It snowed/sleeted briefly yesterday morning, and that might well be the only snow we get this year; therefore I feel justified in publishing this post on techniques to stay warm when camping when it’s absolutely bloody freezing.

Follow the tips below and you too can expect to get at least two or three hours of sleep per night on an ill-advised last-minute bicycle journey to the Arctic Circle in the middle of winter with totally inappropriate equipment (see video, below).

1. Know Your Gear (or Take More of It)
Knowing your gear is essential to surviving very low night-time temperatures for minimal equipment. But if you don’t know your gear, simply add more of it. Double up your sleeping bag, putting one inside the other, or start out with a warmer one in the first place. Stick a foam roll-mat or two underneath your inflatable mattress.

2. Know Your Body (or Play It Safe)
Some people sleep warm. Other sleep cold. Fitness, experience, age, gender, amount of body fat and other factors all contribute to the range of comfort levels experienced by different people using exactly the same gear. If you aren’t used to winter camping and don’t yet know where you fit into this, better to have brought along too many layers than not enough.

3. Wear The Right Kind of Clothes
That cotton T-shirt you wear overnight while summer camping? You know that it’ll ruin you in winter. And you probably don’t need to be told, but wear appropriate baselayers, such as merino wool or insulating synthetics, with an insulating layer on top. Add a woollen or fleece hat and neckwarmer. Pack a pair of thick woollen socks specifically for sleeping in and make sure you keep them dry.

4. Go to Bed Warm
Warmth originates from within and any insulation from a sleeping bag or clothing is merely concerned with keeping it there. It’s pointless bedding down if you’re already freezing, so get warm by doing jumping jacks before going to bed or performing sit-ups or pushups in your sleeping bag.

5. Eat Late
The body needs fuel to generate heat, so eat a hot meal immediately before sleeping and make the meal a fatty one, as fat is metabolized more slowly than carbohydrate and will last for longer as you sleep. Take extra rations of cheese or olive oil. (Cheese has the added bonus of giving you really vivid dreams.)

6. Maximize the Insulation You Have
Insulating filling in sleeping bags functions by trapping air, so achieve maximum ‘loft’ by shaking air into a sleeping bag before bedtime. With lightweight down bags, do this with the bag upside down so the filling is encouraged to accumulate in the upper sections of the bag where the insulation is most needed. On the same note, make sure that the bulk of any extra clothes isn’t having the effect of compressing the bag’s filling; performance might be improved by actually removing the thicker layers.

7. Add More Layers Outside
Get one of those thin metallic survival blankets and drape it over the torso area of your sleeping bag. If you don’t have one, do the same with your waterproof jacket or anything else that would add another layer on top of you without squashing the air out of your sleeping bag.

8. Keep Your Sleeping Gear Dry
Protect down sleeping bags in particular from getting wet at all costs. Avoid breathing into the sleeping bag while sleeping, no matter how tempting, as it introduces moisture and down doesn’t work when it’s damp. For the same reason, squash all the air out of your bag as soon as you get up in order to expel body moisture, and dry out your bag fastidiously on a daily basis whenever you get the chance.

Winter camping can be utterly miserable. I began my journey north from Oslo, documented below, getting everything wrong. I ended up damp and shivering at around zero degrees in a very expensive mountaineering sleeping bag supposedly rated for comfort at -25�C. The first week of that journey was one of the most miserable weeks of my life.

Yet winter camping can also be one of the most beautiful and memorable experiences of all, made all the better by having learned how to survive outside in such conditions. By the time I reached Swedish Lapland a month later – where the temperatures at night were usually approaching -30�C – I was able to pass the night in comfort in my spare sleeping bag – a cheap Chinese knockoff I’d bought in Tehran one time, which contained less than half the amount of filling.

And if there’s a message to be had from this, it’s probably that it’s better to leave before you’re ready than not to leave at all. You’ll figure the rest out on the road.

Camp Notes is a big high five to the fun of sleeping outdoors and all that comes along with it. You know, camping and stuff.

At 11,975 feet above sea level, the city of La Paz in Bolivia is pretty high. In fact, it is the highest “de facto” capital city in the world. Because of this, it’s not uncommon to experience some kind of reaction to the altitude. To help your body relax, backpackers can enjoy the world’s highest beer spa at The Adventure Brew Hostel …

Click here to read the rest.

