10 Reasons Why You Should Travel With Your Partner

I have read some pretty inspiring solo travel stories and read numerous posts on why solo travel is a good idea, and in all honesty I am impressed! I thought however why not come at it from a different angle and share our thoughts on why you should travel with your partner.

I'm personally not confident enough to travel alone yet and salute you ladies and gents that do, I currently prefer to take trips with my family, friends and partner.

So here's why we think you should take that trip;

1. It's a great way to get to know each other. You can learn so much about each other through travelling.

2. Two heads are better than one. One of you may know great places to eat and the other the best beaches to visit.

3. Long journeys are made easier. It's always nice to have someone to chat with during a long flight or train journey.

4. Making Memories. Some of our best memories are from the trips we have taken together.

5. It's Cost Effective. You can split food bills, go halves on drinks and did you know many hotels charge supplements for single rooms?!

6. Having Support. It's comforting to have someone there when you have a bad experience or fall ill during a trip.

7. You get chance to talk. It may sound silly, but if you're like us we work a lot, like our technology etc. and sometimes you just forget to talk. Get away from it all, leave the gadgets at home and have a really good chat.

8.  You get to share. This is very broad, you can share bag storage, toiletries, food, money etc. I always off load some of my stuff into his bag as he always seems to pack much lighter than I do!

9. We do more. If there's something I wouldn't do alone I am much more likely to have a go if Stephen is there.

10. Some experiences are just better shared. Standing hand in hand at the top of the Eiffel Tower, racing along the desert together on quad bikes and trying our hand at snorkelling for the first time are some of our best shared experiences.

So whilst Solo travel has some excellent draws such as independency and freedom, travelling with your partner equally has some amazing positives too.

Don't Skip Ljubljana

It was by sheer luck (and bad timetabling on my part) that we ended up going to Ljubljana, we were meant to go from Venice straight to Lake Bled. However, I had magically missed out a whole day on the itinerary and so we made an unscheduled decision to stay the night. Boy are we glad we did.

Firstly the journey their was stunning, so many beautiful landscapes to feast your eyes upon. Then there had been a mistake in our room booking and we ended up with a 3 bed dorm all to ourselves! When you are staying in hostels this was practically 5 star luxury!

Ljubljana has an old-world gothic feel to it, and because we arrived so late in the day we decided it would be madness to try and fit everything in. Instead we took each other's hand and had a lovely stroll around before hiking (it really is like a hike!) up to the castle to watch the sun set.

A lot of other travellers had taken picnics up the castle and ate as they watched the sun set, such a perfect idea! If we were to ever go back I would definitely do this.

 We sat a while reflecting on our trip so far before making our way back down in search of food and drink.

What could have been a disaster on my part turned out to be the best mistake I have ever made.
We would definitely recommend visiting here and don't make our mistake of almost missing it!

 

Have you had any travelling mishaps?

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Our mini Guide to Venice

Venice, the floating city. Such a stunning place with the white-washed buildings and winding canals. It's like something from another world. Venice is located in the North-East of Italy and is famed for its beautiful canals and unusual transport system. You can either catch the busy water taxi's or go for something a little more romantic and take a gondola ride. Either way there are no vehicles here.

During our time in Venice we learnt a few things we thought we would share :

1. If you want cheaper accommodation stay outside of Venice city centre. We stayed at Camping Rialto in a little wooden hut!

2. Don't sit down for a drink, it is really expensive if you decide to sit outside. We learnt the hard way and were charged 11 euros for just 2 bottles of Fanta. Bad mistake when you are on a budget!

3. Take a map. We ended up walking around in circles for hours because we couldn't find our way back, in the end we admitted defeat and caught the water taxi back instead.

4. Take money for the toilets. No public toilet is free here.

5. The weather can be unpredictable, even in summer. As with anywhere you can expect bad weather but we experienced a horrendous 24 hour storm in which we were left stuck in our little hut for the whole day.  Make sure you take plenty of things to do and waterproof gear.

6. Eat as much gelato as possible. Just because you can. Yum!

7. Buy local food. As with anywhere it is cheaper to buy your own food, we were lucky to have a local supermarket near our campsite and ate most of our food from there.

A few sneaky peak photos of our time in Venice.

 

Hope you enjoyed our mini guide to Venice, is there anything you would add?

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5 Reasons to fall in love with Rome

1. The History.

Every Street in Rome holds history, from the beautiful old buildings to the magical fountains the history of Rome is made clear. A lifetime of exploring Rome would not be enough to take in all of the fascinating monuments and wander its winding streets. There is just so much to see that go beyond the all time travel classics seen in the likes of the colosseum and the trevi fountain.

2. The Food.

Italy in general is renowned for it's delicious food, in particular pizza, pasta and gelato. Three of our favourite things! There is nothing better than al fresco dining then alfresco dining in Rome. There are bands playing music, bustling tourists passing by and scrumptious food on your plate. Yes please.

