Crisp golden edges, a caramelised base of crunchy layers and a centre so rich and fulfilling the contented smiles and sighs of your dinner guests will be as satisfying as the gratin pot is scraped clean. This potato dauphinoise recipe is an instant dinner all-star.

From the moment I pulled the dish from the oven, I knew this recipe was a world-beater. The way the sides of the pot were crusted with a dark golden crust while the middle was bronzed like it’d had two weeks in the sun.

But of course the dauphinoise recipe worked.

After all, it was written by a pro.

French chef, restauranteur and kitchen celeb Manu Feildel has shared his means and method for this indulgent dish as part of the launch of his new line of sauces… but more about that in a moment.

Accompanied by a lavishly thick-cut scotch fillet and char-grilled greens, it’s hard to say whether it was the potato gratin, the steak or the side that played the hero dish in this toothsome threesome.

Dauphinoise potato recipe

First of all, let’s talk about what exactly is the difference between potato bake (or potato gratin) and potato dauphinoise.

Potato gratin refers to the crust you get when you bake potatoes and cream in the oven.

The word ‘gratin’ comes from the French word ‘gratter’ meaning ‘to scrape’ because the delicious crust that forms on the pan is as valued by the French (and anyone with a tastebud) as the Spanish do the socorrat at the bottom of a paella.

The crust can come from a multitude of methods – usually using breadcrumbs or cheese. The potatoes are also usually pre-boiled.

Dauphinoise potatoes (or as my brother calls it ‘dolphin nose potatoes’… I think he’s joking), however, doesn’t use cheese or breadcrumbs – or anything else really. just cream and heat.

Here’s what you need

– 1kg potatoes – peeled and sliced into 3mm thick discs
– 500ml thickened cream
– 2 cloves garlic – finely chopped
– 1tbsp thyme – chopped
– Salt and pepper to season
– 1tsp butter or – even better – coconut oil to grease the tray

Here’s what you do

1. combine the potatoes, cream, thyme, salt, pepper and garlic in a large saucepan and bring to the boil, then simmer for about 8 minutes.

2. Grease a 1.5 litre oven-proof dish with the coconut oil then pour the contents of the pan in. try to create layers of potato as you go.

3. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 200ºC for 1 hour 30 minutes or until there is a golden crust on top and the cream has absorbed into the potatoes.

4. remove the dish from the oven but keep the heat at 200ºC while you cook the steak.

How to cook a steak like Manu

Everybody has their own way of cooking steak. I really enjoyed how Manu’s method worked for me.

He has shared this method alongside his potato dauphinoise recipe but here’s what to do:

1. get an oven-proof pan (I used my cast iron griddle skillet) hot and add about 30g of butter. When the butter starts to froth and brown, lay your seasoned steaks down a cook for about 3 minutes.

2. turn the steaks and cook in the oven for another 3 minutes – this will give you a medium-rare steak.

3. remove the steaks and leave them on a plate to rest – covered.

4. While the steaks are resting, put the pan back on the stove and cook your broccolini, turning once, until you see colour forming.

5. swap the meat for the veggies and put the pan back in the oven to warm up the steaks again. While that’s happening, heat your choice of Sauce by Manu in a small saucepan.

6. serve the broccolini with crushed walnuts and pour a greedy amount of sauce over your steak.

The Sauce by Manu

Manu’s sauces are the perfect way to give a real chef’s touch to this meal.

There are six to choose from – peppercorn, mushroom, red wine, lamb and rosemary, white wine, and mustard – and all you have to do is heat them through in a pan.

We tried to peppercorn sauce with our steaks and it was excellent. There’s a real depth of flavour that’s always missing from other shop-bought sauces and that would take hours to make at home (plus real talent).

Because these sauces all have fresh ingredients – including cream – in them, you’ll have to hunt them out in the chiller section of your supermarket.

I have to give credit to our pal Maevadi for the idea of putting crushed walnuts with the broccolini. A stroke of genius.

As for the potato dauphinoise, Manu’s recipe is remarkable.

I honestly thought my roast potatoes were the pinnacle of what could be done with potatoes. This dish has proven me wrong.

We were gifted samples of The Sauce by Manu and ingredients for this meal.

It’s been quite the party week here at romance HQ. We’ve both been running around like crazy – but all in the name of fun.

So as the end of the month of October looms best up in the form of Halloween, Sydney’s annual craft beer week concerns a close and good ol’ Silly season gets its dancing shoes on, it looks like we’re in for a good time!

Hope you delight in this week’s IG Edition. As a quick caveat – many of the photos here were taken by me. So instead of Mrs Romance’s clever, well-honed photographer’s eye, you might notice a somewhat novice edge to this week’s images.

Have a great week anyway – Jim & Christina xx

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up to our weekly newsletter that I send out every Friday. In it is a rundown of the week’s messages plus news on what’s going on with us. We also give you exclusive notice on any competitions we’re running or freebies we’re giving away.

Click here to receive our newsletter and also our totally free ebook on travel.

I’m really thrilled about this year’s Sydney Craft Beer Week – mostly because I’m actually in the country for it for once! Today I’m at a great craft beer pub in Surry Hills – the Dove and Olive – to take part in a beer battle! The idea is that three local breweries bring one of their best beers for people to taste and judge which one they like the most.

However, there’s another element to it. The three breweries also work with three local venues to create a new beer especially for Sydney Craft Beer Week. So that’s 6 beers to try in total. The winning brewery will take home the golden Growler and supply all three venues with the winning beer for a year. pretty good prize!

And here are the winners! These two beautiful ladies – Danielle Allen and Jayne Lewis – are the owners of two Birds Brewing Co. Their beer – the Passionhop Passionfruit IPA – takes home the goods.

I’m very pleased to say this is the beer I voted for too! Surprisingly, it’s not an overly sweet beer in spite of all the passionfruit pulp they put into this brew. instead it’s got a beautifully sour taste that works well with the rest of the flavours of this outstanding beer.

I get the impression the girls are pretty pleased with their win! Congratulations, two Birds Brewing. You’ll be able to find this beer in the Dove and Olive, the Keg and Brew, and the canine – and hopefully even much more venues than that!

It’s time to carry on celebrating (and enjoying Sydney Craft Beer Week), so the next pub to visit is a no-brainer. I’m in the royal Albert in Surry Hills. This is the best pub in Sydney as far as I’m concerned. The beers they have here are always superb and the people who work here are awesome too.

Plus they’ve got one of the best burgers in Sydney. Here’s our review of this cracking little pub.

The day ends with a beautiful sunset. Which day’s this? I’m not too sure. The session in the royal Albert has messed things up a bit. but now’s not the time to argue about things like dates. just delight in the beautiful sky!

Now we’re getting to the major end of Sydney Craft Beer Week. Today, my beer compadre Anton and I are in the local Taphouse in Darlinghurst – a legendary pub for a great brew – for a beer education.

This event’s called A Heavenly Pairing.

We get to try five beers from around the world and see how they match up with some of the most amazing cheese I’ve ever eaten.

We’re lucky enough to have beer genius James A Smith from the original local Taphouse in St Kilda, Melbourne take us through each of the beers he’s chosen for this day. James is a cicerone, which is beer’s version of a red wine sommelier. His knowledge is so deep and so interesting, it shows there’s so much much more to beer than meets the eye.

We’ve also got fromager Sognia Ocello from the remarkable specialist cheese shop Ocello in Surry Hills. Sognia’s family has had this shop for years and we always walk in drooling. The cheeses she’s supplied for today’s event are incredible, and her knowledge of cheese history and flavour pairings with everything is profound.

We were very pleasantly amazed with how well the beer went with the cheese. certainly something I’m going to be doing much more of!

