When the Napoleonic Wars of the Nineteenth Century ravished many of the fashionable spa resorts across Europe, small British resorts became a popular second choice for a holiday by the sea. Amongst these resorts Tenby in Pembrokeshire, South West Wales, …
Scottish Highlands: A Romantic Retreat
There is nothing more romantic than the beauty of natural scenery, and my recent trip to the stunning Scottish Highlands got me thinking about how Scotland has the perfect landscape for a romantic retreat, and is maybe even one …
Skye: Scotland’s Island Paradise
Our 3-day itinerary only afforded us one day on the Isle of Skye, so we had to make the best of it by getting up early and jumping into the car while hard frost still clung to the treetops.
The …
40 Things I Want To Do Before I’m 40
I celebrated my 34th birthday this week, so to honour the occasion I thought I would compile a list of the 40 things I would most like to do before I am 40.
This was actually quite a difficult task …
5 Must-Sees: Argentina
Argentina is a vast and diverse country where you can experience mountainous grandeur, tropical jungles, spectacular waterfalls and cosmopolitan cities.
But the sprawling expanse of Argentina is difficult to cover without plenty of time on your side, so here is …
Perfect Peaks. A #FriFotos Photo Essay
While looking through my photographs in order to participate in this week’s #FriFotos, which has the theme of ‘Peaks’, I realised something.
I have not spent nearly enough time in the mountains.
I love mountains, but tend to migrate more …
Discovering Bucharest
I didn’t expect to like Bucharest.
It’s not that I’ve heard bad things about it; but it rarely, if ever, features on ‘Europe’s Best City’ lists.
I was merely going to visit a friend, and just happened to be adding …
Europe’s Fairy-Tale Castles: Peles, Romania
When you think about Romania, what do you think of? Ugly communist buildings? Shaven-headed children in run-down orphanages? Oppressed people ruled by a tyrannical megalomaniac?
Or do you think of jagged mountain peaks, lush pine forests, pretty medieval towns, …
Why I Want to go Back to Japan
I lived in Tokyo for a year between August 2002 and August 2003 and I can’t believe that it was ten years ago. I had barely used email before I left for Japan, and I had never heard of blogging—but …
SPACE Star-Gazing Tours in the Atacama Desert
“Moonlight drowns out all but the brightest stars” J.R.R. Tolkien, ‘The Lord of the Rings’
The Atacama Desert in the north of Chile is the world’s driest desert. Some parts of the desert have never recorded rainfall. It is a …
Traveller Debate: South America or South East Asia?
South America and South East Asia are both very popular tourist destinations, but unless you are on a RTW trip you are probably going to have to choose one region or the other. Having spent the first decade of my …
Five Fabulous Natural Wonders (And three I’d Like To See)
There are so many different lists about the Seven Wonders of the World that it is pretty difficult to remember which ones are actually on the official lists, but this post is not about the official lists—it’s about my personal …
A Power Mighty As Omnipotence – Holy Places
This week’s #FriFotos theme is ‘Holy Places’, and I initially thought about putting together some pictures of the various churches and shrines that I have visited during my travels. But then it occurred to me that my photo collection is …
Flowers: the Music of the Ground
What a great theme #FriFotos has chosen this week for who doesn’t love FLOWERS?
Flowers are the first welcome sign of spring following a hard winter and can brighten even the dullest of days. They have been written about …
Earth Day – April 22nd 2012
The #FriFotos theme this week is Earth Day to coincide with the event of the same name; a day coordinated by the Earth Day Network in order to raise awareness and appreciation of our beautiful planet.
I have been lucky …
To The Majestic Himalayan Kingdom Ladakh And Back
Trekking in Ladakh is an experience which cannot be penned down in a few words, because you have got to be there to know what I am talking about. It is a journey which could be at best described as …
On TV at the Cusco Choco Museo
According to this article in TIME, Peruvian plantations are “…working to identify Peru with chocolate, the way Colombia is identified with coffee”, to the extent that many of the coca plantations, for so long associated with the production of …
The Beautiful Beaches of Parque Tayrona, Colombia
“I’m not going to Parque Tayrona because I’ve been to the San Blas islands and I’ve heard that the beaches are not as beautiful” said the tanned Australian girl to her friend as they stood chatting on the …
Santa Marta. The Beach: So Near, Yet So Far!
After nearly five months of chasing the end of winter around South America I was beginning to dream of spending some time lazing on the warm sand of a tropical beach, so it was with great excitement that I …
What a Year! 2011 in Pictures
It’s the end of another year and with New Year’s Eve just around the corner it’s the time to reflect on the year that has gone before. 2011 was a good year. Living in Sweden rather than Vietnam meant …