# Adventure Bagging

> A UK Travel Blog


## Posts

- [Football Bungs - BBC lifts the lid](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/09/football-bungs-bbc-lifts-the-lid/): BBC 1. 10:15pm. BBC’s Panorama programme has just finished and the lid on football’s bung culture looks to have been lifted. Programme clips are even making the evening news. This looks like the start of something big, and could have a devastating effect on the shape of football.Perhaps surprisingly was the level of involvement from Bolton Wanderers, not just surrounding manager Sam Allardyce, but also his son Craig Allardyce and Chief Executive Phil Gartside. From the sting set up by the Panorama undercover ‘agents’ it looks like Bolton have been well and truly caught with their pants down. The whole […]
- [Nabaztag Rabbit - Beats the Duracel Bunny](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/08/nabaztag-rabbit-beats-the-duracel-bunny/): A Nabaztag what I hear you cry? A nabaztag bunny rabbit is a quirky new invention designed to liven up your workplace or your home (if your very lonely). Nabaztag is a Wifi connected ‘smart rabbit’ which will convey messages sent to it by email or mp3 file. Sounds a little dull, but is actually quite amusing if your on the move and want to spark a little office humour! The best bit is you can choose the type of voice you want your message read out in. At the moment this is limited to American and French (there’s a […]
- [Idiotwork Videos](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/08/idiotwork-videos/): For those who haven’t seen one of the ‘mash ups’ from Idiotwork, you’re missing out on the best waste of a lunchtime! Idiotwork video clips are hilarious. The guys at Idiotwork produce short film clips by merging the dialgoue of a film with a cartoon. Sounds corny, but that all depends on the dialogue! This is the latest in video virals so check them out at Idiotwork.com. Two of my favourite mash ups are the Big He-Bowski (a mash up of He-Man and the Big Lebowski) and TPS (shown below). T.P.S (This Place Sucks) is a mash up of the […]
- [GNER WiFi - Blogging on the Move!](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/07/gner-wifi-blogging-on-the-move/): This is quite a revelating experience, and one I felt I had to share. Constructing a blog post whilst sitting on a GNER train travelling between London and Edinburgh. At the same time I’m using Wifi whizzing past fields of sheep – slightly surreal! No doubt this is the technology of the future and sooner or later some clever chap will produce Wifi on aeroplanes (heck, they’ve started putting wifi into lampposts!), but for the moment I’m enjoying my GNER Wifi. GNER are currently promoting a free Wifi trial that will soon become a payment service for all. £2.95 isn’t […]
- [Frolics at the Frankfurt Fan Zone](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/07/frolics-at-the-frankfurt-fan-zone/): Travelling again? Yep, and thoroughly enjoyable once again! Having travelled only once to Germany before, I decided that it would simply be rude not to grace the fatherland with my presence once again. And what better time to do it than during the World Cup. With friends based literally 400 yards from the fan zone in Frankfurt we had a great base to join in the festivities (and drinking). The focal point of the fan zone in Frankfurt was a giant screen that was erected in the middle of the Main river, providing an ideal viewpoint for all the World […]
- [BBC Interview Blooper](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/05/bbc-interview-blooper/): Laugh. Lots. I credit the BBC for being one of the best news portals on the web, but it just so happens that each time they make an error on live TV, they do it with style. For those who haven’t seen this yet, this is a great blooper involving Guy Goma. The interview was meant to talk about the legal battle between the Beatles Apple Corp and Apple over the use of an apple logo. The BBC were meant to be interviewing Guy Kewney, a technology expert. Instead, Guy Goma a cabbie with an apparent French accent was interviewed […]
- [A Short And Sweet Trip To Lyon](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/05/a-short-and-sweet-trip-to-lyon/): ‘Vive la France’ as they say. Yet another business trip, and yet another country and this time my travels took me to the lovely city of Lyon in France. Although I spent less than 24 hours in the city of Lyon, it is so compact that you can get from one end of the city to the other within 40 minutes. So here are some plus points for those looking to take a long weekend break, but don’t fancy the usual weekend retreats. The only other time I’ve travelled near Lyon is earlier in the year when we passed through […]
- [Metatarsals and Penalties](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/05/metatarsals-and-penalties/): The downfalls of England’s last few European and World Cup attempts. The latest victim of the broken metatarsal disease is Wayne Rooney, on whom much of England’s World Cup hopes are pinned. Rooney has broken a metatarsal in his right foot, and will be out for at least six weeks meaning he will miss all England’s group matches. Rooney also suffered a broken metatarsal against Portugal in the Quarter Finals of Euro 2004. Ledley King is also said to be suffering from a metatarsal injury, but again hopes to be fit for the finals. Fractures of the metatarsal bone may […]
- [PJ Tracy. Great Author, Great Books](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/04/pj-tracy-great-author-great-books/): Have you ever asked a barber who cuts their hair? How about asking a dentist who looks after their teeth? Right now, if I was an author and I wanted a thriller writer to write a book, I’d turn to PJ Tracy. If the truth be known, I’m not much of reader. Granted I will read on a relaxing beach holiday, but there needs to be more hours in the day if I am to get through a tree-worth of books in my lifetime. PJ Tracy however are books I cannot put down. For those not in the know, PJ […]
- [Lessons in Choosing Domain Names](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/04/lessons-in-choosing-domain-names/): For the average internet user, it’s not difficult to choose a URL or domain name. Heck if I can be creative enough to think of good blog name, anyone can do it. The great thing about my job is that I get to look at about 20 new websites per day, ranging from large Blue Chips through to start-up companies. Pandora for instance is a superb site that is quickly becoming bookmarked in the online community. So I thought I’d share with you some sites with deplorable domain names. If Whoopee Goldberg married a chap called Tim Cushion, do you […]
- [Smoking Ban Scotland - Breathe Again!](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/03/smoking-ban-scotland-breathe-again/): From the 26th March smoking in public places in Scotland will be banned. No cigarettes. No cigars. No tobacco. Smoke free, clean air. From my point of view this is not before time. I am a non-smoker and have lead a very active, sporty life without being tempted to smoke by social peer pressure. For me the smoking ban in Scotland will mean going to the pub in the evenings, or on a night out and come home smelling smoke and tobacco free. But rising above all the political talk of saving lives and improving Scotland’s woeful health record (what’s […]
- [Favourite Quirky Phrases](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/03/favourite-quirky-phrases/): The English language is fantastic isn’t it? There are so many dialects and so many accents. Even travelling for as little as 30 minutes between one city and the next and you can notice the difference. Liverpool and Manchester, Yorkshire and Lancashire, Suffolk and London. And with these accent and dialect changes comes a wealth of different phrases. Some music to your ears (how I love the Irish accent), and some not. For those who have lived in different locations around the UK you will notice the differences in not only how people talk, but the way they talk. I […]
- [A Wicked, Wicked Musical](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/03/a-wicked-wicked-musical/): I’m getting excited about a musical again – I think I should be worried. This time its Wicked the Musical, a musical about the wicked witches from the Wizard of Oz. I have said in previous posts that its takes a lot for me to go ‘wow‘, but I was lucky to be at the press launch of Wicked the Musical, and it had me charmed! Wicked covers the untold story about the witches of Oz and will be performed at the London Apollo theatre from September this year. So why am I getting excited? I guess it’s because I […]
- [Lynx Clicker Advert](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/03/lynx-clicker-advert/): Fantastic advertising by Unilever. The new Lynx clicker advert has taken the UK by storm, and on an average night out you’ll probably find groups of guys going round with their very own Lynx clicker, clicking each time a girl makes a pass at them. Genius piece of marketing. For those who haven’t seen the Lynx clicker ad, it stars Ben Affleck who goes about a typical day, shopping and eating etc, but each time a girl gives him ‘a look’ or the eye, a click gets counted. At the end of the day he gets into a lift with […]
- [St. Patrick's Day - Its Guinness time!](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/03/st-patricks-day-its-guinness-time/): St. Patrick’s Day – one of my favourite days of the year. Not that any of us need an excuse to drink copious amouts of the black stuff, but three of four pints of Guinness does not go amiss on St. Patrick’s Day! So let the preparations begin! Funny how the real Guinness drinkers sup the stuff all year round, but when it comes to St. Paddy’s Day the part-time Guinness drinkers are always noticeable; they are usually slumped asleep by the bar after five pints. Pah. Amateurs. I might even go wild and bake a Guinness cake – pretty […]
- [Dubai - A Cultural Delight](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/03/dubai-a-cultural-delight/): After recently returning from a short trip to Dubai, I have to confess that I was truly amazed by the place and the cultural merge between Western and local Arabic civilization. Although I wasn’t in Dubai long, I had to get a sense of what the ‘real’ Dubai was like. Many of the new and popular hotels house a Starbucks, a Costa Coffee and other famous Western brands – all nice, but not for me on this trip. After business was finished I was told to get away from central Dubai and the Jumeira area, and head into the desert. […]
- [The Sony Bravia Advert - Funky and Fun!](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/03/the-sony-bravia-advert-funky-and-fun/): View the Sony BRAVIA advert at the bottom of this blog post! The Sony BRAVIA advert that was aired in the new year is fantastic. Adverts normally bore me senseless, but you couldn’t help but gawk at the TV screen when this advert came on. If you haven’t seen it, the advert was set amongst the rolling roads of San Francisco and Sony released thousands (250,000 to be exact) of bouncy balls down a steep, empty street. What a sight… And it gets funnier. Releasing 250,000 bouncy balls down a street can be pretty destructive, so even the camera crew […]
- [Listen to Music Online with Pandora!](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/02/listen-to-music-online-with-pandora/): Now this is an impressive music site. For those who get bored trying to fiddle around with online music from Yahoo! or NME then you’ll be pleased to know that this site is a breath of fresh air. Pandora.com is marketed as the ‘Music Genome Project’ where the average Joe can find and listen to music online, or through a stereo. In simple terms, you can pick one of your favourite songs or musical artists and Pandora will search its ever expanding music catalogue and present you with music that is similar in genre or musical style to the artist […]
- [Team Building by Paintball - It's Absolute Bedlam!](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/02/team-building-by-paintball-its-absolute-bedlam/): Paintballing is now my new favorite past time. There is nothing more satisfying than hearing the yelp as you plant a perfect sniper shot on one of your colleagues backsides! Bedlam paintball was a great laugh, and something I’d certainly do again. There are different games from skirmish and capture the flag, to everyman for himself or last man standing. No matter what game, if you’ve got to get rid of 600 paintballs its fairly likely you’ll get trigger happy! I’d recommend Bedlam Paintball for a group of 12 or more, but just be patient with the guns as the […]
- [Google lays down the law to BMW Germany](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/02/google-lays-down-the-law-to-bmw-germany/): Oh dear. The latest big name to fall under the knife of the irrepressible Google. Last week it was revealed that Google had removed the BMW.de site from its algorithm because of ‘unethical’ techniques that are non-compliant with Google’s website guidelines. According to Matt Cutts, one of Google’s bloggers it is down to the search giant ramping up its crackdown on international webspam. BMW have now tried to rectify the issue, however I hope they were not too reliant on search engine traffic. And the moral of this story ladies and gentlemen? Google doesn’t give a stuff if your a […]
- [Whatto Chaps! Let's Ski, Ski, Ski In Tignes!](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/02/whatto-chaps-lets-ski-ski-ski-in-tignes/): For those big and small, young and old, there is nothing more exciting than a lads ski holiday. A week away from work and time to relax (which in this case means ski, eat and booze. Lots). This time it was a late deal booked through internet ski giant Iglu Ski. Although unimpressed with the booking itself and the almost invisible rep at the airport, this holiday in Tignes was second to none. January is a fantastic time to go skiing – no kids, quiet pistes and you can get rowdy without offending too many people. Although Tignes is not […]
- [New York, New York so good I went there twice!](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/01/new-york-new-york-so-good-i-went-there-twice/): Time for a quirky, personal blog post! Not been many so far, so it’s a New Years Resolution to upload more. The first time I ventured to the Big Apple was back in May 2003, when myself and the Big Man hit it hard for 5 days straight. This time round was a little more sedated however. It was agreed that a last minute Christmas shopping holiday to New York would be the perfect tonic to a long, hard working year. It’s a long way for a 5 day shopping trip, but well worth it! New York? Fabulous. Weather in […]
- [Good TV? Get Lost.](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/01/good-tv-get-lost/): In all honesty, I don’t watch a lot of TV. Not because I don’t want too, but it seems that when I’m free, there’s always some drama on that doesn’t interest. But over the last few months there has been one or two exceptions. LOST was a breath of fresh air when it took over from Big Brother last year. I’ve not known a series yet where you could miss 4 episodes and still keep up with the story line. Except LOST. Many people complain that LOST has too many quirky and unrelated sub-plots, but watch every episode and they’ll tie […]
- [Wetherspoons to seduce commuters with coffee](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/01/wetherspoons-to-seduce-commuters-with-coffee/): The world is going barmy. Relaxed licensing laws have meant that pub chains can now compete for the £200 million-a-year commuter coffee business. J.D Wetherspoon are going to start offering coffee at a promotional offer of 49p, rising to 69p after the promotion. When, what and how? The pub chain is going to attempt morning commuters away from the likes of Starbucks and Costa Coffee by opening at 8am and offering cut price coffee that they believe will taste much the same. Hold your horses. Will the average commuter be lured into a pub to wait for a coffee at […]
- [Spartans reach Scottish Cup 4th Round](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/01/spartans-reach-scottish-cup-4th-round/): Congratulations to Spartans who made it through to the fourth round of the Scottish Cup this afternoon. Spartans beat Scottish Division 3 side Queen’s Park 3-2 at their home ground at City Park, Edinburgh.
- [Nothing like a spot of irony...](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/01/nothing-like-a-spot-of-irony/): Having been a short-term dweller in the quirky USA, and part of an international house full of foreign students, I got continuously bombarded with weird and wonderful stories from my international house mates. But if ever a story has an ironic twist, non could better the recent tale from Santiago, Chile. A newly opened restaurant aptly named ‘Car Crash’ had to shut down after a car crashed into it. The area is anaccident blackspot Now, if you’re anything like me, you simply wouldn’t re-open. But full credit to the owners. They expect the restaurant to re-open within a week. Full […]
- [The all new WiFi Lamppost...](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/01/the-all-new-wifi-lamppost/): It has to be a flop. Moving internet users away from the comfort and warmth of a WiFi coffee shop? And getting them to stand next to a lamp post?? What am I blathering on about? Well a company based in Scotland have designed ‘smart lampposts‘ that could provide internet access. Apparently the idea will combine solar energy and WiFi wireless internet access. Being based in Edinburgh I’m all for Scottish innovations, but the idea will be piloted in Dundee. The only city where you have to pay to leave. But it could be a good idea. Enabling more users […]
- [TV as thin as Paper? Don't Talk Rubbish...](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/01/tv-as-thin-as-paper-dont-talk-rubbish/): With soooooo many innovations being produced in the technology world, its difficult sometimes to imagine how we can go one better. But never underestimate to power of the human brain. It generally takes a lot for me to say;”Woah – now that’s cool” – especially when it comes to technological innovations. For those who weren’t at the 2005 Plastics Electronics trade fair in Frankfurt (don’t blame you) you would have missed that Siemens are currently in the process of developing paper-thin TV screens that will be pretty cheap to produce. These paper thin TV’s could revolutionize the way we read […]
- [Born into the World of Blogging](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/01/born-into-the-world-of-blogging/): Welcome me! It took me a while, but I now have my very own blog to shout about. I can talk about the wonders of eBay and Family Guy, and moan about high maintenance women. Above all else this blog is about me. So let me start by bringing you all up to speed as to where I am, what I’m doing and whom I’m doing it with….without making it sound like a corny Friend’s Reunited post. I currently live in the New Town area of Edinburgh in bonny Scotland and work for a digital marketing company in the city. […]
- [A Big Thank You Fellow Travellers](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/03/a-big-thank-you-fellow-travellers/): What an amazing 5 months. When I landed back into the familiarity of London Heathrow I felt elated, deflated, excited and a little sad. I visited some amazing places, saw some of the most stunning scenery in the world, and now have a huge sense of fulfilment. But a lot of those experiences were made complete by the people I shared them with. So this is a big, heartfelt thank you to everyone I met on my travels, both friends old and new – I’ve got some great memories! Hope to see many of you again soon 🙂       […]
- [Discovering The Six Different Types of Chinese Tea](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/03/discovering-the-six-different-types-of-chinese-tea/): I love tea. The British Empire was built on tea. Give me English breakfast tea, milk and one sugar, and I’m happy. After hiking Snowdon a few year ago, I even discovered a cafe in Llanberis that serves pints of English breakfast tea. I’ve never been one for fruit teas, or green tea, or any other fruity flavours. Until I was in Peru, that was. By the end of my time in Peru and Bolivia, I swear my body was running purely on coca tea and chamomile tea. My perception on tea had changed. Fast forward 3 months, and I […]
- [6 Awesome Things About Fraser Island](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/02/6-awesome-things-about-fraser-island/): First things first. Fraser Island, located off the Queensland coast in Australia, is the largest sand island in the world. “See that steep fall down to your left? And the steep hill to your right? Yeah…we’re essentially driving on the side of a sand dune“. This was the voice of Tony, our tour guide from Cooldingo. He’s one of my favourite tour guides ever, and not just because he likes a drink. Hopefully you’ll see why by the end of this post. We stepped off the ferry, and into a tough, rugged, German built, former military 4×4 machine. I’d heard […]
- [How Fate Won Me A Goldfish Racing Competition And A Bungee Jump](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/01/goldfish-racing-bungee-jump-cairns/): “A man goes to the doctors complaining that he keeps shitting a strawberry every day. ‘Don’t worry’, the doctor says, ‘we’ve got cream for that!’“. I was on a bus journey between Port Douglas and Cairns in Australia, and the other passengers and myself were around 34 minutes into the bus drivers set of dad jokes. After each one I’d publicly roll my eyes, but privately store each one in my memory bank. I swear learning dad jokes was never on my bucket list. After an amazing Christmas and New Year in Sydney, I was only meant to stay in Port Douglas […]
- [Beach Hopping In Brazil](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/12/beach-hopping-in-brazil/): Many people told me that if you speak fluent Spanish, you shouldn’t have too much of a problem understanding Portuguese. Herein lies two problems. First, I don’t speak fluent Spanish. Secondly, I didn’t realise how very different the two languages are in a written sense. So there I was, in Foz do Iguaçu bus station, staring at the menu in the small cafe for what must have been 5 minutes. All I wanted was a sandwich. I tried to order three times – twice I ended up with a small water, and the third time I gave up and ordered a […]
- [Re-Cap of 2012](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/12/re-cap-of-2012/): Just like last year, I’ve compiled a collection of my favourite memories, places and events that made 2012 such an amazing year. I started writing this blog post back in January….think of it as a diary of sorts…and as 2012 comes to a close, it helps me look back on some great times, in some great places, with some great people. Before 2012, I never really took this blog seriously, and never really made it personal or public. When I set it up back in 2006, it was designed as a test. A test for me to try writing online. Writing about […]
- [Cycling The Worlds Most Dangerous Road In Bolivia](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/12/cycling-the-worlds-most-dangerous-road-in-bolivia/): I was travelling with a Dutch girl across the Peru / Bolivia border when we first started talking about things to do in Bolivia. We opened her travel book and started reading about La Paz. “Are you going to cycle down the worlds most dangerous road?”, she asked, as I was mid-chew of a Sublime bar. “I’d prefer to live to be honest” came my mangled reply, and we spoke no more of it. I woke up the next morning in my hostel in La Paz and decided to turn to Tripadvisor for inspiration on what to do. The first […]
- [Hiking The Inca Trail To Machu Picchu](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/11/hiking-inca-trail-machu-picchu/): I remember first hearing about Machu Picchu in geography class at high school. I must have been 13 or 14 at the time, and I remember thinking how amazing it would be to visit such a place, to visit one of the New7Wonders of the world. Fast forward 17 years, and I had booked to go on the Inca Trail, ending at Machu Picchu. Before I left the UK, many friends asked me what I was looking forward to the most on my 5 month adventure. Machu Picchu always came in the top three. The trip started in Lima, Peru and […]
- [Exploring Tayrona National Park & Cartagena With Intrepid Travel](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/11/colombia-tayrona-cartagena-playa-blanca/): Before I left the UK, everyone I spoke to that had previously visited Colombia raved about Cartagena. Looking through pictures before I left, it did look stunning, so I made sure I had a couple of days to spare at the end of my Intrepid ‘Experience Colombia’ trip to explore the colourful city more. But after experiencing what Bogota and Medellin had to offer I was slightly dubious that Cartagena wouldn’t match the great times had in the other Colombian cities I visited. How wrong I was, and how right everyone else was… We landed from Medellin into Santa Marta, and […]
- [Marvellous Medellin, El Peñól, and Guatapé In Colombia](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/11/colombia-medellin-el-penol-guatape/): Medellin has a troubled past. In the 90’s Medellin was one of the most dangerous cities in the world, and even up to 10 years ago, it was riddled with crime, after trying to shake off the aftermath of the Escobar drug cartel. As such, my prior thoughts about Medellin were ones of serious reservations about safety. We arrived into the bus station late in the evening, after travelling for 13 hours from Bogota. That didn’t deter us from enjoying the evening. We headed to a bar and had our first taste of Medellin Añejo, a delicious local rum. One […]
- [A Quick Trip Round Bogota, Colombia](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/11/colombia-a-quick-trip-round-bogota/): I’ve only been travelling for 3 weeks, but it feels more like 3 months. This is my second day of doing nothing, so I thought it was about time to catch up on a few blog posts and share some pics and stories with you from the journey so far. Let’s start in Colombia. Prior to visiting Colombia, I was warned of how dangerous it was, and how my 5 month trip would only begin if I survive Colombia. My experience couldn´t have been further from the truth. For anyone travelling to South America, Colombia should be the first country […]
- [Throwing Food In the Air And Catching It In Your Mouth](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/09/throwing-food-in-the-air-and-catching-it-in-your-mouth/): I did this for the first time in ages yesterday. It was surprisingly enjoyable and liberating! Go on, you know you want to… Original image from 1000awesomethings.com Ah the joys of throwing food in the air and catching it in your mouth 🙂
- [Time For A Change, Time To Travel](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/09/time-for-a-change-time-to-travel/): The Short Version I am very excited to let you know that after 8 fantastic years working for bigmouthmedia / LBi, I’m finally taking a break, picking up my backpack and going travelling for 5 months. In October I’ll travel round South America, visit Machu Picchu, spend Christmas and New Year in Sydney, drink my body weight in wine from wineries across New Zealand, explore China for 3 weeks, and then return to the UK in March. Below is map of where I’m heading, and some of the places I CANNOT WAIT to see. Click on the pins for an […]
- [Lessons from Losing my iPhone](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/09/lessons-from-losing-my-iphone/): When I finally switched from Android to Apple last year, it was like moving from a Vauxhall Corsa to a BMW (no offence to those who own a Vauxhall Corsa). It was so easy, so fast, a great transition, and I loved it. Then, 5 weeks ago, my mobile world fell apart – I lost my iPhone. How did I lose it? At our summer party. Dressed like a woodstock, 60’s hippie wrestler. I either left it in a bar, at an all night bakery, or in the back of a taxi. The pockets on my outfit were pretty shallow […]
- [Team GB Facebook Cover](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/08/team-gb-facebook-cover/): I was searching for ages trying to find a good Team GB Facebook cover photo to add to my profile. In the end I made my own. Feel free to save the image and use as your Facebook cover! The writing at the bottom left of the image gets covered by your Facebook profile pic. Looks good! Team GB Facebook Timeline Cover
- [Escaping Your Personalised Web Bubble](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/07/escaping-your-personalised-web-bubble/): Are web algorithms hiding information from us? Are Facebook, Google, Netflix and others marching so quickly towards personalised content that they are showing us what they think they want us to see rather than what we need to see? A few years ago, when I first told people I worked in ‘Digital Marketing’, they’d pull an ‘I understand…but don’t really understand‘ face. It looked something like this: Original image from Hyperboleandahalf Nowadays if I tell non-digital people I work in digital marketing – especially if I talk about Social Media – there’s a much wider understanding of social platforms, and […]
- [The Bizarre Tale Of How Twitter Saved My Bacon](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/07/the-bizarre-tale-of-how-twitter-saved-my-bacon/): How many phone numbers do you remember off by heart? I stopped remembering phone numbers back in 1999, when I got my first mobile phone. I know my parents home phone number, my phone number, and maybe one or two others. Now tell me how many email addresses or Twitter usernames of friends and colleagues you can reel off. Much more, right? And so the story begins. Most of you know I work for a digital marketing company. We manage Social Media campaigns on behalf of companies, so we’re inherently social, usually checking emails, Facebook and Twitter every few minutes. Ironically (you’ll […]
- [Titlebombing Twitter Trends](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/06/titlebombing-twitter-trends/): Twitter has completely changed the way we communicate. How we communicate with the people behind brands, how we communicate with friends, how we communicate with celebrities and sports stars, and how we share photos. Mashable is the authoritative source on all things Social Media, with breaking news and great articles being retweeted by the masses. So it stands to reason that the authoritative source on all things Social Media will often start trending on one of  the top Social Media platforms, because people are sharing content and learning more about Social Media. It does get quite annoying. Not so much that an […]
- [Keeping Cool in the Summer Heat](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/06/keeping-cool-in-the-summer-heat/): It’s July in London. It’s already 28 degrees and it’s only 10:30am. You rush down the steps of Oxford Circus tube, swipe your Oyster Card and rush down to the Victoria Line. It’s busy and it’s hot. You feel hot. You’ve already felt the river of sweat beginning to develop on your back, so you keep arching your back in order to keep the shirt fabric away from your skin. But at the same time you look like you’re stuck in a permanent thrust position. Source: Penciljack.com The tube train arrives, wafting a wave of heat down the tunnel. Someone […]
- [A Load Of Old Blarney - Visiting Blarney Castle, Ireland](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/06/blarney-castle-ireland/): One of my New Year’s resolutions this year was to visit more countries and cities that I’ve never been to. It seems odd that with all the work travel I do, that I’ve never been to Ireland. A week previous to the Ireland trip, I was with a lady friend driving through the Scottish Highlands, when we found ourselves driving alongside Loch Ness. We made a few jokes about how funny it would be if Nessie reared it’s head, and how Scottish millionaires might plant a fake Nessie to keep tourism simmering over. At that point it struck me how […]
- [Left Brain vs. Right Brain](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/06/left-brain-vs-right-brain/): I’ve been looking for this image for weeks, and finally found it. If you’re a Mac owner like me, save this as your desktop for a week – it’ll look fantastic. Continuing my series of creativity posts…
- [European Plastic Bags](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/06/european-plastic-bags/): Plastic bags are both mundane and very useful at the same time. If you shop at Tesco, Waitrose or another UK supermarket regularly, you’ll no doubt have a stash of plastic bags under the sink or behind the door, all branded with the supermarkets logo. Quite boring really. Stretch that plastic bag thought to Schuh, Debenhams and other retailers, and plastic bags become a little more exciting! Blues, blacks, greens and even pinks for those that shop at Ann Summers! But UK retailers have been outdone. I got an email at work the other day which made me create this […]
- [Creativity (part 2)](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/05/creativity-part-2/): I like this. Not as much as my first creativity post, but it’s still very valid.
