Travel Ideas and Advice for the Novice Traveller

This has been one of the greatest sites I've ever visited on the planet. This hidden gem of nature. It is an absolute must for any nature-traveler to visit the glorious granite rocks of Paarl. Charles Darwin visited these rocks on the 4th of June 1836 during his Beagle expedition and he must have been as amazed as I, seeing these products of nature. Walking on these remnants of volcanic activity just re-affirms how great this world of ours is and what great wonders there are, all around us. It also showed me how great it is to travel and to discover and experience these wonders. View of  Gordon's Rock on Paarl Mountain, South Africa There are three massive granite rock outcrops on the Paarl Mountain, namely Bretagne Rock, Paarl Rock and Gordon's Rock. The biggest rock accessible to the public is Bretagne Rock. It has a chain running up to the top, to assist us normal folk in ascending this jewel of South Africa. The chain was added to the rock in 1925 to assist the

I recently visited the village Carrbridge, in the Scottish Highlands. This village has got a rich history and is very much tourist focused. I enjoyed visiting the main attraction in the village namely the Old Pack Horse Bridge, built in 1717 and badly damaged in 1829. This damage is still evident today as the bridge was never repaired. See below some of the photo's I've taken during my whirlwind travels through the Highlands. Sign at bridge detailing the History. Old Pack Horse Bridge There are some great accommodation all over the Highlands, but I particularly liked the  Carrbridge Hotel. Carrbridge Hotel Another view of Old Pack Horse Bridge Scenery around Carrbridge Signposts in Carrbridge Scenery around Carrbridge  Looking for other hotels in Scotland? Search Here!

Welcome to my first post on my new blog, where I will be providing some guidance and inspiration to those wanting to or is already planning a holiday trip. I've travelled widely across the world and I am absolutely passionate about travelling. If you are in a position to be able to travel, go for it! To travel the world provides you with a deep insight and understanding of our world. It is something that can't be taught at school or university. It opens ones eyes to the amazing fact of how similar we all are! I'll be focusing on all the favourite backpacking cities, countries and continents. You are welcome to leave comments or provide tips for fellow travellers. To end of this first post I want to emphasise the following quote from J.R.R. Tolkien, who wrote "Lord of the Rings" Autumn in London. Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace “Not all those who wander are lost.”  This is so true when it comes to backpackers. We wander, but we are n

I visited the beautiful town of Paarl , 60 kilometres from Cape Town, in South Africa a couple of weeks ago. I was pleasantly surprised seeing this community at the southern point of Africa living a very much European lifestyle. The town is engulfed in its history, with countless historic buildings lining its roads. Most of the old part of town has got beautiful old oak trees planted in the 1700's. Afrikaans Language Monument on Paarl Mountain. The first European to set foot in the valley was a man called Abraham Gabemma, in 1657 sent from the fort in Cape Town by the then governor, Jan van Riebeeck to barter cattle with the local natives called the Khoi and San people. As Abraham Gabema entered the valley he saw the sun shining on the huge granite outcrops on the mountain that was wet as a result of rain earlier on the same day. The glare from the rocks reminded him of pearls and he promptly called the mountain Parel mountain which means pearl in Dutch. This name has chan

Image Copyright Busabout I will be posting more updates and stories about the merits of using the Busabout service to see Europe. It is an absolutely great recipe to see Europe at your own pace. There is no age restriction and the service is top-notch. I've made use of this service and thoroughly enjoyed it. There is a good selection of Hostels used by Busabout , but you are free to book your own accommodation. You just need to ensure that you are at the pick up points in time for the bus on the day of your departure. Busabout is owned by the same operator that owns Trafalgar Tours and Contiki Tours . Rome,  Colosseum at evening Image Copyright Wikipedia Want to start your Busabout tour in Rome ? See what hotel specials are available in Rome .