Ever find yourself obsessively refreshing your weather app in the run-up to a vacation? I’m definitely guilty of keeping one eye on the elements when planning a trip away. But rainy days are all part of the travel experience – especially in Western Europe!
Luckily, Amsterdam is one city that can handle a little rain. Packed full of world-class museums, vibrant indoor markets and a blossoming foodie scene, there’s plenty to keep you entertained, come rain or shine.

When I thrift, I mostly head to various Goodwills and various stores with the word Thrift in the name. However, for some who aren’t necessarily interested in going through a lot of bad for a big reward, there’s better secondhand shops that carry a lot more name brands and current trends. Not only that, there’s a couple of places in the Dallas area that are known for collecting amazing vintage finds. Here’s a roundup of some of the best Dallas thrift (with a focus on vintage) shops.

As the sun was rising, we were waking up while walking from Penn Station towards the Empire State Building. The lit-up buildings, and almost-empty streets (streets in Manhattan are never empty) were a nice combination for an early morning stroll.

Kinsale and Cobh lie within easy reach of Cork and should be included in any itinerary of Ireland. Cobh is the famed last stop of the Titanic and Kinsale is the gateway to the Wild Atlantic Way. We visited both on the same day and this was our agenda.

Since Halloween’s tomorrow, this is a special spooky blogpost! My mom and I loved the ghost tour we took on our trip to Jefferson, TX, so we decided to try out one in the Dallas area!

Museum lovers will definitely love Turin!
You can spend a good few days in this beautiful city in the north of Italy just exploring all the museums and palaces it has to offer.
If you plan to visit Turin’s museums, and want to see more than two or three, I recommend you get the city pass, called Torino + Piedmonte Card. It will give you free entry to all the major museums, plus discounts on some other tourist attractions.

Tatva may just be Hyderabad’s best kept secret, as far as vegetarian restaurants go. With excellent Italian, continental and north Indian cuisine, this is a place foodies should try at least once.

Phoenix is home to a few great museums that might make the city worth even a summer visit. Or not. I admit; this might be an exaggeration. I think nothing can make Phoenix a summer destination. With temperatures reaching the 120s, and never lower than 105, the city feels like an oven. Yes, it’s a dry heat, but so is inside an oven. Though we are finally experiencing some cooler temperatures.

I’ve been on my very first business class trip! Last weekend I treated myself to a luxury weekend in Prague. Flying business class, a 5-star hotel, and spending some time in this gorgeous city.

After a week in Centro we moved along to Botafogo for our final week of 52 away from home. As most of you will know by now if you follow us on Instagram,@2going1way, we didn’t have the best of luck in Rio. Getting robbed twice within a week, leaving us cameraless, GoProless and out of pocket really brought a downer to the end of what has been the best year of our lives.

Sydney is the most well-known city in Australia. An impressive skyline, beautiful parks, and beaches, it’s a place you shouldn’t skip when you’re traveling to Australia. In this article, I’ll share my top 5 favorite things to do in Sydney.

I’ll be honest all I really knew about the city of Albuquerque was a Weird Al Yankovich song. What’s funny about falling in love with Albuquerque, New Mexico is that originally the first time we were just passing through. Being a major city, it makes for a great pit stop on a road trip.

Trinity College is Ireland’s top university and most historical and is an unmissable attraction in the Irish capital. It is also the home of the famed Book of Kells. Here’s my guide on visiting the college.

Here we are again on another trip over to The Netherlands. Second time for Amsterdam. Last year when we went the weather was horrendous, the rain lashed down and put a dampner on some of the things we wanted to do. Hopefully this time it will be different. We booked through National Holidays so our meals on board the ship,…

A great place to settle down for a couple of days is the city Nice in the south of France. It’s easy to get around, and there are a lot of places to explore. In this article, I’ll share my travel tips for Nice.

Eger is a highly regarded within Hungary as one of its most amazing cities. With a vast number of attractions crammed into its compact centre it’s a city that demands you leave the confines of Budapest’s impressive metropolis.

London is a huge and fascinating city, and visiting it takes a bit more preparation compared to other big cities.

There are common mistakes that first time visitors make when they come to London, and this post will help you avoid them.

It’s a really fun city and the better you plan for it the more you’ll enjoy all the things it has to offer.

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This isn’t a post about the top 10 things to do in London or the best places to stay or eat etc. It’s solely about helping you not get lost, not get ran over, conform to some local cultural requirements and make the most out of your time in London.

There’s so much to see in London – Don’t try to see it all

No matter how many times I’ve been to the city (double figures..), I still discover more things to see and do.

The city seems to reinvent itself every couple of months, while at the same time preserving its history.

London is huge. Massive. If you try to see it all on an average visit, you will cause yourself endless frustration and FOMO.

My best tip would be to plan your London itinerary in a way that gives you enough time to see the things that interest you most, but also relax.

Take your time.

And take into account the distances… Check on Google Maps how long it would take to get from one place to the next. Even things that look close on the map could be an hour away from each other by public transport.

Remember that even if you won’t be able to see everything, that’s fine.

It’s better than rushing around and stressing out every single day of your trip. London has a stressful side to it and if you can avoid it, it would make your experience of the city so much better.

Make a list of the things you want to do and see in London, check the distances and make time for rest and relaxation (London’s parks are great for that).

Accommodation: Book in advance and stay central

This may sound obvious, but in case it isn’t, bear in mind: London is always full of tourists.

To make sure you get a good deal, you want to book your accommodation at least a couple of weeks before you arrive in London.

If you travel during high season (e.g. July-August or Christmas), book even a couple of months in advance.

My second piece of advice is: stay in central London.

If you have a limited time in the city, you don’t want to spend a couple of hours each day on public transport. It can easily amount to that… It would be a complete waste of time, especially on your first visit.

Choose a place to stay that’s close to an underground station, ideally.

Staying in central London and close to a station means that getting around will be easier and many of the main attractions will be relatively close.

My tip is to search for hotels or vacation rentals on the map. This gives you a clear idea of where you’ll be staying and of the distances you’ll have to cross.

To find places to stay on the map, I recommend you use TripAdvisor.  Click this link and then click “View Map” on the left (and change the dates to the ones you need).

The site shows you the hotels on the map, plus reviews. As you move the map, you will see hotels in different areas. It also lets you add restaurants and things to do to the hotel map as extra layers.

This way you can really see what’s nearby, find the best location easily and book directly from the same page.

You can do the same with vacation rentals on Airbnb – After you enter “London Homes” in the search box, enable “Show Map” at the top of the screen and tick the “Search as I move the mouse” box.

Bring good walking shoes

This is a good tip for any traveller, but London being as massive as it is, it’s worth mentioning here.

You walk a lot in London. Even if you use public transport, you still have to walk to the station, inside the station (this could even reach a 10 minute walk inside big stations…) and then around the city as well.

I once had a friend who came to London with a pair of walking shoes. The only problem was, those were new shoes and she had to break them in before the trip… She didn’t and she suffered badly for the first couple of days.

If you don’t have a good pair of walking shoes, check Amazon’s list of top rated walking shoes (I filtered the search results to show only the shoes with the best reviews).

Always be ready for rain

British people like to talk about the weather, and they have a good reason to.

In London it might rain any day.

Whether or not it’s forecast to rain, always assume that it might, because the weather in London is known for its unpredictability. It could rain even in the middle of summer during a heat wave (true story…)

If you find yourself in London when it rains and need a place to hide or a way to pass the time, check out my post on What to do in London when it rains.

An umbrella or a rain jacket are essential items on your packing list for London.

I personally prefer a waterproof rain jacket to an umbrella. I recommend a folding jacket that’s small and lightweight, because:

1 – It takes up less space than an umbrella;

2 – It weighs less;

3 – It’s an extra warm layer;

4 – If it’s large enough, it can cover your purse or bag as well.

If you don’t have one already, get a rain jacket before your trip to London. Here’s a list of lightweight rain jackets from Amazon (top reviewed only).

