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<title>Guardian Netjetters</title><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/index.php</link><description>Netjetters 04 - Nick Hall</description><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><dc:rights>Copyright 2010 Nicholas Hall</dc:rights><dc:date>2005-04-10T00:00:00+02:00</dc:date><admin:generatorAgent rdf:resource="http://www.realmacsoftware.com/" />
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<lastBuildDate>Fri, 21 May 2010 00:38:24 +0200</lastBuildDate><item><title>The Guardian - Nick the Netjetter</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><dc:subject>Published Work</dc:subject><dc:date>2005-04-10T00:00:00+02:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/9160f18a4ceecdb9af42f52353c1838d-30.html#unique-entry-id-30</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/9160f18a4ceecdb9af42f52353c1838d-30.html#unique-entry-id-30</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Between 2004 and 2005, Nick set off on a quest to visit every corner of Europe by air and conquer the likes of Ryanair, easyJet and many of the smaller budget airlines.


After taking thirty-five flights costing just &pound;865, I returned safely from an exploration across the borders and cultures without even pulling a frequent flyer card from his wallet.


Here you can read about my adventure from before leaving home in London to my final brush with the mafia in Istanbul.   All articles published on my personal website were printed in the Guardian's Saturday Travel Supplement and online through Guardian Unlimited.


See the left side bar to read all the articles, archived in chronological order, or click here to jump straight to the first entry, the application!]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Final word</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>10 Mar 2005</category><dc:date>2005-03-10T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/final-word.html#unique-entry-id-23</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/final-word.html#unique-entry-id-23</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[As his budget-flight odyssey touches down, Nick says it's been an eye-opener - even the bits he didn't see.


...I was scouring the internet for cheap flights, and asking myself whether I could live up to my dream to travel around Europe using only budget airlines.


...Had I chosen to buy myself an adult rail pass, the travelling alone would have set me back a cool &pound;1,660 - and I'd have still had to pay even more to get to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. 

...When I think of all the incredible landscapes and natural beauty I've seen, I come back to that old question: how can people think of travelling the world before they've seen what's on their doorstep?


...Helping me get off to a wonderful start were readers: Jess from Valencia with her bikes, beers and a home from home; Cat and Keith in Barcelona, who offered me five-star style with their unrivalled view and some delicious homemade dinners.


...As well as being stunning, Norway was the site of my biggest disappointment: I had hopes of seeing the Northern Lights at Troms&oslash;, five hours' drive from Narvik and well above the Arctic Circle, but didn't realise that timing is everything - and early December, beneath dark nimbostratus clouds, didn't offer ideal viewing conditions.   Just to rub salt in the wound, later that week I learned from two marine biology students that I was leaving one of the best whale-watching sites in the world without seeing a thing.


...I returned home wishing that European children could see what I saw when they're growing up and not just as adults - travelling around the continent has been a wonderfully illustrated art and history lesson, and I'll almost certainly be returning for a recap.


...Guided by a family that he had been corresponding with for a number of years, I was shown around the old coalmines, factories and lodgings where he used to work.   It was wonderful and moving to have such a personal welcome to the place they called "Dreil&auml;nderdeckestadt", which means roughly "three-countries-corner-town", reflecting the fact that it sits near the borders of Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland.


...And it was a rather overpriced Turkish beer - I was scammed in a bar in Istanbul - that wiped the smile from my face, and in fact brought an end to my journey.


But in the end, though, what made my netjetter's experience unique was being able to travel in the company of my own personal guides. ...  Without your help, I wouldn't have ended up spending so many nights sleeping on islands in the Baltic Sea, for instance, or known where to start in big cities (or to escape from them). 

...It has to be said that in my view flying is best: taking to the skies has not only enabled me to travel to more places, but also to cover larger distances. 

...Although I used many airlines, all of which were very cheap and offered excellent efficiency and basic service, there were two clear winners for me: Ryanair and easyJet.   Both have extensive route networks, so much so that a combination of the two can get you just about anywhere in western or central Europe, and in my experience have put a lot of effort into improving their customer relations (for example by easyJet's decision to equip its staff with badges displaying the languages they speak).   Of the larger rivals, the Spanish Vueling set the standard for how seat-only airlines should be run, while among the smaller companies, Malmo Aviation was a pleasant surprise: I flew Stockholm to Gothenburg in business class for just &pound;20!


Best of all, perhaps, was the fact that although I was travelling during autumn and winter, the seasons with the most adverse weather conditions, only one of my 35 flights was either cancelled or delayed.


...Obviously this isn't a reflection of how much each company charges overall (which will be subject to availability and many other factors), just a quick calculation of how much I ended up paying for the journeys I wanted to do, when I wanted to do them.


...With support from readers who have been following our netjetters, Guardian Unlimited has agreed to offset the airline pollution created by Nick's flights across Europe. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Second chance</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>03 Mar 2005</category><dc:date>2005-03-03T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/second-chance.html#unique-entry-id-22</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/second-chance.html#unique-entry-id-22</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Public interest on this scale is something I simply hadn't prepared for, so it's important to bring my reports back to some kind of reality. ...  The bar scam is common enough and takes place in many other cities - including London, Amsterdam and Budapest - and although I was cautious, I clearly wasn't cautious enough.


...On the six-hour bus journey out of Istanbul, I met Ezgi, a pleasant and friendly girl from the south-east who, despite the fact that her sick mother was in hospital, made time to meet each evening.   She not only suggested places to visit nearby but also told me all about her country, making me promise that if ever I return I allow several weeks to really do it justice. 

...Ezgi and many others restored my faith and trust - and to trust nobody, as some readers' emails have suggested, would have made for a rather unadventurous four months. 

...So came my second attempt at Istanbul, this time staying in Taksim, where many of the 12 million inhabitants of this sprawling city choose to meet, shop, drink and relax. ...  For me there were countless clothes shops with fashionable jeans and jackets on offer for as little as 10-20 lire (&pound;3-6), as well as many splendid rooftop cafes, restaurants and bars, all offering great views of the city.


...The fresh-food markets bustle with trade in fresh meats and goods from all over Turkey and Asia, and the streets are rich in excellent food of every kind. ...  Having missed the last boats around the Bosphorus (the water connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean and dividing Europe and Asia) as well as the boats up the Golden Horn, a long narrow inlet of water on the European side, I took a bus to Ortakoy. 

...It may be hard for some to understand what the appeal of a small city like Eindhoven may be - especially when many people haven't even heard of it, let alone considered visiting. 

...If it wasn't for the fact that walking around the city's main sites only takes half an hour, renting a bike for &euro;6.50 would not be a bad idea.


...Indeed, if art and shopping holds no interest, there are plenty of pavement cafes to while away an afternoon drinking Dutch beer and watching the bikes go by.


...I'm off home now on my last Ryanair flight, having done Europe by air (with the exception of a small handful of countries) on a shoestring. 

...I flew to Eindhoven a day earlier than scheduled, not because of the media attention in Turkey and not because I didn't enjoy Turkey but because of a cancellation.   It's a shame that in four months of travelling, and over 30 flights, my second-to-last booking had to go wrong.


It's bad enough that Corendon's website only works in Turkish despite having English and Dutch sections, but when I received four emails just before my flight, all in Turkish, I was somewhat concerned. ...  When I called the airline, explaining that this kind of service wasn't acceptable, they explained that they weren't selling enough tickets to fill the flights.   No apology was given, no reimbursement for my trouble was made and the Turkish call centre advised me to call the Netherlands because they didn't know how to change the flights.


If you choose to ignore my bad experience with Corendon, you can pick up a flight for &euro;50 from Istanbul to Amsterdam or Eindhoven. 

...If you're not too snobbish to sit on a plane with no-frills service for 45 minutes, then you can find reliable and punctual service to somewhere you'd never even have considered going.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Wiped out</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>24 Feb 2005</category><dc:date>2005-02-24T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/wiped-out.html#unique-entry-id-21</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/wiped-out.html#unique-entry-id-21</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Spaced in Amsterdam, fleeced in Istanbul - it's been quite a week for Nick as he journeys to the outer limits of Europe.


...In a bizarre series of events, I passed out, got into some trouble with Turkish gangsters, was robbed of 140,000,000 old Turkish lire (&pound;56) and had three credit cards swiped, cloned, and maxed.


...For two reasons: the first being that everything available there is readily available elsewhere, albeit less openly; and second, because I actually wanted to see the city for its beauty and culture.


...Arriving in Amsterdam at 1am, I checked into the Flying Pig hostel, the first port of call for most travellers, and pushed my way through a crowded downstairs bar filled with a potent smell of hash. 

...To ensure that I stay away from - or at least not succumb to - the red lights of Amsterdam, I had surrounded myself with two shockingly responsible girls from California and a handful of schoolteachers from Britain. 

