Alexandra Dye – Alex goes Adventuring

[Around China] Nanjing

Nanjing is a quick 90 min train ride from Shanghai and is definitely a must for a day trip! We arrived and used shared bikes to get around.

First up we went to a lake by a park on the edge of the Xuanwu gate of old city walls where we rented a very very slow motorboat and motored around on the lake. We found this an easier way to see everything around the lake without having to walk around!

Afterwards we went to the Nanjing Massacre Memorial. We went on a Monday so the massacre memorial inside was closed but we were still able to view the very powerful statues that lie outside the hall.

Next we went to the Confucius temple (it is one of the most famous in China and was huge with many ponds, rock formations and pagodas.Defiantly worth a visit! In the area by the Confucius Temple is an old style Chinese town (very touristy and overpriced but worth a look!)

To get around:

Metro or bikes! (bike share is easy and fun!)

To Eat:

Shrimp Dumpling

Recommend:

One day was amazing but there are a ton of great hikes and other sites so if you have the time I would recommend two full days one night trip!

[Around China] Yixing

A short 2.5 hour train ride lies Yixing which is a small (by China standards) city lying adjacent to bamboo forests, caves and factories. We were there for the first two offerings.

Arriving in Yixing we hopped on a tourist bus where we were the only foreigners – so stares were abundant and people were willing to talk and ask questions. At this time there was a light misting rain and the countryside was covered in fog (or what we hope was fog and not low lying smog.. although this is China, so both are valid options.) The bamboo forest was nothing short of magical and looked like something from an Asian horror movie/fairytale. Mist draping every tree and spindly bamboo trees popping out in between. We went a little off the trail and hiked up in to the forest, which while a slippery slope up was well worth while. Coming down we explored the area below which contained a lake, temples and pagodas. The lake was a dark algae green and to get from one side to the other we crossed a definitely not sketchy bridge that was on the surface of the water. So every time I took a step, water lapped over my shoes and and the wooden boards were covered. Afterwards we took a cable car to the top of a ‘mountain’ which on a non foggy day would have offered spectacular views but today the temple at the top was shrouded in fog.

After the bamboo forest we went to a cave which was more theatrical that we had imagined. We had imagined a small cave in a mountain but what we got was a large cave with lights hi lighting different points that looked more like a setting for a rave than an ancient cave. We took a gondala style boat through the river and the cave and arrived at the exist. Once through the cave we were treated to a gorgeous cascading waterfall bordered by a pagoda.

In the evening we headed back to the main city where we enjoyed hotpot with such fun things as eating brain, tripe, frog and noodles for good measure. Delicious.

Tips:

Go off the bath in bamboo forest
Stay overnight in Yixing, cool little city

Back in the Land of Smog Excess

Back in the Land of Smog Excess (aka the 中国）and it feels good. The last time I was in China was May 2015 – which might only be a year and a half but in China time that is at least 5 years. Shanghai is completely the same, yet completely different. The air smelled the same, the light haze over the buildings, the same mix of people rushing everywhere and older ladies dancing on street corners. The same fruit sellers, street cleaners and beggars.

But also different – new buildings had appeared. Old neighbourhoods knocked down, replaced with very American looking brick condos or malls.

But Shanghai is still here with its charm, adventure and I am so so happy to be back in this [second] home.

[Second] Home Coming Reflections

One of my global second homes is a small city nestled in the French alps called Grenoble. I spent a semester here in 2009 and had not been back since. Walking through the streets it was amazing how I was whisked back to 2009 – thinking “oh here is where we went shopping, I remember taking a picture beside that carousel, oh there I had an amazing kebab.” But in the 8 years a lot had changed as well – there were buildings where there had before been none, restaurants, closed, restaurants opened and a new diversity in the people walking the streets. Even though I just had a short two days here I realized that this gem in the alps, like all the places I have lived and been, will forever hold a special place in my heart.

