AK Monthly Recap: August 2018

I love this time of year. Here in New York, the long stretchy of humidity is finally being broken up with occasional 75-degree days. The laziness that overpowered my June and July has finally abated. It’s time to make new goals and get back to work — with a pumpkin spice latte in hand.

Here’s what I got up to in August.

Destinations Visited

New York, NY

Vienna, Austria

Favorite Destination

Vienna was lovely — but I was especially partial to the neighborhood of Grinzing.

Highlights

A fun trip to Vienna for beach volleyball with Cailin. I’ve already written about it in depth, but it was such a nice trip. And a most unexpected way to spend my 34th birthday.

A fun trip to Spa Castle. Spa Castle is a legendary Korean Spa in Queens and my sister has always wanted to go, so I took her for her birthday gift. We had an AWESOME time! You first spend time in the single-sex area with all the baths (total nudity required), where you can pay to get a Korean scrub treatment done. I highly recommend this — it’s painful at times, but your skin feels so smooth, the buckets of water the lady pours over you feel like silk.

Next you go to the coed areas, where you wear the uniform of a t-shirt and shorts over your bathing suit. You can go swimming in the outdoor pool areas, and inside there are tons of different saunas. Going in the saunas in t-shirts and shorts is a bit weird, but it’s a good time. Then Sarah got us foot massages for my birthday! Absolutely blissful. If you’ve read any of my Thailand posts, you know that foot massages are one of my favorite things in the world…I still balk at paying more than $7 for an hourlong foot massage, though!

If you go, definitely go during the week as early as possible. It gets insanely crowded. And if you’re going to splurge on a spa treatment, get the Korean scrub. There is a free shuttle to the spa from Flushing — get there 10 minutes before the shuttle is due to leave. And afterward, get some great Chinese food in Flushing! I had the best Portuguese egg tart of my LIFE at New Flushing Bakery — and believe me, I’ve eaten a LOT of Portuguese egg tarts, including in Portugal and Macau!

Meeting Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. The Senator was doing a town hall at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, and I went with my friend and her baby. While we didn’t get picked to ask a question, we did get to meet her and take a photo with her at the end! (Also, the whole time we were urging the baby not to spit up on the Senator. He did not. He was a perfect angel and both Senator Gillibrand and Congresswoman Clark loved him!)

Lots of fitness milestones. Lifting more weight than ever, squatting lower than ever, jumping higher than ever. I feel awesome!

Lots of good times with friends in New York. Lots of long walks through Central Park, trying new restaurants, and enjoying the best of summer. I’ve been spending a lot of time working this month, but I’ve been trying to add time outside whenever possible.

All of the raspberries. August is raspberry season and I’m going through box after box of them!

Challenges

I FOUND MY FIRST GRAY HAIRS. Or should I say that Cailin pointed them out gleefully as I was getting my hair braided in Vienna. Two gray hairs on the back of my head.

“You have two grays,” Cailin told me.

“No, they’re blonde!” I replied. “I have lots of light blonde hairs all over my head.”

“No, those are definitely gray,” she said, pulling one to the front of my head. I gasped. It was unmistakably gray.

Yeah, maybe my sobbing on Instagram Stories was a bit overdramatic…but yeah. I shouldn’t be surprised; most of my friends my age have grays. I’m happy and proud to grow older, but I was hoping I had a few years left before I had to start worrying about my hair!

I tore something in my back. I was jumping up into a pull-up and something behind my right shoulder went awry. And man, I was in SERIOUS pain the next day. I recovered in about a week, but I haven’t done much pulling since. A lacrosse ball was an absolute savior for the first few days — I held it against the wall with my body and rolled it over the painful part.

I got stuck in my elevator. For the second time this year. And this time the doors opened halfway between two floors, which was terrifying. And I didn’t even have my phone — I was in the elevator going back to my apartment because I had forgotten it! But I just pressed the “2” button and it closed and went down to the second floor as normal. My super and neighbors all say, “Yeah, just press the button and you’ll be fine,” but I find it less than reassuring.

