day trip – Camera & Carry On

Photo on the Map: San Marino

Shannon — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 18:58:09 +0000

One fine day, we found ourselves on a cross-country tour of Italy in a pint sized Smart Car. With our carry ons unpacked in Rimini, Italy, we hit the road for San Marino (a microstate within Italy) just a 30 minute drive away. The day was lovely to begin with but transformed into a lemon. We parked and like magic, clouds rolled in and a light sprinkle ensued. Gusty winds picked up and my hair became ~~a curly tangled frizzy mess~~ chicly undone before we packed it in for the day and retreated to drier grounds (aka... returned to the apartment, changed into our pjs, and read books by the crackling, potbelly fire), but not before snapping a photo of the light beams peeking through the thunderous puffers in the sky. Zooming down the windy road and across the border into Italy, on cue the clouds parted as if to say, "Better luck next time," and the hilly town faded into the rear view.

The post Photo on the Map: San Marino appeared first on Camera & Carry On.

Photo on the Map: Balzers, Liechtenstein

Shannon — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 20:32:26 +0000

Say it with me... "Balzers!" Ah ha ha haaaa. Probably the best name for a city. EVER. While Liechtenstein doesn't claim a spot on many must-see lists, it's a great place to make a pit stop when traveling around eastern Switzerland. We snagged another passport stamp and got to run around shouting, "Sir Ulrich von Liechtensteeiiiiin," the whole afternoon. In addition to spending an hour around Gutenberg Castle and snapping this pretty picture of the Alps, we lunched in Vaduz on ultra-scrumptious kaesespaetzle and the Prince's very own Riesling.

The post Photo on the Map: Balzers, Liechtenstein appeared first on Camera & Carry On.

Piccola Italia: Civita di Bagnoregio

Shannon — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 11:45:14 +0000

Once upon a time, there was a tiny town on a hill that could only be reached on foot (or donkey). Way, high, up in the sky it stood, on a towering mound of earth. I imagined its creation centuries ago as I approached; hungry, invading giants scooped up the ground, leaving a perfect center untouched - the middle of an ice cream pint, with a cherry on top - Civita di Bagnoregio. It town unlike any other I'd seen in Italy; a piccola Italia, so solitary on its petite perch, with only one way in and one way out. Even though it's rumored there are a mere 6 full time residents, the town keeps busy with visitors in for day trips and long weekends. And while a handful of people was enough to give the compact walled city some life, it still felt very peaceful and relaxed. No competition for unobstructed photo ops and scenic lookouts meant wandering the little streets was pleasant as could be. [See image gallery at www.cameraandcarryon.com] Civita harkens back to a different era, a slower pace of life, when things were maybe not easy, but certainly simpler. You won't find designer stores, late night anythings, or caricature artists here, but good, friendly people, lovely artisan shops, and dusty vines growing along warm, stone walls. Our visit was a quick one, but I could see myself staying for a day or two, just sitting in the sun, watching sheep graze in the valley below, and sampling olive oil on freshly baked, crusty bread... or licking away at gelato on a cone come a hot, summer's day. Civita, sei una bella ragazza.

The post Piccola Italia: Civita di Bagnoregio appeared first on Camera & Carry On.

