What? When? How Long? Time Budgeting for Europe

One of the questions that lands in my inbox

on an almost daily basis 

revolves around how many days

people should spend

in each city

when they are traveling to Europe.

It's not an exact science,

but here's a general breakdown

to help out when trying 

to plot out your trip.

rome city map, $20.

REYKJAVIC - 4 NIGHTS

(allowing for 3 day trips out of the city)

LONDON - 3 NIGHTS

PARIS - 3 NIGHTS

(allowing for 1 day at Versailles)

FLORENCE - 3 NIGHTS

(allowing for 1 day in Tuscany on a day trip)

stockholm city map, $20

DUBLIN - 3 NIGHTS

(allowing for 1 day out in Wicklow National Park or Cliffs of Moher)

ROME - 2 NIGHTS

EDINBURGH - 2 NIGHTS

BARCELONA - 2 NIGHTS

SALZBURG - 2 NIGHTS

london city map, $20

MUNICH - 2 NIGHTS

(allowing for 1 day out at Neuschwanstein or Dachau)

VENICE- 2 NIGHTS

(allowing for 1 day spent out at Murano + Burano)

NORMANDY - 2 NIGHTS

(allowing for seeing the beaches + Mont St Michel)

amsterdam city map, $20

CINQUE TERRE - 2 NIGHTS

ST ANDREWS - 1 NIGHT

OXFORD - 1 NIGHT

oxford city map, $20

A FEW OTHER THOUGHTS:

Book your flights in & out of different cities so that you don't loose a day in traveling back to your arrival city. No bigger bummer than cutting your Spanish adventure short so that you can RyanAir back to a city you just left. The travel cost back to that city and the time you save will be more than worth it.

If you are planning on traveling from city to city by flight, splurge a bit more on the Airline to one that allows for baggage. Otherwise, you'll have to limit your luggage to a carryon the size of a small backpack. Airlines like British Airways or Alitalia can fly between countries for under $100, so while they are more expensive than the budget airlines- you'll save enough to compensate for their crazy costs of checking a bag with the other guys.

Stop throwing away your full water bottle at security because you haven't had time to drink it yet. Just dump it out in the trash can and refill it on the other side of security.

Read my tutorial for flying budget airlines here. (It's a whole new world.)

*     *     *

Any thoughts to add?

Toss them in the hat below

and add in from your experience!

*images via cartocreative

Maui, Hawaii: Mama's Fish House

I probably had 30 people tell me to eat 

at Mama's Fish House

when we annoucned we were going to Maui.

So, we did
after spending the afternoon
in the cute little town of Paia.

And it was amazing.

Now, I'm adding to the chorus

of people singing this place's praises.

Please, go if you are in Maui.

It's just such a special place.

All the Hawaiin kitsch you could imagine

and yet, the seriously best fish

you've ever had in your life.

I had the Panang Curry.
Tyler got the mahimahi stuffed with crab and lobster.

Mmmm...

Oh, and the dessert is really good, too.

Try the banana & macadamia nut crisp
with tahitian vanilla ice cream.

Ohmygosh.

So good.

And the beach outside... 

It's so gorgeous.

PS. If you're imagining a small shack

with mama cooking you her special recipe,

you would be wrong.

This is an expensive dinner in a nice setting.

In fact, I was totally blown away with how big and nice
the restaurant is considering it's location.

Dress cute and plan to spend some cash.

It's worth it though.

(You know I wouldn't steer you wrong.)


*   *   *


Mama's Fish House
799 Poho Place
Paia, Hawaii 96779

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

Maui, Hawaii: Cheeseburger in Paradise (Lahaina)

Most people feel the need to check this establishment

off their Maui bucket list.

I'll admit, it's not the best burger I've ever had...

But, it's also not the worst.

(And it's a million times better than 99% of all British burgers. Sorry, UK.)

If you're in Lahaina, you might as well give it a try

and knock it off the list.

While it is, admittedly, a tourist scene,

let's talk about the perks:

The oceanside view is awesome.

Ask for a table upstairs, if possible.

The kobe burger is pretty tasty.

I didn't love the actual beef,

but the grilled pineapple, bacon, avocado, grilled onions

helped make it pretty tasty.

