Welcoming committee
Boats along the river
Kate and the kids around the village
You have arrived
Entrance to the lodge
Suriname River view
In Surinamese (a combination of Dutch and local language), danpaati means “dam on the parting waters”. The eco-resort is in the middle of the Suriname River, surrounded by thick jungle and small villages mainly inhabited
Zion Church in Ilulissat
Blue iceberg formed from old glacier
Colourful houses of Greenland
Brett and Kate Goulston in Greenland
Icebergs near Ilulissat
Bucket lists were pretty much invented for places like Greenland. Perhaps it is because of the immense sense of magic and wonder is present in every moment of every single
Camels in the desert - no better transport
Marnie and Holly Goulston around the indoor kitchen with the locals
Amazing colours of the desert
Brett Goulston hanging out with the locals
Wadi Rum and its lunar landscape
A moment with one of the locals
Jordan had a little surprise in store for us: we came to tour Petra but it was Wadi Rum that blew us away with its special kind of magic. It
You can see forever
Ovoo at the top of the Flaming Cliffs
Flaming Cliffs also known as Bayanzag
Erosion occurring at the cliffs
Our 4 wheel drive waiting at the bottom of the valley
Spectacular formations
Joanne starting the climb down the cliffs
Amazing cliffs, amazing scenery
The Flaming Cliffs is an escarpment on the edge of the Gobi Desert in southern Mongolia, by road some 660kms from the capital Ulaanbaatar. The cliffs became famous in 1923
Fishing Cambodian style
Meet the local children
Selling traditional clay stove pots
Bridge over the Mekong River
Exotic fruit of Cambodia
Local village
Village built over the mighty Mekong River
Without a doubt, Cambodia is a poor country – probably the poorest of the region. Some of the rural areas face particular struggles, lacking in basic infrastructure. But regardless of
Sanctuary of Monserrate dates back to 1640
One of the many exquisite pieces in the Gold Museum
Enjoy the funicular ride up to Monserrate
Meet the locals playing chess in Bogata
Courtyard of the Botero Museum
The best gold museum in the world
Beautiful imagery at the Botero Museum
After three days enjoying Colombia tourism, I expected more tropical weather in Bogota but the first thing I notice on arrival is the temperature. No … it’s not blistering hot
Galapagos land iguana
Coming aboard
The famous blue-footed booby - not to be confused with the red-footed equivalent!
Sally Lightfoot crabs everywhere
Easy does it for this old tortoise - who could be a century old!
Fabulous views from above
Hard to resist taking their photo
Cruising around in the zodiacs
Told you the red-footed booby was different from the blue-footed one!
How cute am I?
All the documentaries I’d seen on the Galapagos Islands inferred that it’s one of the foremost wildlife experiences on the planet. Friends and family members who had travelled there only
Colourful costumes in Cartagena
Colourful and inviting street cafés abound
Courtyard at Convento de la Popa
Get your fruit here
Castillo San Felipe in Cartagena
Tour the mangroves in a simple boat
Cartagena's vibrant streetscape
Meet the locals
I’d heard and read a lot about Cartagena, Colombia’s UNESCO-listed old capital on the Caribbean coast. My travel friends kept telling me I had to travel to Columbia and when
The Jagalchi Fsh Markets of Busan, South Korea
The busy port of Busan
You can buy just about anything at the Busan markets
Fish markets in Busan
Busan is South Korea's second largest city
Someone has to open the shells!
A cornucopia of sea creatures in Busan!
There are fish markets and then, there are fish markets! The Jagalchi Fish Markets in Busan fall into the latter category. Markets are not every traveller’s “thing” but I have
Trendy Gdansk at night
Like the sign says - Just good strong coffee
Gdansk Harbour on the Vistula River
The working harbour of Gdansk
Old cobblestone street in Gdansk
Old Baltic boat in Gdansk harbour
In the north of Poland on the Baltic Sea lies the beautiful city of Gdansk. Take at least a full day – more if you prefer to move at a
Bonifacio citadel
Autumn is in the air
Corsica Calanques
The dramatic coast of Bonifacio
Calvi's beautiful bay & harbour
Autumn in Corsica
A visit to the traditional port in Bastia
Corte in the heart of Corsica
What an island of surprises Corsica proved to be. It may not have been on your radar as a destination but having visited, its many delights deserve to be shared.
