August has been a record month here in terms of adventure travel – would you believe we have published 35 blog posts in just the last month!
So in case there was anything you missed, we have compiled our content highlights from the last month into a “Best in Adventure Travel” monthly round-up; the following is the best of August 2015.
Read MoreYou will strategically travel to Sydney during late May – early June to see the city transformed into a spectacular canvas of light. You will explore the city and take in the best museums & galleries Sydney has to offer while discovering the historic side of the city and taking in some of the most photographed landmarks in the world.
You will discover the city on foot and enjoy local markets, local street art, surrounding parkland, and travel to the best lookouts around the city for breathtaking harbour views.
Sydney is paradise for those who travel to experience the arts. This three day itinerary is packed with architecture, street art & dazzling light displays.
Read MoreCuba is an absolutely breathtaking country, one which leaves visitors both puzzled and captured at the same time. And while many head to Cuba and don’t wander far past Havana, I always feel that in order for my travels to be accomplishing something, I need to get down and dirty on a good, tiring hike. Cuba did not disappoint in this sense.
From UNESCO-Listed biosphere reserves, lush mountain ranges, protected landscapes and endemic wildlife, the diversity of Cuba’s ecosystems astounds and bewilders. Of the many amazing hiking trails throughout the country, some of them completely exhausting though a lot of fun, one which stands out is the El Yunque.
And while Cuba isn’t short on choice if you’re looking for things to do, I can highly recommend hiking as an activity which everyone can appreciate and enjoy.
Read MoreMorocco is an ideal travel destination for city-breakers, adventure enthusiasts and those looking for a relaxing family holiday. Encompassing the staggeringly beautiful Atlas Mountains, the mesmerizing Sahara Desert and a range of busting cities, you’ll never have the same Moroccan holiday twice (unless you want too!).
Here are 7 places to visit on your next Moroccan vacation.
Read MoreA job that requires regular travel – for many people that’s a dream! But after you’ve spent two-thirds of the year on the road, as many business travelers do, you realize that without proper preparation, jet setting can very quickly become more of a nightmare than a dream come true.
So if your life revolves around airport terminals and hotel suites, then this is the post for you. Training yourself to be a better business traveler with the following tips will mean saving on both money and time, becoming far more productive at work, and lessen the stress on both your body and your mind!
Read MoreIt’s a popular meme, “come to Australia, you might accidentally get killed“, and while granted, we do have more deadly snakes than any other country in the world, and over 2,000 species of spider, it’s not exactly like we have wild lions, tigers, elephants, grizzly bears or hippopotamus roaming around!
True, Australia is probably the only place on earth you’ll ever see a python swallow a salt water crocodile whole. And we do have a snail that can fire a poison dart. Though realistically, you’re more likely to be eaten by a domestic cat than by a shark, and bees pose more of a threat throughout Australia than our spiders do…even though it’s the spiders who seem to incite more fear among visitors to our very foreign shores.
Despite the bewildering variety of frightening animals found in Australia, no-one should be put off visiting for fear of encountering them. With a little common sense, no one visiting Oz should be unduly worried about the wildlife; quite the opposite, it’s a great reason to visit.
The following is a field guide to the most deadly Australian creatures. Keep in mind that you’re more likely to be killed by a horse, but it can’t hurt to be clued up about Australia’s most poisonous fauna.
Read MoreIceland is literally a country which takes your breath away. Inspiring scenery at every turn, extraordinary landscapes, and astounding natural wonders; you will leave the country with a determined mindset to return.
Though perhaps even more exotic than majestic glaciers grinding their way through cracked lava fields, and more captivating than witnessing glittering ice caps pierce the sky, is the opportunity to witness and interact with the country’s exotic variety of seabirds and wildlife.
Seabirds arrive by the million for the breeding season between April and August, and nest on coastal cliffs all around the country in massive colonies. And to say that they arrive in the million is no understatement – we literally spent days shooting seabirds (photography) and have more photography than we could possibly hope to edit in a lifetime.
The following are Iceland’s top locations to see birds and wildlife – because Iceland holidays can be about so much more than the Golden Circle and that famous geothermal lagoon!
