tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66077237537406889882024-03-12T18:26:44.339-07:00the rough guide to a lonely planetTravelling is a real passion of mine and one which I could talk about endlessly. This passion of mine is a solo one; so, I want to inspire you to travel and make these solo journeys less daunting, more thrilling and ensure that you and I get so much out of these trips we take.
I would be thrilled to hear what you think about my blog, so please feel free to comment, share and contact me if you have anything to say. I am on Twitter as @TRGTALPMikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-27905699624245254822015-10-16T13:49:00.000-07:002015-10-16T13:50:21.271-07:00I've moved...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-88555258826881368882015-04-30T14:30:00.002-07:002015-04-30T14:32:00.098-07:00The Nepal Earthquake - 80 Life-Changing Hours in Kathmandu<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a departure from the normal posts you usually see at The Rough Guide to a Lonely Planet, what follows is an account from a previous guest poster, MikeC, of his time in the Nepali capital of Kathmandu during the recent devastating earthquake to hit the country. A big thank you to MikeC for his willingness to share his story with the readers here. I hope you find it as engaging, thought-provoking and life-affirming as I did.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are keen to see MikeC's previous work, follow the link below to hear about his amazing journey through the less-travelled parts of Northern India. </span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'<a href="http://roughguidetoalonelyplanet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/northern-indiaoff-beaten-track-guest.html" target="_blank">Northern India...Off the Beaten Track</a>'</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Background to the events...</u></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At 11.56am on the 25th April 2015, Nepal was hit by a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake. The epicentre was close to the town of Gourka mid-way between the major tourist hub and trekking jump-off point of Pokhara and Kathmandu. I was in Kathmandu at the time, preparing to depart for a month’s climbing in the Himalayas. This is my description of events taken from diary entries from the quake up until I was able to get out of Nepal, some 80 hours or so later.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>The day of the earthquake...</u></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had just returned from some last minute shopping to get some things I needed to go climbing; some snacks, and the odd piece of essential clothing. I returned to the hotel and my friend Neil and I agreed to have half an hour to sort things out, have an early lunch and then head over to one of the Stupas in Kathmandu. A few minutes later, everything changed. Sitting on my bed for a few minutes reading, I initially felt a small vibration and the power went out. Being a common occurrence in that part of the world, I momentarily gave it little thought. That quickly changed when the full force of the earthquake hit. When the shock started, I decided to get out of the room and out of the hotel. I ran down the corridor, down the stairs and into the reception of the hotel where I was able to hold onto a supporting wall under a lintel. I remember looking outside and seeing walls, buildings everything collapsing around me. The shaking went on for about a minute, although at the time, it felt much longer.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Aftermath...</u></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once the quake stopped, we got out of the building and went onto the street, fearing aftershocks. Once on the road, a realisation of the damage started to hit home. Power lines were down, walls and buildings had collapsed, power was out, there was no phone reception. We went to a small car park; away from power lines and tall buildings and waited. Among us were many locals and foreigners. Most of whom were scared, confused and wondering what had just happened and whether it would happen again. Many people had injuries, thankfully none too severe, but some help was provided. There were two aftershocks while we were in the car park, during the second of which we met Hana, a South Korean girl who was travelling on her own and was understandably terrified.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(source - MikeC)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Making a plan...</u></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After spending an hour or so in the car park, we talked and decided upon a plan. Many people didn’t do this, and I believe this made our lives over the following days far easier than they could have been. Preparation in these situations is key and taking a few minutes to take stock and assess a situation can save your life. We decided that we needed supplies and to be safe. We returned to our hotel which was still standing, I gathered a survival bag consisting of water, food, clothing, water </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">purification tablets and medical supplies. We then went to Hana’s hotel so she could do the same. On the way, we saw complete devastation, collapsed and subsided buildings, more power lines down, cracks in pavements, roads and buildings as well as lots of people shocked by what had just occurred.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">(source - MikeC)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shortly after our thoughts turned to friends in Kathmandu. Both for ensuring they were OK as well as getting some local advice on what to do and where to go. Fortunately having spent a long time in Kathmandu over the last 12 years, I know the city well. So, we decided to set out for my friend, Basant’s office (as we couldn’t get any signal on our phones). It was a half-hour walk past more destruction. We got to Basant’s office around 3pm, but there was no one around. We spoke to one local who said he knew him, but had not heard anything. So, we decided to keep moving and get away from buildings. We headed down to Ratna Park, open, safe and with lots of people. This would give us chance to take stock. On the way, we walked past the clock tower in Kathmandu, the clock frozen at 11.56am. A poignant reminder of what had happened only a few hours ago.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MUblwARhl4s/VUKcbSFaheI/AAAAAAAAAiA/kBmwqgbH9hg/s1600/clock%2Btower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MUblwARhl4s/VUKcbSFaheI/AAAAAAAAAiA/kBmwqgbH9hg/s1600/clock%2Btower.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">The Clock Tower - 'stuck' at 11.56am (source - MikeC)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Taking stock of things...</u></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the park, we were able to sit and take stock. We didn’t want to go and had nowhere to go to. Neil was able to barter an old pair of sunglasses for some tea; we had a couple of drinks and talked about what had happened and what we thought was going to happen. There were a few more aftershocks, but none too bad. We waited until sunset, but decided to head back before it got too dark. We knew there was a small, but open café close to our hotel and there might have been a working Internet connection. On the walk back we saw further destruction. Buildings collapsed, shell-shocked people sitting on the side of the road, people trying to gather what they could from the ruins of their houses and their lives and people looking for loved ones. The realisation of what had happened perhaps starting to sink in.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Telling the world I was alive...</u></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We returned to the hotel and café and somehow was able to get online. Of course, Facebook was inundated with messages, posts, comments etc. We were all able to get a message out to people that somehow, by some inexplicable piece of luck, karma; call it what you will, we were all alive. We remained in the café until around 11am, taking advantage of social media and electricity while we had it. We also had a hot meal, not knowing when we would do so next. After much discussion and consideration, we decided to go back inside. In hindsight, this was one of the two mistakes I made during the four days – I’ll get to the other later. We did however pack our bags carefully with all equipment in/attached to it. To say we slept is an overstatement, we rested, but a number of small aftershocks as well as nerves kept me awake. Around 5am, a 5.6 aftershock hit us which sent us scrambling out of the building and me cursing myself for my stupidity and putting us in danger.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Day two...</u></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We spent the next few hours in the café garden, still with Wi-Fi, but little else. We were able to update people about our condition and to formulate our next plan. We had heard a rumour about the British Embassy wanting to make contact with British Nationals and that they were formulating a plan. At the time we believed this was true; this was the second mistake I made – as time went on, we learnt how quickly misinformation and rumour can spread. We made it to the British Embassy, I spoke to the Commanding Officer – the embassy is quite militarised and it run by the Ghurkhas. The Officer told me him and three staff were looking after 158 British Nationals, they had little to offer, but said they could take myself and Neil in, but Hana, being South Korean would understandably not be allowed in. It was also suggested we go to the airport and the South Korean Embassy.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was here that we saw the worst of people. It was the only time. Overall, I was blown away by the kindness and generosity of people – I’ll get onto that, but this was the one time I witnessed exploitation of the situation. The taxi journey to the South Korean embassy would usually be a few hundred rupees, maybe £3. When I finally found a taxi driver, who would go, they wanted 1500 rupees per person. After an exchange of expletives, he left and we abandoned that plan and went to the airport. Unfortunately, 10000 other foreigners had the same idea. The airport was chaos. No one knew what was happening, no staff had turned up as they were either injured, dead, or had gone to check on/look for their family. We quickly decided to abandon that plan and head back to Basant’s office. Thankfully when we arrived, he was alive and well. We discussed what had happened and were able to get a copy of an albeit small newspaper. It told us of the death toll, but we all knew it would rise.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Making a plan to get home...</u></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We started to discuss onward flights and getting home. After calling home on Basant’s somehow working landline, I tried to call the airline, but at 12.50pm mid-call a 6.5 aftershock sent us running outside, by the time we were able to go back inside, the line was dead. We realised we needed somewhere to stay, which wasn’t inside. Next to the office was a small park run by a group of Hare Krishna’s who had a commune for people of all faiths and beliefs. They very kindly welcomed us to live with them. They couldn’t offer much, just a piece of grass and a tarpaulin for a roof, but it was a wonderful gesture, one which we will never forget.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After getting settled and speaking to some of the others in the park (we were the only foreigners), I decided we needed another plan. While the airport was no use, maybe the airline offices would be able to help. We found quickly however that they were all closed; staff having gone home and many without power. It didn’t take us long to abandon the re-booking plan and decided that buying any flight out was the best solution. This of course would only work with an Internet connection. By this time the power in the café had run out, so we went on a Wi-Fi hunt with dying batteries and no way to charge them. Hana knew of a Korean café which according to some people she had met still somehow had working Internet. We tracked it down and amazingly it worked! We were partly relieved, but knew we had many more obstacles. The first being the structural integrity of the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">building. It was standing, but a number close to it had collapsed and were dangerous, so we didn’t want to linger. Just before the battery died, I was able to get a flight booked with Qatar Airways for Tuesday evening which was a great relief. Hana was able to get one for herself for the following morning. We were overjoyed and left to go back to our new home in the park.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Helping others...</u></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the precarious walk back past unstable buildings and through dangerously narrow streets; we met a group of Czech people who had just got back from their trek, but having missed the force of the quake. Their hotel was unusable and they were in need of shelter and accommodation. We suggested they came with us and they were delighted at the offer of somewhere to stay. They were well equipped for camping and mostly self-sufficient which was great as none of us wanted to overly burden our hosts. We returned to the camp to be given a plate of rice with a few vegetables. A moving gesture given what the people had gone through. We felt touched that as complete strangers, the generosity of those who had nothing extended to giving us a warm meal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">(source - MikeC)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Exhausted people began to bed down for the night around 10pm, but none of us really slept, the pouring rain, the aftershocks, the nervous conversations of people and the general apprehensiveness made sleep elusive for a second night. Around 5am the following morning some people left to assess their homes. For most the news was bad and they would be forced to return.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Day three...</u></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Later than morning, I went in search of food. We had mostly been living of energy bars and peanuts and I felt some fruit or vegetables would not only prove a welcome break but keep us healthier. I was beginning to worry about the outbreak of disease, there was no running water, the sewers had backed-up and rubbish was piling up. I was able to find some fruit from a market which was a great relief. It was more expensive than usual, but not overly so. I was impressed at the self-control of people for not panic-buying. I believe the good-nature of Nepali people and the concern for others maybe prevented hoarding. Such discipline and concern or others, I don’t believe would have existed in the West.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Assessing the damage...</u></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We decided to go and assess the damage around Kathmandu, gather a few more missing possessions and get a better idea of what was happening in the rest of the city. We were able to find a couple of restaurants and cafes which were somehow functioning. Somewhere to get a cup of coffee and a meal was a great relief. Not only for our own well-being but also because we didn’t want our hosts to feel obliged to waste food on us.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We returned for our last night to the park and spent time talking to the locals. Much of this was dedicated to dispelling rumours. Rumour, we learnt was one of the biggest problems here. A lack in knowledge about earthquakes meant people believed all sorts of stories most of which lacked any scientific evidence. Many times we heard people saying ‘there will be another earthquake at 3:30pm. This was of course complete rubbish, but created panic and hysteria. A few basic lessons in plate tectonics gave some of the locals a little more comfort in understanding what was happening and why it was happening. This was the first evening when we heard planes and helicopters flying overhead. Mostly aid planes and helicopters flying to the mountains to rescue people stuck. It was a reassuring sound to hear, but didn’t make sleep any easier.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Day four – time to leave...</u></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The following morning was sunny and warm. I decided to take a short stroll around to assess what was going on. Not much had changed, but a few people had begun to go home. I saw a few Red Cross tents, but little else. The Government had begun to deliver water in large tankers and people were (again without panic) filling up containers. This was the morning of our flight and knowing the chaos of the airport, two days previously, I wanted to give ourselves a lot of time. After meeting Basant, changing clothes and getting ready, he asked if I could take one of his volunteers, Giulia, to the airport as well and help her. Around 9:30am, we set off for the airport expecting the worst and in no way assuming we would be leaving. Check in for Qatar Airways was easy, Etihad for Giulia was anything but. The previous day’s flight had been diverted to Delhi as there had been too many planes on the tarmac for it to be able to land. While of course the aid was needed, the clogging up of the airport probably caused as much harm as good. Much of the blame of this has to fall on the Indians for acting without thinking. Eventually we were all checked in, through security and ready for departure. We all had a few hours nervous delay as more rumours spread about cancellations, but in the end we were all aboard our respective flights and heading home to great relief, exhaustion, but also a fair amount of survivor guilt.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Emotional effects of leaving...</u></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Things for me really hit home when I landed in Doha, firstly seeing lights on, having electricity and Internet was all very unusual. I walked past a restaurant in the airport around 1am and it was full of people eating, drinking, relaxing and doing normal things, a few snoozing on their chairs. I thought back to the last 4 days, could there be a greater juxtaposition in any given period of time?</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The day I returned home I went to the supermarket to get some things which I had had to leave behind. I ended up walking past the vegetables and found myself looking at the mushrooms. For no particular reason I don’t think, but I remember looking and thinking, what has happened to our world where people demand to have a choice between eight different types of mushrooms while most of the people I had been living with the last few days probably won’t eat tonight. Many of the injustices in the world came crashing home at that point. While I don’t think of myself as an overly materialistic person, this experience has taught me so much about the world and what we deem important. It has also taught me the kindness and compassion which most people have. It also </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">reminded me of the importance of being prepared. I’m not talking about constantly remaining on edge expecting something to happen, just that when it does; taking a few minutes to take stock and consider your options so you can make informed decisions can be the difference between life and death.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">MikeC - Safe and Well (source - MikeC)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Personal thoughts and advice...</u></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For whatever reason, my hotel didn’t collapse while others did. That is just the way things happened, there is nothing you can do about that, but you can be prepared to make decisions. We were, others were not. Everyone suffered, we, I believe suffered less as we were prepared and didn’t panic. I hope that no one has to go through what we and the people of Nepal have recently gone through, but if you do, take stock, come up with a clear plan of action, don’t make rash decisions, take rumour with a big pinch of salt and be prepared. Water, clothes, high energy food, water purification tablets, medical kit and a solar charger for your phone are all vital things and can keep you alive. A pen and paper with phone numbers and addresses of travel companies, embassies, the emergency services are all indispensable. For me, being able to write my experiences also made a big difference in enabling me to re-tell this story so that I can share my experiences and hopefully help to prepare you for what might happen if you are unfortunate enough to experience anything similar.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The relief effort to help the people of Nepal is a huge task. The priority is to help those in need now; those caught up in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. Based on who he saw 'on the ground' in Nepal, MikeC has suggested the following charities, should you want to donate to help those affected by this catastrophic event.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Medecins Sans Frontieres </b>-<b> </b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.msf.org.uk/country-region/nepal-earthquake-emergency-response">http://www.msf.org.uk/country-region/nepal-earthquake-emergency-response</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The International Red Cross</b> - <a href="https://www.icrc.org/en/document/nepal-earthquake">https://www.icrc.org/en/document/nepal-earthquake</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Water Aid</b> - <a href="https://www.wateraid.org/uk/donate/nepal-earthquake-relief?id=NP9999%2c15/QBB%2cCshOth%2c15/QBB/00A">https://www.wateraid.org/uk/donate/nepal-earthquake-relief?id=NP9999%2c15/QBB%2cCshOth%2c15/QBB/00A</a></span></span><br />
