The Ultimate List of Tips for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Honeydukes, the lolly shop at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Lolly-Shop of dreams – Honeydukes

By Laura Jemetta

You probably know by now that I’m a massive Harry Potter fan. One day I might do a post about why, and what Harry Potter means to me, but for now, just know that it’s been a staple in my life for over 16 years. That’s a lot of life (for a 24 year old). With that in mind, you can see how the Wizarding World of Harry Potter would be one of my favourite places in the world.

That’s why this post is the first in a series about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! (And more broadly Universal Studios)

Like you might have read in my posts about Disney World, the key to a visit to any theme park is planning. Don’t worry though! I did all the preparation for my trip in 2017, so you don’t have to – just grab a snack, sit back and read on.

Take a small bag or backpack: This is my most important tip for visiting Universal Studios, and it’s crucial because in order to go on 90% of the rides at the parks, you are required to store your belongings in a locker. As in, you cannot take anything onto the rides with you: not your bag, not your phone, not your sunglasses. Nothing. It’s a rule that’s in place for safety reasons, and so Universal provides free lockers for you to use while you’re on the rides. They’re quite small though, so it’s important not to come to the parks with a backpack or handbag that’s not going to fit in the lockers.
Book your tickets in advance: We booked our tickets online when we were still at home in Australia, and it worked out really well for us. It meant that we didn’t have to wait in the queue to buy tickets at the gate – which was really long – and we could just line up for a short time to have our pre-purchased tickets scanned.
Choose your Hotel wisely: There are heaps of hotels you can stay at in Orlando, but my number one tip for accommodation is to choose a hotel that offers a free shuttle service to the parks. This will save you a lot of money, time and effort every day in figuring out how to get to the parks. Another thing to research is whether staying at a Universal Hotel will be beneficial or not. They are lovely hotels, (so I’ve heard), they are either situated within walking distance to the parks, or they offer a free shuttle, and there are often other benefits like extended opening hours. But they seem to be quite a bit pricier than other options in Orlando, so it’s worth weighing up your options before making a decision.
Sunscreen. Sunscreen. Sunscreen: Put it on in the morning. Put it on at the parks. Get as much shade as you can during the day. You won’t regret it when you don’t end up terribly sunburned at the end of the day.
Don’t buy Express Passes! It’s just not worth the price. I’ve written about my love for the Single Rider Line here and here, but in short, it’s a free way to skip ahead of the massive queues for the rides at Universal, (including the Forbidden Journey and Escape from Gringotts!) -Universal will try and sell you Express Passes, which are upwards of $100 USD, but if you take anything away from this post, it’s that the Single Rider Line is a free way to get the same thing! Take a look at my post explaining the Single Rider Line, and see how easy it is to save yourself the expense!
Stop to Notice all the Details: There are so many little details that make the Wizarding World what it is, so try and slow down to notice them. If you’re rushing about, you’ll miss so many magical details, so take it slowly, take notice, and stay in the magic.
Catch the Wand-Choosing Ceremony at Ollivanders: This is one of those cool details – you can line up for a wand ceremony at Ollivanders. It takes place in the back room of the wand shop, (which you can only go into for the ceremony), and you will witness someone from your group (normally a kid), get their wand. Special effects make it appear that the wand really does ‘choose the wizard’, and it’s a fun little feature of Diagon Alley that I think everyone should see at least once!
Skip the Flight of the Hippogriff: (Unless you’re travelling with kids, or you prefer tame rides). Probably an unpopular opinion, but I was thoroughly disappointed with the Flight of the Hippogriff. There is no single rider line, so the queue was massive, and I swear the ride itself is about 30 seconds. It was the only ride in the whole of Universal Studios that I didn’t think was worth the wait. Like I said above though, it is a nice, gentle rollercoaster for children, or for those who don’t really like thrill rides, so it might be a ride you’d like to try depending on your circumstances
Don’t forget to step outside of the Wizarding World: As much as I love the Wizarding World, Universal is not a cheap place to visit. Make sure to get the most out of your money by exploring the rest of Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, as well as Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. There is a lot to see and do in the parks, including themed worlds from some of your favourite films, and some really great rollercoasters. You won’t regret stepping out of the Harry Potter magic for a while and seeing what the rest of Universal has to offer.
Try the Butterbeer: If there’s one thing you do in the Wizarding World, it has to be trying the Butterbeer. Is it expensive? I think so. But it’s so worth it. It’s literally the perfect drink to have in the heat of the day at the parks, and to me, it puts you right in the world of Harry Potter; that’s why I love it. Give it a go, just once, and be transported straight to Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley.

