You know you're backpacking when...

Over the last few weeks I've noticed a few things about travelling. There are certain things that backpackers do that no other traveller does! There are also a few key things that help you to identify a backpacker (even if they are not carrying their backpack!).

So, here's my list. You know you're backpacking when you....
1. Spend a fair while looking for your bed each night :)
2. Cheer when you stay in a place for more than a night coz it means that you don't have to pack your bags tomorrow!
3. Are so good at riffling through your bag to find stuff that you can even do it in the dark
4. Eat the most random things for meals e.g. sorbet counts as lunch, cereal counts as dinner, breakfast could be whatever is left over from yesterday :)
5. Your diet is rather unbalanced!
6. Are stoked to find places that allow you to fill water bottles for free
7. Actually notice when people are wearing clean clothes because you can smell the washing powder and notice especially when people walking past have perfume on - it smells so nice - a stark contrast from me!
8. Wear clothes everyday that have a faint backpack smell!
9. Take up to 500 photos in a day, very easily :)
10. Are on the look out for McDonalds - which would NEVER happen at home (they offer three key things that backpackers are always looking for: 1. clean toilets for free 2. salad so the vegetable intake improves 3. free WIFI)
11. Drink cheap wine from plastic cups
12. Choose your bed for the night purely for it's location, whether you get free wifi and whether the price is decent
13. Cheer when the hostel hands out towels so you can dry yourself with something larger than a tea towel!
14. Don't know where you will be in 2 days time
15. Meet new friends every day and are sad to see them leave
16. Can cram an HUGE amount of gear into one backpack
17. Willingly throw away lots of very important and interesting paperwork (those who know me well know that I really like to keep that kind of thing....)
18. Can't remember the last time you:
- washed your clothes without paying for it
- cooked a proper meal
- didn't pay to use the loo when in public places!
- properly did your hair, bombing it up is so much easier :)
- wore make up
- slept in a room by yourself
- weren't locking up your bag coz you're a little bit paranoid about people taking things!
- drove a car
- checked your mobile phone flat out
- ate a home cooked meal!

That's quite a long list - and their are plenty more to add. Feel free to add any that you can think of :)

Backpacking is the life, that's for sure! Never a dull moment. Now I'm off to find myself some dinner. Hmmmm - what shall I have today?! Don't worry Mum and Dad, I do get plenty of fruit and a decent amount of vegetables. Must be doing ok coz I haven't been sick!

Looking forward to hearing your ideas,
Love Sarah xx

Fashion Tragedies and Bag Explosions

Dearest readers,

Let me introduce you to two words that have become part of my vocabulary in the last few months.

1. Fashion Tragedy - a fashion tragedy usually occurs when one is backpacking, as a result of a limited wardrobe and a lack of washing. There are various things that can be classed as a fashion tragedy e.g. socks that don't match with shoes, wearing hiking boots in the most inappropriate places, wearing shorts and t-shirts that don't really match and generally looking like a dag. A fashion tragedy is made even better when your backpack becomes your frontpack. This may seem weird to you but it helps me keep tabs on my wallet!!

2. Bag Explosion - a bag explosion usually happens within 5 minutes of arriving at your destination. As you can imagine, it occurs when you unzip your bag and the contents fly out, seeming to have a mind of their own. The best and most impressive bag explosions happen when more of your bag's contents are spread out around the room rather than being in the bag, which is where they belong.

I think I may re-invent the term bag explosion when I get home. The new word will be room explosion. For room explosions I take no responsibility. Bag explosions and room explosions happen all by themselves!

A fashion tragedy I spotted in Vienna. You will know that I've been travelling too long if you see me doing this..... IT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A little example of a fashion tragedy. This one isn't too bad :) Note the hiking boots, knee brace, frontpack and hairpiece :)

One of the best bag explosions I've had!!! (There may have been some interference for the sake of the photo...)

Photos as promised...

