London Calling

To get myself amped, London Calling by The Clash was playing on my iPod as my plane descended into Gatwick airport. I arrived and immediately got sick, leaving me bed ridden in my hostel with my only company being the two Brazilian guys in my hostel room. Despite this I managed to do a bit of solo adventuring before my friend arrived shortly to meet me. We spent a several days in central London at both the beginning and end of our European adventure, and found a few favourites along the way.

Food

For a quick and easy meal I found two favourite chain eateries, Pret and EAT. Both had a great selection of sandwiches, soups and snacks at quite reasonable prices, which is always great for budget travel. As a bit of an upper class option we chose to treat ourselves to the English founded chain Wagamama, opting for their delicious udon soup to warm us up on a cold winters day. The best cheap eats would have to be at the markets, with some great options found at the two I visited, Portobello and Camden. Rolls filled with pork from a spit were a standout at Portobello, with my Camden pick being a tasty noodle dish and fresh donuts - nice and hot!

Shopping

Shopping in Europe gave us access to an abundance of stores that aren't available to those of us in Australia. The list of these is extensive, but those that made the top of the list for me were Topshop, Primark and River Island. River Island for gorgeous handbags, Primark for bagging a bargain, and Topshop for just about every fashion need under the sun. The Oxford street Topshop is almost like stepping into heaven for a confessed shopaholic like myself, with three levels of shopping, one for accessories and any sweet cravings, another for general clothing, jeans, hair styling and a nail salon, and last but not least the bottom floor for shoes, vintage, designer pieces and an EAT store to grab a bite and people watch. As for markets, Camden would have to top the list. It's so easy to get lost in, and we spent hours trawling through stores of vintage clothing, jewellery, food and just about anything under the sun you could imagine. Portobello had also been high on my list of must-see's before arriving in London, however I was somewhat disappointed after visiting it. There was quite the range, however only a small section of stores that interested me, most of which were quite expensive, but if you have some free time it's a lovely walk through the street.

In front of the London Eye

Gari & I at the Tower Bridge

Sights

First time in London it was inevitable that the big name sights that the city is known for were to be seen. The first exploration of the city was spent doing a whole lot of walking, starting around the vicinity of Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye, then taking a walk along the Thames River. The river led to the somewhat disappointing London Bridge, the Tower of London, the much more impressive Tower Bridge and Shakespeare's Globe. Another picturesque London experience was visiting Trafalgar Square, and also seeing the park that inspired the Sydney version of Hyde Park. 

Getting snap happy in front of the Tower Bridge

Accommodation

Before my friend arrived I stayed at Picadilly Backpackers, which was a great hostel for socialising, which makes it unfortunate that their website says they are closing down. When I was joined by my friend however we did move to a more budget location in Pimlico called Surprise Backpackers, which was extremely affordable with a pretty convenient location. It was quite small, and the stacked bunk beds made the rooms quite cramped but it was definitely worth the savings, and the conveniently located pub downstairs. 

Nightlife

We didn't spend a lot of time in London, and the convenience of having a pub below our hostel made us quite frequent visitors - not to mention the extremely low prices, what more could a backpacker ask for? Our one 'big night out' involved us heading to a club in the O2, which involved some classic 90s tunes and ending the night with some greasy food to soak up the alcohol.

Fast becoming one of my favourite cities, I look forward to discovering more hidden gems on future visits.

-Melissa 

Viva Italia

Leaning tower of Pisa

Pisa
Pisa was my first stop after Rome, and unfortunately my cousin studying there was still in Sicily for the holidays, so I found myself alone in a pretty average hostel. I only spent one night in the city, with the sole purpose being to view the infamous leaning tower, so I headed straight over there in time to get in on one of the last entry slots of the day. A slippery walk up the tower, and several obligatory tourist photos later, I bought myself yet another (totally necessary) gelato before having a whole pizza to myself for dinner. I can't say Pisa was a favourite, but I managed to fit in eating and ticking off a bucket list item, so it was ultimately worth the train ride up.

Verona

Verona, city of love! I may be somewhat biased in my dislike of Verona, first and foremost because of my hugely cynical nature regarding all things love, but also because of the time of year that I found myself there. The hostel I was staying at was run by nuns, and was closed for the most part of daylight hours, leaving me to find entertainment out in the dreadful cold approximately 8 hours of the day. I was also one of two people staying at the hostel, with the other girl leaving the morning after I arrived, leaving me feeling a bit alone (an unfortunate side effect of travelling to smaller cities in the middle of winter). The highlight was again an act of an obnoxious tourist - copping a feel of Juliet's breast (for good luck of course haha).