For your information, here are the beers and cheeses we tried:

1. Hervé Mons Petit Heletar sheep’s milk cheese from France paired with Stomping Ground’s Saison from VIC, Australia

2. Ford farm Cheddar cow’s milk cheese from England (only 1 of 6 real cheddar producers left in the world) paired with Worthington’s White shield from England

3. Délice des Crémiers cow’s milk cheese from France paired with To Øl’s Roses are Brett from Denmark

4. Mileens Dotes cow’s milk cheese from Ireland paired with Liefmans Goudenband from Belgium

5. Colston Bassett Stilton cow’s milk cheese from England paired with Stone’s Russian Imperial Stout from USA

Mrs romance is out learning stuff today. She’s listening to three very talentedladies talk about creativity and success at the dream dare create with Cointreau event at the Hacienda Bar at circular Quay. Megan Hess, Helen Chik and Geneva Vanderzeil are each talking about their climb to creative brilliance in one of Sydney’s many beautiful bars overlooking the Harbour Bridge.

We’ve been invited to a Halloween party tonight. We’re a bit frightened because we know how much our mate Brooke from HerPackingList.com gets into this scary night of the year.

We’ve chose to go as ‘struck by lightning’ because of our recent post telling the story of how we were hit by lightning in real life when we first met.

We’ve cheekily asked our beautiful Uber chauffeur to take these shots before we get to Brooke’s party and it’s a good job we did; Mrs romance will leave her brolly prop in the car when we get there! The things those Uber chauffeurs should find their cars at the end of nights like tonight!

As suspected, Brooke has gone a bit crazy on the decorations for tonight’s party. These ‘welcome drinks’ are such a cool start to the night!

Brooke and her other half Pat have done such an remarkable job tonight. There’s just so much attention to detail – looking back on our photos, there’s still stuff either Mrs R and I missed when we were there. These bottles of poison in the kitchen: genius!

Brooke (or Dr Schoenman) has even set up a photobooth with props and lightning. The app she’s used is really cool too and emails you your shots. So much fun!

Quite a fan of the googly eyes.

One of the final shots of the night. lots of fun – this is how to throw a Halloween party. We’ve been seriously schooled!

This week’s travel Recap

Each week we go back in time over some of our preferred travel destinations using never-before-seen photos of our travels. Here’s where we’ve been looking back on this week.

The seas around Thailand somehow look even much more beautiful in stormy weather. It’s certainly time to relocation back to our hotel room here in front of the Sala in Phuket! Thankfully it’s not far from here.

Check out our full review of the Sala here. We’ve also produced a quick walk-through video of the rooms.

Nothing like a Sydney sunrise! This is at Bondi just near the well-known Icebergs – a swimming club, bar and restaurant with the best view of Australia’s many well-known beach. Of course, this is Mrs Romance’s photo. Not only is it well composed and in focus, it’s also at sunrise – a time of day I still have doubts on as to its existence.

Icebergs is in our guide to 24 hours in Bondi you can see here.

Cheers! This is a rare photo of me multitasking: I’m viewing 3 water levels at once! Our private pool at the beautiful Aleenta Phuket is absolutely perfect. wish we could’ve stayed here forever.

Check out our video walk-through of this amazing Thai resort on our site.

Looks like the surf’s up at Cabarita beach at the northern suggestion of new South Wales. This beach has been a preferred for surfers for decades, and the now very chic Halcyon house just behind us used to be the place to stay when you weren’t carving up the breaks. these days it’s a top spot for a romantic weekend away or a delicious meal.

Here’s our experience at Paper Daisy – Halcyon House’s beach restaurant.

Sunset on the west side of Phuket, Thailand over the Andaman Sea is pretty the ideal moment for romance! but then sunrise over the water can be pretty good too…

Ok – who thought this was snow? These are actually salt flats somewhere off the highway in California heading for route 66 after going to the remarkable Joshua Tree national Park.

It was a road trip we’ll never forget – from San Diego to palm Springs, then through the desert into Arizona and on to Nevada and finally Las Vegas, baby!

Here’s our full schedule and totally free downloadable guide of this awesome road trip!

The beach villas at Aleenta Phuket are pretty unbelievable. If you’ve seen our previous photos of this resort, you’ll have seen our own private pool. That wasn’t too bad, right? Well these places are something else entirely! next time we’re in Thailand…

If you want much more info on this resort, check out our review and video walk-through. Interestingly, this resort’s older (but smaller) sister resort Aleenta Hua Hin is much lower key. Still luxe and lavish, but much more of an eco resort, Aleenta Hua Hin is also well worth checking out. Here’s our review of this place too.

We hope you’ve delighted in our newest IG edition and travel Update, and that the rest of your week’s looking good. See you again soon for more!

Cheers – J&Cx

Images by Mr and Mrs romance through Instagram: @MrAndMrsRomance.

Sweet, sour, fizzy, the gentle warm of ginger as well as the distinct flavour of rum – the Dark as well as stormy rum mixed drink is an absolute classic. however we believe our Aussie twist on this tasty drink is quite bloody great – we’re quite happy of it.

Sydney’s been both dark as well as stormy this week, so we believed this mixed drink would be ideal for this Friday Drinks. We’ve made our own version of this traditional drink, utilizing only Australian products.

The original Dark n stormy mixed drink came all the method from Bermuda. The Gosling Rum business really has the name trademarked (that’s why we’re calling ours a Dark as well as Stormy).

The ingredients:

The rum

We chose to utilize a golden rum rather than the dark Black seal rum Goslings use. Iridium from install Uncle Distillery in Far-North Queensland is smoother than many golden rums. It’s likewise made of sugar cane molasses. So there.

Mark, the owner of install Uncle, creates some fantastic spirits. His gin is well worth investing in.

The bubbles

Ordinarily, a Dark n stormy utilizes ginger ale or ginger beer. Instead, we chose to utilize an Australian apple cider to bring the fizz. Pressman’s Cider is made with Aussie apples as well as provides the mixed drink an fantastic body.

The herbs

To counter the sweetness of the cider as well as the rum, we added a dash of Shrubs from Currong Comestibles. These syrups are made of Australian bush fruits. The one we utilized – the Riberry – is sour sufficient to balance the drink perfectly.

This drink is ideal for one of those evenings where the storm hasn’t shown up yet as well as the humidity’s truly kicking in. So refreshing.

Aussie Dark as well as Stormy

Here’s what you need:

1x Iridium rum

1x dash of Riberry Shrub

1x chunk of peeled ginger

1x wedge of lime

1x bottle of Pressman’s Cider

Lots of ice

2x lime wedges to garnish

Here’s what you do:

Muddle the lime, ginger as well as Riberry Shrub in a mixed drink shaker.

Add the rum as well as some ice as well as shake well.

Double strain into a mug over lots of ice.

Top up with cider as well as garnish with lime wedges.

If this is a bit as well strong alcohol-wise, Pressman’s likewise does a mid-strength cider which is just as tasty.

Alternatively you might utilize half cider as well as half soda water.

What’s your preferred rum cocktail? What do you drink when the humidity is making your head explode? tell us in the comments.

Images by Mrs Romance.

one of the numerous things we truly wished to do while on this trip with central Asia was to go on a multi-day equine trek. We had trekked to high altitudes as well as over passes by foot as well as now it was time to install a equine as well as let him do all the work.

We shown up in the little town of Kochkor as well as talked with the friendly as well as useful lady at Shepherd’s Life, a little business which assists with neighborhood based tourism. We arranged for an English-speaking guide, 3 horses, 2 nights sleeping in yurts with regional families, 2 breakfasts as well as 2 dinners. We would trip for 2 days as well as 2 nights leading to our final destination of tune Kol Lake. We scoured the little village for some food for our lunches while on the trip as well as had a great night sleep at our homestay.

The overall expense for our trip was $250 USD, including a taxi trip to the equine pickup point, as well as back to Kochkor from Lake tune Kol. You can get in touch with Shepherd’s Life, or Kochkor CBT, which are both found on the primary road in town.

We had a great experience with our guide, however all trips have mixed evaluations online.

Checking out the market for some food to bring on our trek

The complying with morning when we awoke, the skies were looking rather bleak as well as grey. The common looking weather condition for the Goats On The road had discovered us again! We still chose to go ahead with the trip as well as set off in a vehicle with our guide to the even smaller village of Kyzart, where we would satisfy our horses. during the trip out there, the sky opened up as well as we were totally poured on, not a great sign.

