• Arriving in New Zealand
• Cities in New Zealand
  • Auckland
  • Taupo
  • Napier
• New Zealand Nature
  • Tongariro Alpine Crossing
  • Rotorua Thermal Fields
  • Redwoods
  • Karangahake Gorge
  • Waitomo Caves
• Hobbiton

As the planet heats up environmentally and politically, it’s good to know that New Zealand exists.
Lonely Planet

What was I expecting when we started planning our trip to New Zealand?

Before our trip, I had very vague knowledge about the country. All I knew was probably the fact that they shot the Lord of the Rings there. Uh oh, and that the country must be gorgeous because it did look gorgeous in the movies!

It took us roughly 20 hours of sheer flying just to get to the place. But what we saw was totally worth it. New Zealand's sublime nature, welcoming people and excellent wines make it an incredible place to visit - and fall in love with.

Arriving in New Zealand

Before we dive into our New Zealand adventures, let's learn a little about the country that is so remote from the rest of the world, most people would have trouble trying to point it on the map. 🤓

Due to its remoteness, New Zealand was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. Currently, the population of NZ is about 4.6 million people scattered around the country bigger than the UK, with only 1/14 the population of the latter.

Apart from food, people also need to declare whether they are bringing any outdoor equipment with them and whether this equipment has been used elsewhere outside New Zealand. We were bringing hiking boots with us; mine were new but Dima's have already seen a lot in this world. When we told the officer that the boots were used, he just took the boots away, washed them clean and gave back to us! Free of charge, of course.

Some cunning tourists use this biosecurity check to their advantage, though. One lady told us how her mother (who lives in the UK) would come to visit and deliberately bring dirty boots with her just to get them cleaned at the borders. Smart!

Cities in New Zealand

After we drove all around the North Island for about 10 days, I can say that New Zealand is indeed about nature more than it is about cities. However, there are still some great things to do in the cities, too. Here's my top choice.

Auckland

One of our favorite ways to discover a city is to go on a food tour. We went on one in Ho Chi Minh and Rome, and it was an incredible experience. We walked around the town and visit places that we would probably never find ourselves.

Though not the capital, Auckland is the biggest city in New Zealand, with the population of around 1.5 million. So we knew it would have some great food places to offer.

We booked a food tour with the Big Foodie. Elle, the host, took us to several awesome places, including a cafe, a fish market, and a gourmet shop of Italian cuisine. She was also kind enough to send us very thorough instructions on where to eat, what to see and where to stay during our trip around the North Island. Definitely, a must do when in Auckland!

Another thing to try in town is the Skywalk. Basically, this is a walk around the 192-meter high Sky Tower. The walkway is only 120 cm wide, no handles, no fences, just you and the sky. To be honest, I was so scared to walk around this thind, I started crying. But for all of you who are ok with heights, this is a great thing to try.

Публикация от Olga Bedrina (@zmirnofa) Май 5 2017 в 2:21 PDT

Taupo

The North Island is definitely not all about Auckland. In fact, I would say it isn't about the cities at all: it's more about nature. But one town that goes along with nature perfectly well is Taupo.

Due to its perfect location right in the middle of the North Island, we got to visit Taupo several times while in NZ. It is situated on the Taupo lake which in itself is a beauty. For those of you who are fond of walking or running, there is a great Lion's Walk that goes along the Taupo lake for as far as 10 km.

Another fun thing to do in Taupo is bathing in the hot Otumuheke Stream. It's a free hot spot that is very popular with locals and tourists alike. We visited it during the weekday, and it was still very crowded and a bit difficult to find a spot. The water is pretty hot at the top and gets cooler by the bridge (which is also the best spot to swim).

Also, make sure to check out the Huka Falls. Personally, this was one of the places in New Zealand that impressed me the most. The crystal blue water falls down from the height of 11 meters, roaring and filling with itself the valley beneath.

Публикация от Olga Bedrina (@zmirnofa) Май 9 2017 в 1:21 PDT

Napier

When you get tired of travels and need a recharge, head for Napier, a charismatic, sunny town with a feeling of a seaside resort. It is located in the Hawkes Bay, a famous wine region of New Zealand.

Napier retains a unique concentration of art-deco buildings. The city was terribly damaged during the earthquake in 1931, but despite this fact, it managed to keep its Great Gatsby-ish atmosphere of the 1930s.

A couple of eating places I might recommend in Napier:

• Ujazi: awesome breakfast, very filling, vegan options available.
• Emporium Bar: great for lunch, a wide range of wine collections, very friendly staff.

All in all, Napier is a great place to chill out, relax after a long journey and just enjoy yourself. Walk along the ocean shore, visit a nearby winery, or just rent a movie and spend a lazy afternoon at the hotel. Napier has it all.

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New Zealand Nature

New Zealand nature is stunning and is definitely the thing people come here for. There is literally no other word to describe it. It stuns you with its richness, diversity, and peacefulness. It takes your breath away when you ramble its gorges, green hills with white sprinkles of sheep on them, volcanic valleys of Tongariro. It takes you in and doesn't let go.

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

We decided to experience the NZ nature to its fullest and took on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, often referred to as the New Zealand's finest one-day walk. But instead of doing it one day, we decided to spend a night in a tourist hut along the way, and then continue our walk the next day.

The crossing goes amid the thrilling scenery of steaming vents and springs, queer rock formations and moonscape basins. The poles mark the distance every kilometer, so you can see how far you have gone and how much farther you still need to go.

The Lonely Planet guide said the Tongariro Alpine Crossing was "a fair-weather tramp", and boy, should we have listened! Before taking off on our little adventure, we visited the local tourist center in Taupo (and I would definitely recommend you do the same, should you decide to do the Crossing yourself). We were told that the first day of our trip would be nice and sunny but the second one was promised to have showers. We were ok with showers but decided to purchase the raincoats nonetheless.

Little did we know what was expecting us ahead!

And off we went. During the first day, we covered some 20 km, including climbing the famous Ngauruhoe mountain that was used a stand-in for the Mount Doom from the Lord of the Rings. The ascent was arduous: we tried climbing the mountain for about two hours before we gave up, never reaching the crater.

We continued walking and climbing and descending to the hut for several hours before we finally reached it after the sunset. Along the way, we saw incredible sights like the Red Crater and Blue Lakes.

