Stories

Xi'an, China

the Terracotta Army and the Bell Tower

Two 360 photos from Xi'an in August 2026: Pit 1 at the Terracotta Army, and the Bell Tower balcony after dark.

Chengdu, China

the rooftop park at SKP

A 360 photo from Chengdu in August 2026, up on the planted roof at SKP with the sunken courtyard below.

Madaba, Jordan

Under St John the Baptist church

St John the Baptist church in Madaba looks ordinary until you go down: Byzantine mosaics, an ancient well, and the layers of the city built on top of each other.

Amman, Jordan

Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where Jesus was baptised

Bethany Beyond the Jordan, the UNESCO site on the eastern bank of the river where John the Baptist baptised Jesus, and a rare chance to touch the water.

Busan, South Korea

Concept cars and electric bikes at the Mobility Show

An afternoon at the Busan International Mobility Show 2026: concept cars, electric vehicles, motorcycles, ATVs, and male booth models on the Can-Am stand.

Amman, Jordan

Mount Nebo, where Moses saw the Promised Land

Mount Nebo, the hilltop outside Madaba where Moses is said to have first seen the Promised Land: Byzantine mosaics, the Brazen Serpent and a whole valley view.

Seoul, South Korea

What Korean convenience stores actually stock

A speciality shop full of sugar free snacks and zero calorie drinks, and the golden smoked eggs Koreans eat anywhere, trains included, without a smell.

Haman, South Korea

Nakhwanori, the falling fire flowers at Mujinjeong

The Haman Nakhwanori festival at Mujinjeong pavilion: charcoal ropes strung over the pond, embers raining onto the water, and how the day around it works.

Seoul, South Korea

The cafe that is really an immersive art space

A Seoul cafe that works as an art experience first: immersive design and bold installations downstairs, then unusual desserts and drinks at the top.

Seoul, South Korea

The Louis Vuitton cafe, where the room is the point

The Louis Vuitton cafe in Seoul: a bronze column, a woven ceiling, cakes embossed with the monogram, and a room that reads as a gallery rather than a coffee stop.

Tokyo, Japan

What actually happens inside an Akihabara maid cafe

Inside an Akihabara maid cafe: the greeting, the rules, the drawing on your omelette rice and the photograph you are not allowed to take yourself.

Tokyo, Japan

The Monster Girls show in Harajuku

The Monster Girls show in Harajuku: a small basement venue, a lot of noise and colour, and one of the strangest hours we have spent in Tokyo.

Tokyo, Japan

Dinner at Ninja Tokyo, the shinobi restaurant in Otemachi

What eating at Ninja Tokyo in Otemachi is actually like: a hidden door, a guide in costume, sleight of hand between courses and food that plays along.

Tokyo, Japan

Nissan Crossing, the free showroom on the Ginza crossing

Nissan Crossing sits on the Ginza crossing, costs nothing to walk into, and usually has something on the turntable worth ten minutes of anyone’s day.

Tokyo, Japan

Shibuya, the crossing and everything behind it

Shibuya beyond the crossing: the streets that run uphill behind it, the screens, the crowds and the best places to watch the whole thing happen.

Tokyo, Japan

teamLab Planets, a pig cafe, a ninja dinner and Golden Gai

Two runs at Tokyo: wading through teamLab Planets and a micro pig cafe on the first, then a ninja dinner, a monster show and Golden Gai on the second.

Seoul, South Korea

A 225,000 won K-beauty haul at the biggest Olive Young

Inside Olive Young N Seongsu, the biggest Olive Young in Seoul, a full K-beauty universe of skincare, makeup and wellness. We spent ₩225,000 and gave it away.

Seoul, South Korea

The shops that sell nothing but cute things

Whole shops in Korea exist for soft, squeaky, pastel things you didn’t know you wanted. Hello Kitty and Kuromi flip flops, and a stationery shop we couldn’t leave.

Seoul, South Korea

The city we keep coming back to

Five years of Seoul in one camera roll: Starfield Library, Namsan at sunset, Jamsil baseball, hanok rooftops, a waterfall in the city and an aquarium cafe.

Seoul, South Korea

The small shopping finds we didn’t plan to buy

Korea takes ordinary things and makes them ridiculous: sock designs worn as part of an outfit, and Shin-chan merch turning up in corner after corner.

Seoul, South Korea

Making a luggage tag instead of buying a souvenir

Inga made her Korean souvenir by hand in Seoul, a custom luggage tag from blank to finished, plus the beaded pen kits we found at a Korean craft fair.

South Korea

Starbucks does cherry blossom season properly

Spring in Korea means Starbucks turns pink. Seasonal cherry blossom merch, a Spring Season Blend coffee bag, limited desserts and kitty madeleines.

Guam

A two minute tour of the Dusit Thani resort on Tumon Bay

A quick tour of the Dusit Thani Guam resort on Tumon Bay: the lobby, live music in the evening, the ocean view room, the bathroom, and the pool and jacuzzi.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Beating the summer heat, and Ramadan drones

Two Dubais eighteen months apart: an August visit dodging the heat between abras and dunes, then Ramadan drones over Global Village and a Burj Khalifa view from Business Bay.

Petra, Jordan

Tea above the Treasury, then candlelight in the Siq at night

Petra beyond the postcard: the Siq, the Treasury, hidden viewpoints, the colourful chambers of the Royal Tombs, and the candlelit magic of Petra by Night.

Amman, Jordan

The Madaba mosaic map, a bell tower and a plate of kunafa

Using Amman as a base for biblical Jordan: the sixth-century mosaic map at Madaba, the bell tower over its rooftops, and kunafa cut straight off the tray.

The Dead Sea, Jordan

What nobody warns you about a swim this salty

Floating in the Dead Sea at the lowest point on Earth: water so salty it holds you up like a deckchair, a newspaper for the photo, and a sunset finale.

