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Wandering the World

Stories and tips from around the world.

Tag: travel

Found 345 posts.

Hauteville House

Guernsey Day 4

To finish the stay in Guernsey, I'd got a tour booked for Hauteville house - the former Guernsey home of Victor Hugo whilst he was in exile from Napoleon. With that done I'd then be flying home to Gatwick.

May 17, 2022

Little Chapel made from pieces of ceramic

Guernsey Day 3

Not being content with going around the island once on foot, today I went around it by bike to see things I'd missed. It rained a few times during the day, but still got to see everything I wanted to.

May 16, 2022

LEGO Minifigures with medals

Guernsey Day 2

This was a race I'd been waiting a long time to do, and it was one of the highlights of a really nice weekend away seeing friends. Sure there was rain, but there was sun as well. There was just the 'small' matter of running 36 miles, 16 of which would be going up and down cliffs with lots of steps. Sounds like a challenge!

May 15, 2022

Guernsey

It’s been quite a journey getting to Guernsey. Usually I’ll know where I’m going overseas at least a year in advance. Unusually, for 2020 I had no idea where to go. I’d been wanting to visit Chile and Easter Island for a couple of years, but the friend I’d agreed to go there with was unable to. When it got to the point in 2019 when I’d seen people tweeting about how good an ultra marathon in Guer …

May 3, 2022

Cyprus

Half-way into my trip, the rules for foreign travel changed, and on that Sunday I found myself having to book a PCR test for Day 2 instead of the LFT I'd already received. It then took until Thursday, the day after returning home, for the company to post my PCR, and I received it the following afternoon by DHL. I took the test straightaway, and my parents took it to the priority postbox as require …

December 11, 2021

Rainbow over Amathus

Cyprus Day 8

My time in Cyprus, for now, had come to an end. It was strange to know I'd be back in a few months time. Pandemic permitting.

December 1, 2021

Flamingoes on Larnaca Salt Lake

Cyprus Day 7

For my final full day in Cyprus I took the bus to Larnaca to see what I could find there.

November 30, 2021

Cyprus Day 6

I covered over 18 miles on foot today, not having realised it'd be a long hike between two of the sights. Time tables for busses were against me as well, and it left me wondering whether I'd manage to see everything I wanted to.

November 29, 2021

Amathus

Cyprus Day 5

I took the bus to Amathus, and then hired a bike to cycle around the far side of the salt lake to Akrotiri, and then back.

November 28, 2021

Limassol Old Port

Cyprus Day 4

This was a slow day with the only goal to get from Paphos to Limassol using the Intercity bus. Anything else would be a bonus.

November 27, 2021

Paphos - Tombs of the Kings

Cyprus Day 3

Today I covered twenty miles on foot, seeing all of the sights in Paphos that I could find. It was a warm day too, but I managed to stay hydrated, took my time when I could, and tried to take it all in.

November 26, 2021

Omodos - Monastery of the Holy Cross

Cyprus Day 2

Today I took a tour bus that started in the flooded streets of Paphos, and finished up in the Troodos Mountains, visiting villages and waterfalls.

November 25, 2021

Paphos from the air

Cyprus Day 1

My adventure in Cyprus started off traveling from Luton to Paphos, and from there preparing for the next few days whilst also squeezing in a run to continue the 567 day runstreak.

November 24, 2021

Cyprus

A month after getting back from a trip around Germany, I was now starting to think about my upcoming trip to Cyprus, and making sure I had everything I needed for this to go smoothly and be enjoyable.

November 16, 2021

Germany

I may not have needed a COVID-19 test to return to the UK, but the rules as they were at the time meant that I needed a PCR test 2 days after arriving back. It feels like I'm one of the few people that have never had any sort of COVID-19 test, as since March 2020 I've stayed mostly a home, and haven't had many opportunities to come across people. Of course, going to Germany changed that, and so tw …

October 8, 2021

Hamburg - Miniatur Wunderland

Germany Day 12

The end of the trip had arrived, with a tour of the Miniatur Wunderland.

October 5, 2021

Cologne

Germany Day 11

Today I'd get to explore Cologne, and Drachenfels. It was potentially a very busy day, which had to run to schedule due to a four hour train journey at the end.

October 4, 2021

Trier

Germany Day 10

Sometimes things don't go to plan and you just have to deal with it, and have different adventures as a result.

October 3, 2021

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Germany Day 9

The time had come to leave Munich and too see more of the places Germany had to offer, starting with Rothenburg and then Frankfurt.

October 2, 2021

Obersalzberg

Germany Day 8

Whilst places aren't evil, sometimes the evil actions of despicable people taint those places. Obersalzberg is one of those places that I felt needed to be seen whilst I was in the area.

October 1, 2021

Neuschwanstein Castle

Germany Day 7

Today was all about the building projects of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, starting off with Linderhof, and moving on to the magnificent Neuschwanstein Castle.

September 30, 2021

Dachau Concentration Camp

Germany Day 6

Today I moved on from Leipzig, to Munich and visited the horrific site of the Dachau Concentration Camp. This was then followed by exploring Munich, and trying some more German food.

September 29, 2021

Colditz Castle

Germany Day 5

Today I'd be visiting Colditz Castle, but it was a trek to get there. Could everything possibly fall into place and go according to plan? Only time would tell…

September 28, 2021

Bastion Bridge

Germany Day 4

Now the railway journey could begin, starting by travelling to Dresden, exploring there, and taking a train to Kurort-Rathen to hike up to Bastion Bridge. Just what you want the day after doing 40 miles on foot.

September 27, 2021

Berlin Marathon Finisher

Germany Day 3

At last the Berlin Marathon was about to start, a race that for months I wondered if it would actually happen. Question is, how would the heatwave we were forecast affect it?

September 26, 2021

Flughafen Tempelhof

Germany Day 2

Today I needed to collect my race number, and the rest of the day would be for relaxing... or not.

September 25, 2021

Germany Day 1

My first trip since the pandemic started, today would mostly be about seeing how travel has changed, and getting to my destination: Berlin.

September 24, 2021

KLM at Schipol

Amsterdam Day 6

Before flying home, I was off to see what had been the house where holocaust victim Anne Frank had hidden before her and her family were murdered towards the end of the second world war.

October 23, 2019

Rental bike locked up at Muiderslot

Amsterdam Day 5

It was time to travel the way Amsterdam is famous for - by bike. I wasn't one to cycle around the city though - for me it was a chance to get out through the countryside to Muiden and Naarden.

October 22, 2019

Royal Palace

Amsterdam Day 4

My purpose for being in the country was over - now it was time to explore in earnest.

October 21, 2019

TCS Amsterdam Marathon finishers medal

Amsterdam Day 3

The race in which I hoped to redeem myself after having an awful spring marathon. With legs that could not climb stairs the day before, could it still work out after four months of hard training?

October 20, 2019

Zaanse Schans

Amsterdam Day 2

I'd hope to have an easy day on my feet, but they were already aching considerably. By the end of the day I'd be limping my way back to the hotel having overdone it. Not great marathon prep

October 19, 2019

Amsterdam Marathon Expo

Amsterdam Day 1

The start of another adventure and the last days before my final marathon of 2019. My main priority for the day, beyond checking in, was collecting my race number.

October 18, 2019

Amsterdam

My next adventure is about to begin - a few days of exploring on foot and bike around the city of Amsterdam, and doing the marathon whilst I'm there.

October 8, 2019

Malawi

Anyone visiting Malawi is supposed to have a test for Bilharzia on return to the UK. I had no idea how troublesome that would prove to be…

April 16, 2019

Ruakuri caves

New Zealand Days 18-19

It takes a long time to get from Auckland to Leicester. Shame it was without sleep.

February 17, 2019

Champagne Pool of Wai-o-tapu

New Zealand Day 16

Another thermal park in the Rotorua geothermal area, this time with lakes

February 15, 2019

The Tongariro Crossing

New Zealand Day 14

After visiting Hobbiton we'd moved on to the Tongariro crossing where we\'d be passing Mount Doom. Though it wouldn't go to plan

February 13, 2019

Bag End, Hobbiton

New Zealand Day 13

They've take the Hobbits to Isengard! Actually, no - we were in Hobbiton and then visited Huka Falls and Craters of the Moon.