Read MorePicture this: hours spent lying in a hammock you’ve strung up between two trees on a picture perfect beach, watching the sunset over the water as you decide it’s finally time to sleep. Or coupling it with a canopy to keep the rain off while spending the night in your luxury digs listening to the sounds of exotic wildlife jump through the jungle. Or quickly throwing it up if you’ve been kicked out of the airport overnight and need a comfy place to hang.
The fact is, hammocks are more comfortable, more enjoyable and far more adventurous than many other forms of accommodation, and traveling with one doesn’t have to be about roughing it or sacrificing comfort – in fact it’s just the opposite. And surprisingly, purchasing a good quality hammock doesn’t have to break the bank. Which hammock should I buy for travel.
After shopping around, Hobo Hammocks have proven to be by far the best value for money, with a few fun added perks thrown into the mix. As such, here are seven reasons you should always travel with a Hobo Hammock.
Read MoreWouldn’t it be cool if you could easily have a conversation with someone in a totally foreign language such as Chinese? Wouldn’t it be even cooler if you could do that in just a few seconds?
To be speaking in a totally foreign language with someone else halfway around the world in seconds is a pretty bold claim, (and they do mean with your voice, not just using text translations), but Hello Pal have hit it home in recognizing that immersion really is the best method for language learning.
Rather than having you study boring and often complex grammar, syntax and vocabulary, Hello Pal is a free social language learning app which chooses to throw you in the deep end (with flotation devices!) and teaches you how to swim. You pair yourself with a native speaker, and there’s a unique phrase book integrated into its chat system which allows you to learn and speak on the go. Type or physically speak the phrases into your phone, and away you go! It’s that easy to begin a conversation, even in a language you didn’t know existed minutes before.
Read MoreWhat comes to mind when you hear mention of Nicaragua? Civil war and dictators? Revolution and unrest? Well that all finished more than 30 years ago, and now Nicaragua is one of the world’s most stunning tropical destinations, and an absolutely fantastic place to visit or live. Trust me – as an international expat now living here I would know!
Now one of the safest countries in the Americas, whether you’re looking to channel your inner beach bum on one of Nicaragua’s two coastlines (the Pacific’s got the waves and the Caribbean’s got the reefs), hit up a peaced-out surf camp, hippie enclave or remote fishing village, or perhaps even take in the smoking Volcán Concepción and witness “her almost perfect cinder cone rise from silvery, pure Lago de Nicaragua to pierce the cloudy sky”, Nicaragua has something to wow and awe you.
Land of Lakes and Volcanoes’ indeed, you’ve also got the option of colonial churches and museums, cloud forests, tumbling waterfalls, and incredible coffee. Here are 5 reasons to jump on a flight to Nicaragua today.
Read MoreI read a fantastic post recently titled “No, it’s not your opinion. You’re just wrong“, and it’s often tempting to scream this when given travel advice from those with a horrible misconception about anything related to travel!!
And you know exactly the people and advice I’m talking about. It’s the auntie who thinks that you’ll leave for your trip abroad and wind up kidnapped, murdered or raped. Or the grandmother who lectures that you should never touch food from a roadside stand. Mine told me I shouldn’t travel to Africa as it was likely I would return home with Aids!!
Sure, travel means different things to different people, and people travel in many different ways. And therefore because of this, travel advice is usually subjective. Meaning collect it, though if something sounds dubious or just completely wrong, feel free not to use it!
The following is a list of common travel advice you shouldn’t be listening to – the worst travel tips of 2015! Follow these tips at your peril!
Read MoreNothing beats the feel of a good book in your hands, and sometimes the best way to inspire wanderlust is with a great travel read. And there are many out there! Authors who write of foreign and far off lands, who take us with them on their adventures and misadventures through every country on Earth.
Earlier in the year I joined the Travel With Books Project to “encourage people to read more books, to discover lesser known titles and to enrich their knowledge of places before they travel”.
With that same goal in mind, here is the ultimate summer travel reading list: 10 books you should have on your shelves.
Read MoreSince first opening 15 years ago in 2000, the London Eye has become one of the world’s most iconic landmarks, and it’s now hard to imagine South Bank without it. As the UK’s number one paid for visitor attraction, each one of its 32 capsules offers unrivalled 360 degree views over London and is now one of the most identifiable features of the capital’s skyline.
