Straight on Detour – Find your own adventure

Explore the Greatness of Camping With 4 Season Hammock Tarp

May 26, 2019 By Becks Leave a Comment

Planning to go out for a hiking or camping expedition that will last you a few days?

You can enjoy the best experience of camping when you have the right sleeping kit so that you can rest comfortably at night or even during the day. Hammock camping is popular since it gives you peace of mind when you are away from home.

Hammock camping has more advantages compared to traditional camping with tents. A hammock is convenient since you can easily mount it on two nearby trees and you can enjoy your night under the clear sky.

However, you need to plan for the worst when you go for camping hence the need to pack a hammock with a tarp.

A tarp is a lightweight shelter that resembles a conventional tent and you can mount it on your tarp so that it offers you protection against bad weather conditions.

The weather is unpredictable and it can suddenly change while you are camping somewhere far away. A simple overhead hammock tarp comes in handy since it protects you against rain.

There are different types of hammock tarps that are designed to suit weather conditions in different environments. Some of the tarps are more advanced and they can withstand heavy wind and downpours.

In such a situation, a four-season hammock tarp will be the best companion for your camping expedition.

4 Season Hammock Tarp

A 4 season hammock tarp provides you the most coverage and protection against various weather elements that can affect you. When you set up this particular tarp, it resembles a pitched tent only that it will be suspended over your hammock.

When you are hiking, camping or engaged in other outdoor adventure, a quality hammock tarp is an essential thing to have.

A 4 season hammock tarp has many advantages since it protects you against rain or cold weather. The kind of tarp is designed for all weather seasons and it also helps to prevent leaves, insects or twigs from disturbing you when you are resting.

With a 4 season tarp, you are always assured of a dry place to sleep where you can also enjoy watching the environment. In case the sun is too hot, the tarp offers you protection.

When you are looking for all weather 4 season tarp, there are different factors that you should consider so that you get the best product.

Tips for choosing the best hammock tarp

When you want to buy the best hammock tarp, you should make sure that its size is large enough to cover the whole hammock in case it rains while you are camping. A large tarp is also ideal since it can protect you against other weather elements like high wind and snow.

A big tarp also provides extra privacy when you are in your hammock. Therefore, it is crucial that you buy a tarp that can overlap your hammock so that it gives you maximum protection against elements that can affect your camping experience. You also need to consider the shape of the tarp so that it gives you the best coverage against bad weather conditions.

A 4 season tarp offers you the best coverage such that you do not need to worry about issues related to weather when you go out camping.

The other factor that you should consider pertains to weight. When backpacking, you must consider the weight of the tarp so that you can easily carry it from place to place.

In this scenario, a lightweight tarp will be ideal since it allows you to carry it easily when you are out camping. The element of weight is also determined by the type of material used in the manufacture of the tarp.

You should contend with the fact that durable tarps are made of heavy nylon material. For instance, ripstop nylon is the most durable material that is used for making 4 season hammock tarps.

You should, therefore, be also prepared to handle the penalty of extra weight should you decide to buy this particular type of tarp.

A 4 season hammock tarp is advantageous in that it is suitable for all seasons. However, setting up your hammock will require more parts that you can expect.

For instance, you need a full hammock, suspension system as well as the right tarp that can fully cover your gear. You also need to buy a quality top quilt together with an underquilt so that you can stay warm during the night.

With the right hammock tarp, you can enjoy every moment of your camping experience since it provides you with maximum comfort always.

Not all tarps are excellent in terms of their specifications so you need to shop around for the best product that suits your needs to make your outdoor adventure memorable.

Campfire BBQ 101. Everything You Need to Know About Purchasing a BBQ

May 19, 2019 By Becks Leave a Comment

Campfire BBQ. The one thing that everyone likes to do during the summer. There is just nothing as great as having a campfire, enjoying family time and eating your favorite BBQ meal. However, when it comes to purchasing a BBQ griller, you need to make sure that you are purchasing the right one. The right one for your family and the best one on the market. This is the best and only way that you can be sure to have an even better time around the campfire. With all this info, you will be able to make sure that you are purchasing the right griller for your next get together.

