What’s your Hogwarts House?

I was hoping my next blog post would be celebrating England winning the World Cup in rugby, but after South Africa beat us 32-12 that isn’t going to happen. Still, it was fun to head to the pub at 9am to watch it with a bunch of other England supporters.

And one South African fan that made sure he could be seen from anywhere in the pub…

I was working that day at 2.30pm, so I only had a coffee. Honestly. The weather matched our mood as it poured down, a good day to work. This was the 2nd November, a few days ago so apologies for the late post. And thank you to everyone that commented on my last post regarding the logo. I am always thinking of ways I could add to or improve my blog, and was considering something visual that could be associated with it. I am not very artistic but it is fun to try new things.

Another reason for my absence (as you can maybe see above) is that I have bought a new camera. It is the GoPro 7 Hero Silver, a cheaper version of the still pretty new GoPro Hero 7 series, the Black edition being the best of the bunch. I haven’t used a GoPro before so couldn’t justify the £280 ($360 US) pricetag, Silver has less features but over £100 cheaper. So far I am really enjoying using it, creating time lapses and testing out what it can do.

So far I have done the most trying out on the 4th, as I am now on a weeks holiday and decided to see my mum and sister back up north. This meant taking a train from Kings Cross to Bishop Auckland, from the south east to the north east of England.

For anyone on Instagram I have uploaded my journey to the story, full of quick clips on route. As it has been over 24 hours the story has disappeared, but what I like is that you can permanently save the story to the user home screen underneath the bio section.

Annoyingly when I try to upload video clips onto my blog it takes forever to load and eventually displays an error message. The national anthem video above worked, but since then I have had problems and even that took forever. For that reason I will probably add photos on here and leave the clips for my Instagram. Smaller clips may be possible, I will have to see. But as this is more of a blog than a vlog, I am happy to stick to photos to accompany the writing.

First stop, Kings Cross.

Kings Cross is in easy reach of my current base. From London Bridge Station it is only a couple of stops north on the Northern Line, and once there just a couple of escalators up to ground level and to Kings Cross itself.

The first thing that you notice upon entering the station is the roof. It was part of a £500 million restoration in 2012, and is visually very impressive.

A giant poppy can be seen at the time of posting, representing the poppy worn in respect to those that sacrificed their lives in the First World War. Remembrance Day is on the 11th November, and a two minute silence is held at 11am on this date every year.

Tens of millions of people enter and exit the station every year, as well as St Pancras station across the road from it. Eurostar operates from St Pacras, taking travellers to Belgium, France and the Netherlands. Kings Cross is the station that links London to the rest of the country.

Another thing that Kings Cross is known for is Platform 9 3/4, introduced to this world through the Harry Potter books. A cool feature is permanently located close to platforms 9 and 10 in Kings Cross, with a big line of excited tourists ready to make the magical journey through the wall.

What is your Hogwarts House? I would like to know as I have no idea what mine would be, maybe you can tell through my blog posts? I am sure I fit into one of them! Also, I have a timelapse from this very spot on my Instagram page linked below.

The journey time from London to Darlington is roughly 2 hours and 46 minutes. Paris is in fact a quicker and closer destination, the average journey time being 2 hours 16 minutes.

From Darlington, I would board a smaller train through County Durham, taking around half an hour.

I managed to get first class for a good price from London to Darlington, £37 which includes a little bit more space, breakfast, lunch or dinner (depending on the time of journey) and a couple glasses of wine to go along with it. I boarded just before noon meaning I got to enjoy lunch, which made having a glass of wine just a little bit more acceptable. That and the two Geordie girls on the food cart that convinced me to go for it.

I happily obliged.

Being back in Bishop was nice. Much, much quieter than London but I am happy with that. I took to the almost desolate streets to take a few photographs on my GoPro. Some of these streets may look familiar to you from this post when I first got back from Australia. This time around the weather wasn’t as good, but at least it didn’t rain.

One thing I love about British weather is the ever changing cloud patterns. It is possible to get a new shot every few minutes with the sun constantly being blocked and bursting through the clouds again, brightness levels and cloud colours constantly changing. I love a good gaze out of the window back home and over the rolling hills, watching the sheets of rain make their way through the fields and hitting the window pane, wave after wave.

Below, an abandoned path and stairway that I never knew existed. This is taken on a viaduct that crosses the River Wear, I didn’t jump over the fencing but I’m still intrigued to know whether it still takes you somewhere.

