One of the reasons why people travel is to relax and get away from the daily stresses of life. Unfortunately, visiting famous tourist destinations can be such a hassle and stressful sometimes due to the throngs of tourists.

Thankfully, there are many places in the world that are stunning, but without the crowds. Besides, social distancing shouldn’t be an issue in these places once we’re allowed to travel again.

Stunning Destinations to Visit:

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1 – New Zealand

Given New Zealand’s massive land area and with only 4.5 million inhabitants, you do not have to go far to seek complete solitude. Most of the population is concentrated in Auckland and other major cities, leaving plenty of open spaces to explore in the country.

The best way to discover its stunning landscape scenery is to go on a road trip. You can start in Auckland and drive your way to the Bay of Islands or take the East Cape route for a more exciting adventure down the road.

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2 – Indonesia

When going on a holiday in Indonesia, people will immediately think of Bali. But this world-famous island getaway is often filled with tourists. If you want to escape the crowd, then venture off-the-beaten-path on an exciting private Indonesian tour and get to see the things most of the regular tourists don’t.

Rent a motorbike and look for remote beaches and spots where you can enjoy some peace and quiet without the throngs of beachgoers. Book luxury accommodation at less-touristy areas on the island such as in Nusa Dua, Canggu, and Uluwatu.

The Sachaca district is one of Arequipa’s district in Peru.

3 – Peru

While most travelers to Peru would visit the large Peruvian hubs like Arequipa, Lima, and Cusco, venturing to the less popular destinations can leave you pleasantly surprised.

For instance, the city of Tingo María is perfect for nature lovers wanting to go on a trek to the Amazon jungle. Dubbed the “Door of the Amazonia,” Tingo María summons travelers to explore its stunning caves and caverns. The nearby rainforest and mountain ranges are also perfect opportunities for nature discovery.

Vernazza is one of 5 villages that make up the Cinque Terre.

4 – Italy

Italy is often overcrowded with tourists, but you can always get off the usual tourist trail and explore less crowded places. When visiting the Amalfi Coast, one of the most beautiful Mediterranean summer holiday destinations, skip the busy Ravello and Positano. Head further along the coast to the mountains and remote beaches of Cilento.

It also makes a big difference what time of year you travel to Italy. For example, you’ll not only find the weather more palatable but visiting popular regions like Sicily in October over the summer months can help you escape the crowds. In Tuscany, trek the panoramic hill of Arezzo or explore the medieval hill town of Murlo. Rent a villa at the quiet village of Santa Fiora or stay at one of the charming stone houses in Montefioralle.

A cold morning in Moraine Lake. Banff National Park Canada.

5 – Canada

Exploring the scenic natural beauty of Canada is something that most travelers would ever dream of doing. The Canadian Rockies in Alberta is the perfect place to visit when it comes to discovering impeccable scenery. Whether it’s the stunning blue waters of Lake Louise or the bighorn sheep of Jasper National Park, the Canadian Rockies are truly full of wonders. Just make sure to schedule your visit after the summer when there’s less crowd of tourists.

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6 – Slovenia

When visiting Slovenia, most tourists would go to the famous sights of Ljubljana, Bled, and Postojna Cave. But if you want to venture off-the-beaten-path, check out the Hell Cave and Pokljuka Plateau instead.

Lake Cerknica is also one of the best-kept secrets of Slovenia. It’s an intermittent lake that’s fun to visit at any time of the year. The spring of Krupa in the town of Semič is also worth checking out. This small spring emerges from a 98 ft rock surrounded with a lush green forest.

The post Six Stunning Destinations to Visit where it’s Not Crowded appeared first on Always Wanderlust.

Gear. Whether we admit to it or not, we are obsessed with camera gear as photographers. I get asked the “What camera or lens are you using?” question often enough that if I had a dime for each time I’ve heard it, I’ll be able to buy the Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS Lens!

