Lostman's Star
Not all those who wander are lost, but I certainly am!
Upnor Castle
Situated just inside the estuary of the River Medway, Upnor is a truly bizarre piece of English history; for many reasons.
For personal reasons, Upnor Castle seems to be the favourite castle in the Medway area, which I don’t understand because Rochester is by far bigger, is linked with the Magna Carta, and is, in my opinion, a much more beautiful castle than Upnor.
On a less personal note, Upnor castle is kind of weird to get to, especially if you’re going by bus.
If you’re travelling from the Chatham Dockyard or Gillingham to Upnor, I would recommend getting a cab. The bus ride there is a bit long, even from Chatham, and then you have to walk across and overpass of a highway, and through a field, and it really is a bit of an ordeal, so don’t be surprised when you see a very circuitous route when you plot your trip into google maps. Don’t be daunted, it’s totally doable! It just looks very, very strange.
Upnor is also, strategically, positioned at a very strange point in the river.
As you can see, it’s situated just behind St. Mary’s island, just up from the Chatham Dockyards. At any given time a sizable portion of England’s fleet would be situated in that bend of the river Medway, being constructed or repaired. To that end, I have to wonder why Upnor wasn’t built on St. Mary’s itself. Higher up in the river, with chains blockading either flow around the island. The castle was only built for one purpose; to ensure that nobody could sail up the Medway to devastate the English fleet while it was immobilised.
Naturally, that’s exactly what the Dutch did in 1667. In fact, they managed to get most of the way to Upnor without being attacked, capture a flagship, and burn several ships before they sailed home to the Netherlands, having dealt what is arguably still the greatest naval defeat suffered by the English to this day.
For an extra pound on your entrance fee you can hire an audio tour guide and have a wander around this strange castle. You can spend a good half day there, but not much more. There are also various pubs that are original to the castle, that is they are still the same buildings under the same names that the soldiers of Upnor would have known them as. I have not eaten there myself but I am told both that it is well worth it, and that a reservation for lunch is required.The pubs are quite popular!
Like Hampton Court it is a hodgepodge of construction and repairs throughout it’s history. It tells the story of how the English stored their gunpowder in such a way that it wouldn’t spark, how the soldiers who lived at the fort spent their time, and more importantly, the story of the one day of action Upnor Castle saw, and how the Dutch Raid shifted the course of history forever.
I’ll give you a hint; without the Raid on the Medway the sentence “The sun never sets on the British Empire” might never have existed.
Are there any bizarre but significant places you’ve been to? Let me know in the comments!
How To Ease Yourself Into Solo Travel
I get it. Solo travel can be daunting. Travel can be daunting when you’re with someone too in different ways, but going by yourself is when you truly wander away from your safety net. I was fortunate enough to be well traveled in my early years, but the process that I went through is one that can be replicated at your own pace. Ready? Let’s go!
#1. Go on a trip with a loved one.
Never travel with someone you don’t love. It doesn’t matter if it’s a parent, a friend, or a partner. Try to choose someone who has traveled a couple of times before and knows the ropes. You might also aim for someone who you know travels well; that is, they’re fairly calm, confident, and unlikely to get you into a mess you can’t dig your way out of. When I travel, I find that the energy of the more experienced traveller is amplified by those with less experience. If they’re not panicking, then there’s probably no reason for you to panic.
If you don’t have a friend who has travelled before, choose someone you love and trust. If you feel comfortable you can book your travel yourself. If not, do some research online and choose a travel company or agent to help you along the way. For the future, you may want to purchase a travel book or take a few pamphlets so that you can get an idea of where you’d like to go for the next step.
#2. Go on a group trip without any friends.
I’ve gone on two group trips, and it may take a few before you’re ready to move on completely to solo travel. The first trip was to England. I went in high school and although I knew who the kids I traveled with were, I didn’t really have anyone I would consider a friend. I ended up getting two new friends out of it, though! The second was a youth volunteer trip I took to New Zealand, and I didn’t know anyone before I went.
