Pack up your troubles... and some other things you might need when travelling

I'm moving house (again!!) on Saturday, and I'm supposed to be packing. I really don't want to though *stamps foot in girly hissy fit* so I though why not write about packing instead?!

I go away a lot - for a few nights, a week, longer. So, although I doubt I will ever enjoy packing, I've got pretty good at it. So, here's my essential kit list for a trip who knows where...

Camera, and Travel Diary
Well - obviously. Record everything you see and do, and the memories will make you smile for a lifetime.

Torch
A torch will come in handy in a number of ways. Lighting dark beaches and paths, midnight toilet runs, rummaging in your backpack for that last clean pair of underpants. Solar powered or wind up torches are my favorite as no pesky batteries, and several friends swear by a head torch, although I'm not sure they're that great a look for day to day use...

Sarong
Not just beachwear, oh no. Very useful as a makeshift towel, a scarf, a bedsheet, and to cover your hair when visiting religious sites. I got mine in Colombia, it's a fetching bright green colour and I love it!

Bottle Opener
The person with the bottle opener is everyone's new best friend at a party. Put one on your belt, your bag or your keyring and it's a great way of starting conversations with people if you're shy - they ask for the opener, you lend it, and get chatting :) A friend of mine has flip flops with a bottle opener in the sole - genius.

Condoms
Sensible Rachey time. Even if you're not planning on having sex, you might just do it anyway. And if you don't, someone you're with might. Contraceptives aren't always as readily available in some countries as they are at home, and having a trusted brand that's in date is always a winner. Sex: good. STDs and unplanned pregnancies: bad.

Playing Cards
Good ice breaker if you're wanting to interact with fellow travellers, or a good time killer if you're solo - solitaire anyone?! Uno cards are good too - and a good way to learn numbers and colours in the local lingo if you're so inclined... make a rule that if you use the English word you must drink!

Uno card tower in Berlin. Skillz.

Last but not least...

Positivity
Hippy Rachey time now. The right attitude goes a long way... smile instead of frown, laugh instead of cry, and don't moan. You're travelling - life is good! Remember that.

26 hours later... Hamburg Football Tour

I've just watched England go out of Euro 2012 on penalties. It was heartbreaking, as usual. I don't know why I still get that "maybe this time..." feeling every time, but I do. Obviously, it wasn't this time, but I still believe it will be one time. I guess that's football... which brings me to my next story: Hamburg 2010. it's a long and rambling story, so hold on tight...

Those of you reading who follow football will probably remember that Fulham FC reached the Europa League Final in 2010. Incidentally, they were managed by Roy Hodgson, the true gentleman who now manages England (and before that, my beloved West Bromwich Albion). No one really expected them to make the final, so when they did it was a last minute scramble to charter flights out to Hamburg for fans to watch the game. An email went round to all managers of businesses in the group I work for, asking for volunteers to work as reps for the game.

Now, I work in an office and I'd never been an in-country rep before, but I'm a big football fan, and I like travelling. I'd never been to Hamburg (I'd never even been to Germany) and there was a chance I'd get tickets to the match. At the very least, I worked out I'd get at least 4 hours free in Hamburg to explore. I jumped at the chance, bought a guidebook and along with my friends Katie, Beth and Laura, started planning a "Half day in Hamburg" whistlestop tour.

The adventure began with a flight from Gatwick to Leeds. This in itself was bloomin' exciting as I'd never got a domestic flight before and felt very high powered and important among the business people in their suits, jetting to the capital for work. Shame I didn't really fit in, with my trashy magazine and skeleton print t-shirt...

Yeah! Domestic!

Upon arrival at Gatwick, we met the rest of the team at the Hilton (yeah! The Hilton, baby!) for our briefing. We'd been assured that as newbies we'd be doing basic stuff and wouldn't have to worry about too much responsibility. However... turns out one of the experienced members of staff was sick, so I'd been "bumped" to flight leader. I was responsible for an entire plane full of fans and would see them from check in to the plane, then onto their coach to the Reeperbahn area of Hamburg where I could leave them to drink and be merry until it was time to get back on the coach and to the ground. Then I would round them up, back on the coach to the airport and then once they were all on the plane home, my job was done and I could fly home myself. Easy-peasy...

Next morning check in started at 6am and I was there bright eyed and bushy tailed with my clipboard and sign, welcoming fans to the Coach 43 party. I stressed the importance of them getting to the gate as soon as it was announced, so that we could get on the plane and away. Like good boys and girls, they did. Then for the first hitch of the day - take off delayed by an hour due to landing permissions at Hamburg. The fans were very understanding - after all, it was early and they still had plenty of drinking time in the Reeperbahn even if they were losing an hour. We boarded the plane, and off we went. I took the opportunity to get some sleep while the excited fans sang chant after chant, whipping themselves up into a frenzy. As we landed, a mighty cheer erupted as they clamoured to get off the plane and into the city...

They shouldn't have been so hasty. Hamburg airport was very busy that day, and plane stairs were scarce. The flight attendant took me aside and explained there would be a delay before the fans could get off the plane and onto their coach... and she didn't want to be the one to tell them. Cue my first ever tannoy announcement - which was greeted with a rousing chorus of boos. The plane was HOT and the fans were getting restless... plans were voiced to jump from the plane to the ground - who needs stairs anyway? - and lower the wheelchair using fan down using a pulley fashioned fron the strongest male fans and club scarves. Much as I admired the teamwork, I was thankfully able to dissuade them from this plan and the stairs arrived a mere 40 minutes after we landed.

