Scotland Travel Choices

"Hello!

We love your blog and videos and are planning a trip to scotland in early May. We were mostly wondering about whether to "hire" a car or try to catch buses to each place (we'd like to see Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Skye, and possibly Loch Lomond and Ben Nevis.) Also if there's any particular advice you'd like to impart we'd be grateful for it :)

Thanks so much!"

Your trip sounds very similar to what Krystin and I did in Scotland so we can tell you what worked for us.

10 Days Away from Takeoff!!!

I’ll be traveling to Italy next week for 16 days, visiting Florence, Sienna, Pisa, Lucca, Cinque Terra (my favorite), Venice, Montepulciano and Rome. This trip will be a completely different experience for me than all my previous European journeys. This time I’ll be accompanying a college class that met one day each week this semester discussing Italian art and architecture, literature, photography and travel etiquette (my teaching part was the last two).
Now that I’m about 10 days out from my departure day, there should be a few things to be starting to think about and checking off a list – lists by the way are a great invention for backpackers, travelers, tourists, or however you want to define yourself. In no particular order, hopefully you have done most of this, or will be doing it ASAP before you arrive at the airport.

Around the World Travel

I got a question from someone who had the great fortune to take a year off and travel around the world for a year. I have never had the pleasure to do this but I'll try to offer some guidance on the matter. The main question was how much it would cost, which is very vague and I wish I could put an exact price on it. In a few books I’ve read about people selling all their belongings and traveling for a year, they claim they spend less traveling than they would at home with rent, utilities, insurance, car payments, etc. Krystin and I lived in Lincoln, England for a year to get our masters degrees and came back about even with our jobs we had gotten working 20 hours each week and making minimum wage. We also did some traveling and had fun money.

Smart Phones, Laptops and Tablets

I have always been a huge advocator for not taking phones or laptops abroad. The first time I backpacked through Europe the only people who owned phones that could access the internet were tie wearing business types with Blackberries. Now it seems like everyone has their head stuck in the sand looking down at the bright colors on their phone.

The main reasons why I personally recommend not taking your phone with you to Europe:

1. Aren't the sights and sounds of Europe more important than facebook and twitter?
2. Lost or stolen. There is so much else going on in a strange place that it might be hard to keep track of your new device.
3. Recharging. Not all hostels have plugs in every room, so if you want it charged, you might have to leave it behind the front desk all night, or hang out inside with it while your burden free friends enjoy the bier garten, walks on the Mediterranean, etc.

Having used an iPhone recently in a strange city I have found the uses of maps, restaurant locators, internet capability that can look up opening times of museums, and instant contact with family extremely useful. There is no way I or anyone will be able to convince you that your phone should be left at home. So for those of you that are attached at the hip to your social media, a new service is available to take advantage of. It's called Tep wireless. www.tepwireless.com

There appear to be two choices, a prepaid smartphone that you rent and use while abroad, or a small device that emits a wi-fi signal for up to five devices (travel group friendly). The wi-fi device seems more appropriate for most applications in my opinion. It works with tablets, phones or laptops. Their web site does not give current prices but below is my "live chat" and I was surprised with the cost that I found. (I made up travel dates and locations so they may differ greatly. Contact tep wireless for accurate rates)

Ben: May I know your travel date please?
→Oct. 5 for about 10 days
Ben: Do you need a pocket wi-fi of smartphone?
→I think pocket wi-fi, it will power multiple devices at once correct?
Ben: You can connect it with up to five devices at the same time.
Ben: What country will you be traveling to?
→France, Germany, UK, and Netherlands. How do prices work, is it per day, per amount of usage, country?
Ben: Let me check it out.
→thanks
Ben: The rental price is £52.10 (£4.74/day) [Current conversion today is $7.78 per day]
→Is that for a max amount of usage per day?
Ben: pocket wifi (Europe) - 50 MB per day from 05/10/2011 to 15/10/2011
→Ok. If I go over the 50 MB what happens?
→Is there a feature that tells me to stop before an extra cost kicks in?
Ben: The charges would be 1.5 pounds for 1gb.

