Mtskheta is a fantastic and easy day-trip from Tbilisi, and Jvari Monastery is one of its premier attractions. Hiking up to the hilltop church is an especially fun and rewarding way to experience it. Unfortunately, the route isn’t terribly well-marked. But it is easy, once you know where to look! First,…
March 2 – April 3, 2018 (Start of spring) Moving to Tbilisi after snowy Skopje fast-forwarded us into spring. The chilly March wind started to soften, trees budded and then bloomed, and everywhere the city creaked back to life. We balanced soul-warming carbs and cheese with the first fresh fruits…
February 2 – March 2, 2018 (Winter) Leaving an island near-paradise is never easy, but one way or another we had to move on. Skopje singled itself out as our next destination based on its low cost of living and reputation for wine. Plus we could fly there for cheap.…
January 2 – 30, 2018 (Winter) Just a drop in the Mediterranean, Gozo hides in plain sight. It is just 14 km across at its widest and far more rural than Malta – fewer people, fewer buildings, fewer worries. We visited in midwinter, when the temperatures were comfortably cool and…
December 30, 2017 – January 2, 2018; January 30 – February 2, 2018 (Winter) Finally out of Christmas markets and no longer thrilled at the idea of wintering in continental Europe, we instead migrated south to Malta. The island’s central location in the temperate Mediterranean made for relatively balmy breezes…
December 20 – 30, 2017 (Winter) Munich is a great place to be any time of year, but it really goes all out during December. It’s probably second only to Berlin in sheer number of markets, but this city’s Bavarian charms make it an especially fine choice for enjoying the…
December 6 – 20, 2017 (Winter) When we arrived at our apartment this month, our host welcomed us warmly but was a little incredulous that we were staying two whole weeks in little Ljubljana. It’s a small capital, less than 300k people, and there simply isn’t that much for tourists…
November 8 – December 6, 2017 (Winter) Wintering in Croatia’s inland capital was a very different experience than the two sunny months we spent on the Dalmatian coast last year. Zagreb’s Austro-Hungarian heritage and modern development came in stark contrast to the ancient Roman and Italian influence near the Mediterranean.…
October 11 – November 8, 2017 (Fall) Continuing our tour through the Balkans, we hardly knew what to expect when we arrived in Sarajevo. Would we find a city still in the shadow of a war 20 years past? A remote and rustic town that feels a thousand miles from…
We are Kevin and Danielle (and Kieran) Tarchenski, a family of introverts that travel the world. Why? To save money, have fun, maybe learn a thing or two. We love to work from the road and write about our adventures. Most of all, we enjoy living simply: peaceful walks, homecooked meals, quiet nights in – wherever we make our home this month.
