Ilha Grande, Brazil
After the hustle and bustle of Rio De Janeiro, we thought we deserved some time to relax. It was our honeymoon, after all. So we headed to the island of Ilha Grande. Ilha Grande is a lush, green little island, about 100 miles south of Rio de Janeiro. Largely rainforest and deserted beaches, Ilha Grande has avoided becoming overdeveloped, thanks in part to its previous … Continue reading Ilha Grande, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
I finally married Nicola on the 13th April 2019. A couple of days after the wedding, we boarded a plane to Rio de Janeiro, to start our three-week honeymoon in Brazil and Argentina. For the first couple of days in Rio we were staying in Santa Teresa, an area in the north of Rio, before we headed down to the beaches for the full Rio … Continue reading Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Budapest, Hungary
A few months back, I got engaged to Nicola. While this is obviously great, the even better news is that this meant a stag do. I gave my best man, Dave, a list of my friends and the brief of ‘a weekend break with some beers’, so that’s exactly what we did. It turns out my friends are terrible at keeping secrets, so seventeen of … Continue reading Budapest, Hungary
Berlin, Germany
We arrived early at Gatwick airport, where Andy was promptly given a T-shirt with ‘I LOVE EMILY’ splashed across the front. He does; that’s why we were all there. A few hours later, the seven of us arrived in Berlin to make the most of Andy’s last days of freedom before the shackles of marriage closed around his ankles. Or whatever shackles do. Our first … Continue reading Berlin, Germany
Bruges, Belgium
I seem to have somehow ended up in an inescapable but excellent routine of a weekend away every time Nicola has a birthday. For her thirtieth, it was time to visit Bruges. For a few months, Nicola’s friend Rosie and I had been secretly plotting to whisk the birthday girl off for a surprise weekend away. The plan was for Rosie and her husband Darren … Continue reading Bruges, Belgium
Transylvania, Romania
Transylvania instantly conjures images of vampires, bats and Dracula. But there’s far more to this region of Romania, which Nicola and I set out to discover on a surprise trip for my thirtieth birthday. The day before my birthday, Nicola handed me a little box that contained a little hand-drawn map declaring that we were going on a Transylvanian road trip that very afternoon. So … Continue reading Transylvania, Romania
Ithaca, Greece
I’m not really used to taking particularly relaxing holidays (see Vietnamese cave trek; driving through Bosnian mountain passes etc.), but Ithaca is one of the calmest, most serene and beautiful places I have ever been. Ithaca, a tiny Greek island in the Ionian Sea, is perhaps best-known as the home of Homer’s Odysseus. A small island of just 3,000 people, the wonderful thing about Ithaca … Continue reading Ithaca, Greece
Hanoi, Vietnam
Hanoi was our final stop on our adventure through Vietnam, and we were looking forward to visiting the capital city, with its 19th century French architecture, modern skyscrapers and ancient narrow streets. Although by this point we realised the entire place would likely be filled with mopeds. And it was. After our last few days spent in the relative tranquility of Hạ Long Bay and … Continue reading Hanoi, Vietnam
