A Postcard from the World

Lessons learned from Study Abroad

2011-03-21T05:02:00.000-07:00

Like most foreign-language students, I spent a year of my degree programme studying abroad in France and Spain under the Erasmus programme. It was a year like no other, one which simultaneously live my student life to the full and prepared me for adult life and 'the real world' like no other. It was an extended holiday, a bureaucratic nightmare, and ordinary, daily life. It is a whirlwind of experiences, where you have to learn quickly, make friends quicker and make the most of the time spent abroad before returning to the grey drizzle of Northern England. I learnt a lot more than language skills in those months - here are some of the most important or memorable lessons I learnt, which may help any traveller spending an extended period of time somewhere.

1. Engage with the locals
I didn't do this enough. On the Erasmus year, there was a real sense of 'us' - the multinational collection of foreign students and 'them' - the home students, who looked at us like we were aliens landed from space. They didn't really make an effort to get to know us, but why would they? We were foreign, it was an effort to hold a fast-paced conversation with us and we were only staying for a few months. Perhaps if we hadn't clung to each other like survivors on a raft in the middle of the ocean, we would have had a greater chance of forming friendships with native students - I suppose it is the expat phenomenon. As it was, we must have formed a pretty formidable and strange group. It is natural to gravitate towards other people like you, who understand your situation and I do not regret one bit the deep and lasting friendships I forged that year, but I do wish I had made more of an effort to really get to know more of the local people and not have worried so much about my bad Spanish or whether they would like me. I should have been more fearless, which is easy to say in hindsight!

2. Take every opportunity to explore the town, region and country
Living abroad for a short period is not an opportunity which presents itself everyday, so you have to maximise the possibilities while there. I was very lucky in this respect; the friends I made were just as keen to explore and we were there for just the right amount of time where certain things became routine but most things were novel and exciting. We spent our weekends exploring - we made trips to other cities, to the surrounding countryside, or engrossed in cultural experiences in our briefly adopted home cities. I saw so many places and have so many good memories of those weekends, not to mention albums full of photos! I was an unashamed tourist, with the result that I know know the cultural heritage, geographical layout and hidden gems in various French and Spanish towns better than places I've spent years calling home in England. A few months in a place offers this unique opportunity to live the local life while still having the fresh eyes and eagerness of a visitor.

3. Pack light
It's amazing how little stuff we actually need to live civilised, daily life. The amount of luggage I could take was heavily limited by the baggage restrictions of budget airlines, but even so, I could have got by on less. It's better to take little, buy cheaply any extras you need when there and then donate stuff to charity shops or pass on books and course materials to incoming students when leaving. It is also good not to get too sentimental about stuff you buy there and not treat everything as a 'souvenir'. Of course, take a few things back to remind you of the place, but for me this was always in the form of leaflets, maps, key chains and the odd piece of jewellery - not exactly things that take up a lot of space in a suitcase. A few months or a year abroad is an incredibly liberating experience, full of hazy, halycon days where you a free to explore and live life to the full, don't let luggage weigh you down.Shclepping through an airport or on and off trains laden down with heavy bags is a horrible experience and it's just not worth it.

4. Don't fight the systems
This especially applies for study abroad, but is relevant for anyone living abroad for any length of time. Every country has their own way of doing things and however crazy and frustrating that way of doing things is, it is pointless to try and fight it. The Erasmus experience takes international bureacracy to a whole new level and in order to get the mobility grant to help fund the year, you pretty much have to sell your soul to the devil. From trying to open - and then close - a bank account in France, to crying at the international students' office in Spain, I've been there, done it and got the T-shirt when it comes to insane bureacracy. To this day, I'm not sure if my bank account in France ever did get closed, I merely assume it has, due to the fact that so far I haven't been arrested on arrival into the country due to unpaid bank charges. France is especially notorious for paperwork, but Spain, with its laid-back air, can be equally as infuriating when trying to get things done. Their outlook that everything will happen in its own good time and that paperwork will more or less sort itself is a nice idea, but causes endless amounts of difficulties. These things are just facts of life - you just have to breathe deeply, count to ten and refuse to let it get to you, otherwise you could spend all your time there getting tangled in a bureacratic nightmare rather than enjoying sangria at a beach bar. I know which I'd rather be doing.

5. Enjoy it
I know that sounds trite and corny, but it is all too easy to get bogged down in the minutae of everyday life that happens everywhere in the world. If you have the chance to spend some time living abroad, whether studying working, or as a pause while travelling, it is a wonderful experience. While of course you still have responsibilites, particularly if you are working, it is almost like a break from real life. Make the time to enjoy whichever fabulous location you end up in - there is never too little time to enjoy a glass of wine at a pavement cafe as the sun goes down. Don't feel that you can't be a 'tourist' because you are living there - the liberating thing of spending only a few months somewhere is that hardly anyone knows you, few people recognise you and you'll soon be gone - so make the most of it and do things you wouldn't normally dream of doing. As long as those things are not highly illegal, of course! Looking back, that year was the best year of my life so far. Sure, there were difficulties along the way, sometimes it rained, I had an essay to write and laundry to do, but mostly it was amazing and if I could do it all again, then I most definitely would.

