Here’s some of our favourite shots from the evening — taken between polishing off dumplings, running into friends, and enjoying the live music.

Click any image to enlarge.

[Show as slideshow]

What now? Take a look at more Auckland travel ideas or get inspired to travel in Asia.

Auckland lantern festival in photos by Craig Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

We caught a minivan from Bangkok central and were met at the Ayutthaya end by our guide Nhoi from Ayutthaya Boat and Travel. After a quick stop at the office to pick up bikes and another guide, we were off.

The first stop was at one of the most beautiful information centres I’d ever been in, full of intricate models and informative signage. Next we headed to the old palace complex, and wandered around the temples there. We stopped for a coconut juice at the giant reclining Buddha, and saw more temples on the way back to the office. Our guide was informative without overwhelming us with information, and I felt like I’d learned a lot about the city during our short tour.

Of course, that wasn’t the end of the day. We tuktuked down to the river where we were ushered onto a riverboat, set up with a table and chairs. The two guides and the boat pilot came on board laden down with dishes, which they then proceeded to serve to us. There was far more than we could ever have eaten, though we gave it our best shot. Nhoi also introduced us to Roti Sai Mai, an Ayutthayan sweet – basically sweet pancakes rolled around candy floss.

After a slow cruise down the river, admiring the ancient architecture and feeding the fishes outside the temple, it was time to return to dock and from there to Bangkok. It was a day with a little of everything: exercise, culture and tasty food – and what more can you ask for than that?

For more on Thailand, check out our Thailand page.

Ayutthaya, Thailand, by bike and boat by Linda Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Many tourists visit by organised tour, usually as part of a day tour that takes in some of Rio’s other sights — such as the Selarón steps, the cathedral and the Sugar Loaf. You can visit independently by catching the Trem do Corcovado (Corcovado train) for R$36, by hiring a car or taking a taxi — or you can just walk, which is what we did.

The views of Rio and the Christ on the way up the hill are well worth the walk, as are the views from the very top of the hill. A minibus service is provided for the last stretch, so you can save a little energy there. Entrance to the statue complex itself is R$17.75 (more on the weekend).

For more on Brazil, check out our Brazil page.

Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil by Linda Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen, hit play below or look for episode 226 in iTunes:

The basis of carnival

A lot of people think Carnival only happens in Rio, but that’s not true. The whole thing is rooted in the Catholic religious calendar — this is the beginning of the Lent period of fasting, and if you’re going to fast for 40 days, you might as well party like anything to kick it off, right?

Carnival is actually an international event… everywhere that Catholicism or Orthodox Christianity has a significant cultural influence, you get a carnival or a related celebration.

Joel’s experience

During this interview, Joel talks about his preparation, how he joined a samba school and took part in the massive Samba competition, and some of the hijinks he got up to in the organised and the unofficial parts of Carnival. He also shared some travel tips, and these on-the-ground photos…

[Show as slideshow]

Learn more about travel in Brazil

…on our Brazil travel page. And make sure you hit play to hear about Joel’s experiences of carnival:

Carnival in Rio de Janeiro – the world’s biggest party by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Use the entry form below to enter the draw.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to win…

It’s easy! Fill in the three mandatory entries by clicking “Do it!” on each one, then:

• ‘Like’ Indie Travel Podcast on Facebook – then click “Enter!”
• ‘Like’ Urban Adventures on Facebook – then click “Enter!”
• Answer the simple question – then click “Enter!”

That gives you seven entries into the competition for 7 seconds work!

How do I get more entries?

You can earn dozens more entries by fulfilling the criteria for each question. They all follow a similar pattern, and if we need verification information — like a question answered or a link — that space is there.

The Twitter one is a little hard to see, don’t miss it. Within a second or so of clicking “Do it!” the Twitter icon will pop up. If you click this, you’ll be able to log into Twitter and send the competition message. The good news? You can do this every day for two entries — that alone could gain you over 50 entries!

But I just want to do a trip!

We know competitions aren’t for everyone, so we’ve got you a fantastic deal on Urban Adventures amazing trips:

15% off any tour booked before March 16
when you travel before December 31, 2012.

How do you get that? Simply visit Urban Adventures and use the coupon code INDIETRAVEL on checkout. Make sure you update the cart, so the discount shows up before you pay.

Indie Travel books are available at their always-low prices from http://indietravelpodcast.com/books.

Remind me, who are these guys?

Urban Adventures bring together locally-run day tours in over 100 cities. We did their walking tour in Buenos Aires and used them for our second visit to the Iguacu Falls. They’re good guys, especially to offer us 15% off tours… That’s a great discount.

Get 15% off any Urban Adventures trip with coupon INDIETRAVEL, valid before March 16, travel before December 31, 2012. Click here.

Win $75 in travel prizes! by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Brazil’s bus network is well-developed, with a variety of companies offering journeys between major and not-so-major cities. Prices vary according to what journey you’re doing and the level of comfort you require, but not necessarily according to distance: a 15-hour trip from Foz do Iguaçu to Sao Paulo is about the same as the six-hour journey between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Generally though, you can expect to pay about US$8 per hour on the road: in other words, it’s not that cheap.

Buying a ticket

If there more than one company runs the same route, prices will probably be extremely similar if not identical for the same service. In fact, they may well be selling seats on the same bus. Levels of comfort vary; semi-cama gives you a reclining seat with leg rest, executive has more shoulder room and may include a snack, and … is more luxurious again. Semi-cama is more than comfortable enough for trips during the day, but if you’re travelling overnight it might be worth splashing out for a slightly better option.

Buy your tickets in person.

Although some bus companies allow you to purchase tickets online, this isn’t common. You can also choose to buy your tickets over the phone, though if your Portuguese is a bit nonexistent this could be a little difficult; the easiest way is to buy your ticket out of a city from the main bus station. You can usually pay by cash or credit card.

You will be shown a plan of the bus, usually on a computer, and given the chance to choose your seat. Choose one near the front; most buses are equipped with toilets and on single-level buses these are situated at the back. Toilets on double-decker buses are usually beside the stairs, at the front of the lower level, and any smell doesn’t usually travel up the stairs.

When you get your ticket, put it in a safe place and try not to leave it behind at your accommodation like we did. It might be a good idea to take a photo of it, so that you have a record in case of loss or theft, though there’s no guarantee that the bus company will accept this as a valid ticket. It’s worth a go though, and doubles as proof for your insurance company.

Boarding

You’ll need to write your name and passport number (or ID card number if you’re South American), and have your passport ready to present when boarding. The ticket collector will rip off the half of the ticket with your name on it and you’ll be free to board the bus. Keep the ticket on you, as someone will come around to check it later on in the journey.

Brazil long-distance bus terminal

Large pieces of luggage can be stored under the bus, you’ll be given a numbered ticket to present on arrival at your destination. This number is also written on your physical ticket and sometimes on a separate register. Sometimes, hand luggage is given a sticker, with a matching sticker going on a register; all of this sticking and ticketing means that boarding can be a rather long and involved process. Speed things up by having your name already written on your ticket, having your passport ready, and travelling with carry-on size luggage only.

On the bus

Once you’re finally on the bus, the driver will introduce himself (it’s usually a him) and let you know the expected arrival time and when the next stop will be. Unlike in Argentina, where most trips are relatively direct, Brazilian buses take breaks at rest stops every two to four hours. This is probably to give the driver a break; Argentinean long-distance buses generally have two drivers while Brazilian buses just have one. Also, Brazilian buses generally don’t serve meals — you might be given a cold snack on some buses but you won’t get the concierge service of Argentina. Most rest stops are at roadhouses which offer a range of hot and cold food, giving you the chance to buy a meal or a snack for the rest of the journey.

A bus in a Brazilian bus station.

Almost all long-distance coaches are equipped with a DVD player but you might be lucky enough to not have one played during your journey. If one is played, it will probably be dubbed into Portuguese and without subtitles. Be aware that the air conditioning is often set to “cold” — if you’re storing your luggage under the bus bring an extra jumper or two, and wear thermal underwear for overnight journeys. You won’t be offered a blanket on the more basic services.

Travelling by long-distance bus can be a good way to get around Brazil — just make sure you’ve got all the paperwork and you’re ready to go.

How to catch a long-distance bus in Brazil by Linda Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Read:
How to catch a long distance bus in Brazil

See all our Brazil stories and travel advice:
Brazil travel advice

Brazil week! by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Andrew was an excellent guide, making the tour about even more than getting in the water with dolphins. He explained about the wildlife and geography of the area, served home-made biscuits for morning tea, and gave us a wild ride on the way back to the jetty.

For more on Australia, check out our Australia travel page.

Swimming with dolphins on Kangaroo Island by Linda Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

This list comprises the places we’ve loved the most, and the places we’re most fascinated by. We’d love to hear your recommendations too — so let us know your favourite places in the comments.

Luang Prabang, Laos

The most beautiful city in Laos, Luang Prabang seems to marry a romantic view of the east with modern life in one easy sweep. Travellers can arrive by river and then wind as high up the hills as they wish.

Delicious streetfood at the night markets of Luang Prabang, Laos

The UNESCO-listed old town is home to truly original craft markets, delicious morning food markets, and a myriad of emerging cafes and bars to fit the mix of expats and travellers. Laos has only been ‘open’ to visitors since the mid 1990s, but in Luang Prabang you can see the best of what tourism money can do.

Suzhou, China

Its canals have given Suzhou the name the “Venice of the Orient”, but today it is known for the Suzhou gardens: stunning gardens built by the aristocracy in pursuit of aesthetic perfection.

Suzhou can form a day trip from Shanghai, but we highly recommend taking a few days here to explore the rich cultural offerings of the city, rather than skipping through and seeing only the main sites.

Click here for more information on Suzhou or China tours.

Suzhou canal boat

Battambang, Cambodia

A fun diversion between the main destinations of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Battambang is a place to chill out and relax. It’s also home to a fabulous tuktuk tour, taking you to the country’s only winery, temples rebuilt from the desecration of the Pol Pot era, a bat cave at dusk, and the genius of the bamboo train.

Read more on Cambodia.

Osaka, Japan

Osaka castle

This little city is somewhat cheaper than Tokyo, but still offers all the entertainment you can find in the Japanese capital. Like many Japanese cities, it suffered severe damage in World War II, but several important buildings remain — like the Osaka Castle.

As Steffi wrote, “Osaka is famous for three things: its friendly, straightforward (by Japanese standards) locals that speak a particularly colourful dialect known as Osaka-ben; its good, cheap and plentiful food; and its night life and entertainment.” That’s reason enough for this Japanese city to be top of our list when we visit.

See the Osaka city guide or things to do in Osaka for more ideas.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The bustling, scooter-filled city of Ho Chi Minh is something to behold! Electrical wires tangle, crossing the road is an exercise in faith, and everyone’s vision of a chaotic South East Asian city is fulfilled.

The city itself is fun to explore and filled with pho — a delicious noodle soup that’s second to none. There’s plenty to do, no matter if you want to search the markets, party hard, explore wartime history, or go further back to colonial French or pre-European settlement.

Want to travel Indochina? Explore our Asia travel advice.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai in northern Thailand is an excellent getaway from the big cities. The compact central city is easy to navigate by foot or scooter; there’s fantastic food — in restaurants, from street vendors and the fresh food markets; and the place’s history is fascinating too. Once the capital of Thailand, that honour moved to Sukhothai, Ayutthaya, and then Bangkok, as it is today.

The city is a great stopping-off point if you are moving towards the border with Burma, China, or Laos, but you might just find yourself stuck there, as a growing community of expats have found.

Click here for more information on Chiang Mai or Thailand holidays.

Varanasi, India

“The city is a maze of narrow lanes and quaint alleyways which are filled with colourful shops selling interesting items, people walking up and down, and even the occasional cow roaming aimlessly around. Clearly Varanasi is a city with a heart — everyone finds a place here,” wrote Arti in her piece on what some claim as the world’s oldest city.

Washing in the Ganges - Varanasi, India

It certainly appealed to Indie Travel Podcast writer Kurt too: Once in Varanasi, any backpacker will quickly learn that this ancient city embodies the best and worst aspects of India today. Watching hundreds of pilgrims come slowly down the ghats (long series of steps) to bathe in the Ganges, is a spectacular sight. Being on the river at 5am for sunrise adds to the experience – the sun compounds the drama. It is as if the sun comes up in slow motion on purpose, to gradually reveal timeless sights and sounds.”

It’s somewhere we’d love to visit. How about you? Where do you think are the best places in Asia? Let us know in the comments.

Best places in Asia by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen, press play or find episode 225 in iTunes:

From super-budget to high-end, let’s look at some of the accommodation options for travellers.

Roughing it

Whether it’s sleeping in the airport, on a beach, or in the wilderness, anywhere you don’t have a bed to sleep in or a roof over your head counts as roughing it. It might be inevitable at some point in your travels — even business men sleep in airports sometimes — and it might be your preferred way to sleep. If you’re planning on roughing it a lot, make sure you take a sleeping bag that’s suitable to the conditions, and scout around for any possible dangers before setting up your bed.

As a guest

Staying with friends and family can be a great way to travel, but it doesn’t necessarily save you much money. Sure, you’re not paying for accommodation, but it’s important to buy a gift and perhaps take your hosts out for a meal — and not at McDonald’s. Remember to be polite, and to not spread your stuff out all over the house.

Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is similar to staying with friends or family, except that you don’t actually know your hosts. Before you set off to your destination, you can log on to a website like couchsurfing.org or hospitalityclub.org and look for hosts in the place you’re heading to. Then you can get in touch with them via email and hopefully they will offer you a place to stay.

Make sure you approach potential hosts as far in advance as possible, and it’s okay to contact a few people. Some users don’t check their emails as often as you might like, and others don’t contact you if they can’t host you.

The benefit of couchsurfing is that your host is a local, and by being part of the network, it probably interested in travelling. They can recommend the best places to visit, and might even show you around a bit. Be wise though, don’t stay with someone you don’t like the look of — if you’re new to couchsurfing, consider travelling with a partner first.

See: How to couchsurf and Why couchsurfing is perfect for couples.

Take your home with you

Spaceship at Kaikoura

The type of accommodation you choose will also be influenced by the type of travel you’re doing. For a road trip, a campervan might be your best option — for the budget version, just throw a tent in the boot of your car.

The benefit of taking your home with you is that you have freedom to stop when you want to. You could sleep at a beach, beside a river, or in a supermarket car park if the fancy takes you. Of course, there are holiday parks where you can power up and take a shower, and some people will choose to stay at one of those every night of the trip. The size of the campervan you choose will be determined by the size of the group and the amount of space you need — but you don’t need a lot.

We like the Spaceship model — a people-mover car converted into a mini-campervan. There’s sleeping space for two people, a fridge, a DVD player and everything you need for cooking. It’s great for exploring in summer, and since it’s a car it’s easy to drive. See Spaceships in New Zealand, Australia and Britain.

Hostel — dorm

Hostelling is one of the most well-known budget options, and the traditional way to do it is to stay in a dorm with between three and thirty other people. This has its pros and cons. It’s cheap (much cheaper than staying in a hotel), and it’s a great way to meet fellow travellers. But dorm rooms can be noisy, and and your dorm-mates might not have the greatest consideration for you or your belongings.

