travel
Italy and London
I had the opportunity to go visit a piece of Europe with my sister. We stayed in our cousin’s home in Pordenone for 5 days and then ventured to London for 2 days. We had our flights booked, but other than that, we figured out our plans as we went. It truly was an adventure!
Why Italy?
It’s quite simple! We had a place to stay with our cousin which was close to Venice and the Dolomites. We really wanted to hike in the Dolomites and experience Venice. They did not disappoint! London was a fun add-on since it’s only a 2 hour flight from Venice.
The Trip
We flew out from Sacramento and attempted to sleep on a red-eye flight to Marco Polo airport. We were prepared with sleep aids, compression socks, travel blankets and the wander pillow. These items were effective and helpful, but the flights were still a bit rough. I’m super impressed with how so many people slept soundly on the long flight.
Day 1: Our first full day in beautiful Italy landed on Mother’s day. We attended church and desperately wanted a nap, but were advised against it. So we headed to Lake Barcis. What a treat! My first response when seeing these exquisite lakes was, “What?!” The color is just breathtaking and the walk along Lake Barcis was a great way to beat the jet-lag.
Day 2: We got up early and caught the train to Venice. Using the trainline app was super easy and effective in getting around Italy. Stepping out of the train station and onto the streets of Venice is incredible. The way the city moves is so unique. We walked all over Venice and would just pop into places that caught our eye. Cafe Al 133 was divine and I’d highly recommend it for the delicious food. The cathedrals are extraordinary and all over Venice. It’s so affordable to just get the year pass. It allows you to visit all the cathedrals in Venice excluding the Basilica di San Marco (but even that entry fee is minimal). San Marco square and the Rialto bridge are lovely! We were enticed into a shop (Nino’s) with chocolate samples and left with yummy souvenirs (they didn’t last long). After walking all day, we found some hilarious gondeliers that accepted credit cards and took us for a relaxing gondola ride. The gondeliers prefer cash. Venice at night is beautiful.
Day 3: We weren’t sure what our plans were until the morning. We decided to head back to Venice and I’m so glad we did. It was refreshing and less overwhelming visiting for a second day. We headed back to the same Cafe for brunch and I found a beautiful purse at IL Grifone leather shop. We decided to take the water ferry to check out Murano and Burano. Murano is known for its glass work. Burano is bright and known for its lace work. We said goodbye to Venice with more gelato and a great dinner.
Day 4: Our cousin and his lovely wife took the day off work to drive to the Dolomites with us. What a perfect day! It was a beautiful 2 hour drive from Pordenone to Lake Braies. We hiked around the lake and enjoyed the stunning views and misty skies. The lodge offers German influenced food and plenty of beverage choices. We packed our hiking boots specifically with this adventure in mind and were wanting more of a challenge. A few of us took a trail path off of the main lake trail and hiked straight up the mountain. At least that’s what it felt like. We encountered snow, steep inclines, switchbacks, and heavier rainfall the further we got up the mountain. It was divine! We headed back down once we lost the trailhead and were thoroughly soaked. We drove to Cortina D’Ampezzo for dinner. I would love to spend more time in this city to hike more of the Dolomites! We were lucky to find another delicious gelato place on our route home that was open late. Seriously, I could eat that every day. Oh wait, we did!
Day 5: Exhaustion hit me like a train! But it was our last day in Italy, so we took the train to the city of Trieste. After the waterways of Venice and the peace of the Dolomites, Trieste seemed loud and overwhelming. It is a lovely coastal city and after eating at a restaurant called Home (delicious with a great theme), it all looked even more lovely! The main square is really neat, but we loved exploring the back streets. We ran into a Roman amphitheater that was still being excavated and the Castle of Trieste. The Castle of Trieste provides a wonderful view of the city. It is filled with so much history. IL Gelato was worth the stop and I wish I had just gotten more instead of being reasonable.
Day 6: Our cousin dropped us off at Marco Polo where we took British Airways to London. British Airways are strict about the size of your second carry-on. You will be asked to check a bag if one of the carry-ons seems too large. After we landed in Heathrow airport, we took the train to the Clermont at Charring Cross. It is in such a great location if you have a short time in London. We booked it around to see Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, got pedicures, ate dinner followed by a snack run, attracted some weird attention from a stranger and then relaxed in our lovely room with a view of London Eye.
Day 7: We started off a bit slower this day. We used the hotel gym to get our blood moving and minds focused. We figured out which route to take on the tube and felt very accomplished getting around without any major hiccups. You don’t really need a tube pass, just use the same card(google or apple pay) to swipe in and out of the stations. Super easy. We toured the Tower of London and then walked across Tower Bridge. So fascinating. Next, we ventured up to Kings cross. There we encountered fun street performers, Coal street market with yummy treats and cool vendors, found a lovely bookstore (Hatchards), and snapped a quick photo at platform 9 ¾. We found a great Indian restaurant and it was scrumptious.
Day 8: We flew home! Be prepared for super tight security at Heathrow airport and strict enforcement of the liquid quart sized bags. We were the lasts ones to board our flight with Virgin Atlantic. We ended up getting our own rows for the entire 11 hour flight and that was THE BEST!
Travel essentials
I love the minimalist traveling style, so we traveled with only carry-on bags. Having more knowledge regarding British Airways and the desire to grab a few more souvenirs, I’d probably check a larger bag next time we visit Europe. Below is a list of a few items that were essential and simplified our travels.
