Istanbul: Touchdown in Turkey

I always find it pretty exciting when I leave the airport of a city I’ve previously only transited through, I’m not quite sure why. My excitement was through the roof for Istanbul then – this was my fourth time landing in the city but only my first time passing through immigration and entering Turkey properly.Continue

Mexico: Christmas in Holbox

It’s always nice to be somewhere nice for Christmas Day. Over the years I’ve spent December 25th on a beach in the Philippines; visiting waterfalls in Laos and hiking in one of the deepest canyons in the world. Last Christmas, I decided to return to the beach. I initially thought about going to Cozumel, justContinue

Mexico: Lazy in Cancun

My bucket list for Cancun, Mexico was very short – to do absolutely nothing. I was touching down in Mexico for the first ever time and, whilst usually my first few days in a new destination will see me galivanting about like an excited puppy, this time things were different. I flew in from HavanaContinue

A Guide to Cuba

Cuba is probably the most unique country I’ve ever visited. There’s nowhere else I can compare it to. It functions unlike anywhere else in the world which makes it both a fascinating and, at times, frustrating place to travel. It is, however, one of my favourite destinations in the world. I thought I’d jot downContinue

Cuba: Havana Ooh Na Na, Part 2

Habana Vieja (Havana’s Old Town) is huge. Seriously huge. This isn’t a token old town with a few old buildings and cobbled streets. It is literally the size of a town, containing a myriad of streets, some pedestrianised and lined with shops, restaurants and bars; others are narrow roads where a classic Chevy will pipContinue

Cuba: Havana, Ooh Na Na, Part 1

Before visiting Cuba, Havana was the only Cuban city I knew of and, for me, it epitomised Cuban life. I was expecting 1950s cars cruising down the promenade, fantastic night life, beautiful colonial buildings and live music pouring out of every corner. And boy, Havana delivered. Of course, you can get all those things inContinue

Cienfuegos: Why is the Rum Always Gone?

The chilled city of Cienfuegos, French rather than Spanish in origin, is only a 90 minute drive from Trinidad and made for a lovely, mellow stop on the way to Havana. It is blessed with some amazing architecture, a lovely little Malecon (promenade) and great sunsets. I found I passed the time in Cienfuegos byContinue

Cuba: Technicolour Trinidad

It was time to bid farewell to buzzing Santiago de Cuba and head west across the country to the beautifully preserved colonial town of Trinidad in central Cuba. This involved an eventful 14 hour overnight Viazul trip. I say eventful because it was supposed to be 12 hours but a couple of hours after settingContinue

Holguin: My First Taste of Cuba

It probably took me all of about 5 minutes after stepping out of Holguin airport to realise Cuba was unlike any destination I had ever visited. All the cliches are true. Huge 1950s cars own the streets and not just in token numbers. They are everywhere. Don’t fancy a 50s motor to get you around?Continue

Jordan: A Man in Amman

After sampling the desert and an ancient wonder, I was craving a bonkers Middle Eastern city and so I decided to head up north to Jordan’s capital, Amman. Despite Jordan’s small size, Amman isn’t ideally placed from the closely situated circuit of Aqaba-Wadi Rum-Petra. It’s about a 4 and a half hour drive from eachContinue