The third day was the most difficult, the longest and the most rewarding. After two days of light walks, we decided we were ready to pursue the long itinerary that brought us up as high as 2770 masl. It all started with a bus ride from Campitello to Vigo di Fassa. We tested the public transportation of Val di Fassa for you. In the early morning, we got pretty scared when we discovered that the bus stop in downtown Campitello is full of tourists. I counted them and they were more than 50 and I thought that the bus is too small to bring them all to the destination. I was wrong. The bus was late of about 10 minutes but when it arrived I realized how well Val di Fassa is prepared. All of the tourists got on board. The service of selling ticket was equally efficient: a young man crossed the bus selling the tickets to all tourists. He also served as tourist information reminding each passenger where he or she should get off. By the time we arrived at our destination everybody was served. The bus services in Val di Fassa is a great alternative to cars. Not only it is a green solution but it saves you money for the parking place and it allows you to start and end your itinerary in a different place! We walked to the cableway car and bought the tickets. Up at Ciampedie we started our fast walk only to discover that in less than an hour we arrived at Rifugio Vajolet at 2244 masl. It was fast and pleasant. Many tourists followed this path but we were fast enough to left them far behind. We further continued to Passo Principe and in 1h 59min we were up there, at the altitude of 2599 masl. Quite a few other tourists were having their second breakfast there, in the hut, and we joined them and sit on the small terrace with breathtaking views. We had a warm tea and after a short break, we continued our trek. Next, we climbed at the highest point of the path, at the level of 2770 masl. The surrounded peaks looked magnificent at the background of the clear blue sky. Even though the weather forecast was pessimistic we unexpectedly enjoyed the sun. The temperature was about 9C and the air was brisk. From the pass, the way was all downhill. First, we crossed a completely dry valley, full of white rocks and with no vegetation whatsoever. At the end of the valley, we discovered a small emerald pond. The size of the pond is strictly related to the quantity of snow melted in springtime. This year it was modest. Just above the pond, we saw the next Refugee called Antermoia and we gladly relaxed eating our lunch. It took us 3 hours to climb there and the view was worth every minute. The refugee itself was interesting: there is a new owner who completely renovated the place. He installed the solar panels and made the interior looked modern. The staff was friendly and the food was obviously delicious. A wonderful reward for the 3h climb! An hour later we continued our journey. The view towards Sasso Piatto, Val Udai and Val de Dona were fabulous. Crossing kilometres downhill brought us full immersion in the green pastures of the Dolomites. There were very few people who followed our footsteps, therefore, we fully enjoyed the path and the views. The way back via Val Duron was a bit long but it was easy and we arrived at our accommodation fully satisfied. The whole itinerary covered 20km, it took us almost 6 hours to walk it, excluding brakes and lunch. Travel tip: watch the weather forecast carefully and in the case of the sudden change go back to safety as soon as possible. Itinerary day 3: Campitello – Vigo di Fassa (by bus, ticket: 1,80 EUR) – Rifugio Ciampedie 1998 masl (by cableway car, one way ticket: 9EUR) – Rifugio Gardeccia 1950 masl- Rifugio Vajolet 2244 masl – Rifugio Passo Principe 2599 masl- Passo Antermoia 2770 masl – Rafigio Antermoia 2497 masl- Val Duron – Rifugio Micheluzzi – Campitello. Read about day 1 itinerary Ciampedie here. Read about day 2 itinerary Sasso Piatto here.  

