Complete Article List

Europe - 25 Jun, 2010, 09:18
Paultons Park: way too much fun
Tucked down in southern England near Southampton there's a family-run theme park that is part zoo, part park and mainly fun. Jack Barker takes his sprogs for a summer day out.

Americas - 25 Jun, 2010, 06:48
Finding a home on Easy Street, USA
When Melissa Arden's American husband takes a job in rural Pennsylvania, she has to adapt to a whole new world. First, she has to find somewhere to live.

Europe - 23 Jun, 2010, 07:42
The miracle of the fish: Oberammergau
Every ten years the tiny German village of Oberammergau is transformed by its spectacular retelling of the story of Christ. And it's happening now. Thomas Randall attends the Passion Play.

Europe - 22 Jun, 2010, 17:16
A jet-lagger's guide to Paris by night
France's capital is wasted on the dormant, and welcome those who just won't go to sleep. Marsha Moore presents this hour-by-hour guide to the Parisian night.

Asia Pacific - 22 Jun, 2010, 16:53
An Aussie in Otorohanga
In New Zealand's town of Otorohanga there's a huge bird sanctuary, and Paul Stuart-Higgs manages it. But maybe he's now been talking Kiwi too long...

Deals - 21 Jun, 2010, 14:24
Travelling to the Cote d'Azur
France's southern playground, the Cote d'Azur, continues to enchant Iain Miller. Here he gives the lowdown on what to do and where to stay.

In the picture-postcard setting of Hoi An, Sezgi Yalin gets to know her neighbours - and hears about their hopes and dreams.

America's Pacific playground also offers natural beauty. Eric Whitehead gets off his poolside lounger and takes a challenging day-trek along Kauai’s Kalalau Trail.

Asia Pacific - 21 Jun, 2010, 13:05
Thailand's elephant antics: should you pay?
Elephants in Thailand often have to work for a living: they eat a lot in a crowded country. But tourist dollars rarely do the animals any favours, finds Anna Amado when she volunteers at an elephant orphanage.

Europe - 21 Jun, 2010, 12:39
Cumbria: climbing, camaraderie and cloudbursts
Most visitors to England's Lakelands trail around a few well-signed viewpoints and chase a poet or two. For a fresh perspective, Rachel Berkowitz finds a mountainous bit, ropes up and climbs.

Deals - 18 Jun, 2010, 12:54
Mobile broadband abroad: know before you go
Taking your mobile broadband dongle abroad? Be prepared. James Helliwell says that you need to do some research to avoid returning to a shocking data bill.

Americas - 17 Jun, 2010, 22:40
Strangers in my bed
In America's deep south history is important. But Richard Calderwood finds ghosts in the night taking it a step too far.

Africa - 17 Jun, 2010, 19:05
The man with bullets in his socks
When his hotel's plumbing problems force Tom Coote onto the backstreets of Mombasa he's beset by hustlers and hookers. Forget the standard safari in a pop-top matatu: this is where he meets Kenya's alpha predators.

Americas - 15 Jun, 2010, 12:33
A blast of mysogyny in upcountry Hawaii
It's not all grass skirts, alohas and surf on Oahu Island, finds Joe Henley, when he meets a cultish musician in the town of Haleiwa. His advice: stay for the songs, skip the sermon.

Europe - 15 Jun, 2010, 12:23
Asturias: four seasons in a day
Retired Brits in Spain have lost the comfort of wealth. But Rosalind Horne finds you don't need money to relish the wild beauty of rural Asturias.

Americas - 15 Jun, 2010, 11:59
Poverty and wealth: the two faces of Bogota
In Colombia's kidnap capital Micol Kates lands a job teaching the children of the super-rich. But while they can ignore the poverty on every side of their sunkissed existence, he sees the city at every level.

In Bolivia Brendan van Son finds solitude, not by straying off the beaten path, but by stepping off the tour-group's daily schedule.

Simon Ramsden takes his life in his hands near Krabi as he tries Thailand's latest adventure sport, Deep Water Solo. It combines rock-climbing with tombstoning and looks great fun, but you've always got to worry when your guide won't do it.

During his travels in Egypt, from Cairo to Aswan, David Kingsley maintains a cultural cool. This all rather falls apart in Luxor, when he runs into some Aussies on the razzle.

Rome, the 'Eternal City', is one of Italy's biggest tourist attractions. But when Tim Bush arrives on his motorbike the first thing he notices is the insane traffic - and things don't get any better.

Americas - 15 Jun, 2010, 09:20
Climbing Ausungate: tackling a Peruvian peak
For most people, the Andes are best flown over. Serial adventurer Cameron Martindell thinks differently. In Peru he collects and equips a team to mount a serious challenge on a remote snow-capped mountain.

Europe - 19 May, 2010, 14:37
The Paradise of Saint Tropez
France's holiday hotspot is still St Tropez, says Iain Miller, and the ideal way to experience it is from the comfort of your own villa.

Africa - 19 May, 2010, 14:18
Untouched Uganda: Lake Opeta
There are corners of Africa where tourism has yet to plant it's heavy foot. On a remote Ugandan lake Sam D'Cruz discovers a gentle society (tribal wars apart) and a remarkably beautiful natural environment.

Americas - 19 May, 2010, 14:08
Confessions of a volunteer archaeologist
Huanchaco, coastal Peru, and Carlie Sorosiak digs deep to discover an ancient civilisation. But it's present-day Peru that really catches her attention, culminating in a memorable Independence Day binge.

Central Asia - 19 May, 2010, 13:50
Notes from the border between Pakistan and India
On an epic cycle ride from the UK to a village in southern India, David Bent keeps a blog. In this extract he visits Amritsar and finds bugs too big to battle with and wakes up with maggots in his beard.

Central Asia - 19 May, 2010, 13:03
Kerala: holistic heaven under a tropical sun
There's more to Kerala than the backwaters says Karen Dabrowska. But you don't need to take her word for it: she asks a bloke called Batu and writes down what he says.

Europe - 14 May, 2010, 14:06
Prague: the best destination for stag weekends
Stag nights have grown. Welcome to the new age of the Stag Weekend. Nick Lewis says Prague is the perfect venue for a lad's night on the tiles.

Europe - 14 May, 2010, 13:48
Killing time - and killing whales - in the Faroe Islands
Stranded mid-ocean between Scotland, Norway and Iceland, Lawrence Edmonds becomes part of a primeval, brutal tradition where the islanders pit their wits against the world's largest mammal: a Faroese whale hunt.

Asia Pacific - 14 May, 2010, 13:16
Explosives galore at Laos' annual Firework Festival
Drifting smoke and the smell of cordite isn't always a good sign in Southeast Asia. But Kenton Molloy finds the religious festival that sends rockets into the skies of Northern Thailand and Laos is a pyrotechnic's party that defies health and safety.

Americas - 14 May, 2010, 12:38
New Mexico: where dogs race cars
The ancient past meets a very strange present in Colorado and New Mexico. Nina Crump meets the characters who have built their communities in a harsh desert landscape.

Europe - 12 May, 2010, 10:10
Skiing in Bulgaria - the new Alps
For the price of an Alpine family lift-pass you can buy a house in Bulgaria. Nick Lewis says low prices are just one reason why Bulgaria is this year's coolest ski destination.

Asia Pacific - 11 May, 2010, 14:06
Koh Tao: stress-free Thailand
Thailand might have political problems but these don't trouble Thomas Randall on the sleepy southern island of Koh Tao. Until, that is, he dons a snorkel and realises he's forgotten how to swim.

Americas - 11 May, 2010, 13:50
Beyond the theme parks: Florida's wild side
There's more to Florida than tacky tourist offerings. John Gifford explores the fishing town of Apalachicola and the natural coastline of St George Island.

Middle East - 11 May, 2010, 13:28
Ignore the hype: Dubai is dull
Oblivious to Israeli assassination squads tramping through his hotel, Anthony Toole finds a single-night stopover in the Middle East's holiday hotspot is quite long enough.

Africa - 11 May, 2010, 13:04
Dogon country: into Mali's cultural heartland
One of West Africa's most isolated communities is found where Mali's Bandiagara Escarpment blocks off tarmac through routes. Christian Cummins treads sandy trails to reach the Dogon people and experience, first-hand, their rich local culture.

Europe - 4 May, 2010, 19:17
A world of class in a classic Spanish village
If you're struggling to decide whether to focus on the stunning photographs or the lavish descriptions of the Grand Hotel Bahia del Duque in Tenerife, Iain Miller says you should just book yourself a visit and experience the Canary islands at their best.

Americas - 2 May, 2010, 16:16
Jamaica: hustle central with a reggae beat
As the drugs squad take away her luggage for analysis, Karen Harris reflects on the lessons she'd learned from her holiday in Negril. Jamaica in the raw had shaken her trust.

Africa - 2 May, 2010, 16:04
Green season Zambia - flooded, with bees
What African tourist boards call their 'Green Season' the locals call the rains. But a wet-season safari can still be fun, says Liz Watkin: it certainly keeps away the crowds.

Asia Pacific - 2 May, 2010, 13:47
Always a good time to visit Broome, WA
One of the world's most isolated beach communities is found on the northern wastes of Western Australia. Adrian Harman-Bishop finds a laid-back holiday town with plenty to do.

Asia Pacific - 2 May, 2010, 13:34
Water-pistols and real guns on Bangkok's restive streets
Christian Cummins finds there's something slightly surreal about Thailand's exuberant waterfight festival, Songkran, as it takes place against a background of violent demonstrations curbed by live ammunition. Main Pen Rai, he says, as cold water is poured down his neck.

Americas - 2 May, 2010, 13:15
Riding the wilderness trails of Canada's Rockies
A horseback trek with nights camping in the wild provides Eric Whitehead with a prime opportunity to bond with his family. Paradise, he discovers, can be found in the Canadian Rockies.

Asia Pacific - 2 May, 2010, 12:56
Stairs, spit and the Seoul Stare down
Lauren Manuel finds that South Korea presents some fairly daunting cultural challenges as she settles in to life in the capital.

Americas - 2 May, 2010, 11:12
Seeing the sights in San Cristobal de las Casas
Mayan and Hispanic influences mingle in San Cristobal de las Casas, finds Malika Nagre as she strolls the cobbled streets of Mexico's prettiest highland town.

Asia Pacific - 2 May, 2010, 11:05
Coping with Cambodia's Aids orphans
David Calleja meets a orphaned baby called Anne-Marie - and the dedicated individuals working to give her a stable future.

Europe - 3 Apr, 2010, 00:03
St Tropez - The Life of Luxury
If you're after a luxury European holiday, Iain Miller says France's traditional celebrity playground has all you could possibly need. St Tropez, he says, simply has what it takes.

Americas - 2 Apr, 2010, 23:53
A black-market prison tour in downtown La Paz
In Bolivia's capital the top tour is illegal: it goes inside the gates of San Pedro prison. Eoghan Macguire gets an insight into a thriving micro-economy - call it informal or call it corrupt - that has a life of its own.

Asia Pacific - 2 Apr, 2010, 23:01
A glimpse past New Zealand's supershiny image
On a journey across New Zealand, Tom Coote catches sight of a daily reality far from the sundrenched, sheep-filled images sold by the tourist industry.

Americas - 2 Apr, 2010, 21:58
Another day, another snake: life in the Amazon
Most guides to travel in the Peruvian Amazon waste pages on jungle survival and animal threats. Eric Whitehead has a simpler message. If you're packing wine, bring your own corkscrew.

Middle East - 2 Apr, 2010, 21:44
Jordan: ancient treasures and bus terminals
Most travellers to Jordan travel on tours - and miss half the experience. Sam Harris gets about by bus but still catches the highlight sights.

Americas - 2 Apr, 2010, 20:50
Greyhounding America's Southern States
No hotels for Steve Rudd on his epic economy journey across the US. He sleeps between cities, explores on foot and somehow finds the time to record his every experience.

Asia Pacific - 2 Apr, 2010, 20:23
Among the islands of Phang Nga Bay
Simon Ramsden doesn't just look at Thailand's most spectacular seascapes: he canoes into hongs, climbs up cliffs, and watches tourists fall off tightropes.

Africa - 2 Apr, 2010, 20:10
A day in Fez
Forget Marrakesh. Morocco's real highlight is the ancient city of Fez. Armed with a sprig of mint, Gayle Bentham sets out to explore.

Americas - 2 Apr, 2010, 19:26
Noontime in Rua 25 de Março, São Paulo
In a contemplative mood, German traveller Alena Profit observes daily life in one particular market area of Brazil's most populous city: an enthralling, exhausting display of humanity in all its variety.

Europe - 2 Apr, 2010, 19:12
Cruise Croatia
Croatia's Mediterranean coast is perfect for a gentle cruise, says Larry Zaletel.

Africa - 2 Apr, 2010, 18:52
Dicing with death on Zambezi rapids
Bonnie Lynn tackles Africa's greatest set of rapids, the Zambezi down from Victoria Falls, and survives to tell the tale.

Central Asia - 2 Apr, 2010, 18:22
The Raj, the Taj and Goa at Large
For Brian Fisher planning his own holiday is a key part of the travel experience. Here is a meticulous report of his journey through India.

Europe - 2 Apr, 2010, 17:51
Thrilled, not chilled, by Iceland
Micol Kates sees the Northern Lights and watches a geyser spurting steam into the sky. But this is pre-recession Iceland, so the most exciting moment is when he spots a banknote in a puddle.

Central Asia - 1 Apr, 2010, 10:38
Burma in a bubble
Thirty years of pious travel sanctions have done nothing to discourage Southeast Asia's most brutal regime. Adam Smith finds its international isolation only adds to Myanmar's appeal.

Amid Cambodia's many attractions, the Muslim community living in stilted communities on the edge of Tonle Sap Lake is one of the more obscure. Sezgi Yalin visits just in time for a memorable feast, at the end of Ramadan.

Africa - 19 Mar, 2010, 20:54
Making merry in Morocco
There's nowhere quite like Marrakesh, finds James Connolly on a gap-year quest to sample new experiences. Well, some of them, at least: there are limits.

Africa - 15 Mar, 2010, 13:20
Liberia: Africa's latest economic miracle?
In downtown Monrovia Christopher Varady is struck by the indomitable spirit of one of Africa's poorest and most war-torn countries. But can their restless energy translate into economic growth?

Americas - 15 Mar, 2010, 12:22
Compelling reasons to visit Ecuador
With few overwhelming USPs one of South America's smaller countries is frequently overlooked. But Brendan van Son says that Ecuador is one of the continent's highlights.

Europe - 2 Mar, 2010, 23:08
Slovenia into Serbia: easy with army friends
Veteran freeloader Kris Mole limps across the border between Slovenia and Serbia, where he finds his past catching up with him.

America's dude ranch industry is a summer business, surely? Who wants to rattle cattle in the snow and ice? Rob Wilson, that's who.

Everything in Canada is famously big. So it's something of a relief to find that Eric Whitehead manages to hike one of its most spectacular island National Parks without having to cover more than 10km each day.

The scene of one of the most publicised atrocities of America's Vietnam war has now been thoroughly commercialised. David Calleja finds raw emotion struggles to find a way through the slick presentation.

Europe - 2 Mar, 2010, 20:40
A big, fat, Bulgarian orgy
Lyn Fuchs had heard Bulgaria was a poor country devoid of amenities, but found instead succulent food, tasty wine, soulful music, and attractive women. Somehow he muddles through.

Europe - 2 Mar, 2010, 20:01
Off the rails in central Albania
Matt Pointon finds the vagaries of Albania's public transport systems make his journey across the country something of a challenge as this report sees him heading into Tirana.

Central Asia - 2 Mar, 2010, 19:16
Notes from the road between Beijing and Kashgar
On an epic 22-day motorcycle journey across China, Duncan McCombe finds the province of Xinjiang presents some particular challenges. This extract from his blog illustrates his brushes with authority.

Europe - 2 Mar, 2010, 18:58
Alone on the Waddenzee: the Netherlands by bike
Australian Roland Boer rediscovers his ancestral lands at a leisurely pace. His bicycle tour of Holland's dams and dykes reveal a country that might be flat but has hidden depths.

Asia Pacific - 2 Mar, 2010, 18:40
East Pakistan to Bangladesh: Chittagong after 50 years
Fifty years after spending his childhood in Chittagong in East Pakistan, Adrian Harman-Bishop revisits to find his old family home is now surrounded by a new country, Bangladesh.

Americas - 14 Feb, 2010, 21:58
Relaxation and luxury await in Barbados
Iain Miller says pristine beaches, garden views and the choice of relaxing spa treatments and challenging golf makes Barbados' Sandy Lane a compelling choice for holidaymakers in the Caribbean.

One of Central America's most troubled nations has a forbidding reputation, but Bonnie Lynn is not easily discouraged. After all, her son was "working" at a surf camp there. So she drifted down - with her daughter.

Africa - 14 Feb, 2010, 20:57
Save a Ngorongoro Rhino - pay the penalty
When hyenas attack a black rhino calf in Tanzania's headline National Park, safari guide Sadock Johnson faces a dilemma. It's illegal to intervene - at best a fine, at worst the loss of his guide license - and legally, he should just watch...

Africa - 14 Feb, 2010, 20:47
Overlanding Algeria
To any sensible traveller, upcountry Algeria has been effectively off-limits for 20 years. Tom Coote is among the first intrepid travellers to venture back - and he walks into a wholly unexpected welcome.

Paris might be the city of romance but is a place where pampering usually comes at a cost. Macrui Dostourian finds a local hammam provides the spa experience at a fraction of the usual cost.

Americas - 14 Feb, 2010, 20:25
Bonding in the bush in Canada's Yukon
When Eric Whitehead wants to celebrate his children fleeing the nest with a last holiday together, there's only one place to go: the wilds of the Yukon National Park, Canada's final frontier.

Some people visit Corsica to laze on the beaches. Not Joanna Drange. She heads off on one of Europe's most challenging mountain routes that heads from the lowland heat into an exhillarating world of sheer drops and summer snow.

Asia Pacific - 14 Feb, 2010, 18:56
A very Japanese religious festival
Japan's island of Okinawa has enough festivals to keep expat photographer Michael Lynch busy all year. But few are as authentic and spiritual as the Shinugu Matsuri in Ada Kunigami.

Africa - 14 Feb, 2010, 17:37
Getting fresh with Marrakesh
In Morocco's most visited city, Steve Rudd is impressed by the sophisticated linguistic skills and subtle sales techniques applied to even the humblest backpacker. And one of his friends finds that a humble block of chalk, in the Djema el Fna, becomes surprisingly valuable.

Europe - 2 Feb, 2010, 14:23
The ultimate attractions of France's Cote d'Azur
From fashionable bars to sultry beaches, the French Riviera fulfils all Iain Miller's travel dreams. It's a perfect place, he says, to plan your next vacation.

Americas - 2 Feb, 2010, 14:08
Adrift between cultures in tropical Dominica
To be a tourist is easy: settling in abroad is not. Mark Johanson explores the particular difficulties faced by two expats, one from America and the other from England, as they adapt to very changed lives on a Caribbean island.

Europe - 2 Feb, 2010, 13:57
Hiking Spain's Pyrenees
Heading out of Zaragoza on a rickety mountain bus, Peter Morgan finds a high-altitude Spain that never makes it into the travel brochures: the Ordesa National Park.

Americas - 2 Feb, 2010, 13:48
A Canadian culture destroyed by lava
In a little-known corner of northwest British Columbia a recent volcano swallowed up the Nisga'a people. Curtis Sagmeister takes a self-drive trail set up in their memory.

Europe - 2 Feb, 2010, 13:34
Making the most of Malta's village festivals
Fireworks and firewater make Malta's village festas a tradition to celebrate, says Lisa Vassallo, as tourism gradually changes one of the Mediterranean's most captivating islands.

In a sleepy hostel in Holland, Tom Bristow witnesses an unlikely encounter where an American pensioner and a Spanish policeman bond across a linguistic and generational chasm.

Africa - 2 Feb, 2010, 13:04
A love-hate experience: rafting the Zambezi
Among the many adventures available at Victoria Falls and Livingstone, the two towns straddling the Zimbabwe/Zambia border, the most thrilling and frightening is the day-long rafting trip down the Zambezi. Bonnie Lynn casts caution to the winds.

Americas - 2 Feb, 2010, 12:22
Views from Peru's Inca Trail
Stairways that reach halfway to heaven and unseasonal sleeting rains do nothing to damp Eric Whitehead's enthusiasm as he paces a steady course to Machu Picchu.

Europe - 2 Feb, 2010, 11:50
Freeloading Europe's capitals: Copenhagen
A man with no money can never be fleeced. Kris Mole continues his journey around Europe's capital cities, begging beds and blagging transport. Not so easy in Denmark after dark..

Americas - 2 Feb, 2010, 10:54
Town-hopping to the coast through rural Brazil
Tom Shuttleworth takes a leisurely trip from Brazil's Itaipu Dam to the coast, stopping off in places that other travellers rush through.

Central Asia - 24 Jan, 2010, 21:51
From Iran to Pakistan - on Biofuel
Andy Pag's pioneering biofuel overland trek is, as far as I know, currently bogged down in antiterrorism paperwork somewhere in India. This gives his blog, from the happy days when he cruises from Iran to Pakistan, a certain poignancy.

On a teaching gig in China, Owen Tucker finds he's being used as a recruitment aide for his local school. At the 'Sunshine English Festival' his role becomes even more surreal.

Americas - 24 Jan, 2010, 21:03
Freezing in summer: Barrow, Alaska
'Tundra Tourist' Rob Dobrusin finds it well worth braving a chilly summer to explore Barrow, Alaska. Even if, 330 miles north of the Arctic Circle, his family have growing doubts.

Europe - 24 Jan, 2010, 20:00
All at sea in Transdniestr
Christina Mullett finds a warm welcome in the one of Europe's newest - and most obscure - states, the little-known republic of Transdniestr.

Asia Pacific - 24 Jan, 2010, 19:41
Empty compliments for the Thai language student
Don't take the locals' encouraging comments too seriously, warns serial linguist Antonio Graffeco. Learning Far Eastern languages takes time and comittment.

Asia Pacific - 24 Jan, 2010, 19:15
Building a bath on New Zealand's thermal beach
John Edwards finds getting around New Zealand's Coromandel Peninsula is a breeze if you're ready to stick out your thumb and trust the first Maori that stops.

Africa - 24 Jan, 2010, 18:48
A secret glimpse in Morocco's High Atlas
A chance tea-tent encounter gives Gregory Kruse a vivid insight into the hidden world of daily life in the harsh, unforgiving environment of the High Atlas mountains.

Europe - 24 Jan, 2010, 18:21
In Birmingham's back yard
Few people find kind words for the UK city of Birmingham. But Richard Lakin has very special memories of nearby Cannock Chase, just to the north in the county of Staffordshire

Central Asia - 13 Jan, 2010, 13:32
Land-cruising through Kyrgyzstan
On his journey through the 'Stans, Charlie Weatherill dismounts his trusty Landcruiser and takes to horseback to get a taste of endangered lifestyle of a nomadic culture.

High in the Himalayan foothills, India's most spiritual retreat provides quiet moments and insights for a tranquil and meditative Sezgi Yalin.

Deals - 13 Jan, 2010, 10:49
Save big by booking airport parking online
In the UK, airport parking will fleece the unwary. Booking ahead keeps costs down: Charlotte Kay outlines your online options.

Europe - 13 Jan, 2010, 10:32
Haunted by the Highlands
Northern Scotland's as good a place as any to look for spiritual roots. Vanessa Harris drifts off into a Pagan world of mists and Celtic fairies.

Europe - 13 Jan, 2010, 08:36
Floods and brothels: beyond Bucharest
They should know better. Bob and Viv Goddard are already grandparents when they set off on their two motorcycles on a marathon charity jaunt across Eastern Europe. In Romania their journey gets difficult.

Americas - 8 Jan, 2010, 17:08
Costa Rica: not as dangerous as it thinks
Mateo Amaral flies in to San Jose, capital of Costa Rica, to a barrage of warnings. Apparently it's not safe to walk, to eat, or to even be there. Brushing aside such concerns - after all, he's from California - he survives in style.

Africa - 8 Jan, 2010, 16:50
To expat or not: balancing life in Dakar
In Senegal, Tamara Braunstien finds socialising with the locals a very different experience to tapping into the expat community. She finds the two Tamaras have to be kept well apart.

Europe - 8 Jan, 2010, 16:37
A wintry Gothenburg
February isn't the most obvious time to visit Sweden, and Gothenburg isn't the most obvious bit of the country to see. Undaunted, Lucy Jordan flies in. The important thing, she finds, is wearing 'layers'.

Central Asia - 8 Jan, 2010, 15:57
Cut down to size in India's seething city: Kolkata
India's most populous city proves something of a challenge to Madelaine Triebe, despite having relatives to help her blend in the crowds, but it is a bad - and almost malicious - haircut that proves to be the final straw.

Africa - 8 Jan, 2010, 02:39
After 32 years: return to South Luangwa
Same guide, same walk, same safari 32 years on. Jane Agg's first Luangwa safari was with a young Robin Pope. A generation later she returns to revisit Zambia to find the young guide she knew has become a walking safari legend.

Asia Pacific - 8 Jan, 2010, 02:12
Climbing in Japan: A Pilgrim's Journey
Sometime after midnight it starts to rain. Not a great start to Jeffrey Rambo's long-planned climb up Mount Fuji, Japan's most sacred mountain.

Americas - 4 Jan, 2010, 10:46
A taste of Haiti - before the quake
Nick Redmayne toured Haiti in early December 2009, days before the earthquake that laid waste to the capital. Following a disaster on this scale travel journalism seems irrelevant so instead he singles out one charity that will help rebuild Port au Prince.

Europe - 21 Dec, 2009, 17:14
Return to Albania
Matt Pointon returns to Albania to see how the country has changed since the fall of Enver Hoxha's communist dictatorship.

Central Asia - 21 Dec, 2009, 16:46
Nice Trek, shame about the guide
A social connection means Alex Sehmer ends up with a guide for his trek in Nepal. A few hours into the journey he starts to regret this decision.

Rob McGovern takes a short flight from mainland Japan to find the island of Okinawa, bombed to bits in World War II, has re-invented itself as a tropical getaway.

Africa - 7 Dec, 2009, 09:23
Mastering the art of Moroccan cuisine
Most visitors to Morocco never get beyond cous-cous and tagines. Joanna Drange says that Marrakesh provides plenty of opportunity to sample more exotic dishes - and to learn how to cook them.

Central Asia - 2 Dec, 2009, 10:18
The Mongol Rally: an overland adventure
Part charity fundraiser but more importantly a driving challenge, the Mongol Rally has come to be an annual landmark on the overlanding callendar. Adam Smith fires up his Kia Pride - but then forgets almost all his documents.

Central Asia - 2 Dec, 2009, 09:20
India in a rush: eight centuries, 240 hours
A whistlestop tour of India gives Wendy Harbottle a vivid taste of Indian history, but leaves many experiences pending for her next, longer, visit.

Europe - 2 Dec, 2009, 09:13
Taking a bath in Baden Baden
In Germany's leading spa city Steve Rudd finds that following in Victoria Beckham's footsteps would mean baring all in a room full of strangers. Discreetly, he takes his boxer shorts to more modest establishment.

Iain Miller says that for all-inclusive luxury the Dominican Republic is the place to be. Cheap flights bring the tropical Caribbean within the smallest budget's range.

Americas - 17 Nov, 2009, 13:25
Passport rules punish Brits in Latin America
Recent rule changes mean that losing a British passport in Latin America is no longer a minor inconvenience. Ian Sumter finds that cost-cutting measures introduced by the UK government mean a snatched bag will lead to a red-tape tangle from which a sudden flight home is the only escape.

Asia Pacific - 17 Nov, 2009, 13:14
No easy way to learn Vietnamese
Students of Vietnam's national language should look away now. Antonio Graceffo finds it's not just the pronunciation that's fiendishly difficult.

Americas - 16 Nov, 2009, 21:44
A 'nice-chassis' chica adrift in Honduras
A blonde with a backpack represents something of a dream to the macho street-dwellers of Central America. Rachel Fitch finds the experience of travelling as a girl in Tegucigalpa is sometimes tiring but always a buzz.

Central Asia - 16 Nov, 2009, 10:52
Taking the high road through Northern Pakistan
When Charlie Weatherill and girlfriend Nina both lost their jobs, they didn't mope about or rejoin the treadmill. Very sensibly they drove off across Asia. Pakistan, so far, has proved the unexpected highlight.

India's great festival of lights goes off with something of a bang in Tanzania. Mark Gillies reports from East Africa on a typically chaotic, exuberant event.

Asia Pacific - 12 Nov, 2009, 17:03
Less than impressed by Bangkok's strip shows
Tom Bristow remains resolutely unmoved by the sex displays perfected in Patpong's seedy strip of bars. With admirable dedication, however, he stays to the bitter end.

Europe - 12 Nov, 2009, 16:49
Excursion into Albania
In 1996 Albania was a far less trodden travel destination than it is today. Matt Pointon remembers his first visit, when he travelled from Greece's tourist-infested islands to explore Europe's overlooked oddity.

Europe - 11 Nov, 2009, 13:53
Easy does it: a cheap London bed
When it comes to hotel prices, Britain's capital is one of the world's most expensive cities. Jack Barker tests out Easyhotel's new cut-price accommodation in London.

Africa - 4 Nov, 2009, 14:18
Sierra Leone: island-hopping in West Africa
Sierra Leone's battlescarred backwaters aren't remotely geared for tourism. Not everyone's deterred: Tommy Trenchard takes his girlfriend.

Americas - 4 Nov, 2009, 14:11
All-inclusive hell in the Dominican Republic
Sometimes, to paraphrase a cliche, you just can't get the right guests. Joel Penchina finds the language barrier is just the start of his problems in his family Caribbean adventure in a Punta Cana all-inclusive.

Americas - 4 Nov, 2009, 13:57
Honeymoon havoc of anti-terror laws
On a flight across America Neil Jessen makes the mistake of complaining about another passenger. This leads him into a Kafka-esque world where his raised voice runs perilously close to infringing anti-terror regulations. A warning to us all.

Middle East - 4 Nov, 2009, 13:43
Escaping Dubai's dog day summer: into Oman
Even the brochure writers struggle to sell Dubai, in the summer, as a good place to be. Expat worker Allen Rindfleisch escapes the suffocating heat to drive across the border into the deserts of Oman.

Americas - 4 Nov, 2009, 13:06
Climbing Fuego, Guatemala's volcanic giant
Only a fool, says Nathaniel Kostar, would think climbing an active volcano would be a good way to spend a Sunday. But in a day-hike from Antigua he conquers tropical jungle and lava-strewn scree to reach the smoking summit.

Europe - 30 Oct, 2009, 16:38
The Hague: Holland's leading 'Art City'
A 24-hour press trip isn't always the best way to experience a city. But Jack Barker finds his brief taste of Den Haag something of a revelation, and begins to understand why Dutch politicians and royals choose to make the Hague their home.

Americas - 27 Oct, 2009, 19:24
Riding out with Argentina's gauchos
Ferdia Earle finds her riding skills come in useful as she buckles down to work on a South American cattle ranch. Daily chores come to life against the dramatic backdrop of Patagonia.

Getting to Lake Victoria's Ssese Islands is itself something of an achievement, but once there you can't guarantee finding a peaceful island idyll. Fred Saugman spends a night around the campfire, fraught with drugs and flying drinks, and tries to placate a murderous, raving psychopath.

Americas - 27 Oct, 2009, 18:15
Bag-slashed but not bothered in downtown Quito
Flying in to Ecuador on a wave of swine-flu panic, Leah Eades is quickly robbed and made to feel at home. But with time she gets thoroughly used to Quito and its ways.

Central Asia - 27 Oct, 2009, 13:52
A few Lao recipes for insects and innards
One of Asia's poorest countries has some imaginative ways to make the scarcely-edible taste good. While tourists feast on expensive luxuries Charlotte Halligan finds the locals subsist on a range of deep-fried insects.

Asia Pacific - 27 Oct, 2009, 06:00
Welcome to New Zealand's 'Cloud Nine'
Kip Brook finds luxury and peace at one of New Zealand's most sought-after self-catering havens: a bach for the 21st century.

Europe - 27 Oct, 2009, 05:47
Hiking in Slovenia
Larry Zaletel tests out his brand-new knee on a challenging hike in Slovenia. He finds plenty of mountains..

Europe - 9 Oct, 2009, 15:42
Visit Scotland for outdoor adventures
The North Highlands of Scotland is perfect for outdoor adventures. The rugged landscape challenges even the most experienced hikers, climbers and cyclists, there are rivers to kayak and great surfing beaches so outdoor activists can live life to the full in the Northern Highlands of Scotland.

Asia Pacific - 9 Oct, 2009, 15:19
Aquanauts on Australia's Great Barrier Reef
Rod Eime packs his flippers and trunks and heads to Queensland for an underwater look at one of the world's most stunning natural displays: Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Breakfast time in Costa Rica and it's beans - again. TEFL teacher Edward B. Colby finds the unchanging daily diet provides a telling insight into daily life in a rural region.

Central Asia - 9 Oct, 2009, 14:37
Peace on the Perhentians
Malaysia's Perhentian Islands are paradise, says Natasha Al-Atassi, as she settles in to tropical dreams.

Americas - 5 Oct, 2009, 11:13
Caught out by a coup in Central America
Hester Pollock never thought the long-passed coup in Honduras would interfere with her Central American travel plans. But an ex-president returns so her bus arrives in the capital, Tegucigalpa, to find it locked down under 24-hour curfew: along with the rest of the population she's well and truly trapped.

Asia Pacific - 1 Oct, 2009, 10:55
Pacific crossing in a Chinese junk
Iowa boy Hugh Morrow is the only western crew member on the Princess Taiping, a traditional Chinese junk, that sails across the Pacific to prove it can be done. From Fujian in China they reach San Francisco intact but it's the return journey, after nearly a year at sea, that proves too much of an adventure. Gary Hurlstone tells his tale.

There's a trend for travelling with elderly guidebooks, but usually at least they're less than a hundred years out of date. Richard Lakin, on the other hand, relies on the testimony of a 12th-century monk.

Central Asia - 1 Oct, 2009, 10:13
A brush with death in upcountry Laos
It's easy to idealise the Laotian style of riverside life. But in Savannakhet David Calleja discovers the mighty Mekhong is not always benign.

Europe - 1 Oct, 2009, 10:04
Fireworks and fine art: Easter in Florence
Italy's culture often seems buried in the past. Not if you visit Tuscany's greatest city at Easter, says Nadja Hansen, when icons and costumes parade through the streets.

Americas - 1 Oct, 2009, 00:15
Working the bars over Nova Scotia's Tattoo
Each September the city of Halifax plays host to one of Canada's largest military displays. Jessica Alley gives a bar worker's perspective.

Deals - 17 Sep, 2009, 11:13
Europe: a great place for family skiing holidays
Looking for a family-friendly ski resort in Europe? Look no more. Iain Miller has some recommendations for this year's skiing holiday.

Africa - 17 Sep, 2009, 10:17
Fright in the forest: meeting Congo's lowland gorillas
Wildlife guide Tony McKeith finds the jungles of the Congo - not the DRC, the other one - an appropriate setting for a wildlife experience where the excitement has an edge.

Central Asia - 16 Sep, 2009, 14:49
Life in Lao's not-so-fast lane
Charlotte Halligan finds the pace of life slows dramatically on her volunteer placement in Laos. Hammocks are everwhere and even the Buddha statues seem in permanent recline.

Europe - 16 Sep, 2009, 14:07
Florence to Marseilles - by mistake
Faced with an important deadline, Raymond Thew should really have flown from Florence to Marseilles. The only problem with his overland journey across Europe is that everything goes wrong.

Asia Pacific - 16 Sep, 2009, 13:33
On the raz along Phuket's Bangla Road
Phuket's Patong Beach - and Bangla Road in particular - show Thailand's exuberant nightlife at it's frenzied best. First-time visitor Malcolm Teasdale finds it all something of a revelation - and that's before Songkran comes along to shower water on his parade.

Americas - 16 Sep, 2009, 12:59
Forget Chile's surf: it also has boulders
On a teaching placement in Santiago Paul Lammens finds that despite his beachfront home, it is Chile's boulders and mountains that give him the most satisfaction.

Europe - 16 Sep, 2009, 12:42
In the shade of Europe's 'Iron Curtain'
The shadow of the Iron Curtain still falls over most of the countries of Eastern Europe. Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall Peter Morgan takes the train through seven states and says now is the time to visit, before they're absorbed into Europe.

In Phnom Penh Sezgi Yalin takes a close look at the daily life of the street kids. In this relentless environment survival itself is a daily challenge.

Lily Iona MacKenzie says Prince Edward Island is ideally explored by bicycle as it is 'only' 126 miles long. Even the islands are bigger in Canada and I'd need a motor - and not a small one - bolted onto my bike.

Asia Pacific - 6 Sep, 2009, 23:52
Up close and personal with New Zealand's dolphins
In New Zealand's Banks Peninsula marine mammal sanctuary, the rare Hector's dolphins can be found, the smallest and one of the most playful of the species. Kirsten Knauf had a close encounter with these curious cetaceans.

Middle East - 6 Sep, 2009, 23:48
Big lessons from the world's smallest school
Three students, no problems. Chris Barrett finds an enterprising ex-soldier running the world's smallest school, dedicated to bringing the light of knowledge to a fishing village in Iran.

Americas - 2 Sep, 2009, 16:07
Hitching Bolivia's 'Road to Death'
When you're after sheer, life-threatening adventure it's always best to go to a poor country and pretend, at least, not to have any money. Janos Gal travels like a local from Yolosa to Yucomo on one of Bolivia's most dangerous roads.

Thailand's katoeys are an infamous hazard for farang on the prowl. But Jeremy Wilson says the country's 'third sex' is a deeper social phenomena reflecting wide cultural differences.

Middle East - 28 Aug, 2009, 09:29
Jordan: ancient culture and modern art
In 2009 Jordan celebrates a hundred years of statehood. This seems rather modest, as its historical roots reach back for millennia. Jacqueline Beach reports on Amman, ancient and modern.

Europe - 27 Aug, 2009, 16:08
Paris Skates: rollerblade riots that flood the streets
The 'City of Romance' has an edgier side: the weekly rollerblade rallies that cut through the strolling couples. Betsy Potash clips on her helmet and skates through the streets.

