NEW ZEALAND! It's hard to believe that over a month has passed already. When I first booked my flight tickets I thought that a month would be loads of time to see the country but despite having packed in so much I could do with another week, but I guess it's a good reason to come back again sometime.. I started off on the South Island, which pretty much has it all - awesome scenery with rainforests, glacier country and the Southern Alps; whales, dolphins, sea...

We've spent four days in Hoi An, about halfway down the coast between Hanoi and HCMC anda stop for most tourists visiting Vietnam. Chinese influences can be seen across Vietnam but not least in this former major trading port that is heavy with the legacy of the Chinese, Japanese and other merchants who settled here. Hoi An hasn't been a port for a long time and is now quite a small town, but is a main location for the silk trade in Vietnam with a lot of visitor...

We arrive in to Hanoi, which is in the midst of celebrations for the 1000 year anniversary of the city. Hanoi, originally called Thang Long ("City of the Soaring Dragon"), was established by King Ly Thai To who decided that the capital city should be relocated to Hanoi through the use of geomancy (a pseudo-scientific form of feng shui).The city is lit up with signs and decorations marking the anniversary. Driving in to Hanoi is a complete assault on t...

Leaving London After years of thinking about it and weeks of planning it, I'm finally going. It is starting to sink in at last and I'm doing what I can to distract myself from thinking about whether this was such a good idea after all or whether I wouldn't rather spend the next six months watching Homes under the Hammer in my pyjamas..still, I've paid for the flight so I'm going! Despite my best intentions to pack light like a seasoned traveller, my giant bag i...