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' footsteps in 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. 

Americas - 24 Mar, 2008, 19:25
Celebrating Ambato's 'fruit and flowers'

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.

Asia Pacific - 6 Mar, 2008, 22:33
In the shadow of Bangkok's Sky Train

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.

Asia Pacific - 5 Mar, 2008, 23:26
Pudding your way around Southeast Asia
Some people travel in search of culture. But in Cambodia Anneli Thomson's primary interest is ... dessert.

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 - 5 Mar, 2008, 22:48
Finding your place in India's caste system
Half-American and more than half Indian, Gita Tewari finds herself emotionally torn as she tries to find her place in Asian society.

Asia Pacific - 18 Feb, 2008, 22:20
Sinking with Mr Friendly amongst Thailand's islands
A persistent hotelier distracts John M. Edwards as the Gulf of Thailand gets the better of his boat, and he starts to sink in warm waters.

Central Asia - 18 Feb, 2008, 21:58
Travelling through India - with a magic Nepalese wand
Given as a gift by a grateful Nepalese school, a bamboo staff transforms Sezgi Yalin as she travels through India.

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, 12:14
Austria's mountain landscape - on two wheels
Tired of soggy ski runs, lifts and queues, Christian Cummins sweated it out on a mountain bike to find the real Austria.

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. 

Asia Pacific - 1 Feb, 2008, 20:55
Party time in upcountry Cambodia

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.

Europe - 29 Jan, 2008, 23:00
The hidden history of sport in Rome

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.

Asia Pacific - 22 Jan, 2008, 23:20
Tricks of travel in the new China

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.

Americas - 22 Jan, 2008, 22:23
Never trust a man for the size of his monkey

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, 21:29
From Sheep to Shyrdak – Making felt in Kyrgyzstan
Borat doesn't visit Kazakhstan and makes a fortune. Author Saffia Farr goes to Kyrgyzstan and learns how to make - er - felt.

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.

Europe - 22 Jan, 2008, 21:04
In northern Finland, Lapland lives

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? 

Central Asia - 14 Nov, 2007, 23:23
Don't worry, chicken curry: calm in Kashmir
Despite it's fearsome reputation, Sezgi Yalin finds a warm welcome and a peaceful experience in the contested region of Kashmir.

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.

Africa - 3 Nov, 2007, 11:48
Tea up Mount Toubkal
Despite being woefully ill-prepared for Morocco's High Atlas, Henry Wismayer finds his way to the peak of one of Africa's most spectacular mountains. And there's not a beer in sight.

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?

Central Asia - 8 Oct, 2007, 14:59
Strolling the streets of Luang Prabang
John Mead escapes the Lao Republic's tourist crowds by taking to the hills through a Hmong heartland.

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. 

Asia Pacific - 2 Oct, 2007, 10:37
Shackled by the Neck

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.

Middle East - 15 Sep, 2007, 14:02
Wild nights in the Syrian desert
Marika Hill camps out at a Syrian beauty spot, and meets with the nomads who call this desert home.

Europe - 15 Sep, 2007, 11:49
One hotdog and a psychedelic Jesus, please.
Summer is festa time in Malta: Grant Hackelton takes the pulse of a vivid Mediterranean culture.

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.

Central Asia - 31 Aug, 2007, 08:58
Rats in the wardrobe: X'ian on the cheap
Travelling on a budget lets Jemima Price see more than just the Terracotta Warriors in her journey through central China.

Middle East - 31 Aug, 2007, 08:26
Tales from the road: Libya to Sweden - overland
Anneli Sundqvist

Central Asia - 19 Aug, 2007, 21:56
Waiting by the side of a Nepalese road
Trekking comes easy to Will Joce, as he threads through the mountain  trails of Nepal's Himalayas.

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. 

Europe - 12 Jul, 2007, 20:32
Glastonbury rules

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.

Americas - 17 Jun, 2007, 21:09
The bus that thinks it's a train

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

Europe - 17 Jun, 2007, 21:04
Waffling about Antwerp

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.

Europe - 17 Jun, 2007, 17:38
Death and destruction in the Dardanelles
The echoes of the First World War stirs Keith Rhoades on a visit to the battlefields of Gallipoli.

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.

Central Asia - 5 Jun, 2007, 11:04
Signs of change at the end of the hippy trail
Melissa Cullen finds signs of change in Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, as it gears up for a new wave of travellers.

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.

Central Asia - 3 Apr, 2007, 14:05
Hunting with Mongolia's golden eagles
Hazel Adamson spends time with a Kazakh family and learns the traditional skill of using eagles, nature's greatest predators, to help deliver food to plate.

Central Asia - 30 Mar, 2007, 10:50
In love in India

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.

Asia Pacific - 29 Mar, 2007, 22:52
From the Hippie Trail to the Millie Circuit
Overland Asia has changed. Carter Young, probably a hippie, watches the flood of young 'millies' sweep across a continent.

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.

Central Asia - 29 Mar, 2007, 20:00
Kebabs, Kashgar and the Karakoram Highway
Chinese Turkestan, and Daniel Allen travels through Xinjiang Province, discovering a land lost in time.

Europe - 25 Mar, 2007, 18:10
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, 16:49
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, 16:41
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, 16:34
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, 16:15
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, 16:04
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.

Asia Pacific - 10 Mar, 2007, 14:28
Top end trouble in Australia's far north
Magnetic termites, bushfires and a goanna on a riverbank: all part of Australia's Northern Territory, says Anthony Toole.

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.

Central Asia - 10 Mar, 2007, 13:30
Trekking as a matter of life and death

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.