Bula Yasawa from Fiji, says Richard Carrick, as he takes a fast catamaran to explore the Pacific beaches and coral reefs of some outer islands.

Asia Pacific - 27 Aug, 2009, 15:26
A backpacker day when nothing goes to plan
No-one ever told Steve Rudd that Vietnamese museums all shut on Mondays. On his last day in Hanoi - a Monday - this derails all his plans.

Asia Pacific - 27 Aug, 2009, 15:13
Pilgrimage to Jeoldusan
Bringing Christianity to Korea was never going to be easy. When a community of local nuns offer to show Tamara Dahler a museum in Seoul that celebrates the early Catholic martyrs she leaps at the chance - and gets a drive along the Han River into the bargain.

Editorials - 27 Aug, 2009, 14:58
The Wonder of Whiffling
His first book, 'The Meaning of Tingo', searched out interesting words from all the world's languages. Now Adam Jacot de Boinot has turned his attention to the English language in 'The Wonder of Whiffling'.

Africa - 27 Aug, 2009, 14:27
Life in the slow lane in southern Madagascar
Forget the headlines warning of riots and unrest in Madagascar. In the coastal town of Tolanaro Sam Parkes finds the most stressful decision of each day is choosing a beach.

Asia Pacific - 19 Aug, 2009, 11:59
Volunteering in rural Cambodia
John Carleton finds a place where back-packers can give something back and add to their travel experience in Southern Cambodia.

Central Asia - 18 Aug, 2009, 23:16
120 hours on the Trans-Siberian Express
Mongolia to Moscow is a very long journey - and Russia's iconic rail system does little to make it seem shorter. Tom Bristow finds a few bottles of vodka are key to surviving the Trans-Siberian Express.

Europe - 18 Aug, 2009, 22:34
Warsaw to Crakow - by rail, for free
Professional freeloader Kris Mole charms, lies and tricks his way around Europe without a pound in his pocket or a ticket in his hand. Here he blusters his way across Poland without paying a penny.

Europe - 18 Aug, 2009, 21:43
A lonely time on an Irish island
I'm not sure the Irish tourist board would approve of Vanessa Harris's take on the island of Inisheer, where unforgiving Atlantic winds and memories of the potato famine set a lyrical tone.

Americas - 18 Aug, 2009, 19:40
A very Texan road trip through... South Texas
You can't really do an American road trip without being an American. Kimberly Hammond brings the drylands to life on this labor-day voyage where her journey runs into the sands.

Asia Pacific - 18 Aug, 2009, 18:50
Backcountry Borneo - by plane and on foot
When James Emmerson flies into Borneo he discovers a fragile society way removed from its Indonesian government, nervously awaiting the changes tourism might bring.

Europe - 18 Aug, 2009, 18:37
Paris on the cheap
The 'City of Romance' doesn't have to be expensive. Christopher Goodfellow outlines your options for experiencing France's capital without spending a fortune.

In Vietnam's capital city beer is strategically priced. Steve Rudd's night out does nothing to help his travel budget but a lot to lift his spirits.

Africa - 18 Aug, 2009, 15:06
Elephant at the bar
Jo Pope's weekly newsletter from the Zambian bush is always worth a read. Get a taste of Africa with this week's story of an elephant that's giving Nkwali camp something of a drink problem.

It takes an American to notice that a generation of Nepali kids are heading into a future of slavery - but it takes an American judge to do somehthing about it. Gregg Tullly reports.

Deals - 8 Aug, 2009, 22:17
Beat the bust with home exchange
It's hugely logical. When you go on holiday your own house is empty, just when you need somewhere to stay. Like-minded people should be able to make an arrangement and save a fortune on hotel bills. Lydia Smears says simply swap.

Asia Pacific - 5 Aug, 2009, 13:55
Taking the 'Silent Treatment' in Thailand
Daniel Krieger's inner calm struggles to cope with the strict code of silence at his Thai temple retreat. His fellow novices - and even the construction workers - seem able to create plenty of noise without talking.

Asia Pacific - 5 Aug, 2009, 12:33
Drugged, robbed - and rescued: a Philippine story
Seasoned traveller Dawn Parks wakes up to every backpacker's nightmare: waking up drugged, robbed, and penniless. But the kindness of strangers transforms the experience.

Americas - 5 Aug, 2009, 11:13
Dad! You bought timeshare?!
What does a girl do when her free-living, yacht-cruising parents suddenly buy into a building site in Cabo San Lucas? If you're Danielle Levanas you make the best of it: as their Mexican beach is transformed into the Playa Grande Resort she goes with the flow and has years of fun.

India's southwest is famous for the canals and lagoons that thread down to the south of Cochin. In this lush rural paradise Luca Bernabei punts out to a floating restaurant with a steamy, spicy appeal.

Central Asia - 5 Aug, 2009, 09:49
Need for speed on a bus in Laos
Getting from Luang Prabang is easy - by air. It takes a while longer overland, on poor Laotian roads, but Steve Rudd maintains this is all part of the travel experience.

Americas - 5 Aug, 2009, 09:19
Fortress São Paulo
Forget Brazil's beaches and the famous charms of Rio. Jean-Francois Cote heads for the urban pleasures - and risks - of its economic powerhouse, and the world's largest city.

Deals - 24 Jul, 2009, 16:07
Florida - Family Holiday Destination
When it comes to family holidays, Iain Miller says that Florida is the place to go - and from the UK Direct Holidays are the people to get you there.

Asia Pacific - 23 Jul, 2009, 12:34
A walking tour of downtown Tokyo
Japan's capital city might seem daunting from a distance, but Sue Chen says that, as a pedestrian, Tokyo is great fun. Here she suggests one of her favourite walks.

Central Asia - 23 Jul, 2009, 09:41
Lahore is lovely
These days Pakistan hits the news for all the wrong reasons - and nowhere more than the northern city of Lahore. Look past these headlines, says Sehr Emaad, and you'll find the city of her birth has a lot to offer.

Most parents shorten their travel plans when travelling with a toddler. Not Victoria Gerry, who packs her one-year-old and heads off to explore South Africa.

An elderly ambulance and rusty taxi are not the fastest vehicles on the road, and Tom Bristow's journey across Kazakhstan takes three days too long. An expired visa makes crossing into Russia stressful - and expensive.

Europe - 21 Jul, 2009, 20:10
Bilbao's Guggenheim: a building that can dance
Isabelle Assante was certainly not an admirer of Frank Gehry the architect, or his flagship building, Spain's Guggenheim Museum. But when she actually visited she completely changed her mind.

Americas - 17 Jul, 2009, 15:34
Beach, Blanket, Gringo!
Ducking and diving around Central America, John Edwards finds a peaceful haven in the Bay Islands of Honduras. But the beach at Roatan has some turbulent undercurrents, and they're not all in the water.

Middle East - 17 Jul, 2009, 13:30
Into Iran
Max le Grand takes a tour of pre-election Iran, and finds a welcoming country where the secrets in the past continue, hidden, to underpin life in the present day. Axis of Evil? We think not.

Americas - 17 Jul, 2009, 13:06
Seeing death in another light
A lively brunette talking metaphysics isn't what you always want at breakfast. But in Mexico a local resident points Tyrel Nelson to a graveyard in Oaxaca, where he gets a new insight into Central America's different perspective on death.

From Batman to Bloodvein, Wee Waa to Wuhu, cheap flight site Skyscanner has scoured its database of over 10,000 airports in search of cheap laughs. All are genuine though, and recognised by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Forget the credit crunch. When it comes to stylish travel at the top of the market, there's one tour operator that can match your dreams. Elegant Resorts.

Europe - 15 Jun, 2009, 13:27
Tracking Wiltshire's latest crop circle
It's a bumper year for Britain's crop circles. After two wet years 2009 started early with six crop circles kicking off the season in April – and nine more in May. Jack Barker sets off in search of June's third: the Yatesbury 'dragonfly'.

Asia Pacific - 15 Jun, 2009, 13:11
Hopes and dreams: life in Vietnam
Teacher-trainer and serial volunteer Sezgi Yalin gets well below the surface of modern Vietnamese society as she explores Hanoi and reflects on the purpose of life.

Americas - 15 Jun, 2009, 12:46
Ready for adventure? Cancun can
Now we've all got swine flu there's no reason to steer clear of Mexico. And at the country's leading resort Lucy Komisar finds there is plenty to do.

Americas - 15 Jun, 2009, 12:20
Tracking an active Guatemalan volcano
It's not so hard to find an active volcano, says Ron Goodden, if you look along the faultline that threads through Central America. In Guatemala he climbs Pacaya, stepping clear of red-hot lava streams.

Europe - 15 Jun, 2009, 11:54
Falling in love with a Lap dog
A husky-drawn sled is the best way to travel across the frozen landscapes of Norway's north. In a journey through Lapland Patricia McCormack's heartstrings are twanged by a dog called Princess.

Americas - 15 Jun, 2009, 11:45
Guilt-free in Grenada
Working as a trolley dolly gives Heather Blackhall the chance to get blissed-out in the Caribbean. In the time it takes her plane to turn around she takes a bite out of Tobago and gets to grips with Grenada.

Americas - 15 Jun, 2009, 11:29
Living the dream in Sucre
The Bolivian town of Sucre barely features on the 'Gringo Trail'. Mark Kennedy meets two reformed backpackers who aim to change all that.

Deals - 22 May, 2009, 13:28
Cheap holiday deals to Egypt from the UK
As the British flee the mighty Eurozone, it's becoming obvious that Egypt is not so far away and, says Ross Fraser, is an outstanding and inexpensive destination.

Africa - 22 May, 2009, 12:55
On the move in Mozambique
In darkest upcountry Mozambique, Chris Stein rattles around the small coastal towns of Inhambane Province, where a man called Armando shares a day in his life.

Central Asia - 22 May, 2009, 12:16
Asia overland: from Tashkent to Hanoi
It would be too easy to just fly to Vietnam: and from Cameron Sumpter's native New Zealand, Uzbekistan isn't even on the way. His public-transport journey crosses the 'Stans (Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Kazakh) and the endless provinces of China.

Deals - 21 May, 2009, 11:20
Team travel gets competitive
The best thing to come out of the 2004 Global Scavenger Hunt is Competitours, says CEO (and janitor) Steve Belkin. Competitours sends groups into Western and Central Europe to undertake off-the-wall team video challenges:Sight-seeing becomes sight-DOING.

Central Asia - 21 May, 2009, 11:08
Deep in a hammock on a river in Laos
There are worse places to be than on a riverside in northern Laos, says JoAnne Harris celebrating a very small birthday.

Europe - 19 May, 2009, 23:19
A villa in Spain for €49? Be quick: draw ending soon
Spanish property shifts slowly just now, so one British expat has put his dream villa - in an acre of sunny Andalucia - up for grabs in a Midsummer draw. Forget national lotteries and their lousy, state-managed odds. Dreams can come true in rafflles like this.

Americas - 19 May, 2009, 22:00
Wrestling with Bolivia's buried past
A reputation for trading the finest cocaine has done little to help an economy based on dirt. It is silver miners and cholitas, says Tom Clifford, that might drag Bolivia from the past into the future.

Europe - 19 May, 2009, 21:54
Norway on two cross skis
There's magic in backcountry Norway, says Carl Thompson, as he heads off across a snow-covered winter landscape, by car, on cross-country skis, and pulled by dogs.

Asia Pacific - 19 May, 2009, 21:25
At last: Australia gets a rainmaker
Hester Pollock seems to have turned into a rain goddess, bringing floods to Botswana, rain to Melbourne and downpours to Sydney. By Brisbane she's beginning to tire of being wet. Just don't come back to the UK.. I hear Mali is nice..

Europe - 19 May, 2009, 21:06
Cycling with a purpose through southern Spain
These days you have to pedal the extra mile to raise money for charity. Steve Gershon pedals off from Malaga on La Vuelta, Action Medical Research's annual mass-bicycle challenge.

Americas - 19 May, 2009, 20:52
Prewar America's cold Pacific shoulder
Many Chinese and Asian immigrants to 'Gold Mountain' washed up in the port of San Francisco. Daniel Métraux looks around Angel Island Immigration Centre and feels a wave of sympathy.

Europe - 11 May, 2009, 17:26
All at sea in Seaham Hall Hotel
Andrew McFetrich finds himself some way out of his comfort zone when he and his credit card find themselves sharing a bed a five-star hotel in Northern Ireland.

Europe - 11 May, 2009, 11:33
An American road trip through Scotland and Ireland
It's always surprising - and sometimes alarming - to hear how difficult Americans find it to drive in Europe. In spite of a state of pretty-continual terror Joe Tash manages to cover plenty of miles across the northern (dark) bits of the UK in winter.

Central Asia - 11 May, 2009, 11:18
Celebrating Vesak in Sri Lanka
Far from Sri Lanka's troubles, Preethi Burkholder finds an atmospheric peace in their annual celebration of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death.

Asia Pacific - 10 May, 2009, 23:26
Japan: a trade show perspective.
Ever wondered what it's like to arrive in a trade show in Chiba, tasked with selling a product with no Japanese translation? Cultural barriers abound as Malcolm Teasdale gives a hint of just how it feels: even his massage goes wrong.

Europe - 10 May, 2009, 23:04
Switzerland on a budget
Short of cash? Robyn Mayo has some advice on how to visit the land of banks on the cheap. First hint: wait till you're invited and stay with friends.

Central Asia - 10 May, 2009, 22:32
Thy Kingdom Come: rock art in India
The Ajanta Caves are perhaps the most important of all India's heritage site. Dipanjan Sengupta is blown away by this remnant of the country's Buddhist era.

Asia Pacific - 10 May, 2009, 22:23
Conversations with Aung San Suu Kyi
Alan Clements' new book recording the thoughts and emotions of Burma's imprisoned leader brings Asia's longest political tragedy to vivid life for David Calleja.

Americas - 10 May, 2009, 22:05
In the shadows of the Mayas: eastern Guatemala
The small town of Flores, built on a lake island, is best known as the nearest urban centre to the famous ruins of Tikal. Joel Hauer says it's worth a visit in its own right.

Americas - 10 May, 2009, 21:41
Dude ranching in Wyoming
City dwellers Roger and June Lowe find the Klondike Ranch near Buffalo fulfills their inner-cowboy dreams.

Asia Pacific - 10 May, 2009, 21:19
Agroturism, Ubud-style
There's not likely to be anything too strenuous about the half-day rice-planting experience laid on by the Four Seasons Sayan, but Putu Indrawati makes farming in Bali sound quite idyllic. Just don't try to sell it to Indonesian farmers.

Editorials - 5 May, 2009, 17:35
If pigs could flu...
Seasoned media watchers sigh as newspapers and governments hype the threat of Swine Flu, as if only they can save the world. The Association of European Tour Operators can only watch as an industry in crisis weathers one more blow.

Africa - 4 May, 2009, 20:10
A snapshot of life in rural Tanzania
In the Kilombera Valley of central Tanzania, Mark Gillies reads the history of a family in the fading photos of a family album, and makes his own contribution to one shamba's survival.

Americas - 22 Apr, 2009, 14:17
A gentle landing in Bolivia's La Paz
A bus with torn seats and broken windows does little to discourage Emily Watson, as she thunders from Bolivia's salt-flats to its captivating capital.

Pole to Pole - 16 Apr, 2009, 22:38
UK to Australia - overland
Committed carbon-saver Barbara Haddrill lives in Wales. So when she was asked to be bridesmaid at a wedding in distant Australia, she decided to travel there by land. David Ellis reports.

Asia Pacific - 16 Apr, 2009, 22:13
Insights into Cambodia's Khmer Rouge past
Sezgi Yalin talks to some of the survivors of Cambodia's savage social revolution, and in the tales of suffering she learns the reality often hidden behind this new nation's welcoming smiles.

Americas - 16 Apr, 2009, 21:46
Finding Colombia's 'Cuidad Perdida'
Shoes sucked off by mud and endlessly wet, endless jungle are minor irritations to Myles Pizzey as he treks to Colombia's archaeological highlight, a 'Lost City' that's still genuinely hard to find.

Central Asia - 16 Apr, 2009, 21:26
The random hazards of travel in Northern India
From argumentative rickshaw-wallahs to trains outpaced by cattle, Colin Rowlands reflects that the most interesting part about travelling in India isn’t where you go but how you get there.

Asia Pacific - 16 Apr, 2009, 20:53
The Art of the Korean School Lunch
There's a skill to negotiating the daily meal, says Jon Wick after learning to negotiate the etiquette of eating in South Korea while still smiling brightly.

Central Asia - 16 Apr, 2009, 20:46
A touch of the Borats in northern Kazakhstan
When his ancient ambulance breaks down in northern Kazakhstan, Tom Bristow is pitched into a night of local hospitality he may never forget. I'm not sure whether to be more worried by the nettles or the cucumber...

Europe - 4 Apr, 2009, 16:22
Exploring Norway's Arctic seas
Most reasonable beings would think twice before venturing off Norway's coast to look for whales. Alice Atkinson-Bonasio is made of sterner stuff.

Asia Pacific - 4 Apr, 2009, 15:54
Uncovering Vanuatu
Marooned in the waters of the South Pacific, Vanuatu is truly a world apart. Sally Cook steps into a country where white-sand beaches don't tell the whole story: poverty is pervasive in this very traditional island society, and nothing is about to change in a hurry.

Europe - 4 Apr, 2009, 15:41
A drinker's guide to downtown Berlin
Germany's superheated nightlife gets the thumbs up from 'Weekend Warrior' Tadhg Peavoy, who finds the cost of a flight easily outweighed by reasonably-priced beer.

Americas - 4 Apr, 2009, 15:10
Amongst Mexico's drug wars
Chihuahua State, and Rachel Fitch finds an uneasy calm on the streets - as well as nine coffins.

Europe - 4 Apr, 2009, 15:04
Strolling round Riga
Latvia's laid-back capital finds favour with Givana Zilli, who explores the city at a gentle pace.

Asia Pacific - 4 Apr, 2009, 13:49
Bringing Aung San Suu Kyi to a Cambodian school
The notion of democracy is still wobbly in southeast Asia, but it starts on the ground. David Calleja does his bit to bring a world perspective on Burma's should-be leader to his students in Cambodia.

Americas - 4 Apr, 2009, 13:37
Underneath the 'City of Silver'
In the colonial era, Bolivia's economy was built on silver from Potosi, but while the Spanish grew wealthy hundreds of miners died. Matt Scott discovers that 500 years on the industry has barely changed.

Deals - 4 Apr, 2009, 13:27
Will travel survive the recession?
Well it will if you believe Club Med. Lois Kettlewell reports on a survey of UK consumers that says most will keep their foreign holidays if they possibly can.

Americas - 4 Apr, 2009, 13:09
A road trip to Vermont
Keith Perkins has plenty of time for reflection as he drives two taciturn teenagers up Route 4 to get to the ski slopes of Vermont.

Central Asia - 4 Apr, 2009, 13:02
Learning Chinese to fluency: possible or not?
Learning Asia's most influential languages can present something of a challenge, says Antonio Graceffo in Taiwan as he struggles to get through a phrase book, let alone a novel.

Americas - 4 Apr, 2009, 12:33
Curious about Cañar
Most Gringos in Ecuador head straight through the city of Cuenca, because that's in all the guidebooks. But that's Tyrel Nelson's home, so he heads off to a less visited destination.

Europe - 4 Apr, 2009, 12:26
Musing on Michelangelo
Primed by Irving Stone, Eric D. Lehman finds Michelangelo is his constant companion on his travels around Italy.

Not one tour operator, but two, are required to match Brian Fisher's requirements on a three-week holiday in two 'drops in the ocean' of southern Asia.

Americas - 29 Mar, 2009, 23:10
Raising begging standards in Mexico
On a Mexico City subway Rachel Fitch sees begging taken to a new level. Could this be an example for the UK's sagging urban infrastructure?

Europe - 29 Mar, 2009, 19:16
Freeloading through Finland
Making the most of a little-known hospitality exchange programme, John M Edwards goes on a hunt for ancient civilisations above the Arctic circle as he couch-surfs his way around Finland.

Asia Pacific - 29 Mar, 2009, 18:34
When in Korea, drink like a Korean
...and suffer the consequences. Jon Wick gets a lesson in binge-drinking from his fellow teachers on a 'Friendship Trip' - and a night to remember - but it's the poisonous dinner that tips him over the edge.

Europe - 29 Mar, 2009, 18:26
Bound for Bohinj
Charlie Bowman discovers peace and tranquility - as well as a few beers - in the hills of Slovenia.

Europe - 29 Mar, 2009, 18:09
Milan for a band
The Canadian band 'Rush' have a true fan in Julian Salanki, who flies to Milan to see them play.

Americas - 15 Mar, 2009, 15:55
Essential fiestas in Antigua, Guatemala
Earthquakes are the least of your worries in Central America's fieriest state. Claire Morris says it's the constant fireworks and fiestas that keep Guatemala on edge.

Americas - 15 Mar, 2009, 15:30
A Pilgrimage Through New Mexico
On a road trip through New Mexico Catherine Parker finds her vision of America takes a new slant when she meets members of the 'low rider' community.

Europe - 14 Mar, 2009, 16:59
Snow and survival at the northern tip of Sweden
Few people live in Lapland, where the northern tips of Sweden and Norway merge - and even fewer visit. Undeterred, Jon Yeomans simply hops on a train, and braves the snowdrifts to explore.

Americas - 14 Mar, 2009, 16:28
Captivated by Colombia
Being held captive is so last century. These days South America's naughty-boy state has tamed its violence - but not it's charm. Despite paranoid warnings Sally Cook finds a warm Latin welcome and a vital, colourful society.

Africa - 14 Mar, 2009, 16:18
Voices from Zululand
Though many predicted the end of Apartheid would bring civil war, it's the sounds of reconciliation that echo through South Africa. Mark Gillies meets two tribes learning to listen.

Central Asia - 14 Mar, 2009, 15:04
Wisdom and healing in the mountains of Ladakh
The ancient Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh is cut off, by snow, for eight months of each year. In summer Huw Wyn finds it blooms into life, and in its philosophical culture he discovers healing therapies that might even work.

Deals - 23 Feb, 2009, 22:34
Canadian Flight & Holiday Deals from UK
FlyGlobespan gets you quickly and inexpensively from the UK to Toronto, Canada's greatest city, with loads to see and do.

Central Asia - 23 Feb, 2009, 22:02
Sunderbans surprises in delta Bangladesh
In one of the world's most populous nations, Rob Horsefield finds peace amongst the tranquil, tiger-filled mangrove swamps of the Sunderbans, and delta life at its best.

Europe - 23 Feb, 2009, 21:37
Hitching to cold-war Hungary
Julian Salanki's journey to Hungary might have happened years ago, but it brings back the distinctive flavours of a golden age for European adventures, when the Iron Curtain still stretched across the continent.

Americas - 23 Feb, 2009, 21:17
Rowing across Lake Titicaca
There are plenty of ways to travel across Lake Titicaca, but most of them, very sensibly, use an engine. Ever keen to spot a bargain, Julie Dupuis strikes a deal with a local ten-year-old and sets off in a rowboat.

Editorials - 17 Feb, 2009, 22:17
Repatriation costs soar: be very insured
The cost of repatriating travellers taken ill abroad has reached an all-time high - and if you're not properly covered it could cost mortgage money to fly home. Holidaymakers face being stranded overseas for not reading the small print according to specialist travel insurers AllClear.

Asia Pacific - 17 Feb, 2009, 21:29
Finding the past in modern Shanghai
China's headlong rush to modernity is at its most dramatic in the city of Shanghai. Joanne Gerber finds that the past is being rapidly buried under high-rise symbols of the country's economic growth.

Europe - 17 Feb, 2009, 20:11
Counting the Krone in a Norwegian winter
Trondheim is a gateway city for Norway's chilly secrets. Alice Atkinson-Bonasio flies in and fights through the pasta to find some fishy surprises.

Deals - 12 Feb, 2009, 10:51
Cheap Holiday Deals In Majorca from the UK
For UK travellers Majorca is one of the most popular Mediterranean islands. Ross Fraser says there are plenty of deals to make getting there inexpensive - and easy.

Africa - 12 Feb, 2009, 10:16
Timbuktu for you: going with the flow
It's never easy to get to West Africa's iconic town, perched on the edge of the Sahara Desert. A two-day boat journey along the Niger River gets Gayle Bentham into the perfect state of mind to appreciate Timbuktu's remote appeal.

Africa - 12 Feb, 2009, 09:37
A night under the stars in Egypt's Western Desert
Most visitors to Egypt stay close to the Nile. But Swapnesh Banerjee takes off to the oasis town of Bahriya and the White Desert beyond for a taste of the eastern Sahara's desert beauty.

Americas - 11 Feb, 2009, 16:39
Catching some clouds on Canada's 'Sunshine Coast'
The tourist board sells British Colombia's Pacific shores as 'The Sunshine Coast'. Not in the rain it isn't, finds Jane Cassie, but she has a great visit despite the weather.

Americas - 11 Feb, 2009, 16:11
Empty-nest lessons from a teaching stint in Mexico
Eliza Migdal tried to spend some time abroad all the years she was raising a family, but it wasn't till her babies had flown the coop that she managed a spell teaching in Oaxaca. This is what she learned.

Asia Pacific - 11 Feb, 2009, 15:57
Cambodia, carefully planned
When Brian Fisher decides to travel round Cambodia he decides to use a local tour operator. But this carefully-observed account suggests perhaps he should be one.

Americas - 28 Jan, 2009, 09:49
Cycle diaries from the "Andes Trail"
Forget the Tour de France. Wilbert Bonné takes part in an 11,000km cycle race running the length of South America - and thinks everyone should give it a go.

Asia Pacific - 27 Jan, 2009, 17:04
Moo than a pet: meeting a Cambodian rental cow
In rural Southeast Asia ownership of a cow brings luck and raises status. David Calleja examines how every big bovine can transform domestic life, and meets the NGO bringing progress to the paddies with the great Cambodian rentacow lottery.

Europe - 27 Jan, 2009, 16:57
Hangovers and hogmanay in Edinburgh
While most call it New Year's Eve, in Scotland they celebrate Hogmanay. Natalie Gowans takes a train north to Edinburgh to find out if wearing a kilt really does make a difference.

Europe - 27 Jan, 2009, 16:10
All Quiet on the Western Front
Tim Bush's journey to the battlefields of the Second World War is part motorbike Odyssey and part journey into the past. At the place where his late father fought and died, he collects a bottle of soil and, perhaps, a small trace of Walter to bring home to Australia.

There are plenty of surprises for Andrew Hodgson on a sleepless overnight rail journey from Krakow to the Baltic.

Europe - 27 Jan, 2009, 15:28
Changing times in Amsterdam's red light district
Luscious tempresses or trafficked tramps? Kees Kaldenbach explores the brightly-lit windows of Holland's sex centre and examines the changing regulations that aim to bring an industry to its knees.

The road between Dakar and Tambacounda is littered with wrecked cars, abandoned and ruthlessly stripped for spares. So when Tamara Braunstein has to get out of her shared taxi and push it's hardly surprising she should fear the worst.

India's Diwali celebrations see the country at its most exuberant - and noisy. Edward Morgan finds the already traumatic experience of a long-distance bus journey made even worse by a series of roadside explosions.

Europe - 25 Jan, 2009, 17:35
The ups and downs of Fuerteventura
The Canary Islands might have a reputation for sun and sangria, but Kieran O'Mahony finds another side to Fuerteventura when he heads off to explore its desert inner landscapes by bicycle.

Europe - 25 Jan, 2009, 10:08
A weekend in Milan
Sam Bower finds Italy's capital of style effortlessly impressive, as he tries to enjoy a weekend without emptying his wallet.

Europe - 21 Jan, 2009, 14:07
Europe's last frontline on Cyprus' inner border.
One country, two nations. Max le Grand sparks a dipolomatic incidentette as he crosses the 'Green Line' that separates Turkey and Greece in a borrowed car.

Asia Pacific - 19 Jan, 2009, 18:47
Adrift on Atauro, an island paradise in East Timor
Even aid workers don't usually get much beyond Dili in the breakaway republic of East Timor. When he takes a slow boat to a small island Matt Crook finds he's got the place pretty much to himself.

Central Asia - 19 Jan, 2009, 18:04
Holy Cow!
It's not news that Indians venerate their cows. But a chance encounter on the banks of Pushkar Lake gives Sezgi Yalin the chance to find out more about their spiritual significance.

Editorials - 19 Jan, 2009, 17:23
Bad Trips: travails of the traveller
John M. Edwards says the only good trips are bad trips, especially when even our guidebooks are “survival kits.” Welcome to the world of disaster and distress!

Americas - 19 Jan, 2009, 17:06
Winter in New York
The 'Big Apple' captivates Tabitha Wrigley - to a degree. Amid the histrionics she finds plenty to do for one visit, but not, perhaps, a second.

Americas - 11 Jan, 2009, 19:44
Adrift in Dominica
Forget the Dominican Republic, says Natasha Were. If you want a blast of the Caribbean at its most laid-back and unspoilt, go to the smaller, less-visited island of Dominica.

Americas - 9 Jan, 2009, 11:16
Getting robbed in Central America - at last!
David McCoy had to fall silent when other travellers told of theft and robbery. Until he gets thoroughly turned over in Nicaragua, that is, and left in his socks. Now he too has a great tale to tell.

Europe - 30 Dec, 2008, 18:19
Luxembourg! We've got hills!
Luxembourg is rarely regarded as one of Europe's highlight destinations, but Kevin Guertler finds a few unexpected delights.

Asia Pacific - 30 Dec, 2008, 16:50
A great white Australian adventure
It's perhaps not the best moment to cheer cage-diving in Australia, as these majestic pelagics menace kayakers and chew up snorkellers, but Amy Wager finds her expedition from Adelaide a thrilling experience – and nobody dies.

Americas - 16 Dec, 2008, 10:12
An Afternoon in Azogues
In the highlands of Ecuador, Tyrel Nelson reflects on life, death and South American cemeteries.

Americas - 16 Dec, 2008, 09:55
Ode to a Canadian hotel room
Never has a guest been so inspired by budget accommodation as Nancy Spiewak, who pens a lyrical review of Room 801, the Sylvia Hotel, Vancouver, British Colombia.

Europe - 16 Dec, 2008, 09:10
Grey Welsh Slate
A visit to Wales proves a somewhat damp but still uplifting experience for Mark Gillies.

Europe - 9 Dec, 2008, 11:20
Cycling gently through Alentejo
Life moves more slowly in rural Portugal. Leanne Meier freewheels through an economic backwater and discovers a rich local culture.

Burma's regime continues to displace its people. Antonio Graceffo reports from a private NGO at Loi Tailang, on the Thai border, that provides medical treatment against the odds: saving lives on a shoestring.

Africa - 9 Dec, 2008, 09:52
Politely fleeced by sinners from Senegal
Tamara Braunstein feels a certain nostalgia for old-school muggers when she finds, in Senegal, her cash is endlessly sliced by a petty series of West African scams.

Americas - 9 Dec, 2008, 09:40
No silence in El Silencio
Time spent working on a Costa Rican farm gives Lucy Lacock a series of vivid insights into life amongst the grass roots of Central America's most forward-looking country.

Asia Pacific - 27 Nov, 2008, 19:13
You'll need a compass in a land of no left or right
Christian Wawrinec finds Indonesian customs thrown into sharp relief by the Balinese reliance, not on left or right, but on taking points of the compass from tiny landmarks that may - or may not - exist. This adds a certain frisson to his search for an ATM.

Europe - 27 Nov, 2008, 18:59
Cycling Slovenia - along with the Burja
If you're heading off for a cycle ride around Slovenia there's something to be ready for, says Kieran O'Mahony. It's not just the fact that you have to ride up and down endless mountains: it's also your constant companion, the bone-chilling 'Burja' wind.

Asia Pacific - 27 Nov, 2008, 18:45
Taiwan's martial arts: now heading west
As world power shifts east, one of Taiwan’s last remaining Monkey Masters wants to fight in the K-1 and UFC to show the world the power of traditional Chinese martial arts. Antonio Graceffo reports.

Africa - 22 Nov, 2008, 17:15
When safaris stall
The Aberdares National Park in northern Kenya is something of a magnet for experienced travellers. But unlike the dryer regions it often rains. There's not a gin and tonic in sight as Cameron Fergus' African safari runs into the mud.

Europe - 22 Nov, 2008, 15:38
Blown around on the Dalmatian coast
Christian Cummins finds the Mediterranean proceeds at a slower pace in Croatia's 'Capital of Cool'.

Americas - 22 Nov, 2008, 13:41
Idol moments under Guatamala's volcanos
Central America's active volcanos provide a powerful backdrop for mountain villages and ethnic markets. Lyn Fox explores a society in transition and also upsets a local god.

Editorials - 22 Nov, 2008, 12:44
Being an American abroad
From Europe to Africa, Tamara Braunstein finds being an American means travelling with baggage.

Asia Pacific - 28 Oct, 2008, 10:21
To the summit of Mount Fuji
Japan's most distinctive icon isn't just part of the view. Jonathan Yeomans says it's also a challenging but rewarding climb.

Europe - 28 Oct, 2008, 09:58
A big thaw in Russian Relations
Siberia was traditionally the Soviet Union's place of exile. But Max le Grand heads out to Lake Baikal and finds an open welcome in the freezing plains.

Europe - 28 Oct, 2008, 09:43
Santa celebration or cultural pollution?
Helping to set up a 'Santa Experience' industry in northern Lapland, Patricia McCormack wonders whether this seasonal mini-book really brings benefits to the local inhabitants.

Africa - 28 Oct, 2008, 09:30
Secrets of survival in the African bush
A Wildlife Conservation course teaches Jo Pitches self-reliance and survival skills in the wilds of South Africa. But when hunger strikes will she have to call on the nearest smoker to help light her fire?

Central Asia - 28 Oct, 2008, 09:12
Travelling in China - the hard way
At the Chinese border Ian Pithouse has his Lonely Planet guide confiscated by officials. This is far from a disaster in my book and opens up an original succession of accommodation misadventures.

Americas - 28 Oct, 2008, 08:07
Starting the year at Ingapirca
Ecador's leading pre-Colombian ruins prove a tempted alternative to teaching English in Quito for Tyrel Nelson - but getting there is another matter.

Central Asia - 25 Oct, 2008, 19:29
Hopping off the life cycle in Varanasi
If you're going to die in India there's no better place than on the banks of the Ganges. Sezgi Yalin finds a new generation going up in smoke.

Europe - 16 Oct, 2008, 10:27
Quickly into Kosovo
The world's youngest country proves something of an enigma for Anne-Sophie Redisch, as she explores Pristina.

Central Asia - 13 Oct, 2008, 17:59
Settling on a perfect sari
Even in India, a girl's gotta shop. Lizzie Hobbs finds getting the right sari is only the first element of dressing in style. Of course you then need shoes and bangles, and of course they've got to match...

Africa - 13 Oct, 2008, 17:21
Different dramas on Egypt's Nile
Kolby Granville excapes from the Nile's persistent fellucca-trip hawkers to find a friendlier Egypt on a Nubian Island.

Americas - 13 Oct, 2008, 11:27
Vulcaneering: lava nut summits Ecuador's liveliest peak
Lonely Planet said climbing Ecuador's Tungurahua Volcano would be 'suicidal'. This was all the encouragement Colin Baker needed - but he nearly proved them right.

Americas - 13 Oct, 2008, 11:08
Close to the edge in El Dorado
Working as a musician is apt to take you to unexpected places. For Karen Phillips in Mexico a fiesta gig leads to a terrifying mountain road and an El Dorado without gold.

Africa - 13 Oct, 2008, 02:08
A taste of Zanzibar
It might be impractical to follow up this restaurant review, but Lucinda Tikwart finds The Tower Top is a top Stonetown nightspot for anyone passing through Tanzania.

When Dario Pasalic was a child he fled war with his parents. A return visit to Bosnia stirs old memories and in the city of Dubrovnik he finds hope for the future.

Africa - 29 Aug, 2008, 10:52
A night out in Dar es Salaam
Tanzania's not all dust, degradation and existence in Tanzania these days. Now there is money too, says Mark Gillies, as he smartens himself up for a night on the town.

Asia Pacific - 28 Aug, 2008, 12:30
Taiwan - more than just another China
Amid all the hype surrounding the Olympics, China's breakaway republic of Taiwan is often overlooked. Michelle Witte gives an insight into a largely hidden world.

Central Asia - 28 Aug, 2008, 12:09
Leaving the Land of Osh
The flight from Bishkek to Osh gives Isaac Stone Fish and early taste of life in Kyrgyzstan.

Americas - 28 Aug, 2008, 10:22
A touch of Cuba in downtown Miami
Little Havana resident Macrui Dostourian runs through the attractions of Florida's most famous ethnic enclave.

Safari and volunteering work make a happy mix for Jo Pitches in the African bush - until she meets the resident monkeys.

Central Asia - 28 Jul, 2008, 10:34
Tibet goes offline
Internet chat keeps Sezgi Yalin in touch with her friends in Tibet - some of the time. But silence is ominous in China's buttoned-down colony.

Asia Pacific - 28 Jul, 2008, 10:20
Shark Diving - Aussie Style
There's a long tradition of taunting Great Whites off the coast of South Africa: trailing fishfood then diving in cages. In Australia Roderick Eime finds the experience subtly different.

Editorials - 28 Jul, 2008, 10:05
House-sitting: how smart gypsies can surf the world
For a four-week holiday or longer travel opportunity, house-sitting can be a real option. Marcus Wilder reports on a freeganomic website linking home-owners and wannabe home-sitters.

Asia Pacific - 28 Jul, 2008, 09:57
Caving in the Cooks
It's not enough for Emily Nixon to reach the remote Cook Islands. She decides to get further off the beaten trail by exploring underground.

You can hardly move for features extolling the many cuisines of the Far East, but one is largely overlooked. Rob Mcgovern sets the record straight with a paen of praise for Korean cuisine.

While other parts of Mexico might have their charms, Lee Patton finds Michoacan, usually overlooked and not in many guide books, fiesta central and a great place to be.

Central Asia - 22 Jun, 2008, 21:49
Just another day in a Nepali village
Volunteering as a teacher in Nepal brings Sezgi Yalin a new enlightenment, as she settles into the slow pace of a small mountain village.

Africa - 22 Jun, 2008, 21:26
Overnight in Kruger
Eric Williams finds South Africa's most famous park still has some surprises for the keen wildlife hound.

