Summer Loving & my travel plans for the rest of the year!

It’s Summer Time.

Yeah!

Phew!

What a scorcher we’ve been having!

Now by that, I mean in the UK.

I mean, buildings are melting to pieces in Glasgow, people are sweltering on the London Tube, and due to the intense heat, there are fears that train rails might buckle!

Global Warming at it’s best!

In Germany, we had all of that.

In April!

Ah well!

So here are my plans for the summer. And the rest of the year!

PLANS FOR SUMMER

The summer is pretty exciting ‘cos in a fortnight, I’ll be doing a quick weekend away to the Czech Republic, a quick weekend away to Osnabrück in North Germany, and then just a mere one (1) day after, I’ll be travelling to Sweden, Estonia & Latvia!

There’ll be lots of train travel and a few flights!

And no, sadly, I won’t be at the TBEX Conference Europe this year, but I will be in the Czech Republic quite a few times!

So let’s see where I’ll be going:

Firstly, I’ll be spending two days at a destination very close to Dresden, and very close to Prague!

I’ll be visiting a little place called Kutná Hora!

KUTNÁ HORA

Kutná Hora otherwise known as Hory Kutné or Kuttenberg is a city in Bohemia.

It is not the Bohemian Rhapsody, but a historical town, in the Czech Republic!

You may notice that Kutná Hora has a variety of names. This is because at certain times in history, the town belonged to different countries.

Kutná Hora was first recorded in roughly 1142. By 1260, the town became known as Kuttenberg, not only because of it’s famous Sedlec Abbey – which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but also because of it’s silver mines which brought the town enormous prosperity in the 13th century.

By 1526, Kutná Hora, along with the rest of Bohemia, became a part of the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria until it became a part of Czechoslovakia 1918. Sadly, during 1935 – 1945, it became a forced division and a Protectorate of Nazi Germany, before being given back to Czechoslovakia after WWII, and then into it’s peaceful dissolution into the two separate nations of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, in 1993.

Phew!

I will also be travelling to:

• Sweden
• Estonia
• Latvia

They need no introduction because I written extensively about them before, but if you’re here for the very first time or simply need a reminder, here are the articles I wrote previously.

SWEDEN:

• Fantastic news! I’m travelling to Sweden & Slovenia by bus. Now isn’t that just awesome. Eek!
• The top 10 best interesting things to do in Stockholm. Because the winner takes it all!
• Have you ever been to Sweden? Hej!
• When in Sweden, you’ve got to try Swedish food. Hand me my meatballs!

ESTONIA:

• How I went to Tallinn in Estonia, a Medieval Old Town surrounded by Danish Castles. How utterly charming!
• I’m really going to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia & Finland, so don’t look at me like that. I’m not mad!
• Oh, the Baltics. If you haven’t been. You’re so last year!
• A simple guide to Estonian food and Russian beer!

LATVIA:

• Gosh! Riga in Latvia is gorgeous: 10 reasons to go there right now!
• I’m really going to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia & Finland, so don’t look at me like that. I’m not mad!
• The magic drink of Latvia is Balsam and I drank it!
• Oh, the Baltics. If you haven’t been. You’re so last year!

WHY IS VICTORIA GOING TO SWEDEN, ESTONIA AND LATVIA?

Well, you all know how I love going to the ITB Berlin – the international tourism trade fair, otherwise known as the Internationale Tourismus-Börse!

And for those of you who don’t know, the ITB Berlin represents B2B, hotels, tourists boards, tour operators and providers, airlines, transport operators, responsible travel organisers, information technology experts, social media bloggers, and anybody else interested in travel and tourism.

It’s also the world’s leading travel industry think tank, in which the convention trade fair establishes itself as the industry’s main knowledge platform, with top-notch presentations on global trends, travel innovations and path-breaking events for the entire tourism industry!

It’s one of the highlights of my year, and one of the places that I tend to meet contacts and plan where I’m going to travel to during that year, or the following one.

In fact, my first media trip ever, was sent to me by the virtue that I was chatting to a media person from Atout France – the France Tourism Development Agency!

I didn’t know that at the time, but she was so impressed, that she sent me a FAM Trip invitation to Nord-Pas de Calais.

I thought I was going to Normandy!

Haw! Haw!

I was the only press / blogger person there.

And well as the only British person too!

I had a fantastic time!

A year after, I met another contact who invited me to use their sailing cruises. I didn’t have the time to sail extensively, but I did use the services of TALLINK SLJA LINE to cross from Estonia to Finland.

A year later, that very same person invited me to fly to Sweden and do a couple more cruises. I still wasn’t able to go since the timing wasn’t right, but she introduced me to a contact from Visit Stockholm instead, and before you knew it, both The Tall Young Gentleman and I were in Stockholm for the very first time!

I also met the PR person from Hamburg about a year ago, and when a window opened, I contacted her, and she invited me to a weekend in Hamburg for their Christmas Market / Holy Hamburg / Winter Event.

I had a great time!

In fact, it was at the ITB Berlin, and wandering through the Poland Stands, that some of the Polish staff recognised me from an article that I wrote all of four (4) years ago, they were so excited, and the word soon spread, that that blogger was actually there!

Apparently. In Poland, I’m a bit of a notorious star!

Is it any wonder that this year, someone else reached out and invited me to a very interesting event, so interesting in fact, that how could I refuse?

The event in question is called Explore Hansa!

