http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/27052
Penicuik is an old mining community. It's gritty. It's seen better days. But it's got a lot of history and a lot of charm beneath it's hard exteria.

In days gone by you can really image the old town centre as the hub of Penicuik. The old town clock hangs above the square, and the old water pump still exists. Today there's the Peni Deli on the High Street and a little French bistro that are well worth popping into for a cuppa and a quick bite if you're here.

Where a lot of people in the past would have been employed in the local coal mine at Bilston (the Miners Club is still alive and kicking on the high street!) today it's mostly a commuter town for people that work in the city of Edinburgh.

In the past couple of years an excellent new sports centre and swimming pool have opened in Penicuik, and there's a skatepark and sports pitches nearby.

If you enjoy going for long walks/cycles it's possible to walk/cycle from Penicuik to Musselburgh along the old railway line. It's a full days trek so take some lunch with you!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/27052 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26934 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26934 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/25974
Coach USA runs between Manhatten and Newark, stopping outside Grand Central Station (between Park and Lexington Avenues on 41st street), Bryant Park (5th avenue) and Port Authority Bus Terminal. Fare is $15 one way or $25 return. Buses run every 15 /30 mins.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/25974 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/25082 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/25082 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23766 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23766 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23222
You have to get it BEFORE you leave baggage reclaim though. Once out the door, turn left in arrivals lounge and go all the way to the end into the Station. Walk in a little way and turn 180 degrees and go up the stairs behind you and come out right at the bus stop and get the number 10 which takes you to Gare Cornavin (the main station in Geneva).]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23222 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/22387
Tickets are easily purchased ahead of time at the Durban terminus. Everybody recommends to use the Mozambique owned service rather than the SA owned one (easy to tell - it has a Portuguese name - something Azul as I recall). That worked for me, comfortable seats, refreshments, air conditioning, helpful staff.

Durban bus station is organised but you won't want to spend much time there as it has the same edgy feel as any major bus terminus in a European or North American city (even on a Sunday morning departure). Border crossings (two because of Swaziland - make sure your visa situation is sorted before travel) are relatively painless. Even the rest stops are interesting.

Maputo bus station is pleasantly chaotic and not too hassled, like that lovely languid seaside city itself (better than the somewhat bureaucratic 1970's southern-Europe style airport). I only got to spend two days in Maputo but it is charming and atmospheric though becoming a playground for South Africans so progressively losing much of it's Luso/Afro distinctiveness. Lots of great food, especially seafood of course. Loads of restaurants, bars and clubs (though Sunday night is quiet) and it will feel quite familiar if you have been to Lisbon, or indeed Macao. It is not compact but laid out with wide boulevards so not very walkable, but taxis are cheap and easy. And you have to love a city that has streets named after Trotsky, Stalin and Kim Il Sung!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/22387 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21938
...you still can. Green Tortoise buses have been going coast to coast from Boston to San Francisco and back since god knows when, but these days they've got full-on, air-conned sleeper coaches that a rock star wouldn't sneeze at rather than converted bench buses. Around $700+food/parks allowance gets you coast to coast in 14 days - maybe slightly more, or slightly less, depending on which way the driver wants to go - and a whole bunch of new experiences. If you're lucky, new friends too (still emailing mine 10 years later).

Pieces of advice, though:

- bring far more shower gel, soap, and deodorant than you'd ever actually need, and don't be too fussy about where you use it. Or who borrows it.

- use electronic devices sparingly, as there's plenty of places to see - and few places to charge up.

- Much as you'd love to trust the free peace and love vibe, keep absolutely everything somewhere you know it should be and lock the important stuff (passport, med insurance, etc) at the bottom of your bag.

- learn to love veggie food if you can. Really. You can get great steaks in San Fran if you need them (and by the end, boy did I need them).

- be open-minded about everything you see and everyone you travel with, and open to new experiences...

- ...just not any mind-altering ones (bear in mind that in some states, if someone is caught possessing drugs on a road vehicle, and can't prove exactly whose it is, they will bust EVERY SINGLE OCCUPANT. Bad karma, dude.)

Enjoy. Namaste.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21938 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21917 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21917 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21628 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21628 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21158
What I discovered, though, is a vast difference in condition of buses. Some look quite together and well, if creatively, maintained. The one we got on was falling apart – and that's by Moroccan standards. It's typical to see some quite creative repairs on Moroccan cabs and buses but this thing had repairs on top of repairs to the point where it was hard to tell what was holding what together. It seems the same buses tend to do the same journey times day in day out. We were on the same bus on the way back two days later (it was later in the day but this made sense as it was the return leg of the journey). This time the dilapidation started to show up big time. The windscreen shattered, showering everyone at the front in glass and, ten minutes later one of the side windows fell out. Even the locals were a bit perturbed by the state of the bus in question! If this kind of thing worries you it may be best to go to the bus station a day before you plan to travel. Find the bus that's going where you are headed and talk to the driver or ticket man to ask if the same bus will be running at the same time the next day. If the bus looks sufficiently knackered that you don't think you can stomach a trip in it you can then change your plans accordingly.

In the end we all got back in one piece but it wasn't a trip of the feint of heart.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21158 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20806
Don't hesitate to try the bus system or subway. Both are inexpensive, intuitive, quick, and user-friendly.

Full report at www.travelmusings.net]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20806 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20266 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20266 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19842 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19842 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19730 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19730 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18925 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18925 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18828 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18828 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18429
Leave the station by the exit at the front of the train, go down the steps immediately to the right, and the Liberec buses leave from stand 6. The journey takes just over an hour; the bus station is a five minute walk from the town centre.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18429 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18304
The high-priced resorts dotted along the beaches are best avoided, especially in summer. To see the real Tofino go there in May (shoulder season) and stay in the town. The Tofino Motel offers great views at around $85 (£40) a night per room. If you like seafood Shelter and Schooner restaurants are a must, but for something more funky try Raincoast.

There are three impressive beaches nearby. Tonquin is but a short walk from the town and is good for a post-prandial stroll. Chesterman beach is a short drive away and is full of spirits and driftwood and as the site of First Nations resistance has great historical resonance. Long Beach is, well, just long. The caveats to all this are that because this is the raincoast it rains a lot. However, much natural beauty comes from this rain.

The First Nations people run several businesses in town offering whale watching, bear watching (you park near a beach and watch the bears forage for food) as well as trips to hot springs. The botanical garden are like nothing else, blending sculpture and nature. Getting to Tofino is easy. You can fly from downtown Vancouver from around $250 (£120) return by sea-plane, but the best way to travel is to take the Harbour Lynx from downtown Vancouver and then the Tofino bus across the island. Even though this journey takes around six hours, don't fall asleep. Remember you're going to paradise.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18304 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18173
Additionally, in many taxis, you can just wheel in and go. The underground has many wheelchair-friendly stations and links to airports and the Chunnel, if you want a new and exciting way to explore the continent!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18173