General Travel – Page 3 – Jason likes to travel

The big 3-0!

1988 – a year of many historic moments. Phantom of the Opera opened on Broadway, Liverpool were the champions of English football, Celine Dion won the Eurovision song contest, George Bush won the 88 US presidential election but most importantly was the birth of an English baby boy on the 7th of August. I was always a bit of an early riser as a kid so typically I was two hours early to deny myself the perfect birth date of 8/8/88.

JasonBabyPhotos — Even as a baby I was thinking about holidays!

Fast forward 29 years and that little baby is quickly approaching his 30th birthday! Thirty!
Those 30 years have taken me to some incredible places. For starters I was born and grew up in London so life began in one of the best cities in the world, certainly my favourite anyway. I’ve since been to the likes of New York City, Sydney, Berlin, Madrid, Amsterdam and many many more destinations. I can’t deny I’ve done a lot of traveling but it would be easy to forget I didn’t really start taking traveling seriously until 2013.

I was lucky growing up that I had been on family trips, the odd school trip and then had annual one week holidays of my own in 2011 and 2012 but going into 2013 I’d barely scratched the surface of all there is to see on this planet.

It wasn’t until 2013 that I really started focusing my efforts in to traveling more. So barely five years! People often suggest traveling is for your 20’s, if that was the case I’d arrived pretty late to the party! I’ll let you in on a little secret though – you can keep traveling at 30 and beyond! I know it’s hard to believe but it’s true! I’ve seen it with my own eyes! Apparently they don’t confiscate your passport on your 30th birthday!

So with that shocking revelation in mind, the planning for my own 30th is underway. On the 3rd of August I’m due to attend a wedding on the West coast of the USA, with a 30th birthday four days later how could I not spend it in the US? The timing was perfect and there’s so much of the US I still want to see – particularly down that West coast! A big adventure was on the cards.

I floated the idea with my boss at work about taking a longer trip and asked how much time I’d be able to take off in one go. I optimistically put forward the idea of four weeks and I’ve had the OK this week!

If it comes to fruition this will be the biggest trip I’ve ever taken and is therefore going to require a lot of planning! I’ve done a couple of multi city breaks before, including in the US, so I’m not a complete novice in this area but it’s a little daunting nonetheless.
Here’s an insight in to the early stages of planning a trip like this.

Itinerary
One of the most important decisions of a trip like this is obviously deciding where you want to go! You don’t necessarily need a finalised list but a draft list of destinations so you can start planning everything else out is helpful. The more flexible you can be the better but it’s also always good to have some set destinations in mind to help map out a route.
So stick a little pin in Seattle. That’s locked in to the itinerary for the wedding and gives me somewhere to either start my trip or aim to get to later on in the trip. Having other “must visits” will help plan out a route. Portland and San Francisco tick that box on the West coast and from there I’m pretty flexible. If everything goes to plan I’ll have 30 days in the country so the possible destinations can spread right across the country. Seeing more of California is certainly one option I’ll explore but similarly I have a number of friends in the US and I feel like that could dictate some of the destinations I choose to visit.

IMAG5398 — USA, I’m coming back for you!

Getting around!
Thirty days in the USA very much screams “ROADTRIP!!!” – what a perfect opportunity for that bucketlist item many people dream of. Road-tripping across the USA definitely has its temptations. Travel the famous Route 66? Maybe! I’ll just rent a car and see where the road takes me!

However there is one tiny little flaw to this almost perfect plan – I can’t drive. Unlike in Europe, traveling the US without a car is a little more challenging but I’ll be making good use of what available transport there is. The AMTRAK train line, greyhound buses and potentially even domestic flights dependent on the distance should get me so far and will still help me reach some incredible destinations.

Personally I love this part of the planning process as you have to weigh up the cost and convenience of getting from destination to destination. Do I go from A to B or B to A? B’s actually too expensive so what if I go to D? Well if I’m going to D maybe stop at C on the way? Oh, flying to D is actually cheaper. Or you could get an overnight bus to E which would mean one less night’s accommodation to pay for. Decisions, decisions, decisions!

