Slovenia

When A Perpetual Voyager Has to Stop Traveling

I still remember the moment two years ago when I came up with the name for my travel blog. I was sitting in yoga class, letting my mind drift a bit in hopes of gaining some inspiration, and thinking about how for me, the whole point of travel and adventure was that it wasn’t a one-off experience but a continuous trend, a state of being. I wasn’t just a traveler, I was a voyager, if you will. An eternal voyager!

I thought the name was perfect. It acknowledged the permanence of my quest to explore as much of the world as I could. But as I reconsidered, “eternal” sounded a bit too serious, or flaky, depending on how you approached it. So instead, I went with “perpetual.” Perpetual voyager. Perpetual motion. Always moving forward, onto the next country, the next adventure, the next dream. That was me.

Until this year.

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you may have noticed that I haven’t posted anything here in months. If you know me well, you can probably guess why. This past spring I got hit by a powerful jolt of news I wasn’t expecting, regarding that most precious and important aspect of life that we all too often take for granted: my health. Having always been a robustly healthy person who worked out three times a week, walked 10,000 steps a day just to get to work, squeezed myself into coach seats for twenty-hour flights without a second thought and visited the doctor’s office once a year, it has definitely been a challenging transition and has turned my life upside down in a lot of ways.

Still, in many respects, I am fortunate. Early diagnosis caught my affliction before it went too far, and my long-term prognosis is excellent. I have amazing doctors, a supportive employer, and wonderful family and friends. Even without meaning to, this year of mostly unmitigated awfulness has shown me how fortunate I really am. Despite all that I’ve gone through over the past few months, I’m very, very grateful for that.

If all goes well, I’m hopeful that soon 2017 and all its awfulness will just be a blip on my radar screen. I’ll leave these difficult days in the past, recover physically and mentally, and get back to my real life, the one I’m supposed to be living right now—the one that involves traveling to far-flung places and having magical experiences in new cities and cultures, then coming home to write blog posts and relive the greatest hits on Instagram with a selection of my favorite photos.

But in the meantime, I’m sort of stuck. It’s the way it has to be, for now—weekly medical treatments have kept me pretty tethered to my hometown for the past few months. I haven’t been out of the country since I came home from Slovenia and Croatia a year ago. (In fact, Facebook memories helpfully reminded me today that exactly one year ago I was chasing waterfalls in Plitvice national park in Croatia…how quickly life can turn around!)

Plitvice waterfalls, Croatia

My other travel plans this year all fell by the wayside once I got my diagnosis back in May. (And if I may say so myself, these were some excellent plans). No safari in Kenya with my coworkers after our annual meeting in Nairobi in June. No dream trip to cruise Scandinavia and Russia (the one I’d been longing to make happen for close to a decade). Instead this summer was filled with doctor’s appointments, hospital visits, and a lot of time on my hands to think about the endless list of places I’d rather be.

But, there’s hope on the horizon! By the end of this year I’ll be mostly done with my course of treatment, and by winter I should be able to travel again pretty much without restriction. I already have big, big plans for the first trip I want to take in 2018…but having learned the hard way that life doesn’t always work out the way we expect it to, I want to hold off on sharing details until I actually have plane tickets in hand. Stay tuned….

And in the meantime, I want to get back to blogging. I didn’t post anything for the past few months mostly because it didn’t seem worth it—what was I going to write about? I wasn’t going anywhere interesting or doing anything beyond my work-and-medical appointment routine. But I also think that maybe, my lack of presence on my blog was also a form of denial. I didn’t want to put down in words what I was experiencing any more often than I had to. And while I still don’t want to write about the things that have kept me grounded in reality this year, I do want to begin anticipating the day when I’ll be able to take flight again. Because it’s never too early to get excited about the next adventure on the horizon—in fact, sometimes that’s all that keeps you going.

I also want to use this pause in my travels for another purpose—to reboot my blog a bit. I’ve always seen Perpetual Voyager as a hobby blog, and never wanted to make it into a full-time gig as many travel bloggers aspire to. I love travel blogs, but I already have a job and a career, and I wanted this site to remain something I do just for fun, and for myself—though of course, anyone else who chooses to is welcome to come along for the ride!

But now, I think my unplanned break from blogging has inspired me to re-dedicate myself to my blogging efforts. I want to post more frequently, write about travel in more in-depth and imaginative ways. I want to grow my audience, expand my community of readers. And you know, actually figure out the nuts and bolts of how to make a site look nice. (Looks do count, after all!)

And I do have a few small but exciting adventures coming up over the next few months close to home. I’m thrilled to have booked tickets for a Columbus Day weekend getaway to Philadelphia, a city I’ve visited before but really only scratched the surface of. I want to explore the museums, dig into the history of America’s founding days, and of course, check out the food and café scene in Philly. Only another month to go! And I’ll be sharing my impressions of the city here when I get back.

