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A Fearful Attempt at Scuba Diving
I have never been much of a water baby. Well at least not as an adult. I tend to avoid swimming or activities such as cliff jumping – and when it comes to the sea, I don’t venture into water that is deeper than waist height. I also do not like to deal with the headache that comes from unplanned hair wetting!
But I knew that I wanted to dive. Even though the thought of it terrified me. So when I decided to leave Melbourne and head up to the north of Australia to Cairns for the winter, I put diving on my list of things that I wanted to achieve whilst I was there. After all, I couldn’t really live in the city that is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and not try diving…right…?
Having an anti-social job (with awkward sleep patterns) meant that I had to wait until my time in Cairns was almost over (and I had quit my job) before I could fully enjoy the city and the surrounding areas. As the time drew closer to actually booking the diving trip, I started to research diving companies and spoke to friends about which companies they had used. I had also read that certain medical conditions may prevent a person from diving so as I am slightly asthmatic, I decided to visit a doctor for a dive medical as I wanted nothing to stand in my way.
After a headache at the Dr’s surgery, which involved confusion over a pre-booked appointment and two consultations including one at 7am after a very busy night shift, I finally had my certificate stating that I was medically fit to dive.
Now it was FINALLY time to book the trip!
I decided to book the trip through my hostel and I also rented an underwater camera.
It was finally happening….
I was excited but the fear was beginning to build.
On the morning of the trip, being my usual last minute self, I ended up practically running to the Reef Fleet Terminal…but thankfully I made it onto the boat in time.
I had heard that people sometimes panic when they get into in the water on their first attempt at diving which leads them to get out of the water completely and not go through with the dive.
However, for me, the panic started as soon as I got onto the boat and saw the diving equipment.
During the boat trip to the reef, I sat quietly, filled in the forms and listened to the different talks about diving photos, lunch and safety on the boat. Then it came time for the special safety talk for introductory divers. This should’ve reassured me and made me relax a little but instead it added to the tension. How on earth was I going to remember all of the hand signals that we had just learnt? And what about the safety skills that we had to demonstrate whilst at the surface and again under the water? And what if I couldn’t equalise my ears properly?
Yep, the panic had well and truly set in.
Then came the time to get into our wetsuits. I smiled and acted as though I was excited but inside my stomach was churning and I was petrified.
But I couldn’t back out now…could I?
I made my way down the stairs to the dive deck and joined my group of novice divers. One by one, each group entered the water…and then it was the turn of my group.
I sat on the edge of the boat wandering what on earth I was doing. WHY had I decided that diving was a good idea when I generally avoid water-based activities? What on earth was I thinking?
And then we were instructed to roll forward into the water.
This was my absolute LAST CHANCE to back out.
It was now or never.
Take this chance and possibly get to experience the world below the water and achieve one of the things that I really wanted to do in Australia…or let this moment pass and probably not have another chance like this for a very long time…
I put the regulator in my mouth and gripped it firmly with my teeth.
Fighting ALL of my natural instincts to turn around and run back into the boat, I leaned forward and FORCED myself to roll forward into the water.
And then I REALLY panicked.
I tried to breathe through the regulator with my head above the water and I felt like I was using every last ounce of energy just to inhale! Each breath took a large amount of effort.
The diving instructor told everyone to “Put your face in the water and try to breathe”.
I could barely breathe with my head ABOVE the water, how on Earth would I be able to breathe with my face IN the water?
One couple decided that diving was not for them at this stage. They wanted to try snorkelling first. So they got out of the water and went back onto the boat. And truth be told, I wanted to follow them.
But then I thought back to the first time I tried snorkelling. I struggled to breathe through the snorkel mask and then I panicked and jumped back onto the boat. After a few deep breaths, I had decided to try again and so I re-entered the water. Then I slowly practised breathing through the snorkel mask with my head above the water and once I was comfortable with that, I put my face into the water and continued breathing in the same manner and once that became comfortable, I floated on my front and enjoyed the snorkelling experience….and went snorkelling again later in the day!
I knew that I needed to apply the same method here.
So I slowly took a deep breath with the regulator in my mouth and with my head above the water. And then another. And then another…until I could breath comfortably.
Whilst continuing my breathing rhythm, I slowly put my face in the water and continued to breathe in the same manner. Thankfully it worked and I became comfortable breathing with my face in the water.
But then it was time for the safety skills.
The first one involved clearing water from the snorkel mask. This wasn’t so bad.
However, the second one involved throwing the regulator out of our mouths into the water, finding it again, putting it back into our mouths and pressing the button or breathing out harshly to clear the water from it. This was a little more scary.
Once each novice diver had successfully demonstrated the safety skills, it was time to head under the water.
Once again, a new wave of panic set in.
The dive instructor pressed the button on each of our jackets to let the air out and the weight belts around out waists dragged us down one by one.
The ear pain kicked in almost immediately. I held my nose and blew out towards my ears in an attempt to equalise them but this didn’t work at first. Thankfully after multiple attempts, the ear pain subsided.
But then we had to demonstrate the safety skills again. Underwater.
Clearing the snorkel mask was not so bad but throwing away your only oxygen supply whilst holding your breath underwater is NOT FUN AT ALL. In fact, it was absolutely terrifying.
I don’t think I have ever retrieved anything as quickly as I retrieved that regulator…and I don’t think I have ever pressed a button so harshly in my life. Had I not been in water, I probably would’ve knocked myself over.
But the safety skills were finally done. Phew.
As we went further down into the water, the ear pain started again – but this time it was excruciating.
