Touring the Wicklow Mountain National Park, Ireland!

A visit to Ireland is really incomplete without visiting the untamed countryside. Since I did not have a car as a means of transport while I was in Ireland, I decided to go on bus tour to explore the Wicklow Mountain National Park. Just a few hours drive away from Dublin, surrounded by glacial valleys, rolling hills and ancient ruins, stands the Wicklow mountains. Our tour guide from Wild Rover tour was quite entertaining. He made us laugh all throughout bus ride. He showed us the sights where various movies such as “ The Vikings” and “PS  I Love you” were shot. It indeed looked like a very romantic location and as our bus climbed up the elevation of the mountains, our ears popped with the change of pressure.

The most incredible stop that we made was the Glendalough Valley. It was originally a monastic settlement in the 6th century with ruins left behind now. The remains of the round tomb, graveyards and churches stood so beautifully even after so many years. I was lucky to have the company of my two fellow travelers when we walked to the Glendalough Lake together. The walk was beautiful along the trail towards the lake and back via a well-constructed board walk. We spotted sheep and deer while we walked back and looked through the vast stretches of green land.

Round Tomb

Priest’s home

Church ruins

Monastic Ruins

Graveyard

The part I was most excited about in my tour was our visit to the sheep farm and interaction with our shepherd about the sheep dog demonstration. As soon as I reached there I was so happy to see the Border collie dog and the sheep up so close. All the other visitors gathered around as well and the shepherd started to tell us all about how the lamb business is so prevalent in Ireland. He showed us how the dog is trained to help the shepherd by controlling the sheep and their directions of grazing. It was amazing to see the dog follow the whistles of the shephard , run and herd the sheep. I also got a chance to get so close to the sheep and pet them. Overall my day exploring the countryside left me wonder struck that Ireland is so beautiful.

Glendelough Lake

Fellow Travelers

Sheep Dog Demontration

Sheep hug

All kinds of sheep

Have you recently been to any farms you have loved? Do animals give you happiness. Please share, I would love to read!

My first solo getaway to Killarney, Ireland

My first solo travel was as ironical as it could get since I met the most people I have ever in any of my travel ventures. I took the opportunity to go visit my cousin in Dublin and tour the country on my own. My favorite place out of all parts of Ireland that I visited was Killarney, which was a three hour train ride from Dublin with a train change in Mallow. My impromptu visit to the small town of Killarney based of the recommendation of a local in Dublin turned out to be the highlight of my two week trip in Ireland.

Killarney is a small town in the south of Ireland located adjacent to the Killarney National Park where nature is at its best. The town seemed to be very compact and walk-able and my hostel was only 10 minutes from the train station. I stayed at the Black Sheep Hostel and by all means recommend staying there while travelling to Killarney. It was my first hostel experience as well and it was just so exciting that I was doing so many things for the first time in my life. Since I was a little tired from the train ride, I took some time to unwind and relax in the hostel garden. There were home grown veggies and a small chicken farm in the back of the hostel which had a little shed area to lounge. I remember wrapping a blanket around since it was a little chilly and filling out my gratitude book. It felt so relaxing to just sit down and do nothing for a bit and just be thankful.

As I was starting to make some green tea for myself in the dining area of the hostel, I met some fellow travelers. There was one who just arrived and was quite curious to explore the area. I got to know her more and we decided to go explore the Killarney National Park for the little daylight we had remaining for the day. It was at a walking distance from our hostel about five minutes away. As I stepped into the National Park, I couldn’t believe the natural beauty that encompasses Killarney. We walked along this pathway where I could hear several male deer grunting as it was the mating season. The pathways were well marked and the weather seemed perfect. The clear skies with the flock of birds flying over the group of deer seemed magical. There were not many people within our vicinity and it felt wonderful to be out there in nature all by ourselves. I remember enjoying conversations about being mindful and being in the present.