I can't seem to find out exactly how much 50mb will get you, but many smartphones get that allotment a month. Now if five members in your group will be using at once, the usage will get eaten up pretty quickly.

Getting from town to town can be boring and it would be a dream to get some of your research and hostel booking accomplished while on the train, bus or ferry. Internet cafe's vary greatly on usage costs, normally by the hour fee. $2-$5 per hour is about normal so if 2-4 members in your group are buying an hour, you've paid for the tep, but you don't need internet daily.

In my opinion smartphones and laptops should stay at home, but for some of you who have the extra money and need access to everyone from almost anywhere, this may be a good travel option for you.

SUN BURN

It's not a bad idea to take some sunscreen if you plan on making it a point to sit by the beach. Common sense right? Well the after affects are much worse on a backpacking trip with lobster arms than on a spring break week.

I got too much sun over the Fourth of July weekend and days after took a hike and was forced to endure the severe shoulder pain with a tiny backpack on my back, let alone a heavy pack.

Keep you shoulders covered or reapply the sunscreen as often as possible to stay away from shoulder burns that will make carrying your pack a living hell.

Europe sells sunscreen so don't feel like you have to take it, but I always find it is one of those items that seems rather expensive. It can easily get overlooked when a bottle of it can be the same price as dinner.

Amsterdam Hostels

One of Red Wine's followers in Canada asked a great questions about hostel accommodation in Amsterdam. All the hostels he was finding ranged from $50-60 a night.

I have been to Amsterdam twice and I really enjoyed it. Whether you're into the drug scene, or just to see Amsterdam as a really nice and laid back town.

The first time I went I staid in a town close by called Utrecht. I had an unlimited rail pass so the journey into Amsterdam was free and maybe only took 30-45 minutes. I just looked in my journal and it was 15 euro a night (this was a few years ago, but still can't be 50-60) and it had free internet and free food. All types of pasta, cookies, cakes, bread and eggs. I didn't write the name of it down, but after looking at hostelz.com it might be this one. It will also give you the chance to see a city other than Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

It says it has free internet, breakfast and lunch and only cost 16 euro for a dorm bed (but $30 for booking online, so it might be worth sending an email to double check price). I will preface that this place wasn't the cleanest, and was crowded, but if a bed is all you want, it might be worth it. Not sure if it had lockers, so you might have to ditch your bags at either the Amsterdam or Utrecht train station which might cost a few extra Euros, but if you get free meals, it's hard to beat.

The second time I went to Amsterdam I stayed in the city and it's nice because after a few beers and coffee bars, it gets hard to remember the train schedule to make it back to Utrecht. All I've heard from anyone who go to Amsterdam is the hostels they've stayed at aren’t the cleanest. I think they jack up the prices so they don't get the bums, drifters and drug addicts staying there, but try to keep it safe by accommodating young travelers hoping to see a sex show and buy weed.

If you look at a map of Amsterdam, find the train station. See all the canals that make a series of "U" shapes? The closer to the station in the center of the "U" is the main part of town with all the coffee shops and red light district. The further you get out of town the cheaper a hostel should be. This one for instance is $30 per night.

The only bummer is no smoking or alcohol is allowed, but if that doesn't bother you, it might be up your alley. The area around Vondelpark I thought was nice and it's not that far from the city center.

Cold Weather Traveling?

A cold weather question from a fan.

"Hi guys-

I was directed to your blog by a friend who spent this past summer backpacking across Europe, and she swore by your site!

My boyfriend and I are getting set to do some of our own traveling in Europe toward the end of February and through March. My question is how to properly pack for the cooler weather at the beginning of our trip without weighing down our packs. Do you have any tips on how/what to pack for this time of the year?"

"The first step I would take is to visit www.weather.com or the local tourist web site for the countries you’ll be visiting and find out exactly what the temperatures will be (look at past year averages). I haven’t done much traveling in cold months, but I have traveled to cold countries. Scotland will be much different than Italy and Greece different than Switzerland.

The quick and easiest answer for you is layers. Even when I was exploring in fall and spring, evenings can get very cold and I always had the option to wear a t-shirt, long sleeve t-shirt, long sleeve/collared button down shirt, hooded sweatshirt, windbreaker/rain jacket and my pajama pants under my jeans which always kept me pretty warm when I needed it to. Doing this meant I really only got the layer closest to my body dirty.