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This was a memorable day! Driving a scooter in Italy is one of my favorite activities. A very simple skill I acquired instantly after my first scooter ride few years ago in Ferrara and since then I simply love it. I owned a scooter while I was living in Italy but unfortunately I couldn’t keep it when I left. All in all I use every opportunity to drive a scooter again and so from the moment I knew I went to Sorrento I had a plan to do it. Why scooter? There are many wonderful feelings attached to driving a scooter in Italy. Most of all a sensation of freedom and pure happiness of doing a joyful thing. Then, the sunny weather and the wind in my hair. It is often very warm in Italy so the wind created during a ride cools the driver down. Also, the size of the scooter guarantees that you will always find a parking spot which in case of a full size car is often impossible. Not to mention passing the cars stuck in a traffic jam! Effortless move around the city is also a good excuse to use scooter instead of a bike and also considerable distances a scooter is able to cover. Is it for you? These are only few arguments to drive a scooter in Italy. However, I am far from encouraging every tourist visiting Italy to drive a scooter. Why? As they say in the UK: security first! So if you have never driven a scooter before don’t start in a places like Sorrento: far in the south very busy touristic places. If driving a scooter is you dream – just like mine was – think about trying a short drive somewhere safer than a busy crossroad of Positano. Or ask your Italian friend to give few advices and a short ride outside the city or in a parking lot. What is the traffic in Sorrento? Traffic in Sorrento is very particular and it’s not only about busy tiny little streets and many cars around. It’s also about habits of other drivers or better said: lack of them. I think this is one of the reason why literally EVERYBODY looked pretty scared when I told them about my idea of driving a scooter in Sorrento. I think that driving any mean of transportation in Sorrento including a car and a bike is an activity that requires certain skills. Most of all: a determination. And creating impression of being firmed that is easy to catch by other drivers. There are no traffic lights in the area but people don’t need it. The locals wouldn’t stop on red anyway! And so when you approach a crossroad and it is your turn you just go! Trusting all others will read this signal and will pass you through. It worked pretty well in my case and I got used to it in no time. How to rent a scooter? There is a variety of renting companies in Sorrento and I think they are pretty similar. In a place where I rented a scooter one day rent for a 125cc scooter costed about 30 EUR. I needed to show a valid driving license and a credit card with 1000 EUR deposit. The only funny thing was a guy who worked there. He tried to discourage me and he did everything he could to actually do this. He appealed to my sense and an argument that I owned a scooter for couple of years and drove it safely in Italy did not impress him at all. As I said: a strong mindset is everything. The Amalfi Coast So how was it? Well, it was fabulous! The weather was perfect and the traffic was moderate, at most. I had enough time to stop at every panoramic site to take pictures, shot some GoPro clips and enjoy the ride. The final piece in city center of Positano was a thrill! It was all downhill, numerous curves and turns, a crazy crowd of tourists from all over the world and breathtaking panorama as a background. This UNESCO world heritage site and scenic route was a totally awesome idea. This birthday gift will last forever in my memory. I hope to share some clips shot there in nearest future. So stay tuned! (By the way: my Italian friend, the one who taught me to cook, after seeing a short clip from Sorrento called me pericolo pubblico but I think she exaggerated! See for yourself below!!! A short movie clip from Sorrento is right here! Amalfi Coast by scooter from Null & Full on Vimeo. …and from Sorrento I’m taking you right to a small town in Emilia-Romagna: Brisighella! Have you ever thought about visiting Italy? Here is an alternative way on how to visit Italy and get really close to the Italian way of life. I created a project ‘I love Ferrara‘ so you could join me and experience how beautiful and tasty Ferrara is. If you wish to immerse in Italy book your holiday now!  

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Just when I got back from New Zealand I started to think how the real life in New Zealand is? Not that I would like to move there permanently but one month in NZ allowed me to reflect a bit on that. Few weeks later one of the posts on NZ got a nice comment from Esther (founder and editor of NZMuse Blog) and after a short exchange of emails she agreed to write a post. This is a guest post from her. Esther is a New Zealander herself I thought this is a very good idea to ask her about life in New Zealand. Here is what she wrote about it. Life in the land of the long white cloud Among other things, they call New Zealand “Godzone”, as in “God’s own”. People who’ve never been here have idyllic images of an island paradise. Having been around the world and back, I can confirm that my country is far from perfect, but indeed, we’re lucky to have what we have here. Let’s get the negatives out of the way first. Everything is expensive here. We are so far away from the rest of the world (being such an isolated country, reading news about other parts of the globe actually feels kind of surreal and distant, though less so now that I’ve been to some of those places) that everything costs a lot, from clothing to food to electronics. Yup, even the stuff we produce. Our lamb and dairy, for example, is sometimes cheaper overseas – and we export all the best stuff. And don’t get me started on the price/quality of housing. Plus, it’s also