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
I was picked up at 9am by the Glaciers and Waterfalls guide, Kalman and we set off to the Reykjanes Peninsula to hike to the erupting volcano. En route we stopped off at a traditional fish drying farm. The smell packed a punch as I stepped out of the minibus!! Icelandic Cod (heads and bones)... Continue Reading →
It's going to be difficult to describe the experience on the Cairngorms traverse but to sum it up in a word... Brutal. I didn't make it to the end of the traverse, having decided to head to the road at Braemar in light of a couple of severe weather warnings and having the waterproofing of... Continue Reading →
I took a motorbike taxi from Cebu North Bus Terminal to the port for 100 pesos, which gave me a great ab workout. At the port, a man waving some OceanJet paperwork came over to me and asked if I wanted to buy a ticket. He told me the ticket was 750 Pesos (which I... Continue Reading →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