February 12, 2019

Te Puia - Performing the haka

New Zealand Day 12

A Maori cultural experience in a thermal park in Rotorua

February 11, 2019

Karangahake Gorge

New Zealand Day 11

Back on the north island we then started with the Coromandel Peninsula before heading inland.

February 10, 2019

Landing on the Tasman Glacier

New Zealand Day 10

A helicopter ride, landing on a glacier, a boat ride to icebergs, and then a long drive north to Christchurch to stay in a jailhouse.

February 9, 2019

Lindis Pass

New Zealand Day 9

Arriving back on dry land we hired a car and drove north to Twizel.

February 8, 2019

View of Doubtful Sound from a hilltop

New Zealand Day 8

Back in the Fiordland National Park to see Doubtful Sound - not as good as Milford.

February 7, 2019

Helicopter and seaplane

New Zealand Day 7

After arriving back in Te Anau from Milford Sound we\'d got an afternoon visiting the glow worm caves.

February 6, 2019

Milford trail, near sandfly point

New Zealand Day 6

Last time we were here our tour was turned around by a tree blocking the Milford Road - would we get there this time?

February 5, 2019

Lake Wakatipu

New Zealand Day 5

Not lingering in Auckland long, we headed to Queenstown on the south island for the start of some tours

February 4, 2019

One Tree Hill

New Zealand Day 4

Starting the trip off with a 16 mile run, and 15 miles of walking to explore downtown Auckland.

February 3, 2019

Singapore airport (SIN)

New Zealand Days 2-3

Twenty four hours of flying, three hours layover, and getting to and from airports. It was a long weekend continuing the journey to Auckland.

February 1, 2019

New Zealand Day 1

Who'd have thought a journey to a hotel near London Heathrow could be eventful?

January 31, 2019

New Zealand

Preparing for a return to New Zealand - nine years after the original trip. This time there'd be more opportunities to explore

January 25, 2019

Snow

Switzerland Day 6

A flight delayed by snow, an emergency ascent during landing, baggage collection issues, and then a broken down train - was I ever going to make it into central London and eventually home?

January 5, 2019

Dusk in Zurich

Switzerland Day 5

A day seeing Lake Zurich, a couple of churches (one with a view), and a museum.

January 4, 2019

Geneva Train station

Switzerland Day 4

Finishing off exploration of Geneva, and then taking the train to Zurich

January 3, 2019

United Nations Office of Geneva with flags of member nations on flagpoles in front

Switzerland Day 3

A day spent looking at everything we could find to see in Geneva

January 2, 2019

Christmas lights in Geneva

Switzerland Day 2

I arrived in Geneva, explored a little, and soon found out just how expensive Switzerland is

January 1, 2019

Christmas at Tiffany's

Switzerland Day 1

As 2018 drew to a close I headed down to London to start a new adventure

December 31, 2018

Switzerland

My friend, James, was back in the UK for Christmas, and the new year. His easiest route back to Canada was going to be via Zürich in Switzerland. As it was a place neither of us had visited, he invited me to join him for a short stay starting in Geneva - and taking a train from there. Whilst I was in Canada after the Chicago Marathon, we booked the hotels; having booked the flights during the sum …

December 30, 2018

Chicago Days 10-12

There comes a time in every trip when you’re ready to go home - under normal circumstances this would have been on the day of or the day after the last day of sightseeing. Not this time though - to avoid wasting annual leave I’d decided I’d work remotely for one day so I could then fly home over the weekend. One advantage of having awoken early each day of this trip, is that when it came to worki …

October 12, 2018

Aviation and Space museum

Chicago Day 9

On the way back from Ottawa we stopped by the aviation museum, and Diefenbunker - both gave very different views of Canada's history.

October 11, 2018

View of Ottawa from the Peace Tower

Chicago Day 8

We had one full day in Ottawa to see as much as we could. We started with a free tour of Parliament Hill, and moved on to Rideau Hall and a museum in Quebec.

October 10, 2018

Fallen red maple leaf

Chicago Day 7

We travelled from Toronto to Ottawa, and used what little remained of the day to see some of the sights on foot whilst the sun was shining.

October 9, 2018

Chicago Day 6

I didn’t need to worry about breakfast - I’d bought it on my way back to the hotel the night before. This meant I could get up a little later, have breakfast, and then finish packing before heading to the train station to get to the airport. At least in theory, but I found myself awake before 06:00 once again. Rather than flying straight home as I often would, I was on my way to Canada to rejoin …

October 8, 2018

Chicago Marathon 2018 finishers medal

Chicago Day 5

The wettest marathon I've ever done, but also my fastest WMM to date even if not my fastest overall. It'd been quite the experience, and one I wouldn't be forgetting quickly

October 7, 2018

Chicago

Chicago Day 4

A day of relaxing and relatively little walking ahead of marathon day

October 6, 2018

Treadmill running

Chicago Day 3

The focus for the day was collecting my race number, but it still left time to visit the Field Museum, Adler Planetarium, and the aquarium

October 5, 2018

Twilight from the Willis Tower

Chicago Day 2

The first full day in Chicago was spent walking to the Science museum, boarding a German U-boat, and waiting in a queue for over an hour at the top of the Willis Tower.

October 4, 2018

Flying in to Chicago

Chicago Day 1

A new adventure begins with a flight to Chicago

October 3, 2018

Chicago

Once upon a time I was given the chance to live and work in the city of Chicago. I tried to figure things out quickly, hoping to make it a smooth as possible - I looked at bank accounts that would allow easy access to money from overseas, and I even bought a new coat that would keep out the windchill of the city supposedly famous for its winds (although this is not actually what the moniker means) …

October 1, 2018

Ljubljana

Dalmatian Coast Day 16

The end of our adventure had arrived. However, we still had enough time to look around Ljubljana castle first…

September 2, 2018

Bled

Dalmatian Coast Day 15

No plans for the day, lots of heavy rain, and encountering the Bled Triathlon before taking a taxi to Ljubljana

September 1, 2018

Vintgar Gorge

Dalmatian Coast Day 14

For our first full day in Slovenia we decided to take the bus to Vintgar Gorge - a place our parents had recommended to us from their visit 36 years before

August 31, 2018

Lake Bled and the Castle

Dalmatian Coast Day 13

We left from Pula, and stopped by Rovinj on our way out of Croatia. By the time we\'d crossed the border into Slovenia it was cloudy and wet; but we'd soon be in Bled

August 30, 2018

Inside the Pula arena

Dalmatian Coast Day 12

Leaving the lakes of Plitvice behind us, we arrived in the Italian influenced city of Pula for our last day in Croatia.

August 29, 2018

Waterfalls in Plitvice National Park

Dalmatian Coast Day 11

Another day, another place to see - we travelled from Zadar to Grabovac and spent the afternoon hiking around the lakes and waterfalls of Plitvice National Park.

August 28, 2018

Pag cheese

Dalmatian Coast Day 10

After a wet day in Zadar, we had a warm but extremely windy day on Pag Island to visit one of their cheese manufacturing places.

August 27, 2018

Church of Saint Donat, Zadar

Dalmatian Coast Day 9

We left Split behind us and took a coach to Zadar - one of the oldest populated cities in Croatia, but one which had been bombed to the ground by the Allies in WW2. With the change in group, came a change in the weather.

August 26, 2018

Klis Fortress

Dalmatian Coast Day 8

With our group now in pieces, a few of us continued the tour with a private bus to Klis, Salona, and Trogir. It was also time to be introduced to the new group…

August 25, 2018

Split

Dalmatian Coast Day 7

Arriving in Split was the beginning of the end for our group. We'd each be going our separate ways. First we'd got time to explore, and have one last group meal.

August 24, 2018

On the speedboat

Dalmatian Coast Day 6

We hired a speed boat for the day so we could see Vis, and the blue caves on Biševo.

August 23, 2018

Hvar and the Pakleni Islands

Dalmatian Coast Day 5

Leaving Korčula Island behind us, we arrived on Hvar ready to continue exploring. Just there wasn't that much to see…

August 22, 2018

Vela Spilja

Dalmatian Coast Day 4

There was nothing else to see, so we took a public bus across the island to see Vela Spilja - just above the town of Vela Luka.

