Cave – Maldo Travels

Peak District – Cycle Trail and Caves

Jean Maldonado — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 21:50:00 +0000

From London, it’s about a 3-hour 30-minute drive to Peak District National Park which makes it ideal for a weekend trip. We headed out on a Friday evening to the small town of Aston just outside Sheffield. On Saturday, we planned to go cycling on a trail. There are several trails in the National Park and we chose to go on the Monsal Trail. This trail used to be a railway track that has been converted for walking and cycling. It’s mostly a dirt and pebble trail but parts of it have been paved. We first drove to Hassop Station which is 45 minutes away from Aston. On our way, we stopped at Bakewell for some brunch at a quaint B&B that had a fireplace. There’s a bike rental shop at Hassop Station and there are different types of bikes for hire starting from 2 hours. We chose to rent a standard adult bike for 2 hours which cost 12 GBP¹. We set out at 11.45 AM making stops along the way for pictures. The trail ends at Blackwell Mill and we stopped at the last bridge to turn back. When we got back, we were very muddy since the bikes didn’t have mudguards. We cleaned up a bit and then headed back to our Airbnb² in Aston.

On Sunday, we decided to check out some caves. First, we headed to Speedwell Cavern which was about an hour away from our Airbnb in Aston. We got there at around 12.30 PM and there’s plenty of parking space opposite the entrance. When buying tickets, we saw that there was a discount on a joint ticket with Peak Cavern. We bought the joint ticket for 20 GBP each and then waited about 15 minutes for the next guided tour. A guide then calls us into a room where we pick up a helmet. He goes over the schedule of the tour and begins talking about the history of the cave. We’re then taken down some steps and arrive at the underground river. The cave is very narrow with just enough space for the boat to fit. Everyone gets into the boat and the guide then uses his hands on the ceiling to navigate down the river. On the way, the guide talks about the mining operations that used to happen in the cave and how the miners and children were exploited. After about 15 minutes, we reach the end of the river and get out of the boat into a chamber. There’s a small waterfall inside and the guide says that now you can see the bottom since the miners dumped rocks from their excavations into the hole. The guide then talks about the geography of the cave and we have about 10 minutes to take pictures. We then get back on the boat and head for the exit.

Next, we drove about 5 minutes to the nearby town of Castleton. Peak Cavern is located in this town and there’s no dedicated car park at the site, so you have to find parking in the town. We found a space nearby and it’s a nice walk by the riverside to the cave entrance. We got there at 2.10 PM and a tour had just started so we joined in. The guide was talking about how the site was used to make rope and showed us some of the tools used. We then continue into the cave and the guide mentions that several movies have been filmed in the cave. He also mentions that Queen Victoria once visited the cave and they dug a new passage so she wouldn’t have to crawl. We arrive at a large chamber and the guide talks about the history and geography of the cave. We then head back to the exit. Following our visit, we went for a walk around the town and grabbed some food before making our way back to London.

Kents Cavern – Prehistoric Caves

Jean Maldonado — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 23:02:00 +0000

From our Airbnb¹ in Falmouth, it took 2 hours and 30 minutes to get to the town of Torquay where the caves are located. The drive from Bristol would be around 2 hours and from London, it would be about 4 hours. There’s a car park next to the ticket office and it’s free if you buy a tour. When purchasing a ticket, just let them know you’ve parked there and they’ll ask for your number plate. A guided tour is the only way to visit the caves and it costs 13 GBP² each. We arrived at 10.30 AM and luckily, there was a tour scheduled to start in 10 minutes. Upon entering the cave, the air is quite cool and the guide says the temperature is 14 degrees Celsius all year round inside the cave. We walk into the first chamber for an introductory recorded audiovisual presentation. The tour guide then leads the group through a passageway talking about how the cave was formed and its early history along the way. We then arrive at a chamber where there are several stalactites and stalagmites. The tour guide then tells us about the geology of the cave and we learn how stalactites and stalagmites are formed. Next, the group is taken to another chamber where the tour guide takes out replicas of artifacts found in the cave. Stored in an old wooden chest, he pulls out bones, tools, and a mammoth tooth to show the group whilst giving information on them.

We then continue to another chamber where the guide talks about the ancient humans who once took refuge here. The caves are now all lit with several light bulbs, and the guide says the cave is pitch black where we are. He turns off all the lights for us to experience a complete blackout. He then lights an oyster shell and says how it is believed these were used for light inside the cave. Not much light is emitted from the burning oyster shell compared to the lights bulbs. The final stop is a chamber with an exhibition of the stone age and Victorian excavators. There is also a display of some artifacts found in the cave with information panels. The visit took about an hour and then we headed back to the car for the 2-hour drive back to Bristol.