IMAG6700 — Flying might be an option to get around the US!

Accommodation
This will likely play some factor in which destinations I visit too. Hotel prices in the US are quite expensive. Some cities are of course worse than others but it could be a factor between visiting one place rather than another. This is the area of the trip I’ll certainly be looking to cut costs. Aside from the occasional ‘treat’ I’ll probably be steering clear of hotels and exploring hostel and AirBnB options instead.

I’m also hopeful that I might have some US based friends I can stay with along the way, if I’ve got somewhere I can stay then the probability is I’m going to make more effort to visit!

BigApple917 — I love New York City but accommodation prices are crazy!

Objective
Something else to think about is what I actually want from this trip. The USA is huge which also makes it incredibly diverse. On previous trips I’ve been to Disneyland, I’ve been to small college towns and I’ve been to crazy cities like New York City. They’re all completely different type of trips. The US is so diverse as a holiday destination and has so much to offer, just deciding what type of holiday you want is a dilemma in itself. Do I want to concentrate on visiting cities? Could I squeeze in some beach time or visit one of the US’ many national parks? Is a Disney / Universal trip a possibility? I’m often attracted to big cities but with a much longer trip in mind perhaps mixing it up a bit is the better way to go!

Company
My last big thing to think about at this early stage is who is joining me on the adventure. I enjoy solo travel but I’m also thinking about who I’ll be spending time with whilst in the US. Would anyone come with me? Which US based friends do I try to visit? Do I see them in their hometown or might they meet me somewhere? Even if it only ends up being for a portion of the trip opposed to the entirety, it’s an important aspect to think about and plan for.

On a related note – that road trip I joked about? If there are any willing drives / adventurers then step right up, I’m more than happy contributing towards “gas” costs.

At the baseball with my Washington favourites in September

Budget
I didn’t want to completely omit a mention of this but at the same time it’s a little early to accurately budget at this stage. It’s an important part of the trip but probably comes in the next part of the planning stage. You can budget an estimated amount based on accommodation per night, spending per day plus return flights to the US but really it’s very much guesswork at this stage.

The budget really overlaps with some of the above stages once I’ve started “connecting the dots”.
At the minute my only definitive “dot” is Seattle with much more planning to do!

Anyway that rounds up the early planning stages of the big 3-0 celebrations. Stay tuned for updates on how the planning goes and hopefully I’ll soon have a final itinerary!

I’d love to hear your input. How did you celebrate your 30th? Where should I be looking to visit? If you’ve planned a longer-term trip of your own I’d appreciate any tips you have.

Or maybe you’re just tempted to tag along? Get in touch!

All the best!

Jason

Left to fate

So if you know me well you’ll realise that in addition to travelling, one of my biggest passions is football. I regularly go to games and it can be both a help and burden to my travels. A burden because one of the first things I look at before planning a trip is what games is a trip away going to clash with?

However, for now, let’s focus on how it helps.

I grew up on stories from my dad and his friends about travelling across England and Europe watching Spurs in their youth, I was so envious of it and it meant I had a fondness of European football from an early age. I’d heard so many stories of the “European nights at the Lane” and trips to various cities.

My jealousy wasn’t helped by the fact that Tottenham were rubbish throughout my childhood – European football was a rarity and I used to dream of seeing us play in Europe some day.
Fortunately it’s now an annual opportunity and Tottenham regularly compete in European fixtures.

I witnessed my first European fixture (in England) back in 2006 and it only helped that love of European football grow. I’d finally seen a European game at our famous home in London under the lights. The European nights were great but I’d still restricted myself to home games, a European away trip was still a dream of mine and item to check off the bucketlist.

Every year I talked about finally doing it but there was always an excuse – for the most part it was just a lack of confidence. Sydney (2013) changed all of that, it was then just a matter of the right opportunity coming along to make my first European away game.