In late October I’ll be going to New York City for a work trip, which hopefully will include some time to catch up with NYC-based friends and family and try out some new restaurants (as well as make it back to the home of the world’s most magical milkshakes, obviously!)

Then in December I’ll be visiting my family in Florida for Christmas. It’s been months since I’ve seen them, though we talk every day, and I can’t wait to spend some quality in-person time with Mom and Dad, ending a difficult year on a high note.

And then, on to 2018…which, if I have my way, will be filled with nothing short of epic travel adventures.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia.

When my doctor and I first met to discuss my course of treatment a few months ago, I had many questions, both big and small. But one of the most pressing for me was when I’d be able to travel again. I mentioned my now-cancelled safari in Kenya, and asked if, in a year’s time, I’d be able to travel to such distant places again. I’ll never forget her words: “A year from now, you’ll go back to Kenya…and you can take me with you!”

Those words were such a relief to hear at the time, and even today, they still make me smile and give me hope. Hope that my life as a perpetual voyager will continue, and that I’ll soon be back out in the world I love so fiercely, conquering mountains and chasing waterfalls and living this glorious life to its fullest.

And until then, I’ll keep writing. Thanks for reading.

Africa, Croatia, Kenya, Russia, Slovenia

Sep

2017

How’s That Bucket List Coming? An Update on My Travels

Melissa Kaplan0

A while back, I wrote a post about my (greatly abbreviated) top ten country bucket list. It was intended to be an exploration of my travel dreams, as well as a way to prioritize the places I most want to see (since I always have more travel dreams than time or money, making a list of my top travel goals makes sense, right? I’m nothing if not organized. Seriously, to an insane degree. It’s rather scary.)

Recently I started thinking about this list and thought it would be fun to check back and see how I’m doing with my list of must-sees: how many have I made a reality, how many are trips-in-progress, and how many remain tantalizing future travel goals? I love accountability, almost as much as I love to cross things off of lists, so here goes:

Melissa’s (Updated) Bucket List

View of a mist-covered mountain outside Nairobi

10) East Africa

Done and done (and soon to be done again!) Last year I visited Kenya and Uganda for a work trip, and I’ll be going back soon to explore more of Kenya (details pending). I can’t wait to revisit this beautiful corner of the world and dig a bit deeper into what it has to offer.

9) Brazil

Still haven’t been, but it remains high on my list, especially after friends have raved about it so much lately. I would love to make this a winter (aka their summer) trip one of these years—maybe in combination with Chile, another place in South America I’m longing to see….

8) Costa Rica

I seriously thought about taking a trip there this spring, but it didn’t quite pan out. I have looked into doing a yoga retreat in Costa Rica and really want to make that happen one day (two bucket list goals achieved on one trip; I love it!)

7) India

I was literally just talking yesterday with a friend who had spent lots of time in India and loved it. It remains high on my list, but I want to visit when I can do an extended tour through the country (both north and south, hopefully) and really get to delve into its magic. This trip may not happen in the foreseeable future, but it will happen!

6) New Zealand

No details yet, but I’m making a determined effort to visit this magical land within the next year (gauntlet thrown down, now I must commit!) Seriously, few places rank higher on my must-see-asap list than NZ, and I’m very hopeful a 2018 trip is in the cards. Stay tuned!

5) Australia

Well, of course you can’t mention New Zealand without bringing up Australia, right? Because they are SO close and both look SO AMAZING, I would really love to do a trip that combines both—if I manage to carve out a month or so in my schedule that would be possible, but otherwise, I’m afraid Oz may have to wait in line behind New Zealand (I guess I should officially bump it down behind NZ on my bucket list, right?) But I’m determined to make it to Australia in the not-too-distant future as well.

4) Vietnam

SO. CLOSE. A few months ago I was booked to go back to Cambodia for a work trip, and I had added on a few vacation days in Hanoi to check out the city and visit Ha Long Bay. Unfortunately, the plug was pulled on my work trip, so Vietnam was postponed as well…for now. I still hope to make it back to Southeast Asia later this year or early next, though it’s not totally within control due to the work factors. But one thing is certain: when I return to Asia, I will get to Vietnam at last.

View of Soca river in Slovenia.

3) Slovenia

Check another one off the list—I finally made my decade-long travel dream come true and visited Slovenia last summer, and ever since I’ve been recommending that everyone drop whatever they’re doing and head over there. What a beautiful and fascinating country!

