Waegook Tom

A Blog About A Globetrotting English Teacher

Travel Tips

Planning a getaway to Hampshire? What to see

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Source: Unsplash | Annie Spratt

Hampshire is perhaps synonymous now with comfortable country living and iconic English towns. This slice of idyllic England is home to the seaside, acres of towering forest and homes of some of Englands most famous authors. Hampshire’s reputation for being the home of refined taste makes it the perfect place to plan your getaway to. Whether you’re after a town or city break, or you’d prefer to spend your days outdoors, there’s plenty to do in this beautiful corner of the country.

Jane Austen’s House

If you’ve watched Pride and Prejudice and ever wanted to see where it all began, then this is the place to visit. Not only is this the home that Jane Austen wrote her most famous novels, but it’s also a beautifully preserved cottage with stunning gardens that surround it. This capsule of Jane’s life is a treasured place for many literary enthusiasts and is also a monument to celebrate one of Britain’s most influential female authors.

Endless Gardens

While you’re in one of the most quintessentially English parts of the United Kingdom, you may as well visit some truly iconic gardens while you’re there. In Hampshire, you’ll find beautifully-presented gardens that are bursting with the best wildlife that Britain has to offer. For example, Exbury gardens come to full vibrancy during the summertime, and while you’re there it’s a good idea to make the most of their quaint nearby attractions – an adorable miniature steam railway being one of them. You’ll also find forests, as well as riverside walks, to enjoy. Nearby gardens also include the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, where you’ll be able to smell some of Britain’s most beautiful native flowers, such as hydrangeas.

Mid-Hants Railway

If you want to enjoy the English countryside at full speed, then taking one of their picturesque railway routes is the way to do it. The ‘Watercress Line’ takes you to some of the most quaint English towns known to man, including Alresford. If you want the chocolate box experience, then be sure to take the train to this adorable little town. You’ll find multi-coloured houses, tiny boutiques and plenty of places to eat and drink. This town is renowned for its place on the train line, and so it’s not completely removed of tourist attractions.

You’ll also find plenty of riverside walks to go exploring down and views of the sprawling green countryside. Depending on which end of the Mid-Hants Railway you’d prefer to base yourself at, you’ll also find plenty of places to stay in the surrounding area. By simply searching ‘Holiday Cottages Hampshire’ you’ll find plenty of luxurious cottages to base yourself, in the Hampshire area.

Hampshire enjoys some of the UK’s most beautiful views, as well as some of its most vibrant wildlife. By taking the steam train, you will discover hidden towns that look as if they belong in a film set. You will also discover the writers of films that would be created centuries later, as well as beautiful gardens to lose yourself in – it is truly a county that’s worth visiting.

Adventurous Travel Options For Thrillseekers

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Whether you’re an avid traveller or someone who just likes to get away from it all on occasion, it’s entirely possible that you will like to take advantage of time away from work to focus on things that you love to do, such as hiking, exploring, art and music or cooking. If you’re planning a great getaway, you might be wondering where you can go that will allow you to exercise your interests as well. Here are a couple great options for travel ideas for thrillseekers. 

Source: Unsplash | Felix M. Dorn

Botswana

Botswana is a landlocked country where many people flock to see some of the area’s most important wildlife. The Okavango Delta is located in Botswana, a hugely important ecosystem of flora and fauna in the area. This is one of the major points of interest in all of Botswana, with a number of safari companies bringing tourists to the area. If you want a real treat of African wildlife, this is the place you need to see. Boat trips are just one of the ways you can explore the area, but any safari operator will provide you with excellent options if you want to add this to your itinerary.

Colombia

Formerly considered one of the most dangerous countries on the planet due to the cocaine trade, since the dissolution of the FARC, Colombia has grown its tourist infrastructure and industry to become one of the biggest up and comers when it comes to tourism. Not only can you visit impressive beaches, but also cocoa plantations, coffee plantations and beautiful mountain regions where hiking is ample, the people are friendly and you’re sure to have an experience that will leave you with lasting memories. 