If you’re in high school or university, speak to your schools about any upcoming trips. My high school trip was only meant for members of the theater club, but I begged them to let me come with them. The teacher running the club agreed, but only if someone dropped out of the trip. Luckily for me, someone did! When I was in university volunteer groups would come in before lectures were scheduled to start to advertise volunteer trips. I ended up going with International Student Volunteer (ISV) and I recommend them wholeheartedly. Our flight was delayed because of a volcano eruption and they took such good care of us, one day I intend to devote a True Story Tuesday to just how well we were treated.
If you’re not in university, college, or are over the age that these groups will take you, there are still a couple of other options.
First, there are paid group trips or escorted travel. They’re expensive to be sure, but you won’t be alone, you’ll have a guide the entire way which is especially handy if you aren’t fluent in the language spoken wherever you’re heading, and a lot of the stuff is included in the price. Fancy hotels, breakfasts, entrance to the attractions, and your gratuities. The downside is that these trips might not hit every place you wanted to visit, and for all that money, that might not be something you’re willing to accept.
The second option is church groups. Sometimes they’ll have volunteer trips, in which case they usually provide a day or two of rest which you can use to explore the local culture or relax on a beach. It’ll be well earned, usually those volunteer trips involve building things; wells, churches, schools, homes, etc. Churches will sometimes also get a group together to make a pilgrimage to whatever land their faith considers holy. For Christian churches it’s a good chance to explore Israel and Palestine, and to be safe in the knowledge that although things are turbulent, your local guide can do their best to make sure you don’t come to any harm. The only downside is having to navigate the touchy subject that is religion; and it can be touchy even when you’re dealing with someone who has the same religion as you! At either end of the spectrum you’ve got zealots and people who believe others stupid for holding certain beliefs. It’s terrible to be caught with a crowd your not part of when you’re just trying to enjoy your trip or have a spiritual experience, so be ready to either have your faith tested and stretched by these people, or to ignore them.
#3. Comfort Zone Travel
Whatever is in your comfort zone, go, but go alone. It’s a wonderful time to get to know yourself. Do you enjoy wandering around the streets of a large city, stopping into a shop here and there? Are you at your happiest hiking in a new forest? Take your time, explore what you like and what you don’t. My comfort zone is linguistic, so places which have large populations of English or French speakers are well within my reach. If you’re not big on going out of the country yet, try the next city or province over.
#4. Outside Comfort Zone Travel with a Friend
Whatever your comfort zone is, be it language, physical distance, or culture, it’s time to break out of it. Bring a friend, and something to help you ease your discomfort. Be it a phrase book, a map, a translator, a stress ball, what have you, it doesn’t matter. My first trip out of my comfort zone like this was going to Germany with Forest. I prepared myself not only by having a little phrasebook courtesy of Forest, but by learning some German words and phrases that could help us if we got lost or hurt.
#5. Solo Travel Unlimited!
Congratulations! You are now ready to go solo! Don’t worry if you have to flip back and forth a few times, going with groups or friends the first time you visit a new place or country. The only thing I would impress upon you, gentle reader, is not to wait on people. If you constantly wait on people to travel with you, you might never go.
Be brave, go forth, have a wonderful travel adventure!
Mackinac Island
Fancy a trip back in time? Read all the Outlander Series and craving more? Follow me, I have a treat for you!
Step onto Mackinac Island and you’ll find yourself smack dab in the middle of the 1800s. How’s that for time travel?
This island just off the coast of Michigan has made a conscious effort to avoid modernisation and keep itself frozen in time. With cars having never even made it onto the island because of a ban, most of the residents own horses or at the very least a bike to help them get around. While some buildings are more recent, those along the main roads and of course the Grand Hotel have been around since the 1800s. The fort has been there even longer!
It’s been a long time since I’ve set foot there, but I definitely remember a few things that endeared the place to most visitors; the way it’s name is spelled and said for one. Although it’s spelled Mackinac, it’s pronounced Mahk-in-AWE. Why? No idea, though I’m sure someone on the island’s many historical tours and features will be able to give you an answer, or at least a theory. Another quaintness is the quiet. Motor vehicles were banned because of the noise they caused, and despite the crowds, the island is still quieter for the lack of cars.
