Me waving hello to everyone having lunch at the Euromast Restaurant.

I peered over the edge of the Euromast, the tallest building in Rotterdam. It was a long way down. 100 meters to be exact. I gave my safety harness a hard tug and then swung my leg over the ledge.

The Euromast, the tallest building in Rotterdam.

I felt strangely calm for someone about to jump off a ledge, although technically it wasn’t a jump, it was one simple step that would lead me into thin air. In other circumstances I might have spent more time pondering my sanity – I should be scared out of my wits to do this.  I grasped the rope with both hands, looking for the tell-tale nervous hand shake. Instead my hands were steady in the proper hand over hand position.

Getting ready to step off the ledge while abseiling from the Euromast.

It was time to step off the ledge into the thin air where I would remain for the next 5-10 minutes as I worked the ropes through the carabiner and maneuvered myself down 100 meters to safety. I hesitated. My guide was above me helping another abseiler. I wanted him near me. I felt calm, but still, he WAS my safety blanket. Another guide urged me on.

Hesitating before taking the final step into thin air to start the descent.

And so with just the slightest hesitation, I took the biggest step of my life….

More than halfway down while abseiling from the Euromast.

I lifted my heel first and slowly uncurled my toes into….nothingness.  I was hanging 100 meters precariously by  two ropes. I stopped for several seconds to enjoy the views over Rotterdam.

Beautiful views over Rotterdam from the Euromast.

But I realized rather quickly as my heart quicked that views are better enjoyed when your feet are firmly on the ground rather than hanging in thin air. I started pulling up on the rope with my right hand, pulling it up through the carabeaner with the left making slow progress at first. But as the ropes slackened it became easier with each tug of my hands. Before I knew it I felt my toes, then my heels touch on the pavement. I felt a simultaneous wave of disappointment and pride as they did. It was over AND I had done it.

Abseiling from the Euromast was exhilaritng, but also strangely calming. I loved EVERY second of it. Several of my fellow abseilers were understandably quite nervous.  Now that I’ve officially made it and am safely back on ground I’ve got plenty of time to wonder, Why the heck was stepping off a ledge NOT nerve wracking?

Tips for Abseiling from the Euromast in Rotterdam

• Abseiling only costs €49.50.  I thought this was a VERY reasonable fee for the experience.
• Abseiling is available on weekends from May – September, weather dependent (high winds = no abseiling, but a bit of rain is OK).
• Book ahead to ensure there is availabililty. It’s a popular activity.
• Have someone take photos of your abseiling experience from the restaurnt. You can get some great photos. (A special thank you to Kristen from A Pair of Boots and a Backpack for taking the photos of me).
• If you would prefer to watch abseilers rather than doing it yourself, the restaurant provides front seat views!
• Visit the official Euromast webpage for further info.

Thank you to Travel Bloggers Unite and Rotterdam Tourism for making my visit possible.  As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

Be honest, have you ever heard of Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda?

I hadn’t, which in retrospect is rather surprising given it’s the largest high altitude montane forest in East and Central Africa.  Even more impressive to me, it’s also home to an incredible 13 species of primate – 25% of primate species found in all of Africa! So it was rather surprising that I had never heard of Nyungwe Forest.

Black and white colobus monkey in Nyungwe Forest

Not only that but four species of primate are habituated (used to people). As a result, the park offers guided tours to see chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, Blue monkeys and Mangabeys.  I did guided tours to see the chimps and the colobus monkeys and loved every single minute of both tours – so much so that I’ll be writing in more detail about them in a later post – with some photos of the cutest baby monkey I have ever seen!

I watched this 30 year old male chimp for a full hour.

Nyungwe Forest is not just for primate lovers though.  It’s also an exceptional place for bird watching.  It’s home to 275 species of birds and 25 endemic birds, including the Turaco.  You will hear its loud call before you see it, making it relatively easy to seek out. It’s a crested bird, who when it spreads its wings reveals beautifully colored red feathers!

Turaco, a bird endemic to Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda

I would also recommend one of the guided hikes offered.  No solo hiking is allowed in the park, and there are scheduled hikes (check with the park office), or book your own in advance.