2) Bali

Oh, Bali…how you tempt and vex me. I was determined to finally make this dream trip a reality for my milestone birthday last December. But, with all the traveling I’d done that year, and the relatively limited vacation time I had to work with, I decided it made more sense to postpone until I had a chance to do it properly, ie spend a few weeks in Indonesia and really get the opportunity to soak up Bali. After all, a 20-hour plane ride is nothing to scoff at, and if you’re going all that way you need to make your time there worthwhile, right? I don’t want to give Bali short shrift when I feel it deserves so much more, so I’m holding off until I can do it right (what a dangerous notion that is, really….) Anyway, I will make Bali happen. For sure. One of these days. Sigh….

`1) Russia/China/Mongolia and the Trans-Siberian Express

Big news here: I’M FINALLY GOING TO RUSSIA!!!

No, not the Trans-Siberian Express (that will happen eventually though!) but St. Petersburg. My friend and I have booked a cruise through Scandinavia (covering Berlin, Tallin, Stockholm, Helsinki and Copenhagen), with a full two-day stop in St. Petersburg. So after two decades of dreaming about it, I’m finally going to Russia in August—just four months away!! Cue massive excitement, guidebook purchases, and earnest efforts to finally make it through Crime and Punishment this time….

So, that’s the status of my bucket list. Two countries checked off, three more in progress, and five dreams waiting to be fulfilled in the future….I guess that’s not terrible, right? Slow and steady wins the race, and even if getting to every corner of the world my heart desires may take longer than I’d like, I have no doubt that in the end, it will be well worth it.

Do you have a bucket list? How are you doing at fulfilling your travel dreams?

Africa, Asia, Bali, Eastern/Central Europe, Kenya, Russia, Slovenia, Travel Musings, Uganda

Apr

2017

My Best Travel Moments of 2016

Melissa Kaplan0

It’s that time of year again! Time for holiday celebrations, festive lights, lots and lots of hot chocolate (not that I ever need an excuse, really), and of course, end-of-the-year roundup blog posts.

Honestly, when I look back on my travels over the past year, I’m still pretty astounded I got to see and do so much. I had travel goals and dreams at the beginning of the year, but what I actually was able to see and do and experience blew them out of the water. This was an incredible year for me, and I’m so grateful for every single new place I visited, every new adventure I embarked on, and above all, the people I met around the globe who reaffirmed my hope that, fundamentally, the world is full of good and decent men and women who just want to live the best lives that they can.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia.

This was the year I visited Cambodia for the first time, and was blown away by this majestic country. It’s the year I made it to East Africa, experiencing a taste of safari in Kenya and learning about the history and contemporary life of Uganda. It’s the year that finally saw me accomplish my decade-long goal of visiting Slovenia and northern Croatia for the very first time. I traveled to Portland with my best friend and had a great time in this fun, funky, donut-and-ice cream-laden city. I visited my family in England and got reacquainted with one of my all-time favorite cities, London. And oh yes, I made it back to Paris and it was every bit as delightful as I remembered.

What an amazing year. I’m so thankful I got to experience every moment of it.

View of Soca river…can you believe that water color is real?!

As December draws to a close, I thought I’d do a quick roundup of some of my favorite moments/experiences over the past twelve months. Read on for my favorites around the globe in 2016:

Best Massage: Bliss Spa, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. An hour and a half of heavenly pampering for only $30. Can’t wait to go back!
Best Hot Chocolate: Les Deux Magots, Paris. I sneaked in for an hour with a French newspaper and a chocolate chaud after a long day of work meetings, and it remains one of my favorite memories of Paris.
Best Sunrise: Across the magical vista of my lodge near Nairobi, Kenya. Watching the sun rise over East Africa at 6 am—and thinking how far I’d come to be able to experience that moment—made the early morning wake-up call totally worthwhile.
Best Meal: Paris again—Le Relais D’Entrecote. I’d remembered this fantastique steak-and-frites legend from an earlier visit but couldn’t find it on a map or in my guidebook…then I stumbled across it by pure chance while wandering around the neighborhood. Fate! And it was every bit as delicious as I remembered. That steak is reason enough to visit Paris.
Best Body of Water: As beautiful as the Plitvice Lakes in Croatia are, I have to give the edge to the Soca River in Slovenia. This ribbon of turquoise snaking through the beautiful Slovenian countryside is a marvel. I remember just sitting and staring at it during a break in my busy day-trip from Lake Bled, wishing I could gaze at it forever and never leave.
Best Museum: Also in Slovenia—the Museum of Contemporary History of Slovenia in Ljubljana is a bit out of the way from the city center, but it’s very impressive and does a great job of telling the powerful, inspiring story of the country’s journey from Yugoslavia to independence to European Union membership over the past 25 years. It’s a must-see if you’re going to be in the capital.
Best Bookstore: This is an easy one (even though I got to revisit some of my favorites in London this year). I fell in love with the legendary Powell Books in Portland, Oregon when I visited this fall. SO many titles I wanted to take home, but I limited myself to three, and I still have two of them sitting on my nightstand that I can’t wait to crack open. This place is huge, diverse, and heaven for book lovers!
Best New City: While I enjoyed Phnom Penh a lot, and found Zagreb really charming, my hands-down favorite new city from the past year is Ljubljana. The capital of Slovenia is a gorgeous mélange of pastels set on a river and filled with beautiful architecture, excellent restaurants, and too many charming cafes to explore during my all-too-brief time there. I need to go back and revisit this delightful city soon—it made me so happy and I honestly didn’t want to leave!
Best New Country: Cambodia wasn’t even on my radar a year ago except in the vaguest way, but when a work trip sent me there for two weeks, I was thrilled to get a chance to check it out. It honestly was one of the most significant trips I’ve ever taken in my life. Not only is it an incredibly beautiful country with charming cities and impressive ruins to explore (hello, Angkor Wat!), it was filled with some of the kindest, most interesting people I’ve ever met, and I was inspired and humbled by how the country has worked to move forward after the horrors of its not-too-distant past. Cambodia is vibrant, fascinating, easy to explore even solo, and very affordable. It’s now one of my top country recommendations for all travelers. Cambodia, I’m so glad I got to know you a bit in 2016, and I hope to see you again soon.

