travel blog
Back to Baros: what happened when we returned to our island paradise
Should you try to recreate a perfect trip or is it better left alone as a memory? When my editor at Asian Woman Magazine sent me on a trip to the Maldives, I couldn’t quite believe it. A week at the luxury private island of Baros with flights, accommodation and all excursions paid for seemed thoroughly fantastical. What’s more, I was told to bring my boyfriend on this would-be honeymoon. This was back in 2012 and while Peter and I had been to Italy, Iceland and Cambodia together, there was nowhere quite so idyllic. With sky-high expectations, we flew out to Malé, the capital of the Maldives, and caught a private speedboat to the island of Baros. PR image The idyllic island of Baros Maldives The trip was predictably perfect. We dined on a private sandbank, sailed with dolphins, guzzled cham...
Poorest countries in the world – ranked
African nations dominate the ranking of the poorest countries in the world based on the latest data from the World Bank We all have preconceptions about places. Take Ethiopia for example. As children of the eighties, Kia and I were only too aware of the struggles Ethiopia has faced historically: political unrest, civil war and, of course, famine. It was easy then to imagine a vast desolate dust bowl ahead of our visit in 2017. Ethiopia is perceived by many as a representation of wider Africa: still developing, still struggling. In reality, it is a land of lush mountains, dazzling architecture and jaw-dropping natural wonders. There is poverty, but there is also hope. Our visit prompted us to ask if Ethiopia still ranked as one of the poorest countries in the world. Data from the Worl...
Ranked: least-visited US national parks
As America’s public lands register record numbers, we explore the least-visited US national parks It’s been well documented that America’s national parks and hiking trails have seen a surge in visitor numbers as lockdown-weary Americans flocked to the outdoors. In 2021, Yellowstone received an astonishing 4.8 million recreation visits, up 28% from 2020 (3.8 million), making it the busiest year on record. In 2022, as international tourists return, visitor numbers across the National Park System – which is responsible for over 400 sites including 63 national parks – are predicted to increase even further. In response, several destinations have launched reservation systems to counteract the rise. Looking ahead, it may be worth considering alternatives to congested public lands ...
Best day trips from San José, Costa Rica
From fairytale forests to violent volcanoes, we share the best sights in Costa Rica that can be reached in a day from San José If we ask you to picture Costa Rica, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll think of San José. This unassuming capital city isn’t known for architectural grandeur, fine dining or world-class theatre. Rather, it’s a springboard for Costa Rica’s natural wonders: the lush forests and hulking volcanoes, the startling wildlife and movie-set scenery. Luckily, given Costa Rica’s petite size, many of its sights can be seen on a day trip from the capital. There are various trains, buses and transfers from San José that make it easy to access the country’s dramatic volcanoes, fairytale waterfalls, cloud forest and charming animals. Below, we share a selection of the be...
El Chaltén hiking trails: our top 6 picks
We’ve selected six of the best El Chaltén hiking trails, showcasing the finest Andean vistas around Argentina’s trekking capital Patagonia’s El Chaltén hiking trails should be on the bucket list of every serious hiker. The trekking capital of Argentina provides access to a network of well-maintained hiking routes with some of the most breathtaking alpine viewpoints on the continent. The routes are rambling and chaotic at times (underestimate the ever-present winds at your peril), but the rewards are big. The imposing towers of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre steal the show, but the magnificent UNESCO-listed Parque Nacional Los Glaciares has much to offer hikers of every ability. Best hikes around El Chaltén Most trails are well signposted, but before heading out it’s worth dropping by t...
Non-technical mountain climbs: 13 trekking peaks
There are no ‘death zones’ on these non-technical mountain climbs but they offer plenty of challenges for mere mortals like me As a climber, I have completed several indoor climbing and winter mountaineering courses but my technical climbing skills still leave a lot to be desired. I have mastered basic rope, ice axe and crampon skills but don’t practise them as often as I’d like. All too often I only find time for some wilderness backpacking in Europe or low-altitude scrambling in the UK. Regardless, I still have high hopes of climbing the seven summits (three down, four to go). I’m aware that I’ll never be a Reinhold Messner or Chris Bonington (I’ll settle for reading their books instead) but I still long to pitch myself against tall mountains with imposing names....
