Climbing mountains and dancing with Baba

As the girls on our trip say, we are "somewhere in Bulgaria", and this is why ....


The names of towns and villages are not only hard to understand and difficult to say, but impossible to read!!

So where are we then ?


Ani (our ever optimistic guide) keeps telling us it is only a little up then a little down, so the track is really almost even and is only 1 more hour.


The lovely picnic lunches in green meadows helped sustain us.


Yesterday we climbed to an amazing vantage point of Mt Pirin, well above the tree line with icy cold lakes, patches of snow and views of the rugged mountain range. The climb, as always was worth it once at the top even though there were doubts on the way up.


The last few days had seen us create pottery, swim in a freezing river, enjoy a spa in mineral springs, have our sins forgiven at the magnificent Rila Monastry, walk through beautiful pine forests and dance with Babas (gorgeous grandmothers) in traditional dress.


Tomorrow we will trek high to the seven Rila Lakes.

- Marika at Women's Own Adventure signing off

Location:Bulgaria

Our Bulgarian Walking Adventure

After a gruelling marathon in the air and at airports, I finally arrived into a sunny and 28 degrees realising that the travel to get here was worth it after all, even if just to get away from the wet and cold of Sydney.


Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria is a nice city with some beautiful buildings, not
too big and easy to get around. We are staying close to the centre, an easy wallk to the sights, shops and markets. Everything is very cheap here compared to our prices. The markets are wonderful, as most markets are, with beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables. the tomatoes are as big as oranges and smell so sweet. We are soon to discover that fresh tomatoes and cucumber with a ricotta stle cheese is the favoured first course at most meals. Bulgarian cheese is delicious and used in abundance. A beautiful creamy yoghurt is another daily favourite, especially at breakfast.



Once we left the city of Sofia, the beautiful countryside opened up with green
valleys, plains and the Balkan mountain range as an almost constant backdrop. So our walking adventure begins with 10 women including our
lovely and very competent local guide Ani.





The last few days we have walked through some of the most beautiful meadows covered with wildflowers, picked wild strawberries and feasted on cherry and blackberry trees. We have passed by walnut trees, plum trees, apple trees, wild herbs, all growing free. Oh, and the wild roses!!
The soil is just so fertile with an abundance of fruits and vegetables. Many people have a small plot and grow enough for their own family. We have stayed in a comfortable family guesthouse where glorious food was prepared for us each day and the wine was also plentiful.

Though walking uphills is not our favourite, the views at the top make it all worthwhile. Each elevated peak offers magnificent vistas of the mountains and valleys. We have passed by a herd of horses, across open fields, through shady forests, explored hidden Monastries and small villages.

There is still more to come.

- Marika at Women's Own Adventure signing off

Location:Bulgaria

Joanne Fedler in Tuscany

I am excited to let you know that Joanne Fedler has arrived in Rome. She is facilitating our Writing and Walking Adventure in Tuscany with over 20 hours of writing tuition. A small group of 14 women are joining this trip to beautiful Tuscany and Cinque Terre.

Writing and walking are twin experiences. Both journeys must be undertaken step by step, sometimes through unknown territories.

You need no writing experience, no writing skills, and no fancy notebooks. No matter how good or bad you think you are at writing, you will surprise yourself as each day, in the exquisite setting of Tuscany and Cinque Terre, we use our bodies, our senses and our imaginations to converse with the landscape, the people, the tastes and the inspirations of our surroundings.

During this trip, author Joanne Fedler will be your facilitator as we explore the landscape of Tuscany through the writer’s eye. 

Joanne Fedler is the best selling author of Secret Mothers' Business, Things Without A Name and When Hungry, Eat.

You will learn how to use writing as a tool for reflection, processing, contemplation and ‘emotional footage’. You’ll be introduced to some of the cornerstones of the writer’s way in the world: deep observation, use of metaphor, listening – to places and people, connecting to the landscape, and using the body and all its senses. Through writing, we harvest our experiences, and press them through the distillery of the heart. 

Joanne Fedler’s program will help bring alive this walking holiday with a difference through more than twenty hours of facilitation and writing instruction.

Tuscany is a land where the past lives alongside the present – its centuries-old traditions permeate daily life. Come to Tuscany and discover the hidden corners of an ancient land. Take in the essence of this enchanted landscape, from the harmony of its sun-soaked countryside to the gentle contours of its hill towns, to the warmth and wit of its people. Tuscany from the inside out ... an insider’s experience that helps you take part in the true Tuscan way of life.

Find out more about this fabulous journey and view the detailed itinerary for September 2013 departure.

www.womensownadventure.com.au