Is Slovenia Europe’s best kept secret? Winter in our Tiny Van
A big thank you to Surfshark for sponsoring this video. Living full-time in a van always comes with its challenges, but during the winter months, the list grows significantly. Water pipes freeze. [Adam]: We are literally picking up snow from outside to boil it to do the washing up.
Roads become unsafe, and of course, it is very, very cold. We've spent this winter driving our little home around the often overlooked, Czech Republic and the famously beautiful, Austria And now, we're in picturesque Slovenia Surrounded by titans of tourism such as Italy and Croatia, Slovenia is not a country on everyone's list, but we hope this film will show you why it should be on yours. Welcome to the third and final episode of our winter van life series. Subscribe to follow along on our journey.
We are... Jits into the Sunset. This isn't exactly what we had in mind when we thought about winter van life. Firstly, we are by the coast and it is beautifully sunny, and we're in Slovenia and you don't think about the coast when you think of Slovenia because it's like the tiniest little stretch ever Yeah, it's unbelievable to us. If you guys have tuned in to our last two episodes of our winter van life series, you will have come with us to very snowy and cold Czech Republic and also freezing Austria which is only two and a half hour drive away from here, Which is why we love Europe so much is that in a couple of hours, and especially in a van in a couple of hours, you can just be up in the snowy hills with just snowy trees, and then you can be here down by the adriatic sea and it's just sunny and beautiful. It feels like summer. Yeah I cannot get over it and I'm so excited for Slovenia and what it has to offer because it's got this, and I know it has some epic snowy..adventures.
Yeah, yeah don't worry we will be off in the cold again. Piran is a small city sitting on Slovenia's 47 kilometer coastline. Incorporated into the Roman Empire in 177 BC, it's known for its well-preserved medieval architecture, narrow streets, and as the birthplace of renowned violinist Giuseppe Tartini. What an absolute treat to be by the coast again. Oh it's honestly so nice because I think the last time that we were by the sea was when we were in Iceland. and it's just completely different now because there's actually some sunshine.
Yeah, when we were by the sea in Iceland, it was like freezing cold, and there were literally blocks of ice so this is very different [Tania]: ...and volcanic black sand which is very different. whereas this feels very mediterranean-esque. It's like being in a tiny little village in Italy which is completely different and obviously completely different from where we've just come from up in the snow, so it's just such a nice change. There's something magic about the sea. Absolutely. Love this. Don't get us wrong, we love the mountains as well, but you know variety is the spice of life and all of that.
[Tania]: Whohoo! Before leaving, we were treated to a vivid seaside sunset. We felt like we were on a summer holiday. So we are here at lake Bled and we're getting up for sunrise which is not something I make a habit of [Adam]: Ready? Adam's still a little bit sleepy, but the promise of some beautiful sunrise colors is calling him. Come on, I don't want to miss it! Whilst it was a beautiful morning, it was freezing and there didn't seem to be much of a sunrise.
I woke up Adam. I was like, "Adam come on! We're gonna miss sunrise colors" and the sunrise colors aren't here yet. It's either because we're too early or because it's hidden behind one of these mountains because I'm not even sure where it's supposed to be I think it's over there somewhere.
Yeah, anyway. Well done for getting up. So we're heading back to Jits. We're gonna have breakfast and then we're gonna walk around the lake. Alright round two. This time we've eaten, we've put on extra layers because even though the snow is gone, it's like properly cold. [Adam]: It is very very cold.
And then Jits in the sunshine heating herself up Here we go! [Adam]: Let's go. Let's walk to get warmer. Lake bled is undoubtedly one of the most visited spots in Slovenia, and it's easy to see why. sitting in the Julian Alps, overlooked by the medieval Bled Castle, it really is an idyllic spot. The six kilometer walk around the lake is a perfect easy stroll.
What an absolutely beautiful morning. It is absolutely stunning down here. It's so peaceful by the lake and having the sun out like this is lovely and we've just been saying, as much as we really are enjoying winter van life, It is cold. It looks sunny, and it looks warm, and it looks lovely, but it is freezing today Like this morning our fingers were just numb and icy. Um and it's making us think god we are looking forward to a bit of summer now. Especially because we've been having some problems with Jits.
So there's been a leak in the water pipe. So it means we can't fill up our tank with water. The boiler isn't working, so we've haven't had to have warm water this whole trip. So there's just a few things that we're just really looking forward to summer [Tania]: Yeah and getting us excited about like summer van life. [Adam]: Yeah which we're actually... which one do you guys prefer? Would you prefer to do winter or summer van life? Yeah I think, yeah, [Tania]: Let us know in the comments.
