The Girl Who Goes

independent, intentional travel

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A Review of Lumo Train: London to Edinburgh

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Back in 2013 when I studied abroad in London, my school had a few organized trips that they offered to students. Some were short, like a day trip by bus to Stonehenge and Bath. But others spanned the entire weekend — like a longer train trip to Edinburgh, Scotland. Having already taken a long 10-day fall break to four countries and trying to be conscious of my college student budget, I reluctantly passed on the Edinburgh trip.

Fast forward to this past spring, when Sarah and Kelan invited us to come visit them in Dublin in August. From the U.S., it was much cheaper to fly in and out of London, a city I love and was excited to share with Matt for the first time. And then I thought… while we’re across the pond, why don’t we visit Scotland too?! Scotland had been on my bucket list ever since the trip I’d missed out on.

I think that’s why I also had my heart set on traveling by train to Scotland, just like my friends had done. So when it was time to plan our trip, I started by looking at train tickets. We ended up going with a Lumo train from London to Edinburgh. Here’s what it was like. [Read more…]

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The 7 Best Summer Drinks to Try in Europe: Italy, Spain, & Beyond

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Keep reading to find out why these are some of the best summer drinks in Europe…

My first summer living in Madrid, it didn’t take me long to realize that I was in deep trouble when it came to the fact that my apartment didn’t have air conditioning. In June and July that year, Spain was part of a record-breaking heatwave — though I’m sure those records have continually been broken every year since.

With a high of 109°F (109°C), I was spending my dates bouncing from one air-conditioned cafe to another, chugging iced coffee by the gallon where I could find it and trying to avoid my stifling 4th-floor piso. Iced coffee isn’t a particularly Spanish drink, though. But it got me thinking about the summer drinks that are popular throughout different European countries. So if you’re visiting Europe this summer, here are some of the best summer drinks in Europe that will hopefully help keep you cool — air conditioning or not. [Read more…]

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Going Back “Home”: A Weekend in London

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The London Eye and River Thames from Westminster Bridge

Five and a half years ago (!!!!), I spent a fall semester of college studying abroad in London. It was one of the most important experiences in a long chain of events that contributed to me eventually living in Spain. During that semester, I had more fun than I’d ever had in my life. I met some of my very best friends, I was able to jet off to different countries over the weekends, and I got to live a lifestyle unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. Most importantly, I learned that I could do it. I could adjust to life in a foreign country, away from everyone/everything I knew and was comfortable with, and thrive while doing it. [Read more…]

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Day Trip: Dublin to Giant’s Causeway

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A few years ago, my best friend Hanna took a trip to Northern Ireland with her mom. All the pictures were so beautiful, and one of the places she specifically mentioned was the Giant’s Causeway. Fast forward to when I lived in Madrid. I’d been planning a trip to Dublin to visit my friend Nicole, who was living there at the time. A week before the trip, Nicole texted me: “What would you think about taking a trip up north from Dublin to Giant’s Causeway?” [Read more…]