Erg Chebbi
Although not quite in the Sahara Desert, the sand dunes at Erg Chebbi are what most people would have in mind. Many films including The Mummy, Prince of Persia and…
Category: Travel
Middle Atlas
A couple of days spent travelling across the Middle Atlas region of Morocco, from Fes to Midelt, passing through some wonderful scenery. First stop though was the slightly surreal Ifran,…
Fes
One of the best preserved historic cities in the Arab-Muslim world, Fes is home to an incredible Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A millennium ago this was among the…
Volubilis
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Volubilis is home to the best Roman remains in Morocco. The town was founded in 3rd century BC, and was the capital of the…
Meknes
Meknes was the capital of Morocco during the reign of Sultan Moulay Ismail in the 17th century. He was a ruthless but successful ruler, preventing Morocco from becoming part of…
Rabat
Morocco’s capital was an attractive place to explore for a few hours, even on a rather wet day. Although there is generally a fresh breeze from the sea the humidity…
Casablanca
Casablanca was a mostly underwhelming introduction to Morocco, with a few interesting sights but nothing significant other than the enormous Hassan II Mosque. It is the largest city in Morocco,…
Things I learnt about Bhutan
A fascinating Himalayan kingdom, Bhutan is unlike anywhere else. I spent 34 days there, 28 days walking the Snowman Trek, and the remainder visiting towns, monasteries, temples, fortresses, and doing…
The Himalayas from the air
The flight between Delhi and Paro in Bhutan is regarded as one of the most scenic in the world, spending most of the journey flying over the Himalayas. When I…
Thimphu and Punakha
I didn’t have long in the current and former capitals of Bhutan but got a taster at the end of my journey by road from Bumthang to Paro after completing…
Bumthang, Jakar, Trongsa, and Wangdue Phodrang
After completing the month long Snowman Trek, walking around 350km between Paro and Bumthang, I spent three days travelling back the more direct 250km by road. We started in the…
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,…
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.…