10 places I want to see before I die.

Thailand
This has always been my dream destination. The beautiful white sandy beaches, crystal clear water, history, cheap shopping and wonderful cultures and people have always appealed to me. All the different activities one can do and sites one can see are a dream for me. Hopefully I will be visiting Thailand at the end of the year.

Dubai
Just seeing the airport during a stop between plane changes, was enough to tell me that Dubai must be fabulous. That and stories from friends and ample YouTube videos have told me that Dubai has so much to offer. Since everything is pretty much manmade you can find almost anything you could imagine. The worlds tallest building, an indoor snowboarding/skiing slope and the worlds largest aquarium are just some highlights. All this, along with beautiful beaches, camel rides and belly dancers, make this country both rich in wealth and culture.

Poland
I have wonderful friends there and am extremely interested in the history of Poland. I would also love to visit places such as Auschwitz. I find it to be an incredibly interesting country with so much history.

India
I find the culture fascinating and beautiful and the customs and traditions enthralling. With so many different festivals, whether you are there for the Holi festival in February/March or Diwali in October/November it is bound to be both exciting and breathtakingly beautiful. With so much to see and do... India seems amazing. Plus, who would not want to take the perfect instagram picture in front of the Taj Mahal.

Turkey
A country that spans across two continents and seems a perfect combination of East and West... Turkey seems delightful and chock full of history. Not to mention that one of my favourite foods, doner durums (basically a shwarma), are the speciality in Turkey. I have always heard so many interesting stories from my dad about his travels through Turkey and thus have always found it appealing.

Greece
This beautiful marble filled haven with its gorgeous beaches and a library full of history. From the stunning beaches of Mykonos, to the beautiful mountainous areas, the infamous Athens and all the wondrous stories it holds. Greece seems like the perfect combination of old and new.

Croatia
Before leaving on my previous trip I did a bunch of research on places to visit. One blog that I read listed 10 of the most beautiful natural sites/places to visit. Five were in Croatia. Since I am quite an outdoorsy, nature girl I think I would love Croatia.

Prague
When I picture Prague, I picture a beautiful cobblestoned city that has somehow stayed beautiful and escaped the destruction that affected its neighbours... although I may be wrong. The Czech Republic as a whole seems wonderful and I have heard that the Czech people are incredibly welcoming.

Brazil
My mom has always wanted to see the Rio Carnival and thus I have found an interest in it too. The culture seems incredible... festive, colourful and vibrant. Plus 60% of the Amazon Rain Forest lies in the North of Brazil so one has the opportunity to see that too.

Alaska
I do not really enjoy winter or just cold weather for that matter, but for some strange reason I find Alaska rather appealing. It seems like a winter wonderland.

Düsseldorf - Auf wiedersehen Duitsland

The last place I visited before coming back to South Africa, was Düsseldorf in Germany, I flew from Stuttgart to Düsseldorf early in the morning and my connecting flight was only later that evening. I thus spent the day there before flying via Dubai back to South Africa.

I’ll be honest, I was tired (with no sleep the night before) and not really looking forward to roaming around a city all day. But I was pleasantly surprised by pretty Düsseldorf and I actually think it may be one of my favourite cities.

This city of two rivers, the Düssel and the Rhine, is well known for its fashion and architecture and seems to be the perfect balance between old and new. Everything to see and do is in one area of Düsseldorf which makes seeing it in a limited time relatively easy.

Whether it is moseying along the canal in the Königsalle, sauntering around the Altstadt (old town), or taking a stroll along the Rheinuferpromenade… Düsseldorf is beautiful. See the whole of Düsseldorf from atop the Rheinturm (TV-tower) or see Jan-Wellem-Denkmal in the Marktplatz. See the incredible architecture of the Stadterheburgsmonument, Wilhelm-Marx-Haus, or Gehry’s “Dancing towers”. Düsseldorf also has a number of beautiful old churches, such as St Andreas, Lambertus-Basilika, Neadnderkirche, St Maximilian, Bergerkirche and one of my favourite Johanneskirche (found in Martin-Luther-Platz.)

