London and I have a very difficult relationship. It’s been a rocky road. At the same time, I have very strong bonds and deep friendships with people who live there, and this is the main reason I started coming to London again in the recent years; because in other regards London feels like a distant relationship that ended in unfinished conversations. But as with all failed relationships, things happen for a reason and to teach us lessons in life. And in the end, all lessons take us forward and let us grow. London and I were just never meant to be, no matter how thankful I am today for the lessons I learned.
When I come to London now, I of course choose to see its pretty and glamurous side only. And pretty it can be!
I really must give it to London; it can be so charming and over-the-top. Nothing really compares. December is for sure one of my favourite times to see London, probably the favourite time. The crisp air and overheated stores, the sumptuous décor and iconic Christmas lighting give it that very special touch. I can’t help but find it exceptionally Christmassy; it just has this very special allure.
Strolling down Regents Street or browsing through glossy, high-end things at Selfridges, I simply love it. Have you ever been to Fortnum and Mason’s Food Hall? Or the one in Harrods? It’s breathtaking. Not that I am into Christmas pudding, but the sumptuous packages just captivate me so much. No one overdoes Christmas quite as well as the British!
I think it is the mesmerizing atmosphere that fascinates me the most. While I normally find the dark days in the Northern hemisphere depressing, they make London extra special for me. You can be out and about in a busy street in the dark at 3 p.m. and it is charming and nostalgic, even when it rains.
When I go to visit London now, I am very selective about the parts of it I want to see. I only stay in the boroughs arranged around Hyde Park, because they remind me of the good times we had. Hyde Park was always there for me. We hung out a lot, and it never judged. I started running in Hyde Park, 20 kg overweight from countless late nights in the library over the years, in red leggings I found in Zara on sale. It sends shivers down my spine when I think of that outfit with the blessing of hindsight, but my skinny student budget only went so far.
Hyde Park connects all my favourite places in this city, starting from the Greek Cathedral of Hagia Sofia in Bayswater where I used to attend Saturday evening prayers to High Street Kensington on the other end. I still love taking the double decker buses just for sightseeing along its bounds and I would even dare to go as far as to say that I miss Hyde Park.
Watching its enormity from a double-decker bus is so much prettier and chill than squeezing into the tube sniffing commuters’ armpits and pushing the bounds of my germaphobia.
When I come to London now, I never stay long. Because, in keeping with its personality, it remains unattainable for most, and I like to keep it classy. After all, I have moved on since student days and like to stay in comfort and style. I come to spend quality time with the people I love. As with any harsh environment, the bonds you forge in it are there to last a lifetime. My friends and I, we went through a lot together and I must see them once in a while to replenish on love.
This time, my best friend and I treated ourselves to a wonderful Peking Duck experience at the Min Jiang Restaurant in the Royal Garden Hotel on High Street Kensington, overlooking my trusted old companion, Hyde Park. It was delicious and definitely on another level compared to our student days when we could hardly even afford egg fried rice in China town.
These days, I always make a point of stopping at Whole Foods as well, one of my absolute favourite supermarkets in the whole world. It’s just a quirky habit of mine to visit supermarkets abroad. Whole Foods Kensington is huge, it’s amazing and just extra. I simply love it. If you don’t really know London, or don’t know what part of town to see besides the tourist classics, I highly recommend High Street Kensington. It is classy with a variety of shops, cafés and restaurants, and home to all the major high street brands without being as crowded as Oxford Street. You’ll find all the British staples, such as Marks & Spencer, Holland & Barrett and Boots, too but don’t have to elbow your way through on the pavement. Caffé Concerto used to be one of my favourite places to go for a birthday treat. It’s changed a bit since, but the cakes still look delicious in the display.
While London and I definitely grew estranged, I am still very happy to return every once in a while, and you can rest assured that I will continue to share some insights and recommendations in the future whenever I go.
I am not affiliated with or sponsored by any of the restaurants, shops, and hotels mentioned or otherwise featured in this blog post.
Over the course of the last year, I have been visiting Palma de Mallorca on a number of occasions; not exactly for leisurely travel but that does not mean that I did not get a chance to explore parts of life in the capital of the Balearic Islands. It wasn’t about sightseeing or shopping, but about daily life. Regaining strength after a life-changing surgery, I could only walk. Not far, not much, and with many breaks in between. But when I think about it, doing exactly that would also be the perfect starting point for any solo-traveller exploring a new city.
While Palma is blessed with many benches and opportunities to sit down and enjoy the beautiful scenery and weather, such as on the central Passeig des Born, weeks and weeks of walking also requires some more interesting stops and longer breaks, just as any tourist exploring the city by foot would need and be interested in.
This is how I came to sample a number of cafés within the inner city of Palma. I have visited the city in late spring, early summer and autumn, which gave me plenty of opportunity to revisit certain spots I uncovered as a tourist or find new ones altogether when rest was my priority.
If you love coffee and café culture as much as I do and have a soft spot for a good matcha latte, too, here are some recommendations of where to find a nice vibey coffee spot in Palma. For this blog, I have decided to keep it modern, and I won’t be talking about cultural heritage and traditional cafés and coffee houses. If you are interested in that, check out my earlier blog. This time, it is about contemporary coffee culture, the kind of café that I like to frequent anywhere in the world, just with a uniquely Spanish touch. I am talking about places where you can rest and unwind, people-watch and get inspired or simply savour a beautiful, quiet moment in your day.
