Tips for Traveling for Less

Call me crazy if you want, but I love planning a trip.
I love getting a headache from figuring out the best traveling options.
Yes, sometimes, I just browse airline websites without the intention to go anywhere. Just out of curiosity, to see what's on sale, what's not. I'm probably the same as someone who loves shoes. They will stop by any shop and just look at what's there.
Well, I'm like that...but with flight tickets.

Planning a trip is not everybody's cup of tea. It was not even mine when I planned my first trip to France.
The fact is, I now have a lot more knowledge and tools than then.
I would have loved to come across a blog post about all those great secrets about flights, transportation and accommodation options.

I'm not a travel agent. And there's surely much more traveling tools around the internet than I know... However, I'm going to share my favorites here.

To find cheap flights

Skyscanner.net
This great web site allows you to search for flights in different ways. If you are flexible with your dates of travel of destination, this is your dream come true. You can select a departing airport and select 'everywhere' as your destination. The web page will populate a list of flights from cheapest to most expensive.
You can also select 'cheapest month' as you traveling dates. Which is great if you don't really care when you leave and when you come back.

Expedia.com
I used expedia several times to book flights. It usually has great deals and lists different options with different airlines. This allows you to find a reasonably priced flight ticket with the arriving time or date you are looking for. If you like to get connections less than several hours or don't like to arrive late at night, it's a good way to browse through the airlines options all at the same place.

Cheapoair.com
This is another website pretty similar to Expedia. I love to use both as sometimes flights on Cheapoair are less expensive than Expedia.

Airline websites
Sometimes, though, I find the best options are with airlines themselves. I like to check on them as deals can appear here before other websites that includes several airlines.
Also in Europe there is a lot smaller, cheaper airlines. I found out Ireland has ridiculously low fares (to our great delight of course). So if you're traveling in Europe, check to flights on Irish airlines websites.
A few of these airlines include Ryanair, Transavia, Easyjet... to name a few. Just make sure you travel light or be prepared to pay extra baggage fees with some airlines.

Scared of flights
Yeah, we're not all so excited about flying. Luckily there are other options.
Trains, buses, ferries, carpool... Don't worry you're not alone.

Trains:
They're GREAT in Europe, and they're terrible in Canada. This is from my own experience.
If traveling to Europe, they're generally affordable and frequent. Railways connects from countries to countries and you can even get tickets that covers different countries.
I have travelled in France and Italy by train and found it was a very good way to see to country.
High speed trains are more expensive but get you to destination almost as fast as a plane.
Other slower trains or the ones that are almost like metros are great to get to smaller towns, or from the airport to the city center.

A great website if you are traveling through Europe: RailEurope

Bus:
Honestly, always thought buses where uncomfortable and not the best way to travel.
Well welcome to the 21st century, where buses have curtains,  air conditioner, reading lights and have more legroom and comfortable seats than airplanes.
I now love travelling by bus. I did so in Italy, Morocco and Tunisia and enjoyed it.
It's a lot cheaper than the train in some countries and pretty effective.
So it's always a good idea to check the bus lines as well.
There's a lot of them which gives you lots of options too. And the good news is, if you're planning on visiting remote villages, it will most certainly get you there better than the train.

Ferries:

Ferries are generally cheaper than a flight. Also if you're traveling with a car, you might like this option better.
The only down side: It can take 2 days for a 2 hours flight. It's not that bad if you don't mind no cell phone or wifi for a good 48 hour. Where it gets me is at the cafeteria or restaurant. It's usually highly priced... But you need to eat, right? However, the sea adventure is always fun, I have to admit.

Carpool
This is another option that I only tried with people I knew or people who kindly drove two hours to allow me to catch the ferry (WWOOF hosts are that nice sometimes).
The idea of hitchhiking and carpooling with strangers has always made me a little unsure.
I might try it if I travel with a few friends but probably not by myself.
However, I've talked to backpackers who where very happy with the idea.
Hitchhiking has now joined the wonderful world of internet through Blablacar.com and probably
 a lot of other organizations if you search a bit for it.

At last, my favorite website that combines all of transportation options is Rome2Rio.com
This website allows you to search a departure city and arriving city and will populate all traveling options and combinations to get there.
It is a wonderful tool!

What about accommodation?

Accommodation can be crazy expensive (especially towards Paris and Venice). From five star resorts to creepy looking no star shacks, how to find something that would best suit you?

A great option, especially if you're a single traveler is Hostels. There less expensive and allow you to meet fellow travelers. Most of them have a common room where travelers can socialize and a kitchen that can be used (great to cut on the restaurant expenses). You can find hostels through hostel organisations or simply by searching for independent ones (sometimes even better than the ones in the organisation).

HIhostels.com
Probably the largest hostel network. You can search by city and find options from there.