London, United Kingdom

A rainy weekend of roasts, scones and red buses

Inside London's most iconic shops, the Harrods Food Halls, Liberty's Tudor building and Fortnum & Mason, plus a rainy weekend of roasts, scones and red buses.

Aqaba, Jordan

Riding into Wadi Rum on the back of a Bedouin pickup

From Aqaba into Wadi Rum, the Valley of the Moon: red dunes, 2,000-year-old carvings, the Hejaz Railway and Bedouin tea with a local guide.

Busan, South Korea

A foot spa with an ocean view at Yeongdo

Yeongdo View is a compact two-storey spot on the Busan coast where you soak your feet, sip a drink and watch the sea and the sunset at the same time.

South Korea

The 24 hour ramen shop that has no staff at all

A self-service ramen store in Korea that runs around the clock on vending machines: pick a flavour by number, pay by card, then cook it yourself.

South Korea

What actually happens at a Korean vitamin drip clinic

Booking a vitamin IV drip in Korea: the doctor’s consultation, our blood test results read back to us, and 45 minutes in a room full of massage chairs.

Guam

Tawny nurse sharks, a Spanish fort and Chamorro Village night market

A weekend in Tumon Bay, Guam: the Dusit Thani resort, a boat trip with tawny nurse sharks, Chamorro Village night market and a late-night Kmart run.

South Korea

A supermarket run at Emart, from warm tofu to hotteok

A full food shop at Emart in South Korea: kumquats and seasonal berries, warm tofu, free ramen samples, the in-store bakery and a hotteok on the way out.

Singapore

What to do in a weekend or a long layover

Singapore in a weekend: the Night Safari at Mandai, the 24-hour Mustafa Centre, Arab Street under the Sultan Mosque, and a wizard cafe with fire at the table.

Busan, South Korea

Every Christmas market in the city, ranked

We spent December 2025 working through the Christmas markets, light displays and festive food stalls of Busan, then ranked every one of them.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Bui Vien before the neon comes on

Bui Vien Walking Street in Ho Chi Minh City on a December 2025 afternoon: an empty strip, a banquet table laid for twenty, and coffee on tiny pavement chairs.

Nha Trang, Vietnam

Having the monsoon-season promenade entirely to ourselves

Nha Trang in December 2025: monsoon-grey skies, a nearly empty seafront square and the lotus-shaped Tram Huong Tower rising all to ourselves.

Bangkok, Thailand

Front row at Rajadamnern for a full Muay Thai fight night

Front row at Rajadamnern Stadium for RWS 162: seven professional Muay Thai bouts, a new bantamweight champion, and a betting crowd that makes the night.

Bangkok, Thailand

Coffee with capybaras and meerkats in Sukhumvit

A small animal cafe in Sukhumvit, Bangkok, where capybaras, meerkats and a bamboo rat share the table. No entry fee, you just order a drink off the menu.

Bangkok, Thailand

A couples head spa neither of us stayed awake for

A couples head spa at Sabuy Sleep Salon in Bangkok: the scalp check, the massages, the warm towels, and two people who couldn't stay awake for any of it.

Bangkok, Thailand

Inside the gilded rooms of Cafe Dior

A full look around Cafe Dior in Bangkok: the gold facade, a hand-woven rattan wall, signature desserts under glass domes, and yes, even the restroom.

Bangkok, Thailand

Seventy minutes inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber

What hyperbaric oxygen therapy in Bangkok feels like from inside the chamber, plus the claustrophobia-friendly chair version at S'RENE for nervous first-timers.

Vientiane, Laos

The golden stupa that's on the banknotes, and Patuxai at sunset

Vientiane in October 2025: the gold of Pha That Luang, sunset colours behind the Patuxai arch, and a first hello to Laos at the arrivals wall.

Bangkok, Thailand

A no-commentary walk through the city's street markets

A slow, no-commentary walk through Bangkok street markets: narrow lanes of food stalls, steaming pots of curry, fresh fruit, and nothing but the sound of it.

Galle, Sri Lanka

An off-season hunt for woodapple, soursop and king coconut

Shopping a Sri Lankan fruit market in the off season: jambola, woodapple, soursop, red bananas and king coconut, plus a first go at harvesting soursop.

Melbourne, Australia

Feeding emus at Pearcedale and Flinders Street lit up at night

Melbourne in August 2025: koalas and snakes at the zoo, a city wine flight, Flinders Street Station at night and hungry emus on a Pearcedale day trip.

Sydney, Australia

A humpback in mid-winter and the Opera House in every light

Sydney in August 2025: the Opera House in every light, a breaching humpback offshore, high tea under the QVB clock and a crash course in Aussie jerky.

Shanghai, China

Yu Garden, the Yuyuan bazaar and the Pudong skyline

Summer 2025 in Shanghai: the Pudong skyline from a Suzhou Creek bridge, and a shopping crawl down the Nanjing Road pedestrian street.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

The wooden cathedral, Big Almaty Lake and where to eat

Three trips to Almaty: the timber Zenkov Cathedral and its earthquake story, storm light over Big Almaty Lake, and a week of tandyr bread, pelmeni and samovar tea.

Jaipur, India

Amber Fort and the Panna Meena ka Kund stepwell in the monsoon

Jaipur in August 2025: the Panna Meena ka Kund stepwell, a hillside temple in Amer, and a roadside thali stop on the long drive out of Rajasthan.

Agra, India

Standing at the Taj Mahal in full Indian dress in monsoon season

Agra in August 2025: the Great Gate mirrored in its long pool, monsoon-green lawns, and the two of us at the Taj Mahal in full Indian dress.

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Market mornings, paper dosas and a Dilmah tea tasting

A 2018 summer in Colombo: a covered vegetable market, a paper dosa longer than the tray, a Malinga sticker and Dilmah tea tasting, plus a city day back in 2025.

