Reset search
Bliss Ventures
Bliss Ventures

Bliss Ventures

I am Bliss, descended from wolves, a 4000 year lineage of Siberian Huskies. I’m travelling the World in our self converted campervan Ivy with my Mum & Dad (Vikki & Darren). I love to be in nature seeking adventure. The spirit of my ancestors with me. Read more🇬🇧Isle of Wight
FollowMessageStatistics
  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler

    Our most epic day (Part one)

    June 16, 2024 in France ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Chapter one: Humbled by nature
    We were up at the crack of dawn and on our way up the mountain road. We parked Ivy when we arrived and got together all the things we needed for a hike up the mountain. We were going to see the biggest waterfall in France ( one of the biggest in Europe) and because it is quite a tourist attraction and a Sunday we came early to experience it without too many people around us.
    As with our dawn hike to Mont St Michel it was to pay off as we were completely alone for the first few hours due to our head start.
    We started off through the first area where civilisation still reigned, there were shops cafes, hotels and restaurants, all still closed of course at this hour of the day. Then we met some lovely donkeys which were used for children to get a ride up to the waterfall. We passed a field of very pretty sheep and horses and then we were on a path that followed a fast flowing river with ice blue waters, water that had come all the way down from the glaciers feeding the waterfalls. We could already see the waterfalls in the distance but they were still several km’s away. But already it was impressive beyond belief. Like something your imagination might conjure up whist reading a Tolkien book.
    Unfortunately we were not going to be able to get all the way up to the waterfalls and the snow still laying in its shadow because dogs aren’t allowed past the hotel that is located perhaps some 80% of the way there. I presume that is because of the wildlife that lives there, marmots for sure inhabit the place, but we didn’t see them and neither did Bliss.
    The walk up starts fairly easy, but the last hour of walking is very steep so I’m so glad we came early before it got hot. Bliss was able to cool off in the river quite a few times on the journey so she was happy.
    The closer we got the more spectacular it became as it revealed more and more smaller waterfalls all across the impenetrable mountain wall, and dozens of smaller ones on the way up the trail. But the one big one was simply immense even though it was still so far away from us. I was mesmerised by the way the water fell in a slow motion effect brought about by its sheer enormity.
    The arduous climb seemed to go on and on and the track deteriorated as we got higher. I couldn’t believe that there was an actual hotel up here and kept saying to Darren are you sure that there’s really a hotel? How on earth do they get stuff up here? Then a small four wheel drive jeep with oversized chunky wheels came bouncing around up the rocky pathway… so that explained that mystery.    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler

    Oh my Lourde(s) Why did we come here?!

    June 15, 2024 in France ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    We decided against our best instincts to go to Lourdes to see the sanctuary. We arrived in a city that was chaotically busy, people and traffic everywhere. Trying to find our way through the madness to find somewhere to park was a nightmare but after going through the busy high street full of people on foot in the middle of the road who seemed oblivious of the fact that a van was right behind them we eventually found a place behind a shabby hotel where we could leave Ivy. It seemed safer than the pay to park areas ( which were extortionately priced anyway) so we locked her up, put her alarms on and walked towards the sanctuary. As we neared the river way there was the overpowering noise of hundreds of motorcycles revving their engines and beeping their horns as they rode through the town. On and on it went as they kept coming, the noise and the smell of burning fuel and rubber in the air. There must have been some kind of motorcycle event going on. Bliss didn’t seem to be bothered by it ( we were though) so we carried on through the town towards the sanctuary. There were lots of nuns and monks walking around the town, and the shops were full of Virgin Mary ornaments Christ on the cross and bottles for holy water and all kinds of other souvenirs. Honestly… “What a load of old tat!”
    We pushed on through the crowds to get to the sanctuary and finally arrived at some large open gates into a garden area. As we tried to walk through the gates we were called back by a security man who said we could not take a dog in so that was that! Enough was enough.
    We walked back to Ivy as fast as we could and got the hell out of there! How could somewhere that was supposed to be heavenly be so much like hell?!!
    The lack of photos on this post is the result of us really not enjoying the experience.
    We know we don’t like cities and busy peopley places so we should have known better. Lesson learnt...again!… yet again.🙄
    We drove the rest of the afternoon through some pretty epic mountain roads to get to a basic car park behind a hotel that would be home for tonight. We need to get up nice and early in the morning for the adventure we had planned for tomorrow. To make sure the experience was a nice quiet one without hordes of people a dawn start is the plan.    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler

    Lizards and bunting

    June 14, 2024 in France ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    We were woken by a coach load of elderly hikers all excitedly getting ready for their adventures, some were carrying big rucksacks. They made us feel very lazy and unfit but inspired that we could improve our health and actually be stronger as we get older too if we make the effort to exercise more. Maybe we’ll start tomorrow though 😂
    After one last wander around the pretty little picnic area and a couple of coffees we set off.
    The border crossing was preceded by not one, but three fuel stations one after another, reminding us that cheap fuel was a Spanish luxury we’d have to forego for now.
    After a short while we were in France, hoping to find a Boulangerie and patisserie, nobody makes bread and cakes like the French. We drove through beautiful French villages in lush green countryside within the foothills of mountains, with forests that gave some relief from the heat of the day. The buildings all retained their enforced colour schemes across borders. There are lots of cyclists on all the roads right now that are probably in training for the Tour de France which is very soon. The level of fitness that they have to attain is staggering because these mountains are brutal, it’s surprising just how many extraordinarily fit people there are.
    We finally reach a remote mountain village where we plan to stay, parking just in front of a large pergola that has a book exchange inside, as well as a toilet, albeit a crouch style one. Suffice to say we didn’t choose to use it as Ivy is equipped with a far more luxurious throne.
    I think the village knew in advance of Bliss’s arrival as they’d got out the bunting. Bliss was happy to have a nice cool tiled floor to lie on inside the pergola and access to a river that was supplied by ice cold mountain water with that glacial blue tint to it. Unfortunately there was a lot of flies here which were irritating but in this heat they are everywhere, especially when there’s any kind of livestock. We could see from our home for the night sheep, horses and llama. On the walls of the pergola there were many small lizards who scurried away at high speed if you went anywhere near them, but there was one little guy that was very brave and actually seemed a little intrigued by us. It kept coming back and looking at us and even stayed long enough to get a photo of him. He became our pet lizard ( I named him Eddie) whilst we were there as he really seemed to quite like us and was very very cute🦎    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler
    1

