Train journey – Travel Inspirations

A week in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is often described by travellers as “India-light”. It is far more compact, with many of the highlights possible to cover in a week; it has a similar culture in many ways; similar type of experiences on offer, such as tropical beaches, old forts, tea plantations etc; and it is generally a bit less hectic than the madness of a busy India. But, if looking at the flip side, it also doesn’t really offer anything that India doesn’t. So, if you have experience of India, you may find Sri Lanka chilled, pretty, nice to get around, but without necessarily the wow factor. The exception to this though is the Tea Country and the spectacular train ride through it

I’ve listed below the classic, compact 1 week itinerary for some of the highlights and a few high level tips to help you get the most out of the trip:

Time of year – the experience of Sri Lanka varies dramatically by season. Basically, December to March / April is the best time for this itinerary as it is dry (and nicely cooler) season in the south coast and Hill Country. April to September is best for the north of the country and the Ancient Sites, again because it is drier
Prioritise time in the Tea Country – the beaches in the south are lovely, Galle is nice for an afternoon, and its worth dedicating half a day to try and see a Blue Whale in Mirissa, but the highlight is the Tea Country for not just the tea estates, but also the hiking and pretty “Old English” feel towns
Book your trains in advance – you DO NOT want to be standing. I’ve read in a few guide books that it doesn’t really matter if you stand – I think that’s ok for a hour or so, but for longer it really isn’t fun. It’s Sri Lanka – 2nd and 3rd class unreserved will have people crammed in to the point that you can’t sit on the floor and need to stand. Tickets become available 30 days in advance and are super cheap (US$7 for first class just about everywhere), so jump on the train website (really not as bad as people whinge about) or, if left it late, buy at the stations (only the large stations such as Colombo, Kandy and Nanuoya sell reserved seating tickets)
You’ll want a driver for parts of the trip – some parts of the journey you cannot take a train, such as from Galle up to the Tea Country, and some parts you’ll want a driver to take you around the immediate sites, such as the tea factories and estates. Considering you only have a week, and potentially can share the cost among multiple people, it’s just easier to get a driver for the day. They’re typically US$50 for the day and it also has the benefit of being able to speak in detail with a local as they proudly show you their country. I rented Siri (+94 77 779 8962) for my drive from Mirissa to Ella, who was very knowledgeable; and Yoga (+94 75 165 0205) for around Nuwara Eliya. I’d recommend both
I wish I’d . . . visited the Uda Walaw National Park. Would have been great to see more of the wildlife, and it fits perfectly into the route
For more details on each of the experiences, see the detailed travel entries for:

Train ride through Sri Lanka’s tea country

This is the highlight of Sri Lanka. Sitting with the window open as you watch the old train slowly snake its way through hours and hours of beautiful tea plantations that sit within the most dramatic part of Sri Lanka’s Hill Country. You’ll spend the first couple of hours gawping and what feels like endlessly taking photos, and then, after a while, just relaxing and soaking up the peaceful nature of the place, with its quiet towns and tea plantation workers slowly getting on with their day

A few tips to help you get the most out of the trip:

1. What is the route? There is only one train line that goes from Kandy to Badulla, via roughly 20 small/medium stations, but the main ones being Hatton (for Adam’s Peak), Nanuoya (for Nuwara Eliya aka “Little England), Haputale and Ella. The whole route end to end takes 7.5 hours, with just about all of it beautiful except for the section within 1 hour of Kandy, so it doesn’t really matter which section you do – I went from Ella to Nuwara Eliya and then Nuwara Eliya to Kandy and both routes were fab. For a really good breakdown of what to expect, try seat61’s Sri Lanka section (link – https://www.seat61.com/SriLanka.htm#colombo-to-kandy-hatton-nanuoya-badulla-by-train)

2. Make sure you stay in one of the hill towns along the route – its one thing taking the train through the plantations, its another being able to visit and learn about how they make the tea, which you can do in the various “factories” next to the towns. Plus, the surrounding country side of the hillstowns is often beautiful (such as Ella – see a detailed review here – The Hill Country Village of Ella) or just really interesting (such as the “Little England” experience of Nuwara Eliya – see the detailed review here – Staying in Nuwara Eliya’s “Little England”)

3. Book ahead a reserved seat – you DO NOT want to be standing. I’ve read in a few guide books that it doesn’t really matter if you stand – I think that’s ok for a hour or so, but for longer it really isn’t fun. It’s Sri Lanka – 2nd and 3rd class unreserved will have people crammed in to the point that you can’t sit on the floor and need to stand, and you’ll generally have less personal space than you’ll be used to, with locals having significantly better shoving skills than you to get any available seats. Tickets become available 30 days in advance and are super cheap (US$7 for first class), so jump on the train website (really not as bad as people whinge about) or buy at the stations (only the large stations such as Colombo, Kandy and Nanuoya sell reserved seating tickets. You’ll need your passport)

