Chef and I met in Egypt on a 5 day felucca trip on the Nile. It was a lovely, peaceful few days and it was almost 20 years ago now. This year we wanted to do it all over again and share the magic of traditional sail boats on the longest river on Earth with …
We’ve taken our kids to the best and most famous museums in the world, London, New York, Washington DC and a hundred smaller storehouses of knowledge, but nothing could ever beat Cairo’s spectacular Old Egyptian Museum. This is my favourite museum in the world, a dusty slice of yesteryear and for us, The Egyptian Museum …
There is a train from Cairo to Luxor or you can go by road, air, or water. Tourists normally take the night train from Cairo to Luxor, the night train is much more expensive than the day train. We wanted to take the train during the day. You can, of course, fly, go by road, …
We’re in Egypt. We’re certainly not in Kansas anymore and Cairo hits you around the head like a sock full of sand. It’s big, it’s busy, it’s crazy, it’s dirty and it’s amazing! We arrived late at night, around 1 am at Cairo airport and were very glad we had a pick up arranged with …
In the far north of Romania, nestled in a valley below a long-extinct volcano, lies the little village of Breb, in Maramures County. We first came to Romania, Maramures and Breb in May 2015 and fell in love. Today, we are still unable to fully call it home due to visas and officialdom, but to …
We put off climbing Sigiriya, lion rock, with kids until they were 11 and 9. Why? Because we’d climbed Sigiriya rock fortress in Sri Lanka twice before, without kids, and knew exactly what to expect up there. We knew that the steps weren’t the most child friendly in the world and that there were a …
We just got back from a 2 day roadtrip in Northern Transylvania, Romania. It was a lovely couple of days and totally impromptu, that’s how we roll. I published a post about Dracula in Romania a day or so ago and we got inspired to go visit one of Romania’s Dracula themed hotels, around 3-4 …
Irishman, Bram Stoker, published his classic Gothic horror novel “Dracula” back in 1897. The cursed count, based in Castle Dracula, Transylvania, was on a mission to reach British shores in search of fresh blood. Van Helsing and a group of upstanding citizens who knew all about vampires, garlic and stakes, did battle with the Count, …
Have you heard of smart luggage? I hadn’t until very recently, but it’s a “thing” a mind-blowingly amazing thing. The future is here and people are buying it. Smart luggage is the latest buzzword for the tech-aware traveller thirsting for the latest innovations. If you need your luggage to have built-in tracking, Wi-Fi hot spots, …
Living in Breb, Maramures County Romania, we visited the monthly animal and horse market at Sighetu Marmatiei more than once. It was quite a thing to see but not without drawbacks. This isn’t a post for vegans. Animals and livestock are vital for human survival in this part of the world and market day can …
Sighisoara is a stunning, and surprisingly tiny, medieval citadel in Transylvania, central Romania. Its story-book looks alone will blow you away with picture postcards buildings, both grand and humble. Add history and cultural appeal to the visual and you’ve got a must-visit global destination. Unsurprisingly, Sighisoara is a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the best preserved …
Creating content for blogs or websites is more of a science than an art. Each blog post needs to have a series of elements, correctly executed to maximise your chances of ranking high on Google. If you don’t rank high on Google, you just won’t get search traffic and your blogging efforts won’t make you …
Hiring a car in Thailand is pretty straightforward and a great way of seeing the country. While renting or hiring a car in Bangkok maybe isn’t such a great idea, other parts of Thailand are perfectly set up to explore by road. We tried our hand at driving in Thailand with a self drive vehicle in …
Malaysia is a fantastic destination for families boasting beaches, culture, wildlife, great food, and plenty of child-friendly attractions. It’s not the cheapest place in the world, but being in South East Asia, prices for family travel and vacations are moderate. In this post, we tell you where to go in Malaysia with kids, where to …
Hi there, so you’re as crazy as us! Great to meet you. You’re thinking of selling everything you own and setting off to travel the world or just moving abroad for fun. We did just that. We were that family that sells most of our posessions to travel. We didn’t sell everything, but we sold …
Subscribers are pretty important to any blogger, not just travel bloggers. If Pinterest shut down, if Google de-indexed you, if Zucherberg pulled the plug, you’d be left holding your list. Now, I’m guilty of saying that getting blog subscribers isn’t the be-all and end-all that others make it out to be and for me, to …
What to blog about? What content should you create that will bring you lots of traffic? There are a few different options but I’ll tell you that the bread and butter of my website is giving people facts. They want hard information, first hand experiences and maybe a little reassurance that the thing they’re doing …
With more and more travel essential gadgets requiring charging, it’s little wonder that people are turning to portable battery packs to help fill the power gap when travelling. Be aware that not all battery packs are created equal in build, quality or price. Below I’ve listed 5 of the most common and widely regarded best …
Where are the best places to visit in Thailand as a family or with kids? A lot depends on you and your interests. Do you want to enjoy a beach vacation in a nice hotel? Maybe you’re on a tight budget and you’re looking for more affordable places. As travellers, we’ve spent months in Thailand …
If you’re like most people, you probably have dreams of going on a cruise through the beautiful Bahamas or mystical Mediterranean coast. Then adult responsibility hits and you have so many bills that all those luxury travel dreams seem like a far-off fantasy. Sure, cruises can be expensive. But guess what, they can be cheap …
4 years on the road and 50+ countries under our belts, we know how important it is to simplify your packing. If you have an easy packing system in place and know what you’re going to pack along with where and how you’re going to pack it, all of that packing anxiety just floats away …