Buy a UK travel adaptor in advance

The power plugs in the UK are Type G and the voltage is 220-240V. If you’re visiting from a country that uses a different plug and/or voltage, you will need a travel adaptor.

Those are usually inexpensive and take up very little space in your luggage.

Get and adaptor or two online before your trip. You want to buy it in advance, as it would be more expensive to buy at the airport.

It’s also a good investment for your future travels. You will be able to use the same adaptor in other countries, including Ireland, Hong Kong, Cyprus, Malta, Malaysia, Singapore and quite a few others.

My tip is to get an adapter that has a couple of USB ports, so you can charge your phone and power bank overnight with just one plug.

If you’re already in the UK and need an adaptor, beware that some shops will overcharge unprepared tourists, but there’s no need to pay too much for something so basic. I found the cheapest adaptor at Argos.

London is your Oyster!

Oyster is the unlikely name of London’s public transport card.

You buy it once and then top it up (load it) with the amount you need or with a weekly or monthly pass, depending on how long you plan to stay in London.

Don’t use paper tickets; they cost almost double.

Oyster card

You can use the same Oyster card across many different modes of transport – underground and overground trains, buses, trams, light rail etc.

If you get a London Pass (the city pass that gives you discounts and free entry to London attractions) you can also get it with an Oyster travelcard to save more money. Read more about how it works here.

Stand on the right on station escalators

Going on the underground train with masses of people can be quite overwhelming.

But it’s rare to see anyone pushing or shoving, even during rush hour.

That’s’ because there’s a very easy rule that everyone in London follows:

When you go on the escalators remember to always stand on the right. If you want to walk up or down – do that on the left.

Sometimes there’ll be a service announcement to remind people of that.

Londoners get annoyed when people stand on the left, and quite understandably – when you’re in a rush to catch a train you want that left lane to be available.

Carry a map of London with you

Even people who know London well still use a map from time to time.

Whether it’s Google Maps or another app or even an old school paper map – always take it with you.

London is huge and it’s easy to get lost, so a map is always handy.

You also want to pick up a tube map from any underground station and carry it with you. The public transport in London is mostly efficient, but can be rather confusing.

You can also download the Tube Map London Underground App (iPhone / Android) or CityMapper (iPhone / Android) to help you navigate, or simply use Google Maps for transport directions

Avoid Oxford Street on Saturday

Oxford Street, being the main shopping street in London, is extremely busy with tourists, shoppers, cars, buses and taxis.

Human traffic jams are a common sight any day of the week, but especially on Saturday.

It’s no fun. You can hardly cross the street or even move forward on the pavement. If you choose to do your shopping on Oxford Street, best plan to go there on a weekday.

How to cross the street in  London

Cars drive on the left in the UK, so crossing the road in London can be confusing.

One of the first things you’ll notice in London is that at every crossing there are directions for you to look left or right or both ways.

I suggest you make a habit of always looking both ways.

Don’t get locked in a park

This happened to me a couple of times in the past, even when I was hanging out with Londoners…

Many parks in London are locked at night. If you’re having a picnic or a walk in the park and forget about the time, you may find yourself locked inside.

This isn’t the end of the world, of course, as you can often climb over the fence. Still, best avoid that.

At the entrance to the park there’ll be a notice board or a sign with the opening hours. Sometimes it wouldn’t specify the hour, but just say the park is open till “dusk”…

Also, listen out for the bell – the person who locks the park would walk around with a bell to alert people just before the park is locked. I’m not sure this applies to all parks, but I’ve seen that in quite a few.

Travel on public transport outside peak times

Trying to take a train in central London during rush hour can be a pretty nightmarish experience.

Sometimes the stations are so packed that you can’t even get into the station, not to mention board a train.

Avoid the massive crowds on Monday to Friday between 06:30 and 09:30 and between 16:00 and 19:00.

Get in line!

British people love to queue.

It’s part of the culture and they have a great reputation for forming an orderly queue, even if not instructed to.

As a tourist you will encounter that every day when boarding buses or trains, entering museums and attractions, when you go to concerts, shows or festivals and so on.

It makes a lot of sense, especially in such a hectic city, and helps prevent all sorts of chaotic situations.

More links to help you prepare for a trip to London:

Top 10 things to do in London

How to visit London on a budget

Day trips from London 

London city guide from Lonely Planet

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Did you know there are many awesome themed hotels in Las Vegas? Especially at the Las Vegas Strip, you can visit New York, ancient Egypt, and Venice in just one night. In this article, I’ll share a couple of the best-themed hotels in Las Vegas.

There are several activities to do during your stay in La Paz but one of the most unique, interesting and arguably entertaining ones is something very uncommon: Cholita Wrestling. Similar to the Lucha Libre in Mexico, this type of fighting show developed not long ago in the country with the aim to empower indigenous women…

Last year it was my (Jason’s) 40th birthday. I wasn’t really up for celebrating the big ‘four zero’ but the year before Vicky had an idea, “lets go away” she said. I definitely wasn’t going to argue, there was one condition though, the destination was to be a surprise and I would only find out at the check-in desk on…

Santa Marta was a nice change after the bustle of Cartagena. It is a quiet port town with a scenic view out to the Caribbean sea. There were enough hostels, bars and restaurants to have a good time and the locals were quite happy to put up with my broken Spanish, so all was good. The restaurant scene seemed to be booming, with a couple of different areas in the town coming to life at night!

Debrecen is Hungary’s second city and a city worthy of a day trip, or alternatively it serves as the perfect base for exploring Eastern Hungary and the Hungarian Great Plain.

Brick Lane is an iconic street in East London with a lot of exciting things to discover and an atmosphere you can’t find anywhere else.
London’s Brick Lane is where you go for a vibrant mix of food markets, street performers, vintage shops, curry restaurants, trendy cafes, incredible street art, independent bookshops and rainbow bagels…
If the description above sounds a bit eclectic, that’s because it is. It’s a very mixed part of London. It is colourful, lively, exciting and quirky

Our love for Vienna is an understatement. We are lucky to be frequent visitors and even had the opportunity to live there for a while, although for way too short of a time. While Vienna is loaded with world-famous attractions, you can see some of our top tourist sights here; we love some of the more local spots. The best advice we can give anyone visiting Vienna…go off the beaten path. Walk down the side streets. You will find so much more of what makes Vienna so easy to explore and you’ll fall in love instantly. Unless you’ve already tried the wine, in that case, you’re already in love!

We travelled around Colombia for 6 weeks and we absolutely loved the city of Cartagena! With it’s vibrant architecture, lively food scene, caribbean heat and friendly locals you just can’t beat the vibe here. The walled city of Cartagena has some stunning colonial architecture and the streets are lined with beautiful colored houses. So where are these Instagrammable photo spots? Here are my top picks for the best photo spots in Cartagena.

Puebla city has been a place I wanted to visit for some time now. A couple we met in Tulum got me interested when they told us about it as a place they considered moving to.
When I looked into it I realized that an ancient site I wanted to see, Cacaxtla, was close by. Adding a few volcanoes, one active and smoking, the largest pyramid in the world in nearby Cholula de Andrés, and the first and largest library in the Americas made this city I didn’t even know existed before one of my top destinations.

Puebla city has been a place I wanted to visit for some time now. A couple we met in Tulum got me interested when they told us about it as a place they considered moving to.
When I looked into it I realized that the ancient site of Cacaxtla I wanted to see, and its sister site, Xochitécatl, were close by. Adding a few volcanoes, one active and smoking, the largest pyramid in the world in nearby Cholula de Andrés, and the first and largest library in the Americas made this city I didn’t even know existed before one of my top destinations.

Summer is wonderfully busy in Minnesota with so many exciting events and activities. However, the transition of the seasons from Summer to Fall brings empty nesters, like us, the opportunity to recharge our batteries by planning a weekend away to escape from life and put the everyday hustle and bustle of life on the back burner. Stillwater is the perfect destination for relaxation, wonderful food, and a great atmosphere to soak in the fading summer days. In this article we will show you that Stillwater Minnesota is the Best Getaway near Twin Cities.