Hello everyone,

Here are some photos that act as evidence that I did actually return to Holland, albeit briefly, with Mel. A quick run down of the pics: the t-shirt craze in Holland for the Queen's Birthday celebration and for tacky tourists, canals, lots of them :), a bike park - not a car park - with more bikes that you would ever be able to count, cousins Erik and Rita, who kindly allowed me to spend a night with them so I could spend some time with Erik in his truck, Mel, Janita and I having our ice bar experience, one of my favourite things to eat in the whole world, Martinitoren, the Groningen marketplace, me...., Erik's truck that I travelled in, learning how to be a truckie and see the off-the-beaten-track parts of Holland and the HEYS shop I found in Leek!! A very cool find :)
Enjoy xxx

Where is she now?

So... my blog says I am in Germany. Not so!

Since Germany I have been to Prague, Vienna, Bad Gastein - the coolest place on earth! - Split and Dubrovnik.

I am currently in Naples but heading off to Rome tomorrow!! Can't wait for that!

More blog updates will follow soon :) So hard to find time for that when there is a world to see :)

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Love Sarah xxx

Gorgeous Groningen

Hello everyone,

I've been trying to find time to blog lately but travelling has been preventing me from doing so! I'm sure you can forgive me...

After London Mel and I headed into the Netherlands again. I had a great time visiting a few museums that I'd previously missed - the Hermitage (fantastic, more contemporary, art) and the Rembrandt House (we got to see how Rembrandt lived and worked which was really cool) as well as spending a day with Dad's cousin Erik, who is a truck driver. Spending a day in a truck meant that I saw parts of Holland that I would have never have visited otherwise as well as learning some handy trucking skills :) Erik and I had a great day together!

Then it was off to Groningen on the train. Little did we realise that Dutch trains like to start off as one whole train and then split into two at a random point in the journey. Mel and I thought we were going to Groningen but found ourselves arriving in Leeuwarden (I think that is how you spell it....). All was not lost though, because the next train from there to Groningen came within 30 mins. The only minor detail was that we arrived a few hours later than planned!

We had a fantastic time in Groningen - it such a pretty city. Thank you very much, Oma and Opa, for your fantastic tips! We went up the Martinitoren, enjoyed a coffee in the cafe below, wandered through the beautiful town admiring the architecture, explored the markets and generally had a fantastic time enjoying the sunshine.

The next day we visited Leek and I found a shoe shop named Heys! It was such a surprise! I've never seen my name written up in lights like that :)

Next stop - Germany!

I have tried yesterday afternoon, last night and now this morning to add more photos. Internet connection not feeling happy. Must be in shock that I am attempting to blog again....! So, I guess its 'Tot Ziens' to this post for now. Will add more photos later, I promise!

Germany - What a Ripper!

Germany is AMAZING! I LOVED it! My 3 days in the country certainly weren’t enough… there is so much to see and do. Germany has a mix of everything – amazing buildings, controversial history, beautiful scenery and really great people.

We spent a day in Bremen, a cute little town/city not far from the border and then made our way to Berlin – where we spent two full days. We certainly did wish for more time, but we did make the most of the little time we had!

In Berlin we went on a tour of the city, went to a museum on the history of the Nazis, visited the Berlin Dom (which is a Protestant church - they sing the same psalms as we do!), visited various sections of the Berlin Wall and read a lot of the history, visited the East Side Gallery (which is a section of the Wall that has been turned into an art gallery - incredible!), went swimming because it was so incredibly hot and heaps more!

We bought ourselves a two day pass for the U-Bahn and S-Bahn and that little pass got the work-out of its life! We navigated our way from one end of the city and back and through many other little routes in between to ensure we saw as much as humanly possible! Then we took ourselves back to the Hauptbahnhof to crash into our train seats for the journey to Prague. Whew!
(no photos attached to this post.... my camera died in Germany which was a HUGE shame. I did buy a new one but as a result don't have any pictures to add here.... shame).

Dear Berlin, you are fantastic! I loved the hours I spent in your city. I will do lots more reading and get a better grasp on your history when I get home.

Love Sarah J

Checking Out The Czech Republic

I was just wandering around Prague and bam, I suddenly found Lauren a job! That’s Stuart sorted, Lauren sorted, Phil has got himself well sorted already so that leaves me…. The only unemployed slacker in the whole family. Oh, that’s right! Someone has to see the world. It may as well be me :)

We spent two full days in Prague – a city that certainly lived up to its expectations. So many people who have travelled before me said that this was high up on their list of great cities and I can see why.

