Easter in New York City | Top 10 Tips by Stephanie Fox

March 16, 2017April 9, 2024 - Amy 1 Comment

It’s been a few years since I enjoyed Easter in New York, but I loved the long weekend in the Big Apple. I’d previously only visited NYC in winter. However, the month of April transformed the city into a bright airy place full of colour – and chocolate!

It’s hard to imagine, with all that concrete everywhere, but in America and especially NYC they manage to be so flamboyant and colourful that the infectious Spring vibe filters along the streets.

Stephanie Fox blogs about Newcastle and Travel at her blog www.stephaniefox.co.uk. She’s kindly contributed this Easter-themed guest post to help me with my #40days40blogs Lent challenge! Here are her top 10 things to do for Easter in New York City: Read more

The Best Free Museums in London

March 15, 2017July 5, 2020 - Amy Leave a comment

London has a reputation for being expensive and often with good reason. A standard cup of coffee will cost you a cheeky £3-4, one stop on the tube can go for as much as a fiver and a trip to St. Paul’s Cathedral will set you back eighteen of your English pounds! However, one redeeming factor is that there are hundreds of free museums in London.

Here are just a few of the free museums in London and why you should visit them:

The British Museum

The iconic British Museum is instantly recognisable for the Great Court (pictured above), Read more

How Many Countries Are There? & Other Reasons Why I’m Not Counting

March 14, 2017July 5, 2020 - Amy 3 Comments

My passport expires in 2020, but it’s almost certainly going to be filled by then. I’ve even stuck post-it notes onto the few empty pages left to save them from an Immigration officer’s careless stamp. But no matter how much I love flicking through the pages and admiring the ink, I don’t ask how many countries are there?

I don’t count countries.

I see a lot of travel bloggers, travel Instagrammers and travel enthusiasts with a running total on their websites or profiles, ’27 countries and counting!’ And I think it’s great if you want to do that. It’s a great way to quantify the places you’ve travelled to, it’s satisfying to hit the big landmark numbers and it’s good motivation if you want to see ‘all the countries in the world’.

I just don’t think it’s the only way to measure travel (if it can be measured at all). And it’s certainly not for me. You’ll never see a running total on here or on any social media page I’m on and here’s why: Read more

Cambodia Travel Advice: Backpacker’s Budget & Travel Tips

March 13, 2017April 9, 2024 - Amy 2 Comments

So, I had started my Southeast Asia trip in Myanmar followed by Laos. Now, I was ready for the next leg of the adventure, Cambodia. This is the ‘big one’ for many backpackers, myself included. Here is how I planned my trip and all my Cambodia travel advice:

My Itinerary: I spent just under two weeks in Cambodia, including travel days. I flew into Phnom Penh and left the same city by bus for Vietnam. I zig-zagged around from Phnom Penh, visiting Siem Reap, Kampot and Sihanoukville. However, if you have more time, then there is definitely plenty to see and do. (See ‘Things I May Have Missed’)

Disclaimers: I have quoted prices in US dollars because locals use this currency more commonly than Cambodian riel. When I visited in November 2016, the exchange rate was 4,000r to US$1 and prices can often be bartered and haggled.

Cambodia Travel Advice: Before you go

Cambodia Travel Advice - Phnom Penh — National Museum, Phnom Penh

A Cinque Terre Guide to Italy’s Famous Five

March 9, 2017July 5, 2020 - Amy Leave a comment

Candy-coloured houses set precariously atop the rough, jagged coastline of the Italian Riviera and a Mediterranean backdrop of lapping turquoise. *Sigh*. I can now confirm from personal experience that the Cinque Terre, or ‘five lands’, are literally postcard picture perfect. So, here’s a little Cinque Terre guide (in fives, naturally) on what to look out for in Italy’s picturesque cluster of seaside towns:

(disclaimer: apologies for looking so grumpy in these pictures)

5 things to see in Monterosso

First on my list was Monterosso, the furthest west of the Cinque Terre. Most visitors either start or finish here, but I would thoroughly recommend finishing in Riomaggiore because the sunset is so fantastic. (Scroll down to see what I mean). Read more

One Week in Laos | Travel Diary

March 8, 2017July 5, 2020 - Amy 1 Comment

From Yangon, Myanmar, I flew into Luang Prabang via Bangkok for one week in Laos. Laos was the second country I visited on my solo Southeast Asian backpacking trip and one I was really looking forward to.

