travel blog
Under the midnight sun: a surreal trip to Svalbard
In the land of the midnight sun, Kia finds a place of raw nature, rare wildlife and one of her most memorable moments of travel It is said that you can’t die in Svalbard, the remote archipelago that lies midway between Norway and the North Pole. The permafrost here not only preserves corpses, it sometimes pushes them to the surface. The truth is that authorities would prefer you didn’t die on Svalbard. Coffin burials are not allowed due to the permafrost, so critically-ill patients are usually flown to mainland Norway. And just as there are rules in death, there are also rules in life. Heavily pregnant women are flown to the mainland as giving birth in Svalbard is also off limits. In many ways, this is a place occupied by life and death. The capital, Longyearbyen, is home to th...
The countries that won’t let you in without travel insurance
As entry rules continue to evolve at pace, we take a look at the countries that require travel insurance as standard Travel has had a turbulent few years to say the least. Following the stasis of the pandemic, this summer has seen a sharp rise in passenger numbers thanks to easing restrictions and increased traveller confidence. The surge caught the industry by surprise. Transport hubs around the world have struggled under the pressure with long airport queues, lengthy delays, staff strikes, lost luggage and cancelled flights. Britain’s busiest airport even asked airlines to stop selling summer flights to cap passenger numbers. While nearly all countries have relaxed entry restrictions put in place during the pandemic, some have retained certain criteria. One such condition is the requirem...
Where to stay in Cornwall – ranked by activity
An expert guide on where to stay in Cornwall whether you want to surf, sail, hike or cycle, or simply laze on a beach The novelist and poet D. H. Lawrence once wrote that Cornwall is “like being at a window and looking out of England.” In this westerly point of mainland England, you will find a wild north coast of rugged cliffs and golden beaches, a calm south coast of sheltered waters and fishing villages, and dramatic moors in between. But Cornwall is not just a geographic microcosm; it also speaks to England’s politics. Once a thriving industrial hub, Cornwall’s coast is still littered with old engine houses that once powered its tin and copper mines. As the industry declined, Cornwall had to reinvent itself. Today, it’s one of England’s most popular destinations thanks to its sup...
Wild continent: the best national parks in Europe
The best national parks in Europe are home to vast tracts of wilderness, often overlooked by those who flock to its cities When we think of wild continents, Europe is probably last in line. Asia’s fearsome mountains, South America’s lush rainforest and Africa’s vast savannah are surely more impressive. Europe in comparison is famous for its cities: London, Paris, Rome and their ilk. But venture further and you’ll find gigantic glaciers, primeval forests and untouched tracts of wilderness. These areas are quite rightly protected in national parks. To help you explore the wild side of the continent, we share below the best national parks in Europe. Jostedalsbreen National Park Location: NorwayMore info: Official site Jostedalsbreen National Park is home to the largest glacier on contin...
The travel that changed me: David Sklar
Renowned physician David Sklar tells us about the travel that changed him and why it’s taken him 40 years to write about what happened David Sklar has faced life-or-death situations dozens, if not hundreds, of times in his life and career. As an emergency physician, he has seen humanity at its weakest – and its most triumphant. His experience has led to over 200 published articles, a professorship and an appointment as editor-in-chief of prestigious journal Academic Medicine – a position he held for seven years. Dr David Sklar David has saved many lives, but there is one that stands out in his memory. As a young med student in the 70s, David joined a group of tourists on Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa at 5,895m (19,340ft). During the climb, a fellow trekker fell gravely ...
Going coastal: 15 best sea views in England
From brooding cliffs to storybook villages, we bring you a curated list of the best sea views in England For a long time, Peter and I were ambivalent about the British staycation. For us, getting on a flight marked the start of a proper getaway. But then, a series of local trips began to change our minds. There was Clovelly, a picturesque fishing village on the north coast of Devon; Langley Castle in Northumberland; walking with my sister in the Chiltern Hills; and, for Peter, hiking the coast to coast and the South West Coast Path. These trips turned out to be some of our most memorable. Over time, we learnt to love the staycation, not least because they’re better for the environment, more affordable and usually less challenging in terms of logistics (language, customs and so on). Thankfu...
