Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey
Destinations

I’m Going to Istanbul! (and Boston, and London)

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey
A mosque in Istanbul

I am excitedly planning a two-week journey that I will embark upon in three short weeks. I’m sure the trip will spawn plenty of posts here, but here is a preview of my adventures. I’m going straight from Boston to London to Istanbul, all with a carry-on bag, so packing should be an adventure all its own!

Boston

I am visiting Boston for three nights with my boyfriend. I haven’t been to Boston since I was a senior in high school scoping out liberal arts colleges, so I am interested to go back and see what I think about the city as an adult (I ended up going to undergrad in Texas). I remember that Boston reminded me of a smaller and more toned down New York. We are staying in a plain budget hotel near Northeastern University, which seems to be a good home base. We plan to do a lot of exploring by foot, despite the cold! Coming from a city where driving is practically required, it is always exciting going to places that are walkable and have good public transportation. My boyfriend is a history buff, so I think we will have a great time there.

London

I am going straight from Boston to London for a week-long trip for my day job (I’m a web copywriter at a company in the travel industry). One thing I am really excited about is the short flight. It’s a pain to fly from where I live (Austin, TX) to anywhere in Europe, as the flights are long and there is always a layover somewhere. It is usually about 11 hours of flying total, if not longer. Awful! This time, I am taking a direct flight from Boston to London, and the flight is only 6.5 hours. Amazing.

In high school, my mother took me to London for eight or nine days, so I got a great feel for the city and visited all the major attractions. I will spend most of my time working in our two offices, so it won’t be disappointing if I don’t get to do much exploring, though I definitely want to go out and about when possible! I’m staying in a boutique hotel in Kensington called base2stay, which looks really modern and hip. I stayed in West Kensington last time and thought it was a lovely area. I have a few old friends who live in London, so I hope at least one of them are able to meet up. My coworkers and I may go see a musical, as well — maybe “Wicked” or “Chicago!” I love the architecture and history in London and can’t wait to be back.

Istanbul

Last summer, I stopped in Turkey for a day while on a Greek island cruise, but hardly had enough time to get a feel for it. So one of my British coworkers and I are heading to Istanbul together for three nights once I’m done with the London visit.  It’s amazing how cheap flights are within Europe….I’m wildly jealous! I have heard amazing things about the city, and after doing a lot of research, I am thrilled. I think it’s fascinating that it’s the only city to sprawl across two continents (Europe and Asia). We haven’t planned where we are staying yet, but I really want to stay in Sultanahmet, the historic district. I’m dying to see the Blue Mosque and Haghia Sophia, visit the spice markets, and (hopefully) ride a ferry along the Bosphorous.

I would love to hear any tips or suggestions about fun things to do off the beaten path or places to eat in these cities!

Photo by David Spender

Johnny
A generation 'y'er from Ireland, living his dreams and convincing you to do the same. Traveling through more than 90 countries around the world and showing no signs of slowing down
http://www.maiden-voyage-travel.com