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A friend and I wanted to get out of the City for a day, and upstate New York offers a lot of options. It wasn’t quite Halloween yet, so the many events around Sleepy Hallow hadn’t started, but neither of us had explored the Rockefeller estate, Kykuit. There are various tour options through the  Historic Hudson Valley website and the scenery all around you is just beautiful!

Not only are you surrounded by nature the architecture of the home and surrounding buildings is beautiful, and the main building is full of the Rockefeller art collection. Unfortunately you are not allowed to take photos inside the main home.

The surrounding grounds and gardens are immaculately curated and maintained, which makes for a relaxing stroll, especially if you get lucky with nice weather like we did.

Before heading down to the old horse stables and car garage you get this amazing view from the balcony of the home. The lush trees and view of the Hudson River is always a nice sight, especially since it is so different, calm and quite, from New York City. Kykuit is just one of the many things in the Sleepy Hallow area that you can explore, and there is even more in upstate New York that easy to get to from New York City if you’re looking to get away for the day.

    Kykuit: The Rockefeller Estate A friend and I wanted to get out of the City for a day, and upstate New York offers a lot of options.

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The atmosphere around New York really changes with the seasons, and when it snows it can really feel magical, especially the nighttime atmosphere that’s created with all the holiday lights and decorations.  Also, there are some fun seasonal activities around the city, and I’d like to share some of the ones I really enjoy.

One thing I always look forward to is the Holiday Market. They setup markets at the Columbus Circle entrance of Central Park, around the ice skating rink in Bryant Park and in Union Square. It can be a lot of fun browsing the various vendors and a great way to find some unique gifts. I particularly like getting snacks from the food vendors, because one of my favorite Turkish bakeries (mmm…enfes) usually sets up in the Bryant Park market and their fresh made Golzeme are delicious. Breads Bakery is another good place that setup in one of the markets and sold different flavored croissant pretzels with dipping sauces, which were really good, but you can find all sorts of tasty treats in the different locations.

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Rockefeller Center Tree

Bryant Park Skate Rink

Bryant Park Tree

When there’s fresh fallen snow one thing that’s always fun is to go to Central Park for a leisurely stroll or even some sledding. It’s a beautiful sight, and you might get lucky like we did and find a discarded sled that you can use to join the kids and other adults sledding. Or you could simply join in on a snowball fight with other people there also looking to have some fun. It’s a good lighthearted and free way to spend a snowy afternoon.

There’s also all sorts of special winter events happening around the city. One of my favorite is December 5th, Repeal Day, which is the anniversary and celebration of the end of Prohibition. Various whiskey brands host events with free whiskey tastings and you can easily find all sorts of themed celebrations at bars, rooftops, and anywhere else that happens to serve whiskey and other cocktails. There’s almost always live music, sometimes even burlesque, and everyone’s in high spirits so you’re guaranteed a good time!

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Something I discovered this year were the fun Fondue filled yurts at the Standard Hotel in the East Village, but they’re supposed to have them at the High Line location too, which has a cute little skating rink as well. It’s a bit pricier than you might expect because it’s a hotel, but they’ve created a very cute setup in their garden area. You might even make some new friends with whoever you’re sharing the yurt with. It’s a nice intimate and cozy environment that’s good for both friends and dates.

Another staple of the winter season is SantaCon, which some love and some hate. I went once, which was fun, but, personally, that was enough for me. However, I have friends that really enjoy it and have been several times. Simply put it’s a pub-crawl of people dressed as Santa and other Christmas characters. If it’s your first time going I recommend going early for the initial gathering and group photo, because from there you can start the pub crawl and because not everyone has come out yet the lines to get into bars and to get drinks hasn’t gotten too bad yet. It’s a high energy crowd, which is fun, but the later it gets the more crowded and chaotic it can get. It’s an experience and can be a lot of fun, so if this sounds like your thing join in the fun!

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These are just some of the many things happening around New York over the holiday season, so there are many many more to discover! Enjoy!

Winter Fun in NYC The atmosphere around New York really changes with the seasons, and when it snows it can really feel magical, especially the nighttime atmosphere that’s created with all the holiday lights and decorations. 

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I’ve found Pennsylvania and Philadelphia to be a good destination for a day-trip, especially since I live in New York. Also, the fact that it’s right between New York and Washington DC makes it easy for travelers to stop-in while traveling. I usually take one of the many choices of buses because they can be super cheap, but for those willing to spend a bit more Amtrak is another, slightly more comfortable, option. I haven’t done some of the main tourist sights in Philadelphia but I have meandered around downtown when visiting friends who live in the city.

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Personally I found the public transportation slightly confusing because they use different payment methods and because they seem to be run by different companies, meaning they don’t necessarily link together well. I’m usually good about figuring out city buses and trains but for some reason Philadelphia still confuses me sometimes. So, I have mainly stuck to walking in Philadelphia, and it helps that the streets are easy enough to navigate, especially since downtown isn’t so large that it takes a long time to get to different areas. However, in the winter I did take the bus to South Street for shopping, because it can get very snowy and cold, which makes walking a bit tougher.

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Another thing that was really fun and where I had my first official Philly Cheese-steak Sandwich was Reading Terminal Market. I love browsing markets in new cities, to see what is popular there and to see all the fresh produce. These kind of markets also almost always have places to purchase really good and fresh food.

I plan to go back to Philadelphia again to explore more, and I also recommend it as a fun stop for anyone traveling in the area as well.

Day Trip to Philadelphia, PA I’ve found Pennsylvania and Philadelphia to be a good destination for a day-trip, especially since I live in New York.