Some of the group members swam up a few meters towards the surface so that they could re-equalise their ears before coming back down. After getting this far, I knew that I wanted to continue so I tried to equalise my ears again. And again. And again. But no matter how many times I tried, the pain was still there.
The dive instructor could see the discomfort in my face and she pointed towards her ears with a questioning look on her face. I nodded and pointed to my ears. She gestured for me to try equalising my ears again. But I knew that it was unlikely to work. I really didn’t want to get out of the water but I couldn’t continue if my ears were in agony.
There had to be some way I could resolve this.
And suddenly I remembered what I had done in the past to resolve ear pain and the sensation of my ears popping…I had swallowed air.
With nothing to lose, I gave it a go and swallowed a gulp of air…
And almost instantly, the ear pain was gone!
I could continue with the dive!
Our dive instructor gestured for us to grab hold of her arms and then she swam (with us attached) and showed us the world beneath the water.
I had never seen or experienced anything like it in my life. Those colours. The sea creatures. It was absolutely incredible. I couldn’t believe that I was actually there! I couldn’t believe I was diving!
Our instructor took us over to the professional underwater photographer where we got a chance to hold props and take fun photos.
And then we saw even more of the world under water! By this point my ears were no longer in pain and I was enjoying the experience so much that I didn’t want it to end!
But of course it had to end. We had to come back to the surface.
I couldn’t believe what I had just done! I had gone diving! Me. Someone who normally hates water and has a tendency to panic. I was so happy and…quite proud of myself! I just couldn’t believe I had actually done it!
Back on the boat it was time to enjoy a buffet lunch. The Dive Supervisor offered each introductory diver the chance to do a second dive if they wanted to. According to him, people tended to enjoy the second dive more. As much as I had enjoyed the experience, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to repeat it so I told him that I would get back to him. In the end I decided to seize the opportunity and do a second dive as I didn’t know when an opportunity like this would present itself again.
As I sat on the dive deck waiting to start my second dive, the nerves started again. The couple who had decided to postpone their diving session to the afternoon had entered the water first to complete their safety skills. I was thankful that I didn’t have to throw the regulator out of my mouth whilst underwater again!
Once I rolled forward into the water, I felt less nervous and this second dive definitely turned out to be more enjoyable than the first. I was able to take the underwater camera that I had rented and as a group we took a whole heap of pictures – even on the sea floor!
After two amazing dives, I was exhausted and I almost fell asleep on the boat whilst travelling back to Cairns – but I was SO HAPPY that I pushed through the panic and went through with diving.
Personally, I have found that doing things that are a little bit extreme can help me to gather the courage to do the ordinary things. This has been a pattern in my life over the past 7 years. The reason that I first travelled solo was because I was facing the prospect of moving to a new town alone for work and this scared me so I decided to something a little crazy and took a five day trip to Geneva. I was terrified before this trip but for some reason, upon my return, it made the prospect of moving away seem much less scary!
Going through with the diving trip even though I was petrified gave me a new found confidence to work through the seemingly ordinary things in everyday life that I find terrifying and have wanted to do for several years. My mindset has since shifted from avoiding something because I am afraid to do it to wanting to work through the fear to be able to do the things that I want or need to do.
Fear can sometimes be a limiting factor in life but finding ways to deal with it and pursue your goals is important in order to be able to do the things you want or need to do. This looks different for each person and what works for one person may not work for another. Whether your method of dealing with fear is to do something out of the ordinary or to tackle things in smaller chunks, the important thing is to do what works for you!
The CRAZIEST day in Australia so far!
It was time to move out. I couldn’t stay there any longer. Multiple arguments had occurred and I couldn’t deal with the ever growing list of restrictive rules. Three minute showers. Wash the dishes with cold water. Use the washing machine for 15 mins only once or twice a week on a cold water cycle. Certain “sentimental” saucepans had previously been made unavailable for use – now nothing in the kitchen was available for use – plates and cutlery included. Earlier in the week, I’d had to buy emergency kitchen items to be able to eat my dinner that night. I was done. Enough was enough. I still had a week left on my contract but I didn’t care. I had to get out.
The Twenty-Minute City
When I was planning my Australian adventure, I knew that I wanted to incorporate a trip to the huge monolith that is Uluru. After booking onto a six-day tour that departed from Adelaide, I decided to tie in a few extra days to explore the state capital of South Australia.
Adelaide is known as “the 20 Minute city” because supposedly, any major point of the city can be reached in just 20 minutes. Whilst, smaller than Melbourne and with around a quarter of the population, after my four day visit, I felt that I had just about scratched the surface.
The first two places that I visited (by accident) were the Central Market and Chinatown. I stumbled across the market whilst taking an exploratory walk. It had started raining so I took the opportunity to visit somewhere that was under cover. It turned out that Adelaide Central Market is one of the largest under cover markets in the Southern Hemisphere! It was a bustling mix of bakeries, cafes, many types of cheese, confectionary shops, fresh produce and speciality stores – including a yoghurt shop that sold traditional greek yoghurt made using a method that had been handed down over three generations! Chinatown was conveniently located nearby so took a stroll through there as well. Had I been hungry, it would’ve been the perfect place to satisfy my taste buds.
The North Terrace is home to Parliament House, The Art Gallery of South Australia, the South Australian Museum and the Adelaide Zoo so I knew I’d be heading up there a least a couple of times. The South Australian Museum turned out to be one of my favourite museums of all time. It had an incredible Aboriginal collection and an entire floor dedicated to the Pacific Islands. I also enjoyed learning about Dr Andrew Thomas – the first South Australian-born Astronaut. I was particularly impressed with the Art Gallery of South Australia – especially the Paolo Sebastian collection of dresses and the TARNANTHI (pronounced tar-nan-dee) collection of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art.