As it got darker, we made our way back to our hostel. We stopped at the grocery store to get some vegetables and cooked our dinner at the hostel that night. We also went out to the little town later at night to enjoy some Irish music while sipping on some cider. I couldnt have asked for a better first night and went back to bed so thankful to God. I was very excited for the next day and was really looking forward to exploring the Gap of Dunloe.

I was happy that the weather was sunny the morning of the tour. There was a vintage car that drove us to the Kate Kearney’s cottage which was about a twenty minute drive. There onwards I made my way into the Gap of Dunloe in a jaunting cart with the horse Lily who was mid age about 10 years old. We rode along hills and valleys of the Gap of Dunloe overlooking grazing sheep and the most stunning scenery I have ever seen in my life. It was raining, sunny, windy and chilly at the same time , our guide called it the Irish mist. The sight of the colorful sheep grazing along the valleys and chilling in random spots along the road was just so adorable. It was a sight that is going to stay in my memory forever.

The jaunting cart’s dropped at another little cafeteria by the lakes of Killarney so the onward journey was by a boat towards the Ross Castle. I remember enjoying the deep blue calming water of the lake surrounded by all kinds of rock formations. I met some more fellow travelers along the way and enjoyed conversations with them in the boat ride. As we reached the Ross Castle, the weather was perfectly sunny and the castle stood right next to the lake in a beautiful location. Soon after the tour driver dropped everyone back in the town of Killarney.

Since it was still the middle of the day around 3 pm and there were a couple of daylight hours still left, I wanted to go see the Muckross house house and Abbey since I heard so much about its history. I hopped on a taxi to go there and the driver was so helpful to show me the scenic walkway back to Killarney through the national park. The beautiful old house of Muckross stood by the Muckross lake surrounded by well marked pathways in the Killarney National Park. Out of no where there was this horse carriage ride which offered me a ride towards Killarney and it felt like I was living a fairy tale moment. After walking a couple miles I finally arrived at the hostel and decided to stay indoors and keep it low key that night.

Soon after the next day I had another tour booked with Paddywagon to see the Ring of Kerry. I am happy I did so since it was a rainy day , the bus tour was the best way to go. The bus made its way through different villages along the scenic drive. The guide showed us deers and sheeps along the way while describing how the different farm owners have colored the sheeps for recognition purpose. We made various stops along the way and my favorite was the last stop which was the Torc waterfall. The waterfall looked more dense and flowy because of the rains.

As it was getting closer to sunset, I was starting to realize that my precious trip to Killarney was coming to an end. But I was still so happy and full of memories. I turned back to take a last capture of the beautiful little town and then made my way to the train station. At the end I was so proud to have made the decision to explore Killarney by myself. Have you ever traveled on your own? What was your experience like! Please Share!

Everglades National Park Adventure,Florida!

Among all the US National parks, Everglades has always been on my list of things to do. It is a short drive of about 45 minutes from Miami to get to the Everglades. What makes it different from the other parks is the preserved forest swamps that are natural habitats for endangered species of alligators, snakes and hundreds of other animals. It is a land of sturdy mangrove forests and sawgrass marshes.

Our first stop at the Everglades was the Alligator farm where we enjoyed watching the Alligator show. The show was about a brief introduction about the Alligators followed by the audience getting to hold the alligator baby which was intimidating yet a very joyful experience. We then took an air boat ride into the wild grass swamps where we spotted wild Alligators and birds relaxing in their natural habitat. The boat ride was very exciting and loud and we enjoyed the 360 degree fast spins. We then relaxed for a bit and watched the care taker in the farm feed the alligators.

We also hiked the Ahinga trail in the park to spot few more alligators. However since it was the winter time, the water levels were higher because of the rain and we couldn’t spot as many as we could have done during the summer when it’s drier. Have you recently visited any of the National or State Parks? Please do share. I would love to read.

Trekking the Rocky Mountain National Park!

