Traveler Stories — page 16

Vlad Discoverer
Iceland · October 2, 2026
The first day. Reykjavik and getting to know the car

The first day. Reykjavik and getting to know the car

I've always wanted to see Iceland by car. It seemed to me that this country was created for road travel in general.: you get behind the wheel, turn on the navigator, grab a coffee and drive to where waterfalls, black beaches, mountains, sheep and some completely alien landscapes appear outside the window. Everything looked so beautiful and calm in the photos that for some reason I decided that the main challenge would be related to the roads, and not to the weather, wind and my own desire to stop at every second turn. As a result, I spent eight days in Iceland and traveled a fairly long route along the southern coast, saw famous waterfalls, glaciers, black beaches, small towns and several places that I did not know about before the trip. At the same time, almost every day something happened that was not in the original plan, but it is these moments that are now remembered best. Cars for rent Upon arrival, I picked up my rented car and just sat behind the wheel in the parking lot for a while, getting used to the idea that now this car will become my main partner for the next week. I looked at the route in advance, downloaded maps, and even checked several times exactly where to go, so I felt pretty confident. However, my confidence was slightly shaken when I saw the weather forecast and realized that the word "wind" in Iceland may mean something completely different from what I used to understand it. Laugavegur, a street in the center of Reykjavik I decided to spend the first day in Reykjavik, so as not to start the trip immediately with a long haul. The city turned out to be quite calm, compact, and not at all like the European capitals I was used to, and after a few hours of walking, I especially enjoyed just walking the streets without a specific purpose. I stopped at a cafe, strolled along the waterfront, looked at the local architecture, and gradually began to realize that Iceland would not look at all like the trip I had imagined in advance. Then I went back to the hotel and did the most important thing of the trip – I put my things so that I wouldn't have to look for anything in the morning. Of course, in the morning it turned out that I had put exactly the right thing somewhere completely illogically, so the first ten minutes of the new day were spent not among waterfalls, but in the company of an open suitcase.

 Read more →
#iceland#road#trip#Reykjavik
0 0
Adam Discoverer
Japan · October 2, 2026
Osaka – the final part of the trip

Osaka – the final part of the trip

After Kyoto, I went to Osaka, and here the mood changed again. If Tokyo seemed huge and fast–moving to me, Kyoto seemed calm and atmospheric, then Osaka turned out to be more relaxed, noisy and somehow very lively. Here I immediately enjoyed just walking the streets, looking at the signs, looking into the shops and watching the people. Osaka opens up especially well in the evening, when the signs light up and the streets become even more lively. I was walking around the Dotonbori area, looking at the huge restaurant signs, and at some point I realized that I had come to Japan not only for the temples and beautiful architecture. Sometimes the most interesting thing is just to walk down the street and see how the ordinary life of the city works. Sushi And, of course, the food in Osaka deserved special attention. This time I ordered sushi and tried other local dishes, told myself several times that I had definitely had enough for today, and then twenty minutes later I found myself again near some small establishment. At some point, I realized that my route through Osaka could already be divided not by sights, but by snacks, because it looked much more logical that way. How I allocated the week If you look at the whole trip now, I divided the week like this: I gave the first three days to Tokyo, devoted two days to Kyoto, and left two more days for Osaka. This route turned out to be quite intense for me, but it did not turn into an endless race between train stations, temples and a hotel. In Tokyo, I focused on neighborhoods, modern urban life, and public transportation, because that's where I wanted to feel the scale of the Japanese capital and see what it looks like at night. Kiyomizu-dera Kyoto was reserved for quieter walks, temple complexes, traditional architecture and the atmosphere of old Japan, and Osaka was used as the final part of the trip, where you could relax a little, walk a lot and eat everything that caught your eye. What I realized after a week in Japan The main discovery for me was that Japan does not look at all like a country that can be properly understood from photographs or short videos on the Internet. Yes, I saw famous places, tasted local food, rode trains and walked a huge number of kilometers, but most of all I remember the usual moments: small streets, vending machines, stations, evening shops, quiet areas and the feeling of how different everything around me is from my usual life. Traveling by train is quite convenient. I realized that a week in Japan can be made very eventful if you plan your route in advance and don't try to accommodate everything every day. Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka seem to complement each other well, because after the huge capital, it's nice to find yourself in a quieter Kyoto, and then switch to the bustling and gastronomically carefree Osaka. And I finally became convinced that Japanese public transport is terrible only for the first couple of hours. Then you start to look at the map quite confidently, find the right platform, and even feel a certain inner sense of pride when the train departs exactly when it is written in the timetable. However, somewhere inside there is still a small voice that reminds: "Don't relax, we are in Japan after all." Dotombori, Osaka When I flew home, I had a strange feeling that I was just getting to know this country. In one week, I managed to see Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, but instead of wanting to tick off Japan, I had a completely different desire – to return and see what was left off the route this time. This is probably the best indicator of a successful trip: when you return home with a suitcase full of things and photos, and your head is already starting to come up with a new route.