...I couldn't understand why so many teachers had chosen to visit Amsterdam for their holidays - my initial reaction being that they were fed up with trying to discipline unruly children in London and had chosen the Netherlands as a place where they can chill out during the school half-term. 

...I left the airport - passing through more metal detectors than I could count - and made my way to a hostel on Istanbul's modern metro system.   The efficiency and cleanliness of the public transportation came as quite a surprise and, staring out of the tram window through the drizzle, I suddenly realised how exciting it was to have finally reached the edge of Europe.


...It's sad to have to tell this story, but it's occupied most of my time here in Istanbul and caused me more grief than any budget airline. ...  At this point I realised something odd was going on, so I got up to leave - and was presented with a bill for no less than 349,000,000 lire. 

...You'd think things couldn't get much worse, but they did - I then had to deal with the police.   At first they told me they could get my money back, but only half of it (I'm assuming that the other half was their cut). ...  They then decided that it would be a good idea to go and confront the proprietors, taking me on this little adventure with them. 

...To make a bad situation worse, I found the shop and hotel owners in the vicinity of Sultanahmet (where I was staying) to be among the rudest people I have ever encountered: it took me an hour to find someone who'd allow me to make a simple toll-free call and cancel my cards.


Later on, however, I met a guy who did help me restore some of my trust in the city, showing me and two other hostellers around various parts of Istanbul. 

...Then again, no matter how much time I spent looking around and admiring the vibrant culture, sounds, smells and sights of the place, I found it difficult to escape the fear that someone was trying to scam me. 

...This week I've used a Turkish airline that even the Turks don't seem to have heard of - Corendon. ...  Knowing nothing about them, I discovered at Amsterdam Schiphol that they are actually a charter airline and most of their passengers are Dutch and Turkish holidaymakers who've booked package holidays traditionally through travel agents.


One down side to flying with a Turkish charter airline is that the cost of the flight works out a little more than I was comfortable paying. 

...But beware: the English and Dutch language versions of Corendon's website don't seem to work at the moment, so you have to make bookings by trying your luck at Turkish. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Mile high</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>17 Feb 2005</category><dc:date>2005-02-17T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/mile-high.html#unique-entry-id-20</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/mile-high.html#unique-entry-id-20</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA["We're very sorry to have to tell you this, but we don't have any Smart cars available... in fact, you reserved a group A car and all we have left are group G cars." 

...My destination was a little ironic: as a budget flyer I rarely have the opportunity of flying directly to a city's main airport, yet in Milan I'd done just that - and now I was heading in the opposite direction.   The reason I was driving to Bergamo was to meet my dad and his partner Arlene, who he'd decided to take away to celebrate her birthday in the Italian Alps.


After my disgruntled comments about Christmas in Slovenia -they stayed in an ultra-modern hotel while I slept in a hostel converted from a prison - they generously offered me a room in the hotel they'd booked. 

...All Arlene asked for on her birthday was to see snow - yet although our mountain position offered a scattering, I think it wasn't quite what she'd hoped for.   I guess this was another symptom of the extraordinary irregularities in European weather at the moment: having only just arrived in northern Italy from Naples with an odd combination of sunburn and influenza, I'd sooner gamble on her chances of finding snow to the south. 

...Even a bit of culture was thrown in, with a brief education about the town's medieval bridge and how it kept getting extended over the years, only to be destroyed by fire.


The actual journey time was six hours, around three times my dad's original prediction - this is quite normal - and soon after we arrived in Lucerne, it was time to return again.   We had a quick look around the shops, withdrew a meaningless sum of Swiss Francs (not knowing their value), and did our best to spend them in one of Lucerne's dog-friendly cafes.


Back at Hotel Moderne we ate traditional food from Bergamo over three filling courses, and celebrated Arlene's birthday with an enormous profiterole I'd brought up from Naples.   The owner of the restaurant was somewhat bemused at the sight of such a cake, and knew immediately that I had bought it in the south - such barmy things can't be found anywhere north of Rome.


...Bergamo, beautiful though it is, suffers from extremely bad air pollution: if there isn't any wind or rain for a few days, smog settles in the valley and develops to the point where the landscape is blighted by a disgustingly thick haze. 

...The worst experience of all followed at Piazzatorre, a ski lift that involved stepping into a blue bucket loosely bolted to a cable: it's 15 minutes before you're given a chance to escape. 

...On the last day we were together, the winds came and the sky cleared, a little late perhaps, but we were still able to enjoy a morning coffee by the beautiful Lake Lecco before dropping the car back in Milan.   I think it'd have been a crime to go to northern Italy for a week and not spend any time by a lake - surely an institution for Italians and foreigners alike. 

...After these high-altitude experiences, my dad has come up with a budget plan for skiers: take a 99p flight to Bergamo at 6am, rent a car for &euro;5, pay &euro;6 for a lift pass, then get the last flight back at 10pm. 

...I took AlpiEagles for the second time between Naples and Milan Linate, and I still can't get over the excitement of being allocated a seat number and a nice comfy leather chair.   This is another airline that brags about 90 cent flights, but there is a catch - when they add the taxes they seem to be about double everyone else's.   Although not the cheapest flight, the journey was unquestionably better value than the alternatives and AlpiEagles are a good airline for hopping around Italy, especially after Italian budget airline Volare went bust a couple of months ago.


...And as my dad and Arlene headed off on Ryanair, perhaps still contemplating buying one of their "fly-to-win" scratchcards, I headed to Amsterdam watching Tom And Jerry, and wishing only that I'd booked more flights with Transavia.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Eye openers</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>10 Feb 2005</category><dc:date>2005-02-10T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/Eye%20openers.html#unique-entry-id-19</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/Eye%20openers.html#unique-entry-id-19</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Seven nights in Palermo, braving the cheapest hotels, on with a consistent diet of panini and pizza is more than the body can cope with. 

...The two elderly owners of Hotel Paradiso allowed me to stay in their living quarters on the top floor for a reduced price of &euro;20. 

...In my experience, Italians, or at least those from Naples and Palermo, have an amazing ability of being completely inconsiderate of others or anything around them whilst at the same time being amongst some of the kindest and most hospitable people I've ever met. 

...During my week in Palermo I became well acquainted with - and a marketing tool for - the owners of Shah Malum, Palermo's only Indian takeaway. ...  When offered naan bread many simply turned up their noses in disgust, unable to differentiate between a plain pizza base and traditional Indian food.


...I was keen to see two things whilst I was in Agrigento, the Valley of Temples and the Vulcanelli di Macalube. 

...I also made the time to see Agrigento's archeological museum, which holds hundreds of thousands of objects dug up from decades of excavations in southern Sicily, with fascinating objects from Greek pottery and kitchenware to Roman helmets and weapons.


Although I was advised not to try and find the Vulcanelli di Macalube unless I had a car, I could hardly believe that something only 50km north of Agrigento could possibly be so inaccessible. 

...As it hardens over time, the landscape cracks and forms a surface of soft hexagons, some of which peel in the sun.


...Before leaving Palermo I had a quick look around Palermo's huge cathedral that has been changed a number of times over the years and was once used as a mosque.   On my last night I was keen to see a performance by music students at Palermo's jazz school in the cultural centre. 

...I went to Naples the following morning, making sure not to forget the strong words of caution that had been told to me by so many people living in Palermo.   "Be very careful crossing the road" and "people will not slow or stop for anyone or anything". ...  Crossing the road in Naples' main piazza I naturally assumed that the cars would, eventually try and stop when they see somebody crossing a zebra; far from it, they actually speed up to hurry pedestrians out of the way!   Road rules are completely ignored and people will happily drive down the pavement if the traffic on the road causes an inconvenience for them.


...The staff at Hostel of the Sun were very quick to warn all their guests to be careful at night and not to buy anything from the markets, as nothing is real or genuine.   I was told by Carla, who works at the hostel, "if you buy a video camera or mobile phone in the markets don't be surprised to find a brick in the box when you get back, these people are magicians".   But the markets are an experience not to be missed, if only just to take a look around and be amazed at the hustling and open sale of everything conceivably forgeable or illegal.


From what I've been told, many people will stay in Naples and visit everything except the city itself. 

...Nonetheless I was still able to enjoy the 40-minute flight and was thoroughly entertained to see someone take their puppy, kitted in the latest Italian doggy sweater, onto the plane for its first ever flight.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Storms and teacups</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>03 Feb 2005</category><dc:date>2005-02-03T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/storms-and-teacups.html#unique-entry-id-18</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/storms-and-teacups.html#unique-entry-id-18</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[With great difficulty, we both finally managed to pull ourselves away from the lavish surroundings of Pensao Sintra where we stayed in a grand room within an equally grand stately home for just &pound;10 each.


With so many circles drawn on our road map of Portugal, deciding which town we should head towards was anything but easy, not least because we'd forgotten why most were circled to start with.


...We had a quick look around the beautifully converted stables and were quickly reminded that this was out of our price bracket when the owner began making arrangements for us to stay at the local lifeguard's surf camp instead.