One bummer with the cold is your outer garment will be the same in every photo you take, and you won’t have room for two winter coats. Even when it was cold, my wife always took off her rain jacket for photos. Her being a style aficionado, she would also recommend to make sure everything matches to either black or brown, so if you take an extra sweater, make sure it goes with everything.

Companies like The North Face and Arc’Teryx (among many, many others) make all kinds of cold weather shirts, pants, coats and hoodies. They are specially designed from fabrics to keep the body warm when extremely cold and cool when it gets warm. The fabrics breath easily and help whisk moisture away from the body. These items are great but they get very expensive. These are made for weight conscious people when every ounce in your pack counts. You can easily drop $50-100 for one shirt. However, if you plan to do more traveling or you like hiking and camping, a couple of these might be worth the investment, but I’m always about saving money when traveling, not spending hundreds before you leave the country.

Like I said with my packing list of layers above, I would also take a sweater so when I was in a museum or at dinner, I didn’t have to wear my hoodie all the time. I would also take one pair of gloves and one hat and if you’re a scarf person take one of those too, but I wouldn’t do more than one of each. I might also change my normal pajama pants for thermal long-underwear. Granted this stuff is not heavy, but it is bulky.

I have received many emails and comments about cotton hoodies vs. fleece. Like every person in the US, we all own a hoodie with our high school, college or favorite sports team name on it. I own one of these so I took that and not fleece. Many avid campers and hikers have told me that fleece is much warmer than cotton, dries quicker if it gets wet and also much lighter. I have personally never done field research on this, but I believe what I've been told. I chose my hoodie because it had a hood instead of taking a hat, a nice front pocket instead of gloves and most importantly, I already owned it.

Do some research with the temperatures and try out my list of layers to see if it keeps you warm enough. (granted if you live in Florida it might be hard to recreate the English winter). I personally would not take a “winter coat”. What I mean by “winter coat” is one that is heavy and warm enough to only wear a t-shirt underneath and be warm. My packable wind/rain resistant jacket was great and it packed up very tiny. When you go inside a place for a meal or internet café, it packs up to fit in your day pack instead of having to lug around a big coat.

Safe (and warm) Travels!!!!

p.s. A little word or warning, it might not happen to you, but it did to me a few times, especially in eastern Europe, but the trains did not have heat. During the day I didn’t notice it, but when it was dark and I was trying to sleep, it was bitter cold.

Travel Clothing from SCOTTEVEST

I stumbled across an advertisement for some pretty cool travel clothing. I'm not endorsing these items because I've personally never tried them out, but I thought I would point everyone in the direction to check it out for yourself, especially with Christmas around the corner it might not hurt to put it on your list since the items are a bit costly.


SCOTTEVEST sells all sorts of travel clothing from hats, winter coats, pants, hoodies and more. The main draw to the clothing is the many hidden pockets to fit all your important travel documents and expensive gadgets. The main goal behind starting the company was for the CEO to carry all his stuff without having to lug around a man-purse.

My initial thought on the clothing is that it seems very useful, especially the Revolution jacket that has 26 pockets and fits your MP3 player, phone, iPad, water bottle, has a hidden passport pocket and more. The price for this is high at $175, but it seems pretty cool for people who might be traveling in cold months and don't want to carry a day pack. The only bummer I can see about this is having anything in the pockets and then trying to wear your pack. The straps would inevitably overlap something important and make it uncomfortable or crush something. The other is trying to get through security with this thing seems like a nightmare. I'd never get all the metal out of the pockets.

I few of the items seem ridiulous like a hat with space in the bill for cash and boxers that have a pocket for your smart phone, but I guess if you have the money for it, why not have underwear with pockets?

Screwpop

Recently I picked up a little tool to try out thinking it might have some travel uses. Since I’m in love with my Swiss Army Knife, I thought this would make a great companion. The item is called The Screwpop, named because it has a phillips and a flat head screwdriver and a bottle opener.

