Richard and Miranda, Author at A bear and a pig

In Georgia

What to do in Svaneti and Kazbegi

May 16, 2018 No Comments

Visiting Svaneti and Kazbegi in the spring Kazbegi and Svaneti are justifiably two of the most popular destinations in Georgia. Both offer spectacular mountain scenery and excellent hiking. The best season for hiking in the greater Caucuses mountains is the summer which begins around mid May/early June. However that does not mean that these two destinations are off limits outside of this time period. We ended up visiting Kazbegi at the beginning of April and Svaneti at the end. Major hiking routes close to Kazbegi itself were free of snow however this was not the case in Svaneti. When we were planning our trip to the Georgia traveling to these two regions outside of the summer seasons was one of main concerns. By the looks of some of our google searches it seemed we weren’t the only ones that were asking questions. Here we will give you all the tips…

In Australia

Exploring Tasmania’s East Coast

May 15, 2018 No Comments

Welcome to Tasmania’s East Coast Mainland Australia’s east coast has been getting the plaudits for years now. With beautiful beaches and stunning scenery it has been on the list of many travellers. Myself included, back in 2008. However there is another east coast in Australia with a fraction of the visitors and some of the most beautiful scenery on the continent. Welcome to Tasmania’s East Coast. Where Starting from the dramatic cliffs of the Tasman Peninsula and snaking all the way to Mount William National Park, Tasmania’s east coast is one of the highlights of any trip to Australia’s ‘other island.’ This is not a definitive list of everything available on the east coast. We spent 6 days on Tasmania’s east coast and loved every second of it. Sadly we only had 2 weeks in Tasmania itself, if we had longer we would’ve gladly spent more time on this part…

In Cambodia

2 Days in Phnom Penh

April 29, 2018 No Comments

2 Days in Phnom Penh Cambodia may be famous for the stunning Temples of Angkor, the rolling highlands of Mondulkiri and Ratanikiri and souths gorgeous beaches. Sadly, its wonderful capital Phnom Penh does sometimes get overlooked. It may not have the lure of some of Asia’s other great capitals, but it definitely packs a punch and is well worth a couple of days. Where to Stay When I first visited Phnom Penh back in 2008, most accommodation was in the lakeside district. Budget guesthouses built on the edge of an extremely polluted man made lake. Nowadays the lakeside no longer exists. There are 2 clear areas to stay, the first is in the north of the city close to the river. Here you will find lots of bars, clubs and partying. This is not really our cup of tea, so as a result we stayed close to the Russian market…

In Sri Lanka

Safariing in Udawalawe – Morning or Afternoon?

April 8, 2018 No Comments

When is the best time to do a safari at Udawalawe Udawalawe National Park, located on the southern fringes of the hill country is one of Sri Lanka’s premier safari destinations. Over the last few years accommodation has sprung up around the edges of the park making it more accessible than ever. Generally travelers will arrive from the south, Tangalle, Mirissa, Hiriketiya etc or from hill country, usually Ella. If you want to check out Sri Lanka’s other awe-inspiring creatures check out our article on blue whale watching in Mirissa. Getting there Bus From the south – Direct bus from Tangalle, takes approximately 2 hours From the north (Ella) – 3 buses (at time of writing) – Ella to Wellawaya, Wellawaya to Embilipitiya and Embilipitiya to Udawalawe Car From the Tangalle – 4500 rupees From Ella – 6500 rupees. We came from Ella and took a car as we wanted…

In Food

Eating in Sri Lanka

March 30, 2018 No Comments

Eating in Sri Lanka Eating is one of the highlights of any trip to Sri Lanka. Fresh fruit to piping hot curries there is enough variety and flavour to satisfy the foodies fo this world. As is noted in many guidebooks and travel articles, eating out is not as common in Sri Lanka as it is in other parts of Asia. As a result it is not uncommon for homestays, a common form of accommodation in Sri Lanka to provide delicious home cooked meals. However if you fancy eating out restaurants are easy enough to find. Especially in popular places. Breakfast The vast majority of accommodation options in Sri Lanka include breakfast or offer it at a very reasonable price. Breakfast usually consists of a wide variety of dishes, this can be a lot of food. Usually breakfast will consist of a variety of the following: eggs, coconut roti, hoppers…

In Australia

What to do at Cradle Mountain – Your complete itinerary

March 28, 2018 No Comments

What to do at Cradle Mountain Located in the north west of Tasmania, Cradle Mountain, part of the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is one of the islands most celebrated destinations. With stunning scenery, excellent hiking and abundant wildlife it should be on every Tasmania itinerary. Here are a few tips to get the most out of this incredible national park. If you want more information on what to do in Tasmania check out our article on exploring Tasmania’s East Coast! Travel Within the Park There is one main road in the national park that takes you past all of the hotels and down to the visitor centre. This main road leads all the way to Dove Lake, which is at the base of Cradle Mountain. It’s here you can get the iconic boat shed shot. There are regular shuttle buses that run visitors from the visitor centre down…

