#145 Brussels, Belgium

I spent a lovely 24 hours in Brussels, which I found was more than enough time to see all the main sights in the city. 

I started the day with a free walking tour, which took me around all the sights and gave me a brief history of the city. Although I didn't particularly like the tour guide I still enjoyed the tour and being brought around the city, and would recommend it as a good way to see the all the sights if you only have a short time. 

 
Belgian WafflesBelgian Beer 
Transport 
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After the tour I had lunch, then revisited some of the main areas again so I could get more photos and soak in the atmosphere a bit more. Of course the main attractions are the Grand Place (the big colourful square) and the Mannequin Pis (the tiny statue of the boy peeing), both within a moments walking distance of each other. 

The most popular places for lunch would be the many places that sell French fries, of course the fries being a Belgian invention that was introduced to Americans by some French speaking Belgians (hence the confusion of the name, although in Ireland we just call them chips).  

Weather

Being mid-May the weather was glorious and got as hot as 27 degrees, although I had heard that it usually rains a lot in Belgium and had rained for a few days before my visit. To beat the heat I treated myself to a visit to one of the many gelato places in the city centre, they all seemed to have similar prices and flavours. 

Belgian Waffles

As for the waffles - I have a confession. I didn't really like them!! I absolutely love sweet things and had been drooling over photos of Belgian waffles on Instagram in the days before my trip. However I had two - one was plain and I thought it a bit stale tasting, and the other was covered in strawberries and cream from an eatery in Bruges (which is apparently the best), and while it was definitely fresh I still found it very heavy and a bit chewy, not what I was expecting. My sister has a waffle maker in her house and I much prefer the light and fluffy ones we make, sorry Belgium! 

After a return to my hostel for a shower I headed out again to the Parlementarium, the interactive exhibit about the European Union, which is of course based in Brussels. They provide free audio guide devices with little screens which you can use to interact with the many exhibits. I was tired and honestly skipped through a lot of it but it's a modern and interesting facility nonetheless and would be a good place to visit while the weather is very hot in the afternoon. 

Belgian Beer and Belgian Chocolate

Of course Belgium is also very famous for its beers and there are many bars and restaurants with plenty of space to sit and relax outside, a cold beer in hand. One of the most famous bars in Brussels is Delirium Village, a complex of about four or five different bars ranging from tequila bars to beer, based on the famous Delirium beer, a very strong beer with a pink elephant logo.

There are also many chocolate shops, however you will find that many are for example Leonidas or Godiva and are the same as you can get in these chain stores in your home country, or are tourist traps selling very poor quality chocolate in boxes from China that say "Belgium" on them. It can be difficult to try find a genuine chocolate shop!

Transport

In terms of transport, most of the main sights are within walking distance of each other, but there is a metro, bus and train available. During my visit to Belgium I also went to Bruges, which is just over one hour away by train, so very closeby. You can also get trains to countries like the Netherlands, Luxembourg and France.

#144 On Travelling During The Summer

So we're at the end of April now, and summer is steadfast approaching! I'm sure a lot of you have already planned your summer holidays away.

Summer holiday. Eponymous. Renowned. A standard part of life for many people. Yet a summer holiday is something I admittedly don't really understand. Why travel during the summer? The reasons I can think of would be that either a) you have kids in school, b) you're still in education yourself, c) you work in education, or d) you like really hot weather.

Sandhamm, a popular holiday island in Sweden

So basically it mostly revolves around school. If you're not a teacher and you don't have child in school, I have no idea why you would actually ever want to travel during the summer season. I personally hate summer travel, I did it last year in Asia as I was unfortunately in the above mentioned grouping of being a teacher, and I would have much preferred to have done it any other time of year. Why do I hate it so? Summer travel is a) crazy expensive, b) overcrowded, c) tons of unsupervised children running riot and d) just too damn hot.



Irish people don't get a lot of warm weather, so most of them like to holiday in Spain or somewhere with a warmer climate. However, a lot of places are quite warm all year, and by going in the summer the Irish subject themselves to weather that is uncomfortably hot (although they will deny it) and earn dodgy tans and wince-worthy sunburns that they will wear back home like badges of honor.


I don't like hot weather. I don't like annoying children. I don't like being ripped off. I do not like summer holidays. Next month I will make a short mid-week trip to Belgium, and then I will remain static until around October, when the weather cools off, the prices dip, and the crowds are few and far between. Bliss.