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There seem to be more and more Whiskey Distilleries popping up across Brooklyn. This past weekend we visited the oldest operating whiskey distillery, Kings County Distillery. When I hear this I think back before or around prohibition, but due to various limitations, laws, etc they’ve actually been ‘officially’ operating since 2010. The building is a nice old brick building in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and one of the castle looking mini-towers at the entrance of the yard is their bar, which has snacks and really good cocktails. The building is small, but it’s a functioning distillery so you get the smells and surroundings of the real thing!

  The tour itself is only $8, which is an incredible deal, because not only does the guide give you a thorough history but you get to walk through the whole facility, finishing off with a tasting! It’s an intimate tour and the groups don’t seem to be larger than maybe 15 or so people. Our group was only 9 people, so it made our experience great fun. They even give you a little whiskey bottle button as proof of purchase. Because it was raining when we went our tour started indoors, but they start you off by walking you through the history of the owners and the distillery and how the laws surrounding liquor and the production of liquor affected the areas distilleries etc. It was really interesting.

From there they take you downstairs into the main area where they make their whiskeys, bourbon and moonshine! The guide walks you through the process, explaining what each piece of equipment does etc, and all the while you can smell the barley and the staff is just going about their daily work. The tour then makes one more stop upstairs in the storage room where they age the various experimental flavors and special batches.

Once the tour is complete you get to have a tasting! We got to try their moonshine, bourbon, jalapeno flavored bourbon, chocolate flavored bourbon, and peated bourbon. Legally they can only offer you 4 options, so for the last taster you had to choose between the chocolate and the peated. But because there were 3 of us we got one of each so that we could share and taste all 5! This was a great way to spend the beginning of our afternoon, and something that’s good for both visitors and locals.

  Kings County Distillery There seem to be more and more Whiskey Distilleries popping up across Brooklyn. This past weekend we visited the oldest operating whiskey distillery, …

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Washington D.C. Travel Tips!

Washington D.C. Travel Tips!

Washington D.C. is my hometown so thought to give some basic travel tips for those who might want to visit. D.C. is the home of the U.S. government, but there is much more to the city than just that. And over the past 5 or so years the city has been changing at an incredible rate, and with all the development there are good things and bad things, but D.C. holds a place in my heart as my home so…

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In San Francisco one of the staple go-to sights for visitors is Alcatraz Island. After living there for 3 years I finally got to go when a friend came to visit. It is a very popular sight and you need to take a ferry to get there, which means tickets can sell out very quickly. This is the reason why I always suggest that people purchase the tickets before they come to San Francisco, just to be on the safe side. Also, I didn’t realize how chilly San Francisco can be, especially on a small island in the water like Alcatraz where the wind can get very strong. I learned many locals say that you should always dress in layers when in San Francisco, and this is especially true for the trip out to Alcatraz Island.

Alcatraz Island is basically only a tourist attraction at this point but it is still eerie walking around the empty jail facilities. However, they did leave certain artifacts or rooms as-is for people to see, and get a better feel of what it was like when it was still in use. As part of the package each visitor is given a headset that acts as the audio tour-guide through the facility, telling you about the history and even about some of the more notorious inmates as you make your way around the island.

In college I learned about a Native American occupation protest back in the early 1970s where they stayed on the island for quite some time. I was surprised to see that the painted message I saw in my textbook was still on the water tank today. What did surprise me, however, was that the occupation protest was not even mentioned in the audio-tour.

I love taking photos and took many through my walk across Alcatraz island. But, when my friend saw this photo she told me she heard a superstition that those white circles that can appear in photos like this one are ghost’s spirits. That surprised me, especially since this is a notorious prison, so hopefully no one followed us home. I’ve watched a few too many reality ghost-hunting TV shows.

The tour basically sends you in a circle through the grounds, so you end up getting a beautiful view of downtown San Francisco as you make your way back down towards the ferry. San Francisco is notoriously foggy but you might get luck with nicer weather like we did!

Alcatraz Island In San Francisco one of the staple go-to sights for visitors is Alcatraz Island. After living there for 3 years I finally got to go when a friend came to visit.

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This past year I went on a few short business trips to places I had never considered going to before, and Burlington, Vermont was one of those places that pleasantly surprised me. Prior to going I really didn’t know much of anything about Burlington or Vermont. It was only a 2 day trip and most of the time was booked-up, but I did get a bit of free time to explore downtown. We arrived in the afternoon, so took a moment to stop by and take in the views of Lake Champlain before checking into our hotel. The air was incredibly refreshing and the view was beautiful, especially when the sun started setting. I was also surprised to see that the park signs were in both English and French, but it is very close to Canada so that may be why.

Burlington itself was not a particularly large city but it was very clean and nice. Right in the center of town was Church Street Marketplace, which was lined with all sorts of stores and restaurants, while also being walking distance to both the lake and City Hall Park. My free time was later in the day so most of the stores in the area were closed already, but I did get to stop in The Whiskey Room. I enjoy whiskeys and bourbons, so when I read that this was one of the local places to go I thought it’d be fun to see if they had any local whiskeys for me to try. I ended up trying a local maple flavored whiskey, which ended up being a bit too sweet for my tastes. But it had a nice atmosphere and I even had a friendly chat with a guy in town for a conference.

Another evening we were able to have a great meal at Hen of the Wood, and even got lucky with quick seating at the bar. The food there was just delicious! It’s just outside the center of town and we ended up walking between 2 parking garages to find it, but it was worth the detour. I highly recommend this spot, but if you’re more than 1 or 2 people I suggest you make a reservation because you could end up waiting a good while otherwise. There seemed to be a never ending flow of people coming in and it only got busier as the night went on.

