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Mount Cook, Clay Cliffs – behind a closed gate
That day I was excited like a kid before a school trip. I had a few short walks planned in Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park. The weather in the morning was perfect: sunshine, clear sky, and me—naively convinced it would stay that way. My first stop was the Clay Cliffs, a place that’s completely unassuming and very cleverly hidden away from the main road. To get there, you have to turn off State Highway 8 onto a gravel track that absolutely does not look like an access road to a tourist attraction. Just after the turn, you reach a gate that feels very much like the boundary of private…
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Arthur’s Pass National Park: The Most Beautiful Route in New Zealand?
Arthur’s Pass National Park – or more precisely, the Great Alpine Highway that runs through it, is often considered the most beautiful road in New Zealand. It’s the oldest national park on the South Island (and the third oldest in the entire country), lying across a key mountain pass that links the eastern and western coast. Yet, driving along the Great Alpine Highway is far from an ordinary experience. The road through Arthur’s Pass is a true feat of engineering. Viaducts, bridges, rock shelters and diverted waterfalls, all designed to make it possible to cross from one side of the island to the other. The pass itself rises more than…
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New Zealand, the road to Milford Sound
The road to Milford Sound is not some boring “getting-there” exercise – it is the attraction. I’ll admit it was the only place I decided to visit in full lazy mode, on an organised tour. At first, I toyed with the idea of driving myself – after all, I had a rental car. In the end, common sense won. I knew it was one of the last days of my fairly intensive trip, and the route from Queenstown to Milford Sound and back is nearly 300 kilometres each way, which in New Zealand terms means roughly eight hours behind the wheel. And honestly? Best decision ever. I love driving, but…
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Milford Sound, New Zealand – the sound that turned out to be a fjord
Milford Sound is a pretty peculiar place. It can get so wet here that the direction of the rain seems to defy the laws of gravity – the water quite literally flies upwards. And as if that wasn’t enough, the area is patrolled by a gang of parrots specialising in… breaking into cars. It sounds like a disaster zone, yet it’s the most popular attraction in New Zealand. The name, however, does its best to mislead visitors. Milford Sound isn’t really a “sound” at all, but a fjord – and one of the most spectacular in the world. How is that possible? Let’s go back to geography class for a…
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Morocco – clay fortresses, the Eye of Sauron, roses and mountain crossings
If you think Morocco is just Marrakesh, camels, and mint tea, well… you’re probably right. But once you stray a bit from the main routes and, instead of a travel agency brochure, pick up a map with hand-marked “odd” spots, you’ll encounter things that will completely change your perception of this country. Amridil Kasbah – a Fortress from a Banknote and a Film Set Amridil Kasbah is located on the road from the Dades Gorge to Ouarzazate. It’s another place on the map of Morocco where time stands still. A kasbah is a protected palace, citadel, or fortification, usually made of clay bricks. Kasbahs were built along trade routes, providing…
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Fujairah and Sharjah – United Arab Emirates
Fujairah is another emirate I visited during my stay in the UAE. I travelled there straight from Al Ain, located in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. My first stop was Al Hayl Fort. The journey covered about 150 km and initially seemed to be monotonous. However, the last stretch of the trip turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The road to the fort meandered through the picturesque Wadi Al Hayl valley. As the terrain became increasingly mountainous, the amount of asphalt on the road decreased. The area felt completely isolated from civilization. Eventually, I arrived at the fort, which, unfortunately, was securely locked. Disappointed, I started taking pictures when…
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Balcony Walk – A Hike on the Edge
Balcony Walk is one of the most spectacular hiking trails in Oman. It’s a popular route in the Al-Hajar Mountains, leading along the deepest canyon in the Middle East. The canyon is said to be over 2,000 meters deep and is often referred to as the Grand Canyon of the Middle East. Moreover, the Balcony Walk is located on Jabal Shams, the highest mountain in Oman, standing at over 3,000 meters. Another, more challenging trail called W4 leads to its summit, although the peak itself is inaccessible due to a military base. Jabal Shams translates to “Mountain of the Sun” and is known as the place in Oman where you…
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Ras Al-Khaimah – United Arab Emirates alternatively
Ras Al Khaimah is one of the seven emirates that make up the UAE. While often overlooked by tourists, in my opinion, it’s one of the most fascinating regions in the UAE. Above all, it’s incredibly diverse. Within a relatively small area, you can find mountains, valleys (wadi), desert landscapes, and the turquoise waters of the Persian Gulf. One of the most spectacular spots is the road leading to the summit of Jebel Jais, located in the Al Hajar Mountains, which rises to 1,925 meters above sea level. Although the peak itself belongs to Oman, the road on the UAE side reaches an altitude of 1,910 meters, just 15 meters…
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Southern Albania – a ship in a field and a thousand windows
I start my exploration of southern Albania in quite an unusual way – with a ship docked far from the sea, right in the middle of fields. This extraordinary sight resembles the Titanic in the Atlantic and is an evidence of the boundless Albanian imagination. Berat – “The City of Thousand Windows” In Berat, I stop for a moment to explore the castle ruins. Although little remains of the castle itself, its walls and the surrounding landscape create an incredible atmosphere. However, this is not the end of the attractions in this town. Berat is called “The City of a Thousand Windows,” and the name seems to fit it perfectly.…
