Czech it out

After 40+ hours travelling by planes, train and bus I finally arrived in Prague. Oh Prague, you beautiful city. I unashamedly arrived at my hostel, took a shower (because damn do you feel disgusting after over 40 hours of travel), checked what was happening on the world wide web and fell asleep almost immediately. After the most amazing sleep of my life I met up with one of my favourite people, Niki. It had been months since she'd left Australia and it was lovely to catch up in another city, and strangely enough it felt just like home with her, even though we were on the other side of the world! Three days in Prague didn't leave us with a great deal of time, but we made the most of it - here's some of the gems I discovered during my stay. 

Reunited with this lovely lady

Hostel

I stayed at Hostel Mango in Prague, which boasted a reasonably priced room with an excellent location next to the Charles Bridge. The hostel was quite clean (always a plus) and it had the biggest bathroom I've ever seen in a hostel dormitory, with a spa sized bath to match. The combination of free wifi, an outdoor common area (not so useful when it's raining, like it was whilst I was there) and very helpful staff made this a hostel that I would be sure to recommend to anyone visiting Prague. 

The John Lennon wall

Food

Dumplings have got to be one of my favourite foods generally, and while the Czech's do it differently, I was definitely a fan of their variation. Goulash with dumplings were the chosen dish, and I'd definitely recommend giving it a try. For dessert Trdlnik is absolutely delicious, either on its own or with nutella in the centre of it. There are places all over the city, but the stand at the end of the main shopping strip near Mustek station was incredibly popular and offered a great variety of fillings.

From the Prague castle

Sights

There are so many amazing things to see in Prague, but with limited time I chose a few things to see, whilst taking the time to enjoy the company of a very dear friend. At the top of the list was Prague castle (if not for the simple purpose of saying I'd visited a Czech castle), which we did have to visit twice before we could actually enter. Charles Bridge and the town square closely followed, but some of my more favoured memories were simply from wandering around the cobbled streets, trawling through bookshops and discovering secret garden-esque parks. 

Fresh gingerbread 

Nightlife 

The original pub crawl was recommended by many due to the infamous 5 level club, though I made the choice to visit the main square before making a final choice. In the end I approached a British guy around my age and asked him what made his pub crawl better than the rest, and more than satisfied with his answer I found myself at The Drunken Monkey bar. Two hours of unlimited beer and shots mixed with beer pong, foosball and giant jenga left me with a new group of American friends, and a big night ahead of me. It was a pretty crazy night, and I can't say I'm disappointed I missed out on the 5 level club, so if you have time I would definitely recommend checking it out.

Best buy of the trip thus far was a t-shirt that reads 'czech me out', because who doesn't need one of those in their life?

-Melissa

Life of Pai

I first arrived in Pai tired and miserable after one of the bumpiest bus rides I've been on yet. After checking into my hostel at the same time as another American traveller, he quickly latched onto me, and I naively agreed to grab lunch with him. After spending a few hours with him, I realised how little we had in common, and was desperate to escape! Think, complete opposite to myself - completely against adventure and anything that comes with budget travelling, not to mention his terrible treatment of the waitress at the restaurant (anyone who is rude to people in service is someone I don't want to associate with). After spending the day with him I was about ready to pack up my bags and leave, but luckily as we made our way back to the hostel after dinner and drinks with some fellow backpackers we met in town we crashed a bit of a party going on in our hostel. Within 10 minutes I had made friends with a group of travellers from all over the world, who thankfully were much more on the same wavelength as me! They were all so lovely I ended up staying an extra few nights, returning to Bangkok just in time to spend a day shopping and make it in time for my flight. 

Hostel

I booked myself into Darling View Point Bungalows, which was a very simple hostel, with a convenient location and an amazing community feel. The facilities were nothing out of the ordinary, but it was good value, and any simplistic amenities were overruled by the hostel vibe. I made some great friends (after an initial setback), and the set up was great for making friends and playing drinking games. 

Food 

The best food was available at the night markets which ran down the main street of Pai. The burritos were a must have (I know the irony of eating burritos in Thailand, but trust me), and there was a huge variety of traditional thai food, fresh fruit, delicious fruit juices made in front of you, and my personal favourite dessert - the nutella banana crepe! 

Activities

There was a huge selection of activities to undertake in Pai, but my personal favourite was tubing. We bought snacks and beers, and made our way by truck to the end of the river, hours later ending up right by the path that led up to the hostel. It was a great chilled out day chatting and floating down the river, with a few rough patches including getting stuck on rocks, deflating tubes and lost shoes. 