Fast forward a year to a European night in London against Ukrainian opposition. The (probable) prize for the winners was a match against Benfica – an excuse to go to Lisbon and Portugal for the first time!
As Spurs went behind my heart sank, I was so adamant I’d go to Lisbon if we won and things started badly. My dream was slipping away from me. We turned it around and the scenes when we scored our 3rd goal will live with me for a long time. The block I was stood in went crazy. Lisbon was a real possibility and given the celebrations it seemed many aligned with my way of thinking that it was a “must-do” trip.

Trip to Lisbon for Benfica v Tottenham (Mar 14)

I got home from London at around 3am and booked my flights before going to bed. I was that excited at finally making a bucketlist item of mine actually happen. 30 years on (1984 – 2014) from one of Tottenham’s most famous nights in European football I was about to have a European adventure of my own.

My dad and his friends to this day still speak of the two 1984 games (in Brussels & London) and of all the great things my dad has seen in football it’s probably the one that makes me most envious.

Lisbon was amazing and I knew it would be the first European away trip of many. I’ve since been to a few further European away games which has meant my love of football has been a source of more European adventure. Portugal, Italy, Belgium, Germany – I’ve been fortunate to visit some wonderful places and cities because of football.

Trip to Florence for Fiorentina v Tottenham

In the traditional sense, most travellers choose their destination. The unique thing about travelling for football is the decision is completely out of your hands. I’m at the mercy of the luck of the draw to decide where I’m off to.
I’ve been counting down all summer to today because it dictates where I travel to for the rest of the year. Tottenham’s European fixtures for the rest of 2017 get confirmed today and it means I can finally plan another trip away. Hopefully two!

There’s 18 potential cities on the list: Madrid, Barcelona, Porto, Lisbon, Seville, Munich, Leipzig, Monaco, Kiev, Paris, Maribor, Nicosia, Turin, Baku, Dortmund, Rotterdam, Glasgow, Moscow.
Of those 18, Tottenham will be visiting 3 of them before the end of the year. It’s such a wide range of cities and I’m incredibly excited to see where we end up.

There’s some specific criteria, one of the key restrictions is you can’t visit the same country twice. So I won’t be going to Madrid and Barcelona for example. I have my dream trio lined up already but play along with me.
Three cities left down to fate to decide your next adventure. Which three would you be hoping for?

I’ll be booking my next trip before the day is over, I’ll keep you posted on the outcome!

All the best!

Jason

Going on holiday

So one of the things you should know about me is that I’m a city person. I’m an introvert with a quiet personality so it often comes as a surprise to say that I love big cities. That’s often reflected in the places I travel to.

I was born in London and lived there for the first nine years of my life so city life was with me from birth. I still hold a lot of pride in being London born and bred, it’ll always be my favourite city and a place I think of as home.

In the last five years I’ve travelled to numerous cities spanned across 16 different countries including England. The emotional attachment I have to London means it’s never likely to be displaced as my number one destination but some cities have pushed it close.

One city I was particularly excited to tick off my bucketlist last year was New York City. If anywhere could rival my love of London surely it was the Big Apple? I had high hopes for NYC and it didn’t disappoint, I’ll dedicate a post to that at some point but, almost inevitably, it’s currently my favourite destination I’ve visited outside of England (London stays number 1).

Whilst NYC tops my travel list, one drawback to big cities is when do you find the time to relax? It was my first time visiting NYC with just a week to try and see as much as possible, including NYC based friends. Perhaps it’s just me but I often come home more exhausted than I was before I left. It does make you question why it’s often referred to as a city “break”. Where was the break? I’d have relaxed more at home!

So it got me thinking about the difference between travelling and having a holiday. I’ve travelled a lot in the last five years but how many would I consider an actual holiday? It’s certainly in the minority as far as my adventures go.

