All posts by Justin Sundberg

London, What to See or Do

London Walking Tour, Part 2: River and Arts

Every city is best seen on foot! Instead of simply checking off all the sights on the Trip Advisor list, you can experience the essence of a city by walking. The architecture, the style, and the energy of a city may be overlooked when rushing from one site to the next. So, instead of experiencing the traffic and congestion of a city, walk to absorb all the niceties.

London is a big town, and there are many walks that are worthwhile. This short walk of 2.5 miles (4.0 km), from St. Paul’s Cathedral to Parliament, shows you a solid bit of London, and puts you in position for the most sightseeing. This is the second part of my three-part, 6.7-mile (10.8-km) recommended walk.

Keep in mind that this is not a power walk. Travelers should stop to take pictures, watch people, explore sites, and have a coffee (or a tea, because it’s England).

This is a continuation from London Walking Tour, Part 1, but if you’re starting on Part 2, start at the St. Paul’s Underground Station.

St. Paul’s Cathedral

Start at the magnificent St. Paul’s Cathedral. Some may choose to go to a church service at the cathedral, which might require a little planning with their service times. Or you can just explore the inside of the cathedral. I also enjoyed walking around the outside of the cathedral, taking pictures of its many angles.

I will note, when I was there, I couldn’t go inside to take photos or explore because a church service was starting.

Millennium Bridge


Once you’ve gotten your fill of St. Paul’s Cathedral, cross the Thames via the Millennium Bridge. This pedestrian-only bridge connects the old City of London to the South Bank cultural scene. Across the bridge and directly to the east (left) is Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, where they have tours to review its history and its restoration, and they also have shows.

Directly across from the bridge’s end is the Tate Modern.

Tate Modern

The Tate Modern is a museum of modern art. Many people may want to check it out, since it has some great, funky modern art. Did I mention it’s free? You can pop in and out without feeling obligated to “get your money’s worth” from the admission ticket. But it is an impressive facility.

The Tate is a converted power station, and it has a lot of interesting history outright.

When you are done at the Tate, head back to the Thames.

There’s a path along the bank of the river that heads west. Follow it.

Thames Bank

The bank of the Thames is a nice walk. Enjoy the calm of the water as you stroll past shops and buildings. I stopped for coffee along this path at the OXO Tower Wharf.

It was here that I found something most interesting: in London, there are newspapers that are absolutely free. As I was sipping a latte, I watched as Londoners finished work and stopped past the coffee shop to grab the day’s news in the Evening Standard, a free newspaper that was a real newspaper with the day’s news stories.

I had a brief conversation with a gentleman, and he found it odd that the only papers that are free in the US are ones that contain mostly ads (apartment listings, etc.).

Continue along the Thames to the National Theatre, one of many theaters along the Thames. If you are a theater connoisseur, this is a great place for you.

There are also many art venues near the National Theater.

Right past the National Theatre is the Hungerford Railway and the Golden Jubilee Pedestrian Bridges. Go a short distance past them to get a better look at or go for a ride on the London Eye.

Next, go back to the Golden Jubilee bridge and cross the Thames. Once you cross the river, directly to the left (south) is Whitehall Gardens. It’s a large palace with beautiful gardens. Walk inside the palace walls to cut through and see the gardens. It’s interesting: London’s gardens are full of people. In the US, people normally only sit on benches, but in London the parks are full of people who just sit on the grass, even without blankets.

Continue through the Whitehall Gardens. When you get back on the street, look ahead down Victoria Embankment, look up, and see Big Ben. Big Ben is the famous clock tower that is the northernmost tower of the UK’s Parliament building. Walk down Victoria Embankment until you are across the street from Big Ben. Westminster Underground Station will also be on your right.

This ends the second London walk, from St. Paul’s Cathedral to Parliament, and it will continue with London Walking Tour, Part 3.

London, What to See or Do

London Walking Tour, Part 1: Towers and Bridges

Every city is best seen on foot! Instead of simply checking off all the sights on the Trip Advisor list, you can experience the essence of a city by walking. The architecture, the style, and the energy of a city may be overlooked when rushing from one site to the next. So, instead of experiencing the traffic and congestion of a city, walk to absorb all the niceties.

London is a big town, and there are many walks that are worthwhile. This short walk of 2.5 miles (4.0 km), from the Tower of London to St. Paul’s Cathedral, shows major views and unique views of London, and puts you in position for the most sightseeing. This is the first part of my three-part, 6.7-mile (10.8-km) recommended walk. 

This walk is about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) and begins at the London Wall, near the Tower Hill underground station. It is also a short walk from Wombat’s hostel, our recommended London hostel. The London Wall is the largest remaining piece of the Roman wall built around 200 A.D. It’s a landmark, and interested travelers can read about it on the landmark’s signs.