I enjoyed this journey north. The train journey was great, the sun came out towards the end and I loved getting out and taking a few snaps. And from here, a couple of days with my mum before another train journey north again to Edinburgh. We are spending time with my sister to take in some sights and some quality family time.

Thank you for reading, Edinburgh blog coming soon!

 

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@octstw– Twitter

Introduce yourself– a place to share your blog and find new ones

Lots of bridges, Durham, Newcastle and a sport called FootGolf

It was time to leave Germany, my flight was later in the afternoon and I also found a picture of our previous Prime Minister upsidedown just as I was leaving the hostel.

And as I was waiting for the train to the airport with a snack that I mistakenly thought was some kind of hot dog, I was excited to be back home again with a cup of tea and some more family time.

I chilled in this little area of the airport, and got the second and last currywurst of the trip. I ended up talking to a lovely scottish couple from Edinburgh, they even offered me a pint as they went to the bar which was lovely. I politely declined but remained chatting to them until the flight.

The flight was delayed, the captain however was apologetic and honest about the delay. I cannot remember exactly what it was but it was human error and some break up of communication that caused it. But we took off and in no time back in a cloudy Edinburgh.

I love the bridges you can see from my window as we were approaching, three can be seen over the Firth of Fourth. The Fourth Bridge, Fourth Road Bridge and newly built Queensferry Crossing (furthest away in the shot below) can be seen in my shot. The one underneath is by a photographer I have linked at the bottom of the post. I have mentioned these bridges a couple of times in my blog as they were used in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. One of Rockstars HQ’s is in Edinburgh. More info on these impressive structures can be read here.

And to a bridge a little closer to home. Newcastle has seven bridges over the River Tyne, linking Newcastle (left in shot below) to Gateshead (right). They have a great history of their own, the main bridge below- the Tyne Bridge- built by a local company that went on to build the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Interestingly I have just learned that the bridge was desinged by the same company as the Fourth Road Bridge. The white one behind it is the Gateshead Millenium Bridge, it tilts to let boats through. The Swing Bridge in front of the Tyne Bridge, you guessed it, swings 90 degrees to allow boats to pass. The bridge I was on is the High Level Bridge, a Grade I listed structure. I was on a train at the very top, below it is a road. The dual purpose bridge is an impressive size and length, opened in 1849.

This site linked here gives an insight to each and a ranking, in their opinion, of the best to worst. It would be great to know what your favourite is!

The weekend after my trip was a great one spent at home with my mum. I also met with friends to play a game I have never played before.

Footgolf.

Mixing football (soccer) and golf, it was pretty fun despite being a little windy. I haven’t played football in at least two years, and it was obvious.

I wasn’t the one to put the ball in the water however. Not in this shot at least.

Using the lifebelt wasn’t a wise decision but it was a logical one. We kept hold of it and even if the rope cut, one of us would have taken one for the team.

It didn’t work, we put the lifebelt back and got another ball.

Despite being fun and something different, I couldn’t help to notice the holes were very similar, apart from maybe a couple. I think incorporating a more mini-golf style would have added more fun to it and kept it from seeming a little repetitive.

Anyways I got back home, very briefly, and got some energy back by getting my mum to open the chocolates I bought for her in Berlin. They were good.

And one thing I love about being home is the scenery around us. All rural and with the odd hot air-balloon over head. By cropping the house and lines out of the shot it reminded me just how small we are in the grand scheme of things.

I could never do a balloon ride, as amazing as it must be. The thought of being so high up in nothing but a basket terrifies me.

And not long after this me and the lads went for a couple of drinks in Durham. We went into a pub with a ‘no phones and laptops zone’ which I guess was refreshing so no shots form there. And sadly I couldn’t stay too long as I agreed to meet some friends back in Newcastle that evening. But as it is only a ten minute train ride between the two cities I left the pub, took a quick drunken selfie underneath Durham Castle and Cathedral and boarded the train.

 

Hogwarts scenes were filmed above me! Also a good distraction from my grey hairs coming through…

I arrived in Newcastle, and had to take the shot below for a friend in Melbourne. Tup Tup (a nightclub in the city’s Diamond Strip) was well known in Australia because of the show Geordie Shore. I’ll be honest I have had a couple of fun night’s in there, and used to check in one of the cast regularly as I worked in a hotel nearby.

It is also right next to Newcastle Castle.

We headed to a bar underneath the Tyne Bridge that wasn’t open when I left for Sydney back in 2017. By The River Brew Co. reminded me of Eat Street in Brisbane. Eat Street was a street-food festival using shipping containers as a venue. By The River Brew Co. does the same thing, with a micro brewery and a street food market next to it. We watched the sun set and I had a taste of what was on offer.