expensive to get here or fly out, thanks to the tyranny of distance. Public transport sucks. And in some places, it’s non-existent. That comes with being such a small and sparsely populated nation. If you’re visiting, it’s best to get your own wheels. It can also be kind of boring here, especially if you’re not outdoorsy. There isn’t a ton of culture here, and while we have a lot of great Asian food, cuisines from other countries can be hard, if not impossible, to find. Aside from these things, I’m a big fan of New Zealand, especially as a destination to visit. I love the chilled out culture we have. Barbecues. Road trips. Days at the beach. Running around barefoot at school. We get four weeks of leave a year, plus 11 public holidays, and while there are some industries where you do have to work long hours, generally you can have a pretty good work-life balance here. I love that travel is such a key part of our culture. It’s a rite of passage to travel overseas in your 20s. Travel is valued and admired. I love passing another campervan and waving in comradeship. I love that tourists flood the country every summer and winter and I love seeing backpackers on Queen St. I love that people are generally friendly and welcoming. I love that it’s relatively clean and safe. Now, we’re not 100% Pure or as green as we’d like to think, but on an international scale, we’re doing reasonably well. And while I’ve been burgled multiple times, violent crime is pretty low – I’m not worried about getting mugged or shot here. I love that it’s fairly egalitarian. I’m not going to lie, there is poverty here, including the worst kind – child poverty, which most likely relates to our sadly high proportion of child abuse – especially in smaller, dying towns. And there are racists here and there, as in every other country. But we are a country of immigrants, and a very young country (only a couple hundred years old) and having visited many other countries I can pretty confidently say that our problems with integration and inequality barely register on the global scale of things. I also appreciate our public healthcare and welfare. I love the nature that’s all around us. New Zealand has a wide array of landscapes – almost anything you can imagine – and they are never more than a short drive or flight away. It’s the beauty of being a small country. More about life in New Zealand is here: Living in New Zealand by Esther.  

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Some of the pictures shared above were taken without even stopping a car. Literally. Just having window open, driving about 40 km/h and…click, done, let’s go. This was pure madness! The number of breathtaking sites in this country is hard to believe. All regions I crossed were not only packed with breathtaking views but also an evidence the stories on the variety of landscapes were true! I think my favorite view would be something I would call typical New Zealand one: a wide valley, green grass, few sheep, mountain range as background and blue sky above. These are pictures that were in my imagination before I went to New Zealand and this journey not only confirmed its beauty but it exceeded them totally! New Zealand is just pure beauty to the extent that is hard to believe. This was one of the journeys that even though it is finished it still lasts in my mind. Previous gallery is here.  

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When I started to plan a journey to New Zealand the first information I came across was considering camping as best way to visit the island. There was no doubt I will use this opportunity to avoid the busy and touristic places. Camping is strongly developed in New Zealand and is very popular. Here is the story how I did it, some useful tips and things you should avoid. If you wish to watch how was New Zealand on a short clip click here. Think About Your Needs All blogs and guides encourage you to rent a campervan with so called self – contained certificate which means it needs bathroom/toilet facilities inside. All water used is kept inside the camper until you find a dump station. It keeps the natural environment of New Zealand unspoiled. There is also law that allows to stop in many places only vehicles with this certificate. Otherwise you pay a high fine. Majority people rent campervans equipped with this certificate and so did I. And I think it was not worthy of its price. Here is why. I haven’t used the bathroom in the campervan even once. It’s because the camping sites and holiday parks are so well developed in New Zealand there is no need to. Besides it is far from comfort. Not to mention the price for it and the difference between certified and non – certified vehicle. Even you would need to pay for a toiled every time you use it, it is still far less than the renting fee of a certified camper. Next time I’m in New Zealand I think I will rent something quite different: smaller and cheaper alternative. Some rental agencies provide vans with kitchen and sleeping berths inside with no tolilet facilities. I think this is much better option, to be honest. Book In Advance Quite obviously the number of campervans available in New Zealand is limited. This is really popular way to visit the island so don’t wait until the very last moment to book it. Most popular vehicles are book 6 months in advance (or even 10 months!). So if you really wish to do it, you should bear it in mind. Time vs Distance The quality of roads in New Zealand differs from what we are used to in Europe. Something that is called highway would be a local road, at most. One line, with no shoulders is something you need to get used to if you wish to drive through the South Island. This was one of the biggest misconceptions about camping in New Zealand: time needed to drive from one place to another. Although there is a reasonable speed limit of 90 kph you rarely drive that fast. There are also many mountain passes and many turns to deal with. So if you plan to