Travel and Finding My Happy Place

Shannon — Wed, 18 Jun 2014 19:04:12 +0000

Travel, for me, is about more than just getting from A to B. It's the journey, new experiences, stepping outside my comfort zone just enough to make things exciting, and learning things about the world and myself. Things ~~sometimes~~ rarely work out how I'd imagine, with hiccups and pitfalls along the way, but that's part of the fun, right? And this goes without saying, but all the breathtaking, once-in-a-lifetime things we've seen and done truly make the struggles worthwhile. Even on our worst, chaotic, hellish, uber frenzied days, we end things on a glass half full note. Mostly. Worst case, we come out of it with an award-winning travel tale to share with partially engaged listeners over dinner (made even better with a few cocktails under our belt). And with you, of course. The key? Finding my happy place; the little nook between my heart and mind where I feel at ease and can enjoy the moment. My tried and true methods for turning lemons into lemonade, or simply looking beyond all the bologna... Go for a walk. Sometimes just getting outside is all you need. A little sunshine, fresh air, and nice walk will do it. Even in the city, where the air isn't smog free, it's good to get out and move. Turn the volume up. Music can really turn a mood around. When I need creative inspiration, I go for something rhythmic or instrumental. Smooth, beachy tunes calm me and a little pop/rock can perk me right up. Get silly. Especially when things get bad. When there's nothing you can do, might as well have a laugh. Breathe. When things have just been crazy or stressful, I'll find myself tense and muscles on high alert. Exhale. Relax. Breathe. Eat something. If I'm getting irritable and a headache is coming on, and we've been stuck on a stupid runway for 2 hours, and my hair is frizzy, and the kid behind me is kicking my seat*... I should eat something. Food always makes it better. Take a hot shower. Hot, high-pressured showers are a luxury in many destinations on and off the beaten path, but I always find my disposition infinitely better when I've had a great shower and feel squeaky clean. Cold showers, on the other hand... Soak up the view. Simple as that. Kill 'em with kindess. When you're dealing with the guy that needs to find your lost luggage, be as nice as possible. Yes, it's a sh***y situation, and no, you do not have your contact solution and fresh underwear for tonight, but put on a happy face and you'll get better service. And maybe, just maybe, your undies will arrive tomorrow by 10 am. Make local friends. Human or animal. Both are good. Hug it out. Or cry it out. Or scream. Call home. Being half a world away from family and friends, it's nice to get on Skype or Google Talk to find out what's going on stateside, exchange I miss you's, and hear a familiar voice. Hit the road. That's the beauty of travel. If you don't like where you are, change the location. Can't ship off to the next spot on an earlier flight? A quick change of scenery is easy with a day trip. Not exactly innovative techniques, but they're the things I need to remind myself now 'n again to turn my frown upside down. Best part? They work. *This case is a whole other animal; may require multiple methods of coping to survive.

The post Travel and Finding My Happy Place appeared first on Camera & Carry On.

Holy Toledo! A Dreamy Day Trip from Madrid

Shannon — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 05:23:00 +0000

While staying with some great friends in Madrid, they recommended we get out of the city and explore the surrounding towns. It came down to Segovia and Toledo as their top two picks, to which the latter struck our interest most. At just over an hour away, Toledo is the ideal day tripper destination: historic, walkable, and scenic. In addition to boasting attractions (cathedral, Jewish quarter, Alcazar) in the old part of town, there are amazing views of the ancient, walled city from across the Tagus river which can be easily reached on the public bus, or if you're like us and avoid buses whenever possible*, on foot! [See image gallery at www.cameraandcarryon.com] The City of Three Cultures, in reference to occupation by those of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish faiths over the years, stands tall and is entered by crossing a stone bridge and climbing an eternity of steps to reach the main plaza. After a short break to cool our burning thighs, we bee-lined it for the Santo Tomé confitería, known for its mazapan. Generally, I'm not a fan of the almond paste treats, but we were specifically told we MUST try the mazapan in Toledo; that it was much different than the similar marzipan found elsewhere in Europe. I had to give it to the Spaniards... they know a thing or two about sweets and won my taste buds over. The remainder of our afternoon was spent meandering through cobbled streets, poking our heads in various sword shops (they're known for high quality 'Toledo steel'), getting lost, admiring the architecture, and indulging ourselves with lots of silly photos. Sometimes it's more about who you're with than where you are that makes a day special, don't you agree? Toledo, however, proved to be a beautiful city and the perfect place to enjoy a crisp, winter day. *Let's just say bumpy buses and sensitivity to motion don't always mix well. For instance, in 2012 while trying to get from Nice to Cannes, we had to make an emergency stop to get off mid-ride (someone was feeling a bit queasy). Crisis averted, and we now travel with motion sickness pills and essential oils for dabbing behind the ears. Besides, we prefer to walk... be one with our surroundings... and it doesn't hurt that we get a good workout in, too!

The post Holy Toledo! A Dreamy Day Trip from Madrid appeared first on Camera & Carry On.

