What am I going to do in Canada?

I will travel with nine other bloggers and photographers from Halifax to Toronto. By VIA Rail. The first few days we’re going to explore Halifax and its environs, before our trip (via rail) will lead us to Moncton. There I’m really looking forward to see Hopewell Rocks. After this we will travel to Montréal. And on day number ten we will reach Toronto. On the first weekend of June the biggest international travel bloggers conference TBEX is going to happen there. Or as I like to call it: a family reunion deluxe.

Graphics: Canada Tourism

As you can see on the graphics our trip is only one of three trips through Canada, which all lead to Toronto. Besides our group there are two more blogger groups who are going to explore Canada. If you wan’t to know what the three groups are going to see and do there are different opportunities: Follow the hashtag #ExploreCanada or follow the Tumblr canadakeepexploring.tumblr.com and for sure I will keep you updated via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and for sure here on the blog.

For all of you living in the USA, UK or Canada, here’s a cool contest where you can win an awesome trip to Canada: http://canadakeepexploring.tumblr.com/contest-details

And don’t miss to watch my official #ExploreCanada video:

Any tips what I shouldn’t miss on this trip? Any insider tips for Halifax, Moncton, Montréal or Toronto? Leave them in the comments! Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

And now I probably should start packing my bags… I’m leaving TOMORROW!

Disclaimer: I’m invited on this trip by the Canadian Tourism Commission.

The post Next Stop: Canada. Finally! appeared first on JUST TRAVELOUS.

But I fancy cars. Pretty cars, sexy cars, cars I look good when sitting inside. Besides this I love Paul to death (which probably happens soon). Paul is my dirty as old black VW Lupo (with folding roof!) and well, I think he’s metro-sexual. But I cheated on him. And it felt good. With a Mercedes-Benz. Actually with two. A E400 cabriolet and a E500 coupé. But I only know this because my co-driver told me so. For me these were two damn sexy blue cars. And at least one of them had 408hp, he told me. That’s what I remember.

Honestly: I have no idea how much horse power Paul has. He was always there when I needed to get from A to B. And with tailwind and downhill he is driving up to 160kmh. And it’s a fact, that he has cost me my driver license for four weeks. Yes, I was too fast. Yes with a Lupo. But he never made me feel like my “new” one did. Best described with: ALTER! IST DAS GEIL! (can’t use English words for this). And while I was speeding with 240kmh over the Autobahn I suddenly knew why everyone is giving me this look when I’m driving with Paul on the left lane. (BUT I ALSO HATE IT TO BE CAUGHT BEHIND THE TRUCKS)

But I also got these looks in the Mercedes, probably because they thought: What is this girl doing behind the wheel of THIS car? I understand. Actually: I liked it! Ha. They don’t have to know that Björn had to tell me how to handle this car (jeez where is all this technics coming from?). Yes, I also had to ask how to turn it off. They also don’t have to know that I don’t speak car. And they definitely don’t have to know that I didn’t dare to drive faster than 240kmh.

And then we reached Sylt. I always wanted to go there. Why? Because I wanted to compare Sansibar with Zanzibar. Especially the sunset. But there was no real sunset at Sansibar (… the weather…). But it is as beautiful. But different. And the sand is nearly as fine and white. And the food there was really good. While the food in Zanzibar was well, so so.

The next morning we took the ferry to Denmark and then drove back to Hamburg. And while I was all the time like “Oh my god, look over there, how beautiful!” Björn tried to explain the car to me. He meant it well, but besides the hp number I don’t remember anything. He pressed a lot of buttons and tried to show me what’s the difference between normal and sport mode. I never had that many horse power under my butt and just wanted to speed. And listen to music. I really liked this: via bluetooth you can connect your iPhone with the car. Paul needs a cable for this. Roadtrip baby!

All too fast we reached Hamburg and before I said “Byebye you sexy beast” the car was gone. This calls for a repeat. (Also I think I have to talk to Paul and tell him we’re in an open relationship from now on)

Disclaimer: I was invited on this test drive by Mercedes-Benz.

The post 408 horse power under my butt – With the new E-Class to Sylt and back appeared first on JUST TRAVELOUS.

And then I was sitting there on my flight back from Zanzibar to Frankfurt. And there it was: Mount Kilimanjaro in all its glory. And I really had to pinch myself as I couldn’t believe this. I saw the snows of Kilimanjaro. And a little bit later – the Sahara and the Sahara and the Sahara. There was no beginning. There was no end. It really took my breath away. Because it was so beautiful. Simply beautiful. And suddenly flying felt different. And it reminded me how I felt like the very first times I was flying on a plane. Fascination. I could have starred out the window forever. But the cockpit was waiting for me! Yes, I had an official permission from Condor to visit the cockpit. And as I was a very lucky girl on this day I also had the chance to be in the cockpit for landing in Frankfurt. YES! But enough words… here’s the video!

My tips for the perfect flight experience:

- Book a day flight

- compile the perfect play list

- enjoy!