Galle, Sri Lanka

Sunset on the fort ramparts and a turtle hatchery down the coast

Sri Lanka's south in one film and two photo sets: elephants in Yala, Dilmah tea, sunset on the Galle Fort ramparts and hatchling turtles down the coast.

Yala, Sri Lanka

The safari where the elephant walked up to our jeep

A July 2025 jeep safari in Yala National Park: an elephant that strolled straight up to our jeep, a painted stork at a waterhole, and dust everywhere.

Fukuoka, Japan

A look inside a Hakata love motel

Inside a Japanese love motel in Hakata, Fukuoka: themed rooms, proper privacy and a check-in machine instead of a receptionist. Here's how they actually work.

Sri Lanka

Turning up unannounced for Christmas

We flew to Sri Lanka for Christmas and didn’t tell the family we were coming. The plan, the travel, and the moment they opened the door.

Namhae, South Korea

Slow travel on Korea's Treasure Island, and a ship boarded at sea

Namhae, Korea's "Treasure Island": feeding sheep at a seaside farm, quiet traditional villages and sea views - slow travel at its most peaceful.

Beijing, China

One short walk around the Temple of Heaven

A short walk around the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, the UNESCO site where emperors prayed for good harvests, and the park where the whole city slows down.

Fukuoka, Japan

Ringside at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament

A day at the Fukuoka Grand Sumo Tournament 2024: the ring-entering ceremony, bouts settled in seconds, and the bow-twirling ritual that closes the tournament.

Beppu, Japan

Walking all seven Hells, the hot springs you can't bathe in

Walking all seven Hells of Beppu - cobalt ponds, bubbling mud, blood-red water and a punctual geyser in Japan's most geothermally active town.

Fukuoka, Japan

The Yufuin no Mori, Japan's most scenic train into Hakata

Riding the Yufuin no Mori, one of Japan's most scenic trains: 2 hours 15 minutes of forests and countryside between Yufuin and Fukuoka, captured authentically.

Yufuin, Japan

An onsen town with a storybook European village and owl forest

Yufuin Floral Village: a fairy-tale European lane at the foot of Mount Yufu, complete with cobblestones, themed cottages and an owl sanctuary.

Busan, South Korea

A Gamcheon walking tour and New Year sunrise at Haeundae

Busan twice in one year: a no-commentary walk through Gamcheon, Seomyeon and Nampo-dong, the New Year sunrise on Haeundae and an autumn return to the hillside.

Jinju, South Korea

Walking the wishing-lantern tunnel at the Nam River festival

The Jinju Lantern Festival: glowing rivers, an unforgettable dragon and an illuminated fortress - plus KTX tips, a budget hotel find and a pedal rail bike.

Beijing, China

Climbing Jingshan Park for the view over the Forbidden City

Walking the Forbidden City: why the 604-year-old palace was off-limits to commoners, its 1925 rebirth as the Palace Museum, and the story of the last emperor.

Jinshanling, China

Climbing the Great Wall watchtower by watchtower

Hiking the Jinshanling Great Wall in September 2024: restored towers, crumbling ramparts and the wall snaking over green ridges to the horizon.

Hong Kong

Red Mid-Autumn lanterns and goldfish over Lee Tung Avenue

Hong Kong in September 2024: a ding ding tram bound for Happy Valley, and Lee Tung Avenue under a canopy of red Mid-Autumn lanterns and goldfish.

Big Almaty Lake, Kazakhstan

The turquoise reservoir an hour above the city

How to reach Big Almaty Lake: a Yandex taxi to the checkpoint, then a jeep and guide. Plus the facts, at 2,511 m in the Ile-Alatau park with three peaks over it.

Two days across Mongolia, and a night in a stranger's ger

Five hundred kilometres from Ulaanbaatar to Erdene Zuu and back: the monastery, the Gobi, a picnic on the plains and a night with a nomadic family who had never met us.

Gorkhi-Terelj, Mongolia

Turtle Rock and the swaying bridge to Aryabal temple

A day trip east of Ulaanbaatar into Gorkhi-Terelj National Park: Turtle Rock looming over the ger camps, a swaying footbridge and rows of prayer wheels.

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Genghis Khan lit in gold on Sukhbaatar Square at night

Landing in Mongolia in May 2024: a selfie at Chinggis Khaan airport, then Sukhbaatar Square at night with the Genghis Khan statue lit in gold.

Kharkhorin, Mongolia

Gilded Buddhas and prayer flags inside Erdene Zuu monastery

Kharkhorin, once Karakorum, capital of the Mongol Empire: temples and a gilded Buddha at Erdene Zuu monastery, plus a picnic on the Orkhon steppe.

Mongolian Steppe

Sleeping under painted roof poles after the evening goat round-up

A night with a herder family on the Mongolian steppe: baby goats at golden hour, the evening round-up, and a ger with painted roof poles to sleep in.

Nara, Japan

The deer bow, and then they mug you

A day trip from Osaka to Nara in cherry blossom season, where 1,200 wild deer bow for crackers and then help themselves to whatever else you’re holding.

Geoje, South Korea

Hallyeohaesang island views from a south coast terrace

A slow March afternoon on Geoje's south coast: a breezy terrace above the sea and the islands of Hallyeohaesang National Park layered in the haze.

Jigokudani, Japan

Snow monkeys bathing in a steaming mountain onsen

Japan's snow monkeys in February: the walk through a frozen forest above Nagano to Jigokudani, where wild macaques soak in a steaming hot spring.

Taipei, Taiwan

Christmas Day up the 101 and a Boxing Day panda at the zoo

A December 2023 Taipei trip: Yehliu's Queen's Head rock, Jiufen's lantern-lined steps, a sky lantern at Shifen, Taipei 101 and the zoo's giant panda.

