Tag: Tips

Cappadocia on a Budget

Desperately needing to spend some time in nature and to get a dose of exoticism, I set off to Turkey. My budget was rather tight, but according to my research, I wouldn’t be needing much spending money in Turkey’s easternmost province, near the border with Iran. Perfect, I thought…

As I arrived in Istanbul, I found out that unfortunately, recent political turmoil had turned the area I wanted to visit into a temporary ‘no-go zone’. I seriously considered persevering my trip despite the issues, but the travel agent almost refused to sell me a bus ticket and insisted I change plans. Eventually, the flexible and sensible traveller in me arose and I decided to go to Cappadocia instead.

Cappadocia, historical region in central Turkey

Cappadocia being one of the most popular areas in Turkey, I knew it would be trickier with my small budget. Since I managed to stay within budget, I thought I’d share some of the tricks that could allow you to have a cheap Cappadocia trip.

1. The classic: take the overnight bus to get there

Obviously, it saves you a night at the hotel. Taking the long distance bus from Istanbul to Göreme, the “hub” in Cappadocia, is like flying business class. Think wide reclinable seats with lots of leg space, a complementary blanket and a personal screen displaying movies- in Turkish. During the ride, a “bus attendant” strides through the vehicle’s aisle serving drinks/snacks and makes sure the bus is always tidy. The downside: there’s a toilet/smoke break every hour or so and all lights are turned on at each stop. So, maybe not the best night of sleep.

2. Walk to enjoy the magical landscapes

There are plenty of tours designed to show you the area, but honestly, you can do without. Just pick up a map and start walking. One of the tours might be worth paying for (the Green Tour) as the attractions are spread out over a large area. However, taking this tour reminded me how much I hate group tours. Important: if you don’t take any kind of tour, make sure you read up on the history of the area. It’s fascinating!

easy to find your way

the love valley

visiting 11th century murals with green tour

3. Hitchhike

You might be discouraged to go for a long walk because that would also mean a long hike back to town. However, people in the area are generally open to hitchhikers and chances are you’ll get picked up by the first car/truck with an open seat.

waiting for a ride…

4. Lodge in a cave

Not only is it part of the whole Cappadocia experience, it can also be very affordable. Many of the cave houses have been transformed into home stays and pensions. You can easily find an inexpensive dorm room (+- €7, at the time of writing) in a cave hotel with swimming pool. Most of these places additionally offer a generous breakfast buffet, leaving you full until the afternoon.

feeling like the Flinstones

not bad for a hostel…

5. It’s OK to skip the hot air balloon flight

It seems as though every single visitor to the region embarks in a hot air balloon during their visits… “an essential Cappadocia experience”. Admittedly, it’s probably gorgeous, memorable and what not. But with prices starting at €120 for a one hour flight in a crammed basket, the budget traveller starts to doubt… That’s food for a week! A great alternative is to wake up at dawn and watch the balloons float through the morning sky. Dozens of balloons amongst the fairy chimneys. Stunning! At no point did I wish to be inside a balloon… This view was just perfect -and free.

the town at dawn

sunrise, hot air balloons and a new friend…priceless

6. Cappadocian wine tasting

Wait, what is wine tasting doing on a “budget tip” list? First of all because… Turkish wine? Who knew?! That’s just an exciting must-try! Regardless of your budget. Second, a glass of Cappadocian wine is moderately priced and -in my humble opinion- not that great (yet?), so you’re not likely to go for seconds. Still worth a taste!

wine tasting along the way

7. Skip the Hammam

The Hammam in Göreme is pricey. Unless that’s where you want to splurge, I suggest you hold that experience for a larger city in Turkey.

8. Relax and Enjoy the silence

Although you’re in a touristy area, it’s still a quiet environment. Order a pot of tea and do some people watching or read that book you’ve been carrying around… Savour the peace and quite while soaking in the surroundings. This is probably my favourite thing about traveling on a budget: the monetary restrictions force you to spend at least one day not spending and consuming but slowing down and enjoying the beautiful, small things in this world.

customary tulip tea glass

in silence

9. Donate a strand of hair to win a trip back to Cappadocia

There is a tiny ‘hair museum’ in the town of Avanos. It’s basically a cave with over 16.000 hair strands hanging from the walls and ceiling. Female visitors from all over the world donate a lock of hair to which their names and address is adhered. Twice a year, Mr. Galip, potter and owner of the museum, picks a lucky winner to return to Cappadocia and learn the art of pottery, all expenses paid. He has not mailed me yet. Entrance to the museum is free.

walls of hair (photo credits)

Have you been to Cappadocia?

The post “Cappadocia on a budget” first appeared on Travel Cake.