The crowds are another thing I remember. It wasn’t too bad, but the island is only open in the summer so if you’re planning a trip, don’t expect to access the island during the winter. I don’t even think the ferry runs during those months due to the ice.
There are also three things that one must experience when visiting the island. The first is Fort Mackinac. You’ll find people in costumes there, re-enacting the fort’s life around the time of the American Civil War. The actors are all very friendly, and perfectly willing to chat and share stories about the history of the fort. If you arrive at just the right time you’ll see a historical rifle firing demonstration and, if memory serves me, they have a daily cannon demonstration as well.
The second thing you should see is the Grand Hotel.
It’s grand by my standards, even after seeing Versailles, Nymphenberg, and Buckingham!
It’s been used in various films, including one that is very near and dear to my family’s heart, Somewhere in Time. Mom and Dad love that movie and listen to the soundtrack all the time. I only watched the film in my twenties, but by the time I was nine I could identify the music when I heard it. The only issue with the Grand Hotel is that the prices for a room can make you gasp and clutch at your pearls. If you can afford it, great, stay a night or two. If not, it’s still worth stopping in to have a look around, maybe have lunch or tea on the porch, and just enjoy the atmosphere of the place.
The third is something you should taste rather than see. Salt Water Taffee! Among many other treats, I’ll be honest. The main street is lined with stores that sell all sorts of goodies, but the taffee is just one of those things that goes with the island. Don’t leave without trying some!
You’ll want to book well in advance if you want to visit for the evening, as space on the island is limited, but otherwise, this is a place of retreat and relaxation. Have fun, take a stroll, and enjoy your trip back in time.
5 Predictions for Post-Covid Changes
I have no doubt that one day I will be able to travel again. It’s against human nature to avoid exploring our planet, and globalization has brought the nations of the world close enough now that I think it would be difficult if nigh on impossible to disentangle ourselves. Still, that doesn’t mean that change isn’t coming. What changes exactly? I don’t know, but these are four of my best guesses as to what the future holds, and one overly hopeful request of the future.
#1. I think travel will (eventually) become cheaper.
This is most certainly my own ignorance speaking, and I know that everyone expects travel to become more expensive, but I just don’t see how that’s possible. I recognise that craming people into planes will no longer be viable, so prices will rise, but in the long term, I don’t think airlines will be able to sustain themselves on what will ultimately be fewer travelers. I hope (though I doubt) that companies will cut their losses, treat their customers like human beings, and find a way to live without those extra dollars in their pockets for now. If they don’t, I predict a slow, but ultimately fatal starvation at the hands of smaller, cheaper airlines.
#2. I think there will be more local travel.
Whether or not travel becomes more or less expensive, I definitely think more people will want to get out of their homes, at least locally. I was planning trips with Forest, Dragon, and Arrow before Covid hit, and I can tell you that this whole social distancing thing is making me all that much more eager to get on the road with them. I would expect that even those who can’t afford international travel will want to get out of their home, and probably their town, if even for just a weekend.
#3. I think the idea of immunization passports will become more prevalent.
Be it carrying around a paper certifying that you’ve been vaccinated or having part of your passport be electronically dedicated to vaccinations which local health care providers can update, I think many governments will begin to look at the pros and cons of such a system. I don’t think the idea will come to full fruition any time soon, or even within my lifetime, but I think with how hard Covid has hit us the idea will start gaining some traction.
#4. I think insurance and travel companies will be sure to include pandemics, and probably even localized disease outbreaks in their policies.
Let’s face it, travel companies are going to learn from this, and they’re going to take the exact worst part of the lesson to make sure they never loose money from a pandemic ever again. When you purchase a trip through a travel agent they will likely have a clause in the itinerary saying that they will not give you your money back if you cancel due to a pandemic or an outbreak of a disease in your chosen travel location. They might also offer insurance, because the insurance companies, without a doubt, already have their working-at-home employees writing up plague policies.
