Tag Archives: Camping

Escaping into the Sahara Desert of Morocco

Leaving Marrakech is quick. As if the city were contained within an invisible wall, buildings suddenly give way to clay huts and large fanning palms. Mountains spring like over-sized ant mounts on the horizon, all soil and rocks and earthy bluntness. The road ribbons into the distance; the only curve among angular peaks and graveledContinue reading “Escaping into the Sahara Desert of Morocco”

How to travel the UK & Ireland in a campervan: lessons from 1 month on the road

Driving through the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland in a campervan is one of those classic adventures that offers more delights than you bargained for. You expect the charming thatched-roof cottages of the English Cotswolds, but not the scores of swooning swans on the glassy Avon. You’ve heard about the mysterious lochs and mist-shrouded peaksContinue reading “How to travel the UK & Ireland in a campervan: lessons from 1 month on the road”

Walking Wales: the Pembrokeshire Coast & Brecon Beacons national parks

From the late night ferry between Ireland and Wales, to the deep-fried bread served at breakfast, and the hour spent patiently enduring a theological rant by a crazy woman in a carpark, it had been a rough start to the day. But by 4pm Dave and I were half way around the 6.8 mile StrumbleContinue reading “Walking Wales: the Pembrokeshire Coast & Brecon Beacons national parks”

The west coast of Ireland: Westport, Achill Island, Doolough, Galway & Cliffs of Moher

The salt haze has stiffened and the evening light has paled across the wild Atlantic view. I am warm and comfortable inside the campervan but the whistle of the coast wind brings chill bumps to my skin. I’m not sure how long I’ve been here. It could be an hour, it could be four. ButContinue reading “The west coast of Ireland: Westport, Achill Island, Doolough, Galway & Cliffs of Moher”

Driving the Causeway Coast: from Belfast to Derry, Northern Ireland

Winding along pebbled beaches, through cliff-side tunnels, past castles and natural wonders, it’s hard to believe that Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coastal Route was not designed especially for a tourism brochure. From Belfast, we took two laid-back days to drive the 120 mile coastline in our Wicked camper, finding plenty of delights along the way, andContinue reading “Driving the Causeway Coast: from Belfast to Derry, Northern Ireland”

Wide angle: a photo walk through Belfast, Northern Ireland

The complex character of Belfast is hard to pick. The iconic yellow Harland and Wolff cranes and sprawling harbour flag the city’s shipping roots. The regal city hall marks the influence of the English crown. The barbed wire, corrugated tin and concrete fences show this city has seen The Troubles. And the store-lined boulevards andContinue reading “Wide angle: a photo walk through Belfast, Northern Ireland”

8 Essential Experiences in Edinburgh, Scotland

Crawling with history, wholesomely creative and full of personality, Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh, is my latest destination crush. In fact, I will go as far as saying that, so far, Edinburgh is the highlight of my Wicked Campers road trip and one of the best cities of my 2012 European travel adventure. After three daysContinue reading “8 Essential Experiences in Edinburgh, Scotland”

Exploring the Yorkshire Dales & the Lake District in a campervan

I’d been anticipating our visit to England’s Lake District with a niggling curiosity and measured excitement. The area that inspired literary greats such as William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor-Coleridge and Beatrix Potter was surely something to behold. But its coined popularity and links to the rich and famous had me wondering how much hype was inContinue reading “Exploring the Yorkshire Dales & the Lake District in a campervan”

Driving through the Peaks District to York, England

Complete with ancient Roman walls, a piano-serenaded cathedral and a castle tower encircled with daffodils, the city of York in England was another delightful find on my Wicked road trip around the UK and Ireland. After wild camping at the Buxton Traveller’s Rest in our Wicked campervan, we drove the 84 miles (134 kms) northContinue reading “Driving through the Peaks District to York, England”

First two days in a campervan: London, Oxford, Stratford-Upon-Avon & the English shires

Sitting in our Wicked campervan atop a night-shrouded hill somewhere in Derbyshire, England, it is hard to believe we have seen so much in the first two days of road trip. London Within minutes of being handed the keys to our Wicked campervan, ‘Kamikaze Panda’, (a.k.a. Panda) in London’s Waterloo, Dave and I were thumbingContinue reading “First two days in a campervan: London, Oxford, Stratford-Upon-Avon & the English shires”

My Wicked Campers road trip begins: UK & Ireland here I come

Do you ever feel like you just need to get into a car and go… explore…get lost? I’m now two adventure-packed months into a nine month European trip and am craving a different pace of travel. We’ve been city-hopping, backpacking, couch-surfing, weekender-ing and ski-tripping, so now it’s time to try something new. Today Dave andContinue reading “My Wicked Campers road trip begins: UK & Ireland here I come”

Camping with the Kangaroos: Yuraygir National Park

All I can hear is the barrelling of waves, the flap of a tent, the twill of a cricket and the crackles of a fire. There is no other light. Cloudy skies thicken the blackness, leaving us here beside our lone beacon, cocooned by the night. This satisfies me. I can taste the serenity, warmContinue reading “Camping with the Kangaroos: Yuraygir National Park”

Dancing in the Mud: the 2011 Bellingen Global Carnival

I could feel the damp seeping through my jacket as I stumbled into the Bazaar Tent and out of the evening storm. Only minutes before, I had left the campsite fortified by extra layers of clothing and ready to face another night of wet but wonderful world music. The tent was dark. Squinting through rain-speckledContinue reading “Dancing in the Mud: the 2011 Bellingen Global Carnival”