Africa - 15 Jun, 2008, 17:42
Gun and trap amnesty pays off in Zambia
Max Le Grand discovers how a generation of convicted hunters have become conservationists of the wild in the North Luangwa Valley.

Central Asia - 14 May, 2008, 11:32
Living like a Rajasthani Princess
Straddling India's gender divide, Sezgi Yalin finds food for thought - and the beginnings of change - in today's lifestyles of 21st century Rajasthan.

Asia Pacific - 12 May, 2008, 15:28
Drinking the China Sea
Antonia Graffeco takes a gruelling surf-rescue course in the Philippines, and finds that swimming is the easy bit.

Central Asia - 12 May, 2008, 15:12
Beguiled by Bhutan
The world's most isolated kingdom works its magic on Alice Moura, as she takes in the country's highlights on an organised tour.

Europe - 12 May, 2008, 12:22
Ireland's musicians "don't wear tight pants"
Auyon Mukharji finds the Ceilidh is such an intrinsic part of Ireland's traditional heritage that even his mother - who thinks playing an instrument is the first step down towards drugs, vice and death - might even approve.

As the 21st century settles across Europe, there's one country still stuck in a pre-industrial timewarp. Matt Pointon hops across the water from supertouristed Corfu and steps into another world: Albania.

Americas - 24 Mar, 2008, 21:37
Argentina's Pampas: just a big walk
The great expanses of South America don't faze Lorraine Jenkin. She sets off across the world's greatest flatlands alone - and on foot.

Europe - 24 Mar, 2008, 21:14
Following E M Forster's footsteps through Florence
Arrival, by sleeper train is now the ultimate way to greet Italy's most famous Renaissance city, says Christian Cummins, but he still meets the ghosts of 'A Room with a View' on each twisting turn of the narrow streets.

Editorials - 24 Mar, 2008, 21:03
Surfing - for beginners - in ten easy steps
It's not easy to learn how to surf - not least in the modest waves that lap the UK coast. Professional surfer Chris Thomson says it's well worth the effort and offers ten top tips to riding the waves.

Central Asia - 24 Mar, 2008, 20:44
Crossing Tibet on a very small motorbike
Most big-trip travellers go hopelessly over-equipped. Navpreet Amole travels through Tibet on a local-sized motorbike to discover the reality behind the headlines of China's - now-infamous - cross-border population dump.

Small-town Ecuador bursts to life in an exuberant festival of the annual harvest. Tyrel Nelson is a fascinated bystander.

Americas - 19 Mar, 2008, 18:34
Losing religion in American churches
Lyn Fox says church sucks - and not just as a cheap rhyme on his name - as he looks back on his religious experiences across the US.

Europe - 19 Mar, 2008, 18:04
Herding students around Europe's highlights
when Angela D. Stancar is offered a free holiday in Europe she jumps at the chance. Only one problem: she has to accompany five (or more) American students. Hormones and tiramisu, it transpires, are a potent mix.

Central Asia - 19 Mar, 2008, 17:57
Finding a hidden valley in northern Yunnan
Amid China's relentless tourist boom, Sascha Matuszak finds the minority cultures of the Shaxi Valley still holding on to a traditional way of life.

Europe - 19 Mar, 2008, 17:42
Testing Britain's healtcare system
Aussie Mun Jong flies into the UK with his pregnant wife, only to find the 'reciprocal healthcare agreement' trumpeted by the British government proves to be nothing of the sort.

From elephants to ladyboys, Rachael Wilson discovers the rich variety of life on Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Road.

Central Asia - 6 Mar, 2008, 22:23
Cabbages and culture for the Chinese New Year
Chris Mackins discovers that China's New Year celebrations in Chungchen, a provincial region of the world's fastest-changing society, brings him a new taste of a country on the move.

Europe - 6 Mar, 2008, 22:12
Exploring Madeira's hidden levadas
High in the mountains of Madeira, Anthony Toole finds the irrigation channels of the colonial Portuguese form unique routes into the heart of a rural culture.

Americas - 6 Mar, 2008, 21:59
Dominica: one project that preserves the people
A pioneering example of eco-tourism at its best attracts the attention of Meghan Ward during her visit to Dominica: and even Hurricane Dean has done little to sweep it away.

Americas - 5 Mar, 2008, 22:55
A second look at Quito's churches
Tyrel Nelson finds Ecuador's capital has some unexpected surprises he'd missed on his first visit: not least a vertigo-inducing climb up its Basilica's tower.

Central Asia - 18 Feb, 2008, 21:41
A lonely stroll through Ulaanbaatar
Ghenghis Khan might have had his millions, but by choosing the cold month of February to visit Mongolia, Matthew Crawford finds he has the place to himself.

Asia Pacific - 15 Feb, 2008, 12:59
Sitting on the Doc of Vietnam
Chau Doc, Vietnam, and Louis Dai prowls the night for distraction while he waits to cross over the border into Cambodia. But amidst whores, gangsters and transvestites, he's the first to be thrown out of a bar.

Europe - 15 Feb, 2008, 12:35
Jumping off France's 'Pont du Diable'
Tourists, tumbles and a torn ligament: Susan Benton has a great time in St. Guilhem in the Languedoc Roussillon Region. But it's not her who tombstones the Pont du Diable. That'll be her husband.

Central Asia - 15 Feb, 2008, 12:23
The painful dilemna of Tibetans without passports
In Dharmasala, India, Sezgi Yalin discovers China's occupation of Tibet has left a people in limbo, surviving without passports in a world where personal documentation isn't so much a government imposition but more a fundamental right.

Europe - 15 Feb, 2008, 11:10
In Ischia
The island of Ischia's volcanic past is long gone: pastel buildings and friendly locals charm David Hourani on a summer visit.

Central Asia - 9 Feb, 2008, 09:39
Casualties of War on the Burmese border
Whether you call it Burma or Myanmar, the casualties of Asia's most brutal dictatorship don't stop at the border. Antonio Graceffo finds a motorcycle accident in the tribal zone gives him a new sense of how life hangs by a thread for an undocumented people.

A lively engagement party gives Noël Dunn telling insights into the lives and dreams of rural Cambodians.

Africa - 1 Feb, 2008, 20:38
Ghana's slave coast castles
Africa's western coast saw millions of slaves transhipped into boats and used, generally, to build the New World. Sean Kelly finds traces of the slave trade mouldering over the Atlantic.

Africa - 1 Feb, 2008, 20:30
Another unsung death in rural Zimbabwe
You can't blame inflation, but life in Zimbabwe has never been cheaper. Kesse-Sky Buchanan visits a rural clinic and finds few signs of hope.

Americas - 30 Jan, 2008, 00:21
Hallucinogenic frogs key to an Amazon trip
Downriver from Iquitos, Aaron Smith hires a Vietnam vet to give him advice on drugs, including those squeezed from a small toxic frog, stretched on a rack. For a vegetarian, this was a brave - if not foolhardy - adventure.

Africa - 30 Jan, 2008, 00:08
Fifteen rules for girls in Morocco
A Moroccan shares, with Jessica Leving, the 15 golden rules for an American girl in Africa. Most are true anywhere, though I'm not sure about rule six. Present company excepted...

Americas - 29 Jan, 2008, 23:39
Settling in to Bequia
Airplanes, taxis and a stomach-churning ferry make Mari Suyama's journey to Bequia something of a trauma. Once she's settled down to Caribbean speed, however, it's quite another story.

Europe - 29 Jan, 2008, 23:27
Scotland's greatest 'Munro', Ben Nevis
Scottish mountaineer James Barnet recounts a fog'n'rain'n'snow'n'all ascent of one of Britain's biggest bumps.

Asia Pacific - 29 Jan, 2008, 23:12
Malaysia's jungle railway
Thailand to Singapore by train? Paula Denny takes the local service, and rises before dawn to clack across three countries in a tropical, palm-heavy haze.

If you doubt the Italian obsession with sport, just look at the Colosseum: even the big religions struggle to match this monument to athletic entertainment. Matthew Genner finds the love of sport just as central to the Romans of today.

The only way to experience China is by public transport. Paul Haire is something of an expert on the various travel options.

Central Asia - 22 Jan, 2008, 22:40
Pushkar Lake: the place to go for filth and deception
One of India's holiest places does little to melt Anne Hay. After being buffetted by beggars and trailed by touts she eventually has to buy back her shoes, respectfully removed, from a pint-sized thief.

A trip into the Ecuadorian Amazon provides plenty of surprises for Sarit Reizin. The worst bit, probably, is when he turns into a ghost.

Americas - 22 Jan, 2008, 21:33
Finding values in backstreet Peru
Doug Klostermann strays off the Gringo Trail to discover another Cusco, where he helps pioneering Peruvians improve the lot of the poor and learns quite a lot about life.

Europe - 22 Jan, 2008, 21:11
Raising the bar in central Siberia
Novosibirsk, Siberia, is not a city many westerners will be familiar with. Dara Hallinan says it's well worth a visit, if just for one very special jazz club and several shots of vodka.

There's life bamongst the ice, finds Patricia McCormack as she flies north to Finland and beyond into the heart of an ancient culture: the Lapps.

Americas - 22 Jan, 2008, 20:01
A Chinese ghost in California
It's a bit strange that America, as the world's most dynamic economy, should be littered with ghost towns, but few are stranger than the mining camp built in the wake of the Opium Wars. Daniel Metraux reports.

Americas - 15 Nov, 2007, 01:11
Jamaica at full speed
For many visitors from Europe, the Caribbean Island of Jamaica comes as something of a shock. Richard Sayers takes the Reggae culture in his stride.

Central Asia - 15 Nov, 2007, 01:02
Kumbh Mela, the largest gathering in the world
The greatest religious procession takes place every year in Allahabad: Andrew Wang finds himself caught up in the human Tsunami that is Kumbh Mela.

Europe - 14 Nov, 2007, 23:39
A Wimp in Wonderland
Lappland, land of Santa, is well under very very cold through the winter months. Will music journalist Jo Pitches find any welcome from the rock band Lordi can warm her attitude to Finland?

Europe - 14 Nov, 2007, 23:13
Under St Kilda's blue blue skies
The Outer Hebrides are born for adventure. James Macletchie boards a boat with a difference to cruise Scotland's wildest coast.

Asia Pacific - 14 Nov, 2007, 23:06
Penguins, pink gins and pimms...
Expect the unexpected if you decide to play rugby in Hong Kong. Nick Reilly cruises down to the Hong Kong Sevens.

Europe - 14 Nov, 2007, 22:29
1000 years in Budapest
Hungary's capital is rich in history, but there's so much more to discover in this fascinating city, says Kathleen Hegedus-Beeksma.

Editorials - 3 Nov, 2007, 13:41
"A travelling fool is better than a sitting wise person"
With this Mongolian Proverb, Adam Jacot de Boinot introduces his latest collection of words from around the world, special terms that distill different cultures and encapsulate regional differences. 'Toujours Tingo', an ideal travel stocking filler.

Central Asia - 3 Nov, 2007, 13:33
Career opportunity on Nepalese buses
Don't waste your gap year filling the pockets of some travel organiser. Ross Adkin says you'd be better off collecting tickets on a bus in Nepal. Though it does help to be small..

Central Asia - 3 Nov, 2007, 13:23
A Taoist Adventure
TEFL teacher Sharon Lockwood finds a Chinese friend is the key to getting around Central China.

Americas - 3 Nov, 2007, 12:37
Meeting the Queen of Tonalá
Even now Mexico is a fairly male-dominated society, but Doug Bower finds an early example of girl power in Jalisco's distant past.

Asia Pacific - 3 Nov, 2007, 12:15
Finding peace in Korea's mountains
Fresh into a new job teaching English in a busy Asian city, Matt Awalt finds a climb in the mountains soothes his soul.

Central Asia - 3 Nov, 2007, 12:11
A modern girl's guide to trekking Nepal
A hair-dryer isn't normally part of a trekker's kit - not least because there's nowhere to plug it in - but Anisha Patel brings her own particular girl power to the higher Himalayas.

Europe - 3 Nov, 2007, 12:00
Chilling out in Arctic Norway
Not many people know the Svalbard Peninsula - or even where it is - but geologist James Barnet tests the metal of a surprisingly beautiful landscape, fringed by the Barents Sea.

Middle East - 17 Oct, 2007, 23:21
A challenging encounter with Iran
Sezgi Yalýn finds her meeting with Esfahān, a spirited and insightful Iranian woman, is a highlight of her time in Iran. The fulcrum of America's 'Axis of Evil' clearly has hidden depths.

Americas - 17 Oct, 2007, 23:06
Not quite Che Guevara
A motorbike tour of Chile and Argentina turns into a frantic, freezing chase for Mark Lynch, as he learns Spanish fast and endures emergency root-canal surgery. Personally I think he did well to survive.

Asia Pacific - 17 Oct, 2007, 22:44
Slipping into the Singapore 'hole'
It's not easy to predict what friends and relatives understand from your travel tales. Jenni Stembridge finds no-one's remotely interested that she's been flicked by a ping pong ball hurled from a Thai stripper's not-so-private parts: all her family want to talk about is her 'Singapore Hole'.

Americas - 17 Oct, 2007, 22:25
Bigger is better on Canada's cycle trails
The Veloroute des Bleuets covers 272km of Quebec: a good reason, I'd have thought, to stay well clear or rent a car. But Kathleen Hegedus-Beeksma climbs into the saddle and finds fresh fruit and a warm Canadian welcome makes it all worthwhile.

Europe - 17 Oct, 2007, 22:20
A day-tripper's time in Portofino
In Portofino, Deery Walker says it's useless to pretend you're any more than a tourist. But, somehow, this doesn't matter.

Americas - 17 Oct, 2007, 22:10
Discovering Iguaçu's hidden side
Missing out on most superlatives, the famous waterfalls that straddle the border with Brazil and Argentina (for the search engines, variously spelt Iguazzu Iguassu) are generally agreed to be the world's 'Overwhelmingest'. There are also smaller beauties. Kathleen de Azevedo takes a quieter walk through the surrounding National Park.

Central Asia - 17 Oct, 2007, 21:48
Just don't go to Osh!
If you're planning a trip to Central Asia, Henry Steel and Nicolas Niarchos have a couple of bits of advice. One is watch out for the helicopter rides, while another is - especially in middle Uzbekistan - watch out for melons.

Asia Pacific - 17 Oct, 2007, 21:12
Falling out of love at 13,000 feet
Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia, is an undoubted natural wonder. But why, asks Lisa McCallum, does her (then) boyfriend expect her to share her desire to climbi one of Asia's highest peaks?

Americas - 8 Oct, 2007, 14:53
Finding love in Merida
On Mexico's Yucutan Peninsula Rick Beaty gets stalked by a hawker and menaced by souvenir salesman: a chance incounter with a beautiful woman is all that saves his memories of Merida.

Antonio Graceffo finds that Burma’s Long Neck Karen Hill Tribe choose to eke out a living in a tourist village rather than go back to a civil war that borders on genocide.

Asia Pacific - 1 Oct, 2007, 03:17
A taste of Saigon
For a foodie, Southeast Asia is paradise. Lisa Pettersson settles in to a leisurely tour of Vietnam's culinary highlights.

Americas - 1 Oct, 2007, 02:55
Racing the Amazon, crew report 2007
A J Rivera gets sucked in to joining the Iquitos Amazon River Race and - despite being about the oldest contestant with some of the youngest crew - helps his team to a moral victory.

Central Asia - 15 Sep, 2007, 10:46
Teaching Tibetan monks English
As a TEFL academic from Cyprus, Sezgi Yalýn was uniquely qualified to seize an opportunity when a monk asked her assistance to set up a language school on the roof of the world: a small but vital step to weaken the Chinese tyranny.

Americas - 31 Aug, 2007, 23:11
Breakfasts in America
The USA is big but not noted for its character cuisine. John Westwood tracks across 48 states to find impressive ways to start each day.

Europe - 31 Aug, 2007, 10:53
Learning the Burano air-stitch
While tourists flock to Murano, Eliot Stein finds a warmer welcome on Burano island, a hidden side of Venice that shelters some of Italy's oldest traditions.

Europe - 31 Aug, 2007, 10:36
The mad cows of Cadbury Castle
You might expect to find ghosts at Britain's historic monuments, but Eric Bryan gets a bigger fright when he meets Cadbury Castle's new residents - and finds they have four legs.

Americas - 31 Aug, 2007, 09:40
Organic Ecuador: even houses grow on trees
The Finca Sarita is an organic farmstay in Ecuador: Dale Shaddick finds it's a perfect place for a laid-back South American idyll.

Africa - 13 Aug, 2007, 09:39
The simple charms of a plastic cake
An invitation to a child's birthday party in a Cape Town township shows Stephanie Katz a side of South Africa few visitors take the trouble to see.

Africa - 3 Aug, 2007, 20:35
Volunteering in Kenya
Not many people get to East Pokot: even the Kenyans think it's a cattle-rustling danger zone. Erin Richards doesn't just visit, but stays to work in an orphanage.

Asia Pacific - 3 Aug, 2007, 20:18
Ducking jets in American Samoa
When a friend comes to visit Sarah Deprin on the Pacific Island of Tutuilla it's a natural challenge to help her relax, at least until she's sarong savvy.

Asia Pacific - 3 Aug, 2007, 20:08
Hey, UNESCO, hands off Angkor Wat
Cambodia's greatest relics, the Khmer Capital of Angkor Wat, is being trashed by the conservationists, says Jesse Wright. Let it crumble in peace.

Europe - 3 Aug, 2007, 19:49
Make space for Greece's turtles
Greece has some of Europe's most popular beaches, especially amongst nesting turtles. Lucy Westmore says there's space for both, if humans take care.

Europe - 19 Jul, 2007, 13:13
Mayhem and madness at Pamplona's bull-run
As the health and safety movement damps down Europe, Lucinda Worlock discovers a part of Spain where sanity is suspended, every year, for Pamplona's Running of the Bulls.

Africa - 19 Jul, 2007, 12:48
Travels with a tender tummy
West Africa proves a challenge to Heather Daniel's delicate digestion: months after her volunteering visit there's still a tension in her relationship with her stomach.

Africa - 12 Jul, 2007, 20:40
Ground down by Egypt's Capital
Cairo proves a city too far for Mel Cullen: like it or loathe it, she chooses the latter. Being blonde and beautiful isn't always an advantage.

It's sold as the world's largest greenfield festival, but it's better known for its rain and mud. Elizabeth Heritage takes part in the Glastonbury Festival and this is her story.

Africa - 12 Jul, 2007, 20:06
Delta dreams in the Okavango Delta
Botswana's natural world proves something of a revelation to Eric Williams, who's more used to fields of waving corn. He reports on a very African safari.

Americas - 12 Jul, 2007, 09:51
On the road in Costa Rica
Casting caution to the winds, Lee Patton rejects advice to rent a four-wheel drive to explore Central America: a compact, he finds, is quite up to Costa Rican roads.

Africa - 12 Jul, 2007, 09:42
Hammam heaven in Marrakesh
Best keep your mouth shut in a Moroccan hammam, says honeymooning Charlotte Baird: you never know when the next bucket may be flung.

Americas - 12 Jul, 2007, 09:33
Fishing around on Lake Chelan
Trawling for trout on Washington State's deepest lake lands A T Allan quite a catch: anglers will share his excitement.

Africa - 17 Jun, 2007, 21:32
Down on the farm in upcountry Africa
A working farm in southern Tanzania teaches expat explorer Mark Gillies a great deal about subsistence and survival in East Africa.

Americas - 17 Jun, 2007, 21:26
Life's that much better in Belize
Central America's most laid-back - and helpfully Anglophone - country settles Brian Birkenstein down to Caye Caulker speed.

Europe - 17 Jun, 2007, 21:19
Letting go on the Ligurian coast
Toni Giarnese finds more than a little of La Dolce Vita on a strolling hike around Italy's Mediterranean shores.

Ecuador's train system is something to experience but not, according to Richard Free, something that should be thoroughly relied on.

Belgium's beer doesn't do much for Lane Clark-Bonk, and nor do the shps. She's focussed on one thing: a perfect Belgian waffle.

Asia Pacific - 5 Jun, 2007, 22:00
Cruising off the beaten trail in Fiji
Take one unspoiled Pacific Island, add a luxury cruise vessel, and you'd expect a cultural disaster. Not so, says Tony Adams, as he sips kava with the village chief.

Asia Pacific - 5 Jun, 2007, 11:48
Wind, wine and surf in Australia's southwest
It's a windy day in Margaret River, but that doesn't dent Rhys Stacker's pleasure as he returns to Western Australia's ultimate southern hideaway.

Europe - 5 Jun, 2007, 11:39
Italy watches as two Americans fight
Brenda Yun's romantic pilgrimage to the Sistine Chapel prove too culturally demanding for her feckless boyfriend: in ten easy stages her relationship breaks up.

Middle East - 5 Jun, 2007, 10:48
Iran's call to prayer seems louder in Yazd
The provincial town of Yazd proves less relaxing than expected to Manfred Elian, as he tries to doze next to one of Iran's loudest muezzins.

Asia Pacific - 5 Jun, 2007, 10:32
The Japanese monks who mummify themselves
Mummified dead monks are relatively commonplace, but Ken Jeremiah finds a little-known trend as he mixes with the corpses at Japan's Dainichibô Temple in Yamagata: the holy men had mummified themselves.

Central Asia - 5 Jun, 2007, 10:21
Fried rice on the road in rural China
Long-distance bus travel thrills Will Dewees with its random selection of fast-food breaks, but he finds a real gem at an insignificant crossroads between Yanyuan and Dazu.

Americas - 19 May, 2007, 14:30
Lessons learned in El Salvador
Ten years of travel in El Salvador is distilled in Tanya Snyder's tale of two days helping with the country's transition to a peaceful present.

Editorials - 10 May, 2007, 11:47
Free-ish raffle for 10 Majorcan homes
Leading Majorcan hotelier George Scott is raffling the ten apartments and villas that make up one of this two luxury hotels, with tickets that can be redeemed – at full face value – by guests at his two properties. The odds aren’t at all bad either: read on.

Africa - 8 May, 2007, 18:19
Driving the Plymouth to Banjul Challenge
John Ironmonger skirts the Sahara in a clapped-out Renault 5, as he follows the Eurobanger Route through Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal.

Central Asia - 5 May, 2007, 20:38
Getting lost in Laos
A hand-made map proves insuffient for Peter Flatters, as he heads off for an independent day-trek in Laos. It turns out to take quite a lot longer.

Central Asia - 29 Apr, 2007, 00:25
The unexpected hazards of charity in China
A good Samaritan would have a hard time in China, judging by Sharon Lockwood's tale of a western doctor who tries to help after a traffic accident.

Europe - 29 Apr, 2007, 00:09
Cold, dark and expensive. It must be Iceland
Don't believe the negative press. Jennifer Price says there's a lot to like about Iceland: you can't do much about the winter daylight hours but there are ways around the cost and visiting in winter has some unexpected advantages.

Central Asia - 26 Apr, 2007, 23:25
Buying guns in Pakistan's Afghan hinterland
It's hardly your average retail therapy, but Manfred Elian finds armaments aplenty in the mountains of Pakistan. Buy now, shoot later, welcome to Babel.

Americas - 26 Apr, 2007, 23:16
Rafting the Rio Naranja
Katie Ahlman pushes her envelope on Costa Rica's most dangerous river - in flood - and lives to tell the tale. We hate to think what's next on her adventure programme.

Asia Pacific - 26 Apr, 2007, 23:01
Every new wife needs a Pacific test-dive
Most people have their honeymoons after their wedding. Brad Butler takes his bride to Tahiti first, in case they don't get on. By the sounds of it Moorea comes good, and we assume the sound of bells will follow.

Africa - 26 Apr, 2007, 22:50
From mainland Africa to an Indian Ocean isle
A trip to Tanzania proves something of a learning curve for Richard Lawrence, as he travels from Dar Es Salaam to Zanzibar.

Africa - 26 Apr, 2007, 22:39
At home in De Hoop
George Edwards finds Africa's beauty at its best in the understated reserve of De Hoop, half-hidden along the Garden Route.

Americas - 26 Apr, 2007, 22:35
Tracing the USA's lost civilisations
Central Colorado, and in the Mesa Verde National Park Jamie Friesen finds the ruins left by the Anasazi people mark out a civilisation just as important as the Incas of Latin America, but much less known.

Europe - 26 Apr, 2007, 22:05
Even in the Rain, Ljubljana is Luminous
If you need a souvenir, buy a dragon. Susan Cava finds Slovenia's capital has a charm that defeats the worst weather central Europe can throw.

Asia Pacific - 26 Apr, 2007, 21:59
Ti-ni Plod-pai (‘It is safe here!’, in Thai)
A father who lives in Thailand makes Gary Davis something of an expert on Asia's ultimate tiger, with tales and insights into a rather admirable society.

Europe - 11 Apr, 2007, 16:31
Navigate or die: kayaking the Adriatic
The journey from Italy to Croatia is too easy by ferry: Shane Braddock unpacks his kayak, totally unsupported, and starts to paddle.

Europe - 11 Apr, 2007, 16:12
It shouldn't happen to a pilgrim
Following St James' route acrss Europe Spain can be hard on the legs, but Babette Gallard's decision to travel on horseback meant her progress was more eventful than reflective.

Europe - 11 Apr, 2007, 16:04
Bringing a blast of Irish music to Lanzarote
It's not clear how Kiwi Sean Hoskins finds himself playing traditional Irish music in Dublin: even less how the band get invited out to play a gig in the Canaries. After a shaky start on their first world tour the 'Bad Examples' make a good one.

Central Asia - 11 Apr, 2007, 15:55
From Beijing to Base Camp
The new train across the tundra makes the journey from China's capital to Everest's Base Camp a breeze. Shame it has to trample across Tibet. Daniel Allen makes speed across Asia.

Europe - 11 Apr, 2007, 15:31
Crazy in Croatia
It may not quite match New York, but the city of Zagreb makes quite an impression on Susan Cava.

Americas - 11 Apr, 2007, 15:24
Central America's 'Chicken Busses'
Nathan Richards, back home in the UK, pays tribute to the rackety transport that got him around Central America, the Chicken Bus.

Central Asia - 11 Apr, 2007, 15:12
Linking to Himalayan valleys
Steer clear of Nepal's 'cola treks': Rob Paton and Clare Holdsworth finds plenty to crow about as they take a local route that links the Khumbu and Gokyo valleys.

Asia Pacific - 9 Apr, 2007, 10:36
Home sweet jail
Puerto Princessa, the Philippines and Antonio Graceffo finds an innovative prison changing the lives of those on trial and serving sentences.

Americas - 6 Apr, 2007, 11:11
The great Amazon raft race
Time to get your entries in for September's three-day panic paddle down the world's greatest river , starting in Iquitos, Peru. There's a separate prize for Gringos, says Michael Collis, as the village teams cover 130 miles pretty damn fast.

Romance blooms amongst the ancient stones of Mandu, as Gifty Sahany finds an unlikely scent of France.

Americas - 30 Mar, 2007, 10:37
Venezuela's democratic alternative
Social activist John Drewery visits Venezuela to see democracy in action, on a political tour organised by Global Exchange.

Editorials - 29 Mar, 2007, 21:36
As travel fades into the memory..
Formula One desk-driver Andrew McFetrich remembers his travelling past, but can't see his travelling future. Will some kind employer give this man the sack?

Europe - 29 Mar, 2007, 21:22
Oh My! The Minarets!
Toral Pattni heads out to Turkey to teach English, but learns a lot about an ancient culture, how not to buy a carpet and a surprisingly effective way to derail Istanbul's most drunk Lotharios.

Africa - 29 Mar, 2007, 21:02
Dinosaurs, fossils and Levis in northern Malawi
Africa's friendliest state still holds plenty of surprises. Melissa Aberle-Grasse finds a history stretching back to a time before man.

Americas - 29 Mar, 2007, 20:49
A coffee break in upcountry Guatemala
There's plenty Laura Fitch learns on an eco-tourism project in a coffee farm, but still struggles to get her tortillas up to standard.

Central Asia - 29 Mar, 2007, 20:42
A girl's guide to Delhi
Adrift in India, Fenella Richards finds it a challenge to cut through the barriers that keep her apart from the Asian experience.

Central Asia - 29 Mar, 2007, 20:33
Changing planes at Beijing Airport
Peter Tapsell's travels in Mongolia are easy, compared with his experiences of making a flight connection in China's biggest airport.

Europe - 29 Mar, 2007, 20:28
Under Poland's forest canopy
UNESCO protects it, but Ben Lerwill finds that the Bialowieza Forest seems to appreciate the occasional visit.

Europe - 25 Mar, 2007, 19:10
Repping in an Alpine ski resort
All names have been changed in Victoria Trott's account of life at the chalet coalface: just as well, as things turn out.

Asia Pacific - 25 Mar, 2007, 17:49
At one with the Iban
Down amongst the tribes of Sarawak, Peter Murphy finds that although their headhunting days are long in the past, in the heart of Borneo countless traditions remain untouched.

Europe - 25 Mar, 2007, 17:41
In love with Lüneburg
As Lower Saxony's only town to escape wartime bombing, Lüneburg is something of a German gem, says Mariko Suyama.

Central Asia - 25 Mar, 2007, 17:34
A first-time modelling assignment in China
When Paul Haire lands a modelling contract, he doesn't expect to be dumped down a manhole. But Beijing is full of surprises and, after all, This Is China.

Asia Pacific - 25 Mar, 2007, 17:15
Sizing up Sydney
Danish geek Ray Heap sets out to fix Australian computer systems: not an easy job but someone's got to do it.

Africa - 25 Mar, 2007, 17:04
Canoeing Zambia's Lunga River
There are several safe ways to travel through Zambia's wilderness regions, but a canoe is not one of them. Mark Gillies takes the wild route through Africa's hinterland.

Central Asia - 18 Mar, 2007, 20:14
Sacked - and slighly drunk - in downtown Beijing
Not every day can be a triumph, and Paul Haire's first unemployed night in the dynamic, thrusting capital of China starts badly and ends worse. Oh well, at least he finds some Tiger beer.

Central Asia - 18 Mar, 2007, 19:54
Meeting a cow amongst Udaipur's lakes
In the impossibly romantic setting of India's honeymoon district, Mike Thompson finds a part of the country that's very easy to like.

Central Asia - 18 Mar, 2007, 19:41
Journey up China's Li River
Bruised by his anecdotes being trumped by 'Travel Goons', Sam Mellor finds his river-gypsy cruise along an offbeat Chinese river means he can now tell a tale that few can match.

Americas - 18 Mar, 2007, 19:27
Falling out of love with Che
Viva Fidel! A real hero takes over from the motorbiking image for Bob Finch as he travels through Castro's Cuba.

Europe - 18 Mar, 2007, 18:33
Learning lessons - fast - in Athens
There's a knack to travelling around Greece's capital, finds Victoria Trott as she takes a couple of days to explore.

Americas - 14 Mar, 2007, 09:20
Jamaica's plantation past
At Rose Hall, the Caribbean's savage colonial history is repackaged for a new generation of gawping tourists. Emilia Ljungberg is not impressed.

Central Asia - 10 Mar, 2007, 14:52
Bumper Cars in Wuhu China
Driving in China brings back fairground memories for a suitably nervous Leanna Adams, and reflects a very different way of life.

Americas - 10 Mar, 2007, 14:17
A delicate balance on the Galapagos Islands
Darwin's laboratory of nature off Ecuador's Pacific coast is a haven for wildlife and cruising tourists. Richard Free examines the Galapagos' past and prospects for the future.

While tourists in Goretex flounce across Nepal's Himalayas, for Tibetan refugees crossing these mountains is often a matter of life and death. Here a sixteen-year-old girl tells of her trek to escape her Chinese-occupied homeland.

Europe - 10 Mar, 2007, 13:25
Cheerleading the Tour de France
The world's premier cycle race, and Rob Ingham finds himself cheering with the Gauls on the streets of France.

Europe - 10 Mar, 2007, 13:09
Trudging in the footsteps of the ancient Scots
Walking the Great Glen Way proves a challenge, but a rewarding one, to Emma Reuvers - though she never does get to see the Loch Ness Monster.

Central Asia - 10 Mar, 2007, 13:05
Beijing, China's capital war-zone
Firecrackers and rockets give Rob Mcgovern a rather warmer welcome to China than he expected when his travels coincide with the lunar new year.

Americas - 10 Mar, 2007, 12:51
Chickens in church
Chiapas, Mexico, and James Matthews finds the collision between indigenous religions and the Catholic church throws up some unexpected rituals.

Europe - 10 Mar, 2007, 12:42
On top of Wales
When she climbs Snowdonia, Adele Moore feels she's reached the roof of the Welsh world.

Central Asia - 11 Feb, 2007, 16:10
When mother meets India
India: the dirt, the beggars, the flies. Skye Hohmann is still adapting to her changed environment when it gets suddenly stranger: her mother flies out to visit.

Europe - 11 Feb, 2007, 11:38
Celebrating Waitangi Day in London pubs
New Zealand's infamous treaty might be political back home, but not to Kiwi expats in the UK. Elizabeth Heritage reports from the frontline of a memorable pub-crawl.

Europe - 11 Feb, 2007, 11:29
Into Finland's strange linguistic hinterland
Europe's far north, and David Brown discovers the country that gave the world Nokia has some other surprises up its sleeve. Starting with a language from hell where even the word for simple... isn't.

Central Asia - 11 Feb, 2007, 11:06
Mongolia: a good place to learn to ride?
The land of Genghis Khan isn't obviously a place for first-time horse-riders, but Peter Tapsell seems strangely calm about the prospect. On the flight out, at least.

Europe - 11 Feb, 2007, 10:56
Running with Pamplona's Bulls
Macho fun or a quick route to eternity? Shane Braddock takes to the streets of Pamplona for Spain's San Fermin Festival, and tries to keep clear of marauding cattle.

Americas - 11 Feb, 2007, 09:54
Dominican Republic, an unsung gem
Two years working for a charity in the Caribbean gives Chris Courth an alternative insight into a country best known for all-inclusive resorts.

Central Asia - 3 Feb, 2007, 14:46
India at Prayer
Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, and Unni Krishnan finds a society transfixed by the Ardh Kumbh Mela, one of the world's greatest religious festivals.

Europe - 3 Feb, 2007, 14:21
Cycling Mount Ventoux
Personally, when I see a mountain that's the last moment I reach for a pushbike. Clare Holdsworth is made of sterner stuff and pedals her way around the south of France.

Central Asia - 3 Feb, 2007, 14:12
Lost in Laos
Lao PDR - please don't rush - has got to be one of the most tranquil travel destination in Asia. Lisa Ashley Warshaw takes her time.

Most Brits don't even know where Slovenia is: Ian Middleton finds this is something of an advantage when he finds he's got the ski-slopes to himself.

Americas - 31 Jan, 2007, 22:05
Highs and Lows in the Mountains of Guatemala
Guatamala's mountain highlands are at the heart of the traditional Indian culture. And a very good place for a trek, says Laura Fitch.

Africa - 31 Jan, 2007, 17:40
Paris to Dakar - by bike
“The Sahara on a bicycle, is that possible?” September 06, and 25 cyclists think so, pedalling from the Eiffel Tower towards Dakar. Rob van der Geest was there.

Americas - 24 Jan, 2007, 20:10
A hard path into Ecuador's Amazon
Why fly into the Amazon? Luminita Cuna goes by foot and boat. Rather her than me: but at least this means she experiences the real rainforest, in all it's bitey, wet glory.

Americas - 24 Jan, 2007, 19:38
Death and destruction on Montana's roads
'Reasonable and Prudent' used to be quite exact enough a speed limit in on of America's most laid-back states. These days roadside crosses are part of a campaign to keep road mortality down, says Brian Hodges.

Virunga Mountains, on the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Rwanda, and Grant Hackleton finds national borders become irrelevant to the resident gorilla population.

Europe - 24 Jan, 2007, 17:16
Weekending in Prague
Douglas Hutchinson finds the Czech Capital a fascinating destination for a short blast of Central European culture.

Middle East - 21 Jan, 2007, 19:06
Greetings from Hizbollah country
Between bombs, David Brown strolls from Israel to Lebanon. In the Middle East's most cosmopolitan society he finds plenty of signs of war but also a determination to survive.

Central Asia - 21 Jan, 2007, 18:25
Tracing China's Yellow River
Daniel Métraux finds one of China's greatest rivers provides a narrative of a nation in transition.

Americas - 21 Jan, 2007, 18:12
Climbing Panama's highest peak
Few people climb Volcán Barú, one of the highest of the chain of volcanoes that form Central America's rugged spine. Anthony Lye strikes a lone trail to the summit.

Asia Pacific - 21 Jan, 2007, 16:52
Charmed by New Caledonia
Annet Mahanani finds a strange beauty - and traces of colonial France - in some of the South Pacific's remotest islands.

Europe - 20 Jan, 2007, 18:32
Yorkshire's Abbeys explored
The abbeys and cathedrals of medieval catholicism are amongst the most impressive buildings in Europe: Christy Nicholas discovers some prime examples in England's underrated county of Yorkshire.

Europe - 18 Jan, 2007, 18:29
Seeing Europe on the super-cheap
When it comes to travelling, the pampered brits are now too pampered. Selene Rabane interviews a 24-year-old Estonian, Fee Tamm, who travels with nothing at all.

Central Asia - 17 Jan, 2007, 22:26
They play football differently in upcountry China
Dalian, a city in the northeast of China, and Sam Mellor books tickets for a soccer match against a visiting team from Japan. His landlady fears for his life but he survives the experience and returns impressed.

Europe - 10 Jan, 2007, 00:47
Squatting your way through Spain's Balearics
Formentera in Mediterranean Spain and Abha Malpani has a cunning plan. Cut costs by dossing where she can. Hardly a formula for a quiet weekend away but a succession of strange men with homes of their own provide a vivid insight into island life.

Americas - 9 Jan, 2007, 23:53
Rio's seething underclass
Brazil's most glamorous city has a startling underclass. Chris Wirth gets below the tourist image to explore its dangerous favellas.

Central Asia - 7 Jan, 2007, 19:43
The Capital of Nowhere
David Brown takes the bus from Odessa to Moldova – and discovers there’s a country in the way: Transinistria.

Europe - 6 Jan, 2007, 13:31
Battling through the Baltics
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania fit into an easy itinerary for Edward McSweegan as he discovers the hottest destinations in a newly-enlarged Europe.

