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Antwerpin’ in Belgium

We only had time for one stop in Belgium and most would think Brussels would top that list, but we heard so many good things about Antwerp and wanted to check that out instead. We were not disappointed. It’s called Antwerpen in Belgium so we made the joke we were Antwerpin’ the whole time we were there.

First off, the Central Train Station is literally one of the most amazing buildings we’ve ever seen. So much detail and it’s huge!

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At the end of the train stations noticed something called Comics Station, an indoor amusement park! We dropped our things at our hotel (which was in the diamond district – a whole other story), and headed back to the train station. We found out the amusement park closed at 5:30pm and it was already 4pm. The lady at the ticket office gave us entry for €12.50 each as there wasn’t much time left, but she also looked at us like we were a little loco because it is a “family” place. We said no worries since we are big kids and went right on in. Thankfully the place wasn’t that busy at all. We found Europe’s tallest slide inside which took 15 seconds from top to bottom. Lots of other fun rides and activities like a fun house, bumper cars, and a saloon where you can horse race. We were surprised to find a ride that drops you three stories inside a small door, but not for that reason. The ride came with a story on the inside where you are traveling up the three stories of a house as the ride raises. The second floor is a woman in the bathtub – hardly family friendly haha. We had a good laugh.

After our fun in the amusement park we found Antwerp’s oldest bar, Quinten Matsijs, est. 1565. Amazing food and it’s Belgium so the beer is some of the best! On our walk back to the diamond district we stopped in Bier Central for a night cap. They have over 300 types of beers and you need their encyclopedia to decipher all the options.

The next day was Sunday and Antwerp was somewhat deserted. But we walked around the city center, stumbling on a old church founded in 1614. We made our way down to the water where they were setting up a Christmas market complete with a giant Ferris wheel. From the Ferris wheel you could see the Cathedral of our Lady that Antwerp is famous for. Made for some great photos. We wandered up and down the water, dreaming of owning an apartment there. Great views and location. We also came up to Het Steen which is a medieval fortress in the old city center. Bonus, you can walk through for free! We heard the mussels were the best so we had some (and beer of course) for dinner. And of course had to grab some chocolate for dessert at the store next to the restaurant. Only €7 for a small box with a mixture of chocolates! Delicious!

The next day we stopped at the smallest waffle shop in the world for breakfast. Literally 25 sq ft maybe smaller on the side of the main shopping street in Antwerp. We went to the big cathedral and took a bunch of photos. It was brilliant to look from every angle. Wandering the cobblestone streets is magical and there’s so much to do and see. Lots of old architecture and statues as well.

We headed back toward our hotel only to find the zoo behind the train station was all lit up with their China Lights display. Really bright colors and shapes that were so fun to look at. They also had nice fire pits outside the gate to keep warm.

Loved hanging in Antwerp for a few days!

Enjoy the Ride,

Lindsay and Justin

P.S. Next adventure is Italy so stay tuned! Put your email in below to subscribe!

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Piccadilly and a Palace

London is like the NYC of Europe. A city that never sleeps and there’s more to do than our mere day and a half allotted for. We always take to the streets and do as much walking around the city as possible.

Our first stop was Buckingham Palace with hopes to see the new princess to be. No such luck as they were out of town. The Palace, however, is beautiful. Giant golden gates, details down to the inch, guards with the tall furry hats, and plenty of photo opportunities. The Queen Victoria statue sits out front of the Palace and is quite the site as well. Lovely stone statue with a gold angel on top.

We took a stroll through St. James Park admiring the wildlife and the people walking through, ending up around the Parliament where Big Ben awaited us. Unfortunately, the clock tower was covered in scaffolding due to restoration efforts, but still a bucket list item to see. We, of course, had to take a photo with our terrible towel and shout out the Steelers on IG, which they ended up reposting! So cool!

