To prelude my culture shock vignette with gratitude: Budapest did turn out to be an interesting place. Two places in fact (Buda and Pest), so doubly interesting. My favourite side was Buda – countless, picturesque landmarks and an instagram-able urban landscape. Pest was an alternative hipster-bar district, although a little confronting at first glance. I’mContinue reading “Vienna to Budapest”
Category Archives: Europe
24 Hours in Vienna
Vienna Airport to Central There’s an airport train for about 20€ but if you want to be smart, take an ÖBB train, a local regular Austrian one. Directly from the airport station to WHBF Wien Hauptbahnhof / Central. It takes about 20 minutes and feels like a first class carriage. Actual first class has aContinue reading “24 Hours in Vienna”
24 Hours in Riga
Bus from Estonia to Riga, Latvia I took the LuxExpress bus from Viljandi, Estonia to Riga, Latvia via Pärnu. The bus was spacious, modern and calmly driven. Its a short trip to Pärnu from Viljandi, around an hour. Thanks to the large windows you can enjoy the flat but otherwise colourful autumn landscape. Green spruce,Continue reading “24 Hours in Riga”
European Sabbatical
Running into an old friend when it’s been a while. A long while. You know the feeling. “so what have you been up to?”, you’re lost for words. So much has happened… This is where we’re at right now, you and I. As the new year begins I’m reflecting on my European sabbatical. I’m askingContinue reading “European Sabbatical”
Prague, Czech Republic
Your solo trip to Prague, #Czechia could be boring or even scary if you’re not prepared. Want to avoid scams and enjoy Prague? Read on to experience “Paris of the East” in a unique way. You’ll learn a lot about Czechia from this post. I promise! But first a little background story. Why Prague? InContinue reading “Prague, Czech Republic”
Cyprus and The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
1 October 2019. Today #Cyprus celebrates its independence. The other week, a wedding invitation saw me flying to Paphos. I’d never planned to visit Cyprus and so I’d not given it much thought. As I read about Cyprus I soon realised I was in for an interesting trip. I wondered if Cyprus is part ofContinue reading “Cyprus and The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”
My Viljandi (Autumn)
Last night’s youtube video “The Two Day Rule” renewed by motivation. So I was pretty happy to wake up to blue skies this morning after the few grey, dreary days we’ve had lately. Morning Jog Jogging down to the lake I ran into a foreigner-friend from Poland with her furry little friend. A brief morningContinue reading “My Viljandi (Autumn)”
Cheap Ferry Tickets Tallinn-Helsinki
If you’re travelling by ferry between Tallinn and Helsinki this blog post will save you money. Better yet, it’ll cost you nothing to follow. If you’re even thinking you *might* want to visit Helsinki or Tallinn in the future, I suggest you read on as it’ll be better for you to have followed these stepsContinue reading “Cheap Ferry Tickets Tallinn-Helsinki”
Visit Narva, Estonia’s Russian City
For foreigners Russia and Soviet history is intriguing but visas for Russia can be complicated. Part of Narva’s allure is its Soviet nostalgia and everything Russian. This small town in #Estonia is easiest the way to see Russia – without actually visiting it. Sparta Hostel As with most of my trips, I always try aheadContinue reading “Visit Narva, Estonia’s Russian City”
Lithuania: Palanga, Kaunas and Vilnius
Planning to travel through the Baltic States? I skipped the typical Baltic Cruise option and instead travelled by road from Estonia, through Latvia and into Lithuania. This is my experience visiting 3 destinations in Lithuania (Palanga, Kaunas and Vilnius) and why I’d recommend travelling in the opposite direction. Let’s begin! Viljandi, Estonia to Palanga, Lithuania:Continue reading “Lithuania: Palanga, Kaunas and Vilnius”
Jaiven Travel Blog 