There you have it: leave me a comment if you made it to the end of this long post! Let me know if you’ve found any of these tips useful!

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A Day at Highgate Cemetery

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By Kate Arnold

One of my favourite days I spent in London was taking a day out to visit Highgate Cemetery, a beautiful, quiet place, where I spend hours wandering around, looking at old graves that have been overtaken by nature. Many of the plants and wildflowers have been planted and grown without human intervention, creating an environment overrun by nature, which is incredibly soothing, especially after experiencing the hustle and bustle of London.

How to Get There

The easiest way to get to the cemetery from London by tube. Get on the Northern Line heading towards High Barnet and get off at the Archway stop. Don’t go to the Highgate stop, it’s a much longer walk. From Archway Station exit towards Highgate Hill. From there you can either walk over Highgate Hill to Waterlow Park or alternatively take the bus (210, 143 or 271) two stops to Waterlow Park and cross the park to get to the Highgate Cemetery Gates. For more information about how to use the tube check out my article Your Guide to the London Underground.

East Cemetery

The East Cemetery is known for containing the tomb of Karl Marx, which has been listed as a Grade I site for historical importance. You’ll also find the graves of Douglas Adams, the author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, author George Eliot (whose grave says Mary Ann Cross), anatomist and surgeon Henry Grey, who authored the compendium Grey’s Anatomy and Academy Award nominee Diane Cilento, who was an Australian actress and author.

You can either wander around the East Cemetery at your leisure or you can join a guided tour run by one of the cemetery’s volunteers. Tickets cost £8 for adults and £4 for members and children. General admission to the East Cemetery is £4 for adults and free for children under 18.

Fireman’s Corner

You’ll also find Fireman’s Corner in the East Cemetery, which is where 97 members of London’s Fire Brigade have been laid to rest. This memorial to these service men and women was erected by the widows and orphans of London’s firemen and is cared for by the Brigade’s Welfare Section.

West Cemetery

The West Cemetery is only admissible via a guided tour, which runs for around 70 minutes and costs £12 for adults and £6 for children aged 8 – 17. No children under the age of 8 will be admitted. A ticket to this tour will also allow you general admission into the East Cemetery. Bookings are essential for tours Monday to Friday, which run twice a day, commencing at 11 am and again at 1.45 pm. Weekend tours are sold on a first come first serve basis and run every 30 minutes from 10.30 am to 3 pm. Tours will still run in light rain and the paths can get muddy and slippery and are steep in some parts, choose your footwear accordingly.

Egyptian Avenue

The West Cemetery is also home to the Egyptian Avenue, which is also a Grade I listing for historical importance is so called because of the Egyptian style architecture. This avenue of tombs leads to the Circle of Lebanon.

Circle of Lebanon

An ancient and enormous cedar tree stands at the heart of the Circle of Lebanon, it is so old that it long predates the cemetery that has risen around it. Tombs surround the base of this giant tree, which is still a focal point of the cemetery’s landscape.

Terrace Catacombs

Inside the Terrace Catacombs is a hall stretching over 80 yards, which is lined with 825 recesses in the walls, each tall enough to accommodate a coffin standing on its end.

What You Should Know

We all know how rainy it can get in the UK and the paths can get muddy underfoot, I recommend you break out your wellies or another waterproof, closed toe boot. Don’t let the rain deter you from going though, the cemetery looks even more beautiful during light rain.

George Micheal was buried at Highgate Cemetery in 2017, however his grave is in the private section on the cemetery an cannot be view by the public. But don’t worry, there are plenty of other interesting people buried in the cemetery and there is a memorial garden dedicated to George Micheal outside his home in Highgate, which is tended to by his fans.

Have you been to Highgate Cemetery? If you have or you’ve been to any other amazing cemeteries around the world, let us know in the comments.

