Canberra's Best Hikes and Walks.

Canberra's proximity to the bush has always been one of my favourite things about the city, but in light of my relatively newfound love of hiking and being outdoors, that proximity, which can be more aptly described as being wholly encompassed by the bush, has unequivocally become my very favourite thing about the Australian capital.

Canberra is not merely surrounded by the bush, rather built on, around and deeply harmoniously with the bush. It's almost impossible to ever find yourself more than a short walk away from a nature reserve, meaning that getting out and about away from the hustle and bustle of suburbia is incredibly easy. And to make things even better, just to Canberra's south, and a mere 30 - 40 minute drive from the centre of the city, you'll find Namadgi National Park, which is quite frankly an absolute gem of a thing to have on your doorstep. The park is filled with all kinds of tracks, from short 30 minute walks through to multi-day hikes, meaning there truly is something for everyone. This year I've taken it upon myself to uncover some of Canberra's best walks, which has been a deeply enjoyable experience for me, so without further ado, I gift you a shortlist of my absolute favourite walks and hikes in and around Canberra!

Honeysuckle Campground to Booroomba Rocks

Taking out the very prestigious first place in my shortlist of great Canberra walks is the absolute banger of a bushwalk that is Honeysuckle Campground to Booroomba Rocks. I love this walk for many reasons, notably the beautiful, relatively flat meandering trail that passes through some absolutely stunning Australian alpine rainforest, as well as the insane views you get at Booroomba Rocks themselves. It should be noted, while most of the trail is relatively flat and subsequently quite easy, the last 1km or so up to Booroomba Rocks is a solid shlep uphill, though I've seen children easily taking on the challenge, so don't be deterred, merely warned! The views are 100% worth the effort too!

The starting and finishing point for this walk is Honeysuckle Campground, which is around a 1 hour drive from Canberra's CBD. It's easy to find though, you simply head out to Tharwa, down Naas Road and then turn right down Apollo Road. Follow Apollo Road right down to the end of the road, and you'll find yourself at Honeysuckle Campground. There's plenty of parking as well as some toilets there (not to mention, quite often some friendly kangaroos can be found lurking about). The start point for the walk is just to the right of the BBQ area at the front of the campground. The trail is well signposted and maintained, so it's very easy to follow and makes for some really pleasant walking.

The walk is approximately 12km return, and generally takes around 2.5-3 hours, including some time taking in the spectacular view at the top! When you reach the top, you won't actually be at the highest point of the peak, but if you do a bit of bush bashing (i.e. follow the sometimes disguised little trail upwards), you can get to the highest point and enjoy uninterrupted views back towards Canberra. Be careful if you decide to go up beyond the main view point however, as you are on a cliff face, so naturally please exercise caution lest you have a bit of a whoopsie with the edge!

In winter Booroomba Rocks can sometimes have a light dusting of snow, so if you're heading up there during the cooler months, come prepared with a beanie!!

Everything the light touches is mine. (Not quite, but a girl can dream/go along with the very empowering emotions that standing on a cliff face with uninterrupted views inevitably brings!)

Mount Tennent

I first encountered, at the time very unwillingly, the mighty Mount Tennent back in 2010 as part of a school camp. It was not a pleasant experience (I hated every second of hiking the mountain), however the world is a strange place and low and behold here we are a few short years later and to my great surprise, Mount Tennent takes out second place in my list of my favourite Canberra walks. In actual fact, I'm so fond of Mount Tennent these days, that I've actually been up four times already this year, and I intend to double that number of ascents before the year ends! Being a mountain, this is a solid hike, however it's definitely very doable and the views are absolutely worth it!

The starting and finishing point for this walk is the Namadgi Visitors Centre car park which is on Naas Road, just past Tharwa. There's plenty of parking there as well as some toilets and, as the name suggests, a visitors centre full of information should you so wish to visit. To start the walk, go behind the centre towards Naas Road and follow the path till you cross Naas Road. The trail head is just on the other side of the road. I recommend starting out early because it's genuinely one of the greatest feelings ever to enjoy the peace and quiet, plus the endless views from the summit, without anyone else around. This walk is fairly popular with runners and walkers alike, but if you start out around 8am, you should find the walk and summit a little quieter. You'll also be back in Canberra by lunchtime, making this an excellent half day out! Another big benefit of being an early starter is that you'll get to see lots of wildlife around!

The walk is approximately 16km return and takes a solid 4 hours or so, including some mandatory time appreciating that you made it to the summit. The trail is well maintained the whole way up, with a few steeper sections, but as mentioned above, it's totally a doable walk for anyone with moderate fitness and above! It's also an excellent training hike (hence why I've been frequenting it this year) if you've got a longer trip coming up!