As promised, the lifeguard met us some 5km along the main road from Monte Velho and led us, this time down an almost impassable mud track through cornfields, to a camp comprising of three wooden huts and an outdoor kitchen.   Although I thought the offer of staying in a surf camp for free was the best offer both Evih and I were likely to have, the decision had already been made on my behalf. 

...On the day a local told us was the coldest day in Portugal, we made a wise but somewhat cowardly decision not to take the surf lessons. 

...We headed into the nearby mountains where, my horse, Chamon, decided that she was fed up with carrying me and did her best to kick me off, violently! 

...With only a few hours to spare before catching our flight back to London, we decided we'd give Faro a chance and headed for Praia da Faro, a beach sitting directly at the end of Faro's airport runway. 

...The small mountains in the background were covered in snow, and by the end of the first day my feet were itching so badly from the rain that I simply couldn't stay out any longer.


...One place I was keen to return to was Palermo, which is in my opinion one of the greatest and least known cities in Europe. 

...On the plane I met two Americans, Jason and Andrew, who were studying at LSE in London and had decided to make a day trip to Palermo. 

...We happened to arrive during a reading the Sicilian author Lugli Bernardi, and we all enjoyed Kursaal Kalhesa's speciality liqueur coffees, or Caf&eacute; Corretto, as it's better known to the Italians.


...With few indoor sights to choose from we decided to take a tour around Teatro Massimo, Palermo's recently renovated and reopened opera house - the third largest in Europe. 

...I told Andrew and Jason a few stories about how the Mafia operates in Palermo, most of which had been passed to me from other Sicilians.   We visited Villa Garibaldi, next to Piazza Marina, where the famous Mafia assassination of Joseph Petrosino, a New York police commissioner, took place on March 14, 1909, beneath an incredible tree with exposed roots dangling from its branches.


...For the Americans it was back to their studies in London and for me it was to find somewhere to stay for the week in Palermo, where I'll be taking each day as it comes.


In no particular rush to leave Palermo, I hope to improve my Italian to the point where I can talk my way out of paying for things whilst at the same time get a good feel for Palermo and the Western part of Sicily. 

...It very almost became arrividerci Ryanair, Netjetter, and 200 other unsuspecting passengers when stormy weather forced the pilot of a full flight from Stansted to Palermo to make a last-minute decision, cancelling landing only seconds from touchdown. ...  Not knowing whether we were accelerating downwards or upwards a state of panic arose and finally a use was found for Ryanair's sick bags that double up as film processing envelopes! 

...As long as you make it from London to Palermo it's one of the best value budget routes around. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Beach addictss</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>26 Jan 2005</category><dc:date>2005-01-26T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/beach-addicts.html#unique-entry-id-17</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/beach-addicts.html#unique-entry-id-17</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[After weeks of snow and low temperatures, Nick finally gets a taste of the sun on Portugal's north coast, as he catches the first ever budget flight to Porto.


...Ryanair's inaugural flight to Porto on January 19 was the first budget flight to the north of Portugal and is a destination that until now has been deprived of cheap flights.


On my very short stopover back in London I met with Evih, a friend of mine from university who had decided some while back to join me when I reached somewhere warm. 

...Without further ado, Evih and I both hopped on the bus into the city centre and spent the rest of the morning looking for a budget hotel that we'd reserved online. 

...Exploring the city is confusing, tiring and at times quite embarrassing when well-aged men were reaching the top of steep hills in half the time that we could. 

...Travelling out of season promises at least one thing; hotels cost around &euro;30 a night for two people sharing and these can often be quite luxurious.   We stayed for one night in our own private villa in Ericeira, which was rented to us by the most adorable little old lady, and three nights in an old 18th century house in the gorgeous surroundings of Sintra, near Lisbon, among Sintra's many palaces.


To make the most of our time in Portugal we decided to hire a car and make our way to the south.   Although the rental wasn't as cheap as last week's Smart car, we did still get a very good price that worked out around &pound;10 a day each for a substantially bigger car.


...After our afternoon drive through the Douro valley we began to make our way southwards down the motorway making Aveiro our first stop after reading that the town was supposedly the "Venice of Portugal".   The statement was perhaps a little overstated as the only thing vaguely Venetian was the town's two or three canals and a handful of giant colourful Portuguese gondolas. 

...Discovering that Portugal's Atlantic coast is lined from top to bottom with beautiful and unspoilt sandy beaches we soon became beach addicts, avoiding the extortionate toll prices of the motorway and opting for the minor road that hugs the coast instead. ...  In Ericeira we travelled from beach to beach in search of body boards and wetsuits to rent as well as some good surf, unfortunately we were out of luck.


A little south of Ericeira we stumbled upon Obidos, a town that's built within the original walls of a castle, almost all of which is very much intact.   Driving in and around the city's steep cobbled streets was quite extraordinary when it occurred to us that we were actually behind the original castle fortress.


...Whilst the cost of having a car is quickly building with petrol being almost as expensive as in the UK and tolls costing around &euro;8 an hour, one cost we won't be complaining about is the optional extra insurance on the car.   Europcar will certainly be worse off when we return their car in Faro with a few extra marks than we started with, and the car looking like the inside of a sandcastle!


Our stay in Portugal is far from over, in just under a week we hope to make it to the south where we will leave on a flight from Faro, a place we've been warned to steer well clear of for obvious reasons. 

...We were greeted by a handful of photographers and film crews who didn't know where to look when I turned my own camera back on them. 

...Unlike almost every region of Europe where budget airlines have succeeded in ensuring that hotels and restaurants are kept busy throughout the year, Portugal seems dormant in the winter despite the daily temperature being a pleasant 20&deg;C.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Whispers from the past</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>20 Jan 2005</category><dc:date>2005-01-20T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/whispers-from-the-past.html#unique-entry-id-16</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/whispers-from-the-past.html#unique-entry-id-16</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA["Ich bin Nicholas Hall, Ernest Hal von Clacton on Sea ist mein Grossvater", is how I introduced myself when I knocked on the door of Frau Kulke's house in Zittau, eastern Germany.


I took a cheap flight to Erfurt, about 200km west of Zittau, and hired a car to make a more meaningful but still just as hurried trip, this time around eastern Germany and the Czech Republic.


During the second world war my grandfather became a prisoner of war and found himself living and doing heavy labour work in Zittau for two and a half years until the war ended in 1945.   My grandfather had written an article in a local paper about his time as a PoW and much to his surprise was indirectly put in contact with Frau Ingrid Kulke and her family from Zittau.


I knocked on the door of Frau Kulke's knowing only that my grandfather had been in contact with her, and that the Kulke family had been extremely helpful and generous in helping my grandfather to recall his memories by sending him up to date tourism literature and pictures of the town.


...I couldn't have asked for a better introduction to German culture and hospitality, whilst at the same time being warmly introduced to almost an entire family of whom I knew nothing about despite some knowing a fair bit about me.


...Frau Kulke speaks very little English, though her mother, 92, speaks some - and my German was limited to my brief introduction and "ich habe einen Hamster", which is all I learnt in school and not very useful in the circumstances.


I spent my first full day in Zittau driving in the nearby mountains and touring the sights under the very strict direction of Frau Kulke, who sat next to me in my &euro;5 a day two-seat Smart.   Most of the time I had little or no idea why or where I was being sent, but I did learn two more German words, "Links und rechts" for left and right.


...Ingrid speaks fluent English and was not only able to translate and bring sense to the many conversations I'd had with Frau Kulke each in our own languages, but also Ingrid was able to enlighten me about how this unlikely rendezvous had come about.


During the following and final day in Zittau, Ingrid took me to the railway sidings, factories, and a heavily excavated coal mine which now sits on the Polish side of the border; all places where my grandfather worked during his time as a PoW. 

...My grandfather unknowingly rescued this sacred piece of history and took it, along with other items from Zittau's museum, to a protected area in a derelict castle and monastery in Oybin. 

...Soon after crossing the border I was confronted with an unexpected surprise, the 1km between the two countries is nothing more than a no man's land with end-to-end street markets selling everything from samurai swords to garden gnomes. 

...From what I saw in two days, it seems there is no genuine Czech culture anywhere in the city centre (apart from one small cafe that I accidentally stumbled upon). 

...Realising there isn't much else you can be in Prague we all became absolute tourists, visiting souvenir shops, making wishes on the bridge and watching a military procession in the castle. 

...Stopping in Dresden to sleep for the night, I finally made it back to Erfurt with no time to take a good look around.   I can however reveal that Erfurt does look very beautiful, modern and civilised and whilst most Germans don't seem to have even heard of it, let alone foreigners, it seems a pleasant and relaxing place to spend a weekend.


...This week I've thrown in a long run of easyJet flights and decided to give their direct rival Ryanair another chance after having found it within myself to forgive them for taking me to Torp and not Oslo some while back.


