Category: Backpacking

Why I Love Sending Postcards

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Anybody who knows me well will know how much I love postcards. So, you can imagine how sad I was to learn that the oldest UK Postcard company closing. Mitch understands that on all of our trips some of my time will be spent browsing and buying postcards. This is followed by finding a post office and learning how to say “stamps” in a new language. I love writing and sending postcards. Here’s why. Postcards are Personable When I post a status on Facebook, 559 people can read it. I am (effectively) talking to 559 at one time. Giving them …

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Helen’s 5 Best Things to Do in Sofia

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We’ve spent two weeks in Sofia now. We have five more days to before closing our laptops and officially starting our holiday! Despite working Monday to Friday, we’ve managed to fit a lot into our time in Sofia. Here are my five best things to do in Sofia. 1. Free Walking Tour The free Sofia walking tour is brilliant. For two hours, our guide showed us all the main highlights and shared some stories that you could never find in books. As with all free tours, you can give a tip at the end. If you only have limited time in …

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From Bristol to Bulgaria

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“We’re not going away again for a while,” we said “going to settle down now,” we said. Well, it is true – somewhat. As of mid-October, Mitch and I will be officially living in Bristol together and I’m so excited. Until then, however, we thought, “let’s go because we can.” We’re lucky enough to be able to book a flight for three weeks time and it not be an issue for our jobs. We also have no September commitments. We saw a window of opportunity and took it. Why Bulgaria? It’s not far from home and it’s cheap. It’s a country small …

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How Travelling Makes Me Feel British

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What should they know of England who only England know? Originally written by Rudyard Kipling but Mitch has quoted this to me on numerous occasions. Only now do I appreciate the sentiment. When you travel a lot, you learn about other countries. However, the more you travel, the more you also learn about your home country. While in Merida, Mexico, we frequently visited the same cafe to do work. On the third occasion, I ordered my regular black tea with milk. The barrister asked me, “where are you from?” “England” I replied. “I knew it. All the people who order …

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Tequila and Mezcal: Exploring the Drinks of Mexico

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Alcohol in Mexico We’ve all heard of Tequila. The highly exported drink is well-known to give headbanging hangovers and to come in shot glasses with salt and lime. Unbeknown to me, however, was Mezcal. This spirit was first introduced to us by our Airbnb hosts in Mexico City. From the first taste I had of it, I can’t say I was a big fan. It’s a drink made in Mexico and the locals love it. I knew somewhere down the line I’d probably try some more. This certainly happened. Mitch and I had the pleasure of visiting both a Tequila …

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5 Must-Dos Before I Leave Mexico

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With less than 2 weeks left before we leave Mexico, here are some must do’s before we hop on our plane. Eat More Fresh Fruit There is so much fresh fruit here and it’s delicious! While we’ve taken advantage and bought fresh fruit for breakfast and veggies for our dinner, I definitely want to eat more before we leave. It’s not only the freshness but the cheapness as well. I’ll miss cheap avocados and mangos when I’m back in Bristol. Swim in a Cenote The last part of our trip is in the Yucatan Peninsula. This region has a lot …

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