London to Istanbul, by Sea and Land – Part One

The easy option would have been to fly to Istanbul, the starting point of our overlanding odyssey, but we wanted to leave London not by air, but by sea. So rather than a quick flight, we took the scenic route – one ferry, nine trains and one short coach ride later, and we had crossed Europe, reaching Istanbul eight days after we had left England.

Leaving England – Keep Calm and Carry On

Our departure from London pretty much typified our experience of living in the city during the last three and a half years. A rushed dash for the bus – public transport we had loved and loathed, the liveliness of the place as the streets busied themselves even though the sun was not yet up. And then us, squeezing out every last ounce of sightseeing as we stared at Tower Bridge all lit up as as we bused on by. Even after all this time, we were still so easily impressed by London.

 We said our final fond goodbyes to London town as we pulled out of Liverpool station, bound for Harwich International to catch our ferry to Hook of Holland. This was to be the first of several train journeys over the coming week. To compensate for the early start and the hectic lead up to us leaving London, we had splashed out on a cabin aboard the ferry.

This gave us a chance to send last minute emails, have a much needed snooze, and make a toast (thanks to the complimentary minibar) to the start of six months of glorious, self-indulgent travel. 

Coffee, canals and celebrations in Amsterdam

The first stop on our trans-Europe journey was Amsterdam, a city we had visited before and where good friends had recently made their home. We were lucky to be joined by more friends from London, who helped us celebrate Hayden’s birthday and give us a final send off for our epic journey back to New Zealand.

 I think that you enjoy a city more the second time you visit. You know your way around, and you’ve already done all the touristy things, so instead you can relax and soak up the atmosphere.

There’s also a definite advantage to knowing people in that city. As well as the benefit of a place to stay, they know all the good local eateries and places to go. For example, our friends took us to ‘Little Collins’ for a delicious and leisurely brunch, followed by a walk through one of the Saturday markets, complete with colourful flower stalls, reams of exotic-looking fabric and Dutch souvenirs.

We were fortunate to be in Amsterdam just prior to our friends opening their cafe Bakers & Roasters. This meant we got a sneak preview of the cafe and were able to exclusively sample the ‘test’ coffees as curious passer-bys peered in through the window.

 To make the most of the struggling spring sun, we went for a wander around the tourist-packed streets. We then settled on the banks of a canal for a beer and some reminiscing about past travels and our time in London, followed by the mandatory mayonnaise-drenched ‘frites’.

That evening we celebrated Hayden’s turning of age and the imminent opening of the cafe with Kiwi wines and an oversized carrot cake, courtesy of our Bakers & Roasters friends. With stories and laughter until the wee hours, it was the perfect way to spend our last night with a bunch of people us Kiwis would refer to as ‘good sorts’.

The next day had to be started with a plate of the wonderful Amsterdam cliché pancakes, so we found a spot favoured by tourists and locals alike called ‘Carousel’ and chose from a long list of toppings (both sweet and savoury).

After more goodbyes and a stop-off for supplies we boarded our overnight train for Warsaw. Our cabin was perhaps more akin to a nurse’s room (or school ‘sickbay’), than the old-fashioned nostalgic-style train travel I had been hoping for, but it was all we needed to get us to our next destination. After a dinner of instant noodles, some repacking, and a broken night’s sleep, we awoke the next day to flat, snow-covered fields in Poland.

The quirky charm of Krakow

After a short wait at Warsaw, we took the local commuters’ train to Krakow. Three and a half hours later, we arrived at the station, found the locker facilities where we ditched our packs and set off for seven hours of exploring, stretching our legs and refuelling.

 I had heard good things about Krakow, which is why we made it part of our itinerary. It is unmistakably touristy (the horse-drawn cart is always a big clue), but it’s easy to see why. With its pretty square and covered market, cobbled streets and quirky charm, it would make the ideal weekend getaway and has easy day visits available to Auschwitz and the Salt Mines. It’s also ideal for those counting their pennies, as it is very cheap to both eat and stay in Krakow.

For those with less time, like us, a walk past the red-bricked Castle, which seems strangely modern, gives you a good view of the river with its wide banks. Like the other sightseers,strollers and dog-walkers we sampled the bready pretzels, which are sold everywhere through the city – the ideal carby snack for hungry travellers or peckish locals. And as though for our entertainment, two armour-clad knights battled on the lawns, practicing their sword-swinging, egged on by a swarm of English schoolgirls, presumably part of some history excursion.

My favorite part of the city however was the Jewish quarter. This is where the cafes, bars, tattoo salons and galleries are all intermingled, making it hard to know which is which. In one such cafe/gallery, Kolanko Cafe, a couple of espressos boosted our energy levels and then to make the most of the fading sun, we found a small bar with chairs outside, the perfect spot for observing local life. In the nearby flea market, we noticed countless people emerge with long topping-covered baguettes, eating while walking and talking. Given the obvious popularity of these tasty snacks, known as ‘zapiekanka’, we could not leave without trying what seemed something like an end of day tradition or reward. After surveying which snack counter windows seemed the most popular (and which had helpful picture menus), I ordered one of these spinach, cheese-clad and mayonnaised toasted treats (the range of toppings is vast) and exchanged bites with my fellow traveler – not one of our more dainty, or glamorous eating experiences, but it was tasty and filling.

Then it was time for more sampling of local beer, so we visited ‘Alchemia’ which had been recommended to us for its quirky Harry Potter style interior and entrance into the smoking room disguised by a wardrobe. After a couple of the local pours, we headed back to the station to catch our overnight train to Budapest – this one was marginally better than the previous overnight train both in terms of getting some sleep and the cabin, but we were still keen to escape the confines of our cabin the next morning when we arrived in misty Budapest.

For further information about the six month trip from Istanbul to Singapore that we are doing with Odyssey Overland, you can visit their site.