    Making our way back into France

    June 13, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    We planned to cross the border today back into France so are expecting a long interesting drive to get there. Not disappointed, the drive was again, as we’re learning to expect absolutely exhilarating. It’s becoming more difficult to imagine not being surrounded by huge mountains so we have to remind ourselves to make the most of each spectacular view as this is not forever, we do have to leave in a few weeks.
    There was a notable change in the villages and farms passed along the way, whereby all of them were painted in exactly the same whitewashed walls with burgundy doors and shutters theme. Obviously there must be some strict planning codes in this region ensuring the areas traditions remain. It looks great as a visitor, it really does stand out, but tbh I’m really unsure how I feel about the state controlling people’s freedom of expression to such a degree.
    We made it almost to the border of Spain into France, just 10km to go. When we randomly came across a picnic aire that looked really nice, so decided to take a look. It was perfect for a night and after a long day driving we decided to stay. There were lovely big picnic benches and tables made of huge pieces of stone beneath some tall trees. I found a tiny birds nest on the ground beneath the trees, it was fascinating to look at how intricate the building of it was. Lots of different layers of different materials were all woven skilfully together, dry grasses, moss, lichen, feathers and animal hair all created a perfectly comfortable nest for her eggs. I get so much pleasure from seeing things like this. 😍
    Bliss was in need of a stretch and some fresh air so we went for a walk that took us up a very steep hill within a field. Much steeper than we had anticipated. Bliss skipped and hopped up it while Darren and I huffed and puffed our way up behind her. Stopping regularly to catch our breath. We got to the top eventually and were rewarded for our efforts by a magnificent view and a herd of wild horses, some with foals. From our vantage point we could see the Atlantic ocean and the Bay of Biscay in the far west, the foothills of the Pyrenees rising gradually to our position atop this juvenile little mountain, and behind to the East more ever increasing layers of higher still mountains fading into the far distance.
    Going back down the hill was quite treacherous because it was so steep but we made it down without injury. We came upon the scattered bones of what I believe must have been a horse. Bliss wanting to take home one of its ribs as her trophy 🏆
    We were alone in the picnic area as we went to sleep enjoying the sounds of the nighttime forest.    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler
    For some reason Darren thinks this photo is hilarious??So clear, and a lot bigger than it looks in the photosYou can see left the road down

    Wot no crocs? 🫢

    June 12, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Woke up refreshed and excited to go to another place that was reportedly a must see hidden gem. Bliss was chilling outside the side door as is the norm in the morning after her breakfast, when a stray dog came to say hello. She was very happy to see him and tried to engage him in a play session but he stuck his nose in the air and strolled off uninterested, much to her disappointment.

    We drove quite a short distance to the “secret oasis” we were going to see. When we arrived Darren asked me to get him his bathing stuff together while he waited with Bliss, so I gathered together what we needed and we headed off.
    A short 10 minute walk took us up a narrow path meandering beside a fast flowing stream of crystal clear ice blue water. The path was lined by swathes of honeysuckle and wild mint. The unexpected aromatherapy was so calming… lovely.
    We reached a clearing that opened up to a large pool of crystal clear water, which was our destination. A spring emanating from an underground cave at the bottom of a limestone cliff. It must have been emerging from the ground at quite a rate to enable such a fast flowing stream that we’d followed up here.
    Bliss wasted no time in leaping into the cool waters, as is her usual reaction to water. Darren was quite keen to get in for a swim and freshen up too, especially in such an idyllic location. So he started to get ready… but when he searched his rucksack for the crocs he needed to wear because the floor of the pool was covered with sharp rocks they weren’t there. He turned to me and said “Where’s my crocs? I’m sure when I asked you to pack them you said you had?”. “Well,” I replied all stroppy and indignant like. “I don’t remember you saying that! I’m sure you didn’t mention anything about crocs. I’m not your mum”. 😂 I really had no recollection whatsoever of that conversation!! And I wasn’t going to be gaslighted into believing I had!
    So Darren didn’t get his dip in the ice water, and tbh I was probably as disappointed as he was, as I was quite keen to see him screaming like a girl as he took the plunge because it really was very cold water. 😜

    We still enjoyed the beauty and scent of the place though and decided it wasn’t worth falling out over, even though we both believed with 100% conviction that we were right.

    When we got back to Ivy we continued on our way, after a while of Darren being busy on his phone he looked up and announced “Ah!!! I knew it!” 🧐
    He’d been investigating the onboard camera footage and had video evidence that he had specifically asked for his crocs and I had even answered him “crocs? yes” I’ll get them”

    So I definitely think dementia has started to set in and I had to apologise for my earlier strop. 😱. Something I just hate having to do because it induces high levels of smugness from Darren that’ll last for hours while he teases me about it. 🫣

    We continued driving and after a few hours we came to a place that had a sign suggesting a natural wonder to visit, so intrigued to find out what it was we went to investigate. Driving through some big gates and over a cattle grill we discovered horses with foals roaming around a vast open area. It reminded us a lot of the New Forest national park at home. We continued on along the very potholey dirt track through some woods at a snails pace until we reached a car park. Time for a bit of a hike because Bliss and indeed us need more exercise than we’ve been managing to date.
    Following a route through the forest we walked up and up and up on our quest to see the ‘natural wonder’ that we were now so invested in reaching. Still no idea what it would be. At the point of almost giving up as we were pooped we came upon an immense rocky escarpment with a look out point. The views from it were vast and the cliff was so high (I couldn’t tell you how high) but it was a sheer drop and so long, it just went on for miles. We hadn’t a clue that the new foresty area we’d been in for hours was actually atop an enormous plateau. Here we saw a huge eagle, the biggest one we’ve seen so far. We’ve seen quite a lot since being here because we’ve spent so much of our time hanging around the mountains, which is of course where they like to be.

