Author: The practical explorer

WE WENT SNORKELLING WITH SHARKS: Honeymoon in the Galapagos, day 2

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On our second day we took a boat trip to islands near Santa Cruz. We started at Isla Mosquera, a tiny island full of sea lions, many of them with pups. We spent an hour leisurely exploring and taking photos – everywhere you go there are more and more animals to see, it’s so incredible!

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This island is also good for spotting marine iguanas and red crabs.

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We then went snorkelling nearby – we saw lots of colourful fish, eels, but most importantly, sharks! This was definitely not on my list of things to do, but sharks here are not dangerous to humans, so this was a great experience.

Our boat (the Narel) then took us to nearby North Seymour. As soon as you get out of the boat you are greeted by massive birds, as Nazca and blue-footed boobies and frigate birds hover on the sky.

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We went for a walk around this impressive island, where you can see tons of birds nesting everywhere (and sometimes getting into fights too). Frigate birds make unusual displays inflating the red membrane above their chest. Blue-footed boobies mostly just look cute and a bit comical.

This island is also home to many land iguanas – this is a large species with colourful males that like to hang out under cacti.

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At the end of our walk we found another spot full of sea lions with tiny babies (so cute!) – this was a perfect ending to an amazing day full of adventures!

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You can see day 1 of our Galapagos adventure here.

AN IGUANA CAME TO GREET US ON THE TARMAC: Honeymoon in the Galapagos, day 1

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We flew from Guayaquil to Baltra to start our Galapagos adventure. An iguana was already waiting for us on the tarmac, so we knew straightaway this was going to be amazing.

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We got on the ferry from the airport where we spotted blue-footed boobies and sea lions, and lots of other birds. Our first stop of the day was a sink hole of volcanic origin in the highlands of Santa Cruz island.

We stopped for lunch at Rancho El Manzanillo, a local farm that is absolutely covered with giant tortoises. They spend their days grazing and resting by a pond, before starting a three-month journey to the lower parts of the island where they lay their eggs.

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We were dropped at Puerto Ayora, the main town in Santa Cruz, where we got on a boat to our hotel.

It was around 4pm, so we spent some time by the beach where we spotted marine iguanas, a sea lion, a golden ray, colourful crabs, lots of little fish and all sorts of birds. The wildlife here is not only really abundant, but also completely at ease hanging out around people.

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DELICIOUS PASTA AND MARBLE STEPS: A lazy weekend in Pisa

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This year we hadn’t had as many holidays as we usually do, so I was looking forward to a nice little weekend away in Italy.

We arrived early afternoon, and headed straight to our flat where our host welcomed us with a delicious bottle of local wine. After stocking up at the supermarket (and buying way too much pasta to bring back home), we went out for a walk around the leaning tower. It was a beautiful afternoon, and the light was amazing!

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We had dinner at Da Antonio, a restaurant which is among the touristy area close to the tower. Despite the location and the fact that staff was not at all Italian, the food was great. Dinner for two including drinks and tip for 40€. We went for a nightcap at Mani’Omio, a cocktail bar which served aperitivi for 6€.

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The next morning we had tickets to visit the leaning tower. It was a beautiful sunny day, and the site wasn’t particularly busy, which was really good. We visited the Cathedral and then started climbing the tower, which is a strange experience as the building pushes you around as you climb the steps.

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The view from the top was beautiful, with a nice contrast between the red roofs and green mountains – the kind of thing you can take for granted in Tuscany. We took some silly photos and headed for our next stop: delicious ice cream at La Bottega del Gelato, which had the best fiordilatte gelato I’ve had in a long time (two scoops for 2€).

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In the afternoon we took the train to nearby Lucca, a walled city which is really cute. We had lunch at Nanda’s, a vegan place that served yummy (if a bit cold) food (lunch for two including a drink for 20€). We stopped at the local cathedral (tickets for 3€) which has impressive artworks, including a large panel by Tintoretto.

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We spent a couple of hours exploring the narrow roads, and finished our visit by climbing another tower, Giunigi, which is unique because it has trees planted at the top (tickets for 4€ per person). Again the views from the top were really amazing.

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We headed back to Pisa where we had a dinner reservation at Vegusto, an amazing vegan place that had a gnocchi with lemon and ginger that was just the best (dinner for two including drinks and tip for 50€).

The next morning it was time to leave – this was a nice and chilled little trip, the perfect little break from my usual routine!