- Travel size Doterra deep blue (amazon) https://amzn.to/45MwZyo
- Packing cubes (amazon) https://amzn.to/4ePgFBc
- Pill box with daily meds (amazon) https://amzn.to/3XLWZYw
- Purse or cross bag that zips (I used the travelon purse)
- Portable phone charger
- Compression socks for the flight
- Travel blanket (I didn’t need it on the flights, but I used it after hiking the dolomites)
- GOOD SHOES! Doc Marten boots were great for May weather, but solid sandals would work well too
- Power converter https://amzn.to/4bAqn7G
Tips/Lessons learned
- Have your passport easily accessible when flying
- eSIM card through Holafly was easy and great to use
- Italy doesn’t have many rideshare options yet, but the train was convenient for us to get around (trainline app)
- You need coins or cash for the public bathrooms
- Gondoliers prefer cash
- Trust the locals even if you don’t quite understand the full explanation. It will make sense later.
- If someone hands you a rose on the streets of Venice just keep walking. It’s not free!
- Airport booties are for your feet, not the shoes you put in the bin (I blame that mistake on sleep deprivation)
- Stores close earlier in Burano and the water taxi takes longer than we anticipated
- If you see pastries or gelato and you want it, get it. Don’t plan on going back.
Alamere Falls
hiking
Alamere Falls is located in Point Reyes, CA. It is a gorgeous hike along the bluffs of northern CA. It is an 11-mile hike unless you take the shortcut through a path of tress. It drops the mileage down to 9.5 roundtrip. You can scale down the bluffs at the end and land on the beach. There you will see the waterfall cascade right onto the beach.
We've done this hike in the past and it was wonderful! Our family decided to try this beautiful hike again for my husband's 40th birthday. We have four kids: 14, 13, 11, and 7 years old. The forecast predicted light rain throughout the day. The bay area is usually overcast and drizzly in March. We packed our jackets, boots, and plenty of snacks. It wasn't enough.
The predicted light rain, turned into steady, heavy rain. We did our best avoiding large puddles on the way out. By the time we made it to the top of the waterfall, the majority of us were soaked. Our 7 -year-old daughter was freezing and miserable. But our 11-year-old daughter really wanted to make it down to the beach since she'd come all that way and it truly is remarkable. So my husband ventured down with her, while I turned back with our teenagers and the youngest. Our 7-year-old was plopped on my back as we hustled back to the car. We marched straight through all the puddles on the way back. Trying to stay dry was out of the question. Between myself and my 14-year-old son, we carried the youngest over 4.5 miles. It was rough, but we were extremely grateful for the warm car! We could've had better gear or even just canceled due to the weather, but there were moments that I will always cherish. I kept hearing from our 13-year-old daughter that her feet were killing her, but she kept smiling and saying, "I've got it." Our son continued to encourage his sisters and offer all he had to help them. Amongst the hardship, they were resilient and positive. Once, we were all back in the car, one of the kids laughingly said, "That was probably the worst hiking experience we've ever had!" Dripping, we all just laughed. Well, except the 7-year-old, she was concentrating on keeping the blanket around the heater!
We would absolutely recommend this hike! Maybe choose a day with better weather or have top of the line waterproof gear.
Shasta Lake
Two houseboats. Two ski boats. Two jet skis. 1 sailboat. 1 week. 31 people!
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Accommodations
I grew up going to Shasta every other year with my family. It was always one of our favorite family vacations. We have gone a few different times with our own growing family and it’s always a boat-load of fun! Recently, we have really enjoyed Antlers resort. The loading and unloading process has proven to be simple and efficient. There are always some hiccups while traveling, but Antlers staff are great.
Adventure
A week on Shasta is filled with beautiful calm water in the morning and evening for skiing and/or wakeboarding. It stays relatively calm for kneeboarding and surfing most of the day, but late afternoon expect some wind and chop. Tubing behind the boats and jet skis was a hit with all ages in our family group. We love the slides on the back of the houseboats and jumping off the roof. We found a 20ft rock ledge to jump off. The low bridges make other great jumps or a spot to set up a rope swing like my brothers managed. For a slower day, we just like floating in the lake or paddleboarding. Or reading a good book in the sun followed by card games in the air conditioned houseboat. We didn’t hit the Shasta caverns this trip, but I remember loving them when I was a kid.
Preparation
It is a lot of work getting ready like any other family trip. Houseboating is similar to camping in regards to food prep, drinks, bringing all the towels and sleeping equipment. There are mattresses on all the beds, but we bring extra cushion for ourselves.https://amzn.to/3WQzjkW
Keeping meals quick and simple is my favorite. Every family this trip was responsible for their own breakfast, lunch, drinks and snacks. Each of us took a night to cook for everyone. We chose chicken souvlaki kabobs with all the mediterranean additions (olives, hummus, tzatziki sauce, onions, tomatoes, feta, lettuce, cucumbers, pita bread). I prepped the meat and marinade beforehand, then skewered and barbequed them on our night. It was delicious and filled with so much nutrition as well. The other dinners we enjoyed were korean beef, hawaiian haystacks, super nachos, and hamburgers and hot dogs. When buying drinks for the houseboat, always bring extra cases of water. Expect to buy ice everyday from the marinas. We blast through sunscreen, but the mineral sunscreens last longer and are better for your skin. I really like blue lizard and babyganics. https://amzn.to/4cfb58G
For our after sun care, we tried the beef tallow and it was amazing, especially for our faces and lips.
Safety
If you’re from Ca, you are required to have a boaters license/card. Yes, I did get pulled over and was asked to show my card. We are pretty strict with life jacket usage and everyone helping out on the boat. Stay safe in the water and have fun!