...As if their planes weren't already big enough to carry large numbers of passengers relatively short distances around the continent, their new 747 800's have been designed to maximise capacity and keep running costs low.


...You'll probably agree by now that I'm having no difficulty travelling around Europe on cheap flights and that any other mode of transport would certainly turn out longer and more expensive.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>From bar to bath</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>12 Jan 2005</category><dc:date>2005-01-12T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/from-bar-to-bath.html#unique-entry-id-15</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/from-bar-to-bath.html#unique-entry-id-15</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[What do I get for paying for an overpriced, well slept-in dormitory bed, cold showers and a week of forcing myself to stomach the cheap bread and chocolate spread for breakfast? 

...The city seems to attract a truly international crowd of visitors from weekenders to backpackers and a surprisingly large number of Americans made it this far on their Eurail passes.


My Italian has gone from basic to almost fluent after spending the first few nights drinking with a couple of highly charged Italian guys, both named Luca, who drove 18 hours to Budapest to drink the town dry and leave. 

...I found myself regularly seeking out the underground bar scene, consisting of a handful of well hidden chilled-out nightspots, each playing host to stern and sober table football contests with guaranteed defeat for anyone not born and bred in Hungary.


...On the first night I was given an exciting introduction to Hungary, drinking in a bar called Sark to the sound of loud and live gypsy music, watching in disbelief as Hungarians got up and stomped their feet to the sound of home-made instruments.   Other surprises amongst Budapest's nightlife included seeing a dog enjoying the clubs just as much as I was, and stumbling upon a bar that doubled up as brothel.


...A handful of other hostellers and I were almost arrested when a local phoned the police as we knocked on doors trying to find Pot Kulcs. 

...I don't know how many more cities can be described as 'Paris of the...' but describing Budapest as the Paris of Eastern Europe is not a bad portrayal. ...  Pest is the heart of the city with all the hustle and bustle, Buda hilly and home to a large world heritage sight with castles, palaces and churches.


...In 1990 the people of Budapest made the decision to uproot these gigantic solemn reminders of the past and put them all in one area outside of the city for people to visit.


...Now fully renovated, the former headquarters of the Hungarian ultra-right Arrowcross party houses a detailed and well compiled museum of the decades of communism in Eastern Europe and is an absolute must for any visitor.


...The last two rooms 'The Hall of Tears' and the 'Farewell' room, end the exhibition with the names of all those who were executed for political reasons, as well as video documentation of the 1989 demonstrations. 

...In contrast to the decades of communism Budapest today seems to be trying to win awards for having the highest concentration of McDonald's and Burger King restaurants in Europe and is busy building some colossal indoor shopping malls.


...I'm not sure about the science of these thermal baths but I've been told it's to do with Hungary sitting on a fault line in the Earth's surface.   Whatever the cause of this extraordinary natural wonder, it's hard to resist taking a dip at least once a day, usually in the most famous Sz&eacute;chenyi Spa, which has a range of different treatment baths as well as some excellent saunas. 

...I have taken just two flights this week: Berlin to Budapest and Budapest to London en route to Erfurt in Germany the following morning.   Both flights in and out of Budapest have been with easyJet and once again I've continued to be impressed.


...The people at easyJet HQ even seemed to listen to my criticisms about staff speaking nothing but English - staff now wear name badges with their spoken languages marked and demonstrations are all translated.


January's easyJet magazine succeeded in providing me with excellent insider advice on Budapest as well as being a surprisingly good read once again.   On my flight out of Budapest the pilot took us through a town-by-town description of the route and made the point of thanking passengers for choosing easyJet.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Living dangerously</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>06 Jan 2005</category><dc:date>2005-01-06T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/living-dangerously.html#unique-entry-id-14</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/living-dangerously.html#unique-entry-id-14</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The New Year marks the halfway point of my travels and I'm realising that seeing, let alone experiencing the entire continent in such little time is a near impossible task.


...My first impressions of Belgrade were miserable, but the continuous rain and grey mist was more to blame for this than the city itself.   After spending half a day catching up on missed sleep because of absurd and unnecessary grief at Croatian and Serbian border controls, I checked out the city with two other travellers.   Despite having no itinerary and a serious lack of tourist information we were personally shown all the wonders of Nikola Tesla at the Tesla museum, which sadly doesn't get the numbers of visitors it deserves.


...The 'In Your Pocket Guide' suggests what they call the 'UN Tour', which is basically a tour of all the buildings bombed or damaged by the UN raid on the city just five years ago. ...  Visiting a handful of recently damaged buildings, which are the direct result of decades of bad leadership, disputed land, and general turmoil in the entire region is surely irresponsible or at least inconsiderate tourism.


As I discovered in Slovenia, the best way to learn about a country's past is to talk to the people who lived through it.   Of my hours in Belgrade, many were not spent sightseeing but in bars listening to Serbs tell me in passionate detail about their turbulent and eventful history.


...Time was running out, so it was back on the night train to Ljubljana to catch my Easyjet flight to Berlin for New Year's Eve. ...  The first three hours were spent passive smoking in a non-smoking compartment - the only thing keeping me from an asthma attack was the thought of sampling Serbian hospital treatment. 

...They threw her passports back in her face when they discovered her dual Croatian and Serbian citizenship, then shouted at her when they discovered a Bosnian stamp in her passport. 

...I forced myself to mingle with some Estonians I met at Berlin's (superb value for money) 'Heart of Gold' hostel where the staff knew my name even before I checked in!


...Trying to avoid being hit is difficult, especially after midnight when people are drunk and insanely fighting each other with lit fireworks or throwing them under trams, whilst ambulances rush around collecting the casualties.


...The following day was a Sunday, which meant the shops stayed shut, and on the Monday, my last day in Berlin, many shops still remained closed without any sign of January sales.


...Until Easyjet, Ryanair and Air Berlin connected the city it was always that little too far to visit, despite its important place in world history. 

...Easyjet has chosen to make Berlin Sch&ouml;nefeld a new base connecting important and newly welcomed EU cities in Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovenia and the Baltic countries to the city where Germany and Europe were divided into East and West.


...But as my curiosity draws me more to Eastern Europe I've discovered that Easyjet serves the region cheaply and well.


Initial impressions led me to believe that Easyjet was the more expensive of the two airlines, but this is not true. ...  In Scandinavia I tried many different and mostly unknown airlines, but Eastern Europe is so far limited to Air Baltic, Wizz, Sky-Europe and Easyjet.


...Missing out large chunks of Europe, I'll spend two weeks travelling from Sicily to Milan via Naples, two weeks travelling through Morocco by train after flying to Jerez in the south of Spain, and a few weeks in Erfurt, Dresden, Prague and Budapest.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Christmas sights</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>01 Jan 2005</category><dc:date>2005-01-01T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/christmas-sights.html#unique-entry-id-13</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/christmas-sights.html#unique-entry-id-13</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[With a new cheap route open from Berlin, Nick decides to soak up the festive atmosphere and natural beauty of Slovenia.


Natural beauty...   Slovenia captures many of the best bits of Europe in one small place.   Photo: Nick Hall


&nbsp;


I've been in Slovenia for the past week enjoying the Christmas atmosphere and natural beauty.


Berlin to Ljubljana is a new route for Easyjet and has only been made possible since Slovenia joined the European Union earlier this year.


Having travelled here last year using Ryanair to Klagenfurt in Austria, and then a little further by train, I knew that there would be no better place to spend Christmas.   The reason?   The Christmas lights.   No jumping reindeers or waving Santas, just simple lights lining the buildings and bridges, with flickering candles illuminating the hill up to the castle.   Plus everything runs as normal on Christmas day - restaurants, bars, and cafes - and the streets are bustling with festivity, a far cry from the shut down and stay at home culture of northern Europe.


When my dad and his partner asked for a recommendation on where to spend a white Christmas, I persuaded them to join me for a few days.   While they checked into Ljubljana's new and ultra modern Grand Domina hotel, I chose to stay in an old prison recently converted into a hostel.   Hostel Celica is the perfect place to meet friendly Slovenes who'll happily tell all about the former prison and how it had been used as a place to silence people who opposed communist rule.


We hired a car and pretty much drove through every small village in western Slovenia, including the highest mountain pass in the Julian Alps.   Surprisingly for a country so small, Slovenia really does seem to have the best of every part of Europe - an alpine landscape, Mediterranean coast as well as Italian, Austrian and Russian cultural influences.


Five carefully planned days was only enough to scratch the surface, but it's now time to leave and visit Belgrade for two days before celebrating New Years Eve in Berlin.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Rush hours</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>23 Dec 2004</category><dc:date>2004-12-23T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/rush-hours.html#unique-entry-id-12</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/rush-hours.html#unique-entry-id-12</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[All in all, I've not done too badly: with the exception of Iceland I have been to every Baltic state and Scandinavian country and all the capital cities.


Once again, I found myself residing on an island in the Baltic Sea, this time not quite as peaceful and calm as the Estonian island of Saaremaa. 

