Solo Trip Snapshots

On September 5, 2017 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Denmark, Iceland, International Travel2 Comments

It has officially been a year since my solo trip to Iceland and Copenhagen, Denmark, and I’m still in awe of the scenery in both countries. This trip meant a lot to me, as it was the longest I had ever taken by myself. I think it might be cliche to say that I learned a lot about myself on this trip, that it was life changing, but I’ll say it anyways. It would be hard not to visit two completely new-to-me countries and come back unchanged, especially when the countries are that beautiful. Plus traveling alone is always such an empowering experience. I returned from this trip with a little more confidence, perspective and of course the need to book more trips immediately. Now, a year later, I have some more exciting travels planned for the near future, and I’m feeling nostalgic for one of my favorite trips ever. So, without further ado, here are my favorite solo trip snapshots from my trip to Iceland and Copenhagen:

I’ll start with Iceland, the most beautiful country I have ever been to.

My favorite things about Iceland were the waterfalls along the South Coast, hiking Mount Esja, the street art, the people, the hot dogs, the whale watching tours, Nautholsvik Geothermal Beach, Reykjanes Peninsula, and the Black Sand Beach. I don’t think I will ever see such amazing, diverse, and breath-taking scenery again (unless I go back).

In Copenhagen, I was in love with the pace of life, the wine and lattes at outdoor tables in beautiful squares with fountains in the middle. I loved the boat tour along the canal, drinking and reading at Paludan Cafe, playing at Tivoli Gardens, exploring the Norrebro Neighborhood, the museums, the shops… I could go on all day. It is such a beautiful and unique city, and I’m so happy I chose to visit.

Please share your own solo trip snapshots in the comments; I’d love to see them!

Nyhavn, Copenhagen, Denmark, RebeccaWanderlusting

In & Around Nyhavn, Copenhagen

On November 20, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Denmark, International Travel3 Comments

On my last day in Copenhagen, I started off bright and early to stuff as much in as possible. It seemed like it was only me and the street washers out as I wandered around the city. It was the perfect time to take photos, with the lack of crowds and the misty morning sunshine.

I decided to head to Nyhavn to have breakfast by the water. Boats were tied up along the canal, their sails still down from the night before. I walked up and down the streets that flanked the water, admiring the colorful buildings that lined each side.

I landed at Hyttefadet Pub for breakfast and got the Danish Brunch, which consisted of eggs (pass), bacon, bread, salami, cheese, jam, melon and coffee. At $15, it seemed like a good deal, and the coffee was good, but the food wasn’t really. My favorite thing about this café, and a lot of the other cafes in Copenhagen, is that they put blankets on the backs of the chairs in case you get cold, which adds a coziness to them.

I decided to give in and walk over to the Little Mermaid statue, which was almost a mile away. The walk took me along the water and it was a beautiful day, but there was a crowd of other people enjoying it with me. The walk took me past a bunch of Copenhagen’s finest attractions, including Amalienborg Palace, the Royal Cast Collection, and Gefion Fountain.

The Little Mermaid statue was swamped with people taking photos. I stood with the crowd, took my picture, shrugged, and walked back the way I came. Gefion Fountain held my attention much longer, with its beautiful sculpture of Gefjun, the Norse Goddess of abundance, and the picturesque church behind it.

The fountain was breathtaking, as was the scenery surrounding it, I could have happily sat there by the water all day. Unfortunately, I was low on time, so I moved on to Amalienborg Palace, home of the Danish Royal Family. The center of the Palace was a beautiful square containing a statue of King Frederik V and guards at every entrance. The guards wear black jackets and blue pants, their outfits topped with the same furry black hats as the British guards.

There is a museum in the palace with artifacts from the long history of Danish Royalty that I decided to check out since it was included with my Copenhagen Card. The museum showcased replicas of rooms within the palace filled with items owned by royal families past. My favorite part of the museum was the large glass cabinet of royal jewels, obviously, and would have been very happy to take any of those items home with me.

I wanted to stay to watch the changing of the guards, but it was still thirty minutes away and the crowds were wearing on me. I cut back through the square and walked over to Atelier September to get some lunch and a break from the overbearing throngs of tourists. The trendy café had a limited menu from which I ordered a lemonade and the avocado toast and has a seat by the window.

