{"id":12,"date":"2014-12-30T21:35:29","date_gmt":"2014-12-31T04:35:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.earthlylocomotion.com\/?p=12"},"modified":"2014-12-31T09:43:24","modified_gmt":"2014-12-31T16:43:24","slug":"2014-travel-recap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.earthlylocomotion.com\/?p=12","title":{"rendered":"2014 Travel Recap"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Ojo<\/a>
Ojo Caliente, New Mexico<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Vilnius<\/a>
Vilnius<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The Old Town in Vilnius<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Typical<\/a>
Typical Vilnius street scene<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"DSC03588\"<\/a>
Severin, Romania.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Manele<\/a>
Manele Bay, Lanai<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Baldwin<\/a>
Baldwin Beach, Maui<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Upcountry<\/a>
Upcountry sunset with a view of Lanai in the distance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Big<\/a>
Big wave swells from my table at Mama’s Fish House.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"View<\/a>
View from Mama’s at lunch.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Haleakala<\/a>
Haleakala crater just after sunrise.
Elevation 10,357 feet.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Upcountry<\/a>
Upcountry vista with the west Maui mountains shrouded in clouds.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The Lodge at Koele on Lanai, Maui.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"View<\/a>
View from the sea cottages at the Travasa Resort in Hana, Maui.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Larger<\/a>
Larger swells at Jaws on Maui’s north shore.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Ojo<\/a>
Ojo Caliente, New Mexico<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The Resort Springs & Spa on the San Juan River.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A<\/a>
A Nida seaside pub & restaurant<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nida<\/a>
Nida sand dunes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nude<\/a>
Nude beach in Nida<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So 2014 took me to many places on our planet. \u00a0(I’m playing a bit of catch up here. \u00a0In 2015 my posts will be in real-time, rather than a retrospective.) \u00a0Some places I visited were awesome, others not as much. \u00a0Let me begin with my biggest disappointment, Eastern Europe (or at least parts of it) was really disappointing. \u00a0So sad to see a country like Bulgaria stuck in an economic “dark ages.” \u00a0This is apparently so because of Soviet domination up until the early 1990s. \u00a0It was then that Bulgaria along with many other of its neighbors gained their independence. \u00a0In the 25 years since then not much has happened economically. \u00a0More specifically, tourism seems to be non-existent. \u00a0In Romania I had a pretty similar experience, once you leave Bucharest. \u00a0I traveled through Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Eastern Croatia, Slovakia and Austria. \u00a0What I noted was that generally, as one travels west in that region, conditions seem to improve. \u00a0We did travel along the Danube River. \u00a0It was not until I arrived in Budapest that I found a truly beautiful gem. \u00a0This place is as beautiful as it is when depicted in travel brochures. \u00a0Overall, if you are desirous of a more Western Europe experience, I would suggest you either wait another 25 years for that part of the world to catch up, or begin in Budapest and go west from there.<\/p>\n

My best european experience of 2014 had to be Lithuania. \u00a0This little country is bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east, Poland to the south, Kaliningrad Russia to the southwest, and the Baltic Sea to the northwest. \u00a0It gained its independence in a hard fought revolution against the Soviet Union (now Russia) in the early 1990s. \u00a0I spent time in the capital city of Vilnius. \u00a0This city is where most of the resources are being deployed in order to restore the buildings, parks and general appearance, and it shows. \u00a0I loved the old town area. \u00a0It was very walk friendly and incredibly charming. \u00a0The people are as well. \u00a0Everyone I met was ready to please. \u00a0The other thing that impressed me was their grasp of the English language. \u00a0While my Lithuanian is a bit thin it was easy to communicate because most people have a decent understanding of English, and are willing to use it. \u00a0After some time spent in Vilnius I rented a vehicle and took off for the Baltic seaside.<\/p>\n

