Author: The practical explorer

2 WEEKS IN BRAZIL: A BOAT TRIP IN THE AMAZON

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We were super spoiled in Manaus because my cousin lives there. She booked us on this private boat trip, which was an excellent way to start our Amazonian adventure.

We left early in the morning from a local port. Our first stop was a gas station – over the river:

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Then off we went. After a couple of hours we reached one of the most famous sights of the Amazon: the Meeting of Waters.

The Amazon river is formed by two rivers: the Negro is dark and warm, while the Solimoes is colder and muddy. These differences, as well as the sheer volume of these rivers, mean that the two flow alongside for about 7km before mixing completely to form the Amazon.

We got great views of the two rivers (much better than when we passed through the same place again in a smaller boat).

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The next stop of the trip was swimming with the river dolphins. It was amazing how friendly they were, coming very close to everyone in the water.

This was a lovely and unique experience, but the set up is a bit weird, with tourist boats approaching frequently.

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The rest of the day was spent leisurely in the boat, drinking beer and looking at the view. We finished our trip not long after sunset, feeling sunkissed and relaxed.

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HOW TO DO IT:

Travelling around the Amazon is mostly done by the river, and it’s incredible how these little boats cut through the river as if it was a road. Scary but fun.

There are many local tour organisers, but we were very lucky to have this arranged for us, as we got a whole boat and the local knowledge.

There are countless types of boats big and small, and prices can vary hugely as well.

For short day trips, some of the main attractions are: the Meeting of Waters, swimming with river dolphins and going through igapos (flooded forest).

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2 WEEKS IN BRAZIL: MANAUS

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We wanted to go to Brazil for the World Cup. Prices were expected to hike up during the tournament, so we decided to go a bit early and visit the Amazon.

MANAUS:

Manaus is the main city in the Amazon basin. It developed rapidly in the late 1800s, and nowadays it exists uneasily as a big city in the middle of the jungle.

There isn’t much to do in Manaus itself, but the city is the gateway to the Amazon.

TEATRO AMAZONAS:

manaus4_for webThe main highlight of the city is this theatre. It is an opulent building financed by the riches of the rubber boom of the 19th century.

The building is open to visit during the day, or for performances on most evenings.

This is the main sight to visit in the city centre.

INPA:

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This research institute is worth a visit because you get a chance to spot some of the local fauna (although if you’re lucky, you might spot a sloth or two around the local beaches).

HOW TO DO IT:

  • Getting there: TAP flies from Lisbon to Manaus directly, which is the cheapest and fastest option (being neither cheap or fast at over £600 and taking about 9h).
  • Weather: Manaus is extremely hot. There isn’t much difference between seasons this close to the Equator, so the fact that we went during Brazilian winter made little difference. There are two main seasons, dry and wet. Prefer the dry season, when it only rains every few days. Many shops and restaurants have air conditioning, which helps.
  • Food: Manaus is a great place to try a wide selection of fruit, which also makes for great ice cream. The local açaí is excellent. We went a few times to Tambaqui de Banda, a restaurant very close to the theatre (the only with air conditioning around that area). Service was friendly and the food was good. In doubt, order mandioca frita or tapioca.
  • Stay: There aren’t many options available, so book in advance and check for recommendations. We stayed at Hotel do Largo, which was a bit basic but well located.
  • Do: The best thing about Manaus is travelling around. There are lots of local tour operators, all offering similar options.

WHERE TO GO ON HOLIDAY

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The Philosopher’s Mail, a recent enterprise by Alain de Botton, recently asked an interesting question which got me thinking about my trips:

An outer answer to an inner puzzle: what is there in the outer world that satisfies something in my inner world?

The article asks us to consider how travelling can fulfil some of our inner needs – the idea is that people should think about what is lacking in their lives and help fill that need through their travels.

I think that makes sense.

My favourite destinations used to be the big European cities, especially Paris.

Nowadays, maybe because I live in London, I tend to look for something else. I like going to places which offer something new, different from what I have at home. I am more interested in the souks of Marrakech than in the shopping centres of Western Europe.