Me, ft. the view towards the south over the wilds of Namadgi National Park. Please note that my shoelace and shirt coordination was unintentional, however nonetheless brings me a ridiculous amount of satisfaction. Also note that the rock I am standing on is an excellent place for some summit tea and a cheeky square of chocolate (sustenance my friends)!

The view from halfway up the mountain looking south. 

Shepherds Lookout and the Uriarra Loop

This is my favourite walk to do when I want to be away from town, but I also don't want a big day out. It's around 7km return, relatively easy walking the whole way, has some fun views, gets up all close and personal with the water and, best of all, seems to be a bit of a hidden gem as I've only ever encountered a small number of people while walking this particular walk!

The starting and finishing point for this walk is Shepherds Lookout car park which is on Stockdill Drive in Belconnen and just a short 20 minute drive from the city centre. The car park is just a small little nook on the side of the road, but I've never had an issue finding a place to park. The lookout itself is an easy 5 minute walk from the car park and is quite popular, but few people seem to then take the effort to do the Uriarra Loop walk, which is 100% their loss! After taking in the view of the river from the lookout, keep walking around on the path to your right (if you were facing away from the lookout itself) and after approximately 50m or so you'll see a trail shoot off down into the valley. Follow that down and along the fence line, then across the Molonglo River. On the other side of the Molonglo, turn left, then follow the marked trail up, through the gate, up the small hill, across Uriarra Road and then down to the campground. When at the campground, turn to your right and follow the Murrumbidgee all the way along and eventually you'll end up back at the Molonglo River crossing (if this all sounds a bit confusing, alternatively entirely disregard my ambiguous instructions and just follow the little blue arrow markers that you can find all along this walk)!

The walk is approximately 8km return and takes around 2 hours. It's a really pleasant walk, quite easy (no big hills) and really peaceful, with often the sound of the river the only noise you'll hear!

The view from the top of Shepherds Lookout, with the Murrumbidgee River winding it's way out of the ACT and into NSW.

The trail meanders along the banks of the Murrumbidgee River, which is very peaceful and so refreshing for the soul!

Mount Ainslie

Literally every Canberran knows that Mount Ainslie is a good walk well worth doing, and despite the track up to the summit generally being a fairly busy one, it's still one of my favourite Canberra walks, partly because of the convenience of it being less than 2km from the city centre and also because I can walk there from my apartment. The actual Ainslie summit walk starts from behind the Australian War Memorial, and while nice, is quite short, so I typically prefer to walk part of the base track that runs around the bottom of the mountain as well, adding in some extra distance with minimal effort (the track around the base is flat, and is actually my regular running track). If wanting to add in some extra distance, heading into the suburb of Ainslie and parking on one of the streets near the mountain is super easy to do and there are heaps of little tracks between the houses that will lead you up and onto the track around the base. Alternatively park behind the War Memorial and head upwards - you'll easily come across the summit trail. Distance will naturally depend on where you decide to start and finish from, so varies because of that.

I seriously recommend heading up Mount Ainslie for sunset. It's probably my favourite place to enjoy the delights of golden hour in the capital and you'll be treated with beautiful views over the entirety of central Canberra and the Parliamentary Triangle. If you're super keen (and also somewhat crazy), this is also a popular trail to run. I however, am a logical human who knows it is a silly idea to run up hills voluntarily so I personally stick to walking!

Golden hour (literally!) from the Mount Ainslie summit - this view at this time of day will forever be one of my favourite in the whole of Canberra!

Telstra Tower and the northern part of Canberra's CBD as viewed from a lookout just down from the summit of Ainslie.

Corin Dam to Mount Gingera

Finally, on the more serious end of the spectrum is this absolute gem of a hike! Mount Gingera is the ACT's second highest peak, coming in at a solid 1,857m above sea level. It's located right on the edge of the ACT, meaning that from the summit you can views over Canberra's Namadgi National Park and Bimberi Wilderness Area as well as NSW's Kosciuszko National Park too! The summit views are absolutely breathtaking - you get almost uninterrupted 360 degree views of the surrounding country and mountains which is truly something special!

This is a solid hike, coming in just shy of a full day, though if you took your time and had a picnic at the summit or along the way it would become a full day. I did the hike in around 6 hours, but I'd recommend allowing 8 hours just to be safe. This hike starts from the Corin Dam carpark which is on the western side of the dam wall. Drive out over the wall of the dam and you'll find a small carpark on the other side. The trailhead is hard to miss - there's a large Namadgi sign and just further up the trail there's a bushwalking register that I suggest signing before you head off. The first 2 - 2.5km of this hike are HECTIC. You can about 580m of elevation in 2km and lemme tell you that's very wild and you're calves will inevitably have all manner of negative thoughts they'll make known! The first part of this walk is along the 'Stockyard Spur' which I've also heard referred to as the 'Calf Blaster' and truly there has never been a more apt name for a track! While things start out rather steep though, once you make it past the initial 2.5km the track gets a lot flatter, with the bulk of this walk a very pleasant one along a track with soft undulating hills. The walk out is a fairly constant uphill, which makes sense given you're summiting a mountain, but I found it really pleasant, relatively easy walking (aside from the first 2km)! While the first part is quite steep and difficult going, it's 100% worth it - do not be scared off by the baptism of fire that the Stockyard Spur provides!!