As every other photographer will tell you, gear doesn’t matter that much (and it’s true!), but I would be lying to you if I didn’t get excited about the thought of getting the latest and greatest Sony EF lenses.

I don’t always get the most expensive gear you can find. I tend to be all more cautious in my purchases and always factor in the ROI of a gear purchase as well as the price to performance ratio.

Backpacking with camera gear in the pacific northwest.

In short, you’ll probably be surprised by my gear choices. It’s catered to my personal preference and I would recommend that you get gear that will cater to your own style as a photographer.

Useful Camera Gear and Guide:

• How to Choose the Best DSLR
• Choosing the Best Camera Bag
• How to Choose the Best Mirrorless Camera
• The Best Point & Shoot Cameras
• How to Choose the Best Travel Camera
• The Best Lenses for Sony A6000 Series
• Why You Should Use a Polarizer
• The Best Canon Lenses

If you didn’t find answers to any of the guides mentioned above or are just curious to see what gear I use, read on!

Camera Backpack

First, let’s talk about my camera bag. I’ve had over a dozen dedicated camera bags over the years and my current one, the Pygtech OneMo 23L Backpack, is my favorite so far.

My OneMo camera backpack with the Tamron 150-600mm (on its lens pouch) attached.

^{Partitions of the OneMo backpack}

I got this backpack because I’ve added a drone to my arsenal – the Mavic 2 Pro to be exact. The modular bag allows me to compartmentalize my gear to any set up I want.

The built-in pouch can house a drone or a point and shoot and converts into a shoulder bag for quick access.

The 25L size with multi-fold dividers can carry all the gear I need and can even carry my 16-inch laptop.

There’s also a nifty expandable storage space that allows the bag to expand to 35L – it’s useful for carrying an emergency tent, jacket, or whatever else you might think of.

The tripod can mount directly on top of the bag with a modular strap or you can strap your tent or sleeping bag on top with the various hooks and straps designed unto the bag.

The bag can fly with you wherever you go because it’s well under the carry-on international size restrictions for a carry-on bag; in some cases, it can even qualify as a personal item (please check with your airline).

Other Awesome Features of the backpack:

The built-in pouch mode allows you to hold your camera and lens independent of the pack. In my instance however, I use store my  Mavic 2 Pro with an extra battery and the remote controller. The pouch itself will fit inside the backpack in a compartment.

OneMo also has dedicated battery pockets where you can stash your camera batteries that have a switchable indicator you can set to let you know which batteries are spent.

The material used is sleek and also functional. I practically drop the backpack on swamps and muddy locations and it’s still dry and cleans really well.

The ergonomics is good too. So far, I’ve used the backpack on several 8+ mile day hikes in the Pacific Northwest. My shoulders never felt better and I’m able to grab my camera out of the bag for quick snaps without taking the backpack off completely.

Now that we’ve talked about the backpack, here’s all the stuff that I’m able to carry on it:

Camera & Drone

I don’t dwell too much on camera features. I prefer to invest in lenses. Having a versatile system that can use lots of different lenses is the most important criteria in my camera selection.

The Sony A7III is the main camera in my backpack.

Sony A7III

I’ve had the Sony A series since its second inception, much more improved this time especially the battery life. Read my guide above about Mirrorless cameras and why you should consider it.

One of the benefits is the myriad of lens adapters you can purchase to use other lens systems! As you will see from my lens choices most aren’t even native Sony EF mount.

Check Price in Amazon

GoPro Hero 7 Black

^{GoPro Hero 7 strapped to my backpack’s shoulder pad.}

My GoPro is a generation or two behind. I’ve found no need to upgraded the newer versions.

I attach this to a shoulder strap on my backpack for long hikes, to a body strap when I snowboard, bike, or go paddleboarding.

I love the versatility of the GoPro and its ability to be mounted on just about anything allows you to capture action/adventure at will.

This version has Image Stabilization the images don’t come out blurry during fast sequences.