#5. I hope companies come out of this pandemic better, not necessarily smarter.
We all know that most corporations have a malicious intelligence to them. Sell at the highest profit margin, retain every single dollar they possibly can, treat workers and customers as if they’re ultimately replaceable. I hope that this pandemic will force some companies to reconsider that ideology.
I hope they change for the better, even though I know they won’t.
Hell’s Gate in Rotorua
I had the chance to visit Rotorua, New Zealand when I was volunteering there in my university days. I was only in the city for a couple of hours, not nearly enough time to properly explore, but certainly enough time to smell it.
New Zealand is pretty volcanic, but Rotorua happens to be in an area known for Sulphur. If you know a bit of basic safety or chemistry, you know what that means. For those of you who don’t, people often mistake Mercaptan for Sulphur. Mercaptan is the chemical put into natural gas so that it smells like rotten eggs. It can help keep you safe if there’s ever a gas leak in your home. You won’t soon forget that smell; I can still remember it ten years later, hitting me like a wave when I stepped off the tour bus.
Don’t let the smell fool you though. You’ll habituate (you won’t smell it anymore after a while) and the area is well worth exploring, especially for it’s spas.
Yup! That’s right! Spas! How can it be a spa if it’s stinky? Well that’s kind of part of it. The sulphur and mud are said to be good for you, and despite that and the name Hell’s Gate, it’s actually a really popular spot for rest and relaxation. They offer all sorts of activities too, including wood carving, nature walks and hikes, and educational experiences. You’ll learn about things like the uses, symbolism, and stories the Maori had for the native plants like Silver Leaf ferns and Kawa Kawa, and, if you ask politely, they may even tell you the story of how the Maori people came to call the area Tikitere, and why the site is so important to them.
I’ll give you a hint, they came for the mud too!
I’d never had a mud bath before, but found that it’s very relaxing and fun to paint yourself and your travel companions with mud. The only thing I will say is that one must be sure not to get it into one’s eyes, nose or mouth (just avoid putting it on your face if you can help it) and that you won’t want to keep the bathing suite you go into the mud bath with. For those who have long hair, be sure to have an elastic, and tie it up in a bun if you can.
The smell of sulphur will permeate everything you have on you. You can wash it off of your skin, but that’s about it. I had no elastic, and I could still smell the sulphur in my hair months after I came home. It didn’t waft or follow me around, I actually had to bring the ends of my hair up to my nose, but the scent was still there. The only way I got rid of it was through a haircut.
Despite the smell, Tikitere is a place that I wholeheartedly recommend be on any itinerary to New Zealand. In a land of extreme sports, it’s the best place to kick back and relax!
Thai Coconut Lime Chicken
I’ve never been to Thailand, but it’s on the list! I found this recipe online, have prepared it several times for my family, and my mother has requested the recipe so I’m putting it on here, as per the code of pettiness. You can serve this over rice or noodles, though my family prefers the rice as it’s better for soaking up the delicious sauce. This version is made to my and my family’s taste, however you can find the original here. A little word of warning, the garlic will turn blue. It’s a natural reaction to the citrus, so don’t panic! Your dish is still perfectly fine and now slightly more colourful!
Ingredients
2 shallots
4 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp fresh ginger
1/4 cup of cilantro
4 limes
6 chicken breasts
2 tbsp avocado oil
1 can of coconut milk
1/2 carton of Campbell’s chicken broth
Method
In a large pan, over medium heat, warm the avocado oil. While it’s heating, dice your shallots and garlic, peel your ginger, and juice your limes.
Add the shallots and garlic once the oil is warm, and grate the ginger in with a microplane if you have one. If not, mincing it will work just as well, just make sure the pieces are very small. Getting a hunk of ginger in your food can be a bit overwhelming! Be sure to keep the heat low, you want to sweat these ingredients, not brown them.
Once they shallots are translucent, season your chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and add them to the pan. Brown the chicken on both sides, then set aside.
Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, lime juice, and half of the cilantro to the pan to deglaze it. If you want to thicken the sauce, now would be a good time to do so by adding a little bit of corn starch.