Source: Unsplash | Agreen Duhoki

Iraq

If you’ve ever thought about travelling to a truly wondrous location with a deep history and ancient sites, Iraq is one of the best places. While it’s entirely possible to visit some of the more “shady” places such as Babylon which is out of the “safe zone”, parts of Iraqi Kurdistan are perfectly safe and include cities such as Erbil, where you can find high class accommodation and plentiful sources for restaurants and other tourist sites of interest. 

Russia

Russia has for a long time been somewhat a strange and unique option for travellers who are looking for something new and unusual for trips and adventures. With a number of cities to choose from for exploring including Moscow, St Petersburg and Yekaterinburg in the western part of the country, there’s a whole host of options for almost any class and type of traveller. One of the most interesting and unusual ways to explore the country is through taking the Trans-Siberian Railway across the country from Moscow to…wherever! If you’re feeling brave, why not take it all the way to Beijing? It’s possible! 

So if you’ve been looking for some truly adventurous travel options, why not consider one of the choices above? There are literally so many cool, adventurous places to choose from, it’s no wonder adventure travel is becoming more and more sought after. So what are you waiting for? Get those bags packed and pick your top place to explore this year. Enjoy!

Making Travel Easy

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Have you ever wondered how some people seem to make travelling look so seamless? Maybe you want to see how travelling can be made easy, allowing you the opportunity to travel and make money at the same time. (Hint: you can use an online tax tool to run some numbers and get a better idea of your take-home net income, no matter where you plan to be living.) It’s a dream of many to be able to stay on the road for as long as possible or to travel with ease. Here we run down just how easy travelling can be, along with ways to make it more comfortable for you so you can have the best possible time.

Travel and Work

Have you ever considered working while travelling? There are numerous ways to make money while travelling, not all of which include working for companies back home. Travelling as a private jet butler is just one way you can make travelling work for you – and you work with travelling. This is just one way you can make money on the road though. There are many others, including freelancing, which allows you a larger level of freedom albeit with a far more instability in terms of finances. 

Booking Taxis Ahead Of Time

Regardless of where you may find yourself in the world, booking a taxi ahead of time from the airport to your first accommodation is a huge help in making travel easier. After all – who wants to traverse strange streets in a new country with all your luggage looking for an address you’ve never been to? It just adds to the stresses of travel that you really don’t need. In this sense, it helps an enormous amount to book your taxi ahead of time – often online which makes things even easier!

Making Lists

When it comes to travelling, one of the most beneficial things you can possibly do is make lists. Whether it’s places you want to see or go to, things you want to try, foods to taste, things to experience or even just things you need to replace in your med kit, lists will help immensely. Lists help keep things in order, straightforward and easily visible and will reduce stress and anxiety. It’s particularly useful to make a list of potential things to refill or replace every time you make camp somewhere new for a few days or more – just so you know what you can get locally and what may need to wait until you’re somewhere else so you can make adjustments. Trust us – this will help you relax and have a better trip!

Research, Research, Research

At the end of the day, one of the ways to make travel easy is to research. Make sure you know what to expect when ti comes to weather and culture so there’s no surprises. You will want to know these things in terms of clothes to take and whether you will need waterproof clothing or similar. Research will save you so much time, money and stress. Just do it!

Regardless of whether you plan to be away for only a week or as much as a year, these tips and tricks to making travel easier. Good luck!

Adventurous Travel Destinations You Need To Try

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If you’re an avid traveller, chances are you will want to often push the boat out and take on new and exciting travel experiences. Travelling itself is always a fantastic experience, but if you’re well versed in getting around to different countries and seeing various sights, you may want something a bit more challenging this year. That’s why we’ve put together this useful collection of great adventurous travel destinations that might offer up those challenges you’re hungry for. 

Morocco

Morocco is one of the most beautiful countries in Africa with a distinctly Middle Eastern vibe and a friendly flair. Morocco is home to not only the Atlas mountains, but also a stretch of both Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines making it ideal for those who love both beaches and mountains. If you love culture and history, the cities of Morocco are sure to please, with such treats like Marrakesh and Fez being the two best bets to get deep into the culture and background of the country. Take a tour by horse cart around the city, stop for a tagine dinner in a small corner of the souqs or visit the leather dyeing vats of Fez for a look at the main industry of the city. For those wanting to experience the Sahara, consider heading out on tour to the dunes near Merzouga with tribal Berbers who will take care of you throughout the night. 

