Stories Archives - Page 3 of 5

When In Berlin

It was taking me a while to find the bar. It was supposedly atop the fifth storey of this shopping mall carpark, yet when I got to the fifth storey, all was silent. I wandered for a minute or so, trying to find signs of life. Bars usually aren’t hard to find – lots of …

Destinations, New Zealand, Stories

Surfing New Zealand’s North With Rapu Adventures

There is a feeling you get when you surf. It’s a mixture of many feelings – the spray of salt water in your face, the thrill of zooming across an open wave, the sight of a curving ocean spreading in front of you, the sound of your heart pumping faster and faster against your rib …

Destinations, Finland, Stories

A Tammisaari Story

I didn’t even remember what this kid looked like. I mean, I could’ve picked him out of a police line-up, probably. But I didn’t have a clear image of him in my head. He had that funky haircut with the ponytail on top though – I remembered that much. I got off the train and …

Destinations, Poland, Stories

Big Trouble In Little Kraków

I didn’t feel like going home. I’d just had dinner with some friends in the main square and they’d all clocked out early; it was only 11pm. With a belly full of beer, I decided to hit the bars for a couple more, lone cowboy style. After a twenty minute walk I was in the …

Destinations, Finland, Norway, Stories

To Where The Northern Lights Go

I stood at the window, eyes skyward. Nothing. It was my third night here in Rovaniemi; one of Finland’s smaller cities, just outside the Arctic Circle. But I wasn’t here for the sightseeing. The mornings and afternoons had been loitered through, and each night was spent lounging by the window, hoping to see the famous …

Destinations, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Stories

Hitch-hiking Diaries: From Kraków to Tallinn

Recently I completed my first extended hitch-hike – around 1,300km and four countries – from the south of Poland to the northern tip of Estonia. When I tell people about this, they often seem confused about the whole idea. Who picks you up? Is it easy? Hard? What if no one stops? But hitching is …

Destinations, Morocco, Stories

Under Stars In The Sahara

This camel has big mouth. Seriously, you could fit a basketball inside. I jam my camera in his face and snap a photo. I’m sure he doesn’t mind. Or maybe he does, but after a million stupid gringos doing the same thing, he’s probably over it. Our Berber guides tell us, one by one, to …

Destinations, Ecuador, Stories

It Started At A Salsa Club In Quito

I sat at the bar nursing a beer, making small talk with the girl next to me. In front of us, the dance floor. It was lit up, like a stage at a theatre show. Couples glided effortlessly; the women twirling elegantly with their chins high and proud, the men guiding them with authority …