At some point, in every traveller’s itinerary through Peru the city of Cusco pops up as a destination. It’s the perfect base for visiting the Sacred Valley, start your trip to Machu Picchu and do some of the best hiking in the country a.k.a. the perfect basecamp. That said, Cusco’s enchanting hispanic architecture is something…

We were so excited to stay at this beautiful little boutique hostel in Santa Marta. It’s centrally located, just a couple minutes walk from the beach and the Exito supermarket is just a 5 minute walk away.

Before my friends and I could head into San Francisco, we needed a coffee stop to become more human. After camping for the last couple of days and getting some odd hours sleeping cramped in our little rental car, we needed the caffeine and a restroom.

Vienna, Austria is one of our favorite cities in the world and we are fortunate to travel here often and know it quite well. Vienna is no stranger to tourism as it brings in hordes of tourists from all over the world and the number seems to be increasing every year. There is a wealth of knowledge on Vienna and a visitor can spend days if not weeks touring all the sights. However, if you are a tourist with a limited amount of time, these are the top tourist sights we would recommend. Stay tuned for our upcoming post on seeing Vienna as a local.

Bocagrande is in the north western area of Cartagena, where all the modern hotels are. The one place you would probably go to use the beach if you wanted to stay close. So keeping that in mind I thought I’d suggest a couple of locally situated lunch options for you to check out.

We took the same route as the previous day into the city but this time traversing the Elisabeth Bridge. Again the architecture from simple regular buildings to the Budapest Inner City Mother Church of the blessed virgin really caught my eye. I adore the steeples of churches in Hungary.

El Poblado or El Gringlado as the locals call it, is the most popular area for us white folk to stay and visit in Medellin. It’s more built up, and a lot more money has been invested in the hospitality sector. Streets are lined with cafes, bars and restaurants all entertaining the travellers and holiday makers. We found the prices are a little higher than Laureles but not too noticeable, just avoid the central square bars if you’re after a cheap beer, the prices seem to rocket!

Laureles was our first port of call in Medellin. A nice little family based neighbourhood with some lovely bars and restaurants set amongst the terraces.

When visiting Lima, you’ll more than likely stay at hostel, hotel or homestead located inside the Miraflores district. Over the years, this seaside neighbourhood has been improved a lot up to the point to become today’s most famous backpacker hub. You can find shops, nice parks and several others activities to do but most importantly,…

This was the first day of a two-week August trip to Hungary. Our trip would take in two days in Budapest before heading east, to Beata’s homeland before exploring the surrounding region.

The central citadel of Golconda Fort is one of the most popular tourist spots in Hyderabad. But most visitors don’t realize that there are some magnificent sights among the outer fortifications, too.

Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world and I’ve been there four times already. I’ve seen many things multiple times (it’s never boring!), but I discover great new things and places every single time. In this article, I’ll share my top 5 favorite things to do in Paris.

Regent’s Canal is one of London’s loveliest secrets, and one of the most relaxing places in the big city.
After you visit all the bucket list London spots – the London Eye, Big Ben, the Tower of London, the British Museum and so on – you may want to discover one of its less touristy and most gorgeous places.
Regent’s Canal is a wonderfully serene place to visit in London. You can walk or cycle along the canal, and also take a boat tour.

We were headed to Vienna for part of our summer vacation and found a good deal on a flight from Berlin Tegel Airport. If you’ve been following along with us for a while, you’ll already know that we like to arrive to the city we are flying out of a day in advance in case…

Party Pants and Abba, join Alicia in Bishop Arts District of Dallas as she discovers tea shops and vagabond shops.

One of the things I love most about Barcelona is that there’s just so much to see and do. No matter what you’re interested in, whether that be museums, architecture, parties, food, etc, you are guaranteed to find a ton of things that you’ll enjoy. I’ve been living here for 4 years now, and there’s still so much I have yet to discover! I find that it is impossible to get bored here and if you do find yourself bored, you’re doing something wrong!

Whether you’re looking to pamper your pet, exchange notes with other pet parents or just hang out with pet people over good eats, The Pet Cafe is for you.
Pet-pampering venues are few and far between in Hyderabad. Enter The Pet Cafe, a hangout for four-legged furries and their two-legged companions. With menus and toys for both, and an easy-going atmosphere, this cosy café is one day-long ‘pawty’! Bonus: The Pet Cafe is right above the Allvet Pet Clinic. Does your furry friend tend to have their feathers (and fur) ruffled by a visit to the vet? Nothing some pet-friendly ice-cream won’t soothe!

Right in the heart of the Valley of Longevity there’s the small town Vilcabamba, an usual stop for all those on the way out of Ecuador from the little known border crossing on La Balsa. Nice mural near the central plaza After coming back from out trip on the Pacific Coast (Puerto Lopez and Silver…

As most of you know by now, I love finding hidden nature trails in the city! Nestled in the Northern suburbs of Dallas we have some hidden gems like the Katie Jackson Trail.

The third and final instalment of our recent trip to Naples. I decided that visiting Pompeii and Vesuvius needed a blog of its own. Here we share some helpful tips and advice on prices and how to get there. Day Four – The Finale The Roman city of Pompeii has been on my bucket list for a while along with…

Ecuador might not be like Europe but after spending a while in Cuenca this could change your mind. The city’s modern vibe features a great night life backdrop, a great variety of activities for any liking and nothing but an architecturally gorgeous historical centre listed in as a UNESCO heritage site. Not a bad place…

When I first moved to Barcelona 4 long years ago, I was living with host families (yes, plural – I had to change families every 3 months. Fun, right?). Thankfully, my first host family was super active and very excited to show me around their beloved city, which I had only visited previously for a single day. So I grabbed my camera, put on some comfortable shoes, brushed up on my Spanish, and we were off for a day of exploration! If there’s one thing you learn when traveling the world, it is to always say yes to new experiences!

Krakow is a wonderful city for vegans and vegetarians. From Polish traditional cuisine with a vegan twist to plant based fast food, Krakow has so many vegan and vegan-friendly places to eat.
If you’re planning a short city break, you may want to stay longer just to enjoy all the vegan food!

The Salar Jung museum may seem a little disappointing at first. But look closer, and you’re sure to spot something spectacular in India’s largest museum.

You can’t miss the three golden towers behind the low set MGM Grand as you arrive into Vegas. The three identical 38 story towers hold an off-strip address but are connected to the MGM Grand by tunnel, and are in walking distance of everything you need! As long as you don’t mind getting a little bit sweaty in the 40+ degree Nevada sun.

Grimaldi’s was our first stop in Vegas and what a way to start, the manager made us feel so welcome! She even took me behind the pass to watch the chefs at work. With fresh ingredients including handmade mozzarella and pizza sauce, Grimaldi’s is the most award winning pizzeria in the U.S.
Their ‘secret recipe’ dough is hand-tossed and made in-house daily, while the open kitchen layout provides an entertaining experience with dough flying into the air constantly.

Finding fun Instagram spots is my new favourite thing to do in each city. I have put together my top 10 spots I found whilst in L.A. Hope you (and your followers) enjoy them as much as I did!

Welcome back to the second part of our guide to Naples. You’ve already read about days one and two here. We pick up were we left off with a day out to Pompeii and Vesuv.. oh wait.. at least thats what should have happened on day three, see below. We got out the maps and took a trip around the…

Quirky yet beautiful, Antwerp is a fantastic and underrated city to visit in Belgium. This was the last Belgian city of our Benelux tour, and it almost didn’t even happen. I didn’t know much about the city itself, but after doing some research it seemed like a worthwhile and interesting place to visit. It ended up being one of my favorite destinations that trip!

Hong Kong is one of those places I’ve always longed to go. I’m forever reading about it’s eclectic mix of Chinese and British culture, but I’ve never actually made it there. The former British colony is a major business hub, an urban playground and a perfect blend of old and new.