- [13 Items That Show You're An Early 90's School Kid](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/05/13-items-that-show-youre-an-early-90s-school-kid/): This throwback, nostalgic post was inspired by this post over on BuzzFeed. I thought I’d add more of a UK spin 🙂 Weren’t the 90’s great? Here’s 13 items that you usually saw in the playground, round someones wrist, on someones forehead or at someones desk in the classroom; 1. Panini Football Stickers I remember I was only 2 stickers away from completing the 1989 album. 2. Slap Bracelets Quite a few snake burns later, this got slapped on your wrist eventually. 3. Tamagotchis I never had one myself, but these were all the rage. 4. Pogs Another one I never […]
- [The End is Nigh? The Mayan Calendar Countdown](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/05/the-end-is-nigh-the-mayan-calendar-countdown/): I’m going to deep dive into philosophy and science for this post, stick with me! I often joke (maybe I shouldn’t after you read this post) that something catastrophic will happen on the 21st December 2012. This all stems from an article I read a few years ago, which comprised certain beliefs that a cataclysmic or transformative events will occur on 21st December, 2012. Some are calling it doomsday. That’s probably a little extreme. Others are calling it a ‘spiritual transformation‘. I’m not much of a spiritual or religious person, so I like to view it as a ‘reset’. Sounds […]
- [Creativity](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/04/creativity/): I like to think I’m a creative person. This quote was shared with me a few weeks ago by someone who also believes I have creative blood. It’s a big picture thing, and it certainly struck a chord with me, so I thought I’d share it with you :). “Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things. […]
- [The Big Picture](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/04/the-big-picture/): Whenever I have deep and meaningful conversations about life, I always refer to the ‘big picture’. My outlook of life has always been to avoid getting bogged down in the day to day strifes, and focus on the longer term experiences which are yet to come. Every single day, there are many decisions to make and issues to overcome – some of them big, some of them small, but everyone single ones tests us to some degree. The milk in the fridge has gone off. The parcel you’re waiting for is late. Your car won’t start. Dealing with the solicitor […]
- [My First Infographic!](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/04/my-first-infographic/): I’m a ‘learn by doing‘ guy, so I’ve always been curious about creating videos and infographics. As such, I thought it was about time I had a go at creating an infographic. Visual.ly is the infographic site of choice, and the recently launched a new site area which allows users to create their own infographics.Despite how great this sounds, I was very disappointed at the limited functionality and scope to be creative, so I looked elsewhere. After a few searches, I came across Piktochart.com, which was perfect for what I needed. There is an element of ‘infographic fatigue’ floating round […]
- [How To Scan A QR Code](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/04/how-to-scan-a-qr-code/): I keep seeing QR codes pop up more and more. East London, New York, Cornwall…and even the Lake District. Last Christmas I was in a karaoke bar in Edinburgh with some guys from my football team (of which none of them work in digital, and wouldn’t touch the internet if it wasn’t for Facebook and/or porn). There was a QR code on the wall in the karaoke room, which, if scanned, would give you a list of all the artists and songs available. Interestingly, lots of them tried to scan the QR code, but every single one of them assumed the […]
- [Altruism Versus Self-Interest](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/04/altruism-versus-self-interest/): I’ve always been intrigued as to how and why certain people behave in a certain way in a given situation. Why do they choose x over y? Did they do that certain something truly for someone else, or did they do it simply to make themselves feel better? If you’re equally as intrigued, then I’d recommend reading Freakonomics and Superfreakonomics. Give one a try for your next holiday. I’m quite a cynical person. I guess this cynicism comes from both my personal and professional experiences over the last ten years. That said, I’m also a realist, and quite the optimist […]
- [A Few Of My Favourite Places In The UK](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/04/favourite-places-uk/): Before I had a jet-setting lifestyle, there was some pattern to places I used to visit around the UK. I was born, raised and schooled in Preston, so the Lake District was only an hours drive away. I’ve been going every year since I was one year old. After a few holidays abroad to France in the 80’s, I went with my parents, brother and sister to Cornwall for the first time in 1993. I’ve gone every year since. So here’s a little insight into some of my favourite, special spots to visit in the UK. I hope you get […]
- [A Fishermen, Sand and Hats Puzzle](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/03/a-fishermen-sand-and-hats-puzzle/): If you’re with a group of people and/or bored and looking for something to do, give this little hat puzzle a whirl. It’s one of those ‘think logically’ questions – good luck! ———————————————————————————————————– A mean local has buried four fishermen up to their necks in sand on the beach at low tide for keeping their fishing spot a secret from him. Three have been buried facing the same way, and another has been buried facing them, but the other side of a giant sand dune. He put a hat on each of their heads and told them that one of […]
- [A Very Gentlemanly Hip Flask](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/03/a-very-gentlemanly-hip-flask/): I recently joined Gentlemint.com. It’s a bit like a manly version of Pinterest. It’s almost like these hip flasks were made for Gentlemint. An essential item for your inside pocket. I’d recommend a single malt, port or damson gin. Found in Urban Outfitters in Spitalfields.
- [Songs to Play When the Sun is Out](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/03/songs-to-play-when-the-sun-is-out/): Spring has broken! The sun is out! That puts most Brits in a happy, positive mood, so I’ve compiled a collaborative playlist of songs to play when sitting in the sun, or even if the sun is out and you’re stuck indoors. So here you go – songs to play when the sun is out. Turn it up! Spotify playlist URL – https://open.spotify.com/user/mg0srh/playlist/7bO9Q9XAWq9Kj52w1Hw1wB Chris Brown – Beautiful People featuring Benny Benassi Bob Marley – Sun is Shining (Funkstar De Luxe Mix) Deadmau5, Kaskade – I Remember Groove Armada – At the River Erykah Badu – On & On The Naked and […]
- [Every Possible Variety of Beer](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/03/every-possible-variety-of-beer/): Know your India Pale Ale from your Strong Pale Ale? How about your Double IPA from your Black IPA? A new six feet square print is now available to buy on Popchartlab.com for $32. Entitled “The Very, Very Many Varieties of Beer“, this chart covers 89 varieties of beer, with over 200 representative beverages from England, Germany, the USA and more. The print even gives you a glassware recommendation for each beer variety. Don’t go drinking a BrewDog Sink the Bismarck out of a Stange now… Click on this link for the large image.
- [It's An Appropriate Day To Talk About Steak](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/03/its-an-appropriate-day-to-talk-about-steak/): Valentine’s Day is, on the whole, a day dedicated to ladies. For this reason, a day dedicated to men was created, exactly one month after Valentine’s Day – 14th March. It involves two things men love. One of those things is steak. Most thoroughbred men love steak. Some like it rare, some like it well done. If you’re not a steak connoisseur, here’s how your appropriately cooked steak should look; And what about different cuts of steak? Why is fillet steak always more expensive than sirloin? Different cuts of beef are taken from different parts of the cow. Fillet steak, is, […]
- [QR Codes on Bikini Bottoms](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/03/qr-codes-on-bikini-bottoms/): This is from last year, but definitly worth adding to the jamjar. Last summer, Betfair placed QR codes on two beach volleyball sportswomen. Zara Dampney, 24, and Shauna Mullin, 26, agreed to wear bikini bottoms that have the quick response (QR) codes printed on to them. When the codes are scanned, the user is directed to a registration page to join Betfair, offering consumers a free bet. You’d need to get pretty close though. Obviously.
- [10 of the Funniest Stag Do Pictures (NSFW)](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/02/10-of-the-funniest-stag-do-pictures-nsfw/): It’s a phrase that sends shudders down most peoples spines. Stag do. It’s a taboo subject for females. Even the male participants in the traditional bachelor-sign-off event get nervous. Stag parties are a celebration of your last nights as a single, uncommitted man. But ever since the release of The Hangover, stag dos have taken on a whole new aura. Stag dos – not for the faint hearted This weekend, I am participating in my first stag party of the year, for an old school friend. You know the rule – “what goes on tour, stays on tour“, so whilst there […]
- [European Sterotypes](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/01/european-sterotypes/): Whenever I work on multiple market projects at work, there is usually some sort of collaboration with people in our offices in Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Soon enough, email chains and phone conversations will eventually end up with fun-filled niggling stereotypes. Let me give you an example. Last year we pitched – successfully – to an automotive company, and the stereotypes quickly began to infiltrate the conversation, in this case between Germany and Spain. This is an accurate transcript of a Skype conversation about the client. For the purposes of this example, let’s call them DE and ES. ES: “We need to stamp these […]
- [How would you feel if someone just turned you on and left?](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/01/how-would-you-feel-if-someone-just-turned-you-on-and-left/): Saw this, conserved energy.
- [Camera+ Meet New York. New York, Meet Camera+](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/01/camera-meet-new-york-new-york-meet-camera/): I was introduced to the Camera+ app back in November, a few weeks after getting my new iPhone 4S. Less than 2 months later I tweeted saying it’s the best 69p you could spend on an app. I was never really interested in photography with my other phones. Either the picture quality was poor, the memory was insufficient to hold several high resolution images, the flash was so powerful or so weak it ruined the photo, or all of the above. Then, when I got the iPhone 4S, I started playing around with the 8MP camera. The photos were crystal […]
- [Victory Dance](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/01/victory-dance/): No matter who you are, always have your victory dance ready, for the big and small triumphs in life 🙂 Got a victory dance you want to share? Let me know!
- [Ski Service Edinburgh](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/01/ski-service-edinburgh/): It’s that time of the ski season again. Ski servicing time. Christmas has passed, and if you haven’t managed to hit the snow early, next on the holiday calendar is the ski holiday. You go the cupboard or garage, grab the bag containing your skis or snowboard, and get all excited. You examine the bottom of the skis, look at the nicks and gores taken out of the wax and reminisce about hitting those rocks on the slope. That excitement drops a little. They need repairing. Time to get them waxed, edged and serviced. If you live in the Edinburgh […]
- [Human Evolution](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/01/human-evolution/): Greed, recessions, Eurozone in crisis, obesity, rioting…you get the idea.
- [Flight Seating Strategy](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2012/01/flight-seating-strategy/): I do this. If you’ve flown easyJet or another airline that doesn’t allocate seats, I bet you’ve done it too 🙂 Image courtesy of The Oatmeal
- [Re-cap of 2011!](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2011/12/re-cap-of-2011/): 2011 has been quite a year! If I thought 2010 was busy, 2011 kicked it well and truly into touch. Here’s my 2011 year in review. In no particular order – the good, the bad, the skiing, the partying, the work, the travelling and the growing up 🙂 Took 100 flights exactly – top destinations included New York, Thailand, Abu Dhabi and Copenhagen First video production – Visualising Foursquare Check Ins Shot the second most powerful handgun in the world, the Smith and Wesson 500; Jumped the fence from Windows to an Apple Macbook Pro Jumped the fence from Android […]
- [4 Skiing Tips - Video Tutorials](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2011/12/4-skiing-tips-video-tutorials/): It’s getting to that time of year again. Blow the dust of the skis, get them edged and waxed, throw them in the bag, and head to the slopes. Straight out of your hotel or chalet, you’re more excited than a kid at Christmas. You do up your jacket, drag your skis out onto the snow, do up your boots and hop onto the skis. Always makes you out of breath that part, doesn’t it? Then you have your first ski run. Like a formula 1 driver warming up the tires on the practice lap, you take things nice and […]
- [Owned Media Is More Loaned Media](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2011/11/owned-media-is-more-loaned-media/): Anyone working in digital marketing or for an advertising agency will use the words Paid Media, Owned Media, and Earned Media. But is Owned Media really Owned Media? PEO Model – should Loaned Media be part of the mix? I was reading an old Forrester blog post last week on Paid, Earned and Owned Media, and the author split Owned Media into ‘fully-Owned Media’ (your website, your blog) and ‘partially-Owned Media (your Facebook fan page, your Twitter account etc). Owned Media is essentially something you control as a person or as a brand. I would argue that much of Owned […]
- [7 Life Lessons From LOST](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2011/11/7-life-lessons-from-lost/): I’ve written a few previous posts about LOST on this blog, but with no real takeaways. The other posts were more a recommendation, an arm twist is you like. “If you’re not watching LOST, you should be!!“, type posts. 18 months after the finale, I’m still introducing people to LOST, who love it. They were late to the party, and felt it was too late to catch up, but if like them, you like twisty, character development-based, unorthodox shows, it’s never too late. Photo source: Radikal.ru   When LOST launched onto UK screens back in 2005, it attracted six million […]
- [Visualizing Foursquare Check Ins](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2011/11/visualizing-foursquare-check-ins/): As of June 2011, Foursquare has 10 million members. I am one of those members, and am a big advocate of Foursquare. But recently more and more people I chat to about Foursquare say they are bored with it, and don’t see the point in using it any more. “I don’t care if someone checks-in at a McDonald’s drive-through”, said one colleague. According to many sources, Foursquare are shedding users faster than they are gaining them. Let’s not forget, Foursquare was created as a game. Get points for check ins to different places, and pit yourself against your friends and […]
- [Yas Island Links Golf Course](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2011/11/yas-island-links-golf-course/): I don’t play golf. I’m a sales guy, so you should think golf should come naturally. I’m also very sporty, so again, a quick few athletic swings of the club and good eye for distance should see me right. The truth is, I’ve played only two rounds of 18 hole golf in my life. That said, I have a mean pitch and putt game. So when I was over in Abu Dhabi recently, a colleague suggested we play the Yas Island golf course. “It looks like an amazing links course!“, he said. I didn’t really know what that meant. We […]
- [What's that song from the O2 advert?](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2011/08/whats-that-song-from-the-o2-advert/): That song from the O2 Priority Moments advert would be Pumped up Kicks by Foster the People. You can download it on iTunes here. I discovered Foster the People playing the acoustic version of Pumped up Kicks at the Latitude Festival, and I think the acoustic version is much better! What do you think?
- [I Grew a Beard](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2011/08/i-grew-a-beard/): I did. I grew one. A full beard from the neck upward. People keep asking me: “Why have you grown a beard?“. Well why not? I’ve never had one before, and I decided I’d like a change. That’s the only reason I can give. Did I get lazy and only wanted to shave my neck? Maybe. Was it to give two fingers to all the other industries where I couldn’t grow a beard in the workplace? Maybe. Was it to make my long face a little shorter? Maybe. It’s now been two months and my beard seems to have become […]
- [Switching Off Means Switching On](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2011/07/switching-off-means-switching-on/): I’ve worked in digital marketing for 7 years. I’m online for approximately 13 hours per day, split between desktop and mobile. I had a conversation with a friend recently who told me I sometimes need to ‘switch off’. For many people, the idea of ‘switching off’ involves going and sitting on the beach in the sun, with a book or two. Or watching TV. Or doing something athletic. But what many non-digital natives don’t understand is that sometimes the best way to switch off is to switch on. Write a blog post, update Facebook, buy something, play a game, learn […]
- [Apple announces iMessage for iOS 5](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2011/06/apple-announces-imessage-for-ios-5/): Apple has announced the launch of their own iOS messaging system with iOS 5; iOS iMessage. iMessage is a Blackberry messenger equivalent…and much more. It’s a new unified messaging service for all iOS devices. Text message, photos, video, contacts, group message..you name it. Even better, you can IM between iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. More news to follow – keep an eye on updates about iMessage here.
- [New Google Chrome TV Advert - Dear Hollie](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2011/06/new-google-chrome-tv-advert-dear-hollie/): It stands to reason that Google have never been big on print or TV advertising, but the digital giant finally debuted it’s first UK TV advert for Google Chrome, entitled ‘Dear Hollie’, on May 28th. Tonight, during tonight’s final of Britain’s Got Talent, which had a much larger viewing audience, Google showed the ‘Dear Hollie’ TV advert again, and according to many sources, it was the best part of the final. Here’s the Google Chrome ‘Dear Hollie’ TV ad in all it’s glory; Google is also rumoured to have released a follow up TV ad entitled ‘Dear Sophie’.
