1. Queuing for a bus is rare On the TransMilenio bus system in Bogota, it’s every man for himself; unlike London buses, on most TransMilenio buses there aren’t specific doors for people getting on or getting off (although these are being introduced on certain routes, thank God!), so as the doors open at the station it’s like two opposing armies clashing as each side struggles to board or disembark. If you wait for people to get off before you … [Read more...]
How to spend 48 hours in Bogota
Many travellers will arrive in Bogota with the intention of staying for a couple of days before moving onto somewhere else... Cartagena, Santa Marta, the Coffee Region. So in case you happen to be spending just 48 hours in Bogota (let's say a weekend) here’s a suggested itinerary (with alternatives suggested in the event of rain!): Saturday 8.00am: It’s Saturday morning and chances are you’re staying near the historical part of Bogota (the … [Read more...]
Layers of History, Jerusalem
We spent several days here exploring as there is something significant to see around seemingly every step; today was entirely spent in the confines of the walled old city. Tensions felt high at times as there were some recent isolated incidents of violence - enough to plummet tourism 70% in the last few weeks according to one shop owner we talked with. As a corollary to this, lines that would normally form around major attractions were completely … [Read more...]
Traveller Information For Visiting Kauai, Hawaii
Kauai is an idyllic and fascinating Hawaiian island which looks remarkably untouched, despite being a favourite with US tourists and also home to over 62,000 people. Part of the island's natural looking charm can be attributed to the rule that no buildings can be erected on Kauai that are taller than a coconut tree, so the luxury hotels, shops, homes and other buildings are never tall enough to spoil the view, with tourist accommodation taking … [Read more...]
Backpacks and Bra Straps by Savannah Grace
This is book number two of the Sihpromatum series and hopefully not the last as there is still plenty of this family's round the world trip left to cover. Author Savannah Grace continues with stories from the perspective of a wide-eyed 15-year old (her age at the time of this part of their trip) who is in the enviable position of being able to experience a diversity of countries, cultures, foods and people at such a young age. This is the … [Read more...]
Greetings from Doha, Qatar – Just Another Beautiful Sunny Day
With no causeway over the open sea yet built between Bahrain and Qatar - the most convenient way between each country is via plane. It is a very short flight - something like 130km with maybe 30 minutes in air. My flight was empty - the few people on this Qatar Airways flight each had their own row as well as several rows of extra empty space around them. We were given little candies upon takeoff. Doha Airport is large, modern, gleaming and … [Read more...]
The Magic of Arashan, Kyrgyzstan
Arashan is a trek that gets under your skin; it is a four to five hour hike up a rutted and rough dirt road alongside a raging river. From Karokal you can take mini bus number 350 - it is about 30 minutes to the drop off point. Or you can take a taxi for about 350 som. You can certainly hike this yourself in the summer - allow 4-5 hours along a very rocky rough dirt road that follows a quickly flowing river for much of the way until the road … [Read more...]
The Realities of Adventure Travel Sometimes
I finally arrived in Karakol, Kyrgyzstan on the Eastern edges of Issyk-Kul Lake - ready to head up into the mountains that are always in view from wherever you are in this town. In late summer this town is extremely dusty - washing socks and shorts in a sink left the water brown again and again many times. This town looks like it has seen better days - most of the roads are dirt with lots of rocks and a number of the streets are torn up for … [Read more...]
Culture and Work Exchange in Jordan’s Wadi Rum Desert
As I exited the taxi a tall, dark, man wearing flashy sunglasses and brown tunic that nearly reached his ankles, approached me. This was Fawaz, my work exchange host for the next two weeks. While he appeared intimidating at first, maybe because of his height alone, his warm smile and outstretched hand made any first impressions quickly fade away. The head scarf he wore was similar to the "desert scarf" that had recently made its way in style in … [Read more...]
Rila Monastery – November 2014
Rila Monastary is located about 2 hours outside of Sofia, the capital city. You can hire a taxi (be sure to bargain - and note that hiring taxis from public transportation places such as bus or train stations are usually higher in price), take a bus or go with a number of Bulgarian based tour companies that visit the monastery (Traventuria, Tandem Travel, Bulgaria-Guide). The road past the small village of Rila is narrow and winds up a river … [Read more...]
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