Reflections – Page 3 – SteveWhittythoughts1965

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

April 18, 2013

Photo of the Week – Statue of Ronald Reagan in Budapest

This week’s photo is of the Statue of Ronald Reagan in Budapest.

The statue is located in Freedom Square not far from the old Soviet Monument. The recent death of Margaret Thatcher has reminded me of the time they were both in power. The Cold War was at its height. Their role in ending the Cold War meant that whole of Eastern Europe was opened up to travellers to explore. I did not agree with their politics but as a wannabe traveller I am grateful to the pair of them.

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

Steve

April 13, 2013

Wombats City Hostel Vienna – The Base, A Review

For my stay in Vienna I chose to stay at the Wombats The Base. Wombats have several hostels across Europe including 3 in Vienna. This was the original Wombats Hostel in Vienna.

The hostel is located on Grangasse which is close to the Westbanhof railway station. The hostel is located in a quiet part of the city away from the main tourist areas. There are plenty of supermarkets and cafes nearby.

I arrived early in the morning long before the advertised check-in. The staff on reception offered me the chance to purchase breakfast which was gratefully taken. Breakfast itself was an all you can eat buffet which costed €3.80. It consisted of cereal, cold meats, fruit, salad, toast with juice, tea and coffee. This is a perfect opportunity to fill your belly before the day ahead and it represents good value for money.

The dorms are comfortable. Entrance is by key. There is fresh bedding for you use. You just bring it down to reception when you check out. There are also lockers available to store your belongings. It is operated with a key which is on the same fob as my dorm key. You leave it at reception every time you leave the hostel. My only gripe would be the lack of plug sockets. There was one for six people to share. We were lucky that somebody had brought a multi-plug with them.

There is a small rest area in reception. You cannot miss this as there is an old-fashioned British telephone box in the middle. I believe the phone inside still works. If the rest area gets full you can always sit in the kitchen or bar to use access your email using the free wi-fi.

The kitchen was a popular area. All the equipment you needed to cook a good meal was provided for you. Otherwise you can purchase cooked from the bar. The meals themselves were basic but again represented good value. The bar offered plenty of drinks. I thought the bar was a little quiet but I was staying in March. During the day there is access to a roof garden from the bar.

All the staff were friendly and helpful. This always adds to the experience. While the hostel was not the best I have stayed it does represent good value and is a good base to explore Vienna. Overall you get everything that you would want in a hostel.

Wombats City Hostel Vienna – The Base, Grangasse 6, Vienna

Tel: +43 1 897 2336, email: office@wombats-vienna.at, http://www.wombats-hostels.com/vienna/the-base/

This hostel was booked through Hostelworld.com. The views represented are my own.

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

Steve

March 31, 2013

Vienna & Budapest – Days 10 & 11

Well the day has arrived, it is time to go home. I worked out that I will be spending nearly 36 hours travelling before I arrived home. This is going to take a lot out of me. Spent my final morning in Budapest eating breakfast, shopping for supplies and chilling out making sure my gadgets were fully charged.

At around 12pm it was time to go. The sun was shining and I was expecting no problems travelling today. I made my way to the coach station. Once there I thought I better make sure that the coaches to Vienna were running today. To my horror they had all been cancelled and if I wanted to travel then I would have to make my way to the railway station. When I asked about where I could find the railway station the reply was they did not know. I stunned at the apparent lack of help towards my situation. Next, I asked at the information desk. Again, they appeared reluctant to help. Eventually they produced a metro map with the stop for the railway station marked out. I only hope that I had enough money for a ticket otherwise I would be stuck.

Getting to the railway station was easy enough I just had to find the ticket office. I was relieved to find out that I could purchase a ticket. Must remember not to judge other countries railways by the UK’s. A train was about to leave the station. I managed to board it and as I was storing my rucksack the train pulled out of Budapest. At last I was on the road and would be in Vienna with time to spare.

