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A Photographer's Guide to a 6 Week European Road Trip: Nature & City Adventures through Ireland, Portugal, France & Italy

An Epic European Road Trip: A Photographer's Guide to 5 Weeks of Nature & City Adventures through Ireland, Portugal, France & Italy

This blog post documents our 5-week European summer road trip, a sensational journey for my photography business. As a photographer, documenting travel is essential, not just for my own memories, but to showcase a portfolio of work and to provide inspiration and guidance for other travelers. All images from this trip are available for sale, so please reach out via my contact page for print and digital inquiries.

My husband, Corey, and I embarked on a journey that took us from the rolling green hills of Ireland to the rugged peaks of the Italian Dolomites, all while capturing the essence of each unique culture. From intricate city streets to wide-open mountain landscapes, this trip was an incredible visual adventure.

Here is our complete day-by-day itinerary with all the details, including our favorite hikes, delicious food, and essential travel tips for photographers.

🍀 Part 1: Ireland - Dublin & The Wild Atlantic Way 🇮🇪

Dates: Tuesday, July 22nd - Tuesday, July 29th, 2025 (6 Nights)

Our Irish adventure was the perfect start, beginning with family wedding celebrations and ending with a breathtaking road trip to the Wild Atlantic Way on the West Coast of Ireland. The dramatic cliffs and vibrant pub culture were a photographer's dream.

Wed, July 23rd: Dublin City Exploration

  • Arrival: We landed in Dublin at 6:45 AM after a long journey (Qatar flight). We dropped our bags at the Staycity Aparthotels Dublin Augustine and immediately set out to explore the city.

  • Activities: We spent the day exploring some of Dublin's most iconic sites. To beat the crowds, we set off on foot straight to The Guinness Storehouse for its opening at 9am, offered a fascinating tour of it’s history, a pouring experience and ended with a perfect pint and a 360-degree view of the city. All the Guinness drinking worked up a hunger haha so we visited Dublin’s oldest pub, the Brazen Head established in 1198, for a traditional Irish lunch. We finished the day by experiencing the lively atmosphere of the famous Temple Bar Pub and dublin streets.

  • Photography Notes: The rooftop of the Guinness Storehouse provides an excellent vantage point for wide-angle city shots.

  • Traveler's Tip: Book your Guinness Storehouse tickets online in advance to skip the long queues.

Thur, July 24th: Dublin to Blackrock & Wedding Event

  • Car Hire: Picked up our hire car SUV from Enterprise Car Hire at 10:00 AM to fit the whole family in. The freedom of having a car was essential for the rest of our time in Ireland.

  • Accommodation: We drove about an hour to Blackrock, Dundalk, to stay with family for a pre-wedding event and ready for the wedding weekend for my cousin, Caoimhe.

Fri, July 25th: Cliffs of Moher & West Coast

  • Scenic Drive: A 4-hour drive from Dundalk took us to the spectacular West Coast. The journey itself was a feast for the eyes, with stunning landscapes all around.

  • Activities: To break up the 4 hour drive we called in at Belvedere House Gardens & Park. Before visiting the Cliffs of Moher, we visited the local pub, stopping for a pint at Gus O'Connor's Pub, a legendary spot for traditional Irish music. We then continued on for an afternoon at the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher. This is a must-see for any photographer, with dramatic sea cliffs plummeting into the Atlantic Ocean.

  • Accommodation: Booking.com the Atlantic Coast Lodge, with a great pool table!

  • Photography Notes: The light during afternoon golden hour and sunset at the Cliffs of Moher is truly magical for capturing the scale and drama of the landscape.

Sat, July 26th - Mon, July 28th: West Coast & Return to Dundalk, Wedding at Cabra Castle, Kingscourt

  • Return: We drove back to Dundalk in the afternoon, ready for more family events.

  • Celebration: We celebrated a beautiful wedding at Cabra Castle, a historic and stunning venue. The architecture, grounds, and atmosphere were a photographer’s dream.

  • Accommodation: We stayed overnight at the castle with the family. This was a perfect end to our time in Ireland.

🇵🇹 Part 2: Portugal - Lisbon & Madeira ☀️

Dates: Tuesday, July 29th - Tuesday, August 5th, 2025 (7 Nights)

Portugal was a whirlwind of historic cities, delicious food, and dramatic volcanic landscapes. From the historic trams of Lisbon to the mountainous beauty of Madeira, every day offered new photo opportunities and breathtaking hikes.

Tue, July 29th - Wed, July 30th: Dublin to Lisbon & Lisbon City Deep Dive

  • Travel: Dropped off our hire car in Dublin at 4:00 AM and caught a Ryanair flight to Lisbon, where we arrived at 9:10 AM. We checked into the EPIC SANA Marquês Hotel.

  • Activities: Even though it was a sweltering 36 degrees, we took to the streets on foot to explore this beautiful city. We watched the iconic Tram 28 through the streets, strolled down the vibrant Pink Street, explored the grand Praça do Comércio riverside square and the impressive Arco da Rua Augusta. We walked to the top of the city to see the Castelo de S. Jorge Castle (the must visit for city views) and Lisbon Cathedral. We watched the sunset at the boardwalk here, it was beautiful, a great photo spot.

    We dedicated a day to immersing ourselves in Lisbon’s culture. We explored the Alfama area with its narrow streets and visited the stunning Miradouro de Santa Luzia lookout with its famous azulejo tiles. Later, we checked out the modern side of Lisbon at the MAAT Museum and the creative LX Factory.

  • Food: For lunch, we had sandwiches from DUÍCHE and then a snack at Manteigaria for pastéis de nata at Time Out Market, and for dinner, we enjoyed delicious seafood at Lisboa Tu e Eu 2. The second night we had a traditional Portuguese chicken dinner at Bonjardim.

  • Drink: We enjoyed a local beer at BREW Chiado and a beer at Outro Lado Craft Beer before dinner.

  • Photography Notes: There are photo opportunities everywhere you look! The bougainvilleas, the beautiful Portuguese tiles, or Azulejos, are handmade, handpainted, and integral to Portuguese culture. Being summer, the sunset is around 9pm and gorgeous over the water. The narrow streets of Alfama are perfect for detailed shots.

Thur, July 31st: Day Trip to Sintra

  • Travel: We took a Bolt (ride share, please download) to Sintra for a magical day trip, this UNESCO World Heritage Site, a fairy-tale town that was a sanctuary for Portuguese royalty

  • Activities: We went straight to the top of the colorful National Palace of Pena to walk down, exploring the park and palace. We also walked the ancient fortress walls of the Moorish Castle.

    Its history is a captivating blend of Moorish and Romantic architecture, all in one breathtaking landscape. Give yourself a full day to explore!

    🏰 National Palace of Pena: Go to the top and walk down from here. There are so many beautiful things to see within the park. NOTE - book the interior tickets online to save your spot. If you don’t you can just explore the park not the internal of the castle. 

    🏯 The Moorish Castle: Explore the ancient fortress walls.

    🍻 Villa Craft Beer & Bread: Enjoy local craft beer and wood fired snacks! 

  • Food: In the Sintra township, we found a great spot for craft beer and wood-fired snacks at Villa Craft Beer & Bread after a long day of exploring.

  • Traveler's Tip: Book Pena Palace tickets online in advance to save your spot for the interior.

Fri, Aug 1st: Lisbon to Madeira & Funchal Exploration

  • Travel: Flew from Lisbon to Madeira on a EasyJet flight. We picked up a hire car from Justdrivemadeira.com. We drove to the hotel, stopping at Cristo Rei lookout along the way.

  • Accommodation: We checked into the ARTS IN Hotel Conde Carvalhal and dropped our bags, ready to explore the city.

  • Activities: We spent the afternoon with a walk through the township and had a beer at FugaCidade.

  • Food: We had an amazing dinner with fresh seafood at Snack Bar Bella 5 and a traditional Poncha drink at Rei da Poncha.

Sat, Aug 2nd: Madeira Central Day Trip (PR1 Hike)

  • Activities: We did the famous PR1 hike from Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo, a trail known as the "Stairway to Heaven." The views were over the clouds and gave a feeling of being on top of the world. In the afternoon we travelled to the cute Câmara de Lobos fishing village and did the Praia walk then Doca do Cavacas Natural Pools and Túnel das Poças do Gomes cave walk.

  • Hike Stats:

    • Distance: 5.2km | Ascent: 375m | Time: 2h 10m (with stops)

    • All Trails link: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/portugal/madeira--2/pr1-pico-do-arieiro-pico-ruivo

  • Photography Notes: The best time for this hike is at sunrise or sunset to capture the famous cloud inversions.

  • Food: Dinner at Tradicional Restaurant - good seafood!

  • Traveler's Tip: Start this hike early to avoid crowds and afternoon clouds.

Sun, Aug 3rd: Madeira West/North Trip

  • Activities: We did a Levada walk at Levada do Moinho and saw two hidden waterfalls. We also visited the Cascata dos Anjos drive-through waterfall and Praia da Ponta do Sol beach for a relax and drink. We finished the day with a trip to the mystical Fanal Forest and the Porto Moniz Natural Swimming Pools.

  • Accommodation: We checked out of our hotel and drove to the northern part of the island, staying at the Casa da Capelinha apartment.

Mon, Aug 4th: Madeira East Day Trip (PR8 Hike)

  • Activities: After coffee and bakery at Padaria do Calhau, we did the breathtaking PR8 Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço hike on the eastern peninsula. This trail offers a dramatic volcanic landscape and panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean. We also hiked the PR1.2 hike.

  • Hike Stats:

    • Distance: 9.7km | Ascent: 522m | Time: 3.5 hours

    • All Trails Link: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/portugal/madeira--2/miradouro-de-sao-lourenco-cais-do-sardinha-pico-do-furado

    • Bring your swimmers for a swim along the way! It was the most beautiful water.