SEE: 7 reasons hostels suck and 7 reasons hostels rock.

When choosing a hostel to stay in, check out the ratings on the website you’re booking on. Make sure it has high safety, location and cleanliness ratings – “fun” usually means “raucousness” and so a low rating is what I look for there. A smaller dorm is usually going to be quieter than a large one, and if you’re a girl a female-only dorm might be worth considering. Also check out the facilities — if you’re planning on self-catering, a kitchen is important, and if you’re a flashpacker check that wifi is available.

Booking cheap accommodation through http://indietravelpodcast.com/hostels earns Indie Travel Podcast a small commission.

Hostel — private room

A slightly more expensive option that retains all the benefits of hostelling but few of the disadvantages, is to book a private room in a hostel. More and more hostels these days provide private rooms, and some also come with an ensuite. This can be a lot cheaper than a hotel, and you still get the advantage of a kitchen, book exchange and lounge to meet other travellers in.

Budget hotel

A new breed of hotel has started to emerge, which don’t have all the features you might expect from a hotel, but also don’t have the high price tag. In Europe the more ell-known ones are Hotel Formule 1 and Etap, and there are other options as well. You’ll always have a private room, but you might have to share a bathroom, and sometimes there is no-one on duty overnight. Investigate the oddities of your hotel online before you book.

Motel

Despite their slightly seedy reputation, a motel might be just what you’re after. Since they are generally located on the outskirts of town, you’ll probably need your own transport to get there — hence the name “motor hotel”. Holiday parks often have cabins or private rooms which offer similar features to motel rooms — namely a private room that opens outside, ensuite and tea and coffee making facilities. Many motel rooms also have a kitchen, so if self-catering is a priority, a motel room might be a good option.

Guesthouse/pension/bed and breakfast

Guesthouses, pensions and bed and breakfasts are usually a lot smaller than your standard hotel. You might be boarding in a private house, or there might be up to twenty bedrooms available. You’ll usually have a private bathroom, but not always. They can be a great place to stay, since they are all unique — you don’t tend to get the plastic standardisation of hotels. The owner is often your host, which adds to the experience if he or she is a bit quirky (and hosts often seem to be quirky!).

Vacation rental

If you’re travelling with a group of people, and plan to stay in one place for a while, consider renting an entire house or apartment for the duration of your stay. You may have to pay per person, but usually you pay one price regardless of how many people are staying, which can be very economical if you have a large group.

See our experience of an apartment rental in Roomorama review: our first apartment rental.

House swap

Similarly, if you’re heading out on holiday with your family to one destination, and you’re likely to be staying there for a week or more, it might be worth looking into swapping houses with someone who lives in your destination. You live in their house, they live in yours. Along with some cheap international flights, you could be having a holiday for less than the cost of staying at home! This style of holiday was made famous by Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz in the movie “The Holiday” — and that all worked out well!

Hotel

Finally, there’s the hotel. It definitely isn’t the budget option, but you can often find a good deal by looking at websites like booking.com, lastminute.com or wotif.com — make sure you check out what facilities are available before you book. Although you’ll get a private room with ensuite, hotels are quite impersonal, and it’s difficult to meet other travellers even if there’s a bar. I also found that I have higher expectations of hotels, and am often disappointed at what I get for the price I pay.

Wherever you choose to sleep, make sure you take advantage of what your accommodation has to offer — have a spa bath if you’ve got one in your hotel room, hang out in the hostel lounge or swim in the holiday park’s pool. But above all, enjoy yourself!

Travel Accommodation Options by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Bergen was the first capital of Norway so it has plenty of accessible history. In fact it is the city’s history that is advertised the most — from the medieval churches to the famous bryggen, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed quayside. The historical buildings are amazing, but what I enjoyed most was wandering through all the neighbourhoods and side streets, which boast colourful buildings and quirky stores fronts; it’s in these smaller areas that you really get to see Bergen’s personality.

The view of Bergen from Mount Fløyfjellet.

Quite a colourful neighborhood.

The view from the bridge.

Beautiful painted windows outside Donkirken.

One of the small alleyways inside the neighbourhoods.

This pond is in the city center and gives you a great view of the surrounding mountains.

A peek inside the best antique store I've ever seen.

Some beautiful old homes in an old Bergen neighborhood.

For more on Norway, check out our Norway page.

Beauteous Bergen, Norway – in photos by Taylor McIntyre was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Five ways to experience Bolivia:

Take the hard-core tour to the Salt Flats

The stunning Salar de Uyuni is Bolivia’s “must-see” attraction. With the right tour, you can experience dazzling natural beauty before you even lay eyes on the salt! But don’t just do the two-day tour, as you miss all the raw, natural scenery, as well as the opportunity to live on the barest of necessities. No hot water, minimal electricity and no heating for four nights at below-zero degrees temperatures: if you can handle that, you can handle anything. Freeze your fingers off, while focusing your camera on the pink flamingos of Laguna Colorada. Climb up onto crazily shaped rocks in the natural rock desert. Stew away in the natural hot springs (the closest thing to a bath you’ll get!) and stay in a hotel made completely out of salt! Unbeatable experiences…

Uyuni salt flats

Delve into the street-market delicacies

Especially worthwhile if on a tight budget, food markets can contain some delicious surprises. If you’re not too put off by the surroundings, there’s no harm in exploring busy, white-tiled food mercados. Try a cheese empanada hot or cold from a street seller, or splurge on a hamberguesa with chips inside and as much sauce as you can fit on. For a healthier treat, head to the central food mercado where you’ll find the fresh fruit stalls and the classic row of smoothie bars. The market in Sucre is great for fresh fruit salads and smoothies.

Sucre Fruit Market

Live among the locals on Isla del Sol

Lake Titicaca’s most famous island is a main tourist stop, yet with no cars, most of the island without hot water and electricity, it’s about as basic as it gets! Skip the normal day-tour, and make your own way to Cha’llapampa, a small village on the north of the island near the famous ruins. Here you’ll find a secret hippy paradise, where you can pitch tents on the beach, watch the sunset and get back to the basics.

Fiesta in Sucre

If camping is too much, then there are plenty of family-run hostels, both on the beach and up on the hill. The town is calm and rural, and the locals are quiet but friendly, especially if you speak Spanish. Tip: order fresh Lake Titicaca trout from one of the few restaurants; it’s the best you’ll get.

Stay around for a fiesta!

Nothing says South America like a fiesta. It’s the prime time get involved with culture, and feel the electric buzz of life vibrating through the streets. You’ll see families of all generations coming together and celebrating with neighbours, with Bolivian food, music, dancing and pride. Oruro holds one of South America’s most famous carnivals, from February 12-16 . Even 3,700m up in the Bolivian mountains in the cold thin air, the streets fill with dancing, parades and brass bands. However, if you miss this, you may still be lucky enough to catch other electric events in Sucre and La Paz.

Go wild in the wilderness

Bolivia is rife with rugged, unspoilt countryside: both desert and jungle. There’s no better place in South America to explore your wild side. Go horse-riding in Tupiza — Bolivia’s wild west — where the legend of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid ended. If jungle is more your thing, take a trip to the Amazon, and explore the wildlife in Las Pampas. Or if you’re an adrenaline junkie, there’s always the thrilling bike tour down the infamous ‘Death Road’, outside La Paz. Whatever your thing may be, Bolivia’s the best place to go wild.

Fiesta on Isla Del Sol

For more on Bolivia, check out our Bolivia travel page.

Things to do in Bolivia by Stephanie Mitchell was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

We’re not Americans, but the nature of the law they are looking to pass will have a severe impact on the entire internet. The law is pushed forward by pressure groups that don’t really understand how the internet works. I’d say that’s true of 99.99% internet users — including us. So when the world’s formost internet engineers tell us these laws will make the internet less stable and less safe for all users, we know there’s a problem.

If you are an American citizen, we encourage you to contact your political representatives. There’s an easy way to do that right here.

What is SOPA/PIPA?

Take a look at this video… then get pissed off. You have our permission.

Indie Travel Podcast against SOPA/PIPA by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen to this podcast, hit play or find episode 224 in iTunes:

Layout

Auckland is a very spread-out city, with a land area almost equalling that of Los Angeles — but it spreads north and south rather than in all directions, as it’s situated on a narrow isthmus. Auckland’s four main regions recently merged to create a “super-city” with one governing body, but the geographical divisions remain: across the Harbour Bridge from the central city is the North Shore, to the west is Waitakere (with the Waitakere Ranges parklands behind the suburban sprawl), and South Auckland (the ex-Manukau City) is, surprisingly, to the south.

The central business district is centred around Queen Street, which runs from the harbour south (up) to Karangahape (“K”) Road. Quay Street runs along the waterfront, with Viaduct Harbour at its western end and Britomart Transport Centre a little to the east of Queen Street. At the top of Queen Street, following K Road to the east will take you to to the Auckland Domain, and westwards is trendy Ponsonby.

Accommodation

Auckland has the full range of places to stay. High-end options include the Hilton, the Stamford Plaza, and the Skycity Grand Hotel at the base of the Sky Tower. For budget hotels, try Jucy Hotel, or see what wotif.com has to offer.

There are a wide range of hostels to choose from, most of which have both dorm beds and private rooms available. Be aware that you might be charged extra for linen, as many hostels expect you to bring your own sleeping bag.

Food

As a vibrant multi-cultural city, Auckland has quality food on offer from all over the world. Takeaway options include sushi, kebabs, pizza, Chinese, Korean and a whole lot more. Make sure you drop into a bakery or dairy (convenience store) and try a hot meat pie — it’s traditional. Another great cheap eat is fish and chips — you’ll find a fish and chip shop in every suburb, and a feast on the beach is a great way to start the weekend.

The meat in New Zealand is second-to-none, so make sure you have a juicy steak or dig into some lamb shanks if you’re so inclined — animals in New Zealand have a good life before they hit your plate, so there’s no guilt required.

Check out what to eat and drink in New Zealand.

Transport

Sadly, Auckland’s public transport isn’t the most comprehensive, since the population density is so low. You’ll be fine walking around the city, but if you want to venture further afield you’re better off hiring a car. Taxis are generally safe and well-priced, though it’s usually easier to call ahead for one than trying to hail one on the street.

When you arrive, you’ll likely arrive at the Auckland International Airport. Getting away from there is an expensive enterprise unless you get someone to pick you up. The Airbus is probably your best bet — to the city it’s $16 one-way, $26 return. A taxi could be a little cheaper if there’s three or more of you, depending on your destination.

If you decide to brave the public transport, you’ll probably be catching the bus. The train network has improved recently, but doesn’t cover very much of the city. Buy your ticket for the bus from the driver — just state your destination and the driver will tell you the price. A day pass will probably save you some cash if you’re planning to do a lot of travelling in one day, and if you’re staying in the city for a while it might be worth getting a Hop card. It’s a tag-on, tag-off card that you load with money and can also use to make small purchases in some shops. You get a discount off the cash fare and can travel for free on the red City Link buses with a Hop card. Check out maxx.co.nz for more information.

Auckland transport information

Attractions — free

Auckland’s a city where a wander around will be rewarded. Explore posh Ponsonby, edgy Kingsland and the always-busy Viaduct and brand-new Wynyard Quarter, then head further afield to a suburb of your choice. Mission Bay is worth a visit, for a swim in summer or a coffee any time. There are a lot of parks to explore and relax in, or choose a beach you like the look of — Piha being the best-known surf beach.

Head out to the Waitakere Ranges (west) to do some short day walks, have a picnic at the top of one of Auckland’s many volcanic hills, and visit Otara markets (south) for fresh fruit and veges, clothes and knick-knacks.

New Zealand is well-known for its wines and there are four wine regions within day-trip distance from Auckland. Matakana to the north, Kumeu to the northwest, Clevedon to the south, and Waiheke Island — a 45-minute ferry ride away. Most wineries won’t charge you for tastings (except on Waiheke), but it’s polite to buy something if you can, especially if there’s a large group of you.

Attractions — seasonal

In summer, Auckland is buzzing with free events, mostly held in the parks which dot the city. Music in Parks tends to be held in smaller reserves, while the big events like Christmas in the Park are held in the enormous Domain.

Auckland University’s annual Summer Shakespeare is also held outside, on the grounds of the University ($25 per person), and the Lantern Festival to celebrate Chinese New Year is held just across the road in Albert Park.

Other events that are held at various times throughout the year include the Pasifika Festival in March, the Comedy Festival in May, and the Film Festival in July. Plus, there are many sporting events to attend, from school competitions to premier events — notably the Rugby World Cup, which took place in 2011. And hopefully the America’s Cup yacht race will be held here again soon! Check out the Auckland Council website for event listings.

Attractions — paid

Auckland has the regular offerings — a good museum and art gallery (recently refurbished and reopened), an aquarium (Kelly Tarlton’s) and an amusement park (Rainbow’s End). But its real attraction lies in its natural beauty, so spend your sightseeing money on seeing the sights. Catch a ferry to Rangitoto Island ($27 pp return) and hike to the top of the volcanic peak. Or you could visit Waiheke Island ($35 pp return) or Great Barrier ($85 pp return, $120 during holiday season) but each of these really require more than a day. The zoo is worth a visit if you’re travelling with kids, and while you’re out there drop into the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).

A trip to the top of the Sky Tower is a must (NZ$28), and you can even bungy off it if you want ($195 for backpackers). The Harbour Bridge also has a bungy option (NZ$150), or you could do the Harbour Bridge Climb (NZ$120) if you think you’d look good in their attractive jumpsuits.

See more things to do in Auckland

Guidebooks

Lonely Planet’s Auckland guide is compact and useful, and you’ll find comprehensive information in their New Zealand guide as well. Rough Guides has a New Zealand guide, and Wallpaper’s Auckland guide is beautiful and informative. And Offbeat Guides will create a personalised guide for you using information sourced online.

Where to next?

You’ve probably flown in to Auckland from overseas, so you definitely need to see more of New Zealand. Hire or buy a car and head north for a few days then go south to explore more of the North Island. You need at least 10 days to see the North Island, and you can take your car on the ferry across to the South Island — allow two weeks minimum. You can fly out of Christchurch, so leave your car there and head to Australia or a nice Pacific Island such as Fiji or Samoa.

Travel in Auckland, New Zealand by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

For a big overview of travel safety, check out our new Travel Safety book. You can get a free preview of it at the end of this article. But now, down to your questions…

I have heard that it is a good idea to scan a couple of key documents, such as passport, and then email them to yourself. Can you guys think of any other similar documents? ~ James

It definitely is. It’s a good plan to keep a colour photocopy of your passport handy as your first piece of ID.

Scanning — or even taking a photo — of your passport photo page and any necessary visas is a good backup. We keep ours saved on our phones, on dropbox, and have a copy in our email too. (You want to have secure, unique passwords for all those services.)

Apart from those, we scan and keep copies of:

• Insurance policies
• Drivers licences
• Bank statement/overview
• Photos of high-value things (showing serial numbers where possible), in case we need them in an insurance claim

How about secret stash travel tips? Like huff.to/x5lw9i? ~ Joshua

Safety around Bangkok or similar cities for young travellers .. Where to store passports/money etc how to keep away from trouble ?? ~Sam

These two are pretty similar… and both point to concerns about either petty theft or violent crime while you travel. We rely on credit cards and an emergency cash transfer rather than a secret supply of cash if we get robbed. We always make sure there’s a card left behind at our accommodation: you’ve hit really bad luck if your hostel or apartment gets robbed at the same time you get mugged!

