Bled & Bohinj / Slovenia
There’s some things that travel guides just don’t tell you. Our final destination on this two-week trip was Chamonix in the French alps, and that would be reached from Ljubljana in Slovenia. However, flying from Slovenia to Geneva (then transferring to Chamonix) is hella expensive.
So, we took a bus from Budapest to Vienna, hired a car, drove down to Ljubljana (an easy 4 drive on the autobahn - 130km speed limit, not quite the unlimited speeds of Germany though) then a drive back to Vienna and a flight from there to Geneva.
So we departed Budapest super early and took the 3-hour bus up to Vienna. Arrived at the airport to pick up our rental, only to find out I’d booked the car in Laos. I mean Vientiane Wattay Intl. Airport looks very similar to Vienna-Schwechat Airport in a drop-down menu!
Alamo saved the day, booked a new car online while standing at their counter because it’s cheaper than the walk-up price. We were finally on our way and headed down to Ljubljana. It was late afternoon by the time we arrived, and the weather was pretty questionable. Made a quick food run, made dinner and called it a night.
No photos from this day so this post will cover day two where we attempted to see the sun rise over Lake Bled. Leaving in the dark we made the 45-minute drive then made the short hike up Ojstrica for the classic view of the lake from above. Unfortunately, there was no golden sunrise, but just being there was amazing.
The next stop was Vintgar Gorge, a 10 minute drive from the lake. We could only walk up a few hundred meters as the path was severely damaged and not safe, I’ll love to go back on day and see it all.
As we drove towards Lake Bohinj we started gaining altitude and the snow become more and more apparent. I passed a massive stack of logs, kept driving then eventually turned around so we could get some photos in front of it - for the gram obviously.
Lake Bohinj is Slovenias largest permanent lake, yet has a quiet stillness that pulls you into a trance. It’s definitely the place that made me fall in love with Slovenia.
After lunch and taking in the majestic lake we headed further west along the lake to Savica. There is a waterfall here by the same name. It is a must see, however due to the time of the year, the flow of water wasn’t amazing. The 20 minute walk from the hut proved to be rather difficult. The stone steps and path were more or less frozen over! But it was so much fun. Definitely another spot to come an visit again.
We got back on the road and made our way back to Ljubljana. The rain had settled in so it was a slow drive back. After dinner I headed into town and caught up with legend Jai Morrow - check out his work here.
I love creating images that speak to me.
I grew up in a small town that nobody really knows about, Levin. Spent a good ten years in Hamilton making some of the best friends anyone could have. And now I’m living, working and playing in the city of Auckland, New Zealand. Also a small country that people have trouble locating – I’m looking at you America!
Life is about stories, and that’s what I love to capture and document. My shooting style is unobtrusive. You may be a natural in front of the camera, or have no idea what to do but before we even start I’ll make sure you’re comfortable and relaxed.
Things I love: Travelling to wherever I can, my partner Monita, homemade burgers, wood fired pizzas, the smell of rain on a hot summers day, mountains, the snow, sunsets and sunrises, star gazing, natural light, the aesthetic of wood, crashing waves and day dreaming.