Just barely missing Janet Jackson. I was floored when Janet Jackson announced a surprise concert at a Harlem block party, a short walk from where I live! I headed down there and the crowd was excited, but sadly it got started late and I had plans, so I had to miss it. (I almost never go to concerts, but I went to Janet’s All For You tour when I was in high school. She would have been the first artist I’ve seen more than once.)

Most Popular Post

What It’s Like to Turn 34 — My annual birthday post, and what my mid-thirties feel like.

Other Posts

What to Eat in New Orleans — All of the quintessential dishes of New Orleans, along with some weird ones — and where to get them.

How to Plan a Weekend Getaway to Cleveland — My guide to Cleveland, a fun, delicious, and artsy city.

Yes, I Went to Vienna to Watch Beach Volleyball with Austrian Airlines — All the details of my trip to Vienna to watch the Beach Majors!

Solo Female Travel in Italy — Is it Safe? — A super-long, in-depth guide to solo female travel in a country I know extremely well.

A Typical Day on an Antarctica Expedition Cruise — What do you actually do in Antarctica, anyway?

Most Popular Photo on Instagram

Like this shirt? You can own it! I’m happy to announce that Cailin and I have started a new apparel shop on Amazon. It’s called Adventurous March and we designed several travel-themed t-shirts that we ourselves would actually want to wear. Check the store out here!

Amazon’s merch department is very limited for now and so far the store is only available in the US (you’ll get an invalid link if you try accessing it outside the US), but we look forward to Amazon rolling it out in other countries soon.

What I Wore This Month

I loved, loved, loved this denim dress that I got from Rent the Runway Update — I wore it a million times! RTRU lets you buy items at a discount if you really love them, but it was an expensive Derek Lam dress and I couldn’t quite justify the $395 price tag. That’s the point of renting standout pieces instead of buying! How beautiful is it, though?

I didn’t take many other photos of my outfits this month, but here is the romper that started my Romper Revolution of 2017. It’s by BB Dakota and you can get it on Amazon. It comes in blue, too.

What I Watched This Month

I’ve been watching some videos of the late great Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. While her performance at the Kennedy Center Honors is my absolute favorite (I watched it live and my mouth fell open multiple times), I recently discovered her performance of “Rolling in the Deep.” It’s worth a watch if you haven’t seen it — not only is her voice divine, but I love the playful confidence she has throughout the song.

What I Listened To This Month

I’m enjoying the second season of the Slow Burn podcast — it’s all about the events leading to Clinton’s impeachment. I was in middle school during most of the scandals and didn’t understand a lot of what was happening, but this fills in a lot of the gaps in my knowledge, including more about Whitewater and Troopergate and Vince Foster. I highly recommend it, especially if you’re around my age and only remember parts of what went on.

As soon as I’m done, I plan to listen to the first season of Slow Burn, which is about Nixon and Watergate.

What I Read This Month

This month I read two more books related to research I’m doing, and I’d rather not bore you with the details, so I won’t review them here. So far I’m up to 47 books in 2018, which has me on track to finish about 70 by the end of the year. If I hustle I may be able to beat last year’s record of 72.

The Finnish Way by Katja Pantzar (2018) — I have been waiting for a book like this. Nordic culture is so popular right now, and after reading Helen Russell’s The Year of Living Danishly and my friend Lola Äkerström’s Lagom about Sweden, I have been eager for a book on the Finnish lifestyle. I adore Finland — I just feel like I understand the country and the people on a deeper level.

Finland is all about sisu — grit and perseverance in the face of challenges. It’s sisu that gets Finns swimming through icy water in winter. Finns are focused on constant light physical activity, eating healthy, spending time in nature, and working for the collective good of all people. In fact, lately I’ve been thinking about how Finnish and Japanese culture are so similar! It’s an interesting and calming read and it will show you more ways to bring happiness into your life. I’ve noticed a big difference in my own life since I started adding long walks in Central Park a few times a week.

