Edinburgh transport guide – from a local

Transport tips for your first time visiting Edinburgh 

Transport – unless you’re taking a car, the best way around Scotland’s beautiful capital city is by bus. There are also trains, but they are only good for if you’re planning to venture far out of the city. Trams are also available, but they currently only have very limited routes.

So buses I would say are by far the most convenient mode of transportation around the city. They are very frequent, they have lots of routes which can take you all around Edinburgh, and they’re fairly cheap – however the downsides include that they’re not very reliable in regards to the timetables.

If you are heading to Edinburgh, be sure to check out the best foods to try

ROUTES

The Lothian bus timetables are confusing to read at first, and instead of getting yourself in a muddle reading the varying timetables and maps that differ per bus stop, you will save a world of hassle by downloading the Lothian ‘bus and tram’ app. This will allow you to chose your starting point and end destination, it will tell you the best route to take, and tell you the timings. 

Be aware, these buses are almost never on time so always opt in for an earlier bus if you’re stuck between two. 

PRICES

The fares go up every year or so, but as of June 2020 the prices are as follows –

• £1.80 for an adult single
• 90p for a child single (age 15 and under)
• £4.50 for a day ticket (unlimited travel on buses from time of purchase until 23:30
• Family day ticket All-day travel for up to 2 adults and up to 3 children
• £2.20 for child day ticket
• £3.50 for an adult day and night ticket (valid from 18:00-04:30)

PAYMENT METHODS

Buses accept cash – but they do not give change. Just put your cash into the deposit box, say what ticket you want, take your ticket and walk to your seat. 

They also take contactless – both with cards and phones. Just tap on the blue contactless pad next to the deposit box. You wont get a physical printed ticket this way. Now here’s where you need to pay attention – you can only use one bank account per person, this means you can’t pay for multiple people using one card. The reason for this is that only an adult single ticket is available when you pay by card, but it is capped, so regardless of how many journeys you do in a day, you won’t be charged more than the price of a day saver (£4.50). This is really handy, but is also a serious disadvantage if you’re looking to pay for more than one person with your card

The final option is to use the ticket app. This allows you to pre buy your ticket, which you can activate and show as you get on the bus. If you need to buy more than one ticket and don’t always have cash or more than one card payment method, this may be the way for you. Just buy how many tickets you need (you can buy any types of tickets with this option), and you can send them to whoever needs them. Now you can only show one per  phone, so if for example you, your partner and your child were to get on the bus, you would need to send them both a ticket, they would need to both download the app and show their tickets separately. Got it?

Important things to note:

Up to 2 children per adult under 5 ride free. Any additional under 5 year olds will be charged a child fare.

If you’re planning on getting a child single for anyone aged between 14-15, take some form of ID, especially if they look older. Bus drivers in Edinburgh can be frustratingly difficult, and you don’t want to end up having to pay double because you couldn’t prove your age. 

Suitcase VS Rucksack – which one should you take?

Taking that dream trip of a lifetime to explore the beautiful Islands in Southeast Asia? Here’s a go to guide to help you decide the best way to carry your belongings away from home.

There is no right or wrong way to carry your luggage, in fact it’s all down to your preferred style of travel. The way we see it, you have three options for your main carrier.

1. Large rucksack (50+ litres)
2. Medium rucksack (35 – 45 litres)
3. Large suitcase for couple travellers (28-30 inches) / medium suitcase for a solo traveller (25 inches)

Depending on your style of travel, backpacks can be fantastic, They’re incredibly easy to organise due to the masses of internal compartments available, and if packed right you will be highly mobile, especially if you will be living up the typical traveller lifestyle of bouncing from hostel to hostel each day.

Large Rucksack (50+ litres)

Taking a large backpack across Southeast Asia is a very popular option, they allow you to pack everything you need as well as keeping everything organised. However there are many negatives to lugging a 50 litre rucksack around Southeast Asia.

