The travel clinic: Accommodation edition

Welcome to the first of a new series on On the Luce – the travel clinic! After years worth of planning trips all around the world I’ve picked up plenty of tricks that I use to make travel my travel life easier – everything from packing tips to favourite booking websites.

Tips for rail-tripping around Europe on a budget

I’ve always loved to travel by train, and an InterRail adventure travelling from one corner or Europe to another has been on my travel wishlist for years. Unfortunately I never seemed to manage to find a couple of months to spare to actually make it happen. But rather than putting it off forever, I decided to start a bit smaller, picking a shorter route to give me a taster this summer.

Swiss scenic trains – and the DIY alternatives

I was originally ready to post this last week, but then the news came that a landslip had caused the Glacier Express to derail into a ravine. Luckily nobody was too seriously hurt on board and I hope it won’t put people off travelling by train in Switzerland, as the country is home to some of the most scenic rail journeys in the world (and normally has a great safety record!).

Clueless about cruising? First-time cruise questions answered

Before going on my first cruise with Celebrity Cruises earlier this month, it’s fair to say I was a complete cruise novice. Pretty much the only knowledge I had of cruising came from repeat viewings of Titanic and The Poseidon Adventure (so I was paying particular attention when it came to the evacuation drill).

Trip budget: Bergen and the Norwegian fjords

Think of Norway and you probably picture sailing through the deep blue waters of the fjords, hiking through the mountains or watching the Northern Lights from a husky sled in the Arctic. Or maybe the cosmopolitan cities, with their sleek architecture and great nightlife, are more your thing.

Budget-luxe hotel accommodation in London

One of the biggest shocks I’ve had in going from being a London resident to a visitor is how tough it can be to find somewhere to stay in the city. The problem definitely isn’t a shortage of options – there are over 1000 hotels in central London, and that’s before you get to the B&Bs and rental apartments. So how do you go about narrowing it down and choosing somewhere?

Trip budget: A Moroccan mini honeymoon

Normally I’d say my travel style is budget-luxe – I mainly keep to a budget but throw in a few touches of luxury. But when it came to planning my honeymoon, I decided that it would only be right to swap those two around for once.

Surviving the souks in Marrakech

The souks of Marrakech are the heart of the medina and a must-see when you’re visiting the city. Even if you’re not into shopping, they’re still a spectacle well worth experiencing. But they’re also all kinds of crazy.

Staying on the Las Vegas Strip – whatever your budget

The Strip is the heart of Las Vegas, a four-mile-long, multi-lane highway lined by one enormous billion-dollar casino resort after another. It’s the epicentre of the city, whether you’re looking to gamble, party or just soak up the Las Vegas craziness.

Visiting Las Vegas on a budget

Las Vegas probably isn’t most people’s idea of a budget destination. Even if you’re not blowing your cash gambling on the casino floor, you could easily spend up a fortune in the city’s five-star hotels, A-list nightclubs, Michelin-starred restaurants and designer boutiques.

The part-time traveller’s guide to maximising your travel time

When you read as many travel blogs as I do, it can start to feel like everyone else is either working remotely as a long-term digital nomad or is about to give up their job and home to set off on an indefinite round-the-world trip.

A ski guide to Méribel-Mottaret in the French Alps

I never thought I’d like skiing – I’m not hugely sporty and I can’t stand being cold – so it wasn’t until my late 20s that I was finally convinced to give it a go. And unexpectedly I loved it. The feeling of freedom as I finally mastered parallel turns and made it down to the bottom of the piste without falling over.

Trip budget: A week in Jordan

I might be in a chilly Cheltenham today but this time last year I was in the much more exotic – and warm – location of Jordan. Visiting the ancient city of Petra is something that features on a lot of people’s bucket lists, and it’s easy to combine it with a trip to the Dead Sea and maybe the deserts of Wadi Rum or the beaches on the Red Sea coast within a week’s holiday.

Visiting New York on a budget

After budget guides to London and Paris, I’m back with one for another of my favourite cities – New York. I first visited the Big Apple almost 20 years ago and it made a big impression on me.

Trip budget: Southwest USA road trip

I love reading about people’s travel budgets. As well as being useful for trip planning it’s an interesting window into people’s lives and travels – and who can resist being a bit nosy!