EXPLORE HANSA!

WHAT IS EXPLORE HANSA?

Explore Hansa is a partner project consisting of nine (9) small and enchanting Hanseatic cities from Sweden, Estonia and Latvia!

All of these countries are enormously rich in heritage and tradition, and have developed active and culinary tourism that offers visitors a chance to explore nature, authentic history, and exciting local food!

One of the ways that these lovely cities want to do that is by inviting influencers and media representatives, of which I am one, to experience what these HANSA cities have to offer, feel the charm of tiny Hanseatic cities, immerse ourselves in nature, and to spread the word!

I’m certainly going to do that!

There are two (2) trips being organised:

• THE ACTIVE TRIP route that will go through Limbaži (Latvia) – Valmiera (Latvia) – Viljandi (Estonia) and Visby (Sweden), to explore the cobbled streets and cultural heritage of these small Hanseatic cities, as well as the beauty of nature, in which a level of fitness would be expected!

You all know how I am with bicycles!

Ha! Ha! Ha! Haaaaaaaaaa!

• THE CULINARY TRIP route that will go through Viljandi (Estonia) – Valmiera (Latvia) – Cēsis (Latvia) – Koknese (Latvia) and Visby (Sweden), to explore one’s taste buds of seasonal local produce and create an inspiring gastronomical experience

Aha!

You can guess which one I chose!

They’ll be lots of stuff going on, but one of the activities I’m most interested in the annual Medieval Week or Medeltidsveckan event taking place in Sweden.

For one week only!

Medieval Week is a paradise for all who like jousting, markets, church concerts, street theater, fire shows, storytelling, walks, lectures and more.

It takes place mainly in Visby’s medieval fairytale environments, but also on the rural island of Gotland.

You get to see knights and maidens, people jousting and battling, locals dressed up as grand nobles, poor peasants and minstrels, medieval street markets, street theatre, fireshows, storytelling, and a medieval tournament to remember!

It’ll take place from August 5th to August 12th, 2018 and I’ll be there to see some of it for myself!

And of course, if I’m there, you can go there too!

Exciting stuff!

TRAVEL PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR!

And at the end of the year, I’ll be travelling to:

• The Czech Republic. Again!
• And India!

THE CZECH REPUBLIC:

I’ll be going to the Czech Republic ‘cos I’m going to celebrate my birthday there!

Prague is one of my favourite cities, so I’ve invited my family to come join me in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.

I really can’t think of anywhere better!

Here’s what I wrote previously:

• The time that I fell off the ski lift in the Czech Republic!
• How I came to live in Prague once upon a time – Wonderful Prague!
• I went skiing in a little Czech village in the middle of no-where: Introducing Rokytnice nad Jizerou!
• 4 Days in Prague – 40 Things to Do!
• Prague is modern but historical, exciting but easy-going, in the East but with a blend of the West. It’s just one of those perfect places!
• I’m going to Budapest & Prague AND taking the train. Yay!
• I didn’t kiss a girl but I ate fried cheese in the Czech Republic. And I liked it!

INDIA:

I’ve been to India before.

Thirteen (13) years ago!

And I have to tell you.

I’ve got mixed feelings about it!

I travelled solo and I was there for a month.

I went to North India and I really liked it and enjoyed it enormously.

But I didn’t love it!

And if I don’t like a place, I’m certainly going to tell you!!

I went to Rajasthan and saw tigers on safari at the Ranthambore National Park, adored the beautiful lakes at Udaipur, chuckled at the wedding cake cinema at Jaipur, licked and tasted camel ice-cream in Pushkar, rode elephants in Jodhpur, went camel-riding in the sandy desert of Jaisalmer, danced to the music of Bollywood, delighted in the openness of the local people, licked my fingers at authentic Indian food, and marvelled at the wonderful amazing-ness of the Taj Mahal.

It was awesome!

However, road traffic was mad and over-whelming, the noise was deafening, the dirt and grime was disgusting, the River Ganges at Varanasi was not only filthy, but I actually saw a bloated dead body being dragged across the water by a dog!

The beggar children were heart-breaking, the overnight train was horrific that I couldn’t sleep a wink, and the food- poisoning that I caught from stale / under-cooked eggs at a 5-star hotel restaurant was so awful, that my skin colour actually turned grey!

That isn’t good news!

In fact, I was so exhausted by the shopkeepers and city of Delhi that for the only time in my life, I actually wanted to go home!

I stuck it out though, but was thrilled to be able to fly away, and leave it all behind me.

Eek!

So how is it that I’m going back to India.

Again?

And to some of the very same places too!

?!!!?!

Well, thirteen (13) years ago is a long time, and perhaps India has changed.

I know I have.

I’ll be going to Rajasthan again but focusing only on Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Pushkar, Udaipur and Mumbai.

I’ll also personally be doing all the planning and organising.

Gulp!

And this time I won’t be backpacking.

I won’t be taking any bumpy buses.

I won’t be going as cheap as chips.

I won’t be visiting Varanasi.

And I won’t be taking the over-night Indian train!

Who doesn’t like an exciting adventure?

Well, follow me over the next few months, and find out!

‘Rah! ‘Rah!

SUMMER LOVING & MY TRAVEL PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR!

This article is not sponsored, and all opinions and the thrilling summer that I’m obviously going to have, are my very own!

Stay tuned.

Yay!

That’s it for now.

See you next week!