I’ve just arrived in Malmö, Sweden’s third largest and most multicultural city. It was once controlled by Denmark and is actually a shorter train ride from the Copenhagen airport than is Copenhagen itself. Continue reading “Who says Scandinavian has to be expensive?”
September just might be the best time to visit Ladakh, a mountainous region in northern India sandwiched between Pakistan, Tibet, and Kashmir. Charles and I enjoyed the crisp mornings and cool nights and each time we returned to the bustling city of Leh, where we stored our luggage between treks, we were amazed at how quiet the streets were becoming. Continue reading “A Month in Ladakh”
Last year I set a goal of visiting 40 countries by my 40th birthday. Less than 12 months later I find myself in Brazil, celebrating reaching that goal (and early too). I’d thought my 40th country might be somewhere exotic but I couldn’t have chosen a more festive atmosphere than the home of Carnival, especially during the 2016 Rio Olympics. I’m also happy that I got to share the trip with my brother, who loves the Olympics. Continue reading “40 Countries”
On my way back home from a very fulfilling trip, I had a short stopover in Hong Kong. The weather was dreary. Not cold but not warm either and foggy enough to obscure most of the skyline for which the city is famous. The grey sky took nothing away from the fantastic food and colourful street scenes, however. I decided to leave my camera packed away while I snapped random photos with my smartphone. The results were rather mixed but I’m quite happy with the more candid perspective that it seemed to give me.
Continue reading “Three Foggy Days in Hong Kong”
Bali has a reputation for being a tourist trap packed with Australian holiday-makers. There are parts of the island (or group of islands, really) where that’s certainly true. If you take some time to dig a little deeper, you’ll discover there’s another, more authentic side to this tropical wonderland. Of course, I’m talking about the food. I sat down at an unassuming stall along a busy nondescript road and ordered the first dish you should try anywhere in Indonesia – Nasi Goreng. Literally “fried rice”, this is like ordering pad thai at a Thai restaurant or spaghetti in Italy. It’s a test of the cook and how well they do this dish will either whet your appetite for more or tell you it’s best to try somewhere else. It’s usually good, sometimes very good. It’s also fast and cheap.
Continue reading “What does $2 get you on the streets of Bali?”
Cycling Tasmania – Day 28
Marrawah to Stanley (via Forest)
80km, 640m elevation
Tasmania is known for exceptionally strong winds. I’ve been very lucky on my cycling trip so far, having gotten only one day of really strong winds and much of that was either at my side or my back. Well, today my luck changed. I battled through a headwind for most of the day, still enjoying myself but working a lot harder than usual.
Continue reading “Headwind to Stanley”
Tasmania Cycle Tour – Day 11 – Tee Tree to MONA
40km, 530m elevation
I felt some mixed emotions when I woke up this morning, knowing that it was time to start cycling into Tasmania’s capital city, Hobart. The dark skies and light rain seemed to reflect how I felt. I’ve had such a wonderful time exploring this history-filled part of the island that I’m sad to leave it behind.
Continue reading “Crazy Modern Art and a “Secret” Hut on Mount Wellington”