Across the bridge was the Eye. A giant Ferris wheel overlooking all of London. We didn’t take a ride, but plan to next time. We walked past the eye and found a gentleman making bubbles as tall as Lindsay! Fun to watch. Just past our bubble making friend was a quaint Christmas market. We saw a sign for a Cider Lounge and headed right in. We grabbed a few pints of cider and relaxed on a couch. We noticed some food stands outside on the way into the lounge and decide to give Mac to the Future a try. Best decision ever because Mac n cheese is life and a Back to the Future theme is even better. We had the Great Scott and it was DELISH!

We made our way back through town to Piccadilly Square which is equivalent to Times Square. Huge tv screens with advertisements playing, street performers, and all the shopping a shopaholic should never be around. Had to take the obligatory red phone booth photo too!

Our friend Kristen recommended Gordon’s wine bar so we gave it a go. The entrance is on a side street and you go downstairs to a cave like underground experience. Delicious cheese selections and oh my goodness the wine! You know it’s a good place when the sign says “don’t ask for beer or spirits, this is a wine bar”. We sat at a small table in the corner of the cave enjoying and relaxing. On our walk back to the hotel, we walked through Apple Market admiring the booths and the Christmas tree!

The next morning we spent in a lovely Italian cafe (amazing pasta) working on some things for our travel agency and blogs. We wish we had more time in London, but that just means we will have to return soon!

Enjoy the Ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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Penarth, Our Way to Cardiff.

We decided to take a short detour to Cardiff for a bucket list item. We found out the Wales rugby team was playing the New Zealand All Blacks! When we were in New Zealand a couple years ago, it wasn’t rugby season so we weren’t able to catch a match, unfortunately. So we jumped on the chance to see the famous Haka!

This diversion wasn’t part of the original plan, but thanks to our amazing travel business we were able to find affordable flights from Dublin to Cardiff and a lovely bedroom in a 3 story townhouse in Penarth, just a 10 minute train ride from Principality Stadium for the rugby match. The tickets were sold out, but we were able to find some (not so affordable) on a resale website. Totally worth it though!

When we arrived in Penarth, we were greeted by our gracious hosts who walked us through the town to the train station, but not without stopping for a pint first.

Penarth is an amazing suburb of Cardiff. Lovely shops, pubs, and restaurants. It’s a small area where everyone knows everyone. Our host was saying “hello neighbor” and “where are you going to watch the rugby match?” To practically everyone we passed on our walk.

After our pint, we hopped the train to the stadium. You wouldn’t believe the amount of people – over 70,000 attending the rugby match and countless others watching in nearby pubs! A good mix of Wales and New Zealand fans wandering up and down the closed off streets (too many people for cars!) stopping at souvenir shops and getting a quick bite and pint.

Once inside the stadium, we felt like we were at the Super Bowl! Such a fun atmosphere and all the fans were very nice despite the fact that we were sporting All Blacks gear. We should note that each person it allowed to purchase 4 alcoholic beverages at once, which makes carrying those and your hot dog all the more difficult.

We watched as the fire canons went off as team Wales entered the field. Everyone cheering and chanting to get pumped up! Then came New Zealand. They got in a triangle formation and began the Haka. A true treat and totally intimidating. Wish we could’ve seen the faces of team Wales (they’re back were to us). Although we imagine them with “game faces”, but shaking on the inside. Haha. You can see the video of the Haka on our Instagram – @endlesstravel365.

The match began. The first half was a great site, each team going back and forth scoring. Rugby is a pretty crazy sport to watch live. Especially since they don’t wear pads or helmets. The fans are equally as crazy, chanting “WALES! WALES! WALES!” and singing a traditional song to keep the players energized. The second half was all New Zealand. Final score 33-18.

After the match we let the crowd disperse a bit then made our way down to the field as all the players were heading into the locker rooms. Justin even managed a selfie with one of the All Blacks! Lindsay was too short to get in the pic, but did get a high five!