Tower of London

picture of a wise-looking beerfeater, an English guard who still wears Renaissance-like clothing. He was the tour guide.Very nearby is the Tower of London, one of the London must-sees. The Tower is considered the premier among London’s castles. Travelers might be interested in seeing the Crown jewels. I highly recommend taking a tour of the White Tower led by one of the Beefeaters, the guardians of the Tower of London.

a picture of a sign in the grassy courtyard that warns that the ravens may mightYou may notice that there are ravens in the tower. The ravens are closely guarded by the Beefeaters, for legend has it that if there are no ravens in the Tower, the country and the monarchy will fall. I highly recommend touring the Tower of London.

 St. Katherine Docks

St Katherine's Dock with a wine glass in the foregroundAfter you’ve toured the Tower of London, cross Tower Bridge Road and head over to St. Katherine Docks for lunch. There you’ll find a lot of restaurants and shopping. Go to CAU Steakhouse for some quality fish and chips (a London standard) and a glass of wine.

 There are more shops, more restaurants, and nice yachts to see, but when you’re ready, head across the Tower Bridge.

quality photograph of the tower bridgeTower Bridge

 Tower Bridge is the most iconic bridge in London.

 Tours are available if you’re interested. Otherwise, cross the bridge. Enjoy the views of the Thames.

After you cross the bridge, walk down the stairs to get to the riverside area, a place with a lot of very fancy restaurants. If you just had lunch at St. Katherine Dock, grab a coffee and enjoy the views.

 One Tower Bridge is home to some high-class shopping and art. Spend time exploring the area.

River Walk

Stroll along the Thames, enjoying the sights and sounds of the river while viewing the boutique shops, restaurants, and offices.

Once you get to the London Bridge, you won’t be able to walk along the river. Take your walk to Montague Close. This is a very interesting area! Walk through the curvy alleys to get to Clink Street. The Clink Street Prison is one of the most famous prisons in London.

Follow Clink Street to Bank End Place and turn north. This is another good place to just sit and people watch, and it also has more shopping and restaurants.

At Bank End Place, you are now back on the riverbank. Follow the river west until the path ends. Climb the stairs, cross the Southwark Bridge, and continue straight until come to Cannon Street. If you look left, you can see the South Transept (tower) of St. Paul’s Cathedral. Walk to St. Paul’s Cathedral to explore more.

This concludes the first part of the London Walking Tour. It continues at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London Walking Tour, Part 2.

Info & Tips

Types of Cruises

The cruise you take depends on your vacation style and preference.

To figure out what kind of cruise to take, you should know the main types of cruise. There are three main types: a touring cruise, a weekend cruise, and a repositioning cruise.

Touring Cruise

Touring cruises usually last about a week, and they have a new stop each day plus a day with no stop (a “sea day”). These are the most common, and they are a lot of fun.

These are amazing cruises because you see a lot of variety! You can visit several different places in one week, and you can have many excellent experiences at each place. The cruise line offers a variety of excursions at each stop.

Touring cruises have two types of excursions: sightseeing and adventure. Common sightseeing excursions include a walking tour o

f a city or a bus tour to nature or historic sites. Of course, there will be many selfie-sights:

Adventure excursions typically involve something active, such as zip-lining, snorkeling, hiking, or bicycling. Often they combine hiking or climbing to historic sights:

Weekend Cruise

Weekend cruises, also called “booze cruises,” are popular with the younger crowds. They’re typically open-bar weekend cruises to the Bahamas. The cruises stop for a day or two at the cruise company’s private beach for some more shenanigans. If you just want a weekend of decompression or partying, then it would be a great option. I honestly haven’t been on one of these cruises, but I know they exist and are enjoyed by many.

Repositioning Cruise

Repositioning cruises allow cruise ships to change home ports, such as when the Norwegian Bliss goes from Alaska in the summer to the Caribbean in the winter.

When a ship repositions along land, there are a lot of ports along the way. For instance, when a ship goes from being an Alaskan cruise, based in Seattle, to a Caribbean cruise, based in Miami, it might stop in Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Columbia, and Panama.

Repositioning can take place in any area in the world, but cruises that cross the Atlantic are so distinct that they’re specially called transatlantic cruises. A transatlantic cruise might have a port or two on either side of the journey, but they are notable for having about seven sea days. These cruises are all about the ship.

I love cruising on Norwegian because they have a jam-packed itinerary. For me, transatlantic cruises are the best opportunity to experience the ship you’ve paid for instead of spending most of your time on the ship sleeping.

Transatlantic cruises are about the ship and about the party:

 

 

 

Info & Tips

Embarkment Day and Boarding: What to Expect

The Cruise Terminal

In my most recent trip on the Norwegian Getaway, as part of the check-in process, Norwegian asked that I make a reservation to arrive at the cruise terminal. So, naturally, I chose one of the earlier time slots, about 10:00 a.m.

