“I love my country, but I love Nicaragua more.” This phrase was frequently heard whilst travelling throughout Central America. Prior to setting off, our knowledge of Nicaragua was pretty limited: we’d read travel guides but relied on a travel agent to ensure our itinerary included the most interesting destinations. More … Continue reading
The ancient city of Athens was first inhabited around 7,000 years ago and has been a major city of the eastern Mediterranean ever since. Named after the goddess Athena, Athens is still synonymous with civilization, culture and beauty. Splendour Most modern democracies can trace their roots to the ancient Greeks … Continue reading
I love the Caribbean’s warm blue seas and powder-white beaches but hate huge, impersonal all-inclusive hotels where, having no will power, I invariably put on half a stone in two weeks. So, after a hectic three-month trip around South America, we chose to spend our final days on Providencia, a … Continue reading
Located 32 km from the more famous Rishikesh, Haridwar is often merely a side trip on many Western traveller’s agendas. Bustling with temples, markets and rich historical past, it is a town more than worthy of its own distinction. For many, Haridwar’s primary attraction is its profoundly religious significance. Known … Continue reading
For the hip young things, Bangkok’s Chatacak market is old news. Overpriced, crawling with sweaty tourists and baby bunnies in tutus, swelteringly hot, row on row of the same stuff all held in a purpose built market. And, let’s be honest, a purpose built market? Who does that these days? … Continue reading
Like it or not, what we wear defines us- what we do, how much we earn, what music we listen to, young, old, off to the shops or out for a night on the town. Even so called wardrobe staples come in a bemusing array and will inevitably be shunned … Continue reading
There’s something intrinsically satisfying about riding the train to the end of the line. Some thirteen hours out of Bangkok, Ubon Ratchathani province is nearly at the Thai-Laos boarder. The city of same name to a working town with none of the picturesque colonial stylings, enduring cultural practices, sunny beaches … Continue reading
You meet them in droves when traveling, people who’ve ‘done’ Fiji, the Amazon and China. Three weeks on a tourist bus and they have miraculously acquired supreme knowledge of the food (delicious but avoid the water), the people (so friendly!) and sites (amazing, but not nearly as good as Angkor … Continue reading
Stark red earth, the dry gray-green of stunted plants, kangaroos and unending flat, disorienting planes; I doubt I am alone in these images of the Outback, culled from postcards, films and friends’ Facebook albums. But after a year of record rains, this is a land transformed. Blanked in thorny shrubs, … Continue reading
Traveling from Koh Sok to Koh Tao is an easy and affordable trip on the tourist bus and boat. If you are after a little more freedom and adventure or are feeling the need for a lie-in (the tourist bus leaves at 6am), a couple of local buses and an … Continue reading
Beautiful, blue sea, golden sandy beaches, a hot spot for the rich and famous, the Côte d’Azur has it all. For me there is no better place on Earth, with its stunning coastline, desirable scenery and sumptuous ambience, this magical place captured my heart from an early age. There … Continue reading
Bearing the unique distinction of being the Rajasthan desert’s only hill station, Mt. Abu emerges from the sweltering desert as a cool oasis. With its picturesque lake, famed sunsets, and abundance of temples, it is a favoured tourist spots for people across India. For many, it is where they will … Continue reading
I decided to write a travel feature about our 6 berth Adria Altea caravan as I wanted to give my view point and show a different perspective compared to others, as it has opened up many opportunities to experience life and holidays in a very different way. My husband, two … Continue reading
Paris – a name associated with culture, art, the opera, the bourgeoisie and foremost a world-class cuisine. The French capital invites not only with an incredible charm, but also with an interesting mixture of old and modern architecture. Many artists flock to Paris in the summer to paint the beautiful … Continue reading
On telling friends we were weekending in Venice, they all related two recent Italian travel stories: British holidaymakers being charged €64 (£54) for four ice-creams in Rome and Italian tourists being billed £85 for four liqueur-laced espresso coffees in Venice’s St. Mark’s Square. We were already well aware of the … Continue reading
“Since the June 2009 coup d’état that led to the exile of then president Manuel Zelaya, visitors have been deterred from Honduras by reports of high crime and general insecurity” – so reported the Telegraph recently. Although San Pedro Sula is often dubbed “murder capital of the world”, we were … Continue reading
This week we are continuing our travel series on Germany. Berlin, her capital, is trying to regain its former glory of the 1920’s when it was known as very liberal city bustling during the night with parties and cultural highlights. The reunified city has completely transformed in the last 20 … Continue reading
We resolved months before December that Christmas was going to be different. Instead of driving 200 miles up the A1 from London to Yorkshire on a dark, wet Christmas morning, we’d be being chauffeured on a warm, bright sunny day up through the tea plantations to Munnar in Southern India. … Continue reading
A night in an Ice Hotel in Swedish Lapland seemed like an unforgettable way to celebrate a special birthday. The adventure was eagerly anticipated but tinged with trepidation. It was impossible to imagine sleeping in temperatures of minus 5 degrees on a bed made from ice. We opted for the … Continue reading
Are you a travel aficionado who’s wondering what the latest buzz in the travel spectrum is? Do you think you’d like to go “green” the next time you travel? Or perhaps you’re a “green” traveller who is looking for a long vacation in beautiful countryside? Or a city stressed soul who … Continue reading
Are you looking for a holistic healing treatment that will rejuvenate your body and soul? Do relaxing massages, bathing in milk and rose petals, sandalwood packs, guava scrubs, chocolate body wraps, aromatic lotions and soothing oils and relaxing massages sound enticing? Then read on to know where you can find … Continue reading
How far is too far? Is there such a thing? It’s one thing following your man to the pub when he wants to watch football and you want to be seen as the ‘supportive girlfriend’. It’s another thing perhaps when he wants you to follow him to the other ends … Continue reading
Mariam Noronha continues her alternative Indian travel series with a review of the best monasteries in Ladakh… Ladakh, an Indian destination known for its undulating landscape, fresh mountain air and the Buddhist way of life is the place you should visit when you want to get away from it all. … Continue reading
“We’re in such a hurry most of the time we never get much chance to talk. The result is a kind of endless day-to-day shallowness, a monotony that leaves a person wondering years later where all the time went and sorry that it’s all gone.” Zen and the art of … Continue reading
Being a holiday snob, I like countries that have a totally different culture, require at least a five-hour flight and a couple of inoculations. And as I have an aversion to talking to people when I’m away, I don’t want to encounter fellow Brits. So when I won easyJet flights … Continue reading
Restful vacations, lazy holidays, quick getaways amidst snow capped peaks dotted with orchards, dense forests and green meadows. Are you looking for all or many of these? Then join Mariam Noronha as she unravels holiday destinations hidden in the Indian landscape. Here is a look at her top five tranquil holiday … Continue reading