Travel Bucket List: done it!

I took this picture of the airplane wing when I was flying somewhere. A classic! And when is the best time to think about your next trip if not when you are coming back home? Exactly, we, born travelers, just never stop thinking where we're going next. We must have a list! A travel bucket list! And we must stick to it, because this list will probably never end, the more we travel the more places we want to go!

That's why I decided to share with you 3 things on my travel bucket list that I have already done! Hard to choose only 3, but these 3 took me a lot of planning and daydreaming to achieve, which makes them even more special. Someday I'll share my entire bucket list with you, then you can also tell me yours!

Guimarães Castle

Starting with the most recent one: entering a castle. I'm from Brazil, no castles there. And when I say castle, I mean a medieval castle with those square spaces; which, by the way, now I learned its proper name 'battlement' (an indented parapet at the top of a wall with alternating merlons and crenels for decoration or defense). So, that's it. Bucket list: castle battlements! 

When I knew I was going to Portugal, I saw a big opportunity to see these types of castles. I saw two in the Lisbon area before visiting the Castle of Guimarães, in the north of Portugal. But this one, I entered! The admittance fee was €2, though it's only the walls and towers, I was extatic. I was there for the battlements! I was inside a real castle! Full of history! Medieval! Bucket list: check!  

In 2015, after much planning and daydreaming like I told you the beginning, the trip to Ushuaia, in Argentina, finally got off the paper into reality. It would become an unforgettable family vacation to the end of the world. Plus, I would celebrate my birthday there!

Ushuaia, The end of the World!

This quaint little town had been on my bucket list for quite some time, and it did not let me down. We went during spring, and the weather was perfect. It even snowed! It is a very windy city, so my purple jacket wasn't enough. 

We took walks in the city, went on a boat tour where we saw sea lions at their natural habitat, we also went all the way to the Beagle Channel and got the chance to get off on an isolated little island in the middle of nowhere. To be this connected to nature brings you an enormous sense of joy! Plus, we rented a car and went all the way to the end of Route 3, which starts in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and a little more than 3,000 km later ends in Bahia Lapataia in Ushuaia. Oh, I almost forgot to mention about my birthday there. We simply celebrated it on the Martial Mountain, having a fantastic overview of the city and a snow cake!

Curação, Kenepa Grande Beach

Number 3 on my bucket list is the Dutch Caribbean! In 2014 I crossed off my travel bucket list the island of Curação, in South America. My husband and I spent our honeymoon there, and I must say we made an excellent choice. I remember when I arrived at the hotel, I told the receptionist that I would like to see everything I saw on Google images and she smiled at me. And it was even better!

The surprise of seeing the color of the water from up close, the touch of sand in your feet, the hot pleasant weather, the fish not being scared of you at all, the warm evenings, the colorful houses in the city, one beach trying to be even more beautiful than the other... I would definitely go back again!

So here I shared with you 3 things on my travel bucket list I have done: the castle, the end of the world, the crystalline waters. What did you write on your travel bucket list the past 3 years? 

The world in your kitchen

Maybe I've watched way too many movies, but I believe life could be more fun if we had our own soundtrack, playing at all memorable times.

I decided to give this a try. In the kitchen. So far, I've been transported to so many places, just because I've been playing traditional songs from where my cooking was from.

Sometimes we don't have enough money or time to go on vacation or maybe just take a couple of days off, but we do eat everyday, and we can bring the world to our kitchen in a very simple way.

So, how do you do that? First, decide on what type of food you would like to prepare. By the way, this post works better if you're having a homecooked meal, it's the whole experience involved that counts. Are you in the mood for Italian, Chinese, French or Indian? I'm not a professional cook, and I don't know all the tricks, but online recipes and videos are there to help us!

Once you have decided which dish to prepare, make sure you have all the right ingredients, check the expiration date, and servings. Leave them all on your counter, including scale, knives, spoons, and whatever else you might need.

Time to be transported to another country! Go on Youtube and type: "French songs for cooking", "Italian songs for cooking", "instrumental Greek songs for cooking"..., you got the picture. You'll find many videos with these themes, some of them are 3o minutes and others 3 hours, only intrumental (my favorite!) or with singers.