August 21, 2018

Korčula old town, seen from the ferry

Dalmatian Coast Day 3

After seeing everything Dubrovnik had to offer we moved on to Korčula's old town, visiting Ston and the Matusko Winery along the way.

August 20, 2018

Rooftops of Dubrovnik's Old Town

Dalmatian Coast Day 2

On our first full day in the country, we filled the day with sightseeing in the old town to make sure we'd seen as much as possible. Everywhere we went there were ghosts of Game of Thrones…

August 19, 2018

Taking a cable car in Dubrovnik

Dalmatian Coast Day 1

An early start turned into a long day, but with fun sightseeing around the old town in Dubrovnik.

August 18, 2018

Dalmatian Coast

Preparing for a trip across two European countries with my sister, with the travel between places to be organised by a third-party. All we needed to do ourselves was to decide what we'd see, and how to get from Bled to Ljubljana at the end of the trip. This time we'd both be travelling light.

August 14, 2018

Airbus A300 waiting in Johannesburg international airport

Malawi Days 8-9

Another adventure over, all that remained was to go home - a journey lasting over thirty hours.

May 27, 2018

Malawi Marathon medal

Malawi Day 7

An incredible day of running around the warm heart of Africa. It was an experience like no other and race that was constantly changing as the day and terrain continued.

May 26, 2018

Malawi - Beach with palm trees

Malawi Day 6

After a busy week of volunteering in Nkope we had a day off to relax and prepare for the marathon that was still ahead of us.

May 25, 2018

Children assembling to play sports

Malawi Day 5

This was the day I thought may prove to be the most challenging - putting on a sports day for hundreds of Malawian children. As it turned out, the day went well and I think a lot of fun was had by all.

May 24, 2018

Smoke raises from a field

Malawi Day 4

Our second day of work had us planting trees, clearing fields, and building fuel efficient stoves.

May 23, 2018

Women carrying baskets on their heads as they walk through yellow grad

Malawi Day 3

Our first day of volunteering involved building a school, and fitting bins.

May 22, 2018

Malawi - Flying into Lilongwe

Malawi Days 1-2

The journey from Leicester to London, to Johannesburg and then finally to Lilongwe and Nkope.

May 20, 2018

Malawi

Notes about my preparation for a week of volunteering and a marathon in Africa's warm heart - Malawi.

May 15, 2018

How I Plan My Trips

Planning trips can take a lot of work, and sometimes it may feel like you\'re forgetting things. I find that by using a spreadsheet I can be prepared enough without losing the spontaneity of finding new things whilst you're there. In this post I go into detail about how I plan my trips.

May 3, 2018

A photograph of money

What does travel cost?

Travel overseas can be expensive, but is it always? What does a typical trip cost compared to a more economical one such as in Europe?

April 27, 2018

Kasbah of the Udayas

Morocco Day 10

Today would be split between having one last look around Rabat, and getting back to Marrakesh for my eventual flight home.

November 11, 2017

Hassan Tower

Morocco Day 9

Today I took the train to Rabat, and began seeing the sights there

November 10, 2017

El Badi Palace

Morocco Day 8

My time in the mountains was over, and now was the time for exploring the history of Marrakesh.

November 9, 2017

Mount Toubkal

Morocco Day 7

The entire day was spent in the Kasbah, I felt I could have used the day better elsewhere - but it was nice to relax a little too.

November 8, 2017

Kasbah du Toubkal

Morocco Day 6

Today was the last day of hiking, to get from Imska to the Kasbah du Toubkal where we'd rest for a day.

November 7, 2017

Hiking to Imska

Morocco Day 5

I was burning in the sun now, but had miles to hike before there'd be any break from the sun.

November 6, 2017

Atlas Mountains Football pitch

Morocco Day 4

The hike from Tizgui to Tiziane was one of the warmest yet, and this combined with the shifting ground underneath, green even though it wasn't grass, made it hard.

November 5, 2017

Muleteer and Mule

Morocco Day 3

Strong winds meant Mount Toubkal would not be safe to climb, but today we'd be hiking from Tizi Oussem to Tizgui.

November 4, 2017

Hiking in the Atlas Mountains

Morocco Day 2

Our journey across the Atlas Mountains had begun at last, starting in Imlil we'd be spending the night in Tizi Oussem.

November 3, 2017

Flying in to Morocco

Morocco Day 1

A comfortable journey to Morocco, before a week of being on my feet.

November 2, 2017

Morocco

Ten years since my trip to Egypt, I'd be returning to the northern part of Africa to visit Maroc.

October 25, 2017

Utah Day 14 & 15

Despite our efforts for a smooth journey home, mine would not quite go to plan.

April 16, 2017

A man skiing on a snow slope in SLC

Utah Day 13

Today was about getting to Salt Lake City, and seeing the sights there.

April 15, 2017

Kolob Canyon

Utah Day 12

Having run out of sights in Zion early, we went off looking for more places to see

April 14, 2017

Zion Sand Beach Trail

Utah Day 11

We'd pretty much exhausted all there was to see in Zion, but spent the day making sure we'd not missed anything.

April 13, 2017

Zion Canyon National Park

Utah Day 10

Today we travelled from Bryce Canyon to Zion Canyon.

April 12, 2017

Bryce Canyon

Utah Day 9

A day spent exploring Bryce Canyon

April 11, 2017

Bryce Canyon

Utah Day 8

Today we'd be hiking around Bryce Canyon

April 10, 2017

Salt Lake City

Utah Day 7

For our first full day in Utah it was time to leave the snow of Salt Lake City behind us, and head into the sands of Arches National Park

April 9, 2017

The Golden Gate Bridge

Utah Day 6

After the events of the previous night, it was a sombre feeling to the start of the day, but we tried to continue on with the plans for the day before moving on to Utah.

April 8, 2017

Alcatraz

Utah Day 5

This was our day for exploring San Francisco, but it would be a day that neither of us would forget on our return from Alcatraz.

April 7, 2017

Yosemite

Utah Day 4

After a few last sights in Yosemite, it was time for a long drive to San Francisco during a heavy thunderstorm.

April 6, 2017

Yosemite Point

Utah Day 3

Today we spent the day hiking up to Yosemite Point

April 5, 2017

El Capitan, Yosemite National Park

Utah Day 2

The first day in California was in Yosemite National Park, one of the most picturesque parts of the USA I've visited

April 4, 2017

Utah Day 1

A very long day of travelling, and eventually arriving at a hotel in California

April 3, 2017

Utah

When planning for Arizona I’d come up with the idea of a road trip from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park, and then down into Nevada. The first two places were about the only parts of California I’d not visited after having been to the state first for Comic Con, and then later for a Big Sur road trip. There were a few National Parks in Utah that one of my friends wanted to visit as well so c …

March 26, 2017

Mount Everest

Nepal Day 14

The trip was over, but with a bit of luck I could fit in one last sight...

December 3, 2016

Monkeys

Nepal Day 13

It was going to be a long drive all the way back to Kathmandu...

December 2, 2016

Indian Elephants

Nepal Day 12

Today was mostly about seeing more wildlife, and a cultural show.

December 1, 2016

Rhino

Nepal Day 11

Today we'd be heading closer to the Indian border than we'd been so far, and was hoping to start seeing more wildlife.

November 30, 2016

Annapurna

Nepal Day 10

Today we hiked to the Australian basecamp for Anapurna before breakfast, and then headed to Pokhara for some paragliding.

November 29, 2016

Nepal Day 9

A delay in waiting for a group from another company would cause other delays, and problems for the rest of the day. It was however all part of the adventure.

November 28, 2016

Monkey

Nepal Day 8

We all now had to part ways, and head to wherever we would be going next. For me it was back to Kathmandu before a week of adventure.

November 27, 2016

Running the Nepal Marathon

Nepal Day 7

The time had come. Today was the Nepal International Marathon - likely to be the hardest race I'd do.

November 26, 2016

Stupa in Kakani

Nepal Day 6

Today was a free day to spend however we wanted, so my plan was to go find things to photograph.

November 25, 2016

Night over Nepal

Nepal Day 5

The end of our volunteer work, could we finish the pipeline in time?

November 24, 2016

Volunteers in Nepal

Nepal Day 4

Today was our first day of digging a water pipeline for the village we were staying outside of.