Marauding about in Morocco

Morocco was absolutely incredible. Since we only had a short time we stayed in Marrakech which is one of the cultural points of Morocco.

The hostel we stayed at was in the centre of the medina. The medina is a large (incredibly large) open air market full of twists and turning selling everything from spices to leather to souvenirs to jewelry to knock off Louis Vuitton. In between the stalls there are restaurants serving both Moroccan and international food. We wandered through these twisting stalls, ignoring cries in Arabic, French and English offering to sell us ‘cheap goods at a good price for beautiful ladies’ and arrived to our hostel which was in the centre of this beautiful chaos. After dropping bags off we wandered through the medina. Since my arabic level is somewhere between 0 and 0.1 (limited to thank you, how are you, I love you and baby – you know, the essentials) I was initially worried about being able to communicate. However, my worry was unnecessary most vendors spoke enough French (or even perfect French) – in all honesty I think I spoke more French in Morocco than I did in my first week living in France.

The next day we headed out on a three day tour of the Atlas Mountains and Sahara. It is possible to rent a car and go around yourself – however, I did not trust myself enough to drive in the chaos of Morocco (and plus on the tour got to meet some really cool people from Europe, Asia and North America.)

First up on the tour was the Atlas Mountains. They were rounded not jagged like the alps or rockies and in the distance I could even see snow capped peaks. Sitting on a patio at the edge of a cliff enjoying a Moroccan Style tea with fresh mint and sugar with mountains around me, an endless sky above and a winding river in the valley below was so peaceful and I could have stayed there for hours.

In the evening we stayed in a hotel down in the valley. Our group was hanging out on the roof, drinking tea with mint and admiring the endless array of stars above.

On the next day we stopped in a Bedouin village where they come down from the mountains every year to raise crops and animals and make some of the most gorgeous carpets I had ever seen.

Afterwards we headed for the sahara desert and rode camels. I affectionately called my camel Leroy and for some unknown reason he was taller than the other camels (I swear this is true.. look at photo I’ll post here). So I am not sure if readers are familiar with riding a camel – but it is not sexy, not comfortable and not as gentle as riding a horse. First to get on the camel lays on ground, you sit on the back and then they lift back legs and then with a jolt lift the front legs. In addition – the ‘saddle’ on the back has no stirrups and since it was a one humped camel (or dromedary as correctly called) you are sitting on top of the hump holding on to the metal handle in front. On flat parts or uphill it’s possible to almost elegantly balance, but down hill or with that second jolt for the camel to stand (or first jolt to go back down) I was holding on for dear life. Incredibly cool experience, also terrifying. Although riding through the sahara going up and over sand dunes and sitting on the top of the sand dune watching thousands of colors mesh together in a sunrise I was able to forget some of my fear.

That night we camped in the desert. In the evening our guides made a bon fire and we sat around watching the stars as they drummed and sang songs. They asked me to join them in drumming and even though I insisted I had no rhythm (I don’t) they won me over. Some how ended up drumming with our Moroccan guides, singing Lady Gaga, Journey with the group all under the watchful eye of the sahara sand dunes and the open array of desert stars.

Next day early, early, early in the morning (like 5am early) we headed out into the desert, again on camel and rode back to town as the pink clouds of the sunrise appeared.

4 days in Morocco was not nearly enough. The beauty of the sahara, the chaos of the markets, and the kindness of the people drew me in and I know I will be back to explore more of what this unique country has to offer (and who knows I might give riding a camel another shot.)

Tips:

Do a tour (good priced and many included hostel in the city.)
Have backup bank cards. The currency is a closed currency so it’s hard to find outside of Morocco so bring multiple bank cards to get cash in case your first does not work
Don’t take it too seriously! In the market people yelling, squishing everywhere and pure chaos – but enjoy it!
Go!

