San Cristobal de las Casas
A very pleasant Spanish colonial era city in Southern Mexico, San Cristobal de las Casas is an understandably popular place, for it’s local history and architecture, and nearby natural beauty.…
Uxmal and Kabáh
Probably my favourite Mayan sites in Mexico, Uxmal and Kabáh were certainly the least busy, which helped considerably, but were also home to some of the most elaborate facades and…
Merida
The capital and largest city in the Yucatan, Mérida dates back to the Spanish Colonial era, with many buildings from then remaining. Laid out on a grid system, like Antigua…
Chichen Itza and Palenque
Two of the largest, best known, and most popular Mayan sites in Mexico, Chichen Itza and Palenque offer quite different experiences. Voted one of the ‘Seven New Wonders of the…
Cobá, cenotes and Playa del Carmen
A varied couple of days exploring more Mayan ruins, my first cenotes, and as little time in Playa del Carmen as possible. A couple of things made Cobá a little…
Tulum
Home to the third most popular archeological site in Mexico (after Teotihuacan and Chichen Itza), Tulum is an increasingly popular spot on the Mayan Riveria, though far less developed than…
Caye Caulker and San Pedro
A wonderfully compact and laid back place, Caye Caulker is a Caribbean gem. An hour from Belize City by regular ferry it feels a world away from the mainland (and…
Tikal
One of the largest and best known Mayan sites, Tikal was once one of the most powerful Mayan city states, occupied for over a thousand years until declining after 900AD,…
Yaxhá and Flores
The first Mayan site I visited, Yaxhá was a great half day trip from Flores, and introduction before visiting larger sites. It wasn’t small though, being home to nine plazas…
Rio Dulce and Livingstone
Where Guatemala meets the Caribbean, with the Rio Dulce flowing to the sea at Livingston, providing shelter on Lago de Izabal for boats to avoid hurricanes. It’s an interesting part…
Antigua
The capital of Guatemala for over two hundred years until 1176, Antigua is one of the best preserved Spanish colonial cities in the world. Ironically this is thanks to the…
Mt William Walkway
Just south of Bombay, the Mount William Walkway offers stunning views from some of the highest vantage points in the Auckland region. Only 40 minutes drive from the CBD, it’s…
New Zealand benches
New Zealand is a truly beautiful place, with many views worth spending time to properly appreciate. Thankfully there are often handy benches to help one do so. Here are some…
Awhitu Peninsula
A great day trip from Auckland, the Awhitu Peninsula is a beautiful place about an hour south west, on the southern headland of the Manukau Harbour. Sweeping views of the harbour,…
Te Ara Hura
A relatively unknown Auckland gem, Te Ara Hura is 100km of connected tracks and trails around the Waiheke Island, only 40 mins by ferry from downtown Auckland. Particularly now the…
Antwerp
Back in 2006 work took me to Antwerp for six months, commuting from near London early Monday morning, returning home Friday evening. I did this for a few weeks before…
Brussels
Brussels may not have a great reputation but I rather enjoyed it when I visited a dozen years ago, particularly for it’s wonderful architecture and some great museums. There are…
Frankfurt & Cologne
One of my early travels, courtesy of a project based on Antwerp in 2006, allowing me to spend every other weekend exploring a new part of Europe rather than heading…
Mt Holdsworth-Jumbo Circuit
One of the best known tracks in the Tararuas, a popular forest park a couple of hours north of Wellington, the Mt Holdsworth-Jumbo Circuit is a 24km loop running through…
HMS Belfast
One of the last surviving ships from WW2, HMS Belfast is a fascinating piece of history moored on the River Thames near Tower Bridge, it’s easy to spend several hours…