After around 7km of walking you'll come to an intersection with Mount Franklin Road. Take a left and keep heading along the road. After around 1km you'll come across the most quaint little hut called Pryor's Hut, which is a working hut that was built in the 1950's. The door to the hut is in the ACT, however the hut itself is in NSW, which I think is super fun. There's a visitor's book inside the hut that you can sign too! This is also a good spot for morning tea/lunch.

After leaving the hut, head back out onto Mount Franklin Road and keep following it for around 1km. You'll be able to see Mount Gingera straight in front of you and it'll be a bit odd to follow the road because it loops around quite obviously to the left, which seems counterintuitive given you want to go up the mountain - don't be fooled though, the summit track actually comes from behind, so follow the road around until you get to a very sharp hairpin turn to the left. That that turn you'll see a wooden pole marking the trail up to the summit on your right - take that path up the last 1km to the summit. Be very careful if you're walking in the warmer months because the trail up to the summit is quite overgrown and snakes are very much around. I strongly suggest wearing gaiters, long pants and appropriate shoes to help reduce the risk of having an overly intimate encounter with one of Gingera's resident snakes! In the springtime there are loads of wildflowers on this last part of the hike, which make for a beautiful atmosphere! The summit trail isn't steep (compared to Stockyard Spur at least!) and I thought it was a pleasant uphill climb to the summit.

When you reach the summit, prepare to have your mind blown by the views. They're insane! You can see all the way to the snowfields and all the way north I could just make out the fountain in Lake Burley Griffin. I spent around an hour at the top just taking in the scenery, it's hands down the best view I've ever had in Canberra!

The walk home is simple - just follow the exact same path you took to get there in reverse! Be particularly careful on Stockyard Spur on the way down - you'll realise just how steep it was coming back!

In winter this area can get quite a lot of snow. This trail is not particularly well marked, which would present a big issue in snow when the trail itself could be obscured. I hiked this is early November and conditions were exceptional - perfect weather and clear skies, so I didn't have a snowy problem but be warned! I'd love to do it again in the winter though, I think it would be something special to see the area in white!

This walk is around 21km in distance. You gain around 900m in elevation from start to summit. Being quite remote, this is much quieter than some of Canberra's other trails. I had the summit entirely to myself, along with the track. Being remote however, make sure you let someone know where you'll be and when to expect you back and prepare appropriately taking extra food, water and warm clothes just in case! Overall this walk was exceptional - while a solid effort, it's 100% worth it! Definitely one of my favourite walks in the Canberra area!

Stockyard Spur trail, after the initial 2km climb. The majority of this hike is along trail that is like this, through the alpine forest and if you go in spring, through all the wildflowers!

Pryor's Hut, the door of which is in the ACT, while the hut itself is in NSW!

Standing at the summit, with the ACT in the background behind me.

Looking down towards the southern reaches of the ACT over Namadgi National Park and Bimberi Wilderness Area. 

The wooden pole in the centre of this picture is the marker for the summit trail - as you can see the trail itself is a bit overgrown, but if you pay attention it's easy to follow. Be warned that snakes are a risk in the warmer months though!

More walks will be added here shortly! I'm currently trialling a few new ones myself and will report back with my findings, so keep checking in for updates!

Tofu Scramble Breakfast Burrito.

I first discovered the magic of a tofu scramble in, of all places, South Korea. There was this one lovely little cafe, called Plant (which I'd strongly suggest visiting for anyone in Seoul), that my friend and I visited at least 5 or 6 times in as many days. The food was LIT. However most lit of all the food, was the breakfast burrito. It was so good that I dreamed about it, more than once. In actual fact, I still dream about it...

I knew that theoretically you could crumble firm tofu, add in a few things and that you'd supposedly end up with something resembling scrambled eggs, albeit vegan. What I could not have anticipated however, was just how straight out TASTY and also conveniently easy doing that would be. Which leads us to the present situation, wherein I am entirely unashamedly obsessed with eating tofu scramble for breakfast, preferably in the form of a breakfast burrito but truthfully, this scramble would go down equally as tasty on some toasted bread. Aside from just being generally delicious, tofu scramble also makes for a really wholesome and filling breakfast that will leave you genuinely feeling full until lunch, instead of getting the dreaded 10.30am munchies where you feel the compulsion to eat everything in sight (we've all been there). Also, it keeps well in the fridge and reheats the following day, which is like a gift for the mornings where I have to be up early for work and don't have time, with my demanding sleeping schedule, to make a proper breakfast. Simply reheat some tofu scramble, put it in a soft tortilla with some other fun things (namely avocado and coriander) and voila - eat well AND be at the office on time!

