Filling in the gaps... this could take a while (2016)

2016 - sorry I'm late.

The real stuff, finally!                    Santorini happy (a little too happy, perhaps)

Well, I'm back again. A little older, not much wiser, but still with the travel stories and the bug.

Yes, I know not many read this. Yes, I know I've travelled a hell of a lot since the last post in 2015, but I thought for my own memories, if anything, I need to get this going again. So many memories are forgotten over time, so I want to have a source to always refer to and look back on fondly.

So let's get this moving.

So, as 2015 turned to 2016, I still had high hopes of returning to South East Asia to complete some unfinished business. Alas, it did not come to fruition. Such is life, that I met a girl, decided to go back to work and the rest as they say is wanderlust. I sat at the desk, itching to get going again. Through the UK summer sun (ha!) and the cold winter. Autumn and spring seemed to have passed me by.

So let me fill you in on the travels for 2016:

Ireland

It was a Corker                                          Dublin's famous Temple Bar

My partner at the time was from Ireland, near Galway to be precise. So I made numerous trips to this wonderful country and was lucky enough to see some of the best parts.

I went to the obvious places - Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway, but also found other places like Doolin, New Ross, Waterford, Killarney and Kerry. So much natural beauty about this country made me see why so many people talk about. And despite the weather, you can always have a great time in Ireland. 

Music is such a big part of the life there and many nights, I'd go to local pubs and taverns and have a few pints of Guinness and listen to the live music. It transports you to another place altogether, almost back in time in some respects.

Food is also a love of mine when I travel and I very much enjoyed all the stews and colcannon I could get my hands on.

Despite my personal circumstances changing, I'll always have a fondness and affection for Ireland where I visited many times over a four year period. The people, some friends and family all made my visits most welcome and homely and for that I will always be grateful.

Go raibh maith agat!

Santorini

Well, what can I say about this special island? It was magnificent and everything Instagram holds it up to be.

The famous white buildings and blue domes, the rocky streets and souvenir stalls, the restaurants and bars that overlooked the Aegean and beyond. It truly was unforgettable, and it didn't feel like 6 days was enough - even though we took out an ATV and went around the whole island.

The monastery and lighthouse are worth a visit and Perissa Beach is great for its black sands. We had a great picnic further north from Persia on Monolithos Beach and just let time pass us by. 

Loved the snorkelling

On our second day, we took a cruise from Oia, did some snorkelling and watched the sunset from the boat over dinner and drinks. Many nights, we would order a carafe of red wine and watch the sun go down behind the Oia from the top of Thira where our amazing hotel was. Antonio was a fantastic host with his family, gave us a great discount on our ATV and generally gave us great tips on where to eat locally.

Santorini is such a maze. Every area you visit on the island has a story and labyrinth streets to get lost in. I can see why so many people give it a paradise status. 

Efcharisto!

Krakow

A month later, maybe even less, I was in Krakow. Another beautiful city and country. And even in October, it can get a bit nippy.

Krakow as a city is very stunning and grand, with some architecture in the same league as Prague and Vienna (I know this now, having visited after the Krakow trip!). We enjoy the beer, the local food (the potato dumplings and red cabbage were superb) and visited a number of the sites in the city centre including the old town, the Lovers Bridge, the market square and clock tower.

On our third full day, we visited Wieliczka Salt Mine. What an incredible place this was. Deep underground (327 meters down - and the only way back up is a mine shaft lift), the mine is filled with statues and carvings of biblical figures and miners at work. There is also a lake underneath and the showpiece attraction - a chapel with grand staircases. It's a must visit for anyone going to Krakow. Definitely check it out.

The other major site we visited whilst in Krakow was the very poignant and upsetting Auschwitz and Birkenau. It took us an hour on a bus from Krakow, with an erratic bus driver delivering us shaken and stirred, but thankfully in one piece.

It difficult to describe the site of the worse mass murders in history so I'll leave that to your own imagination. I would encourage everyone to go and visit to learn about the atrocities that happened less than 100 years ago there and to raise awareness of the fantastic work that is being done there to maintain the history for future generations. I have no pictures of it because it didn't feel right, but I'm glad I visited to pay my respects.

And that will pretty much sign off 2016. What a great year for travel again. Hope you enjoy the update, albeit three years late.