India

Probably one of the world’s most challenging countries, India is a huge subcontinent full of amazing sights, sounds and smells that just cannot be beat when looking for the ultimate in adventure travel destinations. With huge, bustling cities like New Delhi, Varanasi, Kerala, Kolkata and Chennai, there is no lack of things to see or do in India. Watch funeral pyres burn in Varanasi, explore Naadi astrology near Chennai or hike the Himalayan foothills and visit ashrams in Rishikesh. Whatever your fancy, India has a little something for everyone – if you can stand the heat, crowds and general insanity.

Source: Unsplash | Diego Jimenez

China

China is a vast, beautiful country with so many unique cities and towns to explore. It’s not just a historical place to visit, but a cultural one as well. With cities like Xi’an offering a look at China’s past, Chengdu and its panda bears, and Lijiang, one of the old capitals, it’s easy to see that there’s so much more to China than Shanghai and Hong Kong type areas. Not only can you visit impressive sights like the Forbidden Palace and the Terracotta Warriors in China, but also the Great Wall. Yunnan province in the south is the ideal place for nature lovers to flock to with karst limestone mountains lining winding riversides that make their way through small villages, ideal for stops at traditional tea houses.

Egypt

While many might think of Egypt as a somewhat dangerous place, nothing could be further from the truth. What mass media says about this Middle Eastern-come-African nation is definitely far from the truth. Many people who come to this part of the world are often awestruck with just how welcoming and friendly it is. Whether you’re taking the usual tourist route from Cairo to Luxor to Aswan or you want to take advantage of the Red Sea and its impressive corals, you’re in for a treat whatever you choose in Egypt. 

So if you’re looking for a truly amazing travel experience that offers up a healthy dose of adventure, consider one of these unique countries to visit. We promise you won’t be disappointed.

 

Exploring Africa: The Best Things to See and Do

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Source: Unsplash

Africa is a terrain of incredible experience, memories, and adventures to be had, not to mention a beating heart of amazing wildlife, scenery, and mountains (or beaches, if that’s your preference) just waiting to be walked on, photographed and embedded in your memory forever.

It’s a place that’s sure to be on everybody’s bucket list, and if it’s on the top of yours, you’re number one go-to is to find out the best activities available to you in Africa, and this guide can help to point you in the right direction.

Head Out On Safari In Tanzania

The first thing which comes to mind when planning a trip to Africa is, of course, the safari.

Certainly most places in the continent will offer an incredible safari experience, but one of the best places to try it out is Tanzania: this region houses some of the best parks, lodges, and wildlife, and companies such as Tanzania Odyssey are on hand to create an authentic, captivating and unbelievable safari experience for you. Get up close and personal with the breath-taking scenery and wildlife, the likes of which you’ll never forget.

Try the Beaches in South Africa

When you think of Africa, you might think only of rugged terrain rather than sandy white beaches, but the continent has some beautiful shorelines to tempt you with. Better still, if you head for the beaches towards the South, they are usually less crowded than the North area (so less of a risk of being photobombed).

You can do anything from grabbing a beach hut in idyllic Zanzibar to surfing on the awesome waves, and there’s even a chance you might bump into a penguin or two the further South you go.

If that isn’t enough for you adrenaline junkies, why not try diving with great white sharks?

Spend a Day Bike Riding in Cape Town

A lot of people forget the simple mode of transport that is the bicycle – and although it sounds a peaceful and easy way to get around, it can actually be challenging when you’re riding on tough African terrain – but that’s what makes it all the more exciting.

Without the confines of public transport or a hire car, you can feel the full effect of he fresh African air and the wonders around you when traveling by bike – and you can stop and take it all in whenever you feel like it.

Take a Hike Up Mount Kilimanjaro

There are many, many hiking opportunities in this glorious continent, but one obvious choice for mountain and walking enthusiasts is Mount Kilimanjaro. It’s the highest mountain in Africa, which means you can brag to all your friends when you get home that you’ve hiked up it. Some things to remember if you’re considering it:

  • A good time to climb is during a dry month, mainly January/February or August/September.
  • Decide on a date.
  • Decide on your chosen route.

But don’t worry – nobody will judge you if you choose an easier option.

Happy trekking!