Press play and enjoy! In seconds you'll immediately start feeling you are in Portugal preparing a delicious bowl of soup, or in Italy having the best pasta ever, or in India with that wonderful smell of curry, or in France while you cook and take sips of wine, the world is in your own kitchen and everybody can smell it!

Music and smells are memory triggers, when we combine them we create a whole different experience in the kitchen. Cooking something new can be challenging, and a background song can also help soothe you and create a nice atmosphere. And don't stop the music when you're done, keep playing it for you or your guests; you may be at your kitchen or dining room, but that food with that song, will definitely make you feel you are at a bistro, tavern, pub, coffee house... All of a sudden, with no big expenses, you just brought the world to your kitchen!

pst: all the pictures are mine, and I cooked those delicious foods while listening to my cooking playlist!

How to contribute to the traveler's community

I used to use all tools at my disposal to do my travel research: books, internet, apps, social media and also simply asking people. However, I never gave them anything in return! So, I started to share my feedback with other travelers. Here is how I did it and how you can do it, too!

One of the best tools for travelers, in my opinion, to search for hotels, flights, tours and sightseeing, is definitely TripAdvisor. Be it the desktop version or the mobile one, it has never let me down. One of the reasons that make it an excellent resource for travelers is that it is full of updated feedback!

I used to read all the other travelers' opinions and that was it, thanks. Nowadays, I am also a contributor, I have a badge and everything! I share my feedback, pictures and also click on the like button if another traveler's feedback has helped me. I try to share what would be nice for the other visitor to know. "Beautiful", is not the feedback I need, "Beautiful place to relax and low budget cafeteria nearby but don't forget to bring a jacket because it can be a little chilly up there", this is helpful feedback! So, please, do share your feedback, I need to know if it's chilly so I can bring my purple jacket. :) 

What about Youtube videos, huh? I'm sure you have already checked on "how to" something. Taking the subway in NYC, packing for Ryanair, ferry to Ireland, the list is huge!

Maybe now you're thinking: no, no, no, I'm too shy, I'm not going to do videos! But, here's the thing, if you simply click on the like button, you're already helping other travelers, because then we'll all know that it's a helpful video with good content just by the number of likes. And if you keep watching the videos from the same channel, what about subscribing to it? You'll be sending positive feedback to the vlogger and to her/his subscribers. That way everybody will try to keep doing a good job, it's a win-win situation. Maybe later, you'll decide to have your own travel channel on Youtube, sharing your own experieces, you never know...

In the world of selfies, sometimes there's just too much ego for such a breathtaking scenery. Try taking pictures from different angles. All kinds of pictures: landscapes, what's in front of you, behind you, between trees, the reflection on a pond, the possibilities are infinite. Even selfies nowadays, travelwise, are broadening the angles: eyes, arms and feet are just some of the selfies we've been seeing around. 

Wanna help the traveler's community? Go after the secret spots! Find the photographer in you! Maybe it's Mickey's reflection on your sunglasses, the Statue of Liberty seen by a tourist cell phone, not to mention those beautiful sunrays going through a famous monument. All I am saying is: explore!

Ultimately, your traveling experience can lead you to what I am doing right now: blogging! If you are anything like me, before traveling you make a ton of research, which is also exciting, you check tripadvisor, you watch youtube videos, check some online pictures, read articles and posts. So, why not also write your own post afterwards? Well, this is what I'm doing, giving back to the community all the free and wonderful advice other travelers have shared and which have helped me prepare a more informative travel project.

Once I saw a phrase on the internet, sorry I don't know the author, which described the whole traveling feeling in one single short sentence, and this is the one I chose to end this post with: "Traveling makes you speechless, then turns you into a story teller". Do tell! 

A glimpse of Paris

Oh Paris! 
               Merci
                     beaucoup!
                                  Bonjour!



Paris! So close and yet so far!
I've always wondered... what does France have that makes everybody falls in love with it?

