Travellia

When planning a trip to South Africa, one part of the country that should not be missed is the majestic Drakensberg mountain range, which stretches for 200 kilometres. A world heritage site, the greater proportion of this magnificent range falls in the province of Kwazulu-Natal , and is known to have the highest peaks in the country. The dramatic beauty of the Drakensberg is a well known tourist destination, with the northern and central regions being the most frequently visited. On our last trip to the Drakensberg we decided to venture into the northern part of the region, specifically to the Royal Natal National Park . About a five hour drive from Johannesburg, the National Park has excellent walking and hiking trails in amazing surroundings. It also has accommodation facilities, including the Thendele Hutted Camp , which is where we stayed, in a small self-catering cottage. The views surrounding the camp are incredibly beautiful, as it is located at the base of the majesti...

Cambridge is best known for its university, one of the oldest in the world, and regarded by some as one of the most prestigious. Situated to the north of London, the city is a mix of antiquated and contemporary architecture, combining to create, in my opinion, a visually appealing and harmonious appearance. Many of the buildings, streets and passageways of Cambridge imbue the city with a tradional and historical atmosphere, however, as old as various parts of the city might be, it also has trendy shopping establishments and a vibrant nightlife. By car, Cambridge takes about two hours from London. As with many other cities and towns in the UK, it is difficult to find parking in Cambridge city centre, however there are 'park and ride' services on the outskirts of the city, whereby you can park your car and get a bus into the centre. There are also frequent train services, run by First Capital Connect and One , between King's Cross and Liverpool Street stations in Londo...

Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland, located in the south of the country. A large, active seaport, Cork has two branches of the River Lee flowing through the city, forming an island on which the city centre is built and providing it with a certain charm. Steeped in history, as it has been suggested that Cork already had a settlement in the 6th Century, the city exhibits some interesting architecture and numerous bridges. Compact in size, with friendly and helpful locals, Cork was our choice of destination for a few days break, and also included visiting nearby Kinsale and Blarney. We managed to get cheap flights with Ryanair , although this involved an extremely early morning flight, and therefore meant we lost sleep but saved some money. The flight took about an hour to Cork's International Airport, which lies to the south of the city. On arrival, we caught a bus outside the airport to the main bus terminus in Cork city, which cost € 3.80 each, a...

Majestic cliffs, rolling hills, vast swathes of blue sea and sandy beaches, quaint villages and castle ruins - all these,and more, combine to create the beautiful landscape known as Cornwall. Situated on the tip of the south-west peninsula of England, and located to the west of the River Tamar, Cornwall is an especially picturesque part of the country and ideal for relaxing holidays. Steeped in history and of Celtic heritage, Cornwall can be reached by car, train, plane or bus. The main airport in Cornwall is situated in Newquay , a town popular with surfers. National Express also operates a bus service to Newquay, however, if you are leaving from London, or anywhere else in the vicinity, be prepared to spend a long time travelling, as the journey takes over seven hours. There are currently three train operators with services to Cornwall. Although it is not essential, it is useful to have a car in Cornwall, to be able to fully experience the different sights and attractions located...

Regarded as the most romantic city in Europe, Paris, capital of France, is a hugely popular tourist destination. Travellers flock each year to this majestic place to view its well known landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre and the Notre Dame Cathedral. Some find Paris matches up to the wonders printed in travel guides and seen in blockbuster romances, whereas others seem to be a little letdown and disappointed with, what is supposed to be, a magical experience. I am glad to say we are not of the latter persuasion, and we genuinely find the locals friendly and love the city. The most comfortable way to travel to Paris from London, in our opinion, is with the Eurostar train. Departing from Waterloo Station, it takes approximately two and a half hours to reach the Gare du Nord station in Paris. During this time one can relax, enjoy a drink, have a few snacks and enjoy the smooth journey through the Channel tunnel - which is precisely what we did. Somet...

Bath is a city situated on the River Avon in South West England. As a World Heritage Site, the town is steeped in history, and was particularly popular in the 18th Century as a spa town. The city is most well known for such landmarks as the Roman Baths, Bath Abbey and its elegant crescents of Georgian architecture. A big tourist attraction, Bath is also one of our favourite cities in the UK. Bath is easily accessible by various modes of transport. It is about a two hour drive from London, although it can sometimes be difficult to find parking in the centre of town. There is a train station in the centre of Bath, with frequent services to and from other parts of the country, including London. The closest airport is Bristol International Airport, which is about 20 miles away - one therefore needs to get the Flyer bus from the airport, which goes to Bristol Meads train station, and from there catch a train to Bath. If money isn't an issue, then an easier method is simply...

