Travel Guides

From festivals in India to white water rafting in New Zealand, we round up some of the best destinations on the planet to visit.

Hot and Spicy in India!

The colours and flavours of spices conjure up images of exotic lands and ancient times. Today, many of our favourite global cuisines use spices unique in texture, aroma, and taste. India is the birthplace of...
Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat

Day 1 – 6 April 2011 – Slumdog Millionaire, Rickshaws and Spicy Paneers

  Updated October 2021 After all of the planning and hype and nearly 24 hours flying, Rhys and I were finally in the city that Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire propelled to world fame.  But in the...

Day 13 – 18 April 2011 – “Blob Out” Day

Updated October 2021 We officially declared today a “blob out” day – government buildings and monuments were still closed and we had some packing to do. Feeling a bit under the weather today, I had breakfast...

Day 19 – 24 April 2011 – From One Extreme to Another

Updated October 2011 I was looking forward to Singapore.  I feel a strong connection with her as I was born there and have been fortunate to visit several times since. We left Mumbai at 10:05 this...
Karni Mata Temple’s ornate marble entrance displays Rajputana architecture

Exploring Karni Mata Rat Temple

Introduction India is well-known for its numerous religions, countless gods and goddesses, rituals, and many myths. Would it surprise you that it has a rat temple? No, I’m not kidding. It has! It’s estimated more than...

Udaipur – Venice of the East, 007 and Saris

India is a vibrant country steeped in tradition, culture and contrasts.  She boasts mountain ranges, sweeping plateaus (deccans) and deserts, and modern sky-scrapers developed next to slums and temples. Udaipur nestles in the south western...
Rafting group navigating through a narrow volcanic gorge on the Upper Navua River, surrounded by rugged rock formations and lush greenery in Fiji.

Upper Navua River Rafting: A Fijian Adventure

After years of apprehension, my wife and I finally plucked up the courage to tackle an Upper Navua River Rafting adventure. Several years ago, we tackled New Zealand's Tongariro River and Queenstown’s legendary Shotover...

Day 18 – 23 April 2011 – Farewell Mumbai

Updated October 2011 What an experience last night at the game.  Mumbai Indians won a close game and the atmosphere at the stadium was excellent.  Certainly the best of the venues we’d been to. But what...
Street Food - Jaipur

7 Jaipur Street Foods To Tickle Your Taste Buds!

Updated: 11 December 2022 Is there a better way to experience a country’s culture than by exploring its street food? India is jam-packed full of incredible street foods to indulge in. The trick is to know...

Welcome to Auckland – The City of Sails

Auckland, home to approximately 1.5 million Kiwis, lies in the pacific Ocean’s far south-west. It’s New Zealand’s biggest city and provides an excellent base to explore the North Island’s hidden coves and scenic coast...