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DJI Mavic Pro 2

^{The DJI Mavic Pro 2 in Lake Tahoe}

I didn’t get into the Drone game until this came out.

Professional quality imagery is the reason why I did. The Hasselblad camera captures details that can match my Sony A7III.

Excellent features like auto-stitch panoramas allow you to capture even more details surpassing 50-Megapixels or more.

The great thing about the drone is the ability to control the exposure values manually, unlike lower cost drones on the market.

Check Price on Amazon

Lenses

I have an unconventional lens collection. I have always favored using adapters to be able to use the glass I want. With a mirrorless camera like the Sony A7III, doing this is even easier.

Sony LA-EA4 A-Mount to E-Mount Adapter

This amazing contraption allows you to attach Sony A-Mount lenses to your E-mount cameras like the Sony A7III above. You can find Sony A-Mount lenses that are a fraction of the cost of a similar E-Mount lens. The autofocus and autoexposure work as well.

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Tamron 15-35mm f/2.8 Di VC

This is my go-to Superwide angle lens. It’s not a native E-mount lens, it’s actually a Sony A-Mount that I use on the A7III via the LA-EA4 mentioned above. You would be hard-pressed to find a Superwide Angle lens for under 1k that’s as sharp and as fast!

Check Price on B&H Photo

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5.0-6.3 Di USD G2

Tamron 150-600mm G2

This is not a native Sony E-Mount lens.

It’s made for the A-Mount which can be used using the LA-EA4 adapter.

This lens is massive but a joy to use!

The E-Mount counterpart is the Sony FE 200-600mm, which would cost you half as much more.

You’re giving up on fast autofocus so if fast-moving subjects is what you’re trying to capture, I recommend going for the Sony instead.

Check Price on Amazon

This is a huge lens so it has its own pouch, mentioned below:

JJC DLP-7 Deluxe Water-Resistant Lens Pouch

^{Compressing Mount Baker and the Space Needle}

Great pouch for the Tamron 150-600mm, it has an independent shoulder strap which allows me to carry it by itself.

Otherwise, I attach it to the bottom strap of the OneMo backpack with the dual wrap-around strap system.

As mentioned, the Tamron 150-600mm is massive and very heavy, so I typically don’t take it with me on long hikes.

It is, however, great for compressing scenes – great in the Pacific Northwest where you can include Mount Baker or Mount Rainier in the backdrop.

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Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3

The 24-240mm Sony is my walk-around lens. It’s got great coverage and while it won’t win MTF charts awards, it’s plenty sharp and very versatile.

The best lens isn’t always the fastest or the sharpest, it’s the one you will use the most! If I’m going to have only ONE lens in my bag, this lens would be my pick.

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Tripods & Stabilizers

I’m a bit of a tripod fanatic. It allows me to take things slower and more methodical with my photographic approach. I can study the compositions better while I’m not hand-holding the camera.

Tripods always go with me on photo trips

K&F Concept Aluminum Tripod w/ Ballhead

This one is a lightweight aluminum type tripod with flip-lock legs for fast set up. I use it some times for when I want to capture multiple angles of the same scene during fast-changing dynamic lighting. It’s also very cheap and reliable.

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Davis & Sanford TR654C-36 Traverse Carbon Fiber Tripod

This tripod is my go-to for long hikes and travel. It’s very lightweight and sturdy. Unlike the above, it’s utilizing a twist-lock mechanism for the legs.

Davis & Sandford isn’t a name brand you’re likely familiar with but the quality and build are great – I’ve been using it for years without fail in and out of the sand, water, dirt, mud, snow, cliff, and everything else in between.

Check Price on Amazon

Filters

I always use a filter whenever there is an opportunity for them. Polarizing filters are a staple in my backpack.

Circular Polarizer in action

Lens Filters for DJI Mavic 2 Pro Camera

One of the great features of the Mavic Pro 2 is the ability to attach filters to the camera. This filter set is amazing – it has polarizer and ND filters combined.