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HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: There are direct flights from Gatwick with BA, and they take about 2h. The airport is really close to the city centre, only 10 minutes by bus (a single ticket costs 1.30€).
  • Get around: Pisa is a nice base to explore Tuscany. Lucca is a 30 minute train ride away (tickets for 3.50€ each way), but there are many other nice places around: Cinque Terre is 1h30 away, and Florence 1h – all reached easily by train.
  • Stay: We stayed in this cute Airbnb which was just what we needed – well located but with a local feel, and there were tons of tips by previous guests and our host.
  • The Leaning Tower: Tickets can be booked online up to 20 days before your visit, and cost from 16€ (depending on what is included). You need to leave your bag in a cloakroom before you go up, so make sure to leave plenty of time as lines can be long.

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IN PICTURES: Village life and countryside walks in Cumbria

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I don’t normally travel within the UK, but last weekend I went to visit a friend who recently moved to Cumbria.

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The area is very scenic, perfect for long walks (weather permitting).

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We visited Bolton Castle, which is really nice and has great views over the countryside.

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There are many nice villages nearby, so we spent a couple of hours window shopping and sampling Wensleydale cheese in Hawes.

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My friend runs the beautiful Brownber Hall, so we had plenty of time to relax in style, watching goldfinches flying by.

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SUNNY PICNICS AND FOOTBALL IN CAFES: A week in Paris

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We arrived for our week in Paris on 21 June, when the French celebrate the Fete de la Musique. Getting off the Eurostar and straight into the heart of the party in the Marais was a great start for our holiday!

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The Eiffel Tower

I’ve been to Paris lots of times, so I don’t spend much of my time in the top tourist attractions, but this time we decided to go up the Eiffel Tower. There was extra security because of the Euros, but otherwise it was relatively quiet.

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As ever, the views from the top are truly amazing (you can even buy a glass of champagne from the bar on the 3rd floor), so we spent a good amount of time admiring the views and taking photos (tickets to the summit for 17€, you can book online but advance tickets tend to sell out quickly).

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Arc du Triomphe and Champs Elysees

We spent an afternoon walking from the Arc du Triomphe to the Louvre via the Champs Elysees. This is a massive highlight of Paris, but it’s definitely one of the most beautiful thoroughfares in the world. So much history, sights and amazing architecture all in the same place! This is definitely where Paris is at its most grandiose, and I’m happy every time I go back there.

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Sainte Chapelle

Close to the Notre Dame but significantly less crowded, the Sainte Chapelle is a gothic church with the most amazing stained glass windows (tickets for 10€). We spend some time admiring all the little details and taking photos which don’t really do the place any justice.

We then walked to nearby Ile St Louis, a small island in the Seine full of nice cafes and shops.

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Parc de Sceaux

I went to Parc de Sceaux once 21 years ago! I have been to Paris many many times since, but I hadn’t been back to this beautiful park yet, so I thought it would be a good thing to go back and take a nice picnic.

This is a beautiful park with a castle and formal gardens, and it’s easily accessible from Paris (just take RER B to Parc de Sceaux). It was very hot when we visited, so it was a great day to lounge under trees and watch parakeets flying over.

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Tour Saint Jacques

Visiting Tour Saint Jacques was a massive highlight of this trip. You get amazing views over Paris in a very exclusive setting.

The guided visit (tickets for 10€) takes 50 minutes, half of which consist of looking over Paris in all its glory. The maximum group size is 17 people, so it’s a real privilege to be able to visit.

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Promenade Plantee

Like the High Line in New York, the Promenade Plantee is a suspended footpath which has been transformed into a park. It’s a beautiful and peaceful place, and a great way of seeing Paris in a different way, starting behind the Bastille.

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Louis Vuitton Foundation

I’ve been meaning to check out this new museum for a while, so I made sure to book tickets in advance this time around (14€) – although we probably needn’t have.

The Louis Vuitton Foundation is a modern art museum in the outskirts of Paris, right next to the Bois de Boulogne. The building by architect Frank Gehry is as much part of the display as it is part of the outside environment, and you get great views of Paris from there too.

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The Euros

We went to the Euros in Ukraine four years ago, and it was great. This time we had tickets for two games – Austria v. Iceland, and Italy v. Spain, at Stade de France. Both games were great, and as is usual in such tournaments, the crowd came from all over the world.

We also went to the Fanzone which was right next to the Eiffel Tower – an amazing view that really added to the atmosphere.

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From my experience with international tournaments (I also went to the World Cup two year ago), this was a bit different: because Paris is already such an amazing place, the football wasn’t such a central part of our trip – on the other hand, we had all of Paris to explore, which is always great.

