“Don’t tell me it’s not worth fighting for” – Bryan Adams. Tears drained naturally from my eyes when I heard this Bryan Adams song being sung in a bar I once worked in – 21 years later, in a hotel I once stayed in – 31 years earlier. The Heathlands Hotel in East Cliff, Bournemouth,…
Read More
“Have I gone up in the world or has the world gone down on me?” – Robbie Williams. As a hardcore long-term backpacker, who is currently single and loveless after too many ruined romances and disaster relationships, I only ever wanted to visit The Maldives with a lovely lady. That was the dream. That was…
Read More
“Sleeper” – Louise Wener. The Maldives will never rank high on my travel odyssey. A country that caused me stress, heartache, fake news, bribery, corruption and theft of money. I won’t be back till ye. Close yer door on the way out, “The” Maldives, or send me £2,000 which won’t even cover your fakery. I…
Read More
“Way on down south London Town” – Mark Knopfler. Back in 2006, a year before this blog even started, I got a job in London working in PR for Bite Communications. I needed to find somewhere to live there pretty fast. I got flat hunting and spent a few weeks trying to locate a cheap…
Read More
“Though the oceans are wide and the mountains are high, it’s a small world after all” – Sherman Brothers. Seasons Lodge! Well this is just a wild one. Seasons Lodge is the place to be. But perhaps this time, this story is more phenomenal than the destination, and a crazier one than many that have…
Read More
“I ain’t got no time for no monkey business” – Freddie Mercury. After a horrific time trying to get out of The Maldives through India and Ethiopia, I never thought I’d actually make it to Zanzibar, which was supposed to be new country two on the Rainy Summertime tour. In the end, I had 6…
Read More
If your bed has become uncomfortable or is making strange creaking noises, it might be time to inspect the slats supporting your mattress. Bed slats are often overlooked, but they play a crucial role in ensuring proper support, comfort, and longevity for both your mattress and your sleep quality. Whether you’re replacing a broken slat,…
Read More
In The Maldives, I ended up backpacking 4 islands. I could have done more in 4 days, which almost ran into Day 5, but this was enough for me, and enough of The Maldives, for this lifetime. The fourth and final island in my The Maldives tour was Maafushi. It promised so much yet…
Read More
“You might prove them wrong” – Del Amitri. Forget all the preconceptions that Male and The Maldives is a haven for rich suitcasers, business capitalists and shrewd money bankers. I blew that into oblivion by spending less than £15 Northern Irish pounds (“UK” pounds) in my first 24 hours here!! (£10 hostel, £0.70 coffee, £0.80…
Read More
“All’s well that ends well” – William Shakespeare. I arrived into Mayotte in July 2025, and it was the last new country on my Rainy Summertime tour. The tour had many flaws, more downs than ups and some ridiculous hiccups that threatened to amalgamshake my entire backpacking journey and make me skip 3 of the…
Read More