We hurried out of the airport, through customs and into the car park where I'd been promised our coach would be waiting. I suppose you know what's coming... no coach. I spent a frantic ten minutes running around the car park asking bemused German drivers "Coach 43? Nein?" before being beckoned by the ringleader of my party to a coach parked behind a large wall, and a smiling man named Herman who I was told would be our driver for the day. Now the only German I spoke at this point was yes/no, 1 2 3 and "shit" so I was very happy to learn that Herman spoke fluent English and was an old hand at coach driving, football tours and Hamburg in general. I got straight on the tannoy to reasurre my fans that despite the delays, they could still have 2 hours in the Reeperbahn before heading back to the carpark to meet Herman and I. Any lateness would result in us leaving without them and them missing the match - harsh but fair.

Once in the Reeperbahn I set about finding the rest of the reps for a well deserved chill out, some food and a cheeky beer. Not so easy, as the place was rammed with football fans from both sides. I got swept up in a group of Athletico Madrid fans singing as I tried to cross the road, and when I did finally find the group I had just 15 minutes before it was time to get back to the coaches, and Herman. So much for my whistle-stop tour of Hamburg!

Very happy to see the others!

Of course, this wouldn't be a good disaster story if it ended there, so obviously when I got back to the carpark, Herman and his lovely shiney coach had dissapeared. Instead, where he had beem, was a frustrated (and by now pretty intoxicated) group of fans wanting to know how they were getting to the ground. So, off I went - more running around a car park looking for a coach. I finally located the manager of the tour, who showed be to an old, rickety double decker bus and a grumpy looking driver who reluctantly replied "Olaf" when I pointed to myself and said "Rachel" then to him with a questioning smile. I rounded up my fans and tried to brush off their "errr, Rachel, what the fluff?" (some words have been amended) questions as they saw their new vehicle. Just as I finished counting them all on board, a group of twenty or so additional fans stormed the bus, telling me "you don't mind giving us a lift do you love?" Now of course, I should have kicked them off, but I was tired, there was room for them and it was time to go... so I turned a blind eye, called a cheery "football!" to Olaf, and we were off.

The journey to the ground was going well - no one seemed too fussed that the bus roof (a tarpaulin) was blowing in the breeze as we sped along the auto-bahn, and the hijacking fans were leading the songs and engaging me in some banter about my choice of football team. I even had to laugh when they stole my beloved tannoy and requested loudly that I get my "t*ts out for the lads..." I declined, but it wasn't held against me and we waved a cheery farewell to each other at the side of the road, where I yet again requested promptness for the return to the bus after the match. As I watched them go, I breathed a sigh of relief - the next 2 hours were my own and I still had hopes of getting in to the ground to watch the match.

Those hopes were - of course - dashed, when I finally met up with my friends. Beth was in tears after a traumatic encounter with an unfriendly group of Athletico fans who didn't take kindly to her bus driver parking in "their" car park. Katie was stressed out after running around and around the ground hunting for Beth, who had called her crying only for her phone to cut out before she could tell Katie where she was. We wearily trudged to the group meeting point to be told that there were no tickets for the game, but we could watch on a tiny screen and eat a free burger before heading back to the coaches. Too weary to argue, I gobbled my burger and tried to catch 40 winks on the hard floor.

15 minutes before the end of the match (which had gone to extra time) we trudged back to our coaches (or in my case, bus...) and I was relieved to see that  Olaf had stayed where we'd agreed to meet and was listening the match on the bus radio. "England?" I inquired hopefully, but Olaf looked at me solemly and replied, "nein. Espana." Fulham had lost - the fans would not be happy."Shiezer," I said, sadly, and Olaf nodded - "ja, shiezer."


Bit by bit the fans trickled through and I ticked them off on one by one - if your name's not on the list, you're not coming in. They were all accounted for except for 3 when the tour leader arrived, and told me another of the coaches had broken down and some of those passengers would have to get on my bus. No worries I thought, and then they arrived - not as friendly as my mob, much more drunk and determined to get to the airport NOW. As they swarmed aboard, my missing 3 passengers arrived so I started to batten down the hatches as Olaf revved his engine. Just as the doors were closing I hear a loud "OI!!" and an arm forced it's way through the door. On the other side was a very cross looking lady, and a grey haired man standing behind her. "We're getting on! My dad's OLD! He needs to get home NOW" she demanded. Now, I'm not heartless, but there was no room at the inn (or on the bus) and health and safety tells me they're not getting on without a seat when there's another perfectly good coach (much better to be honest - it had an actual roof and not a tarpaulin) down the road. I politely explained this to her and as her dad (not even that old...) nodded understandingly and set off for the other coach she again screeched "NO!" and punched me on the arm. I had been punched! Football violence! 

Luckliy, the tour leader arrived and escorted them to their alternative transport and I jumped back onto the safety of the bus, spread my arms in my best plane impression, pointed to the road ahead and yelled "ja, Olaf, ja!" We were off, me clinging to the stairs for dear life as the roof tried its best to drown out my apologetic tannoy anouncements and instructions to follow me when we got to the airport, as it was "free boarding" and therefore chaos. We would go, en masse,  to the first available plane, and we would board it TOGETHER.

Obviously, things didin't go to plan when at the airport either. I was acosted by airport security as soon as I walked through their scanners and taken off for a thorough frisk by a stern lady who wouldn't listen to my "but my fans are wandering off! Please!" pleas and took her own sweet time to decide that my clipboard could go through security with me. On the other side, I saw my fans standing in a group. "We waited, like you told us" said one, and I could've kissed him. Instead, I led them to the departure gate of the next departing flight for Gatwick, and we were the first people there. I was happy - surely this was the end of it all?