Sunset on an island in the Stockholm archipelago

#134 What the Locals Eat - Japan

Having lived in Japan for over a year, I am well versed in the Japanese art of dining out. When travelling I often find it difficult to find one particular restaurant out of millions that Lonely Planet has recommended - so let's be practical. I prefer to eat at chain stores and restaurants that can be found all over the country. Chain stores are easy to find and are plentiful both in Tokyo and across the country, saving you time and effort looking for a little local eatery where they don't speak English and you're completely overpriced.

Colorful chopsticks!

There a few key things you should know before embarking on your Japanese food journey, no matter where you decide to eat. The first, and most important, is this; everyone uses chopsticks and knives and forks are not available. Expecting to find a fork in a Japanese restaurant would be like a Japanese woman coming to Ireland and being shocked when she goes into Super Macs and finds there are no chopsticks. If you can’t use them, watch a few YouTube tutorials before you go, or carry around a fork when you go out for the day. Seriously.

As for language skills, outside the main tourist areas English is usually unavailable, but some menus have photographs and many restaurants have realistic plastic models of the food in the window, so worst case scenario you can always just point at what you want. In Tokyo ticket vending machines are in many restaurants to save time – you simply put in the money, click the picture that looks best, then hand your ticket to staff and your dish is delivered swiftly, without having spoken a word.

Otherwise, many chain stores have an English menu, or in the case of international chains the words have usually been adopted into Japanese and so sound very similar to the English (for example; a “hotto ratte” in Starbucks or a “cheezu baagaa” in McDonalds).

As a final piece of advice, Japan has a lot of unique flavors and varieties of Western foods (such as KitKats) and trying these is always fun, so if you have time pop into a grocery store and see what treasures you can find. Popular variations often include matcha (green tea) and wasabi (like green horse radish).

Below is a list of chain stores that can be found across Japan, as well as the food they serve and the prices to expect.

Breakfast

The Japanese word for breakfast – asa gohan – literally translates as “morning rice”, so there’s no surprise that rice, fish and miso soup are still the most popular choice for Japanese every morning. However, many tourists are shocked to learn the Japanese have a love of bakeries and sweet breads, and these can be a popular choice, especially at weekends.

Vie De France – An affordable chain bakery with everything from sweet churros and croissants to savory curry breads and a kind of bread with bacon and fried egg on top (the Japanese-French take on a breakfast roll?). Breads are around 150yen-350yen with coffee around 300yen.

Dennys – Despite the familiar name the American chain has a very different menu in Japan. However, this is a good place to try some of the breakfast sets including rice and soup (or you could just get the pancakes). The morning select set meals are about 800yen.

McDonalds – While not exactly Japanese, the menu is different to Ireland, with breakfast options such as a Chicken Egg McMuffin and something called a McGriddle, and a side menu of hash browns, apple pies or chicken nuggets. A set meal is about 400yen.

Coffee break

While not exactly known as a nation of coffee drinkers, café chains are very popular in Japan, especially in summer when locals and tourists alike escape the soaring heat and relax with various kinds of iced coffee.

Starbucks - Lovingly shortened to “Su-ta-ba” in Japanese, the notorious chain is possibly even more popular in Japan that it is in America, and there’s one (or two) to be found on every street corner. Unlike their American counterparts they always have some kind of unique seasonal drink limited only to Japan, for example a Cherry Blossom Latte in Spring and a Baked Cheesecake Frapuccino for Summer. Check out the menu when you’re in town to see what’s new. Prices are similar to home at about 500yen (they don’t include tax in their price list so it will be a little more expensive).

Tullys

Mister Donut – Another cultural surprise, the Japanese enjoy donuts. This chain is found in a few parts of Asia and is cheaper and has more selection than Krispy Kreme (although they win when it comes to seasonal decorations). I recommend the Pon De Ring – a unique Japanese kind of squishy donut. Look out for their 100yen sales, otherwise expect to pay around 140yen for a donut and 300yen for coffee (they boast unlimited refills of the delicious café au lait).

Tullys – This is a Japanese coffee chain, similar to Starbucks but with more luxurious drinks, and usually not as crowded. Prices are around 500yen.

