A blog on travel, meditation, geopolitics, philosophy, economics, and everything in between.
The scope might be large, but then again, the world is too.
1 January 2024
Belgium is right in the heart of Europe. But it’s often overlooked. Is this right?
15 November 2023
It might seem obvious to most. But it took a much longer trip to Italy for me to fully fall in love with it.
22 October 2023
I’ve been lucky enough to visit each of the Seven Wonders of the World. How do they match up?
25 September 2023
My new book – The Travelling Ape: What Travelling (Nearly) Everywhere Taught Me about Humanity, Geopolitics, and Happiness – is out now.
9 November 2022
What can watching a football match in 55 European countries in a year teach you?
13 June 2022
Few places on Earth are as isolated as Western Australia. For good and for bad.
10 February 2022
My snobbish views about Lanzagrotty and Tenerife couldn’t have been more wrong. These islands are special.
28 December 2021
Most of us do our best to pretend our universe ends at the edges of Earth. This is a huge mistake.
28 October 2021
Switzerland has a reputation for being very boring indeed. But if beauty on this scale is boring, I’ll take it.
28 September 2021
Training your mind – meditation – sounds like it should be easy. But it often isn’t. Here are some tips to set you on your way.
27 August 2021
Is there more to Scotland than haggis, lochs, kilts, and nationalist stereotypes? Overwhelmingly yes.
27 July 2021
Here’s a recent interview I did with NomadMania, a community for the world’s best-travelled people. I talk travel, coronavirus, meditation, and a bunch of other stuff.
27 June 2021
Despite their ‘woo woo’ reputation, silent retreats can be transformative. I talk about my experience here.
7 May 2021
Dromomania – an exaggerated desire to wander – is a registered medical condition. But can you be addicted to travel? And if so, is it a good or bad thing?
2 March 2021
Many people think meditating is incompatible with wanting a successful career. Is this true? Could meditation actually boost your career?
16 December 2020
If you are politically ‘engaged’, you might get tempted to convert other people to your particular political worldview. Don’t waste your breath.
17 November 2020
A quest to North Korea, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, and Saudi Arabia, home to the five tallest flags in the world. And not many other good things.
3 November 2020
Meditation has a reputation for being unscientific. But this is changing. Could science show us the benefits of meditation?
13 October 2020
The tiny, volcanic Portuguese island of Madeira packs a punch. A trip to Madeira will take you to perhaps the most enchanting island in Europe.
4 September 2020
What are the five best travel destinations in the world? While there are many contenders, here I outline my five favourites.
3 August 2020
Namibia. Empty. Desolate. But one of my favourite African countries. It has raw, barren, and natural beauty unsurpassed anywhere else in Africa. If you don’t like heat and sand, it might not be for you.
7 July 2020
The Jurassic Coast is one of the best examples of the UK’s rich history and beautiful scenery. A trip to Dorset is well worth it, even when international travel is allowed again.
3 July 2020
With its huge problems, it’s easy to think that the world is in crisis. But this is wrong. Now is easily the best time to be alive. Ever.
7 May 2020
Here, I outline the five best Alpha cities in the world, that give me the biggest sense of awe, excitement, and wonder.
24 April 2020
If you read or watch the news, you are probably left with the feeling that humanity is doomed, and that most people are ‘evil’. The more you travel, you realise the opposite is true.
25 March 2020
Want to know my top five travelling tips? In this post I share my top travel hacks and best travel advice from my adventures around the world.
16 March 2020
It was always going to be a Scandinavian nation, despite the weather. But one of them stands out. What is the best country in the world to have been born in?
15 March 2020
The beaches of Palau are some of the most alluring on earth, as well as some of the most successfully protected. It’s as close to paradise as it’s possible to get.
7 March 2020
Tasmania is a remote, rugged island that feels more like Scotland than Australia. It offers a breathtaking alternative to nearby New Zealand, and for a Brit, feels like home.
1 March 2020
People may hark back to the ‘good old days’ of their youth. But this doesn’t mean the world was better in the past. These people just miss being young.
16 February 2020
Travelling to dangerous countries isn’t as scary as you might think. Do your research and prepare methodically, and you should be fine.
5 February 2020
Travel broadens the mind. It is the antidote to bigotry and hatred. And most probably, is one of the most enjoyable pastimes that exists in the world.
4 February 2020
Of over 600 islands in Micronesia, Pohnpei is one of the most beautiful. It’s simply bursting with life. It seemed like I was viewing everything in technicolour when I visited.
29 January 2020
The Marshall Islands are tiny slithers of life, stranded in the middle of the seemingly endless Pacific Ocean. Few places on earth feel as remote; because few are.
21 January 2020
What has driven me to try to travel to every country in the world? Several factors made me take on the challenge and enjoy the benefits of travelling.
19 January 2020
The Pacific islands of Nauru and Kiribati are two of the most remote and least visited countries in the world. One is paradise. The other is a dystopian nightmare come to life.
13 January 2020
The island of Bali is a complete travel destination. Surf, party, or get off the beaten track – there’s truly something for everyone. It’s popular for a reason.
30 December 2019
There are few beaches on earth as pristine as those in Mauritius. It really is paradise. But like many things in life, paradise doesn’t come cheap. Mauritius is hard to visit on a budget.
24 December 2019
Australians love nothing more than to tell everyone how great Australia is. Many repeat the phrase “Australia is the greatest country in the world” like a broken record. Should they?
2 December 2019
We all know about Saudi Arabia’s many shortcomings. But things are changing. The country is liberalising. It hopes to be a global tourist superpower. Will it succeed?
19 September 2019
Ever tried a Vipassana silent retreat in India? A ‘10-Day Silent Torture Prison’ would be more accurate, as I discovered in Northern India.
4 September 2019
Tajikistan stands out in Central Asia for its dramatic mountain landscapes. Its scenery is breathtaking, rugged, and surprising. Who cares if most people haven’t heard of it?
27 August 2019
Japan is my favourite travel destination on the planet. My love for the country grows with each visit. There is something magical and mystical about this land. You have to visit.
19 August 2019
Mongolia is both green and serene. In visiting this magical land, you are met with lush landscapes, dotted with ger huts (yurts) and horses. Lots of horses.
8 August 2019
Portland, Oregon, is a millennial utopia. There are few places on earth with as many craft breweries, independent coffee shops, and kombucha brewers. It’s my favourite US city.
10 July 2019
From the pristine Caribbean beaches of its northern coast, to the vibrant streets of Medellin, and trekking to the country’s ancient ‘Lost City’, Colombia packs a punch.
18 April 2019
The Faroe Islands are peppered with lush green valleys, imposing basalt cliffs, and waterfalls plunging into stormy oceans. If you like the scenery from Game of Thrones, visit.
1 April 2019
Algeria is Africa’s most underrated travel destination. Travelling to Algeria, just a 2-hour hop from London, transports you to a completely new way of life.