Booking.com
It's a great website to find hostels or cheap accommodation.

And if you found something in your price range but not sure if it's nice enough for you, you can always us this website to see what other travelers thought of it:
Tripadvisor

If you're looking for a more authentic experience, you might want to wander off the beaten path.
Here are two of my favorite options to really LIVE the country you're visiting.

Wwoofinternational.org
This organization allows volunteers to work on an organic farm in exchange of food and accommodation.
It required lots of willingness and hard work but is an unforgettable and irreplaceable lifetime experience.
It's the best way to really be immersed in the culture. You get to understand the people and to experience their lifestyle. You get to eat local food and cuisine, be surrounded by the countryside you see in movies but never get to experience as a tourist and socialize with local. All this at the cost of....a sore back and blistered hands. To me it's worth it... up to you to find out if you like it or not.

Couchsurfing.com
This one is also fantastic. This is a network of people offering to accommodate you in their home for free.
Couchsurfing is especially great again to get immersed in the culture and find out so much more about the country you're visiting. And also meet wonderful people!
I only add a few couchsurfing experiences so far but hope to do it again.


Well, that's pretty much all for my favorite traveling tools. I hope they are getting you on your way to great adventures.

And remember: pack light SUPER light, get a good pair of shoes and enjoy!
Traveling is more than traveling it's learning, it's building yourself and better understanding the world.

Safe travels!




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Pastas à la Tunisian

I have been learning a lot of new recipes while traveling. I definitely think we should take the Mediterraneans eating habits.
No snacking (unless it's fruits or nuts) and copious, tasty meals.

You can eat till you drop and still be healthy.
The secret is pretty simple : SPICES
It makes the most repulsive veggie taste like heaven.

In Tunisia, almost everyone knows how to cook a good meal.
And the bring-a-fast-food-sandwich-to-work-thing is almost non existent.
The truth is, it is absolutely normal to be cooking a full meal on the job.

Fishermen go out at sea on a small boat. They still bring a gaz stove, veggies, spices... Because there's always someone who, despite the agitated sea, the waves and wind, will cook a full healthy meal.

And to think we are usually grabbing a burger at a fast food "because we don't have time"...
We became lazy. And our society seemed to have erased a very important time of the day: Lunch time.

Of all the businesses I have worked for, none of them had any cooking facilities beside a microwave.
It all came down to the same thing " the staff room": couple of chairs and tables lit by blinking neons.

And I don't think any of my bosses would have been pleased to see me bring my camp stove and raw food to work.
Anyhow...with a 20 minutes lunch time. You can't cook much more than an omelet anyways.

It's unfortunate that we don't stand for our food rights very much these days.
We deserve better food and better meal time.
After all its the basic of living.

But for those of you who are still interested in tasty and healthy food, today, I'm inviting you to try this Tunisia inspired pasta recipe.

Pastas à la Tunisian

I used cuttlefish and it's absolutely delicious. But for those of you who don't have it, you can alternatively use chicken.

If you'd like to order Tunisian cooking spices you can contact me or check out my ebay store.

First of all, you'll need:

- Vegetable Oil

- 2 table spoons of tomato paste

- 3 garlic cloves

- 1/2 table spoon of curcum

- 1/2 table spoon of red hot pepper powder

- 1/2 table spoon of paprika

- 1/4 table spoon of cumin (only when cooking cuttlefish)
- 1/4 table spoon of pepper (only when cooking chicken)

- 2 fresh green peppers (hot or mild, it's up to you)

- 500g of spaghetti

- 2 small cuttlefishes or 2 chicken breasts, diced

- About two cups of water

Let's get started!

Cover the bottom of a large saucepan with vegetable oil.

Heat the oil and add the cuttlefish or the chicken.

Sauteed for about 10 minutes.

Mash 3 garlic cloves in 1/4 tea spoon of salt and set aside.

Add 2 table spoons of tomato paste to the oil and meat

Stir well

When the oil starts to be orangey, add the curcum

Keep stirring.

If the mix sticks to the saucepan too much. Add a little bit of water

Add the hot and mild pepper powder

If cooking cuttlefish, add cumin.
If cooking chicken, add pepper.

And then add the mashed garlic and salt

Stir and add the water slowly

The mix will be very liquid. But don't worry as it will thicken while cooking.

Cover and let simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until it becomes a sauce and the cuttlefish or chicken is cooked.

Add 2 hot or mild peppers a few minutes before the sauce is ready

Turn off the heat and set the saucepan aside

Remove peppers from the sauce and keep aside.

In the meantime, fill a saucepan with water.
Add salt and curcum to the water

Bring to a boil

Add 500g of pastas

When cooked, drain the pastas and add to the sauce

Mix well

Transfer to a large bowl and add the peppers on top of the dish

Et voilà! Enjoy :)

If you tried this recipe or have any questions or comments, please post comments below.

Thanks :)

A Date to Pick Dates

Spending my time between Canada and Tunisia I am amazed when comes october and the weather is still mild and sunny here in Tunisia. I'm also delighted by the extended harvest season here.
Folks back home are celebrating Thanksgiving which pretty much is the closure of the harvest season.

Here, it's not quite yet time to pick the olives and there's still lots of fruits and vegetables to be harvested.

This being said, my husband and I decided to go to the country and look for dates.
Yes, it was a date to harvest dates.

I particularly love the country side, wherever I am in the world.
Of course the Tunisian country is far from having anything to do with the one back home. However, you will always find peace and nature. And this is what I enjoy.

We walked away from the village on the main road, being passed by a random moped. Flat fields, circled by piled white rocks walls started to replace houses.

After a while we left the main road for dirt paths through the fields, keeping our eyes opened for palm trees with dates.
We were a bit disappointed as we could not find any at first. It seemed some people came before us.

As we strolled through the fields we finally found palm trees full of delicious dates.
We filled our pockets and a folded cloth with the ripe fruits. Braving a few voracious mosquitoes and carefully avoiding the sharp point of palm trees' leaves, we found ourselves pretty satisfied with our small harvest.

Atlantic Canada

It's definitely hard to believe the climate of northern America... The warm summers and green trees and grassy fields are taking over the summer months. As a traveler, it would be difficult to imagine that in less than three months this sight would totally change. From green meadows to white fields of snow and ice. From beautiful foliage full of life to sleeping branches. From beautiful sunny and warm weather to windy, grey and freezing days. All of this happening in 
a short transition! 

Yet, the beauty of summer in Atlantic Canada is unique and wonderful. Sandy beaches with pure crystal clear water. Never too crowded... Fishes swimming in the clear water of rivers. The forests are growing towards the light. The smell of evergreen trees, the sound of leaves in the breeze, the feel of soft moss under the feet...

I believe Canada is the country of pure untouched nature and wilderness. With the constent evolution of modern society, I hope with all my heart we'll be able to protect and keep this wonderful part of the world the way it is. In the meantime, let's enjoy it!

Cheers! 

WWOOFing in Italy

Traveling is great! Visiting landmarks and attractions are wonderful. But for some travelers, they feel like they are missing on that authentic side of the country. Where would you meet these interesting characters you see in travel magazines? Where is that beautiful child holding a lamb in her arms? And this old woman weaving baskets?

Sometimes, touristic spots are not the most authentic. 

Then again, you could get off the beaten path and explore some country side. But let's face it, being a stranger in another country, the only clue you have is a map...

Enjoying the beautiful mountains of Italy

Learning the art of bottling olive oil

But if you really want to interact with locals, find out about their way of living and seeing the unseen, wwoofing might be a good option.

I discovered this organization a few years ago. WWOOF stands for (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms). As the name pretty much describes it's an organization that connects organic farm owners with volunteers all over the world.



The idea is pretty simple:
The volunteers and hosts joint the community by registering on the country's WWOOF website.
The hosts post information on their farm and the volunteers browse through the listings to find a farm where they will stay and help.
Hosts will give you accommodation and food in exchange of 4-6 hours help on their farm.
Most of the times, you live with your hosts. Usually you would stay in their house, share meals and join in the daily activities.

Before arriving you arrange the dates and length of your stay with the host you contacted. It is usually one or two weeks but it could be anything between a couple of days to a few months, depending on the host.

No soft hands on a farm

I met a lot of people who woofed in different countries. And I spent a little more than a month woofing on a farm in Italy.

This is a great way to meet locals, understand the culture, learn a new language, learn about organic farming, explore beautiful places that tourists will probably never see.

In order to enjoy wwoofing you need to have an interest in farming and the countryside.
Farm work is hard work. And it is a difficult task to grow your own food. For someone not used to manual work, this could be tiring.

Then again it depends where and when you go wwoofing.
But expect to live like the people from the country, work hard and enjoy the fresh air and nature.

Working hard to weed a garlic field

Often farms are literally off the beaten path, so it might be a disadvantage if you were planing on go sightseeing. The truth is wwoofing is not meant to be a vacation or tourism. Even though you will definitely see a lot of beautiful things and probably explore the area a bit.

I think wwoofing is wonderful for the traveler who is looking for more than the usual sights. It's a way to connect to the locals and learn about their way of living. You will be living the country instead of visiting it.

