Stories
First-person narratives from OG Travelers rooted in the independent travel principles
6 - Istanbul (Not Constantinople) - Turkey – Searching for Something
13 Mar 2002 I can't help but sing that catchy They Might Be Giants song everywhere we go in Istanbul.
Chinese Festivals
China is a country with many ethnic minorities and rich cultural heritage.
Fortaleza General Information
According to some local historians Vicente Yanez was supposed to have landed on Pria Mucuripe on the 2nd February 1500, two months before Pedro…
Natural Wonders: Vietnam National Parks
I usually think about how people draft their trips and vacations.
Surviving a Night at Quebec’s Ice Hotel – Quebec, Canada
I stood frozen. It wasn’t just the bitter cold of Quebec in February. I was looking at an Eskimo’s wet dream.
Urumqi, China – Kanas
The Kanas is a magical and appealing place for all ages. It is an enchanting Mongolian name which means "beautiful and mysterious".
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #1: Preparations
Oh my god!
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #2: Delhi, Jaipur, India
First impressions: well, after a dream flight (there were only about 50 passengers on our 747 plane, and we could pretty much choose where to sit) walking off the aircraft we were hit by a wall of heat.
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #7: Manikaran & Uttar Pradesh
Manikaran is a 4-hour bus ride from Manali, and we spent the most time with noses buried in books to kill some time.
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #8: Rishikesh, Nanital, Varanasi
When we came down from the hills of Himachal Pradesh to Dehra Dun the first thing that we noticed was the heat again.
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home: Introduction
My wife and I are doing the ultimate dream for a lot of travelers, we are upping roots and moving away.
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #5: Goa, India
It seems a long time ago now, as so many of these places we have visited do, yet in reality it was not even two weeks ago that we were still lazing in Goa, now a distant, but very good memory.
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #6: Himachal Pradesh
Last time I wrote seemed an age ago, we had just arrived in Manali, and since then we have witnessed what I consider the most peaceful and beautiful place I had ever experienced, Chandra Tal, "Tal" meaning lake, also known appropriately as "The Moon Lake".
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #3: Mt Abu, India
So here we are in Mount Abu, holiday retreat for thousands of Indian Nationals in the months of June and July.
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #4: Thar Desert, India
We missed Jaisalmer because of the heat reported there.
Travels without a Plan #11
Last update I was in Melbourne considering my next plan of action, due to the lack of work (I only managed to get a week).
Travels without a Plan #18
The End of Malaysia and Into Thailand
Travels without a Plan #3
Wellington and on to the South Island
Travels without a Plan #6
Well here I am in Sydney at last, although to be quite truthful, I really didn't want to leave NZ, it's such an amazing place.
Travels without a Plan: Introduction
After 14 months of being a computer network salesman, and deciding money wasn't everything, Paul, 25, quit his job in the dull surroundings of deepest darkest Hampshire (UK) and moved back home to London, after 5 years away.
Round The World by Bike: The Kit
Here’s my entire kit list, from the obvious down to the very smallest detail. Obviously I will need different things in the Iranian winter and the Australian Outback. This will require posting things back and forth around the world.
Round The World by Bike: Travel Books of Inspiration
Round The World by Bike: Books that inspired Al Humpreheys to set off around the world on a bike.
Travels without a Plan #20
Northern Thailand After the hustle and bustle of Bangkok, it was definately time to move on. For all its hectic-ness, Bangkok is a great town, and it’s a place that you know that people who are coming to SE Asia will visit.
Round The World by Bike #5: Turn Right for Africa!
Turn Right for Africa! ‘Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference’ Robert Frost Four years of dreaming, a year of serious planning and a whirlwind final few weeks of visas, equipment, administration, websites and bureaucracy.
Round The World by Bike: Travel Books of Choice
Al’s most inspiring reads.
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #9: Bodhgaya
Buddhist temples in Bodhgaya Unfortunately we have had two things go missing from our packs, one a Maglite torch that was lifted from our room in Nahan, and a camera, which we suspect but cannot be sure, was removed from our hotel in Varanasi.
Round The World by Bike #13: Northern Ethiopia to Addis Ababa
Round The World by Bike: Alastair Humphreys is embarking on a journey of 70000 miles, 5 continents, 50 countries. Alone and on a bicycle.
Never an Idle Moment – Iceland
Despite a cumulative seven days in Reykjavik over the course of two separate visits, I failed to indulge in two of my main objectives in Iceland.
Round The World by Bike #10: Egypt: Cairo to Aswan
8434.4km on a rattling bike cobbled back together with string and a teaspoon. Five months and three days of slog, sweat and lots of tears all come to naught as the police order Al to take a ride on a
Cairo to Istanbul in a G-string (7 of 7) – Turkey
After seven weeks in Arab lands I entered Turkey and immediately wished I could turn back.
Cairo to Istanbul in a G-string (6 of 7) – Lebanon
"Ali, how come all Lebanese girls have big breasts?" I whispered across the breakfast table signing Pamela Anderson's figure.
Cairo to Istanbul in a G-string (5 of 7) – Syria
After Israel, I made it to Syria from Jordan rather easily, the little "stamp me on a separate piece of paper" thing working quite well.
Cairo to Istanbul in a G-string (4 of 7) – Israel
Alleluhia! I made it to Israel... and back! Actually, the Holy Land was a bit of a let down and far as excitement goes.
Cairo to Istanbul in a G-string (3 of 7) – Jordan
I had planned to spend almost a week in Dahab , the Red Sea party town where I thought I could meet tons of interesting fellow travellers and lazily…
Dark Nights in the City of Kafka - Prague, Czech Republic
To walk in the city of Prague at night, with the mist lying wet on cobble-stoned alleys, is to walk in the footsteps of Mozart, Kafka and maybe Good King…
Sailing the Dodecanesee - Kos to Leros, Greek Islands, Greece
I need to start this story around Christmas of 2001, when a tiny seed of a travel idea germinated in my head. I'd always wanted to go to Greece ,…
So a Glaswegian Talks German to a Dutchwoman Part 1 of 2 - France, Belgium, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Luxembo
So a Glaswegian Talks German to a Dutchwoman France, Belgium, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Liechenstein Day 2, or day 3 in…
So a Glaswegian Talks German to a Dutchwoman Part 2 of 2 - France, Belgium, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Luxembo
So a Glaswegian Talks German to a Dutchwoman France, Belgium, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Liechenstein Touring Europe in the…
Cairo to Istanbul in a G-string (2 of 7) – Siwa Oasis
Travelling, especially by yourself, is all about the people you meet along the way.
