Georgia

Georgia - the country, not the state - was never really on our radar. However, not one person we met who had gone had anything to say about it that wasn't spectacular, so we gave it a go. A brutal overnight flight (of just 3.5 hours) was not the best start, nor was the very Asian-like exit of the airport, packed with people, many pulling at you to take their cab. We got a SIM card from a stand and checked out our rental car, following the guy past the clouds of cigarette smoke to a lot where we got the junkiest rental car I think I've ever paid for. Departing north at 5:30am, only Justin saw much of the town while the rest slept. We stopped at Zhinvali Water Reservoir and shortly on to Ananuri Fortress for quick pictures before heading up to the mountains in Stepantsminda. Our stay was at Ska Cottage, a small place overlooking the mountains that I would say can be beaten if it weren't for the views and the price. Unfortunately, it rained a lot and there wasn't much we could do about that.

A highlight in the north of the country was that we hiked up to Gregeti Trinity Church, one of the most picturesque locations possible. While we had neither the gear nor the patience for going farther, we hauled up (and down due to the lightning and hail) that mountain. Nothing could be finer than having a bite at Cozy Corner by the river. The Georgian food never disappointed, from delicious soups to unique bread, and of course, the wine. Khachapuri is a delicious bread with cheese, and the khinkali - like dumplings, were smashing. We snuck in a short hike to the waterfall and a single run. Had the weather been better this would have been a place to explore more, but it just was not quite that time of year yet. It was the closest most of this family would ever get to Russia, though. 

The drive back was interesting. When it isn't stray dogs, herds of cows, or even horses on the road, truckers were in the way. While miles upon miles of long-haul trailers were parked on the side of the road (presumably to enter Russia), there were still trucks, and on the winding mountain roads, they proved hard to pass. Many people took plenty of liberties in getting past them and it became more of a white-knuckling experience. However, when we hit the border of Tbilisi, it was as if everyone had forgotten how to drive! No longer were there any lanes - people just weaved in and out as they pleased. Heavy traffic combined with rain made the last hour one of the least enjoyable of the trip, particularly as once we got close to the next hotel, we were caught among a bunch of walking streets and one-way roads. We got stuck in small alleyways, behind construction, and parked cars. It was extremely frustrating. However, our place - Old Tbilisi Rhymes - was a gem, once we finally found it. The place was large and a short walk from all the things we wanted to see. Location is key. A burger and beer at SMA cafe did help (though the burgers weren't the best). 

I forgot to mention that on this drive home, we did stop a couple of times to see the Jvari Monastery, a 6th-century building that remains largely unchanged, and the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, which originated in the 4th century. 

Our goal was to do a walking tour at night. The weather was a bit wet and windy but we rocked up anyway along with a  random Polish woman to take the tour. We learned a lot and saw some of the best sites, from Zion Cathedral, Liberty Square, some cool architecture, the Meidan Bazaar underground, and lots of other little things, all told in a fun way. However, I was very tired from the long day and was glad to call it quits. The next day we hiked up to the top of the 4th century Narikala Fortress (since the cable car was not open due to winds) and the Mother of Georgia statue. These places were just above us, offering great views, and finally some sun. Burgers and beers at Tsota Tsota hit the spot, though the Black Dog was fun too with all its Big Lebowski-themed items and movie posters. 

Our final day in the capital was spent at the Sulfur Baths. There are a number of them there but the most iconic is Chreli-Abano which looks a bit like a mosque on the outside. The pool was hot to say the least, and we all were pretty uncomfortable after about 5 minutes in the water. The bravest hopped from the 50-degree Celcius pool to the fridged cold plunge, but not everyone could handle it. Sarah and Taelyn opted for a kisi, which is like an exfoliating scrub. Red like lobsters, we said goodbye. Our dinner was at the 144 Steps Cafe, up above our lodging, which offered good food, like everywhere. 

