Whilst in Budapest, one of the main things that we wanted to do was to spend some time on the Danube. As Europe’s second longest river, we wanted to take some time to explore properly.
We had travelled to Budapest with a group of us, but had split up for the night to allow some time for the other two people in our travelling party to have a romantic meal out. Therefore, we found ourselves hopping on board a night boat to take a stunning trip down the Danube before meeting back up with our group for a trip to the ruin pubs.
The day before we had strolled down the riverbank in the Pest side of the City to take a look at the ‘Shoes on the Danube Bank’ memorial. Sixty pairs of shoes, made from iron are lined up on the river side to commemorate the massive loss of life of 3,500 people (mostly Jewish people) who were shot in 1945. After being told to remove their shoes and being shot, their bodies fell into the river, being swept away by the current. It’s a terrible reminder of the worst of humanity and seeing sixty pairs of shoes lined up along the river gives a sense of the scale of the atrocity.
The nighttime boat ride was a very different view as we passed the Hungarian Parliament buildings. Brightly shining against the dark night, it was an imposing building, full of grandeur and twinkling lights.
Chain bridge was magnificent to see in the dark and the sounds of the water rushing past us added to the experience. Illuminated gargoyles standing out in the darkness created a gothic edge to the views.
It was a beautiful way to see a different view of the city and travelling by river always feels much more exciting and exotic than by road.
Have you visited Budapest? What were your favourite experiences?
Most of you know by now that Yosemite is my favourite place in the world (so far!). You can read our posts on Mirror Lake and Camping for some background on our trips. I’m working my way up to a big post on the Half Dome hike – there is so much to share on this topic that it has been in progress for a while!
Around every corner is a stunning new view and the way the park has retained its ‘wildness’ just adds to its allure. Even after a couple of visits to the park, we have still found something new each time.
On our last trip, we were leaving Yosemite by a different exit, crossing Tioga Pass to make our way towards Death Valley. We had passed over Tioga Pass before, but we had done it at 2am in the thickness of night and therefore missed the views. This time, we were leaving Yosemite in the early morning and had enough light to see all of the sights on offer.
Tioga Pass is the highest highway pass in California and the Sierra Nevada. Due to its height, it’s usually the last road to open in summer and the first road to close in winter due to the ice and snow. On the journey, our ears were soon popping and the first time we made the trip, our bag of crisps burst open due to the altitude pressure: making us pull the car over, half in shock, half grateful that it wasn’t the gas canister for the camping stove!
On this trip in the daylight, the trip probably took us twice as long as we stopped every ten minutes or so to pull over and admire the surroundings.
One place in particular really captured our attention: Tenaya Lake. Located at an elevation of 8,150 feet, this alpine lake is incredible. As we drove towards it in the car, both Wandering Beeb and I were lost for words, with “wow” being the only thing we had to say.
Set back from the road, the little sandy beach and picnic table framed the water perfectly. The lake was formed by a glacier and the cliffs in the background stood out against the blue of the waters.
We didn’t know the lake was there, we hadn’t read any reviews and we certainly hadn’t built our route around visiting the lake. This was one of those occasions where going with the flow and meandering to our next destination had paid off, revealing a view we’d never intended to see and one that never left our minds.
In a change to your regular reading, Wandering Beeb is writing today’s blog instead of Zombie Girl; taking a look at the hotels we stayed at in Vegas. I’m usually the guy behind the camera, so it might be a bumpy ride with me behind the keyboard!
The first time we travelled to Vegas (back in 2010), it was for the last part of a long road trip and we decided to treat ourselves, given that we’d been camping for a fair amount of time (the lack of showers also meant it was better for everyone if we could actually clean up).