Cairo to Istanbul in a G-string (1 of 7) – Cairo
One week in Egypt and I didn't have to spit on anyone yet.
Round The World by Bike #26: Cape to Rio Yacht Race
Strange that South America should begin beneath Cape Town's Table Mountain.
Round The World by Bike #27: Ushuaia to Los Torres del Paine, Chile
"How many roads must a man walk down?
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #25: Kerala and the backwaters of Alleppy
After an uneventful train journey south we arrived in Cochin, also known as Kochi.
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #26: Bangalore and Nandi Hills
We spent a night in Kottayam waiting to catch a train the next afternoon to Bangalore.
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #24: Mysore, Ooty and then into Kerala
Mysore has to win hands down for being the unfriendliest town in India we've been to, and comes close to the top for hassling rickshaw drivers.
Round The World by Bike #25: Cape Town, South Africa
Everyone I meet asks me the same questions.
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #20: Malaysia and Singapore
Today is Tuesday the 13th of August, and we are back in KL for a short stopover to sort out yet more visas, do some shopping and amongst other stuff, reacquaint ourselves with the megastastic food capital of the world!!!
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #21: Back to India
The last remnants of amber golden tinge, the colour of a gold foil top on a bottle full cream milk; sunrise over the outskirts of Kolkata as seen from the 2703 express out of Howrah station.
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #22: Vijaywada, and Train travel to Hampi
Vijaywada, well what can I say?
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #23: Hampi, Holy Town and Traveler Hang Out
On our trip to Hospet (the stopping off point for Hampi), the overnight sleeper train was full.
India: Kerala - Hippies, Hikers, Hookahs and Harems
A sedate cruise through the Keralan backwaters, the 'Hugging Mother' roadshow and a talented, fortune-telling parakeet completed our introduction to India.
Sri Lanka: Up in the Hill Country - Kandy - Hippies, Hikers, Hookahs and Harems
Not quite as sweet as it sounds, the capital of the 'Hill Country' will leave you choking in a fog of exhaust fumes, and battered and bruised in the Temple of the Tooth.
Sri Lanka: West and South Coast - Hikkaduwa, Galle & Ambalangoda - Hippies, Hikers, Hookahs and Harems
Squalid train travel, wailing blind beggars, the baby milk scam and lolling on the beach.
Nelspruit to Graskop, South Africa - Big Brother's African Brother
Close encounters with three white rhino in Kruger National Park make us fear for the R4000 excess on the car.
The Garden Route, South Africa - Big Brother's African Brother
I sensibly sit back and relax as Tom makes a hash of riding an ostrich.
Cape Town, South Africa - Big Brother's African Brother
Coaxed up Table Mountain by the lure of chocolate, I spend a sobering hour within the Langa township and catch the ferry for a thought-provoking tour round Robben Island.
Introduction - Hippies, Hikers, Hookahs and Harems
Over seven years ago, we bought a round the world ticket and caught the infectious travel bug.
Sri Lanka: The Ancient Cities, Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa - Hippies, Hikers, Hookahs and Harems
The 'pearl of the Indian ocean' or a pale imitation cast into the ocean's depths.
Northern Drakensberg, Royal Natal National Park, South Africa - Big Brother's African Brother
"What National Park?" exclaimed the American traveller standing on the edge of the Northern Drakensberg, Royal Natal National Park.
Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Swaziland - Big Brother's African Brother
Up close and personal with a family of hippo in Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, an idyllic place to unwind and be at one with nature.
Malealea, Lesotho - Big Brother's African Brother
Acres of clear blue sky, young boys ploughing the fields by hand, donkeys burdened with maize sacks, men wrapped in blankets donning good, old fashioned wellington boots - Lesotho is a gateway into another untouched world.
Kimberley to Uppington, South Africa - Big Brother's African Brother
AK47s, Armageddon, four minute instant skin cancer and an attempted conversion to the Islamic faith using a wholesome fish curry and Barbra Streisand songs - it's just another crazy week in South Africa.
Uppington, South Africa to Tsumeb, Namibia via Windhoek - Big Brother's African Brother
Arid, barren, fly-infested and windy spring to mind when I try to conjure up images of Namibia.
Tsumeb to Etosha National Park, Namibia - Big Brother's African Brother
Campers behaving badly and a run in with the food mafia.
Swakopmund, Namibia - Big Brother's African Brother
Living the high life with adrenalin coursing through our veins, I crash and roll a quadbike, quaff champagne and oysters and hold my breath as Tom whizzes past me at 80kmph.
Swakopmund to Maltahöhe, Namibia - Big Brother's African Brother
Tom narrowly averts catastrophe by putting his rally driving expertise into practise on the world's best maintained gravel roads.
Simons Town to Hermanus, South Africa - Big Brother's African Brother
Wine tasting and stroking cheetahs in Stellenbosch, a whale fest in Hermanus and sleeping in the car in Simons Town.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #72: Singapore At Last
Wee-Cheng summarizes his year on the road, shares what he has learned and decides that traveling will be his life-long odyssey.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #71: Bangkok Notes: Home Nearer Than Ever Before - Thailand
A planned two days in Thailand turn into six, even though home is closer than ever.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #70: Killing Fields & Fried Spiders - Cambodia
Five hours by bus across a mere 150 kilometers tell a lot about the current state of the old Khmer Empire.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #69: Down Highway One - Vietnam
Even when Highway One is dry vehicles have to shudder in and out of potholes, and it is makes Wee-Cheng ask, why am I here?
El Teniente – Chile
While roaming Chile last summer I had the opportunity to visit the El Teniente copper mine, said to be the largest underground mine in the world.
Table Mountain – Cape Town, South Africa
Two ways up Table Mountain: five minutes in the cable car, or three hours up Platteklip Gorge with a grandmother who will not hear of the cable car.