Ark Fortress Bukhara
Handmade carpets from Bukhara
Chor Minor Madrassah
Meet the local Bukhara ladies
Some of the delicacies on offer in Bukhara
Mir-i-Arab Madrasa Bukhara
Folk show at Nodir Devon-begi Madrassah
Plov cooking demonstration
Poi Kalyan complex Bukhara
Suzanni at the museum
One of my favourite Silk Road cities is the town of Bukhara, located a few hours west of Samarkand. Like Samarkand, Bukhara is also home to significant and stunning
Parsurameswara Temple
Colourful India
The coastal town of Puri
Handsome local
The colour of India
So India!
Bhubaneswar temple
Our local guide in India
From behind the veil
Over 40 million people live in Odisha (pronounced Orisha) – one of India’s 29 states. Sitting in the northeast on the Bay of Bengal, it is generally regarded as India’s poorest state, but don’t let this
The popular destination of Trakai
Rowing boats near Trakai castle
'Egle' Queen of the Serpents - Palanga Botanical Sculpture Garden
Art in the park
Seaside flowers
Sailing ship in Klaipeda port
Visit the Hill of Crosses Lithuania
Visit Trakai Island Castle
Rowing boats near Trakai Castle
Allow at least a week to see the best of what Lithuania has to offer, including the following highlights.
Without a doubt, the capital city Vilnius, is a treasure. The
Travelling through the locks
The train runs alongside the canal between Colon and Panama City
The new enormous bridge under construction near San Lorenzo National Park
Ships passing through the locks
Three locks over the canal's 80kms lift ships up or down about 26 metres
The biggest of ships can fit comfortably through the canal
Ships take about 8 hours to navigate the length of Panama Canal
Since I was a small kid, I’d always wanted to visit Panama and see the Panama Canal. The notion of watching huge cargo ships glide through the nearly 80km of
Express delivery to the market
Famous Kolkata River Ghats
Strings of yellow and gold marigolds at the Kolkata flower market
Kolkata flower market seller surrounded by beauty
Potters' quarter near Kolkata flower market churn out wonderful statues
Strings of yellow and gold marigolds at the Kolkata flower market
One bunch or two?
Busy market stalls
Kolkata has a dark history from the days of it’s formation by the British East India company in the late 1600s to the early Bengal insurrections such as the Black
Stroll down the quaint streets
Old wooden Lutheran church in Turaida Park, Latvia
Latvian National Opera House Riga
The Old Town of Riga and its market square
Sigulda New Castle
Riga Latvia's Capital
Street art in Latvia
Latvia, part of the Baltic States (a term used by the locals), is a small country with a small population. But there’s much to see and do, around the capital
Catch the street performers in the square
Inside Kumu Museum
Riga's Central Market is located in old German Zeppelin hangars
The pretty cityscape of Tallinn
Meet your friends in the old town square Tallinn
Arriving on the ferry from Helsinki, two things grabbed my immediate attention about this small, sophisticated, medieval capital city. First, it is one of the most charming and beautiful cities
On the Mekong river with Irrawaddy dolphins
Everyday life in Kratie village
Brett & Kate on the Mekong River
Local volleyball team
Stroll among the wooden houses north of Kratie
The local kids are always up for a chat
Loading the wagon
Without a doubt, Angkor Wat is Cambodia’s immediately recognisable national icon but there is much more to this beautiful country. If you want to see the real regional Cambodia where
Bukchon Hanok Village where there are hundreds of traditional wooden houses
Night food markets in Seoul
Korean drum outside Gyeongbokgung Palace during the changing of the guard ceremony
Buddhist Prayer Ribbons at the DMZ site
There are markets everywhere and for everything in Seoul!