Lunch

The Japanese are hard workers and as such keep their lunch breaks to an absolute minimum before returning quickly to work. Japanese lunchtime is at 12.30pm and it’s best to avoid eating at this time as everywhere will be insanely crowded for that one hour. Several restaurants have only a counter with stools to accommodate more solo diners and to facilitate a quick turnaround, so sitting together in groups of more than 2 can be tricky.

Sukiya

Sukiya – This is one of many gyudon chains in Japan, gyudon being a large bowl of rice with slices of marinated beef drizzled on top. While it doesn’t look so glamorous, it tastes good, is served to you within seconds and is probably the cheapest and most filling meal you’re likely to find in Japan. A regular bowl costs around 350yen, with miso soup usually being served free. (Other popular chains include: Yoshinoya, Matsuya).

Mos Burger – This is a Japanese burger chain that is regarded by the Japanese as more healthy and fresher than rival McDonalds – though how true this thinking is, I’m not sure. Regardless the burgers are big and the options are interesting than what you find at home. Try the classic mos cheese burger with a green melon soda and fries. Prices are around 800-1000yen for a set.

7-Eleven – Convenience stores are big business in Japan, opening 24 hours and found on every street. For lunch on the go, pop into any store (options include Lawson, Family Mart, Circle K) and grab some pan (bread) from their extensive collection, or act like a true local and grab an oni giri – a ball of rice covered in a sheet dried seaweed and containing some kind of fish in the middle – my favourite is the tuna mayonnaise. Wash it down with a bottle of Green Tea or a Fanta Grape. Breads and onigiri are around 100-200yen, and drinks are about 150yen.

Snacks

Gindaco – This place sells takoyaki which blatantly are “octopus balls”, but intricately are delicious, piping hot battered balls with a teeny tiny piece of octopus tentacle on the inside, served with tons of seasonings, mayonnaise and various unknown sauces. Be brave and give them a try, you’ll be surprised! A set of 6 is about 550yen.

Vending Machines – There are vending machines on every street corner in Japan, including streets in the middle of the countryside surrounded by nothing but rice fields. Unfortunately, about 98% of these sell only hot/cold drinks (the other 2% selling cigarettes) and to find one with food is a rare occurrence. The upside is that in the cold winter you’re always within reach of a hot tea or coffee, and in summer you can keep constantly hydrated. I recommend a hot can of Boss coffee to wake you up first thing, and an ice cold bottle of Pocari Sweat sports drink to keep you energized throughout the day. Drinks are around 110-180yen.

Dinner

Since Japanese often work late, dinner time is around 6 to 8pm, so it’s best to try get in before them as lines can be long. However, it’s usually more staggered than lunchtime.

Tonkatsu Wako – Tonkatsu is deep fried breaded pork, but you can also get katsu variations of vegetables or seafoods such as prawn. The real star of the dish is the tonkatsu sauce – like a blend of Brown sauce and Worcester but a billion times more delicious. Just trust me. This chain offers formal table service and all you can eat rice, soup and cabbage, but the cheaper and more informal Katsuya chain is just as appetizing. Prices here are around 1,100-1,500yen, and Katsuya is about 600-1,000yen.

Uobei

Uobei – This is one of Japan’s popular kaiten zushi chains where the dishes go round and you take what you like. Modern chains like this now also have a kind of tablet at every seat that allow you to order what you want, which is then freshly prepared and promptly delivered to you on a mini train. They also serve hot dishes like ramen and French fries. All plates (2 pieces of sushi) are 108yen each, expect to eat about 5-10 plates for dinner (although some salary men can eat up to 20+…).

Ippudo – One of the best ramen places, ramen of course being a big bowl full of noodles in a soup, generally topped with bean sprouts and a slice of pork. The trick is to slurp the noodles and soup loudly. A popular side dish is gyoza, similar to a spring roll and best doused in a mixture of vinegars and oils. Ramen is about 800yen while gyoza are about 400yen.

CoCo’s Curry House – If you can’t use chopsticks, this is the place to go. Curry rice is very popular in Japan and is typically found on every menu, regardless of the restaurant focus. As the name suggests it’s always some kind of variation of rice with curry sauce, this would be almost impossible to eat with chopsticks and so is always served with a spoon. CoCo’s has a lot of customizable options including degree of spiciness and ingredients – ranging from cheese to beef to squid. A plate will cost you around 550-800yen.