Round The World by Bike #24: Cape Town, South Africa
"This is fulfilling your dream.
Harare, Zimbabwe - Big Brother's African Brother
Harare is a great, compact little city to chill out in - the closest we have ever come to urban utopia.
Gweru, Zimbabwe - Big Brother's African Brother
Tom metamorphises into Joy Adamson as he walks with lions in the bush, while I investigate why Zimbabwean men are petrified of their wives attending 'kitchen parties'
Gweru to Victoria Falls via Bulawayo, Zimbabwe - Big Brother's African Brother
Mugabe's propaganda machine continues to manufacture anti-British and American sentiment while the queues for bread are the longest yet.
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe to Pretoria, South Africa - Big Brother's African Brother
Billed as "excellent" in Lonely Planet, the Pretoria Tourism Information Centre scores a big fat zero out of ten - they had never even heard of Kruger National Park.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #68: Hanoi, Viet Nam
How cafe chon is made might add a new meaning to the expression “shit coffee,” but Tan Wee-Cheng says it doesn’t taste anything like shit.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #67: Laos
The peaks of the fog-covered hills look like volcanoes floating on an ocean of fog, or nipples of well-rounded breasts peeping from beneath rich white layers of foam in a bathtub.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #66: Yunnan Province, China
Wee-Cheng recounts meeting the famous Dr. Ho, and seeing the view from the Tiger Leaping Toilet.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #59: Trans-Siberian Railway II - Siberia, Russia, Mongolia, China
Leaving Vladivostok for Mongolia, Wee-Cheng finishes the world’s longest rail journey.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #64: Across the Heart of China I - Ningxia, Xian, Chongqing
Modernism comes to inland China, but has the government made the right bet when Chinese tourists snap cameras like Westerners in Mozambique?
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #65: Across the Heart of China II - Hunan Province
From Communist ruler to pop icon, today Mao Zedong seems like a combination of George Washington and Vladimir Lenin.
Nkhata Bay to Mzuzu, Malawi, Part 2 - Big Brother's African Brother
When is an express bus not an express bus?
Lilongwe to Blantyre via Zomba - Big Brother's African Brother
The general opinion was that there wasn't an express bus to Zomba, so we were forced to take an ordinary bus.
Blantyre, Malawi to Harare, Zimbabwe - Big Brother's African Brother
The most dangerous phase of our trip - are the scaremongers right?
Round The World by Bike #23: Francistown, Botswana to Jane Furse, South Africa
"Africa's large problems are largely large Africans"
Nkhata Bay to Mzuzu, Malawi - Big Brother's African Brother
'Warm Heart of Africa'?
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #62: Northwest China - Hohhot, Inner Mongolia (Hehehaote, Nei Menggu Autonomous Region)
Wee-Cheng expected a backward, dusty capital in a poor province, but China’s mad rush to prosperity has turned Timbucktu into Las Vegas.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #63: Did Genghis Khan Lose His Organ (oops!) in China? - Dongsheng & Yinchuan, China
Genghis Khan’s order to destroy an ancient kingdom may have had more to do with love gone bloody, than the accepted story of his death would have you believe.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #60: In Search of the Furry Mongolian Groundhog - Karakorum, Mongolia
Autumn is the time for delicious tarveg, a Mongolian specialty for their own groundhog day.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #61: How Some Singaporeans Became Local Stars on the Steppes - Orkhon Valley & Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia
The search for tarveg continues, but see what happens in the Orkhon Valley when Wee-Cheng partakes of a little too much arkhi and airag.
Welcome Back Broadway - October 2002 – Eugene, Oregon Travel Guide
Welcome Back Broadway October, a month that is usually characterized by the approach of dark foreboding clouds and the gradual appearance of…
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #58: Trans-Siberian Railway I - Siberia, Russia, Mongolia, China
The strange unknown territory of Siberia represents vastness, emptiness, but in fact is filled with much, much more than you might think.
Round The World by Bike #21: Blantyre, Malawi to Francistown, Botswana
"Tact in audacity consists in knowing how far we may go too far."
Round The World by Bike #22: What a year!
Many thanks to the Guardian for their support and to all of you who have helped get me through this first epic year....
Day 39: Chitimba to Nkhata Bay, Malawi - Big Brother's African Brother
Tom and Penny are voluntarily evicted from the truck - goodbye Big Brother!
Day 38: Chitimba, Malawi - Big Brother's African Brother
Tom and Penny confess to their tour leader that they are leaving the truck in Mzuzu, causing our tour leader to wail, 'What am I doing wrong?'
Day 37: Iringa, Tanzania to Chitimba, Malawi - Big Brother's African Brother
The group are excited by the prospect of crossing into a new country, while Tom and Penny contemplate if they have a future on the truck (again).
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #57: St Petersburg & the Russian North-West
St Pete might not be the capital of Russia, but that’s only in name; it has culture and friendliness like Moscow has police checks
Day 36: Dar Es Salaam to Iringa, Tanzania - Big Brother's African Brother
Natasha and Jason drop the bombshell that they are deserting the truck.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #55: Turkmenistan, I - Asgabat
Much as Wee-Cheng likes the country and the friendly people, he can do without the personality cult politics and the ubiquitous national oath.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #56: Turkmenistan, II - Asgabat
Much as Wee-Cheng likes the country and the friendly people, he can do without the personality cult politics and the ubiquitous national oath.
Day 35: Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania - Big Brother's African Brother
Not everyone in the group are overjoyed at being reunited on the truck as it does not take long for reality to set in.
Don't Leave Montréal Without Savouring a Smoked Meat Sandwich – Montréal Travel Guide
New York may have its pastrami, Toronto may have corned beef, Italy may boast about its pasta, however, there is no place in the world other than…
Day 34: Stone Town, Zanzibar Island to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania - Big Brother's African Brother
The Village People were right - it's fun to stay at the YMCA!
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #19: Dive, dive, dive (In Thailand)
The first place I dove in Thailand was in fact my first ever dive.
Day 32: Stone Town, Zanzibar Island - Big Brother's African Brother
Tom and Penny join Mr Mitu's spice tour and are given a Zanzibar history lesson.
