The amazing thing about Raven’s Landing products is that they are handloomed by master craftsmen in Turkey. While everything is locally sourced and made in Turkey, the designs are done in Australia giving their products a modern twist to the otherwise traditional art. Raven’s Landing products are artisanal and handmade making every peshtemal unique. The fact that these peshtamels are not mass produced is something you can not only see, but you can feel it too. Compared to other Turkish Towels I own, this one screams of authenticity and quality.
I absolutely love the vintage linen look and feel to the peshtemal (I’m not sure of the material exactly, but I do know it’s made of natural fibers), and I believe it is this aspect that gives it its versatility, particularly when compared to other Turkish Towels.
Receiving this product in the winter months, it was too cold to take to the beach, so I opted to use it as a throw on my bed, and isn’t it gorgeous? The design and texture is so beautiful that it could easily be used as a fashion accessory – shawl, scarf or sarong or even a picnic blanket, and of course, a towel.
Colours & Care
I absolutely LOVE the colours of my peshtemal, they are beautifully pigmented. I chose the fire peshtemal and the colours were true to the pictures on site.
Being made of natural fibers means this product requires less laundering, space and drying than a typical towel. It is highly absorbent but without the extra weight, making it the perfect (and super stylish) travel companion. The product can be ironed and even becomes softer after a few washes – though I quite like the texture straight out of the packaging!
Customer Service & Shipping
The staff at Raven’s Landing are super friendly, and were very prompt with delivery. They are extremely passionate about their products and have done a lot of research into their product and Turkish craftsmanship.
Value for Money
Raven’s Landing Peshtemals retail for $55AUD, plus shipping (approx. $10) so you’re really looking to spend around $65AUD for this product. This is pretty pricey in my books.
Raven’s Landing are definitely setting their products up as a luxury item, and so they should – the quality is exceptional, it’s authentic and it truly is a beautiful product.
If purchasing artisanal, quality products is important to you, and you don’t mind paying a bit more to get them, you won’t be disappointed. The price is fair for the quality and time needed to create an authentic, artisanal product.
Ever wanted to visit a cotton castle? Well according to Turkish legends, the giants of Pamukkale would leave their cotton harvest outside to dry and it solidified forming a gigantic cotton castle that you can visit today.
And while I’m one for legends, Pamukkale is actually an incredibly rare geological phenomenon being one of only two petrified waterfalls that exist on planet Earth!
In fact, this geological wonder fascinates tourists so much that it often overshadows another amazing part of this historical site – the ancient Greek city of Hierapolis. Built on top of Pamukkale, this town was founded in 2nd Century BC and is said to be home to Cleopatra’s thermal pool of choice, which you can still swim in.
So if you haven’t already, it’s time to add Pamukkale to your travel bucket list, and here’s my guide on how to easily visit it all in just 24 hours.
Getting to Pamukkale
Plane
The best and no fuss way to travel to Pamukkale is by plane. The flight only takes one hour, airport to hotel transfer is super easy and it’s incredibly cheap with a one way ticket only costing $68AUD. I flew one way to Denizli Cardak Airport from Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport with Turkish Airlines.
There’s not a lot of info online about shuttle transfer from Denizli Airport to Pamukkale – but you don’t need to worry. The Airport’s shuttle company BayTur is easily found right outside the airport exit and times align with Turkish Airline and Anadolu Jet arrivals. Make sure you don’t take your time exiting the airport, if you miss the bus you will have to wait until the next flight arrival is scheduled to catch the next one. This could be 2hrs+ of waiting. Most buses go to Denizli city centre, so tell the driver you want to go to Pamukkale to ensure you get on the right bus.
I’ve read online that drop off is at BayTur’s office near Pamukkale gates, however there were only a few of us on our bus and we were kindly dropped off at our hotels.
Bookings are not needed, but you can contact the company here for more details or extra peace of mind.
Denizli Airport Shuttles are located at the airport exit (you can’t miss them!). It costs 10TL to Denizli town centre and 25TL to Pamukkale. Photo from Trip Advisor.
