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Only 40km south of Adelaide, the McLaren Vale wine region is a patchwork of vines planted on rolling hills, framed by ocean views. Grape vines were first planted in the area in 1838 and the Seaview and Hardy wineries were operating as early as 1850. …
Split is the main gateway to the Dalmatian Islands and is the second largest city in Croatia. It is a sprawling, bustling city that most tourists will never see much of and they aren’t missing much. The ugly, communist era high rises don’t exactly invite …
When my resignation and plans to travel became public knowledge at Adecco, I had a number of really interesting conversations with people. Some who had their own plans bubbling away, some who were truly incredulous, some who nodded and smiled but clearly thought I was mad to walk away from a great job that I was great at, some who I think might have resented that I was able to make that decision at all. Far and away, the most common response was of happiness for me, tinged with a little envy. I heard the word ‘inspirational’ a lot. Which I, as a member of society determined not to be seen as arrogant must dismiss as complete nonsense. But secretly am very chuffed about. As far as I’m concerned, if my decision to take a leap of faith and spend some time to figure out the next step for me in life means something to someone else, that’s a wonderful, unintended consequence of an ultimately self-centered (with no apologies for that) decision!
After I published my first blog about my decision to leave, it became clear to me that people were not just going to be interested in the places I see and the food I eat and the wine I drink and the mountains I hike over the coming months, but also how I’m going in my search for what’s next. How the trip is impacting on me? Is it giving me what I need, what I hoped for? That’s the problem with putting yourself out there once, people seem to want you to do it again!
I’ve probably resisted writing anything along those lines, because I was waiting for something to say. And because I’m still not sure why it would be interesting to anyone else. But after a couple of days of slowing down here in beautiful Abruzzo and doing everything else but actually sitting down to write (booking the next portion of the trip, budget check, hike, watch Netflix, read, sort out photos…) I have finally decided to try and get some thoughts down. Because I promised I would, but not because I think I’ve really got much to say yet. But also, because I know the very act of writing, of putting thoughts into words on a page, helps me enormously to pull threads of decisions or conclusions or vague impressions into something that eventually makes sense. The difference being, I will hit publish on the blog page on this writing! So thanks for indulging me – you might see the eventual bigger picture before me!
Honestly, all I really know, is that I don’t know yet. I don’t have any answers. But I’m trying to notice what is floating through my head as I drive and walk and roam. I have come back several times to a conversation I had with a lovely woman at work not long before I left. She said to me, in a very genuine and caring but ultimately way too insightful for comfort way, “Kim, I will be really interested to see how you go from this job to not really having a purpose. How will you handle that?”. I can’t remember what I said to Lia at the time, but her comment hit a few nerves, about how I was perceived, how I conducted myself, how much of that was tied up in the job and how much was me, what is my purpose and what do I want it to be (a very popular word and concept and whole other topic).
Whilst I don’t know much yet, I know this. Type A personalities, with tendencies towards competitiveness, urgency and impatience don’t just suddenly become chilled out, relaxed, go with the flow humans because they are suddenly on the other side of the world with no real schedule other than the one they create for themselves. You create one for yourself. You turn travel and whatever else you need to into a job and make sure you are doing it perfectly.
So, I’ve been juggling studying, travel research and planning, blogging, social media posting, exercise, eating enough vegetables, eating the local foods, learning about wine etc etc and somehow turning that into busyness. And in true Type A style, I am self-critical when I haven’t done all of that perfectly. Which is obviously ridiculous. On a number of levels.
But I also know this, I don’t hate all of that and I don’t want to stop it completely! I am not someone who enjoys just showing up in a new town and seeing what’s available, at least not when it comes to a bed. I want to know where I’m sleeping that night. I want to know where I’m headed next. I don’t want to eat another crappy pizza or bag of chips because I haven’t done a little research about where to eat and I got too hungry so just ate at the nearest open place. I definitely don’t want to drink horrible wine (again).
I still feel like I need to apologise or excuse the fact that is the way I prefer to travel! Because it’s a bit demonised. You’re only a “real traveler” if you float with the wind and see where the road takes you, with no fixed plans or itinerary. Having every minute planned isn’t a journey, it’s a military operation. I fall somewhere in the middle of this spectrum. I want to allow enough room to be surprised and to be able to change things along the way and to move on if somewhere hasn’t grabbed me. But I am not, and will never be, a “go where the wind takes me” traveler. Because I am not that person in the rest of my life. The great thing about travel is that it lets me get a bit closer to that. I move more towards the middle.
While I’m still determined not to spend too much time yet fretting about ‘what’s next”, I will try and keep writing because I know it’s an important part of the process for me. In the meantime I have given myself next study period off. I’m taking one thing off the table. And for the next month I am moving slowly, spending longer in places, creating conditions for me to ponder and back a little bit back from the busyness. So Lia, that’s how I’m going with it for now. I’m not exactly operating at the velocity I was at Adecco, but nor have I stopped being me!