November 23, 2016

Clean up Nepal

Nepal Day 3

Today we all went off to work on projects, and then met up afterwards headed up into the mountains, to the athlete's village at the scout hut in Kakani.

November 22, 2016

Kathmandu

Nepal Days 1-2

As soon as I arrived in Kathmandu I headed out by myself to explore what I could before the busy week ahead.

November 20, 2016

Nepal

At the end of 2015 an opportunity arose for 2016 as I heard about a new marathon by Impact Marathon Series which aimed to bring aid to Nepal following their recent earthquake. When abroad I usually do some training runs, but so far I hadn’t had the opportunity to race. As this was a country I’d not yet visited, after asking a few questions I decided to go ahead and enter. This started off as bein …

November 7, 2016

Phoenix, AZ

Arizona Days 8 & 9

We were back in Phoenix, and would soon be on our way home from this grand adventure.

October 8, 2016

The Grand Canyon

Arizona Day 7

One of the most memorable things my Grandma had done before she died was to fly over the Grand Canyon. Now me and my sister were about to do the same.

October 7, 2016

Monument Valley

Arizona Day 6

I had hoped to go for a morning run whilst in Kayenta, but at the time I’d need to go out, even for a short 5K run, it would have been in complete darkness. As I didn’t have my head-torch on me I had no choice but to miss another run. We went for breakfast at 06:30 so that we could get to the Monument Valley visitor centre around the opening time. The problem though is that the restaurant didn’t …

October 6, 2016

Mesa Verde

Arizona Day 5

We'd got most of the day to see one sight in Colorado, and then get back into Arizona for an overnight stay near Utah.

October 5, 2016

Painted Desert

Arizona Day 4

We'd got the meteor crater, petrified forest, and painted desert to see before a long drive into Colorado.

October 4, 2016

Titan II Missile

Arizona Day 3

Today was a journey north to see a mission, a missile, and to cover some of Route 66.

October 3, 2016

Tombstone

Arizona Day 2

Our first proper day of sightseeing was south to Tombstone and the OK Corral

October 2, 2016

Oreo Cheesecake

Arizona Day 1

It was a long flight to Phoenix, AZ, but there my sister and I would be meeting up with one of my friends for a roadtrip.

October 1, 2016

Arizona

After going with my sister to New York City in 2014 we agreed that we’d have another trip to the states the following year. To start with this plan was for a short trip to Florida so we could go to Disney World, and the John F. Kennedy Space Center. With news that Disney had bought Lucasfilm and would be creating a new “Star Wars Land” there we decide we’d delay the trip and instead go to Arizona. …

September 27, 2016

Russia Day 16

It was an early start – the earliest one of the trip. As our flight was at 06:05 we needed to be on the road by 03:00. The hotel did however provide a packed lunch for us to take with us for breakfast, though it was still quite an early one. As is usual for Russian airports we had to have our bags x-rayed on entering the airport, and then after clearing passport control having hand luggage scanne …

June 5, 2016

Novodevichy Convent

Russia Day 15

The final full day in Russia - we'd be seeing the waxy-like body of Lenin, and other sights surrounding death.

June 4, 2016

St. Basils Cathedral

Russia Day 14

Back in Moscow, was an accident about to ruin the remainder of the trip?

June 3, 2016

Irkutsk

Russia Day 13

Arriving back in Irkutsk, we now had the rest of the day to explore - with nothing much really to see.

June 2, 2016

Trans-Siberian Express

Russia Day 12

An entire day spent on the Trans-Siberian Express

June 1, 2016

Golden Buddha

Russia Day 11

Today we got to explore Ulaanbaatar, and saw the tallest indoor statue in the world.

May 31, 2016

Winter Palace of Bogd Khan

Russia Day 10

The main sight today, was getting to see the Winter Palace of Bogd Khan, and a cultural performance in the evening.

May 30, 2016

Mongolian Ger

Russia Day 9

Today we'd have a different experience, instead of sleeping on a train, we'd be sleeping in a ger in the Mongolian steppe.

May 29, 2016

Lake Baikal

Russia Day 8

Boarding the Trans-Siberian Express, we began our overnight journey to Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia.

May 28, 2016

Listvyanka

Russia Day 7

Today we saw the wooden buildings of the 'Taltsy Museum of Wooden Architecture and Ethnography' in the pouring rain, and visited Listvyanka and Lake Bailkal.

May 27, 2016

Irkutsk - Eternal flame

Russia Day 6

It was colder in Siberia, but this was our boarding point for the Trans-Siberian Railway - of course we'd need to explore here a bit first.

May 26, 2016

Moscow - Red Square

Russia Day 5

Awaking as we arrived in Moscow, it was then a day of sightseeing before needing to fly to Siberia.

May 25, 2016

St. Petersburg - Peterhof

Russia Day 4

Today we visited Peterhof, a palace nicknamed as the Russian Versailles. The day then ended with taking the train to Moscow.

May 24, 2016

St. Petersburg - Summer Palace

Russia Day 3

Yesterday we'd seen the Winter Palace, and today we were going out into the countryside to see the Summer Palace, one which looked to be inspired by French architecture.

May 23, 2016

St. Petersburg - Winter Palace

Russia Day 2

Today the organised part of our tour began with the Winter Palace. The afternoon would then be self-guided, seeing the other sights in St. Petersburg such as the Peter and Paul Fortress.

May 22, 2016

St. Petersburg

Russia Day 1

We started off this trip as we meant to go on - cramming it with sightseeing as we saw some of the sights of Saint Petersburg whilst going out looking for somewhere to eat.

May 21, 2016

California Day 8/9

It was a restless night – with so much noise around the hotel it meant it was difficult to sleep. At around 04:30 there were loud banging noises that sounded like large metal containers being moved. Eventually though it was time to get up and head to the airport, having had only 3 to 4 hours of sleep at best. Due to how early we were leaving it meant having breakfast at the airport – fortunately …

November 13, 2015

San Andreas faultline

California Day 7

We were at our southernmost point of the trip and now had to drive all the way back to San Jose for the end of the trip.

November 12, 2015

Space Shuttle Endeavour

California Day 6

Today I'd be getting to see a space shuttle, and also travelling out to Joshua Tree

November 11, 2015

A person sitting on a coach on the set of a coffee shop from Friends

California Day 5

The focus of today was a tour of the Warner Brothers film studios

November 10, 2015

Carpenteria Beach

California Day 4

We needed to be out early as today we'd be having a surfing lesson in Santa Monica

November 9, 2015

Big Sur

California Day 3

A second day on Big Sur, we explored some more of the state parks along the route.

November 8, 2015

A bridge crossing a ravine with the sea in the background

California Day 2

Today we hired a car and began the drive south along Big Sur.

November 7, 2015

California Roadtrip Day 1

It was an early start to the day, so early in fact that not only could I not get a lift to the airport, but there wasn’t a train running either. My only choice was to take a 05:30 taxi to the airport, and that was probably slightly later than I should have really. The taxi turned up late, but I was still at the airport in plenty of time to drop off my bags. Even though I’d checked in online and ha …

November 6, 2015

California Roadtrip

It was time to plan a new adventure, one which this time would involve driving around the USA

October 27, 2015

A dinosaur skeleton in Chicago O'Hare airport

USA 2015 Day 8/9

It was time for me to go home, even if that meant a six hour wait in Ireland without being able to leave the airport.

July 23, 2015

Wayne water tower

USA 2015 Day 7

Today was my last day of business, and would end with me heading to Nebraska for my eventual flight home.

July 22, 2015

A wide road with shops either side, and a small theatre.

USA 2015 Day 6

Today was a long drive to see another customer, this time in Wayne, Nebraska

July 21, 2015

Liberty Monument, Missouri

USA 2015 Day 5

Today I was back working, and would be staying in Kansas, but also crossing over the state line into Missouri

July 20, 2015

River walk, San Antonio

USA 2015 Day 4

After a terrible night of sleep, I travelled back into town to see The Alamo, and the river walk.

July 19, 2015

Star Trek Galileo Shuttlecraft prop

USA 2015 Day 3

The majority of the day was spent at the space centre, and ended with my journey to San Antonio to discover a hotel disaster.

July 18, 2015

Tyler Junior College

USA 2015 Day 2

Today was the first of the days I was working for, but as soon as I was done I was then on my way to Houston for the start of the weekend.

