Train Journeys – Pyin Oo Lwin to Nawngpeng

Welcome back to Myanmar, where the train rides are bumpy and adventuresome! I love a little train ride with a good reputation for adventure, and here is one such ride, from Pyin Oo Lwin to Kyaukme (pronounced Chow-mei). This is only part of the journey as the train goes further on to Hsipaw and Lashio, …

Continue reading Train Journeys – Pyin Oo Lwin to Nawngpeng

Travel Itineraries – Ethiopia

Hey folks, I thought I’d start up a new series of posts on some of my itineraries. Thought it might be useful for anyone planning a trip to various places at the very least, and I could talk about how I went about it and what worked, what didn’t.     My trip to Ethiopia …

Continue reading Travel Itineraries – Ethiopia

Sunday Spotlight – Chiang Mai

Most people who visit Chiang Mai seem to love it. Why is that? Is it the chance to get away from Bangkok where the weather is just too hot and sticky for most people? Perhaps. Chiang Mai also isn’t half or a quarter the size of Bangkok, but it’s been a backpacker Mecca for nearly …

Continue reading Sunday Spotlight – Chiang Mai

West African Memories – The Conclusion Part One

Hi folks. Well, today my series on my 2006 trip to West Africa begins to wrap up, this being the penultimate post. After leaving my readership hanging (never to happen again!) in Bobo Diolosso in mid-February 2006, I was home early March and yet didn’t post until the second half of May to tell the …

Continue reading West African Memories – The Conclusion Part One

Sunday Spotlight – Samarkand

Welcome to the sunniest of Sunday Spotlights, concluding this week’s look at Central Asia. Samarkand is a city full of rich history and beautiful Islamic architecture. Bukhara has a more clear distinction between old and new cities, but Samarkand’s ancient treasures seem to be weaved into the modern city a lot more than the equally …

Continue reading Sunday Spotlight – Samarkand

Bishkek – Culture and Character

As Central Asia week continues, I bring you a little photo journey though he capital of Kyrgyzstan, little Bishkek. Not as big as the other regional capitals, Bishkek has a charm of its own and is actually a quite attractive city with some beautiful parks, lots of theatre, a strange museum which suggests that Kyrgyzstan …

Continue reading Bishkek – Culture and Character

Travel Video – Kazakhstan

Come with me on this little (well, 17 minutes) video of my time in Kazakhstan, entitled ‘Curious Kazakhstan’. It’s been a while since I posted on Central Asia, but I still look at it very fondly. It’s one of the most rewarding places a solo backpacker can head in my opinion. In this city you’ll …

Continue reading Travel Video – Kazakhstan