South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe - The Plan
In and around Austin, United States
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Our trip will start in South America, where our focus will be on mountaineering and trekking in the Patagonian Andes. Matt will also get to show me some of his old stomping grounds in Ecuador and Peru. Interesting note - Matt spent his 23rd birthday in Quito, and we'll celebrate his 33rd there too. A real full circle moment. I can't wait to finally see everything that I heard so much about all those years ago and that I know shaped Matt heavily.
After seeing the sites in Ecuador and Peru, including the renowned trek to Machu Picchu, we'll head into the Chilean Andes where we'll see if I can keep up with my backcountry-loving, mountain-climbing husband. If only working behind a computer all these years had somehow built up my hamstrings...
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After six weeks in the Patagonian region and some time in the beautiful city of Buenos Aires, we will fly to Manhattan for a long weekend to meet Kathleen and Will's new baby, see Jake and Ace, and refuel for the next five months of our trip. We will leave the culture, wildlife, and beauty of Manhattan for the culture, wildlife, and beauty of Tanzania.
In Tanzania, we plan to do a camping safari, take in the islands of Zanzibar, and explore Mt. Kilaminjaro. Those of you who know me, know that I've always been fascinated with wildlife in Africa. Here's what Lonely Planet has to say. I don't think I'll be disappointed:
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"Step out into the vast open plains of Tanzania and you suddenly feel very, very small. And so you should. You've just joined one of the largest, wildest animal populations in the world. Wildebeest, monkey, antelope, lion, cheetah, crocodile, gazelle, flamingo - they're all out there."
After three weeks in Tanzania, we'll get several days in one of our favorite cities in the world - Bangkok. Many people who have vacationed on Thai beaches hate Bangkok. But they've only flown in, fought the traffic, been scammed by the taxi drivers, taken to a suit shop against their wills, and flown out. It's definitely a city that you have to scratch beneath the surface. At first glance, it's huge, loud, and polluted. But give it some time, spend hours walking, and you see a whole different side. We spent about a month there and really fell in love with the city - the people, the temples, the food, Thai kickboxing....I remember sitting on a curb watching the insane traffic going by and eating a $0.30 plate of Thai noodles from a street vendor on our last night there in about September of 1999. We were so sad to be leaving the next day but promised each other that we would be back. So going back means a lot more to us than even just being there....though I can't wait to see it all again.
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From Thailand we will go to India for eight weeks of culture, beauty, and an assault on the senses that you apparently have to see to believe. In all of Matt's travels, India was one of the most intense countries he's seen and one of his favorites, so I can't wait to experience it with him this time.
From India, we head to Katmandu, which we hope will be our jumping off point for some time in Tibet. We won't know until we arrive, because getting into Tibet is a bit of a logistical challenge. We will have to play this one by ear. We hope to get the appropriate paperwork in order to explore Lhasa, the Tibetan Himalayas, and some of rural Southern China before heading to Cairo.
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Lonely Planet describes Cairo this way.....I have a feeling that we will love it:
"Cairo isn't a gentle city. Home to more than 16 million Egyptians, Arabs, Africans and sundry others, the 'Mother of the World' is an all-out assault on the senses. Chaotic, noisy, polluted, totally unpredictable and seething with people, the sheer intensity of the city will either seduce or appal."
In Egypt, we'll see the Pyramids, Mt. Sinai, and dive in the beautiful Red Sea.
Following three weeks in Egypt, we'll make our way to Turkey, where we plan to sail through the Turkish isles into Greece. It's at this point that we no longer have any flights planned. We plan to head up through Eastern Europe for more hiking, history, and wine, but we'll see where we actually end up.
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Amber
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Here's a rough estimate of the countries we'll visit in our 8 months on the road. You can click on the country names to read their Wikipedia descriptions.
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long weekend in New York
one week in Bangkok, Thailand
Route taken and entries by Real Traveler Matt and Amber
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1
Podria hablar mas despacio?