Educated by Tara Westover (2018) — Tara Westover was raised by survivalist Mormon parents on a mountain in rural Idaho. They were planning for the end of days and didn’t believe in government or modern medicine; as a result, Westover and her siblings received no education growing up. Yet she studied for the ACT and got into Brigham Young University, and once getting there, didn’t even realize she was supposed to read her textbooks. Yet she learned, succeeded, and went on to earn a Ph.D at Cambridge University. As you can imagine, reconciling her past and present was immensely challenging.

Westover’s childhood is like nothing I’ve ever read before — her father, whom she later believed was bipolar, scared the family with conspiracy theories of the government murdering innocent Mormons and made all his children do dangerous work collecting junk. There were so many near-deaths from accidents and because they didn’t believe in medicine, everything was treated at home by their healer mother. Just imagining that someone could grow up in that environment and become a scholar — it’s inconceivable. This is definitely one of the best releases of 2018 so far and it reminded me a lot of Jeannette Walls’s The Glass Castle, one of my favorite memoirs of all time.

Drop Dead Healthy by A.J. Jacobs (2012) — After being hospitalized with a freak case of Caribbean pneumonia and his fitness-loving wife urging him to take better care of himself, A.J. Jacobs decided to live a healthier lifestyle. And because he writes memoirs about being a human guinea pig, he decided to spend two years trying to be the healthiest person alive. He tried all kinds of diets and exercise, and even spent a month concentrating on a different part of the body — healthier ears, healthier fingers, a healthier endocrine system. And yes, he finished a significantly healthier person, to his wife’s delight.

This book was a reread for me. I love Jacobs’s writing and now that I’m more interested in health and nutrition than I was a few years ago, I figured it deserved a second read. You learn so much about health, while laughing along the way. And the most important thing is that it’s impossible to be completely healthy — in order to spend all the time eating, exercising, and meditating perfectly, you end up sacrificing stress-reducing time with family and friends. So he ended up picking and choosing a few behaviors to keep, and it made me decide what to prioritize in my own life as well.

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (2018) — I’ve been wanting to read a book by a neurodivergent author, and this was perfect — a romance novel told from the point of view of a woman with autism, written by a woman with autism. Stella is a brilliant and wealthy econometrician, but she struggles with social cues and has never had a boyfriend. She decides to hire an escort to teach her the basics — but soon she ends up falling for him. And as much as he tries not to, he falls for her, too.

To be honest, this is a typical cheesy romance plot, where everything would work out if you just communicated!! But the autism angle really makes things interesting, as does Michael’s home life with a big Vietnamese family. I decided not to think about it too hard and enjoyed it for what it is. A delightful and different love story.

Colonial Williamsburg image by Alan Price

Coming Up in September 2018

I’m going to Williamsburg, Virginia! And this isn’t a solo trip — I’m going for a girls’ getaway with my friend Oneika! Until now the only place I’ve been in Virginia is Arlington, which is more or less Washington, DC, so I’m excited to see more of the state. We’re getting a car and driving around the region.

Williamsburg will be at the end of the month, and before that I’m mostly staying put. There will likely be two quick trips within North America, and you’ll hear about them soon. Other than that, this is going to be a major work month for me — I’m excited to share what I’ve been working on with all of you!

Where are you going in September? Share away!

The post AK Monthly Recap: August 2018 appeared first on Adventurous Kate.

from Adventurous Kate https://www.adventurouskate.com/ak-monthly-recap-august-2018/

The Kids from the Victor School Returns from Guatemala. Here’s the Recap!

Earlier this year, we announced our latest FLYTE partnership, with the Victor School from rural Montana. Our goal was to send a group of its high school students to Guatemala for a week and a half of learning, service, and travel.

Quick side note: If you’re new to this website, FLYTE (Foundation for Learning and Youth Travel Education) is the nonprofit foundation we created just over 3 years ago to send high school classes on educational and service trips overseas. Our mission at FLYTE is to empower students through transformative travel experiences.

We know the power of travel to change you – and so do the teachers we partner with. That’s where FLYTE comes in. We serve underserved communities around the United States that don’t have the resources to send their kids abroad. So far we have sent classes to Mexico, Ecuador, and Cuba.

And with your help, we did it again. We raised over $18,000 to help these students go on their school trip to Guatemala.

