jollyjetsetter

Well, the last leg of the tour also just had to incorporate a gradual day-long inch-our-way-south drive which took in as many points of interest as a day would permit, but this was a familiar procedure by now, so careful route-planning was more in the shape of mental than written notes. The first stop-off point was the colourful hillside town of Bosa, which I somehow suspect has been overlooked somewhat by visitors to the island who prefer to stay in more established tourist centres. A local market added to the town's atmosphere, and the town's main square revealed traces of building styles which were actually prevalent across the whole island. However, Bosa also did seem to have an identity all of its own, and a view of the colourful houses encrusted into the hillside drew parallels ... read more

OK, I admit, I am not expecting to win any awards for these titles, but at least they go to show that the week-long stay in Sardinia has put me in sufficiently high spirits. The next location for the hotel stay was in a rural setting perched midway between Alghero's airport and the Mussolini-planned town of Fertilia, stemming from the neo-fascist era of occupation. En route, there was a lot of terrain to be covered, and as such, an entire day was devoted to doing precisely that - a leisurely scenic drive through dramatic landscapes and noteworthy towns and settlements. The first stop-off point was a rural one, and the rocky landscapes of the Valle della Luna (valley of the moon) provided a couple of photo opportunities, as well as a chance to get to grips ... read more

I do believe this is the first blog entry which touches upon Italy, and though I am no stranger to either the nation, its culture, or indeed the ins and outs of Italian language, this was the first foray to Sardinia proper. The first port of call on this multi-leg journey was the Spa town of Sardara, where a spa bathe was abandoned in favour of lunch in Sardara town. Further towards the first hotel location, the town of Siniscola provided a snapshot of small-town Sardinian life, and also enabled us to stock up on essential provisions which were to last the rest of the week. The setting for the first hotel stay was the north-eastern town of Olbia, and a perfect base from which to sample the delights of the island's Emerald Coast. The centrally-located ... read more

Despite the status of Leipzig being far less of a tourist magnet than Dresden, among the city's claims to fame are its lively student population, and the fact that it played host to a few key matches in the 2006 Football World Cup tournament. In recent times, money has been poured into the development of the city to elevate its status somewhat, and perhaps the best piece of evidence of this is the brand spanking new 400 million euro shopping complex tagged onto Leipzig's main station, which is itself Europe's largest in terms of floor space. Roughly speaking, the city's chief attractions are all enclosed within a ring road, within which all the prominent public buildings and commercial areas are located. One of the city's most striking buildings is the Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall), situated ... read more

Dresden - exactly what imagery does the very mention of the city's name conjure up? Well, on a negative note, wartime destruction for one, but on a more positive scale, try breathtaking building styles, positive energy, VW car production and a few other noteworthy reference points besides. Modern-day Dresden is easily the biggest tourist magnet in the entire region, and is evidence of just how much the city has come along in leaps and bounds since the fall of the iron curtain. Staying at a well-fitted hotel in the Neustadt (new town) area was a strategic move, as the whole area is well-supplied with a fair few restaurants, shops and entertainment options which give the entire place a student-oriented youthful feel, which is in itself a pleasant contrast from the relics-of-the-past strewn Altstadt (Old town). A ... read more

Not a great title, but it is the best I could manage when attempting to put together a report on the northern coast of Wales and the Wirral in western England, conducted in immediate succession from the flash tour of southern Wales. The first port of call was the rural island of Anglesey, which is largely overlooked by tourists, as it is best described as a Welsh outpost with a few key reference points which put the island on the map. Separated from mainland Wales by the Menai Straits, the trunk road which leads to Holyhead, the island's chief town, is the quickest way to traverse the full length of the island, but not, might I add the prettiest route. Nor is the town itself, in my view, anything too worthy of picture-postcard material, but the ... read more

I'll explain the title of this blog entry as I go along, though it is hoped that these reflections make it clear as to what I am hinting at. Despite being on my very doorstep, this was my very first foray into Wales, and the first port of call was the bona fide Welsh capital city of Cardiff, a city of rapidly growing economic status, and the best piece of evidence that there's a sense of energy and dynamism about the country which may take some people aback. Staying in the Cardiff Bay area was a real plus, because the developments along Atlantic Wharf, including the striking Millennium Centre are bona fide tourist attractions in their own right, and it made for an interesting travel experience in itself catching the aqua bus along the river Taff ... read more

Upon arrival in Oslo by late-evening train from Lillehammer, what awaited me was a jaunt around the remaining Scandinavian capital city I had not hitherto visited. Already slightly attuned to the cost of living and more prepared for a continuation of a holiday in a cold climate, assessing what Oslo boasted was made easier thanks to the value-for-money Oslo pass, which allows the visitor unlimited travel on public transport as well as free admission to a whole host of attractions, the majority of which were the city's mighty fine crop of museums. The first full day, however, was intended as a get-a-feel-for-the-place style stroll around central Oslo, with the intended purchases in mind, and a budget which needed to be respected if all were to be achieved as planned. The city's shopping malls, namely Oslo City ... read more

Pre-conceptions of Norway before boarding the Oslo-bound flight were of a clean, pricey nation blessed with awesome natural features, a high standard of living, a civilized society and the only existing country on earth with no external debt. Upon arrival in this Scandinavian country, it soon became apparent that all of these pre-conceptions were not only true, but palpably so, in the sense that you could actively 'feel' the shocking expense, the standard of living, the cleanliness and, surrounded by nature in the likeable ski resort town of Hafjell, the effects seeped into my system, in a way which made it hard to even contemplate how contrasting the place might have looked if the blanket of snow were removed. The ski terrain itself, while being relatively limited, was enough scope for a full 5 days of ... read more

The address this time around is Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the stop is very much itinerant, hence the necessity to see the city on a whirlwind tour. The question is, just how much could be crammed into half a day in the Malaysian capital? The answer is, a fair amount, since this was my third visit to KL, and the basic layout of the city still remained stuck in my mind since previous visits. The most iconic symbol of KL happens to be the twin Petronas Towers, and if you haven't seen them in person before, then you're in for a sizeable treat, since this structure still wows and awestrikes like never before, and is also a companion piece to the single-structure of needle-like KL tower, and hints at the dynamic edge to the Malaysian capital city. ... read more