My Favourite Places in Melbourne for Food and Coffee

January 16, 2019January 10, 2019 ~ Xen18 ~ Leave a comment

Mebourne is the food and coffee capital of Australia – don’t let Sydney tell you otherwise! I think that’s my favourite thing about living here, but it’s made me a bit of a coffee snob, because I’ve not been anywhere (yet!) where the coffee rivals that of Melbourne.

The food in Melbourne is heavily influenced by our multicultural society – you can find amazing Vietnamese, authentic Mexican, traditional Italian and great burgers, all within two streets of each other.

We love food here, and we do it really well, so I’ve rounded up a list of some of my favourite places for coffee or a meal.

Poncho:

Poncho is the first cafe that I called ‘mine’ – you know how everyone has a cafe that’s ‘theirs’? One that they go to regularly enough that the Barista knows their order as well as their name? Well, mine is Poncho. It’s just up the street from me, so it is seriously local, and in the days before I could drive, I would walk up there to get my coffee. Nowadays, I do a lot of my work for Xen there, with a great coffee by my side. I don’t mind the cafe noise while I’m working, in fact, the grinding of the beans and the steaming of milk is a nice kind of white noise. Check out Poncho for fantastic coffee by Inglewood, and my favourite scrambled eggs on toast!

Good Times Milkbar:

Good Times is about five minutes away from me, which is dangerously close because of how much I love their potato gems. It serves some of the best food in the Bentleigh area, including breakfast, burgers, and milkshakes. One of my favourite things about Good Times is that I actually remember when the building used to be a corner milkbar – hence it’s name. It also features a puppy-friendly courtyard, with seating for the humans, and some of the brightest, loveliest pastel decor going around. Head to Good Times for cafe food done really, really, really well, and great coffee by Small Batch Roasting Co.

Fonda:

I know this isn’t very sophisticated of me, but I do love Fonda. It’s a chain of restaurants serving ‘mexican street food’, (that part is in quotation marks because I don’t know how authentic Fonda’s ‘street food’ is). But I love their chipotle chips and the quesadillas and of course the frozen margaritas! There is a Fonda in the shopping center where I work, and it’s a nice place to go after work for a quick dinner or drink.

Grand Trailer Park Taverna:

This is a restaurant that I think of as quintessentially Melbournian. It’s burgers, done really, really well as well as awesome drinks and desserts. It’s themed around a trailer park, with fairy lights strung everywhere, and booths made from caravan parts. Situated in the middle of the theatre district of Melbourne, the Grand Trailer Park is a great place to grab a meal before or after a show, or to enjoy a cocktail as the sun goes down, they even have a terrace!)

Winkel:

Not technically local to me, Winkel is more than worth the travel time. Serving great coffee, and the most amazing breakfast burger you’ll get anywhere, Winkel is the perfect place in Richmond to grab a bite, or get some work done. Amazing food paired with bright and airy decor and friendly staff? Perfect combination.

Leave me a comment if you’ve been to any of my favourite places!

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Xen. Is Having A Giveaway!

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To celebrate hitting over 100 followers on both Instagram and Twitter, we are having our very first giveaway!

What are we giving away?

Travel Memory Box: This box is for all your travel mementos – ticket stubs, brochures, photos, playbills and anything else you want to save from your travels. Inside is a mini-photo-album (perfect for Polaroids and Instagram’s), photo cards, sticker sheets and a gel pen.
Travel Diary: We’ve selected the perfect travel diary for you, (the style that Laura always takes with her when she travels). Made of a mist grey PU leather, with 240 lined pages and a press-stud closure, it’s the perfect place to record all your travel adventures in.
Ballpoint Pen: We’ve also included our favourite pen from Kikki K – it writes perfectly and won’t bleed through the pages of your diary!

All products are from Kikki K – one of our favourite places in Australia to get travel-related stationary – though this giveaway is not sponsored.

To enter all you have to do is:

Follow Xen. on WordPress, Twitter and Instagram
Like this post
Comment below and tell us where you would travel if you could get on a plane right now

We are pleased to say that the Giveaway is open internationally and closes on Sunday 20th January at 11.59pm AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time)

Good Luck and don’t forget to enter soon so you don’t miss out!

