Ho Chi Minh City Travel Advice & Budget Planning

Ho Chi Minh City Travel Advice Cover

So, I’d covered Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. Next was a brief few days in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, also known fondly by its previous name, Saigon. I only spent a few days in the city, so here is my Ho Chi Minh City travel advice and budget planning for a brief visit.

This was my second trip to Vietnam, having visited Hanoi and explored Ha Long Bay back in 2013. I’d heard great things about Saigon, so even though I’d experienced some of Vietnam before, I didn’t want to leave it off my Southeast Asia backpacking trip. Read more

Two Weeks in Cambodia | Travel Diary

Two Weeks in Cambodia - 1

OK, so if you’ve been keeping track then you’ll know that so far on my travel diary, I’ve done 10 days in Myanmar, one week in Laos. Next up in my Southeast Asian adventures is two weeks in Cambodia.

I had been anticipating a trip to Cambodia ever since I first moved to Asia, so this part of my trip was definitely a treat for me. For a detailed itinerary of my trip, you can read my previous post on Cambodia travel advice.

Here is my travel diary from my two weeks in Cambodia:

Day 1 – Vientiane, Laos to Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Two Weeks in Cambodia -
Phnom Penh Central Market

After an intense one-week fling with my new lover, Laos, I was now ready to head to my next destination. I started my two weeks in Cambodia in Phnom Penh, flying into the capital city. Read more

Real-life Temple Run | How I Saw 10 Temples in Angkor in just One Day

Temples in Angkor Cover - Angkor Thom

My recent trip to Cambodia was on a shoestring budget. With tickets to visit the ancient city of Angkor starting at US$37 for one day and a limited time in Siem Reap, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to see that many temples in Angkor.

Hostel staff advised that I would be able to see five temples in Angkor if I took a bike, more with a guide. My trusty Lonely Planet told me I could only manage three Angkor temples in 24 hours.

Temples in Angkor - Angkor Thom

Not to be thwarted, I rented a bike for the day for US$3 and decided I would try and see as many as I could. I left my hostel at 4am, cycling through unlit city streets to get to the ticket office (confusingly, notwhere  near the entrance of Angkor), before heading to Angkor Wat for sunrise.

I didn’t see five temples. I didn’t see three. I saw TEN temples in Angkor and I have the sweat-drenched t-shirt and toned glutes to prove it! Here are the ten temples in Angkor that I managed to squeeze into just one day: Read more

Easter in New York City | Top 10 Tips by Stephanie Fox [guest post]

Easter in New York City - Cover

It’s been a few years since I enjoyed Easter in New York, but I loved the long weekend in the Big Apple. I’d previously only visited NYC in winter. However, the month of April transformed the city into a bright airy place full of colour – and chocolate!

It’s hard to imagine, with all that concrete everywhere, but in America and especially NYC they manage to be so flamboyant and colourful that the infectious Spring vibe filters along the streets.

Stephanie Fox blogs about Newcastle and Travel at her blog www.stephaniefox.co.uk. She’s kindly contributed this Easter-themed guest post to help me with my #40days40blogs Lent challenge! Here are her top 10 things to do for Easter in New York City: Read more

The Best Free Museums in London

Free Museums in London Cover - British Museum

London has a reputation for being expensive and often with good reason. A standard cup of coffee will cost you a cheeky £3-4, one stop on the tube can go for as much as a fiver and a trip to St. Paul’s Cathedral will set you back eighteen of your English pounds! However, one redeeming factor is that there are hundreds of free museums in London.

Here are just a few of the free museums in London and why you should visit them:

The British Museum

Free Museums in London - British Museum

The iconic British Museum is instantly recognisable for the Great Court (pictured above), Read more

How Many Countries Are There? & Other Reasons Why I’m Not Counting

How many countries are there - cover

My passport expires in 2020, but it’s almost certainly going to be filled by then. I’ve even stuck post-it notes onto the few empty pages left to save them from an Immigration officer’s careless stamp. But no matter how much I love flicking through the pages and admiring the ink, I don’t ask how many countries are there?

I don’t count countries.

I see a lot of travel bloggers, travel Instagrammers and travel enthusiasts with a running total on their websites or profiles, ’27 countries and counting!’ And I think it’s great if you want to do that. It’s a great way to quantify the places you’ve travelled to, it’s satisfying to hit the big landmark numbers and it’s good motivation if you want to see ‘all the countries in the world’.

I just don’t think it’s the only way to measure travel (if it can be measured at all). And it’s certainly not for me. You’ll never see a running total on here or on any social media page I’m on and here’s why: Read more

Cambodia Travel Advice: My Backpacker’s Budget & Travel Tips

So, I had started my Southeast Asia trip in Myanmar followed by Laos. Now, I was ready for the next leg of the adventure, Cambodia. This is the ‘big one’ for many backpackers, myself included. Here is how I planned my trip and all my Cambodia travel advice:

My Itinerary: I spent just under two weeks in Cambodia, including travel days. I flew into Phnom Penh and left the same city by bus for Vietnam. I zig-zagged around from Phnom Penh, visiting Siem Reap, Kampot and Sihanoukville. However, if you have more time, then there is definitely plenty to see and do. (See ‘Things I May Have Missed’)

Disclaimers: I have quoted prices in US dollars because locals use this currency more commonly than Cambodian riel. When I visited in November 2016, the exchange rate was 4,000r to US$1 and prices can often be bartered and haggled.

Cambodia Travel Advice: Before you go

Cambodia Travel Advice - Phnom Penh
National Museum, Phnom Penh

Read more

27 Trips on my Travel Bucket List, 27th Birthday Wanderlust Edition

My Travel Bucket List - Cover

The thing about travel is that the more you do, the more you want to see. It’s addictive. And with each trip, the wanderlust grows stronger. It’s not just itchy feet any more, I’m itchy all over, body and soul! And so, to celebrate my 27th Birthday (happy birthday to me!) I thought I’d share 27 places I have on my world travel bucket list.

Here’s to the next 27 years and ticking them off one by one!

1. India

World Travel Bucket List - India

India has been on my world travel bucket list for a long time. I would love to spend at least a month in the country: the Golden Triangle, the Taj Mahal, Hindu temples, the Ganges… if I could time my visit for Diwali or Holi, even better. Everyone I know who has been has said that’s India is incredible. Plus, as a Brummy curry connoisseur, I’d love to discover what authentic Indian food actually tastes like. Read more

A Cinque Terre Guide to Italy’s Famous Five

Cinque Terre Guide

Candy-coloured houses set precariously atop the rough, jagged coastline of the Italian Riviera and a Mediterranean backdrop of lapping turquoise. *Sigh*. I can now confirm from personal experience that the Cinque Terre, or ‘five lands’, are literally postcard picture perfect. So, here’s a little Cinque Terre guide (in fives, naturally) on what to look out for in Italy’s picturesque cluster of seaside towns:

(disclaimer: apologies for looking so grumpy in these pictures)

5 things to see in Monterosso

Cinque Terre Guide - Monterosso

First on my list was Monterosso, the furthest west of the Cinque Terre. Most visitors either start or finish here, but I would thoroughly recommend finishing in Riomaggiore because the sunset is so fantastic. (Scroll down to see what I mean). Read more

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