  • Photography Notes: The harsh, volcanic landscape and dramatic coastal light are perfect for high-contrast images.

  • Accommodation: Casa da Capelinha - breathtaking views over the ocean from our deck.

🇫🇷 Part 3: France - Lyon, Annecy & Chamonix ⛰️

Dates: Tuesday, August 5th - Wednesday, August 13th, 2025 (9 Nights)

The French leg of our journey was a perfect blend of city gastronomy in Lyon, lakeside charm in Annecy, and world-class mountain adventures in Chamonix.

Tue, Aug 5th - Thur, Aug 7th: Madeira to Lyon & Lyon City Exploration

  • Travel: We returned our car in Madeira and flew to Lyon on EasyJet. We checked into HONORÊ - Suite Carnot, right next to the train station.

  • Activities: We picked up our key down the street and dropped our bags off at the hotel. We then explored Place Bellecour and Place des Terreaux in the Presqu'île and enjoyed a delicious Moroccan dinner at Le Touareg.

    The following day, we started our day at Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, enjoying a wine and cheese tasting plate. We then explored the Croix-Rousse area and the Parc de la Tête d'Or, which has a free zoo and a botanical garden. We took the funicular up Fourvière Hill to see the Basilica of Notre Dame and the Théâtre Gallo Romain.

  • Food: TIP, use the ‘Fork’ app for discounted restaurants in the city. Our first meal was at a traditional "Bouchon," Comptoir Brunet (4.5 stars), for a taste of authentic Lyonnaise cuisine and another Dinner was at Bouchon Rouge. During the day we purchased bread, meat and cheese from grocery stores and made our own lunch.

Fri, Aug 8th: Travel to Annecy & Lake Exploration

We absolutely loved our time in Annecy. Lake Annecy is widely considered the cleanest lake in Europe. This is due to strict environmental regulations introduced in the 1960s to protect the water from glacial melt.

  • Travel: We took an early morning BlaBlaCar Bus (booked ahead of time online) from Lyon to Annecy, 1 hour 40 mins, arriving at 8:45 AM, we booked our luggage into a luggage holding site (there are many of these in Europe, you can book online or on an app and leave your luggage for a small fee in a locked space). This allowed us to explore without bags, checking into our accommodation, Studio Ladrillo, later that afternoon.

  • Activities: There was a beautiful market in the main town centre, we purchased some fresh produce, meat, Saucisson Brioché (A high-quality pork sausage baked inside a soft brioche loaf) and cheese and took our goodies down for a picnic at Jardins de l'Europe park. We sat here enjoying the views over the lake and listened to music. We then explored the picturesque streets of Annecy and admired the iconic Palais de l'Isle and Pont des Amours bridge.

  • Food: We enjoyed a traditional Savoyard fondue at Le Freti.

Sat, Aug 9th: Annecy Hike & Castle Views

  • Activities: A must do - hiring an e-bike and completing the Lac d'Annecy Circular bike route, which was 40km. There are so many stops along the route for swims and beautiful views over the lake - we stopped for a cocktail and swim at Le Walpole.

  • Cycling Stats:

    • Length 40.80 km, Elev. gain 260 m, Total time with stops 5:45:46

    • All Trails link: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/france/haute-savoie/tour-du-lac-d-annecy

  • Photography Notes: The soft morning light is perfect for capturing the canals, and the afternoon sun over the lake makes for great landscape photos.

  • Traveler's Tip: Bike riding around the lake is a must!

Sun, Aug 10th: Travel to Chamonix & Arrival

  • Travel: Our BlaBlaCar Bus took us from Annecy to Chamonix (1 hour 20 mins), arriving at 10:25 AM. We checked into our Airbnb close to the town centre walking distance to everything. Airbnb was the best option as we wanted to be able to cook, staying there for 5 days. Staying in the town centre makes transport very easy as you can just walk to everything to catch public transport.

  • Activities: We spent the afternoon getting oriented, walking through the town center, and picking up our Mont Blanc 3-day MultiPass at the Office du Tourisme. We thought we’d get out for an afternoon hike and did the Cascade du Dard hike. You can order your Mont Blanc summer pass online HERE.

  • Hike Stats walking from town

    • 9.3km Length, 434 m Elevation gain, 3hrs Estimated time

    • All Trails Link: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/france/haute-savoie/cascade-du-dard

Mon, Aug 11th: High Peaks and Glaciers

  • Activities: Morning: 8.30am booking for Aiguille du Midi cable car (ENSURE you book this a few days before when they open, as they fill up immediately, this can be booked HERE). Buying the Mont Blanc multi pass 3 consecutive days and booking online 48 hours at 5pm before the day to secure a spot.

  • 🚠 Aiguille du Midi Cable Car 🚠

    The adventure began with a breathtaking ride on the Aiguille du Midi cable car. When this was built in 1955, it held the record for the highest cable car in the world. We experienced the "Step into the Void" glass box at 4,806 meters and out to the viewing deck, offering incredible compositions of the Mont Blanc massif. 

    Fun fact: The famous Aiguille du Midi gets its name, "Needle of the Midday," because from a church in Chamonix, the sun passes over the peak at noon.

  • At 11am we came back to the mid point to de l'Aiguille intermediate station, and started the hike the Grand Balcon Nord trail with side trip of Lac Bleu toward the Montenvers site. Views back at Mont Blanc and the valley. 

  • Hiking Stats de l'Aiguille - Ice cave

    • 9km 3hrs 40 mins

    • AllTrails: https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/trail/france/haute-savoie/plan-de-l-aiguille-grotte-de-glace-caillet?sh=a1qwdv&utm_medium=trail_share&utm_source=alltrails_virality

  • 🧊Mer de Glace & Ice Grotto 🧊

    We then took the historic cogwheel train and cable cart down to the Mer de Glace and explored the stunning Ice Grotto. Stepping inside a glacier was unreal! The blue hues inside the glacier are truly remarkable.

  • Afterward, take the historic cogwheel train back down to Chamonix (inlcuded in your pass). Down by 4.30pm, we literally ran across to Brevete cable cart and went up to the top to see the views for when the sun set (summer sunsets are the best). Unreal! Last cart 5.45pm!

Tue, Aug 12th: Planpraz - Lac Cornu Lake - Lac Noir Lookout - L’Index - La Flegere Hike

Today was a jam packed hiking day! We put some kms into the feet today and saw some of the most spectacular views. Having the Mont Blanc Summer pass meant we had the freedom to go up and down the gondolas and chair lifts where ever we liked. So towards the later part of the day we pushed for a further away chairlift to get a few more kms.

  • Activities: We took the Planpraz gondola up the mountain and started our big hike across the mountain. The hike was 17.5km and offered a variety of scenery and views. These chair lifts were all included in our 3 day multi pass.

  • Food: We filled up our water bottles at the cold town tap in town before heading out and packed snacks in our bags. There are refuge’s to eat at along the route too.

  • Hike Stats: 17.5km, 1000m elevation gain, 7 hours with stops. All Trails link - https://www.alltrails.com/trail/france/haute-savoie/planpraz-col-cornu-l-index-lac-blanc-et-flegere

Wed, Aug 13th: Tramway du Mont Blanc & Relaxation

  • Travel: We took the 8:00 AM bus to Le Fayet station for our pre-booked 9:00 AM tram. This was also included as part of the

  • Activities: We boarded the Tramway du Mont Blanc, France's highest cogwheel train, for a scenic journey. The last stop was closed so we went to the end area, got out and then hiked up the mountain. This was a hidden gem with views to die for. We then had a relaxing afternoon to recover from our hiking

  • Afternoon: From the Tramway's stops, you can access the Les Houches area for a hike or a leisurely stroll, enjoying a different perspective of the Mont Blanc massif We loved exploring up the mountain here at the end of the track, unreal views of the valley.

🇮🇹 Part 4: Italy - Verona, Lake Garda, Dolomites, Venice, Florence & Milan! 🍕

Dates: Thursday, August 14th - Thursday, August 28th, 2025 (14 Nights)

Our final leg was a grand tour of Italy's most iconic destinations. We went from the romance of Verona to the rugged beauty of the Dolomites, and finished with the art and fashion capitals of Florence and Milan.

Thur, Aug 14th: Chamonix to Verona Travel Day

  • Travel: A FlixBus took us on a 6h 20m journey from Chamonix to Verona. This was a great time to get on top of some photo editing and reading.

  • Activities: We arrived at Veronia, checking into the Residenza Locatelli Apartment, we immediately headed to Piazza Bra to see the magnificent Verona Arena.

  • Food: Dinner was at Osteria del Bugiardo (4.5 stars), a great choice for traditional Veronese cuisine.

  • Must try food:

    • First course Primi: Risotto all’Amarone, Risotto al tastasal, Gnocchi, Tortellini Di valeggio 

    • Main course Second Piatti: Pastissada de Caval (horse meat), Bolitto con la peara (boiled meats and broth)

Fri, Aug 15th: Verona City & Gardens

  • Activities: We started our day by exploring the city on foot, taking in the unique atmosphere of the Ferragosto public holiday. We visited the Romanesque masterpiece, the Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore, and the Castelvecchio Bridge. We also went to see the Giardino Giusti, a beautiful Renaissance garden with a hedge maze. We finished the day by taking the Funicolare di Castel San Pietro up to the top for sunset views.

  • Food: We had a great dinner at Osteria al Duca, which was a favourite.

  • Night: 9.30pm Carmina Burana Concert 2025 Carl Orff at the Arena Di Verona for the 2025 102nd Arena Di Verona Opera Festival. We purchased tickets to the Carmina Burana Concert at the Verona Arena, which was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. An open air theatre like the colosseum witnessing opera and a orchestra! It gave us chills.

Sat, Aug 16th: Verona to Lake Garda & Southern Exploration

  • Car Hire: Picked up our Hertz car in Verona.