Of course, my list of cafés of choice is based on extremely subjective and unscientific criteria. It’s about gut feelings and vibes and not much about those can be objectively measured. Taste is subjective by definition and so are feelings of well-being and comfort. Similarly, some people like their coffee strong while others don’t. And if you like filter coffee, I suggest you skip this article and revisit my blog another day. Spaniards like their coffee strong, and so do I.
Likewise, this is not an article about the 5 most instagrammable cafés or hidden gems or anything like that, because for starters I don’t think any place in central Palma remains hidden and beyond that, there are really only four places I want to recommend this time around. I think I have said it before, but I am a creature of habit and once I like something, I go back. And if a place did not impress me the first time around or ruined my experience by having me scan a QR code or having a disappointing rest room, I am not really willing to come back and give them a second chance. So, even though you will only find four cafés listed here, I did visit many more. They just did not make the cut, because I take my coffee and customer experience very seriously.
My absolute and unrivaled favourite on this list is Dome. There is much to be said about this café as it really ticked many of my high-maintenance boxes. I love the modern, stylish design combined with traditional vibes of the place. It’s a perfect blend of contemporary café culture and Spanish gastronomy, excellently managed.
The café con leche is strong and generous and the matcha beautifully served. Seating is comfortable with street views that offer a calming environment for a relaxing coffee moment or cozy stop on a rainy autumn day. It is frequented by both tourists and locals which makes it vibrant and contemporary, and staff are kind, attentive and friendly.
Another place I have been returning to more than once is Menut. It is young and vibrant with a bit of a boho touch; the matcha latte was outstanding and I can equally recommend the cortado and café con leche. If you are interested in a bite, Menut is your place, too.
The only drawback about this café is the outdoor seating situation; it’s not exactly cozy or picturesque on the rather busy Jaime III junction but at least you have beautiful palm tree views on the Passeig de Mallorca, which kind of makes up for the noise from the street already.
I would say it is a great place for a break when you are out and about, well placed between the seafront and the centre of town. It is maybe less of a destination for a lazy morning or a spot you’d do some work at.
For a more laid-back coffee moment, I recommend El Grano de Caféwhich is located in a quiet street near the Mercat de l’Olivar. It is a chill cool café with beautiful indoor seating and reasonable outdoor seating, both of which offer excellent people-watching opportunities. I can’t say it is my favourite coffee in town, and it definitely is ‘watered down’ a bit for the more global taste (Spanish coffee is generally stronger I find), but I still like this place very much. I think it is the chilled location and overall vibe that make me rank it quite high up there. Service is a bit slow as they seem somewhat sparingly staffed, but who cares? You are there for coffee, not in an emergency room. No one is saving lives here and we are not on the run. Just sit back and relax. If you are into hanging out in cafés, you’ll like this one.
Last but not least in my list is Hotel Cappuccinoon Plaza de Cort. The café con leche is excellent and the view into the square is very pretty; however, you do need to spend more for your coffee than elsewhere, that just comes with the ambiance, as it is one of the more luxurious hotels in town. For me, it’s absolutely worth it. My old-school personality very much appreciates the atmosphere of the hotel and only because it does not fit within my vibey coffee spot criteria, do I rank it lower on my list. For me, it is more of a Sunday outing kind of place that you intentionally go to, rather than a café you’d stop at along the way.
None of my recommendations are sponsored. They are the result of my genuine opinions and impressions. I have paid for all my coffees myself.
There are three things that come in a box and/or cube format that I absolutely cannot live without when I travel. These are a Tupperware (yes, I am that kind of person), my Tumi travel cubes and my Max Mara cube vest. Of course, the last two items also come in more affordable versions these days, but I am not exactly crazy about shopping and this is why I like to invest in quality pieces that last me many years to avoid the hassle (and expenditure) of constantly having to repurchase the same things.
Would I flaunt a Tupperware the size of a cornflakes box on the breakfast table, unashamedly filling it with everything on display? Hardly. But I still find it ok to discretely pack something healthy to eat into it before heading out to the airport. And this takes me to exactly my point. Those of you who travel a lot will know that not only is the airport food and drink scene helplessly overpriced, but the main problem is the kind of food on offer. All of it is sweet, ultra-processed and devoid of any protein or greens. This is why I pack my Tupperware. I pack it for a trip with healthy snacks or even a sandwich, not because I am cheap, but because I do not feel like eating rubbish or nothing at all just because the choice will be poor. And it is something we already know in advance, it is foreseeable, and therefore, I plan ahead.
Mind you, my Tupperware habit has also saved a diabetic colleague on a business trip when the travel time unexpectedly extended by three hours and he did not have any food on him. Just saying.
Second on my list is my beloved Tumi travel cube. It is now 14 years old and still going strong. In its ordinary life, it keeps my office attire neat and wrinkle free in my gym bag five days a week. On its more exciting outings it helps me organize my outfits and assists me in being less of a mess when packing. While it did come with a hefty price tag, I do not regret this expenditure one single day.
To the contrary, I am so grateful that this accessory has never let me down. If you are interested in a great quality travel cube that keeps its shape (which I think is the one quality that keeps it in a class of its own compared to other brands), you might want to consider investing in one. Maybe there will even be Black Friday offers; it may be worth looking out for that.
Last but not least I need to mention my Max Mara cube vest I repurchased again after several years in Milan last spring. It has been my single most worn piece of clothing ever since; summer or winter (not much of a difference where I live) and particularly when travelling. I don’t know about you, but I often find that the air cabin temperature is way below 20 degrees Celsius (according to google that is 68 degrees Fahrenheit) and I find that to be very cold.
