Bath, England: Roman Baths and Fashion History

Bath, England has much more to offer than meets the eye. You could easily spend 4 days there and still not see everything. Two of my favorite places when I visited Bath were the Roman Baths and the Fashion Museum. These are popular tourist attractions for a good reason. If you ever visit Bath and decide you want to see both, then there are combined tickets for these two attractions that will save you a little bit of money.

The Roman Baths are absolutely spectacular. You could spend about half a day there and feel like you got the full experience. It would be easy to speed through it in about an hour an a half, but you can't learn anything in that time frame. The museum and exhibition has you literally walking on the old ruins and leads you through each room in succession, to provide an accurate experience of bathing during Roman times. There are free guided tours that are wonderful, as well, so be sure to catch one of those! If you can't make a guided tour then opt for an audio guide. It will really help you understand the history, the ruins recovery and discovery, and the impact on civilization around Bath. 

The Fashion Museum is also a spectacular display of clothing and trends through time, with both high fashion labels and clothing without a brand. It shows how fashion has developed and sometimes has special exhibitions. When I went, the Laura Ashley exhibit was showing. Keep in mind that this museum displays mostly women's fashions, with some men's pieces here and there. This would be a fun museum for anyone whose interested in fashion from now going back to the 16th century. 

There is also a free walking tour of the city that meets outside the Roman Baths, and you can find out more information about this tour at the tourist info center in the adjacent square to the Baths. This tour was informative and fun, and the tour guide offered stories about old residents of Bath that you won't forget. This is the best way to see all the main attractions, as it is actually FREE! No tips accepted :)

Staying in Bath:

Hostels are an easy way to travel, and if you choose to travel by hostels then I have a recommendation for Bath. Don't stay in St. Christopher's hostel. It was noisy, dirty, didn't have a kitchen. In fact, I figured out that they don't clean and change the sheets after each person, they turn them inside out. There aren't too many hostels in Bath, but I'd opt for a cheap hotel or bed and breakfast somewhere in the city. You're much more likely to have a clean bed and room, and better service than any hostel.

Transportation Choices and the TravelRest Pillow

Traveling around the United Kingdom, I took mostly trains and buses to get from place to place. Not only is it the cheapest way to travel, but traveling by train can be the fastest too. If you do decide to travel by train around the UK or Europe, then make sure you book tickets in advance. Like plane tickets, the train tickets get more expensive as you book them more last minute. Buses are definitely the cheapest form of transportation, but you lose a lot of time for exploring cities since bus trips almost always take longer. 

Traveling is also exhausting, and I'm beginning to notice that I fall asleep most frequently on trains and buses. That's when the TravelRest pillow comes in handy! 

On a particular bus trip, I was especially happy to have my TravelRest with me. The woman in front of me was trying to lay down across two very uncomfortable seats with her head jammed against the bus wall and legs hanging off the edge into the isle. I luckily had my TravelRest pillow with me and within the minute I had my pillow set up and was ready to take my nap. After getting off the bus, I overheard the woman in front of me telling her husband that her neck was hurting from the position she was in and that she didn't get a wink! That was one of those moments where I was very thankful for my TravelRest pillow. 

It's so hard to find comfort while traveling, but the TravelRest pillow is one of those things that allows me to feel rested even when I'm in the most uncomfortable places. 

Scotland: Edinburgh & the Fringe Festival

The beauty of Scotland stretches from the Highlands to the Lowlands and especially finds its place in Edinburgh. If you ever decide to make a trip to Edinburgh, then consider visiting the city during the annual Fringe Festival. The Fringe Festival in Edinburgh is one of the best in the world, and will keep you entertained all day and night for a whole month. With over 2,500 shows in under a month this year (2013), you'll definitely find something to keep you busy. There are an endless number of free shows (many comedy acts are free), and you can't go wrong with a few laughs and smiles! 

The Fringe is such a popular festival that the poplation of Edinburgh city more than doubles from all the people that show up for the month. So if you can't handle crowds, and aren't interested in the arts, then visiting Edinburgh during this time probably isn't for you. I personally had an incredible time at the Fringe and saw a couple comedy acts, a dance/ circus show, and plenty of fun street performances.

With or without the Fringe Festival, Edinburgh still holds its own as an incredible city to visit. One of the top attractions is Edinburgh Castle, where you can take a tour of the old castle and see the recovered Honors of Scotland (the stone, the crown, the sceptor, and the sword). I toured the castle with an audio guide, which helped explain the history of the castle, each room you enter, and the architecture and decorations within and outside the Castle. I highly recommend the audio guide to make the most of your visit. Also stop to listen to any demonstrations being given; I learned some cool facts by stopping to listen. One fact I learned is that the term best man came from more barbaric times of marriage, when your best man was actually your best fighting man. Instead of just choosing a good friend to support your marriage, you chose a strong fighter to defend you in the case that an armed man tried to stop your marriage. 