First of all you will accumulate a lot of weight into your backpack when packing, potentially up to 40 kilos! And unless you can pack like a pro, that will feel like a whole lot more, especially while trudging through such a humid climate. Carrying all this weight on you is physically demanding, especially for prolonged periods of time. It can be super exhausting, and 10 minutes of walking will leave you feeling like you’ve just partaken in a full body work out. If you’re planning on taking a lot as well as staying in staying in the same location for one week or more at a time, save your back the agony and put your load on wheels.

If like Alisha, you’re ridiculously clumsy in normal circumstances (she can barely stand on her own two feet without toppling over) then having a heavy rucksack may not be the best option. Not only will you be left feeling like a turtle thats not quite grown into its’ shell, but navigating through busy streets, public transport and small stores without knocking into someone or something will be a challenging task. Not to mention the single challenge of getting it on.

However, if you’re going to be living up the typical traveller lifestyle, you know… Frequent changes of location and going wherever the journey dictates, then take something smaller.

Medium Rucksack (35 – 45 litres)

A medium sized rucksack is perfect for a solo traveler or someone who prefers to travel light, compact and mobile. You can fit everything you while keeping it organised without bearing the strain of a larger carrier. You will be able to hike, get on public transport and ride on mopeds with no strain at all. Of course nothing is perfect and it goes without saying that backpack of this size will not hold as much as a large rucksack but with that being said, if you’re ready to immerse yourself in the true backpacking lifestyle while keeping your knees intact then a product of this capacity is perfect for you!

Suitcase

If you consider yourself a more lucrative traveller, mostly staying in hotels or properties for a week or more at a time a suitcase is right for you. You will be able to fit everything you need and much more, while having the luxury of simply wheeling it behind you. With organisational departments or packing cubes, we have to say that they are by far the best option for keeping all your belongings organised. Suitcases can be extremely durable, keeping all of your clothing and equipment completely unscathed throughout your travels. Most suitcases also have the added benefit of being fully waterproof. Many suitcases also come in with TSA locks securing your property from theft. Sounds great doesn’t it? Of course nothing is perfect and sidewalk/pavements in Southeast Asia are far from that, therefore wheeling a suitcase around can be harder than it may seem at first.

Overall verdict

We personally prefer to take a suitcase as our main carrier  we only take it out when we’re moving on to our next destination, which is every week or so, so it really isn’t a big deal having to take it around cities and public transport, and it makes travelling through the airports a breeze. It also saves us from the unbearable heat and discomfort from having to carry all that weight on our shoulders, especially if they get sunburnt!

Regardless of which option you opt in for, here are some of our best finds below:

HOW TO SAVE MONEY TO TRAVEL ON A LOW INCOME

Do you need to save money to go travelling, book a holiday, or even buy that new watch you’ve had your eye on? Here’s some tips and tricks to make saving money a breeze.

1. Choose the right bank account for you.

• Compare interest rates. Find an account with a competitive interest rate and get a little top up to your savings every month, it may not be a lot, but every penny adds up. I made £70 last year just through interest alone.
• Look at additional benefits. Some banks/building societies offer other extras, such as cash back on your household bills, discount on travel insurance and more.
• Do you struggle dipping into your savings? Open a locked bank account where you can deposit funds and not get access until your chosen date, this way you can see your savings building up, but you won’t be able to withdraw whenever you fancy that Saturday night takeaway or an extra few G&Ts on a night out.
• Some banks/building societies offer a reward if you switch your bank account to them. This ranges from a £50 amazon gift card to £100 spending money! Some also offer a refer a friend bonus, where you will both receive a reward if you refer them and they switch.

For help with finding the best bank account for you, have a look at https://www.comparethemarket.com/current-accounts/ or https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/compare-best-bank-accounts/

2. Don’t be too strict!

Don’t be afraid to have the occasional meal out, or treat yourself to a bottle of wine after a hard week at work. If you’re too strict on yourself it can be demotivating when you feel like you’re constantly counting pennies. Set a budget, but have a little bit leeway so you can still see some enjoyment in the money you’re earning.