I can never get a handle on rice, so for the next time, I’ll start my rice at this point, see how it goes, and let you guys know if it’s ready around the same time as the chicken!
Bring your chicken back and put it in the pan. Cover with a lid and let it simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
Serve the chicken over a bed of rice, ladle on some sauce, sprinkle some fresh cilantro over top and maybe a slice of lime.
Enjoy!
The Catacombs of St. Callixtus
First of all let me be very honest with you guys; this is one place that I want to go back to, if only because my memory of it is so vague. I’ll do my best to write down what I recall, but I will be filling in the gaps with a little research.
Like any major city, Rome needed a place for her citizens to rest when their soul left the world. In ancient times the culture dictated that bodies were to be cremated, but as time wore on burial became more and more popular. The Catacombs of St. Callixtus were dug out for just such a purpose.
It was once the resting place of the elite. Saints, popes, and wealthy Christians were at one time the only ones to be buried there, however the land was eventually donated to the church so that any Christian, rich or poor, might be given their proper burial within St. Callixtus.
I don’t remember any of this. Not the decorations, anyway.
What I remember are, according to my research, likely the tombs of the ordinary Christians. I remember walking down halls, too tall for me but not nearly tall enough for my Dad or for Grandpa Lostman, both of whom stand over six feet. I remember rough hewn, rectangular holes carved into the stones, only on one side for some reason, though pictures show me that there were spaces for bodies on both sides. The lights cast an orange glow over the stone, and I remember being terrified that they would suddenly go out. This was likely because the tour guide had informed us that for one, becoming lost in the catacombs was very easy, and for another, our tour was the last of the day which meant that the lights would be shut off as soon as we left. I apparently had no intentions of falling behind, because Dad told me that I had abandoned him and Grandpa Lostman to follow the tour guide as closely as I could.
The fact that the lights were about to be turned off is one of only two things I remember being told on that tour.
The second concerned a statue, one which I liked the moment I saw it. It was of a beautiful woman, lying on the ground with her head turned away from the viewer. I noted that her neck had been slashed open, and the tour guide explained that the executioner hadn’t managed to cut her head off properly, and that she’d lived on and suffered for a while because of it. On hearing that I felt very sorry for her. I know now that this was a replica of a work by Stefano Maderno depicting St. Cecilia, a patron saint of musicians who was martyred and, so the story goes, lived for three days, carrying her head about in her arms.
Another very vivid memory I have is a sense of guilt that came creeping into my heart as I wandered. I thought I should have liked it more, felt more at home, or somehow more loving towards the place that Grandpa Lostman and Dad called the resting place of my ancestors. Family was and still is very important to me, but I couldn’t picture anyone I was connected to resting there. I still can’t. One day I would like to go back, to see if that feeling has changed, and of course to visit Cecilia!
If you are looking for relics, or for bones stacked beautifully but irreverently like the ones in the Parisian Catacombs, this is not the place for you. The people who once rested at St. Callixtus have been gone for centuries, removed to create relics for churches or else made dust by the passage of time. That said if architecture, the burial of saints and popes, or general history is your thing, then it’s well worth the visit for you.
I recommend it to everyone irregardless. There’s something about St. Callixtus which lingers with you. It’s been over a decade, and though my memories have faded I can still remember the roughness of the walls beneath my fingertips, and sadness which filled me upon learning Cecilia’s story. The catacombs will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression upon each of it’s visitors; what that impression is, you’ll have to visit to find out.
True Story Tuesday: Cheeky England
Present day me is very much a quick planner when it comes to travel. Given a couple of hours I can plan a vacation. Given a credit card I can have it booked and ready to go within the day. I also have a knack for taking people further than they’d originally intended to travel. Aunt River never intended to go to the Netherlands but we ended up there for three days. Forest wanted to visit me in England and ended up visiting Germany as well. It’s gotten to the point that Forest has said “If Lost wants to go somewhere, she’ll let me know the cost. If I want to go somewhere, I tell her where. She’ll plan it.” Honestly, I should just get TICO certified and become a travel agent already.