Ingredients;

(*this makes enough to serve 3, because I like keeping some as leftovers for breakfast the following days too!)

450gm firm tofu
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1/3 leek, finely sliced (optional, but v tasty)
1/3 red capsicum, cut into thin strips
1 -2 tbsp olive oil
2 - 3 handfuls spinach
2 shallots, sliced

1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp cumin
Pepper (to taste)
Water
1 tbsp soy sauce/tamari

1 handful vegan cheese (optional)

Soft tortillas
Coriander
Sliced fresh tomato
Avocado

1. Remove your tofu from the packaging. You need to remove some of the moisture from the tofu - to do this I like to take 2 bread boards and place some paper towel/absorbent paper on top of one. I then crumble the tofu with my hands and spread it over the top of that paper towel. I add another layer of paper towel on top, followed by the second bread board and then a hefty stack of law textbooks (the only thing they've ever been useful for is as a tofu press to be entirely honest!). I leave this setup for approx. 10 mins while I prep the other ingredients.
2. While that's going on, dice and slice the onion, capsicum, shallots and leek.
3. Take a large frypan and place it over medium-to-high heat. Add the olive oil to the pan, then add the onion, leek and capsicum. Cook for a few minutes, then add in the spinach and stir through.
4. Push the vegetables over to one side of the pan and the take your now semi-dry crumbled tofu and add it to the empty side. Allow to cook for approx. 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then mix through with the veggies already in the pan.
5. Take a small bowl and add your spices to it. Add in some water, approx. 2 tbsp and mix well. Add in some cracked black pepper to taste.
6. Add the spice sauce mix to the tofu and veg mix. Add in the soy sauce/tamari and mix everything through well. I like to add a handful of vegan cheese at this stage for some extra pizzaz but that's entirely up to you! Stir everything through well and voila - you've got yourself a tofu scramble!

To serve, take a soft tortilla and layer it up with some of the tofu scramble mix, some fresh coriander, sliced tomato and avocado. Fold it all up and then proceed to enjoy one of the most delicious breakfasts of your life. MAGIC!

Rocket Toppa.

I grew up in a small town in regional Australia that has a very large Italian population. Aside from fostering an environment wherein we all, Italians and non-Italians alike, love to gesture enthusiastically with our hands when we talk, this large Italian population bestowed upon we townsfolk a great and mighty gift; Italian cuisine.

Sure, you can pretty much get 'Italian food' anywhere and everywhere these days, but let me tell you, there's Italian food and then there's actually good Italian food. I myself am a big fan of the latter, and courtesy of my upbringing in this delightfully Italian influenced little town, I have exceptionally high standards when it comes to that good Italian food. The Italian food in my hometown is mindblowingly good. Even today, generations after many of the first Italian migrants moved to the town, you can still find restaurants serving nonna's traditional lasagne recipe and my god is that one heck of a flipping lasagne!

There are lots of Italian restaurants in this mini-Italy hometown of mine, all of which are exceptional, however for reasons largely unclear to me, my family (N.B. my dad) have always had our favourite. And at the favourite restaurant there is a family favourite dish humbly known as the 'rocket toppa.' It's a very simple dish, which is probably what makes it so great and I'm yet to ever eat at this restaurant and not have a rocket toppa. Traditionally it comes with proscuitto (a kind of Italian ham that's thinly sliced), which is obviously not very vegan friendly, but I'm pleased to report that the humble rocket toppa still tastes absolutely spectacular without. For my interpretation, I added in some semi sundried tomatoes in the place of the traditional proscuitto in order to keep an additional level of flavour within the pizza as a whole.

My biggest tip for this dish is to get a good quality pizza base, also known as a 'toppa' because it plays a starring role in the dish. Add in some fresh rocket (arugula for all the Americans out there!) and some vegan parmesan and you friends, have a recipe for a damn tasty time!!

Ingredients;
1 large pizza base
8 large tomatoes, chopped into quarters
2 tsp raw sugar
Pinch salt
Cracked black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

1 cup (approx.) semi sun-dried tomatoes (I use oil free ones from the same isle in the supermarket as the canned veg)
1 handful fresh basil, roughly chopped

2 cups fresh rocket (arugula)
2 tbsp vegan parmesan (I use 'Green Vie' available at The Cruelty Free Store in Aus)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 red onion, very finely sliced into half-moons