In regards to accommodation we stayed at the Hilton Garden Hotel, which was recommended to us. It was just off City Hall Park and has only been open for about a year, so it is very nice. They even provided free water, coffee and cookies in the lobby every morning. Since it was still a bit chilly when we were there I really enjoyed the fire pit out front. It was a really relaxing way to end my day.

Overall Burlington, Vermont was a fun little detour.

2 days in Burlington, Vermont This past year I went on a few short business trips to places I had never considered going to before, and Burlington, Vermont was one of those places that pleasantly surprised me.

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Another day trip I took from Dublin was a bus tour excursion to the west coast of Ireland to see the Cliffs of Moher. The tour guide gave us some quiet time, but also told us about various Irish folklore, history, and other tidbits. It was really interesting and it was nice that they made various stops on the way there and back. But watching the beautiful scenery pass us by made me want to go back and take my time through the Irish countryside. The greens were so vibrant and the land looked so lush. I can’t explain why but part of the wanderlust inspired by this was me wanting to ride a horse through the countryside as well. It sounds like a lot of fun to me!

The Moher Cliffs themselves were beautiful and incredibly impressive. Luckily they gave us a good amount of time to walk along the trail and explore. Walking up the path we realized that part of the edge of the cliffs overlapped with someone’s private land, but they had the fence setup so visitors could continue along the cliff’s edge. The difference was that the land on the private property was clearly not as stable and safe, because the ground was naturally very soft and sometimes sank or crumbled under your feet. Some people got on the very edge for photos, but I didn’t want to chance it and end up falling, because I’m a huge klutz so would rather not tempt fate.

On the way back to Dublin the guide gave us the option to stop and get out at Burren National Park, and I’m ecstatic that everyone on the bus agreed to it. The cliffs were an impressive sight, but Burren National Park captured my imagination. I have never seen such rock or ground formations like that before and it covered the landscape for as far as you could see. It was truly a sight and experience I will not soon forget. The guide mentioned that locals often come to the area to camp, and if I get the chance I’d definitely be interested in that one day.

Another stop along the way was Corcomroe Abbey/Mainistir Chorca Mruaa. Getting off the bus I didn’t know what we were walking up to until I saw the placard with the history. Since we had limited time I simply took a photo of it to read later. You could see a few houses sprinkled around off in the distance, but otherwise the ruins had nothing surrounding them but the green landscape and stone walls stretching out in every direction. The atmosphere and quiet made for an almost eerie emptiness but at the same time it felt very calm as you walked through the grounds. It seemed a bit out of the way for the average traveler, but if it happens to be en route for you it’s an interesting little stop.

  Day Tour to the Cliffs of Moher Another day trip I took from Dublin was a bus tour excursion to the west coast of Ireland to see the Cliffs of Moher.

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Dun Laoghaire was my solo day side-trip from Dublin. It was an easy train ride from Connolly Station, and since it’s a smaller town you can explore the whole area by just walking around. It’s especially helpful that the train station in right in the center of town and right by the ocean as well.

One thing I particularly enjoyed was that I got luck with beautiful weather, which made it especially refreshing and relaxing to have the ocean breeze coupled with the quietness of the sleepy town. Also right by the water was the Queen Victoria fountain, which looked really pretty against the bright sun’s rays.

It’s easy to lose track of time while exploring the harbor and walking along the ocean’s edge. There’s spots along the way where you can climb down onto the rocks with the ocean splashing up against them and nice park areas to sit and relax. I even came across a little ice cream shop where I grabbed the ‘recession special,’ grabbing a seat outside to enjoy it in the summer sun.

Since I did limited research on the town I chose to just wander through the streets and see what I came across along the way to pass the time until  lunch. It was nice seeing the houses and strolling through the neighborhoods.

In one of the various reviews I read on Dun Laoghaire a couple highly recommended the restaurant Cavistons Food Emporium, which, after looking it up, looked really good. Their specialty seemed to be seafood, which I love, and since they are right by the ocean they have access to super fresh options as well. The dining area was a small quaint style restaurant, and I was the only one who came in that the staff didn’t know by name. It felt very homey and small-town-ish because of that friendly familiarity. Also, this meal had to be the best meal I had in Ireland during my trip! Everything was simply delicious! So, if you happen to stop by Dun Laoghaire I highly suggest this restaurant.

Day Trip to Dun Laoghaire Dun Laoghaire was my solo day side-trip from Dublin. It was an easy train ride from Connolly Station, and since it's a smaller town you can explore the whole area by just walking around.

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Guest Post: Like a Local (New York City) This is a guest post I did about New York City for Gallivanting Bean. Check it out!

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My first stop in Ireland was Dublin! You have no idea how excited I was to finally arrive in Ireland, because for a long time Ireland was on my list of places to go before I die. I can’t remember why exactly, but I had always been curious about Ireland and I enjoy a bunch of Irish music. Because I was so excited I did a lot of research beforehand to ensure I made the most of my time there. I had a nice list of options and a general plan of places I wanted to go.

Even though I had a small map with me at all times I do have to admit that my not-so-great sense of direction got the better of me many times when trying to find my way through Dublin’s streets. The travel book map of the city I had made the streets looked simple enough to navigate, but there were so many times that I walked passed a street thinking it was an alley because of how narrow it was. So, if you’re like me, I advise that you assume that everything is a street, because the street names were, at times, hard to spot. It’s not a fail-safe strategy but once I started doing this I got lost a little less often.

