Viktorija Gedrimiene

Travel

Kings Canyon – A Sunrise Walk

19/03/2018

Us wouldn’t be us without some activity on our travels. So we decided to visit one more point of interest before going to Uluru. A lesser known landform in Watarraka National Park – Kings Canyon. The walls of Kings Canyon are above 100 meters high, with Kings Creek at the bottom. Also, part of the gorge is sacred Aboriginal site, so visitors are advised to stay on marked paths (always show respect!). The Canyon has two main walking trails: the easy one, 2km long, and the more challenging – a 6km Rim Walk. We knew beforehand that there are several options, so when we arrived early in the morning (a good tip for hiking – you will see a beautiful sunrise and will avoid the heat of a midday, when the walk can be closed), we immediately went for the hike. I have to be honest with you – we had more strenuous hikes before, so this was more like a walk in the park, haha. A nice, relaxing, but very windy walk (my hair was all over the place 😀 ). The sun was out, though, so all okay. We hiked the steep part quite fast, and after that we just enjoyed the sunrise above the Canyon. It was so interesting to see the changing colours on the rock formations! This is what I love about nature – it surprises you every time. About half way during the walk, there is a path to the Garden of Eden, a permanent waterhole surrounded by plant life – also, another beautiful sight!

Kings Canyon Rim Walk in numbers:*

Distance: 6 km.
Time: 3-4 hours.
Start/Finish: Kings Canyon car park.
Best Season: Winter is not as hot as summer, and after rain is ideal, when waterfalls are flowing and there is plenty of new growth and wildlife around.
Nearest towns: Uluru/Yulara (300 km) and Glen Helen (260 km).
Maps: Not necessary; follow the blue arrow markers on posts.
Food/drink: Carry a litre of water for each hour you expect to be walking.

*this information is taken from outdooraustralia.com

Love, V.

❤

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Travel

Road Tripping pt. 2: A 4-wheel-drive Hotel

18/03/2018

Hello!

How’s your Sunday? Hopefully, everyone is rested and ready for a new week. 😉 And maybe for some road trip inspiration? As I wrote at the end of the previous post, on our first day of road tripping we were looking for a place to rest. It was supposed to be very exciting, because it meant that we can try out our luxurious 4-wheel-drive hotel for the first time! (And if you didn’t get it – it was our rental car 😀 ). It was right after sunset, I was browsing a camping app (WikiCamps – a big thanks to one friend for this suggestion) and our GPS at the same time. Not that many options in the outback, haha. I managed to find one, though, and we immediately decided to stop there. As it was quite dark, the place looked a bit quirky and sketchy – some kind of a roadside Inn, with places for cars to camp, with a parking for truck drivers, and some rooms for fancier travellers. We were greeted by roosters and chickens running around, a good number of toads jumping everywhere, a receptionist with an attitude, and some roaches climbing the walls. Full package to make a good first impression. 😀 We chose a car spot, anyway (we had no options), and decided to go grab a beer (well, G. did), and chill for a while in their outside bar. Yep, with all the fauna around us. It’s safe to say, that I didn’t want to sit there very long.

Soon enough, we went to sleep – and it was one of the most uncomfortable sleeps in my life – it was hot and humid (and we couldn’t open the window because of the flies), and our mattress was squeaky whenever we turned over. But for the same reasons I will remember this night for sure! And even though the first impression was not that good, everything looked completely different in the morning. The chickens and toads were still there, the Inn was still quirky, but I was woken up by the most beautiful sunrise – and everything was good again, haha.

We managed to capture some amazing views that morning… And you can check our hotel room below. 😉

Very nutritious and very delicious breakfast bought in the local shop. Aaaaand…I am craving that mango ice cream right now.

To make our road trip a bit more interesting (remember-there’s a lot of driving), we stopped at one of the attractions – Devils Marbles, and this is what Wikipedia has to say about the place:

“The Devils Marbles are of great cultural and spiritual significance to the traditional Aboriginal owners of the land, and the reserve protects one of the oldest religious sites in the world as well as the natural rock formations found there. Karlu Karlu is the local Aboriginal term for both the rock features and the surrounding area. The Aboriginal term translates as round boulders and refers to the large boulders found mainly in the western side of the reserve. The origin of the English name for the same boulders is the following quote:

This is the Devil’s country; he’s even emptied his bag of marbles around the place! – John Ross”

A bit later, Giedrius decided to switch the cars. Sadly, he didn’t go far… I wonder, why 😀

Anyway, we went on the road again – and after several hours we reached Alice Springs – another stop and somewhat point of interest. We strolled around for a little while, sent some postcards, filled up the gas tank, and did grocery shopping. Oh, and bought a net for a car window (because of the flies), which we fixed with duct tape afterwards :D.