drive in New Zealand calculate your speed accordingly. My guess would be 50 – 60 kph on average. Camping Sites Are Excellent I extensively used camping sites and holiday parks. For a reasonable fee it offers you a power site so you can charge your battery, kitchen and toilet facilities, WI-FI (in most places), and a common room. Even in the most wild camping terrain there was warm water available and this is a real luxury at the end of the day. I stayed in at least 6 different campsites and I can confirm that the quality of services provided is excellent. Here is the full list of the places I stayed in: Top 10 Holiday Parks: Westport Seal Colony, Richmond, Franz Josef. A camping site with amazing view on the bay and black beach: Kaikoura Peketa Beach Holiday Park. And one of the cleanest camping site I have ever seen: Te Anau Kiwi Holiday Park. Two favorite ones would be Te Anau Kiwi Holiday Park and Franz Josef Top 10 Holiday Park. The cleanness of these two camping grounds was astonishing! Highly recommended to all who travel around South Island. Helpful staff will book any activity you wish! Franz Josef Top 10 Holiday Park has the best view of high mountains covered with snow in the area. Its location is just perfect. And it is also pretty close to Okarito Beach so whatever is your focus the location is just awesome! Check these top five scenic routes by Laurence from Finding the Universe before you plan you itinerary. Laundry Almost all camping sites provide laundry facilities. Making laundry in such places is the easiest thing to do, really. You just need few coins and in less than 2h all your clothes are washed and dried. Even if I went to New Zealand for a month I had only clothes for about a week. So every Saturday I needed to wash it. Here is the picture from one of the cutest laundry I have ever been to. I love places like this! As local as a place can be. Notice board with local ads, coffee machine and few local people to talk to. In this particular facility a person from staff was responsible for washing powder distribution! That’s how it works: no need to buy the whole bag. All in all, camping is a wonderful way of visiting the South Island. You can cross considerable distances, meet other tourists, have a chat with local staff, have your bookings done. I would say this is one of the best things New Zealand offers to the tourists.  

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My journey around the South Island was mainly very off the beaten track. I rarely met people and enjoyed peaceful days very much. But from the moment I read about Milford Sound and saw few pictures I knew I want to go there. Funny thing: picture on the cover of my guidebook was taken in Milford and I discovered it the moment I saw it! Milford Sound is a very touristic place and I think that even a long way you need to drive is worthy to see this! By all means! Popular place Milford Sound is very far away. And it’s not only because it is in New Zealand. It is actually located at the very end of 120 km road constructed only for touristic purpose. Can you imagine? Some people in New Zealand realized long time ago that they need to share this place with the world. And I think this was a wonderful idea! And even if this place is packed with people I loved it! Itinerary I think it was pretty clever to camp the night before Milford in a nearby campsite called Gunns Historical Hollyford Valley Camp. This campground is particular. It is located in Hollyford with interesting local story behind: a road to be constructed and various issues around it. The idea to connect Milford with the rest of the country to cut time and distance is more than one hundred years old. There was a small village constructed to host the builders and the campground is in this exact location, packed with old photos (ladies dressed in old fashion way, man in white shirts, hats protecting them from sandflies), and artifacts left by these early settlers. Needless to say the construction ended after 13 km and till today there was nothing done about it for decades. Every couple of years there are some politicians who bring this idea again but it never gets high priority nor proper funding (recently it was accused by green lobby for a hidden intention of mining purpose in protected area). Two families who run this place are one of a kind. Although quite simple it is brilliantly organized (water heated with wood was very warm and pleasant). Also, we were invited to a short walk after dark to see glow worms. The Sound So here we are: to visit the place you need to drive 120 km around a lake and through relatively high mountains. Early wake up and quick breakfast was crucial: I arrived to Milford at 10:00 a.m. and got to the boat at the very last moment. Southern Discoveries provides excellent services and if you wish to watch the Sound Encounter Nature Cruise is cool. Booking is essential but here is the good news: in New Zealand people are really helpful and each campsite I stayed in provided support in booking of nearby attractions. I know this is a clever PR trick and all these companies make profit out of it but I am looking at it from a traveler’s perspective: not all people buy a local SIM card to their phone and I don’t even want to think about the cell phone bill if all was booked with it. So courtesy of previous camping ground my ticket was booked.  