Day 31: Stone Town, Zanzibar Island - Big Brother's African Brother
Big Brother is no longer spying on us - freedom at last.
Day 30: Stone Town, Zanzibar Island - Big Brother's African Brother
Some of the group are elated to get their first taste of freedom away from the truck as they take the ferry to Zanzibar.
Day 29: Lushoto to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania - Big Brother's African Brother
Tom and Penny are reprimanded by the tour leader (Big Brother) for openly carrying a Lonely Planet guide in public.
Day 28: Lushoto, Tanzania - Big Brother's African Brother
Woke up to Jason and Natasha having yet another argument - this time about Natasha not wanting to participate in today's guided walk.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #54: Baku, Azerbaijan
The local Azeris remind Wee-Cheng of the amazing hospitality so prevalent across the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Day 27: Arusha to Lushoto, Tanzania - Big Brother's African Brother
The group erect their tents on precarious terraces on the side of a mountain.
Day 26: Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha, Tanzania - Big Brother's African Brother
The group finish their excursion with a safari through the Ngorongoro Crater and freeze to death.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #53: Turkmenistan
Things to do today: take over country, have gold monuments made in my likeness, rename months after my gracious self.
Chasing the Sun #5: Spain & Portugal
5: Spain & Portugal Gaudi Lizard at Parc Guell. There is no better place to start in Spain then the magical city of Barcelona . We were fortunate to arrive…
Chasing the Sun #6: Morocco
6: Morocco Chaouen Al Kasbah Restaurant. Sipping mint tea, taking in breathtaking sunsets in the desert, playing tam tams with the Berbers, weaving your way…
Chasing the Sun #3: Germany, Czech Republic, Switzerland, France
3: Germany, Czech Republic, Switzerland, France Bid and German friends at "Tour de Hamburg" After a 21-hour "Super Ferry" ride from Hanko, Finland to…
Chasing the Sun #4: France & Monaco
4: France & Monaco Nimes September began in Pau, France with some rest and relaxation at Emmanuel's grandparent's house. In Pau, we acquired our new tent…
Chasing the Sun #1: The Northern Coast of Brittany
1: The Northern Coast of Brittany Mont Saint Michel, France Barely into our two-year journey, our determination to chase the sun already seemed difficult.…
Chasing the Sun #2: Running from the Rain in June and July - UK to Finland
Nyhavn (Copenhagen, Denmark) 2: Running from the Rain in June and July We are so happy with our decision to sell everything and travel we are beside…
Round The World by Bike #20: Dar Es Salaam to Blantyre, Malawi
On being asked what was her favourite international cuisine:
Day 25: Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania - Big Brother's African Brother
The group set off on their early morning safari, enthralled by yesterday's animal viewing.
Day 24: Arusha to Serengeti National Park, Tanzania - Big Brother's African Brother
The group climb aboard four-wheel drives in restless mood for their optional excursion into the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #18: A Quick Trip Through Thailand
In the last 8 months we have been in and out of Thailand like a yoyo, the first time being back in October, when I flew from Nepal to meet Eddie who had flown home to see family and friends while I went to climb a mountain.
Day 23: Nairobi, Kenya to Arusha, Tanzania - Big Brother's African Brother
Three truck mates leave in Nairobi and three new truck mates replace them.
Day 22: Nairobi, Kenya - Big Brother's African Brother
The group splurge on a night out to Carnivore, but Tom and Penny refuse to go.
Day 21: Nakuru to Nairobi, Kenya - Big Brother's African Brother
The group are instructed to clean the truck in preparation for the three new truck mates.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #52: Police Racism in Russia - Moscow & Yaroslavl
Such a beautiful day to return to Moscow was nothing to prepare Wee-Cheng for a nasty yet amusing inciden
Day 19: Kampala, Uganda - Big Brother's African Brother
The group are in mutinous mood due to the food budget set for tomorrow - it just doesn't add up to US$3 per person.
Day 18: Kisoro to Kampala, Uganda - Big Brother's African Brother
Tempers are frayed due to a 4:00am start.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #51: Kaliningrad, Russia
History, World War II, and the EU seem to conspire to make this strip of land either a future Hong Kong on the Baltic, or an isolated scrapyard.
Day 17: Kisoro, Uganda to Rwanda and back - Big Brother's African Brother
The group leave to see the mountain gorillas at 7am in a state of excitement in the back of a pickup truck.
Day 16: Kisoro, Uganda - Big Brother's African Brother
The group experience a rough drive to Kisoro on the Uganda-Rwanda border.
Day 15: Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda - Big Brother's African Brother
Roberta announces to the group that she had a terrible nightmare about missing breakfast.
Day 14: Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda - Big Brother's African Brother
It's nomination day and the group have a late breakfast.
Day 13: Jinja to Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda - Big Brother's African Brother
The group are in a comatosed mood, due to a 5:00 am start and having to endure a long drive to Lake Bunyonyi.
Day 12: Jinja/Bujagali Falls, Uganda - Big Brother's African Brother
Dissension among the group as food supplies dwindle and group members can no longer be bothered to do their chores.
Day 11: Jinja/Bujagali Falls, Uganda - Big Brother's African Brother
All the group are sleeping soundly by the edge of Bujagali Falls, while Tom and Penny watch the sunrise in the mist above the rapids.
Day 10: Kampala to Jinja, Uganda - Big Brother's African Brother
The trucks are no longer running in parallel as one group sets off for the gorilla trek and the other onto Jinja.
Day 9: Kampala, Uganda - Big Brother's African Brother
The group are in disarray due to the news about the gorilla permits.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #50: Moscow & Lenin's Corpse - Russia
A three-night bus journey from London to Russia moves across the past, present and future of Europe.
Day 8: Kampala, Uganda - Big Brother's African Brother
Most of the group leave on an excursion to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary but a splinter group decides to explore Kampala.
Preparation - Big Brother's African Brother
It was almost three years ago that we began to seriously entertain the notion of heading off again on another extended trip.
Day 7: Eldoret, Kenya to Kampala, Uganda - Big Brother's African Brother
Woke up at 5:00 am as Tom was convinced that something was crawling on his arm.