Of course it wasn't. We had no plane, and no pilot. The airport staff explained they had no idea when either would arrive, and once again said that they wouldn't be making any announcements but I was welcome to use their tannoy to do it myself if I wanted to! Off I went again, tannoy to the whole of Hamburg airport: "some of you will know me from coach 43..." - huge cheer from coach 43 - "I'm Rachel..." - chants of my name - "I'm afraid we've got no plane just now..." - huge jeers. I was quite heartened when several of coach 43's fans shouted down another chap who yelled at me that I was a "fluffing waste of space" (words have been changed again) with "leave Rachel alone! She's alright!" Bless you, coach 43.

Some time and several more tannoy anouncements later I'd rounded up a pilot (Julian, nice man - very keen to fly us home but less keen to fly the plane now parked at our gate, as it belonged to another airline. Spoilsport) and then finally managed to get a plane of the right airline towed into our gate. 3 hours after arriving at the airport the fans were on board the plane, all accounted for. My duty was done, the adventure was over, I could slump in my seat and sleep the entire flight home.

Back at Gatwick I was heartened to receive several shouts of thanks and offers of a pint at the next Fulham v West Brom match, should they see me there. It had been a disaster, but the fans were still smiling, still friendly. I have a lot of respect for Fulham fans because of that, and a soft spot for the team to this day.

The trip was horrendous, I'd been awake for 26 hours straight and hadn't seen any of the things on my mini itinerary. I'd been punched in the arm, run several marathons around German car parks and ridden a double decker bus down an auto-bahn, standing on the staircase. I hadn't seen the match, Fulham had lost, and I'd been aggressively frisked by a not-even-attractive security guard. I was exhausted, I had a flight back to Leeds and the office in 3 hours and I felt like crying... but I had to laugh.

What an experience! Madness... and I'd do it all again tomorrow :)

Ahhhh. That's my bus. And Olaf.

...Then We Take Berlin

I went to Berlin in February :) It was my first overseas holiday with The Boy which was nice, and also my first proper visit to Germany (I went to Hamburg for about ten hours once, repping a football coach, but that's another story...) We spent 4 nights there, which was plenty of time to see lots of the city, and we both loved it. Here, in east to digest bullet points, are my highlights...


St Christopher's Inn and Belushi's Bar
We stayed here, in their en suite apartment room. I'm an old hand at hostels but Dan had never stayed in one before, and was a little dubious. However, having stayed in 2 St Christopher's Inns before, I knew we'd be ok, and I was right (obviously!) The apartment was a lovely big place, with a kitchen area and bathroom as well as a sofa, table and chairs and a big comfy bed. The bar/social area downstairs was great too, with nice, reasonably priced food (and beer!) and breakfast (the usual toast, cereal, bread, meats and cheese fare) was included. It was VERY reasonably priced, and right outside an underground station, so we could get wherever we wanted very easily. Score.
www.st-christopers.co.uk

The U/S-Bahn Systems
I know it's geeky to have the trains a highlight, but they were awesome! We live pretty close to London and so are used to a good underground service, but I can't fault the U-Bahn - a day ticket was around six euro, and we used it to zip all over Berlin with total ease, hardly waiting more than a few minutes for a train and travelling in clean, well lit carriages with not a nutter to be seen (unfortunately. I love a good train nutter). By the time we were leaving, Dan had pretty much memorised the map and proclaimed "I love this train system!" without even a hint of sarcasm (unusual for him). I had to agree.

Cheese-tastic posing at "our" U-Bahn stop

The Brandenburg Gate
It's pretty weird to imagine that not all that long ago this was blocked off by the Berlin Wall. Now, we can walk freely from one side to the other admiring it; but less than 30 years ago it was a maze of barbed wire and machine guns. Just a 2 minute walk from the gate is the Holocaust Memorial, where we met an elderly Polish couple laying flowers for relatives. I've been to Auchwitz in Poland, and the significance of that couple coming to Germany to see the memorial wasn't lost on me.

Yes, I'm holding a guidebook. Such a tourist.

East Side Gallery
The largest remaining part of the Berlin Wall is around a 20 minute train ride out of the main city, to a fairly bleak, industrialised area with nothing much else there except roads, and concrete. It snowed the day we went, which added to the atmosphere. The Wall, now painted with murals by artists from all over the world, stands out like a beacon of colour amongst the grey. I only vaugly remember the fall of the wall as I was 4 when it came down (my dad called me through to watch it on the news, telling me "this is an important moment in history, girl") but it's nice to see that it's been made to look beautiful after being something so ugly, and I really enjoyed the mile or so walk along, looking at the art and thinking about what it had been.

Tiergarten
This is basically a massive park, which we walked through after visiting the Brandenburg Gate for the second time. It was a lovely walk, very green and peacful in a busy city. We spotted Berlin's "Victory Column" along the way, as well as walking past the perimiter of Berlin Zoo, where we saw plenty of animlas without paying an entrance fee - bonus! Llamas, anyone?!

Checkpoint Charlie
Massively touristy, but has to be done. There were some soldiers there when we went, having their photo taken at the checkpoint, and it was pretty eerie as it felt more real with so many uniformed men around. If you have your passport on you, you can get it stamped at the Checkpoint which I thought would've been cool, but I didn't have mine with me unfortunately. Just around the corner is a currywust (YUM) shop, called Checkpoint Curry. Bad taste, or funny? I couldn't decide!