We didn’t stay long there, because we wanted to reach the Kings Canyon that day, but if you are ever visiting the area, and love animals – I would suggest you going to a kangaroo sanctuary (this was on my list, but we didn’t have time…). They rescue orphaned baby and adult kangaroos and their main mission is to educate and encourage people to rescue and care for kangaroos and other wildlife and animals. How amazing is that!

Our day ended with a colourful sunset – again!- and I kind of felt that we are getting spoiled – but I truly can’t complain about that. We found an overnight spot again – but this time it was only a place by the road. Very remote, silent, and without any light pollution – so we were looking at the stars…

Until next time!

Love, V.

❤

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Personal

Inspiration.

16/03/2018

Good morning, friends! How are you holding up?

Oh, the days are getting longer, and we have an amazing amount of sunshine in Bergen, which makes me very happy. Not only that, of course, but it helps a lot 😉

So…lets get into this… I have been in constant search for inspiration, for a purpose, for my place in this world – for more than a year now. And I can not deny the fact that I am a person, who gets discouraged if there’s no meaning in anything what I want to do. One of the things that consumed me the most was the thing that I loved the most, too. Photography. My love and frustration at the same time. But I guess, I just needed a big break from it (FRIENDS reference, ya’ll). All people, who do some kind of creative work, will understand me. It got so bad at one point that I felt completely lost and very depressed. Don’t worry, I can talk about it now – and I think, everyone should – because that’s the first thing you do if you want to get out of this rut. That, and finding a professional who will help you, and understanding that this will take time. For me, it is still a work in progress, but instead of dark clouds, I see sunshine above them 🙂

I got a bit too carried away, didn’t I? Hehe, well, that’s me, a girl with the love for metaphors 😛

But! I clearly don’t want to make this a sad post – it’s the opposite – with all this happening, I learned a lot about myself. It is scary to face your worst features, but it’s good to understand that you can change them, and nourish the good ones instead. I also found some new people, who inspire me on daily basis and are the reason that I want to be a better version of myself. Cin cin! 😉

“So transform yourself first…Because you are young and have dreams and want to do something meaningful, that in itself, makes you our future and our hope.

Keep expanding your horizon, decolonize your mind, and cross borders”- Yuri Kochiyama

I know that it is only a tiny bit that I am sharing on this topic, but I wanted to keep you updated, and I also wanted to stay true to myself – and maybe help one soul or two. Have a wonderful Friday, peeps!

Love, V.

❤

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Travel

Road Tripping: a Journey to Red Centre

05/03/2018

Hey night owls! 😉 I hope I am not alone on this one.

I am here to share our remaining stories, and today we are starting our journey to the Red Centre. (Woohoo!!… and that makes me miss this trip a lot…)

After a couple of amazing days in Kakadu National park, we had to get on the road – a long ride (almost 2000 kilometres) was ahead of us. We said goodbye to our crocodile-shaped hotel and started the road trip! To be honest, we had split our 2000 km journey into several parts, so our mission was to make at least 800 km the first day, with several stops along the way. Of course, you can drive longer and further, but it is not recommended to do it when the night falls – because there might be animals on the road (and one thing is for sure – you should be very careful about that!). We managed to spot a Dingo dog and a very shy buffalo – but they both were not that much into posing for pictures 😀

