Perfect moments in travel
Discussion
Right, I've just got back from a month in Argentina and am feeling thoroughly sentimental about past travels. This isn't intended to be a willy waving thread therefore, please, no posts about piloting your private jet onto Necker Island, just moments when you couldn't really believe how "right" it all was...
Mine probably remains an evening last year in Bolivia. I'd met a beautiful Turkish woman in Peru and decided to alter my plans to travel there with her. We got a ferry over to the Isla Del Sol on Lake Titicaca, in itself a completely bonkers location, 4000m ASL.
In the evening we walked to a restaurant at the top of the island, just beside a small wood and overlooking the bay with an incredible sunset.
This tiny restaurant "Las Velas" had no power, just an adobe building lit by candles, with a Bolivian husband and wife cooking, serving and greeting, both apparently classically trained chefs. Ordered our food and watched the sunset with glasses of Bolivian wine.
Food took ages, but was outstanding- Pejerrey (local fish) baked in foil with a wonderfully aromatic marinade and rosemary, and a home-made (including pasta) lasagne perfectly baked.
All the while, a very unusual but suitably atmospheric Bolivian radio station playing jazz in the background.
Not expensive, not fancy, not even planned, just a perfect few days in a location I'm privileged to have been.
Over to you...
Mine probably remains an evening last year in Bolivia. I'd met a beautiful Turkish woman in Peru and decided to alter my plans to travel there with her. We got a ferry over to the Isla Del Sol on Lake Titicaca, in itself a completely bonkers location, 4000m ASL.
In the evening we walked to a restaurant at the top of the island, just beside a small wood and overlooking the bay with an incredible sunset.
This tiny restaurant "Las Velas" had no power, just an adobe building lit by candles, with a Bolivian husband and wife cooking, serving and greeting, both apparently classically trained chefs. Ordered our food and watched the sunset with glasses of Bolivian wine.
Food took ages, but was outstanding- Pejerrey (local fish) baked in foil with a wonderfully aromatic marinade and rosemary, and a home-made (including pasta) lasagne perfectly baked.
All the while, a very unusual but suitably atmospheric Bolivian radio station playing jazz in the background.
Not expensive, not fancy, not even planned, just a perfect few days in a location I'm privileged to have been.
Over to you...
Having never ridden a motorbike in my life, I had a bit of an epiphany in Vietnam.
Phong Nha National Park - it has an empty road that runs around the whole national park that takes 2 hours to ride around, along the way we stopped at the worlds biggest dry cave, stopped at an eco centre and went for a swim and then driving along past a tiny village, all the kids came out to say hello.
The view down through the national park
Phong Nha National Park - it has an empty road that runs around the whole national park that takes 2 hours to ride around, along the way we stopped at the worlds biggest dry cave, stopped at an eco centre and went for a swim and then driving along past a tiny village, all the kids came out to say hello.
The view down through the national park
A definite highlight for me is pedalling through the not all that cycle friendly Sydney traffic in January this year to the waterfront and catching sight of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge knowing that I'd made it there from England under my own steam: 27,875km in a year and 10 months of cycling across Europe, Asia & Australia.
I'd misjudged how long it would take to get there and was running about an hour later than I'd told a friend I'd be at her place in the suburbs but all I wanted to do was hang out by the Opera House and take in the atmosphere and think about what I'd achieved and all the good times I'd had and new friends I'd made getting there.
It was special because it kind of represented getting halfway around the world (barring New Zealand) and also the end of the Australian leg of the trip so three continents down, three to go.
I'd misjudged how long it would take to get there and was running about an hour later than I'd told a friend I'd be at her place in the suburbs but all I wanted to do was hang out by the Opera House and take in the atmosphere and think about what I'd achieved and all the good times I'd had and new friends I'd made getting there.
It was special because it kind of represented getting halfway around the world (barring New Zealand) and also the end of the Australian leg of the trip so three continents down, three to go.
carreauchompeur said:
Right, I've just got back from a month in Argentina and am feeling thoroughly sentimental about past travels. This isn't intended to be a willy waving thread therefore, please, no posts about piloting your private jet onto Necker Island, just moments when you couldn't really believe how "right" it all was...
Mine probably remains an evening last year in Bolivia. I'd met a beautiful Turkish woman in Peru and decided to alter my plans to travel there with her. We got a ferry over to the Isla Del Sol on Lake Titicaca, in itself a completely bonkers location, 4000m ASL.
In the evening we walked to a restaurant at the top of the island, just beside a small wood and overlooking the bay with an incredible sunset.
This tiny restaurant "Las Velas" had no power, just an adobe building lit by candles, with a Bolivian husband and wife cooking, serving and greeting, both apparently classically trained chefs. Ordered our food and watched the sunset with glasses of Bolivian wine.
Food took ages, but was outstanding- Pejerrey (local fish) baked in foil with a wonderfully aromatic marinade and rosemary, and a home-made (including pasta) lasagne perfectly baked.
All the while, a very unusual but suitably atmospheric Bolivian radio station playing jazz in the background.
Not expensive, not fancy, not even planned, just a perfect few days in a location I'm privileged to have been.
Over to you...