The students, the school, the parents, me — we all thank you for being part of this!

In late June, they landed back in Montana, so today I wanted to give you an update on their trip so you know where your help went. (I know, I know. It took a while for this update to happen. I’m a slow writer.)

The school is located in the small rural town of Victor, Montana that serves a total student population of 300 where 100% of the students receive free or reduced-price school lunch. The poverty rate is high in this community and many families struggle to make ends meet.

After three flights and nearly 20 hours of travel, the kids made it to Guatemala. For most, this was their first time leaving the United States, visiting a developing country, being in a place where the culture and language are starkly different than that of their hometown, and for some, it was their first time out of Montana!

FLYTE trips are not just vacations for teens. The itineraries are crafted to include various forms of learning, teaching, adventures, interacting with local communities, and activities that push themselves out of their comfort zones.

The students spent the first part of their trip in the city of Antigua, where they took Spanish lessons and climbed the Pacaya volcano. That adventurous experience impacted the students and what they thought they were capable of so much that they stopped on their way down and took out their journals to document their exhilaration and acknowledge themselves.

On the shores of Lake Atitlán, they experienced living communally. Part of their service learning took place at the Amigos de Santa Cruz local NGO, where they made authentic Mayan cuisine, learned about vocational training programs, and donated books they collected in Montana for the NGO’s preschool library. They spent the afternoon playing soccer and hacky sack with the other neighborhood kids. (Most of the kids said this was their favorite

Additionally, they spend time volunteering with Konojel, a nonprofit whose mission is to reduce chronic malnutrition and endemic poverty. They helped out at the community center where undernourished children receive healthy meals and educational enrichment.

The trip to Guatemala ultimately changed their perceptions about the world outside the United States (and small-town Montana!) — and what they wanted to create with their own life.

As the students reflected on their trip, we heard a few common themes:

The first was the realization that what they heard on the news is not always actually accurate. And they really understand now how powerful and important it is to see and experience things for yourself to build your own understanding. It’s a sad reality that we see on the news is not the whole picture and “if it bleeds, it leads. Just check out what the students had to say about their shift in how they viewed Guatemala once they experienced it first-hand:

“I wasn’t going to go to Guatemala because of all the stuff I heard others saying about it, like that I would be kidnapped, or that it was poor, or that I would get lost. But I’m very happy I did, because that wasn’t true at all,” said Zoe. “I’ve never had people smile at me randomly, but these people in Guatemala did.”

Or as Sam R. said, “A lot of [my] family said Guatemala was a dangerous place and gave it a bad reputation without ever being there, but when I went, everyone was super friendly and I was comfortable.”

And even though these students come from an economically-deprived, more rural part of the United States, traveling overseas made many of them realize how lucky they have it compared to others. This is one of the key things I realized when I went on my first trip overseas. It’s what got me out of my head and made me realize that I had a lot more opportunities that I thought when I was living back at home.

Sam thought that “(being from a family with no money) I had nothing, yet there are places with even less than us. It makes me more grateful for all of the little things we have, like hot water.”

Ellyse couldn’t believe that “little things to us — like school and clean water and toilet paper — are such a privilege and we abuse it” after seeing how rare those were on the trip. “I thought Victor needed a lot of work and that it was rural, but it’s not [that] bad.” Most of the students came back from Guatemala much more grateful teens with new perspectives on how many opportunities they have, rather than what they don’t have.

This was also echoed by Sophie, who said, “We realized how much we take for granted, like toilet paper, clean water, and free education.” For Emma, “it made me more grateful for what we have, like good water, garbage/recycling services, etc. I am so lucky to live where I do and I am so grateful for all I have.”

Sam wants to work harder in school “because I now know what kind of opportunity I have.”

Summer observed, “We are so spoiled. We have so much more than some people in Guatemala could even dream of.” Sam S. said, “that although Victor is considered poor by American standards, we still have it very easy.” Madison felt that she had “a personal experience of how the real world works, how different countries are truly so different. It made me appreciate my home so much more.”

