Richard and Miranda, Author at A bear and a pig

In Turkmenistan

Exploring the Darvaza Crater – The gateway to hell

June 28, 2019 No Comments

The Darvaza Crater – The Gateway to Hell Many people have heard of the Darvaza Crater, but very few people know where it is and how it came into being. Often referred to as the North Korea of Central Asia, Turkmenistan is one of the worlds last hermit kingdoms. The second largest country in Central Asia, it is made up of desert (covering 80% of the country no less), some of the worlds largest gas reserves, ancient ruins and some seriously bizarre sights. For evidence of the latter check out this article on Ashgabat. What is the Darvaza Crater Type Turkmenistan into a google image search and no doubt this is one of the images that will appear. It is basically a giant burning hole in the middle of the Karakum Desert. This stunning spectacle is the result of a slight error in judgement by a team of Soviet scientists…

In China

What to do in Dunhuang

June 15, 2019 No Comments

What to do in Dunhuang An oasis located in the most western region of Gansu, Dunhuang has been a crossroad of culture and trade since the times of the ancient silk road. Surrounded on all sides by inhospitable terrain its amazing that civilization exists at all. Any trip to the far western regions of China is very likely to include at least a stop over in Dunhuang as this is the main gateway into Xinjiang, Chinas final frontier. Dunhuang is barely even a city by Chinese standards. This tiny speck on the map relies heavily on tourism a source of income and prosperity for the local population. Visitor numbers, both domestic and international are increasing. The city centre itself has very little to offer and is merely a base to explore the other surrounding areas. Its small size meaning that location isn’t quite as important as in China’s other metropolises.…

In Japan

How to rent a car in Japan – Hokkaido Edition

June 3, 2019 8 Comments

Renting a car in Hokkaido Renting a car in Hokkaido is without a doubt the best way to see, travel and experience this magical landscape. Hokkaido is truly unique, and is absolutely one of the most beautiful places we have ever been. This article is focused on the practicalities and necessities for renting a car in Hokkaido. However we have an article about visiting the Shiretoko and Akan National Parks in eastern Hokkaido as well as a bunch of our favourite photos from our 2 week road trip through Japan’s most northern island. We have an additional article on renting a car and driving in Kyushu, as there are some key differences between renting here and renting in Hokkaido. However the rules and required documents are the same. We also have articles on eating in Japan and budgeting when travelling Japan to help you plan the perfect trip to the…

In Azerbaijan

What to do in Azerbaijan – Off The Beaten Track

June 1, 2019 No Comments

What to do in Azerbaijan Azerbaijan is the least visited of the three Caucasus countries. Partly due to the old complicated visa process and partly because of an underdeveloped tourist industry. However there some amazing things to do in Azerbaijan and since 2017 the government has introduced an e-visa system making getting a visa much easier. As a result Azerbaijan is becoming more accessible to tourists from countries other than Russia and Turkey. However, even with these increasing tourist numbers Azerbaijan still remains a country that is very much off the beaten track. Language Issues? At present English is not widely spoke outside of Baku with Russian still being widely spoken above people over 40. For more information about the language barrier in Azerbaijan check out article on the usage of Russian in the Caucasus. What to do in Azerbaijan, getting off the beaten track Ramana Castle Located out on…

In Japan

Renting a car in Kyushu – Your complete guide

March 14, 2019 No Comments

Renting a car in Japan – Kyushu edition We are huge fans of Japan. After spending a month there in October 2017 we returned again in July 2018, renting a car in Kyushu. Back to Japan Our first trip saw us dividing our time between Hokkaido and Japan’s most famous tourist trail winding from Hiroshima up to Tokyo. This time we headed to Kyushu and Shikoku before flying back to Beijing from Tokyo. No JR passes this time as we were renting a car in both Kyushu and Shikoku and using rail passes to explore some of the areas around Tokyo, including Nikko and Kamakura. We have another post on renting a car in Japan that’s more focused on renting a car in Hokkaido, Japan’s most northerly island. Whilst there are definite similarities there are certainly some unique things to bear in mind when renting a car in Kyushu or…

In Australia

The Grand Pacific Drive – Sydney to Narooma

February 23, 2019 No Comments

Welcome to the Grand Pacific Drive Lets face it, most travellers arrive in Sydney, drool over the harbour bridge and the opera house before heading on up north towards Byron Bay, the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef. The Grand Pacific Drive doesn’t even come onto their radar. I say this with reasonable confidence as in 2008 I joined the legions of travellers adding my footprints to this well trodden path. Heading out on the Grand Pacific Drive With the way our flights, Christmas and car hire plans planned out we landed in Sydney on Jan 1st 2018 and we were flying out to Hobart on Jan 10th. So we had a grand total of 9 days, not a huge amount of time. Especially as one half wanted a couple of days in Sydney. We landed at 10:00am and by 10:45 we were in our bright blue Toyota corolla that we…

