When you've lived in chaotic Mumbai for almost 8 months, trust me, you start to long for open spaces, clear air and beautiful views, so when my parents came to visit at the end of
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How A Back Injury Made Me Reassess My Priorities
Last Friday evening I collapsed in my bathroom as I was about to take a shower. Just like that: I twisted slightly to one side and fell straight down like one of those controlled demolitions,
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Should Travel Blogs Tell People Where NOT to Travel?
Recently I have read a number of 'Ten Places Not to Visit' posts, or negative posts about a place disliked by the writer in which they explain why you shouldn't go there. Amongst others places, I
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Life Advice From ‘The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty’
**Warning** This post contains spoilers, so if you haven’t seen The Secret Life of Walter Mitty turn off the computer right now, go and see it, and come back later. From the first moment I
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35 Reflections on Turning 35
Birthdays. They just keep on coming around. Despite the initial fear of turning 35, I am much happier and more confident now than I ever could have imagined in my twentiesRemember when you were a kid
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How to Save For Your Dream Trip
The process of saving for your dream trip can be a daunting procedure to begin. You know where you want to go, and how long you want to be away for; but once you start
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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
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Criminal Gangs in Colombia and the Implications for Travellers
Walking down the streets of Santa Marta one thing became eerily apparent: the streets were deserted. Secure metal barriers barred access to the seafront shops, supermarkets, liquor stores and restaurants. Door after door displayed an
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Five ESSENTIAL Items that You Shouldn’t Travel Without
When you're packing for a long trip you have to be very selective about what goes into your backpack. Everything you carry is extra weight on your back; and those extra kilos soon add up.
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How to Avoid Saigon’s Rip-Off Taxis: A Comprehensive Guide
Whenever anybody asks me for advice about an upcoming visit to Saigon I always start with the same tip: be careful which taxi you choose to get in. "Never take a taxi from directly outside
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Coping With Reverse Culture Shock
Today is grey outside: it’s not raining, it’s not cold, but a leaden sky hangs heavily overhead. I’m feeling listless and apathetic. I’m hungry, but don’t know what to eat. I could go for a
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I Didn’t Get Robbed in South America
This post is based on my experience of travelling in South America where I visited Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Colombia. I travelled around South America for five months and I did not get
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Five Mistakes I Made in South America (And How To Avoid Them)
Recently I posted Five Things I Did Right in South America to highlight my best decisions during my travels. In this post I intend to highlight some of the things that I didn’t know before
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Five Things I Did RIGHT In South America
As my journey around South America is now over I can reflect on some of the good choices that I made in order to ensure that my trip was successful and enjoyable. There is much
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How Safe is La Paz, Bolivia?
"...a little common sense goes a long way. Always trust your instincts"I have to admit that I was nervous about coming to South America. South America has a reputation for drugs, robberies, and violence: whoever
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