We’ve heard of or seen people store cash in shoes, seams in their bags or clothes, in specially bought belts with hidden pockets. We normally don’t bother unless we’re carrying a decent amount of cash. We split it between our two bags and our persons — and we do use a money belt if we’re feeling uncomfortable. We lock our bags shut if we’re not with them and, where possible, secure them in a locker or place valuables in a room safe.

The question of whether to use a room safe, reception safe, or carry your most valuable possessions has so many variables, we spent a whole chapter of Travel Safety: Safety Tips For Personal And Corporate Travellers trying to answer it. The preview you can get at the end of the article has a few tips on staying out of trouble in general, and the whole book has plenty more.

I was wondering if you wear your money belt every day or just on long-distance traveling days (i.e. leave it safe in the hotel room during the day while you’re at the museum)? ~ Heidi

It’s a tough one! It depends on how secure we feel with:
a) Where we are.
b) Where we are going.
c) Where our bags will be stored.
d) our general energy levels.

As a rule of thumb, we take our passports and some money with us in a moneybelt if we are staying in a public place like a hostel and we don’t think we can securely lock them up.

How much money do people carry? With ATM’s across the world, you normally don’t have to carry that much, but having a few hundred USD stashed away has gotten me out of some big binds, especially in the middle of nowhere with no ATMs. ~Spencer

It’d be interesting to hear what you carry, readers!

Since we got caught without access to ATMs following the 2010 Chilean earthquake we decided to keep two days worth of food and board money on us at all times. Once we hit that point, we tend to make the biggest possible withdrawal from an ATM (around US$500 in most countries) because we get charged each time we make a withdrawal. This seems like an OK balance between the risk of losing that much money and the cost of withdrawals.

If we’re coming up to a border though, we might let that reserve money drift down to nothing, as we know what kind of rates we’ll get from an ATM withdrawal, but we’ve often been left with currency that can only be changed at a poor exchange rate.

Your thoughts on overnight trains in Europe especially for people on their own – a friend was robbed while she slept a couple of years back and you always hear these rumours (esp Eastern Europe) but I’m reluctant to believe it’s much of a risk? ~Amanda

You’re right — the chance of it happening is real, but very low. You can minimise the chances of being robbed while you sleep on a train by securing the locks on your bag, and padlocking the whole thing to a support. Some people carry lightweight bike wires to do this with — we tend to improvise.

Train passing through Switzerland

You might have a handbag or small backpack with your valuables in it. You’ll definitely want to secure this — both locks on zips and have it attached to something. I normally keep mine right beside my head (on the walled side of the compartment) or treat it as a deformed teddybear.

Having your bag attached to something means it’ll be hard to snatch and run, and give you enough time to wake up and scream… which will bring help pretty fast.

On a similar theme, if you’re going to sleep in a train compartment, you’re best to choose one that has (nice-looking!) people in it. If you have the whole compartment to yourself, there is a chance that less salubrious people may wish to share it with you.

Do you have something to add, or have more travel safety questions? Ask them in the comments below.

Get a free preview of Travel Safety

Travel Safety: Safety Tips For Personal And Corporate Travellers is available for just $9.99 and can safe you endless worrying. But you can also get a free preview and more information by signing up below:

What you want to know about travel safety | Community wisdom by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen to this podcast, hit play or find episode 223 in iTunes:

You might also like to read Safe travel for solo women in South East Asia.

Health

See a travel doctor before you go

Always see a travel doctor before you head away. Check you have the right vaccinations, and that you understand the symptoms of dangerous diseases that are current in your destinations.

Harden up, and get the shots!

They’ll also be able to tell you about the legality and availability of your normal prescriptions and other medical needs.

This stuff is changing all the time: new diseases pop up, or new strains of old diseases. A specialist travel doctor will be plugged into this data and be able to give you up-to-date advice.

Local doctors will, of course, have more current information that those that don’t often travel to that region. It can be hard to contact them in advance, but definitely heed their advice too.

Keep bug free

There are truly spectacular forests, farmland and waterways to explore, right throughout the continent, but there’s always a high concentration of bugs around too!

Amongst other diseases, mosquitos carry malaria — at present they’re mainly non-fatal strains, but they’re still pretty aggressive. You should certainly discuss the malaria risk levels with your travel doctor. Help avoid getting bitten by:

• Cover up your arms a legs with long sleeves.
• Using a DEET-based insect repellent.
• Using mosquito nets when stationary.
• Consider carrying a plug-in bug repellant.
• Consider investing in mosquito-repellant clothing.

We’ve often found holes in the mosquito nets in places we’ve stayed. Sew or pin these back together or use sticking plasters or electrical tape to close the gaps.

There are often extra bugs around during and after Monsoon season (months). Be extra cautious then.

Food and drink

Always eat local. It's delicious.

It’s always best to eat local! And in Asia that means plenty of rice and noodles as your carbohydrates and proteins from whatever local sources are available.

If everyone around you is downing pho, avoid ordering the rare steak and chips. Unless you have an experienced chef, they’re not likely to prepare foreign food properly. The same guidelines apply in mainly vegetarian countries: enjoy the veges and save the steak for premier restaurants.

In some regions, tap water may contain contagious diseases. If in doubt, treat water by boiling, filtering or using a chemical purification technique. We carry an Ecousable bottle with us, which helps a lot. It doesn’t get rid of the taste of bad water though!

Ice can also contain these bugs, if the ice is made from tap water. Always check the ice you are drinking or using is made from filtered water — preferably from a commercial distributor.

Locally produced spirits are a boon to budget travellers and those looking to cut loose can do little better than a bucket of Thailand’s finest. But every year people die from over-indulging in these, or running into a bad batch. If it doesn’t seem right, send it back.

Safety

Terrorist threats

Let’s get this one out of the way first! The chance of encountering a terrorist attack on your travels in minimal. Pretty much insignificant. Never let the fear of terrorist attacks stop you from travelling.

A safety advisory from your government should give you an overall idea of risk, and you can get an inexpensive personalised report from a travel security company if you feel the need.

For advice on dealing with bomb threats, gunfire and other dangers, pick up a copy of Travel Safety: Safety Tips For Personal And Corporate Travellers.

Riots and political unrest

If there is significant political unrest in your destination, consider postponing the trip. Details from advisors and travellers on the ground can help you decide if that’s necessary.

If trouble is brewing, consider leaving the area. Your embassy or an international organisation may be able to help with evacuation if things are really serious.

This smart car hasn't been left in the smartest of places

Stay away from riots: either stay in your hotel room (make sure you have sufficient water and snacks) or ensure you’re staying away from hotspots. As a traveller, it’s not your fight — and the army or anti-riot troops are unlikely to be able to distinguish you from rioters.

If you’re caught on the street as a riot comes past, seek shelter in a store or private residence.

Border crossings, petty theft and scams

There are hundreds of potential scams, bribes and cons that surround border crossings in Asia, especially the more isolated land borders.

You can read up on border scams, cons and other issues on the following links:

• Scams, cons and other nasty travel stories
• Scams at borders and security checks
• Con artists and traps
• Distractions and theft

(Make sure you add your own experiences and advice.)

Learn all you need to know

Travel Safety: Safety Tips For Personal And Corporate Travellers is now available — and has all the safety advice you need. Get a free preview and more information today:

Health and safety in Asia – Is it safe to travel in Asia? by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Street crime and opportunists

If you are unlucky enough to have any problems with criminals during your travels, it’s likely to be with opportunists: pickpockets and petty thieves who are after an easy, non-violent way to separate you from your valuables. In five years of full-time travel in fifty countries, pickpocketing has been the most common criminal problem we’ve encountered. And in five years, it has only happened to us twice.

Pickpockets

This advice will help you stay clear of most pickpockets.

• Always stick to well-lit and busy areas, but avoid public transport and stations during rush hour.
• Don’t wander around with a map or guidebook in your hands: if you get lost, duck into a café to get your bearings.
• If you’ve only got today’s cash in your wallet or pocket, you won’t lose much. Some people carry a dummy wallet in their back pocket, while their real one is zipped inside a jacket pocket or carried in their front pocket.
• Don’t carry, or show, valuable things in poor areas. Leave jewellery and electronics locked in a safe, not on display.
• If you use a moneybelt to store valuable documents and cash, keep it secret and keep it safe.
• Be especially alert in markets and, if anyone bumps you, check for your wallet… they might be that good.
• If you can handle the fashion faux-pas, consider buying trousers with zippable pockets: they make it that much tricker for pickpockets.
• Always lock bags with a sturdy padlock, and carry backpacks or messenger bags in front of you in high-risk areas.

Bag cutting

A sign like this is a dead giveaway!

When pickpockets can’t find their way into your bags through the normal methods of sliding open zips, they might take the risk of slicing open the bottom of your bag with a knife. This is often done by small groups, with many hands making quick work of all your possessions as they fall to the ground.

To deter this type of theft, use a bag with hefty material, rather than lightweight nylon or silk bags. Carry the bag in front of you, rather than on your back. Don’t be seen to be putting valuable things into the bag and, if you are carrying laptops or electronics, put them into suspended pockets within the bag, rather than in the main compartment. Additionally, putting something bulky like a jacket in the bottom of the bag might stop things from falling out if it is cut open.

Some companies, such as PacSafe, produce bags with “slash-proof” features but you pay for this security with a significantly weightier bag.

Snatch and run

Snatch-and-run crimes are more aggressive, but normally non-violent. In these cases, the criminals will cut a strap, pull sharply to break a strap, or simply make a grab at a loose item such as a purse, smartphone or camera — then run. They might have partners to distract you or to slow down a chase, or they might use a motorcycle or scooter to race up behind someone and get away almost before you know what is happening.

At particular risk for these crimes are electronics hanging from neck straps, like DSLR cameras or MP3 players and cellphones on a lanyard. A quick-fingered person running a knife near the back of your neck is never a good thing, and the weight of these electronics mean they drop swiftly into their hand. Messenger bags looped from one shoulder are also at high risk, especially when carried behind you. You’ll notice it going, but might not be able to do much about it.

Motorbike snatch-and-ride

Perhaps the most dangerous snatch-and-run technique is when criminals use a motorcycle or scooter. One person will drive, while the snatcher rides pillion behind them. They will drive up onto the pavement or target a person walking near the roadside and grab at a loose-hanging bag or handheld purse, relying on the speed of the bike to break any straps. However, occasionally the straps don’t break, and the victim will be dragged along the roadside, unable to disentangle themselves.

It’s very unlikely the criminals will let go of their prize: the tighter you hold, the more value they will assume they have found. Our advice in this case is to keep yourself as unharmed as possible: let go, get out of the straps, do whatever you must to avoid being dragged behind the vehicle.

Travel Safety advice

This is an excerpt from the book, Travel Safety. Get a free preview of that here:

How to avoid pickpockets and bag-snatchers as you travel by Craig Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

It’s available from our new Travel Safety Book website as well as from the Indie Travel Podcast travel books page. And we’re giving away three copies in the next week. You can enter here. The competition is now closed.

Craig Bidois and Craig Martin - co-authors of Travel Safety

This book is part of year-long collaboration between Craig Bidois from Fearfree and me. We’ve previously done podcasts on lessons from the Chilean earthquake, surviving a natural disaster, travel safety and security. You can read more about the Travel Safety book authors here.

We talk about a whole load of topics in the book, from the mundane airport and border security issues, pickpockets and con artists to the unusual — terrorist attacks, finding landmines, kidnap and sexual assault. Combining Bidois’s experiences in United Nations and private security training with my everyday travel stories, we’ve created a comprehensive travel safety book.

Why don’t you take a look at it, and try to win yourself a copy. The competition is now closed. You can get a free preview here though:

Travel Safety book is here by Craig Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

You can visit as part of an organised tour, or take advantage of the visitor centre’s four free visits every weekday (five on Saturday, three on Sunday). Make sure to time your visit with the showing of the movie which precedes the tour, as it will give you more understanding about what you’re about to see, as well as filling your brain with overwhelming statistics about how much electricity is produced each day and each year. The video covers the history of construction as well as giving up-to-date statistics about production.

After the video, you’ll be shown to a coach which will drive you around the dam, with a stop at a lookout so you can take panoramic photos. The coach drives up onto the retaining wall between the dam lake and the spillway so that you can see both sides at once, before returning to the access road back to the visitor centre.

Entrance is free, the only cost the 3,000 guarani bus fare each way… making a total spend of less than US$2.

For more on Paraguay, check out our Paraguay page.

Itaipu Dam, Paraguay by Linda Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

If it wasn’t for you, Indie Travel Podcast would have died a long time ago. Instead, it’s growing.

Listen to this podcast about our travel resolutions for 2012, or find episode 222 in iTunes:

Wherever you go, go with all your heart

~ Confucius

I think Confucius had it right. There are times to hold back, to protect yourself, but there are also times to open up and charge ahead. If you’re trying to live life on the road, if you’re trying to start a business, if you’re saving for your dream trip; then get the plan right and go! Go with all your heart.

The Indie Travel Podcast Community

Cake for New Years!

This has been the first full year of running the social network and travel forums that we call the Indie Travel Podcast Community. Like anything new, there have been some teething problems, but we’re happy to see so many people asking questions, sharing knowledge, chatting away.

Indie Travel Podcast Community gives back

With the help of a little English teaching, we’re scraping by and able to fund our life on the road. But we all want to do more than that.

If we had big profits we’d be starting a foundation, but we don’t… So we work with you on and Kiva. In 2011, US$8,000 has been loaned to individuals, collectives, and micro-businesses throughout the world. Since we started at the end of 2010, $8,425 has been loaned through the Kiva team. Well done, Indie Travel Podcast Community!

The crazy thing, is that all that money has been generated by a team of only 15 people! I think we should have more than that next year? How about you? Click here to join our Kiva team, and we’ll try to double our loans in 2012.

By the numbers…

So how does Indie Travel Podcast look at the end of 2011?

Podcasts: 221
Community members: 729
Friendships per member: 1.35
Forum posts: 196
Total Kiva donations: US$8,425
Total Posts: 857
Total Pages: 145
Total Books: 5
Visitors in 2011: 362,500
Visitors since 2006: 758,100
Pageviews in 2011: 651,795
Pageviews since 2006: 1,514,000
Facebook community: 2,675

(All numbers estimates, as this was written on December 29th!)

So thank you to the 362,500 visitors we’ve had this year, and 729 community members for making this a fun place to come back to!

Our 2012 resolutions

This year we’d like to travel slowly — at least at first. We want to get a bit more immersed, and we’ve chosen Spain to try and make that happen.

What happens when Linda speaks Spanish?

In late February, we head towards Seville, Spain via Christchurch, Kuala Lumpur, and London. Then it’s the Camino de Santiago! The Via de la Plata, to be exact. We hope to finish on our 10th wedding anniversary: April 20th.

Then the immersion will start. We’ve picked a small city in Galicia, Spain to start with, and hopefully we can make things work there. We want it to be a time of work, friends, and fun. Linda wants to teach English, Craig wants to learn to surf. We hope to spend the summer there, but after that… We really don’t know!