...I followed the map of Soumenlinna's tunnels and ended up getting lost and falling in a waist-high pool of water, at which point I decided enough was enough and left for Helsinki.


...I later discovered - with the help of three funky booklets listing 23 fresh and original things to see and do - that Helsinki really is a city of culture.


The booklets led me to a rustic bar called Tin Tin Tango that doubles up as a launderette and sauna, a collection of second hand shops selling everything and anything Finnish from the past century, and a swim in the Roman surroundings of Yrj&ouml;nkatu swimming baths, described by Wallpaper magazine as the third best indoor swimming experience in Europe, which I don't doubt for a second.


...Staying on a number of islands in the Baltic Sea has certainly been an experience to remember, but discovering Christiana in Copenhagen really made my trip to Scandinavia complete.


...Apart from these unwritten rules the rest can be found on a poster, which includes rules such as no hard drugs, no weapons, no motor cars and no stolen goods. 

...Christiana, with its free-spirited ways, frowned upon by the Danish government, is the ultimate escape for Scandinavians and tourists fed up living in a nanny state.   A short visit ended up being a whole day wandering around the free state in sheer disbelief that such a place could possibly exist.


...I'm not one to visit museums and galleries in each city, but apart from enjoying an afternoon in the museum's tranquil grounds, the 'The Flower as Image' is an excellent exhibition, and this alone is worth a trip to Copenhagen.


...I left the airport after midnight, missed the last direct train, and subsequently had to change trains no less than four times to get to my hostel in the city centre. 

...After arriving in Schonefeld airport at almost midnight and following directions to a hostel, not knowing its name or street, I ended up gatecrashing a Christmas party and waking up only to discover that two hours was all I could afford in Berlin before jetting on, to Slovenia.


...From the hostel in Oranien Strasse I walked up to a busy intersection in Eberswalder Strasse where every method of transportation imaginable seems to meet: bikes, pedestrians, trams with VROOM written on them in big pop-art style lettering, S-Bahn, and the U-Bahn (which looks like the perfect place to get robbed).


In one hour I passed more intriguing galleries than I've seen in five weeks, and didn't even get the chance to stop for coffee because choosing between the bar with fake white trees lining the entrance or the bar in which you can buy all of the furniture was simply too difficult. 

...On the way to the airport I lost my patience with the S-Bahn (again), and missed my check in time by 30 minutes. 

...I really have no idea what country I'm in, what currency to use, what language to speak or where I'm off to next, pretty much most of the time.


...I met a guy, Dan, in the hostel in Copenhagen, who left for Berlin with his rail pass on the same day that I did. ...  When we compared notes, it turned out that my flight worked out the same price as the booking fee that he had to pay in addition to the cost of his rail pass. 

...I was first pushed to the back of the queue rudely by so called 'gold card' Star Alliance customers and was only offered food at the end of the flight because business class comes first.


So my conclusion: I'd rather take a Ryanair flight any day and endure an hour of advertising than pay extra to fly economy and be treated as economy!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Flat out</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>16 Dec 2004</category><dc:date>2004-12-16T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/flat-out.html#unique-entry-id-11</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/flat-out.html#unique-entry-id-11</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA['Stockholm is one of the best cities that I have ever been to, and it certainly doesn't need snow to impress.'


...Next to Norway, Sweden may seem to have a comparatively flat landscape and seemingly hostile people, but it turns out that it is just a shy country.


...It took a while to learn that Sweden can't be compared with Norway: the two countries, despite being joined by the hip (or perhaps the shoulder), are completely different.


...The combination makes Sweden's cities perfect for weekend breaks with good nightlife and a nice island on which to sober up.


...I'm here now, and yes, snow would have been a nice bonus so close to Christmas, but unfortunately global warming has ensured that all of Sweden's snow has melted away, for now at least.   It seems Scandinavia is a completely different place in the summer but that doesn't make it a bad place in the winter.


To put it simply, Stockholm is one of the best cities that I have ever been to, and it certainly doesn't need snow to impress.   It seems to me that Stockholm has the best combination of big city life with its clubs, bars and shopping, and a perfect natural harmony of sea, canals and parkland to relax in.


...I arrived on a Friday, partied hard for two nights, drank countless Swedes under the table and left on a &pound;20 business class flight for Gothenburg during the week.


In Gothenburg I stayed with Dany, a Swedish friend of mine from London who showed me a side to Sweden that I really didn't expect to see. 

...Gothenburg consisted of three nights' heavy drinking - the Swedes are even worse binge drinkers than the Brits - an embarrassing introduction to Capoeira in two languages, neither of which I understood, and the rare opportunity of going ice swimming.


...This shadowy restaurant is discretely tucked inside a set of apartments on Friggegatan, also the setting for Baby Dolls strip club, Gothenburg's ghetto, and a large cemetery with the words 'death is near' written in Swedish at the entrance. 

...On my last day in Gothenburg I climbed to the top of Ramhultabergen, a large hill overlooking the city and surrounding area, and had quick look around on a more typical tourist trail before grabbing my bags and heading back to Stockholm.


...Not a day passes without one or more visits to an ATM, or an encounter with shop and bar staff all more than happy to swipe my credit card for a small transaction fee.   Nothing in Sweden is free or even cheap, but somehow that doesn't seem to deter serious consumption and indulgence of every possible kind.


My last weekend back in Stockholm wouldn't have been complete without another night on the town and a reminder of what great, if naive, company Swedes make.


...I ended with a beautiful ferry trip to Vaxholm, a visit to the less impressive 'Ice Gallery', and a walk around the old town where I discovered a delightful old shop: 'Kolonialboden' in Jarntorget sells an array of ornamental tea and biscuit tins as well as authentic Christmas decorations.


...In contrast to the previous week in northern Scandinavia, this has been a very different week in the southern Swedish cities of Stockholm and Gothenburg. 

...The &pound;20 airfare not only got me from A to B but it also got me an evening meal, beer, some coffee and a chocolate. 

...I have also just arrived in Helsinki after taking a flight with Swedish airline FlyMe The flight cost &euro;33 and is good value for money considering Helsinki is quite poorly served by budget airlines.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Dark immaterial</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>08 Dec 2004</category><dc:date>2004-12-08T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/dark-immaterial.html#unique-entry-id-10</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/dark-immaterial.html#unique-entry-id-10</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The midnight sun may be elusive in Norway, but the S&aacute;mi president is just a phone call away, as Nick discovers in Troms&oslash;, before heading to Sweden on the world's most northerly train.


...For an introduction to Norway and Norwegian culture, as well as a first-hand experience of all the perilous stories that are all too often associated with budget airlines, there is no better way than to fly with Ryanair to Oslo Torp.


Thankfully, for those who really thought they were flying to Oslo, the Torp Express awaits their arrival outside the terminal building, taking them directly to the city centre in just under two hours. 

...I was able to comfort the passengers who didn't make it on to the bus, by telling them all about my budget travels and similar experiences, which made them feel a little more relaxed about the situation.


I explained to a small group of passengers, for whom it was their first visit to Norway, that they could have no better introduction to the country. ...  If it hadn't been for a lack of available budget accommodation, I would have had no qualms about staying in the airport's close vicinity.


Not only can Ryanair offer an introduction to the beauty of Norway's awe-inspiring, natural landscape, but also the cost and time of the transfer into Oslo certainly helps to put things into perspective. 

...I travelled with a small group of Ryanair addicts who were also trying to conquer the budget airlines before they migrate to Australia. ...  I later made friends with other people from the same flight and went out with them to enjoy a few beers in some of Oslo's bars and clubs, which are anything but cheap.   If it hadn't been for the excellent entertainment provided by Tiger Tiger, a prestigious club in the city centre, I would have had difficulty putting the extortionate cost of a pint of beer to the back of my mind.


...Troms&oslash; is the most northern university town in the world and also has more bars per capita than any other town in Norway.   I naively travelled to Troms&oslash; in search of the midnight sun, reindeer, huskies, and the small possibility of meeting some S&aacute;mi people - Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia's indigenous population. 

...I was fortunate enough to meet a journalist, Kenneth, who happened to be S&aacute;mi, and told me all I needed to know about the S&aacute;mi people and culture over a few beers.   Kenneth even gave me the mobile number of Norway's S&aacute;mi president, which came as a surprise, he told me to send him an SMS if I had any questions. 

...An incredible five-hour bus journey across a seemingly inhospitable landscape led me to Narvik, where I took the world's most northerly and most beautiful railway line down to Lule&aring; in Sweden. 

...My one saving grace in Lule&aring; was a suggestion by a reader to visit Svart&ouml;staden (Black Island City), an area of wooden, workers' buildings surrounded by all of Lule&aring;'s industry, past and present; the ore harbour, the steel mill and the railway. 

...He went on to say, that he hoped I would leave Norway remembering it as more than just an expensive place to visit. 

