Travel Blog
Into Portugal – Heat, Dust and Bragança Puebla de Sanabria to Bragança through the mountains From Puebla de Sanabria we turned south towards Portugal. On the map it didn’t look particularly dramatic. The road had other ideas. Almost immediately we found ourselves winding through mountains and deep valleys, the road […]
Across the Pyrenees and Into Spain Oloron-Sainte-Marie to Puebla de Sanabria We were up early. There was a long day ahead of us and, more importantly, breakfast needed to be dealt with. A visit to the local boulangerie produced a quiche, which seemed an entirely reasonable way to start the […]
Across the Pyrenees and Into Spain
Apparently Six Months of Travelling Wasn’t Enough The Dordogne to Oloron-Sainte-Marie – and the road to Spain Having spent the previous six months travelling across half the world, much of it on trains, you might have thought we would be ready to stay put for a while. Apparently not. We […]
Spain & Portugal 2019
Touring the Vineyards of Khaketi Touring the Vineyards of Khaketi An unforgettable journey through Georgia’s ancient wine country Nestled in the heart of Georgia’s wine country, our base in Telavi provided the perfect gateway to the renowned Khaketi Wineries. The journey through rolling vineyards, with the majestic Caucasus Mountains as […]
Touring Khaketi Wineries Georgia – Travel Stories
Three Weeks in Sofia: Bulgaria’s Charming Capital Three Weeks in Sofia: Bulgaria’s Charming Capital Golden cathedrals, ancient Roman ruins, serene parks, and surprisingly excellent international food We spent three unforgettable weeks in Sofia, Bulgaria, and quickly fell in love with the city’s perfect blend of old-world charm and modern vibrancy. […]
Stories from Sofia Bulgaria – Travel Stories
Istanbul Misadventure: A Tale of Rain and Regret Istanbul Misadventure: A Tale of Rain and Regret Why Istanbul and I Don’t Get Along Returning to Istanbul after a decade, I hoped for a fresh perspective. Despite some challenges, we experienced moments of beauty and charm, offering a new glimpse into […]
24 Hours In Istanbul – Travel Stories
Catching The Doğu Express From Kars To Ankara Catching The Doğu Express From Kars To Ankara A 30-Hour Adventure Across Eastern Turkey When researching the easiest overland route from Georgia to Eastern Europe, I discovered the most straightforward path was through Turkey. During my search, I came across vague references […]
The Dogu Express Across Turkey – Travel Stories
Traveling from Hopa to Kars in Far Eastern Turkey Traveling from Hopa to Kars in Far Eastern Turkey A Spectacular Mountain Bus Journey I wasn’t sure what to expect on this journey, but we traveled through the most spectacular countryside, with towering mountains and deep gorges housing rushing rivers. We […]
Kars | A Few Days In Kars Turkey – Travel ...
Georgia to Turkey (On a Bus) – Chaos at the Border & Torrential Rain Georgia to Turkey (On a Bus) Chaos at the Border… and Torrential Rain In a perfect world we would have taken the direct route from Tbilisi to Kars through Armenia, but relations between Turkey and Armenia […]
Georgia To Turkey On A Bus – Travel Stories
Exploring Georgia: The Oldest Wine Country in the World Exploring Georgia: The Oldest Wine Country in the World The Oldest Wine-Producing Country in the World (and ChaCha!) In any country that uses minibuses to ferry people around, there is a general rule — there is always room for one more. […]
Exploring Georgia – Travel Stories
Our Journey to Sheki, Azerbaijan Our Journey to Sheki, Azerbaijan A story of mountains, history, and heartfelt hospitality Our journey to Sheki, Azerbaijan was a delightful immersion into a region steeped in history and warm hospitality. Nestled in the lush foothills of the Greater Caucasus Mountains, Sheki welcomed us with […]
Exploring Sheki Azerbaijan – Travel Stories
