A friend phoned me the other day asking for some travel tips on Cuba. It got me thinking back to our time there, and the ups and downs that come with visiting a place like Cuba. The Caribbean island is a paradise, with its crystal blue waters, palm trees, exotic people and of course incredibly … More Broke and stranded in Cuba
Welcome to 2017! I hope the festive season was kind to everyone. This is the time of year when many of us make resolutions to improve our lives, make us better people or in an attempt to make us happier than we were in the year past. Many resolve to exercise more, eat healthier food … More Ringing in the New Year with travel on the mind
I find myself standing on a dark street corner in Central Berlin. Despite my heavy jacket, gloves and beanie, I shiver as the cold makes its way through my layers and into my bones. There’s no doubting that winter is on its way. The dark streets are close to deserted even though my watch just … More Tempelhof: Berlin’s forgotten airport
For as long as I can remember, exploring the coastline of Chile has been high on my bucket list. As a kid, I watched movies of surfers gliding across long crumbling waves, surrounded by nothing but jagged cliffs, wild flowers, big skies and the occasional sea-lion. Arriving in the Chilean capital Santiago, we spent a few days … More Finding my happy place on the coast of Chile
After an arduous journey from warm and sunny Sydney, some twenty-six hours later I find myself dressed in a heavy jacket, gloves and scarf, mounting a borrowed bicycle, ready to explore Amsterdam. While there is no denying that thoughts of Europe in the summer are what usually form the basis of my everyday escapism, there … More 48 hours in Amsterdam
I spent a significant portion of my younger years travelling through Asia and Europe staying, living, working and partying in hostels. These were great times. I met new people every couple of days, lived cheaply and, for the most part, enjoyed a happy existence. Fast-forward close to a decade and I find myself checking into … More Budapest: Realising you’re too old for party hostels
“Mister, mister. You eat one”, she screeched at me as the plastic bag she was holding squirmed and writhed around. In the other hand I could see a platter of what appeared to be cooked spiders, roughly the size of the palm of my hand. As I approached, she knew she had a sale and … More Lost with Louie: A Cambodian Reflection
“Yes sir, do not worry one bit. My auto-rickshaw is the safest in all Colombo.” Who could argue with a claim like that I thought to myself as I climbed into the back of the smiling man’s three-wheeled death trap. As he started the rattling engine, smoke poured out of the back as the metal … More Lost with Louie: Sri Lanka
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