When we shown up in the village, the darkness seemed to lift as well as we had a patch of blue sky as well as sun directly above us! We packed up our horses, Nick’s was a handsome black equine so we named him Denzel Washington as well as mine was a blonde/orangey coloured equine so we named him Mustard. Our guide Scott, Denzel as well as Mustard would be our companions for the next two nights.

Saddle up! Me with my horse, Mustard
We walked along with dry brush, over little creeks as well as towards the towering, snow-capped mountains in the distance. We liked being on our horses, it took a bit of getting utilized to with the saddle, the reigns as well as exactly how to manage the horse, however overall, they were quite tame as well as listened well…until we reached our very first downhill bit of the trip into the valley. Mustard was not moving. He had no wish to go downhill, perhaps he was traumatized from a previous downward slope experience, I don’t know. Scott had to find up behind my equine as well as coerce him down the hill.

Mustard was fine on the flat lands, however not going downhill!
We stopped for lunch after riding for about 3 hours. The little patch of sun was still directly above us as well as we ate lunch near a little river. We got out our stove as well as pot as well as cooked up some immediate noodles with hard-boiled eggs as well as cheese on the side.

Enjoying our lunch break by the river
As we continued trekking we might see the storm starting to completely engulf the mountains in a thick, white fog. all of the sudden, it started to hail! Our time with the sunny patch was up. We were pleased we had the sun for as long as we did though as well as just as I was accepting the rain as well as was going to make the very best of it, we rounded a bend in the hillside as well as Scott stated “there, we will sleep in those yurts”. It was music to our ears.

Our comfortable yurt for the night

A Kyrgyz household lives in two of the yurts as well as they have set up a third one for tourists to sleep in. We ran inside the family’s yurt just as the hail had relied on a total downpour of rain. We sat near the warm stove, spoke with the mom as well as grandma of the household as well as played with two lovable bit grand-daughters. The mom of the home was anxiously sweeping as well as organizing her home, bringing in some dried dung for the terminate as well as cooking up some freshly baked bread for us.

Fresh bread getting prepared to go in the little “oven”
We delighted in the soft, hot bread with some homemade apricot jam as well as butter churned fresh in the yurt. We huddled under a blanket as well as viewed as the rain came down in sheets. We attempted to discover Scott’s complex card game with made-up guidelines as well as we taught him our conventional travel card game, crap head. We likewise tried a few of the Kyrgyz fermented mare’s milk that the household had made…it was similarly as poor as the one we tried in Mongolia!

Trying the Kyrgyz range of fermented mare’s milk, called Kumis

That evening the mom cooked us a tasty spicy soup with rice as well as mutton, together with bread as well as great deals of tea. We snuggled up into our sleeping bags, pulled 3 other blankets over us as well as quickly passed out.

The next morning I woke up at 6:30 as well as looked outside – it was snowing. I went back to bed, believing we wouldn’t be moving over the pass today. however around 9:00 all of us got up, had breakfast, saddled up the horses as well as set off. The sun had come out once again as well as we were able to take off.

Getting the horses saddled up for the long trip ahead of us
The views on the second day were otherworldly. It was nothing however blue skies ahead of us. We climbed up as well as up, zigging as well as zagging towards the 3,700m pass. Our horses huffed as well as puffed as well as skidded over the rocks as well as slushy snow that blanket the ground. Hawks soared high above us as well as the only seems were those of our horses hooves as well as their breath.

Nick as well as Denzel heading up the steep hill to the pass
We had just done a 2 day trip around Karakol as well as our muscles were still sore, it was good to have the equine groaning going up the pass as well as not us!

Me as well as Mustard making the trip as much as the pass, much better him walking than me!

The jagged peaks surrounding us were breathtaking as well as just when we believed it couldn’t get any type of better, we shown up at the top of the pass as well as saw the view of tune Kol Lake down below. just stunning.

Us with Scott as well as our horses at the top of the pass, we made it!

At the top of the pass, we satisfied a guy on horseback bring a rifle who told us a pack of wolves had killed one of his horses as well as he was now on the search for the murderous predators. since of the snow in the lower lying mountains, the wolves can search under the white camouflage as well as therefore, they ended up being braver. They leave the high peaks of the hills they typically roam as well as make their method down to the valley in browse of livestock to feed on.

On the search for the wolves that killed his horse

After our chat with the hunter, we made our descent into the valley below. Again, Mustard wasn’t as well pleased about going downhill, however this time around I might sympathize with him. The ground was muddy, wet as well as slushy. The horses had a difficult time going down the mountain, slipping as well as moving the whole way. So, to make it simpler for my horse, I got off as well as walked with him instead. After a minute, he stopped, laid down as well as started rolling around in the mud, covering my saddle as well as blanket with dirt.

It was official, he didn’t want me riding him!

After awhile I attempted to get back on, as well as once again he didn’t want to move. Scott as well as Nick whipped him in the butt as well as he lastly set off. We concerned a muddy hill where I just understood Mustard couldn’t deal with it. His legs buckled beneath him as well as he fell on his side into the hill. fortunately I had been planning my program of action in situation this happened. I whipped my left leg out as soon as I felt Mustard waver so it wouldn’t get crushed between him as well as the hill, dropped my hands to the ground as well as just type of rolled off.

Mustard as well as I were not getting along!
Mustard as well as I both laid against the mountain for a few moments before getting up. For the next couple of hours, I walked him. We were certainly not getting along anymore. I believe I provided him as well much leeway at the beginning as well as he understood he might get what he wanted!

After riding for about 3 hours, we reached the end of the valley as well as shown up on the shores of glistening Lake tune Kol. The sun was sparkling on the water, the ground we were walking on was lastly dry as well as the towering snowy mountains as a backdrop were the icing on the cake.

The mountain backdrop at tune Kol Lake was stunning

The final 2 hour trip to our yurt stay was beautiful as well as when we shown up we didn’t want to leave. We wandered along the lakeshore as well as couldn’t assist however look in awe of the mountains surrounding us. having the mix of snow as well as sun against the blue lake as well as our white yurt was really magical.

The shores of Lake tune Kol

Our yurt for the night – what a view!
We delighted in our final evening playing cards with Scott, drinking some beers as well as devouring a house cooked meal. Scott was an outstanding guide as well as our very first equine trekking experience was one to remember.

Having beers as well as dinner with our guide, Scott

Don’t miss The new equine Trekking choices in Jyrgalan!

Located just a 45 minute drive from Karakol is the village of Jyrgalan. In June, 2017, we marked out the new Keskenkija path which can be done on foot, or horse. There are likewise numerous other day, or multi-day equine treks in the area. get in touch with Destination Jyrgalan at: destination.jyrgalan@gmail.com for much more information. Or, send us an email as well as we’ll be pleased to help!

Have you ever been equine trekking? What was your experience like? tell us about it below!

Check Out Our Song-Kol equine trip Video!

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Disclaimer:Goats On The road is an Amazon partner as well as likewise an affiliate for some other retailers. This implies we make commissions if you click links on our blog as well as purchase from those retailers.

Updated: 10/3/2020 | October 3rd, 2020

I’ve added an LGBT column to the site to make the site is much more inclusive and talks about issues that affect some members of our travel community. In this column, we will hear from voices in the LGBT community about their experiences on the road, safety tips, events, and overall guidance for other LGBT travelers. This week, Dani from Globetrottergirls shares some of her favorite lesbian travel blogs.

Ever because I started traveling full-time in 2010, I’ve been an avid blog reader. I am subscribed to dozens of blogs, and I have went to numerous places after finding out about them on blogs.

Boracay in the Philippines, for example — I read about it on blogs.

Or Las Lajas in Colombia, which I went to this year, seven years after learning about it through a travel blog.

The lovely French town of Colmar? I am now keen to visit it after it popped up on several blogs I read.

Without travel blogs, I would have never found out about these places. The same goes for cafés and restaurants, ice cream shops and bars, small art galleries, and great hostels. I read blogs for travel inspiration all the time, but also for travel suggestions when I research a destination I am planning to visit.