That day we had 2 points of interest in mind – Katherine Gorge and Bitter Springs/Mataranka – and both places are really worth the visit. On our first stop in Katherine we did only a short hike to Baruwei Lookout to enjoy the view of the gorge. It wasn’t the best time to do that as it was midday and the heat has reached its peak at that point, but we did not have any other choice. So we started the loop and after 5 minutes the sweat was dripping off our noses (and my heart was beating like crazy – good thing we had lots of water with us). We enjoyed the nature for about 10 minutes and went back to our car (we decided that staying here longer is not a good idea :D), and we really wanted to visit natural thermal pools in Mataranka! Taking a refreshing dip in clear waters – that is what I am talking about! After about an hour drive we reached the Bitter Springs – spring-fed pools- and G. instantly took a dip! I was not that eager to do so, because it had that funny smell, but the water itself was amazing and crystal clear! We also took a walk there among the palms, and listened to all kinds of birds (and other creatures, probably) making interesting sounds 😀

Later on we drove to another spot, where the thermal pools are turned into closed pools – and the area is the main tourist attraction. The experience was really something to remember – because all the trees there are inhabited by the little red flying-foxes (type of bats), and there are hundreds of them! They visit the area around October, and it is really spectacular to watch – I am not saying it’s pleasant (because they fly, shriek, and poop on your head all the time 😀 ), but interesting for sure.

Hiking to Burawei Lookout in Katherine Gorge. The heat was unbearable!

Bitter Springs – thermal pools.

The red foxes clearly own natural springs in Mataranka.

Cute, aren’t they? :))

Some sunset moments later that day…We were looking for a camping spot. But about that – in the next post!

Love, V.

❤

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Travel

Barramundi Gorge and sunset vibes in NT

23/02/2018

Happy-almost-weekend, people! 😉

We had quite a few sunny days here in Bergen this week, so it definitely works in my favour. Aaaand…I want to give myself a pat on the back, because this will be my third post in a week on le blog, and I couldn’t be more happy about it!

***

Today, I want to share the second part of our day in Kakadu National park – where we went exploring a number of beautiful places. You can catch up with the first part here.

After soaking up the sun and enjoying natural pools in Gunlom Falls, we decided to drive back with several stops along the way. When we were checking places of interest, Barramundi Gorge (Maguk) caught our attention. It was supposed to be another beautiful place with the possibility of taking a dip in its refreshing waters. We took a turn to Maguk on the Kakadu Highway, and enjoyed (:D) 12 kilometres of unsealed road (better known as the grater, haha). At the end of the road, there’s a parking spot and a walking track that leads you to the gorge. We were a bit hesitant about this tour as the rain clouds started rolling over, but we decided to go with the flow. And I’m glad we did! The place was completely empty – we were the only ones there, and it made the experience even more special. The path that we took winds through the tropical savannah, then along the river changing into a rocky track. And of course, there were signs of water safety everywhere and that crocodiles inhabit the area. Yikes! We did not see any (phew), but were annoyed by hundreds of flies (and that is one thing you can’t avoid in the Australian Outback). So when we reached the place, we enjoyed it for a while (did not swim, though) and saw some curious fishes and tiny frogs everywhere. We also got to see our very first and very alive kangaroo! It was such an amazing feeling, because she jumped right in front of us as we were heading back to the car.

While driving back, we thought that the clouds that rolled in, will be a nice addition to the sunset – so G. had an idea to find a hill and watch the sunset from there. He spotted a hill near the road, and I knew that nothing will stop him or change his mind at this moment (I mentioned the fact that there might be snakes, or something, but he just said to watch my step :D). So we rushed to the top just to witness this… Let me tell you – that sunset was so beautiful that it’s imprinted in my mind forever. For those few moments you can stand still and enjoy all the beauty nature has to offer.

I recommend it to everyone!

Love, V.

❤

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Travel

Gunlom Falls in Kakadu

21/02/2018

And good evening! Somehow the words for the blog come to me later in the day, so I have to go with it… 😉

Our second day in Kakadu National park started early in the morning – I woke up to cockatoos singing (or rather making very loud noises), grabbed some freshly made coffee (YES!), and did some grocery shopping for the day (in the only store that was in Jabiru). Our breakfast had to be very fancy – while on the go (time saving), and we started moving to our destination – Gunlom waterfalls, which were about 3 hours away. That day we realised the concept of the outback – it is actually only you and the road, as we did not see that many people or tourists on our tour. However, we were very ready for this adventure!

As I remember this was a vanilla rice pudding – very yummy! And we liked the fact that it’s Australian made (and later in the trip we actually looked for this symbol)

The whole thing of driving on the other side of the road was tricky for a couple of days (but Giedrius got used to it, of course 😉 ).