My first time in France was to do volunteer work in the country side, around 4 hours away from Paris, in a city called Chateauroux. There I thought, can it get Frenchier than this? People leaving boulangeries with baguettes and croissants, milk stands in front of the local markets, stone wall houses and large green fields with sheep grazing. I was already enchantée!

My husband and I planned that to when we left our volunteering in Chateauroux we would spend a few hours in Paris before taking our flight back home. We would have four hours to spare, sounded good enough to snap some pictures of the Eiffel tower.

But, here's what happened: it rained. A lot! It rained so much that days later Paris was flooded. You'll probably remember watching it on the news... Well, our plans went down the drain. Ironic, right?

Did we get to see Paris and eat macaroons? Unfortunately no. And yet, that city was growing on me. I was never one of those girls who kept dreaming of Paris and being all romantic about it. I would just like to travel there someday. But the moment I saw half of the Arc du Triomphe, something clicked. The streets, the bars, the gardens... all... so... French! I felt in love with it immediately! And that from the bus windown! 

Is there something in the air in Paris? Was it the rain that made everything more nostalgic and classic? Or is it the language? All of a sudden I wanted to watch Amelie Poulain and Chanel, and I was missing an Edith Piaf music soundtrack while my eyes tried to catch a glimpse of every little detail of the city through the windown.

It can also be because I was so close to visiting Paris, but couldn't, the pouring rain wouldn't allow us this time. 

And I kept thinking about the answer to my previous question: Why does everybody love Paris? Why was I in love with Paris?

I still don't know the answer but I wouldn't mind going back there over and over again to try to find out. I need a second date.

LELLO Bookshop: booklovers unite!

Lonely Planet and The Guardian considered Lello bookshop the third most beautiful bookshop in the world and it sure deserves to be on that list!

I don't mind visiting bookshops when I am out, not only traveling but in my own city too. There's something magical when you enter a bookshop or a library. I guess it's a feeling that all the wisdom in the world is on the pages of those books right in front of you.

Lello & Irmão (Lello&Brother) has been open since 1906 and much thought was put into it, from books to architeture. The fact that it has been an inspiration for acclaimed authors like J.K.Rowling is no secret and I would dare to say that many travelers put this bookshop on their travel bucket list because of that.

There is a € 3 entrance fee that is fully discounted if you purchase a book, plus you get a map of the bookshop with some curiosities. It gets around 4,000 visitors a day from around the world, and lines can be long at any time of year, though  inside Lello it is never crowded.

It sells around 5,000 books per week! 

On the top shelves behind closed glass doors there are rare books and first editions. You feel you are being transported to another era just by looking at them and imagining all the acclaimed authors who have their first editions in there! A feeling that maybe only booklovers will understand and share. By the way, every single person who enters Lello smiles! It's amazing to see. Of course I know this because this happened to me, so I started looking at people as they entered to see if I was the only one.

If architecture is also your thing, the red stairs are a big deal, and again an inspiration for the Harry Potter stories. If you are able to get a picture of you at the stairs without no one else photobombing it, consider yourself a lucky booklover.

In July of this year, 2016, the bookshop was under restoration for 4 months to receive its original façade color and clean stained glass ceiling to celebrate its 110 years. It was and still is stunning!

With its anniversary, Lello Bookshop was chosen to be the host for the worldwide book release of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I took this picture about one hour before the release, and all the fans, visitors and travelers were there in front of the small two-story bookshop just waiting for Lello to open its doors again, after the 4 month period. The excitement was so strong that it felt like it was opening for the very first time.

Lello bookshop definitely deserves a visit. From booklovers to tourists I guarantee everybody will have fun browsing (and maybe buying) books, having a cup of coffee, buying a souvenir or just feeling closer to Harry Potter.

Weird things I learnt backpacking

They may be funny or gross, but 100% true!

