I have never been one to go to a country to just tick it off the list but for the first time I did it. I had no real interest in coming here but since I was around the area I thought what happens if somewhere down the track I have one country left to see and I have to travel all the way from Australia to see it. I was in Germany Trier, which is an ideal place to stay overnight and do a half day trip in both places. Trier and the small European country Luxemburg. Trier was briefly the capital of the Western Roman Empire and was the most important Roman city north of the Alps. Because of this location it provides a chance to see Roman ruins in a different light and ... read more

“Rochelle! Rochelle!” a friend of mine told me to say in the streets of Minsk. Unsure as to whether I had found my ‘Rochelle or her daughter’ I thought maybe she had reached Minsk? I arrived at the airport and immediately was forced to pay for medical insurance by the government. The official piece of paper was put in an envelope, which had a map of Belarus. On this map I saw a place called Pinsk. Those that have followed my Milan to Minsk journey will recall that this part of my trip is dedicated to Seinfield and their fictional movie called Rochelle Rochelle, with a twist. ‘A young backpackers strange and ‘hopeful’ erotic journey from Milan to Minsk.’ Now, on the show when that movie gets turned into a Broadway musical, a line for the ... read more

No matter how good their English is don’t whatever you do ask a Romanian for directions. It was 9pm and the taxi driver explained that this is Unirii Square our agreed stop off so I could save 5euros instead of my hostel. A large square built during the dictator Ceausescu days that’s not far from my accommodation. The street I need to ask for is only one street away from the square. I see a church, which was a landmark, but in Romania churches are really not a landmark as there are so many. I ask a restaurant and they point a different direction to the taxi driver… Both are not the right way. I walk around back streets and main streets and end up at the same spot as before near a subway exit. There ... read more

I was back again to the island my dad was born for the 5th time but 4th time since the journeys have begun. Visiting a Greek island of your heritage means (especially when travelling there with your dad) you have to listen to the same stories for the umpteenth time about the family history, village life and if you show no interest than an attempt to make you feel guilty that you don’t care is made. So in desperation to get a break from all this I built up enough courage to drive around the island myself. The first time I was here was 1995 and even my last visit in 2009 tourism was not an overload. But with the Greek financial problem set in. Island hoping for the Greek population has become popular. Kythera still ... read more

I was a real little shit the first time I travelled - Not interested in anything, not even a glimpse at one of the worlds most iconic landscapes could change my initial thoughts of overseas travel. My true hatred, my belief was that travel sucked. So when on my first morning I was served up a Greek style Continental breakfast I officially gave up. That was until half a day later I drove around the volcanic remains of the Greek Island Santorini. 16 years on and I returned to look back with fondness of the ungrateful 14 year old little shit that was I. There is a build up of appreciation of what that 1 month with my mum and dad gave me. Within ½ a day I realised that there was life outside of Australia ... read more