The price of only $4.95 and name first attracted me to the product. I’m not a keychain person because I hate things poking me and having a huge bulge in my pocket (hahahaha). This isn’t very large but very heavy duty in it’s construction which makes it able to open any bottle and even have use as a screwdriver. However, since I always have my Swiss knife, I never need a bottle opener or flathead screwdriver. That being said, in the two weeks it was on my keychain I did use the phillips attachment to change my license plate, but I only did so to prove whether or not the product works. I should have saved some time and frustration of using the tiny tool and simply ran up to my apartment and got a real screwdriver.

The tool also has a ¼” Hex. Nut driver and honestly I can say I’ve never used one of these during any home or car application, it simply works to hold the screwdriver in place – which it does very well. When you put it in your pocket however, make sure the Phillips attachment is facing out because the flat head will poke you in the leg all day.



This thing did make it through security at an airport so if you decide to not take a knife and check a bag this might be the way to go to have a couple features other than a simple pocket bottle opener. But for me, I can open a bottle with a lighter, spoon, railing, table, stapler, scissors, another bottle, a rock or even a frying pan so it wouldn’t be on my list of must haves for a trip to Europe, but it is definitely a great stocking stuffer for a friend who thinks he is MacGyver.

The Innocent Abroad

Interested in going to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific? There's a great new web site/blog that has information and discussions about it. The Innocent Abroad was started by Melissa who is American but has lived in Australia before and will be going back for another year soon. She has some great advice and a site that is a perfect place to start planning your trip!


Red Wine Helps you Sleep on Trains was included in one of her posts about what it means to be a backpacker - check it out!

Creating a Travel Blog

While traveling to a new place, it is often tempting to want to send out a mass e-mail to family and friends, update your Facebook status and Twitter feed, and load photos of your experience along the way. Unfortunately, this takes a lot of time and effort, which are two things you don't want to waste when the Eiffel Tower or Vatican Museum are calling your name.

We have found that the easiest way to keep up with everyone at home is to set up a blog before you leave. Whether you use Blogger, Wordpress, or another blog storage service, this tool serves as an online journal that allows all of your friends and family to become part of your trip. This is not something you need to update on a daily basis, but is good to utilize for a quick post before bed to let everyone know what you have been up to.

Hometown Series: Cleveland, Ohio

Krystin shares her ideas about what makes Cleveland, Ohio, a city worth visiting. And yes, she is aware that Cleveland is famous for the Cuyahoga River catching fire, being called "the mistake on the lake," and for generally being one of the most made fun of cities in film and television. But she is out to prove that this city has something to offer, something that makes her proud to be a Clevelander.

"I was born in Cleveland in 1984 and raised in Streetsboro, a suburb 30 minutes outside the city. My family moved out to Streetsboro because my parents wanted my sister and I to grow up somewhere safe, which tells you a little bit about the state Cleveland was in during my youth. Fast forward 25 years and Cleveland seems like a completely different city than the one I was born in. Major improvements have been made to clean up the city and make it a location worth exploring.

One of the highlights of Cleveland is, of course, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum that opened its doors on the bank of Lake Erie in 1995. The admission is a bit steep (regular admission is $22, college students pay $17 with a student ID), but you get to spend all day perusing Jim Morrison's hand-written letters, Jimi Hendrix's clothing collection, Janis Joplin's Porsche, John Lennon's glasses, and many more relics that make the visit worthwhile. The building itself is an impressive architectural monument to rock created by revered architect I.M. Pei, who is most famous for designing the additions to the Louvre in Paris.


I grew up going on field trips to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and The Rainforest. I have been to zoos all over the U.S. and Europe, and Cleveland's is really one of the best. Founded in 1882, this is one of the oldest zoos in the country, but it is always making improvements and additions. There is a wide variety of every animal you expect to see - giraffes, gorillas, monkeys, sea lions, bears - but the wolf exhibit is a must-see along with the newly renovated elephant area that will open in 2011. The Rainforest is also really impressive, featuring over 6,000 plants and 600 animals in a two-story building that really makes you feel like you have been transported to the jungle. Depending on the time of year, admission is between $7 and $10, which is a steal considering most zoos and aquariums run around $20.


