Couple who've seen more than 50 countries reveal how to travel world for £5 a day

    SAVVY: Karol Lewandowski and Aleksandra Slusarczy just packed supplies and picked up

Young travel bloggers Karol "Charlie" Lewandowski and Aleksandra "Alex" Slusarczy have been on the road for the past six years.
Before they set off on their travels, they didn’t have much money but they wanted to see the world.
Unbelievably the Polish couple have managed to survive on just £5.50 each day – mainly because they bought an old VW bus for £415 which they use as their mode of transport.
But how do they keep costs down? Well, Karol puts it down to never paying for accommodation or eating out.

   CHEAP: The couple bought an old VW for £415 

Explaining their super-scrimping on their blog Bus Around The World, the pair said: "The main cost is the fuel – that’s why other people travel with us and share fuel costs.
"We travel slowly and often stay in one place for a few days, so we save on fuel. Also lots of people are ordering a postcard from our trip – they get a postcard from a beautiful place, and we get the money for one litre of fuel."
Karol and Aleksandra either sleep in their van or in a tent, often wild camping in places like beaches, cliffs and mountains.
Sometimes, strangers will invite them into their homes.
They buy their food from supermarkets and cook it themselves and if their van breaks down then they repair it themselves.
Karol continued: "When we need [a] mechanics help, they very often do not take money from us because they are impressed with our trip and want to help us and be a part of our adventure.
"We have our own electric shower and 150 litre water tank on the roof so we don’t pay for showers.
"Sometimes we just use rivers or lakes.
"Between continents we transport the car on the ship.
"It is very simple."

But the money-saving experts have even raked in some cash from sponsors, in exchange for advertising on their painted vehicle.
Karol explained: "We sometimes have sponsors – when we have to spend a lot of money on something.
"For example, the transport of car across the ocean to Australia and the US – sponsors paid for it in exchange for their advertising on the van.
"Logos on a car is advertising for such companies, which helped us to transport the car through the oceans."

    LOVE: The Polish pair got engaged in the Sahara desert 

He added: "Our blog is the most popular travel blog in Poland – now we work as bloggers and thats how we earn money.
"And thanks to that we can be still on the road because we just need a laptop and internet to work. We published two books about our trips and they give us some money.
"We do photo sessions for companies or doing advertising clips in exotic locations and companies pay us for it."
Along the way, the pair have even gotten engaged – and they’re still on the road today.

    NOMADS: The couple are still travelling today


Source: http://www.dailystar.co.uk/travel/adventure/493184/Couple-travel-world-fiver-day-VW-van-bus-around-the-world

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Booty shaking in Rio: Brazilian hotspot is a must visit for any thrill-seeking traveller

    PARTY: Rio de Janeiro has been named one of the must see destinations of the year

Named one of the must see destinations of the year by travel experts, this samba-fuelled city is shaping up to stand on the world stage for the second time this decade, after hosting the Fifa World Cup in 2014. Towering mountain peaks covered in lush rainforests act as a serene backdrop to the chaotic city skyline. Meanwhile, down on the shimmering seafront, the famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema are packed with people playing football and volleyball, surfing and drinking.
The Brazilian bum craze is still very much in full swing and an endless parade of thong-clad bodies soak up the sun and cool off in the water. The vibe here seems to be, if you’ve got it, jiggle it. In this alluring atmosphere of South American sun, sport and frenetic sensuality, it’s easy to see why people fall in love in this city and are seduced by Rio itself.
Which is why it’s the latest setting for the City Of Love movie franchise, created by Universal Pictures. Following on from Paris Je T’Aime in 2006 and New York, I Love You in 2008, the new Rio, I Love You movie tells a host of love stories set in different locations all over the city. One of these is the Horto Waterfall in Tijuca Forest, the largest urban rainforest in the world and the perfect place for escaping the heat.