This is where the vest comes in so handy. It weighs next to nothing but keeps me so incredibly warm. You can stuff it in whatever overpacked bag you bring as a carry on because it also takes up so little space. You can wear it under another jacket to, for example, bring a trench up a notch to being as warm as a winter jacket. This is particularly helpful when you cross the weather divide and do not want to schlepp around a winter coat but also don’t fancy coming down with the flu the day after.
All in all, this vest has been a lifesaver for me on several trips and will continue to be just that for years to come.
And there you have it. My three most reliable boxes I bring on every trip.
Granted, they are not the prettiest arrangement when seen in their raw state, but they are unbeatable when in action.
Especially the Tupperware, I dare you to try on your next trip. You can thank me later.
As always, none of my recommendations are sponsored. I am not affiliated with any of the brands.
I recently had to travel for personal reasons, not connected with my love for leisurely trips. That also meant that I had to stay abroad for a few weeks, which in turn made a hotel stay impossible; I mean, I am not Coco Chanel, unfortunately.
Staying in an apartment – and don’t get me wrong, it was a very nice apartment, centrally located and generally quite fabulous – I was, however, again reminded why I loathe staying in apartments when traveling. For starters, the owners hardly ever manage these properties full-time. Thus, you always get exactly that: someone who is “looking after” you and the flat on the side; never a priority, never fully committed, never top-notch service. They’ll fit you in between work and family life, even though you are a paying customer, not a relative coming to stay.
And then, there is the usual that seems to come with every flat – globally. Stuff doesn’t work. You get the induction, and already you are being told that the toilet flush is temperamental and doesn’t work properly; you’ll have to push a few times to make the water stop running. I mean, first of all, what is it with toilets that literally everywhere you go, there’s an issue with the flush? Second, why don’t you, dear landlady, just get the plumber to fix it before you accept paying guests?
Then, we have the miscellaneous electric issue or broken boiler or what have you. Yes, they are kind, they understand, they call the electrician/handyman and yes, he’ll come tomorrow. At three o’clock? Yeah, that’s great, thanks. Because that’s really what I came here for. To wait for the electrician. Fantastic. And you know (or should have known) the guy doesn’t show up at three, but he’ll be there at two-thirty because he can, and you are still with wet hair coming out of the shower; lucky you were wearing a pair of trousers already when he rang the doorbell. And I am not even going to mention the shoes-in-the-flat issue. It is what it is. He won’t know English, that’s clear. Luckily, I know a few languages; that usually helps. And he’ll use your fresh kitchen towel to put his tools on. Don’t worry, he’ll be very kind and carefully put it back later, as if you were totally still going to use that to dry your dishes.
Speaking of the dishes. Yes, you have the de luxe flat with the dishwasher, and wow, they even have about two dishwashing tablets left so you can lay off the groceries for half a day, but guess what, you are not just staying for two days, so of course you’re going to the supermarket and buying new dishwasher tablets immediately. Only to then find those cute little red lights blinking when you first want to run the dishwasher. And then you go the next day again, to buy the salt and rinse aid. And when you are there in the local supermarket or drugstore, buying wiping cloths (why do flats never have them?) and sponges – because the one you found was minging and, yes, all the crockery in the cupboard was kind of sticky and you need to wash stuff on the side because you cannot run the dishwasher for one cup, can you? – you ask yourself: is this really why I traveled to a foreign country? To queue in a store buying cleaning products for a flat that isn’t even mine?
Another classic is the: why are there no hooks to hang towels? What are you supposed to do with those? And tissues? Kitchen towels and toilet paper? Always on the last roll, half down and the olive oil on its last drops. So you have to go buy that, too. And even though you did find some Tupperware in the drawer, it’s the rubbish kind that doesn’t close and all your cut fruit goes brown. By that time, you are already kind of fed up with sponsoring the landlady and decide to buy kod kineza, i.e. the local Chinese market that stocks absolutely everything and most definitely constitutes a fire hazard.
You buy your Tupperware and really got to remind yourself that, no, you shouldn’t buy hooks or a trash bin for the bathroom, because it isn’t your bathroom after all. But, of course, you are going to spend on stuff you did not need and more importantly, you are wasting your time. I already don’t particularly enjoy dealing with handymen or doing that kind of shopping at home. Constantly armed with bags schlepping about kitchen towel and dishwasher salt, you spend your day – doing chores.
All the things that holidaymakers seem to buy must be appearing in the black hole of the landlord’s households. Apart from the leftover shampoos and shower gels – of which there are plenty in the bathroom and which you neither need nor want to try.
The other side of the holiday apartment coin is the fact that you are losing out on so much because you create your own little microcosm, cooking the same food you cook at home, having the same breakfast, and missing out on interactions with the locals. It’s a bit sad, really; in the first three days of my stay, I felt like a student equipping my dorm again; ping-ponging between the flat, the Chinese, and the supermarket. I had a few relaxing coffees in the meantime, but that was all. Had I been in a hotel, I would have seen so much more, and I would have gone out and had dinner or lunch or both. I would have been helped and served by people whose job it is to work in tourism and restaurants.
In a way, I really do understand those locals who seek to curb the holiday home trend; taking up precious living space that the locals can no longer afford without really contributing much to the economy. I get it. And from the traveller’s perspective, I also think it is a bad deal. If you are going on a short trip that does not really require you to have access to a washing machine, etc., I would really urge you to reconsider the holiday apartment thing. It just isn’t worth it. Go to a hotel, get pampered, get looked after, and simply enjoy! Experience the food and the culture, not just the local supermarket.
