Travel Calling

Book Review: Discovering Hidden Europe with Francis Tapon

2012-05-23T23:24:00.001+08:00

So many books, essays and articles have been written about Europe, that there is not much to say anymore. Or is there?

Apparently, Francis Tapon still has a thing or two to argue when talking about Europe, the hidden Europe, the most unknown part of the Old Continent, that fascinating region from Germany eastward that still bears mystery and retains much of its old charm.

Reading his book, The Hidden Europe, you will embark on a journey of the unknown, that will still keep the European features of a rich culture and fascinating artistic traditions, with the additional benefit of visiting places that are seldom mentioned anywhere else.

The book, however, has a deeper mission than merely describing beautiful countries. As the author himself says, "the purpose of this book isn’t to just share Eastern European insights. Its purpose is also to stir curiosity in you. I hope to inspire you to wander and learn. I want America to open its borders and brains not just to the brightest minds of Eastern Europe, but to the brightest minds of the world."

Humor, vivid descriptions, anecdotes stemming from seven years of wandering around that not-so-remote European region, more or less straightforward interactions with locals and, last but not least, a stunning set of photos as the perfect closure, are the main ingredients of this unusual journey.

Despite its 700-something pages, you will read the book straight through. The topics you will find throughout the piece are all of deep importance, but Tapon's light style meets the challenge to make them pleasant (and hilarious!).

Please, travel vicariously through Francis Tapon's words towards unsung destinations, hostile-looking yet stunning landscapes, harsh weather conditions and their correspondent human attitudes in facing Mother Nature's tests, be amazed at the unexpected hospitality, if not pure candor, of Eastern Europeans towards foreigners, learn about Finland (you didn't know it was in Eastern Europe? Discover why), Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova and the other countries and populations that make Eastern Europe such a demanding travel destination.

You will be enriched by this book, you will learn what "Eastern Europe can teach us" and you will be more encouraged and curious to book there your next trip.

To buy The Hidden Europe, click here.

Christmas Magic in Paris

2011-11-18T03:00:00.001+08:00

Christmas is coming, and where better to spend this merry time of year than in one of the most magical cities in the world? Paris certainly doesn’t hold back when it comes to winter festivities; you’ll find the city streets lavishly decorated with Christmas lights and street vendors selling hot chestnuts and winter warming crêpes on every street corner. The whole city comes to life with a Christmas buzz as the 25th of December fast approaches… Be sure to not miss out on any of the Parisian winter magic this year!

Shop till you drop.
I’m sure you’re aware that Paris is a prime shopping destination throughout the year, however to experience ‘la crème de la crème’ of Parisian shopping, the weeks building up to Christmas are without a doubt the most special shopping weeks of all. Everything from high street shops to department stores to small and exclusive boutiques make an exceptional effort and although the sales officially start in January, they will often offer their customers fantastic winter deals – perfect if you’re looking to get good value for your money on Christmas gifts! The fabulous 10 story shopping centre - Galleries Lafayette is particularly impressive at this time of year. You’ll find an enormous Christmas tree in the middle of the building and each of the 63 stores are immaculately decorated.

There are also many Christmas markets where you’ll find handmade arts and crafts, typical French sweet treats such as nougat and Yule log, and much more! They’re the perfect place to pick up a unique French present or two. The biggest market stretches all the way along the Champs-Elysées to Place de la Concorde. There are also two markets which feature a ‘Santa’s Village’ where you have the chance to meet the big guy himself! They’re both located in the 6th arrondissement; Sant-Supice and Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

Get your skates on!
There is nothing more magical than wrapping up in your favourite coat, hat, gloves and scarf and going ice-skating in an open-air ice rink. Parisians are no exception – the city offers several ice-skating options. For an unforgettable experience it is actually possible to ice-skate on the Eiffel Tower! If you fancy gliding through the air; this 57 foot high ice-rink holds up to 80 daring ice-skaters at once. For something more down to earth (and a much shorter queue!) the much larger ice-rink outside Hotel de Ville is an equally festive and enjoyable experience.

Time to meet Mickey Mouse…
If you’re in Paris with children or you just want to let your inner-child loose, than a visit to Disneyland Paris is a must! The theme park goes out of its way to fully embrace the Christmas sprit. With special shows and parades, characters and staff in Christmas themed costumes and even a Disney themed Christmas market, there’s no better time to experience the magic of Disney.

Don’t forget to relax
After a hectic day of running around Paris admiring the sights, lights and shops you’ll certainly appreciate a warm and welcoming place to go back to. The best option for those after a relaxing and enjoyable holiday is to rent a Paris apartment. There are plenty of Paris apartments for rent in the city centre and renting an apartment is an easy way to bring convenience, luxury and space during your stay in Paris.

Photo credits - http://www.flickr.com/photos/dalbera/4175210166/sizes/m/in/photostream/

Thinking about living in London? Here's my experience

2011-09-29T02:11:00.000+08:00

Big Ben, one of the most popular landmarks of the English capital

I've lived in London for two years, and one of my favourite aspects of the city was that it has direct flights to all major destinations in Europe and all over the world. And if this isn't enough, from London I've always found the best deals, both with British Airlines and with other companies.

From London I traveled to wonderful Istanbul, to Abu Dhabi, and finally to Shanghai to learn Mandarin Chinese, where I stayed for a year. I've always used the metro to get to the airport, but who owns a car and plans a short vacation can consider some of the convenient options at Heathrow Airport Parking, so that you can leave it either inside or outside the airport without spending a fortune.

A similar opportunity is also at Manchester Airport Parking, and from Manchester too you can find great flights to the major European destinations.

I have lived in many places, but I've always found London the most convenient stopover, to the extent that now, even if I'm currently based in Italy, when I have to fly outside Europe, I would always consider London before Rome.

Actually, I've lived in Rome much longer than London, and I even know Rome much better than I know London, but for some odd reason that I can't even pin down, I feel more familiar in the airports of the English capital.

I have a controversial relationship with London. In the two years I've lived there I've had great experiences, met interesting people, participated to many demonstrations, felt its underground society, and also worked like crazy.

I took a Master in London, but was my second, so I wasn't exactly the carefree young student like many of my colleagues. I worked and studied at the same time, and at the end of my degree I launched with my freelance activity, meaning that I had to have also a part time job in order to pay bills and rent.

Needless to say, the beginning of my freelance career has been very hard (not that now it's a walk in the park), and being London so expensive didn't make things easier.

Nevertheless, I did enjoy the city, walking along the South Bank, where there is always something to see/do/buy/photograph, going to the Globe Theatre to see Romeo and Juliet, visiting picturesque Covent Garden and ethnic Brick Lane, and also clubbing a bit.

London is indeed expensive, but it's also possible to find very good deals quite often. For food I don't remember spending a fortune, neither for my daily grocery nor for eating out. What can affect your budget is certainly the rent, the bills and the transport, especially if you take the train, but other than that you can pretty much afford an enjoyable life.

I spent in London two years and then went back a couple of times, if there is something you feel I omitted and you would like to know, I'll be glad to help!

The UK and my missed chances

2011-09-07T02:26:00.001+08:00

I've lived in London for two years, I can say I know the city quite well, went out day and night, explored it, enjoyed events, museums, demonstrations, conferences, seminars and anything the English capital can offer.

So what's bothering me?

I didn't travel throughout the UK as I would have liked. In London I was working, the city was expensive so the little I managed to save was spent in trips outside the country, whenever I could take some time off

First of all, I would have loved to visit Scotland, Edinburgh is possibly my biggest regret. Actually I had already started making some plans of going there, and since I doubt I would have gone around by car, first of all because I'm a big fan of public transport, and also because I'm not really a great driver, I would have organized in a way to leave the car at the Edinburgh airport parking and hang around by bus.

I would love dawdling around the city's castles, exploring its fascinating history, experiencing its lively society, discovering little by little the UNESCO World Heritage Site situated on the very heart of the city such as the medieval Old Town, the Georgian New Town and the famous modern architecture.

I have by all means enjoyed my stay in London, but other than that, I didn't visit much. I went to Swansea and Cardiff, Wales, for a weekend, unfortunately only once and needless to say, it was pouring. Ok, I also went to Oxford, but for a conference, so I didn't get to see the city much, only a small walk at night just to have the time to see it's a lovely town.