Statue of Juliet

Venice

Venice was an amazing experience, although I think I would have enjoyed it even more had I been there in the warmer months. The unique experience of this city on water was quite surreal, and the views were quite beautiful. One of the first places I visited was la Piazza San Marco, and it was definitely a standout of the many gorgeous places of worship to be found throughout Venice. One of my favourite experiences in the Venetian city, as with many places I've visited, was the art of getting lost in the city. The beauty of this is extremely prevalent within the canal ridden nooks of Venice, and I proved to get a bit snap-happy due to all of the beautiful scenery. This was particularly prevalent in my favourite Venetian island, Burano, with the canals being lined with brightly coloured buildings, striking murals and quirky shops. 

Venetian Canal 

Burano

Florence
Florence was home to what was probably my favourite Italian hostel, Archi Rossi Hostel. Not only was it right next to the main train station and nearby the infamous Duomo, they offered free breakfast, dinner and a computer in each dorm room - what more could a backpacker want! The hostel was quite social, and the muraled walls of the hallways gave it a personal touch and a great vibe. The only downside was the single toilet/shower combination on each floor, as frequent backpackers will know that their peers are not always as clean as they are friendly. The art culture of Florence drew me in, along with the scenic views from Piazzale Michelangelo and the beautiful nearby city of Siena. Had I not been particularly stringent with my money at this point I probably would have gone crazy with shopping for the gorgeous leather goods Florence is famous for!

View from Piazzale Michaelangelo

Naples

I found Naples to be one of those places that I didn't experience much in the context of cultural landmarks, however it was a memorable experience none the less. I was staying at Hostel of the sun, which I couldn't recommend more highly (no surprise they've won numerous awards for excellence in their field) and the atmosphere was extremely engaging, making it easy to make fast friends. I spent my time with said people playing drinking games, bar hopping, shopping and taking walks to view the scenery over the city. Food wise (I've got my priorities straight here), my favourite place would have to be the famous pizzeria Gino Sorbillo, which was incredibly hard to find but completely worth it. My quick culture fix was a visit to Pompeii, which was quite chilling, but also a fascinating and ironically quite peaceful experience overall. That is of course if you disregard my brief encounter with a young local male who decided to expose himself to me asking 'ti piace', causing a quick getaway on my behalf - though I've got to claim it as a very unique story, how many can say they were flashed at Pompeii? 

More shenanigans coming soon, ciao for now!

-Melissa

When in Rome

Next stop, Rome! One of the top destinations for tourists, Rome is home to an abundance of must-see attractions, and as it was my first time in the city I was quite keen to experience them all. The beauty of the city was being able to walk around this modern area and simply turn a corner to be surprised with the beauty of a gorgeous landmark like the Colosseum. The standout attractions were the typical landmarks including the Pantheon, Italian forum, Vatican city, the catacombs and the all important Trevi fountain visit (to of course ensure my return to the Italian capital). Spending over a week only just gave me a grasp of what Rome has to offer, but I had an amazing time exploring the cultural aspects and eating all the pizza and pasta I could get my hands on. Here's a few pictures of my time in Rome, featuring my lovely North Face jacket to give me a true 'tourist in Europe' vibe.

Central Rome

Trevi fountain

Inside the Colosseum 

The Vatican

In front of the Colosseum

Till we meet again Rome!

-Melissa

The tale of La Befana

With my mother growing up in an Italian household, and myself having a close relationship with my nonna in my younger years, I was always told stories of La Befana who would bring sweets to the good children and coal to the naughty ones at christmas time. This nostalgic childhood memory made me increasingly excited for an Italian christmas, especially upon arriving in Sicily and getting a taste of the culture (and importantly the food, oh the food). 

Sicilian weather is quite mild at this time of year, especially in comparison to the subzero temperatures I'd encountered just days prior in Spain. In search of the feeling of a 'white christmas', we took a day trip part way up Mount Etna where I was able to see the snow, and we saw some absolutely gorgeous Saint Bernard puppies! My first authentic Italian christmas was nothing short of delicious, and the celebration steadily continued well into the new year. 

We celebrated the coming of the new year in true European style, having a family celebration that lasted into the early hours before finally heading out to party once the new year was already upon us. We were simultaneously celebrating the 91st birthday of my mothers aunt, who comically received an oversized mobile phone as a birthday present, and when her son called the phone to test it she insisted he shut up so she would be able to hear the person on the other end of the phone (she was completely oblivious to the root of our laughter!) At around 2 or 3am on the morning of the 1st of January we made our way to the real new years party, which was scenically set beside La Isola Bella. Dancing, drinks and good times ensued, and we later found ourselves by the beach watching the sun rise, which was a beautiful way to bring in the new year. My remaining few days in Sicily were filled with food and family, and without a doubt that christmas and new years was one of the most memorable to date. 

The snow up Mount Etna

The cousins

Family

Pilú getting into the Christmas spirit

Buon Natale e felice anno nuovo!

