solo travel

Travel is the Great Equalizer

Posted on by Seniye Groff
Anacortes, WA at sunset.

I often get asked why I like to travel so much and especially why I mainly travel solo. Well, in truth it’s all about THE FOOD! I say that in jest, but food is a big motivator. I actually love to see how the food, culture and history converge in the various places I visit. A recent example is Peru. I expected typical Latin fare but what I found was food infused with influences from China, Japan, Spain, Africa and Western Europe. When I dived into Peru’s history, I learned that each of the people from these cultures were a part of Peru’s past (and present) and naturally brought their food and ways of cooking with them.

Travel also allows me to meet new people and hear their stories and perspectives. When I hear new perspectives it allows me to question my own viewpoint or even add to my own views and lens…which is a gift by any measure. When we are not on auto pilot, we are open to different ways of being and doing and so I truly love the element of discovery that travel naturally brings to the traveler.

I, probably similar to any other avid traveler, have a running list of travel destinations I want to visit. I do seem to add more destinations rather than cross off…another great advantage of traveling! I often meet people while traveling and listen to their travel stories, which in turn inspires me to add the destination. I did my first oversees solo trip in 2018 and it was incredibly empowering. I only planned the first two nights of the trip and the remainder of the trip was completely ad hoc. I figured planning the first two nights allowed me to conquer my jet lag and get my bearings, but once I was at full throttle, I was at full “take it all in” mode. All I knew was the day I needed to depart and it was a free for all for the two weeks in between. I got lost…so many times! I felt uncomfortable…so many times! I landed in areas that were not on my radar and learned so much about the area, the people and frankly my own resiliency. Travel allows this and so much more.

The Amazon

Posted on by Seniye Groff

The last major stop on my two week trip was the Amazon. I honestly did not know what to expect but I will admit I was a little nervous. I was primarily scared about the animals, insects and heat. I flew a quick 45 minute flight from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado. When I landed I was immediately hit by the heat and humidity. A taxi collected me and took be to a dock about 20 minutes away. The boat I was traveling an hour and half up the Madre de Dios River was surprisingly (scarily!!!!) small and simple.

I arrived at the lodge without incident (whew) and had lunch. The chef focused on Amazonian fare and it was simple but tasty. I was concerned to learn that we had no electricity, hot water or internet…okay maybe we really were in the jungle. My “hut” was clean and ample with no windows (just screens) and lots of mosquitos. I will admit it was quaint but I did question what exactly I had signed up for. After lunch we did a jungle walk. There were tons of interesting plants and trees, lots of birds singing and screeching and, of course, plenty of tarantulas.

After dark, we got back into the boat to do a night tour of the shores of the river. We saw several Caiman (alligator family) which were black and white. I have to say I am glad we did not see anything else! At night the jungle is even louder than during the day. And the jungle “talks” all night long with so many different sounds. Also the fauna drops leaves (or ?) all night long, as I heard it on my thatched roof throughout the night. Not having windows means you are truly in the middle of the jungle as an active participant. I truly cannot describe it and wish I had recorded it. It was also pitch black.

The next morning after a delicious breakfast, we took the boat an hour downriver to the Tambopata National Reserve. After entering the reserve we walked a path about 45 minutes to the entry point of Lake Sandoval where we got into a paddle boat. The lake is quite large and lush with trees and palm trees. We saw tons of birds, bugs and squirrel monkeys and more Caiman. As beautiful as it was, I was nervous. There were five of us in this paddle boat and one wrong move and we would be dumped into the lake which was full of fish and more importantly, piranha. After two hours in the boat, it started pouring…it is the rainy season in the jungle after all and we were pretty lucky that it didn’t rain at all the previous day.

The rain was relentless and so we pulled to the shore where there were some random steps. After an uphill climb, we landed at a home/bar/restaurant where we were going to eat our lunch. And then about another hour and half of pouring rain, which we decided to wait out. The paddle boat was filled with rainwater when we got back to it. Nine hours on this adventure was plenty and a cold shower when finally getting back to the lodge was pretty welcomed! The entire evening and next morning it poured, thundered and lightning lit up the sky and it was a long boat ride back to the dock in Puerto Maldonado. But I made it and had a quick hour and half plane ride back to my last night in Lima.

Cusco

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I got to spend a few extra days in Cusco, rather than hiking due to my altitude sickness. Cusco is a vibrant, historical, proud city and I wandered around. I visited the Qorikancha Temple (Temple of the Sun) which was built on top of a Christian church. The earthquake of 1953 uncovered this beauty when the church came down.

I also visited the local street market filled with local vendors. I was told locals shop there every morning. The market had a little bit of everything including the dog, of course. I have been fascinated with the rampant loose dogs that run around the city. Apparently they roam free all day and eventually return home in the evenings. Dogs are literally everywhere…mainly sleeping but also playing and rummaging through garbage. Thank goodness they are not viscous and really are uninterested in pedestrians.