What were your favorite 2016 travel experiences? What are your plans for 2017?

Africa, Asia, Cambodia, Croatia, Eastern/Central Europe, France, Kenya, London, Portland, Slovenia, Travel Musings, Uganda

Dec

2016

Drop Whatever You’re Doing and Go to Slovenia

Melissa Kaplan0

I’m proud to say that this summer, I finally made a ten-year travel dream come true: I visited Slovenia for the first time!

I know that may sound like a rather odd travel dream. Most people, if they visit Slovenia at all, tend to tack it onto a larger Europe trip…either when they visit Italy, Croatia, or do a larger sweep through Central Europe and/or the Balkans. I don’t know too many people other than myself who were fascinated enough by Slovenia to build a trip around it.

But let me tell you…it is SO worth it.

Slovenia was the 35^th country I’ve visited so far (yay, mini travel milestone!) and I can honestly say it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. There is so much natural and man-made beauty there, it’s hard to see how one relatively small country can contain it all!

I began my trip in the capital of Ljubljana, and I really wish I’d budgeted more time there (I only had one full day!). It’s one of the prettiest cities I’ve ever seen! Architecturally stunning buildings in gorgeous pastels populate the streets, the riverside cafes are inviting at any time of day, and it’s a perfect place to just wander the cobblestoned alleys and get lost for a while. On the touristy side, I also visited the castle (and walked all the way up—no furnuncular for me!); took a river cruise in the evening, which I highly recommend as a different way to see the city while getting out on the water; and spent an hour in the excellent Museum of Contemporary History of Slovenia–a must to understand more about the recent history of this fascinating country, from its brief 1991 war for independence to its triumphant ascension into the European Union and NATO (yes, I wrote my dissertation on the role of Central European countries in the EU, so I may be a bit of a nerd on this subject, but really, it’s a great museum I think everyone should visit even if it’s a bit out of the way from the city center).

Ljubljana, in all its pastel glory.

After Ljubljana, it was on to Lake Bled. I spent about four days here, soaking up the stunning natural beauty of my surroundings, highlighted by my trip by pletna (small boat) to the island in the center of the lake, which has been made famous in countless photos by the church in the middle of it—it’s just as charming as you would imagine it to be! Other than that, there’s not really too much to do in Lake Bled aside from water sports and hanging out in cafes and restaurants—another reason I wish I’d spent more time in Ljubljana to explore there—but it’s a beautiful place and should definitely be visited on any trip to Slovenia.

Lake Bled island with church in the center.

Probably my favorite part of the trip was when I booked a day tour to see some of Slovenia’s greatest natural attractions—Mt. Triglav, its highest peak; the Soca river (including whitewater rafting—a first for me and actually a lot of fun!) and a quick, although rain-soaked glimpse of Lake Bohinj (nice, but can’t compete with Lake Bled, in my opinion). It was a great way to see a lot of the northern part of this small country in a short span of time, and I would recommend doing this type of tour to anyone!

View of Soca river…can you believe that water color is real?!

