With Oktoberfest about to begin this weekend, I started thinking of my favourite memories of Germany. First is Oktoberfest and all the fun I had drinking with all the Germans and tourists like myself. Second is the food. I loved the German food. My mother’s family are German so I have always been fascinated with all things Deutsch! German food was not a staple in our house: we were more of a meat and potatoes family (very Irish which happens to be the background of my father) so I was very excited to visit Germany and check it out first hand.
From bratwurst to apfelstrudel to currywurst to käsespätzle (noodles with cheese) to schnitzel, I did some good eating in Germany. However, my favourite travel food was and is SAUERBRATEN!
So what is Sauerbraten? German is very straightforward to translate – sour beef. It is a very simple recipe as well. You marinate the beef roast (usually a tough cut of meat) for a minimum of three to four days in a mixture of vinegar or wine, herbs and spices. Then you simmer the meat in the marinade for several hours and you end up with a very tasty and tender roast. Different areas of Germany will have their own versions and add their own mixtures.
It was made originally with horse meat but thankfully we have moved away from that. If you want horse meat, go eat at Ikea. 🙂
Rheinischer Sauerbraten adds raisins and gingerbread to the sauce while Swabian Sauerbraten has no sweetening or raisins. You serve it with potatoes, dumplings or noodles such as Spätzle.
I wish I had taken pictures when I was in Germany but I’m one of those people who NEVER takes pictures of food. But take my word for it and try it out. My German tutor Catrin told me to check out currywurst and sauerbraten so I have to thank her or I probably never would have ordered it.
Sauerbraten in Deutschland – photo courtesy saveur.com
I plan on trying my hand at this soon. When I do, I will take pictures and update this article with my attempt. I think I shall trythis recipe or this one unless anyone has a better one.
So there you have it: my favourite food during my travels. Of course I adored the pasta in Italy and pastry in France but nothing beats Sauerbraten! So what is your favourite travel food?
General Travel Tips for the Inexperienced Traveller
Travel in the off-season or during the end of the high season. I have gone to Europe in June and October several times. I love that time of year, especially October. The high season is winding down, there are fewer of your fellow tourists, the weather is cooler and you can still see all the great sights.
If going during high-season, consider a “skip the line” pass. I have bought one for the Vatican, Colosseum, the Louvre and others. You get to skip the line, do not have to wait hours in line (yes in high-season it will be hours) and get a tour guide. You can also remain after the tour to look around on your own.
You should try to learn the language of the country you are visiting. If you cannot learn the whole thing (which can be time-consuming and understandable), make sure to learn the basics and phrases you will need. You should know: hello, thank you, how much is this, where is the toilet, how far to my hotel, more wine please and so on. Be thoughtful and the people will adore you for trying.
Join a free walking tour. I stumbled upon one in Munich and had a fantastic time. You can find these in most major cities in Europe.
Berlin Wall, Berlin, Germany
The most important tip in hotel selection: LOCATION! Research the area to make sure you are not miles from the metro or too far from the city centre where most of the sights may be. Google maps is really your best friend in this case. I find staying in the wrong location can negatively affect your trip. You don’t want to be spending half your day on the train or metro.
Pack light! This is one tip I have trouble following. I always take a suitcase with me and yes, I check it. I have been damn lucky so far; never lost my luggage. Fingers crossed! Do I regret taking so much stuff with me each trip? Hell yes, but I always manage. My last two trips I have taken my smaller suitcase and managed fine. So yes you can do it.
Make sure you do your research – some places require reservations. An example: to view Michelangelo’s David in Florence, you need a reservation in advance. You can book this online.
I recommend spending more time in each city. Don’t try to see Europe in two weeks. You will be exhausted. I find three nights minimum in each city is the way to go. That way you are not rushed between days. You can return and you should to see the rest of Europe. I did a tour of Germany where I stayed in a couple of places only two nights and I felt too rushed. You really only one full day in that city plus whatever time you have the day you arrived so maybe a day and a half then you’re off. Too rushed!
Eurail passes are awesome! I did that for my German trip and it was worth the money. Just research the cost of individual rides to make sure it is worth your money, but it is an easy and convenient way of travelling around Europe! There are many types of passes so lots of flexibility! You can buy these in advance of your trip. Check out Seat 61 for more European rail information.