...If Ryanair had you wondering where Erfurt, Skavsta and Torp were, then the destinations on offer by the likes of Norwegian, Fly Nordic and Snalskjutsen will certainly give you hours of atlas gazing. 

...Even if a short breaks is all you can afford, landing anywhere in Norway is likely to offer an exciting and picturesque view like no other, from the plane window if nothing else.


...Scandinavia's budget airlines not only offer the opportunity to reach places quickly and cheaply, but enable travel to some of Europe's most inaccessible areas and certainly give you the tools to plan a holiday with a difference.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Plane truths</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>25 Nov 2004</category><dc:date>2004-11-25T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/plane-truths.html#unique-entry-id-9</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/plane-truths.html#unique-entry-id-9</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In the last three weeks Nick has taken nearly 10 flights across Europe. 

...Nick catches the early flight from Stansted at the beginning of his travels


...I must admit, I am somewhat addicted to browsing Ryanair's website and taking every free flight on offer, but my first three weeks of Netjetting have made me realise that there are alternative low-cost airlines, rarely as cheap but often more interesting.


I used Ryanair to get to and from Spain, and was disappointed and shocked at how blase they are about their inaugral flights.   I will be interested to see if easyJet adopt the same attitude when I take their first flight from Riga to Berlin later this week.


...As with Ryanair, I have experienced no delays or problems of any sort.   People tell me that flying around Europe will be a stressful and near impossible experience but that has not turned out to be the case so far.   I prefer to check-in with little time to spare as this allows me to spend more time in each city, as opposed to sitting around in airport lounges for hours.   Flying between cities has allowed me to cover many places in such a short period of time and my conclusion so far is that if your intention is to "do Europe" and see as much as possible then this is the way to do it.


A large expense that I have had to allow for while Netjetting is not the flights but the onward transport when arriving in each city.   To my surprise, I have spent almost no money travelling to and from airports in Spain with Girona being the exception (or Barcelona as Ryanair prefer to call it!), where I chose to make my own way, inexpensively, by using train and bus to Girona airport instead of the more expensive Girona airport - Barcelona bus.


All other Spanish airports seem to be connected to the cities using just the normal metro or bus network and usually work out less than &euro;1 - hardly breaking the bank!


My experience in Tallinn and Vilnius is that it's easier to just get on the bus and not worry about buying a ticket.   While I may be breaking the law in doing so, I'd rather risk paying a fine where the amount is clearly set out on paper than to try communicating with downbeat bus drivers.   I also wonder if I'm not the only one who takes this attitude, not once have I actually seen a ticket being sold and other travellers tell me of the same experiences.


The airports in Spain posed no problems, and surprisingly Tallinn's new airport is also a hassle free environment.   Tallinn's airport has clearly been remodeled with budget airlines in mind, I wonder if Riga will be a similar experience.


Vilnius airport I can't say is much to shout about. ...  All I can say is that I was glad to be prepared with a guidebook explaining the procedures.   It's only a shame the 24hour currency exchange was not a 24 hour service, so the only saving grace is a cash machine!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Freezing beauty</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>01 Dec 2004</category><dc:date>2004-12-01T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/freezing-beauty.html#unique-entry-id-8</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/freezing-beauty.html#unique-entry-id-8</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[All I have to show for the &pound;100 that I have spent in Oslo so far is two nights in a hostel dormitory, a small collection of bus tickets, and a full stomach after eating a reindeer hotdog from the Seven Eleven store.


...Looking through the 'In Your Pocket' guide to the Baltic cities you may be led to believe, as I was, that all three cities have little to offer other than a wide variety of strip clubs, alcohol (vodka) shops, and 24 hour casinos, but this turned out not to be the case.


The adult entertainment industry is a lucrative industry in this part of Europe, so much so, that Tallinn has created a name for itself as the latest and best stag night destination. 

...The beer-guzzling, sex-seeking, British tourist looking for somewhere cheap is better off visiting Riga or Vilnius where strip clubs are plentiful, casinos are open all night long and beer and vodka cost less than coke.


...The Spanish girls, B&eacute;a and Estrella who I met in Vilnius' Old Town Hostel were such great company that I ended up spending almost a whole week with them.   My short encounter with Vilnius left me with an unfortunate lasting impression: if you do visit the Old Town Hostel, try to avoid reading through their guest book, or you may be hesitant to go out on your own in fear of a violent robbery or unprovoked assault.


I spent a number of hours with B&eacute;'a and Estrella walking around in subzero temperatures and waiting for the city to impress us, which it didn't, so we visited the tourist information. 

...Or you may only return with stories of clapped out police cars painted with "go faster stripes", a giant inflatable Father Christmas standing outside the Town Hall and hordes of people walking in and out of Russian Orthodox churches as if they're attending a state funeral.


...This slow and torturous journey, and the following leg on to Riga in a Russia-bound, vodka-fuelled bus, left me grateful to be travelling, for the most part, by plane.


I made it to Riga alone and safely enough to share my experiences with the same handful of travellers that I met in Vilnius a few nights earlier.   I had only 24 hours in Riga, and only a few hours of daylight in which to admire the city for all its beauty, past and present, before flying out of RIX, their newly rebuilt airport.


...In search of Uzupio, a small district of bohemians who'll stamp your passport and enforce their own laws on April 1 each year, she ended up spending her nights in a bar with snakes, lizards, and sharks swimming around a tree growing in a pond! 

...Riga has a particularly beautiful parkland area and river that runs to the east of the Old Town, a ferocious and polluted wide river to the west and an eclectic mix of art nouveau buildings on Elizabetes Iela - all of which can only be appreciated under five layers of winter clothing.   Aside from all the things I didn't get to see, I must return to Latvia with friends, if only to hire a limousine for &pound;17 and live it up in Riga's glitzy nightlife, or simply to rent a Jacuzzi in the woods and relax by a lake.


...I will be returning to Berlin for New Years Eve so I wasn't too disappointed to have only four hours in the city before returning to the airport for another cheap flight to Oslo, via London.


A rush around Berlin led me up to the top of the Victory Tower on the advice of easyJet's in-flight literature - a cheap alternative to the television tower for a great view and a good way to see the city in a rush.


What little I got to see of Berlin left me feeling like a field mouse lost inside a concrete jungle, I couldn't even find out how to see what remains of the Berlin Wall, and frankly was too embarrassed to ask. ...  Any urbanites from Berlin who care to show me a New Years Eve to remember should drop me an email, hopefully I wont see 2005 in, lost, alone, and bewildered.


...Two drunken people at Vilnius' bus station whose broken English meant that I couldn't work out if they were trying to rob me, or make friends with me. 

...For reasons I can't explain, I planned to spend a large period of time in Stockholm, so if any readers can suggest how to inexpensively stay in or near the city, that would be great. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Cold reality</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>26 Nov 2004</category><dc:date>2004-11-25T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/cold-reality.html#unique-entry-id-7</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/cold-reality.html#unique-entry-id-7</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[With his rucksack full of winter clothes Nick flies to Tallinn, where he drinks with the stars of Estonia's docu-soap, before taking a scary flight to the island of Saaremaa.


...Two weeks of sunshine came to an abrupt end when after a stormy arrival in Tallinn it was clear that it might be a while before I see any sunshine again! 

...Until now my only experience of Europe's Baltic region had been a brief visit to Tallinn on a day trip from Helsinki a number of years ago, where a rather merry and cheap ferry carries Finns on a booze cruise to Estonia. 

...I have so far been travelling between cities where the culture is predictable and familiar, but as soon as I arrived at Tallinn's airport I knew that the real travelling had only just begun. 

...After some confusion I missed the first two buses and the third only took me to Tallinn after a small disagreement with the bus driver, who, eventually but reluctantly, accepted money for a bus ticket.   A few more similar experiences on buses in Estonia led me to the conclusion that it is easier and less stressful not to buy a ticket at all and risk the 600 kroon fine.


I stumbled upon Hostel Alur after an hour of traipsing around the city's medieval cobbled streets, up and down hills, and around the city wall at least two times in the pouring rain.   My clothes were drenched, my feet covered in blisters from my new snow boots, and my whole body aching and suffering from over-dressing for a city that turned out to be warmer than London.


...Other nights in Tallinn involved a visit to a pub that turned out also to be a brewery and a sauna, as well as a return to the RIFF bar with some German and Dutch exchange students.


Tallinn in the daytime is a beautifully well-preserved historic town and I made sure to take a walk around the Old Town's wall to look at the picturesque view of medieval rooftops that sit in front of an illuminated backdrop of new hotels, bars, clubs shopping malls and casinos.


...After 45 uneasy minutes of being thrown around by the forces of nature that seemed a lot more powerful than Russian aero-engineering, we arrived on a snowy and icy strip of tarmac and were greeted by a taxi.


...I was shown the way by a man who insisted his generosity was simply Estonian hospitality, and I must be honest, I didn't trust him in the slightest, especially after he insisted on paying for my taxi. 