I haven’t shifted to off-the-beaten-track destinations by design, it just happened over time. It seems that I’ve started to feel comfortable in more different settings, actively looking for them when I’m planning my next adventure.

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The view from the harbour in Reykjavik

THE 5-MINUTE TRIP PLANNER: A WEEKEND IN EDINBURGH

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I go to Edinburgh on occasion to visit friends. It’s easy to get there and it’s always fun.

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HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: there are lots of flights from London, but you can also take the train, which takes a bit less than 5 hours. Book in advance as prices can get quite high.
  • Stay: I always stay with friends, but Hostelworld has many options available. Accommodation is not particularly cheap in Edinburgh, but it’s worth paying more to stay in the city centre.
  • Do: On a nice day, hike up Arthur’s seat for a great view of the city. Recover with a nice beer in one of the many great pubs around the city centre.
  • Shop: Ness has lots of nice bags and jackets, with a modern Scottish feel. I always find it a bit on the expensive side, but they often have sales on.
    Easy!
The 5-minute trip planner: Planning a short trip in no time.

TRAVEL WISHLIST: THREE AMAZING LITTLE PLACES

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Here are a few places that have been on my mind recently:

TREBINJE, BOSNIA

I heard about this place from our hosts in Belgrade, who were really excited about it. This town is close to Mostar, and judging by the pictures it looks amazing!

BLED, SLOVENIA

We didn’t go to Bled last year when we visited Slovenia, but this place has been on my list since. The church in the middle of the lake is the main attraction, and it looks beautiful!

PAMUKKALE, TURKEY

Natural hot springs in a setting like this? That’s all I need to know really.

A WEEK IN THE OLD YUGOSLAVIA: BELGRADE, SERBIA

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We got on a 6am bus from Sarajevo’s main station. Buses depart daily and tickets cost around 50KM (£20) per person, but there are organised tours or you can take the plane. We had no hope that the journey would take 7h10 as we were told, but this time we were surprisingly on time!

The bus goes through the snowy hills of Bosnia and onto the Serbian countryside. The border crossing came and went without much hassle.

We arrived in Belgrade in the early afternoon. This was our final destination. Again the station looked a bit rough and the street names in Cyrillic made for a difficult start, but we found our way around.

THE CITY CENTRE:

belgrade2_for webThe area between Cara Dušana-Frankuska and the pedestrianised Knez Mihailova is the central area of the city. There are many bars and cafes (plus countless bakeries and pizzerias) around this area.

The pedestrianised road leads to the local fortress. On a nice day (and this was one of them), the views of the city from the fortress can be quite nice. This is also where the Danube crosses the city.

This was the last stop in a long journey, and after much sightseeing I was finding Belgrade a bit gritty and unappealing. But then we hit the bars.

  • We stumbled upon Pastis Bistro, a lovely French place which was quite popular. On the menu cocktails, coffee, great local wine and popcorn (from an old-fashioned popcorn machine).
  • Next we stopped at Cafe La Libertad, where Che Guevara is the hero of choice. This place was low-key and friendly.
  • We ended our first night in the city at Big Pizza, a fast-food pizzeria where we got a massive pizza for £4.
  • On our last day of this journey we continued to visit the local bars. We stopped for coffee and beer at the Eleven Bar & Cafe .
  • Then we moved onto Skadarska street which is lined with nice restaurants on both sides. This little street is very different from the rest of Belgrade, with a much more Western Europe feel. It is known as the Montmartre of Belgrade.
  • We stopped at the Travelling Actor for a drink in the sun and tried the local spirit – quince brandy. Service in Belgrade is friendly and food and drinks are extremely cheap. English is spoken in most places, although not as widely as in more touristic cities.
  • We then reached Dali Bar, which was (obviously) a Salvador Dali-inspired cocktail bar with many options of drinks on the menu. A cocktail costs about £3.
  • Moving on we ventured onto Walter Sarajevski Cevap, a nice eatery where we had beer and chips (their speciality is the cevap, the local alternative to a burger).
  • We then stopped at Jimmy Woo, a trendy cocktail bar where the waiter helpfully warned us that all beers were small (we were clearly not the first people to come from England to stop there). I tried Lav, a Serbian beer.
  • And then everything changed. We find this little hideaway in Višnjićeva street, which instantly became our favourite place. Unhelpfully, this is a hole in the wall without a sign, but it’s only a few doors up from Soho bar.
  • We went for dinner at Osteria Gallo Nero, an authentic Italian place recommended to us at the hostel. Food was delicious and the service friendly. We ended the night back at our favourite place for a few more beers.