While there are dozens of couples’ travel blogs, solo female travel blogs, and a fair number of gay travel blogs, there have never been numerous lesbian travel blogs.

At least, until recently!

It seems that in the last year or two, there are a lot much more people that are selling everything they own to go traveling, and that is also true in the lesbian world. For years, the L in LGBT travel blogs was filled by only a handful of blogs, but there has been an explosion of lesbian travel blogs recently and I am thrilled to see the lesbian travel blogosphere expand.

These girls have inspired me with their stories about off-the-beaten-path destinations such as Bahrain and Cuba, piqued my interest in destination weddings, and made me consider spending all my savings on a campervan and heading out on the open road.

If you are searching for travel inspiration, I recommend checking out the following lesbian travel blogs — and of course you don’t have to be an LGBT traveler to delight in them:
 

1. 2 mothers Travel

Lara and her wife Deb travel with their two kids, showing that it is possible to travel with young children.

Recommended entry: “Europe: 6 Weeks, 2 Kids, 1 Suitcase”
 

2. straight On Detour

Prue, a photographer from Australia, and Becky, a travel writer from England, have been traveling the world together because 2012, when they met in Thailand.

Recommended entry: “You’re ready to travel the World: but Is Your Relationship?”
 

3. totally free Wheel Drive

Laura and Camrin are two girls from Wisconsin who, in June 2017, packed up everything they could fit into their Jeep Grand Cherokee named Tina and started traveling around north america while working remotely. Their plan is to hit up as numerous national parks as possible, to Couchsurf, to housesit, to use WWOOF (to work on organic farms), and to see how far they can get while traveling on a budget.

Recommended entry: “The amazing Grand Teton national Park”
 

4. Vagabroads

The Vagabroads are Sunny, a former criminal defense attorney, and Karin, who used to be a network engineer. The couple, who hail from Nashville, TN, sold all of their belongings to go on an indefinite overland journey down the Pan-American highway through the US, Mexico, and central and South America.

Recommended entry: “Volcano Boarding the Cerro Negro Volcano in Nicaragua”
 

5. once Upon A Journey

Roxanne and Maartje are two beautiful blondes from the Netherlands who shared a dream of traveling the world together. In March 2017, they made their dream a reality, starting their journey in Russia with an epic train trip: the Trans-Siberian express all the way to China. The girls are in Southeast Asia now and are planning to head to new Zealand next.

 

6. The freedom Travellers

Victoria, a Brit, and Elaina, an Aussie, met at work in Australia. They quit their corporate jobs in 2014 and have been traveling ever since. So far, they’ve went to 39 countries together.

 

7. Dopes on the Road

Meg Cale and her wife Lindsay met online, dated long-distance while Meg was teaching in South Korea and Lindsay was in the United States, and finally got married last year.

Recommended entry: “We Eloped: Yup, Lindsay and I got married in Ecuador,” about their South American destination wedding.
 

8. Gabriela here and There

Gabriela is an adventurer who has been traveling full-time because 2016 and is on a quest to visit every country in the world. Her current country count is 77!

Recommended entry: “Backpacking in Bahrain”
 

9. travel with MK

Mei and Kerstin have beening together because 2002. originally from Luxembourg, they share all kinds of travel stories and itnerviews with other travelers. They’ve lived abroad in a handful of countries and share remarkable photography. lots of inspirational content here!

Recommended entry: “Less-Known towns in Europe”
 

10. Wandering Soup

Kat and Amber are two black foodies who have lived abroad in several countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Bali, and Vietnam. They make videos, have a podcast, and also run a travel company. Their site has tons of helpful suggestions for expats and slow-traveling nomads.

Recommended entry: “Where to getaway – for LGBTQI of Color”

***
I am thrilled to see the growing number of wanderlust-inducing lesbian travel blogs. All these blogs show though that there is always room for quality content on the internet, and there are still not enough lesbian voices out there.

If you’re an LGBT traveler, I hope these blogs offer the inspiration and guidance you need. and if you’re not an LGBT traveler, these sites are still fun and informative to read!

Dani Heinrich is the vagabonding writer and photographer behind GlobetrotterGirls.com. originally from Germany, she has been nomadic because 2010, when she quit her corporate job and embarked on a round-the-world-trip. You can also follow her adventures on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
 

Book Your Trip: Logistical suggestions and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches sites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the most affordable rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t forget travel Insurance
Travel insurance will safeguard you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s extensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it numerous times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

SafetyWing (best for everyone)

Insure My trip (for those over 70)

Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Ready to book Your Trip?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.

To experience the wonders of the Nile while sailing in a mini hotel is one of the most pleasurable experiences one could have while visiting Egypt. With a mixture of luxuries a dash of history and sprinkle of fun, the magical water of the Nile is sure to conjure up a most memorable vacation.

Many travelers have not been made aware of the differences between a nile cruise, dahabiya or felluca. This article will help you fully understand what one should expect from a Nile Cruise. 

See Also: The ultimate guide To Backpacking Egypt

Most River Nile Cruises operated between Luxor and Aswan visiting each bank as well as several stops in between to the temples of Kom Ombo, Edfu and Esna. usually taking three to four days the journey can be extended to seven days with stops to Dendera and Abydos before continuing its regular route. Lake Nasser cruises sail between Aswan and Abu Simbel visiting the temples at the South of Egypt.

A Dahabiya is a smaller wooden boat that can be sailed by wind power containing a maximum of ten cabins. While a Felucca is an open air sailing boat that usually contains no cabins.

See Also: 16 epic travel Adventures To have Now

When to book a Nile cruise trip?

The high season that is the best time to book in terms of weather would be November to March, which sees temperatures with nighttime highs of 20 degrees Celsius. The low season may to September which means prices would be lower but the sweltering southern Egyptian heat might be overwhelming for some.

How Do You reach Your Nile Cruise?

There are very few international flights arriving to the south of Egypt, so the easiest way would be to take a short flight from Cairo to either Luxor or Aswan. There are several coach operators that also provide comfortable seats for the journey south as well as the train operators.

Entertainment on Nile Cruises

Most cruises come with full animation teams that operate discos, galabia parties and belly dancers, each night usually being something different such as the Nubian folkloric shows.

Nile cruise Food and Beverage

There are two types of Nile cruise package which are:

Nile Cruises on full Board Basis:

Most Nile Cruises are full Board. All meals are included and are in an open buffet style, some days there are many varieties, depending of the type and quality of the cruise boat; these meals are served with a fixed timetable. In Some Cruises, Tea and coffee is available, while on the move, every day at 5:00 pm. other drinks are offered in the bar area.

Nile Cruises on All Inclusive Bases:

Usually only seven day Nile cruises include the option of being all Inclusive that means all food and all beverage such as mineral water, soft drink, hot drink, coffee, tea, juice and local alcohols.

What Is the check In and check out Time?

Nile Cruises check In Time:

The normal check in time is at 11 am for most cruises, this means that if by chance you get in early morning you could drop off your bags and spend the time exploring or checking out the sites and when you return your cabin would be ready.

Image By Accor Hotels
Nile Cruises check Out Time:

The checkout Time is at 8:00 After Breakfast. If your flight or train is later that afternoon you could still use the hotel facilities with the exception of the rooms or restaurant and go or exploring until your departure time.

What to wear during a Nile cruise Trip?

During your daytime exploration it is recommended to wear light and airy clothing, as the heat even in winter can sometimes be overwhelming, it is also recommended that you remember modesty in public places. At night the desert might be a little windy or chilly so something to keep warm is also recommended. While onboard swimsuits and shorts are completely acceptable.

The best Nile cruise Itinerary

There are several variants as to how your tour can go but the typical 5-days Luxor to Aswan or the 4-days from Aswan to Luxor are recommended.

