Category: Travel

  • TOKYOBIKES & ACE HOTEL LONDON BIKE TOURS

    TOKYOBIKES & ACE HOTEL LONDON BIKE TOURS

    On our recent trip to London, we realised that some neighbourhoods are best experienced on two wheels. From the place where we stayed in Wapping, we cycled along the canal to Broadway Market in Hackney for a quick breakfast, then passed some great coffee shops on the way to Angel, from where we cycled up to Camden Town for a quick visit to the food market there.

    One of our favourite London hotels, Ace Hotel, has teamed up with cult bike brand tokyobike and organised a guided tour around the city, highlighting the many fascinating streets of Shoreditch.

    Tours will be led by writer and brand consultant Duncan Riches, who’ll also serve as curator for future ride guides. The Shoreditch tour, on 19th April, will include a visit to Terrece Studios in Dalston to see a light-maker, jewellery-maker and painter at work; a ride down the beautiful Regent’s Canal and a visit to see Denys Lasdun modernist block of flats, Keeling House, in Bethnal Green.

    Easter Saturday Tour

    19th April, 10am-1am

    Meet at Ace Hotel London in the lobby

    www.acehotel.com/london 

  • Travel: Newcastle

    Travel: Newcastle

    Last weekend we decided to leave Edinburgh for a day and travelled south to Newcastle upon Tyne.

    We started our day with a walk around Grainger Market, one of the city’s prominent landmarks. Listed as a Grade I buidling and designed by John Dobson, the market opened its doors in 1835. Although the original use of the market for meat and vegetables have since changed considerably, there are still a number of butchers’ and fish stalls there. The market is also home to world’s smallest branch of Marks & Spencer, a market stall known as Marks and Spencer’s Original Penny Bazaar.

    After our stroll around the city centre and a visit to menswear stores End. and Union, we headed to BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, where paintings by Simon Bill and the work of Sara Barker and Ryder Architecture are currently displayed. We also paid a visit to Side Photographic Gallery where we saw All That Falls exhibition with works by Mark Power, Paul Lowe, Dana Kyndrová and Jindřich Štreit.

    After lunch at Pleased to Meet You, a gin bar located in a Victorian building on High Bridge, just off Grey Street, we visited the up and coming Ouseburn Valley. This neighbourhood is one of the most visually attractive and creatively exciting areas of the city and is home to many design studios and other creative businesses.

    We finished our day in Newcastle with a coffee at The Cycle Hub, a social enterprise that promotes and facilitates cycling. Located beside the river Tyne, we were able to enjoy some moments of sun at their terrace before heading back to Edinburgh.

  • Places: Dalston Garden

    Places: Dalston Garden

    Dalston Eastern Curve Garden was created in 2010 on the old Eastern Curve railway line which once linked Dalston Junction Station to the goods yard and the North London Line in London. The garden was born out of a regeneration project aimed at improving Dalston’s open spaces. Design for London and Hackney Council worked with architects, landscape architects and local cultural and community organisations to establish the Garden and it  is now managed by Marie Murray and Brian Cumming from one of those groups, GrowCookEat.

    The project won the Hackney Design Awards in 2010. It was described as “an excellent example of how an abandoned piece of land can be affordably transformed into an asset that enhances the locality and benefit the community. Every inch has a strong sense of community spirit”.

    Photographer Erola Arcalís kindly shared with us these photos she took of the garden and the people working in it.

    www.dalstongarden.org

  • Stay: Tune Hotel Liverpool St London

    Stay: Tune Hotel Liverpool St London

    Last weekend one of the members of the Future Positive team travelled to London to meet some people and find inspiration for the website. Whilst planning the trip and looking for accommodation, Tune Hotels kindly offered us a discounted stay at their Liverpool St hotel. Scroll down to find out more about Igor’s stay at the hotel.

    For those of you who haven’t heard about Tune Hotels before, they are a chain of hotels offering a great night’s sleep at a good price. They have several hotels in Asia and have recently expanded to the UK with hotels in London and Edinburgh.

    Tune Hotel Liverpool Stis located in the heart of London’s East End, just under 5 minutes walk to Brick Lane. Despite its name, the hotel is actually not located on Liverpool St but on Folgate St, just off Commercial St (don’t forget to visit The Commercial Tavern) and 5 minutes away from Liverpool St Station. This is actually an advantage as you can avoid all the noise from the main streets and have a good night’s sleep.

    The room had a really comfortable double bed and didn’t feel tiny as in other budget hotels. That was also the case with the bathroom which had a great shower and enough space to move around. The windows were facing the hotel’s patio which looked great for having an outdoors breakfast if you’re staying during summer.

    The stay was great and it’s hard to find something similar in the area for a better price, considering how close it is to the East End’s main attractions. If you’re planning a trip to London and looking for a good value accommodation, definitely consider having a look at the four Tune hotels in the city!

  • Chiang Mai City Guide | How to Explore Like Locals

    For most people planning a tour or vacation, Thailand is always on the top of the list. For so many years, the number of tourists flocking the country has always gone up. Thailand has a favourable climate, tropical beaches, fantastic food, and vibrant life. The most common city receiving tourists in Thailand is Bangkok. Bangkok is a busy city offering lively nightlife, a beautiful panorama view, cultural festivals, good food, and luxury shopping outlets. However, Chiang Mai is a place for a person who loves quiet life.

    Chiang Mai is the largest city in northern Thailand. It is not as busy as Bangkok and Nakhon. Instead of heavy traffic, Chiang Mai offers beautiful scenery with misty mountains, hills, and historic temples. The city has so much to offer that people who have been there always look forward to going back. If you Chiang Mai is a great tourist destination if you plan to travel to a new place and a famous destination to teach English in Thailand. Here is a Chiang Mai travel guide for you.


    Featured image by Adli Wahid on Unsplash

    A Guide to Chiang Mai

    1. Climatic conditions

    Chiang Mai has favourable temperatures all around the year. However, it is essential to note that temperatures can go slightly higher than average during summer and lower during the winter. That is because the city is 700 meters above sea level. Expect rains between May all through to October. Even then, you can plan a tour of this fantastic city any time of the year. Remember to pack a jacket if you plan your vacation in the winter.

    2. Accommodation

    When people plan on a vacation, accommodation is one of the determining factors in where to go. Accommodation in Chiang Mai should not give you sleepless nights. There are excellent and affordable hotels near the airport and the train station. If you love nature more, you can book hotels near or along the banks of the Ping River.

    3. Meals

    One of the most frustrating things is to travel somewhere and find meals you have never seen before or those you do not take at all. Remember, not everyone likes trying out different foods in the first instance. Chiang Mai considers every visitor, and they have restaurants that have different varieties of food where everyone can fit in. local cuisines, international cuisines, and vegetarian diets are all available in the city. Try the Khao Soy. You will love it.

    4. What to remember about Chiang Mai

    The nature in the city is something to behold. Being surrounded by hills and mountains gives you the need to appreciate natures’ beauty. Chiang Mai also offers you the opportunity to trek, cycle, and zip line. If you love kayaking, then this is a destination that you should consider going to. Lying by the Ping River and watching as the sun sets is something you do not want to miss.

    5. Costs

    Everything in Chiang Mai is affordable. The food, the accommodation, and the shopping. If you want to hire a tour guide, it will not cost you much compared to other tourist destinations in other parts of the world. Hiring a tour guide will help you know and visit many places, know their language and see things from the locals’ perspectives.

     

    About the Author

    Monica is a passionate writer and content creator. Her interests include outdoor activities, fitness, technology, entrepreneurship and everything in between. Say hi to Monica on Twitter @monical_lee.