amyLbrown2002's VirtualTourist Home Page

(Translation: Welcome! Everything is great!)

Well, I'm getting there. I've still got a way to go to get my tips and pages updated, but never fear, all in good time!

In the meantime check my personal homepage in my personal details above.

If you don't really know me, my name is Amy. I'm originally from Gisborne, New Zealand (Gizzy for short!). However for the last 4 years I've been living in London.

I was 21 when I first came over, and I came over on my own with a one way ticket! Pretty scary stuff but I was determined to make a go of it. I've wanted to travel for as long as I can remember - but it took a hell of a lot of convincing to get me over to London - but now that I'm here, it's become like a second home.

Like many before me I met a boy over here - a fabulous guy called Graham, and we now live together. We are in the process of doing our little Studio Flat up so that we can sell it on for a profit and get a bigger place.

I have no real plans regarding how long I'll stay here in the UK - Graham is happy to move with me to New Zealand one day, but we'll just see what happens and do what is right for us at that time.

There are still so many places I want to visit - Greece, Egypt, Russia, China, Japan, Morocco ... I won't name them all as I'll be here forever! I want to go diving, skiing, hot air ballooning ... again I'll stop there for now!

When it comes to travelling I'm a mixed bag: I travel independently, but I also go on tours. And a lot of the time, I don't choose the destinations myself. Quite often a friend will say to me, hey, I'm going to this place, wanna come? And of course my answer is YES!

So many people have written so many fantastic tips on this website. That's what VT is all about.

So when I add a page myself, I don't want to duplicate tips that have been written a million times over - I don't need to tell people again that the Eiffel Tower is a recommended thing to do in Paris, or the Colisseum in Rome etc .. . so I only put tips on about the new things that I have discovered.

Just got back from a long weekend in Marrakech. I loved it! After travelling through so much of Europe, Marrakech was an amazing experience, and I have never experienced anything like the Djeema El Fna in my life, it was out of this world!

I'm working to a tight time-schedule at the moment when it comes to travel. Working on the premise that I may be moving back to New Zealand sooner rather than later (all dependent on so many things!!!!) I am cramming in my "must-sees" that are within the Northern Hemisphere.

I don't ever see myself not travelling. It's too much in my blood. Even when I was living in NZ and travelling Europe was a very distant thought, I'd get tetchy after about a month of being in one town and would have to jump into my faithful old Ford, turn up the radio and drive up the North Island.

However, there is the realisation that I won't have the same money or time in NZ, and the trips may be fewer and further inbetween. And you just never know what's around the corner to impeed you so ... it's on a power-travelling trip I go!

Long weekend in York mid March - DONE!

Weekend in Hastings and Battle for a friends wedding (and some sightseeing) - DONE

2 nights in Stratford-Upon-Avon this April over the Easter break - DONE

Long weekend in ATHENS!! at the beginning of May - DONE

A weekend in Calvi, Corsica for my 26th birthday at the end of May - DONE.

A week in Russia, visiting Moscow and St Petersburg, at the end of July - DONE.

Weekend in BELGIUM, Brussels and Bruge in September - DONE

Long weekend in Marrakech mid November - DONE!

9 days inEGYPT this December for a cruise down the Nile


Those are the ones which have been booked.

But also:

Cambridge

Oxford

New York

Kelkoo: Searches loads of different companies. including the ones listed below for the best deals. Gives you a good starting point.

Skyscanner: I've just discovered this one for flights. It's uniqur in that it shows you the entire month and how much the flights would cost on each day - so you can travel at the cheapest time! It is new, so not all airlines are on it yet.

Ebookers: For flights

Expedia: For flights and accomodation

Lastminute.com: Is good if booking very last minute, otherwise I don't find it that much cheaper.

On The Go Tours: I haven't used this company yet, but many friends have and recommend it. They do tours of Egypt, Russia, India, Africa, China, Turkey, Jordan, Morrocco.

PP Travel: I have travelled to Turkey and to Dublin for St Patrick's Day with this company. They also do Rugby trips, Days at The Races, Amsterdam, Pamplona (Running the Bulls), La Tomatina and Oktoberfest

STA Travel: Does some good deals on flights and accomodation for under 25's. Have booked flights to New Zealand and hostel accomodation in Dublin with them.

Travelocity: Offer a fare watcher, so it lets you know when your chosen destination come on at the price you want.

Opodo

The Trainline: For train travel within the UK

Easyjet Goes without saying really, cheap flight deals

Ryanair Another cheap flights provider

Aerlingus: Flew them to Dublin for £1 + taxes!

Go Russia. I just booked my Russia trip through this site