To start we hit a bunch of the major tourist spots, especially those walking distance from our hostel. Our first stop was Dublin Castle and the interior had some really beautiful architecture, which was a nice surprise. Even though there were lots of other tour groups when we were there it never felt very crowded, because the rooms and hallways were so open and spacious. Be aware that they don’t want you to take in backpacks so I suggest traveling light for this, but if needed they provided lockers for you to put your things in a safe place.

Another must-stop for us was the Trinity College Library. I love architecture and history, so wanted to make sure we stopped here. This library also has the Book of Kells on display, but you need to be patient with the crowds to be able to get up close to see it. The architecture of the library interior was just beautiful, and had that comforting old book smell, which I enjoy. Also, they had a surprise art exhibition, which made me so happy! Ever since I discovered the Cartoon Saloon animation studio through am employee recommendation at my hometown video rental store I have been a huge fan of their work. I hadn’t realized it but right when we were visiting they happened to have collaborated with the library for a selection of illustrations, “Emperor of the Irish: Brian Boru and the Battle of Clontarf.” Upon seeing the work I knew it had to be by artists from Cartoon Saloon, and looking into it I found out I was right!

Through my research I also found that there are various cathedrals with beautiful architecture sprinkled throughout the city. We stopped in the St Patrick’s Cathedral and wandered around the the exterior and gardens of the Christ Church Cathedral. I would of liked to have also explored the interior’s of other cathedrals but each one had an entry fee, so we had to be cautious of our budget choosing which to go in and which not. But even if you can’t afford to go inside the exterior architecture can be worth seeing in person. For instance I was particularly curious to see Christ Church Cathedral, because I read that it had a mix of architectural styles of Norman to early English Gothic. Just looking at the exterior was interesting and it was really beautiful, especially with the atmosphere the foggy weather created around it. Next time I’m in Dublin, however, I really want to see the interior as well.

As one can imagine the pub and drinking scene in Dublin is bustling! Downtown there was a huge area that was just bar after bar after bar, and there was no shortage of live music inside or on the streets of that area as well. We had a lot of fun bar hoping in the area, and it was surprising at just how many other Americans we ran into along the way. We had selected a few bars we wanted to see and then stopped in various bars that looked interesting along the way. A bar, the Brazen Head, that was made sure to stop in was a little out of that main area but was described as the oldest bar in Dublin. We didn’t stay long but while there we tried our first official Irish Guinness, and, as a non-beer drinker, I was pleasantly surprised by how nice the flavor was. It was nothing like the Guinness I tried back in the US, it was much smoother. So even if you’re like me and don’t enjoy beer I suggest that you at least ask for a taste, because the waitress was very nice about giving us a taster-glass of Guinness along with our pints of cider.

The other spot I had a lot of fun in was The Workman’s Club. In my tour book it was described simply as a former men’s only social club or something, but when I got there I found out they had regular live rock shows. I love me a good punk, metal, or rock show, so I had a lot of fun hanging-out there. I went a bit early and I was on my own so when I started to feel a bit drunk I left as to not get myself into any trouble. I was walking across town back to the hostel and I’m not yet accustomed to roaming around on my own in new countries. But the music was good and the crowd was fun, so I suggest anyone who likes rock shows to check it out.

Two big attractions that we stopped by were the Guinness Storehouse and Jameson Distillery. Neither my sister nor I are much of Guinness drinkers, so we wanted to just get up to the bar that had good views of Dublin. We heard you could go without going on the tour, but after asking staff there we found that wasn’t true, which was disappointing. The Jameson Distillery was also a disappointment, because the one in Dublin is no longer in use. The tour just took you around a museum-type instillation, which wasn’t even that pig. If had realized this earlier I would have used the tour fee on something else.

In addition to an abundance of pubs and bars I found that there were all sorts of parks sprinkled around the city, so made that part of my daytime exploring. Each park we well-kept and relaxing. In one I even found a group of students rehearsing a Shakespearean play. Most of the parks were easy to find, but one, Iveagh Gardens, seemed to almost be hidden like a secret garden or something. I must have walked passed the entrance a couple times, because once I did find the entrance I realized that is was a small walled entrance hidden in one of the side streets I had been wandering around. Parks can be a good way to relax a bit, taking a break from the sightseeing and tours.

I’m a city girl and I love how many cities are connected to some large body of water. Dublin has River Liffey flowing through it and there are various bridges, all designed differently, spaced throughout for both pedestrians and motorists to cross. Our hostel was by Butt Bridge, but it was relaxing to stroll down the river and see the other bridges, such as the O’Connell Bridge, Millennium Bridge and Ha’ Penny Bridge. There was even an old-looking boat docked in the river.

Just off the river was a shopping area where you could also find the Spire of Dublin. I didn’t buy much while in Dublin but it was fun to window shop and listen to the street performers. This is also the area where we had Fish and Chips at a place that was recommended to us, Beshoff. It was full of people and it was fun to sit by the window and watch all the crowds passing by, wearing team colors for a sports event that was going on that afternoon.

I also couldn’t go to Ireland and not have an ‘Irish Breakfast.’ Looking through reviews etc online I found Hatch & Sons, which had nothing but good reviews of their breakfast. It was a quaint little place just off St Stephen’s Green Park. Everything down to even the butter was delicious! If you’re in the area I highly suggest this spot for breakfast.

We found some of the Bed & Breakfasts in Dublin post some of their rooms as hostel accommodation, which made for a comfortable and convenient stay. I was also surprised to find that Dublin felt a bit smaller than I had expected, but it was still a lot of fun! So, overall I really enjoyed my time in Dublin and look forward to visiting again someday.

Dublin, Ireland My first stop in Ireland was Dublin! You have no idea how excited I was to finally arrive in Ireland, because for a long time Ireland was on my list of places to go before I die.

