Tag Archives: Travel Musings

Getting to Glen Brittle

15 Wednesday Aug 2012

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I mentioned earlier that Glen Brittle was in the middle of nowhere.

I may not have mentioned that Kat & I were getting around Scotland without a car. Public transport all the way, baby! This wouldn’t have been a problem, if we had known not to trust the very convincing internet.

Kat while hitchhiking down the road in Glen Brittle

We had our fancy (and totally worth it) Explorer Passes for CityLink. These passes allowed us to travel on CityLink buses, the main company in Scotland, for 5 out of 8 days. It turned out being a very good investment, because we a) didn’t plan our trip, and the flexibility to hop on to any CityLink bus was comforting and b) almost none of the drivers’ marked the pass, even when presented to them, so we probably got a lot more out of the pass than we were supposed to. Ah, Scotland.

But I digress. We had arrived in Portree with the intention of staying for a few nights and using it as a home base of sorts to visit Old Man of Storr and a few other possible hikes. We really liked Bayfield Backpackers, the hostel where we stayed, and it was there that we ended up meeting some truly wonderful travelers and making friends. Again, though, I digress.

Portree. So, our lovely hostel didn’t have room for us for 3 nights in a row, and we really wanted to stay put. We wandered around town for awhile knocking on doors of B & B’s in the hopes that there’d be a room that wouldn’t charge 30 quid for each of us a night, which would equate to $60. Stupid exchange rate.

Alas, we had no luck. But everything happens for a reason, and so on to the internetz we went. Our next stop that we had wanted to make was Glen Brittle, which was where the Fairy Pools were, and a bunch of other hikes. Was there a way to get there?
  Yes! said the Internet. Bus 53 leaves from Portree to Glen Brittle twice a day during the summers! Lovely, we said. Let’s do that! 

So we booked the hostel in Glen Brittle, and the receptionist at the hostel said he’d look up the bus times, as we couldn’t seem to find when it actually left.

Foreshadowing!

We returned from watching the Olympic opening ceremonies to find a note to us from the hostel reception. “Couldn’t seem to find the bus schedule. Try Tourist Info tomorrow a.m.”

No problem, we said. We rose early, did some grocery shopping, and ate some yogurt while loitering outside the Info office. At 9:00 sharp they opened the doors and in we marched, determined to make it to Glen Brittle, armed with the knowledge of the Internet. Bus 53. (See!? This looks like a relatively legit source of info, right?!)

Us: We’d like to get to Glen Brittle.
Them: Do you have a car?
Us: Nope. But we have Explorer Passes! (insert expectant and optimistic smiles here)
Them: Well, there is no bus that goes to Glen Brittle.
Us: Oh, really? We read online that Bus 53 goes right there from here…

Them: You must be mistaken. That bus does not exist.
Us: Are you sure? It said it only ran in the summer, perhaps… (insert initial fade of our smiles)
Them: Sorry, there’s no bus to Glen Brittle. You can take a bus to Carbost. That’s about 8 miles from Glen Brittle.
Us: Okay…well, what are the rates for renting a car?
Them: The guy who runs the cheap place is in Glasgow for the weekend, so that’s out.

Them: 60 pounds.
Us: (insert furrowed brows) Hmmm…that’s a bit pricey for us. Do you think we can call the hostel? We already have reservations to stay there, perhaps they can pick us up or something.
Them: Probably not, but we can call.
Louise, Glen Brittle Hostel Co-Manager: Hello! I hear you’re having some trouble getting to us.
Us: Yes! What’s your advice?
Louise: Are you experienced walkers? Do you have packs?
Us: Sort of…
Louise: You can walk from Sligahan, but it’s quite a trek and I don’t recommend it. Take a bus to Sligahan Hotel and hitchhike from there. Many travelers get here that way.
Us: Okay.

And so my first hitchhiking experience began. We took the bus to Sligahan Hotel. The weather was overcast, as Scotland weather is wont to be, and after situating our bags, we started walking. I converted my pack into a backpack rather than rolling it, and as the rain started to fall, we pulled on our ponchos and trudged along the road.

Maybe 10 cars passed us, some of them looking more remorseful than others. A handful of cars were full up, but some just kept going. I can’t really blame them, although we were definitely not very threatening-looking, with our wet hair. I wished so much that I had Hermione Granger there with me to apply that water repelling spell on my glasses.

