I started my travel for 2012 with what my mother would likely describe as my way of trying to give her a nervous breakdown. If I was being completely honest with myself, when the opportunity came up to visit Tunisia I was a little apprehensive as well. This is after all the country that just over 12 months ago set in motion a revolutionary wave that is still making its presence felt across the arab world.

Undeterred by those thoughts, there was still something alluring about visiting a country that is far less travelled than the usual worn track of Asia and Europe. This would also be my first landing on the African continent and for a traveller that’s a totally amazing yet completely pointless stat to add to my resume.

If I had to express how my short stay left me feeling about the country so you could understand then the experience leaving the airport after arrival probably sums it up. After securing our fare the taxi driver in his little yellow and well worm minivan didn’t let the fact he was caught in a row of other taxis with curbs either side stop him. He simply reverses into the taxi behind for space and proceeds to mount the curb and head off.

It’s a little rough around the edges but man will it surprise you

The sprawling medina guarantees to get you lost in a maze of tiny streets lined with clothing (clothing may or may not be knockoff goods from China), jewellery, oils and spices. At times It was like being stuck in a packed nightclub as you fight your way to the bar for another beer. To really appreciate it and explore the Zitouna Mosque located in the heart of the medina, your best to explore early in the morning so you can admire the old town without the chaos under your feet.

If the medina gets too much then head north via train to the Roman ruins of Carthage. A 3000 year old city that for its age still has some pretty amazing sights to behold. At a cost of just 9,000 Dinar plus 1,000 to take photos (5 Euros) you can gain entry to all the sites that make up Carthage. It’s worth noting that to see everything you need to make a day of it, especially in the warm weather given hour much walking is involved between each section. Carthage is serviced by four train stops on the TGM rail line, the best stop being Carthage Hannibal. From there you can roam to the Antonine Baths and onwards.

In addition to the above, Tunis houses some great museums along with the Cathedral of St. Vincent de Paul. The largest remaining building left over from the days when the French called the shots. The French did however leave some amazing traits like the Avenue Habib Bourguiba that runs right through the middle of Tunis.

On top of everything to see and do the food in my mind was out of this world. It was so good in fact I ended up ordering the same meal two nights in a row. Nestled away down a side street off Avenue Habib Bourguiba was La Huchette. It was at this restaurant I lost my Berber Lamb virginity. Cooked in a large ceramic pot the staff tip it straight onto your plate where the meat almost falls apart on its own as it lands.

Over the course of the weekend trip to Tunis I went from apprehensive to enjoying the chance to explore a country that is still somewhat unwritten about in todays traditional travel mediums. And while not all the experiences were a joyous one, like their love for smoking in and around everything. From the restaurant to the hotel lobby no area was off-limits for that little cancer stick. Something as minor as that won’t stop me planning my visit Tunisia 2.0 experience for sooner rather than later and I hope you all do the same.

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Thanks for checking out my post - Visit Tunisia. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

The Antonine Baths of Carthage make up part of the 3000 year old city located approximately 15km north of Tunis in Tunisia. Wandering around the site it was amazing to see how much of the city has survived, especially some of the tile work that would have once been marvelled at by the Romans back in the day.

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Thanks for checking out my post - Antonine Baths of Carthage. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

While some still claim to leave their gadgets at home and disconnect when they set off to travel, there are a majority that cling desperately to their online life wherever they end up. When moving to London it can be your lifeline to assure the family back home that everything is fine and secondly to help you get setup in London with accommodation, a job and for finding things to see and do in those early days of being here. When I arrived in London I had both my Macbook and an iPhone which while not essential did make my life easier in those first few days.

Some cafe’s will have wifi available (ask if there is no sign just in case), but for guaranteed free wifi connections you can seek out the big chains like Starbucks, Le Pain Quotidien or McDonalds for a normally reliable connection to the outside world. Alternatively if you don’t want to invest in dedicated mobile broadband devices it might be worth looking into getting a Boingo account. This gives you access to the thousands of wifi hotspots connected with BT and other providers right across the UK. Testing I’ve done with my account has been good and you’ll never be short of finding a wifi network to connect either.

If you would rather not be seeking out free wifi in a London cafe (especially in winter) then all the major phone and broadband providers offer some great mobile options to get both your phone and computer online wherever you may find yourself.

