Tanzania was the most important trip that I have ever been on. The first reason for this is because it sparked my love of travel. The second is that it was an amazing and rewarding experience that I will never forget. This was my first mission trip and I can't wait to go on another. If you ever get the chance to go on any sort of trip that lets you volunteer, definitely take that opportunity.

Some people's idea of torture is watching a loved one in pain or being interrogated for information. My idea of torture is a long train journey... With crying children... And a hen party in the same carriage.

I'm not anti social by any means but seriously some people just have no awareness of the world around them! I mean would it be too much to ask for the parents to fill their baby's bottle with vodka or for the hen to accidentally get pushed under the train creating a more sombre and respectful atmosphere? I know exactly what you're thinking; why not book the quiet carriage? Well apart from the fact that they don't allow you to use devices like tablets etc even with headphones... I don't see why I should have to. Why should I have to suffer and change my life to accommodate people who give absolutely no consideration for others? Take this hen group for example. They've booked tickets separately, rather than as a group, and therefore their allocated seats are spread out throughout the carriage. Now instead of sitting in their twos and threes and keeping to themselves like any normal, considerate person would, they're continuing their conversations by shouting across the carriage at each other. Did I mention their also from Glasgow? Oh yes so not only are the rest of us having to listen to their drivel, we're having to listen to it in a high nasal accent. Think Rab C. Nesbit but 2 pitches higher and in surround sound...

The lack of appreciation for your surroundings happens to the best of us. The effect of getting swallowed up by the daily routine is soul sucking.

My job has always involved a great deal of travel. That’s a decision I made when I decided to cater for two cities that were 200 miles away from each other and I’ve grown, over time, to really enjoy the process. Long train journeys allow for a lot of time to reflect and to think. Generally, I try not to consume my time with work whilst I travel, but rather enjoy the peace of my journey, listen to music or read a book. I find that it’s one of the few times I allow myself the courtesy of enjoying an album, start to finish, or actually sitting down to read a book or listen to a podcast. These are things I undeniably enjoy but rarely give myself the time to indulge in, so travelling, for me, is a nice break in my days and weeks to allow myself to enjoy these things without a sense of guilt.

I remember arriving at Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport the previous day before this photograph was taken, immediately I sensed that this Covid19 was a nightmare. South Africa, as an economic hub in Sub-Saharan region was already hit, and would be soon feel the impact hard. Social distancing was already implemented by the airport authorities. When I queued to get my passport to be stamped at the immigration I stood a distant away from the desk, prior I had already gone through temperature check up for high fever and mandatory being asked to sanitize my hands. I continued to collect my luggage at the carousel and amazingly the bags were ready for collection without waiting time at all. On my way out I stopped for a few minutes at the bathroom. When I came out there was no one in the passage hall leading to the Customs desks. I hastily rushed out hoping to catch up with the handful of people that I was on board with on the rather massive Boeing 737 flight from Blantyre, Malawi. At the Customs the officers on duty just directed me to the way out without the usual long scrutinizing process of checking your declaration form and goods. It’s when I got out of airport entrance foyer I saw an antire different atmosphere from what I’d left behind a few weeks ago. The usual almost pandemonium environment associated with this place was completely nonexistent. Taxi drivers approached me every single minute to offer a lift which at that time I was not interested in. I needed to insert my local SIM card, get Talktime and call a few friends first because I had not decided yet where I’d spend the night and when I’d leave for Cape Town.

Oh, hey!! You're back!!

Anyone else feeling like they could use a new hobby? I know with the quarantine going on, being in the house all day can be a pain in the neck!!

*For the sake of this article, we’re going to pretend we’re living in a perfect world.*

The French got up early the day they handed out national stereotypes. While the Brits were sleeping in, they pinched a flair for gastronomy, romance and fashion, leaving les Anglo-Saxons to take home bad teeth, inferior lovemaking and good queuing.

She's ready. She's so unbelievably ready... So ready, in fact, that she's not even phased by the ungodly time of a 4am departure.

Take my hand; the gods are calling you to the secret and sacred land of Bali. Let the heat of the glorious sun embed into your skin, waking every cell within you with its pure golden radiance, as locals welcome you with open arms and wide smiles. A Balinese local once told me “when in Bali all your troubles melt away.” You are starting to feel this now, as the distant, steady beat of a kemanak finds its rhythm in the wild, mixed in with a chorus of voices entwined together signalling the start of a ceremony. Their words are unfamiliar to you, but contain a beautiful melody that make your hips sway slightly as you take this moment to close your eyes and soak in the magic that has been intricately woven into their repeated chants.

“Help us leave nothing but footprints, not only for our beautiful planet earth but also through inspiring others to pursue their passions and dreams. Take what does not belong here and create it into something that will help drive our enthusiasm and passion.”