The eleventh car drove by and passed us, too, and I wondered, as it disappeared around the curve, whether we’d end up walking the many miles to Glen Brittle after all. We had heard hitchhiking in Scotland, and particularly in the islands, was easy and very safe. Lo and behold, the bright red tail lights of the car illuminated and it maneuvered slowly backwards towards us. We had a winner!

Of course, we got picked up by a Russian. Maybe I smell like borscht or something, because man, after I started dating a Russian they seemed to come out of all sorts of woodwork in my life. Yet again, I digress.

Sergei was a PhD neuroscience student studying in Cambridge, on the Isle of Skye to camp and kayak. He was on his way to the Talisker Distillery in Carbost, and the turn-off for Glen Brittle was on the way. We assured him that it was fine if he dropped us there. The backseat of his car was down and replaced with camping gear. A kayak graced the roof rack. We made small talk until the turn off, and he even got out of the car to help us with our bags, apologizing that he wouldn’t take us to Glen Brittle proper.

We parted ways and again started walking, still with a number of miles left, but at least much closer than we were.

Only about 10 minutes or so passed when another car pulled over; a Czech couple on vacation were on their way to a trail that happened to be across from the hostel, so we got a ride all the way to our final destination.

Total travel time: approximately 1.75 hours, maybe 2.

We arrived at the hostel just before Louise was finished cleaning; the kitchen and rooms close from 10:30ish to 5, and so we left our gear in the common area and waited for some of the weather to improve.

We managed to squeeze in 2 hikes that day, including one with another Russian who was staying at our hostel. My sweat must smell like borscht or something…

Dorky videos from Scotland: Part I

11 Saturday Aug 2012

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Scotland was the first place I really started taking video, in part because Kat, my travel buddy, was really good about it and it reminded me to do it. But also because I never felt like I could really capture what I was seeing; video is slightly closer than a photo, but still not quite the same as being there. Excuse the utter nerdiness and unpolished quality of these vids. Needless to say, I will not be a YouTube sensation any time soon.

First video, taken across the street from our hostel in Glen Brittle, which we loved so dearly. You can hear Kat mention a rainbow, which will become a theme of the trip: spotting rainbows, photographing rainbows, wouldntitbecooliftherewerearainbowhere, etc. We heart rainbows.

This second video has symbolism that I think many of my close friends will appreciate. People who know me well know that I have a…er, reputation, for telling really…uh, let’s call them “compelling” stories that are incredibly detailed and then may or may not have any kind of resolution or point. They are known in some circles as Sara Button stories. My award in high school drama was Write It Down And Tell It At A Party award…you get the irony. 
As I was uploading this video, I realized the video itself quite parallels this theme. I had started taking it because the sheep appeared to be about to have some sort of rumble, sans finger snaps, so we watched with rapt attention. 
As you can see, nothing happened, and the sheep walked away. A lot like what happens in a Sara Button story. And then I found $20. 
This video (sorry for the bumpiness) is of our hike to the ruins of the MacAskill with Vlad, a Russian hiking buddy we picked up along the way. 

Stay tuned for more cinematic majesty, courtesy of Button Studios!

Temple of Poseidon at Sounio (mostly in photos)

10 Friday Aug 2012

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Greece is a maritime kind of place, and the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion is one of the best examples of their enduring devotion to Poseidon, god of the sea. Built around the 440s BCE, the temple is of Doric order and only 15 of the original 42 columns stand today. As is the norm in Greek temples, a huge cult statue of Poseidon would sit in the naos (the worship area), where his gold-leafed, bronze-hearted self would chill. 

On the road to Cape Sounion, where Greeks buy snazzy vacation property
The ruins of the temple are nice, but the best part about it is really the setting. The drive from Athens to Sounio–if you take the scenic route, along the water–takes about 45 minutes or so. From the temple, located on the southernmost tip of the Attika peninsula, the views of the water are grand.
Lately(especially after my trip to Scotland) I’ve been realizing that, despite my desire to be a writer, some things just cannot be explained, especially certain levels of beauty, which is such a subjective thing anyway. So, as a picture is worth a thousand words, check out the photos I took on our little trip to Sounion. Hopefully they will suffice. 

The view’s not too shabby, eh?

Weeeee!

Supposedly Lord Byron, on his first Grand Tour to Greece, inscribed his name on the bottom of one of these columns. There’s not much evidence that it’s his real signature or anything, but it’s cool to know that these places really inspired incredible writers and legends like him. 