- [Maru Cat Boxes](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2011/04/maru-cat-boxes/): It’s been a while since my last post. I’ve been busy. To help you escape the Royal Wedding fever, let me introduce you to an online feline phenomenon. You think that intro was too strong? Think again. Maru the cat is possibly the most well known cat on the interweb. This Japan based cat loves boxes. Small boxes, big boxes, even small packaging it can get it’s head into. Yes, Maru the cat is certainly unique. Here’s some of Maru’s best bits 🙂 See, he’s funny / cute / quirky / fat / all of the above. Want to see […]
- [Returning to Tignes](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2011/01/returning-to-tignes/): As a group we haven’t skied in Tignes since 2007. Now, we’ve booked to go back. Nic and Karen of La Brasero – brace yourselves…the bar is about to be decorated with fancy dress characters from 6th Feb. Could you also please get some snow on the slopes? Thanks 🙂 Here’s a quick video and pic of last years outfits in Verbier:
- [3D Display Advertising](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2010/11/3d-display-advertising/): We’re rapidly moving into a 3D generation, with technology companies and entertainment houses developing a whole host of 3D consumer products. With that in mind, are we far off 3D display advertising? BSkyB launched their 3D TV service in October this year, with consumers at home and in pubs round the country watching their favourite TV shows and sports behind 3D glasses. In terms of 3D TV advertising, Courvoisier secured its place in 3D advertising history as the first brand to create a 3D TV advert, which screened on Channel 4 in late 2009. With Google TV now launching across […]
- [Theft Proof Wallet](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2010/11/theft-proof-wallet/): No-one can make a 100% theft proof wallet, but it doesn’t stop companies trying. Q might have come the closest. The clever chaps at Dunhill and TungstenW have created the closest thing to a theft proof wallet. They call it a biometric wallet. iWallet The wallet is opened using personal fingerprint scanner encryption, so even if someone does run away with it, they’d have trouble getting opening it. The ‘theft proof’ wallet also has a carbon fibre exterior, which means it’s water and scratch proof as well as unbreakable and lightweight. The best part is the wallet connects to Bluetooth […]
- [World’s Largest Water Balloon Fight](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2010/11/worlds-largest-water-balloon-fight/): One word: Awesome. [via. Yarsley.com]
- [Facebook File Sharing Service Coming Soon?](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2010/11/facebook-file-sharing-service-coming-soon/): Sometimes email inboxes are simply not big enough to cope with the big attachments I send. This makes file sharing problematic. Occasionally I use the my company’s extranet, but that often gets complicated with usernames and passwords. So more often than not, I’ll use Drop.io. It’s a neat cloud file hosting sharing service that lets you upload big files and share them privately using the equally neat tiny URL function they use.I was planning on uploading a 12MB file this evening, when I came across a message from their blog that they had been acquired by Facebook. Curious. Reading further, […]
- [Blog Redecoration](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2010/10/blog-redecoration/): I feel I’ve neglected the Jamjar blog for some time. In fact my last post was on 23rd December, 2009. For someone who works in Digital Marketing, and closely with other bloggers, I actually feel quite bad about it. I have been incredibly busy though. I’d liken the neglect to a builder who looks after everyone else’s home except his own. So instead of simply writing and publishing another ramble, I thought I’d get the painters in and give the place a makeover. Hopefully it’s now cleaner and more usable, so I hope you like it. Feedback is always welcome […]
- [Lost Season 6 Posters](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2009/12/lost-season-6-posters/): Since the end of Lost Season 5 there has been a lot of debate on forums and blogs about how Lost will end. There’s no doubt in my mind that Lost is one of the best written shows on TV – what other series can you think of which leaves so many questions to be answered until series 6, but still has millions of watchers? Kudos to all the writers of the show – especially since they has the end of the show in mind right from the start.As we near the beginning of Season 6 I had another look […]
- [Lost: Season 5 Finale](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2009/05/lost-season-5-finale/): (SE05E16/ SE05E17) – “Are you sure I’m the one who doesn’t believe in you?” – Christian. I’ve not blogged for months, and the last time I blogged about LOST was back in July last year, but the season 5 finale of LOST has left me mind boggled. So I thought I’d throw my thoughts and opinions down here….although I might ramble a bit, sorry. There’s so much new information to get through, and lots of new theories to validate and discard. Lets start right at the beginning of ‘The Incident’ where we are finally introduced to Jacob and Jacob’s Adversary […]
- [Recession Sale Anyone?](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2008/10/recession-sale-anyone/): When it comes to sales, for me, it’s a case of the good, the bad and the ugly. Good in that you can pick up a great bargain, bad in that the stores are packed, and ugly in that I’ve seen women come to blows over a dress. Recession sale anyone? As I was walking around Manchester at the weekend I felt there was something amiss amongst the window sale advertisements. I saw a double discount sale, a closing down sale and I even saw a store re-building sale. But why has no-one taken advantage of the current economic climate […]
- [Friends Like These](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2008/10/friends-like-these/): I don’t read many books. In fact the only time I get chance to read a book or two is when I go on a beach holiday. I was in Cyprus last week getting some early autumn sun and read a superb book called Friends Like These by Danny Wallace. Friends Like These by Danny Wallace A mate of mine told me how good Friends Like These was, and he confessed to laughing out loud when reading it. Like me, he doesn’t laugh out loud at books so I was intrigued. A week before I went away I bought Friends […]
- [High oil prices twist the knife into the airlines](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2008/07/high-oil-prices-twist-the-knife-into-the-airlines/): With oil prices lingering between the $100 and $130 a barrel mark, airlines around the world are on red alert as fuel costs soar. On Monday Ryanair announced it’s profits has plunged by 85% and blamed the high oil price for doubling its fuel expenses. Last week easyJet admitted that fare increases were inevitable in order for them to counteract the issue of fuel costs. At easyJet the increase in fuel price is costing around £7 a seat on every flight. In addition, both Ryanair and easyJet have anounced cut backs to their winter schedules, whilst British Airways and BMI […]
- [Lost Time Loop Theory](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2008/07/lost-time-loop-theory/): A while ago I wrote a blog post about watching LOST. Now Lost has just finished it’s fourth series, and I can’t wait for the fifth. Lost is one of those TV programmes where people either love it or hate it. For the latter, they usually get bored and confused by the third episode and never watch it again. More fool them. Early last week I was passed a great website which attempts to shed a little light on the theory behind Lost – and it’s a superb read. As a synopsis, Jason Hunter (the author) believes LOST is based […]
- [Exploring Bothies In Scotland](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2008/07/exploring-bothies-in-scotland/): I recently took a weeks holiday to go and discover the Scottish Highlands. Although I’ve lived in Edinburgh for the last 4 years, I have never travelled to the West of Scotland, or up North towards Aviemore and Inverness. That all changed when I took part in Maggie’s Monster Bike and Hike in May, and I decided to explore some more of the Scottish wilderness. Key to the plan for our week of walking was to stay in various bothies in Scotland, which are usually found in the middle of nowhere. So what is a bothy? A bothy is a basic […]
- [ICANN Opens Up Internet Domain Free for All](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2008/06/icann-opens-up-internet-domain-free-for-all/): The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), who oversee the way internet addresses are assigned, signed off a policy that will set a milestone for the history of the internet. Historically top-level domains (TLDs), such as .com, .co.uk.org etc could only be bought by those looking to set up a new website. The new internet address shake up now means that people can apply for a website that ends in any collection of letters……but there are catches. Firstly, the new domains will cost $100,000 each. They don’t come cheap, but once you own the TLD domain you can […]
- [Rapid Google Indexing](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2008/05/rapid-google-indexing/): In August 2007, Matt Cutts (a Google software engineer) wrote a post about Google’s minty fresh indexing picking up new content within a matter of hours. This was a good read and a good way to read how Google’s indexing has changed over time. I have to admit I thought this applied to more authoritative sites – not smaller blogs like this one (good things come in small packages though) :-). So I was pleasantly surprised to see my last two blog posts being picked up at lightening speed. My post on Burger King’s 6 Pack launch was picked up […]
- [Honda Jump Skydiving Advert](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2008/05/honda-jump-skydiving-advert/): Honda looks set to take TV advertising to a new level this evening, as they attempt a live skydiving ad. The skydiving ad, which looks set to be unbranded is meant to build interest ahead of a new Honda car launch. There are snippets of information about the skydiving advert, including a teaser blog – Difficultisworthdoing. Honda has been promoting the strapline “Difficult is Worth Doing” on outdoor media, but still provides no clue as to what the advert is actually for. The ad is set to air live on ITV1 and Channel 4 tonight. It is believed the jump […]
- [Burger King launches 6 Pack](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2008/05/burger-king-launches-6-pack/): One of the first stories I read this morning caught my eye. Burger King is set to launch a burger that can be shared between 6 people. Affectionately called the 6 Pack, Burger King is rolling out what it claims to be the first burger made for sharing in an attempt to take on the fast-food pizza chains. I know the Burger King 6 pack is meant to be for sharing, but at £4.49 by itself or £5.69 as part of a meal I know plenty of people who will have this for themselves. Surely Burger King is simply aiding […]
- [Looking for flights? Use Kayak](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2008/05/looking-for-flights-use-kayak/): I travel. A lot. I’ve taken 32 flights so far this year (thanks Outlook Calendar) and probably visited the easyJet and BA websites more times than I care to remember. On the plus side, it also gives me license to promote a site that makes my life easier. Kayak.co.uk is a travel search engine with a difference. It’s simple, clutter free and designed on cool technology rather than just a profitable business plan. Kayak searches across all the major airline websites to find the best possible fares. Kayak.co.uk is accurate. Flying from Edinburgh I know which carriers fly to which […]
- [Monster Bike and Hike Training](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2008/04/monster-bike-and-hike-training/): Something I forgot to mention. I signed up…no…..my colleagues signed me up for an event called the Monster Bike and Hike. At the time I didn’t take much notice about what it was or what it consisted, but I’m certainly taking notice now. The Monster Bike and Hike is a 30 mile cycle followed by a 43 mile hike along the Scottish Great Glen Way…..all in 24 hours. The bike and hike is a fundraising event for Maggie’s Cancer Care centres. Naturally when it finally sank in what the Bike and Hike entailed I decided some training was in order. […]
- [IKEA Train](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2008/04/ikea-train/): In an interesting PR/advertising stunt, retail giant IKEA has fitted a train in Kobe with sofas and curtains. The ‘IKEA train’ looks comfy, but if this was done in the UK our Health and Safety boffins would have a field day 🙂 The IKEA train photos below are from Gizmodo; Unfortunately the IKEA train makeover is only temporary to mark the opening of a new store in Kobe
- [A Door and a Mirror](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2008/03/a-door-and-a-mirror/): I’ve been meaning to write this post for months and FINALLY got round to it….all work and no play makes Simon a dull boy. Over the last 12 months I’ve been to a number of places around the globe, including France, Germany, Spain, Greece, USA and Canada. I usually carry a camera around with me, but there’s always one or two situations where I didn’t carry it with me, and wish I had. Cue smoke and Enter stage left: the mobile phone camera. My ethos? If in doubt, take the picture anyway. So here we go. The first picture below […]
- [Pandora closes its doors to UK users](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2008/01/pandora-closes-its-doors-to-uk-users/): Online music provider Pandora is getting ready to block UK users from it’s service due to “unworkable” license rates. ‘Listen to music with Pandora‘ was one of my first blog posts back in 2006, and I’m sorry to hear Pandora has to pull the plug. Tim Westergren, the Pandora founder, emailed UK Pandora listeners to convery that royalty collection agencies PPL and MCPS/PRS alliance have demanded absurd rates that Pandora simply cannot meet. Tim said; “We have been told to sign these totally unworkable license rates or switch off, non-negotiable…so that is what we are doing.” “We’re going to keep […]
- [Most Watched YouTube Video Clips/Videos 2007](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2008/01/most-watched-youtube-video-clips-videos-2007/): YouTube had a storming year in 2007. If you’ve landed here looking for the most popular YouTube videos of 2007, you’ve come to the right place.After doing a couple of searches over New Year I noticed YouTube had published a list of the most watched videos on their blog. The top ten makes interesting viewing, and had a couple of my favourite videos from 2007 on the list. The top ten was based on number of views and shares. ** All the videos can be seen in the embedded YouTube compilation below ** Here’s a run down of the top […]
- [Blackle - The Energy Saving Search Engine](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2007/11/blackle-the-energy-saving-search-engine/): I’ve been meaning to blog about Blackle for months, and finally with a bit of free time (and jet lag) I finally can. Blackle was brought to my attention when I was travelling round London and a couple of guys on the tube were talking about an “energy saving search engine“. At first I tried to figure about how it would work, and then decided to find out more about Blackle over a Starbucks Gingerbread Latte (very good and only available over Xmas – try one!). Blackle is powered by Google Custom Search, but provides results against a black screen […]
- [Wonderbra Spoof of Cadbury Gorilla Advert](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2007/11/wonderbra-spoof-of-cadbury-gorilla-advert/): Nice bit of piggyback marketing from Wonderbra. My colleague told me about this advert, and I had to blog about it……for obvious reasons! My original post about the Cadbury Gorilla advert back in September is fairly lengthy, but I don’t need to say much about the Wonderbra version. Enjoy!
- [English Football needs to Evolve](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2007/11/english-football-needs-to-evolve/): England have not missed a major footballing competition since 1994. Arguably, English football has come on leaps and bounds since then and is now one of the most exciting leagues in the world. Yet, as is usually the case over the last 13 years, England fans prepare themselves for a successful competition where the English world-beaters finally bring home a trophy (again). But with each competition we’re on the plane home way before the final. The most recent catastrophe of England not qualifying for Euro 2008 is exactly what the country needed to give it a kick up the backside […]
- [Cadbury Gorilla Advert](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2007/09/cadbury-gorilla-advert/): The new Cadbury’s Dairy Milk (CDM) advert is a stroke of genius. I haven’t written a post in a while (v busy) but though that the new Cadbury’s gorilla advert was worth writing about. Being in the advertising/marketing industry, I now have a new found mark of respect for Fallon, the company behind the new advert. TV advertising is becoming more and more difficult, as there are more critics than ever to shoot down would-be ad award winners. TV ads in the modern day need to be quirky, as opposed to the old school ‘in your face’ ads. This is […]
- [Check out the new Ask!](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2007/06/check-out-the-new-ask/): Ask.com (formerly Ask Jeeves) has just got sexy. I have to give a round of applause to Ask for their new search layouts, and I firmly believe the new changes will have a great response from the online community. So what has changed? Firstly Ask has added a new ‘Skins’ application to it’s homepage where users can choose different images as the background rather than just a plain white background. Simple, but effective. Secondly Ask has developed a way of displaying search results to rival Google’s Universal Search. Take the screen grab below for example. A search for “jessica simpson” […]
- [Beckham is Back](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2007/06/beckham-is-back/): After a short absence, David Beckham has finally returned to the England squad to face Brazil and Estonia. Following my last post about bringing Beckham back, Steve McClaren has finally had to give in to Beckham’s superb form of late.Many congratulations to my former colleage who set up the site Bringbackbeckham.com – he (and thousands others) finally got their wish. I am one of the lucky ones who will be at the England v Brazil game and am looking forward to what should be a great game. Beckham starts of the right with the skilled trio of of Gerrard, Lampard […]
- [The Power of Google Images](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2007/05/the-power-of-google-images/): Simon’s Jamjar went live on 1st January 2006 and over the course of the last 18 months my unique visitor levels have been pretty good. I try to write topical and humourous blog posts that are succinct with recent events or news. On average I receive around 20 unique visitors per day – not bad for a blog that is only updated 3 or 4 times a month. Looking back, there were a few posts that did pretty well in boosting my unique visitor levels. My Lynx Clicker Advert post back in March did well, as did my post on […]
- [A Busy Week](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2007/04/a-busy-week/): Finally time to relax. The week just gone is possibly the busiest week I’ve ever had – spanning work, sport, travel and (a little) drinking. Here’s how my week panned out, starting from Monday; Monday 0730 hours – wake up, shower, head to work 1830 hours – finish work and head for football training 2100 hours – finish football training, head for home 2300 hours – have some food and get to bed Tuesday 0430 hours – wake up, shower, get a taxi to the airport and fly to London 0830 hours – arrive in Kings Cross and head to […]
- [Find old Movie, TV Stars and Celebs](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2007/04/find-old-movie-tv-stars-and-celebs/): I’ve always wondered what happened to loads of my old favourite TV and movie stars. Remember Saved by the Bell? Remember Kelly Kapowski? You know where I’m going with this. Comedy Central had a great section in its site called ‘Where are They Now?’ which sought to find out what old TV and movie celebs are doing now. Sadly, that resource no longer exists. But… Various sites have started to dig up the past, and started rounding up what happened to the old stars. The old cast of Saved By The Bell? You can find out what they’re up to […]
- [Drop the Hard Sell Phones4u](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2007/04/drop-the-hard-sell-phones4u/): I consider myself a patient and tolerant guy. I never get annoyed by small things. However having been hammered by the sales team from Phones4u several times over the last 6 months I have to finally vent my frustration….and it seems I’m not alone. Dean Bubley also has a rant in his post here.It’s worth noting that I am a salesperson too, which may mean I notice the ‘hard sell’ tactics more than others. But for their sales team to stand in their shop doorways shouting “alright mate, you lookin’ for a good deal today?” is not going to entice […]
- [Skiing Down a London Tube Escalator](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2007/03/skiing-down-a-london-tube-escalator/): Ahh it’s almost March and I have no posts! Time to make up for it. Firstly check out the video below. Some crazy chap decided to take it upon himself to find the longest escalator in Europe (at Angel Tube station), ride the escalator to the top and then ski all the way down. Madness. Just wish the video could be slightly clearer. A comedy fall at the end wouldn’t go amiss either. Would have loved to have seen him try and snow plough his way out if he lost his balance….. Just one of the many videos at the […]
- [Top 10 UK Brands](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2007/02/top-10-uk-brands/): The latest top UK brands survey, published by YouGov can be seen at the bottom of this post. Data published this week has revealed more organic brands are making inroads to climb rungs on the UK’s top brands ladder. The UK report, jointly compiled by Checkout and market research company Nielsen suggest that consumers are leaning more towards healthy foods. The list of the top 100 brands was compiled based on sales data recorded by Nielsen across over 74,000 grocery stores and supermarkets. Top of the list again was Coca Cola, although their top position was cemented with strong sales […]
- [Ice Diving](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2007/02/ice-diving/): Do what now? Whilst on our Tignes ski holiday a mate of mine decided to have a go at diving. But not just just any old diving. Ice diving. And not just any old ice diving. He did a night time ice dive under the frozen lake at Tignes Le Lac. Mark Slater ice diving The bloke is fairly experienced having done over 40 dives previously, but that didn’t stop the nerves! Pull on a dry suit, be well briefed and breathe slowly. Covered in hood, gloves and a full face diving mask and equipped with a torch he submerged […]
- [Yet another Tignes Ski Holiday!](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2007/02/yet-another-tignes-ski-holiday/): It’s that time of year again. The boys have returned from another jolly to Tignes, a year on from the epic ski holiday that made us famous amongst the locals of Tignes le Lavachet. This year the numbers were cut to just three – but that didn’t stop the banter, abuse and ‘professional chat’. Yes the boys were once again let loose on a boozy week, free from their oh-so responsible jobs. As with last years Tignes ski holiday, this was again booked as a late deal through Ski World. Although not as professional as Ski Olympic (it was £100 […]
- [Keyword Suggestion Tools](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2007/02/keyword-suggestion-tools/): Maybe internet users have finally had enough of the tortoise-like Overture keyword tool. Maybe the Google Keyword Suggestion tool was too vague. Or maybe it’s the week for releasing new, free keyword suggestion tools for search marketers and online search managers to analyse and ponder over. Here’s a quick overview of the free keyword suggestion tools on the market; Overture Keyword Assistant – UK.overture.com Probably the most well known tool around. Unfortunately due to the high volume of usage this tool moves as slow as a slug. Although fairly useful the data provided is only relevant to the number of […]
- [Yahoo! Site Explorer Badge](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2007/01/yahoo-site-explorer-badge/): That’s right folks, blogging is back. After 2 months solid work (ok, and some play) be prepared for many a blog post! First of out the blocks this week is Yahoo’s update to it’s Site Explorer tool. Yahoo have provided a list of updates and new tools at their blog. The cool new tool (to drive links naturally) is their new Yahoo! badge which shows the number of links pointing to a particular page or site. For example, the number of links pointing to the Simon’s Jamjar site is… Links to Site Hmmm. Seems to be a few teething problems. […]
- [How to Fail an Exam](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/11/how-to-fail-an-exam/): I got send this through a guy at work yesterday – very amusing! Even tempted to add this to the quirky phrases page! Admit it, we all knew someone at school who would do something stupid like this, just for the laugh. Lets be honest answers like this won’t get you into Harvard and on nice luxurious ski trips! So let’s see exactly how to fail an exam. Here we see a fantastic description of…well…a graph. Not bad. Next is a typical science question….or was this mistaken for a receipe-writing cookery exam? And finally this has to be the answer […]
- [Recall Beckham?](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/10/recall-beckham/): Do we want to? Really? It’s a question that has been on many an Englishmans lips after the stuttering Euro 2008 qualifying campaign. And now there is a site designed to question the football loving public – should McClaren recall Beckham? Vote to recall Beckham now at https://www.bringbackbeckham.com Can Beckham really still add benefit to the England team? Look at the World Cup finals in Germany this year – Beckham assisted or had a hand in most of Englands goals. On the other hand his aging legs are beginning to get the better of him. McClaren wants his England team […]
- [Carphone Warehouse buys AOL UK](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/10/carphone-warehouse-buys-aol-uk/): Breaking news this morning – and it’s a biggy in the internet world! The BBC Reports Carphone Warehouse has bought AOL UK for around £370 million. The Carphone Warhouse has an aggressive internet strategy already and currently runs the largest chain of mobile phone stores in the UK. The Carphone Warehouse has said that it will be keeping the AOL name. AOL will provide provide a co-branded portal and will manage the online advertising sales for the Carphone Warehouse’s broadband customer base through a revenue-sharing deal. After the deal the Carphone Warehouse will become the third largest broadband provider in […]
