Travelling Croatia - Wine Tasting on the Peljesac Peninsula

Over the last few months I've been sharing the many wonderful places I visited during my adventure to Croatia. I've written about the sights and views in Split, and let's not forget What to Eat whilst .you're there, I've shared the paradise that is Plitvice Lakes and the absolute gem that was Dubrovnik and the charming Old Town. Most recently I shared a post on my island hopping and the beautiful islands I visited whilst sailing along the coast and this is the final place that I am yet to share with you.

We'd had some pretty bad weather over a few days and when we docked at our latest stop we couldn't wait to get off the boat onto steady land! We actually couldn't dock properly because the weather was so windy it took multiple attempts and we had to attach our yacht to another boat, to get off we had to leap off the side and hope for the best when landing!

How I Planned Our Bali and Kuala Lumpur Adventure and Top Tips

Hi All

This is a post I've been meaning to share for a while, I love holiday planning and finding great deals and Bali was the first long holiday adventure I've planned. (Iceland was my first big holiday I planned, you can read all about that trip here)

Go Ape - Crathes Castle

Hey All

Last month C and I headed up to Aberdeen to see some of my friends from school who now live up there. When we got up there we decided we'd go to there local Go Ape. C and I have been before in Margam Park (post here) and loved it so we were happy to go again.

There are multiple Go Ape high rope courses dotted around the UK so I was intrigued to see how this one compared. It all started off the same, you're fitted with a harness and given a safety briefing and  chance to practice how to clip yourself into the different options. You also have 5 areas all ending in a zip line so I guess this is the same through them all. The first is done under the supervision of an instructor and gives you a feel for it then you're let off on your own.

Each section has different bits from step on wood and balancing (or holding onto the wire as you're to scared to balance), to tarzan swings (2 on the course), to tubes to crawl through. There is a lot of variety and at the start of each section there are clear instructions on how to clip yourself in!

I love doing things like this, getting outside, a slight adrenaline rush and a bit of exercise. This was something different to when we went to go ape, one of the zip lines had a skateboard at the start of it you could skate down on!

I was never very good at balance and usually held the wire you're clipped into! 

This is the net you swing into for one of the tarzan swings! I love these, C has the video evidence of an involuntary squeal leaving my mouth on this one! You do hit the net with a bit of force!

I was definitely more practically dressed this time, last time we did the course it was an unplanned day and I did it in a playsuit! oops!! 

This is one of the hardest bits for all of us, I even got a sweat on doing this one, I know delightful info you needed to know! This one also slightly terrified me as I kept thinking if I fell I don't have the upper body strength to pull myself back up! I did it though!

Now to find the next go ape to explore!

Have you been on a high ropes course or go ape before? The two I've been to have been situated in amazing parks which make for lovely walks too so you can really make a day of it.

Love M

xxx

Things to do in Hay-on-Wye

Hey All

A few weeks ago I wrote about C and I's stay at Cosy under Canvas, this week I thought I'd share what we got up to in Hay-On-Wye and what there is to do and explore in the surrounding area if you take a trip and fancy some adventures.

Explore Hay-On-Wye

Hay-on-Wye is a little market town which is great for a explore around. It's got lots of shop to pop in to especially book shops. We enjoyed browsing around the shop and popping in to cafes for a cup of tea here! I don't have photos of Hay-On-Wye as it absolutely tipped it down as we were here!

Canoeing 

I was sceptical about going canoeing as I'd gone once when I was in school and was awful but this was really good! We opted for the short route which I think is a five mile trip. You canoe down, call the company and they come and pick you up. It was great to be out on the river and nice to relax. It's a really easy canoe ride too so great if you're a beginner! We went with Wye Valley Canoes and couldn't fault them. As it was October when we went we didn't need to book but if there are large groups or it's peak seasons I'd recommend booking. At Wye Valley Canoes there is also an amazing accommodation including a slide to get down stairs! C and I loved it and would love to go back with a big group of friends or on stag/hen dos!

Cafes

Next to Wye Valley Canoes is the River Cafe. We visited this cafe three times and we were only there 5 days! We loved it, amazing cakes, great coffee and really nice surroundings. We only samples a variety of cakes and didn't try the food but that looked great too!

Clay pigeon shooting and archery

Lastly we decided to go and do something we wouldn't normally do. After a quick google and emailing various companies Black Mountain Adventures got back to me. We weren't sure what we wanted to do and they offered loads of different activites we could do and in the end we decided on Clay pigeon shooting and archery. Both of which are half day activities so we combined them to have a full day. Black mountain offer lots from high ropes courses, bike riding and canoeing. 

We loved doing this day as it wasn't something we'd have booked to do if we weren't away for a break. These would be great for team bonding or trips with friends too!

Walking

One thing we didn't get to do when we were there was walks or hikes. Hay-On-Wye is a great base for some great hikes and walks but at the time I was still recovering from a badly sprain ankle so we thought we'd give it a miss. It's perfectly situated to take the Offa's Dyke path and this is something we want to go back to do.

So that was our whirlwind little trip. We spent all of our evenings in our dome and cooked all of our meals. We had planned to eat out but decided we preferred to relax on the site as it meant we could both enjoy a drink and then go in our hot tub!

Have you been to the Hay-On-Wye area? Do you enjoy a few adventure activities?