The size of your BBQ griller

Before you can start looking for your campfire BBQ, the one thing that you should make sure about is that you are knowing the size that you’ll need.

There are different sizes available, and because not many people realize it, they are purchasing the wrong one. If you are a large family that is always grilling together, then you should want to make sure that you are getting a larger BBQ. If your family is just a couple of people, then a larger BBQ will be a waste of money and energy. So, this is the first thing that you should consider before you choose your very first grill.

The old fashion charcoal griller, the gas griller or the electric griller?

Which one should you want to consider? The charcoal one that we all know, the gas griller or the electric griller? You need to make sure that you have knowledge about each of them before you can make this decision.

Charcoal BBQ. This is the one that we all know. This is the griller that gives the smell of barbeque meat. This is also the one that is taking the longest to heat up and to cook the meat thoroughly. Buying the charcoal BBQ is cheaper and the maintenance on it is cheap as well. The only thing that you need to barbeque your meat, is charcoal.
The gas BBQ. Besides the charcoal, the gas campfire BBQ is the most popular. This is because people prefer the method that is giving the least amount of smoke, and that is a lot faster to cook the meat. The gas isn’t that expensive and you can refill it easily. The BBQ itself is more expensive and the maintenance is more than with the charcoal griller as well.
Electric BBQ griller. The electric BBQ griller is the least popular one. This is because it is the most expensive one, and the power it uses can cost you a lot of money at the end of the month. However, there isn’t much maintenance that you need to consider or refills that need to be done before you are able to grill again.

Where should you start looking for your Campfire BBQ griller?

Most people will say that finding a quality campfire BBQ isn’t that hard. You can walk into any store and you will be able to choose between these three grillers. However, not all of them are equally great and value for money. This is why you should make sure that you know where to start looking for your new campfire BBQ.

The best place is to start searching online. There you can find all sorts of grillers. And, you will be able to choose the one that will be best for you and your family. You can look at the cost, the features and the size that you are willing to spend. Making it easier and faster to find the perfect barbeque griller.

The features that you should look at

When you are purchasing your griller, you should make sure that you are considering the different features that you can find. You want to make sure that you are going to get value for money. So, this is why you should look at these features, to know what makes a perfect griller.

Smoker and griller in one. This is great if you like the grill and smokey meat.
How easy to clean is the griller?
Material that the griller is made of.
Is the BBQ energy sufficient? And, is it cost sufficient?
Does it offer temperature control?

Smoker versus griller

What is the difference between a smoker and a BBQ griller? Which one should you consider when you are looking for a griller? For those that don’t know, the smoker is giving the meat a smokey taste and not the normal grill taste.

First of all, if you like to smoke and grill your meat, you should look for a 2-in-1. This is where you have the option to grill and to smoke your food, using one BBQ grill. This is the best option; however, this can be expensive as well. If you don’t want both options, you should consider the one that you are enjoying the most. Most people are just looking for a griller, but this doesn’t mean that this is the one that you should purchase as well. You should make sure that you are finding the one that is best for your family.

Last things to consider when choosing your griller

You might have an idea now which campfire griller you want to purchase. However, there are still a couple of things that you should consider before you can make the final decision.

Do you want to take your BBQ with you when you are going on holiday?
Are you looking for the traditional way of barbequing or are you looking for a faster modern way?
The more features your BBQ has, the more expensive it will be. However, the better value for money you will have as well.

Campfire BBQ. Everyone wants to have the perfect BBQ griller. And, with this guide, you will be able to find the right one for you and your family. There are a couple of things that you should consider in order for you to make sure that you are getting value for money. And, that you have a griller that you will enjoy all the time.