When I got there, it was a mess of people. The check-in time didn’t matter. Everyone was sent to a waiting area designated by their cabin class or location until their area was called to board the ship.

I learned that, instead of waiting in the terminal with a lot of confused, impatient cruisers, it is better to arrive after everyone has figured out what is what and has boarded the ship. No one should come early to wait in line. I’ve talked to others, and the consensus is to come two hours before you have to for no line. 

Some cruise terminals are simple, like in NYC, and you just arrive and go to your cruise because there’s only one ship. It took a little more time when I was in Barcelona because I needed to take a bus to the right ship. It was my first cruise, but per usual, asking random people where to go worked like a charm!

Luggage

You can drop your luggage with the cruise, and they will take it to your room. On my first cruise, I was a little unsure about this, but it works fine. They have a system. Just make sure your luggage is tagged with your name and cabin number.

On my first cruise, I just took it myself, figuring that if my luggage was misplaced, it would throw a wrench in my vacation. Now I just bring my separate airplane carry-on, which holds anything delicate or irreplaceable, like my computer, camera, and whatever else I could fit.

Ship Room Card

When you check into the cruise terminal, you’ll get your cruise card. You’ll need to show your passport and cruise ticket to get this. Your card is linked to your onboard account to make all spending super easy, of course. They will also take your picture.

Your card will also serve as your way to leave and reboard the ship. While I bring my passport with me at all ports, I’ve never once had to show it to anyone after the initial check-in. Crew members scan your room card to check you out of the ship and again to check you in.

Your card will also act as a credit card, letting you buy any items in the ship’s fairly extensive stores. While most items in the ship store are overpriced, over-the-counter medications are reasonably priced, as the ship has a vested interest in keeping everyone as healthy as possible.

International Safety Drill

It’s always exciting to board the ship, look around, and get a drink. You can do some exploring, but in my experience, not much is open until the ship, crew, and captain lead the muster drill. The muster drill is required to be reviewed with all cruise passengers within 24 hours in accordance with the International Convention of Safety of Life at Sea regulations and tells cruisers what to do in an emergency. It’s just like the flight attendants’ presentation before your plane takes off, but louder, as they usually sound the emergency horn as an example. You will have a specific area to check in for the drill, which will be designated on your room card.

The drill takes place about 30 minutes prior to sailing. Some cruise lines won’t even let you enter your room until the drill is complete. Either way, they scan your key card at the drill, and if you miss it, they’ll find you to go over it.

After the muster drill, the rest of the ship and its services will be open.

Go have fun—your cruise has finally started!

 

Ships

Ships

My theory on ships is simple–the bigger the ship, the bigger the budget for entertainment, activities, and staff.

Bigger ships have more restaurants, bars, classes, and fun facilities.

The facilities part is easy to conceive. The smaller ship I took in the Caribbean was the Carnival Splendor, which has a capacity of 3,006 passengers plus 1,150 crew. The Norwegian Bliss is more like the typical giant ship I take, which has a capacity of 4,002 passengers plus 1,700 crew.

3,000 passengers at $800 per passenger = $2.4 million as a base on which to base a budget
4,000 passengers at $800 per passenger = $3.2 million as a base on which to base a budget

For my transatlantic cruises, I love the huge ships. A transatlantic cruise is all about the ship!

I’ll detail each ship separately. Variety is always best–to give you the option to do something that fits your mood.

Traveling More for Less

Traveling More for Less: Airfare

One of the biggest travel expenses is airfare. Obviously, the cheapest solution is to drive, but who wants to spend four out of nine vacation days driving, assuming you’re taking a week off for vacation?

There’s an app I love called Skyscanner. Skyscanner checks all the airlines, including regional airlines. It will find every quirky combination of flights to get you to where you’r

e going. This could be United to Chicago, then Spirit to Kansas. My uncle swears by KAYAK, which when I checked listed identical flights. Another I’ve heard about is Hopper.

Pluses & Minuses

The upside is that it’s cheap. The downside is that if you don’t make a connection for your flight with multiple airlines, there’s no recourse from an airline. I’d make sure there’s at least a 90-minute layover, and I’d never do a connecting flight in the winter.

Icelandair

 

Special notation should be made for Icelandair. It isn’t in many of the flight apps, but it is usually the most consistent budget flight to Europe. The don’t have first class. They don’t have an app. Flights usually connect in Iceland.

How much savings? Back in the day, I got a round-trip to London for $400 (which is great, noting that the US and UK have high airport taxes). All you have to do is sit back and let them advertise an Icelandic vacation to you, which I didn’t even think about, but it totally looks cool!

I just checked, and they’re still the cheapest, but it’s only $50 or so.

Perks

Flying is also more affordable with points. Points are usually branded, like Delta SkyMiles on American Express or Southwest on Chase. These are great, but they spend fast. Often there’s a way to use points with cash, which allows for an inexpensive flight and leaves points for later.