1. Preheat an oven to 180 degrees fan-forced.
2. Take a lined baking tray and place your quartered tomatoes on it. Sprinkle over the raw sugar along with some salt and pepper, then a generous amount of olive oil. Mix the tomatoes around well then bake for approx. 30 mins.
3. When your tomatoes are roasted, remove them from the oven (leave the oven on though!) and transfer them into a fine sieve/colander. Place a bowl underneath then use a fork to mash the tomatoes, leaving a delicious paste in the bowl below.
4. Take a large pizza base and place it on an oven tray. Use a spoon to spread your homemade tomato paste generously over the base. Finely slice the sun-dried tomatoes and then sprinkle them, along with the finely sliced basil, over the pizza base.
5. Place the pizza in the oven to cook for approx. 10 mins. The base should start to go crispy, but make sure you remove the pizza before the tomatoes on top start to burn!
6. While the pizza is cooking, take a large bowl and combine the fresh rocket, vegan parmesan, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and finely sliced red onion. Mix them through together until well combined.
7. When your pizza is cooked, remove from the oven, cut into pieces and then serve each piece topped with a generous handful of the rocket mixture (plus some extra parmesan if you're cheeky)! Enjoy!!

This dish was inspired by a dish of the same name available at La Scala Restaurant in Griffith, NSW. If you're ever in town, I'd recommend trying it! The restaurant will make it vegan upon request (make sure to tell them you want both the proscuitto and cheese removed). Alternatively just make my version, because truthfully I think it's possibly even better than the one that inspired it!!

Travelling in Uzbekistan.

I've wanted to travel to Uzbekistan for years. It's long been a bucket-list destination for me, but for a myriad of different reasons, I could never quite get there until now. The great news is that it's never been a better time to visit Uzbekistan. There has been a lot of positive government reform in the last two years, meaning the country is opening itself and all it's hidden gems to the world. Previously logistical matters, like visas and local currency, were notoriously difficult to obtain, but no more. The result is that more people are visiting Uzbekistan, which is expanding and improving their tourism industry. The biggest benefit though, is that at the moment Uzbekistan is still relatively 'undiscovered' in the sense that it is not yet overcrowded or over-commercialised. It's one of the few places I've been that felt really and truly genuine - somewhere that I could experience and feel like I was the only non-local there, seeing a life and a culture so very different from my own for the first time. There are some tourists in Uzbekistan, but few enough that the country's sights, cities, restaurants and roads are relaxed, uncrowded and, particularly regarding the sights, beautifully serene and quietly magical. 

Uzbekistan skyrocketed to take the cake for the very best place I've been. It was a combination of many things, though notable mentions must go to the incredibly welcoming and friendly Uzbek people and the otherworldly architecture of the ancient cities, for making Uzbekistan so special. It's difficult to capture the complete magnificence, the magic, the sheer, undiluted beauty, of the country, though I do think my pictures speak louder than words in attempting to convey, at least in part, some of the reasons why you absolutely must add Uzbekistan to your own travel bucket lists. I had the time of my life travelling in Uzbekistan and I hope that my images and words help convince you that the very best decision you could make in your life right now would be to book yourself some plane tickets to this magical country as soon as possible!

Wandering in the Registan, Samarkand.

Where is Uzbekistan?

Uzbekistan is located in the very heart of the world, right in the middle of Eurasia. It shares borders with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. All those neighbouring countries are landlocked, meaning that Uzbekistan is one of just two double-landlocked countries in the world (the other is Liechtenstein, just in case that ever comes up in trivia someday in your life)!

Basically Uzbekistan is located somewhere in the middle between China and Turkey and Russia and India. It was formerly the very heart of the great Silk Road, a testament to it's central location in the heart of the world's largest landmass, Eurasia. Nowadays it's a bit of an off-the-beaten-track gem of a place which isn't necessarily the quickest or easiest place to get to, but my oh my does it well and proper deliver the goods for adventurous tourists like myself (and hopefully you too)!

How do I get there?

Naturally, this depends on where you're coming from, but chances are you'll fly into the Uzbek capital, Tashkent! 

From Australia, I flew to Seoul, South Korea and stayed there for a few days (during which I also got my visa direct from the Uzbek embassy in Seoul), and then I flew direct from Seoul to Tashkent, Uzbekistan. I did the exact same trip in reverse on my way home, again stopping for a few days in Seoul. If you're flying from Australia/New Zealand, or somewhere in Asia, I'd recommend this flight path via Seoul.

If you're flying from Europe, there are a few direct flights from the major European hubs, namely London Heathrow, Paris and Frankfurt (among others), with Uzbekistan Airways. These direct flights are decently priced, though I believe that Uzbekistan Airways don't provide any inflight entertainment, so be prepared. Alternatively, there are lots of flights between Istanbul-Ataturk Airport and Tashkent each day, so it's a good point of connection into Uzbekistan.

From the Middle East, there are direct flights via Dubai, or alternatively via Istanbul.

From North America, you can either fly in via Seoul, or come the other way via Europe/Istanbul. 

Twirling around in the walled inner old city, Khiva.

Bukhara's Kalyan Minaret, which Genghis Khan once ordered be spared as he was particularly taken with it's beauty.