I arrived into Vienna Westbanhof Station later in the afternoon. The best thing for me was to make my way to the coach station and check to see if the coach to London was running. After initially scaring me the staff confirmed that my coach was running. I explained the situation with the coaches to Vienna and the kindly refunded half my coach fare. As I had plenty of time to spare before I left Vienna I caught the U-bahn to St. Stephen’s Cathedral for one last look. Took the time to enjoy a Bratwurst and take one last photo.

Final photo of St Stephen's Cathedral — Final photo of St Stephen’s Cathedral

Finally the time to leave Vienna had arrived and the coach pulled out of the station. My heart felt heavy and sad. To comfort myself I listened to some comedy on the i-pod and started to read up on the places I would be visiting in September. Always have something to look forward to.

The coach journey itself was unspectacular and I slept through a lot of it. I did arrive back into London almost an hour earlier than expected. Took the opportunity to have something hot to eat before boarding the coach back to Birmingham. I had forgotten that today was St. Patrick’s Day. As soon as I arrived back in Birmingham I was confronted with the sight of drunken people who were looking for a fight. During my trip I had not witnessed any anti-social behaviour. Was I glad to be home?

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

Steve

March 29, 2013

Vienna & Budapest – Day 9, 15 March 2013

It is time to leave Budapest today. Sadness is filling up my heart as it is the start of my journey home. I will spend a night in Vienna before I finally leave for home.

I checked out on time and thanked the hostel for a wonderful experience. This has been one of the best hostels I have stayed in. As I left I noticed that it had snowed during the night and left quite a covering. Today is also a national holiday in Hungary celebrating the 1848 revolution so everything seemed quite but there were plenty of flags flying about.

I arrived at the coach station and everything seemed alright. There were people waiting for their coach. There was also a reporter and camera crew from the local TV station. I was hoping that they might ask me for an interview. Sadly, my quest for stardom was thwarted.

I had began to wonder why there was no information about coaches to Vienna. So I went up to the ticket office and ask about the check-in times. It was there I was told that all coaches to Vienna had been cancelled for the day and I would need to make my way to the railway station. Taking this news in I was a little concerned on what I was going to do next. Being stuck in Budapest was not the worst situation to be in. After weighing up my options I decided it would be best to stay in Budapest for an extra day. After getting my ticket changed free of charge I went back to the hostel to see if I could book another night there. To my relief there was still room and at €10 it worked out cheaper than staying in Vienna.

After spending a couple of hours in the hostel I checked in. This was my opportunity to explore Buda which I missed out on the previous day. It was cold outside and being a public holiday there were not many people outside. Staying in the warm and drinking Pilinka was a better idea. I did get the chance to explore Buda. It just felt strange not seeing people about on a Friday afternoon. Normally, I would be working public holidays back home.

View of the Parliament Building from Buda.

I treated myself to a warming cup of coffee and a large slice of chocolate cake. From there I made my way back to the hostel. This was my chance to do some washing. It will save me from doing it when I got home. I spent the evening relaxing in the bar with a couple of beers before going to bed. Despite what happened today I considered it a plus. Staying in Budapest was a bonus as I had become rather fond of the city. Also the next two days were going to be spent on the road.

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

Steve

March 15, 2013March 17, 2013

Vienna & Budapest – Day 4, 9 March 2013

Another good nights rest was taken and another hearty breakfast had been eaten. I was ready to take on Vienna again. However, there was a slight setback. I had overspent yesterday and I needed to preserve my Euros. So I made the decision to visit landmarks that were going to be free of charge.

First stop was the famous Naschmarkt. This is an institution in Vienna.

A food market where you can literally eat the world. Another bonus point is the store holders who were on hand offering free samples so I could get fed as I was walking along. It is a big market and you can spend some time here. I noticed there was a hostel nearby. To have the ability to purchase and cook fresh produce daily. Being Saturday the Naschmarkt was also holding its weekly flea market.

I can only say that some people have rubbish they wish to sell. A lot of it was broken yet the locals seemed intent on buying it. Each to their own as they say. One nice thing about the market was the amount of vinyl records that were being sold. Flicking through the covers took me back to my youth where every Saturday was spent in record shops. I often wonder if CD's had not been invented would we still have record stores. It was while walking when I spotted something that literally stopped me in my tracks. Amongst the LP's the elderly gentleman was selling was a copy of Gobbels greatest speeches. I had to take a photo to share but the gentleman looked at me wondering what was the big deal.