It’s really easy to get around in, it is quite small so most things are within walking distance and it’s so bright and colourful! The shop windows are colourful, the buildings are colourful and everything looks really happy – also helped by the fact that the weather was so beautiful while we were there.

We saw marionettes everywhere – that were so intricately carved and decorated and also so many beautiful paintings and photographs – it made me wish for a bigger suitcase :) The arts rule here – puppetry, opera, classical music, glass work, painting, jewellery making and heaps of other art and craft. Inspirational, for sure.

Pictures tell a thousand words, so check out Prague for yourself (by looking at my photos or googling or better yet, visit yourself!)

Love Sarah xx

Random bus driver deciding to have a smoke break…. we had just arrived into Prague on a train and it took well and truly over an hour to get 'home' – we finally made it to the hostel at about 10:30pm

Can you read Czech?!? After a day I managed to figure out a few bit here and there :)

A few of the gorgeous marionettes – we saw a Don Giovanni puppet play based on a piece by Mozart. The puppeteers were very talented. A good laugh for sure!

Beautiful Prague rooftops

Beside the gorgeous Vltava River that winds its way around Prague

The most unbelievable find! In Prague of all places – who would have thought?!

The Prague Castle in the background

Busy, Busy, Busy!

HELLO dear readers!

Yes. I am still alive! It may seem like I have dropped off the edge of the earth over the last week or two but that is most definitely not the case.

I've simply been too busy to blog! Three new posts have been uploaded so feel free to have a read.

Enjoy,
Sarah xx

London Bridge is Falling Down

All of you travellers would know this, but London Bridge is the most uninspiring bridge there ever was. Obviously the original is no longer there – the current concrete structure is ugly, bland and boring. Tower Bridge (pictured) is what you want to see – that is one stunning piece of architecture!

As I wandered around London I got to thinking (calm down! I do think sometimes) about the fact that everyone who goes to South Africa usually is keen to do a safari to see the BIG 5! Well, London has it’s own Big 5. Touristy? Yes! Worth seeing? Yes! Should you get a photo of these places just so you can show that you’ve been there? Most definitely. So, here is Sarah’s Big 5 of London – in no particular order:

- Big Ben
- Westminster Abbey
- Buckingham Palace (and the changing of the guards)
- Tower Bridge
- Broadway

It was quite hard to narrow it down to 5 coz London has soooooooooooo many sights! Trafalgar Square, Hyde Park, Borough Markets, Covent Garden, the London Eye, the Tower of London, red phone booths, red double decker buses, the London Underground are just a few of the places/things that could be added to the list. In my opinion, the 5 I’ve chosen epitomise iconic London. Anyone who wants to share their London Big 5, post a comment, I’d love to hear your ideas! Especially the ideas of those of you that have lived in London! It’s vibrant city that you could wander in and explore for months. Mel and I have had a marvellous time soaking it all in.

Enjoy the photos,
Sarah xxx

Big Ben - which is actually the name of the bell inside the clock tower. Big Ben's correct name is actually The Clock Tower :)

We went to Broadway to see Wicked! It was absolutely fantastic! The professionalism blew me away. Each broadway show has its own theatre which is really cool.

front - Michael, back - Chris, Shaney, moi, Ben, Shandon
On Friday night we met up with a bunch of people (mostly from my Topdeck tour in Turkey) for Shaney's birthday. We had a great evening catching up and chatting. On the way home Mel and I found ourselves in a bit of trouble - our bus was put out of service on the way 'home' thanks to a guy on the bus who was sick. This meant the 40 minute journey turned into a 90 minute episode. All part of the fun!

The changing of the guards. I got there really early so I had a great spot, as you can see. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the ceremony - lots of marching, bands and tradition. A unique experience.

Wimbeldon! The BEST way to spend a Saturday afternoon :) We bought ground tickets which meant we could wander around the Wimbeldon grounds - which are huge - and also watch any minor games on the outside courts - mostly juniors. We watched Serena win her final on the big screen, which was really cool. We also saw some wheelchair tennis. THAT is unbelievable - the athletes certainly are incredibly talented.

