Our Two Step Start

Tag: Travel Couple

  • Aarhus, Denmark – The Ultimate Travel Guide

    Aarhus, Denmark – The Ultimate Travel Guide

    When we were researching somewhere to go last minute late last year, we stumbled across this hidden gem of a city called Aarhus. We managed to find flights that were incredibly cheap… and went on a crazy 24 hour holiday! After taking off at 6am, we landed a few hours later, ready to bus into the city! And wow what an incredible surprise. Sadly we left at 2pm the next day (it was intense but fun!), we could’ve easily stayed a lot longer!

    Considering Aarhus isn’t the capital, this Danish city is the perfect weekend break location, and somewhere we would definitely visit again. It is bursting with colourful sights, boasting an urban and youthful atmosphere – and has so many unique activities it’s always worth a visit! So, after finding our newfound love of this city, we wanted to share a complete guide with you to inspire you to visit this upcoming location!

    *This post contains affiliate links, but all opinions are our own!

    How long should I stay in Aarhus?

    We would recommend not following our route of only 24 hours! This city would probably be best for a 2-3 day break, however it could be done slower or faster, depending on your preferences and time frame! If we were to go again we would likely stay 3 days. If doing a European road trip, this location could likely be shortened into just over 1 day or 2!

    When to visit Aarhus?

    We visited Aarhus at the start of September, which for us was great. The weather was good, it wasn’t too hot, the sun was out and was very green all around!

    Due to a vast amount of outside activities, we would recommend visiting this city as a spring/summer trip, rather than a winter destination.

    Quick Facts about Aarhus

    Currency : Danish Krone (DKK). We didn’t once use cash, as we found card-usage everywhere we went. We used an international card and it worked great for us!

    Data while abroad : We used international roaming, which was part of our sim-contracts in the UK (most providers offer this so check with your contract).

    SIM card : If you do not have roaming opportunities, you can buy an e-sim from as little as $4.50! We usually use Airalo which you can find here.

    Where should I stay in Aarhus?

    This city is home to one of the best European hostels we have stayed at! Having a full mini golf course within the hostel, alongside a sauna and bar facilities, this hostel was for sure a unique one! Included in our stay was a buffer breakfast, and a very different sleeping arrangement!

    This was our choice of room (they do offer ‘standard’ size hostel dorms, alongside private rooms)… but they have a 46 bed room! How insane! We decided to stay here to see what it was like and it was really cool. It felt weirdly very private and quiet considering the amount of beds! There seemed to be a noise-reducing barrier between the room and the social areas, as the room was so peaceful.

    The bed came with a keycard entry, and also a keycard-locked locker in the room (which was a nice surprise). Everything felt extremely safe and comfortable, and we would recommend it even as a solo traveller.

    We will link this hostel here, we would be back here in a heartbeat if we were to stay in Aarhus again! We will also include a few photos below!

    What to do in Aarhus? A comprehensive list!

    ARoS Art Museum

    Known for it’s rainbow roof art instillation, this museum holds a lot more than just this! We hadn’t seen much hype for the museum apart from the roof, so we were surprised to see some of the stuff we did. We met a giant! Home to the artwork by Ron Mueck, this museum is home to ‘boy’ which is a 4.5 meter sculpture… wow. It was huge! The attention to detail was really special and made it a key feature of our trip.

    There was also an exhibition space of an extremely NSFW collection… but we will let you investigate that one!

    Visiting the Marselisborg Deer Park

    Considering this is a free activity, this was probably one of the best experiences we’ve had!

    You have to take a bus to slightly outside of the city centre, and then have to do a lot of walking to get into the actual deer park… but it was so worth it! This isn’t really an accessibility friendly location sadly, but for those who can do it… it’s so amazing.

    Displaying facts and information surrounding being near the deer, this park gives you the opportunity to be up close to wild deer- you can see them interacting together, and we even saw babies! We chose to only let the deer approach us as we didn’t want to cause any stress, but the experience was really unique. You could purchase carrots and apples to take in and feed them, or there are always the odd few laying about to grab!

    Aarhus Street Food Market

    Perfect for a social lunchtime, this food spot is full of varied international cuisines which are all SO yummy! We think this spot is great for groups to go to, as you could get dishes from each place and share them all to try all the worldwide flavours!

    We tried food from ‘The Everest Kitchen’, which was Nepalese cuisine, Chicken from ‘Super Bao’, homemade popsicles from the self titled ‘popsicle’, and a traditional Danish pastry called ‘tarteletter’ from Mormors Køkken.