Obviously, I was slightly disheartened to not a find

"a big kosher pickle" served with my burger.

Skip the sweet potato fries... they're just cold and bit blah.

Apparently the Mai Tai's are legendary...

I can't vouch for them

but the glasses + umbrella are pretty cute.

Also, the live music and friendly staff

make it all a pretty decent experience.

If you're in Maui for a week,

I say "Go."

Just, you know, don't expect it to be Shake Shack or In-N-Out,

because you'll be disappointed.

Expect it to be fun place

in a gorgeous food

that also happens to serve some okay burgers.

Cheeseburger in Paradise

811 Front Street

Lahaina, Maui HI 96761

808.661.4855 (no reservations)

Aloha from Maui!

I'm blogging in my swimsuit

with sunglasses on

while I sit on the balcony of our room

overlooking the gardens of our hotel

and drinking an iced chai latte.

Basically, I'm doing the furthest possible thing

from my normal blogging scenario.

(Read: In sweats on my couch with a cup of tea

while I hide from the grey drizzly London sky.)

We landed in Maui after our 8.5 hour flight

(which was a surprise to me... I had it in my head it would be around 5?),

made a brainless decision to grab dinner at Cheeseburger in Paradise in Lahaina

and cruised on to our hotel room and crashed after the loonnng day.

We woke up this morning ready for adventure,

jumped in the car and headed north along the west coast of the island.

The funnest and most beautiful day

unfolded for us in no time.

Not to mention we discovered some delicious places to eat,

but I'll share those in separate posts later for you!

Starting tomorrow, the wedding festivities will be starting
for Tyler & Amber's big day.

(I'll be instagramming the fun with #mickelsonsgetmauid...)

So before the chaos ensues,

I just wanted to say "Aloha!" from a land that is truly magical

and share a few pictures from our day.

I haven't been to Maui since I was 11. 

I'd love some recommendations that have made 

your trips here extra special!

*images original to Aspiring Kennedy

Pack Your Bags: Barcelona Metro

I sometimes get lazy when traveling.

"Lazy" in the sense that I don't want to take the time

to learn the public transportation routes,

and I'd rather just walk endlessly
 to where ever it is that we are headed.

thank goodness my husband doesn't read my blog, or he would beat me for that.

In Barcelona,

to reach the famous Park Guell-

you either have to pony up for a taxi

or hop on the metro.

(It's a haul out there!)

We opted for... both.

Taxi there (about €15 there),

and then metro back.

I loved the metro!

It was super easy,

super cheap,

and not overly chaotic.

Win!

________________

If you're looking for some of the big sites

in Barcelona,

here are the stops you can find them at
-and what line they are one via their color-

for quick reference:

PICASSO MUSEUM
ARC DE TRIOMF, LICEU, JAUME I

(all are nearby and about equidistant)


PARC GUELL
LESSEPS

(be prepared for a 20 minute walk up to the Park from here...
there's a small bus that can take you up to the top!


GAUDI - LA SAGRADA FAMILIA
SAGRADA FAMILIA & SAGRADA FAMILIA

(Yes, both lines have this stop.)


LA RAMBLA
DRASSANES (southern end), LICEU (middle), CATALUNYA & CATALUNYA (northern side)


LA BOUQUERIA
LICEU or CATALUNYA & CATALUNYA


OLYMPIC PARK
PLACA ESPANYA


LA PEDRERA ANTONI GAUDI
DIAGONAL

__________________

Oh, and one more Barcelona-transport fact:
You can't take the metro to/from the airport.

You'll either need to take the shuttle bus or a taxi...

If you can spare the €25 for a taxi,
it's nice to get the door to terminal dropoff!

(Since most cities are so much more expensive than that, 
we jumped at the chance to have a car take us.)

But if you want info on the airport shuttle,
you can check here for more information on tickets & times.

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

My Notting Hill: New Series

There are many great things about Dallas,

but let's be honest-

it's completely different from London.

While it suits many people's fancy

to have suburban convenience (hello, Costco!) 

and a calendar stuffed with sunshine,

I march to the beat of a different drum.

What can I say?

I'm a sucker for hauling my groceries endless blocks

and living in a tiny space

all for the sake of culture.