<br />MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-55405620138980374842015-02-15T15:58:00.003-08:002015-02-15T15:58:51.020-08:00An Ethiopian Trek (A Guest Post by Calum)<div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He's back! After writing about <a href="http://roughguidetoalonelyplanet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/bicycling-through-berlin-guest-post-by.html" target="_blank">Berlin</a> in November 2013, Calum has returned! Only this time, we find him in Africa, exploring the magical beauty of Ethiopia; a destination that is growing in popularity as more and more travellers take advantage of the good connections to the country and begin to realise what this fascinating country has to offer!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Read any piece
written by travellers to Ethiopia in the past 10 years and your preconceptions
will be blown away. The country is still poor but news pictures from starving
refugee camps are long in the past. Instead think lush green countryside, awe
inspiring landscapes and a country rich in cultural and religious sites. From
rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, to the claimed home of the Ark of the Covenant in Axum, the North offers much for the 21st century traveller, though
infrastructure remains in the early stages and getting around can be hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My friend James and
I spent two weeks backpacking around Ethiopia’s Northern circuit taking in
Addis Ababa, Gonder, Axum, Lalibela and the Simien Mountains National Park. It
provided just the inspiration I’d been looking for to offer up another piece of
writing to The Rough Guide to a Lonely Planet. Below is a short snapshot from three days in the middle of
our trip.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...Our pick-up arrived outside the L-Shape hotel in Gonder at 7 a.m. Despite the slightly charred omelette served for breakfast, and the two hour power cut the day before, the L-Shape had offered a relatively pleasant stay. A stylish looking chap with dreadlocks jumped out the van and enthusiastically introduced himself — “I’m Yur Kuk, and I’ll be trekking with you over the next few days”. An unusual name, I thought. James and I jumped in and the van pulled off. It went round a few streets before pulling over to the side where Yegsaw jumped in behind us.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The road into Gonder on the day before setting off on our trip (Source - Calum)</span></div>
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Yegsaw had organised our three day trip to the Simien Mountains the previous day but now he looked a tad nervous. “The rest of the group have cancelled”, he said. “I’m going to have to ask for some more money, another $25 perhaps”. The atmosphere went cold. Yegsaw had offered us a good deal on the basis of having another group of trekkers we could join. He began mumbling about how one of the group was ill and they’d had to delay their trip.<br /><br />“You’re asking us for another $25?”, I said, after a few minutes awkwardness in the van.<br /><br />“The cost is higher because the others in the group have cancelled.”<br /><br />I wasn’t enjoying the news. “If the others have cancelled that’s not our problem. We agreed a price and you were happy to take money from us last night. You took on that risk.”<br /><br />“Well the cost is higher and I need to ask you to pay more.”<br /><br />“Well, how about we stop the van, cancel the trip and we get out here. You can refund our money and we’ll find someone else to arrange our trek.” I looked at James and he didn’t look pleased either. Neither of us wanted to cancel the trip — we only had two weeks in Ethiopia and it was a struggle to squeeze in a three day trek as things were. We were both not very chuffed with our agent Yegsaw at this point.<br /><br />“I don’t think you should cancel, but I do think you should maybe consider paying a little more”. Yegsaw seemed slightly less sure of himself now. I told him we wouldn’t be paying any more. At that point he said goodbye and exited the van, leaving us with the driver and Yur Kuk.<br /><br />We’d had a frosty start to the trip but we were to have some fantastic adventures over the next three days. The scenery was breathtaking throughout; we had lunch by the river whilst families of Gelada baboons crossed in front of us, saw Jinbar waterfall with a 500 metre drop and witnessed the most spectacular views from Imet Gogo at 3926m. Our guide and scout, Mesi and Moulali, looked after us well. It transpired that ‘Yur Kuk’ had actually introduced himself to us as the camp cook. Much to my embarrassment I’d invented him a new Ethiopian name. He was a mysterious character whose real name we weren’t to find out, but he made the most fantastic pancakes and coffee for breakfast and prepared supreme meals each evening when we reached camp.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gelada baboons walk along the escarpment in Simien Mountains National Park </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Source - Calum)</span></div>
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There was one thing we’d been nervous about the whole trek. Yegsaw had promised to arrange us travel to Axum, our next main destination. We were to stay one night in Debark following the trek before travelling on. After our exchange with Yegsaw in the van we were much less confident that the travel arrangements would come through.<br /><br />After three days trekking we were picked up and driven out of the park, onward to our hotel in Debark. It was a miracle to have a shower after three days away, but now we had business to attend to — we had to decide what to do about our planned, or possibly not planned, journey the next day.<br /><br />I began asking around the hotel for information. If Yegsaw hadn’t arranged our transport the next day how would we get to Axum? As always in Ethiopia, things would be slightly complicated.<br /><br />A bus left Gonder at five-thirty each morning for Shire, passing through Debark sometime between 7 and 9 a.m. This would take us most of the way and from Shire we’d arrange a minibus ride the final two hours to Axum. However, as the bus usually set off full from Gonder we’d be unlikely to get a seat in Debark. To secure a seat we’d have to have someone travel the Gonder-Debark part of the route on our behalf. Our hotelier could call back and arrange for someone to get on the bus there, but on top of the bus ticket this would involve a fee. The arrangement sounded slightly odd but it did correspond with information given in the Lonely Planet guide. I decided this would be a good time to call Yegsaw for a chat.<br /><br />Yegsaw’s English was good enough for him to have sold us a three day mountain trek but otherwise fairly basic. Unfortunately my Amharic is completely non-existent. I did manage to ask Yegsaw how he was going to deliver our tickets. I expected him to ask us for more cash. Instead he said: “Be at the bus station tomorrow morning at seven, they’ll be there”. There didn’t seem much else we could do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the main road through Debark </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Source - Calum)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other than being a place to await onward transport Debark offers little for the traveller. We sat down in the hotel restaurant and ordered ‘Pasta and Meat’ — possibly the least risky looking option on the menu — before heading back to our room. Tomorrow we’d find out whether our bus journey would come through.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Less than ideal surroundings in Debark </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Source - Calum)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />7 a.m. at Debark bus station is miserable, utterly miserable. James and I arrived with our packs. The hawkers seemed to leave us alone once we confidently told them we already had people looking after us. If only they knew. Debark was a basic town and if the dusty high street full of corrugated iron shacks had little to offer then the bus station had even less. Agents shouted ‘Gonder-Gonder-Gonder-Gonder’ as minivans came and went. Carrion picked on the animal vertebrae on the ground to my left. I didn’t feel hungry at all.<br /><br />Two hours later the bus finally pulled in, did a turn-around and stopped. The engine kept running — I imagined the driver wouldn’t dare turn it off given how much trouble it might take to restart — and a young boy jumped out the side door to pop a brick chock behind the front wheel. Passengers began getting off to stretch their legs and behold, our man with the tickets was there!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Always tip the man who loads your luggage. You really want it to be strapped on tight! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Source - Calum)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />The bus waited in Debark for thirty minutes before setting off. It turned out this would be the only stop. I had no idea how long the trip to Shire would take but I’d read minivans for Axum stopped leaving at five in the afternoon. Driving in the dark is dangerous in Ethiopia and the risk of hitting livestock is high. In addition, many vehicles on the road don’t have or don’t use lights and head-on collisions are commonplace. There’s a much higher likelihood of encountering bandits too. We had no idea how long the journey would take but we were sure we should be there by 2pm. On the map the distance from Debark to Shire looked 100km as the crow flies. Surely it couldn’t be much more than that by road.<br /><br />Three o’clock and still Shire was nowhere in sight. We’d approach villages, “this must be it, it must be”, I’d say, but no, the bus would carry on through. Checkpoints seemed to be becoming more frequent. Police officers would stop the bus, get on and check everyone’s identity cards. A few times they made us all get off and stand outside though I’ve no idea why. An hour later we began entering a much larger town than the rest. ‘This must be it, this really must be it.” Inda Aba Guna the sign said. There was still another 20km to go.</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From left: James, Mesi, Moulali and myself </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Source - Calum)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Taking the harder road often offers the richest rewards. It’s two months since I arrived back in the UK yet I’m still continually reminded of contrasts between Ethiopia and home. Taking a comfortable car journey up the M5, browsing the shelves in the local supermarket or even just being able to flick a light-switch with some confidence the lights will actually come on. Things will become easier as time goes on but I firmly believe the richest possible experience to be had in Ethiopia is now.</span></div>
MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-81898570873245029102014-09-28T14:33:00.002-07:002014-09-28T14:33:25.922-07:00Inspiration - That Photo (Part 3) - Mauritius<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Rough Guide to a Lonely Planet, at its heart, is essentially about inspiring you to travel. In the past, I have posted photographs that I hope will have made you consider a destination you may not have thought about visiting before or opened your eyes to the incredible beauty the world can offer you when you travel. Check out my two previous posts <a href="http://roughguidetoalonelyplanet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/inspiration-that-photo.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://roughguidetoalonelyplanet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/inspiration-that-photopart-2.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To continue this theme of inspiration through photography, I wanted to post a number of images from a stunning country Indian Ocean country I visited this year. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the one, the only...Mauritius!</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X7aSc4qBkLU/VChxsY2jYNI/AAAAAAAAAfI/fGtCa1JA9Lk/s1600/DSC_0027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X7aSc4qBkLU/VChxsY2jYNI/AAAAAAAAAfI/fGtCa1JA9Lk/s1600/DSC_0027.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 'mushroom' rock off the Ile aux Benitiers</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Black River Gorges National Park</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Black River Gorges National Park</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Coloured Earth at Chamarel</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Incredible view across to the Ile aux Benitiers</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A panorama over the Grand Riviera Nord</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Flat Island as viewed from Coin de Mire</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The lilypads at The Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some beautiful island flora</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunsets from Pointes aux Piments</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Pereybere</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trou aux Biches </span></div>
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<br />MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-16180269224405656662014-08-30T10:45:00.000-07:002014-08-30T10:45:29.880-07:00Northern India...Off the Beaten Track (A Guest Post by MikeC)<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My old friend and former South African park ranger, MikeC, was keen to contribute to The Rough Guide to a Lonely Planet. And, as a well travelled soul, I am pleased to have him on board for another of our guest posts. Being a seasoned traveller means that MikeC likes to explore places less frequented by other travellers; something he wanted to share with you. And, in this post, you get some great advice and insight into a particular part of our guest poster's current home country, as he guides us off the beaten track in Northern India.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thought for this guest author piece, it
would be interesting to look at some alternative ideas for travel in Northern
India. Everyone knows you usually go to Agra to see the Taj Mahal, Delhi to see
the Red Fort abd so on, but what I decided instead, which I think will be much more
fun, and more useful for those thinking of India, is having a look at some of
the lesser-known places in Northern India. I have decided to take you on a trip from
Agra, west across India; an A to B, so to speak. So, sit back, grab a cup of coffee
and let me do what no Indian bus can do; get you from A to B comfortably, quickly
and with a comprehensive understanding of what is going on!</span></div>
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<u><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fatehpur Sikri</span></u></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">Of course, you are all going to go to Agra
anyway, so it makes sense that we start our journey here. We are going to start
our journey here and continue west, until we run out of India! </span>The first place on our journey is Fatehpur Sikri
which is a semi-restored fort city about an hour from Agra comparatively
unknown to tourists and foreigners. Contrary to what local tuk-tuk drivers out
to make a quick buck will say, there is a <i>very</i>
comprehensive bus service which will take you there in a lap of
un-airconditioned luxury; in a bus which lacks everything from seat belts and
working suspension, to a driver whose interpretation of brakes is using the horn instead! If
you’re really lucky, you might be able to share this bus ride with all manner
of animal life, small children and anything else which wants to get out of
Agra!</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wyPlEMhVGXA/VAH8x6nScNI/AAAAAAAAAd4/Sr2hCBOrDW4/s1600/fatehpur%2Bsikri.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wyPlEMhVGXA/VAH8x6nScNI/AAAAAAAAAd4/Sr2hCBOrDW4/s1600/fatehpur%2Bsikri.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fatehpur Sikri (source - MikeC)</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fort town of Fatehpur Sikri is small
enough to get around in a couple of hours. It is a mix of religions with a
large Mosque on one side around which the Imam will show you for a ‘donation’,
to the old ruins on the other side. The inside of these have been meticulously
restored and are well worth a wander around. There are of course more striking
ruins and forts in India, indeed when arriving; I asked a Spanish man what he
gave it. He replied 7, when I responded with ‘out of?’ he laughed and walked
off! That said, I think well worth a visit! </span></div>
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<u><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Keoladeo National Park</span></u><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iW5n89Yc_FQ/VAH9l8RWHII/AAAAAAAAAeA/lk2m4mgSGBY/s1600/Keoladeo%2Bnational%2Bpark.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iW5n89Yc_FQ/VAH9l8RWHII/AAAAAAAAAeA/lk2m4mgSGBY/s1600/Keoladeo%2Bnational%2Bpark.png" height="211" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Keoladeo National Park (source - jagdeeprajput.com)</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On a slight detour from the road to Jaipur,
