GAME: The things you notice far far away

It has come to be that the further I  go from home the more I notice those nick-knacks I actually really adore; things I had no idea to appreciate. One of the best things about travel is to get out of your ordinary comfort zone and take a look from the outside, ’cause you might just find your missing what’s right in front of you.

Here are a few pieces I miss from the UK, things I never really cared about in fact! Do you miss any bizarre things from home?

1. Castles

I stayed with an Australian farmer who is now approaching his 70′s and he has never seen or been in a castle. This is on his wish list. How strange to hear, as my family holidays often evolved around old haggled history and what a luxury this experience is (surprised me I can tell you!).

2. Cobbled Streets

This is a strange one, but there is something about the uneven, rocky road that gives so much character to a place. Here in Sydney its all plain tarmac and easy walks. Oh to be stuck in the stones again!

3. Snow

Although I would wish for this treat just for one day, there have been endless photo’s of snowball fights and mayhem in the UK and I do secretly wish to be with my family making a snowman. But then I look at the warm, blue skies here and its a sort of flip-sided wish!

Product: STA Travel, do you trust?

In the last year STA’s reputation has taken a variety of turns and not many of them good. For my first big travelling venture I booked my trip through them and on the most part they were helpful, until they messed up.

They have a huge inability to pick up where they’ve gone wrong and their small print gives you no compensation or reprimand to their mistakes, just persevere and they will eventually give you the compensation you deserve, even if small print says no.

For a first time traveller having some guidance booking accommodation and flights is a peace of mind thing, but a second and third time? No way.

To start with you learn that like your insurance you can book these things on your own, but initially it is a big deal and a bit scary, if only we had the confidence at the start.

Now I’ve got more confidence in how to organise everything and what to look for, I would still go into STA Travel for the brochures to get inspiration, there itineraries can be pretty good to get you thinking, but that’s all you really need from them: advice. You don’t need them to book the trip and you probably don’t want them to either, on the chance that they might totally cock-up, which is getting more and more likely these days.

 What’s your opinion?

Related articles

• Read the small print (bluedeckshoe.com)
• Why you should start traveling alone (matadornetwork.com)