Quirky Traveller's Tales

Quirky Travel is all about seeing the world from a different angle, looking at things from all sides, finding the unusual, the interesting, the fascinating.  Meeting delightful people, discovering new cultures, eating strange foods and seeing curious customs, have fuelled my life-long love of the breadth and depth of experiences that travel gifts to us – and 2011 has been the epitome of Quirky Travel.

Over the past 12 months I’ve been fortunate enough to travel around the UK and abroad with a host wonderful companions.  I’ve learnt about some incredibly quirky customs and etiquette (I now know NOT to ask a Finnish reindeer farmer how many animals he has), eaten some absolutely delicious food (Cunard’s Princess Grill restaurant was SUPERB), seen on some amazing sights and spent a lot of time discovering yet more beautiful and inspiring places in my beloved Lake District.

Although it’s been incredibly difficult to choose, here are my Top Ten highlights and why they epitomize Quirky Travel … (They are roughly in date order, NOT preference – that would be impossible.)

1. The Snowmobile Safari, Finland: this was my very first visit to Scandinavia but also my first blog trip abroad. To be invited to stay in beautiful  Iso-Syote fjell-top hotel and experience their adventure holiday was a dream come true.  Zooming across pristine snow over frozen fields and through ancient pine forests at high speed defines ‘exhilaration’.
2. The Scaffolding Tour, Chatsworth House, Derbyshire: In April Visit England invited me to Chatsworth, one of England’s great historic houses.  The external stonework of the house is being cleaned, repaired and restored and I had a Scaffolding Tour to the roof.  Being able to see up close the very quirky Snake motifs was a reminder of the days when, with money, grand designs and a view to history, architects created individual works of art, even when hardly anyone would ever see them.
3. The Calf Of Man, Isle of Man: on a glorious spring day, sitting on boingy grass dotted with dainty wild flowers, gazing out across ancient stones and the Irish Sea, all seemed right with the world. I’d chosen to visit the Isle of Man as the prize for winning ‘Britain’s Best Travel Blogger’ in January.  It’s a magical island and so very quirky … a treasure trove of maritime history, proud Parliamentary tradition, roaring race tracks across the landscape, four-horned sheep and faery folk-lore.
4. Geiranger Fjord, Norway: Gazing down on the toy ship set in the middle of one of the world’s most stunning fjords was surreal.  Had I really sailed all the way to Norway aboard that ship? Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth was on her maiden voyage and I will never forget the myriad of sensory experience on board and ashore during that trip.  I fell in love with the ship and the crew made every moment a joy and a treat.  I am now a total convert to cruising  – maybe someone will invite me on another one in 2012 – hint hint!
5. The Calvari Steps, Pollensa, Majorca: walking up the 365 old stone steps past beautiful gardens was a rather exhausting but rewarding experience. We were having a family holiday in nearby Puerto Pollensa but son & friends didn’t want to do the walk – wimps!  At the top there is a small, simple chapel with a wooden cross placed in memory of shipwreck survivors.  Sitting within its peaceful tranquility was a moment to reconnect with the soul and a reminder of what’s important in life …
6. Cogglesford Mill, Lincolnshire: Windy Miller aka Michael, a retired school teacher, shared his passion for the old tradition of making wholesome, tasty flour in one of the country’s few surviving working mills.  I bought a bag of flour and it does make exceedingly good bread.
7. Walking with Wallender, Sweden: medieval Ystad, in the Skäne region of southern Sweden, was a delight. Its colourful wood-framed houses, winding lanes and imposing square all feature in the detective series ‘Wallander’.  I was with a really fun group of travel bloggers and sharing the delights of this region with a group of like-minded writers was the other reason this trip was so enjoyable.  Oh, and the food was DELICIOUS.
8. The Art Deco Tour, Midland Hotel: Morecambe is not necessarily the most obvious place to find one of the UK’s best-kept Art Deco gems, but then travel is full of surprises.  Renowned (and definitely bonkers) sculptor Eric Gill produced some of his best work for this hotel; my brother and I had an absorbing insight on one of the hotel’s tours, followed by excellent afternoon tea. History, art, culture and cake in one afternoon – heaven.
9. Strahov Monastery Library, Prague: books are a passion and the historic collection in this 12^th century monastery is one of the glories of the Czech Republic. Prague is one of my favourite European capitals. The people are friendly, cultured and feisty, the architecture is varied and well-preserved, the beer is excellent and the food … well, the food is OK if you are a carnivore with a penchant for dumplings, but it’s definitely one place I could return to again and again.
10. Cocktails at the Cavendish, London: learning how to make cocktails from a world-class expert with a group of food & drink bloggers in this luxury hotel – what’s not to like?  It combined so many things I love about travel – great surroundings, meeting new people, discovering how to do something different and getting in the festive spirit in style.