  • Activities: We drove to the southern part of Lake Garda to explore. In Sirmione, we saw the Scaligero Castle and walked to the Roman ruins of Grotte di Catullo. We then drove north to our accommodation.

  • Food: We had a swim and a drink at Cento, a perfect spot to relax and watch the windsurfers.

  • Accommodation: We checked into the Locanda Restel De Fer Hotel in Riva del Garda.

Sat 16 Aug: Verona pickup car and drive to Lake Garda

  • 10am CHECKOUT Accommodation & walk from Residenza Locatelli Apartment to Hertz Verona

  • 10.20am CAR HIRE: Hertz 689012007 Sat 16 Aug - Sat 23 Aug 7 nights 11am Pickup from Hertz Verona, booked through booking.con. Pickup: Sat 16 Aug · 10:30 - Verona Downtown |  Drop off: Sat 23 Aug · 10:30 - Venice Marco Polo Airport 

  • Ford Focus, or similar medium car,

TRAVEL: Verona to Lake Garda southern End Sirmione 

  • park at Parcheggio gratuito or further out for Sirmione free parking and walk to town centre (40 mins but great views)

  • To see Castello Scaligero di Sirmione, Desenzano del Garda

  • Driving up east along the coast. Stopped at Cento for a swim in the water with views of the wind surfers 

  • Walk around Riva del Garda for sunset and sit at the beach Spiaggia Sabbioni

ACCOMMODATION 

  • Locanda Restel De Fer Hotel - Via Restel De Fer 10, 38066 Riva del Garda, Italy

• ⁃ Sat, Aug 16, 2025 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Check-out Tue, Aug 19, 2025 7:30 AM – 10:30 AM $1,061.54 PAID (3 nights)

Sun, Aug 17th: The town of lemone

  • Activities: Took the ferry from Riva Del Garda to Limone sul Garda (20 Euro total return). We explored the town, had a famous lemon sorbet inside a lemon, purchased lemonchello, dipped our feet in the water and came back on the Ferry.

  • Food: We had pizza for an early dinner at Go Pizza Ristorante Disciplini 31.

  • Accommodation: Locanda Restel De Fer Hotel.

Sunday 17th Aug: West side 

  • Ferry from Riva Del Garda to Limone return 20Euro total 

  • Limone township, lemon sorbet in a lemon then filling with Lemoncello

  • Afternoon early dinner pizzas Go Pizza Ristorante Disciplini 31

• ⁃ Back to the room applied for a job and then we went back down to the water to relax 

Mon, Aug 18th: golf day in the french alps

  • Golf day

Tue, Aug 19th: Dolomites - Lake Garda to Val Gardena

  • 5.30am Drive Lake Garda Accommodation Locanda Restel De Fer Hotel, to Val Gardena (2 hours with tolls)

  • 8am Accommodation to drop car. Diamant Spa Resort - Strada Josef Skasa 1, 39047 Santa Cristina in Val Gardena, Italy (5 swimming pools, Spa and wellness centre, Private parking, Breakfast included)

  • 9am Walk or drive into Ortisei (35 mins) and go up the Seceda Lift (we have tickets). 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM.

  • 8.30am first Seceda cable cart

  • All Trails Seceda Ridgeline hike Seceda - Rifugio Firenze - Col Raiser on AllTrails: Length

    12.18 km, Elev. gain 659 m, 6 hours with stops and a nap on the mountain https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/trail/italy/south-tyrol/seceda-rifugio-firenze-col-raiser-2?sh=a1qwdv&utm_medium=trail_share&utm_source=alltrails_

• Back down and dinner at Wirtshaus Osteria Traube

Wed, Aug 20th: Dolomites - Val Gardena Hikes & Scenic Lakes

  • hotel spa day at Diamant Spa Resort

  • Walked in the rain to Cascata Tervela waterfall at Val Gardena (8.2km)

  • Dinner at Pizza/Pasta place TBA

Cortina Itinerary (Thu 21 Aug - Sat 23 Aug)

Thur, Aug 21st: Dolomites - Cortina & Lake Sorapis

  • 7.30am buffet breakfast at hotel

  • 8.15am on the road Diamant spa resort Straight to Conque Torri 2 hours 

  • See Gardena Pass along the way 

  • Cable cart up to Cinque Torri - Rifugio Averau - Rifugio Nuvolau - 5 summit towers (27 euro each return)

  • Cinque Torri - Rifugio Averau - Rifugio Nuvolau on AllTrails: We did the loop trail visiting the open air museum on WW1 and also hiked through the peaks - Length 2.67 km, Elev. gain 87 m, 2 hours with stops to read the museum https://www.alltrails.com/trail/italy/veneto/giro-cinque-torri

  • 3pm Check into Hotel Tofana Cortina, upgraded to deluxe room!

  • Afternoon relax, spa 

  • ACCOMMODATION:

    Hotel Tofana Cortina: Località Pocol, 40 Cortina d'Ampezzo

    Check-in Thur 21 Aug - Check-out Sat 23 Aug (2 Nights)

    Phone Hotel Tofana Cortina +39 0436 808030

Fri, Aug 22nd: Dolomites - Iconic Peaks & Lakes

  • 7.15am breakfast at hotel ready

  • 8am drive to Lake Misurina near the bus station Misurina Genzianella early and park there (40 mins)

  • 9.05am bus 50 at Misurina, Genzianella to Refugio Auronza  (25 mins)

  • Tre Cime Di Laverdo lap hike and

  • Bus 50 back to Misurina lake

  • Afternoon lakes Park at Passo Tre Croci parking for the Lake Sorapis track

  • Spa night and then 4 course dinner at the hotel

  • Friday 22 Aug

    • 7.15am breakfast at hotel ready

    • 8am drive to Lake Misurina near the bus station Misurina Genzianella early and park there (40 mins)

    • 9.05am bus 50 at Misurina, Genzianella to Refugio Auronza  (25 mins)

    • Tre Cime Di Laverdo lap hike and

    • Bus 50 back to Misurina lake

    • Afternoon lakes Park at Passo Tre Croci parking for the Lake Sorapis track

    • ⁃ Spa night and then 4 course dinner at the hotel

  • All trails Three Peaks of Lavaredo, Length 9.87 km, Elev. gain 449 m, 3 hours with stops https://www.alltrails.com/trail/italy/veneto/tre-cime-di-lavaredo-drei-zinnen

Sat, Aug 23rd: Dolomites to Venice & City Exploration

  • Travel: We drove to Venice Marco Polo Airport, dropped off our car, and took the ATVO bus into Venice.

  • Activities: We checked into our apartment, Isa Sweet Home, and began exploring the magical city. We saw the Rialto Bridge and the famous St. Mark's Square.

  • Food: Dinner we made in our apartment, bought pork from a local butcher and made pork ragu

6.30am wake up pack and bags in the car

  • 7.15am bfast at hotel and pay for dinner 

  • 8am on road Hotel Tofana to. Wince airport (2 hours 10 mins with tolls)

  • 10.30am drop the car at Venice Airport Hertz take photos

  • 11am get bus or bolt to accommodation

 * Morning: Wake up early to check out of your hotel.

 * Travel: Your drive from Cortina to Venice Marco Polo Airport will take about 2.5 hours. To make your 10:30 am car drop-off, you'll need to leave Cortina by 8:00 am at

Sat 23 Aug - Departure to Venice

  • 6.30am wake up pack and bags in the car

  • 7.15am bfast at hotel and pay for dinner 

  • 8am on road Hotel Tofana to. Wince airport (2 hours 10 mins with tolls)

  • 10.30am drop the car at Venice Airport Hertz take photos

  • 10.50am ATVO express bus to Venezia Roma 10 Euro each 

TO DO:

  • Explore Sqn Polo and Santa Croce

  • Rialto Bridge and Rialto Market

  • Basilica Di Santa Maria

  • St Mark’s Bascilica 

  • St Mark’s Campanile

  • Water bus along grand canals 

ACCOMMODATION: Venice Sat 23rd Aug - Mon 25 Aug (2 nights)

Isa Sweet Home - Calle del Traghetto Santa Croce 589, Santa Croce, 30135 Venice, Italy - 2 bed apartment, washing machine, PAID $681.91

Sun, Aug 24th: Venice RELAX

  • Activities: A full day of Venice exploration included a visit to the magnificent Doge's Palace, walking along the waterfront, relaxing in the park a day for reflection. We finished the day by wandering through the labyrinthine streets of the Dorsoduro district and making a nice home cooked pasta in our apartment with catching up on washing!

Mon, Aug 25th: Travel Venice to Florence & City Exploration

  • Travel: A Frecciarossa train took us from Venice to Florence.

  • Activities: After checking into The Black Sheep B&B, we went straight to the Galleria dell'Accademia to see the Statue of David. We also walked past the Florence Duomo and the famous Ponte Vecchio.

  • 6.30pm did cooking class Florence: Pasta Cooking Class with Unlimited Wine

    Cooking Art Brunelleschi with our teacher Lorenzo. Booked through Viator for $108 Euro total (just under $200 AUS which was great value for the experience, dinner and unlimited wine)

    FOOD: 

    • Ice cream Affogarto - Gelateria La Carraia

    • Sandwich - Antica Porchetteria Granieri 1916, I' Girone De' Ghiotti Sandwiches, Pino's Sandwiches, Panetteria e Stuzzicheria De Neri Sandwiches

    • Coffee drink: Vivoli Affogarto

    • ⁃ 6.30pm - Cooking Art Brunelleschi class $108.80 euro total (Florence Pasta Cooking Class with unlimited wine) Our meeting point will be in Via Matteo Palmieri 31 R, inside the Restaurant CUCINA IN TORRE

Tue, Aug 26th: FLORENCE FOOD EXPLORATION

  • Activities: We did a full-day guided tour to explore the Tuscan countryside, visiting the medieval town of San Gimignano and the historic city of Siena. We also went for a short hike on the Sentierelsa trail to see the stunning turquoise river.