You can also arrange a shuttle with a private company – I initially arranged with DenizliAirport.com but no one turned up. When I called wondering where they were, they basically said something went wrong and they wouldn’t be able to come to pick me up. Kinda disappointing. In the end I caught the next airport BayTur shuttle (as mentioned above) which I highly recommend – it’s cheaper and MUCH more reliable.
Bus
Overnight buses from Istanbul to Denizli run everyday and drop you off at Denizli Otogar bus station. The following bus operators have daily services: Pamukkale, Kamil Koc and Metro Turizm.
Make sure you book in advance as buses can fill up quickly.
Once at Denizli Otogar, you need to catch a minibus (Dolmus in Turkish) to Pamukkale. Ask one of the bus company operators for help if you can’t find the gate number.
Cost: 4TL (Approx. $1AUD) Travel Time: 30 mins
Car
It’s approximately an 8 hour drive from Istanbul to Pamukkale. Now I spent most my time driving in Europe, but even I was scared to drive through Istanbul so I opted for a plane.
Where to stay
I stayed at Melrose House Hotel which is about a 20 minute walk from the travertine town entrance. I loved it here, I thought the place was beautiful, staff were nice and breakfast was generous and delicious! The best part? It only cost me $36AUD per night!
The Dolmus/minibus to the Otogar also stopped just down the street from the hotel, making getting my overnight bus to Cappadocia super easy.
When to Visit:
I visited Pamukkale in May (12-13th) and while it was outside peak season, the travertines themselves still got pretty packed with people (mostly tour groups). By 10am, there was no space on the travertines to have a quiet area to yourself. In saying that, the town, restaurants and hotels were very quiet. I found May a good time to visit, because there are less people, but the temperature is still warm enough to have a dip in the travertines. If you’re looking for instagram-worthy photos of yourself in the travertines with no one around, you will probably need to visit in winter.
Your Itinerary – What to do:
Sidenote: I didn’t expect the travertines or the entire site to be as big as it was!
So this is why Pamukkale is so easy to visit in 24 hours – all the major sites are so close to each other! Pamukkale/Hierapolis is a UNESCO World Heritage site, so you need to pay to visit it. There are 3 entrances into the park – Pamukkale Town Entrance, North entrance and South entrance.
Entrance Times and Costs:
From April 15 till October 2 – Open from 08:00 to 21:00 every day
From October 3 till April 14 – Open from 08:30 to 17:00 every day
Entrance Cost for Pamukkale Travertine (B on map) and Hierapolis Ancient City (1-16 on map): 35 Turkish Lira
Entrance Cost for Cleopatra/Antique Pool (A on map): Free inside the complex, to swim you need to pay 32 TL (Adults) 12 TL (Kids 6+) Kids (<6) Free.
Of course, feel free to mix around the itinerary below to suit your schedule. This is just what I did.
Visit the ancient city of Hierapolis first
Start: 8AM – 9AM. Duration: 5 hours
I give this advice for a few reasons. The first is that majority of people swarm to the travertines first. As early as 10am I would say the travertines were crowded – and this isn’t even in peak season! Starting at Hieropolis Ancient city means you will skip all the crowds – there were only a handful of people around when I was exploring at this time. The second is that Turkey can get quite hot and the last thing you want to be doing is walking around ancient ruins in the heat and direct sun. It’s best to start early to avoid the heat and to ensure you allow plenty fo time to cover the entire site.
2. Lunch Break
Time: 1 hour – 1.5 hours
There are two places you can buy food within the site. The first are the food stalls right at the top of the travertines, next to the seating area or you can also find a number of fast food shops inside the Antique Pool Complex. Food is a lot pricier here than down in town.
3. Heirapolis Archaeological Museum
Cost: 5TL
Time: 1 hour
I didn’t get a chance to visit here, but if you have some extra time it would be worth checking out. The museum holds most of the sarcophagi and artefacts excavated from Hierapolis and surrounding towns in the valley. Artefacts are well preserved and a visit here will provide the missing key to much of the references you’ll read on the plaques as you’re walking through Hierapolis. I.E References are made to certain sarcophagi and decorations, however a lot of these are actually in the museum and can’t be seen on the Hierapolis site.