Another spot I often frequented on school trips in my youth is The Cleveland Museum of Art. I visited the museum with Scott recently, and I still think it is an impressive collection even after visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Tate Modern in London. Major works are featured by famous artists including Dalí, Matisse, Renoir, Gauguin, Degas, Monet, van Gogh, Picasso, Warhol, and Pollock. One of the best parts of the museum is that it's free, so you can spend the day exploring and still have cash in your pocket for the evening.

As for the nightlife in Cleveland, the main spot to go out is called The Flats. Major renovations took place in this area during the 80s and 90s, making it a great place to grab a drink, eat a meal, or catch a gig. One of my favorite spots to catch a show is The Odeon, a smaller venue with an industrial feel. Of course, Cleveland also has a House of Blues if you prefer to visit a more mainstream venue. If you like to try local beers, make sure to get some Great Lakes Brewing Company specialties. Scott's favorite is the Dortmunder.

A fun way to see Cleveland and to appreciate all the changes its been through it is take a trip on the Goodtime III, the city's largest excursion ship. It's $15 for a two-hour narrated cruise through Cleveland (save a buck by visiting the site and printing the coupon). The Goodtime has been around since 1924, and riding down the river really gives you a sense of the history of the city.


As for seasonal activities, if you happen to be in Cleveland during the Christmas holidays and are a fan of the classic film A Christmas Story, there are two musts for you. A little known fact is that this movie was filmed in Cleveland, and the home used for the filming has recently been renovated to look exactly like it did in the movie, complete with a museum and gift shop where you can purchase your very own leg lamp. Admission to the A Christmas Story House and Museum is $8. You can also visit Tower City Center and Public Square to see the lights and visit the spot where the Christmas parade scene was filmed."

For more information on the latest happenings in Cleveland throughout the year, check out Cleveland Magazine.

Beer Gardens in the UK

As we were checking e-mail on Yahoo.com, we came across an article about the Top Ten Beer Gardens in Great Britain. These pubs have been chosen by the editors of The Good Pub Guide, UK’s #1 bestselling guidebook. When traveling around Great Britain, you’ll see signs in pub windows that show off the fact that the establishment was included in last year’s guide.

Unfortunately, we can't say we have been to any of the pubs on the top 10 list. However, we have been to many fantastic pubs in two England cities we've lived in and would definitely recommend visiting: Lincoln, Lincolnshire and Exeter, Devon. Our favorite beer garden in Exeter is The Imperial, which is located in front of Exeter University, making it a popular student hangout. One of the best parts about this pub is that there is a huge area to sit outside that overlooks the train station. The building itself is interesting because it used to be an old hotel and was home to a massive glass orangery (or conservatory) before that.

The only bummer about The Imperial is that it is part of a pub chain, so it lacks some of the character that privately owned pubs possess. The chain is Weatherspoons and can be found throughout Britain. What makes it a chain is the menu, drinks and employee uniform (once you visit one, you will be able to recognize other Weatherspoons-owned pubs). Because the Imperial is part of Weatherspoons, they have some of the cheapest drink prices you’ll find in England - one of the best parts of this chain!

The best beer garden in Lincoln is The Jolly Brewer. They have regular open mic nights and jam sessions, great real ales, local cider in barrels on the counter and plenty of outdoor picnic tables and heaters in the winter. Beer prices are decent and the atmosphere is extremely diverse and friendly with an eclectic mix of locals, students, professionals and artists. It is more than worth it to visit the Brewer just to people watch for a night to see the unique characters that frequent it.


For a great "real" pub experience in Lincoln, try The Strugglers Inn located just outside Lincoln Castle. The pub got its' name because this is the spot prisoners would visit for their last pint on the way from court inside the castle to the gallows located just down the road. This pub is great for a glimpse into life of the locals and what a real English pub looks like. There is almost always a fire burning a dog wandering around beneath the tables.

No matter what city you visit throughout the UK, the best idea is always to ask the reception staff at your hostel what pubs they would recommend. If you are looking for something specific (cheap drinks, local ales, live music), be sure to ask for pubs that cater to these criteria. The best part about the UK is that no matter how small the town is, they will always have a local pub. The second best part is, that pub is more than likely within walking distance of where you are staying. Remember, the walk home is half the fun. Make sure to stop at the all-night chip shop where locals will be lined up and grab some chips and gravy for the walk home.