-Laura and Kate, the Xen Team

The 5 Best and Worst Hostels I’ve Stayed At

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By Kate Arnold

I’ve stayed in a few hostels in my time travelling and some are winners and sometimes, well, you get what you pay for and as we all know, whether you are on a top or bottom bunk can make or break the experience of a hostel. Here are five best and five worst hostels I’ve stayed at:

The Best

The Freehand | Chicago, US – This hostel is lovely. I stayed in a four bed dorm, which had an ensuite bathroom attached. The beds were comfortable and big bunks built into the wall, with curtains for privacy, personal lights and power points. Everything I want in a bunk bed. The Freehand is conveniently located in Chicago, I was able to walk everywhere I wanted to go, including the Navy Pier, Millennium Park, the Bean and theatre district. There is a communal kitchen where breakfast of cereal or toast is free.
St. Christophers Inn | Paris, FR – I stayed in an eight bed dorm at the St. Christopher’s Inn in Paris, which also had similar bunk beds to the Freehand, with curtains, personal light and power points. The hostel has an attached restaurant/bar call Belushi’s, which makes a killer burger, just what was needed after a rather rough day in Paris. Walking distance to Notre Dame and Shakespeare and Co and the train station Gare Du Nord, which will get you everywhere else you want to go in Paris.
Broadway Hotel n Hostel | New York, US – This hostel didn’t have great bunks like the above mentioned, in fact the room was tiny and only contained one bunk bed, a sink and locker. The reason it’s on the best list is because of the price. For New York it is very reasonably priced and located close to a subway station on the 1, 2 and 3 lines, which go through Times Square and all the way down to South Ferry near Trinity Church, the 9/11 memorial and the Staten Island Ferry. Read about finding budget-friendly accommodation in New York here and the Hamilton-lover’s guide to New York here.
St. Christopher’s Inn | Edinburgh, UK – Though not a great as the St. Christopher’s in Paris, the Edinburgh location definitely make the best list. As with the Paris location (and all St. Christopher’s as far as I know) there is an attached Belushi’s. The dorms just had normal plebeian bunks but they were more comfortable than most.
International Budget Hostel | Amsterdam, NL – The International Budget Hostel wasn’t as budget as the name might imply but that’s because EVERYWHERE books out in Amsterdam durning the summer. The stairs to get up to the reception are pretty perilous and the wifi only worked in the reception. But this hostel is well placed in Amsterdam, I walked everywhere I went, very close to the Anne Frank House and the Red Light District. Read about 10 hidden gems of Amsterdam here.

The Worst

Wild Zebra Backpackers | Wellington, NZ – This is by far the worst hostel I’ve stayed. The door to my dorm room didn’t open properly and the staff just told me it was fine. There was damage from the earthquake, which is hardly their fault, but still undesirable. The dorm room wasn’t very clean I had to find a communal room just to charge my phone because there weren’t enough in the dorm.
Haka Lodge | Taupo, NZ – I only stayed in Taupo for one night and admittedly I didn’t spend much time at the Haka Lodge but the bed was so hard to get into because of an awkwardly placed ladder. If I’d had a bottom bunk I’d probably feel differently about this place.
The Backyard Inn | Rotorua NZ – What sticks out about the Backyard Inn was that it was an uncommonly hot day in New Zealand and none of the rooms had air conditioning. On the plus side they had a pool but when I jumped in to get some relief from the heat I realised it was a thermal pool at it was hotter in than it was out. It would be great for colder days though. Also I had to pay for wifi, which is a no-no for me.
Fat Cod Backpackers | Picton NZ – The Fat Cod doesn’t foster great memories in my mind because of the staff. They were generally unhelpful and abrasive. They wouldn’t let me use a phone or even tell me where I could use one. The dorms were okay, there were no bunks just six single beds. The hostel was close to the beach and some walking trails, which had lovely views that were worth the visit to Picton.
Banana Bungalow Hollywood | Los Angeles US – For a hostel in the middle of Hollywood The Banana Bungalow sure should have air conditioning. The dorms were fine but not great and the area didn’t have that much that I was interested in. On the plus side the offered cereal and toast breakfast for free and shuttles to places like Santa Monica. Read about our short stay in Santa Monica here.