1. Pee standing: ok, I'm a girl, I sit! But the restrooms are most of the times dirty, or smelly or simply without a toilet seat. So, I saw myself obliged to learn how to pee standing, or better yet, half way up. Not very worthy of a lady, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

2. Can't watch a movie outdoors because it's freaking cold even in the summer: summer events are great in Europe, but one needs to understand what summer feels like in Europe. I'm still adapting to the hot months (bear in mind that my benchmark for summer is Brazil) and learning to enjoy myself outside when it is 25 degrees (not my idea of "oh, so hot"), but when the temperature drops to 16 at night and there is an outdoor-movie event... I'm sorry, maybe I'll enjoy it next time...

3. You find new uses for things: this is the best one. How creative can one get when one doesn't have that many options. Here's an example: I turned a coffee filter into a napkin and a snack wraper. I recommend it!

4. You'll be hungry more times than you can possibly imagine: boy, this one is hard! You're backpacking, eager to learn, visit and taste new things. But in my case, learning and visiting are on top of my list, and I end up neglecting the eating part. In all my trips I remember starving at some point. That's why now I know, I always have to carry some type of snack with me.

5. Rain water is drinkable...I think: you're thirsty, it's raining, you're wearing one of those disposable rain ponchos, nowhere to buy water at the moment. Well, just put your hands together under the poncho forming a bowl and there you go: a few sips of relief.

6. You'll miss wearing flip flops: you must wear comfortable shoes when backpacking, in fact, you must wear comfortable shoes all the time. But it comes a time that you are a little fed up of wearing socks and shoes, socks and shoes, socks and shoes. You'll definitely miss the flip flop toe-freedom.

7. You'll wear sneakers to the limit: a link to the one above. You WILL wear your sneakers to the limit. True story: after backpacking a little the latch from one of my sneakers got loose. I just kept wearing them and walking always making sure that it was still there. One day, as I was leaving the supermarket, I looked down and that was when I saw my bright yellow sock, no latch! I started laughing because it was so ridiculous! But ok, never mind, let's move on. Then, what do I see ahead, about 600 meters away from the market? My sneaker latch trying to cross the street! Just, pretended nothing was happening, I picked it up, and later at night my husband sewed it up for me. 

8. If you don't wash your undies everyday, you may one day end up not wearing any at all: I guess this topic doesn't need much development, but backpackers, bear in mind that: if you carry one piece of underwear to each day, that means 7, don't panic on Sunday evening saying that you don't have clean underwear to wear on Monday. To paraphrase Dory: just keep washing, just keep washing...

9. You'll say that things that cost more than 1 euro are expensive: backpackers are in their essence low budget travelers, that means every saving counts. Our eyes sparkle when we see things at the supermarket that cost cents!

10. You'll discover body odors you've never smelled before: backpackers walk a lot, repeat clothes a lot, wear the same jacket, buy cheap deodorants (please, don't do this), take public transportation... I'm sorry to tell you this but one day you'll discover body odors you've never smelled before.

Disgusting, right? I know...I told you things would be funny or gross, boys and girls. So, I'll give you a nice bonus one:

11. You'll learn to trust complete strangers: this is one of the nicest things that happen in the life of a backpacker, meeting new people and simply trusting them. They may want to get to know your story as much as you want to know theirs. They'll feed you, offer you rides, help you take the bus, and sometimes only smile acknowleding your presence. You'll learn to trust complete strangers and this will definitely change the way you look at people and the way you see the world.

BERLIN: the tour for nerds

I am a huge fan of free walking tours! I started taking them more than six years ago and now when I am planning a trip one of the first things I research is: are there free walking tours?

They are usually in English, but some also offer it in Spanish, French or German upon group request. Many of them don't request reservation, just your punctuality at the meeting point. They guide you and your group, around 15 people, through the city's most important sights, and some hidden gems too, always full of information and curiosities. It usually takes 2 hours or more, with a short stop for coffee, and at the end of it you give them a tip if you think their tour was worth it. A little secret: it always is!

When my husband and I planned our trip to Berlin, we could only think about the history immersion we would have in such an important scenery of  World History, and a free walking tour, would be the best way to go.

It really is a tour for nerds, and if you are really into history, the free walking tour may even include a space for Q&A.

