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, …
Snagov: The Final Resting Place of Dracula
If you read my last Romania post ‘Dracula: Romania’s National Hero’, you will already realise that finding Dracula was high on my agenda when I visited Romania, but it didn’t take long for me to realise that he …
Lighting a Candle on All Saints’ Day, Sweden
All Saints’ Day is an official holiday in Sweden that usually falls on the first Saturday in November. On this weekend, many businesses close early on Friday, remaining closed on Saturday. This means that people who want to buy their …
Dracula: Romania’s National Hero
Most people know that I have two passions: travel and literature. Those who know me really well know that I am somewhat of a gothic aficionado when it comes to books. I read Dracula many, many, years ago and, more …
How to Survive Europe’s Most Hated Airline!
If you have spent any time in Europe then you will almost certainly have heard of Ryanair. Irish-owned airline Ryanair is the marmite of the skies: you either love them or hate them. Most people fall into the latter category, …
Grounded Traveller. So What Happens Now?
I’m a grounded traveller.
I feel like a bird without wings; a car without an engine; a boat without a sail—you get the picture.
I came back from my last trip 7 months ago, after plans didn’t quite work out …
Reasons You Should Travel, And the Obstacles That Hold You Back
If you look at some of my favourite books, you will notice a theme: journeys and adventures. As a child I loved Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books, later it was Lord of the Rings and Heart of Darkness. My favourite …
Things that drive me crazy about hostels
When I first started travelling I was impressed every time I walked into a new hostel. (Most) hostels have a nice friendly ambience: you are welcomed at the reception by well-travelled and informative hosts, the kitchen is full of laughing …
Windows Around the World
I haven’t posted a #FriFotos post for a while but I simply couldn’t resist this week’s theme of ‘windows. Windows intrigue me. I always wonder who is on the other side looking out, or looking in. What events have been …
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 …
Five Amazing Argentinian Foods
In my last post I made the shocking confession that I prefer South American food over South East Asian food. Many people can’t understand why the thought of Pad Thai or Pho sends me into a cold sweat, as Thai …
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 …
It’s hard to avoid brands – even when you travel
When this week’s #FriFotos theme of Brands was initially revealed on Tuesday I did not expect to take part, as I don’t consider myself much of a brand follower.
I would not be able to tell the difference between a …
Why You Should Visit Wales
Rather than flowing over the top of the British Isles as usual, the Jet Stream’s current positioning to the South has brought the rainiest summer that the United Kingdom has had in decades (and let’s face it we normally get …
Capture The Colour Photograph Competition
I have recently been invited by the guys over at TravelSupermarket to participate in their ‘Capture the Colour’ photo competition. The premise of the competition is simple: Enter 5 travel photographs each one depicting a colour – blue, green, yellow, …
Anundshög: Sweden’s largest Viking burial site
Being a bit of a History geek one of my favourite things about travelling is encountering ancient cultures and histories, and where better to be than Scandinavia—home of the Viking?
Britons, in particular, will be very familiar with the …
How Important Is It to Use The Local Language When Travelling?
Whether or not you should try to learn a few phrases of the local language is a question often discussed among travellers. Some take phrasebooks with them and steadfastly learn a new phrase every day, while others lazily believe that …
Five Astounding Man-Made Wonders
Hot on the heels of my Natural Wonders post I thought it only right to share my top five man-made wonders.
Despite the crowds of modern-day tourists these places tell the story of ancient people and cultures.
They stand as …