It’s been a year since I left my teaching job in Singapore and started travelling full time. This trip has taken me from the mountains of China to the winding medinas of Morocco, from the beaches of Hawaii to the ancient cities of Europe. Here are some of the colourful things I’ve seen along the way. … Read more
It felt like we were being smuggled between borders. I was one of around 20 tourists who were packed onto the back of a truck heading from the dusty town of Lanquin to the mythical waters of Semuc Champey. I was holding on for all I was worth as the truck lurched around corners, too busy to appreciate the sun … Read more
I set off for Mount Doom at 8.30 am from Clyde, a small town in Central Otago, New Zealand. My companions were Steve, son of Lloyd, and Princess Gia of Manila. Our quest was to get to the Tongariro Crossing and find Mount Doom (and capture it in a great photo) – the fate of … Read more
I have a confession to make. My name is Jon and I’m addicted to leaving my things in hotel rooms. I do have good news though – I haven’t done it in over a month now and my sponsor (Gia) thinks I have a great chance of finally overcoming this problem. I’ve left phone chargers, … Read more
After surviving the 26 hour trip from Valladolid (Mexico) to Flores, Guatemala it was satisfying to find an awesome little laid back town with great lake views and quiet, colourful streets. Flores is a tiny island (linked to the mainland by a causeway) on Lake Petén in Northern Guatemala and is best known as a … Read more
If you’re to believe most online reports, Chichen Itza isn’t entirely deserving of its place among the 7 wonders of the world (which is really just an arbitrary list anyway). People say it’s too crowded, too commercialised and that it’s not even the best set of ruins in Mexico. Can that really be true, or … Read more
It seems like most people who travel to exotic countries aren’t actually seeing the “real” version – it turns out most Mexicans don’t lie around on beaches all day and most Moroccans don’t ride camels – but how do you get past the tourist facade and into the heart of a country? I’m glad you … Read more
A plastic bag began rustling quietly on a hill above Tepoztlán. The middle aged Mexican couple ahead of us needed some energy — it had been a hard climb. I had only been in Mexico for a couple days and one of the few words I’d learnt was “torta”, which is a kind of sandwich, but … Read more