We made our way back to Penarth and met up with our hosts back at the pub. We hung out for hours discussing the match, laughing at our similarities as couples, and learning about Wales culture. What was a trip to a rugby match turned into an excellent two days with new friends. A true gem and we would’ve loved to stay longer, but we will be back for sure.

Enjoy the Ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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Ireland – Bangers and Mash, Pints, and Dancing!

Ireland is tops! We had a meaningful few days there because we are both part Irish.

Our first question to a Dublin local was “Where can we get traditional Irish food and dancing?” The answer was O’Neill’s, which was a short 5 minute walk from our hotel in Temple Bar (super touristy area, but full of tradition and fun!). This bar is incredible. It’s very easy to get lost as it’s a huge place. We found a cute corner table right next to the bar where we had a delicious corned beef meal and local pints of cider and red ales. About 9pm, we headed upstairs where a table right next to the band was waiting open! We listened to Raglan Trail play some wonderful Irish music and were treated with traditional Irish folk dancing (River dance what?!). Lindsay got pulled on the dance floor – see video on our IG page.

Our next day we grabbed a bus with Finn McCools Tours (which you can book on our website through the Book Travel tab at the top of the page) for the Cliffs of Moher. Tara was our guide and she was awesome! It takes about 4 hours to get to the Cliffs, so Tara filled our drive with historical information. We learned that all the small rock walls or fences are a result of the last famine in Ireland. People traded the labor of building the walls for food. It’s hard to imagine a time without enough to eat and for that we are thankful. Tara also told us about Michael Collins who was a hero in helping Ireland become independent. There are so many statues and structures that we saw dedicated to Collins that we were beginning to wonder who he was.

We were also treated with a stop at a 13th century monastery. The old stone church or “Kil” and the leaning bell tower (a mini version of Pisa) were rich with history. Glad we got to stop and explore the area for a short while.

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Once we arrived at the Cliffs of Moher we could hardly contain our excitement and practically ran to the trails! This place MUST be on your bucket list. It’s absolutely breathtaking! The cliffs stand 702 feet at the highest point and plummet straight into the Atlantic Ocean. Lindsay’s pink silicone wedding band is pictured below. We left a piece of our Irish hearts behind at the cliffs for good luck. We got lucky and were able to see them crystal clear with no fog. A true blessing as the fog rolled in as we were leaving.

On the way back to Dublin, we got to stop in Galway for an amazing fish and chips, exploring an old Spanish arch built in 1584, and some shopping. Also stopped at the “baby cliffs” as the locals call it and the Leprechaun’s castle or smallest castle in Ireland.

Once returning Dublin we made our way down Cook Street to The Brazen Head – Ireland’s oldest pub, circa 1198. Amazing bangers and mash, pint of course, and music. We welcomed a group of 6 Norwegians to our table and proceeded to laugh the night away. Favorite part of the night was one of the guys attempting a dance with every woman in the bar.

Next morning was Thanksgiving and we spent on the hop on hop off bus. Great way to see the city of Dublin. Stopped off at the Little Museum of Dublin and had a free tour with our bus pass to learn even more of Ireland’s rich history. They also drove us through Phoenix Park which is over 1,700 acres and houses the President of Ireland along with several other monuments, sports fields, and the zoo!

After lunch, we hopped a train to Howth, a lovely port and fishing town located on a peninsula about 30 minutes from Dublin. We strolled the pier looking at all the boats and were even greeted by a group of seals! We stopped off for an amazing seafood dinner on the pier (straight off the boat)! After that we found Howth Castle! We also stumbled on St. Mary’s church where the first tombstone was with the sur name “Cooke”. Can’t help but wonder if we’re related. There are so many brilliant architectural achievements in Ireland that you have to see and can’t miss as they are everywhere!

Ireland is a true gem and we can’t wait to get back to explore even more!