I was rather excited when David my guide asked if I wanted to take a small detour to see the source of the Congo River while on one of the guided hikes.  Of course I did.  But somehow it looked rather different from I had anticipated:

The source of the Congo River is much smaller than I was expecting.

There’s also a three day hike which is the furthest source of the Nile.  After seeing my disappointment over the wee source of the Congo River, David warned me that while the hike is beautiful, the Nile source was even smaller than the Congo source.  Still, I would love to come back and spend more time in the forest.  There’s nothing like hearing pant hoots from wild chimps or with a little bit of luck come across a monkey or two!

East Africa’s only canopy walk is in Nyungwe Forest.

Nyungwe is also home to East Africa’s only canopy walk.  If you’re afraid of heights forget it.  David said that about half of visitors take the detour after taking one look at the bridge which towers over a valley in the rainforest.  This includes the Prime Minister of Rwanda! Of course being a politician, I’m sure he had a good excuse.
I spent two days in Nyungwe but wish I could have spent three more.  I would have loved to have done the Blue monkey and Mangabey guided treks which are only done in the morning.  I also would have liked to have done a full day hike or perhaps even the three day hike to the source of the Congo.

The only downside to Nyungwe is that it’s not cheap.  Guided hikes start from $40, a trek to see Colobus, Blue monkey or Mangabeys is $70 and a visit to the chimps will set you back $150.  Discounts are provided if you do the activities over multiple days.  accommodation is also not cheap.  There are only three different options.  I stayed in the cheapest, which was VERY basic, with a shared bathroom. It cost $70 a night, which was a LOT for what it offered.  I didn’t see the other two hotels, but my guide Omar from Amahoro Tours told me that the one hotel had rates starting from $200 a night, while the other was over $300.

 Still, I felt my money was well spent to see the primates.  Nyungwe is one of only a few places in the world where travelers have the incredible opportunity to observe rare primates in their native habitat. In addition, a portion of the money goes back into the local community and community members are given jobs in the park.  As a result, poaching is relatively rare in Rwanda, unlike in most other parts of the world. Conservation has a price.

Amahoro Tours, a locally owned Rwandan company can arrange your own personalized trip to Nyungwe.  Omar, my driver guide was kind enough to even stop when we saw monkeys on the side of the road!

Thank you to Amahoro Tours for their support in my visit to Nyungwe Park.  As always all opinions expressed are my own.

View of Vianden Castle from Vianden, the starting point for my hike.

You know it’s going to be a good day of hiking when your trail includes a visit to Luxembourg’s most famous castle and a jaunt into Germany.  I love my two peak hiking days, but a two country hiking day?  This would be a first.

My hike starts in the medieval village of Vianden.  I will be hiking the Nat-Our Route 5 Vianden-Falkenstein trail for a total of 12 km and 684 meters of elevation gain. The elevation is not gained all at once as is typical of hikes in the Alps, but over the course of the hike as the route goes up and down the rolling hills.

The trail is part of the NaturWanderPark delux, named not for its luxurious or elegant features, but because the trail is in both Luxembourg and Germany (in German, Germany is Deutschland, hence the de part of the name).

The first part of the trail leads up a steep hill to Vianden Castle, Luxembourg’s most famous castle. I didn’t stop, but returned to it later. The castle with roots back to the 10th century is also one of Europe’s largest west of the Rhine. It’s definitely worth checking out.
Travel tip:  I tested an audio guide that had just been released and really enjoyed it.  I would recommend purchasing one as it will make your visit to the castle more meaningful.

I continued on along a ridge with views overlooking Vianden Castle:

Looking down at Vianden Castle

Then it was a gradual decent into the forested slopes and back up again where my reward was views over the Our (pronounced Or) River:

View of the Our River and valley

I crossed a bridge and found myself in Germany, indicated only by a small emblem:

A sign at the German/Luxembourg border.

While I love the idea of a two country hike, to be honest, this part of the hike, looked more or less identical to the part in Luxembourg. Still a two country hike sounds rather impressive, especially to this Canadian.

