Topdeck Travel Blog

Baby it’s cold outside… and we wouldn’t have it any other way!

Here at Topdeck we simply love the winter months – the frostier the better – because quite frankly, Europe never looks better than when wearing its winter coat.

Snowy streets, a festive atmosphere, fairy lights and fabulous comfort food are just the beginning. You can also look forward to fewer crowds and lower prices that come with travelling in the off season.

With that in mind we asked our Topdeck experts to share their favourite winter experiences:

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• My favourite winter destination is skiing for the entire day in the gorgeous Austrian Alps. Then coming back to my hotel in the evening in Salzburg and going to enjoy a traditional meal and beer stein in a local brewery. -Leticia
• Salzburg is the perfect winter city. Festive Christmas markets, cosy pubs with warm fires, and mulled wine stalls everywhere you look to warm you up! -Scotty
  
• My favourite winter experience is spending as much time as possible browsing the beautiful Christmas markets with a cup of mulled wine in hand. No matter where you are in Europe the markets are simply amazing! -Kara
• Being cosy indoors sharing a delicious cheese fondue with new friends and then stepping outside to a breathtaking view of the Swiss Alps. -Meg
• Visiting Rome’s impressive monuments and the Vatican museums are truly memorable experiences. A traditional fiery diavola pizza and espresso are always hard to turn down, well when in Rome… -Sean
• Waking up in the morning in the Alps with a fresh blanket of powder snow at the front door ready for a full day of skiing and boarding, followed by a Jagertea (or Jacuzzi) to warm the bones and relax the muscles. -Simon
• Explore the Christmas markets in Brugge - the medieval town that looks like a fairytale come to life. If you’re getting chilly in the snow, warm up with some delicious hot frites and treat yourself to dessert in the countless exquisite chocolate shops! -Courtney
• Skating at a leisurely pace around the frozen lake near Vajdahunyad Castle, City Park in the heart of Budapest. Complete the day with a steaming cup of forralt bor (mulled wine) and roasted chestnuts. Pure bliss! -Anita

If the unique experience of a European winter sounds like you make sure to check out our winter trips and let us know your favourite things about winter!

Topdeck Travel has released its first ever winter pre-release brochure. Book now to save up to 10% off your winter experience.

Topdeck Travel’s Designer Bec goes wild in Africa on Topdeck’s 13 Day Kenya & Tanzania Adventure and decides to inspire us with her amazing photos!

1. Our first afternoon in Maasai Mara National Reserve and we spot a sleeping Leopard in a tree right beside the track. It was a good find because they say leopards are often the hardest animal to spot out of those in the Big Five!

2. Elephants everywhere! Not only in Maasai Mara but also in the Serengeti and the savannahs outside of the national parks.

3. Up close and personal: this cheetah strolled up to us and posed for our cameras for a little while. They are really beautiful animals.

4. The secret of getting a good giraffe photo is…stopping the vehicle for a while and waiting patiently! They are quite timid creatures but they would always be curious about us and for a while, they would come up close to check us out eventually.

5. King of the jungle: this young male lion was just gorgeous. We found him with about 7 others from his pride taking a break from the midday sun by some trees in the Maasai Mara.

6. Jumping with the warriors: we visited a local Maasai village where the people live in the traditional way, in mud huts and herding cows and goats. The men did a performance for us, singing us their traditional songs and invited the other guys from our group to jump with them.

7. Cultural curiosity goes both ways! The Maasai women were interested to know how many babies the women in our group had. They were quite surprised to learn that none of us had had any children yet. In Maasai culture most women will have had a few children before they turn 20.

8. Meet the truck! Our truck was called Shashe, named after the famous river in Botswana. Shashe became our home away from home, and even though some of the drives were long, it always went fast because we had heaps fun together. Our truck was really good; it had lockers at the back for our stuff, power points for charging our cameras and an on-board freezer and esky.

9. Our trip leader Masivu was awesome, he made the trip an amazing experience for us. As Masivu is from Kenya he helped us see East Africa from a local perspective. In this picture Masivu has a bunch of red bananas, a local specialty near Arusha in Tanzania.

10. When we were in Arusha in Tanzania we visited a local village. It was really interesting seeing the day to day life of the people who lived here. The children in particular loved our visit, they were so excited to meet us.