I loved relaxing in the Cleopatra Pool after a long day walking around Hierapolis. It’s rumoured that Cleopatra is said to have swum in an earlier version of this pool, especially as Hierapolis had a reputation for being a health centre back in the day. The pools are known to have healing properties against many skin diseases, circulation problems, rheumatism, heart diseases and many more. The water is a lovely warm temperature that’s very comfortable to swim in, and there’s something really idyllic about swimming amongst the roman columns in this pool. I didn’t want to get out!
5. The Travertines
Time: 6PM – Sunset
Leaving the best until last, the travertines are quite amazing – I didn’t expect them to be as large as they were, but they go on for ages!!
In May, the sun didn’t start setting until about 8:30PM. This means that from 6PM there was heaps of time to get photos in daylight with the pools, swim and walk around the site. The travertines really become magical though at sunset. The pools mirror the pastel colours of the sky which is amazing to watch and great to photograph!
Enjoy! Got any questions? Let me know below. Also I’d love to hear your experiences in Pamukkale!
Chasing the sun before it fades away, a perfect scene awaits; an ancient door standing out at sea, under a heavenly sky of blues, pinks and yellows.
To your left an empty beach with fingers that cling to the shore, the sea doesn’t want to go back to the ocean yet, it wants to stay a little more.
For you see, the sea wishes to view the spectacle too.
With chalk white cliffs that frame the coast and the sun casting a golden glow, wouldn’t you also want to see this magnificent sunset view?
Experience Sunset at the World’s most Famous Rock Arch
When it comes to famous landmarks in foreign countries, I guess you could say I’m a bit naive. Outside of London, I really didn’t know much about what England had to offer. But England has AMAZING scenery with Durdle Door being one of my favourite sites during my trip. I remember walking down the long path to Durdle Door and being blown away as the scenery was revealed before me. Durdle Door is, very, very beautiful, majestic, and quite fittingly feels very “Jurassic” to behold.
Located behind Durdle Door is Man O’War beach. Also a beautiful beach, I especially loved the way the pebbles caused the waves to wash up looking like the ocean had fingers gripping the shore!
See what I mean about the ocean having fingers!?
A little bit of History
For anyone who loves to travel, I think it’s important to get to know a bit about the area and what exactly you’re looking at. Located on England’s Jurassic Coast, it’s estimated that Durdle Door was created around 10,000 years ago when the waves eroded the limestone rock and created a hole. Over time the hole eroded to create the door you see now. Personally I think it looks like a seahorse kissing the ocean…does anyone else see that?
How to get there
Hire a car:
With limited transportation in the area I highly recommend hiring a car. The drive itself is not too difficult, but the road is windy and narrow in sections so you need to be mindful of oncoming cars. Simply take your time, be alert and drive at a pace you feel comfortable and you will be fine. It’ll also save you a tonne of time and give you the freedom to explore the place at your leisure.
I used Google Maps on my phone to navigate, and it was as simple as typing Durdle Door as my destination. I got there with very little trouble except for the fact that it kept trying to get me to turn into the caravan park on my right (you’ll know it’s the caravan park because there is a sign and gate). Instead, ignore this and continue straight until you reach the Durdle Door carpark.
I was staying in Weymouth and the drive took approximately 30mins.
From the car park it’s about a 15minute walk to Durdle door by foot.
Tour Bus
All you need to do is a quick Google search to find a selection of tours to Durdle door. In generall, tour buses tend to leave the site around 4:30PM, so you’re likely to miss the sunset – which is a real shame! I personally prefer to avoid tours where possible as it often means a sacrifice of freedom and intimacy – you’ll probably be sharing the site with the 20+ other people also on the tour which makes nice photos difficult.
From the car park it’s about a 15minute walk to Durdle door by foot.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
ARRIVING BY TRAIN: The nearest railway station is Wool (on the London Waterloo to Weymouth line). Bus numbers 15, 30, X55 and X54 connect Wool Railway Station to West Lulworth for Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door Park Entrance. The 15 bus operates on school days only. The 30 operates daily between 25 June and 16 September 2017. The X55 and X54 operate daily from 22 May until 3 September 2017.
It’s about a 20 minute walk from here to Durdle Door. Plan your travel with Google Maps it will give you exact instructions including the location of bus stops, train stations and the bus numbers you need to catch.
