Sunset Sunday is in dedication to all the beautiful sunsets around the world. Sometimes we’re so busy that we don’t get the chance to really appreciate how gorgeous the sunset is so I’d like everyone to start noticing! Stop what you’re doing for a few moments and look at all the amazing colours of the …
Almost everyone who visits Bangkok ends up going to Tiger Temple and most people aren’t entirely sure how they feel about it.
Guy Fawkes Night, or Bonfire Night as we now call it, is one of those really weird British traditions that makes no sense to any other nation than our own. So, what is Bonfire Night? In a nutshell, Bonfire Night occurs on the 5th of November and every community wrecks a patch of their park …
Ocean Park or Disneyland. Ocean Park or Disneyland? This was a tough choice while we were in Hong Kong but finally opted for Ocean Park to see the pandas. We arrived early and rushed in quickly to be the first in the panda enclosure. This was a very good move because within 15 minutes it was …
Sunset Sunday is in dedication to all the beautiful sunsets around the world. Sometimes we’re so busy that we don’t get the chance to really appreciate how gorgeous the sunset is so I’d like everyone to start noticing! Stop what you’re doing for a few moments and look at all the amazing colours of the …
How old are you when you stop seeing September as the beginning of the school year? I still buy academic school year diaries because I can’t quite get out of this habit. Forget January, nothing new happens in January. January just gets colder, darker and more depressing. But September is full of new beginnings, fresh …
‘The Peak’ is one of Hong Kong’s biggest tourist attractions. You ride a worryingly old tram up a worryingly steep mountain 552m high. The tram was built in 1888 and has barely been altered since; apparently this is meant to be part of the attraction to riding it. It felt as though the tram was almost vertical at times …
Bilbao’s Guggenheim is undoubtedly the most extraordinary structure I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s the kind of building you can walk around and around all day and still stare up in amazement and insist that you take a few more photos. I came home Bilbao with over 150 photos of the Guggenheim alone so …
Have you ever thought that being a travel writer is quite possibly the most glamorous and exciting job you could possibly do? A life filled with adventure, excitement and discovery and the chance to travel the world and write about it for some of the best publications would be a dream come true, right?
Cliff and River Jungle Resort is located in the heart of the rainforest in Khao Sok National Park, Southern Thailand. It’s surrounded by limestone cliffs that tower so high it’s a genuine strain on your neck and there is nothing but lush greenness all around. There are gorgeous little huts dotted around the immaculately kept …
Khao Sok National Park is one of my favourite places in Thailand and that’s saying something when you consider the fact that Thailand is my favourite country in the world. It’s a reserve in Surat Thani, southern Thailand, and has some of the country’s best preserved jungles and wildlife. A huge artificial lake was created …
When going on safari, the thing that everyone is itching to see is the big 5. These are: Lions Leopards Elephants Buffalos Rhinos They’re named ‘the big five’ because early hunters regarded them as the most dangerous animals to hunt. While I was in South Africa I spent three days staying at Thornhill Safari Lodge …
It was a Saturday morning in Essaouira in southern Morocco and the narrow streets were filled with tourists browsing and haggling for the perfect souvenir. Pushy shopkeepers were pulling me from stall to stall, showing off their ‘finest produce’ and promising the best price in the whole of Morocco. But it wasn’t souvenirs I was …
At first, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to visit an animal rehabilitation centre in South Africa. It was promoted on the fact that you get to pet a cheetah and after visiting Tiger Temple in Bangkok, where you get to pet tigers until your heart is content, I’m really not sure how I feel …
Have you ever driven into a village where more than 50 people chase your car along the dusky track while singing and chanting, ‘welcome, welcome, welcome’? Where the women were dancing with more energy than an aerobics instructor while banging drums and buckets to give rhythm and noise to the chant. They slapped the car …