My Favorite 5: Things to Do in Scotland

07 Tuesday Aug 2012

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When I agreed to go a bit out of my way to hike in the Scottish Highlands, I wasn’t sure what I was getting into. Scotland was on my list of travel destinations, to be sure, and hiking in the Cuillins with a photojournalist sounded pretty good, despite the fact that we had never met in person before. Turns out, Scotland is one of the most breathtaking places I’ve been privileged to visit, in every sense of the word.

Oban

 Here are my favorite 5 things we did in Scotland:

View in Oban


Isle of Skye (#1-3): Kat, my travel companion, really wanted to head for the hills on this trip. She’s an avid hiker and has summited a jillion things. I was game to try to keep up as well as I could, and so we took an early morning bus to the Isle of Skye.

The Isle of Skye is in the Inner Hebrides, a series of islands off the western part of Scotland. It’s also home to some of the most striking landscapes I’ve ever seen: lush, rolling hills with patches of forest, waterfalls rushing down rocks and glimmering lakes in places you’d never expect. The highlights of our trip really took place here, with no frills except those provided by nature.

How the heck can anything be so beautiful!? 

Clouds drifting in above the Fairy Pools waterfalls

After our swim in the Fairy Pools. It was COLD.

1.       Glen Brittle: Not even a true village or town, Glen Brittle is where you want to position yourself if you ever go to the Isle of Skye. It’s along only one road, at the end of which is a campground and lake reaching into the sea. We stayed at the Glen Brittle Scottish Youth Hostel, which was located minutes away from trailheads leading to some of the coolest hikes I’ve ever been on. We swam in the Fairy Pools and made our way up a mountain to find a stunning lake. I think specific posts deserve dedication to what we did and saw there, so stay tuned for more on the jaw-dropping beauty of Glen Brittle. (And also, a post on how we got there…)

The Cuillin
2.       Driving through the Quiraing: One of the best things about travel happens to be meeting new people, and Kat & I sure did that. In our hostel at Portree, we were fortunate enough to meet Anna-Marie and Bas, whose plans to hike around Portree were foiled by bad weather. What luck that was for us, because the four of us ended up renting a car and driving around the island together for the day! Yes, I drove in the UK and didn’t crash/harm anyone/kill a sheep! It was quite thrilling, and one of the very cool, windy roads we went through was in the Quiraing, which is a landscape created by a series of landslides called the Trotternish Landslip, some of which still occur.
The Storr
3.       The Storr: part of the whole landslide-derived landscape, the Storr, which includes the famous Old Man of Storr, has alien-looking rock features that jut into the sky. There are sheep, too. 
Me at the Storr

4. Edinburgh Fringe Festival: Every August for most of the month, artists from all over the world descend on Edinburgh. The Royal Mile is clobbered by tourists, performers and locals just trying to get to their bus, and acts ranging from general street performers (you know, fire eaters, magic, balancing acts, guitar) to music to mime to dance to experimental theatre to whatever the heck one can qualify as “art.” Hundreds—yes, hundreds—of shows take place, many of which are free or very cheap. If you hate crowds and the risk of hit-or-miss performances, avoid Edinburgh at this time, as accommodation prices skyrocket, but if you’re interested in the quirky, thought-provoking or plain old funny, definitely check out the Fringe. (FYI: We stayed at a great hostel, Castle Rock. Highly recommend!)

5. London 2012 Olympics! We heard that tickets to soccer in Glasgow were cheap, sometimes even free, so we figured we’d break up the long bus ride from Skye back to Edinburgh with a stopover in Glasgow to catch some Olympic action. Although we didn’t get to see Team USA play that day (they were over in Newcastle or somesuch), we did get to see France defeat Sweden in a hard fought women’s quarter-final soccer match! Tickets were not as cheap as we had been promised, but when else was I going to go to the Olympics? 

Team USA during the Opening Ceremonies! We watched from a pub in Portree.

Why I loved traveling in Greece (and why you should try it sometime)

02 Thursday Aug 2012

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Port of Nafplio, Greece. See the couple having their wedding photos done? 🙂

By now, I’ve got a little more than a month in Greece under my belt. Now I can say that I’ve traveled it solo and accompanied, and both were majestic. If you didn’t realize that a lot is happening economically in Greece right now, you’ve probably been living under a remote rock somewhere. Their economic crisis and the political turmoil that is part of that has made an impact on tourism in Greece, too, which is a bummer when you think about the fact that last year, 16.5% of Greece’s GDP was based on tourism. So, here are a few things I’d like to share about my time in Greece, in case you’re having doubts about traveling there! 