Finally, we saw the sign for our upcoming destination (but we still had about an hour driving after that), and then the fun began. This road felt like driving on a grater – so we were moving very slowly, and could not understand how we should drive. We were really careful at first, but frustrated at the same time, because at the pace we were moving it meant that we will reach the waterfall really really late… Hm, that was not our plan… And then we saw a couple of cars overtaking us much faster – which is the trick of driving on the road like that – and the fun came back! We were making moves and leaving lots of red dust behind us, haha :))

When we arrived, it was boiling hot – around 42 degrees C, so we had to prepare, because to reach the waterfalls and the creek you had to do a little hike first. So we packed at least 3 liters of water (always stay hydrated!), some snacks for the energy, and started adventuring 😀 The hike was not that bad, a bit steep and only a little challenging (all the heat), but we reached the natural pools and were ready to relax and recharge.

For the next several hours we enjoyed the water and stayed in it as much as possible (because if you were outside on the rocks, your feet were burning!) But it was simply incredible to enjoy the nature itself in those natural infinity pools, overlooking the hills and ridges.

But us would not be us if we didn’t try something a bit more – we climbed even higher, so that we could have one pool for ourselves, without people – and that we could take pictures – and the view was amazing!

Near the parking spot, where we left our car, is a camping and picnic area, but sadly we did not have the time to sit there (but I would not mind coming back!).

Later that day we also visited another spot, and viewed the most amazing sunset ever – but that will come in another blogpost! Are you hooked on Australia yet? Ah…

Love, V.

❤

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Travel

Australia: going to the land down under!

19/02/2018

Hey!

And happy start of the week. Today I woke up, and had this good feeling all over – the sun was shining since early morning, and I felt like I finally wanted to do something. For myself 😉 So I took a long walk in the city and enjoyed the sun. I also felt a bit of inspiration, so I will hang onto it and start our travel stories this week! Ah, this is exciting! So, are you ready to travel with us a bit…?

***

Sunday, 15th of October, 2017. We were in Singapore airport, waiting for our overnight flight to Darwin, Australia. And all I can remember is that I couldn’t believe it! In fact, I couldn’t believe it until we were in Darwin airport. The whole flight I was trying to imagine how it will be, how it will look, how it will smell there. I was trying to sleep a little but it was worthless, so I just gazed through the airplane window, watching some storm clouds doing their magic (aka lightning show in the skies). Then we landed, and were greeted with some heavy rains and thunder (very normal for that time of the year – so I did not mind it that much). The experience of going through passport control and customs seemed a bit surreal, and as we were a bit tired I do not remember it that much. But then we went to the rental car counter and were greeted by a bit sleepy, but very friendly aussie guy. He fixed our documents for the car, explained where to pick up the vehicle, and wished us good travels. And then it hit me: WE ARE IN AUSTRALIA! And we will be here for the next 18 days. Way too little for a country that big, but a good start for sure 😉

As we had some plans for the day (we had to reach a town of Jabiru in Kakadu National park and buy some equipment for camping), we started moving. It was still quite early in the morning (around 7 AM), so our first mission was to get a good breakfast and some coffee. Don’t judge us, but all we can find that early was a McDonald’s – and we were pleasantly surprised. The food tasted good, but what impressed us was their coffee. A really good coffee (and this impression stayed with us during the whole trip)! After that we found a supermarket where we bought an inflatable mattress, a pump, a couple of camping chairs, a tent, pillows, blankets and two cute mugs for less than a 100 $ (Australian $).

All set, we started our journey to Jabiru. If I was being completely honest, the landscape at first was not that impressive – just plains with some bushes on both sides of the road, but everything was new, so we tried to notice as much as possible. Yes, on our first day we managed to see several road trains, a couple of not-so-alive kangaroos by the road, a buffalo without the head (yup, you read that right) also on the side of the road, and lots of cockatoos everywhere!

We arrived to our hotel (which has a shape of a crocodile – no kidding!) a bit too early, but the receptionist was really nice and said that our room was ready and we can check in. We freshened up, jumped in comfier clothes, and went exploring. We wanted to drive to Jim Jim falls (the most popular tour there probably), but we found out that our 4WD is not a 4WD that we need – the roads there get really challenging, so we should be taking a guided tour instead…which is not happening now, because of the heat. Eh… we were sad for like 5 minutes and decided to book a river tour, which ended up being one of the best experiences for sure!