Jeju, South Korea

Testing the Mysterious Road, where parked cars roll uphill

A week on Jeju in August 2023: the Mysterious Road illusion, an ivy-covered garden hideout, a proper Jeju City lunch and sunset from a sea-view balcony.

Bohol, Philippines

Tarsiers, the Chocolate Hills and a swim in a cave lagoon

Bohol in March 2023: drifting the green Loboc River, meeting a tarsier, quad bikes by the Chocolate Hills, a cave lagoon swim and Alona Beach shakes.

Cebu, Philippines

Horse carts and chrome jeepneys under the spaghetti wiring

Cebu City at street level in March 2023: a tartanilla clopping past old shopfronts, a chrome-nosed jeepney at dusk, a sunrise down the coast.

Osaka, Japan

The Glico man after dark, and Shinsekai at its scruffiest

Osaka was our base for Christmas 2022: winter sun at Osaka Castle, the Glico man over Dotonbori at night, and the retro streets of Shinsekai.

Hiroshima, Japan

Peace Park in the morning, the floating torii by evening

A December day in Hiroshima: the rebuilt castle, the A-Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial Park, a local No Nukes sign, and the floating torii of Miyajima.

Kyoto, Japan

Nine seconds alone in the torii tunnels on Christmas morning

Christmas Day 2022 in Kyoto: the torii tunnels of Fushimi Inari, gold at Kinkaku-ji, the lanes of Higashiyama and a sake toast in Nishiki Market.

Busan, South Korea

Bamboo forests, beach sand art and Sajik baseball

Our first Busan summers: city lights from Hwangnyeongsan, a bamboo forest in Gijang, the Dongbaekseom boardwalk, Haeundae sand art and baseball at Sajik.

Philippines

a five day route through Cebu, Bohol and Palawan

A five day Philippines route from Cebu to Bohol to Palawan, what we actually did on it, and an honest word about the whale sharks at Oslob.

Gyeongju, South Korea

One of Asia's oldest observatories, and a bridge lit at night

An evening walk through Gyeongju, the ancient Silla capital: the 7th-century Cheomseongdae observatory at dusk and Woljeonggyo bridge lit over the river.

Changwon, South Korea

Clay pigeon shooting on the city's international-grade range

Changwon, April 2021: Inga's go at clay shooting on the city's international-grade range, wooded hills behind the traps and an instructor close by.

Payathonzu, Myanmar

The border town visa run, and nothing more

A December 2019 visa run into Myanmar: a horrid drive, two tiny checkpoints, and a market running on cigarettes and cheap alcohol.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

A city hanging lanterns on every wire it owns

Chiang Mai in November 2019: Lanna lanterns going up across the old city, gilded temples at dusk, a strawberry stall and one very cheerful novice monk.

Da Nang, Vietnam

Six weeks of vegan lunches and a beach at the end of the road

Da Nang in autumn 2019: macrobiotic set lunches, a corn seller at Con Market, monsoon rain on a wooden table and My Khe beach under a grey dusk.

Johor, Malaysia

An hour in a queue at a durian farm, and no durian

A friend took us to an organic durian farm in Johor. We queued for an hour in the heat, left with nothing, and learned how the good durian actually gets picked.

Five Vietnamese herbs worth buying without knowing what they are

Kinh gioi, rau ram, ngo gai, tia to and ngo om. The five Vietnamese herbs we kept going back for, what they taste like and what to do with them.

Hoi An, Vietnam

A tailored ao dai, a lantern river and the Japanese bridge

Hoi An in September 2019: the Japanese covered bridge from every angle, silk lanterns after dark, floating lanterns on the Thu Bon and a bowl of cao lau.

Durian in Malaysia

the varieties, and a farm we queued at for nothing

Musang King, Black Thorn, Red Prawn, D24 and the rest. What the numbered durian varieties actually mean, how to pick a good one, and why you go to the farm at 7am.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Where our first journey through Vietnam began

Hanoi in August 2019: backpacks on outside Ga Ha Noi, the city's grand old railway station, at the start of our first journey through Vietnam.

Johor Bahru, Malaysia

A summer of durian, mosques and banana leaf rice

Johor Bahru across the causeway from Singapore: Masjid Sultan Iskandar, durian season on the roadside, temple prayer wheels and banana leaf rice for lunch.

Sri Lanka travel tips

what to know before you land

Sixteen things worth knowing before Sri Lanka: taxis, three-wheelers, street food, the monsoon by region, drone rules, rabies, and which hand to use.

King coconut

the orange one you drink all day in Sri Lanka

Thambili, the orange king coconut native to Sri Lanka. What it tastes like, how the roadside vendors open it, and why you should ask them to split it afterwards.

Ceylon cinnamon vs cassia

how to tell them apart

Most cinnamon sold worldwide is cassia, not cinnamon. How to tell true Ceylon cinnamon from cassia by look, feel and taste, from the workshops in Sri Lanka.

Sugar apple or custard apple? Telling them apart in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankans use the names interchangeably, but they are two different fruits. How to tell a sugar apple from a custard apple by the skin, and what each one tastes like.

Seven types of banana worth eating in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka grows 29 varieties of banana. Seeni, ambul, kolikuttu, red, anamalu and ash plantain: how to tell them apart and what each one is good for.

Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

Up the lion paw staircase to a fortress with a horizon view

Climbing Sigiriya in June 2014 with Dileep's parents: the frescoes, the lion paw staircase, wild bee combs on the rock face, and a summit with a view.

Trincomalee, Sri Lanka

The golden Shiva at Koneswaram and the view from Swami Rock

Trincomalee in July 2018, where a casual dinner order turned into a dosa longer than the table and the kitchen watched us work out how to eat it.

Girihandu Seya, Sri Lanka

The hilltop stupa that says it got here first

Girihandu Seya at Thiriyaya: stone steps up a rock hill, a ruined vatadage ringed with pillars, and a board claiming the island's first stupa stood here.