Day 6: Lake Nakuru to Eldoret, Kenya - Big Brother's African Brother
Many of the group are groggy after a night of partying and Jason ends up sleeping on the grass in his sleeping bag after being evicted from his tent.
Day 5: Lake Nakuru, Kenya - Big Brother's African Brother
The group survive a night without being eaten by lions but have an early wake up call which involves packing up the tents in the pitch black.
Day 4: Lake Naivasha to Lake Nakuru, Kenya - Big Brother's African Brother
The group are still sleeping in their tents at 7:00 am but need to be packed and ready to leave at 8:00 am.
Day 3: Crescent Island, Kenya - Big Brother's African Brother
The group go on their first excursion to Crescent Island.
Day Two: Lake Naivasha, Kenya - Big Brother's African Brother
The group, that will be spending 77 days together, meet for the first time and set off for Lake Naivasha.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #49: Russian Adventure Starts
Getting into Russia only cost Wee-Cheng $380US – did he mention that was just for the visa?
Day 1: Nairobi, Kenya - Big Brother's African Brother
Tom and Penny arrive in Nairobi, apprehensive about what lies ahead, but ready to meet their fellow truck mates.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #47: Albanian Teletubbie Bunkers I
Albanians are misunderstood? That’s an understatement of the world’s perception of this people and their country.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #48: Albanian Teletubbie Bunkers II
Wee-Cheng gets dumped, kidnapped, and snatched in the mountain towns of Albania.
Introduction - Big Brother's African Brother
Let me introduce ourselves.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #46: Bus Crash in Albania
Wee-Cheng was fortunate enough not to be hurt in this crash, but 3 other people died.
Round The World by Bike #19: Nairobi to Dar Es Salaam
plus the first weekend of the World Cup
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #43: Balkans Mandela? Part I - Kosovo
This part of Wee-Cheng’s journey finds the story of a people currently under siege and the circumstances they face, plus how hard reconciliation has become in Kosovo.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #44: Balkans Mandela? Part II - Kosovo
This part of Wee-Cheng’s journey finds the story of a people currently under siege and the circumstances they face, plus how hard reconciliation has become in Kosovo.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #45: Balkans Mandela? Part III - Kosovo
This part of Wee-Cheng’s journey finds the story of a people currently under siege and the circumstances they face, plus how hard reconciliation has become in Kosovo.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #40: Croatia
Tourism is booming in Croatia, but while the scars of war on buildings aren’t easily noticed, the scars on the people are still raw.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #41: Montenegro or Bust
More border confusion awaits, as does yet another 1500km journey to go to a 100km country.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #42: Montenegro Beach Bums
Miami Beach has nothing on the blondes and studs of Budva, just as those in the Yukon will never be as hard as Montenegrins. No wonder they’re thinking independence.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #37: Today in Kosovo
Racial divides are so bad that buses won’t stop in Serbian areas, and Wee-Cheng even gets corrected like a schoolboy for using Serb place names.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #38: Sarajevo & Mostar, Part I - Bosnia-Herzogovina
All throughout the 1992-1995 attacks on Sarajevo, the city spoke to the world and would not be silent. Now, through rebuilding, there is a new message.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #39: Sarajevo & Mostar, Part II - Bosnia-Herzogovina
I hopped onto a bus for Mostar, the chief city in the south of BiH, known as Herzegovina.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #35: Bosnian Serb Republic (Republika Srpska), Part I
Wee-Cheng travels to the Serb Republic expecting to find some battle-hardened figures but finds instead a gentle people with their own story to tell.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #36: Bosnian Serb Republic (Republika Srpska), Part II
Will the Dayton Agreement help bring about peace, recognition of states and cooperation among them? Or will political instability plunge the region into more conflict?
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #34: Hurrah! In Montenegro
Rules? Montenegrin border guards don’t need no stinkin’ rules.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #33: Deported from Montenegro
Think you don’t need a visa to enter Montenegro? Yeah, that’s what Wee-Cheng thought too.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #32: Belgrade, Serbia
Serbs are: beautiful, romantic, historically minded, misunderstood, tired of fighting, and trying to rebuild.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #30: A Tale of Two Macedonias, Part I
Thessaloniki, old Salonika.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #31: A Tale of Two Macedonias, Part II
Skopje, the capital, is a run-down city of 500,000 people.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #29: Walk in the Balkans
Tonight, I am flying to Athens, Greece, from where I would begin my one-month journey through one of the past decade's hot spots, the Balkans of southeastern Europe.
The Glasgow Salsa - Glasgow, Scotland
Tuesday night in Glasgow. The only night we have to explore the city which is renowned (in Scotland, anyway) for it's nightlife. However, the streets are…
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #28: Faroe Islands - North Atlantic
Note: Apologies, for I have no time completing my Miami story right now.
Round The World by Bike #18: Moshi, Tanzania
I didn't bring any music on this trip.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #27: Love Portions in the Bahamas
Wee-Cheng at a beach resort ?
Round The World by Bike #17: Nairobi, Kenya
"Let us have wine and women, mirth and laughter,
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #17: Northern Laos, Towards the Hill
Luang Prabang's northern bus terminal is dusty, dirty and without buses.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #26: After Latin America, What's Next?
So, it's the end of Month Five.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #25: Tacos with Ants Eggs, Pretending to be a Beijing Commie and lots of Dead Bodies - Mexico
I am now in Puerto Veracruz, almost at the end of my journey through Latin America.
Round The World by Bike #16: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Nairobi, Kenya
Lieutenant George: "Pip, pip, tally ho and Bernard's your Uncle!"
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #24: Mayan Gods, Fried Grasshoppers & Beheaded Saints - Chiapas & Oaxaca, Mexico
Wee-Cheng is winding up his Latin American adventure, but he still has time to eat some more interesting food and have his photo taken with dead people.
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #16: Following the Tourist Trail
Vientiane bus station was a hive of bustling activity, like a full on market within a rank of buses.