 Read more →
#Japan#Osaka#journey#tokyo#Kyoto
1 0
Adam Discoverer
Japan · October 2, 2026
Tokyo to Kyoto

Tokyo to Kyoto

During my long-awaited trip to Japan, I went to Kyoto. I was a little worried before the trip, because the Japanese trains seemed so precise and organized to me that I was sure that if I made a mistake once, the whole system would collapse because of me. In practice, everything turned out to be much calmer, especially when I figured out the ticket and realized where my train was, although the habit of arriving at the station in advance still saved me a few nervous minutes. Japan's high-speed trains The train itself has become a separate part of the journey. After the rather noisy and eventful Tokyo, it was nice to just sit down, put a bag next to it and look out the window for a while. Japan was gradually changing outside the window, the urban development was replaced by more peaceful landscapes, and I finally felt that the journey had really begun, because before that everything was happening too fast. Kyoto greeted me with a completely different mood. Here, for the first time during the trip, I felt that I could slow down a little and just walk down the street without trying to get somewhere every ten minutes. The narrow streets, traditional houses, temples, small shops, and completely different architecture made it feel like I was in Japan, which I had only seen in photographs before. In Kyoto, I purposely left time for walks without a strict plan. Of course, I had a list of places to go without it, but I already realized that trying to visit everything in one day would end up with me looking at photos in the evening and wondering exactly where I had seen it all. Therefore, part of the day I just walked along the streets, looked into small shops and cafes and sometimes allowed myself to turn off the route. Nijo Castle One of the most pleasant moments was a walk through the historical districts of the city, where the contrast with Tokyo is especially well felt: fewer skyscrapers, less visual noise, more small details that you want to pay attention to. I was impressed by Nijo Castle, which is the former fortified residence of the Tokugawa shoguns. It is not only a national treasure of Japan, but also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I continued walking through historic Kyoto and several times caught myself thinking that instead of photographing another landmark, I was just standing and looking around, because the street itself already looked like a finished photograph. At some point, I decided to have a bite to eat, confidently chose a place, sat down, looked at the menu and realized that my confidence ended with about the word "menu". As a result, I spent several minutes trying to figure out exactly what I was going to order, and then I just chose a dish at random and decided to consider it part of the cultural experience, because sometimes it's easier to admit defeat to an unknown Japanese dish on a trip than to try to pose as an expert. I guess I wasn't very hungry, I didn't like the taste. I wish I had ordered sushi.