Without a doubt my favorite part of the hike was walking along the ridge of Löctgesberg.  This part of the hike is at the edge of the forest and you are offered views of the Our River snaking along in the valley:

The Löctgesberg, my favorite part of the hike

I ended in Vianden where the hike had started. Viaden is a village that was known for its’ craftsmen in medieval times. The village first referenced as far back as 698 is worth exploring in its own right – or at least grabbing a drink at one of the several cafes/restaurants that line the Our River.

Our River seen from Vianden

I enjoyed my hike in the Luxembourg Ardennes.  It’s much different from hiking in the Alps – my usual terrain, but offers its own rewards: i.e.:  castles, medieval villages  and views of the idyllic country side. It’s very peaceful, but you can easily work up a sweat should you choose to.  The 23 different trails in the NaturWanderPark delux ensures there is something for everybody’s ability. The Luxembourg Ardennes is not just of interest to hikers either.  There are also plenty of mountain bike trails.  There was a mountain bike enthusiast in my group who was itching to come back and try out some of the trails.

In addition the Luxembourg Ardennes also offers numerous thematic trails.  There is the the Remembrance Path which traces the different places of confrontation during the Battle of the Bulge or Geological Paths, which point out places of nature and geological interest. There’s even a Cultural Trail in the town of Wiltz!

Chapel seen while hiking.

The Luxembourg Ardennes would not be the first place I would think of when it comes to hiking, but I was pleasantly surprised by the number of trails, the thematic trails and the condition of the trails. It’s definitely worth exploring.

See the  Luxembourg Ardennes for further info.

Travel tip:  I stayed/ate at Hotel-Restaurant Dimmer, in Wallendorf-Pont which is a great base when hiking in Luxembourg. The dinners were especially delicious!

Thank you to the Luxembourg National Tourist Office for making my visit possible.  As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

Two days ago I had one of the most memorable/incredible/dream come true experiences of my life!  I visited Mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.  This mother and her baby quickly became my favorite members of the troop.  I don’t have time to properly share the story with you yet but you wanted to give you a sneak peak into an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. Stay tuned….

Thank you to Amahoro Tours for giving me an experience of a lifetime.

Photo courtesy of Amahoro Tours

I’m soooooo excited to announce that as I write this I am about to begin my dream trip, something I’ve waited years and years for…..a Primate Safari in Rwanda!

 I love primates so much that I even hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Primatology (study of primates) and have worked in a zoo designing environmental enrichment programs for gorillas.  Now I actually get to observe them in the wild!

I’m in Rwanda for seven days.  Today I will be exploring Kigali (the capital city) and visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre.

Tomorrow I’ll be visiting Volcanoes National Park and with a little bit of luck meet my very first mountain gorillas in person!  I’ve loved gorillas long before I read and saw Gorillas in the Mist written by Diane Fossey, the famous primatologist who studied mountain gorillas.  I’m even more excited after discovering that there are one year old twins and Omar my guide from Amahoro Tours said that because it’s off season it’s possible that we will be visiting the gorillas with a very small group!  Fingers crossed!

I’ll be sticking around Volcanoes National Park one day longer to observe Golden Monkeys.  I don’t know much about them but am excited to learn and being monkeys I have no doubt they will be mischevious.

Also on the agenda is time in Nyungwe National Park where I’ll be looking for chimps (sooooo excited) and 12 other species of primates.

Check out Amahoro Tours on Facebook and my Monkeys and Mountains Facebook page (a trip that combines both) for regular updates, or follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #seeprimates.  I can’t wait to give you more updates on what I know will be the trip of a lifetime!

Bliss, relaxation and rejuvenation. These are words in other people’s vocabulary  certainly not mine. Running a successful travel blog and trying to get a new business off the ground doesn’t leave any room for those words.  Or so I thought….

Then I spent a weekend at the Alpenresort Schwarz.  The spa hotel is located in a bright green valley flanked by row upon row of impressive peaks – most of them still snow-covered, although the snow has long since left the valley.  (The resort’s golf course, coincidentally the longest in Austria,  was open the beginning of March). It’s the ultimate location for relaxation and has been designed to maximize the views. And it’s just a 2 hour drive from Munich, making it a great weekend getaway. Although you’ll want to stay longer.  Trust me.

Hot tub and outdoor pool.

There are SOOOOOO many wonderful things I want to say about the overall hotel experience, but all in due time.  The spa itself is worthy of exploring.

