On the blog...
Here on the blog you’ll find (at least some of) our stories from the road, plus itineraries and plenty of first-hand advice that we like to think is useful.
Obvious exceptions like Turkmenistan or Bhutan aside, we travel on our own, sorting out the details as we go. Which works most of the time. Story, guide, or trip-report-hybrid, I write about what really happens to us as a direct result of this kind of independent travel. What we do, the people we meet, and everything else that rolls up together to make a great trip (…or not. But mostly great).
Since we travel by road (or rail, or sea) most of the time, there’s a lot of exactly that here – getting around on local transport in one form or another. And for some of our best self-driving adventures, I’ve laid out our itineraries and how to plan a similar road trip for yourself.
This type of travel inevitably involves more than a few border-crossings. So you’ll find plenty of posts explaining the ins-and-outs of some of the more complicated borders we’ve come across.
If you’re irresistibly drawn to the endless adventures and challenges that come with overland travel, then have a look below. Happy travels:)
Warm welcomes, a wedding, and the Wagah border
It’s true that Pakistani hospitality is legendary amongst travelers. We’ve been here before and have always been met with kindness and generosity. On the other hand, some people are so keen to help us I get the feeling that they think we are nearly helpless, if left to ourselves.
Letting your guard down, or trying to: travels in southern Pakistan
We’ve been to Pakistan before. It felt familiar and comfortable. But I was too quick to let my guard down. Literally. The immigration officer reappeared and informed us that it wasn’t safe for us to travel alone to Peshawar. As foreigners we wouldn’t be allowed to spend the night there, either. And so we found ourselves in the back of another taxi, this time riding through Khyber Pass with an armed guard in the front seat.
How to cross the border from Kenya to Tanzania
A travel guide to crossing the border from Kenya to Tanzania. How to reach the border near the Kenyan coast; cross it; and get to Tanga, Tanzania.
Traveling the Kenyan coast: inspiration from north to south
The coast of Kenya: Swahili culture and history, perfect Indian Ocean beaches and the Lamu Archipelago. If you need some inspiration or a few ideas before you set off beach-hopping along the Kenyan coast, then read on.
Traveling the Tanzanian coast: by road from north to south
It’s easy to get off-the-beaten-path in Tanzania – just travel along the coast by road. From top to bottom – Kenya to Mozambique – here’s our route.
Border to border: an unexpected journey in Afghanistan
So this was it. We drove slowly through the greyness over the Friendship bridge between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. There was no time to question the wisdom of our decision. I couldn’t think about it anyway, what with ‘I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus’ still stuck in my head.
Killing time in Turkish tombs: on the way to Iraqi Kurdistan
I felt like I could just stay in Istanbul, breakfasting and hanging out with cats, but it was time to get this show on the road. We were bound for Iraqi Kurdistan: an autonomous region in northern Iraq. Still, we weren’t in any rush to get there. We had time to kill and a bit of Turkey to cross.
Home is where the car is: a roadtrip in Southern Africa
From meerkats to lions and everything in between – puff adders come to mind – roadtripping and camping in southern Africa is next-level. It took us exactly one camp cooking session and a single night in the roof tent to start considering stealing the truck ourselves and becoming vanlifers.
Eritrea: a week in Africa’s North Korea
An Italian colony, a British protectorate, an Ethiopian state – Eritrea has changed hands a few times. Since achieving independence in 1993 after a long and bloody fight, it has become a reclusive nation often referred to as ‘The North Korea of Africa’.