I just love the Quayside. This section however was all empty before hand, a ship used to be docked here called the Tuxedo Princess, used as a nightclub with a revolving floor. It was nothing but weeds last time I walked by and now, a great venue.

I would recommend it if in Newcastle, and I will visit again on another trip to the city.

But it was time for me to get the train to London, I don’t know if I have told you this, but I had a Skype interview for a hotel in Central London whilst I was in Melbourne, and as soon as I landed in London I was offered the job. I said my goodbyes and prepared for the three hour journey to the capital.

It wasn’t as emotional as it was moving to Sydney, as I am only three hours south. Trains can be expensive (as is London!) but I hope to make regular journeys back up north.

‘Mind’. This segue’s into my next shot from Durham, as I was walking up the steps to Durham Station I noticed these were placed on the railings.

It is a sad reminder that many lives are lost on railways, often suicide. Traumatic for those that witness it but even more tragic for those that feel they need to end their lives. Similar to cards placed on bridges, I feel these messages are important not just for those considering doing this, but for the rest of us that need reminding that it is a real issue that we need to address.

I waited for my train, I made the journey from Bishop Auckland to Darlington, Darlington to Kings Cross.

My next post will be from London. And I already have lots of shots to share with you and so many places to see. I have a few ideas as to how I want to involve you in my travels and I am excited for this chapter.

Thank you for reading, I will see you soon from London!

www.iasp.info/

Firth of Fourth Bridge Photo by Zhanhui Li on Unsplash

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@octstw– Twitter

Introduce yourself– a place to share your blog and find new ones

The journey started here.

I was looking through my older posts for a ‘throwback’ post, as I have so many posts that I would like to share again that have sunk into the murky depths of daily blogging. It is nice to remind myself how far my blog has come, and what got me here.

I was searching for posts that I shared on this day in 2017, exactly a year ago and at the start of my Australia journey. It turns out I didn’t post at all in the whole month of October, my last post was this one on 31st August. I didn’t post again until my visit to the Blue Mountains outside Sydney in November. The whole of September and October was spent job searching and getting to know the city I temporarily called home.

But this was nice to read. I remember this train journey so well, probably because it wasn’t my usual train journey despite being a familiar route. It was one that had my sister and mother waving to me from the platform and knowing I wouldn’t see them for a long time. I cannot wait to see them again in January, this time they are visiting me and I cannot wait for them to see Sydney for themselves.

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When I first thought September would be the most realistic month for me to save enough to travel at the beginning of the year, it seemed so far away. Now, here I am in first class (at the amazing cost of £30), on route to London.

A slight jump as I sit down, realising that the seats recline. And… I don’t have to sit next to anyone! A free glass of white wine recently topped up and a pretty decent duck wrap. I’m not used to first class, I’m looking around to ensure I am not doing anything that will expose me as an economy traveller. So far, so good.

Then, autocorrect proved itself to be the devil as I described what I was having on the journey to my mother.

My mum has a new phone number. I don’t have a new mum.

As soon as you leave the station in Durham the most beautiful view awaits. How many routes around the world are this beautiful?

I’m roughly half way through my journey to London. That of course is hardly a dent in my journey to Sydney. The wine makes this a great start. The next 72 hours are going to be tiring, but worth it. It’s a shame to leave my family however it is a great opportunity now for them to visit me in a place they have never been. That is the best way to look at any goodbye, an opportunity for a new hello. This time, the same hello, just on a new adventure.

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R.B 16.10.18

Why I like to work when I travel

In a recent post, I asked a question and asked for any questions readers may have about me in general. The questions shared a very similar theme so it is nice to add them here and answer them in a dedicated post. My question was, if you had to only travel for two weeks a year, would you stay at home and travel abroad for those two weeks, or live abroad (anywhere) and go back to your home country for the two weeks. The answers I would say were 50/50. Some people like home. Others like to make new places their home. There of course is no ‘right’ answer.

So without further ado, here are the questions I received. I am sorry if someone posts a question after I put this out, I will of course answer it in a comment reply. Hopefully this is a good opportunity to learn something new about me and I have linked those bloggers that asked the questions so please feel free to check them out too.

Let’s start with this one from TracyNicole:

Where have you lived and do you have a job that is easy to obtain no matter where you live or do you do a new job each place you live?