Jaffna, Sri Lanka

The bus down the causeway, jackfruit markets and pittu for breakfast

Jaffna in July 2018: walking the tracks of the railway yard near Kankesanthurai, past rusted carriages left over from the years the northern line stood still.

Nainativu, Sri Lanka

Snake Island, where golden cobras guard both temple gates

Nainativu, the Snake Island off Jaffna, in July 2018: a boat across turquoise shallows, a cobra-hooded Buddha by the sea, and a kovil the colour of a paint box.

La Manga, Spain

Walking the breakwater until the sea closed in on both sides

Spring 2018 on La Manga del Mar Menor: sunset runs beside the lagoon, a walk to the end of the breakwater, and a produce raid inland in Murcia.

Ceuta, Spain

The ferry from Algeciras to Spain's corner of North Africa

A photo diary from Ceuta, the Spanish city on Africa's shore, where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic.

Gibraltar

Crossing the border on foot for a day on the Rock

Gibraltar in February 2018: walking in from the Spanish side down Winston Churchill Avenue, into a very British corner of the Mediterranean.

Málaga, Spain

Christmas in a light jacket, and a marina dusk at Benalmádena

Christmas 2017 in Malaga: the giant cone of lights over Calle Larios, warm December crowds, and supermarket produce that shamed our fridge back home.

Santander, Spain

A December of log burners half an hour out of town

Our December 2017 base in Cantabria near Torrelavega: a log burner, a decorated mantelpiece and dinner on the stove, half an hour from Santander.

Isle of Wight, United Kingdom

A day across the Solent to brick abbeys and wallabies

Two Isle of Wight trips: a June 2012 day of Quarr Abbey, wallabies and clifftop paths, then back in November 2017 for Cowes and thatched Shanklin Old Village.

Miazzina, Italy

Coffee in the village, then a long walk up to Pian Cavallone

Twelve October days in Miazzina, a village high above Lake Maggiore: garden grapes, espresso by the bell tower, and the long walk up to Pian Cavallone.

Brighton, United Kingdom

Finishing the Color Run covered in paint and foam

The Color Run on Brighton seafront: foam, powder paint and the happiest 5K down Madeira Drive, September 2017.

Veľký Klíž, Slovakia

Sunflowers and gingerbread hearts at a village wedding

The only time we've been to Slovakia was August 2016, for Steve's wedding in Veľký Klíž, and it's still the best wedding either of us has ever been to.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

The Green Bazaar, where they feed you before you buy

The Green Bazaar in Almaty: horse meat counters, mountains of dried fruit, and stallholders who hand you samples until buying something feels like the polite response.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Zenkov Cathedral, the timber church that outlived an earthquake

The Ascension Cathedral in Almaty: built 1904 to 1907 almost entirely of timber, engineered to sway rather than snap, and why the no-nails story is a myth.

Otrar, Kazakhstan

The Silk Road city that defied Genghis Khan

Otrar in June 2016: the excavated ruins of a great Silk Road city, its rebuilt gate, the Arystan Bab Mausoleum and a yurt welcome out on the steppe.

Shymkent, Kazakhstan

The southern base for Silk Road trips to Otrar and Turkistan

Shymkent in June 2016: the Rixos Khadisha and its oasis, lunch on a carpeted tapchan, sizzling dinner plates, and our launchpad for Otrar and Turkistan.

Turkistan, Kazakhstan

The Yasawi Mausoleum that nobody ever dared to finish

Turkistan in June 2016: the tiled mass of the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum under its turquoise domes, plus one very patient camel in the rose garden.

Astana, Kazakhstan

Statement architecture, from a glass pyramid to gilded horsemen

Astana in June 2016: the Bayterek tower glowing at night, the Hazrat Sultan Mosque, Norman Foster's glass pyramid and a capital built at full volume.

Pattaya, Thailand

Breakfast in the fresh market, chillies, ginger and coconut pancakes

An early morning in the fresh market in May 2016: baskets of bird's eye chillies, wholesale ginger and shallots, buckets of cut flowers, and kanom krok off a cart.

Pattaya, Thailand

Up the naga staircase to the Big Buddha

Big Buddha Hill on the Pratumnak headland in Pattaya, May 2016: a staircase guarded by two long gold serpents, a huge golden Buddha on top and a quiet street below.

Pattaya, Thailand

Petrified trees, a crocodile show and a giraffe with a banana habit

A day at the Million Years Stone Park and Crocodile Farm outside Pattaya in May 2016: fossilised trunks, clipped topiary, tame deer, giraffes and a crocodile show.

Pattaya, Thailand

Walking Street after dark, neon, a boxing ring and a cobra

Two nights in Pattaya in May 2016. Walking Street neon, a snake handler and Muay Thai sharing one bar ring, and the floating market the next afternoon.

Pattaya, Thailand

The Sanctuary of Truth, a temple made entirely of carved wood

The Sanctuary of Truth on the Pattaya seafront in May 2016: a vast teak temple carved from the roofline down, still wrapped in scaffolding and still being built.

Phang Nga, Thailand

James Bond Island and the rock that stands on its own

A day in Ao Phang Nga National Park in May 2016: limestone karsts rising straight out of green water, the signboard on the beach, and a swim under Ko Tapu.

Macao

Meeting the giant pandas at the Coloane pavilion

A May 2016 day out in Macao that ended at the Giant Panda Pavilion on Coloane, watching a panda demolish its bamboo lunch one branch at a time.

Capri, Italy

Sailing round the island past the Faraglioni rock stacks

Capri in March 2016: a boat round the island, the Faraglioni rocks, the lighthouse cliffs, a netted lemon tree and a bottle of limoncello for the way home.