-Melissa

Scoping out Sicilia

After the South American sector of my trip, finally making it to the home country of my late grandparents was an almost surreal experience, as it was an something I'd been looking forward to for a great portion of my life. I had been lucky enough to be in contact with, and even had previously been visited by some of my Italian cousins in Australia, so being able to reconnect with them in Sicily was an amazing experience.

My few weeks spent in Sicily with my Italian relatives were filled with a ridiculous amount of food (think a six course meal within a day of arriving, that's right SIX courses). Arriving in Italy left me in food heaven, I've never eaten more in my life, and amazingly didn't gain a good deal of weight, which was definitely a huge relief on my behalf! Sicily was full of beautiful landscapes and coastal features, and I spent a jam packed few weeks visiting all the cultural sights the island had to offer, including visiting areas like Catania, Taormina, Mt Etna and Palermo.

Visiting two of the towns, Savoca and Forza d'Agro, that were featured in the Godfather movies was one really cool experience that I was able to have in Sicily. Food wise, I absolutely fell in love with all things pistachio - I'm talking pizza, pasta, desserts and more! Another favourite is mimmo, which is a dessert made in my families home town of Furci Siculo. But above all it was just amazing to meet a whole other sector of my family, despite the sometimes comical effects of our language barriers.

Isola Bella

Prickly Pear, or 'big bastards'

View from Taormina

Mount Etna

The Greek amphitheatre

Scali dei turchi

Ciao bella gente!

-Melissa

¡Hola España!

Travelling to Italy from South America left me with a stopover in Madrid, so naturally I gave myself a few days to explore the city before moving on to my Italian adventure. After paying for my first and last European taxi ride (a stark contrast from the average US$2 fares of Ecuador) I found myself in Dunkin' Donuts, seemingly the only open establishment where I could consume a hot drink in the freezing European weather at such a ridiculously early hour of the morning. Once I was finally able to check into the hostel I'm ashamed to say that I cheated in my anti-jetlag plans, and took a bit of a siesta (when in Rome, as they say). I spent the rest of my day exploring the nearby city and revelling in the beauty of the European architecture, which was of course quite a difference to their South American equivalent. 

I spent my next two days wisely, enjoying equal parts food, shopping and art. It was exciting to have an actual selection of shops, which was quite decadent in comparison to the fashion standards in Ecuador and Peru, which to be fair were somewhat stuck in the 80s. The hostel that I was staying in, Cats Hostel has a supposed reputation for being a bit of a party hostel, though I feel I had the complete opposite experience. The hostel was lovely, the location was amazing, prices and facilities were reasonable, with the hostel interior being quite exquisite in itself. However I found the layout pretty terrible for meeting people, and although I spoke to a few people briefly I can't say I made any friends (although this is completely luck of the draw as with many hostels), which left me resigned to eating alone. This didn't stop me from enjoying every bit of Spanish food I could get my hands on, nor did it do so from experiencing all the art culture I could jam pack into the few days I had. 

My favourite part of my art experience would have to be Picasso's Guernica, which is to this day one of the most thought provoking pieces of art I've have the pleasure of viewing. I also had the pleasure of making a friend in the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, which houses Guernica, a lovely man from Barcelona (think a young Javier Bardem or Antonio Banderas) who was an art enthusiast that kept me company throughout my exploration of the museum, keeping me entertained with fun facts and his lovely accent along the way. In between all of this I took a bit of time out to wander around the gorgeous Parque del Buen Retiro, taking in the natural beauty and enjoying my own company whilst having my head stuck in a pre-loved book. 

Parque del Buen Retiro

Embracing the cold weather

Until we meet again Spain.

¡Adios amigos! 

-Melissa 

A Peruvian Peradventure

Per-ad-ven-ture

adverb
perhaps

noun 
uncertainty or doubt as to whether something is the case

Our fleeting 8 day Peruvian adventure definitely fell into the category of the 'peradventure'. We started in vibrant city of Cusco, staying at one of my favourite hostels yet, Loki Cusco. On the culture side, we were able to visit some amazing Incan ruins, and of course the infamous Machu Picchu. I have to be honest that due to our limited timeframe, alongside myself and Kelly's fear of falling off a mountain due to our extreme un-coordination, we took the cheats way out and caught the train up to the world famous Incan site. Fortunately this was not detrimental to the incredible experience that we had, and to this day it's one of the most amazing historical sites I've seen. The day spent trawling through the ruins with our amazing local guide are etched into my memory, especially the instance of getting stuck in torrential rain half way through our guided tour, with only an alpaca jumper as a raincoat (which was actually amazingly water resistant, I would have never guessed).

