Coasteering, a Gritty Industrial Past and a Hidden Gem
Hiking the North Pembrokeshire Coastal Path. Brace yourself for Dare Devil Coasteering, a Gritty Industrial Past and a Hidden Gem of a Beach.
Browse for “Foodie Firsts” to discover new foodie experiences on your travels. From local delicacies to tasting menus – Treat your tastebuds!
Bore Da – 2 Days Hiking the Spectacular North Pembrokeshire Coast
Itinerary for 2 Days Hiking the Spectacular North Pembrokeshire Coast. Day 1 - St. David's, Porthclais, St. Justinians, Whitesands Beach
Croseo Cynnes Cymreig – A Warm Welsh Welcome to St. David’s Peninsula
Croseo Cynnes Cymreig - A Warm Welsh Welcome to St. David's Peninsula. An itinerary for 2 days walking the beautiful North Pembrokeshire coast.
Twr y Felin Hotel – The Perfect Place to Stay in St. David’s
Twr y Felin Hotel - the perfect place to base yourself for a 2 day hiking trip around the North Pembrokeshire coastal path.
Three Cliffs Bay
Walk the Gorgeous Gower Coast – a 3 Day Trip
A few days walking in gorgeous Gower - the UK's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - will leave you in no doubt why it should be top of your own trip wish list.
Having a Blast on the Suffolk Coast
Explore the best of the Suffolk coast. Visit picturesque Southwold, take a walk to Walberwswick and have a blast with the Coastal Voyager on your way home. Finish your trip watching the playful seals at Horsey Gap Beach.
Embleton Bay Northumberland
Come and Discover Dorset’s Jurassic Coast – 4 Days On Foot
4 days walking the Jurassic Coast in Dorset. 2 bases, 4 walks - lots to explore and enjoy ...
Embleton Bay Northumberland
3 Days in Northumberland
3 days in Northumberland based in Berwick upon Tweed. Explore Gossick, Lindisfarne, North Berwick, Seacliff Beach, Eyemouth, Cocklawburn, Embleton.
Sarchi Oxcart
The Oxcart Path to Sarchi
It's not many trips that offer you a bare knuckle ride two days in a row. Yesterday, we were expecting adventure. Today, we were expecting a quiet drive to the colourful little town of Sarchi about an hour or so from El Silencio.
Sarapiqui River Rafting
“High Five – Pura Vida” – Sarapiqui River White Water Rafting
The next day took us an hour back down the windy mountain road to the Sarapiqui River and a knuckle clenching raft ride on the white water rapids with Pozo Azul Adventures.. These are Class II/II rapids and rough enough to be quite a thrilling ride. You don't just get a bit wet on this ride, you get completely soaked.
Hummingbird
“Away Away Away Away, Tico, Tico” – Arenal Volcano to Bajos del Toro
Leaving Nayara Springs for Bajos del Toro It was tough to leave Nayara Springs. Some of the best wildlife we saw was right in the hotel grounds and the hotel…
White Capuchin Faced Monkey
Hola Arenal – Mucho Gusto Amigos!
A warm welcome at Nayara Springs and the return of the sun enticed us into sampling a Caribbean fashion cocktail (7 year old Centenario rum, coconut water infused with rice, cinnamon and orang peel, orange syrup and angostura bitters) and spending the rest of the day doing little more than exploring everything this very beautiful resort has to offer - see the accommodation review for all the details.
Cortez Amarillo Tree
Tortuguero to Volcan Tenorio National Park
Guess what - it rains in a rainforest! Last night, it rained pretty well all night. It hammered on the tin roof of the lodge for all it was worth, building up to a crescendo drum beat for a few deafening minutes before petering out to a bit of a tap dance and a finale of sprinkles and tinkles in the gutters. Then silence, filled only by the constant hum of the air con which intermittently halted as the electricity cut out.
Three toed sloth (and baby!)
Salut Manatus!
Our base in the Tortugero National Park is the Manatus Lodge. Access is via boat transfer only - and let's hope they keep it that way!
Local girl on a swing Tortugeuro National Park Costa Rica
Alajuela to Tortuguero
The transfer from Alajuela to Tortugero took all morning - but what a lovely way to spend it. We drove past banana plantations, fields of papaya, coconuts and plantains learning a little about the beautiful country that is Costa Rica (Rich Coast) as we travelled.
Arrival in Costa Rica Welcome Drinks
Arrival in Costa Rica – An Infinite Paradise of Possibilities
Arrival in Costa Rica - The start of a three week trip. An infinite paradise of possibilities beckons, starting with San Jose, Alajuela and a welcome drink of Pipa Fria.
Perth - view from the Captain Cook Cruise
Return to Perth – Fremantle and Dining on top of the World
A great way of spending our last day here was to drop off the hire car and buy a combo cruise/tram (commentated)/prison (tour) ticket for Fremantle (or Freo as they call it here). IT is lively authentic port with plenty of shops and rstaurants to explore and some interesting history to boot.