Sisterhood Blogger Award: Digging Deeper

May 19, 2019 By Becks Leave a Comment

Whilst we’ve been busy fighting grizzlies and living out of our car ‘Moose’ here in Canada we’ve been lucky enough to be nominated for the Sisterhood blogger awards by three awesome female travel bloggers.

Jennifer from Just Chasing Rabbits

Steph from Big World Small Pockets

Mimi from The Atlas Heart

Ladies, thanks for the support, love, and recognition for what we do. It’s pretty cool when other bloggers like what you’re about so CHEERS!!!

How it Works:

The Sisterhood is a way to show appreciation and acknowledgement of other female travel bloggers, and to connect and discover some unique new voices in the travel blogosphere. If you’re nominated, after thanking your fellow blogger, you answer the questions they present to you. You then have the chance to nominate up to 10 other blogs and ask 10 of your own questions. Not a bad gig!

Jennifer from Just Chasing Rabbits questions:

1. How long have you considered yourself a ‘traveller’?

Prue: Oooh I like it. I guess when I left home the first time without a return ticket… geez 7 years has flown!!

Becky: I suppose it was when I returned home from my first long stint abroad and thought “I can’t wait until I go again.”

2. What is your funniest travel story?

Urmmm… well last week Becks and I were camping on this precipice for an amazing view… In the middle of the night our tent collapses from the huge gusts zipping through the mountain range and we were too snug in our sleeping bags to brave the frigid temperatures to do anything about it. So when we eventually wake up, we’re literally engulfed by our tent and unable to find the door to get out. TWATS!

3. Why is travel so important?

Prue: Travel adds perspective, not just between those who have and those who don’t have but it makes us realise how small we are in this world, how little we really are – a very humbling lesson and one I’ve grown to cherish.

4. What is the biggest lesson this world has taught you?

Prue: It’s taught me to go out there and get what I want..

Becky: The world teaches one lesson after another, haha. I suppose the biggest lesson for me is about how I can overcome any obstacle so long as I am determined, a life on the road is not without numerous challenges and it is great to tackle them.

5. If you could change one thing in this world, what would it be?

We both are strong believers is catching and killing what you eat. Animal production lines, battery hens, commercial meat farming and milk farming is something we advocate against however if we could change one thing in this world it would be for people to stop being naive about where their food comes from and the conditions animals have to go through to get to your mouth.

6. Couple or solo travel? Why?

Both!!!

Both Becks and myself have travelled solo and as a couple and they are such different experiences. We loved our bachelor days on the road, travelling wherever the wind took us, or wherever the beer flowed but we also love sharing experiences together, curling up under the stars and reminiscing about the day. Also travelling as a couple gives us more balls, we are more daring and push our travels further as a duo. We would never have slept on a strangers floor, hitch-hiked western China or camped on the side of the road on our own….

7. What is one travelling tip you’d tell a fellow travelling sister?

Find out why you want to travel… because it’s in this ‘why’ where you’ll find out where you should be and where you should go.

8. What one destination could you visit again and again without ever tiring of it?

Indonesia. We’ve been back a few times and spent over 8 months in the country and we still have a to-do list to-die for!

9. What is the one item you can never leave home without?

Prue: My jewellery… It never leaves me, ever!!! Unless the ocean steals it.

Becky: My note pad and pen, I might rant and rave at our blog now and then but I couldn’t live without writing!

10. How has blogging been rewarding for you?

Prue: Blogging and everything that goes with it has slowly created a new skill set. Media communications, website design, social media and marketing… they’ve all snuck up on me but I use them every day!

Becky: My camera skills have taken a leap and I have been published a few times this year which was really rewarding.

Steph from Big World Small Pockets

1. When did you first realise you wanted to travel?

Prue: I remember I wanted to travel as soon as I finished high school, I was still 17. I wanted to visit those places with really blue water and sip coconuts on the beach like in the magazines. So I went to a travel agent and found Thailand, I even wrote letters to all my friends parents telling them why you should let their daughters come travelling with me. haha.