A typical 5 day luxor aswan nile cruise itinerary:

Day 1: meet & assist at Luxor airport or railway station, transfer and embark your Nile cruise before lunch then enjoy tours to east bank (Karnak temple & Luxor Temple). – Overnight in Luxor.
Day 2: tours to West bank — Valley of the Kings & temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Overnight in Edfu.
Day 3: tours to Horus temple in Edfu and the temple shared by two gods Sobek & Haroeris in Kom Ombo. – Overnight in Aswan.
Day 4: tours to the High Dam, Philae temple & Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan. Overnight in Aswan.
Day 5: Disembarkation after breakfast. Optional tours if your flight is in the afternoon. transfer to Aswan airport or railway station.A typical 4 Days Aswan Luxor Nile cruise:

Day 1: meet & assist at Aswan airport or railway station, transfer and embark your Nile cruise before lunch – tours to the High Dam, Philae temple & Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan. – Overnight in Aswan.
Day 2: tours to the temple shared by two gods Sobek & Haroeris in Kom Ombo. – Overnight in Edfu.
Day 3: tours to Horus temple in Edfu, the east bank (Karnak temple & Luxor Temple). – Overnight in Luxor.
Day 4: tours to the West bank – Valley of the Kings & temple of Queen Hatshepsut. then transfer to Luxor airport or railway station.

With an average of 300 cruise operators, the options are plenty, docking in Luxor or Aswan getting to the marinas are usually a step, hop and skip away from the train station or airport with a taxi. Making sure that you go with trusted tour operators, that have been known for providing quality service in ensuring a smooth trip from start to finish.

Disclaimer:Goats On The road is an Amazon associate and also an affiliate for some other retailers. This means we earn commissions if you click links on our blog and purchase from those retailers.

There’s something about the romance of checking into a beautiful hotel. even when it’s in your hometown. The trouble with choosing the perfect hotel in Sydney for a special occasion is there are so many. Here’s our shortlist.

This article has been written in partnership with Hotels.com

We’ve said it before, but Christina and I love a staycation. playing the visitor in our hometown really appeals to us. plus if you forget to pack something, you can just nip home for it!

Sydney probably has more than its fair share of exceptional hotels. So – with our wedding anniversary coming up – finding a stay in the city to celebrate has been a priority.

But then again, we’re always on the lookout for a chance for a fun staycation in Sydney.

If you’re on the hunt for a celebratory staycation spot or you’re visiting Sydney and want a shortlist of the good stuff, keep reading.

We’ve put together a list of what we think are the best hotels for romance and style in Sydney. and if you book online, there are plenty of savings to be made.

7 romantic city stays for a special Sydney getaway

1. West hotel Curio Collection

65 Sussex St, Sydney

Perfectly located on the reverse side of darling Harbour and close enough to Chinatown to walk to dinner, the West hotel is a great option for a fun night in the city. It’s part of the Hilton Group, but there’s nothing of the cookie-cutter corporate in this hotel.

Rooms are interesting and comfortable, and management here have an eye for design and bespoke. A recent initiative with Australian designers and floral decorators saw one of the rooms in the West hotel transformed into an incredible forest scene, where you could sleep amongst Botanics.

The restaurant and bar – Solander – at the West hotel is also excellent, with a confident food menu and elegant lighting to make for a romantic date night dinner.

Check prices for West hotel Curio Collection here.

2. Skye Suites Sydney

300 Kent St, Sydney

Skye Suites are the quiet achievers in hotel terms. This suite-only hotel chain and its purpose-built properties are hiding in plain sight all over the place. The Skye Suites Sydney is right in the heart of the city.

The design of this hotel is beautiful, with comfortable rooms that are perfect for a romantic weekend – or a much longer stay if you’re visiting for a while.

But it’s really the subterranean pool that makes this hotel sing. designed by award-winning architect Koichi Takada, the white fins across the ceiling and down the wall give the room a mysterious, luxe feel.

Check prices for Skye Suites Sydney here.

3. Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park

161 Elizabeth St, Sydney

Recently upgraded, this Sheraton is now officially Sydney’s first ‘Grand’ hotel, and the title comes with lavish touches to make any stay here amazing.

Views out over Hyde Park and the city are unparalleled. and the decadence of the rooms, bars and restaurants inside this hotel make the Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park very worthy of a romantic stay.

Check prices for Sheraton Grand Hyde Park Sydney here.

4. little Albion guest House

21 little Albion St, Surry Hills, Sydney

Tucked away in the laneways of Surry Hills, the little Albion boutique guesthouse is a cosy home from home. Each of the rooms and suites is individually styled and decorated, and finer touches like the T2 tea, help-yourself Nespresso machine and Molten brown toiletries make this little place quite special.

There’s even an honesty-system cocktail bar in the lobby where you can mix your own drinks, then jot down your room number and what you’ve taken.

For our video walkthrough look at the little Albion guest House, click here.

Although the little Albion is made up of a converted school house and church from the 1900s, inside is a blend of elegant 1920s chic and 1970s glamour. It’s a beautiful spot and perfect for romance.

Check prices for little Albion guest house here.

5. four seasons Sydney

199 George St, The Rocks, Sydney

The four seasons is in the ultimate Sydney location. close to circular Quay, the Rocks and the city’s bar district, you’ve got so much on your doorstep here. Plus, if you choose your room well, you get an iconic view out over the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House.

As well as exclusive use of the rooftop pool, you also have access to one of our favourite bars in the city Grain, plus the hotel’s excellent restaurant Mode.

Mode also acts as the hotel’s breakfast restaurant, which is well worth getting out of bed for. check out our full review of the four seasons Sydney here.

Check prices for four seasons Sydney here.

6. The Langham

89-113 Kent St, Millers Point, Sydney

Long listed as one of Sydney’s premium hotels, the Langham in its discreet situation is a haven for style and sophistication. Sandwiched between Observatory hill and Barangaroo, its Rocks location means you’re tucked away for a very intimate, secluded staycation.

Talking of sandwiches, the Langham’s club sandwich is a national-best award-winner – as is much of its food. The restaurants and bars here are luxuriant, refined and beautiful.

And for beauty and relaxation, the Langham’s subterranean sanctuary Day spa by Chuan is unbelievable.

Check prices for The Langham here.

7. Park Hyatt Sydney

7 Hickson Rd, The Rocks, Sydney

The Park Hyatt Sydney is in that Venn diagram sweet spot of a being luxury hotel, a waterfront property and being centrally located in the heart of Sydney city.

Its bar and restaurant look out over Campbell’s Cove, which leads on to unprecedented views of the Opera house and circular Quay. Meanwhile, the Harbour Bridge looms over your left shoulder as you look out at Sydney Harbour.

Rooms have that elegant, low-key luxury you get in a sophisticated, top-class hotel, and every room has its own private balcony.

But up on the Park Hyatt’s roof – quite literally its crowning glory – is the hotel pool. Daybeds, loungers and the pool itself look down on the harbour and Sydney Opera House. quite a place for a dip.

Check prices for Park Hyatt Sydney here.

Having too many options for where to stay in Sydney is a great problem to have. Each one of these places offers all the romance and luxury you could hope for – either as a beautiful staycation or for an out-of-town visitor seeking something special.

In this situation there’s no such thing as being spoilt for choice – how could any of these hotels possibly spoil anything?

If you’re interested in travelling to Europe, then a working holiday in the UK is a great option. Not only can you spend time exploring England, Wales, Scotland, and northern Ireland, but you can also make some extra money at the same time.

How would you like to spend the weekend scaling the fortress walls of the Edinburgh Castle in Scotland? Or perhaps you’d rather use your free time to explore the archaeological mystery that is Stonehenge? maybe you’d simply prefer to relax with a cup of tea and crumpets in the lobby of a posh hotel in London?

On the working holiday UK visa, you can do it all.

Plus, if you’re living and working in the UK, nearby countries such as France, Spain and Portugal are just a quick ride away. With a Tier 5 Visa, working and travelling around the UK is simple. 

This guide will show you the ins and outs of the working holiday program in the UK. You’ll be on your way to a new adventure in no time!

