Inspiration For Your Next Adventure

I want to brighten your day and give you some travel INSPIRATION for your next adventure! After two months of staying home and four months since I’ve traveled, I’m getting the itch for a new adventure. When we can’t travel, we can either reminisce of previous trips or dream of future ones.

I follow several travel blogs and accounts on Instagram. I love to see their beautiful photos. It excites me to think about going to the places they show. All of us could use some sparks of joy to dream about new adventures. That was my motivation for this blog post.

I’m going to share a few of my special travel memories and also talk about what is on my bucket list. I hope this will inspire you and get you excited about your next adventure, wherever it may be.

Cape Town, South Africa

I have been to Cape Town twice during the last ten years. I went the first time for work but had one free day to tour the Peninsula. The Cape Peninsula is a rocky peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean at the south-western tip of the African continent. During my full-day tour, I had short stops at Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope.

I also visited the Peninsula on my second time to Cape Town in December 2013. We stayed with friends who lived there and they showed us all the must-see spots. We had amazing weather to see the rugged coastline, penguins, and the beautiful blue water and white waves.

The nice thing about going to South Africa in December is that we were able to escape the cold Switzerland winter for warm summer weather.

It was a long 10 hour flight from Switzerland but in the same time zone. We actually went to Dubai first for a few days and then onto Cape Town.

On the northern end of the Peninsula is Table Mountain, overlooking Cape Town. We saw the ‘table’ from a distance and a great vantage point. If you drive to Blouberg Beach, you will get an awesome view like the one shown here.

We visited this beach on New Year’s Day. I was amazed to see so many kite surfers. We enjoyed watching them jump and fly over the waves.

To visit Table Mountain, we took the gondola to the top where you could walk around a nice flat path and have a drink or food at the restaurant. The top of the mountain is 1,086 meters (3,563 ft) above sea level. There are 360-degree views which make you feel like you are on top of the world!

This trip to the top of Table Mountain was definitely a highlight of our time in Cape Town. If I ever go back, I’d like to hike to the top for a more challenging experience. This excursion could be combined with a visit to the Cape Town Waterfront area where there are many shops and restaurants.

Another special place we visited near Cape Town was in the wine region called Franschhoek. This was a pretty drive through the wide-open countryside. The route we took was called the Spice Route. There are many wineries where you can stop and do a wine tasting. There are also beer breweries that offer sample tasting for a small fee.

We stopped to walk around the cute town of Franschhoek, shop in the unique boutiques, and have a nice lunch on an outdoor terrace with live guitar music. It was a perfect day!

This area of South Africa offers remarkable scenery and many tourist attractions. I felt totally safe and at home here. Does this inspire you for your next adventure?

Madeira, Portugal

I’ve been to this autonomous region of Portugal twice, the last time being in 2017 with my family. Madeira is a paradise island and a droplet of beauty in the Atlantic Ocean. You will find gorgeous coastlines, rolling green hills, and lovely blue ocean views.

You can drive around the island and do different day trips. There are many hikes to do in Madeira. We did a few short walks to see the jagged mountain ridges and waterfalls.

The island has 200 ‘Levada Walks’ which are trails that follow the stone irrigation channels used to capture water from the mountains and carry it to the lower crop fields. The Madeira Hydraulic System was constructed from the fifteenth century and contains 2200 km of canals and 40 km of tunnels.

What I liked about Madeira was the scarcity of tourists. No place was overcrowded. The island felt relaxed and remote. You can drive all the roads without any traffic.

Depending on where you’re coming from, most flights to Madeira go through Lisbon, Portugal. It’s a short 1.5-hour flight and Madeira has a small airport. The airport is right next to a mountain and the water, so it could be an exciting landing. I would recommend hiring a rental car so you can easily get around the island.

For accommodations, there are some large hotels to choose from in the 3-star to 5-star range. We had a family of seven so we opted to rent a house. We found the most spectacular home on a hillside cliff with a pool and gorgeous views. I booked our house on a site called Holiday Lettings.

