whether you are sitting in a pub or eating empanadas overlooking the bay, conversation is king.  Skilled waitstaff speak the basics of dozens of languages.  Spanish, English, and German seem to be the most common in our limited experience.  There is a kaleidoscope of different backgrounds and nationalities.  

During our visit, a Greenpeace frigate was docked at harbor, two oil tankers and a half a dozen expedition boats headed across the Drake Passage en route to Antarctica.  This made for a wide array of viewpoints at dinner.  This clash of ideas is what makes Ushuia magical.  Pull up a chair and join the scrum!

Chile Border Crossing

There are numerous day trips you can take to see southern Patagonia.  Ushuaia is the perfect launching point for these excursions.   We will highlight one.  A very special one.  We took the Hito XXIV trail into Chile.  It took us the morning to hike in and out.  It was one of the best hikes I have ever done.  The beauty of the alpine lake, and the waterfalls along the trail were stunning.   If you are country collectors like us, this is an easy one to add to your collection with minimal effort.  There is a lodge at the trailhead that has excellent cheesecake.

Hito XXIV Hike to Chile

An Ode to Ushuaia

Few cities in this world have left an impression like Ushuaia.  It is a unique place.  It is a beautiful place.  But most importantly, it has a soul that is made up of all those that congregate on her steps as they conclude or begin their journey of self discovery.  

The city’s motto is:  Ushuaia, end of the world, beginning of everything.  I have found this to be true.

The Self-Guided Safari: Kruger National Park

On a regular basis we receive glossy travel advertisements in the mail. They show pictures of remote Africa savannahs with robust looking guides driving Range Rovers dressed in Green or khaki. They often are pointing off into the distance at some incredible animal. Our reaction to these appeals: Sign us up! Take our money! Then reality sets in. We don’t have $20k stuffed in our mattress. (we did find a quarter last week!)

Lion in Africa

African Lion

What to do?

After lengthy research, we were able to piece together the idea of doing a self-guided safari. We settled on South Africa as out destination as the flights there are very reasonable and plentiful.   We selected Kruger National Park for our self-guided safari.

Kruger National Park

Kruger park is one of the largest game reserves in the world. The entire park covers 7, 500 square miles and is 250 miles top to bottom and 50 miles wide. Roughly the same size as Massachusetts! It is a massive park. The park is home to the classic Big 5 including: lion, leopard, black rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo. Beyond these incredible animals, you will likely encounter hundreds of other animals large and small. The park is home to over 100 species of reptiles and 30 amphibians.

Kruger Park

The Gate to Kruger Park

Getting around the Park

Your first stop for research on the park should be the park’s website (https://www.sanparks.org/parks/kruger/) The site is extremely helpful, especially keeping current on road closures, conditions and weather.   There are 9 main gates into the park. These entry points are for paying fees, securing maps, and getting current info on park conditions.

Roads in the park are in varied condition. You go from paved tarmac to dusty gravel roads. A good map, and in some cases, even a decent GPS will help you navigate the park. At each of the rest camps you will find a crowd sourced “animal” board where other visitors post animal sightings. This can prove helpful as you quest to see the complete Big 5.

Lodging

There a number of different lodging options for your self guided adventure. The park’s website will give you the option to see photos of the “camps”. You can reserve everything from humble bush camps to the luxury lodge option. Pick the right option for you. Each camp is surrounded by high fences that prevent animals from entering. Each camp has set hours for entry, when the gate closes, it closes for the night. There is a significant fee to open after hours. We nearly learned this the hard way. WE were caught up watching a pride of lions, and lost track of time. Not good. We had to step on it to barely make the deadline. Each area is unique in its food and amenities. Be aware of what is available. Some camps have spartan restaurants. Most offer some sort of food offering. The bush camps do not offer food, they are strictly self catering.

What is the difference?

So what are the key differences between a true-guided safari and the self guided option?

The biggest difference from our experience is the cost. You will likely see the same animals, you will see the same flora and fauna. Many of the guided safari tours are in and around Kruger Park. They both offer very similar habitats for the animals. Top end guides are good at knowing where the animals like to hide out. Not having to drive to see the animals is also a definite advantage of the guided option. Park rangers can help with some information, but would not be able to offer the in person perspective that would be provided in a guided situation.

What to drive

The question we get asked most often about our self-guided experience is what we drove. We rented a basic sedan at the airport in Johannesburg. We would recommend something with a little more ground clearance. A small suv would be ideal. You definitely don’t need a jeep or a range rover to get around Kruger.

African Water Buffalo

Water Buffalo

A Word of Caution

Kruger national park is not a petting zoo. It is wild. The animals reign here. Do not leave your vehicle outside to the gated camps. Do not “hike” the park. Just because you don’t see any animals, doesn’t mean that they cannot see you. You very well could be dinner. It is tempting to exit your vehicle to take the perfect picture. We recommend you position your vehicle to take the picture then use your camera lens to get you close. Regardless if you are on a guided safari or self guided, the rules are the same, don’t approach the animals….ever. Stay on the road. Keep an eye on the weather and the environment around you.   You will have the adventure of a lifetime.