...A visit to an impressive sauna and swimming pool just outside Tallinn had me craving for more, and Kuressaare's spa hotels, which offer anything from underwater shower massage to traditional therapy, certainly didn't disappoint.


The terrifying but also thrilling flight with Avies was certainly worth the gamble, and I will return to Saaremaa if I ever decide to "get away from it all" as the Guardian reader suggested.   I returned to Tallinn on a five-hour bus and not with Avies as I had planned, as the weather had considerably deteriorated making it unsafe to fly. 

...Having take the wrong bus from Vilnius airport twice, and witnessing a car being stolen in front of me, I chose to find Vilnius' Old Town Hostel using a taxi.   The driver insisted on taking me elsewhere while he read a book, opened a fold-out map for me and insisted on swerving to avoid every drain lid on the way into the city. 

...Since leaving Spain I have made it my mission to meet people who are actually from each country that I visit and not just English people who are living abroad.   So far my attempts to meet people have only produced a handful of phone numbers and email addresses scribbled on the back of city maps after mingling in Tallinn's bars and clubs.   At the end of my first week in Baltic Europe I have only produced contacts for one English guy, and two Spanish girls who live in Finland on a student exchange.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Patient virtues</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>18 Nov 2004</category><dc:date>2004-11-18T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/patient-virtues.html#unique-entry-id-6</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/patient-virtues.html#unique-entry-id-6</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The attraction of Spain wasn't just that it was a warm and sunny place to spend my first two weeks, but also that Spain's language and culture is, in many ways, similar to ours in the UK. 

...I have spent most of the week in Barcelona where I was lucky enough to stay with two very kind readers who offered to accommodate me for two nights. 

...We finally left for Barcelona through a thick layer of turbulent, black, rain clouds after a frustrating 45 minutes of being carted around the terminal on various modes of transport, before sitting in a queue as six planes waited to take off.   To make matters worse the flight took two hours instead of the normal one hour, as the pilot didn't fancy his chances of landing in the current weather conditions.


...It worked, and 30 minutes later I was in the centre of Barcelona standing outside a very cold Sants station looking at my foldout map (which turned out to be upside down), trying to figure out how to get to Keith's apartment.


I sent Keith a text message to let him know that I was going to be late and later learned that sending an international text message can be a bit hit and miss as Keith never received it.


I turned up at Keith's door, out of breath and in a sweat having climbed the steep hill from Alfons X metro station with a 15kg rucksack. ...  In many ways it was like staying in a five-star hotel: I had a balcony overlooking the Mediterranean and a view of Barcelona's very own imitation of London's Gherkin, with good company and good food ... just no bill to pick up at the end of it.


During my stay in Barcelona I got a different feel for Spain, not least because the sun had disappeared and the temperature had dropped several degrees. ...  He gave no reason why, but without questioning his suggestion I blindly followed the route of a busy highway, on foot, and arrived at the hospital. 

...As I walked around and explored deeper inside the grounds I was amazed to find that a hospital could be so beautiful and peaceful. ...  I left the hospital through the main entrance and found myself walking down the popular tourist trail of Avinguda de Gaudi, which led me to the amazing Temple de la Sagrada Familia.


After a long walk into the city from the Hospital, I spent a few relaxing hours winding down in Bar Daghuri - a young and trendy bar that opens out onto the beach at Barcelona. 

...After the Caixa Forum I rushed to the centre of town to drop in on one of Keith's English classes at an advertising firm.   After reading my report on Palma aloud, I answered a number of questions and also received a number of unexpected answers from a student of his.   Maria Pilar, from Palma, told me that the doughnuts I saw being made in Palma are actually called "bunyols" and are a local delicacy (she seemed offended that I referred to them as doughnuts and insisted that I correct myself).   She also explained that the reason there are so many white, ladies' boots for sale on the island is because the tourists buy them and not the locals.


After the class I made my way out of Barcelona via Park G&uuml;ell for one last look at the work of Gaudi and the impressive view of Barcelona's skyline at sunset.


...While my approach to Spain was a little sporadic and somewhat played by ear, I'm not brave enough to approach my next leg with the same attitude.   Wearing full winter gear and armed with a guidebook and thermal body suit, I'm apprehensively looking forward to landing in Tallinn and getting by with some well rehearsed pointing gestures.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Sun lounging</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>10 Nov 2004</category><dc:date>2004-11-10T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/sun-lounging.html#unique-entry-id-5</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/sun-lounging.html#unique-entry-id-5</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Not even the doughnuts in Majorca can persuade Nick to spend longer on the holiday island, but after a quiet few days can the nightlife in Madrid match up to his expectations? 


...My first week of netjetting around Spain has been an extraordinary stroke of good luck as I have just missed downpours of rain after leaving each city. 

...To take me between each city in Spain I have been using the new Spanish airline, Vueling, which offers early fares of around &euro;20 and prides itself on only flying to major airports between major cities.


...Not only do passengers embark the aircraft via a bridge instead of being made to walk outside, but also each and every passenger is greeted by the very friendly staff in both Spanish and English.


...I arrived in Majorca with nowhere to stay and later discovered that both the tourist information and the airport's accommodation office had been closed for a number of hours.


A conversation with the helpful staff at Palma airport led me to the conclusion that I would benefit little from going into the city in search of a cheap place to stay, as it would be cheaper (and perhaps just as comfortable) to sleep on the cushioned seating on the second or fourth floors. 

...It was in the area that The Rough Guide describes as "a medina-like maze of streets", but having been in many medinas in Morocco I can only agree by saying it has a slight resemblance.


...It really is an impressive piece of gothic architecture that stands firmly overlooking the marina and can be seen from miles away, as I later discovered.


After strolling around the city and port I decided to take bus number 3, which follows the coastline, a decision made purely out of curiosity. ...  I discovered that not only was the number 3 more frequent than the Bus Touristic but it was also cheaper, so all together better value for money.   Although the bus took me through the grimy and run down suburb of El Terrano, I discovered that this is an excellent place to get a view of Palma from a distance and it's only from here that I was able to appreciate the sheer enormity of Palma's cathedral.


On my second day on the island I decided to visit an area away from the main city of Palma.   After a trip on one of Majorca's two train lines to the port of Soller, I soon understood the attraction of this little Spanish island that still manages to draw in millions of tourists each year.


...The train finally emerges just over an hour later at the picturesque town of Soller, from where I took a tram down to the port.


...I couldn't help but notice that each person who walked away after buying 1/4, 1/2 or 1kg of doughnuts did so with a huge grin.


...As I was telling him about my travels and how it all came about, another guy (also staying at the hostel) explained that he had read my entry in the paper and had a feeling he may bump into me in Madrid!


...The following day was a fiesta in Madrid, so as luck would have it, all the bars and clubs were buzzing with life despite it being a Monday night.   After visiting six clubs and ending up in an Irish Pub (which stayed open until 7am) I can't say that I was all that impressed with what Madrid had to offer. 

...With just under a week left in Spain, I'm sure I'll have enough time to find some "good places" to go out, especially with the likelihood of meeting up with people when I return to Barcelona.   However disappointing a night out in Madrid may have turned out, it certainly couldn't have been worse than spending a Friday night in Palma on my own.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Warm receptions</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>03 Nov 2004</category><dc:date>2004-11-03T00:00:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/warm-receptions.html#unique-entry-id-4</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/warm-receptions.html#unique-entry-id-4</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[My four-month mission to conquer the route maps of Ryanair and other budget airlines alike began with an inaugural flight to the Spanish city of Valencia, where I am writing from outside, in the middle of a small square connected wirelessly to somebody's home broadband connection.   Valencia is Spain's third largest city and has, until now, been inaccessible for those wanting to travel on a tight budget.


...Arriving for check-in shortly after 5am, I felt as though I was walking straight into a hostel, as I had to step over all the people who had decided to spend the night at the airport in order to catch their morning flights.


A few pleasant surprises helped get me off to a good start; first of all my overweight hand baggage seemed to pose no problems at the check-in desk, in turn the razors and screwdriver that were tightly packed into my rucksack seemed to be no cause for alarm at security, despite the many notices and video demonstrations suggesting otherwise.


After queuing for half an hour at security I headed straight to the boarding gate, which is a good 10-minute walk from the main terminal building. ...  Well, at least that's what I thought, until I heard a message over the Tannoy announcing that "flight FR8321 to Valencia was now closed."   To my alarm the announcement went on to explain that if the last remaining passenger (myself), who was delaying the flight, didn't show up within one minute, that person would not be allowed to fly.


...Enduring an hour-and-a-half of heavy marketing of drinks, snacks, fragrances and gift items, as well being given the opportunity to purchase a Ryanair scratch card for &euro;2, or in-flight digital entertainment for &euro;7, is sure to set things straight from the start, you pay for what you get, quite literally.   Any fantasies or illusions that I may have had when planning my trip of becoming one of the forgotten "jet-set" have come to an abrupt end.


