Italian Weekend

It has been a few months since James and I had seen each other due to his adventure in Japan so when he said he was coming over for a visit at the end of April I was extremely excited. We planned a few days out in London as well as a trip to somewhere I have been wanting to go for ages - Cinque Terre. Five villages on the coast of Italy that are famous for the wine and pesto!

We had a great week in London, catching up with dinner and drinks with lots of friends, visiting Kensington Palace and walking around Hyde Park. We even ticked off something on our London bucket list and went to Gordon Ramsay's restaurant - Maze. A week in London isn't complete without a trip to the theater (something that James as a local Londoner NEVER does) so we went and saw Billy Elliot.

After a busy week we were excited to get away on our little Italian holiday. We flew out to Milan on the Thursday evening and booked into a hotel near the train station so we were ready to get the train to Monterosso where we were staying in Cinque Terre. We got up bright and early for the three hour train journey. We were excited to finally get there and see the beautiful seafront.

Friends of ours had recommended a great place to stay so we checked in and went for a wander around. First stop! Some proper Italian food! We wandered along until we found a little restaurant with some tables outdoors sitting on the cliff top. It was only right that we ordered a meal of pesto pasta and some local white wine. It was so delicious and the first of very many exquisite meals we ate. The second stop was to walk around the village and check out all the little bars, shops and restaurants around.

One of the main activities to do in Cinque Terre is to walk between the villages. Each village is located along different tracks that vary in length, difficulty and size. We walked from our home village of Monterosso to Vernazza and it took about an hour and 15 minutes. We made a rookie mistake of not taking any water, snacks or really preparing for the walk. It was quite a hike with a few steep stairs and hills along the way. It was worth it to make it to the other end though and check out the village of Vernazza.

When we arrived we had a quick wander around the village and learnt that this one has been quite badly damaged in a fairly recent landslide meaning many of the houses and restaurants needed some work. Thankfully there was a restaurant open down by the water and we ordered a water, a coke and a beer each since we were so thirsty from our trek! The waiter thought it was hilarious!

We took the lazy route home and decided to get the train home. The trains run between all five villages but on what can only be described as the most relaxed and inconsistent time table around. Thankfully we didn't have to wait too long and we headed back to our hotel. We grabbed a bottle of wine from the shop across the road (and made him open it for us since we had no bottle opener!) and sat on our balcony and drank delicious wine as the sun went down.

The friends who had recommended the hotel also recommended a local restaurant so we decided to make that our first stop. I had my first pizza of this Italy trip and the combination of pesto and salami was mouth watering. James had an even yummier calzone. Of course the meal was joined by a bottle of wine and it was the perfect evening to a great day.

The next day we did another walk but this time it was nice and easy. We caught the train Riomaggio one of the biggest villages and had a wander around before taking the 'lovers walk' to Manarola. The guide said it takes about 20 minutes and as it is mostly flat I can see how it can be that quick. Since there was so much to look at as it is common for lovers to write their names on the walls and leave initialed padlocks on the gates. Some of them were really sweet and others were really funny. We decided to add to it and leave a leather band with our names on it.

Manarola was the perfect village to sit and have a coffee and pastry as the weather had turned bad and we were fighting the rain and wind. There is nothing better than Italian food! We caught the train back to Monterosso and spent the afternoon wandering around the village treating ourselves to lemonchello, gelati, italian beer served with cheese and salami. We bought up some pesto and souveniers and basically just had an afternoon full of food and shopping. Heaven!

Our final day in Cinque Terre we caught the train to Corniglia which is the central village. We got there and made the massive walk up the big hill as Corniglia seemed to be on the highest cliffside. We spent the morning checking out the village before wandering down to the sea front to sit and while away the hours. Of course we stopped for lunch and I ordered a pesto lasagna. I'm not even exaggerating when I say it was the best meal I've ever eaten in Italy and probably one of the best ever!

Sadly we had to leave the Cinque Terre and head back to Milan for our flights out. We had one last Italian meal at a place near our Milan hotel before getting up bright and early for our flights. James was flying back to Tokyo straight from Milan so it was a bit sad to say goodbye at the airport. Thankfully he is back in the middle of the year so it won't be too long until our next adventure. Cinque Terre was amazing and definitely a highlight of my European travels. Totally recommend it to anyone!