With grateful thanks to all people who made these trips possible.  Wishing all the friends and travellers I have met along the way a very Happy New Year and all the very best for 2012.  Travel Quirkiliciously …

Lincoln City

Lincoln Cathedral

Restoration of southern turret and St Hugh’s statue: A two-dimensional saint’s eye-view of the city spreads out beside a photo montage of the dedicated  rescue team.

Organ practice: Sublime music rumbles along the Episcopal runway, falters, stops, starts again and soars into immense grandeur.

The Forces Chapel:  Two kneeling soldiers bow their wooden heads as ancient flags droop in memorium.

St Hugh & The Imp:   A saint’s head is venerated below a mischievous stone image.

Kathryn Swynford, wife of John Of Gaunt: The mistress of a Duke and mother of Kings sleeps eternally in a wooden shrine. 

Choral evensong: Rumbustuous schoolboys transform into Christmas card choristers as their voices charm the stone angels above. 

The Dean’s & Bishop’s Eye rose windows Kaleidoscopic circles shape-shift their colours as sunlight glimmers onto the marble floor. 

Bailgate

Brown’s Pie Shop by the Wig & Mitre: Lawrence of Arabia revises his magnus opus above a pie shop before popping next door for a pint.

Newport Roman archway: The tired child wails faintly as the push chair passes under an ancient archway oblivious to to the passage of time.

Table outside Castle Hotel: Plumptious olives, crunchy nuts and succulent red peppers wait patiently beside a tall glass reflecting autumn sunshine. 

The Magna Carta at Lincoln Castle: A fragile document of faintly legible script preserves our constitutional heritage secured beside a medieval prison. 

Steep Hill: Quirky shops perch perpendicularly precariously along the steeply exhausting yet quaintly charming lane.

Lincolnshire

Cogglesford Mill near Sleaford: Dusty Miller shares his passion for grinding corn within mellow stone walls smelling of slower days and freshly baked bread.

The National Centre for Craft & Design, Sleaford: Quirky crafts mingle with cool contemporary exhibitions showcases some of the best and funkiest designers in the UK and around the world.

The Dower House by golf course, Woodhall Spa: Pringle-clad guys and smart-casual dolls discuss birdies and nibliks beside a willow-shaded Grecian temple.

The Cottage Museum at Woodhall Spa: Druid maidens relive historic pageant next door to wartime memories in Victorian Spa town of quirky delights.

Lancaster Bomber over Petwood Hotel: The iconic plane drones overhead reliving moments in history as a wedding party chinks champagne on a moss-strewn carpet whilst WWII veterans remember a bouncing bomb in the bar.

Bracing Skegness:  Whirling amusements, dripping Ice creams, , intriguing tattoos, kiss me slowly hats, fish and chips squished into polystyrene trays, laughter all around with a shimmering sea in the distance.

Mablethorpe Beach: Donkeys amble along undulating sands transporting giggling kiddies clinging on with white knuckled joy.