When posting to my Instagram account, I captioned a photo of the Soca River with these words, “Drop whatever you’re doing and go to Slovenia.” And so, the title of this blog post…because it really is true. This country is beautiful, friendly, easy to navigate, has a fascinating history, and should be high on anyone’s European bucket list. If you’re going to be anywhere nearby, don’t miss the chance to pop into Slovenia for at least a few days….or, you could be like me and build an entire trip around it. I promise it will be well worth it!

Have you been to Slovenia? Would you be interested in going? Which photo is your favorite?

Eastern/Central Europe, Slovenia

Sep

2016

Slovenia, Here I Come!

Melissa Kaplan0

Do you have a dream destination? A little corner of the globe you’ve been gazing at longingly for years in guidebooks and on maps, fantasizing about the day you’d actually get to experience its magical lure in person?

It should come as no surprise that I have such a place. Actually, let’s be honest, I have TONS of them (hello New Zealand, Bali, Vietnam, Russia, Australia….). And I’ve been fortunate enough to visit many of my one-time dream locations already (Buenos Aires, Istanbul, South Africa, Thailand, Europe….).

But my bucket list is endless when it comes to travel and exploring this beautiful planet. And for years, there’s been one small pocket of Europe I’ve longed to visit and have somehow never made it to. But this August, that will change.

Hello, Slovenia, I’m finally coming for you!

(And Croatia and London, I’ll be swinging by you as well….)

Melissa’s Slovenian (and Croatian) Adventure

This Slovenia trip has been a dream of mine for years, and I’m so excited that it’s finally happening. For roughly a decade, ever since I lived in Central Europe and began exploring the magical cities and charming, history-laden small town that dot its landscape, I’ve wanted to see Slovenia. I almost went a few times, but something always got in the way (by which I mean, some other destination pulled me in just a bit more strongly).

But Slovenia kept calling to me, and its pull only got stronger as the years went by. I had originally been intrigued by its charming, café-filled capital of Ljubljana, which looks like heaven for those of us who have a thing for medium-sized Central European cities (I miss that part of the world badly). And lately, I’ve been more and more drawn in by photos of Lake Bled, which might just be home to the most stunning castle-on-an-island-on-a-lake in the world. Slovenia seems like a perfect blend of beautiful cities, small town charm, and natural abundance in the form of mountains, lakes, and even beaches. It looks absolutely perfect. What’s not to love?

So this year, I decided it was time to finally stop delaying and making excuses, and to jump into Slovenia with both feet and discover all that this beautiful country has to offer. I booked my plane ticket a few weeks ago and have been on a high ever since!

So what is there to see and do in Slovenia, you might ask? Plenty! Here are some of my plans:

Ljubljana—I plan to spend a few days here soaking up the architecture, taking in the views of the castle and the famous bridge, and acquainting myself with as many outdoor cafes as I possibly can.
Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj—While Lake Bled is legendary, I’ve heard Lake Bohinj is even more of a stunner—and less crowded! So I clearly have to take a few days to explore them both! I’ll be based in Bled but do a day-trip to Lake Bohinj to see which one I like best.
The countryside—I’m looking to find a day tour that will allow me to see a lot of the gorgeous, varied Slovenian countryside in one trip. I’m hoping this will include some time at Mt. Triglav, Slovenia’s famous peak; the Vrsic pass in the mountains; and perhaps rafting on the Soca river (or at least getting up close to its stunning blue waters!)

But, this trip won’t be only about Slovenia. Because the country is so compact and so close to Croatia, I just have to make a return visit to one of my favorite countries…but this time, I’ll be exploring a different part of it. When I visited Croatia back in 2007, I stuck to Dubrovnik and Split, fairly common for first time visitors (and well worth seeing, especially Dubrovnik). This time I’ll be staying in the north of Croatia, basing myself in the capital city of Zagreb (another charming Central European city, yay!), and then hopping down to the Plitvice Lakes to see the famous waterfalls.

So if this trip has a theme at all, it’s clearly water. Or nature. Or both.

Finally, I’ve booked myself a flight into London, one of my favorite cities in the world and my one-time home, where much of my family still lives. I’ll have three days in London before I fly to Slovenia, so I’m excited to hit a few museums, spend time with my aunts, uncles, and cousins, and eat all the curry. (Oh, and stock up on that chocolate chip shortbread that only UK Starbucks seem to sell).

I’m so happy that I’m finally going to be able to make my Slovenia dream trip a reality. It’s still more than two months away, but I’m already feeling the anticipation. Slovenia, Croatia, and London, here I come! I couldn’t be more excited to explore new dream destinations while revisiting one of my favorite cities in the world.

Let the summer of Slovenia begin!

Have you visited Slovenia or northern Croatia? Any suggestions or tips for me? Do you have a dream destination you have always longed to visit?