Asia Pacific - 10 Mar, 2007, 12:55
Kyushu, tranquil island off mainland Japan
Alan Deegan finds peace and plenty beyond the major cities of Asia's economic powerhouse.

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.

Europe - 3 Feb, 2007, 13:59
On the piste in Slovenia

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.

Africa - 24 Jan, 2007, 19:02
Hopping around Africa's mountain gorillas

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. 

Asia Pacific - 20 Jan, 2007, 18:19
Fourteen hours - and £14 - in Kuala Lumpur
Even on a limited budget, Melissa Cullen finds plenty to like about Malaysia's capital city.

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.

Americas - 2 Jan, 2007, 12:18
Pottering into Paraguay

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.

Asia Pacific - 2 Jan, 2007, 11:48
Climbing to the top of Vietnam

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.

Central Asia - 21 Dec, 2006, 17:03
The darker side of India's spirtual heartland
Amongst the burning pyres of Varanasi, Sten Muchow finds he's easy pickings for the city's human vultures,

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.

Central Asia - 8 Dec, 2006, 11:15
Wheeling and dealing on China's Silk Road

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.

Middle East - 8 Dec, 2006, 10:45
Saudi Arabia: a 1980's insight

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.

Middle East - 28 Oct, 2006, 18:48
Iran: the pangs of power
Forget the international posturing. Someone's got to make sure Iran's new nuclear reactor doesn't damage the marine environment. Dr. R. Sudarshana reports from inside Iran.

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.

Americas - 21 Oct, 2006, 15:48
Mojitos and mosquitoes in present-day Cuba
Downtown Havana, and Tom Dearden finds himself instantly caught up with revolutionary fervour.

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.

Americas - 19 Oct, 2006, 20:12
Viva a new Salvador

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, 12:22
Taking the Inca Trail to a place above the clouds
Eric Lehman finds magic on Peru's Inca Trail.

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.

Americas - 5 Sep, 2006, 11:57
A Los Angeles history lesson

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. 

Central Asia - 5 Sep, 2006, 10:34
There's a magic about Mongolia

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.

Europe - 1 Sep, 2006, 17:29
Crashing Cannes
You don't have to be a star to get into Cannes: you just need a letter typed up in MS Word. But Zachary Mason approaches France's cultural filmfest with a sturdy and unshakeable gloom.

Europe - 1 Sep, 2006, 17:24
Not too sick to ring for a lawyer
When Bulgarian belly struck at two holiday hotels brave British holidaymakers struggled to their phones. Not to call the doctor: instead they rang Irwin Mitchell, solicitors at law. 

Americas - 1 Sep, 2006, 17:20
Big Picture, Big Sky, Montana
Joe Ahearn discovers the skies really are bigger in Southwest Montana.

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.

Europe - 1 Sep, 2006, 14:20
Barging through France

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.

Americas - 17 Aug, 2006, 21:30
A scoop of communist Cuba

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, 19:37
The spirit of wilderness on a Polish horse
Backcountry Poland, and Maciej Karasinski gets way from the tarmac on a traditional horse.

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.

Europe - 10 Aug, 2006, 17:02
Fear and loathing in Germany: a World Cup diary

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.

Americas - 1 Aug, 2006, 22:41
Tunnels, mummies and death in central Mexico
In the city of Guanajuato, Nickolay Todorov finds the dead sharing his travels as he heads underground below the Sierra Madre.

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.

Europe - 1 Aug, 2006, 21:59
Down but not quite out in Paris

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.

Africa - 25 Jul, 2006, 16:16
The calm eye of an elephant storm

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.

Asia Pacific - 10 Jul, 2006, 23:18
The new treadmills of health-conscious Japan
Matt Nighswonger finds his exercise programme is a bit of a highlight of life in Japan.

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, 14:03
Swimming with New Zealand's dolphins
Kaikoura, and Dawn Preisendorf finds that New Zealand's dolphins give her a touching insight into the natural world.

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.

Central Asia - 13 Jun, 2006, 07:13
The cost of doing time in a Kathmandu jail

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.

Americas - 13 Jun, 2006, 05:35
Argentina's deep south

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 - 6 Jun, 2006, 18:35
Reflections on a Belizean breakfast
A Caribbean breakfast is not a thing to be rushed, finds Andrew Osmond on a Belizian beach.

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.

Americas - 1 May, 2006, 17:52
A taste for Peru

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.

Europe - 1 May, 2006, 17:10
Antequera: a Spanish surprise

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.

Europe - 18 Apr, 2006, 14:37
Educating Riga

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 - 15 Apr, 2006, 07:57
A Buddha, a temple, a tiger and a mountain
A wow-moment awaits Andrew Middleton as he climbs a mountain in southern Thailand to find Tiger Cave Temple near Krabi.

Central Asia - 14 Apr, 2006, 14:36
Cycling Lhasa's pilgrim route
Martin Brown finds trouble in Tibet as he cycles his way to the capital.

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, 20:27
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, 14:25
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, 10:19
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, 10:13
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.

Americas - 4 Mar, 2006, 22:43
The splendour of Chaco Canyon

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.

Europe - 3 Mar, 2006, 23:40
Spotting the advantages of a language barrier
Travelling through Greece, John Dwyer finds a Thessaloniki theatrical adds a whole new dimension to buying a turkey sandwich.

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.

Asia Pacific - 2 Mar, 2006, 23:46
The Last Festival

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.

Central Asia - 1 Mar, 2006, 22:29
Holy Smoke on the streets of Kabul

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.

Asia Pacific - 10 Feb, 2006, 12:28