Wednesday 13 May 2020

Alphabet Adventures: travel around the world with me

I've seen a few hashtags trending on travel blogger-Twitter, one of which is 'alphabet adventures'. And then I saw Clazz from An Orcadian Abroad made it into a blog post and I was inspired to do the same. So, travel the world with me one letter at a time...

A - Austria


The last place I visited before lockdown/travel bans came into play was Vienna in Austria. I didn't love it - it's just not my kind of city. It's very pretty and there's lots to see, and I did get to see The Kiss by Gustav Klimt. But I didn't feel connected to the place, and I probably wouldn't go back.


B - Boston


I don't have much affinity with America but Boston is a whole other story - that city is just incredible. When I was younger my best friend moved to America, and we went to visit when I was about 14. They lived in Newton, just a short tram ride outside of the city, and it was one of the best trips I've ever been on. I went to American school for the day (so intense) and I ate stacks of pancakes and we went to see some am-dram. And we went to Boston, and it is so beautiful and interesting and has so many stories to tell. Definitely on my "I wanna go back!!!!" list.

C - Czech Republic


The Czech capital, Prague, is one of my favourite cities. I've been three times and had a completely different experience with each trip. The pastel buildings and Irish bars and all the museums, and the way it's full of tourists but sometimes you feel as though the whole city exists just for you. It's truly amazing.


D - Dominican Republic


Ooh, another republic. Anyway, this is the only Caribbean country I've been to - it was one of those resort holidays where you can't leave your hotel and it's got its own beach, and I got severe sunburn on day one so had to spend a few days in the room. I also got really day-drunk on watered down tequila sunrises in the pool bar and had to be escorted back to my room by a lovely northern boy with floppy hair. It was a good holiday, though!

E - Egypt


When I was younger I wanted desperately to be an Egyptologist, and my aunty & uncle took me to see the pyramids when I was eight - it remains one of the best days of my life, and I'll never take for granted how lucky I've been when it comes to travel. The pyramids are awe-inspiring and Egypt is a beautiful country. We were supposed to go back and do a Nile cruise when I was 10, but there was a lot of ~ tension ~ in the country and sadly, we never went. I cried every day for about 2 weeks, but I'll get there one day.

 F - France


What a country - I've been to France a fair few times, to Disneyland Paris and to camp in the South, and this one awful coach trip with school where I bought a bright pink beret and the cashier in McDonalds thought I was German. France is a gorgeous country which holds equally brilliant and terrible memories for me... there's some stories there!


G - Greece


My mum and dad's favourite country, and I don't think it's too bad either. From the whitewashed streets (and blue roofs) of Mykonos to the history that oozes out of Athens, it's a fascinating place that gets good weather and has so much to offer. I went to Mount Olympus once and it was one of the coolest things I've ever seen!

H - Hong Kong


Maybe I'm cheating a bit here, but I've been racking my brains trying to think of somewhere for 'H' and I've not personally been anywhere yet. But my Grandad loved Hong Kong, and he used to buy me & my aunty these beautiful matching dresses - and I just love this photo.


I - Isle of White


I'll be honest, I don't particularly remember going to the Isle of White because I was really little - but I do remember that we stayed in a big farmhouse and there was a little window ledge where I sat and pretended to be Annie? I'm sure it was a great trip, though...

J - Journey


I've never been anywhere beginning with J, but hey - every trip has a journey involved. Personally I love flying. I love airports, because there is such a sense of order and direction; the actual flying is fine, too, and I find it fascinating being among the clouds. I prefer to sit alone on flights so I can read, listen to podcasts and watch films undisturbed... and I'm a sucker for extra leg room if possible!


K - Kraków


My first Polish city, the place that holds such a special place in my heart - the city that made me fall in love with an entire country and culture from the very first moment. I've been 4 times and while it gets more expensive with every trip, I'd still go back in a heartbeat. Kraków is the best.

L - Liverpool


Does it count as travelling when it's just a 25 minute bus ride away and you go all the time? Maybe not, but Liverpool is one of the best cities in the world and I couldn't not mention it in my alphabet adventures. From the people to the bars to the views, it truly is boss.


M - Marbella


Oh what a fancy place! I stayed just outside of Marbella when I was about 19, and it's just so beautiful. I remember going to Puerto Banus, one of the fanciest places I've ever been, and just seeing how it oozed with glamour and luxury. Shout out to Marbella old town, too, which is just incredibly pretty.

N - Nuremberg


This is the city that made me realise how beautiful Germany is - having only been to Berlin previously, I wasn't really aware of how fairytale-esque parts of the country can be. Nuremberg is just like a Disney film and I absolutely loved it. Of course, the WW2 history helped because that is my favourite topic to learn about.