On the table for the last few months of the year are: travelling Europe; heading down to north Africa or into the Middle East; crossing back to South America; or dropping down to South East Asia or the Pacific. I guess we’ll just have to figure it out when the time comes.

And you?

What are your plans or resolutions for travel in 2012? Are you saving? Are you going? Are you doing things differently? Let us know!

Thank you, Indie Travel Podcast Community! by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

The day started in a slightly surreal manner at the second-biggest rocking horse in the world. It was more of a rest stop than anything else — I didn’t see anyone buy toys from the gift shop, though a lot of people used the toilet and bought coffee at the cafe.

Next, we visited the Whispering Wall, an old water catchment dam which has the interesting feature of being able to transmit sound from one end to the other — we could hear each other talking from either end of the wall, which was cool.

Then, it was finally on to wine tasting. We started at Jacob’s Creek, one of Australia’s most well-known labels, who are well-equipped for hosting several large groups at a time, and have developed a slick system for getting as many people as possible into their tasting room. We enjoyed Simpatico Wines more, the next stop on our tour, because it was smaller and had more character — and the wines were better too. Our driver cooked up a barbecue lunch on the grounds of Simpatico and a bunch of us bought a bottle of wine from the cellar door to go with it.

The third stop, Richmond Grove, wasn’t the most exciting of wineries, but the final stop made up for it: Seppeltsfield not only offered a range of good wines, the tasting room also hosts a chocolate boutique.

The Groovy Grape tour is a good introduction to wine-tasting if you’re a beginner and don’t have your own car, but if you’re more of a connoisseur visiting some of the smaller wineries by car might be a better option.

Wine tasting in the Barossa Valley with Groovy Grape by Linda Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Click any image to view a larger version, or hit the slideshow button to view each month.

January

[Show as slideshow]

Our guide, Bender, nursing a baby kangaroo in Coober Pedy, Australia

Kings Canyon in NT.

A bird crosses the sunset over Henley Wharf, Adelaide, Australia.

Queenstown's iconic Shotover River in Otago, New Zealand.

February

[Show as slideshow]

This was our first visit to Arthurs Pass, and although we just had one night, it was an amazing place.

Crossing the Cook Strait on the Interislander ferry; first time back in the North Island for a while!

Amazing artistry at the Auckland lantern festival in Albert Park.

March

[Show as slideshow]

After the Canterbury earthquakes, Craig went to work on #blog4nz ... and this was his lunch on the stressful launch day.

Evenings and weekends were a time to walk in the Waitakere ranges in west Auckland.

Recently reburbished gallery in Monte Cecilia Park, Auckland. I've driven past millions of times, but never knew it existed!

Living out east, we love to see the sun setting over Rangitoto.

April

[Show as slideshow]

It was fun watching our friend Julie skydiving for her birthday in the Bay of Islands. Add it to the wishlist!

Craig took Tane Mahuta the spaceship to meet its namesake, stopping in at lots of Northland museums along the way.

From west to east, Craig visited all the historic places trust properties... and found a bunch of Linda's family heirlooms!

May

[Show as slideshow]

A wonderful way to celebrate our 9th anniversary: cruising the Bay of Islands on the Ipipiri.

Our favourite family-run attraction in the Bay of Islands: the Kawiti Glow worm caves

An indulgent treat in Paihia, before heading back to Auckland!

June

[Show as slideshow]

Linda's favourite Pacific breakfast: Eggs benedict.

Hiking up above Leigh's Goat Island marine reserve.

Hiking up above Leigh's Goat Island marine reserve.

July

[Show as slideshow]

Meeting Linda's family somewhere between Auckland and Tauranga.

Spotting dolphins with Dive! Tutukaka at the Poor Knights.

Craig's first-ever dive at the Poor Knights Marine reserve, thanks to Dive! Tutukaka.

August

[Show as slideshow]

Got down to two carry-on sized bags for all our luggage.

So excited to be back in Buenos Aires. We love that city.

We were amazed at the artwork on display in BsAs, but also in La Plata.

It was great to visit this little town again, as part of an Intrepid Travel trip to Rio de Janeiro.

September

[Show as slideshow]

We spent a few days on a ranch (estancia) in Uruguay.

The amazing Iguacu Falls -- we visited both the Argentine and the Brazilian side.

Paraty is a cute little town with a pedestrianised centre and lots of good restaurants around. Apparently there's great diving nearby.

A relaxing island experience, just a few hours from Rio de Janeiro. Great hiking, but too cold for us to swim more than once.

We had a weekend driving around the coast north of Rio with friends.

October

[Show as slideshow]

We visited three cities in Paraguay, but the Jesuit ruins really caught our attention.

Visiting a Wichi village in Salta, Argentina. Cloudhead.org is working with them to improve opportunities and quality of life.

Visiting a Wichi village in Salta, Argentina. Cloudhead.org is working with them to improve opportunities and quality of life.

November

[Show as slideshow]

Enjoyed a cultural show in Salta -- good food too!

We spent a lot of time at Salta's main attractions, hosted by Leigh and Noah from Cloudhead.

Coffee with medialunas (pastries) is a definitive Argentinean experience.

We finally managed to visit Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires as part of a massive week of tourism!

December

[Show as slideshow]

We walked from the Waitemata to the Manukau harbour on Auckland's coast to coast walkway.

Craig climbed over the Auckland harbour bridge!

Whenever we're in Auckland, we attend the Christmas in the Park concert. Cheesy, but champagne helps!

Those were a few of our favourite things. Thanks so much for sharing the year with us, and we look forward to inspiring, helping, and hearing more of your travel stories in 2012!

Do you have a favourite moment of 2011? What were some of your favourites?

2011 – A year in photos by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

A lot of people will be up to similar things right now: at home, on caravan holidays, or enjoying the family bach. A holiday, a chance to refresh yourself, and maybe a chance to refocus for the coming year. We travel all the time, but we very seldom holiday. It’s something we don’t do enough.

I wanted this year to be a year of big things. Not just travelling from place to place, but going to some big-name destinations and some big events. We’ve managed it, I think.

We’ve seen the Iguacu Falls; been to Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, and Auckland; tasted wine in Matakana, fresh fish in Brazil, barbecue in Argentina; we’ve been to UNESCO heritage sites, done my first scuba dive, and done a bridge climb, along with a million other things. 2011 has been an amazing year.

It’s also been a huge year for us with the Indie Travel Podcast Community. There’s now hundreds of people who have got a Community account, thousands who chat with us on Twitter and Facebook, and we’ve managed to publish more podcasts, new ebooks and hundreds of thousands of free words to help you travel well.

As any year rolls to an end, there’s always a chance to look back. To be honest, I wouldn’t change a thing about 2011. Not everything’s gone 100% to plan, but it never does. Life, however, is good.

What am I looking forward to in the coming year? It seems like 2012 will be a slow year: we’re in Auckland until February, walking the Camino de Santiago will take a month, we’ll set up in Spain for the northern summer, then probably head away to the southern hemisphere again to escape the oncoming winter. The goal isn’t to flit all over the place, but to try a more immersive travel experience.

There’s a lot of fun new things coming up for us this year, and a lot of trips coming for the Indie Travel Podcast Community too. We’re looking forward to doing it all with you.

A slow year is the perfect time to find cute hotels or holiday lodges on the beach, to wake up all sandy-headed then wander down to the beach again. I really hope we have the chance to do that along with the work, travel, and meet-ups. Who knows… this might finally be the year I learn to surf.

It’s summer here right now. The sun is shining, friends are on holiday. I’m putting down the laptop and heading out to find a beach. You’ve got to start the year right, whenever you can.

Keep an eye out for our end-of-year photo collection, coming soon.

On the end of 2011, and the start of 2012 by Craig Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

There’s an entrance fee to enter the camp, which includes an elephant show (check the times before you arrive, we saw the 9:30am one) but doesn’t cover a ride on an elephant — you’ll need to buy a separate ticket for that, and you’ll be given a time slot for your ride.

The starting place for elephant rides is towards the rear of the complex, where there’s an elephant-mounting structure — a wooden platform with spaces for the elephants to stand to collect and drop off passengers — all you have to do is step into the palanquin.

We opted for the half-hour trip, so our guide headed left along a well-trodden path. We saw others heading right, into the forest, perhaps they’d chosen a longer tour? The experience was surprisingly bumpy; as the elephant plodded along, especially up and down hills, we felt the effect of every footstep.

Along the way, we stopped in the river so our elephant could refresh itself, and picked up a bundle of food for the road. We also saw other elephants having a shower or relaxing in the sun; they seemed healthy and happy, and we heard that all the elephants get time in the forests every afternoon.

I’m still not sure how I feel about animals being used as tools for human enjoyment, but I feel that Maesa Elephant Camp have struck a good balance — they’re a good choice for your elephant-riding experience.

Riding an elephant near Chiang Mai, Thailand by Linda Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Planning

New Zealand forest, or “the bush” as it’s known, is dense and often combined with steep hills or mountainous country. There are few people passing through, and many areas are geographically remote as well. If you’re underprepared — and especially if you’re unfamiliar with the area — you can find yourself in trouble.

There are many trails maintained by the Department of Conservation or local city councils. Some of these are wide paths, well marked, and well-trodden. But if you’re hiking overnight, you’re likely to be on narrow tracks with multiple forks. Signage may be weather-damaged, vandalised, or simply not exist — you need a good guidebook or track description. There are excellent “topos”, topographical maps aimed at hikers available from many bookstores and regional outdoor stores. You can play with them online at Topomap New Zealand but unless you are very sure of your electronic equipment, do take in a physical copy.

Trail descriptions and community notes are available from New Zealand tramper.

Panorama of west coast beaches (click to enlarge)

Clothing

Good outdoor clothing is obviously preferable, and seasonal and regional needs vary widely.

Auckland is notorious for its four-seasons-in-one-day approach to weather, so carrying a light waterproof layer is worthwhile, even when starting out in fine weather. The Waitakere and Hunua ranges are also great at holding clouds and rain.

It’s not unusual for true tent-drenching downpours to kick in, leaving you scrambling to waterproof whatever you can. A breathable jacket and waterproof trousers can be a lifesaver, or do the typical Kiwi trick and wear a pair of shorts rather than trousers. It can be cold, but you don’t get that uncomfortable clingy feeling wet trousers leaves you with.

If hiking in winter, be prepared to hike through hail, frosty conditions, and snow in many parts of the country. Excellent boots are an essential requirement; you also need the correct clothing to keep yourself warm during extreme temperatures.

Equipment

Campsite on the Queen Charlotte Track

Open fires are illegal in DOC reserves and many other public areas in New Zealand. In order to cook or prepare hot drinks, a small gas burner or stove is needed, along with a lightweight pot and utensils.

Running water may be carrying giardia or other bugs. Make sure to carry purification tablets, or a filter system — even if you don’t plan to drink from rivers, you might get caught out for an extra day because of injury or weather conditions.

There are many camping huts throughout New Zealand, which can be booked in advance for your hikes. This cuts down on the amount of camping equipment you need to carry on many routes, as you can leave tents and non-emergency lighting behind. Check the hut notes or with DOC to see what facilities are available.

Carry everything in a lightweight backpack which transfers the weight down to your hips. We love the Aarn backpacks, created by a Cantabrian (i.e. a guy from Christchurch), for ultra light-weight performance packs.

Take care of your rubbish and pack out whatever you pack in. The burn, bash and bury technique doesn’t work with the growing number of people using these natural resources.

Safety

Don't disturb traps and poison baits.

There are very few poisonous creatures in New Zealand, but mosquitos and sandflies are irritating. Taking insect repellent with you is certainly good practice.

Wild boar and other large mammals can be aggressive if they feel threatened. It’s always best to leave them to their own business and get on with yours.

Sun, or more correctly UV radiation, is fierce in New Zealand so you’re likely to get sunburn very quickly. Take, and regularly use, a hat and SPF30 sunscreen or higher. Some people choose to hike in long sleeves during summer to minimise the risk of burns and skin cancer.

If you’re heading into the bush, always leave your plans with a friend and check in with them when you’re safely back. If no-one knows your route and expected return time, it’s possible that search and rescue teams will be deployed too late or too widely if you are injured or lost in the bush.

Our upcoming hikes

We’ve only got two months left in New Zealand, but we’ve got plenty of hiking planned. We hope to attempt:

• Day hikes in the Waitakere and Hunua ranges
• The Hillary Trail
• The Tongariro Crossing
• The Cape Brett Trail
• And, although it’s a lot of uphill, I’d like to sneak the Pinnacles in if possible.

Got any hiking advice, or places you’d love to walk? Tell us in the comments!

Going tramping — planning your summer hikes by Craig Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

If you intend to travel to Spain, you should consider using the train. The railroad network is managed by a state-owned company, Renfe, and boasts more than 15,000km of tracks linking dozens of cities across the country.

In fact, travelling by train has many advantages compared to other means of transport, and with a little planning you will be able to save a lot of money and time — meaning you can spend your holiday looking at beautiful monuments rather than being stuck in an airport terminal.

Discounts

Although train tickets may seem expensive at first glance, there are many ways to save money. The best way is to plan your trip ahead of time, and buy your tickets soon after they go on sale 62 days before the travel day.

• Renfe offers two bonus fares that are only available on the internet: Web (50% to 70% discount from regular fares) and Estrella or Star (30% to 40% discount).
• You can get a 20% discount if you hold an International Youth Travel Card.
• If you are a senior (60+ years old) you can benefit from discounts of up to 40% depending on which days of the week you want to travel on. You need to buy a Tarjeta Dorada (Golden Card) at any train station in Spain and use it to purchase your tickets. It will only cost you €5 (less than US$7).
• Kids aged 4-14 receive a 40% discount.

A regular ticket from Madrid to Seville costs around €135 (US$183) but if you get in early enough to buy a Web fare, you can get it for €75 (US$100). However, discounts are not cumulative so you can only benefit from one at a time.

The views from Spanish trains can be amazing

Don’t wait around

Spanish trains are very punctual. You know when you’re going to leave and when you will arrive. I wish I could say the same for planes or for travelling by car — traffic is unpredictable and planes seem to be hit by delays more and more often. In my eight years in Spain, the AVE from Seville to Madrid has been late only once and it was because of major works on the railroad network. Plus, I got a full refund because the train arrived 43 minutes after the scheduled arrival time!

While it may seem faster to travel by air, train travel can actually be quicker if you look at the door-to-door journey time. By the time you get to and from the airport, check and collect your bag, go through security and get on and off the plane… that one-hour flight time has multiplied considerably.

I’ve travelled several times from Seville to Madrid by plane. If everything goes perfectly, with no traffic or delays, it takes me at least one additional hour to get to my final destination using the plane compared to taking the train.

You don’t need to be at the station long before the train departs, 20 minutes will be enough. And security controls are very light; it will only take a minute to go through them.

Arrive in the centre of town

Train vs car rental: what’s more convenient?

Apart from the traffic, travelling by car has three major inconveniences. The first is that driving can be exhausting. So by the time you get there you may want to rest or some sights may already be already closed.

Secondly, the parking hassle. Most European (and especially Spanish) cities have old city centres that weren’t designed for cars so you need to know in advance where the parking lots are and how to get there. Plus, these parking lots are generally very expensive.

