Italy is one of those countries that keeps pulling me back. So much so that I’m starting to lose track of the number of times I’ve visited. Until now most of my time in Italy has comprised a tick-list of the most visited spots in Italy, sharing elbow room with hundreds of other visitors who … Read more
Beyond stupid in Naples yet strangely safe It was 3 a.m. and I was wandering the streets of Naples, lost, alone, under the influence of alcohol and with little choice but to check my location on my iPhone. I was breaking every rule on my travel safety list and a few besides. I was stupid … Read more
UPDATE JUNE 2015: I recently returned to Florence, armed with another Firenze Card and I’ve updated this post accordingly: I’ve updated the comparison prices and I’ve updated the details on how easy it is to get into each sight. I haven’t, however, deleted the old information so you can see the difference in the card in … Read more
If you’re planning a trip to Tuscany, then you should spend one day in Lucca. A small city that sits just north of Pisa (and is incredibly easy to reach by train), Lucca lacks the crowds that throng the leaning tower, the coach and cruise loads that plague Florence, and offers an all-round gentler pace … Read more
Manila, like any capital city is a sprawling mass meaning you’ll need to investigation various forms of transport to see the sights – having navigated the Philippine’s main city (with varying degrees of success) here’s my guide for how to get around Manila. Taxi The huge plus to Manila is that the taxis are super … Read more
Japan is renowned for being one of the world’s most expensive countries. Fortunately, of all the things you’ll pay a lot of yen for in Japan, food doesn’t have to be one of them. Of course, there are endless opportunities to spend big on food in Japan (a recent trip to Kobe and a $135 … Read more
I consider myself to be a reasonably savvy traveller, yet the Japan Rail Pass had me stumped for a while. Why? It’s not the simplest rail ticket around. After several days researching what the pass is about, whether it is worth it, how to get it and how to use it (which I’m currently doing … Read more
It seems a little premature, but as I saw blossom sprouting on the trees this weekend I couldn’t help but feel that spring is in the air and if, like me, that prompts thoughts of travel, perhaps for a short break, I have just the place in mind: Montsoreau in France’s beautiful Val d’Loire (Loire … Read more
I’ve been writing this Panama Blog for so long, I’m over it! It has become a mental block, a bad excuse for not blogging. So, I’m taking decisive action, and all the better for your computer weary eyes… Panama in a nutshell Inspiration for visiting? It wasn’t the Canal, the sky scraping buildings or even … Read more
Last night I boarded the Grimaldi Barcelona to Rome ferry which leaves from the port at the end of La Rambla in Barcelona heading to Civitavecchia, a place about 45 minutes outside Rome. When I say ferry, really I mean a small crusie (think I’ve picked up the last leg of a holiday cruise which, … Read more