“Vedi Napoli e poi Muori” or “See Naples and Die” is a famous quote coined during the reign of the Bourbons. To see Naples in all its beauty is something you absolutely have to do. We spent four nights at the Rex Lifestyle Hotel in the San Ferdinando district on the seafront between Borgo Marinari and Via Santa Lucia and here’s…

Krakow is a uniquely charming city that will make you want to visit again and again.
It is rich in culture and history, with so much to do and see, and at the same time extremely visitor-friendly and easy to navigate.

L.A, Hollywood and the United States in general can be expensive and a bit overwhelming when you’re attempting to backpack on a budget. We managed to fit in loads of the main sites and do it all whilst sticking to our travelers budget. Below are some tips on how to save some dollars and still seeing everything you want in Los Angeles.

And here we are in the “White City” of Popayan, a medium-sized city known for its whitewashed buildings, many churches and a huge hill from which to enjoy a gorgeous sunset over the rooftops. Walking around the city center is pretty nice but even though there are not many other activities, here are three reasons…

Every Tuesday in the andean town Silvia, the local market fill up with indigenous Guambiano people coming from the surrounding villages to sell, buy or trade goods of all natures. On this occasion, spending a whole morning scouting around the streets bustling with vendors is a unique opportunity to discover a new cultural aspect of…

Dubai is an ever-evolving city of delights, where newer attractions compete with the existing all the time. If you’ve not been to the city within the last few months, here’s some news for you: The Museum of the Future is open and so is IMG Worlds of Adventure. Every time you turn around, there’s something brand new, vying for your time and attention, and aren’t you happy about that? That’s the sort of magical city it is. Check out our Dubai City Guide of things to see and do in Dubai, and you’ll agree with us that this is one city you simply must not miss enjoying.

Once known by its troubled past of drug lords and street robberies, nowadays Cali is a nice stop for all those wishing to spend a couple of days learning about salsa and discovering the cultural panorama of this beautiful city. After having watched the action Netflix series Narcos, it was hard imagining to leave out…

Welcome to Salento, a small village full of colours in the heart of the Colombian Coffee Region. We set off to discover the Quindío region to see what this well-known town and its neighbouring wax palm valley (Valle de Cocora) has to offer. That’s why its so special! After leaving Jardin in the morning, around…

After our stay in Medellin, trying to figure out next step of our trip was quite challenging. We knew we wanted to spend sometime away from big cities but Colombia is so full of amazing places but choosing which is hard. Thankfully, the evening before a chit-chat with the hostel manager cleared our mind and…

Basel also known as Basle holds a very important place in my heart as I have been here for more than three times since 2012.
Basel is a city of culture, art and more importantly Museums depicting its rich culture as it also boasts is the third most populous city in Switzerland.

Krakow has so many good museums! Every exhibition I saw in Krakow seriously impressed me with its high standards.
I knew little about the city and about Polish culture before visiting, but Krakow’s museums make the learning experience fascinating.
It’s the clever curation, the multimedia displays, the convenient explanations in English and the beautiful aesthetics that really make a world of difference.

The city of Medellin has changed a lot in time but over the last few years has really become one of the most visited cities in Colombia. Thanks to the newly built metro, moving around the city has become quite easy for all those wishing to sleep outside the center (most preferably in Poblado or…

When visiting new cities I have started to look into the best spots for that all important Instagram shot. So instead of you searching all over the web to find spots, I thought I would compile my favourite places into an easy list so you can also get the perfect pic.

This small Mexican restaurant was the first we visited in San Francisco and the experience and taste stuck in our memories for the rest of the trip. We went for everyone’s favourite for starters, their nachos were tossed in guajillo sauce, with guacamole, pico, cotija cheese and sour cream.

San Francisco has definitely been one of our favourite cities we have visited. Not just for the sites, crazy hills, endless piers but also for the fantastic food! We enjoyed so many restaurants I thought I would split them into lunch and dinner categories and pick our top three for each, enjoy.

Bogotá is a fascinating metropolis full of surprises at every corner. How couldn’t we fall in love with it? Discovering the murals of La Candelaria, checking out the amusing Botero Museum and overlooking the city skyline from the height of Monserrate are just a few amazing activities to do in Colombia’s capital. This morning we…

My friend Derek’s wedding was terrific (so great I took zero pictures) and we were down to our final hours in Washington DC. The friend group had varying flights out, but I had almost a whole twenty-four hours left to see what I could get up to! A few of us left on Sunday decided we would check out the International Spy Museum.

We were on our way to the USA, flying American Airlines, and needed a hotel to stay the night before our morning flight. Our normal hotel of choice at the Frankfurt airport is the Frankfurt Airport Sheraton Hotel, but due to limited availability and high prices we looked elsewhere to stay around the airport. We decided to use up some of our Radisson Rewards points and stay at the Park Inn Frankfurt Airport Hotel. It’s definitely not the Sheraton or even the Moxy, but we truly just needed a place to sleep, shower, and leave from quickly to get to the airport.

Besides monuments and museums, there was only one other highly recommended activity in Washington DC: Drag Brunch at Nellie’s Sports Bar. The local who had given us tourist tips had said it was a must if we had time – and it was one of the top activities on TripAdvisor.

If you’re in Kampala and looking to take it easy for a few hours, head over to the cozy Kardamom & Koffee for some delicious, fresh-made eats and brilliant conversation. And maybe even pick up a few things to brighten up your home on the way out.

Happy Canada Day friends! 151 doesn’t have quite the same ring to it as the 150th celebrations did but there’s still plenty of reasons to visit Canada this year. Not to mention the fact that Trudeau and his Disney-prince-good-looks are bossin’ it on the world stage right now… but I digress…

Nestled up in the mountains just an hour away from Tunja, the little town of Villa de Leyva is the perfect spot for those looking to spend a relaxed weekend of adventure sports, trekking and beer tasting. At an altitude of 2500m above sea level, this is also the place where to finally enjoy a…

Surrounded by mountains and cut in half by a river we’ve finally reached San Gil, a touristy village with much to offer. A beautiful town center, friendly locals and up & down roads san francisco style are just a few things which makes this place worth exploring for at least a couple of days. Today…

On our first full day in Washington D.C., we had plans to play tourist! After lacing up our comfortable walking shoes and grabbing a breakfast which included homemade poptarts at the cutest diner, Ted’s Bulletin, we made our way to all of the nation’s capital’s hot spots.

The excitement to leave Santa Marta for the small town of Santa Cruz de Mompox is real! And there we are, once again after an infinite bus journey (which included a “short” stop at a mechanic to fix an issue), the lights of Mompox can be seen at the horizon. Tonight, we’re staying at La…

When you travel to a new place, you want to see as much as you can, right? It’s common to spend all day wandering the streets, snapping away with your camera, in search of Instagram-worthy views. But there’s more to a city than just its famous sights! A culture is defined not only by its architecture and history, but by its people and food. What better way to explore this side of the city than by visiting local hot spots, where you’ll get served not only the best bites, but get a peek into the daily lives of the people who are lucky enough to call that city their home?
If you’re planning to visit Barcelona, or really anywhere in Spain, do not miss these amazing tapas while you’re out and about!

Santa Marta, located on the coast of the Caribbean Sea of Colombia, its a port city that has deceived us a lot. We can firmly say, that this was definitely one of the worst places we’ve been in the last 9 months! At least the place has a pretty name! Sadly enough, even before reaching…

Krakow is a beautiful city with some great gems for lovers of beautiful things.
In this guide I shares some of the best and most aesthetic shops and galleries I found during my visit to Krakow. It features graphic and interior design, fashion, illustration and places to shop for original gifts.

Ah, where to begin on my adventure to Washington D.C? Since we were headed there for a friend’s wedding, a big group of us decided to hit up our nation’s capital for a long 5-day weekend. I felt a little awkward “making” my friends embark on my quest for National Park stamps, but they were all for it! I was glad I’d been able to take charge of the schedule so I could make sure friend time and National Park time was fair. I mean, you can’t take a trip to the nation’s capital where there are almost forty stamps to collect – and not let me try for them, right?!