Natural light filled the room, highlighting the simple, tasteful décor; it was a nice place to hang out for a bit. The atmosphere was very chill, with the owner’s dog (I presume) wandering around, a black and white scruffy pup that I wanted to steal. The food was delightful and gave me just the boost of energy I needed to keep moving.

Stay tuned for the last blog in the Copenhagen series!

Have you spent time in Nyhavn? What did you think of the Little Mermaid statue?

Top Five Friday #20 - Favorite Travel Writing Tools, RebeccaWanderlusting

EuroTrip Budget

On August 24, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Travel Tips, Trip Planning1 Comment

Way, way back in the beginning of this year (gosh that feels like such a long time ago), I was formulating a plan to go on an international trip in the early fall. I, much to my chagrin, am not one of those last minute jet setters that can take off at the drop of a hat. A lot (read: most) of my travels take a bit of planning and forward thinking due to my work schedule and need for budgeting to make them possible. So, back in February, I started looking into where I might go, and how much it would cost to get me there and so on.

I stumbled upon the IcelandAir Stopover offer and was attracted to the idea of a two for one vacation. I played around with the second destination and length of time I could spend in each to see which flights were the cheapest and which destinations were the most solo travel friendly. Eventually, I landed on Copenhagen and booked the ticket a couple weeks later.

Fast forward five and half months later, and here I am, counting down the days until I depart and saving up every last penny. A large portion of this trip so far was bought and paid for by my tax return from last year. In fact, most of my tax returns sort of act as travel gift cards. Do you think maybe next year the IRS can pay me back in airline miles?? Just kidding…

Anyways, this means that my flight (which was around $800) was paid for upfront with my debit card. Everything else so far has been charged to my travel credit card (gotta get those points!). The rest of my budget for this trip is as follows:

Flight: $800
Accommodation: $100/night x 10 nights = $1,000
Food & Beverage: $60/day x 10 days = $600
Tours/Activities: $400
Souvenirs: $100/country x 2 = $200
Emergencies: $200
Total: $3,200

In the interest of total honesty, I already blew it on the accommodation portion of the budget, by $150. But, in my defense, these are two very expensive cities to visit! I’m just really glad I booked when I did, because as of a week ago, most of the hotels were booked or increased in prices. In terms of tours and activities, here’s what I’ve got going:

Elding Whale Watching Tour: $82
South Shore Tour: $105
Copenhagen Card: $95
Total: $282

So far so good on that front! When I return from this Scandanavian Adventure, I’ll check back in with how I did. In the meantime, please share any budgeting or Iceland/Copenhagen tips in the comments!

Trip Planning: Copenhagen

On August 9, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Travel Tips, Trip Planning3 Comments

Thanks to IcelandAir, I am lucky enough to get a two-for-one European vacation in a few weeks. The first leg of my trip will be spent in beautiful Reykjavik, Iceland (read more about that here), and my second stop will be in Copenhagen Denmark. I will be staying in the land of the Danes for five days and four nights. I haven’t been to Europe since I studied abroad in London six (I can’t event believe it’s been that long) years ago, and I could not be happier to be visiting again. I chose Copenhagen, because of its colorful architecture, canals and charm, plus a very convincing article I read in Afar Magazine. Because it’s a kind of a pricey city, I’m trying to find as many budget-friendly options as possible, like the hostel I’m staying in for all four nights and the Copenhagen Card that will save me museum and attraction entry fees and include discounts at restaurants. With all the outdoors adventuring I plan to do in Iceland, I will be looking forward to enjoying the café life in Copenhagen and seeking out that famous Danish Hygge*. Here is the breakdown of my plans in Denmark:

What I want to see and do:

Canal Boat Tour
Tivoli Gardens
Freetown Christiania
Explore the Neighborhoods, especially Norrebro
Take the ferry to Helsingborg, Sweden
Royal Library Gardens
The Friday Lounge at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

While there are lots of things I want to see and do in Copenhagen, I also want to leave plenty of time to wander and explore this beautiful city. I don’t want to over-plan beforehand and stress while I’m there, I just want to enjoy Copenhagen and all it has to offer.