Our Time in Baku, Azerbaijan Our Time in Baku, Azerbaijan A story of ancient charm and modern wonder Our time in Baku, Azerbaijan unveiled a captivating mix of ancient history and modern innovation, blending vibrant culture with stunning cityscapes. Arriving in the city felt like stepping into a place where […]
Exploring Baku Azerbaijan – Travel Stories
Travelling in Azerbaijan: A Country of Contrasts and Extreme Wealth Travelling in Azerbaijan A Country of Contrasts and Extreme Wealth We landed at Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku in the afternoon, and our Airbnb host had arranged a car to collect us — a nice change from the usual […]
Travelling In Azerbaijan – Travel Stories
Visiting Moscow, Russia: Red Square, The Kremlin & Soviet Weirdness Visiting Moscow, Russia The weirdest apartment we’ve ever stayed in and non-stop rain We caught the night train from St Petersburg to Moscow, our last train trip on the great train journey across Russia. We arrived in Moscow at the […]
Visiting Moscow Russia – The Ultimate Guide
St Petersburg: Russia’s Most Beautiful City St Petersburg: Russia’s Most Beautiful City Palaces, canals, White Nights and the magnificent Hermitage — one of the world’s most sophisticated cities I’ve never really had a bucket list, but St Petersburg has fascinated me since I was 15 years old. My high school […]
The Best 6 Days In St Petersburg: Stories From Russia
Across Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railway Across Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railway In June 2019 we crossed two thirds of Russia — over 6000 kilometres, nearly 4000 of those on the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway We entered Russia from Mongolia at Khyagr and our first major stop was Irkutsk and the […]
Across Russia On A Train – Travel Stories
Five Days in Listvyanka: Lake Baikal’s Stunning Shores Five Days in Listvyanka: Lake Baikal’s Stunning Shores Stunning Scenery, Delicious Fresh (and Smoked) Fish, Cute Freshwater Seals, and Dodgy Accommodation Listvyanka is a small village on the banks of Lake Baikal, about 1.5 hours from Irkutsk. Thanks to its proximity to […]
Beautiful Lake Baikal Russia – Travel Stories
48 Hours in Irkutsk: Wooden Architecture and Siberian Life 48 Hours in Irkutsk: Wooden Architecture and Siberian Life Cold showers, beautiful decaying wooden houses, and first impressions of Eastern Siberia By the time we reached the hostel in Irkutsk, we were hot and exhausted. Our rooms were downstairs with almost […]
48 Hours In Irkutsk Russia – Travel Stories
A Night Train to Irkutsk: 23 Hours on the Trans-Siberian Railway A Night Train to Irkutsk: 23 Hours on the Trans-Siberian Railway From Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to Irkutsk, Russia 23 Hours • 1,029 KM The day dawned bright and warm on our last morning in Ulaanbaatar. We enjoyed a final coffee […]
Irkutsk | A Night Train To Irkutsk Russia – The ...
Gobi Desert Day 11 | Hustai National Park to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Gobi Desert Day 11 Hustai National Park to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Travelling In The Gobi Desert Day 11: Hustai National Park to Ulaanbaatar (The Last Day) Distance: 140 km The Final Adventure: Farewell to the Gobi Our last day dawned […]
Travelling In The Gobi Desert Day 11 – Travel Stories
Gobi Desert Day 10 | Hustai National Park, Mongolia Gobi Desert Day 10 Hustai National Park, Mongolia Travelling In The Gobi Desert Day 10: Holy Mountain to Hustai National Park Distance: 240 km On our tenth day, we set out in search of the elusive Takhi, the last truly wild […]
Travelling In The Gobi Desert Day 10 – Travel Stories
Gobi Desert Days 8 & 9 | Flaming Cliffs to Holy Mountain, Mongolia Gobi Desert Days 8 & 9 Flaming Cliffs to Holy Mountain, Mongolia Travelling In The Gobi Desert Days 8 & 9: Flaming Cliffs to Holy Mountain Southern Gobi, Distance: 400 km We awoke to a breathtakingly clear […]
Travelling In The Gobi Desert Day 8 and 9 – ...