I had three favourite in Düsseldorf. All the beautiful fountains, such as the Jrönger Jong, Radschlӓgerbrunnen and my favourite the Tritonenbrunnen in the Konigsalle. This incredible old boat in this body of water in the middle of a busy restaurant area. To this day I cannot for the life of me remember where exactly. So if you find it… let me know. And finally mu absolute favourite, the most stunning old Carsh-Haus (basically like a bandstand) in the Heinrich-Heine Platz.

Düsseldorf was beautiful and I am so happy that I took the time to experience it instead of just sitting around in the airport. I was sad to leave Europe, and end my adventure, but I look forward to more in the future.

  

Helpful tip #10

Dealing with post-travel blues/depression

When you first get back from your trip (especially your first one), you are completely filled with excitement and spend at least the first week back sharing all your stories, memories and photos with anyone you see. But soon people get tired of being forced to see your photo's over and over again or begin resenting the fact that every conversation somehow leads to a story of "When I was in..."or "the food in wherever was just amazing". It is difficult to not do these things and even more difficult to acknowledge that nobody else will experience exactly what you experienced, in exactly the same way. That coupled with the realisation that your adventure is over and the uncertainty of whether or not you will ever get such an opportunity again, can be daunting. When you are travelling, you constantly have new exciting experiences waiting for you and every day is a new adventure. It is difficult to return to your normal life. As a result you may, as I did, experience some post travel-blues.

Here are some tips I picked up on how to deal with post-travel blues/depression;
- Keep busy. If you are too busy with other things, you won't think about it as much.
- Find exciting new activities/ adventures in or near your home.
- Plan your next trip. Even if it may only be in the distant future, or even if it changes ten times before you actually travel again... plan it anyway.
- Stay in touch with people you met on your trip. They will probably also be experiencing what you are experiencing, so sharing stories etc. helps. Plus, they will probably never get tired of reliving the memories and adventures.
- Incorporate the cultures you experienced into your life at home. Be it learning to cook a meal you enjoyed on your travels, or celebrating a holiday that you would not normally celebrate in your country.
- Read travel blogs (like this), articles about travel and other countries or watch the travel channel. This might make you nostalgic, but it will also keep your desire to travel alive.
- Start your own blog. This has perhaps been the thing that has helped me most. Writing about my trip (now a year and a half later) is a way for me to put down on paper (so to speak) all the wonderful experiences I had, and gives me the opportunity to recall all these incredible memories. It also sustains my desire to travel more.
- When you meet new people and need a conversation starter, use things like "What is your dream destination?" or "What is your favourite country to visit?" etc. People will find it quirky and it will give you an opportunity to both reminisce about your travels as well as learn about places that they have been to or want to visit.
- And perhaps most importantly... remember the experience for what it was, but do not let it take away from what could be or what is still to come.

It is important to point out that I am certainly not an authority on dealing with depression, nor am I a seasoned traveller, psychologist or counsellor. These are just a few things that helped me to deal with my post-travel blues.

Much love, laughter and safe travels.

Helpful tip #9

Culture shock - embrace it!

Culture shock is a real thing, although I actually felt it more when I came back to S.A. than when arriving in Germany. My suggestion... Embrace it. It can be a little scary at first, but as Susan Jeffers said; "feel the fear and do it anyway". Before leaving for my study programme, I was told by my coordinator that one would go through different phases when in a new country. First; excitement and positivity, then an extreme low where you struggle with the differences in culture, language etc. (culture shock at its prime) and then finally you adjust, love the place and don't want to leave. When you return home it begins again and you end up experiencing culture shock in your own country.

While I may have struggled at times regarding language and norms in Germany, I never hit a low and loved every moment. However, upon my return to S.A I experienced major culture shock and serious post-travel blues. It is difficult to come back to a place where the culture, norms and traditions are so different to what you have now become accustomed to. Not to mention trying to adjust to something simple, like the lack of public transport. This seems odd, considering I have lived in South Africa my whole life, and only lived in Germany for a month... but it really happens. I think even more so if you get to experience a country that is so incredibly efficient.