Asia Pacific - 5 Jan, 2007, 08:30
China and Japan disagree on WWII
Daniel A. Metraux discovers two rival museums, Beijing's Marco Polo Bridge and Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, present very different versions of recent history: a worrying divergence between two world superpowers.

Europe - 3 Jan, 2007, 15:55
Tasting Croatia's finest wines
Waves of European empires have left the Dalmatian Coast awash with fine vineyards, says Shane Braddock as he explores the mainland and island-hops the Adriatic.

Lawrence Kay strays off the 'Gringo Trail' to explore Latin America's least-visited country.

Europe - 2 Jan, 2007, 12:10
Barging around France
Some of France's luxury barges are stultifyingly formal. Not the Barge Nilaya, says Barry Moss, after a wonderful week on the water.

Americas - 2 Jan, 2007, 12:04
The Colors of Cusco
High in the Peruvian Andes, Eric Lehman finds traces of the Inca culture still vivid after years of Spanish occupation.

Independent bushwalkers Clare Holdsworth and Rob Paton decide to conquer Vietnam's highest peak. Mount Fansipan proves a challenge and their experience might help anyone following in their steps.

Europe - 2 Jan, 2007, 11:42
Sarajevo's Tunnel Museum
Wandering through the Ottoman streets of the Bosnian capital is all very well, says Phil Brown, but 'the tunnel' is essential to understand the country's recent history and culture.

Americas - 2 Jan, 2007, 11:34
Kayaking New York
America's first immigrants arrived by sea, points out Shane Braddock, which makes a kayak the ideal way to explore Manhattan's coastal heritage.

Africa - 2 Jan, 2007, 09:36
Chaos in Cairo
Egypt's capital is best known for its pyramids, but Annika Dash finds an entrepreneurial world beyond its headling sights.

Editorials - 22 Dec, 2006, 10:20
Learning languages, the easy way
Khmer, Chinese, Thai, Spanish, Korean... I've lost count of how many languages Antonio Graceffo can speak. This is his guide to mastering communication fast and effectively.

Europe - 22 Dec, 2006, 10:00
Postcards from Poland
Since the EU ‘floodgates’ opened, thousands of Poles have been moving to England in search of work. Never one to do the obvious, Glenn Standish heads the other way.

Europe - 22 Dec, 2006, 09:38
Peace in Crimea
Tatar palaces, Turkish fortresses, magic stalactite caves, lush sub-tropical mountains, miles and miles of beaches and a mellow coastal climate: Alex Welsh finds the Crimean part of the Ukraine is a quite uncharacteristic introduction to Russia.

Editorials - 21 Dec, 2006, 17:27
A guide to world crime
Make the world's conmen work harder this year: make them think of something new. Arya Kazemi provides a geographical breakdown of the traditional scams played on travellers.

Central Asia - 21 Dec, 2006, 17:16
Crossing the Torugart
Travelling by bike gets you into some out-of-the-way places. Tim Barnes finds his travels brought to a sudden halt in Kyrgyzstan as he runs into trouble on the Chinese border.

Asia Pacific - 21 Dec, 2006, 17:11
Cambodia's hidden horrors
Despite the brutal genocide of the Khmer Rouge regime, Anne Katharine Wales finds signs of hope amongst the traumatised survivors.

Americas - 13 Dec, 2006, 10:59
Cruising the deepest Amazon
Benjamin Carlier worked as tour leader in South America, but the highlight of his stay was this trip from Porto Velho to Manaus, 1,500km on the Rio Amazonas.

Asia Pacific - 12 Dec, 2006, 19:01
A campervan route to the heart of Australia
To get to the remote wilderness region of Kakadu a mobile home is the only way to go, says Anthony Toole after an epic journey that barely rattles the crockery.

Americas - 12 Dec, 2006, 18:54
How to get arrested at US airports
As the western world descends into paranoia, there's no easier place to run into trouble than the aiports of America. Luckily there's a lawyer around to help: Gregory Caplan, defense attorney, outlines the major risks.

Americas - 12 Dec, 2006, 18:26
A bus-traveller's impression of Argentina
The sheer size of South America's second-largest country makes a big impression on Lawrence Kay, as he structures his visit using the overnight bus network.

Central Asia - 12 Dec, 2006, 18:13
A long road to Mcleod Ganj
It's a long way from Delhi to Himachal Pradesh, but Cameron Karsten's in no hurry, as he gently makes his way from the international airport to a local bus.

Asia Pacific - 12 Dec, 2006, 17:17
An Englishman falling from the sky
As a Pom, I'm not sure I'd choose Australia to try sky-diving. Just too many people who might be tempted to make sure the parachute never opened. Matthew Williams is made of sterner stuff, and jumps from a plane over Mission Beach.

Europe - 11 Dec, 2006, 10:44
Rome does it again
Italy's capital weaves her charms over Annet Mahanani, in town for her seventh visit.

Africa - 8 Dec, 2006, 12:13
Meeting Rwanda's biggest residents
Central Africa, and Charlie Hall meets some endangered mountain gorillas in 'The Land of a Thousand Hills'.

Europe - 8 Dec, 2006, 11:30
Fishing around Poland's second city
A night out in Krakow teaches Mira Lotfallah a lot about Polish society but also quite a bit more about herself.

Europe - 8 Dec, 2006, 11:22
Finding perfection on the Dalmatian Coast
Annika Dash finds peace on the Croatian island of Hvar where the water is crystal clear, the locals are friendly and the sun never seems to stop shining.

Kashgar, far to the west of mainland China, and Chris O'Brien finds one of the world's oldest and largest markets still has lessons for traders today.

Asia Pacific - 8 Dec, 2006, 10:54
Exploring the Cook Islands
There are surprises in store for Sarah Gwynn when she takes a hop across the Pacific to Aitutaki.

This expat's view of the Kingdom in the '80's by Glenn Standish shows there's no copy too old for the pages of Travelmag! Still, we don't get much from this part of the world so here it is..

Asia Pacific - 7 Dec, 2006, 22:08
Chiang Mai's Vulture's Egg
In the capital of northern Thailand, Eliot Ballard finds an unusual museum - with a most unusual curator.

Europe - 7 Dec, 2006, 21:02
When things fall on your head
Soapy waters and the turds of flitting birds fall on Steve Porter's head, adding to his experience of Tortosa, in the Catalan region of Spain.

Americas - 7 Dec, 2006, 20:55
Lake Titicaca and la Isla del Sol
At South America's largest inland lake, Anthony Lye finds a world little touched by time and gods the West have long forgot.

Africa - 7 Dec, 2006, 20:33
Mixed visions in Morocco
Plenty of surprises along the way for Sten Muchow as he travells from Tarifa to Marrakech.

Asia Pacific - 17 Nov, 2006, 09:28
A red night out with Thailand's ping pong girls
Leslie Adams heads out to the sleaziest streets of Bangkok to find Asia's finest strippers and is duly impressed. He's less charmed, however, by his fellow voyeurs.

Europe - 17 Nov, 2006, 00:42
Spain's Canary Islands shelter uncommon beauty
Halfway up the lunar landscape of Mount Teide in Tenerife, Natasha Reed discovers that plants can grow in the most unlikeliest of places.

Pole to Pole - 17 Nov, 2006, 00:29
A cyclist's journey
There's a touch of masochism but also art and dedication in Alastair Humphrey's transglobal cyclefest: two years on the road through the world's most difficult cultures - and highest passes - at the steady pedal pace of a bicylist online.

Africa - 16 Nov, 2006, 19:13
A hot and feverish adventure
Glenn Standish gets a true taste of Africa when, on an educational exchange in Kenya, he goes down with the continent's favourite parasite: malaria.

Europe - 16 Nov, 2006, 19:05
The way of the Gods
There are travel days where nothing goes right, says Luke Kadinopoulos, but in the Greek Islands he finds the best things happen when plans get unhinged.

Europe - 16 Nov, 2006, 18:55
Climbing "the Reek"
Not a natural athlete, Ian Middleton finds a strange pleasure in climbing one of Ireland's most famous mountains, Croagh Patrick.

Americas - 16 Nov, 2006, 18:48
High on Hawaii
Brendan Toole finds Pacific perfection in some, but not all, of the Hawaiian Islands.

Asia Pacific - 16 Nov, 2006, 18:40
Raising a glass to the Hunter Valley
Asutralia's leading wineries bring a smile to Salil Benegal's face through a long lunchtime tasting their finest vintages.

Asia Pacific - 14 Nov, 2006, 22:29
Tokyo confidential - a beginner's guide
Japan can be easy, says Susan Benton with her straighforward introduction to life, etiquette and more in Asia's economic powerhouse.

Africa - 14 Nov, 2006, 21:39
Rift Valley charity trek
Actionaid persuades photographer Roger Lever into walking through Kenya's highlands, sponsored every step. This, for those of us who can't or won't, is what it's all about.

Asia Pacific - 14 Nov, 2006, 21:09
Taken for a ride on a Thai tuk-tuk
Siamese taxi-cabs need to be devious when they've only got three wheels. Anthony Toole gets bounced around the Bangkok highlights by a succession of cunning touts.

Europe - 7 Nov, 2006, 23:47
The short trousers of Canary Islanders' law
It's not always an easy life, being young and exuberant in the Canary Islands. Luke Kadinopoulos finds the ironed shorts of the Spanish policemen brings out his inner delinquent.

Asia Pacific - 7 Nov, 2006, 23:05
Fiji unpackaged
Fiji is much more than just a Benidorm for New Zealanders. David Mould strays a little from the beaten track to find a whole new world in the working village of Levuka.

Asia Pacific - 2 Nov, 2006, 20:41
Touched by the Keren
Tribal rituals from Thailand's tallest peak provide Lisa Ashley Warshaw with an unforgettable introduction into hilltribe life.

Americas - 2 Nov, 2006, 20:37
Stepping on the Salt
The Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia's drum-flat pans of sunburned salt, strike a chord with Anthony Lye on a three-day jeep tour.

Americas - 2 Nov, 2006, 20:32
Expression on the edge: art in the asylum
The cultural capital of Latin America, Buenos Aires sets the pace. Richard Unwin finds art cropping up in the strangest places, including an Argentine mental institute.

Americas - 28 Oct, 2006, 18:36
Travelling the Lenca Trail
There's more to Honduras than just its glorious beaches, finds Nathan Richards as he goes for a serious walk.

Asia Pacific - 24 Oct, 2006, 09:56
Thailand uncovered in 'The Mercury Man'
It's not often we run film reviews in the Travelmag, but Warren Hately's experience of a Bangkok cinema makes some telling points about the cultural differences between East and West.

Americas - 23 Oct, 2006, 20:51
The cafe culture of Buenos Aires
There's always time for coffee in Argentina's capital, says Christian Denes as he settles in to local life.

Americas - 22 Oct, 2006, 20:23
Camping it up in Novia Scotia
Cape Breton Island, and Eric Lehman finds a family trip in tents gets in touch with his inner cave-man.

Asia Pacific - 21 Oct, 2006, 16:04
Fraser Island in an Aussie cyclone
In Australia they say that Poms always whinge. Sarah Gwynn proves them wrong: her complaints are much more forthright when a trip off the Queensland coast proves something of a washout.

Asia Pacific - 20 Oct, 2006, 19:57
Melbourne, city of soaps-stars and penguins
After a particularly traumatic coach journey, Amy Richardson arrives in Australia's cultural centre to find it's the pengins who've set the city's fashion sense.

Wars leave scars. Alex Welsh finds Salvadorian society still affected by the memories of a conflict that shook Central America

Europe - 19 Oct, 2006, 19:49
Colours of Granada
A new friendship takes Natalie Gowans well off the tourist trail in southern Spain.

Editorials - 19 Oct, 2006, 15:08
Competition: Camping/Touring kit and Heater Meals
Self-heating meals take the hassle out of camping: here the makers of Heater Meals offer a selection of their travel dishes, a set of Visit Britain Touring Guides and a hamper of outdoor gear including a top of the range tent and sleeping bag. Competition now closed...

Africa - 17 Oct, 2006, 19:00
Bye Bye Ramadan
A month of fasting sets the scene, in Senegal, for the Tabeski sacrifice. Kari Masson is welcomed into a village community to share in the celebrations.

Asia Pacific - 17 Oct, 2006, 18:25
Thailand's 'Rubber Triangle'
Upcountry Siam and Lisa Ashley Warshaw goes way below the surface of rural life as she studies the agricultural economy at micro scale.

Americas - 17 Oct, 2006, 17:38
A Japanese house comes to Buenos Aires
Moving house can be hard, but an Argentine couple return from 20 years in Tokyo complete with their house. Terence Baker reports on a project designed to show the Argentines an eastern perspective.

Americas - 16 Oct, 2006, 17:41
Making like a Mayan in upcountry Belize
Thomas Lera takes the New River to reach Lamanai, one of the most impressive pre-Colombian ruins in Central America.

Editorials - 8 Oct, 2006, 20:04
The Star Alliance: a mirage of air travel?
It may be launched as a new way to integrate world travel, but Justin Firth finds the Star Alliance completely fails to float his travel boat.

Africa - 8 Oct, 2006, 16:12
Building a better Botswana
A pioneering bush school aims to ease Botswana's orphans over the dangerous adolescent years and set them up for a self-sufficient future. Georgi Marshall gives the project the thumbs-up.

Europe - 8 Oct, 2006, 15:28
Toscana Americana
Tuscany, Italy and Linda Oatman High tells the tale of her writing classes for groups of visiting Americans.

Americas - 8 Oct, 2006, 15:11
Hopping across Hopewell Rocks
New Brunswick, Canada, and Judith Liddell finds the world's largest tidal flow adds a touch of drama to the coastal landscape.

Americas - 8 Oct, 2006, 14:39
Have kayak will travel
Thanks, in part, to heightened security, Bart Allen Berry can't check in his kayak when he flies to America's East Coast. But a borrowed boat plays havoc with his fishing.

Africa - 8 Oct, 2006, 13:23
Giving help to Ghana
Volunteer teacher Susan Mintz finds West Africa changes her perceptions, not just of Ghana, but also of her native Canada.

Americas - 7 Oct, 2006, 17:19
Turismo Guinea Pigs in El Salvador
Nathan Richards strays well off the Central American Gringo Trail in El Salvador, where he finds a tourist industry finding its feet.

Central Asia - 22 Sep, 2006, 18:10
More than a mountain
Everest Base Camp, and Connie Szeto finds that Nepal's high-altitude beauty gives her a new perspective on life and love.

Central Asia - 5 Sep, 2006, 13:30
Trekking Nepal's Gokyo Lakes
Everest region in the Himalayas, and Dr Ravi Shankar sets off to explore a classic trekking route to Gokyo Lakes.

Americas - 5 Sep, 2006, 12:07
Written in bone: discovering America's past
Two hundred years after Lewis and Clark tracked the Missouri River, Walter Williams traces their steps to discover rock art and remains that bring back the past.

History is almost a dirty world in novelty-obsessed Los Angeles, but Summer Block finds California's past alive and well in one of the city's most novel - and little-known - attractions, the Velaslavasay Panorama.

Europe - 5 Sep, 2006, 11:48
Ireland's Megalithic heritage
Forget the Pyramids or Stonehenge: Keith Rhoades says Newgrange is far older and more affecting, an Irish monument to ancient beliefs.

Asia Pacific - 5 Sep, 2006, 11:44
Mind your manners in modern Japan
Respect is firmly on the agenda in Japanese society, says Matt Nighswongeras he sees a society unashamed to encourage politeness.

Asia Pacific - 5 Sep, 2006, 11:38
Walking on the moon
New Zealand, and John M. Edwards bravely lets a stray Glaswegian turn his mountain tramp into a climbing expedition.

Europe - 5 Sep, 2006, 11:24
A spa too far in southern France
Radioactive waters might not seem obviously healthy, but the residents of Bagnoles de l'Orne swear by their toxic streams. Kathryn Morton takes a thermal break and comes out all aglow.

Americas - 5 Sep, 2006, 11:13
A free bite at the Big Apple
Louise Schutte gets a free introduction to New York with a personal guided tour by 'Big Apple Greeters', a charity welcoming tourists to a sometimes overwhelming urban hothouse.

From the markets of Ulan Bator to the windswept steppes, Phil Boyle finds plenty to like as he crosses one of the world's final travel frontiers.

Central Asia - 5 Sep, 2006, 10:10
A spiritual dawn on the Ganges
As dawn breaks over India's holiest river, Valerie Collins takes a boat on the water as Varanasi stirs into life.

Asia Pacific - 2 Sep, 2006, 17:50
Quartz-rush in rural China
Upcountry China and Alaric DeArment discovers the city of Donghai is bursting with crystals, a financial boom-town with mystical overtones.

Americas - 1 Sep, 2006, 18:38
Paraty is perfect
Southern Brazil and Nickolay Todorov finds a UNESCO site cradled in jungle, embraced by the sea and within easy reach of Sao Paolo or Rio.

Americas - 1 Sep, 2006, 17:31
Surviving the Grouse Grind
Venture out of Vancouver to climb the Grouse Mountain, says Louise Schutte, for Canada's easy way to achieve that exhilarating stairmaster effect.

Americas - 1 Sep, 2006, 16:48
The American Patient
Bolivia's not a great place to check into hospital, says Stephen Paske after eight days in bed.

Europe - 1 Sep, 2006, 15:06
Reflections from a Scottish mountain
Scotland's Highlands are no place for the faint-hearted, finds Mark Gillies as he heads for a mountaintop in the teeth of a gale.

Americas - 1 Sep, 2006, 14:52
Easy in El Salvador
Out of the way, with nothing extraordinary for the camera and with a marred reputation, El Salvador remains one of the least travelled countries in Latin America. Alex Welsh dives in.

Americas - 1 Sep, 2006, 14:30
The Grand Canyon - but not as you know it
Nickolay Todorov drives through Arizona to Toroweep to take the remote lava route to a little-visited stretch of canyon beyond the viewpoint belt.

France's canalways provide James Belsham with an unforgettable experience of rural food and wine at its finest.

Europe - 1 Sep, 2006, 14:15
West Country Pilgrim
Professor of Literature Eric Lehman takes an almost religious approach to his travels in Ireland as he treads in the steps of the world's great poets.

Europe - 1 Sep, 2006, 14:01
The Walls of Madrid
Terje Raa finds himself captivated by art hanging in the Spanish capital in this aesthetic tour.

Europe - 21 Aug, 2006, 23:48
Germany's memorials to the Nazi movement
A moving account by Jim Marquez of Germany's memorials to the Third Reich's Holocaust: timely when the world's patience with the Zionists has thoroughly frayed.

Americas - 20 Aug, 2006, 22:25
You're always young in San Francisco
Forget the stereotypes and ease your way into the cultured heart of West Coast America's most romanticised cities, says Richard Cheadle. There's a world beyond Fisherman's Wharf.

Asia Pacific - 20 Aug, 2006, 22:13
Meeting Moses for a kava binge
Pacific life proves a tropical idyll for Justin Calderon as he's welcomed into the daily world of a small village in Fiji.

Americas - 20 Aug, 2006, 22:04
When coke appears on a Bolivian bus
Eight kilos of cocaine spell a few scary hours for Stephen Paske when it's found by officials on the Chilean border with Bolivia. Trouble is, it really ISN'T his.

Africa - 17 Aug, 2006, 22:45
Addo: South Africa's finest park
Most of South Africa's game reserves are expensive suburbs plonked alongside almost-tamed game. Addo National Park is different, finds James Sheil as he tries to find a malaria-free animal experience within reasonable range of Cape Town.

Africa - 17 Aug, 2006, 22:17
Lesson to teacher: yell!
With all its frustrations, Kolby Granville knows his performance, as teacher, has the power to change lives in rural Mozambique. Which doesn't leave him the space to fail faltering students.

Europe - 17 Aug, 2006, 21:35
The dreariness of Dublin
A cheap flight from Swansea lures Barry Napier to Ireland, but he finds the Oirish dream falls rather short of the marketing hype.

Havana's pre-capitalist appeal doesn't just melt ice-creams: it also seduces Leisha Grebinski with its innocent charm.

Central Asia - 17 Aug, 2006, 20:55
All aboard for the Trans-Siberian Express
In the midst of a very early mid-life crisis, David Dueker boards Russia's infamous railway marathon and finds the locals friendly - as long as you share drinks.

Africa - 10 Aug, 2006, 20:37
Going solo on safari
You don't have to succumb to Kenya's safari industry - though you might need them to tow you out of the sand. Natalie Idehen arranges her own safari and sets off with a friend. Her rental vehicle proves something of a disappintment but the experience a treat.

Americas - 10 Aug, 2006, 20:26
Charity begins in New York City
You don't associate New Yorker's with hospitality, let alone charity. But Cate Mallon finds a network of volunteers who are prepared to simply - and charmingly- share their home city with strangers.

Europe - 10 Aug, 2006, 18:53
A strangely trippy Lanzarote day
When Erica Johansson's surfing lesson is cancelled on Spain's Canary Islands, she sets out, with her sister, on a strangely disconnected exploration of the wider world.

Los Angelino Jim Marquez never misses a good game of football, and when the US qualifies for the World Cup he has to be there. This is a tale of a journey across Europe by a fan in freefall.

Central Asia - 8 Aug, 2006, 22:52
Eye for a bargain
When it comes to cheap glasses, Lynne Reynolds says there's nowhere to match China's capital city, and the eyeglass market in downtown Beijing.

Africa - 1 Aug, 2006, 22:16
Bar-girls and beer in coastal Tanzania
Expat Mark Gillies reports from the frontline of Africa's late-night drinking culture and finds a world living by different rules in the dusty suburbs of Dar es Salaam.

Americas - 1 Aug, 2006, 22:13
Spanish lessons in Mexico
Oaxaca, and Julie Greenwald finds her language classes have lulled her into Mexican Time.

It never seemed likely that Jim Marquez's last night in Paris would end cleanly, no matter the prospect of an enticing girl. He does his bit for French/American relations and after only one riot escapes to catch his plane.

Africa - 1 Aug, 2006, 21:25
Encounter on the Highveld
Spotting the 'Big Five' is only small beer Salil Bengal as he heads out into South Africa's Kruger park. What he wants to see is something big and stripey being eaten - raw.

Africa - 25 Jul, 2006, 21:23
Searching for a signal in rural Mozambique
In a typically remote Peace Corps posting Kolby Granville feels a sudden need to hear a voice from home. But buying a cellphone proves only half a solution.

Central Asia - 25 Jul, 2006, 16:43
The myth of India's economic boom
Seen from the modest perspective of a Calcutta street, India's status as a global tiger economy seems a bit of a pipe dream to Qingquan Lu.

South Africa's elephants are not all friendly, finds Mark Gillies as he works as a game ranger in Pongola. And some do the most unexpected things.

Europe - 12 Jul, 2006, 06:38
Crash course in Italian driving
Lilly Allison has sunny memories of her student days in Italy. But her bubble soon bursts when she hits rush hour in Rome.

Europe - 10 Jul, 2006, 22:45
That turkey shave
Everyone, everywhere, finally needs a haircut. Peter McKenna gets an unexpected ear-burn from his barber in Istanbul.

Europe - 10 Jul, 2006, 22:16
Shamed into visiting Wales
Bronwen Aker finds her first name causes confusion in the States but a warm welcome in the mountains of Wales.

Americas - 10 Jul, 2006, 21:55
Peru's new 'Lost World of the Incas'
Hundreds of thousands come back from Peru unaware that just about 100 km or so from Machu Pichu lies another magnificent complex. Alex Welsh says Choquequirao is the true Lost City of the Inca.

Africa - 10 Jul, 2006, 21:44
At sea off Africa
Not many people feel the need to deliver an outboard motor from Dar es Salaam south to Mtwara. But Mark Gillies does, and this introduces him to the fear and suspense of a tramp steamer journey off the African coast.

Americas - 29 Jun, 2006, 20:48
Finding love on Love Beach, Bahamas
Just before Valentine's day, Barbara Edie gets dumped. But when she flies south to a borrowed Caribbean condo on 'Love Beach' she finds plenty of passion.

Europe - 29 Jun, 2006, 20:18
Greatness in the grotto
Palinuro, south of Naples, and Valerie Collins boards a small boat for some of Italy's least accessible sea caves - and chugs into another world.

Europe - 29 Jun, 2006, 15:50
Kayakoy, the eeriest ghost town in Turkey
Amongst the deserted houses and abandoned churches, Trent Rockwood feels the pulse of a departed population in a town that paid the price of Greece's war for independence.

Central Asia - 29 Jun, 2006, 14:33
Learning the awful Khmer language
Antonio Graceffo finds learning Cambodia's national language tells him a lot about the country's history. But working out how to read and write proves quite another matter.

Asia Pacific - 29 Jun, 2006, 13:58
Arriving in Hong Kong
There's nothing to match the vivid first impressions of a new place: Iso Rabins' account of China's newest colony barely gets him to his first hotel bed.

Asia Pacific - 29 Jun, 2006, 08:43
Making like a monk
Iona Hansell signs up for a backpacker course in Buddhist enlightenment in Thailand, land of smiles - but the reality proves something of a surprise.

Europe - 21 Jun, 2006, 21:55
A Kiwi climbs Snowdonia
Though she'd actually been looking for a quiet weekend break, Elizabeth Heritage gets filled with the Everest spirit as she stumbles her way to the summit of Mount Snowdon in Wales.

When Steve Hyatt flies into Nepal with his life savings, he cautiously doesn't advertise his wealth on the immigration form. Big mistake...

Africa - 13 Jun, 2006, 06:39
Out of breath on top of Africa
Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, and Shetal Shah finds it's not so easy to reach the summit.

Asia Pacific - 13 Jun, 2006, 05:59
Where spirits dwell
The tropical paradise of Malaysia's finest national park introduces Anthony Maddalena to endangered orangutans and a vision of hope for the future.

Deep in the southern hemisphere, Victor Rucker finds an unspoilt world as he heads down to Tierra del Fuego.

Central Asia - 13 Jun, 2006, 05:28
A Tibetan exile in Yangshuo
While Chinese hordes rush into Tibet, Amanda Fortier finds a lone Tibetan travelling the other way, holding on to her heritage in a southwestern province.

Asia Pacific - 13 Jun, 2006, 04:52
Charity begins at home
Salil Benegal dines out at Koto, Vietnam's pioneering restaurant run by Hanoi's street-kids.

Americas - 31 May, 2006, 10:32
Bahama comedy on an island bus
Love Beach, Bahamas, and Barbara Edie finds a ride on a local bus reveals all the islands' laid-back charm.

Europe - 31 May, 2006, 09:51
Hunting turkey in Turkey
Thanksgiving, and all good Americans like to celebrate by stuffing themselves with a big bird. None more than John M Edwards, but he has a problem. Where, in Turkey, can he find a turkey?

Central Asia - 19 May, 2006, 21:38
A stitch in time
Xiangfan, Hubei, China - or rather a nearby village called 'Factory' and Corey Mazurat finds getting clothes mended is more of an achievement than getting them made.

Africa - 17 May, 2006, 20:04
He's Mr Nowhere Man
Mauritius, and John M Edwards find's he's within spitting distance of that perfect beach.

Africa - 15 May, 2006, 20:50
No romance in Ruaha
Despite the attempts of her scorned ex-lover, it's Tanzania's least noticed National Park that seduces Hannah Forbes Black.

Asia Pacific - 11 May, 2006, 20:18
Paradise in the Perhentians
In the South China Seas off the coast of Malaysia, the Perhentian Islands represent paradise to Farzina Alam.

Central Asia - 11 May, 2006, 19:47
Looking for a towel in upcountry China
Just out of Shanghai, Taylor Kopp finds remnants of a far older China in the provincial town of Souzhou. Though it's still not easy to dry off after a shower.

Europe - 11 May, 2006, 19:37
Athens, an anthropologist's view
Taking a professional look at Greece's capital, Ioannis Tsoukalas decides - and decides to prove - it's Europe's most 'organic' city.

Europe - 11 May, 2006, 19:16
Bar snacks or cultural items: a taste of Venice
While the Spanish have tapas, the Italians snack on bacari. Though Venice is by no means known for its cuisine, in the interests of research Robert Santagata sets out on a gastronomic tour of the city's finest bars.

Central Asia - 8 May, 2006, 10:57
Could this be the future for Chinese pop music?
From the frontline of China's gloriously awful pop music scene, Tom Pellman is brought on to help play Beatles' covers and sees the first signs of a rock industry being born.

Central Asia - 8 May, 2006, 10:46
When the train is the strain
Melissa Cullen has a plane to catch. Trouble is, it's leaving from Mumbai and she decides to get there on India's infamously leisurely rail system - without a reservation.

Africa - 4 May, 2006, 14:14
Shopping for Africa's islands
Offshore Tanzania and the gas companies are starting to think about mining tourist dollars by developing beach resorts. Hannah Forbes Black surveys some real estate best sold at low tide.

Americas - 4 May, 2006, 13:29
Nicaragua, a Central American gem
The Sandinista days may be long gone, but in Nicaragua John Spampinato finds a resourceful people, building a new society under a chain of smouldering volcanoes.

Africa - 3 May, 2006, 04:42
A tale of two South Africas
Volunteering to help with an Aids charity in South Africa proved a rewarding experience for Damaris Young, but away from the orphanage she learns more about South Africa's continuing divisions.

Asia Pacific - 1 May, 2006, 18:08
The Easy Riders of modern Vietnam
After the hustle of worldly-wise Hoi An, Laura Sullivan finds motorbike cruising is the perfect way to escape, travelling Highway 1 into the Highlands to taste Vietnam's bitter past.

Belinda Lam expected to lose weight on her Latin American travels. No chance, she says, when Peruvian cuisine is GREAT.

Europe - 1 May, 2006, 17:39
Arendal adventure
Norway proves an unexpected delight for Ian Abbott. Marooned in a foreign language, getting lost is just part of a slightly mystifying exploration of a culture with more than a touch of 'Lord of the Rings'.

Asia Pacific - 1 May, 2006, 17:25
At the foot of Mount Cook
Catherine Pardey tackles one of New Zealand's greatest tramps in this report from the snowline.

It may not be the most famous city in Andalucia, but in Antequera Terje Raa finds an unspoilt gem of Spain at its best.

Central Asia - 26 Apr, 2006, 14:44
No enlightenment please: I just want to look around
India's mountain town of Rishikesh is stuffed with mystics searching for spiritual wisdom. They're missing the point, says James Mutti: it's just a nice place to be.

Americas - 23 Apr, 2006, 20:52
New Orleans diary
It's a while since Hurricane Katrina, but long after the cameras have left Anita Micossi finds New Orleans still struggling with its lethal legacy.

Central Asia - 18 Apr, 2006, 14:56
Painting India red
Brent Lewin hits the busy streets of Mathura for the Holi Festival, India's celebration of colour, when the streets run with dyes and paints.

Africa - 18 Apr, 2006, 14:47
Taking the slow boat to Tunisia
Peter Friedman doesn't rush his trip to Tunisia, avoiding airports and sailing across the Med. This leisurely approach extends to exploring this desert nation and lets him glimpse an ancient culture.

The capital of Latvia is fast becoming Europe's stag party capital, but Abigail Laing finds there's plenty to see beyond the clubs and bars.

Asia Pacific - 15 Apr, 2006, 18:53
Thrills and spills in modern Vietnam
Andrea Crome finds Southeast Asia's tiger economy gives her a plenty to think about. 'I think' said the scooter taxi, revving his tiny motor, 'you might have an accident'.

Asia Pacific - 27 Mar, 2006, 14:23
Doing that Thirroul thing
When it comes to the arts, writers, musicians and painters have plundered the spectacular beauty of this coastal town just south of Sydney for well over a century. But Jackey Coyle found that its people are the real thing, too.

Americas - 27 Mar, 2006, 09:33
The branding of Lewis and Clark
Two hundred years after Lewis and Clark explored the route between the Pacific Ocean and St Louis, a frenzy of commercialisation is cashing in on their memory. David Mould reports on a heritage boom.

Americas - 26 Mar, 2006, 21:27
Medellin - the most dangerous city on earth
Colombia's most infamous drug city might have Latin America's highest rates of kidnap and murder, but its residents call it 'Paradise'. Tom Glaister strolls Medellin's mean streets and begins to understand their dangerous appeal.

Americas - 26 Mar, 2006, 15:25
Cooler than thou: lost in Austin
Sara Whelan attends the South by Southwest music festival and finds Texas is the perfect place to appreciate the atmosphere of a legendary indie rock-fest.

Middle East - 26 Mar, 2006, 11:19
Finding Hurghada's Red Sea soul
While most visitors concentrate on suntans and dive-sites, David Kingsley finds a whole new dimension to Egypt's top beach resort.

Middle East - 26 Mar, 2006, 11:13
A time of tension in Israel's election
Palestine's future hangs in the balance as Israel goes to the polls. Jack Shenker reports from the prime flashpoint of the Middle East.

Americas - 25 Mar, 2006, 19:37
A glance behind the business of Denali National Park
There's a whole new side to Alaska, finds Justin Bilton as he finds the sub-culture behind one of the state's best-known parks is more interesting than the bears that fill the visitor's camera lenses.

Europe - 25 Mar, 2006, 19:26
Losing Amsterdam in the haze
Most weekends in Holland's capital get somewhat demented, and Natasha Carrington-James finds her memory affected by the city's irresistible joie-de-vivre.

As a Professor of Asian Studies, Daniel Métraux knows a good archaeological site when he sees one. Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, he says, is North America's finest ruin.

Asia Pacific - 4 Mar, 2006, 00:16
Daydreaming in Dakak
On an idyllic island in the Philippines, Carlos Munda finds his mind drifting off with the light Pacific breeze.

Americas - 3 Mar, 2006, 23:48
Way up the Orinoco
When John Spampinato wants to get off the beaten trail he doesn't do things by halves. Here he heads off down Venezuela's greatest river and, just to be safe, brings along his own woman. Together they find a wild welcome in one of the world's largest remaining jungles.

Americas - 3 Mar, 2006, 23:33
Hugging Caronlina's coast
There's nothing famous about America's Route 17. Not yet, says Dianna Beaufort, as she rents a car and drives an overlooked part of the US of A.

Asia Pacific - 3 Mar, 2006, 23:20
At home with the Akha
Antonio Graceffo finds himself hankering after the simple things of life when he visits a hilltribe village and finds every day seems to bring something new.

Americas - 3 Mar, 2006, 20:35
Filming Alaska's bears
Katmai National Park and Michael Bret Hood finds the BBC and animal planet filming North America's endangered bears - and discovers just how hard this is.

Japan's smallest city, Utashinai, is slowly dying on its feet. Tim Patterson finds, however, plenty to like about the place as it explodes into what might be its last big fiesta.

In Afghanistan's capital, Brent Lewin meets the young kids who are giving up their education to eke a living selling hopeful herbs to drivers stuck in traffic.

Europe - 1 Mar, 2006, 22:18
A Kiwi in Sheffield
New Zealanders are hardly an endangered species in London, but Elizabeth Heritage finds a much warmer welcome when she's apparently the only one to visit (on purpose) England's northern cities.

Asia Pacific - 1 Mar, 2006, 21:48
Buddha in a tuk-tuk
Time on Thailand's unspoilt islands is well spent for Nicholas Jarrett in this report from the edge of paradise.

Europe - 24 Feb, 2006, 17:52
Rural France and the easy life
Though he had been planning to head back to his Gascony campsite, Ben Scotting was easily diverted into a rural bar for a quick French lesson in the art of living well.

Africa - 24 Feb, 2006, 17:34
Gorillas in the Dark
Uganda, and Michael French seeks advice about how to respond to a silverback's charge. In the event there's no aggression in his meeting with Bwindi's mountain gorillas.

Americas - 10 Feb, 2006, 22:33
Stuck in the path of Hurricane Rita
Houston, September 2005, and Hurricane Rita is heading her way. Traffic clogs in a car-culture panic and Becky White finds learns that she loves her adopted home city a lot more than she'd realised.

Americas - 10 Feb, 2006, 13:37
The looong trail to Machu Picchu
Peru's highlight is quite a walk away, finds Tanya Abramsky as she labours up the mountain trails. But smugness replaces tiredness when she finally reaches the Inca's most impressive ruins.

Still searching for that perfect beach? Good news. Tim Patterson's found it. He reports from King's Island, an ultimate paradise, sunning itself off the coast of southwestern Cambodia.

Asia Pacific - 10 Feb, 2006, 11:36
Memoirs of a Samurai
When Lyn Fox decides to study martial arts, there's only one place to do it properly: a leading dojo in Kyoto, Japan.

Americas - 10 Feb, 2006, 02:48
Escape to British Colombia
Richard Harvey finds peace amidst nature on a camping trip into Canada's hinterlands.

Europe - 3 Feb, 2006, 10:19
An Azores encounter with Atlantic whales
Mid-Atlantic and the Azores Islands: about the last place you'd expect to meet sociable strangers. But Wade Hughes gets a warm welcome from the denizens of the deep.

Asia Pacific - 2 Feb, 2006, 12:28
Living in Pol Pot's long shadow
When writer Antonio Graceffo meets a Khmer exile driving a New York taxi, he teases out a tragic tale. Cambodia's genocide continues to leave its poisonous legacy among traumatised survivors.

Europe - 1 Feb, 2006, 23:34
Penniless in Paris
Michael French aims for Paris and finds getting 'down and out' is easy to do.

Asia Pacific - 1 Feb, 2006, 15:05
Japan: it is what it is
As a summary of a culture, 'It is what it is' may sound trite. But Matt Nighswonger backs up his analysis of what makes the Japanese so distinctively different in this thoughtful essay.

Latin America's far south is not easy to reach by public transport. But Lisa Hansson brings the trip to life and her photos prove it's all worthwhile.

Americas - 1 Feb, 2006, 13:05
Pantanal Pleasures
The natural beauty of Brazil's famous wilderness wetlands inspire John Spampinato to flush his career down an armadillo burrow, but keeps his pen and camera dry to send back this report.

The Nazi-designed holiday camp of Prora in northern Germany is a deserted monument to a discredited philosophy. Paul Scraton visits and finds a cultural resonance that should be preserved.

Americas - 1 Feb, 2006, 08:46
Pain and perseverance in Peru's 'Sacred Valley'
In the shade of Machu Picchu poverty lives on, as the descendants of the Incas struggle to survive in an unforgiving lanascape. Julie Koppel meets a resilient, resourceful people on the edge of greatness.