Photo: amboo who?/flickr ; edited by Jessie

I’ve been a traveler my whole life. While my younger years consisted of Caribbean cruises and North American road trips with my parents, my 20s have been all about exploring solo and active outdoor adventures. So much time on the road inevitably, along with the good times, has led to a number of serious #travelfails. From being banned entry at a country border to cracking my head open when being preoccupied on my phone, here are 11 of my most epic travel fails that will hopefully make you laugh and learn.

Photo: Kat/flickr

1. Getting denied entry into Curaçao . Let’s start with my most epic travel fail of all time: not realizing I had an invalid passport and getting denied entry into Curaçao. I somehow made it all the way through JFK airport without anyone noticing the hole punch in my passport, and even flew all the way to Curaçao to be told I could not enter. Nothing makes you feel quite like a travel failure like being sent home on the very plane you just arrived on. That being said, I learned a valuable lesson: once you get a new passport the old one becomes invalid immediately, even if it’s not expired. The US State Department, Bureau of Consular Affairs will give the old one back to you, though, in case there are non-expired visas you paid for.

The post I wrote about the experience also got me more hate mail than I’ve ever received in my life, from “you should kill yourself” to “you’re an ugly b*tch” to the less offensive “how could you not know that?.” I guess I don’t know everything, though neither does anyone for that matter; my life is just online for the world to read about and comment on.

My boyfriend and I had a great weekend trip to Hot Sulphur Springs from Denver

2. Missing my flight home from Denver. This one wasn’t too much of a travel fail as I was visiting my long distance boyfriend for Christmas and I think subconsciously wanted to miss my flight to spend more time with him. We were too busy snuggling on the couch to realize the time, and Denver International Airport is notorious for having a long security line, so I arrived to my gate sweaty, out of breath and literally a minute too late. Luckily due to the holiday craziness — the security line really was insanely long — Delta graciously put me on a flight the next day with penalty.

Photo: 29cm/flickr

3. Missing out on Plitvice Lakes National Park In Croatia . I love planning a trip without making plans, as it allows me to explore a place based on how I’m feeling that moment. Sometimes, however, it gets me into trouble. It may sound lazy — and honestly it partially is — but I hate doing extensive travel research about bus routes and times beforehand. You never even know if they’ll be accurate.

One thing I really wanted to do on my trip was visit Plitvice Lakes National Park as a day trip from Zadar. I was visiting in off season, but this was a major national park — the largest in Croatia and the oldest in Southeast Europe. OBVIOUSLY they’d have buses running all the time to and from Zadar to go there. Wrong.

As soon as I arrived to my hostel in Zadar I checked on bus times to the lakes for the following day and found that the earliest bus was leaving at 2:30pm and arriving at 4:30pm to the park — too late for me to visit. I’d paid $1,000 and traveled 20 hours on a plane, each way, to miss Croatia’s #1 natural attraction. Major FML.

After I’d cleaned my bleeding head up in Split

4. Cracking My Head Open In Croatia . While going rock climbing in Split I was typing on my phone (see, technology isn’t always the best travel companion, link) when suddenly I heard a loud thud, the crack of teeth and the warmth of blood running into my eyes. I’d walked, hard, right into a fallen tree trunk. Not only was my head hurt, but man was my ego bruised in front of my (very attractive) climbing guides. Luckily it ended up just being a surface wound — that, for a visual, looked like burnt pizza bubbles — though I did go to the hospital to get it checked out and get medicine.

Naples trolleybus. Photo: LHOON/flickr.

5. Getting Robbed In Italy . This happened quite awhile ago, but I’ll never forget it. I’d already been backpacking Europe solo for about two months when I reached Naples. Everywhere I’d gone I was able to pay for the local bus on board. In Naples I showed the driver my money and shrugged my shoulders, indicating I wasn’t sure where to pay. He beckoned me on with a smile, closed the door behind me and… called the cops on me for “trying to ride the bus without paying.” Apparently it was a common tourist scam, and even the locals knew about it as one Italian woman stood up and screamed at the cop for hassling me when I was clearly trying to pay for my ride. In the end I paid a $100 fine, too scared to argue it. If I could go back, I would have done more research beforehand to learn the common scams — especially in a place like Naples known for being beautiful but corrupt — and how the bus worked.