Useful travel gadgets: what we’re using in 2022
From practical solutions for everyday problems to highbrow electronics for luxury on the road, here are our favoured useful travel gadgets of 2022 The modern traveller rarely leaves home without a range of gadgets and accessories. Despite years of travel and streamlining my gear, I still pack a healthy number of gadgets. Unless I’m going completely off-grid, there are certain (usually electronic) luxuries I don’t want to be without. I want to take thousands of photographs, listen to music, watch a movie, stay in touch with my family and most importantly of all, keep track of England’s latest batting collapse (a form of self-harm I’m sure). Therefore, the following useful travel gadgets are a mix of what I won’t travel without and what’s on my wish list for 2020. 1. World travel adapter kit...
8 essentials for safe travel
From avoiding stomach bugs to securing valuables, these essentials for safe travel will stop long trips playing havoc with your health Having five sisters as I do is wonderful. On your travels, you get lots of messages checking on your whereabouts and well-being. And then you get some more messages. And then you get some more. Soon, this turns into real-time updates of potential hazards in a 6,000-mile radius. “You’re camping on a beach in Fiji? Did you hear about the couple who got hurt on a beach in Thailand?” “Didn’t you just leave Vanuatu? There’s an earthquake there now.” “You’re in Chile? What about that huge volcano?” Of course, it’s natural to worry about loved ones when they’re away. Occasionally, that worry is warranted. To help set minds at ea...
How to claim compensation for flight delays
Recent travel chaos has left many out of pocket, but you might be entitled to compensation for flight delays It was 8pm Jordanian time in October 2013 when we were told that our flight was being delayed by another two and a half hours. The tiny dinner box with a dry cheese sandwich and limp croissant was little compensation for the fact that we were going to miss the last train out of London Heathrow, meaning we’d have to spend £50 on a cab. Just great. We grumbled and we groaned and resigned ourselves to the extra expense. It was only a few months later when talking to a friend that we discovered we were entitled to compensation – a whole £420 between us. Kollawat Somsri/Shutterstock Recent travel chaos has left many passengers out of pocket Fast-forward nearly 10 years and we’re en ...
10 tips for buying annual travel insurance
A comprehensive guide to buying annual travel insurance including what to look out for, the pitfalls to avoid and the questions to ask Back in 2014, British adrenaline junkie Ben Cornick jumped out of a plane in Fiji at 12,000 feet. There was no way to know at the moment he leapt out of the aircraft that his parachute wouldn’t work properly and that he would plummet to Earth, breaking his leg in three places and shattering his elbow. It gets worse: Ben hadn’t bought travel insurance and had to pay £20,000 upfront for treatment to save his leg. His parents pulled together their life savings and readied to sell their house. ViktorKozlov/Shutterstock Skydiving is risky But then there was an unlikely twist: following media coverage of Ben’s predicament, complete strangers donated money to pay ...
Kraków Old Town: a DIY walking tour
Kraków Old Town is best explored on a DIY walking tour. Here we share our tried-and-tested route for exploring Poland’s glorious former capital Kraków was Poland’s only major city to escape World War II virtually undamaged. Since then, the assembly of monuments and architecture that makes up its Old Town was quite rightly celebrated by UNESCO as one of the 12 original World Heritage sites first listed in 1978. The Old Town effortlessly fuses European architectural styles – including Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, baroque and art nouveau – with a jumble of narrow cobbled streets, elaborate churches and palaces, and grand medieval sights. Add in delicious food, heavenly gelato and endless cocktails in Europe’s largest medieval town square and the result is simply exquisite. We spent three ...
Visiting Auschwitz from Kraków: a sobering journey
Kia reflects on a visit to Auschwitz from Kraków and defends what some dismiss as problematic tourism The famous gates of Auschwitz are startling, not because they’re sinister or imposing but the very opposite. Usually depicted in black and white, these gates have featured in myriad Holocaust films and documentaries. Today, however, they’re not in menacing monochrome or veiled in evocative fog. Rather, they’re bathed in sunlight with a blazing blue sky behind. Inside, there is a symmetry of pretty trees. By the time I arrive at the neat brick buildings, I am thoroughly disoriented. This is not the picture I expected. Instead of squat grey concrete, this could pass for a retirement home – a fact I note uneasily. Atlas & Boots Trees flank the red brick buildings of Auschwitz The te...