ARRIVING BY BUS: There are 4 bus services to West Lulworth for Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door (numbers 15, 30, X55 and X54). The 15 bus operates on school days only. The 30 operates daily between 25 June and 16 September 2017. The X55 and X 54 operates daily from 22 May until 3 September 2017.
Please note, there is no easy access to the site. It’s not wheelchair or stroller friendly and may also be difficult for those with trouble walking, particularly the hike back to the car – it’s up hill and quite difficult.
Path from the carpark to Durdle Door
When to go for the best photos
Durdle Door is a pretty popular landmark and that means tourists! Tourists can be really annoying when you’re looking to capture that perfect shot.
Here are my tips to avoid the crowds:
Visit out of season. I visited April 5th 2018 and there were still quite a few people here. I counted about 6-7 other photographers and about 20-30 other people in the area. This was a small enough amount of people to capture relatively empty shots of the area. I can’t imagine how busy it would be in summer!
Visit at sunrise and sunset. Most tour buses leave the site by 4:30PM which cuts out a bunch of the crowds. For even less people, visit at sunrise.
The position of the sun may be something you want to consider too. In the evening, the sun sets behind the white chalk cliffs, as you can see from my photos. At sunrise, the sun is actually located behind the door. I’ve seen some cool shots online where people have captured the sun in the centre of the door, but for me, sunset was ideal!
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What to wear
No matter if you drive or visit with a tour bus, there’s still a 15-20 minute walk to the site that isn’t accessible by vehicle. Although the walk is easy, it is rocky in areas and has some steep hills and steps. There’s also a bit of a climb back to the car that will leave you breathless – so it’s important to wear sensible footwear. I was wearing hiking boots, by any shoes with reasonable grip will be fine,
In the colder months, like when I visited, it’s really, reallly freezing cold, especially when the sun sets, so rug up! I was in two jumpers and a jacket and still freezing cold. I remember finding the walk back to the car in the cold horrible, and my hands hurt from the wind and the cold.
Things to See and Do:
Walk along Durdle Door Beach
Catch the sunset or sunrise – perfect if you’re a photographer
Explore Man O’War Beach
Swim at both beaches – perfect in the summer months!
Visit the caves at the base of the chalk cliffs – don’t venture inside though, cliff falls are really common.
Hike to Lulworth Cove or explore the various walking trails on the site. Find out more here: www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/ or pick up a guide from the Heritage Centre in Lulworth Cove.
Carpark Payment Instructions
I found the Pay & Display carparks in England a little confusing at first, but here’s how it works:
Type in registration plate
Choose coins
OR
Choose card to pay by card
Select the price you want to pay – this equates to the number of hours you can spend on the site (there is a pricing table provided on the machine, so you know how much it will cost for the number of hours you want to stay.)
I’ve read online that there is apparently a check-in/check-out system. I personally didn’t see or use this.
The funds raised from the tickets is put towards maintenance of the site, such as car parks, roads, footpaths, toilets, waste management, event programmes and more!
General Info
PRICE
Free entry to the site
Paid parking – I paid £5 for 4 hours, but you can pay less or more for a shorter/longer stay.
OPENING HOURS
Open all year round.
Carpark timings:
April to September: 8am – Midnight
October to March: 8am – 4pm
FACILITIES
Toilets & Disabled toilets can be found at Durdle Door Holiday Park (about 15 mins walk from the beach, near the carpark)
There are no food facilities at the beach itself. I saw a restaurant in the holiday park, but best to come prepared.
Dogs are allowed, but you must pick up after them.
Camping is allowed in the holiday park, but not on the beach or carpark.
Have a fabulous time!
Let me know if you’ve been here and what you thought – oh and if you’re planning to visit and have any questions, feel free to ask below, very happy to help you guys out!
How cute is this two piece? It’s definitely channeling all the things I love – vintage vibes in particular!
Also, how do you guys like the poem intros we’ve be writing in our outfit posts? Personally, I’ve really enjoyed writing them – I love being creative, and I look forward to writing my posts and sharing a little piece of how I’m feeling at a particular time in my life.
