Author Archives: Claire

Why We Should Visit Non Touristy Cities in China

less explored city in china

There’s loads of fantastic things to do in China. Whether you desire exploring the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, admiring the Bund of Shanghai, climbing the Great Wall or traversing the rice paddies in the South, you’re sure to tick off a few bucket list items in this country. But what about visiting one of […]

Is the Chengdu Panda Base Ethical?

As soon as I arrived in Chengdu, my line of vision was somewhat invaded by… pandas. Bears don’t actually roam the city, but the streets are bursting with shops selling panda souvenirs, there are posters of pandas over buildings and all public transport has pandas painted on it…. Once you enter Chengdu, you’ve basically entered […]

Things to do in Jiuzhaigou: A Magical Himalayan Valley

There were coloured flags everywhere. About six hours after we’d left Chengdu in Central China, the landscape started to look notably more mountainous and rural. It almost seemed Alpine, with long roads winding up mountainsides and deep valleys with water running through. But then we drove past a Buddhist temple, adorned with prayer flags, and […]

Hiking and Camping on the Great Wall of China

You’ll never guess the last place I went camping… The Great Wall of China! Crowds are something that you just have to deal with in China. Whether they be outside museums and attractions, or inside subway stations, there’s no escaping the masses of people in this country – up to 1.5 billion locals and countless […]

Green Travel Products and Gear for the Eco-Conscious Backpacker

In the last couple of years we’ve learnt lots about the importance of eco-travel. What with flying, the resulting need for chain restaurants and hotels and certain tourists who leave their footprint wherever they visit, travelling isn’t always the most eco-friendly of hobbies. But there’s lots of ways to be a more eco-friendly traveller; you […]

The not-so-Great British Bucket List – British Characteristics and Habits

In my Great British Bucket List, I talked about the one hundred best things to see and do in the UK. From magical castles to beautiful beaches to quirky museums, the UK is a tiny country filled to the brim of exciting things to do and see. But once you have fully appreciated all of […]

The Great UK Bucket List: 100 things to do in the UK

Despite being British, and living in the country in-between trips abroad for my entire life, I have to admit that it’s taken me a while to fully appreciate the United Kingdom. I lived in a suburb of London until I was 18 years old, and then moved to the West of England; this and subsequently meeting […]

An eco-break at Piran Meadows, Darwin Escapes: REVIEW

I’m what you may call a ‘holiday intruder’. If any family members or friends announce that they’re going away; I’ll try my best to ensure that I can go with them. So apologies if you know me and you’ve planned a cool trip that you don’t really want me to come on… I’ll probably find […]

What is Guatemala known for? Ten things the country does best

In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a little bit obsessed with Guatemala. The people, the culture, the fact that they play music at 3am on random street corners… I left a bit of my heart in this nation, and I challenge you to go there and say otherwise. A lot of people have never heard […]

A Whirlwind Tour of Amsterdam: Must-Dos in the City

During my recent trip to Amsterdam, I spent about the same time on a megabus to and from the city as I did exploring it…. Despite being a megabus fan, and not wanting to fly that short a distance, I could have probably done with a little more time in Amsterdam itself. 48 hours in […]