    On returning to Ivy we had to decide where to stay tonight, here doesn’t feel right somehow. So we decided to move a bit down the road. This second place was ok but then we discovered there was no phone signal. So after studying the route for the morning drive it appears that we have no option but to go down the only road taking us to the bottom of the escarpment, with many switchbacks to navigate. Rather than endure the worry and not sleep well tonight thinking about it I decided I would rather get it out of the way tonight and find somewhere in the lowlands below. It seemed the best option so we did it, it was predictably scary and I didn’t like it, but we survived the switchbacks and we slept safe and calm in a not so picturesque parking lot on the edge of a small village. 😴    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler
    These poles are for marking the road in heavy snow

    Birthday Boxing Day!

    June 11, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Yes it’s a real thing! Birthday Boxing Day is a tradition that I started perhaps some 30 years ago and that I believe in wholeheartedly, as well as Birthday Eve and if I’m lucky even a birthday eve…eve. 😁 Every girl should make the most of every birthday like I do! So coffee is served in bed and my wishes are Darren’s commands. 😉. If asked he might refer to it as Cows week?… but it all means the same thing really 😂

    Beautiful views this morning from my bedroom and when I finally got up to sit outside at the picnic bench with my second coffee I felt that I was being watched. As I looked around I spied up on the hill above two loose dogs staring down at me. A little dog and a larger German shepherd type of dog just standing above looking down on me 👀. Then… knowing full well I was watching on, they started getting jiggey with each other🫣 so I politely looked away and we got ready to leave. 😂

    We spent a good few hours driving today through more hills, mountains and gorges until we found a secluded spot at the bottom of a particularly large gorge. It had the vibe of an old western movie set in monument valley. We discovered a nice path that ran along the river to go for a walk and then back through an old village. It was a very interesting setting and like most places we’ve visited quite deserted. We had quiet peaceful night here drifting off to sleep to the sound of the river waters tumbling over a rocky weir .    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler

    Happy birthday to me!

    June 10, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    It’s my birthday and I just can’t believe I am here, having this amazing adventure!
    I received lots of lovely messages from friends and family. I miss you all. ❤️
    We spent most of the day just driving through endless stunning scenery. There’s so much beauty it’s hard to describe, and I’m mindful not to allow my senses to become so accustomed to it that I stop appreciating it’s awe, so I give myself a virtual prod now and again to remind myself to soak it up.
    A good while was spent trying to find a shop that would supply the birthday essentials...steak and wine! 😂 Not as easy as you might imagine here.
    We eventually found one and stocked up our empty fridge with goodies. We then went to a nice quiet place with yet another incredible view to relax for the night with a fridge bursting with food and drinks. Strangely though I wasn’t even hungry at all, so after all the effort of hunter gathering Darren got away with it... 😂 he didn’t even have to cook! I did however accept the offer of a back rub! I’m not a total idiot! 😜    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler

    Teddy bears picnic.

    June 9, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Time to get back out there. Feeling rested and ready to go we head off. Straight away it’s an onslaught of amazing scenery. We drove for about an hour surrounded by dramatic gorges before the road started to climb up, the further up we went the thicker the foggy mist became. We were driving through the clouds! A bit nerve wracking to say the least but eventually we descended, the mist evaporated and we found ourselves in beautiful lush green countryside. We thought it was time we went for a bit of a walk so we parked up and started walking down a steep path into some woods towards a notable waterfall here. But then I remembered that we had been told that there were brown bears in the area! I got a bit freaked out ( much to Darren’s amusement) and decided that I didn’t want to walk in the woods after all. So we went back to Ivy with me feeling like a right big baby being scared of bears 🐻 well they eat people don’t they? Have you seen the Twix advert? I don’t want to be anyone’s picnic if today was the day they decided to have one 😂
    We found a place to park for the night and had a nice safe walk in the village, no bears, just some territorial local dogs.    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler

    Day of laziness.

    June 9, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌫 12 °C

    The weather although not stormy isn’t very good. Rain predicted for today so we decided not to move. With the mountains shrouded in cloud and mist there’d be little to see, and whilst I hate the feeling of driving next to sheer cliffs I do at least prefer to see where they are!
    We were feeling like we needed a little bit of rest before we get back on the road so the rain gave us the excuse we needed to stay put.
    After a short walk into the nearby town we spent the day being very lazy so not much to report for today. 😴    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler

    Severe thunderstorms predicted.

    June 8, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌫 15 °C

    With severe thunderstorms predicted for today and tomorrow indicating “Danger to life”! we decided that it would be best to find a nice safe aire to sit it out. Driving around mountains is probably not the best place to be in a thunderstorm. We found one on Park4night that looked nice and safe and headed there. On the way the drive was very interesting, still in beautiful mountains but not quite so remote as before. About 10km from our destination we found ourselves driving through the most stunning gorge, high cliffs perhaps 400ft high either side of the road that followed the river. It’s so hard to describe how dramatic the huge sheer cliffs were that we drove through the centre of. If you’ve ever been through cheddar gorge in the uk just times that by 100 and then double it. It was immense and went on and on. We arrived at the park up and settled down for a rest, feeling quite exhausted from all the excitement of the last few days and secretly hoping for a spectacular thunderstorm from our safe vantage point… that disappointingly never happened in the end. A few distant rumbles and that was it.Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler
    Sadly the 🍒 cherries aren't ready

    Remote expanses of wilderness

    June 7, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Today has been another strenuous day for Ivy but she refuses to let us down.🤞 We have driven for hours up and down small mountain roads and hardly seen any other signs of life. No villages, cars or people for miles and miles. Just rough and rugged passage through beautiful mountain terrain stretching from horizon to opposite horizon. It’s quite intimidating to be alone in such a huge expanse of wilderness. We could see snow on some of the peaks even though it was so hot where we were. We are being careful now that Ivy’s brakes aren’t getting too hot on the sometimes long steep descents, we check regularly and stop to allow them to cool off before we continue. Sometimes we’ll see a sign for a “Mirador” which must be the term for viewpoint in Spanish, so we’ll often stop to see. More often than not there’ll be some kind of arty installation which seems at odds with the otherwise untouched nature of a place. I found it reassuring to see at least some indication of human existence after such extended periods of seemingly apocalyptic isolation.
    We are heading to a place that has been reported to be peaceful and safe with cherry trees in abundance, we hoped to pick a few but alas when we arrive they aren’t ripe yet. It is as promised a lovely peaceful place to spend the night and Bliss is happy as she has a stream to paddle in a her own little patch of grass to snooze on next to Ivy.    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler
    They do love to add a bit of fright to an otherwise heavenly place21A trip down the main high street

    Hot wheels!

