Wanting to see Aurora Borealis would be in the wish list of many travelers, but the certainty of seeing one seems to be a challenge. Several factors like solar activity, clarity of skies and outside temperature (that can be bearable) all seem to play equal roles to make the sight an enjoyable one. Initially, we explored the possibility to try either in Finland or Norway, but the logistics of travel from NY to these regions made it very challenging. On the other hand, Iceland is like <5hr flight and can be done with a really cheap airfare (Luckily, WOW air was still in business when we traveled!). Iceland is probably known for its relatively warmer temperatures than upstate NY. Late February is when we went and it was certainly warmer than Albany, NY area. The entire trip is for 3-4 days and it started with a cloudy day. We booked a 2-day trip via Troll Expeditions to do the South Coast again, but this tour included a trip to Ice Caves, which we were not able to do during our s...
Our week in Italy flew past like a dream! Plenty travel videos showed crowded places but even in the crowds, the charm of Italy is not lost. Alberobello and Matera offered unique characters in the quieter corners of Puglia region along the Adriatic Sea. A short day-trip from Rome to Pompeii and Amalfi Coast was worth visiting as a teaser for another trip. Rome and Vatican with its history needed more than 2 days we were able to spend. Wandering the ancient maze of Matera From the Bari Airport, the drive to Matera started with a drenching rain in some areas along the way. Just the week before, we read about Matera getting flooded by torrential rains. So, we kept our fingers crossed about our sojourn at Matera and didn’t have much hopes. As we drove closer to Matera the glistening rays of sun peeking from the clouds gave us some hope! The Fra I Sassi Residence hotel is in a ‘ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato)’ zone where only cars with certain permits can enter. It is to...