We decided to take Sandeman's New Berlin Free Tour. Our meeting point was in front of the Brandenburg Gate. Just by being there your mind starts to flash you images of how that space was during the Third Reich. Countless pictures and plenty of history from our guide Sam, who, by the way, has a PhD in History. How awesome is that?! We could listen to him for hours because he guided us in Berlin with a strong passion for what he was talking about.

Free Walking Tour in front of the Berlin Wall

In a little more than 3 hours we visited the Brandenburg Gate, Hitler's bunker, the Holocaust Memorial, Checkpoint Charlie, SS Headquarters, The Berlin Wall, the TV tower, Pariser Platz, Lufwaffle Headquarters and Humboldt University.

The experience of being at a place that staged so much history and tragedy is something that touches you. To see the Berlin Wall right there in front of you and to imagine how life was at that time is just impossible. Without a doubt being close to the Berlin Wall is an unforgettable experience. All the region of the Berlin Wall carries a sad, silent and respectful air. The Museum of Terror was built behind it, and when you're there you see many students of all ages, many tourists, and utter silence. Pictures, videos, texts, miniature models, newspaper clips and Hitler's voice giving speeches. To listen to that man's voice while you are in front of the Berlin Wall, brings you an indescribable feeling. You feel like you are mourning the people who had to live through that time while it's so hard to believe that that unfortunately happened.

Needless to say that that was the part of the tour that left a mark in me. Our guide said that Germans know what happenned and everything is still there to remind people that it is extremely important that we learn from the past. They built an underground memorial with a glass roof in front of the Humboldt University. The memorial is bookshelves with no books, because of the book burn that occured in 1933 when they burned 20 thousand books following Hitler's orders just because they weren't in the nazi's terms.

It really is a tour for nerds and I recommend you get to do as many tours as possible - there are others, but they're all paid; all on my list when I go back to Berlin. Then, on the next day I suggest that you pick your favorite stops and go again with free time to really dive in to history. 

So, that's it my fellow travelers, I hope I've inspired you to hop on a plane and go take a walking tour in Berlin!

Why should I visit the supermarket when I am traveling?

Have you ever considered adding going to the supermarket in your travel list? 
If not, you should! 

Usually when we travel we take notes of all the sightseeing places not to be missed, foods to try, souvenirs to bring, price of admittance, just to name a few, so going to the local supermarket is totally left aside. In case you're a low bugdet traveler I'm sure that buying groceries is in your priority list, but even if you're not, there's so much to learn and know at the supermarket, and why not, snap a few pictures?!

Let me give you one example. Argentina, Buenos Aires. Hotel breakfast. Sweets. Dolce de leche! They served dolce de leche at the hotel in one of those little plastic containers and it was incredibly delicious! Everybody who goes to Argentina buys that one of that famous brand, which is, by the way, sweet as heaven, but me, on that day, went to the supermarket looking for the brand I had at the hotel. There it was! A big jar of dolce de leche that tourists didn't seem to care. I grabbed three and happily paid for them (yes, it is much cheaper than that famous brand and equally mouth watering). I came back home, told my family and friends, they told their family and friends, and I'm sure by now the dolce de leche company should have hired me as their spokesperson.

At the supermarket you are also able to see what people have at their disposal to buy, what they like the most, check people's cart to have an idea if they are healthier or whether they prefer to shop for the week or month, well, be curious about their eating habits!

In Portugal, I noticed that all supermarkets have their house brands and people prefer to buy them since they're cheaper and many of them of good quality.

In the USA, you can find many things in XXL size: large butters, sodas, cereals, cheese, bread, food that would feed many people at once, I think it's great, because it can make you feel like you're a tiny person!

In France, you already feel more romantic and delicate just by reading the products' labels, And many times, I was like, "oh, look what they have here!". 

I told you in another post that I know zero German, right? So, my visit to the supermarket in Hamburg took quite sometime for me to understand what each product was for. Equally fun, since now I know how to read the label to know if it's sparkled water or not. But, yeah, I found out the hard way.

Comparing prices to your home country can be fun too, or sometimes very sad, though I thought it was very interesting when I saw bananas for sale, and the price was for each banana, or per kilo and it wasn't cheap at all, while in Brazil we have a saying that when something is very cheap, we say "it costs the price of a banana!".

