The French Riviera epitomises all that is glamorous and fabulous about the south of France, and I send my greetings from this spectacular part of the world. What a difference a four hour journey on the TGV can make, as I have been basking under glorious blue skies every day after arriving from damp and chilly Paris on the train. Just as Paris displays in it's glory all that is old, traditional and romantic about France, the French Riviera and Provence show the brash, young and dynamic side of the country. The last journal left off after a day trip to [View Full Entry]

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Monaco is the second smallest independent country in the world, and is only around two square kilometres in length. Famous as a tax haven for the super rich, this little jewel on the mediterranean coast is only sixteen kilometres from Nice on the French Riviera, and the trip takes a little over twenty minutes as the train hugs the coast offering spectacular views along the way. It is a great country to explore for a day, and the home of the annual Monaco Grand Prix still feels very much like a part of France. The last journal left off in Bern, [View Full Entry]

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Switzerland is a mountainous country in the heart of Western Europe and famous for spectacular scenery. The Swiss vigorously maintained their neutrality during both world wars, and now enjoy a very high standard of living. Nowadays the country excels in banking and finance and has become a financial hub in Europe. The three official languages are German, French and Italian, but of course you can easily get by in English. I took the train from Verona to Zurich via Innsbruck, and gazed on spectacular scenery as the train wound through the legendary Brenner pass in the Austrian alps before the j [View Full Entry]

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I am falling in love ... with Italy. Verona is the city of romance, and the setting for Shakespeare's immortal Romeo and Juliette. A typically gorgeous Italian city proved the perfect backdrop for Shakespeare, and the inspiration the great man derived from the city continues to inspire modern day travellers. Verona is another impressive feather in the cap for Italy which is really up there with the world's great travel destinations. Verona is the last stop on my visit to Italy, and to recap from the previous journal we left off in San Marino. From the fortified city perched on a [View Full Entry]

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San Marino is a fascinating stopover in the centre of Italy. I took a train from Florence and then jumped on a connecting bus that gradually wound up to the summit of a hill where the tiny fortified republic lies. This tiny country swarms with tourists strolling the cobblestone streets that are packed with quality shopping, gorgeous cathedrals and stunning views of the surrounding Italian countryside from the citadel walls. San Marino is easy to get to and definitely worth a visit if you are in the region. To recap from the previous journal, I have been a busy adventurer since [View Full Entry]

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All roads lead to Rome. So I'm walking along a road ... in Rome yeah, and suddenly found myself heading towards another city. Now I've done my fair share boning up on ancient history dear reader, so how could this be happening? Oh hang on ... now I get it, the road was heading for the fortified Vatican City deep within the bosom of the eternal city. Vatican city is an independent city-state and the home of Il Papa who continues the ancient tradition of leading the Catholic Church while ably protected by implacable Swiss guards. I arrived recently on a [View Full Entry]

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African travel is a humbling experience. I've arrived in the beautiful country of Malawi as my second visit to the dark continent draws to a close. Malawi is often described as the warm heart of Africa and you are sure to receive a special welcome from the Malawians who are famed for their friendliness. In hindsight though, if someone were to stop me in the street to ask the question: Hey Tom, you're an experienced traveller now, what are your views then on the future of Africa? Unfortunately my response would be that I'm stumped for an answer. Africa ... fascinating, [View Full Entry]

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Kruger national park is a world famous game reserve and this impressively run park north east of Jo'Burg features a huge variety of wildlife, often at very close quarters. Game spotting is one of the most enjoyable experiences in life, and if our encounters in the park can be used as a guide you won't be disappointed! We spent three days in the park, which is South Africa's most famous tourist attraction, and we left one of the world's oldest wildlife parks exhilarated by our viewing experiences. There are an incredible number of animals to spot, and it's a wonderful privilege [View Full Entry]

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The kingdom of Swaziland is a little jewel in the heart of southern Africa. This small country has a long tradition of kings ruling the country from the Ezulwini valley, and gained independence from Britain in 1968. The original constitution was largely modeled on the English system, however it has subsequently been abolished and the king now rules Swaziland as an absolute monarch. The famous reed dance is an annual ceremony where the King chooses a new young bride from the naked girls who dance before him. Swaziland is surrounded by South Africa and the border with Mozambique to the east, [View Full Entry]

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Mozambique has had a tough time of it lately, in spite of the enormous strides made by her people towards a peaceful society since the civil war ended nearly fifteen years ago. Leaving aside the serious floods in the year 2000, the last few months alone has seen a munitions factory on the outskirts of Maputo go up in flames and subsequently turn the city into a mini war zone, then a category five cyclone with 300km an hour winds ripped through the resort town of Vilankulo. These setbacks must be hitting the local population hard, but the people of Mozambique [View Full Entry]

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