The third leg of our trip took us east, towards some of the more famous winelands of the region. However, along the way, we wanted to stop at Davit Gareja, a beautiful monastery complex. However, Google Maps pulled a fast one on us and soon we were braving potholes. When it said "turn right" and there was no discernable road, we were not encouraged. Up and over a road, paved this time but with grass growing on it (they could film the Walking Dead on this street), we wondered if we were in trouble when we hit a military base with no entry due to a firing range (what time we did not want to find out). Onward we plowed basically down a two-track dirt road with dips and ruts. We only had 2-wheel drive and it was very sketchy, bottoming out repeatedly. Had we gotten stuck, it would have been hours to get someone to even find us. However, after more than an hour of trying to bounce along this path and not end up stranded, we found pavement. Google Maps even said we crossed momentarily into Azerbaijan as we were driving along the border! In the end, it was worth it as this 6th-century church was built into a rock face and was a spectacle to see.

The rest of the drive headed up into the mountains to the town of Sighnaghi, of the City of Love. Here we stayed at Apartment Sunrise, a place that could have slept 10 people. The old man spoke no English but was nice enough, bringing us fresh strawberries every day. We were famished so we went to Pancho Villa, a little Mexican place in town. It was a smashing success. Despite not getting the guacamole (there was no power so he couldn't blend the avos), we all thoroughly enjoyed that meal of pico de Gallo, burritos, and Coronas, of course! It really was some of the better Mexican food we have had abroad. The next day we headed to Pheasant's Tears Winery and had a wine that contained 418 types of grapes! It tasted about how you would expect that too, but it was fun nonetheless. Then we walked to Bodbe Convent, a stunning place overlooking the mountains. While not as ancient as most sites (but still older than the USA), it was still impressive and very beautiful. Walking on through the hills we came to the Cradle of Wine Marani. This tasting is held by a guy named Paul who will ridicule you as well as bedazzle you (and you best follow the toastmaster's rules) all while you sip on unique wines and taste delicious bread. We laughed and learned all about this wine culture, which is the oldest in the world going on 8000 years! But we also learned how important it was for Georgian hospitality. We ended back at Pancho Villa because it was Cinco de Mayo after all. 

Our last day was (somewhat) uneventful as we drove back to the capital and stayed in a hotel close to the airport. It lacked just about everything the description on Booking.com said, but we made due. We also headed out to 2 Tons for food, but this satellite restaurant of the one downtown was terrible! Service was an absolute joke and while they had a menu of say 100 items, 50 of them were not at this location! Hard pass.

Georgia was a gorgeous country with impressive architecture that remains intact after many centuries of weather and invasion. The people are very kind overall (much more so in touristy places) and a shocking number speak English. Overall, most food and lodging is cheap, like my rental car, and this is an untapped gem in terms of tourism. It will never get big like Italy but it has so much to offer and is a breath of fresh air from the more packed Western European cities. 

New Zealand

After arriving from a very long flight to Auckland, Justin popped up early in the morning after little sleep to collect our Jucy rental van, our home for two weeks.  This "van" had a kitchen of sorts, a dining table which turned into the main bed, and a lofted area that converted to a second bed. We grabbed groceries and headed down the road to our first stop, Hobbiton, where we would visit the Shire. This movie set was used in the filming of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, and we walked through all of the places we saw on screen: the mill, Frodo's/Bilbo's house, Sam's house, the Party Tree, the garden, and we wrapped it all up with a stop in the Green Dragon Inn for a beer.

Onward we traveled to the beautiful Coromandel Pennisula and a stop at Hot Water Beach and the Hot Water Beach Resort Holiday Park. We spent the next three days hanging in our camper van here by the beach. While the ocean was far too cold to swim in, the beach was known for the chance to dig a hole in the sand at low tide and sit in the steamy waters.  Other side trips included a trip to the breweries in the area (Hot Water Brewing Company, The Pour House).  We headed up to the coast and decided to make the walk along the beach trail to Cathedral Cove. The name was misleading. After the first 100m was in the sand on the beach, we sent our sandals back to the car. Soon the path led up into the hills and sand turned to rooted trail and then rocky terrain.  We were still doing fine barefoot until the wooded path turned into a paved walkway.  This small, sharp stones making up the pavement were torture on our softened feet, and the sun coming down superheated the stone. We ended up running from shady spot to spot on the trail or jumping off and onto the grass or sand alongside when we could stand it no more. The walk was supposed to take 1.5 hours but we did it in about 45 min. We were rewarded with wonderful waves and views at Cathedra Cove and the kids were tempted to swim. After getting slammed by ice-cold giant waves, they stepped out. We had the long walk back and suffered the pain, but beer at the finish line made it all a memory.  We also celebrated Christmas in the van and made up a delicious dinner of steak, lobster, and shrimp on the grill.

