Europe – Travelling Without Footprints

Ferry or Fly? Travelling Helsinki to Stockholm by Boat

When planning my route from city to city, checking for flights is my last resort. First I check for trains, buses, share cars and ferries. I assumed that all these forms of transport would surely be better than flying. I recently discovered this may not always be the case. Recently Daisy (my sister), Corey (myContinue reading “Ferry or Fly? Travelling Helsinki to Stockholm by Boat”

Travelling Albania Part 1: People and houses

Although Albania is a small country, I have managed to write pages and pages about it. So, I’ve had to split them into a series of short blogs. This is part 1 of 2 (so far). People Firstly I have to talk about the Albanian people. Their hospitality, kindness, friendliness and smiles are almost unparalleledContinue reading “Travelling Albania Part 1: People and houses”

A Brief History of Albania: Part 1

Albania’s history is probably the most confusing of any country I’ve ever visited, but, for this reason I find it the most fascinating. From the 6th Century until 1992 the country never really experienced true freedom. Putting this into perspective, Albania only opened up its borders to trade 27 years ago. A hostel owner inContinue reading “A Brief History of Albania: Part 1”

Plastic Paris

Once you change to a plastic-free mind-set its hard to go back – it’s like staring out of the same window-frame for the rest of your life, except this window frame highlights in bright colour any plastic in your view. You’re senses for plastic become heightened, you’re like a sniffer dog with an eye forContinue reading “Plastic Paris”

The Selkies of Iceland

We drove along just as the sun was beginning to creep up from the snow-capped mountains. I checked my watch: 11:02AM. I couldn’t help but laugh, how could the sun be rising at 11AM? I am from almost as far South as you can get on this planet (Australia) and I was now the furthestContinue reading “The Selkies of Iceland”

Sleepy Barcelona

My phone says its 35 degrees but the sweat dripping through my hair, down my forehead and accumulating beneath my 20kg backpack says otherwise. I’ve just stepped off the air-conditioned train into the haze of Barcelona. Steam rises from the rooftops of graffiti-covered buildings, from the rubbish littered footpaths and from cigarettes tucked under whiteContinue reading “Sleepy Barcelona”