Finally, rental cars can be expensive: In addition to the hire fee, insurance costs and petrol prices, returning a rental car in a different city from the one you picked it up in can cost you a fortune.

Spanish trains are very comfortable

In contrast, when travelling by train you’re not doing the work of navigating and driving, you can just enjoy the view. The train will usually deposit you in the city centre, not far from your accommodation, so you don’t have to find parking. And you know exactly how much you’ll be paying for your trip in advance, there’s no nasty extra charges.

Comfort

A train is much more comfortable than a plane or a bus. It’s wider and safer so you can walk to stretch your legs or go to the cafeteria for a drink. Besides, if you book a sleeping train you can lie down to sleep — an option not available on very many planes or buses! Oh, and you can also talk on the phone at any time (but don’t bother your neighbours).

I have to confess that I’m a big fan of trains, and I use them both in Spain and abroad whenever I can. You can call me a romantic but it sometimes feels like travelling as the 19th century explorers did. And I’ve had great experiences sharing my time with locals.

Have you recently travelled by train in Spain? (Sorry about the rhyme.)
Tell us your adventure in the comments below.

Take the train: the best way to travel around Spain by Sandra Vallaure was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen to this travel podcast, hit play below or find episode 221 for free in iTunes:

English Opens Doors

La Programa Inglés Abre Puertas, or English Opens Doors is a government-run program in Chile, South America. It’s a mid-length volunteer program, with volunteers signing up for one or more school terms. Talking with Dave, and hearing his story, was an opportunity to see how well it fits for the Indie Travel Podcast Community.

Dave with campers at English camp

You work as a classroom assistant in a Chilean classroom, and in return for your assistance in planning and in the classroom, you get:

• Health insurance
• A one week orientation
• Transport from Santiago de Chile to your placement
• A homestay family
• An online Spanish course
• 60,000 CHP a month stipend (about US$115 or UK£75)

Get more information or sign up for the next intake

Dave’s story

After travelling Europe, Dave wondered what was next. Looking online for volunteer opportunities outside of the USA, he found English Opens Doors through Idealist.org. A few months later he was flying into Lima, then overlanding down to Santiago… And no idea what he was getting himself into.

Panguipulli - with Dave and a friend

Getting off that bus in Panguipulli was the start of something amazing. He made such connections in the small town of Panguipulli that he’s heading back for Christmas this year!

The work itself involved planning, then “a lot of conversation, a lot of singing, a lot of dancing, a lot of fun”. Working with a local teacher certainly helps with a lot of the classroom management issues faced by people teaching English abroad.

Find episode 221 in iTunes to hear more about Dave’s experiences.

Sign up for English Opens Doors

Check out our Chile travel advice, or discover how to volunteer in Argentina with Cloudhead.

Volunteer in Chile with English Opens Doors by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

We were travelling around Laos with the Stray backpacker bus in Laos and found it a good compromise between a tour and using the slow and unreliable local transport.

Young monks on a bridge, Laos [photo] by Craig Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

The system is known as the subte, short for subterranean (“underground” in Spanish), and this is what you’ll see on the brightly-coloured metro signs. There are six lines, mostly operating on a hub-and-spoke system radiating out from the downtown area, though line C (blue) breaks the mould by intersecting the others, linking the two train stations of Concepción and Retiro. The new line H runs parallel to line C.

Major intersections are near the Obelisk landmark, and near the cathedral in the Plaza de Mayo — in both of these locations three lines cross and you can change between lines within the system, without having to pay again. Oddly, though, the stations have different names according to which line they’re on, so in the same location you’ll find Cathedral on line D, Peru on line A, and Bolivar on line E. Subte lines are distinguished by letter and colour; when you see a subte sign you’ll know which line it’s on by its colour, which makes it easy to find the right station.

The station signs are colour-coded depending on which line you're travelling on.

Tickets

Each journey on the subte costs A$1.10, (or almost nothing in other words), and the credit-card sized tickets are available in denominations of one, two, and ten rides. There’s no discount for buying higher-denomination tickets, but you’ll save a lot of time by buying a ten-ride card, as lines to buy tickets can be quite long at rush hour. You buy your ticket in person from a booth located in the metro station itself, then insert the ticket into the slot on the front of the turnstile to get access to the platforms. The machine will spit the ticket out from a different slot on top of the turnstile, and when you remove it you’ll be able to pass through; an LCD display will tell you how many journeys remain on your ticket. As many people as you like can use the same card, just pass it back to the next person to let them insert it as well. You only need a ticket to enter, not exit, the subte, and the price is the same regardless of the length of your journey.

A new ticket, the SUBE, has recently been introduced and could be a good option if you’re going to spend a bit more time in the city. It’s a stored-value card, and the money you put on it can be used on the metro, trains and some buses. If you’re only in Buenos Aires for a short visit, the hassle of getting one probably isn’t worth your while.

Carriages can be packed during peak times.

The subte doesn’t run all night; the lines close at different times but more or less at around 10:30pm (earlier on Sundays). This means that it’s a great method of transport during the day, but not so useful if you’re heading out for a night out. Then again, if you do it right you could be heading home at the same time the subte opens again in the morning, at 5am.

The journey

It’s quite common to see buskers on the subte, like in metros in other countries. You’ll see a variety of styles, from solo performers to groups of two or three; porteños will give money if they enjoyed the performance and you can too — keep a few coins or a $2 note in a handy place so you don’t have to pull out your wallet.

You’ll also see beggars, or more commonly, people selling low-value items. They’ll walk through the carriage handing out the items or placing them on people’s knees, then come back to collect the items or take payment. I bought a pack of tissues once, and saw someone buying a mirror on another occasion; this form of selling is generally accepted if not always welcomed.

Subte arriving

Safety

Although it’s unlikely that you will run into any problems, follow some basic safety procedures while using the Buenos Aires subte. As always when using public transport, be aware of your belongings and keep your bags on your front, especially when the subte is busy. Also, avoid talking loudly in English as this will attract attention, and keep an eye out for people acting strangely near you.

The subte is a great way to get around Buenos Aires, give it a go for yourself.

Also see: Buenos Aires transport and our Buenos Aires travel guide.

How to catch the metro in Buenos Aires, Argentina by Linda Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

The cathedral, the largest in Argentina, was built in a neo-Gothic style, but certainly doesn’t date from the neo-Gothic period. Work started in 1884, the first mass was held in 1932, and the towers were finally finished in 1999.

The museum in the basement gives an insight into its construction, and you can take the elevator up one of the towers for a good view of the city.

La Plata cathedral, Argentina [video] by Linda Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen to the podcast, hit play — or find episode 220 for free in iTunes:

What is the Camino de Santiago

The Camino de Santiago de Compostela is an ancient pilgrimage which finishes in the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela. Translated as the “Way of St James”, the goal is to reach the mythological resting place of this saint at the third-holiest site in Roman Catholocism: the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.

The goal: the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, Spain

People take part in the modern walk for all sorts of reasons; it’s no longer compulsory to be Catholic or a religious seeker to take part in the Camino. However, those who do not declare a spiritual motivation will not receive a certificate of pilgrimage at the end.

The main route taken by today’s pilgrim is the Camino Francés, which crosses the Pyrenees at St Jean Pierre de Port the follows a route east to west, at around 100km inland from the coast. This is the route we took in 2008 — starting at Pamplona and continuing past Santiago de Compostela to Finistere and Muxia on the coast.

In 2012, we plan to take on the Via de la Plata, which starts in Seville and heads north, skirting the border with Portugal before taking a westerly turn towards Santiago. Once again, this is approximately 1,000km from start to finish.

Planning for the Camino de Santiago

So what does it take to plan for a 1,000km walk across Spain? Not that much really…

Books, maps, and route planning

Once again, we plan to use a guidebook produced by the non-profit Confraternity of St James, who have a range of up-to-date guides. We’ll probably have mobile internet access on an iPhone (and local SIM) for mapping assistance as well. The Via de la Plata doesn’t have the range of options available to walkers of the Camino Francés, so we’ll be committed to a reasonably set 15-25km a day between accommodation options.

A stamped pilgrim's passport

One vital part of the scheme is getting a pilgrim passport. The passport is a document that shows you are taking part in the Camino. It’s stamped each day at your accommodation, so you have an amazing keepsake with all the marks of places you’ve visited. You can also find stamps at some churches and monasteries along the way too add more colour to your passport or journal. When you finish the Camino in Santiago de Compostela, your passport is examined before you are issued with a certificate of pilgrimage.

Packing and equipment

So what are we taking? One each of these clothing items (unless marked differently), then the other stuff below shared between us.

Clothes:

• Good shoes
• Great socks (2-3 pairs)
• Zip-off trousers
• Polyprop or woolen tops and bottoms
• Hiking t-shirts (2)
• Fleece jumper for Linda; Mountain Hardwear jacket for Craig
• Waterproof over-trousers and jacket/shell
• Undies (3-5)
• Sports bra and spare bra
• Hat and scarf

Other things

• Sports towels
• Minimal toiletries and first aid kit (including blister plasters and painkillers)
• Sleeping bag and silk liner
• Kindle, iPods, chargers
• Journal and pens
• Water bottle/camelback
• Guidebook and pilgrim passport
• Camera, microphone and laptop (for working!)

The goal is to max out at 10% of body weight or 10kg. With the addition of daily water and food, we want to be at 7kg max for our total pack weight.

Beautiful church architecture along the way

We’re still undecided on what technology we’ll need to take to keep up with things while we walk the Camino. It would be best if we only had to check in a couple of times a week to deal with emergencies and upload some up-to-date photos and video for you to see, so I think we’ll end up taking Linda’s Macbook Air and a spare hard drive or big SD card for photo backups.

And what are we doing to physically prepare for a month of hiking? Not much, to be honest! We’ll be doing some hiking while we’re back in New Zealand, Craig’s doing some Taekwon-do as well. Last time around we found the first three days the hardest, then our bodies fell into the rhythm of walking each day and the right muscles started to develop. With light packs, good shoes and socks, and a bit of naivety, we think we’ll be right.

Have any suggestions?

We’re about three months away from starting our second Camino de Santiago — and I’m sure some readers are planning their trips too! Do you have any suggestions or any questions? Ask in the comments below.

Marker!

Camino de Santiago Podcast by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

What gets me as I walk by are the Crunchie bars. For me, the honey-like taste always evokes memories of the first days of my new life in London. But when the treat is finished and the train doors shut, I throw away the wrapper and realise that almost a decade has passed since my arrival and that home is very far away.

It’s amazing how everything we hear, smell or taste in the hours after arrival can fix a place in our minds. My London will forever be Crunchies at Clapham Junction. Conversely, no matter how far from home you are, there’s always a new (yet familiar) smell, taste or face to remind you of what you’re missing. Most of the time these feelings are easily controlled, but sometimes that longing becomes distractingly poignant.

It's easy to feel homesick in crowds

We owe the highs and the lows of travel to that diabolical organ, the brain. But our heads are also the primary cause of – yet paradoxically our main defence against – the scourge of homesickness. Reclaiming yourself from this emotional paralysis is no mean feat, but as you emerge from the funk, you’ll find that you’ve matured as a person and a traveller.

Expect the unexpected

Welsh speakers have a word – hiraeth – that describes a melancholic longing for home; Paul Theroux suffered through it as he wrote The Great Railway Bazaar; and even the legendary Odysseus spent years roaming the Mediterranean, pining for home. Entire cultures, famous authors, classic heroes, me and you – we all get homesick.

Far from home...

Many of this site’s readers are veteran travellers or expats. Experience is a plus, but the personal pride that comes with having earned your travel stripes makes it difficult to vocalise private feelings. Homesickness is stereotypically the preserve of the inexperienced traveller, but travel veterans suffer through the exact same loops of euphoria, frustration and grief.

As a travel-health issue, homesickness deserves to be treated with respect and forethought. Use the pre-trip period to consult guidebooks, maps and websites for advice that will help you familiarise yourself with your new surroundings. Ask a friend who’s been there for pointers on language, culture or even how the post office works. While your head is clear, decide how you want to keep in touch with home and consider mobile or phonecard options. Fill your wallet with passport-sized pics of loved ones or have some photos on your phone to look at when you need to.

Paradise lost

Your mental guard is up, your plane has landed and everything is new and different. Rightly or wrongly, the first euphoria-tinged impressions of a place are almost always the ones that last. This excitement is the primary stage of homesickness, but that rose-tinted flush soon fades. Bohemian clutter quickly becomes a filthy street; the buzzing market is intimidating and the bureaucracy at the bank isn’t intriguing, just annoying. Paradise is lost and the mishaps of travel – rudeness, miscommunication, illness, lost luggage – escalate frustration into homesickness.

If you’re among friends, share your feelings. If you’re alone, it can help to make friends with someone from your own culture. Talking is a form of catharsis, but hopefully the conversation won’t escalate into a hate-filled rant about your new surroundings. Culture buddies are a form of moral support, not a ‘buffer’ against new experiences. More introverted travellers seek out people on their own terms, perhaps by walking among the crowds and internalising the bustle. Remember why you’re travelling and find something to celebrate about the culture you’re in.

Mourning and moving on

Pull back and examine your thoughts, then step out – literally out of your hotel room, and metaphorically out of yourself. Recognise your grief, but resist wallowing. Make and follow a daily schedule. Do laundry, reorganise your rucksack or update your travel journal. Wash, rinse and repeat. Find comfort in mundane things if you need to, but gently stretch yourself by adding something new to that schedule every day. Connect with friends and family, but be judicious about using social media. We live in an age of instant digital comfort, but browsing through Facebook photos could be more of a hindrance than a help.

With diligence and time, the pining recedes – often suddenly. In startling contrast to grief, apathy is a flatline of emotion, but this is the final stage of homesickness. It’s a shock to realise that you suddenly feel blasé about both your current surroundings and your return ticket. This apathy marks a sea change, and it signals that your mental war is over. Your victory is complete, your journey is at its end and you’ve emerged from your ordeal a stronger traveller.

Ill at ease: a guide to homesickness by Jackie Reddy was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

There are dozens of well-preserved Jesuit ruins throughout Paraguay, but the UNESCO-listed jewel in the crown are the large grounds at Trinidad, thought to have housed over 350 families, both native indians and missionaries.

Today you can easily visit Trinidad, the quarry that supplied building materials and the nearby Jesus de Tavarangue ruins by bus or tour from Encarnacion, a city in the south-east of Paraguay. If you’re interested in finding out more, take a look at our Paraguay travel podcast.

Trinidad – Jesuit ruins in Paraguay [Photos] by Craig Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

The search

We were heading to Argentina’s capital, and we knew there was plenty of good cheap accommodation in Buenos Aires — five nights in a nice private room at Kaixo hostel, for example, would set us back around US$250. Amazingly, we found a studio apartment for rent at US$225 for the same time period … so there were definitely bargains to be found.

We started our search on an iPhone in a café in Salta. It was a bit difficult to sign up and start looking, although we got an idea of prices and what to look for.

Some of the properties have compulsory charges — like cleaning bills — that get tagged onto the end of the bill; others had huge security deposits that needed to be paid in cash. And there’s no way I’m handing over US$800 in cash as a security deposit. Those properties all went in the virtual bin.