Belgrade doesn’t have much to offer in terms of landmarks, but the cafes and bars are great and we had a great time.

 HOW TO DO IT:

  • Getting there: Belgrade is normally at the start or at the end of the journey for people visiting the former Yugoslavia. We travelled with Jet Airways, which provided a good service.
  • Stay: We stayed at Indigo Hostel, where hosts Ana and Voja were extremely helpful. The place was nice and the room spacious. It’s located at the top of Skavarska street, very close to the restaurants and bars.
  • Money: Belgrade is very cheap. You can eat well at a restaurant for £7, and a beer costs less than £2.
  • Food: Eating in Eastern Europe is not easy for vegetarians, but if you stick to what you know it’s not that bad. The best option in to research some veggie dishes in advance and to stick to these. Pizza is ubiquitous, and many places offer a vegetarian pizza option.

THE END:

This was the end of our Eastern European adventure. We started off in Croatia, spent a day in Montenegro, then travelled through Bosnia stopping in Mostar and Sarajevo and finally ending up in Belgrade. We learned a lot from the history of the places we visited and loved the cheap prices – I recommend it!

A WEEK IN THE OLD YUGOSLAVIA: SARAJEVO, BOSNIA

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We got on a bus from Mostar at 11 in the morning. The bus service to Sarajevo is frequent and tickets cost about £8.

The trip was supposed to take two hours but again it took longer than expected, nearly three hours. But this is forgiven because the views are amazing, passing through sunny valleys and snowy mountains.

The bus station in Sarajevo looked a bit rough, but most people were helpful and spoke a little English, so we managed to find our way around alright anyway.

Tram n.1 departs from the railway station (next to the bus station), and gets to the city centre in about 10 minutes.

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Although we had been enjoying the sun at the beginning of our trip, we were greeted by snow and rain in Sarajevo. I’m not sure what I expected from Sarajevo, but somehow the bad weather seemed to fit with the place, despite making it a bit offputting for tourism.

Similarly to Mostar, in Sarajevo the war still seems very recent. Many landmarks (such as the yellow Holiday Inn where journalists reported the war) have something to do with war. But this is also the place of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, which triggered the start of WWI.

The Old Town (Stari Grad) is very nice and picturesque, with nice bars and cafes around. At its heart is the Baščaršija, the old market with stalls selling souvenirs and all sorts of things.

The bad weather definitely had an impact on how much we were able to see, so we preferred to stay close to the hostel. We went for Cheers Bar for drinks, and then were were on the road again.

HOW TO DO IT:

  • Getting there: Sarajevo is often visited by tourists on their way to and from other places in the region, but there are some options for flying in as well.
  • Travelling by bus: We travelled by bus a lot on this trip. We had no problem buying tickets one or two days in advance, as it’s not possible to book anything online. The routes we travelled were all common, but sometimes we only had one option of departure time (often a very early start). Buses depart on time but somehow always end up taking longer en route, possibly because of the local landscape – which is beautiful, but doesn’t make for fast journeys.
  • Stay: Thee are many options from Hostelworld – we stayed in a place which I don’t really recommend. Staying close to the Old Town is the best options, as everything is nearby.
  • Money: Euros are commonly accepted in Bosnia, especially in hotels, shops and businesses around touristy areas.
  • Read: I started reading ‘Twice Born’ by Margaret Mazzantini after we came back from the trip. The novel is set in Sarajevo during the war, and it’s a great read – definitely captures the spirit of the place.

A WEEK IN THE OLD YUGOSLAVIA: MOSTAR, BOSNIA

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We left Croatia early in the morning in a bus to Mostar.

Bosnia is very close to Croatia, but with three border crossings along the way (Bosnia-Croatia-Bosnia), expect the journey to take at least a good four hours, regardless of what any guide will tell you.