Sri Lanka is an amazing place to take a holiday, or to travel, as a family. This magical island combines low prices, friendly people, stunning coastline and a wealth of cultural and wildlife experiences that can all be very family-friendly. After months exploring Sri Lanka, these are our family’s recommendations on highlights of Sri Lanka …
My husband is a genius. OK, sometimes he’s not, but today he is. A few months ago he had my precious Marmite confiscated by security as he boarded his Romania-bound flight in Luton, leaving me Marmite-less for another few months. That was an example of him not being a genius. Yesterday, he arrived triumphant with …
I posted already about the various ways of getting to and from Lukla from Kathmandu, Nepal. Flying into Lukla isn’t the only way to start your Everest region or Everest Base Camp trek, there are various bus, jeep and walk options. We feel that flying is the best way to go based on our experience, …
There is an incredible selection of things to do in Penang with kids along with family-friendly resort hotels, good food, and reasonable transport options. Penang is a popular vacation or holiday destination for local and international family travel. This post is about places to visit in Penang with family or with kids, with ideas on …
To create an effective blog and generate a steady online income, you have to spend a little money. This is something I wish I’d realised years ago rather than struggling using every second-rate free tool I could find. Some free tools are great, sure, we use many here, but the premium versions are often mind-blowingly …
So you want to start a blog? Or maybe you’ve already started and, just like I did, dived in without really knowing what you’re doing. Hold your horses, let’s backtrack a little. I’ve already given you this post, 6 steps to start your blog ( opens in a new tab), I’m sure you’ve seen it, that’s …
Antarctica with kids. Can you take kids to Antarctica? Is a family trip to Antarctica a good idea? We talk to travellers who have been to Antarctica to find out if visiting Antarctica with children is a good idea. Antarctic cruises are gaining popularity with travellers, should you go? No, we haven’t been to Antarctica, …
On our return trek from Tengboche Monastery, we took a different route to Namche Bazaar to take in some important locations and stunning Himalayan viewpoints. A major highlight for us was being granted admission to the ancient Khumjung monastery and being allowed to see a fascinating sacred relic kept under lock and key. The yeti …
A few days ago somebody on social media asked me what my favorite, all time, travel memory was. Without hesitation I told the lady-of-travel that it was the time I trekked to Tengboche Monastery with my son, then 11 years old. I added a footnote, that I doubted he would agree. I was curious though …
A lady in our Living Differently group was telling me yesterday how a photo I shared had stuck in her head and constantly inspired her to keep working towards her own dream lifestyle. It was the one below, taken in Richmond Upon Thames, London. Home, after too many years away. It was incredible to be back …
Winter has done its worst and the mercury is starting to hit positive numbers during the short days here in the remote mountains of Romania. This area is beautiful, harsh, inspiring and difficult and it’s where we choose to be. Why, when we could live anywhere in the world, do we choose to spend winter …
Adelaide is well-known for its award-winning wineries and amazing restaurants. If it is your first time in Adelaide and you want to book a food and wine tour, you might get overwhelmed with the choices, as there are A LOT. You can also be a local who’s looking for different options. Whatever it is that …
There are places to visit in Kathmandu Nepal that will take your breath away. This post tells you about the best places to see during your time in Kathmandu, most are temples or districts of Kathmandu city. We also cover places near Kathmandu to visit. If you only have a day or two in Kathmandu …
Travelling and vacations are always exciting and fun thing to do. What’s not that exciting, is having to prepare and pack all your stuff along with making pre-travel arrangements. Squeezing everything in a limited amount of time plus squeezing everything into your carry on luggage, backpack or suitcase can be pretty stressful and anxiety inducing. …
What trekking gear do you really need for Nepal? Trekking gear companies tell you to buy a long list of items before you even think of setting foot in Nepal or the Himalayas. I’m here to be more realistic. You don’t need everything they try to sell you. Items to pack, travel essentials for Nepal …
You want to know how to travel the world, right? We’ve done it, so can you. It could be a 2-week vacation to an exotic, far-away place that just puts you a little outside your comfort zone, or you could be wanting to travel for a year, maybe more, as a family, as a single …
World Nomads is the insurance company we have used for extended, open-ended, long-term and adventure travel. Many travel insurance companies do not cover our style of travel. We needed to tailor our cover to our destination and ever-changing plans any time we needed to. Travel insurance for serious, long-term, flexible or nomadic travellers can be …
Yes, you read that right we have a stinging tree in Queensland. It’s not just a bit “ouch” it’s more searing blinding agony that can persist for months. It’s not going to kill you with venom, but suicide could sound like a good option. Yes, it’s that bad. This post is about Gympie Gympie, the …
If you’re visiting the Cairns and Port Douglas region in summer, you absolutely must check out some of our freshwater swimming spots as well as the iconic Great Barrier Reef. These are where the locals go to cool off and some, like Mossman Gorge, receive large numbers of tourists too. Families visit these jungle swimming …
You’ll see things have changed around here! After almost 5 years of blogging with the excellent but outdated Prose child theme from StudioPress, we’ve updated to the sleeker, faster, funkier, easier, Magazine Pro Theme also on the Genesis Framework. A quick post on the hows and whys of updating a theme. I’d been putting it …
It’s traditional to do a year-end wrap post, so here goes with 2016. This year was a big one for me, it was my 50th on this endlessly fascinating planet. I’d like another 50 years of exploration but I doubt that will happen so I’ll just concentrate on sucking all the life out of however …