Things to check before your enquiry

Later that day, back on a laptop, we were able to do much better searches and found half a dozen properties that we liked, in the areas we wanted to stay. Since we had recently spent three weeks in San Telmo, we wanted to be on the other side of the central city: in Recoleta or Palermo.

Roomorama connects the traveller with accommodation owners, so the next stage was sending emails to those properties we were interested in to confirm pricing and availability. The system made it easy to bulk-email the places we liked the look of — no copying and pasting the same information over again.

The booking

Unfortunately we received more rejections than we expected … admittedly we were searching just five days out from our arrival date, but those places had booked up fast. Luckily, on Saturday morning as we were about to board our bus from Salta to Buenos Aires, we managed to confirm a place!

The owner emailed, and flicked a virtual switch that meant the property was available and able to be booked. The total cost was $421, including a fee that goes to Roomorama. We were stoked, and completed the booking before jumping on the bus… it was 20 hours before we arrived, and then we had a few hours to wait before we could check in. No worries there.

Everything was rushed, and — of course — we managed to miscommunicate. The apartment rental was only available for the first four nights of our stay, but we had paid for five. Luckily the apartment owner came to the rescue: they had another property they could move us into for the last night. We negotiated a little and managed to score a late checkout, which was an excellent compromise.

The stay

That wasn’t the only excellent thing. We were also able to check in three hours early! We had disembarked at 7am, found ourselves a nice café and ensconced ourselves for a few hours before heading up to the Ateneo Grand Splendid on Callao (and just a block away from the apartment). While we were there we got that wonderful phonecall: the apartment has been cleaned — you can check in now.

Recoleta cemetery, ten minutes' walk from our first apartment (pictured above)

We were greeted by a bubbly host who took us up to the apartment, walked us around the place, and provided a dozen local recommendations for non-touristy places to eat, drink and shop: an excellent value-add for us as we had never stayed in Recoleta before. The apartment was spacious, light and clean; there was wifi and a cable internet connection; a TV to watch Tom Hanks in Big — dubbed into Spanish of course; and the bathroom and kitchen were fully stocked with everything you’d expect. There was even a pool on the roof!

The real advantage was being able to spread out, make some mess, make some noise. All things you have to be careful of when you’re in a hostel — no-one wants the contents of your bag spilling across the floor. Well, to be honest, Linda isn’t that keen on it either but I enjoyed the space.

The move

Eventually we had to make a move. It was a bit of a pain to do so on our second-to-last day in the city, but we were mollified by the late checkout: we were flying out at 2am! It took less than an hour to pack up, get down to the subte (see Buenos Aires transport) and across town from Recoleta to Palermo Hollywood.

New apartment

The system was the same: arrive, get keys, sign a contract, get orientated. The new apartment was smaller than the last, but the pool was a bit bigger. We took the opportunity to explore this side of town, and the amazing murals at the Antiques Market are worth a visit just by themselves.

New street art! A Pum-Pum mural right next door

Roomorama review: the conclusion

So, short-term apartment rentals? Here’s our thoughts:

Pro: Your own space, and own apartment — without a hotel feeling.

Con: Lacking the social support of a hostel or couchsurfing.

Pro: A kitchen of your own, so you can cook better meals than in a hostel.

Con: Booking fee can be prohibitive for stays of one or two nights.

Pro: Prices vary, but are generally cheaper than a hotel, similar to a private double in a hostel.

Pro: If you are in a group (3+ people), you’ll save a lot.

Be aware: Of additional costs, like compulsory cleaning or high security bonds.

To check availability where you’re heading next:

Get a free account at Roomorama

Roomorama review – our first apartment rental by Craig Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

What to do in New York? You could start by shopping at Apple NYC, staying at the Casablanca Hotel, and visiting the Empire State building, Times Square, MOMA, the Met, Top of the Rock, City Line circle cruise, the Highline Park, the Pony Bar, and Chelsea Market. The NYCgo pass can be a good investment if you’re planning on doing a lot of sightseeing, as it gives access to a lot of the major attractions.

New York City overview [video] by Craig Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

If you do decide to fly (and let’s face it, most of us will if only because it’s so much faster) it’s important to do your research before forking out. There are some awesome deals out there if you know where to look.

STA Travel

Starting with a travel agent’s website will give you an idea of the ballpark figure you can expect to pay, as well as giving you a challenge to beat. STA Travel is a great choice because they are trustworthy and international, and offer a lot of fantastic deals. Students and under-26s sometimes get cheaper flights than the rest of us, but there’s plenty for the older crowd too.

We often start by visiting the STA website and revisit it periodically to check for deals (you can also sign up to their mailing list). And more than once, we’ve found a deal that’s better than anything we could find online, like return flights from Auckland to Buenos Aires for NZ$999.

Booking through a travel agent adds an extra layer of security as the staff are on hand to answer any questions that come up, and smooth over any problems you may have with the airline.

Flight aggregator

Next, visit a flight aggregator like the one here on Indie Travel Podcast that’s powered by Dohop. Different sites are better in different locations; we tend to use Skyscanner in Europe, Webjet in Oceania, and Despegar in South America. There’s also Momondo and Kayak among others, have a play with all of them and see what deals come up. Most of these sites will give a fair indication of the flights available, but some budget airlines aren’t listed or promotions aren’t taken into account, so it can also be worth visiting the websites of the individual airlines.

Wikipedia

Wikipedia has a great article on budget airlines that can provide valuable information about what companies operate where you’re going. Head to the individual airlines’ websites and look for a “where we fly” page to get an idea of their destinations. Look for hubs, where a lot of flights pass through, as you might be able to string together two flights through a hub for a lot cheaper than buying a direct flight from point A to point B.

We just bought flights from Christchurch to London with Air Asia. This is listed as an option on the Air Asia website but a booking enquiry for this route ended with the message that all seats were sold out. Knowing that Air Asia’s hub is Kuala Lumpur, I did two separate searches, from Christchurch to KL and from KL to London, and found flights available for the dates I wanted, at a total cost of about NZ$520 per person — ludicrously cheap. Sure, we’d have preferred to fly from Auckland, but it’s only NZ$50 to get down to Christchurch, and anyway the in-laws always want us to visit!

Google maps

Sometimes flying into a nearby airport instead of into your first choice can save you a lot of money in flights. But it’s worth knowing where that airport is, how far away it is from your target destination. Use Google Maps’ “get directions” feature to calculate the distances.

We once saved $200 per ticket on a flight from Australia to New Zealand by flying from the Gold Coast instead of from Brisbane. We caught a train down from the city and spent a couple of days on the beach before flying out. We made sure to check that the price of transport was less than what we saved on flight costs, by visiting the local tourist website and doing a Google search for “transport Brisbane Gold Coast”.

Toandfromtheairport.com

Before you book your flight, make sure to visit toandfromthrairport.com. It’s incredible how varied the prices can be to get from the airport to the central city in different locations. Some airports are part of the public transport network and you can buy a regular ticket for a couple of bucks; in other cases your only option is an expensive taxi ride or transfer. Factor the cost of getting into town from the airport into the cost of your ticket, it might not seem like such a good deal after all.

Xe.com

When searching, you might not be able to view prices in your preferred currency; keep xe.com open in a tab and copy and paste in the prices you discover. I found this extremely useful recently when looking at flights from Colombia and I had no idea what 1,600,000 pesos meant (too much, it turned out, but it was good to know).

Forums

Don’t forget you don’t have to do all the work for yourself. Ask questions on Facebook, Twitter or forums like the one here at ITP, or on Bootsnall or Lonely Planet. Maybe someone has already asked the question you want the answer to, do a search through the archives before posting a new thread.

There are lots of resources out there to help you save money on your flights. Just remember to be flexible and look at a few options before committing, even if you do end up back in the travel agent’s where you started.

Useful websites for booking flights by Linda Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen, press play or find episode 219 on iTunes:

Argentina

We flew into Buenos Aires and spent several weeks there, studying Spanish and hanging out in San Telmo. We also did two excellent Buenos Aires tours, which we really enjoyed.

We spent time with friends and did a bit of a road trip from La Plata to Mar del Plata and Balcarce, then we headed over to Uruguay.

Uruguay

We travelled from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro with Intrepid, and that included three stops in Uruguay: Colonia del Sacramento, Montevideo, and at Panagea Estancia. We had far too little time in all of them, but it was a great time.

Rounding up sheep on horseback

Brazil

We entered Brazil at Foz do Iguacu and spent a few days exploring the falls. We took advantage of these two Iguacu Falls tours this time around, and found our guide helpful.

Rainbow over the Iguacu Falls, from the Brazilian side

Next was a few days of quaint paradise in Paraty and then Ihla Grande. Wonderful spots, and always a pretty view to greet you.

From there we were on to Rio de Janiero, which we really enjoyed. The place was fun, fresh, and sunny! We had great couchsurfing hosts for the whole time we were there, staying in Copacabana, Ipanema and Santa Teresa: we can recommend all of them!

On the boat from Ihla Grande to Rio

We also spent a few days with friends in and around Macae in the north: there’s so many fantastic beaches here, it’s well worth the drive up.

Paraguay

We started our trip in the shopping destination of Ciudad del Este, then headed south to Encarnación. This was a fascinating place, with the Jesuit ruins taking centre stage around the countryside.

Column of a cloister, with the squat, fortified bell tower

From there, it was on to the capital, Asunción. We didn’t really like it there, and didn’t have time to explore further north, so dropped straight back down into Argentina after a couple of days.

We talked a lot about our itinerary in this Paraguay podcast — so that’s where the detailed tips are.

And back to Argentina

We spent several weeks volunteering in Salta, Argentina part-time, while spending time with our friends Leigh and Noah. Salta is a beautiful place with lots of things to do and we were privileged to spend so long there.

Salta cathedral at night

It’s a 20-hour bus trip between Salta and Buenos Aires, but that’s what we did next! We were super-tourists in our last few days in the country; pretty much trying everything on this list of things to do in Buenos Aires … and eating lots of good food too!

Doing everything we did over the last four months was a real blast. We hope you enjoyed the journey too — we’re looking forward to New Zealand for summer, then heading back to Europe (via Asia) for another summer next year.

Mural on the antiques market building, Palermo 'Hollywood', Buenos Aires

Excited about South America? Check out our travel-planning resources or the best places in South America.

219 – South America in four months by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Monday 21/11 We made an early start so that we could get a lift into town with Leigh, Noah and Lila, saying goodbye to Lila at her school entrance. Afterwards, we had breakfast with Leigh and Noah at a buffet which offered 27 different types of bread product — impressive. After a final wander around town, during which we failed to find the game a friend of mine asked me to buy him, Leigh and Noah dropped us at the bus station and we hopped on the bus to Buenos Aires. It’s a long trip — 19 hours — but we chose a slightly more expensive seat option which at least meant we saved a few hours of travel time: some of the journeys were 23 hours long! The bus stopped at around 8pm and we all got off for dinner in a roadside restaurant, which was included in the cost of the bus ticket, and was quite tasty. When we got back on the bus, Craig and I made ourselves comfortable and drifted off to sleep.

Buenos Aires breakfast

Tuesday 22/11 The bus was supposed to arrive in Buenos Aires at 7am, but we got in half an hour or so early, and got off the bus fuzzy-headed and unsure of what to do next. I’d filled Craig’s metal water bottle with hot water from the bus’s coffee supply and grabbed a couple of coffee teabags, so we sat in the waiting room for a little while, sipping our coffees and waiting for alertness to arrive.

We’d booked an apartment in Recoleta through Roomorama, but checkin was early afternoon and it was still quite definitely early morning, so we found a cafe for coffee and medialunas, and used their wifi to plan the next few days. After that, we walked in the general direction of the apartment and found ourselves outside Craig’s favourite bookshop in the world, El Ateneo, housed in an old theatre. We hung out there for a while and were having very overpriced coffee in their cafe when our contact for the apartment called and said we could check in early, so we did.

Next, we headed to Avenida Corrientes to buy books. I love Avenida Corrientes; I just wish I had more space in my bag to fit in all the books I’d like to buy. Afterwards we took the long route home so that we could visit Recoleta cemetery, which is full of beautiful tombs. Some of them are in quite bad repair though, which is a pity.

Recoleta cemetery

Wednesday 23/11 Our task for today was to vote: the New Zealand general elections were going to be held on Saturday and we had to vote before then. At least it was easier than three years ago, when we were living in Perth and had to trawl the city for a fax machine; this time we could just go into the embassy and vote there. Afterwards we had panchos for lunch and caught the metro a few stops to the Xul Solar museum, which displays the art of a well-known Argentinean artist.

In the evening we ate at El Fortín, a parrilla restaurant located near our apartment, and chose the parrillada: sausage, blood sausage, various cuts of meat, kidneys and intestines. It was tasty.

Thursday 24/11 Craig wanted to visit MALBA, the museum of modern art, so we headed there on foot, making our way leisurely in that direction. On the way we visited the Recoleta church, which has a small museum of religious art tucked away through one of its archways. It was well worth the five-peso entrance fee. We also visited La Flor (a beautiful flower sculpture) and had a coffee and medialunas in a cafe before finally making it to MALBA, where we spent a couple of hours. The art was amazing and varied; I particularly liked the park benches.

Our route home took us through several of Palermo’s parks, we bought a drink in one and had choripan for lunch in another before catching the metro home.

One of Buenos Aires' many parks

Back at the apartment, we discovered that our laptop charger had bitten the dust, so we took a walk to the nearby Mac store to see if it could be replaced. Unfortunately it would take two months to get a new one (!) which isn’t very useful to us. The clerk did let us leave Craig’s laptop with her to get charged for a couple of hours though.

In the evening we ate parrilla leftovers and salad and watched Prince Caspian on TV.

Friday 25/11 We’d planned an early start but somehow didn’t manage it, and arrived at Teatro Colon at 11:45, instead of a couple of hours earlier. It’s a popular attraction, and even with tours every 15 minutes the earliest we could get tickets was at 12:45. And that was in Spanish; if we’d wanted to do the English tour we’d have had to wait until 3pm. The tour was really interesting and the theatre is beautiful — we were lucky to see it lit up actually because we’d been told that there was a lighting rehearsal and that the theatre would be dark. But the workers must have gone to lunch and we got to see it in all its glory.

Teatro Colon

After a lazy afternoon, Juli and Naty (our friends from La Plata) picked us up and we went for a drive around San Isidro, an old part of the city, before dinner at a fish restaurant. Craig wasn’t feeling too well so it wasn’t a late night, but it was great to spend a few hours with them.

Night of the bookshops

Saturday 26/11 There was some problem with our accommodation booking and we had to move apartments on Saturday morning, which meant packing up and catching the metro to Palermo Hollywood. Luckily our apartment was ready and we moved in immediately and spent the afternoon relaxing. In the evening we caught the metro back to Avenida Corrientes to join in the Night of the Bookshops celebrations — there was music, a Scrabble competition, a mural being painted, and lots of people roaming around. We bought icecream and a couple of books, then had cheap pizza and beer for dinner before heading home and watching a Harry Potter movie on TV. It’s quite novel to have a TV!

Sunday 27/11 We managed to make an earlier start, and spent the morning exploring the San Telmo markets, after which we had our last cafe con medialunas in a bookshop cafe and caught the metro home.