I have lived in four separate locations. They are (in chronological order):

County Durham, England

Lubbock, TX

Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England

Sydney, Australia

Notice the similarity of the bridges in Newcastle and Sydney. Although the same company built both, Sydney Harbour Bridge looks more like the Hell Gate Bridge in New York. Apparently both of the above bridges had designs derived from the Hell Gate Bridge, but Sydney certainly has more of a resemblance. The same people, but slightly different designs. I have always found that pretty cool, especially now that I have walked over both of them. Once is certainly bigger and more well known!

Regarding the second part of the question, I feel very lucky when it comes to finding work. I was born in Durham, but my first real job was in Newcastle. I was working for the tourist board helping promote the city, I commuted to and from Durham via bus (an hour and a half commute that I hated) but the job was worth it. This was during university and after graduating I was offered a paid internship in Texas, and of course I accepted it. This has been the easiest job to find as I didn’t even have an interview. I simply graduated and there were enough spaces available to apply. After my 12 month contract came to an end, I stayed in contact with the company I worked for in Newcastle and found an apartment there. I continued to work in hospitality here for roughly four years.

When I arrived in Sydney in September, I did not have a job secured. I was very lucky to find a hotel hiring on Circular Quay and because of my experience, started work a couple of days later.

So in terms of employment, I highly recommend anyone that is at university to look for internships and opportunities to travel abroad. Travelling to Sydney I did not have anything secured, but if you have the experience or just enough motivation to keep looking for work, it can be found. I personally like to go into workplaces in person and introduce myself instead of simply uploading a CV online, I feel it makes you stand out more and shows a little more effort. So my work isn’t flexible in the sense that I can be transferred, however hospitality is everywhere and having the experience in this industry helps me to find such work anywhere I go. I have never been able to keep the same job once I have moved, but always had similar work. Only one company (in Texas) hired me before I moved there. Everywhere else, I had to find employment after landing.

Thanks for the question!

Thank you to atheistsmeow for this one:

Have you set a time limit for how long you will stay in one place to work, or are you playing it by ear?

Unfortunately, my current visa restrictions means I can only work for six months with any one company. So my last working day was March 11th. I am playing it by ear in terms of where I will be and who I am working for with these restrictions in mind. I feel it is a good thing however, as it forces me to keep moving. What is different with my american visa was that I could only work for the one company that sponsored me for 12 months, meaning I was restricted to one city. I did travel, but probably not as much as I will do in Australia.

Here’s one from Pins for the Wins:

How do you make each new place feel more like home when you move?

Interestingly enough I don’t really do much to my new home once I move. For example my current apartment isn’t filled with things to remind me of home. But this is because I like to be out of the house more than I am in it, and when I am here I like to Skype with family and friends back home. I know some people take pictures and put them in frames, or take along certain possessions and foods. I probably would have been more like this if I was travelling before the days of instant communication. Now, I know I can Skype in an instant and see family as well as the home I left behind for travel. What I do like to do however is bring back items from my travels to keep in my home back in the UK. When I am back there I like to have reminders of where I have been!

This is interesting to think about actually, if you are the opposite and make your new home remind you of ‘back home’ let me know. For me, I know I won’t be in these destinations for too long, not long enough to make them homely. If I was to permanently move here however, I am sure I would put more effort in.

This question is from by The Wee Bakery:

How many countries have you visited? Is there anywhere you went for a holiday and just ended up staying?

I have visited *closes eyes and tries to think* the following countries, in chronological order again to help jog my memory.

• Spain (four times, only once to the mainland)
• France
• Norway
• The Netherlands
• USA (NYC three times, TX for a year and then up the east coast)
• Malaysia
• Singapore
• Brazil (one month, including the Olympics and a couple weeks flying from city to city although I needed more time)
• Argentina (this doesn’t really count, we crossed the border and ate at a restaurant. But it was fun!)
• Australia

So I am by no means ‘well travelled’ compared to some bloggers here, however I feel very fortunate to have visited as many as I have. A question  often get asked iswhich was my favourite, however they are all so different it is hard to compare. Some have greater food, some a better quality of life, some have better weather. It all depends on who you are as a person and what you want from a holiday.

Many of these places I wish I could have stayed longer in, however there hasn’t been an instance in which I decided to stay there. But that is why I have decided to take year long visas, to make sure I get to see as much as I can without running out of time and being full of regrets. Large countries need more than a week or two, sometimes just to get over the jet-lag alone!

Cheers Miss LiV Adventures for asking:

My question for you is why did you decide to travel, and how did you find the means?