Unless you hold a British or European passport of some sort most providers will not let you go on contract for broadband devices or mobile phones. Your best option is to look at the Pay and Go offers from the big providers like O2, Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile. They all offer similar deals for USB dongles and mobile phone plans but I’ve found that O2 (basically the Telstra of the UK) provides decent reception and pricing.

For those of you bringing smartphone’s with you I’ve been using the Text + Web Pay and Go plan (See here for all plans) which depending on the amount you pay gives you the following options:

• Top-up £10–£14 and get 300 UK texts, 500MB UK data
• Top-up £15–£29 and get 500 UK texts, 500MB UK data
• Top-up £30+ and get unlimited UK texts, 500MB UK data

Since moving to London I’ve managed to survive here topping up 10 pound each month and as I very rarely make calls always have extra credit. One thing to note for heavy internet users is that once you reach your 500MB of data in the 30 day period they charge you a maximum of 1 Pound per day no matter how much data you use that day until your 30 days is over.

If you find the house you move into doesn’t have internet (almost all do from my experience) then a USB dongle might be your only option for internet at home. None offer the same speeds some of you might be used to back home but cost wise they are reasonable affordable even for budget travellers..

I’ve only had experience with O2 but again the other providers offer similar plans and speeds so you can shop around. Full details can be found here on costs and so forth but the basic deal I took when getting here is that you buy the USB dongle outright for around 20 pounds and then pick one of the two plans:

• Mobile Broadband Monthly (available for 30 days) £10.21 for 1GB
• Mobile Broadband Monthly (available for 30 days) £15.32 for 2GB

Your data allowance lasts 30 days but if you use it up sooner you can top up again to get an extra 1GB or 2GB of data. I don’t use my USB dongle much anymore but it’s come in handy on trips around the UK when wifi has been unavailable.

The internet is an amazing tool for any traveller looking at moving to London. It helped me find a place to live, get directions via my phone to some amazing parts of London and most of all it keeps me connected with family and friends all over the world.

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Thanks for checking out my post - Moving to London – Getting Internet. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

While roaming the Medina in Tunis a couple of weeks ago I spotted many of these shops selling all sorts of spices just like this stacked up on the street. While I’ve not a clue what most of the bags contained, I have to admit I wish this was how I bought my spices instead of out of expensive little jars at the supermarket.

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Thanks for checking out my post - Tunisian Spices. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

Moving abroad to live in London is fraught with what if’s and how do I moments. I remember searching online until late in the night many a time working out how I go about getting setup in London. I wanted to know everything before getting here as a way to make sure the transition was as easy as possible for myself. Be it the big things like finding accommodation and getting a job right down to learning how the Tube works, finding wifi and what sim card is best for my iPhone.

As a result of wanting to know that and following in the footsteps of other successful posts (How Much It Cost To Backback Europe and How To Get A Youth Mobility Visa) that were written to answer the questions I once had, I bring you a new series aimed at Getting Setup In London. This time it’s all about making life easier for other travellers looking to take the leap into life here. I’ll answer all the little questions I wanted to know about getting setup in London but couldn’t find out anywhere else until I got here and lived it.

Starting at the beginning, the first thing most people will experience in London is riding the Tube. Grabbing an Oyster card right away will make life easier, save you a few pounds and help you avoid the queues at ticket machines. An Oyster card is the cheapest and easiest way to get around on trains, tubes, bus’s and trams right around London.

Getting a card is as simple as visiting one of the attended train station information windows and handing over a 5 pound deposit (refundable on return of the card). It’s worth adding a few pounds credit to the card to begin with until you become accustomed to the transport system and can work out the best deal for you.

For an idea on just what getting around on London transport costs with your Oyster Card I’ve included some pricing below:

• Zone 1 & 2 Day Travel Pass – £8.40
• Zone 1 & 2 Weekly Travel Pass – £29.20
• Single Bus Journey – £1.35

For a list of all fare costs check out the TFL site which has a really comprehensive breakdown.

One thing worth knowing about the Tube system in London, it’s always breaking down. The Tube is notorious for delays and having several lines over the weekend closed for maintenance and upgrades. To help combat this problem always check the TFL website for status updates over the weekend and know your local bus routes like the back of your hand.

There is also the little case of the Tube network closing for the night around the 12 – 12:30 mark. Many a time I’ve been out enjoying myself and been stuck trying to find my way home via bus because the Tube was closed. While the Tube is great be sure to take note of the many bus lines running all night. You never know when you might need one after a night out drinking pints with your mates.