What we wished we had known:

We purchased our first “real” camera and long distance camera lens for this trip. We were glad we did. Candidly, we wished we have invested more in longer range lens. Spend the money. The pictures will be priceless.

Expectations: The second thing we wish we had known, was advice given to us by one of the game wardens at one of the camps. “Don’t expect to see anything…then you will be in constant amazement, you will see everything!”. Such wise advice. Don’t come with a list of things to see, be open to the experience and seeing whatever comes your way that day. This is hard for those of us that love lists. Be open to whatever happens.

Enjoy your Safari!

 

Safaris are wonderful, but if your dream is climbing Kilimanjaro  Give our friends at Mojhi a look.  They have a wonderful guide for making this dream a reality.  There are 7 different routes you can take to the top.  Each of the trails offer astounding views of the entire area.   They also rate the difficulty of each of the routes to help you match your ability.

This Friendship Day Make Your Spouse Your Best Friend

Friendship Day is Aug. 6th!  What could be better than having your spouse as your best friend in the world? Your friend is someone you share secrets with, practice your favorite hobbies with, and have the perfect night out with. So, why should your best friend also be your mate? Some traditionalists say you can’t be friends with your husband the way you would with a female friend, but this couldn’t be the truth. Being best friends with your spouse isn’t a process that happens overnight, but it is always worth doing. Here are 9 tips on making your spouse your best friend.

Have Fun Together

This seems like a bit of a ‘duh!’ suggestion, but to make your spouse your best friend, you need to learn how to have fun together.

Put away the cares of the day and shelve talks about babies, bookkeeping, and bills and look forward to quality time spent doing something you both love. This could mean sitting down with snacks and a movie, going to the beach, horse riding, fishing or doing yoga, drinking at a pub, doing bad karaoke or sharing your favorite activities together. Whatever makes you laugh and fulfills your soul, make sure you do it together!

Love Despite Imperfections

Nobody’s perfect. This is a phrase that becomes truer the longer you are in a relationship together! Things aren’t always going to be rainbows and sunshine, but that doesn’t mean you should show any less love. Show your partner your care for them by always giving a kind word, being a shoulder to cry on, loving them for their weaknesses and showing praise for their positive qualities.

Keep things Private

A good friend wouldn’t talk about their friends behind their backs, so neither should you with your spouse! This means not complaining to friends and family about your mate’s shortcomings or expressing the ways in which you wish they were different. Be your spouse’s biggest cheerleader. This also means not sharing private details of your relationship or telling secrets about your partner to anyone else.

 

Get Excited about Things

One thing both sexes respond to from their partner is excitement. When you get excited for something your mate enjoys, such as his favorite sport or her favorite band, it makes them feel closer to you. So when she starts talking about a social justice issue, a new movie releasing that she wants to see, or her latest Pinterest board don’t just nod and smile politely. Get excited! Even if these things don’t particularly excite you, showing her that you’re excited for her will let her know you care.

Be Supportive and Uplifting

Good friends lift one another up. When your spouse is feeling down and out, strive to cheer them up with commendation that is genuine and refreshing. Don’t be a nag. Be quick to remind your partner of their good qualities and tell them the reasons that you love them. Giving praise and showing kindness to one another is exactly what best friends do when their BFF is feeling low.

Put your Mate First

Best friends make time for one another at the drop of a hat. If she needs you, you’re there! If he’s in a bind, he knows who to call. So it should be with your spouse too. Put your mate first. This means never cancelling plans with your mate just because another offer came along. Show interest in their interests, make time to be together, display trust and loyalty, and keeping the doors of communication open about any subject under the sun from the funniest dream you ever had to the stresses of your new job.

Show Forgiveness

Best friends know when to let it go and so should you. Strengthen your friendship and romantic relationship by learning to let go. As stated, nobody is perfect and there are going to be times where one of you hurts the other one. You may forget an anniversary or say something out of line.

Practice learning to forgive and let go. Not only does this mean learning to forgive one another’s shortcomings, it means learning to move on from the small things. If your wife forgot to charge her phone and you couldn’t get a hold of her, do you really need to lecture her about it? Or if the husband wants to spend some time with his brother instead of you after a long day at work, is it worth starting a fight over? The next time you are about to get upset with your mate ask yourself: Is this still going to be important to me tomorrow? If the answer is no, leave it.

Show your Spouse You Care

Have you ever had that moment when you’re feeling pretty ‘blah’ and then your best friend comes around and does something that reminds you how special you are to them? It felt like they showed up at just the right time. This is what your spouse should think of you. Showing your spouse you care about them couldn’t be easier. Something as small as a surprise gift, a special breakfast, a hug out of nowhere, or a sweet midday text can make your spouse feel amazing.