The hut where we were planning to spend the night turned out to be a well-equipped wooden house with bunk beds for about 25 people inside. It had the gas heating, water, electricity and outside toilets, which was pretty comfy, taking into account its remoteness from the rest of the world.

How do you normally pack for a hike? What food do you usually take?

Probably you thought of something light and easy to carry, like rice, maybe some vegetables, sausages or tofu.

Would you guess what the four of us took instead? Here's just a part of the list:

• Two (!) types of hummus. Just cuz we wanted to try both of them.
• Three chocolate bars. Cuz I don't like white chocolate and only eat dark, and Kate wanted to have white, and there was that third bar that we decided to take just in case we would starve to death.
• 1 kilo (a little over 2 pounds) of nuts. We definitely thought we were going to starve during that crossing.
• 16 liters of water. That's 16 extra kilos!
• 1 bottle of whiskey. You know.
• 10 cans of food like soup and stuff. Not very nutritious but super heavy.

When we arrived at the hut and started taking all of these goodies out, other tourists who had arrived before us were like, 'Seriously, folks?!'

Wise tip: plan what food you are going to take with you for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. Because it was a torture for the guys to carry 25 kg-heavy backpacks while trying to climb the mountains AND not to fall over at the same time.

But the worst part was the second day of the hike. I woke up at 5 am because of the wind and rain that were shaking the hut. The weather was so bad, we could hardly see 5 meters ahead of us, and we still had to cover another 15 km to the car.

Rotorua Thermal Fields

Along with the geysers and bubbling sulfur mud fields, the fun part was to watch a chef cook wontons using the natural steam coming from underneath the surface.

Te Puia sight also includes the Whakarewarewa Village which is a traditional Maori village where the locals still reside.

Definitely a place worth visiting.

Redwoods Park

Just 5 km from the Rotorua downtown, this amazing place is a must visit. The forest occupies 5600 hectares (I don't know how much this is exactly but sounds like a whole lot) and is a perfect place for walking, running or mountain biking.

The most peculiar thing is the Californian Coastal Redwoods, the trees that are so tall and slender, they make you feel tiny underneath them.

Karangahake Gorge

This place lies on the road between Auckland and Hobbiton and is a perfect 1-hour stopover. It used to be a gold mine back in the 19th century. The rails and lorries were left here to remind us of what the place used to look like.

Frankly, I felt a little uneasy, what with all the old mining detritus. Somehow, it reminded me of the movie "The Hills Have Eyes". But the views are stunning.

Waitomo Caves

The limestone caves of Waitomo are among the North Island's premier attractions. And for a good reason!

This cave system consists of some 300 caves mapped in the area. The three main caves are Glowworm, Ruakuri and Aranui. We have visited the first two. It is possible to buy a combo pass for whichever combination though.

The Glowworm cave is called so because of the glow worms. Basically, these small creatures have luminescent organs that produce a soft light which is only visible when they are hungry. Apparently, they are trying to attract edible insects this way.

We were seated in the boat that the guide moves along the cave. The most stunning moment comes when the electric light is turned off, and you find yourself in complete darkness, with glow worms shining like little stars on the ceiling. Don't worry: they are not falling off onto you! But you should be careful not to touch them, not to make loud noises or shine a light right on them.

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Hobbiton

Ever since I saw the Lord of the Rings and then the Hobbit, I desperately wanted to visit the place where such a beautiful nature existed. And it turned out, there is a whole Hobbit village in New Zealand!

Hobbiton Movie Set is located in the place called Matamata. The location is just perfect: what with all the green hills, majestic trees, and a picturesque lake. After the filming, Hobbiton's owners negotiated to keep their hobbit holes, turning it into a true hobbit village.

It really feels like the hobbits live in this place. There is a small garden with real vegetables and fruit that is taken care of by the local workers. Each hobbit hole displays the character of its owner: for instance, if it's a fisherman's house, you will see some fish lying on the table. Or if it's a beekeeper, there will be a honeycomb and some jars of honey. Another cute detail is the tiny hobbit clothes that are hanging all over the place. Uh oh, and when it gets colder in the evening, you will see the steam coming from the chimneys.

After having visited Hobbiton, we rented the movies in Napier and watched two first episodes of the Hobbit in a row. What a memory!

New Zealand is definitely a place to go to if you are in love with nature. And even if you are not, there is no chance you will be left indifferent to the quiet serenity of this unique and beautiful country.

And we are definitely coming back.

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Follow Olga on Instagram

Last year when we went to Australia, we regretted not having an extra week to go to New Zealand. We thought since we are already all the way down south in Australia, it would only make sense to go to New Zealand, too. Little did we know that we would actually end up going to this part of the world solely to see the land of hobbits and kiwis!

And so when my husband found some cheap tickets to Auckland, we jumped at the opportunity, urged our friends to join us, and here we are: after 28 hours of flying and waiting at airports, we arrived at Auckland. But before that, we had to get to the plane first because we were leaving for New Zealand from... Stockholm.

The Ferry and Stockholm

Even though both Stockholm and St. Petersburg are located on the Baltic sea, there is still no direct ferry between the two cities. So we took a ferry from Helsinki instead, and it turned out to be so much fun.

We bought the cheapest ferry tickets possible: 65 euros for the whole 4-person cabin. The cabin was windowless and so tiny, we could hardly fit in there all at once and had to take turns while changing.

The ferry isn't about the cabin though. The best part is the entertainment they offer onboard: cafes, bars, restaurants of all kinds, shops, spa, and even a magician! And while we might have wasted much more money than what the cabin was worth, it was super fun.

#yabahnjet

Публикация от Alexey Ogarkov (@alexogar) Май 1 2017 в 1:36 PDT

Stockholm greeted us with a wonderful weather and fantastic sea views. It is a very tidy and nice-looking northern European city that has something to offer to everyone: from the rich bar culture to design shops and parks. And it just amazed me how the Swedish take care of their country and people and make sure everyone's comfortable.