50 things that make me happy

2011-03-18T05:07:00.000-07:00

I admit, I nicked this idea from @Velcro108, who apparently nicked it from someone else and he did encourage his followers to make their own list. Today just felt like a good day to count my blessings, as it were, with Comic Relief fever taking over the country today and the memories (and hangover!) from St. Paddy's Day festivities yesterday. There's something in the air, a feeling of possibility and happiness, so here's the 50 things that make me truly happy - I'd love to get your comments or ideas.

1. Freedom. With everything going on in the world right now, I'm so glad that I am free - to travel, to express myself, to be myself.

2. Travel

3. Friends

4. My brother. No matter how exasperating he gets, he always makes me laugh.

5. Oviedo, the Spanish city which stole my heart and refuses to give it back.

6. Mumford & Sons. I challenge you to listen to their music and not feel anything.

7. The feeling that everything is possible and the world is out there, just waiting to be explored.

8. Speaking Portuguese. It's just the most delightful language on the tongue.

9. Learning languages.

10. Writing.

11. People. I'm happiest when communicating or in the company of others. I'm rubbish at being by myself for very long.

12. Dancing the night away, or indeed the day.

13. The first signs of Spring

14. Random acts of kindness - they reaffirm my faith in humanity

15. Curling up under a blanket with a hot water bottle and a hot chocolate when it's cold and miserable outside

16. Stargazing

17. Playing the piano

18. Singing at the top of my voice when I'm alone in the house

19. Taking pictures - it makes you look at the world in a whole different way

20. Lazing on the grass on a sunny afternoon

21. BBQs and cocktails with friends that go on long into the night

22. My cat gazing at me adoringly, even if it is only because I'm giving her food

23. Being constantly surprised by this world in all its beauty and diversity

24. Getting immersed in the medieval past

25. Reading a great novel

26. Doing something spontaneous and new

27. Getting from one place to another without any transport glitches or delays

28. Hearing babies laugh

29. Making children eager to learn something and watching their eyes light up as the penny drops

30. A good cup of tea at 4pm

31. Baking and licking the spatula

32. Having philosophical debates while eating homemade ice-cream with my Grandma

33. Strawberries on a summer day

34. Putting the world to rights at 3am after a night out

35. The anticipation the night before an adventure

36. Being woken by the sun streaming in through the window, rather than an alarm clock

37. Being caught in a thunderstorm

38. The first snowflakes of winter

39. Tiramisu

40. A leisurely breakfast outside on a sunny weekend morning

41. Planning my next travel adventure with my globe, guidebooks, pictures and a glass of wine

42. Laughing so hard you cry and being unable to stop, even though you can't remember what set you off in the first place

43. Expressions of pure, unbridled joy

44. A song that takes on a significance for a particular moment in time

45. Standing on top of a mountain and taking in the view

46. Love, in all its many forms

47. Doing something that makes somebody smile

48. Going on long walks on a crisp day and ending up at a country pub

49. Rediscovering something from childhood you'd forgotten about

50. The seemingly unbeatable human spirit, which survives even when it seems impossible, and its extraordinary power to do good.

Wow, I thought 50 was a lot of things when I began this list, but there are so many more I could mention - I'm positively grinning now :)

Behind the Headlines: The Middle East

2011-03-14T07:04:00.000-07:00

The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures. (Article 21.3, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

The struggle for freedom in the Middle East is far from over; it is only just beginning. The fight for Libya is still continuing and getting more aggressive by the day. This country, at least, is still getting plenty of coverage. However, there are many more which are out of the media spotlight. It is understandable that in the wake of two devastating natural disasters, first in New Zealand and now in Japan, that the focus of the world has shifted. However, what is not understandable is that the breakdown of some celebrity by the name of Charlie Sheen is worthy of far more press coverage than the brutal repression of human rights in a multitude of nations.

Tunisia and Egypt were surprising, dramatic and attention-grabbing examples of revolution. The protesters captured the imagination of an international audience and the power of social media meant that the world could not ignore what was going on. However, there are Arab countries with even more oppressive regimes than the ones we have so far seen toppled.

In Saudi Arabia, there are signs of young people becoming galvanized, but they are cautious, and rightly so. The King prohibits any kind of opposition to his rule and political parties are banned. The rest of the world tiptoes carefully around this nation because of their vast reserves of oil. Saudi reformists had proposed a 'Day of Rage' for March 11, but very little happened. The state police intensfied their security at all major points and the oil markets held their breath, sighing very audibly with relief when the day ended as quietly as it had begun. Political reform in Saudi Arabia carries severe risks and penalties - and Western countries, worried about oil, are hardly going to do anything to upset the status quo.

Saudi forces have today anwered the call of Bahrain's rulers, anxious to stamp out the protests currently taking place. Troops arrived there this morning after protesters and police clashed violently yesterday. It seems that the ruling prince is willing to begin a process of reform to introduce a proper parliamentary system, but the arrival of foreign troops is an unwelcome development in the eyes of the reformists.