Croatia, Eastern/Central Europe, London, Slovenia

Jun

2016

A Love Letter to Eastern Europe

Melissa Kaplan0

Dear Eastern Europe, *

Hello, old friend. I know It’s been a while, but you’ve been on my mind quite a bit lately.

It started when I began thinking ahead to my summer vacation, and made the decision that this was the year I was finally going to fulfill my long-held dream of visiting Slovenia. I spent hours researching and was amazed at just how much there is to do in that tiny country alone. But why am I so surprised? You never fail to amaze, and you are full of so many wonderful secret destinations that I could spend a lifetime exploring you and never run out of things to see and experience.

You know you’ll always hold a special place in my heart for one particular reason: you were the first place I ever lived abroad. My year in Praha taught me so much; not just about the city but about how to survive, and perhaps even thrive, in a totally foreign environment so different from the one I was used to. It was immersion and sometimes a bit of a trial by fire, but we made it through together.

And every now and then, I realize how much I miss you.

I miss your beautiful cobbled streets and old towns that give a glimpse into what life was like centuries ago. I miss your pastel houses glowing in the spring sunlight. I miss the stunning architecture of Old Town Square in Praha and Rynek Glowny in Krakow. I miss the imposing red-domed Parliament building that dominates the Budapest skyline.

I miss your cafes. I miss being able to walk into Kavarna Slavia and use my handful of Czech words to order a horka cokolada, then spend the afternoon sipping it while reading my book and gazing at the Vltava River just outside the window. I miss going to Café Louvre with my students and whiling away hours talking about life, and travel, and anything that struck our fancy (all in the name of English language practice, of course).

I miss weekend road trips to Budapest, seeing the city in fall, winter, and finally spring. I miss Café Gerbaud and its gorgeous fin-de-siecle interior, and sitting inside our outside on the patio with my friends devouring chocolate cake and marveling at how lucky we were to be in this beautiful place together.

I miss living in a place so full of history, both good and bad. I miss walking across Wenceslas Square in the course of my daily commute and contemplating all the earth-shaking events of the twentieth century that had transpired over the cobblestones beneath my feet: the Nazi invasion during World War Two; the arrival of Soviet and Warsaw Pact tanks crushing the Prague Spring rebellion in 1968; and of course, the peaceful transformation of the Velvet Revolution in 1989, when your citizens finally rose up and seized a brighter future for themselves, showing the rest of the world that it can indeed be done.

I miss all these things; everything that makes up your unique essence. There is nowhere else in the world like you.

But never fear, Eastern Europe; we aren’t done yet. Our journey will continue. As I flip through my new guidebook I feel almost overwhelmed by how much of you I have yet to experience and all the places I still want to see. This summer it will be Slovenia and Croatia: Ljubljana, Lake Bled, Zagreb, the Plitvice waterfalls, and whatever else I can fit in. And I will return to see even more in future visits: Tallin’s Old Town, Riga’s art nouveau architecture, the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro, Lake Ohrid in Macedonia. And of course, I will finally make it to Russia (though that’s a subject for a different letter altogether).

I know I’ve been off exploring other corners of the planet lately—South Africa, Thailand, Argentina, Israel—and you may have felt a bit neglected by me in recent years. But rest assured, I have not forgotten you. You are under my skin, part of my spirit, and I have no doubt you will be a lifelong obsession for me.

Until we meet again—thank you.

XOXO,

Melissa

*I know that the Czech Republic/Hungary/Poland etc are more properly classified as Central Europe, but I’m using the generic “Eastern” title for this post to encompass the whole region.

Have you been to Eastern Europe? What are your favorite places there? Is there any region of the world that keeps calling you back?

Budapest, Croatia, Eastern/Central Europe, Praha, Slovenia, Travel Musings

Jan

2016

Oh, the Places I’ll Go! (In 2016)

Melissa Kaplan2

Happy Sunday! I’m sitting at my computer typing while watching the first real snowfall of the season fall softly outside my window. It’s a picture-postcard kind of afternoon (even if the snow is pretty minimal, which I don’t mind as I have plans later on today I’d like to be able to keep!) Anyway, it feels like a perfect setting for contemplation and looking ahead to what’s in store in the new year.

And for me, as always, that means travel—hopefully lots of it!

I’m still firming up my 2016 travel plans, but I’m excited to be able to share at least the broad strokes of what I hope to see and do this year. Here’s my travel plan/wishlist, so far….

The Places I’ll Go in 2016

The Big Trips

Guatemala: My first trip is one I’ve already shared on this blog: I’m going to Guatemala next month! It’ll be my first visit to the country, and I’ll be spending most of my time around the stunning-looking Late Atitlan, with a brief stopover to check out Antigua as well. I can’t wait!