I ordered an omelet for dinner one night and this is what I got! Whimsical!
The food. If you’re anything like me, you like to eat. A lot. Food is one of my favorite things, and I strongly believe that sharing food is a huge part of sharing in a community’s culture. Greece is no different, and lucky for us travelers, the food here is wonderful! Like seafood? No problem! Pretty much anywhere you go in Greece, the seafood is guaranteed to be fresh and pretty local. Vegetarian? Definitely no problem! Tons of salads and vegetable options grace tavern menus. Need gluten-free? Also not an issue, especially if you eat meat. Can’t really help you vegans out; pita is the shiznit, so you’re missing out. But again, the produce in Greece is incredible, and you won’t find better cherries anywhere. My favorite Greek foods are their traditional yogurt, horiatiki (which is basically what in America we call a “Greek salad:” olives, tomatoes, onions, and a HUGE chunk of feta to top it off), and biftekis gemistas, which are stuffed hamburgers without a bun, essentially. There are dozens of other incredible foods that I love there, but those are some standouts. Oh, and of course don’t forget to try the pita souvlaki! 
The transport. Getting around in Greece is quite easy, despite the fact that they don’t even have the same alphabet! The KTEL bus system goes almost everywhere you could want it to go, and since the national train service has been cut quite a bit, it’s a lot quicker generally to travel on the busses. We did take the train, and that was great, too, although it’s running less and now there are no international trains out of Greece (so don’t try to get on one bound for Turkey; you’ll be waiting for Godot for that one). Sometimes it’s tricky to find schedules on the KTEL website, because each region has its own site. Generally, hotel and hostel folks are very helpful in figuring these things out, though, so I never had a problem, even when I was traveling on my own. For tips on navigating from BusStation A to Bus Station B, check out my post! 
In Athens, at least, the metro is super easy to navigate, thanks to the 2004 Olympics. There’s a direct train from the airport into the center of the city, and you can buy a ticket that’s valid for both bus and metro, in case you need to transfer. Ferry travel is relatively easy to organize, although you might be advised to stick with a Greek travel agent for that. We were able to book our overnight ferry to Santorini no problem, but figuring out where to pick up the tickets caused some confusion. Greece still has jobs for travel agents, so you shouldn’t have a problem finding one in Piraeus or in the cities; they can book your ferry and accommodation, which is helpful because not all the ferry times are online. Overall, though, I found Greece super easy to get around in, even all by my non-Greek-speaking self.
The Acropolis at dusk
The sights. Greece truly has something for everyone. If your dream vacation is lying on a beach with a drink in your hand, go to the islands. You’ll see some of the world’s greatest beaches and most picturesque sunsets. Prefer something more outdoorsy, like hiking? That’s cool, try Olympus or hiking up to the monasteries in Meteora. If history is your cup of tea, then Greece is definitely one of the top places to be. The Acropolis (and essentially everything in Athens), ancient Olympia, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Rhodes, Crete, Santorini…all of these places have notable ruins and interesting histories, and that’s barely scratching the surface. 
These reasons are not the only ones I loved Greece, but they are some big ones. It’s helpful that the Greek people I encountered were, without exception, eager to help me have the best experience possible in their country; whether it was the locals advising Boris and me on where to eat dinner, or a periptero owner directing me to the bus stop, folks weren’t bothered by my lack of language skills, nor did I feel talked down to for being a tourist. Most Greeks speak English (many of them really well), but even if they don’t, a general eagerness to communicate exists. 
A final note about safety in Greece: last year, headlines were rampant in American newspapers featuring the riots in Syntagma Square and the protests happening in Athens. A lot of people were freaked out about this, especially us danger-wary Americans. The general rule of thumb when protests like that happen is to avoid the areas of the city where protests are happening and you’ll be fine. I had friends who were excavating in the middle of the city and had to go around the protest areas daily; they were fine. I had other friends who were working in the Peloponnese when things were going nuts; they were fine (if inconvenienced by transportation strikes). Just like anywhere else, if you avoid an active conflict, you should be fine. What I’m starting to learn is that America is actually a much more dangerous place compared to most European countries.
There’s my endorsement of traveling Greece. What are you waiting for!?

3 Ways to Be a Courteous Hostel-Goer

26 Thursday Jul 2012

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I’ve stayed in my fair share of hostels in the time I’ve traveled, and almost across the board I’ve had great experiences. Rooming in hostels is a great way to meet new people, get tips about the city you’re in from the staff, and (usually) not break the bank. 
But staying in a hostel almost always means sharing space; whether you’re in a 4-bed ensuite or a 16-bed with an exterior bathroom, you’re probably going to be hanging out—and sleeping—with strangers (come on, you know what I mean). Here are 3 things to keep in mind to keep you from being that person the other sleepers complain about to their new friends at their next hostel. 

