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 …
Brussels is Best in Summer…
The title of this post is misleading as I have never been to Brussels in the summer, but I can only imagine that it must be nicer in the summer than on the rainy, dismal December day that I visited.…
Visiting the Anne Frank Museum, Amsterdam
I read ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ as a young teenager and, like many other readers of the novel, discovered not a gritty tale of Holocaust hardship but a vibrant young girl dealing with the trials of approaching adulthood like …
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 …
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 …
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, …
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 …
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.
A heavy backpack equals a …
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.
[mks_boxquote align=”right” width=”200″ arrow=”0″]”Never take a taxi from directly outside a …
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 walk, but I don’t know …
What Happens When Plans Don’t Work Out?
You may remember a post not all that long ago when I revealed that after our travels around South America we would be relocating to Tenerife, with the aim of trying out a new life in the sun. Although …
#FriFotos – Pools
As I generally travel on a strict budget staying somewhere with something as luxurious as a pool is pretty rare, but that’s not to say that I haven’t splashed out once in a while. The #FriFotos theme this week has …
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 …
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 I went to South America, …
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 debate amongst the travel community …