Sweet Treats

Marion Crepes – The popularity of crepes in Japan is yet another by-product of the Japanese fascination with France. Surprisingly, Nutella is very rarely an option and instead the most popular options include a wedge of cheesecake and a ton of whipped cream. The best place to get one is in Harajuku in Tokyo, where there are about six on the one small street. The basic crepes go for around 300yen, while the cheesecake options are closer to 600yen.

Taiyaki

Baskin Robbins – Known as “31 Ice” in Japan, the chain even has Halloween and Christmas themed ice-cream cups, thanks to the fact most of Japan only starts to get truly cold around December. For a Japanese twist try their matcha and anko flavors. A small double (which is pretty big) is 470yen, and on the 31^st of each month it’s 31% off.

Food stalls – Found at temples or festivals and especially populous in Spring and Summer. Classic snacks include tai yaki - a fish shaped kind of waffle filled with custard or anko (sweet red bean), choco banana - a phallic looking banana on a stick covered in chocolate icing (sometimes pink or blue in colour), sprinkles and good for a giggle, kaki gori - a summer specialty consisting of shaved ice and syrup, perhaps best described as the Japanese cousin of a slushy. Expect to pay between 150-350yen for any of the above.

#133 The Complete Guide to Driving in Rural Ireland

Ireland is a very small country, with almost all major cities and towns accessible in less than a 3 hour drive from the capital city, Dublin. There are a few different ways you can get around that I’ve outlined below, but the most convenient way to see all Ireland has to offer is to rent a car and drive! I'm Irish and have grown up in the countryside, so I know all the small things you're likely to encounter here!

Public Transport Across the Country

Bus Eireann at Dublin Airport

Our national bus service, Bus Eireann, can take you almost anywhere between towns and cities across the country, and it is often supplemented on popular routes by private bus services that typically provide a cheaper, more frequent and more direct service.

Our train service, Irish Rail, is more comfortable and can reach some places faster than the bus, but usually the prices are far higher and the frequencies less.

Cities like Dublin, Limerick, Cork and Waterford all have local bus services to take you around, and Dublin is supplemented by the DART train, LUAS light rail, and a bicycle rental system. All our public transport has WiFi, although not always so reliable.

Taxi’s in Ireland are expensive, alright for a quick trip back to your hotel after a late night out, but for journeys much longer than 30mins you can expect to pay upwards of 40euro or more.

Most of the gems in Ireland are hidden in the countryside, an hour’s drive from the nearest small town and way out of the way of bus routes and train lines. Basically, if you want to see Ireland, really see Ireland, you’re going to need a car.

Driving in rural Ireland is not for the faint hearted, but on the scale of things around the world it’s not so difficult either! For starters, we are part of that unique collective that drive on the left, so you may need to adjust to that. Secondly, aside from our main motorways and highways, the road quality usually isn’t the best. You’ll find they are usually narrow with no room to overtake, can be very winding with sharp corners and bends, and potholes are commonplace. Many years ago flooding was prolific with locals simply knowing to avoid a certain road after heavy rain, but in recent years most of these trouble areas have been cleared and appropriate drainage built.

A typical main country road between villages

Driving Carefully and Farmyard Machinery

Locals who know the roads often have no problems going excess speeds, even when the vehicles they’re driving are tractors! While it can be a terrifying experience to see them swerve around a bend on your side of the road – as I said they’re very used to it and will have no problem swiftly swerving back onto their side of the road without giving much notice. Conversely, you should be aware that if you are very nervous and break suddenly at every corner in the road you run the chance of being rammed from behind by local drivers who weren’t expecting any sudden stops, or you could cause them to become annoyed and overtake dangerously. It is courtesy if you are driving slowly and traffic builds behind you (even just two cars!) that you find a safe place to pull in and allow those behind you to clear.

Overtaking on most country roads is hazardous, so if you are stuck behind a farmyard vehicle moving slowly (most of the larger, heavy machinery will be on the roads around August – September depending on weather) please be patient for them to find somewhere suitable to pull in, or if they are being particularly oblivious perhaps a slight beep of the horn could remind them. Large agricultural machinery is very expensive to buy and sometimes used only once a year, so one or two machines can be shared between all the farmers in a village or area. It is their livelihood and they cannot help that the machine needs to be driven on sub-par roads to the next farm, so please understand this.