July 17, 2015

USA 2015 Day 1

For the first time since 2009 it was a business trip that would be taking me abroad. Whereas previously I had gone with a couple of other colleagues, this time I was flying to the US alone. Due to the number of weekends I had busy over the course of the year it meant the only way I could fit in this trip was to fly out mid-week, but this did also mean I’d have some downtime at the weekend to use f …

July 16, 2015

NYC - Grand Central Station

New York 2014 Day 3

We did some more exploring of the city, with the aim to be done in time to watch the Rock of Ages performance on Broadway.

October 6, 2014

The statue of liberty in NYC

New York 2014 Day 2

For our first full day in the city, we started off with visiting the Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island before working our way up from there. To start with though, I'd got around twenty miles to run for marathon training...

October 5, 2014

New York 2014 Day 1

A new adventure had begun, with my sister in tow, to the Big Apple. We'd planned on seeing so many sights and would need to figure out the best way to see them all whilst exploring.

October 4, 2014

New York

After visiting North America for the first time to attend San Diego Comic Con International in 2013, one of the biggest conventions of it’s type in the world, I was left wanting to visit America again. The previous visit was a great experience and I was keen to visit San Diego Comic Con again. Unfortunately the friends I went with didn’t want to go a second year running so I decided it would be a …

September 30, 2014

Weymouth Day 7

I got up at 06:30 to go for one last run along the coast. This one was once again a 20 minute easy paced run which ended up becoming a 25 minute run — just enough to make it a 5K at a slowish pace (probably fairer to say it was half way between easy and race paces). This morning though it was cloudy and damp following the previous night’s thunderstorms so there wasn’t as good a view. Today we did …

July 18, 2014

Weymouth Day 6

Today I got up at 06:30 expecting to get ready for a day trip over to Guernsey. To make sure we’d get there my Mum who has on occasion had travel difficulties saw the Doctor to help with her nerves, and also brought a hip flask of brandy with her. However, she hadn’t used the medication she’d been given or the drank the brandy; she instead felt that she couldn’t go on the trip. I did wonder how mu …

July 17, 2014

Weymouth Day 5

Up to this point I’d not slept that well, yet hadn’t been overly tired. So once again I was already awake when I got up at 06:30 to go for a run. This was supposed to be a 20 minute easy run, but instead turned into a 5K easy run (so about 27 mins, a 5K in 20 minutes would be my race pace and setting a new PB). Instead of running purely along the coastline this time I ran through some of the city …

July 16, 2014

Weymouth Day 4

Today was the first run of the second week of marathon training so I got up at 06:30, before the others had gotten up and went out without making any noise. This time it was a very slow recovery run for what was supposed to be 25 minutes. Instead of heading across the promenade and into the city I instead went east towards where the market was the day before. Sadly this route included a particula …

July 15, 2014

Weymouth Day 3

We got up at 07:00 and by 08:30 we were out on the road headed in the direction of Dorchester and went straight through to Cerne Abbas. In this village there is a giant carved into the limestone rock though it’s origin is not entirely known. There is speculation that it may be an ancient carving of Hercules, or a Saxon (or other) deity. What sheds some doubt on it’s age though is that it is not me …

July 14, 2014

Weymouth Day 2

I got up at 06:30, particularly early for a Sunday, so I could go for a “long” run before breakfast. I decided to take it at a very slow pace along the seafront. This route took me over the bridge to where we’d walked the day before. The run felt easy and I didn’t have any knee issues during the actual run. Later in the day though I did feel the odd twinge in my knee when going down hill. When I’ …

July 13, 2014

Weymouth Day 1

We got up at 06:30ish and straight after breakfast started loading the car up ready for our holiday down in Weymouth. By 07:30 we were on the road heading south. One of our stops was at Uffington to see the Bronze-age white horse carved in chalk on the side of the hill there, and to have a cup of tea. It’s not that easy to see properly though as it’s at an angle where seeing it from the air would …

July 12, 2014

Antarctica Day 23

Our final day of the trip would end with a flight to Madrid, but first we wanted to see the theatre.

January 19, 2014

The interior of a gaol

Antarctica Day 22

Today we visited Ushuaia Prison, and flew back to Buenos Aires.

January 18, 2014

Antarctica Day 21

The voyage was almost over, we would soon be approaching Ushuaia once more.

January 17, 2014

Sunset at Drakes Passage

Antarctica Day 20

The expedition was almost at an end, and we were heading for Drake's Passage

January 16, 2014

Wilhelmina Bay

Antarctica Day 19

Our third day at the peninsula involved Wilhelmina Bay

January 15, 2014

Weddell Seal

Antarctica Day 18

Our second day around the peninsula included a visit to Half Moon Island, and taking a plunge in Antarctica waters. Brrrrr

January 14, 2014

Adelie Penguins on Antarctica

Antarctica Day 17

This was the day. Today we would be stepping foot on the Antarctic Peninsula. The final continent for so many of us.

January 13, 2014

Snow settling on an orange lifeboat with ice and snowy rocks across the water

Antarctica Day 16

We'd arrived at the South Shetland Islands, but the conditions were bad enough to stay onboard. We'd soon be against the clock.

January 12, 2014

Antarctica Day 14

For the first time in a while, it was another day spent entirely at sea

January 10, 2014

King Penguins

Antarctica Day 13

Today we visited what is sometimes referred to as 'Penguin City'

January 9, 2014

Juvenile King Penguins

Antarctica Day 12

Today we went ashore at Fortuna Bay and saw plenty of penguins.

January 8, 2014

Shackleton Hike

Antarctica Day 11

We started the day hiking some of the route that Ernest Shackleton once did, and then learnt about the whaling history of Grytviken.

January 7, 2014

King Penguins

Antarctica Day 10

Today we arrived at South Georgia and made our first landfall.

January 6, 2014

Petrel flying

Antarctica Day 9

Over night we had crossed the Antarctic convergence and into the Antarctic circumpolar current. Another day at sea, but it would not be long before we'd arrive at South Georgia.

January 5, 2014

Juvenile Wandering Albratross

Antarctica Day 8

Today we had to find things to fill our day with - it was spent entirely at sea

January 4, 2014

Magellanic Penguins building a nest

Antarctica Day 7

We went ashore again at Port Stanley and saw coastal defences, and penguins.

January 3, 2014

Black-browed Albatross close-up

Antarctica Day 6

Our first stop on the expedition was on the Falklands.

January 2, 2014

Champagne Glass saying "Happy New Year Plancius 2013/4"

Antarctica Day 5

At last we were onboard the Plancius, and the journey had begun in earnest. From now until the day we made our final landfall we would be spending a lot of time at sea.

January 1, 2014

A Church in Ushuaia

Antarctica Day 3

Today we took another leap closer to Antarctica - we travelled from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego.

December 30, 2013

Buenos Aires mausoleums

Antarctica Day 2

The first step in our journey to Antarctica was getting to Buenos Aires in Argentina, and seeing some of the sights there.

December 29, 2013

Christmas Tree in Heathrow Airport

Antarctica Day 1

With Christmas now behind us, the time had come to start this adventure to Antarctica.

December 28, 2013

Antarctica

It was time to prepare at last for the biggest adventure of my life so far, to the final continent. To Antarctica.

November 1, 2013

USS Medway aircraft carrier

SDCC 2013 Day 5

Although I didn’t need to check out until 10:00 or be at the airport until 13:00 I decided to get up relatively early to allow time to get the last few items packed ready for flying. I couldn’t pack entirely as I was still waiting for that friend’s drink he wanted me to take back to England with me and he’d got in late and wasn’t awake at the time. Can’t blame him  though, he’d been up late watchi …

July 21, 2013

People dressed as Harley Quinn, Riddler, Poison Ivy, and Xena

SDCC 2013 Day 4

A day of experiencing the panels at San Diego Comic Con.

July 20, 2013

San Diego Comic Con International 2013 banner

SDCC 2013 Day 3

A day starting off with collecting the convention badges, and then spent mostly on the show floor until seeing Metallica at the end of the day.

July 19, 2013

Vikings

SDCC 2013 Day 2

Today was all about seeing the off-site parts of San Diego Comic Con - of which there is a lot. This event practically takes over this entire part of the city.