3. Budget

• Type up your income on a spreadsheet, along with all of your outgoings, see how much you have left at the end of it and choose an amount you’re comfortable with putting away into savings. If you can understand how much money you have coming in and going out, then you will be able to make sure you’re saving a good amount for you every month, and it’ll help you as a guide to stick to.
• Try and choose a set amount you want to spend on certain things within that month. Guideline an amount for food, activities, and always have a small amount available for emergencies, especially if you’ve decided to lock your savings into a no access account.
• Track your spending. Referencing to the above point, if you have a set amount you want to spend on food per month, make note of everything you’re spending so that you can ensure you don’t go over budget. Always check your online banking so that you can see how much money you have left.
• Move money into savings as soon as you get it. Set up a standing order to automatically move the funds. If you wait until the end of the month and just move over whatever you have left, chances are you would’ve spent more money throughout the month as you would’ve had it sitting there. If you move the money over straight away and leave enough funds in your account to fit your budget, then I guarantee you’ll save more. If you do end up with any leftover money in the account on the day before payday, go ahead and pop that over into the savings too.

4. Points!

Use a variety of point account cards to help you get that little bit back from your shopping. If like me you’re a nightmare with always leaving your points cards at home, most companies now offer smartphone apps, and you can even add the cards to your apple wallet.

Outwith your retailer brands, you can also earn travel points through British Airways ‘Avios’ point system. Their app features over 100 different retailers, hotels and booking websites where you can earn points, you can even redeem your Tesco clubcard points for Avios points. You can also gain points through flying with them or one of their many partner airlines. If your looking at going travelling or on holiday, you could potentially save up enough points to partially or fully pay for your flights, or upgrade you to a higher class.

5. Cut out the non-essentials

Once you’ve written down all your outgoings, look over them and decide if there are any you don’t use. Have a Netflix account you don’t use? Have you signed up to a free trial for something that’s been left to roll over and be forgotten about? A gym membership you signed up to when you had that burst of motivation but then forgot about for two months? Cancel them and enjoy the extra pounds.

6. The roll over price increase

Many companies offer a cheap deal to draw you in for a time period contract. After that time ends, they tend to shoot the price up drastically. Get in touch with them and see if they can give you a better deal, if not look online and compare different companies that can offer you a cheaper alternative. Check things like your TV/Wifi bill, gas and electricity, and insurances.

7. Sit back and enjoy seeing your savings grow!

Sign up for Air B&B with the link below to get £34 off your first stay! Works in all countries and will automatically convert it into your local currency!

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/c/alishad8046?currency=GBP&referral_share_id=a872403d-8093-425d-a1fd-7df109094435

What to pack for travelling Southeast Asia

What to pack for Southeast Asia! (travelling anywhere from 1 – 12+ months)

Hopefully by now, you’ve read our Suitcase VS Backpack article, and have made your choice. Now you’ve got to decide what goes into it! The important thing to remember is that there are shops across the whole of Southeast Asia – if you forget something, don’t worry, chances are you’ll be able to get it there.

Now like every typical twenty-something year old girl, I have a slight tendency to over pack. This time, I’ve buckled down so we can both fit our stuff into one suitcase, (We took more on our 5 day trip to Paris) and I’m going to have to face the fact that I might have to wear the same pair of shorts 3 days in a row, and that’s okay!

However, we aren’t 100% breathing and bleeding the generic backpack traveller lifestyle, and still want to look and feel confident in our appearance. Maybe even get dressed up once in a blue moon for a nice evening meal and some drinks. If that sounds like you, carry on reading, if that doesn’t fit your style of travelling, and you would rather take bare minimum and will roll your eyes at the mention of taking a nice perfume and hair straighteners, there are plenty of other lists on the internet which might be better suited to your style of travelling. 

