Jonistravelling

A (Pop) Cultural Tour of London

May 11, 2020October 25, 2014 by Jon Algie

London is huge, both in real world terms and also in the influence it has had on western pop culture. Iconic bands, literary geniuses and acclaimed actors have all called London home, as has a little bespectacled wizard called Harry Potter, but more on him later (actually, there isn’t much more I can say about him … Read more

Walking the Colourful Streets of Kathmandu, Nepal

January 5, 2016October 23, 2014 by Jon Algie

A man carrying furniture through the streets of Kathmandu, Nepal

The best way to get a feel for just how chaotic and colourful Kathmandu can be is by hitting the footpaths (actually there usually aren’t any, you’ll be walking on the road trying to dodge traffic while your eyes dart around looking at all the sights around you). They may not be the safest places … Read more

Backpacking in Southeast Asia: The Highlights

January 5, 2016October 15, 2014 by Jon Algie

Southeast Asia has been good to me. It was the first place I travelled (after living in Taiwan for a year) and that 6 month stint of backpacking in Southeast Asia morphed into a lifelong passion for travel. I met the love of my life while working in Singapore and filled in some of the gaps that I missed on my first trip. Since leaving my job in April I’ve filled in even more of those gaps, and now I’m waiting for a flight to London to continue a trip that will eventually take me around the world.

A Snow-capped Sunrise in Sarangkot, Nepal

January 5, 2016October 10, 2014 by Jon Algie

If you’re travelling to Nepal, chances are you’ll want to see the sun rise over snow covered peaks at least once. Most people will do this on a trek, but what if trekking isn’t for you? Maybe you’ve been eating too many pizzas and are physically incapable of walking uphill for more than 5 minutes, … Read more

How to not Lose Yourself When You Travel

December 13, 2014October 7, 2014 by Jon Algie

Travelling to find yourself seems to be all the rage these days, but unless you’re Kevin Bacon or Christian Slater (They each played invisible men in Hollow man 1 and 2 respectively) you probably never lost yourself in the first place. Instead of finding themselves, a lot of people actually end up losing aspects of their personalities that they’d be better off keeping. Their previous traits get replaced by new ones (often arrogance, laziness, self importance) and they become annoying global citizens who judge other people’s travel habits and plans. Unless you are running away from something awful back home, it’s a good idea not to lose yourself when you travel – and I’m here to show you how.

The Planet of the Apes: The Monkey Temple in Kathmandu

November 4, 2016October 3, 2014 by Jon Algie

It took me 28 years to learn the difference between apes and monkeys. I always thought it was based on size: King Kong > gorillas > apes > monkeys. Apparently I was wrong, and it took a text book for five year old Singaporean children to teach me that. Apes don’t have tails but monkeys do, gorillas … Read more

Luang Prabang: The Land of Temples and Rivers

January 5, 2016October 2, 2014 by Jon Algie

The palace near the National Museum in Luang Prabang, Laos

Laos is full of lazy river towns where you can lose yourself in hammocks for days. You’ll overhear people moaning about having to leave or frantically cutting out places they’d planned to go just to spend a bit more time away from the bustle of the Southeast Asian tourist trail. Luang Prabang isn’t quite as relaxing as Don Det, Nong Khiaw or Muang Ngoi, but its mix of history, culture and stunning river views makes it one of the nicest (and most popular) towns in Southeast Asia.

My Predictions for the Future of Travel

December 13, 2014September 26, 2014 by Jon Algie

Selective time travel

It’s always a good thing when destinations are as authentic as possible, so as soon as we invent time travel I’m sure we’ll use it to make tourism reach its full potential. Going back in time sounds great, but who wants to go without modern conveniences like internet and flying cars? Someone will invent a kind of gun or time-mist that can blast a predetermined area into the past, leaving everything else around it in the present (or future for us – this is getting as confusing as most time travel movies). We’ll be able to visit tiny villages untouched by the ravages of time and still be able to use magical food making machines all in the same outing – what could be better?