Rome, Italy

Inside the Colosseum, up the Palatine and pizza sold by weight

Three days in Rome in March 2016: the Colosseum inside and out, the Forum from the Palatine, Trevi after dark, and pizza sold by the slice.

Vatican City

The Gallery of Maps, the Sistine ceiling and the neck ache that follows

Vatican City in March 2016: the queue at the museum doors, the pine cone courtyard, the Gallery of Maps, the Sistine ceiling and St Peter's at midday.

Milan, Italy

Ten timed minutes in front of Leonardo's Last Supper

Milan in March 2016: the Duomo by day and floodlit at night, the Galleria, Sforza Castle, ten minutes with the Last Supper, and pizza at a pavement table.

St. Moritz, Switzerland

In March the lake is solid enough to walk across

St. Moritz in March 2016: off the Bernina train onto a frozen lake, a memorial to two railwaymen, and a carved wooden waiter guarding a restaurant door.

Tirano, Italy

Boarding the red Bernina train from valley floor to snow

Tirano in March 2016: a frescoed basilica, a dog in a red coat, and the red Bernina railway that climbs out of the Italian valley straight into the snow.

Calais, France

Why February is the best time to have the beach to yourself

A February 2016 hop across the Channel to Calais: rows of shuttered white beach huts, empty winter dunes and a wide grey-blue sea all to ourselves.

Oxford, United Kingdom

The tower climb, the Pitt Rivers and the dinosaurs

Two days out in Oxford: the climb up the University Church tower for the skyline, and the Pitt Rivers and Natural History Museum when the weather turned.

Leicester, United Kingdom

Inside the Soviet capsule at the National Space Centre

October 2015 at the National Space Centre in Leicester: a Soviet craft stamped CCCP, a gold-visored astronaut statue and a British Aerospace badge.

Old Sarum, United Kingdom

Jumping out of a plane over Wiltshire as a birthday present

A 15,000 foot tandem skydive at Old Sarum with GoSkydive, booked as Inga's birthday present: the nerves, the freefall and the instructor with jokes.

London, United Kingdom

Twenty years of it, from the Eye to the Olympics

Twenty years of London in one place: student years with a bad camera, volleyball gold and basketball bronze at the 2012 Olympics, and the summer of 2015.

Gloucester, United Kingdom

Tudor timber, medieval floor tiles and a tall ship at the docks

A July 2015 afternoon in Gloucester: the cathedral and its cloisters, mosaics underfoot, a tall ship at the docks and the ruins of St Oswald's Priory.

Prague, Czechia

Charles Bridge, the astronomical clock and a beer spa for two

Prague in March 2015: chocolate-filled trdelnik by the Old Town, a witch outside a marionette shop, and a serious tasting dinner plated like art.

Kutná Hora, Czechia

The Sedlec bone church and St Barbara's, a day from Prague

A day trip from Prague in March 2015: the skull-and-bone artistry of the Sedlec Ossuary, then the soaring Gothic nave of St Barbara's Cathedral.

Antwerp, Belgium

Two photographs from a city we've only ever passed through

Two snapshots of Antwerp: a stencilled girl hiding on a broken wall, and a night when the whole city seemed to squeeze onto the Scheldt quays.

Aachen, Germany

One of the most authentic Christmas markets in Europe

Aachen two days before Christmas 2014: Gluhwein by the Rathaus, gingerbread hearts on the Katschhof, and a bratwurst that outgrew its baguette.

Ella, Sri Lanka

Ravana Falls, tea terraces and one very quiet main street

Ella in June 2014, before the crowds: village lanes and corner shops, Ella Gap from a guesthouse lawn, Ravana Falls, and tea bushes in every direction.

Hill Country Line, Sri Lanka

Riding the Ella train through the tea with every door open

A June 2014 ride on Sri Lanka's hill country railway: blue carriages curving through tea, token loops, station name boards, heads out of every window.

Maalu Maalu, Sri Lanka

Boardwalk chalets and a reef trip on Pasikuda bay

Maalu Maalu at Pasikuda in June 2014: sunrise over the infinity pool, a catamaran out to the reef, a wave from the fishing crews and a banana-stall town run.

Pigeon Island, Sri Lanka

Snorkelling the coral reef off Nilaveli beach

Pigeon Island in June 2014: a small boat from Nilaveli beach, snorkelling over coral gardens full of butterflyfish, and one souvenir scratch to show for it.

Kandy, Sri Lanka

Barefoot at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth, then a tea factory

Kandy in June 2014: the white walls and moat of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, then a working tea factory, from withering troughs to the tasting cup.

Dambulla, Sri Lanka

Cave temples full of Buddhas, painted straight onto the rock

Dambulla in June 2014: a shaded climb past stalls of brass curios, and the giant golden Buddha of the temple gazing out over the green plains below.

Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka

The rock-cut Buddhas of Gal Vihara and a stone book

Polonnaruwa in June 2014: brick ruins of the medieval capital, rows of carved stone pillars, faded shrine murals and the rock-cut Buddhas of Gal Vihara.

Minneriya, Sri Lanka

Inside the Gathering of wild elephants

The Gathering at Minneriya, the largest known congregation of Asian elephants on earth, plus how to get there from Colombo or Kandy and where to stay nearby.

Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Three ships in a day, from HMS Warrior to the submarine Alliance

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in April 2014: HMS Victory's gun deck, HMS Warrior at her berth, and a walk through the submarine HMS Alliance in Gosport.

Whipsnade Zoo, United Kingdom

Whole hillsides for paddocks and maras on the lawn

ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in April 2014: free-roaming maras, white rhinos on the hillside, a brown bear in the long grass, and a bird and butterfly finale.

Woburn Safari Park, United Kingdom

Driving through with Amur tigers a car length away

Woburn Safari Park in December 2013: eland and white rhino from the car, Amur tigers in the winter sun, and a great grey owl meeting Inga nose to beak.