The following lists are for people taking either a suitcase or a large backpack. If you are taking a small backpack or just hand luggage, you’ll be able to find a great list online which shows you the best way to compact what you take. (Unfortunately, we’re not too clued up on this area)

Men, let’s start with you, your packing list should look something like this…

Clothes:

• 1 pair of trousers – most temples require you to cover your legs
• 2 pairs of swimming shorts
• 3 pairs of shorts – made up of 2 casual and 1 dress shorts
• 3 t-shirts
• 2 vest tops
• 2 dress shirts
• 1 exercise/sports outfit
• 1 pair trainers/walking shoes – good quality ones that won’t break during a tough hike
• 1 pair sandals/sliders – ideal to keep in your bag if your feet get wet, but also for beach and pool days
• 1 pair nice shoes for occasions
• 1 belt – Getting a money belt is always a good idea to keep your cash safe. Get yours here
• 2 pairs of sunglasses
• 1 cap
• 1 waterproof jacket
• 7 pairs socks
• 7 underwear

Accessories:

• Aftershave
• Typical toiletries- don’t worry about these too much as you can get them very easily out there, but include things like:
• Razors
• Body wash
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Hair styling product
• Shaving foam
• Deodorant
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Moisturiser – the harsh weather conditions can dry out your skin

Ladies, your turn:

Clothes:

• 3 pairs of shorts
• 1 skirt
• 1 summer dress/jumpsuit
• 1 piece of clothing to cover up for temples (maxi skirt, maxi dress, long jumpsuit, trousers)
• 1 evening outfit
• 1 sport outfit
• 1 pair trainers/walking shoes which are durable and will last harsh use
• 1 pair sandals/sliders – good for keeping in bag incase feet get wet, also for beach and pool days
• 1 pair nice shoes for evening wear
• 2 pairs of sunglasses
• 3 bikinis or swimsuits
• 1 cap
• 1 waterproof jacket
• 7 underwear sets
• 7 sets of socks
• 5 lightweight short and vest top PJ sets

Accessories:

• Hair bands and hair bobbles (in high temperatures you will want to keep your hair out your face)
• Nice perfume
• Hair styling products – I have super curly and frizz prone hair. I always take a product to protect my hair from frizz in high humidities. I swear by this one – It lasts super long and it’s saved by hair through many holidays.
• Straighteners or curlers (try chose one or the other to avoid too much weight)
• Tampons – they are often more expensive than most western countries
• The rest will match the accessories in the mens section above.
• A small collection of makeup

Things that’ll be handy for both guys and gals:

• Microfibre towels – super lightweight and dry really quickly – take up hardly any space.
• 2 international plug adapters
• A plug extension lead
• Packing cubes
• Pocket tissues (trust me)
• First aid kit
• Tweezers – you never know when they will come in handy, they’re great at retrieving bank cards stuck in ATM machines.
• Painkillers
• Sunscreen
• Buy waterproof bags! Super important if you’re taking any electrical equipment. The rain can be wild, and you need to protect your expensive belongings.

Don’t pack bug spray, buy it there! Each country has a specialised bug spray that the locals use which work best on the local bugs.

If you’re braver than us, buy a filter water bottle like this one instead of having to spend continuously on bottled water whilst out there – it’s also way better for the environment.

Now I know nobody wants to talk about it, but if you’re going with a spouse or significant other, (or are just planning to have a wild time out there) make sure your birth control is sorted prior to going. Whether this be getting a new implant fitted, stocking up on condoms or the pill, get it done – it’s one thing you don’t want to be worrying about out there.

So take this list, pack your bags, and have a fantastic time exploring Southeast Asia!

(Quick disclaimer, we get a small fee when you purchase through the provided links. This is at no extra cost to you, still offering you great prices competitive to other retailers.)

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