Update!

So I'm back at University at the end of a busy summer! Currently applying for placements and trying to keep on top of work as well as enjoying the.. ahem... social aspects of uni. Thinking about the next place to tick off from my travelling wish list.. maybe South America? Or more of Asia? I've heard lots of nice things about Indonesia.

I have finally decided to opt for a placement year rather than study abroad, although I would still love to live in Shanghai at some point!

I've managed to get a job so hopefully I can start saving for the next lot of journeying, and resist the temptation to spend it on clothes (like my beautifully dressed housemates do). Although I think I may give myself a winter wardrobe makeover, I need to get some stylish-yet-cosy pieces to keep up with the rest of the edgy people that seem to be strolling around campus these days!

Croatia!

I have arrived back from Croatia, after a week soaking up the sun, seeing the sights and swimming in the wonderfully clear sea.

I stayed in a small town called Stikovica, a few kilometres from the beautiful old town of Dubrovnik, which is still standing despite the heavy attack it faced during the nineties.

There is plenty to do once you've dawdled around the winding alleyways and streets of Grad (the old town), admiring the architecture and poking your nose into the several shops, galleries and ice cream parlours (serving some of the best ice cream I've had- try the coconut!) in the scorching heat.

If you venture outside of the old town, you will be bombarded by people in orange or blue t-shirts encouraging you to try sea-kayaking (it's an adventure, but exhausting!)

You could take a ferry or go on a boat trip to one of several islands in the vicinity, such as the beautiful Lokrum Island. There, you can explore and hike, go to the nudist beach (if you fancy!), swim in the salt lake and see the peacocks. Or even just kick back and enjoy some live music at the outdoor snack bar.

If you take the cable car in Dubrovnik you get a wonderful bird's eye view of the city and you can relax in the Panorama restaurant at the top or look around the museum.

There are many museums if you are interested in the historical aspects of Dubrovnik. However, if not, there are loads of restaurants (which for some weird reason, the majority of have identical menus so be prepared to eat pizza, fish or meat). My personal favourite was the Steakhouse where I shared the house platter for two- the pizza is also top-notch wherever you go. Restaurant Mimosa, just outside of the Old City is very good too; although it didn't seem busy, the food was really tasty and a nice variation from most other places.

You MUST walk long the city walls, as there is a great view of the city, but make sure you go in the morning or evening as it's scorching at midday.

There is a nice park just outside of the old city and you can get down to the coast there and swim in the sea; it is less crowded than Banje Beach (where all the tourists flock to).

Dubrovnik is a really beautiful place, yet to be spoiled by excessive tourism, although BEWARE of literally boat loads of tourists shipped in via cruises almost everyday which make exploring the old town a rather hot and stuffy affair. Trying to squeeze past them and their stickered and numbered parties of fifty or so is tiring, however a destination most certainly not to be missed.

Where am I?

View from the balcony

Phuket and the southern islands

After completing our tiring trek in Chiang Mai, we spent a few more days there doing various things like getting a Thai massage (ouchie!), visiting the markets and drinking at Zoe's bar (a must for all backpackers). Then we were off again to Phuket, a.k.a tourist central.

Personally, the region of Phuket we stayed in was rather over-visited, with the beaches covered in litter and loafing tourists baking themselves under the summer sun.

I would recommend instead to spend some time getting ferries between islands  in the Krabi region, such as the famous Phi Phi island, as well as some of the more remote isles. 

Ferries are fairly cheap and there is no need to book too far in advance as you will always find someone willing to sell you a ticket (or hotel room for that matter- so don't believe anyone that you MUST book or you won't find anywhere as it's simply not true).

Phi phi island was my personal favourite with no cars allowed on the island, narrow windy streets, and clean beaches. A man came to pick up our heavy bags in a cart shouting 'BEEP BEEP' at anyone who dared get in his way, after we found a room for the night.

There was lots to do besides exploring and watching the sunset from the top of the hillside. Boat trips, barbecues on the beach and clubs (namely Woody's) kept us entertained and I only wish I had spent more time on Phi Phi.

My highlight of the southern isles was the sunset snorkel trip we did from Ao Nang, we were torn between chartering a boat for the day (incredibly cheap) and taking part in an organised trip and in the end we decided to go with the later.