Even though Germany invaded Austria in 1938 there were plenty of Austrians who were sympathetic to the Nazi values.

Fortified by an excellent Vanilla Custard cake that cost one euro I made my way towards the Stadtpark. It has an almost English feel to it. It contains a golden statue of Johann Strauss. Just be vary of people trying to sell you tickets to concerts. The park itself had plenty to see and photograph.

After a quick cup of coffee my final destination of the day was the Zentralfriedhoff or Central Cemetery. An unusual choice you may argue but there are some famous people buried in there. It was a long walk from the U-bahn station Stringasse. I knew I was getting close as I noticed there were a lot of shops selling gravestones.

How does one go about visiting a cemetery? After all it is a place of rest and reflection. It is Europe's second largest cemetery and is in use today. I could not get used to how large it was. As you walk you notice the gravestones. These were not individual graves but family plots that have lasted for generations. What I also noticed were how well looked after the graves were. I could see families taking as much care as if it was their own homes. It was touching to see. Also moving were the number of graves were one partner was buried whiles both names were carved on the gravestone.

You reach the main building where there is a map showing where the famous are buried. The highlight of the visit would be the grave of Beethoven and the memorial to Mozart. He is not buried in the cemetery. When Mozart died he was buried in a pauper's grave.

I also found the graves of Brahms, Joe Zawinul and Curt Jurgens. The only grave I could not find was 80's popstar Falco. Visiting the cemetery gave me time to reflect. We will all end up in that state one day. So it is best that we make the most of life while we can.

From the cemetery I made my way back to the Naschmarkt. Maybe there was a store open to get some food. By the time I had arrived there stores were closing so I made my way towards the city centre.

This is my second visit to Vienna but I had yet to see it at night time. I was simply bowled over by the sights. Again I was snapping away.

Being out at nighttime allowed me to try a Currywurst. This was not wrapped in a bun but sliced up and served on a plate with a bread roll. It still tasted delicious.

With my feet starting to feel like they could no longer take another step I made my way back to the hostel. Not before stopping off to purchase an ice cream. Yes, chocolate and caramel cone. The weather was cold but the temptation was there and I succumbed.

This was an enjoyable day where I proved that you do not need to have money to have a good time.

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

Steve

Posted with Blogsy

March 14, 2013March 17, 2013

Photo of the Week – Sunset over Budapest

This week's was taken in Budapest on Monday evening.

I guess I was lucky to catch the sun setting over the palace. It will be be a reminder of the good time I have spent in Budapest.

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

Steve

Posted with Blogsy

February 17, 2013

Frustration of Lost Photos

I was going to post some photos and stories of my trip to Berlin in 2007. I initially thought that I had the photos on my hard drive. Nothing was found so I must have made a back CD with them on. After days of searching I found a back up CD from August 2007. This is must be where I put the photos. Sadly, I was to be disappointed. The frustration of not being able to find the photos is one thing, but it is the memories that are associated with them.

I spent 5 great days in Berlin. There was so much that I saw and experienced. Now I have nothing to share. Who is going to believe me? I saw the last pieces of the Berlin Wall. Loved the Brandenburg Gate, Potsdamer Platz, Alexanderplatz and so much more that I wanted to share with you. My memories of Berlin was that it was city that was on the up. It was basking from the success of hosting the previous year’s soccer World Cup. Berlin is the symbol of the new reunified Germany.

So, the main lesson I have learnt is that I must back-up my photos. Still, it is not all bad. It means that I will have to visit Berlin again.

Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy, keep smiling and back up your photos.

Steve

February 5, 2013

100 Posts – 5 Things That I Have Learnt

This is a momentous blog post. It is the 100th post. Little did I know when I started back in April last year that I would get this far. Previous attempts at blogging have ended in failure. So what are the five things that I have learnt?

1. Content – Any blog is only as good as its content. I have been lucky that I have travelled a little bit during 2012. This has enabled me to post something that is interesting to me and hopefully to everybody else. The more I travel the more content I will post.