Before heading to the next town, we made a stop in the national park to do a little hike. It was pouring rain and cloudy when were arrived, not ideal conditions for the next morning's trek. However, when we arose at 4:30am, the sky was clear.  We drove to the bus and took a bus to the park.  Our objective was the Tongariro Crossing, a 12.5-mile traverse of the mountains southwest of Taupo. It is hailed as the best one-day hike in the world, but is known for having brutal weather swings. Most people on the bus were dressed for what looked like a ski outing and we felt a little underprepared.  Once on the trail we steadily stamped out a pace on the well-formed boardwalks, staying ahead of most groups.  Others caught and passed us early but we overtook nearly all of them by the end. A long, steady climb greeted us from the gates and we hiked for quite a while as the sun rose over Mt. Doom (Mount Ngauruhoe).  Stopping only for snacks and water, we pushed up the slopes and headed for the ridge where we were greeted with an apocalyptic flat of sand surrounded by cliffs. Mad Max could have been filmed here. The wind was wicked across this vast opening.  At the end we started a steep climb up the ridge, often going hand over hand to avoid getting blown off the peak. Our hands froze as we battled the wind. It was 15 minutes of insanity.  The view from the top, however, was worth it. Huge peaks and deep valleys were all around, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.  We descended down a steep scree slope, hoping not to fall. We all met up around Emerald Lakes, a series of small, green ponds colored by minerals. From there we dropped down again to a flat before a steep but brief climb to Blue Lake, a wonderful sight. From there the intensity rose again as we climbed high on the ridge, working our way around the mountain. Eventually, we started a long series of switchbacks down the mountain, hot springs all around.  We eventually entered the forest and kept to trails along rushing rivers for the remainder of the hike. After about 4.5 hours we reached the road, well ahead of nearly everyone that started with us. Most people take 7-8 hours. Exhausted, we snacked and rested while we waited several hours for our bus to pick us up. It was one of the prettiest but most difficult hikes we have done.

Our next stop took us to Taupo, the outdoor capital of the north island. We stayed in another holiday park (Lake Taupo Holiday Resort). The plus of this place was a giant pool with a cave, swim-up bar, and movies on the big screen twice a day!

Taelyn and Justin had been eyeing a skydive outing for over a year and set out to do it here. When they arrived, the winds were high and after waiting several hours, they were told they could not jump (with Taelyn being light, they didn't feel safe in these conditions). Undeterred, they came back a day later and waited out the weather. Dressed in gear, they climbed aboard the plane and headed up, oxygen masks on, still unsure if they could jump.  At 15,000 ft. they scooted to the door, looked down, and with a thumbs up, rolled out into the blue.  The 1 min free fall was intense but the setback was fingers and faces instantly froze.  The dive was captured on video making for a great memory.

After the dive, the fam headed to the Rock N Ropes.  Each person faced their fears by climbing high and traversing obstacles. One of our favorites was the telephone pole climb and the leap of faith to the trapeze.  The final test was a giant swing off a platform, freaking everyone out. Sarah had enough, and the girls could only jump from low, but Justin was able to climb to the top and do a jump 30ft into a giant pillow. It was terrifying and painful but a rush. Another thing we did was go to the Craters of the Moon, a geothermal park in Taupo. Lined with boardwalks, we went from place to place watching the steam come out of the earth.

After renting some bikes, we headed out for a 2-hour ride in the Craters Mountain Bike Park.  The girls were shaky at first but after a while found their groove and started doing some fun jumps, logs, and rails. Justin returned a couple of days later on his own and ended up doing some very technical trails. Routes did not hook up as planned, and with no phone service, things got sketchy. There were a few crashes and some close calls. He was on some trails where if he went over the edge, he wouldn't be found. After several hours and 20 miles, he made it back to the holiday park.