In eager anticipation of our departure, I have...for the second time in my adult life....signed up for a Spanish course. As you can imagin... Continue reading »
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2
The Million Dollar Question - Where Will You Stay?
The most common question we get is "Where will you stay?" We get that question far more than "Why?" - "How?" - or even... Continue reading »
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3
Leaving Home and Arriving in Quito
Matt
January 2, 2008
This is Matt signing onto the blog for the first time. I´... Continue reading » -
4
Beautiful Cuenca
So when we left, I left my nephews books to open as we arrive in each country. Here they are opening Ecuador. They are so ridiculously cute that I... Continue reading »
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5
Biking and Hiking in Baños
January 7 - Arrival in Baños/Mountain Biking
(Amber)
Gorgeous huge mountains all around.
<... Continue reading » -
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Quilotoa Crater Lake
January 10 - El Dia de los Volcanes
(Matt)
Let me begin by saying that I am generally opposed t... Continue reading » -
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Markets and Music in Otavalo
(Matt)
Otavalo is about 2.5 hours North of Quito and is famous for its huge Saturday market. A lot of our decorations in our... Continue reading »
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Quito: La Mitad del Mundo & El Museo de Guayasamín
January 14-15
(Matt)My 33rd birthday was spent in Quito, as was my 23rd birthday. I received some very nice happy birthday emails, and... Continue reading »
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9
Final Thoughts on Ecuador
(Matt)
It´s wonderful, more than I thought it would be really, to return to Ecuador and see some of the same sights that I s... Continue reading »
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10
Cusco - What A Difference Ten Years Can Make
January 16-17
(Matt)
Our last night in Quito, while uploading pictures at an internet place on Amazon... Continue reading »
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11
Denied a Visit to Bolivia...This Time
Photos of the boys opening the Peru book - Jake´s face is chapped, and Ace looks a bit mad at first. Someday when they both come to hike the Inca t... Continue reading »
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Lake Titicaca - Uros and Taquile Islands
January 19, 2008
(Matt)
Though initially bummed out by the fact that Bolivia now requires visas for A... Continue reading »
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13
Arequipa, The White City
January 20-21
(Amber)
We had a good time in Puno, and then we boarded a bus yesterday morning to... Continue reading »
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14
Andean Condors at Colca Canyon
January 22-23
(Amber)
We got up at 6:00am yesterday and hopped on a small van to the Colca Canyon. On... Continue reading »
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15
Last Night in Arequipa and a Word on Coca
January 24, 2008
(Matt)
Our last night in Arequipa was spent at our favorite pizza place, Pizzeria Lo... Continue reading »
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The Inca Trail and Machu Picchu
THE ANTICIPATION
(Amber)
So before I start, here’s a snapshot of the Inca Trail. The Inca Trail is ar... Continue reading »
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Final Entry from Peru
(Amber)
So after seeing Machu Picchu, we hopped on a bus down to the Aguas Calientes. It is a cute little town at the foot o... Continue reading »
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18
Santiago, Chile
January 30-February 2, 2008
(Amber & Matt)
After an exhausting day of travel from Cusco, where ou... Continue reading »
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From Osorno...Shootouts, Bus Stations, and Huevos a la Copa
February 2, 2008, 12:16 Chilean Time
(Matt)
At 10:35pm last night, we boarded the 12-hour bus from Sa... Continue reading »
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Bariloche, Argentina...is this still South America?
February 4, 2008
(Amber)
After almost 24 hours on a bus from Santiago via Osorno, we pulled into Bariloche arou... Continue reading »
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El Calafate and The World´s Third Largest Icefield
El Calafate
February 8, 2008(Amber)
After a quick and easy flight to El Calafate, which allowed us to avoid... Continue reading »
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23
Second Trek in Patagonia - Monte Fitz Roy
February 10, 2008
El Chalten(Amber)
We woke up at 6am, ate breakfast, and headed to the bus sta... Continue reading »
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Valentine´s Day in El Calafate
February 14, 2008
El Calafate(Amber)
We didn´t realize this was Valentine´s Day until we looked... Continue reading »
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25
Prepping for One of the World´s Classic Treks
Puerto Natales
February 15-17th(Amber)
We arrived in Puerto Natales, Chile yesterday afternoon after a six and a half ... Continue reading »
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Third Trek in Patagonia - Torres del Paine: With Summers Like This, Who Needs Winters?