Admittedly, in the public mind the UK is not a dream tourist destination, and weather-wise it's kind of understandable, but nevertheless, Scotland has always captivated me. Apart from Edinburgh, another city I would like to visit is Glasgow. Of course here too I would travel by bus so I would leave my car at the Glasgow airport parking.

Although the Scottish capital is Edinburgh, Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and one of the most cosmopolitan in the country. Situated on the River Clyde, it developed from the medieval Bishopric of Glasgow, becoming a major center of the Scottish Enlightenment in the 18th century.

Even if little of the old medieval Glasgow is still available to visitors, there are many places I would love to see (and take photo of), such as the fascinating Provand's Lordship, commissioned in 1471 by Andrew Muirhead, Bishop of Glasgow, as part of St Nicholas' Hospital, today's oldest remaining house in Glasgow, while the nearby Cathedral is the oldest building.

Edinburgh and Glasgow are some of my biggest regrets of my two years in the UK, but now that I'm back to Europe after a year in China I'm planning some trips around the Old Continent and certainly Scotland will be included.

Photo credits kevgibbo.

Interested in Travel Photography? Read this.

2011-07-30T17:14:00.001+08:00

I've been cyber-stalking Bethany Salvon of Beers and Beans for a while now, barraging her with questions about photography, exposure, shutter speed, ISO and all the nice words you need to know (and understand) when you really want to capture that moment.

She has always been very patient, answering my questions and probably wondering why I wouldn't read some photography books. Well, the truth is, I did try to read digital photography books, but I somehow stopped half way.

I'm not saying they were not helpful, far from that, all the books I have are very detailed and explain well techniques and stuff, but I couldn't manage to understand and memorize them. Sometimes too technical, sometimes they just took for granted too many terms, I've always abandoned reading them and just kept on with my slow self-learning methods.

So now that Bethany has released her book on travel photography, aptly named Getting Out Of Auto, I couldn't miss it, could I? I've read it in one go, and I can officially state that I've fully understood the difference between exposure and shutter speed, to the extent that I can explain it with my own words and I know what I'm doing when I shoot night time or from a bridge.

This might seem very elementary, and for professionals it certainly is, but I've always been a little confused regarding the two definitions, since both of them are related to the amount of light that enters the camera.

I've often felt I've been taking photos in a sort of "unconscious" way, after reading this book I feel I know what I'm doing.

Bethany doesn't take anything for granted, she explains the basics in a way anybody can understand and gives simple and helpful examples for every situation. After making sure everybody is confident with concepts such as exposure, aperture, shutter speed and ISO, the book dives headfirst into composition and artistic techniques and, most importantly, teaches how to break the rules, because, as Bethany says, "Rules are made to be broken. BUT... You can't successfully break the rules, until you know what it is you are breaking."

All rules, tips and techniques described are matched with photos in order to help readers understand what's the topic of discussion.

This book has been a revelation for me, I got explained what I was doing wrong and how I can get the effects I never managed to obtain (or if I did, it happened accidentally!). My next step will be getting out and putting Bethany's advices into practice as soon as possible so that I'll be well prepared when she will release (because I'm sure she will) her second book about travel photography for more advanced levels.

To buy the book, click here.

Choosing the Right Cruise for You

2011-06-21T10:25:00.002+08:00

This is a guest post by Holly Miller from Coupon Croc, where you can save on all your travel plans with a Travelodge discount code.

Cruises are easily the most popular vacation option for holiday-goers from around the world, and with itineraries that span the globe, your opportunities are limitless. Choosing the right cruise for your needs is important, as you will want to be sure your choice can deliver the holiday experience you’ve been looking for. We all look to get something different out of our holiday, whether it’s an opportunity to relax, be pampered, or be adventurous, cruises can offer a little something for everyone. Here are just a few tips that can help serve as a guideline when you’re looking to choose your cruise vacation.

- Off board activities: although many of us focus on the facilities available on board, we often forget that there are also on shore opportunities to experience as well. Many ships offer multiple opportunities to disembark and discover more attractions, whether it be the local coastal towns, or snorkeling in the ocean. If you are interested in getting off ship during your journey, make sure you look into what options they provide. Some cruises organize water sports, excursions into nearby towns, and other activities. Find a ship that offers the most opportunities you’d be interested in.

- Price options: every traveler will have a different budget to work with, and cruises are known for catering to all finances. You have plenty of accommodation options, which means broad price ranges, and all-inclusive packages as well. You can choose to have all of your meals included, as well as facilities such as the spa, gym, and more. Depending on your cruise package, you can find additional savings by bundling up your expenses. Consider all your options, and what will be the best price for the trip as a whole, not just the upfront cost. There are plenty of ways to have a cruise vacation on a budget, such as by choosing a room in the center of the ship, or choosing a shorter itinerary.

- Family-friendly: if you’re traveling with your family, you’ll want to be sure there will be something for everyone. Young children, teens, and adults can equally enjoy a cruise, as long as you choose one with plenty of activities for everyone. Many ships have a children’s pool, shows and entertainment, and day care facilities to keep them busy. Adults can enjoy adult-only pools, spas, and restaurants. As for teens, there are lounges with arcade games and soda bars for them to socialize and have fun on their own. No matter who you’re traveling with, make sure everyone will have something of interest on board.

- Itinerary: the route your cruise will follow could play a big part in your vacation, depending on your plans. If you plan on staying on board, consecutive days at sea won’t be a problem. If you want to do some on shore discovering, you’ll want a cruise that will hit multiple ports, in diverse and intriguing cities. Mediterranean cruises, for example, offer both island and continental destinations. You can visit the coastal towns of Italy and Spain, the Greek islands, the Spanish islands, and more. Make sure you provide yourself with the opportunity to experience exciting off board activities as well.

The Ultimate Guide to Budget Airline Charges (... and how to beat them!)

2011-05-25T16:29:00.001+08:00

This is a guest post from money.co.uk.

Budget air travel has made the world a smaller place, bringing previously far-flung destinations within easy reach of Heathrow. The fares are cheaper, but the no-frills airlines are still determined to get their hands on every last penny they can squeeze from your wallet.
The team here at money.co.uk has identified the sneakiest tricks played by the main budget airlines. The flights might look cheap to start with, but here - in order of sneakiness - is how the price can double with the errant click of a mouse.

1. Card fees

EasyJet: charge around £5.25 | $7.10 | €6.20 per person, per flight when you use a debit or credit card to book (they also add a 2.5% credit card loading charge too). If you have a Visa Electron card, however, you won't have to pay this fee.

Ryanair: impose a £5 | $7.10 | €5.60 'administration fee', payable by anybody using a debit or credit card to book online. The charge applies both ways, so it'll add £10 | $16.45 | €11.20 per person to the cost of your flights. They don't charge if you are using a MasterCard pre-paid charge card.

Flybe: charge £4.50 | $7.40 | €5 to pay on plastic unless you're using a Visa Electron card, and it'll be £5 | €5.60 | $8.20per person, per flight if you're using a credit card.

Aer Lingus: charge £5 | $8.20 | €5.60 per person, per flight for using any credit or debit card except Visa Electron.

money.co.uk tip: Get a prepaid card so that you can avoid costly transaction charges. These work like debit cards but aren't linked to your bank account; instead you top them up with the credit you need to make your purchase. Check which type of prepaid card the airline that you plan to travel with lets you use to book fee free & apply for your card online.
Make sure that you choose your prepaid card carefully as many apply costly transaction charges and top up fees. Doing so will mean you save a significant amount by avoiding airline booking fees.

2. Check-in fees

Jet2: will charge £6 | $9.90 | €6.70 for you just to check in at the airport, although this drops to £2 | $3.30 | €2.25 if you do it online.

Ryanair: offers free online check-in on some flights, and charge a small sum on others. If you check in online and forget to bring your printed boarding pass, expect to pay £40 | $65 | €45 per person per way.

money.co.uk tip: Check-in online. Some budget airlines like bmi baby and the Eastern European Whizz Air don't charge at all for online check-in. Just remember to print out the proof!

3. Seat reservation Fees

Jet2: charge a seating fee of £4 | $6.60 | €4.50 per person, and this doesn't even guarantee you seats in the same area as your travel companions.