Buy comfortable walking shoes. If you don’t, you will suffer. I have great memories of my first trip overseas to London BUT I had crappy shoes, ended up with blisters after the second day so the rest of my time was very painful.
Wear a moneybelt. Safety first people!
If you don’t wear a moneybelt (umm I don’t), wear a bag across your body. I have a small bag (mini-purse) since I don’t like carrying a backpack that I hold in front of me. I basically keep my hand on it whenever anyone is nearby or in large crowds or the metro. If you carry a backpack, safest way is to carry it in front of you.
Be careful of scams, petitions or gypsies/street folk selling stuff. Most likely it is a scam so don’t engage them AT ALL. Walk away, tell them to leave you alone, you are not interested and so on. Rome and Athens were horrible for all that: they would not leave me alone. It got to the point where I was NOT polite anymore. They don’t care.
Notify your credit card companies before you head off so they don’t flag your card. I had my card flagged when I wasn’t even travelling: I was booking a flight on the Russian airline Aeroflot. So let them know in advance so your charges are approved.
Check with your bank: most charge extra for European withdrawals and sometimes charge extra for the currency conversion.
So there you go: a few general travel tips for the masses. What tips would you include? What has worked for you?
When I was planning my trip to the London Olympics, I noted that I had a few days without any Olympic events. I had been to London twice previously (go check out my Top 10 London Sights Here: Part 1 and Part 2) so thought I’d hit up the Chunnel and go to Paris. I got thinking even more, well if I’m in Paris, why not pop into Normandy to do the beaches? So my trip went from London to include Paris and Normandy. I decided to visit the cities of Rouen, Caen and Bayeux and of course visit the D-Day Beaches in Normandy, France.
I was only able to visit three of the beaches due to car trouble on the day I planned for the other two. Sadly I missed out on the British beaches but I was happy to visit the Canadian D-Day beach of Juno and the American Utah and Omaha.
D-Day was a very important day during WWII: it finally opened up a second front. The Russians desperately had needed that second front since they had been holding off the Germans in the East since 1942. British Prime Minster declared, “it is the Russian armies who have done the main work in tearing the guts out of the German army.”
By the end of the first day, around 156,000 troops landed in Normandy. Paris would be liberated by August 25, 1944, less than three months after the Allied Forces landed in France.
[Tiny note about stats in this article: depending on the source, they may differ slightly and I have focused on the beach landings, not including the air units or paratroopers at this time]
Juno Beach
Operation Overlord, the invasion of Europe by the Allied Forces, was planned for June 6, 1944 after a delay due to weather. Forces from Canada, Great Britain and the United States planned to land on five beaches (D-Day Beaches), crossing the English Channel. The Canadian forces landed on Juno Beach while Great Britain landed on Gold and Sword, with the United States on Utah and Omaha.
Juno Beach has a lovely centre that was built ten years ago. The Juno Beach Centre displays Canada’s participation during WWII and D-Day invasion. Right in front of the centre, there is a German observation bunker. I was able to go inside since I signed up for the tour (I was the only one signed up – awesome to have a one-on-one guide for an hour). The bunker would have informed and coordinated with the German army during D-Day.
By the end of D-Day, around 20,000 Canadians landed on Juno Beach and the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division had moved inland further than any other forces that day. Canada’s casualties totaled 1074, including injured and missing.
German Observation Bunker, Juno Beach, Normandy
Omaha
Next up is the American beach of Omaha. This had the strongest German defenses of the five beaches and the casualties were high; it was nicknamed Bloody Omaha. This area is composed of steep cliffs which rise one hundred feet above the sea stretching six miles, the largest of the five beach landings. Roughly 34,000 soldiers landed on Omaha Beach resulting in over 3000 casualties.
Omaha Beach, Normandy, France
The American cemetery at the top of the Omaha beach cliff contains over 9000 graves. In fact, this piece of land was given to the United States by France so you are standing on American soil. The grounds are meticulously groomed and it is emotional place to visit.
American Cemetery of Colleville-sur-Mer, Omaha Beach, Normandy
Utah
The last beach I visited was Utah, which is three miles long. The American forces landed with little resistance (due to accidentally landing two miles from their intended target) and roughly 23,000 soldiers landed on Utah. Due to the light resistance, American forces on Utah saw only a fraction of the casualties as they did on Omaha. Roughly 197 perished on Utah in total, including 60 missing.