    HOTSPOT: Rio de Janeiro is preparing to host the summer Olympics


 Further into the forest lies the trail to one of Rio’s most famous sights – the giant Christ the Redeemer statue. If you don’t fancy the three-hour hike, mini buses and a tram take sightseers to its jaw-dropping peak. As I reached the top a fellow tourist dropped down to one knee and proposed to his girlfriend to huge applause – living proof that Rio can definitely give Paris a run for its money in the romance stakes.

Another landmark just made for enjoying the view is Sugar Loaf Mountain which can be reached by a short cable car ride. Here the director of Rio, I Love You sets a heartwarming autobiographical tale of how he met his partner on the climb up. The summit offers a 360- degree vista of the city and its surround ing islands, and anyone who stops to admire the scenery will also get a close-up of cute marmoset monkeys and exotic birds.

Of course, it’s impossible to visit Rio without being swept along by some slinky samba. By night the city comes alive with drums, singing and dancing, and the bars overfl ow with people partying until dawn. The Lapa district is one of the best evening spots and one cool place to hang out is the Rio Scenarium bar, a three-story former antique store packed full of eclectic vintage fi nds with a samba band providing the soundtrack.
Caipirinhas are the drink of choice everywhere and consist of a potent mix of cachaça, sugar and lime, and cost around 18 Brazilian reals (approx £3) each. The ancient suburb of Santa Teresa is another alluring area to visit after sundown. Here cobbled streets and beautiful, crumbling colonial-style buildings are filled with trendy bars, restaurants, music and shops.

We visited the Restaurant Aprazivel, a traditional Brazilian food fiesta in a series of treehouses in the hills with dazzling views of the twinkling city lights below. Steaks and fish dishes are reasonably priced at around 35 Brazilian real (£6) and small tapas-style bites are cheaper. For vegetarians, deepfried cheese in puff pastry is a staple in most eateries here and is absolutely delicious. Saturdays are feijoada day in Rio and all restaurants serve versions of this national black bean dish.
For all the dazzling magnetism of this far-off fantasy land, it’s also a city of extreme contrasts. It’s impossible to ignore the groups of tiny ramshackle hillside houses built on top of each other. Home to some of the world’s poorest people, the favelas were also an important filming location for Rio, I Love You, portraying the everyday lives and passions of the Brazilians who live there.

    CUTE: Marmoset monkeys on summit


 On the whole very dangerous, the slums are controlled by drug lords. But one community – the Favela do Vidigal – has recently been pacified by the police and opened up to visitors. Its winding, steep streets are now the site of tours led by local guides and host spectacular parties at their summit.


Source: http://www.dailystar.co.uk/travel/beach/492744/Rio-Brazilian-hotspot-visit-thrill-seeking-traveller

 

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Best things to do in Transylvania: From Count Dracula's castle to a bear sanctuary

    
    SPOOKY: Dracula’s reputed hideout at Bran castle

Spine-tingling tales of vampires have put the mysterious land of Transylvania on the map. This vast and diverse region in Romania is rich in folklore and blood-sucking Count Dracula is one of its biggest draws.
The character was dreamt up by Irish author Bram Stoker in 1897, based on the real-life Romanian ruler Vlad the Impaler. Since then, the Count has featured in scores of movies, the latest being the animated hit Hotel Transylvania 2. I used my trip to Transylvania to get to know its famous fanged resident, while discovering what this enigmatic part of eastern Europe has to offer.
My adventure began in Bucharest, the capital of Romania and the country’s most vibrant city, mixing elaborate architecture with shopping malls, slick hotels and buzzy bars. I checked into the lush Grand Hotel Bucuresti on Victoriei Avenue, in the most upmarket part of town.
After freshening up in the rainforest shower and lounging in my comfy suite, I took a walk around the Old Town and historical centre with my knowledgeable guide Val. Pausing outside Vlad’s principal palace, which dates from 1459, Val explained the impressive building was designed as a fortress to stop the invading Turks.
Dinner was at Hanu Berarilor restaurant, situated in an ornate building high on a hill, where the traditional menu is accompanied by live classical music. Lively I dived straight into a platter of pastrami, Romanian sausages, cheese and cooked pickles, followed by a papanasi dessert, a pudding made from cream cheese and stuffed with blueberries and cream.