    June 5, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    I awoke early and sat outside in the morning sun drinking my first coffee of the day whilst listening to the chirps of the birds and the local cockerel announcing his presence to the hens. Fatima ( the Portuguese host) appeared and presented me with an absolutely massive freshly baked loaf of bread, still hot from the oven and smelling perfectly divine. 🍞
    We could only stay one night at Fatima’s welcoming little camping aire, as she only took cash and we didn’t have enough euros with us for another night. The nearest ATM was over 20 miles away. All this… wine, bread, swimming pool, showers, unlimited electric and water, plus other facilities we didn’t even use, all that for 17 euros ( about £14) I cringe to think what that would cost us in the UK?
    I think we were ready to leave though tbh as the flies were already a real nuisance, and it was set to get even hotter today. As a Siberian, Bliss doesn’t like the heat much and where possible we like her to be able to cool herself off in water when she needs to, which she can’t do here. So after saying a sad goodbye to her gorgeous boyfriend Igor we set off.

    The place we were heading for, high up in the mountains had a stream, sheltered picnic tables and hopefully would be cooler with no flies, fingers crossed.
    It was a lovely drive, most of the way was through small tree lined roads with lots of shade and a few small villages which we always find fascinating due to their ancient appearance, and also worrisome that we’ll become wedged between buildings as the narrow streets are so ridiculously tight at times.
    Then we started the ascent, the road became very rough, the vibrations making out teeth chatter. The climb was very long and steep so poor Ivy was getting quite a workout, and my vertigo was kicking in every time I looked down at the enormous views all around us. This is serious exposure therapy for my fear of heights!!
    We climbed up and up through beautiful scenery towards the mountain pass with flowering Heather and Gorse covering the slopes. The vivid splashes of vibrant yellow and purple adding to the beauty. The sweet smell of the tiny flowers carried to us on the breeze was strong and heady in the heat of the day. We stopped at the peak to allow Ivy to cool down a bit and take in the view before descending on down to our planned wild stop for the night.
    The road started to descend, we were not all that far from our stop but because of the state of the road I had to keep it slow so Ivy wasn’t shaken to bits by all the potholes. It was very steep so I couldn’t rely solely on the gears to keep us slow enough to protect Ivy from damage. I was having to brake more than I was happy with to maintain a safe speed. We started to smell a hot burning rubber smell so pulled over to have a look at Ivy’s wheels. They were red hot! A result no doubt of all the braking and vibrations. Darren threw a cup of water over them and a cloud of steam came off them. We really can’t afford the risk of letting them get this hot again! We waited a good while for her to cool down and then proceeded to our park up which wasn’t very far.
    I was so happy to be there, my nerves again shattered from what was quite extreme driving.
    We got out and Bliss jumped straight into the lovely cool water of the stream that was running down from the mountain. I love mountains... but damn they can be scary!! Just imagine what it must be like up here in winter? I really don’t ever want to find out 😜
    There were nice slate covered picnic benches with pagodas over them set beside the stream, protruding slate rocks, heather and all sorts of wild flowers. I recognised a favourite of mine Thrift.
    I was feeling quite anxious about the descent from here in the morning after how hot Ivy’s wheels got in such a short distance, but Darren did his best to reassure me that we would be fine. We’ll just keep monitoring her wheels on the way back down and stop if we need to, to allow her to cool off. Sounds like a plan, but I am still anxious about the brakes failing. Can’t help it!!
    It was very late by the time we went to sleep so I slept like a log.    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler
    IgorYes, I do own a dress! 😜Igor and Bliss play. Alan taking quite a shine to Bliss too.Thier eyes met across an empty campgroundThere were at least 4 puppies but only got this photo

    A highly recommended Aire

    June 4, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    We decided to return to civilisation and pay for an aire for a change, seeing as so far we’ve only stayed at one place that we had to pay for before, it didn’t feel too frivolous. The aire is listed on the Park4night app and has across the board amazing reviews. Not only is it very great value but the owners are apparently sweet lovely people. We arrived tired after a long hot day of driving through countryside that was typically very beautiful. Through several villages that we weren’t sure we’d even fit through but we did...just. At one point in the middle of nowhere we had to stop as a dog was laying in the middle of the road nursing her young pups. She looked surprised to see a vehicle, it’s so remote here. Anyone who knows me will know that I wanted to get out and play with them and maybe even take them home, but of course I didn’t.
    Anyway... we arrived at the aire and were immediately greeted by Fatima, the Portuguese lady who owned the place. She didn’t speak any English so luckily there was one van staying owned by an English man called Alan and his Dutch husband who came over with their gorgeous white shepherd dog and helped explain everything.
    There were toilets, showers and a Pool, which looked very inviting to us at this moment as it was so hot. Bliss immediately made friends with the white shepherd and after a little play settled down in the shade under the outdoor washing up area. Fatima offered us a free drink of anything we wanted so of course we chose a red wine. It was unlike any red wine I’ve ever had, it tasted more like a very sweet cherry liqueur, lovely, and it immediately went straight to my head as I hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday. We wasted no time and took turns going in the pool as one of us had to bliss-sit to make sure she didn’t get in too! After my swim I enjoyed an extra long warm shower, which was amazing but oh boy do I miss my bath!
    We went back to the van,it was so hot outside and hadn’t parked very well so we moved to a shadier spot which made all the difference, only downside to this place was the millions of flies that were so annoying and so persistent. We spent the rest of the evening trying to stay cool whilst relaxing outside and watching Bliss with her new boyfriend “Igor” playing together sweetly. She misses her 4pawed friends at home too, and Igor is a particularly gentle sweet natured doggie who was clearly head over paw pads with Bliss.    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler

    Olive groves as far as the eye can see

    June 3, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    We said a sad goodbye to our little patch of Heaven knowing that this is going to be a hard one to match, let alone beat and we’ll probably never see this Eden ever again.
    We needed to find Darren a vape shop as he was out of coils (little consumable things that make the vape work) so we head off early. With the help of Google maps we find one about 30 minutes away.
    On the route we drove through fields and fields of olive trees, some trees you could tell were very very old, likely hundreds of years. We arrived at the town where the vape shop was located, the whole town was built into the side of a mini mountain, on huge terraces. So it was a steep and winding road up to the busy shopping centre perched near the top. Mission accomplished we left as quickly as possible as far too peopley for us! We much prefer the quiet countryside, surrounded by nature.
    We continued on to the place we’d chosen for tonight hoping that it would be all that we hoped for, but knowing it was unlikely to be as nice as our last place. We had been driving for a few hours and were more than ready to stop when we turned off the tarmac road onto a bumpy dirt track. We continued on until we came to a steep gravel slope, where there was a lone horse shading itself under a tree, completely free to roam as it pleased and not fenced in at all. Unsure of the condition of the track ahead, that on the map showed it going down to a large reservoir and dam Darren got out taking his CB radio with him to check if it was safe enough to drive down. Memories of the sliding incident making us more cautious now, so we are at least learning from our mistakes . He radioed me to say it was okay so I followed down with Ivy. At the bottom we could see that the other side of the reservoir looked better, so we crossed on the dam wall and parked under the trees on the far bank. We went for a short walk around the waters and Bliss had a paddle but it was far too hot so we retreated to the shade of Ivy parked under some large pine trees. In the clear waters of the reservoir we watched a variety of fish swimming in the reeds and weeds. Unfortunately there were a lot of flies which made it a lot less pleasant as they seem to taunt you and are almost impossible to catch and dispose of. But it was super quiet and after finally getting all the flies out of the van we slept very well.    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler
    1

    🎵Another day for you and me in Paradise

    June 2, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    After the most peaceful night I slept in while Darren got up and busied himself making coffee and putting the extra solar panels out to top up our batteries. After my second coffee I thought I ought to get out of bed and enjoy this lovely morning. Lucky I did as another farmer arrived to collect water from the river. Had a brief chat with him via google translate as he didn’t speak English and we certainly don’t know any Portuguese. He looked at our UK sign on the van and thought we were Ukrainian. (Slava Ukraini!!🇺🇦) He was a nice jolly man which was a pleasant change from the grumpy people we had come across in Spain.
    I decided that rather than waste the water I’d used to wash up I’d give Ivy a bit of a wash, she had so many bug splats all over her front end. I did three sides of her and gave up as it was getting too hot. 🥵
    Darren decided he was going for a swim, regardless of the snake we’d seen only yesterday. He assured me it would be fine and because I was so hot I can’t believe it now but I just had to get in to cool off. It was the very first time in my life that I had ever been swimming in a river, let alone one that had snakes in it but it was so refreshing.
    I spent the rest of the day lounging in the hammock just soaking up the peace. There was no phone signal so the temptation to pick up the phone wasn’t even a thing. Bliss loved this place so much, the freedom to get in and out of the river whenever she liked and sleep in the shade of the trees most of the day was just perfect for her. We felt pretty safe here so it was decided a bottle of bubbles would be appropriate...🥂 🍾 and it was. 😁
    Whilst sat watching the river in the evening we again saw two snakes crossing the river,smaller than yesterday’s monster, but right where we had been swimming earlier in the day! 😳
    Just as it started to get dark a van with a young couple turned up and parked just in front of us, so Bliss had to come in and we all went to bed.
    Another peaceful night sleep was had. It’s going to be so hard to leave this place in the morning.    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler
    On a pedestal where she belongs
    There's Crocs in them there waters tooI've never seen Darren so relaxed, he just never does 😊

    Paradise Found 🕊️

    June 1, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We woke up late feeling tired, seasick and groggy after a disturbed night sleep but ready to get out of the constant gusting winds. Just as we were packing up to leave about 30 beautiful Spanish horses being ridden by what were clearly very experienced riders suddenly arrived out of nowhere in the car park and stopped right outside Ivy for a rest. A lot of the horses were quite frisky because of the strong winds that were spooking them but it made them look all the more majestic and stunning as they were high stepping and prancing around each other, it was a real treat to see such an unexpected scene.

    New Flag for Ivy. Portugal 🇵🇹

    We left the windy mountain and headed off towards Portugal, excited to be going to a new country for the first time. We crossed the border into Portugal, no fanfare or border controls, just a couple of signs. Immediately we crossed the road changed from smooth tarmac to bumpy roads with potholes so progress slowed. The terrain and buildings were different too. Houses in Portugal are huge compared with the uk it seemed, well at least what we’ve seen so far. We passed through some pretty villages and eventually arrived at the place I had found on Park4night which had promised to be in the words of the last person who stayed here “the best park up ever”