The Beauty If you have a choice pick up a cruise at 10:15 a.m. the earliest. Milford is a tough place: it rains for 200 days a year and the morning fog is almost every day phenomenon. It might happen you’ll go for a cruise and you don’t see a thing! At the beginning of 10:15 cruise the mountains were covered with fog and clouds but is was getting better and better with every minute. Also Laurence from Finding the Universe was lucky in terms of weather. Watch his stunning photos here. As always: it seams almost impossible to describe how beautiful this place is. Along the 14 km way to the Tasman Sea we saw real wonders: waterfalls, ore, forrest with a unique root to keep the mountain still, glacier and seals. The whole scenery is constantly changing here. The color of water is hard to believe: it starts with dark blue and ends with light green depending on the clarity of the sky and the sun. It’s properties are very particular: due to a high annual rainfall the top 2 m consists of fresh water while the rest is salt. The cruise Some people say that to see best fiords in the world you need to visit Norway. Well, I was in Norway before and saw few of them and I think that to see the most beautiful fiords in the world you need to visit New Zealand. This huge Fiordland terrain is unspoiled and totally wild. The road constructed to Milford is the only human activity in this area. The rest is just as it was for hundred years before. Even though we are aware of some birds’ extinction the area makes amazing impression of very very old piece of land. The cruise was spectacular mainly due to the right time of the day and the weather condition. It was amazing to cross the pass and tunnel in the sun first to dissolve myself in a fog and to see the sun again. Moreover, it took less than three hours to witness these dynamic changes. It was also interesting to hear some stories on the board of the ferry: about ore, and the old forest, wild animals and waterfalls. The sound is really deep (up to 400 m of depth) and extremely steep so the boat could go as close to the shore as you could imagine: we got wet from the highest waterfall! And the seals that were sleeping on the rocks were so close that we could almost touch it. This was unforgettable experience! A very similar experience and delight with Milford was shared by Ari – a blogger – who visited this place few months before I did. You can read here...

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It’s not easy to come to one of the Aran Islands: Inishmore, Inishmeain or Inisheer. Although all three are well connected with mainland Ireland- as islanders call the rest of their country- the trip is demanding in terms of a mental challenge. The trip made by plane or by ferry still challenges ordinary tourists. I spoke to few locals during my stay on the island and they told me that they are pretty happy about it. What they get as a result is a group of extraordinary tourists. Who comes to the island? The major part of visitors come to see Dun Aengus. This famous ancient spot brings hundreds of tourists every year. Islanders have organized everything to make one day trip  possible. Thanks to a well-working system of small buses and bike rentals people who are coming with a ferry at 11:15 are able to see the fort and catch the latest ferry back to the mainland. You might be surprised to what extend the locals have thought about visitors: pensioners don’t neet to use the bus. They can also rent an electric bike! All to make their trip effortless and easy. Second large group of visitors constitute school trips and guided tours. They visit Ireland starting with Dublin and eventually they come to see the famous cliffs. In Dun Aengus I met an Italian school trip from a secondary school in Modena. They had a school exchange programme and stayed in Galway. For one day they came to see the famous fort. And there is a group of individual tourists, who come because they have always dreamt about it or they like it so much that they come every year. Some of the retired visitors decide to spend here the rest of their life, enjoying advantages of being a pensionate. While staying on the island only for a week I met Australians, Americans, French, Dutch, Germans and Italians, of all ages. Just like one of the interviewee of Nicolas Bouvier said: when I was young I travelled the world and now when I am old the world comes to me. What they do on the island? Inishmore is a perfect place for active people. You can walk around and ride a bike all day long. Take trekking shoes with you as some of the paths are rocky. Before I came to the island I thought I was fit however riding a bike against strong and unstable wind was exhaustive. I thought I will never make it! A nice old lady crossed my path on her electric bike making me feel even worse. When cycling I also met a guy who was riding in the opposite direction- with the wind- and he only shouted: “Don’t worry! It’ll be great on your way baaaack….” and he was gone, taken by the strong wind. I was still racing against the wind, red face and no breath. And- as you might expected- on my way back the direction of the wind suddenly change so both rides were against the wind. At least the way back was downhill which was pretty cool. Trekking around is excellent idea. There are no high peaks, of course, but the cliffs are considerable high. If you think this island has between 3-4km of width, one side is at the see level and the other is around 50-70 meters high, then you will get the picture of the downgrade. There are many paths to walk and all interesting spots are located on the high part of the island. Pony and trap tour seams to be a main attraction for families with children. Everyday, regardless the weather, a group of locals wait with their ponies at the pier, so the tourists getting off the ferry just bump into them. The group of the ponies’ owners is extraordinary: all of them speak Irish, they know their island well and enjoy telling the stories. Mairtin (see the picture above) was extremely helpful in my research of people who might remembered Nicolas Bouvier. Some of the pony and trap reminded me Gandalf and his coach. It was hard to believe but there are also people who actually come for a windsurf. I know it seams to be cold but they say that the waves are gorgeous. I met John on my way to the island and he does it every couple of weeks for last eleven years. He said he was the first one who did it so meet the local trendsetter (on the picture below). How about pubs and restaurants? Live music? In my next post, of course.  

