Russia was always going to be a major part of this adventure. I'm lucky enough to have been twice before (in 2011 & 2012) but it's a country that I'm absolutely obsessed with, and have been since childhood. When I first heard about the train route that snakes over 9000km, through 8 time zones, from … Continue reading Trans-Mongolian adventures: Art, architecture and arcade games in Moscow.
Tag: Europe travel
Latvia and Lithuania are lovely, and here’s why.
As you're probably realised if you're following the blog closely, I'm rather behind on updating it. The main reason is that the wordpress app on my phone is extremely annoying to use, and the additional reasons are that I've just been too busy living my adventures and also occupied with several crochet projects (I must … Continue reading Latvia and Lithuania are lovely, and here’s why.
Into the exclusion zone: a day trip to Chernobyl.
I decided to split my trip to Kyiv up into a series of posts, as I had a really busy few days there, and the day I'm about to write about deserves its own post. As you may have guessed from the last instalment, this post is about my day trip to the Chernobyl Exclusion … Continue reading Into the exclusion zone: a day trip to Chernobyl.
Walking in the footsteps of my ancestors: Kyiv, part 1.
My dear readers (all 20 of you!) may have noticed by now that I'm hugely interested in slavic culture and in the histories of the slavic nations. What you may not know is that my ancestors (my great, great grandparents) came from this part of the world (at a time when it was a part … Continue reading Walking in the footsteps of my ancestors: Kyiv, part 1.
Ten things you’ll find in every Balkan supermarket (which you should definitely pack for a picnic)
Snacks: Sunflower seeds, the favoured snack of every man aged over 55, at least in warm countries where you can sit in the sunshine and hull them with your teeth, leaving mounds of shells around park benches, a kind of compostable calling card if you will. There's a technique to opening them which involves cracking … Continue reading Ten things you’ll find in every Balkan supermarket (which you should definitely pack for a picnic)
Pour yourself a glass of rakija, and let me tell you about Albania.
Cities: Shkoder & Tirana Stayed at: The Wanderer's Hostel & Trip'Inn Best thing I ate:The breakfast at The Wanderer's Hostel, partly because it was so tasty but also because of the lovely courtyard surroundings and the amazing staff who serve it up. You get a huge piece of cheese burek, a delicious chocolate croissant and … Continue reading Pour yourself a glass of rakija, and let me tell you about Albania.
Montenegro: In which I drank too much cheap local wine and accidentally ordered a hamburger.
City: Budva, Montenegro Other places visted: Kotor Stayed at: Freedom Hostel, in Budva's Old Town. Best thing I ate: Cakes and wine. Wine and cake. Montenegrin wine is about €3.00 per bottle, and some of it even has a cork (POSH!). I don't know much about wine so I'm going to say that it was … Continue reading Montenegro: In which I drank too much cheap local wine and accidentally ordered a hamburger.
Let’s play Balkan bus journey bingo!
I've decided not to write up about travel days, because they've all been pretty much the same so far. So instead, here's the lowdown on what happens on bus journeys in the Balkans. You can play it like a game of bingo if you like, and treat yourself to an ice cream if you get … Continue reading Let’s play Balkan bus journey bingo!
Sarajevo & Mostar: Ottoman architecture, complex histories and turquoise rivers.
City: Sarajevo, Bosnia & Hercegovina Other places visted: Mostar Stayed at: Franz Ferdinand Hostel Best thing I ate: Veggie platter and fresh lemonade from 'Falafel', in Sarajevo's Old Town. I'm also obsessed with a fizzy drink called 'Cockta', which is a kind of herbal cola - a bit like Sarsaparilla. Transport: Buses x 3, trolleybuses x … Continue reading Sarajevo & Mostar: Ottoman architecture, complex histories and turquoise rivers.
Roman ruins, stray cats and sunny courtyards: 3 days in Split.
City: Split, Croatia Other places visted: Trogir, Krka National Park Stayed at: Tchaikovsky Hostel Best thing I ate: Gelato from Luka, a little place around the corner from my hostel. Transport: Buses x 5 The lowdown on veggie/vegan/special diets: Burek (filo pastries) with cheese or cheese and spinach are widely available for a tasty snack or … Continue reading Roman ruins, stray cats and sunny courtyards: 3 days in Split.
