Author: The practical explorer

2014 TRAVELLING: The year in review

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This was another year full of travelling! Here’s how it went:

  • Our first trip was not until March, when we went to Berlin with friends. It was my third time there, but I still want to go back!
  • We then embarked on our Eastern European adventure: we started off in Croatia, went to Montenegro for a day trip, took the bus to Mostar and Sarajevo in Bosnia and ended up bar-hopping in Serbia.
  • In May I hopped on the train at King’s Cross and went to visit my friend in Edinburgh.
  • Then we crossed the Atlantic and spent two weeks in Brazil: we flew into Manaus, swam with river dolphins, stayed in a jungle hotel and finished it off watching the World Cup live!
  • We saw the athletics at the Commonwealth Games: the best bit was Usain Bolt being right in front of us!
  • I finally went to Amsterdam and enjoyed all the highlights of the Rijksmuseum.
  • We had an amazing time in Prague: beautiful, relaxing and scenic.
  • I chased rainbows with my friends around Geneva.
  • We drank Belgian beers and took a boat trip in Bruges.
  • In September we had an amazing adventure through Jordan: we drove through the King’s Highway, explored Petra, slept in the desert, floated in the Dead Sea, and saw mosaics in Madaba. This is definitely one to remember!
  • I went back to Marrakech and got lost in the souks again. It’s amazing every single time.
  • In November I went to Bangladesh for work – I never thought I’d go there!

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Twelve trips and thirteen countries – not bad!

A WEEK IN BANGLADESH: River journeys and rickshaws

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I visited Bangladesh with work. I didn’t know much about the country before going there, so I was looking forward to learning more.

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Dhaka, the capital city, has the craziest traffic I’ve ever seen. You can stay hours stuck in the same place, among rickshaws, crowded buses, and even elephants!

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The city is completely overcrowded, a sea of people wherever you look. People-watching (and being watched) was great fun though.

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Bangladesh doesn’t have many tourist attractions, but I visited a few local highlights in Dhaka: the Pink Palace (Ahsan Manzil) and the Lalbagh Fort. Both were nice, but not remarkable.

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THE COUNTRYSIDE

I visited Habiganj, a district in the north-east of the country. Although it’s a remote area, there are people everywhere you look: Bangladesh is quite a small country, but 170 million people live there.

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Travelling through the Bangladeshi countryside I saw a completely different area of the country: rice and tea plantations, and local communities whose lives revolve around the local rivers, which they use to fish, to bathe, for transportation, for leisure…

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It is a beautiful country, and people there were absolutely amazing, but it was also quite harsh. I’m really happy I got the opportunity to visit Bangladesh, as it’s not a destination that I would have chosen otherwise.

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LEARN MORE

A Golden Age is a great book to learn about the recent history of Bangladesh. It is the first part of a trilogy, and it’s set around the country’s independence in 1971.

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THE 5-MINUTE TRIP PLANNER: Lisbon

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Portugal is mostly popular with the British because of its beaches, but Lisbon is a great place for a city break.

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There is a lot to see and do, from cultural attractions to a vibrant nightlife.

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And because of the mild weather, it’s a good place to visit for most of the year.

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HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: Easyjet normally offers the best prices, and you can go after work on a Friday to make the most of the weekend.
  • Stay: Lisbon has good options for accommodation at better prices than most European capitals. My recommendation is Artbeat rooms, an artsy hostel where each room is dedicated to an artist. They have the best recommendations of places to go, and it’s centrally located.
  • Do: Visit the Monument to the Discoveries and follow it by Jeronimos Monastery – it’s a great overview of the age of exploration and Portuguese history. Then recharge with a cup of coffee and a couple of custard tarts at the place where they were first made.
  • Drink: Stop at one (or a few) of the many bars and restaurants around Chiado and Bairro Alto. There are always new places to go for a glass of local green wine!

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The 5-minute trip planner: Planning a short trip in no time.

TRAVELLING LIGHT: 4 tips on hassle-free packing

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I rarely check any luggage these days as it takes so much longer to get everything sorted at the airport. Even if I’m travelling for one week, I might still only take my backpack.

Here are some of my tips on how to pack effectively:

1. Make a list

My packing list evolved over time, and nowadays it includes the main things I might forget, like phone chargers and adaptors.

But if you don’t want to come up with your own, there are lots of packing lists around – this one from Knock Knock is my favourite. Not only does it have everything you may want to take on a trip, but they also made it into a notebook:

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2. If you’re not sure you will need it, you definitely won’t

There are very few things that you really need to remember to take with you (passport and credit cards are probably the only two essential items on my list). Most things are available to buy wherever you are going.