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B+W 77mm ND 1.8-64X

This variable ND filter is useful for slowing down the shutter. Great for slowing down motion (like a waterfall) on clear and bright days. You can also use to get that surreal look from moving clouds, etc.,

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B+W Circular Polarizer Kaesemann (Xtra Slim Mount)

Great polarizer that won’t cause vignetting on wide-angle lenses. The glass is topnotch and won’t degrade the image quality of your lenses.

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Photo Editing Hardware/Software

My photo editing tools are fairly standard. However, my workflow might be a little different. I use Lightroom to do a majority of the editing and then do the final touches on Photoshop.

Lenovo Thinkpad P50

^{The Lenovo P50 is an old laptop, but it’s one overpowered machine for photo editing}

I know this Laptop is outdated and old, but it handles any intensive photo editing I throw at it. I’ve upgraded it to the max – 64 GB Ram, SSD Dual Drives.

The built-in Pantone color calibration is a godsend for photography – saves you lots of money from having to purchase a separate color calibration tool and software.

You should be able to get the newer models of laptop, just make sure it has the Pantone feature and can expand to 64 GB Ram.

Check Price on Amazon

Adobe Lightroom

Since 98 percent of my images are shot in Raw format, I use a raw editor and viewer. Lightroom is more than a raw file editor. It’s also a catalog to keep track of your images. There’s a slew of editing features built into the tool and for most photographers, it’s all they’ll ever need.

Check Price at Adobe

Adobe Photoshop

After doing some basic or semi-advanced edits on Lightroom, my images get further touch-ups through Photoshop. I personally like to work with non-destructive editing through layers – which Lightroom lacks.

Check Price at Adobe

Conclusion

What’s in my backpack, my gear choices, cater to my style and needs as a photographer.

I’ve gone through a bunch of cameras and lenses throughout the years and I’m sure it will continue to change as I progress.

I don’t have a massive collection of lenses and gadgets like most photographers.

Every single gear I have gets nearly every time I go out of a photography excursion.

So far, I’m loving the OneMo backpack with its versatility and capacity. I also think it just looks darn cool, Lucky the Corgi seems to think so :)

What’s in Your Backpack?

This post contains affiliate links that in no way influence the opinion of the article. If you purchase an item from one of the links you clicked on, I will earn a small commission that doesn’t affect the price of the item.

The post What’s in my Camera Bag? A Photography Gear Guide! appeared first on Always Wanderlust.

Moscow Metro Station is the most beautiful and luxurious metro station in the world, just like a huge underground art gallery.

Get your travel visa at Visa Express

The Moscow Metro was built in the 1930s. At that time, Soviet leader Stalin used the subway as an ideological propaganda tool. He said: The subway must have the function of educating the people. At that time, the most outstanding architects and artists of the Soviet Union were assembled, and a large number of “tall” subway stations were built at any cost, which is very communist-chan. Although it costs a lot of money and labor, it has left an extremely precious artistic wealth for future generations.

The Moscow metro system consists of 14 lines (four of which will be connected in pairs in subsequent construction), with a total length of 360 kilometers, a total of 212 stations, 44 of which are listed as cultural heritage, and more than 40 metro stations are architectural monuments. It is the sixth busiest subway system in the world in terms of passenger flow (after Beijing, Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul, and Guangzhou).

Each subway station has a unique shape and style, elegant and gorgeous, worth exploring, designed by a separate architect, and there are many renowned masters among them. Among the more than 200 subway stations, there will never be two that are the same. Each subway station uses stone from more than 20 different origins in the former Soviet Union Ural Mountains, Altai, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Ukraine, and paves the walls and floors, as well as reliefs and mosaics composed of marble, granite, ceramics, and multicolored glass. The mosaic paintings are dazzling and completely subvert the concept of the subway.

Every day the people of Moscow travel, it is like experiencing a baptism of beauty. The escalators leading to the exit were arranged in an orderly manner, standing consciously to the right.