Brazilian Reals / Reais currency. Photo: Benjamin Thompson/flickr.

6. Getting Chased In Rio . Traveling solo through South America , I knew it wasn’t a good idea to even pull out your cash — especially in a place like Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. When waiting for the bus I figured just taking out a small amount to be ready to hand the driver my fare couldn’t hurt. Wrong. A local man with rage and hunger in his eyes locked his gaze on my hands and literally charged at me like a bull. I got away by jumping into the center of a group of local women who were speaking to each other in Portuguese. I had no idea what they were saying, but laughed and pretended I knew them. They noticed the man and allowed me into their group, and he left. While I was proud of myself for thinking on my toes, no cash in the open means no cash in the open, even if it’s only $1.

TERMAS DE PULQUES in Bolivia’s Soleli Desert

7. Telling my driver I was horny in Bolivia. I speak decent Spanish, but, as you’ll see in a second, far from perfect. While doing a 4×4 tour of Bolivia’s Soleli Desert I was sitting in front with the driver. As it was hot, I was hoping he’d put the air conditioning on or roll down a window.

“Estoy caliente,” I said, panting and fanning myself as I stared into his eyes. I can imagine I was quite the sight. As he retreated away from me, melting into the driver side door, I sat baffled. That is, until an Argentinian passenger noted I had just told the driver I was horny, not hot.

“That’s ‘Tengo calor,’” he laughed.

Oops. Lesson learned: I’m awkward.

Cycling the Canal Route in Kerala, India

8. Almost Forgetting My Visa To India. I can’t count how many times I’ve advised readers to make sure they check what visas they need before heading abroad to avoid being denied entry. Well, sometimes I forget my own advice. Luckily I remembered about two weeks prior to the trip that I’d forgotten to check and, low and behold, I needed one. The India Consulate in NYC is hell on earth, with angry, rude staff who seriously don’t give a sh*t about anyone or anything, so I was amazed I got mine on time. I actually witnessed them say “oh well!” to a woman who had flown from Ohio to pick up her visa as they’d told her it would be ready. Yikes. At least I learned the importance of being more organized.

Playing with a local child in Ghana, Africa

9. Taking my entire bottle of Ciprofloxacin in three days. When I was in Ghana I stayed with a woman who didn’t have a working bathroom or running water. If I had to go #2 I would need to go to the “nearby” (not really) river and get a bucket of water to flush. While now at 28 I think I could’ve handled it, at 21 this made me freak — to the point where I ate an entire bottle of prescription-strength anti-diarrhea medication to try to make myself constipated. While it was never confirmed, I’m almost positive it was the real cause of me being misdiagnosed with a fatal illness upon my return.

Me at the top OF EL PEÑÓN DE GUATAPÉ in Colombia

10. Missing my flight from Colombia. This one actually wasn’t me (I swear!), but one of my best friends, Tina*. I’m including it because I was with her when it happened. While the rest of our group had been able to check-in for our JetBlue flights home on our phones, Tina hadn’t been able to connect her phone to do it. She was two minutes late for the designated check-in time and, even though she wasn’t checking any bags, they made her pay $500 to get another flight home. As we’d all paid around $400 round trip for the whole Colombia trip this was very, very upsetting. But a lesson was learned: when an airline says you must be the airport by a certain time, make sure you do or pay the consequences, literally.

Photo: Tim Mossholder/Unsplash

11. Trying to bring an apple as a plane snack in Aruba. When I was 23 I went to Aruba and had a lovely time; that is, until I arrived at the airport for my return journey. First of all, I had to stand in a long line spanning multiple buildings in intense heat. Second of all, they take their outbound fruit very seriously. When going through security my bag was pulled to the side, with the agent pulling out my planned in-flight snack: an apple and a banana.

“What is this?” the man asked, angrily.”

“…fruit…”

“What kind?”

“… an apple and a banana…” Now I was shaking. Did he think they were firearms? An explosive fruit bomb?

“If it’s a problem you can just throw them out. They were a snack I grabbed from my hotel breakfast.”

“No. Come with me.”

