Gettin’ High in Cappadocia: Hot Air Ballooning in Turkey

All I could hear was the gentle breeze softly whispering past the hot air balloon and the occasional whoosh of the flame filling the balloon, as we soared on smooth streams of air. The warm sun breached the nearby plateau casting a warm, encompassing glow over the insanely picturesque valley below. Holy cow!

The day started before the crack of dawn. In fact it was only 4:30am. That is way too early for me, but we persevered and got the kids ready and out the door on time.

As we excited our room the Muslim call to prayer echoed through the valley. It was a eerie sound in the darkening hills that we recorded and placed on Instagram.

Along with a handful of other guests from the Kayakapi Premium Caves, we jumped on board the mini bus and drove down the winding hillside into Goreme and to the Royal Balloon headquarters for an early breakfast and rendezvous with other ballooners.  We were still all waking up and Caius was mid-way through a case of a nasty stomach virus which required frequent and urgent toilet breaks. I had crossed my fingers and toes that there would be no needed toilet breaks 300 metres above the ground in a small basket – and fortunately, we were safe in that department.

Flyers were grouped together based on the chosen ballooning package and assigned a minibus to take us to our balloon. We had ridden in a hot air balloon several years ago in Australia, without kids, so we assumed the process to be fairly similar. But this time was quite different. The balloon was already prepped and ready to go with several staff members filling the balloon with hot air and securing it ready for launch. We had just enough time to snap some beautiful photos of the surrounding area, spotted with brightly coloured balloons taking off, before we were ushered on board.

Once on board we met our friendly pilot, a Brit named Nigel. He had many years experience flying all over the world and was very informative about the region, flying procedures and also shared some fascinating stories.

There are around 200 registered balloons in the area, with up to 140 taking off each morning during the peak season. Our morning was relatively quieter with only around 70 balloons sharing the clear, azure sky with us. It was still a truly spectacular panorama combining the rugged landscape, crystal skies and bright balloons silently gliding, interrupted with occasional bursts of whooshing flame to control their ascent.

The photos we took were nothing short of breathtaking. Here’s a few:

Caius was strapped into our Manduca baby carrier most of the flight, and later progressed to sitting on the floor safely peeking out of the foot-hole in the side of the basket. He enjoyed the ride overall but wasn’t too keen on the loud sound made by the burner from time to time. Mia was enthralled with the natural beauty surrounding her, taking in all the sights, just managing to peek over the edge of the basket.

It’s worth noting that children under 7 are generally discouraged from participating due to safety risks and the fact that the basket is quite high not giving prime viewing, but both Mia and Caius loved the experience. It would be a perfect romantic excursion for parents if you were to find a local babysitter for the morning.

The countryside around Cappadocia has been carved out of the volcanic rock over the centuries by wind and melting snow to reveal amazing colours, textures and shapes unique to the region. The well-known “Love Valley” features vertical rock protrusions, which could be likened to particular part of the male anatomy. Erin had fun coming up with humorous names for this area. We also had a chuckle when an older lady on the balloon asked “why is this region called Love Valley?”. How exactly could we explain that gently?

  

As Nigel was looking for a spot to land the balloon, he announced that we would be landing on the back of a pick-up truck. We thought he was joking at first, but realized he was serious. How would this work? We recalled back to our Australian balloon ride, which ended with us roughly landing the basket with a thud and tipping over while gripping onto the internal handles with white knuckles. This time, there was a rope lowered down to a staff member waiting below and guided gently onto the back of a pick-up truck (Aussies would call them “utes”) with amazing grace and finesse. We were impressed!

We shouldn’t have been surprised since during our research of the balloon companies in the area, Royal Balloons consistently came out on top in both the blogging world and other resources.

After the riders disembarked, Mia helped the staff to flatten out the balloon by jumping on it – her favourite part of the whole ride. They also prepared a champagne and orange juice toast as part of a tradition associated with hot air ballooning. We were each endowed with a gold medal to commemorate our adventure. After a few more photos we farewelled the team and made our way back to Kayakapi Pemium Caves via shuttle, to rest for an hour before our next adventure began – a day tour around Cappadocia.

 

The "Queen" package with Royal Balloons is €175pp and tickets can be booked via their website.

