Category: Experiences
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Finland Sauna and Arctic ice dip
As a part of our mammoth Northern European Tour, no trip to Finland would be complete without a sauna and getting into a frozen lake at sub-zero temperatures! Apukka resort We decided that the sauna and ice experience would be a bit more special if we chose to do it at Apukka resort, north of… Read more
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Ounasvaara Skiing (Finland)
Near the town of Rovaniemi in Lapland, is the ski resort of Ounasvaara. It is a small hill, with three lifts and a few ski runs. Nothing at all for an experienced skier, but a great area for beginners. The location is in Finland, and was intended as a key part of our Northern Europe… Read more
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Husky Dog Sled ride
On Christian’s bucket list of things to do, was to ride in a sled on the snow, pulled by a team of huskies as a part of our Finland Experience. We booked the experience on the day that the timeslots became available, and we found out that a week later, it was fully booked. We… Read more
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Santa Claus Village and Arctic Circle
Of course, when you go all the way to Lapland, you have to meet Santa Claus! Just north of Rovaniemi is the ‘official’ home of Santa, in a village located on the Arctic Circle. Getting there We were staying in Rovaniemi town centre, so we just hopped on the bus for €3.50 each person, each… Read more
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Santa Claus Express overnight train
A highlight of our holiday was to go from Helsinki to Rovaniemi on the overnight train called the “Santa Claus Express”. This train takes around 12 hours to cross most of Finland. Catching the train We were surprised to find the train is not obviously marked, and it just arrived at a platform like a… Read more
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Camden Market, London
In our amazing odyssey around Northern Europe, we took a little trip to Camden Town, to explore the markets. Arrival Camden Town is renowned for the markets, and it pretty much dominates the entire area. Get off the Northern Line on the London Underground at Camden Town. The exit from the Tube will take you… Read more
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Road Trip Victoria – Day 1: Adelaide to Warrnambool
We embarked on a road trip from Adelaide, starting early to cover miles before breakfast. Highlights included a stop at Meningie for coffee and enjoying scenic views, visiting Tantanoola Caves and its geological wonders, and exploring charming townships like Robe, Kingston, Port Fairy, and Warrnambool with their picturesque settings and unique attractions. Read more
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Adventures – Adelaide Monarto Zoo
For Bianca’s birthday, I took her to the zoo. This was not just any outing, but a visit to Monarto Safari Park, the largest Safari Park outside of Africa located just 50 minutes from Adelaide. Overview After a short drive on the freeway, we turned off at the small town of Monarto and headed down… Read more
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Adelaide Fringe dining – Room 19 Japanese
The Adelaide Fringe is an explosion of atmosphere and excitement that takes over the city in ‘Mad March’. There is street dining and shows in various locations. Exciting temporary entertainment spaces with food, drink, and live shows transform the East Parklands. We love the change in mood, where crowds of people go out to the… Read more
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Glenelg – Sunset cruise
For Christmas, Bianca’s girls bought us a voucher for a sunset cruise at Glenelg. Booking this experience in advance was tricky because we couldn’t predict the weather. So, it was either going to be horrible or magical. Thankfully we were lucky. The weather was warm and calm – perfect conditions. We headed down to Glenelg… Read more
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Melbourne – weekend away
We love visiting Melbourne! It has a wonderful atmosphere and is only a short plane trip for us – less than an hour in the air. This time, Bianca had a work trip at the end of the week. So Christian flew in on Friday and we spent the weekend there. Christian’s flight was paid… Read more
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Brighton – Beach Sculptures 2024
One of our favourite events, held by the City of Brighton along the beach in January each year, is the free sculpture exhibition. The artists submit work in various categories and judges award prizes. Many of the pieces are for public sale and some of the artists will take commissions. Artworks adorn a large section… Read more
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Tandem Skydiving
On Christian’s bucket list was the experience of skydiving and parachuting. For Christmas 2022, Bianca bought Christian a voucher to do tandem skydiving at SA Skydiving in Goolwa. It was an easy drive from Adelaide to the open fields of Goolwa. We were given a warning on the way down of weather delaying take-off time.… Read more
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Bali – Kopi Luwak (cat poo coffee)
We could not leave Indonesia without trying the Kopi Luwak (cat poo coffee). It is one of the most expensive coffees in the world, made from the poo of the Civet Cat. Kopi is Indonesian for coffee and Luwak is Indonesian for the Civets which eat the coffee. The cats eat the coffee cherries and… Read more
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Bali – Mt Batur Hot Springs
After our dawn hike up an active volcano to see the sunrise, we walked back down and straight into the Mt Batur Natural Hot Springs resort for a relaxing soak. The walk down the volcano was through rainforest and along winding paths. With the daylight, we could see more of the scenery that we had… Read more