Apparently, the banana was fine but the apple was absolutely not — to the point where I had to go through security three times without having the chance to tell my friends where I went and have a meeting with an agricultural specialist before being allowed to leave the country. I knew there were often rules on produce applied for entering a country, but exiting? If anything, shouldn’t my US border be angry, not Aruba? I was certainly perplexed, but I’m now more careful about what foods I carry for both entering and exiting a country.

What are some of your most epic #travelfail travel stories? Please share in the comments below.

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Archaeologists believe they have uncovered the tomb and remains of a Maya warrior queen in Guatemala.

Believed to be Lady K’abel, military ruler of the Wak, or “Centipede,” kingdom between A.D. 672 and 692, the discovery was made at the site of the ancient city El Perú-Waka’ in the main pyramid temple. The body had been buried with offerings like jade jewelry, stone figurines, ceramic works and, most notably, a conch-shaped alabaster jar with a carving of an old woman’s head and arms coming out (shown right). On the back of the jar, it says “Lady Water Lily Hand” and “Lady Snake Lord” in hieroglyphs, the names thought to refer to Lady K’abel.

While the skeleton is in poor condition, the skull’s facial features match those of ancient carved portraits of the queen. Additionally, a red oyster placed on the body’s lower torso is further evidence, as queens of El Perú-Waka’ traditionally wore these shells as girdle ornaments.

Although the once-impressive pyramids, plazas, palaces and homes of El Perú-Waka’ now lie in rubble hidden beneath tropical rainforest, this discovery puts into perspective why the Maya city remained deeply respected and a focus of rituals even after the Wak Kingdom collapsed.

According to National Geographic , the excavation’s study team has written, “It is now clear to us that the golden age of the city, and the great queen and her husband who presided over it, were remembered and celebrated by ordinary people with their humble offerings and hopes for renewal of the future.”

[Source: Gadling]

While staying above ground has its perks, it’s always fun to try something a little out of the ordinary. On your next trip, why not try staying in one of these unique hotels located underground? You’ll get privacy, a unique experience, and won’t have to worry about the sun waking you up too early on your vacation.

Sala Silvermine
Sala, Sweden

The Sala Silvermine is an actual mine that allows visitors to stay in a Mine Suite, the “world’s deepest hotel room”. The room is about 508 feet below the Earth’s surface, next to underground galleries and caverns. Guests will receive a guided tour of the mine, which was well-known for its silver, lead, and zinc content, as well as a basket of goodies including cheese, fruits, chocolate, biscuits, and sparkling wine. While beautiful and peaceful, just make sure to dress warm as it is only 35.6 degrees Farenheit in the mine all year round and 64.4 degrees Farenheit in the room itself…

Click here to read the rest.

There’s nothing better when traveling than exploring a beautiful city coastline. Not only do these treks give you access to unique landscape and picturesque beaches, they also help you stay in shape while on the road.

Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, Australia

When I lived in Sydney , Australia, this was one of my favorite ways to spend a sunny day. Not only do you get to explore the beaches of Bondi and Coogee, but also Tamarama and Bronte. The walk is not all beach, as you will also pass through local communities, parks, and a cemetery littered with palm trees while also seeing unique rock formations and jagged cliff faces with contrasting colors and shapes. At the end of the 4-mile walk, which includes some challenging uphill sections, reward yourself with a dip in the ocean or a brew from the adjacent Coogee Bay Hotel ‘s beer garden…

Click here to read the rest.

Image via Google Maps

GPS navigators are not always accurate, as Belgian woman Sabine Moreau, 67, can attest. On the way to pick up a friend from the Brussels train station — a trip that should have been 38 miles — Moreau’s GPS took her on an international road trip for 1,865 miles through France, Germany, Austria and Slovenia and ending in Zagreb, Croatia. Despite seeing traffic signs in various languages, Moreau never questioned if she was going the right way.

“I saw all kinds of traffic signs. First in French, then in German – Cologne, Aachen, Frankfurt,” she told a Belgian news website. “But I didn’t ask myself any questions. I was just distracted, so I kept my foot down…I didn’t really notice anything was wrong until I suddenly arrived in Zagreb and realised that I was no longer in Belgium.”