And for those travelling with iPhones like me, I’ve found a couple of really cool apps that can help with planning and when you get umm… lost. The first is a free app called TubeMap which gives you details about the Tube including a Map, Route Planning and Service Updates to know when a line is not running. This app was much easier to use than the littler paper maps and it helps you look a little less like a tourist on day one.

The second app, Travel Deluxe is an all singing all dancing travel planner. It covers all forms of transport in London and includes a helpful locate me option which you can then use to navigate the best way home no matter what time it is or where you are. This one does cost but really whats a couple of pounds compared to a taxi ride home from who knows where?

And lastly for a humours insight into travelling on the Tube check out this Michael McIntyre video clip. What makes it even funnier is that I’ve seen the things he talks about happen myself.

Photo Credit: tompagenet

If you are planning to stay in Sydney soon then check out Hotel Club Sydney for all your accommodation needs.

Related posts:

1. The London Transport Blues
2. The London Blitz at Aldwych Station

Thanks for checking out my post - Getting Setup In London – Transport. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

When the offer to go touring Glasgow landed in my inbox I nearly jumped out of my chair at work and gave myself a Hi 5. You see originally I’d intended to split my two year working holiday visa between Scotland and England. Alas plans changed so much that after 18 months abroad this was my first foray into the northern country.

Armed with a train ticket provided by Red Spotted Hanky, accommodation with thanks to Thistle Hotel Glasgow and three of my best travel blogging buddies from London the scene was set for an epic weekend sampling the Scottish lifestyle.

Many would argue that I should have visited Edinburgh for my first trip north, but to honest that’s almost to cliché as everybody says to go there (no offence Edinburgh). To me Glasgow doesn’t have that look at me feel like its neighbour, its more like a mate who’s always there to have a beer with you when you need it no matter your mood.

Still there are plenty of attractions for everyone to see, but again there is no attitude like you have with Paris and its plethora of famous landmarks. The grand old Glasgow Cathedral which at one point actually served as three churches stands its ground looking like it might have gone 3 rounds in a backyard fight and been dragged through the mud for added grittiness.

While on the other side of town you will find the Transport Museum saddled up next the River Clyde. If only that river could talk I’d imagine the stories it would tell of the great shipbuilding era would be some for the record books. After all, the city was such a leader in the heavy engineering industry for so long and it all happened right on that river.

As for the Transport Museum, well it’s like a boys toy store. With cars, motorbikes and trains stacked up the walls as high as the ceiling. I’ve long had a love for anything with a motor so any chance to swan around them and pretend I know more than I really do (in typical guy fashion) is always a hit.

The only tourist attraction I’d advise you to possibly hold off taking is the sightseeing bus, unless of course you’re a wooly mammoth because OMG does it get chilly sitting on a bus with no roof in Scotland. I’ve never ridden one of these bus’s before and while it’s a great way to see the city and snap a few photos, you’d want to be there in the middle of summer so as not to punish yourself like we did.

Luckily Glasgow has some of the most relaxed and on point pubs I’ve had the chance to visit in a while so had ample time to warm up. I won’t go into too much detail as Justin has captured my thoughts exactly over on his 48 Hour’s in Glasgow post. Just take it from this beer swilling Australian, you won’t struggle to find a pub with character.

My big takeaway from my stay in Glasgow was just how nice the people were to you. Be it entering or leaving a shop the person behind the counter always had a pleasant greeting for you. The Chef staff at our hotel on both mornings also made time to greet some of the guests during breakfast (which I have to say was what I’d call a proper full breakfast) and even people in the street felt genuinely friendly.

It didn’t matter that the weather was of the less than fantastic scale. The city just made me feel like it was a great old mate and while you have your ups and downs a good time is always guaranteed to provide a fun time.

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Thanks for checking out my post - Touring Glasgow. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

While in Sweden recently I managed to snap a few sunset photos as it gets dark so early in the winter. This one, taken in the Main Square of Lund happened around 3 – 3:30pm. Having lived in the UK for some time now I’m getting used to the sun setting earlier than it does back home in Australia. When it’s going down closer to lunch time than dinner time however I start to get a bit twitchy, even if they are rather eye catching.

