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Ten days in a lorry travelling back from Riyadh in 1977 was my most intense travelling experience. Through Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Bulgaria, the old Yugoslavia, and into Europe, everything went wrong: the lorry broke down, the driver lost his papers, and I had to fight him off nightly, that problem solved by stomach bugs as a result of sharing tea and water melon with a wolfish group of fellow lorry drivers. We made a detour to the ruins of Jerash, and circled the endless slums of the Damascus ring road. We crossed the Taurus mountains by night, stayed two unforgettable days in Istanbul, passed horse carts in Bulgaria and slowly re-acclimatised to Europe in the sterile service stations of the autobahns. I have been a tourist many times since but never travelled in quite the same uncomfortable, raw, but immediate way.
Since July 2002 until the present day I have just about circumnavigated the planet on voyage with Semester at Sea, a program, currently operated from the University of Virginia and the institute for Shipboard Education (ISE).
Semester at Sea is not your typical 'cruise.' It is a living voyage and lifelong learning experience. The voyages have taken me to the now serene shipyards in Gdansk to the top of Mount Vesuvius and onward to the Mekong Delta and the wonders of Southeast Asia,
Our ship, the MV Explorer, is a floating university that can accommodate up to 600 students, staff - like my professor wife - and people like me, a life long learner. Once you sail on it, the MV Explorer will always be 'OUR ship,' to you too. Yes, OUR ship has a pool and a fabulous lounge, but you see quickly what else you can be doing, like studying political science of Southeast Asia, Asian Puppetry, World War II history, or comparative religions. Surrounded by young people, many of whom are seeing the rest of the world for the first time.
It's not the cheapest holiday compared with other much less interesting long cruises. I have been fortunate enough to be a bag carrier on these voyages for my wife who teaches aboard. Our ultimate goal is to pay the full fare so neither of us has to work and we can both sit in on as many classes as possible while exploring the delights of our planet.
A journey through the hidden beauties of the Russian and Mongolian countryside, witness the harsh lives of smugglers and vagrants, taste simple cuisine, listen to stories around you from the rich and poor alike, yet create your own tale as you travel through a compelling experience.
While most people opt for the Trans-Siberian from Moscow to Beijing, traveling east to west on the lesser known The Baikal-Amur Mainline or BAM route takes you through some of the least visited towns in the world. The lack of foreign visitors means you are treated like a 'celebrity' by your carriage companions who want to hear all about daily life in your country. This trainline passes through Severobaikalsk at the Northern tip of the magnificent Lake Baikal. A fascinating and unique trip.
eng.rzd.ru/isvp/public/rzdeng?STRUCTURE_ID=88
www.sbaikal.ru/eng/region/town.html
If you're three people or more using a taxi to travel between towns is actually slightly cheaper than the Viazul bus. Find yourself a vintage Cadillac and travel like Elvis!
Needing to get far away from the traditional family UK Christmas, but eschewing airports, my daughter hit the search engines. On 18th December we two headed south to Marseille, with three tight-knit trains delivering us from Brighton in time for a late fish supper on the port. The next morning we boarded – along with over 2000 Tunisian ex-pats, going home for the holidays – the huge ferry to Tunis. Bad weather delayed us a little, but we got to know our fellow passengers and had warm invitations which ensured we eventually arrived intact in Mahdia, where we had rented a beautiful flat, very cheaply, for three nights. After exploring this unspoiled coastal town – and nearby El Djem - we caught the coast train back north to Tunis. Warm hospitality again met us at the Dar Ed Medina hotel, in the old city, where the fantastic staff ensured that we had a non-Christmas to remember. We’ve often thought gratefully of our kind hosts as their society has been in upheaval this year. But Tunisia is still welcoming independent travellers… get booking!
Travel details: Eurostar and TGV London to Marseille.
Ferry SNCM: www.sncm.fr/
Marseillle-Tunis return. Journey approx 19 hours. Very comfy cabins.
Tunis-Mahdia by train: daily, 4 hours.
Mahdia: Villa Zouila Mahdia, only £25 per night for the beautiful Olivier apartment. Great meals cooked by neighbour on request.
19 avenue Taieb Mhiri, 5100 Mahdia
+32 479 414 910
Tunis: Hotel Dar El Medina www.darelmedina.com/
Atmospheric rooms and a stunning rooftop terrace, in the old walled city.
