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London Glampacker List: Richmond in Winter

February 10, 2012 By glampacker 1 Comment

Richmond is a quaint village on the outskirts of Central London – well known for the huge Richmond Park home to wild deer! Visiting Richmond makes you feel like you’ve completely left London for a quiet riverside town – even though its only a 30 minutes on the underground from London city.

There are many free things to do in Richmond, London in winter – such as having a leisurely walk along the River Thames and exploring the park. There’s a fascinating history behind Richmond Park itself – Richmond Palace was the home of Charles I who brought his court to Richmond to escape the plague in 1627!

For some reason, being in Richmond reminded me of Melbourne’s South Yarra river. The River Thames is a serene backdrop to cafes and restaurants, hotels and even houseboats. Late in the afternoon, the setting winter sun soon brings impending cold, but much like exploring Hampstead Heath in winter, Richmond is still a fun and beautiful place to visit in London during winter.

Filed Under: london, Travel Photography, UK Tagged With: landscape, nature, winter

February Snow in Kensington Gardens, London

February 6, 2012 By glampacker Leave a Comment

When snow first falls in London the city becomes really peaceful. On Saturday evening, the snow was heavy and quickly layered London with a white blanket. London streets become slightly deserted and eerily very quiet for a Saturday night. The next morning it was all business – snow shovelling, travel disruptions and walking through sludgy, wet pavements.

However in Kensington Gardens the snow remained fun. Children took out their sleds and wore away the snow on the mini hill near Kensington Palace. Snowmen of all shapes and rather dubious sizes turned Kensington Gardens into a snow sculpture exhibition. Most of all, everyone – young and old, locals and tourists alike had plenty of fun playing in the snow!

As an Aussie, I’ll never get over the joy of playing in the now. Last winter I was caught up in the Boxing Day blizzard in New York City and I unsuccessfully sledded in Prospect Park in Brooklyn. This winter, I kept my snowboots on and stuck to throwing snowballs instead!

Filed Under: london, Travel Photography, UK Tagged With: landscape, nature, snow, winter

How to move to London with nothing but a backpack

February 1, 2012 By glampacker Leave a Comment

There are over a hundred thousand Aussies in London. That doesn’t mean that moving to London is easy, regardless of whether you’re an Aussie or from a non-English speaking country.

When I moved to London all I had was a backpack that weighed 15 kilograms. I travelled in style on a budget around Europe for 6 weeks before arriving in London. I went island hopping in the Greek Islands, strolled around Paris, ate lots of gelato on the Amalfi Coast and tried not to get lost on the back streets of Rome. After all this travelling I was exhausted, but was I ready to become a Londoner?

On my first day in London I survived getting grilled by the UK Border Agency and getting to my hostel without getting lost. Reality soon sets in though when you realise you’ve just moved to a big city with no job and you don’t know a soul. There are a lot of things I learned when I moved to London the hard way.

So how do you move to London with nothing but a backpack?

Set a daily living budget in London
After travelling around Europe I was a little bit broke after glampacking in expensive cities like Paris and Rome. So when I moved to London I had to survive on a tight budget. It’s possible to live on 20 pounds a day or less in London, not including accommodation expenses, if you’re particularly frugal on food by scouting for 2 for 1 discounts and stocking up your hostel fridge.

Save money in London with a travel card
The first thing to buy when you move to London is an ‘Oystercard’ or travelcard. You’re lost in London without it! You can buy a weekly or ‘pay as you go’ is a better option if you’re travelling intermittently but if you’re travelling regularly get a weekly and it will save you more pounds!

Research the job market before you move to London
The UK job market is in a bad state at present. This doesn’t mean that it should be the one reason that keeps you from leaving the comfort and security of your life back home. My tip for getting work quickly when you move to London is to line up meetings with recruitment agencies. Set the meetings up before you leave home, make sure your CV is only one or two pages long and get yourself a job interview proof outfit. Think positive!

Find a London flatshare fast
There are a lot of flatshare websites in London and there are even flatshare speed dating parties. The process of finding a flat share is vigorous and it soon becomes as similar to finding a job. When you visit a flat prepare to be interviewed by the tenants but also feel free to interview your potential flatsharers. Aside from the basic getting to know you questions ask more detailed questions like what are their schedules? Will there be bathroom clashes in the morning? What are their rules about having houseguests? Is there a cleaning rota?

