We arrived in the highest city in the world early in the morning, while it was still dark. It was unbearably cold. Through my sleepy eyes, I peered at the trusty guidebook for a place to stay. The Koala Den caught my eye, described as warm and cosy. There was no negotiation. But do Koalas have dens? Not the point. The bus ride had been less than comfortable. It was freezing as always and the drivers were toilet nazis. I had wanted to go to the toilet, but it was locked, so they screamed at me to WAIT! But why, I [View Full Entry]

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The trip is beginning to get very exciting. The spectacular mountains and misty green scenery are multiplying. Llama and alpaca sightings are becoming the norm as we approach the modern city of Cusco, surrounded by ancient cities, abandoned and lost for centuries. PK, Pierre and I left Arequipa on a night bus. Our method for choosing the best bus for us was to walk to the first counter at the bus station (out of what seemed like hundreds) and when we were quoted a surprisingly low price we agreed without hesitation. Hesitation would have probably been a good idea. So it [View Full Entry]

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After almost a month in Colombia we were super excited to have a new currency, a new (and slightly harder to understand) Spanish accent, and new soft drinks - Inca Kola baby! We arrived in Miraflores, the squeaky clean suburb of otherwise rough and dirty Lima quite late in the evening. The super bright crucifix that shines over almost the entire city was a nice welcome to a city that doesn´t get the best 'must see' rating from most tourists. I met up with Claire, a dear old friend from the Birmingham days (see Barcelona blog) as well as some lovely [View Full Entry]

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Somewhat sad to leave Cartagena, we arrived at the airport nice and early and excited to be heading to Bogota. The airline decided to put us on an early flight so we literally walked straight on to the plane which was great and also meant an early arrival into Bogota. My first impression of Bogota was that it wasn´t so bad after all. I felt perfectly safe walking around this modern and stunning city that sprawls across a valley and up the surrounding mountains. My second impression of Bogota was: I am only 23, why can´t I walk up four stairs [View Full Entry]

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Cartagena is a beautiful, complicated and most importantly fun city on the northern coast of Colombia. At the heart of the city is a large stone wall encircling what is now refered to by tourists as the old town. Characterised by stunning Spanish colonial architecture, busy streets, loud music and great restaurants, the old town of Cartagena gave me such a buzz! But there is a lot more to Cartagena. Travelling with my good friend Paul, we arrived in Cartagena a few days prior to New Years Eve, with the intention of frequenting the beach and partying for a few days [View Full Entry]

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It was fortunate timing that I should arrive in Scotland towards the end of the Edinburgh festival. I had a one night stay in this fabulous city before heading up to Anstruther for Elgar the Great’s wedding. Endinburgh is a young and exciting city, and most importantly, it is very Scottish. Most large European cities do not invoke a feeling unique to the country in which it is situated. Dublin especially didn’t feel particularly Irish, and many parts of Barcelona just felt like any other European city (although I did love it!). But being in Edinburgh, I was acutely aware of [View Full Entry]

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Pretty much everybody in Finland has blond hair and blue eyes. Never in my travels have I felt more inconspicuous. My darling friend Jenni picked me up from the airport in the evening and we drove through Helsinki at dusk. What a lovely city. It was squeaky clean, with plenty of trees, lovely shops and restaurants. I was staying with Jenni and her father in Espoo, not too far out of Helsinki. Her father didn’t speak a word of English. He was still determined to ask me a million questions about myself and Australia. What were the main industries in Australia? [View Full Entry]

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Welcome to the worst train ride of my entire life. After getting around the US on the Amtrak - a smelly, but very comfortable journey with big seats that recline, I thought a train from Paris to Berlin would be just the ticket. I was bitterly mistaken. I was squashed on bench seats in a miniscule cabin, shared with five other people and a guinea pig for 12 unbearable hours. I was fortunate enough to get one or two hours sleep, albeit with an exceptionally large French woman asleep on my leg. I was awfully relieved to arrive in Berlin. To [View Full Entry]

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It is so liberating to be on the road again, living out of a suitcase and on a diet of whatever I can get my hands on. It is also nice to get out of Birmingham. I arrived in Paris at around 9am with a lingering hangover. I had more than one fond send offs the previous evening. I arrived at my hostel, and the fellow behind the counter was typically French. ‘You cannnt check now, you muss come back at heff pess three.’ Thankfully I was able to leave my bag and head out onto the delightful streets of Paris. [View Full Entry]

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Yes, I am well aware that for the same price I could have seen some fantastic destinations around Europe, but instead I parted with my hard earned pounds to purchase my passage on the fine National Express to get a better look around the Mother country. Well I daren’t call England my home and not get a decent look at it, although I am sad to admit a great number of English people do. First was a weekend in Portsmouth to farewell a very good friend who I have been fortunate enough to spend a great deal with in fun [View Full Entry]

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