64, Rue Sidi Ben Arous Tunis 1006, Tunisia
+32 71 563 022
There are some interesting ways to travel in Melbourne. It has the largest tram network in the world with more than 1700 tram stops. It is a good way to view many parts of the city quickly and up close. For a more feets on approach, Melbourne has a shared cycling system as well. Rent a bike and explore the city at your own leisure!
BIXI is a public bicycle sharing system that has 1,000 bikes at 80 docking stations within
downtown Toronto. To find a docking station, visit toronto.bixi.com.
How does it work? Find a docking station, grab a bike, and use your credit card to pay for up to 24-hour access. You can drop off your bike at any docking station. Trips less than 30 minutes will cost the $5 system access fee, and anything longer will cost usage fees: an additional 31- 60 minutes will cost $1.50; an additional 61-90 minutes will cost $4, and every 30 minutes thereafter will cost $8. When the bike is returned to the dock, fees will be billed to your credit card.
The name BIXI is a contraction of the words BIke and taXI.
Originally implemented in Montreal, BIXI has expanded across Canada and around the world, with systems in Boston, London, Melbourne, Montreal, and Washington, D.C., among many others.
https://toronto.bixi.com
* Giulia is our Been there local for Toronto. You can see her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/places/canada/toronto/index.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/GiuliaFalsetti
Tomislav Radulovic will transfer you to/from Dubrovnik Airport to your hotel for 250 kunas each way. This is per journey- not per passenger. He will confirm the details to you by email. Speaks fluent English and is very helpful and prompt. He will also take you on excursions/sight-seeing if you so wish.
All public transport in Bilbao is very cheap, clean and regular.
The bus from the airport runs every 30 minutes, costs 1.30 euros to the bus station (termibus) and you pay on the bus. It will cost you between 25-30 euros in a taxi.
On the regular buses you can get single or return tickets which you purchase from the individual bus stops. Tickets have to be validated there before you get on the bus. It's easy to understand after the first go.
On the metro it is exactly the same, the machines have all the destinations and it is a touch screen process in various languages. The longest trip we could take on the metro only cost 3.40 euros return. Tickets have to be validated at the same machines.
You can purchase a Bilbao Card from various places which covers all public transport in Bilbao itself but you will need to pay more for trips further out. The cards can be bought for a single day but there are other time periods.
www.termibus.es/index.php?idi=en
Google map: bit.ly/tOrwmQ
I've used the service of this company for my transportation in Istanbul and all was arranged in a perfect way.
www.vipserairporttransfers.com/
Ogut Sokak No: 10,
Beyoglu 34437 Istanbul
Tel: +90 532 608 1470
Fax: +90 212 244 0649
Email: sales@vipserairporttransfers.com
Norway - a smorgasbord of mountain and fjord, excellent railways and beautiful cruise ships can be experienced in one day. 'Norway in a Nutshell' incorporates a railway line that drops 2,800 feet in 55 minutes at Flam, a meandering boat cruise up the steep-sided Sognefjord, ending with either an evening on the historic harbour front at Bergen or back for dinner in one of Oslo's Michelin-starred restaurants.
Every morning the 8.00 am train leaves for Bergen, then on to Myrdal and Flam where you join a boat for the next leg on the Sognefjord, then shuttle bus to Voss where your train takes you back to Oslo or Bergen for the evening.
www.norwayinanutshell.com
The old roads over the passes are usually well surfaced and the views of fjords, glaciers and mountains are magnificent and it is much cheaper than paying tunnel tolls!
