Travel Tips for Beginners

British Museum One of the best kept secrets of London is the British Museum located in Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG. Every time I visit London, I make a point of it to make a turn at this outstanding museum. I've probably visited this museum more times than many locals. The great thing about it, is that there is no admission fee. You are however asked to leave a donation. This museum has got some of the most historic art treasures in the world. From the Rosetta stone to the Elgin Marbles, it has got it all. The central quad of the museum was covered in time for Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee in 2001/2002, providing an excellent area to take breather from all the fantastic artifacts you are exposed to. The Contentious Elgin Marbles. The museum has got a great Egyptian collection with an especially good collection of huge granite statues. This collection spans from the 1st Dynasty all the way to post the 26th Dynasty, going into the Ptolemaic peri...

 Façade of the Celsus library, in Ephesus, near Selçuk, west Turkey. Benh LIEU SONG  - Wikimedia Commons. I've always wondered if Turkey is a good destination for backpackers. I've never visited the country and would really want to know what other travelers have experienced in the big Turkish cities like Istanbul, Bodrum and Ankara? I've been fascinated by all the historical sites located in Turkey, for example Troy, Ephesus and many other ancient Greek sites. Turkey is also well known for leather goods, Carpets and many other sought after products. Please share your stories in the comments section below. Thanks in advance.

National Gallery of South Africa with statue of Field Marshal Smuts in the forefront. Backpacking through Africa, can be a very exciting experience. One the best organised countries when it comes to backpacking is South Africa. The most popular city for backpackers in South Africa is Cape Town. Cape Town, a treasure trove of natural beauty and diversity. This city has got everything, from first world grandeur to third world poverty. It has got the sophistication of Europe mixed with the vibrancy of Africa. So be prepared for a life changing experience. There are many accommodation options when it comes to visiting Cape Town. There are many hostels (or backpackers as it is called locally) in and around Cape Town and the surrounding towns located in the famed Cape Winelands. There are also many fantastic quality hotels at extremely favourable prices. Cape Town has got many interesting attractions including the Waterfront, the Cape Town Castle and also the gateway to Robben Isl...

Cesky Krumlov, Town View - Wikimedia Commons Cesky Krumlov has been voted as a top back packing destination for many years. I've decided to have a look as to what makes this city such a favorite destination for tourists, young and old. So let us first have a look at the history of this classical Bohemian city. Cesky was founded in the 13th century at a crossing in the Vltava River. This area was important for traders and as such the town started to flourish.  Cesky Krumlov, Castle  - Wikimedia Commons Part of the building of the town also included the building of a huge castle, called the  Český Krumlov Castle . The town and castle have been owned by many many noble families over the centuries including the  House of Rosenberg ,  House of Eggenberg  and the  House of Schwarzenberg . During the Second World War the Nazi's annexed the city, as part of the Sudetenland " Lebensraum " experiment. After 1945 the town fell within the communist rep...

Royal Tank Regiment While walking through the streets of London, I discovered this beautiful statue dedicated to the Royal Tank Regiment. I've never heard of this regiment, so I had a bit of a research session and found the following. This regiment became necessary with the advent of tanks. It was officially founded on the 28th of July 1917 and has been a regiment ever since. This is just one statue that you will see while walking the streets of London. If you like history then a visit to London will be a must.

Visiting the ancient land of Egypt, has been my dream since very young. I've managed to realise my dream twice already, visiting this country on two occasions. Once during a stop over flight on Egypt Air and once on a fully fledged tour that included a Nile Cruise. One of the key cities when visiting Egypt is the city of Luxor. Luxor (Ancient Thebes) has got many attractions including the following: Nile Cruise - Image Copyright The Specialist Luxor Temple Karnak Temple Valley of the Kings Valley of the Queens Hatshepsut Temple   Colossi of Memnon Avenue of Sphinxes Nile Cruise Start and End point Valley of the Kings - Image Copyright Wikimedia   The most important aspect when travelling to Egypt, is to ensure that you are booked into a 4 or 5 star hotel as the ratings in Egypt are not a 100% guarantee of quality. This is even more important if you are a backpacker in Egypt. You don't want to pick up a tummy bug as a result of...

If you are travelling to Paris, France as part of your backpacking adventure, then you can find some great reviews on Where to Stay for Cheap in Paris, France?  This page provide good quality hotels at very affordable prices. The important thing when visiting Paris is to decide in which of the 20 arrondissements (Municipal Area) you would want to stay. The cheap accommodation is usually available in the artist area of Montmartre which is the 18th arrondissement. If you want to be closer to the River Seine then you need to look in the 3rd arrondissement. Sacre Coeur  -  Copyright Wikimedia Commons Have a look at  Where to Stay for Cheap in Paris, France?