I didn’t start out that way, though.
Once upon a time I was a very passive traveler. Much like any child I was a tag along to wherever Mom and Dad wanted to go and didn’t have much say in the matter. That would all change with one ironically flippant question.
Spring was starting to bloom in the north, and my second university graduation had just been confirmed. Having been in school for seven years, my family and I hadn’t travel significantly during that time. I was making plans to live abroad, and though I didn’t have a definitive location chosen by then I think Mom and Dad both knew I was serious about it. With that in mind, Mom decided that after my graduation would be the perfect time to have one last family vacation. Her suggestion? St. John’s, Newfoundland.
I thought it was an awesome idea. She’d shown me pictures of Gros Morne national park, Iceburg Alley, and L’Anse-aux-meadows, all of which were things that I immediately wanted to see for myself. I would be able to explore something completely new to me, having never been to the Maritimes, and Mom and Dad could return to a place they loved, all the while exploring a few places they’d missed the first time they went. It was perfect!
At least, I thought it was, until we began to plan it.
Due to work, graduation, and other time constraints, we realised that we would have to go sooner rather than later, and if we wanted to maximise our time in St. John’s, then we would have to leave on a set date. That set date? Two weeks from the moment we decided we wanted to go.
Mom and I sat down at the computer and began to plan.
We assumed that because St. John’s was within Canadian borders it would be an easy trip to plan and book. We were so very, very wrong.
To make the trip work we would have needed an excessive amount of money, a rental vehicle and a charter plane, not to mention a tent because there were so few places available to stay it was nonsensical. The more we looked at it the more we began to realise it couldn’t be done. I told Mom I needed a break and headed to the TV room.
I had every intention of turning on the tv and watching something vaguely funny or numbing for a moment. I just wanted to get away from the feeling that this trip wasn’t going to happen. Somehow I ended up on my laptop and with a feeling of nostalgia taking hold, I began looking at pictures of London. I had visited England with my high school’s theater group (I wasn’t part of the group I just begged them to let me join them for the trip) and loved it. I wondered, briefly, what a vacation there would cost us as opposed to St. John’s.
The prices were nearly identical. A little bit of irreverence sprang up inside of me, and I shouted to the next room.
“Hey Mom, do you want to go to England?”
“Sure,” she said, “But you plan it. I’m going to make dinner.”
I hadn’t expected her to agree, much less tell me to plan the entire trip! I had barely been a driving force behind this most recent venture, and had no hand at all in planning the previous ones! Mom planned trips months in advance, there was paperwork, insurance, flights to book! I didn’t know how to do any of that!
“Wait!” I called, as Mom appeared in the hallway. She was, as she stated, about to make dinner and leave me in the wilderness of possibilities.
“Yes?” She stopped in the doorway, looking at me expectantly.
“Can we go to Scotland, too?” The little internal voice suggesting that I might be idiot was swiftly delegated to the darkest recesses of my mind. “I’ve already been to England, I want to see something new, too.”
“Plan it out. I’m making dinner.”
I realised then that we had, collectively, thrown me to the wolves.
It took me a solid week to figure things out, which left only a week to make all the arrangements at home and pack, but despite the tight schedule I found that it wasn’t all that difficult. I made sure that Mom and Dad liked the places I was planning to visit, made sure that the reviews were good for each location and provider, and was eventually given the go-ahead to book everything.
The surprising part, at least for me, was that the trip actually went well!
I had rented a small flat on the outskirts of London with a tube station close by. It had a kitchenette, and effectively both myself and my parents had our own bedrooms and bathrooms. It was all for the same price if not lower than a small hotel room in the heart of London, or St. John’s for that matter. We’d never stayed in anything quite like it before in the past, but since that trip Mom has tried to rent flats when we travel internationally. It’s something that I’m quite proud of!