Tintagel Castle – Mythical Scenic Site

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 24 Aug 2019 22:34:01 +0000

From Bristol, it was a 2-hour 40-minute drive to the north side of the Cornish coast. From London it would be a 4-hour 30-minute drive. We arrived at 1.30 PM and found a car park next to the ticket office. Tickets can be booked in advance for entry at a specific timeslot. Pre-booked tickets cost 13 GBP or free if you’re an English Heritage Member. Walk-up tickets cost 14.50 GBP¹ but you should pre-book during peak periods as it’s a very popular site. From the ticket office, you can follow the main path or take a trail that goes up to a viewpoint and then joins back to the main path before the bridge. We took the detour route via the viewpoint and it took about 10 minutes to get to the top. From here you get an elevated view of Tintagel and the new footbridge (finished on August 9th, 2019). It then takes about 5 minutes to walk down to the bridge. On the way you pass a control point where you have to present your ticket, so make sure you keep your ticket with you. Before the footbridge, visitors had to go down some steps to the beach and then up some steps on the other side. In the 13th century, a natural land bridge connected the mainland to the headland of Tintagel. However, erosion has caused the natural land bridge to collapse and now this new footbridge restores the original route to Tintagel.

Whilst crossing the bridge, you get great views of the surrounding landscape and the previous steps to cross to the other side. After crossing, we arrived at some ruins. There are information panels throughout giving information on the buildings that would have stood here. They also give a history of how Tintagel was used as a trading port during the age of the Roman Empire. Next, we followed the path to the top of the headland and found some rocks to sit on halfway through. The view from here is amazing of the hilly shores and beach down below. We continued down the path and arrived at the Gallos Sculpture representing King Arthur at the end of the headland island. It can be quite busy since everyone is taking pictures with the statue. We then found some boulders at the end of the headland to rest on, enjoying the seaside views.

At around 3 PM, we started heading back to go down to the beach. At the bridge, there are some steps on the right-hand side that go down to the beach. It’s a small sand and pebble beach with a rock island in the middle which people were jumping off. The water is freezing so we didn’t get in. There are two caves, one on either side of the beach. Going through the caves can be tricky since there are lots of rocks and boulders. They also fill up with water so keep an eye on the tide. We stayed at the beach until around 5 PM before heading back up and on one of the trails to a viewpoint. It takes about 20 minutes to follow the trail up to the cliff opposite Tintagel Castle. There are great views of Tintagel and the seaside from here. We stayed here until about 5.45 PM before heading back to the town to get some food. It was about 6.20 PM by the time we got back to the town and quite a lot of places were closing. We managed to find a cafe selling Cornish Pasties, so we grabbed a few of those and headed back to Bristol.

Kuala Lumpur – A Modern City Break

Jean Maldonado — Sun, 09 Jun 2019 21:42:00 +0000

From Ao Nang, it’s a short 1-hour 30-minute flight to Kuala Lumpur. The airport is huge and it took us about 30 minutes to get through the customs control point. Our bags then took another 20 minutes to come out. When we exited the baggage claim area, it was like walking into a shopping center. There are lots of retail shops everywhere and we went to the lower floor to look for transportation into the city. There are several taxi offices there and they quoted about 80-90 MYR³. We had researched the night before and it was a little more expensive than usual. So we went back upstairs to connect to the WiFi and downloaded an app called Grab⁴. We got a Grab to our hotel in Bukit Bintang which took about an hour and cost 71.50 MYR. Once at our hotel, I found out the room had been paid but I still needed to pay the tax, and this could only be paid in cash. So I went looking for an ATM and found one in a nearby mall.

Once we had settled in, we went for a walk around the area. First, we went to get some food in the Bukit Bintang area. We were staying next to the famous Jalan Alor night market but during the day most of the places were closed. There are several malls and other restaurants in the area though. After getting food, we headed to the KLCC Park which was a short 15-minute walk away. The weather was very hot though at around 30 degrees Celcius and also very humid. So despite being a short walk, we stuck to the shade where possible. When we got close to the park we went into the KLCC building to cool down. There is an aquarium in this building as well as a food court. We then walked to the Petronas Twin Towers to see if we could get tickets to go to the top. Upon entering, there is another large multi-level mall. The ticket office is on the lower level but it was closed since it was a public holiday. Therefore, we decided to head to the Sky Deck KL Tower.

It was a 25-minute walk away, but at this point, we found out about the air-conditioned passageways. Part of the walk was still out in the open though. When we got to the entrance, the security guard said there’s a free bus service to the top every 15-30 minutes. There was some seating space in the shade and some fans at the bus stop, so we waited here for about 10 minutes before deciding to walk up. The ticket office is inside the tower and we bought tickets for the Sky Deck which cost 99 MYR each. It was around 5.30 PM by the time we took the lift to the Sky Deck. We took some pictures and then waited for the sunset at around 7.20 PM. There is a glass box for a photo opportunity with a professional photographer. You have to grab a ticket at the entrance which we found out later. Every group is given 60 seconds for pictures with a buzzer going off when time is up. The photographer takes a couple of pictures and you can also take pics with your camera. It was a great view of the sunset as you see the buildings turning on their lights as it gets dark. Next, we walked back to our hotel which took about 20 minutes. Even though the sun was down, it was still quite hot and humid outside. On the way back, we stopped by the Alor Night Market to check out the food stalls. Compared to the day, it was very busy at night with all the restaurants and food stalls open. The main road Changkat Bukit Bintang also has several restaurants, bars, and clubs. We headed back to the hotel for a bit before heading out at night to check out the nightlife. We were surprised to have found a Salsa night with some very good dancers. There were also several bars with shisha and happy hours.