So that's my little run down of Berlin through my eyes. I'd definitley reccommend it as a destinaiton if you're a fan of cities like me. It's got an interesting history, plenty to see and do, and as cities go, doesn't break the bank. Prost! (That means cheers, my housemate is German and he taught me :) )

My ABCs of Travel!

Right, so I got “tagged” in this blog game by Katie (aka @MozzaLS28), and I’m actually really excited to write this... I like lists, you see; and I like travel. Combine the two and it’s practically heroin to me...

Here goes!

A: Age you went on your first international trip:

I was 2 and a half, and my parents took me to Portugal. I can remember I lost one of my favourite socks off the balcony, and the nice man at reception rescued it for me. My parents also tell me I accidentally got drunk, by topping my water glass up with white wine when they weren’t looking. I ran around like a banshee then slept for 18 hours solid. Please don’t call social services, they were ace parents...

B: Best (foreign) beer you’ve had and where:
I will always have a soft spot for Toohey’s, which I drank a lot of in Sydney, where I spent 3 booze soaked months at 18. Good times.

C: Cuisine (favourite):
Even though I’ve only spent 6 days in Thailand (and it was Bangkok, which is almost not even Thailand, it’s so unique...) I’m going to say Thai food. This is mainly due to Jino’s Thai Cafe in Leeds, which I miss more than words, and dream of often from my new home in the South of England. I don’t care if this answer is cheating, I love Jino’s.

D: Destinations, favourite, least favourite and why:
Favourite: I’ve been to places that are so different to each other it’s really hard to pick a favourite. I want to say Vietnam, but I also want to say Ibiza – see what I mean?! I declare a tie.

Least favourite: copying Josh (Katie’s hubby) here and picking Blackpool. It. Is. Just. Horrible. Sorry to anyone from Blackpool who’s reading this, but I find it tacky, dirty, and a little bit scary. Won’t go again unless I have to (I fear the “Hen Do in Blackpool” invite...)

E: Event you experienced abroad that made you say “wow”:
I recently went to South Africa, and my friends and I spent a night at a campsite somewhere between Oudtshoorn and George (Amber Lagoon) We sat at the top of a hill, beers in hand, and watched the sunset. Breathtaking.

Before the sunset...

F: Favourite mode of transportation:
Motorbike taxi in Vietnam! The first time I got one I was clinging onto the poor driver for dear life, but after a month of getting them every day I was a pro... and wouldn’t travel any other way. Even a “falling off when two of us were on the same bike with a drunk driver” incident (NOT recommended) didn’t put me off – motorbike taxis rule!


G: Greatest feeling while travelling:
That “wow, look where I am” feeling when you take a minute to reflect on what you’re doing, and how lucky you are to be doing it. It makes me want to put my arms out and spin around; it makes me feel “free.” Sorry if that sounds a bit hippy!


H: Hottest place you’ve travelled to:
I suppose technically it would be India, but actually when someone says “hot” all I think of is Finland! I went expecting it to be cold (maybe checking the weather forecast might’ve helped?!) but it was bloody boiling and I spent the entire 4 days I had there sweating, and cursing my packing choices.

Helsinki Cathedral (July 2010). Note the highly-inappropriate-for-the-weather footwear...

I: Incredible service you’ve experienced and where:
In South Africa I was lucky enough to stay at a 5 star game reserve as the guest of the owner, as the company I work for sells their trips. It was amazing – the staff were super friendly and helpful and nothing was too much. The accommodation and food was amazing too! Thanks Shakir at Kwantu Game Reserve Port Elizabeth


J: Journey that took the longest:
Technically, I guess the Australia - Singapore - England flights was the longest journey (23 hours all in), but actually the worst journey (and the one that felt the longest) was from Arinsal, Andorra back to Leeds. We had to get a 3 hour coach from Arinsal to Barcelona airport, then wait there for 4 hours, then the flight to Luton. At that point, my friends hopped in their cars and sped home, but not me. Nope, muggings here had to catch three different trains back up to Leeds, and then a taxi home. It took 18 hours from start to finish and was horrendous. I got home at 11pm, and was in work the next morning for 8.45am. Good job I’d enjoyed Arinsal...

K: Keepsake from your travels:
Oh God, all sorts. I have to get a patch to sew on my backpack (which I have named Maguire, and love far too much considering it/he is an inanimate object) and also a fridge magnet. I also save business cards, tickets etc from wherever I go and have recently started a mug collection. I admit it, I’m a souvenir geek.

L: Let-down sight, why and where:
Prague, in general. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great city, but I just didn’t get the “it’s so amazing” vibe that everyone else seems to. I think there are much better European cities you can visit – Krakow being my top choice.

M: Moment where you fell in love with travel:
I went to Canada with my Gramma when I was 16. We visited my uncle and his family, and went to Niagara Falls. I went in the Maid of the Mist boat and something in me changed then. My parents did a lot of travelling when they were young and were always telling us their tales, but I had a pretty “whatever” attitude to it until that boat trip. I went a bit mental on the boat, leaning out of the front whooping and getting drenched by spray, but it gave me the thirst for adventure, seeing new places and experiencing new things.

N: Nicest hotel you’ve stayed in:
The K West Hotel in London. I won a competition and had 3 days there, as well as a trip to the Brit Awards and all sorts of other cool stuff. I’m sure there are more swanky hotels out there, but this was impressive... and even more importantly, free!