On our flight from Panama City to Cartagena we didn’t even have the time to close our eyes that in less than 45min we’ve already landed in Colombia. And that is it, after 8 months of wandering Central America, below us Cartagena de Indias welcomes us to South America. After a quick security checkpoint, there…

After spending a month in Thailand early on in our trip, we’ve missed authentic Thai cuisine recently. It’s so hard to find a good restaurant outside of Asia that brings the same complex flavours and spice to their food. We haven’t had the pleasure of working with many Thai restaurants on our trip so far, so when we got the invite to Thai Bloom in Portland we were so excited for a great evening. It didn’t disappoint!

Our first taste of breweries in the north west and what a great way to start! They have a fantastic philosophy at Culmination Brewing, to build around the idea that sustainable manufacturing and building practices can and will lead to superior products and customer satisfaction. Great beer, with good food and the community can be brought together in one concept, under one roof.

Our next spot on our west coast journey was Portland, home to the Timbers and the Trail Blazers. We travelled down from Olympia on the Amtrak, which we would highly recommend. If you book in advance it can be as cheap as the Greyhound bus, but with a bar, large seats and wifi – it’s a much better option. Portland is a quirky place with lots to see, so we thought we would put together some famous spots where you can take that insta worthy pic.

Seattle has some amazing restaurants. The food scene is really taking off with cuisines from all over the world. We decided to showcase a couple of restaurants that we really enjoyed, not just for the food, but for the commitment and passion behind the scenes.

Our journey down the west coast of the United States of America has started in Seattle. What a great way to get going, with the iconic skyline and bustling downtown. It was a perfect way to start our trip. We’ve compiled a list of the must see attractions from our time in the emerald city, hope you enjoy!

Dubai is the most accessible city in the middle east! With Emirates flying to pretty much everywhere in the world, I definitely think it’s worth leaving the airport to explore. You can experience the glamorous and the traditional in the United Arab Emirates largest city. This was our second trip to Dubai and I found myself loving it even more. There is so much to do and see, and it’s crazy to see what man-made structures are being created!!

Our introduction to Canadian restaurants, and what a great way to start. Fable Kitchen has a great story, from a TV cooking show to fruition on the streets of Vancouver. While competing on season 2 of ‘Top Chef Canada’, Trevor Bird came up with the name for the team’s farm to table restaurant concept: FABLE. The vision was born and Trevor found the perfect location that shared his vision of an open kitchen, where he and his team could interact with guests, while showcasing their talents.

I’ve been living in Barcelona for 3 years now, and I’d like to think that I’ve done a fair amount of exploring. I’ve done various walking tours, entered in the more important architectural buildings and museums, and of course been in my share of tapas bars. However, I had never explored this beautiful city by bike.
So when the opportunity presented itself, I just had to try it out! Beautiful Views + Sunny Day + Some Exercise = sounds like a good combination to me!

The old city center of Cartagena is full of nice spots where to relax, have a tasty Colombian coffee, enjoy some free wi-fi, cool down with a bit of AC and spend a couple of hours working on your PC. If you’re looking to find out where this hidden gems are keep reading our article…

For the past several years, we have been living in the city of Erfurt, Germany. Outside of Germany, Erfurt is relatively unknown and sure to draw many blank stares when mentioned. Erfurt is a mid-sized city and is the capital of the state of Thuringia. Erfurt was an important trading town during the Middle Ages and is filled with historical buildings and other worthwhile sights. The wonderful thing about Erfurt is that it was not as heavily bombed during the Second World War as other German cities and therefore has one of the most preserved old towns in the country. Medieval architecture and half-timbered buildings dot the city.

For most people who travel to Peru, Lima is little more than a quick stopover on the way to Machu Picchu or Cusco; a convenient place to rest their heads after a long flight, before immediately moving on to some of the country’s more well-known and – dare I say it – Instagrammable attractions.
But thanks to its exploding food scene and vibrant culture, Lima is a city on the rise and is worth at least a day to explore in its own right. In fact, Peru’s capital turned out to be one of our favourite cities in South America and is definitely somewhere we’d like to return in the future.

There’s a new trend in pop art that promotes interaction and temporary installations – that will then last forever through social media. These pop-ups are appearing allover. The main purpose? Get people to take pictures in the art and then post it to their followers.

Panama City is an interesting mix between modern and past history. Whereas the business area known as Obarrio is nothing but skyscrapers, malls and offices, the old city center, known as Casco Viejo, is full of beautiful alleys, coloured houses and buildings of a time long gone. Finding accomodation just outside the city center in…

Looking for street art was high on my list of things to do in Krakow, and I found some excellent art.
Krakow has very impressive murals, as well as some political and thought-provoking artworks on its walls.

Surry Hills was one of my favourite spots in Sydney! With quirky bars, restaurants and shops down every street, it makes for a much more fun atmosphere than the boring old CBD. There are some amazing food spots, but I thought I’d give examples of low to high budget dining with exceptional quality.

After celebrating a beautiful New Year’s Eve in Antigua and having explored the North of the country, we finally end up in the capital of Guatemala. The choice of leaving it last on our trip was due to the fact that all buses headed to El Salvador could only be taken there and hence why…

Because our time in Perth was mostly spent indoors, planning, and being lazy travelers my posts on Perth will not follow a linear path. This post I will focus on a few things we did with a few people we met and re-connected with! As depicted in my first post on Australia, Maddison is an awesome person. We didn’t do a great deal with Maddison since she works a full-time job, but we did share a few meals, most of our evenings, and she gave us excellent information on Australia. Sort of an introductory crash course.

When we’re out and about, doing our site seeing thing, we’re always on the lookout for great lunch spots. So I thought I’d share our favourite finds from major tourist spots around Sydney.

Manly was a great day out! Getting away from the busy city centre and getting back on the golden sand was what Georgi and I were craving. Manly is tourist central but there are a couple of lovely little eateries off the beaten track, where you can relax and eat some incredible food.

Sitting on an airport floor is probably as low as one can get and feel, but we’ve all been there right? I’ve missed one flight before because the ticket agent wouldn’t let me check my bag and it was too big to carryon, until now. We missed our flight to Perth because I forgot to buy our visas online. When we arrived at the airport check-in they would not let us on the flight.

Rubyos brings a touch of style to the bustling King Street strip. With its heritage charm and relaxing contemporary interior, Rubyos is the perfect place to enjoy a celebration. Australian cuisine with a “fusion” mix of international flavours – to be shared in true tapas style. We were so surprised with the standard of food that came out of the kitchen. It felt like tapas food done in a fine dine style, it was truly amazing.

Nothing says Hyderabad like the Charminar. The 400 year-old monument and mosque was built when Hyderabad was founded, and is still the symbol of the city today. And though it’s impressive at any time of day, we decided to try and avoid the crowds and the summer heat by going at 7:00 AM in the morning.

David and Janet run this family owned business, that has won major awards in USA, UK and Europe for its array of beers. From start to finish the hospitality and service on show was text book. We were looked after so well, I’d love to have a team like that if I was running a restaurant/bar in the future. We started off with a tasting paddle of beers, which were fantastic!

Every year we look forward to our free night certificate we receive from Marriott for being Chase Marriott Visa cardholders. We receive ours towards the end of January or beginning of February. We usually take the opportunity to use it in the next large city, Leipzig. Using it here is enjoyable for us, because we take a weekend to relax and truly use the amenities of the hotel. Leipzig is a city of around half a million. It’s a nice size city to walk around, see the sites, go to good restaurants and bars, see a Redbull Leipzig Bundesliga soccer game, or attend a conference.

The Ternary, Novotel’s beautiful concept restaurant, is a must try for any Sydney foodie, or anyone in general. Situated in the heart of Darling Harbour, and in walking distance of some of Sydney’s best attractions, The Ternary is perfect for any occasion.