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Thanks for checking out my post - Lund Main Square At Sunset. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

This past weekend I spent time in the province of Skane (or Skåne) visiting the towns of Ystad, Lund and Malmo which all call the southern area of Sweden home. The last time I was in Sweden I travelled direct from Copenhagen to Stockholm and never even considered stopping to look around this part of the country. I was fixated on visiting the city I’d read about and heard in the news and so on.

I’ll be honest though, had I not been invited by Visit Sweden I don’t think I’d have ever set foot in this part of the world. The thing is though, it’s these little parts of the world that you’ve never heard of that often result in some of the most amazing experiences on your travels. These hidden pockets are the one you always remember well while the stories of Paris and Rome soon fade.

So here’s why I think you should visit Skane and add the towns of Ystad, Lund and Malmo to your travels next time you find yourself in Sweden.

Ystad unbeknownst to me is home to Wallander (think cop show like Frost), a Swedish TV Series. It even has its own English spin-off and between the two series has racked up some 26 movies. I took a tour of the town and the movie studio while there and was amazed by how much of the town is featured in the movies. Perhaps I’m just caught in my Neighbours frame of mind where the same backdrops are used over and over.

You will also find that Ystad has it’s very own night watchman. A tradition dating back to at least the 17th century a lonesome guard blows his horn every 15 minutes from the 4 cardinal points of the tower at St Maria’s Church to let the town know everything is safe and well. While more a symbolic figure these days as the guard doesn’t work all night and the police do all the hard work its a fascinating tradition that I’d never heard of before.

Sunrise in Ystad as seen from my Hotel

Lund is where you will find Lund University, one of Northern Europe’s most highly regarded. The statement must be true because of the 110,000 people who call the city home, 40,000 of them are students.

It was here that I also learnt just how much the swedes love their sushi. Yep you heard right sushi is big here and when you consider the stuff I inhaled at Rå Epok it’s no wonder why. I may still have an untamed palate for sushi but the fact nobody at the table with me held back is enough for me to recommend you check these guys out.

Sushi at Ra Epok

When your done feasting just a short stroll up the road looms Lund Cathedral and Kulturen, an open air museum. The second oldest museum of its type (only bested by Skansen in Stockholm) you will find a range of culturally important items and buildings documenting Sweden’s architectural and cultural past.

Finally you have uber cool Malmo. When a city can lay claim to the highest number of restaurants per inhabitant, a list of boutique clothes stores as long as your arm and a chilled night life you know you’re onto a winner. And if all of that isn’t enough, Copenhagen is only 30 minutes train ride away across the Oresund strait.

For me Malmo’s Old Town was a joy to stroll around as the pedestrian streets fork off in all directions lined with shops as far as the eye can see. The Town Hall dominates the main square here, while just behind it lies Lila Torg. A smaller square surrounded with restaurants that you can tell would become a mecca for anybody looking to relax after a days work or just used to escape the cold of the Swedish winter and enjoy a nice warm mug of Glogg.

Malmo Old Town

While I only got to scrape the surface of what you can see and do during my visit Skane weekend I have to say for a part of the world that I knew nothing about, I’m itching to get back. The only thing missing from my winter experience of Sweden was the snow.

The region was magical without it but I can’t help but feel cheated out of my life long dream to experience a truly magical snow experience and what better country than Sweden to do that in I ask you.

Related posts:

1. Lund Main Square At Sunset

Thanks for checking out my post - Visit Skane, Sweden. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

I’ve had some interesting experiences eating out while abroad, but none as much fun as what went on in South Korea recently. Imagine three guys (the other two being John and Paul) roaming the streets unable to read, speak or even comprehend Korean and it was a recipe for a good time whichever way you spun it. Our story of eating in Korea isn’t a nightmare food story though, oh no we ate like kings and laughed so hard it hurt.

The adventure into Korean food started with a good old Korean BBQ at a local restaurant not far from our first hotel. Navigating the I speak English you speak Korean barrier we sat and basically watched as the staff did all the work. The staff ordered for us, cooked for us and even deciphered Paul’s chicken dance moves to notion that we wanted to eat chicken (we think anyway). We ate well and were rather pleased with what had been accomplished until the bowl of liquid arrived.