Some of the fun things to do while in Stockholm:

#yabahnjet rollin' in #stockholm 🇸🇪

Публикация от Dmitry Bedrin (@dbedrin) Май 1 2017 в 8:04 PDT

In 💙 with the northern nature #seenonmyrun #yabahnjet

Публикация от Olga Bedrina (@zmirnofa) Май 2 2017 в 1:17 PDT

#yabahnjet team having picnic

Публикация от Dmitry Bedrin (@dbedrin) Май 1 2017 в 6:41 PDT

We were lucky to catch Stockholm in such a beautiful time in May, when all the trees are in bloom, and the weather is just perfect for exploring the town. Count me in as one of the Stockholm lovers from now on!

Hong Kong, all of a sudden

We were supposed to fly from Stockholm to London and then to Hong Kong and Auckland. However, our flight to London got canceled, and so we ended up flying to HKG via Helsinki instead. Which is much more logical than going to London first, if you get to think about it.

Not only our flight time got shorter, we also got some extra time to spend in Hong Kong, too. So we decided to leave the airport and walk around the city for a couple of hours before the final leg to Auckland.

We took the fast train from the HKG airport; it only took us 24 minutes to get to the city center.

Several years ago, we visited Beijing and Shanghai, and the one thing I can say about China is that I DIDN'T like it at all. Crowded, dirty, messy. I was expecting Hong Kong to be much different, being a huge business and economic center and all. Besides, it kinda belonged to the British for 50 years, and only recently, in 1997 was handed over to China.

So, did Hong Kong turn out to be what I expected it to?

No.

Well, maybe just a little bit less dirty and messy than continental China. And with some fresh fruit right in the street!

To be fair, we only spent a couple of hours in the city. Maybe if we had stayed a little longer, we would have experienced a very different Hong Kong, with beautiful parks, fresh rivers, and stunning architectural sights. But why do I doubt it?..🤔

I will be posting more about our New Zealand trip later this week. Stay tuned!

Two years ago my husband and I decided we want to do mountain skiing. It seemed like a lot of fun, excitement, adventures, etc etc. We did not, however, know how to approach this new cool sport. In my imagination, I was graciously skiing downhill with my ski poles moving in the perfect alignment with my body, and my goggles happily reflecting the beautiful winter sun. However, it all turned out to be a little different from this idyll. When I tried mountain skiing for the very first time, I could hardly get off the lift, let alone do any moves on my own. I ended up skiing on the children’s slope (you know, the one you get on with a moving rubber ‘escalator’). So much for a great beginning.

So after the first humiliation had rubbed off, we decided to take things seriously and enrolled in a ski school in our hometown of St. Petersburg. The funny thing is that our ski lessons actually took place inside of a shopping center. We were basically skiing on a wet carpet that was constantly moving up. To be honest, it was far from real skiing but it was a great practice nonetheless. Well, at least we learned how to tighten our ski boots!

This season, we thought it’s high time we actually did some real skiing, in the real mountains, with real skis. We bought our own equipment and clothes. We asked out long-time skiing friends for their advice and guidance. And we finally went to a ski resort, the first one in our life - Finnish Ruka.

2-hour daylight, deer Rudolf, and Finnish Christmas

Ruka is located in the northern part of Finland, about 1,000 km (600 mi) from St. Petersburg, close to the Russian border. In fact, Russia is so close we could actually see it from the slopes. We were there during the Christmas holidays, so naturally, there were a lot of Finnish families that came there for vacation, and the whole resort was rather busy. We didn’t book in advance but were lucky enough to end up in a lovely room in the hotel called Ruka Tupa that even had its own kitchen and - naturally - a sauna. However, even though Ruka is perhaps less popular than other Finnish resorts like Rovaniemi, I do recommend to book in advance, to get the best deal and location.

The slopes are rather slight, which was perfect for our beginner’s level since we mostly stuck with green and blue. According to the map, there were some red and black slopes as well but I did not dare test them in person. Although the highest slope is only 490 m (1600 ft) high, to me it seemed like the coolest thing on earth to be able to get down, all by myself, even if it wasn’t as graciously as I had imagined.

What I also liked about Ruka is the fact that the slopes are surrounded by the trees, and one of them even passes by a deer stall where the deer Rudolf and Rosa live. I kind of find it very romantic to ski among the trees. Makes me feel a little bit as if I were free riding off the track, you know. Another great thing was all the snow that Ruka had. This was a snowless winter in St. Petersburg, feeling like moody November most of the time, so it was refreshing to see some real clean snow for once.

One of the downsides of the Ruka trip was the ski instructor that we requested from the Ruka ski school. He was of age, very friendly and amicable, but completely lacking the kind of ski teaching skills we were looking for. The most useful thing we learned from him was how to get on a lift properly. So when booking a ski lesson, try to inquire about a specific instructor, in order to take the most out of your training.

The resort location slightly works to its disadvantage as well. With the shortest days of the year, the daylight only lasted for just about two hours. It wasn’t too bad, really, but I wouldn’t mind skiing with a bit more sun to enjoy.

Post-Olympic Sochi

As you probably know, Sochi hosted the Olympics in 2014, and it was a tremendous success for the Russian team, if not the government. The amount of money that is said to have been spent on the construction was just as shocking to some as the fact that the Russians won 13 gold medals and took the first place in the unofficial team offset. To accommodate the skiing teams and tournaments, three new resorts were built - Rosa Khutor, Gorki Gorod, and Gazprom. We stayed in one of them - Rosa Khutor.

To do the government justice, the ski resort turned out great. The equipment is new and shiny, slopes will be suitable for any level from beginners to pros, and the infrastructure is quite all right, too: lots of hotels, cafes, and bars. A great advantage of Sochi is that it is located more to the north than the Alps, and the mountains are pretty high. Due to this fact, there is plenty of snow to ski: when we were there at the end of January, there was 300 cm at the peak.

The biggest downside of Sochi is that all three parts of the resort are separated ski pass-wise, meaning that you will need to have a different ski pass for each part. Taking into account that a ski pass was around 120 euro for 3 days, it comes out pricey. Uh oh, and two people can't use the same ski pass, either! The good news is that Putin and Medvedev (Russia's Prime Minister) are skiers, too, and allegedly they gave orders to restructure the resort so that people will only need one ski pass to go to all three parts of it. We'll see.