Another amazing adventure of Taupo is the Huka Falls Jet Boat experience. These vehicles hover on the top of the water and rip down the river at speeds of 80kmh. Every so often, the operator will whip the boat into a 360-degree turn, seeing who can keep down their lunch.  We also saw Huka Falls up close.  In this area, we started several hikes from Spa Park and hiked along the river to Huka Falls and back. In Spa Park you can also sit in the hot springs coming off the trails and find your comfort zone between the searing heat of the springs and the chill of the river. This is how we spent Sarah's birthday (New Year's Day) before having a dinner of steak, shrimp, lobster, and wine all before a movie in the pool.

Our drive north took us to the Glow Worm caves in Waitomo where an underground boat tour in the dark was met with amazing sparkling lights above us. Millions and millions of worms glow in the dark. It was quite a view, but cameras were not allowed so we didn't get to capture it. And then our trip to the North was finished as we returned to Auckland for the night. We played mini golf to kill the time.

The next morning we flew to the South Island. Our original plan was all the way to Queenstown but the time did not permit the distance. Instead, we landed in Nelson in the upper part of the South Island. Our first stop was Cable Bay Adventure Park, and while we were there for the skywire ride, we had more fun playing with the eels that were in the river by the start and taking on some archery. A ride to the top of the peak set us up for a ride back down on the world's longest flying fox. Unfortunately, the speed of the ride just didn't live up to the hype. While the views were cool and the ride down (forward) and the ride back (backward) was interesting, it lacked the real excitement for the price. Our base was Tahuna Beach Kiwi Holiday Park along the water, complete with putt-putt and walks on the beach. 

We drove to Able Tasman National Park for a day. Our first trip was a boat ride out to Seal Island and Apple Rock before we stepped off the boat for a long hike back through the woods. We crossed rivers and fields as well as a lake at low tide. Temps were warm and humidity high so it proved to be a fairly decent challenge. 

In town we rented bicycles to take on the Cycling Great Taste Trail, a non-descript route stopping at breweries along the way. Heavy winds posed a bit of a challenge for the kids but with frequent stops, we made it and got to try many new places. Cider was the big hit. Not to be outdone, the wine got it's turn on the weekend. We rented a cruiser which was essentially a 4-seater bike in the shape of a car. It looked amazing but it would prove to be a major mistake by the end of the day. The kids just could not pedal it well, and Justin ended up doing a bulk of the work, pushing the heavy vehicle down the road. At one point, it was so hot, the shirt had to come off. We bounced from winery to winery, having sips and samples at each along with the occasional meat and cheese platter. A nap and some television helped us recover enough for a drink at Dodson Street Beer Garden.

Totally beat, we flew back to Auckland for a final night but stuck with putt-putt and another night in the Ibis Hotel by the airport, content to rest before the flight back the next afternoon. New Zealand is probably on everyone's bucket list and while I hope our 2nd trip was not our last to this beautiful place. But we did it right, that's for sure. 

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Italy 2019

Taking the chance to run a marathon while on vacation, we bounced over to Venice. The marathon was not as good as planned; Justin was not in great shape and faded a bit coming into town. His friend, Kirsten, was traveling with us but was injured and could not compete. After the race, we strolled the streets, enjoying Aperol Spritz, wine, and some beer. The next few days, we visited Doge Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, and St. Mark's Square. We even saw The Campo San Barnaba, which is where Indiana Jones exits the library in The Last Crusade. Pizza was plentiful, as was pasta, and we navigated the small alleyways out to Rialto Bridge and other interesting views. We wanted to do a gondola ride on the canal, but it was insanely expensive. Venice takes significant advantage of tourism, and it limited our potential to make the most of it. Soon it was time to get out of the tight city.

We rented a car and headed west, stopping first at the Madonna Della Corona, a beautiful church built into the side of a mountain. It was raining, so after we walked a long way down the mountain, we finally come to it, but the view was impaired by the mist. Inside, the church was petty, but the location is the real draw to this place. We drove on to Sirmione, a small village on a peninsula jetting out into lake Garda. We parked and walked the road into the city at the end which looked like a castle. The entire place was surrounded by water, and the city walls protected the area. Gelato places were everywhere - far more than are needed for this small place. We ate at Trattoria La Fiasca, enjoying amazing food and the best bread and balsamic we have ever tasted. We toyed with stopping in fair Verona to see Juliet's balcony from Romeo & Juliet (whatever that means), as well as try grappa in Bassono del Grappa, but the persistent rains kept us in the car. 

