Pete's Wicked Travels

If you have spent the last few months saving up for your big trip but still find your budget to be rather tight, don’t fear. It is possible to travel on a tight budget; it is just a matter of knowing where you can save.

When booking your flight, study up on airline fare cycles and alternate routes to save a lot of money. Knowing the seasons that airfares change and not reserving a flight during peak travel times will be much cheaper. When searching for flights, be inventive with the routes and don’t be afraid of layovers and stopovers. Even though they may be inconvenient, they can save you a lot on your flight. Also try searching for dates that are somewhat flexible as this will help you to find better deals.

Your accommodations don’t have to be in three or four star hotels. As you will probably be spending most of your time out of your hotel room, this shouldn’t be an important aspect of your trip. Look into renting an apartment or a house-swap as great ways to save on your lodging. House swapping can be fun if you are comfortable with another family being in your home. This way your accommodations are virtually free and you will be able to experience local living during your stay.

For souvenir shopping, get creative and stay away from the overpriced touristy stuff. Remember that pictures you take during your vacation will last forever and are the ultimate souvenir of your experience. But if you want to purchase some items, focus on smaller local shops and rural communities. This way, not only will you end up with a souvenir that is authentic but they will also be budget friendly as well. Use your credit card to pay for merchandise in a foreign country and use a debit card rather than traveler’s checks to get local currency. This will give you the best exchange rate and save you fees.

When getting around, utilize public transportation over cabs. Better yet, walk when you have the chance. You can purchase rail, metro, and bus passes designed specifically for tourists that will save you money and get you to wear you are going easily, quickly, and cheaply. No matter where in the world you are traveling, there tend to be well-run public transportation systems. Even if you are in a city that has a poor bus system, chances are they will have a much better train system. Look into public transportation before you leave, especially if you are buying a pass, as these tend to be cheaper when purchased in advance.

Look out for free entertainment and attractions. You can find free concerts, lights and music shows, nature trips to parks, beaches and conservation areas, as well as other known free attractions. Some museums are free to get into, while others may have free entrance during specific times in the week. Again, it pays to research into the sites, attractions, and entertainment before you arrive so you know of fun and cheap things to do that will keep you on your budget.

admin Travel Tips saving money, travel, travel advice, travel hints, Travel Tips

During my three week dedicated exploration of Italy, I found that in order to see the entire country, I would need much more time. As it was though, I only had three weeks which allowed me to experience the best of central Italy. My trip, which covered Rome, Florence, Venice, Vatican City, Naples, and Capri, was a great introduction to this beautiful country dripping in history and culture.

I landed in Rome and quickly departed to Naples where I took in Mt. Vesuvius. From there, I drove to Pompeii to view its well-preserved past where a local guide retraced history for me. From Pompeii, it was on to Sorrento to take in some sweeping views of the Bay of Naples. From Sorrento, I took a boat ride to the marina on the island of Capri. While in Capri, I had the chance to take a boat ride to view the Green and Blue Grottos. Also while in Capri, I was sure to leave time to shop in some of the island’s quaint and rather expensive shops found in the white-washed villages.

From there, it was on to the beautiful city of Florence. There were tons of things to see and do in this exciting city, and I was sure to see the Duomo, Basilica Santa Croce, and Giotto’s Bell Tower. Between the frescoes, markets, and priceless art, and walking along the River Arno the atmosphere of Florence was my favorite. From Florence, I moved on to Pisa where I took in the famous monument, the Leaning Tower.

After Pisa, it was off to Venice, the floating city. This city was packed with character, hidden lanes, and of course its famous network of canals. No trip to Venice is complete without a ride on a gondola. The ride took me through the city’s waters of the lagoon to its historical heart. The limestone Bridge of Sighs, the gothic arches of Doges’ Palace, and the expanse of St. Mark’s Square all showed off Venice’s unique beauty and way of life. I also had a chance to learn about the local artistry by taking part in a traditional glass blowing demonstration which has been famous in the city since the 13th century. Also while in Venice, I took a walking tour, where I discovered the labyrinth of interweaving lanes, waterways, palaces, piazzi, and markets.