During the planning phase of our trip, one of the group who’d already been to Vegas suggested we’d be fine booking a hotel when we get there, rather than planning ahead and he wasn’t wrong – there was lots of choice and at fairly affordable prices. After looking around, we chose Planet Hollywood as our home for the week. At the time it was one of the newer hotels on the Strip (in fact they were still building one of the towers). This meant that the hotel rating wasn’t as high as the more established ones and therefore, nor was the price. We had to wait a little while for a non smoking room to be available, which gave us a bit of time to sample some of the hotel and explore our surroundings.
Planet Hollywood and the Miracle Mile
As we wandered through the casino, we noticed a lot of dancers on tables, so not necessarily the most appropriate hotel for a family. For our party though, this was perfectly fine(!). Being a fairly new hotel, it was very modern and clean. Compared to some of the hotels we’d been to in Vegas, there wasn’t an over bearing smell of cleaning fluid in the carpets making it difficult to breathe (I’m looking at you Treasure Island).
It was an odd feeling to be surrounded by the casino’s artificial light and the smell of tobacco indoors, as we come from the UK where you’re not allowed to smoke in public buildings.
Planet Hollywood also hosts the Miracle Mile; a whole promenade of shops for, you guessed it, a whole mile. Plenty to choose from to cater for most tastes and some really good gear at quite cheap prices – remember to leave space in your suitcase! The pool area, although small, was really relaxed and fun. Music playing and sun shining, it was a really relaxing place to chill out and take in the sun.
The pool area at Planet Hollywood. It had a really relaxed feel, with music and a snack bar.
When we finally reached our room, it was plenty big enough for four of us to share two double beds, with lots of space to store our gear (including sleeping bags and tent). Throughout the room, there was a celebrity theme, in keeping with the name. Somewhat randomly, one object in particular sticks in my memory: the glass coffee table with Sammy Davies Jnr’s shoes inside. Makes you wonder what other star-studded items were in the other rooms. The pièce de résistance of the room was the view from the window of the Bellagio Fountains across the road. We definitely spent some time watching the water fly from that window. My lasting view of the Planet Hollywood Hotel (at least on that first occasion) was that for the price, we got a good deal. The room was clean, spacious and we had a cracking view to boot.
The second time our group visited Vegas, we took the decision to split up our hotel stay between 2 locations. Once again, we knew we were going to be spending a lot of time camping and so we wanted to treat ourselves at the end of the trip. We booked Planet Hollywood for the second part of our stay (this time booking early online) and (based on prices and other people’s feedback) we chose The Mirage for the earlier part of our stay.
Mirage pool which also had a bar and secret garden!
Walking into the Mirage was much more impressive that walking into Planet Hollywood. There was marble everywhere and a huge fish tank dominated the lobby. It was a very striking entrance and everyone seemed to be fairly dressed up, creating an air of expense. The hotel boasted a much larger pool than Planet Hollywood and their own mini zoo (Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat; containing dolphins, white lions, white tigers and leopards). The room itself was clean (barring one dirty pillow, which the staff changed promptly) and spacious. Despite the attractions and the larger pool, it didn’t quite match up to the Planet Hollywood. It was considerably cheaper for a room in the Planet Hollywood, which was more modern and up to date. The biggest selling point, however, was the atmosphere. Planet Hollywood was far more relaxed. We found the Mirage to be a little pretentious and a bit more of a mixed bag in the make up of the guests (the looks that Zombie Girl’s hiking boots attracted when we arrived were less than favourable).
The third time we travelled to Vegas (I know, we like Vegas, what can I say!!), we had a new member of the group with us and fancied trying somewhere different. On our previous trip we’d seen the Cosmopolitan and Aria hotels being built pretty much opposite Planet Hollywood. The photos looked good and the cost of a joint room in the Cosmopolitan was almost the same as Planet Hollywood. When we first walked in the lobby, we were absolutely blown away. It looked liked they had spared no expense when decorating as we were greeted by a massive chandelier with a bar on the inside. The sleek, video-screened reception area was eye-catching and there was more than a hint of James Bond elements in the decor throughout the whole building. This was done in a really classy way, using subtle references to 007 rather than an in-your -face approach, which could easily have been cheesy.