The final visit to Bangkok I decided to go all out and book myself into a concept style hostel, Suneta Hostel Khao San which was just off the main strip of Khao San road, and gave me a modern and clean hostel experience with the privacy of their cabin style beds. Essentially you got your own little 'capsule' bed, which locked up and included your own television and inside storage. It was a bit of a splurge for South East Asia, but it was worth it to splash out for my final night in Thailand. I took advantage of my final day and a bit by visiting the amazing Chatuchak weekend markets, which I could not recommend more. We came back with bags of gifts, artwork and vintage clothing for a very modest amount of money. I also visited the famous MBK shopping centre, which has just about everything you could imagine! My final day in Bangkok was spent eating everything (I'm talking everything on a stick, pad thai, crepes, you name it) and enjoying the bars along Khao San. I also treated myself to a hair treatment and manicure/pedicure, because when in Thailand! After 30 odd hours of chaos in Bangkok I finally made my way to the airport for my flight home, and as sad as I always am to leave it's the best feeling to know you're on your way back to sleeping in your own bed and not living out of a backpack! 

- Melissa

Looking for Loch Ness

First stop in Scotland was a trip to the picturesque city of Edinburgh, and although we only spent one full day there it’s safe to say I fell in love. Naturally we had to do a bit of sightseeing, checking out Edinburgh castle and the amazing view it has to offer. The need for a refuel sent us down the street, and into a little pub where I chose the fried haggis balls – surprisingly delicious.

Deciding to take a wander round the city, our first stop was a trip down the Royal Mile which is the high street in Edinburgh. Following that I set off on my own to peruse a few places a friend who had previously lived in Edinburgh had recommended to me. I took a walk down nearby Cockburn street which was very quaint, and also led into an area of cute shops and pubs. Continuing on my quest for shopping I ventured onto Princes Street to get my fix, before heading into the Stockbridge area to check out the charity shops. I also popped into the shop attached to the Whisky distillery to buy my father a quick little present as my grandmother had dismissed the idea of a distillery tour (stubbornness runs in the family I'm afraid).

I ended my day with a light dinner in a nearby cafe, before venturing back to the hotel to check in with the family and watch some trashy TV to unwind.

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle with my Grandma

The only other stop in our Scottish visit was to the infamous Loch Ness. We stayed one night near the lake, making a trip down to see the nearby Urquhart castle covered in snow, and also to the lake to try our luck at spotting the 'mysterious creature'. We had a lot of fun taking funny photos and running round in the snow covered street.

Joking at Loch Ness

-Melissa

Luck of the Irish

Next stop called for a bit of family bonding time. After reuniting with my mother in London, we met my father and grandmother at Heathrow after a couple of days of relaxed sightseeing and shopping. Together we headed to Dublin, hiring a car to drive us the rest of the way across the country to our final destination of Gort County, Galway.  We spent a week doing some sightseeing across the country. We visited Limerick and did a spot of shopping after checking out some of the local architecture. Bunratty was a highlight, firstly for the castle and also for the visit to Durty Nelly's which would have to be the most Irish pub I've stepped foot into. Galway's markets were heaven for both food and shopping alike, and we battled through the rain to kiss the Blarney stone. On our way back we also visited cousins in Meath and Dublin, with some touristy visits to the Leprechaun Museum and Guinness storehouse along the way.

Bunratty castle

Family bonding

Durty Nelly's

Giants room at the Leprechaun Museum

Leprechaun Museum

...and if there's anything I learnt in Ireland, it's that it’s never too early to buy the next drink.

-Melissa

J'adore Paris

Paris, city of love. In my case, a different kind of love. I'm talking love of food, art, shopping and all things Disney.

Hostels

The last minute booker I am, I found that accommodation prices in Paris were quite steep, and I was unable to find a single hostel for the whole week. I stayed for two nights in the Latin Quarter at Young & Happy, which was a quaint little hostel but it was somewhat lacking in hygiene and facilities. I met a nice South American guy who visited the Eiffel Tour with me on my first night. It was predominately Spanish speakers in my hostel, so I got a bit of practice in, and I managed to make a few good friends on the last night staying there (one was yet another Jesus). I stayed at the Canal St Christophers Inn for the rest of my time in Paris, which was my favoured accommodation in the city. The dorms were clean and significantly more spacious, with the added bonus of having curtains over each bunk for a bit of added privacy when it was needed. I made friends with a couple of Australians (typical, I know) who introduced me to a whole troop of their friends, so I had a great bunch of people around at all times. The bar and restaurant downstairs was also a great communal area, and conveniently located to grab a bite. Oh and free wifi and breakfast - a backpackers dream! 