Another drawback is the prices. Rosa Khutor turned out to be super expensive: we could easily pay around 12 euro for a Carbonara when normally it costs 5. But in general, Sochi was great, and I would definitely recommend going there. It could be one of the nice alternatives to the Alps if the authorities eased the visa requirements for foreigners.

Chamonix: the heart of the Alps

When you think about mountain skiing, what place comes first to your mind? Norway, Sweden or perhaps something else?

For me, this place has always been the Alps. It's like the Alps are the equivalent of downhill skiing (although the sport itself comes from Norway). And so I was very glad when my husband's cousin invited us to join them and rent a chalet in Chamonix.

The town is located in France on the very border with Italy and Switzerland. To say the place is picturesque is to say nothing: it is stinkin beautiful. The mountains around the adorable little town with its narrow streets and Alpine architecture: I can't really explain it well enough. We rented a nice chalet not far from Chamonix, and really close to cable cars.

The great thing about Chamonix is that one ski pass allowed us to visit several ski resorts, including one in Italy and a more remote one in France, some 50 km from Chamonix. It cost around 300 euro but to me it seems like quite a fair price, given that we could ski in all the different resorts.

Another experience that is definitely worth trying is going up Aiguille du Midi, a stunning 3,842m high mountain. It can be accessed directly by cable car; some people go up there with their skis and then descend off the slope from the top. If you are not very keen on freestyle riding, try going into the balcony that is completely made of glass, so that whoever is standing inside of it, can see all the way down. They don't allow cameras or phones inside of the balcony, in case people drop them and scratch the floor. They also ask everyone to wear special slippers, in order not to damage the glass surface. Totally awesome.

One of the biggest disadvantages of Chamonix was a lack of snow. You can tell the global warming is not a joke by simply looking at the slopes. Some of them had so little snow, they actually had to shut them down. By the end of the day, because of the sun, huge bumps would form at the end of the slope, making it difficult to navigate. The snow would get wet, heavy and slippery; almost impossible to stop at times. But the view and feeling make you forget almost all of the difficulties.

Which place would I name my favorite for mountain skiing out of these three? It's really hard to tell; they are so different, and everyone has its own pros and cons. Next year we are planning to ski in Finland, Sochi, and the Alps again, so we will see.

If travel is most rewarding when it surprises, then Iran might just be the most rewarding destination on Earth. If you fancy travelling somewhere neither East nor West, and exotic and fascinating yet perfectly comfortable, read on...

Andrew Burke, Lonely Planet Writer

Do you have a list of top 10 places you desperately want to visit?

Most of us probably do: due to our natural curiosity, we crave for adventures, discovering the world around us, broadening our horizons, and challenging our spirits. Sometimes this list would include Italy or France - to taste real Neapolitan pizza or take a picture in front of the Eiffel Tower. Others dream of Bolivia or Peru - to see the great salt flats and climb the stairs of Machu Picchu.

One of the countries on my top 10 list was Iran - and for a good reason, as it turned out. This country truly breaks all stereotypes, opening its doors and yet staying mysterious and magical.

So, why go to Iran?

We were asked this question a hundred times: when we told our families and friends we were planning to go, at the customs when leaving St. Petersburg and upon our return to the homeland. Apparently, this country is not seen as safe nor worth visiting, and we were happy to prove both statements wrong. Here's my personal list of top 5 experiences for when in Iran (hope this country makes it to your top 10 must-go places, too!)

1. Yazd

With its mud-brick old town, narrow streets and an excellent range of sights to see, Yazd is a gem of any trip to Iran.

According to Unesco, Yazd is one of the oldest towns on earth. Because of its remote location in the desert, Yazd stayed immune to the large battles and wars that shook the region. In the 13th century, it was visited by Marco Polo, who remarked on the city's fine silk-weaving industry. When passing this way, he described Yazd as 'a very fine and splendid city and a center of commerce'.

Marco Polo was right indeed. Today Yazd is a perfect spot to start getting acquainted with the region's history. Its old town is almost entirely made of sun-dried mud bricks. The city emerges from the desert like a mirage, with only badgirs (that naturally turned to bad girls in our naming:) and minarets dominating its landscape. The streets in the old town might feel deserted because of the high walls that are supposed to shield the interior from the street views. In addition, when we were there, the temperature hit sweltering 40 C/104 F, so people were just mostly hiding inside. So much for relaxed sightseeing 🙈

When the temperatures hit records, the best time to explore the city is either early morning or late afternoon. During the day, you might want to sip tea in traditional houses with a garden and a pool inside (Kohan, Fahadan, or Silk Road hotels might be a good option).

Yazd is also the birthplace of zoroastrianism, one of the world's oldest religions, which used to be Iran's primary religion prior to Islam. Even though there are only 200 Zoroastrians left in the whole of Yazd, the city has a couple of peculiar Zoroastrians sighs - the Fire Temple (Ateshkadeh) and Towers of Silence (Dakhmeh-ye Zartoshtiyun). I've never been to a Zoroastrian temple before: it looks pretty simple inside, with a flame that is said to have been burning since AD 470. As for the Towers of Silence, their history is more exciting. They are set on two hilltops in the outskirts of Yazd; back in the past, people would bring their dead to these towers and leave them for the vultures. The modern Zoroastrian cemetery is nearby.

Once you have finished exploring Yazdi mud-brick streets, head on to a day trip around the city. A popular route includes Kharanaq (a deserted village about 70km north of Yazd that is believed to be more than 1000 years old), Chak Chak (Iran's most important Zoroastrian pilgrimage site), and Meybod (another mud-brick town that is at least 1800 years old). It takes the whole day to see all three places, so plan ahead.

2. Esfahan

Esfahan is Iran's #1 tourist destination - and for good reason! The city is grandeur: with its historic bazaar, picturesque bridges, magnificent squares and stunning mosques. Most attractions are within the walking distance from the main street Chahar Bagh, a nice shadowy boulevard that is great for strolling and window-shopping in the afternoon.

Esfahan is home to a great number of beatiful mosques - Masjed-e Jameh, Masjed-e Shah, Masjed-e Sheih Lotfollah, to name a few. It is a unique pleasure to discover each one of them, sit for a while, stay for the evening prayer and see Islam in action.