 Read more →
#tokyo#Japan#Kyoto#journey#route
1 0
Adam Discoverer
Japan · October 2, 2026
Tokyo – the first acquaintance with Japan

Tokyo – the first acquaintance with Japan

When I first started planning a week in Japan, I had a pretty simple idea: to see Tokyo, go to Kyoto, visit Osaka, and return home with the feeling that I understood this country at least a little. Of course, the naivety was enormous, because Japan doesn't just end in one week – it manages to change your idea of what an ordinary traveler's day should look like several times. As a result, my itinerary turned out to be quite dense, but it was thanks to this that I managed to see three completely different faces of Japan and understand why some tourists say after the first trip that a week was enough for them, while others are already at the airport starting to plan the next one. I arrived in Tokyo with the feeling that everything around me is familiar from photographs, movies, and the Internet, but in reality, my brain still refuses to accept what is happening. Shinjuku Skyscrapers, Tokyo Huge intersections, high-rise buildings, small alleys, vending machines, shops, endless signs, and people walking very confidently while you're standing with your phone and trying to figure out why the navigator suggests you go through three underpasses. For the first few hours, I generally felt like a person who was accidentally dropped off in a very well-organized future. Akagi-jinja At the same time, ancient customs have been preserved in this country, and when visiting temples, it feels like I've been transported back in time. I respect Eastern philosophy, so I decided to visit the modern Shinto shrine in Tokyo Akagi-jinja. That's right, you can read about the sacred space for a long time, but it's difficult to describe a visit to the sacred space. In short, it was as if he had put his thoughts in order. Shibuya Station I decided not to turn it into a marathon of sightseeing and just walked around the city, because after the flight, my body still did not fully understand which part of the world it was in. I started in the Shibuya area, looked at the famous intersection, walked around the streets for a while, and then just walked wherever my eyes looked, which turned out to be quite a pleasant activity in Tokyo. However, after a while I realized that "going anywhere" in a city of this size is a great way to accidentally discover yourself in a completely different area and discover at the same time that for some reason it has already been forty minutes to walk back. Marunouchi Square on the west side of the railway station building On the second day, I already felt a little more confident and decided to test Tokyo public transport in practice. I studied the main routes in advance, installed the necessary applications, and even convinced myself that everything was under control now, but Japan quickly reminded me that a tourist's confidence lives until about the first major train station. At the station, I moved from one level to another for a while, looked at the signs in Japanese and English and pretended that I understood perfectly where I needed to go, although an inner voice quite convincingly suggested that I just take any train and see what happens. In Tokyo, I especially liked how naturally completely different things coexist here. You can find yourself among huge modern buildings in the morning, then turn into a quiet street where there is almost no one, and ten minutes later you can stand near a small temple and observe a completely different atmosphere. These are the moments I remember the most, because Tokyo turned out to be not so much a collection of individual attractions, but a huge city that is constantly changing right in front of your eyes.

 Read more →
#Japan#tokyo#tourism#journey
0 0
Gilyana Guide
Italy · October 1, 2026
Day 10. Last morning in Italy

Day 10. Last morning in Italy

I didn't plan anything serious on purpose on the last day. I wanted to have a quiet breakfast, walk along familiar streets, take another look at Venice, and just sit somewhere with a coffee without checking the departure time every five minutes. After 10 days of constant movement, such a slow ending turned out to be exactly what was really needed. I walked through the streets and remembered the beginning of the trip when I first arrived in Rome and still did not know how much I would have time to see. During these days, I managed to live in three completely different cities, get lost several times, get tired of my own suitcase, eat a lot more pasta than I had planned, and take so many photos that I had to deal with my phone's memory later. St. Angel's Bridge I went home with the feeling that ten days is both a long time and absolutely not enough. A lot, because during this time you can see Rome, Florence and Venice, feel the difference between them and get a real idea of traveling in Italy, and a little – because you only have to look at the map, as it becomes clear how much more is left beyond this route. What would I change in the route now? If I were planning a trip to Italy for ten days again, I would keep about the same principle: several cities, a normal amount of time in each and a minimum of pointless travel. It is much more pleasant for me to spend three days in one place, to have time to walk in the morning, afternoon and evening, to see the city not only from the tourist side and leave myself time for random discoveries, than to wake up every day thinking that today I need to go somewhere again. My itinerary turned out like this: Rome – 3 days, Florence – 3 days, Venice – 3 days and one more day for moving and a quiet end to the trip. Of course, this is far from the whole of Italy, and I understand perfectly well that there are a lot of places outside of this route that I also want to go to now: Tuscany, small towns, the coast, the south of the country and many places that I hadn't even considered before. And that's probably what I like most about traveling. A good trip doesn't end when you check all the sights, but when you return home and after a couple of days start looking at photos again, remembering random streets, the taste of dinner, and some completely ordinary evening view. After my Italy, I still have exactly this feeling: I didn't "see Italy in ten days", I just got to know her, and the acquaintance turned out to be so pleasant that now I want to continue.

