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January 11, 2026

A day trip to Kosovo from Tirana, Albania

Day trip to Pristina, Kosovo from Tirana, Albania Whilst planning my recent trip to Tirana, Albania I realised how close it is to nieghbouring country, Kosovo. I’m always excited when I can cross off more than one country in a trip, so I started researching. I only had two days in Tirana, so I wanted to make sure that I had enough time to take everything in before I dedicated a day to Kosovo. Luckily, it appeared that it would all work out well, so...
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The Best Hotels in London for Solo Travellers

December 24, 2025 in 2023

Comfort, convenience and style for those exploring the city alone London is one of the world’s most rewarding cities for solo travellers. With its rich cultural history, excellent public transport, and diverse neighbourhoods, the city offers endless opportunities for independent exploration. Whether you are...

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Winter Experiences Worth Trying This Year

November 10, 2025 in 2025

Winter doesn’t have to mean hibernation. Indeed, the season offers several exciting experiences that can only be enjoyed when the temperature drops, and the nights get longer. Embracing seasonal activities (from snow sports to cosy cultural experiences) can make the colder months both exciting and restorative. Whether you prefer gentle...

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5 beautiful holiday destinations for summer

April 23, 2025 in 2025

Summer offers an opportunity to disconnect, unwind, and soak in the beauty of the world around us. The days are longer, the air is lighter, and the genuine feeling of joy settles in. The perfect getaway isn’t about simply escaping but about embracing moments that bring peace, joy, and wonder. So, let’s explore a handful of...

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Hayley Warren


Hayley - 36 - Birmingham
strangenessblog@gmail.com

hayleyjwarren

The final stop on my trip last April was Vienna. A The final stop on my trip last April was Vienna. Austria was another new country to me and I’d wanted to visit the capital for years.

I got a bus from Vaduz back into Switzerland and started my 7 hour train journey from Buchs SG to Vienna. The journey went so quickly, even with a small delay and the views from the train were stunning. We went from Switzerland, into Liechenstein, over to Austria, into Germany and then back into Austria. 

Unfortunately, I really didn’t enjoy Vienna. The architecture was stunning, so were the parks but it was just so busy and I found the locals to be really rude and unwelcoming. 

Despite this, I found lots to do, starting with a free walking tour so I could get my bearings and learn about some of the history of the city. This is one thing I’ll always do when I’m in a new place. I also visited two cafes that had cats, browsed a flea market, stumbled across an Easter market where I got a lángos, visited the Imperial Crypt, sat in Volksgarten for a couple of hours with my kindle and did a lot of walking. 

I stayed in a very futuristic looking pod, which cost me £40 a night. I was a bit dubious but it was really roomy and comfortable plus it offered me a bit more privacy for my last two nights after I’d shared rooms for the rest of my trip. 

I’m in no rush to go back to Vienna, but I would give it another go. I’d like to try different parts of Austria at some point but I think I’ll give it a while! 

#vienna #viennaaustria #austria #solotravel
The third stop of my trip last April was Vaduz, Li The third stop of my trip last April was Vaduz, Liechtenstein 🇱🇮 

I’d always been curious about this tiny country nestled between Switzerland and Austria, so I decided to spend a night there after Zermatt. I caught the train from Zermatt to Sargans, changing at Visp and Zurich before getting a bus over the border to Vaduz. The journey took just over 5 hours and cost me around £40. 

Vaduz which is the capital of Liechenstein is absolutely tiny and you can easily see everything in a day. Whilst I was there, I walked back over to Switzerland via the Alte Rheinbrücke, trekked up to Vaduz Castle where the Prince of Liechtenstein resides and had a look around the cathedral. 

Vaduz is another place that I’ve fallen in love with and can’t stop thinking about. Everything about it was beautiful. Wherever I turned, there was stunning scenery and architecture, the people were so kind and friendly and I felt so at peace there. I stayed at the Schaan Vaduz Youth Hostel which cost me £46 for one night and it was so quiet that they upgraded me to a smaller dorm with only one other person in it. 

Food and drink was very expensive (£14 for an iced coffee and a cream cheese bagel), so I skipped eating out and opted for the supermarket instead. 

I’d definitely recommend a trip to Vaduz if you’re nearby and I’d love to go back! 

#vaduz #liechenstein #solotravel #vaduzliechtenstein
I thought this photo deserved its own post.. It’s I thought this photo deserved its own post..

It’s not everyday you’re walking around the Swiss Alps and bump into your favourite singer! Thank you @mattberninger for being so lovely and thank you @ronboymusic for being so patient and taking photos for us! 🏔️ ✨

#zermatt #switzerland #mattberninger
100 days until life is like this again.. Who else 100 days until life is like this again..

Who else is excited for Download Festival? I can’t wait to pack my car up and drive down to Castle Donington to spend 5 nights in a tent with a bunch of lovely girls that I’ve met over the last couple of years. 

Who are you excited to see? I can’t wait for Electric Callboy, Creeper, Hot Milk, Architects, Ash, Bush, Story of The Year and Scooter plus so many more! I’m not fussed by the headliners, I’ve seen two of them before but I’ll go and see them all anyway! 

#downloadfestival #festivalseason
After 2 nights in Basel (and brief visits to Franc After 2 nights in Basel (and brief visits to France and Germany), I got on a very early train on the Monday morning and travelled to Zermatt. My train only cost around £40 and my ticket was valid for any train at any time in the whole of Switzerland. This took around 3 hours 20 minutes with just one change in Visp. 

When I arrived in Zermatt, I was joined by @irishm3005 and we stayed in Hotel Bahnhof which was right outside the station. We were lucky enough to have a view of the Matterhorn from our room. 

We explored the municipality of Zermatt on foot and ended the first day with fondue. 

On the second day, we spent £90 to go up the highest viewpoint in the Alps on the cable cars. The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is the best thing I’ve ever done - the views were breathtaking and I’ve never seen anything like it. If I ever get the chance to go to Zermatt again, I’d  100% do it again. The altitude made me feel a bit weird, but it was so worth it. 

When we got back down to the bottom, we bumped into @mattberninger which was wonderful. We were actually in Zermatt to see him perform at @zermattunplugged so it wasn’t a massive coincidence. 

Of all the places I’ve been over the years, Zermatt is one of my favourites. I’ll definitely go back on day, maybe even for the festival. It’s a lot more expensive than Basel, our hotel was £170 a night and it was one of the cheapest!

#solotravel #switzerland #zermatt #zermattunplugged #mattberninger
Do you ever look back over old photos and think “I Do you ever look back over old photos and think “I can’t believe I actually went there/did that!” ? That’s exactly how I feel looking over photos from this trip. I’m almost a year late sharing them, but I had 9 days away exploring 3 countries I’d never been to before and my first stop was Basel, Switzerland 🇨🇭 

I spent 2.5 days/2 nights in Basel and managed to cram in everything I wanted to do, starting off with a free walking tour so I could find out more about the city and get my bearings. I then went over to the Border Triangle before walking over to Germany and then France. I spent an hour or so in France finishing off my book next to the river before I walked back over to Germany and then back over the border into Switzerland. 

I was expecting everything to be really expensive but it wasn’t too bad. I stayed at @hyve.ch which cost me £88.40 for the two nights. It was wonderfully clean and welcoming and really close to the train station. I’d recommend it! 

#solotravel #switzerland #basel
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