July 18, 2013

San Diego Gaslamp Quarter sign

SDCC 2013 Day 1

The journey from Leicester to San Diego was long, going via both Frankfurt and LAX. When I got there, I had no chance to rest, ideally I needed to adjust to this timezone fast.

July 17, 2013

San Diego Comic Con International 2013 banner

SDCC 2013

For my first ever trip to the USA, I had a few things to prepare for first.

June 15, 2013

Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery

London Day 2

A day of sightseeing around London as part of my 30th birthday celebration.

May 7, 2013

We Will Rock You

London Day 1

For the first day of my 30th birthday celebrations I went from Winchester, the ancient capital, to the modern day capital of London for a tour of the Cutty Sark, and to watch the musical "We will rock you"

May 6, 2013

A lion roaring

East Africa Day 15

Today we had a game drive in the Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania

March 9, 2013

Cheetah

East Africa Day 14

On our way out of the Serengeti we finally saw a cheetah, and then made our way to the Ngorongoro crater

March 8, 2013

Hot air baloons over the Serengeti

East Africa Day 13

A long day, starting with a hot air balloon over the Serengeti, and ending with torrential rain and potentially tsetse flies.

March 7, 2013

Tanzania - Masai tribesmen

East Africa Day 12

A bush breakfast, a Masai tribe, the Olduvai Gorge, and arriving in the Serengeti. A very eventful day.

March 6, 2013

Light aircraft

East Africa Day 10

Travelling through the Great Rift Valley, we made our way back to Kilimanjaro airport, and moved on to Tanzania for the second week.

March 4, 2013

White male wearing safari clothes and hat, holding a camera, with the expansive Masai Mara all around

East Africa Day 9

Our time in the Masai Mara was about to come to a shocking conclusion, witnessing something completely unexpected. CW: contains scenes of animal death

March 3, 2013

Mantled Guereza

East Africa Day 8

After Lake Naivasha we headed to the Masai Mara and very quickly saw more big mammals, the result of lion kills, and got stuck during a river crossing. CW: contains scenes of animal death

March 2, 2013

Hippopotamus

East Africa Day 7

From the Ark we went to lake Naivasha and got to see our first hippo.

March 1, 2013

Setting sun with lots of trees in silhouette

East Africa Day 6

Crossing the equator once again, we moved on from Samburu, to visit The Ark

February 28, 2013

Lioness

East Africa Day 5

In Samburu we got to see what life was like for a local tribe, and saw more wildlife during the game drives.

February 27, 2013

Elephant

East Africa Day 4

From Aberdares, we headed to the Ashnil Samburu tented camp. It was a bigger place, with a bigger selection of wildlife to enjoy watching.

February 26, 2013

A white male wearing a cap and holding a camera with a long lens, kneeling in front of a number of giraffes

East Africa Day 3

The first proper day of the safari was one where we got to see our first giraffes.

February 25, 2013

Nairobi Railway Station

East Africa Day 2

From the moment we landed in Kenya, we were off exploring, and ended the day at the infamous Carnivore Restaurant.

February 24, 2013

An aircraft seen through a yellow filter

East Africa Day 1

Only a couple of weeks since I was last in London I found myself once more getting ready to set out on a safari.

February 23, 2013

East Africa

In planning for this next adventure, I decided having two camera bodies would be advantageous - no need to change camera lenses whilst dealing with dust from the savannah.

February 16, 2013

White cathedral shaped like a triangular prism, with a white roof

Norway Day 7

Our flight home wasn't until later in the day, so we still had time for some last minute sightseeing in the city - without the benefit of cold weather gear.

February 7, 2013

The Northern Lights over Tromso

Norway Day 6

It was time to return to Tromsø. This would be our final chance to see the aurora.

February 6, 2013

Male driving a snow scooter

Norway Day 5

Another day, another chance to see the Aurora Borealis. Today I got to drive a snow scooter, chop firewood, and eat meat cooked over a fire in a lavvu.

February 5, 2013

Reindeer and Elk stew

Norway Day 4

During the day we attempted some ice fishing; but found the ice extended all the way down to the silt. In the evening we could get warmed up in the sauna.

February 4, 2013

Ravnastua

Norway Day 3

There's not much to do when you're in the middle of nowhere with very few hours of daylight. We did however get to ride the snowscooters as we waited for night and the hope of seeing the aurora.

February 3, 2013

Finnish Sunset

Norway Day 2

We were taken by minibus from Tromsø through Finland and back into Norway to some awaiting snow scooters near Karasjok. From there we were taken at speed through the trees to the cabins of Ravnastua.

February 2, 2013

Norway

Norway Day 1

It took two flights to get from the UK to Tromsø; but it was going to be worth it. After this long day we'd be on our way to our final destination in the morning.

February 1, 2013

Paralympic Games logo

Scotland Day 6

We were back in Edinburgh and would soon be heading home. What else could we see in the city before that time came?

September 8, 2012

Inverness Castle

Scotland Day 5

Some confusion, but no Loch Ness monster. Of course. Before the sunset we'd be back in Edinburgh.

September 7, 2012

Castle Eilean Donan

Scotland Day 4

The weather had taken a dramatic turn. Not only did it seem possible it was going to ruin the plans we had for the day; but it was entirely possible we may get stuck on Skye with threats of the bridge being closed due to high wind. Would the ferry be closed also?

September 6, 2012

Glenfinnan Viaduct

Scotland Day 3

Our schedule for the day was tight again - we had to be at the Glenfinnan Viaduct at a specific time in order to see the steam train passing over for the second and final time of the day. This, to Harry Potter fans, was part of the train journey that students take on their way to Hogwarts.

September 5, 2012

View of Edinburgh City from Calton Hill

Scotland Day 2

Back in Edinburgh, we quickly looked around the castle and was then on the road to Glsagow and a distillery.

September 4, 2012

Alnwick Castle courtyard

Scotland Day 1

No sooner did we arrive in Scotland and collect the rental car, we headed south back into England to see a castle first... purely because it'd been used in the filming of Harry Potter.

September 3, 2012

China Day 15

Another late night and another early start; but it was time to head home.

April 28, 2012

The Bund in Shanghai

China Day 14

Although tired after the flight delays, we had a day a day of exploring Shanghai and another long day.

April 27, 2012

Three Gorges Dam

China Day 13

It was unexpected having to leave the boat early as we wouldn't be able to pass through the dam due to a decision made by the Chinese government. Instead we'd now be taking a bus the rest of the way to our next destination.

April 26, 2012

Bai Di Cheng

China Day 12

It was the busiest of days onboard the boat with an optional excursion to pay for in the morning, and then another in the afternoon.

April 25, 2012

Shibaozhai Pagoda

China Day 11

The day started with being told our excursions would be different to what was planned, and with no explanation of why. At least we'd still have something to see though.

April 24, 2012

Giant Panda

China Day 9

Today we got to see Giant Pandas and Red Pandas; the latter of which at least in the Internet-age have been nicknamed 'Firefox's. The day ended with a night at the Sichuan Opera.

April 22, 2012

Pagodas at sunset in Guilin

China Day 8

Another day with a bit of travelling so that by midnight we'd be in Chengdu for the next set of sights. During the day the most memorable part was cruising along the Li River.

April 21, 2012

Xi'an Drum Tower

China Day 7

We got to see some of the sights in Xi'an itself, and then towards the end of the afternoon headed to the airport for our flight to Guilin. The lateness of the flight, and the delay, meant we couldn't get an evening meal before reaching the hotel. By the time we got there it was close to midnight, and my new suitcase was broken.

April 20, 2012

Terracotta Army

China Day 6

Another day, and another of the big sights of China. This one was the terracotta army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The entire day was centred around this; but it was worth the time.

April 19, 2012

Tang Dynasty Show - Kung Fu

China Day 5

We flew from Beijing to Xi'an and were welcomed into the city with a ceremony. After some drama involving our luggage, we went to a Tang Dynasty show.

April 18, 2012

The Great Wall of China

China Day 4

For this day we were a little further out of the city: visiting the Summer Palace of Empress Ci'Xi on our way to the Great Wall. Only our second day in the country and we were already on to our second "big" sight of the country.