Our apartment for our last night in Buenos Aires

We spent the afternoon relaxing and working then got ready for the epic journey home. To get to the airport had to walk, catch the metro, then catch a bus — a much longer route than taking a taxi would be, but a tenth of the price. Luckily it went without a hitch, and we got to the airport early. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 2:30am, and took off only an hour late — which for Aerolineas Argentinas is actually pretty good going.

Back in New Zealand The flight was uncomfortable but we made it home and through security with no problems, using the self-check machines for the first time. We were happy to note that none of the bottles of wine and spirits we’d packed into my bag had broken during the flight, though it seemed that we hadn’t had to check the bag in after all, since no-one was bothered by the other liquids we were inadvertently carrying in our carry-on luggage.

My dad picked us up from the airport and we collected our car from Ange, who had been looking after it for us. After that, we visited my mum to get some clothes and other essentials from her cupboard, then headed back home to Chris and Sarah’s place.

This week has been full of catching up with people and running errands — we’ve caught up with Craig’s parents and a bunch of our friends, and I started work on Friday. I especially enjoyed getting paid for it the day before because of the way the pay schedule works! The weather has been pretty good too — looks like we’re in for an excellent summer!

Travel diary: Buenos Aires and home by Linda Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

See our free Kuala Lumpur guide for more things to do.

Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur [photo] by Craig Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

We had the chance to do just that: an overnight cruise on the Ipipiri on their last sailing of the season. The Ipipiri is a new-built boat — the largest one sailing in the Bay of Islands — and it is well-designed for comfort and fun on short trips, maximizing opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, rather than housing casinos or multiple restaurants.

Enjoying the Bay of Islands

We were travelling around the Bay of Islands in a Spaceships camper van. Unsure what to do with the vehicle overnight, we checked in early at the Paihia wharf and asked the staff, who were surprisingly friendly, especially considering we hadn’t had our first cup of coffee for the morning. They were prepared to deal with vehicles and organised overnight parking for us. We headed to Waitangi for a few hours of sightseeing then returned at around 12 o’clock ready to go.

Our cabin on the Ipipiri

After a thirty-minute wait in a comfortable waiting room, we boarded a coach with several other passengers to head down to the wharf. We were greeted by the smiling crew as we boarded, and directed upstairs for a short safety briefing, after which we were shown our rooms. Linda and I had a room midships — larger than we expected, with expansive windows and great views of the sea. Although the room was beautifully appointed, we hurried back upstairs for muffins, coffee and wonderful views as we pulled out of the harbour.

Comfortable in a storm

 
There were some strong winds coming through (a storm had cancelled my dive the day before) but the size of the ship and the protective islands and bays meant we were sailing smoothly. Within half an hour we encountered a pod of dolphins, and also some dolphin-watching boats. The captain pulled to a stop to allow us to watch them play for almost half an hour.

Dolphin watching in the Bay of Islands

We passed some small settlements on the hills and in the bays, as well as some dramatically high granite bluffs, and by mid-afternoon we had reached Ruapekapeka Island. We took to small boats to go and explore the island, the storm making it too cold to swim in the cool green water.
 

Urupekapeka Island

Start of track on Ruapekapeka island

Urupekapeka island is partially managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC) to control pests and allow native birds to flourish. There were several trails through the forest on the island but, being us, we chose the most difficult. As we moved away from the fine white sand on the beach we realised that we must be on a pest tracking and trapping trail; the way was steep and narrow, covered in deep mud, and we were panting by the time we got to the top of the rise. We were rewarded, however, by beautiful little groves along the way and the sight of several unusual birds. The conservation work on Ruapekapeka Island is certainly doing a lot of good for the endemic bird population, and we were glad to have been able to see it.
 

The Ipipiri is the largest ship in the Bay of Islands

Dinner and daylight

Back on the boat we bought a couple of glasses of Northland wine to complement the complimentary cheeseboard, as we sailed to our anchoring point for dinner and to spend the night. The many bays of the Bay of Islands offered many options, allowing our captain to choose a sheltered spot for us to stop in. We enjoyed the buffet dinner, seated with a group of Chinese students studying English in Auckland. It was pitch black by the time dinner was over so we had an early night, retiring to our room and going to sleep.

Those magnificently large cabin windows came in handy the next morning as we woke to wonderful views. Steep green hills rose to a blue sky; the winds still blew but the grey clouds had gone. We went up to breakfast, chatted with other passengers, and enjoyed the nearly panoramic views.

Passing Paihia on the Bay of Islands Cruise

All too soon we were heading back towards the harbour, but there were still some surprises in store. The ship sailed comfortably through wind-whipped white waves, but we were still able to spot some dolphins chasing fish along the cliff face. The captain slowed to give us a good look, but kept a polite distance; the dolphins responded to the attention by making huge vertical leaps to the delight of everyone on board.

By mid-morning our bags were packed and we were slowing down and heading into the harbour as seabirds dove in our wake. It was the end of 24 hours of comfortable luxury and a wonderful way to celebrate our ninth wedding anniversary.  

About the Ipipiri overnight cruise

The Ipipiri overnight cruise in the Bay of Islands doesn’t always follow the same schedule. Depending on weather, wildlife and other factors, the captain and crew have dozens of options for things to do — including kayaking, swimming and snorkelling, as well as island excursions and dolphin- or whale-watching. You can learn more here.

How to get to the Bay of Islands

Without a car, Paihia is a four-hour bus ride from Auckland with the InterCity Northliner bus. You can buy point-to-point tickets or get a flexipass, which allows further travel on a per-journey basis. To check current pricing, use the search box to the right.

Flights from Auckland are possible (private or through Air New Zealand), but the local airports are all very small, so it pays to talk to your accommodation provider in advance about transfers.

Hop-on, hop-off bus passes are also available, mainly serving a 18-35 year-old crowd. The drivers or local guides with these New Zealand backpacker buses can often arrange accommodation for you as well. Check out Stray for current pricing.

If you are driving yourself, head straight up State Highway One until you see signs pointing you away from Kawakawa. With reasonable driving conditions, you can expect to be there in a little over three hours. We really recommend Spaceships as an excellent way to get around New Zealand: priced like a rental car, these converted people-movers come with a fridge, DVD player and a bed: a great combination of luxury and the ability to rough it. They book out early though, so if you see one available during summer, get it.

Bay of Islands cruise on the Ipipiri by Craig Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Mui Ne is a beach town located about six hours’ drive from Ho Chi Minh City – though the length of the trip really depends on how fast the driver wants to go, and how many rest stops he makes (usually too many).

Mui Ne is stretched out along the beach, its one road packed with restaurants, convenience stores and guesthouses. Beach access from the road can be a little tricky, since there aren’t any public accessways and the guesthouses and hotels don’t really like you walking through their property. Beachfront bar Wax has a walkway that you can always use, but it’s not very useful if you’re staying 2km down the road.

You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to food and drink, and most of it is good quality. Almost every restaurant has an extensive menu featuring Vietnamese, Thai and Western food; pizza is readily available and there’s an excellent Indian restaurant at the western end of town.

Many tourists come to Mui Ne to windsurf or kitesurf, we’d planned to but it turned out to be outside our budget – and anyway, the weather wasn’t the best. We did enjoy getting caught in a couple of sudden downpours that flooded the road and made getting home an adventure – but I suppose that’s par for the course in the rainy season!

Mui Ne, Vietnam [video] by Linda Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Note #1: As a solo female traveller to Potosí, I recommend joining a group tour, which you can book from Sucre or La Paz. There are not many choices of accommodation there, and a travel company will be able to organise a decent hotel for you.

One of the top tourist attractions in Potosí is, of course, the silver mines. Being claustrophobic, I hesitated. However, after watching The Devil’s Miner in Sucre the night before, my curiosity got the better of me and I signed up for the tour. A small van showed up at the hotel and whisked a few of us away to the mines. We were instructed to put on protective gear and to buy supplies as a ‘gift’ to the miners before entering. These ‘gifts’ can be anything from dynamite (yes, they sell this to tourists!) to potent alcoholic beverages (96% alcohol, I am not kidding).

The entrance to the mines was dark and foreboding. My heart told me not to go in but I followed the leader since I already paid for the tour. At first the air was quite cool and fresh, so I thought I would be fine. But as we went deeper, the air turned heavy and humid, so after about 15 minutes, my claustrophobia got the better of me. I bailed out and waited for the others outside. I surveyed the view and felt incredibly fortunate not to be part of the slums around me. It was an eye-opening but unpleasant experience.

Note #2: If you haven’t felt the altitude so far, you may feel it in Potosí, the highest town in the world. I made the mistake of being overconfident with little altitude sickness in the previous cities, and didn’t take any medication until it was too late. I felt quite ill here. I also wished someone had told me how cold it was going to be. Whichever hotel you choose, make sure you ask them whether the showers are hot. The place I stayed in only had a trickle of hot water which lasted a miserable two minutes.

Another interesting place to visit in Potosí is the Tarapaya Lagoon. At this surreal spot lies the crater of a dormant volcano, now filled to the brim with natural hot spring water. It was cold, but once you immerse your body into the warm water, you will forget all about the low temperatures and the altitude. I swam with the group for an hour or so, but if I could choose again I would spend the entire afternoon there just chilling by the crater with its resident ducks.

Later that day, the news broke that the government protests which started in La Paz would be spreading to Potosí. The protestors were planning to form blockades around all major roads in and out of big cities. I got pretty worried. Other than being sick, I was getting really fed up of the cold and boredom. (Girls, think twice about shopping here as it is almost non-existent).

Note #3: Apparently protests against the government are fairly common in Bolivia. If you are there and find yourself in the middle of one, you may find it hard to get in and out of any main cities. Try to hire a private taxi if you get stuck as they may know secondary roads out of the city. Sure, you will pay more, but trust me, you really don’t want to spend an unknown number of days in a place like Potosí. It gets slightly depressing after two days.

Luckily the road to Uyuni, the next destination, was open, as it wasn’t considered a major city. I felt relieved. Escape at last — salt flats, here I come!

This article was originally published on Art of Solo Travel.

Solo female travel in Potosí, Bolivia by Stephanie Lee was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

There was one point I actually became too overwhelmed to take a photo. I was on the way to Hamingberg, the most northern point of the country, where rocky mountains met the clearest blue ocean I’ve ever seen. Finmark has these amazing mountains and beautiful beaches, even if it is too cold to swim.  All of these landscapes are only enhanced by the surrounding fishing villages with the traditional colourful houses with grass on the roofs.

Finmark is a completely underrated and untouristy destination, one that you have to see for yourself.

Grense Jakobselv beach

A small church beside a lake in Nesseby

Traditional Norwegian roofs use grass to insulate the house.

Ninety-one women were executed after being convicted of practicing witchcraft. This is a beautiful memorial located in the spot the women were burned at the stake.

Part of the memorial consists of a chair with an eternal flame looking out to the countryside.

Above the chair are five large mirrors, all reflecting the flame.

On the dock in a small fishing town.

My friend Derek on top of a mountian in Grense Jakobselv.

The mountains across the fjord belong to Russia. You can see the land, and even drive next to the border, but it is highly patrolled.

In 1886 Norway was considering building a military base on this mountain to patrol the Norwegian-Russian border. Instead they built a church to let the Russians know they were there, and there has never been a problem at this border.

In Grense Jakobselv the road literally ends at the sea.

Learn how to improve your travel photography here on the Indie Travel Podcast.

Finmark, Norway [photo essay] by Taylor McIntyre was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Public transport varies from place to place, but could include buses, trains, trams, monorail, or colectivos (cars that run set routes like buses), among others. Some places don’t have any public transport to speak of, and sometimes taxis and tuktuks are so cheap that they act as a defacto public transport system. And part of the fun of using the system is working out what the system is.

So, why use local public transport while travelling?

1. It’s cheaper

Most of the time, travelling by public transport is cheaper than going by taxi or organised tour; usually considerably cheaper. You’ll need to find out how to pay for the bus or train before you set out: do you pay the driver or buy a ticket beforehand? Is it cheaper to buy a multi-ride pass? This information should be available online, or ask your hotel concierge or local host.

It's an experience.

2. You see more

Bus routes are not always the most direct way of getting from one place to another; this means that you’ll see parts of the city that you might not have gone to had you been travelling by taxi. Plus, you’ll be paying more attention to your surroundings since you need to work out where to get off (I often have a map open on my lap so I know exactly where I am), so you’ll see more of where you are and learn more about how the city is laid out.

Of course, if the city has an underground metro system, you won’t see much during the journey — dark tunnels are pretty much the same anywhere. However, you’ll have to find your way to and away from the stations, which means once again you’ll be paying attention to your surroundings.

Plus, many cities decorate the metro stations in interesting ways, and some have art displays or museums inside the stations — which you’d never know about if you weren’t travelling by metro.

3. You’re more in touch with locals

Travelling like a local is a great way to get an idea of how locals live. We arrived in Sao Paulo at rush hour and had to navigate the metro to get to our couchsurfing hosts’ house: an hour of crush. It was uncomfortable but eye-opening: tens of thousands of Sao Paulians go through this exact experience every day.

You might find yourself in conversation with the person next to you, as I did in Encarnación, Paraguay, or be surprised by the silence of the journey. You may be entertained by buskers or offered food, drink, or one of a variety of products: I saw a man buy a mirror on the subte in Buenos Aires, then bought myself a pack of tissues a couple of days later.

Who knows who you'll meet?

Sure, there may be some criminals around who are out to rip you off — keep a close eye on your belongings and pay attention to anything out of the ordinary that’s going on — but most of the people travelling by public transport are just going about their daily lives, travelling to and from work, going to visit friends or heading out for a meal.

Travelling by public transport is an experience in itself. Don’t miss out on it by always choosing the more sterile option.

What has been your most interesting experience when travelling by public transport?

Why use public transport when travelling by Linda Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

The Brazilian side offers a panoramic view as you wander along the path that borders the river, and a chance to get up-close-and-personal with the water in the Devil’s Throat. Raincoats are highly advised!

Iguazu Falls, Brazilian side [video] by Linda Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

1. Bryndzové Halušky

Wikipedia translates it as “potato dumplings with bryndza sheep cheese and bacon”. Halušky is the potato dumpling, which is similar to Italian gnocchi, and bryndza is a soft (and tasty) sheep’s cheese which is originally from Slovakia and is a typical flavour here. If you prefer, in some restaurants you can ask for the bacon bits to be replaced with fried squares of sausage instead. Around €3.50.

Bryndzové Halušky

2. Vypražany Syr

The very first time that we went for fast food in Bratislava my girlfriend ordered vypražany syr and I thought it was fried chicken. But I was wrong. Literally “fried cheese”, it’s just that; fried cheese, commonly accompanied by chips (hranolky) and tatarská omácka (tartare sauce). Be aware that if you ask for mayonnaise in Slovakia, you’ll probably get tartare sauce instead. From €3.50. Note that in most restaurants the listed price of vypražany syr is just for the cheese, and the hranolky will be charged separately.

3. Kapustnica

Kapustnica

This one caught my attention during my research before coming and hasn’t disappointed me. It’s a sauerkraut soup with sausages, mushrooms, pork and black pepper; in some restaurants they add a dollop of cream on top. It’s my favourite meal and it’s easy to prepare at home as well. Around €1.80. It’s traditionally eaten with bread, which is not included in the price.