11. Sweets= popularity! The local children in the village really wanted us to pick them up and play with them. Also some of our group had brought sweets to give away...

12. Drive day lunch, yum: Masivu our trip leader, and Antony our driver would have something prepared for us and we would also help out. Usually we had sandwiches, with freshly baked bread, ham, cheese, fresh salad, and array of different sauces. They would always have fresh tropical fruit ready for us as well, which was delicious.

13. Hitting the Serengeti! When we visited Maasai Mara and Serengeti, we left Shashe behind and got around in smaller, off road, game-park-friendly vehicles, which got us closer to the action.

14. Camping out in the Serengeti was amazing, with no fences separating us from all the colourful wildlife. It was perfectly safe though, we were just told not to stray too far from our tents in the middle of the night, and to make sure we had no food around which might attract hungry hyenas. We spotted this Cape Buffalo just near our camp not long after sunrise.

15. How not to become a lion’s dinner…On our last afternoon in Serengeti our truck blew a tire. It wasn’t that unusual, we had already punctured a couple of others and our drivers had lots of spares on hand just in case. As our driver was changing the tire, one of the guys in our group noticed two heads in the savannah watching us – it was two lions, about 50 metres away. Our driver told us to stand on the other truck, while he finished, as lions see the truck was one big animal and won’t attack it. Phew…

16. Night camping on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. The crater was once a huge volcano millions of years ago, but collapsed after an eruption. What is left is the huge crater floor wilderness that is a popular home for local wildlife. Our campsite on the rim was pretty cool, and after dinner we had a shy elephant wander in to say hello!

17. Zebras crossing. In Ngorongoro Crater there were zebras everywhere, I couldn’t believe it. There were also hundreds upon hundreds of wildebeest, at this time of year they tend to congregate in the crater before their big migration later in the year.

18. Hippo-watch. We stopped by this beautiful lake for lunch in Ngorongoro Crater. There were a few hippos in the water enjoying themselves, but we were warned not to get to close to the water because hippos are actually the most dangerous animals in Africa. You don’t want to get stuck between a hippo and his water hole!

19. Next stop for us was the beautiful island of Zanzibar. We spent our first day in Stonetown, Zanzibar’s capital and spent the afternoon at a local spice plantation. This was really fascinating, we found out how nutmeg and cardamom grows and that cinnamon comes from the bark of a cinnamon tree.

After Stonetown, we ventured further north to west coast of the island to Kendwa beach. We took a snorkeling trip out too the Mnemba reef, which was beautiful. Not long after this picture was taken it bucketed down with rain – one of the downsides of traveling in rainy season. However the rainy season wasn’t all bad, usually it would only rain for an hour, before the sun was out again, and we would get to watch some spectacular storms in the distance over the ocean in the evenings.

I had a fabulous time on this safari, hope you will enjoy it too! Love, Rebecca.

It’s as English as tea and scones, red telephone boxes, cricket, roast beef and local pubs.

Enjoy a traditional English day at the races and be part of the pageantry, fashion and fun of Royal Ascot with Topdeck.

Experience all the Race Day action at Royal Ascot

If you’re after an excuse to throw on a glamorous outfit, buy a fascinator and sup bubbly while fluttering away a few quid on the gee-gees there’s no better time than this!

Royal Ascot is a national institution and the centrepiece of the British social and racing calendar. Each year, in the third week of June over 300,000 people make the journey to Berkshire for Royal Ascot week.

This year Topdeck is heading to two of Ascot’s most popular race days - the Coronation Stakes and the King Edward VII Stakes on Friday and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes on Saturday.

We arrive in Berkshire mid-morning with enough time for a stroll though the small Ascot Village stopping for a beverage in one of the local pubs and a wander through the shops. All the while there is a buzz of excitement for the day’s events.

We tuck into Topdeck’s picnic lunch served with bubbly to toast the day ahead before it is time for the real entertainment to begin.  We head in with the other race goers to see what the race ground is all about.

Cheers! Bubbly all round at Royal Ascot!

Whether you have Silver Ring or Grandstand tickets you’ll be able to place bets, get a great view of the races and grab some drinks and snacks throughout the day.

If we are lucky, on our way we may catch a glimpse of the Queen and the Royal Procession as they arrive at the Parade Ring around 2pm.

