Travels

Anyone who has ever been interested in Japanese culture and more specifically in the samurai code, will have ever heard the "Legend of the loyal 47 ronin". Lately it is becoming very popular especially thanks to the remake of "47 Ronin" 2013 starring Keanu Reeves.

Came the day! Tomorrow we leave for our next adventure! It is none other than an Interrail for the Balkans! We had a terrible desire to know this area of ​​Europe, hit by wars and conflicts in recent years, but we are sure it hides some of the most precious treasures of the old continent!

Kandy is undoubtedly the Buddhist heart of Sri Lanka, you will quickly realize it. Through the streets of this city, located at the beginning of the highlands, hundreds of pilgrims dressed in white roam with a single objective ... visit the temple of the Buddha's tooth. THE TEMPLE OF THE BUDDHA TOOTH Legend has it that when Buddha died (well, he didn't die… he came to Nirvana, didn't he?

From a distance, seen from Lake Pukaki, Mount Cook rises imposingly on the horizon above its little brothers in the New Zealand Alps. Not surprisingly, Mount Cook, or Aoraki in Maori, is the highest peak in all of New Zealand, with over 3,700 meters. We did not want to miss the chance to get closer to him and see if from his feet he really imposed so much, so that was our next destination.

She is one of the three important destinations within the Highlands of Sri Lanka. We already knew Haputale, which we loved, so it was time to meet the other ... meet her. Nuwara Eliya, the third in discord, will remain for the future. | Ella She is a small town about 1,000 meters high surrounded by tea plantations and mountains.

After our first weeks studying and having fun with our compis at the English school in Auckland, the time of truth arrived, the moment we were waiting for, the point that will change our travel style ... ride the van! It was several days that we were watching ads online, contacting owners and testing some vans (a separate chapter could be the first time driving the streets of Auckland!

Some time ago, during our great trip through Asia, we met a couple in Mandalay. Their names: Marta and Gerard. Months later, they told us about their experience on an almost lost island off the coast of Cambodia, Koh Rong. We talked so well about her that, as soon as we had the opportunity, we went to meet her.

Although in some places it is presented as an alternative to Interstate 1 to get to Cape Reinga, on the northernmost tip of New Zealand, you have to be very crazy to get all the way along the beach! However, driving along the Ninety Miles Beach for a little while does no harm to anyone ... It is a beach that lies ... in its name at least ... it is not ninety miles, in any case it is ninety kilometers!

Whangarei, or "Fangarei" as pronounced, was our first mobile accommodation. There we stayed a few nights starting the route to the north and also returning from it. It was where we met the culture of the “i-site” and where we began to make life within the van. The i-sites are like tourist offices.

It was the first point we pointed out on the map of New Zealand as soon as I bought the van. The most northern point of the island, the end of the country, the most sacred place for the Maori culture ... Cape Reinga (or Cape Reinga). Although strictly not the northernmost point of New Zealand, it is in practice.

Rotorua, or better known as the city that smells like eggs, was our next destination. We were already well warned of its particular smell, but it never ceased to amaze us when in the vicinity of the city a cooked egg turtle made us close all the windows of the car in an automatic reaction.

The Mediterranean is our favorite sea. Well because it is the sea that saw us grow or because it is the most familiar to us, it is a fact: we love the Mediterranean and its cities. But what are the most beautiful cities in the Mediterranean? Here is our list: Of course, after spending 6 years in the city we cannot not include it in this list.

What a surprise we get! We headed towards the “allowed to spend the night” symbol of our mobile application without knowing where we were going. But wow, when we get to the gorges of Karangahake we stay stunned! If New Zealand has these surprises. The car park is in front of a furious river that runs through an open canyon in an impressive gorge.

After the visit to the egg city of Rotorua, we were more eager to continue smelling this tufillo from the heart of the earth (or the intestine ...). Actually, if we went to Rotorua it was for one reason only: to visit the Wai-O-Tapu geothermal park. So we say goodbye to our hosts (and their sheep, chickens, horses, cats ...) and set course for one of the hot spots of our trip in New Zealand!

We had very bad days, rains, winds, cold ... and our stay in Coromandel was coming to an end. We looked at the weather forecasts and it seemed that it was not improving ... And very smart of us, we had left for the last minute (as always) the essential visit of the entire Coromandel peninsula: the Cathedral Cove.

Then we return to the road and this time it is to take a tour of the largest lake in New Zealand, Lake Taupo, in the middle of the north island. On the way we turn a few kilometers to see the Huka Falls, waterfalls quite famous for these places. Although in the first attempt we got confused about the road and went to a park to catch prawns!

Three weeks in Auckland, three weeks in which we do not deign to climb Mt. Eden, the best place (free) to enjoy magnificent views of the city. It had to be on a sporadic visit, 4 months after arriving in Auckland, which we did with the excuse of getting the visa for the stopover we will do in Australia (if you want more info click here) but we actually did because we missed the Kebabs of the “Kebabs on Queen” of 5 dollars.

We already know. The title is not very successful. What does it mean which one is the best? According to what criteria is chosen? Is there a market study behind? Jolin how are you becoming demanding eh! Let's say the most correct title would be “The ancient cities of Sri Lanka: which one is the best according to Rober and Lety, considering quality of the visit, personal tastes and democratic election of the chosen one?

One of the essential procedures to be able to work in New Zealand is to have the IRD number, something like a tax or social security identification number. They will request it in all the works to register you and it will be the database of your quotes, to then claim the refund of fees.

The city of Tauranga is male, why? You just have to see the tail that comes out ... The truth is that the best thing about him / her is that tail, a land line with sea on both sides that ends on a hill of more than 200 meters: Mount Maunganui. The truth is that it was one of the places where we felt more comfortable and worthwhile.