Let me know about the best hostels you’ve stayed in below! I’m always looking for recommendations.

14 Things to do when you’re Bored in Economy

January 8, 2019January 8, 2019 ~ Xen18 ~ 2 Comments

Photo out of airplane window and night — Blurry airplane-window photo

By Laura Jemetta

Okay, I’ve got a list for you today. Now you might know by now that as much as I love travel, I’m not the best flyer. In fact, I’ve written about it in detail in my post about how I get through long haul flights. Long Haul flights can be really boring – and when you live in Australia, it’s a long haul flight to get just about anywhere! So below is a comprehensive list of things you can do during a flight to keep yourself occupied.

Write in a travel diary: This is something I do on every flight that I take; after the meal service, I take out my travel diary and write my first entry of the trip. It’s usually short, and mainly describes the what the airport experience was like and how excited I am for the trip. Also, if I’m really bored, sometimes I’ll just write about how bored I am.
Watch a Film: one that you’ve always meant to see, a new release that you’re excited to watch, or an old favourite of yours, that you already know you love. Even if you only watch one movie, that’s about two hours taken up already.
Do a Crossword: I really enjoy crosswords – I always have. So sometimes when I’m in the airport, I buy myself a crossword book to start on the plane. Of course, a more cost effective option is just to bring one from home, but ether way, crosswords will keep your mind occupied, hopefully for a good stretch of time.
Start a TV show: Okay, so this might not deserve a it’s own entry, but you can also start a new show on the flight, which I actually find preferable to watching films. I don’t know why, but something about watching multiple, ,shorter episodes of something gives me the illusion that time is passing faster. My favourite thing to do is to start something fun and a little bit trashy – when I came back from the US, I started watching Riverdale, (which I can’t seem to stop watching even now, no matter how outrageous it gets!)
Answer my Travel Journal Prompts: which you can find here. I really enjoy more structured writing tasks when I’m journalling, (as well as freewriting), so I developed a list of prompts that you can answer pre-trip, during your trip, and post-trip. Don’t forget to check them out!
Read a great book: In the past, I’ve overloaded myself with books when travelling – I used to take both a fiction and non-fiction title, ‘just in case’. But now I think all you need when travelling is a book that you really love, and haven’t re-read in a little while. That way you know you’re going to enjoy what you’re reading, and there’s no disappointment.
Budget for your trip: I’m assuming most people will already have done this before leaving, but the plane could be a good time to work out how much you want to spend each day and where you’re going to spend your money and where you’re not. You can also start tracking your spending now, if you spent any money in the airport.
Explore the Lonely Planet app for the city/cities you’re going to: I love this app! Now, the guides on there aren’t the complete guide that you’ll get if you buy the hard-copy book, but they are full of information about places to eat, accommodation, and the best things to see in that city. Why not explore the app and get even more excited for your destination?
Make a list of all the places you want to eat/see/go: (If you haven’t already). I’m a list person, so I’ve usually done this weeks before departure, but if you haven’t you can use the info from the Lonely Planet app to make a list of all the places you want to visit.
Play a Game: I love board game, and there are quite a few that you’ll be able to play in the confines of Economy. You could play solitaire, or another card game with your seat-mate, scattergories, a modified version of pictionary, or some sort of trivia game, (there are lots of free trivia apps so that you can pretty much play trivial pursuit without all the pieces and cards).
Get some sleep
Write something: You know I’m a writer, so I like to spend a great deal of my spare time doing some form of writing. I’m trying to write a novel, so a flight is a good stretch of uninterrupted time to get some writing done, but you could also write a letter, (to yourself or someone else), poetry, (write an ode to travel-boredom), or some non-fiction, (start a memoir?). Whatever floats your boat.
Do some colouring in: My mum is a huge fan of colouring books – she finds it a soothing and relaxing hobby. Personally, I’m not a huge fan, (severe lack of patience), but creating something with your hands can be a really nice, mindful thing to do. Pack a colouring book and a small pack of pencils/markers, and you’ve got another activity to do.
Listen to something: Music, a podcast, an audio-book. I sometimes put my headphones in and try to fall asleep to my music – it blocks out the noise of the cabin, and makes it a little easier to sleep.

