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).
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 extremepedia.com, here is your complete guide. Snowboarding for beginners: A 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 … 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
I wrote this post about the best travel videos a few years ago. (You’ll see it was a few years ago, dated by the selfie-stick reference – boy, I am glad that phase seems to have mostly passed). Anyway, it doesn’t get less relevant so I’ve decided to update it and will keep adding videos … 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