    We were not disappointed, it is a little paradise. A small river, hidden from the nearby quiet road, lined by trees for shade and safe to allow Bliss complete freedom off lead to get in the slow flowing river whenever she wanted, Bliss most definitely approved of this place, she kept doing little happy dances and doing zoomies all around the trees and into the water, smiling from ear to ear.
    The place is absolutely idyllic and goes down as my (and I think Bliss’s) favourite park up so far. The best thing... strangely...no mosquitoes!
    Darren went for a swim in the river and tried his best to get me in but I declined saying I might go in tomorrow.
    There were small fish and frogs, even crayfish which we might have fully expected. But this Garden of Eden came with the full package including a 3ft snake seen swimming across the river 30m further down from where we were. That definitely put me off swimming in it! And not 5 minutes later a huge wasp that was about 1.5 inches long was hanging around the van. I think it might have been an Asian hornet 🐝 but not sure, never seen anything like it!!
    Darren did look up snakes in Portugal and assured me that they were not likely to be venomous and even if they were they are unlikely to bite as they’d sooner avoid us. The one we saw was almost certainly a Viperine water snake and harmless. Well... I hope he’s right about that! Kinda sounds like a Marvel Superhero (Viperine) so I’m not entirely sure if he’s having me on, you never can tell with Darren. 🙄
    Darren set up a hammock between the trees which made lounging next to the river with the sound of the cool breeze rustling the leaves in the trees, the water, birds and frogs just the most relaxing thing ever. I could just stay here... my version of heaven looks a lot like this.
    Late in the afternoon a chap arrived on a small tractor, we thought he might be coming to say “you can’t park there mate!” but he was just a local farmer come to collect water from the river. We smiled and waved at him and he waved back nicely… so we stayed.
    The best nights sleep was had after the most perfectly tranquil day.
    We decide one night is not going to be enough!😁    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler

    Walled city and windy stary night

    May 31, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Darren is keen to find a mountain top for tonight where he can stargaze unhindered by clouds and light pollution so we find a likely spot that’s in the direction of Portugal. On the way we schedule a stop at an ancient fortified walled city (Ciudad Rodrigo). We figured that we’d be able to stay in the shade mostly whilst we do the tourist thing. It was a very interesting place to walk around and kill a couple of hours with the usual shops, cafes, restaurants, hotels and most prominently a cathedral that you could pay to visit if that’s your thing. But seeing as both paying and religion are really not our thing, we declined. We soon learn from various posters and photographs around the place that the main square is sometimes (even in this day and age) used as a stadium for the disgusting practice of bull fighting. This leaves us feeling a little sickened and puts us off staying any longer. It was getting a bit too peopley for us, and the folks here all seem a bit grumpy if I’m honest, not a smile to be seen anywhere even when you offer them your most friendliest, bestest cheesiest smileys first all you get is stoney faced crabbiness in return.
    So we left for the quiet sanctuary of Ivy after picking up a few supplies at the local store.
    We continued on our way up to the mountains, in the foothills there were large fields with many trees evenly spread across them that we surmised were planted that way to provide shade for the abundance of livestock in the area, lots of cattle and horses. We had made sure as much as we could that the roads were good on the way up there. It was steep with switchbacks but nice wide tarmac so not too scary.
    We arrived at our destination to find a large gravel plateau surrounded by huge boulders that formed the edge of the car park. It felt like a safe place to stay the night so we got out to explore the area, the view was breathtaking and vast. You could see so far across the valleys below because it was such a clear day. Surprisingly even up here on the mountain it was 29º and there was a strong warm breeze. It was very warm inside Ivy as we didn’t dare open the windows or the skylight too wide for fear that the wind might damage them or take them completely off as it was seriously increasing in intensity. Bliss took refuge underneath Ivy as it was like a cool wind tunnel for her. She definitely had the most comfortable place to be in the heat. There wasn’t much of a sunset but once it got dark the sky was ablaze with so many bright stars. The wind gusts continued to batter Ivy through the night so we didn’t get much sleep. The van was rocking all night long (but not in a good way!) 😉🤣    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler

    Hot, hot, hot!!

    May 30, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    We’re heading in the direction of Portugal. We have never been there so why not? It’ll be another country flag for Ivy. The roads once we get back down the mountain are long and straight mostly so we made good progress. It’s too hot to be outside anyway, especially walking anywhere with Bliss so driving during the day with short stops along the way is for the best. Luckily Ivy has lovely cool air con and it’s just so good to be able to escape the heat.
    We came to a huge lake with a bridge for us to cross over. Darren noticed that there were hundreds of big fish in it so we parked up and went back to have a look. Bliss took the opportunity to cool off in the lake for a while before we continued on our way. The drive is always interesting, the landscape changed regularly from huge flat agricultural fields to meadows full of flowers, huge boulders that were stacked strangely on top of each other leading us to wonder how they were created. We passed a hotel in the middle of nowhere that really reminded us of The Bates Motel! 😳...we decided not to stop!
    Another free aire for the night, one other campervan there. It’s still pretty hot so Bliss immediately took her place underneath Ivy for a nap, while we sheltered inside. The flies are a bloody nuisance and though we have fly screens on all the windows and skylight we don’t for the side door and the back doors so we vowed to get some. I think you really need them both to be open when it’s this hot to create a through breeze.
    It stays hot until the sun goes down at 21:45 so we aren’t able to explore the village with Bliss.
    Highlight of our day… The sunset which was absolutely stunning, there were a few clouds that really caught the sun’s golden glow as it went down.    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler

    Easing back into the Mountains

    May 29, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    We love the mountains so we decide that although we are still nervous because of recent events we will carefully plan another mountain trip. We choose a free aire which is in the direction we want to go and make sure (with a bit of research) that the roads leading to it are of a decent size and tarmac not gravel. It’s a lovely drive, nice and easy and although it is mountainous it’s not terrifying. We arrived late afternoon to a basic park up that had a great view. Below us was a municipal swimming pool which looked very inviting as it was so hot but we can’t take Bliss.
    Bliss has a new favourite place to stay cool, underneath the van. Ivy is quite high off the ground so she has plenty of room underneath in the shade.    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler

    Dull and boring by design 🥱

    May 28, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    We went for a lovely SAFE walk around the quaint little village in the morning. There’s so many ancient buildings and interesting things like lookout towers and lots of sheltered seating areas all around the village. It’s like they really care about making it a pleasant place to live here.
    Bliss made friends with a sweet natured local horse that was penned inside someone’s back garden. The poor thing was being plagued by flies. It was starting to get hot so we headed back to the sanctuary of Ivy and continued on our way. It was going to be a scorcher so we decided we would just try to get as far towards Portugal as we could and settle in an aire along the way. The aire we found was nothing to write home about so I went bother. It was purely somewhere to get our heads down. No drama today!    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler

    Braking Bad

    May 27, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Chapter one: Ivy gets her new handbrake (eventually!)
    Monday finally arrives and we head off early to the Iveco garage with our fingers crossed that it wasn’t going to cost an arm and a leg and they would get it done quickly so we can get going. Darren went in while I waited in the van with Bliss and quickly came back saying the receptionist was abrupt and quite rude. Well in my experience that seems to be a requirement for receptionists as most that I’ve met have been the same. Full of their own self importance! We are told to go away and come back after they have had their siesta at 4pm and have ordered and received delivery of the new handbrake cables. We took a drive to the nearest village to pick up a few supplies from the local shop and wait the five hours before going back to the garage. It was a scorching 30º day so it wasn’t a pleasant wait. When we went back to the garage we hoped that we would be on our way pretty soon but unfortunately the wrong part had been ordered and we had to wait for the correct part to be delivered before they could fix Ivy. The mechanics were all rude and obnoxious to be frank. I’ve never experienced such bad attitudes from a business in all my life. It really was like they were doing us a favour extremely reluctantly and we’d done something that seriously pissed them all off! Anyway finally at 7pm Ivy was all fixed, our bank balance was £250 lighter and we were able to go on our way. We were charged for 3 hours labour when we knew it only actually took an hour as we were sat inside the van while the work was done but at least we have a working handbrake and we can get on with our adventuring.

    Chapter Two: A drama a day
    We headed for our place to stay for the night which wasn’t too far away. We arrived at a lovely well maintained old village that had a free aire on the outskirts. We immediately went for a walk with Bliss as we’d all been cooped up in a hot van all day so we really needed some fresh air and exercise. There was a lovely country path that led us through a wide open grassy area with trees all along it, there was a few cows with their young on the grass so we quietly passed so as not to disturb them. We made it to the edge of a large lake and Bliss wasted no time in getting in to cool off. She leapt around like a young puppy, I guess she was relieved to feel the cool water on her belly after such a long hot day. We turned around to get back to Ivy feeling tired and ready for bed. Halfway back we came across the cows that we seen earlier but now they were all moving along the path slowly with their babies in the same direction as us so we hung back to give them space. Then one of the cows stopped right in front of us with her calf so we stopped too. She stood and stared back at us for what seemed like an eternity daring us to come closer, not moving apart from the occasional stamping of her feet. “Oh dear, what are we going to do” she’s not moving away and she’s protecting her calf. All we want to do is go back to Ivy and go to bed. Then as we continue to stand quietly and wait for her to move on we suddenly notice that coming to her to the left is the most ginormous muscle bound ginger bull with knackers the size of basketballs!! 🏀 Oh shit!! Not another bloody drama! So... we back away as quietly as we could and when we’re far enough away that we think we can make it to the fence we leg it, climb the fence and manage to circumnavigate the herd. Back at the van we vow, no more risk taking for a little while.    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler

    ⚠️ A warning unheeded!

    May 25–26, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Chapter 1: Calm before the storm.
    We started the day with a walk around the picturesque meadow we’d stayed. Last night Bliss was looking around like she could see or smell something near us. She was extremely alert to something that’s for sure. We ourselves did hear a few strange sounds from some kind of animal, but had no idea what. It sounded a lot like the sound a large cat would make, but although there are wild cats and Iberian lynx in Spain they are extremely rare so we thought it doubtful. During the walk we discovered some droppings, and mounds and troughs of freshly dug earth near the oak trees. So we guessed that the noises we had heard were probably wild boar. Glad we didn’t come across them on our walk as they are known to be quite aggressive. Darren has a favourite “During the War” story of a late night encounter with a group of wild boar from his army days.
    We were going to stay for another day but the flies were becoming very annoying, so we decided to leave.
    Wanting to go back in a north west direction to avoid the increased heat south of the mountains, and the city of Madrid, we found what looked like the only route that was going that way.
    We had a look at google maps to check the road and there was only one bit of the road that looked a little sketchy, but we thought “ it’ll be okay” we’ve done lots of roads like that before! It can be a little nerve wracking but always doable in our experience so far. So we head off in that direction glad to be getting away from the flies.

    Chapter 2: An EXTREME error of judgment!
    All seemed fine to start with, we saw other people for the first time in ages, mainly folk on motorcycles but also a few small cars. Then we come to the brow of a hill with a sign saying 15 degree incline, we hesitated for a moment, did a swift mental geometry calculation of what 15 degrees looks like (you’d think not too steep right) and decided to go for it!
    So we started our descent down the hill knowing it was a case of “There’s no turning back now!“
    The first stretch was okay-ish, then I saw the first switch back and just thought “oh bother”. OK... a few expletives may have escaped my lips! I knew it was too late to reverse back and I definitely wasn’t going to be turning a 7m long van around. There was barely enough room for one vehicle so I pray nothing comes up the other way!
    We manage the first tight switch back and continue down the extremely steep road and then “oh god” there’s a car coming up! We barely squeezed passed each other. Continuing downhill, the air is blue with the French words I’ve suddenly become fluent in, and the switchbacks just feel like they’re getting steeper and tighter. Worrying that the brakes will get too hot with the pressure they are under I shakily crawl on down, more scared than I think I have ever been. I can tell that even though Darren is trying his best to reassure me he is actually shitting himself too! One wrong move, or failing brakes, or steering issues and it’s game over!
    After what seems like an eternity we reach the bottom, our nerves shattered into a million pieces.
    Whilst still on a gradient I needed to stop and take a breather before attempting the climb back up the other side which I’m guessing is just as steep. So I pulled over into the only spot available to gather myself before the next onslaught of terrifying driving. I put Ivy into park and pulled the handbrake. With a creak of a submarine about to implode she kept creeping forward on the hill, unable to hold our position. So Darren gave the handbrake one more firm tug and “SNAP!” the handbrake failed. It was just flapping about uselessly. I looked at Darren, Darren looked at me... no words were spoken, not even French ones, we were simply aghast. We were now relying upon just the foot brake!
    After a few moments of utter panic we realised we had to continue and find a safe flat position (with a signal) to then be able to find a garage that would be close enough and able to fix Ivy’s handbrake.
    We now had to get up the other side of this most terrifying mountain road, no working handbrake and nerves that were shredded so badly I was quite literally trembling and weak in the legs. The same legs I now needed more than ever to hold the brakes. Anyway... It was quite a long steep switchbacky climb but we made it up to a safe spot without further catastrophe.