Cooking our lunch on an outdoor oven

If you are looking for the authentic, for the 'national geographic' picture you see all the time... then wwoofing might set you on the right path.
I have wonderful memories of the family who hosted me. They talked about their country, their farm, their life in this small village in the mountains. They taught me their culture and made me understand their view of Italy.
It was interesting and wonderful to be part of the daily mountain life of this Italian community.
Would I, as a tourist, had sat in the shade of an olive tree? I would probably have never seen the beautiful valley and mountains, nor shared Italian meals outdoors with wonderful people. And I would have missed on a little known, yet so beautiful, region of this country.

It might be a good idea to include woofing in a trip. Maybe between visiting different cities or regions.
Whatever the way you do it, it's worth giving it a try.

You can learn more about WWOOF on their web site: www.wwoof.net

Have fun!

Roman Ruins of Pompeii

If you love ancient ruins as much as I do, Pompeii is definitely a must.
Located a few kilometers from Naples Italy, this archaeological site is a gold mine.

The Marina entrance...  This was my very first look at Pompeii

Mount Vesuvius looking down on a Roman farm reconstitution

History

The city of Pompeii was buried under ash and rock of nearby volcano mount Vesuvius about 2000 years ago. As destructive this event could have been, it also kept a still picture of the Roman life at this time. 

Over the recent centuries the estimated 66 ha archaeological site has been and still is being excavated as well as four other nearby sites: Herculanum, Oplontis, Stabia and Boscoreale.

 

What is Pompeii?

Pompeii is an incredibly well preserve archaeological site.

You can easily imagine it in its original state as you walk through the city ruins.
From the paved streets still wearing the marks of countless wheels to the counters of stores and restaurants, some parts of the city are still almost intact.
There is lots of houses that have been destroyed by the weight of ash. But there is also some that have been preserved by it.

Thermopolium (snack-bar), very popular restaurants in the city

The original paint is still on the inside walls of a lot of buildings. You can see the petrified wooden doors in the villa dei misteri. And a  seat with its solidified cushions in the public bath. The ash protected many objects from time: Beautiful pools and fountains, mosaics, sculptures, clay pots, shop signs... even graffiti on walls. 

For someone with a passion for ruins like mine, visiting Pompeii was like a dream come true.

 Preparing Your Visit

Luckily I received good tips before I got there and I will pass these on to you today.
 

Pompeii not a small site. It's 44 ha of ruins and buildings organized by blocks and streets just like today's cities. So be prepared to walk a lot.

You will mainly follow paved streets and stroll through the city just the way the Roman used to. Watch out, the pavement is uneven and slippery sometimes.

The marks of Roman carts and chariots are still visible

 It is better to plan a full day to visit Pompeii. The map and a small guide book I picked up at the entrance showed over 80 points of interests.
They are all worth to see but rather scattered. You might need to organize your visit a little.

If unorganized visits are not your thing, there is the option to go on a guided tour or rent an audio guide. It seems like a good idea if you are interested in the history of Pompeii.
However it might not cover all of the site and it gives you less freedom to explore the excavations.

I preferred freedom to explore at my own pace and without the crowd. Up for the challenge and well prepared, my visit was a success (except for sore feet at the end).

 The theater

 

 

 

Here are my suggestions:

• Good shoes
• Water
• Sun protection
• Lunch
• Map and guide

Not to make it sound like a jungle excursion but otherwise I would probably have had to turn around without seeing half of the site.

I have been amazed by the beautiful buildings, paintings and artifacts of Pompeii.

I felt like I stepped out in time. It's well worth to see and can be a day well spent if you're prepared a little bit.

A lot of sculptures, artworks and artifacts have been removed from the site to protect them from a potential eruption of the Vesuvius. They can be seen at the Naples National Archaeological Museum.
So if you are still hungry for Roman history, this should be your next stop.

As always, if you have questions please feel free from to comment and I will be happy to answer.

Enjoy your archeological journey!

Information and links to help you plan your visit of Pompeii

Here's the link to the official Pompeii web site (english version):

http://www.pompeiisites.org/index.jsp?idProgetto=2

Pompeii's Opening Hours:

 From November 1st to March 31st:
Open from 08:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last admission at 3:30 p.m.)

From April 1st to October 31st:
Open from 08:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (last admission at 6:00 p.m.)

Closed : January 1st, May 1st and December 25th

Admission fees:

• Free on the first Sunday of every month!
• Single admission Pompeii, valid 1 full day: € 13,00
• 5 sites  (Pompeii, Herculanum, Oplontis, Stabia and Boscoreale), valid 3 consecutive days: € 22,00

To get from Naples to Pompeii by train:
 

You can use the Circumvesuviana trains for a very low cost (about 3€ one way). 

Take the Naples-Sorento line and get off at the Pompeii S.Villa Misteri stop.
This stop is only a few meters from the Porta Marina entrance.
Time tables for the Circumvesuviana lines can be found here: http://www.eavsrl.it/web/en/content/download-train-timetable

View of the city ruins from the top of the amphitheater