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The White Cliffs of Dover was one of my stops on my first trip to Europe, and one I was very excited about. When I saw the photos online I knew I had to try and see the cliffs in person. I hadn’t heard of white cliffs like this before, and the fact that they were right on the ocean was a bonus.

On top of that Dover is a perfect day trip distance from London, because there is an easy and comfortable train you can catch from St Pancras station. It takes just under 2 hours each direction, and the tickets aren’t terribly expensive, especially if you go at off-peak times. If you leave just after breakfast, like we did, you’ll have a full day to take your time and really explore Dover, the castle, and/or the cliffs. The station drops you right in the middle of the town, which isn’t large, and you can easily walk to where you want to go.

We decided to head straight up upon arrival. We had a small map with us, and you could see the castle up on the hill. The path up to the castle was quiet, but also a bit of a steep hike along a paved path and stairway. At the gate of the castle a shuttle tour van passed us, so that’s an option if you don’t want to walk up like we did. Unfortunately we forgot to check how much entry to the castle was, and since it also functioned as a fort in the recent past it was actually a bit more expensive than we were willing to pay. So, we opted to just view it from afar as we continued up and over towards the cliffs.

Since we didn’t have data coverage on our cellphones I brought printouts of the directions of how to walk from the station to the cliffs. A lot of what I found were accounts from other travel bloggers, which included mention that for part of the way there was so sidewalk. They weren’t kidding! And it wasn’t a small portion of the path, it was the last third of the way there. I was a little confused when we first got to this part since it looked like more of a dead-end, and was right at the entrance to a little memorial. But I noticed a few people walking our way from further down the roadside, which made us realized that had to be the way to continue on. It wasn’t that there was just no sidewalk there was barely enough space between the asphalt of the 2 lane road and bushes for us to walk on. It didn’t help that a bunch of sports cars would occasionally speed by in either direction. As to not get run over we would try and find a spot where we could step aside whenever we heard or saw a car coming. Sometimes we’d barely have enough time to get out of their way even if we heard them before we saw them. But aside from the occasional car forcing us to take refuge in the bushes it was an entertaining walk.

The view of the countryside along the way was beautiful! It was funny how we both got excited when we realized that we were walking past a flock of sheep in one of the pastures we passed. For some reason sheep and European go together in my mind. They’re cute animals and the scenery around them made for the perfect picture! This really brought together the whole ‘English Countryside’ feel for us.

Upon reaching the entrance to the White Cliffs park area the scenery really opened up as there weren’t many trees. We were also happy to find that there was no entrance fee, and we were thankful to be able to refill our water bottles at the visitor’s center before wandering out on the trail lining the cliffs. There weren’t many people there so we’d only run into other hikers, mostly locals, at the sections of the path that narrowed, and we would exchange a friendly hello as we did. Halfway through we found a small wooden bench in a section, just off the edge and with a beautiful view, so thought it’d be a great spot for a break and for us to eat our packed lunches. I highly suggest packing a snack or small lunch, because we didn’t see many options to grab food along the way. There is a café at the visitor’s center, but it was much more fun to picnic on the cliffs overlooking the ocean.

Hiking along the cliffs really reminded me how much I love nature, and I wanted to try and make it all the way to the other end of the trail where the lighthouse was. We took our time and kept stopping along the way to look around, because the area was just beautiful. What made the day even better were the strong cool winds and the relaxing sound of the ocean as we made our way along the path. Unfortunately as we trekked along it started to drizzle, and when we looked back we saw dark clouds that almost looked like they were coming our way. About halfway through the trail we ultimately decided to turn back, so we could reach the safety of the visitor’s center, just in case it started to rain really hard. But, thankful, it never got bad, only a light drizzle, because both of us had forgotten our umbrellas. So, if you decide to walk the cliff trail I suggest packing an umbrella or something to protect you from the rain, because the weather was unexpected and we should have been a bit more prepared in that sense.

On the way back down towards the train station we took our time to really take in the views. I hadn’t realized just how long it had been since I last went hiking or exploring outdoors like this. My day in Dover rekindled my love of the outdoors, and I hope to find more ways to explore the outdoors on some of my future trips. Stepping out of my usual travel activities was great fun, and Dover was really a perfect choice for a day trip out of London! So, I highly suggest it to anyone who has the time for the day excursion.

**I also wrote a guest post on this trip for Taylor’s Tracks. Check it out! She has some fun posts on her blog too.

Day Trip to the White Cliffs of Dover The White Cliffs of Dover was one of my stops on my first trip to Europe, and one I was very excited about.

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Explore the Sydney food scene with Roxana

Explore the Sydney food scene with Roxana

Roxana is the first guest writer for Exploration Addict and I’m excited to have her! I’m a big travel foodie and she gives some great suggestions of where to eat in Sydney, Australia.   Roxana is a travel enthusiast and lifestyle consultant from Sydney and she loves to write about her adventures. She is all about the healthy lifestyle, loves to run with her husband and dogs and has fun cooking…

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Guest Post: Japan – Experience Report

Guest Post: Japan – Experience Report

This is a guest post I worked on that helped me build the idea to make a section focusing on Studying Abroad. She’s been collecting experiences from people who’ve studied all over the place in her Women Collecting Memories section. Check out my post and read others experiences too!

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Studying abroad can be a great experience, and there’s many different ways to do it. Your daily life can greatly affect your experience, so the decision to live with a host family or to find your own place is an important decision anyone considering study abroad must make. I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to try both, and the differences are sizable. With a host family you have someone to lean on when in crisis, and someone to help guide you through this new culture. On your own it’s all up to you, but that autonomy can be a great thing as well.

