Be my guest: the awkwardness of local hospitality

Ever been served up a cow’s vertebrae? Or a pile of deep-fried crispy Tarantulas? 

That time I accidentally exchanged money on the black market

‘All fur coat and no knickers’ is how I’d describe my hotel in Uzbekistan. A northern England expression describing something, or more often someone, that is all style over substance.

How did this nervous traveller land himself in Uzbekistan?

Arriving at a foreign airport unable to speak the language or read any of the airport signs is daunting. Shit-scary but thrilling too for this nervous traveller.

Watch wild Elephants while you drink a beer

There is a place in Kenya where you can watch Elephants and other wildlife from the safety of a treehouse. This iconic location also has a historic past.

Is a Bucket List a good idea?

Bucket Lists are incredibly popular. But by creating one you may be setting yourself up for disappointment. This post explains why.

Exploring Sydney Beyond the Opera House

See wild Kangaroos up close. Drink a beer with the locals in one of the fantastic ‘secret bars’. These are activities don’t appear in the Sydney guide books.

Unusual things to do in Canada: prison accommodation

Looking for unusual things to do in Canada? Visiting Ottawa? You should try incarcerating yourself in a real prison. I did.

Why Christmas in Australia is shit (and 5 tips to survive it)

Christmas in Australia is shit. Perfect, cloudless blue sky, stunning beaches and relaxed bonhomie. It’s intolerable.

Backpacking in Varanasi, India: what you can expect.

In Varanasi, among the 2000 or so temples, is a charity-run hostel – Mukti Bhavan (‘Salvation House’) – where the guests come to die. The room tariff includes the wood for the funeral pyre.
To be clear, this isn’t a centre for suicide. Not an Indian version of Dignitas, the Swiss one-stop-shop for euthanasia. The very old and very sick come here, when death is imminent.

Backpacking in Varanasi, India

In Varanasi, among the 2000 or so temples, is a charity-run hostel called ‘Salvation House’. The guests come to here die.