As I’ve said before, we are two of the most indecisive people I know. We came to Italy with a brief outline of an itinerary, but after getting half way through we wanted to switch things up a bit. One evening we decided to enquire about visiting an agritourismo, Italy’s network of farmhouses that allow visitors to experience rural life, and within a few hours we had a reservation at Agritourismo Pietreto.
[Read more...]
Under the Tuscan Clouds
Bedless in a Big City
While traveling around India we arrived at 2am to Paraharaganj, a seedy old area of Delhi with no hotel booked and a feeling of anxiety as to where we could sleep that night. After walking around aimlessly for a significant amount of time we began to see the rewards of booking ahead especially in large capital cities and the rewards just might out way the “fly by the seat of your pants” travel style that we normally value.

While we wouldn’t normally think to use a search engine to find accommodations, WOTIF asked us to review their site which functions in a familiar manner but is unique in the way that it specializes in finding hotels and guesthouses.
A search engine focused solely on finding a place to stay could definitely come in handy that is certain. Now we had to see how well the service worked, for us specifically.
For us, we focus on hostels and guesthouses, along with 1 and 2 star hotels, which was no problem for us to select due to the easy to use options menu. Once you type in your search criteria, the available accommodation for your destination is displayed nicely in a format which allows you to access information on which rooms are free and how much they cost. Once you select a suitable room, the proceedings are as with many search engine sites.
WOTIF is promoting their India hotels and for such a challenging and sometimes difficult country to backpack WOTIF could certainly make things easier for those looking to prebook or are nervous about finding accommodation on foot.
Of course, some remote areas may require doing research of your own, and reserving on your own at the time of arrival. However, arriving in a large city may be overwhelming and intimidating to a first time visitor. Cities such as Rome, New York, Paris, Manila, or you are searching for Delhi hotels or Mumbai hotels, WOTIF may be just what your looking for.
*This post is supported by Wotif.com
Almost Locale in Firenze
Standing in front of the famous Ponte Vecchio watching as tour groups and elderly tourists shuffled amongst us shoving 4€ gelato in their mouth with one hand and balancing an arm full of boutique shopping bags on the other, I did not know what to think of Florence at first.
[Read more...]
Pastas, Piazzas, and an Increasing Gelato Count in Roma
While it is known that Italy is not exactly a budget travelers destination, the accommodation in Rome is nothing short of shocking when even a hostel dorm runs on average 30 euro per person. When we found a room with shared bathroom for 35 euro for the two of us, we felt we had hit the jackpot.

[Read more...]
Back breaking fun, off to Italy!
The day before we were departing for Italy, I woke up with a stiff back, barely able to move. We decided that we would simply go to the walk in clinic and get some muscle relaxers, which would surely be the answer to my pain. As I waited for Nick to get ready, I suddenly felt very weak. I called my paramedic boyfriend down to see what was wrong and with a few checks of my seriously low blood pressure, and a worried look after not being able to find my radial pulse, he decided to call an ambulance. 9 hours later, we left the emergency room with some painkillers (see picture) and heart monitor sticker marks that I still can’t get off. It turns out I got positive results on all the tests I took, and with that in mind I told Nick we were definitely still leaving the next day.
[Read more...]
Where to find Shangri La? – Comparing 3 Himalayan Kingdoms
It might be one of the most overused cliches in the travel universe but the idea of a kingdom deep in the Himalaya’s inspired by James Hilton’s classic Lost Horizon has thousands of backpackers and jet setters alike grabbing their warm coats and hiking boots in search of this mystical kingdom.
Photo Essay – 10 Spiritual Places in Asia
Asia as a destination offers a kaleidoscope of religions and belief systems for the traveler to experience. There is certainly no shortage of spiritual places usually alive and buzzing with the faithful who arrive in droves to worship. Often some of our best experiences were simply wondering around these unique and inspiring places getting a glimpse into a belief system completely alien from our own sometimes joined by a knowledgeable local who would explain their faith.
The sheer amount of temples, mosques,pagoda’s and shrines throughout the continent is mind blowing but this post highlights the top 10 that we wont soon forget.
Top Three Beach Destinations (for those ready to leave the all inclusives behind)
Since being back home and settling into somewhat of a normal existence we have been busy planning our next long haul. When we speak of our plans to travel from Eastern Europe and into the Middle East the majority roll their eyes and with a puzzled expression say ” That sounds great, but I have no interest in that area of the world”.






