​Sri Lanka is blessed with some fantastic medium difficulty hikes and there is no more unique hike than the one to Ella Rock!.... To get to Ella you would have most likely taken the scenic train route leaning out of the carriages to get that perfect picture for the gram, believe me when I say that I was really looking forward to this journey from Hapitale however the experience was a little lost on me due to the number of selfie sticks and tourist poses throughout the journey. It was not a journey that I could sit back and enjoy the fantastic views. That being said Ella was a perfect stop for a couple of nights and no more so than experiencing the Ella Rock Hike

You know those days when you are really bogged down at work and just want to get away from it all?

Well that happened to me in late September when I took a spontaneous decision to have a weekend away in Sardinia... Google told me Calgary was one of the cheapest places to fly to that weekend and Airbnb told me that I could get a secluded little apartment with sea views away from all the crowds. The only thing missing was a little hiking route to clear my head from all the life stress back home. 

Monte Cresia is a scenic 1 hour drive from Calgary and is a great break away from the beach when in south Sardinia 

When the boys and the dog decide to go for a stroll.

Jacobs Ladder

Wow this is a leg burner! I guess there is no better way to start a hike that to be 15 minutes in before a dramatic incline up Jabobs Ladder (we learnt the hard way why they call it a ladder!) .. Jacobs ladder really is the best way to start Pennine Way.

If you are driving through Page in Arizona then Horseshoe Bend is somewhere that you have to take an hour out of your day to view... Here are my top 6 tips for visiting Horseshoe Bend. 

1. Horseshoe bend is a huge tourist attraction and when I visited there were at least 3 coaches full of people on top of the regular day trippers and passers by... My tip is to make sure you avoid midday when the bend seems busiest and when its most hot 
2. There is no shade on the path and it gets very hot so make sure you are prepared.
3. There is a small car park, however it is not essential that you use this! If there is a queue to get in or if it looks a little tight on space park on the road just before or after the entrance.
4. There is a small 1.25 mile round trip hike from the car park to the viewing point which is up a small sandy hill so comfortable footwear my personal tip
5. Be careful!! There is no barriers and pure sheer drops so make sure you are paying extra attention to your feet if you are trying a daring selfie or mastering the perfect Facebook profile picture. 
6. Horseshoe bend is exactly as you see it. 90 minutes of your day is probably more than enough to walk, take pictures, enjoy the view and hike back..... ​

When I got back to my car I was looking for something to do to fill the time until my tour around Antelope Canyon and en-route to the Glen Canyon Dam I stumbled across this little gem of a hike 'The Hanging Garden Trail' 

Kew Gardens opens at 10 AM and I would advise arriving around this time to beat the queues that will no doubt be there a little later in the day. 

From Clapham Junction we went to station number 5 and got on the train to Kew Bridge. Once at Kew Bridge, cross the road and then the bridge and then turn right walking alongside the cricket pitch which will lead you to the entrance of Kew Gardens.