Finally, from Venice it was back to Rome where I was able to soak in the metropolitan city. My favorite part about Rome was how the old and the new exist side-by-side. It overflows with relics from another age right beside office buildings and shopping malls. I loved the Coliseum, Trevi Fountain, and Spanish Steps. Also while in Rome, I spent a day in nearby Vatican City. I got to see St. Peter’s Basilica, and Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. After busily touring the whole of Italy, I relaxed in Rome for a few days, taking in the sights and sounds. I also was able to take advantage of the great night life, and spent a couple nights out on the town.

admin Europe Europe, italy, rome, vatican city, venice

As Australia is quite a long ways away from where I live in North America, it only made sense to leave as much time as possible for my trip. So, I figured two months would suffice for my first Australian experience and that ended up being a good decision, as I got to see much of the country, while not feeling overly rushed.

I flew into Sydney and spent three days touring the city. I took a sightseeing day tour of the city, where we headed up into the historic district to get an overview of the harbor from Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair, a famous sandstone seat carved by convicts. From this view you can also see the sails of Sydney Opera House and the iconic Harbor Bridge. The next day I went to Bondi Beach where I took my first surfing lesson. Bondi Beach is one of Sydney’s most famous beaches and is definitely one of the most beautiful. It is also one of the most popular as it was full of beachgoers and surfers.

From Sydney, I first traveled to Port Stephens, famous for its fishing, boating, and hospitality. While here I got to go on a dolphin cruise tour where I got up close and personal with bottlenose dolphins. I also hit the massive dunes in Port Stephens for some fun sand-boarding. Although pretty similar to snow-boarding, beware of the amount of sand that gets in your clothes.

When I crossed into Queensland, I visited the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary where I got up close to some of Australia’s most beautiful and famous wildlife. I got to hold a koala, feed kangaroos, and see wombats, emus, crocodiles, dingoes, Tasmanian devils, and colorful birds. Next I went to Surfer’s Paradise on the Gold Coast which is home to some of the best surfing beaches in the world. While in Surfer’s Paradise, I tried my hand at surfing again and also did some sea kayaking. I also took a rainforest discovery bushwalk through Springbrook National Park with an expert guide.

One of my favorite stops was Fraser Island. I spent three days here taking in the paradise and beauty of the area. I took a day tour to spot some of the region’s best spots and hidden treasures, as well as a half day whale tour out to Hervey Bay to see the great whales in their natural habitat. Another great highlight of my Australia trip was the three days I spent sailing the Whitsundays on a flotilla yacht. I got to snorkel and swim and laze around onboard the yacht. It was a truly fantastic experience.

In Cairns, I took a thrilling ride down the white water rapids of the Tully River in a white-water raft. One night I took a trip to the night markets, where I picked up a local boomerang that is now hanging in my house. The next day in Cairns, I took a day trip out to the Great Barrier Reef. I got to snorkel amongst all the colorful fish, turtles, vivid coral, and incredible clear waters. The Great Barrier Reef was definitely a major highlight of my Australia trip and a must for anyone visiting the area.

My trip to Australia was a once in a lifetime experience that, even though it felt I was breaking the bank to get there, was worth every penny and I will remember for the rest of my life.

admin Australia Australia, cairns, great barrier reef, queensland, sydney

It was always a big goal of mine to visit Cuba before Castro died. I wanted to experience authentic Cuba before the embargo was lifted and it became just another island in the Caribbean. Cuba is special in that it is virtually the only place left in the world untouched by McDonalds and Wal-Mart. So, a couple years ago I booked a week’s vacation over the Christmas holidays to experience this beautiful and tranquil island.