It was so much fun! We had amazing food, saw several islands, had a BBQ and eventually climbed into the pitch black waters after the sunset (petrifying!) and the plankton in the water started to glow!! (due to phosphorous I'm told)

All in all I had an amazing time in Thailand and although it was completely alien to the culture, the people were welcoming and friendly and even when being offered the opportunity to watch a ping pong show by some creepy old Thai tuk tuk drivers, I never felt unsafe. It is a great destination for the adventurous aswell as the more conservative, as there are plenty of things to keep anyone entertained.

Up, up and away

I was hoping to begin talking about China and about some local treasures before today. However, I have been very busy and the moment has arrived for me to jet off once again! 

I am currently sat in an airport departure lounge. However, this time my destination won't be as far flung as Shanghai or Bangkok, but exciting none-the-less! 

Where am I going? Wait and see!

Jungle Trek and Tribes continued: Chiang Mai part 3

After being soaked by the locals, we climbed back into the jeep all soggy and headed to a spot for lunch where we had LOTS of rice before starting the hiking part of our trek.

Our starting point was near a waterfall so we admired the view before starting to climb the hilly terrain towards Karen village where we would be spending the night with the tribe. The walk seemed to go on and on due to the almost unbearable humidity under the cover of the trees.

Upon making it to the top of the slope, we were told about an ancient ritual to bring good luck by placing a leaf on top of a termite hill.

Eventually, after a few hours walking through woods and paddy fields, we made it to the village.

The tribes-people were adorned in their traditional dress and showcased some of the crafts they produced (they were for sale, surprise surprise... even remote hills tribes are becoming commercialised).

Our guide cooked us a traditional thai curry for tea and we ate under a small wooden shelter in the pouring rain.

After the rain stopped, a fire was made and we sat around as someone played guitar.

It was truly beautiful as you could see so many stars and hear insects and animals.

We were told the history of the tribe, how they migrated to Northern Thailand from Burma a few generations ago. The children are now in primary education and our tourguide was in fact part of the tribe. He showed us some of the games they used to play with sticks as children; puzzles that had to be solved in a set number of moves.

I went to sleep on a full stomach, in a bamboo hut with no floor/doors under a large mosquito canopy, feeling at awe and completely satisfied.

I was woken up early morning by the farm animals kept by the tribe and I watched the sun rise over the Thai forest.

Then we ate breakfast and got ready for the day ahead. Unfortunately, I had to go.. and when you've got to go, you've got to go..so I found the toilet/hole in the ground and had a really rural experience.

We trekked through the forest and came to a waterfall, where we had a rest and a swim.

Later in the afternoon, we had the chance to ride elephants! It seemed amazing, but I didn't really enjoy the ride as I thought it seemed cruel and also felt like I could fall off at any moment! The elephants are incredible though.

Overall, the trek was really worthwhile and although I am not the sportiest type, it was really good fun! I met some lovely people and it was an eye opening experience.

Trekking and Tribes in Chiang Mai: Part 2

At VS Guesthouse (our current hostel, that somewhat resembled a prison), we were awoken at 6 in the morning with someone banging on our door. After the most uncomfortable night's sleep, sharing a roomy double bed between the three of us and only a fan to keep us cool, we were stripped down to our underwear to try to sleep, in the small stuffy room. (For £2 per night, we could hardly complain- we had got what we paid for, but considering we could get air con for a mere 50p more, we soon upgraded!) Frantically scrabbling for clothes wondering what on earth was going on, I peeked out of a small window, and saw an unfamiliar man in the hallway.

'Who is it?'
'Should we answer?'
We realised we weren't left with much of a choice as the knocker wasn't going anywhere.

Gingerly, I opened the door to be greeted by a man requesting our passports. We need to make records of them for the trek, he said. Well I certainly wasn't being taken for a fool, I didn't fancy a trip to the British Embassy later on because I had been stupid enough to hand over three passports to a total stranger who had no proof that he was even part of the trek we had booked. So after asking him to prove who he was, we settled on taking some identification card for safekeeping, despite him protesting at first.

After slapping on plenty of DEET and packing our minimal supplies, we were speeding off in a seat-belt free jeep, meeting the other trekkers; Jenny and Charlotte (who it turns out were from near our town back home) and three friendly Brazilians.