    Imagine living locally and being able to stop here for lunch! We are so jealous! Food in Aarhus was good, but this spot was probably one of our favourites.

    Go on a night out

    Whilst at our hostel we met someone from America who we got on really well with, and ended up deciding for all of us to go ‘out out’!

    Being a very youthful-feeling city, the streets felt vibrant and were buzzing! We decided to get ready at our hostel and chill there for a bit, then headed out to a local nightclub called Kupé. The music was a lot more modern, so not necessarily catered to all tastes, however we found the atmosphere to be great! We all ended up dancing with some Danish people we had never met, and it just felt like such a fun atmosphere.

    Now, here is where 24 hours wasn’t enough… we left the club at around 2am, then went for a slice of pizza… let’s just say we went sleep at around 4am, ready to wake for 8am in time to get ready for the flight home. (It probably wasn’t our wisest idea)

    Den Gamle By

    Sadly, we didn’t have time to experience this place. However, we did feel like it deserved a place on this list. Den Gamle By is an open air museum depicting the history of Danish market towns over 4 time periods. Immerse yourself in the past, and learn about the life of a local through history.

    Entry is roughly 125DKK (so around £14.30/€16.70/$18.00), and looks amazing. Under 18’s go free, and there is a student discount!

    The Infinite Bridge

    Another place we didn’t manage to visit was the infinite bridge. It does explain itself- it is a bridge that doesn’t have a start and an end, and it partially over water. It is a really beautiful spot, and would be so lovely on a summer’s day!

    We have seen some amazing photos of this over social media, and for drone flyer’s this spot would be so good!

    Where will your adventure take you?

    We hope you enjoyed our travel guide to Aarhus, and that it helps with your future (or current) travel planning! Let us know below what you thought of our list!

    Like this post? Share it with friends to plan your next trip!

    Want to see more?

    Check our social media’s below, in which we share our stories, tips and tricks, insider information and more!

  • The Best of Southern Thailand 2 Week Itinerary

    The Best of Southern Thailand 2 Week Itinerary

    Thailand is a country that is on everyone’s to do list and is one of the most popular places to visit in South East Asia. There is so much to do and see, it’s so difficult to know the best way to spend your time there. From snorkelling, seeing wild elephant and island hopping, to enjoying the nightlife and social bars, alongside the cultural statues and monuments to the overcrowded markets – there is so much to offer.

    When someone is planning to go Thailand for even a month, it’s important to maximise your time there so you don’t miss out on some of the best life experiences. This is why this blog is split into 2 parts, as 2 weeks is NOT enough time to make the most of this beautiful country.

    The south of Thailand is more tailored to paradisal beaches and 5 star hotels, but there is still so much to see and do. Below, we have given our take on the best way to spend 2 weeks in the south of Thailand. We have also given one day as ‘free’, to give leeway for travel.

    Phuket (3 days)

    Phuket is known as the perfect holiday/honeymoon destination but it offers so much more than that. Yes, the beaches are perfect for a holiday, and it is as good as any to spend 2 weeks doing completely nothing but lounging in the sun- but this doesn’t make the most of what Phuket has to offer.

    The first MUST DO is to visit the Elephant sanctuary in Phuket. This is a conservation organisation that save elephants that have been mistreated, and either rehabilitate or provide a large space for them to roam and be as wild as they can be. Here, all participants learn about the process of looking after the elephants and go through their daily routine. This includes: making and feeding the elephants with rice balls and bananas, covering them in mud and then giving them a scrub clean which is a 1/2 a day activity. This whole experience is one that we would recommend for anyone to experience as the elephants are amazing creatures to spend time with, and to learn about. Some of the elephants had personalities; one we remember is a 77 year old elephant that was playing in the waters by rolling around and pulling herself around on the banks. Even at 77 she was enjoying life.

    Phuket has some some of the best people in Thailand, and one way to experience this is through visiting bars and socialising with the locals. In Phuket there are a lot of bars to stop at, have a drink, meet people, play some pool or darts and just enjoy the moment. The people here are very welcoming and are always chatty.

    Unfortunately when we visited Phuket, we weren’t able to visit the Big Buddha due to flooding in the area. However, it is known to be one of the main sights in the area. Not only do you get to see such a large statue which is so popular in southern Thailand, but you also get to see the beautiful views of the whole of Phuket, and is an amazing place to witness the sunset/sunrise.

    Visiting Phuket wouldn’t be the right until you enjoyed some of the beautiful beaches available. It’s one of the best places to relax and spend a day soaking up the sun or going for a swim in the crystal blue waters.