The other consideration is that because of the terrorist attacks from November, there was a lot of security everywhere – you had to go through three security checks to get into the stadium or the Fanzone – but of course this was more than justified, and everything went really smoothly.

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HOW TO DO IT:

Go: The best way to get to Paris is by train. The Eurostar takes you to Paris in 2h30 and it’s just so convenient! You can leave after work and arrive just in time for dinner in Paris.

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When to go: Paris is always amazing, but summers are great as the days are really long and you get to enjoy lots of outdoor activities. We were really lucky this time as it wasn’t as crowded as peak season usually gets.

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Stay: We stayed in this perfect place in the Marais. It was a perfect home for one week – located right at the heart of the action in a bohemian neighbourhood, but in a nice and quiet area. Marais is a great place to stay, as you are centrally located while feeling that you’re living like a local.

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Food: We ate mostly at the flat where we stayed, but we also went to a couple nice restaurants. Le Potager du Marais is a popular vegan place which serves yummy food, including the best vegan cheese I’ve tried (lunch for two for 35€). Our favourite food place this time was Hank, a vegan burger place that had the best food (a meal deal with burger, side and beer for 13€) and it was very cheap for Paris prices.

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Drink: France is obviously great for wine, so I made the most of the 5€ bottles at the local supermarket. Drinks at bars and restaurants are not as cheap, although wine is fairly priced (about 5€ for a glass). Beer lovers end up paying more, with a pint costing 7-8€ at bars. We also ended up at a ridiculously touristy place at one point, because we were running late and wanted to watch a football match – we paid 30€ for two drinks (1l beer and a cocktail) which is exactly the kind of tourist trap that you should avoid. Lucky for us, this was a one-off.

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Transportation: Other than walking, the metro and local trains are great in Paris. Because we were staying for one week, it made sense to get a weekly pass (26€, and you need to bring a passport photo with you). Another good alternative is the carnet with 10 tickets which can be used within central Paris (14.40€).

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GREAT VIEWS AND VEGGIE FOOD: A day in Tallinn

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We took the ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn for the day. After exploring the Old Town for a bit, we stopped for lunch at V, a vegan restaurant that was ideally located in the city centre and had the best food (lunch for two including drinks and tip for 30€).

Our next stop was St Olaf’s church – you can climb up the tower to get amazing views over the centre and the bay. Tickets cost only 2€ per person, so it’s definitely worth a go.

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We continued exploring the city centre, finding the Orthodox cathedral and another viewing point nearby. We stopped for a drink at Bogapott, then explored some more of the little corners and alleyways of the Old Town (which is a Unesco Heritage site).

We stopped at the Holy Spirit church, went across St Catherine’s passage and then climbed up Hellemann tower and walls (tickets cost 3€ per person). We then headed to Cafe Inspiration for some more yummy vegan food (a light dinner for two including drinks and tip for 26€) before getting back on the ferry to Helsinki.

Tallinn is definitely worth a visit – what a picturesque place!

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HOW TO DO IT:

  • Getting there: Helsinki and Tallinn are very close, so you can take one of the many ferries available.  We chose Linda Line which seemed to have the fastest options (1h30 on the way there and about two hours on the way back). Prices can go up, so it’s best to book in advance (we paid about 40€ return per person). We left Helsinki on the 10am ferry and took the 8pm service on the way back, which gave us plenty of time to explore.
  • Money: Tallinn is very cheap as compared to nearby Helsinki. Drinks at the Old Town for about 3-4€.

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A SUNNY WEEKEND IN SCANDINAVIA: Two days in Helsinki

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We decided to take advantage of the bank holiday and go to Helsinki. We arrived quite late on the Friday, so we decided to stay at Glo, a hotel conveniently located inside the airport terminal.

In the morning we headed to the city centre. We visited the popular Market Square across the harbour. Nearby is the Design District, full of cool (but expensive) shops. There are a few Marimekko shops too, with its amazing prints and all sorts of objects (again too expensive).

We stopped at Pizzarium, a great place for a quick lunch – they had many options of veggie and vegan pizzas (lunch for two for 15€).

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After stopping at our flat for a bit, we decided to go to Kallio for the evening as we had heard good things about it. We had a drink at Oiva, a karaoke bar; then we headed to Siltanen, a great place where all the cool kids hang out listening to DJs, drinking and eating Asian food.

Our final stop for the night was Pub 3 Linja, a local pub that was probably not used to receiving many tourists as we got a lot of local attention. This was by far the cheapest place we found, with beer for 4€.