In celebration of the 15th anniversary of the London Eye, here are 15 things about her you probably didn’t know!
Read MoreIt’s most people’s dream – to set up a location independent lifestyle which will enable them to generate an income online while travelling the world. Though these days this is more than just a dream – more and more people are realizing the infinite potential of our online age, and creating opportunities for themselves to work online, affording them the flexibility to set up their office from their computer while continually jumping around the globe. Sara Schneider is one such pioneer.
She morphed her part-time employer into a client and immediately started taking advantage of her newfound freedom with trips to Costa Rica, India, and climbing crags across the USA. And why not? All of our ancestors were wanderers and explorers of this new world at one point, she tells us, so why not embrace our heritage!
This is Sara’s story.
Read MoreTraveling to Australia is a huge bucket-list item for most, and experiencing summer Down Under is many a travelers dream. Though what the rest of the world doesn’t realize is that Australia’s winter is a fabulous time of year. With temperatures which are warm, though not excessively hot, and with far fewer crowds, though still packed with things to do, Australia’s winter is this summer’s best kept secret…and your wallet will thank you for it too!
Australia has a reputation for being an expensive excursion, though traveling during the height of summer means you’re paying peak prices too. School holidays run from December to the end of January, so the local crowds are huge, and accommodation can be booked out well in advance, with the likelihood of finding a bargain being 0 to none. Not only will choosing the coldest time of year save you cash on your airfare, but better deals on tours, rentals, day trips and bucket list activities too.
Beaches and roads are less crowded, flies and mosquitoes aren’t out in full force, and June – August is when you’ll stumble into some of the most happening Aussie festivals of the year. Here are a few destinations to include if you’re willing to consider winter in Australia over the Northern Hemisphere’s summer.
Read MoreShe was working in Uganda on the launch of a mobile operator when riots broke out causing a general state of emergency for two days. She was caught in Kenya during the ethnic violence following the 2007 elections. In January 2009, she found herself in Madagascar during what was later called a coup, in Sudan during the attack on a US Diplomat, and in Nigeria, working away on her laptop when shooting erupted right outside her door.
“With a high-flying job requiring constant travel, Mar Pages has spent the past decade hopping on planes to exotic destinations.
So far, the former globetropping telecommunications consultant, originally from Barcelona, has visited more than 80 countries on all continents — except for Antarctica. All in the name of work. And all expenses paid.
Along the way, the 34-year-old discovered that things don’t always go to plan.“ This is her story. This is about the time she found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time…five times.
Read MoreIf I were to tell you that you could travel the world for free, would you drop everything right now and go? Most would likely not believe me.
Despite the ridiculous number of resources that the Internet age has borne to help us travel cheaper, the overwhelming perception is that travel has to be expensive. But nothing could be farther from the truth. Resources to find affordable (and even free) travel options exist these days in droves. There truly are no more excuses that money is an obstacle to experiencing the world.
Everything we need in order see the world can be ours for cheaper than it ever has been before. With his unconventional and ruthlessly effective approaches to money, lifestyle design, and entrepreneurship, Andrew Walton reveals how it’s possible to travel longer, farther, and better, on any budget, even if you don’t have room for one at all.
Read MoreWhile traveling through Alaska recently in June, there came a night where we genuinely thought our moment had come. It wasn’t until that night, where we faced the possibility of not waking up the next morning, that I realized I wasn’t afraid of death. And that’s largely due to travel.
Sure, there’s still a lot more of the world to see, and while I’m not overly keen to leave this world having died young, I’ve realized that I wouldn’t feel ripped off it came. Upon reflection, if death came knocking on my door, I could say with absolute honesty “I swear I’ve lived”.
At first I wondered how long it would take the hotel staff to find us if we weren’t to wake up. Then I wondered what the hell would happen next.
I certainly didn’t want to be buried in Alaska or left for the bears, and obviously the costs and logistics of preparing and returning a set of remains to Australia would end up being an additional burden on my family.
Read MoreEver walked above an ocean of clouds? Or hiked through a zone where you smell nothing but fresh laurel or rosemary? Well, that’s exactly what it’s like to hike in Gran Canaria’s outback. An unforgettable journey through diverse and impressive landscapes.