Show Respect

Relationships flourish when there is mutual respect. Give your spouse the same respect you would give your best friend. This means letting them speak, really listening when they talk, not being judgmental about their thoughts and decisions, never speaking badly about them, and never using a condescending tone. Be helpful to your mate, say please and thank you, congratulate them when they’ve done well, and always live up to your word.

Friendship day is a great time to make your spouse your best friend and learn to enjoy one another as friends and as lovers. Taking the time to forge this bond will deepen your connection and give you the best friend you always wanted to have.

 

Author Bio:- Rachel Pace is a relationship expert with years of experience in training and helping couples. She has helped countless individuals and organizations around the world, offering effective and efficient solutions for healthy and successful relationships. Her mission is to provide inspiration, support and empowerment to everyone on their journey to a great marriage. She is a featured writer for Marriage.com, a reliable resource to support healthy happy marriages.

 

Seeing Norway’s Fjords by Car

The fjords of Norway are one of nature’s wonders: gigantic and rugged mountains teeming with waterfalls that churn into deep inlets that empty to the sea.  Most people think that the only way to see Norway’s fjords is via an expensive cruise. Not true. We recently partnered with our friends at Auto Europe to explore the fjords via automobile. If you haven’t already, we recommend reading part one of this feature :”The Perfect Norway Roadtrip“. It highlights our recommendations for the wonderful capital city of Norway: Oslo.  Here is a map of our trip:

Before we give you a detailed plan of what to see in Norway, we think we need to put the debate to rest about the whole fjord cruising thing. Yes, being on the water is incredible. But the problem with the cruise ship is twofold: you have to go where the ship goes or swim really well.  The worst thing about cruising: where the boat goes a whole lotta people go as well. No fun. Having the flexibility of driving a car enables you to see what you want to see. It allows you to spend as much time as you want staring at a magnificent waterfall. It also allows you to be alone with your lover at the base of a majestic lake all by yourself. We did both of these and felt sorry for the hordes of cruisers who never experienced Norway the way we did.

Part one of our series focused on Oslo to Lillehammer. Now it’s time to head north towards Andalsnes.

Gjerdset Turistsenter

Gjerdset Turistsenter

Gjerdset Turistsenter

Located just 18 km from Andalsnes is a beautiful collection of cabins overlooking a lush forest and deep blue lake. You can rent cabins large or small depending on number of your party. It is perfect for traveling with families.  What we love most about this location is the ability to take little row boats out onto the lake. It is truly a surreal setting. You are completely surrounded by the majestic Romsdal Mountains.  Of all of the areas of Norway, this spot mimicked the views from the Disney cartoon, Frozen.  This is a great base to explore the fjords and the deep lakes that are in the surrounding area. As we mentioned in our previous post, Norway is extremely expensive. One of the advantages of renting a small cabin is the ability to do your own cooking thus saving you money.

alesund

Alesund

Once you have your fill of alpine living, it’s time to head for the water. Drive northwest for another hundred miles and you will come to the charming seaside city of Alesund. The old city is filled with Norwegian charm. Architecture and colors combine to create a beautiful tapestry that is pure Norway. The city is known for its art-deco architecture. Hotels here don’t come cheap. This is a great place to use your points. There is a very nice Radisson blu right on the water. They have big rooms and a massive breakfast.

The must do’s in Alesund include climbing or driving to the lookout perch above the city. We would highly advise you to head up there anytime the weather looks clear, which is not very often for this part Norway. Taking a good picture up there is a challenge. The location is quite popular, so try the early morning if you get clear skies. The hike up to the top is quite rigorous, but the steps make it very doable.  As you can see above, this is the best we could do.

The second must do is shopping. There are so many little eclectic stores that have Norwegian folk items, Maritime trinkets, and your standard tourist souvenirs. We found some good deals on some clothing including hats, gloves, and coats all handmade with bright Norwegian colors.

Norway Waterfall

Norway Waterfall

For our tour of the fjords, this is as far north as we’re going to go. From here drive south toward the hamlet of Hornindal. It is approximately two hours drive south. You will follow some of the worlds most stunning scenery. Cascading waterfalls are in view at just about every turn. Yes, we stopped a lot!

Once you arrive in Hornindal, we highly recommend the First Hotel Raftenvold. It is perched on the banks of Hornindalsvatnet Lake.  Try saying that name three times fast! At a depth of 514 metres (1,686 ft) it is the deepest lake in all of Europe! The hotel is located right on the edge of the water. You can even take a swim if you wish!

They’re not a whole lot of places in this area to eat. We do recommend eating in the hotel restaurant.  A word of warning: do be careful because the hours are a little bit confining. Mike took his sweet time getting ready for dinner and they were ready not to serve him because he was five minutes late. Be on time!