When you have finished examining fine interiors and elegant decorations of the mosques (some of which date back to the 12th century!), dive into the bustling world of Bazar-e Bozorg (the Great Bazaar). To be frank, Iranian bazaars were a bit of a disappointment to me. I don't know what I was expecting to find there but definitely not piles of jeans, kitchenwear and toys. This can easily be explained by the fact that there are still very few tourists in Iran, and bazaars are, well, what they are supposed to be - a place for the locals to buy stuff like clothes.

However, Esfahani Great bazaar was different. It is one of Iran's most historic and fascinating bazaars, and its oldest parts are over a thousand years old. Each industry occupies its own section, and the most picturesque was, naturally, the carpet sellers. This is where I thought - for the tenth time! - how intelligent the Iranians are. When they are trying to lure you into their shop, they don't just attack you (like they normally would in Morocco or some other Arab countries). Instead, they genuinely want to get to know you. The conversation might go like this:

A carpet seller (CS): Good day, mister! (Of course, they never start talking to a woman). Where do you come from?

You: We are from Russia.

CS: Oh, Russia! Nice! One of my uncles studied Russian at the university (there might be some variations, like: One of my friends went to Russia, I just met another person from Russia, etc.) How do you like Iran?

You: We like it very much, thank you.

CS: I am very glad to hear that! I have a small carpet shop, would you like to come inside for a cup of tea? You don't need to buy, just see!

And the conversation goes on, as if you were old friends. We felt very bad for turning them down but we could not possibly visit all the carpet shops we were invited to. The carpets are beautiful indeed, though. No wonder Esfahan is so well-known for its carpet industry.

Another great way to explore Esfahan is to stroll along the Zayandeh River and cross its historic bridges. Well, technically, Zayandeh is not a river anymore, since normally it requires to actually have water in order to be called a river. Zayandeh, on the other hand...

Nevertheless, the bridges are definitely worth checking out. The most picturesque ones are Pol-e Si-o-Seh, Pol-e Chubi and Pol-e Khaju.

3. Homestays with locals

One of the best ways to experience the Iranian life from the inside is to book a night or two at one of the traditional guesthouses run by Iranian families. We had a pleasure of staying at one of such guesthouses called Tak-Taku in a small village of Toudeshk on our way from Yazd to Esfahan. Tak-Taku is run by Mohammad Jalali and his family, and they managed to make our stay as special as it could possibly be. Mohammad is an attraction himself: you could never imagine you would find a man so open-minded and smart - in a small Iranian village! As one of the guests noted, Mohammad really put Toudeshk on the map of Iran: if it wasn't for Mohammad's guesthouse, nobody would ever know this place existed.

The house has rooms set around a courtyard. Guests eat together with the family; all food is prepared by Mohammad's mother, and I swear this was the most delicious food I ate in Iran. Mohammad also took us around the village, telling stories and letting us peep into Iranian way of life. He even took us pigeon-hunting into the desert (although I didn't enjoy the procedure that much).

We also visited the nearby Salt Lake and watched the sunset in the desert. Mohammad's family made us feel like we were family members, even though we could hardly communicate due to the language barrier. His Dad kept telling us the names of Russian vehicles, like "Izh" (a motorcycle) or "Lada" (an automobile), and his Mom hugged and kissed me warmly upon our departure. The stay at Tak-Taku was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Iran!

4. Meeting the people

Iranian people turned out to be one of the greatest treasures and surprises of our trip. They are warm, charming, and endlessly curious towards tourists. They are genuinely happy to welcome foreigners in their country, and they will keep reminding you about this during your whole stay. You will hear "Welcome to Iran!" all over place, and even if they don't know how to say it in English, they will just smile at you warmly.

You can't grasp the extent of their generosity, either. In Yazd, we ran into a traditional bakery where they make bread in tandoor. I wanted to take a picture of the process and asked the baker for the permission. Not only was I allowed to take a picture but he also gave us some freshly baked bread - for free! Just because.

Another time, we were riding the subway in Tehran, carrying our backpacks. It was around 8AM, and the train was full with people getting to work. They were so kind that they let us both sit down - my husband and me.

Or that other time when we were flying from Esfahan to Tehran, and the man just took our backpacks down for us, without us even asking him to do this!

People would come to your table at a restaurant just to make sure you were doing fine. The waiter didn't speak much English, and other guests wanted to help us out in case we were struggling with the menu.

I can go on and on about how truly, genuinely touched I was by Iranian people and their attitude towards foreigners - guests of their country. I just wish this doesn't change if/when the country gets flooded by tourists in a couple of years.

5. Jogging in Iran

One of the interesting experiences I had in Iran was jogging there. See, I am getting ready for half-marathon, and I didn't want to miss training. So, both my husband and I took our training clothes with us and prepared for...

Actually, I don't know what I was expecting jogging in Iran to be like. Prior to departure, I read several articles on how women sports are supressed and how ladies can maybe only train in the women-only gyms. I was expecting people to stare and yell at me and cat-call me and do all the other weird and unpleasant things to me, should I decide to go jogging in the streets of Iran.

Luckily, I couldn't be further from truth. During those several times when we went jogging (I did go with my husband, just in case), no one ever said anything to us, let alone yelled or pointed fingers. In fact, I don't even think they looked at us that much, even though we went jogging in the small village of Toudeshk, with the population hardly over 3,000 people. I did have to cover up completely: no hair and no bare legs showing, but this wasn't too difficult. The only inconvenience we experienced was the heat: we had to wake up at 6AM in order not to die from heart attack but that was about it. Now I can proudly say that I ran Iran!👟

Iran was probably one of the best trips I've ever gone on, and definitely the richest in terms of stereotypes broken. In his New-York Times bestseller "Three Cups of Tea" Greg Mortenson says it takes three cups of tea to become family with a Balti. Even though Mortenson speaks of a different country, I can assure you this rule applies to Iran, too. And with so much tea we drank there, Iran is definitely part of us now.

For good.

September 4-11, 2016

A few days ago I ran into an acquaintance of mine, and when exchanging news, I mentioned my husband and I had just returned from Armenia. He was like, 'Oh is that so? You never go to normal countries, do you?'

It got me thinking: what does actually make a country 'normal'? Is it sights to see, food or perhaps people? Speaking in terms of aforementioned things, I dare say Armenia is the most normal country in the whole world. Here's why.

