Wandering Footsteps: Wandering the World One Step at a Time » Blog

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  • Well hello there! Glad you've stumbled upon Wandering Footsteps, the travel journal of a nomadic couple on a slow overland trip around the world. With thirty years of travel experience between us and a round-the-world trip already under the belt of our trusty 1988 Toyota-cum-camper van, this journey is bound to be interesting! Join us in our global wanderings - we've saved an extra seat just for you!

    - Brittany and Bruno

Posted in Europe,Southern EuropeTags:

No trip to Italy is complete without pasta, wine, risotto, and gelato – especially for a travel foodie. And ESPECIALLY for a travel foodie with unfinished food business in Italy. Our five nights in Italy were thus a personal quest for me to experience Italian culture through its food. The quest was easier said than done.

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  • Eric - Comme c est beau … Et bon l Italie !!!!ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Ah, clairement! Vous avez des regions de l’Italie a recommender pour notre prochaine visite?ReplyCancel

  • Rcs - The ‘gelato-queen’ will now be a moniker I can use in certain future moments.
    I really enjoyed this entry for many reasons…the pictures always add to your explanations but this time the descriptions seemed even more alive than normal.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Thanks for the compliment! “Gelato-queen” is a better moniker than “Alpha Wolf” so I’ll take it! :)

      Hope you’re enjoying all these recent food entries! I’m finding my niche!ReplyCancel

  • Louise Jones-Takata - Nice going Brittany, There is so much to Italy and all of it seemingly delicious. It is after France my favorite European country to visit from head to toe!ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Yes, Italy is incredibly delicious! For me, because of its language and picture-perfect villages, I may actually love it MORE than France!!!ReplyCancel

Posted in Europe,Southern EuropeTags:

Our five days in Croatia and Slovenia included a visit to the infamous Plitvice Lakes National Park, the UNESCO-protected Škocjan Caves, a brief jaunt to the coast of Croatia, and full-on run-ins with mass tourism at its height. Included in this article are tips for a quiet experience of Plitvice Lakes and encouragement to join the tour.

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  • Louise Jones-Takata - Lovely, and don’t for one moment that you are spoiled when it comes the privacy factor!ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Hi Louise! I’m wondering if, with your extensive travel, you’ve had a chance to visit any Balkan countries…?ReplyCancel

  • Nathan - What you call “mass tourism” is what the rest of us simply call “tourism”. This is certainly what Ara and I experienced in Peru; I sure would like to do it your way some day…ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Haha, you’re right. I guess I’m a bit spoiled. It’s like with anything – once you get the best of something, it’s harder to appreciate anything less.
      One day SOON, I hope you will experience travel my way! It would make me SOOOOO happy!ReplyCancel

  • mimika - Coucou Britt. Je suis heureuse d’avoir revu des images de plitivice. En revanche je me souviens avoir visité un jour d’alternance entre pluie et soleil et il n’y avait pas beaucoup de touristes justement. J’avais effectivement beaucoup apprécié le site….. car nous avions le sentiment de l’avoir rien que pour nous !!!
    Il faut croire que vous aviez choisi un mauvais jour.
    Bises à toi et à ta familleReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Je pense que vous avez en la chance d’y avoir visite non seulement une journee moins ensoleille, mais d’y avoir visite il y a quelques annees. Peut-etre c’etait moins connu – c’etait l’experience de Bruno la-bas en 2005. Oye, ca a change!!! Mais bon, c’etait quand meme tres, tres joli.
      Bises a vous tous de nous tous!ReplyCancel

  • Rcs - One way to remember the difference between stalagmites and stalactites is the “c” and “g”. C for ceiling hangs down and G for grows from the ground up.
    I too would love to have the opportunity to visit sights without hordes of people…you’re getting methinks.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Thanks for the tip. I’ll try to remember it for my next cave blog entry!

      You, just like Nathan, will soon have an opportunity to see the world my way, if I have any control over the situation! :)ReplyCancel

Posted in Europe,Southern EuropeTags: ,

Our time in Bosnia was perhaps the most educational (and emotional) visit we’ve ever had. In six days we learned about the Bosnian War, the Siege of Sarajevo, the Srebrenica Genocide, postwar life in Bosnia’s capital, and the ongoing tensions in the country and Balkan region.