O: Obsession—what are you obsessed with taking pictures of while traveling?
People. Preferable myself! I like people shots with cool backgrounds and am forever annoying people by demanding “smile for the camera!” They’ll thank me for it when they’re old and looking back...

P: Passport stamps, how many and from where?
Current passport has India, Vietnam, Colombia, USA, South Africa. My previous one had Canada, Thailand and Australia. So that’s 8... more needed!! Very annoying that you don’t get a stamp within Europe as a UK passport holder... :P

Q: Quirkiest attraction you’ve visited and where:
The Krakow Torture Museum. Papier mache people in various torture poses. Weird; but awesome.

Best museum ever! Krakow, September 2009

R: Recommended sight, event or experience:
Trekking in Sapa, Vietnam. Bizarrely, I loved this, even though I hate physical excursion of any kind! It’s totally stunning, and staying in a homestay during the trip made it even better. I worte a blog about it... http://rachel-watson.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/trekking-in-sapa-vietnam.html

S: Splurge; something you have no problem forking over money for while traveling:
I’m going to cheat, and say travel itself. Even if I’m skint, I can find some money (or credit... whoops) for a flight somewhere. Long live the budget airline...

T: Touristy thing you’ve done:
Empire State Building, New York. Huge queues of tourist in novelty headgear are not my idea of fun, but it had to be done. 2 people got engaged at the top – cheese-tastic.

U: Unforgettable travel memory:
Niagara Falls, the Maid in the Mist boat ride. For all the reasons I explained earlier, and because it’s awesome.

V: Visas, how many and for where?
India, Australia and Vietnam, although the “visa on arrival” for South Africa, Colombia, Canada, Thailand and USA count too, right?

W: Wine, best glass of wine while travelling and where?
I don’t like wine, it makes me go mental. But I did enjoy a nice glass of champagne on a cruise to the Knysna Heads in South Africa with my friends Jenny and Honor. Lovely.

X: eXcellent view and from where?:
The top of Table Mountain in Cape Town, at sunset.

Y: Years spent traveling?:
Consecutively, zero. Longest time I’ve been away is 3 months, the rest of my trips have been shorter affairs, fitted around work (boo!)

Z: Zealous sports fans and where?:
I think sports fans are crazy everywhere! I’m sticking local and saying my beloved West Bromwich Albion, when we made it to Wembley a few years ago. Boing Boing!!

My dad, friend Niamh and brother David at Wembley, April 2008.

I was right, I did enjoy that :) So now I have to tag someone and get them to do the same... over to you @tomgrapes

Turn That (Travel) Frown Upside Down!

Honesty time: I'd be lying if I said that every single minute of my travels were fun-filed with adventures, laughs and fantastic experiences. Don’t get me wrong – I've certainly had amazing trips and treasure fantastic memories of my time away, but there were times where I would ask yourself “what am I doing?!” and wished I were at home in my own familiar surroundings.

I’m not trying to put anyone off or depress you here, not at all! Actually, those down moments are all part and parcel of travelling – and made me appreciate the amazing highs all the more. The point I’m trying to make is that you need to be prepared to feel a little bit rubbish occasionally, and know how to Turn That Frown Upside Down!

With that in mind, I’ve put together a tongue in cheek guide to the upsetting things that could happen to you while you’re away, and how to put a positive spin on them!

Oh No! I’ve Wandered off and got Myself Lost! 
Don’t panic! Although you need to be careful not to go wandering in dangerous areas or alone at night, getting off the path well-trodden can actually be a fantastic way to uncover some little known treasures. Perhaps you’ll stumble upon an amazing new bar, interesting museum or beautiful park; or you could meet a new BFF! As long as you’ve got your accommodation address written down in your day bag you’ll always be able to flag a taxi and head home, and who knows what adventures you could have on the way!

Oh No! I’ve lost my Bag! 
Well yes, that’s annoying and upsetting. Never fear however, someone at your hostel reception/the police station will be able to advise you how to report the loss of any important cards and documents and get them replaced. Your travel insurance should cover you for any valuable items (please tell me you've got insurance?!), and hey… what a prefect excuse to buy a brand new, beautiful bag from the country you’re travelling in!

Oh No! It’s Raining! 
Never mind. Rain when you’re overseas isn’t like the rain you’re used to at home – it’s crazy, downpour rain that stops as quickly as it starts. Embrace the chance to cool down in a hot country and experience the weather in a new place. Take shelter with a good book, run into the nearest bar or café or just relax and let the elements do their worst…. Singing In The Rain, anyone?!

Me and my friend Nichola embracing the weather in Andorra, March 2011

Oh No! I’m Poorly! 
Yep, that’s rubbish. However, you can turn your frown upside down by treating yourself to some pampering to help you recover! Book a local massage, treat yourself to a delicious cake from that bakery you’ve been admiring or enjoy a guilt-free day in bed. Most of all, bask in the sympathy you’ll receive from your fellow travellers and enjoy being looked after!
(Shamelss plug: You might also like to read my post The Key To Sick-cess about getting poorly on your travels for more Rachel-advice :)

Oh No! I’m Homesick! 
This happens to absolutely everyone at some point. Being away from everything and everyone familiar can be daunting, and it’s totally natural to miss people and places. Get yourself on Skype and have a good long chat with people back home, look through some photos online or write a nice long email telling everyone all about the fantastic things you’ve been doing. It’ll make you feel closer to them, and it’ll also remind you what an amazing time you’re having! Another good tip is to surround yourself with lots of fun, new people – making new friends will give you a sense of belonging and make you miss home less.