Race goers with Grandstand tickets get to experience the action at the height of racing glamour.  You get access to over 1000 seats, big screen TVs, a military band performing in the Parade Ring before the Royal Procession and a traditional sing-along around the Bandstand after racing (free song books provided).

While the Silver Ring provides a less formal atmosphere you can be sure you won’t miss out on any of the action with great views, over 2000 seats, big screen TVs, live entertainment and bars.

Aside from the horses, a major draw card to Ascot is the incredible fashion on display.

It's all about the frocks, and the hats, at Royal Ascot

This year Ascot has tightened the dress code for those in the Grandstand, but there is not better excuse to dress up for the day!

For ladies attending the Grandstand a hat, headpiece or fascinator must be worn at all times, dresses and tops must have straps, midriffs must be covered and shorts are not allowed. Boys have a rather straightforward dress code - a suit, shirt and tie.

Over in the more casual Silver Ring race goers are simply asked to wear smart clothes.

Once the day’s racing is over you can compare your wins (hopefully not too many loses) with other passengers as we head back to city in the early evening. If the excitement of the day just isn’t enough, you can join us for a post-race day drink in London at our Ascot after party.

Join Topdeck for a day at the races with Royal Ascot Silver Ring and Grandstand tickets. Includes: Return coach transport from central London; picnic style buffet lunch; plenty of bubbly; post race day party in London; services of a Topdeck Trip Leader

Topdeck’s Kara takes on Istanbul - and survives!

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“If one had but a single glance to give the world, one should gaze on Istanbul,” Alphonse de Lamartine, 19th-century French writer and politician.

Views from Topkapi Palace

In hindsight it might have been a good idea to bring directions to the hotel.

Stepping off the tram in Sultanahmet, backpacks in hand, we soon realised we had no idea how to get from the station to our accommodation.

It was around 9pm and the information centre was closed so after a brief moment of panic we asked a man in a snack stand for directions. We’d barely shown him the name of the hotel when he was on the phone and calling the manager to get someone to meet us. What service!

And that was the first and last time we got lost in Istanbul.

The next morning we were woken at dawn by the Muslim call to prayer. Thankfully we were able to fall back to sleep for a few more hours.

When we finally emerged we were greeted by a stunner of a day!

Hagia Sophia

Istanbul is a beautiful city rich with history, culture and all the trappings of a first class European capital, but the exotic mix of Far East makes this a European city like no other.

The only city in the world situated on two continents, Istanbul lies on the Bosphorus Strait that divides Europe and Asia.

This meeting of East and West is cultural as well as physical and the two come together in a perfect balance.

Beautiful European buildings and Mosques stand side by side and the day’s calls to prayer are heard across the city.

While the majority of the population dress in a secular fashion, observant Muslim women mix traditional head coverings with stylish modern clothing that wouldn’t look out of place on the streets of Paris or Milan.

Beautiful chandeliers inside Hagia Sophia

The entire district of Sultanahmet is a Unesco World Heritage Site packed full of historic buildings, museums, bars and restaurants.

It’s fairly easy to make your way around the entire district on foot, but if you’re short for time or your legs are a little tired you can always jump aboard one of the efficient (and cheap) trams.

Our first stop of the day was Topkapi Palace – home to the Ottoman Sultans from 1465-1856.

Today Topkapi Palace is a museum with a massive collection of artefacts including royal robes, weapons, armour, manuscripts, murals, treasures and jewellery. It’s also a great spot for panoramic views of the city below.

My favourite sights were the collection of Sultans’ robes, jewelled and golden ornaments (very bling) and the Harem (definitely worth the extra entrance charge!).

Sultan Ahmed Mosque (the Blue Mosque)

Back down in the main town square with visited the impressive Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofia).

Hagia Sophia began life as an Orthodox Christian Church between 532 and 537, before becoming a mosque and finally a museum.

Entering the grand building the first thing you notice are the dozens of low hanging glittering chandeliers that look as though they are floating just over your head.  There are also several well preserved Christian mosaics on the upper floor that are well worth a look.

Ornate tiles in the Blue Mosque

Just across from Hagia Sophia is another iconic building – the Blue Mosque.

Sultan Ahmed Mosque was built between 1609 and 1616 during the reign of Emperor Ahmed I. Its nickname comes from the ornate blue tiles that cover its ceiling.

Remember to dress respectfully when you stop by as it’s still a working mosque.