We took the train north to Conegliano and then a cab to Soligo. This is where Prosecco is made and it was a beautiful place. We ate pizza at Pizzeria Tonino and had beers. At first, we thought it was the price per slice so we got about 6 of them. It turns out the cheap price was per pizza, so we ended up with more than we could possibly eat. The next day we went on a wine tour, learning about the production of Prosecco and the government regulation over the use of the name. We even walked up a hill and bought a bottle from a vending machine which we enjoyed overlooking the valley. All of the wine was solid.

Venice was crowded and expensive, and it was not making the list of my favorite places in Italy. However, we really enjoyed the areas around it and vowed to come back. We caught great weather for the race and the wine country while it was poor in between, so that was also a win. 

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South Africa 2018 - The Return

South Africa was a wonderful place to live and we had four great years there. Returning for a holiday was amazing because we could take the highlights of our time living there and do a "Greatest Hits" trip.  It started by flying into Johannesburg.  We made our way directly to Riversands for some beer and pies. The place had changed a lot and what was once a shack by a river was now a happening boutique of stalls.  Taeyln tapped into biltong and kept at it for the week. Next we dropped by our old school and took a walk around. Much of it had been updated and looked very nice.  We finished the day at Papachinos, our old haunt where the kids made their own pizza, played on the structures, and we drank our cheap but amazing wine and had the obligatory bacon, avo, feta pizza.

The next day we were off to Ukatula, the lion preserve, to play with the lion and tiger cubs and see the other cats.  This is one of the best things to do in the area. The pictures cannot be beat. Where else can you hold a baby lion?!?

Soon we were flying out to George where we drove back to Knysna on the Garden Route.  This is probably the best part of the country.  We headed out to do some zip lining. The girls sailed down the lines and even picked up a chameleon for a ride. We went to the elephant reserve and walked with the giants in open fields, feeding and petting them.  Anyone who doesn't marvel at an elephant has never really been to Africa.

We drove the next day to Oudtshoorn for a tour of Highgate Ostrich Farm.  It starts with learning about the leather and feathers of the bird. Then we played with the babies before feeding the adults.  Not to be missed is the sitting on/riding of the ostrich.  We watched a jockey race and, of course, had ostrich for a meal. It is quite delicious. The only thing we missed out on this time was the standing on the egg which our entire family can do at once!

A long drive over the mountains brought us to Franschhoek, a beautiful mountain town know for its wine.  We stayed in an amazing house at the foot of the mountains near town.  The food was great, but the wine unstoppable.  A few tastings was all it took to know that South Africans still do some of the best wine in the world.

We spent the remaining days in Cape Town, walking the Waterfront and eating.  We returned to the Two Oceans Aquarium, but we were unable to go to Robbin Island. We headed out around the Cape Peninsula and stopped at Boulders Beach to walk with the penguins.

We ended the week with what we really came here to do: The Two Oceans Marathon.  The 56km tour of the peninsula is very pretty but extremely difficult.  The kids opted for a shorter version the day before and pounded out about a kilometer in the rain.  The weather, which had been great all week, turned ugly on the weekend. Luckily, it cleared in time for my run.  I finished in a respectable time, albeit slower than my previous attempts when living there. I was quite sore for the plane ride home.

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European Christmas 2017

Fresh off the plane and back in Germany - there isn't a better way to kick off Christmas than flying down the autobahn. First stop: Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the medieval gem in Bavaria. We met up with our good friends, The Jettners, and proceeded to the Christmas markets, enjoying shopping and mulled wine. We visited the Medieval Torture Museum again and did the night walk of the city.

Rothenburg at night

Our next stop was Nuremberg, home to Germany's largest Christmas market. The people here were plentiful and space was tight, but the vast size is something to marvel at. We ate and drank our way around the stalls, meeting up with a family from Qatar. Jared, Kris and I all watched Michigan State hand out some punishment on the basketball court.  After a day of fun, we rolled down to Munich and stayed put for a few days.  Munich offers multiple markets and we enjoyed the size and speed of the Marienplatz while also having fun with parades, musics, and drinks of fire at the medieval market.