23 interesting facts about Brazil
The most interesting facts about Brazil we learnt during our stay in Rio, proving it’s not all Carnival and football around here Our short city break in Rio de Janeiro was tagged on at the end of our big trip so we didn’t get as long as we wanted in either the city or Brazil itself. We’re committed to returning one day to explore the country’s massive interior and take a boat trip down the Amazon River. For now, we’ll have to be content with the few days we had in the captivating city of Rio with its stunning mountains, rainforests and seemingly endless beaches. During our stay, we learnt a number of interesting facts about Brazil, proving it’s not all about Carnival and football in the South-American powerhouse. We share our favourite facts below. Interesting facts about Brazil 1. Brazil ...
The travel that changed me: Lottie Gross
From the biggest myth in travel writing to the dream destination she hasn’t yet seen, author Lottie Gross tells us about the travel that changed her Lottie Gross is a busy woman. A travel writer, author, public speaker and founder of popular newsletter Talking Travel Writing, she has a thoroughly daunting schedule – but this is hardly new. Before she even graduated, Lottie had written for National Geographic Traveller, produced a short film about the all-female village of Umoja in Kenya, and secured a coveted job at Rough Guides travel publisher. Lottie Gross Lottie Gross, author of Dog-Friendly Weekends Lottie has since written for The Times, The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, The Independent and the i among others. She has travelled to less-trodden countries like Ethiopia and Albania, and ...
A complete travel photography gear guide
We’re often asked about the gear we take on our travels. In response, we have written a detailed and complete travel photography gear guide I have been involved in film or photography throughout the course of my career: initially as a camera operator, video editor and AV engineer, later as a teacher in digital media, and now as a travel writer. I’ve published photography in a range of magazines, newspapers, books and websites including BBC Travel, Lonely Planet, The Telegraph and The Independent among others. I even provided the photography for a recipe book once. I’ve also sold stock images for several years on Shutterstock and iStock by Getty Images, and my photography plays a prominent role throughout our travel blog and social channels, particularly Instagram. ...
When nature calls: why going to the toilet in the outdoors may be about to change
Burying your waste may no longer be the most sustainable way to go to the toilet in the outdoors, according to new research The number of people using public lands in the US has been steadily increasing for years. The pandemic accelerated the trend as lockdown-weary Americans flocked to outdoor spaces in record numbers. The increase in visitors saw several parks and landmarks introduce reservation systems to counteract the unsustainable rise in visitor numbers. From 2019 to 2021, a study found that there was an increase of 8.1 million hikers and 7.9 million campers in the US. In 2021, the National Park System (NPS) announced that 44 US national parks had set new records for recreational visits that year. Numbers across the NPS are forecast to rise even further in 2022 as international...
Fitz Roy day hike: an essential guide
A Q&A guide to the Fitz Roy day hike, telling you exactly what you need to know to reach this iconic peak We had unfinished business with Fitz Roy. We first visited in 2015 after a disappointing trip to Torres del Paine in Chile. It was winter in Patagonia and thanks to awful weather we saw absolutely nothing. A local guide told us to try El Chaltén in Argentina where one of the most beautiful mountains in the world looms over the village itself. In an effort to redeem the journey south, we followed his advice and headed to El Chaltén. Alas, it was not to be. After hiking 18km (11mi) to Laguna Torre, we suffered the same fate: a complete and utter whiteout. Peter was especially crushed. As a mountain junkie, he couldn’t believe that he had missed seeing these iconic peaks. ...
How to visit Perito Moreno Glacier: a complete guide
An updated guide on how to visit Perito Moreno Glacier following our second encounter with the giant Argentine wonder When reporting on our first trip to Patagonia back in 2015, Kia lamented that once you’ve been travel writing for a while, it’s hard to come up with fresh superlatives. “I mean, you can’t say gaze-catching instead of eye-catching and you can’t say stride-stopping instead of heart-stopping, can you?” she wrote. The source of her discord was Perito Moreno Glacier, a sight so overwhelming that it’s utterly, er, step freezing. Now, I know that travel bloggers are prone to gasping (“we both gasped”, “we gasped in awe”, “we both let out an audible gasp”), but I’m not embellishing when I say that when I first glimpsed Perito Moreno, I really did gasp at the sight. [...