4. Open the window / stand next to an open door for a bit – it just adds so much more to the journey. If next to a window and can open it great. If not, the sections between the trains tend to have the door open so you can look from there. The locals tend to be super accommodating, so if one is already stood at the door, they’ll tend to either welcoming you standing their with them, or move out the way for your 10mins or so

Sleeper Train from Budapest to Bucharest

One of the best things about making your way through Eastern Europe is being able to do so on the extensive train network rather than relying on flying or buses, and one of the longest routes is the Budapest-Bucharest

I’ve listed some tips / things to be aware of for the trip below but, in summary, whilst its not the most comfortable of sleeps because of the number of stops, I’d say it’s overall worth it based on the scenery you see in Transylvania (in particular crossing the Transylvanian Alps), the savings on hotel costs for the night and the lessened environmental impact from flying. But more than anything else, it’s just quite good fun. Again, detailed tips below

Eger – wine tasting in the Valley of the Beautiful Women

Eger’s central square is very pretty and worth sitting around in whilst looking at the views of the Minorite Church, but it is the wine tasting in the Valley of the Beautiful Women that gains the attention.

To manage expectation though … it’s not quite what you’d expect. There doesn’t quite seem to be the hoards of beautiful women helpfully grouped together in one picturesque valley. It’s also not quite a valley …. more like a park around 70m x 35m / 230ft x 135ft with a few wineries round the outside. False advertising? Yes for sure, but it is worth a visit as once you get past the initial surprise at what you’ve taken a 2 hour train from Budapest for, it does kind of grow on you. Firstly, the wine cellars are deceptive – there must be around 40 of them and most have cellars / drinking / eating areas that go back around 100m / 330 feet under the hills, which makes for quite a lot of wine drinking area around such a small park. And secondly, the Valley of the Beautiful Women attracts locals and tourists alike to generate what must be quite an atmosphere in this compact spot in the summer festivals (sadly we missed one by a couple of days)

Worth a day trip / overnight trip, but manage expectations

Some high level tips:

Getting there – trains leave every hour or so from Budapest’s Keleti station, and it’s less than a 10min taxi into the centre of Eger / the Valley of the Beautiful Women
Accommodation – we stayed at the Hotel Senator which had a perfect location and felt like going back in time a bit. Slightly overpriced (USD100 per night) and maybe a tad basic in places, but worth it for the location and the randomness

7/8 week itinerary for the highlights of South East Asia

South East Asia has to be the premier world traveling region. A big call? For sure, but consider what genuinely world class offerings it can provide:

World class beaches and coastal areas – think of THAT beach in Ko Phi Phi and HaLong Bay, one of the Natural Wonders of the World
World class food – think Thai, Vietnamese, Malay and the genuine fusion into the mix with the large established Indian and Chinese communities
World class ancient sites and history – think of the temples of the “8th Wonder of the World” of Angkor Wat, and the breathtaking site of the pagodas stretching across the plain in Bagan
World class cities and party locations – think of Singapore as the city of the future and the Full Moon Parties on Ko Pha-Ngan

And all this in a place that is super safe, outrageously friendly, easy and cheap to travel in. A must for any keen traveler and the below itinerary will give you the highlights – enjoy!

6 months trip of a lifetime around Latin America

My girlfriend and I went on a 6month trip around Latin America (excluding Brazil). Started in the far South in the Tierra del Fuego in Argentina and, broadly, made our way up the west coast to the Yucatan Peninsular of Mexico. Best large scale trip I’ve done, and wanted to share the overall itinerary and tips here to hopefully help those who are considering something similar

A few high level points:

Other than the flights there and the first hotel, there were only three things we booked in advance: the Inca Trail (which we knew we needed to for permits); plus for Patagonia a trip through Torres del Paine National Park and a ferry through the fjords (as we were going at peak season and only a couple of weeks after we landed). Everything else, we booked when in Latin America and, in our opinion, that is the best way to do it – gives you the freedom to relax in the places you find that you love and be super flexible to do what you want to do
Total costs – my girlfriend and I went in our 30s, with no kids and on sabbaticals from work. We’re not poor, but certainly not mega wealthy. We didn’t stay in super expensive hotels (other than for the occasional splurge), flew economy and used a bit of common sense for timings of certain expensive items, but never held back on doing the things we wanted to do. Some examples of big ticket items: US$5k for a week diving in the remote Wolf & Darwin Islands in the Galapagos; US$1.2k for 4 days in Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia; US$800 for a helicopter trip to see the El Mirador Mayan ruins in the Guatemalan jungle; US$700 for the Inca Trail. Total cost of the whole trip was US$34k each. This included all flights, transport, hotels, activities, food, drink, guides, screwing things up, credit card fees – the lot. Expensive, but so are most Experiences of a Lifetime
It’s not about trying to “do everything” – in a place as large as Latin America, you couldn’t even if you tried – so don’t think of things as a big tick box exercise. Brazil, for example, we knew we couldn’t do justice whilst also trying to enjoy all the other amazing places we’d heard of, so left it for next time
In the similar vain, make sure you give yourself big chunks of time to chill out. Not only to recharge the batteries, but also because most places are enjoyed when you spend time to soak up the feel for the place. There were some places . . . like Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, Buenos Aires in Argentina, Isla Mujeres in Mexico, Bocas del Toro in Panama . . . where I could have spent weeks there just because the general vibe of the place was so wonderful
Safety – we weren’t robbed, but many people do either having a bag stolen or, unpleasantly, get robbed face to face. Other than a couple of cities, we generally felt super safe the places we went and tried to just apply common sense to reduce our risks
Learn a bit of Spanish before you go – the app DuoLingo was great for getting us to a basic level that made a lot of difference. But also don’t be afraid to pull out google for simultaneous conversation translations to really be able to have a conversation with someone – some long trips became some of our highlights just from being able to properly talk with the driver / locals. I particularly remember a long taxi ride in Colombia where we went back and forward for 2 hours with the driver on everything from his home town to politics to football to his favourite movies to his family problems- never could have done that without Spanish or google. In a similar vein, and using the right level of common sense, don’t turn down an invite for drinks / dinner / house visit with locals. There are some truly unforgettable natural and cultural spots to see, but similarly an evening with a local family will be something likely to be just as unforgettable
Whenever checking out a place or must-do-site, its easy to get templed / churched / ancient site / beached out. Always do a very basic bit of research to see if there is a more out of the ordinary way to experience it – by bike / drinking tour / kayaking / helicopter / whatever. Thats what we tried to do, and I hope it reflected in some of the cool stuff listed below

