Seven years ago, I asked a question on Quora: what qualifies as having travelled the world? It prompted an interesting discussion there and, later, here on our own site. We decided that it wasn’t the number of countries visited or borders crossed that mattered, but the number of Risk map regions you had seen. The logic was that visiting half of the 42 Risk regions would offer a better sampling of the world.
bucketlist
Swimming with whale sharks in Djibouti
Swimming with whale sharks in Djibouti promised to be the highlight of our trip – but would it live up to the hype?
I’m a pessimist and Peter’s the opposite, so while he was brimming with anticipation at the prospect of swimming with whale sharks in Djibouti, I sat dolefully in a corner wondering if a) we would even see a whale shark and b) if I would be able to keep up with it.
Visiting Erta Ale volcano: the ‘hike to hell and back’
Erta Ale in Ethiopia is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and looms above a deadly desert. We ask if it’s worth the risk
The 4×4 steams across the desert, lurching over rocks and cracks. Sand whips against the window, almost liquid in its motion. Immediately behind me sits our military escort: two men with automatic rifles slung casually across their laps.
I hate to say it, but there is a distinct sense of lawlessness in the air. I hate to because this is Africa and, for centuries, westerners have come to the continent to gather tales of risk and adventure for recounting at dinner parties over and cheese and wine.
I don’t want to be that guy, but it’s true: here, in the Danakil Depression in the Afar Region of Ethiopia, it really does feel like anything could happen.
The most extreme places on Earth
We explore the most extreme places on Earth. Crazy destinations where humans find ways to exist in harsh and hostile environments
I’ve always been fascinated by tough environments and particularly by the explorers who have braved them. When researching the most remote places on Earth I came across several extreme environments that simply were not designed for human inhabitation or travel.
However, we humans are a race of perseverance and often find ways to exist in these harsh and hostile lands. Here are just a few of the most extreme places on Earth.
The best national parks in the world – by continent
The best way to see the world’s greatest natural wonders is to visit the best national parks in the world. Thankfully, governments around the world have taken steps to preserve their areas of outstanding natural beauty, their diverse animal and marine life, and tracts of pristine wilderness.
Chasing the northern lights in Tromso
We travelled 350km north of the Arctic Circle to chase the elusive northern lights in Tromso. Here’s what happened
I pulled the duvet up over my head and huddled against the headboard.
“I don’t want to go out,” I said, the words hot and sulky beneath the cover.
Peter pulled the duvet off the bed. “Come on, we’ve got to go.”
US national parks: 20 weird and wonderful sights
US national parks offer a delightful assortment of sights, from trees that existed at the time of dinosaurs to the most active volcano in the world
As spring takes hold in earnest, nearly all US national parks are preparing for a special week.
15 crazy roads from across the world
In Bolivia, I tried without victory to convince Peter to let me do the Death Road bike ride from La Paz.
It’s not normally the sort of thing for which I’d ask permission, but given that he taught me to ride a bike and saw me fall off it in Bora Bora, ride into a wall in Tahiti and very nearly crack my head open in The Galápagos, I thought it best to check if he thought I could handle the Death Road, renowned for claiming 200-300 lives every year (see #15 below).
10 real-life fairytale buildings
Eye catching, heart halting, jaw dropping: 10 real-life fairytale buildings straight from a Grimms’ tale
One of the best parts of travel is visiting a surreal place previously seen only in pictures. Whether it’s an unknown abode hidden in the hills of Portugal or an iconic structure plastered in the pages of National Geographic, these places are eye catching, heart halting, jaw dropping.
In short, they could be straight out of a storybook. Here are our favourite fairytale buildings from across the world.
Adventure cruises: 7 voyages for your bucket list
We take a look at seven adventure cruises worthy of the great explorers themselves
Adventure travellers are generally accustomed to a degree of discomfort: camping on a mountain top, trekking through suffocating jungle, jumping off something very, very high. For even the most hardened traveller, however, some adventures are just plain impossible to do alone.
This is where cruise holidays come in. With the ability to carry passengers to the far reaches of the world, cruise ships offer a chance to go places and see things most of the population never get to do. Here we list the top adventure cruises for your bucket list (and by ‘bucket list’, we of course mean ‘when you win the lottery list’).