I recently promised you another blog about Budapest. And one of the things that I take very seriously in life is keeping promises. And since my last blog about Budapest was a little heavy on the soul, I will keep it light this time and you may have guessed it, that usually means food. We’ll start with the coffee though, because all good things start with a coffee.
Budapest really struck me as a city that evolved around so many different influences; post-communist era chic mixed with Balkan vibes and Austrian flair. It is hard to describe really, as nothing I ever experienced really compares with Budapest. It’s humble and grandiose at the same times and glued together by the unique charm of its people and proud cuisine. Likewise, you can find all sorts of different cafés, ranging from modern hipster places to sumptuous over-the-top elegance.
A very heartfelt café recommendation I would like to share with you is Kávétársaság in the Lipótváros area. It’s cool, it’s modern, and fresh and really a great place to hang out because it just hits the right tone with its urban, minimalist vibe. While Kávétársaság was the kind of place you’d go to chill, you may, on the other hand fancy some serious kitsch and olden days charm and visit New York Café instead.
Touristy and overpriced, it is still absolutely worth the experience, but I would rather put it into the category of monument than café per se. Let’s say, it’s not where you’d go for your first coffee of the day moment.
The building itself is very extra and has an incredibly interesting history; the ambiance strongly reminiscent of the K&K days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire with its grandiose and lavish halls. It is quite a busy place as well, but don’t let that discourage you. The queues will move fast, as it is rather big.
Now, if you are more into the hearty cuisine of Hungary, you just cannot leave without savouring goulash or at least a goulash soup. I had both, obviously. The soup wasn’t bad, but I had it at a moment of the day when I was getting rather hangry, so there wasn’t really much choice involved when picking the restaurant. It was very touristic, and I didn’t really love it and thus I will not recommend it. Yet, I am a fan of goulash soup and having purchased approximately a pound of Paprika in Budapest’s market (If you want to know why, check out my earlier blog), I will undoubtedly cook some myself this winter.
The goulash I had later that evening (yes, same day, I know…), was, however, excellent and I am very happily recommending Szaletly restaurant, which is located in the somewhat quieter Istvánmező area, an area that reminded me very much of Serbia with its greenery and villas. I can’t really put my finger on it, but the vibe of the quite broad street just felt so very familiar.
In the evening, I would strongly advise you to get yourself a scenic spot on a rooftop bar overlooking the Danube. The Marriot hotel has a great rooftop bar with spectacular views. That said, you should absolutely book a table, as it isn’t very big and you may otherwise lose out on a table outside with the unobstructed views over the city skyline and all its beautiful major landmarks.
I said it before, and I will say it again: Budapest is a very beautiful and interesting city and needs to be visited again, periodically, if only for the Danube views and goulash.
None of the recommendations are sponsored in any way.
Let’s face it: travel is expensive, and costs keep growing much faster than our salaries ever will. In order to find the resources to travel, I implemented a few ‘hacks’ to save in a non-invasive way. At the end of the day, it is about spending more mindfully, not about depriving yourself of everyday pleasures. Be specific about what you want and prioritize accordingly. And don’t forget: it’s not about perfection; it’s about intention and progress toward your goals.
But goals remain dreams unless you put in place a plan for achieving them. You will likely not reach your goal overnight, and probably not within a week, but the most important part is to start somewhere and consciously work towards it.
1. Prioritize quality over quantity
Don’t get me wrong, there is great beauty and worth in hanging out in a cozy cafe and buying an elegant pair of shoes or a perfume you really enjoy. My point is to stop the mindless, aimless spending on a whim or out of unplanned convenience. And if you are honest with yourself, how much do you actually enjoy a latte served in a paper cup, burning the tip of your tongue for which you have been queuing for 10 to 15 minutes? Or the one you have to bring to your own seat (if you find one) where the person who sat there before you have left a tray of mess behind and the counter or tabletop hasn’t been wiped since the place opened in the morning. Equally, how many bronzers and foundations does a girl need? Eyeshadow palettes? Likely you are always buying the same colours anyway. My idea of saving is to not to deprive yourself of things you love and enjoy and save on the things you don’t. If you love a café moment, why not plan it in for the weekend, when you can take your time and actually savour the coffee you order in a place that’s really worth it?
2. Stop buying online
While I stopped buying online because of the hassle and the endless waste of time involved in chasing returns, the stress generated by receiving 10 update emails per package, and being a prisoner in my own home because the delivery company announced it would come “between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.” only to show up on another day altogether, I think that shopping online is one of those things that ultimately makes us overspend. In my case, stopping this madness has not only had a positive effect on my life in terms of reducing all of these stress factors, but it also reduced the number of things and clothes I bought at the end of the day. I really think that we need to just pause for a second and remind ourselves that we no longer live in COVID-19 lockdowns. We can actually go to the shop and try things on there. And if you cannot be bothered to do so, chances are you did not need the item to begin with. In my opinion, it also saves you zero time to shop for fashion online because you likely end up having to deal with the return process and go to the shop or a parcel drop-off place (and let’s face it, they are rarely in the chicest areas of town), which arguably takes much more time and is way less enjoyable than going to the shop to begin with.
3. Reduce mindless spending on coffees/matcha to go
I don’t know about the place in which you live, but where I am, you cannot really get a coffee outside for less than 4.50 EUR (around 5.30 USD). And matcha starts at 5 EUR (roughly 6 USD). That’s a lot of money if you spend it on a daily basis. Not to mention all the trash, the thought of which alone makes me dizzy. If you are the kind of person that really enjoys a latte on the run while getting to work, why not invest in a cute thermos cup that you fill up at home and take with you instead? I am not saying you should reduce pleasure in your daily life; I am rather advocating for focus and spending with intention when, at the end of the day, you are looking to save up for something that is truly important to you. And if you care enough to take the time to read this blog, then chances are you are looking to save up for a trip you have been dreaming of for a while.
