30 Tuesday Aug 2011
Tags
bovec, croatia, eastern europe, hydrospeeding, mountains, rainbow, slovenia
With the dramatic, emerald mountains, the Soca River with it’s crystal blue water, and of course, all the outdoor activities (including the hydrospeeding, where I had a splash with death…), Bovec has to be one of the most beautiful places I’ve been thus far.
This photo was taken straight from our apartment with a beautiful view of the mountains and a rainbow!
18 Thursday Aug 2011
I took this photo in an amazing little shop, located in the square of San Sebastian, a silver mining town, way up in the mountains in Mexico. As you wind up the mountain side and eventually make it to San Sebastian, it doesn’t even feel like the Mexico you just experienced two hours ago. It’s chilly, cloudy, and rainy, unlike the sweltering sun and blazing temperatures down below.
06 Wednesday Jul 2011
Posted in Travel, Volunteering
Tags
canyoning, croatia, eastern europe, hydrospeeding, International student volunteers, mountains, rapelling, slovenia, travel, travel tips, traveling, volunteering
The Hydrospeeds
My wetsuit was on, my helmet and life jacket were adjusted, and I had finally found a pair of flippers that fit. I was as ready as I was ever going to be for hydrospeeding the Soca River in Bovec, Slovenia.
After given a short intro about what the hell to do with our hydrospeeds, which were essentially a piece of hollow plastic fashioned in a way that protects your arms and torso with a pair of handles at the front to hold onto, I was ready to jump in the river and get going. Listening to Mateo’s Czech accent was entertaining (and sexy), but honestly, I was getting anxious. Instructions lasted all of 5 minutes, and all of a sudden we were in the freezing water.
The first thing I remember was violent waves. And more of those waves. In my face. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t see. All of a sudden – BAM – my hydrospeed was parallel to a rock wall. All I was thinking in my head is what Mateo said – “Never let go of the hydrospeed, whatever you do!”
Don’t. Let. Go. So I don’t.
The current pushed me around the rock wall, and I’m finally in the open river. I’m ecstatic – until I see water parting over a massive rock.
WHY. CAN’T. I. STEER.
I can’t steer. Why am I going straight towards this rock?! I’m doing what they said to do… Allowing at least 20 meters to steer either left or right around the rock. I’m turning left, but where am I going?! STRAIGHT TOWARDS IT.
I’m being pulled like a magnet. I can’t even control where I’m going, but I don’t give up. I’m twisting and turning my body, trying avoid the rock.
BANG. BOOM. Oh. My. God. My knees. Both of them.
What in the hell is going on? And why can’t I steer my hydrospeed? As I start to feel like I’m gaining control, it’s only a figment of my imagination because I’ve simply been pushed to the side of the river, which is more calm than the middle. So naturally, what happens next? I lose a flipper.
I’m inches away from the river bank, and I’m just ready to be done. Everyone else is meters ahead of me, having no problems at all, and I’m beaten, with bruised knees and a racing heart.
Mateo, who was spotting us via kayak, came up behind me, snatched my sinking flipper, shoved it back into my hand, and began to lecture me as best as he could with his patchy English. All I heard was that I should know how to direct my hydrospeed, and in my head I’m rolling my eyes, because honestly, I was probably the only person out of the eight of us that was listening. Yeah. I know. Turn my body to the left 20 meters before a rock and vice versa.
What am I doing wrong?
There’s a half a mile more of failure to be able to control where I’m steering, water in my face, and running directly into massive rocks. I lacked control, no matter how hard I tried.
Finally, we take a break at a small island, consisting of nothing but gravel. I’m exhausted while everyone else is smiling and talking about how exhilarating this experience is. I’m sorry – what? This is far from exhilarating – all I’m doing is fighting for my life.
The other leader and Mateo are talking about what a terrible hydrospeeder I am, while I’m telling them the last thing I want to do is finish this course, until the other guy picks up my hydrospeed, realizing it’s completely full of water. No wonder I couldn’t steer – it was supposed to be hollow. It took him five minutes to empty the water, and once he did, we started off into the river again.
And I had the time of my life.
We survived!
My knees, the day after hydrospeeding
29 Wednesday Jun 2011
Posted in Eastern Europe, Travel
Tags
croatia, eastern europe, mountains, slovenia, travel, volunteering
The first time I traveled internationally was through International Student Volunteers. I spent a glorious four weeks in Croatia and Slovenia. Before I left the States, I held a fundraiser, and many times all I heard was “Where is that?!” (across from Italy, duh). Most people know about Eastern Europe for it’s unrest during the 90s, but today it is reemerging as a vibrant and welcoming group of countries, and travelers are just now adding Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, and Romania to their list of places to travel.
Eastern Europe holds a special place in my heart – mostly because it was my first trip alone and out of the United States, but also because I feel that I genuinely got to know the country, the land, and the people without the fog that sometimes surrounds a place from too many tourists.
Here’s a list of my favorite things I did when in Croatia and Slovenia!
Volunteering at Suncokret in Gvozd, Croatia
By no means was it an easy task attempting to translate all English words into Croatian and vice versa, but it was made easier by our bilingual Suncokret volunteers and managers. Some kids were more outspoken and outgoing than others, but we still managed to create relationships with them during the two weeks we were there. My favorite memories include tye-dying (none of them had ever done it before, and had only “seen it in the movies”) and the water balloon fight.
Korcula Island
A View of Korcula from the beach
Many travelers will advise you to visit Dubrovnik, and although it is drenched in history and beautiful buildings, I was more impressed by the quaint island of Korcula. Apparently this island is birthplace to Marco Polo, and there are many stories you will hear, along with a billion souvenirs laden with his name. The island is surrounded by warm, welcoming water, plenty of bikes to rent for the day to explore the island (SO much fun, although there are some tough hills), and many lively bars and restaurants to choose from. My favorite memory was staying up all night to watch the sunrise from our boat.
Sladoled
Oh. My. God. Sladoled. Probably the best invention ever made. And when you’re in Croatia, you have every flavor under the sun. Perfect for a hot day…YUM!
And did I even mention the pizza?
In Croatia, there is no limit to the toppings you can get. Getting plain cheese isn’t necessarily looked down upon; HOWEVER, there are so many amazing things to throw on that baby! Everything from shredded carrot, artichokes, broccoli, corn, etc, etc. And don’t even wrinkle up your nose at the thought of all those things together. It is AMAZING. And from someone hailing from Chicago, that’s saying a lot.
Plitvice Lakes National Park
This national park is filled with pristine blue water, Croatia’s tallest waterfall, and plenty of fish and puz (snails). A Tip about Plitvice: During high season, it’s common for there to be a flock of tourists – we had everything planned in advance and couldn’t back out when it was pouring all day. This was definitely a blessing in disguise, because we practically had the entire park to ourselves. Throw on the rain jacket, bring an umbrella, and you’re good to go! Booyah!
Bovec, Slovenia
Near the Soca River, Bovec is a beautiful town, laden with adventure sport enthusiasts, restaurants, and a few shops and cafes. This is where we went hydrospeeding on the Soca River (which was a terrifying experience for me) and also caving in the moutainside. We went out to the Skripi Bar, which was a 20 minute or so walk from our apartment. What I liked most about Bovec was it’s ability to cater to all types of people – whatever you wanted to do from paragliding, dancing, drinking, caving, hydrospeeding, golfing, hiking, and more. It’s a very versatile town with a ton to offer every kind of person!
Going a little off the beaten path is definitely worth it when you’re here, and sometimes avoiding the most touristy places can lead you to some of the most amazing experiences, towns, and people you never even thought you’d encounter. So, which of these places look most appealing to you?