Central Europe and the Balkans: I lived in Europe for two years, and every time I’m there, I realize how much I miss it and how much I need to go back for an extended period to see new places and revisit old ones. So this summer, I’m planning a European vacation. The main focus of my trip will be Slovenia, which I’ve wanted to visit for as long as I can recall, as well as a quick pop into next-door-neighbor Croatia to see Zagreb and the Plitvice waterfalls. I’m also planning to spend a few days in London to see my family there and get reacquainted with one of my favorite cities, where I was lucky enough to live for a year during graduate school. But of course, once you’re in Europe it’s incredibly tempting to tack more onto your visit, since everything is so close (relative to America anyway) and Easyjet can hop you around the continent for next to nothing. So I’m seriously considering extending my trip a few days and taking in another city in a new country: Riga? Estonia? Belgrade? Suggestions welcome!

Bali: This is the really big trip I’ve been dreaming about for ages and am determined to make happen this year. I have a milestone birthday coming up in December, which I firmly believe calls for an epic voyage. So I’m going to spend a week or so in Bali, chilling out on beaches, exploring green rice paddies, taking yoga classes, getting endless massages, and eating all the food. Sounds like a perfect transition into the next phase of my life!

The Smaller Adventures

New Orleans: Recently I was catching up with a friend who lives in another part of the country and we were tossing around ideas for a girlfriends’ getaway. My idea—New Orleans! I’ve wanted to visit for ages, it’s a fairly quick flight and can be done in a weekend (the highlights at least), and I’ve heard nothing but good things from everyone who’s been there about how magical the city is. Great food and jazz around every corner; how can we go wrong?

Portland, Oregon: Another city that’s been on my US list for quite a while. My best friend and I have a tradition of meeting up every year for a reunion weekend, either at my place in DC or hers in Connecticut. She really loves Portland and has spent loads of time there, so I suggested we shake things up and move our weekend plans out to the West Coast this fall. Not sure if it will happen this year or not, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

Going Home: While my home now is the DC area, I’ve made plans already to visit my parents in Florida several times this year, and also want to do a trip back to Connecticut to see old friends I haven’t caught up with in person in way too long. Time for an Amtrak road trip!

The Possibilities

This will hopefully be the year I finally fulfill one of my personal and professional goals: international work travel. I don’t know anything for sure yet, but there is a pretty good chance I’ll get to visit some fairly exotic destinations for my job this year—including potentially East Africa. If so, I’ll definitely make sure to tack on a few vacation days to be able to take in a part of the world I’ve never been to and have long wanted to experience. More to come on this as things develop, but I’m excited by the idea of exploring some completely new-to-me corners of the planet.

Been to any of these places? Suggestions to offer? What exciting places will you go in 2016?

Asia, Bali, Central America, Croatia, Guatemala, London, Slovenia, Travel Musings, US travel

Jan

2016

The (Inevitable) Bucket List

Melissa Kaplan1

Sometimes, when I get bored, I play a little game: I ask myself if I could only visit ten more countries ever in my life, which ones would I choose?

Gah! That is a way more difficult decision for me than it probably is for most people. While I’ve been fortunate enough to see a lot of amazing places around the world, I’m by no means finished, and narrowing down my aspirations to just ten countries is downright wrenching. But it does provide some good entertainment and food for thought, as well as help me shine a light on where my travel dreams, and priorities, really lie. I suppose you could call my chosen ten countries an abbreviated version of my bucket list.

In the travel world, the whole concept of the bucket list can be quite controversial. Some people swear by them; others decry them as an artificial construct that reduces travel to nothing but checking items off a list rather than seeking out surprising new places, being spontaneous, and having authentic experiences. Those criticisms are fair enough; that said, I’m a bucket list girl, myself. I can’t help it. I have always been kind of an obsessive orderer of my universe, and I love to have a plan. For me, planning a voyage is half as much fun as going on one!

So yes, I have a bucket list of sorts (which may or may not be written down in my Iphone notes section just so I don’t ever forget the places I want to see). But believe me, it’s a lot longer than ten countries. So, playing along for a few minutes—if I did have to limit myself to this number, which places would make the cut?

Melissa’s (Inevitable and Abbreviated) Bucket List—In Reverse Order, Because That’s More Exciting…

10) East Africa

This is probably a bit of an odd choice for me, because I’m one of those weird travelers who has absolutely no desire to go on a safari. I mean, if the opportunity arose I wouldn’t turn it down, but I’ve never particularly wanted to get into a jeep and stalk wild animals on a dusty road in the middle of nowhere. Not my scene.