Both are amazing. Both have their pros and cons. [Tania]: Yeah oh and to remind you guys, if you're enjoying this video please make sure to remember to give us a big fat thumbs up! Big fat thumbs up. It really does help us out. On our way around the lake, we stopped to hire a rowing boat for a quick paddle. [Adam]: Yeah. And after a quick introduction we were off.
We paddled around Bled island. [Tania]: What did you say you were looking forward to? Getting bak to Jits and having a movie night. And I actually think we've got popcorn kernels.
[Tania]: Whohoo! Although last time I tried that in Ireland, we actually um..I burnt the pan and those burn marks lasted there for about a year. Not even over exaggerating. [Tania]: Yes, well done, look at that! [Tania]: Woah! I forgot there wasn't a bench there. I want to stand up and not drift away. [Tania]: You look professional. I don't want to ruin my perfect dock.
[Tania]: Oh no! It's okay, it's okay. I've got ya. Imagine that, I just pushed you away and you had to get yourself back. We may not have had a sunrise, but the evening sunset more than made up for it. [Tania]: Oh this is it? Is it? [Adam]: This is it.
That night we drove into the mountains. [Adam]: That doesn't look particularly flat to me. It's flat enough for us, though. [Tania]: Yeah, beggars can't be choosers.
Yeah turn off lights, go into stealth mode, and hope for the best. Okay guys, it's very cold outside. We're gonna have movie night and movie night would not be complete without popcorn. [Tania]: Whohoo! Yay! I wish you guys could smell this because it actually smells like a cinema theater, like a proper one. [Adam]: It really does! Not like the last time Adam tried to make popcorn where it smelled like the cinema theater had burnt down. [Tania]: Do you know what I love about this? I just love the fact that we're in Jits.
You always love the fact that we're Jits. [Tania]: I know, but like this looks like a tiny home except.. It is a tiny home. [Tania]: I know but from the outside it just looks like.. [Both]: A van. [Adam]: Yeah it's true.
[Adam]: Oh my god. Yeah I think that's done. I think the ones underneath started burning. We just wanted to say a massive thank you to Surfshark for sponsoring this video If you hadn't heard of surf shark before, they are a VPN and what they do is they protect your online identity by encrypting all of your information. But it has a whole load more useful features than just security.
Just security. They let you relocate yourself virtually, so your computer, your connection thinks that you are somewhere else which means a load of things. But one of the things it means is that we can watch BBC iPlayer wherever we are in the world. Normally, we can only watch it at home, but right now we're gonna watch it whilst we're traveling.
[Tania]: And that means that tonight we get to enjoy the new David Attenborough movie [Adam]: Series. [Tania]: Series! But still, same thing. It's series night, not movie night. We are busted [David Attenborough]: I'm in Costa Rica. [Adam]: Oh David Attenborough giving the game away there. We are so so excited to let you guys know. That even though we have been thoroughly enjoying this wintry, snowy, vanlife trip that we're on, We have been craving some sunshine, some tropical vibes, We need to get some warmth back into our bones, So we are very, very excited to announce that our next travel destination is: Costa Rica! And that leads conveniently on to another way of using Surfshark.
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[David Attenborouh]: Animals including ourselves... [Tania]: Show me your best. The following morning we woke up to find that the ground was more slippy than we had bargained for. it took a bit of a run-up to get us up and out.
[Adam]: Still clear? [Tania]: Still clear. Still clear. [Tania]: Well done. Good going. That was tricky. [Adam]: and nuts and once Jits was free, the first port of call was to sort out our water. [Tania]: Do you want to tell everyone we have the bottle? Yeah so we are running very low on water, but we spotted a church that is just up there and something we've learned for our van life times, is that pretty much any church, there is a tap and you can get tap water and we are working off bottle systems at the moment because, because of the cold, our pipes have cracked so our plumbing just isn't working in Jits so back to the old school.
[Tania]: Yeah problem solving. Problem solving, yeah. It turns out Jits wasn't the only one slipping around that morning. [Tania]: Oh no! The water! Quick! Quick! [Tania]: Yay! Success! Okay, so we found the water source, but.. [Adam]: Yes, so the water source is effectively this spring and it's just a river. That's your tactic, is it? Whoa look out there's a road there.