- [Xabi Alonso Goal against Newcastle](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2006/09/xabi-alonso-goal-against-newcastle/): Football’s a funny old game – one day talking about football bungs, the next day talking about goals of the season. I only just saw Xabi Alonso’s goal earlier today and what a scorcher. A bit fortunate with the Newcastle goalkeeper slipping, but full credit to Xavi Alonso nonetheless! For those who haven’t seen the goal yet, check out the clip below; Great goal. Now here’s a question. Which goal is better – Xabi Alonso’s goal against Newcastle, or David Beckham’s goal against Wimbledon in 1996… For me Beckham wins as the Wimbledon keeper doesn’t slip. Great to compare side-by-side! […]
- [An Introduction To Malawi](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/05/an-introduction-to-malawi/): Today is my fifth day in Malawi. I am currently sat on the veranda of room number three at the Mvuu Safari Lodge, watching the sun rise over hippos swimming around the river tributary below my feet. This is just one of many unique experiences I’ve encountered over the last few days, so before any more are notched up, I decided to give you a little introduction to Malawi and tell you a bit more about my trip. The Shire River, Liwonde National Park WHY MALAWI? In October 2014, I was invited by South African Airways to go on a […]
- [48 Hours In Tallinn](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/04/48-hours-in-tallinn/): I’ve only visited Eastern Europe once before. My trip to Budapest early last year set the tone for European weekends away, so Tallinn had a lot to live up to. The Estonian capital has become synonymous with stag dos in recent times, so I ventured to Tallinn for a 48-hour long weekend in March before the testosterone levels around the city became too high. GETTING THERE I booked the trip to Tallinn way back in August last year, when Ryanair had a summer sale on. I got two return tickets from London Stansted for £170 – pretty good value! This […]
- [Competition: Win A New Jurni Carry On Suitcase](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/03/competition-win-jurni-suitcase/): Are you excited? You should be! You know the cool little Trunki suitcases that you see kids riding around on in airports? Well, they’ve created another version for kidults, and it’s known as the Jurni. I took it on a weekend trip to Tallinn earlier this month to try it out (you can see the unboxing video here), and now I’ve teamed up with the Jurni team to allow you to get your hands on one. These are brand new this month, so you’ll be one of the first people in the UK to own one of these cool carry […]
- [6 Of The Best Restaurants In Tallinn's Old Town](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/03/6-best-restaurants-tallinn-old-town/): If you asked the average person on the street what food to expect in Tallinn, Estonia, they would probably have to think for a while to come up with an answer. The truth is that Tallinn draws on many influences, not least Scandinavian dishes to the North, Russian influences to the East and their own traditional dishes, based on Tallinn’s medieval heritage. Tallinn’s Old Town houses some of the capital’s best restaurants and cafes, so when I arrived for our long weekend in February, I made a shortlist of foodie places to try. I had some amazing dishes, so it […]
- [A Ski Chalet Holiday In La Plagne, France](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/03/a-ski-chalet-holiday-in-la-plagne-france/): There is no better feeling than flying down a mountain at 60km per hour, whilst taking in the fresh air and mountain views. This year was my 14th year of skiing, and once again I loved every minute. We took a 4 year break from ski chalet holidays due to travels and friends having apartments, so when we booked a last minute trip to La Plagne through Snowfinders, we couldn’t wait to get back into the chalet scene. If you know where and how to look, chalet ski holidays are brilliant value. You get return flights, transfers, ski chalet accommodation, […]
- [Awesome Airport Sleeping Pods](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/03/awesome-airport-sleeping-pods/): In early 2013, I had to catch a flight from Brisbane to Auckland, but because of the time of the flights, I had a sleep in the airport overnight. This was a backpacking trip, so I had no cash for hotels or hostels. “How hard can it be to sleep on some chairs?“, I thought. Very hard, as I found out. Kids crying, the air conditioning blowing down my neck, never comfortable with the metal bars digging in my side, constantly aware someone might steal my luggage and the final straw was the cleaner, buffing the floor with her fancy […]
- [Tabl: From Cocktails N' Crack To Sourcing The Best Pop Up Dining Experiences In London](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/03/tabl-pop-up-dining-experiences-london/): There are some amazing food and drink experiences popping up in London. Remember my experience at Gingerline last year? That was amazing. Ever since the middle of 2015, there seems to have been a wash of new pop ups, speakeasys (e.g. Cahoots), supper clubs and other amazing dining experiences. One site trying to capitalise on this trend is Tabl. Founded in October 2015 they are on the hunt for the best dining experiences in London, Brighton and soon the rest of the UK. When they got in touch to see if I wanted to try out one of the new […]
- [A Weekend Staycation In Bath](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/02/a-weekend-staycation-in-bath/): Out of all the major cities and towns in the UK, Bath has always eluded my travel path. Always driven past and never through, I vowed that 2016 would be the year that I finally visited the historic city, and crossed it off my to-do list. I am a big fan of UK staycations. Between 2005 and 2012, most of my weekends were taken up playing football, which meant it was rare for me to get a Saturday and Sunday off. So when I got my weekends back, I made the most of them. As you’ll see from many posts […]
- [18 Of The Prettiest Villages In The Cotswolds](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/02/prettiest-villages-in-cotswolds/): I know, I know. I’m a guy and I used the word ‘prettiest’, but if you’ve been to the Cotswolds, there’s only so many times you can use the word striking, or stunning, or awesome, or amazing. I’ve always known Cotswold villages were a picturesque (add that to the word list) part of the country, but it wasn’t until I actually visited and saw the quaint little villages and pubs with my own eyes that I realised the Cotswolds is a very underrated part of the country. Yes, the Lake District has stunning mountains and Cornwall has the incredible South […]
- [A 24 Hour Road Trip Through The Cotswolds](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/02/cotswolds-weekend-road-trip/): The Cotswolds is a part of the country I’ve never visited, so at the end of 2015 I thought it was about time I explored this medieval part of England. I booked a weekend break with Travelzoo before Christmas, which included a one-night stay, breakfast and three-course dinner at the grand Dumbleton Hall, which is located near Evesham, in the North West corner of the Cotswolds. It was here that our 24 road trip through the Cotswolds began. Aside from the farm on Countryfile, the Cotswolds is famous for its quaint villages and picturesque cottages built from beige-coloured stone. My aim during […]
- [11 Things To Do In Tignes This Winter](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/01/11-things-to-do-in-tignes-this-winter/): Updated August 2021. Tignes is an absolute gem of a ski resort. Over the past ten seasons, I’ve been to Tignes four times, so I thought I’d share some of the activities and things to do in the resort this winter. Tignes (together with Val d’Isere) is part of the Espace Killy ski area in the Tarentaise Valley in the French Alps. It is one of the biggest ski areas in Europe, with over 300km of piste. Some might say it’s the poorer sibling of Val d’Isere. That may be, but Tignes is snow sure, high altitude, functional and provides […]
- [Why Kenya Is A Great Choice For A Winter Sun Holiday](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/01/kenya-winter-sun-holiday/): Kenya is hard to beat when it comes to a winter sun holiday. Grab a cup of tea and let me tell you all about it. When you think about winter sun holiday destinations in Africa, you probably think about South Africa and Tanzania. Well, Cape Town and Zanzibar respectively, but Kenya shouldn’t be overlooked, and here’s why. GOLDEN SANDS, PALM TREES, TURQUOISE WATER The Kenyan coast really is a picture postcard. If you Google images or look on Instagram for pictures of Diani Beach, Malindi or the other beach resorts you will see nothing but blue sky, bright sunshine […]
- [Bus Journey Experiences in South America](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/01/bus-journey-experiences-in-south-america/): It was around the time the officers automatic weapon was pressed firmly against my shoulder that I decided to write this blog post. ‘Expect the unexpected when it comes to South American bus journeys‘, I should have told myself at the start of my 5 month trip. Handcuffs were placed on the guy behind me, and I started scribbling notes about the experience in my diary – which is where this blog post begins. I’ll finish with the gun and handcuff story at the end 🙂 A friend of mine wrote a blog post on South American bus journeys last […]
- [Happy 10th Blog Birthday To Me!](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/01/happy-10th-blog-birthday-to-me/): Ten (yes, 10!) years ago today I set up my first blog, Simon’s JamJar (now Adventure Bagging). Happy blog birthday to me! 😀 On this very day back in 2006, the creative side of my brain was nulled from too much Christmas exuberance, and I built this blog. A day later I wrote my first post. I’ve done a fair amount of travelling since 2006, that’s for sure! THE STORY BEHIND SIMON’S JAMJAR As you may have read in my recent travel blogger interview, when I named this blog, I was struggling for creativity. I looked around the open plan […]
- [Recap Of 2015](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/12/recap-of-2015/): What a year 2015 has been. A year of firsts, a year of repeats, a year of new videos, a year of new countries, as well as a wide range of new experiences and a big move forward with the blog. January started in busy fashion, and the year simply got busier until November, when I finally caught my breath and began to slow down. Here’s what happened in 2015, with some of my favourite travel experiences highlighted! JANUARY January was a whirlwind of a start to the year. 2015 saw me bring in the New Year by constructing a […]
- [22 Reasons A Visit To Papua New Guinea Should Be On Your Bucket List](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/12/reasons-visit-papua-new-guinea/): It has been nearly 7 months since I landed back on British shores from my once in a lifetime trip to Papua New Guinea with my dad. The more I look back on our experiences, the more I realise that PNG is like no other place on Earth. Parts of Papua New Guinea are completely unspoilt and unexplored, and it’s baffling to me how travellers can fly over one of the most unique countries on the planet without visiting and exploring. Australians skip it for Indonesia, and we Brits head straight for Australia. Wandering around Papua New Guinea is like […]
- [Best Blue Cheeses For Christmas? Try These 5 Stilton Alternatives](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/12/blue-cheeses-stilton-alternatives/): The other night I found myself in a conversation in a vibrant bar in central London talking about blue cheese. This wasn’t the first time I’d had a deep conversation about cheese. Usually I would put something like this down to age. But the fact is I’ve loved blue cheese my whole life. My dad introduced me to it when I was young, and I’ve never looked back. Blue cheese for many, is a bit like Marmite. You either love it, or you hate it. Folk in the latter camp usually pull a face that looks like a bulldog chewing […]
- [Bringing The Basque Country To Your Home: A Pintxos Cooking Class](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/12/pintxos-cooking-class-basque/): “How do you make mayonnaise?“, asked Íñigo, our chef for the evening. I racked my brain. The last time I read the ingredients of a mayonnaise jar was when I was very hungover and bored at some point in 2007. “Eggs“, I said proudly, showing the pathetic limit of my mayonnaise ingredient knowledge. Trying his best not to be patronising, Íñigo told me eggs were indeed one ingredient, and vegetable oil is the other. That’s pretty much it. Chatting with Chef Íñigo This was the start of my Basque Country cooking lesson, courtesy of Tenedor Tours. After gorging my way […]
- [15 Things You Need To Experience In The Basque Country](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/11/awesome-experiences-basque-country/): Whilst most British travellers flock to the South East of Spain for a spot of sunshine, it is well worth checking out the Northern province of the Basque Country. Renowned for its fierce independence, great surf, architecture, incredible vineyards (‘bodegas’) and a gastronomic scene to rival anywhere in the world, it’s no wonder many people are starting to sit up and take notice of what the Basque Country has to offer. I visited for three days at the end of October, so thought I’d put together a ‘must-do’ list of things to experience in Bilbao, San Sebastian and further South […]
- [Get #Unrooming With Hotels.com](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/10/get-unrooming-with-hotels-com/): It’s competition time! You’ve heard about the ‘unboxing’ trend, right? Where people get a product, film themselves unwrapping it and describing what they’re seeing? Well, Hotels.com have come up with a new concept which they are calling ‘Unrooming’. It’s like unboxing, but for hotel rooms. GET UNROOMING Unrooming looks to re-design hotel reviews using video. Through a simple mechanic of a 30 second – 1 minute video, travellers can now review their hotels instantly; showing what their room has to offer and creating interesting content for potential future guests. What’s in it for you? As you’ll see on Twitter, there […]
- [Where To Find Travel Video Royalty Free Background Music](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/10/royalty-free-music-sites-travel-videos/): I’ll keep this post pretty short and sweet. Ever since I started creating travel videos for YouTube, I came across an issue. A time consuming issue. Quite often the background music that accompanies the travel vlog makes the video….but finding the right track can be a tedious process. For those travel vloggers who want to make some money from your YouTube videos, you need to find music tracks that are either royalty free, or have a license to be reused. But searching for those tracks in the first place can be incredibly time consuming. So, in order to retain my […]
- [Tufi Village Stay - Insights From Village Life In Papua New Guinea](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/10/papua-new-guinea-village-life-tufi-oro-province/): Just when I thought Papua New Guinea was completely cut off from civilisation, I decided to travel even further away from the road less travelled, and learn more about local village life in Tufi. One of the most anticipated parts of my trip was staying away from the comfort of an air conditioned hotel, and sleeping under a thatch roof in a local village, with nothing but the sound of nature sending me to sleep. As soon as Lonely Planet announced in January that staying with a local Papua New Guinea tribe in Tufi was on their new travel experiences […]
- [National Burger Day 2015 - Street Feast, Dalston Yard, London](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/08/national-burger-day-street-feast-dalston-london/): I love a good burger. Every year, when August 27th arrives I know it’s time to get my teeth into one of the tastiest, dirtiest, melt-in-the-mouth burgers in London. Since 2013, my girlfriend and I mark out National Burger Day in the calendar, and I choose a place in London that is renown for offering up some of the most delicious beef concoctions. Last year we tried Bread Street kitchen, and in 2013 we tried Bar Boulud. This year however, I decided to try something different. We went for the National Burger Day party, in association with Street Feast, Mr […]
- [The South West Coast Path - The Jewel In the Crown Of British Hiking](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/08/hiking-south-west-coast-path-cornwall/): I started hiking at 2 years of age. Through grazed knees and nettle stings I came to love the outdoors. The fresh air, the views, the feeling of accomplishment once a mountain has been bagged. Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis and Snowdon have all been ticked off my list, as has one of the toughest endurance hikes in the UK – 24 peaks in 24 hours. Yet when you speak to fellow hikers in the UK, Cornwall doesn’t really crop up in conversation. But it should, and here’s why. The South West Coast Path in Cornwall has been rated as one […]
- [Basque Country: Pintxos, Wine And A Trip To Spain](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/08/basque-country-pintxos-bilbao-berria/): In 2012 a friend of mine invited me on his stag do near Santander, Spain. It was a surfing stag do. Some of you may think “that’s weird“, but it was right up my street. As well as surfing the Spanish waves, I also got a taste of some of the amazing food that is served up in Northern Spain. Fast forward to last month, and I was invited to a food tasting event with Basque Country Tourism, and I couldn’t wait to rekindle the smells and tastes of Spanish tapas dishes. The #UKCooksBasque event wasn’t your average foodie event […]
- [Skyscanner's #24hPeriscope: Exploring 'Yuccie' Islington In London](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/07/skyscanners-24hperiscope-exploring-yuccie-islington-in-london/): You’ve all heard of the term ‘yuccie‘, right? No? Well think of it as a more creative, entrepreneurial hipster. A yuccie, as described perfectly by Skyscanner, is a young, urban creative. Yuccies are a new breed of young people that like a flat white, a craft beer, and have a start up spirit. In order to capture and explore where these yuccies hang out, Skyscanner decided to explore 20 of the yucciest cities and neighbourhoods in the world, and hand over their Periscope account to 20 travel writers and bloggers for them to broadcast live from each location. Sounds like […]
- [Hela Province: Gardening, Traditions & The Huli Wigmen, Papua New Guinea](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/07/ambua-lodge-huli-wigmen-png/): The second leg of my Papua New Guinea tour saw me visit the highlands, and learn more about Huli people and their culture. Much like Mount Hagen, Hela Province and its capital Tari lie in the highland region of Papua New Guinea. Apart from a relatively new oil pipeline that runs from the mountain top down to Port Moresby, life here is very disconnected from the more urban areas of PNG. Hela Province is home to the Huli tribe – the biggest tribe in Papua New Guinea, with around 400,000 people. Village communities are incredibly close and strong here, and […]
- [Village Life And Rituals In Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/07/village-life-rituals-mount-hagen-png/): Papua New Guinea is often described as the land of the unexpected, and this is no more apparent than in the Western Highlands city of Mount Hagen. It is amazing to think that much of the land and tribes in the Western Highlands was only first discovered by gold prospectors from Australia in the 1930’s. Despite Mount Hagen growing substantially in the modern day, there are villages only a few kilometres away that are still cut off from modern day civilisation. Papua New Guinea is still steeped in mystery, and claims to be one of the last frontiers on Earth, […]
- [Uncovering The World War II Plane Wrecks At Talasea](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/06/world-war-two-plane-wrecks-talasea-png/): The South Pacific Sea saw some epic battles between Japan and America during World War II (WW2). I’ve always been interested in World War II history, but being based in the UK always meant that I seemed to learn more about the war that took place on our shores, rather than the battles that happened further afield. Papua New Guinea was a heavy battleground during World War Two, with some vicious fighting taking place over land, sea and air. As a result, there are relics on land, wrecks in the sea, and plenty of untouched war history to explore. When […]
- [Walindi Plantation Resort: The Best Dive Accommodation In Kimbe Bay](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/06/walindi-plantation-resort-dive-accommodation/): Every now and again I come across a place that gives something extra, something a little different. Walindi Plantation Resort in Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea provided exactly that. When you walk into any regular hotel, you are normally greeted with a ‘good morning sir‘ or ‘good morning madam‘. Polite enough, and par for the course when it comes to hospitality. But at Walindi Plantation Resort, every single member of staff is trained to remember your name from the very first time they meet you. Suddenly, good service turns into great, personal, friendly service, and that is the backbone of […]
- [Betel Nut: Divided Effects For The National Habit Of Papua New Guinea](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/06/betel-nut-effects-papua-new-guinea/): How often are you offered tea, coffee, a glass of wine or a bottle of beer when you go round to a friend’s house? Pretty much all the time right? In the UK and Europe, that is the courteous norm. In the coastal villages, mountain clans and cities of Papua New Guinea, it is something else that binds friends and family together. That something else is called betel nut. It was during the safety demonstration of my Air Niugini flight from Port Moresby to Hoskins that I first heard of betel nut. “Please refrain from smoking and chewing betel nut“, […]
- [Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea: Plantations, Volcanoes And Incredible Sea Life](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/06/walindi-plantations-volcanoes-diving/): I knew very little about Papua New Guinea and especially West New Britain before I arrived on the island. Sat next to my dad as our plane banked right and we began our decent into Hoskins, the local airport for Kimbe Bay, I looked down and saw endless jungle, dissected by a short strip of tarmac and a wind sock. Landing into Hoskins was like landing in a jungle on the edge of the world. Endless rows of plantations and lush green forest, brought to an abrupt end by the coral coloured sea. We disembarked and walked to a metal […]
- [My Papua New Guinea Itinerary](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/05/my-papua-new-guinea-itinerary/): It has been 6 months since I found out I would be going to Papua New Guinea, as the first ever UK Blogger Ambassador. In between the build up of excitement, I’ve been working to nail down an itinerary that showcases as much of this remote country as possible. I’ve been fortunate to visit some incredible places around the world, but there is something extra special about this trip. Papua New Guinea is a land less explored. Very few people have been there, and those that haven’t been can only judge it based on (the often negative) media coverage. Much […]
- [Why The Terracotta Warriors Are Not The Biggest Discovery In Xi'an](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/05/terracotta-warriors-tomb-discovery-xian/): Xi’an is one of my favourite cities in China. After a 17 hour overnight sleeper train from Yichang and using a hole in the floor for the loo, a decent hotel was a welcome relief. Xi’an was once China’s capital city, with a history that spans over 3000 years. I spent three days exploring the Muslim Quarter and its Great Mosque, as well as the local street food stalls and the awesome Ming Dynasty City Wall (which you can cycle on to give you great views of the city!). But there was one thing on my mind in Xi’an: the […]
- [10 Things You've Always Wanted To Know About Papua New Guinea](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/04/questions-answers-papua-new-guinea/): Papua New Guinea is one of the most unexplored countries in the world. But with increasing access, more travellers are starting to visit, and learn about its diverse culture and traditions. My journey to Papua New Guinea begins in six weeks (excited much?!), and – as with every new country I visit – there are certain questions I want to know the answer to before my feet hit the ground for the first time on Papua New Guinea soil. I’ve pulled together a list of the most commonly asked questions about Papua New Guinea, and the answers you’ve always wanted […]
- [Hiking The Tongariro Crossing, New Zealand](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/04/hiking-the-tongariro-crossing-new-zealand/): If someone says to you ‘New Zealand National Park‘, what is the first thing that jumps into your head? For me, it’s the sweeping 360 degree, stunning, panoramic mountain shots in Lord Of The Rings, with dwarves and horses running across stunning landscape. Ironic really, because the Tongariro National Park is exactly that – a breathtaking, sweeping volcanic landscape. I’d never heard of Tongariro before I arrived in New Zealand. Shocking, considering  that a) I love hiking, and b) the Tongariro National Park is the second largest National Park in the world, behind Yellowstone in the USA. If you’d not […]
- [Iceland's Golden Circle: Greenhouses, Geysers & Geology](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/04/golden-circle-tour-iceland/): I’m going to throw it out there right away – there are many similarities between Reykjavik, Iceland, and Queenstown, New Zealand. As I was coming into land over the snow covered lava fields of Iceland, there was a certain excitement and trepidation that made my feet tingle. Just like when I arrived into Queenstown. Walking around Reykjavik, you can smell the adrenaline in the air. Just like Queenstown. Each morning, coaches and super jeeps come and collect willing travellers from their hotels and hostels, and they return in the evening, adrenaline pumping, ready to share their stories of adventure and […]
- [Ultimate Ears Megaboom Speaker: Your New Group Travel Toy](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/03/ultimate-ears-megaboom-speaker-your-new-group-travel-toy/): A few weeks ago I was invited to the Snozone at Milton Keynes to have a snowboarding lesson with GB Olympic snowboarder, Aimee Fuller. The event was part of the launch of what I now believe is the ultimate wireless speaker… I’ll be honest, when I used to travel a lot for work, I’d spend time browsing around the airside Dixons, keeping an eye on the latest technology and gadgets. I’d never heard of Ultimate Ears (UE). Before this event I didn’t know what they did or what they sold. And, in a way, I’m very glad I didn’t. Photo […]
- [The Lost Gardens Of Gingerline](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/03/the-lost-gardens-of-gingerline/): By now you should know I’m a bit of a foodie. In fact I became much more of a foodie since I moved near London. You should also know that I’m a bit eccentric and love different food experiences. So when Gingerline appeared on my radar last November, I decided to take the plunge. If you’ve never heard of Gingerline, I can only describe it as a unique, mystery dining experience. You don’t know where the venue is. You don’t know what the menu is. You don’t know what the theme is. You just book, wait, and be ready and […]