Flybe: charge a seat reservation fee of £6 | $9.90 | €6.70 per flight or £15 | $24.70 | €16.90 for a more spacious emergency exit seat.

EasyJet: charge around £7.25 | $11.90 | €8.15 for various types of "Speedy Boarding" options to get you onto the plane quicker. We recommend deselecting these options when booking online in order to save money, since it rarely reduces waiting time by more than a few minutes and the plane won't leave any quicker regardless.

money.co.uk tip: Don't bother with these; they're basically a waste of money. Most budget airlines fill their planes up like buses (on a first come, first serve basis for the best seats) so the reserved seats count for very little in reality.

4. Changing the name on your ticket

Easyjet: If the name on your ticket isn't identical to the one on your passport, EasyJet insist you change it for £30 | $49.35 | €33.70 online or £40 | $65 | €45 at the airport.

Jet2: will charge you £27.50 | $45.20 | €30.90 if you miss out your middle name but it appears on your passport.

Ryanair: charge around £125 | $205 | €140 to amend the name on your ticket, so remember to include your full name as it appears on official documents.

money.co.uk tip: Check, check and check again. Just because your friends call you 'Hazza' doesn't mean the person at the check-in desk will.

5. Baggage limits and charges

Flybe: limit you to 10kg for hand luggage, and will charge you £11 | $18.10 | €12.40 for a mere 15kg of hold luggage.

Aer Lingus: you'll pay £12 | $19.70 | €13.50 per item of hold luggage for flights around Europe, this increases to £36 | $59.20 | €40.50 a piece on flights to the USA.

Easyjet: If you try to take more than your allotted amount of luggage (currently 20kg) onto an EasyJet flight, you have to pay £25 | $41.10 | €28.10 at check-in or £40 | $65 | €45 at the boarding gate for them to take it from you and put it in the hold.

money.co.uk tip: For short breaks, consider taking hand luggage only but make sure this meets not only weight but also dimension guidelines (Ryanair are particularly restrictive on the size of hand luggage).

6. Telephone booking premium

Ryanair: charge £20 | $32.90 | €22.50 for over-the-phone bookings.

EasyJet: lets you book by phone for "free", but the call will be charged at an extortionate rate. It is easy to rack up a hefty bill using this method.

money.co.uk tip: Book online. Even if there isn't a specific fee for booking by phone, the cost of the call will be greater than the equivalent internet use.

7. Cost per kilo of overweight bags

Ryanair: will set you back £20 | $32.90 | €22.50 for every kilo your luggage is overweight, and their rules state that 'no pooling of baggage allowance is permitted' so it's not possible to share your unused allowance with others in your party.

EasyJet: will charge you £10 | $16.45 | €11.25 per 1kg your luggage is overweight.

Flybe: charge you £12 | $19.70 | €13.50 for every additional kilo over the meagre 15kg bag limit.

money.co.uk tip: Weigh your bags carefully before you set off for the airport. Put as much in your hand luggage as possible, but remember that liquids over a small amount (usually 50ml) and certain sharp toiletries will need to go in the hold.

8. Sports equipment

Ryanair: will charge £40 | $65 | €45 online or £50 | $82.30 | €56.25 at the airport for any large sports equipment or musical instruments you want to take onto the plane.

EasyJet: will sell you extra weight at a discounted rate for sports equipment and musical instruments. This is £18.50 | $30.40 | €20.80 when you arrange it in advance, or around £30 | $49.34 | €33.70 at the airport itself.

money.co.uk tip: Buy the extra weight online in advance if you absolutely need to take this kind of luggage. Otherwise, consider renting abroad or getting there by other means (train or coach).

9. Final tips and pointers

Jet2: By default Jet2 adds extra hold luggage, a 'sit together' fee of £4 | $6.60 | €4.50 per person included on a booking, insurance for everybody and a premium meal for every leg of the journey. These expensive additions have to be manually deselected during the booking process. Also, be aware when checking out Jet2's prices that they add a 'variable fuel charge' of around £10 | $16.45 | €11.25 per person, depending on the journey.

Ryanair: counts Reus and Girona as 'Barcelona', despite the fact they're both well over an hour away by road. Be sure to factor in airport transfer when calculating the best deals.

money.co.uk tip: Read every part of the terms and conditions, and triple check every amount and detail before pressing the 'ok' button to confirm your booking on the website.

Twelve things to remember when booking cheap flights:
1.
The advertised price will nearly always go up. There's always some sort of unavoidable levy or charge. Some of Ryanair's best prices are genuinely under £5 | $8.20 | €5.60, but most are closer to £20 | $32.90 | €22.50 when everything is taken into account.

2.
Booking and checking-in online saves the airline money and it will also save you money as long as you remember your boarding pass.

3.
If possible, stick to hand luggage. Apart from the savings you'll make, it'll allow you to escape the airport at the other end without delays at the baggage carousel. Remember you won't be able to take sharp items or aerosols - check your airline's website for hand luggage restrictions.

4.
Double check all your details and dates. It is surprisingly easy to get dates muddled (especially if they're in the American mm/dd/yy format) and it'll result in a hefty, opportunist fee to change them. The same goes for names. Include all your middle names and they won't be able to fleece you.

5.
Don't bother buying priority booking or reserving a seat if you're trying to save money. We've found that it doesn't always work and isn't worth the cash, especially if there's a bus transfer to the plane.

6.
Always check the terms and conditions on the airline's website. Their website is the only up-to-date source of information, so don't trust third parties with something as important as your holiday.

7.
Budget airlines normally offer a point-to-point service, which implies no commitment to get you to any onward flights on time. If you end up at a peculiar airport miles from town due to delays, you might be in for a long wait for your next available flight. Ryanair actually discourage people from using their services if they're trying to make a connection.

8.
Remember that cheap flights often end up at remote airports. You might save £30 | $49.35 | €33.70 getting a flight to Reus, but getting over to Barcelona will easily absorb that amount.

9.
Snack before you get on the plane, and drink plenty of water. The average price for a bottle of water on board seems to be around £1.70 | $2.80 | €1.90.

10.
Fly in the early morning or late evening, on a weekday. Aim to travel in the low season and definitely avoid school holidays if you want to get the cheapest deals.

11.
Budget airlines won't wait for late passengers. The gates shut promptly and if you're not on the plane, you may face a lengthy wait for your luggage and you certainly won't get a refund.

12.
Don't ignore the traditional, non-budget carriers. These are less restrictive than the budget airlines, fly to major airports, generally have more comfortable aircraft and might even be as cheap if not cheaper than their budget equivalent.

Photo courtesy of MarinaAvila

In Jerzu, for the "Festival dei Tacchi"

2011-04-25T17:49:00.000+08:00

This is a guest post from Damiano of Turismo Sardegna, travel agency from my hometown. I've rarely hosted guest posts on my blog, I do only when I feel the article is in line with the purpose of the blog itself. And of course, after all I've written about my hometown, anything from Sardinia is more than welcome here.

Sardinia is a land full of history, culture, food, nature and dialects different from the rest of Italy.

But for most people, Sardinia is just an island of beautiful beaches and colourful waters, with delicious culinary and wine traditions and where sometimes traditional fairs and religious celebrations, such as the Sagra of Saint Efisio in Cagliari, take place.

However, Sardinia is also a land of music and theatre festivals which, every year, bring international artists from all over the world to this idyllic sunny corner of paradise.

Our journey made of music and theatre starts in Ogliastra. On Sardinia's eastern coast, it is the territory of the Cannonau vineyards, a land that you can also enjoy exploring or undertake some hiking between the coast and the mountains.

At the beginning of August, Jerzu, Ulassai and the Tacchi mountains will hold an international theatre festival called Festival dei Tacchi.

During these days, Jerzu (the main village) also celebrates the Cannonau (together with Vermentino, Malvasia, Monica and the Carignano, one of the most famous grapes in the island), an excellent, full-bodied red wine.

For a smart traveller with a hearty appetite, this is a great opportunity to enjoy wines, local gastronomy, music and theatre in the unspoilt nature of the Ogliastra.

Ulassai's canyon is also regarded as one of Sardinia's best free climbing sites.

Finally Arbatax (35 km away from Jerzu) is worth a visit for the typical red rocks.

The festival is called “The Tacchi Festival”, because it takes place in the area of the "Tacchi", a limestone formation which looks like upturned shoe heels, namely “tacchi” in Italian.