Asia Pacific - 1 Feb, 2006, 03:23
Beached in Boracay
The most famous beaches in the Philippines prove a crowded, exhausting experience for dive instructor Carlos Munday, in this report from the front line of a tourist boom.

Europe - 1 Feb, 2006, 02:39
Gdansk in all its Glory
A suspicious catholic granny plays the opening note on Stephen Morse's entertaining tour of Poland's revolutionary heartland.

Europe - 1 Feb, 2006, 02:29
Done Prague? Then Czech out Bohemia
Most visitors to the Czech Republic never get further than Prague. They're missing a lot, says Gill Clark.

Europe - 1 Feb, 2006, 01:17
Piedmontese small steps
Piedmont people are called “Bugianen” because they are reluctant to go forward, literally and figuratively. In this extract from his book about Italy, Hary Fuller examines social immobility.

On the mysterious Indonesian island of Sumatra, John M. Edwards searches for the Missing Link. . . .

Central Asia - 12 Jan, 2006, 22:51
May China rest in peace
When Justin Bindman starts teaching in Hefei, in China's Anhui province, he finds most of the locals firmly asleep. This sparks a photographic collection of Asia's most notable nappers.

Americas - 6 Jan, 2006, 18:03
Inca ruins without the crowds
While the masses head for Machu Picchu Julie Koppel climbs to an altogether quieter and more amospheric site. In Choquequirau she finds the secrecy and solitude of Peru's Inca heritage are still unspoiled.

Central Asia - 6 Jan, 2006, 17:58
Tibetan Revolutions
While the Chinese are abandoning their bikes and buying cars, Stephen Barnes chooses pedal power to explore their greatest colony, the Himalayan Kingdom of Tibet.

"Just call me Britney" is the start of a confusing encounter for Justin Herman as he drinks expensive whisky in a Bangkok nightclub. Luckily he keeps his head - and wallet.

For many Hong Kong is just an urban destination, with the city pursuits of shopping, grazing, and doing lunch. Antonia Graceffo, on the other hand, explores its adventurous side by joining a group ramble up the peak.

Travelling to the small village of HD Kote takes rather longer than Jo Sinclair expects, but she seems to be the only person in South India in any sort of rush.

Africa - 19 Dec, 2005, 11:25
A mzungu's first day at teaching Tanzania
Her first day in a Tanzanian school proves something of an eye-opener for Iona Hansell, as she begins to understand why African schoolkids are so well-behaved.

Europe - 19 Dec, 2005, 09:17
Just a pound per photo at Camden's open zoo
Punks and goths have turned London's Camden Market into one of the UK's leading tourist destinations, but Leisha Grebinski uncovers an undercurrent of tension as past fashions marinade in beer and hairspray.

Middle East - 19 Dec, 2005, 09:07
Depressed by Dubai
The economic miracle that has transformed the United Arab Emirate of Dubai strikes a hollow chord with Gareth Platt, who finds little to love about an oasis of bling.

Asia Pacific - 19 Dec, 2005, 09:05
Cycling Australia's Nullabor desert
There's a perfectly good road crossing the Nullabor Plain, the largest desert in a country with plenty to choose from. It's an epic drive and even more of an adventure by bicycle, as Philip Martins reports.

Drones and the first stirrings of independent thought greet Matt Crawford as he travels through the remote fairy-tale world of Kim Il Sung-and-son and its wannabe international resort town of Geumgangsan.

Europe - 19 Dec, 2005, 08:30
Earning the views of the Cumbrian Lake District
There's only one way to experience Britain's Lake District landscapes, and that's on foot, says Eric Lehman, who has the blisters to prove it.

Middle East - 19 Dec, 2005, 07:51
An invite too far in modern Marrakesh
Morocco in Ramadan and American Barbara Foster finds herself watching a holiday friendship slide into financial exploitation - and as darkness falls on the Marrakesh suburbs it looks, for a moment, as if there's worse to come.

Central Asia - 16 Dec, 2005, 19:35
A little slice of German China
Expat teacher Bianca Laleh finds the Chinese city of Qingdao retains traces of German conquest - and a friend who can watch movies on her own computer but has never used a knife and fork.

Europe - 15 Dec, 2005, 09:59
A cruise too far
Julie Cline's salutory tale of the manifold horrors of exploring Europe by cruise line might serve to warn vulnerable travellers of the dangers inherent in cattle-ship tourism.

Europe - 15 Dec, 2005, 09:45
On board the London-Lauterbrunnen express
The romance of rail lives on for Gillian Auld as an unplanned weekend break sees her rattling across Europe on a lively night train for a few days amongst the mountains of Switzerland.

Forget Thai scare stories. John Dwyer encounters the kindness of a stranger when he climbs into a taxi at Bangkok airport.

Europe - 15 Dec, 2005, 08:09
An unwilling convert to France
Catherine Gaa really doesn't want to spend her summer vacation in France, let alone in chaparoned by her eccentric grandfather. But she finds herself falling for the qualities of her elderly host and the Gallic charm of his friends.

Central Asia - 14 Dec, 2005, 22:13
A gold-tooth glint from Armenia
The traditional advice is be careful, doing business with Armenians. But Peter Speetjens finds that, on their home ground, they're a much gentler breed.

Africa - 14 Dec, 2005, 21:37
Meeting Kenya's lions
You don't see many lion in Pakistan, says Menel Ahmed after her first journey to Kenya's Masai Mara.

Americas - 14 Dec, 2005, 21:28
Beware bears bringing gifts
Cycling from New York to New Orleans isn't all that hard, says Sarah Nelson. Until you reach the up up up of the Skyline Drive into the Appalachians, where you don't just hit hills, but also their residents.

Americas - 14 Dec, 2005, 21:17
Gotta give way to an Anchorage moose
Alaska's not an obvious place to set out on a bike-fide, but Justin Bilton finds the Chester Creek Trail a route into an unexpected world.

Europe - 14 Dec, 2005, 21:09
Commuting into Hell
London's morning tube is a daily rite of passage for thousands of communters. Jake Rusznyak describes his morning journey to Knightsbridge in truly horrific detail.

Africa - 9 Dec, 2005, 09:42
All aboard the lunatic express
The train from Nairobi to Mombasa has a somewhat faded reputation, so most people fly from Kenya's capital to the coast. Tia Goldenberg is made of sterner stuff and brings back a rare report of a classic rail journey.

Asia Pacific - 9 Dec, 2005, 08:47
A speedboat ride from hell
Tioman's image as a sunkissed paradise is slightly undermined by Jane Hannon's experience on a grass-roots Malaysian ferry service, which leaves her slightly green and glad to be alive.

Central Asia - 27 Nov, 2005, 04:59
A glimpse of Indian heaven
Lydia Dean catches sight of humanity at its most affecting in her time working at an orphanage in southern India.

The economic miracle that is modern Japan owes nothing to its educational regime, says teacher Matt Nighswonger in this critical look that uncovers a system failing its students.

Americas - 27 Nov, 2005, 04:24
Zoo York
America's finest city leaves it's indelible footprint on Jake Rusznyak in this dizzying eight-night tour de force.

Europe - 27 Nov, 2005, 03:40
Getting attached to Romania
There can be more to travelling, says Megan Tady, with this report of a volunteer's experience working with Rumanian orphans.

Americas - 27 Nov, 2005, 03:30
In very slight praise of Renzo Piano
Atlanta's new Museum of Art confirms Johanna Lee's strikingly low opinion of one of the world's most respected architects.

Central Asia - 24 Nov, 2005, 20:33
Forget China's famous wall: they have another...
The Chinese love walls, says Philip Sen, as he finds a beautifully-preserved example in Pingyao - and a whole lot of Asia's ancient culture sheltering in its shade.

Europe - 24 Nov, 2005, 20:26
Well off Turkey's tourist trail
If you want to find out more about Turkey's very different culture, you have to look beyond the beach resorts, says Daniel Cook as he heads out to the remote southeast.

Americas - 10 Nov, 2005, 00:06
Nothing sexist about the Island of Women
Unimpressed by the scantily-clad holidaymakers of Cancun, Tee Dubya finds a gentler appeal on Mexico's nearby Isla Mujeres.

Asia Pacific - 9 Nov, 2005, 23:31
Adrift on Tonle Sap
Floating around the fishing villages that fringe Tonle Sap lake brings new unsights to Antonio Graceffo, as he travels by boat around rural Vietnam, and dips his hook into the wet season floods that serve as a fish larder.

Asia Pacific - 9 Nov, 2005, 23:18
A very Japanese haven
If you've been working for a while in one of Japan's cities, you'll be looking quite urgently for a rural getaway. Matt Nighswonger finds peace within weekend distance of Tokyo.

Europe - 9 Nov, 2005, 23:14
An expat cyclist's view of Europe
After two years on a bicycle seat, Alastair Humphreys has a new perspective on Europe as he pedals his way back home.

Europe - 9 Nov, 2005, 23:00
Battlefield tourism: nothing new
Thomas Cook tours of WW1 trenches were only interrupted by their being full of bodies. Neil Hanson finds that war tourism started a very long time ago.

Asia Pacific - 9 Nov, 2005, 20:43
A very Malaysian cup of tea
In Malaysia's highlands, Nic Havers finds a relaxing cup of tea is just the prelude to a whole range of unexpected adventures.

Europe - 9 Nov, 2005, 20:38
More than cheese in the town of Gouda
An obscure Dutch city known mainly for its cheese proves an unexpected delight for Johanna Lee, who finds chips and Chinese food are also on the menu.

Middle East - 9 Nov, 2005, 20:28
Syria, a land older than history
Syria's ancient deserts and scarcely more youthful ruins enthrall Habeeb Salloum as he tours the country and discovers the ancient tomb of Mari.

Europe - 9 Nov, 2005, 20:21
The Ghost of Henry Miller
Heros and Gods infest mainland Greece and her islands as Eric D. Lehman explores in the footsteps of a great writer.

Pole to Pole - 9 Nov, 2005, 19:31
Sleep Ahoy!
Seasonally aquired depression? Lisa Holm has the cure, with a couple of options for relaxing in luxury through the European winter.

Central Asia - 31 Oct, 2005, 10:12
Confucius say... visit Qufu
The great philosopher, Confucius, was born in Qufu, where Philip Sen discovers a spiritual oasis that has endured through the Cultural Revolution and China's new rush to economic growth.

Central Asia - 31 Oct, 2005, 10:03
To Russia - with soap
Antonia Malchik discovers a whole new side to Moscow when she gatecrashes the all-male preserve of the Sandunovsky public baths.

Europe - 31 Oct, 2005, 09:17
Hoping for rain off the coast of Ireland
Through the summer, Clare Island is almost a parody of the rural Irish idyll, says Catherine Mack, but even in October blue skies, warm smiles and a singles weekend make it a welcoming oasis well off Ireland's tourist trail.

Asia Pacific - 31 Oct, 2005, 08:42
The Hidden Treasure of Hoi An
Just up the Vietnamese coast from the better-known China Beach, Charlotte Turner finds a small riverside town that preserves the country's gentler traditions for a steady trickle of travellers.

Ever wondered about the hidden thoughts and concepts in the languages of the world? The discovery that there are 27 Albanian words for a moustache leads Adam Jacot de Boinod on a voyage of linguistic discovery.

Asia Pacific - 12 Oct, 2005, 01:10
Where faith-healing is your only chance
If you don't have money, healthcare in Cambodia barely exists. Antonio Graceffo finds a whole new village set up around a couple of well-meaning priests who claim to do miracles. Delusion, consolation or an effective medical model? Who knows.

Americas - 11 Oct, 2005, 23:26
A glimpse of a Bolivian hell
The saltmines of Potosí shock Paul Neville as he shares, for a day, the flickering quest for survival that is everyday life for Bolivia's unsung working classes.

The jungles of southern Mexico may look like broccoli from the air, but are even stranger from the ground, finds Nic Havers as he eco-tours Chiapas.

Europe - 11 Oct, 2005, 01:22
An argument for packaged skiing holidays
Travel solicitors Vizards Wyeth suggest it might be more dangerous than you think to internet book your own skiing holiday. European healthcare concessions are little use half-way up a distant mountain.

Europe - 11 Oct, 2005, 01:05
Beauty on an Italian beach
American Maureen McClain is slightly nervous about stepping out onto a body-conscious Italian beach. But she needn't have worried. No-one round there has fallen for the myth of Holywood woman.

Europe - 11 Oct, 2005, 00:29
Sentimental Sweden
The university city of Lund proves a tranquil inspiration for Terje Raa as he wanders Swedish streets and finds a fresh-faced innocence with a touch of Danish influence.

Most things happen slightly differently in Japan, and baseball games are no exception. Matt Nighswonger finds the girls with backpack beer packs a bit of a highlight, though the accompanying fish flakes he could do without.

Middle East - 7 Oct, 2005, 01:11
Taking tea in the Sinai
Rose Aslan leaves Cairo to hike amongst Egypt's mountain Bedouin and slows her pace to match a very different way of life.

Europe - 6 Oct, 2005, 14:38
How to trash a lovely island
Italians don't have a problem with rubbish. They just throw it away. Maureen McClain starts a one-woman campaign to clean up Sicily but it seems she's got a way to go.

Asia Pacific - 5 Oct, 2005, 07:36
Fish are food Angkor Wat's floods
Cambodia's wet season isn't the best time to cycle the 30km from Siem Reap to Angkor Wat. But Antonio Graceffo finds a significant advantage: he can catch some fish along the way.

Central Asia - 3 Oct, 2005, 22:15
Chatty about China
Leslie Adams blasts through China like a whirlwind, cutting a swath through the cultural highlights and pitting her wits against tricky Chinese traders.

It's not easy to make Canada sound very interesting, but Ryan Aldred makes a sterling case for the remote town of Halifax. Not many others try,,,

Europe - 1 Oct, 2005, 00:00
Hopping through the heart of Europe
Breaking an ankle is a major deterrent to travel, finds Clare Rabone as she hops and wheels her way through the city of Strasbourg.

Americas - 24 Sep, 2005, 20:34
Bluffing your way into travel journalism
Mark Burton feels a fraud as he passes himself off as a journalist after a shark attack in Honduras. But the piece he writes gets published and a new career is born.

Europe - 20 Sep, 2005, 16:31
In search of Sicily's shrimps
When Maureen McClain needs shrimp she doesn't just visit a supermarket: it just wouldn't be Italian enough. She heads down to the local fish market. fine so far. But things start to get complicated when she tries to buy ice.

Americas - 16 Sep, 2005, 09:47
A little Americana - and a whole lot of twine
Cawker, Kansas, is a relatively typical mid-western town, but for one thing. A huge ball of baling twine. Brian Hodges thinks this should be ranked alongside the Grand Canyon as one of America's great attractions.

Middle East - 15 Sep, 2005, 21:17
Wake up before Egypt gets crowded
Egypt's greatest sites don't have to be crowded, finds David Charles. Visit before the tour groups arrive and you can have the ruins of the Pharoahs all to yourself.

Asia Pacific - 15 Sep, 2005, 20:42
Fighting Tokyo's pesky pollen
David Leonard hits Japan in the middle of the Sakura festival, and finds a society that will take some time to understand. Ho hum. Everyone has to start somewhere - and he does.

One of Asia's greatest monuments still exists in an exciting, pre-commercial state, says Antonio Graceffo as he travels Cambodia.

Central Asia - 15 Sep, 2005, 19:02
Nepal's Panchase circuit
Trekker par excellence Ravi Shankar outlines a new trekking circuit starting from the village of Majanpur near Pokhara, a route with fantastic Annapurna views.

Asia Pacific - 15 Sep, 2005, 18:23
In with the Iban
A visit to Borneo opens up an almost-lost culture to Tanzila Mannan as he explores a little-visited part of Malaysia.

Europe - 15 Sep, 2005, 17:59
Time travel in the Channel
There's a certain calm to Guernsey, says Phil Woodford, as he takes a gradual tour of the Channel Islands, where driving at 25mph is considered really all-too-fast.

Central Asia - 15 Sep, 2005, 17:44
Flying back to Kerala
Mark Reynolds flies back to southern India to recapture the magic of a formative journey.

Asia Pacific - 14 Sep, 2005, 22:05
The noisy Buddhas of suburbia
Antonio Graceffo finds theworld's quietest religion makes a lot of noise in the middle of Taiwan if you're living right amongst it, even though the students seem to take it in their stride.

Central Asia - 14 Sep, 2005, 21:24
A very Hindu day
What starts as a temple visit becomes a very Indian experience as J. Alan Simmons stumbles into an evening Puja ceremony in Kolkata. All very moving but somehow I doubt he - or his wife - will ever convert.

Pole to Pole - 14 Sep, 2005, 21:12
Pedal slowly for insight
Five countries, eight states: Shetal Shah reckons the humble bicycle is the best way to melt into local cultures.

Europe - 14 Sep, 2005, 20:58
Ich spreche Italiano
Italian dreams come easily to John Geluardi as he strolls around the Tuscan hills - but speaking the language is a different matter.

Europe - 14 Sep, 2005, 19:44
Amazed by Malta
Malta's magic, says Chris Major after visiting one of the Mediterranean's most contested rock islands.

Americas - 14 Sep, 2005, 17:42
Bonding on the slopes
Kids can be tricky on holiday with their parents. Linda Oatman High finds a skiing holiday at Smuggler's Notch melts the generation gap.

Ulaan Bataar is the easy bit. Leslie Adams heads out into the Mongolian steppes, where four unexpected days on horseback give her a new respect for any jeep, even one that breaks down daily, and the sort of little luxuries you find in a what Russians call a yurt, the locals call a ger, and we'd call a rather makeshift tent.

Asia Pacific - 13 Sep, 2005, 16:40
The joys of selling a car in Australia
Aussies say they live in 'the Lucky Country'. But when Chip Sherman tries to sell his Ford Falcon car he gets caught in the web of regulations spun by Australia's infamous public service bureaucrats. Easygoing? Pull the other one.

Africa - 13 Sep, 2005, 16:10
Teaching through a West African downpour
Ghana and the wet season, but under tin roofs lessons must continue. Megan Tady reports from Abokobi, a village just outside Accra, with a tale from the front line of volunteer teaching in the developing world.

Europe - 13 Sep, 2005, 14:14
A little bit of London heaven
Just by the Thames Barrier there's a little-known patch of green: London's largest park in 50 years. Cathy Mack heads down between barges and Boeings to find a lavender-scented patch of paradise.

Americas - 11 Sep, 2005, 23:15
America's northwestern (contiguous) point
Born and brought up in Portland, Matt Wintrhop seems to think it's his parent's fault he has never motored out to America's northwestern point. Let's hope Ayrn, his girlfriend, is pleased by his satisfied snooze as he reflects and she drives home.

Europe - 11 Sep, 2005, 23:05
A practical guide to a practical country
Undoubtedly one of Europe's most civilised countries, Denmark struggles to find the wow factor to spark a tourism boom. Nigel Pattison gallops to the rescue with this step-by-step guide to a calm but appealing nation.

Middle East - 11 Sep, 2005, 19:49
A trading guide to Nile life
For every tourist at Egypt's greatest sights you'll find several determined traders. But Joseph Khouri finds this is all part of the Egyptian experience.

Asia Pacific - 11 Sep, 2005, 19:37
Rebuilding Cambodia - one woman at a time
As prostitution and aids sweep Cambodia, radio journalist Karoline Kemp visits to assess the continuing fall-out from the Khmer Rouge experiment in social disintegration.

Americas - 11 Sep, 2005, 19:18
Sidestepping the Inca Trail
The Peruvian government's restrictions on numbers trailing their way to Machu Picchu means it's now less crowded, but everyone's called Betty from Ohio. Katie Redding breaks a six-day trail of her own with local villagers for company.

Americas - 6 Sep, 2005, 21:40
Too low a flight from Vancouver
A seaplane ride seems an easy option to get across Canada's West-coast harbour to Luke S-P, but the airplane starts to act more like a torpedo as it heads towards a ship and both floats seem stuck to the water. For a long slow moment it seems he's made a bad mistake.

Asia Pacific - 4 Sep, 2005, 21:21
Phu Quoc: Vietnam's latest island in the sun
Vietnam's rush into the 21st century tourist industry requires a paradise island to compete with those of neighbouring Thailand. Now they've found one, in Phu Quoc off the southern coast. Niki Alltree finds a friendly and beautiful community about to be deluged by a huge and unexpected wave of resort development

Central Asia - 4 Sep, 2005, 20:49
Inspired by gorgeous Georgia
After four years on a bicycle, Alastair Humphreys knows a nice country when he pedals through one, and Georgia fits the bill. Just don't ask him about Turkmenistan..

Just carrying a camera is enough to mark Shetal Shah out as a tourist in Rajasthan's capital of hawkers and salesmen. But a lone trader has to work hard to make her 50 cent sale.

Central Asia - 2 Sep, 2005, 09:25
Let China's trains take the strain
Fly around China and you get free beer, comfort and speed. Take the train and most of the time you don't even get a seat. Matt Crawford gets elbowed, kneed and peed on through a series of long rail journeys.

Asia Pacific - 1 Sep, 2005, 19:58
In search of Sumatra's equator
It shouldn't be too hard to find the equator, given it goes right around the world, but David Leonard finds that in Indonesia this cartographer's myth gets little attention. Tracking down the real thing presents something of a challenge.

Europe - 1 Sep, 2005, 18:06
Literate and Leisured
Italy might seem a long way to go to read a book, but Stephanie Mahon finds a literary retreat just the ticket for a relaxing vacation.

Asia Pacific - 31 Aug, 2005, 20:27
Adventures in Taiwanese Cuisine
Martial arts aren't quite enough to save American Antonio Graceffo from failing to adapt to Taiwan's Chinese cuisine. It's easy to say that if he wants a hamburger perhaps he should just go home, but sometimes he has a point.

Europe - 31 Aug, 2005, 20:19
What to do with herrings
Herrings aren't just what God came up with to fill up bits of the sea when anxious to wrap up his creation on day six. They're big in Northumberland, apparently, says Gemma Hall in this report from an underrated bit of England.

Roundtheworld biker Alastair Humphreys finds short visas keep him pedalling fast across Asia as he closes in on Turkey, four years into his bikeride and on his way home.

Asia Pacific - 26 Aug, 2005, 21:10
Another hot Japanese day
Living and working in Japan takes its toll on Matt Nighswonger, in this account from the frontline of Yachiyo, Chiba.

Asia Pacific - 26 Aug, 2005, 09:23
Unbound and unwound in the Gilis
Garland might have been looking in the wrong place when he chose Thailand to locate his mythical 'beach'. Jason Smith discovers paradise on earth a few thousand miles away on Indonesia's Gili Islands.

Americas - 23 Aug, 2005, 15:33
Bugger the Bears
As if northern Canada wasn't wild enough, Dame Anita Roddick sets out along the Tatshenshini River to raft her way to the Gulf of Alaska, discovering an untouched world where Dutch courage alone keeps bears at bay.

The Czech Republic's communist story is told in Prague's Museum of Communism, says Marcus Doherty, spellbound by an ideology that went so badly wrong.

Americas - 21 Aug, 2005, 21:29
Welcome to Playa Tamarindo
There's a beach in Costa Rica famous for cocaine, beautiful women, and surf for the energetic. Ryan Aldred settles down with a bottle of the local hooch and watches what's going on.

Middle East - 20 Aug, 2005, 21:07
Seeeewaaahhh
In Egypt's deepest Western Desert, hard by the Libyan border, Siwa is an oasis like no other, finds Kristen Alff in a hardship posting with a few surprises.

Africa - 18 Aug, 2005, 20:20
Saved by the Mule
Half-way up an Atlas mountain, Natasha Reed gets altitude sickness. Though this brings to an end her dreams of making the summit, it lets her appreciate the inner beauties of man's humblest beast of burden.

Travelling the world collecting the best sounds must be a great job, and Jacob Edgar from Putumayo Music certainly has no complaints. But searching out Turkey's undiscovered stars in the back streets of Istanbul takes plenty of nerve.

Editorials - 23 Jul, 2005, 12:17
Laptops are dead – long live Alphasmart
Travelmag editor Jack Barker has a love-hate relationship with laptops. Heavy, fragile, valuable and temperamental, they might be essential sometimes but are a hassle always. But there's a new alternative: the Alphasmart Neo.

Asia Pacific - 23 Jul, 2005, 11:14
Big trouble with little Chinese
Arriving in Taiwan, Antonio Graceffo quickly finds himself lost in a sea of Chinese script. When he finds the locals are also confused he suggests, modestly, they might like like to learn American.

Asia Pacific - 23 Jul, 2005, 09:45
Night-climbing Mount Fuji
The sensible thing to do with Japan's famous volcano is to buy a postcard of it. Erin Rigik has bigger ideas. She climbs it by night to see dawn from the summit.

Americas - 23 Jul, 2005, 09:32
Buying Argentina
Relocation is fashionable these days, but few relocate quite so far as Douglas Harris, who travels down South America till the road runs out. A new life at San Carlos de Bariloche is, it seems, remarkably affordable.

Pole to Pole - 23 Jul, 2005, 09:24
Following World Football
Germany? Korea? It doesn't take much to get Jim Marquez to pack his booze and fags and buy a flight, but a World Cup soccer match will do it every time.

Americas - 23 Jul, 2005, 09:00
Outdoor Los Angeles
For those who'd assumed that Los Angeles was a really big car park, Kristen Havens has news: even in California's biggest cities there are some great outdoor adventures to be had, with no tour company required.

Central Asia - 23 Jul, 2005, 08:40
Breaking the packpacker age limit
Born-again backpacker Sylvie Phillips dumps her husband (for a few days) to discover her inner traveller on a journey that gets wll below the surface of Laos.

Africa - 12 Jul, 2005, 15:48
A new fashion of giving to Africa
Despite the pious noises of rock stars and politicians, it's trade, not aid that rural Africa needs. In an unlikely success story, a Zambian company is sewing itself a future, handpainting bright fabrics for a world market. Jo Pope reports from the Luangwa.

Africa - 8 Jul, 2005, 21:22
Jumping off the lap of luxury
Price-conscious Lisa Holm arrives in Morocco to be offered a free riad in Marrakech. But luxury presses out the North African experience, and her best memories come at the end of a donkey track in Rugelt, where blanket beds on earth floors are blessed by an unforced hospitality.

Despite the best of intentions, Ashok Karania paddles out into some serious problems when he heads off to sell software in India at a wet time of year. Could there ever be a market for soggyware?

Central Asia - 2 Jul, 2005, 20:23
Into Ladakh's secret regions
Retired Wing Commander Partha De Sarkar returns to the restricted region of Ladakh, where he once served, and finds this previously restricted region in the heart of Asia remains an undiscovered world.

Americas - 2 Jul, 2005, 13:02
Snow-shoeing the Sierra High Route
You don't have to know how to ski to cut through the heart of the Sierra-Nevada mountain range, says Cameron L Martindell. He straps on the latest generation of snowshoe and walks his way across.

Central Asia - 2 Jul, 2005, 12:46
Next stop insanity
Unrequited love proves too much for one traveller in a Chennai guest house, says Colin Todhunter in his latest report from the fringes of India's backpack community.

Asia Pacific - 2 Jul, 2005, 12:33
No nonsense in the onsens
A hot bath or two in the Japanese spa town of Kusatso puts a spring in David Leonard's step. He says the ageing fellow-bathers make him feel young again but could it be they're actually not old, just oversoaked?

Central Asia - 2 Jul, 2005, 12:27
Ancient Varanasi's future is... digital
Masseurs, barbers and touts assail J Lustre as he discovers the ancient secrets of India's holiest city, but he finally touches firm ground with some broken, half-working nintendo machines.

Europe - 2 Jul, 2005, 12:16
An afternoon in southern Crete
The fishing village of Agias Galini proves a quiet Greek refuge for island-hopping Jasmine Tekia as the Olympic Flame flickers over stunning Aegean views.

Middle East - 2 Jul, 2005, 12:05
Egypt without tears
Though Cairo's traffic gives him something of a shock, Faiz Kermani finds the secrets of the Pharoahs come to life when he takes to the Nile in a traditional felucca.

Americas - 27 Jun, 2005, 22:32
Van the Man
A spell in the Dominican Republic transforms Van the sullen teenager into a credit to the American dream, eyewitnessed by his sister, Katie Smith.

Middle East - 23 Jun, 2005, 13:04
Chasing Moses in the dark
Hiking to St Catherine's Monastery is a highlight attraction of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, but it's far from easy. J Lustre power-walks to the summit to watch dawn break over a Biblical landscape.

Asia Pacific - 23 Jun, 2005, 12:48
Seen to be green at Japan's Expo
Tired of all those long queues at airport security? The whole world has been shrunk to fit in one place at Japan's 'Expo'. But David Leonard finds queues aplenty at each miniature country, enlivened by some very realistic rain.

Central Asia - 23 Jun, 2005, 11:59
Pedalling across the 'Stans
Round-the-world cyclist Alastair Humphreys finds applying for a visa for Iran brings his progress to a grinding halt. Hoping for the best he pedals on across Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Europe - 23 Jun, 2005, 11:19
Have notebook, will travel
No chip required for Matt Jarman's notebook, as he scribbles his way towards fluency in Spanish in Salamanca.

Europe - 23 Jun, 2005, 10:41
Exploring Istanbul
Turkey's greatest city proves too complex to be reduced to a Lonely Planet fold-out map, but Leigh Vincola finds that getting lost on Europe's border with Asia brings its own rewards.

Middle East - 23 Jun, 2005, 10:28
Thrilled by Thesiger
Derek O'Reilly is a Wilfred Thesiger fan, and follows his progress from Saudi Arabia's 'Empty Quarter' to his Samburu home in north Kenya.

A dislocated knee makes J Lustre easy meat for Athens' city-centre conmen, but it's the medicinal wine that follows which seals his fate. He soon finds himself in a backstreet bar underneath three Russian beauties asking for 'just a little drink'. Can he fight his way free to limp another day?

Central Asia - 15 Jun, 2005, 18:23
Death in Delhi
Not all overland travel trips go well. Some end in disaster. Colin Todhunter meets one man whose round-the-world journey ends with death in India.

The Western alphabet wasn't forged in Egypt or Greece, but at Ugarit (now called Ras Shamra) in Syria. Thirty years after his first visit Habeeb Salloum finds that tablets and temples are still being dug from the desert, with new insights into an ancient world.

Asia Pacific - 15 Jun, 2005, 14:16
Lost and found in Cambodia
After braving the prostitutes of Phnom Penh and the scooter touts of Angkor, Anna Preston finds a calmer Cambodia in the smaller city of Battambang.

Erin Rigik spent ten months in Japan so you don't have to. Here's her selection of the best things to do and see in Kyoto, once the capital and still a cultural heartland.

Five days: 250 miles. An epic cycling journey from Girona to Barcelona proves an exhillarating rush for smoking, drinking Robert Forsyth, who says you don't have to be fit to pedal your way round Spain.

Smoking might be coming under pressure in the developed world, but Luminita Cuna finds a local god near Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, who likes nothing better than a good binge on tobacco, along with a bottle or two of the local hooch.

Africa - 12 Jun, 2005, 19:09
Iguanas and Peacocks
Morocco's rail network makes easy way of North Africa's great distances: Brian Young lets the train take the strain as he tours the Imperial Cities.

Middle East - 11 Jun, 2005, 17:23
Solo in Syria - with boobs
Third world bastard belly might not be the ideal introduction to a visit to Damascus, but when she heads into rural Syria Keely Sonntag finds herself very much alone.

Asia Pacific - 11 Jun, 2005, 17:15
Empty: Thailand's post-tsunami beaches
Kayaking off the beaches of Trang, Phil Guidry fights his own personal battle with shallow waters in an all-too-calm ocean, in a country where the tourist industry remains devastated, six months on.

Americas - 11 Jun, 2005, 16:54
Canvassing Anchorage door-to-door
Political campaigner Josh Kram heads to Alaska to lobby the natives before the American election. It's perhaps as well we never find out which side he was supporting...

Central Asia - 7 Jun, 2005, 16:49
A crash course in enlightenment
India certainly makes an impression on Keely Sonntag when her motorcycle brakes fail on a mountain road. The following weeks certainly enlighten her about the sub-continent's health service, but also into the kindness of strangers who ensure her survival.

Europe - 7 Jun, 2005, 15:51
Riding Sicily's ancient graves
You'd expect some excitement when you get picked up by a 17-year-old Sicilian mountain biker called Flavia. But Brice Particelli gets the ride of his life on a remote Italian mountain latticed with ancient steps and pockmarked with Roman graves.

Europe - 7 Jun, 2005, 15:22
A hidden Mediterranean treasure
Malta might be Europe's unfashionable little cousin, but Danielle Caddy finds excitement aplenty in an exuberant fiesta.

Terje Raa is a generally happy man, but in Split in Croatia he finds that his cup runneth over.

Central Asia - 6 Jun, 2005, 17:15
Elephant encounters of the scary kind
India's elephants aren't always just pretty trained animals used for religious ceremonies and processions. In the wild they can be seriously dangerous, reports Jo Sinclair after a series of close encounters.

Europe - 4 Jun, 2005, 23:15
Parlez vous Francais?
Ian Winterton’s desastreux French language skills meant every meeting with a real French person made his face blush redder than Jaques Chirac’s after the embarrassing non vote. Could a week of total linguistic immersion in a tiny village solve his problem?

Europe - 31 May, 2005, 23:57
Perfect transport for the modern age
In the mountains of Spain, Paul Read finds a man making a stand against the rushing progress of the 21st century, a latter-day Don Quixote who relies for his transport - and a whole lot more - in a mule called La Española.

Central Asia - 31 May, 2005, 23:41
Healing Bangladesh - one brick at a time
Taking time out from her teaching job in Japan, Erin Rigik volunteers to help a pioneering charity saving lives in Bangladesh, building flood-proof houses for some of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people.

Europe - 31 May, 2005, 23:28
Death of a nation: birth of hope
Daniel A. Metraux takes a thoughtful tour around the former Yugoslavia, now fragmented into a scatter of smaller states. What does the future hold for these war-torn countries?

Americas - 31 May, 2005, 00:39
A trippy ride on an American bus
A large backpack spells trouble for Andrew Frieman as he squeezes onto an overloaded New York bus when the locals are rushing to escape their city.

Editorials - 30 May, 2005, 00:19
Sound and very sensible advice
If I ever get run over abroad I'll curse my laziness. Because I'm most unlikely to get around to preparing the eminently sensible sheet of paper Jim Litchko leaves back home, smoothly preparing for a range of disasters.

Europe - 28 May, 2005, 10:15
Six thousand years in Malta
Strategically set in the south Mediterranean, Malta has been bombed and invaded since the dawn of civilisation. Nick Jenkins finds a wealth of architecture and a people formed in a wash of cultures.

Americas - 27 May, 2005, 16:59
Colombia's 'Cuidad Perdida' - a very hidden city
Deep in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is hidden a pre-Colombian ruined city to rival Machu Picchu - but without the tourists. Michèal Ó Tuathail is one of a handful of visitors to reach this remote relic of a long-lost civilisation.

Europe - 23 May, 2005, 15:55
Amsterdam's wider appeal
Holland's capital isn't just for hen-parties and bachelors cruising the night-lights, says Mia Palmer. It's a friendly city that welcomes everyone - even families.

Americas - 20 May, 2005, 17:14
Amazon jungle queen
Wannabe Amazonian Carolyn Watt hunts man-eating caiman and fishes for piranha as she hones her survival skills in Brazil's impenetrable jungle.

Central Asia - 20 May, 2005, 16:59
Don't fly that flag!
As cheap fabrics from China's factories sweep across the world, it's unlikely they'll include the traditional symbol of an independent Tibet. Two monks who waved their national flag have just been sentenced to 11 years in jail.

Central Asia - 18 May, 2005, 15:06
Through China into Asia...
Round-the-world cyclist Alastair Humprheys pedals his way from Beijing into central Asia on another of his highly readable reports from the road. All that time teetering on a narrow saddle must somehow fan creative sparks, or perhaps it's just the beer he finds in Xingxiang.

Africa - 18 May, 2005, 03:52
Searching for the desert's dead
John Leftwich leads his sons on an emotional search of Egypt's Western Desert, looking for where his brother died in the Second World War. Amongst the featureless wastes of El Alamein he finds his answer in the sands.

Europe - 16 May, 2005, 18:35
A misconceived Portugese palace
Portugal's tourist board is keen for everyone to visit Sintra's Pena Palace, but its charms are wasted on Guy Burton.

France's capital city is inordinately proud of its metro system. Kate Matthams isn't: wheelchair users, she says, are left stranded on the pavement.

Americas - 16 May, 2005, 17:57
A glimpse of the bright life
Eighteen-year-old Jackie DeRosa has just one day to take the temperature of Miami, steamy and sultry through the day and exploding with neon-lit nightlife after dark. New York be warned: there's another city that never sleeps.

Asia Pacific - 14 May, 2005, 15:56
Let's explore Borobudur
Java's top sight, the huge Buddhist temple of Borobudur, thrills even seasoned traveller David Leonard. But then he finds himself a target of children completing a 'talk-to-a-westerner' school project.

Americas - 13 May, 2005, 23:44
Friends sought for Chiloe's whale
Well, to be fair, it's dead. But one Chilean tour operator believes that, preserved, southern Chile's latest beached leviathan could provide a life-size conservation focus. To realise this dream he needs cash: could you help?

Middle East - 13 May, 2005, 14:13
Doha dreams (of becoming Dubai)
Latest wannabe travel hub in the Middle East is Doha, of which I, at least, knew nothing. Fortunately Arya Kazemi is onhand to describe Qatar's up-and-coming capital.

Asia Pacific - 13 May, 2005, 11:21
Ten good things about Jakarta's 'Central Park'
Indonesia's National Monument (Monas) in Merdeka Square has few friends. In fact, it only has one, and that's David Leonard. But his ten reasons to visit are very convincing. Perhaps he's right.

Africa - 13 May, 2005, 11:14
We're gonna need a bigger boat!
Paula Blake discovers the scary side of the underwater world on a shark-diving trip off South Africa's coast.

Europe - 13 May, 2005, 11:04
Literary Lisbon
The cerebral meanderings of the famous diarist Bernardo Soares form a fascinating narrative for Portugal's modern capital, says Guy Burton.

Europe - 13 May, 2005, 10:58
The land that France forgot
In the Langu fedoc, Iain Morris returns to the scene of his childhood holidays and finds the city of Quillan has evaded - up to now - the invasion of the English.