 

 

3. Good Weather.

Rome can be blessed with glorious sunshine in the summer season with the temperatures sticking in the 20's from early June to late September. Even right now in November it is around 14 degrees Celsius on average! You cannot complain with those kind of winter temperatures.

4. The way of life

The Italians know the meaning of balancing their family and work life. They value the quality of time and spend it with their families, this is usually implemented with family meals and an emphasis on the importance of good food and togetherness. They ensure that they work hard but play hard, the whole atmosphere just feels that bit more relaxed. You rarely see a true Italian running for the tube (unless they are late of course!) it's mainly tourists trying to cram themselves all into one cart. Take in the atmosphere and get on board with their way of life.

5. The Romance

Although they say Paris is the city of love Rome could give it a run for it's money. The beautiful cobbled streets lined with tall rustic buildings and musicians playing on corners. Cute little restaurants with candle lit tables and wonderful fountains to make wishes at. What a perfect way to spend the day with your significant other.. or perhaps meet them!

How to do Paris on a budget

It's no secret that Paris is one of the most expensive places in Europe, so how did we manage to afford it on our backpacker budget? Here are a few secrets we learnt first hand.

1. Buy a day pass for the metro. It's much cheaper to travel by the metro than any other form of public transport. If you buy a day pass it works out cheaper and you can travel all day all over Paris.

2. Stay in B&B's, we mainly stayed in hostels on our trip, however we noticed that hostels in Paris cost as much as B&B's and therefore we decided to treat ourselves to a bit of luxury.

3. Buy your own food. Try not to eat out too often whilst in Paris, the food can be quite pricey especially around the main monuments. We found a local supermarket and made ourselves little picnics everyday and ate out the odd evening. It saved us a lot of money.

4. Student Discount. If you are from the EU and under 25 you can get amazing discounts at many of the monuments, in fact entry to the Louvre is FREE! Yes that's right, FREE.

5. Choose Coffee. For some reason coffee is cheap, cheaper than bottled water! If you're a coffee drinker then you will save some pennies and have oodles of energy to see all those wonderful sights.

6. Shop around. If you are in Paris to do a bit of shopping, c'mon ladies we know you are! Then shop around, One Pharmacy may sell the product you're after for less than the one you've just been in. It's best to mooch around a few before buying.

7. Pre-book. If you book tickets online for excursions or museums you can often get a good discounted rate. We paid on the day but sometimes wished we had pre-booked to avoid the queues!

Whoever said Paris cannot be done on a budget is wrong, we proved you can and you will not miss out on anything. We ate, drank, climbed the Eiffel Tower, saw Mona Lisa and shopped the Champ Elysee all on our little budget. If we can do it so can you.

Make the Most of Malta

 The beautiful Island of Malta is often overlooked as a holiday destination, but with fantastic weather and lots to explore it is definitely one to add to your list. With its' scorching hot summer days, cool sea and palm lined avenues it is fast becoming a haven for those wanting to retreat to sunnier climbs.

So you want to visit Malta?

Well here are a few of the things we recommend you do to ensure you make the most of your stay.

1. Take a speed boat ride

If you're the type of person who seeks a thrill everywhere you go then you not be disappointed. Malta has some of the best water activities going including banana boats, parasailing and speedboats. We opted for the speed boat thinking it would be the least scary, however, the speeds you hit the waves at sends your boat hurtling skyward! You crash down with a heavy thud sending the spray of the sea straight in your direction. On a hot day it sure is one way to cool off.

2. Take the open top tour buses

These 'Hop on, Hop off' buses are the perfect way to see most of the island. For around 15 euro you can travel all day with the option of getting on and off as you wish. There are two routes to take, either the North Route of the South Route. With us being the exploring type we did both routes over 4 days. It makes travelling very easy and they even have audio guides in multiple languages to ensure you get the best experience of the island. It covers the capital Valetta to the Silent city of M'dina.

3. Visit the Blue Lagoon

This is one of the most beautiful parts of Malta, the Blue Lagoon. It is aptly named this due to the aqua blue colour of the crystal clear sea. You can walk out for miles here and be surrounded by all sorts of different coloured fish. This is the perfect spot to relax, put up your feet and read a good book. When the sun gets a bit too much clamber down into the cool sea to refresh.

4. Take a day trip to Gozo

Gozo is the second largest island in the Maltese archipelago and has been associated with being the home of Calypso the Nymph in Homer's Odyssey. We actually paid a taxi to give us a tour of the island in which he would drop us off at certain points and arrange to pick us up at a later time. This was perfect as we got a locals knowledge as well as being able to travel with ease in the striking heat. I would highly recommend trying this, just ensure you agree a price and that the company you go with is reputable.

If there is one thing you see in Gozo it has to be the azure window, a fantastic piece of natural architecture in which the sea has worn away the rock to form what resembles a window. It is stunning. 

 

 

5. Lose Yourself

 

Sometimes the best adventures come when plans go awry, so put away your map and just walk. Stop at local bars for refreshments, grab an ice cream and go and get lost in the beauty of Malta.