I could enjoy this festival several times, and sometimes I was even involved in its organisation, which was a truly great experience. Going to Ogliastra during the “Tacchi Festival” means intense days of discovering the surroundings.

On the morning, explore the coastal area around Jerzu. After a quick shower, just go for a stroll around the city centre of Jerzu or Ulassai in the wait for the next shows to come...
Please, when wandering about theses cities, do not miss the opportunity to taste the typical street food of Ogliastra, such as Coccoi Prena and Coccoi 'e tamata; and if you can afford it, treat yourself to a typical succulent dinner at the “Da Concetta” restaurant.

Interestingly, during the past ten editions, almost all the best actors and theatre companies have been involved in this festival. The best thing about it? Almost all the people involved in the event live in the area so, if you are lucky enough, you will have the chance to have with the actors, musicians or journalists. If you are not that lucky, just attend seminars, workshops and theatre sessions where you will be in touch with them!

Every year, at the same time, the city of Jerzu also hosts a great wine festival. Jerzu is in fact the "capital" of the Cannonau red wine district, Sardinia's most popular wine. The Cannonau wine festival mainly features wine and traditional Ogliastra food tasting in about twenty small “garage” wineries, as well as seminars, concerts and arts and crafts.

During the event, a lot of wineries will be open till late, offering wine and a great variety of local recipes to visitors. This is the kind of street food festival where people, a glass of wine in one hand and a small plate full of food in the other, will be walking up and down the main streets... getting increasingly happy thanks to the wine!

Accommodation

Another great plus for travellers who decide to visit Ogliastra during the Tacchi Festival is that anyone can choose the accommodation they prefer.
Backpackers can camp for free in the beautiful San Antonio wood, at about 5 kilometres from Jerzu.
However, budget hotels are widely available in Jerzu or Ulassai and it is also possible to rent a small apartment for the festival.

Travel to Ogliastra

By Ferry. There are different routes available from Italy mainland to reach Sardinia and the closest to Jerzu and Ulassai is with Tirrenia Ferries that offer great deals and promotions on Arbatax.
By plane. Cagliari, Alghero and Olbia are regularly served by low cost airlines.

Resources:

Ogliastra Province Touristic Office. Website in English: http://www.turismo.ogliastra.it/English/

News and projects, the more I travel the more confused I am

2011-04-19T12:40:00.000+08:00

I thought traveling was going to make things clear for me. In what sense? Well, at least in the sense of where I want to settle, eventually.

It seems like it's not the case, the more I travel, the less I know where to stop. I came to China for six months, I'm in the middle of my second semester,and already thinking about renewing my visa for the second time.

Is it China? Yes, it's China. The Red Dragon, after making me almost run away, now doesn't want to let me go. Is it only China? No, it's not. It's East Asia.

So far I've only traveled around China and India, but I'm planning to visit more countries of this fascinating region of the planet.

What is East Asia doing to me? Hard to say, but here I feel inspired, tireless, creative. I know I have been pretty silent on this blog, but I'm regularly updating my new site Chasing The Unexpected with my new travels, while Travel Calling will still be the place for the quirky aspects of my life as an expat, and, I have to say, East Asia offers invaluable "quirky" angles.

I, of course, am trying to understand myself why I'm finding East Asia so intriguing, maybe the simple lifestyle, maybe just the challenge of living (and traveling) in such a different society from the one I was used to, and probably even studying Mandarin, incredibly hard and beautiful language, all things that are contributing in making this experience much more charming than I expected.

It's probably not a mystery by now, but I have no intention of going back to Europe (yes, of course I'm going to see my family and friends, I didn't become crazy with all this inspiration!). I still don't know how I'll sort out the legal stuff, but as I'm gradually sensing here, in China everything is possible.

Blogging for New Zealand

2011-03-16T16:25:00.002+08:00

I haven't been to New Zealand, but I know it's one the most adored travel destinations. Beautiful landscapes, friendly people and the benefit of mild temperatures are the perfect ingredients for an ideal vacation, and New Zealand has them all.

The end of 2010 has seen many natural disasters, from Europe to the US to Australia, the weather seemed to have gone crazy. Unfortunately, 2011 is proving even worse.

Only a couple of days ago Japan has been struck by an earthquake of magnitudo 8.9, which caused huge damages even if the country is well-equipped to face such natural phenomena. The earthquake was followed by a tsunami and a leak in one of the country's nuclear power plants, sparking worries all over East Asia.

About three weeks ago an earthquake killed 65 people in Christchurch, New Zealand, and Craig Martin of Indie Travel Media is organising a web event to boost tourism to New Zealand. Even if I haven't been there yet, I'm sure one day I will.

This is what Indie Travel Media says:

"The world is in shock that one of the premium travel destinations in the world could suffer such a natural disaster as happened two weeks ago in Christchurch. And while all our thoughts go out to those people who have lost loved ones, lost homes and businesses, travel bloggers around the world are uniting to tell the world New Zealand is a great place to travel and there is no better time than now."

"March 21, 22, and 23 has been set aside by travel bloggers throughout the world as 72 hours of content generation about travelling to New Zealand. #Blog4NZ is the brain-child of New Zealand travel bloggers Jim McIntosh and John Reese. John himself living in Christchurch. “We want a total black-out of travel content across the world, we want Twitter dominated by Tweets about travelling to New Zealand, we hope that all travel bloggers rally behind this cause and publish as many articles as possible throughout this period about travelling to New Zealand” said event organiser Craig Martin of Indie Travel Media.

“New Zealand is one of the world’s greatest travel destinations and has been a great source for many travel bloggers and travel entrepreneurs. For many northern hemisphere countries it is the furthest most spot they can travel. It has been the place where so much innovation has come with regard to travel – the home of Bungy, the birth place of hop-on hop-off backpacker travel, NZ led the way in independent hostels throughout the eighties and nineties. It is also a country where tourism is the number one contributor to GDP, where the Minister of Tourism is the PM – that is how important tourism is. This is the travel community saying hey go to NZ – if there is one place that should be on your travel list this year it is NZ” said Dan Roberts of Travel Generation. “This is something that as the travel community we can do to support not only all the businesses in Christchurch but everyone in New Zealand.”

Over the next few days event organisers will be working with the whole New Zealand tourism industry to gather resources, images and content that travel bloggers from all over the world will be able to access to generate their stories during the 72 hours of blog4NZ. At the same time the call is going out to all travel bloggers, travel experts, photographers and social media users to show the power of the Internet to make a real long term difference to those travel businesses suffering in New Zealand not just now but over the next 12 months in New Zealand as a result of the earthquake.

For more information go to Blog4NZ website

Contact: Dan Roberts Travel Generation
dan@travelgeneration.com
Phone: +64 3 441 8494
Mobile: +64 21 360 486

Time to grow up (and go self-hosted)

2011-02-23T14:20:00.000+08:00

I had been thinking for long time, now I've finally made the decision and gone self-hosted.

In the two years I've kept this blog (which will still be regularly updated), I've loved the interaction with readers and other bloggers, it felt like my travels were more meaningful if I could share my experiences and provoke other people's reaction or even make them plan a trip themselves.

I have also enjoyed the Blogger platform, and admittedly got quite spoiled by it, as it's extremely easy to use. But now I feel I'm ready to challenge myself with a self-hosted website. Not because I feel very HTML-savvy, (erm, quite unexperienced, actually), but because I wanted more space, more "independence", in a nutshell, I wanted to "grow up".

My new website's title is Chasing The Unexpected. Who reads this blog, also knows how much I like unearthing the most hidden and quirky aspects of the countries I visit, and the purpose of Chasing The Unexpected is exactly to highlight nuances of places and cultures that media and tourist organizations neglect.

The best way not to miss any of my future articles, of course is to subscribe to my feed reader, I hope to see you all there!

Would you RANT a motorbike?

2011-02-18T19:07:00.000+08:00

Like in every country, also in India the colors are given by its inhabitants. Hanging around the picturesque and quirky towns in the Rajasthan state, my attention was inevitably captured by markets, animals and shop signs.

Many Indians speak a good English, although sometimes they write it how it sounds, making it look exquisitely local.

How can you not be enticed to try the Italiyan restaurant in Jaisalmer?