Farm and Wild Animals

Admittedly, it is very unlikely you will come across one of those classic “Irish traffic jam” scenarios with sheep and cows blocking the road. They’re not moved between fields so often, and even so the distance is usually very short so you won’t be held up long. Beeping or revving your engine will only frighten the animals and cause them to bolt making the job more difficult for the farmer and delaying you longer.

If you come across an unattended farm animal such as a cow or sheep blocking the road, revving your engine or driving very slowly towards them should be enough to scare them out of your path. All farm animals will have a marking or colour spray painted somewhere on them, and it is courtesy to inform a nearby house, shop or pub as they often know the owner by the markings (or will know someone who knows) and will be able to contact them to remove the animal before it causes an accident.

You can occasionally encounter horse riders on the roads, and you should approach slowly and wait for a signal from the riders. In some cases these horses are being trained to get used to traffic, so are likely to panic and bolt if you frighten them by making a loud noise or driving quickly by.

While driving at night you need to be aware of many of Ireland’s nocturnal animals which may dash across the road such as rabbits, foxes, badgers and hedgehogs, or occasionally even an old farmer who is stumbling home after a few drinks in the village pub!

“City drivers”

We have a joke in Ireland about the fact that city drivers (from Dublin usually) can’t drive well in rural areas because they are unused to the narrow, winding roads, and also that rural drivers can’t drive well in the big cities or motorways because they get confused with all the different lanes of traffic.

In Ireland you can tell where a car was bought by the letters in the registration plate – for example D means it’s from Dublin while WX means it’s from Wexford. We sometimes try gauge a drivers competence by looking at this – if you see a nervous/slow/bad driver on a certain road and their registration has the name of a different county, then you can assume they’re not from the area and aren’t sure of the roads. In all likelihood your rental car will have a D registration, so locals may take heed you’re not from the area and give you a wider berth. However, the popularity of second hand cars in Ireland means this isn’t always a reliable way to tell.

Parking and Security

Parking is free in most rural places, but be sure you’re not blocking an entrance or parking inadvertently on private land. In a village, perhaps the most suitable place to park up is the carpark adjoining the local church. Some isolated places such as beaches are targeted by petty thieves (probably teenagers) who hide out and wait for you to leave your car, and then break in stealing your wallet or phone. Even if an area looks empty do not take this to be guaranteed, and either take your belongings with you, lock them in your dashboard or at least hide them from view.

It is beneficial to always have a good amount of petrol in your car. Almost all villages will have some kind of petrol station, but they can be spaced far apart and often their opening hours are limited, maybe 9am to 6pm or even less on a Sunday. Therefore, especially in the evenings, it is better to have a full tank because you could end up stranded somewhere at 9pm, or your journey may be delayed the following morning because you need to wait for a station to open. You also don’t want to take a wrong turn down an unknown country road and end up far from a station running low on petrol!

You know it's rural when there's grass in the middle of the road...

Rural Cycling

While it may seem like a nice idea, generally speaking, cycling in the countryside is dangerous – the roads are narrow and lined with wild hedges that are cut maybe once or twice a year, so often branches and weeds will stick out, liable to knock you off your bike or cause you to swerve into traffic. You also must remember that Ireland is a quite a rainy and windy country, even in summer, so there is no guarantee of fine weather for your trip. Some people do it, but I personally couldn’t recommend it.

Caravans and Camping

Since Ireland is accessible by car ferry from the UK and France, we sometimes get European visitors in camper vans. Basically, the same principals as above apply as regarding narrow roads and driving carefully. You should also be aware that it is illegal to park a campervan or pitch a tent on private land without permission, or not at all on public land such as beaches, woodland or car-parks. Therefore, you must really only use your caravan or tent at designated parks and pay fees. However, if you are only staying one night and will clean up after yourself, I think no one will notice you if you stay at a beach or something, since they are not patrolled so often and usually just respond to reports from the public. But officially it is against the law and you should plan to stay at approved sites.

The reason for these strict rules is that in Ireland we have a group called Travellers (like gypsies) who live in caravans and move from one place to the next. They have a bad reputation for staying in large groups in once place for maybe a few weeks, which can affect people who live in the area or who want to park their cars since there is no space. They also sometimes can leave a big mess behind which is expensive and troublesome to clean. While this is definitely not true of all Travellers, it has happened enough times to sanction these laws.

During your time driving around rural Ireland you may encounter none of the above situations – but they do happen and it is better to be prepared and informed than to panic or become impatient.