If you’re new to flatsharing it can be overwhelming but always do your homework before signing a lease and paying any deposits. Don’t be shy in telling everyone you meet that you’re looking for a flatshare, finding a flat by word of mouth is often a lot easier than spending hours online scouring London flatshare websites – with dubious photos! And never pay any money before viewing a flat, there are a lot of scams out there so always use common sense.

How to make new friends in London
Making new friends is pretty easy when you live in a hostel. I ended up living in a hostel run by nuns and it turned out to be the place where I made life-long friends. Living in the hostel helped me to make friends from all over the world. Meetup also has some great groups for people new to the city of London.

Just say ‘Yes’!
When I first moved to London I made it my mission to just say yes. Yes to invitations, to visiting museums and galleries, going on walking tours. The only way to truly get to know your new home is by experiencing it, walking the streets rather than always travelling on the underground, embracing the weather (even if it’s hardly ever sunny) meeting locals and having fun.

Filed Under: london, UK Tagged With: expat

Images of Salisbury Cathedral

January 22, 2012 By glampacker Leave a Comment

Salisbury Cathedral is a medieval cathedral in the heart of the town of Salisbury, England. On my budget roadtrip to the Isle of Wight, Salisbury was a quick stop for Sunday lunch.

You can’t visit Salisbury or even drive by without seeing Salisbury Cathedral and its towering spire. Built in the English Gothic style in the 11th century, you can enter to marvel at the interior of Salisbury cathedral for a small donation.

On a particularly rainy day, images of the Salisbury Cathedral took on a rather sombre mood. Whilst walking inside the Cathedral, I marvelled at the historical tombs of great men and women and the contrast of preserved interiors and modern art with the Cathedral hosting regular art exhibitions.

Highlights of Salisbury Cathedral

An original copy of the Magna Carta
The tombs of member’s of Henry VII court including
The oldest clock in England dating back to AD
The tallest spire in Britain at 123 metres
The largest Cathedral cloisters or ‘courtyard’ with an immaculate garden
A rather surprising coloured statue outside the main entrance

Filed Under: Travel Photography, UK Tagged With: road trips, Salisbury, winter

My stay at Gothic View Bed and Breakfast, Isle of Wight

January 18, 2012 By glampacker 2 Comments

On my recent winter visit to the Isle of Wight I stayed at Gothic View Bed and Breakfast. As a glampacker, there’s a reason why I like staying at bed and breakfasts. They are usually independently owned and operated, offer reasonable costs for a budget traveller and always have a unique style.

Gothic View B&B is situated in the town of Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. It’s comprised of an old chapel and whilst the rooms aren’t huge they are very comfortable and homely. A friendly cat also roams the premises and will greet you with curiousity!

It’s the small touches in a bed and breakfast that make all the difference. Before my stay at Gothic View B&B, the owner phoned to confirm the reservation, the time of arrival and any dietary requirements. When we arrived, we were greeted right at the door and offered a cup of tea.

After a long day of driving, particularly on a road trip which can sometimes be challenging with GPS and rainy weather, I certainly felt right at home at this bed and breakfast on the Isle of Wight!

I stayed overnight in a charming twin room which even had cute little teddy bears in the corner. I was ecstatic after my big meal to discover green tea and a selection of chick flick movies all on video cassette tapes. It was like I had entered a different decade on the Isle of Wight! My room not only had impeccable style, it had everything I needed to relax and unwind.

Breakfastyoghurtandcompote

After a well rested sleep I awoke to a stunning sunny morning, knowing it was going to be a perfect day for exploring the Isle of Wight. The best thing about staying at a bed and breakfast is of course enjoying a cooked breakfast in the morning! Gothic View B&B offers a full English breakfast with eggs cooked to your wishes, I chose scrambled, bacon, mushrooms, potatoes and sausages. There’s also a variety of cereals, yoghurt and fruit compote and, more importantly, endless cups of tea or coffee. All this is presented in the dining room which is decorated in typical romantic English style – with a collection of teapots on display!

The hosts at Gothic View B&B are a friendly couple who will help you with finding restaurants to suit all budgets and planning where to visit on the Isle of Wight. They even speak French and Italian.

All views and opinions are those of Glampacker.com

Filed Under: england, UK Tagged With: Bed and breakfast, breakfast, Food, Isle of Wight

What to do on the Isle of Wight in Winter

January 15, 2012 By glampacker 4 Comments

What to do on the Isle of Wight in winter? Get out of your hotel/hostel/bed and breakfast, breathe in the fresh winter air and explore the island by car.