I also continued to have some great meals. Food in Peru appears to be celebrated and not only it is delicious but always presented very artfully. My favorite meal was Canelones Andinos. I am inspired to incorporate some Peruvian-style cooking into my own repertoire!

The Many Wonders of Peru

Posted on by Seniye Groff

The people…

The food…

The scenery…

I did not really know what I was going to get when I booked my two week trip to Peru. But what I gained was warm, smiling, seemingly satisfied people. Food that was simple, beautifully presented, cheap and fresh and scenery that was as spectacular as it was varied and inspiring.

Whenever I head out on a solo trip, it always begins with anticipation and anxiousness…Will I be safe? What will I discover? Will it be as I had hoped? What will be the greatest thing I will learn? Will I be the very best guest I can be?

On my flight to Lima I sat next to a recent college graduate. She and some family friends were going to hike the Inca Trail for four days culminating in their visit to Machu Picchu to celebrate her father’s suicide. She had done no homework on what she was getting ready to embark on, but I have to say that now that I have visited Machu Picchu I totally understand why the family would want to honor their father this way.

I landed in Lima at 5:30 a.m. local time and once I arrived at the hotel I dropped my bags and just walked. Diving right in is the best way I have found to overcome jet lag and capitalize on the newness of my destination. I was staying in Miraflores which is a safe, upscale part of Lima. The streets are clean, teaming with walkers and fortified with singing birds and beautiful gardens. I also walked in Barranco, which is considered an artsy neighborhood, right next door to Miraflores. The weather was perfect at 70 degrees and I got to reinvigorate my Spanish!

The next morning at 4 a.m. my taxi arrived to take me to the bus station so that I could head south to Ica, Nazca, Paracas and Huacachina. It was a four hour bus ride south to take me to the desert and coast. When I arrived, I was immediately driven to a tiny airport to view the Nazca lines. 17 mysterious etchings in the ground can be viewed best by plane. It is about 30 minute plane ride with then 30 minutes viewing the various drawings. It was fascinating, although the plane ride was a nail biter in a tiny four-seater!

Four Amazing Days in Hong Kong

Posted on by Seniye Groff

On the way back from a work trip in Singapore, I decided to take advantage of disembarking in Hong Kong when returning home.  The ticket costs the same, so why not.  The beautiful thing about traveling, at least for me, is how much I learn and all the different people I meet.  Travel forces you to get out of your comfort zone and truly get educated; you shed your misconceptions.

I did some initial research before my trip but intentionally left it pretty open to be able to wander and explore.  I stayed in the Ovolo Hotel in Southside.  The hotel is admittedly not in the prettiest area (an up and coming -perhaps- warehouse area south on the island of Hong Kong).  The service is top notch.  The front desk is super helpful and snacks and drinks are in the room and are included.  You must book direct to get the free breakfast and nightly happy hour.  The breakfast is comprehensive and has something for everyone.  Learning #1:  I thought Hong Kong was just Hong Kong.  I learned that Hong Kong is comprised of about 250 islands.  I had no idea.

I arrived Friday early afternoon.  After dumping my suitcase at the hotel I immediately started exploring.  The MTR (mass transit) is super easy to navigate, clean and gets you everywhere you want to go.  Make sure to purchase an Octopus card when you arrive at the airport.  Also note that although you can use your credit card to load the card at the airport, you have to have cash to top it off anywhere else.  The rule of thumb is to push or be pushed.  Know that people are not being rude, it’s just that with so many people if you do not push you get left behind!

I decided to get the must-do Star Ferry out of the way.  It is easy to just walk down to the pier and pick it up and your Octopus card works there, too.    Once over in Kowloon I walked the promenade and down all the shopping streets.  When I returned to HK Island, I wandered a bit, walked through the Man Mo Temple and then headed to the hotel to enjoy the happy hour.

The next morning,  I wandered and basically found the Botanical Garden and Zoo by accident.  What a beautiful find!  All shorts of monkeys, Orangutans and birds.  There were plenty of flowers and the although very peaceful, it was cool to see the skyscrapers in the background.

I then headed to the Peak Tram.  If lines drive you crazy, this is not the place for you!  It was pure chaos and two hours of waiting and I was there at 10 a.m.  You basically are up the hill in 10 minutes.  The view was spectacular although a bit cloudy.  I decided to hike down instead of deal with the crowds.  I somehow ended on the Central Green Trail which was beautiful with plenty of greenery and glimpses of the skyscrapers below.  A word of warning, though, it is very, very steep.  It took me about 1.5 hours to walk down and when I arrived where I started, the line for the Peak Tram was even worse as it wrapped up and down the streets.  I cannot imagine what the wait was at that time!

