Yesterday, I was on board the Glacier Express from Chur to St. Moritz, Switzerland and I want to give you guys some tips and share some notes from my experience of the world's slowest fast train! First off, I want to warn those who haven't been to Switzerland, it can be expensive. You can be resourceful and use tips such as bringing your own food (if you can), buy a discount card, or grab food and drinks at a local grocery store but it will still cost you an arm and leg to just exist in this elegant country! (Ok, I'm exaggerating) I guess beauty will come with a hefty price tag here, but it's definitely worth checking out because the views are pretty much that amazing!
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I get it, you've been dreading this time of year and now that it's quickly approaching, you're starting to feel the blues. You're also feeling discouraged about traveling during Winter due to the low temps and slippery roads. All you can think of is staying inside and bumming it out because it's too cold to do just about anything during this time. Staying inside is just not what the locals want to do, even if the weather seems too intimidating to explore outside.
From the notorious Oktoberfest to the charming Christmas markets (and all of the other fun fests in between), Germany is known to have some of the best traditional events. One event that gathers thousands of spectators 5 times each year in different towns along the Rhine River, from May to September, is Rhein in Flammen- Das Original (or Rhine in Flames- The Original). Rhine in Flames' main feature is the fireworks display that illuminates the beautiful Rhine River.
Each of the 5 towns (Bonn, Ruedesheim, Spay/Koblenz, Oberwesel, and St. Goar/St. Goarhausen) perform a different show with its own characteristics which will make you want to go back each year to see what the next town over has to offer. As the night becomes dark, the street lights dim, and the castles begin to appear as if they were "burning", all that's left is the pitch dark river and the stars above. Moments later, a narrators voice appears and echoes across the valley as the Rhine river begins to appear in flames. At this time, viewers alike reach for their cameras and cell phones (including myself) and their eyes seem to lit up as they watch this stunning performance. Other than a traditional New Years firework display, you won't see anything like this during the rest of the year in Germany. Of course, there are also other towns that have replicated this event, but it doesn't come close to being at a "Night of a Thousand Fires" such as the one in Oberwesel! Maybe I jumped the gun on this one, but I was really curious about doing the Hammam on my girls only trip to Morocco. This curiosity stemmed from my desire to experience the culture in the countries that I travel to. The Hammam is similar to a Turkish bath where you are in a sauna like room while someone bathes you. As part of Moroccan culture, locals routinely go to the Hammam as a cleansing ritual. I am not sure how or where I first learned about the Hammam but what I did research on was not enough for me to fully grasp the experience. Here's why:
I'm sure I'm not the only one who prefers to be frugal while traveling. I try to cut corners while traveling if I can so that I can enjoy spending more on the things I truly want to spend money on. Sometimes, it's not always the best options but I can now say I've tried them but might use alternative budget options in the future. Here are 5 uncommon things I've done while traveling to save money:
There is this challenge I had seen floating around social media that’s been called the “365 Day Savings Challenge” and I think I’m going to try it! This challenge suggests that you add money into a jar with the daily amount of each day of the year. For example, on the first day of the New Year, you would add .01 cent, on the second day of the year you would add .02 cents, on the third day you would add .03 cents, and so forth. After pinching in your coins for the year, there should be a total of $667.95!
Let's be real, I was a ghost for the last two months of 2015. From starting a full time job, continuing school full time, preparing to move back to the USA, and of course traveling, 2015 had a hectic ending.
As much as I love sharing my experiences while traveling, blogging didn't make the priority list.. Aside from not showing love to Everlasting Voyage for some time, 2015 was a wild adventure! Over 30 cities I had left my footprints on and I still haven't seen it all! Here's where I've been in 2015: This anniversary was not a wedding anniversary nor a dating anniversary, it was the anniversary of when I first met my husband; the day I knew he was the one I would spend the rest of my life with. Yeah, it sounds cheesy but I'm a sucker for love as much I act like I'm not! Since we're living in Europe for a few more weeks, why not use this anniversary as an excuse to travel somewhere? Traveling is always a good idea. :)
Out of the 20 something countries I've visited, I would have to say Ireland is in my top 3, hands down! The people are so friendly, the beer is great, and the green land itself is just something you don't see everywhere.
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