Me relaxing outdoors enjoying the mountain views.

The Alpenresort Schwarz features an impressive 4000 sq m spa area that combines traditional and modern technologies with an emphasis on service.  The  Pirktl family owned hotel ensures you will be treated like Austrian royalty. When I showed up for my mud treatment the esthetician immediately inquired about my knee injury.  What?  How did she know?   The same thing happened at dinner when we sat down the very first night. Unprompted, our server handed me a gluten-free menu.  I was flabbergasted! It’s this attention to detail that separates the Alpenresort Schwarz from any other spa hotel that I’ve stayed at. After inquiring I found out that I had mentioned these things at the time of booking and they had been passed on to the respective staff.

Oasis room which can be rented as your own private spa.

Many spa hotels which offer a measly selection of activities. The Alpenresort Schwarz had 5 different activities happening that day including Qi Gong, Yoga and Fitness Training. They also offer guided hikes of different abilities and bikes are also available to rent. We were informed that while the activities offered change throughout the year (like the sunrise hike in summer), there is always a consistent number of activities throughout the year – even during off-peak times – which should be noted is very seldom at the Alpenresort Schwarz.

The 4000 sq m spa area itself is breathtaking.  One of my favorite features were the large outdoor pool which Martha Pirktl said had the same quality as drinking water:

Impressive outdoor pool.

The other feature that I loved was the separate children’s area. Several interactive pools have been designed just for kids, where they can splash and yell without disturbing the adult area. There’s also a 92m long water slide, which I had to try. All in the name of research of course – 3 times!

The 92m long water slide in the children’s area.

I also loved the hotel’s blend of traditions with modern technology. The hay bath treatment (yes such a thing exists) is a several hundred year old Tyrolean tradition but uses modern equipment to enhance the treatment. The hot stone massage is offered in an entirely differently designed room, giving it a completely different aesthetic:

Hot stone massage room.

No spa hotel in Austria would be complete without the much-loved sauna.  Fortunately Alpenresort Schwarz has several:

• Classic Finnish-style sauna – because some like it hot!
• Gentle herbal bio-sauna for ultimate relaxation
• Women’s only sauna for privacy and peace of mind
• Soothing saltwater steam baths
• Serene Alpine garden with outdoor sauna and exquisite mountain views
• Diving pool, sauna pool, tea bar and stylish relaxation rooms
• Traditional Turkish Hammam, for combined sauna and massage treatment
  

  Turkish Hamman

Full confession here.  Saunas are not my thing, much to the chagrin of my German husband who loves them.  I swore that I would never visit a sauna again, but I broke that vow at the Alpenresort Schwarz by trying the herbal-bio sauna.  Surprisingly, I didn’t hate it…but that’s a whole other post.  My husband who knows his way around a sauna said this was the nicest one he had ever been to!

Feeling brave, I also decided to forgo my usual spa treatment of a back massage and tried a mud treatment composed of local Tyrolean mud. Of which it turns out there are ten different kinds. The idea of having a stranger rub mud all over my body made me slightly uncomfortable, but the esthetician was so friendly and professional that my discomfort soon faded. After covering me in mud, she wrapped me in plastic, covered me in a blanket and submerged me into a water bed. It’s meant to simulate being a baby in a mother’s womb.  I can’t say I’ve ever given any thought to what it would feel like to be in my mother’s womb. But if feeling cozy and feeling each of the tight muscles in my back and shoulder release into pure relaxation is what it’s like, it’s a very good place.

Relaxation area after receiving a treatment.

In addition to bliss, relaxation and rejuvenation, or perhaps because of them, I felt my stay at the Alpenresort Schwarz was transformative. I left thinking that maybe, just maybe saunas were not the evil creatures I’ve made them out to be. And that perhaps I actually can have bliss, relaxation and rejuvenation on a regular basis in my life  - in addition to all the other chaos of course. Or perhaps the secret is returning to the Alpensresort Schwarz regularly. Something I intend to do.

Thank you to the Alpenresort Schwarz for making my visit possible.  As always all opinions expressed are my own.  I very rarely write about a spa entirely on its own, but this spa was seriously so good that it deserved its own post.