First stop: the local market. After loading up on food for the first day, we jumped back in the vehicle and were on our way to rural Thailand.

We pulled onto a dusty track and headed further away from civilisation and into the woods.

The jeep pulled to a stop next to a stream where some men with bamboo rafts awaited to take us on a scenic journey down the creek. Or so we thought.

Wading in and climbing on the raft, we realised the water was colder than we first thought and out 'gentle' bob along the water seemed to take a turn as locals lined the banks with buckets and water pistols and proceeded to soak the ''farangs!'' (foreigners)

Exploring Chiang Mai: Part 1

After spending a few days in Bangkok, which was plenty of time to see the sites, we flew north to Chiang Mai. We wandered into a tourist office (the reliable ones are marked TAT - Tourism Authority of Thailand) and met "Johnny", a crinkly old tourist officer with a devilish grin, who referred to us as his English ladyboys! He was very helpful, like most of the lovely Thai folk, and we managed to book a two day trek for fairly cheap (after some serious haggling).

Traveller tip #4 Barter for EVERYTHING*. See my post on making your money go further.
*Disclaimer- there are some exceptions to the 'always barter for everything' rule. If there is already a set price, for example. However, transport, clothing, accommodation, excursions, you should try your hand at haggling... the worst that can happen is they say no.

We then arrived at The Paradise Hotel, just outside the Old Town part of Chiang Mai. Unfortunately, unlike the name suggested, we did not stumble upon paradise here. Despite the upscale looking entrance with a large fish pond inside the lobby, the hotel was rather unclean and although it boasted a swimming pool, I for one, did not want to venture into the murky depths.

Hopping into Chiang Mai's version of a taxi (a large red truck with benches in the back), we went to the Old Town, surrounded by a moat and remnants of a wall. To best explore Chiang Mai, I think you should walk around the Old Town. There are many temples (dress appropriately, covering the majority of your arms and legs- usually they have robes you can borrow), shops and restaurants.

Talk to a local and find out what they recommend. Ask about markets, sightseeing etc. There is so much to do and they will be able to give you their opinion on what is best. For instance, a young Thai lady started talking to us outside a temple and told us about a traditional ceremony being held at a temple the next day where boys would become monks. Also, she recommended eating like a local at a nearby vegetarian restaurant and the Chinese market (which is where the locals go, rather than the big tourist market).

Compared to Bangkok, the centre of Chiang Mai is much more defined and almost seems village like within the Old Town. The people are so helpful and welcoming and it is nice just to take time (and a map) and discover it for yourself.

You can't get lost if you don't care where you are

Making your money go further when globetrotting

As I've already mentioned it is important to have a realistic budget, but travelling on a budget can be hard work so here is some helpful (and rather obvious at times) information to make sure your money isn't going down the drain (or out of the window).

1.  Don't get swept away with the currency

Although you may feel you want to have all your money with you before you set off travelling, you will find that buying your currency in the country you're travelling to usually works out cheaper. Most airports have at least one bureau de change in their airport so you can get money exchanged as soon as you arrive. Failing that, you can withdraw money from a nearby ATM at a better rate than the Post Office, Travelex, etc are able to offer (but beware of charges on your card).

2. Money, money, money

Withdraw large chunks of money from ATMs at once rather than many withdrawals of smaller amounts to avoid several transaction charges by your bank

3.  Are you booking mad?

Don't be tempted to book everything before you go. Yes, you might want to scubadive, trek, sail, skydive and all the rest, but you may get better deals from companies when you can talk face to face and compare them against each other to get the best price.

4. Do your research! 

Calculate a rough sort of budget before you go by talking to friends who've travelled, reading blogs (woooo you're doing your homework now) and good old googling. For example, per week in Thailand I spent around £200 on accommodation, food, local travel, trips, excursions, gifts, etc.

5. Finally, when in Rome...

Particularly in Thailand and South East Asia, it is part of the culture to barter. If you don't laugh in the vendor's face when they pluck a ridiculous random number out of the air and suggest paying a fraction of the price, you will seem a foolish tourist, instead of a wised-up traveller.