Things to see in Armenia

Squeezed between Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia, and Iran, Armenia managed to preserve some real gems for those on a hunt for monuments and ancient buildings, a considerable number of which are easily doable on a one-day trip from Yerevan. One can travel through centuries and visit a Roman temple, a handful of monasteries and a beautiful mountain lake, all in one day (if you are quick and don't take too many pictures on your way). We do, so we turned it into a three-day adventure.

Yerevan was an obvious first stop in our trip. We arrived on a Friday morning with a direct flight from St. Petersburg and had to work during the day, so we only got one evening to look around. Honestly, in a sweltering 38-degree (100 F) heat, I doubt we could last longer anyway. Among the things I can recommend is a restaurant chain called 'Pandok Yerevan' serving delicious local food and the Cascade that goes 118m (387ft) high. Wikipedia says it offers 'unobstructed views of central Yerevan and Mount Ararat' but unfortunately by the time we got up, it was too dark to see anything. What we did see, however, was a bizarre collection of modern art located on the stairs on the way up.

Our plan then was to rent a car and drive to the Sevan lake, doing some sightseeing on our way there. Renting a car was funny: a person from a car rental company brought it to our hotel in Yerevan and just handed it to us without asking for any deposit, let alone an insurance. But it worked smoothly.

The next day, we started off with the monastery Khor Virap that is supposed to have a fine view over Mt Ararat (spoiler alert: it didn't. When we got there, it was all hidden in haze). The monastery was orinigally built in 642 while the current building dates back to 1662. It is popular with tourists but not easily reachable on public transport: you'd have to take a bus and then walk for about 5km from the bus station. A friend of mine told me a great story how she travelled to Khor Virap on her own and when walking back to the bus stop after having visited the monastery, all the cars in the world stopped by and offered to drive her to the station, including a funeral coach (!)

Make sure to check out the Hellenistic Garni Temple built in the 1st century. It is the only Roman temple in Armenia and in all the former Soviet republics. While it might not look very impressive, it is still a nice stop on your way to Geghard monastery. The best part about it was what I called uber-lepeshka, or "super bread". Seriously though.


Geghard monastery is located about 10km away from Garni temple. It was founded in the 4th century and burned by invading Arabs in 923. It is beautifully sited in the mountains, and one of the churches in the monastery was carved out of the raw rock! Personally, I was mesmerized by the whole structure, all the details and symbols. For instance, one can find a number of lions carved on the walls; turnes out the lion symbolizes royal might and is common in the Near East.

After the Yerevan heat, we gratefully embraced nice coolness of the Sevan lake. Armenia is a landlocked stated, which means that it does not have access to the sea, so Lake Sevan is a very important spot for the country: not only does it provide 90% of the fish but it also has a significant cultural value. Armenians come here to have rest and visit a medieval monastery Sevanavank. Besides, it's the biggest lake in the Caucauses mountains! Definitely worth visiting.

Armenian Food, or I can't eat any more bread

Now, Armenia might be tough for those on a diet. Or those who do not eat much bread and meat. I don't, and these three days were somewhat a challenge for me. When you order "assorted breads" from the menu, what would you expect to get? Something fancy with chiabatta, nice fresh whole wheat bread or a loaf of bread at worst?

This is what you think you will get...

And this is what assorted breads Armenian-style look like...

(kudos to my husband for the picture)

Don't get me wrong: the food is delicious! With a great variety of fresh vegetables, dairy, meat and greens, Armenian cuisine will satisfy even the most picky eaters. And I even think I'll start missing the bread lavash, in like a year or so :)

Armenians, the most wonderful hosts

We were staying with a great family in Yerevan and spent a couple of evenings talking about the country, Armenian-Russian relations, politics, culture and whatnot. Armenians are very hospitable: one can expect the most welcome attitude towards tourists, and especially if one speaks Russian. The country has been through some harsh times in the 20th century. Armenians remember well the Armenian Genocide in Turkey in 1915 when 1.5 million people were slaughtered and millions of others had to flee.

After the collapes of the Soviet Union in 1991, the country faced severe economic problems that last till this day: every year, dozens of thousands of Armenians leave the country in pursuit of a better life. Still, those who stay in Armenia seem to be keeping their spirit high, loving their country and doing their best to make it a better place. When you go to Armenia, talk to people, spend time with them, listen to their stories, and I assure you will fall in love with them immediately. Together with the country they call home.

Today I'm starting a 30-day blogging challenge inspired by Sarah Arrow to practice my writing skills and train my blogging muscle that got a little wobbly recently due to the lack of free time, inspiration, cookies and warm squared blanket, you name it. So I thought I would sign up for this 30-day marathon to see what I'm capable of, and here I am!

The first task was to write about the question I get asked the most. Since I'm an ardent traveler with 40 countries visited, naturally the most frequent question I hear is, 'How do you travel so much?'. I work full-time and only have a 28-day annual leave; yet my husband and I manage to squeeze at least two long trips into a year and a number of smaller ones.

Here are some ideas for those who would like to start exploring more of our beautiful world:

There are places in the world that you want to visit 'one day, maybe', that you have no intention of going to at the very moment and then all of a sudden it turns out that the tickets are bought, visa is issued, backpack is packed, and a whole company of friends is traveling with you. This is exactly how I happened to be in Australia.

The Flight

But before taking pictures with kangaroos and rubbing koalas’ backs, we actually had to get to the place. Sydney is about 15,000 km away from St. Petersburg, which means you have to spend more than 20h in the air. I am normally okay with flying but two 9-hour flights in a row was probably a little too much. I mean, when you get from Moscow to Singapore, you are like, ‘Okay, that was not too bad’, but then you have to get on a plane again and fly over the whole South East Asia, cross the ocean AND most of Australia. By the time you get there you are tired, tremendously jet lagged, and probably weigh 5 kilos more than when you embarked the plane in Moscow because sleeping and eating is the flight mode for those whole 20h in the air. I wonder what it takes to get to New Zealand then?..

Sydney

The population of Australia is about 27 million people, and most of them live in one state - New South Wales, Sydney being its capital. Having been founded by British settlers in 1788, Sydney now is a blend of many different cultures. We were staying in a small two-storeyed house downtown; originally this used to be a workers’ district where people with limited income would reside. However, over time the place turned into a hip spot with houses and apartments costing several hundred thousand dollars, with a myriad of cosy cafes and bars around.