[How to] Plan a Trip

How to plan a trip

It’s great to be spontaneous and decide on a whim to go to a place but for me I only had 3 weeks and a lot to see so it was important that I planned things and booked ahead. Here’s how I created what I believe to be a pretty great trip:

1. Talk to people that have been/ check blogs- which cities do they recommend, how much money to spend and how to get there

2. Set a budget (with room for air and error)

3. Make tough choices! Unfortunately if you have a time constraint like I did you can’t see everything so try and weigh what is most important for you

4. Book! I love using sights like go euro because they aggregate bus, plane and train data for the cheapest and Hostelworld as the reviews tend to paint a picture of the hostel

5. Pack and go!

Here’s my personal planning:

1. Bugged all my travel friends and scoured the interwebs

2. My budget for Eastern Europe (2 weeks, 6 countries, travel by bus and free walking tours) was altogether 1000$ whereas my budget for Iceland was 1000$ but that’s because it’s a very expensive country – so it’s important to factor that it!

3. I really wanted to see Slovenia but it’s a bit tricky to get to from budapest so I would have had to choose Slovenia or Croatia and when it came down to it I realized in this trip I valued going to Croatia more. (Don’t worry Slovenia – I’ll come for you another time!)

4. Booking – I did a lot of research for the best options and had to look if the bus was the best option or if I would gain more by getting to the place faster. Overall night busses are great because you save on accommodation for the night.

5. Check out my blog on packing (only a carry on!) for a trip

For all of this I love using a spread sheet because it easily keeps track of costs and you can see different options. Shoutout to comm 290/391 for showing me how.

Here’s my spread sheet for the three week trip I went on:

Planning

Good luck planning and enjoy your travels! Let me know if I can assist in any way.

[How to] Travel Solo (hint the answer is just do it)

How to Travel Solo

I just finished travelling 3 weeks completely by myself and I loved it. Not once did I feel lonely, or uncomfortable or worried.

But I recognize that people do have apprehensions about travelling solo and the best piece of advice I can offer (although stolen from Nike) is: just do it.

Yes it’s great to travel with friends but travelling solo has allowed me to discover what I like and where my values are. It has also allowed me to meet some ridiculously cool travelers in hostels and free walking tours. Speaking of free walking tours – do them. They are the best way to see a city.

I feel like the tips relèvent to solo travel are the same for traveling with a friend:

– let someone (parents, friend back home, anyone) know your schedule in case something happens

– register your trip with travel Canada (or other relèvent site for your county) and they will send you alerts in case something happens in the country where you are

– use common sense. If you are unsure of a situation/person/place then don’t go forward with it

– that being said, you’re travelling so don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone (eat that weird food, try that extreme sport, talk to people

– stay in hostels (they are cheap, you get to meet people and some even have free dinner and breakfast which helps to save your money!)

And obviously – just do it! Whether you are 18 or 80 get out there, explore the world and travel.

[How to] Pack only a carry on for any trip

Packing only a carry on for 3 weeks

(Note that what you pack for 3 weeks should be the same you pack for 1 week which is the same you pack for 6 months of travel – aka only the essentials).

When traveling I know most of us have a tendency to overpack. But really all you need is a base of clothes for one week because you’ll be able to find laundry wherever you go and if you can’t find laundry use a shower or sink and a bar or soap.

Here’s my go to 1 week packing list (I like categories so I put everything under clothes, toiletries, documents or other). Everything on here fits in a 30L backpack. Note that some airlines will allow you to get away with up to a 50L backpack but some of the discount ones put a hard stop at 40L so I would suggest for your backpack to be no more than 40L.

Clothes:

– Jeans X1 (2 if winter)

– Leggings

– Harem pants x 1 (cozy, loose, great for long bus/plane rides- and they roll well).

– Sweater X1 (even in summer planes and busses can be cold so bring at least one. In winter bring 3 sweaters).

– T-shirt X 3 (try to bring colors that won’t show sweat stains or dust/dirt).

– One “nice outfit” such as a rollable black dress or skirt that matches one of your shirts (you never know when you might need to class it up).