Utah Beach, Normandy, France
25,000 Brits landed on Gold Beach with 28,000 on Sword while casualties, including injured and missing, totaled around 1000 for Gold and 1000 for Sword. In total, over 156,000 troops landed in Normandy on D-Day – June 6, 1944.
By the end of June 11th, there would be over 300,000 troops, 50,000 vehicles, and 100,000 tons of supplies.
I took a tour for the American beaches which worked out nicely: nice to have transportation and everything already arranged. Plus the tour guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining! So if you want to tour the US beaches, go check out Overlord Tours.
So have you been to the Normandy beaches? What did you think?
Update June 6, 2014: Today is the 70th anniversary of the Normandy invasion, D-Day. I was lucky enough to visit three of the beaches and a couple cemeteries. It was an overwhelming experience. Many memorials and commemorations are occurring today in Normandy. Take a moment to think what those men went through that day or even the days leading up to the big invasion. It was the beginning of the end of the War and many lost their lives that day.
The month is October. The year is 2008. Yours truly had ventured to Germany on her first ever solo trip. I was nervous about travelling solo but a friend recommended it so I figured, “Why not? Let’s give this a try.” I arrived on October 2nd in Munich, Germany a bit apprehensive. I had spent the previous six months learning German, even though I was told most spoke English which was true, so I was ready to let loose.
I had planned my entire trip before I left. I was more comfortable having all my hotels booked in advance since this would be my first solo trip. Due to expense, I only planned on staying in Munich for two days during Oktoberfest. I would return three weeks later after my tour of Germany to spend a few more days before I flew back home to Canada.
Oktoberfest is incredibly expensive. Prices double or increase dramatically. I found a nice hotel near the main train station and not far from the Oktoberfest grounds. I would stay in this hotel for both of my Munich stays; the second stay say the price drop by 100 euros. Yes that is crazy. No I was not prepared to stay in a hostel. This was my first overseas trip alone and I wanted the security of a hostel. Plus, I’ve never been keen on hostels. In fact, I have never stayed in one. I do not plan to in the near future. Maybe….if I ever do a long-term travel.
I made my way to Oktoberfest and man it was crazy. Thousands of people milling around; many dressed up in lederhosen or dirndl. It was delightful and made me wish that I had come dressed up. Next time for sure. I did make my way into a few tents but they were packed and not a spare seat. I wandered around, found a few stand-up bars on the grounds, drank a few beer with some lovely Austrians and had a great time.
Oktoberfest – Paulaner tent
History
Even wonder why the Germans get together for a fun and beer filled two weeks? No, it is not to celebrate the deliciousness that is beer. That would be a reasonable deduction but there is a long history associated with Oktoberfest.
Crown Prince Ludwig, later King Ludwig I, married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen October 12, 1810. The citizens of Munich were invited to the festivities in the fields near the city gates. This field would later be renamed Theresienwiese to honor the Crown Princess. The event was repeated the following year. In subsequent years, it was prolonged and moved to September due to weather.
Oktoberfest Tips
1. Book your table – I figured because I was travelling solo, I would find an empty seat no problem; that was not the case. Those tents are packed full. Book your table AND book early – that is my Oktoberfest tip numero uno! My guess is at least six months in advance or maybe more. You will not get served in the tents if you are not at a table.
You have to book directly with the tents. Oktoberfest’s website is not the best so you will have to click around quite a bit to find the contact information for each tent. When I return, I will probably book with the Augustiner tent. Augustiner is my favorite beer, ever! And sadly, I cannot get it anywhere else but Munich. I have found other Oktoberfest/Munich beers in Canada but it is very rare. 🙁
2. Timing – Do NOT go the last weekend of Oktoberfest (which is the first weekend of October). My dates simply worked out this way so I was there during the German national holiday (German Unity Day) and Oktoberfest is absolutely packed crazy. My second day in Munich landed on the holiday and it was almost impossible to get into the Oktoberfest tents, the grounds or hell, even any of the beerhouses in the city. It was nuts. Remember that Oktoberfest starts in mid-September and ends the first weekend of October.
3. Research – Before booking any tents, research which ones you want to be in. They are not all the same. You may be required to book a table of 10 even if your party is not that large or buy vouchers for food and drink in advance. Each tent is different.