2. Post regularly – One of the previous reasons why previous attempts at blogging failed was that I was not posting regularly. Maybe once a month if lucky before I would lose interest. With this blog I set myself a target to post at least three times a week. It has allowed me to get into a routine which I am comfortable with.

3. Blogging is a great way of forgetting the daily grind – One of the reasons I started to travel more was due to the high levels of stress I was suffering at the time. I ended up spending a night in hospital in 2011. It was at that moment I knew I needed to change my life. Travel has given a focus, indeed something to look forward to. The blog which I update mainly from home clears my mind of all the daily stress. There is now a focus outside of work.

4. The blogging community is supportive – I was apprehensive at first while setting up this blog. There are so many excellent travel blogs out there. I was worried that people would let me know if my blog was rubbish. However, this has been so different. There has been a lot of support out there including offers of help to take the blog to the next level. This has given me a warm feeling inside.

5. The next steps are mine – The blog has given me control. Only I can stop the blog. The next steps are down to me. With the next 100 posts I want to take the blog forward. When I return from my trip to Vienna and Budapest I will be looking at upgrading the blog. There have been offers of help which I will be looking to take up. I am feeling excited about the future.

Finally, I want to say a big thank you to all those people who have taken time to read, comment and tweet. It is as always greatly appreciated and I look forward to your continued support.

As I raise my glass to salute the 100 posts stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

February 3, 2013

The Liebster Blog Awards

On Monday, I was nominated by Sarah from Wake Up Mona for the Liebster Blog Award! It’s a fun way to meet other travel bloggers and discover new blogs! You can follow Sarah on Twitter at @WakeupMona

Here are the rules of the Liebster Award:

When you receive the award, you post 11 random facts about yourself and answer 11 questions from the person who nominated you on your blog.
Pass the award onto 11 other blogs (make sure you tell them you nominated them!) and ask them 11 questions.
You are not allowed to nominate the blog who nominated you.

My 11 Random Facts:

1. I have broadcast on radio

2. I have lived and worked in France, even though I cannot speak the language.

3. I graduated from university aged 37.

4. I was an Assistant Scout Leader for 8 years.

5. I follow Walsall FC who play in the English League One. Up the Saddlers!

6. Apparently the family line can be traced back to the Normans.

7. I have over 60,000 tracks in my ITunes account.

8. I would love to be able to play the drums.

9. I can see myself ending my days outside the UK.

10. I drink too much coffee for my own good.

11. I always arrive too early at my destination.

My Answers to 11 Questions Sarah asked me:

1. What is your favorite movie? Some Like It Hot

2. Where did you receive your first passport stamp? Yugoslavia

3. Dogs or cats? Dogs

4. What is something you wish you could do really well? Photography

5. Close your eyes and spin a globe… where does your finger land? China

6. What is something you love about yourself? My sense of humour

7. What is your favorite dessert? Syrup Sponge with Custard

8. Which place are you most excited about visiting in 2013? Sarajevo

9. What is your favourite fruit? Orange

10. What is one thing that travel has taught you? To be more open to strangers

11. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why? Bratislava. I loved how small the city felt and it felt good about itself.

My 11 Questions to the Blogs I Nominate

1. What is your worst travel experience?

2. What is your favourite song?

3. What is thing that always brings a tear to your eye?

4. Which social network do you use the most?

5. What would be your last meal?

6. Who would be your least ideal travel companion?

7. Which luxury would you always travel with?

8. Do you listen to podcasts?

9. Which do you prefer, Hostels or Hotels?

10. What do you hate about travelling?

11. Slow or quick travelling?

My 11 Nominees!

Lourika of lourikareinders.matadoru.com

Jessica of missjessrose.com

Laura 0f Laura The Explorer

aswesawit.com

Deborah of myhearttravels.com

Ruth of tanamatales.com

Clare of thewayfarerdiaries.com

Nykea of nykeamarie.blogspot.com

@CuriousNomad

Jane of runawayjane.com

Laura of travellingjerseygirl.com

Let’s keep spreading the travel blog love! Thank you again Sarah for the nomination!