Italy Pt. 1- Exploring an Paestum and Agropoli

Beautiful view in Agropoli

Ahhh, Italy! There's no other place quite like it. Very laid back, very passionate for their culture, and very inviting. We decided to end our journey around the world with a Euro Road trip. From Nice, France we drove south to Italy. Along the west coast, we decided to stop in an old Greek settlement, Paestum. Paestum is just south of Naples. We stayed for 4 days and truly enjoyed our time and the food! We ventured to Agropoli, a beautiful seaside town on a hill. We saw ancient Greek ruins and relaxed on beautiful beaches. Next, we venture further south to Calabria, the region which Allie's family immigrated from, where we visit Allie's family and Nelson had a huge surprise for Allie!

India - The North - Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan

Nelson and Allie playing the part while in Rajasthan

After exploring the south of India, we traveled north to Delhi, the bustling capital. We explored Old Delhi and some famous sights including Ghandi's home. With our private driver, Deepak, we headed to Agra to visit the famous Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. We then began our tour of the state of Rajasthan, exploring many cities, palaces, and forts, feeling like we were back in an age of the emperors. The state was very arid and home to a vast desert. Rajasthan was quite different from the tropical south of India. In Rajasthan we visited Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, and Pushkar, moving around quite a bit but seeing so much. We felt like we had traveled back in time.

India - The South - Mumbai, Kerala, and Goa

Who is crazy enough to rent a scooter in India? We are.

Our first trip to India came with immense anticipation. With all of our research and conversations with fellow travelers, we knew we would experience something different from all of our previous travels. Many say India is its own world, some say not to try to make sense of it, others say embrace every moment. India was truly eyeopening and sensory overload. India is not for the faint of heart. The sheer density of people was truly astounding. With 1.3B people, nearly 1B more than the population of the US, with a third of the space (!!!) it was quite crowded everywhere, even in small towns. The country is very rich in culture. The flavors of the cuisine are complex and unique. With the large country came drastic variety within the regions. While its easy to categorize the the country by 'the north' and 'the south' as many people do, each state had a different feel, a different cuisine, different landscape, and different language. They say every 50kms the language changes.

We began in the financial capital of Mumbai and flew down to the state of Kerala, also known as 'God's own country'. It is a very spiritual region with Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists truly coexisting peacefully. We visited Fort Kochi and the famous Backwaters and Munnar, home to spectacular tea plantations. In true Allie and Nelson fashion, we rented a scooter to explore the tea plantation's rolling hills. Next we headed to Goa, a state known for its beautiful beaches and backpacker life.

South Africa Pt. 3- The Winelands and Cape Town

The queen and king of Cape Town?

The climax of our South Africa road trip ended with something near and dear to our hearts... wine! The wine lands of South Africa were a very pleasant surprise. In the US we don't have much of a selection of South African wines, we soon learned the wine game in South Africa is a true contender! The wines were delicious and they had the foods to match up to it. Not only were the wines great, the breathtaking beauty of the wine regions rivaled those of Tuscany or Burgundy. The views had us saying 'WOW' with every turn. We explored Hermanus, Franschoeck, and Stellenbosch. Franschoeck - meaning French corner, was settled by the Huguenot's and hence bringing the wine making skills to the beautiful valley. It was our favorite of the three regions and a beautiful place to spend our Christmas. We spent time in Cape Town, exploring the 'Mother City'. Truly a diverse gem of a city with a great vibe. Mountains, beaches, and amazing views aplenty! We hiked up Table Mountain which was not an easy feat. We visited the botanical gardens, beaches, and an amazing Saturday morning market. A great way to end our South African exploration. 

South Africa Pt. 2 - The amazing natural beauty of the Garden Route

The Christmas Spirit along the Garden Route

We ventured west from Jeffrey's Bay along the garden route. We took our time and stopped at many places along the way. As we kept venturing west, the beauty varied day by day, but it seemed we were constantly in awe. The natural beauty was breathtaking and we soon realized our pictures would not do it any justice. This is a place that needs to be experienced to truly appreciate it. The kind folks who owned and managed the guest houses and restaurants along the way would offer wonderful suggestions and tips for our travel along the coast. We started in Jeffrey's Bay, visited St. Francis Bay for a day trip, then continued to Plettenberg Bay, then arrived our favorite town along the coast Knysna. There were beautiful stop offs along the route, with plenty of hiking and national parks to explore. Enjoy!