Leave me a comment if you made it to the end of this post – tell me if you have, or plan to use any of these tips on your next flight!

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Unique Travel Journal Prompts

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By Laura Jemetta

I take a travel journal with me on every trip I take – it’s just about the first thing that goes in my carry-on backpack. When I journal, I really enjoy to mix up free-writing with answering some structured prompts, so I’ve come up with a list of prompts for travel-journalling.

You can use them in conjunction with free-writing if you like, or if you prefer to simply have some prompts to work with, you can use them by themselves. I find them thought provoking to use, and they really make me think about my travel in a thoughtful and grateful way.

Pre-Trip: (While you’re on the plane)

What am I most excited about for this trip?
In what ways am I grateful for this trip? Make a list.
In what ways did I need to be brave in order to take this trip?
Why am I going to this city/country/region? Why did I choose this destination.
What are my hopes for this trip?

During the trip: (Every day)

What was the best thing about today?
What am I grateful for today? List at least three things.
What was the nicest thing I ate today?
What was the most interesting thing I saw or experienced today?
In what ways did I get out of my comfort zone today?
How did I go with budgeting today?
What are my hopes for tomorrow?

Post Trip: (on the plane home)

What was the absolute highlight of my trip? (Try and choose just one for now)
What are all the things I loved about this trip? List everything, until you have a great big list!
In what ways am I grateful for this trip – make a list.
What exactly did I love about the city/country/region I travelled to.
In what ways am I a different person now? How have I grown during this trip?
List the ways I am grateful, ,(instead of sad), to be going home.

Let me know if you plan to use any of these prompts the next time you go away. I’d love to hear!

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Xen is looking for Guest Posters!

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That’s right! We want to work with YOU.

Do you have a fantastic travel story, or a must-read travel tip that you want to share? Do you want to give us an insight into your hometown? Or have you traveled somewhere we haven’t featured on the blog yet?

Well, we would love to feature your work on Xen! Shoot us an email (find this in our FAQ section), or contact us on our Instagram or Facebook, and let us know how you would like to contribute to Xen. Whether you’re an emerging or seasoned writer; planning your very first trip or a veritable nomad, we want to hear from you.

Submissions of all lengths will be considered, and those that fit with the tone and style of Xen will be highly regarded. Take a look at some of our posts to get a good idea of what we’re all about, and then let your writing do the talking.

We can’t wait to hear from you!

-Laura and Kate, The Xen Team

My Travel Goals for 2019

December 31, 2018 ~ Xen18 ~ 6 Comments

By Laura Jemetta

It’s New Years Eve today, and I’m already thinking and planning all the travel I’m hoping to do in 2019. In reality, I’ve been thinking about it since my last trip to Hawaii earlier this year, but now I thought it would be fun to share these goals with you!

