The Tower of London is one of the icons of the British capital. Still standing proudly on the banks of the River Thames, the Tower dates back to the 11th century and has been a bastion of the nation since the first stone was laid. But what is it like visiting the Tower of London, and why should you include it on your visit to the city?
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The Tower of London is one of the icons of the British capital. Still standing proudly on the banks of the River Thames, the Tower dates back to the 11th century and has been a bastion of the nation since the first stone was laid. But what is it like visiting the Tower of London, and why should you include it on your visit to the city?
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Taiwan is a country which is only just starting to get noticed on the tourist trail. A legacy of the Chinese anti-communist movement (the Kuomintan government under Chang Kai-Shek escaped here when Mao Tse-Tung took over on the mainland) and a lengthy period of Japanese occupation, not to mention a Taiwanese heritage all its own, the country was seen as less advanced than some of[…]
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We arrived at Shatrunjaya early in the morning, and it was just as well. Situated in the town of Palitana, just over an hour’s drive from Bhavnagar in the western Indian state of Gujarat, Shatrunjaya holds tremendous significance to followers of the Jain religion. A massive temple complex built on top of a hill that dominates the surrounding landscape, 23 of the 24 tirthankars who[…]
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Slumdog Millionaire. That is what most people know of Dharavi slum. Images of young boys running barefoot through narrow alleyways, of poverty and hardship. Or maybe you picture rough shanties leaning up against the railway lines. However you’ve heard of Dharavi, the images it conjures are bound to be negative. I’ve visited slums before, notably Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya, so was keen to experience what[…]
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The name Kolkata is woven into the history of India. Formerly known as Calcutta, and once the capital of the British Raj, this sprawling city is located in the north-eastern state of West Bengal, close to the border with Bangladesh, and buzzes with energy and life. Kolkata has a reputation for extreme poverty and overwhelming sensation. Whilst the former is definitely true – poverty is[…]
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Ulster. The name of the province is synonymous with Northern Ireland, but did you know that Ulster province is made up of more than just the six counties of the north? Having visited every county in Ulster for myself, I know that each one has its own character and highlights. If your Ulster travel knowledge needs a boost, here are some great suggestions for what[…]
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I have been a regular visitor to Northern Ireland over many years, visiting the town of Ballymena, County Antrim. And anyone familiar with the approach to Ballymena will recognise Slemish. Towering over the surrounding flat landscape, Slemish is unmistakable and, when the mists clear, unmissable. It is also St Patrick’s mountain. The story goes like this: at the age of 16, the teenager who would[…]
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It’s a Wednesday night, and I’m tucked up in my bed, unable to sleep. It sounds like there’s a farmyard outside my window. I’m in the small town of Bajawa on Flores Island, Indonesia. A bit of a geography geek since childhood, I pride myself on having a very good grasp of where places are on the map, but even I had never heard of[…]
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I make no secret of the fact that I absolutely adore India. I love the colour, the bustle, the curries and the history. I love the temples and the weather. But in all my Indian travels so far, the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu remains my absolute favourite. Located on India’s eastern coast, along with the states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, it is[…]
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When I decided to go to Cyprus, one of the places I was most keen to see was Nicosia. Known as Lefkosia by the Greek-speaking population and Lefkoşa by the Turkish speakers of North Cyprus, Nicosia is a city divided, and one that has only been openly accessible to both sides of the line in the last decade. Despite its long history, the city was fundamentally altered[…]
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