is the Keoladeo National Park. Far less touristy than Ranthambore National Park (probably because it
doesn’t have any tigers) it is well worth the journey. Buses will get you to
Bharatpur which gets you close to the park and to a place where there is plenty of
accommodation. Tours in Keoladeo are either on foot or by cycle rickshaw. Guides range, of course, from average up to very knowledgeable and many hotels
will arrange for a guide (although I’m sure there are some business dealings
between hotels and certain guides, so it is best to shop around first). The majority
of people who go to Keoladeo are birdwatchers, but don’t let this put the rest
of you off. There is some fantastic wildlife around, and it is great just to be
somewhere so calm and quiet! </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Chand Baori</u></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AI4dgLdn7eU/VAH9mrTpERI/AAAAAAAAAeM/WyVdvUoh5PI/s1600/Chand%2BBaori.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AI4dgLdn7eU/VAH9mrTpERI/AAAAAAAAAeM/WyVdvUoh5PI/s1600/Chand%2BBaori.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: start;">Chand Baori Stepwell - between Jaipur and Agra (source - MikeC)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">On leaving Keoladeo, you have a couple of
travel options. You can either take the train directly to Jaipur, or return to
the Agra road. The road continues and eventually ends up in Jaipur, more on
that later. However before getting to the Pink City (which is not actually
pink) you can take a detour and seemingly go back in time to a place called
Chand Baori. Chand Baori made a very brief appearance in ‘The Dark Knight Rises’
which again we will get back to later. It is, in fact, the largest stepwell in
Northern India. The hassle of getting here is more than compensated for by the
wonder of the place itself. Unfortunately, India being India, there is little
in the means of ease of transport here! The local bus will drop you in a
decidedly rundown and uninspiring roadside stop at the junction between
highway 11 and 25 after which, you need to find yourself a tuk-tuk who will take
you the rest of the way. Don’t let the hassle of the journey put you off as the
result is well worth it. Anyway, the challenging journeys always make for
better stories! The stepwell is a unique place, made better by the distinct
lack in tourists. The visitors book will tell you that only a few foreigners a
day make it, a stark contrast to much of the rest of India. There are a couple
of guides who will take you round, but honestly what you see is what you get
and they aren’t really necessary. That said, they can unlock some gates and get
you to places you can’t otherwise go for some great photos. Nevertheless, this is
such a photogenic place, taking a bad photo here is a challenge! </span>The site itself is pretty small and you
will likely be done in an hour or so. There are a couple of small temples
around, and the scenery is great, but apart from that, there is little to keep
you from the drive back and the wait by the side of the road for another local
bus to complete your journey to Jaipur.</span></div>
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<u><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Galtaji Temple</span></u><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--QmYBdptQ-U/VAH-BNAGUGI/AAAAAAAAAec/JqjBDyrqSK4/s1600/Galtaji%2BMonkey%2BTemple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--QmYBdptQ-U/VAH-BNAGUGI/AAAAAAAAAec/JqjBDyrqSK4/s1600/Galtaji%2BMonkey%2BTemple.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Galtaji Monkey Temple, Jaipur (source - MikeC)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In keeping with the theme
of the lesser-explored places of Northern India, I won’t dwell much on the
common attractions of the Pink City. Any guide book will give you pages of
information on the Hawa Mahal, The City Palace, Jantar Mantar etc. Some of the other
highlights of Jaipur include Galtaji Temple, commonly known (although not always
to tuk-tuk drivers) as the Monkey temple. As the name suggests it is inhabited
by dozens of (mostly) friendly monkeys! Get there early before the heat makes
the monkeys go and rest. I’d also suggest taking some bananas to give to the
monkeys. Not only is this better for them that the ‘monkey food’ which you get
hawked at the entrance to the temple, but they also make for some great photos
as the monkeys will take the bananas from your hand! As with most places in
India, there is always someone around who wants to offer their services in
exchange for your rupees! On a previous trip I was approached by a young man
offering to escort me up to the temple and protect me from the monkeys. What
exactly qualified him as a monkey protector remained to be seen, but he seemed
confident in his own abilities, although decidedly disappointed when I told him
I would take my chances! His parting words of ‘don’t blame me if you get
bitten’ did little to discourage me. Indeed, he made himself scarce when I
returned monkey-bite free! </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Pushkar</u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moving further West through Rajasthan, you
come to the equally touristy Pushkar, famous for camel safaris, shopping and
people who want to charge you a lot of money to throw a flower in a lake! A
word of warning, don’t take the flowers! (don’t say I didn’t warn you!) For
such a touristy place, although not entirely unexpected for India, getting to
Pushkar itself isn’t as easy as it should be! There is no direct bus service,
instead, you need to get a bus form Jaipur to Ajmer, then change and take
another to Pushkar. There are no air-conditioned buses, so be ready to enjoy
the local buses imagining what life must be like as a sardine in a microwave! </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While camping in Pushkar,
you will find some tents have superior build quality than others. Inspect your
tent thoroughly for inferior building standards! </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jJ2rBEU0zFY/VAH-CGIZwmI/AAAAAAAAAew/BHeyA_8aaHk/s1600/Pushkar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jJ2rBEU0zFY/VAH-CGIZwmI/AAAAAAAAAew/BHeyA_8aaHk/s1600/Pushkar.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carry On Camping...Indian Style (source - MikeC)</span></div>
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<u><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jodphur</span></u><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From Pushkar, you can continue your travels
in a few directions. Further West takes you to the blue city of Jodhpur, home
of the prison and fort in ‘Dark Knight Rises’. No before you ask, this isn’t a
tour of places Christopher Nolan has shot scenes from films! Despite recent
fame, it is only really the fort which is what brings you to Jodhpur, as well
as the blue buildings, which unlike the ‘pink’ of Jaipur, are actually blue! The fort is a fantastically imposing structure, sitting high on the cliff-top
over the town, it is one of the finer forts in Rajasthan. That said though,
Jodhpur is a one night trip at most. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XHDhQgSavh0/VAH-BrVXmCI/AAAAAAAAAe0/JaFeTVwZYys/s1600/Jodhpur%2B-%2Bblue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XHDhQgSavh0/VAH-BrVXmCI/AAAAAAAAAe0/JaFeTVwZYys/s1600/Jodhpur%2B-%2Bblue.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jodhpur, the Blue City (source - junctionholidays.com)</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wa0IYo8WafY/VAH-BBjJwDI/AAAAAAAAAeY/kGNiQrH-aRg/s1600/Jodhpur%2Bfort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wa0IYo8WafY/VAH-BBjJwDI/AAAAAAAAAeY/kGNiQrH-aRg/s1600/Jodhpur%2Bfort.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">Jodhpur Fort (source - Transtech Packers & Movers)</span></span></div>
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<u style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Udaipur</u></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qw_-kR6KQ98/VAH-CjC0rSI/AAAAAAAAAeo/kWqxhZKURBc/s1600/Udaipur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qw_-kR6KQ98/VAH-CjC0rSI/AAAAAAAAAeo/kWqxhZKURBc/s1600/Udaipur.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Udaipur (source - MikeC)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although not really ‘unknown’ and ‘untouristy’ Udaipur is worth a brief mention as we have a film-set theme going on here! Slightly older readers will probably recognise Udaipur as the setting for 'Octopussy' which is, I’m sure much to the frustration of local waiters, plays every evening in a number of roof-top restaurants. The city itself is great for a weekend, aside from the lake which is the main attraction; there are a number of palaces which are well worth a visit as well as some good shopping and some excellent restaurants. Udaipur is well connected with other cities and definitely not to be missed out! The City palace in Udaipur is one of the main attractions. It is well worth half a day to explore. Boat tours are also a good way to see the city.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, there are a couple of other places
worth mentioning, perhaps for the more intrepid traveller, or the traveller who
is happy spending the best part of a day on Indian trains or buses would enjoy! From Jodhpur, you can continue your journey West towards Pakistan, just this
side of the border, you find the town of Jaisalmer. As with most cities in
this area, the fort is often the focus and the main reason to visit. The
Maharaja Palace in Jailsamer is no exception, affording spectacular views of
the city and surrounding desert. As with most of these cities, one night is
really all you need. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That leaves one place left on the journey,
one not for the faint hearted. Karni Mata or 'Rat Temple' lies North East of
Jailsamer and due north of Jodhpur. Your best chance of getting to the 'Rat Temple' is getting to Baikaner, train or bus, and then getting a <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>train from Baikaner to Nagaur, and getting off at the stop
‘Deshnok Junction’ which is right next to the temple. Once in the temple, you
are on your own! Try and avoid stepping on the rats! Also be on the lookout for
a white rat, which are supposed to be lucky. For the sake of those of you who are a bit
more squeamish, I will avoid any photographs! You can get around the temple
quickly, and there is really little to see/do apart form that, so after the temple,
probably time to head off. Unless you have a Pakistani visa, then you are
running out of Western India, so time I think to head North or South, whatever takes
your fancy. India is an enormous country that leaves the traveller with plenty more to see and do!</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dzImq-t9tk0/VAIJVKS2IEI/AAAAAAAAAe8/Qh-5T53so1U/s1600/MikeC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dzImq-t9tk0/VAIJVKS2IEI/AAAAAAAAAe8/Qh-5T53so1U/s1600/MikeC.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our Man in India - MikeC (source - MikeC)</span></div>
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MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-39471302288829778892014-06-15T13:16:00.003-07:002014-06-15T13:16:52.892-07:00Budget Bliss!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w-bPxz4ZI6A/U53-eeG3umI/AAAAAAAAAdk/ywDYjzRuxo0/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w-bPxz4ZI6A/U53-eeG3umI/AAAAAAAAAdk/ywDYjzRuxo0/s1600/photo.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Three Star Luxury in Mauritius! (source - MikeW)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Three stars! That is all it takes to please me. I write this blog post (in my Moleskine) as I lounge by the infinity pool in my three star hotel in Mauritius. Up to this point, I have apologised four times already for a number of things I need not apologise for; namely the numerous attentive staff just doing their job. As a regular user of hostels and other types of budget accommodation, this three star palace is the height of luxury for me. To be fussed over with hot towels, served drinks at my sun lounger and to be treated with some degree of deference is something of a novelty. And, to be honest with you, it is a little embarrassing! I am eternally thankful to be blessed with with a cheap taste for travel; so to have an army of hotel staff tempting me with a host of foods and drinks, clearing away my litter and lifting heavy bags, all with a cheery smile, is completely unfamiliar to me. I am no Diana Ross. I have no diva-ish tendencies that might suggest I have delusions of grandeur when it comes to travel. I am a dyed-in-the-wool Yorkshireman who firmly believes that you should not make others do what you would not do yourself. So, to have a retinue of staff to do your bidding just seems a bit silly! But, I forget. This holiday is a momentous one; where I am celebrating, with my family, a number of special occasions. I am not backpacking through Eastern Europe on a budget of £10 per day or trying to negotiate the lowest price for a room in Croatia. I am in this Indian Ocean paradise to relax. I have certainly paid a fair whack for this and should certainly let the staff here take the load. This is a treat! I have a fairly stressful job where I think constantly about the welfare of others; so to have someone make my bed and clean my room for me each day, as well as bring me drinks and cook me sumptuous meals is an unadulterated joy...and, one I should savour! Sure...I am only here for 10 days, but how lovely it feels to let those stresses ebb from your body as you sink into that sun lounger, pick up your book, dip into the pool, back to your book, dip into the coral filled tropical ocean, read more of that book...</span><div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MikeW 'Slumming It'! (source - MikeW)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, you may feel out of your depth; a little above your financial station, but my advice to the budget conscious traveller out there - give it a try! Throw yourself into the lap of luxury for a week or two! Besides, you save so much on your other trips, why not live it up for a while; even if it does mean 'slumming it' in a three star!</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Safe travels!</span></div>
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MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-38529109965239334872014-05-10T10:16:00.004-07:002014-05-10T10:18:07.021-07:00Hostel Virgin?<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You're a virgin?! You mean you have never experienced one before?! A bit scared about it? Well...let me help you; I've done it loads of times before! With my advice, I guarantee you will have a pleasurable experience EVERY time! Is this sexual nirvana, I'm referring to? Nope...I'm talking about your first stay in a hostel. These FIVE top tips will help you through your first hostel stay.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the hostel averse out there, my advice is to give it a try. As I have said before, hostels are an affordable, good value accommodation option for the budget-savvy traveller. And for those that do not fancy the sights, sounds and smells of your average dorm room, staying in private rooms in hostels need not feel like you are 'slumming it' and can give you access to a host of activities and services you might miss out on if you were to stay in a hotel.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Par-tay! (source - hostelworld.com)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1. Choose Your Hostel Carefully...</b></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Selecting the hostel that most suits your personality and travel requirements is key. Need a riotous party? Make sure the hostel you choose offers free shots on arrival and bar crawls every night. Need to chill out after a day's sightseeing? Opt for the hostel that can hook you up with a local yoga class and 'knits' their own muesli for breakfast. My main advice here would be to read the reviews on hostel booking websites such as <a href="http://www.hostelbookers.com/" target="_blank">Hostelbookers</a> and <a href="http://www.hostelworld.com/" target="_blank">Hostelworld</a>; where travellers post frank reviews about their experiences and the quality of the accommodation on offer.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I just need to use my hair straighteners...and charge my iPad...and my camera battery! (source - open.edu)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2. Don't Be The Hostel Oddball...</b></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- You are likely to be sharing a dorm room with several others. It is therefore, paramount that you do not mark yourself out in a negative way in the microcosm of the hostel environment. Taking up all the floor space, leaving your underwear strewn across the room or hogging all the plug points for your phone, iPad and hairdryer is not going to win you many fans. The key to being a good 'roomie'? Easy! Treat others as you would expect to be treated.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Greet the travel massive! (source - mastersotu.com)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3. Press The Flesh!...</b></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, not that way! Though, that will help you make friends very easily! Hermits and hostels do not go together very well. The recluse will find it difficult, in the sociable community you get in most hostels, to be completely alone. This, for me, is one of the real advantages of a hostel stay. You get to encounter and share experiences with fellow travellers. These 'micro United Nations' allow you to meet people from different countries, cultures and socio-economic backgrounds that, ultimately, help you understand yourself, your own country and its unique culture a lot better.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Breaking bread at the Lisbon Lounge Hostel (source - MikeW)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>4. Get Active!...</b></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Linked into the previous tip about the social nature of backpacker accommodation; hostels will often offer a range of formal and informal activities I would heartily encourage you to get involved in. For example, the fantastic <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CEwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hostelworld.com%2Fhosteldetails.php%2FBudapest-Bubble%2FBudapest%2F20989&ei=kk5uU4TgKsXEPOGmgfgF&usg=AFQjCNGkwaHHYABlSSrrfiQbxd9JFxJpxw&sig2=kJnoGtauqpfF0qN2aPJNTg&bvm=bv.66330100,d.ZWU" target="_blank">Budapest Bubble</a> hostel runs an informal nightly bar crawl which allows even the most hardened wallflower the chance to join a group of like-minded travellers for a drink or two without the pressure to finish the night at 5am, staring up from Hungary's finest gutters and covered in vomit. However, that option is there...if you want it! The brilliant <a href="http://www.lisbonloungehostel.com/activities.html" target="_blank">Lisbon Lounge Hostel</a> is one of many excellent, top quality boutique backpacker pads in the Portuguese capital that offers a number of free and reasonably priced activities for their guests from free tours of the city (something I highly recommend in any city you visit - see '<a href="http://roughguidetoalonelyplanet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/the-glorious-free-tour.html" target="_blank">The Glorious Free Tour</a>') to tours of the Fado scene as well as fabulous in house dinners, cooked by Pedro the chef, for a reasonable price that would shame many of Lisbon's well-established and costlier eateries. Remember...a good hostel and its staff will want to show off their city and country at its best and ensure you have a great time. At the very least, make it a priority, once you have dropped your backpack, to ask a member of the hostel staff to sit down with you and map out the best places to visit, eat and drink. This quick orientation can be a good way to get to know your hosts and offers an invaluable local insight into your destination.