4. Use up your beauty and skin care products before purchasing new ones
None of us is an island, and we are bombarded with advertisements for new beauty products and skincare trends all over the place. Also, if you are just a bit like me, you probably love browsing through Sephora or the beauty section in the big department stores. I have a huge soft spot for everything beauty-related, and I used to stock up on products, especially when there was a deal or discount, thinking that I would need it later anyway. While this is partially true, I have, however, noticed that I had a tendency to basically keep my cash locked in a drawer until three months down the line when I eventually did run out of whatever product. Most of the time, there was either a new deal on offer, or I wanted to try out something else anyway. I guess, ultimately, you will just have to surround yourself with those products you truly love so that you end up cherishing them to the last drop. Don’t be like me; don’t stockpile.
5. Invest in a versatile capsule wardrobe
You don’t need 5 scarves and 7 hats this winter. You probably only need two neutral, good quality pieces of each that work with the coats you own. You also probably do not need to buy a new coat every single winter but can very likely wear it 2 to 3 years if you invested in a classic, good quality piece. My late granddad used to say: “I am too poor to buy poor quality”; this motto did not really resonate with me for many years, but with age and experience, I learned to understand what it meant. If you don’t have endless resources, it is better to spend a lot once on something that will last you long, because in the long run, you’ll spend less. Of course, if you are in your 20s, you are more likely to want to experiment with fashion and really go for trends, and that’s all great, but the more mature you get, the harder it is to pull off trends, and quality matters more, I believe.
For reasons of style and sustainability, I am also a very passionate advocate for quality leather shoes. I am obsessed with keeping them neat and clean, and as soon as they show signs of wear, I will take them to the shoemaker and have them repaired. This is why I invest in a few select pairs of shoes and boots and treat them with the greatest care.
If you reduce the amount of clothes you own in a curated and thoughtful way and shop less but smarter (i.e., does it go with things I already own? Do I have an occasion to wear this piece? Does the quality or material justify the price?), you will be spending less money overall and look put together every day. Maybe you find that very basic, but if you are reading tips on how to save intentionally, you are likely not a trust fund baby either.
6. Cook at home and pack lunches
Preparing your own food: Unpopular but not really rocket science. If you want to save money and probably be healthier in the process, you just have to start cooking and prepping your own meals and plan ahead for packed office lunches. It will save you lots of money. Instead of a lunch walk to the supermarket on a daily basis and spending 10+ Euros or Dollars on an assorted mess that will probably come down to a sandwich in the end or a mayonnaise-drenched salad bowl with soggy pasta at the bottom of an unaesthetic plastic bowl (or stale potatoes for that matter), prep your own. And that’s only lunch; you haven’t even addressed dinner yet. I prep a salad or something easy to take to the office, where I also keep some olive oil and vinegar for the dressing and cook a warm meal in the evening at home.
7. Book smartly
Granted, the 7 a.m. flight is always cheaper and the same goes for the Eurostar or other high-speed trains. Although I am used to getting up very early, and that really isn’t the issue here, there simply is no sense in saving 20 EUR on a plane fare and then having to dish out 80 to 100 EUR on a taxi because there is no public transport option in the early morning. It’s about planning it right to save money in the right places.
Conversely, I do sometimes upgrade to first class on the Eurostar (when the fare difference isn’t too high) in winter because I can get lounge access, which will be a huge plus when it is very cold on the drafty platforms and I risk getting sick and having to spend the fare difference on medicine later on.
Plan properly when it comes to the hotel location (Check out my blog post It’s all about the location) to avoid long commutes or taxi rides to the places you want to visit.
8. Invest in a good suitcase and carry-on
As a student, I would buy those cheap suitcases that usually ended up breaking immediately with wheels falling off or the zip giving in. It was usually a nightmare because they don’t break at home when you fill them. They break when you least need it. Within your means, I am sure you can find a suitcase from a more reputable quality brand that is timeless in terms of colour and well produced so that it won’t let you down in the next 10 years. Plan long-term because I am sure you are not only intending to go on one trip in the near future. If you have found your way to my blog, you probably love traveling and are looking to go on many more trips to come.
9. Keep track of what you save
It may be a good idea to keep a separate account or other mechanism in place for recording what you actually save. You can go old school and start paying more with cash and keeping the rest in a jar at the end of each week, or you can record your expenses in a way that you know exactly what you have saved at the end of each month.
The Japanese method ofkakeibois something I recently discovered and find both fascinating and effective for that purpose.
If you practice this form of simple home accounting, you will soon figure out your monthly basic needs in financial terms and, likewise, how much money you are able to save every month. Then, you will be able to immediately set a fixed amount aside once you receive your paycheck and forget about it in a savings account.
10. Plan your trips in advance
Booking hotels, flight tickets, or train fares in advance usually saves you money. At the same time, pencilling your trip into the calendar months in advance gives you something to look forward to. Having several trips lined up throughout the year really motivates me to get through the everyday drudge.
