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.

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...
Bangkok - Know Before You Go

Bangkok – Know Before You Go

Thailand is the heart of Southeast Asia, and its capital city, Bangkok, is its beating pulse. Often referred to as the City of Angels, Bangkok will overload all five senses with its contrasting chaos...
Tipsy Tea Tale cocktail served in a delicate floral china teacup at Sura in Jaipur

Cocktails in Jaipur: The Good, the Bad and the Overpriced

Updated: 20 October 2026 From inventive Indian flavours to questionable service, a few years of Friday nights in Jaipur's cocktail bars. My cocktail arrived in a delicate floral china cup. The sort that Grandma kept safely...

The Magic of Hobbiton – Exploring Middle Earth

Nestled in New Zealand's North Island’s rolling hills, lies the magic of Hobbiton.  It has captured the hearts of J.R.R Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" film and book fans all...

Day 8 – 13 April 2011 – Our Quest to spot Shere Khan

Updated October 2021 We had an early start this morning as we had a 6 hour road trip for an appointment on an afternoon safari to spot a Royal Bengal Tiger.  Arriving just after 12:00...

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...

Day 10 – 15 April 2011 – Elephants, Forts and Food!

  Updated October 2021 I freely admit to being a “Jaipurite”.  And it was the perfect place to spend with my son. I’d arranged an early morning rickshaw (we’d given our driver the day off) out to...

The Crown of Palaces – The Taj Mahal

Famous globally for its breathtaking beauty and mirror-like symmetry, the Taj Mahal is India’s most famous landmark. Located in Agra, it reportedly attracts more than 6 million visitors each year. The Crown of Palaces The Taj...

Rajasthan – The Enchanting Land of Kings

The Land of Kings Rajasthan, is surely the most colourful and unique state in Northern India, if not all of India. Its capital, Jaipur, the “Pink City”, derives its name from the reddish-pink stones...

Day 14 – 19 April 2011 – Sleep Deprived

  Updated October 2021 Arrived just after 06:30 this morning from the overnight train from Jaipur and felt a tad groggy.  This perhaps had something to do with trying to sleep on a noisy train in...