Sydney is charming: trying to seem busy and always on-the-move, it still bears the tranquility and relaxation that the whole Australia radiates. To me the city seemed like a peculiar mixture of America and Great Britain, with skyscrapers hiding behind Anglican-style churches and people driving on the left-hand side.

It’s interesting how Sydney didn’t use to have its own city symbol, like the Statue of Liberty in New York or the Eiffel Tower in Paris, so they decided to make their own. That is how the Sydney Opera house was constructed in 1973, and it is definitely one of the main attraction points in the city now. They even have a Pandora charm in the form of the Sydney Opera!

The only downer here was the weather: it was raining cats and dogs the whole time we were in Sydney, so we missed on some of the attractions, covering this up with bars and restaurants.

The Blue Mountains

Our next destination was a house in the Blue Mountains that we rented from Mark on Airbnb, and it was quite an adventure on its own. Mark, our host, discovered a cave close to his house some 30 years ago, excavated it all by himself and set up a nice nesting place in it, with a fire, chairs, full barbecue equipment and two guitars to accompany a fancy dinner. While excavating the cave, Mark even found some tools belonging to the Aboriginals, and in order to preserve them he - guess what? - buried them back into the ground. A funny bloke, Mark is. Well, what would you expect from a person who has a kangaroo with a baby living in his backyard?

We spent an amazing time in the cave, lighting the fire, playing the guitar, laughing and talking deep into midnight. We lit the candles and placed them over the whole cave, so that it resembled a starry sky. We were singing some long-forgotten songs that one can only sing after at least three whiskeys. We even made up our own song about Australia! Truly a night to remember.

The Road Trip

Since we were traveling with a group of friends (8 people in total), we decided to do something that we normally don’t do, like renting a hippie van and hitting the road! Originally this was the plan, and we were supposed to drive this little boy to Mark’s place in the Blue Mountains:

Unfortunately, as you can tell from those two legs sticking from underneath, it didn’t quite work out: it refused to operate, so we had to rent another car. It turned out that our driver's licenses do not quite work in Australia, so we had to go to a translation's office to get them translated into English (they wouldn't believe our fuzzy ID's were actually driver's licenses). Only then were we allowed to rent a vehicle and run wild into Australia's endless expanses. So if you ever decide to rent a car on the continent, make sure you have an international driver's ID with you!

The Nature

Let’s face it: nature is THE thing to see in Australia, and this is probably what most people go there for. We rented a car in Sydney and drove it all the way to Melbourne. During that time we saw flocks of kangaroos (or should I call it a herd instead?..), koalas hanging from the trees, echidnas, amusing birds of all colours, alpacas... you name it. In this country the nature surrounds you, whether you like it or not (and sometimes it is the second option, indeed).

For me one of the highlights of the whole trip was the Great Ocean road. It spans for 243 km along Australia's south-east coast and keeps you breathless for the most part. It was built between 1919 and 1932 by returned soldiers and is the world's largest war memorial. What a beautiful way to perpetuate one's life and name!

The surf coast between Torquay and Port Campbell makes you wish you learned your surfing lessons well. Lofty cliffs go down sheer into the blue ocean, with azure waves crashing against them, and a handful of surfers trying their luck on the wave's crest. It's hard to call us sportspeople, so we were just 'trying' to swim (the waves made it almost impossible though). But lack of sporting experience could not of course prevent us from enjoying the picturesque views. If you were saving the word 'jaw-dropping', this would be the time to use it.

The People

Australians are charming: with all those "no worries" and "mates" they make you fall in love with them immediately. Living on a land so far away from the rest of the world and enjoying the great weather almost all year round, no wonder they are so laid back and relaxed. They can have a kangaroo steak for lunch and then go surfing at the end of the working day. They can wear swim shorts or a diving suit around town and feel at ease. Sometimes they speak with a funny accent that you understand like 30% of but they are still as friendly as it can be, even if you are asking them for a fifth time to repeat what they just said. Just make sure to smile back. No worries, mate.

The End

When I look back now, I do think that we had a great trip, mostly due to the fact that we were so many, and it was so much fun being there with friends. I could not say that if I had gone there alone or with my husband like we normally do, I would have enjoyed the trip just as much. Australia needs to be shared with a company, noisy, beer-drinking, song-singing and as lively as it gets.

If you are a Russian living in Saint Petersburg, when you tell your friends you are going to travel around Russia, that would probably mean going somewhere like Moscow, the south of the country or the Ural Mountains (especially if you are from Perm, like me). The last thing they will think you are going to is Kamchatka, and this was exactly where we ended up this August.

Before the Russian adventurer Vladimir Atlasov explored nearly whole of the peninsula in 1697-1699, this land was mostly populated by the local Chukchi, Koryak and Itelmeni people that tried warring with the invadors, but to no avail, and their numbers were greatly diminished. During the Cold War the peninsula became an important military airbase and was closed for visits for everyone, including Russians. Though it is still quite difficult and costly to reach, today Kamchatka is gradually becoming a popular destination, attracting more tourists every year.

You would probably start your journey in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the capital of the peninsula. It can be only reached by plane or ship, and at first sight might seem uncomely and grim, with its Soviet block housing aligning the city's main street. However, the location makes up for all architectural shortcomings. Two volcanoes - Avachinsky and Koryaksky - are visible from almost any spot of the city, adding to the scenery's beauty with their all-year-round snowcaps.

Petropavlovsk's stunningly beautiful bay is best enjoyed from the Avacha bay. Daily boat trips are available for the price of 5,000 RUB and are totally worth the money, especially when the weather is sunny.

If you are not an experienced outdoorsy seen-it-all, climbed-the-Everest-mountain kind of tourist but would still like to visit more than just Petropavlovsk (although there are quite a few things to see in the city itself, including a very doable Mt Mishennaya and a fairly good Irish pub), it would be a good idea to book a tour with one of the agencies to explore the peninsula. The price might seem a little high (about 65,000 RUB for 10 days) but it includes a 6WD to take you to the most remote places, accomodation (mostly tents though) and food. The most exciting part of the whole tour is, of course, climbing the mountains and watching the bears. Best when combined.