It is called a Yellow Water cruise, and is one of those “must do” activities while visiting Kakadu. If you are a person who enjoys nature, and likes to observe all kinds of animals, this is surely for you! The guides there are not only informative, but very passionate about their job and lifestyle as well – and that makes you interested the whole time. Oh, and they know when to crack a joke, so you will not be bored, haha. Anyhow, during the cruise I felt as if I was watching a BBC documentary – crocodiles, snakes (we spotted one!), colourful birds, – everything was so beautiful. I just needed the voice of sir David Attenborough in my head (calling out all Planet Earth fans out there!). So to get a glimpse of it, I will leave you with the pictures…

I was mostly impressed with this little fella!

Our day ended in the best possible way – our first sunset in Australia! I can still feel the warmth from that day… All happy, and very very tired we went to our hotel (G. was so tired, he started seeing tall buildings alongside the road – when there clearly weren’t any – and I was concerned at that point, but we got back safely). We went to sleep exhausted, but waiting for the next day – which I will tell you about in the next blog post. So stay tuned!

Love, V.

❤

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Travel

Travel bloopers

31/01/2018

As I am preparing the travel stories and posts from our recent trip, I thought I will share some moments that usually go by the name of “unplanned stuff“. You know, the situations that happen whether you want it or not. Like delayed flights, or forgotten belongings, or whatever little/big things that make your stress levels go through the roof. (Ok, I am exaggerating a bit, but I guess you know the feeling…) But the best thing is that this usually leaves us with some laughs and stories at the end.

***

Our latest trip did have a few “bloopers” of the kind.

So we had three flights in total to get to Singapore. Bergen – Oslo, Oslo – Doha, Doha – Singapore. All this in a span of almost 20-24 hours. The first two flights went quite easy, we watched some movies, had food, some wine (because vacation!) and were really excited for the trip. Then we landed in Doha and had some hours to spare before our last flight – so we went to Duty Free looking for a perfume (mind it, we were pretty tired as it was midnight already). A bit dizzy from all the smells, we boarded our plane, and were looking forward to a bit of sleep and resting. We had our dinner, G. fell asleep, and I decided to watch some more movies (aka could not sleep, I usually never sleep on a flight). So I am sitting there, and I watch G. wake up, saying he’s feeling sick and if I could let him go to the bathroom. Immediately, I felt worried and decided to follow him “just in case”. After that there were two very intense movie-like minutes that unraveled right before my eyes. I see G. trying to grab the bathroom door, trying to open it, and even though his eyes are wide open, I understand that he sees nothing. I am trying to ask what is happening, and right at that moment I see him falling down like a still standing tree. Just like that. Let me tell you, this was one of the scariest moments of my life. I did not know what was happening. I felt sick myself! Many many thoughts were going on in my head, but thankfully the stewardesses were right there, very helpful and very professional about this situation. It turns out, it was way too little hydration (you are supposed to drink a good amount of water on the flight), a bit of wine, tiredness, and lack of oxygen. So he fainted. Thankfully, he went away from this with a little bruise on his hand and some lessons for future travels.

***

Our second “incident” happened in Australia. We had a rental car that we picked up in Darwin and drove it to Sydney (crossing the country from North to South with a stop at Uluru, Adelaide, then Great Ocean road, Melbourne, and finally Sydney). It was one piece of a road trip, very fun and memorable for sure! On our second week of the trip we arrived to Melbourne just for a short stay (half a day) – to explore the city a bit. We parked our car in a big parking lot (the one with several levels, well lit, etc) in the middle of the city and went out for some sights. When we came back, it was already evening, so we had to get moving to find an overnight spot. After driving for an hour we stopped at a gas station that has spots for campers like us (people who sleep in cars :D). And then we noticed that our licence plate in the back is missing! Did we lose it on the road? Did it get stolen?? Can we drive? Oh man, again, one of the situations that you don’t want to deal with. We reported it to the police over the phone that night, found a rental office that was close to us the next morning, went to the police station to take the report with us, and were set to drive. 😀 Oh, and it was stolen – either as a souvenir, or for whatever reasons… And that happened in the parking lot, in Melbourne. We were very aware of our remaining licence plate for the last part of our trip 😀