  • Relax morning, walking day with lunch at La Grotta Toscana for the famous florentine steak. We used ‘The Fork’ app to book with 50% off which makes a huge difference when eating out in Europe.

  • We also tried the famous Florentine tripe & lampredotto beef sandwiches for dinner. from a street store called L’Antico Trippaio. We sat and listened to a couple singing opera as we watched the replica statue of David in Piazza della Signoria is Florence's iconic main square and historical political center.

  • Dinner steak called  Bistecca alla Fiorentina.- Trattoria dall'Oste Chianineria, Ristorante La Grotta Toscana, Osteria Vecchio Cancello, Ristorante dei Rossi, 

  • Mercato Centrale market

  • Wine windows  buchette del vino - Cantina De' Pucci (Restaurant & Wine Window / Buchetta del Vino)

Wed, Aug 27th: Florence to Milan & City Exploration

  • Travel: An Italo Train took us from Florence to Milan.

  • Activities: We checked into the Copernico Apartment and immediately went to see the magnificent Milan Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade.

  • Milan Natural History Museum Day

  • Brewery and dinner: La Buttiga Beer Room Martesana was a busy and high atmosphere Brewery where we spent the afternoon

Thur, Aug 28th: Milan to Brisbane (Travel Day)

  • Travel: A taxi took us from our apartment to Milan Malpensa Airport for our Cathay Pacific flight (CX234 to CX157) home to Brisbane.

A Photographer's Travel Tips & Summary

This trip was a perfect blend of high-altitude hiking, charming city exploration, and deep cultural immersion, making it a fantastic itinerary for any photographer.

Key Takeaways:

  • Book Major Attractions in Advance: For places like the Aiguille du Midi, David's Statue in Florence, and any Michelin-starred restaurants, booking online well in advance is essential.

  • Invest in a MultiPass: A pass like the Mont Blanc MultiPass saves money and is incredibly convenient for spontaneous trips in the Chamonix valley.

  • Embrace Public Transport: While we had a car for parts of the trip, trains and buses were often the most efficient way to get between cities, especially in Italy.

  • Plan for Flexibility: Weather can change quickly in the mountains. We kept our itinerary flexible to adjust our plans for hiking.

  • All-Day Hikes: Our most memorable hikes were full-day commitments. Plan accordingly with plenty of water, food, and good hiking gear.

  • Photography as a Business: Documenting our entire journey with a daily log and capturing a wide range of images allows us to build a portfolio for our photography business. This blog post serves as a record of our travels, and all photos from this trip are available for purchase.

This journey was truly unforgettable, and I hope this guide inspires you to plan your own European adventure. Please contact me for image sales or any more information.

🇨🇦 🇺🇸 The Bucket-list Canada & Northwestern United States Nature Road Trip: 4 weeks, 8 National Parks, 5500kms travelled - Artwork available!

THE BUCKET-LIST CANADA & NORTHWESTERN UNITED STATES NATURE ROAD TRIP: 4 WEEKS, 8 NATIONAL PARKS, 5500KMS TRAVELLED - ARTWORK AVAILABLE!

A Canada and US roadtrip was always on our bucket-list of travel experiences to do in our lifetime…. It wasn’t until our friends Ryan and Becca asked us to be a part of their wedding in Niagra Falls that we decided to make it a reality. We spent over 12 months planning the trip, working it in with the wedding events to begin our 5 week adventure. Of course, being a photographer, I used this opportunity to capture some unreal landscape photography along the way to form part of a travel photography portfolio of work which is available as prints! Enjoy our full travel blog, plus the artwork created from each beautiful country! Please feel free to enquire below for print orders and what image you love.

Enquire about Prints

Our 4 week adventure spanned from 12 May 2023 - 14 June 2023 consisted of… 2 countries & 8 spectacular Canadian and American National Parks.

  • Canada: States Ontario, British Columbia & Alberta

  • The United States of America: New York State, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming & Washington

  • 8 National Parks across these countries: Banff, Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Waterton Lakes, Mt Rainier, Olympic and North Cascades National Park

Our 4 week journey was split into 3 parts as per below, hiring 2 cars (through Turo) and a van through Canadream, travelling 5500kms with the goal to see and explore as much nature and National Parks as we could.

  • Part one: Canada/Northwestern US car trip 9 days - Toronto (Ontario), Niagra Falls (Ontario), over the border to Rochester (New York State) for the PGA golf championships, returning to Toronto to fly out

  • Part Two: Canada/Northern US Van trip 13 days:

    • Canada: Calgary (Alberta), Banff (Alberta), Lake Louise (Alberta), Cranbrook (British Columbia)

    • Northwestern US: West Glacier Lake McDonald area (Montana), Butte (Montana), West Yellowstone National Park (Montana), Lonesomehurst Campground (Montana), Flagg Ranch Campground (Wyoming), South/East Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming), Grand Tetons Jenny Lake (Wyoming), Bridge Bay Campground in Yellowstone (Wyoming), Three Forks (Montana), East Glacier St Mary’s Campground (Montana), East Glacier National Park (Montana), Many Glacier (Montana)

    • Canada: Waterton Lakes National Park (Alberta), flying back out of Calgary (round trip)

  • Part Three: Canada/Northern US car trip 11 days:

    • Canada: Vancouver (British Columbia), Squamish (British Columbia), Whistler (British Columbia)

    • Northwestern US Washington State Area: Bellingham, Olympic National Park, Mt Rainier, Seattle, North Cascades National Park, Mt Baker and flying back out of Vancouver (British Columbia)

Corey and I would love to share this experience with you all below, places to see, hikes, food adventures, please comment below if you have any questions or if you’re interested in purchasing any artwork or prints from the trip.

Enquire about prints

PART ONE

Canada/Northwestern US car trip 9 days - Toronto (Ontario), Niagra Falls (Ontario), over the border to Rochester (New York State) for the PGA golf championships, returning to Toronto to fly out

TORONTO

To begin our journey we flew from Brisbane to Vancouver, Vancouver to Toronto for Corey to be a part of the bucks party in Toronto. We stayed central in the city in the Garden District area in an airbnb, walking distance to Downtown. During our time there we explored the city on foot doing 30,000 steps one day, we loved:

  • Toronto Music Garden

  • St. Lawrence Market

  • King Street for a night out exploring and finding a great beer place. We loved Mascot Brewery @mascotbrewery

  • Third wave for great coffee @thirdwavetoronto


NIAGRA FALLS

We hired a car through Turo in Toronto and drove to Niagra for the wedding week. We started the week with a wine tour in the Niagra Region, tasting the famous ‘Ice-Wine’ with the wedding group. The week involved lots of fun attractions, including the boat experience into the falls, behind the falls experience, and the illumination tower experience. Becca & Ryan’s wedding was a beautiful day and being MC for this beautiful couple was the most special role. They both looked incredible and we all shared an incredibly memorable night with them. After a big night at the wedding, we drove back to Toronto to fly out to Calgary for our next leg of the trip.

ROCHESTER - PGA GOLF CHAMPTIONSHIPS ⛳️ 🏌️‍♂️

PGA Championship at Rochester Oak Hill Country Club, USA

Being the golf lovers that we are, Corey and I couldn't resist driving the 90 minutes from the wedding in Niagra Falls, Canada over the border to Rochester, New York State to experience our first PGA Pro. What an experience! We even gave a few yells from the front row for our Australian Cameron Smith 🙌

PART two

Canada/Northern US Van trip 13 days:

  • Canada: Calgary (Alberta), Banff (Alberta), Lake Louise (Alberta), Cranbrook (British Columbia)

  • Northwestern US: West Glacier Lake McDonald area (Montana), Butte (Montana), West Yellowstone National Park (Montana), Lonesomehurst Campground (Montana), Flagg Ranch Campground (Wyoming), South/East Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming), Grand Tetons Jenny Lake (Wyoming), Bridge Bay Campground in Yellowstone (Wyoming), Three Forks (Montana), East Glacier St Mary’s Campground (Montana), East Glacier National Park (Montana), Many Glacier (Montana)

  • Canada: Waterton Lakes National Park (Alberta), flying back out of Calgary (round trip)

TIP: Before beginning the journey into the US, invest in a “America The Beautiful” pass for entering the parks, depending if you’re an international visitor (like us - we purchased the annual pass), or a resident, there are passes to save you money entering the parks and quicker at the gates!

CALGARY

We teamed up with our friends Jesse and Jason (from Brisbane) to enjoy the next leg of the trip together. After flying from Toronto to Calgary and checking into our Calgary airbnb, we didn’t wait to get out into Calgary’s Kensington District to explore for dinner. Having daylight until 10pm made exploring so much fun and the days long and eventful. Our most rated experiences in Calgary:

  • Dinner at Hayden Block Smoke & Whisky @haydenblockyyc for some delish #bbq

  • Exploring Kensington Rd and crossing the Peace Bridge and night walks along Bow River

  • ☕️ Coffee at Good Trade Co @goodtradeco

  • 🍳 The most delicious breakfast toasties at PB & J YYC @pbandjyyc the PB Smashed Burger is a must!

BANFF

The 12 days of #VanLife through Canada and the US started in Banff National Park with our friends Jesse & Jason.

We picked up our van from Canadream in Calgary, purchasing a family discovery pass for the Canadian National Parks from them (recommended) and did a typical Walmart shop for supplies. We then drove from Calgary to Canmour with a stop at @thegrizzlypaw for dinner and continued onto Banff to set up camp at Campground Tunnel Mountain (Please ensure you have booked ahead on the Canada reservation site HERE).