I travelled to Lincolnshire courtesy of Visit Lincoln – and must go back soon as there is so much to see and do for a quirky, curious traveller …

One of the glories of Sweden is Fika … taking time out for coffee, cake and a chat. Heaven on a plate …  On a trip to the southern region of Skåne I sampled a lot of VERY good cake as well as many more sensory delights.  It’s a land of beautiful beaches, fertile fields, medieval villages, contemporary design and vibrant towns. Linking in to the concept of sustainable living, there’s a great emphasis on locally grown-produce, organic farms and fresh seafood.  Here are some ideas to help you make the most of a visit to this fascinating region, whatever the weather, whenever you go …

• Stroll round Malmöhus Castle gardens and discover what’s growing in the organic vegetable patch.  Try Fika at the Slottsträdgården café  It’s a quirky old greenhouse with grapes hanging from the vines and truly scrumptious chocolate brownies …

• Go swimming from the quaint old wooden Kallbadhuset Bathing House at Ribban (Malmö beach) overlooking the Oresund Bridge and Turning Torso building.  Nudity NOT compulsory! End the day with dinner at welcoming organic restaurant Salt Y Brygge, overlooking the elegant Oresund Bridge to Copenhagen.

• Hire a bike and trundle round Malmö, a curiously compelling city that seamlessly combines old and new. Just off the medieval square of Lila Torg is the funky modernist Form & Design Center showcasing how very creative Malmö is.

• Get sand in your toes on the beach at Mossbystrand in the Österlen region.  Sample more delicious fika at the traditional café nearby.  Great homemade pastries and cakes – plus a huge range of fruit & herbal teas, preserves and some unusual gifts.

• Step back in time at mystical Ales Stenar, an ancient Stone Circle high above the sea.  Its original use is still unknown but the setting is spectacular. Below is the quaint fishing village of Kaseberga. Try the smoked prawns or chowder at Vendels whre you can eat out overlooking the tiny harbour.

• Walk in Wallender’s footsteps through the quaint old streets of pretty Ystad. Sweden’s most famous detective solves murders all round here and you can get a guided tour to show all his favourite haunts.   If you’re lucky you might just catch a glimpse of the elusive Hornblower in the old clock tower.

• Escape for a while to one of Great Garbo’s favourite hideaway – the luxurious Hotel  Ystad på Saltsjöbad Relax in the sauna or Jacuzzi, run along the jetty and jump in the sea or, for something completely different, try their Gourmet Food package and cook a meal with their top chef, who’ll make you think you can win Master Chef without trying.

• Test your limits – go abseiling at one of Sweden’s top national parks, Kullaberg Nature Reserve. If heights aren’t your thing try mountain biking, or just take a picnic and enjoy the scenery.  The bustling fishing village of Mölle is reminiscent of Cornwall’s Padstow, with the iconic Grand Hotel looking down on all the activity.

• Explore the old city of Helsingborg with Kärnan, its unusual medieval tower and ornate City Hall and Venetian-style campanile.  Luxurious yachts jostle for space with high-speed ferries to nearby Denmark and the nightlife is buzzing.

• Discover a real-life fairy story at the Sofiero Palace on the outskirts of Helsingborg.  Inside the palace there’s a fascinating exhibition telling the story of the Swedish Royal family’s summer residence.  The gardens are outstanding and the kids will love the children’s play area and quirky sculptures.  Exhibitions change in the palace and grounds so plenty of reasons to revisit.

Many thanks to Malin and Visit Sweden for organising this trip and to Sara from Four BGB for being a fab host.  There’s a great Face Book app to help choose the perfect trip to this fascinating part of the world.  A version of this article appeared for Wandering Educators.

To visit Prague in autumn is a real treat.  The city zings with colour, the thermometer has dipped from the heat of high summer and the chill of winter is yet to arrive.   Looking down from a gently sloping hillside, tall trees show off a melange of rich shades that would make Joseph’s coat of many colours look pastel by contrast. The misty early morning fog hints of damp leaves and the snow to come. From beer halls the smell of gently simmering goulash melds with a yeasty, lagery brew that entices visitors off the busy streets to savour hearty Czech cuisine with its proliferation of dumplings of every kind.

I was with a group of newspaper journalists being shown round the city by our knowledgeable local guide, Martina, who showed us some of the well-known sights as well as a few places off the beaten track.  Prague Castle, a glorious mish-mash of buildings from many centuries of regal development,  oversees the city from its vantage point above the Vltava River.  When we visited it just happened to be about the busiest day in the castle’s 1,000 year history … It had been closed for 3 days as there were various events to celebrate Czech Independence day (October 28^th) so the world and his wife who’d come for the weekend, were all trying to get in at the same time.  Fortunately Martina was able to use her contacts to get us into the Old Royal Palace via the back door.  And, in spite of the crowds, it was possible to imagine the old kings of Bohemia entertaining their guests with tournaments on horse-back in the enormous medieval Hall.  Nearby is the 3rd floor window where the famous ‘Defenestration of Prague’ took place – the very lucky Catholic Regents managed to land on a pile of manure and escape unharmed.