I think, overall, that trip gave us all a bit of confidence in me. Mom and Dad began to realise that I was not only a pretty good planner, but also a good navigator, a skill that wasn’t hindered by a lack of of foreknowledge. It didn’t matter that I hadn’t been to certain areas of London before, or that the whole of Scotland was foreign and new to me, I could find my way around with ease. I could make my way around the world. I had the skills, knowledge, and will to do it.
It was a very validating experience, and it made me realise that if I had the funds, I could go almost anywhere I pleased. If that doesn’t give one a terrific feeling of independence and power, then I don’t know what does.
Platform 9 3/4
Time to get nerdy guys!
I couldn’t very well visit London without heading to Platform 9 3/4, which proved to be quite an experience in itself.
For those who haven’t read Harry Potter, here’s a quick summary of how important Platofmr 9 3/4 is: To get to Hogwarts, the wizarding school, young witches and wizards must get to King’s Cross and run at the wall between platforms 9 and 10. They will pass through the wall which acts as a magical barrier, and will appear onto the platform where the Hogwarts Express will be waiting to take them to school.
Ever since I picked up that book as a little girl I had visions of running at that platform full tilt, finally proving to myself that I was in fact a witch and I would be going to Hogwarts.
Alas, it was not to be, because the actual platforms are sealed off now for security reasons. You can’t get to the platforms at King’s Cross unless you have a ticket for a specific train leaving from that area. I never did, even when my family and I caught the train to Scotland, which was super disappointing to say the least!
Luckily, Harry Potter fans are a clever, and downright devoted bunch. A trolly has been set up on a nearby wall that looks as though it’s half stuck into the wall, and it presents the perfect opportunity for a photo op. They’ll even give you your house scarf if you know which house you’re in, which let’s be real, of course you do. You could rattle off your house, it’s head and ghost, your patronus, your wand wood and core, and any trivia question asked of you within a single breath.
You can have your travel buddies take your picture for you, and I’m sure that anyone in line would gladly take photos for you if you handed them your phone, but the people who work at the Harry Potter store associated with the trolley will take your photo for you. You can then purchase it in the store along with all sorts of other Harry Potter paraphernalia.
To find it just get off the Tube at King’s Cross St Pancras station. When you come up from the Tube have a look around. Are you in a long, high, well lit hallway? That’s St. Pancras station, you’ll need to cross the street to get into King’s Cross. If you come up to a low ceiling with a bunch of shops around you and an exit to the street on your right, you’re in the right place. Head left. You should be able to look up and see a much more open hall with a bunch of boards lit up with train times and destinations. Look left. If there isn’t a crowd, you’ll see the twisting lineup for the trolly. Don’t bother planning for a special day, it’s always busy, just try to get there a good few hours before the store closes.
For those of you who are a little bit shy, thinking that Harry Potter was great for you when you were a kid but now that you’re an adult you need to grow up, I promise you that you will not be the only adult in line. In fact, there will be far more adults than children.
Go get your picture taken. Seriously. Nerd out. If Harry Potter was as important to you as it still is to me, then you have every right to be excited about it and enjoy it. Always.
5 Ways I save Money (and Time) on food while I travel
Being part Italian and part French, food is a big part of my life. My friends know that they will never have to worry about eating when they’re out with me because I will either already have food on me or know where to get it. Being prepared in that way is a bit of a Lostman family tradition, so naturally I know all about finding food abroad.
That said, eating out all the time can be expensive when you’re at home, never mind when you’re in a foreign country, so I do have a few tricks up my sleeves to keep my budget balanced. Of course, I always put aside a bit of money for a few splurges and fancy dinners here and there, but when I travel alone, these are the five things I do to save money on food.
#1. Head To The Grocery Store
I love going to grocery stores abroad. I want to see all the different products, where they keep their stuff, everything! It’s always just so fun to explore how different something so mundane can be! Now you’re probably giving me a sideways glance going “Lost … I hate to burst your bubble but my hotel room barely has a functioning coffee maker, never mind an oven.” Hear me out.