Driving in Ireland will take you to hundreds of ancient, unique places that would be otherwise be inaccessible, and it is a quick and convenient way of seeing the countryside. Safe travels!

#130 No More Sleeper Trains From KL-SG/SG-KL

As of 19^th May 2016, the timetables have changed and getting the train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore (or vice-versa) is no longer a viable option.

Unlucky for me, the change was made one day after I finally booked my flights, one arriving into KL and one leaving from SG, which means I need to find another way to get from KL-SG.

You can find more info about the updated timetable here on Seat61: http://www.seat61.com/Malaysia.htm#Train_times

“There are no more overnight sleeping-cars on the Malaysian north-south route. You now need to change at Gemas when travelling from Johor Bahru [Singapore] to KL.”

The new schedule means the train now leaves Kuala Lumpur at 1.22am, and you must get off and switch trains at somewhere called Gemas. You arrive into Gemas at 3.40am but you won’t leave until 4.10am. You’ll arrive into Johur Bahru [Singapore] at 8.10am.

While not impossible to do, the very late departure time and changes in the middle of the night now makes this route a no-go for most people, including me. If you’re still interested, the total trip costs around 52rm (11eur).

The Bus

Since you couldn’t book the sleeper train until one month before departure, I had previously decided to also look up alternative options should I be unable to book online in advance, or the train be fully booked. I could always get a flight, but that would waste time and be more expensive. Thankfully, there’s a bus.

The bus from KL to SG takes around 5 hours (estimates range from 4.5-5.5hrs depending on traffic) and costs range from 30-45sgd (20-29eur), but the average is 37sgd (24eur). Just like with the train, it is more expensive to go from SG to KL, so keep that in mind. It appears you can book the bus much further in advance, at least 3 months, and I have read that they work with foreign credit cards.

Most of the buses appear to be luxurious. There are large, individual, reclining seats with lots of legroom, built-in massage functions, entertainment system and charging point. It is similar to first or business class on an airplane, and totally different from your average bus in most countries! They also provide water, hot drinks and a meal during the journey, and make rest stops for the bathroom along the way.

The first buses leave KL at 7am (arriving around midday) and cost 37sgd (24eur), and the last bus leaves 11.30pm. Since the journey is only around 5 hours, it would mean arriving into SG around 5am, which unless you’re heading straight to the airport I obviously wouldn’t recommend.

The buses from KL usually leave at Berjaya Times Square (a central hub of the city and near many hostels and hotels) and arrive into SG at Golden Mile Complex, a mall which is a 5min walk from Nicholls Highway MRT station so convenient for transfers.

The bus ticketing sites I found are busonlineticket.com  and easybook.com. I have yet to use these sites so I cannot verify their trustworthiness, but easybook seems to be…well…easy to use, but busonlineticket is quite similar, and the times/prices are all the same. You can also book direct from the company, so it might be a better idea to use the aforementioned sites to find the bus you want, and then book it directly from the company.

I have read many reviews online about Transtar Soliataire bus service, and that is also the one that leaves first at 7am, so I will likely get that one. However, I have also read some reviews that said the bus was an hour late. This would be very unfortunate, as I had first planned to take the train and arrive in SG at 9am, and now it will be around 12pm earliest. I have seen mentions of Aeroline, but when I look at the bus options on the ticketing sites it is not one of them, so perhaps it only works SG-KL direction.

While at first I was obviously annoyed my best laid plans have come apart, and that I’ll now have to spend more money on an extra night in a hostel and a more expensive bus ticket, and also that I will be arriving into SG a few hours later than expected, it’s not all bad.

The bus looks like a fun experience, and by Western standards the ticket is very cheap. It’s also easier than trying to figure out the Johur Bahru-Woodlands shuttle, and the new collection and drop-off points are very close to both my hostels in KL and SG.

Basically, I’m just glad I noticed the timetable change now and can figure out the bus and book another night at my hostel. I’m just worried for people who were expecting to get on the sleeper train soon and have not been made aware of the changes.

UPDATE: I took the Transtar bus from KL to SG last week. It was a good bus and good service, the only downside was it took the full 7 hours - we left 7am and arrived 2pm.

#125 Mutianyu Great Wall of China

The view from 23, the highest part at Mutianyu

The first thing you should know about Mutianyu is:

 it really is Great.

