East Coast Australia Road Trip – Australia Zoo, Brisbane, Moreton Island & the Gold Coast (Part IV)
I can’t believe we’re now half way through our eight-week East Coast Australia Road Trip. Time flies when you’re having fun! Last week, we enjoyed a sunrise with wild kangaroos in Cape Hillsborough; explored Fraser Island (K’Gari) by 4WD and cruised along the Noosa Everglades before we then headed over to the Sunshine Coast. ToContinue reading “East Coast Australia Road Trip – Australia Zoo, Brisbane, Moreton Island & the Gold Coast (Part IV)”
East Coast Australia Road Trip – Cape Hillsborough, Fraser/K’Gari Island 4WD Jeep Tour & Noosa Everglades (Part III)
From Cairns, Cape Tribulation and Daintree National Park in Far North Queensland, to Magnetic Island, the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsunday Islands, the last couple of weeks exploring has been a nonstop adventure. To ensure that we didn’t completely burn out, we decided to spend the next couple of days in Airlie Beach before movingContinue reading “East Coast Australia Road Trip – Cape Hillsborough, Fraser/K’Gari Island 4WD Jeep Tour & Noosa Everglades (Part III)”
East Coast Australia Road Trip – The Great Barrier Reef, Magnetic Island & Whitsunday Islands (Part II)
Snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef was something I desperately wanted to tick off my bucket list when in Queensland, Australia… and I can now say I’ve been lucky enough to do just that. A visit to Cairns wouldn’t be complete without visiting the world’s largest coral reef system. Made up of over 2,900 individualContinue reading “East Coast Australia Road Trip – The Great Barrier Reef, Magnetic Island & Whitsunday Islands (Part II)”
East Coast Australia Road Trip – Exploring Cairns, Cape Tribulation, Daintree National Park, Kuranda, Mossman Gorge & Port Douglas (Part I)
From the Great Barrier Reef, to Uluru/Ayers Rock, to pristine sandy beaches and vibrant cities such as Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne just to name a few, Australia has always been somewhere that has really intrigued me. I think it’s the different way of life and being on the other side of the world. Over theContinue reading “East Coast Australia Road Trip – Exploring Cairns, Cape Tribulation, Daintree National Park, Kuranda, Mossman Gorge & Port Douglas (Part I)”
New Zealand Road Trip – Mount Cook National Park, Christchurch and Kaikōura (Part VI)
Our 3,600 miles+ New Zealand Road Trip has now sadly come to an end after an unforgettable six weeks. Some of my favourite highlights include cruising in The Bay of Islands, Abel Tasman National Park and Milford Sound; checking out the real Middle Earth™ at Hobitton™; learning about the Maori history and relaxing in geothermalContinue reading “New Zealand Road Trip – Mount Cook National Park, Christchurch and Kaikōura (Part VI)”
New Zealand Road Trip – Wānaka, Queenstown & Milford Sounds (Part V)
So far we’ve been spoilt by New Zealand’s natural beauty and it honestly just keeps getting better and better as you’re about to find out in this penultimate blog post. Last time, we enjoyed a boat cruise in Abel Tasman National Park, went on some amazing hikes in Punakaiki, Paparoa National Park and Hokitika beforeContinue reading “New Zealand Road Trip – Wānaka, Queenstown & Milford Sounds (Part V)”
New Zealand Road Trip – Nelson, Abel Tasman National Park, Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers + More (Part IV)
The South Island of New Zealand is famed for having some of the best natural landscapes in the world. I would definitely agree! Over the next three weeks, we’ll travel over 1350 miles from Picton to Christchurch via Bluff in Norman – our camper van. We really are having the full ‘Kiwi‘ experience. If you’dContinue reading “New Zealand Road Trip – Nelson, Abel Tasman National Park, Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers + More (Part IV)”
New Zealand Road Trip – Taupō, Tongariro National Park, Mount Taranaki & Wellington (Part III)
After an action packed few days black water rafting in Waitomo Glowworm Caves, canopy zip-lining and zorbing in Rotorua, we headed further South to Taupō – a town most famous for the incredible Huka Falls. Here, you can witness 220,000+ litres of water p/second barrelling over the 11 metre high waterfall along The Waikato River,Continue reading “New Zealand Road Trip – Taupō, Tongariro National Park, Mount Taranaki & Wellington (Part III)”
New Zealand Road Trip – Hobitton™, Rotorua and Waitomo Glowworm Caves (Part II)
