A few things (amongst many) to do in Christchurch, New Zealand
It is quite sad that many people only think of Christchurch as the earthquake city, and are somewhat reluctant to visit because of news that it's still recovering from the events which forever changed it, coupled with the fear of experiencing a strong quake while there. It's a pity, because, not only is Christchurch now the safest tremor city in New Zealand (all structurally unsound buildings have been demolished or sealed off, and new buildings have to adhere to strict guidelines), but it's also very much ready to welcome visitors and is full of fun, quirky, adrenaline-pumping and memorable things to ...
Christchurch, New Zealand: Not for the disaster, but for the rebirth
When disaster strikes somewhere, we all struggle to find a reason to return. In recent years it has happened with Bali and its terrorist attacks, and Japan with its nuclear crisis. And then there is Christchurch. On the 4th of September 2012, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck the city, and although no one was killed, the city's buildings were heavily damaged, so that when the 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit on the 22nd of February 2011, buildings weakened by the previous shake came tumbling down, and 185 people died. An area which was from then on referred to as the red zone, was ...
How I changed my life for the better, not by turning to perpetual travel, not overnight
When it comes to taking steps to change my life when I am unhappy, it has always been a no-brainer to me. Life is too short to do what other people expect you to, or to settle for a comfortable and familiar routine when that same routine is killing you slowly inside. So at the beginning of this year, I went from freezing my ass off in Switzerland... ...to quiting my three jobs and catapulting myself in the beautiful and wonderful countries which are Vietnam and Singapore... ...to relocating my whole life and starting from square one in Melbourne, Australia. And I have never ...
More than just a place to sleep: What accommodation means to me while travelling
Though I was never ever comfortable doing the stay-in-a-dorm-full-of-strangers business, there was a time when I thought that the less money I spent on accommodation while travelling the better, because, after all, what am I going to do in that room but sleep? But as the years passed, and I became a frequent, seasoned traveller who was ofter on the road for longer than just a week or so, and I realised that in fact, I was doing much more than just sleeping in my accommodation, and the accommodation I chose was going much more than just giving me a ...
Down in the Mekong Delta: Part 2
There are times during our travels when, if we are open-minded enough, we get to see things which truly change our lives and our way of thinking. I am not speaking of a pretty temple, or an ancient palace, nor a memorable meal in a local restaurant. I am speaking about something which is so different from our own lives that we cannot but be hit by it like a slap in the face. This happens when we travel to see the dynamics of different people, living very different lives in corners of the world which seem a million lights years ...
Editor’s note: This post contains a disturbing image of animal carcasses (including dogs) hung onto hooks, and of a porcupine in a cage, waiting to be killed and eaten. The photo is at the end of the post, with plenty of warning if you’d rather not see it. I am not quite sure who started [...]
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Editor’s note: The competition has now been closed. With the London Olympics around the corner and me on the opposite side of the world, I recently got to thinking about why London is one of my favourite destinations on the planet, and why I have already been there 3 times (2 weeks, 2 weeks, 1 [...]
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Ever since I arrive in Australia, I’ve had a lot of time on my hands, especially during my unemployed days (I start working on Monday, yey!). While I’ve thoroughly enjoyed having so much free time and used it to work on my blog, I also found myself reminiscing about my past travels. With a mix [...]
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It is my last day in the Mekong delta, and I’m nearing the end of my journey in beautiful Vietnam. For the past 2 months, I’ve had an on and off relationship with local eateries. At first, I was simply daunted by the idea of stepping into an eatery furnished with low plastic stools or [...]
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I am an idiot. For months, I watched as blogger after blogger published their hostel bookers My 7 super shots posts after having been nominated by fellow travellers, and I sulked as no one nominated me. I love photography, I am obsessed with taking pictures, and yet, here I was, still without a nomination. But [...]
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Of all the places I planned on visiting in Vietnam, I was especially intrigued by the Mekong delta area. To my mind, the Mekong delta conjured up images of floating markets and undulating boats against a backdrop of exotic foliage…completely clichéd, I know, but sustained by years of the occasional photo, and the occasional article [...]
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