Here’s my play list:

Disclaimer: This flight was sponsored by Condor

The post A video from above the clouds – My favourite flight ever! appeared first on JUST TRAVELOUS.

Oh Zanzibar, I miss you. Already. One week was not enough. I know, I know, it was my decision and I really wasn’t sure if I would get bored if I would stay two weeks there. Alone. On my own. How wrong I was. If there would have been any chance I would have stayed longer… at least one more week!

The first days I stayed in Stonetown, got lost many many times in the narrow alleys and took thousand of pictures of doors.

The harbour of Stonetown

Aren’t these doors just incredibly beautiful?

Best spot to watch sunset – the roofs!

Then I went to Kendwa, to the beach. To one of the whitest, finest beaches ever.

Where are my shoes?

Ah, there they are…

One of my favourite things to do in Kendwa: Watching the boats passing by

Or snorkeling! But when the guys say the jelly fish are non stingy! DON’T BELIEVE THEM!

After one week my time in paradise was over. And although I really don’t like flying my flight back to Germany was one of the best flights ever. With views like this:

The Sahara from above – I could have starred at this for hours (Ok, that’s exactly what I did)

And sometimes life is a lucky bitch. Like me. I had the official permission from Condor to visit the cockpit!!! And as it really was the flight of all flights I was invited to come back to the cockpit… for landing. Video to come soon!

Disclaimer: This is the last post in cooperation with Nikon. I really liked playing around with the Coolpix S800c. It is a really cool combination of smart phone and camera, as it is running on Android (which was kind of difficult for me, as I’m used to Apple) but you can download every app you want and when there’s Wifi around you can for example upload your pictures directly to Instagram. Or check your Emails or Facebook. I really liked that! Besides this I really liked the size, especially on my first day in Stonetown, when I felt a bit insecure, it was great to take the Coolpix with me instead of my DLSR, made me feel safer.

You also wanna travel with the Coolpix S800c? Then subscribe to my newsletter today!!! In my upcoming newsletter there will be a cool contest where you can win one of these!!

Disclaimer: My flight to Zanzibar was sponsored by Condor.

The post My Trip to Zanzibar – An Instagram Diary appeared first on JUST TRAVELOUS.

Oh, ok. I see. Let’s start again. Once upon a time there was this girl (yes, I’m talking about me) who was invited to South Africa by a well known cream liqueur. Marula, Marula, Marula, uhm. What was that story again? Wasn’t it..? Yes, it is, that’s the fruit all the animals get drunk from. No shit! Have a look at it yourself:

This will be awesomesauce. And we’re going to be there right for the harvest season? Perfect! We (slightly boozy from drinking to much cream liqueur) are going to see the animals (slightly boozy from eating too much Marula fruits). This sounds fuuuuuun. I can already see the funny video…

But uhm. Nope. All wrong. On the one hand harvest season was nearly over when we arrived (so no chance watching animals in the wild eating the Marula fruits) and on the other hand… it’s simply not true.

What? Wait! What is not true. Don’t the animals eat the Marula fruit? Oh yes, they love it. But they don’t get drunk by eating it. Honestly. You want proof? Read this. Yes, the stories about the drunk animals are old. But, there is no proof this has anything to do with the Marula fruit, maybe all the story tellers just loved this story. And it’s true that they use the Marula fruit to produce alcohol like beer and Amarula. And if you drink to much of this you will be drunk. True story. I tried it.

So how do the animals look like in South Africa, completely sober? Check out this video (incl the BIG FIVE):

Disclaimer: Amarula invited me on this trip. And yes, they gave me lots and lots of alcohol.

The post The Tale of the Drunken Animals in Africa appeared first on JUST TRAVELOUS.

Let’s be honest: I always thought street art is cool and graffiti is… well I had no idea. I thought it’s kind of the same or graffiti is more or less just daub. Then Paul from TheHiddenPath took me on a cool graffiti tour through Berlin. And told me fascinating things about graffiti and the different techniques and the history and how to read them. And while I’m still learning and watching awesomesauce youtube videos for research I wanted to show you some cool stuff. My Instagram pictures from the tour… And soon I will tell you more about it and I promise you will see graffiti through different eyes then, but for now sit back, relax and enjoy the pictures:

Sometimes graffiti and street art are sharing a wall

A typical Berlin walla graffiti island in the river SpreeThere’s a “travelous” missing…A farm for kids and graffiti – in the middle of Berlin

In my next post I will tell you all about it why exactly I loved the tour and why you should go on one. And well some cool insider stories…

Disclaimer: Nikon gave me a Coolpix S800c to test it. All pictures in the post where made with this camera, edited in different apps and uploaded to Instagram.

The post Graffiti in Berlin – An Instagram Diary appeared first on JUST TRAVELOUS.

I’ve never been to Tokyo. But this would be me as a city? Then I definitely have to go there. One day. Not now. I won’t travel to Tokyo. But it’s a destination with “T”. Thailand maybe?