Would you prefer taking a local "taxi" or rant a motorbike?

Whether you are looking for memorable subjects for your pictures, unusual corners of civilization or colorful samples of humanity, India has it all. A real photographer's paradise, not only when it comes to landscapes.

Unearthing rural India with locals

2011-02-10T16:56:00.002+08:00

I admit, I'm a fan of independent travel (read: travel on a shoestring) and a seeker of the unexpected, but when I decided to go to India, I felt right to book a guided tour.

The main reason was that I was staying for only ten days and I wanted to see as much as possible, without wasting time looking for transports, entrances and understanding how to get about.

Certainly, getting around has been much easier, so my first need, as I expected, was fully met, however, I grew increasingly happy to have a guide all throughout rural India.

Traveling in Rajasthan can be tricky, despite my guide's recommendations on basic safety rules, I got sick and spent a whole night throwing up everything I had eaten probably in the past six months, with the result that the morning after I looked like a zombie.

Although I love street food, I haven't had any in India, I have always been very careful to drink only bottled water and avoided anything "risky". Probably what got me was some milk-based dish in which the milk could have been expired.

Apart from that, the trip went smoothly, and I have only nice memories. The travel guides I've had were great, and I'm happy we are still in touch (yes, thanks to the magic of the Internet..).

Who stayed with me from day one, worried about my being too skinny, encouraging me to eat more than I could manage and solving each every one of my problems in less than no time was not my mom as you might think.

Experienced travel guides can provide you with colorful anecdotes, contributing in unveiling the idiosyncrasies of the Indian society I wouldn't have been able to capture on my own in such a short time.

Danish, proudly staring in front of his beloved Taj Mahal

From day three, travel agent Sushila joined us. The official reason was that "she had never visited the cities we were going next", but I believe the real aim was that she was worried about a little girl traveling all alone throughout rural India. Not sure why everybody thought I was 20, but I'm certainly not complaining about it.

In every city there was a local guide ready to take over the stint to show me around and all I had to do was follow, listen and, obviously, take thousands of pictures. Traveling has never been that easy.

In Agra, Danish showed me the Agra Fort and introduced me to the story of love and pain behind the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Taj Mahal with such passion that sometimes I thought he wished he had built the Taj himself.

Chhotaram smiling *after* the opium ritual

In Jaipur I was escorted by Bisaj, who explained me Indian complex astrology system, according to which they assess everybody's "luck" in order to arrange future marriages. When he learnt I was 32 and unmarried, he kindly offered to find out what's wrong with me and work out my luck. I'm still waiting full of hope.

Jodhpur was a blast. Literally. Escorted by Chhotaram Prajapat, Sushila, Chandu and myself ventured in beautiful Salawas village, in Jodhpur district. After enjoying an otherworldly immersion in nature, admiring shy deers, antelopes, black bucks and peacocks, we had a taste of what village life in rural India looks like.

The tour of the tiny hamlet started with the ceremony of the opium, central part of their social mores, carried out during special occasions and to make up in case of arguments. When everything was ready, I was inevitably asked if I wanted to try it out, and my thrilled "Yes" was met by Chhotaram's smirk.

Leaving Jodhpur, we drove to Jaisalmer, where my tour of the city was colored by the tales of Papu, or Prem, not sure. Papu seemed very concerned about my eating habits, because "not only work is important, you need to take care of your body first." He still reminds me, so how can I forget.

Apart from my not-eating-enough sorrow, Papu was very busy all the time we spent in the desert trying to find a toilet for me. When I realized the best solution he had come up with was to go behind a tree, I decided to keep it, also because the desert is not exactly synonymous with lush vegetation.

Papu and Sushila floating in the air. Yes, guides can also do that

After the desert safari, we "casually" ended up at a 5-star hotel, so after avoiding the tree, I had the chance to try out a 5-star toilet. Still now Papu can't believe it: "I've never met anyone able to keep their wee for two hours."

The last city I've visited was Bikaner, famous for its temple devoted to mice: thousands of mice darting in and out so fast that at every step I made I was afraid to crash some. Like in every other temple, shoes were not allowed, and since mice are not my favourite pets, I threw my socks out after the holy visit.

With the benefit of the hindsight, I think I wouldn't have been able to enjoy India as much as I did without the aid of my local guides, who have definitely made my trip more colorful and authentic.

Me, my camels and the rest of the zoo in Rajasthan, India

2011-02-06T13:32:00.000+08:00

My passion for camels is not a secret, it was love at first sight in Abu Dhabi desert, and I almost got traded with two camels in Istanbul. It must be a destiny, everywhere I go I see camels, or I unconsciously choose destinations were I'm bound to find them.

India is not just a photographer's paradise, but also a camel's paradise. Or any animal's for that matter, since, as my guide told me many times "In India you don't need to go to the zoo, you'll find it in the streets."

Cows, monkeys, elephants, pigs, any creature you can think of swans around the badly kept roads of rural (and urban) India.

Indians have a sort of obsession for animals, they don't kill them, in the Rajasthan region most people are completely vegeterian, instead of eating meat, they translate animals into gods and worship them. During all my travels I had never been to a place where people establish a so close contact with nature. Almost unbearably fascinating.

I'm not vegetarian, but I realize I'm gradually eating less and less meat. I really I love animals, and during my recent trip to India, along with visiting countless monuments and places of historical interest, and driving around the Rajasthan, I couldn't stop staring at the cows: they are their holy animal, they are everywhere, they live in the streets, they hang around local markets, living just fine among people.

Indians don't even mind until they stumble on them suddenly in the middle of the road while recklessly darting back and forth with their cars and motorbikes: it's unforgivable sin (and very likely also illegal) to hit a cow.

Not only happy cows swinging their head conscious of their importance, but also other animals live carefree in a country where they are loved, protected and worshipped.

As for me, having the possibility to see my camels so often, without rushing and being able to capture their funky smile with my camera was, well, priceless.

More pearls, as usual, on my Flickr set devoted to animals.

When I'm wrong, I admit it (sometimes)

2011-01-23T12:08:00.000+08:00

I must confess, I hate being proved wrong. Probably this is quite common, but I have to admit, I really hate it. This being said, sometimes I agree to give up on the last word. This usually happens when insisting on my version would not only further show that I'm wrong, but also that I'm grumpy.

Recently, I've been thinking a lot about my first six months in China, and I have to say, my initial experience in Far East Asia made me draw some hasty wrong conclusions, among which the wrongest one was that I didn't want to stay.

My initial settling in Shanghai hasn't been easy, actually it was a proper shock mainly due to the language barrier. I'm comfortable in five languages, one being widespread English, so I thought I wouldn't have encountered so many difficulties, at least for the most basic things.

I quickly revisited my opinion when I realised I could literally count on one hand the people I met with who spoke a little English. Even at the hotel in Beijing city centre, none of the receptionists spoke English. I'm not a fan of "imposing" my language anywhere, this is why I like studying many different idioms, but admittedly, in China I was truly taken aback.

You don't realise the importance of the language until you absolutely need to make yourself understood by the person you are talking to and you are unavoidably met with a puzzled look of despair. This was my daily routine when I arrived in July until, well, not long ago.

Still now, the most common sentence in my personal vocabulary is "Ting bu dong": it looks like this 听不懂, and it means "I can hear you but I can't understand you". Mandarin Chinese is definitely a difficult language, and by difficult, I mean difficult. It's not words that you can just "pick up", if you don't know it, you are in the dark. It's like learning two languages, for between the spoken and the written there is no relation whatsoever: the written has 5000 characters, and as many years, under its collective belt; the spoken is a tangled web of tones that, although to a clumsy Western pair of ears sound perfectly the same, to Chinese people are totally different.

So, misunderstandings and the awareness of living in a nearly complete darkness, led me to regret my choice of spending six months in China and, as I started to think I will never be fluent, I didn't even want to learn such a difficult language.

All these seemingly impossible-to-overcome difficulties have been haunting me since the beginning but, oddly enough, little by little they are becoming the funny side of my stay in Shanghai. Now, I'm the first one to laugh when I don't understand or I can't express myself, and this is gradually revealing very helpful, firstly because I don't panic anymore and I just throw in all words I can muster, and secondly because people are more willing to give me the time to do such.