Soon people get tired of hearing your stories and being forced to see ALL your photos for the 10th time. You however, do not want the memories to fade or the experience to end. It is difficult, but if you embrace it and think of your home as the new adventure... it helps. It also helps to try not compare your life back home to what you had overseas. They are incomparable.

I will be doing a blog post soon on how I handled the post-travel blues. So be sure to check that out.

Much love, laughter and safe travels.

Ludwigsburg and real life fairy-tales

Ludwigsburg is about 12 kilometers away from the Stuttgart City Center, and is known for the Residential Palace and Mӓrchengarten (Fairy-tale Garden). It is a lovely city and the Palace is beautiful.

I highly recommend a visit to the Mӓrchengarten. It may sound like something suited for children, but it is exciting for people of all ages. Seeing your childhood fairy-tales come to life and the characters in larger than life form is wonderful and exciting. Take a boat ride through Geppetto’s workshop, and see Pinocchio come to life. Climb up Rupunzels tower or visit the Frog Prince’s residence. A wonderful morning or afternoon activity for young and old that will have you reminiscing about your childhood.

The Palace is massive and breathtakingly beautiful. It is also one of Germany’s largest Baroque Palaces. It is surrounded by the most stunning gardens as well as the Mӓrchengarten. Just a few minutes’ walk away you will also discover the Hunting Lodge and Summer Residence Favourite, which Duke Ludwig built for his mistress. It is lovely to look at, but pales in comparison to the giant Residential Palace.

Ludwigsburg makes for a perfect morning or afternoon adventure and is only a short train trip from Stuttgart. It was also covered in beautiful street art at the time of my visit. One can easily walk from the station to the Mӓrchengarten and Palaces, so transport is not a problem.

I recommend you visit this lovely place and relive your childhood fairy-tales.

Helpful tip #8

Whilst I should actually be setting a Science test right now, I suddenly feel the desire to write a blog post instead. Procrastination.... check! So, I hope you find this helpful.

Tax free is not always cheaper.

Aboard some flights and in shops at certain airports in some countries, goods will be advertised as duty-free (tax free). This means that whatever you buy is tax free, provided you plan on taking it out of the country. While you may find some great specials (and Christmas gifts), look carefully as sometimes you can actually buy the product for cheaper outside of the airport. I found this to be particularly true for food products such as chocolates. I was able to buy the exact same product for cheaper in a local supermarket. Perhaps this was just my experience though, so let me know what you think.

Duty-free, however, seemed really worth it for more expensive items such as jewelry or perfume. Just be observant and do not fall for it just because the name has the word "free" in it.

Happy shopping (or not).  

Chintsa East - My home!

As I sit on the beach and write this, I am reminded that whilst I have most definitely been bitten by the travel bug, and am ever so eager to explore the rest of the world, see new sites and have exciting new adventures, I am also reminded of just how lucky I am to live where I live. Perhaps growing a little older has left me feeling rather reflective and so feel it is only right that I write about my home for a change.

Whilst I technically live in East London, South Africa, I consider my real home to be a tiny seaside village just outside of East London. I feel slightly apprehensive about giving the name of this quaint little place as I would not want my thousands of readers (yeah right...) taking over the place and changing the atmosphere. But I shall divulge none-the-less. Whilst I am sure hundreds of villages just like this exist, I am certain that none can quite compare to the little gem called Chintsa East.

Growing up here has been incredible. A holiday town, with very few of us "locals", which consists of mostly retired people and those wanderlust travelers who somehow got stuck here on their travels. Then you have the few parents, like mine, who gave their kids the chance to grow up in this place.With a close knit community, infinite hours spent in the sand and sea, countless bonfires, mud-fights and beach walks. It is kind of like the life people live in movies. One of holiday friendships, tree-house building, themed parties (as we got older) and childhood shenanigans.

There is nothing more wonderful to me than watching the crabs scurry across the shore, or hearing the waves crashing or the sandpipers chirping. It is nature at its best and is truly magical. The stars sparkle so clearly in the unpolluted, midnight sky and one feels safe enough to venture off on their own. The locals are friendly, and you will inevitably be invited in for at least one cup of tea on your way down to the beach. It is easy to see why visitors to this place never want to leave. It is beautiful, and one of my favourite places to be.