Two smaller museums that I really enjoyed were the Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute (a museum dedicated to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and culture) and the Migration Museum.
Natural beauty is one of my favourite things about travel and I must say that the Botanical Gardens did not disappoint. I spent a good couple of hours immersing myself in 50 hectares of beautiful flowers and plants including the International Rose Garden, the wetlands and the Amazon Waterlily Pavilion.
Glenelg beach was a 40-minute tram ride away from where I was staying so I decided to head over to relax and enjoy the sunshine . However, the weather turned rather cloudy during the tram ride. When I arrived at the beach there were plenty of people around but as the afternoon wore on, the wind picked up and slowly but surely most people (including me) left the beach. I was shaking the sand out of my bag for days.
Before starting on my tour to Uluru, I needed to grab a few essentials for the trip – and the pedestrianised Rundle Mall Shopping Street was the perfect place to do this. With over 1000 retail stores and services, it was easy to find what I needed. I also took a stroll through the quaint Adelaide arcade. It has over 100 shops, 14 of which are speciality shops including a button bar, comic centre, battery bar, coin dealer and letter press book shop. Unfortunately it was closed when I arrived so I only peeked into the shops but I’d definitely pay it another visit if I had the chance to go back.
I spent four nights in Adelaide and felt that I had just about dipped my toes in the water. If I was to go back I would definitely book a tour of Haigh’s Chocolate Factory, spend a couple of days on Kangaroo Island – and go back to Glenelg beach on a (hopefully) less windy day.
All in all, I enjoyed my time in Adelaide and I think it’s definitely worth a visit.
Have you been to Adelaide? What did you like the most about the city?
Melbourne Love So Far
It’s been three months since I stepped off a twenty-eight hour flight and into the place that has been voted as the world’s most liveable city for the past 7 years – Melbourne, Australia…and I can safely say that it really is a fantastic city! Here are just a few of the things that I have discovered so far.
The Shopping Options
Currently, I am avoiding clothes shopping unless it’s essential but if I wanted to go on a shopping spree, Melbourne would not disappoint! From the big name high street and designer shops in the Central Business District, to the quirky independent stores and vintage shops on Brunswick Street and of course the op shops (charity shops) – some of which have great finds – there’s something to suit everyone’s budget and taste.
The Beaches
Being able to take a short(ish) tram or train ride to a beach is a novelty that will never wear off! So far I have been to St Kilda several times and absolutely love it – especially the side that is away from most of the shops and restaurants and therefore pretty empty! Williamstown beach is also lovely and has a beautiful coastal walk – and of course Brighton Beach with its quirky bathing boxes.
The Galleries and Museums
So far, my favourite museum has been the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Federation Square. It has interactive displays about film, TV, video games, digital culture and art and there is also the chance to experience a virtual reality world, use your body to make cartoon shapes with sounds and other interactive activities. The ANZ banking museum which detailed the history of ANZ bank and included a timeline of major world events and milestones was also enjoyable. I also loved the National Gallery of Victoria and the Immigration Museum.
The Food
When it comes to food, you are spoilt for choice in Melbourne! Whether you’re looking for a great burger or a tasty noodle soup, you’re bound to find it in Melbourne! So far, my favourite burger place has been Betty’s burgers in the city centre. The challenge is when (and how) to try everything!
The Free Events
On new years eve, I stood by the river with my friends and watched the free fireworks that erupted in several different directions. We literally had the perfect spot away from the main crowds. I have also been to the African Music and Cultural Festival in Federation Square and plan to check out the free St Kilda music festival and the colourful art installations of White Night.
The Quirkiness
Which other city would you find a part of a road closed and a patch of fake grass with deck chairs installed next to a tram line as a pop-up park? This is what I love about Melbourne – the fun quirkiness of the city. Pop-up outdoor cinemas, independent coffee shops, summer night markets, cute laneways, street art and rooftop bars are all a regular part of Melbourne life.
So there you have it – a few of my favourite aspects of Melbourne life so far!
The Day it Happened
I was cold. It had been warmer in London. I was wet. In London the sky had been blue without a rain cloud in sight. I was tired. Staying awake for most of the previous night packing and re-packing my backpack had been a bad idea. My shoulders were still aching from the hour I’d spent wandering around with my heavy backpack trying to find my hostel and I was starting to wonder if I had already missed the best of the European summer weather by opting to travel towards the end of August and into September.
This was my first multi-destination trip and I had chosen to fly the solo flag – but I was starting to wonder if I’d be able to handle it. Earlier, I’d successfully navigated my way from the airport to the area near the hostel using public transport but it hadn’t been without anxiety. This also happened to be my first time staying in a hostel.
Thankfully I met nice people.
A fellow Brit and I set out to have a wander around Prague. It turned out we’d been on the same delayed flight from London that morning. Whilst we were out, the rain had started and we’d ended up getting drenched which quickly turned our excited moods to annoyance.
I’d planned the first half of my route in some level of detail and I knew that I’d eventually be flying home from Madrid – but I needed to create at least a rough plan for the second half of my trip. So I sat down on my bed to have a read through the chunky European guide book that I’d brought along.
And then I got chatting. For several hours.
Two lovely ladies from Slovenia were also on a multi-stop trip. They’d been travelling by car and Prague was their second to last stop – they were ending in Bratislava. Some of the places they had been to were places that I hadn’t even thought about visiting – Bosnia being the main one. They spoke about the country with such excitement that I seriously considered taking a detour in order to add it to my route.