Apart from language-related adventures, recently I've been realising I'm slowly falling in love with China, its culture, its philosophy of life, its people.

This is a bit of a problem, and not just because here I can't get married (I know, it's sad, but not much I can do about it), but especially because I had different plans, which involved staying in China for a period between six months to a year and then moving to the Middle East for another six months to a year period.

However, at the moment, I can't see myself leaving China. Six months have already gone, the next half year will fly as fast as the previous one and I'm already thinking about extending my visa (again).

I'm not sure what has cast such a spell on me, probably the very easygoing aspect of pretty much everything in the Chinese lifestyle, or maybe the fact that you can do whatever you want and it will always be ok, or my gradual acknowledging that overcoming the challenge of integrating in such a different society is more rewarding than I thought it would be.

If at the beginning Shanghai was unsettling in a sort of "unwelcoming" terms, now it's the other way around. Feeling more "at home" than in any other destinations I've moved to is a bit scary, but certainly enjoyable.

Hopping on and off the little islands of the One Thousand Island Lake

2011-01-14T22:52:00.000+08:00

It was early November, and in Hangzhou I had the first signs of what it would have been the Chinese winter. It's here that I experienced the first cold and had an idea of what to expect.

Although Shanghai's temperatures winter time are usually between 10° and 3°C, this year the city has been hit by an unusual wave of cold, joining the rose of countries slammed by anomalous weather conditions all over the globe, from Australia to the US to Brazil, to Europe. Unlike the past years, however, it's not raining much in Shanghai, nor I'm finding it very humid.

When I went to Hangzhou, it wasn't as cold as it is now, but as we were used to last summer's blazing heat, the sudden dropping of the temperature probably felt colder than it actually was. Additionally, spending most of the time in the upper deck of the boat defying wind and most annoying fine rain in order to catch the best views for photos (I know, very heroic of me), made it even more biting.

Every island has its own peculiarity, be it the recurrence of Chinese zodiac symbols, a ridiculously high concentration of snakes, or picturesque temples. In one of the islands I got on the cableway to further admire the view. Thick clouds, unfortunately, didn't allow a clear view of the landscape which, revealed pretty overwhelming nonetheless.

I'll take this as an excuse to go back during springtime, to devote a sunny weekend uniquely to those little islands, to fully enjoy what the One Thousand Island Lake has to offer and take the shots I missed last time.

More photos of the lake on my Flickr set.

In China, where I won't get married

2011-01-10T13:35:00.002+08:00

Recently I have read a post by Kate of Adventurous Kate, about being too late to have a baby, and I was reminded of a funny event that had just happened to me.

Again, I have to thank my laoshi for her enlightening tips on Chinese society. This time, however, I would have probably preferred to stay in the dark.

Whenever she perceives a lack of attention in the class, our teacher throws in some funny bits of oriental etiquette, and this is how I suddenly realised I'm getting too old for having an "ordinary" life.

To be honest, I had already noticed how Chinese people react when I tell them I'm 32, not married and have no children: their head slowly starts leaning on a side, and the movement is usually associated with a compassionate "Aww...". Only when they see my puzzled look, they rush adding: "Oh, but you look 25!"

Probably because I've always lived in Europe, and only traveled out of Europe without really settling, this has come as a surprise. So far, I had never been considered "too old" and most of my friends are neither married or have children. Actually, marry too early is an aspect of Italian life a couple of generations ago.

My grandmother, for example, got married at 19, and at 26 had already to six children. Wisely, she has always advised her daughters not to do so, and instead pursue their personal life goals first. But obviously things had changed since the '40s and '50s, so my mom and aunts had the opportunity to make their own choices independently.

Fortunately, my mother has never put any wedding pressure on me, and has actually always advised to live the life I want, setting my own priorities.

Now, however, I'm gradually accepting the new reality: I won't get hitched in China.

Our laoshi's revealing anecdote was also very funny, telling about a quirky tradition in which desperate parents get to Shanghai city centre to stick their daughters' "CV" on trees or wherever they can in the hope that a Chinese version of Prince Charming can pick his future wife. However, what most has remained impressed in my mind is the very first statement: "Are you over-30? Forget it, you are too ripe to find a husband."

Apart from having already reached the fatal expiration date, I've never felt the need, nor the desire for that matter, to get married.

It's not that I'm totally excluding the possibility, but admittedly, my nomadic lifestyle of changing country (or Continent!) every two years, doesn't help.

Call it "commitment issues", "restless soul", "running away from something", anything might fit the description, but at 32 years of age I haven't thought about marriage yet. Should I?

In China, a photographer's paradise

2011-01-09T11:12:00.000+08:00

Along with studying Mandarin, I'm also enjoying the wonders of the Chinese mainland. Around every corner, there is a breathtaking view, unusual landscapes, quirky buildings, in a nutshell, a photographer's paradise.

View in ZhouZhuang water town, one of the most popular around Shanghai

China is huge, coming from Europe probably I didn't really have the sense of space, or at least not enough for when it comes to such big nations. Here everything is far from everything, to go to "close" cities, most of the time you'll need the plane.

For the period I will spend in Far East Asia, I want to visit as many countries as possible, but also explore China as much as I can.

Bridge in ZhouZhuang

Being studying in Shanghai, I naturally have more opportunities to visit the surroundings of the country's financial capital, and along with great subjects for my pictures, I'm absorbing the ancient culture that has contributed in making China the giant it is today.

One of the aspects I most like in Chinese culture is their close contact with nature. This has made me appreciate the small water towns around Shanghai, their typical gardening style that gives much importance to stones, exhibited in their original shape, with no further carving.

I went to Suzhou, considered the main water town, and visited two of the most important gardens. Everything there is built with the aim of enjoying natural phenomena with all senses.

ZhouZhuang-style "gondolas"

So there is the space for contemplating natural sceneries, the room specifically created to better appreciate the sound of the rain and winding waterways and calm lakes occasionally interrupted by the beloved stones, a gift to men from Nature.

These are some of the shots I took in ZhouZhuang water town, I've uploaded more on a Flickr set I've devoted to Shanghai's neighborhood, with other pictures from ZhouZhuang, Suzhou and ZhuJiaJiao.

Looking back at my travels in 2010

2011-01-01T13:54:00.000+08:00

I've been reading to sweetest post about travel memories by Liz Borod Wright of Travelogged and it made me realise how much I've travelled in 2010.

S'Ardia

After having left home in 1998, and spent seven years in Rome, two in Dublin and two in London, I finally made it back to my hometown, Sardinia, for quite a long while. This has given me the invaluable chance to spend some quality time with my parents, visit places I had never seen, carry out some research on the fascinating past of my island, meet interesting people, going down Europe's deepest canyon, participate to some of my favourite local festivals such as S'Ardia in Sedilo and the Mamuthones of Mamoiada, enjoy Sardinia's culinary delicacies and listening to my grandmother's extraordinary story of when she and my grandfather left the island to move to France in the late '50s.

Local getting ready for dune driving in Abu Dhabi desert

During the year I spent in Sardinia, I have also travelled to the Middle East, a region that has always captivated me. So far I've only been to the UAE, but I liked it so much that it won't take me long to go back and explore the rest of that charming corner of the planet. My short, yet unforgettable, stay in the Emirates gave me the chance to spark my passion for the desert, not only for the timeless beauty of its endless stretch of sandy dunes, but also because I could better understand the past and the culture of this young nation.

I thoroughly enjoyed dawdling about Dubai and admired its quirky skyline, but have been captured by the characters I met in Abu Dhabi local markets, the typical places where you can genuinely sense a country's identity.

Gordes, Provence

Before leaving Europe, I somehow felt compelled to make another trip within the Old Continent, and this is how, end of Mars, I ended up in the French region of Provence, where my aunt lives. Here I had the unique opportunity to visit the creepiest dolls' house I had ever seen, be able to picture how was the life of the infamous Marquis De Sade after the Catholic Church banned him and his works from public life, wander the streets of a ghost town, and enjoy a photo-trip in Gordes, picturesque village located right on the edge of a cliff.

After all this traveling around, I finally made it to my new hometown, and last July I landed in China. For who's been following my blog, it's not a mystery that the beginning of my stay in Shanghai has been quite a shock and more than once I thought I couldn't make it.