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You are RIGHT! I have started organizing a new trip: this May I will go to the Aran Island. There are many reasons why I picked up this particular location, one of which is the journey of Nicolas Bouvier to this island in the early 80s. I am thrilled to visit- for the first time- the place where Nicolas Bouvier was writing one of his books titled: Journal d’Aran et d’autres lieux. As I decided to go there few months ago I’m constantly thinking about it, and most of all, about my principal motivation. I simply try to answer myself WHY do I wish to go to the Aran Island. Every week I find alternative answers and my anxiety is growing slowly. I’m pretty sure that I’ll have much more to say about this trip AFTER my return in mid May, however, I thought to use this opportunity to focus on the technical aspects of travels in general. Where to begin? When planning a new trip you need to consider your destination. The way I did is slightly more expensive as I had an idea of my dream destination FIRST, and checked the travel options LATER. In this case I was determined to visit THESE islands and there was no other option. If you are less determined and more flexible the choices you have are almost unlimited. Start with the cheap flights option and check what are the most popular travel destinations from the nearest airport. This might already give you a nice bunch of interesting places to visit. And also, you get this amazing emotion of being surprised for free. If you are as determined as I was check some alternatives and do not limit the flight search to the nearest airport. It might be much cheaper to travel from a nearby city than from the nearest airport which is also true for the destination city. In my case I searched all of the Irish airports as the island is relatively small and large cities are well connected. Eventually, I will arrive to Dublin and will continue my trip to Galway by bus. The plane ticket People usually try to find the cheapest option available, often neglecting unfavorable flight time. At least in the case of the European flights this is not always true. Rather, the day of the week is what matters. Flights tend to be cheaper in the middle of the week, peaking up on the weekends, but it varies across airports and airlines. What you need to remember about is that buying a very early or very late flight often forces you to pay for an overnight stay in a hotel, as public transportation might not always operate in extreme hours. If you are adventurous and you don’t mind spending night on the airport that’s fine. It happened to me once and fortunately this was a Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam (I will reveal the details of this adventure later on this blog). What’s next? If you bought a plane ticket and made sure that you’re able to reach final destination or at least one of its intermediate stops check the accommodation. I usually do it at the same time of the plane ticket purchase, just to make sure that the dates I picked up are not particularly crowded and the price for a hotel is not exaggerated. In the case of the Aran Island this was particularly important as the main island is really small and the accommodation options are limited. I wrote couple of emails with a request for information and availability. Not surprisingly one of the hotels was fully booked more than 2 months in advance. Oh yes, this is the real island that I am going to, therefore I had to check the timetable of the ferry. As you might guess it goes only 3 times a day which makes it a bit difficult to coordinate with the bus from Dublin. I hope to buy a ticket for this ferry tonight. Try to imagine the basic activities, including your favorite sports, and the renting options. While in some places it might be very attractive it sometimes is better to bring the equipment with you. This time I had to rely on the local bikes rental office as my intention is to get around by bike and flying with my own bike was not an option.   To make sure that I took all necessary things I usually write everything down in my Moleskine notepad and Moleskine calendar. This is also a good way to check the dates and make sure that there are no holes in your plan. It might happen that you buy a plane ticket and then you continue your journey by bus and you suddenly discover that the bus ticket is for the next day. This is not a pleasant thing to discover, however, it’s better this way. Even if you find your mistake while still being at home is gives you a chance to reschedule your trip, rebook the bus ride or whatever needed. If you find out after landing in unknown place in late evening you might be very surprised and it won’t be a nice surprise. Right. A month before my trip that’s pretty much everything. I am looking forward this trip anxiously. I have already some spectacular short movies and breathtaking photos in my head and please, keep your fingers crossed for a good weather. What should you remember about? check alternative airports check availability of public transportation in early/late hours check the local and national holiday to avoid peak seasons (unless you wish to participate in some local/national feasts) check the schedule of your trip and dates printed on your tickets  