Round The World by Bike #15: An Ode to a Bicycle
Rita and I first met five years ago.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #23: Land of the Mayas - Yucatan, Mexico
Wee-Cheng watches locals use Coca-Cola in religious ceremonies, chucks down a few fried grasshoppers and visits the birthplace of chocolate.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #22: Mad Rush Through Honduras, El Salvador & Belize
Honduras is one of Central America's largest states, and yet one of the least populated.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #21: Bulls' Testicles - Nicaragua
Nicaragua may be yet another land of volcanoes (remember how tired I have become of volcanoes – read my previous posting), but it's one crowned with a glorious history of freedom struggles and revolution, and one at a state of "pre-gringoisation".
Round The World by Bike #11: Aswan, Egypt to Khartoum, Sudan
"Never forget where you've come here from"
Round The World by Bike #12: Khartoum, Sudan to Ethiopia
"Apologies for my failure to think of a suitably cheesy yet inspirational opening quote.
Round The World by Bike #14: Some Thoughts on Foreign Aid
"Feed the World.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #20: Rice & Beans in Costa Rica
"In Macondo, nothing has happened, nor is happening, nor will ever happen."
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #15: From the South all the way to Vientiane
Crossing the border was a funny experience.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #18: Fun in Bogota, Colombia
"By that lake of Guatavita they made a great raft of reeds...
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #19: Surviving Guerillas in Cartagena, Colombia
Apr 1, 2002 … How to survive paramilitary roadblocks, but really Wee-Cheng is engaging in exercises of literary allusions.
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #13: Phnom Penh
Phnom means hill, Penh is the name of a nun that used to live in a small monastery on a hill, now that hill is a garden feature within Phnom Penh, with a Stupa commemorating the life of Grandmother Penh built on top (a guy in Battambang told me that story...).
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #14: Kampong and up north...
The man at Lucky Lucky spoke good English and told us when we come to pick up the dirt bike not to come on a moto, or he will have to charge us extra for the commission they demand!
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #17: Quito, Ecuador
I arrived in Ecuador two weeks ago from Peru.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #16: Swimming with Sharks - Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Wee-Cheng kicks back with the male sea lions in the Galapagos Islands.
Americans Visiting Paris: What to Expect - Paris, France
It's springtime in Paris. Let the strikes begin! The more things change the more things stay the same. While JFK's deserted thoroughfares resembled an…
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #11: Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Didn't we have a luv-er-ly time the days we spent at Angkor...
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #12: Battambang and Beyond
Battambang has a lazy atmosphere; it's the second largest city in Cambodia but feels like a small market town.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #15: Peru to Ecuador
Drenched, ripped-off and nearly washed away, Wee-Cheng braves the most grueling border crossing of his travels.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #14: Trouble in Colombia
Shortly after my last update that I sent in Leticia, Colombia, parts of this Colombian city suddenly fell into blackout.
Round The World by Bike #9: Amman to Cairo
Final Middle Eastern report: Amman to Cairo
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #13: Colombia & Brazil - Leticia & Tabatinga
Woke out at 5:45am this morning to go to an air force base near Iquitos.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #11: Meeting Miss Peru - Nazca & Lima
Nazca Lines: Look in the dark part of the middle-bottom of the photo, and you'll see a spaceman-like figure – one of the mysteries of the Nazca Desert.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #12: Colombia Tomorrow - Iquitos, Peru
Can you imagine a city with half a million people in the deep jungle, unconnected to the outside world except by air and slow river boat ?
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #10: Peru - Machu the Picchu & Visiting a Sexy Woman in Raining Season
I spent the past week in Cusco, once capital of the Inca Empire, one of the greatest land empires to ever exist.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #9: Rejected from Bolivia
I rang the Bolivian Consulate in Santiago yesterday and spoke to a different official.
Round The World by Bike #7: Lebanon
Lebanon What do you know of Lebanon and Beirut? Let’s be honest: you’ve probably only read this far because you thought the title was ‘Lesbians’. What I knew (or thought I knew) was a place ripped apart by fighting – tanks and rubble in the streets, concrete shells of buildings Emmental-ed with bullet holes. Fanatics
Round The World by Bike #6: Turkey
Turkey When a guest in someone’s home, how do you know when you have probably stayed too long? My hair had grown visibly and a baby had learned to both walk and talk… It was time to leave Istanbul. Caroline and Gurkan: you are heroes! Arno the Frenchman had been to visit – we slept
Round The World by Bike #2: Reports from the European Leg
Reality has kicked in and Al realises that there is no glamour at all and this was going to be very hard work, in every way imaginable.
Round The World by Bike #3: Budapest, Hungary
There are six things you dream of on a cycling holiday: flat, smooth tarmac, beautiful scenery, easy navigation, delicious food, a welcoming bed and an enticing final destination. The Danube River has
Round The World by Bike #4: Istanbul, Turkey
A passport, a cash card and the train to the airport is all you need to launch yourself into the delights of Istanbul.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #8: Cusco & Lake Titicaca, Peru
I am now writing from Cusco, the old capital of the Incas, an empire that was equivalent in size to the territory of the Roman Empire north of the Mediterranean.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #7: Counting Dead Bodies in Puno, Peru
Since I left Santiago, I have been wandering through the deserts, highlands and the Altiplano of northern Chile and southern Peru.
Ice-Blocking – "Your Town" Travel Guide
Night fell, and the sound of the wintry rain created a somber mood.
Montréal's Bagels – Are they the Best in the World?
According to native Montrealers their bagels are the best in the world!
Round The World by Bike #8: Syria to Amman, Jordan
"We are not demanders of War and Terror, but we will defend ourselves against War and Terror" read the sign at the frontier.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #6: Chile
Chile.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #5: Rapa Nui, Easter Island, Chile
Remember that movie Rapa Nui, starring Jason Scott Lee?
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #4: Rotting Away in Asuncion, Paraguay
Flat, almost empty savanna plains interrupted by herds of cattle, isolated estancias (farms) and villages, and occasionally shops run by Asians – as indicated by signboards in Korean, Chinese or Japanese – in the middle of nowhere.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #3: Falling in Love with Foz do Iguacu, Brazil
After a nice, relaxed stay in sunny but humid Rio – where I tried my best to forget the English weather and survived the legendary crime rates – I hopped across southern Brazil to Sao Paulo, South America's largest city and one of the world's largest.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #2: Sex, Food & Life in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
A breakdown of all the essentials, Rio-style, in this small yet massive city.