A must see for your visit is the Grand Bazaar; one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with a maze of 61 covered streets and over 3,000 shops.

Stalls are organised by the types of goods they sell such as jewellery, furniture, leather, clothing and trinkets.

Our expedition was rather successful as I picked up a leather foot stool, pashmina scarf, some pretty sweet harem pants and several pairs of earrings.

Remember to haggle for a price you’re happy with and don’t be afraid to keep walking or say no if you’re not interested in what someone is selling.

Not too far away lays another shopping hub, the Spice Bazaar.

Exotic sights and smells at the Spice Bazaar

Also known as the Egyptian Markets, the Bazaar is the centre of the spice trade in Istanbul so go along for the sights and smells.

It’s a great place to pick up some tasty produce or, if you’re me, copious amounts of Turkish Delight.

Speaking of tasty treats, I could have written this entire blog post about all the heavenly food on offer in Turkey!

A melting pot of Central Asian, Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisines you’ll be planning your meals throughout the day!

Pastries, corn on the cob, baklava, halva, pide (Turkish Pizza), Turkish delight, köfte (meatballs), apple tea, Turkish coffee & of course, the kebabs! Ah the kebabs!

The best kebab I had was köfte, tomato and eggplant. Our waiter took it upon himself to demonstrate the correct procedure to eat it - mush everything together with your fork and wrap it up in a piece of Turkish bread – divine!

On that note, get yourself to Istanbul for exotic sights, sounds, smells and tastes and an amazing time.

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Experience Istanbul on Topdeck Travel’s ANZAC trips to Gallipoli, Turkey Explored, Eastern Explore and Bosphorus Adventure.

NOTE: All travellers arriving in Turkey (except those on New Zealand passports) will need to buy a visa on entry (approximate 15 euro).

Blessed with epic landscapes, famous wildlife, friendly people and diverse cultures, Africa truly has something for everyone.

Part of what makes Africa such a sought after destination is its raw and wild charm, but this does mean you need to take a few extra steps to stay happy and healthy on your trip.

Gail Graham from the 1st Contact Travel Clinic tells us how to keep fighting fit on safari in Africa!

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Heading to Africa? Want to stay healthy while abroad? There are many things you can do to keep yourself healthy while travelling around Africa.

Where ever you travel to in Africa the recommended vaccines are: Typhoid, Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria and Hepatitis A.  Depending on where you are and your itinerary you may also need Meningitis ACWY, Rabies, Hepatitis B and Yellow Fever (Yellow Fever can be compulsory in some countries).

Majority of time most travellers have no problems while abroad but that does not mean you should become complacent in preventing any unwanted incidents.

Reduce your risk of consuming contaminated food and drink. It is the most common reason for travellers to become unwell. You can do this by:

• Always washing your hands before eating
• Only eat meat that is cooked all the way through
• Avoid salads and shellfish; you never know where they are from
• Only eat fruit that you can peel
• Avoid ice in your drinks

Some other basic tips for staying healthy abroad include:

• Cover up! This not only helps protect against sunburn, but helps against mosquito bites – those bugs can carry nasty diseases such as Malaria
• Don’t approach or pat any animals unless you guide says it’s okay, you don’t know if they carry rabies or not
• Take a sterile medical kit with you
• Use an adequate mosquito spray

It is recommended that most vaccinations are given 4-6 weeks or more prior to departure. Our nurses will be happy to advise you on appropriate vaccines and Malaria tablets for your journey.

1^st Contact Travel Clinic can provide expert advice on vaccinations, medical kits, anti-malarial medication and general safety tips.

If you are planning a Topdeck Africa trip and have any health related questions please feel free to call the 1^st Contact Travel Clinic on  0808 141 5506 (UK Free call) or +44 20 7759 7574 and book a free travel consultation.

Dear Topdeck,

I (Courtney from Australia) just want to write this letter describing how wonderful my trip was and how my expectations were exceeded.

Choosing to go to Egypt during a time of significant change and upheaval, even going with a tour at first seemed uneasy, but I can now say that it was one of the best things I’ve ever done.

Our Travellers: Katie and Courtney

It was my first time going overseas, so I was a little bit nervous as were my parents.

My best friend Katie and I booked the trip through our helpful travel agent Jill and going with the Topdeck tour was the best option.

The revolution was still going on before we left, but it was comforting knowing all our transport, accommodation and meals were already organised and that we were going to be in a group.