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>5. Stay Safe!...</b></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am the first to admit, I am anally retentive when it comes to my safety and well being when I travel. In addition to this, I am keen to ensure my belongings remain safe and secure. When I stay in hostels I always take a good quality medium sized padlock with me to lock your backpack or to allow you to lock it or any belongings in the lockers many hostels provide in the rooms. And, if there is a safe in the hostel...use it for your passport, at the very least. I have stayed in hostels where people have left valuable electronic items within easy reach and in once case an iPad on their bed while completely unattended in a busy room of 9 other strangers, while the woman went for a shower. This was despite having a locker in which she could have easily stored the tablet safely and securely. It made no sense to me. I do not mean to worry you and you should not be consumed by fear about hostel security as most hostels are filled with friendly like-minded folk who probably will have absolutely no interest in your treasures, but the way I see it is...the less hassle you can get into the more enjoyable your trip will be; saving you from laborious insurance claims, visits to the police and angst about the cost of replacing your stolen belongings.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, there it is...five great tips to help you navigate your first stay in a hostel and make it go as swimmingly as possible. Please let me know, in the comments box below, how your first stay went or if you have stayed in hostels before the tips you would offer the plucky hostel first timer.</span>MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-15828495910352051172014-05-05T09:57:00.002-07:002014-05-05T10:00:34.978-07:00Why I Blog About Travel...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MikeW checking out Ljubljana! (source - MikeW)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After two years of blogging about travel, I have realised I am writing in an overcrowded part of the Internet. Blogs about travel, independent travel, budget travel and backpacking are numerous. Many of those writing have established their space on the web longer than The Rough Guide to a Lonely Planet and have reached further around the globe than I can possibly hope to do at this current moment in time. So, why do I choose to write about travel when there are thousands of others doing very much the same? The simple answer...I like it! Travel and experiencing other places are a genuine passion of mine and I love to share this with others. As I have written about before (<a href="http://roughguidetoalonelyplanet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/the-art-of-travel-blogging.html" target="_blank">The Art of Travel Blogging</a>), I do not like to scribe trip reports for you as I find, on the whole, reading other peoples' similar blog posts dull and incredibly self-indulgent. And, besides, so many people can write these types of posts better than I ever could.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Am I hoping for a press trip? Are the 'Rough Guide', 'Lonely Planet' or a national newspaper going to beat down my door so they can fly me out to South Africa, tasked with a 2500 report on wine trips to the Stellenbosch? Of course not! I am utterly and completely realistic about the potential for this to happen. It just isn't going to! So many other bloggers out there have a larger following, a more regular readership and seemingly write more than I can on a more frequent basis. Is the hope that I can make this a full time job? If only! A pipe dream at best. Even those that write about travel full time report that pay is low and can often be disproportionate to the work and effort involved.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, if I am not doing this for the 'free' trips or to earn a crust, my objective is clear. I am here to inspire YOU! To encourage you to travel. To see the world. To break free. To explore. To take that adventure. To set sail. Do it! Then, one day you might decide to inspire others with your writing too!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy travels!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PS - If there are any rich benefactors or wealthy patrons out there with money to burn...you know where I live! ;)</span>MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-30571134859026330282014-05-05T08:49:00.002-07:002014-05-05T08:49:31.943-07:00Bizarre Bumps!<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you know that moment when you go shopping or to a bar in your hometown and you bump into a member of your family or one of your friends? It is a nice surprise, isn't it! Exaggerate that feeling a hundred times and add a 'WOW' moment; because that is what it is like when you meet those people on your journeys around the world. Over the course of my travels, I have had the strangely serendipitous pleasure of bumping into a variety of people that have connected me to some point in my past.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Only last year, I opened the gate to the apartment I was staying at, in the gorgeous Croatian town of Hvar, to hear a woman's voice (tinged with a hint of shock) shout my name. I turned round to find Heather; the person I used to sit next to in History lessons at sixth form college! This is someone I had, probably, not seen for about fifteen years! And, bear in mind the road on which the apartment was situated was a quiet one, a walk away from the centre of the town. Both surprised, we had a quick catch up, swapped Croatia tips and went on our way open mouthed at what had just happened. I then turned to my friend, who I was travelling with, and reminded him of the conversation we had the day before, as the ferry pulled into the dock, when I said that I had a strange feeling that I was going to meet someone I knew on the island! Odd, eh?!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Croatian 'bump' in Hvar - Heather from school! (source - MikeW)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is not the first time this kind of thing has happened. In Brisbane, Australia, I was checking out the leaflets in a backpacker travel agent, when I looked up on hearing a Yorkshire accent; spotting a guy I went to university with. On that very same trip, I spent a couple of days travelling with a guy who had gone to agricultural college with a mutual friend and his younger brother, whom I attended primary school with. And, a week previous to that encounter, I walked into the common room of a hostel in Port Macquarie in New South Wales where I got chatting to a girl from my home city, Hull; whom I later discovered when showing her mum photos of her year in Australia, instantly recognised me as the student who had worked with her as part of a work experience module for my degree course four years previously!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The strangest random meet, however, came when travelling with Irish friends I had met in New Zealand, around the south west of Ireland. We were in a hotel in the Kerry town of Dingle, when I spotted a face I recognised. I stopped the guy and, yup...he confirmed that he was indeed one of the Irish guys from the 3 day boat trip I took round the Whitsunday Islands, 3 years before. So, whilst travelling to one country to meet friends I had met in another, I bumped into a random acquaintance, I had met in another country. Weird, but I enjoy these meets. These random encounters make me realise how small the world really is and, though probably in part down to my 'Terminator-like' ability for facial recognition, I am always surprised how often this happens.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, keep your eyes peeled and listen out for your name. You never know what old school friend, ex-partner or former travel buddy you may encounter as you make your way through life!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you have already had some similar experiences to me why not share them in the comments box below. I would love to hear about them!</span></div>
MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-72784381663414017322014-02-23T15:12:00.001-08:002014-02-23T15:12:11.683-08:00Aim High! aka TRGTALP's Guide to Great Views!<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In my last </span><a href="http://roughguidetoalonelyplanet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/zadar-light-and-sound-city.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">post</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, I wrote about, and included some pictures, of my climb to the top of Zadar's highest building, the Bell Tower at the Cathedral of St Anastasia. I gushed about how the ascent to the top of this fine bell tower afforded some fantastic views over the Old Town and across the sea to the islands that lie off Zadar. Even before I started the climb, I knew it was going to be good; views from atop a building almost always are. And, it is this that I urge you to do whenever you travel...AIM HIGH!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I always enjoy taking in the view from hillsides to dizzying my high Ferris wheels to glorious edifying monuments of a Communist past and even the odd ancient religious building. It must be in my nature as a Capricorn; the desire to want to be like the mountain goat and climb to the top of all that is high. If there's a tall building with a viewing platform, I probably will want to be up it! The funny thing is...when faced with these ginormous buildings, my foot on the first step of a 354 step spiral staircase climb, I often think, "Surely the Benedictine Monks installed a lift!" But, despite my moans, both internal and to anyone who will listen, I always think it is worth the effort and have never regretted a hearty ascent and the view that comes with it.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not going to lie to you. These climbs are not for the faint-hearted! You will need to be of good health, risk life and limb when placing your foot on that ropey looking wooden step and happy to be pressed up against a whole host of travellers; in many cases, on both the ascent and descent! On the whole, you'll find that it is more than worth the hassle and a great way to get up close with your fellow traveller...whether you like it or not!</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, where can you grab a feast for your eyes from on high? Below, I have listed a tiny amount of the world's best dizzying highs; splitting them into free highs and ascents you are going to have to pay for...</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>TOP 3 FREE VIEWS...</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Primrose Hill, London - This North London spot offers great views over this mighty fine city. Grab a picnic, get among the crowds on a summer's day and live the high life in this fantastic city!</span><br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Primrose_Hill_Panorama,_London_-_April_2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Primrose_Hill_Panorama,_London_-_April_2011.jpg" height="147" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(source - wikipedia.org)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Griffith Park, Los Angeles - The City of Angels has its detractors, but who could argue with the stunning view from Griffith Park, looking over this sprawling US metropolis?</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z2Le-38jMCc/TxgvgPu6XaI/AAAAAAAADq8/KGErqmIbAHU/s1600/IMG_4262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z2Le-38jMCc/TxgvgPu6XaI/AAAAAAAADq8/KGErqmIbAHU/s1600/IMG_4262.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(source - drewrtw.blogspot.com)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Printemps, Paris - Many will recommend a climb to Montmartre and the church of Sacre Coeur for an impressive free view of Paris. Avoid the crowds of tourists and wind your way through the immaculately arranged departments of the Printemps store on Boulevard Haussman for a brilliant 360-ish view of the French capital, including a close up of La Madeleine and the gilded rooftop of the Paris Opera. The rooftop terrace has a cafe where you can soak up the views over a cup of creme or sparkling fizz.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(source - MikeW)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>TOP 4 PAID VIEWS...</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Arc de Triomphe, Paris - The 'city of views' features twice on the list and what list of great views would leave out the Eiffel Tower?! Well, this one, for a start! Notoriously busy, a little pricey and filled with a constant stream of couples proposing to each other, I would rather recommend the triumphal arch at the end of the Champs Élysée anyday! Though, not as high, this does not mean the view on offer is not as good. Far from it. Because you are not as high, you get to see more of the city close up, including the direct symmetry of I.M. Pei's Louvre Pyramid through the Arc, all the way to La Defensé, as well as enjoy the hustle and bustle of one of the busiest junctions in Western Europe! Not only that, but time your visit right; getting there just before dusk and you will have the benefit of a daytime view of Paris coupled with a brilliant nighttime view, as all the cars drive in 8 different directions towards the Arc, the myriad of headlights a sign that Paris at night has come alive!</span><br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Arc_de_Triomphe_de_l'Etoile_-_14_Juillet_2011_-_Paris,_FRANCE.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Arc_de_Triomphe_de_l'Etoile_-_14_Juillet_2011_-_Paris,_FRANCE.JPG" height="236" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(source - commons.wikimedia.org)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- The Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center, New York - Two impressive skyscrapers in one mind blowing city! But which to ascend? I am no authority on this, having only been to the top of the Empire State Building (which offers excellent views), but have been reliably informed that the Rockefeller Centre is a better experience as it allows you to see both the Empire State Building AND the magnificent Chrysler Building from the same rooftop.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(source - Aludon at flickr.com)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- The Academy of Sciences, Riga - If you ever visit Riga, I can highly recommend a trip to the top of 'Stalin's birthday cake'. This ornate Communist block was built as centre of agricultural education. Its two attractions are the fact that it really isn't visited in large numbers; leaving me and two giggling girls as the only people at the top of this monument the whole 30 mins I was there! Also, by getting up that high, you can really appreciate what a green and pleasant land lies so close to this city. The locals I met made such a great play on the fact that Latvians are proud to say that their country is their 'breadbasket', with much of their food coming directly from the countryside to the capital city. Once you see the expanse of fields and forests so close to Riga, what the Latvians claim suddenly all becomes clear.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(source - MikeW)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Castelo Sao Jorge, Lisbon - High over the Portuguese capital is an old castle with some fantastic views. On a clear summer's day, I was able to enjoy a superb view across this city of 7 hills! Watching trams work their way through the maze of narrow streets and Lisboetas make their way around this wonderful capital city. In addition to the views from the castle, I would certainly recommend catching the views and the sun's rays from the many miradouros across Lisbon, where people gather to socialise, drink beer and generally have fun as they watch the sun set.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(source - MikeW)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, whenever you are in a place that has a tourist sight that towers over all others grab yourself a ticket and get to the top!</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh...and, of course, please feel free to add your own suggestions in the comment box below! I would love to hear where you think is worth a look.</span></div>
MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-42537146062409660832014-01-04T10:09:00.001-08:002014-01-04T10:31:20.807-08:00Zadar - The Light and Sound City!<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zadar, the Croatian city located in northern Dalmatia; was a place that I knew very little about before I arrived in its industrial heartlands, but this was one I was keen to visit on my trip last summer, around this beautiful Balkan country. I really had no idea what to expect from Zadar, but something about the place was just brilliant! Granted...Zadar is not the most beautiful place I have ever visited, nor does it have many stellar attractions, but the city had a real positive impact on me. This is not a rarefied, daintily preserved museum-filled city like Dubrovnik; more a living, breathing city filled with Croatians going about their daily business. And, I think I enjoyed this place more for that.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zadar's Old Town (source - croatia.hr)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most of the action takes place in the Romanesque Old Town; and, here is where you will find, what I think are, Zadar's two best attractions: The Sea Organ and The Sun Salutation. These two art installations both designed by local architect Nikola Basic, act as a popular focal point for tourists and lounging Zadranis. Found to the north-west of the Old Town, the Sea Organ is a series of marble steps that lead into the sea, under which a series of 35 tubes have been installed to allow the motion of the waves to create an instrument that plays music all day long. It is such a great concept and just like the adjacent Sun Salutation, difficult to tear yourself away from. The Sun Salutation itself comes to life at night; after a day absorbing the bright Croatian sunlight into its photo-voltaic cells; what follows come darkness is what can only be described as a multi-coloured dance floor that would not look out of place in the movie 'Saturday Night Fever'! It is just fantastic!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Sea Organ (source - MikeW)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Sun Salutation (source - connexdiving.cz)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Sun Salutation up close (source - MikeW)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other must sees are a peek inside St Donat's Church, an ancient Roman building with a distinctive high roof. Next to which you will find the Cathedral of St. Anastasia, attached to which is a bell tower that rewards the hardy climber with some amazing views over the city and out to the islands of Ugljan and Pasman.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">The Bell Tower at the Cathedral of St Anastasia. Go climb it! (source - MikeW)</span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The view from the top! (source - MikeW)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For beach lovers, you could take a trip to Kolovare, which though not the most glamorous place to take a dip, it does have a real local feel about it and has some lovely views from the cafes found above the pebbles. My recommendation would be to throw caution to the wind and hurl yourself off the promenade near the Sun Salutation or down the steps of the Sea Organ for a much needed cooling dip in the beautiful clear waters of the Adriatic, followed by my favourite Croatian treat...sladoled (creamy Croatian ice cream). Now, people will say, "you must try Italian gelato; it's the best in the world!" Do not believe a word these people say. They have clearly not tried sladoled and enjoyed the silky delights of a scoop of the finest ice cream the world truly has to offer. If that is not enough to tempt you to Zadar, I do not know what is! And, while we are on the subject of food. Some of the best food I have eaten in Croatia...yup, you guessed it...was in Zadar! The Trattoria Canzona restaurant (<a href="http://www.canzona.hr/canzona_zd/indexZD.html">http://www.canzona.hr/canzona_zd/indexZD.html</a>) was so good, I went back the following night! And, from staring at the plates of diners as I chose where to eat, I can say with some authority, that this city has some mighty fine food on offer! All this can be rounded off by spending time strolling the ancient squares, listening to the street performers and enjoying the chilled vibe on offer at what must be Zadar's most laid back bar - The Garden (<a href="http://www.watchthegardengrow.eu/the-garden-zadar">http://www.watchthegardengrow.eu/the-garden-zadar</a>).</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Jump in! (source - MikeW)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sladoled! (source - MikeW)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sunsets in Zadar deserve a post of their own! British film director, Alfred Hitchcock, once wrote, "Zadar has the most beautiful sunsets in the world". I will let my photos do the talking...</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunset in Zadar (source - MikeW)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aside from the wonders that Zadar itself has to offer; outside of the city, you have easy access by boat to the Kornati Islands National Park (<a href="http://www.kornati.hr/index.php/en">http://www.kornati.hr/index.php/en</a>). The absolutely stunning lakes and waterfalls at Plitvice (<a href="http://www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr/">http://www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr/</a>) are a 2 hour car journey north from Zadar. Even closer (about an hour's drive) is the beautiful Krka National Park (<a href="http://www.npkrka.hr/">http://www.npkrka.hr/</a>) where you will find the incredible, thundering Skradinski Buk waterfall, which you can swim in front of...along with many hundreds of other visitors! Nevertheless, it is an amazing place to be and a great experience! And, finally for the party animals, the island of Pag with its internationally renowned dance/house music scene at Zrce Beach, are within a short distance of Zadar.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plitvice (source - MikeW)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Skradinski Buk waterfall at the Krka National Park (source - MikeW)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zrce Beach - Home to Croatia's house music scene (source - MikeW)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, Zadar is one of the places you might not have heard of, or if you have, one of those cities you really do not know much about. I say now is the time to get there and enjoy this Dalmatian jewel and all of its historical, gourmet, musical and light-fantastic pleasures.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hvala Puna!</span>MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-6886767589329982662013-12-16T16:30:00.002-08:002013-12-16T16:44:48.770-08:00Gallop into the Sunset on an Activity Holiday! (A Guest Post by MaryS)<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With this new guest post, I bring you horses, Iceland and yoga! Guest poster MaryS is a good friend of mine and passionate about travel. She (and her husband) have often provided me with inspiration for destinations to visit and the list of places that she has been lucky enough to travel to makes me green with envy! ;) Jokes aside, MaryS is a traveller on a mission; taking a different approach to the traditional two weeks in the sun or the winding backpacking trail many of us tend to opt for. MaryS likes an activity adventure...</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, before you leave, please be kind enough to share this post and leave comments at the bottom of the page!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The typical holiday may be about lazing on a beach or looking suave in the city, but some of the best trips I have been on involve getting up at 6am everyday and doing hours of exercise! "Ahh!" I hear you say, "but you must enjoy skiing!" And, although this is sometimes the case, my tastes are much broader than zipping down the slopes in a lurid coloured ski suit. Dear readers, I am a fan of activity holidays!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At home I horse ride, practice Iyengar Yoga, walk and have been known to occasionally hurl myself down hills on a mountain bike (mostly thanks to my hubby's influence)! Working full time and juggling a busy life means when I go on holidays I want to do more of the things I love and hopefully improve my skills at these things. In addition to this, as a plus side, by taking these kinds of trips I have seen some fabulous bits of the world from a unique perspective.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My last big trip was a horse riding safari in Botswana. Imagine cantering for kilometres across open scrubland, occasionally startling an antelope, dodging inch long acacia thorns or slowing down to pass elephants safely. This coupled with the adrenalin rush of the guide 'shouting' in a whisper, "keep the horses in a walk", "don't panic" and "just to your right is a huge male leopard". Gulp! Faced with a predator, with me a sitting duck on a juicy piece of prey and trying to keep calm so as not to trigger a flight reaction! As you may have gathered, it is not a trip for the fainthearted and a high level of riding competence is required (covering approximately 25 miles a day in 30c+ heat and with the aforementioned predators). Despite these hardships, the sheer joy of riding in an open space, the wonderful people and animals you meet and the connection with the land is amazing!</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The group at Solomon's Wall, Botswana (source - MaryS)</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I booked my trip with Limpopo Valley Horse Safaris (<a href="http://www.limpopohorsesafaris.com/" style="cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">www.limpopohorsesafaris.com</a>)
and chose a tour where you rode from camp to camp. One of the things I
love about activity trips is that you can confidently travel alone knowing that
you will have something in common with the people you meet! I met the
group of women at Johannesburg Airport and a bond was quickly formed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">We were all blown away by the scenery on the drive to the
base and by the friendliness of all the Motswana people we each met.
After a gorgeous meal we all changed into riding gear and set off for a
riding assessment and to meet our steeds. I wasn't disappointed and was
given a fabulous Boeperd cross to ride. He was small, surefooted, nifty
and jumped like a gazelle!</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Valiant! (source - MaryS)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">Everyday had a pattern, up before Sunrise to eat,
saddling up at first light to catch some of the nocturnal animals who were off
to bed and riding until morning break (normally we had to stop earlier so I
could pee, 2 cups of tea will do that to a girl, but there was no subtle
slinking off. Oh no. A guide also had to dismount, check behind your desired
hiding spot...) More riding, spotting amazing animals in the wild.
I saw all the major game apart from rhino and cheetah. Lunch.
More riding. Arrive at camp. The amazing support staff have
everything set up, including an afternoon tea. Bush shower. Nap.
Picking a drink for sundowners! Going somewhere gorgeous for a walk
or evening safari drive. Watching the sunset. Back to camp for
dinner, drinks and turning in early after chatting around the fire.
Repeat. Absolute bliss!</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">Sleeping under the stars at Kgotla (source - MaryS)</span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The view from the saddle! (source - MaryS)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Highlights were the animal spotting, the riding
(cantering, crossing dried up rivers and tackling cross country jumps), the
food and sleeping under the stars at the Kgotla. It was an amazing trip
and I came back a stronger rider with some amazing memories!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Activity trips are also a good way to learn a new skill;
with skiing being the obvious choice, but continuing on the riding
theme...Iceland is the place to go if you want flavour of the above (well
sans safari animals). Tough, amazingly friendly horses and a lunar
landscape. Because of their small stature, good nature and their extra
gait called Tolt, Icey's are a fab way for new riders to explore on horseback
and day trips from the capital, Reykjavik are easily accessible! I must
warn you...this trip inspired me to buy my own Icey!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-onNLA6ntjqE/Uq98T1uyjMI/AAAAAAAAAYw/uAmDqwwUZOk/s1600/facebook_-1789191410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-onNLA6ntjqE/Uq98T1uyjMI/AAAAAAAAAYw/uAmDqwwUZOk/s1600/facebook_-1789191410.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MaryS is ready to explore! (source - MaryS)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whilst in Iceland the landscape calls to you, encouraging
you to explore and the range of activities on offer is mind blowing! We
also sampled some fabulous Mountain Biking (with Iceland Activities - <a href="http://icelandactivities.wordpress.com/" style="cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">http://icelandactivities.wordpress.com/</a>).
Precariously gliding down single track avoiding the sheer drops
and bubbling mud! We got to swim in a thermally heated river and
boil eggs for snacks in a hot spring! The scenery was simply jaw
dropping.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Street art in Reykjavik (source - MaryS)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">For those that are exhausted just from reading the above,
a slower tempo of activity can also be enjoyed when you travel. A week
long yoga escape to Casperia in Italy (<a href="http://www.sunflowerretreats.com/casperia.htm" style="cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">www.sunflowerretreats.com/casperia.htm</a>)
was the perfect way to recharge! Twice daily yoga, Italian food, a car
free village and fabulous like-minded folk made this an amazing trip. Did
I mention the massage treatments on offer?! Whilst I used the trip to
master headstands, we all worked at our own levels and felt energised by the
therapeutic classes. Other guests enjoyed cooking and painting classes,
while I filled my free time sketching.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The perfect place for yoga - Casperia, Italy! (source -
MaryS)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So my only advice is
think about what you love doing. Then find
somewhere you can do it that will blow your mind! You won't regret it :-)</span></span>MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-26729556535910220072013-11-06T15:53:00.002-08:002013-11-06T16:15:32.891-08:00Bicycling Through Berlin (A Guest Post by Calum)<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fourth of our guest posters, brings another slice of German life. This time...the incredible city of Berlin. Calum, a friend and former colleague of mine, is a well-travelled Scot, who is not only possessed with a great sense of humour, but a with a love of travel that has taken him to various destinations across Europe; along with recent adventurous trips to India and Vietnam. With the help of his friend Silke, a local, Calum was able to take '</span><a href="http://roughguidetoalonelyplanet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/the-home-advantage.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">The Home Advantage</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'; utilising the knowledge of a native to show him the best that this magnificent city has to offer! I hope you enjoy reading about Calum's trip and his thoughts on Berlin. Remember to leave your comments below for the wee Scot!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Berlin. Where all the tourists go. The Bundestag. Brandenburg Gate. And Alexanderplatz.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've really loved Germany since some friends were kind enough to host a visit to Mainz Carnival, or Fassenacht, six years </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ago. I learned a lot about the country on that trip. I learned how to love ironic 80s rock, shoulder strap keyboards, singing 99 </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">red balloons by Nena, and pubs where tables hung upside down from the ceiling (I'm sure I saw it more than once). Prior </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">perceptions of Germany were influenced by old 'Monty Python' episodes and 'Fawlty Towers'. A stiff, serious bunch. But how </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wrong I was.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="color: white;">Contrast expectations of Germany on the left, a la 'Fawlty Towers', with the real thing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Earlier this year I had an opportunity to meet up with my friend Silke in Berlin. I expected a lot from the city. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On my previous visit to Germany I'd found people were incredibly welcoming and on this occasion things were no different. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was first to experience this immediately after getting off the train from the airport at the Zoological Gardens, central Berlin, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">where a super-helpful taxi driver took time out to give me walking directions to my hotel. It might not sound much but in</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">London, or Paris, this sort of thing really doesn’t happen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Different cities have different names for their underground systems - in London The Tube, Paris le Metro. In Glasgow it is the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Subway but in Berlin we have the U-Bahn below ground and S-Bahn above. I’m normally pretty good at navigating </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">metropolitan railway lines but I found Berlin tricky – lines look similar, numbered U1-U9 and the stations seem a maze of </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">platforms and escalators to me. I did eventually seem to get to where I wanted – perhaps through luck more than anything </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">else.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’d arranged to meet up with Silke outside the Bundestag at 9am. There are a few activities that are mandatory on a first trip </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to Berlin: visiting the Bundestag is one, and another is to photograph the Brandenburg Gate. Luckily the Gate is just around </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the corner from the Bundestag.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Providing you book ahead, free tours of the Bundestag are available, allowing access to the walkway that winds up inside the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">glass dome with an audio guide (b</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ooking for visits to the Bundestag </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">–</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> http://www.bundestag.de/htdocs_e/visits/besgrupp/index.html</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">). Views over the city are spectacular and a small museum provides information on the history </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of the building: the Reichstag fire that boosted the Nazi Party in 1933, the dome’s reconstruction and even the concert </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michael Jackson gave outside in 1988 (</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://concertsgalore.net/file/michael-jackson-at-platz-der-republik-berlingermany-</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on-jun-19-1988-concert-bootleg-download-37035.php</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">).</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Bundestag on the left, essential Brandenburg Gate pic on the right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Berlin to me seemed open and spacious in feel. Traffic is calm considering the size of the city and even the U-Bahn isn’t too </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cramped. A few people had recommended a cycling tour of the city. Rather than sign up to an organised group we decided to </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">do it ourselves. Berlin is incredibly well suited to bikes, much more so than London in my view. We stopped at Museum</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Island, passed by the Rotes Rathaus, Berlin City Hall, before crossing the city to find the Eastside Gallery, a good hour or so </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">away. This is a 1.3km stretch of the old wall that still stands, with artists across Europe invited to paint sections. I’d </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">recommend visiting this above all else I managed to do. There were some great little coffee spots on the way and later in the</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">evening we cycled through the Tiergarten Park alongside the river, passing through a small zoo on the way! This was a great </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">way to see a quieter side of the city – a side of the city I may not have thought to visit without some local knowledge (thank </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">you, Silke!).</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4DroXSZAxXw/UnrP-9Fuo5I/AAAAAAAAAYQ/rB7KD0qs35Q/s1600/wall_riverside_wide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4DroXSZAxXw/UnrP-9Fuo5I/AAAAAAAAAYQ/rB7KD0qs35Q/s1600/wall_riverside_wide.jpg" height="222" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The East Side Gallery running down the street. See Fernsehturm in the distance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another attraction we visited earlier in the day was the Fernsehturm in Alexanderplatz – a large TV tower originally constructed by the German Democratic Republic (</span>GDR)<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and apparently modeled after Sputnik. The tower is visible throughout Berlin, with a revolving </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">restaurant and gallery up top. I’m a sucker for tall buildings – if it’s there I have to climb it – so I couldn’t possibly pass up </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on this; despite the slightly expensive ticket price at €12.50. Parts </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of the tower seemed very dated, from the dull concrete walkways and walls outside to the slightly aged decor within, but the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">views of the city were truly stunning. With such a vantage point it’s still possible to see distinct differences between parts of </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the city - large wide roads and housing blocks to the east, and much more colourful and organic city planning to the west. Of </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">course the differences are beginning to fade away.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iR0_KxCbFJE/UnrP-mOjvUI/AAAAAAAAAYM/jSi__GsSceY/s1600/cake_alexanderplatz_wide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iR0_KxCbFJE/UnrP-mOjvUI/AAAAAAAAAYM/jSi__GsSceY/s1600/cake_alexanderplatz_wide.jpg" height="212" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the left, cake - it really was as big as it looks. View from Fernsehturm on right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Visiting a city is always a much richer experience in the company of someone who knows it well. I’m most grateful to Silke </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for showing me around. If you ever fancy a tour around Glasgow, my home town, get in touch!</span></span>MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-22738873249489901902013-10-12T14:55:00.001-07:002013-10-12T15:07:53.877-07:00TRGTALP Takes Off on Facebook!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In an attempt to reach a wider audience, I have decided to set up a Facebook page for The Rough Guide to a Lonely Planet. The aim of the page is not only to get some more people reading and interacting with the regular readers, but to also spread the word about solo budget travel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click the link below - then, please <b>LIKE</b> the page and <b>SHARE</b> it with your Facebook friends, so they too can read all the goings on, inspiration and travel advice that you enjoy here at </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Rough Guide to a Lonely Planet</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TRGTALP">https://www.facebook.com/TRGTALP</a></span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See you there!</span></div>
MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-58092273207781435322013-09-28T13:02:00.003-07:002013-09-28T13:02:29.453-07:00The Art of Travel Blogging<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tweet me this! (source - fanpop.com)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a relative newbie to travel blogging, having only written the posts for The Rough Guide to a Lonely Planet (TRGTALP) for just over a year, I am truly fascinated by the different styles of blogs that exists and what piques the interest of those who love to read about travel. I am also confused at what some travel bloggers constitute of interest to the reading public. The aim of TRGTALP has always, and always will be, a blog aimed at inspiring people to travel as well as offering advice to the hearty (mostly budget) traveller.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a traveller myself, I really enjoy reading blogs and websites that provide their readers with useful hints on where to travel, how to travel and information on successfully navigating the tricky elements of soon to be explored destinations. I am therefore, confused to find a large section of travel blogging community offering their readers posts that merely act as an extended, detailed itinerary-based report of their trip to a particular destination. These self-indulgent 'trip report' style posts often follow a particular theme such as an experience of the writer's morning watching a local folk dance in Turkey or a mundane day-to-day run through of every aspect of their year exploring the world. They are also usually accompanied by the writer posting several photos, on Twitter and Instagram, of their latest cocktail or a glass of vino in their said destination. I am led to believe, from reading the comments attached to such posts and seeing the following many of these bloggers receive on Twitter and Facebook that they are very popular with readers.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Personally, I do not get it! What benefit is this kind of travel literature to the readers other than a chance to ram it in their face by saying, 'I travel lots! My life is fabulous!' Do the readers perhaps enjoy travelling vicariously with the writer? For me, it borders on insulting. Harsh, I know. But to assume that people want to read about YOUR holiday is just odd! The bland minutiae found within these 'trip report' posts, I find mind-numbingly dull; bringing me to the key point of this post...I DO NOT WANT TO READ ABOUT YOUR HOLIDAY! I am thrilled you had a fabulous trip to Munich, but I could not care less about all the things you visited, the copious beer steins you drunk and the amount of sausage you ate on your visit. Aside from the literary merits of these banal posts and blogs, I do not get the point of them. As a traveller, I believe people want help and advice to allow them to create their own experiences and I enjoy my travel largely for my own sake; not because it will make an 'interesting' blog post. In addition to this, reading about someone else's trip acts as a spoiler to your own visit there and could possibly ruin any surprises you might have otherwise enjoyed. The trips I take are often referred to in blog posts, here at TRGTALP, but only to root any help, advice and inspiration I want to offer my readers, not help them to create a carbon copy of my trip.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, from time to time, I (or my wonderful guest posters) may write about destinations that have impressed, but I can assure you I will not be boring you with my 3 day blow-by-blow trip to Valencia or with posts that write at great length about days 1-6, 7-12 and 13-15 of my backpacking adventure around Vietnam. What The Rough Guide to a Lonely Planet will provide you with is inspiration and help to give <u>YOU</u> the opportunity to explore destinations <u>YOURSELF</u> as part of <u>YOUR</u> own adventure.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One thing, before I go...just remember to include @TRGTALP in your Tweeted picture of that holiday cocktail!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy and safe travels!</span>MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-8452934624553649632013-09-07T07:52:00.003-07:002013-09-07T07:52:22.319-07:00The Feel Good Factor!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MikeW and The FeelGoodGuy (David) cycling the French countryside! (source - author)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my favourite reasons for travelling are the positive experiences I have that essentially make me feel good. For me, there are many great things that travel offers. Firstly, I look forward and feel good about going on my trip...the packing, the preparation and excitement that comes with the journey to the airport and flight to the destination are something I really enjoy. I love the journey itself, particularly when the sights out of the plane, train or bus window are new and interesting. I also love to return, so I can look back at the great times that I have had and how much better I feel for it. I see travel as a kind of pick me up...a chance (especially after a busy term or year of school) to relax and revive myself, ready for the 'onslaught' of the new school term! Travel just makes me FEEL GOOD!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I believe one of the best things about travel has to be how it provides you with wonderful opportunities to meet people. And, it is these friendships that create such a brilliant feel good factor for any traveller. I have written before about the friends I have made through travel and all the fantastic experiences I have had following these trips in these peoples' home countries. In mid-August, I visited a good friend of mine, Kate, in Paris. Like any good visitor to the French capital, I made sure I indulged in the usual Parisian treats such as crepes, a wander through the Jardin du Luxembourg and an obligatory photograph in front of the Eiffel Tower! Despite all of these fantastic Francophile treats, the best part of the whole weekend (apart from catching up with a great friend) involved meeting Kate's friends. The friends comprised mostly of Kate's work colleagues who had meticulously organised a cycling trip, in the countryside, around the beautiful French town of Troyes. The group had an excellent dynamic meaning that the day was filled with laughter, jokes, some energetic cycling and top notch food and wine.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the group, David, and I got talking about a number of different things and we discovered a shared interest...in feeling good! I spoke of my love for travel and how much it makes me feel good. David talked about how he has begun a blogging journey where he aims to document experiences (and not just those related to travel) that make him feel good. The blog aims to inspire readers to take up new activities and get involved in experiences that will hopefully make you feel good too. And, in David you have a very willing and humorous companion on this journey to feeling good! You can find his blog at...</span><br />
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<a href="http://feelgoodguydotcom.wordpress.com/"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">http://feelgoodguydotcom.wordpress.com/</span></a></div>
MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-84625450329483499742013-08-19T10:42:00.008-07:002013-08-26T05:01:41.249-07:00Inspiration - That Photo...(Part 2)<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last September, I posted a number of photos from my travels as a way of inspiring my readers to grab their backpacks and travel...even if this does mean going solo! I thought I would do this again with a new batch of, what I hope you will find are, pictures that make you want to get out there in the big wide world too!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All photos were taken on my travels in the past year. I hope you like them!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The view from the Vogel Cable Car above Lake Bohinj, Slovenia</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amsterdam street scene, Netherlands</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Tatras Mountains near Zakopane, Poland</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Jewish Quarter in Krakow, Poland</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Concert Hall in Stockholm, Sweden</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A panoramic view of Positano, Italy</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Temples at Paestum, Italy</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wooden sculpture in Tallinn, Estonia</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Green space near the Parliament in Tallinn, Estonia</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yinka Shonibare sculpture at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, United Kingdom</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Plitvice National Park, Croatia</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunset at Zadar, Croatia</span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dusk at the Louvre in Paris, France</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Tuileries in Paris, France</span></div>
MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-9873516994316524662013-08-16T18:01:00.006-07:002013-08-16T18:05:12.120-07:00Questions, Questions, Questions...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Travel Questions! </span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(source - runawayguide.com)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I have mentioned previously on this mighty fine blog, travel provides you with a great number of learning experiences. But, as I have journeyed around I find that travel presents me with a whole host of questions that remain unanswered. So, below are a series of questions* I need your help with answering. Please feel free to help me out in answering these tricky questions with the associated question number in the comment box below.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(* - Some more serious than others, but all asked with a fair bit of tongue in cheek)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1. Why do I see so many old women with carrier bags full of plastic bottles?</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://mycarrierbag.co.uk/images/cache/Candy_Strip_Blue_1.700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://mycarrierbag.co.uk/images/cache/Candy_Strip_Blue_1.700.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">Fill me with plastic bottles!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(source - mycarrierbag.co.uk)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On recent trips to Continental Europe, I have been baffled by the sheer number of (usually) elderly women, clutching a battered old Lidl carrier bag, steadily filling it with plastic drinks bottles, often from rubbish bins, peoples' hands and skips. A friend of mine (who lives in an Eastern European country) once told me of his work colleague returning from a trip to Northern Europe proclaiming with delight that, "it's so nice to visit somewhere where people put rubbish in the bin and leave it there!" Now, I know the comment neglects to consider issues of homelessness for example, but the point remains...what are these women doing rifling through bins for old Coke and Sprite bottles?! Perhaps these women are an army of recycling fiends - receiving cash incentives, I assume, for their troubles?! I would love to know! Answers in the comment box below, please!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2. Do people on the continent of Europe just smoke and drink coffee all day?</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Llva23qSjI/Ug7JW-bj-8I/AAAAAAAAAVE/WD-d54c22eA/s1600/IMG_0412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Llva23qSjI/Ug7JW-bj-8I/AAAAAAAAAVE/WD-d54c22eA/s1600/IMG_0412.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">Croatian Coffee! (source - author)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On a recent visit to Croatia, my friend and I were stunned to see not only a high proportion of smokers; coming from the UK and the Netherlands where the amount of people that smoke is relatively low, but also a thriving coffee culture where much of the activity is focused on lazy days in the shade lounging with friends (cigarette in hand), putting the world to rights. The British cafe experience is somewhat different...buy coffee, sit down, clear table of the previous customer's detritus, have a heart attack when you realise what you have just paid for a coffee, have a quick chat with your friend and then leave. I know unemployment rates are, unfortunately, high in Croatia, but this kind of leisurely activity is not confined to just one country. It seems a very European thing to do and is something I have witnessed in several countries across the Continent. Is this because the pace of life is slower, more laid back? Does the manana </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">attitude dominate? Your thoughts below, please.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3. Do Italian women ever say to the men in their lives, "darling, aren't you a little old for Speedos?"</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://mavrixonline.com/wp-content/gallery/102008-roberto-cavalli/102008-roberto-cavalli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://mavrixonline.com/wp-content/gallery/102008-roberto-cavalli/102008-roberto-cavalli.jpg" height="320" width="204" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli rocks his Speedos!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">(source - mavrixonline.com)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Travel brings with it some real cultural shockers. And as shockers go some of the most horrific sights are those paraded on the beaches frequented by our European cousins, the Italians. I am not even going to touch upon the issue of sun protection amongst the Italian travelling community; having gasped open mouthed at a group of Italianos lather themselves in baby oil as their sole deterrent from the scorching Croatian sun and UV rays! No...this question relates to the fashion choices made by Italian men. These are usually men of a certain age, who seem to think they can carry off a tight trunk when current trends...wait, trends ad infinitum, suggest otherwise. But, I'm confused. Italy and Italians are famed for being supremely fashion conscious. The country is home to many globally successful famous designer brands and the country has the most stylish looking police force in the World!</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.onlyinitaly.com/photos/italy_police_big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.onlyinitaly.com/photos/italy_police_big.jpg" height="320" width="225" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lookin' Fly!</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(source - onlyinitaly.com)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think we must lay blame not with the men. When guys get to a certain age, they think they are capable of anything. This leads to the mid-life crisis purchase of a motorcycle or a convertible sports car. These men are not capable of reason! I think we need to turn our attention towards the wives and girlfriends of these men. They are the ones who can offer sartorial support and fashion guidance, steering them towards the correct kind of beach attire or swim short. So, what do you think - is it 'i ragazzi o le ragazze'? Are you an Italian wife who is finding hard to tear those Speedos from your husband (Oo-er!)?! Please comment in the box below! You can view this as therapy, if you wish!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>4. Why, when I travel, does my diet consist mostly of bread, cheese and ham?</b></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aGQZBxRQMiw/Ug7KfMZhigI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/5GHFe9Cv204/s1600/IMG_0520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aGQZBxRQMiw/Ug7KfMZhigI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/5GHFe9Cv204/s1600/IMG_0520.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mmm! Guess what these are filled with!</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(source - author)</span></div>