Aurland

The next morning we continued our quest.  We drove to the charming town located on a stunning fjord called Aurland. We stayed at the Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri. It has great little cabins right on the fjords, affording you a wonderful view to wave at the cruise ships as they pass by. The hotel has a rich history, it was once home to the Norwegian Sea captain Juell circa 1770.

The city of Aurland is located on Europe’s deepest Fjord, the Sognefjord. It is 1,308 m deep and 204km long! It is known as the king of the Fjords. Here you will have easy access to Geriangerfjord, the Briksdal glacier and Vestkapp Mountian. This area is considered by many to be the most beautiful place on the planet.

Stegastein

Stegastein

Just outside of town, and up a zig zagging road is the fjord viewpoint called Stegastein. Sounds like some kind of dinosaur?   The viewpoint includes a laminated wood and steel viewing platform that is visually stunning. It is has won numerous international design awards. It juts 30 meters out into the air and affords some incredible selfies with the fjord in the background.

A little Odda

Our road trip now takes us further south to the little fishing village of Odda. Odda turned out to be one of our favorite places during our stay in Norway. It has a number of little restaurants, beautiful water, and some amazing waterfalls. Prices can be a bit steep in town, we elected to rent a cabin at Seljestad Cottages just 20 minutes outside the city.

Latefossen Falls

Latefossen Falls

Latefossen Falls

Ten minutes outside of Odda on our way to our cabin, are Latefossen Falls. Latefossen must mean car wash in Norwegian. You actually drive your car through the waterfall! We struggled to keep our camera dry as we braved the torrent of mist to take photos. Definitely stop and take some pictures!

Trolltunga

The most famous attraction near Odda is Trolltunga (translated, the Troll’s Tongue). Type it into Google and you will see some stunning pictures of the rock outcropping that will make anyone scared of heights go into freak out mode. We elected not to take on the 15-mile hike. It was a bit much for our hiking abilities.  But, good news for you, our friends at www.norwaytonowhere.com did. Here is their report.

Norway is perfect for driving. The roads are in good condition. Petrol in the county is cheap and plentiful, and the rental rates from our friends at @autoeurope are affordable. Skip the cruise and take a drive that will envelop you in some of the world’s most beautiful scenery.

The Perfect Norway Road Trip

So often we hear that the best way to see Norway is by taking a cruise. We could not disagree more! The best way to see Norway is by taking a road trip! Norway’s stunning natural beauty, friendly people, and captivating history make it a great place for traveling couples. The fjords of Norway are unlike any place we have ever visited and we can’t wait to share with you a few of our tips and tricks for making your road trip successful.

Oslo Airports

Most international flights bring you to Norway via one of three “Oslo” airports. None of the airports are near the city.   The (OSL) Oslo Airport Gardermoen it Is located 47 km north-east of Oslo. The Rygge Airport (RYG) is located at 66 kilometers south-east of Oslo and finally the Torp Airport TRF is located 110 km south-west of Oslo. Do not fret about which airport you arrive at as there is easy access to rental cars at each. There are actually many pros to staying your first night outside of Oslo proper. We elected to stay in the small hamlet of Fredrikstad and had a great experience.

Picking the Right Rental

We’ve written a recent post will help you select the right rental car. Please keep in mind that there are a lot of mountains, climbs, and weather in Norway. Don’t go cheap on the rental car. We used and highly recommend our friends at Auto Europe for rentals in Norway and the rest of Europe.

Oslo

The bustling capital of Norway is truly beautiful. Perched on the edge of the sea. Cruise ships park right in the center of downtown. Norwegians have long been a seafaring people. Sailboats, motorboats and rafts line the harbors and almost outnumber the cars. Your road trip we’ll start with a couple days in Oslo. Holding off on renting your car until the time you’re ready to leave Oslo is also an option. The public transportation is actually very good. As we will address later Norway is very expensive. Oslo is extremely expensive. We stayed at the Radisson Blu on points. It is a beautiful hotel. If you have hotel points Oslo is the place to use them as hotel chains are rare as you head north.

Key things to see in Oslo:

Nobel Peace Prize Museum: we put this one first because it was by far our favorite. Few museums leave you wanting more museum. The Nobel Peace Prize Museum is one of those select few. It is a two-story museum located along the harbor. There is a nominal fee for entry, and then you proceed upstairs to view different exhibits about the winners of the award. It is extremely moving.

The Scream!

The Scream!

 

National Museum of Art: the second must-see in Oslo is the National Museum of Art. It houses the best-known artists from Norway. King of the Norwegian artists is of course much. You must find the scream. The crowds tend to block the view, but be patient and the opportunity to snap a good picture we’ll certainly come. Munch is an interesting character. You really should do some reading on him prior to your visit. An entire museum dedicated to him is in construction as we speak.

