I subscribe to a lot of great travel blogs. Lately, a few of them have participated in a cool travel-related meme which recalls travel experiences via the magic of the alphabet. So, I thought I’d have a go too. This’ll be the first meme I’ve ever participated in. I know, shocking!

A: Age you went on your first international trip

I was probably around 8 or 9 years old. We used to go on long road-trips around Europe as a family. The most epic was a drive from London to Rome. We stopped off on the way in Luxembourg and the beautiful Black Forest in Germany to camp. After a week and a half in and around Rome, we took the motorail back to Calais. A great and memorable trip.

B: Best (foreign) beer you’ve had and where?

I’m not a massive beer drinker. I only really got into it this year whilst on a long flight from London Heathrow to Singapore. All they had that sounded familiar was Heineken so I had a can of that to calm my nerves through the bumpy bits over the Himalayas. It was okay, but I would have preferred a cider. I don’t mind a Peroni now and again either.

C: Cuisine (favorite)

Indian. A large variety of flavours, textures and heat levels means for me, it never gets boring. Plus, it’s always filling and comforting. I like that I can rely on it to deliver all these things. A close second would be Italian, though that’s only because we’re an Italian family who eats Italian food pretty much every other day.

D: Destinations, favorite, least favorite and why?

Really tough. I loved Singapore when I visited earlier this year. I really want to go back soon and spend the whole time eating and drinking. The hawker centre culture, where amazing food with influences from all over the world is easy to get for next to nothing, is something I really miss. Plus there’s loads to see and do. The place was buzzing, yet relaxed and tangibly cheerful. Switzerland is right up there as one of my favourites too. Everything that springs to mind when you think of Switzerland is true. Incredible scenery, cute chalets, masses of snow and cheese and chocolate by the bucket load.

Luckily, I normally plan my trips to the finest detail to avoid disappointment. That said, Sydney was dull. I’d made the mistake of basing myself there for a week with the assumption that there’d be plenty to see and do. After 2 days, I’d pretty much covered everything, and even then, I wasn’t exactly bowled over. I should have gone to Melbourne instead. Lots of people tell me it’s significantly better.

E: Event you experienced abroad that made you say “wow”

I always ensure I get at least one “wow” out of my trips. However, we’re specifically talking about an ‘event’ in this question. The one that springs to mind is seeing the mighty Strokkur geyser in Iceland double-erupt. Luckily, I caught it on camera. I maintained my professionalism though and said “wow” in my head.

F: Favorite mode of transportation

Trains. I can happily stare out of a train window for hours.

G: Greatest feeling while traveling

Trying new things always excites me. Be it food or seeing something for the first time or food or doing something that pumps some adrenaline or food. I also rather like not knowing what’s happening in the news. At home, I’m a bit of a news junkie but when I’m away, I can happily not check the BBC News website for days on end.

H: Hottest place you’ve traveled to

It’s either Spain or Singapore. Probably Spain. I remember being hit by the heat once the plane doors opened. It was so hot, the air from the air conditioning vents inside the plane became visible. It was pretty intense.

I: Incredible service you’ve experienced and where?

The best service I’ve had is at Hotel Oberland in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. The hotel and restaurant management and staff are all lovely and really look after you. I can’t recommend the place enough.

J: Journey that took the longest

The flight from Hong Kong to London Heathrow took around 13 hours. Luckily, Qantas have a massive selection of films and tv programmes on demand and free drinks on tap so I didn’t really notice.

K: Keepsake from your travels

Postcards. I have several hundred in my collection. They’re cheap and capture the mood and culture of a place reasonably well. Certainly better than buying a keyring or pencil case.

L: Let-down sight, why and where?

Sydney again. Specifically, Sydney Opera House. You get all the joy of this unique building from a photograph. Being there doesn’t add anything new to the experience. The Harbour Bridge is more impressive. I quite enjoyed wandering across it, though finding nothing of interest on the other side was a bit disappointing. Quite why anyone would want to scale it and walk over its beam is beyond me.

