Same Shirt, Different day-2012 Adventures of the "Devonport Wonder Babes"

Best travelling things

We have now been away from NZ for 3 ½ months and have a list of best things so far for travelling

1 By far and away the best thing ever is Lyndsays iPad 2 with a data SIM from 3 Network in UK with 3GB data valid for 3 months for £15 (maybe £20) has been fantastic since beginning of June, only just had to top up with another 1GB for £10 last week. We have had good reception on this card pretty much through whole of UK, just bit tricky at Uig at northern tip of Skye.  

Had 7 day Meteor network card when in Republic of Ireland which also worked well. Very useful to be able to check out accommodation when on side of road or to watch the tennis when you are actually sitting courtside !!.

Have bought a MaxRoam Euro SIM  for iPad for  next leg of trip to 4 European counties and hope its as good as the 3 Network one here.

Google maps on iPad (also on my iPhone) which works even when not connected as uses GPS technology, particularly when driving and the TomTom ( or the driver) has occasional fit and takes off in wrong direction. Little blue flashing dot shows you where you really are. Really useful also as pedestrian in large city like London where easy to get east and west mixed up and you start walking in wrong direction.

We have TravelSIM cards in phones with Estonian number (+372) but means don’t have to get new one in different countries. Not without some hitches ( data doesn’t seem to work well on card in iPhone) and bit expensive but convenient and nearly always connected to a network

2  “All you can eat” fast broadband included in our flat rent allowed iPad, iPod, iPhone and Netbook to Skype well and play fantastic definition live streaming video from Olympics on 4 different channels at once. 

3 The little connector for transferring photos directly from card in camera to iPad is great as also is the double adaptor for charging several devices e.g. iPad/ iPhone/Kindle in car.

4 “Loaded for Travel” the VISA multi-currency card,( $US, £,€, $NZ and $A)  from Kiwibank which you can load up directly from NZ current account when exchange rate favourable. PIN works fine in ATM but not in shops here, you still have to sign. Also you can transfer between wallets e.g we had some US $ left when we arrived in UK and could transfer directly into GBP wallet. Havent had any problems so far with retailers and ATM accepting it.

5 Oyster Card made it so easy to travel around London on public transport relatively cheaply as we were within 5 min walk of heaps of trains or buses through West Hampstead. We spent about £65 on Oyster card each over a 6 week period in London and probably travelled somewhere on about 80% of days by Underground, Overland, or Thameslink trains  or on any of the 3 buses that stopped within 100 metres of our flat.  Also within 10 min walk east there were heaps of buses along Finchley Rd ( plus different Tube line) and a similar distance west to Kilburn High Rd uncovered a dazzling array of bus routes.

6 Youth Hostels, both in England and in Scotland, especially those with self catering kitchens. Always a clean comfortable bed, even if on top bunk, at a reasonable price located in interesting places and full of interesting people.

7 The National Trust, both in England and Scotland has hundreds of amazing properties which you can access free with your NZ Historic Places Trust cards. Always interesting people there, Lots of volunteers with a passion for a specific aspect of the site. Interesting buildings and gardens,  good loos, generally a café. Often a vegetable garden with heritage plantings and gardeners always happy to talk about their work.    

8 Ecco Sandals, mine are now about 4 years old and I can walk all day in them and the New Balance walking shoes I bought in Washington with Goretex uppers meaning my feet stayed dry through 6 weeks of rain.

9 Insulated softsided lunch box-first one, my old work bag had to be thrown out after scallop smell lingered a bit too much in Islay , then found an Emirates one, just the right size  in Oxfam Shop in Kensington High St plus the mini freezer pads which make even chicken sandwiches stay safe.  Together with the £3 Thermos flask from Morrisons, the Scottish supermarket chain we are equipped for lunch anywhere. Also have a pink with white polka dot chilly bag from John Lewis’s as our mobile fridge. 

10 Prepared chilled meals from Tesco Express, Sainsbury’s Local, Marks and Spencer in England and in Scotland Co-Op and Morrisons. Also the half price fresh goods from about 6 pm.