Mount Lesueur National Park WA
Mount Lesueur National Park – Boh Djinoong Quabba
Mount Lesueur National Park is one of the world bio diversity hotspots as a result of of its severely impoverished soil and the unforgivingly low rates of phosphorous. 900 flora species grow here - 10% of WA's flora. These are the species that are known too - it is highly likely that others exist in the dense bush that no-one has yet found. It has seven species of Declared Rare Flora. In late Winter to Spring, it erupts into a rainbow of colour and you can see rare orchids and several varieties of kangaroo paw as well as many other beautiful plants.
Wild Yak Beer - Shell Beach WA
Geraldton to Monkey Mia – RUOK?
The road from Geraldton to Monkey Mia (pronounced Mya) is a long 443 kms - 4 hours 40 minutes if driven straight. We took a brief 44kms (return) detour at Northampton to visit Horrocks Beach because it was billed as a world class beach and won the best mainland beach in Australia award in 2018. The route from Geraldton to Monkey Mia also allows you to visit two more National Parks: The Stromalites at Hamelin Pool and Shell Beach.
Perth - a blend of old and new but young at heart
Polished Perth
Polished Perth - capital of a state ten time the size of Great Britain - is as close to the nearest big city (Adelaide) as London is to Leningrad. Perth is a large, clean, modern city much like many others, but its balmy climate, position by the wide, blue Swan River and radiant sunlight bouncing off the skyscrapers gives it a unique charm all of its own. It is, in every sense, very polished with a smart, high-sheen finish.
Great Ocean Drive WA
The Great Ocean Drive WA – “Beware the Big Bitey!”
We spent the whole of today driving the 40kms scenic loop that is the Great Ocean Drive, stopping all the way along the route for long walks and lookouts. We have driven along beautiful stretches of coast before in South Africa (The Garden Route) and California (Big Sur Drive), but this was way better than either of those. Maybe because of the intensity of the light here - the sun made the deep blue water sparkle all the way along and the wind gave us really BIG waves - awesome.
Kangaroos - Quaalup Homestead Fitzgerald River NP WA
Albany to Bremer Bay – “No Worries Mate!”
We woke early on the morning of our drive from Albany to Bremer Bay and enjoyed a hearty breaky (pronounced brekkie) at the Three Anchors in Alby. (Hey - this learning the lingo is a real breeze!). A group of other early risers were lifting weights with big grins on their faces outside the cafe. Middleton Beach has a net line set up for swimmers (large marine animals can’t pass through it, but small fish can) and there were half a dozen of them braving the cool morning to have a dip in the ocean.
Sharing a Golden Gaytime
Torndirrup National Park – Being a Human Being …
Breakfast at the Three Anchors Middleton Beach was generous and set us up well for a day's hiking, although the day started cool and damp, which took a while to clear. A short distance out of Albany brought us to the Gap and the Natural Bridge in Torndirru
The Giant Tingle Tree
Pemberton to Albany – It’s Time to Feel the Tingle and Walk the Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk …
It takes about 3 hours to drive straight from Pemberton to Albany, but we chose to break the journey at Walpole and visit the Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk. Walpole Visitor Centre gave us a very helpful map which helped us navigate our way there via the scenic route which gave good views of Walpole and the coast.
Salmon Bay Entrecasteaux National Park WA
d’Entrecasteaux National Park – Even Giants Grow Old
A short(ish) drive to the coast brought us to Salmon Bay in the d’Enrecasteaux National Park. The view from the lookout is truly stunning. From the headland, crystal clear deep blue water, rolling surf and miles of deserted, golden sand stretches out before your eyes, beckoning you to discover it at close hand.
Margaret River to Pemberton – Another Great Day in WA
Time for another great day in WA! Today, we travelled from Margaret River to Pemberton taking a short detour to the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse en route. This is where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet (although they didn’t make much of a splash in the process today). It is the most southerly point in Australia - it is 5435 kms to the South Pole from here.
Cape Lodge - The view from the excellent restaurant
Accommodation Review: Cape Lodge Margaret River
Cape Lodge, Margaret River is a very well appointed hotel with lovely gardens big enough to take a nice stroll around. Spacious, light and airy rooms have lake or garden views and spa baths big enough for two.
Voyager Estate Tasting Menu
Voyager Estate Tasting Menu – We have got standards …
Today, we had pre-booked a tour of the Voyager Estate . The tour included the Voyager Estate Tasting Menu - a 7 course degustation gourmet lunch.
Amsterdam Day 3 - Stroopwafels - Albert Cuypstraat
Amsterdam Day 3 – Stroopwafels and Those Dam Boat Guys
Amsterdam Day 3 - Museum Het Grachtenhuis, Albert Cuypmarkt Stroopwafels and a Canal Cruise with Those Dam Boat Guys.
3 Days in Amsterdam Day 1
I am travelling with my daughter on this trip and we have three days to get to know Amsterdam and appreciate the best it has to offer. I am looking forward to sharing the journey with her and seeing a new city through her eyes as much as my own. We have based ourselves at the Pulitzer Hotel right in the centre of Amsterdam so we don't waste too much time getting from A to B (see accommodation review for more detail). We have 3 days in Amsterdam - how best to fit everything in?