It brings me onto an interesting subject in my life at the moment. I can say with honesty that this point in my life right now might be the happiest I’ve ever been. I mean truly content..not overjoyed, not ecstatic, just a quiet happiness.
I’ve taken my career into my hands, working on the projects I want to, and starting my own business was the best decision I’ve made. I’m learning new skills everyday that fascinate me and my creativity is buzzing. I’m exploring creative writing, video, calligraphy, photo editing, photography and continuing digital marketing strategy. I have a really solid relationship – the first that’s been so positive and trusting. And soon, I’ll be travelling solo for 3 months around Europe!
But the price of happiness has been a lingering fear. It’s so scary to give up your security and follow what you truly want. It’s scary every time I take a step toward the unknown.
But the funny thing is, it’s quietly paying off. Everything slowly and strangely works itself out and falls into place nicely.
If you could stop, and do something you really wanted to do right now, what would it be?
Huda Beauty’s second palette doesn’t disappoint, bringing high pigmented, long lasting, exotic colours reminiscent of the Arabian desert.
Colour
Just one look at Huda’s Desert Dusk Palette and you’re whisked away to the Arabian Desert. This gorgeous palette features colours reminiscent of a desert sunset, while capturing mystical twilight mirages and the shimmering sand under a warm summer sun. I absolutely love the range of colours in this palette and just looking at them makes me excited.
The 18 different shades come in 4 unique textures, versatile enough for a natural make up look, but equally great to go big and bold with glitter and shimmer. Inside the palette you’ll find:
Eight Matte Shades:
Six Pressed Pearls:
Three duo-chrome toppers and one pure glitter (Cosmo):
Application
A good 70% of the shadows in this palette are highly pigmented and super easy to apply and blend. Some of the matte colours (notably Amethyst, Eden and Musk) did apply a little patchy on my arm swatch and required multiple layers to build to the desired pigment. This is likely due to the drier texture of the mattes when compared to the pearl and duo chromes which were softer and “buttery” in texture.
In saying this, the more “buttery” the texture of the shadow, the more prone it was to fallout – nothing too severe, but handle with care.
The great thing about this palette is that the colours combine so well to create a new depth or shade of colour. Adding a layer of Twilight for example on top of Amethyst adds a nice shimmer with an iridescent blue/green glow in the light, taking it to the next level!
With the pure glitter Cosmo, I recommend adding some glitter glue or an eyeshadow base/sealer to make the glitter come out as bold as possible and stay intact.
The shadows in this palette last a really long time. The only thing I noticed is while colours stay pigmented, the shimmer seems dull slightly. I’m not sure if this is just the colours settling into my skin or if the glitter disappears after some time?
Packaging and Design
The packaging of this palette is gorgeous! It’s hard to tell from the photos, but the headdress, tops of the eyelids and writing, shimmer in the light. The palette itself is sturdy, clean and sleek with a gigantic mirror on the inside! As with all Huda packaging, it definitely feels high quality.
Value for money
This palette sells for $95 AUD at Sephora…which is pretty pricey for a eyeshadow palette. So is it worth it?
Maybe. There are a lot of great palettes out there from exceptional makeup brands that retail for at least $10 cheaper than this palette. If this palette was on par in terms of price, I would 100% recommend everyone buy it. But if you’re in search for a regular staple eyeshadow palette, I’d probably give this one a miss due to the price.
On the other hand, if you’re an eyeshadow fiend, or if the colours are seriously calling you, or if you live outside of Australia (where the palette is waaaay more reasonably priced) I’d say go for it!
I would forever chase the sun around the world, never letting winter catch up to me. So that’s what I’m doing this year. I’ve decided to take 3 months off to travel Europe – just as summer here ends and Spring begins in Europe.
Speaking of the sun, this dress is everything summer is in a dress! The sheer printed fabric is so light and flowy in the warm breeze and the bright yellow with a bright florals is a perfect celebration of summer. It’s been my favourite formal dress this summer, but also perfect for a romantic beach picnic, watching the last sunset of summer.
Which season do you wish never came to an end?
Run by two travel and lifestyle bloggers, The Hidden Thimble focus’ on creating truthful and in-depth travel guides, food & beauty reviews. Enjoy drool-worthy photography from around the world!
