Personal

Traveling in Europe with Kids – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

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When I want to take a trip, I book a ticket, pack a bag (a small one at that) and go. And then I look at my friends with children and watch in awe at the planning, packing, cajoling, refereeing and excitement containing that goes on when they, likewise, take a trip. And that’s not to mention the bags – usually enough of them to fill a car all by themselves. Every time I’m intrigued by the details of what family travel looks like…but every time I’m too nervous to ask – I just imagine it’s an idyllic journey with … Read more

“Finding Myself”: The Uncomfortable Journey

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That first time traveling alone can be daunting – a new location, a life left behind and no idea what the future holds. Yet not many people share these stories of the hard moments. They shout from the rooftops about how they’re travelling the world and living the dream. In this post, my guest writer, Mary Hood from the wonderful blog Inner Compass Travel shares the truth about landing in Buenos Aires, the mental struggle to do even the basics like eating and a few potentially embarrassing zipper moments along the way. Here’s Mary’s story about her… First Time Traveling Alone There’s … Read more

What’s it Like to Travel as a Gay Couple?

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Travelling as a solo female can come with its challenges, particularly in countries that have a machismo culture or where it’s just not common for woman to travel on their own, but I never have to face the reality that in some countries it’s illegal for me to be who I am.  Astonishingly there are 76 countries around the world where it is illegal to be gay and in some cases the penalty is imprisonment or even death. It’s a fact that’s prompted a lot more research and discussion every time I’ve invited my gay brother to join me on my adventures, particularly … Read more

Banged-Up in A Panama Prison – Tim’s Backpacking Story

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“I spent nearly a week in a Panama prison,” Tim told me. He was dressed like Hansel (from Hansel and Gretel – did I mention it was Halloween?) and as a clean-cut guy from a small town in Australia, he looked like the least likely character to be doing time anywhere, let alone in Central America. Having once been addicted to the hit US show Prison Break, my eyes peeled back as visions of Sona (the hell hole of a prison depicted in the TV show) flashed before my eyes. While Sona was fictional, it was inspired by a prison that … Read more

A Year Told In Pictures of Sunsets

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Pictures of Sunsets

As the sun (almost) sets on another year I’m so happy to be sitting here writing these words: “I’ve had an amazing year of travel”. They’re the kind of words that can make people want to push your smug little face into the dirt, but I hope you’ll forgive my boasting because my amazing year of travel came directly off the back of  my worst travel year yet, and as the sun rose on a new year I was terrified that my travel curse would follow me into the New Year. So much so, that when I boarded my first … Read more

45 Reasons to Be Grateful for Great Britain

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great britain is great

I know Thanksgiving isn’t a British holiday, but given we suddenly appear to be claiming Black Friday as if it were our own, I thought I’d use this significant US holiday to think about all the great and wonderful things that make up the country that I call home. Which caused me to check out a few facts about Great Britain. I may not be in the UK as much as I’d like and there may be a significant proportion of the British society that can’t seem to say a good word about the place where they live, but the … Read more

20 Worst Things That Happened to Me While Travelling

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travel stories

For people who lust about travel, seeing other people fulfilling their dream day after day can be an envious prospect – largely because the travel industry is pretty bad at sharing the darker sides of leaving home with your possessions in a bag. From overly touched up sunset photos to craftily described hotels (for the record “jumping off point” generally translates as “ugly but close to some other place you’d rather be”), travel is most commonly sold as a beautiful thing where nothing goes wrong. Ever. Of course, as I recently noted to a friend, it’s far better to spread … Read more

10 Travel Experiences You Should Have In Your Lifetime

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“Where is your favourite place” It’s the question I’m asked most frequently and yet it’s the question I find most difficult to answer. Not just because there are so many places that have made an impression on me but because I can’t help feel like people are asking me the wrong question. Travel, although most commonly defined by the geographical locations we visit, is rarely about places; it’s about experiences, and by that I don’t mean sky diving and bungee jumping. I mean life changing, perspective altering, humbling experiences. So, here’s the answer to the question that I wish people … Read more

The Challenges of Going From A Gap Year to Digital Nomad

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I recently wrote about why I don’t regret quitting law to travel and it seemed only fair, as I make my final preparations for my next travel plans (where I’ll be heading back to Latin America for at least the rest of the year), to present the flip-side of the story because long-term travel isn’t always sweetness and light. The truth is that I’m excited for my next adventure but I’m also a little freaked out because I had my worse travel year yet and I’m not keen for a repeat performance. Overall I love my travel-work lifestyle yet there … Read more

Why Your Shouldn’t Regret Quitting Your Job to Travel

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It was my birthday this week. It’s a date that always prompts a bit of navel gazing, and this year my thoughts were focused on my career. I’ve never been the kind of person who draws up and maintains a five-year plan (my commitment issues are too great). However, even it I had, there is no way my plan would ever have anticipated my current lifestyle as a traveller and writer. Five years ago I was a lawyer. I’d invested eight years of my life (and money) studying and training, and after a further eight years of practising, I reached a point where … Read more