Having said all that, leaving Stansted in the 6am morning sunrise, (if you can call a blanket of overcast, grey and drizzly sky a sunrise) and heading for the sun in Spain, less than two hours away, makes all of the sacrifices well worth it.


...Throughout the entire flight there was no mention of this surely great news, until the very end when it was briefly mentioned in passing by a member of the cabin crew.


While Ryanair may be blase about opening up new destinations to the budget route maps, it certainly wasn't an attitude shared by the local media who keenly greeted the flight with their film crews. 

...I left for Valencia with few preconceived ideas or expectations - mainly owing to my inability to plan or prepare for anything in advance, particularly where travel is concerned.   It occurred to me when I arrived in the city centre, without any idea of where to go or what to see, that it might have been a good idea to at least buy a guidebook.


...After my early start, and a two-hour walk in search of one of Valencia's two free wireless internet "hot-spots", I was completely knackered by the time I had arranged to meet Jess, a Guardian reader, who had kindly offered to put me up for the night.


Meeting up with a complete stranger and accepting an offer of accommodation after one or two emails is not something I would normally feel comfortable about doing, especially not in a foreign country.   Jess, my host for two days and three nights, arranged to meet me at the main train station after a brief exchange of emails confirming the time and place. 

...Starting off in a small but cozy bar named Turia, we then headed on to Arena, a club with a mainly student crowd in the university district. ...  A night out starts late and ends late, the clubs don't fill up until around 2am and most offer free entrance and a free drink to entice you in. 

...Valencia is certainly a place I will be returning to, if only for a night out with my new-found friend and her coworkers. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Homes from home</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>27 Oct 2004</category><dc:date>2004-10-27T00:00:00+02:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/homes-from-home.html#unique-entry-id-3</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/homes-from-home.html#unique-entry-id-3</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Nick has been getting himself acquainted with the sleeping arrangements of provincial airports but hopes he can get by with a little kindness from strangers.


With the autumn chill setting in, October drawing to a close and only a week left before I leave the country and head off for sunny Spain, I am only now beginning to realise what a fantastic opportunity this is and how lucky I am.


Now a little more prepared, with numerous offers of lodgings from strangers living all over Europe and a clear itinerary taking me up to the new year, it seems I may be able to live up to some of my promises.   I have 20 flights booked and an address book full of names I'm yet to put faces to.   The response from Guardian readers has been overwhelming and despite having discovered sleepinginairports.net , I may not need to spend as many nights on uncomfortable metal airport seating (specifically designed for a bad night's sleep) as I had previously anticipated.


The Sleeping in Airports website has given me hours of great entertainment as I crawled through the various different airport stories.   I am now better informed as to what I should expect, or perhaps not expect, from secondary airports like Frankfurt Hahn and Venice Treviso.


My original plan to take free flights to every corner of Europe seemed a little optimistic at the time but everything is now going swimmingly.   At this rate I may even spare the odd euro for a drink or two along the way.


In the first two weeks I will visit Valencia and Barcelona - where I have already received kind offers of accommodation - and I will also be visiting Madrid and Palma before going on to Oslo and Stockholm.   So if any readers care to help out a Netjetter don't be shy to get in touch.


I'm now sick of waiting and anxious to head off into the abyss of budget airline route maps to see what I find.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The penny drops</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>13 Oct 2004</category><dc:date>2004-10-13T00:00:00+02:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/the-penny-drops.html#unique-entry-id-2</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/the-penny-drops.html#unique-entry-id-2</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[After the initial excitement of winning, Nick has realised that his ambitious aim of conquering the budget airline route maps requires some careful planning. 

...I'd like to say that I have been making final preparations for leaving the country, but as you'll soon find out, that's not my way of doing things.


...It seems that I'm finally starting to enjoy living in London and it no longer feels like the lonely and hostile city I was so quick to jet away from.


...As far as I know, I will be the first person in history (and perhaps the last) to attempt conquering the budget airlines' route maps.


...Despite being a self-proclaimed addict, it seems that my knowledge of European low-cost airlines was somewhat limited to those operating to and from the UK.


After searching the web for information about cheap airlines, other than EasyJet and Ryanair, I have learned that almost every country in Europe has at least one budget airline.   While prices can vary massively between the many airlines there are a clear six or seven that are prepared to give away seats in order to fill the plane.


So now I realise I can netjet into unchartered territories, such as Tromso and Oulu in Scandinavia and Finland, as well as a large number of destinations in eastern and central Europe.


I have divided up my four months of Netjetting into eight areas; Spain and the islands, the Baltic states and Russia, Scandinavia, the eastern Alps and the Adriatic, the Atlantic coast, central Europe and the route to Africa.


I will start off by catching the last of the summer sun, heading out on the first ever Ryanair flight to their new destination of Valencia. 

...After relaxing in the sunny Mediterranean for two weeks, I will head to the Baltic region, flying between Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, from where I will make tracks for Moscow and St Petersburg by train. 

...I will be flying between Norway, Sweden and Finland in the hope of seeing the northern lights, reindeer, huskies and maybe a bit of snow, using five different, recently discovered airlines.


Christmas will be spent in the Alps of Slovenia and in eastern Europe before jetting to Berlin for an evening of new year celebrations.   Then in January, I will explore the Black Sea countries before heading back west to the Atlantic coast of Europe, exploring Portugal, Ireland, and possibly, if the budget stretches, the Faroe Islands.


February begins by jetting to the new budget airline destinations of central Europe: Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary, are all on the itinerary, before heading south via Spain to Marrakech in Morocco.   My journey will end in rather the same style as it began, by flying back on the first flight to London from the new Ryanair destination of Seville, at the end of February.


After a week of celebrating and flirting at bars in London, keen on acquainting myself with at least one person from every country in Europe, my aim now is to find free accommodation everywhere.   The enormity of booking so many flights, ensuring everything connects and that all flights are inexpensive, means that I have so far only been able to sketchily map out my trip.


...This is to be a highly interactive adventure and so I encourage anybody who wants to join me on November 2 to Valencia to log on and book a seat for 25p. 

...Taking cheap flights and often landing in dusty airfields or airports initially intended only for cargo was once something that I prepared for so I wouldn't end up stranded, not knowing where I was. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Application</title><dc:creator>nick@nickhall.eu</dc:creator><category>25 Sept 2004</category><dc:date>2004-09-25T00:00:00+02:00</dc:date><link>http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/the-application.html#unique-entry-id-0</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.nickhall.eu/page32/files/the-application.html#unique-entry-id-0</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Suffering from budget airline addiction I will take this opportunity to combine my bargain hunting talent and my aspiration to travel around Europe.   I am curious about Eastern Europe and have a general desire to travel the less frequented tourist destinations, such as Siberia and Albania.


Throughout my four months I will have a base, Stansted Airport, from which I will do most of my travelling and some of my sleeping.   I may return to base as often as twice a week at times, depending on what deals are around. ...  Instead of travelling around the continent by train as most travellers do, I will be doing things a little differently, travelling by plane with the aim of never paying more than &pound;15 for any single flight, all booked on the internet, so I will be a true Netjetter for most of my journey.


The task I have set myself may seem an impossible one, but past experience gives me absolute confidence that it is realistic and achievable.   I will use the &pound;2,500 gift as my entire budget for this four-month adventure and will prove that travelling across northern, central and southern Europe, as well as northern Africa, Russia, Siberia and north-east Asia doesn't have to cost the earth.


Throughout my trip I estimate having to board between 15 and 45 planes and returning to London, the capital of cheap air travel, between 10 and 15 times, to make connecting flights only.


I will begin my travels by enjoying the sangria, sun and tapas of southern Spain, before continuing on a round trip of Morocco, through all the cities, before reaching Marrakech.   Returning to Stansted by plane I will then take a trip to the mountains of northern Italy, combining it with a journey through Austria and Slovenia.   I will then continue with a brief visit to Ayrshire in Scotland, via Bergamo in northern Italy.   From Prestwick I will fly back to London where I may decide to make a few low-cost, consecutive day trips, before continuing my journey eastwards.


The second leg of my travels will take me to Tampere in Finland where my journey will continue either by train, boat or plane to Riga. ...  I will be blowing any remaining budget on more hops around Europe's low cost air network.


My journey will be a highly interactive adventure as I will encourage readers to study the budget airlines' route maps to help guide me on my travels.   Also I hope readers will dig out the giveaway fares, as my trip will depend on this.


Previous travelling has taken me on 30 trips around the continent using only giveaway airfares.   All have been successful and exciting, with a few offering a little more excitement than I bargained for.   My goal in life is to completely conquer the budget airline route maps, leaving no destination undiscovered. 


Netjetters 4 will allow me to achieve this goal, while providing a healthy dose of entertainment never thought possible from such a visited part of the world.]]></content:encoded></item></channel>
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