Travel Blog: Serbia - Belgrade

11.11.2014 - 12.11.2014  13°C

Our stay in Belgrade was just not long enough. We arrived after dark in the evening and had to catch a morning flight out the next day. We made the most of it however, thanks to some helpful advice from our host at Hostel Revolution.

We walked most of the major areas within the city, first stopping at Skadarlija street which is full of very nice restaurants. We indulged and ate a delicious casserole at a restaurant called Tpu Wewupt. After checking out Knez Mihailova street, another pedestrian area, we ended up at the Belgrade Fortress! This place is open 24/7 and seems to be the place for young people to hangout.

We returned the next morning to get beautiful views over the Danube and Sava rivers. The other side of the river has actually never been developed, which is in stark contrast to most other cities of the world. People here must not have valued river views! It won't stay like this for long however as there is a $3 billion plan underway to redevelop the whole area.

A bus to the airport and the European leg of our adventure had come to an end! The time to return to Australia had arrived. 

Travel Blog: Albania - Tirana

10.11.2014 - 11.11.2014  16 °C

Tirana is the capital of Albania, 2 hours south of Shkodër. It's a busy bustling metropolis and unfortunately for us we could only experience it for 1 night. We stayed at the very comfortable Tirana Backpacker hostel with a great outdoor area. Loads of oranges were also perfectly ripe on their orange tree, so we weren't lacking in vitamin C after our visit.

The Scanderbeg square is home to the National Historical Museum, National Theater of Opera and Dance, and the Ethem'Beu Mosque. It was busy with traffic and people mingling, in fact the whole city seemed to be. The International Centre of Culture pyramid was build by the Russians in 1988 and is now used as broadcasting center by Albanian TV channel Top Channel. At night it's a pretty eerie sight. The Blloku district was once home to the elite Albanian politburo during the communist era. The area was gated just for them and therefore it is full of impressive old architecture. It's now an up-market shoppng and restaurant district.

We had some very tasty Albanian style doner kebabs, which were delicious and got an early night before an early bus to the airport the following day.

Travel Blog: Albania - Shkodër

09.11.2014 - 10.11.2014  18 °C

After a 1.5 hour bus ride we landed in the heart of Shkodër, a city located in northern Albania. We stayed at the centrally located 'Mi Casa es Tu Casa' hostel, a quirky and very welcoming place to chill out for a few days.

We didn't have any expectations for the city as it was predominantly a stop-over to get to Tirana. Apart from Rozafa castle, there aren't too many major sights for a traveller however we really enjoyed unique Albanian culture. There are coffee houses everywhere and they are all full of guys drinking espresso. It seems coffee is the drink of choice and most often it's guys hanging out with guys - not sure where the girls were!

You do notice some economic differences with other European countries, since the Socialist Republic was dissolved in 1991 and the Republic of Albania was established. The last 24 years has seen political unrest including a financial collapse and also affects from the Kosovo War. There seems to be less wealth in general and an ageing infrastructure.

The people are friendly and vibrant, which was noticeable as we walked along the Bojana river, and as we ate some tasty Albanian food at a restaurant called Peja. This was just one of the many local restaurants, which cook up local specialties each day and offer a menu that is based on what food is freshly available. They keep the food warm in a bain marie and you just select what you feel like. No listed menu with prices was a good change! We had pasta, potatoes, a range of veg and some Albanian sausages.

Travel Blog: Montenegro - Ulcinj 

08.11.2014 - 09.11.2014  23 °C

Our next stop was just one night in Ulcinj, southern Montenegro. We booked an apartment at 'Apartments Adriatic' which had great view over the town and ocean. After a tasty dinner at Pizze Bife we walked the bustling waterfront, followed by another walk in the morning throughout the old town. It was nice but also felt a little sketchy in the area between the town centre and the bus station.

It was a short stay, next up - Albania!

Travel Blog: Montenegro - Kotor

05.11.2014 - 08.11.2014  22 °C

From Dubrovnik, we headed south into Montenegro en-route to our fly out destination in Albania. Kotor had been recommended to us and we completely forward on that recommendation! It's a wonderfully preserved walled in town set on among mountains and the Adriatic sea. It dates back to the 7th century. The town wall climbs up the mountain side to the Castle Of San Giovanni which gives you a stunning view. Inside the old town you can get lost in the labyrinth of lane-ways which were purposely designed that way to confuse potential invaders.

We took a day trip to the nearby town of Perast. Perast is a small town with two unique islands, one of which is home to R.K.C. Gospa od Škrpjela cathedral, which you can take a small boat out to.