 



Here are our suggestions to make the most of your time in Malta, are there any that you think we have missed? If so we would love to hear them!

 

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Why Visit London in Winter

London, the capital of England. London is busy almost all year round with people flocking from all over the world to explore this historical capital. Many come during the summer, though the English weather is unpredictable all year round but most travellers hope to enjoy the summer sun that we are graced with a few weeks of the year.

So with so many people visiting during the summer, why should you visit in winter?

1. Hotels are expensive at the best of time, but you are more likely to get a cheaper room during winter.

2. Access to all the top tourist attractions is much quicker, with very short queues. We visited late November and didn't have to queue at all for the London eye

3. The underground is less crowded. At 7-9am it is always busy on the underground with local people making the commute to work, however, in summer it is likely that even after 9am it will be very crowded. In winter it is much less busy after 9am making a more comfortable journey.

4. The atmosphere is amazing. Looking over at the Tower Bridge through the mist of a cool winters day is just so beautiful. Oxford Street is a buzz of locals doing their Christmas shopping in November, they even spray fake foam from the tops of the buildings. Shops stay open until 11pm making it so much easier to take your time and enjoy dodging in and out of the stores.

5. Best time to see Buckingham Palace, without too many people crowding around the gates.

6. It's romantic. Grab a hot chocolate/tea/coffee and take a stroll with your partner through Hyde Park.

There are but a few of the reasons why you should break the mould and visit London during winter. It is a beautiful city during every season, but there is something magical about this city in winter.

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5 Egyptian Excursions You Must Do

Egypt is a beautiful and historic country with so many exciting things to do.

1. Luxor .

First things first, you must visit Luxor. Luxor was formerly the ancient city of Thebes and because of this there is such a rich array of historical monuments, including the Karnack Temple and more famously the Valley of The Kings.

  A few things you must be aware of are that due to it being a very open desert space it does get extremely hot, whilst we were there it hit over 40 Degrees Celsius. You must take water, sun cream, sunglasses and a hat with you if you are visiting between May and September in order to avoid getting heat stroke.

 Another point that you must be aware of is that there are a lot of local children and men selling goods that they have made/bought near to all the major temples and monuments. If you are interested in buying what they are offering then be prepared to barter, but do not offer too low as this could be insulting. If you are not interested in what they are offering simply and politely walk by.

2. Snorkelling .

 Egypt has some of the best snorkelling spots in the world. One of these is Ras Mohamed. The snorkelling in Ras Mohamed is so beautiful it has actually been made a national park. The boats stop quite far from the coral areas and you have to swim over, this is so that there is no damage being caused to the environment. Of course snorkelling can cause some disruption to the wildlife, however in Ras Mohamed the sea life seems very relaxed to the presence of humans, with fish coming to swim all around you. We saw everything from clown fish to puffer fish.

 If you do decide to go snorkelling, keep in mind to not touch or swim too near to the coral. Not only can this cause damage to the reefs but coral is often very sharp and can cause you injury. Remember to take everything out of the water with you. Enjoy it. It's not often that you get to see a whole other type of living so embrace it and enjoy the beauty of the underwater world.

3. Ride a Camel .

 A taste of local life can be experienced through riding a camel. They are essential in helping the Bedouin tribes get there food and water supplies. We paid a visit to a few of the Bedouin tents to experience what life is like for them living in such an isolated area. There is sand for miles and miles and the sun scorches down at unbearable temperatures, yet they are not fazed by this at all which is so refreshing. That is life for them, they work and care for there families. We were offered by one of the gentlemen living in the tent to ride his camel, it's something I've always wanted to do and so happily took the lead. It's not the most smooth or comfortable mode of transport but for them it is practical.

 If you are planning to ride a camel whilst visiting Egypt then be careful where you do it. I would strongly advise against using those that are just positioned at the side of the road, they are often not looked after well and I have heard of people not being let off of the camel until they pay more money. Just be aware and do some research into where is best near to you.

4. Quad Biking .

If you are more of an extreme sports lover, than quad biking might be the best excursion for you. These made look fairly tame but you can hit some high speeds over the desert, and with plenty of dunes it makes for a very interesting drive. It is hypnotic to speed along at such a vast pace and there is absolutely nothing around you.

 Again due to  it being the desert and there is no shelter anywhere it is advisable to keep hydrated and wear a high factor sun cream, factor 50 is best. If you are really pale skinned wear a sheer cover up. Your eyes and face are protected by the helmet, scarf and sunglasses, this is mainly to avoid getting sand in your eyes, nose and mouth but it excellent protection from the sun too.

5. Naama Bay .

If you are visiting Sharm el Sheikh then you must head to Naama bay. It is a hub of energy with so much to see and do. Whilst we sat on large pillows drinking cocktails we were asked to go up and take part in a snake charming act. I must say the last thing I expected was to end up with a cobra wrapped around my head but the experience is breath taking. Enjoy your travels and do and see as much as you possibly can.

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