The students had other epiphanies as well. Gracie realized that “everyone has their own way of living, and mine is no better than anyone else’s.” Emma said, “It’s easy to forget that there’s so much outside of your little bubble and bigger issues in the world that we don’t see or experience in the U.S.”

Many realized they could push themselves beyond their comfort zone and do things that they never thought they could do.

Sadie “tried many different foods and tried to enjoy things that would normally scare me,” and Emma said “I achieved my goals by putting myself really out of my comfort zone. I learned that even in rough times, I can do what I need to make myself feel better.” Gracie really liked the shared hostels (two thumbs up from me!) even though she had never experienced anything like that before.

This trip inspired them to travel more too!

Zoe wants to go to Hawaii and also possibly back to Guatemala (“and bring my family with me so they can see it’s not dangerous, just adventurous”). Ellyse would like to go to Sydney, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Mexico. Summer also wants to visit Australia. Julia wants to study abroad in Spain. Audrey wants to go to Greece, Norway, France, Spain, “and so many more countries.” Sam would love to go to Guatemala again to see other areas. Madison has been inspired to travel “everywhere!”

Sophie plans on traveling, and this trip “helped teach me not to have any presumptions about a place I’m going and to just allow myself to learn there.”

These lessons that the students learned are why I created FLYTE — and why it’s so great that so many of you support the mission too.

With the division, lack of understanding, and fear of “the other” that’s permeating our culture today, this is exactly what makes it all worth it. The fundraising, coordinating group travel logistics, and the challenges of running a nonprofit — worth it. These students left their comfort zones and had experiences that created a shift in their perspective.

Will this single trip of Guatemala change the world? Maybe, maybe not. But what it does is put these kids on a path toward success, toward growth, and toward thinking bigger! And we never know the ripple effect that occurs once we’ve thrown that first single pebble. By cracking open the door, we allow other things to get through that will only widen it with time.

Thank you again for helping us raise money for the school and making an impact on these teens!

*** Three final thoughts:

First, we’ve already started the search for our 2019 partner school. If you or someone you know is an educator in an under-resourced school and wants to have an experience like the Victor School’s, we’d love for you to apply.

Second, just as it takes a village to raise a child, it took an entire community to send these students to Guatemala. Thank you to all our partners for making it possible for students to experience new cultures and countries and to broaden their worldviews! We are forever grateful to these sponsors:

• World Nomads, our travel insurance provider, which donated coverage for all our students and chaperones. A very big thank you to them for helping out and ensuring our students were protected!
• MYGHT Travel, which managed all our airline bookings and donated eye masks so the students could get some shut-eye on their flights.
• Om the Go, which donated Asana pillows for the entire group. The kids practiced yoga daily and loved that they all had their own personal yoga mats to stretch out and sweat on.
• Our team of FLYTE Champion blogger fundraisers, who created their own fundraising pages and helped us fund this trip: Carol (Wayfaring Views), Kristen (Kids Are a Trip), Gabi (Dream of Travel Writing), Anisa (Two Traveling Texans), Nicole (Wandering with a Dromomaniac), Amelia (Passports from the Heart), and Maggie (The World Was Here First).
• Path’s Crossing, a travel card game that prompted questions that made the group both laugh hysterically and cry with gratitude. The company donated a game to Victor School and a percentage of all its sales to FLYTE.
• Mahadevi Ashram, which housed the group at Lake Atitlán and provided them with daily yoga and meditation at a discounted rate.

Lastly, infinite thanks to our individual donors. We know that there are many worthy organizations out there, and we’re honored that you chose to donate to FLYTE. You made this trip happen and we can’t thank you enough!