The views along this drive were incredible, let alone the rest of Banff! Corey and I were in awe 😍 Our 2 day adventure involved the following:

  • 🇨🇦 Exploring the town of #Banff walking along Bow River

  • 🥾 Up early to get to Lake Louise for before 7am. We suggest you get there for 7am or earlier to ensure you get a park easily. We then hiked up the mountain on the Agnes Lake trail and Tea House exploring a little further up the mountain for some rock stacking and meditation. The views here were unreal! The lake was frozen, it started to rain and the atmosphere was surreal! The boys kept climbing up to Big Behive with insane views of Lake Louise and the Mountains.

  • 🏨 We had a little explore of the gorgeous building Fairmont Chateau on our way back

  • 💧 Post hike recovery at the Hot springs pools at @canadianhotsprings

CRANBROOK

We went separate ways from our friends, and began our trip south towards the USA bornder. To break up the trip we travelled from Banff to Cranbrook (3 hours) to have lunch and play a round of golf at the beautiful Cranbrook Golf Course and decided to stay at KOA Cranbrook. It was a beautiful spot just outside of town with great amenities. With Canadream, we received a discount on KOA campgrounds.

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK: WEST
West entrance due to the ‘Going to the Sun Road’ being closed

Our next stop was the West entrance of Glacier National Park, only 3 hours from Cranbrook. Visiting Glacier National Park has been something we've been dreaming of for a long time! Due to the winter period and snow on the road the famous ‘Going the Sun Road’ wasn't open all the way through.

So we did Glacier in two stages, the West, Lake McDonald and Agra Campground and then the East side, staying at the gorgeous St Mary Campground.

When we arrived into West National Park our eyes lit up 👀 ⛰️😍 the view from Lake McDonald with the mountains behind was a dream come true! We drove the Going the Sun Road as far as we could to Avalanche Point, exploring all the views along the way! The Agra Campground was a lovely spot close to the lake, however no power or waste, so having a van with generator, water and supplies was great.

That night we sat and watched the sun set, at 10pm haha, over a couple of beers as we watched Lake McDonald’s colours come to life! The images speak for themselves, this was mesmerising! Lake McDonald is quiet well known for its beautiful clear water, partly due to it’s extremely low temperatures that prevent the growth of plankton, and its stunning coloured rocks.

TRAVEL: DRIVE We then travelled in the van from Lake McDonald to West Yellowstone (6.5hrs). A big driving day, broken up with a stop in at the town Butte - historical town of mining and stopped at Butte Brewing & Pizza Company and had a pizza, beet and played on their foosball table.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK:

West Entrance

Yellowstone became a National Park on March 1, 1872, protecting more than 2 million acres of of mountain wilderness, amazing geysers and vibrant landscapes.

It was fascinating to be exploring the glorious supervolcano. One of the world’s largest active volcanoes lies beneath Yellowstone. The first major eruption of the Yellowstone volcano occurred 2.1 million years ago and covered more than 5,790 square miles with ash.

We loved exploring each entrance, not only were there spectacular sights, we also got to see many animals.... we saw a grizzly Mum and her three cubs, deer, antelope, moose, marmots, bison, a black bear!

After travelling the 6.5 route from Glacier, we made our way towards the west entrance, staying one night at Lonesomehurst Campground before entering the park the following day. Entering from the west entrance we made a day exploring the below. Give yourself a good 2-4 hours to do this due to traffic and lots of wonderful stops!

📍 West Entrance: Fountain Flat Drive, Paint Pot, Midway Geyser Basin, Biscuit Basin, Old Faithful, Upper Geyser Basin, Craig Pass 8262ft, West Thumb area

That afternoon we made our way to the Flagg Ranch Campground (near the Southern Entrance of the park), so we could be closer to Grand Tetons for our next adventure day. Read below this to see our Grand Tetons adventure day, returning back into the South of Yellowstone to stay in the park at Bridge Bay.

South, East & North (driven after the Grant Tetons)

In order to see the rest of Yellowstone National Park while making the most of our kms and fuel, we went south to Grand Tetons (more detail below) and that afternoon made our way back up to the South entrance into the park to stay at Bridge Bay Campground. This allowed us to camp the night and get up early to see the East and North loops of the park. We visited:

📍 East and North Entrance: Mud Volcano, Upper Falls, Backtail Plateau Drive, Mammoth Hot Springs

We then travelled North out of the park heading towards Three Forks (2 hrs). After exploring that morning, we stopped for BBQ lunch outside of Yellowstone at Emigrant called 'Follow Yer Nose BBQ' for a authentic American BBQ experience. We then continued on to Three Forks KOA to camp the night.

GRAND TETONS NATIONAL PARK

Our day exploring at Grand Teton National Park was a highlight of the trip! We drove from Flagg Ranch Campround in Yellowstone to Grand Teton for a hiking explore day 🥾

We drove down into the parks' North Entrance stopping at Jackson Lake Overlook and Willow Flats Overlook, both some of the most spectacular views of the mountains reflecting in the water! We then crossed the Jenny Lake Dam down to Jenny Lake Visitor Centre.

Jenny Lake was glorious 😍 with its beautiful blue water and views on the Tetons. We hiked the from the visitor information centre, around the lake and up to Inspiration point 7200ft/2194m.

With All Trails downloaded, we continued on up to Cascade Canyon Trail with spectacular views, walking through a beautiful gorge seeing waterfalls, snow and we saw a moose.

On our return, we took the shuttle boat that runs across Jenny Lake back to the visitor centre. The hike was 13.2km and we did it over 4.5 hours with breaks for lunch, it is a must do!

A spectacular moment, seeing a Grizzly bear and her 3 cubs coming back from Grand Tetons to Yellowstone at the flats near Jackson Lake.

That afternoon we drove back to Yellowstone National Park staying at Bridge Bay Campground.

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK: East
East entrances due to the ‘Going to the Sun Road’ being closed

After staying at Three Forks KOA (going from Grand Tetons, through Yellowstone East, staying the night then continuing on the journey to Three Forks), we travelled the 4.5 hours to the East entrance of Glacier National Park. On our travels we met a lovely lady doing a similar route to us, she suggested we MUST travel the highway 49 route to see some of the best views, she was not wrong! See our highlights of the trip below. This part of the trip was a dream and some of our most memorable moments 😍 ✨️


❤️ Corey Played golf at Glacier Park golf course, surrounded by some beautiful views of the mountains. The golf course opened in 1934

❤️ Driving Highway 49 into the park, the most beautiful drive through the mountains, visiting Two Medicine Lake then back on the Highway 89. Two Medicine campground was closed due to snow and too early in the season, it was a very eerie feeling being there with no one around!

❤️ Camping at Saint Mary Campground with beautiful views out to the nature and an afternoon walk down to the river

❤️ We decided to stay 2 nights at that campground as we loved it so much! Explored the Going the Sun Trail as far as we could by car, then by foot.

❤️ On the road we visited lookouts along Saint Mary Lake, Baring Falls and Jackson Glacier Overlook. Did the St Mary & Virginia Falls Trail - Hiked from St Mary's carpark with views to die for of Virginia Falls. 6.3km took us 2 hours with stops at the waterfalls to dip our feet.

❤️ With Going the Sun Road being closed at Jackson Glacier Overlook we went past the road closure up until we couldn't go any further at Siyeh Bend due to snow and a grizzly being relocated. 4km walk along the road ⛰️

🐻 We saw a grizzly bear across from the lake on our way back to the campground, a spectacular moment!

On the morning we were leaving East Glacier, we went to the visitor information centre and asked if there was any other hikes worth doing in the north of the park before we continued our journey. The rangers suggested Ptarmigan Pass at Many Glacier area, however said no one had reached the top due to snow fall and the track being closed on the wall. He said we could possibly get to the lake and that in itself was a beautiful view. Thank gosh we did, because this hike was spectacular!

The hike was a little scary as no one had done it yet that day due to no footprints and the untouched snow, so we had our bear spray, our walking poles and music playing to be safe. We made it up to the Ptarmigan Lake which was breathtaking, but you couldn’t go any further up to the tunnel due to the snow. This hike later in the year would be the best experience! 14km trail done over 4.5 hours with a stop at the top. Lots of snow areas and fields too. Spectacular views!

This was BY FAR one of our favourite parts of our whole trip!

WATERTON LAKES NATIONAL PARK

As we were coming to the end of ‘part 2’ of our trip, we had a couple more days before we had to drop the van back to Canadream in Calgary and wanted to spend it away from the city areas. After doing some googling, we found a little area on the border of US and Canada called Waterton Lakes that had a beautiful golf course. So after our morning hike at Many Glacier, we set off to Waterson Lakes (1 hour drive) to check it out. Driving into this beautiful town was one of the most incredible views! The prairies of Alberta meet the peaks of the Rocky Mountains in Waterton Lakes National Park. We called into the golf course and booked a round for the next day and spent the afternoon exploring the town.

Of all the areas we had camped over the trip, this was the highlight at Waterton Lakes Campground. We had front row views of the water and mountains, waking up to this. We booked our camp spot right at the waters edge, unreal! We were joined by hundreds of prairie dogs, they are the cutest (and on the golf course)! We walked down to for dinner at the local diner Zum's Eatery & Mercantile, great chicken!

On day two, we had a golf day at Waterton Lakes Golf Course with some of the most spectacular views of the mountains! Due to being injured in a car crash earlier in the year, I unfortunately couldn’t play on the trip but made a great caddie. A storm rolled it, which made for an interesting but beautiful end to the golf round haha. To finish off the afternoon and warm up, we stopped in at the landmark 1920's Prince of Whales Hotel. What a sight to see! Walking into the hotel, the floor to roof windows took your breath away. We had a couple of beers and played card games with a view you could only dream of. That night we made friends with a few of the locals at the campground, had dinner by the lake with a fire and listened to music, it was bliss.