This is a good lesson for all of us. If you start seeing signs in other languages and you were never meant to cross any international borders, your GPS may possibly be taking you in the wrong direction.

Read the full story at news.com.au

Wandering beautiful Leipzig. Photo courtesy of Jessica Festa.

Munich, Berlin, Hamburg. These are the common cities I hear tourists visiting during trips to Germany. After a recent trip to Leipzig, I can’t believe this city isn’t on the list. Not only is it a short and straight trip from Berlin — not to mention cheaper than the capital — but it’s got a palpable creative energy with lots of startups, designers and community members helping each other without motive. Basically, it offers the perfect environment for a culture carnivore like me. At times, I even got the sense I was in Paris, walking over cobbled streets amidst cyclists, cozy cafés and street accordion players.

I recently visited during a very special time: October 9, the 25th anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution, one of the most important events leading up to the fall of theBerlin Wall and the re-unification of Germany . This means that all over the city there are special exhibitions and events — not to mention a tangible sense of pride — for me to experience.

Leipzig Travel Tip:

Leipzig is less than 90 minutes by ICE (express) train from Berlin. For discount tickets, wait until about a week to three days before you’d like to go and check the Ltur.de website . Here, you’ll find last minute discount tickets, often for about one third to one fourth the original price. Just make sure your times are flexible, just in case there are no tickets left for a particular train (although that’s rare).

For more on getting around the country, check out 17 Essential Germany Transportation Travel Tips .

Walking through a replica 1970s GDR living room at the Forum of Contemporary History. Photo courtesy of Jessica Festa.

1. An Interactive Historical Experience At The Forum of Contemporary History Leipzig

My whirlwind day in Leipzig begins with a guided tour of the Interactive Forum of Contemporary History, also known as Zeitgeschichtliches Forum Leipzig (Grimmaische Straße 6), with a docent named Sebastian. What makes this museum so special is the permanent exhibit is put together in a way that makes you feel like you’re literally walking through history, beginning after WWII in Soviet-occupied Germany, the creation of the Berlin Wall and life in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Through original photos, video clips of real scenes from that time period, text, artifacts, and life-size re-creations of rooms and scenes (you’ll even walk from a refugee’s room and a GDR living room from the 1970s!) you’ll begin to get a sense of what actually went on during that time. You’ll hear shocking stories about how people were closely monitored and controlled by the Stasi (German secret police), how the wall was policed and how people felt in the GDR.

According to my guide, 1,700 people died trying to cross the Berlin Wall into Western Democracy, and there are many personal stories — both sad and uplifting — that can help give you a way to connect and comprehend this dark and important part of German history.

Rotating exhibits also offer information and encourage a dialogue about other German culture topics.

Exploring the works in Eigen + Art at the Spinnerei Galleries. Photo courtesy of Jessica Festa.

2. From Cotton To Culture

In 1907, the 10 hectare plot near the Plagwitz S-Bann Station was a soon-to-be successful cotton mill. While today Spinnerei (Spinnereistraße 7) is home to an arts complex with 14+ galleries, 120 artists, creative shops, design firms and independent businesses, the rich history is still apparent through the red brick exterior, still-present train tracks used to ship the cotton and a small museum with original black and white photos and artifacts from the time.

During my time exploring the Spinnerei Galleries I saw a lot of thought-provoking, contemporary and avant-garde art. For example, in Leipzig’s oldest gallery, Eigen + Art (open since 1983, when it was an underground gallery in the GRD), a frog sat on a pedestal, spewing fake red blood all over white walls to re-enact Gustave Flaubert’s The Legend of Saint Julien the Hospitalier, in a piece by Remy Markowitsch.

Another installation by Sadia Sadia called “Fugue (Die Wende)” is done in a video format and shows a person — an Everyman — blacking out sunlit window panes until there is nothing but darkness. The piece was created by the artist to help her connect with her mother who risked her life three times to escape the GDR.

One of the most interesting but disturbing pieces was by a South Korean artist named Lee Yongbaek called “Last Message” that looks at society’s obsession with technology. The installation shows a video recording taken during the sinking of a South Korean ferry in April 2014, complete with text messages sent to family members from a male teen passenger’s phone. As there were no survivors, I’ll admit I felt kind of weird when I found out what I was watching wasn’t staged.