Home-Stay Life

Especially for your first time in a country the home-stay experience is a great option. This is particularly true if you’re a high school student like I was when I did home-stay. By staying with a host family you are able to get a better understanding of the culture, and host families often don’t speak English or your native language, which greatly expedites your language acquisition because you will be hearing the local language everyday. However, there is a lot beyond language that one can learn and share through the home-stay experience.

Living in someone’s home gives you a unique opportunity to experience home life, and build a strong personal and emotional connection. In my case my host family was able to provide me with my own room, but I had a friend whose host family lived in an apartment where everyone slept in the same room. So be prepared for the unexpected when arriving at your new home. I also found it beneficial to call it ‘home.’ I feel like calling my home stay ‘home’ helped to make it feel more like home, because, for me at least, the word comes with various comfortable feelings and associations, which helped me to be more comfortable in the new environment. I also tried to help around the house like I would with my own family, so I would help with laundry, running the bath, taking out the trash, in the kitchen and setting up the table. My host sister was also only a year older than me, so I even went to the same school as her. Some of my fellow exchange students had much younger host siblings, so their experience was a bit different but sometimes sounded like a lot of fun. Generally my host family was very warm and welcoming to me, and I am incredibly grateful to have been able to be a part of their lives and family.

Depending on where you study abroad there may be a language barrier and the difference between cultures may make fitting into the family challenging. Among all the students in my program area only the student from South Korea and I did not change families through the duration of our stay. All the other students changed homes at least once due to incompatibility. Sometimes it was just a personality miss-match. Some only changed once, but others changed families multiple times within that year. It can be hard to adjust and you can never really know what the dynamic of the family is until you arrive. For instance, some families would put strict rules and curfews on students, but as they are now responsible for someone else’s child you can understand where their concerns are coming from. The beginning can be particularly tough but it helps to try and stay open minded and flexible. Finding your place within the family can take some time, but once you find it you’ll build incredible relationships and memories. In my case I continue to keep-in-touch with my host family and try to visit them when I can.

I don’t know if this is the case for all programs, but for both the program I used in high school and my college’s exchange program the host families chose the students. In high school that dictated where in Japan you went altogether, but in college they were all families working with the university so were within easy commuting distance. Doing home stay is an incredibly personal experience and making those personal connections can help you to feel even more comfortable where you are, regardless of how different it may be. And although this is a huge leap of faith, because you can’t really know what you’re walking into, I honestly think it’s all worth it.

Independent Living

I chose to not have a host family when studying abroad in college, because I had built such a close relationship with my host family in Hyogo that it didn’t feel right to have a second host family. I would have chosen dorm-life, but unfortunately Waseda only had all-male dorms available near campus. I looked into the options available to female students and they were all international dormitories that all seemed to have very early curfews and a lot of restrictions that I found to be a bit unreasonable. My last option was to find my own housing, which was not easy because my program administrators did not exactly support this decision since it was outside the program parameters to do so. Also, Japan has a lot of restrictions on housing for foreigners. But I am happy I made the decision, because it gave me the freedom most people expect to have in college.

I first found the ‘Gaijin (foreigner) housing’ online and setup something that was month-to-moth one station away from the University. I wasn’t terribly familiar with Tokyo yet, so didn’t want to be too far away. The lodging wasn’t horrible, but after witnessing a confrontation between the land-lady (who only spoke Japanese) bring in the police for a confusing confrontation with the European guy who lived in the room next to me I didn’t feel comfortable staying. I looked for other Gaijin Housing options, but since Gaijin Housing can be on the slightly more expensive side I ended up walking into a small realty shop by the train station. They were really nice and were able to introduce me to a family owned apartment building. In Japan one major catch is that for foreigners to rent they need a co-signer or guarantor, who had to be a Japanese native/citizen. Luckily a friend from Hyogo was also going to college in Tokyo and agreed to help me with this. The other catch is that everything had to either be paid in cash or by bank-transfer, no credit cards. Since transfer fees from an international bank are ridiculous I paid everything in cash. When I did this, however, it was back in 2006, so things may have changed by now. Lastly, you will need to have a hanko (seal) made with your name on it, usually in Katakana, as it’s required to stamp your hanko alongside your signature on various parts of the rental agreement. Luckily they are cheap and easy to have made. You can find makers in little neighborhood stores or in the department store stationary section.

The apartment I ended up with was small, but had all the essentials I might need. In general Japanese apartments can be very tiny, but the availability of such small accommodation makes it easier for a single person to live independently. I also learned that if you walk 10 minutes away from the station the rent prices noticeably drop as well. This is something helpful to keep in mind when looking for an apartment, especially when you have a budget like I did.

By living alone you have full autonomy to do what you wish when you wish, but it comes with some responsibilities as well. You have to be sure to pay your utilities on time, which I paid at the convenient store, and the walls in many buildings are thin so you need to be considerate about noise level. But aside from that living alone in Japan felt very safe and convenient. I greatly enjoyed living alone because I could offer a place to stay if people came into town to visit, and I didn’t have to worry about disturbing anyone if I came in late or very early in the morning. This freedom actually enabled me to enjoy as much of Japanese college student life as I wanted, because I basically had not restrictions. If you’re confident in your ability to balance everything on your own and being independent living alone abroad can be a great experience.

Home-Stay vs Independent Living while Studying Abroad Studying abroad can be a great experience, and there's many different ways to do it. Your daily life can greatly affect your experience, so the decision to live with a host family or to find your own place is an important decision anyone considering study abroad must make.