However, since I visited South Africa last year, I’ve developed a much deeper interest in Africa and I really want to go back and explore more of the continent—different countries, a different region altogether. I’d be interested in Kenya or Ethiopia, but if I had to pick just one country as per the game, I’d go with Tanzania, since the photos I’ve seen of Zanzibar island look too magical to be real. Someday!

9) Brazil—But not at Carnevale, thanks. Loud partying crowds stress me out and I’m not 21 anymore. But I’m all for discovering the legendary beaches, waterfalls, and fruit juices. And no major time zone change! Hurray!

8) Costa Rica—This one has been on my list for a while. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about it, most of them revolving around nature, animals, jungle and ziplining, all of which sound interesting. But I must admit it’s the beaches that draw me most. And the relative proximity; it’s one of the few places on my list that aren’t halfway across the globe. So I’m saving it for when I want a relatively easy and painless but still amazing and exotic trip.

7) India—Mysterious, complex, loud, overwhelming, frustrating, fascinating, and exotic. So exotic. India doesn’t top my personal bucket list, but it’s solidly in the middle. I want to go when I have at least a few weeks to really explore and do it justice—Rajastan, Jaipur, Mumbai, Goa. A nice long, luxurious train ride through some epic scenery. And of course, the Taj Mahal, and lots and lots of (Indian) food and yoga.

6) New Zealand—I owe my newfound desire to explore New Zealand from top to bottom solely to one person: Young Adventuress. Seriously, until I stumbled on her blog a few months ago, I had zero interest in going to New Zealand (so far away, and how different could it be from Australia anyway?) Well, I am now ashamed of my former profound ignorance about New Zealand, and am rapidly devouring YA’s website posts about Kiwi life, most of which feature so-staggering-they-look-fake snowcapped mountain ranges and big blue pools in the middle of nowhere. I’m a convert. I’m going!

5) Australia—Great Barrier Reef. Enough said. (Except for the Whitsunday Islands. Got to check those out too).

4) Vietnam—Vietnam is another country that’s only recently popped onto my radar and seems determined to stay in the upper tier of my bucket list till I actually make my visit happen (which if all goes as planned, will hopefully be next year). I’ve heard about the charming cities, the affordable luxury, the kind-hearted people and the incredible food. But what really pulls me in and won’t let go is Ha Long Bay. Those giant rocks rising out of the sea, amid a screen of fog that casts everything in the light of mystery and undiscovered beauty. If I see nothing else in Vietnam (and don’t worry, I will), I will absolutely experience that magical spot.

3) Slovenia—Ah, Slovenia. How has this trip not happened yet? I’ve come so close so many times! I’ve traveled through Italy and Croatia, your next-door neighbors. I almost pulled the trigger and booked a weekend trip to Ljubljana while I was living in London, but decided on Krakow at the last minute (not that I regret this, as Krakow is wonderful). But somehow, I’ve still never made it to this beautiful jewel of a land in Central Europe where lakes and mountains and waterfalls and beaches and wine abound, where the photographs are so beautiful they almost hurt my eyes, where there are apparently so many shades of blue in the water that you could spend your entire time there sitting back and counting them all. I’ve decided, as with Vietnam, that next year is the year for Slovenia. No more excuses. This is happening. I’m coming, Slovenia!

2) Bali—A lush, beautiful, mysterious island loaded with gorgeous beaches, magical foliage, and spas. So many spas. I am a craven lover of luxury, so you better believe that if there’s a spa involved, I’m in. That being said, the natural beauty and culture of Bali have already tugged at my heart, and while I’d like to explore even more of Indonesia, Bali is at the top of the list. I don’t care if it’s a cliché by now…if I haven’t been there, it’s new to me. This is one trip that’s got a solid timeframe on it: my next milestone birthday, I’m there. (Not on my actual birthday because that’s too close to a major holiday. But right afterward!)

`1) Russia/China/Mongolia and the Trans-Siberian Express

I know, I know, that’s cheating because it’s technically three countries, but so what? Is there any adventure more legendary, epic, or enticing than hopping on the Trans-Siberian Express and crossing nearly half the world’s land surface on a six-day train ride? I can’t think of one. Russia has been calling to me for years—it’s my “I’m so embarrassed I haven’t been there yet” country—but as much as I want to see Moscow and St. Petersburg, why stop there? Why not just take a train journey across the whole country, stopping off in little villages from European Russia to Siberia and popping into Lake Baikal for a dip? I can’t even write about it any more without making myself hopelessly travel-lusty, so I’ll stop there. For me, the Trans-Siberian Express will always be the ultimate bucket list item—so much so that I’ll be almost sorry to complete it. But not quite.

What’s on your bucket list, if you have one? Share all the where’s and why’s, please!

Asia, Eastern/Central Europe, Slovenia, South America, Travel Musings

Oct

2015