My Top 5 Travel Hit List!

So me and my friends at work have been pretty much everywhere and anywhere across the globe and we’ve learnt a thing or two about travelling! If you’re making a must-do list before you set off on your adventure here’s our top 5 ‘hit list’ of the things that we think should be on every explorer’s list!

Eat the local food Whether it’s fried snake in Vietnam (that’s me!) crocodile in Australia (Tom) or grasshoppers in Uganda (that’s Katie’s snack of choice) there’s a local delicacy wherever you go. It might be the most disgusting thing you’ve ever tasted (sparrows don’t come recommended I’m afraid) but you might just find a new favourite snack! Whatever happened, it’s a great travelling tale to share with your friends and a golden photo opportunity!

Conquer a fear Terrified of spiders? You should be aiming to hold a tarantula by the end of your trip. Don’t like deep water? Go diving. Snakes make your skin crawl? Have one slithering around your neck before you head home. The exhilaration of having done something so out of your comfort zone will leave you on a high for days, and you’ll be ready to face anything. I conquered my fear of heights by climbing the massive Sydney Harbour Bridge, and although I fainted halfway up (there’s another great travelling tale!) I came back down ready to do the whole thing all over again! Heights? No problem anymore =)

Spend time with the local people There’s a great quote from a traveller that I love: “just enjoy what the people have to offer you and listen to their advice, they might just know what’s best.” The people you meet in far flung places will be very different to those you know at home, but they’ll open your eyes to a whole new way of life and can give you invaluable inside information about what to see and where to go. Stay in local places, go to cultural events and get to know the “real” country from the people who know it best. You’ll have a much more fulfilling and awe inspiring experience!

Teach a local person some English phrases You can make a positive impact in someone’s life just by talking to them! Even if you’re not participating in an English teaching project or job, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to help someone local learn some English. As it’s a global language, if a person can speak English they have much better job prospects – being able to communicate with tourists opens up a whole new range of employment options for somebody, and they’ll be keen to learn as much as possible from you. Take the time to help someone master some basic English and you’ll not only help them, but also get that warm “feel good” feeling for yourself!

Learn to say more than just hello and goodbye Picking up a new language is always a highlight of any of my trips, and the locals really appreciate you making the effort to integrate into the community. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed the surprised look on people’s faces when I hopped on a bus in Vietnam and asked for “1 adult’s return to Mai Dich please” in near perfect Vietnamese! Communication is key to the enjoyment of any adventure, so the more local lingo you know, the better. Don’t be shy, give it a try!

200 Word Travel Reviews

A while back at work, we were tasked with writing travel reviews of 200 words or less. Not as easy as it sounds! Anyhoooo, I thought I'd share my efforts here, so here goes...

Suomenlinna Sea Fortress, Helsinki, Finland

Suomenlinna is a small island off Helsinki, and during the 18^th century work began to turn it into a Sea Fortress. Today the island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts visitors from around the world, as well as being a popular destination for Helsinki residents looking for a fun day out.

The island is easily reached by a short ferry ride from Helsinki harbour. It is small enough to walk around and home to several interesting museums, a church, visitor centre, a working dry dock and numerous cafes, restaurants and a brewery. The beaches are popular during the Summer (I enjoyed a paddle in the sea!) and you can stay overnight in the island’s Youth Hostel. Weddings are also held in the church so if you’re lucky like I was, you’ll be able to throw some confetti with celebrating Finns!

I’d definitely recommend visiting Suomenlinna if you’re in Helsinki – the relaxed atmosphere is a nice contrast to the bustling city. There’s plenty to interest and amuse visitors of all ages and my family and I had a highly enjoyable day exploring the island and learning about it’s history.

Pretty isn't it?

Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb, Australia

The Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb was one of the highlights of my trip to Australia. Breathalysed, thoroughly briefed and fully kitted out in a climb suit and harness our group started the ascent with guide Bruce – a typical Aussie guy full of facts and friendly banter. The views of Sydney are stunning, and the sense of achievement (and souvenir photo) when you reach the summit makes the effort worthwhile. Walking across girders high in the air above a busy road was a little nerve wracking, and as someone with a fear of heights I did feel uneasy as we got higher and higher, but Bruce and the rest of my group were encouraging and we all supported each other and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I’d highly recommend that anyone who’s physically able to climbs the bridge, it’s somewhat of a “must do” when in Sydney and I loved it.

Hope you enjoyed :) I might have a bash at some more 200 word or less travel reviews over the next few weeks :) It seems a nice, concise way to summarise a place! Being honest though, it’s more likely that I'll just write some more of my usual rambling blogs!

My Vietnam Travel Diary for "Charity Choice" Newsletter

Back at the start of 2010 I was asked to write an article for Charity Choice Newsletter, about my experiences volunteering in Vietnam. For those of you who may have missed it (what do you mean, you don't subscribe to Charity Choice?!) here it is...

I’d been telling myself I’d do more travelling for a while. However, life got in the way and I got bogged down with the day to day monotony of life in England. Then, the push I’d always needed came along and gave me an almighty shove in the right direction! In the space of a week I’d left my job was in the throes of moving house and had separated from my partner. If I was waiting for the right time to travel, there would be no better chance than this.

I was apprehensive; as a lone female traveller I worried for my safety in a strange country. I also wanted to make sure my time away wasn’t wasted - I wanted to experience the local culture and give something back. It was these concerns that attracted me to i-to-i. Their trips include accommodation in a shared guesthouse, someone to meet me at the airport and support from their team.

i-to-i offer “meaningful" travel experiences – volunteering at a range of worthwhile projects from teaching to conservation, animal welfare to community development. I spent hours browsing their website and chatting to the team on the phone, and decided on a month in Hanoi, Vietnam. I would be working at a project for kids with special needs, and I would have my weekends free to explore. BeforeI knew it I was walking through the arrival gate at Hanoi airport.

After a day settling in I was accompanied to the project where I would be volunteering - the Phuc Tue Caring Centre. It was established in 2001 to provide xare and education for children and young people suffering from Down's syndrome, Autism, Japanese Encephalitis and the effects on the chemical weapon used in the Vietnam War - Agent Orange.

As soon as I walked through the doors of the centre I was surrounded by curious little boys. The staff were equally as friendly and all greeted me with their best English phrases (which didn’t stretch much further than hello… but then neither did my Vietnamese!)

Working days at the centre were very varied. All the children craved attention, and although the staff were very dedicated, there just weren't enough of them to go around. My presence enabled the staff could to focus on those children who needed more help and care, while I interacted with the others and made them feel valued.

It wasn’t always easy – I often came home bruised and scratched when one of the kids took out their frustrations on me, and it was difficult to see first hand the awful effects of Agent Orange and how it still affects the Vietnamese people nearly 35 years after the end of the war. However, I quickly came to adore these little boys and as soon as I arrived each morning, they would crawl onto my lap, demand a rendition of Insey Winsey Spider or have me building giant towers of blocks only to knock them all down again.

I spent my weekends with new friends I’d made at the guesthouse.I trekked through the Sapa mountains in North Vietnam, kayaked through Halong Bay, visited Snake Village and sampled all the unusual food on offer (the clue’s in the name!) and spent many happy nights with the new friends I’ll keep for a lifetime.

I’d love to return to Hanoi one day, but first I have the rest of the world to see! To anyone thinking “one day…” about volunteer travelling, either alone or with a companion, I’d say this – make it one day soon! There’s a placement out there to suit everyone, and all the support in the world while you’re planning it. Get in touch with i-to-i and put the wheels in motion – I really would recommend a volunteer holiday to anybody. I went to Vietnam heartbroken and cynical, and returned refreshed and full of enthusiasm. Thank you i-to-i, and thank you Vietnam – I will always be grateful.

www.charitychoice.co.uk
www.i-to-i.com