Join me as I travel the world and give regular insights into what it is really like being a solo backpacker and tips to help you plan your own adventures
Adam and I did a couple of walking tours in Kyiv, which were good and gave different insights and covered different regions of the city. Kiev or Kyiv? So the BBC and other institutions continue to spell the name of the Ukrainian capital as Kiev. But I choose to type Kyiv because that's how the... Continue Reading →
Now I'm not saying that a single day is ideal to see anywhere, but while we were in Kyiv it became clear that we were about as close to the tiny little known country on the outskirts of Europe as we would ever be. So we bought an overnight bus ticket to Chisinau, the capital... Continue Reading →
I had a rubbish first couple of hours in Kyiv, bumping into some of the most unfriendly people I've ever met whilst travelling. But I'm certain that it will get better. I arrived at the central train station and struggled to find signs for the metro. When I eventually found it after asking for directions,... Continue Reading →
The driving in Belarus has a level of passive-aggressiveness that I have only ever witnessed before in Russia. The traffic is kept flowing by the mega 6-lane highways around Minsk, and drivers on these roads can expect to be tailgated at crazy distances and undertaken and overtaken at the same time no matter what speed... Continue Reading →
Now this isn't the first time I have been to an ex-Soviet place, but it's the first time I've blogged about somewhere that is still as Soviet influenced. So it is interesting for me to wonder. People here don't seem to rush or dawdle, I'm usually walking much faster or slower. I wonder if I'll... Continue Reading →
I joined the Minsk Free Walking Tour that meets at 11am at City Hall on Svabody Square. The tour lasts two hours and finishes at Victory Square right next to Dreamy Castle Hostel. My guide was Roma and he is Belarusian and has been living and working in Minsk for 8 years. He said something... Continue Reading →
Minsk is astoundingly beautiful at first sight. Maybe that's why they only gave me an 8-day visa. The night bus was totally lame and I didn't really sleep so I have arrived in Minsk so tired I could fall asleep standing up. The hostel reception doesn't open until 10am so when my bus arrived at... Continue Reading →
I took the 5pm Ecolines service from Tallinn bus station (Bussijaam) to Riga bus station. Tickets are easily bookable online and mine cost €18.20, though they sometimes discount tickets right down to €5. The bus ride was fine. The driver was an absolute Grade A nutcase though, trying to overtake absolutely everything! I wouldn't recommend... Continue Reading →
This week has been one of the best of my trip. Estonian countryside is gorgeous, particularly the lakes area.Day OnePicking up the car was easy; I decided to get a taxi using the Estonian start-up rival to Uber, Taxify and it was spot on.I saw some mad driving as I was leaving Tallinn, just insane... Continue Reading →
I've loved so many places that I've travelled to so far but Estonia stunned me. Right place at the right time I think, as it has been a blast since I arrived.Sunday 8 JulyMy flight landed later than scheduled but it was easy enough to catch the bus to Freedom Square at the edge of... Continue Reading →
I was in love with Ireland from the first day and I am sure that I will return. Ireland had the best weather on record while I was there, hitting over 30 degrees and not a cloud in the sky for days on end. I was so lucky. It will not always be this way... Continue Reading →
This is it - my last post in South America (for now)! Next, join me in Europe. For me, Cartagena was a jewel in the crown of South America. I found the place enchanting. I stayed for 4 days and didn't leave the city for any excursions, I found that it was a great place... Continue Reading →
I had heard mixed reviews about the trip to the northernmost tip of south America, generally either five stars like at this blog or one star*, with few in between. So it was with a slight sense of defiance that our group of seven intrepid explorers set out on this journey to the end of the... Continue Reading →
I left Santa Marta with Tom and Lilly and we headed for a night at Costeño Beach Surf Camp. We caught a local bus along the main road past Tayrona and then hopped off at the entrance to Costeño.The walk is about 40 minutes down the sandy track but luckily we were able to hitch a... Continue Reading →