Fjord area
Normally, the thought of a seven-hour train journey would be enough to make me pop a sleeping pill, but the spectacular Oslo to Bergen railway had me glued to the window, camera in hand. Bridging the gap between two of Norway’s must-see cities, this unique train journey climbs an astonishing 1222m above sea level, taking in picturesque pine forests, plunging waterfalls, narrow gorges and small villages dotted with gingerbread-style houses. The most stunning stretch comes over the Hardangervidda, Europe's highest mountainous plateau and national park. Jaws dropped as the train rolled through beautiful, barren snowscapes, resembling what you may only expect to see on another planet (I later found out it was used to film parts of Star Wars). It is not surprising that it is recognised by many as the most exciting and beautiful train ride in the world.
www.nsb.no
Departs from Oslo S railway station
A 14 hour round trip from Oslo to Bergen, taking in all Norway has to offer. During the initial five hour train journey from Oslo to Myrdal the scene from the window gets whiter and whiter as the journey takes you high through the Langfjellene and Hardangervidda mountains. By the time you reach Myrdal station, it’s so snowy icicles have formed the length of the ticket offices. The Flam railway then descends down the Norwegian landscape, stopping briefly by the (often frozen) Kjosfossen waterfall allowing passengers to get out and take photographs. From Flam you take a boat through the breathtaking Aurlandsfjord before a bus takes you the final length of your journey from Gudvangen to Bergen, just in time for dinner. Bergen has one of the world’s most famous fish markets, so trying the local produce is highly recommended. If you still haven’t quite got enough of a snowy mountain fix, Bergen’s funicular railway takes you to the top of Mount Floyan for some outstanding views and vast walking opportunities. Completing the round trip is a direct train journey from Bergen back to Oslo, including a stop at Finse with an altitude of 1,222 meters, it’s the highest station on the journey.
www.norwaynutshell.com/en/explore-the-fjords/norway-in-a-nutshell/
A crescent of crushed white pebbles, the crystal clear water of Lake Pirihueico and a couple of snow-capped Andean volcanoes looming overhead. A simple, leaning wooden shack with a corrugated iron roof was the restaurant/shop. I bought a beer and a sandwich, slapped on the factor 30 and unfurled my towel while waiting for my bus to Argentina. The elderly Maipuche woman who ran the place provided entertainment when she decided to give her cat its weekly wash in the lake.
At the eastern end of Lake Pirihueico in the south of Chile's lake district. A breathtaking 90-minute ferry ride from the opposite end of the lake is part of the little-used cross-border route to San Martin de los Andes in Argentina.
Google map: bit.ly/pGl09h
I had booked a standard SUV for our three-week trip for four adults. We had a Ford Edge from Alamo at Vancouver airport. It was ideal as it took all the luggage and allowed us to sit high to take in the views. A top of the range model that made driving to Vancouver Island and then across to Calgary a pleasure. I booked through Trailfinders in the UK who were excellent brokers. Check-in was speedy and return at Alamo in Calgary airport was almost instant. Highly recommended.
Trying to keep the kids amused during the summer holidays?
Platform 9 3/4 is not the only weird feature of Kings cross, it is also one end of possibly the only place in the universe where you can go on an "Infinite Loop" by continuously taking the "Northbound" Tube.
Sounds impossible?
Welcome to the twilight zone.
Go to King's cross and take the Northern line "Northbound", at the next stop get off at Euston. Now take the "Northbound" Victoria line, at the next stop get off at King's Cross!
There's not really anything glamorous about Staten Island. It's NYC's bastard borough. But the Staten Island ferry that ushers 60,000 people to and from Manhattan every day offers a beautiful view of the city. And it's free! The ride starts at Whitehall Terminal in downtown Manhattan (take the R, W, or 1 train to Whitehall Street-South Ferry) and then drops you off at St. George Terminal in Staten Island. I'm not recommending you hang out in Staten Island. It's residential and can be hard to navigate on foot. Get off the ferry and board the next one to Manhattan. You can take in the views and even sip wine or beer while you do it. Just don't end up overboard.
www.siferry.com/
1 Bay Street, Staten Island, New York, United States
+1 718-876-8441
Google map: bit.ly/pK9ZFp
Amanda is our Been there local for New York. You can check out her page here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/new-york-local-amanda-green.jsp and her own NYC blog here: www.noisiestpassenger.com/
Akbil is a prepaid travel token for use on buses, trams and ferries within Istanbul. An excellent idea if you plan to travel around the city. You can buy the Akbil at many places round the city and recharge it as necessary. It saves you having to keep on buying tickets or individual tokens to travel, and travel costs are slightly lower.
The best thing about Akbil is you can use one for the whole family/group. All you need do is bleep each person through the turnstile, or onto the bus.
All over the city at Akbil sales points (usually news kiosks as well as at bus and ferry terminals)
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