Enjoy the Ride,

Lindsay and Justin

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Scotland – Wee Drams and Hairy Coo

From the 8th floor of our hotel room, we noticed a market going on down the block. We immediately got ready to head out for the evening and made our way to Buchanan Street – a place filled with shops, lights, restaurants, nightlife, and this amazing Christmas market. We wandered around admiring all the booths, drooling over the food, and listening to several street performers. One such duo of singers captured our attention with their medley of Chainsmokers songs. We listened to these guys for at least 30 minutes, dancing and singing along. Splendid – only wish we caught their names.

Once we left Buchanan Street, we stumbled upon the city square, which was all fenced in with lines of people waiting to get in. We asked a gentleman what was going on and he told us it was their Christmas Lights Switch On ceremony complete with fireworks, music, food, and fun. He said make sure you #GlasgowLovesChristmas on social media. And boy do they ever love Christmas. We got lucky with a table at Jamie Oliver’s restaurant right next to the event and were able to pop outside in the middle of our dinner to witness the countdown, lights, and fireworks. Truly magical and the best kind of happy accident (right place right time for sure). To end of first evening, we stopped in MacSorley’s for some pints and live music. 

Wondering how the next day could top the Christmas spectacular, we hopped on a Rabbies tour bus for Stirling Castle, the Troussachs National Park (where the Highlands meet the Lowlands), Loch Lomond, and the Glengoyne whiskey distillery. This trip does take about 9 hours, but well worth the time and fee. You also get discounts for the castle and distillery. Stirling Castle is a 12th century castle where several famous battles took place and we were able to get a private history lesson from Andrew, one of the castle employees. He pointed out the William Wallace monument (“They may take away our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!”) in the distance and told us stories of Scotland’s past. We also learned the Braveheart isn’t entirely accurate – lots of misrepresentations of that era, not that it broke our hearts and sorry if it breaks yours. The Troussachs park is a lovely drive to see the countryside and how different the high and low lands actually are. They look like 2 different countries. And we learned the Scotland forestry service plants 3 trees for every 1 they cut down! (Shout out Madera – the outdoor company we are ambassadors for!) Loch Lomond is an impressive lake at 24 miles long. It was foggy when we arrived and the lake looked very spooky. The Glengoyne distillery is a great way to end the trip with a tour and lesson on how they make their whiskey and a wee dram to quench your thirst.

A highlight of the Rabbies tour was an extra stop to pet the hairy coo (or cow if you will). See photos below. Magical beasts.

Glasgow will never disappoint and we would love to return for another visit. Slàinte!

Enjoy the Ride,

Lindsay and Justin

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An Icelandic Saga

Iceland is like something out of a dream. You have to see it for yourself, but we will try our best to describe it and give you some tips along the way. Also, the language is difficult if you aren’t familiar, so please forgive if something is spelled wrong.

Note: the people are very friendly and helpful so if you need anything don’t hesitate to ask.

Our first night was spent walking the streets of Reykjavík. A small (Iceland’s total population is only about 330,000), yet bustling downtown lends itself to shopping, delicious food (unless it’s fermented shark – give it a go, but we aren’t making promises), and a magical atmosphere especially when it’s snowing. You can even send a letter to Santa!

While we are proponents of exploring on your own, Iceland is a great place to hop on a guided tour. All of the tours we took were convenient, educational, and super fun. We met some great new friends too – shout out NYC and Liverpool!

Our first day we toured the south part of the island with #GreyLineIceland. They took us to visit Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls which we can’t begin to tell you the magnitude of. The black lava sand beach of Reynisfjara hardly looks real until you pick up the sand. This one was a major #bucketlist stop for us. We attempted to walk up to a glacier, but we almost got blown off of the mountain. Weather out of control!