January 27, 2014
Fez, Morocco: a Perfect Quick Getaway

What is the perfect getaway anyway? For me, it’s spending a couple of days in a new environment. Leaving the old and familiar to take in new and exciting smells, tastes, sights and sounds. It’s getting a sensory overload, bringing you a renewed ‘joie de vivre’. It’s returning home relaxed, energized and inspired. I found it all during my December getaway to Fez, Morocco. Four days in Fez was all I needed to overcome the winter gloom creeping over my mood and to get the necessary strength to tackle the cold days awaiting in Europe.

There is nothing sunshine, Moroccan cuisine, a good dose of exotic culture and quality time with a loved one can’t fix!

Here’s how I experienced the perfect getaway in Fez.

Dump the city map

There is only one way to experience the old medina of Fez and that’s by getting lost in it. Just wander and enjoy not knowing where you’re going. Every corner feels like an important discovery especially since there are hardly any tourists during the winter.

narrow streets

markets

beautiful gateways

Shop or window shop

Fez has some gorgeous locally produced goods. High quality leather goods, silver jewellery, nougat, lamps, precious stones, argan oil from the South… The shop keepers are ferocious and cunning, so bring up your most assertive alter ego and operate your best bargaining skills.

buying nougat

beautiful lamps

selfie while drooling over lamps

Spend the night in a riad

The traditional Moroccan house (riad) really transports you to another world with its exotic grandeur. Riads are characterized by their (usually well decorated) inner garden/courtyard. When used as guest houses, you can be sure they are furnished in the most refined possible way, using local handicrafts. It’s the place to be for a relaxing “1001 nights” experience. Although many riads are luxurious and expensive, plenty of them offer budget/mid-range options.

budget riad room

breakfast in the December sunshine

If you can’t afford to stay in a riad…

Have drinks in a fancy Riad

If you can’t afford to spend the night, splurge for a drink! Dress up, get a drink and make the night count. Not something you do in everyday life.

fancy riad

inner court with pool

martini at the fancy riad

expensive but worth it

Taste “Pastilla”

Pronounced Bastila, the sweet and savoury meat pie has Andalusian-Arab origins. Slow cooked pigeon meat- although chicken is more commonly used nowadays- seasoned with a wide array of spices among which cinnamon, cardamon and black pepper. The meat mixture is wrapped in a blanket of phyllo dough, baked and finally topped with crushed almonds and icing sugar. Very unusual, one to try!

pastilla

Marvel at the golden gates of the Royal Palace

Or at least at its doors. The palace is not open for public, so you’re likely to be standing in front of closed gates. I found them beautiful, others found it a lame sight as you can not see the inside of the palace. I say, leave that to your imagination and check out the golden gates. They’re at least worth a photo stop, if you ask me.

royal palace

knocking at the golden gates

Visit a tannery

It’s fascinating to find out about the origin of your beautiful leather bag/shoes/insert almost anything. Visit the tannery, ask a few questions and learn all about the leather making process. It’s easy to get there: follow the arrows and follow your nose. As soon as you start smelling leather and piss, you’ll know you’ve reached your destination. Small tips for the guard or the worker explaining his craft are well appreciated, not to say expected.

meat rotting off the skin

drying skins

tannery in the medina

hard labor at the tannery

Learn to cook a tajine dish

Tajine dishes can be quite simple to make and easy to learn. All you need are fresh ingredients and the right spices. A secret recipe helps too. I got mine from a Moroccan CouchSurfer at a house party somewhere in the heart of the Medina. Alternatively, there are plenty of official cooking courses to attend in Fez. Recreating the dish once you’re back home, takes you back to your getaway within seconds.

learning to cook a simple tajine dish

to be enjoyed with friends

Get out of town

Walking around in Fez can take up a lot of your energy. Exchange the bustle of the city for a more peaceful setting in the partly excavated Roman city of Volubilis. Just 70 km away from Fez, you can find yourself in the middle of a stunning UNESCO sight, full of ancient ruins. Either take a taxi (1 hour) or catch the train heading to Meknès. It’s worth the trouble even for people who have a tendency to fall a sleep at archaeological sights!

out of town

Volubilis

Would you consider Fez as a (weekend) getaway? Where was your last getaway?

The post “Fez, Morocco: a Perfect Quick Getaway” first appeared on Travel Cake.

December 8, 2013
Backpacking in Africa? Yes you can!

First of all let me clarify that by Africa, I mean the sub-Saharan continent. It’s quite different from travel in North Africa which has a different set of “rules” to play by.

“I’d love to go to Africa some day, but I’m afraid it’s unsafe, too expensive and too difficult to get around. Can you really travel around as a backpacker?” That’s a question I’m often asked.