Oslo Opera House

Oslo Opera House

The Oslo Opera House One of the most stunning pieces of architecture in the world is the Oslo Opera House. Its shape and placement reflect the shape of an iceberg. The inside is even more stunning than the outside. We highly recommend taking the full tour of the Opera House. They take you backstage, which is it technological paradise. You also visit the ballerina dressing rooms, musicians preparation areas, and a number of other workshops for production of the sets. Really cool! The tours are led by pensioners who have retired from their work with the opera house. They know the place inside and out. Our guide had great stories about some of the performances and performers. One of the best souvenirs we purchased was a used shoe. In the gift shop of the opera house you can purchase used ballet shoes used in actual performances.

Inside of the Oslo Opera House. Each pattern on every chair is unique.

Inside of the Oslo Opera House. Each pattern on every chair is unique.

 

The Crying Baby

The Crying Baby

Vigeland-Land– The famed Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland has a complete museum and even an entire park dedicated to displaying his work. One of his famous pieces is the crying baby. People come from the four corners of the earth to see this baby throwing a tantrum. The park is stunning. It is a great place to take a picnic or there are small cafés located throughout the park are great places to grab some ice cream or a cake. When word of warning about visiting the museum. It is definitely rated PG 13. There are a number of works that depict human sexuality in less than a discrete manner.  The park is fine but the museum may not be appropriate for families.

Want more pictures of Norway?  Just give us a follow on instagram.

Oslo Food Scene

The best food on our trip was found in Oslo. You can get just about any type of cuisine in the city. Our favorite spot is an Indian place called Mister India (http://www.mister-india.no/). Located on one of the side streets in downtown, the food is incredible. There are red & green Curry that is to die for. You maybe wondering why we elected to go to an Indian ethnic place. We figured we’d get plenty of Norwegian traditional food on the road trip up north. This definitely proved to be the case. It’s okay to check out couple ethnic restaurants in Oslo and still call yourself an authentic explorer.

There are number of really good Fish houses along the harbor.

Lillehammer Olympics

Lillehammer

Once you have conquered all of Oslo it’s time to head north. Our first stop is at city whose name is very familiar to sports fans. Willie Hammer was the home of the Olympics in 1994. There are a number of museum displays that celebrate the Winter Olympics. There is a huge hockey stadium that has a bobsled you can check out. Lillehammer also has a World War II museum that is very interesting.

End of Part One of the Norway Road Trip! Stay tuned for the second half!

We worked worked with our friends at @autoeurope to present this post.

The Perfect Couple Travel Luggage

Picture Venice.   The soft Italian sun reflecting off the glistening water. The gondola masters guiding their vessels up and down the waterways. The lapping water against the colorful mansions.   Our idyllic paradise was nearly destroyed by an unlikely culprit: bad luggage. We made the unfortunate choice to get dropped off couple miles from our hotel. This meant that we needed to cross multiple bridges navigate the sea and hike a long ways. Our heavy mismatched luggage made this trek miserable. Ever since that day we have been on a quest to find perfect luggage for traveling couples.

Atlantic luggageAt long last we have finally found the perfect luggage combo: The Atlantic Compass Unite. We are not ones to wax poetic about our travel equipment. We just want it to work. If we don’t think about the luggage….that’s good luggage. The Compass is extremely light. They are built tough.   The best part? They have a built in secret weapon: a little thing called Link2Go™. This little thing is actually really huge when it comes to couple travel. If we could kiss the engineer that came up with this we would. (Luci would…not Mike.) So here’s how it works, two spinners can be linked together making is one spinner, one suitcase that you can handle easily with one paw. It must be hard to connect them you ask? Nope. So simple you can do it with one hand eating a gelato and the other connecting the two. (Yes we have tried it. Strawberry gelato is the best.)  Pure genius.

We put them to the test on our recent trip to Norway.  So within 5 hours we were in three massive international terminals.  Each one was unfamiliar to us.  We just connected our Compass Unites and off we went!  Look at the picture of Mike over there.  Does he look stressed? Ok maybe a little, we were looking up maps of the airport.  Were we worried about bags?  Not at all.

Give them a try. You can find an Atlantic Luggage dealer here.

Couple travel presents enough challenges…don’t mess up the luggage.

#sponsored

The Perfect Maine Roadtrip

This is a guest post from our friends Chris and Laura of Trailsunblazed.com.

 

Laura and Chris’ Maine Roadtrip

The fact that we now have a blog dedicated to our trips and adventures is evidence that traveling has become a big part of our lives together. Every couple has their thing. Jay-Z and Beyonce have music, Hill and Bill have politics, Tom Brady and Gisele have human perfection. For us it’s traveling and getting outside and taking advantage of the great outdoors. So let’s take it back to where it all began: Maine. Before we even knew each other, we had spent our entire lives traveling with our families to South America, Africa, Europe, and every corner of the US. Since we’re from Massachusetts, a road trip to our northern neighbor may seem like the least exotic destination imaginable, but this is one of the most memorable trips for us since it was the first time we hit the road together.