On the way back from our day trip the bus driver informed us there was a good chance to see the Northern Lights so we were able to hop on another #GreyLineIceland bus to head out into the darkness. Our guide was absolutely amazing and hilarious having us do a Northern Lights dance on the way to the national park where we stopped to wait. We waited about 1 1/2 hours for the sky to open up in another #bucketlist moment. Green bands started dancing across the sky like nothing you can even describe and everyone was running and cheering with delight! More photos to come in the photo journal tab.img_1536

The second day we hopped on a small bus with Nice Tours to hit up the Golden Circle. Walking through the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates at the Thingvellir National Park was nothing short of awesome – one foot in North America one in Europe. Gulfoss waterfall is incredible with multiple levels and plummets off into the depths of the earth through a 32 meter crevice. Walking around the top of the 6,000 year old Kerid volcanic crater is surreal and is a once in a lifetime experience. Strokkur Geyser erupts every 5-10 minutes and if you’re lucky there will be Vikings to sing thanks to the earth. An extra stop at Faxi waterfall  and feeding Icelandic horses on the side of the road was a really nice treat. Thanks to our guide for these extras.

We finished our day at the Blue Lagoon – a must if you are in Iceland. It’s definitely a tourist mecca, but well worth it. Something about drinking a cold Icelandic beer in a natural hot spring brings so much joy. We suggest going in the middle of the day on a weekday to avoid massive crowds and better photo ops.

Only disappointment was not getting to go whale watching due to weather. Iceland reports the weather more than the news because it changes in a moments notice. Next time for sure!

Let us know if you want help booking a trip! We booked everything through our exclusive travel search engine and got great hotel and tour discounts – check out the Book Travel tab ⬆️!

Enjoy the ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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Madera Outdoor

Awesome news loyal followers – EndlessTravel365 has partnered with Madera Outdoor! 

Because it takes 2 trees to hang a hammock, Madera plants 2 trees for each hammock sold. Through partnering with Trees for the Future, they have planted over 10,255 trees and counting. They are improving the livelihoods of impoverished farmers by revitalizing degraded lands. Since 1989, with their partner’s (trees.org) experience in planting over 115 million trees all over the world, they have demonstrated the transformative power of trees in helping people break out of the poverty trap while also addressing the global environment. Their work in East and West Africa is helping to build a world where people can leave a legacy of opportunity through sustainable practices and productive lands for future generations.*

We feel strongly about this cause and are so excited to be a part of something we believe in! Not to mention their hammocks are badass too.

Click HERE to shop now!

*Source: Madera Outdoor

 

Enjoy the ride and your new hammock! 

Justin and Lindsay

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Watershed Two-Zero-One-Seven

Break out your America gear and your Budweiser – the Watershed music festival is one for the books!

A country music lovers dream, “Shedders” flock to the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington for a weekend of camping, boozing, music, friends, and fun! RV’s by the thousands roll into the campgrounds as early as Wednesday to set up shop – some of the most innovative camping we’ve seen. Slip ‘n’ slides, kiddie pools, tents, oversized camping chairs with 6 cup holders, super soakers, mannequins dressed up in their best plaid shirts mounted to the roof of an RV, karaoke machines, disco lights, and all the drinking games you can learn or handle!

The music ain’t half bad either. Big names like Chris Stapleton, Darius Rucker, and Luke Bryan headlined this year’s festival. Quality entertainment for sure. Don’t forget the after party in the Next from Nashville tent with one of the best party DJ’s around! Or the after after party in the campground. 

If you’re one of the lucky ones (like us), you can watch the whole festival from the Budweiser VIP party deck, meet some of your favorite country stars, play games, eat free cheeseburgers, and cool off with the mister fans – but you have to get picked by the Budweiser crew to join that party. Best bet to get VIP is by having more fun than your neighbors in the campground AND recycling, but we can’t give away all the secrets.

We met some of the most amazing people, namely a group of about 30 Canadians who “shed” every year. They really did it up right. Can’t wait to go back again next year to hang!

Enjoy the Ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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Climbing a 14er

If you’re in Colorado, chances are you heard someone say “I’m going to climb a 14er today” or “How many 14ers have you climbed?” A 14er is a mountain peak with an elevation of at least 14,000 feet. In Colorado, we have 53 total 14ers. While the end goal is always to climb all 53, few have accomplished this task. In September 2016, Lindsay climbed her first 14er and it was Justin’s 2nd.