My answer is YES YOU CAN! -and it’s fantastic!

There seems to be general apprehensiveness amongst travellers when it comes to traveling in Africa. It’s a shame because ‘the dark continent’ is most definitely accessible. True, it’s not the easiest area to travel in -especially if you compare it with South East Asia- but it’s still very doable even for the unexperienced traveller. Budget-wise, you can make your trip very affordable if you don’t mind the occasional bucket shower and can handle a few rough edges.

upgraded bucket shower with a view

There are however, a couple of things to keep in mind before you start planning:

1. Realise that Africa is huge. Depending on how much time you have, pick one or two neighbouring countries to explore.

2. It’s essential that you choose the “right country” for you. Intrepid travellers could try places like Sudan, Mozambique, Malawi, Djibouti or any country that’s more or less politically stable. I would recommend beginners to start off with ‘easier’ countries that offer a minimum of tourist infrastructure. Places where you will meet plenty of other travellers and expats to exchange travel tips and ideas with.

Ghana, Senegal or Gambia are good options for West Africa. So are Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Ethiopia or Kenya in Eastern Africa. In Southern Africa consider Zimbabwe or Botswana. All of these countries allow you to travel around effortlessly by public transportation, lodge in hostels or homestays and they offer Western food options which come in handy when you’re tired of the African staples.

Though South Africa is a possibility as well, I wouldn’t classify it as a typical African country in terms of tourism as it has an endless array of travel possibilities for the visitor and is so modernly developed you could think you’re in Europe of the States.

3. Take into account that you’re looking at slow travel here. It’s quite common for buses, trains and boats to run late. When I say late, I’m not talking about the “crazy” 20 minutes we complain about in the West, but rather 5+ hours. Your vehicle may break down in the middle of nowhere or it may get stuck in a pothole at some point… This means your arrival time can ( and probably will ) get delayed -at least once during your trip. In other words, having a tight schedule is simply not an option.

stuck in the mud

4. The larger the region you want to explore, the more time you will spend on the road. Expect long hours in buses, boats, trains and minivans. Most of which won’t be the most comfortable rides you’ll have in your life. In your average African country, a 5 seat sedan fits 14. Easily. Sometimes you feel like you’re playing human Tetris.

4 people in the front, 10 in the back

5. Africa is not a place where you visit one attraction after the other as you probably would in Europe or Asia. It’s a place you experience by interacting with locals and taking your time to be somewhere without too much of an agenda. Spend several days in the same town to really get the vibe.

getting my hands dirty in the local kitchen

6. The food won’t always be all that. There are non-African dining alternatives especially in big towns and cities, but in most smaller towns you’ll be served the local staples. For truly delicious African food, make sure you score yourself an invitation to a wedding, birthday party, christening or any kind of celebration. That’s when all the mama’s show off their cooking skills.

not so amazing

no need to rough it to this degree either,unless you want to

the best sushi I’ve ever had was in Tanzania

7. The accommodation can get quite shabby at times. Unless you’re in a city or large town, there’s not always a midrange option. Often it’s either cheap and crummy or high-end luxury. Go for the cheap places and treat yourself every now and then with a more upscale stay, if your budget allows it.

upscale hotel with view on the national park

8. Whether you’re backpacking or not, safari’s are always an expensive affair. If that is something you want to do, keep a separate budget just for your safari. To give you an idea, at the time of writing the cost for a 2D/1N camping safari in Serengeti NP, Tanzania was $300 per person. And this was a decent deal with a local agent. There are cheaper safari’s available if you stay away from the most renowned parks.

safari

9. There are relatively few solo travellers in Africa so I would suggest you find yourself an awesome travel partner before leaving. Even though you could smoothly journey solo, you will have a better time traveling in pairs. Especially for women. You’ll feel more comfortable, it will dramatically cut the costs and it’s usually more fun when you have someone to talk to while you wait around for *insert anything*.

having fun while waiting for a boat

Traveling in Africa is very rewarding; it lifts your spirits and opens your eyes to some important issues the media hardly ever talk about. There are so many unspoilt spots that simply take your breath away. People are generally welcoming and excited to have a conversation with you. Let yourself get swooped off your feet by the laughter and rhythm in the air. If you’re still doubting whether or not you should backpack in Africa, all I can say, is DO IT! The adventure awaits!

backpackers race

Have you ever backpacked in Africa? Would you give it a try?

The post “Backpacking in Africa? Yes you can!‘ first appeared on Travel Cake.