Oh No! My Flight’s Been Delayed! 
Boo! Flight delays can be boring and inconvenient but there’s nothing you can do to change the situation so make the most of the time to reflect on your adventures! Write in your travel journal, organise your photos and email home. If the delay’s a long one, you may even be put up in a fancy airport hotel by your airline – luxury!

Of course, this is a somewhat humorous look at travel mishaps, and I don’t want to trivialise things. The point I’m trying to make is that a positive attitude goes a long way towards smoothing over anything unfortunate that might happen on your travels. PMA people, PMA!*

*PMA means Positive Mental Attitude. It was the motto of Linford Christie: Olympic gold medalist and my childhood hero :)

Father's Day Poetry Corner!

As it's Father's Day today (well here in the UK it is anyway!) I decided to share a poem I wrote a while back about my dear old Pa. It's a very light-hearted poem, and I actually wrote it to enter a competition to win a trip to Paris with a well known cleaning brand. I didn't win the trip (booo!) so I shall replace their brand name with "household bleach" in the relevant line (see, the poem talks about bleach - not a soppy ode to my dad at all!)

Here goes, hope it makes you smile...

Today I tell a cautionary tale,
About my dad, who - without fail,
Spent hours reading on the loo,
As he did his daily poo!

We all warned him, had a moan,
About the germs lurking on his throne,
But he liked nothing more as he did the deed,
Than to have a nice long read.

It wasn't long before his tummy,
As we'd warned, came over all funny.
He swore revenge and quickly reached,
For the germ eliminator - household bleach!

And voila! Now you know why I didn't win the poetry competition!! :P

On a serious note, my dad rocks. Happy Father's Day Pa xxx

Me and Pa in Estonia, July 2010

A Lovely Island

This time last year, I was in San Antonio, Ibiza. It was my ninth visit, and I was happy to be back :) So, I figured now was as good a time as any to post this piece that I found in the depths of my parents' computer, which I wrote way back in 2008...

My most recent, and indeed my most frequent holiday destination is San Antonio in the Balearic Isle of Ibiza. I’ve been to San An, as it is affectionately known, several times now and as such feel suitably qualified to comment on the town! Not normally someone to return to the same place twice I usually take a “been there, seen that” attitude to picking a holiday spot, preferring to try new countries and experiences and tick as many places off my “yet to visit” list as possible. San Antonio changed that for me, and I will continue to go back there as long as they’ll have me! My most recent visit, in June this year, was no different to my previous six holidays there, and I enjoyed a fantastic, memorable break.

Before I talk about the many positive factors that make Ibiza such a great holiday destination, I feel I should address the negative reputation associated with San Antonio, which has built up since the 1990’s thanks mainly to the cable television series Ibiza Uncovered. This programme saw hordes of drunken teenagers staggering around the West End area of the town downing cheap, day-glow cocktails, taking drugs, having sex and generally behaving in a manner that certainly did not paint them in a positive light! While I am in no way suggesting that this sort of thing doesn’t happen, I am at pains to point out that certainly not everyone who visits San Antonio is looking for this kind of holiday.

Personally, I enjoy the more relaxed side of San Antonio. The Sunset Strip, a long stretch of bars and restaurants on the coast of San Antonio, offers an unmissable chance to watch a beautiful sunset while sipping a champagne cocktail and listening to chill out music. The people who frequent these bars are not interested in free vodka shot offers or cheesy chat-up lines; they’re there to enjoy a nice drink and good conversation in a picturesque setting. There is no better start to an evening than watching the sun set over the Mediterranean Sea before slowly wandering down to a livelier bar on the town’s main front. My personal favourite is Bar M, the pre-party venue of the famous club night Manumission**. Bar M is a glass-walled bar boasting a stage which has played host to some of the world’s top bands and DJ’s. The upstairs balcony has fantastic views of the bay and is a welcome alternative to the sweaty, beer soaked West End bars just a few hundred yards away.

Another misconception about Ibiza is that it only caters for fans of dance and house music. While I will admit that this genre is the more prevalent, it is by no means the only option. As a self-confessed “rock chick” I could direct you to some fantastic venues playing rock and indie music, where I can all but guarantee a fantastic night. There are also venues catering for fans of R ‘n’ B, hip-hop, seventies, country and many more. Even the major “Super clubs” have started offering a wider range of music, with different events held throughout each week.

I also feel that it’s important for me to mention how safe I feel in San Antonio. The majority of my visits to Ibiza have been with a female friend, and as a duo of young women we have never felt intimidated or threatened in any way. The streets of San Antonio are well lit and easy to navigate, and there is always a police presence to put you at ease. Everyone working in the bars, clubs and hotels is friendly and helpful and behaves in a professional manner. In the six years I’ve been visiting San Antonio I can only recall one incident in which the police had to intervene, and have never been subjected to anything more than harmless banter from anyone I’ve encountered. Unfortunately the same cannot be said of my nights out in the UK!

As well as being a fantastic town in it’s own right, San Antonio is the perfect base for exploring Ibiza and all this unique island has to offer. From the hippy markets of Las Dalias and Puntra Arabi and the celebrity haunt and beautiful beaches of Formentera Island during the day, to the world famous Super clubs Pacha and Space at night, there really is something for everybody here.

 I would recommend Ibiza to my best friend, my boss or my grandmother and be confident they could all find something to love about it. I have been going since the age of twenty, and hope to still be going at 90. I had an amazing time this June and can’t wait to get out there again next year. Ibiza, and San Antonio in particular, will always have a special place in my heart.