The Great Wall of China

Fortunately, however, my Sardinian roots provided me with a good deal of stubbornness and made me refuse to admit defeat. Now I'm glad I stuck to my original plan, otherwise I wouldn't have visited so many great places such as the Great Wall or picturesque water towns, I wouldn't have met such beautiful people, I wouldn't have had the chance to explore the fascinating culture of ancient China, and especially I would have missed the chance to challenge myself with studying Mandarin, activity with the unique feature of making me realise that the more I learn the less I understand.

Despite this barrier and my initial shock, I've been gradually collecting little defining moments in the "Country of the middle", conquests that are contributing in shaping my personality, enriching my life experience and opening my mind to a whole new set of priorities. In a nutshell, I'm applying for a visa extension.

2010 has been exciting and challenging, and I wish 2011 will be as constructive and inspiring. Happy New Year everybody!

Favourite destinations for solo female travelers? Emirates' timeless beauty

2010-12-29T19:04:00.001+08:00

I'm honoured to host on my blog a guest post by Stephanie Lee, the author of "The Art of Solo Travel". Not only she gives very useful tips for any woman traveling alone, but I'm happy she has chosen the United Arab Emirates, one of my most favourite destinations.

When embarking on the adventure of solo travel for the first time, one of the first things that spring to mind is health and safety. As a solo female traveller who’s been around the globe, interestingly two of the cities in which I felt safest were Abu Dhabi and Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. Despite what the media frequently portrays, these cities in the UAE are forward metropolitan hubs with modern conveniences, friendly people, and have their fair share to offer any solo traveller without compromising on personal comfort and safety.
Some of the factors that contribute to this:

The city never sleeps

These two cities are high rollers with a busy and vibrant nightlife. Because there is always something going on in the city – be it 24-hour restaurants or clubs, the presence of people out socializing in the evenings and nights provided me with reassurance when going out after dark.

An international crowd

If travelling alone, it is guaranteed that you will meet other like-minded souls in these cities. Whether a fellow traveller or a working expat, making friends is easy, therefore there was never any reasons to feel lonely or unsafe. There are also ladies night in many places meaning free cocktails!

Day safaris

Join the plethora of day tours available in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Try your hand at crab-hunting in the Arabian Sea, go dune-bashing in the exotic desert, or watch belly-dancers entertaining you in front of a local feast. Whatever you decide, you will always have a small group of people enjoying a similar activity with you.

Visit the new wonders of the UAE

It is always safe to visit popular monuments as there will be many others doing exactly the same thing. Along with many other tourists in the city, spend a day or two visiting the new Burj Dubai, or gawk at old ones like the Burj-al-Arab and the Atlantis Hotel. Alternatively go shopping at the fantastic Mall of the Emirates where you can also go skiing.

Watch a concert at the Emirates Palace

With thousands of other screaming fans, it is impossible to feel unsafe. Many popular artists frequently hold concerts at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, and from personal experiences it is pretty spectacular to watch your favourite band put on a show for you in the middle of the desert.

Take the taxi

Taxis are cheap, clean, and the drivers in a smart uniform are polite, helpful and courteous. Don’t take the bus.

Other obvious things

Besides keeping in mind the obvious such as not walking down a dark alley or tunnel alone, and never bringing your valuables out with you, it is almost impossible to feel insecure or unsafe in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Although not the cheapest places to visit, a few days there wouldn’t hurt. So head over there and party like it’s 2011! Happy New Year to all solo travellers!

You can buy "The Art of Solo Travel" here.

In Shanghai, model for a day

2010-12-17T11:55:00.004+08:00

Meet the characters, Mustafa on the left, Volkan on the right.

As I've mentioned before, I believe the best part of travelling is the people you meet, and in Shanghai I'm indeed meeting a huge variety of humanity.

First of all, I've acquired a little brother, he's from my beloved Istanbul, and his name is Mustafa. As it happens, along with a brother, I've acquired his friends too.

The other day Volkan, Mustafa's friend, also from Turkey, was on college assignment, and his homework involved hang around the city and make some good shots. He needed two models, so, naturally, we were chosen as main characters.

Mustafa and I kindly agreed to lend our image rights for the sake of Volkan's grade, that, as I found out after a couple of days, was the highest in the class, nonetheless.

Our first stop was at Buddhist Jing'an Temple, just on time to witness my first Buddhist service. The orange-clad monks didn't even bother hiding their surprise at seeing "tourists" taking pictures, although this is one of the most popular and beautiful Buddhist Temples in the heart of Shanghai, oriental-style construction nestled among state-of-the-art architecture and shopping malls.

After quietly following the celebrations rich in incense, chants, fruits and colours, we decided to leave our otherworldly experience and tackle some more mundane targets. After a couple of skyscrapers marking Shanghai's skyline, we ended up at Jing'an Park, where Mustafa and I had the opportunity to pose as models for Volkan's photo-story, of which I'm not sure I understood the plot.


Mustafa and myself, models for a day

Like most parks I've visited in Shanghai, also the one in Jing'an was plentiful with Chinese people performing Tai-Chi, beautiful to watch, certainly even more beautiful to practice.

After hours of laughing, freezing at the early cold, attracting locals' attention and causing their genuine amusement, I realised I had spent a whole afternoon in which, for once, I wasn't the one behind the camera.

Photos courtesy of Volkan.

Dawdling about Shanghai's little Venice

2010-12-11T23:28:00.002+08:00

Shanghai is indeed a metropolis that leaves very little time to rest. Since I've been in China I haven't done anything but working, studying and running. Non-stop. The city is literally absorbing all my energies, and I believe all Shanghainese are on the same boat.

Although the city offers countless opportunities to hang out and spend your leisure time, a particularly nice way to escape the hustle and bustle of modern life and get an idea of ancient China is dawdling about one of the lovely water towns surrounding Shanghai's area. I would recommend that your foreign currency conversion is taken care of before you travel to small cities in China as you might find it difficult to change your money here.

Last Sunday I went to ZhuJiaJiao, picturesque, old-styled corner just 45 minutes away from the latest state-of-the-art architecture that makes Shanghai the vibrant and glitzy capital of South East Asia.

It literally took my friends and I only 45 minutes to step back in time. Despite the unavoidable touristy aspects that I believe nowadays are everywhere, the town strongly reminded what could have looked when Chinese people were the least thinking they were going to become one of the first world powers.

The vicinity of the sea and the HuangPu river crossing the region gave origin to the rise of many little towns right on the water. Like in Venice, cars are not allowed in and houses are perched on the banks of the waterways.

All along the riversides traditional shops and restaurants line up ready to serve the continuous flow of tourists, both foreigners and natives. Being outside of the city, the atmosphere is naturally chilled out, people are the least worried about their clothes or looking good in general, and despite the cold temperature, the day went by very pleasantly.

Being in the Chinese version of "Venice", could I miss a tour on board of the Chinese version of the "gondola"? Of course not. And good for us that we made it: our "gondolier" brought us to the very intimate corners of the town, no tourists around, laundry hanging out of the windows and on the narrow alleys, and old houses overlooking the calm waterway.

This is not the only water town around Shanghai, and it's not even the most popular. In fact, among the next villages I will visit there certainly are Suzhou and Zhouzhuang, in the hope they will be able to fulfill my constant quest for nice spots for taking photos.

In China, collecting defining moments

2010-11-27T09:30:00.000+08:00

I've been in China for about three months now, started the language course two months ago, and began to collect my first language-related defining moments only a couple of weeks ago. Is it too late?

It's not that I don't ask myself if I'm doing something wrong or what I should change, but despite some healthy self-criticism, I somehow struggle to make the whole process of learning Mandarin faster.

I have just begun to learn the characters, so it's quite hard to notice any improvement in my writing and reading already: I might know about 300 and they are 5000, I need to be patient, I'll be able to read the newspaper in about 3000 characters.

I'm getting to grips with the grammar, not too difficult, but still very different from Western languages structures. I know how it works, I've gone through grammar learning before, so I know it takes time.

What I'm finding more challenging, however, is the pronunciation, both when I speak and when I listen.

Speaking is not always easy because I miss many words. However, I try to follow the advice of our laoshi and talk to anybody I meet, but even when I'm happy I for once know the right expression, my excitement is very short-lived: people simply don't understand me.

On the other hand, when Chinese people speak (very fast), my first reaction is panic. When finally my brain starts functioning, it's already too late, the person has left.