Verona is a dream come true. One of the most romantic cities we’ve ever been in, you can really feel the passion of the people.
We highly recommend Maria Pia Tours for this vibrant city. We took two tours with her and it was incredible. She is so knowledgeable and entertaining. A lovely Italian sprite. Our first tour was the story of Romeo and Juliet (or Giulietta if you will). We stopped by their houses, the place where they supposedly met, stood on Juliet’s balcony, regaled in the dreams of the most romantic story ever heard, and even got to drop a love lock off at Juliet’s house.

In celebration of the Deep Ellum Wine Walk this evening, it’s time to share my love of this event. I’m always looking for local Dallas happenings, so I was excited to find out about a Deep Ellum one seeing as that’s about five minutes from my house. That it involves drinking wine is even better!

We took a trip south from Cairns, stopping in Mission Beach for a week, then moving down to Townsville. We really enjoyed this dry, hot part of Tropical North Queensland, there was quite a bit to do. We thought we’d jot a little list down to help anyone who’s travelling that way.

Before planning our trip to Townsville we hadn’t realised the amazing array of street art we would come across. It was only on our first day, whilst walking around, we spotted numerous pieces of fantastic art. All the destinations listed below are pretty central to Townsville, meaning you can walk around and tick them off pretty easily. It does get seriously hot, so make sure you take a pit stop at Townsville Brewery and sample the local beer before finishing the street art tour.

Last month I spent a week in Cape Town and it just re-confirmed that this is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been to. With Table Mountain hugging the city on one side and the Atlantic on the other, it’s never short of a beautiful view. Then between that is a city full of life, culture, history and delicious food. There’s so much to do in Cape Town (and if the weather is good) I’d find it hard to ever get tired of being there.

We seemed to plan our trip to Cairns perfectly, the weather was glorious and the whole town was alive due to the Commonwealth games being in town. We ate some fantastic food, drank some good beer and chilled out in this wonderful part of Tropical North Queensland. I’ve put together some ideas to help with cost free activities in Cairns, enjoy.

The necropolis of the Qutb Shahi kings—also called the Qutb Shahi tombs—is over 400 years old, and still shows you something new with every visit.
The Qutb Shahi tombs near Golconda Fort are one of the most popular tourist spots in Hyderabad, and most Hyderabadis have visited them at least once. But learn a little about the four centuries of history that surround them, and you’ll see them in a different light.

Hyderabad may be known for its meat-centric cuisine, but it’s got plenty of places for vegetarians too. If you’re a vegetarian with carnivorous friends or family, though, eating out can be a problem. So here are four more restaurants that serve unexpectedly great vegetarian and non-vegetarian food in equal measure.

My only “real” knowledge of Portland, Oregon before this trip was the tv series Portlandia, which seems not too far off in retrospect. This trip was mainly for my travel buddy Jenna, who’s birthday was the following Wednesday. Her Oregon wishlist included lots of nature highlights, so that would be our main goal the first day.

Having grown up around Dallas, I’ve done almost all of the “touristy” things when I was little, but now that I’m older I want to make sure I fully experience the city I call home. The main goal of the day was to be at the Reunion Tower (the “big ball”) around sunset.

I found myself instantly loving Rwanda’s capital city of Kigali. Driving from the airport I saw a very pretty and clean city. Kigali is home to over 740,000 Rwandans and is surrounded by green hills. When we were there we were told that Kigali is one of cleanest and safest cities in Africa; I certainly always felt safe and comfortable.

Nice craft beer, a great view, and surprisingly good vegetarian food make Olive Bistro in Hyderabad’s Jubilee Hills a great place to eat, drink and make merry.

We had the pleasure of visiting Western Australia for 10 days and quickly realized that 10 days is not nearly enough time. Our time was spent between Perth and the surrounding areas as well as Margaret River. We loved visiting the city of Perth and also all the wonderful places to visit around Perth. Since we had such a limited time, we made sure to make every day count, and man, were we busy! Here are a few places we visited during our stay.

After visiting Somoto and its marvellous canyon, the next step on our schedule is to spend a couple of days in Esteli before leaving again for Matagalpa & Jinotega. At a first glimpse, the small town of Esteli is a very laid-back town that can be easily visited in less than a day. From the…

Welcome to León, one of the most important & well-known cities of Nicaragua! On top of being a hub for colonial architectural, it’s also surrounded by volcanoes and national parks ready to be explored! The chicken bus from Matagalpa leave us at the northern bus terminal which luckily enough is just a couple of blocks…

From South Africa we got to Medan, Sumatra (an island in Indonesia) by way of Bali for one night. I will include our night in Bali when in the Bali section of our trip. Since Medan is one of the largest cities in Indonesia I expected it to be built up slightly at least with easy access to locations, minimal to some public transportation, and you know, side walks.

We recently spent a few days in Perth and quickly realized that a few days are not enough. Our experience left us eager to return for a longer time! Perth is the capital of Western Australia and is in fact the most isolated “big” city in the world. Perth is situated along the beautiful Swan River and is also close to some beautiful coastlines and beaches. One of the highlights for us was exploring the surrounding areas of Perth.

If you are travelling to Kuala Lumpur on a tight budget, never underestimate a street food market. Around 6pm every night, the street of Jalan Alor comes alive, teeming with vendors selling an array of delicious street food, from local Malaysian to Indian and Chinese influences. I was sceptical at first as I am fussy with hygeine but I had some of my best meals here and would recommend to everyone. Plus you get those authentic, home-made flavours without paying a hefty food bill at the end.

Hanoi is not for the faint-hearted. Just navigating your way through the scooter-filled streets is an adventure in itself. But for all the chaos, noise and humidity, Hanoi has a magnetic pull and is one of those cities that stays with you, long after you’ve left its bustling streets behind.

As you probably know by now, I’m all into local events and new experiences! What you may not know was that I was a Girl Scout for years when I was a kid! I had such a great time with friends, learning new things, attuning to the outdoors. So when I found out a local Dallas restaurant was doing a Girl Scout cookie and beer pairing, I figured why not!

Singapore remains one of the key transport hubs in Asia and many travelers pass through each year on their way to their final destinations. Many elect to break up their long trips by spending a few days in the city-state and that is exactly what we did on our way to Western Australia. Over the years, Singapore has slowly been shedding its reputation as a somewhat sterile and boring place and attracting more and more tourists with its ever-growing list of attractions. Being a foodie paradise definitely helps as well!

When you say “we’re off to Singapore” everyone’s reply is the same “oh it’s expensive there”…. hmm only if you make it expensive. We did 2 nights in Singapore for as cheap as we have been doing the rest of south east Asia.
We stayed in Little India, which is an hour walk or a 15min Uber ride away from Marina Bay Sands hotel. The food here was incredible and at very reasonable prices!

What an extraordinary place! The rich drive around in their Ferraris and Lambos, the streets are immaculately clean and the skyline is just incredible. But all of this doesn’t mean it has to be an expensive trip!
We stayed at TripsInn Hostel above the Prince of Wales in Little India. It cost £8pp per night, a little more than the hostels we’re used to but this is Singapore. You can find the hostel link HERE. The hostel ticked all the boxes with WiFi, air con and more importantly 10% off the beers downstairs in the pub, we’d definitely recommend it.
There are so many activities that are FREE in Singapore. Check out our video HERE for an insight into our time in Singapore.

If you’re a vegetarian in Hyderabad and running out of places to eat, these six restaurants serve excellent vegetarian food, despite being better known for their non-veg.
We’ve all been there. A group of family or friends wants to go out to eat, but can’t decide on where to go. Why? Because the restaurants being discussed either serve great vegetarian or great non-vegetarian, but not both. Rejoice, because here are six restaurants in Hyderabad that—despite being better known for their meat and seafood dishes—serve excellent vegetarian food, too.

This morning we leave Guatemala (the city and the country) to start our first day in El Salvador. Unknowingly, the day before we guessed that the buses at the Terminal in G. City would simply follow the main highway to reach the border and therefore we kind of planned an itinerary thinking Ahuachapan as our…

We often use Bangkok as a base when we travel in Southeast Asia and recently found ourselves in the city again on our trip to Western Australia. As usual, we stayed in the excellent Marriott Sukhumvit in the Thonglor neighborhood. Bangkok is a massive sprawling metropolis and getting around can be a challenge. The BTS Skytrain and the river boats are always a nice way to beat the traffic. We had a limited time and of course wanted to devote most of our time to eating but we did manage to squeeze in a few attractions using public transportation.