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The German system of highways is one of the best thing this country has to offer to the tourists. Seriously! Travelling across Germany by car is really pleasant. The highways are excellent in terms of its density, interchanges and overhead direction signs, but also in terms of good driving conditions in the winter season. What really drives me crazy is the growing number of traffic jams, but this is true for all well developed countries, isn’t it? And Germany is not an exception.  Is that true that there is NO speed limit in Germany? Well, the German autobahns are famous of its advisory speed limit rather than the general speed limit. While this is generally true you can still get caught for exceeding speed limit. How come? It’s because the advisory speed limit is valid unless otherwise regulated by signs. Generally 2km before each interchange the speed is limited to 120km/h for safety reasons, then, the speed is limited in the vicinity of streams and lakes, on the bridges, in the case of sharp curves, or between certain times of the day and night (between 22:00-6:00), and couple of other exceptions. All sum up gives you practically around half of the length of the German highways under the speed limit. You need to be focused as the quantity of the speed limit signs might surprise you. Oh, yes, and the road works! The Germans are famous of its reliability and serious attitude towards public works which is very true in the case of road works. At least in the case of their highways the works are always organized “with a flourish”. What I mean is the scale of it. When you’re passing any of them you can usually admire a huge terrain being under construction. Deep excavations, mountains of sand, huge caterpillars and particular elements of new bridges are amazing. But the scale of road works has also dark side: usually when a few kilometers of two-line section is under construction the equivalent of it at the other side of the highway is shared by two driving streams, which drastically limits not only the speed (under 60km/h or even 40km/h) but also generates considerable traffic jams. When you meet one road work along your German adventure it’s OK but if you have a bad luck and you meet, let’s say, five, your trip takes twice as much as planed. The code of conduct Don’t be surprised if you see the Germans braking sharply when the speed limit sign is seen. This habit might be dangerous for the foreigners who are not used to such literal treatment of the signs. The German drivers simply believe in everything what is written along the road and they follow the rules without a second thought. As far as the safety reasons are concerned it is justified and the are no complaints. However, I saw plenty of situations when the only reason of a traffic jam was a speed limit followed by everybody. Ironically, the speed limit is temporary introduced because of the traffic jams on the road, causing even bigger traffic jam. And that how it goes: self regulated mechanism of traffic jams. All cars should occupy the right line of the road starting with the slowest trucks, campers, buses and vehicles with trailers. In the middle line you need to drive considerably fast, but the majority of the drivers follow the 130km/h advisory speed. The left line is  occupied by the people in rush and it might be even more than 200km/h. Now, I’m not the crazy driver and I usually follow the general rules (to all my friends: STOP LAUGHING!), but I can’t say that driving 200km/h on the German highways is unpleasant. If you wish to feel the wind blowing in your hair, the German highway is the right place. Remember to open the window ;-) and slow down when the sign says so. What is the difference between German, Italian and Austrian highways? The German highways in the major part are three-lines while in Austria and in Italy this is much less so. My least favorite highways are those in Austria because of its ridiculous speed limit of 100km/h. Few years ago there was a huge and very burdensome road work near Innsbruck with construction of tunnels and bridges. Everybody was hoping for the improvements after months of driving 40km/h because of the traffic jams in the surrounding of the city. Today, even if the road works are completed the speed limit of 100km/h is still on. The second reason of my dislike towards the Austrian highways is the system of payment. The Austrian vignettes are sold for peculiar number of the days: the shortest is a 10-days vignette and this is what you’re normally buying, so if you go to Italy for 2-weeks holiday you need to pay TWICE! What’s even more frustrating despite of buying the vignette there are additional fees for some tunnels and bridges. The Italian system of autostrade has also some problems, although, you pay exactly for the segment of the road that you drove. The further south the quality of the highway decreases, that’s the general trend. Also, the road works are much worse marked and taken care than in Germany so you need to be much more careful. Some of the areas are exceptionally crowded, like A4 between Milan and Brescia or even further towards Venice, and it is advisable to avoid these roads. In my case, I had two very unpleasant events with this highway involved. Once, my passenger was late for a plane because of the traffic jam. What’s even worse the next day we drove the same highway with extra time and guess what happened. We got stuck in a traffic jam again. Eventually, my passenger was the very last person boarded on the plane that day. Crazy, I’m telling you. To sum up: while driving a German highway is not a sort of ‘must do’ activity it is still a very memorable part of your travel around Europe.  

