Backpacker Diaries

SOUTH EAST ASIA

If you could go anywhere, where would you choose?  Let the Backpacker Diaries South East Asia pages take you on a series of vicarious adventures: from the vibrant tangle of waterways, expressways, streets and sois of Bangkok to the remote jungles of Borneo; staying in isolated longhouses with Iban tribesmen whilst following in the footsteps of head-hunters; spotting wild orang-utans on a Kinabatangan River safari; or just kicking back on a pristine white sand beach somewhere.

Climb aboard my virtual tuc-tuc for a backpacker's view of South East Asia... Read the rest

KILIMANJARO, TANZANIA

A clap of thunder tore through the charged atmosphere like a starter's pistol. It was quickly followed by the irregular, staccato beat of heavy raindrops clattering against the thin, tin roof of the climber's shelter.  Soon an unremitting arsenal of liquefied bullets was hammering down on the corrugated roof, threatening to distort its smooth undulations into a ragged, dimpled finish. At this point, we had not even passed through the gate into Kilimanjaro National Park, but already the mountain was squaring up to us.

PYRENEES, FRANCE & SPAIN

As the train jolted to a halt, I stirred from a restless doze. Dazzling sunlight flung mirages across the arid, gently rolling contours of Spain's central plateau and I basked in the promise of long, sunny days walking forgotten trails through the high mountains.  A week later, I crouched beneath the edge of a large boulder as clouds rolled by in never ending waves.  The view was mesmerising but my cramped accommodation beneath the boulder was, quite literally, a shit-hole.

Walk with me as I relive the highs and lows of a long distance trek through the Pyrenees' high altitude wilderness... Read the rest

MOUNT MERU, TANZANIA 

The view as we flew over the Kenyan border was to die for: On our left, Kilimanjaro jutted majestically above its cloud skirt, whilst looking the other way gave us our first mesmerising view of Mount Meru’s cavernous caldera and knife-edge summit ridge. Months of anticipation turned to a buzz of excitement as our eyes wandered to its summit...

Follow in my footsteps as I trek to Meru's snow dusted summit: precipitous ridges, stunning vistas and a face to face encounter with a wild giraffe... Read the rest

HEADHUNTERS TRAIL, BORNEO 

The driver of the ‘flying coffin’ was called Marc. His T-shirt read: ‘I live with fear every day but sometimes she lets me race.’  He drove the boat like it was a jet-ski and as we leaned into yet another of the river’s snaking hairpin bends, I began to think that this might turn out to be the most dangerous part of the trip. A thought all the more poignant, considering that we were heading for the infamous headhunters' trail of Borneo.

Dive with me into the clash of cultures along the trails and waterways of inland Borneo... Read the rest

SOUTHERN AFRICA 

What do you know about the world's second largest continent?  Aids, wars, poverty and famine? Mud huts and long-drop toilets?  Discover the Africa behind the headlines as I re-live four months travelling with locals through South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Botswana and Lesotho...  Jump aboard for a kaleidoscopic overland from Great Zimbabwe's medieval ruins to South Africa's gold mines; dining along the way on lake flies, caterpillars and a local brew resembling alcoholic porridge.

Check back soon to discover a whole new Africa.

UNITED STATES 

Hitchhiking and wilderness trekking up and down the West Coast, from Los Angeles to Seattle and then to Mexico. Dining on freshly caught trout beside a remote mountain lake or on sizzling tacos at a roadside stall; drinking in grunge bars with live music or from mountain springs to the sound or birdsong; drugged up, gun weilding loons on the open road and miles of breathtaking scenery on the wilderness trails.  Or the wild bear encounter in the middle of the night - now there's a story...

Check back soon for a fresh perspective of North America...