In the initial stage of the construction of the Moscow subway, considering its military function, Stalin asked to dig deep at all costs. The subway with a maximum depth of 100 meters played an important role in the Great Patriotic War. In addition to becoming a well-equipped wartime headquarters, It can also serve as a wartime shelter, makeshift hospital, an air-raid shelter.

I remember the day I went to watch the semi-finals. When I got up from the subway, the Croatian fans and the English fans each occupied an ascending elevator to sing to each other. I held the phone and recorded the video for more than two minutes.  Of course, there is another reason: this day is a match day, so you can take the subway with your FAN ID card! flower! money!

The Komsomolskaya Station of Line 5 (Комсомольская)

Built in 1952, has a Baroque style and is the pinnacle of Stalin’s empire architecture. Marble columns, elegant chandeliers, like a luxurious underground palace. The bright yellow mortar vault is dotted with exquisite mosaic mosaics on both sides, depicting famous generals, including Alexander Suvorov, Kutuzov, Peter the Great, Dmitry Donskoy, etc.

Line 5 Kiev Station (Киевская)

Built in 1954, the murals reflect the scenery and history of Ukraine. The sturdy Cossacks on the Don River, beautiful Ukrainian girls and ethnic dances, the beautiful scenery of Crimea and the Black Sea, and the gorgeous hollow plaster frames are the pinnacle of luxurious decoration of subway stations. Near the exit is the Kiev railway station leading to Ukraine.

Line 5 Xinzhuang Station (Новослободская)

Built in 1952, the designer is Alexey Dushkin, there are 32 brilliant stained glass murals, reminiscent of the glass windows in the church. Six of them describe the lives of the socialist people.

The Belarusian Station of Line 5 (БЕЛОРУССКАЯ)

Opened in 1952, is named because the exit is the railway station leading to Belarus. The sculptures are guerrillas, mostly scenes of people living, working, and fighting in Belarus. It was once the seat of the highest combat command of the Soviet Army during the Great Patriotic War.

Line 2 Mayakovs base station (Маяковская)

Built in 1938, belongs to the Stalinist neoclassical style. It won the design gold medal at the 1938 New York International Exhibition. The marble arches on both sides of the platform hall are inlaid with gleaming stainless steel. On the dome is a circle of illuminators, inlaid with mosaic murals by the famous Soviet painter Deineka, a total of 31 pieces. The name of the station is to commemorate the Soviet revolutionary poet Mayakovsky. There is a bust of him at the end of the platform hall. The party congress was once held here.

The Revolution Square Station (Площадь)

Line 3 was built in 1938. Since it is located near the underside of the Red Field, it must be “rooted in red.” The designer set up a pair of two-person-high bronze statues at the entrance of each porch, a total of 72 statues, including workers, farmers, students, soldiers of the three services, athletes, etc., everyone maintains a squat posture, or holds a weapon, or Gearing up, frowning one by one, as if waiting for the order to leave immediately.

　　Tips:

　　 1. The one-ticket system is divided into a single ticket, multiple tickets, day tickets, etc. You can transfer freely on the way.

　　2. There are many different routes at the transfer point, and the names of subway stations are different for different routes, which means that a subway station will have several different names.

　　3. Ticket check/swipe only at the entrance, no payment when leaving the station.

　　 4. It is best to prepare change before buying a ticket

　　5. The subway runs from 5:30 to 1:30 in the morning. It is not recommended to ride too late.

Although there are people coming and going in the subway, there is no hustle and noise, and no commercial advertisements to win over and kidnap people’s hearts. As far as I can see, there are only those exquisite murals and lifelike sculptures that have stayed in the last century. Art, history, public transportation, and society are perfectly integrated 100 meters underground. Sitting in an old subway car, passing platform after platform, as if experiencing the complete story from the Soviet Union to Russia.

Ready to go to Moscow?

The post Moscow Subway Stations to Check Out When You’re in Russia appeared first on Always Wanderlust.