***

Our last day of the vacation has to be the most eventful one. Like all the best bits of the unplanned stuff happen at once! So we were in Los Angeles, and every time we are here, I feel very good! Not wanting to leave – good. I guess, my thoughts went into the universe 😀 We got the message that our flight got delayed for several hours. Well, ok, that means we have a bit more time here! All happy we went to do some shopping, and drove through a red light (with a rental car…and got a lovely flash from a camera, a big – oops). This meant we could end up with a fine, a big one…(maybe not, hopefully not). Then we got lost in time in the evening, and got stuck in a really bad LA traffic, that kept us on our nerves because we were about to miss our time for the rental car return. Eventually, we made it. 1 minute before the timeframe. 😀 And lastly, G. forgot his bag with some purchases on the transfer bus to the airport. We sorted it out, but I was exhausted at that point to say the least…

But what’s an adventure without some spice in it, right? Hehe… wish you all safe travels! 😉

p.s. Have you had any bloopers that happened on your trips?

Love, V.

❤️

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Life Personal

Monday mood: as free as the ocean

29/01/2018

Let me ask you:

– are you an ocean child? Do you like to just stand there, with wind in your hair?

What do you like about it the most?

The sound of waves crashing on the shore?

The calm moments when you sit there all alone and try to breathe all the salty air?

The vast horizons?

The endless blues?

Or everything combined together?

I find it very soothing and healing. It’s one of those feelings when you are one with nature. I have a similar one after a good hike – when there’s nothing in your head, only a great respect for our planet, and an understanding of how small we are after all. And there you are – standing there, as free as you can be. Something that a lot (if not all) people seek these days. I seek it these days. Or for more than a year to be sure. I would love to share more (and I will eventually do it), but I do not think I am ready just yet. I just want to say for all the struggling souls out there – hang in, it will get better. And in the meantime – listen and talk to the people, you might be surprised of who is willing to help and understand you.

“Sometimes in the waves of change, we find our true direction.”

-unknown.

Love. V.

❤️

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Food

Matcha Latte

25/01/2018

I bet you have heard of this strange word “matcha” at some point in the past year or so (past 2-3 years to be more accurate). It has been all over social media – Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. – oh what a time to be alive! 😀 – and it still is. And that’s exactly how I found out about it. I wanted to try it immediately – because I like all things that are on the healthier side, and it looked intriguing.

But the first try was not that great for my taste buds. I found a café in Bergen that served matcha latte (and I think they were the first ones to do that), but it was so intense, that I had to pretend to G. that I like it. 😀 After all, I paid around 3 euros for that cup! Every sip was bittersweet, haha. However, I did not give up after that failure and decided I should try to make a matcha drink myself. So I ordered a set of matcha tea powder (yes – matcha is finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea leaves) together with a whisk (you would need that for preparation). And let me tell you – a good and tasty matcha latte is only a matter of proportions.

Matcha Latte:

1 or ½ a teaspoon high quality matcha green tea powder(the amount depends solely on you – start with a bit less and see how it tastes)
½ cup hot water
½ cup of dairy free milk (almond, coconut, cashew)
1 teaspoon of honey or maple syrup ( I usually add less than that)

Add the matcha tea powder to a small amount of hot water into your favourite mug and whisk it with a bamboo whisk until it is completely dissolved. If you don’t have a whisk, you can use the back of the spoon to stir and make a paste. After that, add the remaining hot water and if you use the sweetener, add at this point. Prepare your almond milk (or the milk of your choice) as if you would make a latte – warm it up and make a foam with a milk frother, then pour it over the tea. Taste it to see if you need a bit more sweetness and enjoy!

And – if you like the tea, or the latte drink, you will probably enjoy other foods as well, because you can add the powder to smoothies, while baking or making some healthy treats. At the moment I am looking for recipes for the energy bites (or energy bliss balls), and I will let you know how it turns out!

If you want to find out about the benefits of matcha tea, you can read more here. It’s full of antioxidants, it’s good for your heart and your brain, and it gives you energy! I will say – give it a try 😉