Back in 2013, I made my first trip to Turkey and ended up staying for three weeks. There were some pure fire highlights along the way and I still rave about the cities of Trabzon and Ankara and the lonely town of Dogubayazit! We started off in mysterious Istanbul, before overlanding through Ankara and Cappadocia Read more about 12 Cool Landmarks to Check out in Turkey[…]
Following on from my incredible morning hiking to the Alpine Cemetery in Ala Archa National Park in Kyrgyzstan, I decide on the easier waterfall and gorge trail in the afternoon. I say easier because the trail is obvious and even has better markings on route, plus a clear path. This was in my first week Read more about Backpacking in Kyrgyzstan: Hiking in Ala Archa National Park Part 2 – The Gorge and Ak Sai Waterfall Trail[…]
“We’re in the army. Now. Woah oh we’re in the army.” – Status Quo. I find it hard to believe that it has been nine years since I backpacked my way to the unknown and non-touristy city of Bobruisk in Belarus. This obscure journey was the story I wrote for Shaun Schofield’s book “Albania to Read more about Backpacking in Belarus🇧🇾: Top 5 Sights in Bobruisk[…]
I kind of forget some of the travel experiences I have had down the years. Something that sticks from my time working and living in Hong Kong is the amount of visits I went on to neighbouring China and Macau. Macau is a country in its own right and I toured it many times. You Read more about Backpacking in Macau: Touring the Casinos of This Beast[…]
“It’s easy to fall into something new that shines” – Ben Paulley (2005). So a week ago yesterday I arrived in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan having crossed overland from Kazakhstan. On arrival I received a 60 day entry visa stamp, so yes I can stay legally as a tourist here for a brace of months. At the Read more about Why I’m Spending at Least a Month in Bishkek, Magnetic Kyrgyzstan🇰🇬[…]
The country of Kyrgyzstan seems to hide shyly in the back streets of the backpacking world. It’s not so much a “sleeping giant”, but an “awake baby”. It’s crying to be found, and sometime it will be. While the “self-professed cool crowd” backpack their way through Bangkok, Ulun Danu, Siem Reap and Chiang Mai on Read more about Backpacking in Kyrgyzstan: Hiking in Ala Archa National Park Part 1 – The Alpine Cemetery Trail[…]
As with most of my journeys, I go to places without a huge amount of advance research. I find it clouds my method of thought and gives me an opinion of what to expect before I arrive. Sometimes, we go with the flow. I headed to Chernobyl with a clear head and the memory of Read more about Backpacking in Ukraine: Chernobyl Exclusion Zone Tour Part 3 – “Backpacking” in Chernobyl Town[…]
“Happiness is not a dream, it is a reality…” – Quote at Ruh Ordo. When backpacking in Kyrgyzstan, myself and two dorm buddies from the hostel decided on a trip to the stunning Lake Issy-kul. It can be done on a day trip from Bishkek and in winter, this is a good option as the Read more about Backpacking in Kyrgyzstan: Visiting Ruh Ordo by Lake Issyk-Kul, Cholpon Ata[…]
This post was posted by The Hipmunk on Hipmunk’s Tailwind blog on 28th December 2015. T-minus less than a week until New Years; do you have those resolutions ready? In 2015, travelling more and enjoying life to the fullest made Nielsen’s top 10 list of New Year’s resolutions. Chances that you still want to explore the world, meet Read more about Make 2016 the Year of Travel[…]
This post was posted by The Hipmunk on Hipmunk’s Tailwind blog on 27th December 2015. You’ve booked your stay in a beautiful locale and are excited to immerse yourself in gorgeous scenery for the duration of your trip. Then you arrive and discover that the hotel is actually miles from the pretty parts of town and your room Read more about Enjoy Can’t-Miss Views at These 6 Hotels[…]