The post The Kids from the Victor School Returns from Guatemala. Here’s the Recap! appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Nomadic Matt's Travel Site https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/victor-school-flyte-recap/

Abstract Photography Tips and 30+ Ideas

What if the most interesting subjects to photograph aren’t subjects at all – or, at least, not ones you can recognize easily? I’m referring to abstract photography, the “grand unifying genre” of photography, relevant to everything from landscapes to portraiture. Sometimes, taking an abstract photo is the best way to convey the emotions you want; in other cases, it strips your images of vital context. Hopefully, the tips and ideas in this article will help you practice it the right way.

from Photography Life https://photographylife.com/abstract-photography-tips-and-ideas#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=abstract-photography-tips-and-ideas

Everything You Need to Know About Nikon Z Lenses

The new Nikon Z system created quite a bit of interest among many photographers. As a result, there seem to be many questions related to the new Nikon Z lenses that have been announced now and will be revealed in the future. Unfortunately, there are lots of misconceptions and misunderstandings that are getting spread by some people on the Internet, making it difficult to truly understand the capabilities and the potential of the system. In this article, I would like to explore the new Z mount lenses in detail and hopefully answer as many questions and concerns as possible.

from Photography Life https://photographylife.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-nikon-z-lenses#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=everything-you-need-to-know-about-nikon-z-lenses

Nikon 50mm f/1.2 Ai-S as a Walk-Around Lens

This past week Nikon announced two new full-frame mirrorless cameras, the Z6 and Z7, as well as the development of a new flagship lens, the NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct. The press release carried much fanfare about the future of Nikon photography and nostalgia regarding the famous Noct-NIKKOR 58mm f/1.2 Ai-S. This post will not be about either of those fine lenses, rather it will focus on what I would consider to be the poor man’s Noct, the NIKKOR 50mm f/1.2 Ai-S.

from Photography Life https://photographylife.com/nikon-50mm-f-1-2-ai-s-as-a-walk-around-lens#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nikon-50mm-f-1-2-ai-s-as-a-walk-around-lens

The Best Things to Do and See in Brussels

Updated: 9/1/2018 | September 1st, 2018

Welcome to the capital of Belgium and the European Union. At times it can feel a little stuffy, but it is also a picturesque and historic city with lots to offer to intrepid traveler. The city has plenty to keep you busy (especially if you’re a fan of beer!) and makes for a great stop over between nearby Amsterdam and Paris.

There have been people in the Brussels area since the Stone Age. Its location enabled it to benefit from trade, growing rapidly under Roman and then Frankish rule. The city was almost destroyed by the French during the Nine Years Wat in 1695 when over 4,000 buildings were destroyed. The region was then controlled by the Netherlands until 1830 when the Belgians declared independence.

There is a lot of things to see and do in Brussels. I think the city is worth a good two or three-day visit in order to soak in all the history, food, and beer!

Things to Do and See in Brussels

Here is a video of my favorite attractions in the city:

Don’t want to watch the video? Fine! Here’s a list of everything you should see:

• The Royal Palace – This palace was originally constructed in the 18th century. It’s where the King and Queen host receptions and handle state affairs, though they don’t actually live there full time. To help you get a sense of the size, the facade of the building is actually 50% longer than Buckingham Palace!
• Notre Dame – This 15th-century Gothic Catholic church, officially titled The Church of Our Blessed Lady of the Sablon, was where the city’s rich and well-off came to worship. The church is also home to two incredible Baroque chapels that were added in the 17th century.
• The Palace of Justice – The most important court in Belgium, the Palace of Justice was built in the 19th century and was actually the largest structure built in that century. This massive building is actually larger than St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and cost approximately 45 million Belgian Francs to construct and furnish.
• Manneken Pis and Jeanneke Pis – These are two famous statues in the city. One is a replica from the 17th century while one is a more modern addition. What makes them interesting (and a bit odd) is that they are of children peeing. They are meant to reflect the Belgian sense of humor, which is why they are hugely popular in the city.
• Petit Sablon – This park has a collection of 48 statues, each representing a historical profession that was common in the city. Every pillar and statue has a unique design, as does each section of the wrought-iron fence. The central fountain is surrounded by a semicircle of 10 famous individuals from the 16th century.
• European Parliament – Book a tour and get a glimpse behind the scenes of the unofficial capital of Europe. These informative tours will give you a much more nuanced understanding of how the EU works and how it goes about making changes that affect all of its member states.
• Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert – This is the oldest shopping arcade in Europe, home to cafés, restaurants, and chocolate shops. It was designed as a way to create a shopping area that was well lit, to prevent illicit and nefarious goings-on (essentially it was made so the rich could feel more comfortable going there).
• Cantillion Brewery – This brewery was founded in 1900 and now offers tours to the public. On the tour, you’ll get to watch the beer-making process in action, learn about older brewing equipment and methods from the 20th century, and sample some of their beer!
• Drink at Delirium – This place has the longest beer menu in the world, home to over 2000 beers (they actually won the Guinness Record for it!). There are beers from over 60 countries here, including a wide selection of Belgian beers. Sure, it’s crowded and touristy, but it’s fun and a great place to try the local beers.