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #1: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Life on the Beaches of Copacabana
Leaving the UK’s cold behind, Rio’s warmth isn’t just in the weather. Where else could be better for spending New Year?
Worldwide with Wee-Cheng: Project Infinite Liberation
Wee-Cheng the Pseudo-Nomad Becomes a Real Nomad in Latin America
Round The World by Bike: The Charity
My expedition itself is entirely self-financing; every penny I raise in donations will go directly to Hope and Homes for Children to support their outstanding work.
Round The World by Bike: Introduction
Here are the most common questions people have asked me about the trip.
Round The World by Bike #1: Preparation Diary
Café in Mexico with Dave (as we cycled from Mexico to Panama).
Oslo, Norway
Norway, to me, is the Argentina of Scandinavia.
Powell's City of Books – Portland, Oregon Travel Guide
Powell's is far more than just a bookstore; it's an essential part of the Portland experience.
Argentina – South America Newsletter
Located in southern South America on the coast of the South Atlantic Ocean, Argentina is bordered by Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Guts and Glory: Angola Prison Rodeo (3 of 3) – Angola, Louisiana
No matter what acts these men have committed, few people in the state will call Angola a "country club" prison.
Travels in Cuba – Cigars, Salsa and Hemingway
Our holiday began in Havana, the capital of Cuba. It's a bustling city, full of classic cars, bike couriers and pedestrians.
A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #10: Calcutta and the Andaman Islands
A hectic city and long white sandy beaches Calcutta and the Andaman Islands Calcutta has a reputation; at least it did in our minds. Guidebooks describe it as a place densely populated and polluted, with extreme poverty and a desperate feel to the city. Others have told us stories of the homeless children, the overcrowded
Joe and the Whale Shark – The Philippines
"Hey Joe!" yelled the darkly tanned men with weathered faces and ragged clothes fishing along the inaccessible riverbank as we floated through the…
Travels without a Plan #23
End of the Road – Cambodia and Thailand Well, this is quite honestly the last of my travel updates. Yup, this is the end of this particular road for me. The bank is calling, the credit card is stretched to the limit and I don’t think I can call in any more favours from family
The Game of Buzkashi in Afghanistan
Buzkashi is an ancient game of horsemanship played in Afghanistan. OG BootsnaAll Writer Mr Ginger shares his experience
Laos: A Wartime Visit
In 1970, Laos was a much different country to visit that today.
Afghanistan: Part of the OG Overland Trail
Before the Russians invaded, Afghanistan was a part of the overland trail between Europe and India. Not today.
Tall Ships Challenge 2001 (1 of 2) – Kingston, Lake Ontario, Canada
Kingston's St.
Montpellier, France
Only 1000 years old Montpellier is the capital of Languedoc-Rousillon, the biggest wine region in the world, set between the mountains of the…
Travels without a Plan #22
Vietnam – Home of a Million Organised Tours Sometimes you have to get away from the hawkers, taxi drivers and postcard sellers that swarm the the streets of Vietnam. I’m starting to see what other backpackers meant when they say that the locals only see you as a walking dollar sign. The best bit of
Travels without a Plan #21
Breakdowns, Delays and Overcrowding – The Joys of Travel in Laos The simple word of “Sabaidee” is the first word that you learn in Lao. Everyone says it, from young children to adults, words of greeting surround you when you arrive in this surprising and beautiful country. What have I done in the time I’ve
A Summer Walk into Montreal's Early Years under French Rule
If you are in Montréal on a sunny weekend summer day and if you want to hear and perhaps see the ghosts of early Montréal, take a walk through "Vieux…
Travels without a Plan #10
Melbourne Mumblings After all the excitement of the opening weekend of the Olympics, to say that arriving in Melbourne was a bit of a shock to the system would be an understatement. It also did not help that for the day before I was feeling like death warmed up, I think with a 48 hour
Lizards Ran Up My Walls
To achieve any sort of reward in this life you must first sacrifice.
Natal, Brazil
Last time I wrote about Natal (Prohibition Town Blues) I was snowed under with abusive emails about the negative press I gave the place - the local…
Travels without a Plan #12
Alice Springs – Darwin – Cairns It wasn’t that long that I wrote before but so much has happened that I’m getting behind on my news. From Alice Springs I managed to get a lift in a big van, with what people described as a fairly good representation of the United Nations. The owner of
Travels without a Plan #19
A wet Full Moon Party and finally arriving in Bangkok I’ve at long last arrived in Bangkok, which so far has totally surprised me, just due to the fact that it’s by as nowhere near bad as everyone has said it is. Yes it’s very hot, hectic, crowded, bustling, but I like it a lot.
Travels without a Plan #17
Cameron Highlands, Thaipusam and Taman Negarra Park From KL, it’s a short five hour coach ride to the town of Tana Rata in the Cameron Highlands. As with all my journeys in South East Asia, this one was not the best, with a badly dubbed James Bond film and a driver who seemed not to
Travels without a Plan #16
Singapore, Melaka and Kuala Lumpur I have finally left Australia and am well and truly onto the next stage in South East Asia. My final week in Australia can only really only be described as lazy, with not much going on apart from my first Cricket International, Australia A vs Zimbabwe (the Aussies won easily)
Travels without a Plan #15
New Year’s Eve, Surfers Paradise and Brisbane If I had thought Christmas was rather surreal in Byron Bay, there is only one word that can describe New Year’s Eve, and that is awesome. The streets around Byron are all closed off to traffic, all residents at hostels are issued with wrist bands to show that
Abandoned Mandu
India is a country full of romantic ruins, forts and abandoned cities, and often the most memorable moments of a trip to India are spent exploring…
Krakatau by Night
The eruption of the Indonesian volcano Krakatau, or Krakatoa as most history books refer to it, in 1883 is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as…
Lions in the Serengeti (1 of 3) – Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Siblings change their purpose over time.
Mahakam: Into the Heart of Borneo (1 of 4) – Indonesia
The rain, which poured down ceaselessly in sheets all night and then most of the morning, shouldn't have surprised us.