The bus journey goes alongside the Croatian coast and then onto the Bosnian countryside, with scenic views all the way.

Once you’ve crossed the third border into Bosnia, it quickly becomes clear that this country is still recovering from the war, the many derelict buildings and bullet holes an evident reminder of its recent past.

MOSTAR:

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I was looking forward to visiting Mostar. The view of the Old Bridge is stunning, and undoubtedly what warranted the town’s Heritage site status. Mostar is in Herzegovina, the southern part of the country.

The Old Town is scattered with souvenir shops and restaurants. There is lots of handicraft on sale, including copper jewellery and coffee sets, which are often made in workshops nearby. Prices are extremely low as compared to anything in the UK. As ever, we bought nothing.

We stopped for lunch at Kulluk. This could easily have been a tourist trap, but this being low season we had a nice lunch with views of the bridge for about £10 for two including tips – portions in Bosnia are normally quite large, and this was no exception.

What is clear all around Mostar is how recent the war is. The bridge was completely destroyed in 1993 and reopened in 2004 (there’s horrible footage of it being destroyed here). Venture outside the Old Town and all around there are buildings completely covered in bullet holes, a grim contrast to the beauty of the little city centre. War memorabilia is ubiquitous (bullet case souvenir, anyone?).

The place is at once beautiful, nostalgic, and poor – walking around the near empty streets at night it’s clear why everything is so cheap: there isn’t much money going around here anyway.

We went for a beer early in the evening at Black Dog Pub, which came highly recommended on TripAdvisor. You can have a pint for less than £1.50, which should be enough to justify the visit, but it’s actually a nice place, with a relaxed atmosphere and clearly a place for locals as well as tourists.

The place was quite full, as was Sadrvan, a traditional eatery that was completely packed on a night where every other restaurant was dead empty. This is the place to visit (we hear) if you want to try the local fare. The food was really nice, again the portions were massive (order olives and you get a whole jar) and the service was friendly. Vegetarianism hasn’t really made it to Bosnia yet, and veganism is definitely alien – even the roasted vegetables (delicious) had cheese on them.

HOW TO DO IT:

  • Transportation: Mostar is normally visited by tourists on the way to Sarajevo or Dubrovnik. Buses from Dubrovnik to Mostar leave a few times daily, and although the distances are short, be prepared to spend more than four hours on a bus. The main terminal in Dubrovnik is easily accessible by bus from the city centre. Tickets cost 110 kunars per person and can be bought at the bus terminal in advance or on the day.
  • Accommodation: We stayed at Elite Guesthouse. For 25€ we stayed in a large and comfortable bedroom with a massive ensuite bathroom. Everything was sparkling clean. Our host, Mesa, was really helpful and really takes pride on his nice hotel. Many people only stop in Mostar for a few hours on their way to Sarajevo, but I recommend spending a night there, before heading to Sarajevo.
  • Money: Everything is extremely cheap, even in the touristy areas. The currency in Bosnia is the Convertible Mark, but many places accept euros.

A WEEK IN THE OLD YUGOSLAVIA: DAY TRIP TO MONTENEGRO

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Montenegro was our second stop in our Eastern European break.

Not knowing much about Montenegro and having a limited amount of time, we decided to take a day trip with Amico Tours.

We left Dubrovnik at 8am, when we were greeted by our guide, Zof. He was friendly and well-informed, providing commentary along the way. There were eight of us in a minivan.

The tour goes around the coast with amazing scenic views all the way. There were two main stops: Kotor and Budva.

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KOTOR:

Kotor is very deservedly a Unesco Heritage site. The Old Town is a lovely little maze with stunning mountain views in the backdrop. The streets are full of cafes and restaurants, touristy but still very authentic.

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From then, you can hike up to the fort, which is definitely the highlight of Kotor: 45min uphill you get breathtaking views of the bay, and although there are pictures below, they definitely don’t do justice to the place: it was just perfect.

We were extremely lucky with the weather, very sunny but mild, making it an ideal day for this trip. This was an absolute highlight – I’d definitely come back to spend a couple of days exploring the little corners of Kotor.