    Krabi (2 days)

    Krabi is a short ferry ride from Phuket and is a small city which offers a good central hub to many top places in the south of Thailand. In Krabi there are many pubs and bars to visit, socialise and meet new people. At the end of the main strip is a beach which is scenic, and offers kayaking, boat trips and surfing.

    In Krabi, there is a beautiful temple, located high in the hills. The Tiger Cave Temple is a great sight, however requires 1260 steps to be climbed to reach the gates of this temple. Here there are statues and picturesque viewpoints for all to enjoy.

    Once you are have completed all the steps and exploring at the temple, you can relax at a local hot springs. These are naturally warm waters which are perfect to unwind and relax your body.

    Railay Beach (2 days)

    From Krabi, there is a local long boat to transport you from Krabi, to your next destination, Railay Beach! Please note that to get on and off this boat, you are required to be in the sea, so wear appropriate clothing and get ready to carry your bags on your head (this is always a funny sight to see!).

    Railay beach is a small strip of land no wider than a few football pitches sandwiched between the ocean. Here you are very limited with cheap stays with only one hostel in the area. We used Blanco Hideout Railay and we would recommend staying here! You can find this hostel by clicking here*

    The hostel offers a trip to see a Muay Thai fight, and drinks with other hostel members as a night event (which is a must to do)!

    At Railay, there is a little cove which once explored, opens up into a beautiful, secret beach. You are able to rent out kayaks and go to Phra Nang Cave Beach and explore the caves. Also, there is a local island (Phang Nga Bay) that is known as bond island, as it was used in the James Bond movies. We were even lucky enough to see a wild Asian Water Monitor Lizard disappearing off into the thick grass.

    As expected, it is a place to enjoy the natural beauty of the beaches. There are viewpoints to take in the most scenic areas of this area of paradise. For the more active travellers/explorers, you can try your hand at rock climbing to find the lesser explored areas of Railay.

    Phi Phi Island (3 days)

    Many have heard of Phi Phi Island, and maybe it has a reputation of being a popular spot to drink and party, but there is so much more to do! I mean, this island literally has a pizza spot with cannabis pizza (very unique)!!!

    Phi Phi Island is another sort trip on a boat from Railay which is a marvel within itself- with the countless islands you pass and the clear water.

    On this Island, there is a must do island hopping tour which visits 7 different locations with panoramic beaches, snorkel spots, caves to discover, with fresh lunch provided. This is an all-day activity so make sure you have the energy to be out exploring all day! If you are tired and hungry when you finish this tour, they drop you back at the dock which is right in front of a McDonald’s which many use as a stop to fuel up ready for the nightlife.

    The Phi Phi main road offers a range of souvenirs, clothing and different foods and drinks available. You can almost get lost in the streets looking at all that is offered. Once it gets dark, people spill into bars and pubs, and little pop-up alcohol shops appear. The island lights up! Everyone is having a good time and it’s a fun social atmosphere. For some daring people, there is a bar on the island that has a boxing ring which you can opt to fight in. We would only recommend doing this if you are prepared to be hit, and didn’t drink too much alcohol!!

    There’s so much to do on the island but is still one of the best to chill and enjoy where you are.

    Next stop, Khao Sok National Park!

    Khao Sok National Park (2-3 days)

    Khao Sok is a longer trip, but is so worth the wait. You will be avoiding the small boat trips and would be required to go inland on a coach or in a car.

    This national park is like no other. It is an expensive experience compared to others in Thailand, but is worth every penny. Put it this way, we would go back in a heartbeat. Khao Sok National Park is made for someone who wants to be apart of wildlife.

    You are taken on a long boat through the park which you visit some picturesque spots and admire some of the beauty. After a relaxing boat ride, you are taken to a jetty in the centre of the national park which has floating bungalows. Yes, we said FLOATING BUNGALOWS! And this is where we stayed!

    The bungalows will be your home for the next few days, and you will be provided with all 3 meals which are made from local people in the park. You are given time to explore which we used to kayak around the local area and see what wildlife we could see. Beware of the sun as there are a limited spots for shade and if you know Jack, he burns easily!

    After a long kayak filled with watching monkeys and wild eagles and searching for wild elephants, we headed back to go for a swim in the lake. We spend the next hour jumping off the jetty and swimming around the local area just taking in the breath taking views. There were wild fish which were easily 3 feet long, while we idly watched as we tucked into our lunch.