*      *     *

Starting tomorrow,

keep your eyes peeled for a fun new series

that I've created

with the help of my friend, Noah.

We've cruised my neighborhood

and picked some of my favorite spots

here in Notting Hill 

to share with you.

Part of me hates to share such "gems..."

but the other part of me just can't wait 

to give you some great new spots

and a peek into our life here in Notting Hill.

I'm sharing my favorites with you,

now do the same for us:

What's a favorite local find

near your home?

I'd love to hear about them!

*images by Noah Darnell

GIVEAWAY: Ellington Handbags

I'm your normal female

when it comes to my

weakness for a pretty handbag.

I can fall in love pretty quickly...

but I never buy them.

I want to keep my collection

as edited as possible.

One because it sounds cooler to say that,

but secondly -and more importantly-

we live in 750 sq ft.

Nothing that isn't essential

can fit in our home.

So, I am pretty judicious about what I haul home.

Maybe that's why when I say

I have an Ellington bag

and *like* it,

you'll know it's actually something special.

I first bought it 

because it seemed like a great travel bag.

It won't get beat up,

it has lots of pockets,

and it goes from a fold-over

to a tote when I need to cram in

all the excess junk you do

when traveling.

Oh, and they don't cost a million dollars.

My MIA tote came to Iceland with me

and I realllllly liked it.

Come to find out,

these bags are a favorite among a lot of other people, too.

Maybe you'll be the next fan.

I'm really happy that one of you will win 
a Mia tote bag worth $179 (just like mine)

thanks to the super cool people at Ellington.

(Thanks, Ellington!)

They nice people at Ellington are also offering

all the Aspiring Kennedy crowd

a FREE large leather pouch 

with your purchase of $179 or more

when you use code
KENNEDY2014.

(I like the tan one, but there are tons of colors.)

**Update- the pouch won't show up in your cart, 
but will be added to your order. 
Indicate your preferred color in the notes at purchase.

Okay, giveaway open now.

Have fun!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

*winner will be selected Monday

Ring A Ding: Cell Phones & Traveling Abroad

Most people are confused & intimidated

by traveling abroad with a cell phone.

I get it, 

it's a bit confusing 

and the cost of doing it wrong

can be extremely expensive.

Here's are you two basic options:

You can either work out an international plan 

with your US provider to use your phone in Europe,

or you can buy on here and get a local number.

I would recommend using an international plan 

for anyone traveling under 2 weeks

and who will be staying in hotels.

If you're planning on a longer stay

and having an apartment

(or place to stay without a concierge to make your reservations for you),

I'd recommend buying a cheap prepaid phone upon arrival.

_______________

PROS ON BUYING A PHONE ABROAD

You won't get a surprise phone bill of a gazillion dollars when you get home.

Roaming in Ravenna? Data-charges in Denmark?

It's the quickest way to bleed cash that I know of…

take it from me.

I had no clue I was "roaming" when I backpacked for 5 weeks in college.

A month later, a cell phone bill over $2000 appeared in my mail box.

Your incoming calls are free- even if they are international calls.

Have old mommy dear call your new phone on Skype and it's super cheap.

You can book things easier here with a local number. 

Cab companies and restaurants won't accept international (read: US) numbers for reservations.

They are cheap and easy to put credit on.

Walk into a earphone warehouse and buy one for about £5.

You can add as much credit on it as you like.

I would guess £10 a week would be plenty for local texts & calls.

You can top up at anytime from most grocery stores or newsagents.

________________

CONS ON BUYING A PHONE ABROAD

You probably won't get to have data,

since most of the "pay-as-you-go" phones are super basic.

You'll have to get email and Facebook when you get back to your laptop.

Unless they are Skype savvy or your parents,

you probably won't get a lot of calls from your friends.

People get so confused with how to dial international numbers.

Your current US plan will go unused in the meantime

and will still cost your monthly fee.

* * *

How to Dial an UK Telephone Number

Let's say that this is the number you've been given.

+44 (0)7500 806 655

Here's how you would dial it 

LOCALLY IN THE UK:

07500 806 655

Simple.

 Just drop the country code

and start with "0."