**2012 update: Bar M is now known as the Ibiza Rocks Bar. It's still awesome.

Sunset from Bar Mambo. Never gets old.

South Africa: Big 5, Big Fun!

So... I went to South Africa in March! I haven't blogged about it on here yet, but I will most definitely be doing so a lot from now on... and here's part one :)


My first few days in South Africa were spent at a game reserve near Port Elizabeth where Real Gap Experience sends travellers for their South Africa Experience and Big 5 Wildlife and Community programmes. My friends and I were guests of the owner Shakir, and he very generously ensured we had an amazing time!

We arrived around 3pm and after settling into our rooms we headed straight off to the Predator Camp, where we were to be shown around by ranger Patrick. The Predator Camp is home to younger cats, who live there until they are big enough and old enough to be released into the wild reserve. Patrick was very friendly and knowledgeable, and told us all about the animals as he showed us around. First stop was the Bengal Tiger enclosure, which I was surprised about as tigers are not native to Africa. However, Patrick explained that the first tigers to come to the project were rescued from an illegal and cruel owner in Johannesburg and since then the staff at the project have built up a breeding programme with the tigers, to help preserve this rare and beautiful species. So far, two tigers have been sent to live safely in their native India already, and more will hopefully follow them soon. Also living in the Predator Camp are cheetahs, African lions and the very rare (and stunningly beautiful!) Namibian White Lions.

 Awww, tiger kisses!

That evening we were visited by Simon, who looks after the museum at the reserve. As well as information about the history of the reserve and the village it’s in, the museum is home to several snakes and spiders, and Simon is very enthusiastic about them! He brought one of his favourite (and one of the biggest!) snakes along, and I was able to hold her. Not so much fun for my friend Honor who is terrified of snakes, but it was cool to learn about them, and Simon also spoke to us about the plight of rhinos in South Africa, and the challenges facing environmentalists as poaching for their valuable horns is unfortunately rife.


The next morning I got up early and along with my friend Jen, headed to the herb garden and “Touch Farm” where we were able to play with the rabbits and guinea pigs who live there. As well as the small furries, there are also some ostriches, a wildebeest (who trod on my toe – ouch!) and some impala living on site, and also some horses which volunteers can take for rides if they wish.

 Some of the many rabbits who live at the Touch Farm

Next up it was the part of our stay that me and my friends had been looking forward to the most – game drive time! Patrick picked us up in one of the reserve four-by-fours and we were off... driving through the reserve trying to spot the Big 5 with expert help from Patrick. It was a great experience and we were lucky enough to see loads of animals, including zebra, elephants, buffalo, springbok, giraffes, antelopes, numerous species of birds and more. We also stumbled upon some volunteers working hard removing alien vegetation, and they told us what a great time they were having at the project, which was lovely to hear.

There's an elephant in the background of this pic, honest!

That afternoon, I was shown around the whole project site, and got to see the luxury hotel and lodge accommodation as well as the two volunteer quarters, which were amazing! The volunteers have lovely shared areas with comfortable sofas, television and DVD players and kitchen facilities where they can make drinks and store snacks. They also have their own lockable storage space near their beds in the dorm rooms, and the bathrooms are sparkling clean with modern facilities. Shakir also showed me the “cinema room” where films are sometimes shown on a big screen for volunteers in the evenings, the swimming pool, tennis courts, cricket field, playground and gym (all of which are available for volunteers to use as well as the hotel guests) and the dining area where meals are served. The volunteers have their own catering team and I can personally vouch for how delicious the food is! They cater fantastically for vegetarians (my friend Honor doesn’t eat meat and thoroughly enjoyed all her meals) and all meat is Halal.

After a good night’s sleep we were up early and excited to head to the elephant camp, which is around a five minute drive from the main reserve. The camp is home to four female elephants who were all rescued from being culled in the Kruger Park, and welcomes visitors who come along to learn about elephants and get up close and personal with these beautiful girls! The elephants have been trained to put on shows for visitors, but they are trained in a caring and non-violent way (they learn using a reward based method) and only “work” for a few hours a day, being free to roam as they please for the remainder of their time.

As the elephants came out of their wooden shelter, they were accompanied by their handlers, who were riding on their backs. They then showed us their skills – walking together in a circle, lining up, kneeling down in unison and raising their trunks. Next up, we were allowed a ride! I hopped on and joined handler Cuthbert, who introduced me to his elephant Mujamba, and we strolled around the camp, walking past grazing zebra and impala. Cuthbert was really enthusiastic and informative about elephants, and you could tell he really loved Mujamba! After our ride we were able to help feed the elephants their vegetable pellets, which are a treat for them and act as a thank you for the ride. I gave Mujamba pellets into her trunk and also into her mouth (which was a bit messy and gross if I’m honest, but fun too!)

 Feeding Mujamba

My time at the Big 5 reserve was all too brief, but it was great to get a taster of the project and it’s work, and see firsthand what Real Gap volunteers get up to. My friends and I all had a fantastic time, and would recommend a stay to anyone :)

www.realgap.com

Trekking in Sapa, Vietnam

Sapa is a quiet mountain town in Northern Vietnam, and is home to many a diverse range of ethnic minorities, most of who work as farmers on the sloping mountain fields. I visited Sapa on a 3 night tour as part of my stay in Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital city.