Becky: As a kid when I was told that Australia was opposite England I started digging a hole in the back garden to get there, I think it has always been there, ha!

2. Do you think you’re desire was something innate or something taught/learnt?

Prue: I would have always thought the latter until recently I found out my grandmother was an insatiable adventurer. She’s told me the most incredible stories of when she was a solo female traveller back in the 60 and 70’s – She went to East Timor on her own in the 1974 for christ sake!! So damn cool.. so maybe being a traveller was inevitable, i’d like to think it was 🙂

Becky: As above 🙂

3. What made you start blogging?

Prue: Blogging came about when we felt we were pushing boundaries, digging deeper than the guide books but in hindsight blogging came about at a time when both of us wanted to look at travel with fresh eyes.

Becky: true, plus it is a great way for people back home to stay connected and know that we are safe and happy.

4. What is your number one tip to new female travel bloggers.

Travel first… Enjoy travel for what it is, leave the blogging until you’re looking for something more out of your travels. Go live with a tribe, teach english, surf your way around Asia and when you’re done and need something more, start blogging 🙂

5. Do you think travelling can make a difference and why?

Prue: hmm that’s tough. No I don’t think it does.. I feel as though travellers are the spectators of normal life, fascinated by the subtle differences between cultures and clans and by the way the worlds carved.

Becky: You can make a difference to the daily lives of locals by buying locally and hiring local guides but I think the main aim is to preserve the wonderful places we see without making a difference.

6.What’s the best food or meal you’ve had while abroad?

Prue: Hands down the fried papaya salad and sticky rice from a little place around the corner where I used to live in Thailand.

Becky: This is the toughest question yet! Italy blew my mind and I must confess, that was the one place where I travelled to eat. Oh and you can’t beat an Aussie breakfast: Smashed avocado, cheesy croquets and poached eggs on sourdough… ooohhhhh!

7. Which city in the world would you most like to visit and why?

Prue: Cleveland, because I have a date with a long lost friend who wants to tell me all about her trip to Alaska!

Becky: Berlin, I’d like to visit the Berlin wall, grab some German beers and meet several friends of mine who live in the area! That sounds silly doesn’t it, it’s about a 2 hour flight from my home country.

8. What has been your worst moment as a female traveller?

Prue: I’ll keep this one short and sweet, it’s times when men think they can take advantage of you just because you are a women. It’s absolute bullshit but it happens everywhere.

Becky: yes, as above… YES! but the more kind of “you need help because you’re a woman” kind of thing.

9. Travelling romances, do they ever last!?

Time will tell 😛

10. Which other female travel blogger inspires you?

Sarah Duncan from Serepa. She has honed in on Colombia, a country she loves and is truly passionate about and we love that.

Mimi From My Atlas Heart

1. Describe the most interesting person you’ve met on your travels? Where were they from?

There are too too many as this is one of the massive reasons we travel. We’ve met volcano guides who paint about the civil war to help them overcome the trauma; Lived with a maasai tribe; Volunteered in schools and chatted with men who are determined to live in polar bear country. The world has the most incredible and unusual people and it is these folk that determine how much we fall for a country.

2. What’s your favourite travel quote?

“The farther you go, however, the harder it is to return. The world has many edges, and it’s easy to fall off.” Anderson Cooper

3. Which place do you think you’ll settle down?

Ahhh the question that is always on our families lips. Hmmm we have no idea. We talk about what we’d like to do when we settle down, what our pet goats name will be but we never connect our future to a place. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. 🙂

4. What’s the longest amount of time you’ve been abroad?

Prue: Becks and I haven’t had a base for the past 2.5 years. That would make it my longest… However I know Becks parents had to wait 4.5 years before they got a cuddle from her.

