March 12, 2020
Travel in the time of Coronavirus Coronavirus and travel visa updates are changing constantly. Vietnam visa regulations are updated as new outbreaks are identified, so stay informed!
December 7, 2019
Recently, I had the pleasure of being a guest on Better Homes & Garden’s Tastebud Traveller podcast, giving listeners a taste of Vietnam, like a local. I’ve lived in Hanoi since the end of 2016, and I’m always up for chatting about my experiences, insight and — of course — offer up my insider tips. I share the spotlight with…
November 26, 2019
Why you should always travel with a sarong There are literally 101 uses for a sarong — other than as an item of clothing or a beach cover up. Watch the video for cool ways to wear one, and scroll down for tips from solo female travellers who always travel with a sarong. It is such a versatile item! When…
June 19, 2019
As a solo female traveller, it is important to feel supported while you travel to new and exciting destinations. I remember my first international trip — to Vietnam — and how nervous I was. Because I was travelling alone, I had no idea about immigration processes or airport security, or long haul travel, let alone what to do when I…
June 17, 2019
When I travel alone, people often ask me: don’t you get lonely? To which I reply: absolutely not! Far from it. There are always people to chat to, even if it’s just for a couple of minutes. Being an English speaker means that I get to speak to people from all over the world — travellers like myself — some…
December 13, 2017
Last weekend, I visited Yangon, Myanmar for work. I was only there for three days, two nights, so it really was a fly in, fly out visit. It’s a two-hour flight from Vietnam (depending on whether you fly in from Saigon or Hanoi), where I am based. As a heads up, I did not one touristy thing. No sightseeing, no…
August 9, 2016
If you have a long stop-over, for example at Changi International Airport, Singapore, consider booking in at a transit hotel. You don’t need to leave the airport and you can have a shower, nap, swim, something to eat. At the very least, there are tea and coffee making facilities. You’ll arrive feeling much more refreshed. I always tend to stop…
August 2, 2016
Travel solo: so many benefits Confession time. I have never travelled internationally with anyone. Ever. I only ever travel solo. Alone. All by myself. Just me, myself and I. Yes, I join tours and meet people, but I have never actually left for an overseas destination with a travelling companion. I can’t imagine what it would be like having the…
July 26, 2016
I saw a video similar to this on Facebook the other day and tracked it down on YouTube. It’s an excellent of example of a packing light travel hack. Whoever thought of using socks to organise your packing is a genius. I might be tempted to trade in my packing cubes! Free packing list! I’ve done the work for you because this…
July 19, 2016
Following on from my post a while back about what I didn’t like about using AirBnB, here’s what I did like about using the service. 1. Filter according to budget One of the main things that is an AirBnB drawcard is price. Because listed accommodation is mostly privately owned, there aren’t the overheads associated with running a hotel e.g. staff and maintenance costs.…
July 5, 2016
Always, always, always trust what your gut tells you. It knows better than you, and gets you away from sticky situations. Pick being stuck somewhere unpleasant in the beating hot sun over going along with someone you don’t trust. Choose to move on rather than stay put—despite finances!—if that’s what the gut tells you to do. Follow your gut always.…
July 2, 2016
When I went to Bali in January of this year, I brought my travel first aid kit with me. It’s a kit I put together myself and contains items such as Hydralyte, Citravescent, Alka-Seltzer, Imodium, ibuprofen, paracetamol, Phenergan (10mg and 25mg), band aids, Compeeds, antiseptic cream and a broad spectrum antibiotic (I get a script from the GP and fill…
I loved, loved, loved my first trip to Vietnam. It was hard (in places!) and tiring, but amazing at the same time. Would I do it again? Absolutely! Would I do it differently? Some things, possibly, but that’s only because hindsight is 20/20. So here goes. This is what I learned. 1. What didn’t work so well: Don’t take two separate…
Get your hepatitis vaccinations etc. from the STD clinic: they are free!
I went to a Travel Indochina info session last night. I’ve already booked my trip, but I still wanted to hear what they had to say and glean as much info as I could – afterall, I’m off in 3 months! The takeaways: Travelling in spring/autumn is best as winters are very cold, and summers very hot. Make sure I…
Give advice; if people don’t listen, let adversity teach them ~ Ethiopian proverb.