Laos is somewhere that many people visit for the sake of it because it’s conveniently connected to Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

However, many people fall in love with Laos when they arrive and find it difficult to leave. I am definitely one of these people. Here is my travel diary from my one week in Laos, which – as emphasised in my previous posts on Laos – was not nearly enough time. Read more

Things to Do in Laos: Backpacking Guide, Budget and Itinerary

March 7, 2017April 9, 2024 - Amy 15 Comments

Backpacking Laos was easily one of the highlights of my whole Southeast Asia trip. I had a one week itinerary for Laos, which traversed from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng, then Van Vieng to Vientiane. There are loads of things to do in Laos, so I’ve put together a budget travel guide for a Laos backpacking route that showcases the best places to visit in Laos.

Laos Backpacking Route and Itineraries

One Week Itinerary

I had a one week itinerary for Laos, including travel days. I flew into Luang Prabang, spending two nights in the city, then I travelled by bus from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng, spending three days there, I took another bus from Vang Vieng to Vientiane and had two days in the capital. Read more

Backpacker Bingo: The Ultimate Travelling Drinking Game

March 6, 2017July 5, 2020 - Amy Leave a comment

We all know the backpacker stereotype. Dreads, bracelets, hippy clothes, baggy pants and a backpack the size of a house. As much as I tried desperately to rebel against the backpacker stereotype during my trip, I still somehow managed to slip into it every now and again; it was inevitable. And so, I invented Backpacker Bingo.

Backpacker Bingo Rules

Backpacker Bingo, a fun-filled game to enjoy with new hostel friends, travel buddies, or by yourself in your head! It’s a way to tick off (or drink to) all the typical backpacker things that you said you’d never do, but somehow find yourself doing anyway…

One point (or drink) every time you see, do or meet one of the following. Even better, make up a bingo card with 20 of these (or your own ideas) on it. Then tick them off as you go along with prizes at the end. Don’t forget your dobber. Read more

Why Moving Back to the UK is Harder Than Moving Away

March 4, 2017April 9, 2024 - Amy 9 Comments

Yep, I’ve turned into that girl who starts all her sentences with, ‘When I lived in Hong Kong…’ My room is filled with knick-knacks from places I can’t pronounce. I can give advice on jet lag, travelling with only a carry-on and finding cheap flights online. I can speak in different tongues. If you know me, you’re probably bored of my travel anecdotes.

If you don’t know me, I should prefix this post by stating that, up until three months ago, I lived overseas. I spent five years in Hong Kong, with a few intervals in Italy (because I like to be complicated like that). I never planned to leave the UK or live in other countries, especially for so long, but it just kind of happened. Read more

How to Survive Long-Haul Bus Journeys in Southeast Asia

March 3, 2017July 5, 2020 - Amy 2 Comments

It’s a rite of passage for all backpackers country-hopping around the continent. Despite your best efforts, you will definitely have to take a few long bus journeys in Southeast Asia. Whether it’s from city to city or country to country, the prices are so much cheaper than flying (and arguably safer than the trains).

Of course, you won’t be travelling in luxury. The roads will not be safe. The driver will be grumpy, drunk or short-sighted. No one will speak English, including staff and your fellow passengers. But it’s all part of the experience, right? It’s character building!

What you need is a survival kit. Here are a few things I learnt from taking 10 long-haul bus journeys in Southeast Asia: Read more