Of the original 7 Wonders of the World, only one remains, the Great Pyramids in Egypt. There are plenty of other lists, if you’re looking to tick some wonders off your bucket list. A quick Google search reveals: Conde Nast Traveller’s 2017 Wonders of the …
KORČULA Time slows a little on Korčula. The UNESCO listed, medieval old town (with the same name as the island itself) is small, easily “seen” in a morning, so then you get to ease into swim, eat, sleep, repeat mode. You can rent boats, cars …
Dubrovnik was seriously damaged by an earthquake in 1667 and most recently sustained further considerable damage during the armed conflict in 1991, but has managed to preserve its beauty, buildings and walls. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979. A beautiful city, with many challenges ahead arising from its popularity. Here are my Top Tips for exploring this stunning city.
1. City Walls
Dubrovnik’s city walls run for almost 2km and a walk around them is a must! They have withstood multiple sieges and attacks throughout the centuries, most recently in 1991 during the attack by Serbs and Montenegrins. Entrance fee is 150 kuna which includes entrance to St Lawrence Fort. They are open 8am to 8pm in summer – go early or late to beat the heat and the cruise ship crowds. Take water, a camera and do a tour if you can. Dubrovnik Walks do a good Walls & Wars one. There are a lot of companies selling tours near the main Pile gate into the city, so no real need to book in advance.
2. Game of Thrones tour
If you’re a fan, compulsory. Dubrovnik is the location for King’s Landing. It’s so much fun to learn about the filming, the logistics of such an epic production in an old pedestrian only city and the impact it’s had on the city. Your guide will show you various stills of scenes and explain which parts are real Dubrovnik and what is CGI. You will find out how they arrange the city around the Great Sept and the Red Keep. I really enjoyed the Dubrovnik Walks one. And of course a walk down the steps where Cersei filmed the Walk of Shame is a must.
3. Be prepared to spend some cash
I found Dubrovnik really expensive. A beer was around 4 euro (25-30 kuna) as compared with 2 euro in Greece and Korcula. A lot of the restaurants in the old town are serving really ordinary food. If you are Airbnb-ing (not a verb, but going with it), I’d recommend a kitchen so you can make a few meals. And do some research. TripAdvisor has its limitations (the amount of cheap pizza places that make it to number one spot is a sad indictment on what tourists consider good food), but it’s great for knowing where NOT to go. Here are a couple of gems I found:
4. The Cable Car
Incredible view from the top back over the old town and the rest of Dubrovnik and surrounding coast and islands. Expect some queuing and potentially some tussles and angst with cruise ship groups who get to skip the line! There is a restaurant up the top where you can have lunch or dinner. I settled for a beer with an extraordinary view laid out before me.
5. Put your patient pants on
Dubrovnik has just elected a new mayor who ran on a platform of improving the way increasing tourist numbers are handled and hopefully the physical impact this has on the city whilst improving the Dubrovnik residents’ quality of life. There is supposed to be a limit of 8,000 people within the city walls at any one time, with cameras on the three gates. On Monday 13 August, my first day in the city, according to my tour guide, the ticker on the website got to 9,300. There were four cruise ships in the harbour. It’s not clear to me what, if anything, was done. The new mayor intends to cut visitor limits to 4,000. I can say first hand the crowding didn’t help in terms of my first impressions of Dubrovnik. August is particularly intense, but the season here runs April-October and it’s busy throughout.
So, actively remind yourself that you are on holiday! If you don’t have to be anywhere at a specific time, chill out and stroll. Just go with the flow of traffic and breathe. If you do have a time to make, allow at least double what you think. If you are coming or going between the main Port and City, it’s not unusual for 2-3 buses to go by packed to bursting before you can get on one. If you’re getting impatient, just take a moment to remember what it must be like for the residents!
And when you need a break, sit down, grab a beer and watch the madness unfold – great people watching!
6. Pack a water bottle
The fountain just inside the Pile gate has been a source of perfectly safe and tasty drinking water for the town’s residents for hundreds of years. I would freeze mine half full overnight and then top it up in the morning to have cold water all day, refilling again as I left the city.
7. Take a ferry to the Island of Lokrum
Don’t stress about a map, it’s all very well signed and you can follow your nose. Climb up to the Fort in the centre of the Island for a great view back to Dubrovnik. There’s a very pretty path along the water, it won’t take anything like the 2 hours estimated unless you are really very slow! The Monastery built in 1023 and its gardens are gorgeous and were the filming venue for Qarth in Game Of Thrones. It houses a GOT exhibit with a replica Iron Throne you can take a photo on.