Tasting history at Coffe Baum in Leipzig. Photo courtesy of Jessica Festa.

3. Coffee At Europe’s Second-Oldest Coffee Shop

Open since 1686, at Coffe Baum (Kleine Fleischergasse 4) one can sip coffees and teas and enjoy pastries and delicious German dishes in the open air. One must-have is their “Leipziger Lerche,” a gooey flaky pastry with flavors of citrus and floral featuring crushed almonds, nuts and a cherry. Interestingly, the treat pays homage to the lark bird, once an extremely popular dish in Leipzig, and the cherry symbolizes the lark’s heart. Waitresses don historical costume with white aprons, blouses, maroon vests and skirts. Fun fact: The actual oldest cafe in Europe is Café Procope in Paris.

The Bach statue in front of St. Thomas Church. Photo courtesy of Jessica Festa.

4. Explore Bach Heritage

If you’re a fan of classical music, Leipzig is a must. Even if you’re not — like me — it’s still interesting. In front of the 800-year-old Late Gothic-style St. Thomas Church (Thomaskirchhof 18), where Bach once worked, you’ll find an enormous statue of the famous composer, created in 1908 by local sculptor Carl Seffner. Inside the church you can hear the St. Thomas Boys Choir performing Bach cantatas, see a stained glass window dedicated to Bach and view a Bach-style pipe organ. You’ll also find Bach’s tomb, right in the church sanctuary. Across the street the Bach Museum offers further exploration, full of Bach manuscripts, original music, video clips and Bach-related events. I definitely left feeling inspired, despite the fact I don’t have musical talents.

Leipzig Music Bonus Tip:

Leipzig is home to the Leipzig Music Trail , a 5.1-kilometer (3.2-mile) stroll featuring relevant sites and experiences in the city center.

An installation at Leipzig’s annual Festival of Lights, where those who lived in the German Democratic Republic (Communism) had their memories projected onto a building. Photo courtesy of Jessica Festa.

5. Check The Calendar For A Festival

Leipzig is known for its arts-, music- and culture-focused fairs and festivals, so it won’t be hard to book for a weekend where something is going on. When I was there I had the opportunity to attend the Festival of Lights , an annual event celebrating the anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution, peaceful protesting in 1989 that helped lead to the falling of the Berlin Wall, true democracy for Germany and the re-unification of the country.

Other great festivals to add to your calendar include Bachfest (Bach is buried in the local St. Thomas Church, complete with a stained glass window and pipe organ in his honor); the Leipzig Festival Autumn , which offers an array of arts workshops, exhibits and programming; and the Classic Open , which transforms Market Square into an open air concert venue each August.

K4. Photo courtesy of Joeb07.

6. Have An Adventure

I’ll admit I did not do this one, as I lost time attending the Festival of Lights, which was my main priority; however, next time I’m in Leipzig this is going to be the top thing on my to-do list. After the Berlin Wall fell down, GDR citizens fled quickly to the West, creating a huge population shift and leaving many buildings empty. In order to make use of the unused GDR structures, they were re-purposed into climbing towers called K4, run by the The German Alpine Association. The experience features 30+ routes of varying difficulty.

Most East Germans don’t look back at life in the General Democratic Republic with pleasure, so the city turned old and unwanted GDR towers — called Cliff K4 — into mountaineering stations for climbers. To do this, you’ll need to walk 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) to Angerstrasse 53. Admission is 5 Euros ($.632 USD) per day.

Exploring Leipzig’s burgeoning arts scene at Spinnerei, my favorite attraction in the city. Photo courtesy of Jessica Festa.

Extend Your Stay In Leipzig

This is just a small preview of things to do based on my day spent in Leipzig. In reality, the city is chock full of things to do, and well worth at least a long weekend to explore the canals, museums, art galleries and gastronomic offerings. Moreover, the entire city is bikeable from one point to another in 40 minutes or less, so it’s easy to navigate Leipzig and travel on a budget .

