Snowman Trek – Shomuthang to Laya
Days seven to eleven of the Luana Snowman Trek, following the Laya-Gasa Track. After this the only people on the track would be those walking the Snowman Trek, completed by…
Author: jontycrane
Snowman Trek – Jhomolhari Base Camp to Shomuthang
Days four to six of the Snowman Trek, an epic near month long Himalayan hike in Bhutan, crossing the first and second of eleven high altitude passes over 4,500m along…
Snowman Trek – Shana Camp to Jhomolhari Base Camp
The first three days on the Snowman Trek, one of the longest and hardest hikes in the Himalayas. Around 40% of all hikers in Bhutan walk this first section as…
Haa Valley
The smallest and one of the least visited districts in Bhutan, the Haa Valley only opened to tourists ten years ago, possibly due to it being close to the border…
Tiger’s Nest Monastery
The unofficial icon of Bhutan, and probably the most recognised sight, the Tiger’s Nest (Taktsang) Monastery is one of the most sacred sites in the country. It is built over…
Paro
Landing into Paro, at the only international airport in the country (there are three domestic airports), it is clear that Bhutan is different from most countries. The airport is lovely,…
Travers-Sabine Circuit and Angelus Hut (twice)
Escaping Covid-19, both literally and the endless news about it, I spent five days walking a harder variant on the Travers-Sabine Circuit, involving two stays at Angelus Hut. It was…
Greenwich
One of the most pleasant places in London, Greenwich is home to wonderful museums, superb views, and perhaps the city’s best park. It is only two train stops from London…
Four hours in London
An enjoyable afternoon walking 15km around London, from Victoria to London Bridge train stations via Fitzrovia and the City. London is a glorious city for pedestrians, flat with wide pavements,…
Chatham Dockyard
The largest surviving dockyard in the world from the age of sail, the historic Chatham Dockyard is a fascinating place which you can easily spend a full day exploring. Established…
Things I learnt about Romania, Moldova, Transnistria, and Ukraine
I spent fifteen days travelling from Bucharest to Kiev through Romania, Moldova, Transnistria, and Ukraine. It was a fascinating and little visited part of Europe to explore. I’ve covered the…
Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
Less than two hours from Kiev, visiting Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is thankfully a near unique experience. It provides an insight into what happened here over thirty years ago, and what…
Oleg Antonov State Aviation Museum
Home to one of the best collections of aircraft I’ve visited, the Oleg Antonov State Aviation Museum is well worth taking a 25 minute Uber to reach from central Kiev.…
Kiev
One of the largest and most historic cities in Eastern Europe, Kiev exceeded any expectations I had, with the little I knew about it relating to the Orange Revolution in…
Odessa
The third largest city in Ukraine, Odessa is an interesting place, filled with wide leafy streets and some beautiful buildings, but you don’t need to look very far to find…
Tiraspol
Tiraspol is the largest city in Transnistria and the second largest in Moldova. It is less leafy than Bendery but still a pleasant place to spend a couple of days.…
Transnistria and Bendery
Transnistria is an unusual place on the border between Moldova and Ukraine, home to around half a million people. It is about as close as you get to being a…
Chisinau
The capital of Moldova, Chisinau is a rather pleasant if unspectacular ex-Soviet city of about 700,000 people, though it’s population has been falling as it has become easier for Moldovans…
Milestii Mici and Orheiul Vechi
Two of Moldova’s most popular tourist attractions, though as one of the least visited countries in Europe they were pretty quiet in early September. Wine is one of Moldova’s main…
Gagauzia
One of the more obscure parts of Europe, the autonomous region of Gagauzia is the least visited region of Moldova, which is the least visited country in Europe. Unlike Transnistria…