Budget Travel Tips for Visiting Brussels

To make the most your of your visit, here are a few tips to help you enjoy your time in Brussels:

• Brussels is a tiny city and incredibly walkable. Save money on public transportation and just walk everywhere!
• The area near the Palace of Justice as well as the Place Jordan is great for dining and drinking.
• Skip the Beer Museum as it’s not worth the money. Instead, head to the brewery in the video for a more engaging experience.
• If you’re flying into Brussels Charleroi Airport (the budget airport), be sure to book your ride to town in advance. FlixBus is the cheapest option, with tickets for as little as 5 EUR. BlaBlaCar is another budget-friendly option, as well. The regular shuttle from the airport will be around 14 EUR.
• Get the plat du jour. Many restaurants offer a dish of the day or a fixed menu at cheaper prices during lunch, which will save you a few bucks if you plan on eating out.
• Rent the Villo. These bikes are available around the city for free if you are traveling for less than half an hour. If you need it for more time, a day pass is 1.60 EUR and a 7-day pass is 8.20 EUR.
• If you’re going to use public transportation, get a metro pass. A single journey on the metro system is 2.50 EUR but the day pass is 7.50 EUR. If you’re staying longer in the city, buy a MOBIB basic card for 5 EUR. It will save you almost 1 EUR per trip!
• Skip renting a car. Unless there is a specific reason or you’re going to be driving out into the countryside, you don’t need a car. Traffic can be slugging, and the trains and buses are perfectly fine for getting around.

***

Whether you’re here for a weekend getaway or planning to stick around for a few days (or weeks!), Brussels will be able to keep you entertained. It’s a picturesque city with all the beer, waffles, chocolate, and frites that you can handle, making it a worthwhile stop on any trip to Europe.

Book Your Trip to Brussels: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight to Brussels by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Book Your Accommodation
My favorite hostel in Brussels is Sleep Well. You can book a different hostel in Brussels with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates. (Here’s the proof.)

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

Need Some Gear?
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!

Want More Information on Brussels?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Brussels for even more planning tips!

The post The Best Things to Do and See in Brussels appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Nomadic Matt's Travel Site https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/things-to-do-in-brussels/

Waitomo’s Glow Worm Caves

Updated: 9/1/2018 | September 1st, 2018

Waitomo is famous for one thing: worms. And not just any ol’ worms but glow worms! Every year thousands of travelers come here to see the famous glow worms that line the ceilings of the nearby caves.

The interesting thing about the glow worms is that they aren’t really worms at all. They’re actually fly larvae that emit a phosphorescent glow that shines from the inside of the caves like a starry night, lighting up the ceiling. So, why do they glow if they’re not glow worms? Well, it’s actually their waste and snot that glows. The larvae developed this glow to attract prey into their sticky threads by making the prey believe they’re outdoors. Since the cave ceiling looks like a starry night, the prey will try to fly upwards and end up stuck in the larvae strands. The hungry larvae will then devour their prey.

While glowing fly larvae may not sound like an amazing activity, as you can see from the photos it’s still incredibly captivating and beautiful.

The caves were discovered in the late 19th century by a local Maori chief. They were opened to the public shortly thereafter, with local Maori acting as guides. While the caves were taken over by the government for many years, they were eventually returned to the Maori. In fact, many of the present-day workers are descendants of the original founders of the caves. The Ruakuri cave, in particular, has significant links to the spiritual traditions of the Maori.