Our Castle tour included the newly restored ‘Golden Lane’.  The name supposedly came from the city goldsmiths who lived there; Prague’s most famous literary son, Franz Kafka stayed with his sister at Number 22.  The Lane has lost some of its simple charm as the eager visitors crowd into the chic shops and the carefully preserved cottages no longer give any real feeling of the hovels that used to house castle workers.

Unmissable in every sense of the word is imposing St Vitus Cathedral, surely one of the world’s longest building projects, having been started in the 14th century and finished in 1929.  Again there were huge queues to get in (highly recommend NOT visiting on a Sunday as it is closed for morning service and gets VERY busy afterwards) but the gorgeously illuminated stained glass windows could still be seen in all their glory.  However, one of the loveliest windows, the Slavic saints by famous Czech Art Nouveau artist Alfons Mucha, is actually painted not glass.

A short walk away is the Strahov Monastery, home to the Premonstratensians, an order of ‘canons regular’ founded in 1120 by St Norbert.  It has a huge collection of rare books, including exquisite miniature illuminated manuscripts, but it is the two lovely libraries that bring visitors from all over the globe – and there a lot of globes there too …  A quirky must-see is a really weird-looking black creature which turns out to be some wag’s idea of what a dodo might have looked like.

Opposite the Monastery is a small micro brewery, Klasterni Pivovar Strahov, run by a very passionate Czech who gave us a tour and explained how the monks originally brewed here from the 14th century and how proud they are to be continuing this tradition.  We had an excellent meal – even the dumplings were divine (I’m not usually a huge fan) and I can highly recommend the Emperor beer.  A prefect way to end an autumn break …

We stayed at the Majestic Plaza Hotel which is situated just off central Wenceslas Square and, according to the journalists, has a very good nightclub. Many thanks to bmibaby and Czech Tourism for organising a really enjoyable break and a special thank-you to Rosie for hosting the trip and the great bmibaby cabin crew on our flight there and back.

What is a Blog Trip?  It’s an updated version of the Press Trip, often offered by tourist agencies, PR companies and tourism businesses which generate publicity for their venue, resort, hotel, attraction or other holiday destination.   They are similar to Press Trips and may include journalists from newspapers or magazines as well as online bloggers.

Here are 10 questions for first-time blog trippers to consider before accepting a tempting invite or leaving for that dream destination.

1. Will ALL your expenses be covered?  Sometimes you will get paid everything from the time you leave your house to the moment you return, but other times you may find yourself quite out of pocket.  Remember that even if meals, accommodation & transport are generally covered, drinks, taxis, duty free/souvenirs (well, sometimes you have to!) all add up. You will need some currency so get your travel money before you go – you may not have much time to change money on the trip.
2. What is expected of you in return for the trip?  What does your client want re Social Media ie Twitter, Face Book, StumbleUpon etc.   How many blog posts are you expected to write? You’re going to be busy and it can be tiring so don’t overpromise.  Do they want you to write them whilst you are away?  Which leads to …
3. What’s the WiFi or internet connection going to be like when you get there? Is it included in the package?  Uploading photos can take ages when you have a slow connection.  Remember – if you are using a smart phone abroad those Roaming charges quickly add up.
4. Who else is going on the trip? Where are they from? You may be the only blogger going in which case you will have an exclusive or you may be part of a group.  It might be a Press trip as opposed to a dedicated Blog Trip, in which case you may be along with journalists from newspapers & magazines.  If you are on your own, check if you will have a host or someone to show you round and help if anything goes wrong.
5. What’s the itinerary? Does it coincide with your interests?  You may be given a choice of activities so do think about your readers and what they might like to read about.  WARNING – some companies put together really great things to do but remember – you will need some time to yourself so don’t be afraid to ask for free time.
6. What research do you need to do beforehand?  You may like to just turn up at a place and go with the flow, but it can pay dividends to find out some basic info about the country, customs and culture.  (I usually get the Culture Smart guides when I go somewhere new.) There are some fantastic travel Apps that you can download before you go.
7. What clothes do you need to take?  Of course you need to know what the climate is like, but also whether you will be expected to dress up for a special dinner or doing adventure activities.  Some countries are more formal in dress code than others so do check.
8. What are the rights to your writing?  Does the client expect exclusive use of your articles and photos or can you use the material elsewhere.  There are all kinds of regulations over Intellectual Property and it’s changing all the time for internet use, so it’s helpful to clarify it beforehand.
9. On your return what is expected from you? Do you let the client know when articles are posted or links used? Is there anything else they want from you?  Let them know you value the relationship and hopefully it will lead to other opportunities for travel …
10.  What else do you need to remember?  Of course you have to have your passport – do make sure it’s up to date as you may be asked to leave at short notice.  Keep a bag packed with essentials – ie passport, travel money, toiletries, travel plug, sun cream, mosquito repellent, first aid kit.  Charge up your laptop, cameras, smart phone, camera prior to departure and make sure all the right leads and plugs are packed.