– Scarf x 2 (doubles as a blanket; always great to have and they roll well.)

– Bra x2

– Sports Bra x2 (cause sitting in a regular bra on an overnight bus is not the most comfortable thing in the world)

– Underwear X10 (slightly over just in case you can’t find laundry at end of the week)

– Socks x 5

– Swimsuit – rolls well, and you never know when you will need

– Winter: boots that are functional but can also be dressed up if needed

– Nike runners or another comfortable walking shoe

– Flip Flops: hostel showers can be gross, wear Sandals. You will be happier. Also if you go to a beach they are great as well.

– Summer: regular Sandals

Toiletries: (everything here should be travel sized – remember you can easily buy more when you run out!)

– Toothbrush, paste, floss

– Contact solution (and all that goes along with it if you are a user)

– lotion/lip chap

– shampoo/ conditioner

– makeup remover (find a face wash that doubles so you have two in one)

– microfiber towel (rolls well, dries in an instant)

– razor

– comb

– pain medicine (but travel size, just in case)

– bandaids. You might get blisters they may hurt like a mofo and you will still have to function

– tampons/pads/diva cup – bring enough for one week (note: if travelling in Asia tampons can be hard to find – so if you are dependent on them bring enough)

– makeup if need be but just basics (foundation, flexible lip, mascara). If you want more you can buy on the road

Documents:

– passport (and a copy)

– copy of birth certificate (just in case you lose your passport or something happens)

– drivers license (and a copy)

– student card (lots of places do discounts)

– bank card

– credit card

– base cash ~ 100$ (if in Europe I have euros on me, any where else I have usd – just in case)

– accessible list of addresses where you are staying at (some countries – looking at you England and Thailand, require this on the customs form). It’s good to have on hand!

– booking confirmations/travel info: I store everything on my google drive so I can access it offline and if something happened to my phone or luggage I can still easily access when I find a device

Other:

– Portable charger (amazing when you are taking 100000 photos a day and your battery is at 10% by 12)

– Phone, charger

– Adapter (look up power and socket types before you go)

– Dry bag: it rains and your clothes magically stay dry. What’s not to love

– Rain cover for your backpack

– small day pack (should be able to fit in main pack)

– small purse (for going out and to carry passport in when travelling – easily accessible)

Things you want to bring but shouldn’t:

– straighter/curler. yes you depend on it back home but when you are backpacking around you probably will be too lazy/not have time/blow a socket and it will take up space in your bag

– extra toiletries (oh yes you saved x$ yay but your bag is heavy). Dont do it. Not worth it.

– Heels. Yes they are gorgeous. Yes you might wear them on that one night out But the rest of the time they will be in your bag, taking up space.

– Sleeping bag/hostel blanket – most hostels now supply linen and will not allow a hostel blanket. You can check ahead if your hostel does. If you plan on camping bring the sleeping bag, if not leave it at home.

– Normal towel: bulky, smells when it hasn’t been washed. Buy a microfiber towel.

– Souvenirs: when I was younger and travelling I bought a keychain from each place I went. Cute in theory but now I have a jar of keychains at home that I will never use. Instead: buy art that can be folded (or even mailed to your home country) or postcards (easily mail back, keep the memories forever).

Things to add? Let me know!

Dreaming in Dubrovnik

Croatia – Zagreb and Dubrovnik –

I had around 8 hours in Zagreb before catching the night bus to Dubrovnik. First things first I checked out the main church- St Marks church which was built in the 13th century and looks more like a farmhouse with a mosaic roof and steeple rather than the grand gothic churches I had seen before.

Afterwards I wandered around the alleys and spent a long time at an open air farmers market eating grapes and talking to the farmers. In the evening I spent time walking around the Christmas market, the air thick with the smell of mulled wine.

10 hours on the night bus I arrived to Dubrovnik and it was love at first sight. The ocean sparkling in the early morning light, the stone of the old city which is you take out the red roofs and ocean looked similar to Jerusalem and the alleyways with houses going up the side of a high.