One of the fun things to do in Madeira is to visit the capital of Funchal for the day. There you can visit the colorful and peaceful Botanical Gardens. They also have a big food market where you can buy fresh fish and many vegetables and fruits.

You have to experience the tourist attraction of riding the toboggan baskets down a narrow winding street from Monte. There are two men who guide and control the fast-moving basket. The 2 km trip takes about 10 minutes and reaches at times the speed of 48 km per hour. These unique wicker sleds date back to 1850 and were initially used as a means of transportation.

If you like to hike, I would recommend a nice hike on the eastern coast called the Vereda do Larano. We took the whole family, from ages 12 to 72, on this nice long walk.

The day we went there, it was a bit cloudy and windy. We still had a great time and loved the views. Some of us even took a quick swim off a dock at the bottom of a cliff.

One thing you need to know about Madeira is that there are almost no beaches. The coastline is very rocky. You will find places to get into the ocean with a concrete platform and ladder and there are a few man-made sand beaches. If you are a big beach fan for your summer vacations, this may not be the ideal place for you.

One more fact to know is that the temperature never gets very hot here. The annual average temperatures range from 16C/61F in January up to 23C/73F in August. I hope I’ve inspired you to consider this destination for your next adventure.

Western Canada

I grew up in the U.S. but didn’t experience this area of Canada until May 2015 when I went there for a visit with my girlfriend. The Canadian Rockies are breathtakingly beautiful. I would love to go back one day to do hikes in the National Parks of Banff and Jasper.

We took a train trip from Vancouver to Jasper and Banff. The views out the large train windows were a real delight. We passed rivers, bridges, and wide-open spaces with mountain views. This form of travel across the Canadian Rockies is a must-do.

One of the unique experiences we had was the Columbia Icefield Explorer trip. This area was between Jasper and Banff where there are huge glaciers. The big snow van drives across the frozen snow where you can get out, walk around and get close to the glacier. This was very cool!

There are so many lakes to visit in this region. Some have canoes you can rent to go for a leisurely row to get a different perspective of the surroundings. The water looked so clean and refreshing.

Since living in Switzerland in 1993, I always thought this country had the most beautiful mountains I’d seen. After this trip to Canada, I changed my mind. The Canadian Rockies are a close contender to having the most beautiful terrain!

You can read and see more about my Canadian adventures (including my Youtube video of this trip) on my dedicated page for Canada. I have more photos and details on my Facebook album here.

Mykonos and Santorini, Greece

Have you been to Greece? It has to be the most tranquil place I’ve ever been to. There are so many islands to visit. When you fly over Greece, you will see from the plane tiny light brown droplets in the Mediterranean sea.

You could spend months touring around Greece to visit all the islands. I’ve been several times to different regions of the Greek islands, but my favorite islands are Mykonos and Santorini. They are so picturesque.

Mykonos is quite touristic and is also known to be a big party place for younger people. Despite this, I found it to be very charming with its cute harbor and outdoor cafes. It is a regular stop for big cruise ships, so you will be lucky if you manage to visit without the tons of boat people invading this little town. Mykonos has narrow cobblestone streets with endless adorable shops. The prominent colors you will see there are white and blue!

I had heard about Santorini for years and saw all the amazing photos on Instagram. I finally went there in May of 2017. It was better than I even imagined. It’s a typical honeymoon destination with its romantic setting. Some of the hotels perched high on the cliff have jacuzzis or small swimming pools attached to the room. That is magical!

There are vistas of the surrounding small islands all along the walkway and ridge of the island. You can easily walk the path from Fira to Oia with many great views.

The sunsets are absolutely breathtaking from Santorini. It is a very popular event to gather in the northwest village of Oia and watch the sunset. We went there for dinner one night (reservations are definitely recommended due to the crowds that gather).

I had never seen so many people in one place at the same time! It was fun to watch all the tourists lined up to snap their award-winning shots of the sunset.