Gobi Desert Day 7 | Flaming Cliffs (Bayanzag), Mongolia Gobi Desert Day 7 Flaming Cliffs (Bayanzag), Southern Gobi, Mongolia Travelling In The Gobi Desert Day Seven: From Khongoryn Els Sand Dunes to the Flaming Cliffs Southern Gobi, Distance: 170 km The next morning greeted us with clear, sunny skies and […]
Travelling In The Gobi Desert Day 7 – Travel Stories
Gobi Desert Day 6 | Khongoryn Els Sand Dunes, Mongolia Gobi Desert Day 6 Khongoryn Els Sand Dunes (Duut Mankhan, The Singing Dunes), Southern Gobi, Mongolia Travelling In The Gobi Desert Day Six: Yolyn Am to Khongoryn Els Sand Dunes (Duut Mankhan, The Singing Dunes) Southern Gobi, Distance: 250 km […]
Travelling In The Gobi Desert Day 6 – Travel Stories
Gobi Desert Day 5 | Yolyn Am Ice Canyon, Mongolia Gobi Desert Day 5 Yolyn Am Ice Canyon, Southern Gobi, Mongolia Travelling In The Gobi Desert Day Five: White Cliffs to Ice Canyon (Yolyn Am) Central Gobi, Distance: 240 km Shower Day! On day five, our destination was one of […]
Travelling In The Gobi Desert Day 5 – Travel Stories
Gobi Desert Day 4 | White Cliffs (Tsagaan Suvarga), Mongolia Gobi Desert Day 4 White Cliffs (Tsagaan Suvarga), Central Gobi, Mongolia Travelling In The Gobi Desert Day Four: Ich Gazaryn Chuluu National Park to White Cliffs, Distance: 220 km We woke to the sight of camels wandering through the ancient […]
Travelling In The Gobi Desert Day 4 – Travel Stories
Gobi Desert Day 3 | Ich Gazaryn Chuluu National Park, Mongolia Gobi Desert Day 3 Ich Gazaryn Chuluu National Park, Eastern Gobi, Mongolia Traveling in the Gobi Desert Day 3: Ich Nacht Nature Reserve to Ich Gazaryn Chuluu National Park Eastern Gobi, Distance: 280 km On the third day in […]
Travelling In The Gobi Desert Day 3 – Travel Stories
Gobi Desert Day 2 | Ich Nacht Nature Reserve, Mongolia Gobi Desert Day 2 Ich Nacht Nature Reserve, Eastern Gobi, Mongolia Traveling in the Gobi Desert Day 2: Ich Nacht Nature Reserve, Eastern Gobi On our second day in the Gobi Desert, we journeyed from Ich Nacht Nature Reserve to […]
Travelling In The Gobi Desert Day 2 – Travel Stories
Gobi Desert Day 1: Ulaanbaatar to Ich Nart Nature Reserve | Mongolia Gobi Desert Day 1 Ulaanbaatar to Ich Nart Nature Reserve, Mongolia Our Gobi Desert adventure began on a biting cold and windy day in Ulaanbaatar. We set off for Ich Nart Nature Reserve in the Eastern Gobi, hoping […]
Travelling In The Gobi Desert Day 1 – Travel Stories
Eleven Days in the Gobi Desert | Mongolia Eleven Days in the Gobi Desert Travel the Gobi Desert, Mongolia In May 2019, four friends set off on an ambitious overland journey from Mongolia to Istanbul. Our adventure began in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s fascinating, slightly chaotic, and endlessly energetic capital city. We […]
Gobi Desert | Travel The Gobi Desert Mongolia – Travel ...
Exploring Ulaanbaatar: A Cultural Adventure | Mongolia Exploring Ulaanbaatar A Cultural Adventure in Mongolia Our time in Ulaanbaatar was a vibrant mix of local culture, captivating sights, and unexpected delights. From hearty traditional meals to spontaneous karaoke nights and historic landmarks, the city offered a perfect blend of modern energy […]
Mongolia – France 2019
Unveiling Port Arthur: Tasmania’s Dark History and Scenic Beauty Unveiling Port Arthur: Tasmania’s Dark History and Scenic Beauty A haunting penal colony, convict ruins, and stunning coastal views on the Tasman Peninsula When our friends from overseas arrived eager to experience Australia beyond its beaches and cities, we knew exactly […]