 Read more →
#Italy#Venice#Rome#Florence#vacation
1 0
Gilyana Guide
Italy · October 1, 2026
Day 9. Last day in Venice

Day 9. Last day in Venice

I decided to devote the ninth day to more relaxing walks and trips to the islands. After my busy days in Rome and Florence, I just wanted to look at the other side of Venice and take a break from the constant stream of people in the center. The trip around the city on the water turned out to be very pleasant, especially because I was in no hurry and did not try to do absolutely everything in a few hours. I admired the Grand Canal, took a lot of photos, drank coffee, looked at houses, and again found myself thinking that it was much more interesting for me to observe the ordinary life of the city than just moving from one landmark to another. At some point, I looked at the navigator and discovered that I had gone completely wrong from where I had planned. But after a few days in Venice, I already perceived it almost as part of a mandatory program. Tagliatelle with bolognese sauce In the evening, I returned to the city and had one last Italian dinner. I really liked the tagliatelle with bolognese sauce, before the trip to Italy I would have called them pasta. But now I see the difference and I will try to cook wide noodles with meat stew at home. It was a little sad to get ready to go home, because in ten days I had already gotten used to this rhythm: waking up, going outside, walking a lot, looking for a new cafe and constantly being surprised that the next turn turned out to be more beautiful than the previous one. At such times, you especially want to stop time for at least another couple of days.

 Read more →
#place#Italy#Venice#vacation
1 0
Gilyana Guide
Italy · October 1, 2026
Day 8. Venice – San Marco and small streets

Day 8. Venice – San Marco and small streets

The next day, I went to St. Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace. Of course, there were a lot of people, and I understood in advance that Venice is not the place where you can count on the complete absence of tourists in the center. But when I stopped trying to take the perfect photo without a single person in the frame, it became much easier to just enjoy what was happening. View of the Basilica from St. Mark's Square The courtyard of the Doge's Palace After the main attractions, I purposely walked away from the busiest streets. And that's where the Venice that I particularly liked began: small bridges, narrow passages, windows of old houses, boats against the walls and a completely peaceful life outside the main tourist routes. Sometimes I would just stop in the middle of the street and think that if I didn't know where I was, I might think I was in an old movie set. In the evening, I walked along the canals for a long time and got a little lost again. But for some reason, getting lost in Venice is not scary at all, because even when you don't understand where you are, there will almost always be a beautiful canal, bridge or small square ahead. However, when I finally found my way back, my legs clearly believed that the excursion program for today had been over-fulfilled.

 Read more →
#Venice#Italy#journey#place
0 0
Gilyana Guide
Italy · October 1, 2026
Day 7. Florence – Venice

Day 7. Florence – Venice

In the morning, I packed my suitcase again and went to the train station. By this point, I was already a little tired of the constant "assemble–disassemble–reassemble" process, so this time I decided not to complicate my life and just double-check everything before going out. Of course, it was at that moment that I almost left one thing in the room, because for some reason traveling makes me forget things that I never forget at home. Santa Maria Novella Train Station The journey to Venice was quiet, and upon arrival, a new story began. With a suitcase, Venice turned out to be much more difficult than I imagined: bridges, stairs, stones underfoot and the absence of familiar streets along which you can just walk calmly. At one point, I looked at my luggage with the expression of a person who is beginning to suspect that it is the main obstacle on the way to beautiful Italy. Grand Canal Gondolas After checking in, I went for a walk anyway. I purposely left my first evening in Venice free and didn't try to find all the famous places right away. I just wanted to walk along the canals, look at the houses, listen to the sound of the water and from time to time stop where it was especially beautiful. Next to the traditional Venetian boats, I couldn't help but feel like the heroine of an Italian movie. It is not surprising that Venice has gradually begun to make the impression on me that I want to return here for, it is incredibly beautiful and cozy here. Gondolas are used as the main type of water transport in the historical center. And the symbol of the city, as I understand it, is a popular tourist attraction. I took a boat to the Church of Santa Maria della Salute. The Grand Canal. Church of Santa Maria della Salute It seemed like an amazing journey to me. I thought about how lucky Italians are, because they can swim like this every day. The temple was built as a sign of gratitude after the devastating plague epidemic of 1630-1631 receded. On the seventh day of my trip, it became the last destination. I had no desire to go anywhere else, I wanted to keep calm and peaceful, which I received after visiting the church.