But then they started to tell me about their own country…
The Baroque style mixed with 20th Century Architecture along with the old town and green spaces made the capital city of Ljubljana sound like my kind of place! However, my interest really piqued when they started to speak with passion about the awesome beauty of the mountains and lakes. I have always loved natural beauty and I could easily stare at a spectacular view for a very long time.
I knew there and then that I wanted to visit Slovenia.
In my head, I started planning out another InterRailing trip around Europe that would include Slovenia and a few of the other places that we’d been taking about. Later that evening, I grabbed my InterRail map and guidebook and spent some time searching the routes and train times online to figure out if I could include some of these places on my current trip.
In was then that I realised that it had happened.
Nothing could’ve stopped it.
Not the cold weather, or the rain or the anxiety that I’d been feeling.
It was too late. It had already hit me.
I had well and truly caught the travel bug.
And that was that.
Why I Choose to Fly the Solo Flag When Travelling
In the past, my solo trips have attracted a variety of responses ranging from “You’re so brave!” to “It would’ve been more fun if you took someone with you!” and “Didn’t you get lonely?” However, for me, choosing to travel solo has benefited me in ways that I could not have imagined.
As an introvert, I recharge my internal batteries by taking time out alone. Don’t get me wrong, I love spending time with friends and family and I have great fun when I do so – but I find it tough to be around people 24/7. A solo trip just provides an extended opportunity to re-energise – and have fun along the way! Due to the fact that I actively enjoy alone time, I very rarely experience loneliness.
When travelling, I tend to stay in backpacker hostels which provide plenty of opportunities to meet other travellers. Although, I like to head off travelling on my own, meeting new people is one of my favourite aspects of travel and I sometimes opt to spend a day or so sightseeing with my new travel buddies or even travelling with them for a few days.
As with everything, solo travel has it’s downsides. There are some experiences that are best shared with friends – such as when I visited a 3D art museum where each piece of artwork was a backdrop for you to take exciting pictures. I ended up getting creative with a selfie stick and precariously balancing my camera on different ledges until I met a kind group of travellers with whom I could exchange picture taking duties with. Occasionally when things don’t go according to plan, the presence of a friend or family member would be most welcome, however, being able to deal with the situation myself gives me a sense of achievement.
So far, I have found that after a trip, I have returned home full of energy and with a clearer mind. Having the time away gives me breathing space and time to think and refresh myself – and I always walk away with amazing memories. Although my first experience of solo travel was a little terrifying at first, I knew it was something that I wanted to continue doing and I’m very glad I did!
Although it may not be for everyone, if circumstances permit, I’d highly recommend solo world wandering. It has forced me FAR out of my comfort zone and has also given me the chance to develop my own travel style. As long as I am able to, I will continue to take solo trips and I’d encourage everyone for whom it’s a possibility to challenge themselves and try it at least once!
A New Beginning
Hello everyone!
I just wanted to say WELCOME to my new blog!
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Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Travels
Linda
Running Through Airports: Getting my travel act together
I have often been described as having a ‘relaxed attitude to time’ when it comes to social events. However, when travelling, a minute can mean the difference between getting on your plane, train or bus or being left stranded.
On the morning that I was leaving for my InterRailing trip, having stayed up for most of the night getting documents ready and packing and repacking my bag, I was exhausted – and the trip had not even begun! My mum and sister were accompanying me to the airport and we had planned to leave the house at by 7am in order to allow enough time for me to complete the baggage drop and security procedures and have some time to relax before my 10.20am flight. However, at 8am we still had not left the house! By this point, I was in a rather panicked state and managed to forget my European Health Insurance Card, – only realising when we were halfway down the road to the tube station!
I quickly ran back home to get it and we ended up getting to the airport 15 minutes before baggage drop was about to close. After running down several moving walkways, I made it to the check-in desk. My printer had run out of ink the previous night after printing the details of my travel insurance so I had been unable to print my boarding pass. Thankfully the airline printed it for free!
I said a quick goodbye to my family and hurried off through security only to find that the flight had been delayed by 40 minutes. I was able to have my relaxation time after all!
…
You would think that after that experience I would have planned my time more effectively. However, on the night before I was due to fly to Thailand, I ended up staying up all night (again) – packing and repacking my backpack. I didn’t sleep until the early hours and my sister had to collect my malaria tablets and travel money! We ended up leaving for the airport an hour later than planned and I arrived at baggage drop 3 minutes before it was closing!
Again, I said a quick goodbye to my family and hurried through security in order to make it to the boarding gate in time!
…
The wake up call FINALLY came on the way home from Thailand.
On the morning of my last day in Thailand, I checked out of my hostel, left my bags in the storage area and set off to buy presents and souvenirs and enjoy a final day in Bangkok. After spending most of the day whizzing around on the sky train from one market/shopping centre to the next, I was exhausted!
For some reason I thought it would only take an hour to get from the hostel to the airport (I don’t know how I came to that conclusion) so I thought that if I left the hostel by 5pm, I would be at the airport by 6pm with plenty of time to check in, pass through security and relax before boarding the plane. However, it didn’t quite happen like that.
I arrived back at the hostel around 6pm (an hour later than planned) grabbed my bags and then ran down the road to the train station. I would’ve taken a taxi but it was the height of rush hour and the traffic literally stands still.
The journey involved taking one branch of the sky train to a central stop, changing to the other branch for a few stops and then taking the airport rail link from one end to the other.