4. Winging it – Yes I was able to get into the tents but could not find a seat. I had gone quite late in the day so if you do not want to book a table, go earlier in the day to snag a seat for yourself or your group. If you get into a tent, DO NOT LEAVE IT. You do not want to lose your table.
5. Accommodation – Just like booking a table in the tents, book your accommodation just as early. In fact, it may be necessary to do it earlier. I booked my hotel in February and the selection was limited. So the earlier is always the better in the case of Oktoberfest!
Random Oktoberfest Dude
6. Drink up and have fun – Don’t be an idiot and chug the beer. That is ONE LITRE of drink (ein Maß) and you will be a sloppy drunk in no time, just like this little fella above. Enjoy the festivities: the singing, the dancing and the cheering and toasting (Prost). You will catch on to the drinking songs after an hour or two. If you are worried you will not be able to follow along, practice before you go. It is lots of fun singing German drinking songs while throwing back a litre of beer. 🙂
7. Explore the City – Take time out from the beer to visit Munich. It is a fantastic city with many beautiful churches and museums. It would be a shame to just go to Munich for the beer (yes it is damn tasty)!
Marsha enjoying ein maß at Okoberfest
That is my top Oktoberfest tips. It is a great trip to take and I highly recommend that you visit Munich and Oktoberfest. I plan on returning on at some point but with a large group, see my Travel Bucket List for more details!
Have you been to Oktoberfest? Share your experiences or Oktoberfest tips!
Surviving overseas flights….how do you survive those flights? How do you handle being stuck in a flying tin can for 8+ hours? It is not fun. If you are flying coach, and let’s face the fact that most of us are, it can be a long frustrating day of travel. I have not even mentioned those delightful layovers.
Carry-on
Surviving an eight hour flight depends on being prepared and bringing the necessities on the plane with you. I make sure to include my eye mask and ear plugs in case I wish to sleep. If I do not want to sleep, then I need my ipad or kindle to pass the time. Airlines are getting better at providing the entertainment themselves. Most newer planes have personal TV’s at your seat with either movies or satellite TV for you to watch. But I prefer to bring my ipad with movies and television shows already downloaded just in case they don’t or the selection is horrible. Also, throw a few snacks in your carry-on.
Rest up
Make sure you do not show up at the airport with bags under your eyes. The only bags you should have are filled with clothes. Make sure you sleep really well the week preceding a long flight. Yes you may end up sleeping the whole time on that long flight, if you do I hate you, but more likely, you will not and your plane naps will be shorter than you had hoped. You do not want to land at your destination and only want to go to bed, which results in jet lag (more about that later). So rest up, use melatonin if needed, for that long flight.
Jet Lag
Yes you will probably end up with a bit of jet lag. Everyone deals with jet lag differently but I found that if I get a good amount of sleep before the flight, that helps more than anything. I cannot sleep on planes. I try but wake up at the slightest turbulence so getting rest before hand is a vacation-saver.
Once you get on the plane, immediately change your watch to your destination’s time. That is the time and you should respond accordingly if you can. That means during the plane and after. When you get to your destination, DO NOT GO TO BED! Of course, I am assuming that you are arriving during the day. Do not nap, do not rest or anything. Shower, dress and GO OUTSIDE. Yes you will be tired but stay up as late as you can that first night. If you can make it to 9 or 10 pm, your jet lag will be barely noticeable.
Drinking Water
Yes this shows up in every single list out there. It does because it is true. You get very dehydrated on the plane and you need water. I always fight with myself over this one: do I drink another glass of water or do I want to avoid using the restroom? Yes I think like that. Yes I have even skipped the water so I did not have to use the restroom. Yes I made it eight hours once. No, I will not do that again. I did not feel well when I landed in Athens. You need the water. Drink the water. DO NOT drink the ICE CUBES! If they are made on board, that water is not great. If they are sitting out in a bowl, do you really think that circulated air is clean? No.
Boozing it Up
Many lists out there state you should avoid alcohol on long flights. Yes it can dehydrate you as I mentioned above but in my experience, having a drink or two on a long flight is fine as long as you have a few glasses of water as well. I usually have a couple of drinks and have never had a problem. Don’t overdo it.
Clean
Bring that bottle of hand sanitizer or wipes with you. You should wipe down the table and seat pocket. Those are missed quite often. Viruses can linger for up to 72 hours so wipe, wipe and wipe. You do not want to end up with a cold when you land at your destination.
