It’s been months since I blogged and, during that time, the world has become an unrecognisable ruin. Ravaged by a pandemic that has killed hundreds of thousands and decimated the economy. Who could have imagined a world where planes were grounded, borders closed, whole countries locked down? On top of that, the USA bleeding and burning with social injustice. I couldn’t. Even in the dozens...
Got a layover in Beijing coming up? Wondering where to start? Beijing, China, is one of the largest and busiest cities in the world. As such, there is so much culture to soak up, history to learn and views to enjoy of both ancient and modern sites. And with a possible 72 hours of visa free entry to fill on a stopover, here are five...
So far, 2020 has not been a great year for travel. While the Coronavirus pandemic rages and the fallout spreads around the world, we’re continuing to work and housesit in the UK. Winter has been tough on my wanderlust though and one of the bright spots on the horizon was our Easter European road trip, which was set to begin in Italy. Given the events...
Thinking of moving to sunny Portugal? We spent nine months down in the Algarve, tracking our living costs along the way. From rental prices to bills, food and transport, here's a detailed breakdown of the cost of living in Portugal. Our life in Portugal Before we jump in, here's a bit of background info about our Portugal journey. In summer 2019, Andrew accepted a year's teaching contract...
What better way to banish the bleak January blues than with a weekend getaway? We opted for one of the UK’s most historic cities that we’ve yet to explore: Oxford. Known as the City of Dreaming Spires for its 38 grand university colleges, the compact city has a walkable, medieval centre packed with history. From staying at a riverside inn to scaling towers and discovering...
Happy New Year from the UK, where we’ve just spent Christmas with family in Wales and Hampshire. The days have been filled with drizzly dog walks, baby time with our growing horde of nephews and nieces, festive TV and (perhaps too much) delicious vegan food. As per usual, now’s the time to take a look back at 2019 – which marks the end of a...
Our summer trip to the Rainbow Nation was a real beauty, filled with lush scenery and wildlife but how much does a trip to South Africa cost? We spent over three weeks travelling from Cape Town along the idyllic Garden Route to Addo Elephant National Park, where we enjoyed a self-drive safari. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how much our 23-day South Africa trip cost,...
It’s dark, bleak and rainy outside. For the first time in nearly eight years, we’re back in the UK for autumn and winter. Wondering what we’re doing here when we could be on a tropical beach somewhere? Life has certainly changed for us over the past few months, so I thought it was time for an update post. Here’s the lowdown on what we’ve been...
A safari was top of our travel wish-list when we planned our summer trip to South Africa. However, while most people flock to famous Kruger, we decided to stick on the Eastern Cape and tack a visit to Addo Elephant National Park onto our Garden Route itinerary. Here’s the verdict on our self-drive safari experience at Addo Elephant Park South Africa, including which animals we...
Ever heard of the Garden Route? It’s South Africa’s most famous road trip, named for its lush landscapes. After falling in love with Cape Town, we set off in our rental car to explore this beautiful stretch of coastline over two weeks. Here’s our full Garden Route road trip itinerary and highlights, from trekking in national parks to cruising Knysna lagoon, exploring the epic Cango...