I don’t usually return to the same place, but Santorini would definitely be an exception. You can see more information and my YouTube videos about Greece on my dedicated country page.

MY BUCKET LIST

And NOW for my bucket list trips that I want to take someday. I have been thinking about where else I would like to visit when given the opportunity. There are so many options in the world, but I have my list of priorities.

Below are the places I want to visit, in no particular order. I hope I can start to plan these trips as of 2021 when we are all allowed to travel freely again.

Greenland

I’ve seen lots of pictures of Greenland and watched a few videos about visiting the world’s largest island. It is not a separate country but an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. The scenes of red barn-like houses and blue icebergs look amazing.

I would need to do some research about the best way to tour this island. I know there are expedition trips where you can sleep on an ice breaker ship. You can get in the zodiac boats to approach the icebergs and see the wild animals. It sounds so thrilling.

Japan

What I would like to see in Japan are the cherry blossom trees. I’ve seen incredible photos of these trees when they are in full bloom. I would need to plan my trip there at the right time and hope that the weather is good and the trees are at their peak. They say that early April is the best time to see the pink and white blossoms.

I also want to see the majestic Mount Fuji. When I was young, I did a report on this mountain. Ever since then, I’ve wanted to see it in person.

And of course, I would like to experience the vibrant capital of Tokyo with all the colors, lights, and noise. Have you been to Japan? I’d love to hear about your adventure there!

Namibia, Africa

Below is the photo that attracted me to this country in the southern part of Africa. The place is called Deadvlei and has dark, dead camel thorn trees on the white pan floor. Apparently the pan was formed when the Tsauchab River flooded and the abundance of water allowed camel thorn trees to grow. The trees are said to be about 900 years old. They have not decomposed over time due to the dry climate.

I really want to experience this place firsthand and test my photography skills to capture it. I think the ideal way to visit Namibia is with other photographers on a photography workshop.

There are also overnight safaris you can do which could be another fun adventure in Namibia. When I go there, I would definitely book a guided tour to see all the right spots in the safety of a guide.

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Bora Bora is a small island in the South Pacific near Tahiti in French Polynesia. It is far away and in the middle of nowhere but is a place I would love to visit! It is known for having crystal clear water to snorkel or scuba dive. Snorkeling is one of my favorite things to do. Bora Bora has many water bungalows which I have loved since experiencing them in the Maldives twice.

I would probably combine this trip with visiting Tahiti and other islands in the area. It would be a dream vacation for me!

Antarctica

I came pretty close to booking this trip to Antarctica a couple of years ago. I had seen and read about this place for a long time. It would be an amazing experience to see the South Pole and be up close to the adorable penguins.

I would probably combine this trip with Patagonia since they are both pretty close together. There are many cruise lines that take you to the islands of Antarctica. From the initial research I did, the cost of going there is VERY expensive. That is why it is still on my bucket list I guess!

Patagonia, South America

Because I love nature and hiking so much, Patagonia has been on my bucket list for a while. It looks so majestic and spectacular.

Patagonia is a geographical region at the base of South America covering the lower sections of Argentina and Chile. It has mountains, glaciers, lakes, and open fields. Ideally, I would like to do an organized hiking tour to fully experience the wilderness and nature.

The area reminds me of the Dolomite mountains in northern Italy and some parts of New Zealand. I loved visiting these places, so I’m sure I would love Patagonia.

Now it’s your turn to inspire us!

I’d love to get your comments about the great places you’ve been or want to go to! Just leave a comment below to inspire all of us during this stay-at-home time!

For more inspiration on destinations, refer to ‘My Travels’ page listing all the countries I’ve been to. You can click on each country to see my photos and read about my experience there.

If you are looking for assistance to plan your next trip, I am here for YOU! I love to plan travel itineraries for myself and others. For more details on how I provide this service, please check out my Itinerary Planning page and drop me a quick email at jan@janadventures.com to get started!

MY FAVORITE PRODUCTS… I get asked often which products I use when traveling so I created a page of all my favorite products. You can check it out here