It’s long been on my Bucket List to climb one of the “Seven Summits, the highest peaks in the 7 continents.” Normally, there would be swathes of tourists and would-be climbers to this world-famous mountain. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has offered us the rare opportunity to experience this trek almost all to ourselves.

Our guide told us that there would be hundreds of groups and tents lined up along campsites in the park. We saw only 2 other groups in this camp on our second day. This shot was taken about an hour and a half after sunset in Shirai I camp. I’m glad I brought my superwide angle lens for this shot – Sunrise and Sunsets here seem subdued and I just couldn’t get good shots because of so-so lighting. At night, however, is a different story. The lack of light pollution means the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye.

The post Travel Photo – Mount Kilimanjaro Under the Milky Way appeared first on Always Wanderlust.

The Milky Way in Shira Camp 2 at Kilimanjaro

This was one of the more pleasant hikes in the 8 Day Lemosho Route. The whole trek was grueling and you’ll need all 8 days to get you in tip-top shape to tackle Uhuru Peak on the 7th day. Summit success rate varies but roughly 35% of the people who try to summit the mountain don’t make it. Now I understand why,  summiting on the 7th day took all efforts with the help of our guides to make it to Uhuru Peak.

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The Croatian city of Dubrovnik is a hugely popular tourist destination and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Set on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, it is a mixture of old architecture and new, brimming with influences from across the ages. It offers stunning views out to sea and is rich with local culture and tradition, stretching back to the seventh century. In 1979, UNESCO confirmed ‘The Pearl of the Adriatic’ as a site of significant historical and cultural importance.

Today, it has a population of just 43,000 but attracts up to 8,000 visitors per day. It has got so popular that the authorities have capped the number of people who can come to the city, and much of that is due to its appearance in the HBO fantasy drama, Game of Thrones. It was a cultural phenomenon, a drama that had the world on tenterhooks for a short time.

Much of the action focused on the city of King’s Landing in the fictional land of Westeros; Dubrovnik was used for that city. Game of Thrones became more than just a TV show; it has spawned a spin-off series, which Indie Wire reveals will be called House of Dragon, due to land this year. It has also featured in video games, with an episodic release on PlayStation and Xbox.

The imagery has remained popular after the show finished; an online slot on Gala Bingo uses the branding called Game of Thrones Power Stacks, which draws from the television series, whilst Game of Thrones conquest is on iOS and Android. It is still a major figure in pop culture, and that makes Dubrovnik as popular as ever.

If you do visit and wish to see some of the popular locations, here are some you can see in a single day.

Lovrijenac Fort

One of the first locations to visit in Dubrovnik is the impressive Lovrijenac Fort, which was used as the location for the Red Keep. It has some of the best views in the city, standing 37m high on a rocky outcrop.

It was originally built as a fortress to guard the entrance to Pile Cover but be warned; it is not an easy place to visit. You’ll find 175 stone steps to climb before you reach the fort itself, so make sure you have a bottle of water with you.

City Walls

The City Walls are worth a visit, not because you’ll recall them for a specific scene in Game of Thrones, but because they give superb views out to sea and across the old town, which featured heavily in King’s Landing.

Fort Bokar is part of those walls, and it sits proud of the walls, looking out to sea. It’s a nice place to stop and admire the view if walking around the walls.

Saint Ignatius Church

There’s a wonderful staircase leading down from the church to street level, which fans of the series will find very photographable. However, to ignore the magnificent structure itself would be a fallacy.

The design is a single nave, with side chapels, decorated with magnificent Baroque frescoes painted by Gaetano Garcia. It is a wonderful reminder that this delightful city has far more to offer than merely being the setting for a television series, and visitors who do travel for their Game of Thrones fix come away with much, much more.

If you enjoyed this article, you might also want to check out our piece stating why Hungary is one of the worst places to visit.

The post A Day in Dubrovnik: Things to Do appeared first on Always Wanderlust.