I flew into Varadero Airport in the middle of a sunny and warm day in late December and took a bus trip to my hotel which was located halfway between Havana and Varadero. The hotel was situated in the tiny fishing village of Jibacoa and had its own private 60km long beach of white sand and coral rich waters. The hour long bus ride to the resort provided a scenic view of the countryside, combined with typical scenes of island life. We drove through some very poor sections of the island, almost reminiscent of Jamaica, as well as some small farms which did not fence in their animals and our bus had to stop frequently for bulls and cows standing in the road.

Cuba’s beaches are known for being the most beautiful in the world and I can understand why. They have pure white sand and the water is a gorgeous color of turquoise. We spent most of our time lazing by the pool and beach – snorkeling amidst the coral reefs and going sailing where we were lucky enough to spot a manatee. The hotel backed onto some lush forests and mountains which you could hike each morning with a guide. We also got the chance to go horseback riding down the long stretch of private beach.

One of the highlights of my trip was my day trip into Havana. I took a guided day tour of the city which was headed by a Cuban who spoke perfect English. As University is free, almost every native Cuban has a university education, and most appear to be graduates of travel and tourism. We got to take a walking tour through Old Havana and then a bus tour with spots through the new section of Havana. Old Havana was my favorite as it had cobbled streets and colorful buildings in the traditional Cuban style. There were also tons of small shops selling Cuban cigars and spiced rum. The city is quite clean minus the exorbitant number of stray dogs running around the streets.

In the newer section of the city, we got to see the downtown core, as well as the parliament buildings and the communist propaganda that line the city streets. It was interesting how you felt like you were back in time, seeing all the 1950’s American cars and the lack of any chain or big box stores. The Cuban people were big fans of our clothing, and asked for our hats, etc as they aren’t able to get much due to the embargo. Before we left, we gave some of the extremely friendly staff at our hotel some of the items that they coveted the most.

If you have the ability to go to Cuba, I would highly recommend visiting this beautiful and unique island. The people are incredibly friendly and the scenery is out of this world.

admin Cuba Cuba, havana, islands, travel stories

As Holland’s largest city, Rotterdam is full of attractions, and has a real buzz to it. Its multicultural community, cultural life and vibrancy are hard to beat, making it a hugely popular destination for weekend breaks as well as longer holidays.

The best way to explore this great European city is by renting a holiday villa or apartment. Renting holiday apartments has never been easier, thanks to the plethora of websites that have sprung up in recent years. Renting either through an agent or privately with the owner is literally a few clicks away and there are many advantages to opting for this type of holiday accommodation rather than a hotel.

The main advantage is obviously flexibility, as there are no set meal times to adhere to, with the kids having to be dragged back for dinner just as they were starting to enjoy things. There’s no need to worry about the sensitivities of fellow guests, because the kids have their own rooms to amuse themselves in, and you can all come and go as you like. Also, self-catering in a foreign city is great fun, getting to grips with the Euro, exchange rates, shopping at the local market or dining out, interacting with the natives and practicing the lingo.

Rotterdam was almost flattened by German bombers during the Second World War, but there are still a great many things to see and do there. Blijdorp Zoo is arranged as a theme park and the whole family will love it, and there are historic attractions such as the Maritime Museum.

admin Europe Europe, holland, rotterdam

Mike Myers used to have a sketch on SNL where he played a Scottish guy who used to say that if it wasn’t Scottish it was “shite.” Well, if it’s not Aberdeen, it’s shite! The third largest city in Scotland and an international hub that regularly sees cheap flights coming in and out on a daily basis, Aberdeen is the chief seaport on the north eastern coast of the country. Commonly referred to as The Granite City, the Silver City or the Flower of Scotland, due to the fact that it is packed full of parks, gardens and floral displays, Aberdeen is considered by many travelers coming into the city on cheap flights as one of the most beautiful cities in the UK.

While it is quite a bit smaller than Glasgow or Edinburgh, the harbor and beaches make for a distinctly different feeling than the central Scottish cities, and when considering the fact that it has some of the oldest university buildings in Europe, including King’s College, which was founded in 1495, it really does have quite a bit of history to boast about. It’s an amazing city that should really be visited when you are in Scotland.