Unfortunately, we had to change our original plan of spending two days at Coromandel Town and Hot Water Beach in the Coromandel Peninsula after Paihia because of a nasty storm that was passing through. Instead, we drove 246 miles to Matamata on our eighth day – a town 15 minutes away from the Hobbiton MovieContinue reading “New Zealand Road Trip – Hobitton™, Rotorua and Waitomo Glowworm Caves (Part II)”
New Zealand Road Trip – Auckland, The Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga (Part I)
Over the next six weeks, we’ll be racking up roughly 3,000 miles by travelling down the North and South Islands of New Zealand in our very own self-contained camper van. From our point of view, what better way to travel. Welcome to our home! Unless we hired a car, this was the only way ofContinue reading “New Zealand Road Trip – Auckland, The Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga (Part I)”
Island Hopping in Fiji’s Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands
Spending eight nights island hopping on Fiji’s golden sandy beaches with crystal clear blue waters in the Mamanuca and Yasawa archipelago was a perfect break after travelling for nearly three months in the United States. We booked the Yasawa Wanderer package with Awesome Adventures Fiji. However, not all of the resorts were available because weContinue reading “Island Hopping in Fiji’s Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands”
Contiki Grand Alaska Tour – Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Valdez (Days 7-12)
Well rested, we departed from the Maclaren River Lodge on 29 June and headed for McCarthy in Wrangell-St. Alias National Park and Preserve 240 miles away – one of the longest drives of the trip. Our tour guide, Chris warned us that we would be ‘wild camping’ for the next three nights, meaning no showersContinue reading “Contiki Grand Alaska Tour – Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Valdez (Days 7-12)”
Contiki Grand Alaska Tour – Denali National Park & Maclaren Riverside Lodge (Days 1-6)
After catching a connecting flight in Seattle from Las Vegas, we eventually landed in Anchorage, Alaska at 03:00 A.M on 22 June. The first thing we realised was how bright it was. It literally could have been the middle of the day. It turns out, Alaska never goes dark for six months of the yearContinue reading “Contiki Grand Alaska Tour – Denali National Park & Maclaren Riverside Lodge (Days 1-6)”
American Road Trip – National & State Parks Edition
In this blog post, we travel to four National Parks across three States over two weeks including Death Valley, Zion, Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon as well as visiting other State Parks, clocking up over 1,400 miles along the way. Day 1 – Death Valley National Park The second part of our American RoadContinue reading “American Road Trip – National & State Parks Edition”
What happens in Vegas, stays in Las Vegas… well mostly
From the bright lights of the Strip, to some of the best casinos and entertainment shows in the world, Las Vegas was everything that I imagined it to be. It is a gamblers paradise. And for someone who likes to have a bet, I definitely enjoyed my time here. However, there is a lot toContinue reading “What happens in Vegas, stays in Las Vegas… well mostly”
Four Days in Los Angeles & Beverly Hills (inc Universal Studios Hollywood)
We arrived in Los Angeles after stopping off in Monterey, San Luis Obispa and Santa Barbara overnight along the way. The drive along the coastal route of ‘Big Sur’ was the best highlight of our journey to LA after our time in Yosemite National Park. The aforementioned towns were used to recharge our batteries. ToContinue reading “Four Days in Los Angeles & Beverly Hills (inc Universal Studios Hollywood)”
How to maximise two days in Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site and Natural Wonder of the World. Renown for its waterfalls, giant sequoia trees and Tunnel View – the iconic vista of towering Bridalveil Fall, granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome, make visiting very, very worthwhile! Things you should know before visiting Yosemite National Park: TimedContinue reading “How to maximise two days in Yosemite National Park”
How to spend 72 hours in San Francisco
After finishing Contiki’s tour of Canada & the Rockies, we had two chilled out days in Vancouver. To read about our time on the tour, click here. In order for us to be able to travel back to the United States, we required a negative COVID-test. It cost us $65 p/p to get a rapidContinue reading “How to spend 72 hours in San Francisco”
Contiki Canada & The Rockies Tour – Banff & Vancouver (Days 6-11)