Our hostel called 'Old Town Hostel East Wing' was just about as good as it gets, set inside a 500 year old building with great amenities and a good group of travellers at the time we stayed. Great price too, only 12 euro's per per person with an en-suite. Our favourite place to eat was Mesara Tanjga, with loads of fresh salads and veg but also all kinds of raw meat. You just choose your type and cut, and they cook it up! All for about 4 euros.

Travel Blog: Croatia - Dubrovnik

01.11.2014 - 05.11.2014  22 °C 

We flew out of England with Monarch Arilines on one of the strangest flights we've been on - there were a total of 16 passengers. Let's just say, we could easily stretch out!

Dubrovnik is a popular tourist destination for all Europeans and it's clear to see why, the people are friendly, it's affordable and the old town completely stunning. It's located in southern Croatia right on the Adriatic sea with the old town dramatically clinging to the cliff edge.

We stayed at the 'Rock Palace Apartment Midnight Lady', via Airbnb and were given a great introduction of the area by our great host, Zlatan Muslic. The location was good and we had a full kitchen, bathroom and outdoor area to relax in. November was an ideal time to come, the weather was still good and the crowds were minimal (apart from when the large cruise ships came in for a few hours).

We made the most of our few days in Dubrovnik, there is plenty to see and do. The old town was a great place to explore, with endless winding laneways, impressive cathedrals and loads of restaurant options. The best way to grasp it all is walking around the old town wall, especially at sunset.

There are plenty of islands you can get a boat to, we went out to Kolocep, Lopud and Sipan which was a good day trip albeit quiet as the summer crowds are gone!

Fort Imperial is also well worth a look which documents the defense of Dubrovnik from the Serbian and Montenegrin armies in 1991. It also provides a great view of the city and beyond. In terms of food, Bistro & Wine Bar Gusti was tasty.

Travel Blog: England - Cotswolds

28.10.2014 - 31.10.2014  19 °C

Over Paul’s birthday we hired a car and spent a few days in the Cotswolds, a beautiful area of UK countryside with rolling green fields and streams dotted with historic villages built from Cotswold stone. Our time included exploring lots of picturesque villages, more afternoon teas and pub dinners in front of a roaring fire against the cold, dark evenings. 

We were very lucky to find some great accommodation - a newly converted barn cottage fabulously done up with top notch finishings overlooking open fields. The main house was a large farmhouse and our host took us out to feed the sheep in the morning which was a bit of fun!

On Paul’s birthday the weather was damp and drizzly, so we spent the day at Blenheim Palace, in the village of Woodstock. Blenheim Palace is the home to the Duke of Marlborough, and also happens to be the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.

The Palace remains in original condition dating back to 18th Century Baroque architecture and houses traditional furniture, china, tapestry and paintings. At the end of the day we had fun racing each other through the impressive giant maze in the gardens!

Travel Blog: England - Oxford

23.10.2014 - 28.10.2014  19 °C

Lucy’s Uncle Richard lives in Oxford, being an ex-University of Oxford employee gave us a fantastic guided tour of the Oxford Colleges, grounds and laneways filling us in on the history of the city. This was followed by afternoon tea in a High Street tea room as it started to get dark outside on a crisp October evening. Richard and Anne were fantastic hosts, greeting us with a warm cuppa and a chat each evening. 

Oxford was built on the crossing of two rivers (Thames and Cherwell) it has many waterways running through the city. We enjoyed walking into Oxford along one of the many canals, taking in the scenery and the canal boats lining its banks.

The pedestrian main streets make it easy to walk through the city. We loved the Covered Market, an old-fashioned mall which offers cheeses, tea rooms and shops all under the cover of a roof. We also took the opportunity to have a well-overdue catch up with friends and family, enjoyed evensong in Christchurch College, and a lager or two in some of the cosy old pubs.

Travel Blog:England - London

18.10.2014 - 23.10.2014  18 °C

We arrived in London and caught the train into Paddington Station. It brought back memories for both of us seeing the UK flags hanging from the rafters. It was great to be back with some time to explore this great city!

Originally from the UK Lucy spent a bit of time catching up with English friends, and lots of our Aussie friends who are over living in London. We enjoyed a morning at the Borough Market, sampling delicacies along the banks of the River Thames. Crossing the river we visited the Tower of London, adorned with a flowing carpet of ceramic poppies planted to commemorate the centenary of the First World War. It was an inspiring sight, 888,246 poppies, one for each British fatality.

Lucy’s Grandfather celebrated his 90th birthday during our visit, and we enjoyed being a part of the celebrations and catching up with family, overlooking rolling green fields in Harrow on the Hill.