Monopoly

Hey everyone,

As I wandered around London I felt like I was in playing a real life game of Monopoly! So many of the regions on the tube map, streets you walk up and stations that you pass are on the board. I had a great time taking photos of as many Monopoly streets and places as I could. Quite the challenge as London is such an incredibly HUGE city. It did feel quite unreal to be walking down streets with such familiar names like Park Lane, Fleet Street and Pall Mall. It’s certainly easy to see why Park Lane and Mayfair are the most expensive on the game board!

Obviously I didn’t get a photo of everything – that’s fairly impossible to do in a few days! But I did find a whole bunch. Here's a taste.

Love Sarah xxx

Adventuring in Scotland

Hey everyone,

After my fantabulous camping holiday with Janita, I had a bit of ‘spare’ time before Mel arrived. Spare time is very easy to fill when you’re in Europe! I headed off to the UK and spent a day in London before heading up to Scotland. In Scotland I caught up with some of the crew from Turkey. Was like meeting old friends! Really cool to hang out with people who’ve shared some of the same experiences as you, especially one like ANZAC Day. We met in Edinburgh where we explored the city for a day – so many hauntingly beautiful buildings. Many are made of sandstone and now almost look black because they are not cleaned regularly. It really makes you feel like you’re in an ancient city or in a Harry Potter novel...

While walking around in Edinbugh Shandon and I saw a guy holding a sign that blared, ‘FREE HIGHLANDS TOURS’. What backpacker would walk past that?!?! So, being the dedicated backpackers that we are, we stopped to ask about it. Could the tour really be free? YES! The tour company is new and they have set up their company so that the tours are conducted on a tips only basis. Ben and I (Shandon was busy) headed out on the tour the next day, which was incredible! We saw so much of the Scottish country side, saw some hairy coos (highland cows) and generally explored the beauty of Scotland. A great day out which also included some interesting Scottish history told with genuine Scottish humour.

After this taste of the highlands we knew that we had to see more so we hired a car and headed out for three days, which definitely isn’t long enough! We saw Loch Ness (no monsters anywhere), tasted some real Scotch Whiskey (which was a bit hard for me to swallow – still definitely a Bacardi girl!), explored the Isle of Skye (which is absolutely awe inspiring – definitely a place to spend a week or two), climbed part of the way up Ben Nevis (the highest mountain in the UK – we only did a part coz we were limited on time), saw Glasgow and then headed back to Edinburgh so I could board the mega-death (which is the name given to the overnight bus back to London) to meet Mel.

An awesome way to spend a few days – with two really great people! Thanks Ben and Shandon :)

Leah, Scotland is a beautiful country. YOU WILL LOVE IT! And the accent is almost as good as the Irish one. Almost!

So that’s another episode in Sarah’s life. Can’t complain, can I!

Have a fabulous week,

Love to you all and a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all my friends and family who have a birthday in July – Heidi, Lyndon, Des, Hannah, Harold, Opa, Uncle John (I’m pretty sure you’re in July!), Jade, Alyssa, Chaz, Shaney and anyone who I may have accidentally forgotten due to the fact that my brain isn’t being used for anything beyond ‘where will I sleep, how will I get there, what price did you say that was, when does my bus/train/plane leave, how much money do I have, where can I do my washing, where is my passport, is there a powerpoint around here where I can charge my computer/camera battery/phone, do you have WIFI, where is the nearest supermarket/ATM, how do I get to the bus/train station, what will I eat, I should update my blog.’

Sarah xx

Yes, for those of you that are wondering. They do drive on the left in Scotland :)

Delightful Edinburgh

A hairy coo - and hairy they are!

For my dear little brother! It's even the correct spelling :) This is on the Isle of Skye in a little town called Portree. I'm sure they would give you a job if you need one :) I can send you their details if you want to pass on a resume :)

My travel buddies - Ben & Shandon. And guess who was the driver for the most part? Ben's excuse was that he was tired and preferred to sleep and Shandon's excuse was that he doesn't know how to drive a manual!! I was pretty happy with the outcome :)

On top of the world!

The Old Man of Storr - the rock that is, not Ben in the foreground...

Ben Nevis