On the tour, we made our way to Durmitor National Park. Durmitor National Park is the epitome of a getaway.
It has the Black Lake and Europe's deepest gorge. In the summer, there is hiking, biking, fishing, swimming, canoeing and kayaking, and more. There are cabins and the fresh mountain air is cool. The lush trees are skinny and tall and everything smells sweet. Local vendors collect herbs and flowers for tea, wild berries, and honey for purchase. Durmitor also holds Europe's largest ski resort.
Have I sold you on visiting yet?
Read MoreI've been traveling around the Balkans since mid-July. I've seen plenty of Croatia, which is the most popular tourist country here in the Balkans. Or at least I observed that from my personal perspective. However, the surrounding countries around Croatia are absolutely stunning.
I came to Croatia thinking I'd spend most of my time here. I thought it was a dream come true. However, I have discovered that of all the Balkan countries I've visited which is not all and I will return to complete this mission is that Croatia is actually my least favorite.
GASP
How could this be so?
I still love Croatia but hear me out.
Let me tell you about Montenegro.
Read MoreDubrovnik is known as The Pearl of the Adriatic Sea. Its beauty entrances each viewer, like a siren at sea, making one never want to leave its city walls. Majestic buildings of white proudly stand tall, encompassing the beautiful village. The blue sea calmly rests next to the fortress walls. Grand arches and dignified architecture decorate the buildings as vast and long walkways lead to open courtyards. Multiple alleyways, perpendicular to the main walkways and courtyards, secretly lead away and uphill amongst knobby steps while green ivy drapes overhead like Mother Earth's hair itself. The alleyways are shaded and quiet where residents live. Tourists relax at outdoor cafes and restaurants, gelato shops, and beautiful fountains with steps. The sea and its pebble beach, sprinkled with small boats, also attract tourists.
Read MoreStop what you're doing right now and quickly Google in this order:
1. Where is Croatia?
2. What are the Balkans?
Ta-Da! You have learned something new today. And you know what? Now I think you should start considering traveling here. Because it is uhhhhhhhhmazing here!
Oh and you know what else is awesome? Croatians invented the necktie. Pay your respects Don Drapers of the world. You wouldn't be half as swag-a-licious without this Croatian tradition.
Read MoreOnce again I am combining 2 weeks worth of iPhone photos. These last two weeks have been incredible but I have been traveling like crazy. On the road. Touring. Partying. Booking hostels. Missing WiFi and work but busy as a bee and I've been so happy. I feel like I'm becoming the person I've always wanted to be. (Now how to maintain this lifestyle....)
Read MoreThere’s this concept that those who travel have hit an identity crisis or have lost a loved one, maybe even themselves, and have to travel to heal and to find their true soul. This is not true. So, like Tolkein says, just because you’re a wandering soul does not mean you are a lost one.
With that being said, I often get asked why I travel.
They say, “Why do you travel? To find yourself? To become a better person?”
And if you’re curious why I travel then I’m afraid you will not get a direct answer.
I don’t travel to find myself.
Read MoreAt midnight, fireworks began to explode across the water. My back and face suddenly grew hot as the night illuminated from dark blue to bright orange. Every bonfire around us was being, towering tall above us. In another direction, from a nearby beach, paper lanterns were floating towards us. The sky was filled with fire.
I'm not gonna lie. The rest of the night was a bit of a blur. When you're sitting on a beach and have no clue where you are, in an abyss of litter, bonfires, smoke, and drunk people, time becomes warped.
Read MoreThis trip consisted of a large group: Mariah, Paige, Morgan, Ben, Hugo, and me. We all traveled together a lot and Greece was one of our longer trips because us girls had a few extra days off from school.
Things don't always go as planned while traveling.....
Like that one time that we walked what felt like miles in the heat to see a museum that Ben told us about only to find out that it was closing when we arrived. We really let Ben hear our frustrations. Poor Ben.
Or the time that we sat in front of Zeus's temple for a break and we all got a tan but Ben turned into a lobster. I also lost my watch there and although I loved that watch it was like a fateful gift to Zeus so at least it went to something cool.
Read MoreThe place where our family congregated—where we grew up learning about snakes, coyotes, and horses, fixing fences, shooting guns, playing in the woods, and staking an identity from childhood to adulthood as we learned the importance of family comes first; this place where heartbreak and mending happened, a place of growth and later in life a place of quiet respite where steak was grilled, cigars were smoked, porch sitting was sat, and the birds and frogs were heard; this place where cows and goats found our front yard, where all the neighborhood dogs assembled, where old trails, creeks, interesting mushrooms, and deer were spotted on our long hikes on our land; this place where our mother sat outside with us after exploring the woods to tell us which birds were singing in the trees, the place where our father saddled up horses so we could ride or drove his car down country roads as we ran so he could make sure we were safe; this place where loved pets died but were also born and the place where I sat on the sidewalk on summer nights watching the Texas stars shine bright; this place where our roots became intertwined with the landscape that reflected our hearts and identities because this place was our comfort, our stories, and our home.....
Read MoreImagine being in a place where you can’t understand written words or language, you don’t know the layout of the city, and you are all alone. Sounds enough to give anyone anxiety right?
I think I painted that picture a little dramatically, but still, that’s basically what I’m experiencing.
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