I visited the Isle of Wight on a rather mild new year’s day. However when you visit the Isle of Wight on a bank holiday, I learnt the hard way that a lot of places are closed. Carisbrooke Castle, where King Charles I was imprisoned for 14 months before his execution, only opens on weekends. Osborne House, the summer residence of Queen Victoria and botanical gardens, was also shut. When you’re travelling on a long weekend or are simply short on time, even the best laid plans may have to change rapidly.

The Isle of Wight has become a big tourist destination during its infamous summer festival which attracts thousands of people from mainland England including celebrities. In winter many of the major attractions of the Isle of Wight remain closed until summertime.

I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing. The beauty of the Isle of Wight is in the rolling hillsides and wide open fields, its narrow roads framed by bracken and charming villages with square cottages with thatched rooves. On a clear sunny day, the weather was perfect for exploring the seaside towns on the Isle of Wight.

The best way to travel in style in a budget around the Isle of Wight is by car. The Isle of Wight makes a great weekend road trip and is only three hours drive from London including the short ferry crossing. It’s also much easier to explore the Isle of Wight with a car and to stop to see cows at panoramic photograph spots!

On the Isle of Wight, life occurs at a more relaxed pace. There are horse-riders along the many island trails and light air planes circling above you. Cozy pubs sell hearty seafood meals like my gigantic fish pie from the Spyglass Inn.

The Garlic Farm on the Isle of Wight is a fun place to visit, simply because it celebrates the magical vegetable that is garlic! It is a real working farm which you can wander around and even see Roman ruins. The garlic shop sells garlic bulbs, garlic beer, garlic chocolate and lots of different chutneys. The café can be really busy so it’s best to book ahead.

The cold blustery wind at the lookout point in Needles Park made me retreat back to the hire car, however you can get much closer to the Needles by walking along the 15-mile Tennyson Trail from Carisbrooke Castle. The Needles are three stacks of chalk which sharply rise like needle points near Alum Bay on the most western side of the island.

There is one thing to do on the Isle of Wight in winter before leaving. Enjoy cream tea! Warm up your hands with a cup of tea and savour scones with lashings of clotted cream and dollops of jam. A perfect way to end a road trip to the Isle of Wight in winter.

Filed Under: edinburgh, UK Tagged With: Isle of Wight, road trips, things to do, winter

Celebrating A Year of Glampacking in 2011

December 22, 2011 By glampacker Leave a Comment

For me, 2011 was a full year of travelling in style on a budget. I went glampacking in the UK and Europe and combined volunteering and travel for the very first time! Looking back on my year of glampacking adventures I’ve certainly done a lot in London and abroad…

January

I celebrated New Year’s Eve in New York City, partying in style in a top nightclub in Chelsea. New York City was recovering from a Boxing Day blizzard that forced me to retreat from shopping into the safety of my Midtown hotel.

January can be a gloomy month in London, when it’s cold and dreary the only thing to bring cheer is to escape the city. I visited the university city of Oxford. I was charmed by its gargoyles, history and picturesque campuses.

March

There comes a time in every Aussie Londoner’s lifetime that you miss being behind the wheel of a car and driving every day. On my very first UK roadtrip I drove from London to Wales and back again in 48 hours. On a girly road trip we drove to Stonehenge to peer at the pagan rock formation by the side of the road and visited my favourite English town of Bath. On a rainy drive to Wales we passed through Cardiff and onto Swansea where we partied with the locals who have a very TOWIE dress sense! For a more traditional Welsh experience, we finished the road trip by visiting a medieval castle in Caerphilly.

April

Buona pasqua! I experienced a very Italian Easter and went on a whirlwind day trip to Milan and the great Lake Como. I searched for George Clooney in Lake Como on a cruise to Bellagio and felt at peace in the small town of Lecco.

I also celebrated the Royal Wedding of the year by braving the crowds in Hyde Park and felt almost British during a very joyous occasion.

May

On a very jam-packed weekender, I visited Dublin on the eve of the Queen’s visit. Being a glampacker, I don’t often drink beer and had never finished a pint of Guinness in my life! All that changed when I visited the Guinness storehouse and was blown away by the panoramic views of Dublin in the Gravity Bar.

