Switzerland For our honeymoon we hired a car in Italy and then spent 9 days on the road, including 6 days and 5 nights in Switzerland. We entered Switzerland from Lake Como, so started in Lugano then travelled anti-clockwise around the country until we reached the Visp area before crossing the Simplon pass back into Italy. I was quite excited about the prospect of travelling around Switzerland, a relatively small country, so easy enough to travel around and with neighbouring countries such as France, Italy and Germany I thought there would be a mix of culturally aware, cosmopolitan people with various cuisines on offer. Well, in my opinion, I was bang wrong. The scenery was beautiful, as you’d imagine Switzerland to be; full of lakes and snow-capped mountains, with castles around every corner but this was ... read more

Italy, Lake Garda and The Big 'Hob'day We flew out to Malcescine on Wednesday 18th May as part of a week long package holiday, so had a nice hotel booked for 7 nights and best of all a coach to take us from Verona airport straight to the hotel. The time in Malcescine was very relaxed, lots of wandering the cobble-stone streets, admiring the really cool castle from different angles and meeting friends and family in various cafes and restaurants. The town offers fantastic scenery, making walks along the lakeside very pleasant and there are various boat trips on the lakes and the chance to see views from the top of Monte Baldo, I took the cable-car up there for a morning view. We got married on Monday 23rd and started our honeymoon on Wednesday 25th ... read more

Me and my girlfriend flew to New York for a couple of days of pleasure and a little business. The business was to pick up my decree absolute meaning I am finally divorced and the pleasure involved alcohol, an old friend and some walking. I also chose the moment to take my US corn flakes shot, I thought that most relevant for the states was to show what the country is so proud of - money and capitalism.... read more

The Gambia - The African Jamaica The Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, engulfed by Senegal. Its borders follow the Gambia River, which flows through the country's centre and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. We entered the country in the east, staying one night in Basse Santa Su, arriving from the Senegalese town of Velingara, in a taxi that had more rust than metal and carried an amzing 13 people (including 3 on the roof). We spent 4 days on Janjanbureh Island in the town of Janjanbureh, formerly known during colonial times as Georgetown. Here we met some very friendly people and were encouraged to stay just because of peoples hospitality. The slave house was very interesting. The Gambia shares historical roots with many other West African nations in the slave trade, which ... read more

Mali Mali turned out to be quite a difficult country to travel around on our small budget. I left this country with a feeling of relief, my wallet left feeling as though it had been raped but now that I can reflect on my time in Mali it was an interesting place. The people are very poor and when blended with a male dominated, macho environment it can lead to some annoying and uncomfortable situations. I found it difficult to have patience sometimes and it made me feel tired of traveling when it took 12 hours to travel 130km and at the same time everyone you meet in that day is trying to get money out of you in one way or another, but as I have heard many times now "That's Africa" The food was ... read more