Our journey from Mexico to Canada took us via Houston and Seattle before finally arriving in Canada. The final leg particularly stood out to us due to the minuscule size of our aircraft. Was it normal to cross the border via toy plane we wondered?
Mango cafe is somewhat famous upon the island amongst tourists and locals alike. Whilst most visitors make a beeline for the town, make time to venture away from the main tourist streets towars the south of the island – you’ll not only stumble upon some more interesting sights and eateries, but you’ll locate this gem which serves the best (that’s right, we said it) breakfasts in the world.
The cafe specialises in favourite breakfast meals but with a carribean twist; this small 20-seat cafe has food so tasty you won’t be able to limit yourself to just the one visit.
coconut french toast with almonds and maple syrup
eggs benedict with croissant, portobello mushrooms, bacon, cheese hash browns and curried hollandaise sauce
Unsurprisingly it is currently rated number 2 on Tripadvisor. We recommend ordering the breakfast quesadillas for egg and bacon lovers, or the large and fluffy hot cakes for a sweet tooth. Not a place for those on a diet, each meal is huge and stuffed full of mouth watering ingredients. And don’t forget to try every flavour of juice – yes even the hibiscous and tamarind! Continue reading
Three of our six flights from Perth to Mexico were with Air China – two of which were long haul. Armed with eye masks and neck pillows, we were hoping to snooze through the majority of our 35 airborne hours. Continue reading
There are nearly 100 hostels spread all over Australia, and if they’re all like the two we sampled, YHA is doing something very right indeed! Both YHA hostels we stayed in were fun and welcoming, with clean rooms, excellent facilities and a laid back atmosphere. Continue reading
A skydive was always something we’d said we’d do and when people asked our plans for Australia we regailed them with hopes of a roadtrip, Christmas in Sydney and extreme sports. Now that the skydive was actually upon us, it was seemingly the most stupid idea we had ever had. Continue reading
If you’re looking for somewhere to stay near the centre of Siem Reap for less than three dollars a night, we found a hostel that’s a little bit different. With only a couple of very large rooms in a wooden hut with mattresses on the floor, staying at Mangolo felt more like a huge sleepover in a tree house than a budget hostel.
The reception, bar and social area are all outside (bring insect repellant) and are friendly and welcoming. The manager organised a great tuk tuk driver to take us to see the sunrise over Angkor Wat, even though we only asked the evening before. The bar was an easy place to meet other travellers too. There are comfy hammocks and mats on the floor, creating loads of space to hang out, and the WiFi is strong throughout.
1. Properties slept in: 17
2. Temples visited: 6
3. Number of squat toilets used: Sarah (8), Charlotte (0)
Squat toilet…
4. Hours spent on a bus: 16
5. Hours spent at the side of the road waiting for bus to move: 5 Continue reading
A friend back in Phi Phi had recommended a stay at Pak Up Hostel, raving about how good it was for just 270 baht a night (about £6). This meant that Pak Up was our first port of call when we reached Krabi. The building used to be a school and has now been cleverly converted – they’ve still kept up the educational theme though, by naming the bedrooms after school subjects, writing adverts and offers on blackboard signs, and by the numerous statues of children around the building.
Pak Up’s a homely, modern and fun place to stay in central Krabi town. The reception is an open social space, with pay-by-the-minute computers and information about the local areas. Adventure tours and trips to neighbouring islands can be organised, but we chose to explore Krabi itself by renting two of the hostel’s bicycles, for 120 baht each for the day. The staff here are always available and so friendly, even lighting the candles on our friend’s birthday cake and organising all the hostellers in reception to sing to him! Continue reading
Our final morning in Koh Lanta has arrived and Krabi is the next stop. We’re pretty sad to wave the island farewell as it’s refreshingly authentic compared to places like Phuket and Phi Phi. There are still hoards of tourists and resorts, but there’s more of a hippy vibe here that you can’t help but get on board with.
Surprisingly out of character, we were two hours early for our ferry to the mainland so we had the chance to briefly explore what Saladan had to offer. Firstly, by walking only 200 metres down the street, we were able to shave 130 baht off our boat ticket prices. That alone has just bought our tasty brunch 5 minutes round the corner from the pier.
An absolute chill-out haven
We browsed a few cafes but settled on Sincere Guest House & Restaurant. An indication that it’s a great place were the piles of flip flops outside, always a helpful clue… Continue reading
Between waving a snowy England goodbye, to stepping out into the wall of Bangkok heat, a not too blissful 21 hours had passed. Thankfully, we had pre-booked a hostel, could jump in a taxi, and head straight there. The only street we’d ever heard of was of course Khao San Road, so we’d opted for a hostel on the street parallel.
As we drew closer and closer to the centre on Bangkok on day one of our epic trip, we started to grow slightly nervous of what to expect… and even more so when we were told by our driver that we’d reached our street. There were market stalls everywhere, cars, scooters and nifty tuk tuks zooming about, and an array of distinct smells in the air – exciting yet daunting. And then… *cue angelic ray of light* beamed Nap Park Hostel. From the botanical pathway to the front door, to the enormous air-conditioned social area, it was cool, calm and, mostly crucially, clean.
Our dorm was divided up so that there two bunk beds per section. At night thick mosquito blinds were pulled down around the bed, creating your own private compartment, complete with a personal light, mirror and plug socket.
Security wise, we felt that we and our belongings were completely safe. Continue reading
Two One-Way Flights 