I will always be grateful for being a part of a place that has, amidst all the hustle and bustle of todays times, remained so wonderful and quaint.

Lake Konstanz

Sorry loyal readers for the delayed updating of this blog. A new job and very busy weekends, have kept me away from my pride and joy and from (I hope) entertaining you. I hope that I will successfully update it weekly from now.

On to Lake Konstanz... this magnificent lake lies on the borders of Germany, Switzerland and Austria, which means if you cross it you would be in another country. This is also, where the water from the Rhine flows. It is truly beautiful and the city of Konstanz is lovely.

Take a ferry across to one of the islands. We headed to Meersburg, a charming medieval city that is basically just pedestrianized, with only a few roads for cars. Instead of driving, one finds oneself climbing stairways and walking up/down rather steep hills. It is famous for both its old and new castle, which are both stunning, and the city is composed of mostly beautiful wooden houses.

Konstanz, a university city, is a beautiful city with the most gorgeous cathedral. One can also see a section of the former city wall, and the Marktstӓtte provides the perfect location for some curio shopping.

I would go back in a heartbeat and truly loved this beautiful place.

Helpful tip #7

Rather spend your money and enjoy your trip, than end up leaving with lots left over. Travelling can be expensive and when you start converting every time you buy something you may start to become rather frugal with your money. This is usually when your currency is weaker than wherever it is you are visiting.

When I first arrived in London I was so afraid to spend my money that I hardly bought anything. While I have never regretted this as I used the money later in my trip I also realised that I had set aside a certain amount of money to spend on my trip and thus I should spend it. Not end up at the airport with all my money and nothing to show of my travels or worse with wishes that I had gone on that tour or gone into that museum which I really would have liked to see but didn’t because it “cost too much”.

This does not mean you should spend for the sake of spending, but does mean you should allow yourself to enjoy what you can. Just budget carefully.

Happy spending.

Munich and Dachau

I was lucky enough to spend a day in the Bavarian capital, Munich. One Saturday, we bought a group travel pass and set off from Stuttgart to explore amazing München. Munich, like all German cities is clean and extremely efficient/organised.  It is also beautiful.

While some stayed in Munich itself to visit museums and such, the rest of us ventured out of Munich to visit the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site. This was quite an experience and took one on an emotional rollercoaster of sorts. While I have been told that the other concentration camp sites are more traumatizing, it was still tough to see. It is hard to imagine that a camp built for 5000 prisoners held 30,000 at the time of its liberation. It was even scarier to see how “normal” the gas chambers looked although Dachau's were never used. It is horrifying to think of the medical experiments done on those who volunteered in hope of release. It was physically painful for me to imagine what Dachau’s prisoners went through and I struggle to understand how guards (Dachau also had the first female guards) could do what they did and then go to church on a Sunday. Dachau was truly on eye-opener. Whilst I understand the pressures of peers, government, and the expectations placed on people. I understand the psyche involved and that it became a norm, I will never, however, truly be able to comprehend how people were able to treat others so inhumanely. That applies to all countries, past, present and future... including my own.

On to less morbid topics. After a morning spent in Dachau, we ventured back into Munich to find ourselves in the middle of gay pride day. This meant that the center of Munich was effectively closed off to cars and other traffic. Stages with performances, stalls and people dressed up gave Munich a wonderful atmosphere and it was incredible to see how everybody embraced everyone, regardless of race, religion or sexuality. I could not help but notice the contrast between now and the 1930’s/1940’s.

It was great to see the infamous Glockenspiel and the beautiful Alter Peter (Saint Peters Church). A good part of the afternoon, before heading back to Stuttgart, was spent at the stunning Englischer Garten near the university.Unfortunately as we only had limited time in the birthplace of Oktoberfest, we were unable to get to Olympia Park or the BMW museum, but I have been told that these are certainly worth a visit. 

A day well spent with wonderful friends, learning about the past and present and a definite recommendation in terms of a place to visit.