O - Oświęcim


It took me ages to think of somewhere for the letter O, but this is the Polish way of writing Auschwitz. It's the town where the concentration camp is located, and the name of the train station you need to get the train to in order to visit. The second time I went we did Auschwitz-Birkenau independently and we got the train here, then a taxi from the station. I would highly recommend visiting a concentration camp if you get the chance, as it really helps you realise the enormity of the situation and it's really humbling.


P - Palma de Mallorca


For my first and only 100% solo travel adventure, I flew to Palma de Mallorca. I spent a couple of days on the Mallorca coast, reading books and drinking cider on my little balcony, and then I went to Palma for the day. What an incredible city! Everything is just lovely, and it's so relaxed. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

Q - Quarantine


Literally the exact opposite of travel, but I haven't been anywhere beginning with Q and so I'm enjoying some virtual travel instead right now. I can't wait to hear "can I see your boarding pass, please?" some time in the future...


R - Riga


My first and only time in Latvia, I went to Riga. It's such a beautiful city and it was a great trip - the zoo is fantastic, the architecture is adorable and the bars are fairly cheap. Also there are so many weird & wonderful sweets/drinks/snacks available in the supermarkets, so that was a highlight...

S - Szczecin


The last Polish city I visited, and one I found to be absolutely bonkers. It's so different to other Polish cities but it's still amazing - plus it was the gateway to the Crooked Forest, the most magical place in the world, and it's pretty much right on the German border too. I visited with my best friend and had the most incredible trip; from overpriced kebabs to the selfie museum to trying pierogi for the first time, we made the most special memories in Szczecin.


T - Turkey


We've had many a family holiday in Turkey, and it's where I did my first ever SCUBA dive as a kid. I have so many lovely memories in this country - from making friends like the wonderful Hannah to visiting a Turkish delight factory to spending hours in a hammock listening to the sounds of the river, it's just one of those places that holds a big place in my heart!

U - United Kingdom


It's a stupid little island but it's home, right? It rains a lot and beer is really expensive and the government are crap but there are some really beautiful towns and cities to be explored - the Lake District, North Wales and rural Ireland have some amazing beauty spots.


V - Vatican City


I love history and while I'm not religious myself, I love learning about religion - so visiting the Vatican City when I went to Rome was a definite highlight. It's so beautiful; the Sistine Chapel ceiling is absolutely mind-blowing and if you ever get the chance, you should definitely see it.

W - Warsaw


Poland's wonderful capital city; rebuilt from the ashes, this city is amazing. There is so much to see and do, and the people are SO friendly. I felt so safe here, and there are some wonderful restaurants in Warsaw. It's just one of the best cities in Europe!


X - Xipre


This is absolutely definitely cheating but 'Xipre' is the Catalan way of spelling Cyprus, and I've been there a few times. Once we stayed in a villa and it was SO hot that we watched films all day in the air conditioned living room, then enjoyed the pool area at night because it was finally cool enough to be outside. We also SCUBA dived in Cyprus, which was fab.

Y - Yorkshire


Yorkshire is a lovely part of the UK - Leeds is such a cool city, and is obviously home to one of the greatest music festivals ever. And York has the National Railway Museum which holds such lovely family memories for me. Definitely a great area of the country to visit if you're looking for a staycation any time soon...


Z - Zoos


Again, I've never been anywhere beginning with 'Z' but I have been to many zoos across Europe. My favourite was the zoo in Riga where you could get SO close to the animals, and they had this dog who was best mates with a bear he'd met in the woods that had been rescued from injury and brought to the zoo to heal. They were inseparable, and so cute.

Whew, there you have it. My alphabet adventures! It was so hard to think of every entry because I just haven't been to places that begin with every single letter but I think I managed to put together a pretty good list in the end...


8 comments:

  1. Been around a bit then 😀

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  2. What a fun idea for a blog post - I might have to give this a go myself! You've done so much travelling from such an early age and you seem to have gone to some amazing spots! I'm excited to see where your post-lockdown travels will take you!

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  3. Oh this is such a fun idea for a post. You should definitely do the IOW again and drop by me of course as I'm just a boat ride away xx

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  4. Such a good idea for a post! You've visited so many places x

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  5. I loved this idea for a post, I also learnt some new things too such as the Catalan name for Cyprus.

    Amy x
    The July Rose

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  6. I love this tag so much! I don't think I've been to that many places I could fill the alphabet x

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  7. You have been so far! I need to travel more! My list would not be long lol

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  8. You have literally been everywhere.. this lockdown is giving me such itchy feet!
    Rosie
    loverosiee.co.uk

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