That’s not to say I have any regrets in where I’ve visited. I’ve completely fallen in love with many of the cities that I’ve visited. New York City, Sydney, Berlin, Amsterdam, Edinburgh and many more. The list is endless and there’s many more cities still on the bucketlist.

However I’m pleased to say my next trip was motivated by a desire to relax! I wanted to go away the week of my birthday and I’ve booked a trip to Greece in August! Sunshine, sunsets and a hotel with an outdoor pool! It’ll be my first visit to Greece too! Now the countdown begins!

Tell me, what’s your ideal trip? How do you find time to relax when visiting a city?

I look forward to your thoughts! Also, any tips for Thessaloniki would be much appreciated.

All the best!

Jason

The solo traveller.

Nervous about travelling solo? Still on the fence and need a little push? Then this is for you, here is five reasons you should take that leap!

It’s life-changing

Travel is full of clichés but some clichés are clichés for a reason right? Solo travel will change your life.

My first solo trip was to Sydney, Australia. I was terrified. I’d planned everything, saved everything, booked the time off work and started telling people I was going. I only had one person left to convince: me!

You can do so much planning for any trip but I think the hardest part of planning your first solo trip is mentally. Can I do this? What if things go wrong? Will I get lonely? So many questions run through your head, so many reasons not to go, so many reasons to play safe.

It took some time, having planned it for months I only booked my flights and accommodation THREE WEEKS before going to Sydney! The thought of solo travel is scary.

Having been and done it I can tell you it is worth it. If you can travel alone then you can do anything and it gave me so much more confidence. I don’t even hesitate in taking a trip somewhere now. If you’re not coming along for the adventure, I’ll adventure on my own!

You’ll never go!

I was left with two choices for Sydney. Put it off and hope I’ll find the right company to go with someday in the future or go it alone.
I can’t possibly go alone so I guess.. I’ll probably never go.. damn.

Mentally I struggled and this is the thought that pushed me in to going. I convinced myself I’d never get to Sydney if I waited around.

Work commitments, family commitments, financial struggles, distance, arachnophobia, there were so many justifiable reasons for people to pass up the opportunity to go to Australia. These are always going to be there, arguably moreso as I get older.

If nobody else goes with me I’ll never experience that dream trip down under. Sod that!

More flexibility

I fancy steak but you’re a vegetarian. I want to see the Northern Lights but you’re planning on a sunny Winter break. You want to see the sunrise and I’m still hungover from the night before!

I love travelling with family and friends but sometimes you have to find a compromise when travelling with other people.

Solo travel means doing whatever you like, eating wherever you like and sleeping whenever you like. You’re the boss! The added flexibility sometimes gives you opportunities you wouldn’t have when travelling with other people.

SydneyFriend — Making friends in Sydney.

Approachability

“Hey, did you want to join us?”.

Sometimes I find that travelling alone actually makes you more approachable to other people. As you don’t have to worry about anyone else you’ve got no reason to turn down the invitation for a drink or to go explore your new destination together.

Never put yourself in a situation that makes you uncomfortable or feeling vulnerable but travelling alone does give you opportunities to make new friends along the way.

This can work the other way too as you find yourself more outgoing and more likely to speak to a stranger. Whether it’s asking for that perfect photo opportunity, asking for directions or making small talk with the person next to you on a flight.

People are curious of the lone traveller and want to hear your story, why not hear theirs too?

You’ve got a story for those left behind!

It’s your experience, your recommendations, your story. If you’re travelling with someone it’s one less people to share / brag about your adventure with. Guess who has some really great Sydney stories?! This guy!

I’ve had friends who’ve since been to some of the places I’ve travelled to and being able to share the knowledge and my recommendations is a great thing to be able to do.

Hopefully this has helped push you a little closer to solo travel. Having company for your travels is a truly wonderful thing and has made a lot of my trips even better having a friend or loved one with me but solo travel has its perks too. Why deny yourself more adventure?!

I’d love to hear what your thoughts are on solo travel.

All the best,

Jason