Food

When in France, eat like the French do. I thought it was necessary to try a few French delicacies, and at the top of the list was escargot (more commonly known as the humble snail). Personally I found they simply tasted like the garlic sauce they were immersed in, really not so bad! Perfect for the season was French onion soup, which was delicious and warming in the winter chill. Then on to the most important of meals, which is of course dessert. At the top of my to-eat list for my fellow sweet tooth's would be Nutella crepes (food of champions) and the infamous macarons of Lauderée, which are completely worth the splurge. 

The view from Notre Dame

Lourve

Sights

On the top of most Paris to do lists would be the Eiffel Tour, and I took every opportunity to see the infamous attraction. I saw the lights on the tour both on my first and last nights in Paris, and made it there twice in daylight before finally venturing up. Ironically the time I finally decided to take the plunge and go up to lookout point it was quite foggy which made the view less than ideal. However I managed to make a friend in the lift up who left me with someone to share lunch with, which is always a plus. Notre Dame drew me to its gargoyle adorned architecture through childhood memories of Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame. The church boasts a picturesque exterior, and the walk up and around the interior brought me into the movie setting, with the gargoyle lined path overlooking the city emitting a gothic feel. Something else drawn from film inspiration was a visit to the Moulin Rouge location (It was unfortunately all booked out), and just around the corner, the bar from the film Amelie, which offered affordable themed drinks at happy hour. On an art front I visited the obvious, the Louvre, however it's certainly an overhyped gallery, so I would suggest going in without such grandeur expectations. The typical tourist reaction to the Mona Lisa was not lost on me - the painting is tiny! For something a bit different, I also visited Musée Rodin, where I was in awe trawling through the Rodin sculpture garden, recognising many of his famous works, but also discovering some hidden gems. 

The Mona Lisa

Half an Eiffel Tour

The Thinker - Rodin

Moulin Rouge

Disneyland 

Child at heart, I was determined to visit the Disneyland in Paris, if only to see how it compared to my visit to the Japanese version years prior. Fortunately for me, amongst the previously made group of friends were two girls who were just as keen to check out Disneyland as I was. Themed food, rides and paraphernalia is my bread and butter - so naturally I was in heaven! I came back with a multitude of disney themed presents, and for myself a pair of minnie gloves and novelty mouse hands - because who knows when I'll need those right?

Alice in Wonderland

The Disney Castle

Shopping

All roads lead to Rome, and all Melissa's lead to the nearest shops. The first stop was Champs Elysees, the most famous shopping strip in Paris, and for good reason! You could spend hours trawling through shops and lusting after designer goods. We also ventured into one of the multitude of cinemas along the street, checking out the newest Gossling film at the time, which was The Ides of March (we figured if it was in French we could always just look at Ryan and George, however fortunately it was in English). Another necessary stop is Galeries Lafayette, even just to stare at the architectural beauty. Getting off the high street I ventured into the flea market scene, visiting Marché aux puces de St Ouen. It was easy to get lost amongst the throngs of crowds and stall owners selling a wide variety of goods. I stumbled upon a section of vintage clothes and accessories and stocked up on a multitude of unique skirts, knitwear and scarves. 

Galeries Lafayette 

Au revoir!

-Melissa 

Bordering the Benelux

My friend Geraldine was studying in the Netherlands during this trip, so naturally I had to make a stopover in The Hague to check out where she was living. Being reunited was pretty exciting, and I was taken on a quick tour of the city before leaving my bag in her room and heading across the street to pick up some turkish food and a couple bottles of wine, a classy start already. Drinking ensued, and I was introduced to their favourite local bar for a night out before heading off on our own little adventure the next day. First stop was Brussels, where we took full advantage of the delicious Belgian food, with a side of culture and shopping. Indulging in fries and mayonnaise was a necessity, and a visit to the local markets resulted in some insanely cheap purchases - some I still wear today!

Local delicacies

After another train ride we found ourselves in Bruges, the canal ridden 'Venice of the north'. Beautiful castles and historic buildings aside, we got down to business with the most important thing - the food. Flemish stew and waffles were in abundance, before a combined visit to the chocolate and fries museum for a bit of educational eating (if it's in a museum it's cultural right?) 

Priorities

The other highlight of Belgium was the discovery of flavoured beers, which we took full advantage of. The fruity flavours were definitely preferred, although I was pleasantly surprised by the somewhat off-putting idea of chocolate beer, which I would actually completely recommend!