This saw the end of our van trip, travelling from Waterton Lakes back to Calgary (3 hours) to drop the van back to Canadream before our lunch time checkin for our flight. Next stop….Vancouver!

PART three

Canada/Northern US car trip 11 days:

  • Canada: Vancouver (British Columbia), Squamish (British Columbia), Whistler (British Columbia)

  • Northwestern US Washington State Area: Bellingham, Olympic National Park, Mt Rainier, Seattle, North Cascades National Park, Mt Baker and flying back out of Vancouver (British Columbia)

VANCOUVER

To start off part three of our trip, we stayed in Vancouver for 2 nights in an airbnb in downtown Vancouver. This area was walking distance to everything, however in the heart of the homeless area (didn’t affect our stay as they were mostly quiet and didn’t approach you). We did all the tourist spots in the city and found some great coffee and craft beer places, see some of our hightlights below:

☕ Coffee at Revolver (325 Cambie St, Vancouve)

🌳 Walking from Downtown Vancouver over to Stanley Park exploring the area - VanDusen Botanical Garden, Queen Elizabeth Park.

🍝 Dinner at The Old Spagetti House Factory in Gastown

🌁 Explored Lynn Canyon Park, suspension Bridge and then lunch at 5 guys burgers amazingggg!

⛰️ Drove up Cypress Mountain to Bowen Lookout near the ski fields (not active due to summer)

🍸 We were lucky enough to be able to have a special dinner night out with friends from the wedding who lived in Vancouver! They suggested the renowned, 1 Star Michelin restaurant AnnaLena, a beautiful fine dining experience in Vancouver. Voted #9 of Canada’s best restaurants and Restaurant of the Year, Chef of the Year, Best Contemporary - Vancouver Magazine, it definitely lived up to its name! It was an incredible experience, from seeing the chef’s sketched up menu, to the final piece, the atmosphere, the service, the drinks, but the food was just divine. An investment of course, but an experience well worth it!

On our second day we had our Turo car dropped off to us so we can explore the other parts of Vancouver we couldn’t do on foot before starting our 10 day journey around the coast.

SQUAMISH & WHISTLER

To start our drive, we headed north from Vancouver to Squamish (1 hr). Being the summer, there wasn’t any snow but it was still great to experience the Sea to Sky Highway & Gondola. At the top, we enjoyed a beer at the restaurant with views to die for. Being summer, there were a number of hikes, mostly easy quick ones which was nice for some exercise while travelling. We did the Wonderland Lake Loop 2.3km, a nice easy and accessable hike. We then continued onto Whistler to stay overnight (50 mins).

We stayed just the one night in Whistler to explore the township in summer. We would LOVE to come back in winter as the ski runs and fields look to die for. When we were there, the slopes had been turned into BMX biking trails, so for adventure families, this is a must! It was interesting to read about the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic games. The township was bustling even in summer which was great to see. The next morning we were up early as we had to backtrack to Vancouver before heading south towards Olympic National Park.

BELLINGHAM

To break up the trip, we travelled South from Whister to Bellingham (3hrs), staying at an airbnb hotel. There is some beautiful coastline around in this area, so we went exploring outside of the town driving along Chuckanut Drive to the small town of Chuckanut as we found a highly rated oyster farm on google maps, Taylor Shellfish Farm. We hit the jackpot, this was an oyster farm that suppliers to the restaurants and we got to experience it right at the water. We tried 4 varieties of oysters with a nice crisp beer and a great view!

We did some exploring around this area too which was lots of fun! We went for dinner and drinks at the local food trucks and brewery area, Goods Brewing, and had one of the best burritos we’ve ever had there. The Bellinham township is very small and a nice stop over on your way to Olympic National Park.

The next day we started our route south to Olympic National Park. To break up the drive we travelled via Swinomish Golf Links for a round of 9 holes before reaching Coupeville to take the ferry across to Port Townsend. TIP, check the schedule of the ferry before you go and book online, we ended up having to wait 2.5 hours to get on due to the ferry being full as we thought it would be ok to just turn up lol It was a long day!

OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK (STAYING AT PORT ENGELES)

After crossing the long awaited Coupeville to Port Townsend ferry, we mad our way to Port Angeles, where we would stay in our airbnb for 2 nights allowing us to easily explore Olympic National Park. Due to having a car this time around we stayed in airbnbs close to the parks for easy access. Being a rainy late afternoon when we arrived, we did some town exploring and then went for a drive out to Twin Beach (35 mins outside of town) as Corey had been doing a lot of research about oysters and best places to find them fresh and it was supposed to be here. We never found any oysters haha but we did see 2 sea lions by the water!

Unfortunately one of the areas we wanted to visit, Hurricane Ridge, had a fire at their visitor centre and it burnt down, so they closed that area of the park which was so sad to see. We instead went to the beautiful Lake Crescent, where we sat on the pontoon and enjoyed our lunch while looking out over the glacier water. We Finished the afternoon with a trip to Marymere Falls, Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort. The resort offers three mineral hot spring soaking pools and one Freshwater Pool. The spring water comes from rain and melting snow, which seeps through cracks in the sedimentary rocks where it mingles with gasses coming from cooling volcanic rocks. The mineralized spring waters then rise to the surface along a larger crack or fissure. It was beautiful sitting in the warmth of the pools, looking out at nature and then doing a cold plunge into the fresh pool!

On our third day we started our 6.5 hour tourist drive to Mt Rainier, Ashford. Instead of driving direct to Ashford we went along the coastline so we could enjoy Rialto Beach, 'the ‘whole in the wall’ rock formation on the beach, Ruby Beach and making our way back to Ashford. As we approached Mt Rainier, which we were very excited to see this giant, the weather was horrible and cloud coverage blocked all views of the mountain haha. Bring on tomorrow!

MT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK (STAYING AT ASHFORD)

We arrived late to the Mt Rainier area after travelling from Port Angeles to Ashford (6.5 hours) taking advantage of exploring along the way. Unfortunately, due to bad weather we couldn’t see any of Mt Rainier so we checked into our airbnb (a little tiny home at the back of the Rainier Base Camp) and we relaxed for the night.

The weather wasn’t great our second day at the mountain which was unfortunate, however we thought we’d make the most of going up to the mountain anyway to see the information centre and we explored some of the areas around the carpark. We went to the Nisqually entrance and had a look at Myrtle Falls (very little visibility) and played with some snow and made a snowman. It was actually crazy how much you couldn’t see in front of you! We walked on the snow and saw Marmots walking around everywhere. After checking the weather, it was supposed to be sunny the next day when we left, so we prepared for an early morining rise to climb the mountain. Being positioned at the Basecamp Bar & Grill was very handy (the owners also owned our tiny home, so we stayed on the premises), we went to the hire area and got ourselves some snow cleats to go onto my hiking books. Being a full snow trail and with an injured arm, I wanted to be safe, so these accompanied by our poles meant I was much more stable for our walk. I was still in my wrist splint from my car accident and recovering from surgery, so just wanted the extra protection when walking.

We took advantage of the relaxing atmosphere and cuddled up at our tiny home with a couple of beers, nice dinner and the heater. The weather looked good for the following day, so we planned for an early wakeup.

Day 3 morning we rose to a fair bit of cloud coverage, but the forescast said sun, so we trusted this and headed up the mountain for 7am. As we made our way up, it was like the heavens opened, we passed through the clouds and the sun was shining beautifully and the view of the mountain was a sight I’ll never forget! We started our hiking from the Nisqually Entrance at the Paradise Inn area and visitor centre.

We prepped our walking gear, poles, rain jackets, food and sunscreen and we were on our way! We use AllTrails paid subscription to download our trails and track them on our Garmin watches, this was very handy to stay on track seeing as you couldn’t see any trails, just snow. This was very helpful when embarking up to Panarama Point. Once we were on the trail, we just kept going as there was so many beautiful views to see. We made it nearly to Camp Muir area and were so proud of how far we hiked, particularly with me not being able to use my arm. It was one of the most beautiful look outs I’ve ever seen. Corey and I sat at the rocks and had our lunch and breathed in the fresh air and were just present in that moment.

Mt Rainier is a glorious mountain at 14,410 feet, it is the tallest volcano in the Cascade Mountain Range and the most glaciated peak in the continental United States. This is a must hike! If you go later in the year, it will be much easier to climb, beautiful greenery at the lower areas and waterfalls. We then embarked onto Seattle, nearly 2 hours of driving for our next adventure in the city.

SEATTLE

After finishing our hike, we spent the afternoon driving to Seattle (2 hours away). We settled into our airbnb in the 10th Avenue East, Seattle area and went walking to find dinner out in Capita Hill. It was a bustling and vibrant area. We had lots planned for day 2, so we had an early night ready for our city exploring. Things we recommend in Seattle:

🖼️ Museum of Pop Culture MoPop - This was insane! One of the best Museums we both have ever been to. We spent 3 hours in here as they featured a few incredible exhibitions - ‘A Visiual History of Hip-Hop’ incredible photographs and footage of the ages, Nirvana, Science Fiction, ‘Indie Game Revoluion’, ‘Fantasy W'orld’ (great as we are Lord of the Rings fans), ‘Scared to Death’ horror films, a guitar gallery and Sound Lab.

🍲 Explore Pike Market

🦀 Seafood Dinner at the Crab Pot

⚾ Baseball game a T-Mobile

NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK (STAYING AT SEDRO WOOLEY)

The next morning we travelled North 2.5 hours from Seattle to North Cascades National Park. We started at the visitor centre to get a map (we collected them at every National Park) and did the small walk there, the ‘Trail of the Cedars’. We then travelled to the glorious blue Diablo Lake. The turquoise colour of the lake is a result of the suspended fine rock particles refracting the sunlight. The rock particles, called glacier flour, enter the lake when rocks from the mountains erode by the ice and flows into the water through glacial streams. EPIC! A must see on the route is the Ross Lake Overlook, unreal!