We all know that if we buy sodas or chocolate at the supermarket they will be much cheaper than at a restaurant or store, but I also want you to focus on the variety you have, not to mention what people who live there actually buy!

Definitely when my husband and I travel we always make sure to pay a visit to the local supermarket, and we have never ever regreted it! Of course, it's almost impossible to leave it without buying anything, and since we never know the country's policy regarding plastic bags, I always carry my tote bag with me! Better safe than hungry, ops, sorry!

There are only advantages when you visit the supermarket when you're traveling: you buy cheaper, you get to know new products,  you get an idea of what locals prefer to buy, you may discover something a regular tourist would never know of, you can compare to what you have in your home country, and plus, you get a glimpse of what it feels like to shop at that town!

So add to your sightseeing list: visit a supermarket, then come tell me about it, I'm sure you'll have something to tell!

What language do you speak?

Do you speak English? 
      Você fala português?
               Parlez-vous français?

Some people say we need English to communicate worldwide. Others claim that Mandarin is the language of the future. French used to be taught at schools. Spanish is the third most spoken language in the world. So, which is the best language to learn when planning a trip abroad?

I'm fluent at Portuguese and English, but I know a little bit or two of other languages. If I'm traveling to another country I like to study at least the "traveler basics", like: hi, thanks, please and a few other expressions in order to sound more polite. And I definitely recommend you to do the same, it's a little thing that shows you care.

I've traveled to six different countries that had, as their mother tongue, a language different from my own. This immersion is great, because it completely takes you out of your comfort zone. Suddenly you have no idea what people are talking about, the signs are a little confusing, it's difficult to order something to eat, you have to be alert to the street's names, and asking for information is always a brave thing to do, since you never know if you'll be understood.

After traveling and listening to six different languages in my trips, I came to a conclusion: I discovered the TRUE universal language! 

SMILING!

It's not a language! It's a non-verbal expression! Simply smiling!

You don't have to learn all the languages in the world. There's this simple shortcut to a conversation starter, when nobody knows what language to speak, when you don't know any other mime to what you want. You look polite, receptive, friendly, happy!

This is the true universal language. When words got in the way, I smiled! Everybody smiles, no problem with accents, talking speed, vocabulary, grammar; with a simple smile you can "talk" to anybody from anywhere! Your French is a little rusty? Italian? Dutch? German? Smile and do your best!

How to survive a 12 hour flight

I'm a traveler, so I love to fly! And a 12 hour flight won't hold me back! Of course, I have my ways of surviving a long flight. Even though many airline companies have entertainment on board nowadays, and I do enjoy them, you see some people reading, working on their notebooks, sleeping and some just can't wait to land soon. I'm here to share with you what I do, and find really helpful, to feel comfortable at a 12 hour flight. Oh, in coach!

Before I share with you my "secrets", remember to wear comfortable clothes and shoes. I swear to you, someday I'll be wearing my pijamas on board, 'cause at every flight I always go wearing the most comfortable pieces of clothing I can! Come on girls, 12 hours wearing a bra? Wear a top and you're fine!

1. Bring a light jacket and socks: still on the matter of clothing, I always bring with me a light jacket on board. I may be cold and the blanket they provide sometimes isn't enough. Wearing socks is also a good idea so it will keep your feet warm, and they won't be touching the carpet directly. Yeah, I always take off my shoes, I have a much more pleasant flight, although I put them back on when I need to use the restroom.

2. Eye drop: the air on board is extremely dry, it's usually less than 20% of humidity, so I keep my eye drop in my pocket. It's a life safer, especially after you take a nap.

3. Lip balm: because the air in the cabin is so dry, it is also a good idea to have lip balm with you. Just remember to wash your lips before applying it, you may have eaten something sweet, so it's better to have clean lips before using your favorite lip balm.

4. Water bottle: we can't enter the plane with liquids, I know, but an empy water bottle, yes, we can! Picture this scene: you got thirsty during the flight and asked for a cabin crew member for a glass of water, maybe two. Pour into your water bottle so you can take a sip every now and then. You'll keep your throat hydrated and won't feel embarrassed to be bothering people all the time you're thirsty. Avoid sodas!!! They will give you gas...