February 17-21, 2008
Trek Three in Parque Nacional Torres del Paine(Amber)
Torres del Pai... Continue reading »
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The Southernmost City in the World...Or is it?
February 22-23, 2008
(Amber)
We woke up early in Puerto Natales, Chile and began what would be a 13-h... Continue reading »
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Last Trek in Patagonia - Tierra del Fuego
February 25-26, 2008
(Matt)
We went on our last hike in Patagonia yesterday. The hike began about 20 kilometers f... Continue reading »
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Behind the Scenes...And A Look At Sponge Cake Spam Salad Roll
(Amber)
So my Aunt Teresa, an avid blog follower and Matt and Amber fan overall, wrote me the other day and said....It a... Continue reading »
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Eating Our Way Around Beautiful Buenos Aires
February 28-March 2, 2008
Buenos Aires, Argentina(Amber)
We arrived in Buenos Aires in the middle of the nig... Continue reading »
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Iguazu Falls, Argentina
Iguazu Falls
March 3, 2008(Amber)
Iguazu Falls are a set of spectacular waterfalls that divide... Continue reading »
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Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
March 3-6, 2008
Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay(Matt)
On March 3, 2008, we woke up in Puerto Iguazu, A... Continue reading »
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Tea and Tango in Montevideo
Montevideo, Uruguay
March 7-9, 2008(Amber)
Montevideo has been a trip. I´ve been walking around with no idea... Continue reading »
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Zanzibar Town, Tanzania
March 17-25, 2008
Zanzibar, Tanzania(Matt)
We have found paradise. As I write this blog, please visual... Continue reading »
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Heaven on Earth...Jambiani, Zanzibar
March 19–22 2008
Jambiani (village on the east coast of Zanzibar)(Amber)
After two nights in Stone Town, we arrange... Continue reading »
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The Road to Arusha
March 26, 2007
Anecdotes from Arusha...and Swahili 101(Matt)
Arusha, Tanzania is the principal place where y... Continue reading »
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Lake Manyara - Baboons, Giraffes, and Hippos OH MY!
Safari Day One
March 28, 2008, Lake Manyara National Park(Matt)
We woke up at the Chinese Restaurant, had br... Continue reading »
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Serengeti National Park - Lulled to Sleep By The Purr of Lions
Safari Day Two
March 29, 2008, Serengeti National Park(Matt)
The first night of the camping safari, which wa... Continue reading »
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Ngorongoro Crater - The Elusive Cheetah, Two Rhinos, and One Lucky Zebra
Safari Day Five
April 1, 2008, Ngorongoro Crater(Amber)
After sleeping one last night in another precariousl... Continue reading »
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43
Leaving East Africa
(Amber)
After Ngorongoro, we drove back to Arusha. After a shower, Matt and I made our way across town to meet Nathan and John for a c... Continue reading »
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44
Bangkok - Markets, Massages, and May's Cooking School
April 6, 2008
Bangkok, Thailand(Amber)
After about 12 hours of travel, we arrived in Bangkok... Continue reading »
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Welcome to India
April 13-18, 2008
Mumbai, India(Matt)
India is fantastic, and it can be completely infuriati... Continue reading »
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Aurangabad - a Freezing Bus, a Sweltering Room, and a Whole New Perspective
Aurangabad
April 19, 2008–04–26 (Matt)The bus from Bombay to Aurangabad was the type of thing that makes trav... Continue reading »
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Incredible Buddhist Temples Carved Straight Into Mountains
Ajanta
April 20, 2008–04–26 (Matt)I have to admit, when I first read a blurb about Ajanta, I wasn’t all t... Continue reading »
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Train to Mumbai, Flight to Panjim, and a Whole New Scene
Panjim, Goa
April 23, 2008(Amber)
We decided, after the all night bus ride to Aurangabad, to take a train b... Continue reading »
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Swimming in the Arabian Sea
Palolem, Goa (back to the beach!)