4. Lokše

Once again I was confused by its appearance and thought that this was a type of pancake. It’s quite similar to a pancake, but the batter is made from potatoes and it’s fried without oil. Lokše can be used as a substitute for bread to accompany soups or it can be eaten like a pancake, but instead of maple syrup or Nutella the most typical (and tasty) topping is a mix of sauerkraut and bacon. From €1.50 for three pieces.

5. Kofola

Kofola

Slovakia is one of the few countries where Coca Cola is not the main soft drink. Kofola is the king of the soft drinks here, and I confess that I don’t miss Coca Cola at all. It’s a cola drink as well, but quite different to Coke; it has a slight citrus flavour and is a lot less sweet (it has 30% less sugar, in fact). It also has more caffeine than Coke. Around €1 for a 2L bottle in markets and €1 for a half-litre glass in pubs.

6. Beer

Oh, the beer. The two (good) main beer brands in Slovakia are Zlatý Bažant and Šariš. The first one is the most common in Bratislava, and the other is popular in the east of Slovakia (and, sadly, hard to find in Bratislava). My favorite is the Šariš Tmavé, which is a great dark beer.

A little vocabulary: pivo means beer, svetlé means lager (literally “light”) and tmavé means dark. Capované pivo is draught beer, obviously more tasty than flaškové pivo, bottled beer. Prices? From €1 for a half-litre glass (velké) in most pubs. Around €0.80 for a bottle of the same size in markets.

Slovak food isn’t as well-known as dishes from its western neighbours, but this small Eastern European country has a variety of specialities that are as cheap as they are tasty.

What to eat in Slovakia by Moroni Flores Cadin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Monday 14/11 To start the week, we caught the bus into town to go to a museum that we’d heard a lot about, Pajcha. Because it’s closed during the middle of the day, we headed to a cafe to do the final edits on the Travel Safety book, then wandered around town a bit before arriving at Pajcha just after it reopened at 4pm. We were met at the door by Diego, the effusive polyglottal co-director, who explained the downstairs exhibits to us (and the many other visitors) at length, then accompanied us upstairs so that we could ask him questions about what was on display. It’s quite a small museum, but well-curated with a lot of interesting pieces. And Diego’s enthusiasm gave it all a lot of life.

Church of San Francisco, Salta

In the evening Craig manned the parilla for tasty asado of four different types of sausage. Yum.

Tuesday 15/11 We spent most of the day at home since the weather wasn’t great, but headed out for a walk in the afternoon. Dinner was kebab skewers and barbecue ribs that Noah had picked up the day before: very tasty.

Wednesday 16/11 After a meeting to discuss upcoming books, Craig and I headed out for a long walk around San Lorenzo. In the afternoon, he kept working and I read the last book in the Narnia series… The book belongs to Leigh and Noah and I wanted to finish it before we left!

Thursday 17/11 Leigh wasn’t feeling well, so she stayed at home while the rest of us dropped Lila at school, had coffee and medialunas, and headed to class. For some reason the class was being held in a different location about three blocks from the school where it is normally — not that it mattered. The task for today was for the students to hit the streets with videocameras and interview locals about what they think about the neighbourhood. It was fun.

Afterwards, Noah dropped Craig and me at the bus station so we could buy our tickets to Buenos Aires. We met up with him at the market after buying a huge amount of cheap fruit and vegetables… It makes me sad to think about how much they’re going to cost back in New Zealand.

A typical Argentinean breakfast

Friday 18/11 Craig wanted to go to a museum that offers free entrance before 10am, and since it takes an hour or so to get into town, we had to make an early start. At least the weather was nicer than it had been for the rest of the week and we didn’t have to walk in the rain.

The museum, el Museo de Historia del Norte, (the museum of the history of the north of Argentina), was interesting but like the museum of high-altitude archaeology, raised more questions than it answered. It had a lot of awesome artefacts, but they could have been much better curated.

Salta really is a very pretty town

We did a bit of shopping and had a great coffee and excellent medialunas in a café’s courtyard, then took the teleférico (gondola) to the top of Cerro San Bernardo for great views of the city. When we came back down we had a sit-down lunch at a small outdoor restaurant behind the craft market — our table was right by the lake, it was awesome.

In the evening, Leigh, Noah and I headed back into the city to see Lila perform in her school production, which was held at the main theatre in the centre of town. It was spectacular; it started with inexplicable gymnastics and ended with a video of parents doing a dance routine. The rest of it made more sense and was very entertaining, and Lila looked really cute in her musical hat.

We picked up incredibly tasty empanadas for dinner, which we paired with Fernet and Coke for a wonderfully Argentinean dinner.

Lakeside lunch

Saturday 19/11 Leigh and Noah had invited some friends around for a lunchtime asado, so we spent the morning preparing, and the afternoon hanging out with them and eating tasty meat and vegetables.

After the friends left, Craig, Lila and I decided to go for a swim. The weather was a little too cold for it, but we had fun anyway. In the evening Craig helped Leigh and Noah with their website, Lila showed me her awesome circuit-making kit, and I talked to a friend from Colombia via Skype.

Sunday 20/11 Our last full day in Salta: tomorrow it’s the long ride to Buenos Aires. We spent the day working, packing and generally getting ready to go.

Travel diary: Last week in Salta by Linda Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Alternative museums

I know, how touristy! London has brilliant museums, and while none of the big public museums should be missed, there are hundreds of hidden gems scattered throughout the city. For a little side trip to suburban South London, the Horniman Museum is a great choice. It is easily reachable by bus and comprises a massive collection of music instruments, Asian art, a quirky (and creepy, with a lot of taxidermist showpieces) natural-history selection and much more. Hard to believe, but all of this used to be one man’s (right, Mr Horniman’s!) private collection. The museum, which is free, also includes an aquarium in the basement, a small farm and a fabulous garden with great views of the city on a clear day.

Who knows what you might discover at the Wellcome Collection?

A brilliant critical exhibition space in central London, overlooked for probably no other reason than its location right opposite the British Library and St Pancras International Station, the Wellcome Collection houses a number of changing exhibitions dealing with a broad range of topics, from health, to human rights, to contemporary art. It’s free, too!

Alternative shops and markets

It’s easy to find big shops, shopping markets and stores that sell all kinds of traditional British kitsch. Don’t believe that Camden Lock Market is ‘alternative’ – it is among the top-three tourist attractions in London. Nevertheless, the area still has some of the best music venues if you like rock, punk, metal and the like (well-known are World’s End and The Electric Ballroom, both only a few steps from the tube station). While a little on the expensive side, Camden Town is a good place to hang out for a drink or two (and great vegetarian and vegan food) after the crowds have gone home.

For some real radical stuff, head down to the not-for-profit Housman’s Radical Booksellers  near King’s Cross station. There are weekly readings and discussion panels that are free to attend, a big selection of zines, pamphlets and magazines and (of course) lots of political, environmentalist, feminist or just mildly hippy-ish literature at low prices (don’t miss the basement).

Infamous as one of the roughest areas of London after violent riots took place here in the eighties and again recently, Brixton is home to a lively multicultural market with lots of small cafés, restaurants, a good independent cinema and music venues. There are much ‘worse’ areas in London, and unless you hang out there at 4am, you will mostly find Brixton to be a safe, tame place to spend some time. It’s a great place to visit to experience the real diversity of London.

The Ritzy in Brixton

A lovely market selling antiques, affordable art and much more that should not be confused with Camden Market is located at Camden Passage, near Angel Tube station, that opens Wednesdays and Saturdays. The area around is also famous as one of the most up-and-coming areas of London and home of the famed ‘Islington hipsters’ (as Indie kids are called in the British capital).

Alternative entertainment, clubs and bars

Whether you are after a cheesy musical, a modern opera, a traditional British pub, a classy bar or a fetish club, London has it all, with some options being more well-known than others. These are my three best-kept secrets.

If you are out around Soho or Leicester Square any time of the day, there is a good chance someone will try to sell you tickets to a comedy club. While occasionally these clubs host good comedians, usually you’ll end up blowing £20 on a night of unfriendly staff, expensive drinks and insulting comedians. Instead, on a Monday night, head north-west to The Good Ship in Kilburn (less than 12 minutes by tube from Baker Street), originally London’s Irish quarter. For £6, you are definitely in for a good time at this small venue – and if you don’t like it, you still can pop into one of the many nearby pubs for live music instead. Like Brixton, Kilburn is also one of the ‘real’ working-class neighbourhoods of London that might not be pretty, but teems with history – the road north of the station isn’t called ‘Shoot Up Hill’ for nothing!

The Good Ship

Drinks in London are expensive, with a pint typically costing £3.50 upwards, but luckily, there is a man to help you with your budget and still get the real British drinking experience – Sam Smith’s Breweries have pubs all over London where they offer only their own brands (don’t worry, they have it all, the cider, the stout, the ale, the bitter…). They don’t really advertise their ‘cheap drinks’ message or have a big sign with their brand name outside though, so you need to do some research. The most central one is located on aptly-named Brewer Street which starts right behind Piccadilly Circus (take the street that the Barclay’s bank is located on, and immediately turn right). Pints start at around £2.50 here.

Tired of the garish, sex-shop riddled streets of Soho with gay bars that look and feel like a bad movie? Bar Wotever takes place every Tuesday night at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in Vauxhall, near Waterloo, and is an alternative space for the GLBT community – but not exclusively. The focus here is not on chatting somebody up but on brilliant performances – from live bands to comedians, Indian belly dancing to Rocky Horror Picture Show sing-alongs, burlesque performers to plain old lesbians with guitars, there’s something new every week and the crowd is incredibly welcoming and friendly. Like all of the best things in London, it’s entirely free!

If you are looking for more, unknown, quirky or otherwise special things in London, a great blog with daily suggestions is Tired of London – Tired of Life.

An alternative guide to London by Stephanie Pelser was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

1. Beer and ale festivals

This is a country that loves its beer, so it’s no surprise that all year round, you will find lots of beer festivals, even in the smallest of towns. These events are not just visited by locals — some people travel halfway across the country for them. Length varies — some are just one- or two-day long affairs, but generally they end up taking anything from four days to several weeks. They might not always have the fun-fair factor that the Oktoberfest is famous for, but they definitely have the booze factor — and there’s always one going on somewhere in the country.

2. Summer solstice at Stonehenge

Usually, awe-inspiring Stonehenge is a tourist trap. People travel here from all over England and the world just to get here (this is the biggest mystery of Stonehenge: England is a small country and it’s easy to get just about anywhere within two hours, but going to Stonehenge always takes forever) – and upon arrival, they can just look at the century-old stones from a safe and frustrating distance. England has a big community of pagans (Wiccans and the like, not the Harry Potter fan type) who, in traditional English Union-minded manner, fought for their right to use Stonehenge as a religious site. So the only time to actually get close to monuments is for pagan celebrations, of which the Summer Solstice is, due to the weather, the most popular one. Time to befriend a British witch!

Dawn on summer solstice at Stonehenge

3. Pancake Day

Every Christian country has its own pre-Lent traditions — the few days before the period of fasting leading up to Easter. Traditionally, on Shrove Tuesday, the day before fasting began, housewives and cooks would make a dish that would use up all calorie-rich foods in the pantry. Take butter, eggs, flour and milk and you get… pancakes. The tradition has continued and these days you’ll find pancakes everywhere in the week leading up to Shrove Tuesday. Many pubs and restaurants offer special pancake deals and most people, families or flatmates alike, will make traditional British pancakes – with nothing more but a light sprinkling of lemon and sugar (suggest any other topping and people will look at you like you’re crazy).

4. Glastonbury

Every country has it. THE rock festival with ALL the great international bands, that always sells out well in advance, and during which you forget your own name or any manners your parents ever taught you. In England, this takes place every summer in Glastonbury, which is usually a quaint medieval English town (well worth visiting outside festival season, too). Tickets are so popular that there is a long-winded application process, so apply now for a chance to attend in summer 2012!

The Glastonbury festival

5. Camden pub crawl

A pub crawl is a venerable British institution, wherever you are in the country — and Camden’s is a well-organised and enjoyable option. Every August for a long weekend, the pubs and music venues in London’s Camden Town work together to organise an event featuring lots of different musicians, from international top acts to renowned British groups and guy-next-door bands – so you can not only drink yourself from pub to pub, but also listen to good music while doing it. Here, because there are several venues taking part, it’s not too hard to get tickets, but accommodation in London is usually booked solid, so planning in advance is advised.

6. Thames Festival

Fireworks at the Thames Festival

For one weekend every September (which is often London’s best month weather-wise, full of mild, sunny days), London celebrates its diversity with the Thames Festival, which takes place along the banks of the Thames and ends with impressive fireworks on the Sunday night. There’s an international carnival, many food stalls and free performances from all over the world. In past years, especially-popular parts of the festival included free outdoor theatre performances and movie screenings, an Eastern European food market and a large Korean area with food, traditional Korean music and taekwondo workshops – there is much to explore and it changes every year.

7. Guy Fawkes’ Night

‘Remember, remember, the fifth of November…’ There’s a saying in England that the last man who got into parliament with honest intentions was Guy Fawkes – and his intention was to blow it up. Things didn’t quite end up the way Guy had planned, and today the fact that he did NOT blow up parliament is celebrated with fireworks and a long visit to the pub – traditional English logic.

8. St George’s Day

This is the original national holiday of England, with St George being the patron saint of the country and St George’s cross as the motif of the English flag. The actual date of the holiday changes yearly, depending on when Easter takes place. However, since Scotland became part of the UK, celebrations around St George’s Day are not really celebrated except by the Church of England. However, this is still a good excuse to visit (where else?) the pub.

9. Diwali

Indians represent the largest ethnic minority in England, and their influence on the country is evident — and not just in the amount of curry English people eat. Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, is celebrated each October/November all over Britain, and not just by Indians — anyone can join in. Try to get yourself invited to a private celebration if possible (this shouldn’t be too hard if you know a local, many Indians invite all their friends, regardless of religion), but failing that many cities also have public events like food festivals, displays of traditional Indian music and much more. Especially spectacular are the celebrations around London’s Trafalgar Square. It’s a fun and easy way to get acquainted with Indian and Hindu culture.

Diwali candles

10. St Patrick’s Day

This is a macabre one to include when you consider the history and relationship between England and Ireland, but maybe this is why it’s so important. Of course St Patrick’s Day is an originally Irish holiday, but Irish people and people of Irish descent make up a huge percentage of the population, especially in Northern England. This means that St Patrick’s Day is one of the biggest public celebrations in England, perhaps second only to Guy Fawkes’ night and definitely bigger than England’s own St George’s Day. Many big cities hold St Patrick’s Day parades, and pretty much every pub has a special event for 17 March.

Ten unmissable events in England by Stephanie Pelser was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

It’s easy to get to the Queen’s Walk by Tube: it’s about a five-minute walk to the western end from Waterloo station, and if you want to start in the east, head to London Bridge.

Several sections of the promenade are widened to allow temporary art displays, and buskers are in evidence most of the time. Whenever you visit, during the day or at night, you’re sure to see something unexpected.

The Queen’s Walk, London [video] by Linda Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.