    There was so much to do and see, but it also allowed for such a simple lifestyle. There was no Wi-Fi or data spots, so you were completely immersed in where you are. We were taken on a jungle hike through areas where elephants were only hours prior. At the end, we were taken on a tour of a local cave with bats in, which we were taken in a handmade bamboo boat made by some of the locals. It was amazing to see local huts and kids running and swimming in the waters. Like this is their life… and we were somewhat jealous.

    In the evening we played card games, and relaxed before going out early in the morning to see wild elephants coming to the water to drink and wash. This is probably the best experience of my life as its mesmerising to see wild elephants elegantly in the wild. To make it even better, we saw a mother and calf which is rare to see in the National Park and probably rare to see in the wild.

    We only stayed one night but we believe there is an option to stay for another night to soak up the beauty. There really isn’t many places better than here and we would always recommend going here if anyone was to visit Thailand.

    It’s the MUST DO of all MUST DO’S!

    There are still a few places we missed out on this short 2 week itinerary of the South of Thailand, but this is our list we would recommend. Whoever visits Thailand will have the most amazing time, and we are sure they will love the country as much as we do.

    If we missed any places you would recommend, please let us know and we will add this to our next trip to Thailand which we hope will be in the next few years!!!

    Thank you for making it to the end of this blog post, and we hope you enjoyed our 2 week itinerary! If you enjoyed please like the post and follow for more content!

    Want to see more?

    Check our social media’s below, in which we share our stories, tips and tricks, insider information and more!

    Anything marked with an * is part of an affiliate program, where we earn a slight commission. However, these are genuine recommendations and views 🙂

  • Do I Want To Travel?

    Do I Want To Travel?

    Do I Want To Travel?

    This can be a tough question… When I was younger it was certainly a dream of mine. Mostly because I didn’t really know what it meant. Exploring the unknown was always a wonder for me. This is probably why I enjoyed subjects that are discovery-based – space (astronomy) and dinosaurs (Palaeontology).

    So to me, travelling was a dream. I mean when you see the pictures and videos online there’s no wonder so many people want to do it. White sandy beaches, clear blue waters, tropical rainforests, you name it! There’s so much to see and do- I believe that if you dedicated your life to travel, you still will miss out on some amazing things!

    But we can’t do that as we have school, work, or family and relationships to consider. This makes things complicated beyond belief. There is so much more to consider as travelling isn’t an easy, straightforward decision. Even thinking about travelling will take hours of research and planning, not to mention the money worries that happen. Unless you are spontaneous and whimsical, then I mean you can just book a plane ticket tomorrow, and well… you can figure out the rest later. Some people can do that, but for the rest of us, we have a lot more to think about our current responsibilities.

    It doesn’t matter what stage of life you are in; travelling is something you want to do or not. Whether you decide that you want to travel as a child (like me) or it’s a new thing you discover once you retire. We aren’t all the same- otherwise that would be boring. You must look into what you want to achieve in your life. What are your goals to achieve? What would give you fulfilment in life? I know full well that sitting in sales for the next 40 years and retiring on a small (or even large) amount of money won’t satisfy me.

    And you might feel the same. Some people have the drive to live in the corporate world to earn and live well in a city or town, settle down, have kids, and live the somewhat traditional life our ancestors lived. There is nothing wrong with living life like this, as it suits a lot of people, and it may be your absolute dream. But we aren’t all like this. We don’t all want to wake up at a set time each day, go to the same place of work and complete the same or similar tasks day in and day out. See our family on weekends and wind down with a film on a chilled Sunday afternoon before kickstarting a heavily scheduled week tomorrow.

    Plenty of us are privileged enough to have the opportunities that the Western world provides. Whether it’s free education, high-earning opportunities, good health care, and gratitude for the life we are given. Some don’t want to leave the comfortable life that is set up for us once we are born. I really don’t blame them as I am very grateful for everything I have. But I still want more…

    Today there is such an opportunity to express yourself even in the way you work and live. You can travel with work or move to a totally different continent and way of life if that’s what you desire. And some people do this. Just search it online and there are thousands of people taking that step to move themselves or even their families to another corner of earth.

    But what really makes you want to travel? For me, it’s always been a burning passion of mine since I stumbled upon the beauty that’s out there. For others like my partner, it’s been introduced through exposure to what is possible. Some people just need to see the opportunities that are available with travelling to find that passion. It can be like an addiction. It certainly is for me.

    I never truly travelled until the last 12 months. My only taste of travelling was the brief holidays I had as a child or the countless short holiday with friends around Europe. The most adventurous family holiday would be to Egypt. Other than that, it was a sunny beach trip to Malta or Kos. Egypt for a 12/13-year-old was a wonder within itself. Who knew there was so much to see? It absolutely baffled me, and as I was taken by my dad, we stayed at a posh hotel and enjoyed some of the coolest activities I still have done!