____________

Here's how your mom would dial it 

INTERNATIONALLY FROM THE US:

011 44 7500 806 655

____________

Here's how you would dial it 

ON A CELL PHONE FROM THE US

(in or out of the UK):

+44 7500 806 655

(hold down the "0" to add the + sign at the beginning)

___________

Welp, that's all I have to say on this subject.

Have a nice day.

Okay.

Bye.

(click.)

*image via

Traveling with Babies- Here's What I Know.

I've been getting a lot of people asking me

for advice for traveling with kids.

First of all,

I feel the need to clarify:

traveling with a baby 

is an entirely different ballgame 

than traveling with a kid.

Kids seem easier than traveling with a baby

in a few ways

such as having their own seat,

carrying their own little animal-shaped suitcases,

and, generally, knowing to not poop themselves. 

Though the idea of going anywhere

(grocery store included)

with a toddler is completely terrifying.

None the less,

let me help offer what I know & have learned

traveling with Viola.

I'm not going to pretend to know all the answers,

but the kid did clock 8 countries by 8 months old…

If I'm not a professional,

I'm at least not intimidated by traveling with a baby.

*     *     *

First things first:

adjust your expectations.

Even traveling across the ocean,

I always think this phrase over & over 

during the day (and night) before we fly:

"Even if it's a completely awful day,

it's only one day

and then I'll be in (insert destination here)

and it will all be worth it."

I would exchange one crappy/miserable day

to spend a week pretty much anywhere, 

so that gets my eyes on the prize.

Second: Know your allies.

Airline employees = nice.

Fellow passengers = hate you.

I was pretty amazed at how sweet 

the airport staff & airlines treated us

and welcomed us on board.

They helped us board early,

snag empty seats,

and made our travel so much better.

I was equally amazed 

at how many mean looks

and snotty remarks we got

while traveling.

On our way home last month,

I walked to our row

and the man who was sitting by us

looked up, looked at me, and then snarled:

"Ugh, really?"

I gaped so loudly out of shock 

and then laughed in his face:

"Yup. Sorry dude."

Fortunately, all the people around us overhead

and went out of their way to compliment

what a sweet baby Viola was after her A+ performance,

but still.... wow.

Third: Manipulate the schedule.

I start planning the day before

how to make Viola's schedule line up

to need to feed as we take off.

I'm doing everything I can to make sure she is hungry

at the time our flight is scheduled to take off.

This not only helps her pressurize her ears

as we take off,

but it makes her sleep like a champ. 

If she starts trying to eat or sleep

in the gate, we play with her

and get her right near that edge of feeling crazy

so that she'll conk out once we start taxiing that runway.

Fourth: Get them to drink.

Babies can get crazy whenever they want on flights,

but they cry most often during the last thirty minutes of a flight

because the pilots start the descent

and their poor ears aren't able to pop.

They don't know all the tricks we grown ups know,

so you have to be the brain for them on this.

This can be a bit tricky, 

since it's a long period of time.

I'm not sure if this is fool proof, 

but it worked for me.

I think of the 20ish flights

we have been on, 

Viola has only cried once

and that was because it was such a short flight

and I couldn't time her feeds up for take off & landing.

Go ahead and nurse them

and then- once they are finished

and the world still looks a million miles away: 

pull out the secret weapon,

the bottle of goodness.

When Viola was really little,

I put a bit of sugar water in a bottle.

I would drop a bit in her mouth

every 30 seconds or so

and she would gulp it down and pop her ears.

As she got older, 

I've diluted juice with water and given her just little drinks

to help keep her curious until we touch down.

Sometimes I've used Smart Water, Apple Juice, whatever...

Heck, I'd even resort to Sprite, if I had to.

Anything to keep her from hurting.

The goal isn't for them to chug it down,

just something to intrigue them

into drinking a bit more

after they have already filled their bellies.

Fifth: Get to the airport two hours early.

Flights have bulk seating reserved

for the day-of travel.

The sooner you get there, the better options

the airlines can offer you 

for your seating.

Even if you don't get the bulkhead,

getting their early can help your family

make sure they are all seated together.

You can also hop to get an "infant block" seat, 

if there are a few unsold seats.

Five: Shop the unpopular flight times.

We try to skip peak travel times

in order to play the odds for a uncrowded flight.

Uncrowded flights means empty seats.