You do not want to offend the locals when bartering so keep a smile on your face throughout and a few phrases to suggest a good relationship such as "help me out, friend" won't go amiss. However, do NOT resort to begging. No one is going to have sympathy for a bratty teenager from Europe who simply cannot live without the ornate hand-carved shell encrusted necklace.

However, don't be a pushover. If the vendor just won't budge, and you aren't prepared to pay their asking price, be prepared to walk away. 90% of the time you will find they chase you down the street and try to steer you back to their stall to 're-negotiate' as they've had a sudden change of heart.


Any more ideas on how to make money go further? Please let me know! I always want to make my budget last as long as possible without having to sacrifice plans.

A little bit of cheating

To start my travel-esque blog I am going to have to start with a bit of cheating, and recap my travels from 2013 so far. Unfortunately, being a student = being skint so unlike some of you lucky creatures, I can't be a little globe trotter 24/7. This means I am going to talk to you about the two travelling experiences that I was lucky enough to have (with the help of my travel journals, thanks to my goldfish brain). 

OK so, in March my lifelong pal Rosie embarked on her gap year travels. First stop Thailand. Thankfully she just couldn't bear to go alone, so I hopped on a plane and met her and another good friend, Chloe, in Bangkok. Traveller tip #1 when flying to a foreign country alone, have a plan. My flight arrived several hours before my friends and as I didn't have the check in details to the hotel I had to wait for 6 hours  in BKK airport after the most uncomfortable long distance flight I had experienced (so far) sleep deprived with a heavy rucksack and swollen ankles (yepp, travelling isn't all glamorous) in a bustling airport.

Much to my relief, the journey soon picked up and when my friends eventually arrived, we were whisked off to Khao San Road, Traveller Central.

Bangkok

There was so much to see and do, so here is a list of top things I witnessed/experienced in Bangkok:

• Cheap tuk tuk journeys around the town (but beware, some drivers are a bit manic) Seriously though, you can barter the price down to virtually nothing to stay within your travelling budget* -one day, the three of us paid a driver roughly 60p for two hours of driving us around and waiting outside sites for us.

*Traveller tip #2 ALWAYS have a budget, it is too easy to get overexcited and spend, spend, spend so make sure you set out with a realistic budget for each day and try not to go too far over it.

• Amazing temples and architecture with real gold statues- far too many to mention but highlights for me were the Grand Palace (quite £££), Wat Pho ( the reclining Buddha is amazing!) and the standing Buddha.

• Travelling by water taxi- excellent way to see the city and much cheaper than a river cruise. Be prepared to jump off at your station though as the boat barely stops!

• The amazing food! Eat traditional Thai- it is reallllllllly tasty! Also the streetfood is delicious, but just be careful some meat is often kept out in the sun and you don't want to get a dodgy stomach so eat from the popular carts. I recommend street Pad Thai with egg for nervous travellers and the more adventurous can sample scorpions, crickets, maggots.. insects galore!
• Bargains. Market stalls and shops, there is so much to look at and buy- but watch your purse/wallet as Bangkok is known for pickpockets.

Traveller tip #3 use a bumbag. Definitely worth looking a bit old skool to keep your valuables safe.

• Nice hostels- Lamphu House is a personal favourite
• Trek to the Banyan Tree hotel and when you manage to find the entrance, sneak up to the top floor bar/restaurant, if you look a bit scruffy and aren't following the dress code (like me and my friends) to see the amazing view of Bangkok city at sunset/night, before calmly power-walking off before making a purchase. Equally, you could dress up a bit and actually eat in the restaurant if you can afford.

Slightly blurry view from the Banyan Tree Hotel

Next chapter coming soon: Chiang Mai, Thailand

Hello there internet!

So here we go! I am a blogger starting....now!
For a long while now the miracle that is the internet has been a refuge for many weird and wonderful sorts who want to share unique, quirky and exciting things with the rest of the world so that is exactly what I plan to do. I have a tendency to waffle so will try my best to keep it short, but basically I have caught the travel bug and as I stumble upon paradise I would like to share it with you. Not just big overseas adventures but round the corner, nearly on my doorstep surprising places too. As well as general discoveries, musings, photos and ideas too.
So eyes peeled as there will be adventures coming soon!
Whoever it is that you are in this big wide world, looking at this one blog in a million, thank you for reading.