We spent the day at the park and continued onto our airbnb accommodation at Sedro Wooley (1hr). We wanted to be positioned close to Vancouver to fly out but not in the city. We wanted to make the most of our last day travelling to the airport by calling past Mt Baker.

MT BAKER ON THE WAY TO AIRPORT

The last day of your holidays is always a sad one! We got up early from our accomodation at Sedro Wooley and did the 1.5 hour drive to Mt Baker. Due to there being still a lot of snow around in June the park was closed. We explored as far up the mountain as we could near the ski field which was pretty cool, there was no one to be seen and incredible amounts of snow. Us Aussies loved it! We made our way to Vancouver airport, meeting with our Turo owner dropping the car outside the airport area and he dropped us (legend!).

That ends our incredible 4 week journey across Canada and the Northwestern United States. Please drop me an email if you have any questions if you’re planning this trip! Enjoy :D We’ll be back with another for the South West USA soon!

Email me with questions?

The Adelaide Adventure: Must do Food, Wine & Experiences

Adelaide.jpg

The Adelaide Adventure: Must do Food, Wine & Experiences

A visual journey by Emily Clarke of Life Portraits

When you think of Australia’s ‘must visit’ cities , Adelaide isn’t one that immediately comes to mind. However, with all the covid advertising for exploring Australia, Adelaide sparked my interest and after doing some more research, I was blown away by this beautiful city. How had I not visited this incredible city yet?!

My partner, Corey, and I love travel experiences, so as my early 30th Birthday getaway, we booked a long weekend adventure to Adelaide to celebrate. It turned out to be a much bigger celebration with him popping the question while we were there! <3

The Adelaide region is renowned for its wine & food, hills and coastlines and it’s beautiful churches and old buildings, and boy, did it deliver! Take a visual journey through our 4 day adventure of Adelaide and the surrounding regions!

Adelaide City

We were lucky enough to stay in a beautiful North Adelaide cottage walking distance to the city (check out the airbnb HERE). The picturesque streets are filled with heritage mansions, villas, and worker’s cottages shaded by the canopies of perennial trees. With its renowned Melbourne and O'Connell streets for cafes, restaurants and trendy boutiques, it’s a beautiful area to stay while you’re Adelaide.

We spent a full day exploring Adelaide city on foot and if you’re not a big fan of getting 25,000+ steps in one day haha there is the free city connectors running two loops – an inner city loop and an extended loop around North Adelaide providing a link to popular city attractions and shopping, dining and services destinations. Walking from our Airbnb in North Adelaide we saw the City Botanical Gardens, Zoo, Adelaide Oval and the beautiful gardens surrounding the city. Our first stop was on the other side of the city the Adelaide Himeji Gardens, stepping past the ornate gates to the beautiful little wonderland to experience the beauty of Japan. We then walked to the renowned Adelaide Central Market, the premier food destination for multicultural cuisine and fresh produce, a must visit for your food and culture fix! We explored the many streets of the Rundle Mall, the main city shopping precinct and then made our way over to the MOD. MOD is is a futuristic museum of discovery, sitting at the intersection of art and science. We loved experiencing the ‘It’s complicated’ exhibition and interacting with the installations.

Of course one of the most memorable parts of our trip was our food experiences! After a lot of research, we had two places on our must-visit place while in Adelaide, Africola and Luigi Delicatessen.

Africola is one hell of a food and dining experience. The restaurant offers a set menu of incredible North African dishes that you can allow the chef to choose to bring out and changes according to seasonality. As quoted by The Fork, “Africola brings serious funk to Adelaide’s dining scene. The tasty North African cuisine, crafted by head chef, Duncan Welgemoed, is sure to lure you in so that you can experience mini flavour explosions with every bite. Enjoy African specialties of meat and vegetable dishes as well as breads, dips and pickles.” And they were spot in! We got to experience the full kitchen experience at the bar, watching and capturing the food as it was crafted on the plate. One of the BEST food experiences i’ve had in my life! PLEASE, book in advance and experience Africola, we booked a month in advance, it’s HOT!

Luigi Delicatessen is your first class italian experience by passionate owner Luigi from Naples. Upon entering his beautiful atmospheric restaurant you are greeted like family. There is no menu, he and his staff join you at your table and explain the fresh and authentic meals being cooked that day in the kitchen and they help cater your choice to your taste and needs. WOW, is all I can say! We were celebrating two occasions, my early 30th and Corey proposed the night before, so it was an experience to remember. Luigi chatted to us like friends, told us the story of his Mamma and her influence on the restaurant before she passed, celebrated our news with us with a champagne and guided us with our food choice - three beautiful pasta seafood and ragu dishes with fresh garlic bread. We cannot recommend this experience highly enough! You will not be disappointed, you only have to look at the 1200+ 5 star reviews on tripadvisor haha with another from me!

Adelaide Hills & Hahndorf

A trip to Adelaide isn’t complete until you’ve visited the Adelaide Hills. We hired a car so we were able to do day trips from Adelaide and LOVED the atmosphere of Adelaide Hills and Hahndorf. Must visit spots on your way up the mountain is Mt Lofty Summit for views to die for, Mt Lofty Botanical Gardens for your nature fix and a drive by Mt Lofty House to see the 5 star boutique hotel with views to die for.

Our next stop was the gorgeous township of Hahndorf, Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement. The streets had so many beautiful touches of character like you were in Germany! We visited The Haus Restaurant and had their HUGE platter featuring a pork hock, schnitzel, sausages, double smoked bacon, sides and of course accompanied by a German Beer. Before heading back to Adelaide we had to visit the renowned ‘The Lane Vineyard’ to do some tastings. Such a beautiful winery with breaktaking views. We walked away with their 2016 ‘Reunion’ Shiraz for our special occasion weekend, superb!

Barossa Wine Tour

You haven’t experienced the full experience of Adelaide until you’ve been on a wine tour. With so many options for wine tour regions, the hardest decision is choosing which one! We went with the “Taste the Barossa” full day wine tour. Our incredible experience included Chateau Yaldara, Peter Lehmann where we had a gorgeous lunch platter of cheese and meats to pair with our wine, Lambert Wines & Wolff Bass. Our tour guide Dallas was wonderful and made a fun experience with lots of knowledge along the way.

Fleurieu Peninsula

South Australia has some spectacular natural attractions however a lot of them are long distances from Adelaide - Great Australian Bight, Mt Gambier, Coober Pedy, Flinders Ranges, Murray River (for another trip!). So we explored closer to Adelaide, only 40 mins south, the Fleurieu Peninsula. We LOVED exploring Hallett Cove Boardwalk area learning about the vast arrays of geological features, past ice ages, climatic changes, prior shoreline positions and erosion activities and how they have impacted the coastline. We walked down to the beach side and embraced the beauty of the many layers of sediment and beautiful colours on the cliffs. We couldn’t leave without bui8lding rock towers out of the beautiful smooth rocks!

We drove inland and visited some of the renowned wineries and breweries D’Arengerg Cube, Swell Brewery, Shifty Lizard Brewery and Hugh Grant Wines. Finishing the day with a trip to Port Willunga Beach & Caves, these unique caves which have been carved into rock, were once used by fishermen to store their boats and fishing rods.

The Tasmanian Roadtrip Adventure Itinerary, Hobart to Launceston: Brisbane Portrait & Commercial Photography

My partner, Corey, and I live for adventures together, quality time, food & drink experiences, going out of our comfort zones and exploring the beautiful world around us. Earlier in the year we planned ourselves a Tasmania roadtrip as we’ve never been to the beautiful state and had heard many great things from our friends who had travelled there and lived there.

So here goes, here is our 1 week itineary of all the amazing adventures, the moments captured and all the information you need to plan your own trip. I just love seeing new places and documenting it through the lens as you will see below.

Day 1: HOBART
Salamanca Markets, fresh seafood, Mount Wellington, Lark Distillery & Preachers for Beers!

Up at the crack of down, we caught the the early flight to Hobart on Saturday morning, arriving into the beautiful historical city, picking up our hire car and explore the famous Salamanca Markets (only on Saturdays 8.30am-3pm)! There was so much variety in this market; food, wine, gin, crafts, more food, plants, produce, singers, art and much more. We explored grabbing a german sausage on the way before trying the famous “Fish Frenzy” for our dose of fresh Tasmanian seafood on the waterfront.

Our accomodation, Macquarie Manor Hotel, was positioned right in the centre of town so everything was within walking distance which was great! We found ourselves a craft beer shop, got ourselves some specials and made our way up to Mount Wellington, 1,271 metres above sea levels, only 20 mins from Hobart city and with views to die for. Don’t forget to bring a few layers it was 10 degrees colder up there. We finished our day with a visit to a creative and quirky spot called Preachers in the city, followed by the Whisky distillery, Lark, for some tasting paddles. What a day! To be bed early for our sunrise ferry to Bruny Island.

Day 2: BRUNY ISLAND
Bruny Island Cheese Company, “The Neck” Lookout, 3 Hour Wilderness Tour with Bruny Island Cruises

Up before sunrise, we made the jounrey from Hobart to Kettering (30 mins) for the first Ferry of the day over to Bruny Island. We went straight to the famous “The Neck” to see the beautiful views before the crowds arrived, then back tracked to Bruny Island Cheese Company for them to open. We tried some beautiful cheeses and came away with some cheese and alchohol for our romantic night in Adventure Bay. We were lucky enough to check in to our accommodation before our wilderness tour, at 43 Degrees at Adventure Bay, WOW is all I can say. Right on the beach, beautiful wooden luxury rooms with a spa! It was beautiful. We checked-in for our 3 hour wilderness tour and as we were getting onto the boat it started to POUR DOWN! It really added to the experience haha it was a memorable one that’s for sure. The images speak for themselves…. Cruising around the cliff faces of Tasmania seeing nature, animals, seals, dolphins and taking in the beauty! Breathtaken by this experience we came back to land, had a beautiful seafood dinner at Hotel Bruny, we recommend the Seafood Chowder and grilled seafood. Finishing the night with a spa and relax with cheese and wine - ‘This is living Barry’

Day 3/4: ROADTRIP TO COLES BAY

Hobart Bakery Jackman & Ross, Devils Corner Winery, Freycinet National Park

“On the road again…..”