M: Moment where you fell in love with travel

I don’t know. My first solo trip was to Belgium (exotic, huh?). My global adventures kind of started from there so perhaps the moment I fell in love with travel was in Belgium. Who’d have thought that?

N: Nicest hotel you’ve stayed in

I’ve stayed in a lot of nice hotels (thanks TripAdvisor). The nicest is probably Hotel Oberland in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. In close second place, Y-Loft (Youth Square) in Hong Kong.

O: Obsession — What are you obsessed with taking pictures of while traveling?

I normally avoid taking close-ups of things and opt to take wide shots of landscapes and cityscapes. If I do take a close-up, it’s of food. A glance through my Flickr stream shows that this is my general rule of thumb when it comes to photography.

P: Passport stamps, how many and from where?

Being an EU citizen means my passport doesn’t reflect the number of places I’ve been to. In case you’re unaware, EU citizens can travel freely (and live and work) within any EU country without visas or having a stamp in your passport. In my current passport, I have a pair of stamps from Singapore, a pair from Australia, 1 from New Zealand, 3 pairs from Hong Kong and a pair from Macau (I went on a day trip from Hong Kong to Macau so essentially entered and departed Hong Kong twice in a week).

Q: Quirkiest attraction you’ve visited and where?

I think that would have to be the Kauri Museum in Northland, New Zealand, a museum specifically dedicated to a native New Zealand tree species.

R: Recommended sight, event or experience

I could easily recommend everything I’ve done and everywhere I’ve been. If I had to choose 1 though, it’d have to be 1 at random. So, I recommend a trip to Jungfraujoch, the highest altitude train station in Europe. After a long, dark and winding journey through the rock of Mount Eiger, you emerge on a scenic plateau that’s covered in snow all year round. From there, you can take a walk on a glacier, walk through a tunnel bored out of the glacial ice or simple gawp at the views. It’s a truly unique, albeit expensive experience.

S: Splurge; something you have no problem forking over money for while traveling

It depends on where I am and the circumstances of my visit. Whilst in New Zealand, I spent a lot of money on adrenaline activities whereas in Singapore, I spent most of the budget on food. I think generally, I spend the most amount of money on accommodation. I’d rather pay more for a nicer place to stay than have to suffer in a flea pit.

T: Touristy thing you’ve done

I don’t really get this. The nature of having an interest in travel is doing touristy stuff, isn’t it? I’ve gone up the Eiffel Tower. That’s touristy. If I was one of those people who says I like to avoid doing touristy things and as a result, hadn’t been up the Eiffel Tower, I’d sound like an idiot.

U: Unforgettable travel memory

It’s difficult to forget about your travel experiences, particularly when they’re blogged and photographed. That said, if when I’m old and mental I only remember one travel experience, it is likely to be a road-trip around the Northland region of New Zealand with my mate Iain and then staying with his lovely family in Auckland. As I said at the time in my trip notes, I struck the travel lottery that week. It was brilliant.

V: Visas, how many and for where?

Just one. Australia. And even then, it doesn’t really count since it takes about 2 minutes to apply for it online and is granted immediately. Everywhere else I’ve been has either been covered by the Schengen Agreement or by a visa waiver. One of the many benefits of being a British citizen is that there are still legal leftovers from colonial times. For example, Hong Kong grants Brits a stay of 180 days upon arrival whereas everyone else gets to stay for 90 days or less. Conversely, Macau grants British citizens a stay of 6 months upon arrival whereas almost everyone else (amazingly, including Portugal) gets 30-90 days.

W: Wine, best glass of wine while traveling and where?

I really don’t like wine. In my life, I expect I’ve had less than 20 sips. Horrible stuff.

X: eXcellent view and from where?

Switzerland is fairly reliable for amazing views. The Lauterbrunnen valley in particular is simply stunning. In the southern hemisphere, Australia’s Blue Mountains are incredible, especially when the sun’s out.

Y: Years spent traveling

My travels started with my family about 20 years ago. My solo travels started about 7 years ago.

Z: Zealous sports fans and where?

I’m a supporter of the mighty Bedford Blues so I couldn’t answer this question without mentioning them. Come on you Blues!

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