Wandering

Burano - Split - Prague / Whitby / London / Beverley / Venice / Monterosso al Mare / Parma / Alberobello / Copenhagen / Zadar / Budapest / Krakow / Vienna / Prague

Small streets are one of my favourite things to wander around and to photograph, and I think are often overlooked by people when visiting places or even walking around familiar towns and cities. In recent years, I have found several photo and travel blogs that have inspired me to step away from the beaten track and see what else is on offer...and I've found that it doesn't have to be a million miles off the tourist trail, often a hundred metres or so and you're in what feels like a different place. These quiet, often narrow back and side streets are where you might be able to find some lovely local people, hanging out in front of their houses or shops, chatting to neighbours. It's where you might be able to smell what is being cooked for dinner, a truly authentic dish. Where you are more likely to hear snippets of the native language rather than your own. And also where there might be more people-free photo opportunities!

However, it's not always essential to get away from the crowds. Sometimes it's just as nice to be amongst the masses, among the excitement, and let's face it, typical tourist and travel routes aren't frequented by thousands for no reason!

Everybody loves la bella Italia

It's nice to find other people's experiences and accounts of visits to and travels around Italy sometimes, and know that I'm not the only one that has a huge travel crush on this country! 

Almost everyone I know that has ever been absolutely loved it, and wants to go back. And despite, or perhaps because of being faced with challenges to my ideas about the way things should be done (pre-Erasmus I was fairly stuck in the British way of doing things) I can't wait to return, this time hopefully to work! 

Here are some of my favourite images at the moment...

The Fresh Exchange - this is a blog run by a husband and wife duo of designers from Northern Michigan. I'm so happy I stumbled across it; their ideas and photography are sublime. 

photos of the Northern region of Piemonte and the West coast paradise of Cinque Terre found here and here

Travelettes - I've been following this travel blog run by girls for a year or so now, and find it my 'go to' source for information and tips about a new place. With several contributors from across the globe, it is a perfect collection of articles for any female traveller.

photos of Trastevere, Rome and 'the longest portico in the world' in Bologna here and here

Life and Times of Victoria Rose - one of my friends from university is currently on her year abroad in Parma, at the Conservatorio I attended on my Erasmus year.It is so nice to see another point of view on the charming little city.

photo of Parco Ducale in autumn found here

Italia, ti voglio bene. 

Procrastination or Planning?

Procrastination is something I'm pretty good at, having had four years of a degree to work at it. One of my favourite methods of procrastinating is to look at flights. Rather than open a new tab from the journal I was reading and type 'face...' I'd often find myself heading towards budget airline sites.

Knowing that the possibility of booking a flight to somewhere exotic is in reach, literally at my fingertips, is something I absolutely love. That thought came in especially handy when the pressures of uni work were getting me down, and it still lifts my mood a little.

(Cagliari, Sardinia)

Of course, some of these dream travel searches are just that, a dream. But every now and again, the stars align and something becomes viable, a friend gets on board, and suddenly, I'm jetting off somewhere in a matter of weeks. 

(Scooters in La Spezia, Italy)

Then I end up then delving into guide books and web reviews of the best places to visit in a town or city, what not to miss, and how best to fill my days. Sometimes, as in the case of Amsterdam, this works perfectly. But other times the guidebooks get left in the hostel, only the map makes it out for the day and seeing what happens is a lot more fun. 
I found this especially when Interrailing with my friend Lydia for 3 weeks at the end of my Erasmus year. Walking tours were our staple source of history, geography and random facts about the town or city. I think one of the best ways to discover smaller places is to simply wander, read plaques, talk to people, and read any free leaflets or information that you come across. 

(Preko, Croatia)

This kind of exploring resulted in stumbling across some great little cafes, streets, and shops, and seeing places that we otherwise wouldn't have found, and maybe would have had even less chance finding if we'd stuck to general guidance for tourists.

(Looking out over the border between Italy and Slovenia)

Having said all that, every trip is different, and I think the control freak in me can't bear the idea of visiting somewhere and not see some of its most famous landmarks, learning something about what it's known for and doing or eating something truly local. Perhaps I find researching travel so exciting and enjoyable because I'll feel that I'll have minimised the chances of missing out on something, and therefore got the most out of my trip. 

As with everything, a big part of whether a trip is enjoyable or 'successful' is often down to who you share it with...but that doesn't stop me getting that giddy excitement when I see that email 'Confirmation of your flight...'

I'm interested to know how others go about planning their trips and travels...any top tips?

Jessica and I

A week travelling round the lower half of Italy with my lovely friend Jess. We haven't seen each other since we parted ways at the end of that week, but hopefully that will change soon, I miss her. 

Streets of Salerno

Jess and Mount Vesuvius in the background

The two of us on the day we looked round Pompei, what an amazing place

Mount Vesuvius and some preserved ruins of the city

Lovely graffiti on a wall in Salerno...the other half of the lyrics were on the next block

A sign advertising drinks in Alberobello, one of the preserved villages of 'Trulli' houses

Wandering round the Trulli with our couchsurfing host

Old town in Taranto

Snapshots of Italy

I spent nine months studying in Italy a couple of years ago, and have been thinking about it so much lately, mainly because friends are embarking on their erasmus placements at the moment. I have a renewed interest in the country that I'd had quite enough of by the time I'd left. It's fast becoming my first port of call for future travels. Some picture memories of a few little trips...

Florence markets at Christmas time.

Venice at Carnival time; directions to Piazza San Marco; Steph, Emma and Jess outside the Basilica; Jess and I with our amazing facepaints.

Cinque Terre; the evening view from Portovenere; Vernazza from the hillside path towards Monterosso; enjoying a game of cards, some olives and a well deserved glass of Sangria after our trek.

Venice take two; the island of Burano with streets upon streets of brightly coloured houses.

Florence take two; Helen outside the Duomo when she came to visit from France; a view of the city.

Stained glass window in Siena; a view of the Campo; incredible food for dinner.

Good times.