Here I am in South America, living the dream. I have dreamed about this trip for decades, saved for years and been planning for months, and finally the day of departure arrived. It is fair to say that my …
Preparing to become a Nomad
One of the most common questions that you get asked as a traveller is ‘where are you from?’ a question that should be very easy to answer but one which I dread more each time I go away. The most …
War Museums: Meaningful or Macabre?
Visiting a war museum is not a pleasant or comfortable experience and I have left the ones I have visited in tears. Many of the images and artefacts are deeply disturbing, exposing me to atrocities that I cannot possibly imagine. …
8 Things I Have Learnt in Sweden
What’s the point of travel if not to learn from your experiences? Here’s what I have learnt during my year in Sweden.
Bikes with a basket and bell are not just for little girls
Pretty much everybody in Sweden has …
My First Tweet-Meet!
My blog has been running for almost a year now but it was initially a diary to document a year of living in Sweden so that my friends and family could keep up with what I was doing. Before long …
How to do Saigon (even more) Cheaply!
Brooke vs. the World has asked travel bloggers to put together their best thrifty and resourceful travel tips for a helpful, free ebook. If you think you’re thrifty and would like to participate, check out the official rules.
It’s …
My Seven Links
I was delighted to be nominated by Brooke vs. the World for the 7 Links project so here are my seven links.
My most beautiful post—A Woman’s Work
This was a photo essay, which never do particularly well …
Funballz, Hillbillies and a Raving Baby!
This time last year I was preparing to make the move from Vietnam to Sweden and I wrote a post about Västerås, the Swedish city that was to become my home. Now, here I am a year later preparing …
I Had LASIK Surgery in Vietnam!
If you’re unlucky enough to be short-sighted you’ll know what an extra hassle wearing glasses or contact lenses can be when you’re travelling. If, however, you are blessed with the gift of perfect vision then allow me to paint the …
How To Travel With Children
Travelling can be risky at the best of times but takes on a whole new dimension when a child is involved, but that shouldn’t stop you from travelling. Rachael Green-Roche offers advice and tips on how to travel with children.…
Midsommar: a night of Swedish madness
“Why, this is very midsummer madness!“ (Twelfth Night)
Not long ago Sweden welcomed the spring but Valborg is only the warm-up act. Midsummer, or Midsommar in Swedish, is the biggest party of year. …
Wimbledon – A British Institution
It’s already well into the swing of tennis season and the next tournament on the agenda is, of course, Wimbledon. Even though the UK has not enjoyed much success on the hallowed turf of SW19 in recent years, it is …
Jungle Fever in Dalat
It’s 10pm, dark and raining. Four friends and I huddle on the cracked leather of an ancient sofa, playing cards. A few beer cans sit on the table and our muddy, rain-sodden clothes of the day hang dripping from the …
Shinto Wedding at the Meiji Jingu Shrine
A walk through the tranquil forest of Yoyogi Park and into the grounds of the Meiji Jingu Shrine in Tokyo‘s Harajuku district will not only enable you to escape the constant noise of the busy Japanese metropolis, it could …
Goodbye Classroom, Hello World!
Four years ago I was in an auditorium in Vietnam alongside my teaching colleagues and we were listening to a lecture that only served to strengthen my already iron-clad resolve to travel. I don’t think that this was the point …
Where in the world can you swim around a Second World War tank?
It’s a perfect day in the tropics. The pristine white sand dazzles brightly, starkly contrasted with the deep green foliage fringing the beach. The sea is aquamarine and warm as a bath—too warm to cool down on such a hot …
Top 3 Beaches in Vietnam
When most people think about travelling to an exotic beach, Thailand is often high up on their wish-list. But did you know that next-door Vietnam has some equally spectacular beaches to rival many of those offered by its more frequently …
Free to Travel – How I Broke Free From Debt
On the evening of March 15th 2007 I sat in a small bar in Northampton confessing to a friend of mine that I was struggling with debt. I didn’t know how I had reached that stage but all …
East meets West in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is my favourite Asian city. It’s a close call as I have loved all of the ones that I have been to – except for Singapore (nice zoo, boring city). Each city has a different …
Five foods the Swedes go crazy for!
1. Meatballs
Ask anybody what they think Swedes like to eat and the chances are that they will say ‘Meatballs’. This is probably largely due to IKEA chains worldwide serving traditional-style meatballs with a cream sauce, potatoes and lingonberry jam. …