By the time I reached the starting station of the airport rail link it was approaching 7pm and the next train wasn’t due to arrive for another 10 minutes!
My flight was at 8.40pm and I was meant to have completed the check-in and baggage drop process by 7.10pm. At 7.10pm, I was still on the train and was no where near the airport. My relaxed approach to time had FINALLY caught up with me!
After shoving my newly purchased souvenirs into my rucksack, I started panicking and thinking of contingency plans and the inevitable phone call home to explain to my family that I had missed the plane, would be spending the night at the airport and that would have to put a large dent in my finances to buy a ticket home for the next day.
On the train, I had spotted two fellow Brits who were also flying back to England that evening with the same airline. However, I saw from their boarding passes that their flight wasn’t leaving until 10pm and they were simply doing the sensible thing and getting to the airport early! I wondered if the airline would allow me on to that flight.
I arrived at the airport at 7.30pm – twenty minutes AFTER the check-in/baggage drop for my flight had closed. Of course ‘Departures’ was on the fourth floor. With all of the running and panicking of the last 90 minutes, I was exhausted but somehow managed to muster up the strength to run up four escalators, finding myself at the entrance to the departures hall.
I spotted the information desk and dived towards it before blurting out ‘Where’s the Emirates check-in desk?’
‘It’s in Zone T’ said the lady behind the counter.
I looked up and saw that I was standing in Zone A.
Time for MORE running.
This time I was dodging trolleys, suitcases, backpacks and small children.
When I arrived at the desk, thankfully there wasn’t a queue and I looked at the lady behind the counter and asked in a childlike voice ‘Is it too late to check-in?’
‘What time is your flight?’ She replied.
‘It’s supposed to be 8.40’ I said trying to display my most hopeful look.
‘Let me check’ she said.
She then proceeded to make a phone call and I waited nervously hoping that in a minute or so I would be celebrating rather than crying!
She hung up the phone.
‘It’s fine, you can check in’ she said.
I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief and then the biggest grin spread across my face – and I couldn’t thank her enough! If it wasn’t because of my heavy backpack I would’ve leapt a foot into the air!
…
The debacle of that evening was the final wake up call.
I had the most amazing month in Thailand but missing the plane, being left stranded there and having to put a large dent in my bank account in order to get home would’ve been far from ideal.
My next adventure is several months away but I have already started planning and organising my packing list and other bits and bobs because, as I have found, last minute packing and re-packing is bound to lead to stress and panic…and a whole load of running!
Bewildered in Budapest: The Kindness of Strangers
When I planned my InterRailling trip, Budapest was one of my must-see destinations. After a wonderful week in the Czech Republic visiting Prague and staying with an amazing family in Olomouc, it was time to move onto Budapest. I set off from Olomouc and travelled for almost two hours to Břeclav. It was supposed to be a 30 minute wait for the train to Budapest but I arrived to find that there was an 80 minute delay!
Břeclav station was tiny and there wasn’t really anywhere to sit other than on the platform. There was a public toilet and a tall potted plant and that was about it. With no luggage lockers available, I had to carry my backpack with me when I went down to the local supermarket. I had wanted to do some more exploring but decided to head back to the station instead of wandering around town with my heavy backpack.
At the station, I got chatting to a couple of fellow Brits who were travelling to Turkey by train! It turned out we were all waiting for the same train to Budapest.
The train eventually arrived 80mins after the scheduled time but as it journeyed on, it stood at every station for a good 5 or 10 minutes so the delay got worse and worse! It eventually arrived in Budapest TWO HOURS later than it was supposed to!
I got off the train and quickly located the piece of paper that I had scribbled the hostel address and public transport directions onto. However, when I left the station, I found out that there were road works everywhere and the bus stop was impossible to find! It was almost 9pm and I was exhausted so I decided to look for the taxi rank – but I couldn’t find that either.
By this point, I was fed up and my backpack was weighing me down. But just at the right time, I came across a bus stop where a lovely lady was waiting with her daughter and baby granddaughter (who was asleep in her arms). I showed them the address and they spoke to each other in Hungarian and then signalled to me to follow them. I know that as children we are taught not to trust or talk to strangers but sometimes you have to throw the rule book out of the window!
I followed them down the road and round the corner to another bus stop. Although there was a significant language barrier and I was clueless about where we were going, I felt in my heart that I could trust them. Within 5 minutes a bus arrived and we jumped onto it. I had no idea how far we were going or if this would be the only mode of transport we would take but just a few minutes later we had got off the bus and I was following them down the road again. A tram journey was next. I sat and watched as the buildings and lights of the city passed by and wondered if I was getting any closer to the hostel.
Fifteen minutes later, we were off the tram and walking down the street again. I hoped that we were heading to the hostel but lo and behold we boarded another bus. I guess this hostel was a lot further from the station than I thought!
Twenty minutes and two bus journeys later we arrived somewhere that seemed quite busy and cosmopolitan. After crossing a few major roads, I saw them look up at the road name and realised that we were on the road where the hostel was!
Finding the hostel was another story though. In Prague I wondered around Wenceslas square several times before I finally spotted the TINY sign that indicated that the hostel was on the first floor above a shop. This hostel was almost as tricky to locate.
I followed the lady and her daughter down what seemed like a semi-residential street. They looked up at the building numbers and eventually stopped outside what seemed like a large old house. I looked around for any signs that that it may a hostel – and then I spotted one – a set of buzzers on the wall!
I ran over and scanned the set of buzzers and then…Eureka! I saw the name of the hostel and my face lit up!
