Recent content by Soap McTavish

I want to save a little money and see a more local side of the cities, is it too inconvenient without great English support.

It's not overrated at all, especially in the spring or autumn mist. Rent a bike and cycle around the lake path, it's very peaceful.

Looking at a budget trip but really want the onsen and traditional room feel, is it worth the splurge for a night?

Kushikatsu, it's deep-fried skewers and there are lots of small, classic spots in the Shinsekai area, just remember the one dip rule.

English seems widely spoken in tourist spots but does using some local language make a difference

Get just enough at the airport for the taxi or train ticket, the rates in Bukit Bintang or inside a mall in the city are usually much better.

The Alpine Road is definitely underrated! I drove a good part of it near Berchtesgaden, and the scenery is just completely stunning, way more dramatic than the Romantic Road. It feels like a proper road trip, winding through the mountains with all the little villages. If you want the real German...

A thousand times yes to the Döner Kebab. It's the real Berlin street food king, not that sausage. It's just so much fresher and more filling, especially when you get one from a place that makes its own bread and uses fresh salad.

I agree 100%. The "special access" or "early bird" tickets are almost always worth the extra cash for the big bucket-list sights. The difference between seeing Stonehenge from behind a rope with a thousand people versus being right there, quiet, as the sun comes up is huge. It turns a quick...

The fact that driving a big petrol car is cheaper than using public transport, which is supposed to be the better option, is crazy. It really punishes people who don't or can't drive. The whole system feels totally broken right now.

It's expensive, no doubt. But honestly, for an hour of floating over that landscape with all those other balloons around you, it felt worth every penny. You're paying for a truly unique memory, and I think that justifies the high cost. I'd pay it again in a heartbeat.

Oh for sure, I love the Spice Bazaar way more. It's smaller, so it feels less overwhelming and more focused on just food and smells. The Grand Bazaar is amazing to see for the sheer size and history of it, but it’s definitely a tourist trap with a lot of pressure to buy stuff you don’t need.

Oh yeah, that climb is intense, right? You almost feel like you're not supposed to be up there. It's crazy to think about how Brunelleschi even figured out how to build it in the first place. Definitely the best view in Florence, way better than climbing the Campanile.

Bologna is the absolute best for food, hands down. That tagliatelle al ragù there is totally different than what most places call "Bolognese."

That sounds truly amazing. That mix of Christian and Moorish design is always so stunning, especially in a place like the Royal Alcázar Palace. It must have felt incredible to step into a different world wandering through those massive gardens and courtyards. What a fantastic experience.