E is for Elephant: Getting Up Close in Chiang Mai

Michael — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 17:00:33 +0000

Much of Thailand, and Asia in general, has an insane amount of wildlife attractions catered to tourists. It’s surprisingly easy to get in a cage with a tiger... if you want to. Like many others, we were eager to get up close with some of these amazing creatures, but it was important to us to go to a place that treats the animals properly. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these attractions are set up for the sole purpose of making money, and some how that seems to translate to animal abuse/neglect. Shannon and I are animal lovers - I don’t mean we’re like those crazy animal lovers, but we appreciate the beauty of life. After searching forever online, I was starting to have my doubts. Almost everything had at least some negative reviews about mistreatment. Finally, I came across the Elephant Nature Park (ENP) in northern Chiang Mai. Sangduen "Lek" Chailert started the park as a true sanctuary to rescue and help Asian elephants. She’s received numerous accolades, and I think their Wikipedia page sums it up pretty well. So, we made a reservation and were off! You can pretty much break the day into 6 activities:

Prep work - The first step of the journey is about an hour long ride from Chiang Mai city to the park. Along the way, a documentary video is shown to explain some background on Asian elephants and ENP. I thought this was really good because it made sure everyone was well informed about everything.
Feeding - Once we got to the park it was BAM! ELEPHANTS! You of course get a few rules and guidelines, then it’s right into the feeding. Guests stand on a platform, about 8 feet above the ground, and hungry elephants come right up. There are large baskets of fruits and veggies to hand the elephants. There are a few different platforms on the grounds that you can feed the elephants from as well. Feeding pretty much occurs all throughout the day; these beasts eat a lot!
Up close and personal - After the first feeding, your group goes down to the ground to see, pet, and (of course) feed the elephants at their level. We got a ton of amazing photos down there.
Elephants with special needs - There are a few elephants on the grounds that had been hurt before they arrived at ENP, or are just suffering from old age. One elephant we saw had a bad hip, one had a large cut on it’s side, etc. We were explained how the park takes care of the elephants like this.
Bathing - After a buffet lunch (it was ok, but eh, not worth mentioning much else about it), a whole lot a elephants march on down to the river. Roll up your pants, pick up a bucket, and get in that freezing cold water, because it’s bath time! This basically means throwing buckets of water on elephants. You may be wondering how the elephants know its bath time, or why they want a bath everyday. Well, the answer of course is more food. It became very obvious that the elephants only came to the bath for food because as soon as we finished, they coated them selves in dirt - see photos below.
Baby elephants - The park had a little (relative term) baby boy born about 4 months before we arrived. This was kind of the creme de la creme of the day. The baby, and it’s herd, walked over for a special feeding and play time. I have to be honest - I thought the baby was the creepiest looking elephant. To me, they just look better bigger, haha.

[See image gallery at www.cameraandcarryon.com] A few quick facts and notes:

The official ENP website is here, so don't be fooled by imitators!
The day trip costs 2,500thb ($77) per adult, and lasts from 8:00am to 2:00pm. Try and make a reservation in advance. We tried to make a reservation online a few days before we wanted to go, but the site said they were all booked up. We emailed, and got a response again saying they were all booked. We then went into their office in Chiang Mai (view map) and were able to book in person. I’m guessing they only allow a certain amount of reservations online versus in person.
You do not ride elephants at ENP. Although it is true elephants can, and have, carried humans on their back, the giant contraptions used today at mosts parks are really hurting the elephants. ENP has a strict no riding policy. Also, the trainers (mahout) at ENP do not use ankus (large metal hooks) to poke and control the animals. These again are used at many parks, but strictly not at ENP.
I read some reviews on TripAdvisor that said the documentary video was too gruesome, there wasn’t enough actual elephant interaction, and the day trip itself was too long. The video was pretty straight forward about abuse, but we were ok with how graphic it was. I suspect ENP may have changed their schedule around some, because we had pretty much nonstop elephant interaction the entire time we were there. As far as it being too long, it probably could have been an hour shorter, but we were really fine with it. It gave us a chance to relax, sit around, and watch the elephants roam naturally.

The post E is for Elephant: Getting Up Close in Chiang Mai appeared first on Camera & Carry On.