In Australia

3 Unfortunate Badges of Honour to Collect in Australia

March 28, 2018 No Comments

Lets face it Australia has a fair few things that would make it onto anyones bucket list. These things are usually of the more fun, interesting, travel related variety. However there are a few items that whilst they are unlikely to be on many peoples bucket lists, they do give you a few great stories. 1) Get Stung By A Jellyfish Australia is full of critters that bite and sting, so receiving a “gift” from one of these is in essence a quintessential Australian experience, right? Quintessential, possibly, painful, definitely. We spent a few days around Batemans Bay, a beautiful coastal town 4 hours south of Sydney. With stunning beaches its not surprising that there are quite a few decent snorkelling spots. Late one afternoon we headed over to snorkel around the beautiful Guerrilla Bay. Around the rocks along the edges of the beach there was plenty of marine…

In Cities

The diversity of Hong Kong

March 18, 2018 No Comments

Welcome to Hong Kong Hong Kong, is one of the worlds great cities, with a collision of culture, incredible food, a stunning skyline and breath taking scenery. Its an unusual mix that combines to make Hong Kong a truly intoxicating and fascinating city. From wandering around the back streets of Lan Kwai Fong and Hollywood, to bustling crowds of Wan Chai and Mok Hong Kongs urban areas will keep you buzzing. Sha Tin and Hong Kong’s Temples Head over to Sha Tin for to 10,000 Buddha temple or possibly to the Wong Tai Sin for a glimpse of the Buddhist faith that is still plays a important role in peoples daily lives. Head over to the Chi Lin Nunnery for one of the cities biggest and most stunning religious structures. Set in between skyscrapers, roads and highways, it somehow feels like you are a million miles from…

In Sri Lanka

Whale Watching in Mirissa

March 18, 2018 No Comments

Whale Watching in Mirissa Mirissa, a small town situated on Sri Lanka’s southern coastline is considered to be one of the best places on earth to see our planets largest living animal; the blue whale. Having the opportunity to catch even the slightest glimpse of one of these magnificent creatures is a truly rewarding and humbling experience. For the two of us, this was one of the things were most excited for in Sri Lanka. If you’re interested in checking out Sri Lanka’s safari’s check out our article on visiting the Udawalawe National Park. Cost In the grand scheme of things, whale watching in Sri Lanka is surprisingly affordable. We paid 1000 rupees more for this than a 4 hour safari at Udawalawe, 6000 rupees per person. However that being said, it is an expensive activity in comparison to Sri Lankan prices. Ethical Concerns This concern is valid. Sadly there…

In Japan

Japan Hacks – Know Before You Go

March 18, 2018 No Comments

A Guide to Travelling in Japan Japan has an unfair reputation for being expensive with a confusing transport system. To be fair both of these can be true, getting your head around the JR lines, private lines and metro lines in the major cities of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto needs some serious skills. We’ve put together a list of hacks that are very useful for anyone planning a trip to Japan. Tax In Japan tax is added at the counter so just expect to pay more that it says on the label. Some restaurants will have tax included in their prices, but this is usually stated on the menus. If you spend over 5000 yen at any one time in a shop you will need to have a copy of the receipt taped into your passport and stamped if you want to claim the tax back. This is to prove…

In Food

What to eat in Japan

December 26, 2017 No Comments

What to Eat in Japan It’s no secret that Japanese food is fantastic and is just one of the highlights of this fascinating country. This is by no means an exhaustive list of the culinary wonders produced in Japan, but these were certainly some of our favourites. Hopefully this little guide will help you plan what to eat in Japan. Sushi The most well known cuisine in Japan. Sushi can be affordable or mind numbingly expensive. The choice is very much yours. Most of the sushi we enjoyed was of the conveyor-belt variety. These restaurants are common in most Japanese cities, however out in the countryside they are much harder to find. Around more popular areas such as Namba or Dotonburi in Osaka or parts of Tokyo prices may be around 128 per plate, however we found a fair few places that were 100 yen per plate. Be aware that the…

In Japan

15 Photos That Will Make You Want To Visit Hokkaido

November 8, 2017 2 Comments

Photos that will make you want to visit Hokkaido Hokkaido is without doubt one of the most beautiful places we have ever been. With wild untamed wildness, incredible food and barely any people, this really is the complete opposite of most people’s image of Japan. This is the least visited of Japans four main islands, but making the effort to get this far north is definitely worth it, as you can see from the photos below. We have some other Hokkaido specific articles to give you some more information on visiting this stunning island. Check out our article on renting a car in Hokkaido for everything you need to know when planning a self driving holiday in Japan’s norther wilderness. Also to experience two of Hokkaido’s most stunning and remote destinations check out the Shiretoko and Akan National Parks. Finally check out our article on budgeting in Japan, helping to…