Classy Amsterdam

Amsterdam was the last stop on our little adventure, another classy experience with a side of culture. We jumped right into the Amsterdam scene, visiting the sex museum which was a pretty hilarious experience, then topping it off with a visit to a local coffee shop (news flash - they don't sell coffee). We got lost in the canals of the city, and had a humorous experience wandering around the red light district at night watching people do the walk of shame. Following these escapades we decided to visit the Anne Frank museum, which was somewhat confronting, but worth the visit. Just down the road from there we found an amazing pancake house to indulge in Dutch 'poffertjes', followed by some vintage shopping doing a little bit of damage to my bank balance as a fitting end to the Amsterdam experience.

Obligatory tourist shot in a giant clog

-Melissa

Guten tag!

Another day, another dollar. The budget traveller I am, I chose to fly into Frankfurt in Germany in order to get the cheapest possible flights to Europe for my second visit of 2011, being lucky enough to get back within the year. First stop was Berlin, which was a cultural whirlwind, though as a city I think I had quite a differing experience than many I've spoken to. The hostel I stayed in, Wombat City Hostel, had great facilities, but I didn't quite get on with many of the people I met there. I did most of my sightseeing alone, which is completely fine by me as when exploring a new city I'm always pretty content to wander solo without having to worry about other people. I did make some friends, ironically on the last night and morning of my departure, but it's always great to have a good chat to keep loneliness at bay whilst travelling solo.

Berlin wall

Currywurst

Next up I ventured over to the Netherlands and Belgium to visit a friend, returning to Germany with a stop in Dusseldorf, which I had chosen purely for the perfect stopover location between Amsterdam and Munich. I had only planned to stay one night, but ended up being there for three, with it being one of my most unexpectedly enjoyable cities (despite a hiccup or two along the way). The first day arriving I noticed the hostel was quite empty - not the best sign, but in the end it meant we were almost forced into becoming friends with the few other backpackers there. I met two lovely guys in my hostel room, and decided to go out on the town with one of them as it was his last night there. His name was Jesus (what an excellent name), and we made our way to the pub area in Dusseldorf, with it proving to be a pretty crazy night of more shots and drinks than I can remember consuming. It was definitely not one of my classiest moments, but it was a bonding experience and a half! The next day me and my only remaining friend decided to venture across town to the city aquarium, although we left early so I could have a necessary recovery nap. That was where the Dusseldorf experience turned a bit sour, and as many solo female travellers would understand, there's always that one experience where you've been taken adventure of in one way or another whilst travelling. My so called friend turned out to be a bit more friendly than I would have liked, which developed into the most scary experience I've encountered travelling yet, and was incredibly lucky to find solace in a newcomer at the hostel who helped me escape the situation. My new friend was a Londoner, who took me out for a drink and a memorable karaoke experience, singing crowd favourite 'Barbie girl' before making a swift exit from the karaoke bar. It was a much improved end to an otherwise horrific day.

Surfing in the park in the middle of winter

A few days later than originally planned, I ended up in Munich at another branch of Wombat Hostels, which I found to be far more sociable than its Berlin counterpart. I quickly made friends in my dorm room, and having a drink in the hostel bar led to building ourselves a nice little drinking group for the first night. I hadn't met the rest of the people in my dorm, though I become somewhat acquainted with them in the early hours of the next morning when two had a pretty heated argument, and one of the girls got pretty aggressive. At a more reasonable hour, the crazy outburst served as a good means for becoming friends with all but the girl in question. The remaining few were actually really nice people, and I spent the day visiting the concentration camp of Dachau which was quite overwhelming. We decided to have a more lighthearted afternoon, taking a walk in the Englischer Garten and seeing the locals surf in the man made waves of the parks river. Ending the night in the Munich Hofbräuhaus, I indulged in a schnitzel and a pretzel the size of my head.  

Pretzels bigger than my head

A final stopover in Cologne was a quiet end to my German adventure, with an evening of checking out the breathtaking Cologne Cathedral before a nice dinner and an early night.

-Melissa

Kiss me, I'm Irish!

I'm third generation Irish, and although my grandmother was born just after her parents arrived in Australia she always spoke about 'the motherland'. Getting to Ireland was almost like coming home, with the Irish sense of humour and culture being the closest to Australian that I've come across yet. I arrived in Dublin with Garigarra and stayed in a hostel dorm room with over 20 people, which was an overwhelming experience, but also very easy on the wallet. 

The Guinness storehouse

The Liffey river

I feel like I spent most of my time not only in the UK, but also in Ireland in pubs. There's something about the British and Irish pub culture that doesn't quite translate to the rest of the world. We did quite a bit of walking around the city, checking out some famous landmarks, historic buildings, and of course the local shops. We also made sure to stop by the Liffey river to have a Guinness (the best place for a pint according to my father), or should I say I had a Guinness, whereas Gari opted for the far girlier option of a banana cocktail. As night fell we headed to Temple bar, typical I know. It may not be the nicest area in Dublin, but they sure know how to have a good time!