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  • Julia - Wow Britt, you’ve done it again; you’ve laced so much history into your extremely well-written and easy-to-read post that I’ve learned a ton without feeling like I’m sitting in a classroom. You’ve got such a talent! Thanks for sharing, and thanks to Bruno for those amazing photos that really help me feel like I’m there with you guys! I’m so excited that it’s summer and I now have more time to read your blog! Xo J.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Awww, thanks for the compliments Julia! I gotta say that I learn a ton more on the road than in the classroom too, as I’m sure a high school teacher taught me about the Balkan Wars…

      Happy to say that more and more of the photos on my blog are taken and/or edited by me! I’m learning photography on the road, too! :)

      Happy summer!ReplyCancel

  • Lisa - I just kept thinking while reading about the war in Bosnia how religion was to blame. Neighbours that once lived in harmony killed each other during that war. Very tragic & sad.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - It does seem like religion is often the thing which differentiates ethnic groups from one another, and ends up being divisive rather than unifying. That was one of the saddest parts of Bosnia’s story – that all these groups had once lived together in peace.ReplyCancel

  • Rcs - Makes me want to pull out some old maps to compare to what it is today…and, of course, to read the events of history. Very sad to think we can’t live beside one another and be accepting of our differences.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - It seems that intolerance is often the cause of war, violence, and destruction. Maybe everyone should travel a little more, because travel teaches us the beauty of difference.ReplyCancel

Posted in Europe,Southern EuropeTags:

We were only on our second country of the month, and already the flaws in our travel plan were starting to show: I was entering Serbia more unprepared than I’d ever entered any country, ever. Read on to see how unplanned trip can turn out and as good a reason as any reason for the need for to down-time in overland travel.

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  • Lisa - Hi from Toronto…just read your latest blog. Thought I’d let you know that the famous bridge in Paris with all the locks was caving b/c of the locks so the wall of locks is now gone. Lovers will have to find a new place for their locks.

    See you soon!

    Love Lisa xoxoxoxReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Thanks for filling me in. What a shame about the locks – such an icon of Paris! At least there’s an alternative in Serbia!ReplyCancel

  • Elizabeth - It is a shame that you lacked the time to grasp the essence of Serbia. I’m certain there are treasures to see and much to experience. The last photo of a Serbian town is lovely and with it you do give us a little taste of what it has to offer.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - You’re right, it is a shame. But I learned that, as a traveler I can’t always expect a country to unfold itself to me unless I’m willing to put in the work. That might mean prior research and preparation, or it might mean giving a country the time it deserves. Without one or the other, travel is left fairly meaningless. A good lesson to learn! :)ReplyCancel

  • Rcs - There is the song by Simon & Garfunkel that says “Slow down, you move too fast, You got to make the morning last, So kickin’ down the cobble stones, Look at the sun and feeling groovy.”
    Take your time…ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Wise words for nomads and sedentary people alike. :)ReplyCancel

Posted in Europe,Southern EuropeTags:

Over the next month, we’ll be traveling through EIGHT countries to reach France overland from Turkey. Our first stop? Bulgaria, where we visit the historical town of Plovdiv, spend time with former dancing bears, hike in the Rila Mountains on the monastery trail, and eat a lot of French fries and feta cheese!

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  • Elizabeth - I can’t say I’ve ever thought of visiting Bulgaria but now you have made me curious about it. Your description and photos of food specialities always manages to make me so hungry and add to my curiosity.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - I am curious to visit just about every single country in the world, but don’t always get blown away by such “underdogs in tourism”. I meant it when I said, “Bulgaria, I’ll be back!” perhaps with YOU, mom! :)ReplyCancel

  • Rcs - I love this part of the world where many countries and cultures are so closely situated. Each tries to retain its rituals and customs making travel exciting and interesting. My quiz.will come later.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Yes, it is indeed fascinating, and I have found myself doing A LOT of reading on various topics ranging from Slavic people to the Eastern Bloc and everything in between! I’m ready for the quiz!ReplyCancel

  • Nathan - What an interesting corner of world history you are getting to explore. Turkey and the Balkans must have been just fascinating. Bulgaria has been ruled by so many foreign powers, and each appears to have left its mark, whether it’s the Soviet-style architecture, or the (lack of) monasteries.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - I can’t help but think of you as I travel this region of the world because I know European history has always been your thing. I’m starting to understand why!!

      Keep reading the posts, as a few will show you just how much about the region I have learnt. Maybe YOU will even learn a thing or two!! :)ReplyCancel