If you’re unsure whether you need an extra pair of trousers, don’t take it with you. If you really need something, you can always buy it at your destination. Remember, anything you pack you will have to carry around.

3. Have a ‘travel uniform’

It helps if you all the clothes you are taking on a trip go together – jeans and a t-shirt are my travel uniform, so I don’t need to worry about making everything match.

If you’re taking a fancy outfit or something like that, make sure it’s small. Rolling up a dress and a pair of flat shoes doesn’t take much space and sorts you out if you need it.

4. Keep your travel essentials ready

I once read that Marissa Mayer (Yahoo! CEO) has a ‘just add clothes’ suitcase with all the things she needs for business trips. Of course I don’t go to such lengths, but I do have a few basics that I always keep together.

I’ve developed a very good toiletries kit over time, so when it’s time to pack that is all sorted!

Get packing!

TRAVELLING IN THE WINTER: Don’t wait for the weather to be good!

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It’s very easy to find places to go in the summer. But who wants to wait this long to go somewhere? Here are a few ideas of places to visit this winter:

1. Go to a big city

The big European capitals have a lot to offer, so it’s easy to find something to do indoors. Berlin is a good option, as you can spend a lot of time in museums and cafes, but there are also good Christmas markets around.

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2. Escape the cold

You don’t need to travel halfway across the globe to find somewhere warmer. Morocco and Egypt are quite warm during the winter, and can be reached within 3-4 hours.

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3. Discover somewhere new

Last December we went to Ljubljana just because we wanted to go somewhere – it was great! Very cold, but a great little trip.

There’s still time to go somewhere this winter!

THE 5-MINUTE TRIP PLANNER: A weekend in Paris

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I love Paris! I’ve been many times and will go back again in February.

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There are lots of things to see and do, and you can easily spend a month getting lost in the many different areas of the city.

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But Paris is also perfect for a long weekend, as it’s so close to London.

HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: Hop on the Eurostar after work and arrive right at the centre of Paris. The journey takes only a little over 2 hours, and if you book in advance it’s also the cheapest way to go.
  • Sleep: Staying in Paris can be really expensive, but if you do your research there are good budget options around. I’m staying at Le Rocroy, but there are lots of good options around Montmartre as well.
  • Do: Spend a whole day in the Louvre or catch the latest exhibition at the Grand Palais; get lost in Montmartre; go for a meal and drinks around le Marais; discover a little cafe around the corner… there’s really no way to get it wrong in Paris!

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The 5-minute trip planner: Planning a short trip in no time.

IN PICTURES: 5 of my favourite travel photos

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1. The tiny frog, Amazon

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I took this picture during a walk in the Brazilian jungle. This tiny frog seemed at home on my boyfriend’s back. You can also see our guide in the background.

2. Rock bridge, Wadi Rum

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I took loads of pictures in Wadi Rum as the place was absolutely stunning. This photo was taken by our guide, who climbed up a nearby rock to capture us on the top of this natural bridge.

3. Catch the sun, Chile

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I’ve had lots of attempts at taking a good picture of the sun. This has always been my favourite. I especially like it nowadays as it was published on National Geographic Traveller.

4. Chasing rainbows, French-Swiss border

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My friends and I saw this amazing double rainbow and stopped to take some photos. I got back into the car just in time to get this shot of them – I love it!

5. Red phone boxes, London

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I took this picture with my Diana Mini. You never know what you’re gonna get with analogue photos, but this perfectly captures this iconic British symbol.

THE ARTS BIENNALE IN VENICE

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Sometimes when you want something for a long time you forget that you can simply do it.

I always wanted to go to the arts Biennale in Venice. So last year I bought tickets and actually did it!

There are exhibits all over the city, but there are two main venues: Giardini (with individual pavilions for different countries) and Arsenale (one large pavilion with many exhibits).

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We bought a day ticket, but really you need at least one day for each venue.

There was so much to see, it was amazing! Art in all forms and media from all over the world in a very impressive set up. We liked it so much that we’re going again next year!

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HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: There are lots of flights from London and the journey takes only a little over 2h, so this is a great option for a weekend away.
  • Tickets: You can buy tickets to the Biennale here. A day ticket costs 23.50€.
  • Stay: Venice is an expensive city, so book in advance to get good prices. We stayed at San Geremia, which was a good option at a good location.
  • Do: Apart from the Biennale, there’s lots to do in Venice. Explore the canals, buy Carnival masks and marvel at the Doge’s Palace. But also take some time to go around San Polo district, where you can see a more authentic side of Venice.

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Why not start planning your trip to somewhere you always wanted to visit?

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