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London was where I took my first steps into Europe. I had been putting off going to Europe for a long time because the exchange rate made me think it’d be too expensive. Also, I went to college on the West Coast, which meant Asia was cheaper and easier to get to. After college I returned to the East Coast and when I was turning 30 I realized I had accumulated enough flier points for a free round-trip ticket to London on Virgin Airlines! This meant I no longer had any excuses to keep me from going. London was just one of my stops on that trip, but it was a fun and exciting introduction to the U.K. and Europe.

Since I had never been to London before I did all sorts of research, trying to find things to do that could be fun and within my budget. As all first time visitors do I stopped by some of the iconic places like Parliament, the London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, etc. I was traveling with my sister, who had been to London before, so she helped make this part of my sightseeing seem like they were closer than I had expected them to be and it went by quickly. Something about maps can really make things seem farther apart than they really are. We were able to easily walk from place to place to place without much trouble. In addition to these kind of go-to iconic spots we tried to find some smaller fun things to see as well.

Another common stop when traveling is museums. If I have the time and the entry fee isn’t too expensive I like to go as well. In London we were able to stop at several museums, even some we hadn’t planned on; the British Museum, Museum of London, and the Natural History Museum. The architecture of both the British Museum and Natural History Museum, while very different, were beautiful! They both also had some really good exhibitions. Exploring these large museums can take a good chunk or your day, but I really enjoyed them. Two smaller and unplanned locations we stopped in was a Shakespeare related location, the Rose Theater, and an exhibit at the British Library by Kings Cross.  I enjoyed all of the museums we visited, so suggest them to anyone who may be curious. For the British Museum and Natural History Museum it may be best to go first thing in the morning while it’s not as crowded, and this also enables you to have your afternoon for other things.

One of those additional things we did to have a bit of fun was to make a list of pubs that called themselves ‘the oldest pub in London’ or just simply classically old pubs to check out. There were tons to choose from! They all had unique interiors and were a fun way to take a break from all our walking. Unfortunately, the exchange rate still made things a bit on the expensive side, so, not being a big beer drinker, I tried to find a cider option that wasn’t too pricey. After visiting a few pubs I found a cider, Bulmers, that I really enjoy. It’s not too sweet and even a little dry, which is more of what I prefer. Unfortunately, I still can’t find it here in the U.S. but it was in practically every bar we stopped in London.

St John’s Gate was something I saw in old black and white photos while researching things to do before the trip, and thought it looked interesting. We went earlier in the day, so the station where it is was very quiet. Upon arriving at the gate we got lucky because we were just in time for the free tour. We had no idea they even had free tours, but they took us to various rooms, even the crypt, and talked about the history that could be explained through various plaques, paintings, etc. throughout the building. It was a really interesting and happy surprise. The group that joined the tour was small and there was basically nothing ‘off-limits,’ so I suggest this as a fun sightseeing stop for people new to London like I was when I went.

Another thing I came across while researching were all sorts of different markets across the city, so we chose a few to check out. My favorite was definitely Borough Market. We actually walked right passed it on our first day sightseeing, not even realizing it was there. Even though it’s in the center of downtown, by London Bridge, it’s pretty large and full of all sorts of different kinds of food. Food and tasting new things is a big interest of mine when I travel, so Borough Market was a wonderland for me. There was so much delicious looking food that it was hard to choose what to try first! What was great about this was that you could grab small bites here and there for cheap, or get a whole meal from one of the vendors. This was not only a fun stop but a great way to get a cheap and tasty meal.

Before going to London I had been getting into a bunch of British TV shows, which included Sherlock and Doctor Who. So I couldn’t help myself but stop by the BBC office’s café, where you can see the whole news room while taking a tea-time break. They even have a Tardis in the entryway! The door is not well marked, however, so you might end up walking passed it more than once like I did. I also stopped by Baker St. station where I was surprised to find fun station decorations. The dots that make up Sherlock’s silhouette are smaller versions of the silhouette! I thought that was very clever. I also stopped by the filming location of the Sherlock TV show hoping to grab breakfast at Speedy’s Cafe, but sadly it wasn’t open yet. Also, since our hostel was walking distance to Kings Cross, we found the Harry Potter 9 ¾ Platform. I was surprised to find it in an odd location under a walkway. I’m a big entertainment fan and geek, so finding these kind of filming locations and things are a lot of fun for me. It’s like a little scavenger hunt, and there’s plenty to find in London.

London London was where I took my first steps into Europe. I had been putting off going to Europe for a long time because the exchange rate made me think it’d be too expensive.

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I was working on a guest post about my study abroad experience, which got me reminiscing. So thought it might be fun to go back and write about what student life was like when I studied abroad at Waseda University from 2006-2007.

My university had partnerships with a couple universities in Japan, but I got accepted to the program at the School of International Liberal Studies at Waseda University. A good part to this program was that the classes would count towards my graduation requirements, but the downside was that the classes in this department were all taught in English, which meant we would have to put in extra effort to ensure we used the Japanese we were learning and not stay within what feels comfortable and easier. We did have Japanese language classes, but it was only for maybe half of the curriculum. There were other exchange programs that were mainly Japanese classes, but ours was only half. And it’s often said that learning in a classroom just doesn’t seem to stick as well as learning a language while out in the world. For me using the language is an easier and a faster way for me to learn and remember what I’ve picked-up. The regular classes were a mix of international and Japanese students, which was fun, but the common language for everyone was English. And compared to my university back in California it didn’t feel has hard, slower pace and less homework. It almost seemed like socializing was a bigger part of Japanese college life then studying, which is great for exchange students.

All Male Waseda ‘Shockers’ Cheerleaders

A great way to meet new people is to join school clubs and sports, and luckily Waseda has very active student organizations. Upon arriving there were even a couple international culture and language exchange clubs that held welcome parties and tours, which was helpful for making us feel welcome. Everyone was super nice and friendly, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to join those groups or see what other clubs were out there.