Next to the Peak Tram is one of the entrances for the Hong Kong Park.  There are a lot of green spaces in the city which makes the craziness more tolerable, for sure.  This park was amazing.  The netted aviary was like no other I have seen.  The birds roamed “freely” and as an observer you really felt like one with nature.  There was also a pond and man made waterfall.  There is a Museum of Tea Ware that is worth a visit and is right next door to the Lock Cha Tea House.  I decided to have tea (extensive list) and dim sum.  It was excellent and service was pleasant.  I managed to walk about 12 miles on this day-my feet were sore but my soul was satisfied.

My last full day in HK was spent heading to Lantau to see the Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha).  The subway ride took about 25 minutes and is on the same island that the airport sits on.  Once off the subway, a walk across the street lands you at the cable car facility for the ride up to the village where the Big Buddha sits.  My wait for the cable car was an hour and you can buy the tickets in advance.  Employees will try to sell you additional add-ons for tours while you are up on the mountain.  The add-ons are completely unnecessary as you can easily navigate all the things to see yourself.

The cable car ride up is scenic and passes over water, green hills and homes.  As you get closer you can see the Buddha off in the distance.  Once you get of the cable car, you are forced to walk through the tacky gift shop and then through a small village of trinkets.  Keep moving and get to what you came for!  Walking up the many stairs to the Buddha is pretty cool and you begin to realize just how massive it really is.  Walk up the stairs and walk around and take in the view around.  It is truly awe inspiring.  If you look up at his head, the sensation with the clouds moving almost feels like the Buddha is moving his head–it’s pretty cool.

Once down the stairs, turn right and follow the signs to the Wisdom Path.  It is a concrete path and you will pass some dilapidated buildings which will make you wonder if you are going the right way–you are, so keep going.  You land at an area that has several trails.  If you are prepared, take one of the more hearty hikes or look to the right and walk the short (and steep) Wisdom Path.  This will take about five minutes.

When you head back to the central area wander through the Po Lin Monastery.  The detail work in the ceilings, walks and statues are beyond beautiful.  You cannot take pictures in the temples so try to imprint their beauty in your brain–I had never seen anything so stunning.  This day trip was so opposite to the craziness of the city.  I felt peaceful and satiated at the end.

I returned to the city’s energy and wandered up to Soho with the mid levels travelator (as the sign called it).  I walked down through the side streets with the makeshift Chinese markets of fresh vegetables, herbs and other things I could not recognize.  The streets have lots of character with daily life happening.  I realized that China Towns smell the same no matter what city it resides in.

Hong Kong is a modern city.  Hong Kong is an old fashioned city.  It is a beach town.  It is a traditional town.  I loved the teaming energy and life and the mix of modern and old.  Learning #2: never stop learning or exploring.  It invariably makes my life more full, more open-minded and ultimately more beautiful.

 

Two Amazing Weeks in Portugal

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Portugal is beautiful in its own ramshackle, unkempt way.  Accept her beauty as she gives it to you; even though she is unassuming and even unaware of what she offers visitors.  Each cobblestone street, each narrow passageway is similar to unwrapping a gift.  I perused these gifts during a two week, solo trip in September 2018.  This was my first solo trip; I was nervous and excited.  I recently read that Portugal has a 26% unemployment rate, but I only witnessed bustling streets with tons of European and British tourists, downright honesty and some unbelievable prices on food.

I landed in Lisbon on a early evening on Tuesday and had decided to stay in a shared apartment (a first for me).  The metro station is a walkway from the airport and the ticket machines are easy to navigate.  For $1.20 Euro I could go anywhere in the city!  Lisbon was my only pre-planned hotel and the rest of the trip would be spontaneous reservations based on where I landed for the day.

I will confess, I spent a lot of time lost.  It is easy to do when street names are not in English, not visible and windy, cobbled streets begin to all look the same.  When I got off the appointed station, I exited the wrong direction which left me wandering the Bairro Alto/Bica neighborhood for about an hour looking for my reserved apartment.  It was hot and roller bags (even small ones) coupled with cobblestone streets don’t make for easy travel.  I did finally find the apartment and fortunately it was in a great location.

I wandered all over Lisbon for the next two days seeing all the sites and even taking the streetcar to Belem.  On my third day, I made the day trip to Sintra.  I headed to the Rossio train station where a round trip ticket was $5.00 Euro.  It was an easy 20 minute train ride out and a quick walk from the station to town.

On my fourth day, I took the metro to the airport to pick up my rental car.  I am pretty sure I was the only person in the country that wanted an automatic, but I guess this distinction gave me a BMW, so it all worked out.  🙂  I headed to Obidos.  It was a quaint (dare I say fake) medieval town (but also the wedding capital apparently).  I walked through the main drag littered with trinket shops and cafes.  I climbed the wall of the castle to see the countryside.  Overall it was an easy in, easy out trip completed in one hour.