Another great attraction in Edinburgh is Holyrood Palace and the Queens Gallery. If you are planning on visiting Buckingham Palace and don't want to spend extra money on something similar then just visit the Queens Gallery. This last time I went, the Gallery was showing the original drawings from Leonardo DaVinci's Mechanics of Man. The exhibit was mind-blowing and really taught me a lot about the body and about DaVinci's impact on the scientific world (versus his well known impact on the arts). The admission to the Queen's Gallery is very reasonable (around 6 pounds).

Lastly, try out a Rabbie's tour of the Highlands for a day. For around an average of 40-50 pounds each, you can have a tour guide show you around the highlands with a small group of about 15 people. The Highlands is a very large area and these tours are a great way to get introduced to a place you'll likely want to return to. The Highlands is full of amazing hiking and walking if you have an interest in outdoor activities. 

Whatever you decide to see or do in Scotland, the country is truly one of the most beautiful places I've seen. And if you're interested in the arts and free comedy shows, then you won't regret visiting Edinburgh for the Fringe Festival!

Ireland: Dublin's Pubs and People

TravelRest is always trying to make our pillow better, so you can have the most rested, and best possible experience traveling. The first stop TravelRest made on our journey through Europe was Ireland, and guess what was #1 on our packing list? The TravelRest pillow, of course!

The TravelRest pillow isn't exactly the most fashionable accessory out there, but it's sure worth those precious moments of shut eye. If you're a female traveling through Europe on a budget, then packing for your trip may prove to be a difficult task. I used this website to help guide me: http://herpackinglist.com/2011/12/ultimate-female-travel-packing-lists/

Maybe these packing lists will help you out a little too, but don't forget to add the TravelRest pillow to your personal list!

A little tip on getting to Europe: Ireland is a great place to start. Not only is Ireland a country where English is used widely, but it's also one of the least expensive countries to fly to from the US. Aer Lingus is known as one of those airlines with cheap tickets, so check them out. 

Dublin is a city with a dark history, pretty drab architecture, but the pubs and people are spectacular. Every street you turn down has at least one pub if not multiple, and the drink of choice is usually Guinness - what's sometimes referred to as the tall blond in a black dress. If you find yourself in Ireland, you must order a pint of Guinness. Unlike many dark beers, Guinness has a smooth, creamy taste (some liken it to chocolate milk). If you visit the Guinness Storehouse Museum/Factory then you'll learn that it takes exactly 119.5 seconds to pour a perfect pint of the beer. You'll even have a chance to pour a perfect pint yourself and gain expert certification ;) I did!

If you're a solo traveller like I am, then don't be intimidated by going out to any of these pubs. One of Irelands best qualities is the people. Everyone is so friendly and helpful! I got lost in Dublin more than a few times and someone was always kind enough to stop and help me on my way. You can strike up a conversation with almost anyone. Meeting other travelers is great, but try talking to a local, they'll give you an extremely warm welcome and introduction to the country they love calling home. 

Lastly, look up some free walking tours of Dublin. Dublin is easy to travel through by foot and a tour guide can help explain some important historical information about the city and country. 

(If you come to this spot, ask someone about the significance of Lady Justice's facing)

Make sure to learn some gaelic words while you're there too! Sláinte! (pronounced Slahn-cha; means cheers)

The TravelRest is Traveling!

Here at TravelRest we are always trying to make our products better so you can get the maximum amount of enjoyment from your travels. What better way to do that than to do some traveling ourselves! So we've brought the TravelRest pillow to Europe to test its limits, find new ways to use it, and share some insight with you along the way.

Keep checking in regularly to find new blog posts about how the TravelRest pillow is making its way across Europe. We'll also share some useful information on places to see, things to do, best bars, eateries, hostels and hotels, stories, PLENTY OF TIPS and more! 

Tip #1: Make sure you've got your TravelRest Pillow!! It'll be handy in more way than you can imagine. 

Welcome to our new site!

As you have noticed, our website, www.travelrest.net got a facelift. You will find it easier to navigate, find the information you want, and easier to order.

If you haven't done business with us yet, then welcome!


A little bit about our pillow...
With its patented ergonomic shape, the TravelRest pillow attaches to any seat back, nestling against the head and neck to provide support and comfort in flight or on the road.


Even without a seat back, TravelRest's versatile design provides excellent support - simply sling the tether cord over your head and shoulder... and relax. It's The Travel Pillow, Reinvented!


A little bit about our blanket...
A Poncho style blanket made from micro-fleece that covers your shoulders and won't slip down. Perfect for home auto, train, and air travel.


Stay tuned as we add more products designed specifically for your traveling needs...

The Travel Pillow Reviewed

We were recently reviewed (for our TravelRest Travel Pillow) by a blogger who took a trip to Arizona.

As Laura says, "I will never travel without one again."

Check it out!

TravelRest Pillow Review