Table of Contents
What is a working holiday in the UK?
Who is Eligible For a working holiday in the UK?
How To get a working holiday In The UK
How To start working in The UK
What type of work Can You Do On a working holiday in the UK?
Where To find working holiday Jobs
Are There disadvantages to the working holiday Program in the UK?
What To expect From The working holiday Program in The UK
Final Thoughts
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What is a working holiday in the UK?

The United Kingdom’s working holiday program is known as the Tier 5 youth Mobility scheme (YMS). It allows young travellers to come to the UK and experience a vibrant new culture while also working to fund their travels.

When you research different visa programs, you might notice that there are several types of Tier 5 visas. but if you’re a young person interested in travelling and working within the UK, it’s the Tier 5 youth Mobility scheme that you want to apply for.

Visas are granted for 24 months from the date of entry and allow holders to study, work, and travel within England, Wales, Scotland, and northern Ireland.

There are many cities and countries to choose from within the UK. and although most people are immediately drawn to London, there are plenty of other exciting locations outside the city. That’s the best thing about a working holiday visa; you can choose to settle down in one place or explore all four countries.

☞ See Also: how To get A working holiday Visa in new Zealand

Who is Eligible For a working holiday in the UK?

To participate in the youth Mobility Scheme, you need to be a citizen from a country with a bilateral working holiday agreement with the UK. There are currently only eight countries participating in the agreement, including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Monaco, new Zealand, and Taiwan.

However, you can also apply for the visa if you are a British national from another country besides the UK. This includes citizens from Gibraltar, Turks and Caicos Islands, Bermuda, and several other territories.

Besides your nationality, there are several other requirements you must meet:

Be age 18-30 (must apply for the visa before you turn 31)

Have no dependents (or anyone under 18 who you are financially responsible for)

Have a minimum of £1890 in savings

Not currently living in the UK

If you are deemed eligible for the Tier 5 YMS visa, then you’re just a few steps away from applying for this fantastic adventure.

How To get a working holiday In The UK

While the Tier 5 YMS application process is straightforward, several extra steps are important to note. since you can apply for the Tier 5 visa up to six months before you travel, you’ll have plenty of time to get your application documents in order.

Fill out your Application

The online application is relatively simple and should take around 30 minutes to complete. before you start filling out the form, make sure you have the following documents and information at hand:

Current passport

Previous passports (for a history of your past travel)

Birth dates and birth location of your parents

Intended address in the UK

Bank statement with £1890 balance and the application date as the closing date

On the online application form, you will also need to enter your proposed start and end date. As a reminder, the date you want to enter the country needs to be within six months of your application date.

You will also need to pay the visa fee of £244 at this time.

Remember, filling out the online application is just the beginning of the process. You still need to complete the following steps before you actually obtain the visa.

Pay the immigration Healthcare Surcharge

Depending on your nationality, the online application tool may require that you pay an immigration Healthcare Surcharge (IHS). This is so you can take advantage of the UK’s national health services (NHS) once you arrive.

The IHS cost is £300 per year. If you plan to stay in the UK for the entire duration of your tier 5 visa (2 years), you will be required to pay £600. You can pay this fee using any major credit card when filling out your online application.

Once you pay the fee, you will receive an IHS reference number. just remember to print it out, write it down in permanent ink, or save it on your computer! You’ll need this number throughout the visa application process.

Get Biometrics Taken

As part of the application process, you’ll need to submit your biometrics to obtain a Biometrics residence permit (BRP) once you arrive in the UK. This means you’ll need to visit a biometric centre in your home country to take your photograph, fingerprint scans, and collect your signature.

Once the online application has been submitted, you will receive details on where to get your biometrics taken. When you arrive for your appointment at the biometrics centre, bring the following documents with you:

Printed and signed Tier 5 MYS application

Appointment booking confirmation letter

Passport

IHS reference Number

Make sure to arrive 15 minutes before your appointment. once you’re called, the entire meeting should take between 30-45 minutes.

☞ See Also: how To obtain a working holiday Visa in Canada – The ultimate Guide

Collect Your Visa

At the biometric centre, the agent will collect your biometrics, documents, and passport to send them to the visa processing centre.

The average visa processing time is between two and six weeks. However, wait times can be longer during the busy season and in non-commonwealth countries. You’ll receive an email once they receive your documents and when they approve your visa. Likewise, you will also receive a rejection email if you do not meet the necessary criteria.

Once your visa has been approved, it will be printed in your passport. You can return to the biometric centre to collect your passport, or you have the option for it to be mailed to your home address (for an extra fee).

Congratulations! After your passport is returned, you’ll have the Tier 5 YMS visa allowing you to travel abroad to the UK. now you can book your flights, look for housing, and search for a new job.

How To start working in The UK

Although you’re on your way to starting a new journey in the UK, there are still a few steps you need to take once you arrive. This ensures that your transition to a new country, and possibly a new job, is as seamless as possible.

Collect your Biometrics residence Permit

Once you touch down in the UK, you have exactly ten days to collect your Biometrics residence permit (BRP) from the post Office. Don’t skip this step, as you’ll be fined £1,000 if you fail to collect your BRP!

This card will show your details, biometric information, and immigration status. think of the BRP as your residence permit and official form of identification for your stay in the UK.

Open a bank Account

To get paid by your employer, you’ll need to open a bank account in the UK. Each bank offers different benefits and plans for foreign nationals, so you should do some research to see which bank is the best fit.

Some popular banking choices include Nationwide, royal bank of Scotland, Lloyds, Barclays, the Co-Operative Bank, and Santander.

Apply for an NI number

Since you’re responsible for paying UK taxes, you will need to apply for a NI number. With this number, you’ll be registered for the UK’s social security system. You can start working temporarily without the NI number, but your employer will eventually require it after a few weeks.

Obtaining your NI number requires you to call the national insurance number application line:

Telephone: 0345 600 0643
Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 6 pm

The service representative will collect your passport and work permit information. Within a few days, you’ll receive the application packet in the mail. All you have to do is fill out the forms, send them back to the NI centre in the pre-addressed envelope, and receive your NI number a few days later.

Register with the national health Service

During the application process, you paid an immigration Healthcare Surcharge that lets you take advantage of the national health service in the UK. Although you received an IHS number, you still need to register with the NHS itself.

First, you need to locate the nearest general practitioner (GP) in your city. As a resident, you can only be seen by a GP that services the postal code of your home address. For example, you can’t register or visit a GP in Manchester if you’ve claimed residency in London.

Bring your passport and NI number to the GP’s office. After filling out a few forms, the office will set you up as a new patient and provide you with an NHS card. The card may take a few days or weeks to arrive in the mail, but once you have an NHS number, you can start using the UK’s healthcare services.

☞ See Also: How To get working holiday Visas worldwide – The complete Guide

What type of work Can You Do On a working holiday in the UK?

The Tier 5 YMS is an open visa, which means you can work in almost every line of work. You aren’t limited to part-time, temporary, or traditional backpacker-type jobs. The only restriction is that you cannot work as a sports coach, doctor, or dentist.

However, there are a few jobs that are common for young, working holiday visa holders.

Hospitality

The hospitality industry has one of the highest demands for employment in the UK. Whether it’s at a small bed and breakfast in the Welsh countryside or a glitzy 5-star resort in London, there are plenty of opportunities for working holiday participants.

If you’re good with people, you can take a customer-focused position such as front-desk clerk, concierge, or hotel event planning. If you prefer to work behind the scenes, you can still work in a hotel as a line cook, housekeeper, or maintenance worker.

Service Industry

With millions of restaurants, cafes, and bars in the UK, it’s easy to see why there are many job opportunities in the service industry. and with flexible hours and work schedules, a service job is the ultimate position for your working holiday.

Working as a bartender or waiter is an ideal entry-level position that can be found in all cities, villages, and towns in the UK. If you have more experience, there are often open jobs working as a chef or bartender.

If the food industry is not your thing, consider working in retail. depending on your age, the minimum wage in the UK is between £6.15 – £8.21, which can give you a good chunk of change for travelling.

Office Jobs

Just because you’re on a working holiday doesn’t mean you have to take up temporary work! With the Tier 5 visa, you can work for a variety of businesses, including financial firms, software companies, or consulting groups. Of course, you’ll need the right qualifications and experience first.

