“We were divided for many years. Our country’s not perfect. But we are uniting, and tourism can help with this” our guide Dhanoushka told us as we drove to Sri Lanka’s once war-torn north. The South Asian island nation, often known as the “teardrop of Asia” is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of […]
Author Archives: Claire
All Destinations, Asia
Not flying is best for the environment. But the cost of not visiting could be greater.
29
Jul
Jul
Few countries have had to contend with situations like Sri Lanka’s last 40 years. First came the civil war, a brutal 26 year conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (otherwise known as “Tamil Tigers”). Of course, the victims in it were innocent civilians – on both sides, but […]
28
Jul
Jul
We hadn’t even made it to the national park, when we saw an elephant making its way through the roadside trees. “We see them a lot here” our guide Dhanoushka told us. “But this can cause problems. Humans and elephants are still learning to live together in Sri Lanka”. I was on a ten-day trip […]
23
Jul
Jul
Everyone kept telling me this was the best ferry in Europe. “It’s basically a cruise,” they said. Some even claimed it beat Silja Line. Naturally, I booked it. This was Color Magic, sailing overnight from Oslo to Kiel, and at €289, it was the most expensive ferry ticket I’ve ever bought. I’ve crossed Europe by […]
21
Jul
Jul
London to Tangier. On a map, it’s 1,500 miles. Flight time, around 3.5 hours. Without flying? I was about to find out. It was raining in London St Pancras and the crowds were surging. Gripping my coffee like my trip depended on it, the current of people took me as I shuffled through Eurostar baggage […]
On the approach to Sweden’s capital, my ferry rolled past islands dotted with log cabins, leading out to the occasional town or village. The Stockholm archipelago consists of 30,000 islands, breaking away from the mainland as they stretch eastwards. This means that, when taking the ferry from Helsinki or Aland (a Finnish archipelago of autonomous […]
This is Åland: a Swedish-speaking, demilitarised archipelago that’s part of Finland. I’d wanted to visit for ages — mostly because I had so many questions. Why is it Swedish-speaking? How autonomous is it really? And why can’t any country have a military presence here? I travelled here by overnight ferry from Helsinki, and a couple […]
25
Jun
Jun
From 1961 to 1989, the Berlin Wall physically and ideologically divided Germany’s capital. For 28 years, a fortified barrier ran through the city, separating families, splitting transport networks, and symbolising the Cold War divide between East and West. Today, remnants of the wall and the infrastructure around it are preserved in museums, parks, and restored […]
20
Jun
Jun
Thinking of skipping the plane and taking the sleeper train from Paris to Berlin? Here’s what it’s actually like to travel overnight on the ÖBB Nightjet. The Paris to Berlin Nightjet: route overview The sleeper train departs Paris Gare de l’Est at 19:12 and arrives at Berlin Hauptbahnhof at 08:26 the next morning. It operates […]
17
Jun
Jun
Paris has been at the centre of European politics, revolution, and resistance for over two centuries. This post highlights six key days that reshaped not just France, but the world – and shows you exactly where to go if you want to follow the story on foot (like I did in this YouTube video). It […]