Author: The practical explorer

WALLET SHOPPING IN EDINBURGH (and other weird travel traditions)

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When you go to a new place you’re probably interested in the local attractions, culture or atmosphere. But often the most memorable part of a trip is about something much more personal, which may not be relevant to anyone else.

The first time I went to Edinburgh was in the middle of the winter, and the weather was horrid the whole time. At some point me and my friends stumbled upon this nice shop (Ness, still a favourite) and I bought a wallet.

Six years on, I’ve been to Edinburgh many times, and so far I’ve bought three other wallets while there. In fact, ever since I moved to the UK, I’ve only ever bought wallets in Edinburgh – how weird is that?

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Travel traditions can start anywhere – maybe you have a Royale with cheese every time you’re in Paris because of that scene from Pulp Fiction; maybe you always go back to the cheapest restaurant in Marrakech because that funny waiter is still there many years later; or maybe you’re a Shakhtar fan because of that time you spent ten days in Donetsk.

And you don’t necessarily need to travel to the same place many times to create a tradition. Sometimes it’s just a matter of finding your favourite restaurant on your first evening in a new city and coming back again and again.

But mostly, the little traditions you create on the road can make wherever you are a little bit your own, and make a trip that little bit more special.

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I can’t wait to go back to Jordan and have labneh for breakfast every day!

RELAXING IN VIENNA: Pretty cakes and baroque architecture

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I was looking forward to this trip. For Easter in 2014 we went to Prague and had the best time, and I thought Vienna would be a nice follow up.

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I wasn’t really sure what to see, so I decided to do a free self-guided walking tour, which was great. Instead of doing it all in one go, we did it over two days, leaving lots of time for each place we visited.

DAY 1: City Centre

The tour starts at the Opera House, a great place to grasp the grandiose architecture which is so characteristic of Vienna. We didn’t do this, but there are lots of performances available there.

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Nearby is the lovely Burggarten (or Castle Park), great for a visit on a sunny day. We then reached the Albertina Museum, which seems to have a great collection (we ended up not going in).

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It was the perfect time for a little break, so we had the famous chocolate cake at Sacher Hotel. Yum!

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We then reached the Capuchin Imperial Crypt, where many members of the Hapsburg family are buried. It was a very interesting display.

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Walking around Karntner Strasse (the main pedestrian thoroughfare) we finally stopped at St Stephen’s Church, a very impressive gothic cathedral right in the centre of Vienna.

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Our final stop of the day was at Mozart’s Apartment which unfortunately was pretty boring!

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DAY 2: Around the Imperial Palace

Another great area to visit starts at Michaelerplatz, an impressive square which has preserved Roman ruins at its centre. This is where the famous Spanish Winter Riding School is located (I’m not massively into horses so I don’t really get the appeal, but it’s a nice building).

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Right behind it is the National Library, the Hofburg Imperial Palace and Hero’s Square. All this area is incredibly impressive, full of beautiful buildings and gardens. Everything is quite grandiose, so you can spend a lot of time contemplating and taking photos.

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SCHONBRUNN PALACE

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Another iconic Viennese highlight is Schonbrunn Palace, which is a Unesco Heritage site. This is an impressive baroque building, and the gardens outside are also very nice. The queues were incredibly long, so we decided to walk around the park and enjoy the sunshine instead!

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HOW TO DO IT:

Stay: We got this amazing flat though AirBnb which was just perfect. The place was very nice and ideally located right at the city centre.

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Eat: Food wasn’t particularly veggie-friendly, so it was a good idea to stay in a flat where we could cook. We found a couple of nice places through Happy Cow. Landia was good to taste local dishes, and Xu’s Cooking might not have been particularly local, but it had amazing veggie Chinese food and the service was perfect! There are also lots of cafes around, all with amazing cakes. We didn’t get in, but Demel had the prettiest selection of treats!

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Drink: Local beers are great and there are lots of nice bars around. It being spring, spritzers seemed to be the drink of choice in many places – perfect!

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Transportation: In the city centre, most things are within walking distance. There’s also a good metro network, and it’s often cheaper getting a day ticket instead of singles.

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A perfect break for early spring!

A WEEKEND IN EDINBURGH: Beautiful views and rainy days

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I have a good friend in Edinburgh, so I’ve been there a few times to visit. It’s a beautiful place and very close to London, so it’s perfect for a weekend trip.

Here are some good things to do in Edinburgh:

1. Wander around the Royal Mile

Edinburgh’s city centre is very pretty and it’s always bustling with life. A great place to walk around and explore. And the impressive Edinburgh Castle is right nearby and definitely worth a visit.

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2. Hit the bars

Edinburgh is great for pubs – there’s just too many to choose from! Sample a few to find your favourite!

3. Go to the beach

If the weather is good, it is a good idea to explore some of the Scottish coast nearby. We went for a walk in Aberdour, which is a quaint little town 30 minutes from Edinburgh.

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4. Visit a museum

Edinburgh has some great museums, and the National Museum of Scotland is one of the best. Besides the impressive permanent collection, the terrace on the 7th floor has great views over the city.

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HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: There are lots of flights from London, but taking the train is also a good alternative – the journey takes about 4h40.
  • Stay: Staying close to the city centre is the best option as most of the sights are within walking distance.
  • When to go: The weather in Edinburgh can be positively dreadful in the winter, so avoid going between November and February. In August the Edinburgh Festival is on with lots of amazing art and comedy.