I could barely contain my gratitude to the lady and her daughter (and her sleeping baby granddaughter). I hugged them both and was so touched by the fact that they went out of their way in the late evening whilst carrying a sleeping baby just to make sure I got to my hostel safely. The next thing I knew they had handed me the baby and were taking a picture with me but I was more than happy to oblige!
There have been many incidences on my travels where the kindness of strangers has been truly touching. In Vienna, a man got off his bicycle in order to direct me to the Museumsquartier after seeing me looking lost. In Ayutthaya, a man directed me all the way to one the temples, then showed me a local market to buy food and then took me to the outdoor seating area of his friend’s restaurant so I would have somewhere to sit and eat my food. His friend then gave me fruit and a drink and let me sit and rest for as long as I wanted because I had spent most of the day cycling around the city. In Ko Lanta, one of the members of staff at the hostel drove me to the repair shop after an accident with a bottle of water drowned my phone and camera.
Growing up in a big city has made into a quite cautious person but travelling has taught me to trust my instincts and ask for help when necessary. Sometimes things don’t go according to plan and I have to rely on the kindness of a stranger to help me fix it.
Such kind acts put a smile on my face and really make my day. I love the fact that amongst all the negative things that happen in the world, there are still good people around who are willing to go out of their way to make someone else’s day better.
My Love/ Hate Relationship with Backpacker Hostels
When I announced to my friends and family that I would be taking a solo interrailing trip which would involve staying in backpacker hostels, I was met with a number of raised eyebrows (and not just because I had chosen to go solo).
My family and close friends will testify to the fact that I can be a bit of a clean freak, (hair in the bath tub causes my blood pressure to rise) so they (and I) were concerned with how I would cope sharing a dorm room and bathroom with strangers. However, I knew I would not be able to afford the trip if opted to stay in hotels the entire time. I also wanted to challenge myself and have the opportunity to meet other travelers so I booked myself into an eight-bed mixed dorm room in my first destination – Prague.
The Good
My favourite thing about staying in hostels has been the opportunity to meet other travelers. I remember the exact moment that I caught the travel bug. I was sitting in the dorm room in Prague chatting to two lovely girls from Slovenia and they were telling me all about the natural beauty of their home country. I instantly added it to my ever growing wanderlust wish-list and starting planning how and when I would visit Slovenia.
In Ko Lanta in Thailand, I ended up being in the same dorm room as a lovely lady from Belgium. We had both decided to go to Phuket the next day and so we decided to travel together. In Phuket, we stayed at the same hostel and went on a tour which included a visit to Maya Bay (where ‘The Beach’ was filmed). In Vienna, I stayed in a hostel that even had musical instruments available for guests to play!
There have been many occasions where I have had the opportunity to meet and hang out with other travelers but sometimes it is the staff that make my stay at a hostel memorable. In Bangkok, one of the staff members hung out with the guests every evening and took us to parts of the city that we would never have discovered by accident; including the awesome Bangkok train market with all of its vintage trinkets. In Ko Lanta, the staff were so friendly and welcoming and they went above and beyond the call of duty. When my camera and phone drowned in my bag after a bottle of water leaked, they drove me to a repair shop. In Barcelona, a staff member carried my bag up the stairs after seeing how exhausted I was after the crazy journey from Nice. In Chiang Mai, one of the staff members even bargained with the tuk tuk/ songethaew drivers on my behalf!
The Bad
Due to the fact that I am quite selective when it comes to choosing hostels, I haven’t had too many bad experiences but I have stayed in at least three places where hygiene levels were rather low.
The first dirty hostel I stayed in was in Lyon, France. I had a couple of days to kill before heading to Nice so I decided to visit Lyon. The city itself was great and I hopped around on the underground to all the must-see sites in just one day. The hostel on the other hand was a different story. There were only two hostels in the city – one had glowing ratings and the other didn’t. So of course I found that the clean hostel was full when I made my last minute decision to visit the city.
I arrived to find staff that were indifferent at best if not downright rude – along with very poor quality internet, broken wooden lockers, a dirty kitchen, a smelly run down bathroom and a stairwell that stank of urine. The whole place was in desperate need of cleaning and renovation. .The luggage storage area was basically a jumble of suitcases and backpacks and when I returned to retrieve my backpack, I had to climb through the mound of luggage because it had ended up all the way at the back. The hostel’s only redeeming feature was the balcony from which you could see a spectacular view of the city.
That hostel had a rating of around 75% so I knew it wouldn’t be great but I would expect a hostel with a rating of 90% or above to be pretty decent. However, when I arrived in Chiang Mai, I discovered that this is not always the case.
I arrived early after travelling on a sleeper train and was told that I would have to come back later because it was too early to check in unless I wanted to sleep on a top bunk. I decided to wait for a bottom bunk but when I came back all the bottom bunks were already gone!
I followed the staff member upstairs and was greeted with carpets that looked like they hadn’t seen a vacuum cleaner for several months. There were tents in the hallway and on the roof and the first time I climbed onto my bed I cut my finger on a small sharp piece of metal that was poking out. Every time I or the person on the bottom bunk moved the entire bunk bed shook! There was only one plug socket in a room of eight people and most of the bunk beds were on the verge of falling apart. There were no blankets on the beds and I found out from another guest that we had to retrieve them ourselves from the washing line on the roof!
But the bathrooms…they were the worst.
The first time I took a shower there was a cockroach was crawling around. It drowned but was left dead in the drain for several days. The drains were so clogged that after a shower the water didn’t drain out and I would be left standing in at least 10cm of water whilst getting dressed. The shower was over the toilet and the whole bathroom looked like it hadn’t been cleaned for at least for at least a month. There was no door on the room containing urinals so there was a strong whiff of urine every time I walked past.