We have friends who live in Amsterdam who offered us free accommodation if we happened to travel that way - it was all the luring we needed, and soon we were headed to the capital of Holland. A city of interesting historical architecture, museums, galleries, canals and parks. It is also popular for its coffee shops and vibrant nightlife, not forgetting the infamous red light district. We booked our flights with Bmi , another budget airline, travelling from Heathrow to Amsterdam's Schipol Airport. The flight took just over an hour, and once out of passport control and reclaiming our luggage, we waited outside for a bus that would take us directly to the suburb of Amstelveen, where our friends stay. It wasn't too difficult to find and the area is conveniently loca ted for public transport, with bus and tram links to the city centre. The following morning, after a sumptuous continental breakfast (including lots of Dutch cheese), we made our way towards the centre of Amster...

One of the most beautiful, mountainous regions in the United Kingdom is located in mid-Wales, known as the Brecon Beacons. It is essentially a National Park , a vast area encompassing rolling green hills, mountains, forests, streams and lakes, with pastoral animals grazing amidst this splendid scenery. It is a wonderful place for such activities as hiking,walking, horse riding and also sailing on the reservoirs and lakes. There are numerous small villages and towns scattered throughout the Brecon Beacons, providing accommodation and sustenance for the visitor. We have been to mid-Wales on a few occasions, as it is one of our favourite parts of the country to travel to for a short break. By car, it takes about an hour from Cardiff, and three hours from London, and is therefore easily accessible. The first time we went, we stayed in the heart of the Brecon Beacons, in an area called Cwmdu. We booked a Bed and Breakfast for the weekend, The Studio , which we were very impressed ...

As stated in my previous blog entry, after our two day stay in Montreux, we went to Lausanne, also situated on Lake Geneva. Lausanne is quite a hilly city, but is quite possible to see all the sights on foot, if you don't mind a good climb now and again. Host to the International Olympic Committee, the city has an interesing array of things to do and see. On arriving at the main train station, we made our way to our hotel, City Hotel, located near the old quarter, c lose to Lausanne's famous cathedral. The fifteen minute walk to our hotel was a rather steep climb upwards, including some cobblestone roads, which wasn't very enjoyable as we had to lug our suitcases behind us. The hotel itself is quite modern, but lacks a certain element of warmth, which was slightly abated by the friendly reception staff. Our room was clean and spacious, and we had a small balcony, with a view over a busy street and other buildings. We happened to be staying in this hotel during the ...

In June last year we went to Switzerland for a few days, for our honeymoon. Switzerland is a beautiful, scenic place - the pictures you see in travel guides and postcards is exactly what you get. For our time there we went to the French side of the country, staying in Montreux and Lausanne and touring neighbouring areas. We flew with EasyJet from Luton airport, and managed to make it in time, despite getting a flat tyre on the way there. Not the greatest start to our honeymoon, but once seated on the plane, enjoying a celebratory drink, the tyre-drama was long forgotten and we were looking forward to the rest of our trip. We arrived in Geneva and caught a train to Montreux, which took just over an hour in duration. Montreux, well known for its annual Jazz Festival, is located on the shores of Lake Geneva, with the impressive Alps in background. This small city, situated on the "Swiss Riveria", has interesting historical architecture, boutique shops and restuarants, lini...

The New Forest, situated in the south of England, is a vast area of natural woodlands, forests, fields and plains, interspersed with villages and towns. It is common to see wild ponies and horses in the the New Forest, however the deer that live in these parts seem to be more shy about making human acquaintance. Historically, the New Forest was created as a 'royal forest' in 1079 by William the Conquerer, primarily for the hunting of deer. We have been to the New Forest on three occassions, camping each time, and simply enjoying the peaceful, natural surroundings - a total contrast from the noise (and other) pollution of London from which we were escaping. The Forestry Commission has ten campsites across the New Forest, and we have stayed twice, with friends, at the Roundhill camping site. It is a good camping ground, however it can get very busy, especially during school holidays. It is therefore advisable to book your space in advance during peak times (this applies t...

In May last year we went to Slovakia for the bank holiday weekend. For those who are unaware, Slovakia is situated in the heart of Europe, bordered by the Czech Repulic, Hungary, Poland, Austria and Ukraine. We had never really paid that much attention to this small Eastern European country until we saw a programme featuring it. We were amazed by the scenery, particularly the alp-like regions, and decided we had to go! It was with great anticipation that we packed our bags into the car and headed off to Stansted airport from North London, which in retrospect was a mistake, as we got caught in one of those great congested traffic jams and ended up missing our flight! We ended up staying the first night of our holiday at a B&B in Little Dunmow, a town near Stansted Airport. As disappointing as it was, it did n ot deter us and we were on our way to Bratislava (capital of Slovakia) very early the following morning. On arrival at Bratislava Airport, we bought bus tickets from the t...