When we got to the airport there was a man waiting for us straight away and he chauffeured us to the Indiana hotel with no hassles.

Hamada, our tour leader was waiting for us at the hotel which was a nice and unexpected surprise because we arrived several days before the tour even began.

He made sure we were comfortable and arranged a whole bunch of activities we wanted to do in the days to come. Another surprise was that Hamada drove us around and gave us all the knowledge we needed in certain situations. For example, when we went to the pyramids, to not get on a camel unless we had a set price! He also educated us on the locals and the state of the country after the revolution.

Katie and Courtney at the Pyramids

In the two days we were there by ourselves we did a number of activities by ourselves, of course with Hamada’s help, but when we were alone we felt completely safe. We even visited Tahrir square on the day of the soccer riots and stood on the outskirts of thousands of people protesting which was a surreal experience.

When the tour began everyone in the group was friendly and we seemed to gel pretty quickly.  Hamada also made sure we knew exactly what we were doing and when and also how much things would cost.

Even for a second time, the Pyramids and Sphinx were absolutely amazing and the museum was so much busier than the first day Katie and I went. It made us appreciate the day we went because having such an interest in the history of ancient Egypt, it was nice to look at the museum at our own pace, but then again it was brilliant having a guide who knew so much!

The train ride to Aswan turned out to be one of my funniest memories of the trip. After the long wait at the station due to protests further down the track, then the 12 hour ride with the smelliest toilet you’ve ever seen and what seemed like unhygienic conditions, not to mention persistent stares from the local men, all we could do was laugh. It was one of the most interesting and memorable trips I’ve ever had and we pretty much had to make the most of it at the time.

The Nubian village was fantastic with the gorgeous local children, delicious food and a look into quite a different way of life.

Courtney at Abu Simbel

The following morning saw us waking up at 3 to start the journey to Abu Simbel, but Hamada was always there making jokes and lightening the mood when everyone was moaning because it was so early.

Abu Simbel was certainly a sight to see and the location overlooking Lake Nassir was beautiful. There were several sights we wanted to see and each one exceeded our expectations as we saw them up close.

We had such a good time on the felucca boat drinking and eating, and being plain lazy. The Nubian crew were so lovely and made sure we were fed and comfortable and one of the crew members even invited us into his humble abode for some tea and a look at all his stuffed animals.

As we were docked most of the day, Hamada always made sure we had things to do and often gave us options so we wouldn’t be bored. Having done the “old school” felucca sail I would definitely recommend it to future groups and this is after being in jumpers and sleeping bags the whole time.

The bus ride to Luxor from the felucca was fairly short and the guided tour of Kom Ombo temple was quite interesting before arriving at the hotel.

After being on the river Nile with surrounding riverbanks and sand dunes, it was going to be hard to beat, but Luxor was a beautiful place.

I can say that the guide for the Karnak temple and temple of Luxor was interesting and very knowledgeable, but it was hard to take it all in at times and we didn’t get a lot of free time to look around by ourselves. Both temples were stunning and it was nice seeing other wonders of Ancient Egypt that weren’t so well known.

The Valley of the Kings was a must do for Katie and I so we weren’t disappointed. One suggestion would be that we got more time to look around and to see more tombs, as we only saw three.

Tutankhamen’s tomb was on our ‘to do list before we die’ so we were more than happy we got a chance to visit him.

The Luxor markets were great and I loved bartering with the locals because I knew the price was too much. Initially I was under the impression the markets were a little bit unsafe from what people had told me, but once I was there, I was by myself running around most of the time.

The Topdeck Gang

We said our farewells to everyone that night and it came to just the six of us, plus Hamada. We were more intimate by this point and Hamada was just like a friend in the group except he could make everything happen for us and get us organised.

Hurghada was interesting as it was such a new town compared to what we had seen and Hamada even gave us a chance to go clubbing. That was a really fun night and being just the five of us that went out, Hamada looked after us and shouted us drinks most the night.

The driver did a good job at getting us to Dahab in no time and we ended up having the whole resort to ourselves which was nice. Again, Hamada gave us plenty of options for activities to do in the four days we were there and arranged everything necessary to make it happen.

The snorkelling was breath taking and I never knew Egypt held such an underwater wonderland.