Details from the exterior of Gur-e-Amir, Samarkand.

Should I travel with a tour or freestyle it?

I personally travelled with a tour, G Adventures, and I genuinely LOVED it. Because of that, I'd absolutely recommend the tour to everyone and anyone. The itinerary was 11/10, my guide was literally amazing and it was nice to share the experience with old and new friends. However probably the biggest bonus in doing a tour was language. Most Uzbek people speak their national language, Uzbek, in addition to Russian (and in some places, also Tajik). English is not very widely spoken or  understood (though this is slowly changing), so it was somewhat difficult to get around if you didn't have at least conversational Russian. My guide spoke Russian fluently and she was a literal godsend, particularly when it came to sourcing vegetarian/vegan food. Uzbekistan is a very safe country and the locals are all super, SUPER friendly, so you could absolutely freestyle it while there, but having a Russian-speaking tour guide was more beneficial than I could have realised, so if you're not so great at speaking and understanding Russian (or Uzbek!), my personal recommendation would be to go for a tour. 

A traditional yurt camp, somewhere remote in the Eurasian steppe between Samarkand and Bukhara.

Po-i-Kalan, Bukhara. This building is the only functioning madrassah left in Bukhara. 

A magnificent golden sunset over the soft rolling hills of the remote and vast Uzbek desert.

What are the must-see cities and sights?

Chances are you'll arrive in the capital city, Tashkent. It's a very clean, very organised city (unexpectedly so!), but the real sights of Uzbekistan are found to the south-west of the city in the heartland of the Silk Road. You absolutely CANNOT miss visiting Samarkand and Bukhara, and I'd strongly suggest making the effort to go out west to Khiva as well. All three of these cities were vital points on the Silk Road and they each have spectacular histories, sights and cultures to be discovered. I also spent a night in a desert yurt camp, which was a very fun, novel and interesting experience. If you've the time, I'd also suggest seeing if you can find such an experience, though this could be difficult if freestyling things rather than group travelling. 

You cannot, as in please DO NOT, miss visiting a few very notable places including;

     - The Registan, Samarkand (I'm still in awe over this place, and likely will be forever)

     - Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, Samarkand (seriously impressive exterior and interior)

     - Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand (a complex of mausoleums with utterly spectacular mosaics)

     - Po-i-Kalan, Bukhara (an Islamic complex home to Bukhara's only functioning madrassah)

     - Kalyan Minaret, Bukhara (located in Po-i-Kalan, this is the tallest minaret in Uzbekistan)

     - Samanid Mausoleum, Bukhara (an incredible example of early Islamic architecture)

     - Ark/Fortress, Bukhara (includes the old city walls and palace of the former rulers of the city)

     - Bolo Haouz Mosque, Bukhara (amazing exterior with impressive wooden supports)

     - Laub-i-Hauz, Bukhara (large central square around a waterhole and excellent place for a coffee)

     - Ichan Kala, Khiva (the ancient walled old city with over 50 monuments within the walls)

     - Kalta Minor, Khiva (a minaret with really impressive mosaic tiling) 

     - Tash Khauli, Khiva (a former palace and the apartments of the ruler)

     - Watchtower, Khiva (come here at sunset for impressive views over the old city)

These are just a few of the beautiful sights to be seen in Uzbekistan. While I strongly suggest a visit to all of the above, I also recommend simply losing yourself in the cities of the ancient Silk Road and wandering somewhat aimlessly through the streets of them as a means to experience everyday life in Uzbekistan and also because the magic of this country is not merely found in it's sights alone, but also simply through the act of being a part of the day-to-day life of the country and it's people.

Gur-e-Amir, Samarkand softly lit up at Golden Hour. This is a mausoleum complex with one of the most impressive mosque interiors I've ever seen!

Kalta Minor and the quiet backstreets of Ichan Kala, Khiva.

The minarets and mosque domes of Khiva as viewed from the watchtower at sunset.

Where should I stay?

All my accommodation was organised through my tour, but we stayed in some super fun places that I'd recommend to people anyway (despite me not actually being the one responsible for finding and booking them!). 

In Bukhara we stayed at a really lovely family operated hotel called "As-Salam" which was absolutely brilliant and somewhere I'd stay again in a heartbeat! It was superbly located in the old city which made walking everywhere very easy and the rooms were really beautifully decorated with traditional artworks. Internet access was also good here (the same cannot be said for a lot of places in Uzbekistan unfortunately!) 

In Khiva we also stayed at a lovely little boutique hotel called "Shaherezada" which was again located within the old city (inside the old fortress walls to be exact - very fun)! It was also beautifully decorated and furnished and also had an excellent location.

