One of my favourite things about Australia, and something that I didn’t realise before I came here, was how diverse its landscape is. I knew Australia was vast but my idea of this crazy country was pretty much similar to one of those maps you see on Tumblr or Buzzfeed: People living on the coast,…
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As I travelled the vast and beautiful land of Europe, many unique destinations left an impression on me: the Venetian canals, the castles in Tuscany, the cosy log cabin between the snow-capped mountains of Norway. But none of these placescompared to the eye-opening experience that was Dachau, and the truly saddening impression it left on…
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Before I landed in Darwin, I knew I was going to love it. I have always been the kind of girl who rooted for the underdog and, when it comes to Australian cities, I think it’s safe to say that Darwin is the underdog. Maybe it hasn’t got the beaches that Sydney has, or the…
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I had a lot of time to think about things while I was bouncing down dirt tracks on my way back to Alice Springs after a month-long jaunt in the Outback. My thoughts were mostly, ‘I hope those cows on the side of the road aren’t going to suddenly launch themselves in front of this…
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I always like the window seat when I fly anywhere. I pretend it’s because I’m scared of flying (I am genuinely scared of flying but I could be sat on the pilot’s knee and I’d still be terrified) but it’s really because I like looking out of the window when we’re nearing the destination so…
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I knew there was a reason I packed my hiking boots. After my three week fling with Sydney, I felt like I needed to get out of the city. Luckily, for a mere $8 you can jump on a two-hour train journey to the Blue Mountains. As soon as I touched down in Sydney I…
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For five nights last week, I had my own bedroom. My own bedroom. I’ve never really thought of myself as fussy when it comes to hostelling. As long as you give me a bed and a doona, I’ll be fine. But after three weeks (and counting) staying in dorms with at least six other people,…
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If you’d asked me a fortnight ago where I’d be right now, sitting in a beautiful park overlooking Sydney’s Bondi Beach probably wouldn’t have been my answer. But it’s true – and I’ve got the sunburn to prove it. You may be asking yourself a few questions right now. 1) Who are you? 2) How…
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Sitting in the train from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport to the city, crossing an old industrial bridge and looking through the triangular holes of the construction, I get the first glimpse of Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. Not wanting to look like a typical tourist I try not to look too impressed,…
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I am waiting anxiously at Suvarnabhumi Airport, pacing back and forth. As with most places in South East Asia, it is swarming with people. I’m not able to find an empty seat and my eyesight is blurry – a mixture of the early morning flight and the hustle of the airport. I just flew in…
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I pull cobbler’s pegs out of my hair and let them drop to the cabin floor. I wonder, briefly, if this is somehow illegal. Then I realise I know nothing about British flora anyway. Again I rummage in my pocket and pull out the printed map of my route, already dog-eared from being so often…
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I’m writing today’s tip in a cosy living room in the Richmond District with an attention-seeking cat on my lap. I just made myself a cup of tea and later on will make myself dinner. The UPS guy just came to the door to deliver a package. ‘Coraly?’ he tried to pronounce the name on…
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I hate to be a burden. At the supermarket register I frantically grab my groceries, change and receipt and bolt away somewhere less conspicuous to organise myself. I know that when someone asks, ‘What do you want to eat?’ answering ‘I don’t mind, whatever you want’ is NOT helpful. So instead I will try to…
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As I write this article I am lying next to a window overlooking the river Spree in Berlin. It is late evening, and the reflections of the city lights are dancing across the surface of the rippling black water, creating a rather magical atmosphere. It’s Wednesday night now, and we left Stockholm early on Monday morning, taking…
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