- [Cahoots London: Secret Underground Bar, Swing & Spiffing Cocktails](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/03/cahoots-london-secret-underground-bar/): There’s a swanky new speakeasy bar open in the middle of London. When I read about the opening of the 1940’s, wartime-themed bar in Kingly Court, I had to see it for myself. The name of the new secret underground bar is Cahoots, but ssshhhh, keep it under your hats. That’s what I was told anyway, as one of the main themes of the bar follows the World War II posters issued by the British government to keep the locations of certain people and places a secret. Image source: Fandbnews.com As such, booking a table at Cahoots wasn’t easy, and […]
- [Hunting The Northern Lights In Iceland](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/03/northern-lights-reykjavik-iceland/): I had seen the Northern Lights on many documentaries on the TV, and they looked awesome. But it is so rare to see the Northern Lights, that when I was in Iceland at the end of February, I booked the Golden Circle tour and the Blue Lagoon, but didn’t think much about booking a trip to see the Northern Lights. That all changed very quickly on Saturday 28th February, which turned out to be the sunniest day in Reykjavik for many weeks… It was 12:10pm when I arrived back from the Blue Lagoon, and dumped my bag in my room […]
- [10 Of The Best Restaurants, Cafes & Ruin Bars In Budapest](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/02/best-restaurants-cafes-ruin-pubs-budapest/): The food in Budapest is quite heavy and a little bit spicy“, said our taxi driver as he drove us from the airport into the city centre. “That’s fine with me“, I replied, and looked forward to trying some of the foodie delights the cafes and restaurants of Budapest had to offer. All the talk before we arrived in Budapest was about the incredible ruin pubs in the city. In fact Lonely Planet voted Szimpla Kert the third best bar in the world in 2012. But from my experience a few weeks ago, Budapest has plenty of brilliant restaurants and […]
- [A Trip To The Széchenyi Thermal Spa Baths, Budapest](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/01/szechenyi-thermal-spa-baths-budapest/): “If there’s one thing you need to do in Budapest, it is visit the Széchenyi Thermal Spa Baths“, said about twelve of my friends and fellow travel bloggers when I asking what the top ‘things to do’ in Budapest were. They were right – bathing in the geothermal bath pools really is a unique experience. The Szechenyi thermal spa baths are not only the largest thermal spring bath complex in Budapest, but they are also the biggest in Europe. It’s no wonder they attracts tourists and locals alike. The baths were built in 1913 in a very distinct neo-baroque style. Back […]
- [13 Spectacular Pictures Of Papua New Guinea](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/01/incredible-pictures-papua-new-guinea/): Papua New Guinea has a reputation for being one of the most culturally diverse, beautiful places in the world. Located 160km from the very Northern tip of Queensland, Australia, Papua New Guinea is the adventure travellers paradise. From birdwatching, diving, hiking, and surfing, there are activities and experiences for everyone. Once rarely visited by Western nations, Papua New Guinea receives around 5,000 British nationals every year. This figure was boosted last year thanks to new cruise itineraries and increased flight connections. This year, I will be one of those 5,000 British nationals. Working with Papua New Guinea Tourism, I will […]
- [I Own Shares In A Beer Company. I am A BrewDog Equity Punk.](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2015/01/own-shares-brewdog-equity-punk/): In 2011, I bought shares in a craft beer company called BrewDog, through a crowdfunding project called Equity For Punks. Much like my first digital agency bigmouthmedia, BrewDog is a huge Scottish success story, and has been the UK’s fastest growing food and drinks company for the past seven years (2012 – 2019). Despite me shouting from the rooftops, many people still hadn’t heard of BrewDog up until recently. Their awesome brews have been creeping onto the shelves of major supermarkets over the last few years, and they have been (not so) quietly creating a craft beer revolution. Here’s my […]
- [Recap Of 2014](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/12/recap-of-2014/): For those of you who follow me and this blog, it should come as no surprise when I say 2013 was an utter shitter of a year. Aside from January to March, the other months should be wiped from history. As such, although I did recaps for 2011 and 2012, a recap of 2013 was given a wide berth. After losing my sister, my brother recovering from illness, my dad losing a springer spaniel and me getting slapped with a five-figure tax bill, my whole family couldn’t wait to say good riddance to 2013. When 2014 arrived, we all knew […]
- [My 10 Year Anniversary In Digital Marketing](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/11/my-10-year-anniversary-in-digital-marketing/): November 2014 marks my 10 year anniversary in digital marketing, so it seemed fitting to tell the story of how my career began, and how I ended up where I am today. It all began in Wilmington, North Carolina, in 2002… UNCW For regular readers of this blog, you’ll know I spent a year abroad during University, in North Carolina (Wilmington). I lived in an international house, and got my first taste of different cultures, independence, and living abroad. My roommate was Mexican, the guys next door were from Finland and France, the guys the other side were from Germany […]
- [Señor Ceviche - A Taste Of Peru In London](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/11/senor-ceviche-london/): Peruvian cuisine is booming. It was only when I visited Peru in October 2012 that I realised just how much of a entrepreneurial drive many of the chefs have over there. Ask someone from Peru to define their cuisine, and they won’t answer quickly. I found that Peruvian dishes – aside from ceviche – take influence from other countries around the world. For instance the incredibly tasty four Andean-cheese lasagne I had in Peru is a prime example of Italian influence. Anyway, enough reminiscing. I was over the moon to discover several Peruvian restaurants popping up in London – one […]
- [Michelin-Starred Food Tasting At Ascot](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/11/ascot-fine-dining-tasting-champagne/): If you’ve never been for a day at the races, you need telling off. It is a great day out. Grab a group of friends, family or colleagues and get a day sorted. Ascot is one of biggest and best racecourses in the country, and only an hour on the train from the centre of London. When I was invited by Ascot to attend the first meeting of the new 2014/2015 Jumps season, I said yes immediately. I have been to Ascot a couple of times before, but this time I was invited to watch the horses, but also to […]
- [Rhino Safari Camp - Matusadona National Park](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/11/rhino-safari-camp-matusadona-national-park/): Every so often I have a travel experience that sticks in my head. It’s an experience and a set of memories that makes me grin spontaneously on a random day, and makes a great meal time story. Ever get that? Rhino Safari Camp, situated on the South East shore of Lake Kariba, provided five of those travel experiences in under 24 hours, which is why it was one of my favourite places in Zimbabwe. CROCODILES ON THE SHORE Our Rhino Safari Camp experience began as we made our way from the houseboat rig onto the beach next to the camp. […]
- [Umbozha - My Lake Kariba Houseboat](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/10/umbozha-my-lake-kariba-houseboat/): Kariba is a town that has been deprived of tourism for a long time. For such a beautiful part of Zimbabwe, access has been a problem in the past. But since Air Zimbabwe reconnected Kariba with Harare – flying three times a week – the area has been revitalised, and is thriving once more, bringing both local and international holidaymakers into the region. Can’t be bothered reading the whole post? Then scroll to the bottom and check out my video of our Umbozha houseboat experience 🙂 Following our short 40 minute flight from Harare, we hopped in our transfer buses […]
- [The Story Of Lake Kariba Dam & Nyaminyami](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/10/lake-kariba-dam-nyaminyami/): As I stared out over the Lake Kariba dam, I discovered Zimbabwe had something in common with my old home, Scotland. A serpent-like, mythical creature. We flew in a tiny plane from Harare to Kariba, and as we came into land, the sheer size of Lake Kariba became evident. Over 250km long, and up to 30km wide in some places, the lake is huge, and home to a plethora of wildlife along its Zimbabwean shoreline. Lake Kariba is man made, formed when a dam wall was built across the Zambezi River in the 1950’s to provide hydro-electric power for Zimbabwe. […]
- [The Flight Of Angels - Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/10/flight-of-angel-vicfalls-zimbabwe/): Victoria Falls is located in the very North West of Zimbabwe. For many visitors coming to Zimbabwe, it is the one stop they make on a tour that usually consists of South Africa, Zambia and other African countries. That, for me, is a big shame. I’ve learnt over the past week that Zimbabwe is incredibly diverse, with different regions, wildlife, landscapes and history. To be brutally honest, Victoria Falls is a tourist trap, and those visiting do not get a true taste of the real Zimbabwe. But then you have to remember why Victoria Falls is such a powerful lure […]
- [First Impressions Of Zimbabwe](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/10/first-impressions-of-zimbabwe/): One of the things I love about travel – and especially travel blogging – is being able to change people’s opinions and perceptions of different destinations. When I was invited on a trip to Zimbabwe by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, it was a feeling of excitement that buzzed through my body. Having heard so much about the country from an old colleague, I was excited to experience ‘Zim’ for myself. SEEING ZIMBABWE FOR THE FIRST TIME I’m usually an aisle seat flyer. I have long legs and prefer not to clamber over people to get to the loo, but for […]
- [Guinness World Record For Rum Tasting](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/10/guinness-world-record-for-rum-tasting/): As of yesterday, the 9th October, I am officially a Guinness World Record holder. Collectively, me and 352 other people broke the record for the world’s largest rum tasting event. If you’re going to break a Guinness World Record, you might as well do it in style with six different rums, right? Hell yes. As part of the eighth annual RumFest held in London, global rum ambassador and RumFest founder Ian Burrell led a tasting of six rums from the Caribbean and South America at London’s ILEC Conference Centre near Earls Court, with figures from Diplomatico, DonQ, Havana Club, Pusser’s, […]
- [White Water Rafting In Rotorua](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/09/white-water-rafting-in-rotorua/): White water rafting has always been on my bucket list. For one reason or another, I’d always missed the opportunities to do it in other countries. The day before we arrived into sulphur smelling Rotorua, I found out I had another chance to go rafting. I wasn’t going to miss out again. We met the Kaituna Cascades team outside their base in Rotorua. They were half way through blowing up the rafts outside their hangar base, so we were given a quick summary of the rafting morning by a tanned man with blond curly hair, who then told us to […]
- [Touring The Bay Of Islands In New Zealand's Largest Houseboat](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/09/the-rock-houseboat-bay-of-islands-new-zealand/): The Bay Of Islands is situated in the very North-West region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is one of the most popular destinations in the North Island, and for very good reason. The bus journey from Auckland to Paihia takes around 3 hours, so whilst munching my way though a packet of Haribo Tangfastics, I had plenty of time to work out what I wanted from the Bay of Islands trip. 1) A bay. 2) Islands. 3) A houseboat. 4) Dolphins. I was pretty sure 1 – 3 were achievable. Dolphins could be a stretch. Arriving into […]
- [Bread Street Kitchen: Best Value London Burger?](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/09/bread-street-kitchen-best-value-burger-london/): The 27th August has become a tradition. A few weeks before National Burger Day, I will pick one of the top burger joints in London, make a reservation, and count down the days until the meat sees the mouth. Following the excellent burger at Bar Boulud last year, I chose Bread Street Kitchen for National Burger Day this time around. 2014 seems to have been the year of the burger for me, as I’ve visited Meatliquor, tried the Ari Gold burger at Patty & Bun, and had three burgers in two days in Brighton. As I’ve said before, I’m becoming […]
- [An iPhone Photo Tour Of The Salar De Uyuni](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/09/iphone-photo-tour-salar-de-uyuni/): If you’re planning on visiting South America, and Bolivia in particular, I implore you to visit the Salar de Uyuni. It is a photographers playground. The Salar de Uyuni consists of over 4,000 square miles of salt flat, which started forming around 40,000 years ago when climate change dried up a prehistoric lake. The water from the lake eventually evaporated, leaving salt and minerals behind as a solid layer of white Blockbuster-style white hexagons. This crystal white surface, and the juxtaposed bright blue sky make the Salar de Uyuni incredibly amazing to view. When you consider the fact there are […]
- [The Argentine Experience - Buenos Aires](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/08/the-argentine-experience-buenos-aires/): What springs to mind when you think of Argentina? Sumptuous red wine? Delicious steak? Tango? All of the above? After struggling with the food and drink in Bolivia, arriving into Buenos Aires was a breath of fresh air, and the Argentine Experience made me fall in love with the ‘Paris Of South America‘ immediately. Argentinians are more crazy about football than the Brits. That was the first thing that struck me as our bus rolled through the streets of Argentina. They also love their red wine too, and with a constant flow of Malbec on their doorstep, it should come […]
- [Blogstock 2014: The Recap](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/08/blogstock-2014-the-recap/): Blogstock 2014 was the world’s first blogging festival, held in the green pastures of Elstree, Hertfordshire. Bloggers and leading names from travel, fashion and food descended on Hertfordshire at the beginning of August to meet, greet, network and share tips on blogging and working with PR folk. No festival is complete without music and drinking too, of course. Blogstock is run by the brilliant Traverse team, and given it was the first of its kind, the inaugural blogging festival was a huge success. The team at Hertz were a big presence at the festival, so when they invited me to […]
- [Italian Street Food Pop-Up In London - The Moretti Gran Tour](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/07/italian-street-food-moretti-gran-tour-london/): This week a taste of Italy has arrived in Shoreditch! Safe to say I was very pleased indeed when the team at Birra Moretti invited me to the exclusive launch of the Moretti Gran Tour in London. The Moretti Gran Tour showcases the best of the UK’s Italian street food vendors, including the award-winning Pizza Pilgrims, Gurmetti, Terrone & Co and Cooking Cooks, all under one roof. Plus, there was beer and live music. Was I excited? Hell yes. Arriving into Factory 7, the team at Birra Moretti had converted the warehouse space into a long Italian street market, with […]
- [7 Things To Do In Santiago](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/07/7-things-to-do-in-santiago/): Like most places in South America, I have a huge affection for Santiago. With a population of 6 million, a fantastic wine culture and being surrounded by snow-capped mountains make Santiago a special city. Santiago was also the city that started my love affair with airbnb. After spending the previous 5 weeks in close quarters with others in hostels, Santiago was my chance for freedom. A few days before landing into Santiago from Brazil I booked a room in an apartment with a local Chilean girl. She spoke broken English, I spoke broken Spanish, and through our broken writing she […]
- [Getting To Know Auckland In Five Days](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/07/getting-to-know-auckland-in-five-days/): There are many cities around the world that can gloat for being by the sea, but only Auckland can boast for having two harbours. Known as the ‘City of Sails‘, Auckland is a sailing mecca. But it’s not just the lure of the ocean that attracts thousands of travellers every year. Oh no. It’s much, much more. The stunning ‘City Of Sails‘ – Auckland, New Zealand During my time on the North Island, I passed through Auckland three times, so got to know New Zealand’s largest city pretty well. Yes, there are plentiful boats, but there’s also a stunning harbour […]
- [The Short Story About My Pair Of Brazilian Sungas](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/07/short-story-about-sungas-brazil/): Wherever I travel, I always try to immerse myself in the local culture. Traditions, ways of life, food, drink, dancing…you name it, I’ll try it. For those of you that have been to Brazil, and walked a long one of Rio de Janeiro’s many fine beaches, you will have seen many sungas. In fact you probably saw so many, you wouldn’t have known where to look. For those of you unfamiliar with international mens swimwear, sungas are the Brazilian equivalent of speedos….but with slightly more material around the hips. For all the guys reading this – don’t judge me. This […]
- [CLA Game Fair - His And Hers Barbour Jacket Giveaway](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/07/cla-game-fair-his-and-hers-barbour-jacket-giveaway/): I am a big fan of the countryside. Always have been. I was driving around on tractors in my dad’s field from the age of 9. We grew and sold plants and vegetables at our local market. We used to keep chickens at the bottom of our garden, and the smell of wax jackets was commonplace in our house. I got one minor on my driving test, mainly because I learned to drive in a Land Rover Defender 110. As I spread my wings and discovered the city side of life, the country always called me back. Whether it was […]
- [Taquile Island - Lake Titicaca's Peruvian Gem](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/07/taquile-island-lake-titicaca-peru/): Taquile Island is a little strip of land 5 miles long and less than 1 mile wide, located in the centre of Lake Titicaca in Peru. Yet despite it’s size, it is a place big on culture, big on uniqueness, and made a big impression on me. After a bus journey from Cusco to Puno, Lake Titicaca was my first stop on my solo travels around Peru. I walked through the main street in Puno, booked the tour to Taquile Island, and the next day my day pack and I were ready to explore. Taquile Island sits 30 miles off […]
- [24 Peaks In 24 Hours - The Recap](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/07/24-peaks-in-24-hours-the-recap/): After nine months of planning, our 24 peaks in 24 hours hiking challenge finally arrived on the 13th June. It was an incredible build up, a tough challenge, and one I’m pleased to say we smashed, finishing the challenge in 20.5 hours. Not bad for a distance of 34 miles and the height gain of half of Mount Everest (4,000m / 13,000ft)… HOW IT ALL BEGAN For those of you unaware of our challenge, this ultimate Lake District hike was in memory of my sister, who my family tragically lost in April 2013. She was a huge fan of the […]
- [Flying First Class With British Airways](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/06/flying-first-class-with-british-airways/): I didn’t realise it at the time, but looking back, this was a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience. A couple of years ago I flew First Class with British Airways. And no, I wasn’t on my honeymoon. Which is going to make things a little awkward for the future 🙂 I know what you’re thinking. How on earth did he afford to do that?! Well, through a mixture of air miles/Avios, personal choice, and a sales presentation in Washington D.C, I managed to fly British Airways first class from London Heathrow to New York City on New Years Eve, 2011. At […]
- [Yesterday At Wimbledon](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/06/yesterday-at-wimbledon/): Yesterday I was very lucky to be invited to Wimbledon by Hertz. I’ve been to Wimbledon once before, but never got access to the courts. This time around, I managed to tick a few things off my bucket list… With free-flowing Pimms in hand, I stepped onto Court 1, and saw a Wimbledon champion playing at Wimbledon.   Andy Murray made quick work of Blaz Rola, but it was great to see the Scot and current Wimbledon champion in action. After a refuelling of Pimms, I was back outside, walking towards Centre Court. Before I was invited, I didn’t look […]
- [Tasting Menu Review At The Artichoke, Old Amersham](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/06/tasting-menu-artichoke-old-amersham/): One of the benefits of living just outside London, is that I get to explore country pubs and restaurants, neatly hidden away from the throbbing tastebuds of city workers. At the end of May, I finally got the chance to try The Artichoke in Old Amersham. Rumour has it, The Artichoke has been on the verge of a Michelin star for the past few years, so it made sense to pop along and see what all the fuss was about. Enjoying a Riesling at the Artichoke After little deliberation…and because it looked awesome…and because we were celebrating, we decided to […]
- [Why Franschhoek Is One Of My Favourite Places On Earth](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/06/why-franschhoek-south-africa-favourite-places-earth/): South Africa kick started my love for personal travel. Aside from work ventures, my trip to South Africa in November 2009 was my first long-haul adventure since living in the USA six years earlier. The trip was planned for 11 days. To ensure I maximised the time available, I planned an itinerary which allowed me to fly into Johannesburg, visit the Kruger National Park for 3 days, fly to Cape Town and spent 3 nights in Camps Bay, and spend 3 days in Franschhoek, a spectacular valley in the winelands region. I didn’t really know what to expect before travelling […]
- [Hiking Over The O2 Arena In London](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/06/hiking-over-o2-arena-london/): Following my ‘Best Male’ blogger award win in April (still can’t believe it!), the next step was to claim my prize – a hike over the O2 Arena in London for me and three friends. After finally sorting a date, two good friends, my better half and I ventured into North Greenwich last week to take on the hike. Upon arrival in London Euston, things weren’t looking good. The sky was dark grey, and it had been raining on and off all day. But after surfacing from the tube at North Greenwich, the clouds began to lose their grey colour, […]
- [My Incredible New Zealand Campervan Route](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/06/incredible-new-zealand-campervan-route/): New Zealand is built for campervans. Campervans are built for New Zealand. With a very large independent streak, it also seems I am built for New Zealand. Of all the things I was looking forward to in New Zealand – Queenstown, skydiving, hiking the Fox Glacier, surfing, the rainforests – one thing that sewed them all together was my freedom to roam. In my own campervan. My little ‘Lucky Crib’ campervan! For various reasons, I ended up hiring three different campervans during my time in New Zealand (which I shall explain shortly) so I thought I’d share my routes, highlights […]
- [Wine Tasting In New Zealand's Marlborough Region](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/05/wine-tasting-marlborough-new-zealand/): There is something very special about New Zealand. Many wine lovers may put that down to the copious amounts of delicious Sauvignon Blanc that reaches UK shores every week. Yes, this is a travel story about wine tasting in New Zealand’s scenic Marlborough region, and how a sunny day and lots of wine contributing me feeding a group of river eels at sundown. The problem with New Zealand is that no words can describe – and no pictures can portray – how spectacular the sunrises and sunsets are on the East and West coasts respectively. At around 6:40am on this […]
- [Cruising Milford Sound & Flying Over Fiordland](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/05/cruising-milford-sound-flying-over-fiordland/): You’ve seen Jurassic Park, right? Remember at the beginning, where Richard Attenborough flies into the park in a helicopter, and you see those amazing views of the landscape, including waterfalls, mountains and rivers? That was almost identical to my experience at Milford Sound, one of the most stunning places in New Zealand.   Milford Sound is about a 3.5 hour bus journey from Queenstown. I’d heard spectacular things about Milford Sound from fellow travellers, so I knew I couldn’t miss out on exploring it. We made three stops on the way to Milford Sound. The first stop was in Te […]
- [Brighton Burger Fest - Three Burgers In Two Days](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/04/brighton-burger-fest/): Occasionally I get a craving for a burger. A real meat-dripping, melted cheese, moan-as-you-eat burger. I’m not sure what happened in Brighton. I went a little nuts. Coming off the back of a four day Easter training hike, my body was telling me I had a calorie deficit, and the little devil on my shoulder only had to whisper the word ‘burger‘ for the naughty seed to be firmly planted in my head. Whenever and wherever I travel, I try to be as healthy as possible and eat clean (I won’t comment on the drinking side of things). Brighton was the […]
- [Simon's Jam Jar Wins 'Best Male' At The Blogger Awards 2014](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/04/simons-jam-jar-wins-best-male-at-the-blogger-awards-2014/): Earlier in March I was looking through Twitter on my phone when I came across the blogger awards, run by lowcostholidays. I looked through the categories and saw some familiar faces, and some great blogs. I eventually scrolled down to the ‘Best Male’ category and had to do a double-take when I saw my own name and blog had been shortlisted. Not only was that surprising, it was also very humbling to be shortlisted alongside some of the best travel bloggers around. Safe to say I was very chuffed with the news, and after the initial surprise subsided, my competitive […]
- [White Hart, Whelpley Hill Review - Pub Grub At Its Finest](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/04/white-hart-whelpley-hill-review-pub/): Every now and again I seem to stumble across a gem of a pub. The White Hart in Whelpley Hill is one of those gems. I came across this pub thanks to the new Haresfoot Brewery – the first brewery to reside in my local town of Berkhamsted for over 100 years. Their first ale was ready for consumption at the end of March, and they had contacted local pubs to check the interest for stocking their introductory ale. The only pub to stock the new ale two weeks ago? The White Hart. I planned a training hike for our 24 […]