The driving experience was good, compared to other European cities. \u00a0Signage was great and the GPS was near flawless. \u00a0I must say that without GPS, it would have been a bit different. \u00a0So I must conclude that \u00a0GPS is mandatory. \u00a0It was a great 560 kilometer (about 350 miles) drive to the little seaside village of Nida. \u00a0Once I arrived here I parked my vehicle and rented a bike. \u00a0I did not need the vehicle again until I returned to Vilnius some two weeks later. \u00a0My experience in Nida was the highlight of an already great visit to this little country. \u00a0Pubs and restaurants dot the coastline. \u00a0The food is always fresh and homemade no matter which establishment you choose. \u00a0The Lithuanian cuisine is pretty similar to Eastern Europe fair, only more hearty. \u00a0Potatoes are an important part of the diet and these guys prepare them very well. \u00a0All produce in this country is non-GMO, and all beef is hormone free. \u00a0Interesting to note if that is the sort of thing that floats your boat. \u00a0Cobblestone lanes and footpaths through the forest are prevalent and user friendly. \u00a0The beaches are pristine, although the water can be quite chilly. \u00a0The entire spit of land upon which Nida can be found is known as Neringa. \u00a0Neringa in total is a protected UNESCO World Heritage site, so if it seems uncharacteristicly clean, this may be why. \u00a0 In 2004 Lithuania became part of the European Union. \u00a0Beginning in 2015 Lithuania will accept the Euro. This fact should further enhance the travel experience.<\/p>\n

Another voyage took me to the Eastern Caribbean . \u00a0I needed to test drive a cruise line in advance of booking a longer voyage in 2015. \u00a0A test drive to me is prudent. \u00a0I have \u00a0defined it as booking a short trip (in this case 14 days) to be able to determine the overall feel of the ship and cruise line before I commit to a longer trip. \u00a0I have sailed many times on Regent. \u00a0Its ships accommodate between 490 and 680 guests. \u00a0My experience on these sailings was mostly very positive. \u00a0I was contemplating booking a 2015 cruise for 40 nights. \u00a0I was told that Oceania Cruise was great. \u00a0However, having never sailed with them before I was reluctant to booking a long cruise. \u00a0Thus, a test drive was deemed necessary before such a booking. \u00a0I figured the Caribbean route would be a fair test. \u00a0The Oceania ship accommodates 1,250 guests. \u00a0The name of the vessel was Riviera. \u00a0The itinerary was great. \u00a0The food also great. \u00a0However, because of the Miami – Miami route I believe the crowd was very much older than I had hoped it would be. \u00a0I think this was so because cruising internationally, especially disembarking in a non U.S. country raises the level of difficulty of travel, and therefore eliminates many older travelers. \u00a0Getting on and getting off in the same city, in this case Miami, makes it very easy for elderly and handicapped travelers. \u00a0That said this crowd was well past their prime. \u00a0I even experienced wheelchair traffic jams on board several times. \u00a0The overall feeling of the vessel and its 1,250 guests was that it was too large for my liking. \u00a0I find the 400-600 guest vessel is just like the three bears, not too small (as to cause claustrophobia) and not too large (as too cause agoraphobia). \u00a0Consequently, I eliminated Oceania from future cruise travel. \u00a0The 2015 cruise has now been booked on Regent. \u00a0Please follow that experience, as well as my other 2015 travel experiences in real-time entries by viewing my blog.<\/p>\n

Next up are mineral baths. \u00a0During 2014 I saw many. \u00a0Among my favorites are those in Ojo Caliente, in New Mexico and The Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. \u00a0Ojo Caliente is a charming little inn accommodating about 80 people in 40 suites. Many of the suites have pinion burning wood fireplaces making the air sweet with its aroma. \u00a0The baths themselves have their waters blessed by Tibetan monks (in case you care).The minerals are plentiful in these waters and extremely beneficial, both physically and mentally. \u00a0Once I’m there (typically for 3 nights) I never leave the property. I bring my own refreshments \u00a0(beer, wine, alcohol and snacks) as the units do include a small kitchen. \u00a0 Ojo has a great restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. \u00a0It should be noted that Ojo has a beer and wine license only. \u00a0The dinner options are varied so I never have the same dish twice during my stay. \u00a0There is a small spa offering fairly priced services from salt scrubs to all types of massage. \u00a0There is also a yurt offering great yoga sessions. \u00a0If you are looking for anything more (especially night-life) this is not your place. \u00a0In that case go to 10,000 Waves in Santa Fe.<\/p>\n

The Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs is awesome. \u00a0Its baths are adjacent to, and part of, the San Juan River. \u00a0They also offer an adults only area of baths. \u00a0The older portion of the hotel itself is pretty tired. \u00a0If you go, I suggest the Mountain Suites. \u00a0This building is only 4 years old and has old western world charm. \u00a0The suites are killer too. \u00a0There is also an old west main street a short walk away. \u00a0Plenty of other outdoor activities as well; among a few are white water rafting, fly-fishing, hunting, tubing the San Juan, hiking, and shooting sporting clays.<\/p>\n

Maui and Lanai. \u00a0These are very special places for me. \u00a0I love upcountry Maui as much as the beach. \u00a0So nice to have both of these experiences in the same day. \u00a0It’s great to be able to enjoy an awesome boat drink on the beach in 85 degree weather, and later, a fine single malt scotch in 60 degree weather upcountry. \u00a0Maui plays host to every micro climate that exists on earth. \u00a0The Haleakala crater is over 10,000 feet above sea level. \u00a0So if you venture up there for an early morning sunrise be prepared for 20 degree temperatures. \u00a0I spent 5 weeks on Maui and Lanai in 2014. \u00a0The local beaches are great. \u00a0One of my favorites is Baldwin Beach, located on the north shore of the island. \u00a0When up country make sure you don’t miss dinner at Bev Gannon’s \u00a0Hali’imaile General Store. \u00a0Make sure you have the Blackened Ahi as an entree. \u00a0This place rocks. \u00a0Another north shore place is Mama’s Fish House. \u00a0This place is best at lunch, only because you can sit almost on the beach and the view is very special. \u00a0However, be prepared for both the crazy high prices and how touristy it is. \u00a0Having said that, it is still a great place for lunch. \u00a0If you are there in the winter your lucky because there’s a good chance the big wave swells will be something worth viewing. \u00a0Some of the largest waves happen just a bit north of here at Jaws.<\/p>\n

If you have lots of time I would strongly urge you to spend 3 or 4 nights at the Hotel Travasa (formerly the Hana Hotel) in Hana. \u00a0The area is remote and it takes about 3-4 hours to drive there from the Kahului Airport. \u00a0 However, you will not regret the effort. \u00a0You want to book one of the seaside cottages. \u00a0Just spectacular.<\/p>\n

If you have even more time (and cash) take the 50 minute ferry from Lahaina to Lanai and spend 4 or 5 days at the Four Seasons on the beach. \u00a0This island is owned in total by Larry Ellison of Oracle fame. \u00a0He has been spending lots and lots of money improving the entire island and experience. \u00a0The few locals that live there seem to have no problem with what is happening and is slated to happen. \u00a0There are two Four Season properties on the island. \u00a0The hotel on the beach and the one known as the Lodge at Koele. \u00a0Because of its elevation at 2,000 feet, this property is very unique as well and offers things that do not exist at the beach property. \u00a0Orchid gardens and manicured croquet and bocce courses are but a few. \u00a0The 18 hole golf course is among the best in the world. \u00a0The resort also has a sporting clay range with 9 different blinds. \u00a0This island is a bit like fantasy island. \u00a0Amazingly relaxing.<\/p>\n

Well that’s the digest for 2014. \u00a0As I mentioned earlier, in 2015 my entries will be in real-time. \u00a0You should also look forward to seeing both the national and international sponsors to my website. \u00a0I’m currently working on numerous relationships.<\/p>\n

All the best to you in 2015 and safe travels,<\/p>\n

Craig<\/p>\n

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So 2014 took me to many places on our planet. \u00a0(I’m playing a bit of catch up here. \u00a0In 2015 my posts will be in real-time, rather than a retrospective.) \u00a0Some places I visited were awesome, others not as much. \u00a0Let me begin with my biggest disappointment, Eastern Europe (or at least parts of it) … Continue reading 2014 Travel Recap<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.earthlylocomotion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.earthlylocomotion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.earthlylocomotion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.earthlylocomotion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.earthlylocomotion.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.earthlylocomotion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51,"href":"https:\/\/www.earthlylocomotion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12\/revisions\/51"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.earthlylocomotion.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.earthlylocomotion.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.earthlylocomotion.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}