These days, over half a million people visit the caves every year. A huge industry has built up to help people visit the Waitomo glow worm caves, with plenty of options available depending on what you’re looking to do. There’s the three-hour black-water tubing trip, the five-hour trip that includes abseiling and climbing, or if you like it easy, a boat through a bigger cave.

My Glow Worm Experience at Waitomo Caves

Waking up early in the morning, my group headed out to the cold waters of Ruakuri cave. We wetsuited up and practiced jumping into the inner tubes we would ride through the caves. I wasn’t happy that I had to jump off not one, but two small waterfalls. Worse yet, this had to be done backward so I could land in my tube. The waterfalls are only a meter or two high, but I really hate heights. Yet at that moment, realizing a wetsuit doesn’t keep you dry but simply wet, I found something I hated even more.

After our practice jump, we, a crowd of 12 wet-suit-wearing, boot-wearing, helmet-wearing backpackers, marched gingerly towards our destination. After a short walk in the woods, we entered the glow worms’ dominion and were given a quick tutorial about how the next few hours would go. Sadly, it felt like the tutorial lasted longer than the trip—away from the light, surrounded by darkness and the rushing chill of the water, the hours seemed to pass by in minutes. Just as I was adjusting to the experience, the end of the tunnel came and we were topside again.

But the experience in between was amazing. After our instructions, we began to descend into the cave. We walked through tight openings and tunnels and waded through quick-moving and very cold water. Sometimes the water was ankle deep, other times chest height. Eventually, we came to the first milestone: waterfall #1. I met the waterfall with trepidation. My group, knowing my fear, encouraged me to go first, but that wasn’t going to happen. I went third. My fear was that I’d never jump far enough to clear the rocks. I didn’t jump far enough. As my tube landed in the water, my foot lightly touched the bottom rock.

From there, it’s an easy cruise through the cave, where above you, you begin to see glow worms like stars in the sky. They seemed limitless in number. It reminded me of my childhood when I used to put those glow-in-the-dark cosmos stickers on my ceiling and stare at them as they lit up my room.

But the day’s biggest challenge lay ahead: waterfall #2. This waterfall was much higher than the first, and to me, it might as well have been Niagara Falls. I had to make everyone count twice before I was ready to jump. Closing my eyes, I jumped, and this time I jumped far enough. But I hated every minute of it. I still prefer to have my feet on the ground.

Yet from here until the end it was smooth sailing…or tubing in this case. The rest of the way was all glow worms. Leaning back in my tube, I floated down the river, marveling at the beauty of the light show and the tranquility of my surroundings. But the tunnel’s end came too quickly, and I was left wanting to go back and stare upwards just a bit longer.

I can see why the glow worm caves are one of New Zealand’s biggest tourist attractions. They’re beautiful. The caves are peaceful. Overall, it’s an amazing experience. Three hours seemed too short, but five hours might have been a bit too long. I’d go back to see the glow worms again, and, whether you abseil, tube, or simply cruise in a boat, the glow worms are not to be missed.

How to Visit the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves

Waitomo is 200km south of Auckland. By car, it’s around a two and a half hour drive, while by bus it’s closer to 3 hours. Expect to pay around 35 NZD for a one-way bus ticket from Auckland. A bus from Rotorua will cost around 35 NZD each way.

Once you get to Waitomo, here are some suggested companies to visit the glowworm caves with:

• Black Water Rafting (the company I went with)
• Spellbound
• Caveworld

Prices will vary depending on the company and time of year but, generally, water tubing is 145 NZD per person, tubing and abseiling is 250 NZD per person, and a simple boat ride is 51 NZD per person.

While the glowworm caves in Waitamo are not a cheap activity, they are definitely one you should make an effort to do. You won’t regret it!

Book Your Trip to Waitomo: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight to Waitomo by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel in Waitomo with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates. (Here’s the proof.)

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

Need Some Gear?
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!

Want More Information on Waitomo?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Washington, D.C. for even more planning tips!

Photo credits: 1, 2, 4

The post Waitomo’s Glow Worm Caves appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Nomadic Matt's Travel Site https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/waitomos-glow-worm-caves/