After such a phenomenal time diving in the Galapagos, I genuinely felt a huge amount of trepidation ahead of my next dive - what if diving just wasn't the same now?! Fears were unwarranted - the diving here is great! I went with Oceano Scuba, a German-owned 5-star PADI dive centre that has been running... Continue Reading →
I had heard such good things about Tayrona National Park that it was great to be able to explore it with a good group, so soon after I arrived at the Caribbean Coast. A short bus ride from Santa Marta lies Tayrona National Park, a tropical paradise where the jungle runs right down to meet... Continue Reading →
At Santa Marta I stayed at The Dreamer Hostel. A place I have been hearing about for months and an absolute must if you are staying in the North of Colombia. It's not cheap, with rooms costing upwards of $30.000COP (10-bed basic with fan). $33.000COP per night will get you air-conditioning - the first I... Continue Reading →
You ever decide to do something and before you even get there you realise it's gonna be awesome?! Today I visited La Piedra, a giant rock that you can climb up near a tiny town called Guatapé, a 2-hour bus journey from MedellÃn. You take the bus from the North Terminal, just outside the Caribe... Continue Reading →
I can certainly understand why so many people end up staying here indefinitely, it's an intriguing place. I wonder if I will end up joining them. I've decided to write this after my first day in the city to see how it compares to my thoughts after more exploring. El Poblado One of the main... Continue Reading →
The bus arrived into Bogotá central station at 1:30am, much earlier than we expected. The other girls managed to get a reservation at a hostel in La Candelaria district which is the ideal place to stay and I managed to get a bed at an awesome hostel called Masaya. Dorm beds are $32,000COP per night... Continue Reading →
The next stop on my adventure is Salento, in the heart of Colombia's coffee region. After my final salsa lesson with Alex I caught the bus from Cali to Armenia (3hours, $22.000COP) and arrived at a very futuristic looking bus terminal where I found it easier than expected to locate the bus to Salento (1hour20,... Continue Reading →
Everyone I have met that has been to Colombia has loved it, without exception, and I have been so excited deep-down ever since I left the UK to reach this place. And now I'm here!! I touched down in Cali Airport after a terrible hungover journey and shared a taxi into the old part of... Continue Reading →
My first trip to the Amazon Rainforest will certainly not be the last. I loved it!! I can't believe I nearly skipped it. For this 4-day trip I was with Sharon and Paul from the Netherlands and Elaine from Ireland and we made a great bunch. We left Quito at 11pm on a nightbus transfer... Continue Reading →
South Georgia. The place almost defies description. The landscape is so beautiful that it seems totally alien but at the same time strangely familiar. The mountains soar out of the depths and rise to dizzying sheer cliffs all around. These peaks are often entirely inaccessible, even once you've crossed the whole Earth to see them,... Continue Reading →
Today is one year since I lost my friend Parik and it is to his sad demise that I owe this world trip. It was quite a wake up call for me. So I often hike solo in his memory and today is no different. First thing in the morning I moved from Hosteria Foike... Continue Reading →
The monumental power of the falls has to be seen to be believed. We spent a day exploring the Brazilian side and another day on the Argentinian side. It's worth having a day or two spare to allow you to pick a day with good weather. Park Entrance Prices Entry in Brazil costs 63.60 Reals... Continue Reading →
The 8 hour drive from Corrientes to Foz do Iguaçu across the border into Brazil on December 23rd was phenomenal. The weather at the start was apocalyptic. We also came across a large wildfire and had to drive through patches of smoke which totally obscured the road! But as we headed East along the Paraguayan... Continue Reading →
Valparaiso, or Valpo, is a chilled out Mecca for street art, I will fondly remember it for the epic art and also it's epic steps!! It's an important port city for Chile and is home to the Navy, but the best of the city can be found on its steep hilly streets. For the weary,... Continue Reading →
Rapa Nui, just South of the Tropic of Capricorn, forms the South-Eastern point of the Polynesian triangle, the other two points being New Zealand (Aotearoa) and Hawai’i. The closest inhabited island is Pitcairn (2,000km to the West). The island is part of Chile, which is over 3,700km away. The people, island and language are all... Continue Reading →