Move that Body
Sitting in the same place for eight hours is not healthy so get up a few times during your flight to move around. Sure, hitting the restroom counts. You will be surviving overseas flights in no time and won’t end up with swollen legs. You can even wear compression socks to combat deep vein thrombosis and use some of my tips. I personally have never done so but many people do that if they had bad circulation. Do whatever feels comfortable!
So there you go, just a few tips that I use when flying overseas. What works for you?
It is time to start planning my trip to Russia next year. I will be going in February 2014 during the Sochi Winter Olympics but plan on stopping in Moscow first and Prague on my way out. I have decided to stay in Moscow for five or six days, depending on my flight. Time to find my perfect hotel in Moscow.
Right now, one flight option I am looking at has me arriving in Moscow at 11 pm. That is certainly not ideal but it seems to be one of the better options. It has a longer layover than I normally would book (over five hours) but the other option is only a one hour layout in Frankfurt. That is one massive airport and I do not believe I would have enough to make that connection even if the flights were all on time. This is February, dead of winter, so I will need to be a bit more cautious. .
First question you always ask yourself: how much do I want to or can spend? I am normally very frugal when picking hotels but I also prefer to stay in good locations. So before you can answer question one, you must ask yourself a second question: where in the city do you want to stay? My obvious answer to question two is near Red Square and the Kremlin. Question two’s answer now affects question one because if you stay central, the price usually increases. Moscow is a special city: hotels are CRAZY expensive to start with and they really climb once you get near the Kremlin.
I have decided to spend a bit extra on the Kremlin hotel. I have been saving up for years to visit Moscow and now is not the time to cheap out. Plus this is winter, I would prefer to be in the best location I can get so I can take those night pictures of the area. I prefer not to travel on the metro super late (after 9 pm maybe?) so this affects my decision in picking a hotel in Moscow.
I have picked my location. Next up: researching the area so your potential hotel is near the metro. Being near a metro stop is the most important reason for picking a hotel. I do not wish to spend half my day walking to the metro when I could be spending that time gazing down upon the body of Vladimir Lenin. 😉
First, I usually find a good travel guide book. My favourite is theRick Steves series but he does not cover Russia so I pick up eitherLonely PlanetorFodor’s. Both are very good options and in many cases, I use them both or along side Rick Steves when planning most trips. I find Rick Steves gives the best reviews for hotels. I have booked some great hotels from his recommendations (Rome and Munich in particular) and have never been disappointed.
I usually hit upTrip Advisorat this point to check out reviews of the hotels that I am considering. I now have about five hotels that I am seriously considering at this point. I have booked hotels due to ratings on Trip Advisor (Paris and Normandy last year) and I have never had a problem so I feel comfortable using this in my research.
So the top choices are: National Hotel, Hotel Metropol, Ritz Carlton, Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow and Hotel Savoy. All these hotels are ranked in the top 14 (out of 232) hotels for Moscow on Trip Advisor. I read through pages of reviews for all five. Through trip advisor, I can enter dates for my travel and it will give me the prices from Expedia, Booking.com, Travelocity and several other websites that I have used before.
I quickly discard the Ritz because holy hell, that is cccccccccch-ching. We are talking over $700. That is completely crazy. Goodbye Ritz!! Two other hotels have prices over $400 so they are quickly discarded as well (Ararat and Savoy). The ones remaining are the National, Metropol and Savoy. The prices are pretty similar and pretty equal in terms of reviews and location.
I always visit the hotel’s website directly to see if rates are better (they often are) and email the hotel directly to get rates which once again can often be the case (it is not this time). I have booked hotels through Priceline, Expedia, Travelocity andBooking.com so it all depends on where I can get the best rate. I also make sure I am signed up to any rewards program the hotel of my choice has and then go ahead and book.