My plan was to head to Coimbra next but I saw the sign for Nazare and decided to take a detour!  Nazare was the quintessential fishing village.  It was clouded over with fog, but it had a wonderful, long, sandy beach.  I found a cafe (there were many to choose from) and had my first fish dish in Portugal.  The Dourada was good and came with salad and potatoes (a theme I would see in many of my meals).

Nine miles outside of Coimbra were Roman ruins that I stopped to see.  The mosaics were incredibly preserved and an interesting museum provided a little relief from the unrelenting heat.   Next stop was Coimbra.  It was crowded, traffic-filled and I never was able to find the location of my airbnb.  So after one and a half hours circling the city I gave up and decided to find a hotel in a town on the way to Porto.  I ended up in Aveiro (Portugal’s Venice) and sure enough there were gondolas and canal.

In the morning I made my way to Porto and since I had read that driving in Porto was not recommended, I decided to stay north of the city.  It ended up being an industrial area with little charm but the metro was easy to find and dropped me right in the downtown area.  While waiting on the platform, I met a man from Morocco.  He was doing some work in Porto so I asked him what he thought I should see.  He suggested an itinerary and even made sure I got off on the correct metro stop before releasing me to explore.

The metro stop put me in this amazing garden across from the city.  What an amazing way to be introduced to Porto.  I walked across the bridge and walked up and down the many hills.  The Ribiera walk was crowded and people watching was at its finest.  I also visited the most beautiful train station with tile work more impressive than anything else I had seen.

After spending the night in Porto, I head to the Douro Valley where a spent two nights in Pinhao.  This little town was the perfect central location to an amazing gorgeous area.  I stayed at the Hotel Douro, which was family run and the perfect refuge.  The hotel was smack in the middle of town and an easy walk to several Quintas and the river.  I immediately walked the bridge and did a port tasting at Quinta Das Carvalhas.  I had never had port before and also did not realize the variety.  White, rose and red ports exist!  Who knew?!

For $10 Euro I took a one hour boat ride down the Douro.   It was the perfect amount of time and blessed me with more amazing views of the rolling hills, vineyards and Quintas along the way.  I ended the day by watching the sunset from the veranda of my hotel…absolutely perfect.

I mentioned to the hotel owner that I wanted to do a hike and he suggested visiting the village of Provesende.  It was 10 Km and ALL uphill but the rewarding vistas were worth every bead of sweat down my forehead.  The stunning hills, valleys, and many Quintas made the time pass and I ended in a tiny town lost in time.  It was perfect.  I roamed the tiny, very quiet town, had a coffee and knew there was no way I was walking back down with the stifling heat.  Fortunately, this tiny town was not too small for a taxi.  !0 minutes later at $11 Euros (money well-spent!) I found myself back in Pinhao.

After two heavenly days in Pinhao it was time to head south with the ultimate destination of Evora.  But I was in no rush…and had identified four small towns that I wanted to see.  I stopped in Belmonte, Sortelha, Marvao and Castelo de Vide.  Each of these towns were smaller, with few tourists and even fewer touristy shops.  In other words, pure heaven.  Of course, each town had a church and a castle and all were beautiful.  Castelo de Vide was not on my list but I needed a hotel and just happened upon this town…what a find!  Small, quaint, full of character and beautiful.  I feel like I have used the word beautiful way to much, but pictures and words truly cannot describe the Portugal I discovered, wandered through and embraced.

The next day, I headed to Evora.  Again, a last minute hotel find ended up being perfect.  The location of the hotel coupled with its beautiful details made my visit even better.  Evora was a nice-sized town with a university, Roman ruins and of course, an amazing array of churches.  St. Francis church (Igreja de São Francisco) was spectacular and Bones Chapel, with it entrance saying, “We bones that are here, for yours we wait” created an eerie experience for $5 Euro.  A bonus of entry was the nativity display on the other side of the building,  2600 nativity sets were displayed from around the world and in many different mediums.  There was also a small art gallery.  This was definitely, overall, worth a visit.  I dined outside on a cobblestone, hidden street and truly enjoyed Evora’s vibe.

After spending the night, I headed down to the Algarve.  This was the one area that not having a hotel in advance worked against me.  Similar to Lisbon, the Algarve was overcrowded with tourists.  I ended up staying in Lagos and it was not my favorite.  I did a day trip to Salema, a quiet kind-of-fishing village.  It was small and the beach was empty.  Sagres, with its dramatic cliffs was a worthwhile day trip from Lagos.

Portugal was a gracious hostess.  She gave me beauty, history lessons, long lasting memories and the knowledge that I can travel alone.  Portugal is well worth the effort.  I will definitely return.