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Being a budget traveller, I try to keep costs low, particularly when I'm eating my three square meals each day. To save those cents or Euros, I find myself inadvertently eating copious amounts of bread, cheese and ham. For example, one of the best value meals a traveller can concoct is the supermarket/market lunch. This involves buying a loaf of bread, cheese (I prefer brie) and some sliced ham. This is then all put together to form a beautiful ham and cheese sandwich that will see you through til your late 'Continental Europe' style late evening meal. Now, they say variety is the spice of life. Well, why the hell do I always end up ordering a pizza or pasta dish that are filled with...yup, you guessed it...cheese and ham?! Last week in France, I even saw crisps that were cheese and ham flavoured! Comments, thoughts and assistance below!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That will do for now! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I look forward to reading your responses</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am sure that future travel will only yield further questions. Also, if you have any questions that we need to put out here, please feel free to leave them below.</span></span>MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-57372848497386781992013-08-16T14:27:00.001-07:002013-08-16T14:27:14.409-07:00Ask! Don't Go Loco...Go Local!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NxedgxW6dMU/Ug6VQo_ZGGI/AAAAAAAAAU0/OegnGZkkgkg/s1600/P1080402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NxedgxW6dMU/Ug6VQo_ZGGI/AAAAAAAAAU0/OegnGZkkgkg/s1600/P1080402.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A local 'lady' I encountered in Lisbon. Not much help with directions, though! (source - author)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyone who has travelled to a foreign country will have found themselves in one of those situations where a stressful discussion takes place, during the heat of the day at a critical moment of the trip. This is most likely to occur when debating which direction to take, the best place to eat or to clarify if the building you are standing in front of is actually the accommodation you booked or the 4th century Etruscan relic you were aiming to visit. The results of these discussions are always the same. A dark cloud descends over the group as levels of frustrations rocket and the conversations become increasingly tense, where people start to say things they don't really mean or make personal remarks they didn't want to come out. No need, people! Naturally, you are all probably excited about witnessing the spectacular exhibits at the historical attraction on your itinerary or that beautiful secluded beach at your proposed destination, but why get stressed on what is your holiday; your break away from the daily stresses of life?</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My solution is a simple one, but not the one we necessarily think of as our first option. You just need to <u>ASK</u>! Men especially, take your pride in your hands and ask a local - this is not your 'hood' and even you know you are guessing at best! Try a few words of the language or point at a map, but make sure you go to the trouble of asking for help. It will save you a whole load of hassle, an enormous amount of time and stop you from starting an all out war with your travel companion. Besides, you are probably closer to your destination than you think! Asking a local means that you are utilising a lifetime of local knowledge that will help you navigate the streets to your accommodation quickly, find that historical marvel in half the time and discover the best of a place without the bother of having to pour over the travel guides for an age. Once you have consulted your friendly local for advice on your destination, whether that be on the streets, in a bar or in your hostel, you will wonder why you did not do it sooner!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Obviously, please approach your local with caution, particularly if you are a solo female traveller in a place you are not familiar with. For example, in trying to find the street where my accommodation was located in Lisbon, I selected my local carefully...I plumped for a wealthy looking elderly Lisboeta who was traversing the main city square. I figured I could at least outpace her should she turn nasty in broad daylight and begin whacking me with her large designer handbag as a result of my poor Portuguese pronunciation. Thankfully, this did not happen and she put me on the right track to the front door of my hostel. Jokes aside...take care!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So ask! It is the simple route to quick solutions to the travel problems and questions you may have about a place. Locals know a lot, are keen to show off their place at its best and are often keen to help a bewildered traveller. Make sure you take advantage of this. Get on the inside track, be brave and just...ASK!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Safe travels!</span>MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-7948311248751558422013-08-13T09:31:00.001-07:002013-08-13T11:29:46.143-07:00Parlez-vous français? ¿Habla español? Parlo italiano? (AKA Mind Your Language)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w6xafMcOC0Q/UgpexI16tYI/AAAAAAAAAUk/JrPFSgzdVeo/s1600/dsc_0175+-+CROPPED.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w6xafMcOC0Q/UgpexI16tYI/AAAAAAAAAUk/JrPFSgzdVeo/s1600/dsc_0175+-+CROPPED.jpg" height="261" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MikeW (AKA TRGTALP) atop the Printemps department store on Boulevard Haussmann (source - author)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am writing this as I zoom towards Paris on the Eurostar. My head is a mess as I try to recall as much schoolboy French as I can muster. After my English native tongue (and waving my hands about as a British Sign Language user) French is probably the foreign language I feel I know best. But after 5 years of secondary school rote sentence learning...Je parle un peu le français! It frustrates me that my ability to learn a language in depth always appears to escape me. I suspect that to truly speak the language you are trying to learn you must be immersed in the country. Nevertheless, to my credit, I ALWAYS give my language skills a shot when in a foreign country. On this trip I will certainly be using 's'il vous plait' and 'merci beaucoup' and whatever else I can get away with. Even though I know I will either be blasted back with a response in super-fast French or even worse, a disdainful, irritated English; I think it is important that you learn and use a few basic phrases when you travel.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trips in the past few years have taken me to places where I knew little, if any, of the local language...but, I tried! And, I think that is the key point. To try some of the basics (despite your host's excellent English) is an act of politeness; respect towards your fellow man and their often beloved language. To insist on using English (or your own language) when learning a simple 'thank you' in the native tongue is so easy smacks of ignorance and a certain laziness on the part of the traveller. One or two words - that is all it takes! Throwing an 'efharisto' and 'parakalo' around Greece resulted in lots of praise an admiration, particularly in restaurants, and with this a free carafe of house wine and food on a number of occasions. Though, I thought it best not to reveal my Greek heritage to them as it might be considered cheating and obtaining goods by deception; nonetheless, the principle remains - using a bit of the local language has its benefits for both the local and the traveller.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, how do I do it?! Am I spending the weeks before a trip listening to language courses or studying the books intensively? My trips to Latvia and Lithuania last year sent me into a mild panic about my inability to say a single word in these two countries. This was easily solved by a simple search on the Internet where I found the BBC helpfully provide a host of excellent basic phrase lists with audio clips to aid pronunciation as part of their languages 'Quick Fix' section of their website - <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/other/quickfix/">http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/other/quickfix/</a>. I simply printed the words and phrases I wanted onto a small piece of paper and the week before the trip carried them with me in my pocket; practicing them in the supermarket queue or whilst on the loo! By the time I got to Riga and Vilnius, I was saying 'paldies' and 'aciu' with gleeful abandon! Although, I did not receive any clear signs but for the odd grin from these stoic Eastern Europeans that my use of the local lingo was welcomed , I did notice a couple of times when using English (often at volume) by some fellow travellers was not received as well by the locals, with confusion and heated repetition by coffee shop staff to ensure they were giving the traveller what they wanted to purchase.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would recommend that you make sure you look out for language help on maps and in guide books. The excellent <a href="http://www.inyourpocket.com/" target="_blank">In Your Pocket</a> city guides series are free, often found in hostels and bars and provide you with the language basics as well as some hilarious phrases you can use to pull in bars and clubs! Finally, be brave! You are probably never going to see the waiter or shop assistant you are muddling through your basic German with again. And if your friends and family are travelling with you; they may snigger at first, but once you have secured those train tickets or that extra special service from your appreciative 'foreign buddy' they will be laughing on the other side of their face and enjoying the benefits of your linguistic mastery!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Good luck! And, for me...bonne chance!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I am back on the Eurostar, whizzing back to London! And, how did I fare? Let us just say I was wrong! I predicted an utter disaster, but was surprised to find my first attempt at French, at the brilliant <a href="http://www.paris.fr/english/visit/highlights/paris-plages/rub_8208_stand_34146_port_18969" target="_blank">Paris Plage</a>, was greeted with a warm, knowing smile from the lady behind the counter and resulted in me getting the coffee I wanted. And, this trend continued for much of the trip, with my French holding up in a variety of day to day situations. Also, hanging out with a bunch of francophones, who slipped seamlessly between English and French certainly helped build my confidence as they made it look so easy, using phrases and words that I understood surprisingly well. Thus, helping me realise my French is not as bad as I thought, but there is still room for improvement. A return trip to Paris, perhaps?!</span>MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-56396371766028164262013-08-12T17:06:00.001-07:002013-08-12T17:08:40.868-07:00Shoestring Munich (A Guest Post by towelintherain)<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Continuing the theme of allowing you, the readers of TRGTALP to contribute, I present to you our third guest post from seasoned traveller towelintherain. towelintherain is someone I met in the same Krakow hostel as previous guest poster, AllanaD; so you can be assured you are in good company and reading the work of a fine pedigree. An entertaining and engaging guy, towelintherain offers the readers of TRGTALP tips and advice on negotiating the Bavarian city of Munich on a budget. This is a city I am yet to visit and so I would like to thank him for this post as I am definitely going to nick some of his ideas to help make the most of my stay in what is supposed to be an incredibly fun German city to visit! Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">towelintherain's Tumblr can be found here - <a href="http://towelintherain.tumblr.com/">http://towelintherain.tumblr.com/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Munich can be a very expensive place. Exactly how expensive depends on who you ask, but there are some things you can do to push down that cost quite significantly and perhaps even add to your experience.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sights and Sounds</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Free Walking Tour - You can get an excellent value and fascinating insight into the history of Munich by going on the free walking tour by www.newmunichtours.com. Just rock up to the Mari statue in the middle of Marienplatz at 10:45am or 1pm and you’ll get hours of rich history and culture you might never otherwise discover. Feel free to give your tour guide a little tip at the end, depending on how much you enjoyed it.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gphe5gIcCVo/Ugl0e718w3I/AAAAAAAAATM/4QCqbFbC0RE/s1600/1+Mari+with+Rathaus+tower+in+background.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gphe5gIcCVo/Ugl0e718w3I/AAAAAAAAATM/4QCqbFbC0RE/s1600/1+Mari+with+Rathaus+tower+in+background.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mari statue with the Rathaus in the background © towelintherain</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- The Glockenspiel: Voted the second worst tourist attraction in Europe (behind a Czech pencil museum I believe), this is a 100 year old free show that happens at 11am, midday and 5pm in the Rathaus in Marienplatz. It doesn’t last long, but the square fills up to watch it and it’s quite entertaining.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6-8GmUw3HXo/Ugl0vBz30aI/AAAAAAAAATU/PZtVnpHXmio/s1600/2+Glockenspiel+show.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6-8GmUw3HXo/Ugl0vBz30aI/AAAAAAAAATU/PZtVnpHXmio/s1600/2+Glockenspiel+show.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Glockenspiel show © towelintherain</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- View over the city: You can also go up to the top of the Rathaus. Two and a half Euros buys you a nice view over the city, a welcome breeze in summer and some excellent photo opportunities.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">City views © towelintherain</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Endless green spaces: Munich has an almost infinite supply of parks and gardens. In particular, the Schloss Nymphenburg is a huge palace, museum and landscape garden with entry fees starting at 6 Eur 50 (more expensive entry fees are available but the basic one gets you access to all the key areas).</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Englischer Garten, the largest city park in Europe, is completely free and you could lose yourself for days in there. It has everything from miles of tranquil empty space to crystal clear babbling streams to biergartens (I personally recommend the Seehaus) to a Chinese pagoda. It even has surfing by the Koniginstrasse.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9VUw7gjZl6M/Ugl1-CLNLaI/AAAAAAAAATs/c5qtUaiVE-s/s1600/4+Schloss+Nymphenburg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9VUw7gjZl6M/Ugl1-CLNLaI/AAAAAAAAATs/c5qtUaiVE-s/s1600/4+Schloss+Nymphenburg.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">towelintherain at the Schloss Nymphenburg © towelintherain</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prost! at the Seehaus (they weren’t both for me) © towelintherain</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Surfing in Englischer Garten © towelintherain</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Food and Alcohol Free Liquid</span></b><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like most cities, good local food is in abundance from markets and street vendors. You can get a quick sugar hit for 30 or 40 cents or munch your way through the different kinds of wurst for a couple of Euros a go. You can even top up your water from a drinking fountain in Marienplatz. The Viktualienmarkt just south of Petersplatz caters for just about everything if you really can’t decide.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Viktualienmarkt © towelintherain</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Boozing</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, the Munich beer is *that* good. But you don’t have to spend all your time drinking in the expensive bars and bierkellers. The people of Munich drink everywhere except for the public transport.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A good place is on the River Iser, just by Fraunhoferstrasse station on the U2 line. It’s been turned into a sort of beach and stacks of locals go to hang out there on a nice evening. You put your bottles in the river to keep them cool, maybe get a barbecue going and definitely set about having some good times. It’s the same tasty beer but it costs you about a Euro a bottle from the local shop.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chilling by the Iser © towelintherain</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beers (chilling) in the Iser © towelintherain</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even better, included in the price of each bottle is a 25 cent deposit to encourage recycling. So if you make the effort to recycle your bottles then 25% of your beer is essentially free. There are recycling points dotted all over the city and in many of the supermarkets.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Public Transport</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As you’d expect from a major city, tickets are valid on all U bahn, S bahn, bus and tram services. There are a bewildering number of options available, from single fares, 3 day passes, 7 day passes, specific inner or outer zones, tickets for individuals, couples, families etc. With a bit of digging you should find the cost to be not too unreasonable. A 3 day individual ticket for the main districts will cost you 21 Euros, for example.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The public transport is cheaper than hiring a bike, but hiring a bike would be more fun. Munich is known as the 'City of Bikes'.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Accommodation</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luckily a friend of mine lives in Munich, so I stayed with him, but if you need to pay for accommodation then consider The Tent hostel (http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/The-Tent-Munich/Munich/3787) located near the Schloss Nymphenburg and about a 20 minute tram ride to the city centre. This is just about the cheapest accommodation in Munich and was personally recommended to me by several people while I was there.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don’t Get Fined!</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are a couple of random rules to be aware of.</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Don’t cross at crossings unless the green man is showing, otherwise you might get slapped with a 40 Euro fine. This law is actually enforced :-/</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Remember to validate your ticket. After you buy your travel ticket you have to put it in a machine located on the platform to get it validated. As a Brit, this is very much an alien concept to me but remember to do it or you may also get fined.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Munich very quickly became one of my favourite places. That may have happened/ happen to you too!</span></span>MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-26759690591926511422013-08-12T16:03:00.003-07:002013-08-12T17:11:30.381-07:00Suffer!