I am a notorious dreamer and romantic, and if you have followed me along, you will probably already know that I have the Balkan mentality of all or nothing, black or white, firmly engraved into my DNA. I love luxury and beautiful things, comfort, and style, and if something doesn’t remotely live up to that, I’d rather stay at home. However, none of us needs to stay at their factory default setting. We can educate ourselves and try to change ways where this is reasonable and actually to our benefit. In my case, I am trying to navigate what I want by finding suitable compromises for my travel goals when it’s necessary. Life is all about balance, and it is one of my declared goals in life to improve upon my skills of finding and loving balance.
Since I have literally just returned from my summer vacation, I am in a bit of a slump right now, as I am unable to go anywhere else just yet. But what can you do when you really want to go somewhere but can’t? I think the key to bridging the travel gap is to create little mental escape breaks for yourself along the way. Day trips, walks in a different park or forest, maybe a window-shopping and coffee-drinking trip to a nearby city you normally don’t go to. Maybe go for a spa day or have coffee in a sumptuous hotel lobby if you are craving a luxurious city break.
For me, as much as I love the urban stroll, cafés, and Parisian department stores, I also have an enormous soft spot for nature and walking. Call me boring or basic, but a walk in the forest just soothes my soul. And autumn is the most beautiful time of the year for it. I love the copper-golden tones of a beech forest and the calming scent of moss and chestnuts. The colours and the serene sound of a forest in autumn are just very special.
One day, I would really love to visit Japan. I find Japanese gardens so beautiful and impressively curated. It really is a distant and – at the moment – unrealistic dream of mine, but dreams are meant to be pursued, right? It is a matter of focus and priorities, and I am sure that one day I will be able to make it happen. I am working on it.
But the point of this blog I want to share with you is that sometimes, there also lies beauty in the ‘next best thing’ and baby steps can help you keep the focus on the big goal; in my case, a trip to Japan. There is a Japanese garden in the Netherlands that I recently had the chance to visit. Unfortunately, it only opens twice a year and its time has not come yet. But if you visit in mid-October, you will be able to see it in its full beauty. For now, I contented myself with snatching a sneak preview over the fence. It has such a unique touch and allure. Mossy green, curated maple trees waiting to turn bright red and beautiful bridges over green creeks make it look so special and stunning. I can only dream of how beautiful such a garden would be in Japan. However, just grasping a glimpse of this architecture made me dream of going to Japan, and the trip to the park was absolutely worth it.
Maybe you have something similar where you live. Maybe there’s a forest or park you normally don’t go to. And just maybe, you would actually love going for a walk there one day soon, to get a break, recharge, or to just enhance your natural glow with some sunshine and fresh air.
One of my former bosses who shall remain anonymous, of course, used to say: “Fake it, till you make it” – and to give him credit, he was the first real-life example actually implementing this maxim I ever met. He did well on that front; mostly, anyway.
Faking things to end up getting what you want is actually a great skill in many regards. And when it comes to travelling, I think you sometimes just need to fake it for yourself to help with the motivation and keep you focused on your goals.
I have said it before, but autumn (aka. ‘fall’) is a very important watershed moment for me every year. I can’t say it is my favourite season, which is mainly due to the fact that I am not really into grey skies and rain, but there is something undeniably magical about autumn that definitely makes me love it much more than winter or spring.
Autumn kindles so much desire for change in me, that sometimes I feel I just want to start all over again; in everything. I feel like throwing out all my clothes because they no longer ‘spark joy’, as well as wishing I could move to a different country, find a new job or at least move house. Admittedly, none of the above is realstic (and probably not even healthy or remotely sustainable), but at least I really feel like going for it, which, on a much smaller scale really makes me implement some of the things I have been reminiscing about throughout summer or procrastinating over since last year.
I am the kind of person that observes and takes in a lot of outside influences, ideas and thoughts without really doing anything with them for a very long time until one day I wake up and I had enough. I need change. And ususally, this happens in September.
People in the office are back from holidays and I look at them wondering why they still wear the same clothes and hair styles than 5+ years ago. (OK, let me explain my judgy self here for a second: I am talking clinging on to the past, as in, the same hairstyle they sported in their early 20s when now, in their 40s, faces aren’t as youthful and hair growth isn’t as bountiful anymore.) Why do they keep piling on stuff onto their desks without decluttering it first? Why are they adding more folders to the shelves instead of emptying those they no longer need?
But then I get back to reality and remind myself that other people aren’t my business. I am my business and change starts with me, right here and right now.
Shifting your perspective is skill I believe not many people possess or master, myself included. At least I am aware of it, even if far from proficient in it. I am trying, I am working on it. And travelling is one of the biggest catalysts for me to nurture my ability to change perspective.
I have realized years ago that simply going on a weekend trip helped me restore balance in my life and thoughts (I am a libra in case you wondered) and had a disproportionally large positive effect on my mental well-being. When I stay too long in the same place, routine and surroundings, my mood flattens and I live on auto-pilot, getting things done, day in day out, without much room and pause for admiring the beauty of life. When I am in the situation, I do not even realize it, but as soon as I get out, go somewhere else, see something else and change my perspective, I realize it. I heal, I recharge, I am able to look at what’s going on in my daily life from that ‘outside perspective’ I otherwise lack. In a way, I crave the outside input, and I have learned to give in to that craving, so I travel.
When I return, I am full of new ideas and energy and I know exactly what I no longer want and what I want to change.
When I go too long without travel, I am keeping too much to myself, to my inner (unhealthy) comfortzone. I need that impulse and social cue to get me out of it that only travel can give me.
I miss my close friends who live abroad and want to go see them. I miss a big city and people-watching. I miss being surrounded by culture and different foods and smells and beautiful things.