Well, when we heard that Kuala Lumpur had some unbelievable street food, combined with some crazy spectacles (the Petronas Twin Towers), we couldn’t wait to arrive. We were only doing a short 2 day trip before flying to Kota Kinabalu so we booked a cheap hostel without really looking where it was. Miraculously when we arrived at Dengba Hostel, we noticed it was on Jalan Alor … the heart of street food in KL! This was going to be an epic 48 hours for our tastebuds.

Thonglor is well known for its restaurants and bars, which is why it’s our go-to area to wander around at night. The neighborhood is a trendy spot for locals and expats and is not overrun with tourists. A huge highlight of this area, as well, is that it’s right outside our door at the Marriott Hotel. The main street in this area is Soi 55 off of Sukhumvit. On both sides of the street you are greeted by different eateries and fashionable bars. One down side is that year after year we seem to fall in love with great spots, but sadly return to see that they have closed. Even though turnover is high, you truly can never go wrong when picking a place.

We spent the next few days exploring Cape Town on our own with no set agenda. We relaxed a bit, had a few pints at a local bar in Hout Bay and watched some rugby. One of our days we drove around the city to see all the buildings and try and find places off the beaten path. I had heard about an area called Bo Kaap. Most noteworthy, It is the oldest residential area in Cape Town. Bo Kaap used to be known as the Malay Quarter. It was a former township, and an where many Muslims were forced to live during Apartheid. Now, tourists visit for a bit of history and for bright, colorful pictures of the picturesque houses and cobblestone streets.

We were very pleasantly surprised by Medellin. Despite its dark history with Pablo Escobar, the city and its people have prospered greatly in the past 15 years. They’d also like to move on from the past and not have people reminding them of the scar Pablo left on the city. So moving on from that,…

On the way to Milan we were on a train, a plane, and a bus all before 9am. But that has its advantages because we got an extra full day without having to travel. We were able to check in the Ibis Centro early and hit the ground running.
We went straight to the Duomo square where we had lunch and a glass of wine. The food was good, but it was pricey due to the location. But the view was great. The Duomo is located in the heart of Milan next to all the high fashion shopping. Lindsay had a blast window shopping and looking at all the clothes! We also got swindled by some fellas from Kenya, but we got nice bracelets out of it. Haha.

We had about fourteen hours left in Los Angeles and we were ready to make the most of it. We left the Airbnb early and with our backpacks strapped on, we embarked on our touristy finale. First stop: the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame.

We arrived in Rotterdam just in time for dinner. A short walk from Hotel Rotterdam was a modern area full of restaurants and shops. We had the plan to eat at FG Restaurant which is the 5th best in Netherlands, but they were full so we walked to the end of the building and found Opporto. Amazing seafood!

The city of bikes is an understatement. We’ve never seen so many in one space. Be careful when crossing the street, they may not stop. Be careful riding a bike, watch out for cars, especially when in a small side street. The cars may hit you with their mirror – thankfully Lindsay wasn’t knocked off her bike or injured. We found that Green Budget Bikes was the least expensive, only €9 for 24 hours. They have a few locations in central Amsterdam, so it’s really convenient. It truly is the only way to get around.

We only had time for one stop in Belgium and most would think Brussels would top that list, but we heard so many good things about Antwerp and wanted to check that out instead. We were not disappointed. It’s called Antwerpen in Belgium so we made the joke we were Antwerpin’ the whole time we were there.

Last month I booked a spontaneous one night trip to Milan. I was really excited as I have never been to Italy before and have always wanted to. We flew with Ryan air on Saturday mid-morning. The flight was just over 2 hours. Once we had arrived I assumed we would take a taxi straight to the hotel, until I realised it would cost €150! We went to the transport counter at the airport and found out we could take a bus to the city centre for €5 each. What a bargain considering it was a 50 minute bus journey.

London is like the NYC of Europe. A city that never sleeps and there’s more to do than our mere day and a half allotted for. We always take to the streets and do as much walking around the city as possible.

We decided to take a short detour to Cardiff for a bucket list item. We found out the Wales rugby team was playing the New Zealand All Blacks! When we were in New Zealand a couple years ago, it wasn’t rugby season so we weren’t able to catch a match, unfortunately. So we jumped on the chance to see the famous Haka!

After our disappointment of Hoi An Old Town being under water post typhoon, we were extremely glad to see Hoi An back to its bustling self when we arrived on 26th November.

Go back in time to Hyderabad’s glorious past with a visit to the Paigah Tomb complex, the last resting place of five generations of the foremost noble family of Hyderabad.
Most residents of Hyderabad haven’t even heard of the Paigah Tombs, let alone seen them, tucked away as they are in the by-lanes of Santoshnagar in the Old City. But they’re still some of the most stunning remnants of the city’s past that you can find. Visit these small but beautiful tombs, and you’re transported back to a time to when Hyderabad was the center of a powerful kingdom that held its own against the British Empire.

From the 8th floor of our hotel room, we noticed a market going on down the block. We immediately got ready to head out for the evening and made our way to Buchanan Street – a place filled with shops, lights, restaurants, nightlife, and this amazing Christmas market. We wandered around admiring all the booths, drooling over the food, and listening to several street performers. One such duo of singers captured our attention with their medley of Chainsmokers songs. We listened to these guys for at least 30 minutes, dancing and singing along. Splendid – only wish we caught their names.

After fleeing the typhoon and flying north to Ha Noi, seeing that it was dry was the biggest relief in the world.
We stayed with our amazing friends Steve and Tamara who teach in the city. They put up with us for 10 days and we had such a crazy time. It was so nice to have some home comforts such as a sofa to chill on, a washing machine to use and most importantly some familiar faces to explore the city with. They showed us some fantastic restaurants, the food scene in Hanoi is up there with the best! They do western food extremely well (especially breakfast) and cater for veggie/vegan needs really well.

Well our time in Vietnam has been hindered by the weather. I know they always say to not depend on the weather but we really didn’t think we would get hit with the extremes that we have been so far. As you know we haven’t posted a blog or video for a while and we apologise, but due to a certain typhoon we have been all over the place and had to change a lot of our original plans.

Iceland is like something out of a dream. You have to see it for yourself, but we will try our best to describe it and give you some tips along the way. Also, the language is difficult if you aren’t familiar, so please forgive if something is spelled wrong.

Our arrival in to Cape Town was dramatic due to the wind and rain, but we made it there late in the evening. Our gracious host welcomed us in to his home and showed us to our room upstairs. Maarten’s home was spacious and handsomely decorated with items he’s collected around South Africa. We were all tired, so we headed to bed after spending a few minutes chatting and getting to know one another.

I can see why so many Americans head to South Beach Miami for their holidays. It’s one of the coolest places I’ve ever been and I can’t find anything I don’t like about it. Art Deco buildings, Cuban vibes, shopping, food, giant cocktails and a beautiful beach.
I’ve been to South Beach Miami twice and both trips ended up being very different.

Earlier this year, I ticked a massive wish off my travel bucket-list and took my very first step into the exotic lands of Asia – or more specifically, I took my first step on to the chaotic motorbike-filled streets of Ho Chi Minh City (and nearly got run over in the process).

We arrived in Valparaiso after a very uncomfortable and exhausting overnight bus trip from Pucon. Our weary eyes struggled to take in the sights out the taxi windows, but we already had a sense for how unique this city would be. When the taxi screeched to a stop at our hostel, the crooked smirk of…

After an 11 hour flight, we were very excited to touch down in South Africa. We took an Uber to our accommodation which was located near the Victoria and Alfred waterfront. We stayed in an air bnb which had floor to ceiling windows over looking the harbour. There was also 24 hour sercurity at the accommodation which was a great comfort. As it was about 10pm when we arrived we decided to have an early night ready for our adventures over the next 10 days.