Maine one

First Stop: Acadia National Park

After we sat in endless summer traffic on I-95 and made the requisite Chipotle stop along the way, we finally arrived at our first destination. Acadia is probably #1 on everyone’s list of places to visit in Maine, and for good reason. Although, we only spent two days in Acadia, we took advantage of most of what we hoped to see and do while we were on Mt. Desert Island.

  • Camp at Seawall Campground
  • Climb Mt. Champlain via the Precipice Trail (below)
  • Watch the sunset from Cadillac Mountain (below)
  • See a bunch of seals at seal cove
  • Eat dinner in Bar Harbor and Southwest Harbor

We easily could have spent a full week in Acadia, and lucky for us we live close enough that we probably will in the near future.

maine two

Second Stop: Bold Coast

After leaving the most popular destination in Vacationland, we continued the journey north to a place that most people even in New England have never heard of: Cutler, Maine. Cutler is about as remote a coastal town as you will encounter on the east coast. It is located just across the Bay of Fundy from Nova Scotia and looks out across some New Brunswick’s Grand Manan Island. Our phones actually thought that we were in Canada so we immediately turned them to airplane mode to avoid getting destroyed by Sprint and Verizon. The reason for venturing to this faraway, unknown coastal town was to hike along the Bold Coast in the Cutler Coast Public Reserve Land, which ended up quickly becoming one of our favorite hikes in the US. The trail, meandering along the rugged cliffs overlooking the ocean, is unlike any other hike we have done in New England. Not to mention, since it is so remote, and “unblazed” if you will, we only ran into a couple other hikers throughout the entire day.

One important tidbit worth noting about this trail is that there are only three official campsites along the way. With so few fellow hikers on the trail, we expected that snagging a tent site would be easy…we were mistaken. It didn’t end up being an issue, however, because with so many comfortable-looking rocks on which to pitch our tent, we had myriad options. I try to give credit where credit is due, and camping on the edge of a cliff over the ocean was 1,000% Laura’s idea. Other than the rocky surface and swarming mosquitos that forced us into our tent prematurely, camping on the cliff ended up being a far more memorable option than camping in the woods at a boring campsite. Seals swam below us, we watched the sunset from the tent, we woke up to the sun rising over Canada, and successfully survived the night without getting blown into the sea.

maine three

Third Stop: Mt. Katahdin

From Cutler, we drove inland to Baxter State Park to look for Moose and hike Mt. Katahdin. We spotted two moose down the road from our campground on our first night. It’s difficult to spend any time around Baxter State Park without seeing at least once moose.

maine five moose

The hike up Katahdin is no joke. This is one of the most challenging day hikes in New England and by the time we finished scrambling up boulders to reach the summit, we were exhausted. We were fortunate enough to have climbed on an extremely clear day, so the breathtaking views were a well-earned reward.

The descent down Katahdin is equally spectacular, at least for the first stretch along the Knife Edge (below). Neither of us fell off the edge of the knife; however, Laura did fall and then proceed to roll down the mountain shortly after we made it safely off the ridge. She had some bumps and bruises but managed to save the camera like a champ. By the time we made it back down to the car, we were completely kaput and made a b-line for the only restaurant we could find. Being in the wilderness of Maine, we had limited options and our tired, hungry minds clouded our judgement to the point where we ended up buying at least three pounds of Chinese food which tasted about as good as you might expect Chinese food from northern Maine to taste.

Maine six new harbor

Fourth Stop: New Harbor

After the challenge of Mt. Katahdin, our fourth and final stop was much more relaxing. We drove back down the coast and took a puffin cruise out of New Harbor. Unbeknownst to us at the time, most of the Maine puffins have already migrated out to see by mid-August, and the naturalist onboard announced that it was very unlikely that we would even see a single puffin. Of course they announced this after the boat had already left the harbor. However, in what can only be described as a miracle, we spotted 11 puffins, two bald eagles, and won a free ticket to go on another puffin cruise. A fitting end to an amazing trip.

Maine seven harbor pic

Although Maine is a long shot from being on par with places like Patagonia, Kenya, or Macchu Picchu, this trip will always be one of our favorites.

maine map

 

A huge thanks to Chris and Laura for sharing this amazing post.  We cant wait to follow this path!  Give them at follow at www.trailsunblazed.com

 

Bali for Couples

As we travel the globe searching for the best couple destinations for you, we have discovered one place you must add to your list, Bali. The delightful island is located on the southern end of Indonesia in the Indian Ocean. Getting there is simple. There are a number of direct flights right into Denpassar, Bali, or as we did, connect via Singapore or Bangkok. Balinese hospitality matches the weather: warm and inviting. English is widely spoken, and getting around is straight forward and affordable. Here are our 7 hints for driving in Bail.  Bali offers you a perfect setting to reconnect with your lover.

Beautiful Bali

Beautiful Bali

Bali Beaches

Where to start? The beach of course! The warm blue waters with their white sandy beaches offer couples an ideal setting to relax or if inclined, engage in snorkeling and other world-class water sports. We elected to make Kuta, on the southern tip of the island as our base. There are so many different options for hotels in Bali.   Of course if your pocketbook can handle it, a resort right on the water is highly recommended.   Here are a few beach ideas. The great thing about Bali, is you can wander and find your own Best Beach!

Bali Beaches!

Bali Beaches!

Kuta beach-Perhaps the most popular on the island. Can be crowded, but undeniably one of the best on the island.

Pemuteran– This dog-bone shaped by offers some of the best snorkeling and diving. The sea life and fauna have no rival.

Balian beach-If surfing is you thing, Balian is you place. With its ruckus waves, it is a grandstand to some of the best surfing on the planet. If riding waves is not your thing, there is no charge to enjoy the show as a spectator.

Ubud-An Artisan Paradise

One of our favorite places in the world is a little town in central Bali, an enclave of craftsmen and shops called Ubud.  Ubud is the craftsman capital of the island. To the north of town is a street line with handicraft artisan shops. You can purchase glass works, ceramics, and some the best woodworking we’ve come crossed. There’re items for every budget. Perhaps the most tempting is the intricate jewelry that the island’s craftsmen create. Each creation is a work of art.

Bali Cuisine

After playing all day in and the sun and sand you would likely have worked up an appetite. It’s time to take in some of the world-class Bali cuisine. The wonderful thing about Bali, is that it’s perched on the crossroads of the Asian Pacific area. There number of Thai and Vietnamese influenced restaurants. Fresh fruit and seafood are almost always on the menu. We highly recommend taking in the street food that is available on almost every corner of the island. We also unexpectedly had some of our best curry there as well.

Hiking

If hiking and exploring are your thing, Bali will not disappoint! There is a long list of trails and hikes for beginners to the more adventurous at heart. Every inch of Bali was made for Instagram. The lush green jungles and rain forests beg to be explored. Don’t forget to pack plenty of water as the islands tropical heat can certainly melt any advanced trekker.   Here are a few ideas for day hikes:

Mount Agung– This mountain is one of the most sacred sites for the Balinese. The trails are a bit rough and on the confusing side, but so worth it. If you have the cash for a guide, it would be a good idea. The views from the top are stunning!

Mount Batur– One of the “newest” attractions in Bali, it was formed by a volcanic eruption in 1917. The sunrise view from the summit is breathtaking. There is a caldera lake called Lake Batur in the crater. This is a great day hike… don’t forget to pack you lunch!

Side trips

The beauty of Bali is that it is centrally located and there are a number of wonderful side trips just a short flight away. One of our favorites is Borneo.

We elected take a short flight to Borneo. While we loved the ocean and culture of Bali… Borneo’s biodiversity is second to none. You can take in the orangutan park or if you’re little more adventurous head deep into the jungles of Borneo. There’re a number of resorts and camps you can go out on. We’ll like to go to the little lake in the center the island called Battang Ai. You have to take a boat across to an island in the middle of the lake. There are a number of different nature hikes and aboriginal village experiences. Our favorite was taking a waterfall adventure. The trek was pretty grueling but the reward was swimming under our own waterfall.  Check out our Borneo for Beginners post for all the details.

Beautiful Batang Ai

Beautiful Batang Ai

We given you a few ideas on how to make Bali your next couple vacation. There is so much to offer traveling couples, and with that the affordable costs it is a great selection for your next couple holiday.

Have you been to Bali? If so we’d love to hear some feedback on what your favorite parts. Just leave a comment below.

20 Places You Are Saying Wrong

1) Nice, France      WRONG: Nice    RIGHT: Niece.

Trust us, Nice is Nice!

 

2) Phuket, Thailand      WRONG: Fu-ket   RIGHT: Poo-get

Read our post on skipping Phuket and visiting Krabi.

Thailand and Cambodia 2012 -2 097

3) Thames River, UK      WRONG: Th-AIMS    RIGHT: TEMs

Don’t know about you, but I could listen to Benedict Cumberbatch say “Thames,” All…day…long!

 

4) Nevada, USA       WRONG: Nev-AH-duh    RIGHT: Ne-VAD-Duh

Don’t worry too much…Americans on the east side of the USA don’t know how to say it either.

 

5) Copenhagen, Denmark      WRONG: Co-pen-hay-gen    RIGHT: Co-pen-hog-gen

Hey you! There is not no “hay” in Copenhagen!