Going on the trip, Katie and I just looked at the itinerary for the major places we wanted to visit, but after seeing Dahab I would definitely recommend future groups extend their trip if they could. We did a long bike ride one night which proved hard for those of us who didn’t have vespers, but it was worth it in the end and quad biking was one of the most fun things I’ve ever done, even with a mouthful of dust. Most nights the whole group met and we had dinner or drinks, and Hamada knew all the nice places to eat in town. Dahab was a nice change from the hustle and bustle of Cairo and tourist attractions, so it was a relaxing way to end the trip.

On our way back to Cairo we got another sand storm and some rain, all thrown in for free!

Even on the last night of the tour we all met up and Hamada got us some authentic Egyptian cuisine, which was yum. After saying goodbye to everyone, Katie and I were there for another night after the tour. Hamada went out with us for dinner in his own time and it was great hanging out with him as a friend. He drove us to a roof top pub which played American music and had delicious food and then had drinks with us after. He also drove us to the airport the next day and made sure we got all our baggage through the crowd. For that I’m very thankful because he went above and beyond what he had to do as a tour leader. I can easily say our trip wouldn’t have been as memorable and the whole trip before, during and after wouldn’t have been the same without Hamada.

So, after telling you almost everything about the trip, I just wanted to say you guys are a great company to tour with. Being my first overseas trip, I felt comfortable that everything was organised and that we were going to get to see everything we came for. I also felt safe in a country that has negative affiliations due to the media back home and being in the group turned out to be way better than I thought.

The majority of people in Egypt were lovely, the guides were great, the driver was fantastic and a laugh, Hamada did a wonderful job and I don’t have any real complaints, except the state of some of the toilets and the staring! I say this in jest because it was all part of the experience in the end.

Thank you for making my trip more than worthwhile.

Kind Regards,

Courtney Heinjus.

Courtney travelled on Topdeck’s 15 day Pyramids & Beaches trip. For more adventures in Egypt checkout our website.

Every year on April 30 a strange phenomenon takes hold of the Dutch people.

Souce: Amsterdam Tourism & Convention Board

The symptoms of Oranjegekte (Orange craze) or Oranjekoorts (Orange fever) are the wearing orange clothing, caps and scarves, dying hair orange and decorating of houses and entire streets with orange, orange and more orange while letting their hair down for a day of pure mad fun!

The people of the Netherlands pull out all the stops as they throw a party of epic proportions to celebrate the official birthday of their much loved monarch Queen Beatrix.

The festivities begin on April 29 with Queen’s Night Koninginnenacht and go through until the evening of the next day Queen’s Day Koninginnedag.

Souce: Amsterdam Tourism & Convention Board

It’s a day of live music, beer tents and street parties – kind of like Oktoberfest crossed with a massive street carnival – as Amsterdam’s famous canals fill with boats, and the streets are lined with people.

The main stages for entertainment in some of the city’s main squares Rembrandtplein, Nieuwmarkt and Museumplein, but parties and music can be found throughout the city.  All the clubs in Amsterdam organise special events and some of the best are outside and free for everyone.

Aside from the party, the whole country holds a 24-hour free market vrijmarkt where anyone can sell anything they like without a permit or paying tax. It’s the perfect chance to pick up knickknacks and the required orange outfit so you can party with the locals in style until the wee small hours.

If an all-day party in one of the world’s most exciting cities sounds like you, why not go with Topdeck?

Source: Amsterdam Tourism & Convention Board

We arrive in town the day before the festivities and kick things off with a walking tour which includes the infamous Red Light District.

You won’t miss out on any of the Queen’s Day action as we’re staying right in the heart of Amsterdam!

If you’re after a change of pace there are plenty of slightly more cultured activities on offer from Anne Frank House to the Van Gogh Museum (remember to book your tickets in advance!) or you could always chill out in one of the city’s many coffee shops.

Before leaving, we’ll take you on a visit to a traditional Dutch farm where you can see how cheese and clogs are made.

With 24 hour celebrations and a vibrant atmosphere Queen’s Day is definitely a memorable time to visit Amsterdam!

QUEEN’S DAY FACTS

• Orange is the colour of the day as the Queen’s royal line goes back to William of Orange.
• Queen Beatrix’s real birthday is January 31 (It’s too cold at that time for outdoor celebrations.)
• April 30 was the birthday of Beatrix’s mother and predecessor, Juliana.
• About 800.000 people come to Amsterdam for Queen’s Day

by Kara Segedin

It’s hard to say just when the culture shock set in.