It turns out the water was actually just at the bottom of the steps. [Adam]: Oh it's cold [Tania]: Well done! [Adam]: Success! [Tania]: Mission accomplished. [Adam]: Just.
Slovenia is a small but mighty country. More than half of its land mass is covered in forest and it has a population of only around two million. It's one of the world's most environmentally friendly countries. It's packed with beauty, history, and culture. A country not to be missed. Today is a very exciting morning because I'm going to do something I have never thought I would do in my life actually and I think that one of the things that has inspired me to do this activity is the fact that not so long ago, I tried skiing for the first time and you guys who watched our Austria film will have remembered how much I loved it. How much I felt so good challenging myself for it, '
and so today is another day where I'm going to challenge myself to do something brand new and hopefully really fun and Adam is going to be there to cheer me on. Yeah I'm going to be filming this one. Yeah he's going to be filming this one This thing is what I'm going to be climbing on. [Adam]: Can we just clarify what this is? This is a frozen waterfall. [Guide]: So you can just check the rain at the moment. I will just give you this helmet first of all.
[Adam]: Warm and safe. This place is mind-blowing, like I actually still I can't believe or comprehend that I'm going to be attempting to climb up a frozen waterfall. [Adam]: I didn't know waterfalls could freeze. No, neither.
[Adam]: Mad I wonder how high that is? [Tania]: About 40 meters high. I got myself kitted out with snow spikes and ice picks and my guide, Gregor, gave me a short lesson, and before I knew it I was climbing the ice [Gregor]: and go backwards and with your with your with your back. Yeah, okay? I think for the most part is incredibly mindful because there is no way that you can be thinking about anything else other than making contact with the ice. I know that there's only one way I'm going to do this and I have to get up and as I do it with each step I take and I succeed, it just gives me the confidence to keep going so, that's probably the best way that I can describe this feeling, but yeah you can see here like You just.. You go pick and you just have to go, " yeah that's enough" and you just gotta trust that that's going to hold your weight. So yeah, I'm just taking a break here because I found a little ledge where I can.. I can talk to you guys and reflect on what's going on, but I'm gonna carry on now.
So I don't know if any of you guys can relate to me at all but the reason I'm down here and Tania's up there climbing the wall is that I get this it's an irrational fear of heights. Like I'm totally fine as long as there's infrastructure, like if there's bridges or I'm on a plane or anything like that. I'm totally fine. I don't have, I don't have any fear,
but when it's to do with me climbing, my brain can't quite connect that even if I fall, I'll be fine because there's ropes and there's all the safety gear, so my..I can't focus my my mind goes fuzzy, my legs go weak, and then I just don't enjoy the experience at all because I'm just like in a constant state of panic and I can't just seem to get past that, which is why I'm not doing this and Tania is because she says that she doesn't feel fear at all which is incredible to me and it's so cool, so she's really enjoying it . But yeah let me know in the comments below if any of you guys can relate to me, or if you've had what I have and have managed to push through it and make it work like let us know because I'd love to know that because I do want to I want to be able to climb but every time I've tried I've just gone foggy and panicked.
Even on ladders, when the ladder's a certain certain height I start getting scared and nervous and then I go weak at the joints, so yeah let us know. Let us know in the comments. Whohoo! I made it to the top! So there you are Tania has climbed a frozen waterfall not once, but twice, and she didn't fall once. She slipped a couple of times, but yeah, I'm so proud. You smashed it.
Aww thank you. Well done. So good and maybe, maybe one day I will be brave enough to do the same. Yeah well I was actually saying to Adam that I feel like if you did it, you would be a lot braver than me because I don't have that fear of heights. Yeah, I suppose if you're not scared of it, then it's not brave to do it, but if you're scared of it and you overcome the fear, that's bravery. Hey I was still brave! I was still brave. Yeah, you were very brave. You smashed it.
yeah I did. Oh I really really loved it. I feel like if you guys ever have a chance to do something like this really, really recommend it. I'm a bit a bit lost for words and I think that was a lot of adrenaline for one day.
So we're just driving along this mountain path and there's so many hairpins, but thankfully all the roads are clear as all the snow is on the other, like on either side. [Adam]: It wouldn't be safe if the roads hadn't been cleared. [Tania]: Yeah. [Adam]: Apparently this road sometimes gets closed during winter [Tania]: because because I read online that it's prone to avalanches, We made it to the top, avalanche free and I made us some sandwiches for what I thought was going to be a lovely hike in the mountains. That's the brilliant and hilarious thing about van life is that we can just drive to the top of a mountain and make our lunch here whilst we're here just before the hike.
