When we visited Japan we were keen to try out a tea ceremony in Tokyo, to soak in all that tradition and observe the preparation and presentation of “The way of Tea”. But upon researching these ceremonial and ancient services we discovered that many were quite expensive and also a little too full on for
Experiences/ Stories
Experiencing the unique culture of Borneo up close and personal at the Mari Mari culture village.
When we decided to head over to Borneo, specifically the Malaysian side, we were keen to take the opportunity to soak in all this magnificent and mysterious island had to offer and especially to visit a Borneo cultural village. From trekking through the jungle in search of endangered animals to embracing the rich tribal culture of
Vang Vieng Tubing, Laos: Why its still a fun way to see this beautiful town!
When you think of backpacking excesses, debauchery, drunkenness and generally the sort of behaviour that gives us more cultured travellers who happen to carry their belongings on their back a bad name the place Vang Vieng won’t be far from a mention. Over the past decade or so it has built up a reputation for all
Alternatives to the crowded Blue Mosque: The incredible Suleymaniye Mosque and it’s authentic neighbourhood!
Strolling around Istanbul, the intoxicating air of history, the well worn streets and the breathlessness of the electrifying hum draws you into its endless energy. A city split between two continents, a city of sharp contrasts and diversity, a beacon of symbolism for Turkey, its modern incarnation and long historic enduring historic past. It’s a
Cruising The Nile & The Egyptian Temples from majestical Luxor
Back in 2010 I visited Egypt, cruising down the river Nile we experienced the many temples and historical sites this amazing country has to offer and along the way managed to see a side to this country many miss out on. This wonderful and intriguing country left me in awe and challenged many preconceptions and
Sigiriya travel guide Sri Lanka: Prices, travel and lion rock on a budget.
When travelling to Sri Lanka one of the top places to visit has to be Sigiriya Rock, the impressive and historic fortress was a highlight of our time travelling around this beautiful country. However the expensive Sigiriya price puts many people off and almost did the same for us too. For such an inexpensive country the Sigiriya
Ella to Kandy train, Sri Lanka: One of the best train rides in the world!
The Ella to Kandy train is one of the absolute highlights of a trip to the incredible country of Sri Lanka. One of the most diverse and beautiful countries we’ve had the pleasure of visiting, from crystal clear blue waters and white sandy beaches, to dense jungles and weaving tea plantation lined mountains, it has it
Coastal Walks and Amazing Beaches Around Sydney. Where to Escape the City and Head to the Sea!
Sydney is well known as a large, busy and modern city, but many don’t realise just how many amazing beaches and coastal walks there are around the city. We managed to explore just a small handful of those within range of the cities public transport and discovered some absolutely pristine coastline. It’s that Aussie lifestyle
The unbelievable paradise Gili islands between Lombok and Bali where you can swim with turtles! Indonesia!
The Gili islands Indonesia are three small Islands (Gili actually means small island in the local language of Lombok) off the coast of Lombok in the sea between it and Bali. These three islands are complete paradise, no cars, continuous immaculate beaches, crystal clear turquoise waters filled with corals and amazing sea life, little cottages
Why you shouldn’t judge Bali: The beautiful, culture filled and diverse island beyond the tourists!
Bali is a destination that seems to split opinion. Many flock their due to its popularity, especially backpackers and Australian tourists. Others avoid it like the plague exactly because of that, considering it to be too touristy and lacking in real culture. The truth is we were very interested to visit to see the reality
Climbing the smouldering live volcano Kawah Ijen in protective masks for sunrise over the sulphuric acid lake and blue flame crater, Indonesia!
After being on a packed bus for 15 hours, sleeping for 2 and heading up to the impressive Mt. Bromo on Java we could have been forgiven for taking a break! But no, not us! It was onwards and literally upwards to climb our second active volcano in as many days and with probably as
The mesmerizing trek up volcano Mt Bromo including a 16hr bus and a 2.30am wake up call, Indonesia
We had never heard of Mt. Bromo before heading off to Asia and unlike many big experiences it wasn’t etched onto our Asia bucket list for years! We had been staying in a homestay in the hills of SaPa in rural Northern Vietnam, huddled around a fire and drinking rice wine to stay warm when
A guide to Yogyakarta, the historic heart of Java we fell in love with, Indonesia!
When we heading over to Yogyakarta (pronounced Jogjakarta and often spelt like this too) from Jakarta we had really no idea what there was to do here. In fact we always just saw it as a kind of pit stop for heading off over to Mt Bromo rather than a destination in its own right. But
The incredible ancient Borobudur temple: The largest Buddhist temple in the world, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
The largest Buddhist temple in the world, a huge monument to this religion standing mysteriously atop a hill on the outskirts of Yogyakarta. Ever since I saw images of the characteristic and unique perforated stupas around the top of this enormous temple I knew it was somewhere I just had to visit. One of the
Visiting the Awe Inspiring Grampians National Park, a Wild Adventure Just 3 Hours from Melbourne, Australia!
When most people think of Australia there are two very distinctive images that come to mind, the beach and the outback!! One is our typical image of those that live along the coast, the laid back surfer lifestyle and easy going ways. The other is of a barren orange landscape where not many people live