In the end I joined one of the smaller language exchange groups that met once a week and a club, Illumination Project, that organized the decorations and celebrations for our department’s building during the Christmas holiday season. After the holidays were finished a bunch of people from the Illumination Project convinced me to join a festival organizing club, Waseda International Festival, with a bunch them. While working on the W.I.F. committee I was introduced to a Futsal group that played every Friday, which was great because I love playing soccer. As you can see I had plenty to keep me busy, and through these clubs I was able to meet people from around the world, other departments in the University, and even students from other Universities. I had a LOT of fun, but I may have put a bit too much on my plate, because in addition to regular club activities every club had their drinking parties and after parties, which happened quite often. So I had very little to no down time. Through that year of participating in these various student clubs I was able to meet and make some incredible friends that I keep in touch with still, and I create some great memories.

Even now I can be a bit awkward and shy, so these student clubs really helped me meet people. Some were more active than others, but I was able to make at least one good friend in every group I joined. I highly recommend joining these types of social groups as a way to meet locals and it’s also a great way to learn and practice the language. You’ll end up doing things and seeing places you never planned to. For anyone studying abroad in Japan, in particular, it could be good to check out several clubs to find what group(s) you click with. From what I could tell student groups in Japan tend to be very active and they are a great way to feel more part of the new culture and world around you while making some great friends along the way.

Festivals and events seemed to be another big part of student life in Japan. One big one I was introduced to during my year in Hyogo during high school was the School Festival, and I found out that Universities do it too. It’s a weekend that the school opens its doors to the public. The students and clubs organize performances and setup all sorts of booths for the visitors who come. It’s great fun to participate in as a club member, and a good way to check out other Universities. Another big event that I learned about in college happens at the beginning of the semester for the incoming freshman. All the clubs would setup outside in the college courtyard or walkways with a sign and fliers to recruit new members and advertise their club. I wish we had come at the same time as this event, but unfortunately this happened half way through my year there. The Japanese school year starts in April, and we came at the beginning of our school year, which is in September.

I grew up playing sports and really enjoy them, so I was happy to find that Waseda also had a strong sports culture.  They have very strong baseball and rugby teams. When I was invited to go to a game of each I jumped at the chance, and had a lot of fun! I have to be honest, though, I really don’t like baseball, so I was definitely skeptical about even going. But they had so many crowd activities that I actually enjoyed myself! At the entrance of the stadium they were handing out a printout with all the lyrics of the team songs, so it’d be easy for everyone to join in. A fun surprise was the cheer leading. It was interesting because not only do they have the female cheerleaders like you see here in the U.S., but they have male counterparts that act as what can only be described as chant-leaders or something. There was so much entertainment that I stayed for the whole baseball game! That’s a first for me. The rugby game didn’t have as much cheering and entertainment, but I learned that I enjoy watching Rugby. I hadn’t really seen it before, as it’s not very popular back home. So not only was this was my first time watching it live, but really watching it at all. Luckily, we had someone with us who was a big fan of rugby to explain the rules, which are complicated, but I think I managed to get some the basics down. This was one of the things my time in Japan opened me up to that I would never have imagined. A happy surprise.

There were a lot of highs with some lows during my year in Tokyo. I wanted to touch on one thing a friend, who studied in Kyoto, and I have talked about since returning from our exchange programs. It was surprising once I realized it, because it’s not something I had expected. In Kyoto my friend heard a Japanese classmate talk about the 使い捨て外人 (Tsukai Sute Gaijin). Literally it means “use, throw away, foreigner,” although Gaijin is just the word for ‘foreigner’ it can also be kind of derogatory at the same time. As my friend put it the phrase was aimed at exchange students, because they would only be there for a year. I didn’t hear that phrase used by anyone at Waseda, but you could see differences in how some people would interact with the ‘foreign’ department on campus vs their day-to-day. It was almost like interacting with ‘gaijin’ was a form of entertainment for some. I’m no expert but I was curious about this cultural difference, so after some thinking I thought that maybe it’s a societal side-effect of the history of Japan being a closed-nation and the mentality of Japan still being homogeneous? It seemed that no one meant to be malicious or mean, but it could feel like you’re just being used at times, which can be hurtful. Sometimes being the ‘gaijin’ can be a positive to your experience, but sometimes it’s not. Going to a new culture you’re bound to come across some barriers or hurdles like this, but overall I had a great experience in Japan and I know many who also did. But, I also know a few who went to Japan expecting great things and left a bit hurt or disillusioned. Everyone’s experience is their own, and everyone interacts with new environments differently. I’d say to just try to make the best of every situation and experience.

Overall I think Japan is a great place for students to study abroad. The University life there is incredibly active and vibrant, and Japan is generally a safe place to wander on your own. On campus you’ll be able to find all sorts of things to do, but off campus you’ll find even more. Japan has so many different kinds of entertainment; arcades, karaoke, dancing, live music, food, drink, and so many more surprises. You’ll never get bored, and it’s a great place to explore while you’re young. It’s fun to visit as an adult but having the extra time and freedom that students have can make the experience that much better. Learning the language can feel like a hurdle, but I wouldn’t let that to be a deterrent for anyone thinking of choosing Japan as the place they want to study abroad. Japan is a unique and colorful place, so if you have the chance take the leap and explore this new land and culture!

Exchange Student Life at Waseda University I was working on a guest post about my study abroad experience, which got me reminiscing. So thought it might be fun to go back and write about what student life was like when I studied abroad at Waseda University from 2006-2007.