Literally making sandwiches at the top of the mountain. We're at home. Like this is our kitchen. The same kitchen that we had in Portugal, like it's the same kitchen we've had in all of our travels, like our cutlery, everything It's just home. It just happens that we're here yeah. Yeah the novelty never wears off [Tania]: Got the keys? [Adam]: Oh yeah. [Tania]: So we met some really lovely, very friendly professional- looking climbers who told us that uh with our hiking boots and our lack of gear we basically can only walk on the road. Yep, so we're just walking along the road and...
Its too icy. Basically we need like the proper claws? What are they that you put on your shoes? Yeah the spikes. Yeah because otherwise we'd just be slipping around.
It's not just snow it's ice, so it could become really dangerous so massive shame, but it's still beautiful here so we're just going to plonk along the road. and I think we're going to try to find somewhere where we can rent that stuff because we really really want to do it. Yeah because it looks amazing around here. Look at it! Look at that. Look at that mountain. After a pleasant short stroll along the road, we decided to sort ourselves out with some proper kit and a guide, so the following day we headed back to Bled where we met Luca, and he took us to explore Triglav National Park.
Feeling suitably prepared we headed into the snow. Adam's first steps on the base So we keep losing our shoes. They keep falling off. We don't think we've managed to put them on properly, and once you fall over wearing these things, it's very hard to get back up again. So after a little bit of a slow start and getting used to these snowshoes, we are off. We are heading off into the mountains and we feel properly equipped now rather than the other day when we just realized we just couldn't go with our shoes.
So yeah, feels good, feels safe. And of course we've got our guide, Luca, who is taking us in to the mountains to show us the best places. Where are we heading? [Luca]: We are heading to Ziaverick meadow first.
[Adam]: Say that again, sorry. [Luca]: Ziaverick. [Adam]: Ziaverick meadow. [Luca]: Yeah and we are in Percuta. [Adam]: Okay, there we go and we've been told that it is stunning. After hiking through the shadows of the tall trees, we came to a clearing where cybernetic meadows overlooked by the highest peaks in Slovenia.
[Tania]: "This is amazing!" I also just love that on this hike.. we're seeing like these amazing little houses with the solar panels outside and then the snow looks like icing, it just looks so idyllic and I would love to stay in one of those one day. [Adam]: Yeah And it's just so small, so it's like if you've lived in a van. If you've lived in a van like, Jits, this is like a mansion. Look at it. It's so cute! We then left our snowshoes behind for the trek up the hill.
We enjoyed a much needed sit-down as we were overlooked by Triglav, the highest peak in Slovenia and we were treated to a wonderful view. [Adam]: Oh you're okay? [Tania]: Yep. That was really bad. Are you okay? Are you filming? [Adam]: Yeah I got that.
[Tania]: That was so funny. I was just distracted by the beauty of nature. It's a small price you pay, but that's okay Luca tells us that if you're going to fall just have fun, so I did. I enjoyed it the adrenaline. Before leaving winter, we wanted to try our hand at skiing one last time.
W e headed to Kanin to test out our skills. It turns out we were very rusty. so it turns out that the slopes here in Slovenia are a lot steeper than the ones that we're used to from Austria so it's taking us a little bit of time to get used to it because I'm on a snowboard It's easier for me to just glide down slowly but for Tania she's finding it a lot harder because well it's just so so much steeper.
But we've got the help of our ski rental guy. Jernel is helping us out. He's guiding Tania down, and we're gonna try our best to conquer this slope. He says that once you can learn to ski here, you can ski anywhere. Even though we weren't finding it easy, we were enjoying being out on the mountain.
It's literally just about getting confidence back From the slopes we could see Italy, Austria and Croatia. After a while, we regained some confidence and managed to get back into the swing of it, but we finished the day with one final fall So guys sending you all lots of love. Thank you so much for watching and that is it now from Slovenia. That is it for our winter series.
We'll see you in the sunny Costa Rica. Yay!! I find it hard to believe. We're going somewhere so different. Yeah, thank you so much make sure to give this video a big fat thumbs up and subscribe if you haven't already and yeah leave us all your comments. We love chatting to you there.
[Tania]: Bye! [Adam]: Bye! We have thoroughly enjoyed our time during winter vanlife. It's truly been an epic trip and whilst we're excited for the warmth of Costa Rica, we're sure this won't be our last time in the snow.
2022-02-11 14:35