On Christmas Eve we headed to Hofbrauhaus, the world famous beer hall, for a mid-afternoon dinner. The place was so busy we had to sit at multiple tables as we had nearly 20 people. It was loud and hectic, but the beer flowed like wine and the food and music made up for the discomfort.  After we headed to the hotel and did a gift exchange with all the friends who had joined and gotten gifts for each other from the markets.   The girls got pajamas and watched a movie.

On Christmas morning we awoke and did presents under the small tree we had purchased in the square.  Then we headed down to the Jettners room to do an exchange with them.  But after breakfast it was off to our favorite activity to do on Christmas: the water park. Since nothing else is open that day, what better way to spend it than ripping down slides, floating in lazy rivers, and soaking in hot tubs?  Our evening finished by reuniting with all of our friends at Augustiner Brauhaus for dinner.

The Walkers and the Jettners said goodbye and flew to Chamonix, France, to spend the week in the mountains.  A winter wonderland awaited, with gorgeous views of the mountains all around.  Evenings were spent walking the streets and tucking into pubs to keep warm while the day time was filled with activities. Skiing was a hit and we spent several days on the slopes, with Taelyn getting much better by then end.  She could even go down the largest and longest of hills and was keen to work on the ski jumps (and crashing).  Kaelia was more reserved and opted to sled - Sarah had no objections joining her.  Sledding was also fun and we found several great hills to go down around town. We ice skated at the foot of a mountain.

Our biggest disaster was trying to go tubing. On day one, we drove around following Google Maps to the site.  It took about an hour and we kept climbing up and up the mountain. It never felt right. When a road terminated on the ski slope and we had 5K left to drive, we knew it was not right. This place was on the mountain top.  There were no directions.  The next day we went to the hill via bus as the parking was insane.  Jammed a million people into a bus, we made about 70 stops from our house to the hill then got in a long line for the cable car to the top. We repeatedly asked about tubing and the operators called the top to be sure it was on; it was. We paid about 70 Euros to get a lift ticket and we were off.  When we reached the top, there were no indicators of where to go, no signs. Just a huge, white mountain top.  We asked and asked but no one knew or just didn't understand. The rudest French people we ever met were the ski instructors who could not be bothered by us.  So we started walking. After tramping through the snow with the kids for a long while, we thought we saw a park for tubing. It was down a long, ungroomed hill. Kris went ahead, ducked into a lodge-like structure and asked. He gave the thumbs up.  We battled down the hill in waist-deep snow, soaking ourselves (I only had on shoes - the last time I would make that mistake).  When we got there, tubes were piled together and buried in 4 feet of snow. The course to go down was ungroomed, the belt to the top was not visible, and it was clear that there was no tubing happening here. Soaked, cold, and tired, we headed down the mountain.  We took the kids inside a care for hot chocolate and we had a beer while Sarah battled with the operator for 30 min to get a refund for our wasted trip.  We headed home, gased. The Jettners wanted to ski. Hours later we saw them return, soaked from the rain, not happy. We might have made the better choice that day.

Another highlight was dog sledding. We met the dogs and hooked up the sleds for a 5km ride around the park at the foot of the mountains. It was a wonderful time, cruising along the snow with white mountains above, green trees, blue skies, and the sounds of the dogs barking. It is an expensive activity, but worth it 100%.

Kris and I also took in a hockey game watching the local team battle Grenoble. It was a fun experience and we were definitely one of the few non-locals there.  Most of the time this week was spent outside and the kids had snowball fights, built forts, and rolled snowmen.  We had a wonderful New Year's Eve. Nicole made a task for the kids for every hour (ex. have a tea party for the stuffed animals, do compliment cards, create a skit, etc.) and we all stayed up together for the New Year. Fireworks went off in the valley. I don't think I have made midnight on New Years in a long time!

Chamonix in Winter

The view from our living room

The Jettners departed and we had a few more days as a family in Chamonix. It was hard to leave and after a long, wet drive, we arrived in Zurich.  Our only purpose in coming here was to fly out, but we had a couple of days to kill.  The food and beer places were nice, but the cost of eating out in Zurich is so insane that it was a tough sell. We did an escape room and hit the pool, went for some runs, and took the kids to the playground. To say we did anything in the city would be a massive oversell.

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