Nope, I won’t travel to Thailand although this was your favourite. No Songkran for me this year…

I will travel to…

Picture: Reisefreunde

TANZANIA, more precisely: to ZANZIBAR

The very sound of it. A word that feels good when you speak it out loudly. When my friends from Condor asked me if I wanna fly to Zanzibar with them I didn’t have to think twice. I thought: Just do it!

Picture: Reisefreunde

And now it’s decided. I will fly for one week to Zanzibar. Sigh. And I have no idea. I only know that I will have permission to film on board! If everything goes well I will film IN the cockpit and ask the captain how many shooting stars you see during a night flight over Africa. And I will ask the stewardess how many litres tomato juice they normally serve during a flight. And if I’m very very lucky I will see sunrise and sunset from the cockpit. Really looking forward to this. And to my time on the island.

Picture: Reisefreunde

But I have no idea how I will spend my time there. And when I think about it I feel queasy. It will be the very first time that I will be travelling completely solo. Nothing arranged, no one there to hold my hand. Sigh. And here’s your turn again:

Have you been to Zanzibar? Do you know someone who lives there or who has been there? Where should I stay? Any recommendations for guest houses? What should I do? What do I need to know?

Looking forward to your comments or emails to yvonne@justtravelous.com

Disclaimer: The lovely people from Condor are sponsoring my flights

The post And I will travel to… appeared first on JUST TRAVELOUS.

The question is yet, if it’s generally a good idea to sell monkeys in their natural habitat as a tourist attraction. I mean, let’s be honest, if I would be a tourist attraction all at once and people would come visit me in my living room, I probably would get aggressive too. No, I would for sure get aggressive, not only probably. But sure, the monkeys in Ubud are used to tourists and if you don’t act like a complete idiot they won’t harm you. And with the entrance fee you help to fund projects associated with the conservation of the Monkey Forest’s natural and cultural resources. So that’s good.

Seriousness aside, let’s feel like a kid in the puppy store and drool over the monkeys:

A penny for their thoughts!

What is he telling the corn cob?
Stoned?

Oh nope, just tired!

I can’t decide. Which picture is cuter? The one above or the one below?

And if this doesn’t soften your heart… what’s wrong with you??

How to get there:

Best thing would be to stay in Ubud for a few days, then it’s easy. Just follow Monkey Forest Road and there you go. If you’re not staying in Ubud you can also do a day trip.

When is the best time to go there?

You definitely should go there early in the morning. You’ll need at least one hour to see all the monkeys and temples. And get the hell out of there at around 10am, that’s when the tourist buses will arrive.

Where to stay in Ubud:

We’ve stayed in Artini 1, loved it there! It feels like sleeping in a temple, you get breakfast served on your own terrace and a bungalow is available from €25 a night.

What else?

You definitely should see the sunset in Petulu! For more tips for Bali and Ubud check out my friend Theodora’s blog Escape Artistes!

Have you been to Monkey Forest in Ubud? Any other tips?

The post Of Monkeys and Men – Monkey Forest in Ubud, Bali appeared first on JUST TRAVELOUS.

But maybe I should stay in Berlin. Enjoy the first warm days of spring and finally getting all these posts done I wanted to write since like ever. And find a new apartment? (EMAIL ME IF YOU HAVE A TIP!)

I’ve created flight alerts on like every single flight search engine I know. To Bangkok, to Marrakesh, to Reykjavik, to Prague, to fuckknowswhere. And then again I’m thinking: Ohhhh, Zimbabwe would be interesting. Or France? I admit: I have no idea what to do. Where to go. I can’t make a decision. Yeah, I know: first world problem. And here’s your turn… I have at least one week, I could maybe do four weeks…

WHERE SHOULD I TRAVEL TO?

Any cool ideas? Any hidden spots? Leave a comment below or send me an email to yvonne@justtravelous.com. Every single tip and help is highly appreciated.

The post Take me anywhere. But the question is: WHERE? appeared first on JUST TRAVELOUS.

So, you know I’ve been to South Africa. And well, you know I do speak English quite well. Kind of. BUT I’ve never heard of “Game Drive” before. I thought it’s called safari. Never ever used the word game in another way than the playing one. So I asked: “Why is it called game drive?” And I was told it’s game like in wild animals. Ah yes. The ranger had a good laugh. The other tourists too.

So far so funny. Last Tuesday I finally had the time to join #TTOT again. And then THIS happened:

And that’s how I got the idea for this post. Thanks to the fabulous Nita of Spilling The Beans. And although I still think it would be funny to play Monopoly or Snake or Angry Birds during a game drive I thought about some more useful games for a game drive. (Kind of).

The Perfect Games for a Game Drive:

Hide and Seek:

This could be extremely funny but well, maybe not THAT funny if the ranger can’t find you anymore. But I think that’s the most popular games for game in Africa.

This leopard is probably playing Hide and Seek right now

Rock, Paper, Scissors

Perfect if you’re fighting with another tourist about the best seat.

GAME DRIVE Bingo

No explanation needed, right?

Drinking Games

You could also use Game Drive Bingo as a drinking game. Every time you could mark off something you take a shot. Easy as this.

Any other cool and funny games for a game drive?

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