A sensory explosion: ancient temples, towering megacities, and legendary landscapes. Dive deep into cultures refined over thousands of years.
We cracked the code for a budget Maldives trip: skipping the resorts for local islands Gulhi and Maafushi. We found the best house reefs, enjoyed nightly shark viewings, and survived a territorial fish attack! This is our full story on local guesthouses, cultural quirks, and the 25-hour flight home.
Our 17-day Sri Lanka itinerary was a masterclass in embracing the unexpected. Experience jammed 3rd-class trains, scaling ancient Lion Rock, scenic tea country, and coastal Mirissa. Get the full story, costs, and essential tips on transport, visas, and navigating tourist prices.
A comprehensive summary of our second year of world travel, spanning Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia), a massive road trip across Australia (East Coast, Outback, West Coast), and the dramatic start of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Pacific Ocean.
Four days exploring futuristic Singapore! We slept in "space pods," were mesmerized by the Supertree Grove light show, explored the Orchid Garden, and ate like royalty at the famous Hawker Centres. A clean, safe, and surprisingly easy stopover before Australia. (P.S. Don't forget your eVisas!)
Our Philippines adventure: We tracked perfect-cone Mayon Volcano (Legazpi), floated a river shimmering with fireflies (Donsol), met tiny tarsiers (Bohol), explored the Underground River (Palawan), and island-hopped El Nido & Coron. A budget-travel masterpiece with a friend!
Our short Southeast Asia stop: We survived the tiny, flooded World Hotel in Luang Prabang, explored the Pak Ou Caves, climbed to the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfalls, and took the two-day slow boat to Thailand. In Chiang Mai, we celebrated Nicola's birthday at a cat café!
Our fast-paced Vietnam Itinerary! We braved the motorbike chaos of Ho Chi Minh City, got multiple custom outfits in Hoi An (plus my first tattoo!), visited the Mekong Delta and spent Christmas cruising the limestone karsts of Halong Bay. We also day-tripped to Ninh Bình!
Our Cambodia adventure took us from Bangkok to Siem Reap, where we spent two days exploring the massive Angkor Wat temple complex by tuk-tuk. We then traveled to Phnom Penh for the sobering, essential visits to the Choeung Ek Killing Fields and S-21 Prison. Don't worry, 50-cent beers were involved too!
Bangkok taught us lessons fast! We bought bus tickets on the fly for onward travel, got scammed at the floating market, but loved the history of Ayutthaya and the Bridge on the River Kwai. Plus, we review the Calypso Cabaret and find the best street Pad Thai and $12 Thai massages.
A 23-day cruise from Genoa to Mauritius! We sailed through the Suez Canal, snorkelled the Red Sea, and visited the high-cost islands of Seychelles and Réunion. We share our experience with Costa Cruises, the pirate protocols, and why this budget cruise was the perfect way to get to Madagascar.