5. Do you have a favourite travel-related tour you’ve been on?

Climbing Dukono was a pretty incredible tour. Mr Yus, a local Indonesia takes tourists on an overnight adventure up his local volcano, we never expected a bubbling lava pit the size of a football field be at the top of it. HA!

6. How many countries have you visited? Best and Least favourite country?

Prue: 26. Best – Canada… Least favourite: Singapore

Becky: Ooohhhhh I wrote this “Why country Counting Will Ruin Your Travels” as a backlash to everyone being obsessed by country counting but I’ve probably been to nearing on 60 countries. Best – China… Least – China, oh my gosh this was a country of contradiction 😀

7. Where do you want your blog to be in the next 5 years?

haha, a lot more complete than it is now! We have a list of articles to write that no joke, exceeds 70. Tying our blog together, rounding off destination guides and having a complete full circuit interaction for visitors would be great.

8. What’s your favourite choice of alcohol on the road and why?

Beer! It’s cheap, it’s social and it’s also cultural… triple wammy, hard to beat!

9. Have you always been a writer?

Prue: me no, never… I’ve always been told I have great ideas but cannot transcribe them to paper. Becks on the other hand has always perused the idea of writing more seriously and often finds writing to be therapeutic rather than work… Lucky her huh! 😛

10. What’s the craziest food you’ve ever tried?

Prue: Being veggies we don’t have any pigs hooves, or goat hearts but I have tried locusts… that was enough!!

Becky: Yeah mine were crickets, although I have seen some awesome things eaten by non-vegetarians…. meat treats I call them 🙂

Our Nominees:

Sarah from Serapa

Katie From Feathery Travels

Alice from Teacake Travels

Questions for you sassy ladies:

Are you a boozer, culture buff, adventure seeker, landscape lover or museum junkie?
What do you look for when planning a trip?
Why did you start blogging?
As a women, do you think your travels are hindered in any way?
Is blogging your full time job? If not what kind of work do you do?
What is your favourite country and why?
If you were given $10,000 and had to spend it on travel would you a) spend it on an expensive dream trip like the galapagos or b) use it for lots of cool little trips or c) make it last as long as you can
Share with us a travel experience that was out of your comfort zone
What is and where is your favourite hike?
What can’t you travel without?

How to Hike the Spanish Pyrenees on a Budget

May 19, 2019 By Becks Leave a Comment

Spreading from coast to coast and separating France from Spain, the curved backbone of the Spanish Pyrenees stretches nearly five hundred miles. Its bare spiny peaks and luscious green troughs are reason enough to take a peak at this natural wonderland. Several driving routes allow you to appreciate scenery that quite possibly belongs to Canada while the hiking is second to none. Expect trails to suit anything from a stroll to a mountainous hike with highlights such as raging waterfalls and magnificent views. Usually associated with wealth and prestige, we were shocked when we found out our bank account wouldn’t break and we could hike the Spanish Pyrenees on a budget.

After days of research we narrowed our visit to Spain’s Aragon province and singled out one glorious national park. Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park in north Aragon is a famed spot because its various gorges each portray a unique side to the Pyrenees’ diverse landscape. To top it off we found bargain accommodation and could not believe how little we would spend on such a unique vacation.

Travel Spain: Hike the Spanish Pyrenees on a budget

How to visit Ordesa National Park and hike the Spanish Pyrenees on a Budget:

Hire yourself a car. Do your research, we found a company that does Smart Cars for $9 a day.

Pack yourself some walking shoes/trainers… access to the Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park in off season is FREE and the hiking trails are endless! Ordesa gorge is the popular choice for hiking trails from 2 hour strolls to 7 hour gorge summits and climbing routes. A free map and walking advice can be found at Ordesa’s car park or this hikepyrenees website can help with picking walking tracks that suit your style.

