Two separate 16 hour layovers. Two full days in Bahrain. From discovering it was the location of the Dilmun civilisation dating back thousands of years, to learning how to play a Middle Eastern form of checkers, to exploring one of its many islands, the sleep deprivation was worth it.
My 48 hour journey through Najaf, Iraq where the warmth and generosity of the people left me with memories I will always remember.
"Where is Lithuania? And what exactly is there to see?" would be a fairly normal response to my enthusiasm for a 3 day trip to the Baltic state. Dividing my time between the baroque capital Vilnius, the nation's quieter second city Kaunas and the enchanting pine forests of Aukstaitija National Park, here are the 10 things I learnt.
From a surprising street art scene, to discovering Montreal's bagel rivalries and the charms of old Québec, here's my five day adventure in French Canada.
The plate of Manooshet Falafel appeared in front of me, straight from the oven. The freshly baked flat bread generously topped with falafel, hummus, tahini and rocket, and gently dusted with sumac made me salivate. I had been stuffing myself the whole day, but suddenly found more room in my belly for this feast. Eating traditional Palestinian food...
Not quite the 101 Dalmations but Dalmatia is stunning in its own way. This coastal region of Croatia stands out not only for its Italian-influenced towns but also for the hundreds of outlying islands that are often a short ferry ride away. I based myself in Zadar, however the true magic of my trip was getting lost while hiking through the nearby...