In terms of accommodation, I stayed at the Days Inn Leipzig City Centre , a perfectly fine no-frills accommodation with free breakfast and strong wifi. If I went back I would likely book Say Cheese Leipzig , which is inexpensive, has excellent reviews, and offers both private rooms and shared dorms. Also, their tagline, “hotels & hostels for smiling people,” makes me giggle every time I read it. Rates start at about 15 Euros/$19 USD per night for an 8-person dorm + optional 5 Euros/$6.30 USD per day for breakfast.

Have you been to Leipzig? What experiences would you recommend? Please share in the comments below.

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Morzine

I’ve been lucky enough to go skiing in the Alps every year for the past six years. Although I normally go to a different resort every time as there are so many to choose from, that all changed last year when I went to Morzine with a group of 10 friends. I loved it so much I decided to go back again this year, and it didn’t disappoint.

Morzine is one of the main towns within the Portes du Soleil, a massive alpine skiing resort with 404 miles (650 kilometers) of pistes that bridge 12 resorts across Switzerland and France . On the French side you’ve got Morzine, which lies at the heart of the Portes du Soleil; Avoriaz, a snowy town with high altitude and many ski-in/ski-out accommodations; Les Gets, which faces the sunshine and has some pleasant tree-lined runs; and Chatel, which offers a great base camp as it is well connected. Moreover, with the addition of 30 snow cannons covering the lower slopes, Chatel now has an extended skiing season. On the Swiss side of the Portes du Soleil the resorts are smaller and more intimate with wooden chalets perched on cliff edges. We made a point of visiting them as they have great restaurants at the bottom of the slopes, so it’s possible to have lunch in Switzerland and go back to France for dinner.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHd1pl1-eTw?feature=player_detailpage]Portes du Soleil offers worthwhile skiing for all abilities. Beginners will find it relatively easy to progress to skiing on the gentle blue slopes around Avoriaz. And very accomplished skiers can attempt the extreme ‘Swiss wall’ outside Les Crosets, which you can see in the video above.

For snowboarders there are a total of 10 snow parks to visit across all of the resorts suitable for newbies and pros. In the Avoriaz region there is the “La Chapelle” snowpark, which is the most notable and has some huge jumps and rails for grinding.

Even if you’re not a skier or snowboarder there are plenty of other activities to keep you busy. One of the most sedentary options for transporting yourself around the area is by horse-drawn sleighs across Avoriaz. Avoriaz is a car-free town so horses and sleighs also double up as resort taxis. If downhill skiing isn’t your thing there are many people snow shoeing up the mountains, but if you’re after high octane fun there is a surprising amount of people paragliding, dodging trees and chairs lift and — seemingly effortlessly — floating down to terra firma (land).

If you still have some energy after your active day you can sample the Apres Ski culture of the area. There are some great chalets between the major ski runs that offer vin chaud (mulled wine) and fondue with fantastic views. My personal favorite Apres Ski venue is the ‘L’Passage Café’ just outside the Super Morzine lift station. And when you disembark the lift be sure to stop at Morzine creperie Chez Martine for the best crepes you’ve ever tasted.

Because our trip was in March it meant we were able to experience the Rock the Pistes Festival. The annual event features French rock and pop bands, with open air stages set up on the slopes so you can ski straight to them. The festival is run at a different place within the resort every day for five days. Admission is free with your lift pass.

Enjoying the powder at Portes du Soleil. Image via Sander Westerveld .

Portes du Soleil is not just open for the winter season, it’s also a very popular area for mountain bikers in the summer. Buying a multi-pass will help you get the bikes up the mountain on the ski lifts so you can have all the enjoyment of biking down without the exhaustion of biking up the mountains. Multi-passes are also suitable for locals as it includes unlimited use of the Aquariaz indoor pool complex, all the sports equipment for tennis and mini-golf in Avoriaz and Morzine’s new indoor pool and spa complex (pools only).

There are regular flights from the United Kingdom and across Europe to Geneva airport, and once there the Portes du Soleil region can be accessed in less than 90 minutes, this means that if you leave early in the morning you can be on the slopes in the afternoon which is great for a weekend away to the Alps.

About The Author

This guest post comes from Helen Payne from Wandering Albatross. She loves traveling and holidays. Now working full time, Helen makes efficient use of her holiday time to visit as many places as possible. Stay tuned for articles about Peru, US, South East Asia and Europe on her travel blog. You can also follow her on Twitter @Wanderin_Tweets .