I can never forget my first defining moment language-wise: after hopping on a cab, I told the driver where I wanted to go and he understood without me having to show him the place written in Han zi (Chinese characters). I know it might seem pretty straightforward, but it's not: you get one tone wrong and they'll drive you to the other side of the city.

I was so excited I managed to make the driver understand me for the first time that at the end of the drive I forgot how to tell him where to stop and I issued a ridiculous "zhe ge, zhe ge!" that corresponds to the English "this one, this one!", very little appropriate to the situation.

Since then, I developed a greater self-confidence and I have no problems taking a taxi anymore. Actually now probably I say it so well that drivers feel compelled to strike up a conversation with me and inevitably end up mocking my accent when they realise my only answer is "Ting bu dong" ("I don't understand").

So, since most of my attempts to communicate so far have ended up into a stalemate, I've decided to make some more effort on this. My next steps will include:

1. Watching tv every day even if I understand next to nothing.

2. Getting a language partner for conversation.

3. Going out more often and strike up a conversation with anybody, especially taxi drivers that are proving very talkative.

I hope my Chinese will improve faster with such a full immersion learning process but no worries, next post will still be in English!

In Shanghai, discovering the Tea Art

2010-11-21T07:52:00.000+08:00

It's been a while since I have updated my travel blog. My new Chinese life is keeping me very busy, especially the language course, that is becoming increasingly challenging. Of course, I'm not only studying. In fact, I've also been sightseeing in and out of Shanghai. In my quest for authentic traditions, I ended up delving into a local tea market.

If you think the national sport in China is Kung Fu, think again. Last Sunday, in fact, I went tea fighting, nonetheless.

I thought I was simply going to buy tea, but I sensed it wasn't that obvious when my friend told me: "Tasting tea is an art, not simple drinking."

I wanted to discover China's most intimate traditions, didn't I? Well, the Tea Art is one of them. Ancestral, fascinating, magical. To the extent that buying tea in a normal supermarket in China is almost betraying its roots and missing something essential of its culture.

Writes Yizhou Wu: "There are many legends and folklores about the tea". And this is only the beginning of the journey into this intriguing tradition that has been an important element in the Chinese society for thousands of years, throughout royal dinasties, revolutions and wars.

China has been repeatedly criticised for having completely lost its traditions and connection with its past. Although I find this statement very simplistic in the attempt to define a so complex culture such as the Chinese, I agree that much of their identity is being sacrificed for the sake of modernity, and often the worst aspects of globalisation are being adopted very easily.

However, one of the aspects of the ancient society that Chinese people are not ready to give up is indeed the Tea Art.

The most widespread legend about the tea sees Shennong, believed to have written the earliest book on Chinese pharmacology, as the main character. According to the tale, he tasted all kinds of plants and water with the aim to make people aware of what was edible and what wasn't.

Finally, one day he was poisoned by 72 different plants and found relief only tasting the leaves of tea trees. Although that book wasn't written by Shennong, who is himself a legendary figure, it's an important account of the beginning of the tea tradition.

According to the Chinese tradition, the tea plays an important role in the Cosmo. This is how Yu Lu in his The Classic of Tea puts it:

Tea grows on land, that is "earth"; it is brewed in a stove, that is "metal"; it is heated by the burning "fire", which is fuelled by charcoal, which is "wood"; the final tea drink is "water".

The process through which tea changes from being a plant to being a drink is a process of going through the natural process of five elements, metal, wood, water, fire and earth, to reach a state of harmony.

This gives an idea of how important the tea is, considered not merely a drink, but a plant with medicinal properties that plays a central role in the society itself. During business meetings, meals or while welcoming guests, any occasion sees the ritual of the tea happen.

At the tea market, every little shop appear as cosy sitting rooms in which customers are invited to sit and taste all kinds of tea and infusion before deciding if and/or which to buy.

Only staring at the ritual is already fascinating. First there's the washing of the tiny cups, then the first water is thrown away after one minute of infusion, and finally the set is ready for serving the beloved drink.

Also the tasting is part of the ritual, during which the seller will explain the characteristics of the tea you are sipping. The first advice they give is not to swallow immediately, so that you are able to fully understand the flavour and what the seller is saying: the origins, the type of land where the herb was harvested, the kind of processing that brought it to be a drink.

According to tradition, the spirit of the tea is aimed at giving peace to the soul. Says Xufeng Wang:

"Heping (peace) is the spiritual core of Chinese tea. Pinghe (tranquillity) is the outward shape of the peaceful spirit shown by tea drinkers. Heping and pinghe, peace and tranquillity, are interdependent like teeth and lips. Here, peace is a spirit, and also a shape; tranquillity is a shape, and also a spirit."

The expert moves of the sellers make the whole experience of purchasing tea so rich that it will feel a shame to simply pick one from the Carrefour shelves next time I want to buy it.

The great walk along the Great Wall of China, with unexpected ending

2010-10-31T23:30:00.000+08:00

Going to China and not visiting the Great Wall should be considered a sin. I knew it was impressive, but being actually walking along that piece of history felt really special.

Although the fact that it can be seen from the moon is a myth, the Great Wall is a truly outstanding piece of ancient architecture, a series of walls built between the 5th and the 16th century BC, with the main purpose of protecting the Chinese Empire from the attacks of nomadic tribes.

Our tour began at the Ming Tombs, big complex with the graveyard of the emperors of the Ming Dinasty. Most of the Great Wall was built during this dinasty, and was started under emperor Zhu Yuanzhang who also founded the Dinasty in 1368. The Ming period ended tragically in 1644, when the last emperor, Sizong, hanged himself after strong peasant uprisings headed by Li Zicheng, who managed to defeat imperial forces and break into Beijing.

In Changling, we have visited the burial mausoleum of Chengzu, Zhu Di (third emperor of the Ming Dinasty) and empress Xushi, with annexed a museum displaying ancient imperial Chinese tools and jewellery. To stay within the jewellery topic, afterwards we headed to the state-run jade factory, where they work (and sell) all kinds of Chinese jade.

After the jade factory was the turn of Chinese medicine. Or better, a wellbeing-sort-of-spa centre where we were introduced to the fascinating world of natural remedies. Apart from the too touristy atmosphere, the group was starting to get impatient about the Great Wall that, in the itinerary, was left as the last part.

Finally, we made it, more than an hour drive from Beijing, through a mental summer holiday traffic, we got to the Wall. Needless to say, the view started striking all of us since far away, and every time we saw a "piece" of it, the bus echoed of our "Oooohhhh".

The heat was stifling, and the massive crowd didn't help face the long walk that was awaiting us. We started climbing huge stone steps and steep uphill paths literally pushing our way with the elbows.

There is not one single best viewpoint, it's a gradual achievement, and staring at that overwhelming landscape from the Great Wall nonetheless, makes the exhausting route all the way worthwhile.

Our guide gave us instructions on how to go back but didn't come with the group, so after we reached our top spot and were starting the descent, we followed the crowd towards the exit. While we were facing the hard way back, the first signs that something was out of place started showing up.

Then, we realised we hadn't seen the little train we used to get to the entrance of the wall, that was supposed to bring us back down since we had a return ticket.

We kept going and immediately after the exit something felt unavoidably wrong. Much more quiet than what we had found when we had arrived, slightly different people, a soft-looking camel posing for tourist pictures and, more importantly, our bus was not there anymore.

It took us a while to understand it, but connecting all the dots, the truth was inescapable: we had ended up in Mongolia. Inner Mongolia, to be precise.

Originally, with my parents we had planned to go to Mongolia, but of course organising the trip, not "by mistake".

It has been an exhausting walk, the descent was double-length of the way up because we couldn't find the train that spared us half of the trip at the beginning; the heat was unbearable, the path bristled with pitfalls, such as small stones making it dangerously slippery.

As if this wasn't enough, once outside, before understanding where we were, we kept looking in vain for our bus. Finally, we had the epiphany, we found the phone number of our guide through her office and she told the taxi driver where was the bus (oh, because of course none of us spoke Chinese and we were unable to explain it ourselves).

After a huge traffic in the pass between Mongolia and China, we got to our bus, tired and annoyed for the unexpected extra-walk, but suspecting already our adventure would have become source of jokes for long time in the future.