On our second day in Helsinki we left our flat and walked south to Kaivopuisto park. It was a hot sunny day, so it was perfect for lounging about in the sunshine before heading to the airport.

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HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: We flew with Norwegian from Gatwick on a Friday after work. The trip takes 2h30 and tickets cost around £90 return.
  • Stay: We arrived quite late, so we decided to stay at airport hotel Glo. This was a great decision as the place is located within the airport terminal and it is very good. We paid £93 for two including breakfast. In Helsinki we stayed at an Airbnb flat which I definitely wouldn’t recommend. But there are lots of other Airbnb options for around £50 per night.
  • Food: Finnish food isn’t particularly veggie but most places had some options clearly labelled. Helsinki has lots of international restaurants, so it’s very easy to find good alternatives.
  • Drink: We found lots of places offering a wide range of local and craft beers. These were generally very nice, but prices can be a bit steep, with bottles costing around 6€.
  • Money: Helsinki is not as expensive as some other Scandinavian capitals, but it’s still more expensive than most European cities.
  • Transportation: Most places in Helsinki are within walking distance from the city centre. Alternatively, the metro is easy to navigate (tickets cost 2.70€) and there are also lots of trams available. The fast train from the airport to the Central Station takes 30 minutes and runs every 10 minutes throughout the day. Tickets cost 5.50€ and can be bought in ticket machines or aboard the train.

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SIPPING APEROL SPRITZ IN THE SUN: A chilled weekend in Milan

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In my first time in Milan it rained the whole time, so it was great to be back when the weather was nice.

As I expect everyone does, our first stop was the Duomo and surrounding areas. The Duomo is very impressive, and on a sunny day it made for great photos. There are many options for tickets, but we chose the one which only gave access to the cathedral itself as it only cost 2€.

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We then visited the beautiful Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, reaching the Teatro alla Scala right behind it. We had a quick gelato stop at Cioccolati Italiani, where service was confusing but the gelato was delicious.

Our next stop was the unique Sforzesco Castle and the beautiful Sempione Park behind it, where we sat in the sun watching buskers entertain the crowd.

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We got on the metro to Navigli (Porta Genova metro stop), a nice area absolutely packed with cool bars and restaurants. All the bars offered aperitivi, a great deal in which you buy a drink (about 10€) a get lots of nibbles alongside it. We had Aperol Spritz (my favourite!) and many other delicious cocktails, then headed back to the hotel at midnight, when the area was still buzzing.

In the morning we headed to Brera, a bohemian neighbourhood not far from the city centre. Brera Palace hosts the famous Pinacoteca and it’s also a great place for a drink in the sun at one of the many cute cafes in the area. We had an Aperol Spritz or two before heading back to the airport.

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HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: Flights from London take about 2h, so you can easily go after work on a Friday.
  • Stay: We Stayed at Zambala, a place with serviced apartments which was a good option. We paid 158€ for two people for two nights.
  • Transportation: Milan has a good network of metro and trams. You can buy a 48h travelcard for 8.25€. Taxis from the airport are expensive, but frequent buses to and from the Central station cost only 8€.
  • Do: Leonardo’s Last Supper is a big draw, so it’s imperative to book in advance as tickets sell out weeks before your visit.

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A WEEKEND IN CARDIFF: Rainy days and bar hopping

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We took advantage of the bank holiday and hopped on a train from London to Cardiff. Our flat was near Cardiff Bay, so after making ourselves at home, we decided to explore the area.

We started at the impressive Millenium Centre, a landmark building perfect for taking photos. Then we headed to the bay, an area with lots of cool bars and restaurants. If the weather is nice you can also take a quick boat trip for £3.

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In the evening we decided to try and find a restaurant in the centre for dinner, but this was a mistake a that area was way too rowdy in the evening.

On our second day we explored some more, stopping at the little shops in the many arcades in the city centre.

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As the weather wasn’t great, we spent some time at Cardiff Castle (tickets for £12), a nice place to learn more about the history of the city. Bute Park is just behind the castle, and it looked quite nice too.

We had a late lunch at Bill’s, followed by a couple of nice cocktails at 10 Feet Tall, then headed back to the flat for a lazy night in.

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HOW TO DO IT:

  • Stay: We stayed in this nice flat, which was well located between the bay and the city centre.
  • When to go: The weather in Wales is not the best, so rain is always expected. We went in May and it was still quite cold.
  • Go: Trains from Paddington take a little over 2h. Book in advance as it can get quite expensive (we paid £74 return each).

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