Before getting into this blog post, I’d like to say thank you to everyone who joined Em and I on this epic adventure of Canada & the Rockies. I’ve made friendships and memories that will last for a lifetime. To read about our first five days on Contiki’s Canada & The Rockies tour click here.Continue reading “Contiki Canada & The Rockies Tour – Banff & Vancouver (Days 6-11)”
Contiki Canada & The Rockies Tour – Whistler & Jasper (Days 1-5)
This is the first tour of our 10 months away. Previously, we have been on tours with G Adventures and One Life Adventures, but this was our first experience with Contiki. Day One We made our way to the meeting point and it didn’t take long for everyone to start mingling. The Canada & theContinue reading “Contiki Canada & The Rockies Tour – Whistler & Jasper (Days 1-5)”
The perfect way to spend 3 days at Niagara Falls & Toronto
We arrived in Toronto on 3 May having caught a very short 1hr 40min flight over from Chicago. In honesty, we flew to Toronto predominantly to visit the famous Niagara Falls, which is only a couple of hours drive away. There weren’t too many sights in Toronto other than the CN Tower that we wantedContinue reading “The perfect way to spend 3 days at Niagara Falls & Toronto”
Chicago – The Windy City
Chicago – renown for its chilling winds, amazing pizza and for depicting Gotham City in the Batman franchise. 13°C and 16°C were the temperatures for the three days we were here, which would be considered warm and probably shorts weather back home in the U.K. but here, it was freezing – layers were needed! ScenesContinue reading “Chicago – The Windy City”
The perfect proposal in Central Park
Ever since we started planning our travelling again, I knew I was going to propose to my girlfriend, Emily. We have been together now for eight and a half years, so it was probably about time! I’d spent hours looking for the perfect engagement ring and days stressing about where and when I would doContinue reading “The perfect proposal in Central Park”
The bright lights of New York – Times Square, The Empire State Building, Broadway & More (Days 1,2 & 3)
Day 1 After boarding an Amtrak train lasting a little over three hours, we arrived in New York around 15:30PM. We walked the short distance from Penn Station to our hotel, which is literally a stones throw away from the iconic Times Square. Keeping in touch with family is a priority of both of ours,Continue reading “The bright lights of New York – Times Square, The Empire State Building, Broadway & More (Days 1,2 & 3)”
First Stop – 72 Hours In Washington D.C.
On 21 April, after both testing negative for COVID-19 (thank god) we made the journey down to Heathrow and stayed in an airport hotel overnight. We were up at the crack of dawn the next day ready to catch our flight at 11:15 direct from Heathrow to Washington with British Airways. There were, of course,Continue reading “First Stop – 72 Hours In Washington D.C.”
Travelling is back on!
After 763 days, Emily and I are finally continuing with our travels! This time our planned route is a little different. For those of you that didn’t know about our original travelling itinerary, you can read about it here. We spent six amazing weeks in South Africa, India and Sri Lanka before we were forcedContinue reading “Travelling is back on!”
An Update (17/06/20)
Today marks 3 months since Emily and I landed back in Manchester after we were forced to abandon our planned 10 months away because of the Coronavirus pandemic. A lot has changed in the world, in particular with regard to the Black Lives Matter movement and with the fight against COVID since we caught anContinue reading “An Update (17/06/20)”
Sri Lanka Day 4 – 9 | Tea Picking, Train Ride & Nine Arch Bridge
You can read about my first three days in Sri Lanka by clicking here. The next day, we visited Kandy’s sacred Temple of the Tooth; picked and tasted tea from a functioning tea factory in Katukitula and took the train from Nuwara Eliya to Ella, which has been dubbed as the best journey in theContinue reading “Sri Lanka Day 4 – 9 | Tea Picking, Train Ride & Nine Arch Bridge”
Sri Lanka Day 1 – 3 | Hiking Pidurangala & Sigiriya Rock, Safari & Cooking Class
In this and the next blog post, I’ll be detailing the amazing 9 days we had in Sri Lanka. On our first day, we visited the Dambulla Caves, before climbing Pidurangala in the evening. The views of Sigiriya Rock (which we climbed the following morning) were absolutely spectacular and great for getting the ‘perfect InstagramContinue reading “Sri Lanka Day 1 – 3 | Hiking Pidurangala & Sigiriya Rock, Safari & Cooking Class”