In Algeria, meanwhile, protests are continuing despite widespread arrests by police. Their president has effectively instated himself as a dictator and all protests, rallies and demonstrations are officially banned.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression (Article 19, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights).

The whole world responded to the calls of Egyptian citizens; we cannot abandon the rest of the Middle East just because it is getting more difficult. The fact that Saudi Arabia bans all political parties is not OK. Their citizens have the same human rights as the rest of us. The West cannot deny them those rights because it is worried about oil. The fact that Algeria bans public expression of opinion is not OK. We need to maintain the pressure and scrutiny on these nations for however long that takes, without giving up. We need to show the same solidarity and support to citizens of any nation seeking make their voices heard and to overcome oppression. We cannot allow leaders to pick and choose which Human Rights they implement and our own leaders should not be allowed to turn a blind eye when it is convenient for them.

Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized. (Article 28, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights).

Useful links:

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Saudi Arabia: Western relief at Non-Day of Rage
Saudi Arabia: young reformists
Bahrain unrest
Algeria: blocked protests

Carnaval!

2011-03-08T10:36:00.000-08:00

Where in the world are you today? If you're lucky, somewhere that celebrates Mardi Gras in style. I'm in rural England, which doesn't really go in for wild carnivals, so I've had to content myself with making a load of pancakes, but this time two years ago, I was in Spain, and boy do the Spanish know how to throw a party. While not on the scale of Rio, the usually sedate town of Oviedo (my favourite place in the world, if you didn't already know) came alive in an explosion of colour and sound for Carnaval.

Bagpipe players, a mainstay of any Asturian celebration, kicked off proceedings with a rousing rendition of the regional anthem and marched off toward the cathedral, where we would all be gathering later. Then, as crowds lined each side of the main street into the Old Town, the parades began. Various groups get together and spend weeks desigining costumes, coreographing dances and coming up with themes. There's a prize for the best group in the parade, so things get serious, in a vibrant, high-spirited kind of way. The groups came thick and fast, to the sound of drums, music and laughter. Whole families take part, from grandparents to the smallest infants. Even children not in the parade get dressed up and in their costumes, they are just too adorable for words.

Finally, when all the participants had gone past, the crowd followed them to the cathedral, where bagpipers and folk dancers were already waiting. Soon, the square was full to bursting with people, in various costumes, traditional dress and everyday clothes and the judging began. Once the victorious group had recieved their trophy and shouted a lot, the bagpipe players struck up once again and the folk dancers danced to the rhythm of their castanets.

After a while, everyone dispersed to take a siesta and to get ready for the evening festivities. The daytime had been for the children, but the night was for the adults, so after dinner we dressed in our own fancy dress costumes and headed to the Plaza del Sol for the most rowdy but good-natured botellon of my life. I was greeted by an incredible hulk and many, many guys in drag. You could be forgiven for thinking that hundreds of people ready for a party crammed into a square with alchohol freely flowing sounds like a recipe for disaster. In fact, the general air of bonhomie and the fact that a Spanish night out is a marathon rather than a sprint, meaning that it's wise to pace yourself, as far as the booze is concerned, meant that it was just joyously mad and happy, rather than drunk and disorderly.

By the time the sun came up, I was more than ready for bed, but that is how you party in Spain. Although I like pancakes as much as the next person, after experiencing Carnaval in Spain, I can't tell you how much I miss the cries of 'Fiestaaaaaaaa!'

Travel Memories

2011-03-07T05:32:00.000-08:00

Every now and again, it's good to take stock and reflect on things. On the brink of an as-yet-unbooked but planned out 4-5 month adventure in South America, this seems like as good a time as any to look back on the travels I've already been on. It's also a time to be realistic, my head is full of dreams and ideals that I need to get my feet back on the ground and remember what it is really like when things don't entirely go to plan. Here are three snapshots of my travel past - not the most dazzling or exciting moments perhaps, but just ones that, for one reason or another, stick in my mind.

Jemaa el-Fnaa
18 years old, my first trip abroad as a 'grown-up', without parents or other responsible adults, was to Marrakesh. While most of my friends opted for summer breaks in Ibiza, Xante or other party destinations, I persuaded one of my closest friends to join me on a Moroccan adventure. I usually credit Marrakesh with giving me the travel bug, but it is clear that I already had a sense of wanderlust, a yearning for the exotic and different - otherwise why would I have chosen an searingly hot, chaotic, dusty city rather than a beach break? Watching the square come to life at night, with sizzling aromas and foreign shouts filling the air, is something I will never forget. Neither is the awful delhi belly I got after eating at the outdoor food stalls, but with the passage of time that's a funny memory! Most of all though, that square represents the start of my life as a travel junkie.