    EXPLORE: A native brown bear in Libearty Bear Sanctuary


133m high. But I was sticking with the Dracula theme with a visit to Bran Castle. It’s unknown whether Vlad himself lived at the castle, but he did hide his family there when the Turks arrived.
And Stoker made it Dracula’s home in his famous tome. The fascinating tour around the medieval castle includes a stop in the torture room, which houses replicas of unimaginably cruel contraptions used to punish unfortunates in the 14th Century.
A meal at the Garden Resort, a restaurant in Drumul Carului, with breath-taking views of the mountains, was the perfect antidote. Then it was on to Brasov, my base for the last part of my trip.
A walking tour of the quaint village took in its cobbled streets and medieval buildings, which have a strong Hungarian influence in the architecture. Romanians have a chequered history when it comes to animal cruelty but high in the Carpathian Mountains, near Zarnesti, the Libearty Bear Sanctuary is making great progress in changing that.

    BEAUTIFUL: The scenic Carpathian Mountains at sunrise

The brown bears of Romania have traditionally been used in circus acts. A dedicated team now has government backing to rescue these majestic creatures and nurse them back to health so they can roam freely around the sanctuary. It’s a fantastic day out. Celebrity supporters of the sanctuary include Alesha Dixon and Brigitte Bardot, and kids will love the teddy bear museum which includes two enormous teddies donated by Prince William and Princess Kate.
My final evening was spent at Festival 39, a beautiful restaurant with gorgeous 1920s decor in Brasov’s Old Town. On the way back to my hotel I chanced upon Cafe 13 – a bar and nightclub on the main strip of Brasov. With locals and the super-friendly staff dancing along to pop and often taking to the mic themselves to belt out some Romanian rap, it was the perfect way to end my trip. Hotel Transylvania 2 is out on Bluray and DVD on February 15.

Fact File

GETTING THERE: TAROM airline flies from Luton and Heathrow to Bucharest from £60 return. Book via tarom.ro/en.
WHERE TO STAY: Rooms at the Grand Hotel Continental, Bucharest, cost from £92 per night. Book via continentalhotels. ro/Grand-Hotel-Continental-Bucuresti/en. Rooms at the Aro Palace in Brasnov cost from £57 per double, per night. Book via aro-palace.ro/hotels-brasnovaro-palace.
TOURS AND GUIDES: Book through rolandia.eu. Libearty Bears Sanctuary: Adults £6.90, kids £1.80. See ampbears.ro.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS: For Hanu Berarilor see hanuberarilor.ro.en. For Garden Resort see gardenresort.ro. For Café 13 see cafe13.ro.
Further information on visiting Romania can be found at romaniatourism.com

 IMPOSING: The Palace of Parliament in Bucharest


Late & breaks

ALGARVE: Seven nights B&B at threestar Vilanova resort in Albufeira for £238. Fly from Manchester on Thursday. cooptravelco.uk
SCOTLAND: Hire Shepherd’s Cottage, a single-storey cottage in Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway for a week for £202. It sleeps two in one bedroom with two pets welcome. Arrive on Friday. See cottages.com property ref. CC537206
FLORIDA: Fourteen nights self-catering at three-star Mystic Dunes Resort and Golf Club is £645 pp including car hire. Based on two adults and two children sharing. Depart Manchester on Friday. Seetravelcitydirect. com or call 0344 557 6965.
COSTA BLANCA: Pay £169 for three nights room-only at the three-star Best Western Hotel Albahia in Alicante, fl ying from East Midlands on February 22. Visit jet2holidays.com or call 0800 408 5594.
BENIDORM: A week all-inclusive at fourstar Hotel Flamingo Oasis for £319. Fly from Gatwick on March 1. See thomson. co.uk or call 0871 230 2555.
VENICE: Depart Birmingham on March 4 for two nights B&B at the three-star Basilea Hotel for £219.


Source: http://www.dailystar.co.uk/travel-news-cheap-uk-holidays-luxury-breaks-more-daily-star/494357/Transylvania-vampire-weekend-romania-count-dracula

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