In Georgia

What to do in Tbilisi – Two great city walks

February 22, 2019 No Comments

What To Do In Tbilisi Georgia’s capital is well known for its beautiful old town. The maze of narrow lanes, decadent, yet crumbling buildings and gorgeous churches make it a wonderful place to wander. Taking a walk and exploring the city is one of the best things to do in Tbilisi. These two walks take in some of Tbilisi’s most interesting sights, taking you from the old town, into the surrounding hills and through the cities back streets. Walk 1 This route starts on the edge of the old town as it takes in some of Tbilisi’s best sights. It takes around 4 hours, but photo stops will naturally add more time. It starts and ends in Liberty Square. Start: Liberty Square Finish: Liberty Square Liberty Square to Sioni Cathedral From Liberty square head south east down Kote-Abkhazi street. A street littered with souvenir shops and restaurants and tour operators…

In Hong Kong

Cheung Chau, Lamma and Peng Chau

February 19, 2019 No Comments

Cheung Chau, Lamma and Peng Chau Hong Kong is so much more than Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, in fact Hong Kong is made up of 261 chunks of land jutting up out of the ocean. The largest of those islands being Lantau, which is filled with great stuff to do including the incredible Lantau Peak hike which you can read about here. However, Cheung Chau, Lamma and Peng Chau, three much smaller islands are very much off the beaten track. Each of these islands offer beaches, great walks, temples and seafood. With their close proximity to Hong Kong Island and Kowloon it makes them and easy day trip from the cities bigger and more illustrious destinations. Do be aware that during the summer months these places can be extremely popular with local Hong Konger’s hunting down a quieter alternative to the cities chaotic heart. How To Get There To…

In Kyrgyzstan

What to do in Kochkor – Hiking to Kol Ukok

February 18, 2019 2 Comments

Hiking to Kol Ukok: Welcome to one of Kyrgyzstan’s most breathtaking hikes. It’s usually done over two days with one of the day having vastly more walking than the other. Although there are trails that go beyond it, the lake of Kol Ukok is the highlight of the hike. We hiked up to our yurt camp on day 1 and planned on hiking up to the lake the next day. Weather forecasts said rain would be coming the afternoon of day 1. Sadly the weather forecasts weren’t entirely correct and it remained pretty clear until nightfall when it began to rain. Leaving us to wonder if we’d made a rather monumental cock up. However when our alarms went off at 5:30am we were greeted with a few clouds and no rain. We then hiked up to Kol Ukok and back down to the trail entrance where our wonderful hostel owner…

In Kyrgyzstan

How useful is Russian in Central Asia?

February 16, 2019 No Comments

How useful is Russian in Central Asia: When planning a 6 week trip to Central Asia one of the most consistent topics on forums, blogs and guidebooks is the usefulness of Russian in the region. There is a mixed bag of information as everyones experience and language level will be different. As a result our experiences may not be the same as someone else. We can only write from our own perspective. Prior to entering Central Asia we had spent 6 weeks in the Caucuses where we found Russian to be extremely useful, you can read more about that here. Central Asia’s relationship with Russian: Today Central Asia’s relationship with the former Soviet Union is obvious. Wide tree lined boulevards are common in the regions capitals, Lenin statues are found lurking in parks, Lada’s trundle along highways and dirt roads and Russian is everywhere to be seen. The influence of…

In Vietnam

Exploring the Mekong Delta on a scooter

February 11, 2019 No Comments

Exploring the Mekong Delta on a Scooter Vietnam is deservedly one of the most popular travel destinations in South East Asia, and has been for a number of years. However this popularity does mean that it can be full of tourists. One of the easiest ways to escape the crowds is by using a scooter or motorbike to explore. We hired a scooter and embarked on a two day trip down to the mekong delta from Ho Chi Minh City. Hiring a scooter: For longer trips its obviously much better to buy however we hired a bike for 2 days for $25. We found the company through a google search and then checked reviews on trip advisor. It’s usually better to choose an expat run company for hiring bikes as there a large number of scams that operate from local bike hire companies, especially those located in the backpacker area…

In Taiwan

What to do in Kenting – A complete 3 day guide

January 30, 2019 No Comments

What to do in Kenting Welcome to the most southerly point on the island of Taiwan. Stunning scenery, gorgeous beaches and beautiful sunsets are the order of the day. There is more than enough to see and do to keep you busy for 3 or more days. Half of the pleasure comes from exploring the winding coastal roads. Use our guide to help you plan what to do in Kenting. Getting there and away Located at the very southern tip of the island, the town of Kenting itself is tiny, with a decent smattering of guesthouses and restaurants. Its close proximity to the beaches, hiking trails and scenic spots that make up the stunning Kenting National Park means that this is where most travellers head to, us included. The only way the get to Kenting is from Kaoshuing (高雄), Taiwans second city. There are direct buses from bus stations outside…