I met the rest of my group at 8pm on Thursday - Emma, Alison, Matthew, Natalie and Jen. Apart from Emma (who's Canadian) they were all American so I was the sole English representative! We got the night train to Lao Cai, which was much nicer than I had been expecting - quite roomy and plush, with quaint little lampshades and frilly curtains. I didn't get much sleep however - lots of chatting and a very bumpy ride - and was woken at 4:30am by a lady walking up and down the corridor shouting "good morning - coffee!" We got to Sapa from the train station on a very small, cramped bus which was clearly not designed for long tall Westerners such as ourselves! After 2 hours we were relived to get off the bus and were greeted by a very welcome a breakfast of bread and eggs - foodstuff which was to become quite a theme of the weekend!

After breakfast everyone bought ponchos, as the slight drizzle that had started was worrying us. I already had a rain jacket I’d borrowed from my roommate Rosie but decided to get the poncho to put over the top and keep my rucksack dry, and it turned out to be a wise decision! We met up with our tour guide Zao and he told us that the first day of the trek would be about 7km, stopping for lunch on the way before heading to our accommodation for the night. This was in a traditional mountainside village where a local family from the Red Dao tribe would put us up for the night in their home. Despite not being an experienced hiker I was as enthusiastic about the weekend as the rest of the group and we all set off in high spirits despite the slight drizzling rain.

 Looking sexy in my poncho!

Only about five minutes into our trek it started to absolutely pour with rain and we were all quickly soaked! I was wearing trainers, but they were Velcro fastening and open at the top so certainly NOT footwear appropriate for awful weather. Of course, it was very muddy too and my ridiculous shoes were soon ruined. To make matters worse they also cut my ankles (unprotected by socks – what a fool I am!) to shreds. Basically, I was cold, wet, in pain and I was trekking. All things I am not renowned for handling well. For about 2 hours the only words that came out of my mouth were four letter ones, normally in a long stream of expletives and accompanied by wails of dismay or screams of frustration. I was the stereotypical moaning English woman and I HATED Sapa. I did not want to admire the amazingly beautiful scenery, or take any photos. I wanted to go back to my room in Hanoi and get dry, and clean. I was a bitch - I was THE bitch. I couldn't even raise a smile at Matthew and Zao chucking massive rocks in an attempt at male bonding and to create stepping stones over a river that looked much better suited to white water rafting than trekking through. Then (and this could only happen to me) I took a fatally ill-advised route (which had seemed to me to be a short cut, but was actually being avoided by the others for an excellent reason) and ended up knee deep - literally - in goat poo. I even lost one of my shoes in the stuff and had to fish it out. I was swearing, wearing the least flattering poncho known to man, and covered in poo up to my knees. Everyone laughed at me, and I had to join in. It broke the ice, and my mood!

 Some of the gang with local ladies

Over lunch it stopped raining, and after more bread and eggs plus two cans of full calorie coke (or soda, as the Americans called it) I was feeling a little better and we set off for the home stay after a toilet stop in a small shack with a hole in the ground. The walk wasn't anywhere near as bad as the morning trek, and by now we were all well used to wading through deep waterfalls and muddy puddles no problem, and were able to enjoy the spectacular views of rice fields being tended by farmers and their animals, tall cloud covered mountains and waterfalls full to bursting and streaming down the mountainside. We soon arrived at the home stay and met our hosts, who provided us with green tea and the most delicious french fries known to man, as well as the use of their shower (bliss!). It was also an opportunity for the local women to sell their wares - as a total sucker completely unable to haggle I spent more than anyone else and now have many, many Sapa souvenirs.

 Matthew and Alison check out the souvinirs on offer

The traditional Vietnamese dinner prepared that night by our hostess was amazing. We all ate plenty, washed down with "happy water" - locally produced rice wine, which was lethal stuff. We laughed long and hard about the days events, particularly the rocks in the river and me in the poo incidents, as well as Zao regularly performing the splits and calling out cheerful warnings of "be careful - the man, he carry a tree" and "it's slippery" (both of which were painfully obvious) and Matthew and Emma's rice field conversation which resulted in Matt having to remind Emma that "actually, I'm NOT a rice farmer." There are many more “in jokes” - I guess you had to be there!

After a great nights sleep in amazing, mosquito net covered loft beds, and a yummy pancake breakfast (plus more bread and eggs!) we set off for the final leg of our trek. We were accompanied by several local women wearing traditional dress and bearing souvenirs. These women - all tiny - basically carried us along the slippery, treacherous 5km route and there is no doubt that we would all have fallen to our deaths without them. They were all lovely ladies, happily telling us about their lives and pointing out interesting sights. It goes without saying that we all bought plenty more Sapa "goodies" from them when we stopped for lunch - I paid Cooh (who had walked with me, saving my life on many occasions) a small Vietnamese fortune for two purses.

 Me with Cooh

Our return to Sapa town was a relief - trekking (or any sort of physical exercise!) is not something I get involved with very often and I was glad to see somewhere to rest and take a shower! The rest of the group and I swapped email addresses and thanked Zao for being such an excellent guide and keeping our spirits up during the terrible weather and then it was back onto the night train for another bumpy night back home to Hanoi.

Sapa is hard to explain in words. The scenery is some of the most beautiful I have ever seen on my travels, and the local people are all welcoming and friendly, and keen to help you in any way they can. It was totally different to anything I've ever experienced - awful and amazing in equal measures, but I wouldn’t change a second of it and will treasure my memories of this picturesque and fascinating town for a lifetime.

 Stunning

I booked my trek with Hanoi Backpackers. Check them out here: http://www.hanoibackpackershostel.com/tours