Getting to Pompeii and Vesuvius on a day trip from Naples

Getting to Pompeii and Vesuvius on a day trip from Naples

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When I was researching our trip to Italy, I struggled a little to find clear information on getting to the Pompeii archaeological site from Naples independently. And more importantly how easy it would be to get from there to Vesuvius and then back to Naples. Luckily, when we got there, it was, (as you can imagine for trip done every day by thousands) very easy. This post describes just how easy. From Naples to Pompei The Circumvesuviana rail service runs from Naples to…

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Exploring Naples

Exploring Naples

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I had little to no real expectations of Naples, before we visited. I knew very little about the city and we were only really going there as it was the entry point for us to visit the Amalfi coast from the UK. As our departure date neared and I started to do a little more research, I found quite mixed reviews of the place: some people seemed to love it and others reported that it was dirty and dangerous.  Happily,…

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Staying refreshed in South America

Staying refreshed in South America

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Following on from our earlier post on the drinks to unwind with/get a bit tipsy on in South America, this post looks at the hot and soft drinks that you should try (or avoid!) while travelling across the continent. 1) Coca TeaProlific in the high Andes, Peruvians and Bolivians swear by the properties of the coca plant (yes of cocaine fame) to prevent altitude sickness, for pain relief and to suppress hunger. Lots of people in South America chew coca leaves, keeping a wad of them…

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Weekends away: Yurt life!

Weekends away: Yurt life!

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This was our home for two nights in early August – a yurt in a field in East Sussex, about 20 minutes north of Eastbourne on England’s south coast. Gurt the yurt It was a beautiful setting. We had the whole field to ourselves – no other yurts or buildings – with a beautiful view of the surrounding East Sussex countryside to enjoy while sipping our wine on the wooden veranda outside.  Sipping wine as the sun set The little…

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5 things every traveller should know about India

5 things every traveller should know about India

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1. Watch out for the Indian paparazzi! As a (white) westerner travelling in India and particularly when visiting sites that are popular with Indian (rather than foreign) tourists, you will at some point become a tourist attraction yourself.  So it starts … with one baby Mostly, the interest is harmless. Families want to come and say hello, welcome you to India and have their photo taken with you. It can get a bit annoying though, particularly when you’re just trying to…

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Being vegetarian in India

Being vegetarian in India

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I considered leaving this blog post blank, as its so easy to be veggie in India that unlike some of our other posts on eating as a veggie (particularly in South America), I wasn’t sure what I’d actually say, other than ‘go forth and eat‘. However, I did really enjoy the food we ate for our two weeks in Bangalore and Tamil Nadu and so I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to talk food! So, without further ado, here’s…

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Destination guide: Snooty Ooty

Destination guide: Snooty Ooty

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In the time of the British Empire, Ooty in the Nilgiri hills was the hill station where the British administration in Chennai – then known as Madras – headed to in the summer to cool down.  Nilgiri Hills Being in India during the heat of summer ourselves, we could understand the attraction.The town itself is definitely not 19th century British- its a bit of a sprawl, loud and full of traffic and cows! Get out into the hills, however and its a…

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24 hours in Mamallapuram

24 hours in Mamallapuram

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Arjuna’s Penance relief From Pondicherry, we caught a local bus 2 hours north to Mamallapuram. Buses leave really regularly from the bus station in Pondi. Practically as soon as we got to the bus station, we were pointed to a Mamallapuram bus that was just pulling away.  Running towards it, I double checked with someone who looked official that it was the right one and received a classic Indian head wobble in reply. Only having been in the country a…

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Our Pondicherry Top 5

Our Pondicherry Top 5

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1) Walking the streets of Pondi The French Quarter of Pondicherry is where most tourists spend most of their time while in town. The streets are lined with pretty colonial buildings, mostly white or yellow, with ornate gateways and doors. Many of the buildings are also adorned with pretty plants and flowers.  Pretty doorway Outside, chalk geometric drawings decorate the entrances to welcome visitors. For the most part, the designs are in white chalk, but apparently more colourful chalk is…

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