 

6) Beijing, China       WRONG: Pee-King    RIGHT: Bay-JING

This one harkens back to very poor translation spelling.

 

7) Reykjavik, Iceland       WRONG: Ray-ka-vick    RIGHT: Ray-kia-vick

Ok…we struggle with this one.  Think of the car brand?

 

8) Taipei, Taiwan       WRONG: Tai-PAY    RIGHT: Tai-BAY

Home of one of the tallest buildings in the world, Taipei 101.

Taipei 101.

A view from Taipei 101.

9) Ibizi, Spain       WRONG: eye-BEE-zuh    RIGHT: eye-BEE-thuh

It sounds a little too much like I beat her.

 

10) Moscow, Russia       WRONG: Moss-COW    RIGHT: Moss-CO

No mossy cows in Moscow.

 

11) New Orleans, USA       WRONG: New Or-Leans     RIGHT: New Or-Luns

The faster you say it, the better it sounds.

 

12) Qatar       WRONG: cut-TAR    RIGHT: Kuh-TER.

There is plenty of tar in Qatar, just not in the name of the country.

 

13) Bangkok, Thailand       WRONG: BANG-kock    RIGHT: Bang-Gowk

This is another common mistake we hear.   Anyway you say it, one of the best cities we have visited.

 

14) Budapest, Hungry       WRONG: Budda-PEST    RIGHT: Budda-Pescht

If you are headed there, drop us a line. We know the best goulash place. Mmmmm.

 

15) Iraq       WRONG: Eye-Rack     RIGHT: EYE-Rock

Watch the evening news, and at least half of the local reporters will get it wrong.

 

16) Versailles, France       WRONG: Ver-sillys     RIGHT: VER-Sigh

This is a great drinking game standing in line for tickets to the palace.

The Grand Palace

17) Dubai       WRONG: Do-Buy    RIGHT: Do-BAY

Please do buy the duvet, not the Dubai.

 

18) Newfoundland, Canada       WRONG: New-Found- Land    RIGHT: Nyoo-fn-Land

Ok…we cant say it right either. Here is a Canuck to help us:

 

19) Gstaad, Switzerland       WRONG: Gee-STAD    RIGHT: Sch-TOT

Theres no G in Gstaad.

 

20) Cannes, France       WRONG: CANS    RIGHT: CAN

Saying it right vs. saying it wrong will cost you a good seat at any good Cannes restaurant.

 

How many did you get wrong?  Leave a comment below.

Travel-the best V day gift!

Tis the season of Love!  Valentines day is just around the corner.  We are all facing the age old question, what to give our loved one?   Why give chocolates or flowers?  Give them the world!  We asked a few of our friends to submit “Selfies of Love.”  Hopefully this will inspire you to invest in your relationship and see the world together.  Even better, we are giving away $50 for the best couple travel selfie!  Below are the best of the best we have received to date.  Think you have a better one?  There is still time to enter!  Read below for all the details on entering.  Happy travels!

Don’t forget to vote for your FAVE “Selfie of Love” below!

 

Volcano in El Salvador

Beth and Ben on a hike up the Santa Ana Volcano in El Salvador. Check out their blog:  www.mytraveltools.com

 

Happy Baha couple!

Happy Baha couple!

 

A room with a view! Paris Opera House

A room with a view! Paris Opera House

 

Kennedy space center

Robbie and Carrie at Kennedy Space Center.

 

Hamlet Depot, Hamlet, North Carolina.

Hamlet Depot, Hamlet, North Carolina.

 

Love at the Louvre with Olly & Jo of @ollyandjo

Love at the Louvre with Olly & Jo of @ollyandjo

 

The couple behind @onlymypassport in Valencia, Spain.

The couple behind @onlymypassport in Valencia, Spain.

 

Charlotte and Cameron at Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

Charlotte and Cameron at Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

[poll id=”2″]

Its not too late to enter!!!!   Just zing us a picture and tell us in less than 10 words where it was taken.  Send them to [email protected]

 

The fine print (sorry, we don’t look good in stripes):

1) Pictures must be travel themed and feature at least two people.  (No cat pictures allowed.)

2) Void where prohibited.  (Void is such a weird word…..Void.)

3)  All pics must be “tastefully” done.  (Ummm… no weird stuff, ok?)

4) Contest rules are subject to change.  (Unless Luci changes her mind….which NEVER happens.)

5)  Contest ends on February 10, 2016 at midnight MST.  (All good things must come to an end.)

5.5)  18 years old and above only to win.  (This is the most fun adults get to have…no kids allowed!)

6)  The expert judges at 1000 Fights will pick the winner!.  (There are no rules against crossing your fingers.)

7)  Submitting pictures to www.1000Fights.com means we can use them.  (We will use them in our post if you win.  Thats all.  We promise.)