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British Mensa Travel Special Interest Group |
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The
year of travelling cheaply Like most people I have a wish list of destinations I want to visit. Unlike most people I'm not overly concerned by the environmental impact of my travels. Living in Chelmsford the proximity of Stansted is enticing and the sound of Chelmsford-on-Sea years from now is equally appealing. That's why this year I have been on a personal crusade to go on daytrips to various cities of interest, and finding the cheapest possible Ryanair flights to do so. First up was my £40 January excursion to Valencia, and a slightly more cultural look at Spain than the usual Southend del Mar type resorts of holidays gone by. The day started with a walk to the bus station passing those still coming back from Friday night out. Surprisingly this was as uneventful and stress-free as the rest of the journey to Valencia. The next surprise was being hit by bright sunshine and unseasonable temperatures on landing, meaning I could shed my coat for the first time in months. Travelling without luggage, so not having to play carousel roulette, and the clean efficient metro meant I was at the dried-up River Turia in next to no time. Walking along the banks of the now diverted river created a strange sensation that something was missing in the opposite way Dutch canals make you wonder where the road down the middle of the street is. What was left was a pleasant park space and the stunning spaceship-like buildings recently built towards the Mediterranean. The City of Arts and Sciences was something to behold in contrast to the traditional architecture elsewhere and created some exciting space for a theatre, IMAX cinema, science museum and aquarium. Having walked a fair way to get there, it seemed sensible to visit one of the museums. The science museum had a display on espionage, which I had missed in London, so I allowed myself to pretend to be James Bond infiltrating a foreign lair, albeit one with a large proportion of children and bilingual signage. Invigorated by the surroundings I had another leisurely walk through the Turia Park back to the old town. Here I immersed myself into the city and the joy of travelling alone, being able to wander around the streets and past the bullring on several occasions, as I lost myself. Eventually after several hours walking I treated myself to a beer and a chorizo sandwich in a bar-cum-butchers and reflected on a very satisfying day. February saw my visit to Knock in Ireland. In terms of travel writing there's not a great deal to say about the place, as I don't think my friend Katie would be able to put up many visitors in not-all-that-nearby Ballinrobe. The only reason to visit Knock itself would be for a £12 version of Iceland, in that there's a bleak landscape around the airport. March was a particularly busy month, starting with Arsenal's Champions League match in Milan and the perfect excuse to visit both Milan and Turin. After a Krypton Factor-style landing coming in over the Alps, the bus from the airport to the town centre gave a taste of how grim and industrial the north of an otherwise splendid country is. At least it was livened up by a stereotypical 10 minute argument between the bus driver and passenger at the stop after the airport, failing to realise the bus would be full after a flight had landed. A two hour train journey to Milan was a remarkable 15 Euros return and the football was equally remarkable, even if the city was not. I won't dwell on Milan as it can't be done in a day from Stansted, unlike Turin. The Turin classic car museum is near enough to the town centre to visit, but not as near as a map without a scale made it seem. A few more checks on their website might also have revealed it was closed for refurbishment. A soul-destroying walk back into town eventually led me to some more scenic walking around the town's famous porticos and the challenge of finding the cinema museum. Eventually I allowed myself to believe it was in the improbably grand former church, where I was able to marvel at the films, posters, tutorials and not least the gravity-defying lift to the viewing platform. Alas, I'd spent so much time looking at exhibits I needed to rush back to the airport and missed out on the view. Although when I say I had the best airport meal I've ever had of wine, pasta and fine chocolate cake you'll probably realise I could have stayed, but didn't have the nerve to use the vertigo-inducing lift. Next up was Porto, primarily chosen by virtue of seeing photographs of the hugely impressive Luiz II Bridge. After another trouble-free flight and transfer I was in the main square, where the heavens opened, so naturally I hopped on an open top bus. Despite my feeling that this is the least adventurous way of discovering a city, it did allow me to see a large part of it in a short space of time, seeing some impressive blue and white tiled facades. The rest of the day was spent around the pleasant riverfront in sight of the Luiz II Bridge, with vinho verde and tapas. Belfast was the cheapest and indeed shortest of my trips at £8 and seven hours in the city. Despite that it was probably the most enlightening. The open top bus tour, essential given the time constraints, if a little surreal given the route, was excellent. The local guide was preferable to the usual bland automated commentary, which might have had difficulty getting around some of the more delicate historical issues. The local guide's wit and charm made for a really eye-opening experience. The shipyards and Stormont were fairly impressive sights, as was the new development in the city, but the real revelation was travelling down Shankill Road and the Falls Road. These roads were synonymous with the Troubles of the not-so distant past and clearly evoked memories of news reports with the partisan murals and pronounced divide still evident. It was a stark reminder of the country's turbulent past and gave a real glimpse into what is part of the UK, as did a thought-provoking exhibition at the photographers' gallery. I completed my tour in the famous Crown pub for some decent local ales and a predictable Irish stew. This Victorian gin palace was an impressive place to while away an hour or so, with its ornate decoration and cosy booth-style seating, but was something of a disappointment, being a little shabby around the edges. Unfortunately I wasn't able to stay to sample the city's reputed nightlife, but at least I wasn't too shabby around the edges myself for the flight home and the usual late night bus to Chelmsford and a much needed Sunday lie in. All in all these trips have ticked a few places off my list and allowed me to do some cheap sightseeing, although none have had the appeal of some of Europe's major cities. In fact it's debatable whether these destinations are any better than, say, Bath or Cambridge. The shame lies in the fact that train travel is so much less cost effective than plane travel. As such I'll be rooting for Stansted to expand, so I too can expand my horizons. Next stop Bratislava! First
published in VISA issue 80 (Aug 2008) |