Americas - 13 May, 2005, 10:51
Volunteering in Costa Rica's rainforests
When Stephen Chamberlain finds slime in his in-tray, he books himself a three-month stretch saving the Costa Rican jungle.

Americas - 12 May, 2005, 13:54
A pilgrimage to a Mayan God
Maximon is a wooden god living - if that's the right word - in Santiago, Guatemala. Kyle Hofseth visits as a tourist but leaves a believer.

There are plenty of reasons, say Jorleif Jorgenvag, Einar Jonsbu, and Frode Lovik, as they make an attempt on Armenia's highest mountain, Aragats. Ably edited by Christian Garbis.

Indonesia's most spectacular volcano tempts David Leonard into a visit. Only problem is, it's at one end of Java and he's at the other. Can he squeeze in a climb in an all-too-short weekend?

Americas - 12 May, 2005, 12:28
Surreal - but sublime
Bolivia is pinning its hopes of developing into a mainstream tourism destination on an unusual blend of salt flats, volcanoes and flamingoes. Steve Metcalfe finds out why.

Africa - 12 May, 2005, 10:56
Zambia's lesser-known waterfall
Forget the Vic Falls, with their upmarket tour groups in daypacks clutching bottles of water. Zambian journalist Francis Mongo takes local transport instead to the Chishimba Falls for a vmuch more local experience.

Central Asia - 12 May, 2005, 10:52
Pedalling around the paddies
Cycling around Maharashtra is hot and thirsty work, finds Fred Sengmueller on a tour of India where on the wrong end of a rickshaw.

Asia Pacific - 12 May, 2005, 10:47
The bone carver of Nelson
Lucinda Bromfield get in touch with her inner artist on a bone-carving course in New Zealand's capital of art.

Central Asia - 12 May, 2005, 10:43
China Girl on a Chinese train
A chance encounter on a long-distance train gives Kieran O' Donovan an insight into the problems of adolescence in China's rapidly-changing society.

Europe - 12 May, 2005, 10:37
Riding the Orient Distress
Getting from Greece to Turkey proves far from easy for Albert F. Englehardt, with full planes, dodgy buses and striking farmers adding drama to a gruelling journey.

Central Asia - 12 May, 2005, 10:25
Himalayan high routes
Ravi Shankar reaches for Nepalese skies as he treks to Ghorepani from his hometown in Pokhara.

Europe - 11 May, 2005, 19:02
Ermoupolis: Queen of the Cyclades
Terje Raa explores the Greek Island of Syros, and investigates its claims that it is the 'Queen of the Cyclades'. Because he'd always assumed that he was..

Africa - 11 May, 2005, 18:49
Life goes slow on Zanzibar
But it doesn't go slow enough for Karen Doyle as she tans to perfection of Tanzania's paradise island in the Indian Ocean.

Central Asia - 11 May, 2005, 18:36
Diary of a water shortage
The water supply in Irkutsk becomes a source of considerable interest to Joshua Harshorne, as his hot and cold supplies play havoc with his ambition to maintain his personal hygiene.

When the bells ring out in Florence to mark the death of a pope, Chris Hamilton finds it sparks a period of reflection as a nation mourns.

Americas - 11 May, 2005, 18:08
New Year over Lake Titicaca
Elaine Oswald finds Puno, Altiplano town on the shores of the inland sea that divides Peru and Bolivia, is an uplifting place to see out the old year and welcome in the new.

Central Asia - 11 May, 2005, 18:00
Searching for the source of India's sacred stream
The bus-ride up the Himalayas is hairy enough to give Chris Garbett a new strain of vertigo-induced dysentery, but even after making medical history he's then got the mountain trek to contend with. No wonder so many Indians believe the Ganges is holy.

Europe - 11 May, 2005, 17:46
Bohemian Rhapsody
The medieval town of Cesky Krumlov, a short drive south of Prague, is hardly the Czech Republic's least discovered gem. But visiting out of season, Nicholas Travers gets to enjoy the place - and meet the people - in snowbound peace.

Asia Pacific - 11 May, 2005, 17:29
Hitting the village trail on Fiji's smaller islands
In a real-life exploit to rival 'The Beach', Anne Dijamco follows a traveller's tale that tempts her well off the tourist trail to the minor islands of Fiji. Her reward is an open-hearted welcome in a mid-Pacific patch of paradise.

New Zealand's Coromandel coast is famous for its geothermals. Too famous, thinks Lucinda Bromfield when she visits Hot Water Beach on a sunny day and finds it packed out. But her cunning plan - to catch the midnight tide - unveils a very different night-time scene.

Zambia's northern border with Tanzania is a well-established trading centre, boosted these days as the Kwacha plummets even faster than the dollar. Francis Mongo heads to Nakonde with a shopping list.

Europe - 10 May, 2005, 13:33
A moment in Annecy
France has some wonderful small towns, perfect for bite-sized tastes of Gallic culture. But none better than Annecy, says Gregory Fischback.

Editorials - 8 May, 2005, 15:28
Meltdown at the Travelmag ISP
Sharp-eyed readers will have noticed a whole bunch of articles have disappeared off this site, thanks to a server problem (that I don't pretend to understand) at our host computer. I still have records of the original articles and will be putting them back up in due course, but please be patient as this will take time.

Americas - 8 May, 2005, 12:19
The house of Papillon
Anthony Kerr finds plenty of ghosts in French Guyana as he visits a colonial forced labour camp at the border town of St Laurent.

Central Asia - 8 May, 2005, 12:06
The Good Friday when God saved Bishkek
When revolution sweeps through the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Saffia Farr huddles in her central apartment and, for a moment, fears for her life. Then blizzards and snowstorms cool the political temperature and calm a dangerous situation.

Americas - 7 May, 2005, 12:19
Bussing to the end of the world
What do you do when you get to the end of the world? A great deal, as Steve Metcalfe discovers in Ushuaia, the southernmost city on the planet. Not least, you start thinking about how the hell to get home.

Europe - 7 May, 2005, 12:07
A beer-fuelled blast through Romania
A touch of the Hunter S Thomsons here in Peter Dew's chaotic transit from Bucharest to Europe's northern ski-slopes.

Middle East - 4 Feb, 2005, 20:44
Isfahan Forever!
Sara Revell finds there's plenty to write home about from Iran's most beautiful city.

Asia Pacific - 2 Feb, 2005, 20:16
Mistakes I'll Never Make Again
When Cole Haddon heads out to Australia's Barrier Reef, he makes three mistakes. At least. A cautionary tale for travellers heading down into the southern hemisphere.

Asia Pacific - 27 Jan, 2005, 09:49
Where Scorpions come out at night
Sarah O'Brien braves leeches, spiders and snakes on a trek ino Thailand's Khao Sok national park. According to her guides, however, it's the scorpions she really needs to watch out for.

Early morning in Saigon, and Robert Macey contemplates salted duck-eggs and sour soup for breakfast.

Americas - 26 Jan, 2005, 20:10
All Saints Day in Santiago, Guatemala
El Dia do Todos Santos is a big day in the Guatemalan calendar. Lafe Metz finds it's also a big day for the ageing Mayan toe-rag who nicks his wallet.

Africa - 19 Jan, 2005, 08:25
The Last Pasha of Marrakesh
High in the Atlas, Paul Ramsbottom tracks down the palace of Telouet, the crumbling royal residence of a forgotten dynasty. The authorities are keen to forget El Glaoui, so Africa's little Caligula is becoming an unlikely folk hero.

Americas - 15 Jan, 2005, 21:07
Extreme Snowboarding and Igloo Nights
Backcountry skiing in Wyoming doesn't get much wilder than this. Cameron Martindell learns how to build a shelter out of snow and ride a snowboard that splits in two.

Africa - 15 Jan, 2005, 14:20
A Science Lesson in Mozambique
Peace corps volunteer Kolby Granville finds it hard to keep his mind on an impromptu astronomy lesson while someone's taking a beating in the background.

Asia Pacific - 15 Jan, 2005, 14:06
Christmas Before the Tsunami
In search of a truly kitch Christmas, Jessica Hayden books a flight to Thailand. Santa in the tropics lives up to her dreams, even as a tidal wave is brewing in the ocean.

Europe - 15 Jan, 2005, 13:25
Rome isn't just for Romans
Namit Arora finds Italy's 'Eternal City' lives up to its literary billing.

Europe - 15 Jan, 2005, 01:26
Paris Can be a Pain in the Neck
When sickness strikes Beverley Aarons in Paris, she wishes she'd spent some time learning French. She finds it's not only American hospitals who can create some enthusiastic invoices for emergency healthcare.

Editorials - 14 Jan, 2005, 14:40
Does Your Meter Work?
Jim Soliski is one of the Travelmag's finest contributors, and he's written a book. Scott Sakatch's review gives you a hint of what's inside. Reprinted with kind permission from the Lethbridge Herald.

Central Asia - 29 Dec, 2004, 11:46
Climbing China's Korean Corner
Most of China's tourist mountains are just big hills. So when Darren Skelton sets out to climb Changbaishan on the North Korean border he turns down the offer of rental crampons: a few yuan saved that risk his life.

Dr Ravi Shankar finds it's the company of friends that transform his trek from Pokhara to remote mountain palaces and monasteries.

Central Asia - 27 Dec, 2004, 17:53
Catching the Beat of China's New Revolution
In a smoky music bar in downtown Suzhou, Kieran O' Donovan finds a new type of entrepreneur bringing a new sound ot China's huddled masses.

Cockfighting is a hugely popular sport in many Far Eastern countries. Antonio Graceffo watches a couple of chickens battle to near-death in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh.

Asia Pacific - 27 Dec, 2004, 16:53
Hard Going off the Beaten Track in Thailand
Thailand's paradise islands seem a touch crowded to Caroline Joyner. So she heads out to Koh Tao island in search of a deserted beach. But she finds that getting off the beaten trail brings its own hazards.

Asia Pacific - 27 Dec, 2004, 16:19
New Zealand's World of Wearable Art
A simple fashion display would be far too tame for the Kiwis. mily Doyle finds the 'Wearable Art Show' takes clothing several giant strides beyond simply keeping the weather out.

Europe - 27 Dec, 2004, 16:16
Digging up some Irish Roots
American Ted Shaffrey has always been told he's Irish. So when he finds himself in Dublin he goes through the telephone book in search of relatives. But the truth of his ancestry proves hard to pin down.

Central Asia - 27 Dec, 2004, 16:10
Pedalling across a Siberian Winter
Three years into his round-the-world bicycle ride, Alastair Humphreys hits some foul weather as he pushes and pedals his treadly through Siberia.

Europe - 18 Dec, 2004, 08:05
Battle Stations on a Roman Subway
Long after the fall of the Roman Empire war still rages below the streets of its capital. Veteran traveller Jessica Angotti has some survival tips for Italy's famously brusque subway system.

It's not just the nightly curfew that makes Sagada, in the northern Philippine island of Luzon, quiet in the evenings. Jody White reports from a region where local caution is quietly beating terrorism.

Asia Pacific - 18 Dec, 2004, 07:52
Fishing for Fun in a Malaysian Village
Jane Cassie and her photographer husband, Brent, stroll through the streets and markets of Terrengganu village on the Malaysia's eastern coast.

In this extract from his latest book, diver and writer Wade Hughes takes the slow boat around the Madlives and gets well beyond the postcards, to dive and discover little-known islands.

Asia Pacific - 18 Dec, 2004, 06:15
Finding Kindness in Korea
Japanese tourists might expect a cautious welcome in South Korea. But cost-conscious traveller Aki Yoshida finds a steady, gentle hospitality from the Korean people as he railcards and hitches around their little-known home.

Editorials - 17 Dec, 2004, 19:37
Make Millions and Die Happy
Well, millions of Kwacha perhaps. But this new marketing idea from Octopustravel.com brings pyramid commissions to cut-price internet-booked hotel rooms. No investment, free money? Has to be worth a look.

Americas - 4 Dec, 2004, 06:49
Where Hollywood's Finest Go to Die
When Californian actors die they don't go straight to heaven. Oh no. Vladimir Perlovich finds most of them never got further than the Hollywood Forever Cemetery on Santa Monica Boulevard.

When your son leaps on a motorcycle and drives five thousand miles away for his Christmas, most parents might take the hint and just send a card. Not Toni Giarnese, who flies down to Ocean Beach, California into a welcome she could hardly have forseen.

Americas - 2 Dec, 2004, 09:45
Singing with the Sandinistas
Brendan Sainsbury, adrift amongst the property speculators laying siege to Nicaragua's colonial heartlands, finds a guitar unlocks a society of hidden depths.

Europe - 2 Dec, 2004, 07:26
An Italian Slice of Paradise
Forget Tuscany. Catriona MacPhee heads to Italy's south where the town of Ostuni proves a Brindisi gem.

Americas - 30 Nov, 2004, 08:01
New Pirates of the Caribbean
Belize has always been a haven for pirates. Beyond the extradition belt, it still is. Lyn Fox drives into a lawless lstrip of Caribbean coast where men are big and so are the bugs.

Central Asia - 27 Nov, 2004, 18:58
Blowing Up Beijing
Explosives enthusiast Ted Shaffrey thought he'd be blown away by China, but the threat of SARS dampens celebrations. It even gets expensive to spit, he finds, as his childhood firework dreams fizzle into the future.

Central Asia - 24 Nov, 2004, 14:58
Into an Icy Asian Welcome
Jetlagged in a tee-shirt, Michelle Lane flies into a Chinese winter, where she's quickly learns a lesson. Before arriving in an Asian city at night a tiny bit of travel planning can save both time and money.

Europe - 24 Nov, 2004, 11:10
In Search of Europe's Nightlife
When Arvind flies in to Amsterdam, he heads straight for the bars: a good start to a fast-moving tour of Europe's great capital cities.

Asia Pacific - 22 Nov, 2004, 16:33
Cambodia's New Car Industry
Only in Cambodia would the nation's first production vehicle cost less than $3,000 and come fitted with karaoke. Antonio Graceffo takes a spin in an elegant Asian economic miracle.

Central Asia - 22 Nov, 2004, 09:29
Trekking to Annapurna Base Camp
If you're looking for a guide to the Annapurna Base Camp trek, who better to ask than a Nepalese professor of Medicine from Phokhara. Dr Ravi Shankar maps a route through the Himalayas.

Americas - 22 Nov, 2004, 09:21
Finding Untouched Hawaii
Emma Jones finds the 'boiling pots' near Hilo provide one bit of these well-visited islands that isn't overrrun with tourists. After all, not everyone gets sucked underwater and drowned...

Africa - 18 Nov, 2004, 01:08
Mountain Gorillas and Me
Ugandan Jaria Kibirige had spent years selling Gorilla tours to moneyed western tourists, but it was only a startlingly generous gesture by her employer that allowed her to share their experience. Good on him, good on her.

Is the world's most prestigious hotel chain starting to lose its way? Jane Anson asks whether their quest for character has been eclipsed by the quest for (expensive) luxury.

Central Asia - 16 Nov, 2004, 13:20
Trekking Lake Baikal
Siberia's not a place to run out of vodka. But Joshua Hartshorne finds that a bottle of water is even more vital when hiking a remote island in Russia's hinterland, and it's the water he's forgotten.

Europe - 15 Nov, 2004, 10:02
Burn Baby Burn
Valencia, Spain, and Rachel Silverman stumbles into a major fiesta. Ducking rockets and five-year-old assassins armed with firecrackers she finds bullfights, flats and bonfires push 'Las Fallas' to its limit.

Central Asia - 15 Nov, 2004, 09:49
Buying China's Oldest Bike
These days most bikes have suspension, gears and all the bits. In Beijing Gabriel Suk bucks the trend and buys a traditional, all-steel 'Flying Pigeon'.

Editorials - 15 Nov, 2004, 09:47
Dell Delight
Over the summer we held a competition to win a Dell computer from Dell Outlet. This is just to let you know the winner was Donna Earp from Hall Green, Birmingham.

Apparently it's illegal to hitchike in France. I didn't know that, and nor did Emma Jones when in three long days she thumbed it from London's M25 to the nearest bit of Africa.

Americas - 5 Nov, 2004, 12:32
A Day in the Life of an American Holiday Camp
Working in a holiday camp is something of an American tradition. But Matt Scott's account makes you wonder where they find the energy.

Asia Pacific - 5 Nov, 2004, 09:52
Ghosts of Nagasaki Bay
Sarah Richards finds pathos and pain in the islands surrounding Japan's most infamous bombsite. But radiation has nothing to do with it.

You don't need preparation to climb a remote Peruvian mountain, says Brent Rice, who cheerfully sets off above the snowline in the Andes as if taking a stroll in the park.

Europe - 30 Oct, 2004, 13:55
Tilting at Windmills
At Consuegra, Ty Nelson gets on the trail of Spain's greatest folk hero, Don Quijote.

Africa - 30 Oct, 2004, 12:14
Traveller or African Truck Trash?
Mat Waugh finds an overland truck irons out the lows of travelling across Africa - but also some of the highs. Here he details what to look out for when choosing your transport.

Asia Pacific - 20 Oct, 2004, 13:44
A Venture into the Visayas
Brushing aside dark government warnings, Peter Fong takes his family for a relaxed tour of the Philippines' most beautiful islands. All ages find a lot to like.

Central Asia - 19 Oct, 2004, 11:15
How Monks Get Shot
There's still space for conflict resolution in China's controversial colony, according to the Tibet Information Network, but this will be little consolation to one dead monk.

Central Asia - 18 Oct, 2004, 07:39
Two Women and a Ceiling Fan
Energy levels drop dangerously for Colin Todhunter, as he becomes fascinated by his south Indian bed's view of the ceiling fan. Help is at hand, with two women appearing to shake up his Chennai life.

Europe - 18 Oct, 2004, 07:13
Dubrovnik's Saints and Sinners
Croatia pretties herself for a long new summer of tourism, starting with the southern city of Dubrovnik. Terje Raa reports on Adriatic developments.

Africa - 15 Oct, 2004, 12:25
Searching for a Smaller Beer
Peace Corps volunteer Kolby Granville finds you don't need much of an excuse to celebrate in rural Mozambique. But when he reaches for a fruit juice the locals are really shocked.

Asia Pacific - 11 Oct, 2004, 10:50
Bewitched by Battambang
Cambodia's second city sees more aid workers than tourists. Perhaps this is how Daniel Pendergrass manages, on a visit to a ruined temple, to get a clear insight into this country's ancient culture and troubled past.

Central Asia - 11 Oct, 2004, 10:05
Cheating China's Crowds
A ghost town is the last thing you'd expect to find in the world's most populous nation with the fastest-growing economy. But Darren Skelton discovers a haven of peace in the remote village of Dangbi.

Europe - 11 Oct, 2004, 09:27
The Girl on the Train
The trip to the airport for your flight home often sparks a few regrets, but Jim Marquez finds a chance encounter leaves him even more to mourn..

Europe - 5 Oct, 2004, 17:46
Upsetting the Irish
Can be easy. In a music bar in Dingle Scott Pelton tries to juggle a drunk Irishman and a pretty blonde... This is not, he finds, easy.

Africa - 5 Oct, 2004, 17:21
Meeting Old Jamani
Marion Conti-O'Hare meets the largest orphan of her life when she pats Old Jumani, an adult rhino, in Kenya.

Europe - 5 Oct, 2004, 16:58
Bewitched by the Costa Brava
Spain's not spoiled, says Natalya Popova, as she finds a small resort with a large beach, as well as some of Spain's greatest archaeological treasures. Empuries, apparently, is Catalonia at its most romantic.

Americas - 30 Sep, 2004, 20:52
In Search of Really Bad Weather
Most people go on holiday for sun and fun. Not Lara Magouirk, who goes chasing tornados in the central US.

Mark Reynolds buys a plot of land in Kerala but finds, in the wet season, he only owns a pond. Daunted but undefeated, he ships in more land and builds his dream eco-resort anyway.

Americas - 23 Sep, 2004, 19:32
Base Jumping for Beginners
For most people, a big bridge in West Virginia represents an easy way across a gorge. Not for Mike Dawson, who likes to jump off things.

Americas - 23 Sep, 2004, 11:49
Setting out for Suriname
The jungles of Suriname enchant John Spampinato as he treks his way through some of South America's least-explored regions.

Americas - 20 Sep, 2004, 17:35
Forget Orlando: Try San Antonio
Tourists flock to Florida's Orlando, but Candy Barrow suggests they look elsewhere. The best city in America, she says, is San Antonio, Texas.

Africa - 20 Sep, 2004, 17:34
Bad Day at the Cat-Pee Cafe
It's always tricky introducing your parents to a foreign country, but when Chris Hamilton lets a Marrakesh tout introduce them to a 'secret' restaurant he's clearly asking for trouble.

Europe - 20 Sep, 2004, 16:51
The Great Greek Gamble
After the Olympics, Eric Singer wonders if Greece's great investment will ever pay off.

Time lends enchantment to Bill Clinton, now we've experienced his successor, so we don't mind Amber Garrett's shameless plug for a museum at his birthplace in Hope, Arkansas.

Asia Pacific - 17 Sep, 2004, 09:26
Climbing Rishiri-Zan
At the northern end of Japan's most northerly island, Hokkaidu, there's a volcano called Rishiri-zan. Cameron L. Martindell decides he'd like to see the view from the summit.

Central Asia - 16 Sep, 2004, 20:19
Bus Ride Blues
Local Bus Travel in Nepal is not for the faint-hearted, says a lightly scared Maggi Jones.

Central Asia - 16 Sep, 2004, 12:32
Fit to be a Bollywood Star
When Colin Todhunter visits a gym in southern India, he finds himself the sweaty star of a daily drama.

Europe - 16 Sep, 2004, 09:31
Crossing from East to West
Not all Europeans are created equal. In Slovakia Chris Thompson finds old divisions still remain in his migrant home, Kosice.

Americas - 16 Sep, 2004, 09:03
Kiteboarding in Cabarete
When Liz Byington discovers Kiteboardeing, she persuades her family to sign up on a course in the Dominican Republic. It proves a life-changing experience.

Asia Pacific - 15 Sep, 2004, 10:13
Playing Elephant Polo
Plenty of people have seen elephant polo. But not many have actually played. Oriental film star, martial artist and Travelmag regular Antonio Graceffo saddles up for a chukka in southern Thailand.

Africa - 15 Sep, 2004, 09:50
Forty Desert Days
Despite being warned that English is rarely spoken, intrepid Hafeez Malik has no hesitation setting off to explore Morocco.

Europe - 4 Sep, 2004, 18:23
Learning Spanish in Cadiz
It's easy to habla espanol when you're teacher is called Carmen and you're hanging out on the Costa de la Luz. Charlotte Lepper get past the subjunctive on an all-too-brief language course.

This sober reflection on a full moon party ws found, handwritten, on a scrap of paper littering Koh Pha Ngan's Haad Rin beach and keyed in by Justin Clarke. It tells a tale few can remember or ever quite forget.

Asia Pacific - 31 Aug, 2004, 07:53
Street-Legal in Taiwan
There are many things you can do with a scooter in Taiwan, but David Bolster finds that registering it with the police is not one of them.

Americas - 30 Aug, 2004, 19:28
Off the Rails in Canada
Kilometre 144 of Algoma Central Railway is pretty much in the middle of Canada's great nowhere. John A. Kinch and his family step off the 21st Century and into a lake.

Europe - 29 Aug, 2004, 00:22
Re-Marketing Portugal
Rupert Eden finds the Portuguese government is thinking carefully about developing its regions for tourism.

Americas - 26 Aug, 2004, 10:59
Even Spirits Sweat
Kim Kroonenburg cleanses her spirit at a traditional Native American sweat lodge. If you're meant to do this every month I'm well behind and - having read this report - likely to stay that way.

Asia Pacific - 26 Aug, 2004, 10:25
Bridge over the River Kwai
Mark Hemmings quits the Kao San Road for a tour of one of Thailand's more thought-provoking attractions.

Middle East - 26 Aug, 2004, 10:16
Salam from Iran!
Flying in to Teheran to see her family, Flora Fahr experiences Iran from the inside, and finds the dancing easier to love than the traffic.

Africa - 21 Aug, 2004, 07:31
South African Safari
Karl Borgelt returns to his native South Africa for a few days safari. Clearly he still knows his way around, as he finds the 'Big Five' and much more in the northern parks of KwaZulu-Natal.

Americas - 21 Aug, 2004, 05:59
Argentina's Line of Lighthouses
Armchair Traveller and noted Argentinian Bob Frassinetti tours his homeland by exploring 14 famous lighthouses. Well, we think he does...

Americas - 20 Aug, 2004, 20:17
Mexico's American Party Town
Travellers sneer and Mexicans cringe: Lydia Stockdale can't find anyone to recommend Puerto Vallarta. But amongst the American college kids she finds a more relaxed Mexico that lets her feel very much at home.

Americas - 20 Aug, 2004, 20:07
Bolivia for Beginners
Mark Bowen finds there's no plane to take him on his pre-booked tour of the Bolivian rainforest, he's not exactly surprised. But that his schoolboy Spanish should scare the military into giving him a lift is something of a miracle.

Africa - 20 Aug, 2004, 20:00
The Birthday Bird
When Jason Stevenson finds himself visiting a Tanzanian family on the day of their son's fifteenth birthday, he finds this rite of passage forms a bond between two cultures.

Middle East - 20 Aug, 2004, 19:52
Desert Days
Isabella Pett travels across the Sinai, guided by the stars and Bedouin companions.

Asia Pacific - 20 Aug, 2004, 19:42
Your Blood or Their Life
One would have thought Cambodia had enough to worry about without the annual epidemic of Dengue Fever. Catherine Mojsiewicz finds the best way to help is with a pint of well-fed Western blood.

Central Asia - 20 Aug, 2004, 19:41
Kamshet's Circus in the Sky
Few paragliders think of India when they're planning their next flight, let alone the area around Bombay. Think again, says Astrid Rao.

Africa - 17 Aug, 2004, 18:08
A New Angle on Angola
When your nearest beach is a war-zone away, taking a train is the only way to get there. Brendan Sainsbury finds the train to Lobito is an attraction in itself.

Europe - 17 Aug, 2004, 16:08
Bounced out of Monte Carlo
Bin Laden would be more welcome, at Monte Carlo's famous casino, than Alexandra Link and her humble camera.

Armed only with his umbrella and a German-speaking wife, Phil Woodford searches southern Germany for lederhosen and a nice cup of tea.

Africa - 17 Aug, 2004, 15:26
First Date in Morocco
Paul Maxin finds a warm welcome south of the Atlas when he travels with his wife on an epic journey through mountains and deserts.

Europe - 16 Aug, 2004, 11:08
Sailing Through a Nanny State
What to do about young children? At four months they don't get much out of a holiday, but why should they ruin their parents' fun? Andy Falconer finds a resident nanny takes all the strain out of his sailing holiday in Greece. Kudos, Sunsail!

Europe - 16 Aug, 2004, 10:51
Italy's Literary Lake
Lake Iseo is one of Northern Italy's least-known natural wonders, despite years of literary visits. Karen Bryan puts it on the map.

Africa - 15 Aug, 2004, 12:52
Writing from Rwanda
In the aftermath of genocide, Tracey Rezak finds travelling through Rwanda a chastening experience.

Africa - 14 Aug, 2004, 15:28
Catching Africa's Rhythm
At a music festival in Mozambique, Kolby Granville tunes in to the sounds of the timbela and discovers a portrait of African life.

Americas - 14 Aug, 2004, 15:17
Care to Cuba?
The small town of Baracoa on Cuba's eastern tip is where adventure tour guide Brendan Sainsbury escapes inbetween groups.

Americas - 14 Aug, 2004, 15:01
Eating Iguanas
Alexandra Link finds iguanas can be more than just pretty creatures to watch on a hunting party in Belize.

Plagued by American tourists and shaded by pickpockets, Jim Marquez finds Paris by day a total trauma.

Europe - 14 Aug, 2004, 14:36
Croatian Island-Hop
The Croatian coast is changing fast, finds Daniel Lehman as he beats the tour groups to the outlying islands.

Americas - 6 Aug, 2004, 23:06
Eat Belize
Alexandra Link discovers the beauty of Belize's rainforest, and then goes on to eat most of it.

Asia Pacific - 5 Aug, 2004, 11:18
Good Girls Drink Bubble Tea
When Daniel Wallace visits Borneo's cultural music fest, the Rain Forest Music Festival, he finds a lively cultural scene as well as Sarawak girls who can teach him a thing or two about binge drinking.

Asia Pacific - 5 Aug, 2004, 09:47
Drfting over Asia
Quitting his Manila teaching job, Brody Vancers drifts across the Far East on his way to a new contract in Europe.

Asia Pacific - 14 Jul, 2004, 20:56
Every Sister Needs a Brother
Late at night on Kuta Beach, Dominic Light remembers he's meant to be meeting his sister - 4,000 miles away. A rich man might fly, but his low-budget dash across Indonesia has the panicked air of an errant older brother - a thoroughly worthwhile labour of love.

Europe - 14 Jul, 2004, 20:36
Welcome to the War Zone
His friends think Michael Logan is mad to travel to Sarajevo and Mostar. But as the country licks its war wounds, he finds a strange beauty.

Central Asia - 13 Jul, 2004, 01:32
Che Lives in Baikal
The world's best-loved revolutionary is alive and well in Siberia, reports Ian Copland, and cruising his bike around Russia's inland sea. But the underdog's hero is nowhere to be seen when three well-to-do hikers hijack the lake ferry.

Europe - 13 Jul, 2004, 01:27
Ski like a Sultana
Forget Europe's traditional ski resorts. Alanna Allen say's Turkey's the place to hit the piste this winter.

Europe - 13 Jul, 2004, 01:14
Under the Lights of Kalymnos
Terje Raa finds pleasure and pain in a Greek Island that time and technology has passed.

Central Asia - 13 Jul, 2004, 01:07
A First Glimpse of Laos
Flying into Vientiene, Jesse Walker finds that even the bus timetables schedule in prayer stops.

Central Asia - 9 Jul, 2004, 09:45
Why Not to Catch a Chinese Bus
Onboard karaoke is just one of several trials that teach Michelle Lane to avoid bus travel in China. But is Paul right to stop their fun?

Europe - 9 Jul, 2004, 09:40
Surf's Up
But what is it like in chilly English waters? Alanna Allen takes to the waves off the Isle of Whight to learn surfboarding.

Europe - 7 Jul, 2004, 06:50
France's Silent City
Forget the cafe society. Kathryn Murdock finds the most illustrious Parisians in the 20th arrondisement, fringing the quiet paths of Pere Lachaise cemetery.

Europe - 6 Jul, 2004, 07:16
The Belles of Buxton
The English town of Buxton trills into life when its annual Gilbert and Sullivan Festival (July through August) takes centre stage. Organiser Joseph Tatner says book your seats now!

Americas - 6 Jul, 2004, 06:46
Clambering Round Costa Rica
American role-model Tom McIntyre heads south to Costa Rica to hike volcanoes, raft rivers, skirt hookers, save lives and - while he's at it - bring back this special report.

Africa - 2 Jul, 2004, 17:48
Meeting Cameroon's Gorillas
When Andrew Coney is invited to escort a supermodel to cheer up Cameroon's gorillas he finds taking a film crew to Africa is no easy matter. Meeting a baby, hairy and distant relative makes it all worthwhile.

Europe - 1 Jul, 2004, 23:02
Liffey Life
Ted Shaffrey finds dawn is the best time to explore Dublin.

Americas - 1 Jul, 2004, 22:55
Eating with Elvis
There are surprises on the road from Denver to Beantown for road-tripping Brian Atkinson.

Europe - 1 Jul, 2004, 22:36
Hostel Love
Ever prowling, Jim Marquez strikes lucky on the romantic streets of Paris. But the practicalities of hostel life throw something of a spanner in his plans..

Asia Pacific - 30 Jun, 2004, 10:25
Crossbows in the Jungle
Thailand's champion marksman teaches Antonio Graceffo how to use a crossbow in the jungles of Northern Thailand. Shooting animals is difficult, he learns, but humans are easy.

Europe - 30 Jun, 2004, 09:46
A Cambridge Summer
A summer course at Cambridge proves the least important part of Marlene Bell's education in the strange ways of the British.

Asia Pacific - 29 Jun, 2004, 23:25
Bringing Peace to Thailand
It's easy to mock Peace Corps volunteers. But when they do it themselves, it's disarming. Jason Sanford has toilet trouble on a hardship assignment to Thailand.

Central Asia - 29 Jun, 2004, 23:06
Stitching Up the Nepalese
It might have been the hiking and tiger-trekking that leads medical intern John Neely to volunteer his skills to doctor Kathmandu's poor, but this goodwill gesture leads him to a new experience of a developing society at war.

Asia Pacific - 29 Jun, 2004, 22:58
The 21st Century's First World Fair
Tokyo is hosting the first World Fair of the 21st Century. John Erskine Banta outlines what will be on offer, and where.

Middle East - 27 Jun, 2004, 09:52
A Tourist in Jerusalem
It helps, when touring Jerusalem, to be religious if not deranged. Ted Shaffrey tries to make sense of a pivotal place where world cultures collide.

Asia Pacific - 23 Jun, 2004, 12:53
Chasing the Capital in Canberra Country
Far-off and hard to find, Australia's capital city attracts few tourists and disappoints almost as many. But a circular route brings Martin Davies to the heart of the city, and he actually makes me want to visit.

Asia Pacific - 23 Jun, 2004, 12:37
Tracing a Thai River
Being first is fun, says Antonio Graffeco as he attempts the gruelling task of tracing a Thai river from Doi Saket, through the jungle to its mountain source.

Travelmag's fifteenth year of operation. Our early launch in 1994 seems a long time ago, and thanks to Redbone's fantastic web design, lately improved by some inspired tinkering by Boss Cat Web Design, we still think we look young. Most importantly, the new site is a lot less labour-intensive for the Travelmag's editor, Jack Barker (me).

Travelmag correspondents travel well beyond the guidebook routes, illuminating little-known corners of the globe and, occasionally, revealing a bit about themselves as well. We put up the features we find interesting, usually because they're good, but sometimes because they're outstandingly bad. Newspapers and print magazines won't tell the everyday tales of travel in the developing world, print individual takes on particular places or run stories that might upset the advertisers paying for space on the next page. We don't worry about any of these things. The travel writing here, unlike those filtered by more conventional media, reflects the huge variety of individual travel experiences.

As ever we're totally dependent on the excellent contributions that come in from readers and travellers worldwide. Sometimes our writers are experienced journalists who use the Travelmag to air their riskier features, about destinations or activities too esoteric for mainstream print publications. Others are starting out travel writing, learning the craft and looking for markets for their travel stories. Still more simply want to share their travel experiences with a wider audience.

Whatever your motives, if you're interested in submitting your own travel tales, check out our guidelines below.

Till then, take a surf around, look over other people's travels to see how they compare with your own, and add your thoughts through our new travel forums. Happy Travels!

Europe - 17 Jun, 2004, 06:29
Finding Friends in France
While American buildings herd into conurbations, France's villages are altogether more elegant, says Andrew Hartnagel in France's 'Most Charming and Delightful', Aubeterre sur Drone.

Central Asia - 15 Jun, 2004, 17:28
Tibet's Fatal Traffic
Tibet's terrible roads make fatal accidents common. But when tourists are involved, it's the local driver who's in most danger, often sentenced to death for losing control.

Editorials - 15 Jun, 2004, 14:00
Win a Holiday for Two in Kenya
VSO, Voluntary Service Overseas, is giving away an East African holiday for two. To win, you need to be based in the UK, and find four friends... .

Americas - 15 Jun, 2004, 13:52
Milagro's Mangoes
Backpacker life doesn't get any better than in the simple village of El Zunzal, finds Catherine Mojsiewicz in El Salvador as she slows to the pace of a ripening mango.

Africa - 15 Jun, 2004, 13:41
Sacred Music: A Fez Festival
Saeed Farouky is transported with rapture amongst the sufi trance music and whirling Dervishes of Morocco's leading music festival.

Americas - 15 Jun, 2004, 13:18
An Antique Shopper's Guide to Buenos Aires
Argentine resident Bob Frassinetti presents a market guide to his capital city: a city of bargains with the peso in freefall.

Americas - 15 Jun, 2004, 13:10
Bolivia's Salt Plains
Getting to Bolivia's Salar de Uyuni proves something of a challenge. But Rachel Friedman says Bolivia, like love, is not for the faint-hearted.

Asia Pacific - 15 Jun, 2004, 12:56
Sailing Round New Zealand
Sam Jefferson finds Total Confusion is an ideal vessel to cruise the New Zealand coast.

Americas - 15 Jun, 2004, 12:47
Under the Volcano
Spanish student Mike Sidney finds Mexican daily life at its most vibrant in the small town of Cholula.

Europe - 8 Jun, 2004, 12:52
Political Graffiti or Open-Air Art?
Forget Northern Ireland's rolling hills. Ted Shaffrey heads to the frontline regions of Belfast and Londonderry to explore its politics and street-level art.

Europe - 8 Jun, 2004, 10:00
Saintly San Sebastian
Forget the Costas. Katie Benson says Spain's Basque coast is best for those who can brave cool Atlantic waters.

Europe - 5 Jun, 2004, 13:44
Wings Over Bavaria
Mad King Ludwig's Castle is even better seen from the air, says Bassem Abi Farah as he tours Germany.

Central Asia - 5 Jun, 2004, 13:37
Don't Chicken out of India
Oliver Mueller finds landing in India rather a shock. But he fights his instinct to leap back on the plane, and says, to other travellers, persevere.

Africa - 3 Jun, 2004, 17:19
Village Life in Niger
A friend introduces Alexis Wolff to the Hausa village of Amberura, and its complex daily life. But after she's explored this social maze, one question remains: where's the cheese?

Africa - 3 Jun, 2004, 10:32
Diving with South Africa's Great Whites
Not the Africaners, you understand. John Dwyer heads out in a shark-baiting boat to tease the world's purest predator.

Europe - 2 Jun, 2004, 19:09
Ireland's Ghosts are On the Move
It's not every day you hear ghosts in graveyards, but Guylaine Spencer says you can in the West of Ireland.

Europe - 2 Jun, 2004, 17:16
Bulgaria's Chalga Music
Matt Pointon hits the 'Top Stars' nightclub in the sleepy town of Smolyan to experience the best - and worst - of the local songs.

Editorials - 2 Jun, 2004, 17:07
Yes, I'm an Emailaholic
It seems a waste to travel half-way round the world just to chat with those back home. But Lisa Hunt admits that email's insidious appeal takes over her travel days.