Zurich, Switzerland

Lake sailboats, dragon clocks and a first proper cheese fondue

A September 2013 weekend in Zurich: the Grossmunster towers, the Fraumunster clock, sailboats on the lake and a first cheese fondue done properly.

Luxembourg City

A capital built around a green gorge, walked in one day

Luxembourg City in September 2013: the Adolphe Bridge over the Petrusse valley, ramparts and gardens, a war memorial, and painted elephants everywhere.

San Francisco, United States

Hanging off the cable car running boards for six dollars

Three days in San Francisco in June 2013: cable cars over the hills, the Golden Gate on foot, a sobering trip to Alcatraz and shrimp at Pier 39.

Sacramento, United States

Watching molten sugar hit the slab in an Old Town candy kitchen

A stop in Old Sacramento in June 2013: wooden boardwalks and Gold Rush facades, a candy kitchen mid-pour, and a cowboy hat we regret nothing about.

Mammoth Lakes, United States

A ski village in June with nobody else in it

Mammoth Lakes in June 2013: an out-of-season ski village all to ourselves, bear statues, island signposts and a well-earned Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

Yosemite, United States

What the high country looks like when June still has snow

Yosemite in June 2013, crossing the park on Tioga Road: snowy meadows, Half Dome from Olmsted Point, El Capitan up close and Lower Yosemite Fall.

Las Vegas, United States

The whole Strip in two days, machine gun range included

Two June days in Las Vegas: gondolas at the Venetian, machine guns before lunch, Excalibur turrets, Bellagio fountains and showgirls under the Fremont lights.

Hoover Dam, United States

Standing at the overlook where dam, gorge and bypass bridge line up

A June day trip from Las Vegas to Hoover Dam: the full sweep from the overlook, the bypass bridge over the Colorado River, and us dwarfed by the concrete.

Grand Canyon, United States

Walking below the rim on the Bright Angel Trail

Two June days on the South Rim: first sight of the Grand Canyon, the Bright Angel tunnel, Maricopa Point, the Powell Memorial and evening light in the gorge.

Seligman, United States

Meeting Angel Delgadillo, the barber who saved Route 66

Seligman in June 2013, the town that kept Route 66 alive: jalopies at the Snow Cap, mannequins on the Rusty Bolt, and meeting Angel Delgadillo.

Williams, United States

A street shootout show and steam engines to the canyon

Williams, Arizona in June 2013: Route 66 neon, an evening shootout show on the main street, Grand Canyon Railway steam engines and homemade pie.

Scottsdale, United States

Cowboy storefronts, Ollie the Trolley and a first Cracker Barrel

Scottsdale in June 2013, with dinner at Rustler's Rooste across in Phoenix: a live country band, checked tablecloths and a plate of fried rattlesnake.

Sedona, United States

The buttes that stole an hour from the Grand Canyon drive

A red rock pit stop in Sedona in June 2013: cowboy hats at the overlook, buttes above the treeline, and a wander down Uptown before the Grand Canyon.

Palm Springs, United States

Riding the rotating tramway a mile above the desert heat

Palm Springs in June: the aerial tramway up Mount San Jacinto, a picnic above the desert, hotel pool time, Marilyn on the corner and palms everywhere.

Hollywood, United States

Two days on the boulevard and inside Universal Studios

Hollywood in June 2013: Spielberg's star and the Chinese Theatre, the Hollywood Sign, Universal Studios stunts and sharks, and a downtown LA detour.

Mont Saint-Michel, France

Why you should stay the night instead of day-tripping

Mont Saint-Michel in May 2013: the abbey and its cloister, a walk on the bay at low tide, and the whole island lit up gold long after the crowds left.

Silfra, Iceland

Snorkelling the gap between two continents

Dry suits, glacial meltwater and a rift you can float straight down the middle of: snorkelling Silfra in Thingvellir, where two tectonic plates pull apart.

Blue Lagoon, Iceland

Soaking in the steam and leaving a silica handprint under the bridge

Wading through steam at the Blue Lagoon in March: milky water, silica handprints under the bridge, and winter sun over the lava field.

Geysir, Iceland

Strokkur erupts every few minutes, and the word geyser starts here

Standing in front of an erupting geyser on Iceland's Golden Circle: steam, sulphur and impeccable photo timing at Geysir.

Reykjavík, Iceland

Chasing the aurora by boat, then eating the soup bowl

Reykjavik in March: a northern lights boat from the old harbour, the full aurora show, and a food scene of whale counters, bread-bowl soup and Opal shots.

Paris, France

Queuing for the Mona Lisa, then the rooftops from a balcony

Sparrows landing on our hands outside Notre-Dame, a slightly starstruck hello to the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, and a balcony view over Paris rooftops.

Bruges, Belgium

Christmas market chocolate and Brugse Zot at De Halve Maan

Bruges at Christmas: the Belfort glowing over the market stalls, a wobbly lap of the ice rink, Brugse Zot at De Halve Maan and far too much chocolate.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Canals, coffeeshops and the windmills at Zaanse Schans

Amsterdam in November 2012: canal walks, the Anne Frank Huis, coffeeshop neon, cheese by the wheel, clog carving and windmills at Zaanse Schans.

Lille, France

Three gilded goddesses, and vin chaud at the Christmas market

Lille from the rooftops in late November 2012: the old town skyline, three gilded goddesses, and the Marche de Noel pouring vin chaud below us.

Brussels, Belgium

One grey day of gold buildings, comic walls and serious beer

Brussels in November 2012: the Grand Place in gilt, Manneken Pis, Tintin on the walls, Mini-Europe with Dileep's brother, and a Chimay to finish.

Rotterdam, Netherlands

Cube houses, a car up a wall and the Kinderdijk windmills

A family day out in November 2012: the windmills of Kinderdijk in wind and rain, then Rotterdam's cube houses, a harbour tour and a car up a wall.