BUDVA

Our second stop was in Budva, which is more popular than Kotor with the tourists. Having said that, it doesn’t seem to have the same character.

It also has a little charming old city centre and nice views to the beach, where we had a nice pizza.

Finally, we hopped on a ferry from Tivat and started making our way back to Dubrovnik, where we arrived at about 6h30. It was a great day trip, and a very good introduction to amazing places I had never even heard about. It was just really great to go there.

HOW TO DO IT:

  • Getting there: it can be a bit tricky to get to the coast of Montenegro, so a day trip may be the easiest approach. Otherwise, fly to Podgorica (the Montenegrin capital) as a starting point. From Croatia, there are twice-daily buses from Dubrovnik, but the timings do not work very well for a day trip.
  • Tours: there are lots of tour operators in Croatia offering day trips to Montenegro, but booking before you get there can be a bit tricky. I chose Amico tours because they had good reviews online. We booked it over email and paid on the day – friendly and easy, recommended. The day trip cost 50€ per person, a fair price.
  • Money: Montenegro is not part of the EU, but their currency is the Euro, which makes things nice and easy. It’s not particularly expensive – our nice pizza by the sea cost around 8€.

A WEEK IN THE OLD YUGOSLAVIA: DUBROVNIK, CROATIA

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A few months ago I wrote about the trip we were planning to Eastern Europe. Our plans worked perfectly, and our trip started with three days in Dubrovnik, on the Dalmatian coast.

Dubrovnik was one of our favourite places in this trip: beautiful, scenic, and relaxing. It has an Italian feel to it, and it has become quite popular with the tourists in recent years.

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THE OLD TOWN

The Old Town is where most attractions are, a scenic little city centre enclosed by fortress walls and by the Adriatic sea, where you can lose yourself eating ice cream and drinking local white wine.

The city walls are a nice attraction: you can walk the length of the walls (about 2km), getting views from the Old Town, the coast, and the mountains. Breathtaking!

LOKRUM

The island of Lokrum is a national reserve which can be reached in 15 minutes by boat from Dubrovnik. Boats leave the small port in the Old Town every hour (more frequently during peak season) and a return ticket costs about £10.

There are many attractions in the island, including beaches and a botanic garden, but the main highlight is Fort Royal, located at a steep hill, which gives amazing views of Dubrovnik.There are lots of peacocks roaming around, and we were lucky to spot a beautiful hoopoe flying around.

A great little day trip!

FOOD

It’s easy to eat in Croatia as the food there is quite European.

The local wine is widely available and very good, I especially enjoyed sampling white wine as it was quite warm. There are lots of ice cream stands and you shouldn’t miss them, it’s always delicious.

The only vegetarian restaurant, Nishta, is at the heart of the Old Town and provides good food and a friendly service.

Mea Culpa is a nice pizzeria, and it was quite busy on a night where everywhere else was empty. We were sharing a pizza and it came helpfully cut in half. A pizza and two drinks cost around £18 including tip. The fact that ‘Stray Heart‘ was playing when we were there may or may not have influenced my opinion of the place.

HOW TO DO IT:

  • When to go: The high season (summer) is warmer, but we were told that Dubrovnik gets too packed in July-August, when most tourists and massive cruises arrive at the same time. We went mid-April, which was perfect: not too crowded but busy enough, with mild temperatures, but not beach weather yet.
  • Getting there: There are lots of flight from London, but most companies only go to Croatia during the high season (May to September). We went with Norwegian, as they had daily flights departing in April.
  • Stay: We stayed at Stella Jadre apartments, where we had our own kitchen and terrace. Jadre is a friendly hostess, keen to give directions and help out. The place is located just outside the Old Town, which is ideal. There are many other options available at Hostelworld.
  • Transport: There are plenty of public buses, ferries and taxis around, and it’s easy to get to places. Transfer from the airport in a shuttle bus costs 35 kunar (about £4), with scenic views all the way. Regional buses from the bus terminal are cheap and accessible, and a good way to see more of the region.
  • Money matters: £1 equals about 9 kunars. Croatia is cheaper than England, but not massively. Konsum is a local supermarket (omnipresent in the countries of the region) with good prices for those self-catering.