    Edit:
    After some research we discover the road is actually listed on the “World’s most dangerous roads” website! Only we could accidentally and completely randomly find, and then drive a 7.2m long, 4.5 tonne motorhome on such a notoriously dangerous road. It’s a miracle we’re alive.

    Chapter 3: Safe haven
    We were then able to start our search for a nearby Iveco garage. Luckily Iveco is a popular make of vehicle here and Ivy has an onboard list of all the Iveco garages in Europe. We quickly found one, called them, and they said they could see us on Monday. So now we just had to find somewhere to stay for the weekend that wouldn’t be too far. We found a campsite and headed there. We arrived and had to phone a number to gain entry to the small site but we were just relieved to be alive and able to relax for a couple of days. We entered the site and it felt like everyone that was there stared at us like we were alien invaders but I think we were just being overly sensitive about being foreigners and being locked in. It was actually fine. We spent the rest of the day and the next day trying to relax and waiting for the garage to open Monday morning. Fingers crossed that they can fix it quickly so we can get back to less adventurous adventures. 🤣    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler

    Mountain roads and total isolation

    May 24, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    We headed up to the park up that we had chosen for the night. Up, and up and up we went. Many steep narrow roads with lots of very tight switchbacks that took all my concentration. We arrived at a junction that was supposed to be where we would continue up but having looked at the surface of the road we decided that it looked a bit too sketchy and went the other way. Now we weren’t sure where we were going to stop and without a signal we couldn’t search for anything so we just decided we’d stop when and if we found a suitable spot. It’s so remote that we hadn’t seen another vehicle since we started up the mountain. There had been several opportunities for parking but none had any signal so we continued until we came across a large flat plateau that was so very pretty we stopped and thankfully we had a signal. It was still very sunny so we got out and explored the immediate area. Lots of oak trees and bushes with pretty white flowers surrounded us on a meadow of small yellow and purple flowers. There was slate rock formations everywhere. What I found so fascinating about the slate formations was the knowledge they’d once been horizontally flat layered down as sedimentary rock, but had since been tilted 90 degrees vertical by the power of the Earths tectonic plates literally lifting mountains. Such an interesting landscape.
    This area is strewn with lots and lots of beautifully smelling wild lavender as well as all the other flowers. Spring has always been my favourite season and when left alone mother nature really does make the best gardener.    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler

    A magical place found quite by chance

    May 24, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We set off in the morning not really knowing where we were going, but just decided to take the road at the bottom of the canyon because that looked interesting. Travelling beneath the huge cliffs that we had only yesterday been looking down from gave us a completely different perspective of this terrain. We came across a car park at the end of the prettiest road I’ve ever driven along and parked up. It looked like it had lots of trails to explore so that’s exactly what we did.
    We walked along a lovely stream that was full of water Lilly, the banks full of wild flowers of all types. Words cannot express how special this place is. At the end of the trail we found a huge church surrounded by massive rock formations, as we continued around the edge of the church there was a bridge that went over the stream and right up to the bottom of the rocks. Turning right we discovered an immense cave the size of a cathedral. Darren ventured as far in as he could actually see for some pics while I waited at the entrance with Bliss. Never been a fan of cold dark holes myself, though it was an amazing natural sight to behold (from the safety of the entrance!)    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler
    IcarusThere's a road down there somewhere

    We visit the Grand-ish Canyon.

    May 23, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Part two of this epic day took us high up on a mountain for the night. There was a tourist viewpoint across the road from where we parked up which we immediately went to investigate. It was both quite a surprise and quite spectacular. Obscenely high and very frightening for me. I am quite scared of heights so this really set off my vertigo. The view in every direction including downwards was incredible, but I couldn’t fully enjoy it because of my annoying fears. Only Darren ventured to the edge.
    We went back to the van for a while to eat our tea. We were parked amongst trees in a wooded area and were visited by quite a few azure-winged magpies. ( I googled them) After I brushed Bliss I left her fur on the ground near the trees, and it wasn’t long before they started collecting it all up, presumably for their nests.

    Later on we returned to the viewpoint for the sunset and spent a good hour just watching the sky change colour, as sunsets often are it was beautiful.
    Whilst we were waiting we met a couple of dogs with their owner. Nice for Bliss as they were friendly unlike most of the dogs she’s met so far on this trip. It was nice for us to get a bit of a doggy fix too, we do so miss all our 4 pawed friends.
    Then suddenly we had a huge Spanish imperial eagle (thanks Google) 🦅 who took quite an interest in us, it kept flying over us and circling around for about half an hour. I think Bliss was on its menu! Apparently they have been known to take on badgers and even bear cubs so I think he was sizing Bliss up for his supper! We had a wonderful view as it was so close. There were also lots of swifts zooming around and again because we were on the edge of a high cliff we got a great view of their acrobatic displays. By the time we went back to the van I was freezing cold so I went straight to my bed and it wasn’t long, after such a full day before I was asleep 😴    Read more

  • Bliss VenturesIvy’s Maiden VoyageTraveler

    It’s just Bliss at the waterfalls

    May 23, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    After a saying goodbye to our ancient village refuge on the hill we go on our way. There’s promise of a spectacular waterfall on route so we head off to that. Well we are not disappointed, it is a spectacular place. Not just the waterfall itself, which is actually lots of waterfalls coming from the top of a large limestone gorge. The pools of water it creates and falls into lead into a beautiful stream surrounded by meandering paths. It has the feel of a tropical rainforest edged with trees, ferns and moss, casting cool shadows that were a haven from the strength of the sun today.
    Bliss was in her element paddling in the cool waters of the pools. She was positively beaming with happiness. I think this has been one of her favourite places so far.    Read more

Get your own travel profile

Free

QR code

FindPenguins for iOSFindPenguins for Android

  • 2025© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Help Center
  • Legal notice