Huge value for money at the Cosmopolitan! Desk area, seating and dressing area, bedroom and bathroom – topped off with a balcony view.
The room at the Cosmopolitan was impressive. It was much bigger that we’d previously experienced and definitely had a more luxurious feel to it. The quality of the finish, the classy decor and the excellent sound proofing were all nods to a well designed and beautifully executed hotel room. On subsequent trips, we have used the Cosmopolitan again and found it to be a stunning room each time. On our last trip, we did splurge a little to ensure that we had a balcony view to enjoy watching the Bellagio Fountains at night and the amazing heat in the day.
Cosmopolitan bedroom with balcony view.
Whilst not as big as a lot of the other casinos, there was still more than enough areas to gamble, eat and shop. The pool was beautiful, with the usual mix of sun loungers and cabanas (although these cost a fair amount – probably only worth considering if you win big on the slot machines!).
The pool area at the Cosmopolitan.
Overall, places to stay in Vegas vary greatly but it’s really important to get a sense of what you want from your temporary home. Planet Hollywood was great for groups, younger couples and a cheaper, more relaxed stay. The Mirage was much more subdued and aimed at the ‘posher’ end of the market. The Cosmopolitan was luxurious and classy but didn’t feel at all pretentious – for us, it was a perfect blend of classic Vegas and modern sleek. It’s the one that we always recommend to friends.
Feet sinking into the snow, we realised that there was no path anymore and getting down off the hill was going to be a bit of a challenge.
We’d set off for a wander around Ullswater and Aira Force, following the Aira Force and Gowbarrow Trail. The promising views from the summit of Gowbarrow had tempted us out from warm spots by the fire into the snow and wind.
Aira Force is about 1 hour 45 minutes from where we live. We’d packed the car up and headed off to play tour guide for a couple of friends who hadn’t visited before. We were all feeling a bit restless, having been kept inside recently through the bad weather.
We started off towards the falls and even though it was really cold, the sprinklings of snow really highlighted the magic of the falls, making them seem otherworldly.
The Old Norse name of Aira Force translates to ‘the waterfall on the gravel bank river’.
Following the path, we headed towards the open hillside where the snow was much thicker. Due to the depth of the snow, we couldn’t see the path properly and we must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. A small fence led up the hillside and we navigated uneven ground as we walked, the snow sometimes giving way to reveal holes made by a hidden stream. We were all being very careful not to hit one of the drops wrong and twist an ankle as we ascended the steep hillside.
At the top of the hill, the view was stunning. It was hard to believe that we were less than 2 hours away from home. The snow-topped hills in the distance, surrounded by a shimmering lake were reminiscent of any trip to Canada or Europe or the USA.
After snapping a few photos. We quickly realised that the path down wasn’t clearly visible and that going down was going to be much harder than coming up. Although we were all feeling warmer following our trek up the incline, the snow was thicker and it was harder to determine where the drops in the landscape were hiding. After walking some distance towards the gleaming water of the lake, we came to an sharp edge, which would have certainly seen one or more of us loose our footing.
Leading the charge, one of my most confident and positive friends encouraged us all to shuffle-slide down the hill on our bums. It was one of the best parts of the walk and really sticks out as a highlight of the day- the four of us taking turns to help each other down the steep embankment, sliding through snow on our bums, soaking wet, but laughing and triumphant as we reached the bottom.
I love the pictures from this hike more than any others taken on local treks. They prove to me that beautiful scenery can be found close to home if you know where to look. They remind me that travel doesn’t always have to mean the other side of the world and they encapsulate a day that was filled with love, friendship and adventure – the best kind of days you can have.
Chain bridge was magnificent to see in the dark and the sounds of the water rushing past us added to the experience. Illuminated gargoyles standing out in the darkness created a gothic edge to the views.
The Old Norse name of Aira Force translates to ‘the waterfall on the gravel bank river’. 
travellingzombie.com 