Love M

xxx

Go Ape at Margam Park

Hey All

Hope you've had a great weekend and there isn't too much of those Monday blues! I've been busy doing lots of things lately and have a few great places I wanted to share. Go ape is something I've wanted to do for ages. I love doing fun things and anything that may give me an adrenaline rush I'm drawn to. One weekend me and C had a free weekend so decided we'd just go to Margam Park for a wonder. As we didn't have his car that weekend we used public transport from Cardiff. We got a train to Port Talbot then a bus from just across the road from the station which dropped us basically outside. Google maps is great for figuring out public transport routes!

We grabbed sandwichs from a local deli (if you're local to Cardiff definitely go to deli rouge sometime! The sandwichs are amazing as is the full monty breakfast roll, they also serve tea pigs and fentimens drinks!)and had planned to just stroll around the park. Margam Park has beautiful grounds and an amazing house, which we didn't get chance to look around so we'll have to go back. It's also got a great play area for kids!

After a quick stroll we decided to wonder up to Go Ape and see how much it was and if there was space! After being told we could go back in 1 hours and we had the last slot of the day we decided to just go for it. It was £35 each for Adults so not the cheapest but the course does take around 1 hr 45, so it isn't a quick activity. Go ape is a high ropes activity course where you are clipped in and swing from things or climb.

As it was unplanned I ended up doing the course in a playsuit. The women did duoble check as she was giving me my harness. I did have to pull down the shorts a few times to save my dignity! You do need to be in suitable clothing and footwear to go round it.

After a safety briefing and being shown how to clip yourself in and out we were taken to the first section where an instructor checks your can do the different types of things safely before you get sent off. There are four other sections you can then go round. Each end up with a zip wire too!

There were different types of attachments to get used to depending on what you were doing. Before each section there was a difficulty rating, rules and displays showing you how to safely clip yourself in.

This was the first zip wire out of five. It was a low one so you could practice how to land properly!

Tarzan swings were really fun. If you didn't want to do the big one there was an alternative route and on sections with areas described as extreme difficulty there was an alternative.

At the centre you can buy things like gloves and safey cords for phones. I bought one so we could take photos and I'm glad we did! 

I opted for the going through on my back for this one! It killed the news otherwise, it was so weird as this one was really high above ground to just look down!

This one was described as extreme and it was so hard!! It reminds me of hang tough from gladiators (I always wanted to go on that!!). As the rings moved so much it was a little scary. I kept worrying if I fell out of the hoop I wouldn't have the arm strength to pull myself back up!

We had such a fun day doing this course!! Once you complete it you get a certificate and money off your next one. With Go Apes dotted around the country I'd definitely go and do another course.

Have you been to a Go Ape or high ropes course? Would you?

Love M

xxx

Cyprus

Hey All

A lack of posts from me this week as I'm busy sunning myself in Cyprus.  I was hoping to blog more whilst I was out here but super slow Internet and google, blogger, flickr and hotmail all requiring verification texts and things just aren't working.

After arriving super late on Sunday night we grabbed a quick pint and went off to bed!

On Monday I woke up put on the bikini and slapped on some sun lotion from my mum. Immediately after the legs sting and I've now got a nasty rash still covering them. Thankfully I packed some la roche posay anthelios xl which seems to be ok. Monday really wasnt my day.  Let's blame a lack of sleep. After deciding to ignore advice on wearing flip flops to the bar as the stones were hot, I thought walking along the water edge would be the best thing so my feet didn't burn. For a clumsy person not a great idea. Que me taking a rather dramatic fall into the pool and smashing my leg against the side. At this point I'm beautiful covered in a rash with massive bruises developing to add to it I got burnt.

After dinner we all went for some drinks.  My oldest brother was staying with us this night (night before the wedding) so when he put his girls to bed he was free. It was lush to drink was my brother's and dad. We enjoyed a fair few and got asked to keep the noise down ooops.

Tuesday arrived along with the big day and the reason we were out her.  We all woke up with slightly fuzzy heads! My brother seemed reasonably relaxed although he did start to pace.  After picking up his daughter's the beautifying starts. It was a hectic two hours. My hair and make up, my mum's make up and my little niece's hair and nails. My dress luckily covered the giant bruise.

Seeing my big brother get married after 14 years with his partner was amazing. I did cry as she walked down the aisle. It was an amazing day lot's of champagne, cake and amazing food.

Their amazing view from the wedding venue

Yesterday was a chill out day and my dads father's day surprise. We took him parasailing. The rest of us spent the hour chilling in the sea. I seem to have attracted my sister in laws niece and nephew and every time we see them they now want me. I do love little one's but days spent with them remind me I love giving them back!

My oldest brother (much to my mum's worry and dad's dislike, he walked away as he couldn't watch!) took me cliff jumping for the first time. It was amazing!!! I loved the rush. It was only about 12ft though so he's scouted out higher for us today! I'm such an adrenaline junkie but it was scary jumping and having to push yourself forward so you don't hit rocks.  Bring on the higher jumps!

Another evening with great food and pina coladas. We've not done a family holiday abroad in probably over 10 years so it's been really great to spend so much time with everyone. No arguments so far.

This evening me and dad are going wine tasting before some of us head into ayia napa for an amazing fish meze around the harbour.

The next few days for me include a pirate ship, water world and beauty treatments.

So far the holiday has been amazing. I already don't want to leave.

love M

xxx