I decided to travel when I was 20. I went on holidays with family and still do and loved the thrill of flying to a completely different country, weather, currency, food etc. I was also very shy growing up, and once I was given the opportunity to work in the States I jumped for it. This was the best decision I have ever made. I became much more confident, I had to become self reliant and get over the uncomfort of living so far from family. It really did develop me as a person, and I realised how much of the world I was missing by not doing so. I am also not religious, and I really want to make the most of this life whilst I can. I know when I go back home I will see the same faces walking into the same shop buying the same newspaper, and this is okay but it freaks me out a little. I need to be out there seeing what the world has to offer!

It isn’t cheap to travel, which is why on these year long trips I work to fund myself. The Australian Working Holiday Visa is great for this, allowing you to work for six months with any company whilst you fund such travels. There is also the opportunity for sponsorship if a company decides to keep you on, meaning more opportunity to stay longer. I wanted to make the most of this whilst I was able to obtain this visa. I haven’t been sponsored, however they give you the option to stay for a second year by doing three months of farmwork in rural areas.

Update: I am also single, still in my twenties with no children. This makes it much easier for me to travel, less responsibilities means I currently have more time to travel when I want and where. A factor that I didn’t think to add!

by AJ

Where are you going next?

So, now that I have finished my current contract, I have until September to stay anywhere in Australia. However as I briefly mentioned above, by doing 88 days of farmwork I can apply for a second year. So this is what I am going to be doing now. In the next week or so I am going to fly up to Queensland and start this farming adventure to extend my visa until September 2019. This means I will have much more time to explore this vast nation, something I haven’t really been able to do whilst working full time in Sydney.

So the bad news is, I need to work hard in high temperatures to get that second year. The good news is that I will have plenty more to blog about until my visa expires, with plenty more locations to visit and sights to see. I am considering two locations to fly to in the next week, I will let you know when I have made a decision. Exciting times!

Thank you all for the questions, it is great to read them and I am pleased to give you some answers. I had fun doing this and I am sure I will have another Q&A in the not too distant future if you enjoyed it! 

As always, I appreciate the feedback and any comments you may have. What country should I visit next and why?

Sam

 

Travel Diary: So long America, it was fun :(

I wanted to find an image that represents the USA in differing ways for this post, I decided on this picture taken in Austin, TX.

The famous yellow taxi. Glass highrises dwarfing the one storey eateries lining the grid traffic systems. Right lane driving. These all stand out to me as a British traveller.

My home city of Durham bans building over two storeys high in some areas to prevent obscuring any views of the cathedral, or so I was taught on a geography trip back in school. Grid systems would be ideal, sadly this is impossible when our city was built when horses were the main mode of transport. It was also important to build in an area that was difficult to conquer, common throughout Europe. It is a city that has always taken my breath away, not just because of the views but the effort needed to walk up to the market place. You can see why the centre is pedestrianised, and how this spot was perfect for the building of a castle and cathedral.

Credit: Van Rhijn Aerial Photography

But this post is about the New World. Today, I received notification that my US visa expired. It isn’t something that I have looked to renew as I have spent the years since 2010 in Malaysia, Brazil and short breaks in Europe. A lot happens in this space of time. I lost my father and uncle in recent years which of course took the wind out of my sails. I had no ambition to travel at all but thanks to great friends and amazing family, I got back on my feet. I would love to have went back the States and it feels weird that I haven’t, I made great friends and still keep in touch.

Sometimes we don’t get upset that something is over until it is over. I haven’t thought much about the visa still being valid but now I see it isn’t, I slumped a bit. If anything it is a reminder that I need to visit this great nation once again, one so vast that one image alone cannot portray the United States of America accurately. I miss the food, the friendly people, the numbered streets and alphabetised avenues and people thinking I’m Irish or Australian.

My visa expiring has inspired me to visit again one day!

Mr. Bean lived here!

I’m attending a wedding. I say I’m at a wedding, I’m more of a plus one, sitting back and relaxing by the pool as the ceremony takes place. Basically I get all the benefits of the party tonight and have no responsibilities beforehand. Score.

It’s a wedding mixing British and Nigerian culture, interesting to say the least. Colourful too. The venue is right out in the countryside and looks great with the fields all the way to the horizon.

I learned after arriving that Mr Bean lived here at one point. It’s funny to think how a man acting stupid on television can be successful enough to own a place like this. Imagine living here!

We should all aspire to be a Mr Bean, well, a Rowan Atkinson.

I’m nice to tourists

When in my hometown, I like to take pictures of people taking pictures. 

You should have seen his face when he realised I was behind him wearing my favourite gimp mask. Priceless!