We took in some other main sights, sipped lattes in Clapham Junction and explored the Brixton Village Market at night. And on our last evening, we enjoyed a stroll along the river soaking up the London sights light up by flood lights....Ahhhh London!

Travel Blog: Slovakia - Bratislava

15.10.2014 - 18.10.2014  20 °C

I found a good flight across to London from Bratislava, so I beelined to Bratislava from Warsaw on a Polski bus. It probably would have been nicer on the train but the cost was near €100, versus the bus at around €30. Plus the bus had Wi-Fi, so I did it that way. It was a very scenic 10 hour trip, especially once we were in Slovakia.

Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia with around 500,000 people and I bunked down in the old town at Wild Elephant hostel for around €13 per night. There's a fair few volunteers that work there which are loads of fun and generally explore the nightlife with guests. It's another really cool old town to wander around and is flanked by the Danube river. Some things to check out are the main square in the old town, the Slovak National Theatre, the 'UFO' bridge, and the Bratislava Castle which looms over the whole town and provide great views across to Austria.

Another highlight was exploring an abandoned hospital thanks to a tip from Deb who works in the hostel. It's around 6 levels with loads of chairs, tables and medical equipment that was just left there about 20 years ago. It's boarded up but there's a small hold around the back you can get into. We sat on the roof with a few drinks and watched the sunset - very nice apart from the spooky walk back through the building in the pitch black!

Travel Blog:Poland - Warsaw

13.10.2014 - 15.10.2014  16 °C

I was originally thinking of heading into Minsk, the capital of Belarus after Vilnius but due to the time it takes to get a visa as well the cost, I changed my plans and decided to take the 7 hour Lux Express bus to Warsaw. I had been to the region around Krakow previously but not to Poland's capital. It felt like a modern metropolis when I arrived in the new bus station, flashy billboards and glass covered buildings. It's come a long way since the early 90's.

I Couchsurfed with Paulina, a great host who gave me loads of tips and took me to Zapiecek an authentic Polish restaurant so we could enjoy potato pancakes, goulash and dumplings. She also took me to a vodka bar which are scattered across the city. The concept it simple, on your way to a club - stop at a tiny vodka bar with around 50 flavour options, shoot 3 or 4 at 1 euro a pop and continue on to the club. Ideal for a pre-drink.

Warsaw is a big city of 1.7 million and you can sense both the Russian communist feel as well as the new exuberant western European feel. It's busy and in a good way. I walked right throughout the city centre checking out Royal Park which includes the Chopin Monument, the Presidential Palace and the Polish National Opera building. The old town was a fascinating place to walk around. On the face of it, it seems like a collection of impressive building and squares that date back to the 13th century. This is true but around 90% of the city was destroyed in world war II, so therefore the majority has been rebuilt since then.

Travel Blog: Lithuania - Vilnius

09.10.2014 - 13.10.2014  18 °C

After a train back to Riga, I jumped on a bus to Vilnius, Lithuania. Larger than both Estonia and Latvia in terms of population, the capital Vilnius felt busier and was bustling when I arrived. I stayed at a place called Detroit Pillow, which I booked through Airbnb but it turned out to be a small hostel. I scored a private room which was perfect and situated right in the old town. I had a few drinks at a Couchsurfing catch up and we ended up at a very cool Cuban bar.

I left the map behind and wandered, exploring the Palace of the Grand Dukes, right next to Cathedral Basilica, and many of the cities other impressive cathedrals. There's a nice view from Gedimina's Tower and the Bernardine Gardens was a great place to walk around. Uzupis was interesting, a part of the city over the river that has claimed independence from Lithuania. This bohemian centre even have their own constitution! Housed in an old KGB Prison is the Museum of Genocide, it's packed with info with loads to check out, although it was pretty creepy.

A day trip that was well worth doing was out to Trakai. The Trakai Island Castle has been built on and island in a lake, pretty spectacular.

Travel Blog: Latvia - Sigulda

06.12.2014 - 09.10.2014  14 °C

Next on the list, a popular Latvian holiday spot an hour away from Riga, Sigulda. Set in the picturesque stretch of the primeval Gauja river valley. October was an ideal time of year to visit as autumn was thriving in the mountains with green, red and yellow leaves covering the trees.

I Couchsurfed with a fantastic host family. They cooked some delicious meals for me, gave me a bike to borrow and really made me feel at home. I spent a couple of days riding around the trails and checking out some of the sights. The Sigulda castle built in 1208, a luge track, Latvia's biggest cave - Gutmana and Krimulda Castle - just over the river.

Turaida Castle was a great place to spend a few hours, with loads of historic buildings that surround the impressive red coloured castle.