If you’re staying in a typical hotel room grab yourself a loaf of bread, some peanut butter and jam, some fruit, and maybe a bit of cheese. With that you can make a simple breakfast and if you purchase a few sandwich bags you can make yourself a lunch for the day. As a bonus, none of those items require a fridge, so they’ll keep for as long as you need them to. Ask for a knife from room service or get a bit of plastic cutlery while you get your groceries. If your hostel, hotel, or B&B does have a little kitchenette I recommend grabbing whatever ingredients you need for your fastest, easiest-to-make meal. Mine is pasta. I’m experienced enough that I can make my own sauce very quickly, but don’t be afraid to try jarred. Whatever sauce it is, be it pasta or tikka masala, it certainly won’t be the same as what you get at home, so I consider it another way of trying out the local cuisine.
Most grocery stores will also have some pre-made foods like salads or sandwiches that they’ll have deals for. Usually it’s something along the lines of a sandwich, a treat (fruit, chips, or chocolate), and a drink for a fairly reasonable price. Pack that in your day-bag and you’ll have a meal you can eat on the tour bus or while you wander. No need to stop unless you want to!
If you’re able, I suggest purchasing a pack of bottled water while you’re there. I can almost guarantee it’ll be much cheaper in the grocery store than it will be elsewhere, and you won’t want to get dehydrated while you’re out trying to have fun.
#2. Look for Food Trucks and Street Food
This one can be a bit tricky but if you do your research street food can be a great way of trying out the local food for a great price. The issue? Cleanliness. I’m very wary of cleanliness when it comes to trucks and street food, so I usually use Tripadvisor to direct me. If you can’t access the internet to do a review search or you’re just wandering and find yourself in dire need of food, go for places that have lots of people around them and that look immaculately clean. You can even watch the workers while you wait in line to make sure their cleanliness practices are up to your standards. If you don’t like what you see, leave immediately! An afternoon spent hungry is nothing compared to a whole trip spent sick in your room!
#3. Eat Fast Food
Oh yes, I know, the horror. I can hear my mother gasping and chiding me as I write. How dare I eat McDonalds when I’m in Paris?! Too late! I did it in Scotland too!
The fact of the matter is that it’s cheap, fast, and is often the only thing that’s open super early in the morning. That’s especially handy when you’re looking for a warm drink or a hot breakfast before getting on the tour-bus. Your tour leaves at seven, you’re up at five thirty to make sure you get there on time, and guess who’s also up? The people working at McDonalds.
If there’s a local or regional ‘fast food’ restaurant by all means try out the local chains instead. There’s absolutely no shame in getting a cheeky Nandos!
#4. Plan Ahead
If you know where you’re going to be on a given day, you can dip into Tripadvisor the evening before and see what restaurants are available. Make sure they’re open during the hours you’ll be there, and have a backup restaurant just in case. You might even be able to sneak a peak at the menu.
This might all seem a bit ludicrous, but honestly, the less time you spend sitting thinking about where you want to eat and what you want to order, the more time you can spend actually enjoying your food and you’ll be back to exploring all that much quicker. Maximize your time!
#5. Get Away From Tourist Hot-Spots
There’s a coffee shop in Paris that is open very early in the morning to take advantage of tourists visiting a local hot spot. I went in one morning, bleary eyed and still half asleep and ordered myself a hot chocolate. The cashier told me the price of my beverage and I paid dutifully, but while it was being prepared I began to do a bit of math. That hot chocolate had cost me nearly ten dollars Canadian! I looked up at the menu board to ensure that I hadn’t just been taken to the cleaners by a crafty employee, but no, that was the proper price. Beneath the menu was a little sign saying that tips were appreciated. I bet!
Cafes and restaurants know that as a tourist you’re either too inexperienced, don’t have a good enough command of the language, or are in too much of a rush to be inconvenienced by questioning their prices. If you have the time, walk a bit and you’ll find that the restaurant prices start to get a bit lower the further you get from tourist attractions. I find that little restaurants owned and run by immigrants usually have amazing food for decent prices. I’d take ten dollar kafta over a ten dollar hot chocolate any day.
Do you have any preferred places to eat when you travel? Let me know in the comments!
Lostman's Star 