It could have been coming into land at Cairo Airport watching the desert below turn into the biggest, most sprawling city I’ve ever seen.

View from the roof of our hotel - wow!

Or maybe it was the chaotic roads where you’re as likely to see horse drawn carts and people walking on motorways as cars and you really can say a lot with flashing lights and beeping horns.

Whether it was the farm animals, the hawkers, the security checks, or simply the incredible sights and welcoming people Egypt is a destination like no other!

Before we’d even made it to passport control we were greeted by our Topdeck Representative.

An energetic young local, he helped us buy our landing visas (approximately $10 US dollars each) and walked us through to luggage claim where we met a few of our fellow travellers – two bubbly Brits, a Canadian, a Columbian and a group of Antipodean travellers.

From there we were whisked to the waiting Topdeck van and driven to our hotels.

My first journey to a non-English speaking or European country, there was no doubt in my mind that this trip to Egypt was going to be a real eye opener.

We approached our hotel to find inner city streets lined with goats, cows and the occasional horse.

The animals seemed oblivious to the vehicles whizzing past and swerving to miss them.

We soon learned we were in town on the eve of the Muslim feast Eid al-Adha and the animals roaming outside our hotel would shortly find themselves on family dinner tables!

Once settled into our hotel it was time for the meet and greet with our Trip Leader Rafik.

A native of Cairo, from here on in Rafik was going to take care of everything including buying tickets, meal times, accommodation and transport leaving us to sit back, relax and enjoy our holiday.

Me & my amazing Topdeck trip mates!

We were up bright and early for the first day of our trip – Egyptian Museum here we come!

It soon became obvious we were a novelty to the locals with many surprised stares and cries of “Welcome to Egypt!” whenever we were out and about.

One thing that’s certain – Egyptians are very proud of their homeland.

Since the revolution in January 2011 there has been a lot of upheaval in the country, but the Egyptian people are enthusiastic and optimistic about their country’s future.

The museum holds an impressive collection of over 120,000 ancient artefacts and our guide for the day, Medo, gave us a quick run through of the key exhibits before leaving us to explore on our own.

Thanks to my love of all things morbid and creepy I had only one destination in mind - the Royal Mummy Room! The room contains nine royal mummies including Ramses II and III and Queen Hatshepsut and for 100 Egyptian Pounds (approximately £10) it’s well worth the extra charge.

After our little history lesson it was time to get out into the field as we made our way to one of the World’s Seven Wonders - the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Conquering the Pyramid

Words can’t describe the first time you lay eyes on these magnificent ancient tombs. You’ve seen them all your life in books, on TV, in films and suddenly here they are right in front of you!

Putting our explorer hats on several of us headed deep into the heart of the second pyramid, Khafre (25 Egyptian Pounds). The passage to the burial chamber gets pretty tight at points and there was plenty of ducking involved, but despite being hot and sweaty after our journey nothing beats being able to say you’ve actually been inside one of the Great Pyramids!

We weren’t finished at Giza just yet as we joined the crowds at the Great Sphinx. Again, I really struggle to describe how it feels to see these majestic sights up close.

Me & the Great Sphinx

I thought I had an idea of what Cairo would be like, but my expectations didn’t even come close to reality!

It’s louder, busier, more colourful, vibrant and full of history than I ever imagined.

And this was only the start of my Egyptian adventure.

Visit Egypt on one of Topdeck’s many trips including Budget and Nile Cruising options. Kara travelled on the 8 day Nile Discovery. Follow the adventure to Aswan and Nubia.

Topdeck’s Festival Manager Heather joins the locals for the ‘craic’ as she celebrates St Patrick’s Day in Dublin.

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“Craic” or “crack” is a term for fun, entertainment, and enjoyable conversation, particularly prominent in Ireland.

Every year on March 17 millions of people around the world head to their nearest pub to celebrate all that is Irish for St Patrick’s Day.

Ireland’s patron saint, St Patrick was famous for a number of remarkable feats including driving the snakes out of Ireland and teaching the Irish about Christianity. The national holiday marks the date of his death.

Last year I got the chance to make the day just that little bit more special with a trip to the Emerald Isles!