(Note during peak summer months Ordesa Gorge is only accessible from its information centre in Torla. Bus tickets from Torla to the park are mandatory unless you want to walk for 2 hours. A return ticket costs around €3.50/$5)

Stay at Fiscal’s Hostal Rio Ara. They charge €15/$20 for a clean double/twin room that has a shared bathroom in the hallway. The price includes a buffet ‘variety’ breakfast (anything from hams to jam on toast to packaged american brownies). It is also only 20km outside of the parks main entrance which was a perfect for us to explore the four gorges within the national park, take a dip into France and day trip through the scenic villages.

Eating out is expensive and generally underwhelming so stock on fresh goods at the local supermarket and make yourself a gourmet baguette, a cheese and tortilla platter or suck it up and buy delicious paella for €15 pp.

In Summary:

A smart car can cost as little as $160 per week, with insurance included.

Smart cars are great on fuel ($100 dollars for 1 week should be plenty).

Accommodation (& breakfast) at Hostal Rio is $120 for 6 nights.

Entrance into the park areas is free.

A week-long vacation in the Spanish Pyrenees can cost as little as $190AUD/€135 per person

The Forgotten Great Wall Of China

May 19, 2019 By Becks Leave a Comment

I want to share with you a short piece from one of my favorite places to travel in western China.

Jiayuguan, Gansu Province – The Over-hanging Great Wall of China

Excerpt from my diary 26/08/12 – written from my hotel room in Jiayuguan, China:

Waking up from another dishevelled sleep, I’m in no mood to play tourist today. My dreams are consistent with the night before and I’m exhausted. My money is running out and the reality is creeping into my subconscious, taunting me in my sleep. I dream that I follow every path, yet every path I choose inevitably leads to the same outcome: Going home. Lying in bed I splurge all my fears to Becks instead of touring the outside world. So engrossed with our own company we leave the room only once, for the fresh spicy noodles from the lady across the road. Sometimes it is nice just to have slow travel days like these.

The Over-hanging great Wall Of China, Places to see in western China

But the following day, with a clearer head and a more positive mindset, we did play tourist. We were, after all, bunking close to the Overhanging Great Wall of China. With new stocks of wine in tow, the taxi dropped us as the entrance. An unexpected disneyland-style display and ticket booth greets us along with a hoard of bubbly Chinese tourists who seemed to take more interested in us than the actual Great Wall of China. While they peer at us we take our first peek of a tiny fragment of the wall,which could just be seen popping out behind the strategic placement of a large cardboard backdrop.

We all know the Great wall of China is in fact GREAT, with a total length of 21,196 kilometres and construction dating back all the way to 200BC. The section we visited (the Over-Hanging great Wall of China) was built in the 1500’s for the sole purpose of guarding the east from the west. The spindly wall sprawls it’s way along the backbone of the unforgiving Heishan mountains and to the west, beyond the wall, is nothing. This was once the border of China and a place of exile to those unwanted by the Chinese supremacy, a decision which would lead to certain death.

With no time schedule or time limits, we outlast the Chinese tourists, roam the walls and climb the watchtowers in peace. I will never forget opening a bottle of wine on the wall and “saluting” to the sun as it slowly set below the mountains.

Except from my dairy 27/08/12 – written on the overhanging great wall, Jiayuguan.

We sit in isolation, watching the sun struggle to control the luminous shadows and violet hues which streak the contours of the walls we sit upon. The bulging moon has recently risen and is now settling in above the highest watch tower. The incandescent night sky is vast and clear with a small patch of wispy clouds which have distorted the scarlet rays of the setting sun. Every minute the colour tones are changing and becoming more complex, unnamable to the masses but definitive to a paint salesman I’m sure. ‘Coral bells,’ ‘enticing red’ or maybe ‘cheery’ he would call them. Either way, the colours seem to be holding us here, to latch onto the beauty and stay that little bit longer. We clink our plastic mugs together saluting to my reoccurring dream, to the unknown and to the beauty around us.

Things would work out.