Kelly, Gari & I at Machu Picchu

Kelly & I at Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Incan ruins

Making llama friends

Our exit from Cusco was delightfully unplanned, with a spontaneous bus trip leaving us with an ETA of approximately 2AM in the morning. It also left us on the side of the highway without a place to stay, and when we found such a place we had insufficient funds to pay for it. Waking up in the morning we were greeted with insufferable heat and a trip to the centre of town to visit an ATM & find a more accessible place to stay. As luck would have it we found an amazing hotel for a ridiculously low price, which we spent majority of the time lying on the tiled floor trying to escape the heat. Our one adventure was to visit the lookout to view the Nazca lines (a.k.a. the best possible option for travellers on a budget). We took a moment to appreciate the amazing scenery, then immediately made our way back to the sanctuary of our hotel room (adventurous I know).

Nazca Lines

We decided to move along pretty quickly, travelling to Huacachina, leaving us to a crazy 24 hours of sand boarding, riding around in a dune buggy and partying in our hostel. Making bartender friends is always a good option, though losing your room mate is definitely not recommended (it was definitely a stressful morning), and we eventually made our way to the capital city of Lima in time for a quiet night of food and farewells before we both jetted off to Europe.

On to bigger and brighter adventures!

-Melissa

Islas Galápagos

Anyone who asks me what's at the top of my list for most incredible experiences is no doubt going to be subjected to an unbearable amount of gushing about how amazing The Galapagos Islands are. No matter how much praise I give them, it's almost impossible to completely appreciate their beauty without seeing them firsthand, but none the less I'll try to give a little insight into my Galapagos experience.

Galapagos 2010

Gari, Kelly, Alex & I

Gari, Kelly & I pre-snorkelling with turtles

Again booking through Quito locals Happy Gringo, we were able to get a last minute booking for four of us, which set us up on an 8 day boat tour including flights, accommodation, food and tour guide. We were incredibly fortunate in the fact that we were able to get an amazing deal allowing us to afford a normally much more expensive tour package - all due to our last minute nature and flexibility with travel plans. If you are comfortable with last minute plans, or are flexible with travel plans I couldn't recommend booking a Galapagos tour in country any more! In discussions with our fellow tourists on our boat we found that those who had booked in advance had paid up to double the amount for the exact experience.

'The most beautiful face in the world'

Lonesome George

Our tour was with G Adventures, who provided us with whom I can only explain as one of the most amazing tour guides I've come into contact with yet, Julio. If you ever meet the man, please be sure to ask him about 'the most beautiful creatures in the world', his beloved Iguanas. We also had the amazing experience of seeing Lonesome George, the last known of the Pinta Island Tortoise subspecies before he died in 2012.

The Blue-Footed Booby

Baby Fur Seal

Getting up close and personal with the fur seals

We were inundated with incredible wildlife and natural beauty across the few islands that we managed to experience. Most notable would be the unforgettable Blue-footed Booby (even for the name alone) and the pink iguanas, which were definitely the beautiful faces that Julio insisted they were! We were incredibly lucky to get up close and personal with both fur seals and sea lions, not to mention swimming with the Galapagos tortoises.

I was unique in the experience of coming a bit too close for comfort to a Galapagos shark, which I was told in hindsight that they're not too fond of eating humans (however the experience was none the less terrifying at the time).

The pictures don't do it justice, but I can't recommend it enough, if you ever get the chance jump, leap and bound straight at it!

-Melissa

Amazonian woman

There was an accumulation of Ecuadorian celebrated public holidays in early November, which we took as the perfect chance to ship ourselves of to the Amazon for a couple of days. We booked a tour with the ever helpful Happy Gringo team, located in the centre of La Mariscal for all our 'gringo' tourist needs. The team there were incredibly helpful, and were able to give us a good deal booking us on a somewhat last minute tour. When booking tours you can often find amazing bargains at the last minute, as most tour companies would rather fill their tours to capacity in order to raise revenue as opposed to making nothing with lost sales. 

We headed off on a dreadfully long bus trip from Quito towards the Amazonian Basin, taking us as far as possible before we had to step out into the heat, and board the canoe that would take us to our riverside huts. Several hours later we arrived at our destination, ready for a few days of amazonian adventures. 

Tranquility on the river

Our cabins 

Sunset swimming with out tour group

Kleptomaniac monkey 

Intercontinental soccer match 

The berries used to draw on our 'temporary tattoos'

River swimming with Katy

We spent three days undeniably doing some pretty touristy things, think fishing for piranha's, visiting a shaman in one of the local villages and canoeing. For me one the best parts would have to be the afternoons spent swimming in the river, it was an incredibly beautiful and tranquil experience, and shortly after we were able to watch a gorgeous sunset from the boat. On another note one of the most memorable experiences was a hike that we took which included me falling off a log into quicksand, which I was of course rescued from, but none the less an interesting 'fun fact' to be able to claim. Not to mention making a hilarious story for all my travel companions to retell and make fun of me for!

-Melissa