 Read more →
#Venice#Florence#Italy#Journey
0 0
Gilyana Guide
Italy · October 1, 2026
Day 6. Florence without haste

Day 6. Florence without haste

On the sixth day, I decided to take a little calmer and look at Florence from above. The way up turned out to be a little more difficult than it looked in my imagination, but when I finally stopped and saw the city in front of me, it became clear that all these ascents were not in vain. Florence looks completely different from above, and at such moments it's especially clear how compact a city can seem, which a few hours ago you were winding kilometers through. After that, I just walked around without a clear plan. I looked into stores, first I looked at branded items, and then I bought small souvenirs that would surely be in the closet with the inscription "Italy" at home, and again I photographed everything that came across on the way. I actually noticed a strange thing about myself: the longer I travel, the less I photograph the sights and the more I take pictures of ordinary things – streets, a cup of coffee, a hotel window, a table in a cafe and some funny sign. Ponte Santa Trinita I was captivated by the place of Ponte Santa Trinita, it is located between the districts of the historical center and Oltrarno. Unlike the crowded Ponte Vecchio, it's peaceful here. This is probably the perfect place to take a break, breathe in the air and feel the atmosphere of the city. It was in Florence that I finally abandoned the idea of adding a few more cities to the trip. At some point, it became clear to me that if I tried to look at everything in ten days, I would only remember train stations, train numbers, and where I left my charger. And I wanted to return home with the feeling that I really was in Italy, and not just moving around with a suitcase.

 Read more →
#journey#vacation#Italy#Florence
0 0
Gilyana Guide
Italy · October 1, 2026
Day 5. Florence is a city where you want to stay all the time.

Day 5. Florence is a city where you want to stay all the time.

In the morning, I went to explore the historical center of Florence and quickly realized that it was almost impossible to just walk down the street here. Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore There is always something around that attracts attention: a facade, a square, a showcase, a sculpture, an old door or another street that looks like it was specially built for photographs. I walked to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, walked around the center, looked at the Palazzo Vecchio and went back to the Ponte Vecchio Bridge. Palazzo Vecchio At some point, I realized that my plan for the day had completely ceased to exist. And you know, I decided not to resist, because Florence is just the kind of city where it is more pleasant not to run along the points, but to allow myself to deviate a little from the route. I went into small shops, looked at the windows, photographed the streets and periodically sat down to drink coffee, although before that I confidently promised myself that "today I will save time." Museum of Anthropology and Ethnology of Florence After a few hours of walking, I decided to go to the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnology of Florence and spend part of the day there. I didn't expect that there would be so many exhibits here. An art historian told me that there are about 25,000 artifacts collected here. After a while, my brain began to hint rather delicately that another piece of art might be too much of a challenge for him right now, so I went looking for food. Margarita with tomato sauce, mozzarella and herbs In the evening, I sat in a small cafe for a long time, looked at the people around me and thought that in Italy, for some reason, food very easily becomes part of the route, and not just a necessary break between the sights. I wanted to try real Italian pizza. I ordered a traditional Margarita with tomato sauce, mozzarella and herbs. And it was the most delicious pizza, which I ate completely by myself, although I originally planned to take a couple of slices with me.

 Read more →
#sight#Italy#Florence#journey
0 0
1…151617…22