The second thing you should know about Mutianyu is that you absolutely need the cablecar. It's apparently over one hour walk from the bottom of the mountain to the wall. Unless you literally have all day, are in very good health and enjoy hiking up mountains - don't do it.

The wall itself is more than do-able even on a bad fitness level, but combined with the walk up the mountain it would be very tiring. The cable car is 80rmb one way or 100 return (13eur) - it's definitely not cheap but it's a necessity. You didn't come all the way to China and Beijing and Mutianyu Great Wall to blow it all and have a terrible time because you were too cheap at the crucial time.

The third thing you should know is that I haven't been to Badaling, so can't officially comment - but the Instagram pictures don't look quite as good, and the photos seem much busier too. I loved, loved, loved Mutiantyu. The views were great, the walk wasn't tough, and the crowds were nowhere to be seen.

Fitness

As for fitness level, anyone can do it. Literally, there's even wheelchair access (although you won't be able to get too far along before encountering steps). I am young but have a terrible fitness level, so even though I'm out of breath I have the drive and determination to keep going awhile longer. I made it to 23, which is the highest part (before you get to the old part of the wall - some people go along there, most give up) it wasn't easy but it was perfectly do-able with a few rest stops and water. There are also many turrets which provide lovely shade too!

At first I thought it would be too far/difficult to go that far, but then I had plenty of time so I decided to do it, so you should try it too! Great view and you'll feel you've accomplished something.

When to Go

When I went, a Thursday morning after a big Chinese holiday the previous weekend, the wall was pretty empty. I was a little worried about people bothering me trying to sell me things, but they were only about three that I saw and they didn't approach anyone. However, this also means you should plan accordingly and bring plenty of your own water and snacks. I overheard someone say water was 15rmb, when usually it's between 2 and 4rmb. Also I was told there were toilets in some of the turrets along the wall - I personally didn't notice any, so it's definitely best to go on the ground before you get the cablecar up.

What to Wear

For clothing, I think sneakers/runners, exercise clothes, a hat plus a backpack is best. I saw some people wearing jeans and pretty shoes and carrying handbags - while it's possible you just won't be getting very far or very fast. In May it's hot (26-31c), and although you're up high it's still very warm and all the walking will have you breaking a sweat. Pro tip: Bring a spare T-shirt to change into. No matter how much deodorant I put on I was still a little stinky on the bus home, and wished I had something else to change into.

Also note there is a ropeway/slideway, but this is not the cablecar I'm talking about. This is maybe a little cheaper but it takes you further down the wall, it's literally lower down on the wall than where the cablecar drops you so I'm guessing the view isn't as good and the hike to 23 would be much harder.

Getting There

Finally, as for access, you can get there via public transport, but I did something I would usually never do and I went as part of a tourr in a private bus (read more about this in my post here). This was arranged by a few hotels/hostels  around Beijing and cost 280rmb, plus 100rmb for the cablecar. 

It was much more expensive than going via public transport, but since I was alone and not so familiar with the language it was just easier to go this way. Also, 380rmb (50eur) for a trip to the Goddamn Great Wall of China isn't too bad!

These steps at 23 (the end of the new part of the wall) are as bad as it gets, I promise!

Sign for the cablecar. There is also a ropeway but it takes you further away.

The view from the cablecar, a little scary!

#118 Travel Tips; Use Public Transport

So on my recent trip to Manila, Philippines I found myself stressed out and worried. Why? Because of transport. I had read that public transport in Manila is basically a no-go, and that it is better for tourists to use taxis (which are very cheap) and factor in lots of time going places due the crazy traffic.

So I was aware and prepared for this. However, after just one day I had established that despite the taxi’s being cheap, I was either being ripped off by them not using the meter, or I was being taken wherever the driver wanted when the meter was being used. Also in the evening it was difficult to get a taxi, and I had to stand alone on the side of the street and pray I wouldn’t be attacked while I waited, and also pray that whenever a taxi showed up that the taxi driver wouldn’t rip me off too much. 

As a lone traveler, the overpriced taxi fares started to add up to not actually that cheap anymore. Since they all speak English, I also hated making small talk with them. By the time my last day came around, I was too worried about arguing fares, having to wait for a taxi home, and making more dreaded small talk that I just stayed in the hostel all day.