The storms in Cacahoatan
My foolhardy, adventurous spirit took me to the very south of Mexico a couple of years later, an experience that in some ways I'd rather forget, but in many more I want to remember forever. It was the most extraordinary place, for me the other side of the world. I was staying 5 minutes away from the border with Guatemala, basically in the jungle, in a village of tin shacks housing Mayan families who didn't see many white people and who had never met someone from England. The mechanic who worked at a garage on the road into the town couldn't believe I was actually from such a distant - in his mind practically make-believe - land. The town itself consisted of a couple of internet cafes and shops selling a whole hodge-podge of mainly useless items and if I wanted to go there, it had to be in the morning to avoid getting caught in the afternoon rains. Coming from a calm, temperate little island, I had never seen nature's forces unleashed like this - most afternoons the garden would flood, once even knocking down parts of the low stone wall and we had to turn off the electric items inside the house to avoid lightning strikes. One day one of the children I was looking after was at the sink. The next moment there was a blinding light and a scream. Lightning had come through the tap. Luckily she wasn't hurt, just scared, quite understandably. It was the most surreal experience and while I would be happy to never experience lightning at such close range again, it was pretty incredible.

Spending a rainy day in Santander
While not quite as dramatic as the rain in Mexico, it can get pretty heavy in Spain on occasion. My Fair Lady lies: the rain in Spain does not fall mainly in the plain, pretty much all of it falls on the mountainous regions of Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia. On this particular day, Santander was particularly wet. It was also a Sunday and we were en-route back to Oviedo after a couple of days in Bilbao. At the time, spending a day in Santander sounded like a great idea, so we had booked on a coach in the morning and another one leaving in the evening. We left Bilbao in glorious sunshine that morning, but as we hit the road, the sky darkened ominously. By the time we arrived in Santander, it was tipping it down and showed no signs of letting up. We ran from the bus station to the nearest cafe and wondered what the hell to do for the next 9 hours. In the end, we had a very enjoyable day, we did get soaked, but we explored a wonderful maritime museum, one of the few places open on a Sunday and visited the lovely cathedral and old town when the rain let up a little. By the end of the day, we were becoming slightly delirious and, having pretty much exhausted the diversions offered on a rainy, out-of-season Sunday, we spent a good hour and a half in a cafe with enough chocolate con churros to make us sick. But unexpected days are often the ones you remember, and I think we made the best we could of the situation!

Maybe if I had a different mindset, I wouldn't look back on those moments with fondness - in some ways I suppose they could all be characterised as unlucky - but to me they are what travelling is all about. You do get food poisining, it does rain, lightning does strike. However, these are the moments that allow you to see a place as it truly is, not as a picture postcard. If all you want are beautiful images, you can just get the brochures and never leave your own lounge. But seeing places for how they truly are - and still finding reasons to love them - for me that is what travel is all about and that is why I will keep travelling, come what may.

How to cope with being a traveller when you're at home

2011-02-28T03:40:00.000-08:00

There are two types of people in this world; those who have been bitten by the travel bug and those who have not. For people who are not innate travellers, there is no longing for distant lands they know nothing about, they may take an annual holiday to a place where they can lie on the beach and get a suntan but at the end of the week they will be all too happy to come home, sleep in their own beds and get on with their lives. This is quite normal, I have realised. But for those of us with this incurable condition, this insatiable desire for travel, being at home for any great length of time can be torturous. It is also sadly often necessary, to save and earn money, family committments etc. It is difficult, particularly when your next adventure feels like a long way over the horizon, but there are a few ways to cope:

1. Plan your next trip
Even if it seems like a long time before you will get to go away again, you can start planning at any stage. Sit down with an atlas, pinpoint some places and create your dream itinerary. From these inital flights of fancy, you can then research your options and figure out how to make it a reality. This will not only keep you sane, but the preparation means that you will have a bespoke, tailor-made trip perfect for you.

2. Immerse yourself in other cultures
This is what you do when you're travelling, so why not do it at home? Steer clear of Hollywood blockbusters at the local multiplex and instead arm yourself with a stack of foreign-language DVDs. Good film has the power to transport you, so go on a virtual adventure to the country and time period of your choice! Buy the Human Planet box set for a true round-the-world cultural exploration. Likewise find good novels about various places and go on a world tour from your armchair.

For a more active way of doing this, join a group, such as a salsa class or Italian conversation class to learn a skill which will be useful on your travels and to meet new people. Also, go to festivals, carnivals and other cultural events. You'll be amazed at the diversity you can find on your own doorstep!

3. Be a fabulous host
Your home might feel boring to you, but for someone else, it's an adventure and an enviable travel destination. This is a perfect time to repay the kindness you have experienced on your travels by having friends and even couchsurfers to stay. By taking them on a tour of your local area, you will also do things you never normally do and see your town with fresh eyes. It is the perfect excuse to be a tourist at home!

Being a tourist in my hometown!

4. Connect with other travellers
The internet is a wonderful thing and it is especially great for keeping in touch with people you have met and for connecting with other like-minded people. With sites like twitter and travel blog networks, you can exchange stories, information and plans with others. These people, unlike your own family perhaps, will understand exactly how you feel and will be able to help you through this non-travelling period!

5. Get away for the weekend
As a last resort, when your feet are just too itchy to bear, find a cheap weekend deal, whether in your own country or overseas, and just take a short break away. This will not cure your need for travel, but just a couple of days in a different place will at least soothe it for a while.