It was clear with a bit of seaweed floating around in the bottom and had you seen our faces and known just how much we like a laugh the next words uttered might not have seemed so weird. Do we drink it or wash our hands in it? Some ten minutes or more passed as we sniffed, laughed and eventually tasted it (taste didn’t suggest it was so good for eating either) before we silently pushed the bowls aside, finishing our beers and departing hoping we didn’t look like complete fools on our first night in South Korea.

The second incident we’ll call it happened the following night. On the hunt to try local food as much as possible we found ourselves in a form of noodle bar. The directions on the wall might have been useful for some but we aimed for the menu and picked the meal that looked good, Bibim Naengmyong. It looked good and after a long day we were keen to eat a good hot noodle dish…

Turns out the noodles are served cold and are more of a summer dish we were later informed. We battled on and attempted to eat the noodles, umm well chew the noodles, ok maybe slurp the slippery bastards that seemed to be made of an invisible string substance that stopped them from being chewed.

Seriously these are like the superman of noodles and resisted all attempts to be eaten. The first challenge was to hold just a couple noodles and then chew them without either laughing, choking as u couldn’t chew them or wonder if the serving guy standing not a meter away was laughing hilariously in his head.

At some point we noticed scissors on the table and thought could these be for the noodles… no they couldn’t be, who uses scissors to eat their food. It was clear what we were doing was wrong but what if the scissors were like the soup/wash your hands liquid? Would we be laughed at for cutting our noodles or were they really there to save you the 30min+ of struggle with just chop sticks.

Eventually hunger got the better of me and after a quick motion to the guy behind the counter we learnt that you were in fact supposed to use the scissors to cut our superman noodles. It still felt wrong and Paul tried to resist as long as possible but when your fighting your noodles as well as the chilli burning sensation from the dish nobody can hold out forever.

It wasn’t all a great big adventure eating in Korea, we did find some amazing bar snacks that we named Hula Hoops because well what else would you call these delicious bar snacks that look like hula hoops.

Eating out abroad is always a joy but it’s never been that much fun in any of the countries I’ve visited so far. So it got me thinking if three guys can get into this much hilarity eating out then surely you guys as readers have some funny stories of your own that I’d love you to share in the comments below. It’s for our mutual enjoyment I promise.

If you want to experience what it’s like to eat out in Seoul then check out some of the cheap international flights available these days and do it for yourself. The experience of seeing another part of the world is worth every penny.

Related posts:

1. Prayer Ribbons At The DMZ South Korea

Thanks for checking out my post - Eating Out In South Korea. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

The beauty of Wales is that out of all the countries in the world it’s the closest to being the source of a real life once upon a time fairytale in my opinion. Winding tree encroached roads lead off to hidden forests as they fork out across the country. Castles sprout up from the ground as they battle to exist after years of punishment from the elements. It’s a country you could easily imagine was the set to a real life damsel in distress story.

Most of the world wouldn’t argue that Wales is considered the land of castles while others might think of it as the land of rain instead. Luckily my weekend stay in Cardiff was mostly rain free and it was the castles and countryside representing in full force.

Caerphilly Castle

Looking around as I drove out of Cardiff I couldn’t help but wonder what life was like way back in the day if everything is still so lush and beautiful now. Would the trees have been even more abundant, would the rivers and creeks have flowed with force and did it really rain as much a people say it does back then.

Woods Outside Cardiff

I’ve never hid the fact that I’m in Europe for its long and rich history. I love seeing buildings that have been around for years and imagining who once lived there. Were they rich/poor, a pillar of the community or a dirty rotten thief only looking after himself. I wish every castle, house and pathway could speak and tell the long history of its existence. Would the castle tell me of the wealth and knowledge that has passed through its doors or would it show scandal and long forgotten secrets?

Cardiff Castle Keep

Being surrounded by so many of those I wish I knew moments in Wales was an absolute thrill. The best part was all of this happened within a short distance of Cardiff, there is still some 400 or so castles to find spread out across the rest of Wales. Let alone the other significant buildings and stories of its long history.

All I know is that after a weekend there I just want to rent a car and set off up the coast and explore those winding roads and castles for myself. Perhaps I’ll find a damsel to rescue in one of those big old castles or maybe I’ll just sit and marvel at them and imagine the stories they could tell me.

Many thanks to the great folks at Visit Wales for sponsoring my weekend stay in Cardiff and organising everything to get me there and show me around.

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Thanks for checking out my post - The Beauty of Wales. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.