What’s even better is that from Aberdeen you can get anywhere! As an international hub, visitors can easily book cheap flights to London, Belfast, Paris, as well as almost any other city around the world. Considering the fact that modern Aberdeen has been transformed into the new oil capital of Europe, thanks to the supply of crude oil from the North Sea wells, there are more people coming here to live than there are leaving to visit other destinations. While English is mostly spoken, it is important to understand that local dialects are an important part of the cultural history of Scotland and the chances are you are likely to encounter various dialects while touring the city, so be prepared for some strange sounding accents and unfamiliar words.

admin Europe aberdeen, Europe, london, scotland, Travel Tips

After spending a night at Mumbai’s domestic airport, which was not an issue at all, I was in no desire to tackle Indian railways or bus stations so I decided to head for the nearest beach I could find from Trivandrum airport: Kovalam. I suddenly discovered that I could not get any cash out from the ATM. Upon walking to the next ATM an army of auto-rickshaw men descended upon me. One rather insistant one said he would take me to another ATM in Kovalam. A few more attempts and nothing was coming out of any cash machines. Then I get an automated call from LLoyds asking if I was trying to withdraw money in India – well yes as it happened I was. Iain helped me get international numbers in case I did not have any joy. I got my cash and the rickshaw man made enough money to feed him and his family for a month! Had I not been organised and told Lloyds that I was travelling to India I wouldn’t have minded but I had spoken to them the week previous and told them that I was going traveling so I was far from impressed.

Kovalam is best avoided if you want some peace and quiet. Every two seconds someone tries to sell you something: bananas, coconuts, look my shop, sunbed, beads, drums, sarong I made myself. I felt like asking if someone had thought of selling peace and quiet because I would have certainly spent some rupees on that. My little room was basic but fairly expensive for what it was. No towels and the sounds of crashing waves outside managed to wake me up most nights.

The highlight in Kovalam was seeing a turtle wash up on the shore and then head out again. Getting out of the place was equally as stressful as getting there. There was a ladies festival whereby they made sweets in pots and there were thousands of them. I was told that I wouldn’t be able to get to the train station and my guest room owner in kovalam was right but after being quoted a taxi for half the price of a flight I was back on public transport. The rip off merchant auto-rickshaw left me at a bus stop and I was off to Kallambullum to get the bus to Varkala. We hurtled along the main road bullying every other moving object out the way. For 33 rupees (again ripped off because he charged me to a much further destination) I was happy to get to there.

admin Asia Asia, india, south asia, travel stories

I really felt the need for a little relaxation and had heard some really good things about a long weekend in the Bahamas. The price for round-trip airline travel from our home to the Bahamas, coupled with the hotel and tour costs once we go there, turned out to be just a little too much strain on our family budget. I thought I’d have to settle for a weekend at a beach motel, until I found out that cruises to the Bahamas were available out of Charleston, South Carolina. I had never before taken a cruise, and were a bit apprehensive. As it turned out, the cost of the cruise was cheaper than the round trip airline flight to the Bahamas and the hotel accommodations.

I got to Charleston, and the boat, sorry ship, was my home for the trip, and all the food I could eat was included in the cost of the cruise. It turned out to be one of the best vacations I had. After only one full day and night on the cruise ship, a separate but delightful story, we arrived refreshed to experience our Bahamian adventure.

Freeport, our first stop, is a paradise for golfers with one of the most truly impressive golf courses in the world. Freeport is a pit of temptation for shoppers interested in electronics and fine jewelry. Fortunately, our ship’s departure warning whistle saved us from spending too much before we resumed our cruise to Nassau.

Nassau became my home base for two days of strolling, shopping, eating, and touring. I took a horse drawn carriage tour of the city and its suburbs, visited an old Spanish fortress. A stopover on the highest hill on the island offered a spectacular view of the integration of lush beauty of the land and its white sandy beaches with the crystal blue water that embraced it. During the second day of my visit we toured the adjacent waters in a glass bottomed boat to enjoy watching the colorful and exotic sea life.