Picking my hotel in Moscow has been very different as I have noted above. I have chosen location over price and decided to splurge a bit. In most other cities, I can find a good hotel without having to pay a great deal more to be in a good location (Paris, Munich, London, Rome and Athens are some examples). Moscow is a very different animal. It is the most expensive city in Europe and second worldwide. So this is not the city to go to on a tiny budget. I am okay with that; I am ready to spend some rubles. 😉
Hotel booked! See you in six months, Moscow. [Update: I made it to Moscow: here is a post on Red Square and one on the Kremlin]
Do I have a travel bucket list? There are certainly a list of countries I want to visit before I perish. That is true but I have never written it down. Now is the time to collate all those thoughts from my brain (there are A LOT) and come up with a list. I have decided to do a top ten travel bucket list. The trouble will be narrowing my thoughts into ten. 🙂 I had started this list the other day but after reading Backpacking Diplomacy’s bucket list and seeing we shared a couple in common that I had already put on my list, I figured I should get going on mine and finish it.
The Travel Bucket List
1. Russia – Russia is the first on my travel bucket list. No surprise to anyone that knows me. I have studied Russian history for years and have been obsessed with the country for decades. My first memories of Russia are during the late 1980s during the Winter Olympics. Canada was hosting the games in 1988, in Calgary, and the whole country was on the edge of their seat. Russia existed in the form of the Soviet Union, the so-called ‘evil’ comrades from Russia and several other eastern countries.
My memories are pretty scattered from that time. I remember the Battle of the Brian’s, the Jamaican bobsled team, Elizabeth Manley’s unexpected silver medal and Karen Percy kicking ass on the hill. The other memory is one of dislike. There was a lot of dislike for the Soviet Union and all the Eastern Bloc countries. I was young and did not like that so from that moment on, I decided to cheer on the commies (all of them). I did not like that no one liked them. Seriously, that was the reason.
I do not remember when my love of Russian history started but I can only assume it was around that same time. I read up on Peter the Great, Catherine the Great, Ivan the Terrible (actually translated incorrectly – Grozny is closer to formidable or threatening), Ivan the Great, and so on. I only ended up studying Russian history in university by accident. I had planned on majoring in German history, as my mother’s family is German, but switched to Russian when the German professor retired and the university did not replace him immediately.
Why Russia? There is so much beauty and history in Russia. From the Kremlin to Red Square to the Heritage to Peter and Paul Fortress, you will need weeks to visit this beautiful country. I am very excited that I will be crossing this item off my bucket list very soon. I will be going to Russia next February for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. I am also planning a few extra days in Moscow. Well, I will not be able to cross it off entirely as I will not have time to visit the Golden Ring, Novgorod and St. Petersburg. Plus, a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway is a must-see (see below, I had to separate it out since that is a massive trip in itself). I hope to check off St. Pete during a Nordic trip. Maybe a cruise of the Baltic Sea??
UPDATE: I finally made it to Russia. HAPPY HAPPY. I stopped by Moscow and Sochi for the 2014 Olympics. In Moscow, I enjoyed Red Square and the Kremlin!
St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow. Photo credit: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/ushakov
2. A Cruise – I have always wanted to take a cruise. Whether it is an Alaskan, Baltic or Mediterranean Cruise, I definitely plan on making this happen. I lean towards a Baltic Sea cruise since I think that will be the easiest way to hit up Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and St. Petersburg in one trip and a good introduction to all those countries. I can always return on a separate trip, or trips, at a later date. I am a bit concerned that I would end up sea-sick. I live inland; we do not have a lot of water in Alberta. I did grow up in Manitoba which is the province of lakes but not oceans. I still think this would be a fun way to travel around an area.
3. African Safari – I have only recently been thinking about hitting up Africa as I have only even wanted to visit Europe. Now? I have such a yearning to visit Africa on a safari. How fun would that be? Obviously, I want to see the big attractions, known as the Big Five. I live in a very northern city in Canada (Edmonton – great city but we are quite north) so we do not have many exotic animals in our zoo. I just do not have the opportunity to see these majestic creatures often. The Big Five are: Elephant, Rhino, Cape Buffalo, Lion and Leopard. These were coined by hunters and are not the only animals I would love to see in their nature habitat. Others are Giraffes, Cheetah, Hippos, Gorillas and many more. I want to see them all. Maybe even go on a hunt?