Solving the 'where to stay?' dilemma

2011-02-10T15:45:00.000-08:00

It's not surprising that a lot of time and energy can be spent trying to choose suitable accommodation for your travels. It's often a big chunk of your budget and can make or break the trip, depending on whether it's good or disastrous. I've learnt now, through much trial and error, that there are no hard and fast rules to the best place to stay: expensive doesn't always equal good and cheap doesn't always mean a hostel. The best thing I've found is to mix it up a bit; generally when I go away, unless it's a mini-break, I'll end up staying in various different places. Sometimes I'll stay mostly in hostels, then have treat of a nice hotel, or I use and abuse friends' hospitality and combine with budget guesthouses. Here, I'll just outline the main options and in what situations they might be best. It's by no means a definitive guide, simply a subjective view!

1. Hostels
Often the first place considered by young travellers on a tight budget, hostels actually come in all shapes and sizes and nowadays have much to offer travellers of all ages and means. There are the really basic, not-for-the-faint-hearted options, literally just a crash-pad when you'll be spending all day and most of the night out. At the other end of the scale, there are more 'boutique' hostels, with smaller rooms, the option of private rooms, a pool, lounge, games-room, computer suite.... However, hostels shouldn't just be considered because of budget, they are actually a great option if you're a solo traveller in a new place as they are very social, friendly places with the opportunity to meet lots of like-minded people. Sharing tips with your roommates or breakfast companions is a great way to find out about the hidden gems of the city. Of course, there is the risk that you'll be rooming withhysterical 18-year-olds who wake you up at 4am when they rock in drunk, but more often than not, you'll end up with people you can have an enjoyable chat with. Who needs sleep, anyway?!
www.hostelworld.com is a great starting point.

2.Hotels
With everything from 1-5star and hundreds of contradictory reviews, it can be hard to know where to start when booking a hotel. One thing to note is that this is not necessarily a more expensive option than a hostel, especially if there are two of you sharing the room. When you need a bit of personal space and peace, rather than a new social life, a hotel is going to be a better option. www.booking.com is one of the best sites I've found - it has very competitive prices compared with other search engines and covers a mind-boggling amount of hotels. It's very easy and simple to use and great deals can be had. Also worth considering are the secret hotels by the likes of lastminute and expedia, which offer more upmarket hotels at much-reduced prices, but they don't tell you which hotel it is until you've booked it. I did this when I went to Barcelona and ended up in a lovely hotel for very little money indeed!

3. Homestays, friends, contacts!
I am shameless when it comes to taking advantage of the friends I have living in different countries! I don't just rock up on their doorstep or anything, but this is a really great option, and not just for the money you might save. You get a local's perspective on the place, which is a rare insight for a visitor. It also offers you a real 'home away from home' where you can cook a meal with food bought from a supermarket, without having to share one hob with 50 million people, something that's quite a novelty if you've been hotel and hostel hopping for a while. I'm not saying you should abuse your friends' hospitality - always take a gift and muck in with the cooking and cleaning - but it can be a really refreshing style of travel accommodation. If you're in a country where you don't have a network of friends on hand to put you up, consider local homestays or couchsurfing options - these are usually significantly cheaper, if not free, options and again offer the chance to get an insider's view, rather than a tourist's. The only downside is that the location might not be quite as convenient, but this is a very small downside, compared with all the advantages.

The key is, as far as I can work out, not to stress about it. Explore your options, see what your budget will allow, and go with the flow. Mix it up a bit, by arranging a different type of accommodation for each part of your trip, that way even if one doesn't suit you, you've got the next one to look forward to! But above all, treat it as a place to lay your head at night. You can book into a hotel at Stansted airport if you really want to (or have an early flight!) - you haven't come to see the inside of a bedroom; you've come to see what's out there! Life's too short to spend hours reading the minutiae of hotel websites; treat it all as an experience, learn the type of place you like, pick up tip-offs along the way and enjoy the ride!

Living the American Dream

2011-02-04T04:57:00.000-08:00

Chicago. There is something all-american about this city. Situated in the Midwest, it is a cool and classy place, less frenzied than New York, less self-concious than LA. It has a big-city feel with more skyscrapers than you could shake a stick at but also has a beach bordering lake Michigan, which feels more like open sea. In short, Chicago has the best of everything.

There's an awful lot to see and do in this city, so here are just 5 of the best.

Watch a Cubs Game
Being British, I vaguely knew that baseball existed from watching American TV shows, but that was the extent of it. I had no idea what the rules were (that's still pretty hazy even now) but it was one of the best experiences ever! If you're going to watch a baseball game anywhere in the states, make it Chicago. It is home to Wrigley Field, the iconic baseball stadium and the Cubs fans are the most loyal and downright crazy of all. The Cubs don't exactly do well (they haven't won the world series for over 100 years) but this only seems to make the fans adore them more.

Then of course, there is the beer ninja, who can open beers faster than you can blink (this looks more impressive than it sounds, trust me!) And of course there is the wonderfully named player - Kosuke Fukudome. What more could you ask for? I found myself getting just as involved as the fans, cheering whenever they did, which was a lot, although nothing of any note seemed to be happening on the pitch. When somebody finally did get a home run, we blew the top off the stadium (sorry about that!) It is the ultimate Chicago experience.

