Monthly Archives: September 2013

Strange Laws and Customs around the World

Australia, Europe, Singapore, USA
When we travel we’re leaving familiarity behind to explore unknown and occasionally unusual destinations. The further we travel, the stranger those destinations can become, with unique cultures, interesting people and bizarre environments to discover. Even so, it can be hard to leave our own beliefs behind, taking our sensibilities and our own perception of the world with us, which is why, when we land on foreign shores we can sometimes forget that their laws may not be the same as our own. Sure, Read more [...]

Tallinn: The Gem of the Baltics

Europe
The break-up of the Soviet Union in the early nineties breathed new life into the Baltic state of Estonia and having its independence restored meant the country could begin the process of regaining its identity. A fine example of how this nation has grown over the last twenty years is the capital city. In Tallinn, a modern skyline hovers in the background of the famous old town as tourism continues to grow in a city that has some of the finest examples of well-preserved medieval architecture anywhere Read more [...]

Road-Tripping, California, USA

USA
‘Wait, is that…? Guys! Look!’ The breaks squeal on the hot tarmac as we turn off Highway 1 into the beachside parking lot. The scene down below has already attracted a crowd. Stretched out on the dunes are hundreds of elephant seals, all honking, fighting, spraying each other with sand, unfazed by the gawping bystanders with their beaten-up Chevies and their shiny camera-phones. It’s a magical moment – one of many on this classic Californian roadtrip. Our route starts out in geek-chic Read more [...]

Quick List of 10 Things to Learn About ‘the Land of the Rising Sun’.

Japan
On 7th September 2013, it was announced that Tokyo was chosen as the host city for the 2020 Olympic games. Tokyo is not new to big sporting events: it already hosted the 1964 Olympics, and its stadium will undergo a complete facelift in time for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. So, for two years in a row, Japan will see an enormous influx of tourists who will travel there for the sport happenings, but will also want to discover the many attractions of the country. The Japanese are famed for their efficiency Read more [...]

A Survival Guide to Canada: Staying Safe in the Wild

Canada
Individually, it’s one of the world’s largest countries, reaching well over 9.9m km squared and covering vast tracts of land that most sane humans would consider uninhabitable. Its lower reaches graze the American border in a series of vastly populated cities that make up for the almost non-existent population numbers elsewhere, and if you travel to its inhospitable northern shores, you could be forgiven for thinking you were steps away from the North Pole. With blisteringly cold winters contrasted Read more [...]

Ten Facts about Japan

Japan
The Great Wave off Kanagawa, a nineteenth century woodblock print by Katsushika Hokusai, is one of the most famous works of Japanese art. Some art critics have assumed it to be a depiction of a tsunami, but it is more likely to be a large okinami, the word used for a ‘wave of the open sea’. Tokyo is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, with a population of 35.6million people spread out on the south-eastern side of Japan’s main island of Honshu. Originally a fishing village Read more [...]

Thailand a Warning: Taking Life Seriously in the Far East

Thailand
Thailand is a wonderfully unique country, littered with tropical islands, adorned with sparkling coastlines and towered over by dramatic limestone cliffs that attract several million tourists to its shores throughout the year. It also has a long established reputation as a vibrant party location, and all too often it’s this fact, rather than the beauty and culture it possesses, that entices travellers to visit. It’s perhaps the fault of its cheaper currency – something us Westerners are always Read more [...]

Skiing the Piste in Switzerland on a Budget

Europe
It’s almost that time of year again when the snows begin to fall, eventually lying thick enough to cover the mountains of Europe and turn them into a mecca for winter sports. From Bulgaria to France, there are an incredible number of mountain ranges offering the opportunity to spend some time on the slopes, but Switzerland is arguably the capital of the European winter sports scene and still attracts impressive tourist numbers every year. It is, after all, home to the world’s most famous skiing Read more [...]

San Sebastian Spain: Food Meets Festivals

Spain
Spain’s Basque country has long been a popular choice for domestic tourists, but recent years have seen a growth in international tourism, and one destination in particular is enjoying its growing reputation as a fashionable getaway, especially for the gastronomic minded. San Sebastian, the coastal city located in the north-east of the region has a lot to offer its visitors, whether it’s those in search of a cultural weekend away or those who want a relaxing week on one of Europe’s finest beaches. With Read more [...]

Should I go on Holiday to Egypt?

Egypt
As of 19th September 2013 In the news recently you will have discerned that Egypt is a nation in profound political turmoil and thus a potentially dangerous travel destination for Westerners, or anyone for that matter! Nonetheless, Egypt is a country that continues to intrigue and beguile travellers from all walks of life, so it’s truly a difficult decision to strike the land of the ancient pharaohs from the keen adventurer’s travel itinerary. I think we can safely say that the likes of Syria Read more [...]