- [Pablo Escobar: The Curious Story Of Hacienda Nápoles And The Hippos](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/04/pablo-escobar-hacienda-napoles-hippos/): I loved travelling around Colombia. Along with Brazil, the country loves to party. They have a great culture, and the people are incredibly friendly. They have the Caribbean Coast, incredible coffee and some of the freshest fruit you will ever taste. What’s not to love? Exploring Medellin was one of the highlights of my trip, not least to see how far the city had come after sealing off its turbulent, drug-ridden past. During the 80’s and early 90’s Medellin was one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Pablo Escobar, the notorious Colombian drug lord, made Medellin his home. In […]
- [Exploring The Great Wall Of China](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/03/exploring-the-great-wall-of-china/): Exactly one year ago, on 13th March 2013, I was walking around on one of the few man-made objects visible from space: the Great Wall of China. It seems fitting, that, one year on, I finally share my great experience and pics with you. China was my last stop before heading back to the UK, after my 6-month, round the world trip. As my alarm starting screaming at 5:45am, I realised travelling accounts for as many early morning starts as my previous work life. Unlike work though, this was all for fun, and it was time to explore. As our […]
- [Hawker House Night Market - Best Pop Up Street Food In London](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/03/hawker-house-night-market-street-feast-london/): I haven’t penned a foodie blog post for a while, so when I was given an early birthday surprise to visit the Hawker House Street Feast night market, it made sense to share some of the highlights of the evening. Especially as the Street Feast provided some of the best food I’ve ever tasted… Hawker House night market first popped up on my radar just before Christmas, when I saw this post on Twitter. You could say I was VERY happy when we turned the corner of Pritchards Road, and I saw the Hawker House sign loom into view. The […]
- [Using Your iPhone For Travel Photography](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/02/using-your-iphone-for-travel-photography/): Picture the scene. I’m in the Colombian jungle, in the Tayrona National Park, the weather is hot and sticky, and the clouds have rolled in. The group I am travelling with are about to set off on a one hour hike to get to our camp, and spend the night sleeping in hammocks. Just as we’re about to put our first steps forward, the heavens open. When it rains in the Colombian jungle, it really rains. We waited as long as could, but realised we might not make the camp by dark if we didn’t get going. So away we […]
- [Skiing In The Zillertal - Exploring Mayrhofen, Austria](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/02/skiing-in-zillertal-exploring-mayrhofen/): There’s a certain je ne sais quoi when it comes to skiing in Austria. Compared to the intensive French and Swiss resorts, Austria is just very….laid back, local…and authentic. Well, that’s what I was thinking when a baby calf was licking my hand, as we walked past a farm on the way back from the Wirtshaus Griena restaurant, close to the centre of Mayrhofen, on our last night in the Zillertal. After many years of flying around and collecting air miles, I decided it was time to use them up, before my lucrative BA silver status ran out. Six return […]
- [Cheap Skiing In Germany: The Zugspitze](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2014/01/a-days-skiing-zugspitze-germany/): I’ve visited Munich several times over the last few years, mainly for work. I saw a lot of the airport, hotels, a few bars, and our old Munich office. So when I saw BA Reward Flights to Munich over New Year, I decided it was time to see the city on my own time. Munich is around 95km North of the Austrian border, and the vast Bavarian Alps mountain range. The highest mountain in that range – and the highest in Germany – is the Zugspitze. It’s highest point is 2,962m above sea level, making it a perfect height for […]
- [9 Of The Best Surf Spots In New Zealand](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/12/9-of-the-best-surf-spots-in-new-zealand/): I’ve been visiting Cornwall every year since I was nine years old. Perranporth (around 7 miles South of Newquay) is my place of choice. It is a brilliant location, with over three miles of open sandy beach, and still somewhere I visit with other friends and families from around the UK every summer. Like most kids, I started bodyboarding in Perranporth when I was eleven years old. I spent most of my time in the sea when we visited there each year…for the next 15 years. I learnt a lot about how to catch a wave, rip tides, channels and […]
- [8 Tips To Prevent Altitude Sickness In South America](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/12/tips-prevent-altitude-sickness-south-america/): Altitude sickness is something a lot of travellers worry about before setting off on their round the world adventures. Not me. I never get ill. I’ve had one sick day in my working life (9 years) and wouldn’t have expected anything less on my travels around South America. Val Thorens is the highest ski resort in the Alps, sitting at 2,300m above sea level (a.s.l). I’ve been there several times, drunken far too many beers at altitude, and never had a problem. So trekking across the heights of Peru and Bolivia would be a doddle. Well, that’s what I assumed. […]
- [Cooking A Multi-Bird Roast - The Ultimate Christmas Dinner](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/12/multi-bird-roast-christmas-dinner/): Every year since we finished University, myself and a group of friends would take it in turns to cook Christmas dinner. At first it started off as a simple three course meal, but over time the annual lads Christmas dinner has become increasingly competitive. It’s a once a year, annual Come Dine With Me, and oneupmanship at it’s finest. A few years ago a friend of mine created the most amazing rabbit terrine as a starter, and it hasn’t been beaten since. As I spent last Christmas in Australia, it was my turn to cook Christmas dinner this year. It […]
- [Exploring London's Real Food Market](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/11/exploring-londons-real-food-market/): Every now and again it’s nice to take a break from the norm and explore new tastes. This is especially applicable to me and food. Last week I discovered the Real Food Market located at London’s South Bank Centre Square, and ventured there last Saturday. UPDATE – the Real Food market has now moved to King’s Cross! The market has a vast range of great produce, and for three days each week, you can buy fresh, high quality food and drink direct from the rising stars of London’s street food scene. It began with bruschetta covered in sun-dried tomatoes and […]
- [29 Things You Need To Know Before Visiting China](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/10/29-things-need-to-know-before-visiting-china/): 1. There are virtually no signs in English, which makes getting around very difficult. 2. Many Chinese students speak and understand English, so don’t be shy – say hello and they will happily chat to you! 3. You’ll get stared at. A lot. Just embrace it. Pretend you’re a celebrity. 4. If you have blond hair, you’ll get stared at more. A bit like a panda in a zoo. 5. There are 1.3 billion people in China. Around 500 million have ever left the country, which means a large majority of the 800 million remaining have never seen a Westerner. […]
- [The LUXE Is No More - Long Live Smiths At Spitalfields](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/09/the-luxe-is-no-more-long-live-smiths-at-spitalfields/): The fab team at Smiths invited me along for the launch of Smiths at Spitalfields. As well as Gin and Jazz, we were treated to canapes, beer and gin cocktails. Here are a few photos from the night 🙂 Smith Spitalfields Best of British ‘BOB’ beer Basement bar events in September   Canapés being served from the first floor kitchen   The DJ in the centre of the ground floor bar   Mushrooms on toast   Spicy squid canapés   Different cuts of beef from the butchery lesson   A close up of sirloin steak   Pork belly canapés   […]
- [Bar Boulud Review - Best Burger In London?](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/08/bar-boulud-review-best-burger-in-london/): Two weeks ago, I found out via. Twitter that it was National Burger Day on August 27th. I didn’t waste any time and hopped straight over to Google to research the best place to go to get the best burger in London. Google was awash with burger related content. Burger-flavoured ice cream, healthy recipes for National Burger Day, and much more. I started looking for the best burgers in London. Six or seven restaurants kept popping up, so I simply chose one – Bar Boulud – and make a booking. Bar Boulud is part of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, located […]
- [Hiking The Fox Glacier In New Zealand](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/08/hiking-fox-glacier-new-zealand/): I love the outdoors. Since I was young I’ve been riding bikes, running around, climbing mountains, and generally trying my hand at any outdoor activity I could. Safe to say, New Zealand was my outdoor playground mecca. After visiting the Marlborough wine region, I travelled South from Greymouth on the West Coast of the South Island, past stunning forest, a beautiful coastline and some pristine, warm lakes. It was impossible not to stop every 2 minutes and take photos. After passing the Franz Josef glacier, I finally arrived at the Fox Glacier. I unpacked, got changed into my hiking gear, […]
- [Zeus Server - Wordpress Remove index.php In Permalinks And Image Rendering Problems](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/08/zeus-server-wordpress-remove-index-php-in-permalinks-and-image-rendering-problems/): Geek post. WordPress is great. It now powers around 19% of the web. It’s simple to use, intuitive, has fantastic theme templates and plugins, and will continue to thrive. But what happens when your web host uses a different server than Apache? I recently found out….I was working on a site that uses Namesco (or Names.co.uk) as the host. They use Zeus servers. You get PHP and mySQL support, but that’s where the positives end. I uploaded and unzipped WordPress 3.5.2, logged into my site and then discovered two big issues; 1. Index.php is included in the permalinksI prefer clean […]
- [A Foodie Tour Around Hong Kong](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/06/a-foodie-tour-around-hong-kong/): Picture the scene. I’ve been delayed by 4 hours at Shanghai airport. This means I land into Hong Kong at 3am. I’m tired after my 21 hour journey….from Auckland. I pass through immigration, and head to the trains. The trains don’t run until 5:30am. Fine, taxi it is. I manage to ramble off my best Cantonese and explain to the driver where my hotel is. Off we go. Within 5 minutes he’s hit a red bollard in the middle of the road as he almost falls asleep at the wheel. Then his right leg starts jerking. This is the same […]
- [Butchery, Beef And Bewitching Views - Smiths of Smithfield](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/06/butchery-smiths-of-smithfield/): I’m not a food blogger. Not really. But I do love good food. Especially steak. And wine. So when I was invited to explore the top floor of Smiths of Smithfield restaurant in London, and presented with three courses of quality rare breed beef, AND two fine wines per course, it was something I had to tell you all about. I’d heard a lot of good things about Smiths of Smithfield before I arrived, so helped myself to Sipsmith’s gin and tonic on the ground floor, and then climbed the stairs to the top floor, exploring as I went, and […]
- [8 Apps I Couldn't Live Without When Travelling The World](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/05/8-apps-i-couldnt-live-without-when-travelling-the-world/): My iPhone 4S was the only piece of technology I took travelling with me. Initially I wasn’t going to use it much, but the day before I left, I was encouraged to post something on Facebook every 3 or 4 days, just to let friends and family know I was still alive. That all changed 2 weeks into my trip. Whilst trekking through the jungle in the Tayrona National Park, North Colombia, the heavens opened and it chucked it down. Proper, heavy rain. It was almost as though someone was holding a massive hose pipe, making sure the tap was […]
- [Why I Became An Organ Donor](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/05/why-i-became-an-organ-donor/): When I was growing up I was never really close to my sister. We had a lot of things in common, but we also did a lot of things…differently. It was only really the last few years that we grew close again. I haven’t lived at home since I was 18, so space and time helped I guess. All that changed when she gave birth to a beautiful son, Jack, back in January 2012. I became a very proud uncle for the first time, and she became a wonderful mum. Most people are biased and will tell you that their […]
- [A 15,000ft Skydive In Queenstown](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/04/skydiving-in-queenstown/): I know what you’re thinking. “Why on earth would you do that?!“. But then I also know what fellow skydivers are thinking. Well, not thinking….just smiling, acknowledging, and…understanding. Unlike bungee jumping, doing a skydive was always on my bucket list. If you have a ‘you only live once’ attitude, then I’m sure it’s on many of your bucket lists too. Rightly so – it’s one of the most exciting things I did during my 5 month break. I arrived into Queenstown on 30th January, 2013. Once I’d checked into possibly the best hostel in the world, I took a stroll […]
- [Waltzing Around the Whitsunday Islands](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2013/03/waltzing-around-the-whitsunday-islands/): Before I left the UK, I was always managing expectations. In work, in relationships, in most things I did. But when it came to travelling, I tried to erase any expectations about countries, people, culture, scenery and everything else my mind would devour. I’d been in Australia for 2 weeks when I hopped off the Greyhound bus and stepped into the little coastal town of Airlie Beach. Up to this point I loved everything about Australia (apart from how damn expensive it was), so I was hoping a 2 day trip around the Whitsunday Islands would keep my flame burning […]
- [The Best Pubs In The Lake District](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2026/05/best-pubs-lake-district/): The Lake District is home to some of the best ales and best pubs across the the UK. As well as breathtaking landscapes, charming villages, and endless walking trails, few things beat a post-hike pint or a hearty meal at a traditional pub. There are many great public houses nestled throughout the fells and towns – each with its own character, stories, and a promise of a friendly welcome and a drink. Here’s my guide to the best pubs in the Lake District, perfect for when you want to drink beer, sample some local ales, and soak up true Cumbrian […]
- [A 7 Day Lake District Itinerary: The Ultimate Guide to Exploring the Lakes](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2026/05/lake-district-itinerary-1-week/): The Lake District, with its emerald valleys, rolling fells, and iconic lakes, is a must-visit UK destination for lovers of dramatic landscapes and scenic walks. It’s a place I’ve visited every year since I was 1. If you’re planning your first visit or aiming to maximise a week in the Lakes, this 1 week Lake District itinerary is designed to help you explore the best locations, discover hidden gems, and enjoy memorable activities each day. Why Choose a 1 Week Lake District Itinerary? If you’ve never been to the Lake District before, pending seven days in the Lakes gives you […]
- [Taking The Sleeper Train From London To Cornwall - Is It Worth It?](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2025/07/sleeper-train-london-cornwall/): As many of you will know, I’ve been visiting one of my favourite places in the UK – Perranporth – every year since I was about 8 years old. It holds a special place in my heart. What doesn’t hold a special place in my heart, however, is the A30 and M5 traffic. After taking two trips down to Perranporth last year, both – either incoming or returning – ended up being long, 7-hour traffic-filled car journeys. Which is pretty shit. So this year I decided to take a look at the sleeper train option from London to Cornwall. A […]
- [Hiking Seealpsee & Aescher From Wasserauen](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2025/07/hiking-seealpsee-aescher/): I visited Seealpsee back in August 2019, as part of my first Swiss Whisky Trek experience. Now that I know what the area is all about, it’s safe to say you should be brimming with excitement to explore this area of the Swiss Alps. If you’re arriving into Wasserauen by train – perfect, it’s the best way to get here. If arriving by car, I have it on good authority to get to the car park next to the train station EARLY, especially on a Friday or Saturday morning. Starting Out – The Walk from Wasserauen Back in 2019, I […]
- [Hiking the Malvern Hills: A Ridge Walk with Epic Views](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2025/05/hiking-the-malvern-hills/): Distance: Approx. 10 miles (16 km) Duration: 4.5 hours (good pace with snack/photo/pub stops) Route type: Circular ridge walk Start/End point: Great Malvern train station Visiting the Malvern Hills has been on my walking bucket list ever since it appeared on ITV’s Britains Favourite Walks a few years ago. It looked like a stunning ridge to enjoy, so 2 years later I dragged my brother and friend a long, and we finally did the walk. There’s something truly soul-refreshing about a ridge walk – and the Malvern Hills serve it up in style. If you’ve ever stood at the highest […]
- [Ischgl Ski Resort: Does It Live Up To The Hype?](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2025/01/skiing-in-ischgl-review/): I’ve now skied for many in a row in Austria. As a group, we love it. We’ve done Mayrhofen, Zillertal and Flachau, so this year we thought it was about time we tried one of the big hitters – Ischgl. For those who like to research your resorts before you go, Ischgl as a ski resort ticked all the boxes: Short transfer from Innsbruck Airport (1 hour 15 by car, 2 hours by train & bus) Snow sure – many Austrian resorts have a fairly low altitude, but Ischgl sits at 1360m, rising to 2872m Good apres – Ischgl was […]
- [Skiing In Flachau: Is It Worth A Trip?](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2024/07/skiing-in-flachau/): Last August a good friend of mine began raving about a ski resort in Austria called Flachau. I’d never heard of it. Speak to the average Joe in the street and they probably won’t have heard about it either. Flachau is located 1 hour South of Salzburg, with the more well known ski resorts of  Zell am See & Kaprun to the West, and Schladming to the East. Flachau – together with Wagrain and St. Johann & Alpendorf – form the Snow Space Salzburg, a ski area in the middle of Ski Amadé in Austria. There are 120 km of […]
- [Chalet Mouria Review | Courchevel With SkiWeekends](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2024/01/chalet-mouria-review-courchevel/): The start of 2023 marked my 21st year skiing. A far cry from throwing myself down the slopes in Val Thorens back in 2002, this short break trip was a much more sedate affair. Ish. Welcome to my review of Chalet Mouria in Courchevel 1650. Part of the SkiWeekends catered chalet collection, Chalet Mouria is a decent size, sleeping 16 – 21. Located literally over the road from the shops, bars and restaurants of Courchevel Moriond, the lounge at Chalet Mouria was refurbished in November 2022, so it was a very cosy, social place to be before and after skiing. […]
- [The Ultimate Ski Chalet Holiday Booking Guide](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2024/01/ski-chalet-holiday-booking-guide/): Last updated – March 2024. Covid-19 had a massive impact on the Winter travel industry and decimated many ski holiday providers, especially catered chalet providers. This post now contains fresh, updated information on chalet bookings. In my opinion, a catered ski chalet represents the best value for money when booking a week long ski holiday to the Alps. I’ve booked our ski chalet holiday for the last 12 years, so thought it was about time I wrote some tips and produced a little guide for you to find and book the best chalets, and the best deals. This post is […]
- [The Ultimate Family Camping Checklist](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2023/07/family-camping-checklist/)
- [The Ultimate Wild Camping Kit List](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2023/04/25-useful-tips-packing-kit-wild-camping-backpacking/): On the hunt for a wild camping checklist? You’ve come to the right place :). This post was written a few years ago after a wild camp in the Lake District, and most recently updated in 2023. Hope it helps your wild camping planning! Over the Easter weekend, a friend and I did a 4 day / 3-night wild camp and hiking trip in the Lake District. It was a stunning, sunny weekend, so we took a lot of pictures. I thought I would combine some of those pictures with a post on some top tips and some kit list […]
- [Perranporth Saints Trail: A Circular Walking Route](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2023/04/perranporth-saints-trail-circular-walking-route/): The newest section of the Perranporth Saints Trail went live earlier this month (April 2023), with Perranporth now being connected to Cocks village using the old dismantled railway. The Cocks village to Goonhavern section of the trail was completed in November 2022. That now means cyclists and walkers can take advantage of the new route, although it will take a while before the official OS maps catch up. You can view the full Perranporth to Goonhavern Saints Trail route on the Cornwall Council website.   Is There A Good Circular Walk On The Saints Trail? Great question, and the answer, […]
- [Stay Safe On The Piste - Follow The Piste X Code](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2023/03/skiing-safety-the-piste-x-code/): This post is for the Ski Safe Blogger Campaign by AliKats Mountain Holidays and Piste X Code. I randomly discovered the other day that I now have over 20 years ski experience, having skied for 19 weeks across 7 different countries. Not that I’m counting, but I did give myself a pat on the back for the breadth and depth of my ski footprint. Amazingly in that time, with everyone I’ve skied with, we’ve only ever had one major accident. In Mayrhofen around 6 years ago, my friend was skiing too fast on a red piste, caught a front edge […]
- [Casa Lola, Italy - The Best Family Friendly Accommodation EVER](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2022/08/casa-lola-italy-family-accommodation/): It’s not often you find a place that hasn’t really been discovered before. I REALLY wanted to keep this place a secret, but at the same time, it’s a place that is too good not to share. Let me give you the backstory. Our group of close friends and families have been expanding ever since 2017. Babies arrived, turned into toddlers, more babies arrived, toddlers grew into small children and by the time early 2022 arrived, there were 6 adults and 6 children in our party. When that happens, the criteria for searching for amazing houses, villas, cottages or accommodation […]
- [From Ormiston To The Oving Cup: A 10 Year Football Hiatus](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2022/04/ormiston-to-oving-football-hiatus/): Back in 2005, when I was living in Edinburgh, I joined a couple of mates in going a long and trying out for a team that played in East Of Scotland league. That team was Ormiston. They played in what was the sixth tier of Scottish football. It was a pretty decent standard, but Ormiston never really got going as a team whilst I was there. They never had a team of leaders or quality players, just the odd one dotted around the pitch. As such, they rarely finished above mid-table. I played for ‘Ormi’ for 7 years, my final […]
- [Austrian Après: The Best Songs You'll Hear In The Bars](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2022/03/best-songs-austria-apres-ski/): No country does apres ski quite like Austria. French resorts usually have a DJ set and live bands playing the usual tunes, and yeah it’s fun, but it’s no different to what you would hear back in the UK. Austrian apres ski is completely different. You ski all day, head down off the slopes at some point after 3pm, head to the bars, party until your legs don’t work anymore, head home, get food, be asleep before midnight. With 20 years of apres ski under my belt, Austria does it best. If you’ve experienced Austrian apres ski before, you’ll recognise […]
- [Two Coldplay Concerts, 20 Years Apart](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2021/11/two-coldplay-concerts-20-years-apart/): I managed to get tickets to see Coldplay at Wembley in August 2022 KLAXON! I’m very excited. Who wouldn’t be?! The chance to see one of the biggest bands and best stage performers in the world, on the hallowed turf that is the colossal Wembley stadium. That is a far cry from the venue size the last time I saw Coldplay, way back in 2003. THE 2003 US TOUR As many of you know, I spent a year in the USA in Wilmington, North Carolina during University. I travelled out there in August 2002, a few weeks after Coldplay released […]
- [Some Of The Best Hiking Brands To Look Out For](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2021/04/best-hiking-brands-to-look-for/): This is a sponsored post, created in collaboration with Heinnie Haynes. Now more than ever, the surge in hiking & walking around the UK is phenomenal and it’s set to continue. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, more people have found the time to explore their local walking/hiking destinations, but as we move further along the roadmap to freedom, this will allow us to explore even more wonderful spots around the UK. However, if you are looking to dive into the world of outdoor expeditions, you need to make sure you have the right gear to suit your needs. […]
- [7 Of The Best Lake District Ales](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2021/01/best-lake-district-ales-beers/): Whenever I search on Google to find the best ales in the Lake District, I get presented with results talking about the best breweries, not the best beers. No more. Let me start by saying beer is very subjective. I’m a Golden Ale fan, so the list below in mainly comprised of light, hoppy ales. Quite a few of them are available online now too (you can only get Wainwright in the supermarkets down South!), so I’ve added a link for where to purchase them. Enough waffle – let’s crack on. Here are my top 7 Lake District ales. 1. […]
- [Osprey Kamber 22 Review: The Best Ski Backpack?](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2021/01/osprey-kamber-22-review/): When it comes to ski backpacks, I’ve been on the hunt for a snow sports specific day rucksack for a while. I’ve had my eye on the Osprey Kamber 22 for a couple of years, but always made do with other 22 litre packs. Until now. The Osprey Kamber 22 ski daypack got it’s first outing in 2020 (before the endless lockdowns!). So here’s the review! Up until this year I’ve used the Osprey Talon 22 as my skiing daypack, and whilst it performed admirably, it’s not an out and out ski backpack. It’s missing things such as a fleece […]