Explore downtown
And do a lot of shopping! Downtown Chicago is shopping heaven. Anything you could want, huge stores and when you need a break, cafes with mind-boggling drinks menus. However, when you've shopped to your heart's content (or possibly before, so that you're not laden down with bags) just enjoy wandering around downtown. The bean is a major draw for visitors - it sounds mad that a large mirrored sculpture shaped like a kidney bean could be at all enthralling, but it really is. Try and resist going up to it, touching it, going under it, pulling funny faces at it. I certainly couldn't! It also gives you a whole new (slightly skew-whiff) perspective on the city. Right next to it is the outdoor music stadium; even when there's nothing on, it's worth a look; I came across a couple of beatboxers having a practise on the other side of it and they made up a beat-box rap about London! Navy Pier is not far away and this is a great place for restaurants, so stop here for lunch and enjoy the views of the great lake.

Go up the Hancock Tower
At the top of this skyscraper is a viewing station which offers amazing views across the city, so make sure your camera is fully charged. You can also get an audio tour of what you are looking at, although I have to say I didn't pay a lot of attention, I was just spellbound by the views.

Take a stroll along the beach
It is an incongruous thing to have a beach literally at the foot of skyscrapers, but it is a real delight. Amazingly for a city beach, it is also clean and well-kept which certainly makes it a more pleasurable experience. It's a lovely place to be as the sun sets and you might not be as childish as me, but if you are then go and have a paddle in the water! You can then simply walk a few metres to be back amongst the buildings and find a nice restaurant for dinner. It is the perfect end to a day in the city.

Visit Geneva
Not Geneva, Switzerland; unless you have a private jet it's a bit far for a day trip. Geneva, Illinois is a picture-perfect suburb town just a short train-ride from Chicago. It is a very civilised, utterly gorgeous slice of small-town perfection and well worth a visit. It's full of pretty little independent shops, selling artisanal products, everything from cupcakes and wine to furniture Denise's vintage shop was my particular favourite - it is a little treasure trove of wonders and I could quite easily spend hours in there. There are coffee shops and ice-cream parlours to keep you fed and watered and there is a lovely nature reserve right by the shops where you can sit and eat an ice-cream in a state of pure tranquility and bliss.

Chicago has everything, from bright lights and exciting entertainment, to places of calm perfection. Chicago is a city that seems comfortable in its own skin, if such a thing is possible. Chicago has stolen my heart, but I defy anybody to go and not fall in love.

Behind the Headlines: The Twitter Revolution

2011-01-30T12:40:00.000-08:00

With the sun setting on Eygypt's 6th consecutive day of protests, hot on the heels of Tunisia, all eyes are fixed firmly on events unfolding in the Arab world.

There are signs that there could be a "domino effect" (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12204971) across the region as citizens of other nations, such as Yemen and Morocco, are inspired by the uprising which overthrew the Tunisian government less than two weeks ago. But the protests sweeping across the Maghreb are part of a very modern revoultion, one truly created 'by the people' without any particular leader to galvanise them.

The internet, particularly social networks such as twitter and facebook have been instrumental in getting people onto the streets, both in Tunisia and now Egypt (http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/2011/01/25/egypts-protests-social-media). Online communication has played such a key role that yesterday the Egyptian government shut down internet and phone connections so that people could not organise protests and spread the word so easily (http://www.itp.net/583722-egypt-enters-third-day-of-communication-blackout). Perhaps one of the reasons why the people of Yemen, a country which has all the right ingredients for a similar revolution, have not yet made their voices heard as loudly is due to a more limited internet access.

From the start, the protests have come about not through a "call to arms" but through average, working people simply displaying their frustration and despair. That people like Mohamed Bouazizi felt compelled to go to such devastating lengths is truly terrible. But there were others before him; why did his particular case spark the downfall of the government?

The answer, according to Yasmine Ryan (http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/01/2011126121815985483.html) is that his story was kept in the media spotlight and broadcast around the world, via the internet. Although people announcing their political views online, publicly, was a real risk. this didn't stop the activists and only added to the outrage.

Just a few weeks later, the revolutionary feeling seems to have gripped an entire swathe of the world, and whatever you might make of it personally, it is the social networks which are making this happen with such dynamism.

The protests in Egypt certainly show no signs of abating just yet, and communications are now getting out of the country again. (http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/spotlight/anger-in-egypt/) We have on our hands a revolution for a very technological age.

For more information on the protests taking place, go to http://english.aljazeera.net/ or http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/middle_east/

In the Footsteps of the Cathars: A Journey in Southern France

2011-01-28T06:10:00.000-08:00

Languedoc-Roussillon. History so deeply permeates this catalan region of southern France that even the name - Languedoc - is a reminder of the language once spoken in this region, a medieval forerunner of modern-day Catalan, the langue d'oc. Nowadays, the majority of people here speak French - which was once the langue d'oil spoken in Northern France.

This did not happen by chance; the fact that the langue d'oc survives in little more than the name of the region is a clue to the fierece struggles, wars and massacres which took place in this corner of modern-day France.All that remains today are a few ruined castles, dotted among the corbieres mountains, which stretch From Perpignan to Toulouse. But what stories they could tell, if castles could speak!