Despite the abundance of food available on the ship, I managed to spend considerable time enjoying my hobby of sampling new foods. It was only the short duration of our trip that saved me from a lifetime of obesity. The cruise back to Charleston was an enjoyable mirror of the trip to the Bahamas, but flavored with the sadness or returning instead of the anticipated joy of arrival. In memory, the cruise and visit to the Bahamas was a delight which we hope to someday repeat.

admin United States bahamas, travel stories, United States

Just like a rainbow is filled up with seven distinct colors, similarly India has several mysterious cultures stored in it. We will here disclose to you some of the best places to visit in this beautiful country. India is a dream holiday that rewards every traveler with her endless tourist attractions. To explore India is to discover a land gifted with everything that makes up for a perfect travel package.

The rich cultural heritage which India offers us certainly keeps it in a different category. India, a platform of rich culture and tradition amidst a huge range of diversity and equality, is home to some of the excellent manifestations of art and architecture in various forms and shapes. These special forms and textures will attract you by their first appearance only and you will just not feel like moving from away from there.

A ride through the entire sphere of these architectural masterpieces will help you delve deeper into the country’s cultural bias. East to west, north to south – travel through the vast stretches of the nation to explore the various heritage destinations of India and peep into the range of intricate forms of art and architecture of India. So are you ready to explore it out here? Ok, we lets move further.

Taj Mahal, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, this monument of pristine supremacy in terms of artistic connotations is viewed as an epitome of love and romance.

Knak temple, approved as a United Nations (UNESCO) World Heritage Site, this temple is solely dedicated to the Sun God and depicts Orissa’s medieval architecture.

Ajanta Ellora caves: One of the choicest travel destinations for tourists around the world, these caves, outside the city of Aurangabad, about 400km northeast of Mumbai, represent the evolution of Buddhism, from 200 BC to 650 AD. They proudly embody three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

There are still more destination like this which you can easily explore in India. This article might not allow me to list all of them right here. But you must not restrict your self, try to explore as much about it as possible because it will change your overall outlook. Go for it and have fun in style in a new and more loving place.

admin Asia Asia, india, south asia, Travel Tips

Amsterdam has always been a colorful destination for me. World famous Coffee Shops and a legal Red Light District may be Mecca for teenage boys but for their parents it means price checking breathalysers and chastity belts. So there I am with an invite to a potentially very lucrative business meeting in a city I imagined was as smoggy as a Los Angeles in the eighties.

The first thing to be noted about Amsterdam is how easy and cheap it is to get there. With so many good quality travel services available I almost considered not claiming on my companies account! There’s an international airport which is linked to central station by a train service which is modern, clean and very affordable.

After arriving at the station it is only a 2 minute walk to the Damrak (the central square) from which the whole city is a matter of minutes away. The first thing to notice is the bicycles. They are everywhere and with many of the towns streets closed to cars its probably not a bad idea to dust off the peddle pushers yourself.

I opted to take the tram to my hotel which allowed me to enjoy the city without worrying about obstructing cyclists. Amsterdam is beautiful. The canals thread water through the streets bringing a liquid serenity which I have never felt in a city. After alighting at my hotel I was instantly impressed. With over 40 per cent of hotels being 4-5 star, the fierce competition meant I was being treated like a king for the price of a pauper.

After chatting with locals in a bar across the road I caught a cab to the Leidseplein. The bright lights and stunning architecture left me dumbstruck. It’s just so beautiful here. For a moment I feel like to spend rest of my life in this unique city.

The next morning, I explored all the attractive spots of the city and it was really fun for me. I came to know about various secrets which I just can’t forget, even if I want to. It was certainly some thing spiritual which attract me towards the beautiful place.

admin Europe amsterdam, Europe, holland, Travel Tips