-Say “hello.” One of the best things about staying in hostels is its social atmosphere. Someone new coming into your room? Are you sitting alone at the hostel bar? Ask others about their trips—where they’re coming from, where they’re headed, what their favorite place has been. Chances are that you’ll be met with enthusiasm and interesting stories. Even better, you might share part of your itinerary with that person, so you can swap tips and recommendations! It’ll be pretty clear whether he or she wants to chat, though, so if you get the cues that they need to some alone time, maybe give it another try later. 
-Do your part to help keep common areas tidy. Some hostels are better staffed than others when it comes to cleaning up. A few places I’ve stayed in have dishwashers for the included breakfast; others have a strict “clean up after yourself” policy. Good hostels usually clean communal bathrooms once a day, but the level of sanitation can vary. Obviously, when you have dozens of people in and out of a tiny bathroom with an even tinier shower every day, or using a communal kitchen to prepare meals, it can be hard to keep things clean. Basically, if you make a mess, clean it up. This is a kindergarten rule: if you shower and water gets everywhere, sometimes there will be a mop or other type of squeegee-esque thingamabob. Use it. If you’re cooking and your sauce spills all over the stove, don’t just shrug and eat your pasta without wiping it up. Or, if you are staying at a hostel with a cleaning staff, inform the front desk so that they can take care of it before it affects others.
If you consider only one of these three suggestions, please let this be it:
 -Respect sleep time. Yes, I get it. It’s a hostel, not some 5-star hotel. But guess what? That doesn’t mean you can leave courtesy at the door. You never know when your dorm-mates are rising early for a morning flight, or perhaps are trying to rest up while battling a cold. Or maybe they just want to sleep. I refuse to accept that I won’t ever get a good night’s rest at a hostel just because it’s a hostel.
So what does that mean? Be mindful of your noise level. If you come in at 1 a.m. and people are sleeping, don’t read that as your opportunity to make it into Guinness for highest decibel level produced by a human. Does that mean no talking at all if you’re trying to communicate with your buddies? No, of course not. You don’t need to learn Morse code to use with a flashlight and sheets just to remind them what time you’re rendezvous-ing in the morning. Whisper instead. If you come into the room loud and drunk, you don’t get a free pass or anything but I won’t envy your morning.
Light. We’re not at the beginning of Genesis here, people. If you walk into a dorm room at night and the lights are out and you can make out a figure on the bed, turning the entire room light on is NOT okay. If you need some visual aid, use your cell phone, or a flashlight. If you have neither, consider propping the door open a bit to let hallway light in so you can grab your toothbrush or whatever, and then consider purchasing a travel flashlight (or download a flashlight app for your phone). Invaluable for situations just like these.
Ultimately, it all comes down to respect. Respect that you’re sharing a space, and think about the golden rule. Would you want to be woken up at 4 a.m. by a bright light and loud voices? Do you want to get somebody else’s hair from the shower drain stuck on your feet? No hostel will be perfect, but the more people think about simply being aware of others, the better everyone’s experience will be.

Itinerary update!

25 Wednesday Jul 2012

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Geia sas, Greece!

For those of you who don’t know from previous posts and Facebook status updates, today I”m heading to Edinburgh, Scotland for 10 days of touring through the Highlands! My last days in Greece have been truly wonderful, and I am honest in saying that Greece has become one of my absolute favorite countries in which to travel. If you haven’t been here, definitely consider it for your next vacation spot. 


So, what does my Scotland trip mean for you lovely folks?

I’m not sure how frequently I”ll be posting, but I will try to at least do some photo updates as we go along. I have a feeling we’re going to try to take advantage of as much as possible, and there may not be as much down time as I’ve had lately to work on writing and photo editing, etc. But never fear! This is what you can look forward to, post-wise, in the coming weeks from Bumblings of Miss Button:

  • Why I loved traveling in Greece (and why you should give it a shot, too!)
  • My trip to Sounio, the temple of Poseidon at the southernmost part of Attica
  • Tips about how to be a considerate hostel patron
  • And, of course, all about our trip to the Highlands!
Thanks so much for reading! Please don’t forget to “like” my page on Facebook, follow me on Twitter @SaraMelanie14 and on Instagram @SaraMelanie14!