This has been one of the greatest sites I've ever visited on the planet. This hidden gem of nature. It is an absolute must for any nature-traveler to visit the glorious granite rocks of Paarl. Charles Darwin visited these rocks on the 4th of June 1836 during his Beagle expedition and he must have been as amazed as I, seeing these products of nature. Walking on these remnants of volcanic activity just re-affirms how great this world of ours is and what great wonders there are, all around us. It also showed me how great it is to travel and to discover and experience these wonders. View of  Gordon's Rock on Paarl Mountain, South Africa There are three massive granite rock outcrops on the Paarl Mountain, namely Bretagne Rock, Paarl Rock and Gordon's Rock. The biggest rock accessible to the public is Bretagne Rock. It has a chain running up to the top, to assist us normal folk in ascending this jewel of South Africa. The chain was added to the rock in 1925 to assist the...

I recently visited the village Carrbridge, in the Scottish Highlands. This village has got a rich history and is very much tourist focused. I enjoyed visiting the main attraction in the village namely the Old Pack Horse Bridge, built in 1717 and badly damaged in 1829. This damage is still evident today as the bridge was never repaired. See below some of the photo's I've taken during my whirlwind travels through the Highlands. Sign at bridge detailing the History. Old Pack Horse Bridge There are some great accommodation all over the Highlands, but I particularly liked the  Carrbridge Hotel. Carrbridge Hotel Another view of Old Pack Horse Bridge Scenery around Carrbridge Signposts in Carrbridge Scenery around Carrbridge  Looking for other hotels in Scotland? Search Here!

Welcome to my first post on my new blog, where I will be providing some guidance and inspiration to those wanting to or is already planning a holiday trip. I've travelled widely across the world and I am absolutely passionate about travelling. If you are in a position to be able to travel, go for it! To travel the world provides you with a deep insight and understanding of our world. It is something that can't be taught at school or university. It opens ones eyes to the amazing fact of how similar we all are! I'll be focusing on all the favourite backpacking cities, countries and continents. You are welcome to leave comments or provide tips for fellow travellers. To end of this first post I want to emphasise the following quote from J.R.R. Tolkien, who wrote "Lord of the Rings" Autumn in London. Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace “Not all those who wander are lost.”  This is so true when it comes to backpackers. We wander, but we are n...

I visited the beautiful town of Paarl , 60 kilometres from Cape Town, in South Africa a couple of weeks ago. I was pleasantly surprised seeing this community at the southern point of Africa living a very much European lifestyle. The town is engulfed in its history, with countless historic buildings lining its roads. Most of the old part of town has got beautiful old oak trees planted in the 1700's. Afrikaans Language Monument on Paarl Mountain. The first European to set foot in the valley was a man called Abraham Gabemma, in 1657 sent from the fort in Cape Town by the then governor, Jan van Riebeeck to barter cattle with the local natives called the Khoi and San people. As Abraham Gabema entered the valley he saw the sun shining on the huge granite outcrops on the mountain that was wet as a result of rain earlier on the same day. The glare from the rocks reminded him of pearls and he promptly called the mountain Parel mountain which means pearl in Dutch. This name has chan...

Image Copyright Busabout I will be posting more updates and stories about the merits of using the Busabout service to see Europe. It is an absolutely great recipe to see Europe at your own pace. There is no age restriction and the service is top-notch. I've made use of this service and thoroughly enjoyed it. There is a good selection of Hostels used by Busabout , but you are free to book your own accommodation. You just need to ensure that you are at the pick up points in time for the bus on the day of your departure. Busabout is owned by the same operator that owns Trafalgar Tours and Contiki Tours . Rome,  Colosseum at evening Image Copyright Wikipedia Want to start your Busabout tour in Rome ? See what hotel specials are available in Rome .

Venice Camping Fusina in Venice is possibly one of the best kept secrets around. We stayed at this very nice camping site while being on a Busabout backpacking tour of Europe a couple of seasons ago. It is located on the Venice lagoon and is easily accessible by bus or ferry. The camping site can also arrange for a transfer from the nearby Marco Polo or Treviso airports. There are various camping options available. There are many ferries going to and from Venice, so you will not miss out on any of the action in the city. This is possibly one of cheapest accommodation options you will find in close vicinity to the city. If you are interested, you can really have a look at Camping Fusina Tourist Village . View of Venice from Camping Fusina