  • Side Note: Driving to the top of Mount Evans is not climbing a 14er, but it is a really cool drive if you’re in the area. The highest paved road in the USA! 

Mount Democrat sits on the Mosquito Range of the Rocky Mountains and is 14,148 ft. above sea level at the summit. Mount Democrat is a Class 2 out of 4 on the difficulty meter. It is the 29th highest peak in Colorado.

The trail begins with a slow ascent through fields of grass, wildflowers, and streams. A lovely beginning to a difficult end. Once you hit the base of the mountain things will change.  The trail narrows, some places are not marked, and you better believe you’ll be climbing over rocks to get to the top. Oh and oxygen is hard to come by once you pass 13,000 ft. We felt like we were breathing through a straw. Don’t let the false summit fool you. The real summit is a couple hundred yards farther and a couple hundred feet higher.

  • Side Note: It is possible to hit 4 peaks in one hike in this area (Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln, and Bross), but you better leave yourself enough time before the afternoon weather rolls through – high winds, lightning, and possible rain can make a descent all the more challenging, plus you can’t outrun a storm at 14,000 ft. with boulders in your way.

Now, we understand that describing the experience sounds miserable in a way, but you can’t even begin to describe the sense of accomplishment and beauty that await you once you summit. It’s very surreal. You can see for miles and miles – a view that few see and many take for granted. It’s truly astonishing. All 14ers have a sign at the top that you can hold and take photos with – a must do!

We are now addicted and can’t wait to cross a few more summits off the list! If we can, you can too! Let us know if you want to join us on our next climb, we would love to have you!

Enjoy the Ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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FAM Trip to Puerto Vallarta

What’s a FAM trip you say? It’s a free (or low cost) trip for travel agents or consultants, provided by a travel operator or airline as a means of promoting their service. You may have to dress like Slash and crush a dance contest to win the trip, but well worth the effort. Thank goodness Justin has never been known to back down from a dance contest. Being a travel agent is so much fun!

We were able to pick from a few different Hard Rock resorts and ended up in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico!

Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta is an all-inclusive lovers dream. Live music, free drinks (5 bars), plenty of activities – land and water, delicious food (6 restaurants to choose from), and an amazing Michael Jackson tribute live show. There’s also a world class spa and golf course. The staff is equally as amazing – friendly, helpful, and definitely fun!

Advice is to check out the excursion desk and take a half day or full day trip with Vallarta Adventures. They have over 20 trips, so your decision will take a while – anything from snorkeling to zip lining to whale watching – but well worth it.

We chose the Marietas Eco Adventure! Just offshore, inside Banderas Bay, rests a group of small, volcanic islands known as the Marietas Islands. These islands, made famous by oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, provide the perfect environment for an eco-adventure. We were able to snorkel, kayak, and paddle board around the island which houses beautiful wildlife and awesome conditions. The trip includes drinks, lunch, and all the equipment you need. Not to mention the most fun crew and staff we’ve ever experienced on an excursion. They dance, sing, tell jokes, and provide such a fun atmosphere.

The rest of our trip was spent relaxing by the pool, laying on the beach, enjoying the gorgeous sunsets, taking full advantage of the drinks and food, and hanging out with our new iguana friend, Frank. A truly relaxing and rejuvenating vacation. Thank you to Hard Rock for the FAM trip!

If you’re interested in earning FAM trips like us, please visit our travel agency website at www.myvortex365.com/EndlessTravel365. There’s a short video on the homepage for you to view and you can also create a login to book your travel and start saving money NOW! Let us know if you have questions or want to learn more through our “Contact Us” tab at the top of the page.

Enjoy the Ride,

Justin & Lindsay

P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog by putting in your email address below! More adventures to come!