I’ve been on the road for 8 weeks now, which means a lot of time in hostels. It’s quite different to the first time I did a big trip (at 21) though. Sites like booking.com and hostelworld didn’t exist. You rocked up, sometimes guided by your trusty lonely planet, and crossed everything they had a bed, that wasn’t dirty and packed with too many beds or idiots.
For the first time in more than 13 years, I’m travelling the world alone. Previous overseas stints have mainly been with long term partners, some amazing friends and even my dear mum.
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned while being a semi-professional gadabout, is to get out of the comfort zone and ask a local.
I don’t mean asking for directions, I’m referring to plucking up the courage to ask people who live in your destination to tell you where the “best place for (insert what you’re looking for here) is”.
Because in Melbourne, so is everybody else.
You can barely swing the proverbial cat without someone telling you where the best coffee shop is, who does the greatest dumplings or which place they prefer for sushi. We’re incredibly spoilt for choice, any night of the week and we’re not afraid to let everyone else know about it.
I put a call out on The Facebook to find out what people’s thoughts on public BBQs are.
My reason for asking? I’ve always been a little hesitant to use them.
This is absolutely utterly ridiculous… On Saturday 1st June I will take on the Hofbrauhaus Schnitzel challenge which consists of:
In 45 minutes
Scoupons, groupons and deals oh my!Somehow over the last 2 years I have managed to subscribe to a disturbing amount of “Deals” or “Group buying” sites.
Every single morning my inbox resembles a cacophony of salespeople all trying to sell me the greatest deal of the day, and more often than not they all get tipped into the black hole that is my deleted folder.
“You could just unsubscribe!” I hear you say… and yes I could, however once a month or so something catches my eye… “Why yes I DO need an 8 piece luggage set for $29!” and so my subscription remains.
Which brings me to my latest purchase…
An eight course Indian feast for two people for only $29. ONLY $29!!!
I would normally assume that for such a ridiculous price that the restaurant would be rather sub-par or the courses would be no larger than a spoonful, however this time I recognised the restaurant as a particularly good one in the docklands that I had been to before. So I bit the bullet and cashed in.
I was not disappointed.
There was more than enough food for two, it was fresh and delicious, the service was impeccable and I did not feel treated as a stingy coupon buyer (which is how I had imagined I would feel). In fact the stigma I had assumed around using a coupon for a dinner deal appeared to be all in my imagination.
Sure, the servings were more of a taste tester size than if they had been ordered off the menu, but frankly with 8 courses full servings would have seen us explode (Mr Creosote anyone?)
Clearly restaurants are cashing in on this phenomena to gain new clientele and surely they make back the money they lose in food profits on drinks. Was I right in thinking there is a stigma around using these coupons? Or am I simply being too quick to judge?
Either way… I’ve just seen an offer for a nine course meal at a Hardware Lane Japanese restaurant for $55 for two people enter my inbox…
Anyone for sake?
The restaurant in the Docklands was Bhoj … and their food is always delicious, and have provided excellent service the times I have been there.