Being on holidays, it was nice to start our morning off nice and relaxed with our 43 Degree’s hosts bringing us some contintental breakfast snacks to start our day, waking to the sound of the ocean by our door! We packed up and caught the Ferry back to Kettering, drove back through Hobart and called in at the renowned Jackman & Ross bakery for a scollop pie and lamb and rosemary pie (and a cheeky bit of nutella cheesecake for the road haha). We stocked up on fresh salmon, prawns, cheese, wine, and salad goods for our trip to Coles Bay. The 2 hour drive flew by, calling in at the beatiful Devil’s Corner winery to do some wine tastings and take in their beautiful views. We walked away with a lovely bottle of Pinor Noir. Once we arrived at Coles Bay, we checked into our little ocean view cabin at Big4 Iluka @ Freycient and started our afternoon with a cheese platter, prawns and a glass of wine looking over the ocean.

The next morning we ventured out to Freycinet National Park to see one of the world’s top 10 beaches, Wineglass Bay. What an unreal sight to sea, crystal blue waters, beautiful rock formations and colours to die for. We also explored the Honeymoon Bay, Sleepy Bay and the Cape Tourville Lighthouse lookout for views like we’ve never seen! We finished our stay with a nice meal down at the Coles Bay Tavern, walking distance from Big4!

Day 5/6: ROADTRIP TO LAUNCESTON
Full day Tamar Valley Wine Tour, city exploring, Cradle Mountain trip

To say the trip went out with a bang is an understatement, these last 2 days were UNREAL! We packed up and got on the road for our 2 hour trip to Launceston. We arrived at our hotel, Adina Apartments, to be conveniently picked up at 11am for a full day wine tour with Tamar Vlley Wine Tours. We were greated by the very polite, experienced and delightful Terry. On our 6 hour journey through the Tamar Valley in our mini bus, we got to experience wine tasting at Clover Hill, Pipers Brook (with a beautiful gourmet lunch), Sinapius and Delamere (with a delish cheese platter). The day was delightful, with Terry educating us along the way about wines and the region. We came away very happy with our experience, our beautiful lunch and cheese platter, with a lovely bottle of Clem Blanc from Sinapius. Also a little tipsy haha. We got Terry to drop us into the local craft beer bar called St Johns Craft Beer Bar, enjoying some yummy chicken breast and chips and Tasmanian craft beers. We then moved onto the close by spot Tandy’s, ending the night with a ‘to-death’ match of connect 4 haha

The next morning we were excited to tackle the breathtaking Cradle Mountain. From Launceston, the drive is 2 hours up the mountain and the views along the way are sensational. On arriving, we had an idea of the tracks we wanted to do, but we JUMPED out of our comfort zones and decided to do the hard tracks up to the summit, we travelled all this way! And that was the BEST decision we ever made. Corey and I started with the beautiful Dove Lake Circuit then hiked our way up Marion’s Lookout (very steap with chains) to reach the beautiful lookout. We caught a glimpse of snow, so we had to keep going haha. Corey had never seen snow before so we had to venture on, up and up the mountain towards the summit. We played in the snow, it poured down rain and we loved every minute of it! We chucked on our ponchos and we continued on the journey on the top of the mountain on the breathtaking Horse Track. We nailed out the 4-6 hour route in under 4 hours it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. A MUST DO! On our route back down, we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a number of wombats too. On a high, we drove the 2 hours back to Launceston, made ourselves some beautiful salmon and salad for dinner and went out for a few final drinks to celebrate our trip!

DAY 7: FLY OUT OF LAUNCESTON
Morning Trip to Catrat Gorge

We would have loved to have spent more time at both Hobart and Launceston! We will be back again soon. Before dropping our hire car back we took a morning visit to the beatiful Catarat Gorge right in the Launceston city. A beautiful gorge with hanging bridge, cable chairs over the water and playground. It was the best start to the day and we were sad to say goodbye.

WHAT A TRIP TO REMEMBER!

A Real Indian Wedding Experience: Brisbane Portrait & Commercial Photographers

It’s not every day that you get the opportunity to travel to India with your Indian friends to be a part of a traditional Indian wedding. When Amit and PJ jokingly said over dinner that we should come, at first we laughed and said “that would be unreal” and then we though more after they said the offer was there. How could we not!

In reflection of this trip, this experience was an opportunity of a lifetime, travelling to India with our friends for 2 weeks of celebrations for a traditional Indian Wedding, their cousins wedding.

Our first stop was Mumbai - Staying in a lovely 5 star hotel and venturing out to explore the streets, to do some shopping for traditional clothing and try some of their famous food.

We then flew to their hometown of Goa - We stayed mostly in Magao with our friends family and each day when we didn't have wedding events, they organised a driver for us! We travelled through North and South Goa, exploring their beaches and most renowned attractions and of course ate at some incredible traditional indian shacks and restaurants.

While in Goa, we got to be part of the wedding events of PJ and Amit's family. Including the Sangeet Dance event, ladies Henna day, traditional male and female religious functions, the wedding itself and the reception. All spread over a 2 week period.

With a gap in the wedding events, my partner, Corey, and I flew to Delhi and booked a fully personalised 4 day Golden Triangle tour - Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. This opened us up to the culture and history of India and some of the unreal monuments this country has to offer.

See an insight into our travels below, explaining some of the wedding events and traditions, some of the memories, food and the indian lifestyle captured on the trip. Each section details where it is in India and some explain the meaning behind the images. I hope you enjoy this visual journey as much as I loved taking it!

Em x

Exploring Goa

During our time in India we were based in Goa with our friends families. We spent some time in South Goa in Margao, exploring the beaches and attractions, markets and shops of this area and then to North Goa to Panjim to explore the Latin area, old Goa and the shopping and monuments.

The Sangeet

The pre-wedding dance celebratory event. This musical night is a celebration of the union of not only the couple but the bonding of both families. The families choreographed 14 dances to display on stage to the family, it was UNREAL!

Mehndi Day

Mehndi Day before the Wedding - A form of body art originating from the Indian subcontinent, in which decorative designs are created on a person's body, using a paste, created from the powdered dry leaves of the henna plant. 

The Wedding

The Wedding is the official traditional religious function where the bride and groom’s families and friends witness the marriage of Sanju and Sohal. There are many traditional processes including the families gifting the bride/groom gold, jewellery and other gifts. The bride and groom do not see each other through these religious events until they are on stage where they are revealed to each other. Watching these moments was incredible!

Delhi

To begin our 4 day Golden Triangle tour we flew from Goa to Delhi. We began the day nice and early at 7am starting at Qutub Minar with no one in site. I was blown away by this building and it’s unique structure and details. We also visited the Indian Gate, Jama Masjid (Friday Mosque), took a rickshaw through Old Delhi, visited the site of Gandhi’s ashes, the Lotus temple and some local shops of craftwork. Our driver then began the 4 hour journey to Agra, stopping at the Akshardam Temple on the way out.

Agra

Arriving at our 5 star hotel Jaypee Palace was incredible! Marble featured throughout, beautiful views over the 25 acre property, surrounded in grasslands, pools and our room featuring an unreal balcony over the views. We rested up that night ready for our 5.30am rise to catch the Taj Mahal at sunrise! Witnessing the Taj Mahal in person was incredible, especially capturing it’s beauty at sunrise. After this unreal experience we also explored the red fort, local craftsman stores and saw a lot of the major buildings in Agra. After a full morning in Agra, we hit the road with our driver to Jaipur, seeing the famous Step Well on the way there.

Jaipur

Jaipur was my most anticipated place to see with it’s pink city, beautiful buildings and unreal monuments. We started our morning with a great buffet breakfast at our 5 star hotel Holiday Inn Jaipur, then took on the day with a tour of the Amber fort, probably one of the most impressive buildings Corey and I have both witnessed. What used to be a palace is now a large fort that is incredible to see! We then ventured through the Pink City seeing the Palace of Winds, we visited a textiles manufacturer and saw how they created carpets and printed clothing and finished the day with a tour through the incredible Jaipur Palace. Corey and I got an Olla around the city and went for a romantic dinner at the rooftop Peacock Restaurant in the city. It was unreal! What a way to end the trip.

Coffs Coastal Adventure

As a yearly tradition, my partner and I escape to somewhere new in Australia from boxing day until New Years. This is our time to relax, watch the cricket, explore, read, reflect on our year, cook beautiful food, photograph landscapes, relax at the beach and enjoy each others company. 

This year we had the company of our friends for a few days which was a lovely experience. We stayed at the most amazing Airbnb in Coffs Harbour that had 2 bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom, laundry facilities, a beautiful patio overlooking bush land, a BBQ, comfy beds, not to mention our hosts Bill & Marie were such lovely people! Check out their Airbnb here, well worth a stay!

The Coffs Coast has so many amazing places to explore..... See below for a visual insight into our trip away. <3

See more great things to do in Australia with RV Lifestyle - 100 Best Things to Do in Australia

Look at Me Now Headland, Moonee Beach

Dorrigo

Just an hour west of Coffs Harbour along the delightful Waterfall Way driving route, Dorrigo is on the doorstep of the World Heritage-listed Dorrigo National Park. Enjoy spectacular lookouts, enchanting waterfalls and exhilarating walks in the beautiful rainforest on the North Coast of NSW. We visited Dangar Falls, Skywalk lookout, Crystal Shower Falls Walk which are shown below :)

Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve

 

 

 

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