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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, day one: a birthday at the end of the world
I will never forget my first day in New Zealand. It was my birthday, and it was exactly how I’d imagined it – far from home, at the end of the world. Those first days are always stuck in the memory best – they set the tone for the whole trip. And knowing I had 18 days of adventure ahead only cranked up the excitement. Karekare Falls – 30 metres of watery adrenaline The first stop was Karekare Falls in the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park. A short, half-kilometre walk leads to a 30-metre waterfall surrounded by palms and lush, exotic vegetation. Mercer Bay Loop – a walk with views and…
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Lebanon – off the beaten path
Lebanon is a country that not only delights with its history and culture, but also with its rich nature. Picturesquely located religious buildings, spectacular waterfalls, huge caves, and the ruins of ancient metropolises are just a small sample of what you can discover while traveling around this amazing country. So far, I’ve written about Lebanon from a geopolitical perspective, I’ve tried to show the realities of life and the problems it encounters. Leaving aside the uncertain political situation, Lebanon is one of the most beautiful countries I’ve ever seen. Less than 30 kilometers from Beirut, in the town of Harissa, there’s one of the most important Christian sanctuaries in Lebanon…
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Costa Rica attractions, naturally! Part II
From my trip to Costa Rica, I will definitely remember one thing – the amazing lush vegetation of tropical rainforests. Místico Arenal Hanging Bridges is definitely a must-see. The park has 6 suspension bridges and 10 traditional bridges that allow you to see the rainforest from a completely different, higher perspective. The most spectacular view is from the longest bridge, which is almost 100 m long and over 25 m high. The way there is an attraction itself, because the bridge is not a stable structure and wobbles with each step you take. In addition, it gets quite slippery when it rains. Looking down isn’t recommended, especially for people with…
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Israel – 7 amazing places to visit!
Israel is mostly associated with holy places, leisure sunbathing like Eilat or music scene like Tel Aviv. However, in this small country there’re more than 40 national parks. What’s more interesting, due to the different location, they are very diverse. They include: green oases, the emerald coast, a unique crater, ruins of ancient cities or even the coral reef. Rosh Hanikra Grottoes, Israel or Lebanon? White, limestone cliffs, caves and crystal clear water of the Mediterranean sea this is how Rosh Hanikra Grottoes look like. However, at the top of the white rocks you can see a high fence with a barbed wire, on the other side is Lebanon. Actually,…
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St. Beatus caves – a short visit to elves’ wonderland
St. Beatus caves which are located close to the town Interlaken, at the picturesque Thun lake, is an exceptional place. Here one can move to the magic world of the Rivendell – the elves’ residence, created by J.R.R. Tolkien. The similarity isn’t coincidental because this place was the inspiration for the author of the Lord of the Rings, who visited it during his voyage through Switzerland in 1911. What’s more, the visualization of The Last Homely House, presented in Peter’s Jackson movie was made by John Howe – Canadian book illustrator, who lives in Switzerland. The name of the caves is connected with St. Beatus – English missionary…
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Road to Hana – road for the road’s sake, part II
Road to Hana ends in a town of the same name. But it’s not the end of attractions of the east Maui island. Around 12 km farther, at the 45 mile maker, there’s an amazing waterfall called Wailua, which rises 80 feet above the ground. Although it doesn’t seem to be easy to reach you only have to cross the street to see it! Heading farther to the south, on the way 330, it’s worth to stop off at Haleakala National Park. Entrance is located at Kipahulu Visitor Center and admission fee costs 10$ per car (I recommend to keep this ticket because it’s valid in the whole park area…
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Road to Hana – road for the road’s sake, part I
Why am I writing about the road? You can think that it’s nothing special. But there’s one road, in the east part of Hawaiian island – Maui, which is not only a road but also a destination itself. It is called Hana Higway but in fact its name is a bit misleading because it has nothing to do with a highway. Travelling all this 100 km route can take even 1 or 2 days! Is sounds weird, especially for the USA road conditions. But this highway is not a simple road. It’s typical switchback with 600 turns and around 60 bridges. The most part of this road is too narrow…
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Waimea – the Great Canion of Pacific
My love for the mountains has started since the moment I made the first step. Every holiday I used to spend with my father traversing mountain trails. These vacations were so much so that monothematic that in fact I went to the seaside at the age of 14. To some extent these experiences have formed my stubborn character. They also helped me to distance myself from some bad experiences which are sometimes beyond control. Mountains hide incredible mystery, beauty combined with nature unsteadiness, admiration co-occurring with thrill and what’s the most important: climbing effort rewarded by amazing views. It’s no wonder that before my trip to Hawaii, I knew that…