There are lots of little coves and rocks to lie out like a lizard on after a swim in the Adriatic. If you have the little rock booties, take them, but there are lots of ladders so you’ll be fine without. Take a picnic lunch or eat at one of the restaurants on the Island. There’s a nude beach if you’re so inclined!
Lokrum is a fantastic antidote to the craziness of Dubrovnik. If you have time to do a full day, do it, but its worth the trip for a couple of hours too.
8. Sveti Jakov Beach
The main beach in Dubrovnik is Banje and it’s crazy busy during peak summer months. I recommend walking past it, onto Sveti Jakov Beach which is set in a little cove, down a lot of steps, below Sveti Jakov church. You get a great view back to Dubrovnik and of Lokrum island and the water is beautiful. The walk along the coast to get there is also gorgeous, about 30 mins from the Ploce Gate. You can hire sunbeds and/or umbrellas from the couple of cafes there or just plonk down on the pebbles.
I had never eaten in a three star Michelin restaurant when I started planning my time away. I knew I wanted to include some of the Top 50 Restaurants in the world. I was researching the European options, preferably not in big cities, and came across …
I promised I would tell you about our Paros festival! But first, it would be rude of me not to introduce you to some of the people who made our time in Paros what it was. Stratos: the empire building, charming, if sometimes slightly too enthusiastic in his good morning kisses, …
I’ve bloody gone and done it! Is there room for improvement? Yes. Should I probably go even lighter? Yes. Am I going to need to get other stuff along the way? Maybe. Will I be able to check my luggage as carry on if I’m travelling on a budget airline? Hell no. But, have I crammed my stuff for the next 7 or 8 months into a 40 litre back-pack and a Crumpler? Yep!
I’ve been going for a few weeks now and have carted my stuff around Abu Dhabi and Athens airports (oh the joy of not standing at a baggage carousel at the end of a long haul flight) and on ferries from Athens to Paros to Naxos. I’ve walked around a big city on a walking tour, had some nights out on the town, done some hiking and some beach days and so far, so good! It’s been entertaining watching people cart around their massive 40kg suitcases at ports…
My Osprey Farpoint 40lt backpack weighed in at 10.4kg. It was the heaviest it will ever be with a full set of toiletries on board, but I still would like to get it down a bit. The Crumpler Pinnacle of Horror is pretty weighty at 5kg. It has my Surface Pro, DSLR Camera, Kindle etc so there’s not a lot I can do about that! I know the winter gear is going to be annoying to carry around for the first 3 months or so, but I really didn’t want to be buying all the expensive stuff like jackets and decent merino gear when I was on the move. I think I will need to get some more winter gear once I hit Patagonia in mid November, but this should get me through any chilly mornings and nights when I’m hiking in the Dolomites in late September.
Anyway, let’s see how I go. I’m already thinking about what else I can do without…this packing light thing is addictive. If you’d like any tips or want to check in with how this all works out as I go along, please just drop a comment below or shoot me an email at gourmetroaming@gmail.com. The biggest impact: ziplock bags to compress and packing cubes! I haven’t even looked at my winter stuff, it’s all packed away in a cube!
I’ve popped some links in the packing list to some of the gear I’m using or where I’ve purchased it. I’ve found Wild Earth to be a great one stop shop, particularly if you’re like me and prefer shopping online! Full disclosure, for some of these items, if you click through here and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission, but I only ever recommend things I’ve tried, tested and loved.
Packing List
| Summer Gear | Winter Gear | Other stuff |
| 4 dresses | Macpac puffa vest | 8 undies |
| 2 t-shirts | Kathmandu trail rain jacket | 2 day bras, 1 sports bra |
| 1 singlet | Thermal leggings | Caribee folded day pack |
| 1 pair of shorts | Macpac Hiking pants – slim | Small handbag |
| 1 dressy top (black vest singlet) | Long-sleeved warm top | Chargers |
| 1 chambray denim skirt (wish I’d made this shorts instead) | Macpac merino black roll neck jumper | Nikon DSLR5600 Camera and Tamron Lens |
| 1 pair light weight long pants | Jeans | Scarf/sarong |
| 1 long sleeved light shirt (for sun protection) | 1 long sleeved shirt | Toiletries – carry on size |
| 1 running shorts | Merrell Moab FST hiking shoes | Cap |
| 1 running singlet | Black dress Rollies shoes | Sunhat |
| 1 bikini | 4 hiking socks | Surface Pro |
| 1 pair Salt Water tan sandals | PJs – shorts & singlet | |
| 1 pair Havaiana thongs | Osprey Farpoint 40lt backpack | |
| Packing cubes, 2 dry sacks, ziplock bags |
First, let me say, Athens is a city that deserves more of your (and my) time than 35 hours. But, I appreciate it’s often a quick stop over destination before people head off to Rhodes, the Peloponnese or the Aegean islands. So, how can you …