April 26-30, 2008(Amber)
We woke up at 9am at the Panjim Inn,... Continue reading »
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Time For A Splurge
May 4, 2008
Bangalore(Amber)
From Hampi we booked an overnight train to Bangalore. We booked a sleeper, whic... Continue reading »
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53
Beautiful Palace, Vibrant Fruit Market, and Insanely Itchy Rash
May 6, 2008
Mysore(Amber)
We enjoyed the last couple of hours of our nice hotel in Bangalore and checked... Continue reading »
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Peaceful Seaside Colonial Town(s)
May 8, 2008
Back to Bangalore and flight to Kerala(Amber)
We woke up at our hotel in Mysore, ate a mediocre thali f... Continue reading »
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55
Canoeing Kerala's Backwaters
May 12-14, 2008
Alappuzha (Alleppey)(Matt)
Feeling unable to pluck ourselves out of the lap of luxury... Continue reading »
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56
Beautiful Rocky Cliff Overlooking Arabian Sea
May 14-19, 2008
Varkala, India(Amber)
From Alleppey, we planned to head to Varkala, which... Continue reading »
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57
We Pull A Thief From Under Our Bed, and Amber Cries For Her Mom
May 19-21, 2008
Pondicherry(Amber)
So I'm going to skip a blow-by-blow of the all night flight... Continue reading »
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World Famous Temples in the Middle of Nowhere
May 30 -June 2, 2008
Khajuraho, India(Matt)
Khajuraho is a small town (~20,000 people) in an ou... Continue reading »
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60
Taj Mahal
Agra
June 3, 2008(Amber)
When we arrived in Delhi on Monday night from Khajuraho and got settle... Continue reading »
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Khan el Khalili Market, Royal Mummies, and Beef Bulgogi To Die For
Cairo, Egypt
June 8-12, 2008(Matt)
After flight to Kathmandu from Delhi, a two-day layover in c... Continue reading »
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63
The Sphinx, the Pyramids of Giza, and the Step Pyramid of Saqqara, the World's Oldest Stone Monument
The Pyramids
June 10, 2008(Matt)
On our second day in Cairo, we were up early, had breakfast at... Continue reading »
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64
Living the High Life on the Red Sea
Sharm el Sheikh
June 12-19th, 2008(Amber)
We woke up early in Cairo and got on a bus to the... Continue reading »
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Diving Ras Mohammad National Park
Diving the Red Sea
June 14-17, 2008Dive #1 (Scary Check... Continue reading »
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Floating in the Dead Sea (it's just as easy as it looks)
The Dead Sea and Amman
June 22, 2008(Amber)
We woke up early in Wadi Musa in order to ge... Continue reading »
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69
Touring Stunning Istanbul and Iconic Hagia Sophia
Istanbul, Turkey
June 25-27, 2008(Amber)
We were in a cab to the Amman airport at 1am, boarded... Continue reading »
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70
Canakkale and Troy
June 27, 2008
Canakkale(Amber)
So we plan to spend about 3 weeks in Turkey before heading into Eastern Europ... Continue reading »
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71
The Ancient City of Pergamon
July 28, 2008
Pergamon(Matt)
Note: Because we are seeing so many different place... Continue reading »
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72
The Ancient City of Ephesus, Ripe Peaches, Storks, and the Basilica of St. John
June 29, 2008
Selçuk, Turkey and the Ancient City of Ephesus(Matt)
Selcuk is an adorable little... Continue reading »
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73
Wine Tasting at the Church of St. John the Baptist in the Quaint Hillside Village of Sirince
Şirince
July 1, 2008(Matt)
Our bus arrived to pick us up right on time in Selçuk, and to our very plea... Continue reading »
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74
Cliff Jumping at the Local Swimming Hole, Learning Backgammon, and Strolling the Lakefront