Meoooow!! Photo via http://www.sxc.hu/profile/GermanGirl
4. Egypt – This is the easiest one to put on a travel bucket list. Who does not have this on their list? And if you do not, what the hell is wrong with you? 🙂 Come on – pyramids, mummies, cruising down the Nile, ancient temples and on and on. Sadly, there are serious troubles going on in Egypt and have been for several years. I really hope they can figure things out. There has been too much death and I hate to see such a beautiful place crumbling from within. I really hope things work out for them. Of course, I want this to happen as quickly as possible. I have pushed back a possible Egypt trip for a few years. I have an opening in 2015 – hint hint. I want to come visit. 🙂
The Sphinx and Pyramids in Egypt. Photo per http://www.sxc.hu/profile/tanya_b
5. The Tropics – As I mentioned, I have rarely wanted to even venture outside of Europe but as I look toward Africa, my eyes have started looking at visiting some place warm. I refer to this as “The Tropics” since it really covers many, many, many, many countries. Maybe I will go to Mexico, Bora Bora, Turks and Caicos or Hawaii. I really have no idea which country I will visit for my first warm vacation but I know one thing, it will be an adult-only resort. Ha, sorry no children allowed. Thank you! 🙂
I will try to relax on a beach, trying not to plan every minute of my trip, with a cocktail or twenty. There are quite a few activities you can do other than relaxing on the beach with a beverage in your hand. You can go horseback riding, take a boat ride, go scuba diving or snorkelling. That is usually not my jam; I am more of a museum and castle girl. I have not met a castle I did not love. I have not met a museum I did not want to marry and live happily ever after. 🙂 I hope to take that tropics trip in the next 12-18 months.
6. Group trip to Oktoberfest – I went to Oktoberfest back in 2008 as I took my first solo vacation. I toured around Germany for twenty-five days and had THE BEST TIME EVER. Ever since that trip, I have travelled solo to Europe two more times and I highly recommend a solo trip to every single person out there. Do it. Now. Great people and food!!!
I popped into Oktoberfest in Munich for two days but in honestly, I was there one afternoon. It was the last weekend of Oktoberfest which also coincided with Germany’s national holiday so it was CRAZY busy. I suggest going earlier and avoiding that last weekend. I had a great time, met some lovely people from Germany and a couple cute Austrians in their lederhosen and had the best time. I do want to return with a group of friends because I think it will be a lot more fun to take a group of friends to Munich.
Oktoberfest Paulaner Tent
7. Santorini, Greece – I took a one day tour of three islands when I visited Greece back in 2011. I went to Hydra, Poros and Aegina and they were so damn lovely. I want to return to hit up Santorini, the most famous of all the Greek islands. I know several people who have gone and loved it. I think a return to Greece is needed. I did not have the time back in 2011 to add a few days in Santorini as I was also heading to Italy after my 9 days in Greece. I regret not making time but I will return. 🙂
8. Venice, Italy – This travel bucket list shares the same reasoning as Santorini. I simply did not have the time to add it to my Greek-Italian vacation in 2011. I chose Florence over Venice because I wanted to see Michelangelo’s David which was absolutely worth the trip. However, I have had my eye on Venice for many years and would love to visit. There are so many museums, churches, bridges and canals to gaze upon! Plus who can refuse a gondola trip down the canal.
9. Riding the Trans-Siberian Rail – I am not sure why this sounds so appealing but hitting the rails to make my way from Moscow to Vladivostock (seriously, how is that not the best city name ever? Just rolls off the tongue) sounds like a great trip. It is one of the longest rail trips in the world at 9,258 km; takes six nights and seven days to complete. You can also go to China or Mongolia as it links up with the Trans-Mongolian and Trans-Manchurian lines or stay in Russia. All three sound great to me.
10. Camel Ride (or Elephant) in the desert – This is pretty self-explanatory. Who does not want to ride a camel or elephant? That would be totally fun. Wheeee!!
Come ride me – photo by http://www.sxc.hu/profile/mofl13
Well there you go. That is my travel bucket list (for now). I hope to cross a few of these off my list in the next year or two. There is nothing like travelling; it is better than sex and chocolate. 🙂
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About Me
I am a history-obsessed Canadian in search of crazy adventures and Olympic memories. I wish to connect with people from around the world as we share our love of travelling, history, culture, museums, and the occasional cemetery. From travelling solo to with friends, from London to Rome to Moscow, I have embraced life and enjoyed every moment.
I am a history-obsessed Canadian in search of crazy adventures and Olympic memories. I wish to connect with people from around the world as we share our love of travelling, history, culture, museums, and the occasional cemetery. From travelling solo to with friends, from London to Rome to Moscow, I have embraced life and enjoyed every moment. 