University Days

As if three weekends away in a row with Lauren wasn't enough (Brighton, Budapest and York) we had another one planned. This time it was just a day trip to Oxford and we were joined by the rest of our girls Ainsley, Emily and Jen (a visitor from NZ). After missing the tube and making the train by the skin of our teeth our trip to Oxford started off as a stressful one. Once we were on the train we all sat back and relaxed and chatted.

The tickets were only £6 and just another reason I love travel within the UK. Trains are so quick, clean and cheap and such a comfortable way to travel. Well we thought so - the middle aged guy stuck at a table with us and having to listen to all our gossiping probably disagreed.

We arrived at Oxford to a sunny day so we made our way into the town centre to see what was going on. We had planned to catch up with an acquaintance who was studying there but unfortunately she wasn't around so we thought we would get a walking tour by a Oxford resident thinking it would be the best way to see the city and get into some of the famous colleges. Turns out we probably chose the wrong tour for us. Our guide was a very very posh lady who was terribly boring and we spent most of the tour at the back chatting away and taking photos. The benefits of having her around was she did get to take us into a couple of colleges and we got to see their quads and courtyards as well as dining hall or chapel.

The buildings are so gorgeous and even though our tour guide droned on slightly it was interesting to hear about the history of the world famous university. On the other hand I would have loved to hear a few funny storys about student antics and life in Oxford.

Oxford is a photographers dream as all of the building are gorgeous and so are the little windy cobbled streets, endless bikes, gorgeous gardens and picturesque little town. We were all snapping photos like no bodies business while we lost interest in our tour. We were lucky to spot some Oxford Students done up in their formal exam wear with white shirts, black bottoms and capes.

After the tour we were lucky enough to snag a table right next to the river at a gorgeous pub where we spent time drinking Pimms in the sun and eating fish and chips. With a leisurely lunch under our belts it was time to continue our exploration of Oxford. We wandered up to the Magdalene Bridge to see how much the punting would be. As it turns out it poured with rain as we were walking up there so that plan failed pretty miserably.

We wandered through the city and checked out a few shops before heading back to the train so we didn't have the panic attack of missing it again. It was a great day out with my weekend away partner in crime Lauren and the rest of our girls and another smaller town in the UK that I have fallen in love it. There are so many places in the UK that I haven't visited and after visiting York and Oxford I am keen to start exploring further afield. Maybe Manchester or Liverpool? We'll see!

Old York, Old York

After an amazing weekend in Budapest I was suffering post long weekend depression and dreading heading to work and was already looking forward to the next weekend. The weekend in April was a bit of a double edged sword. On first hand I was super excited to spend a weekend visiting York with Lauren while we visited her family friend but before that could happen I had to say goodbye to another good friend who's visa had run out.

Candra and I met through my friend Shea at Oktoberfest and it wasn't long before we bonded over a few steins of beer then and again in Austria for Christmas. It was another end of an area and I was sad to say goodbye to another good friend. After drinks at her place followed by a bit of a boogie in a pub nearby there were a few tears and a goodbye.

Luckily for me I had something to look forward to and was up bright and early to get the train to Leeds on Saturday morning. Lauren and I took the two hour train and were picked up by her friend Di who she had worked with in Australia. We quickly dropped our bags off at her gorgeous house in Weatherby before driving straight to York. Once we were there we wandered through the town centre, checking out some markets, walking along the river before grabbing a quick bite to eat. We ventured down the tiny little cobbled crooked streets and checked out the 'Haunted' pub for a beer. It was still pretty chilly outside so it was good to get away from the breeze for a little bit.

Once we had recouped we decided to have a wander around the roman walls that surround the inner city. The York Walls are a great way to see parts of the city as you can look down on the streets and sidewalks as well as out to the wider York City. The 'climbing' of the York walls tired us out so then it was onto a cute little Tea shop for some scones and a nice warm cuppa.

The afternoon was spent tucked up in Di's couch with another warm cuppa watching TV while she pottered around. Its always nice to go and visit someones 'home' rather then a shared flat and it was so nice and peaceful in a smaller town.

Once her husband had finished we worked we met him down in their local pub for a quick pint before dinner at the local italian. The dinner was delicious and we were all pretty decadent having starters, mains, desserts and lots of wine. It was a perfect evening to finish of a great day exploring a new city and we crashed into bed pretty quickly after getting home.

We were treated to a cooked breakfast the next morning before heading off for a wander around some Estate home grounds not too long a drive from Di's place. We spent a couple of hours wandering through the woods, across fields, passing by streams and up and down hills. It was refreshing to be out in the clean air and even though it was chilly spending some time in the sun. Once again after all the 'hard' work we deserved a drinks so we found a cute little pub nearby and spent the afternoon chatting over a cider and packet of crisps. Just another thing I loved about the area is the local watering holes!

