Category Travel tips

SOAP AND TRAVEL

How soap gave me a lot to think about on my recent travels….

Syrian Refugees

Valuable lessons about giving charity

Recently I posted a picture on Facebook of an old Egyptian man sitting in his chair on a chilly winters day outside a pharmacy in the little Red Sea town of Dahab. Spread in front of him was a blanket, where he was trying to sell odd things – shoes, some clothes – to eke […]

Fun things to do in Vietnam

Vietnam is a fantastic country to visit and really does tick all the boxes when it comes to food, climate, hospitality, scenery, culture and history. If you are thinking of going to Vietnam, DO IT – but here are a few tips on things you really should do! Go to see the Water Puppets in […]

My top 10 fiction and non-fiction books to read on Vietnam

A list of interesting, insightful and above all true-life or true-to-life books on Vietnam. If you are going to Vietnam, these books will make your journey more meaningful. If you haven’t been yet, or don’t even plan to go, they will still enrich your knowledge about a beautiful part of the world with tragic recent history.

My top 10 most insightful books to read on Cambodia

Recommended Reading: Cambodia Cambodia has to be one of the most moving places I have ever been to. Their tragic recent past still haunts the population today in the form of landmine victims, psychological trauma, lost family members and mistrust.  However they struggle on with life – because after all, it could not be worse […]

Four things I ALWAYS travel with

I often get asked for travel tips, or what I would NOT leave behind when I go travelling, so here goes. (Just click on the picture for more information and prices): It is really important to have a decent shoulder bag! I gave up wearing money belts years ago!  YUCK! I got tired of having that […]

The Cold Truth about Tour Guiding

When you work as an overseas tour guide, people think you live some kind of fantasy jet-set lifestyle, constantly on the move, meeting interesting people, having fabulous experiences and, between trips you are to be found lying under palm trees on white beaches drinking copious amounts of pina coladas. Whilst this is not entirely true, it looks […]

How to dress in a Muslim/Arab country

So it is your first time to go to a Muslim/Arab country, how exciting! Whether it be Jordan, Morocco, Egypt or Turkey, you should dress in the right way – if you want to be respected by the locals, that is. Just remember, we have funny preconceived ideas about Muslims (influenced by the tv and […]

Why go on a women-only trip? Here are a few very good reasons…

There is nothing wrong with travelling solo as a female, and in fact, it is good for the soul, your sense of adventure and opening your mind. But if you want the hassle taken out of travel (when you travel independently, you spend a lot of time each day just planning your next day), then […]

Negative people on a group trip – how to handle them

So you have booked yourself on a group trip and you are preparing yourself for an adventure that you have saved hard for and that you deserve. It’s your holiday! You are in a good mood and ready for some good times ahead. On the first day you meet your other group members, and everyone […]