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve's travel tantrums were getting too much for his friends to take! (source - author)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No matter the level of luxury you travel at, you need to accept one thing in order to have a pleasurable stay in your destination or on your travels. You are going to have to suffer! Yes...I said suffer! Indeed, I am suggesting a little bit of pain on what you might expect to be a blissful break away from the daily humdrum existence at home. So, what do I mean? Am I asking you to bear the pain of accidentally treading on a sea urchin or endure a bout of food poisoning from that ropey-looking buffet on offer at the hotel? No. When I mean you are going to have to suffer, I refer to the need of the traveller to suspend the standards/norms they might expect at home, particularly when they travel abroad. One of the quickest and surest ways to spoil your trip is to expect your destination to be just like home; unless of course you are a Brit heading to the Spanish Costas where you will, indeed, find all the comforts you get at home, including the foods, drinks and even language (possibly in an accent and dialect you are familiar with too)!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you travel it is important to remember that you are in a country with differing cultural norms. Queueing, for example, might not be as socially precious as it is in your home country. The standards of service or manner with which you are served in a restaurant may differ from what you are used to at home. The beer might taste different to your favourite brand back home and the bread a little saltier than you like, but remember...you are only likely to be in your destination for a short period of time - so my advice? Suck it up! Enjoy the difference! Savour the fact that you are sampling something out of your comfort zone. Your bed was not as comfortable as at home - so what?! Be thankful you even have a bed! Your room a little outdated in its design or stuffed to the brim with an inordinate amount of religious paraphernalia? Deal with it! Besides, on almost all the trips I have taken, the room has simply provided me with somewhere to rest my head. It is the destination I am there for - not the hostel or hotel room. Sure, if what you encounter in your hostel or the restaurant is downright unacceptable, I am not advising you keep quiet and endure, but if you find yourself constantly comparing your travel experiences to what you get back home or what you expect your destination to be like - you are going to have a miserable time and not enjoy the destination for all the special things (good and bad) that make it so unique or worth travelling to. So, whether you are feeling addled in Amsterdam, bothered in Bulgaria or are going crazy in Colombia - suffer! It will be good for you and almost certainly make your trip that bit more enjoyable.</span>MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-87699047229319397312013-08-04T15:35:00.000-07:002013-08-04T15:49:19.093-07:00Eating Alone - TRGTALP's Guide to Chowing Down Solo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pad Thai in Chiang Mai (source - author)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I tell people that I often travel solo, the first reaction I often get is, "Oh! Not for me! I couldn't eat out alone!" The tone with which this statement is said would suggest that dining alone is too horrific to even contemplate or can be a major stumbling block to enjoying your travels. I can assure you there is nothing to worry about and the thought of eating solo should certainly not stop you from getting out there and exploring. I guess most people fear that their fellow diners may be mocking or pitying them and their lonely existence. I imagine eating in a restaurant surrounded by loved-up couples might make the solo diner feel somewhat uncomfortable or out of place. Much of this is due, I believe, to projection and what we think people are thinking about us. In the majority of cases, your fellow diners; but for a passing glance or comment about someone eating alone, do not give two hoots about you. They are probably too consumed with the menu, the prospect of their own delicious meal arriving in front of them and their fellow diner's spinach-filled teeth to care about you.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, it is great to eat with company, but eating alone allows you to take in more of your surroundings and gives you the opportunity to be alone with your thoughts. I prefer not to, but I know people who get round this by reading a book. I sometimes write in my travel notebook/Moleskine (something I referred to in my previous '<a href="http://roughguidetoalonelyplanet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/your-first-time.html" target="_blank">Your First Time</a>') all the things I have been doing or plan to do on my trip or plan to do when I get home. Remember, your meals are a small part of your day and need not consume you with angst. So, here are my top tips to make dining alone that little bit easier:</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Choose your eatery carefully...</span></b><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Though you should not give a stuff, you probably don't want to be eating surrounded by several doe-eyed couples sharing their spaghetti (a la Disney's 'Lady and the Tramp'). A friendly local venue is likely to be filled with a mixture of couples, families and, probably, the odd singleton just like you!</span><br />
<b><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Eat at lunch...</span></b><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Eating your larger meal at a quieter time of the service will take the pressure off feeling that you need to be dining with another person for the day's main meal in the evening. You can then free yourself up to take in some street food or local fast food options in the evening as you wander round and explore your destination. The Khao San Road in Bangkok is a great example of where you can munch on satay, spring rolls, pad Thai and finish with some pineapple all for a few pounds as well as soak up an atmosphere you certainly would not find in the confines of a restaurant in the city.</span><br />
<b><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Play on the WiFi...</span></b><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Only last night, in Split, the waiter took pity on me and came up to me with a till receipt with the restaurant WiFi password written on it. His kindness was unwarranted, but not unwelcome and I was happy to spend 10 minutes or so, until the food came, sending a message here and there and catching up on the news back home. </span><br />
<b><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Buddy up...</span></b><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- On a number of occasions I have dined with fellow travellers I have met in hostels, bars on tours that same day. It is a great way to meet someone and can offer you the chance to get to know people really well as you 'break bread'.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, though...I would suggest that you be bold in these situations. You have every right to sit at a restaurant by yourself. You are a paying customer. Who cares what anyone else thinks! Go ahead and chow down!</span>MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-2260786246454580882013-07-13T09:28:00.002-07:002013-07-16T04:29:32.729-07:00How Can You Afford it?! (AKA - The Art of Funding Your Travel...)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MikeW splashing out on his bargain trip to Budapest at the Szechenyi Baths (source - author)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been getting myself a bit of a reputation, these past few years, among my friends, family and work colleagues. The gadabout, the one flush with cash and the line everyone says (or variants of)..."you're always going on holiday!" Granted, I do take a fair few trips here and there, particularly in the last three years. Last year alone, I visited 7 countries and this year I have taken trips to 4 countries and with 2 more on the horizon before the year is out. So, how do I do it? Am I, perhaps, rolling in money...unfortunately not. Do I have family to fund my trips? Apart from a contribution to the 'Ice Cream Fund' or giving me money for my birthday and Christmas presents to put towards the costs of my trips, my family do not bankroll these adventures. Are you selling your body, MikeW?! Alas, what I would get for that would not get me the bus fare into Leeds!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What follows are a series of tips to help you save and build up some funds for your trips; whether that means blowing it all on one big trip to a long haul destination or doing what I have been doing these past couple of years, taking a series of short haul trips throughout Europe. We live in tough economic climes and, as a budget traveller, I like to ensure I get the best value and make my money go further so I can get more from my trips and get to go on more trips too.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1. Cut Back!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the biggest ways I save money is by not going out every weekend partying, drinking, dining out or on expensive leisure activities such as attending football matches, owning and buying games for a Playstation of XBox. For some people, this is a deal-breaker and I understand that. However, I think a balance can be found. Please do not misunderstand me, I like to think I have a fairly good social life, but to think I could save £50 from a night out on the tiles over the period of a month, would leave me with a hefty £200 to put towards flights, accommodation and spending money on my travels. Can you economise elsewhere in your life? For example, by finding a cheaper contract for your mobile or satellite television package. Giving up a 20 a day cigarette habit would leave you with approximately £200 to spend per month. Assuming you work 20 or so days a month and buy a £2 coffee every day, why not walk past Starbucks and save yourself £40 per month/£480 per year that you could put towards a trip abroad.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I find Martin Lewis's fantastic <a href="http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/" target="_blank">Money Saving Expert</a> website a brilliant source of information, but particularly like his '<a href="http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/demotivator/" target="_blank">Demotivator</a>' tool to help you reduce your spending!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2. eBay</b></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prior to my big backpacking trip to Australia and New Zealand, in 2005, I got into (by chance) buying and selling books on eBay, the Internet auction site. I never made big bucks, but made enough in about 4 months to pay for my flights to Australia and New Zealand on <a href="http://www.singaporeair.com/" target="_blank">Singapore Airlines</a>. So, hunt round your house, and get selling what you do not need or want anymore. Remember the motto - 'Someone's trash is another's treasure'! I recommend <a href="http://www.ebay.co.uk/" target="_blank">eBay</a> and <a href="http://www.gumtree.com/" target="_blank">Gumtree</a> as great places to offload your things. Who needs stuff anyway?! I firmly believe a fulfilled and fulfilling life is one filled with family and friends, not belongings.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3. Budget Airlines</b></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You may not like the idea, especially if you like a bit of luxury when you travel, but one of the best ways to save money is to fly with one of the many budget airlines. <a href="http://www.ryanair.com/" target="_blank">Ryanair</a>, <a href="http://www.easyjet.com/" target="_blank">easyJet</a> and the many others that dominate the European flight routes offer cheap and cheerful flights to a comprehensive range of destinations. And when flying with these airlines, my recommendation is also that you travel light or you will face a number of charges for your luggage that the person taking a city break can easily avoid through some careful and clever packing. My previous post on baggage (<a href="http://roughguidetoalonelyplanet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/no-baggage-dare-you-travel-this-light.html" target="_blank">No Baggage! Dare You Travel This Light?!</a>) simply highlights how easy it is to travel with very few things. By flying with a budget airline and timing your flight purchase right, some real bargains are to be had. For example, my return flight to Krakow from Leeds Bradford Airport with Ryanair, last October, during the school holidays was a rather reasonable £29! Budapest during the 2012 Easter holidays, a 'stonking' £52 return from Manchester.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>4. Staying with friends</b></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On 3 of my trips last year I stayed with friends. Coincidentally, friends I had met on my travels previously in Australia and New Zealand. I have extolled the virtues of staying with friends before from the viewpoint of having a local guide on hand to show you the best sights, bars and local dimension to your destination; but, these people can also (kindly) offer you somewhere free to stay. I always make a point of taking a gift or buying dinner one night to thank the hosts, as I am extremely grateful (and humbled) that they let me stay in their homes and treat me as one of their own. I too have done the same for the very same friends on their visits to me, here in Leeds! If you do not have this option, I recommend staying in hostels or sharing the cost of accommodation with friends by renting an apartment.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>5. Keep Costs Low</b></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Staying in budget accommodation will dramatically reduce your trip costs, so take advantage of the places offered on <a href="http://www.hostelbookers.com/" target="_blank">HostelBookers</a> and <a href="http://www.hostelworld.com/" target="_blank">HostelWorld</a>. If you have a student card or an <a href="http://www.isic.org/" target="_blank">International Student Identity Card (ISIC)</a> it can be used to get free or reduced entry into many of the best museums and art galleries in the world, as well as many other sights and attractions in the places you visit. Try not to use taxis or public transport wherever possible; walking will not only keep you fit, you will see more of your destination and it is completely and utterly free. Please, however, do not compromise safety to save a Euro or two by walking through an area that may present itself as dangerous or unsafe. When eating out, make your lunches using bread and fillings from the local markets and supermarkets. These are almost always cheaper than buying lunch. Also, ask for recommendations for places to eat. One big advantage of staying in a hostel, especially one where the staff are friendly and helpful is that they will sit with you for 5 minutes and, using a map of the destination, highlight all the places to eat and drink that offer the best value.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TJc76P_CyAA/UeF-qg9-XlI/AAAAAAAAASc/I12r8RARL54/s1600/DSC_0025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TJc76P_CyAA/UeF-qg9-XlI/AAAAAAAAASc/I12r8RARL54/s320/DSC_0025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You too could marvel at the historic sights of Tallinn in Estonia (source - author)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>6. Travel Savvy and Combine Trips</b></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Taking a two centre trip can often save the plucky traveller a fair bit of cash. Rather than take two separate trips to places combine your trips together into one big trip. For example, last year I visited both Riga in Latvia and Vilnius in Lithuania, flying into the former and out of the latter and connecting myself between them via a rather luxurious and cheap coach journey. Or, you might find, a day trip is viable to another destination that interests you. This May, I visited Tallinn in Estonia, but managed to squeeze in a day trip to Helsinki in Finland. Having been shocked by the prices of everything in Finland's Nordic neighbour, Sweden in the previous month, I made sure I took all the food I needed with me for the day and only spent money on my boat journey across and a couple of coffees throughout the day. Taking the trip separately would have involved an expensive hostel in the city and rely on me purchasing my foods and drinks there.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, there you go! Not a comprehensive list, but one that I hope will save you money and allow your cash to go much further. It has worked for me and provides me with the opportunity to travel more and maximise my adventures. Please let me know how you save for trips and add your tips to the comments section below!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy budget busting travel!</span>MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6607723753740688988.post-999563345227723932013-07-09T09:01:00.000-07:002013-07-09T09:01:36.951-07:00Hostels and the Backpackers You Meet...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.travelinsurancereview.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/backpacker-travel-insurance.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.travelinsurancereview.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/backpacker-travel-insurance.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Backpacker (Source - travelinsurancereview.net)</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you travel, and especially when you travel solo, you are bound to meet a whole host of characters in hostels. I have touched on this in previous posts '</span><a href="http://roughguidetoalonelyplanet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/the-freak-parade-oddballs-on-road.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Freak Parade - Oddballs on the Road</span></a><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">' and '</span><a href="http://roughguidetoalonelyplanet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/embrace-your-fellow-traveller.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Embrace Your Fellow Traveller...</span></a><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'. What HostelBookers have done brilliantly is sum up the 15 types of weird and wonderful backpackers you are likely to meet in hostels. I would say I am a mixture of one with a dash of three, but I have got better on the packing front in the past couple of years.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The people you meet in hostels can be hit and miss. I have stayed in some hostels that have been populated with the most irritating travellers imaginable and hostels where my fellow roomies, common room TV watching buddy and I have hit it off quickly and made the most of our time in the destination. And, I think that is the key...for the majority of people the hostel is just a bed, a place to sleep while you explore the destination you are visiting. Not many people choose to visit somewhere just to stay in the hostel; they are there to enjoy and savour the sights and opportunities a place has to offer, rather than to spend time with Steve, who has lived on and off in the hostel for 3 months, not seen a single sight away from the local bars and whos crowning glory is a scale model of the Colloseum constructed entirely out of beer cans he has drunk.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Check out the link below and see where you fit in:</span><br />
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<a href="http://blog.hostelbookers.com/travel/weird-and-wonderful/backpacker-types/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">http://blog.hostelbookers.com/travel/weird-and-wonderful/backpacker-types/</span></span></a></div>
MikeWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02733487372117242344noreply@blogger.com0