Destinations Archives - Bren on The Road

I Wrote A Book

Well, where do I start. It feels strange writing this post. Partly because I haven’t written here in so long, partly because I have big news and don’t quite now how to share it. If you’ve been wondering what I’ve been doing for the last two years, I’m about to tell you, but getting to …

Destinations, New Zealand

Where To Stay In Auckland: An Insider’s Guide

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 not everywhere and just not all the time. Each part of Auckland is quite …

Destinations

Redesigning Bren On The Road (a rebuild from scratch)

Welcome to Bren On The Road 3.0! You might notice things look a little different around here. This is the second redesign I’ve done since launch, and the first in 4 years. It’s a big change from how things started! When I first started this site in 2013 I knew nothing about websites. I knew nothing about …

Destinations, New Zealand, Popular

The Ultimate Guide To New Zealand Slang (2022 version)

It happens to me everywhere I go. I’ll be having a conversation with some mates at the hostel and, forgetting I’m not in New Zealand, I’ll say something like… “Yeah nah bro, I reckon that’s all good, cheap as for a mean as feed like that!” And they’ll all stare at me in silence, as …

Destinations, Japan

Running Yokohama: The Day Kobe Died

It’s been almost three weeks since Kobe died. I still think about him every day. It’s starting to feel real, but still doesn’t feel right and probably never will. When I first heard the news I had just woken up and was checking my phone with crusts still in my eyes. I was in Yokohama, …

Destinations, Thailand

Laps and Miles in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is a place talked about often in my circles. Fellow bloggers and readers just assume I’ve been there, being the hotspot for anyone who works on a laptop. But somehow I’ve managed to miss Chiang Mai for an entire decade of globetrotting. In December I finally had some free time in Asia and …

Destinations, South Africa, Stories

Love Cape Town

At first glance, The Zebra Crossing was just your regular hostel. Fifty beds, small lounge, small kitchen, little courtyard for the smokers. But like all good hostels, it was operated with love. And like all hostels operated with love, it became home. It was Doniel who checked me in. The cheeriest of smiles, caramel skin, short …

Destinations, Singapore

Running The Singapore Marathon

When deciding to do the Singapore Marathon there was a big question mark over it for a few weeks. I had just finished my first marathon at Auckland, but something told me I still had more to give. With all I’d learned at that race, plus a few more weeks of training, I was confident …

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