I spent the day sitting on a pier overlooking the oceans with medieval stone towers to my left and right and a good book in my hands. It was absolutely wonderful.

Day 2 was spent walking the old city walls which go completely around the old city and offer unparalleled views of the ocean, site and surrounding landscape. I thought I was interesting that the walls back into private homes so on the tourist attraction you can look into people’s gardens and see their laundry and home they live. Afterwards I again sat by the ocean, reading my book and watching the sun sink behind the stone walls.

In the evening I walked through the Christmas market surrounded by songs and families.

I liked that I went in winter as there were not too many tourists and it felt very natural – like kids playing soccer in the old town square, dogs being walked, stray cats (which were everywhere) following the people around who brought them food or just sleeping on statues or in flower pots. My favorite was when I was reading an old man was fishing and giving the small fish to two stray cats who obediently waited – it seemed so quaint!

Tips:

– Go to Dubrovnik – gorgeous, relaxing and picture perfect!

– Be prepared to relax!

– Flying out of Zagreb may be cheaper so the night bus is a good option!

Budaful Budapest

Budapest,Hungary –

I arrived in Budapest to find that the staff at my hostel were perhaps the most lovely and genuine of any of the hostels I had stayed at in the last 3 weeks (thanks hostel one Budapest!) so this initial experience set the tone.

On the first day I went exploring to the buda castle. For those that don’t know Budapest used to be two cities, buda and pest, separated by the Danube river. The pest side is mostly flat while the buda side has many hills. It is on one of these hills that the buda castle perches and it is incredible. More of a compound than a castle the white stone architecture, statues and gardens I could imagine being in full bloom in summer were on par with the incredible panoramic views of the city below. From the castle I went to st Michaels church which is a church with towering spires and a mosaic roof. On the way back to the pest side I was walking over the bridge and was struck by how he buildings on both sides reflected the pink sunset among themselves – looking more ethereal than present.

From there I met up with friends from Australia who I had not seen in two years and we perused Christmas markets enjoying cheap mulled wine and the Christmas set atmosphere. There was one market with a live band and the street down had incredible laser presentation on the basilica – it was very cool.

The next day started out by going to the Széchenyi Medicinal Baths with the lovely Cheralyn (Ubc friend, also in exchange in Bordeaux.) My oh my, were the baths ever relaxing. From the coloured walls surrounding the baths to the marble looking statues I felt I was enjoying a life of luxury. This combines with the proper brunch (super cheap) we had in the morning had led us to believe we were women of leisure. After the baths we explored a castle in the park which with its most, ivy clinging to the walls and very Cinderella esque design.

From the castle we ventured to parliament. On the way to parliament we stopped at the shoe installation on the side of the river. The shoes are made of metal and realistically filled with wear and creases. They are to pay homage to the Jewish Hungarians who in 1944-45 were taken from their home, made to take their shoes off before being shot into the river. The shoes reflect the people who were shot so are men’s, women and children’s shoes. Yes even children were not spared this horrid fate. I know I have already put out a call once in this blog for compassion over hate but let this serve as another and I urge you to research this yourself.

Afterwards we went to parliament which is an impressive gothic inspired structure that puts many North American parliaments to shame. The towering building looks out onto the river and the spires reach and curve all around the building. The courtyard is full of soldiers and police who are dwarfed by the statue of a man on a horse and the giant Christmas tree. After parliament we were a tad chilly so went for tea and cake before heading black to the hostel.

Two days in Budapest was not enough. There is so much more to explore, more to eat and more to learn. I am not sure when I will be back but I am certain that I will be back.

Tips

– Buy a 24/48/72 hour travel card. Budapest is a great walking city but in winter it gets chilly so good to have option to jump on a tram if you get cold!

– Stay at hostel one – you won’t regret it!

– Eat and eat and eat some more

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