• Africa

    Chobe National Park: Chobe Riverfront

    10/15/2023 - By 

    If you want to see elephants in the wild, look no further than Chobe National Park. The 11,700 sq km park in north-western Botswana is home to some 35,000 elephants, the highest concentration of the pachyderms in the world. The sprawling park was opened in 1968, making it Botswana’s first national park, and it has a diverse range of habitats. The area around the Chobe River is home to the park’s biggest concentration of animals. There, alongside the aforementioned elephants, you’ll find giraffes, vervet monkeys, lions, crocodiles, impala, kudu, zebra and more. The park is also home to more than…

  • Africa

    Tsodilo Hills

    10/02/2023 - By 

    One of the most archaeologically significant and sacred sites in southern Africa, the captivating Tsodilo Hills are adorned by more than 4,500 rock paintings, painted by the San and Bantu peoples over thousands of years. Lying on the western edge of the Kalahari Desert, you can’t miss the hills, a series of four monumental rocks that dominate the otherwise flat, barren landscape. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, archaeologists estimate that Tsodilo has been occupied by humans for some 100,000 years and it’s long been revered by the people who live here. The San people believe it was the…

  • Africa

    Okavango Delta: Exploring the Okavango River

    09/11/2023 - By 

    In northern Botswana, you’ll find the Okavango Delta, a vast, sprawling network of waterways and islands that at its peak covers some 18,000 sq km. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s one of the biggest inland deltas in the world and provides water to around one million people. The wetlands are home to an astonishing number of birds, mammals, plants and fish. Hippos, crocodiles, elephants, eagles, snakes, herons and many more call this incredible freshwater habitat home. I spent three nights staying on a houseboat (above) on the Okavango River during my time in Botswana, taking short trips on a smaller…

  • Africa

    Botswana: Top tips

    08/21/2023 - By 

    With an abundance of wildlife, two UNESCO World Heritage Sites and a stable government, sparsely populated Botswana is a great country to visit if you’re looking to go on safari for the first time. So if you’re thinking of heading to Botswana to see the spectacular wildlife, here are some of my top tips… Climate Don’t be fooled into thinking that it will be baking hot in Botswana. You may be in Africa, but if you travel during the winter months (June, July, August) it can get very cold indeed. I completely misjudged the weather when I went and ended up buying…

  • Africa

    Botswana and Victoria Falls

    08/16/2023 - By 

    At the beginning of the year, I mentioned I was keen to do a once-in-a-lifetime blow-the-budget trip as I had a big birthday coming up. And that’s how in the middle of July, I found myself celebrating my 40th birthday wild camping in Botswana’s Chobe National Park (below). Home to some 2.3 million people and roughly the size of France, Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated nations on Earth. As a former British colony (it was granted independence in 1964), English is the official language, with Setswana also widely spoken. The country boasts one of the strongest economies in Sub-Saharan Africa…

  • Asia

    Vietnam travel guide

    07/31/2023 - By 

    From awe-inspiring scenery to ancient ruined complexes, traditional temples and stark reminders of the Vietnam War, there’s lots to experience in Vietnam. Add to the mix, an incredibly friendly people, rich culture and tasty food, and it’s no wonder the country has become such a popular destination with travellers in recent years. Everyone I know who’s visited Vietnam seems to have done the traditional north to south route through the country – starting in Hanoi and finishing in Ho Chi Minh City. It’s the same route I took when I visited the country. So if you’re thinking of visiting Vietnam and considering…

  • UK

    Berkeley: Dr Jenner’s House and St Mary’s Church

    07/16/2023 - By 

    While I was at Berkeley Castle, I learned that Dr Jenner’s House was just a five minute walk away. So after looking around the castle, I walked over to the house, as I was keen to see where the ‘father of immunology’ had lived and worked. Dr Edward Jenner was born in Berkeley in 1749, the son of a local vicar, and after finishing his medical training in London, he returned to the Gloucestershire town. He bought his house, The Chantry, in 1785 and lived there with his wife Catherine and their family. In 1796, Dr Jenner cemented his place in…

  • UK

    Berkeley Castle

    07/06/2023 - By 

    As the site of one of the most infamous maybe-murders in English history, it’s safe to say I’d been dying to visit Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire for quite some time. Despite being only an hour’s drive from Cardiff, I had, for some inexplicable reason, never been before. So when I had a week off work in May, I was determined to finally put that right. Situated in the charming town of Berkeley, just a stone’s throw from the River Severn, the 12th century castle is one of the oldest buildings in England still inhabited by the same family. The castle…

  • UK

    London: The Wallace Collection

    02/12/2023 - By 

    I first heard about The Wallace Collection years ago when I was writing a secret guide to Marylebone for a magazine I was working on at the time. As part of the feature, I was interviewing locals to find out their favourite spots in the area and one woman I talked to mentioned The Wallace Collection. Intrigued, I decided to check it out the following Saturday and discovered an utterly delightful collection of art, porcelain and furnishings inside a magnificent mansion. The Wallace Collection is a collection of European artworks, furniture and armoury amassed by the 4th Marquess of Hertford…

  • UK

    London walks: Belsize Park, Primrose Hill and Regent’s Park

    02/05/2023 - By 

    When I lived in London, I used to try to get out for a long walk most weekends. One of my favourite walks was from Belsize Park to Marylebone or Regent’s Street in central London, via Primrose Hill and Regent’s Park. If I was feeling particularly energetic and had the time, I’d sometimes start the walk in Crouch End, making my way to Highgate Woods, through Highgate village and across Hampstead Heath to Belsize Park before continuing into central London. Short on time this trip and keen to pack in as much as I could, I decided to keep it brief and…