Travels without a Plan #14
Whitsunday Islands, Fraser Island and my Alternative Christmas Hope everyone has had a good Christmas and Santa has been good to you all. It may sound rather sad, but it’s Boxing Day and I have decided that I need to stay out of the sun a bit, avoid beer and other corrupting influences for at
Travels without a Plan #13
Reefs and Rainforests: Far North Tropical Queensland I was pretty pleased when I eventually left Cairns; it’s the type of place that is able to suck money out of your wallet without you realizing. Chatting with some people in the hostel, they casually mentioned that some of the hostels in Port Douglas run a free
Pedalling to Nirvana: Mount Kailash by Bicycle (1 of 7)
"The highest road in the world." The words grabbed my attention when I first read them.
Travels without a Plan #5
The West Coast – Milford Sound to Nelson When they say the West Coast of New Zealand is the second wettest place on the planet, they were not wrong. I’ve seen my fair share of rain and water to last me for a lifetime. Rather than doing the full four day hike on Milford Sound
Travels without a Plan #8
Sydney Musings I realize it’s been some time, but hey, life’s too short to be writing e-mails every day. Anyhow, hope whatever season you’re in you’re having a good one. Well, I’ve now been in Sydney for nearly three months and it still seems an exciting and fun place to be staying. The only problem
Travels without a Plan #9
Olympics Countdown This will be my last mail from Sydney and obviously one issue is dominating the town, that is the small sporting event that will be starting here in a couple of days time. If Sydney was trying to remain calm and collected before, with only two days to go before the Opening Ceremony,
Travels without a Plan #7
Sydney Update Suppose I should send you all an update to keep you informed (can’t believe I’ve been in Sydney for nearly a month now!!). Anyhow, I still love Sydney. It’s a fantastic place, from its ultra modern high rise business district, the Harbour with the Opera House and Bridge, to the laid back atmosphere
Travels without a Plan #4
Shitty Shitty Bang Bang – Christchurch to Queenstown After a couple of days in Christchurch, looking at all the Rental options, we finally opted for the cheapest (yes, in the true backpacker style), and we were promised a 1982 Holden Commodore, which was delivered late, due to the owner claiming that the previous user had
Travels without a Plan #2
Bay of Islands and Rotorua I can’t believe that it has only been around 10 days of travelling, I seem to have been on the move for some time, but it’s all fun and its great meeting so many people all doing the same thing. Anyhow, what have I been up to?? Well after Auckland,
Travels without a Plan #1
Ki Ora from New Zealand Firstly, if anyone ever suggests that it would be a good idea to fly to Auckland directly from London, do them a favour and shoot them first, especially if any of that journey involves using British Airways, what a terrible airline. Qantas, however, is great. Really new, and very helpful
Xanadu
It is however, no ordinary embankment, but the remains of the walls and towers that girdled round twice five miles... Yes... this is the place.
Sabah Borneo, Malaysia – January 2000
Arrival As most travellers start their journey to Sabah from Kuala Lumpur, you should check with your travel agent on how to get to Kota Kinabalu,…
From Baltic to the Black Sea: Last 4 hours in the Ukraine
In one hour's time, I will set off for Kyiv's airport to return to London.
From Baltic to the Black Sea: London, England
I have reached London at last.
From Baltic to the Black Sea: Kyiv Again
Leafy, beautiful Kyiv in autumn time - this is a pleasant city with lots to see and do.
From Baltic to the Black Sea: Second Day in Kyiv
Just attended a mass at St Volodymir Cathedral (or St Vladimir's in Russian) in Kyiv.
From Baltic to the Black Sea: Moldova to Ukraine
After a relaxing day in Moldova, land of good food and wines, I took an overnight train to Kiev, capital of Ukraine.
From Baltic to the Black Sea: Arrested in a Rebel Republic
At noon yesterday, I went to Chisinau's bus station to try catching a mini-bus ("mashut") to Tiraspol, capital of the rebel Transdnestrian Moldavian Republic.
From Baltic to the Black Sea: Chisinau, Moldova
Yesterday, I visited Transdnestria but missed the bus to Comrat, capital of Gagauzia.
From Baltic to the Black Sea: Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
(Hello in Romanian - officially known as Moldovan Language in Moldova)
From Baltic to the Black Sea: Glorious Odessa
After 4 days of wonderful Crimea, I have just arrived in Odessa on an overnight train.
From Baltic to the Black Sea: Simferopol, Ukraine
I had a very enjoyable but tiring three days in Crimea, not just from the sightseeing, but also from the drinking and toasting Russian (Russian because most people in Crimea are ethnic Russians) style (to Health, to Women, to Crimea, to Singapore, etc).
From Baltic to the Black Sea: Belarus
Belavia Belarusian Airlines, the world's favourite airline 3 September 1999
From Baltic to the Black Sea: Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine
I am now in Simferopol, capital of the Crimean Autonomous Republic within the Republic of Ukraine.
From Baltic to the Black Sea: Belarus (My 50th country)
Actually, there's no point writing in Belarussian, as few people, even the Belarussians, speak this language.
From Baltic to the Black Sea: Vilnius, Lithuania
Lonely Planet is really screwed up in terms of cybercafe locations - or maybe such places tend to open and shut down quickly.
From Baltic to the Black Sea: Kaunas, Lithuania
I'm now in Kaunas, the second largest city (and capital during the period between WWI & WWII) of the Republic of Lithuania.
From Baltic to the Black Sea: Riga, Latvia
It's Wee Cheng writing from a cybercafe in Riga, capital of the Baltic republic of Latvia, also a former Soviet republic.
From Baltic to the Black Sea: Pre-Trip #2
Getting ready to go on a grand adventure.
Puerto Williams, Chile
Getting There Fly to Santiago, Chile, by Lan Chile. Use a Chile Air Pass to economically fly within the country; e.g.
From Baltic to the Black Sea: Pre-Trip #1
Getting ready to go on a grand adventure.
Black Forest, Germany
An immensity of vegetation surrounded by magical mountains in the southwest corner of Germany, a gateway to Central European history and legends...
Recife, Brazil
Located in the state of Pernambuco in northeastern Brazil, Recife is a passionate city with a rich sense of art and culture.