Go to New York. Twice – That’s right. I’m planning on visiting New York twice this year. Once will be with Kate in August, it’s looking like the second time will be during Christmas time with my family. It’s one of my favourite places in the world, and I would probably visit 10 times a year if I could afford it! Most of my plans for visiting New York again involve seeing shows, (which you will find out about below), but I’m also excited to have some other uniquely New York experiences.
Take my first solo flight – I won’t technically be taking a solo trip in 2019 (as far as I know), but I will be taking my first solo flight and meeting Kate in the US next year. I’m looking forward to the new experience, and I’m confident that I’ll be able to handle everything airplane travel brings, by myself.
See London – 2019 is going to be the year that I finally visit England. My Dad was born in London, but I haven’t managed to make it over there yet. I’m excited to visit and do all the touristy things (read: see more shows). I think I’m most excited to do the Warner Brother’s Studio Tour, which has it’s own entry in this list!
Visit Family in England – We have lots of family in the UK, so I’m excited to travel to London and Manchester to visit them. Some of them I’ve not met, and some of them have visited us in Australia, so it will be nice to see them in their own hometown.
Go to Sara Beth’s for Brunch – I know there is so much wonderful food to be found in New York, but I’ve always had this thing about having brunch at Sara Beth’s. Now, I’m not sure if it really is going to be the best brunch ever, or if it’s one of those touristy things, but next year, I’m just going to try it!
Drink Hot Chocolate in Central Park – When I was in New York last year, there was a strange heat wave going on, even though it was late September. So since then, I’ve been dreaming of being in New York in the cooler weather, and I can’t think of anything better than wandering Central Park, rugged up in a coat, with a hot drink in hand.
See Hamilton on Broadway – As much as I love Hamilton, (and I do. A lot.), I was really late to the party. Kate tried to get me to listen to it for a couple of years, before I actually did, and now that I have, I’m kicking myself that I didn’t do it earlier, because I could have seen it when I was in New York last year. So: seeing Hamilton on Broadway is pretty much top of my list for New York next year.
See Frozen on Broadway – Okay, if you don’t know by now, I love musicals. And the plan for next year is to see as many shows as possible in New York. I really want to see Frozen the Musical – I actually re-watched Frozen last night, and all I was thinking about was how amazing it will be to see it on stage!
Do the Warner Bro’s Studio Tour in London – So this is probably the top of my list if things to do in London. You probably know by now how much we love Harry Potter here at Xen, so I’m so excited to experience the next best thing to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, when I’m in London.
See the Rockerfeller Center Christmas Tree – To me, there’s nothing more iconic about Christmas in New York than the Christmas Tree at the Rockerfeller Center. There’s something so magical about it, and I really hope our Christmas plans work out, so that I can see it in person in 2019.

Let me know some of your travel goals for 2019 in the comments below – I’d love to hear! Don’t forget to check out my posts about my adventures in New York in 2017 – like my tips on free things to do in New York City, and my guide to the Subway system in NYC!

Stay tuned for lots of exciting posts in the New Year about Kate’s trip to Peru, and my travels to the US and UK!

Santa Claus Around the World

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By Laura Jemetta

For Day 10 of Xen’s 12 Days of Christmas I thought it would be fun to take a look at what Santa Claus looks like in different countries around the world. Check out this post where I got my information about Santa from.

France: Pere Noel

In France, Pere Noel – which translates to Father Christmas – wears a long red cloak and fills children’s shoes with gifts after Christmas Eve mass. Traditionally, he also travels with Pere Fouettard – which translates to the ‘whipping father”.

Spain: Los Reyes Magos

In Spain, children are actually visited by three jolly figures on El Dia De Reyes – which is the day that the three wise men reached the baby Jesus. In the days leading up to El Dia De Reyes, the children in Spain write letters to their favourite Magos, asking for gifts. Then, they leave sweets out for the Magi, and hay for the camels they ride on, and the next morning, the shoes that they leave out are replaced by presents.

Russia and Ukraine: Ded Moroz and Snegurochka (Father Frost and Snow Maiden)

Traditionally, Father Frost would punish misbehaving children by kidnapping them, but this story has softened over the years so that he travels all over the Slavic Region on New Years Eve, bringing gifts to kids with his happy companion the Snow Maiden.

Iceland: Yule Lads

The Yule Lads are 13 mischievous elves who play tricks on Icelandic children. During the 13 nights leading up to Christmas, children leave their shoes by the windowsill, in the hopes that the Yule Lads will leave them goodies. Children who misbehave receive rotten potatoes in their shoes instead!

Finland: Joulupukki or Yule Goat

Nicknamed the Finnish Santa, the Yule Goat was initially a malevolent spirit associated with Norse Mythology. Nowadays, Joulupukki goes around the each house and asks ‘are there any well behaved children here?’ He travels around in a non-flying sleigh pulled by reindeer and delivers gifts.

Italy: La Befana

La Befana has been part of Italian folklore since the 8th Century, and she is a cheerful witch who flies over Italy on her broomstick. According to the folklore, the three wise men actually came across La Befana’s house on Christmas Eve, and after she invited them in, they invited her to go and see the baby Jesus with them. Nowadays, the story goes that she flies over Italy on the Eve of the Epiphany, and leaves toys and candy for the children.

There you have it – a few Santa Claus traditions from around the world. Please tell me in the comments the folklore or traditions in your country! I’d love to hear!