Alternatively, there are a surprising number of accommodation options throughout Uzbekistan that can be booked through all the typical hotel booking sites. I'd really recommend trying to find small, boutique family run places because they're generally much friendly, welcoming and provide a much better insight into the beautifully friendly Uzbek hospitality than larger, international options could ever give. Generally accommodation is super affordable and you can find options you'd typically likely consider outside you're budget to actually be a very affordable price! If you're there in the summer, would STRONGLY suggest finding somewhere with airconditioning (lest you literally and figuratively melt - desert heat is not to be taken lightly, which as Australian, should warn you that when it's hot, it is through and through legit HOT!). 

Some of the many BEAUTIFUL Uzbek locals, who are absolutely the most friendly group of people I have ever had the joy of encountering anywhere in this world!

Inside Gur-e-Amir, Samarkand. This ceiling is gold plated and it's beauty was entirely beyond belief.

Bukhara's Po-i-Kalan complex, viewed from a terrace cafe across the square while enjoying some green tea.

Any suggestions on clothing?

Uzbekistan is a secular country, however the dominant religion is Islam and the influence Islam has on society is fairly obvious. The Uzbek's however, largely take a 'relaxed' approach to Islam, and the country was definitely far less conservative than I was expecting. When visiting the major historical sites, chances are there'll also be a mosque, in which case you should cover your knees and shoulders (regardless of gender). There was only one mosque in Tashkent that required women to cover their heads with a scarf. Most days I wore a t-shirt and some lightweight cotton pants or a jumpsuit, so I generally covered my knees and shoulders the majority of the time which was less a requirement and much more so a way for me to extend my respect to the Uzbek culture and people. It also served as excellent sun protection, which was rather important given the full sun and desert heat we experienced the whole time I was in Uzbekistan. There were a few times though that I wore shorts or a sleeveless top and that was not a problem at all either. 

In the summer months, Uzbekistan is HOT, so you'll want lightweight clothing. Conversely, in the winter, it is very cold, so layer up. Overall though, there wasn't anything particularly special about the clothing you should or should not wear in Uzbekistan.

Inside one of the madrassah's in the Registan, Samarkand.

Genuinely gazing in wonder at the mosaic details on the facade of a former mosque in Bukhara.

Sheep resting in the midday sun on the shores of Ayudar Lake. These guys are a common sight across Uzbekistan.

What about the food?

Ahhhhh the food. Always my biggest source of questions when visiting somewhere new.

First things first, Uzbeks eat a lot of meat. Like, A LOT of meat. Meat is everywhere, in relatively large quantities, and from what I'm told, it's fairly tasty. I was led to believe prior to my departure, courtesy of some Internet research, that because of this meat-frenzy the Uzbek's have, that being vegan, or even vegetarian, was going to be literal mission impossible. As it joyously turned out, that assumption was VERY wrong.

In Uzbekistan they grow and produce the majority of their own food, meaning that fresh produce is widely available and oh my is it mighty delicious fresh produce too! The tomatoes in Uzbekistan deserve a very honourable mention because they were hands down the tastiest I have eaten anywhere. They make a lot of fresh salads that Uzbeks typically eat as sides to their meals, though if you go to town and order a selection of these, you can made them a proper meal. I really liked the tomato salads (generally made with super delicious fresh tomatoes, cucumber, onion, peppers and lots of fresh dill - VERY tasty), the cabbage salads, eggplant salads, cauliflower salads, carrot salads - basically all of the salads with all of the vegetables were extremely tasty! 

Specifically concerning vegetarian/vegan food, there was generally always the option of vegetable 'shashlik' which is essentially a stick of grilled veggies. I often had shashlik with a side of rice or potato fries (the latter less traditional, but carbs are life) and some kind of salad. I could also, by asking through my guide, often get potato 'manti' which are traditional Uzbek steamed dumplings. Usually manti come filled with meat, or in the autumn pumpkin, but if we asked they were often happy to make a vegan potato version. Unfortunately the Uzbek national dish, plov, which is a kind of fried rice, is made using meat, so it was something I couldn't try. Plov was probably the only food item off limits to this vegan, with most other types of food customisable to make them meat-free, which was great!

In terms of drinks, I strongly suggest drinking lots of iced tea and homemade lemonade because both are very tasty and popular drinks available in most places. If you drink, there is a lot of vodka in Uzbekistan (thanks to their Soviet history) and my experience was that the locals will gladly share some shots and a few too many toasts to things as varied as 'friendship between nations' and 'prosperous harvests' with you when they spot you out and about at dinner! They're all super friendly though, and I really suggest taking up the offer to celebrate with locals if they invite you to do so! Also, there is some locally produced Uzbek wine and the white wine I had was delicious, so I'd also recommend trying some if you can at a restaurant! 