April 17, 2012

The Forbidden City - Shishi

China Day 3

Our first full day in Beijing was spent looking around the Temple of Heaven, experiencing Chinese tea traditions, and then returning to the centre of the city. From there we went through the infamous Tiananmen Square to reach the Forbidden City - the centre of Chinese power for centuries.

April 16, 2012

A bell tower in Beijing

China Day 2

Weary from lack of sleep, we arrived in Beijing and checked into the hotel. Over the road was a Starbucks which was perfect to keep us going for several more hours. It was a quick break though as we'd got the opportunity for an optional tour of a nearby hutong.

April 15, 2012

China Day 1

Another adventure starting with a late flight meant another meal at Heathrow airport. Whilst there we were surprised to be met by a representative from the tour company who would then be assisting the group for the entire trip.

April 14, 2012

China

After returning from Peru it was decided that we would visit China, however due to one thing or another the plan to go there got delayed. So in the year that the Olympics arrived in London after having been in Beijing, we had planned to head off to Beijing and see some of the Eastern parts of China. Time to plan!

April 7, 2012

Iceland Day 4

Another trip over, it was now time to head home to England.

February 21, 2012

Beach at Halsanefs hellir in Iceland

Iceland Day 3

For this day we got to see plenty more waterfalls whilst the sun was shining. We got to see a glacier up close whilst trying not to slip over. The main thing though was that this was our last chance to see the Aurora Borealis.

February 20, 2012

Skaholt Cathedral

Iceland Day 2

The Golden Circle was a tour of many different sights. We started with a church, and moved on to a massive waterfall, and to the place the word geyser comes from. We even got to see a gap between tectonic plates. One thing that was ever present though, was the snow.

February 19, 2012

Iceland Day 1

An evening flight meant that we wouldn't be arriving at the hotel in Reykjavik until the early hours of the following morning. We'd then have several hours of sleep before a day of tours for the first proper day of the trip.

February 18, 2012

Iceland

Photography had always played a big role in the trips I went on; but with Iceland there would be a definite shift to this being the main focus. Everything we planned would be centred around this.

January 25, 2012

Ecuador Day 14

It'd been an unpleasant night for me; but the hours that followed would be even worse. I'd now got several flights ahead of me whilst suffering from food poisoning.

May 3, 2011

Bellavista Cloud Forest

Ecuador Day 13

Our final full day in Ecuador before or eventual flights back home. We got to get some more walking done in the morning; but it was the start of a very unpleasant twenty four hours for me.

May 2, 2011

Hummingbird

Ecuador Day 12

Even though we'd not yet been back in Quito for 24 hours we were already moving on again. This time we'd be spending a night in the Bellavista Cloud Forest in what was effectively a tree house.

May 1, 2011

Quito

Ecuador Day 11

The best part of the trip was over, and we were now heading back to Quito. The airport on Baltra isn't the most organised one, and there's not many places in the world where you'd call that building an airport terminal.

April 30, 2011

Isla Santiago

Ecuador Day 10

As the boat was now working again, we were continuing the tour with Isla Santiago. This island would be the last on our tour, and soon we'd be heading back to Ecuador for the final days of this adventure.

April 29, 2011

Flamingoes

Ecuador Day 9

After a day of being on a broken boat, we didn't really know what the day had in store for us. There were plans; but it didn't mean they were going to happen or be possible. Our fate lay in the hands of the ships engineer.

April 28, 2011

Panamic Cushion Sea Star

Ecuador Day 8

Things were no longer going to plan onboard the Gran Poseidon. The engines had broken; but at least we'd got a scuba diving session booked through a different company - that'd at least give us something to do whilst they sorted it.

April 27, 2011

Leon Dormidos rock formations

Ecuador Day 7

Before we'd even had breakfast we were already seeing new islands, and wildlife we'd not seen before. Overall though it was a mostly quiet day, with some time spent in the town.

April 26, 2011

Galapagos Marine Iguana

Ecuador Day 6

Our morning walk was like a wildlife documentary as we watched iguanas fighting each other. We got to do a bit more snorkelling in the afternoon, and then a free hour on an island beach towards sunset.

April 25, 2011

Galapagos Land Iguana on South Plaza

Ecuador Day 5

This was a good day. We got to go on nature walks, seeing so many different species. We even got to do a bit of snorkelling and saw Blue-footed boobies.

April 24, 2011

Lonesome George

Ecuador Day 4

It was now time to leave Ecuador behind us: flying to the Galapagos Islands for the next stage of our adventure. Here we'd be focussing on wildlife as we took a ship from island to island for the next couple of weeks.

April 23, 2011

Standing on the Equator

Ecuador Day 3

Our second day was a trip to Otavalo, and stopping at various sights along the way. It rained on and off as the day went on; but it didn't dampen our spirits. It was our last day in Ecuador.

April 22, 2011

Quito Cathedral

Ecuador Day 2

After two more flights through Bon Aire and Guayaquil we'd made it to Quito for a city tour. It was a damp one; but a promising start to the holiday.

April 21, 2011

Ecuador Day 1

The entire first day of the holiday was spent travelling: first to Birmingham for our first flight, and then to Amsterdam for our second. I'd not thought about food which meant I'd not thought to take Euros with me either.

April 20, 2011

Stone relief titled "Descent of the Ganges" in Mahabulipuram

India Day 2

Not long after arriving in India was our only opportunity for some tourism. Sure it'd have been nice to catch up on sleep; but it would have been silly to have missed this chance.

July 12, 2010

India Day 1

In the same year as having gone Australia and New Zealand, I was now travelling with work for the first time. Of all the places it could have been, it was India: somewhere I could probably have done with more time in.

July 11, 2010

Three Peaks Day 4

The last of the three peaks was in front of us: Mount Snowdon. The rain had continued on all through the night and was still going in the morning. It looked like it wasn't going to be the most pleasant of hikes.

April 5, 2010

Heading back down from Scafell Pike

Three Peaks Day 3

Our second peak would be the highest in England: Scafell Pike. The conditions for this one were at least forecast to be better.

April 4, 2010

Ben Nevis

Three Peaks Day 2

The first of our peaks was Ben Nevis - it'd certainly be an adventure climbing up through the snow.

April 3, 2010

The Highlands of Scotland

Three Peaks Day 1

Just one week after returning from my trip around Australia and New Zealand I was off again for Easter Weekend on another adventure. This one was to form part of a colleagues stag party and would be the Three Peaks challenge.

April 2, 2010

Oceania Day 20

This was the longest of days - I'd not been sleep since waking up for the Tongariro Crossing and now had a bus ride to Auckland to take a flight to Melbourne, and the very long flight home via Hong Kong. If only I could sleep on planes.

March 26, 2010

Tongariro Crossing

Oceania Day 19

The day had come for our Tongariro Crossing. The weather was bad, and who knew what the crossing itself was going to be like...

March 25, 2010

Ferrier Fountain, Christchurch

Oceania Day 18

After just a few days on the south island we were already moving on to the north island. Would our time there fare better? Only time would tell...

March 24, 2010

Lindis Pass

Oceania Day 17

It was going to be a long drive from Queenstown to Christchurch; but we'd got a few stops planned along the way. One of these was to see Mount Cook; but in the spirit of the week: things didn't go to plan.

March 23, 2010

Te Anau

Oceania Day 16

The morning after a big storm, we began the long coach ride to Milford Sound for what we hoped would be an amazing chance for photography. Sometimes things don't work out the way you think they will.

March 22, 2010

Queenstown

Oceania Day 15

Yet another early start, and we were on our way to New Zealand for the last week of our Oceanic adventure. Hopefully this would go as well as our time in Australia had.

March 21, 2010

Looking down on the Sydney Opera House from the Harbour Bridge

Oceania Day 14

This day was all about the iconic sights of Sydney: climbing the harbour bridge, and having a look around the opera house.

March 20, 2010

Emu

Oceania Day 13

We should really have planned more sleep into this trip; but we were out just after 07:00 to start our tour of the Blue Mountains and some of the sights we'd pass on our way from Sydney.

March 19, 2010

Cairns waterfront

Oceania Day 12

Our time in another city had come to an end, and to finish off we looked around a wildlife dome situated above a casino.

March 18, 2010

Pro-Dive Group Meal

Oceania Day 11

This was the day we journeyed back to land, paid the reef tax, and went out for one last meal with the friends we'd made whilst diving with Scuba Steve.