    During the two holidays we had in Egypt, we saw the pyramids- which within itself was purely amazing. The structure that still stands and the only ancient wonder of the world that still exists. It’s truly a sight to see. We also visited the Valley of the Kings, saw pharaoh’s tombs, stayed on the river Nile, snorkelled for the first time, and saw the infamous Tutankhamun mask. It was really an eye-opening experience for a teenager to experience. It was a totally new culture, a different way of life. It really made me appreciate what I had and how lucky I am.

    Beyond the trips to Egypt, I would go on Lads holidays to party islands like Malia and Kavos. It wasn’t really my thing, but we had a good friend group and we made some of the best memories during those holidays. It was almost like being in the inbetweeners if you have seen it. As I am not a big drinker, it can become boring. I was more into the chill days by the pool with friends and booming music and having laughs than going to the clubs to get hammered. But it was an experience nonetheless and taught me a lot on the way.

    We did do a city trip as a smaller group and visited Rome for the football and sights which was a totally different style of holiday we were used to at the time.

    So all in all, I would say I was quite limited with holidays beyond the typical family trip abroad.

    But travelling has always been on my bucket list. And since experiencing it recently I am now driven to try and experience all I can.

    I believe that to discover whether travelling is for you, you need to ask yourself a series of questions.

    Firstly, you must determine whether you are looking to travel for a short-term/temporary or for a long-term/permanent.

    Some people look at travelling as a break from life, whether it’s a few weeks or even a few months. You can remove yourself from the stresses of your current life and experience a long-term break to help discover personal/individual goals before jumping back into the busy life you were in. Some people use it as a coping mechanism to hit an invisible reset button. Others just love to have holidays every so often to break up their lives.

    A much smaller percentage of people want to commit long-term to travel – or as I describe it, having the travel bug. Being able to travel long-term is no easy feat. Take me for example who is currently writing this blog on a wet July morning. The opportunities to see just make it all worth it. But there are a lot of changes one must make to enter that style of living. It’s more of a full commitment; less so like a change of careers. For some people who take this path, they don’t have plans to return, others look to live a simpler life.

    What do you want in life/What would make you happy?

    What are you drawn towards? It’s no easy question to answer, but it’s a stepping stone to deciding whether this life is for you or not. It’s not something you have to answer straight away or even something you are certain about. It may come to you like an epiphany, who knows? But to make this decision, you need to hit a certain level of agreement to make this step.

    No matter how you answered that last question, you can still look at the next question as a way of finding yourself.

    If you could close your eyes and imagine yourself doing anything in the world right now, what would you choose?

    This could be anything! Whether it’s your dream job of becoming a footballer, surgeon or running a charity to help children in Africa. There’s something inside of all of us that gives us a burning passion for something. You might not know it, but it’s there. It’s taken me many wrong turns and mistakes to even get close to finding out what this is and I’m ready to make more to figure it out.

    I for one, imagine myself on a quiet sandy white beach, with a fresh coconut, reading a book or getting ready for a snorkelling/scuba diving trip. What comes to your mind? It doesn’t need to have anything to do with travelling at all!

    This gives you a simple view of something you want to reach, some goal that you desire to reach.

    Are you willing to make this a reality?

    This is an important question to ask. A lot of people have dreams and personal aspirations they want to reach, but not everyone is willing to make the necessary sacrifices to make this possible. To me, it comes down to what’s more important. what you need to sacrifice to achieve this or your need or want to make it happen.

    You might have a high drive to become a traveller but are held back by the lack of drive or motivation to make it happen. This could be saving the amount you need for a travel package or prioritising a better lifestyle. Anyone looking to travel would need to look at making some life changes to make their dreams come true. For some, the sacrifice will be greater. It really comes down to how much you want to reach your dreams.

    These fundamentals are here to challenge your current situation, and your future ambitions, to figure out how happy you are vs where you can be. I hope you can use these questions to understand more about yourself. Travelling is something that I would recommend to all to learn about the world and most importantly, themselves.

    Thank you for taking the time to read our blog post. I hope that you were able to learn more about your desire to travel and the fundamental considerations to think about.

    For those who make the decision to travel, you will not regret it. And for those who don’t, I hope you find happiness in what you are doing. It’s not built for everyone, but for me and Aimee, it is.

    This is Jack’s past experiences and perspectives regarding travel, as part of Ourtwostepstart. For more travel content, check out our content on Instagram and YouTube, which you can find on this website!