I just wish travelling was more affordable. It feels like hotel prices skyrocketed ever since the pandemic bid us farewell. And if you followed my blog from its inception, you will have understood already that my travelling habits have become more demanding (and perhaps entitled) and cutting corners is still unfortunately the order of the day, because I find it increasingly impossible to compromise on effortlessness and style and it wouldn’t be possible for me to travel as much and as comfortably if I wouldn’t cut my trips shorter or safe on various extras I would actually like very much.
Right now, I am contemplating cutting a huge corner and possibly just go on a day trip to a place not too far away. But the ever overthinking libra that I am, I just don’t know whether it will be worth it. Will it be comfortable I ask myself? And deep down I know the answer will be ‘no’… But I am still thinking about it. I haven’t decided yet. Maybe it will be just comfortable enough to spark that change of perspective I really need.
I recently visited the Hungarian capital Budapest. Many years ago, when I was still a student, I already heard the tales of fellow students going to visit the bath houses in Budapest and how much they loved the special vibe of this Eastern European city. I was intrigued, but never really found a ‘reason’ to visit. Recently, the recurring, subtle suggestions from the Instagram algorithm probably planted the idea of visiting Budapest more firmly into my mind. It just looked so beautiful with its magnificent architecture and picture-perfect bagels that kept popping up on my feed.
Let’s get the bagel disappointment out of the way first: I just wasn’t impressed. Probably I did not know where to go, but the Best Bagel Basilica just wasn’t it for me. They were not bad but did not live up to my memories of sumptuous, soft Jerusalem bagels.
Earlier this year, I decided that at least once a year, I should go to a place I have never been to before, and so a Budapest meet-up with my Austrian friend seemed like a fantastic idea. There is a direct train from Vienna, as well as good flight connections to many capitals around the world.
Budapest has way too much to see for a weekend. At the same time, I am not sure I would ever recommend a city trip for more than 3 days. Maybe it is just one of those places that you have to visit multiple times over the years to see and experience everything.
Besides catching up about our lives, we really wanted to take it easy on this trip and kept walking to reasonable limits. Let’s just say, if I am on my own, I walk at least twice as much. But Budapest was great in terms of Uber-ing everywhere. Affordable, clean, and – for a visually impaired person like me – easy to find and identify the specific car that was picking us up, as all Ubers are at the same time yellow cabs and drivers are very patient.
I found the Hungarian people very friendly and kind in a pleasant and somewhat reserved kind of way and everybody had an excellent command of English, and/or another language I spoke. One market vendor sold me yet another bag of paprika just because he so kindly spoke to me in Serbian (without being sleazy). Just pure kindness (and being a good salesman, of course!). I did regret having bought the first batch at a somewhat more touristy stall before I came across his. So, don’t be like me; check before you buy and who knows, you might come across someone who speaks your language and gifts you a smile!
After a stroll through the market hall, we wandered along the bank of the Danube to take pictures of the Liberty and Chain bridges and the historical tram until we more or less reached the stunning Hungarian parliament.
Not far from parliament by the riverbank lies the very harrowing monument of theShoes by the Danube bank. I have visited a fair share of holocaust memorial sites in my life, but this one really touched me very much on a very deep level.
The shoes are so vividly crafted that you can imagine the people who wore them before they were so cruelly killed at the very tail end of the war.
This memorial site was not only very moving but, of course, deeply depressing in its own right; but we must never forget history and for what it is worth, I think we must never avoid this uncomfortable feeling of being reminded of what humanity is capable of.
I do not want my blog to drag you down, far from it. I started it to distract, to share positive and funny things, to give tips on travel based on things I got right or got wrong during almost two decades of mainly solo travel. But I don’t just travel for shopping and eating, surprising as it may seem. I travel to broaden my horizon and become richer in experiences and understanding of other cultures and lifestyles. Sometimes through shopping, always through food, and other times through history and art.
Let’s just say, no one was shopping on this trip, and besides some of the designer staples like Louis Vuitton and Max Mara we walked past on our evening stroll near the opera house, I wouldn’t even be able to tell you where the main shopping district is or what kind of shops they had.
This time around, it was truly just about culture, history, and architecture.
What I also did not know, for example, is that Budapest has the third largest synagogue in the world, the Dohany Street Synagogue with its own very unique history and architecture. It is not only a stunningly beautiful building in itself, but it has a very fascinating history.
I strongly recommend that you take the guided tour to really understand this building and the particularities of Jewish life in Hungary. Our guide was a very funny man who steered clear of all politics, which I appreciated very much. I really did learn a lot about Jewish history and Hungarian history just by taking the tour.
If you decide to go, just please make sure you are covered (no shorts or sleeveless tops etc.) or else will have to wear the not so chic light blue cover-up raincoat type of thing. Just don’t. And don’t show up on Shabbat (i.e. Saturday) or holy Jewish holidays, in other words, check and plan ahead to avoid disappointment.
To end our day of cultural immersion, we went for dinner and drinks atMazel Tov in the Jewish district (they are even open on Shabbat), where the food was very nice and the local wine recommendation great.
All in all, the Hungarians appear to appreciate their drinks, with cocktails and copious amounts of alcohol on display on every corner of the city it seemed – our hotel served sparkling wine as a breakfast staple – which isn’t really my cup of tea, but I do not mind trying a glass of local wine with a dinner. I believe Mazel Tov is a great place for anyone who misses a bit of Tel Aviv style boho atmosphere and generally enjoys a relaxed place for food and drink. I can warmly recommend the beetroot hummus and the local rosé that is apparently almost always sold out and whose name I cannot remember (or pronounce) for the life of me. It will, of course, also be more fun if you go with a group of people and share different dishes mezze style.