After the day of camping at the Winding River Resort, we headed towards the Rocky Mountain National Park to explore the winding trails that led to breathtaking waterfalls, lakes and rivers. We started with the Adams Falls trail which was short steep uphill trail. We were very lucky to spot a Moose on our short way up the hilly terrain. The locals there told us that Moose is a really aggressive animal and very protective as a mother so all of us were very careful while watching the Moose enjoy in its natural habitat. We finally reached the Adam Falls which was beautiful and all worth the uphill hike.

After our hike, we relaxed and lounged by the magnificent Grand Lake which is the largest lake in Colorado at an elevation of 8000 feet. We geared up for our next trail after relishing the delicious Mexican lunch at the Grand Lake Downtown. Our next trail was full of wild yellow/white flowers and huge lush pine trees which led to the massive Colorado River flowing under the bridges. The weather was sunny and I enjoyed this trail the most.

We ended our day driving ten miles through the Rocky Mountains surrounded by alpine meadows, forests and creeks. By the end of the day we spotted about six Moose, ten Elks and so many deer and horses grazing grass in the lush meadows. It was so amazing to see the wildlife in the national park and not tied up in zoos. However one thing that we missed was the Mountain View from the Trail Ridge road which leads to the highest peaks of Rocky Mountain National park. It was closed due to the recent snow storm in Colorado and we had to make our way back after reaching up there. Have you recently hiked National Park. Which one is your favorite? I would love to know!

The Evergreen City,Seattle!

My first city in the US as a tourist, Seattle will always remain close to my heart. Being surrounded by forest, lake, river and hills, it is a perfect destination for nature-lovers. The city just captivates you with evergreen trees, pleasant weather and clear sky(not so much).Be aware of the rain in Seattle, definitely plan your trip keeping weather constraints in mind as the evergreen trees also cause light showers every now and then. Here are some fun outdoor activities to do when you are out and about in Seattle.

Hiking Mount Rainier National Park

The drive to Mount Rainer National park through the hills and forest is very adventurous and scenic at the same time. After driving through a couple of hundred feet above the ground level, its time to hike the mountain by foot to explore the hills, valleys, waterfalls and meadows surrounding the cascade of mountains. The lovely view of the snow covered peaks of mountain makes it worth the visit.

 

Trekking the Snoqualmie Falls

A few hours away from Seattle, Snoqualmie falls is a massive 268 feet waterfall on the Snoqualmie river. Trekking along the forest trail to reach the bottom to catch a sight of the colossal fall is such an enjoyable experience. The flora and fauna on the trail makes it even more delightful. Once you are all the way down at the lowest point of the fall, you can step into the rocks, woods and water to enjoy it even more closely.

Exploring the Bainbridge Island

The best way to get in the water in Seattle is to take a ferry ride across the Elliot Bay to the BainBridge Island. While you are on your way, keep your cameras ready for the perfect skyline view from the ferry. Explore the island by foot, bike or car depending on what you like. The island is huge with trails by forests and lakes so the best way to explore it in and out might be by car.

Day in Downtown

The trip to Seattle is incomplete without a day well spent exploring Downtown Seattle. Stroll by the Pike Place market and relish the fresh fruits in the farmer’s market. Hop into the Ferris wheel to get a complete view of the skyline and the city. Enjoy a rickshaw ride along the shore and wander around enjoy smoky delicious cart food in the hilly Downtown.

 

Journey to Leavenworth

Few miles away from Seattle, Leavenworth is a small hilly city in in the middle of mountains. The Bavarian village there is a small shopping district with little unique boutique, art and gift shops. It is lovely place to stroll by and there are cultural dance performances by different countries in the streets. We were able to watch the England dance and music festivities where the men dressed as soldiers and women danced around them. The architecture of the buildings resemble the European design with domes and castles.  It is a lively place full of happiness and fun, definitely not worth missing if you are in Washington.

 

If you happen to have a few more days in Seattle,explore the zoo,aquarium,lakes and museums in the city.There are just endless destinations for tourists to explore in the state of Washington.