- [9 Alternative Winter Adrenaline Activities In Ski Resorts](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2020/12/alternative-winter-adrenaline-activities-ski-resorts/): Whilst I managed to get a long weekend skiing back in February 2020, many people won’t have made it onto the slopes this year due to Covid-19. But what if you made it to your ski resort but couldn’t actually ski? That got me thinking. If you can’t ski, don’t ski or won’t ski, but want to enjoy the facilities in a ski resort, what alternative winter activities are there? Well, it turns out there are plenty. Here are 9 alternative winter activities you can do in ski resorts. Snowmobiling When I skied in Whistler, our trip was for 10 […]
- [Osprey Archeon 30 - Backpack Review](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2020/10/osprey-archeon-30-review/): I first came across the Osprey Archeon backpack range at the ISPO show in Munich in January 2020. A core theme of the show was sustainability, and – Osprey being Osprey – they were front and centre of that theme. The Archeon backpack range comes in 25, 30, 45 and 70 litre versions, and the female equivalent range of Archeon packs are the same capacities, except for the 70 litre, which comes in at 65 litres. Each Archeon backpack is made from fully recycled materials, making it one of the most sustainable packs on the market. The Osprey Archeon 30 […]
- [5 Of The Best Outdoor Activities In Dorset](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2020/08/best-outdoor-activities-dorset/): This is a sponsored post, created in collaboration with Lyme Bay Holidays. If your idea of a holiday is strapping on some walking boots and heading up a mountain, or perhaps taking to the seas with a fishing rod in tow, then Lyme Bay Holidays have some inspiration for you. Dorset is a haven for those who love spending time in the outdoors, and we’ve put together five fantastic outdoor activities, perfect for the thrill seekers. Hiking The endless rural countryside and rolling hills that surround the towns and villages in Dorset, make it a paradise for walkers. If you’re […]
- [9 Of The Best Wild Camping Spots In The UK](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2020/06/best-uk-wild-camping-locations/): This top wild camping locations post was written during lockdown in COVID times, and may be updated from time to time to reflect up to date information.  If you’re looking for the UK’s best places for wild camping, you’ve come to the right place. As the country emerges from a cost of living crisis, all eyes on are affordable holidays, especially during the school holidays. Hotels and holiday cottages are mostly now too pricey, and even larger campsites have put their prices up, both in the UK and abroad. So what does that leave? Well, if you really want to […]
- [Reflections On Travel & Life From The Coronavirus Pandemic](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2020/05/travel-life-reflections-coronavirus/): Have you ever read the Alchemist? It tells the magical story of an Andalusian shepherd boy called Santiago, who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure, following his dreams and life’s path, and to find what he’s searching for right under his nose. For me, that is a bit like the coronavirus lockdown. Every morning I walk Pip, and I pass a window with a sign that says: “Don’t worry, it won’t always be like this“. That sign could be taken two ways: 1) People are longing to go back to ‘normality’. 2) The peace, calm, friendliness, time-plenty […]
- [6 Of The Best Tents For Garden Camping](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2020/04/garden-camping-tents/): You’ve seen the trends splashed all over Facebook and Instagram. Parents digging out their old tents, and having a microadventure at home by camping in the garden. But what if you don’t have a tent, or don’t trust that old mothballed tent in the shed? I’ve compiled a list of the best garden camping tents, so you can choose the most suitable one for your garden or back yard. All of the ones listed are waterproof, so you’ll be nice and dry if it rains 🙂 1. North Gear 4-Person Spotted Dome Tent Ideal if you want the whole family […]
- [Travelling To Germany Post-Brexit: Do You Need A Schengen Visa ?](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2020/04/travel-germany-brexit-schengen-visa/): This is a sponsored post in collaboration with AXA. My first trip of 2020 was to Germany, and back to my old haunt of Munich. I love Germany. The different beer, the food, the mountains, and their pragmatic, efficient approach to everything. My trip to Germany came to an end 2 days before the 31st January 2020, the official date of when the UK left the European Union. When I came back, it got me thinking…if I travel to Germany again this year, and even in 2021 and beyond when the transition period is over, how will it affect my […]
- [What To Pack For A Ski Trip: The Ultimate Packing List](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2020/03/what-to-pack-ski-trip-holiday/): If you’re new to skiing, packing for your first trip can be daunting. There are so many bits of kit to remember, from staying warm on the slopes to being comfortable during the all important apres ski. When I wrote this post back in 2016, it was my 14th year skiing. I had a fantastic week with friends in a catered chalet in La Plagne. As well as having lots of ski experience, I’ve also made plenty of packing mistakes a long the way! As such, I thought it was about time to put a post together that answers a […]
- [Tips For Starting A Career As A Ski instructor](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2020/02/tips-starting-career-ski-instructor/): Chasing an endless winter and earning a crust as a ski instructor is surely the definition of ‘living the dream’. To most, the thought of working multiple seasons in the mountains is nothing short of a pipe dream, but it might not be as hard as you think… I spoke with Adrian Gourlay, qualified instructor and owner of WE ARE SNO (ski instructor training and internship provider), to find out what it takes to start a career as a ski instructor. 1. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH SKI EXPERIENCE Being a ski instructor doesn’t mean being able to a straight-line […]
- [My Two-Week Dream Itinerary To Hawaii](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2020/01/two-week-itinerary-hawaii/): Hawaii itinerary, 14 days – let’s go. The lush, steep mountain sides of Hawaii. The surf. The hula skirts. Hawaii 5-0. There are plenty of associations we make with Hawaii. For me, the TV series LOST really put Hawaii on the map. Filmed on location in Hawaii between 2003 and 2010, LOST gave me a glimpse into the beaches, countryside, forest and incredible scenery Hawaii has to offer. Let me run through my ideal two-week Hawaii holiday itinerary including hiking adventures, rafting, tubing, beach (and cocktail) fun, surfing and that all important down time. INTRODUCING HAWAII Hawaii sits in the […]
- [The Best Luxury Ski Chalets In Europe](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2020/01/best-luxury-chalets-europe/)
- [8 Of The Best Snow Sure Ski Resorts In Austria](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2020/01/best-snow-sure-ski-resorts-austria/): This ski season is now upon us! I’m gearing up for my 21st ski trip, and cannot wait to get back on the powder. This year I’ll be heading back to Austria, a country I’ve not skied in since 2015. Austria has a lot of plus points: generally cheaper than France, arguably better apres (more on that below) and some fantastic snow sure ski resorts. As the global temperature warms up, heavy snow isn’t always guaranteed until mid-January, so if you’re planning on going skiing earlier in the season, or in late March and April when the temperatures are warmer, […]
- [Escape Room Review: Lady Chastity's Reserve, Farringdon](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2019/12/escape-room-review-islington/): London has it’s fair share of sordid stories from times gone by. Jack The Ripper, the Great Plague, the Great Fire Of London to name but a few. There were also hidden bars, gangs and brothels. My latest escape room adventure played on the latter of these genres, through the tales of the fictitious Lady Chastity. WHAT IS AN ESCAPE ROOM? I mentioned Handmade Mysteries got in touch with me to see if I wanted to try one of their London escape rooms to a few friends, and I was surprised that some of them had never heard of an […]
- [Introducing Appenzell - Unrivalled Scenery In The Swiss Alps](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2019/10/appenzell-hiking-swiss-alps/): There are – truly – a few places I’ve visited where I’ve REALLY wanted to come back and shout about my experience and share it with you all. But there are very few that, despite wanting to tell you all about it, I also want to keep it a secret. Hiking in the Swiss Alps around Appenzell is one of those experiences. Back in December 2017, I was reading the in-flight easyJet magazine and I came across an article that spoke of the great hiking in Switzerland, and specifically, the whisky trek. A double page spread of the article showed […]
- [Osprey Raptor 14 Backpack Review](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2019/10/osprey-raptor-14-review/): In addition to the awesome Talon 22 backpack, Osprey also gave me the chance to try out their 2019 version of the Raptor 14 backpack. Specifically designed for cyclists, but also great as a lightweight day pack for hiking, the Raptor 14 (hence 14 litres) is more of a hydration pack, as it comes with a 2.5L bladder reservoir, inserted into its own little clever pocket. This 2.5L Hydraulics LT Reservoir which is both lightweight and easy to use. The ‘Slide-Seal’ top opening allows for easy refilling and cleaning, whilst at the same time protecting against knocks and leaks. Unlike […]
- [An Update On Life & Social Media](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2019/08/an-update-on-life-social-media/): Hi everyone, hope you’re keeping well! Apologies for the silent treatment of late. This blog has had to take a back seat of late, which I’m a little sad about, but hopefully after reading this post you’ll appreciate why 🙂 Important stuff first – the blog is going nowhere, and I still love blogging, I just need to re-organise my time to fit in more posts. On the other hand, I haven’t been travelling much, which makes updating a travel blog with real life experiences a little more difficult! Exactly 2 years ago I wrote a similar post, explaining my […]
- [Osprey Talon 22 Backpack - Review](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2019/06/osprey-talon-22-review/): As you may have seen from my last backpack blog post, I am a bit of a backpack whore. I have many different bags, for many different purposes, and love everyone. And I especially love Osprey packs. I’ve used them on 6-month round the world trips, weekend expeditions and more. My current day sack is a North Face Angstrom 20 Litre bag, that is approaching 8 years of age. It has seen its fair share of wear, tear, rain and snow! So when Osprey got in touch and asked me to join them on their SS19 launch day – and […]
- [What To Pack For A Lake District Walking Holiday](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2019/05/lake-district-packing-list/): The Lake District is my favourite place in the UK to hike. Situated in the North West of England, and around a 2 hour drive from Manchester, the Lake District is Englands’s largest National Park, and second largest in the UK. Filled with amazing scenery, glistening lakes, majestic mountains and sweeping valleys, it is well worth a trip for those of you that have never been. So what do you pack for a walking holiday in the Lake District? Well the first thing to note is the weather is extremely changeable, depending on the time of year you are going […]
- [Rhossili Headland & Beach Circular Walks](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2019/05/rhossili-headland-beach-walk/)
- [Three Cliffs Bay To Oxwich Bay Coastal Walk](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2019/05/three-cliffs-bay-oxwich-coastal-walk/)
- [Review: The Oxwich Bay Hotel, South Wales](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2019/05/oxwich-bay-hotel-review/): I spent most of my life believing – with some certainty – that the now demolished Ponsmere Hotel in Perranporth was the closest hotel to a beach in the UK. It was called the ‘hotel on the beach’, after all. A few have come close, but none could beat the cliff side views over the Atlantic. But that all changed when I visited the Oxwich Bay hotel on the Gower Peninsula in South Wales. To prove it’s close proximity to Oxwich Bay beach, I threw a stone from within the stone-walled beer garden, onto the beach. You know all those […]
- [Are Instagram & Social Media Ruining Humanity?](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2019/04/instagram-ruining-humanity/): It’s very, very rare I write rants on this blog, but this one is long overdue. A couple of years ago I wrote a post about why my blog and social media had been pretty quiet. The main reason for that post – in summary – was due to how false and inauthentic the influencer space had become, mainly thanks to Instagram. Looking back at that post and what I wrote, I realise not a lot has changed. In fact the whole situation has got worse. Much worse. Rather than making conscious decisions over where we travel, what pictures we […]
- [A Long Weekend Skiing In Alpe d'Huez](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2019/03/alpe-huez-ski-weekend/): This years ski holiday saw me venture to the sunny* slopes of Alpe d’Huez, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. Up until last year, I have skied for at least once a week, every year since 2002. Aside from getting married, a big honeymoon to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and a big ski holiday back in 2017, I simply couldn’t afford a ski holiday last year. So when the wheels were set in motion for a long weekend skiing early this year, I didn’t hang around in sorting out my first trip since Verbier in 2017. I love everything about […]
- [Sit Down, Pants Off: Getting Washed Clean Of Volcanic Mud In Colombia](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2019/03/pants-off-washed-colombia/): People often ask me what my funniest travel story is. It’s difficult to pin point one, because there have been many…like, MANY…and I have the crows feet to prove it 🙂 But one story always sticks out in my mind because it happened in my favourite country: Colombia. Let me paint the scene. Colombia was the first country I visited on my 6 month round the world trip, back in 2012. I didn’t speak much Spanish back then, so to make sure I saw the best of what the country had to offer – and to meet like minded travellers […]
- [Westbeach Daredevil Jacket Review](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2019/02/westbeach-daredevil-jacket-review/): [This product was gifted from Westbeach, however all views below are my own. Happy reading!] When Westbeach got in touch with me, I have to confess, I’d never heard of the brand. No surprise, given they are based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I’ve been on the hunt for a new ski jacket for a while, so I decided I’d take their red Daredevil jacket for a spin when I went skiing in Alpe d’Huez in France, earlier this month. Correction – I let my brother take the jacket for a spin. He wore it in all conditions on the piste, […]
- [8 Of The Best Down Jackets For Winter](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2019/02/best-down-insulated-jackets-winter/)
- [LifeSaver Liberty Bottle Review](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2019/01/lifesaver-liberty-bottle-review/): When the guys from LifeSaver got in touch and asked me to review their Liberty water filtration bottle, I gladly obliged, as it is one bit of kit I’m missing from my wild camping / backpacking gear arsenal. The LifeSaver Liberty bottle is designed for anyone that is spending a lot of time in the outdoors, that needs a regular supply of clean water to stay hydrated. That could be for backpackers, bikers on a road trip, wild campers, folk on expeditions, and so on. Let’s dive in. I took the bottle down to the Chess Valley in the Chilterns, […]
- [SunGod Ski Goggles - A Video Review Of The Vanguards](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/12/sungod-goggles-vanguards-review/): SunGod have launched a new pair of ski goggles – the Vanguards! I’ve been waiting on my customised pair arriving in the post, so when they finally got delivered on Saturday, I thought I’d do a little video to unbox them, show you what they look like, do a comparison against SunGod’s other snow goggles, the Revolts, and give you an initial goggles review. SunGod say the Vanguards are their best goggle yet, and after playing with them for the last 48 hours, I’m inclined to agree. The Revolts have served me brilliantly over the last 2 years, but the […]
- [14 Unique Places To Stay In Cornwall](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/12/unique-accommodation-cornwall/): Cornwall is one of my favourite areas of the UK. I’ve visited Cornwall every year since I was 8 years old, and absolutely love the Cornish surf vibe. There some incredible hotels and Airbnb accommodation in Cornwall, but with such a rich history and amazing coastal scenery I wanted to find some more unusual places to stay. So if you’re looking for something a bit different, I’ve found 14 unique places to stay in Cornwall, including some stunning sea view properties, to bunkers, eco-pods and tree houses. These unique places give your holiday down in Kernow something different, and with […]
- [10 Lessons For First Time Dads](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/11/lessons-new-dads/): You’re a dad! Or soon will be, congrats! 🙂 Many new parents find out the sex of their baby at their 12 week scan. We didn’t. We figured you don’t really get many good surprises in life, so we never found out. Claire, my wife, thought we were going to have a girl, and I thought we were having a boy. So when this huge pair of testicles came flying through the air in the immediate moments after his birth, I was overjoyed (for us having a baby, but also because I was right *smug face*). Welcome to the world, […]
- [Becoming A Dad: My Biggest Adventure So Far](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/11/becoming-a-dad-biggest-adventure/): On 15th September, 2018, I became a dad for the first time. It sounds odd, but you’d think I would have been preparing for that moment for the last 9 months. But let me tell you, despite all the reading, all the classes, all the waiting, nothing prepared me for the wave of emotion and sheer joy I felt when baby Benjamin entered the world. Let me say this out loud – I cannot tell you how phenomenal Claire was throughout the entire 9 months and during the birth. Your perspective changes on a lot about things when you become […]
- [An Autumn Weekend On The Isle Of Wight](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/10/isle-of-wight-weekend-autumn/): During the summer, the Isle of Wight is a busy place indeed. Tourists and holidaymakers from the UK, Europe and beyond, enjoying the tiny villages, golden sandy beaches and the picturesque coastline. But once the crowds have faded away and the leaves have begun to turn orange, brown and yellow, the little island becomes…well…quiet. I ventured over to the Isle of Wight a few weeks ago to understand why the island would be a great place to visit in the Autumn, and came up with quite a list! The Isle of Wight lies around six miles off the South coast […]
- [36 Of The Best Dog-Friendly Coastal Camping Spots In The UK](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/09/dog-friendly-coastal-campsites/): It’s the post all you dog and camping lovers have been waiting for! A big long list of some of the best dog-friendly campsites near a beach in the UK. A weekend camping trip is one of the best experiences you can have as a couple, as a family, or even solo, but it is made all the better if you bring your furry friend along for the experience. Since we got our Springer Spaniel last year, I’ve started to look more at dog-friendly campsites (cue cute puppy picture): This Spring and Summer I was looking for a really good […]
- [3 Days In Bruges - A Weekend Itinerary](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/08/bruges-weekend-itinerary/): I’ve FINALLY visited Bruges! What a place! The back story: I’ve wanted to visit Bruges ever since I read Monica from The Travel Hack’s boozy Bruges weekend post back in 2014. What could be better than sitting in the main square, sipping Belgian beer in the sun, wondering if the Bruges Belfry is wonky?! Bruges sounded ideal for a city break. Everything I liked, wrapped up in a pretty little town. Chips, mayo, vast amounts of beer (see the separate post), waffles, amazing chocolate, scenery, canals and some amazing architecture. Having been to Amsterdam several times, Bruges seemed like a less […]
- [12 Of The Best Beer Bars In Bruges](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/08/best-beer-bars-in-bruges/): When you think of Bruges, you should think chocolate, frites and mayonnaise, and you should think beer. Strong beer. Belgium is renowned globally for its blonde / strong / strawberry / craft beer, so when I had the chance to visit Bruges earlier this summer I wanted to try all the beers the bars and pubs of Bruges had to offer. One thing I learnt quite quickly in Bruges was that ordering beer can be a bit of a minefield. I was sat in Delaney’s Irish Pub to watch the rugby, and a friend asked me what I wanted to […]
- [Les Deux Chenes Farmhouse Gite - Ideal For A Group Holiday In The Loire Valley](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/08/les-deux-chenes-farmhouse-gite-loire-valley/): I’ve started to learn something about my travels recently that I want to share with you. The older you get, the more complicated your search criteria becomes for holidays and accommodation. A few years ago, it was a simple ‘accommodation for 2 / 4 / 6’. No longer. Now the search criteria involves infants, cots, cribs, does the property take dogs, if so how many, is there car parking space, is it close to local amenities. The list goes on. At the start of the year, it was time to put that search criteria into action. A group of us […]
- [A Weekend In Warsaw](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/07/weekend-in-warsaw/): Poland has been on my to-do list for the last couple of years. It’s cheap country to visit, a short flight from the UK, and has a rich, turbulent history that I was keen to learn more about. At the beginning of each year, I keep an eye on the flight sales from each airline, and use Google Flights to track the prices of different destinations I want to visit during the year. It’s a valuable way of saving many ££’s. In this instance, Warsaw came up trumps. I grabbed two return flights for £29 each, including taxes. As with […]
- [Volunteering Abroad: Tips & Advice For Helping Migrants & Refugees](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/06/volunteering-abroad-tips-advice/): For many of us volunteering is a rite of passage when we travel abroad. It allows you to get under the skin of different cultures, and get to know the essence of each country through its people. Whilst there are many positives to volunteering abroad, setting foot overseas to volunteer with migrants and refugees can also be challenging, regardless of how well you prepare yourself. In the video below, I interviewed a friend of mine, Stephen, who was a refugee camp manager for a volunteering organisation called Lighthouse Relief, who are based on the small Greek island of Lesvos. Being […]
- [Know Before You Go: What Do You Need To Drive To France?](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/06/driving-to-france-advice/): When I was a kid, driving to France for a summer holiday was a nailed down event in our family calendar. The Pound was incredible strong against the Euro, and the guarantee of warm weather vastly outweighed even the best British summer sun predictions from the Met Office. But then the Pound fell. More British holidaymakers started taken staycations. It was like Brexit had taken on a literal form, and people were refusing to cross the channel and stay at home because of perceived economic benefits. Having just returned from a week long holiday to the Loire Valley, in the […]
- [The Ingredients That Make Queenstown The Best Town In The World](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/06/queenstown-best-town-in-the-world/): I’ll throw it out there right at the start: I’ve travelled around Thailand, South Africa, South America, Australia, New Zealand and China and I can say, without hesitation, Queenstown is one of the best, if not the best town on the planet. Big call, I hear you say. Yes it is. And here’s why. In my Fox glacier post, you might remember me saying that New Zealand was my outdoor playground mecca. That is true, and Queenstown is firmly at the heart of it. The best way to explain why Queenstown in one of the best towns in the world […]
- [Tips For Choosing Your Round The World Flight Route](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/06/choosing-round-the-world-flight-route/): The decision has been made. You’re taking six months or maybe even a year off, and it’s time to go travelling. You get the prosecco out of the fridge, pop the cork, pour yourself a glass and celebrate. But wait…where are you going to go? Time to open the laptop. Choosing the route for your travels is one of the most exciting and important parts of your travel adventure. I loved looking at the world map. Looking at the places I could potentially visit. South America, Thailand, Cambodia, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Brazil, China, Japan, USA – the opportunities are […]
- [A GDPR Guide For Bloggers](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/05/gdpr-guide-for-bloggers/): The new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) come into force starting 25th May 2018. The regulations are designed to be an update to the Data Protection Act laws from 1998, which – as you can imagine – are waaaaay out of date. So are bloggers affected by GDPR? Yes indeed. Whilst GDPR covers the EU area (any bloggers in Europe are affected), if you are a blogger in say the US or Australia, and you hold personal data on someone in Europe, then you are also affected. Put simply, any organisation or individual entity that collects personal data, such as […]
- [Eden Locke Review - My Favourite Hotel In Edinburgh](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/03/eden-locke-review-edinburgh-hotel/): I’m not particularly brand loyal when it comes to hotels. More often than not, I would choose to stay in an Airbnb property when I travel, whether that is for work or play. But over the last few years I’ve been in a bit of accommodation limbo. The Airbnb’s on offer haven’t quite met the standards of previous stays, and the hotels I chose weren’t great either. Enter Eden Locke. The design-focused apart-hotel opened in late 2017, and sits in the heart of Edinburgh, at the West end of George Street, amongst the bars, shops and restaurants of Edinburgh’s New […]
- [Osprey Transporter 95 - Review](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/03/osprey-transporter-95-review/): I’ve always been a fan of Osprey backpacks and holdalls. My 6 month round the world trip back in 2012/2013 was done with an older 55 litre backpack, and that saw everything from the heights of Bolivia to the smog-ridden cities of Eastern China. In my opinion, Osprey are consistent in the rucksacks and holdalls they produce. They are always durable, reliable and comfortable, and the new Transporter 95 ‘adventureproof’ holdall/rucksack hybrid continues this trend. I put the Osprey Transporter 95 to the test during a long weekend to Coniston in the Lake District, in the North West of England, […]
