We’re now 10,700 miles from home in a place that today, in the pouring rain, looks remarkably like home.  It’s exciting to be in Tasmania; even though it feels like we’re in the South West of England.  We went over the River Tamar, past Exeter, into Dorset, left at Bridport and on to Launceston. Haven’t … More Beautiful Tassie – but in the end it’s Tasmania 1 : Us 0

We’ve talked for years about getting to Australia and always promised our friends Tess & Ben that we would get to see them …one day. Finally we’re here and we’re loving the Sydney life.  Thanks to T&B for their outstanding Australian hospitality – and for the use of their washing machine. We’re clean again now. … More Oz life

We left the mountains today and are currently on an express train heading for New Delhi – feeling very relaxed.  This morning the sky was crystal clear in Shimla and we finally got the view we’d been waiting for – the snow-capped Himalayas in the distance (hard to spot on the pic!) What a treat. … More ‘You must have more – you’re our guests’: we’re loving the Indian hospitality 

Shimla – Queen of the Mountains. It’s where India comes to play. And this weekend is the start of the Hindu holiday season which culminates in Diwali at the end of the month.  This place is packed with folk from all over the sub-continent enjoying the long weekend; people from Kolkata to Delhi and Mumbai … More Where India comes to play

The chaos of India is at its most pronounced where public transport is involved. No-one seems to be in charge and everyone has an opinion (always different to the other bloke’s); nothing is as anyone expects it to be; road safety doesn’t exist (thank goodness for horns); vehicles shouldn’t work as they’re so old and … More Trains, cars, tuk-tuks and buses: all with 80% confidence 

We’re now high in the mountains in McLeodGanj in the province of Himchal Pradesh. For the first 500 miles or so across India we didn’t see a hill or even the slightest incline. Then the mountains started just outside Pathankot. It’s exciting to think they’re the start of the Himalayas.  After the stress of the … More Teachings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama

It’s been quite a day. Eight hours in a Tata car with plastic seats in sweltering temperatures; 500km from New Delhi to Amritsar with a driver struggling to control his diabetes and suffering from a bad back and all the while feeling very angry about falling for the classic Indian scam.  When we finally arrived … More That old New Delhi station scam

Full on India. And that takes a bit of getting used to.  Hopping off a civilised BA flight in to the noise, smells and general din of this place is a bit of a shock to the system. But go with it for a few hours, accept the welcome from people and then it starts … More india…India…INDIA

Blimey. We’re finally off – at long last. I don’t think either of us had realised how long it takes to get sorted for a trip like this. Or maybe we’re just faffers. I’ll leave you to decide. Anyway, on to the journey. We’re already on sector 3 of a seriously multi-sector journey. We were … More Day 0

Family hols in the Alps … More Alps en famille