Name: Elaine Saliba
Age: 27
Occupation: TV presenter, process engineer
My best holiday ever…
The Dutch policemen had our scooters towed away, leaving us stranded
A trip to Thailand. It was my first trip outside Europe and I found the Asian culture fascinating.
I shared pavements with highly confident rats in Bangkok, took a night train in the company of stubborn cockroaches, was fascinated by tap water which smelt of fresh herbs, and perplexed by the process involved in using public toilets, which were large holes in the ground.
I fed huge elephants and cheeky monkeys, tasted mouthwatering food – especially pad Thai, crabs and gigantic lobsters; and loved the Thai massages.
Thailand has great beaches, breathtaking scenery and surprisingly cheap prices. The taxi and tuk tuk drivers drive crazily while speaking continuously in Thai, and the friendly locals always smile at whatever you say.
Bargaining during shopping trips was strange, as was the policy that you cannot try clothes on before buying them since – according to the stall owner – the clothes are one-size-fits-all. “How can I buy if I do not try?” I asked. Apparently all clothes are “same same”! At least they are cheap.
Another memorable holiday was in Amsterdam for Queen’s Day. I never thought orange could look so great on so many people.
The atmosphere was amazing. The street parties were so much fun, the beer in Amsterdam is delicious and the people were all very friendly. There were thousands of people from all over the world and to my surprise I did not see one single scuffle.
I would never return to…
Finland. I visited Helsinki and also spent a week camping in a forest close to the city Kuopio.
The scenery is beautiful, especially at dusk; and using a sauna by a lake in the middle of the forest was quite an experience.
However, I felt that life in general is very boring in Finland. There is very little to do, or places to visit, especially in the evening. And the food leaves much to be desired.
I guess the culture is too Nordic for me and the people are generally too cold.
The most dangerous place I’ve visited…
Brussels, I suppose. We were staying in a hostel some 30 minutes walking distance from the Grand Place, which had a large, bold notice on the main door warning us to keep it shut, especially after 8 p.m.
We thought they were just being extra cautious since the hostel was in a relatively busy street. Our opinion changed completely one night when we were heading back to the hostel and two teenage boys came up to us pointing a swivel knife.
We stared at them in disbelief and I think our unexpectedly mild reaction confused them, since they put the knife away and walked off. We made sure we always locked the door from then on.
My favourite city…
It has to be Amsterdam. I would live there if the opportunity came up. It is a busy city, full of life, but not as hectic as other cities I’ve visited.
Amsterdam caters for all ages and tastes. It’s a crazy party destination for young people; couples can have a romantic, relaxing holiday there enjoying the parks and boat trips along the canals; while families can enjoy good food, sightseeing, bicycle rides and leisure attractions. On a general note, Amsterdam is a very safe city.
I shared pavements with highly confident rats in Bangkok, and took a night train in the company of stubborn cockroaches
An unforgettable experience on an aircraft…
On an internal flight from Lisbon to Porto in Portugal. I was on this small propeller plane, which looked and sounded more like an old bus in need of a very good service.
The seats, obviously not reclining ones, were arranged in single file, there was very little space between rows and to top it all, there was no air-conditioning.
I’ve never felt so claustrophobic and uneasy . That hour-and-a-half seemed like ages. When we finally landed safely I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.
My favourite holiday souvenir…
I hardly ever buy souvenirs – I think they are pretty useless to be honest. My most treasured holiday souvenirs are photos. I take photos of everything.
And I like it the old fashioned way. When I get home, I go through all the pictures, choose the very best ones, print a copy and put them in an album. The album becomes the best souvenir of a holiday.
My biggest gaffe abroad…
One day in Amsterdam we decided to go to the northern part of the city to check out an area full of windmills. We rented two scooters for the four of us, since we thought that would be the fastest way to get there.
However, we just couldn’t find our way. So finally, we decided to use the GPS on one of our phones and follow the route given.
Little did we know that scooters should follow the bicycle route and not the car route.
So we ended up on a busy highway, going at 35 kilometers per hour while cars were speeding by and drivers looking at us as if we were aliens.
Finally we stopped at a petrol station to ask where we were. And that is when we heard the police siren.
Someone had tipped off the police that four nutcases on scooters were on the motorway, so the policeman had to remedy that.
He asked us for identification, checked our driving licences and had our scooters towed away, leaving us stranded in the middle of nowhere. We tried to play the ‘oops sorry officer, we had no idea’ card, but it definitely did not work.
So we asked a guy to call a taxi for us and went back to the centre, minus our scooters, having seen no windmills, and with a lovely fine to pay the next morning.
The friendliest people…
Definitely the Thai people. They always salute you with a lovely smile and the term ‘sawadika’, a greeting used to show respect and hospitality. They are very grateful if you tip them and are genuinely helpful.
If something falls out of your pocket, they come running after you to give it back.
This is only true of the locals of course. You should really keep your eyes open and a good hold on your belongings in more touristy areas, since you can be robbed in the blink of an eye and only realise an hour later.
I return most often to...
London, since it is one of the best shopping destinations.
I used to live there for over a year and I now have the knowledge of a local when it comes to the best shops and outlets.
I have some favourite shoe shops I like to revisit every now and again. Unfortunately, every trip to London ends up being a very expensive one!
My ideal travel companion...
Someone who takes the lead and does the research, while I just follow, adding some input and ideas along the way.
I do not like to plan my holidays to the minute details as I like the element of surprise to a certain extent.
My ideal travel companion would be flexible, know how to enjoy him/herself other than by just partying, and is happy to get some sleep when it is needed.
I hate having to book another holiday to recover from a previous one.
Country with the best cuisine...
I am torn between Greece and Spain. Greek moussaka is one of the best dishes I have ever tasted and Spanish tortilla is equally tasty. Having said that, I have not travelled to Italy yet, so my opinion might change when I do.
My next holiday plans…
Either the Swiss Alps or Austria. I would love to try skiing, even though I have never managed to use roller blades properly, let alone skiing blades! And I would love to sleep in a small chalet and stare out of the window at a never ending stretch of snow while sipping hot chocolate.
My travel tip...
Always travel light, because the less clothes you pack, the less clothes you’d have to wash when you get back.