But now I have learned something. I have learned that while travelling alone, I would actually prefer to use public transport, where the prices are fixed and I don’t have to argue about fares or deal with people or worry about where I might end up. If I get lost I can look at a map and try figure it out, or I can ask someone at the station. My safety could still be at risk, especially regarding pickpocketing etc, but I would be vigilant. It requires more planning on my part, but I am in control of the situation.

This is one of the factors why I will not be going to Siem Reap in Cambodia – I don’t think I could handle being ripped off or arguing with a driver all day, or constantly worrying about my safety. Some people can handle it, but not me. It’s neither relaxing not enjoyable and given the choice, I would rather not do it again. In a group this would be different, but alone I just can’t handle the stress. So from now on I will check the availability of public transport in an area before travelling.

#93 Trip Planning like a Pro

I'm an organised person. And by organised, I mean it sometimes borderlines control freak, and this becomes much more apparent when I go on trips or try plan something with friends. I like to know the following before I go: the exact location, how long it will take to get there, the exact time, the exact price, the exact duration etc etc. And when I say 'I like to know', I actually mean 'I need to know'.

This sometimes annoys people I travel with when I shout at them because we need to hurry up and catch the 10.11 bus because the 10.14 bus would completely ruin our schedule. But they appreciate it when we save time and stress because we know exactly where to go, or when we stay at a great hostel in a convenient location for a good price.

Plan In Advance
I am a firm believer that if you plan your trip in advance, it will ultimately go much more smoothly and the experience will be more enjoyable because you will be saving time and money while getting the absolute best out of your trip.

However, I will also concede that plans should be flexible, and if you get delayed and can't catch a certain bus or visit a certain museum, all is not lost. Stressing because everything didn't go 100% as planned will mean you won't have a good time either, so relax!

Know Where You're Going
I think one of the most important things is knowing where you are going. I personally have a terrible sense of direction, so if at all possible I will designate someone else to be in charge of the map. Before I go on a trip, I will go on Google street view and examine the area around the hostel, for example, and certain areas along the route so they will be familiar when I get there. Up until recently I didn't have a smartphone, so I used to go on street view a few days before and take pictures of the screen on my phone, so when I arrived I could go back and check we were in the right direction.


Getting lost, for me anyway, is really stressful. It means you waste a lot of time that could have been spent doing something else. That's not to say that you won't have an adventure and come across some hidden gems off the tourist route, but especially if you're travelling alone I think it's vital you know exactly where you're going.


Money, money, money
I'm a total cheapo, which you may or may not have noticed. So when looking for a hostel, I have to reconcile the following: price, location and safety. If there's a big group safety becomes slightly less important, which leaves price and location.

I can spend hours on websites like Hostel World in search of the perfect hostel, constantly comparing ones closer to the city but slightly more expensive etc. A well researched and thoughtfully picked hostel should have all the things you're looking for. For me, that means a cheap hostel in a good location, with no hidden fees for breakfast, bed linen etc.

Regarding food, it's obvious that restaurants and cafés on the main tourist strips are going to be much more expensive. This can't always be avoided, but try not to make yourself a victim either. If you want to check out some places in advance, reading through Trip Advisor recent reviews is always a help. But beware of those restaurants marked 5 stars that have only been reviewed by six people, as opposed to the restaurants marked 4 stars reviewed by 3,000 people.

There are such things as free meals. . .well maybe
So we know where to go and where to stay, but what should we do when we get there? I always look up the best things to see, especially free things. It upsets me if I visit a place, come home and a few weeks later realise there was something really cool that I missed out on because I didn't research it in advance. Thanks to the internet there is an abundance of lists of best things to do etc, so there's no excuse not to research it in advance!

As a general rule, most major cities have free walking tours (well they expect a tip, but since you won't ever see them again that is entirely up to you. . .) and there are usually places where you can get a good view of the city for free - if you know where to look.

Also, be wary of paying entrance fees into places. Do you really need to go inside? Is the national gallery something you genuinely have an interest in, or is it just a 'must see' attraction you found on a list? Think it over before handing out the admission fee.

Take a chill pill
Well, not an actual pill. But you should relax and have a good time, it's a holiday after all!

#83 The Travel Show 11/3 - New York

Last week I was discussing fabulous New York city with self-proclaimed expert Tom Horan.

Listen back here:

The Travel Show 11-3-14 by Ulfm on Mixcloud