March 17, 2010

Clown Fish

Oceania Day 10

Our second and final full day of the live-aboard meant a bit more snorkelling for me.

March 16, 2010

Diving live-aboard ship

Oceania Day 9

Our first day out on the open sea didn't go quite the way I'd expected it to. The conditions were also very different to anything I'd experienced before.

March 15, 2010

Oceania Day 8

Another day in the classroom, and also practicing some of the Open Water skills we'd need for this PADI qualification.

March 14, 2010

Oceania Day 7

As we were in Cairns, it meant we were close to the Great Barrier Reef. It felt like it made sense to learn how to scuba dive whilst there so we could get even closer to the reef afterwards. For our first day most of the time was spent in the classroom.

March 13, 2010

Kuranda Rainforest

Oceania Day 6

To save on money we'd booked another overnight flight to Cairns; but it meant by the time we'd arrived in the city for a tour of Kuranda we were very sleep-deprived. To get to the rainforest we took a cable car up through the trees, then explored the village before taking the train back.

March 12, 2010

View from Charles Darwin National Park

Oceania Day 5

An unexpected city tour to avoid the heat, a deserted national park on a perfect sunny day, and some of the worst table service I've ever encountered. It was certainly an interesting day in Darwin.

March 11, 2010

Juvenile Saltwater Crocodile

Oceania Day 4

Even before sunrise, the humidity in Darwin was almost unbearable. Fortunately we'd got a tour booked for the day which would be on an air-conditioned bus.

March 10, 2010

Melbourne Cityscape

Oceania Day 3

We hadn't made a plan beforehand of what to see; but felt like going up the SkyTower for a view over the city might be a good idea. When the day was over it was time for an overnight flight to Darwin.

March 9, 2010

Koala

Oceania Day 2

For our first full day in Australia we had a guided tour to Phillip Island that included a few stops along the way. We saw koalas, and kookaburras, and got to look around a chocolate factory before seeing the march of the little penguins.

March 8, 2010

A statue advertising a noodle shop in Hong Kong

Oceania Day 1

Travelling to the other side of the world takes a long time, and the massive time difference certainly doesn't help. It would be worth it though as this was the start of our self-guided trip around Australia and New Zealand.

March 6, 2010

Hotchkiss 25mm AA gun

Europe Day 14

The end of another trip had arrived, though we'd got just enough time to visit the local war museum first.

May 29, 2009

The Parthenon

Europe Day 13

Today we'd be exploring the ancient city of Athens, starting with the world-famous Parthenon which sits atop the Acropolis. It was the main thing I wanted to see, and anything else would be a bonus.

May 28, 2009

A red sky at night illuminates the Acropolis in Athens, with residential buildings in the foreground.

Europe Day 12

It took a boat, a train, a bus, a plane, a bus, an underground train, and then about a mile of walking to get from our hotel in Venice to the one in Athens. There was so much potential for the entire day to be ruined if any one of those connections got delayed.

May 27, 2009

Rialto Bridge, Venice

Europe Day 11

This was our day for exploring Venice as the Italian heatwave continued on and drove most people indoors. We carried on seeing the sights, and getting a little lost.

May 26, 2009

Lido

Europe Day 10

Another train journey later and we'd travelled right across Italy to the watery city of Venice. Fortunately we weren't in a rush.

May 25, 2009

Roman Forum

Europe Day 9

By the time of our last day in Rome we didn't have much left to see. We started with the Roman Forum; but soon found ourselves watching Angels & Demons at the local cinema to pass the time.

May 24, 2009

Roman Pantheon

Europe Day 8

For our second day in Rome we concentrated on photographing some of the smaller sights such as the fountains and squares.

May 23, 2009

The Colosseum of Rome

Europe Day 7

We had a full day of exploring Rome, starting with the Vatican Museum and Saint Peters Basillica before crossing the Tiber at the Castel Sant'Angelo to continue on to the Colosseum.

May 22, 2009

View down an alleyway from a balcony

Europe Day 6

Already we were moving on - this time heading north by train to the city of Rome. It was my first time there, and James' second and we'd be spending a few days photographing as much as we possibly could.

May 21, 2009

Forum of Pompeii

Europe Day 5

This was one of the days I'd awaited eagerly. We were off to see the ruins of Pompeii, and would hopefully climb Mount Vesuvius as well - my first volcano.

May 20, 2009

San Francesco di Paola, Naples

Europe Day 4

Our swift tour of Berlin was over, and we were now onto our next country: Italy. Here we'd be starting in Naples and moving on from city to city by train until reaching the final country of our trip. For now we'd explore a city that seemed a bit of a dump.

May 19, 2009

Graffiti covered Berlin Wall at the East Side Gallery

Europe Day 3

Having failed once to find the Berlin Wall, we had a second attempt and spent the day using the public transport to get from place to place. It was a lot easier on our already weary feet.

May 18, 2009

Brandenburg Gate

Europe Day 2

We spent a day exploring the city of Berlin on foot - from a little further than the Fernsehturm, all the way back to the hotel via many sights such as Checkpoint Charlie, and the Brandenburg Gate.

May 17, 2009

Globe Fountain, Berlin

Europe Day 1

For our next adventure we would be travelling around Germany, Italy, and Greece; starting with Berlin. Everything was planned by ourselves, and would be a bit of a practice run for an eventual trip to Australia.

May 16, 2009

Peru Day 15

The end of the adventure had arrived, and we were now heading home after a short visit to their gold museum.

June 7, 2008

Peru Day 14

The journey back to Lima, ready for the end of our Andean adventure.

June 6, 2008

Islas de Uros

Peru Day 13

Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, and our last full day of activities. We saw the floating islands, and have dinner with the locals.

June 5, 2008

Andeahuaylilas church and crosses

Peru Day 12

We weren't just driving straight to Lake Titicaca, we were getting to see some sights along the way in one last little roadtrip.

June 4, 2008

Peru Day 11

Another day with nothing to do. Planning ahead really is key.

June 3, 2008

Peru Day 10

James was now starting to feel better so we explored a little more of Cusco - at least what little we could find.

June 2, 2008

Peru Day 9

A day spent sitting around the hotel in Cusco.

June 1, 2008

Machu Picchu under clouds

Peru Day 8

Our second and final day at Machu Picchu, and our return to Cusco.

May 31, 2008

The ruins of Machu Picchu in front of the peak of Huayna Picchu

Peru Day 7

Finally we'd made it to Machu Picchu, the Incan citadel rediscovered by explorer Hiram Bingham.

May 30, 2008

Pisaq, Peru

Peru Day 6

An unexpectedly enjoyable part of the trip was a day in the sacred valley, visiting more ancient sites and experiencing more of the Peruvian culture.

May 29, 2008

Footprint-like stone at Sacsayhuaman

Peru Day 5

We started with an internal flight to Cusco, and soon found ourselves exploring at altitude. This added height has unexpected consequences for my friend.

May 28, 2008

Sea Lions sitting on rocks of the Ballestas Islands

Peru Day 4

In the morning we carried on from Ica to Pisco to take a small boat out to the Ballestas Islands - the reason we'd been advised to take waterproofs with us. By the time the day was over we were back in Lima.

May 27, 2008

The Nazca Lines

Peru Day 3

Early in the morning we took a light aircraft over the Nazca lines, and then headed to Ica for our next overnight stay. This one would be in a place where it was encouraged that we didn't leave the premises.

May 26, 2008

Iglesias de San Francisco

Peru Day 2

We started the day exploring Lima, and finished it with a very long drive out into the Nazca desert for our overnight stay. It was already an improvement over my trip to Egypt.

May 25, 2008

Aerial view of the Amazon river

Peru Day 1

The start of another adventure, this time on a journey that would take me to a mountain trail high in the Andes.

May 24, 2008

Sphinxes

Egypt Day 12

Our final day of exploration in Alexandria - we'd had plans to see so much; but me being ill had restricted it greatly.

June 15, 2007

Montezah Palace in Alexandria, Egypt

Egypt Day 11

Although still not feeling great, we took the time to look around the expansive Montezah Palace gardens.

June 14, 2007

Egypt Day 1

The start of an adventure in Egypt - we had no idea what would lay ahead of us.

June 4, 2007

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© David G. Paul