If I hadn’t booked for 4 nights I would have left straight away. I woke up on my last day to find that they had FINALLY cleaned the bathrooms. The only good thing about this hostel was one of the members of staff who was friendly and helpful.
I wanted to extend my time in Chiang Mai but I couldn’t stand that hostel any longer so I left to check into another one.
After Chiang Mai, I took a short trip to Pai. All of the hostels had ratings of around 60-80% so I wasn’t expecting them to be super clean but what I wasn’t prepared for was the nighttime temperatures. The hostel was situated in the mountains and all of the rooms (single huts and dorm rooms) were made of bamboo. The beds were also made of bamboo. From the early evening onwards, the cold wind from the mountains caused the temperatures to plummet to single figures and by night time, I was wearing most of the contents of my backpack in order to stay warm underneath the TWO blankets I had obtained from the hostel. Going out in the evenings involved committing serious fashion crimes (socks with sandals)!
Thankfully that is the extent of my hostel horror stories but others have spoken of worse experiences such as their belongings being stolen and bunk beds actually falling apart.
I’ve learnt what type of traveler I am
My experience with hostels has generally been positive and the ‘not so great’ experiences have definitely been outweighed by the opportunities to meet travelers from all over the world.
However, staying in a particularly bad hostel (such as the first hostel in Chiang Mai) tended put a slight dampener on that part of my trip. I enjoyed Chiang Mai so much more after moving to a new hostel.
Through these experiences, I have learned that I am not a ‘hardcore’ backpacker who can just stay anywhere regardless of the standard of hygiene. I have also learnt to really pay attention to the reviews and only book a hostel for one or two nights at a time and extend if necessary. That way, if I’m not happy I can move.
But overall, I absolutely love staying in hostels and will continue to do so as long as I continue travelling.
Liebster Award
Yay! Thank you to Ola for my nomination for the Liebster Award!
Here you can see my answers to her 11 questions:
Which is your favourite travel destination and why?
Probably Ko Lanta in Thailand. The people were so friendly and it was quite rustic – gasoline was sold in bottles and from old school American-style petrol pumps. There were beautiful quiet beaches with less than 10 people on them and I got to watch some amazing sunsets. I stayed in a great hostel with wonderfully kind staff and there was a lovely family owned restaurant across the road which served delicious food. I had such a relaxing time there and it was my favourite place throughout my entire month-long Thailand adventure.
Most delicious food you had on your journey?
The fresh pineapple that I scoffed regularly in Thailand and Ghana both have to be the most amazing pineapple I have ever tasted. I love Pad Thai and there was a particular chicken curry that I ate at a restaurant in Thailand that I can’t remember the name of but it was very tasty. Ooooh and Tom Yam soup…
Do you prefer solo travel or group travel?
I’ve never been on a group backpacking trip but I have been on short holidays with my friends and on a family trip to Ghana. It is lovely to have company when you’re away and also to have the shared memories when you get back but for backpacking so far I have enjoyed going solo. I love the freedom to pick and choose where I go and what activities I do and to extend or shorten my stay in a particular place if I want to. As a solo traveller, I meet so many other solo travellers and often hang out or travel with them. I love having the freedom to fly the solo flag when I choose or meet others and make friends when I wish to have company.
Funniest thing happened on a travel?
It wasn’t funny at the time but the train running away from Barcelona Sants Station (the last stop) with a bunch of us still on it was pretty hilarious now that I think about it.
Island or mountains?
This is a tough question because my favourite thing about travel is natural beauty. I love the views from mountains but I also love beautiful beaches and staring out to sea and of course the amazing sunsets. I guess if I was staying somewhere then I’d probably pick Islands just because they tend to be warmer. I stayed in a hostel in Pai in Thailand that was practically in the mountains and at night the temperature plummeted to the point where I was wearing half the contents of my backpack just to stay warm.
What is your favourite pastry?
Savoury – chicken pie. Sweet – Pain Au Chocolat or just plain croissants.
What was the reason to start a blog for you?
I am EXTREMELY passionate about travel and wanted to share my adventures. Also, a few friends had asked me for travel info and advice so I thought that starting a blog may help a few people. I love being creative and enjoy writing.
What is the next destination you are going to visit?
Australia. It has been top of my list since forever.
Panda or Koala?
I would love to cuddle a koala.
Is there a country you don’t want to visit and if yes, why?
Places that are particularly cold such as Iceland are not on my list because I have a very strong disliking for winter (I constantly tell people I’m allergic to it). I’d definitely be concerned about visiting anywhere where there is political unrest or an oppressive government.
Why did you start blogging?
I love to be creative and I enjoy writing about things I’m passionate about i.e. Travel. I wanted somewhere to jot down my thoughts and share my experiences and hopefully provide some useful advice and information. I also wanted to share the creativity that I see around the world as well as my own travel-inspired creativity.
My nominations are:
7.Agrofarm
Rules for The Liebster Award Nomination:
- each nominee must link back the person who nominated them
- answer the 11 questions
- nominate 11 other bloggersfor this award who have less than 500 followers
- create 11 questionsfor your nominees to answer
- you can’t nominate the one who tagged you
- let the nominees know that they have been nominated by going to their blog and notifying them
My 11 Questions are:
- Describe your blog in 5 words
- What would your ideal weekend look like?
- Which has been your favourite destination so far?
- Would you rather go skiing or lie on a beach?
