Hubby was accompanying me on this trip, and he was delighted to see the french equivalent of the FCO had just downgraded the security risk on Mauritania from ‘advise against all travel’ to ‘advise against all but essential travel” – by my standards lately that is like visiting Disneyland. We were heading to Nouakchott […]
Meandering around Mauritania Read More »
Given my travel history, I regularly get asked which is my favourite country in the world….. Honestly, that’s easy. New Zealand every time! However, I do have a list of places that I highly recommend, many of which I would go back to (or have gone back to) over and over again. Here it is:
Which are the best countries in the world to visit? Read More »
I am on an instability and poverty roll on this trip – next up Comoros – the third poorest country in the world and they have had over 20 coups since they got independence from France in 1975. It was stunning flying over Comoros…. verdant green hills with few buildings, volcanic black rock and stunningly
Climbing in Comoros Read More »
I was a bit nervous boarding the flight to Juba! South Sudan has had a torrid time of its new independence…, the youngest country in the world, the Christians of South Sudan achieved a hard-won independence from islamic Sudan in July 2011. They managed two years of stability, but there has been an ongoing civil
Surviving South Sudan Read More »
It’s an odd moment when the FD at work emails you and says ‘hey, didn’t you say you were going to Burundi in a few weeks?, I know someone who will be there’. It’s fair to say Burundi doesn’t have much of a profile, and quite a surprise to get an introduction to a British
Being inspired in Bujumbura Read More »
We rolled into Thimpu after coming back over the Dochu La pass. The guides weren’t flattering about Thimphu as it has been significantly developed in the past few years. While much of the new architecture isn’t lovely, it isn’t anywhere near as bad as most capital cities. We checked in to the glamorous Taj
Bhutan – Thukpa in Thimphu Read More »
Our next stop was the lovely Punakha valley…..The weather was wonderful for our drive from Paro to Punakha. While it is only 120km, it would take 4 hours on the ‘main highway’ of Bhutan which was built by Indian workers 40 years ago, and is still managed by them to this day. I was
Bhutan – Penises in Punakha Read More »
Flying into Bhutan was a hell of an experience – better than a roller coaster….! There aren’t many places in central Bhutan where you can put an airport…Paro is an hour from the capital of Thimphu (where there isn’t space for a runway). They have fit a runway in the Paro valley, but the runway
Bhutan – Pampered in Paro Read More »
There have been multiple terror attacks in Lahore this year, and the week before I arrived there were clashes between anti government protestors and the police. My first day in town it was the prophet’s birthday – Eid Milad ul-Nabi – and there were 15,000 policemen on the streets of Lahore to prevent any violence…… so,
Lovin’ it in Lahore Read More »
My first attempt to visit Guinea Bissau was thwarted a couple of years ago by the collapse of Air Senegal. I had paid 300 euros for a visa (including the agency fee to get the visa processed in france as there was no UK service at the time). When I made it to Dakar airport at 4am
Bullet holes in Bissau Read More »