17 Days in Italy

Two of our friends recently spent a couple weeks in Italy and were nice enough to give some tips and advice about their experience.


"Ahhhh, Italia. Ryan and I spent 17 days playing in this beautiful country and it breaks my heart to be away. We decided to fly into Milan (as this seemed to be the cheapest option). We were told by many people that Milan is not worth the stop. However, Ry and I were glad to be able to spend the day exploring the city; walking on the top of the beautiful Duomo, exploring La Scala Opera house, window shopping, indulging in copious cups of gelato, etc.

Do I Need Travel Insurance?

We have never purchased travel insurance because we are cheap, but it doesn’t mean that it is not worth the money. We’ve simply been very lucky and never lost our backpacks or had medical emergencies during a trip.(Krystin did forget to grab her bag in New York from London and recheck it for the connecting flight and arrived in Florida with no clothes, but that is another story). Scott does, however, have insurance on his camera gear.

YouTube Video Comments

One of the great things about Youtube is receiving comments from viewers. It is fantastic to know we helped someone with his or her future travels. However, sometimes the comments can be off-kilter and we have no problem taking comments down if we think they may lead other viewers to make bad decisions on their trips. All over YouTube, there are millions of viewers with way too much time on their hands who enjoy writing something that makes no sense or might confuse someone just for kicks.

For instance, someone said Krystin was wrong in her video about packing by saying that heavy items go in the bottom of the backpack. However, every hiking guide we have read say that heavy items should go in the bottom third of the pack, but most importantly as close to your back as possible. Maybe we should have elaborated on this fact, but we provided the general rule in the time allotted. We would hate for anyone to read that comment and think they should carry heavy items at the top of the pack, which could potentially cause physical injury to that person during their travels.

How to Tip Across Europe

Tipping in Europe is difficult to figure out because most countries have different customs and even if you have the general rule figured out, it's usually still different depending on if you are ordering at a bar or sitting at a table. We generally try to stay away from any establishment that looks like a tip is needed. We've been servers and bar tenders before and appreciate tips and the hard work that goes into earning them, but it is hard for us to part with our money
when traveling and trying to save every penny possible.

Under-tipping and over-tipping can both be considered offensive depending on what country you are in. The main rule to stick with when in doubt is never tip for bar/counter service, and add about 10 percent for a sit-down restaurant. Servers in Europe make a paycheck and tips are considered a small "bonus" — to reward great service, or to simply round the total bill to a convenient number. In most countries, 5 to 10 percent is adequate and 15 or 20 percent is unheard of.

How to Navigate Internet Cafe's and European Keyboards

Let us be blunt. We definitely do not recommend bringing a laptop along on your backpacking trip. They’re heavy, take up space, are easy to break while jumping on and off trains, need to be charged every two hours and are very easy for someone to walk off with, not to mention you have to find a “wi-fi hotspot” to use it.

That being said, this is 2010 and everyone pretty much owns a laptop and with Macbook Air™ which weighs three pounds and is less than an inch thick or the entire line of HP, Toshiba, Acer and Sony Mini books that cost less than $400, it can be very tempting to bring your Twitter, Facebook, video chatting and photo storage along for the ride.

The Role Weather Plays

When should I travel? I have summer free and plenty of time... but it's peak season so places will be crowded and hostels full, not to mention it will be hot and sweaty. Christmas break is nice because places won't be crowded... but will every place be open in the off-season? Spring break and Thanksgiving sound good... but might be too short for a visit overseas. So when do I travel? Not to mention - what will the temperature be like where I want to go at that time of year?

Hometown Series: Miami, Florida

Forget about what you've seen on TV from Dexter and CSI; Red Wine follower Celia would like to give you some insight into her Miami in the second of our Hometown Series.

"Bienvenidos a Miami (Welcome to Miami)! Most people who visit our metropolis refuse to label Miami as part of the "south," rather, they accept it as just the capital of all of Central and South America (with an American twist)!