Africa - 2 Jun, 2004, 16:43
Thanks, Gideon
When Kathy Sharrad's overland truck grinds to a halt three days short of Johannesburg, a big Africaner quietly and gallantly makes sure she gets her flight.

British beaches are better for making sandcastles than for swimming, so here's how, and where, to build the best. Myself, I just watch how the Dutch do it...

Middle East - 2 Jun, 2004, 09:26
Glamour and Glitz on the Gulf
The booming desert Emirate of Dubai offers a glimpse, perhaps, of the way ahead for Iraq, says a hopeful Jessica Hayden.

Central Asia - 1 Jun, 2004, 18:01
In Search of Russia's Spies
In search of Moscow's past, Ted Shaffrey goes beyond casinos and modern attractions to find out where all the spies have gone.

Africa - 1 Jun, 2004, 17:49
Bringing Aussie Rules Football to Uganda
International relations take another tottering step when Mark Heath introduces Aussie Rules football and cricket to a remote Ugandan village in the war-torn north. As if they hadn't suffered enough...

Asia Pacific - 1 Jun, 2004, 17:40
Falling like an Angel
When his daughters want to try jumping out of a plane, Richard Fox-Bekerman finds Australia beats the UK hands down when it comes to sky-diving.

Asia Pacific - 1 Jun, 2004, 02:26
Happily Stung in Thailand
Carl Thompson finds falling for a gentle sting helps him escape Bangkok's traffic and onto the still waters of the city's canals - his best day out so far.

Asia Pacific - 31 May, 2004, 18:29
Surviving Cambodia's Killing Films
Unlikely filmstar Atonio Graceffo finds himself starring in a Cambodian martial arts movie, aimed at rekindling the country's traumatised Khmer identity.

San Miguel de Allende is one of Mexico's most beautiful towns, says Allen Cox, but he finds a new flood of Norte Ameicanos adding stress to an already fractured society.

Central Asia - 30 May, 2004, 20:19
Shattered Mirror of the Sky
Daniel Wallace finds the rice-terraces of Yuanyang in China's Yunnan province might be handy to preserve endangered mosquitos, but also offer a last chance to be a 'real' traveller.

Central Asia - 26 May, 2004, 19:03
The River Route Through Laos
The River Route is the only way to travel through Laos - as anyone who's tried the road will attest - but photographer Mike Buscher takes his camera too.

Africa - 26 May, 2004, 17:42
Tangier for Jazz
He knows what it's called, but not where it is. Saeed Taji Farouky's search for Morocco's best jazz takes him down some strange alleys.

Central Asia - 24 May, 2004, 18:47
Travelling Siberia as a Modern Minstrel
Josh Hartshorne takes to the Russian streets - armed with more traditional folk tunes than roubles for his dinner - to launch his musical career.

Europe - 24 May, 2004, 17:40
Bemused, on a Bicycle, in Bohemia
Towing a three-year-old child behind a bicycle from Prague to Vienna seems perfectly sensible to Briand Beausoleil, and his wife doesn't dare disagree. This is the tale of an epic trip.

It's not often you find Jim Marquez in a church, and even God seems unwilling to show him the greatest wonder of Chartres Cathedral in France: the famous veil remains, well, veiled.

Central Asia - 22 May, 2004, 08:40
Beyond the Beer in Upcountry Laos
In Laos, the tiny village of Muang Ngoi is well off the beaten trail. But the tropical heat and a diet of warm beer cause Catherine Mojsiewicz's grip on reality begin to slip.

Asia Pacific - 21 May, 2004, 17:05
Japan's Floating Art Museum
Ted Shaffrey goes into sensory overload in Tokyo. With the amount he's noticing about one of the world's most complex cities, I'm not entirely surprised.

Asia Pacific - 21 May, 2004, 11:14
Floating off in Thailand
When the Thais celebrate Loy Krathong, Helen Taylor joins in, stapling a banana-leaf well enough to sell to tourists. And, she says, even her wish came true.

Africa - 21 May, 2004, 00:42
Necklaced by an Angry Old Bat
After the long drive to Lake Turkana in Northern Kenya, Kathy Sharrad expects a warm welcome. Instead a local granny scares her into buying a tatty bead necklace.

Africa - 21 May, 2004, 00:11
Play it again, Sam
Hollywood's Casablanca is far from reality, finds Sara Nelson as she discovers a modern Moroccan city. But though Humprhrey Bogart is missing, there's plenty there to take his place, and she finds peace in Morocco's coastal capital.

Frankly, I think Ty Nelson - or at least his mother - is paranoid. But perhaps Manila is different for expatriates and there's no denying there's a genuine fear as he returns to his Philippine roots and - at last - meets people off the payroll.

Asia Pacific - 16 May, 2004, 10:03
Tentative in Thailand
Unnerved by Lonely Planet's alarming health warnings, Lydia Smith finds terror on an idyllic Thai beach. It's the snake I feel sorry for.

Europe - 15 May, 2004, 16:44
Nothing Stupid about Sweden
However stupid the question, you can always rely on a civil answer from the endlessly civilised Swedes, says Terje Raa, who explores the city of Malmo.

Europe - 14 May, 2004, 14:43
Teaspoons in Silistra
Bulgaria is famous for many things, but I hadn't realised its teaspoons were a feature. Matt Pointon takes time off from people-watching to track down a stirring mystery.

Central Asia - 14 May, 2004, 13:56
Dysentery in Delhi and Chills in Chennai
It's not the dysentery that bothers Colin Todhunter as he stumbles round his Indian guest house. It's the people who keep asking how he is.

Europe - 14 May, 2004, 11:48
Pilgrim's Progress
Marlene Bell finds the July pilgrimage to Reek in western Ireland is hard on the hamstrings - but it's all worthwhile, when wishes come true.

Americas - 14 May, 2004, 11:19
Petting Chipmunks
Hiking in Joshua Tree National Park, Philip Blazdell finds it's his inspiring companions who add the final touch to a beautiful desert landscape.

Asia Pacific - 6 May, 2004, 21:53
Graced by Ghosts
In Phnom Penh's infamous Toul Sleng concentration camp, Hanna Gezelius finds the Cambodia's past lives on in bloodsoaked walls.

Americas - 6 May, 2004, 21:45
Visa? What Visa?
Most people arriving to work in Mexico go to great lengths to get their paperwork straight. Not Lydia Stockdale, who instinctively knows how to 'Press the Green Light' for her travel visa.

Asia Pacific - 5 May, 2004, 11:17
Pacific Arts Festival comes to Palau
This year's festival for the arts and cultures of the Pacific nations comes to the tiny island archipelago of Palau. Not many people even know where it is: let's hope this festival puts it on the map, says K. M. Jellen.

Asia Pacific - 4 May, 2004, 11:46
Bangkok to Siem Reap - Overland
Some people fly to Angkor Wat, Cambodia's leading attraction. Carl Thompson boards a bus in Bangkok and finds out why.

Europe - 4 May, 2004, 10:58
Down but not Out in Amsterdam
Running out of money in Amsterdam brings Justin Bilton a new understanding of tourism, sex and the city and a useful job in a flying pig.

Central Asia - 4 May, 2004, 09:33
In the Land of the Goloks
In a small Tibetan town in northwest China Daniel Wallace finds the people much to his taste. Not, however, the momos, and a growl from his stomach soon sees him boarding the first bus that might reach an English-speaking doctor.

Europe - 3 May, 2004, 13:51
Live for the Moment
As he stumbles around Bulgaria's ill-fitting pavements, Matt Pointon reflects on the limitations of long-term planning.

Africa - 30 Apr, 2004, 09:42
At One With Nuns
Volunteer teacher Sara Bathum finds the strength to stretch God's rules in Sister Thomasina's Ethiopian empire.

Americas - 29 Apr, 2004, 17:01
Deep in the Jungle
James Wrighton goes beyond the Amazon and down the small Rio Juma tributary to find his stilted home in a patch of unspoiled rainforest.

Europe - 29 Apr, 2004, 15:57
Maid in Moscow
A short trip to Moscow gets shorter when Zoie Clift finds she needs a visa to get the train through Belarus. Persistence pays, however, and she finds her feet in the Russian capital.

Asia Pacific - 27 Apr, 2004, 12:44
Rafting the Maekok
Paddling Thailand's Maekok River proves an educational experience for Antonio Graceffo, who finds the local hilltribes hold the secrets to staying afloat.

Middle East - 27 Apr, 2004, 10:38
Dive-Boats of the Desert
Though known as 'Ships of the Desert', even camels break a sweat carrying Denni Schnapp and all her dive gear to an Egyptian coral reef.

Europe - 27 Apr, 2004, 10:01
Where Coats Go Astray
For a serious drink, there are few better places than Temple Bar, Dublin. But it's also quite a good place to get your coat stolen. Jim Marquez finds not all the locals welcome his breezy approach to life.

Central Asia - 17 Apr, 2004, 19:44
Making it Big in Indian Film
It's not unknown for travellers to become extras in Indian films. But rarely do they get offered lead roles. Colin Todhunter hits the big time in Chennai.

Americas - 16 Apr, 2004, 17:08
Scaling Mount St Helens
I always worry, climbing volcanoes, whether they're about to go off once more. Not Cameron Martindell, who charges up the side of Mount St Helens.

Asia Pacific - 16 Apr, 2004, 16:58
Tramping the Banks Track
In New Zealand's South Island, Lucia Appleby explores its first private tramping trail, the Banks Track, and finds it perfectly feeds her hiking habit.

Central Asia - 16 Apr, 2004, 16:56
Wok Wonders
When Daniel Wallace wants to learn Sichuan cooking, he doesn't opt for standard tourist classes. Deep in west China his students hope he'll use his culinary skills to help with any upcoming war with Japan. And he thought Chinese food was meant to taste that way.

Americas - 16 Apr, 2004, 16:46
Swimming with the Whale Sharks
In a Mexican stretch of the Caribbean Sea, Matt Scott finds swimming with the world's largest fish an awe-inspiring experience.

Ty Nelson's night train to Toledo comes off the rails in spectacular style when it hits a herd of sheep.

Europe - 16 Apr, 2004, 09:05
Searching for Southampton's Sun
Southampton's trying to redevelop its waterfront. Will a stay in its newest five-star hotel persuade Jack Barker to linkger?

Middle East - 14 Apr, 2004, 19:50
Ahmed and Mohammed
Travelling through northern Syria, Iain Morris amiably overqualified shopkeepers, ancient Hittite ruins and the occasional, inevitable cup of tea. His attempts to introduce British cuisine, however, prove a cultural step too far.

Europe - 14 Apr, 2004, 19:03
Italian Made Easy
Sarah Swain travels to Italy with half-remembered school-standard French. But she finds Siena's sunny climate and a plate of pasta thaws her language barrier, and starts to go native.

Europe - 14 Apr, 2004, 18:17
Cuddling up to Croatia
Chris Thompson gets well off the tourist trail when be boards a train from the coast through inland Dalmatia.

Europe - 14 Apr, 2004, 16:10
Finland's Drinking Culture
What do you do when it’s -30 C outside, the sun sets at 3 pm, and you're in Helsinki? You get drunk, of course, says Satu Rommi.

Big winds don't blow Cameron Martindell off-course in a San Francisco yacht race.

When New Zealander Justin Brown makes a bet he can't busk his way round Britain to raise his airfare home, he loses. But he somehow succeeds in getting a book commission. In this excerpt he hits the mean streets of Harlington.

Africa - 8 Apr, 2004, 09:33
Inside Sierra Leone's Diamond Mines
It's a brave man who walks, alone, through the paths and tracks that lead to Sierra Leone's diamond mines. Matt Brown does it, with his camera, and reports on the hidden source of some of the world's dirtiest money.

Asia Pacific - 6 Apr, 2004, 14:21
A Coconut Index for Asia
Tourists have tried to rank relative wealth by the worldwide cost of hamburgers. But Thu-Tam Doan has developed a more useful index on the cost of coconuts against average local income. Almost.

Europe - 6 Apr, 2004, 14:06
The Best of Bulgaria
Not many people have ever heard of Shumen, Bulgaria. Even the inhabitants seem to prefer it from a distance. But to Matt Pointon, writing on the train to Varna, it's the country's highlight.

Asia Pacific - 5 Apr, 2004, 08:59
Peaks of Desire
Nick Walton finds Hong Kong's Victoria Peak a fine place to reflect on his grandparents' colonial lifestyle.

Middle East - 5 Apr, 2004, 08:53
The Steamy Side of Syria
Irwin Loy finds one particular travel book adds a whole new dimension to his experience of Syria.

Central Asia - 1 Apr, 2004, 17:26
No Time for Love, Dr Jones
Unusually for visitors to Vang Vien, Nick Mistretta gets up early one morning. This means he discovers bugs big enough to cast shadows, and one of Laos' most secretive caves.

Country Music's big worldwide. Cara Frost Sharratt finds Australia's Tamworth Festival brings the Dollys, gowns and stetsons to the outback.

There are some perks to being a safari guide's wife. Jane Turner gets to meet Rwanda's endangered mountain gorillas.

Central Asia - 31 Mar, 2004, 10:06
The Tyranny of Chai on Indian Trains
I'd always thought the constant availability of chai was one of India's great achievements. Colin Todhunter is unimpressed.

Not everyone things internet access is wonderful. Guidebook author Dominic Hamilton thinks email just drags modern travellers home.

Europe - 24 Mar, 2004, 19:10
Greek Miracles
Terje Raa finds miracles aplenty on Tinos, an atmospheric island in Greece's Cyclades.

Americas - 24 Mar, 2004, 18:55
North Carolina's Outer Banks
Off America's eastern coast, North Carolina's Outer Banks are perfect for a summer holiday, says Alix Shutello.

Europe - 24 Mar, 2004, 12:37
Pixies, Trolls and Viking Gods
Iceland's lunar landscape is home to elves, fairies and trolls, and they even get a say in plannning matters. Carolyn Watt finds great beauty and hidden depths in a frozen northern winter.

Americas - 14 Mar, 2004, 12:16
Have Jeep Will Travel
Driving through Peru takes time and dedication. Guidebook writer and travel journalist Dominic Hamilton has both, and his vivid accounts of two epic road trips are perfect mind candy for those of us with neither.

Asia Pacific - 14 Mar, 2004, 12:05
Hong Kong High Life
Phil Fielding finds a day at the races sets him up to explore Hong Kong.

Editorials - 13 Mar, 2004, 19:17
Unlikely Ambassadors
Ed Acevedo has some words of wisdom for Americans travelling as children of the Bush regime. But there are lessons in here for the allies: Brits and Australians share the group shame of our ill-conceived 'War on Terror'.

Europe - 13 Mar, 2004, 18:57
Oslo No-Go?
Everyone thought Liam Ecarrie was mad to choose Norway for a riotous lads weekend away. But he found his flight to Oslo was just the ticket.

Americas - 10 Mar, 2004, 19:27
Like a Steak thrown to Crocodiles
Vegas, where the rich come to spend cash and the poor come to make it. You fall into the latter group. Except it didn’t quite work out this way for Stewart Campbell. Oh no.

Americas - 10 Mar, 2004, 15:55
Antigua, Actually
There's more to the Caribbean's most popular island than sun and sand. Andy Falconer travels well beyond the beach.

Europe - 9 Mar, 2004, 18:08
Arctic Summer
Exploring Norways Lofoten Islands, Corey Searcy finds beauty beyond expectations in the land of the midnight sun.

Middle East - 9 Mar, 2004, 16:51
Syria's Sensitive Souls
Iain Morris finds a warm welcome in Aleppo, Syria's historic heartland. Actually, at times, too warm...

Central Asia - 9 Mar, 2004, 16:27
Life and Death on a Tibetan Mountain Road
Hitch-hiking across the Himalayas, Tony Brasunas tests the mountain brakes on a truck full of bricks. For a while it seems he might become another chapter in the Tibetan Book of the Dead.

Central Asia - 9 Mar, 2004, 16:12
Surviving a Russian Bachelor Party
In the UK they're called Stag Nights, in the States a Bachelor Party. Joshua Hartshorne never finds out what they're called in Russia, but lays down some ground rules for surviving the experience.

Asia Pacific - 9 Mar, 2004, 16:07
Two Weeks in a Big Country
Ross Dolloff finds two weeks barely enough to scratch the surface of Australia's eastern coast, though he learns, in the end, to drive on the left.

Central Asia - 9 Mar, 2004, 15:42
The Wrong Ticket
There are times when every traveller wonders what the hell they're doing. For Darren Skelton his moment of doubt is on a Chinese train in the middle of nowhere.

Asia Pacific - 9 Mar, 2004, 15:24
Hold the Oak Chips
Australia's wines don't need expensive oak barrels to age their wines when they've got perfectly good wood-chips. Ethan Todras-Whitehill tours the Hunter Valley vineyards.

Americas - 28 Feb, 2004, 16:16
Cheapskating Las Vegas
Las Vegas might not seem a natural backpacker destination. But Chad Martino finds that if you can resist tipping half-naked waitresses, the pace of the place makes it all worthwhile.

Middle East - 28 Feb, 2004, 16:08
A Paraoh Stole My Wallet
When his wallet goes missing on a train out of Luxor, Lim Chiew Sen thinks that all is lost. But he's reckoning without the ingenuity and honesty of the modern Egyptians.

Central Asia - 28 Feb, 2004, 16:03
Taking the Trans-Siberian
Darren Skelton finds a few days on the trans-Siberian a great way to cap a spell teaching in China.

Travelling Turkey's most spectacular landscapes, Catherine Mojsiewicz finds herself in a fab blue convertible, but also getting on the wrong side of car rental man.

Central Asia - 28 Feb, 2004, 15:34
Eyes Open in India
A holiday in India is an eye-opening experience, finds Australian schoolboy Sukrit Sabhlok.

Europe - 25 Feb, 2004, 20:36
Flotsam in Barcelona
Spain's leading Catalan city harbours strange citizens, finds Jamie Strachan on a recent visit to Barcelona.

Europe - 24 Feb, 2004, 12:42
Music Festival for Families
Kim Chernin and Renate Stendhal find Austria's Schubertiade strikes the right chords for all ages when they take along their family.

Central Asia - 20 Feb, 2004, 15:41
Ad-Breaks in an Indian Dream
Colin Todhunter reflects on the consumer society as it tries to pierce the ancient culture of Chennai, India's great southern city.

Asia Pacific - 20 Feb, 2004, 15:32
Stars, Sand and Sea-life
Perth doesn't do it for Anthony Morrissey, but he heads into the outback to discover one of Western Australia's greatest attractions, the sociable dolphins of Monkey Mia.

Europe - 20 Feb, 2004, 14:20
Prague's Finest Prostitute
In a characteristically outspoken report, Jim Marquez explores the seamy side of the Czech Republic's capital city. Only read this if you're ready to meet Veronica - and quite a lot of Jim.

Asia Pacific - 20 Feb, 2004, 14:14
Australia's Original Residents
When he visits the Canberra Tent of Australia's 'Aboriginal Embassy', Daniel Metraux is quickly won over to the earliest residents' forgotten cause.

Europe - 20 Feb, 2004, 14:00
Eastern Europe Without Reservations
When Julianne Nardone decides to spend her honeymoon driving from Budapest to Lake Balaton, her travel agent wants to plan every night. No way. They wing it and have a much better time.

Central Asia - 20 Feb, 2004, 12:03
New Year in Siberia
It might be a hardship posting in the days of the Russian Empire, but Joshua Hartshorne finds they know how to see in the New Year in Irkutsk.

Editorials - 20 Feb, 2004, 11:53
'Big Fish' Reviewed
Alice Duberry reviews 'Big Fish', latest mystery aimed at the backpacker's back pocket.

Asia Pacific - 12 Feb, 2004, 19:20
Living amongst Landmines
Catherine Mojsiewicz volunteers to help a private mine-clearance expert at his landmine museum in cambodia. You don't have to dig for landmines - while the aid agencies use metal detectors Aki Ra uses his toes - but there are other ways to help.

Americas - 12 Feb, 2004, 19:04
Petrified in Arizona
Andrew Hartnagel bumps into a small onyx log in one of America's desert wilderness area but finds it's guarded by, not just by a ranger, but a plague of small fleas....

Americas - 12 Feb, 2004, 18:40
Celebrating Salvador
In the run-up to Carnival, Nicholas Watson in Salvador da Bahia discovers there´s far more to Brazil than bodies and beaches, Rio and Ronaldo.

Central Asia - 12 Feb, 2004, 18:13
Get Me Outta Here!
India can be at its most frustrating when you're in a hurry. Beset by delays, Richard Fletcher's relaxed visit to a train station decays into a into a slow dash to the nearest airport.

Central Asia - 12 Feb, 2004, 16:54
Lazy Day on a Chinese Lake
Sometimes it's hard, travelling, to just sit back for a day and relax. Not for Patrick Wenckebach, who settles down by Erhai Lake in China's Yunnan province.

Africa - 11 Feb, 2004, 23:11
A Wheelchair in Ethiopia
Most people would regard being quadriplegic as a good reason to duck a trip to Ethiopia. Not Gordon Rattray, who finds African resourcefulness well able to cope.

Europe - 6 Feb, 2004, 11:25
Lights Camera Action
When Rupert Eden checks in to Lisbon's Palacio Belmonte he thinks, at first, he's stepped into a horror movie. Will he survive??

Asia Pacific - 5 Feb, 2004, 21:12
Spook Time in Asia
Christopher Holleran visits Vietnam and finds the country already populated by the ghosts of from his school 'Missing in Action' board.

Europe - 5 Feb, 2004, 20:30
New Language - New Life
Charlemagne thought, apparently, a new language offered the chance of a new soul. Sara Woods finds it at least moves her away from 'Hasta La Vista' (baby).

Europe - 5 Feb, 2004, 19:41
England comes Alive
It's not easy to cheer the English up, but Karina Timmel finds that winning the Rugby World Cup will just about do it.

Americas - 5 Feb, 2004, 19:31
Cool at Cape Cod
Cape Cod is a cool, says our chill-consultant Rowena Carr-Allinson, as she sashays amongst the beautiful people.

Americas - 5 Feb, 2004, 15:06
Addicted to Snow
Feeding a skiing habit costs nearly as much as doing hard drugs, finds Luke Phillips, as he supports a ski-bum existence in Whistler, one of Canada's leading - and most expensive - resorts.

Africa - 5 Feb, 2004, 14:42
Climbing Kilimanjaro
Africa's greatest volcano takes guts to climb, as Roman Picherack proves as he treks to the summit.

Americas - 5 Feb, 2004, 14:33
Mayan Magic and Aztec Amazements
Mexico's greatest ruins lift Habeeb Salloum's spirits as he travels back in time to Central America's greatest civilisation.

Americas - 5 Feb, 2004, 14:24
Machu Picchu, City of Gods
An ancient prophesy predicts Peru's Incas will, once day, be great again. Daniel Metraux finds echoes of glory in the ancient stone of the Inca capital.

Americas - 5 Feb, 2004, 14:18
Overfly Alaska
Wrangell-St. Elias is America's largest park, six times the size of Yellowstone. Not suprising, perhaps, that Matt Scott finds it easiest to start his exploration of this Alaskan wilderness region by air.

Asia Pacific - 5 Feb, 2004, 14:11
Japan's Thousand Festivals
Tourist offices list only a few of the thousands of festivals that make up the Japanese year. John Erskine Banta finds there's more to discover outside the main ciites.

Europe - 4 Feb, 2004, 20:03
At Large on Lesbos
Though far from a Lesbian, Terje Raa has the inside scoop on Mytilini, on the Greek island of Lesbos.

Asia Pacific - 4 Feb, 2004, 18:45
River Tracers Climb Upstream
As Antonio Graceffo finds when he joins a group of explorers discovering inland Taiwan. Upstream, and with no boat.

Central Asia - 30 Jan, 2004, 14:16
Madness In India
It's not the locals that bother Colin Todhunter as he travels through southern India. It's the European cafe culture, where he finds lunacy abounds.

Europe - 30 Jan, 2004, 11:59
A Flirt too Far
Though 'Laundry Day' always sucks, other aspects of France are less predictable. Jim Marquez finds a Parisian corner-shop Lolita leaves him floundering in self-doubt.

Americas - 30 Jan, 2004, 11:50
Chasing Gram Parsons
There are ghosts in Josua Tree, California, and who better than Nick Fox to track them down.

Europe - 30 Jan, 2004, 11:43
Five Days in Provence
Peter Mayall took a year to make his fortune writing about southern France. Paul Maxin does the trip in five days, but only time will tell if it makes him a million.

Europe - 30 Jan, 2004, 11:38
Holland's Hidden Treasure
Jamie Strachan finds the Dutch penchant for two wheels fits perfectly with the fine art and serene wilderness of the De Hoge Veluwe National Park.

Americas - 30 Jan, 2004, 11:28
Nine Miles High
Shirley Camia visits Bob Marley's home in Jamaica but finds you need to take the tea to believe the great Rasta Prophet is still alive.

Asia Pacific - 30 Jan, 2004, 04:32
20,000 Japanese Characters
As someone who struggles to recite all 26 letters of the English alphabet, I share John Erskine Banta's reverence for the Japanese language, and the effect it has on the national psyche.

Central Asia - 30 Jan, 2004, 01:52
Russia's Far East
Ian Copland gets far from the standard highlight tours of Russia in the harbour city of Vladivostok.

You can't help but respect a research project that includes the average rates for a Tibetan prostitute in three currencies. The Tibet Information Network takes a look at one of the few growth areas in China's most oppressed region.

Editorials - 1 Jan, 2004, 13:58
Travel Technology
Ian Peel investigates how the latest technology is transforming the way we travel. Perhaps. Myself I'm still waiting for the revolution.

Americas - 1 Jan, 2004, 13:49
Hitching Canada
Luke S-P finds hitchiking across Canada gives him a real insight into what makes the locals tick.

Four-year-old Joe tells his uncle Eugene O'Donnell 'I went to England and France and Switzerland' and becomes the Travelmag's youngest contributor.

Africa - 22 Dec, 2003, 16:43
Daytrip to Mauritania
North of Senegal Africa dries into the desert landscapes of the Sahara and the blue-clad Moors of Mauritania. Jane Labous drives into the dust.

Europe - 13 Dec, 2003, 14:29
Bumbling into Russia
American Christopher M. Holleran finds quite a few surprises await on an unplanned journey from Finland into Russia, but survives to tell the tale.

Central Asia - 13 Dec, 2003, 13:45
Sympathy for Snakes
At least 25,000 Indians die of snakebite every year. In Irula, Tamil Nadu, Chris Adams finds a pioneering snake centre supplying anti-venom across Asia, and joins the snake-catchers as they dig for rare species in the field.

Europe - 13 Dec, 2003, 13:24
Edinburgh Falcon Girl
At Edinburgh's famous arts festival Jim Marquez finds, unexpected amongst the drunken late-night revellers, a fleeting glimpse of Scotland at her most seductive.

Asia Pacific - 29 Nov, 2003, 09:11
Cambodian Pick-Up Blues
Taking the slow road from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh proves the highlight of David Metraux's journey into Cambodia's rural heart.

Central Asia - 24 Nov, 2003, 09:47
Trans-Siberia in Winter
The longest railway journey flies past for Matt Scott, who finds his terrible Russian is quite good enough to ensure enough vodka to keep out the January cold.

Central Asia - 24 Nov, 2003, 07:11
Bamboozled in Beijing
Kevin O'Shea reckoned he was a fairly experienced traveller, till he fell for the young scammers of China's capital city. Oh well, that's capitalism...

Europe - 24 Nov, 2003, 07:10
La Dolce Vita
Paula Hughes Court lives life to the full on Italy's Lake Maggiore

Europe - 24 Nov, 2003, 06:54
Pacing out Prague
Harold Lorin's told a weekend is enough to explore the capital of the Czech Republic, but he finds a week isn't nearly long enough.

Europe - 24 Nov, 2003, 06:41
Christmas in Copenhagen
There are elves about as Denmark gears up for the festive season, finds Terje Raa

Asia Pacific - 18 Nov, 2003, 21:09
Desperately searching Saigon's ATM's
Vietnam's greatest city seems to have more TV's than people, but when Paul Neville needs an ATM he finds there are only three. Tracking down the nearest almost gets him a massage.

Asia Pacific - 16 Nov, 2003, 12:22
Farmwork for Food
Swapping her morning latte for a bracing breeze, Leona Baldwin decides life as an unpaid farm worker is a great way to get to know New Zealand. Getting there, however, is another matter..

Americas - 15 Nov, 2003, 13:12
Cycling through Colombia
When his cycling-round-the-world route bumps up against Colombia's southern border, Alastair Humphreys is understandably nervous. But the reality is far removed from the kidnapping and murder he expects.

Central Asia - 15 Nov, 2003, 12:54
Calcutta: Life and Death
After a rocky start, Chris Adams finds India's greatest city might be short of food to eat but offers plenty of food for thought.

Americas - 14 Nov, 2003, 14:53
Piano Classes in Havana
When Peter Rosen heads down to Havana for some piano lessons, he learns a lot more than simple keyboard skills.

It's theory might be rooted in the distant past, but Austria's mountain spas still bathe and pamper modern visitors. Jack Kohane takes a tour.

Europe - 31 Oct, 2003, 10:02
Beer Pilgrim in Bavaria
Muslims head for Mecca and Christians to Lourdes, but beer pilgrim David Parish flies half-way round the world to Germany, for Oktoberfest, armed with just enough of the language to say 'I'm a shit sausage'.

Americas - 31 Oct, 2003, 09:35
Mexican Rave
When eleven Harley's roar into Mexico's Copper Canyon, it's not the Hells Angels, but David Hessell and his mates.

Europe - 31 Oct, 2003, 09:14
Left Bank Dreams
Anna Gibson finds a Bohemian pulse still beats, if faintly, in the heart of Paris.

Asia Pacific - 31 Oct, 2003, 09:07
Over the Hills and Far Away
If you've been wondering where Matt Pointon is these days, this feature might tell you, bringing a vivid burst of Vietnam's vital capital to your screen.

Central Asia - 29 Oct, 2003, 14:00
Buying things in Bukhara
She really doesn't want a teapot. But Karen Louise Boothe ends up with one anyway when she's snared by a persistent saleswoman outside an Uzbek madrassa.

Asia Pacific - 29 Oct, 2003, 13:53
Barrier Reef Blues
Bleaching's back on Australia's greatest reef, and this year it's bad. Brad Cox reports from the frontline of global warming. Pictures by Justin Marshall.

Europe - 29 Oct, 2003, 13:47
Getting round Berlin
Armed with little more than two quotes and a bit of optimism, Mick Lancaster finds a lot to like about Germany's unified heart.

Asia Pacific - 29 Oct, 2003, 13:14
Playing Games with Geisha
John Erskine Banta traces Japan's famous courtesans from their imperial past to the present day.

Europe - 22 Oct, 2003, 00:06
Jazz Melts France's Mediterranean Ice
Juan-les-Pins isn't a bit intimidating to Paula Court, who guides us round the jazz attractions at France's snootiest beach resort.

Europe - 21 Oct, 2003, 23:51
At Home in Ibiza
You don't have to be British to realise Ibiza is still Spain's party capital. Party Goddess Karina Timmel shows Europe how Americans can still kick the action into life.

Europe - 21 Oct, 2003, 23:37
Ireland's Blarney Stone Gets Lucky
The Blarney stone, it is said, once kissed, gives eternal charm. Jim Marquez decides he could use a bit of that.

Americas - 21 Oct, 2003, 23:25
Meet your Brazilian in-laws.
Rio doesn't mean much to Joshua Weber, till he meets some father's daughter in the middle of a New Year party.

Asia Pacific - 16 Oct, 2003, 14:21
Rating Australia
Does Australia live up to tourist-office hype? Not really, finds Gareth Platt as he fires up a rented camper van and heads off buoyantly into a country that 'murmurs with mediocrity'.

Americas - 16 Oct, 2003, 09:44
Charity and Concrete in Costa Rica
Volunteering in Costa Rica, Heather Brand finds herself cementing floors and relationships, as well as climbing half-way up a mountain to mosaic a bus shelter.

Central Asia - 15 Oct, 2003, 19:57
In a Quiet Land
The People's Republic of Laos captivates Daniel Gordon, as he takes the temperature of a hot tourist destination that remains cool in the face of capitalism.

Africa - 15 Oct, 2003, 09:28
Great Leaping Lemurs
Madagascar's pinning a tourist industry on small, furry primates. Rod Eime meets lemurs and more on the world's largest island.

Asia Pacific - 15 Oct, 2003, 09:00
Shanghai Dawn
An early start is needed, says Tina Zhang, to get the best out of Shanghai.

Asia Pacific - 14 Oct, 2003, 16:39
To the Roof of Taiwan
Taiwan's mountain peaks are a little bigger than Antonio Graceffo, as he sets out to explores with a leading trekker. But worth the pain, he says.

Asia Pacific - 13 Oct, 2003, 08:06
Indonesian Island Idyll
Travelling well beyond Bali, Kim Kroonenburg finds the small Indonesian island of Gili Trawangan offers a tranquil, friendly welcome and a perfect beach. Sceptical? She's got pictures to prove it.

Tourists travel well-trodden routes in Vietnam. Victor Borg makes a break for freedom, but finds himself easy meat for a small Mekhong-delta shark.

Asia Pacific - 7 Oct, 2003, 20:30
Shanghai Surprise
Telephones, smoking and sex preoccupy Frank DiFulvio as he steers a tentative course though Chinese society.

Asia Pacific - 7 Oct, 2003, 16:22
Turning Japanese
Expat hotelier John Erskine Banta finds a little bit of the language can transfer the experience of visiting Tokyo. Incredibly, his little guide here makes it sound easy.

Europe - 7 Oct, 2003, 15:48
Copenhagen Culture Shock
When Denmark's capital city puts on a 'Culture Night', Terje Raa finds 700 'events' pass smoothly by.

Europe - 7 Oct, 2003, 15:41
A Knight in Berlin
In his latest report from the front line of late-night drinking, Jim Marquez mis-times his exit in Germany's greatest city.

In South America's internet cafes, Ben Verinder finds signs of a new generation of child soldiers fighting new wars.

Americas - 1 Oct, 2003, 17:16
Package-Holiday Hell
When Dick Lunney books a holiday to the Dominican Republic, things start to go wrong before he boards his flight - and they don't get better. Funny, though, his pictures make the place look quite nice...

Japan's sprawling capital doesn't daunt New Zealander David Parish, who's quite happy to explain how it can be toured, in surprising depth, in a single day.

Asia Pacific - 24 Sep, 2003, 17:49
Not-so-quiet Drink in the Philippines
Fighting's better when you're armed, says Sim Louankang, who leaves his nuclear submarine behind when he goes out for a drink in Subic Bay.

Europe - 24 Sep, 2003, 16:47
Immersion Spanish
Sara Woods finds a language course in Salamanca expands her horizons and enriches her life.

Europe - 23 Sep, 2003, 17:31
Refugee Life in Europe
Frankly, I have no idea what visitors to Luxembourg do apart from buy cheap cigarettes and booze. But not many take Melody Nixon's route: visiting a hostel for political refugees, to find out how they're forced to live.

Europe - 22 Sep, 2003, 19:17
Canoeing the Tarn Gorge
Frances' Gorge du Tarn is the perfect place to explore on canoe, finds Catherine Foley.

Asia Pacific - 22 Sep, 2003, 19:10
Typhoon in Taiwan
Geoff Girvitz finds Taiwan's captivating even in the midst of a typhoon.

Africa - 13 Sep, 2003, 14:09
A Ten-Year-Old in Mali
What age should you first try a visit to Africa? Rough Guides author and senior marketing man at this leading guidebook series Richard Trillo takes his son David, age ten, to Mali, where he has a great time.

Europe - 11 Sep, 2003, 22:40
Golfing - and More - at Gleneagles
Andy Falconer hops off a Ryanair cheapie flight into the rarified luxury of Scotland's Gleneagles. And finds there's more to do there than golf. An unashamed puff, but makes me jealous. Quarter-size Landrovers for kids, indeed.

Asia Pacific - 11 Sep, 2003, 22:37
Tripping Over China's Great Wall
When Kevin O'Shea 'deplanes' in Beijing he finds some determined residents chip away the pleasure of his independent visit to China. It's the grandads and matriarchs, he learns, that add to a chilly reception.

Europe - 11 Sep, 2003, 22:24
Dropping a Gear to the Slow Pace of Kos
Terje Raa finds time to relax on Kos, a classic Greek favourite amongst holiday islands, while taking refuge from the God of Rain.

Europe - 11 Sep, 2003, 19:59
Taking France Eze-y
Travelling in considerable style, American Paula Court finds a warm welcome around France's Cote d'Azur.

Pole to Pole - 11 Sep, 2003, 19:51
Two Years By Bike
Two years into a cycle-ride around the world, Al Humphreys looks back at his experiences so far.

Editorials - 11 Sep, 2003, 12:11
Flight Gripes
Apocryphal perhaps, but this gripe list, reflecting airline pilots' maintenance concerns and the reaction of their maintenance crews, should win a smile or two. Sent in by Simon Riddle.

It's always unsettling to meet the Aboriginal tribesmen of Australia: a more distant culture than you ever expected. Erik R Trinidad finds his initial surprise grows into respect.

Africa - 9 Sep, 2003, 16:35
Living High, Living Low in Tanzania
Roshan Paul finds volunteering as a charity worker in Tanzania gives him the chance to gain real insights into Africa, and the Asian community's place within it.

Central Asia - 9 Sep, 2003, 15:55
Go to Goa
Richard Evans finds the old tricks are the best when he flies into Europe's favourite part of India, the freewheeling state of Goa.

Europe - 9 Sep, 2003, 15:46
Woken by the Mule Next Door
When he gets to Alpujarras in Andalucia, Paul Maxin finds that you can still find a thriving expat life away from the Spanish Costas.

Most people would shy away from cycling through the Middle East in turbulent times. Bevan Fletcher flies the flag for intrepid travellers as he pedals a meandering route through Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

Asia Pacific - 2 Sep, 2003, 19:37
Tea in Malaysia's Clouds
On a trip into the Cameron Highlands, Jennifer Offenbeck learns there's more to making a good cup of tea than hot water and perforated bags.

Europe - 30 Aug, 2003, 13:33
Along the Bohemian Coast
When Jean Garner books a tour of Croatia she's offered the chance to specify preferred coffin colour if things go wrong. A fine start to a trip through a recent war zone.