The following day, we went on a trip to the Battu Caves which are to the north of the city. First, we went to the metro station and asked how to get there. They told us to first go to KL Sentral and then take a train from there. We decided to get a one-day travel pass which cost 25 MYR. At KL Sentral, we then got a return train ticket to the Battu Caves which cost 5.20 MYR each. The whole journey took us about an hour. Once at the Battu Caves, it’s a short 5-minute walk to the foot of the steps up to the cave, where a massive Hindu statue stands. Entrance to the temple caves is free and you simply have to walk up the 272 steps. Several monkeys are roaming free on the way up and inside the temples. There are several shrines inside the caves and they’re all very colorful. Once we got back down, we went to look for food in the area. We found an Indian restaurant/buffet who served meals on leaves. We decided to try it out and it was very good. We then headed back to KL Sentral which took about 40 minutes. In the afternoon, we went souvenir shopping in the Central Market. It’s a nice area with several arts and crafts stalls. We also checked out the nearby Petaling Street Market before heading back to the hotel.

In the morning before our flight, we went for a quick walk around the malls in the Bukit Bintang area. There are many huge multi-level malls and some are connected with underground passageways. It’s quite easy to get lost in but they’re a good way to get around whilst avoiding the heat. At around 3 PM, we called a Grab to take us to the airport before rush hour. It took about an hour to get to the airport from Bukit Bintang and cost 91.80 MYR. Once we checked in, we walked around the shopping mall-like airport while waiting for our flight.

San Ignacio – Mayan Cave and Ruins

Jean Maldonado — Tue, 15 May 2018 21:04:57 +0000

A two-hour bus ride away from Belize City takes you towards the Guatemala-Belize border at San Ignacio. The terminal is quite basic as are the buses so do not expect air con or other amenities. The town of San Ignacio is small but offers several stores, restaurants, and bars. It is perfectly located due to its proximity to both Mayan ruins and adrenaline filled experiences.

Ancient Mayan Cave

The most advertised tour is the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave, which although a little pricey at 85 USD⁵, is definitely worth checking out. This Mayan cave is believed to have been used for burial rituals and sacrifices. It is mainly unexcavated so all artifacts are in their original positions and mostly embedded in the ground. Unfortunately, cameras are not allowed in the cave thanks to a tourist who dropped their camera on a skull. The authorities stress this and take this very seriously so you should refrain from being tempted to sneak one in. Some tour operators (Maya Walk Tours in my case) will email you a couple of pictures after the tour which are the ones I’ve used for this post. The tour operators also ask visitors not to use or to dial down the use of sunblock or repellent to help preserve the site, however, this is really up to you. The ATM Cave tour is no easy task. The tour operator will sugarcoat its difficulty to get you on board but you should be prepared to endure a physically demanding adventure. Also expect to get wet as well as knocks, bruises, and maybe even small cuts from sharp rocks. The tour operators will provide equipment which includes a helmet, headlamp, and water shoes if you don’t have your own.

The tour bus takes about 1 hour to arrive at the national park entrance and the guide will point out what are believed to be unexcavated Mayan ruins along the route. From the park entrance to the cave, it is a 45-60 minute trek where you will cross 3 streams/rivers. The water level is usually hip height but will of course vary depending on the season. Once you arrive at the cave entrance, all food and drink must be left behind on the benches along with any loose personal belongings. The guide will also hand out snacks at this point before heading into the cave. The river flows through the entrance of the cave and you may need to swim a couple of meters depending on how tall you are. Once inside, the guide will take you through the cave pointing out artifacts and explaining the rock formations. You will need to crouch, climb, squeeze through openings, and traverse through water which can reach hip high levels. The last section of the cave can only be explored without shoes but they let you keep your socks on if you don’t mind getting them muddy. This final section is where the majority of the artifacts lie mostly untouched. There are pottery, tools, and skeletons everywhere and although areas are cordoned off, you have to watch your step and be careful not touch or lean on any rocks your guide points out. It is a truly spectacular site with so much history and mystery. Once back at the park entrance, lunch will be served while you use the facilities to change into dry clothes and hang your wet ones to dry.

Mayan Ruins a Walk Away

The Mayan ruins of Cahal Pech are a short 25-minute walk from San Ignacio town center. They are believed to have been the residence of an elite ruling Mayan family and is small enough to cover in less than 2 hours. Entrance is 10 BZD⁶ which includes access to the visitor center and small museum. The complex is made up of several plazas, residential buildings, temples, and a pyramid. It’s a great stop if you don’t have time for the large Mayan ruins in the area.