5. Bubble gum: I used to take bubble gums with me for the take off, it really helped me not having my ears blocked. Of course, I always saved the wrap to throw it away afterwards. But, in case, you don't have gums with you, pretend you do!, the movement of the jaws is what really matters.

6. Snacks: yes, there is food on board, but sometimes you just want something to nibble. A good idea is for you to take some dry fruits with you, they won't smell the whole plane, they are nutritious and they perfectly satisfy you.

7. Baby wipes: baby wipes need to be part of your packing at all times, remember that! You can clean your hands, your face, after you take your in-flight nap, and can also take with you to the restroom. Baby wipes, people!

8. Stretch your body: you are 10, 12, 14 hours sitting down. Don't be shy and stretch your body! Get up, bring your arms up, stand on the tip of your toes, turn your waist to the sides. Forget what others will think, they should actually be doing the same! On my way to the restroom I almost go doing lunges. My body appreciates that and maybe that's why I am able to take a nap on the plane!

These are the things I do to survive a 12 hour flight. I eat, I get up, I drink water, I wear comfortable clothes, my feet are free from sneakers, my eye drop is at hand. But the most important thing you should do is move your body! Don't be sitting for 12 hours! Reset your watch and enjoy the flight! 

Are you ready to stay at a hostel?

Low-budget accomodation: HOSTELS

I had never stayed at a hostel before, but when I decided to backpack in Europe, I got the feeling that these two words always go together: if you backpack you sleep at a hostel. So I decided to give it a try and enjoy my adventure! Let's see if after reading this you'll be ready to stay at a hostel or not!

My husband and I were backpacking in Europe going to Berlin and would stay there for one night only. First I looked for an Airbnb host downtown Berlin, but did you know that there aren't any? It's forbidden, that's why you'll only find hosts some miles away from downtown. A hotel was out of the question, so I downloaded the Hostelworld app and started my research.

Since it was our first time at a hostel, we are married and not 18 anymore I had some demands for our first stay:

a. breakfast included;

b. sheets and pillows included;

c. downtown area;

d. near a subway station;

e. English spoken;

f. cheap.

So a because we were in Germany and none of us know any German to go out in the morning to buy something to eat, b because yeah the cheapest ones charge you or just don't have sheets and pillows on the beds, c and d because we only had a day there, e well, I just mentioned this above and f it's a hostel, right?, so cheap is what I want.

When looking for hostels the feedbacks is what I'm interested the most, and many of them complained about bad smell, dirty facilities and loud noise. Because of these things I set my budget a little higher. 

I found a hostel that covered all my demands and had very good reviews St. Christopher's Inn. We just wanted a cheap and comfortable place to crash; our aim wasn't a party hostel, but they also have a very nice bar for you to mingle. By the way, it's the same place they serve breakfast.

I booked via the app 2 beds in a 16-bed bedroom! We paid 16 euros each with all the perks mentioned above. Here's a picture of our bedroom, well, part of it:

As you can see, the pointy yellow arrows are showing the things that I thought were really cool. My bed was on top, my husband slept on the one behind me, and there was a large drawer for you to store your bags, but no lock, so you have to have your own.

The drape gives you privacy, the beds have pillows, sheets and a comforter. There's a tiny light at the bed for you to do your readings, and your own outlet to charge your devices. Loved it!

The way the bedroom was organized was really nice because it didn't look like there were 16 people in there. The bathroom is separated, on the hall you see signs to show you where the bedroom is for room numbers x and room numbers y, but don't mind that because since there are only two stalls, you can just look for the next one available, nobody likes to stay in line to use the restroom... For showering, only one stall, or you can go to the unisex shower, then there are more.