Today we planned on visiting the Apartheid Museum. Johan woke us up for breakfast at 6:30 am. Neither of us wanted to get out of bed after being awake for so long the day before. During dinner, the night before, we decided we would visit the Apartheid Museum, and see what else we had time to do in the afternoon.

When you think of honeymoon destinations, it’s probably fair to say that Chicago doesn’t immediately spring to mind… especially in November.
But 2 years ago, that’s exactly where me and my hubby were headed for 2 days to kick off our honeymoon celebrations, before moving on to a far more predictable destination for sun-seeking newlyweds… Hawaii.

New York is one of the most famous cities in the world, some say the ‘capital of the world’ and it’s so obvious why! It’s unlike any other city, there are so many different cultures represented, all mixed together to create a city full of life, colour, opportunity & excitement. No matter where you’re from in the world, I believe you’d find your place in NYC.

Surprising is the word that comes to mind when thinking about my trip to Istanbul. I was looking forward to seeing the only transcontinental city in the world, and I expected to have a great cultural experience. What I didn’t expect was the perfect balance of ancient history, diverse culture, and contemporary life. And I have to say that the nightlife scene was the most surprising.

I normally don’t get scared of thunderstorms but today’s was an exception. The lightning struck our neighborhood and it was so close to my window that it scared the s**t out of me and my dog. A little later, when it finally stopped raining, my peripheral vision caught this unusual color out my window while working on my laptop. I got up, opened the blinds and saw this magnificent red-colored skies. I just had to take pics and record a video! I realise now that if I hadn’t paused from work, I wouldn’t have seen this rare display of beauty. I’m so glad i followed my instinct to check out the window.

Welcome to Ayutthaya, a fantastic small village 56 miles north of Bangkok, surrounded by water with loads of sites to see. If you’re travelling in by train from Bangkok like we did (15TBH per person), the easiest way to cross the water is by the river ferry for 5TBH per person .. seriously cheap! But watch you don’t fall in the water with your backpack on (watch the video blog to see what I mean).

After working in restaurants, bars and clubs all my life I’m always fascinated in the nightlife in other cultures and cities. After recovering from a lack of sleep and one to many in-flight curries, we chilled on our first night, resting up for a night on the town the next day.

Today was the end of Buddhist lent, this meant that even Khaosan Road was quiet! No alcohol is being served until midnight so we decided to take our adventures further into Bangkok and be proper tourists for the day.
We had planned to visit the Grand Palace, but due to the country being in a state of mourning for the late King, only Thai nationals could enter the Palace grounds. Apparently this is the case until 31st October as many posters around the city will tell you.

As we had changed our plans and were arriving in New York a few days later than we had originally planned, we had completely forgotten to book our transfer. After asking around at the airport the best option seemed to be the NYC Airporter bus. I must say it wasn’t the nicest or comfiest bus I have been on but it did the job for about $18 per person each way. However, it only had 3 drop off points which meant that we had to walk about 5 streets to our hotel. Next time I would definitely look in to an airport shuttle that drops you off directly at the hotel as lugging a 20kg case through Times Square is not ideal.

Visiting Rome is like an adventure into the past, with its ancient history and haunting ruins. I visited Rome during a three-country trip to Europe with a friend, and this was our first stop. There’s plenty to do in and around Rome, but the two main sights everyone should see at least once are ancient Rome and Vatican City.

I cannot believe I’m in Egypt!
Our day started out with us waking up at 6:15 am to join the rat race of traffic headed to Manchester. We made it to the airport 2 hours later after a lot of traffic and some amazing scenery. I will definitely miss England, but I am excited to tell you about Egypt!

Vegas was actually a spontaneous last minute decision. We booked a flight from LA which took about 45 minutes for later that night later that night. It’s amazing landing at night because you can see the Vegas Strip all lit up, it makes such a good first impression. A taxi to the strip takes about 10 minutes and costs about $10.

A lot of tourists believe the name of the game is checking off a list of tourist attractions that you can brag about seeing when you get home. Of course, if you travel to Paris, you’d be remiss if you didn’t see the Eiffel Tower. Or if you visit London, you shouldn’t miss Big Ben….

After arriving at LAX airport we took the shuttle to Avis car hire centre where we picked up our car for the week! The process was really straight forward and our car was ready as soon as we got there which was earlier than we had booked for. Our accommodation wasn’t ready until 4pm (another air bnb) so we took a road trip to the beach. Oh and the whole other side of the road and left side driving is scarier than I thought, so I decided to be a passenger for the week 😬.

We arrived safely in Buenos Aires on Thursday. Since then, we have kept ourselves very busy exploring this massive city. We started off our stay with a $100 cab ride from the Airport, because we forgot to negotiate a price beforehand. Then we discovered our hotel reservation wasn’t valid anymore and they switched us to…

It is always strange when you are planning something for a long time and it feels like it will never actually arrive and then all of a sudden the moment is here. For what seemed like years, Ethan and I planned this trip. It existed in our minds and on our google searches. For all…

Nepal has always been a place that I’ve had a deep love for; not only for its intense natural beauty and adventurous opportunities but it’s also the Nepalese people that have always made me feel as though I have a second home in the Kathmandu Valley.

To get to Brisbane we decided to get a bus from Gold Coast which took about 1 hour 30 minutes. The bus company was called Premier Motor Service and the tickets cost 16 AUD each. Our accommodation was once again very central so we walked from the bus station to the apartment. During our stay we mainly walked and used uber if needed. We also used Uber to get to the airport at the end of our stay as there was hardly anything in the price between the fare and the price of the air rail.

Originally I didn’t think of Exmouth as being much more than a small “mining town”. Then after realising that it’s the gateway to Ningaloo reef and where you go in Australia to see Whale Sharks – I was much more intrigued – I soon discovered all it had to offer.

Once again, we stayed in an air bnb apartment. Before we arrived I contacted the host of the air bnb apartment to check what is the best way to get there. She said to get the public bus from the airport and then the tram to Cypress Avenue. To me, this sounded complicated mainly because I am a public transport phobic… but it was so straight forward. On the way we passed through Mermaid Beach and Broadway beach. The beach just goes on for miles, I have never seen anything like it. Whilst in Surfer’s paradise everything we needed was in walking distance.

When planning our trip to Sydney, we decided to use air bnb for a variety of reasons. Firstly we wanted to experience the Australian lifestyle and what better way than living in a locals home in the centre of it all. Secondly, we wanted to have an apartment with cooking facilities and finally air bnb offers quality accommodation at affordable prices. Our studio apartment was located in Potts Point, east of the central business district. We met the host to check in and she provided us with a guidebook to the flat and local amenities. She also allowed us to check in early which was much appreciated after a 9 hour flight. The flat was a renovated studio in a an old building. It was beautifuly decorated with a quirky edge. The street it was located on was really quite peculiar, if we took a left out of the building there was fine dining restaurants with a chilled atmosphere, and if we took a right… it felt like you had stepped on to the strip in Magaluf full of backpackers.

The taxi system at the airport is one of the best I have seen. They separate you in to three cues depending on the size of the taxi needed, you then print a ticket which indicates which lane your taxi is at.

Pretty excited about this one because it’s our first ever Airbnb transaction. Three reasons why we booked this place: it’s near Universal Studios (just two stations away), comes with a pocket wifi, and most importantly, will fit 8 people – all at a reasonable price. It’s also worth mentioning that Junko, our host, was very prompt in replying to all our queries.

Traveling to Tokyo is expensive. NOT. Well, kinda. But, there are ways to cut costs and one of them is to find cheap alternatives to hotels and such. I can’t stress enough how staying at hotels can blow up your expenses to the roof.

Time to leave Osaka, but with 2 sick people in tow and 8 pairs of sore legs, we could no longer pull our muscles to get to the subway, which is a 100m away from our Airbnb accommodation.
So, we decided to take 2 cabs, and here’s what we learned: