Yesterday, 29th January 2018 marks the first time that the Berlin wall has been down as long as it was up, the division of a nation that lasted the better part of half a century. The Mauerfall happened in 1989, a full 6 years before I was born; the same year my mother moved from … The Berlin Wall and Me
Every year, thousands of British students break up for the summer and have ambitions to travel somewhere. For a lot of us, North America is an exciting and enticing destination, our shared language and ‘special relationship’ has turned the continent and its people into a mythic presence within the British psyche. And so, as the … How to spend 2 weeks in the USA for less than £800
One of the last adventures I had during my gap year was also one of the most exciting. The last stop on my travels was in Cape Town, South Africa. It greeted us (me and my South African friend Stephen) with extremely low clouds and a good 10 degrees less warmth than Johannesburg, whose winter … Table Top Trepidation
The rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney has existed as long as both cities; it was so contentious that when Australia became increasingly independent from the UK and had to decide on a capital city, the two couldn’t agree and so a third city – Canberra – was planned and built almost exactly between the two. … A Tale Of Two Cities
A joke that’s often made by the tour guides in and around Uluru is that your accommodation is rated a million stars. Because you’re sleeping outside. They’ve got these clever gadgets called swags that are basically like a hard-wearing sleeping bag with a mattress at the bottom. So that’s how I spent my nights in … Seeing Red
You may not know it, but I occasionally get really nerdy about the aviation industry. And I mean REALLY nerdy. This week has seen the final report of the UK Airports Commission, a investigation that has been running for several years now to study the viabilities of airport expansion in the UK as we hit … The Price of Prosperity
I took a 24 hour plane journey from New York and arrived in Christchurch, NZ. First impression: it’s freezing! Second impression: I’m exhausted! Third impression: kids are super hard work (not mine!). I was staying with family friends in the city that was devastated by an earthquake in 2010. Much of it is still being … Weird things about NZ
Hot. Hot and humid; often around 27C and 50%. I got off my flight and tried to decipher the subway system. It’s dirtier, less efficient and less clear to use than the Tube, though it does have aircon(!). Get this: sometimes you have to cross across the street to get to the other side of … Impressions of New York
I thought it’d be interesting to see some stats about my up-coming round the world itinerary, so here are some infographics. And no, I can’t believe some of them either… As you can see below, I’ll be starting from London Heathrow, before making my way to New York JFK where I’ll be spending a week … My RTW Itinerary