That's all good, but....did you get a shag?Mine probably remains an evening last year in Bolivia. I'd met a beautiful Turkish woman in Peru and decided to alter my plans to travel there with her. We got a ferry over to the Isla Del Sol on Lake Titicaca, in itself a completely bonkers location, 4000m ASL.
In the evening we walked to a restaurant at the top of the island, just beside a small wood and overlooking the bay with an incredible sunset.
This tiny restaurant "Las Velas" had no power, just an adobe building lit by candles, with a Bolivian husband and wife cooking, serving and greeting, both apparently classically trained chefs. Ordered our food and watched the sunset with glasses of Bolivian wine.
Food took ages, but was outstanding- Pejerrey (local fish) baked in foil with a wonderfully aromatic marinade and rosemary, and a home-made (including pasta) lasagne perfectly baked.
All the while, a very unusual but suitably atmospheric Bolivian radio station playing jazz in the background.
Not expensive, not fancy, not even planned, just a perfect few days in a location I'm privileged to have been.
Over to you...
A couple of moments that really stand out for me..
Watching the sun rise over Angkor Wot in Cambodia and then spending the day exploring the surrounding temples.The history is fascinating and there is such a mystical feel to some of the smaller and lesser visited temples. The atmosphere often exemplified by gentle pipe playing and local music. Some truly wonderful sites and architecture.
Snorkelling off a small Indonesian Island off the coast of Lombok and encountering my first sea Turtle, at close proximity. Swimming with the turtle while is remained so relaxed and unphased by our presence. The turtle surrounded by colourful, tropical fish and corals
I have many more lovely memories and could go on, but sometimes you get that feeling when you see or do something, and you think; this is what life is all about. It really drives you to see more of the world
Watching the sun rise over Angkor Wot in Cambodia and then spending the day exploring the surrounding temples.The history is fascinating and there is such a mystical feel to some of the smaller and lesser visited temples. The atmosphere often exemplified by gentle pipe playing and local music. Some truly wonderful sites and architecture.
Snorkelling off a small Indonesian Island off the coast of Lombok and encountering my first sea Turtle, at close proximity. Swimming with the turtle while is remained so relaxed and unphased by our presence. The turtle surrounded by colourful, tropical fish and corals
I have many more lovely memories and could go on, but sometimes you get that feeling when you see or do something, and you think; this is what life is all about. It really drives you to see more of the world
I remember climbing to the top of a huge sand dune in Morroco to watch the sunset. Down below somebody had put some music on and although the truck was parked quite some distance away the sound travelled easily to where we were. It was music by Enigma - 'This is the sound of Enigma' track i think it was, the track with the haunting music at the start. If ever i hear the song i get taken straight back there with a shiver down my spine.
Spending the last night of our honeymoon on St Mark's Square in Venice at one of the bars with a little orchestra outside. Not even the outrageous bill, or the fact that we wouldn't get back to the hotel till 10.30, were being picked up at 7.30am to go to the airport and hadn't packed a thing, could tarnish it.
While touring New Zealand in the 90’s in a small campervan (converted Mazda panel van – no bog), I remember getting caught short one night and needing to make an emergency visit to the bushes.
A very bright moon shining over a reflective Lake Pukaki, with a snow capped Mt Cook watching over the whole area. Not a sound. The silence was deafening, the view was to die for.
The most scenic and tranquil dump I shall ever have
A very bright moon shining over a reflective Lake Pukaki, with a snow capped Mt Cook watching over the whole area. Not a sound. The silence was deafening, the view was to die for.
The most scenic and tranquil dump I shall ever have
Arriving at the free campground next to this deserted beach on the north island of New Zealand. We really had no idea what we would find when we decided on the map that was our stopping place for the night.
We spent a month touring NZ in a small campervan, a converted HiAce that did have a bog
The whole trip was magical but this place really was a lucky find.
We spent a month touring NZ in a small campervan, a converted HiAce that did have a bog
The whole trip was magical but this place really was a lucky find.There have been a few, but the simple 'rightness' of dinner at a roadside lobster shack in Maine, circa 1984 when visiting the parents with my fiancee.
We'd been out sightseeing (down to Deer Isle iirc) and were cruising back comparing deals until we got hungry and stopped to enjoy a pair of 1lb lobsters, freshly cooked, plus fries and a drink for $8.00. For two.
Outrageous value, simple diner, good weather, delish food, young/bright/happy woman with me...
Just two weeks ago the two us stole away to Bath for a weekend. Good food, outrageous prices, nice weather, bright/happy/relaxed woman with me...
One other perfect moment - getting the Hoover free flights to NYC in 1993 (two return flights having bought a pos £90 Hoover).
We'd been out sightseeing (down to Deer Isle iirc) and were cruising back comparing deals until we got hungry and stopped to enjoy a pair of 1lb lobsters, freshly cooked, plus fries and a drink for $8.00. For two.
Outrageous value, simple diner, good weather, delish food, young/bright/happy woman with me...
Just two weeks ago the two us stole away to Bath for a weekend. Good food, outrageous prices, nice weather, bright/happy/relaxed woman with me...
One other perfect moment - getting the Hoover free flights to NYC in 1993 (two return flights having bought a pos £90 Hoover).
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