Finally, remember that this is supposed to be fun so make sure that you really do want to go on this trip – your readers want to share your enjoyment too!

Blogging aboard Cunard’s cruise liner Queen Elizabeth …

This article is kindly sponsored by Tesco Bank.

Travel Bloggers, please share your own tips & experiences from your travels around the world …

At a recent network meeting I was asked what I did and replied, “I’m a travel  … well, a blogger… I mean, I write travel posts … I’ve got a website I blog on … I’ve had some articles published …” and ran out of steam.  You probably know about those business networking organisations where you have to give a 30 second ‘elevator pitch’ to sum up what you do; well, the descent from the new Burj Tower in Dubai wouldn’t have been be long enough.  The main issue I had was saying I was a travel BLOGGER – it didn’t feel right.

If you Google the phrase ‘travel writer v travel blogger’ there are over 40,000 pages; read Gary Arndt’s excellent article Travel Blogging vs Travel Writing for a thoughtful take on the subject.  Gary offers a number of different criteria including writers as those who ‘write for someone else, either on staff or on a freelance basis, and bloggers ‘work for themselves and they are responsible for their own income.’  I fit both definitions depending on the situation.  My reticence in using phrase ‘Travel Blogger’ seemed to be based on something else …

I realised it came from my own perception of what constituted GOOD writing.  I grew up consuming all kinds of travel books for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  My heroes included the usual names;  Paul Theroux, Laurens Van Der Post, William Dalrymple, Laurie Lee, Dervla Murphy and my absolute favourite, Jan Morris. Novels set in foreign lands have always interested me, some have even caused me to move there – ‘My Family & Other Animals’ by Gerald Durrell inspired a love-affair with Greece that lasts to this day.  Guide books are a must on every trip and I can’t wait for next month’s copy of Lonely Planet mag.  You’ll note that all of these fit the traditional, printed paper format.  However, my main definition of a good ‘travel writer’ is simply that their writing must engage me and take me on a journey via the words and images they create.

Travel bloggers use technology to facilitate ease of access to the written word.  Bloggers can freely ‘publish’ their words to world at the click of a mouse.  Using the definition above there are some truly brilliant travel writers amongst the blogging community and there are some lousy ones.  And that’s the point – anyone with basic IT skills can be a blogger. Using social media, PR, networking and other means will enure the blogger potential readers.  Whether or not they are ‘good’ travel writers … ah well, that’s another issue entirely …

Yes, I’ve had a number of paid articles published.  Yes, I’ve had The Quirky Traveller Travel Notes published and I am working on a travel book, but my writing is mainly in blog format here and for other travel blog sites.  So, the next time anyone asks me what I do, I am going to say, “I’m a travel blogger” and see how it feels.  It’s up to the reader to decide if I’m any good …

Zoe Dawes runs Travel Writing Workshops sharing tips on how to write, blog and share the journey.  The next one is at Leighton Hall on October 8th.