To be continued (because Budapest has a lot to offer!)
La rentrée, literally meaning ‘the return’, or as the British would call this period: “Back to School” isn’t only a slogan accompanying offers of school uniforms and stationery in the shops. No, it is a feeling. The return to normal, everyday life that follows the re-set during your summer vacation is a magical time of the year and, in my book, much more important than January resolutions. For me, la rentrée is the real deal; the fresh start, the enthusiastic outlook on what there is to come and above all, the time to plan your next trip.
Traditionally, this is my favourite time to plan an autumn city break to Paris or Milan and think about some new wardrobe staples I might want to look out for during these trips. The weather will still be good in most European cities and the days are still relatively long until the change to wintertime in late October. In fact, if you love sightseeing and to culturally immerse yourself in museums and exhibitions, I believe autumn is the perfect time to plan a visit to Paris. While Paris is always a good idea, my favourite time to visit the French capital is between September and mid-October. Just look out for the fashion week and absolutely avoid that time, as hotel prices will sky-rocket and traffic will become unbearable.
Autumn in Paris will always be magical. The parks will show the first autumn hues, the air will be crisp but days are still sunny and pleasant for the most part. You can start wearing layers and trench coats and shoes that have been hiding in the transitional department of your wardrobe for a while. For me, autumn in Paris, is also synonymous with shopping. I don’t know why, but I tend to be more interested in shopping that time of the year as opposed to spring or summer. Maybe that has to do with the fact that living in the Netherlands requires an autumn wardrobe all year round, or simply because la rentrée makes me very excited about changing things up and exploring new trends, including clothes and shoes. Don’t get me wrong, it is not a shopping spree that I am talking about but rather the selective sampling of one or two good pieces I can wear for several years to come.
My favourite shopping spot of all times are the Galleries La Fayette in Paris, as well as the Printemps department store next door. If you go later in the day, I recommend stopping for an apéritif on the rooftop of Printemps homme for magnificent sunset views of the Eiffel tower and the Opéra. If you are more into shopping skin care and beauty products and prefer calmer surroundings, I would recommend La Samaritaine on the river banks next to the Pont Neuf close to Notre Dame or French Pharmacies.
My absolute favourite French Pharmacy is the Pharmacie Paris Eiffel Commercein the 15th arrondissement. It is beautiful, very spacious, well-stocked and not as crowded as anything you would find around the Opéra area.
Well, you can’t just be shopping and eating cake either. And, of course, there will be rainy days during this time of year and the best way to not get disappointed about that is to strategically plan your museum days. For the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay, you absolutely should book your tickets in advance. In fact, you will have to select a time slot in order to skip the queue and even then, there will be a considerable queue for the time slot you booked; however, this will go fast, and you won’t have to queue more than 20 minutes at most.
The first Sunday of the month, admission is free at the Musée d’Orsay, however, you need to make a reservation, so just keep that in mind, but free access sounds pretty sweet to me! After the museum visit, you can stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries, grab a coffee and pastry at some of my favourite places (check out my blog post of 22 June 2025 below for recommendations) and enjoy the beauty of this glorious city in style.
After the museum visit, you can stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries, grab a coffee and pastry at some of my favourite places (check out my blog post of 22 June 2025 below for recommendations) and enjoy the beauty of this glorious city in style. The Jardin du Palais Royal is not too far either, and there you can grab a coffee and chill by the fountain in the fading afternoon sun.
But la rentrée is so much more than just a city break and a cardigan or pair of boots. If for your children it is the time of year to deal with new teachers and reuniting with their friends, this time of year should really direct you towards exploring new things and ways of thinking. I hope you were able to take some rest in the weeks of July or August, and I equally hope that this rest enabled you to reflect and recharge and get inspired for the season that lies ahead. Maybe you made the resolution to go back to the gym, to start Pilates or hiking or to revive a rusty running routine. Maybe you decided that after the holidays you would start preparing meals to bring to the office; maybe you just got bored of the clothes you have been wearing for ever and think it is time to change; whatever it is, take ‘the return’ to normal everyday life as a chance for a new beginning. Don’t wait for January. If your kids can do it, so can you.
I really think that the moment real life resumes after the summer break is the time to dive deeper into examining the year that lies behind and to strategize on improving one or two things as we go ahead. I know this book has been widely hyped, and you may just be the person who is put off by such over-hyping of things but hear me out.
Atomic Habits by James Clear is a book I very much enjoyed reading over the span of a few months starting last rentrée (apart from the charts and graphs. They freak me out). In my opinion, it is not a book you can read in one go and put aside. I think it is more of a companion kind of book that guides you through a couple of weeks, chapter by chapter if you read it attentively and internalize what James Clear is sharing with you.
While I can’t really say that it was revolutionary or anything like that – mainly, because I have always been a very habitual and disciplined person – I think that it helped me reaffirm the significance I have always placed on my routines and habits and I therefore found it very interesting and inspiring to pick up one or two new habits starting that time of the year.
Larentrée is arguably one of my favourite times of the year and writing this post, I immediately want to get onto that train and go to Paris myself again. I wish I could. But truth be told, Paris isn’t much fun on a budget and I literally just came back from my summer vacation. Let’s give it a bit of time and space so that the next trip will be as wonderful as the ones I did before. The summer season really needs to close in style before I am ready to pack up again and make that trip to the beautiful city of light. Or somewhere else for a change; who knows?
The comfy traveller's diaries 