- What made you want to start a blog?
- Is there anywhere you have been that you would never visit again?
- Name the top three destinations on your travel wish list.
- In which country have you met the friendliest locals so far?
- City or small town?
- Do you like to spend time in nature?
- Do like to have everything organised, booked and planned before you leave for your trip or do you like to wing it and see where the wind takes you?
Barcelona-Bound Runaway Train
When I decided to take an InterRailing trip in 2013, Nice and Barcelona were on my list of must-see destinations. From the research that I had conducted beforehand, I knew that travelling between these two cities was no easy feat but I hadn’t realised just how long-winded the journey could potentially be.
When I went online to check the different route options, I found that the shortest option would take eight hours and involve at least two changes. I would also need to buy seat reservations for some of the trains but I decided to wait until I had arrived in Nice to do this. Big mistake.
When I got to Nice and tried to buy the reservations, to my surprise, the official behind the counter told me that those particular trains were full. He then wrote down an alternative (long-winded) route that I could take which didn’t require any seat reservations – but it was 16 hours long and involved taking four trains!
The first train in the morning was at 6.55am but thankfully the station was just a 5 minute walk from the hostel. Nevertheless, I woke up at 5am in order to get ready, do last minute packing (in the dark), check out and get to the station in good time.
The first train journey was pretty uneventful. I tried to catch up on sleep (that didn’t happen) but I enjoyed the picturesque scenery. When I arrived in Marseille around 9.30am, I decided to put my backpack in a locker and do some exploring. After all, I didn’t have to catch the next train until around midday.
When I got back to the station and found my way onto the next train, I spotted a guy with an InterRail pass in his hand so I decided to say hello. We got chatting and it turned out that he was also taking the same route to Barcelona!
Ninety minutes later we arrived in Avignon, and with no locker facilities at the station, we decided that it would be too tiring to try to explore whilst carrying our backpacks so instead opted to buy some food and relax in a park (which also happened to have free WiFi!).
After an hour or so of relaxation, we headed back to the station for a four hour train ride which took us across the Spanish border to Portbou where we met two girls and a guy who were also travelling to Barcelona. Thankfully, we only had to wait an hour for the next train.
The journey to Barcelona took two and a half hours and by the time we arrived there, it seemed that only the five of us and two other guys (who had bicycles) were left on the train. As Barcelona Sants Station, was the last stop, we thought we would have plenty of time to get off the train and so by the time it was pulling into the station, we were just about leaving our seats. None of us were ready to get off when it finally came to a stop.
Then the doors opened…
For what felt like two seconds…
Before they closed again and the train started to move!
All of us looked at each other in disbelief. At first we thought that the train was just moving further into the station but once it started to speed up and all of the information about the stops and destination disappeared from the screen, we soon realised that we were being taken to the middle of nowhere!
João, one of the boys was Portuguese but he could also speak Spanish and decided to try and find a guard or train official to see what on Earth was going on. He walked up and down several carriages but couldn’t find anyone and by that time, we’d already sat through 10 minutes of a high-speed blur of buildings, trees and graffiti-covered concrete.
With no sign of the train stopping, panic started to set in. We had no idea where we were going and whether or not we would be able to get back to Sants Station that night. I for one didn’t fancy a night of impromptu camping!
I suggested we press the emergency alarm to which João replied ‘We’re not dying!’
We endured another 10-minute haze of buildings and trees before the train eventually started slowing down and we plastered ourselves to the doors ready to escape as soon as the train stopped.
It finally came to a halt at what seemed to be a train depot masquerading as a train station and we flew through the doors.
By this point, it was after 11pm and we were tired, irritated and ready to demand an explanation from the train driver. However, João was the only one who could speak Spanish so he went off to find the driver in order to vent the frustration on our behalf.
It turned out that this station was where the train was going to be kept for the night and earlier when it had arrived at Sants Station, the driver and guard has assumed that there was nobody left on the train because most of the passengers had disembarked at earlier stops. It had been running late and they wanted to get it to its final resting stop as soon as possible, hence why it only stopped for about two seconds!
In order to get back to where we needed to be, we would have to go through the tunnel to a platform on the other side of the station, wait 5 minutes and then catch the train going back to Sants Station. However, in the time it took for João to find this out, the 5 minutes had already passed and the train was arriving on the on the other side.
So we ran.
With our big backpacks on our backs.
With two guys carrying bikes laden with luggage.
We ran.
Down the stairs, through the long tunnel and up the stairs on the other side.
And we caught the train.
Just in time.
Exhausted and out of breath.
…
But the running didn’t stop there.
Neither did the long-winded journey.
When we arrived at Sants Station, we ran to catch the Metro to ensure that we didn’t miss the last train. The two girls headed off to their friend’s apartment and the two guys with bikes cycled off. I had booked a hostel in advance but João and the other guy we were with liked to throw caution to the wind and find accommodation once they’d actually arrived at their destination. So they decided to come to my hostel to see if there was any space.
That would have been straightforward if the directions I had received from the hostel booking website had been correct.
By the time we realised the error, we had already taken the Metro to a station that turned out to be quite far away from the hostel! We asked policemen for directions but somehow still managed to get lost. At this point, we were exhausted and fed up and had been walking around for what felt like several hours – with the weight of a large sack of potatoes on our backs.
But thankfully João was still thinking straight. He used his phone to navigate and we found the hostel.
At 1am.
After 18 hours of travelling.
With only 3 hours sleep the previous night.
It was no wonder I woke up the next day with a bad cold.
It didn’t stop me going to the beach though!