This balloon ride would definitely be in our top 5 experiences since we started this journey in May 2012. It’s not the cheapest attraction when travelling on a tight budget, but it is money well spent. Nothing else quite compares. We can see why some folks travel to Turkey just for this experience. Flying high in Cappadocia is an experience of a lifetime.

Holiday On A Houseboat in Amsterdam: It’s The Pirate’s Life For Me

It was 10pm at night and the river was alive.

The sun had almost set, casting irresistible twinkling gold contours across the rippling water. Music faded in and out of hearing range as boats whizzed by carrying small groups laughing, drinking and enjoying the late summer evenings. This is summer in full swing in Amsterdam, and we had the best spot to indulge in the canal lifestyle, right on the banks of the Amstel River.

Along the canals of Amsterdam you can find some of Europe’s best and most expensive houseboats. There are only around 2,500 houseboat permits allowed in Amsterdam and the city isn’t issuing any more so houseboats are in very short supply.

Nevertheless, when you have a bucket list item to live on a houseboat in Amsterdam like we do, it has to be done. And we found ours through Amsterdam Book Now, a booking site dedicated to houseboats that offers superb prices.

They were also so flexible. Unfortunately our train to Amsterdam arrived at midnight so we reached our houseboat very late. But we were still greeted by the boat owner onsite, welcomed and introduced to our houseboat with a friendly smile.

What’s In A Houseboat?

There are huge houseboats and there are small houseboats. Our houseboat rental was only one living area. There was a sofa bed, which was all made up and ready for us, and then in a nook was another bed, surprisingly big enough for Josh and I.

There was also a kitchenette and bathroom. It was fully functional with drinkable tap water, electricity, hot shower and the all-important, fast Wi-Fi. 

Up the ladder and onto the deck was a small table with two chairs for enjoying the views of the boats passing by and the picturesque Skinny Bridge.

The walkway to our room, along the side of the boat, initially felt a little treacherous, and at midnight I was scared either the bags, myself or our children would end up in the water. But the kids were naturals and loved the pirate feeling they got from walking the plank. And after a day they could navigate the walkway with their eyes closed.

Our room was only one half of the actual boat with the owner living in the other half. Behind us, double-parked closer to the shore, was another boat that we had to cross over to reach ours.

Tips For Choosing A Houseboat

Size - Our houseboat (half) was rather small, so if you don’t like constrained spaces make sure you find a bigger size – essentially a whole boat. It was perfect for our 4 nights, but for any longer I would have liked more space. As it turned out we were out and about everyday and only using it to collapse into bed in the evenings.

Location - Check the location of your boat. Our boat would have made the perfect boat for a couple that enjoy staying up late and even throwing a nice deck party. The Amstel is pretty active with lively boats passing by way after midnight. Our kids didn’t seem to mind the noise and I did enjoy watching the boats, but come midnight, I do like a little quiet.

On the upside we were just minutes from the tramline that had a direct link to Centraal Station (Central). We also could walk to the underground metro station and there was a convenient supermarket just across the bridge.

Position - Unfortunately the houseboat behind us had forfeited its views to us, so it was nice to be in the boat in front. I’d check that during booking to make sure you could actually see the water, not just another boat.

Facilities – Most boats are fully functional, but just check that you are getting Wi-Fi, electricity, and drinking water. 

Children – Getting to some houseboats can be fiddly for little ones. I wouldn’t have wanted my kids to be any younger on the boat we chose. Check the entry point and if you are comfortable with that. Use precautions as always – don’t allow the kids to wander the decks unattended. Our kids are very strong swimmers for their age, so even if they happened to fall in the water, they’d be able to stay afloat and swim to the edge. Being avid pirate fans, they were able to live their dreams of living on the high seas on their very own boat. The adventure was complete with a few imaginary sword fights and sea shanties.

Go on, picture yourself here

Would I recommend a houseboat holiday in Amsterdam? Absolutely. For a fun, authentic Dutch experience and another item to cross off the bucketlist, Amsterdam in the summer was an absolute joy living on the Amstel River. Now, where can I find Captain Jack Sparrow?

Visiting Amsterdam, Netherlands: Accommodation, Transport, Food & Attractions

Have you been misprouncing the Netherlands this whole time?

Most people get confused by the term Netherlands and Holland, but Holland is actually only two of the provinces within the Netherlands. 

Amsterdam is the capital that sits in North Holland.

Hence many people who visit Amsterdam, claim they are going to Holland. True and false in both sense of the word. Confused now?

My mother was born in the Netherlands. I am not sure if you have ever visited the birthplace of your mother, but it’s both moving and profound – it reconciles the elemental self-identity fragments deep within your soul like a scattered jigsaw puzzle finally being made whole.

So I guess you can see we were excited about heading to Amsterdam. Excited for the genealogy, history, houseboats, canals and the familiar fabulous food.

But first, let’s talk about what you need to know when you get there. Consider this an overview for what you need to know when visiting Amsterdam. 

Getting There

We caught the train from London with Eurostar through the chunnel. It was super easy and took less than 4 hours, with just 1 transfer in Brussels. You could also fly, bus, ferry or drive. If you’re thinking of renting a car, most companies are fine if you take the car around Western Europe. But it’s best that you check with them in advance.

Once you get in check out the Tourist Office just opposite Centraal Station (Central). They’ve got brochures, maps and can help with booking tours.

Getting Around (And How To Save Money)

Amsterdam has a very convenient and thorough public transport system. The metro or tram can take you just about anywhere. And if that’s not good enough, just hire a bike and cycle around, everything is so close. 

There are more bikes than people in Amsterdam.

Similar to Poznan, Poland, we decided to use the tourist card here, called the I Amsterdam City Card, which we picked up from the Tourist Office. For €67 you can get a 72-hour card, which gives you unlimited public transport for 3 days, free entrance to participating museums and attractions, discounts at participating restaurants and more. 

Available in 24, 48 or 72 hour limits.

On our first tram ride we told by the ticket collector that since the kids were 4 and 5 they wouldn’t need a ticket. However, typically on public transport kids 4 and older need their own ticket. 1 hour of travel is €2.80 per person and includes transfers.

Regional day tickets can also be purchased for about €14 per person. These will get you outside Amsterdam, if you pine to see the scenic windmills at Zaanse Schans or one of the many other beautiful towns. 

The scenic windmills of Zaanse Schans, a 40 min bus ride outside Amsterdam.

Where To Stay

It was obvious to us that a trip to Amsterdam would not be complete without staying in a canal houseboat. We found our rental houseboat through Amsterdam Book Now.

The location was awesome, close to a tram and metro station, and right in the thick of it for summer fun in the sun. Why would you stay anywhere else?

What To Do

Like any world-class city, Amsterdam is loaded with mountains of things to see and do, and we barely scratched the surface in our 3 days there. However, we have dedicated a post to all the things you can do, from the regional windmill trip to Zaanse Schans to Madame Tussauds to Anne Frank’s House or the NEMO Science Centre. 

Of course you also find the well-known less-than-savoury parts of Amsterdam, infamously named the “red light district”, where you can buy drugs or see a live sex show.

It seems Amsterdam has sex on the brain and is more liberal about discussing it. We came across it in the Science Museum in an exhibit for 12 to 18 year olds, and also in the Maritime Museum in Rotterdam.

However, this is a family orientated blog so you won’t find this in our recommendations, but you will find a host of family friendly activities that you might not have thought about in this diverse city with a liberal reputation. 

Walking the streets of Amsterdam with kids, perfectly safe.

What To Eat

Having grown up with Dutch food my entire life I was super excited to be heading into Amsterdam to try all the local cuisine. I think during our visit we only managed to find the time to eat at two restaurants, because the rest of the time we were grabbing all those delicious Dutch snack foods. 

One of the times we caught up with a lovely family we had met online at a café in Rembrandt Square. And the second time we tried all-you-can-eat ribs for €15. And boy, did Josh give them a run for their money! One tip for these types of restaurants is to watch out for their drink prices (and they usually don’t advertise them), as this is they make their money. Drinks set us back €4 each! 

From the moment of our arrival in Amsterdam, we could sense the city’s relaxed energy. It exuded a youthful optimism like an American university campus mixed with a cohesiveness of a small European village. We enjoyed every minute in Amsterdam. So you can comfortably ignore any preconceived ideas and what you may have heard about this city, and bring your family here on holiday. You might even find a piece of a puzzle here you didn’t realised you were missing.