August 28, 2013
8 Reasons to go on a trek when you don’t like trekking

Long hikes are really not my cup of tea. But when I found myself in Nepal last year, I noticed all the shops in Kathmandu were selling all kinds of trekking gear and gadgets. Travellers where eagerly stocking up them and they was either excited about their upcoming trek or pumped up about the one they had just returned from. I knew people back home who would KILL to trek in the Himalayas, others who would spend the entire year at their desk jobs, day dreaming of their booked trekking vacation 9 months from then. “They can’t possibly all be nuts?!”, I thought…

So I decided to give it a shot. Might as well, since I was already there…

It was a 7-day teahouse trek, meaning there were small cabins where you could spend the night and buy a cup of noodles. The highest pass we had to conquer was at an altitude of 4,610m. Just to give you an idea of the level of difficulty.

The first 4 days were physically and mentally challenging. We suffered from the cold temperatures, the lack of water and a shortage of food. To add insult to injury, the weather was horrible. It rained, it was foggy and the skies were permanently grey. In other words, the view was non-existent. Even though the trek seemed like pointless suffering at the time, there was no turning back.

waiting for the rain to pass

As we pushed through the hardship, I tried to lift my spirits by coming up with other reasons why I was there. Here are the 8 reasons aside from magnificent scenery and the astonishing views:

1. To see what you will look like in 10 years if you don’t take care of yourself

The dry air at high altitude turns the lines from the grimaces you make while hiking into wrinkles on your face. A lack of showering and grooming, bad nutrition, sleep deprivation and in my case a lack of drinking water, also add marks to your face. There are pimples involved as well as bloated faces, sausage fingers, frizzy hair, cracked lips, filthy nails, smelly armpits and often a general zombie-like expression. You start to look more and more like the crazy cat lady. Staring back at you in the mirror, is an uglier, neglected and aged version of yourself that will make you swear you will vigorously start layering that day cream with SPF factor once you get home.

sparing you from an actual photo

2. To test your relationship

Whether it’s your relationship with a friend, a lover or a family member, committing to a long haul trek together will put that relationship to a test. How will you react to each other’s whining and mood swings? How do you cope with each other’s bad odours resulting from the lack of showering? These treks can be tough and may bring out the worst in you or your travel companion(s). Will you still love and care for one another after seeing each other’s dark sides?

Getting kicked off the mountain

3. To loose weight

I thought walking 6 to 8 hours a day, 5 days a week would instantly shave a few centimetres off my waistline. That’s how it seems to work in those weight loss TV reality shows. Oh how I was wrong. A full day of exercise is quickly neutralised when eating 7 snickers a day for energy… Who would have thought…

deep fried snickers

3. For the breaks in between

I found the moments in between the actual hiking most delightful. Joking around with locals. Sitting around an old fashioned wood stove with a cup of ginger tea trying to keep warm while sharing stories. Exchanging the experiences of the trek so far. Listening to the sounds of nature. Looking up at the millions of stars. Priceless.

ginger tea and funny stories

warming up with new local friends

4. To do penance

Once the physical challenge started to be almost unbearable and my mind started wondering what the heck I was doing here, regretting I had ever started. It was almost easier to just accept the pain. Accept the pain as a punishment for everything I did wrong in the past. I thought of all the people I had wronged or hurt, all the situations I handled badly because of selfishness, the unkind thoughts I’d had… and I apologised. I apologised to some kids I went to elementary school with, ex-lovers, family, friends, myself. I was suffering to do penance for my past sins. I guess is were you see that all those years of catholic school did eventually manage to slip in a few imprints my mind.

having a rough time

5. To remind yourself that you can handle a paramount problem by breaking it down into smaller problems and tackling those one by one.

Problem: one week of hiking. I couldn’t even start to wrap my mind around it. So I took it one hour at the time, one day at the time.

conquering the biggest problem

6. To have a great dinner party story to tell

The more pain you felt and the more horrible moments you had, the better the story will be. At least you’ll have some funny anecdotes to tell.

7. For a full technology detox

Spending a full week off the radar. No wifi, no e-mails, no phone calls, … Exactly the way things were when you were 7 years old. It actually feels quite good. For a while.

8. To revive your appetite for life

Not having running water, electricity, good things to eat, you favourite kind of entertainment, your friends or family around, remind you of all the great things you have. It’s a fantastic feeling to return home and be so thankful for running water, a good meal and a warm soft bed. “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”, right?

teeth cleaning with a view

For the record, in the end I did get to see the views and it was more than worth it. Just that was reason enough for me to want to go on a long haul trek again. Event hough I don’t really like trekking.

Have you ever gone trekking? Would you consider it?

The post “8 Reasons to go on a trek when you don’t like trekking” first appeared on Travel Cake.

August 22, 2013