Panama City and the Panama Canal

Panama City is definitely worth a visit. First up, you get quite the pleasant surprise when you arrive at just how developed it is with its shimmering glass skyscrapers all the way along the Pacific coastline and an efficient, clean feel that is very different to any other city in Central America. But its the colonial architecture of Casco Viejo Old Town on the waterfront and the great engineering feat of the Panama Canal that are the highlights

Considering you often have to fly through Panama City to get to where you’re going in this part of Central America, I’d actually say the city itself its a must visit if in the region. As someone who’s a bit geeky when it comes to engineering, I personally found watching the ships pass through the docks of the Panama Canal mesmerising

Although sorry for the particularly poor photos for this one!

A week in Japan from Tokyo, to Mount Fuji and Kyoto

Japan is my favourite country to travel through. A big call I know. Whilst it may get pipped by some of the bigger countries when it comes to natural vistas and cultural pursuits, there are three things that cement it as number one:

The people and surrounding culture is one of respect, politeness and calm – just travelling through Japan you find your blood pressure dropping, being more considerate and the pleasures that come with this
Stuff works in Japan – it’s not just the trains being on time to within the second, it’s everything! I know there is something wonderfully memorable about travelling with a few hiccups as part of the adventure., but there is also something rather pleasant about having a country like Japan to explore knowing it’ll be super easy (and safe)
The food! I know the French think they are the best in the world. They are not

There’s a lot to see, but if you have a week, I’d recommend this itinerary which lets you see 3 highlights of Japan and with a bit of adventure thrown in

Cycling around Kyoto and sampling whiskies in the Suntory Distillery

Kyoto has been Japan’s Imperial capital for a thousand years and has . . . a thousand temples. If, like me, you can get a bit templed out, its quite easy to get tired walking from one temple to the next and, honestly, whilst I enjoyed the trip to Kyoto, I don’t remember any of the specific temples. So, my tips for a visit:

Rent a bike to cycle around the temples, and generally around Kyoto. It adds a different angle to the day as you can see areas outside of the standard temples, including the large gardens, are not restricted by a driver, and Kyoto city centre is very safe to cycle, including being able to cycle along the canals
Unless you are a Japanese history geek, one day is more than enough for the temples
The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in the west of the city is definitely worth checking out as it’s super dense green bamboo forrest makes you think you’re in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
I’d highly recommend taking a half day trip to the Suntory Whiskey Distillery just outside Kyoto. Even if you are not a whiskey fan, it’s a nice experience as they show you how the whiskey is made, tell the history and give you some free samplings at the end. Considering the standard of these whiskies and their recognition internationally (they won many of the world’s best awards), this is very generous. It’s only a 25min train ride (which is fun on its own) from Kyoto Station and has very pleasant surroundings nestled in a glen
As with all things Japan, try and stay somewhere with an Onsen – coming back and relaxing in them at the end of the day really adds to the overall Japanese experience. You’ll find your blood pressure dropping quickly and even catch yourself dropping in a small bow to people in the lifts
We stayed near the station, which was a perfect location
For more details on how Kyoto can fit into a week itinerary for the highlights of central Japan, see the individual travel entry for – A week in Japan from Tokyo, to Mount Fuji and Kyoto

The East Lancashire Railway Real Ale Trail

For train pub crawls across the North of England, most people will naturally turn to the Trans Pennine Real Ale Trail (and see further details here –The Trans Pennine Railway Real Ale Trail), but also consider the East Lancashire Real Ale Trail which is far quieter (less stag dos / bachelor parties), shorter with only 7 stations and includes some of the trip being on an old steam train. Its a much more chilled out experience