I am now a massive fan of York and it was the perfect cure for my post holiday depression. A little bit of sunshine and a great chance to stretch my legs and explore a quieter place was brilliant and I hope its not the last time I get to check out the place.

Beautiful Budapest

After hearing my housemates rave about Budapest from their New Years visit I was dying to go so, first long weekend available I took the chance to go and see this city for myself. Lauren and I flew out on Good Friday and arrived in the pouring rain at 9pm before getting a taxi to a pretty dodgy looking hostel. The first impression of the city wasn't good and I was slightly wary of where our taxi driver was leading us. Thankfully as we got let into our hostel our reservations were quickly dusmissed as we were welcomed to one of the warmest and welcoming hostels I have been to. Just another reminder not to judge a book by its cover.

The next morning we got up bright and early grabbed a brekky of delicious ham and cheese pastries before embarking on a walking tour. We managed to score a great guide who was really passionate about the city and was really engaging with a large group. We were pretty lucky with the weather so it was great to wander the city in the sunshine and see all the sights. We wandered along the Danube and learnt about the history of city before making our way through the Jewish Quarter and past St Stephens Cathedral. From there we make our way up to the Royal Palace for a gorgeous view of the city.

We had heard there were fresh food markets just near the river so after a great tour we jumped on a bus back to the city centre. Or so we thought! We actually ended up in some random bus depot on the wrong area of town. After asking a random stranger who didn't speak English and going into a Starbucks to ask directions we finally made it to the markets. They were a bit disappointing in the end as there wasn't much that we wanted unless we were going to be doing our weekly grocery shop.

It did succeed in making us hungry though and we found a restaurant that served a cheap meal and decided to try the local beer and local food. Goulash, schnitzel and paprika chicken were all really yummy and I can vouch the beer is delicious!

After a 'quick' two hour nap at the hostel we decided to head out and experience the famous nightlife. We'd heard about all the pubs in the Jewish Quarter and aimed to hit up a ruin pub. We had a few drinks, watched some soccer and then grabbed a delicious pizza before finding the ruin pubs. The ruin pubs are pretty much exactly like their name. They are rambly old buildings full of eccelctic junk and random rooms. You can find them anywhere and they certainly don't look like pubs! They also sell cheap drinks and have a great atmosphere. So needless to stay we stayed for awhile to check the place out.

The next day after a wee bit of a sleep in we decided that we would visit the Commmunisim Museum that had been recommended by a friend. It was interesting but frustrating as there wasn't much in English which made it hard to really enjoy it but was good to learn a little bit about the city's history. From there it was onto St Stephens Catherdal which is a gorgeous building with an even more gorgeous view from the top. Thankfully there is a lift so there wasn't much climbing involved but even if I had climbed all the way it would be worth it.

By a coincidence another good friend was in Budapest at the same time and we had been missing each other at different parts of the city all day. So after the cathederal we decided to meet up on an island in the middle of the river. The island is a hub of acitvity with a running track around it and you can hire bikes to ride around. You can also hire little golf cart cars and for 6 quid for half an hour I couldn't resist. We jumped in and it wasn't until we were about to set off that I realised I was driving on the wrong side of the car AND of the wrong side of the road. This caused a little mayhem and Lauren had to keep reminding me to get back on the right side of the road. The car was so slow that at one point we were being overtaken by people riding a peddal car! Laura and her friend Allenie arrived as I was still driving so I picked them up and took them on a spin around the roundabout - about six times.

Our activities didn't end there and we decided to head up another mountain for a great view. It was a pretty steep walk for someone so unfit but was a great view up the top!

We were exahusted but managed to get enough energy to hit the town again. My housemates had recommended an all you can eat and drink restuarant in town. So for 13 pounds we had lots to eat and lots and lots to drink. From there it was onto a different ruin pub for more drinks.

Since we had ticked off most of what we wanted to see our final day in Budapest was spent at the Spas. There are a few different spas around the city but we went to one that is located in a park and is one of the most popular. The weather was still a bit nippy but thankfully the spa's were nicely heated. We pretty much stayed in the water for about 3 hours just chatting and lazing around and it was the perfect way to finish a great holiday!

Budapest has so much to offer that you can't not like it! It is definitely in my Top 5 cities to visit and just reminded me how much I love eastern Europe and how little of it I have seen!