Cafe – SteveWhittythoughts1965

August 20, 2013August 20, 2013

20

As I sit down in the coffee shop enjoying my mocha latte and muffin it dawned on me that today was the 20th August. It also meant that I have 20 days until I leave for my next trip to the Balkans.

I had always penciled in today for starting my preparations for the trip. I am on a rest day from work. The last three days have been stressful and I feel battered by the whole experience. At least I will not be working any more weekends until after my trip.

There are a few things that need to be done today. The first of these is to get the rucksack out of storage and check for any damage it may have. The last thing I need is for anything to break while I am away.

Next on my to-do list today is to arrange the taxi from Split Airport to the hostel. The hostel said they could arrange something a taxi for a discounted rate. This will be useful. By the time I arrive into Split I will have been travelling for over twelve hours.

Finally today I will be checking for the small items I will need to take. Things like medicine, ear plugs and charger. While not the end of the world if not taken it could cause inconvenience and potential expense.

I have been planning this trip since the new year and it is becoming so close now that I feel excited. For me I am feel enthused about everything after a period of feeling down. I have not enjoyed a break from work since I returned from Vienna in March. The batteries need re-charging. Of course, I look forward to sharing everything with you.

Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

Posted with Blogsy

May 12, 2013

Vienna – A Reflection

I am pleased to admit that my second visit to Vienna was more successful than my previous one. At least I avoided getting food poisoning and I also managed to get to see more of the city.

Vienna as a city has always held a fascination for me. I love history and art. The reason for my first visit was to see the ‘Madonna del Prato’ by Raphael. Sure enough I managed to get off my sick-bed to get to the Kunsthistorisches Museum. However, I left Vienna I felt that there was some unfinished business.

During the four days I spent in Vienna I managed to get to see the following:

St. Stephen's Cathedral — St. Stephen’s Cathedral

I felt that I managed to experience a lot more of what Vienna has to offer. Yet there was still more that I wanted to see.

Overall, I loved my time in Vienna with its history, sights and smells. It is a city while a capital city still felt small enough to explore by foot and getting yourself lost. To experience an authentic Viennese coffee shop was a joy or experiencing the busker playing the cello outside the Hofburg on a cold Saturday night. These are the memories that never go away.

Yes, Vienna can be expensive but with careful planning there are bargains out there. Sometimes the best experiences are free. Would I visit again? The simple answer is yes. If Vienna is good enough for me then it will be good enough for you.

Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

May 4, 2013

Schönbrunn Palace – Vienna

The Schönbrunn Palace is one of the most visited attractions in Vienna. In 2011 it attracted over 2½ million visitors. Schönbrunn literally means ‘beautiful spring’. The palace was the summer residence of the Habsburgs.

My visit took place in March but I could why it is so popular. There were plenty of visitors from all around the world. Visiting on a Sunday meant it felt full and there was some queuing involved. A visit to the Schönbrunn consists of two areas. The palace itself and the gardens.

When touring the palace be aware that you may be hearing the information through the audio guide as you heard in the Imperial Apartments at the Hofburg. Also you are unable to take any photographs. In fact you are not allowed to take any bags into the palace. The tour itself was fascinating and there were some interesting exhibits. However, I felt it do not last too long and was value for money.

My mood changed when I went into the gardens. This is the real attraction of the Schönbrunn. Despite it being March and weather was a little chilly the gardens looked magnificent. I must have spent at least three exploring. There were paths leading off to the zoo and woods. When you climb the hill towards the Gloriette you are treated to splendid views. I found myself taking plenty of photographs.

I made my way up to the Gloriette. Maybe it is just me but I was disappointed to see it used as a cafe.

Overall, I enjoyed my visit to the Schönbrunn Palace, especially the gardens. Sure they would look better in the summer but I feel that it could be too crowded to enjoy. I was glad that I visited in March.

Schönbrunn Palace, Schönbrunner Schloßstraße 47, 1130 Vienna

http://www.schoenbrunn.at/en

Nearest U-bahn station – Schönnbrunn

Classic Pass Plus €21.50 (€19.70 with Vienna Card)

Classic Pass €18.50 (€16.70 with Vienna Card)

Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

April 27, 2013

Should I Be Envious?

As I am sitting in a coffee shop my mind was turning to thoughts about one of the people I follow on twitter. Sam Starling of Totally Sam's World is about to embark on her RTW trip. I could not feel anything but envy. She is doing the one thing that I always want to do. However, the question I should be asking myself is 'why be envious?'

What Sam and others like have done is got off their backside and acted to carry out their dreams. This has involved a tremendous amount of self-sacrifice. Meanwhile I am sitting on mine doing the same old thing. Travel has become a passion. I have enjoyed reading people's tales on their blogs. There have contained some tips that I have followed. During the past year I have undertaken three trips with another one planned for September. I do dream of giving it all up for a year to travel around the world. You can see on the bucket list post all the places I would like to see. Yet, I procrastinate too much and never get round to making a plan of action.

With that I have answered my own question. I should not be envious of Sam and others. They are living their dream. The feelings of envy are only because I do not have the balls to do something about it. This has got to change. I just discovered a note on my iPhone which was a itinerary with rough budget of a ideal RTW trip. Time to stop dreaming.

I wish Sam all the best on her trip. You can follow Sam on Totally Sam's World http://www.totallysamsworld.com, twitter @TravelSamsWorld. Sam also contribute to RTW Backpackers http://www.rtwbackpackers.com

Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

Posted with Blogsy

March 28, 2013