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DRINKING IN STYLE: 3 pubs to visit in Edinburgh

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Edinburgh is full of great pubs, and as it turns out I spend a lot of time in them every time I’m in the city. On my last visit I went to these three cool places:

1. THE GROSVENOR

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This pub is located about 15 minutes from the city centre, and although it’s still very close, it’s much less busy than pubs in central Edinburgh. A good option if you want to avoid the tourist crowds.

2. BOW BAR

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This traditional little bar is centrally located and had great atmosphere. Friendly staff and a great range of beers on tap – that’s all you need really!

3. CASTLE ARMS

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Located very close to Edinburgh Castle, this pub is a good option for a break while sightseeing. I didn’t try it, but the food looked delicious.

A SUNNY DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Day trip to Bratislava

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Although I’m slowly working through the list of European countries I want to visit, I’m in no rush to cross places of my list – in general I like to see as much of a place as I can.

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But Slovakia being so easy to reach from Vienna, we decided to get on a train to Bratislava and see what it was like.

The main thing to do there is walking around the Old Town. This part of the town is very nice, full of little narrow streets and old historical buildings.

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It was a beautiful day, perfect for having a beer in a cafe and taking photos in the main square.

We then went up to the castle which overlooks the city centre. You also get views of the Danube river which goes through the city.

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After exploring for a while, we stopped for lunch at a local restaurant. Food wasn’t particularly veggie-friendly but it was nice nonetheless.

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HOW TO DO IT:

Taking the train from Vienna is the easiest way to visit Bratislava. The trip takes only 1h and return tickets cost 16€.

The station in Bratislava doesn’t provide much in way of information – to get to the city centre you need to walk under the subway to find a bus stop behind the station. From there, bus 93 will get you to the city centre in under 10 minutes (many thanks to the helpful local who showed us the way).

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This is a great option for a day trip as the city is quite small and you can see a lot in a day.

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THE 5-MINUTE TRIP PLANNER: Vilnius, Lithuania

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I’m going to Vilnius in June. We were looking for a weekend trip, checked the map, and decided on Lithuania.

I don’t know much about the place, but it’s always good to go somewhere different!

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Photo by Mantas Volungevicius

HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: Wizzair has a convenient flight from London to Vilnius, with return flights from only £80 per person.
  • Stay: We chose our accommodation through TripAdvisor. Hotels are quite cheap at around £60 per night for a double room.
  • Do: Wander around the Old Town, which is a Unesco Heritage site. It just looks so pretty!
The 5-minute trip planner: Planning a short trip in no time.

ROAD TRIP READING: The Grapes of Wrath

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John Steinbeck’s books are always a good option to take on a trip. His adventures in Russia are amazing, and his most famous novels usually set the scene nicely in America.

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The Grapes of Wrath follows the story of a family moving from Oklahoma in search of a better life in California. It’s not an easy journey – and the road that they travel, alongside the changing landscape around them, serve as a nice backdrop to the story of Tom Joad and his family.

As ever with Steinbeck books, the story develops slowly, and you are taken along on the journey as you read the book. It was also beautifully adapted into a film by John Ford.

One to take with you on a road trip!

THE BEST PLACE I’VE EVER VISITED

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Someone asked me the other day what was the best place I’ve ever visited.

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I thought about Paris: when I was 13, I visited Paris and it changed my world view completely. I’ve been there maybe eight times now, and I still absolutely love it. It’s beautiful, it’s iconic, it’s old and new at the same time.

But then I thought about Marrakech, my unlikely home away from home. Djeema El Fna (the main square) is the centre of the world, where all the action is. I love the food, the souks, the riads, wandering aimlessly, getting lost for hours…

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But of course there’s London, my adopted city. It’s grey, it’s gritty, but it’s perfect. Everything happens here, and I still choose to live here every day.

Then last year we travelled the Balkans, and visited Jordan, and the year before we were in Iceland and saw the Northern Lights.

I can’t choose, and that’s the best part. There really is a whole world out there… and I’m only getting started.

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What’s the best place you’ve ever visited?

THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN: A book to read to on a long journey

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Reading The Magic Mountain, by Thomas Mann, is like going on a journey. You arrive in the Swiss Alps, feel the light breeze and breath in the deep air.

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The book follows the routine of the lead character in minute detail, and as you get to know Hans Castorp, you also connect with the environment around him.

The passage of time is slow; the days repetitive. As you turn page after page (the book is quite long) you start to feel like you’re in the mountains too.

Some books stay with you long after you’ve finished reading them. This is on of them.

Take it with you when you go on a long trip!

THE BORING SIDE OF TRAVELLING: Surviving long waits at the airport

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I’m sure some people love wandering around duty free shops while they wait for their flights. I’m not one of them. And because I always get to the airport very early, I tend to wait around a lot.

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Here’s what you can do to make it better:

  1. Play a game: take a deck of cards or some other game with you and those extra hours will fly by. But remember: keep it small (as you’ll have to carry it around) and keep it simple (no one wants to focus really hard when they’re jet-lagged and half-asleep). Bananagrams, anyone?
  2. Make travel plans: this is the ideal time to finalise your itinerary. Open up that travel guide and get planning! And if you’re returning for a trip, you’re probably already missing your holiday, so check out the departure boards for unusual destinations and start dreaming of your next trip!
  3. Eat and drink: this one is a bit tricky, as some airports don’t really have that much to offer on that department. But when a good bar/restaurant is available, you should definitely check it out while you wait. It’s definitely better than waiting for stale airplane food.

Make the best of your travels!