Köyceğiz and Cliff Jumping at a Waterfall
July 2, 2008(Amber)
We were the only people on the... Continue reading »
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75
Slipping and Sliding Through the Saklikent Gorge
July 2, 2008
Saklikent Gorge(Amber)
After a nice swim in the Mediterranean and a few more hours on the... Continue reading »
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76
Three Nights Overlooking a Picture-Perfect Harbour with a Mountain Backdrop
Fethiye
Jule 2 - 5, 2008(Amber)
So after a day of travel which included swimming in blue waters... Continue reading »
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77
Katranci Bay, Our First Swim in the Mediterranean Sea
Katranci Bay
July 2, 2008(Matt)
We got up and found that we were again the only people, other than Nigel and... Continue reading »
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78
Yachting Through The Meditteranean
July 5-8, 2008
Blue Cruise from Fethiye to Olympos(Matt)
When we were in Varanasi, India.... Continue reading »
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79
Clear Blue Sea, Moutains, Ruins, and Flames on the Mountaintop
July 8-10, 2008
Olympos(Amber)
Olympos, a place about which I hadn't given too much thoug... Continue reading »
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80
Modesty Be Damned....Exfoliate Me!
July 10, 2008
Egirdir(Amber)
The road from Olympos to Egidir was gorgeous. Huge mountains on one side......t... Continue reading »
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81
Life Among Fairy Chimneys
July 11, 2008
(Amber)
Goreme in Cappadocia (via Konya)We spent the day traveling toward the region of Cappadocia i... Continue reading »
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82
Goodbye to Turkey
Final Istanbul
July 15, 2008(Amber)
After an uneventful all night bus from Goreme, we arrived in Is... Continue reading »
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83
Hello Macedonia...the Country
July 17-18, 2008
Istanbul to Skopje(Matt)
Mostly recovered from the sickness caused by the r... Continue reading »
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84
Hiking Mt. Zlato to Visit the Treskavec Monastery
July 19, 2008
Prelip, Macedonia(Matt)
Prelip is a tiny town, but we immediately could see tha... Continue reading »
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85
Beautiful Lake Ohrid and an Authentic Macedonian Room...Granny's On The Couch!
July 21-22, 2008
Ohrid, Macedonia(Matt)
Our guidebook certainly made a point that Ohrid was co... Continue reading »
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86
Successfully Shaking Off Communism...The Lively City of Tirana
July 23, 2008
Tirana, Albania(Amber)
We woke up in Ohrid, and the plan was to do a quick wal... Continue reading »
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87
Another Amazing UNESCO World Heritage City
July 25, 2008
Gjirokastra(Amber)
After finally tracking down a ticket, we were soon on a bus... Continue reading »
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88
Blue Seas and Ancient Ruins...Just Another Day at the Office
July 28, 2008
Saranda and Butrint, Albania(Matt)
A morning ritual in Macedonia and Albania w... Continue reading »
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Probably the Most Beautiful Island on Earth
July 29-August 4, 2008
Corfu, Greece(Matt)
As I write this, I am on our porch looking at the... Continue reading »
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Gorgeous Mountain Towns...And a Distinct Lack of Propane
August 7-9, 2008
Buşteni, Romania(Matt)
After staying up all night, we left our hotel... Continue reading »
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Beautiful Brasov, the Prague of Romania
August 10-12, 2008
Braşov, Romania(Matt)
The night before we left Buşteni, we we... Continue reading »
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Our Trip of a Lifetime
August 25, 2008
Final Blog Entry - The End of the Road(Amber)
Matt and I experienced more on th... Continue reading »
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