The hostel is quiet and people respect your privacy. It's possible to hear people on the sidewalk talking and having drinks, but that didn't disturb me. What DID disturb me was a couple who kept talking, and eating, and coughing, and calling their family on the bed right under mine! That freaked me out, but I didn't say anything to them, I was leaving the next day, so I didn't want any problems. But that's not all! Their sneakers smelt REALLY bad! Oh boy, that was the worst! I put some VapoRub on the area above my upper lip so I would smell that instead of their feet! Urgh!

Breakfast on the next day was simple, but good. It goes up to 10 o´clock, so you see many "sleepwalkers". Fruits, bread, juice, coffee, butter, cheese, jam and hazelnut cream. That was good enough to start the day!

We wanted to spend some extra time in Berlin before taking our bus, which was leaving only at night, but we didn't want to be carrying our backpacks. When we asked the receptionist about lockers, they mentioned we could use the ones next to the hostel. It was a room full of lockers, small and big. They cost 2 euros for four hours, I think, but I remember it was a very reasonable price. We used one locker for both of our bags. And you don't even have to be a guest at the hostel.

As you can see, it is possible to find a good comfortable hostel, even if you're not there to party, have a good night sleep and go on to your next destination. I don't think I'd recommend staying at a hostel for many days, I think one night only is enough, but hey, that's just me. If it weren't for the talking smellersons it would have been great, but they upset my night sleep.

Hostel, good. Experience, interesting. Travelers, some of them don't shower. Please do!

Are you ready to stay at a hostel? Have you already slept in one? I'm sure everybody who has slept at a hostel has a story to tell. What's yours?

WORKAWAY PART II

When things go better than you'd have thought

As you've seen in the previous post, it's important to be alert to the conditions that are imposed for you to volunteer. The idea and experience of workawaying is to learn, to share and to help, which is a very interesting way of traveling on a budget. My first experience wasn't good, but that didn't stop me from trying again. Lucky me, because it will be very hard to top my second workaway.

the sunset from their property

This time we were going to the countryside of France, around 4 hours away from Paris, to volunteer for an English couple. They posted a picture of them in their profile and they mentioned they would provide meals. We were having a hard time to know how we would get to their house. Once we found out the best way, we kindly asked them if they could pick us up. We exchanged some e-mails and we felt that maybe this time it would be different since the tone of the messages was already friendly.

Remember I told you about first impressions? After a long bus ride, there they were waiting for us with a big smile on their faces! The conversation in the car? Though we were getting to know each other, we were already bonding and telling jokes and talking about dinner. What a great sense of relief! 

Volunteering France - when things go well

The property was so cute. When I grow up I want to have a house like theirs! Our accomodation was really special: a caravan in their backyard. My husband would help Rod and I would help Margaret. They are full of energy and friendly, he has a great sense of humor and she is a real MasterChef. I would never guess in my entire life that I would learn how to cook Chinese food with a Scotish woman in the countryside of France! And that I would drink white tea (it means tea with milk) prepared by a true British gentleman!

the view from the kitchen window

My husband was dying to build a fence when volunteering, and he got the chance to do it! I would love to work in the garden while getting some tips, and I was also fortunate for that. We felt we were there to bond, share and volunteer, but we weren't even counting the time or days, we were so happy there that we made ourselves available at any time, plus they also liked our company, so in the evenings we were all watching tv together. Margaret and Rod were more than just hosts, they wanted to make sure we were warm and comfortable at all times. Not to mention, really well fed!

We spent two amazing weeks with them, really feeling as if we were part of the family. We'll never forget them and they will live forever in our hearts. For sure, next time we are in France, we'll visit them. Rod doesn't like this word, but it will be AWESOME! Of course, I won't forget to bring some Porto wine for Margaret.

my bucket of weeds full of thorns

In the end, this was what we expected from the beginning. Visiting a new place, meeting new people, sharing our experiences, and feeling grateful that we were able to volunteer not for the "job" itself but to grow as people.

So in case you're browsing the website workaway.info, what I recommend is for you to  focus more on the host rather than in what they need you to do. The hosts make all the difference, and you are also there to experience the day by day with people who have a different background from you, different culture and beliefs.

oh I miss dinner time

Are you ready to volunteer? Go ahead, don't wait too long. We shared, we learned, we "workawayed", we made friends for life!