Sri Lanka (Part 2)

This is the second part of my Sri Lanka Travel Blog. For Sri Lanka Part 1 click here.

 

Ella

Sri Lanka is liberally endowed with beautiful views, and Ella has one of the best. The sleepy village, located at an altitude of about 1000m above sea level is nestled in a valley peering straight through Ella Gap. And as if the views weren’t enough, Ella is surrounded by hills perfect for walks through tea plantations and waterfalls.

We stayed two nights in The Hideaway Hotel, which is approximately 12km (feels like 40 by tuk-tuk) south of Ella in the hill country. But the remote location was rewarded by an authentic atmosphere and incredible views of the Highlands.

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Sri Lanka (Part 1)

Now that almost two months have passed since we were in Sri Lanka I am finally able to write my travel blog for this amazing and unforgettable trip. Frank, Alex, everybody, sorry it took me so long but I have been pretty busy… with traveling ;)

Endless beaches, timeless ruins, welcoming people, plenty of elephants, killer surf, cheap moderate prices, fun trains, famous tea, flavourful food – do I need to go on? Sri Lanka is set to be one of the up and coming travel destinations over the coming decade now that the civil war and violence are a thing of the past. So if you want to experience the true Sri Lanka easily before the tourism industry will fall foul of tourist money greed, you better hurry as at some places you can encounter this state already. :(

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Scotland [Alba]

Glencoe

There is an old Scots saying ‘guid gear comes in sma’ bulk’, which means ‘good things come in small packages’. The country’s buzzing cities and stunning scenery have plenty of treasures to offer visitors, all crammed into its relatively small territory. Stuck in the far northwest corner of Europe, Scotland is remote, but it’s not isolated. There’s little more splendid here than the scenery, yet half the time it’s hidden under a pall of drizzly mist.

The complexity of Scotland can be hard to unravel: somewhere deep in the country’s genes a generous dose of romantic Celtic hedonism blends, somehow, with stern prudence.
One could spend a lifetime to explore every corner of this unspoilt and dramatic area, instead I only, sadly, had one week to scratch the surface.

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Australia 2013

If you have read my previous stuff you might conceive that I have a strong affection towards Australia. In 2010 I spent three wonderful months in this incredible country. If I look now on my photography back then (Sydney, Coffs Harbour, Great Ocean Rd.), I must admit that I have improved immensely since then. 

So back to this trip… in November 2013 we had the chance to spend our complete annual leave in Australia. We started in Perth, spend there and along the West Coast some awesome days. Afterwards we flew to Adelaide in order to pick up our camper van for our road trip along the coast all the way from Adelaide to Brisbane.

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Ireland’s Coast

It is said that no one will forget Ireland once one been there – and there really seems to be something to it. The landscape of Ireland has a mythical aura, not only because of the almost tangible history, but also because Ireland is the original home of fairies and elves. Certainly, the weather is not always at its best, but in compensation you will get to see a million shades of green on this so called “Green Island”.

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Great Ocean Road

Wind down the windows if you’re driving along this road that curves from Torquay to Warrnambool and you’ll cop a unique perfume of bush and beach, gums and salt­water.
This road winds its way along classic surf beaches like a Sea Snake before sliding into the Otway Ranges just after Apollo Bay.
Though, this just marks the halfway of the Great Ocean Rd. Personally, I can’t tell you which of these two parts is more beautiful but the first part from Torquay to Apollo Bay is definitely less crowded with tourists and more fun to drive, whereas the route from Apollo to Warrnambool offers you stunning vistas and the famous Twelve Apostles (actually nine left).
One thing’s for sure, you should do the entire route by car and not take an one day coach tour as the big coaches are not allowed on most parts of the route. Which is kinda great when driving from Torquay to Apollo due to the less crowded road and outlook stops.
I started my tour in Melbourne and drove the 250km route with an overnight stay in the sleepy Apollo Bay in two days. Which is, I have to admit, just enough time to get the buzz going. I guess this depends on what you want to see or do on your trip. Nevertheless, I heard about people who drive this beautiful stretch of road in just one day. But I doubt they get the authentic Great Ocean Road experience.
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New Zealand – back to the roots

never thought I would return to New Zealand that fast. Well, I guess that depends on the definition of fast. It’s been over 4 years since I’ve been the last time to NZ. Back then I’ve toured the whole country in my little ‘fancy’ green van make 1986 :) and met friends for life. So it was quite obvious that I would make a quick (two weeks) visit to NZ to catch up with my friends while I’m in Australia.

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Coffs Coast

time for an update! Looks like I’m pretty bad with keeping my blog up to date on this trip! But well, I’m pretty busy with traveling :) besides the fact that Internet is a hassle in a Australia… Maybe I will discard my current way of posting big Posts and instead going with smaller ones. And I just don’t wanna spend (waste) my time with post processing. Because somehow I’m feeling I have already wasted to much of my very limited time.

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Sydney [sɪdni]

There’s no place in the World like Sydney. Australia’s oldest, largest and most diverse city is outrageously good looking. It is the first place most people see when they come to Australia and why not? Big, bold, brash and fun, Sydney is a great introduction and gateway to the continent.

Staying close to Central Station, I haven’t had it far to all the places Sydney is famous for. Within a half-hour walk of here in various directions, I could plunge into the rambling Darling Harbour or marvel at the iconic Opera House and the Sydney Harbour.

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Thailand ราชอาณาจักรไทย

Western Standards? Well, you better forget about them as soon as you step out of the bangkokian Airport. They definitely do not apply on this part of the world. But if you can go without them you can easily travel thru Thailand even on a tight budget.

And forget about English, too. You may find a handful of Thai in Bangkok and the tourist hubs who do speak English but their vocabulary may just enough to get you something sold. The most common phrase you will hear is „where you go“. haha

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