Since most companies are in the market for long-term employees, having the two-year Tier 5 visa is appealing. It’s much easier to land an office job in the UK compared to other countries that offer shorter working holiday programs.

☞ See Also: Workaway Program – An Insider’s guide To free accommodation Worldwide

Where To find working holiday Jobs

There are many ways to find a working holiday job in the UK. While the line of work will depend on which city or region you choose to live in, there are a few places where you can start looking for work immediately.

Online job Sites

One of the easiest ways to search for working holiday jobs is on the internet. There are several large aggregate sites like Reed.co.uk, Glassdoor.co.uk, and Indeed.co.uk with thousands of positions listed every day.

On these sites, you can sort by job type, length of employment, and salary. This is a great feature for working holiday participants since they can filter by temporary, part-time, or seasonal jobs. looking at online job sites is a great first step to figuring out what ty

Updated: 3/25/21 | March 25th, 2021

London.

It’s one of the most expensive destinations in the world.

How do you check out London on a budget?

I pertained to the city on a 10-day trip for a travel conference and I thought it was the best place to test out my travel hacking theories to see if you could check out London the cheap. few people No make plans to travel to London thinking they are going to be able to check out cheap.

But what if you could?

After all, there are few impossible budget travel destinations the world.

A city as big and diverse as London need to have plenty of ways to lower your costs?

If you can hack London and check out on a budget, you can travel hack anywhere.

So, without additionally ado, here’s how my experiment went!

Table of Contents

How Did I Do London on a Budget?

How much Did I spend in London?

How I saved on My flight to London

How I saved on My accommodation in London

How I saved money checking out Attractions in London

How I saved money on Food in London

How I saved money on transportation in London

How much would This trip frequently Cost?

 

How I saved on My flight to London

I used my American Airlines frequent flier miles to pay for my flight. A round-trip ticket from Boston to London cost me 60,000 miles, plus a service charge of $165.10 in taxes and fees.

The miles I used were “anytime miles,” but American Airlines also uses “OffPeak Miles” (off-season really), and you can actually fly to London for as little as 40,000 miles round-trip.

How do I get so lots of miles?
I’m a frequent flier, so I can generate a lot of miles per year. I usually fly about 40,000–50,000 miles per year, which, compared to a lot of travel writers, is pretty low. but I’ve written extensively on how to get miles for free. I sign up for bonus offer credit scores cards, sign up for deals, use preferred merchants, and sign up for every contest that gives extra miles. All told, I’ve accumulated over 400,000 frequent flier miles with American Airlines alone through these methods.

While I’ve written lots of blog articles on how to get complimentary miles, here’s a quick summary of the best methods:

Sign up for a branded airline credit scores card: Whether you love Delta or fly United and the star Alliance, all us carriers have a branded travel credit scores card that gives you 40,000–50,000 points when you sign up and make one purchase. That’s a complimentary economy ticket ideal there. The quickest and best way to get a lot of complimentary miles is to get one of these travel credit scores cards.

Watch out for special promotions: I sign up for all airline mailing lists. I always enjoy out for special two-for-one mile deals. Or when they have special card uses to earn extra miles. American Airlines just gave me 1,000 miles for enjoying a demo on their new shopping toolbar. I once got 5,000 miles for joining Netflix. typically you get miles for filling out surveys too or even by tweeting the brands! utilizing promotions over the course of a few months can yield big results.

Sign up for a non-airline credit scores card: Sign up for a non-airline credit scores card like a Starwood American express card, and you can get 75,000 sign-up points. Afterward, you can transfer your sign-up bonus offer points to the airline you use and redeem them for flights.

 

How much Did I spend in London?

During my 10 days in London, I spent 481.21 GBP or $710 USD. That works out to be roughly $70 USD per day. and that’s not just my day-to-day expenses. That includes EVERYTHING:my flight to London, my hotel, transportation, food, drinking, and attractions.

Think about that for a second.

I had a 10-day holiday in London for $700 USD that included airfare. When was the last time you went to Europe for that little money? When was the last time any big international trip cost that kind of money?
 

How Did I Do London on a Budget?

Before I describe how I did it, I want to take a second to describe some of the ground policies I laid out for myself. I didn’t want to backpack London. My goal was to show the budget travelers of the world — the two-week holiday-makers — that you can do London on the low-cost without being a backpacker. That saving money isn’t all dorm rooms, Couchsurfing, and eating pasta.

So, checking out London as a budget traveler, I made three rules:

1. I wouldn’t stay in hostels. I wanted to stay in great accommodation to verify that even a hotel stay can be cheap.

2. I had to eat a few great meals. When you go on holiday, you want to eat great food, so I agreed that I would have at least two really great meals in London.

3. I couldn’t say “no” because it was expensive. lots of backpackers skip sightseeing because of the cost, but I wanted to do all the normal sightseeing activities regular tourists do. You don’t go on a short holiday to not sightsee right?

With these ground policies in place, I set off to check out London asa budget traveler:
 

How I saved on My accommodation in London

I had hoped that by the time I went to London, my Marriott points would credit scores to my account. Marriott is using a new card with Chase that got me 70,000 points plus one complimentary stay for signing up and after the first use. I jumped on this deal, but the points took too long to place into my account. (On the plus side, I now have 70,000 points and a complimentary night at a Marriott for future use.)

Since my points didn’t get credited in time, I used a lot more American Airlines miles for this. I used 68,000 points plus $25 USD for five nights of accommodation in a four-star hotel. I stayed in a hotel near Hyde Park, a very well-to-do neighborhood in London.

Now, while you can use airline miles for holidays and hotels, you never get as good of a deal when you use them for flights. five nights using hotel points would have cost me just 50,000 points. The point here, though, is that by signing up for a branded hotel card, you can use those points to get complimentary hotel stays for your next vacation. Or you can use the bonuses from an airline. Either way, getting complimentary hotel rooms isn’t that hard.

For the other four nights, I was London, I used Airbnb. While I usually like hostels, I wanted some peace and quiet as well as a kitchen while in London. The room cost 150 GBP ($238 USD) for four nights.
 

How I saved money checking out Attractions in London

London is terrific for sightseeing because so much is complimentary here. It makes sightseeing on a budget really easy. the best museums — the British Library, British Museum, national Gallery, natural history Museum, and museum of London (just to name a few) — are all free. Hyde Park? Free. Kensington Gardens? Free. It’s easy to fill a few days with sightseeing in London without ever spending a penny.

But sadly, not everything is free. For attractions that weren’t free, I used the London Pass. This vacationer card cost me 54 GBP ($86 USD) for two days of sightseeing. It covers over 32 destinations and uses complimentary public transportation. You can get a pass for up to six days (87 GBP). There are hundreds upon hundreds of dollars in savings with this pass. However, I didn’t have much time nor the desire to see all 32 spots. I was able to see:

Westminster Abbey

Tower of London

St. Paul’s Cathedral

Ben Franklin House

Britain at war Museum

Shakespeare’s globe Museum

London Tombs

Without this pass, the same attractions would have cost me 104.55 GBP. I saved 50% by using the London Pass, and I didn’t even use it for everything it offers. This is why in so lots of of my articles about various cities, I anxiety getting a city pass if you plan to do a lot of museums and tours. You can save a lot of money by doing so. It’s one of the best budget travel ideas out there and is all too typically overlooked.

Note: as of 2021, the London Pass is 100 GBP ($140 USD) for the two-day pass. Still a bargain if you plan to see a lot!
 

How I saved money on Food in London

I didn’t want to be the normal backpacker and eat kebabs and pasta for every meal. but at the same time, I know locals don’t eat out 100% of the time, either, and a terrific way to save money is to cook, which is part of the reason I got a place with a kitchen for my last four nights. I wanted to mix eating out with cooking a few meals.

During my 10 days in London, I spent 103.80 GBP ($165 USD) on food, which broke down the following ways:

I spent 9.11 GBP on groceries, including bread, sandwich meat, vegetables, and pasta. This was enough for three dinners and three lunches. (Seriously.)

