- travelrambles
- Dec 15, 2012
- 1 min read
Updated: Jan 6, 2021
Last stop on my "solo" backpacking trip in 2012. With a pre-scheduled rendez vous with my old classmates from Taiwan, we were set to meet in London in the midst of the London Olympics. The beauty of the EU is how EASY it is for people to travel/meet up for the weekend. We had almost a dozen people making time out of their schedules to meet up for 1 weekend: with a few "locals" and others flying in from Finland, Poland, Germany, Czech, USA and 1 Canadian gal.
I arrived a day early and had the day to myself to shop (being the only gal, I did not want to force anyone to such boredom) + watch Les Miserables. This extravagance was offset by extremely cheap accommodations at Generator Hostel (37 Tavistock Place Russel Square, Bloomsbury).
While my first visit to London was all about the sights + shopping, this trip was just spending quality time with some rad people + lots of drinks. This small asian girl did her best to keep up.
Feeling very blessed to have mistakenly gone to NCCU rather than NTU back in 2009. Otherwise, I would not have had the opportunity to meet such amazing people. While everyone has since grown up (some even have babies), it's nice to know that there are some friendly faces across the big, big, big world!
- travelrambles
- Dec 15, 2012
- 1 min read
Updated: Jan 6, 2021
Cinque Terre is a lovely gem in Italy. 4 years later, I had the opportunity to also visit Amalfi Coast (a coastal competitor) and the two have such completely different vibes.
Cinque Terre felt more low key with minimal glitz/glamour in comparison to Amalfi Coast. The train that connects the 5 towns makes for interesting day trips. Each town has a slightly different edge - my favourite being Riomaggiore. The colourful vibe of Cinque Terre creates a romantic vibe, one that is enjoyable even for gal travelling solo.
A recommended trip is to take the coastal trail that connects the 5 towns (if you are keen). I was lazy/not fit, so I stuck with the easy 1KM pedestrian walkway that connects the first two towns. Via dell Amore (all romance). In 2012, Cinque Terre had a terrible earthquake/mudslide so the full trail was blocked off so let's just blame that natural disaster instead.
Monterosso
Vernazza
Corniglia
Manarola
Riomaggiore
Back in 2012, I didn't have access to a very fancy camera. So, my pictures really do not do the place justice (and none are "Edited"). So, please do not judge the pictures! Just visit the place in-person :)
- travelrambles
- Dec 8, 2012
- 1 min read
Updated: Jan 5, 2021
Florence was another highlight of the 2012 backpack adventure. I was hesitant to come back to Italy as I didn't really love Rome & Venice in 2011 but the romantic, friendlier and prettier Florence made me fall back in love with the country of art, culture and passsstaaa!
The perfect blend of beautiful sights, deep history, wonderful views, amazing food and friendly people. Make sure to:
Admire all the Frescoes (especially the Duomo)
Walk along the Pont Vecchio
Admire the views (come back for sunset) at the Piazza Michelangelo
Accademia di Belle Arti Firenze (Statue of David)
Shop at the Leather Market
Food food food! There are so many options to choose from but from memory: Lasagna at Trattoria ZaZa, Pasta (Pear Ravioli) at Quattro Leoni, steak and lots of limoncello from Trattoria Tito. The rest escape my memory. And don't forget to eat lots of Gelato.
Summary Days spent: 3 days and 3 nights Type of Lodging: Hostel Name of Lodging: Academy Hostel Activities:
Loved the location of my hostel. It was steps away from the Duomo and the Accademia. Florence is probably one of the most beautiful cities I've ever visited. At the same time, there is amazing food and great shopping. If you have extra time, there are some great outlet options just nearby.