June

One of the highlights of living in London is being able to escape to Paris for the weekend. I went on my very first Eurostar weekend trip to be reunited with my best friend who had flown all the way from Australia. We celebrated her birthday at a Michelin starred restaurant and strolled through Luxemborg Gardens on a rainy summer day in Paris. I also took a day trip to the Palace of Versailles, skipping the queues and listening to the musical fountains.

July

Summer in London means picnics in parks like the lusciously green Hampstead Heath. Being Australian I require three things in summer – sun, surf and sand! Since it’s hard to get all three in London I went glampacking in Spain. In Spain I spent a lot of time eating paella in Valencia, pretending to be a billionare in Palma, driving on the right side of the road on the island of Menorca and sampling pintxos in San Sebastian.

I reached an amazing milestone of being away from home for one whole year! I’ve learnt a lot in 12 months on a UK working holiday and feeling more like a ‘worldly glampacker’ and less afraid of the unknown!

September

Back in March I won a trip at the Travel Blogger’s Unite conference in Manchester. I jetted off to Romania where I spent a week volunteering with Oyster Worldwide at a bear sanctuary. I came face to face with brown bears and was incredibly moved by their stories of rescue and survival. During this time I lived like a local in the town of Brasov, searched for Dracula at Bran Castle and experienced a late autumn festival by eating barbecued meat and polenta.

October

Travelling with my mother is a very different type of glampacking! Mother-daughter travel has a slower pace and lets you see things from another perspective. We shopped in Paris, perused local artisan markets and had afternoon tea with the locals. In Italy, we posed in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa and saw the unmissable sights of Florence.

November-December

When the cold sets in London, homesickness can often follow so the best thing to do is embrace winter! I went to Madrid for a weekender, eating churros for breakfast and visited the great Spanish food market – Mercado de San Miguel.

For my 26th birthday I dined at Heston Blumenthal’s restaurant and drank mulled wine at the Christmas Markets in Lille and ate a lot of chocolate in Bruges.

Soon I’ll be celebrating Christmas in Italy…Buon natale to all my fellow glampackers! Safe travels and happy holidays!

What will I go in 2012?

Turkey – Gallipoli
Portugal
Eastern Europe – Poland, Hungary, Montenegro?
Back home to Perth, Western Australia
Who knows where else?!

Filed Under: europe, travel, UK Tagged With: budget travel, glampacking, life, Reflection, things to do

Things to Do on a Day Trip To Brighton

July 6, 2011 By glampacker Leave a Comment

In the UK beaches aren’t exactly like Aussie beaches. They’re often rocky, the water is freezing and its not always sunny even in summer! Brighton proved to be a completely seaside different experience…even when visiting in summer I still needed a jacket! Needless to say I didn’t dare go for a dip in the water, but I thoroughly enjoyed discovering Brighton and adopting the hippie, seaside, independent culture.

Check out the Royal Pavilion

The Royal Pavilion stands tall like the Taj Mahal in Brighton. The exotic looking palace, built in 1823 by Prince Regent, who later became King IV, has a seedy past! It was a palace of pleasure for the King when he visited Brighton!

Eat Fish and Chips

Eating seafood when you’re going to the beach is mandatory! At the Dorset you can order beer battered fish and chips with a side of peas. The Dorset is a very cozy pub and a local haunt for families, couples and girlie catch ups.

Brighton Pier

Brighton Pier has all the elements for a great time – it’s got sugary sweet junk food, scream-inducing rides, a pretty carousel and lots of coin-slot games. It’s a place for people who don’t ever want to grow up!

Shop like the locals

Brighton has a village shopping atmosphere as there are many local boutiques and vintage shops which are a treasure chest of finds! You can find fabulous vintage scarves for £1 in Snoopers Paradise and lovely jewellery in Silverado. On Saturdays the Brighton Street Market is open from 9am on Upper Gardner Street selling homemade chutney, cupcakes and sweets, books, antiques and pre-loved clothing.

In the Lanes, a former fishing quarter, winding alleyways are full of jewellery, boutique and design stores. Great for a spot of window shopping!

Enjoy an afternoon tea at a local café

The café culture is big in Brighton, even dare I say, bigger and better than in London! Without the onslaught of franchises, Brighton has lots of little independent cafes serving up fresh local fare and finely brewed coffee. I indulged in a scone with cream and jam at Manor café to relax before the hour-long train ride back to the big smoke of London town. Incidentally the sun was actually shining in London when I arrived home…!

Filed Under: UK Tagged With: brighton, england, Food, summer, things to do, tips, uk

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