Travel Blog:Latvia - Riga

03.10.2014 - 06.10.2014  18 °C

A 5 hour bus from Talinn to Riga...I wasn't expecting anything that great, but it really was! If you book with Lux Express, you get leather seats, a personal screen packed with movies, internet and Wi-Fi, all for less than 15 euro - nice!

There are quite a few similarities between Latvia and Estonia in terms of the people and landscape. It small country of 2 million people and most reside in the capital, Riga, a city renowned for it's night life. I stayed at the Naughty Squirrel Hostel, a fantastic hostel in the heart of the old town. For my last night I Couchsurfed with Laura and her family south of the city centre.

There is plenty to see and do in Riga, the old town is beautiful, you could easily spend a few hours just wandering around, checking out St Peters Church, Riga Dome Church, Doma Laukums and the green park by the city canal. I enjoyed do a few nights out with some pals I met including a great traditional meal at Folk Club Ala, a few drinks at the local Aussie bar and the popular nightclub - Rokkafejnica.

The open air museum, just out of town is a huge open space set in the forest and is full of historic buildings, well worth a visit! The Central market is one of the worlds largest, full of all types of food and is even Unesco listed. A slighly odd experience was when I visited and Russian market, full of old war memorabilia. I was checking out old coins and gas masks when I noticed behind me a guy practicing knife throwing into and old board...he was not the friendliest looking guy when he glanced across at me, so I quietly slid away.

Travel Blog:Estonia - Tallinn & Haapsalu

30.09.2014 - 03.10.2014  17 °C

There are two ferry options to get to Estonia, the 2 hour option and the less expesive but slower 2.5 hour option. I opted for the 2 option with Eckeroline. It was probably the biggest ship I have been on, complete with two bar lounges, two restaurants and rooms over 5 levels.

I arrived in Talinn and Couchsurfed east of the city with Kadri. Estonia is small with just 1.325 million people with the majority residing in Tallinn. A charming city with a fantastic and near complete walled old town. Timing seemed just right, as the busy season was over yet the weather was still good. I only spotted half a dozen other travellers in the old town. It's a fascinating place with a history of varied fortunes and still has a significant Russian influence. Some highlights include the Art Museum of Estonia, the office of the president of Estonia, Patarei (an ex-Russian prison), the Occupation Museum and of course the old town itself which is split into to distinct areas.

In terms of food, the Olde Hansa restaurant was spot on. Set in a 14th century building, 14th century food is served on traditional plates and the whole place is lit by candals. Even in the bathrooms, hands are washed by pouring a hinged jug of water - just like in the 1400's!

Well worth the day trip, was a bus journey to Haapsalu. Some call it the Venice of the east...It's not but it's a quaint town set in the Estonian countryside, right by the ocean. It's a nice place to spend a day, I checked out the Haapsalu castle, the promenade and the slew of traditional old wooden houses.

Travel Blog:Finland - Helsinki

26.09.2014 - 29.09.2014  16 °C

Helsinki is the capital of Finland with 1.4 million people. My first impressions? Modern, stylish, clean, efficient and beautiful. I wanted to make sure I Couchsurfed where I could throughout this Eastern Europe trip and after a couple of nights bunking at the hostel housed inside the 1952 Olympic stadium, I stayed with Elin - a budding film maker. Couchsufing allows you to meet like-minded people, get immersed in the local culture and find out what it's like to really live in each city.

Despite getting nearer to winter, the weather was still warm and allowed me to check out some of the great parts of the city. Suomenlinna Island is home to an important historic fort and a great place to explore. Other sights such as Senate Square, the National Museum of Finland and Seurasaaren, a fantastic open air museum. I also sampled some tasty vendace fish at the food and market area down by city hall.

Travel Blog: Italy - Rome

24.09.2014 - 25.09.2014  19 °C

The cheapest way to fly from Toronto to Europe, was via Rome. Would you believe it?? Once our gear was sold, I booked the flight and off I went with Air Transat. Two days in Rome and then a flight to Helsinki.

It has been 10 years since I explored Rome, and as this was my first view of Europe after such an extensive time in North and South America, let's just say I was yet again blown away. It's like an enormous museum with unmatched history and character. With less than 48 hours, and like a kid in a lolly shop I wandered in and around a good portion of the city centre. It's not just the main sights, but the people and their way of life. Properly enthralling. Gone are the modern glass building, 6 lane highways and gigantic SUV trucks. Hello colourful ancient building, winding lane ways and smart cars.

The Funny Palace hostel was ideally located next to the main train station and after delicious pizza, coffee and ice-cream - I found myself boarding a plan to the next destination: Helsinki, Finland.