Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda Sep 2017
The long awaited visit to Rwanda to see the Mountain Gorillas has finally arrived. In order to secure the limited permits and rooms at the desired lodges, I had to book everything in the beginning of the year for my visit in mid-September. When I booked, the permits cost US$750 each for an hour long … Continue reading Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda Sep 2017
Iceland South Coast Part 2 July 2017
The first day of our two-day drive along the south coast of Iceland took us to Vatnajökull National Park. This national park occupies about 14% of Iceland and we visited the Skaftafell area. Skaftafell used to be a manor farm as well as a national park. The farms were mostly abandoned after two volcanic eruptions … Continue reading Iceland South Coast Part 2 July 2017
Iceland South Coast Part 1 July 2017
Driving in Iceland is relatively stress free and there is only one main ring road going around the island with little traffic. There are clear signs to all the main sights along the road. We rented a 4×4 (actually a normal car would suffice during the summer months especially if you are not planning to … Continue reading Iceland South Coast Part 1 July 2017
Golden Circle Iceland July 2017
The Golden Circle is a popular day trip for visitors and includes Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss Waterfall, and the Haukadalur Geothermal area with the Strokkur Geyser. This circuit can be easily done on your own but I chose to join a tour out of Reykjavik which also included a stop at the Secret Lagoon. First … Continue reading Golden Circle Iceland July 2017
Into Thrihnukagigur Volcano July 2017
Thrihnukagigur, literally translates to Three Peaks Crater, is a dormant volcano about 30km southeast of Reykjavik. The last eruption was in the 2nd century BC about 4,000 years ago. Ever wondered what the inside of a volcano looks like? This is the only volcano in the world where you can descend 120 meters into the … Continue reading Into Thrihnukagigur Volcano July 2017
Reykjavik & Blue Lagoon July 2017
From Helsinki, we carried on to Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland and the world’s northernmost capital. It is believed to be the first human settlement in Iceland in 874 and was officially founded in 1786. Today it has a population of about 120,000 making this young city both cosmopolitan but at the same time a … Continue reading Reykjavik & Blue Lagoon July 2017
Tallinn Old Town July 2017
After an easy 2 hour ferry ride south from Helsinki, we arrived in Tallinn, the capital and largest city of Estonia. Tallinn was founded in 1248 but the earliest human settlements date back 5,000 years making it one of the oldest cities in Northern Europe. Tallinn, with its prime location on the Baltic, was swept … Continue reading Tallinn Old Town July 2017
