Food in the Ivory Coast was not what I expected. I recently spent several weeks eating my way through the economic capital of Abidjan, doing my best to sample as much of the local cuisine as possible. I was expecting some similarities to east African cuisines, which generally have soft and mild Read more
West Africa is a place that’s been on my list for so many years. I’ve set foot on the north, the east and the south of the continent, but the west has always escaped me until now. When my schedule and a cheap flight lined up this year, I had to go. I booked a flight from the European Read more
Last updated: January 2019. Heading to Bangkok!? I have returned to this city over and over since my first visit back in 2013. It is stunning. However, it does take a little while to get used to, and first timers are often intimidated by the place. The truth is, getting the most out of Read more
Last updated: January 2019. So you’re heading to Phuket? Get excited! Phuket is an incredible place, and you can spend an entire year exploring this island and never get bored. With so many places to see though, it can be a challenge to find the right place to spend your holiday. If Read more
I’m in Cote d’Ivoire!! Like many countries on Africa’s west coast, the Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire in French) requires a visa for tourists to enter. I’ve been blessed (or spoiled) with a New Zealand passport, so this minor inconvenience almost stopped me from visiting Read more
Many mornings on the road begin with you lying in bed wondering what to do that day. On this particular morning, I was in Bruges. The thing about Bruges is it’s kind of uneventful, to be honest. Other than looking at cathedrals, most tourists tend to spend the day doing one of three things Read more
So I needed a jacket. It was so cold in Amsterdam, and for some reason, I was without a jacket. Here’s the problem. In case you haven’t heard, I don’t buy clothes. Especially jackets. It’s because I have so many jackets at home in New Zealand, I’m quite sure I Read more
This hostel doesn’t feel like a hostel. It feels like a bus station. Maybe even an airport. I sit in the corner of this enormous foyer, the size of a school assembly hall, watching people check in. It’s like a factory line, boom, boom, boom, one after the other. They hand over a Read more
It’s still early, and I’ve been wandering these Amsterdam streets for a couple of hours now. Before I head home, there’s one more thing left to do. Something that everyone does here in Amsterdam. It’s probably the most famous red light district in the world, rivalled only Read more
So you’re coming to Auckland! Auckland’s an interesting city. It’s a cosmopolitan metropolis of 1.4 million people, and it has everything, but on a small scale. Designer shops, shopping malls, beaches, concerts, all cuisines, festivals – it’s all here – just Read more