Volcanoes

Kamchatka is often referred to as "the Land of Volcanoes", and it totally lives up to this name: there are about 300 volcanoes on the peninsula, 29 of which are active. You are surely destined to find the one to your liking.

Kamchatka is referred to as "The Land of Volcanoes"

The first volcano that we climbed was Mutnovsky. Have you ever been inside of a volcano's crater? When we were walking into the 4km-wide cone, covered with ice, smoking volcanic fumes and smelling of sulfur, we felt like Frodo in Mordor.

Gorely volcano, situated some 15km from Mutnovsky, is quite another story. The last time it erupted was back in 2010, and at the moment it seems quiet and still. It took us some 2h to climb, but by the time we reached the top I was dying from exhaustion and wished I had exercised more before this whole business.

Avachinsky volcano is feared by the tourist the most: its height is 2741m, and the ascent takes 4-6h, including the last 150m of literal climbing the rope. When you get back to the camping site though, you will be rewarded by an army of friendly ground squirrels that will definitely try to make friends and most likely steal your snack.

Bears

The bears are one of the most exciting parts of visiting Kamchatka, especially if they stay away. When we first arrived at the camping spot nearby Mt Mutnovsky, we saw a cub walking very close to the place where we were going to spend the next two days. Should I mention that sleeping in the tent that night was somewhat troublesome? When we left for the volcano the next day, our cook stayed in the camp to prepare the food for us, and she said that the bear did in fact show up at the camp while we were gone but only took some carrots and apples. Even though we didn't like the food she cooked for us that much, we were still happy that the bear had not decided to take the cook instead.



Probably the best place to watch the bears is Kurilskoye lake, reached by helicopter. The bears here are so many you almost don't have enough time (or desire) to take pictures of all of them. The visitors are warned to stay away from the electrified fences that surround the station, and rest assured: you will not need to be reminded of this rule.

Bears can be fun and seem cute as long as you are too far to become their prey. They do not normally eat humans but can attack if they feel endangered. To protect yourself, take precautions: do not leave any food in the tent during the night (eat it if you forgot to bring it to the kitchen), sing loudly when you need to go to the toilet (this is not to make them terrified of your singing but to scare them away: they are afraid of loud noises) and take a dog with you when you go out to the nature.



Kamchatka has so much to offer to its visitors. It will test your spirit when you ascent the volcanoes for 6 hours, sleep in a tent and fight the bears off but it will also reward you by out-of-this-world sceneries and views of the untouched nature. After all, adventures begin at the end of our comfort zone, right?

If you start your Uzbeki adventure in Khiva and then move to the east towards Bukhara, it will take you about 6 hours by taxi along the bumpy roads of Kyzyl Kum to reach the destination. The drivers in Uzbekistan are reckless: nobody ever buckles up, and driving on the wrong side of the road is commonplace. When asked why they do this, they reply that it's "a mere habit" that they must have acquired after spending too much time living in England or Japan, I guess? (jk)

Uzbekistan is nominally a Muslim state but the religion here is not as strict as in the Arab world or even the Russian Caucaus region. However, the taxi drivers still try to pray five times a day even behind the wheel, and they manage to do this without even stopping the car. Makes you want to pray to God that you stay safe, too.

The drivers still try to pray five times a day, even behind the wheel

After surviving 6 hours in the sweltering heat of a taxi Bukhara seems to be a paradise. Until a century ago the city was watered by a network of canals and some 200 stone pools. Since the water wasn't changed often, it caused plague and other diseases; the average 19th-century Bukharan died at the age of 32. The Bolsheviks modernised the system and drained all the pools but the most famous one - Lyabi-Hauz - still remains a cool oasis in the heart of the city.

Bukhara, Central Asia's holiest city, traces its history some 2500 years back. It was as capital of the Samanid state in the 9th and 10th centuries that Bukhara blossomed as the center of religious and cultural life. Among those who lived and worked here were the historian Narshakhi, the poet Rudaki and the philosopher-scientist Ibn Sina.

During the glorious 16th century the Uzbek Shaybanids made Bukhara the capital of what came to be known as the Bukhara khanate, and hundreds of new mosques, medresas and bazaars were built in the city, adding to Bukhara's charm and fascination.

Medresas

The medresas and mosques are so many you easily lose count. Among the most remarkable ones is the Kalon mosque with the famous Kalon minaret that was built in 1127 by the Karakhanid ruler Arslan Khan and at that time was probably the tallest building in Central Asia. It rises 47 meters up; its 12 ornamental bands, all different, include the first use of the blue tiles that later on became so tipical for the region.

According to the book, a legend says that Arslan Khan killed an imam after a quarrel. That night in a dream the imam told him, 'You have killed me; now oblige me by laying my head on a spot where nobody can tread', and the tower was built over his grave.

Opposite the Kalon mosque is the working Mir-i-Arab Medresa, with its luminous blue domes in contrast with the surrounding brown. It took its name from its founder - a 16th century Naqshbandi sheikh from Yemen ("mir-i-arab" means "the property of an Arab").

Covered Bazaars

From Shaybanid times, the area north and west from Lyabi-Hauz was covered by the market lanes, arcades and minibazaars. Three remaining domed bazaars were among dozens of specialized bazaars in town - Taki-Sarrafon, Taki-Telpak and Taki-Zargaron.



However fascinating and breath-taking the old famed medresas and bazaars might be, it is the atmosphere of the place that attracts the visitors and makes them want to stay in Bukhara longer than anywhere else in Uzbekistan. Stroll its streets, and you are sure to bump into its hidden gems that are scattered all over place.

The photogenic small Char Minar makes you think of India rather than Bukhara. This was the entrance to a long-gone medresa built in 1807. The name means "Four minarets", although they are not strictly speaking minarets but rather just decorative towers.



Get off the beaten track, and you will find the perfect quietness of the Modari Khan and Abdula Khan medresas where no tourists are ever to be found.



Grab some fresh bread at the Shahristan market opposite the Kalon mosque and take some pictures with the blue tiles of Mir-i-Arab medresa, imagining yourself somewhere in Yemen.

Get lost in the old town and discover the secret places of Bukhara - a city that never fails to impress its visitors.