My first foray into the land of the cathars, the people who once lived in and around these castles, began at 8a.m. one crisp, sunny morning in late October. I was standing on the only platform at a tiny station with my two friends, Rosy and Fiona. Before long, a little train - le petit train touristique - trundled into the station and we boarded, with about 8 other people. I don't know what it's like at high season, but it was lovely to have a carriage almost to ourselves! There were only two members of staff, the driver and a smiling lady who did everuthing else; took our tickets, explained the journey, served the refreshments and provided a wonderful, informative commentary for the entire journey.

The train took us high into the Corbieres and we were surrounded with stunning views. Once in the mountains, we pulled in at an even smaller station, where we were transferred to an open-top train, which allowed us to fully appreciate the landscape all around us. On this trip, we only saw the castles of Tautavel and Qeribus from afar, but in these mountains, the landscape unchanged for centuries, it wasn't hard to get a sense of the history.

There were only a few pockets of modern civilisation around: one of them was a winery, which we stopped at to taste the local muscat - divine! A couple of hours later, we stopped again for lunch. There was a moment of panic when the train left us there; we were in a settlement consisting of two houses and a restaurant. It was a nifty scheme really, which must have been the only thing keeping the restaurant in business, because what else are you going to do at lunchtime when you have been abandoned in the middle of nowhere?

That trip had given me a tantalizing glimpse of the castles, but I wasn't satisfied. I wanted to go to one, and to do that I needed a car. We looked into hiring one, but it was all looking very complicated and expensive, given our age, so we found a frenchman with a car. It took a couple of weeks to charm him - apparently you have to get to know someone before you can demand them to take you to some ruin in the middle of nowhere - but in early November, we were finally off to Peyreperteuse, once a major stronghold, which lay further to the west than the other two we had seen.

The compromise for getting a free lift was a lack of seatbelts and some pretty hairy driving up the tiny, zig-zagging road towards the castle. We survived, but we were glad to get out of the car and continue the final ascent on foot. It was magical - there really is no other way to describe it. Looking down from the castle's chapel, the highest point, all you could see were mountains and the main castle below. If you have the slightest interest in beautiful landscapes, let alone histoy, you just have to go.

The next stop on this route would be Carcassonne, an entire medieval citadel, but that's another story for another time. Of course, you could visit them all in one day if you had a car and the desire to, but doing it slowly, seeing things from different perspectives on different days, made it so much more worthwhile. This landscape, so full of wonderful things, almost demands that you take your time.

Making it happen:

You can fly to Girona with Ryanair and from there take the frogbus www.frogbus.com/en to Perpignan
You can get all the info about the train du pays cathare here: www.tpcf.fr - it's in French but offers some info in English.

Top tips for travelling around Spain on a budget

2011-01-27T05:22:00.000-08:00

Getting There
Check the low-cost airlines like easyjet and ryanair. If you're travelling from the UK, it's not a long flight to anywhere in Spain; comfort and luxury are not essential. If you can put up with the garish colours, you can get there for next to nothing. A word of warning though, check on a map where that airport described as 'Barcelona' actually is - sometimes poetic licence is employed!

Finding a Place to Stay
In the big cities, there is a wealth of low-cost accomodation. A great place to start your search is www.hostelworld.com. You can find beds for less than £10 a night, but it's worth a look even if a hostel isn't for you; there are options to search for hotels, guesthouses and apartments as well. If you've been staying in hostels for a while and fancy a night of luxury at your next stop, don't forget about sites such as www.lastminute.com which offer deals on 'secret hotels'. You don't find out the name of the hotel until you've booked it, but this way, you can get four-star luxury at bargain prices.

City Hopping
The most obvious option for getting from one place to the next might be by rail, but don't forget about Spain's coach network, which is a popular form of transport there. It has the advantage of being a good deal cheaper than the trains, with plenty of regional and national connections, and while it might be slower than going by train, it is a wonderful way to see more of the country. These coaches are not rickety old things either; the 'long haul' ones often have plane-style TV screens, refreshments and comfy seats. You can book tickets at www.alsa.es in advance for even cheaper prices.

Eating and Drinking
For authentic Spanish fare without the tourist pricetag, explore some of the smaller, winding streets in a big city to find the locals' haunts. Often small, dimly lit places, generally with one old man smoking at the bar, this is the traditional Spanish take on fast food, where you can get good tapas and bocadillas for very few euros.In Madrid, you can find plenty of these places in the network of streets behind the Plaza Mayor. An extra tip: sit at the bar, rather than at one of the tables. There's often a 10% surcharge for eating at the tables!

Things to Do
There is a lot you can do absolutely free. Museums and galleries are often free. The Prado in Madrid is cheap (6 euros without concessions) but to avoid this, go in the evening between 6-8pm when it is free for everyone. Parc Guell, Gaudi's playground in Barcelona, is free and offers some great views over the city.

Parc Guell, Barcelona

Spaniards love to party, so it is very likely that you will find yourself there in time for one fiesta or another. These can range from very traditional to completely mad and there's always lots to get involved in for absolutely nothing.

Carnaval in Oviedo

When you've had enough of all the partying, soak up the Spanish sun at the beach, in the countryside or in one of the many open squares in the cities. You don't even have to make a big effort to do all three of those things; whether you are in Seville, Valenica, Barcelona or Bilbao, you can enjoy the best of Spain's natural beauty and city life all in one place!

Views over Bilbao

So there's your whistlestop tour of Spain on a budget. Now, what's stopping you?

Falling in love with Oviedo

2011-01-26T04:57:00.000-08:00

Perhaps it was while I was sipping a café con leche at my usual spot on the corner, or maybe it was when I exchanged a customary ‘hasta luego’ with the lady from 12b, or when I felt that sitting down to dinner at any time before 9 p.m. was just weird. At some point, anyway, I realised that Oviedo was home.

I lived in this city in Asturias, a principality in Northern Spain, for four months. Of course, the first few days were wonderful, with that heady feeling of being somewhere new, with so many things to explore. But after a few weeks, when I got used to the comings and goings on the street where I lived, when I found a cafe to call ‘my own’, this particular journey became something more, something special.

When you visit somewhere for a short time, it’s exciting, but you rarely notice the little details that make up the tapestry of life in a particular place. If I tried to describe to you the familiar call of the peacocks in the park, or the feeling of free abandon you get on a balmy evening on the Calle Gascona, even if you had visited the place, you’d think I was slightly mad. In fact, it was probably only when I was leaving Oviedo that I realised that I was completely, irrevocably, in love. It made it very hard to go, but perhaps that is the beauty of slow travel.

This post has been entered into the Grantourismo HomeAway Holiday-Rentals travel blogging competition.
http://grantourismotravels.com/2011/01/10/grantourismo-travel-blogging-competition-january/

www.homeaway.co.uk

Top 5 things to do in NYC

2011-01-25T12:31:00.000-08:00

New York City. The Big Apple, the city that never sleeps, and a hundred other cliches. But somehow, the city doesn't feel like a cliche, it doesn't feel like somewhere you've seen a million times over on TV already. It's fresh, vibrant, and somehow manages to offer something new to every traveller every time. But if you only have a few days in the City, it can be hard to know where to start, with so much to see and do. So here's a top 5 list of things you really can't afford to miss. They may sound too obvious, but trust me, you won't regret doing them!

1. Go to the Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center) at sunset and take in the skyline as the lights come on over the city. Of course, if you have time, a trip to the top of the Empire State Building is also a must-do, but the view from the Top of the Rock is even better, because you can see the Empire State Building.

2. Pretend to be rich on the designer floors of the big department stores on 5th Avenue. Act like you really might buy something. Trust me, it's more fun than it sounds! Then go out and buy something with 'I heart NY' on from one of the tourist shops. I can hear you groaning at the sheer tackiness, but I defy you not to!

3. Walk. Sounds simple, but this is the best way to see the city. It's impossible to get lost, with the handy East/West and street number system. Have a stroll in Central Park, wander through Chinatown and Little Italy in Lower Manhattan or take a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. When it all gets too much, hail that yellow cab!

4. Go to Times Square at night and eat in one of the tourist-trap restaurants. OK, in other countries you want to find that little bistro down a back street that nobody else in the entire world will ever find, but this is the USA; if you can't justify eating in Planet Hollywood here, where can you?!

5. Chat to the locals. New Yorkers may have a reputation of living a fast-paced life, but some of the most genuinely friendly people can be found in this city. It's also great to get insider tips on where to go. You may end up making lifelong friends with the person you ask for directions, or at the very least, delight in hearing an authentic mafia-style accent from a kindly doorman!

When you've done those things, do whatever you like. Chances are, you'll come back with a whole new top 5, but that's the wonder of New York City.

Behind the headlines

2011-01-24T12:56:00.000-08:00

Spotlight on: francophone countries

HAITI

Thrown into the spotlight just over a year ago due to its devastating earthquake, Haiti needs more help than simply rebuilding the ruined towns. With its political system mired in corruption and chaos, its people dependent on aid, escaped gang leaders roaming the camps in Port-au-prince and their former dictator's surprise return to the country, Haiti needs rebuilding completely - socially, politically and economically. It is no good just throwing money their way; there needs to be a considered and well-structured process to empower Haitians, instead of keeping them dependent on aid and at the mercy of violent gangs and corrupt politics.

A programme about the escaped prisoners following the earthquake:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/4od#3153261

COTE D'IVOIRE

Another francophone country, this time in West Africa, has also been thrown into a state of deep unrest and political turmoil. Following the elections which finally took place in late 2010, current president Laurent Gbagbo has refused to give up his power to the recognised winner of the election, Alassane Ouattara. Only a few years ago, Cote d'Ivoire was in a state of Civil war, and with use of force being threatened by the international community and by Gbagbo, the situation once again looks precarious here.

Picture from http://campaignsandmore.com/mag/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Ivory-Coast-Elections1.jpg

Information about Cote d'Ivoire:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/country_profiles/1043014.stm

A snapshot of world events.