It’s like traveling from Sherwood Forest to Jurassic Park, while taking in Middle-Earth and the Grand Canyon all in one trip. You’ll discover fairytale places you could have only ever imagined.
Though as in all fairytales, there are certain dangers to be wary of …
Read More“You’re hitting up Finland? Sweet!” “Germany, awesome!” “France, so cool!” Though their excitement would quickly turn to disbelief upon hearing my answer to the question which ALWAYS came next.
“Who are you going with?” they would always ask. And the question always with an air of assumption, as if traveling alone was a concept so alien, and so shocking that the possibility had never even crossed their mind.
“I’m traveling by myself”.
Silence. Disbelief. And then everyone’s reactions were the same.
Read MoreLondon is one of the most exciting cities in the world, though visitors generally worry that the city is an expensive destination to see. But don’t let people put you off with tales of how expensive London can be – should you choose your attractions wisely, there is an incredible amount to do throughout the city without spending any money.
Breathe in the fresh river air while walking along the Thames, wait to watch Tower Bridge open and close, enjoy galleries featuring some of history’s best art, and marvel in the architecture of palaces and parliament buildings from the outside.
The reality is that there are plenty of ways to enjoy London for free. Here are just 7 fabulous ideas to start with.
Read MoreSergey and Jenia were a completely normal couple. They bought a house, renovated it, got married, and their reality was 9-5. They had a cat. Fairly straightforward existence which followed the natural progression of society’s guidelines for life.
But then, one day, they finally sat down and thought, now what? Settle into their careers, keep going to the office day in, day out, have babies? Surely there should be more. And then a brainwave hit.
What if they could rent their home, make enough money to cover their mortgage and then some, the extra cash being enough to finance continual travel around the world. Renting the house fully furnished, you wouldn’t need to sell your things, the tenants would take care of the cat as part of the lease, and you’re looking at an escape from the hamster wheel that is 9-5 office life.
That’s exactly what they did.
Read MoreSituated in the Gulf of Thailand, the beautiful island of Koh Samui it is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country, attracting travelers from all over the world seeking a tropical beach vacation.
Fine white sand beaches and crystal clear waters come together with nodding coconut trees to one side and the beautiful Gulf of Thailand to the other, and those wanting to dance barefoot under the soft light of the full moon can join one of Koh Samui’s wild nightly beach parties.
More than 1.5 million tourists visit the island each year to enjoy the kind of tropical coastline and beaches you find featured in ads. Here are a few of the more popular, and some of my most favorite beaches to visit on the island. “Get a massage, have your hair braided, buy barbecued chicken or sarongs, get to know the locals or simply doze off and chill out.”
Read MoreTerrorism is something we try not to think about as travelers. And it’s certainly not something we jump to promote in our attempts to inspire others to take that life changing trip around the world.
But even though various articles online put your chances of being caught up in a terrorist attack at roughly a 1 in 20 million, that doesn’t mean terrorism isn’t real. In fact it’s very real. Global terrorism is a fact.
So why do so many travelers still travel without insurance? With more people traveling for business and leisure, and attacks occurring literally across the globe, some people are going to find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Do we travel anyway? Absolutely. We should not let extremist activities stop us from doing what we do. BUT there does needs to be a happy medium. Traveling with adequate health insurance which covers you in the event of terrorism is that happy medium, but too many insurers have a blanket exclusion for all terrorist activities, refusing to pay out on emergencies or injuries related to terrorist attacks.
Read MoreThere are hundreds of reasons to travel the world – for the adventure, the perspective, the education, the challenge, (just to name a few), though there is one couple currently traveling the world to keep their relationship going.
She’s American and he’s from Australia – their story sounds strangely familiar to my own! Despite living on opposite ends of the globe, Jenn and Jack make their long distance relationship work through travel. Both thrill seekers, food lovers, adventure finders, and a couple who attract misadventure, Jenn and Jack use travel as their excuse to stay together.
A fun loving couple who just wants to explore the world together, this inspiring duo decided that long distance shouldn’t be an obstacle which prevents a relationship, and that with enough creativity and motivation, it’s possible to mold any dream into a reality. After-all, if it’s important to you, you will find a way. This is their story.
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I am Megan Jerrard, professional travel blogger/journalist with a focus on adventure, discovery, immersion and inspiring you to explore!