Say ‘community project’ or ‘charity project’ to anyone in the Western world and they’re instantly weary. It’s sad but true that Charity projects are viewed with suspicion and everyone has begun to question how much good they’re really doing. I visited a project in India that was aiming to provide work for women but while …
One of the best things about travelling to a new country has to be trying new food and Gambian cuisine didn’t disappoint. Full of spicy flavor, the tasty rice based dishes are usually fish based with plenty of vegetables. Ida Njai is somewhat of a superstar in The Gambia. Mention her name to anyone in …
I like to mix things up while I’m travelling and experience authentic cultures but I’m not afraid to admit that I also love a bit of luxury. Anything that involves fine wine, delicious food, fluffy bathrobes, perfectly kept gardens, feather pillows, sparkling swimming pools and bathrooms as big as my living room will definitely get …
As a self-confessed travel addict I love travelling everywhere whether it be to Scotland, Spain, Sweden or South Africa (I’m also a self-confessed alliteration addict). If you’re reading this blog I’m guessing you also have a passion for travel and probably feel the same. Everything from the excitement of planning and packing, the journey, the …
The High Atlas Mountains still sound like a mythical place to me. It’s a place where wizards live in crumbling castles perched on the edge of a rocky ledge and magical creatures live among the trees. There are crystal clear streams that slip down the mountains and pool at the bottom where wild horses, goats …
The weekend started with a bang as we boarded our private plane to Mexico on Friday afternoon. I was told that it’s usually only football clubs and government parties who charter an entire plane so I couldn’t help but feel special with our privileged service. Once in the air the plane became more like a …
I have loved our time in Singapore, a city of such lovely contrasts. A city where East meets West and mingles together with perfect ease. The contrasts begin as soon as you get on the train; first stop Tenah Merah and then you come to names that I’m more than familiar with like Town Hall, …
As many of you are now aware, on Saturday I moved to London! All the way from the quiet solitude of Wales to The Big Smoke. So why did I move and why so suddenly? After returning from travelling 6 months ago I moved back into my family home in North Wales. Life was comfortable, …
The Thai government announced last week that it will be cracking down on drug use and targeting backpacker areas such as Koh Phangan and Koh Samui. Drugs such as ecstasy and cannabis can be found in abundance at the infamous Full Moon Parties but the Thai police have warned there will be harsh punishments for anyone caught with drugs. We spoke to …
Sunset Sunday is in dedication to all the beautiful sunsets around the world. Sometimes we’re so busy that we don’t get the chance to really appreciate how gorgeous the sunset is so I’d like everyone to start noticing! Stop what you’re doing for a few moments and look at all the amazing colours of the …
Last week I wrote about how Christmas in Sydney was a total let down and I was really disappointed. Thankfully, New Year’s Eve in the city was a million times better and possibly even the best night of my life! That’s a bold statement I know but it really was amazing. There are a couple …
While travelling, you don’t always get much choice about where you stay. Hence this place…. We arrived in Moni, Flores at 8pm. It was dark, we were tired and could find no other accomodation within walking distance. We were being hassled by about 15 guys on scooters who wanted to take us to their ‘friend’s, uncle’s, …
Lovina, northern Bali, is a fabulous place to relax and chill out. What better place to do this than at Air Panas Bajar Hot Springs? Air Panas Bajar is just 10km from the center of Lovina so all you need is a map and a scooter. Luckily, we arrived early and beat all the crowds that started …
I am officially a yoga goddess. Well, nearly… I signed up for 10 classes at The Yoga Barn in Ubud, Bali. Yoga is something that has always interested me but I’ve always been a bit scared to try a class. I’m about as flexible as a wooden ruler and didn’t fancy being the one at …
We went to bed like excitable children on Christmas Eve, strangely enjoying the anxious energy that flowed through the hotel. But it wasn’t Father Christmas who was visiting that night. There had been rumours, whisperings, murmurs about the special someone that was coming. It was someone powerful. Someone we should fear. Hushed conversations and strange …