I spent 2.20 GBP on water bottles, which I refilled over the course of my trip.

My hotels and serviced apartment or condo supplied breakfast, though I did go out for McDonald’s one morning. (I just love those hash browns.)

The rest was spent on dining out.

I got pizza one day, went out for good Thai food for one dinner, had terrific Indian one night, ate normal fish and chips the next, had a few Starbucks green teas, and ate tons of kebabs. They’re anywhere in London. According to my friends, you’re a true Londoner if you’re dining on kebabs, especially if it’s after a night out.

As I said, I didn’t want to skimp on meals. I ate how and when I wanted to. I did look for deals, though, as any good budget traveler knows that good food doesn’t have to be expensive. In London, I found the best way to eat out on a budget was to look for lunch specials. a lot of restaurants I came across had lunch specials, and lots of pizza places used a “buy one, get one free” deal on takeaway.

Another terrific way to save money is to get the taste Card. This diner’s club card uses 50% discounts on thousands of restaurants as well as two-for-one specials. It can really pay off, especially on those great meals you’ll want to have. You can only live on fish and chips for so long.
 

How I saved money on transportation in London

My London Pass covered public transportation for the two days it was valid. and considering that cabs in London are notoriously expensive even by London standards, I refrained from taking them.

For transportation to Heathrow airport, I took the Heathrow express to get into the city (18.50 GBP) and the London Underground to get out (5 GBP). around the city, I loaded my oyster card (metro card) for unrestricted use within Zones 1–3 for seven days at a cost of 32.20 GBP.

How much would This trip frequently Cost?

Had I fallen into the trap that a lot of people do of booking a “normal vacation,” this London trip would have cost me three times as much.

A return flight to London from Boston ideal now is currently running around $500 USD.

Currently, the average price of a decently-rated three-star hotel in central London is around $120 USD per night. For my nine-night trip, that adds up to around $1,080 USD.

Had I refrained from cooking, I probably would have added about another $150 USD on dining out, knowing my eating habits.

If you add that up and add a little for transportation around the city, I would have spent nearly $1,800 USD on this trip.

By traveling hacking and spending wisely, I spent 10 days in London for less than half of that, saving myself over $1,000 USD!

Think about that.

I checked out London on a budget for 60% off the cost of a normal vacation, and I didn’t skimp on anything.

I just traveled smart, used reward systems, and employed everyday frugality to my advantage. I stayed in great places, dined out well, and saw all the attractions I wanted. I didn’t sacrifice comfort.

Cheap travel doesn’t indicate bad travel.

I wanted to take a holiday to London that my parents or pals — people who wouldn’t be caught dead sleeping in 15-bed dorms to save money — could take. I wanted to travel cheaply without sacrificing comfort.

And I did just that.

***
Travel doesn’t have to be expensive. By investing just a little extra time into planning my trip, I was able to have a terrific trip for around the cost of the going rate for a flight to London.

You don’t need to spend thousands traveling. A holiday doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg, and the next time you’re inclined to think so, just remember that yes, it is possible to travel cheap, and any individual can do it.

Want to learn how I travel the world for Free?
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Book Your trip to London: Logistical ideas and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a low-cost flight to London by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. start with Momondo.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the best inventory. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the least expensive rates for guesthouses and budget hotels. some of my favorite places to stay in London are:

St. Christopher’s Inn

Clink78

Astor Hyde Park Hostel

For a lot more suggested places to stay, check out this longer list of hostels. and if you’re wondering what part of town to stay in, here’s my neighborhood breakdown of London!

Don’t forget travel Insurance
Travel insurance will secure you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using world Nomads for ten years. You must too.

Need Some Gear?
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!

Want a Guide?
London has some really interesting tours. My favorite company is Take Walks. They have expert guides and can get you behind the scenes at the city’s best attractions. They’re my go-to walking excursion company!

If you want a bike tour, use Fat Tire Tours. They have the best and a lot of cost effective bike excursions in the city.

Want a lot more travel information on London?
Be sure to check out our robust London destination guide on London for even a lot more planning tips!

From obscurity to ubiquity, finger limes and their powerful citrus flavour are in so numerous of the things we eat and drink now. but what are they, where do they come from, and what’s the story with finger lime gin?

High on a plateau of the blue Mountains a couple of hours west of Sydney Australia, Lee Etherington—farmer by trade, creator by purpose and distiller by accident—stares out over his unusual crop.

From the rows of stumpy shrub-like trees dangle dark fruit that look a bit like fingers. closer up, their bumpy green and deep dark red peel much more resembles the skin of a lime.

Indeed, these are finger limes—one of six citrus fruits native to Australia—and one that has become extremely popular in recent years.

Lee reaches into the branches and plucks a finger lime, which in truth looks much more like a bloated chilli or an okra than a finger, and snaps it open and squeezes gently.

Inside is not what you’d expect.

Neither seeds nor juice—nor bones for that matter—lurk within. and rather than the segments you expect in citrus fruit; finger lime flesh is packaged in tiny balls like salmon roe.

In fact, the fruit is typically referred to as finger lime ‘caviar’. These bright green and red beads are bursting with tart, tasty citrus juice. and they’re a revelation.

Finger limes, hibiscus and Lee Etherington

Lee’s first success was actually with hibiscus flowers. He developed the technique for putting the flowers into jars and preserving them in bright red syrup. We used his hibiscus flowers in our cocktail book when we first started Mr & Mrs romance so numerous years ago.

Lee even broke into the states with this product and now sells his creations in over 50 countries around the world.

But with finger limes, Lee chose he wanted to craft a gin that made the most of this unusual caviar-shaped fruit. other distilleries have finger lime caviar in their bottles, but because the fruit is heavier than the spirit, the beads just work out at the bottom of the bottle.

After ten years—yes, ten years—of R&D, Lee has come up with a technique using a protein from a lotus that creates a kind of web inside the gin. It’s flavourless, colourless, odourless and is completely natural, but it holds up the little balls of finger lime, appearing to suspend them throughout the liquid.

It implies you can really see the finger lime caviar perfectly, but it also implies every pour guarantees some finger lime pieces—not just whoever gets to the end of the bottle.

What’s more, Lee chose the gin needed something extra—another flavour profile. So he soaks the finger lime caviar in a completely separate gin for the fruit to absorb those flavours before they go into the bottle. Effectively, you’re getting two gins in one.

And because Lee doesn’t like to stop for very long, he’s produced another fingerlime gin using the deep red finger limes too.

The problem with finger limes

It would be good news to learn that farming finger limes was an easy occupation, wouldn’t it.

Sadly, that’s not the case.

As Lee discusses as we walk round the orchard, the trees are covered in long, sharp thorns, which makes hand-picking unpleasant. but because the fruit is quite delicate, device harvesting isn’t an option.

We’re here at Lee’s farm with the outstanding Nip of courage crew!

Finger lime skin is full of bitter oils that, if mixed with the fruit, ruins the flavour. The oils are also very sticky and don’t come off your skin easily either.

What’s more, finger limes—especially the red ones—like to ripen all at once. Lee paints the picture of everyone dashing into the orchard in an effort to pick as numerous ripe fruit as they can, all on the same day. After that, the fruit is typically past it.

And just to add an extra layer of difficulty, each finger lime is also full of tiny seeds, which need to be removed before they can be processed.

But the deadly icing on this particular cake is the land here is a preferred spot for one of the world’s many harmful spiders.

The highly venomous and aggressive Sydney funnel-web spider, which has a bite so powerful it can easily pierce your thumbnail with its fangs, likes to live in burrows in soft soil.

And there are telltale holes literally all over on the orchard floor.

But when you take that first sip of the most outstanding gin and tonic you’ve ever had, bubbling with little spheres of finger lime and bursting with that effervescent lime flavour, you realise all the research and hard work, all the thorny pain and risk of death has been worth it.

You can pick up your bottle of Wild Hibiscus Co Finger Lime Gin here.

You ought to also check out our full review of this gin here on our regular column with hero to Australian craft spirits Nip of Courage.