With as many green clothes as I could squeeze in my suitcase, I made my way to Dublin along with visitors from all over the world to join the locals in the traditional celebrations.

After checking into our hostel in the central city, we spent the rest of the evening soaking up the atmosphere and getting into the St Paddy’s spirit!

I was simply spoilt for choice when it came to entertainment! Over four days, Dublin plays host to more than 4000 world class performers including concerts, parades, street theatre and marching bands.

Our first morning in the city began with a walking tour of the must see sights such as Trinity College, the buzzing Temple Bar district, Dublin Castle and Christ Church Cathedral.

Of course, no trip to Dublin is complete without a visit to the Guinness Storehouse. And there’s no better time to stop by than on the eve of the big day!

After learning about each step of the Guinness brewing process we were all pretty thirsty. Thankfully the tour ends in the Gravity bar, famous for its 360° panoramic view of the city, it’s the perfect place to take in the scenery while you Sláinte (cheers) and enjoy your complimentary stout.

In a rather festive mood, we spent the rest of our afternoon finding suitably green clothing and accessories from local stores in preparation for tomorrow’s big day.

On the 17^th, we joined the masses of tourists and locals on the streets for the all-day celebrations before heading off to the Topdeck after party which lasted until the wee small hours!

Dublin is such a cosmopolitan and diverse city so it was a St Patrick’s Day to remember! The atmosphere over the four days was full of the expected Irish ‘Craic’ with plenty of singing, dancing and nightlife on offer making sure I had a holiday to remember with the biggest celebration on the Irish calendar.

For the ultimate St Patrick’s Day visit Dublin with one of Topdeck’s various festival options.

The New Year may be well underway, but it’s never too late to make a resolution and set goals for 2012.

Here are Topdeck’s Top 10 European Travel Resolutions for inspiration!

1. Eat Better

Eat Better

Europe is known for its delicious and varied local foods, but when it comes to fresh and tasty cuisine it’s hard to go passed the Italians! Gelato, espresso, pasta, wine and, of course, the pizza - it won’t take long until you’re feeling the effects of la dolce vita!

2. Stress Less

Burning the candle at both ends? Working your fingers to the bone? Kick back, relax and enjoy the slower pace of life. It’s all about lazy days and crazy nights with Croatia Sailing – the only thing you’ll have to think about is whether to sunbake, have a drink or make a splash in the sea!

Stress Less

3. Meet new people

Meet New People

Get out there and mingle! Experiences are always that much better when they’re shared with mates. Travelling with like-minded 18-39 year olds, you’ll soon be hitting it off and making friends for life.

4. Learn something new

Travelling is the perfect way to keep your brain ticking over. How about practicing some foreign words and phrases before your big trip (there are plenty to choose from in Europe.)? Plus, the continent has a long and fascinating past so soak up the history as you experience it firsthand.

5. Get organised

Are you the King of Procrastination or the Queen of Disorder? Now’s the time to whip yourself into shape and get organised! Topdeck makes it easy to get your 2012 European adventure up and running. Pick the trip and date you want, book your flights and let Topdeck take care of making those pesky accommodation bookings and getting you from A to B and back again.

6. Get more exercise

Grab your walking, hiking or running shoes and get ready to explore! For the most epic stair climb ever have a go at the Eiffel Tower or St Peter’s Basilica. If getting out in the wild is more your style, make your way up the heights of Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland.

7. Lose weight

Put all the stuff you want to pack in a pile and half it! This will make getting around a lot easy and leave you with plenty of extra room in your luggage for souvenirs!

8. Step outside your comfort zone

What is life without adventure? It can be easy to stay safely within your comfort zone but it’s important to test the waters and challenge yourself! So tuck into a plate of escargot in France, throw yourself out of a plane for a sky dive in Switzerland and strike out on your own and make your way to Europe for a taste of big wide world.

Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

9. Save money

We know how expensive it is to travel Europe, but with Topdeck you can get the same standard of accommodation and same quality of food for a faction of the cost than if you did it alone. Sign up for one of our EuroCamping trips to make your money go that little bit further and keep an eye on our deals page for further savings!

10. Live life to the full!

Wake up in a new city, in a new bed, with new surroundings and new friends ready to seize the day! Grab every opportunity that comes your way and remember there’s always time to sleep on the bus.

Visit Europe with Topdeck and check out our latest deals and savings before you book!