Kilmacduagh cemetary

After a few days in Dublin together we headed over to Galway, where I left Gari and headed off into the unknown on my way to Gort County. At this point I wasn't exactly sure what to expect as I hadn't had the most productive phone conversations with my Grandmothers cousin, but was hopeful, and thought I'd at least have a nice afternoon with the family. Turns out the abrupt phone conversation is ingrained into older Irish people due to the prior extravagant expenses of phone calls, and I arrived to the most welcoming hug from a man I'd never met before. I spent almost a week meeting cousins I'd never before dreaming of meeting, getting to know the family I was staying with, in particular the two boys who were 10 and adorably feisty, and the other was in his mid teens with an amazing sense of humour. I also had the amazing experience of visiting the cemetery that several of my ancestors were built, seeing such familiar names printed on headstones in another country was quite profound. I was incredibly sad to leave, with just in time to have one full day back in London to shop, eat and have a night out. It was a bit of a 'see you later' to a country I had so quickly fallen in love with, and a promise that I would see everyone again soon. 

The cousins

-Melissa

The boy who lived

Next stop on the book appreciation list was of course the home of my favourite childhood hero, the infamous Harry Potter. Rowling's tales of Harry Potter and friends are still up there on my all time favourite book series, and the child inside me is still waiting for her Hogwarts acceptance letter. So naturally it was necessary to make a pit stop in Oxford to check out a few of the locations used for filming the movie series. 

Hostel

Another YHA experience, nothing particularly out of the ordinary. This was in the perfect location, right beside the train station, making it much easier to transport our slowly growing selection of belongings (all thanks to our moderate shopping addictions). Not the best for making friends, but since we already had the whole travel buddy thing covered it didn't prove to be an issue. 

Food

The food highlights were unsurprisingly at pubs, because when in Rome right? The first was a little pub called The Eagle and Child, which has literary connections to J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. The food was delightfully homely and the place had an amazingly cosy atmosphere. The second highlight is still up there as the home of the best burger I've tasted to date, which was a hotel on Hythe Bridge street called The Oxford Retreat. 

Harry Potter

The 'cultural' highlight of Oxford would have to of course be visiting a few of the places used for filming the Harry Potter movies. First stop was the location of the Hogwarts great hall, which like the Mona Lisa is surprisingly smaller than previously expected. Next point of interest was the schools hospital wing, complete with intricate ceiling details, but otherwise quite empty which leaves a bit to the imagination. Last but not least, the one venue we weren't permitted photography, which was the Hogwarts library. A beautiful old library, which left us feeling like we had finally gotten the aforementioned 'missing' Hogwarts acceptance letters.

The great hall

The hospital wing 

Shopping

Between eating, drinking and Hogwarts related attractions, shopping was naturally our main priority. After stopping into the Oxford stores of Topshop, River Island, Primark and H&M, we ventured into some local boutiques to great results, and a bit of damage to the bank account. Tourist necessities included an obligatory Oxford University jumper, and a trip to the gorgeous Alice in Wonderland store right by one of the Oxford University buildings, where I personally purchased a hardback copy of 'Through the Looking Glass' and an Alice themed pendant watch. 

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.

-Melissa

Oh, how could anyone ever be tired of Bath?

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

Bristol was the next stop on our trip, but the highlight of the pitstop by far was our day trip to Bath, home of Jane Austen. We again stayed at the local YHA, making use of my parents going away gift of a global membership card. Bristol would have to be the windiest city I've visited yet - just walking in a straight line proved to be immensely difficult, and because of that we spent the majority of our time getting acquainted with our hostel interior (one of the fanciest hostels I've seen), the conveniently located Shakespeare Tavern for a drink and a bit of comfort food, and the local clubs to face the cold and check out the local nightlife. 

Our day trip to Bath (although much ridiculed by the English boys we had befriended in our hostel) was a definite highlight, both of us being Austen fans at heart. We took the train in, first visiting the Roman Baths to get in a bit of history, taking a tour around the thermal springs. Next stop, the piéce de résistance, the Jane Austen Centre, having a bit of an Austen tour before having devonshire tea and purchasing an entire set of hardback books to add to my home library. Past me didn't much appreciate having to lug around the extra kilos for the rest of the trip, but rest assured present day me is completely grateful for it. 

Checking out the baths in Bath

-Melissa

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