Sometimes you know you want to take a trip and you’re not sure exactly where, but you do know the style of trip. Perhaps you’re in the mood to treat yourself to a luxury trip with a 5-star spa retreat? Or are you looking to lie in the sun on a beach after a long winter? Some of us need to stick to budget trips only while others want to dash around a city on a packed itinerary hitting up the world’s best museum or eating at some of the best restaurants. Maybe you’re thinking of quitting your job to travel with big plans for an around the world trip.
In this section, let me inspire you. Here are some of my most popular trip style posts.
As a famous person once said, jobs fill your pockets, but adventures fill your soul. As someone who used to have a job as a lawyer, which I quit to travel, I can tell you there is a world of difference in life enjoyment between earning a good income and exploring the many adventures the world has to offer. My travels have certainly changed me.
Don’t get me wrong, you absolutely don’t need to leave your job to have new adventures. It’s amazing what you can pack into an annual vacation.
But what is adventure travel? I believe adventure is highly personal. For some, it might be travelling to the next city over. For others, it’s zip-lining, a long road-trip or sky-diving. For some, it’s taking a solo trip, when all your friends are busy or maybe you just need some time on your own. Maybe you’re looking to do something life-changing – these 10 Travel Experiences You Should Have In Your Lifetime will help.
In this section, I’ve collected my guides to help you plan a travel adventure. From exploring the Copper Canyon in Mexico, the forests and beaches of Costa Rica, to hiking to Angel Falls in Venezuela. Or what about ski-touring in Verbier, a safari in Kruger National Park, a 10-day silent meditation retreat in India or eating deadly fugu in Japan.
I’ve got some handy tips too, like what to look for when you buy travel insurance, Trekking Kit Essentials for Every Long Hike and a guide to Snowboarding For Beginners.
As for inspiration, these travel videos will make you want to pack a bag. Speaking of which, I also have a guide to the best backpacks for travel.
Or you might be interested in my 50 Biggest Culture Shock experiences. Whatever takes your fancy for your next adventure, you should find plenty of inspiration. It’s true what they say: Adventure is out there.
I hope you find it.
You can find more inspiration in my section on Around the World Travel
When I embarked on my indulgent one-year around the world trip, I had one criteria: I didn’t want to go anywhere where I would need to wear socks. Fellow sun-worshippers will recognise this as the trait of a beach lover.
But it’s not just beaches – immersing myself in nature, relaxing in spas and stepping away from the mania of mainstream life is one of my favourite ways to travel.
In this section you’ll find my blog posts all about beaches travel and relaxing travel ideas. From my trip through Florida, to the best cities with beaches to my extensive time in Hawaii, Mexico and Costa Rica, you should get plenty of beach travel inspiration in these blog posts.
I even give you the low down on whether some iconic destinations like Santorini in Greece are worth it.
All you have to do is pack your swimsuit.
You can find more inspiration in my section on Budget Travel
Are you the kind of traveler who likes to get close to the local culture and have a more authentic travel experience? This section is for you. Whether it’s learning about the history of Shakespeare in England or learning some fun facts about Washingto D.C. before you go, there are many ways to immerse yourself in a destination more fully.
Food is a great way to get to the roots of a country and I’ve got several food themed guides including for Greece, Jamaica, Sardinia, Japan and Ireland. I’ve also written about Why Chain Are Restaurants Bad.
Or maybe you’re looking for inspiration for the kind of travel experiences everyone should have in their lifetime(and I don’t mean things like skydiving in Hawaii, but really seeing the world as a local).
Sometimes tourism goes bad, like the female sex tourism industry in Gambia and The Gambia’s “Roots”: When Good Intentions Lead to Bad Tourism. Or sometimes the cultural norm is so very different to our own, like Bullfighting in Spain.
I’ve got some handy guides to help you get around like How To Visit Pearl Harbor, How to Use the Tube in London (Without Pissing off the Locals), and How to Visit The Statue of Liberty. As well as some general inspiration like:
Want to prepare yourself for your cultural adventure? Here are my 50 Biggest Culture Shock Experiences (I’ve even had reverse culture shock). It may sound scary but getting out of your comfort zone can be a life enhancing experience. I know travel has certainly changed me. I hope it changes you too (for the better, of course).
City breaks make the perfect weekend away but can also be extended into a week-long vacation. From the cities with the best beaches to guides to the best things to do in London, Miami, Hong Kong, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Venice, Pisa and many more, in this section you’ll find my city travel tips. You’ll also find detailed guides to some of the world’s top attractions like my guide to how to visit the Statue of Liberty (not as easy as you think) and the Tower of London (don’t lose your head). More city travel tips are added regularly so keep checking back.
You can find more in my section on Travel for Foodies
Bored? Read on for 101 things to do when you’re bored. They’re all travel themed so you can scratch your travel itch and satisfy your wanderlust all without leaving home. If you are stuck at home for a prolonged period, unable to travel, it’s very likely you’re bored. Here’s my suggestions for 101 travel themed … Read more
I recently got told that I have a vitamin D deficiency – I know, right? How on earth can that happen to someone who travels as much as I do. Well, moving to the UK after years of chasing the sun is one possibility. Being a bit too proficient with the factor 50 sun cream … Read more
I travelled thousands of miles to escape England’s winter weather, yet the rain followed me. When you arrive in a country expecting sun (and the contents of your suitcase reflect exactly that), it can throw you off course. My intended itinerary had been a few weeks travelling up South Africa’s coastline along the famous Garden … Read more
Culture shock is defined as the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone when they are suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes. For me, culture shock is that ‘oh, wow’ moment when you lock eyes on something that you’ve never seen before and you know that it will stay with you … Read more
Snowboarding for beginners can be an intimidating prospect but thanks to Jo Ramani, an extreme sports fanatic, and writer at Powder Ridge, here is your complete guide. Extreme sports are rising in popularity as more and more people watch viral videos online. Extreme sports enthusiasts never used to have much opportunity to showcase their exploits … Read more
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 … Read more
Even travel addicts need to stop every now and again. So, what does a serious wanderluster do when they are not on the road? Watch travel videos (travel films for us Brits) of other people travelling, of course. I’ve put together this list of the best travel videos. Whether you’re stuck in a cubicle with … Read more
“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 … Read more
I get asked on a regular basis where is the best place I’ve visited. It’s a hard question to answer because over the years I’ve fallen in love with so many destinations and all for different reasons. However, someone asked me a slightly different version of this travel question the other day: where is the … Read more
Ever since I first set foot in Spain, then Latin America, I’ve been trying to learn Spanish. It’s not proven entirely impossible – I certainly know more than when I left England and spending a month in Spain, in Andalucia helped. From there, I visited Germany, where I can barely say thank you. In fact, … Read more