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The Poetry Pharmacy on Oxford Street in London
The Poetry Pharmacy is an absolute joy to visit The Poetry Pharmacy in London was a bit of a surprise finding for me earlier in 2024. I think it was on a Reel on Instagram or a post or [insert another place online where you might see such things], and I immediately saved it and sent it to friends. Little…
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Things to do when you visit Nice, France
When we were on our Contiki, one of the things we got to do was visit Nice, France. In fact, we had two nights, one full day, and while it was incredibly hot and I sweated far too much (tmi sorry), it was such an enjoyable stop along the way on our European Adventurer trip. We had one full day…
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Visit Arles, France where Van Gogh’s Famous Yellow Cafe is
The city of Arles is very unassuming. While we didn’t have long there – barely time to find a restroom and grab a bite to eat as we made our way through France, the small city of Arles, with its 50,000 or so people, was a sweet one to walk around, even for a short time. The city lies on…
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The Pros and Cons of Group Travel – What You Need to Know
I don’t think it had ever crossed my mind to do a tour like Contiki, but in 2024 I found myself jumping on a plane from New Zealand and heading over to London to start the European Adventurer, a 37-day trip around Europe with a friend. And 35 other people. As I discovered, there are a lot of pros and…
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Europe’s Highest Chocolate Shop | Lindt Shop Jungfrau
Not gonna lie, I had no idea that a) there was a chocolate shop at the top of Jungfrau Mountain and b) it was something I should be looking forward to when I booked my Contiki. But the Lindt Shop at Jungfraujoch is Europe’s highest chocolate shop and it was an absolutely brilliant surprise when we explored the mountain. It…
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Visit the Picturesque Town of Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
I didn’t realise that I should have been looking forward to visiting Switzerland while on Contiki much more than I was. But when we arrived in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, I knew in an instant that even though we were mere days into our 37-day trip around Europe, it was going to be a highlight. And it was. The sweet wee town…
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Visiting Paris for the Second Time
The year was 2013. It was probably around October or November, and my family and I lived in England but were moving back to New Zealand, where we’re originally from, in January 2014. We had lived in England for about 2 years and had been to a bunch of places in Europe and further afield, but hadn’t made it to…
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Visit the stunning Chateau de Cruix in the Beaujolais Wine Region, France
I have to say, chateaus aren’t something I had a lot of time thinking about until I met my friend in about 2016, and I learnt she had a love and wonder of French chateaus. So even though after that I heard a lot about these beautiful buildings from times gone by, I didn’t really think I’d make it one…
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How To Share Your Space On Contiki with 30+ People And Stay Sane
One of the things I was nervous about when I booked my Contiki was sharing life with so many people. So many strangers. While I don’t mind being around people, meeting new people, or even spending every day with the same people … it was still going to be a big change from normal life for the duration of the…
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The Most In-Depth Review of Contiki I Could Muster
In this post, I’m going to basically give you my honest opinion and do the most in-depth review of Contiki I can muster. It was early June 2024 when I started thinking about joining my friend on the European Adventurer Contiki Tour that August. And while I umm-d and ahh-d and looked at all the pros and cons and the…
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14 Things to do this Summer in New Zealand
New Zealanders love summer. The big cities clear out as people head away to their baches (holiday homes) and the beaches fill up. I’m actually not a huge summer fan and the beach isn’t my jam at all. However! There are definitely things to do this summer in New Zealand that I would absolutely be up for doing again (or…
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Visit Skenfrith Castle in Wales
A visit to Skenfrith Castle in Wales is a must if you’re in the area Living in the Cotswolds in England meant that the Welsh border was so close we often popped over into Wales for the day. One such day we decided to visit Skenfrith Castle, in Monmouthshire. Despite its run-down attire and the lack of roofing or interior…
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Guest Post :: Unlock the Secrets of America’s Historic Triangle: A Must-Visit for Every History Buff!
What is America’s Historic Triangle? America’s Historic Triangle is the seat of American Independence and so much more! It consists of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. They’re connected by the National Park Service’s Colonial Parkway and also: it’s now my home. With the pandemic came my exit from corporate life and becoming Free At 50, and that led to becoming location-independent.…
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Things to Think About before Booking Your First Contiki Tour
I did something I never really thought I would ever do: booked my very first Contiki trip. Now, it’s not that I didn’t think I’d ever go on a group travel tour like this, it’s more that it hasn’t really crossed my mind to do one before. And I think that’s for a few reasons. I’ve always been a big…
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Guest Post | Lessons in solo travel – what I would do differently next time
My solo travel adventures range from a regional flight to visit my best friend as a nervous 15-year-old to a six-week odyssey through Central America (Costa Rica, Mexico, Cuba). Fair to say I’ve had all sorts of experiences during my solo travels, although no major disasters. Solo travel experiences taught me that I can handle so much more than I…