- [Kick Starting My Travel Inspiration For 2018](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/02/kick-starting-my-travel-inspiration-amex/): Looking back at 2017, I did a lot of travelling. I visited the usual favourites of the Lake District, Cornwall, Scotland, I skied in France and Switzerland, and bagged three new countries in the form of Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Slovenia. It was a busy old year! So when people ask me: “What are your travel plans for 2018?“, I have to stop and think. I’ve got a wedding in Italy planned, a trip to the Loire Valley in France…and that’s about it. For a travel blogger, that is not good! Then, out of the blue, American Express® got […]
- [How To Go Skiing On A Budget](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2018/01/how-to-go-skiing-on-budget/): In one of my last ski blog posts I said that if you go skiing for a week, it will cost you around £1000. I still stand by that statement…if you plan on skiing for a full week. BUT…if you do some research into travel options, sales and offers, you could get three full days skiing over a long weekend in the Alps for a budget of £360, or 2 days for less than £300. Don’t believe me? Read on… Here’s how the budget skiing scenario came about. Last year was a big blow out. We went big. Like, really […]
- [Age Is Just A Number](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2017/12/age-is-just-a-number/): “You shouldn’t be dancing on tables at your age!“, my grandma said after I’d told her the story. It was my birthday. I was in a restaurant in Preston that encouraged dancing on tables, once the food had been cleared away. It was a brilliant night. Everyone danced, everyone got a little drunk, and everyone had a good time. It was my 18th birthday. Watch the full Age Is Just A Number video towards the bottom of this post! 🙂 Me and my grandma 🙂 That little flashback got me thinking. Who gets to dictate at what age you should, […]
- [A One Week Itinerary For Sri Lanka](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2017/11/a-one-week-itinerary-for-sri-lanka/): If you’re thinking about visiting Sri Lanka, but aren’t really sure where to start to see the main highlights the country has to offer, fear not, I’ve got the perfect one week itinerary for you. Update! Check out the accompanying video at the bottom of this post, which provider more information on how to spend one week in Sri Lanka! I visited Sri Lanka on my honeymoon in 2017, and had a total of 8 days on the ground, covering all the popular food, historical, cultural and scenic sights of the Indian Ocean island. A local offers a gift to […]
- [Arcido Faroe Backpack Review - The Best Hand Luggage Bag?](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2017/11/arcido-faroe-backpack-review/): I’m pretty picky when it comes to backpacks. Especially backpacks small enough to use as hand luggage for flights. Let’s count them up, from small to large: my Lowe Alpine Edge 18, perfect for small day trips. My TNF Angstrom 20 in black, ideal for commuting or short hikes. My Barbour Tarras bag. And last but not least, my big Eagle Creek Universal Traveller Backpack – the perfect size for my Phantom drone. I know, I’m a bit of a backpack geek. So when the guys at Arcido got in touch and asked if I wanted to review one of […]
- [11 Things You Didn't Know About Sri Lanka](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2017/10/11-things-you-didnt-know-about-sri-lanka/): It’s not every day you travel to a country where one of the main attractions for tourists and locals is a long, sacred Buddha tooth. But then again, Sri Lanka isn’t like many other countries I’ve visited. Friends asked me what Sri Lanka was like when I got back and the elevator pitch answer I gave them was this: A cross between India and Thailand, lush greenery, a rich Buddhist history and curry-orientated, tasty foods. You’ll read many articles about Sri Lanka, so to be a little different, I’ve compiled a list of things you might not know about Sri […]
- [Why The Blog Has Been So Quiet Lately](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2017/08/why-the-blog-has-been-so-quiet-lately/): Hi guys, hope you’re keeping well! Apologies for the silent treatment of late. Since July I’ve had to step away from blogging and social media a little, for various reasons. I guess my recent unenthusiastic approach to blogging and social media began at the Betsy Beer launch I attended back in March. The event itself was great, and the beer was excellent, but something happened at that event that really got my back up.   LET’S TALK ABOUT FOLLOWER NUMBERS & TRAVEL BLOGGING There I was, checking out the hoppy ingredients that made up the beer, when an unknown female […]
- [Which Cities Around The World Serve Up The Cheapest Beer?](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2017/08/which-cities-around-the-world-serve-up-the-cheapest-beer/): I always remember my cheapest beers were in Bolivia, and deepest, darkest China. Both local beers, they cost me the equivalent of 85p and 75p respectively. They were pretty good beers too, which made their price even sweeter! So where else around the world can you get a cheap beer? And which are the cities to avoid for expensive beer? Well, research conducted by Honest Coffees shows that Dubai is the most expensive city for beer, coming in at £8.78. This is followed closely by Hong Kong (£6.31) and Paris (£6.14). If you want a cheap beer, the cities that […]
- [Pub Review: The Bricklayers Arms, Flaunden](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2017/07/pub-review-the-bricklayers-arms-flaunden/): Hertfordshire is blessed with a plethora of cosy country pubs. From open fires to local ales, home-cooked pies to delicious desserts, I’m spoilt for choice when it comes to welcoming pubs. After a few recent visits, I wanted to tell you about one of my new favourites. Located in the tiny village of Flaunden, just outside the M25 and on the edge of the Chiltern Hills, the Bricklayers Arms is an award-winning 18th century inn. I’ve now been to the Bricklayers Arms several times, usually for a special occasion such as an anniversary or birthday. Whether in the summer months […]
- [Rafting, Hiking & Car Trains In Triglav National Park](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2017/06/rafting-hiking-adventures-triglav-slovenia/): One of the reasons I love travel is because just when you think you’ve seen the best mountain, the best lake, the best waterfall, the best countries in the world, travel throws up something new. That something this time was Triglav National Park in Slovenia. Located in the North West corner of the country, Triglav National Park forms part of the Julian Alps, with the highest peak – Mount Triglav – standing at 2,864m high. Slovenia only has one national park, but boy does it give other National Park’s around a world a run for their money. I can’t count […]
- [The Best Summer Sleeping Bags For The Camping & The Festival Season](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2017/05/best-summer-sleeping-bags-camping/): The other week I got my old Vango sleeping bag out of its stuff sack and noticed the zip was broken. After 6 years of camping use, I’d completely forgotten it broke during a Cornish camping trip, and I needed a new one. Now the summer camping season has arrived, I thought I’d write a handy blog post around summer sleeping bags for those of you looking for a new addition to your camping kit. My new sleeping bag is a Vango Planet 150, which is comfortable for temperatures ranging from 4 – 15°C – perfect for British summer nights 🙂 […]
- [14 Micro Adventure Ideas For Everyone To Try](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2017/04/14-micro-adventure-ideas-for-everyone-to-try/): Adventure is a very subjective word. For one person, adventure might mean throwing themselves out of a plane in New Zealand. Yet for another, adventure might mean camping in the garden with the kids. Adventures can be big and small, and this post is designed to raise a glass to all those who love the small, simple adventures in life. As quoted by adventure evangelist Alastair Humphreys, microadventures are adventures that are short, simple, local, cheap – yet still fun, exciting, challenging, refreshing and rewarding. But where do you begin with microadventures? Here are fourteen microadventure ideas to set you on […]
- [Tips For Travelling Solo Around The World](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2017/04/tips-for-travelling-solo-around-the-world/): Ever since 2003 I was determined to travel around the world by myself. I’m not sure why I set my mind on travelling solo. It might have been my strong independence, or it might have been something that I just had to do alone. Travelling round the world by yourself isn’t for everyone. It takes a certain amount of courage and independence to venture into the unknown, especially into a different culture and way of life. My perception is that girls are generally better at it than boys. When I finished my 6 month trip last year, I could only […]
- [Introducing Betsy - The First Beer Designed To Be Drunk At 35,000ft](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2017/03/introducing-betsy-beer-cathay-pacific/): A few years ago South African Airlines invited me to a swanky do in Claridge’s to celebrate the launch of their new catering contract with DO & CO, and the launch of their new home in Heathrow T2. Amidst sampling DO & CO’s food from the SAA onboard menu, we were also given wines, paired with each course. “Wines on the flight are chosen for boldness of taste because at altitude our sense of taste is diluted by up to 30%,” explained Melanie Melvill, of SA Wines Online, at the time. It seemed after several wines, my brain and body […]
- [Ski Lingo - All The Skiing Slang You Need To Know](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2017/03/ski-lingo-ski-slang-for-beginners/): Whenever you learn a new activity or sport, you are classed as a beginner. For any beginner there is a large degree of learning, especially around the nuances of the language used within the activity or sport. Skiing is no different. If you skied for the first time this season (the lingo begins already), you’ll have come across ski slang and phrases that you would have probably no clue what they meant. Fear not. Ever new skier has been there. I’ve been there. The ski lingo language evolves too, crafted by skiers and snowboarders who are far younger and cooler […]
- [An Update On My Travel Plans For 2017](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2017/03/an-update-on-my-travel-plans-for-2017/): Unusually for me, 2017 has been a pretty slow start in terms of travel. I normally have some winter sun booked, a week skiing and a weekend away. Not this year. I skied in Meribel back at the end of February, which was awesome, but i’ve found myself itching to get away again. But I can’t. Not for a while anyway. Here’s why. CHURCH PREREQUISITES As many of you know I got engaged last September, and the wedding has been set for September this year (eeek!). Since October 2016 it’s been full steam ahead, planning the wedding, finding the venue […]
- [A Slice Of Chalet Luxury In Meribel Village With F&P Travel](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2017/02/a-slice-of-chalet-luxury-in-meribel-village-with-fish-pips/): I’ve lost count of the number of ski slopes I’ve hurtled down in my lifetime. I will always remember my first slope, though. Without having had any lessons, and with the upmost stupidity and bravado, I chucked my 18-year old self down a sleep slope that connected our hotel to the green slopes in the high resort of Val Thorens. Once I’d untangled myself from the netting that saved a few bruises, I began to enjoy skiing, and never looked back. Every year since, I’ve managed to get at least one week of skiing into the calendar. At the peak […]
- [6 Of The Best Ski Runs In Meribel](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2017/02/6-of-the-best-ski-runs-in-meribel/): What a week of skiing that was! I pretty much covered the entire Three Valleys ski area, including the ‘fourth valley’ Orelle. With so many runs and pistes under my belt, I thought I’d pick out my best red and blue runs in the Meribel valley for you to find and enjoy 🙂 Combe de Vallon – this red run needs snow good conditions, but it is one of the longest runs in the Meribel valley. Starting at Meribel’s highest skiing point, the Mont Vallon (2952m), it begins steep and narrow, and then twists and turns, widens, and then keeps […]
- [12 Hours In Singapore - 7 Ways To Make The Most Of Your Layover](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/12/12-hour-layover-singapore/): Singapore is one of the gateways to South East Asia and Australasia. As one of the main airport hubs for transfers to Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and the Philippines, you will undoubtedly experience a layover in Singapore sooner or later. Last year I had a 12-hour layover in Singapore, en route to Papua New Guinea. I wanted to make the most of my time in the city. With a little pre-planning you can do and see a lot in a short space of time! Throw in the world’s best airport, and you’ve got plenty of options for a comfortable […]
- [The Best Airbnb House In The UK?](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/12/the-best-airbnb-house-in-the-uk/): With a heated indoor swimming pool, spacious living areas, beds for 15 people and a large outdoor hot tub, could this be one of the best Airbnb houses in the UK. Introducing The Cornhouse. When travelling solo, Airbnb’s are generally my accommodation of preference, after hostels. But when it comes to finding group accommodation, Airbnb has some of the best – and most varied – options. Back in July I began hunting for a house that slept 15 people, and had the space and options needed for a fun weekend away. It would be for my fiancees 30th birthday, so […]
- [8 Winter Weekend Break Destinations With Flights Under £60](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/11/winter-weekend-break-destinations-europe/): With the Brexit fallout and Trump’s impending election as the 45th US President, the Pound is going up and down and round and round more times than the Colossus roller coaster at Thorpe Park. The latest news is the pound is soaring against the Euro, and whilst UK staycations have taken off this year, it could now be prime time to book your winter weekend break and get the best deal possible. Usually when I travel I try and find the cheapest possible, and then source accommodation afterwards. As such, I’ve been keeping an eye on Skyscanner, Google Flights, easyJet […]
- [7 Of The Best Snow Sure Ski Resorts In France](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/11/best-snow-sure-ski-resorts-france/): It’s that time of year again – the nights are getting longer, the temperature is dropping, and it’s time to choose your next ski destination! Over the last couple of seasons, the heavy snow hasn’t hit until mid-January, so if you’re planning on going skiing earlier in the season, or in late March and April when the temperatures are warmer, where should you go? A good start is to choose a snow sure ski resort, of which France has plenty. Let me run through my top seven snow sure ski resorts in France, and the reasons for each. I hope […]
- [Sungod Revolts Ski Goggles Review](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/10/sungod-revolts-ski-goggles-review/): Remember how excited I got about my adventureproof Sungod sunglasses (see the video)? Well, the customisable kings at SunGod have done it again – they have created great value, top performing ski goggles, and they are just as customisable as the sunglasses. Known as the Sungod Revolts, these ski goggles are only rivalled by the Oakley Flight Decks. Whilst sunglasses are more about fashion and fit, a great pair of ski goggles need to tick many more boxes. From a practical point of view you want ski goggles that fit well,  are comfortable, don’t fog up, and – if budget […]
- [Taking the LUMIX GX80 Camera To The British Masters](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/10/lumix-gx80-camera-british-masters/): It’s now been 2 months since I first had a play with my Panasonic LUMIX camera, and it is proving to be a fantastic addition to my travel blogging gear. As you’ll see in my review post and on Instagram, the Lumix GX80 has added a much needed crisp picture dimension to all my photos. One of my favourite features of the camera is the 4K Burst mode. Simply look at what you want to snap, hold down the button and the Lumix will take a series of crystal clear photos, of which you can select and save in 8MB […]
- [An Idyllic Staycation At Swan House B&B In Hastings With Dorset Cereals](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/10/hastings-staycation-swan-house/): Have you ever booked a weekend away in the UK, not really knowing what to expect, but coming away with a great sense of relaxation and enjoyment? Well, that is exactly what happened to me when I stayed at Swan House B&B, in Hastings old town a couple of weeks ago. Like a lot of British B&Bs, the current website really doesn’t do Swan House justice. The place is stunning. It’s much more than a B&B. It’s like a home away from home. I hope the photos below go someway to showing you just how amazing the place is. Let’s […]
- [9 Lake District Mountain Walks For Beginners](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/09/lake-district-walks-for-beginners/): I was one year old the first time I set foot in the Lake District National Park. I grew up in Preston, a mere one hour drive from the Southern lakes, and was taken to the Lakes at least once a year throughout my childhood. It is a special place I have visited without fail at least once a year ever since. With over 15 million people visiting the Lake District, it is the UK’s most popular National Park, and for good reason. Incredible scenery, hidden tarns, fresh air, great walks, cosy pubs selling local food and real ale, and […]
- [Hawksmoor Kimchi Burger - National Burger Day 2016](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/09/hawksmoor-kimchi-burger-review/): 2016 became the fourth consecutive National Burger Day outing, and this time I took down the infamous Kimchi burger at Hawksmoor Seven Dials in London. Let’s start from the beginning. I’ve been to Hawksmoor Seven Dials a couple of times before – once for my girlfriends birthday a couple of years ago, and once for a work dinner. Both times I had steak. It’s what the restaurant is known for. But ever since I read an article on the best burgers in London a few years ago, I’ve always wanted to try the Hawksmoor kimchi burger. I felt like it […]
- [Panasonic Lumix GX80: 48 Hours With The New Camera](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/08/panasonic-lumix-gx80-travel-review/): A couple of weeks ago I was invited by Panasonic to give their new Lumix GX80 compact camera a run for its money. Along with a few fellow travel bloggers, we were given a little photography lesson by Jacob James, an incredible photographer and Panasonic Lumix ambassador (check out some of the photos in the link – they are amazing). MY TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY STORY It was during this morning lesson that I found myself reflecting on my photography tech. When I set off on my #5monthsoff trip at the end of 2012, I wanted my pack to be as light […]
- [A Surfing Weekend In Croyde Bay, Devon](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/08/surfing-weekend-croyde-bay-devon/): I’ve visited Cornwall every year without fail since I was eleven years old. I’ve explored every nook and cranny Cornwall has to offer, but I’ve not properly explored Devon. So many of my friends have been to Croyde, which is nestled in a bay to the South of Woolacombe and around 30 miles North of Bude. Fellow travel bloggers have been and raved about it. So, finally, some friends and I took a long weekend to explore Croyde back in June. Croyde is a small village with a couple of pubs, a few restaurants, but is famous for it’s lush […]
- [The Complete Inca Trail Packing List](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/08/complete-inca-trail-packing-list/): Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu was something I’d wanted to do since I was a young boy. Now that I’ve actually hiked one of the best trails in the world, I can safely say it was one of my top five travel highlights ever. Before I left the UK, I struggled to find a comprehensive Inca Trail packing list. There is so much information and so many lists out there, it was difficult to find out what items were necessary and which items I could behind. I did the Inca Trail with G Adventures, who were excellent, and […]
- [Canyoning & Gorge Scrambling In Coniston](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/07/canyoning-coniston-lake-district/): I think of myself as pretty adventurous. Someone who will try anything once. Before June, I’d never been canyoning (also called canyoneering or gorge scrambling). I’ve done a skydive. I’ve been white water rafting. I did rock jumping less than 3 weeks ago in Malawi. Even though it wasn’t on my bucket list, I’ve also done a bungee jump. Now it was time to add another adrenaline activity to that list. In May this year, a message came through from my friends back home that they were thinking of doing canyoneering in Coniston, in the Lake District, my favourite UK […]
- [Competition: Win A Pair Of Customised Sungod Sunglasses](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/07/competition-sungod-sunglasses/): I’ve been searching for my ideal pair of sunglasses for a LONG time. I have ones for skiing, I have a nice pair that I use for special occasions (and the rest of the time they sit in their case as I’m scared I’m going to scratch and/or break them), and I have a cheap pair that I can trash at festivals. It took me a long time to find a pair that were robust. That didn’t scratch easily. A pair that were polarised. A pair that fit my head correctly. A pair that were good value for money and […]
- [Danforth Yachting: A Fantastic Lakeside Lodge On Lake Malawi](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/07/danforth-yachting-lodge-lake-malawi/): Our last night in Malawi was spent at Danforth Yachting, a delightful water sports lodge in Cape McClear, right on the shores of Lake Malawi. After the eco-paradise of Mumbo Island, I didn’t think anywhere else could match the back to nature experience. Danforth Yachting doesn’t try to compete with Mumbo, and rightly so. Danforth is more luxurious, has more amenities and offers the widest variety of water sports on Lake Malawi. After a walk through the local village we were greeted at Danforth Yachting by the staff, and a refreshing ice tea. I was shown to my room, a […]
- [Mumbo Island: Lake Malawi's Ecotourism Paradise](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/07/exploring-mumbo-island-lake-malawi/): There are certain places in the world that have to visit at least once. Then there are other places in the world that visit once and don’t want anyone else to discover. Mumbo Island is one of those places. Situated at the Southern end of Lake Malawi, Mumbo Island is an example of sustainable ecotourism at it’s finest. There is no electricity, compost toilets, bucket showers, and nothing but solar lamps and a few lizards to keep you company in the evening. It is back to nature at it’s finest. Despite it’s rustic feel, Mumbo Island also has an air […]
- [On Safari In Liwonde National Park](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/06/mvuu-lodge-safari-liwonde-national-park/): As I started writing this post, I began to count how many times I’d been on safari. Twice in South Africa, three times in Zimbabwe, and once in Kenya. I’m very lucky to have been on so many great safaris, but you could forgive me for thinking that I’d seen it all, and that Liwonde National Park in Malawi couldn’t provide me with any new African wildlife experiences. How wrong I was. As our bus turned off the main tarmac road between Zomba and Mangochi, there was a sense of excitement that we were now close to the entrance to […]
- [Satemwa Tea Estate & Huntingdon House - My Cup Of Tea](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/2016/05/satemwa-tea-estate-huntingdon-house-malawi/): Our bus dissected the lush green acres of tea plantation, snaking its way South towards the Thyolo region of Malawi. This was my first real taste of rural life – the pristinely trimmed tea plants looking like a carpet of privet hedge that has been acutely maintained by a professional gardener. We were heading for the Satemwa Estate – the first Fairtrade tea plantation in Malawi. The estate consists of 940 hectares (around 4 square miles) of which 890 hectares is made up of tea plants and the rest coffee plants. Our accommodation for the night was the modest, charming, […]

## Pages

- [Swiss Trip To Appenzell](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/appenzell-trip/)
- [About](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/about/)
- [Oving Villages Cup - List Of Winners](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/oving-villages-cup-list-of-winners/): The Oving Villages Cup, also known as the Oving Cup, run by the Oving and District Villages Cup Committee and is affiliated to the Berkshire and Buckinghamshire Football Association in England. It is the second oldest English football cup competition, behind the FA Cup. It was first played in the season 1889-1890. The Oving Cup is played by the representative teams on a knock-out basis; the two finalists then normally meet on Easter Monday at Oving Recreational Ground. The Cup is open to villages within 12 miles of Oving, Buckinghamshire, and had strict rules on eligibility of players, such as […]
- [Hiking The Whisky Trek In the Swiss Alps](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/adventures/hiking/switzerland-whisky-trek/)
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- [China](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/destinations/asia/china/)
- [20 Of The Best UK / British Travel Vloggers](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/best-uk-male-travel-vloggers/): 20 OF THE BEST BRITISH TRAVEL VLOGGERS & VIDEOGRAPHERS Update July 2023 – this page was getting so many hits for folk looking for general UK travel vloggers that I thought it was about time to include both male and female vloggers in this list. So from 9 of the best male travel vloggers, you’ve now got over 20 to choose from 🙂 With the rise of TikTok, and the introduction of Threads, video content continues to take over the web. Brands, travel vloggers and social networks are strapped in for what will be an amazing journey for travel video […]
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- [Zimbabwe](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/destinations/africa/zimbabwe/)
- [Malawi](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/destinations/africa/malawi/)
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- [Farewell To Simon's JamJar](https://adventurebagging.co.uk/farewell-simons-jamjar/): FROM SIMON’S JAMJAR TO ADVENTURE BAGGING You may be wondering what has happened to Simon’s JamJar, and why many of you have been redirected to this site. The short and simple answer is Simon’s Jam Jar has rebranded! I first started blogging back in 2006. That’s over 10 years ago. David Beckham was still England’s golden boy, and Leona Lewis grabbed the Christmas number one with ‘A Moment Like This”. Feels like a lifetime ago, right?! Back in 2006, I was 24. Simon’s JamJar was born on a whim, based on the items I could see in my ex-girlfriends sisters […]
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