Flying adventure in Turkey

Lust for adrenaline, visit Ölüdeniz!

For all those holiday makers, who are seeking extra kick to boost beach life. This is your place in Turkey. Why? Because you can fly like an eagle. Ölüdeniz is famous among paragliding enthusiastics. So book your holiday and try it. Of course it is not without risk. It is dangerous, but that makes it exciting. Afterwards you are full of energy and happiness is guaranteed.

Check your compass and head to Fetiye or Ölüdeniz. Ölüdeniz is fairly small, but busy beach destination. If you are just passing thru, couple of days is enough to see it. Main attraction is paragliding and beautiful beach. I only stayed here 2 nights. It was enough for me, because I just wanted to do paragliding. Company which I used was called Focus. I felt safe and relax. Jump cost around 70 €. Which include transfer and jump. Starting point is more than 1600 m above sea level. Small jeeps will carry all the jumpers and gear to top of the mountain.

View is great, but it gets better when you are airborne. Flight will take around 30-40 minutes, depending on winds. After you have landed safely, you can enjoy beach life. How you enjoy beach life in Turkey? With ice cold Efes -beer. Cheers! Go and try it out. It is definitely worth it.

Starting altitude, Mt. Babadag

Take off

Great view

Landing

Sunny holiday in Crete, Greece

Ida Mountains and winter snow

Are you planning your next summer holiday? Go to Greece this time. You have plenty of destinations where you can choose one. But what is the best place for you? Ultimately you can only know that, after you have visited all of them. It might sound like a stupid comment, but it’s true. Its matter of taste. You have almost endless possibilities to travel in Greece. You can do island hopping, cruises or relax in one island at the time. Travelling in Greece is safe and easy.

Parga, Corfu, Lesbos, Rhodes, Crete, Santorini, Athens, Kos, Zakynthos, Thasos, Lefkas. List could go on and on. But this time, i would like to share few things with you about Crete.

Souda Bay

After cold and rainy winter, spring and sun are welcomed among locals. Its also starting point for tourism. April and May are very beautiful, flowers are blooming and everything is green. You can still see snow on top of the mountains. Sometimes snow remains on highest peaks until mid June. From June to August weather is dry and hot. From mid September air starts to cool again.

Local road sign with few holes...

Most biggest cities in Crete are Iraklion, Chania, Rethimnon, Hersonissos and Agios Nikolaus. These Greek names can be written in many different ways in Latin alphabets. So, this is good practice of name reading before you tour this island. Luckily you don’t need to read road signs only in Greek. Names can vary in maps and road sings. Don’t worry you wont get lost. And if you do get lost, you might find something amazing and wonderful.

Island of Spinalonga

Iraklion is the biggest city. Mediterranean cruises are stopping here mainly because of ancient city of Knossos is located 5 km from city center. Iraklion offers best shopping opportunities. Hersonissos is full of British holiday makers and party animals. Agios Nikolaus and Rethimnon are more calm destinations. Chania is popular among Scandinavians and you have chance to relax and party if you want. If you want to avoid most busiest touristic season, visit this island in spring. But all the restaurants and others services will be fully open in June. All these places are coastal cities on northern cost.

Samaria gorge

Hora Sfakion and road to Aradaina

On southern cost you should visit at least Paleohora and Hora Sfakion, if you have time. Southern cost is full of small villages and these places are worth of visit. Some of these small villages are only possible to reach by ferries or by hiking. Like Agios Roumeli and Loutro. If you hike famous Samaria gorge you will see Ag. Roumeli, before taking ferry back to civilization. Long and beautiful hike, but it is worth it! Scenery is just amazing. Hike starts at 1200 m above sea level and after 18 km it will end up at Ag. Roumelis beach. Local bus will take you to the starting point of this journey.

Elafonissi Beach

Greek cuisine is amazing. You should try everything you can, even it means you to step out from your comfort zone. Especially during easter locals enjoy snails with special sauce. “horta” –vegetable soup made of wild mountain herbs is also good in spring. My favorite is still basic Greek salad and locally made moussaka. When its time to pay the bill, you might get free shots of local alcohol called “Raki” to wash down your dinner. Small corner tavernas are the best food source, thats my personal opinion.

Imeri Gramvousa

After a delicious dinner and good night sleep, you are definitely ready to explore more Crete. Some of the best beaches are here. Elafonissi, lagoon of Balos and island of Gramvousa. To reach Elafonissi you can rent a car or take a local bus from Chania. Gramvousa is more difficult to reach on your own, because it is an island. Easiest way is to join international tour which will take you there without any hassle. Same tours also visit lagoon of Balos. Otherwise you need to rent a car and hike last kilometers to lagoon of Balos.

If you need more speed and danger to your life. I have one place for you. Aradaina gorge in mid summer. 138 meters high bungy jump. It’s a great place to jump. Old military bridge over Aradaina gorge. Its truly exciting. I did it! And I will do it again when a visit Crete next time.

Bungy time

But where ever you go on your holiday, remember to step out of your comfort zone. Try snails or do bungy, don’t just lay on the beach. Rent a car and try to go to village of Spili. If you find it, you can wash your face in fountain of youth. Go to Knossos and find out what is truth behind Minotaur’s labyrinth. Make new friends and learn few new words in Greek. Explore Crete like you want to do it. Its waiting.


Summer is coming fast and its over before we know it. Don't think too long, otherwise you might loose an adventure, what you have always been looking for. See you in Greece.

My new friend

Merry X-mas: Heaven or hell?

I read this article from bbc´s news page today. Success in life. That´s why i wanted to write about holiday stress.

Toughest time of the year or most memorably? This is the question. Christmas is most popular time of the year to travel. Best getaway from stress, family and friends. No need to prepare family dinners or buy christmas presents. No need to talk your relatives. Or is this the timer of the year, when we feel pressure of life and success. We are comparing ourselves to others.  What i have, what you have...Stress of life. Are we incapable of enjoying what is important? Enjoy the moment while it last. Christmas should be the best time of the year.
Why we feel like this. Where is this pressure coming from? I have one theory. It comes from our way of life. We are competing on our holiday like we competing in life. We are going for gold all the time. We hate to lose. Holiday should be perfect, if its not, we have failed... And if we dont have pictures to prove it, we failed again.
Internet is full of articles, how to survive from holiday stress. How to make it true christmas. WHAT? Just be with your friends and family or travel somewhere. You can enjoy your life the way you want. Do you need guide book to do it?  Did people stress about christmas like this 300 or 500 years ago? I don't think so. So, why sould we.

I wish you all happy holidays. Where ever and how you will spend it, its up to you.

Nelson Mandela 1918-2013

Very charismatic person. By his owns acts he change the way many people see Africa and the world. He gave hope for millions and he was the person to seek inspiration. His ability to forgive his captors was amazing show of will and forgiveness.  I really wish that all of us could show more understanding towards different cultures, religion and beliefs. Because that’s the only way to life together in peace and harmony. Seek for power and money will lead us straight to chaos and despair. We have the choice in our own hands. He showed us the way, but do we have the courage to follow it. I truly hope we have. Otherwise racism and segregation will be our masters. Let’s stop it now. That would be true legacy of Nelson Mandela.

Apartheid. Legalized racial segregation in South Africa and Namibia. We should not forget it, but we should learn from it...Apartheid in South Africa

Rest in Peace