Visiting New York without visiting Central Park? Unthinkable. I mean you only need to look at a map of Manhattan or check the subway map and there it is: A big green blob slap bang in the middle.
So next time you visit New York, make sure you set aside enough time to explore Central Park properly. Because there are loads of things to do, despite the obvious ‘Going for a walk’.
Last week’s trip had me travel to Czech Republic for a change. Not for the first time, I had been in Czech Republic a few times for work and I’ve also been to Prague for a weekend with mum two years ago. This time it was a trip to Brno. Ever wondered what are the things to see in Brno? Read on to find out.
I have flown into Brno before and I’ve driven past it several times, but I haven’t actually been to the town centre before. So I was looking forward to it. Especially since I also have friends living there and took the opportunity to catch up with them (and shamelessly use them as a free tour guide).
I was only there for one night, but still managed to see loads and walk for miles.
Yes I know, us Brits aren’t really known for our culinary offerings. Our tea, our heritage, our Queen… Yes. Our food? Not so much.
Which is a shame really. Is this bad rep actually justified?
When I mention I live in the UK, plenty comment on the lousy food. However I hardly know anyone that actually visited and still said the same.
When in New York heading for a true Italian pizza seems the obvious choice, doesn’t it? OK maybe not. But when an Italian living in New York recommends an Italian restaurant you sure go and check it out. Or at least that’s what we did.
I fly on a regular basis – now there’s a revelation; who would have thought – but pretty much all of my flights are short haul. Just an hour, two hours tops if I have to get to Central Europe or Nordics. But to actually do a long haul flight? Nah, not on a regular basis. But as I told before, hubby and I are New York bound again this month and as much as we were looking forward to it, it does come with a long flight at the start and end. So what to expect on an eight hour flight?
I am fairly relaxed about it all, I spend so much time sitting around airports for hours at a time that this flight couldn’t be any worse. Just make sure I have a fully charged laptop in front of me and I potter away forever (if I run out of things to write for the blog, I could always catch up on work, if and when I get very desperate). Hubby on the other side? Well that’s a different story.
You all remember that scene in Shrek when they travel to the Kingdom Far Far Away and donkey sits in the back, asking ‘are we there yet?’ every other second? Yep, that’s my other half (nah, he’s not a donkey obviously). He’s fine for the first hour, two tops, after that he gets a little restless.
So, I decided to share the pleasure with you all with my ‘diary of an eight-hour flight’. To give you a better idea what to expect on an eight hour flight, if you’ve never flown long-haul.
It doesn’t come as a huge secret if I tell you that I love New York. I always did… or at least I always loved the thought of New York City. It wasn’t until our honeymoon in 2012 that I actually manage to visit New York for the first time.
At the time the idea was to have an extended stay (we stayed 11 nights) to see it all and get it over and done with… been there, done that, got the T-shirt kinda thing.
But little did I know. Yes, by the time we got back from our honeymoon we felt so overwhelmed and tired (I mean how many miles can you walk in a day for days on end without losing the will to live) that I would have totally subscribed to that ‘been there done that’ idea… but as time passed (and my muscles stopped hurting) I started longing for New York again. And the rest is history as they say. We have been back a few times since and are preparing for yet another trip in the New Year.
So what better time to share with you some tips for your first trip to New York City.
Whilst I am still enjoying my few travel free weeks in the run up to Christmas (such a rare thing not to travel for a whole month), I am already preparing for more trips in the New Year.
For a few days (or was it mere hours?) I thought things would eventually quieten down a little in 2018, but looking at my diary now, I’d say far from it.
Looking at January and February, everything is already back to normal with trips booked for pretty much every single week.
But it is not all work. Hubby and I will go to New York for a week. Yes… again.
To me Berlin is very marmite. You either love it or hate it. Not much in between. And what shall I say… I don’t love marmite…. Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying I hate Berlin. Not really. But it would not make it into my top five of cities (hey here’s an idea for a new blog post… stay tuned). Nor would it be my first (second or third) choice of places to live in Germany. But I am always up for the odd weekend or visit (unlike marmite… that I do loath at all times). So if you are planning a trip to Berlin, let me tell you which airport to pick for Berlin.
Every now and then the choice of hotel or location turns out to be just perfect, making an otherwise standard work trip that little bit special.
I am usually in charge of my own itinerary. So within limits I can pick and choose my preferred dates, flights and hotels. But saying that…. When it comes to hotels I am regularly at the mercy of the client, as they confirm the appointments with the dealerships, pick me up from the airport and drop me at the hotel (often the case when they actually stay at the same hotel). This can be a bit hit and miss obviously. Sometimes I am informed before where I will be staying (or even get a say in where I want to stay), other times I just have to hope they actually remembered to book me a room.
Whenever you visit London, chances are at some point during your visit you will end up with a little (or not so little) shopping trip. And why wouldn’t you. There are plenty of stores, catering for all budgets and tastes. From high-end designer shops to well-known mainstream chains to the vintage and unique. So to help you pick the right shops for your taste and budget, here’s a quick overview of the best shopping places in London. If you are looking for plus size shopping tips for London, head over to my London Plus Size Shopping Guide.