Simply use your reward-earning card for everything. Some offer general points, redeemable for goods or even cash, like Wells Fargo Rewards. My advice to you is to save them to purchase an experience, like travel.

Since a flight is usually the biggest single cost of a vacation, it’s important to get a deal on it. I hope I’ve given useful tips and tricks that might allow you to spend less on traveling and more on vacationing.

Traveling More for Less

Travel More for Less

While traveling more is a very real possibility for everyone, but since we all have limited time and money, doing so requires a real skill.

Let’s assume we budget our personal spending like a company, so our travel is limited to a set approximate amount per year. It therefore follows that by spending less, we’re able to vacation more often.

Considerations

Waiting for the Perfect Time

I’ve needed a vacation for a while. I’ve been waiting for the perfect time, the time when work, client, financial, and familiar obligations all are at a minimum. A time that was perfect for my plans.

I’ve come to realize that there is never a perfect time. Or rather, the perfect time is now. Sometimes we have plans that seem like they would work perfect, but they just don’t. It’s after one realizes that life is whizzing by that one just gives it a go.

A trip to Paris right now may not be at the perfect time, but I’d rather go to Paris at a time that isn’t perfect than not go at all. I’m still going to have the fun and experiences of going to Paris! I can deal with any client or financial responsibilities when I get back.

Aimer la vie!Le seine

This post was originally posted on 08/13/2015 at:
https://www.sunnyspiritmn.com/waiting-for-the-perfect-time/
Paris, What to See or Do

Paris Walking Tour: Champs-Élysées

To experience Paris is to walk Paris, eat Parisian street food, talk to Parisians, and go to Parisian shops, rather than just looking around as you traverse from one tourist site to another.

One experience I highly recommend is the walk down Champs-Élysées. It would be best to give three hours or more to allow yourself to meander, window shop, go into stores, and sit while you embellish une patisserie and drink un café.

This prodigious promenade begins at Place de la Concorde, which is also the name of the metro station. Once you get out of the metro, take a look around this city square, where the focus is on an obelisk that was a gift from Egypt.

From here, walk along Champs-Élysées—it’s a straight shot to Arc de Triomphe, so you can put that in your phone to get started in the right direction.

As you begin your walk, you’ll want to get off the street and into the garden, which is mostly just a walking mall next to the street. There are fountains, and flowers, and people. Lots of beautiful people—c’est Paris!

After you pass through the Jardins des Champs-Élysées, you’ll come to a highly congested six-way stop. Cross Avenue Matignon and Avenue Franklin Delano Roosevelt to stay on Champs-Élysées. Once you do, you’ll be in the shopping and fashion center of the world!

It also happens to have many upscale Italian and French restaurants, but being one of the most visited places in the world, it has affordable alternatives, too, including the typical American chains, which you should avoid because you’re there to experience France. I recommend having a gourmet pastry (patisserie) and a glass of wine. Try getting a snack at Paul’s instead of McDonalds. This will keep your experience classy.

Go into the stores. Champs-Élysées features high-end fashion, but it has stores for everything. From gadgets to games, there can be something for everyone. To be sure, it is mostly fashion, including jewelry priced to last year’s salary and accessories to match any style of outfit.

Behold the power of magnets!

You also may be intrigued by checking out some supercars. With classic supercars at DS World Paris, about a block off the street, and the Aston Martin store showcasing some of today’s hottest new designs, there’s something for everyone. If you’re looking for French supercars, don’t forget to check out the Renault Cafe, which is actually on the main street. You can also go to the Peugeot Store to learn about the latest automotive technologies, such as maglev cars.

Sometimes you’ll find Lamborghinis and Ferraris simply parked on the cross streets.
People bring their cars to the west side of the street and just let kids climb inside. So if you have kids (of any age), you might be lucky enough to have this fun experience.

There are also some chain stores on Champs-Élysées. These are not cheap chains: they’re names like Ralph Lauren, BOSS, and Tiffany.

Try going beyond the main street. You’ll walk into a small mall with high ceilings, or sometimes an outdoor mall that is a substitute for an alley. Here you will find the independent designers and unique boutiques that you want to see.  Remember, the best fashion lines want to be on Champs-Élysées, but they don’t have the resources of the chains, and they don’t want the common tourists.

As you pass the fashion capital of the world, you’ll begin to approach the Arc de Triomphe. The arch has an interesting history: it took 30 years to construct it, and it remains an important French patriotic monument. It acts as the tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. More practically, it is in the center of the world’s biggest roundabout.

The walk from Place de la Concorde, down the Champs-Élysées, to the Arc de Triomphe is one of the most worthwhile experiences in Paris, and yet you won’t find it in most travel guides. If you take your time, have some delicious food and drink, and learn from what you see and read, you will start to understand Paris.