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I visit Stockholm every year. Usually, at the beginning of September or in late August. It’s not that this is my favorite holiday destination but this city is friendly enough to make a short stop. When I go to Stockholm the weather is usually surprisingly nice: sunny and warm. Only once I was almost washed off by the heavy rain. So if you think about visiting this city check the weather forecast and be prepare for every possibility. Although I visit Stockholm regularly I haven’t visited the city in details. As this has always been a transfer place I’m hanging around with a considerable heavy backpack. My mind is often busy with the next stage of my trip or is still in a place I have just visited. Therefore, I have never treated Stockholm in a fair way. My memories are biased in a twisted way: I always needed to spend in Stockholm a certain time before the plane take off and it allowed me to waste it without a plan. What I normally do when I’m loaded with a full backpack is that I often visit small cafes spending hours on drinking coffee, watching people coming and going, witnessing the rush morning hour or lazy afternoon. This sort of activity seams to be an obvious waste but after couple of years I have started to appreciate time spent this way. But let me tell you about my visits in Stockholm first. Most striking thing is that Stockholm is located on couple of large and dozens of small islands. This city is immersed in water of lovely deep blue color but the way the islands are constructed makes a bizarre feeling. This is not a floating city at any measure. It looks almost as if the islands were constructed first and the sea came after people decided to do so. I’m not really sure what is the reason of this impression, but the water in Stockholm looks like a well planed and fully controlled element of the city landscape. So, if you’re fond of water, canals, bridges and boats Stockholm is the right place to visit. As a large city located over water Stockholm has amazingly well developed and kept public transportation. Using trams, buses and water buses you’re able to visit the most important touristic spots. One of the very few museums I visited was the Nobel Museum located in the heart of the old town: Gamla Stan. This museum is very small, it has a modest exterior and very limited exhibition. To be honest: you’re able to know more about the Nobel Prize through the Internet rather than in this museum. Few objects used by Alfred Nobel are exhibited there, including his last will which established his famous prize. Information about the winners are placed on small boards just below the celling which makes it really difficult to read or at least see the photo of the laureates. There are some short movies on the most important discoveries in our modern history, some interactive screens to explore the winners’ bio or the academy verdicts but this is very scarce. ‘Behind the scenes’ part is very humble and if you expected to know how the award process looks like for real you’ll leave this museum disappointed. I took a guided tour and the lady was equally restrained. OK I will tell you the truth: I went to this museum only because it was raining. And I see no other reason why you should do it at all. Luckily, it was half priced so I didn’t have to regret too long. One of the huge surprises in Stockholm is the quantity of bicycles. Now, if you think about a city in the north located on the island with high probability of rain and strong wind you see no reason why people would use this mean of transportation. But the do. I swear that the majority of the residents use bikes everyday irrespectively the weather conditions! If you sit on a bench in early morning on let’s say Skeppsbron you will see hundreds of people on their bikes. This is an amazing view as the huge bunch of riders heading towards north passes your bench you will see all sorts of people: men in suits, students, kids, well dressed women, youngsters dressed in a very strange way and vivid colors, policemen, and I wouldn’t be surprised in the king himself would ride on his bike as well. While some exotic destinations would surely beat Stockholm in number of bicycles and chaos of traffic rules this view of morning rush hour is still impressive. Bicycles in Stockholm is a pro-ecologic choice. The City of Stockholm declares: The number of cyclists in Stockholm has increased by 75% in the past decade, and there are as much as 760 km of cycle lanes in the city. Everybody, including the tourists, are strongly encouraged to use bicycles as their mean of transport while in the city center. This is an important element of the governmental plan of sustainable development and pro eco policy. Judging out of the number of bikes seen on the streets it looks like the government was very persuasive. Why wasting your time while hanging around is positive to your travelling? Because it creates space and time to process your impressions and emotions. When you’re travelling the quantity of the impulses and attractions is often overwhelming so you can’t really deal with them in a real-time. Sure, you’ll have time after you get back home for that but if you find time to waste it during your trip the process of dealing with everything what you see and what you sense proceeds differently. This is a great opportunity to allow your mind get totally immersed and drift away. By the time you find it, it will be altered. And then suddenly you know the journey you made was absolutely necessary. And you can get back home remembering it forever.  

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