Coronavirus halts our tour of the world
It saddens me to say, that after just 38 days of our planned nine months away, Emily and I have been forced to put our travels on hold and fly home because of the Coronavirus pandemic. It comes after our 12-day tour of Sri Lanka with One Life Adventures was cut short by three days,Continue reading “Coronavirus halts our tour of the world”
Golden Triangle – Jaipur & Pachewar
I’m going to summarise everything we’ve done in India over the past four days briefly because there’s too much to talk about! You can read about our first three days sightseeing in New Delhi by clicking here, as well as our visit to Agra and the Taj Mahal here. Over the past eight days, EmilyContinue reading “Golden Triangle – Jaipur & Pachewar”
Golden Triangle – Delhi & Agra
Admittedly, we booked onto G Adventures trip of India’s Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra & Jaipur), primarily to see the Taj Mahal – one of the Seven Wonders of the World. However, we’ve also experienced from a unique perspective what the life of a child is like growing up in India; a cafe run by femaleContinue reading “Golden Triangle – Delhi & Agra”
Sightseeing in New Delhi, India
New Delhi is a city like I’ve never experienced before. As you will know clashes have been taking place in the capital for several weeks over a new controversial new Indian citizenship law. However, we are staying in Greater Kailash, in the south of New Delhi, – well away from the riots and protests inContinue reading “Sightseeing in New Delhi, India”
Top 10 must-do activities & must-see attractions in South Africa
1. A Safari at a National Park, South Africa South Africa is home to ‘the big 5’ (African Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Lion, Leopard, and Rhinoceros. Seeing these animals (and others) roaming freely in their natural habitat, brazing, and grazing and hunting for their next prey is completely different from seeing them at the zoo. WeContinue reading “Top 10 must-do activities & must-see attractions in South Africa”
OPINION: Etihad Airways is overrated and us Brits are too nice
I’ve come to the conclusion after flying from Johannesburg to New Delhi via Abu Dhabi that Etihad Airways aren’t what they’re made out to be and that Brits are too nice. Let me explain… I’m not stereotyping all Brits, but I know I’d choose to keep quiet rather than putting someone in their place. ItContinue reading “OPINION: Etihad Airways is overrated and us Brits are too nice”
Pilanesberg National Park Safari
In this blog post, I’m going to let the pictures and videos do the talking of our incredible 4-day safari in Pilanesberg National Park. During our 4 days at The Ivory Tree Game Lodge, we went on six game drives. We managed to sight four of ‘the big five’ – the African Elephant, Cape Buffalo,Continue reading “Pilanesberg National Park Safari”
Full-Day Tour at Addo Elephant National Park with IntoTours
First and foremost, for anyone reading this article, who are planning on visiting Addo Elephant National Park, be sure to book your full-day visit with IntoTours. ‘Addo’ – as the locals call it, is South Africa’s third-biggest National Park (1,640 km²) and is home to over 600 wild African Elephants. It’s also the only park inContinue reading “Full-Day Tour at Addo Elephant National Park with IntoTours”
Stormsrivier, Tsitsikamma National Park
After a mammoth 11 hour journey on the Baz Bus, we reached our overnight hostel –Tube ‘N Axe Backpackers in Storms River in the beautiful Tsitsikamma National Park. This was the first hostel I’d ever stayed in, so it’s fair to say I was feeling fairly apprehensive. However, as soon as we arrived everyone welcomedContinue reading “Stormsrivier, Tsitsikamma National Park”
Waving goodbye to Cape Town and hello to South Africa’s Garden Route
Our time in Cape Town has come to an end after an incredible and unforgettable seven days. On our penultimate day, we went on a CitySightseeing Tour to Cape Point National Park, Cape of Good Hope and Boulders Beach. At Cape Point National Park we climbed to a lighthouse at the top of a mountain,Continue reading “Waving goodbye to Cape Town and hello to South Africa’s Garden Route”
Seals, Sunsets and Sex on the beach…
I’ve fallen in love with Cape Town and the Capetonian people. Over the past few days, we’ve travelled to Hout Bay to visit Seal Island; watched the sunset from Signal Hill; visited Nelson Mandela’s prison cell on Robben Island and sipped cocktails on Camps Bay overlooking Lions Head. For anyone visiting the Mother City, I’dContinue reading “Seals, Sunsets and Sex on the beach…”