Empty seats mean that you + hubby

could score a row of three

and lay a baby down to sleep between you

while you do fancy things like read a magazine and drink coffee!

We look for midweek travel

at non-commuter travel times

like the early afternoon.

Six: Let the kid call the shots.

Airplanes are not the time to enforce schedules

and try to hem children into new things…

Don't fight the small stuff.

If they want to roll around and lick the tray table,

let them have at it.

Your baby wants to eat 365 puffs?

Great. What a time killer.

They want to squish the vomit bag into oblivion?

You go, Glen Coco.

Those things are not your battle today.

Your battle is getting to wherever you are going,

with your sanity in tact

and your baby happy.

The rest is, just… well, it's not important.

*    *    * 

Okay, those are my favorite tips.

Nothing mind-blowing,

but it works for us.

I hope that this can help you…

and please, if you have tricks that have 

made your travels easier with kids,

share them with us.

What are some things that have helped you

when you've traveled with kids?

*images original to Aspiring Kennedy

Pack Your Bags: Serengeti Safari with Sanctuary Retreats!

Most of the time, 

these Pack Your Bags series 

offer my inside knowledge 

of how to travel

to & from different places.

But today,

I'm just telling you what to pack

if you were headed on a 

safari through the Tanzanian Serengeti

with Sanctuary Retreats...

I'm packing my unlimited-Mary-Poppins-of-a-bag
stuffed full of everything that I'd love to have with me.

*    *   *

Why leave it at a packing list?

Because there's nothing else you need to worry about.

When you travel with a safari outfitter like that-

they take care of all the other details.

When my dad turned 50,

he took our family on a safari

through Kenya & Tanzania.

I'm tempted to label the experience as 

"once in a lifetime,"

except I have hopes of repeating it 

someday with Tyler.

So I'll just leave it at "amazing" for now.

If you're planning a honeymoon, getaway,
or just looking for an experience of a lifetime-
Sanctuary Retreats will offer you options 
that will leave you drooling 
more than a lion over a zebra carcass.


* * *

You can also take a peek at my #virtualsuitcase 
that I "packed" on Pinterest with Sanctuary here.

*this post was sponsored by Sanctuary Retreats.

Fall Travel Advice- Going Once, Going Twice...

A recent travel consult in Dallas over some of Breadwinner's Coconut Pie

Hey People!

Just a quick update-

I have a few slots left for September travel consults.

These are becoming one of my favorite things,

but my time is limited...

If you have a trip approaching,

book a session now!

Whether you want to talk big picture

(where to go & how long to stay?),

need advice on how to get from country to country

(train? car? plane?),

or need help creating a tailored daily itinerary,

I got you covered.

We can either skype through the options

or meet over coffee (if you're in London).

But don't wait too long!

My time is limited 

now that the semester has started,

so I would recommend booking now 

before spaces are gone.

Your friendly travel freak,

Lauren

Travel Consultations

45 Minute Session £40.00 GBP 70 Minute Session £60.00 GBP 2 x 60 Minute Sessions £100.00 GBP

Pack Your Bags: Icelandic Super Jeeps

We are back in Reykjavic

after several days out on the road.

Literally, we slept out in a hut last night

after spending the past two days crawling around

the mountains of Iceland in these bad boys.

Icelandic SuperJeeps 

are the biggest cars you have ever seen.

Like monster trucks, but bigger, and practical.

(Not just for rolling over other cars? Why is that?)

Though you spend most of your time 

going up the steepest inclines you've never imagined

on snowy volcanos and summits,

you also get to go to some rugged non-snow destinations, too.

Like Haifoss- which means the "high waterfall."

My breath was taken away 

when I walked around the edge 

to reveal the canyon below.

Literally, I got so excited

I started yelling at Tyler 

and running around the edge

like a yellow lab upon finding

a squirrel sneaking under the fence.

If you come to Iceland,

check out getting a super jeep.

We take one up Hekla (the snoozing volcano)

and out to Landmannalaugur

for a night at the hut.

We use Iceland Explorers to book our trips

and they do an amazing job!

*Note: You can drive many places by yourself in Iceland,

however- to reach some places (Landmannalaugur & Thorsmock), 

you'll need professional drivers

on professional vehicles!

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy