MANALI + TERRY | Newlyweds Backpack Round The World » Featured

Verona | Italy :: Casa De Romeo & Juliet

Terry — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:57:13 +0000

Verona is a great side or day trip from Venice, if you have the time. This quaint town is most famous as the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Many people consider Verona a more relaxed and pleasant and come here to take a break from the hustle and bustle of Venice.

Although fictional, the smart tourist bureau in Verona has ‘re-created’ Juliet’s balcony; charging 5 euros to climb atop the balcony; thanks but no thanks. On your way home however, don’t forget to rub Juilet’s breast for good luck or leave a love note!

The enormous, spectacular Roman amphitheatre is a must see in Verona and rivals it’s cousin in Rome. Erected in the 1st Century AD, this is the world’s third-largest amphitheatre to survive from antiquity. Much of the outer ring was damaged during an earthquake but the inner part is still intact. When we were in town, Alicia Keys was scheduled to perform – what a great venue!

If you are in the area, try to taste Pastisada de caval, braised horse meat, a specialty in the area. Although we were tempted, we passed on chomping Mr. Ed and jumped back on the Eurail to our next destination!

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Venice | Italy :: City On The Sea
12 August 2010 4:54 PM | 32635 CommentsVenice+%7C+Italy+%3A%3A+City+On+The+Sea2010-08-12+23%3A54%3A04Terry
Arriving in Venice, Italy we were ready to explore the enchanting canals architecture and alleyways while slurping down spaghetti, espressos...
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Venice | Italy :: City On The Sea

Terry — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 23:54:04 +0000

Arriving in Venice, Italy we were ready to explore the enchanting canals architecture and alleyways while slurping down spaghetti, espressos and gelato! A photographer’s paradise was discovered around each bend; each with more obscure plazas dotted with bougainvilleas on balconies.

We could have spent an entire week roaming around Venice, the world’s only pedestrian city, since the absence of cars makes it even more pleasant.

The best way to explore was to eat our way through the island; espresso, walk, panini, walk, gelato, walk, pizza, walk was our regular routine.

The Rialtine island – the ‘main’ touristy part of Venice – was small enough to walk from one end to the other in about an hour or two.

If you want to get around a bit more quickly or lighter on the belly, you can hire a water taxi or take a vaporetti! Don’t be surprised if you are crammed into small cabins and get completely wet if you’re standing on the sides; these vaporetti drivers are racing for their pride!

Italians do everything fast; drink coffee standing at coffee bars, talk and walk at super-speed – get out of their way! Gondola rides were targeted towards the hoards of tourist buses on tours and cruises; but we thought the $100 for a 20 minute ride with 6 other people through a littered canal was a little cheesy and not worth the ride. I think lots of people were disappointed since there were rows and rows of empty gondolas at standby.

Most of Europe has been really ‘touristy’ like the gondolas so far and we miss the authenticity of the culture we were used to seeing in Asia, just by walking down the streets. However, we are definitely getting back into the whole comfort and convenience thing – bring on the easy travels, we need a break from bargaining and worrying about getting ripped off every minute – phew!

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Verona | Italy :: Casa De Romeo & Juliet
16 August 2010 11:57 AM | 32662 Comments2010-08-16+18%3A57%3A13Terry
Verona is a great side or day trip from Venice, if you have the time. This quaint town is most...
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Tokyo | Japan :: Touring The City
17 September 2009 5:08 AM | 9554 CommentsTokyo+%7C+Japan+%3A%3A+Touring+The+City2009-09-17+12%3A08%3A13Manali
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Taking Europe by Train :: A Eurail Story

Terry — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 21:46:18 +0000

We absolutely LOVE train travel in Europe! If you are visiting the continent, you won’t get a true depiction of European lifestyle without taking at least one train journey. A normal part of every European’s routine, train travel doesn’t have the typical stigma that most Americans think of when traveling without a car. We are so dependent on our cars (especially in places like Atlanta where there is limited public transportation) that we neglect to explore other options. Don’t wait – buy your Eurail pass now!

WHICH PASS SHOULD I BUY?

First step would be to plan a rough plan – how many countries will you visit? Are they neighboring countries? How long will I be traveling?

If you are only traveling to one country or going on one long distance journey, it makes more sense to buy individual tickets online or at the railway station. However, a Eurail pass may be a more cost effective solution for large groups or people traveling extensively between countries, especially in a short period of time. Remember that traveling by train is usually faster than some short flights – there are hardly any security check in lines – you just show up 10 minutes before your train leaves and hop on!

Rail Europe has a great ‘travel planner’ tool that will help you decide if the Eurail pass will save you money and can help decide which ticket to buy.

Also, be prepared to pay reservation fees in some countries – although you have a Eurail pass, there is sometimes a supplementary fee to secure your reservation (marked with ‘R’ on train schedules). Trains in Spain all require reservations, regardless of distance, but other countries, like Italy, only require reservations for international travel. You can also find this information on the Rail Europe website as well as on Seat61.com. If you travel overnight, there may be some restrictions, you’ll save on hotel stays - and once you get to your destination, you can always book with the new online accommodation provider Wimdu to get the best bargains!

SO, HOW MUCH MONEY DID WE REALLY SAVE?

For illustrative purposes, we’ve charted our actual train journeys below and costs.

We show Terry buying individual train tickets in each rail station he visits versus Manali who planned ahead and bought a Eurail Global Adult Flexi Pass, 1^st class, 15 days of travel within 2 months for $1052 in April 2010.

Note: Prices are based in US Dollars (as of August 2010) and Manali’s cost of each journey is determined by taking the entire cost of her Eurail Global pass divided by 15 journeys in 2 months; costing her a fixed $70 per journey.

(click for larger image)

We saved approximately $600 per person on our total travel throughout Europe with our Global Eurail pass!

HINTS AND TIPS

Buddy up to buy Saver tickets (discount for 2 people or more) rather than two individual tickets
Traveling international saves more than traveling locally (Manali actually overpaid for her first 3 journeys in Italy)
Traveling in Eastern Eruope is generally cheaper than Western Eruope
For your first day of travel, be sure to get your pass validated at a ticket office and only fill in days of travel once you are sure you will be on board! Mistakes will cost you an entire travel day!
High speed trains are usually more expensive (such as Eurostar Paris to London in 2 hours – wow!); so if you have time, relax and enjoy some slow train travel!
Be sure to buy your train reservations in advance in the summer and periods of high travel or festivals – seats do sell out for popular journeys!
We saved over $600 each with our passes; the only other investment is taking the time to figure out if it works for you – if money is no object, get the pass and save some hassle!

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Chiang Mai | Thailand: Sleeper Train Returning To Bangkok
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Shanghai | China :: Sleeper Train To Beijing
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Abel Tasman National Park | New Zealand :: Kayaking with Seals

Terry — Mon, 31 May 2010 16:04:22 +0000

The sole reason to visit Abel Tasman National Park, one of New Zealand’s smallest parks, is to kayak and camp on the secluded bays among playful seal pups and penguins.

You bet we were excited. We saw heaps of seals and pups, lazing and sunbathing on the rocks (they have the best life!), including one little poor dead guy, which Terry tried to bring into our kayak to freak me out – yuck!

Kayaking is harder than you think! That morning we had just heard about the Chile earthquake and a tsunami was coming our way, but of course, the Kiwi kayak people and their “no worries” adventurous attitudes sent us along our way regardless! However, the ocean gods were co-operative, we got the hang of it quickly, enjoyed a wonderful picnic on the tiny isolated Adele island and paddled the journey back with the wind current at our heed. The cloudless, gorgeous blue sky and calm seas were not too shabby either!

Details: MSK Kayaking Company offers ½ to 3 day hiking, kayaking and camping tours

Cost: $65 NZD per person for a full day unguided freedom kayak rental (includes brief safety talk and all equipment, kayaks have to be at the shore by 4pm,)

Start point: Marahau to Watering Cove, return journey, approx 4-5 hours in water

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Halls Gap | Australia :: The Grampians National Park
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Guangzhou | China: National Day Parade & Celebration
06 October 2009 11:07 AM | 1290No Comments2009-10-06+18%3A07%3A32Terry
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Koh Tao | Thailand: A Diver’s Delight

Terry — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:00:25 +0000

Manali and I had an absolutely wonderful week in Koh Tao, all the while spending a good part of each day in the six we were there earning our Advance Open Water Diver certification. You can see more about our stay here, but I thought I would let the video do the talking for now in this post. Hope you enjoy and hope it inspires!

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Bangkok | Thailand :: Sawasdee House Hostel Review
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Beijing | China :: Hiking The Great Wall!

Manali — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 14:02:35 +0000

Listen up folks! If and when you come to China, you simply MUST see The Great Wall, all 8,851 km of it! Okay, not the whole thing! Dating back to the 5th Century BC, the 10 Kilometers that Manali and I hiked from Jinshanling to Simatai is definitely the most memorable thing we have experienced so far on our trip. That 10 km accounts for just over 0.1% of the total length, left us 100% exhausted and was worth every step during the 3 or 4 hours it took us.

Us along The Great Wall, by far one of the most memorable experiences of our lives.

There are several options offered up to tourists and visitors to the area, the Jinshanling to Simatai being the most demanding of the handful that we were presented. You will read some reviews saying it was cumbersome, and loathsome, but wipe aside your wary skepticism and make the commitment you will remember forever. If Manali and I can do this, most can, I assure you. We saw a young boy, 6 years old, pull it off without breaking a sweat.

Manali conquering The Great Wall. Isn't that wind swept hair romantic?

Make sure you take plenty of water, although there is plenty to purchase along the way from hawkers, and even cold beer! Hiking shoes or at least tennis shoes are highly recommended. Whatever you do, no flip-flops! The Jinshanling side is the most original, having escaped so far extensive restoration efforts, proving it that much more interesting. As you approach the Simatai end, widespread restoration has taken place, making the trek a bit easier.

A view of a portion of great wall, prior to any significant restoration. Pretty amazing for a structure over 2,000 years old.

We paid 260 RMB per person, which included transportation from our hostel to Jinshanling and back to our hostel from Simatai. The bus trip was 3 hours each way, with a short 10 minute break in the middle. This proved to be a great value after we looked around a bit. Lunch was also included, but you are advised to pack a sack lunch if you’re not a big fan of traditional Chinese. Not included is the additional 95 RMB per person of Great Wall entrance fees and bridge crossing, so make sure you bring that along with you during your trip.

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