Asia Pacific - 30 Aug, 2003, 12:47
Korean Sex For Sale
Jim Marquez isn't alone in buying sex abroad. But he's unusual in admitting it. If you've ever wondered what goes on in a Seoul brothel, this could be your chance to find out.

Europe - 30 Aug, 2003, 12:42
On Sacred Ground
A visit to Terezin Concentration Camp in the Czech Republic lets Chris Thompson reflect on the nature of 'Atrocity Tourism'.

Asia Pacific - 25 Aug, 2003, 02:11
When Daegu had its Seoul Ripped Out
Teaching in Korea, Mark Allen discovers Daegu, a city shaken - but not bowed - by a subway bomb six months earlier.

Americas - 24 Aug, 2003, 12:38
La Paz to Lima - By Bike
La Paz to Lima might, if you look at a map, be a gentle downhill bicycle cruise. Not so, finds Al Humphreys, on this leg of his round-the-world bike-ride.

Asia Pacific - 24 Aug, 2003, 11:57
Eight Days in Vietnam
Canadian Kevin O'Shea finds his solo trip to Vietnam is swollen to a party of five. But, with group travel, that's just the way it goes, and he makes the most of eight days on the ground.

Americas - 24 Aug, 2003, 11:51
Two Singles and a Loan to San Cristobal
It's usual for the conductor to ask for ticket money, but on a trip into Mexico's Chiapas region Teresa Bucher is also asked for a loan. Is this a scam or does the driver really need to buy petrol?

Europe - 23 Aug, 2003, 20:15
Learning to Like London
Northerner Matt Pointon learns how best to experience Britain's capital city - as a foreigner.

Americas - 16 Aug, 2003, 00:01
Mexico's Street Kids
Life's far from easy for Mexico City's street kids. Julie Guyot finds a street-level charity that's trying to help - and finds hope in the children themselves.

Europe - 15 Aug, 2003, 23:45
You Cannes if You Want To
Don't be scared of South of France prices. Francene Cucinello says it's easy to mingle with the stars without busting your budget,

Europe - 15 Aug, 2003, 20:18
Go for Greece
All you need to tour the Greek Islands is an airline ticket and a few euros, says Grace de Rond. Oh, and these few words of advice.

Europe - 15 Aug, 2003, 20:05
Bullfights and Beers
At the end of a backpacking trip around Europe, Tyler Toby blows his last few dollars on beer and a bullfight in the Spanish capital, Madrid.

Central Asia - 15 Aug, 2003, 19:25
Taklamakan Desert by Rickshaw
China's greatest desert - second largest and about the deadliest in the world - isn't a serious challenge to Antonio Graceffo, who sets off to cross it on a second-hand rickshaw.

The manic cackle of a hyena is one of Africa's most atmospheric night sounds. Not to Erik R. Trinidad in Botswana, who suspects he might be on the beast's menu.

Asia Pacific - 8 Aug, 2003, 16:01
Un-Fair in Southeast Asia
Julie Guyot finds skin-whitening treatments highlight twisted standards of beauty in Cambodia and Vietnam.

Americas - 8 Aug, 2003, 13:04
Peru's Amazonian Jungle
Travelling to Peru's remote Manu National Park, Cara Frost-Sharratt finds a natural world far from the Inca stereotypes.

Europe - 8 Aug, 2003, 12:32
Sudden Death isn't Dull
When Jim Marquez sets out clubbing in England's nighlife capital he gets a bit more than he bargained for as violence flares. At least he's not the one that ends up dead.

Asia Pacific - 8 Aug, 2003, 01:24
Training up for China
When it comes to taking her family from Shanhai to Hong Kong, Vivienne Haldane finds the railway system offers atmospheric insights into rural Chinese life.

Americas - 27 Jul, 2003, 04:58
Salta's Train to the Clouds
A sudden death does nothing to derail Ben Verinder's train journey through the stunning landscapes and determined poncho vendors of of Northern Argentina.

Europe - 26 Jul, 2003, 06:39
France's other Loir
The missing 'e' is important, finds Andy Falconer as he tours the Loir Valley, far less visited than its busy Loire namesake, and all the more charming for its being so little known.

Europe - 26 Jul, 2003, 06:12
Denmark's Darling
Time was Terje Raa thought he was a cat. This time he's a mermaid - and a metal one at that. Whatever next? Perhaps the residents of Copenhagen will understand.

Africa - 26 Jul, 2003, 06:08
In Praise of Nelson Mandela
Ian Rowlands finds himself moved by a tour of South Africa's sites relating to its greatest hero.

Americas - 21 Jul, 2003, 20:01
Cuba's Rusty Trumpets
Leah Smith finds there's plenty to dance about in Castro's Cuba.

Editorials - 21 Jul, 2003, 19:48
Internet Sites for Wannabe Celebrities
The Internet makes it easy to take a celeb-style holiday without paying an a-list price, says Daniel Johnson, with his list of some of the internet's finest specialist travel sites.

Europe - 21 Jul, 2003, 19:35
Tradding It in Ireland
Ireland's traditional music scene makes some serious demands on Jim Marquez's long-suffering liver. But there's no limit to the sacrifices he'll make when research is called for.

Americas - 21 Jul, 2003, 18:22
Cruising Chile's Fjords
Chile's Fjords are part of the view Vemund Jensen discovers as he takes a local cruise round Southern America's tip.

Asia Pacific - 17 Jul, 2003, 23:30
Surf's Up in Mentawai
Noel Tucker finds there's plenty to rave about in Indonesia's Mentawai islands, where the world's finest surfing is just the attractions that bring a trickle of tourism to the world's nicest people. Great pics courtesy of Mentawai Islands Surf Charters and Cultural Tours.

Pole to Pole - 17 Jul, 2003, 22:48
An Eime in Antarctica
Rod Eime finds his childhood dreams realised in a trip to Antarctica and comes back with great pictures. Jealously, we can only reflect that, as an Australian, he starts off half-way there.

It's usual to take Kuala Lumpur at a gentle pace, dropping into the shops and, when it gets hot, taking a taxi. Not for Jean Nie. who takes it at a run.

Africa - 17 Jul, 2003, 21:36
Kenya's Greatest Peak
Tourists climb Kilimanjaro. Not Sarah Bulcock, who conquers Mount Kenya - a tough, rewarding climb. All credit to her, she even carries her camera.

Europe - 12 Jul, 2003, 14:23
Helsinki's Sunday Soul
Finland's capital, Helsinki, gives a warm welcome to Darryl Armitage.

Asia Pacific - 2 Jul, 2003, 10:38
Phnom Penh Promenade
Cambodia's had a roughfew years, and Patrick Mascoe discovers a country that's just daring to learn how to hope. Pictures by Jack Barker.

Americas - 2 Jul, 2003, 10:29
Mad about Mompiche
Exploring Ecuador's Pacific coast, Sonja Janousek finds a little piece of paradise.

Editorials - 2 Jul, 2003, 10:09
No Room at the Inn
When Nicholas Webster's sister gets turned away from a Holiday Inn - because she's only 18 - he spots discrimination and a safety issue.

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Americas - 20 Jun, 2003, 08:10
Bolivia's Witch's Market
Thomas Carroll buys some luck where the witches do their shopping in in La Paz. More Indiana Jones than Harry Potter, he says. But does it work?

Europe - 20 Jun, 2003, 07:57
Several Steps to Gelati Heaven
The steep slopes of Italy's Cinque Terre is easier on the eyes than the feet. Laura Bennett shoulders her pack and hikes one of Europe's most beautiful regions.

Asia Pacific - 20 Jun, 2003, 07:39
Malaccan Made
Once Southeast Asia's busiest port, Malacca is now a sleepy Malaysian backwater. Well worth a visit, says Patrick Mascoe.

Asia Pacific - 20 Jun, 2003, 07:29
Spooky Time in Sapa
Ian Rowlands finds the misty mountains of North Vietnam could be the set of a horror movie.

Asia Pacific - 20 Jun, 2003, 07:12
Railways as they Ought to Be
Unless you're on a backpacker budget with weeks to spare, the Eastern and Oriental Express is by far the best way to get from Bangkok to Singapore. Rowena Carr-Allinson gets a taste of luxury.

Asia Pacific - 16 Jun, 2003, 07:36
Wild Time at Rabbit Pass
Who the hell was Bledisloe, asks Ed Breit as he tramps up an especially vertical bit of New Zealand. Someone has to do it.

Europe - 16 Jun, 2003, 07:30
Captivated in Prague
Stuart Everitt finds a classical concert a transforming experience in the Czech capital.

No one likes losing a job, but when James Durston meets the Javanese who work inside a live volcano, surrounded by toxic fumes and perched on precarious slopes, he thinks there could be something to be said for unemployment. Meet the sulphur-slaves of Kawah Ijen.

Central Asia - 13 Jun, 2003, 06:42
The Fine Art of Kyrgyzstan
Expatriate American Karen Louise Boothe-Bishkek explores the Bishkek Kyrgyz Republic, finding mystery and magic in the land few can pronounce.

Europe - 13 Jun, 2003, 06:31
A Lion in Lyon
France's most approachable city makes Edward McSweegan welcome, who has words of advice for anyone planning Paris this summer.

Africa - 13 Jun, 2003, 06:22
Building Madagascar
Alison Judge volunteers with a small UK charity to help rebuild Madagascar, preserved in perfect poverty by their French colonial masters. It certainly changed her life so lets hope it's helped theirs.

Europe - 13 Jun, 2003, 05:29
Vestal in Varna
Bulgaria's religious fervour has to be seen to be beleived, says Kate Matthams in Varna.

I thought Fiji was just one island. Lucia Appleby finds there are 330 in the archipelago - and the best way to get around is by sail.

Editorials - 21 May, 2003, 04:11
Americans Pay the Club Med Price
Jaques Behr finds Club Med charge Americans more for their holidays than travellers from Europe. They're not alone, but this example is blatant.

Europe - 21 May, 2003, 03:53
Athens at Full Blast
Terje Raa finds things move fast in Greece's capital city.

Asia Pacific - 21 May, 2003, 03:38
Japan's Missing Generation
Where have all the twenty-somethings gone? That's the question that occupies Matt Pointon as he gets beseiged by schoolgirls in a small Japanese town. In his dreams..

Europe - 21 May, 2003, 03:23
Symi Style
Window's Always Open' is what the waitress says when Paul Maxin returns to the remote Dodecanese island of Symi in Greece to ccelebrate his 40th birthday. Proposition? Chat-up Line? Time will tell

Asia Pacific - 20 May, 2003, 19:48
How Japan Invented the Travel Industry
The travel industry was invented in Tokyo by major rulers trying to keep minor rulers too poor to revolt, according to John Erskine Banta. Perhaps not so much has changed.

Europe - 18 May, 2003, 09:08
An Innocent in Ireland
By the time he backpacks his way out of Europe and into Ireland, Colin McKenna has all the symptoms of Sars. He thinks he's lucky, after 40 days on the road, to still be alive.

Europe - 16 May, 2003, 20:29
Grown Men Shouldn't Wear Shorts
Another less than obvious tourist destination gets the Travelmag treatment with Phil Woodford's trip to the UK's Brownsea Island.

If it's beaches and peace you're after, you can't look much further - or indeed travel much further - than the Cook Islands. Lucia Appleby gets professionally lost.

Europe - 16 May, 2003, 19:52
Sent to Siberia
Most people don't go voluntarily to Siberia. They get sent. Edward McSweegan bucks the trend and finds there's more to the place than meets the eye.

Europe - 16 May, 2003, 18:40
Not the Birthplace of Mankind
The Isle of Man is best known for its annual motorbike race. Darryl Armitage visits to see if it has anything else to offer.

Asia Pacific - 16 May, 2003, 18:21
Taiwan Tales
Ian Rowlands travels beyond the backpacker trail to Taiwan, and finds he's got the place to himself.

You don't get travel stories out of Zimbabwe these days. You get harrowing tales of hardship and anger. Cathy Buckle's excellent site gives one person's perspective on a national tragedy, week by week.

Travelmag has teamed up with Hostelworld to help you plan accommodation worldwide. These days hostels have moved on from basic shared dorms but they still retain comfortably low prices.

Americas - 3 May, 2003, 18:12
How to do the Dominican Republic
Carolyn Kelley explores the hidden attractions of the Silver Coast, the Dominican Republic's North Shore.

Pole to Pole - 3 May, 2003, 17:44
Trekking Greenland
They say Greenland was named as a marketing ploy to try to attract settlers in the days before they could just fly straight home. And it's certain not many people stay long enough to trekking. Except Kim Senger.

Editorials - 3 May, 2003, 17:00
Hostelling in the 21st Century
21st century hostels have moved on. Catherine Gilvarry, content editor of Hostels.com, says it's time to use the internet to plan ahead.

Asia Pacific - 30 Apr, 2003, 23:24
Lessons of a Language Teacher
Teaching Engliish in Japan is a specialised skill. Matt Pointon finds his curriculum is suddenly extended.

Europe - 30 Apr, 2003, 23:04
The Romance of Romania
21st century hostels have moved on. Catherine Gilvarry, content editor of Hostels.com, says it's time to use the internet to plan ahead.

Asia Pacific - 30 Apr, 2003, 22:52
A Yank Australianed
Straying into Canberra, a visiting American might expect some abuse. What with the war and all. Lee Patton dives into fire and survives.

Central Asia - 30 Apr, 2003, 22:32
China's SARS strangles Tibet
China might be the source of the world's most recent health panic, but it's Tibet that, so far, seems to be paying the price.

Europe - 26 Apr, 2003, 08:30
Try a Train
Agatha Christie didn't do much for the reputation of travel by rail. Too many passengers ended up dead. But European trains are OK, says Kate Matthams, who has tried a few. They seduce her, apparently.

Americas - 26 Apr, 2003, 07:30
Peaceful Placencia
Theodor Grossman settles down to the gentle pace of life on Belize's Caribbean coast.

Central Asia - 26 Apr, 2003, 07:01
Castaway on the Maldives
It's meant to offer a Robinson Crusoe experience, but Nazir Keshvani doubts the world's most famous castaway ever had table tennis or spa treatments.

Asia Pacific - 26 Apr, 2003, 06:48
Backpacking Australasia
Australia's bigger than Kansas. Bigger even than the US. This does affect Rachel Salberg's backpacking epic across Oz and New Zealand. It makes it longer.

Asia Pacific - 23 Apr, 2003, 15:41
Taveuni — Paradise Found
Fiji's Taveuni Island is paradise, reckons Les Furnanz. And once there, he's in no doubt about where is best to stay.

Americas - 22 Apr, 2003, 20:58
Bolivia's real marching powder
It might be cocaine that keeps the fashionistas going, but if you don't get enough salt you die. David Friel finds plenty in one of the world's largest salt pans.

Americas - 17 Apr, 2003, 14:24
At Home in Atitlan
When Mike Farquhar visits Guatemala, he finds it easy to fall off the tourist trail.

Central Asia - 17 Apr, 2003, 12:58
Agraphobia
When Michele Ann Jenkins' visit to the Taj Mahal takes a turn for the wierd she doesn't know whether she's being cautious or paranoid. Just one of those times where you have to trust your instincts.

Asia Pacific - 17 Apr, 2003, 12:42
Life, Slavery and the Pursuit of Happiness
For rural migrants, working in Beijing isn't easy. Jo McMillan tells the tale of one young Chinese girl, trying to find her place in a changing society.

Asia Pacific - 15 Apr, 2003, 05:51
Travels through Korea and Indonesia
Forget the twitchy foreign office warnings. Korea and Indonesia are great places to travel. As Matt Pointon proves.

Asia Pacific - 15 Apr, 2003, 05:43
Flying through a Kimberley Storm
You know you're in trouble when the pilot asks to see the aircraft manual. Rick Fray survives a tricky flight through some of West Australia's worst weather.

Africa - 15 Apr, 2003, 05:21
Dazed by Dakar
Senegal's capital city is more likely to blow your mind than broaden it, says Jane Labous, who's fallen in love with Dakar.

Europe - 15 Apr, 2003, 05:17
Aegean's 'First Lady'
Chios town, largest village on Chios Island, has 29 bars on the waterfront alone. Terje Raa crawls the circuit.

Americas - 15 Apr, 2003, 04:50
In Search of Margaritaville
David Peevers heads down Baja California till he runs out of land.... and finds fish.

Asia Pacific - 25 Mar, 2003, 18:57
Classic Overland
Travelling from the Himalayas through India, Nepal, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia, South African Jake Rusznyak discovers life on a shoestring and a lot more besides. Great pictures too.

Africa - 24 Mar, 2003, 19:29
Clicking onto Masai Time
Sun-up, cattle eat: sundown, watch out for lion. Your average pastoral tribesman might have many pressures but knowing the exact time shouldn't be that important. Not so, finds Derek Fehmers, when a Masai herder takes a liking to his watch.

Americas - 24 Mar, 2003, 19:00
Eco-Gringo on the Run
It's not easy being an eco-warrior, even in Central America's capital of political correctness. Steve Hendricks finds his environmental sensitivities - combined with a courageous lack of tact - means that he's now target numero uno for the Costa Rican Army.

Asia Pacific - 24 Mar, 2003, 18:37
Climbing Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge is a very handy prop to help sell postcards, and also bumps up property prices. Generally it is useful to drive across, or just to keep into the view. Not for Anthony Morrissey, who tries to climb it. At night.

Africa - 24 Mar, 2003, 17:46
The Kindest Cut
Getting circumsized isn't the most obviously clever start to a night out. Kate Matthams finds, in Morocco, it's a good excuse for a party, but then she celebrates with the women while it's the men getting the snip.

Europe - 24 Mar, 2003, 17:19
Perfecting Paris
When it comes to the world's capital of romance, there's a new expert. Mia Palmer finds love thanks to Easyjet, but finds time to point out the finer features of the urban transit system.

Central Asia - 16 Mar, 2003, 19:50
Georgian Grass is Greener
Julie Guyot delves into the hidden drug culture of Georgia in a thoroughly researched feature that just might keep you out of jail.

Asia Pacific - 16 Mar, 2003, 19:12
A Whale of a Time
Whale enthusiast Glynn Greensmith sets out from Sydney Harbour in search of the world's greatest mammals, but ends up seeing more of his fellow passengers. Not an altogether pretty sight.

Asia Pacific - 16 Mar, 2003, 18:57
Red Lights in Seoul
only sometimes mean stop. Jim Marquez tries his luck amongst the TEFL teachers in South Korea's capital city.

Asia Pacific - 16 Mar, 2003, 07:59
All You Need are Neighbours
Some visitors struggle to find tourist attractions in Melbourne. Not Laura Bennett, addict of Grundy tv's greatest hits. She heads for Ramsay Street.

Americas - 15 Mar, 2003, 19:35
Retracing 'La Ruta Maya'
Joanna Jane Smith finds plenty of the Maya culture remains on her classic tour through Mexico, Belize and Guatemala.

Hamish Chalmers finds the Mekhong's the best route into Laos is travelling from the Thai border to Luang Prabang on a traditional river boat. The first thing he discovers is that a bucket over the head makes you feel... wetter. Good pics.

Africa - 27 Feb, 2003, 14:11
Out of Africa - Too
Jon Blanc breaks the Great White Hunter stereotype on his site, which celebrates the human wealth of East Africa. [ Visit Website ]

Americas - 27 Feb, 2003, 13:44
Farting for America
Californian mountain guides keep several steps ahead of their flatlander climbing clients. David Peevers finds out why, and feels strangely better.

Africa - 27 Feb, 2003, 13:25
At Home with the Omo
Tourists arriving at Africa's last tribal wilderness, Ethiopa's Omo valley, are bringing change. Melissa Lunstead finds the influence of the West a mixed blessing.

Central Asia - 27 Feb, 2003, 13:07
Raving about Red Square
Ten days in Russia start in Red Square for photographer David Hessell, who finds little beyond his camera's lens.

Editorials - 26 Feb, 2003, 19:25
Snowboarding Risks
More dangerous than skiing, snowboarding presents some serious risks. The Chartered Society of Physios has some cautionary words for those not quite as young as they think.

Pole to Pole - 26 Feb, 2003, 19:01
Working a Passage
Working a passage isn't an easy way to travel anymore. It's increasingly difficult to get work on merchant ships. Hats off, then, to David Tanen, who's persistence in Melbourne gets him half-way round the world.

Americas - 26 Feb, 2003, 18:43
Highway One to Nowhere
From Tijuana, Highway One heads south to meet, eventally, glitz and glamour. Halfway Lucia Appleby finds nowhere, certainly the best bit, and stops. Far enough and fair enough.

Asia Pacific - 26 Feb, 2003, 17:38
Fraser Island Freak-Out
Four carrier bags and a good set of feet are all you need to explore Australia's Fraser Island, says Maggi Jones, who doesn't mind one bit that the four-wheel-drive brigade won't talk to her.

It's never been hugely easy to cross from Russia into Central Asia. Jim Hershberg doesn't let this discourage him at all. He takes his wife.

Asia Pacific - 26 Feb, 2003, 17:08
Polo Time for Elephants
Playing polo with ponies is too tame for Nazir Keshvani, who saddles up a jumbo for a game in Hua Hin, Thailand.

Asia Pacific - 26 Feb, 2003, 15:51
Taking time in Thailand
It takes a while to get the Thais to open up. Steve Naber gets off the beaten trail in a leisurely tour of the inland regions.

Most visitors to Death Valley at least carry a good map, or know where they're going. Faiz Kermani does neither, thus getting really off the beaten track and uncovering the mystery of Seldom Seen Slim.

Americas - 26 Feb, 2003, 15:22
Not Bright Lights, Not Big City
Most visitor's to California's Death Valley make sure they take a decent map. Not Faiz Kermani, who finds this is a sure way to get well off the beaten track.

Americas - 26 Feb, 2003, 15:14
Secret Oahu
With more websites per head of population than anywhere else in the world, Hawaii might seem well covered. But expert Everett Sizemore knows the best places to go.

Africa - 26 Feb, 2003, 14:58
Under Kenya's Southern Cross
In Kenya, Lyn Fox discovers that even the smallest animals bite, rainforest needs to be hacked through, and trigger-happy roadblocks can be traumatic. Will he ever reach the coast?

Editorials - 26 Feb, 2003, 14:25
Tibet Trouble
The Chinese authorities are swamping out Tibetan guides with a new flood of Chinese nationals and repressive regulations. The Tibet Information Network reports what's going on in China's unhappy colony.

Editorials - 26 Feb, 2003, 14:12
Are We Having Fun Yet?
Peter Franzese rips the velcro off the concept of 'Adventure Travel'.

Editorials - 26 Feb, 2003, 13:59
Travelmag's Print Baby
Travelmag Editor Jack Barker wrote a thriller some time ago. Now he'd like you to buy it. Find out more.

Editorials - 26 Feb, 2003, 13:49
Pop-up Mosquito Nets
Forget expensive Malarone. The Pyramid Pop-Up Mosquito Net is the latest weapon in the fight against Malaria.

Americas - 25 Feb, 2003, 14:01
A River Roars Through it
Whitewater rafting's too mild a term for the trip David Peevers makes along the wild rapids of the 'Killer' Kern.

Americas - 24 Feb, 2003, 14:06
A Boy and his Castle
Randolph Hearst shows what happens when huge amounts of money meet a warped imagination. But David Peevers finds Hearst Castle oddly endearing.

Europe - 20 Jan, 2003, 11:03
Copenhagen on Parade
Terje Raa rubs up against some serious glamour at Copenhagen's Mermaid Pride Parade, with pictures by Kim Rytoft.

Europe - 18 Jan, 2003, 09:22
Austria's Schubertiade
Kim Chernin and Renate Stendhal report from the front line of the classical-music world, Austria's Schubertiade.

Asia Pacific - 16 Jan, 2003, 01:56
A Good Place to Die
Rhymer Rigby travels to Sulawesi to where a funeral provides an insight into one of Indonesia's most traditional islands.

Asia Pacific - 16 Jan, 2003, 01:50
Trekking China's Great Wall
Daniel Lehman walks one of the world's greatest wonders, even though his boots remain in Barcelona.

Europe - 16 Jan, 2003, 01:46
Talking to Trolls
David Hessell's motorbike tour of Norway brings up insights into Vikings, trolls with a spectacular and dramatic line in fjords.

Americas - 16 Jan, 2003, 01:41
Eggs and Esmeraldas after dark
Eggs and Esmeraldasare the ghosts that haunt Mijo Schyllert as he hurtles across Ecuador in a long-distance bus.

Americas - 16 Jan, 2003, 01:41
Stealing the Show
Not many visitors to the US of A ever find themselves competing on a TV gameshow. But if they do, Riley Chiorando has a cautionary tale

Europe - 16 Jan, 2003, 01:41
Amsterdam's Finest Museum
Amsterdam's Finest Museum is the Stedelijk, according to Ramón Pedrosa, who gets there by tram.

Central Asia - 16 Jan, 2003, 01:40
Meeting the Teliooti
Melody Nixon meets one of Siberia's most endangered minorities in this report from central Russia.

Europe - 16 Jan, 2003, 01:40
Meeting the Minoans
The ancient cultures of the Greek Islands infuse the present for Morelle Smith in an evocative account that spans the centuries.

Europe - 16 Jan, 2003, 01:39
Finding the Real Flamenco
Habeeb Salloum discovers Spain's most famous musical traditions live on in deepest Andalusia.

Americas - 8 Dec, 2002, 11:16
Ambling up the Amazon
Meghan Lambert travels up Brazil's greatest waterway, on foot, by boat and hammock.

Americas - 6 Dec, 2002, 01:37
Four Weeks at Sea
most novice sailors start in small boats on lakes. Zoe Naylor answers a personal ad and boards a yacht heading from Argentina to Brazil.

Europe - 1 Dec, 2002, 01:25
Mykonos on Soft Paws
Most visitors to Mykonos feed or kick the cats. Terje Raa thinks he is one.

Full moon parties on Koh Pha Ngan set the standards for other raves to match. Justin Gainsford reports from the front line of fun.

Central Asia - 10 Nov, 2002, 01:17
Overland through Afghanistan
Hafeezur Rahman Malik takes the train to travel from his Pakistan home to Iran. It's an insight into travelling as a local, very different to our usual pink perspiring backpackers.

Central Asia - 5 Nov, 2002, 01:45
Value my Severed Head
Severed heads might seem especially valuable if they're yours. But in Kashmir, Steve Bell finds even his English head is worth more than that of an Indian cabinet minister.

Americas - 5 Nov, 2002, 01:45
Bewitched by Bolivia's Markets
Thomas Carroll forgets to pack his horsewhip when he heads to a witches market. Pity, really, because his wife needs discipline.

Asia Pacific - 5 Nov, 2002, 01:45
New Zealand Dreams
Jennifer Offenbeck finds there's much more to the 'Land of the Maori' than dangerous sports.

Asia Pacific - 5 Nov, 2002, 01:45
Gathering on the Mountain
In search of a rusty bridge Jim Marquez sets out to climb South Korea's Daedun Mountain. For a while it looks like he might not make it, but then he hears there's beer in them hills.

Americas - 5 Nov, 2002, 01:44
Kinoosao
David Hessell finds Manitoba doesn't fit well on a map. No matter. He heads off for Canada and learns how to fish.

Americas - 5 Nov, 2002, 01:44
Grim Relics
Halifax, Nova Scotia is full of ghosts, finds Maggi Jones, who discovers there are benefits in living far from the sea.

Middle East - 5 Nov, 2002, 01:44
Taking Time Out in Turkey
Mark Abelson travels to the far reaches of Turkey and finds unexpected depths in America's firmest Muslim ally.

Asia Pacific - 5 Nov, 2002, 01:43
Wet Kisses on the Beach
Bill Sander finds the logging industry wreaking havoc on the fragile cultures of Borneo's remote regions.

Europe - 2 Oct, 2002, 11:11
Coping with Copenhagen
Terje Raa finds Copenhagen's Tivoli district provides the perfect package for a long night out.

Europe - 30 Sep, 2002, 01:42
All Aboard for Paris
Jim Marquez makes a meal of reaching Paris from Scotland. Perhaps, on reflection, he should have flown...

Central Asia - 28 Sep, 2002, 01:41
Busy in Bangladesh
When Mark Abelson starts to learn the local language in Bangladesh, his first lessons aren't quite what he expects.

Asia Pacific - 28 Sep, 2002, 01:31
Picked up in Paradise
Drifting musicial Hy Lyfe finds a beautiful Vietnamese party-boat operator to give him a birthday he'll never forget... and no, we're not at all jealous, oh no.

Asia Pacific - 28 Sep, 2002, 01:31
Magnificently Magnetic
Renée Brautigam finds it's not just compasses that are drawn to Magnetic Island off the Australian coast.

Asia Pacific - 28 Sep, 2002, 01:26
River Road
Michele Ann Jenkins takes the 'Fast Slowboat' through Laos and finds travelling time, here, hangs happy.

Europe - 28 Sep, 2002, 01:23
Cuddling Croatia
Lucia Appleby finds that, in this part of Europe, fridges move overnight.

Asia Pacific - 24 Sep, 2002, 01:33
Veering around Vietnam
Pam Spector scratches well below the surface as she tours one of Asia's most refined destinations.

Asia Pacific - 21 Sep, 2002, 00:10
Diving into Vanuatu
Lindsay Cohen finds hidden depths in the Pacific island where ruined ships are part of the underwater landscape.

Asia Pacific - 21 Sep, 2002, 00:10
China Crisis
Working as a film extra has its rewards and frustrations. Evil British soldier Mark Evans finds his role in a Chinese b movie stretches more skills than patience.

Americas - 21 Sep, 2002, 00:10
High on Cotopaxi
Ivan Yuen finds his feet on Ecuador's finest volcano.

Asia Pacific - 21 Sep, 2002, 00:10
Climbing China's Tai Shan
Hiking might be a new concept to the Chinese, but, confronted with a holy Taoist Mountain, Emily Strauss shows them how it turns your legs to jelly.

Asia Pacific - 21 Sep, 2002, 00:10
Trusting in Thailand
Trace Anderson finds it's easy to stray from travel plans as his tour of Asia starts to go astray.

Europe - 29 Aug, 2002, 01:33
Driving on the Left
In the UK, we all believe Americans can't drive even though we crash a lot ourselves. But then, thank the Lord, just sometimes someone like Hunter James flies across the pond to cheer us all up.

Central Asia - 29 Aug, 2002, 01:23
A Karabakh Holiday
Dima and Laeticia cycle through the landmines in the southern Caucasas. Julie Guyot helps them chronical their adventures. The couple also got help from the Halo Trust but I think they were lucky not to end up wearing halos.

Asia Pacific - 29 Aug, 2002, 01:23
The Landslide Lounge
When Dave Fuller's bus breaks down in Laos, he finds solace in a nearby beer truck, marooned across the landslide, in one of the world's better (and cheaper) bars.

Americas - 29 Aug, 2002, 01:23
Road Warrior or Wearier?
Connie Brockert hits the asphalt round America's many states with this report from the frontline of life as a commercial traveller.

Asia Pacific - 29 Aug, 2002, 01:23
At Home With China Bob
From the remote corners of China, Anne McDonough tracks down the chain-smoking 'China Bob' to her Dutch home.

Africa - 29 Aug, 2002, 01:22
Taking it Easy in the Seychelles
Alex Black finds the world's favourite honeymoon destination shines fine once you've swallowed the premium prices.

Africa - 29 Aug, 2002, 01:22
Shadow Lines
Flipping round Egypt's hippy hangouts, a phone call tells Philip Blazdell he's about to become a father and his flight home has been cancelled. To his credit, he doesn't regard the second bit of news as a happy coincidence, but still takes time out to search the sands of Sinai before rushing home, paternally

Asia Pacific - 15 Aug, 2002, 00:00
The Big Plummet
Scott Cunningham staps on a harness to lose 134 metres in about two seconds. 'It's got to be done', he says, but looking at the pictures, I'm not convinced.

Europe - 14 Aug, 2002, 00:00
A Miniparadise in Milos
Miniparadise in Milos ccording to Terje Raa, going Greek in Europe's summer central.

Europe - 14 Aug, 2002, 00:00
Motorbiking with Beach
David Hessell takes to the Alpine roads with the Beach's famous motorbike tours, finds switchbacks to die for (or of) as well as meeting a rather wonderful cow.

Europe - 14 Aug, 2002, 00:00
The Empire of the Dead
The Empire of the Dead is just under the streets of Paris, says Jim Marquez, who's been down amongst the piled bones and lived to tell the tale.

Europe - 5 Aug, 2002, 00:00
Gorge-ous Crete
Crete is Gorge-eous says Amanda Evans, who sets off down the slippery stones of Agia Irini Gorge in Greece's finest island.

Europe - 5 Aug, 2002, 00:00
A Garland of Cycladic islands
Greek Islands are a garland, says Terje Raa, as he tours the Cyclades by fast local ferry.

Asia Pacific - 5 Aug, 2002, 00:00
On the Game in Ho Chi Minh
t's easy to get from A to B in Vietnam's vice capital, finds Jim Soliski. Just wave down a hooker on a scooter and beg a lift. Another bright tale from the dark side.

Asia Pacific - 8 Jul, 2002, 00:00
Hand it to the Capitalists
While Western tourists cruise the bars, the local sex industry is slightly less refined. Jim Soliski takes his seat outside the Cathedral to watch Saigon's finest at work.

Asia Pacific - 3 Jul, 2002, 00:00
Simply Chejudo
South Korea's honeymoon island, Chejudo, is marketed as an Oriental Hawaii. Well, up to a point, says David Cox.

Americas - 2 Jul, 2002, 00:00
Learning to Hitchhike
Tim Vandenack hitches his way to Patagonia in this road trip through South America's most civilised country. And when his girlfriend's nerve fails he's saved from an easy way out by a full bus

Asia Pacific - 2 Jul, 2002, 00:00
Mad Guides and Chinamen
It's the guides that get you when you're looking for the Yellow Mountains. Toh Saw Huay gets hassled by helpers.

Middle East - 2 Jul, 2002, 00:00
Same-Sex and the City
It's not Hard to be Gayin Istanbul, says Rick Barr, whatever the warnings. He test-drives the city that likes to say perhaps.

Baseball in Japan is certainly a lot more polite than its American counterpart. Jessica Adler - who had seemed such a nice girl - thinks it sucks.

Asia Pacific - 2 Jul, 2002, 00:00
Maid in Saigon
When Jim Soliski's money disappears from his Vietnamese Hotel room, he decides to play detective. Is the hotel world ready for Sherlock Soliski? Actually not. But it's a great fight.

Americas - 2 Jul, 2002, 00:00
A Summer Experience at Blue Star Camps
Looking after 14 adolescent American schoolkids doesn't sound much fun to me. Victoria Jossel, however, is strong enough to grow from the experience.

Europe - 8 Jun, 2002, 00:00
A Bavarian Appreciation
Ronald L Harmon's night out in a Munich beer hall reminds me why I travel in the developing world.

Africa - 4 Jun, 2002, 00:00
Outlining Egypt
Holly Small skims the land of the Pharoahs and finds the past informs the present in one of the world's oldest civilisations.

Americas - 3 Jun, 2002, 00:00
Diving with the Great White
Diving with a Great White doesn't have to involve chumming trails and laying bait. Patric Douglas, diving off Guadeloupe, knows where they live. But even he still uses a cage.

Europe - 3 Jun, 2002, 00:00
Underground Edinburgh
The seven-story dwellings of the Medieval city used buckets, not plumbing. Faiz Kermani nervously keeps his hat on

Americas - 3 Jun, 2002, 00:00
The Road to Batopilas
Catherine Mojsiewicz takes the high road along Mexico's Barranca del Cobre, and would, perhaps, have enjoyed the journey more if she'd believed the roadside crosses were memorials to tired old donkeys.

Americas - 3 Jun, 2002, 00:00
Grand Tour of Europe
Re-running the 'Grand Tour' for Tim Whiteside, means saddling up his motorbike and blasting across Europe with no real plan. Works for me.

Asia Pacific - 14 May, 2002, 00:00
Better for Burma
While many call for a boycott of Burma, visitors to Myanmar do more good than harm, argues Christy Quirk in this report from Southeast Asia's pariah police state.

Americas - 14 May, 2002, 00:00
Tickled by Tikal
Despite years of conflict, Guatemala's scars are healing. Hunter Pope explores Central America's finest archaeological site, Tikal.

Asia Pacific - 14 May, 2002, 00:00
Karstic Memories
The post-card-pretty islands of Thailand's Phang Nga Bay aren't just ideal hideaways for James Bond villains. Adrian Walsh explores by long-tail boat.

Asia Pacific - 14 May, 2002, 00:00
Hopping for a Better Life
Kevin Mulcahy finds an enterprising beggar hopping for a better life on the streets of Saigon.

Americas - 14 May, 2002, 00:00
Gapping it in Iguacu - an Email Diary
Gap year teacher Frances Ashley finds there's clubbing, shopping and childcare as well as education when she goes to live in Iguazu: her email diary beats the pants off Bridget Jones.

Africa - 14 May, 2002, 00:00
Gapping it in Zambia
hen Richard Dana goes to work on a game lodge in Zambia, he finds the Tonga people don't share his excitement at the eclipse of the sun.

Europe - 14 May, 2002, 00:00
Idling down to Irish Time
Phil Woodford takes the pulse of Eire's attractions as his tour of highlights leaves the beaten trail.

Africa - 26 Apr, 2002, 00:00
Native Dance
Nancy Fingerhood finds the power of dance beats peeling plantains in her bid to bond with the natives of Tanzania

Central Asia - 26 Apr, 2002, 00:00
Uzbek Sidestep
If you need a guide to the frontier zone between East and West, Itinerant Anna is the ideal guide. A day in her life helps explain how Uzbekistan keeps alive.

Asia Pacific - 26 Apr, 2002, 00:00
Drifting like a Doctor
Even for a doctor Indonesia looks like work if your passport doesn't match up. Paul Dixon tells the tale of a medic in limbo.

Americas - 14 Apr, 2002, 00:00
Settling in to Sedona
Alexandra Gnaedig explores the desert landscapes of Sedona - pics by Michael Gnaedig

Central Asia - 14 Apr, 2002, 00:00
Nepal's Wild Kingdom
Harsh Language seems to be Dave Underwood's only defence against a charging Asian Rhino. But he survives his jungle safari in lowland Nepal and brings back great pictures to prove it.