In Uzbekistan they largely make all of your food fresh after you order. This makes eating out a bit of a different experience and means that meal times can be very long and drawn out affairs. When eating as a group, we often had dinners up to four hours long because some dishes would take ages to freshly prepare. While initially confusing and somewhat frustrating, the benefit of this is that all your food is super fresh because they've literally made it just for you, just then. I would suggest however, that you be aware of this and to not become frustrated when your meal, or drinks for that matter, seem to take FOREVER to come out to you. In Uzbekistan, things happen on Uzbek time. 

Spices at the market. Uzbek food is based on lots of fresh, locally grown ingredients, flavoured with various spices and generally lots and lots of dill.

I'm so deeply obsessed with Uzbek tomatoes - these ones were at a market in Tashkent but the whole country had exceptionally tasty ones. Would definitely recommend eating many, MANY Uzbek tomatoes.

Because it's a little off the beaten track, it's still 100% possible to take lots of pictures around Uzbekistan without anyone - tourists or locals - in them, which is kind of insane given the beauty of the sights!

When should I visit?

Uzbekistan has two very distinct seasons, summer and winter. It's advisable not to visit at the height of either, because in the summer it is well and proper hot and in the winter it's rather cold and frozen. I visited in late June, which I thought was ideal, though I am accustomed to warm, dry summer heat. I enjoyed beautiful, cloudless summer days and warm and lively summer nights, so I thought my choice of time to visit was perfect, but if you like it a little less intense heat wise, then I'd suggest visiting in May or September to catch the less intense warm weather.

How do I get around the country?

Being on a tour as I was, I had all my transport prearranged, which was highly convenient. I mostly travelled on a private bus but there was one overnight train journey too. If you opt to freestyle things, the good news is that there are intercity trains between all the major Uzbek cities and the trains are definitely decent, so that's a good way to get around. Taxis are super cheap too, which makes navigating around the cities themselves very easy. In Tashkent there's a metro which I'd suggest going for a ride on just because the stations are works of art and shouldn't be missed, even if you don't actually need to go anywhere in particular!

Head full of dreams and a heart full of wild wonder; twirling in one of Samarkand's many elaborate arches.

The wooden columns of Bukhara's Bolo Haouz Mosque.

Blue and turquoise domes are literally everywhere in Uzbekistan and you damn well bet I took 6,003 pictures of all of them!

This post is entirely unsponsored and every opinion shared in my own, formulated through my own personal experience travelling through Uzbekistan.

Salted Caramel Chia Pudding Pots.

Most people meal-prep lunch and dinner, but I am not 'most people'. No, you see I'm all about meal-prepping breakfast because you damn well bet those extra 15 minutes snoozing in bed in the morning make my day oh, I dunno, INFINITELY better than it would have been had I needed to get up earlier to make, of all tedious things, breakfast.

I've never been an alarm snoozer, but I have always been a girl who values maximum time spent sleeping over most other things. This means that I will always set the alarm for as late as is humanly possible to do so while still being at work on time. I'm actually so skilled at doing this now that I'm quite the morning ninja if you will, entirely capable of fully getting up, dressed, fed, make-uped, hair done, teeth brushed, tea drunk and out the door within a 20 minute window. This my friends, takes considerable skill. It also takes some sneaky breakfast meal-prep, which is where this particular recipe comes in to save the day (literally).

These little pots of morning goodness are;
          - Nutritious (thanks to all that fibre, omega-3 and protein in the chia seeds)
          - Easy to make (thanks to the only real 'prep' being the need to quickly blend, stir and put in the fridge overnight), and, MOST IMPORTANTLY,
          - TASTY (thanks to all that PB and gooey medjool date caramel-ness).

All in all, they're kind of amazing and yes indeed they've saved my morning hustle many a time. My boss, though she doesn't realise it, very much owes my presence in her office on time as expected to these Chia Pudding Pots, thereby making these guys the real MVP around here!

Ingredients;
1 cup soy milk
3 medjool dates (pitted)
1 tbsp peanut butter
3 tbsp chia seeds
Handful raspberries
Handful granola

1. Add the soy milk, pitted medjool dates and peanut butter to a blender and mix on high speed for a minute or two, making sure the dates are fully broken up and there aren't any chunks in the mixture.
2. Take a bowl and put the blended caramel milk mixture into it. Add in the chia seeds then stir well.
3. Place in the fridge for a few hours.
4. Take some small, airtight containers and add some raspberries into the bottom, roughly mashing them with a fork. Scoop in the chia pudding on top, then seal the container and place in the fridge until you're freaking out one morning about being late for work.
5. In the midst of that morning freak out, remember past you was smart and meal-prepped for this exact scenario. Remove the Chia Pudding Pot from the fridge, sprinkle some crunchy granola on top and enjoy.
6. Despite your sneaky sleep in, turn up at work on time anyway thanks to your meal-prepped breakfast and proceed to smash out a wicked day in the office/workplace, all thanks to a humble Salted Caramel Chia Pudding Pot. Magic!

*this makes 2-3 chia puddings, depending on the size of jar you use!)