Total Travel TAG Issue 1

written by
MELISSA MAHONEY
from Worldly Roamer
www.worldlyroamer.com
ICELAND
Ever since I was a child, I considered myself an
explorer. I always go off the proverbial (and
often literal) beaten path in order to discover
something that, hopefully, not many other people
have found before. Even to this day, I roam and
explore until I find an abandoned building to
photograph, or perhaps some street art down an
alley in a not-so-traversed area of a city. I have
found so many interesting things to photograph
throughout my life by heading off the beaten
path.
written by
RAJ LODHIYA
INDIA
The September of 2016, I went hiking with
some friends in ‘Govind’ national park situated
in Indian Himalayas that tourists and hikers
from all around the world visit. It is a two-way
trail starting from Taluka, a small mountain
village at 7,000 feet, going up towards
Jaundhar glacier at 14,200 feet through the
Har-ki-dun valley and ending back at Taluka
coming back via the same trail. It took us five
days to hike these 45 miles.
Day One of the hike, the trail went through
green Himalayan broadleaf forests along the
river Tons and we spent the night in a small
wooden cottage in Osla, another mountain
village. Osla has one of the very few temples
dedicated to Duryodhana, the bad guy from
Mahabharata, a Sanskrit epic of ancient
India. This temple was built by the people of
Har-ki-doon who worship Kauravas as their
ancestors. Wild Himalayan cannabis plants
are found in abundance in and around Osla
and one may see some of the local smoking it
using a ‘Chillum’!
On day two we started hiking from Osla
through endless meadows of alpine flowers
going over our heights and camped for the
night reaching ‘Har-ki-doon.’ ‘Har-ki-doon,’
meaning ‘Valley of Gods’ is a cradle shaped
Himalayan valley at about 12,000 feet altitude.
This valley is blessed with many natural
elements and every picture you click here is
sure to look like a desktop wallpaper. At night,
if the sky is clear, one can clearly see our Milky
Way in all its glory and get the tripod out to
capture some amazing star trails.
The third day of the hike we walked to
Jaundhar glacier at 14,200 feet and caught
some close-up views of the over 20,000 feet
high Swargrohini peaks. This day is in complete
contrast to the lush greenery of the past few
days and adds an element of high altitude
scenery with its breathtaking landscapes. We
came back to our camp at Har-ki-doon and
spent the night.
We took days four and five to come down to
Taluka down the same trail where our hike
ended.
Now, as an adult and when in a foreign city,
the way I explore is to combine it with exercise.
Admittedly, I am a bit of a health and fitness
freak, and, oftentimes, the hotel I am staying in
has no gym. So, what do I do? I wake up early in
the morning and go for a jog (just so long as I feel
safe in the area my hotel is located). My favourite
off-the-beaten path jogs so far have been in
Reykjavik, Iceland. Why? Well, the early mornings
I am out running the streets and alleys, there are
hardly any people around. And I have found some
incredible street art, and perhaps even a Banksy
(see the photo and judge for yourself).
The hotel my
family stayed at
in Reykjavik was
on Laugavegur,
the main street
that is bustling
The hotel my family stayed at in Reykjavik was on
Laugavegur, the main street that is bustling during
the day, but not so much in the early morning. I
would run in either direction on the road and veer
off in the opposite direction of the water. I would
get “lost”, turning corners and finding roads I
ordinarily would never explore whilst with my
family. What I have seen has been extraordinary
to the point where Reykjavik has now become my
favourite place to discover street art. I felt that
everywhere I looked while on a run, there was
art splashed on the side of buildings and even on
back walls of a car park in front of an apartment
building. There is even gorgeous street art located
on the walls of the garage located across from the
Harpa.
written by
THENIA GAGALIDOU
from BeenThere
www.beenthere.eu
LIMNOS ISLAND,
GREECE
Limnos island is the 8th largest island in
Greece. The Limnos Island is located in
the northern part of the Aegean Sea. You
can reach it by boat either from the port of
Kavala or Thessaloniki.
Limnos is commonly known as a windy
island and therefore is a real paradise for
surfers from all over the world. There is also
Keros beach, ideal for surf, sup, windsurf
and Kite-surf practice. The kite spot there
is magnificent to watch from a distance. All
these sails in the air make the atmosphere
exclusive.
Another unique place that captures the
visitors’ attention in Limnos is “Ammothines.”
“Ammothines” is the Greek word for the
dunes and frankly there are dunes
there. They give you the feeling of
being in the desert and the beauty
is remarkable. If someone has a
camera there, he/she could be so
creative with some photographs
and pretend to be at the Sahara
Desert, too!
Also, one of the spots worth visiting
is the Salt Lake of Limnos. It is a big
muddy area covered with a thick
layer of nutritious salt, where you
can collect some of it. Be careful
when you head to take it because
the mud gets thicker as you walk
further into the Salt Lake. If you want our
advice, you better leave your shoes behind
and enjoy the walk barefoot. It gives you a
nice chilling sense after all.
Finally, every traveler that can hike for 2
hours must visit the small church of Panagia
Kakaviotissa. The thing we liked the most
there is the fact that the church has no roof
and is the only one roofless in Greece! It is
located in a beautiful location, up on the
mountain, where you must hike among the
windy hills to enjoy its beauty.
Limnos is ideal for campers, backpackers,
surfers and alternative travelers who like to
explore places off the beaten track. Enjoy it!
My advice to everyone who is an explorer at
heart, just get lost! You never know what you will
discover.
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