Ghent, Belgium

Gravensteen's ramparts and oysters on the Groentenmarkt in November

Ghent in November 2012: belfry views over the Graslei, oysters on the Groentenmarkt, a window full of Belgian beer and the ramparts of Gravensteen castle.

Torquay, United Kingdom

The coastline from the deck of a Torbay boat

Torquay from the water in July 2012: the Livermead seafront, a rainbow of beach huts, a breakwater lighthouse, one rusty trawler and a bird in the ropes.

Eden Project, United Kingdom

A rainforest indoors and a giant made of old appliances

The Eden Project in July 2012: bubble-wrap biomes in an old Cornish clay pit, a rainforest indoors, strange waxy flowers and a giant made of scrap.

Betws-y-Coed, United Kingdom

The Gateway to Snowdonia in honest Welsh rain

A wet June 2012 morning in Betws-y-Coed with Dileep's brother: the Gateway to Snowdonia welcome sign, the park boundary marker, and honest Welsh rain.

Chester Zoo, United Kingdom

Iguanas, chameleons and a cheetah in the buttercups

A June 2012 day at Chester Zoo: red river hogs at the waterhole, sparring zebras, a cheetah in the buttercups, and Sumatran tigers with name boards.

Silchester, United Kingdom

The lost Roman town of Calleva, now a circuit of walls and meadows

Silchester in Hampshire, May 2012: walking the Roman walls of Calleva Atrebatum, the North Gate, St Mary's church and meadows full of dandelion clocks.

Nottingham, United Kingdom

Robin Hood, England's oldest inn, and caves under the city

Nottingham in May 2012: hard hats in the sandstone caves, the Robin Hood statue beneath the castle walls, and Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, England's oldest inn.

Peak District, United Kingdom

Underground at Poole's Cavern, then a folly above Buxton

A May 2012 day in the Peak District at Buxton: the lit chambers of Poole's Cavern, the climb through Grin Low woods, and the view from Solomon's Temple.

Sheffield, United Kingdom

Where the city ends and the Peak District moors begin

Sheffield in May 2012, with the Peak District on the doorstep: cycling the Monsal Trail near Bakewell, a riverside dale walk, and a moor-edge pub.

Lake District, United Kingdom

Castlerigg stone circle, and a week of falling water

A May 2012 week in the Lake District: out on Windermere by motorboat, a heritage railway, Beatrix Potter's world in Bowness, and the stones at Castlerigg.

Our Wedding

The day we got married at St John the Baptist in Caversham, Reading, 7 October 2011: a vintage Rolls-Royce, bridesmaids in pink and a harpist playing Cavatina.

Greenwich, United Kingdom

The Old Royal Naval College campus, coursework and a late bowling night

The oldest photos on this whole site: our University of Greenwich years, the chapel and Painted Hall at Christmas 2004, then coursework, cables and bowling.

Leeds Castle, United Kingdom

The Kent castle where a plane wrote the proposal in the sky

The day Dileep went down on one knee on the moat bridge at Leeds Castle in Kent, and a plane spelled out the question overhead. August 2010: she said yes.

Canterbury, United Kingdom

Nine centuries of Gothic stone at the cathedral

Canterbury in July 2010: the painted heraldry of Christ Church Gate, the cathedral filling every viewfinder, and a summer when Kent felt like home turf.

Dover, United Kingdom

The Roman lighthouse and wartime tunnels of Dover Castle

Dover Castle in July 2010: working the switchboard in the secret wartime tunnels, then long grass beside the Roman pharos and St Mary-in-Castro.

Bath, United Kingdom

The Roman baths nobody bathes in any more

Bath in July 2010: the green Great Bath and its statue-lined terrace, Bath Abbey next door, a sweeping Georgian curve and organ pipes under fan vaulting.

Sentosa, Singapore

A beach day that ended at the dolphin lagoon show

A lazy day on Sentosa in May 2010: fish and chips on Siloso Beach, a shared pina colada on the loungers and front-row seats at the dolphin lagoon.

Singapore

Our first visit, and a dosa longer than the table

Our first Singapore, back in May 2010: the Botanic Gardens, the lawn above the Symphony Stage, and a paper dosa that arrived longer than the table was wide.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

A 42 metre gold Murugan and the monkeys guarding his stairs

Kuala Lumpur in May 2010: the Batu Caves and their golden guardian, cheeky silvered langurs, lorikeets at the Bird Park and a night of Malay dance.

Kuala Gandah, Malaysia

Feeding watermelon to elephants at the conservation centre

A day at the Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre in Pahang, May 2010: feeding time at the rail, watermelon by the chunk and a bottle-fed baby.

Rochester, United Kingdom

Climbing the Norman keep for the best view of the cathedral

An April 2010 day in Rochester with Dileep's parents: the cathedral's painted organ pipes, blossom on the green, and the view from the castle keep.

Inchcolm Island, United Kingdom

Scotland's best preserved monastic ruin, out in the Forth

Inchcolm in July 2008: a boat across the Firth of Forth to a mediaeval abbey, a climb up the tower, and wartime defences out on the headland.

Glasgow, United Kingdom

Walking the Clyde from the Finnieston Crane to the Armadillo

Glasgow in July 2008: George Square bus stops, a walk along the Clyde past Bell's Bridge and the Clyde Arc, and the Armadillo on the waterfront.

Windsor, United Kingdom

The Round Tower and the first daffodils, on a 2008 compact camera

Windsor Castle in March 2008: a Royal Weddings exhibition poster by the castle walls, the Round Tower over its rock garden, and orange date stamps on every frame.

Stonehenge, United Kingdom

Standing at the stones on Salisbury Plain

A June 2004 afternoon at Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain: the sarsen circle, the rope line and a very 2004 polo shirt.