Showing posts with label Turkiye. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Turkiye. Show all posts

10.31.2025

The Cool Bloggers Walking Club: October 2025

Happy Halloween! As you may know, every April and October, Elisabeth invites us to join her in walking at least 10 minutes every day of the month. She also kindly compiles and summarizes everyone's walks each week! Here are her recaps if you have not seen them. She does a really great job keeping up with it all! Go Time, Week One, Week Two, Week Three and...Week Four and Final Recap coming soon!

In October, I love looking at the fall colors that everyone is posting around the world. Last year, if you recall, I was actually in Canada with Elisabeth for a while and then in Washington after that, and in both places, the colors were great! I can't believe that it has already been a year since then. 

This year, I was inspired to do some hiking in a place I have been considering for quite a while and that was...Scotland. You may recall me talking about the midges? And not wanting to hike in August in the Highlands because of them? Well, I decided to wait until they were gone. However, you never know what weather you are going to get when you are in Scotland, especially in October! I did experience Hurricane Amy, where the winds were anywhere from 40-90 mph depending on where you were, and actually I was out hiking and was going to camp but I got the cutest little glamping pod instead (not that it would save me if a tree came down, but I felt more secure!) and I am happy to report that I survived the night. 

YES that is MPH not Km! 
(if you can't see it, it says...one sec...)

81 MPH! (I don't think it got that bad where I was)
                                    

Drying out in my pod!

So, without further ado, here are the stats and photos from a month of hiking in Scotland (and a little bit of the Lakes District at the very end). 

1. Linlithgow
2. Great Glen Way
3. A Wee Frog
4. Drumnadrochit cows
5. Huge Shroom
6. Affric Kintail Way


1. Loch Beag
2. Trotternish Ridge, Isle of Skye
3. Cape Wrath Trail
4. The bogs and the fog (near Lochan a'Mhain)
5. Post Box near Shiel Bridge
6. Old Man of Storr, Isle of Skye


Various Views along the West Highland Way

1. Dollar Castle
2. St. Giles Cathedral
3. Lake District
4. Glasgow
5. John Muir Way
6. My 2024 Mantra (Glasgow)

Walk at least 10 minutes per day:
Daily steps average: 29,000
Daily miles average: 11
Trails walked: Great Glen Way (partial), Affric Kintail (full), Skye (partial), Cape Wrath (partial), West Highland Way (full)

Have you ever been to Scotland? Have you ever done a walking holiday? Where was the most interesting place that you walked in October? 

5.05.2025

The Cool Bloggers Walking Club: April 2025

As you may know, every April and October, Elisabeth invites us to join her in walking at least 10 minutes every day of the month. She also kindly compiles and summarizes everyone's walks each week! 

For the month of April, I was in Türkiye. In Antalya, I had a mostly daily routine, where I would walk or run down to Konyaalti beach each morning, which is about 2-2.5 miles (4 km) each way. Some days it was very hazy, or rainy, but rest assured, I have picked only the best photos for you! 

Some of my favorite things to do were: Friday market, where I would get fresh fruit and vegetables for basically less than a dollar a kilo much of the time (0.50/lb.), and it was always fresh, plus it is so fun to just wander around. One of the things that I do know how to say in Turkish is, "bir kilo!" (one kilo) or if you only want half, it is "yarim kilo." This is very important, maybe even more important than how to say bathroom/toilet, which is "tuvalet." 

In case you are wondering, here are a few more handy phrases: 

Hello - merhaba
Good morning - günaydin
Thank you - teşekkürler (pronounced Teh-shek-u-ler)
Let's go (needed when hiking and people are dawdling) - hadi gidelim

Now you are ready for your trip to Türkiye!

April 1st - 7th: Antalya, Türkiye and surrounds

1. Konyaalti beach
2. Ruins of Hierapolis
3. Hadrian's Gate
4. Hadrian's Gate
5. Fresh strawberries at the Friday market
6. Fresh juice (pomegranate, carrot, orange) on the street

April 8th - 14th: Antalya, Türkiye

1. Konyaalti beach
2. Beach day (Konyaalti)
3. Water fountain
4. Wild olive trees on the cliffs
5. Friday market day!
6. I walked to the mall, did not buy McDonalds though


April 15th - 21st: Antalya, Türkiye

1. The kitties are everywhere
2. Beach day
3. Friday market
4. Early morning SUP
5. Trip to IKEA (my 2nd time ever, and I don't need to go back!)
6. No explanation needed

April 22nd - 30th: Lycian Way, Türkiye



Average steps per day: 19,668 (I didn't realize I was so close to 20k! If I did I probably would have tried to do more to get over that bump!) 

Thanks to Elisabeth for hosting this party and I'll see you guys all again in October! 

Where did you walk in April?