At the DMZ outside Seoul
Years ago in the advertising industry, we used to joke that if a manager did a lousy job, they’d get a “promotion” to run the Seoul office. Well, things have
Magnificient Valletta Harbour
Local boatman in Valletta Harbour
The most famous building in Mosta is the Rotunda
Fort Saint Elmo in Valletta
The Blue Grotto in Gozo
The motto of the village is 'Non Nisi Per Ardua' means 'Only with Ability'
Walking in the cool laneways
Love Malta - we sure do
Mosta Rotunda ceiling
Living the simple life in Malta
Valletta Watch Tower
Malta is definitely the mouse that roared. It is tiny yet impressive enough for the country to be awarded the George Cross for bravery in World War II. Blue Dot
Napolean versus Paoli
San Michele de Murato church
The turquoise waters of Corsica
Wonderful cheeses to sample
Famous Corsican hams
The story of Napoleon Bonaparte is known around the world. A successful military leader, born in Corsica and became emperor of France. But lesser known and more of a Corsican
Church of St John
View of Lake Ohrid
View from Samuel Fortress
On the banks of Lake Ohrid
The ancient theatre of Ohrid
Go for a ride on Lake Ohrid
There’s often confusion when Macedonia is discussed because – depending who you talk to – there are two Macedonias. There’s Macedonia, the small independent country on the Balkan Peninsula which was part of the
Small islet of Sveti Stefan
The fortifications of Kotor
Magnificient Bay of Kotor
Wonderful old towns to explore
Church of St Archangel Michael Herceg Novi
Medieval clock tower in Kotor
Old town of Kotor
If you didn’t know that Montenegro was a country, don’t despair – you’re not on your own! While many travellers from Australia have discovered neighbouring Croatia as a fabulous destination, not so
Naga tribal elder
Wonderful faces of Naga tribes
Wrestling Naga style
Pulling of the monolithic stone
Tribal costumes you will see at the Hornbill festival
Impromptu dancing at the festival
Vibrant colours of Hornbill Festival
Tribal head gear worn at Hornbill Festival
The north east frontier of India has always been a remote outpost even during the rule of the British Raj. Whilst the famous Assam tea plantations saw early colonial interest
Welcome to Guatemala
Making tortias at the Chichicastenango markets
Something is wrong with this picture?
Atitlan volcano
Guatemalan masks
Meet the local cowboys
Local Antigua women selling colourful items
We all travel for different kinds of reasons. Some people like ancient history, others prefer more recent colonial history. Some folks love to photograph wildlife, while some would rather eat
Ruky mosque near Ashgabat
Flag of Turkmenistan
Visit the ancient city of Merv
Local Turkic family
Ministry of Happiness
Sheep pen
Colourful salad bar
Wishing tree - tie a ribbon for good health
Ancient city of Nisa
UNESCO's ancient city of Merv
Turkmenistan – Land of the Turkmen – could best be described as an odd country. The former Soviet state became independent in 1991 and was until 2006 ruled by Niyazov,
Valetta skyline
Mdina - Silent City
Love Malta
Nice way to see the harbour
Azure window in Gozo
Valetta harbour
I am lucky to have travelled to Malta on quite a few occasions. The more I go, the more I love it. Area-wise it’s a tiny country with two main
Bear Rock Porto Cervo at Capo d'Orso
Orgosolo painted mural
Sardinia vineyard
Su Gologone Hotel
A wonderful feast at Pabillonis
Castlesardo's castle at the top
Bosa one of Sardinia's most attractive towns
Suckling pig Sardinian style
Picturesque Su Gologone hotel
Mural at Orgosolo
Wonderful countryside
I came to Sardinia with few preconceptions, except about its reputation for brigands and kidnappings. Our itinerary included a visit to the mountain village of Orgosolo, a headquarters for the
Blossoms in bloom
Kimono ladies
Kumamoto Castle
Birds are out in spring
Daibutsu - The Great Buddha
Nara Todaiji Temple
Hakone Open-Air Museum
The Japanese are obsessed with the short-lived beauty of these fragile blossoms. They pay to reserve spots in the best parks where they can sit and appreciate their surroundings. The
Black volcanic sands of the southern shore
Thingvellir National Park
Icelandic horses
Icelandic fish lunch
Brett & Kate at Skogafoss falls
Gullfoss Falls in Golden Triangle route
The Great Geyser on the golden triangle route
Vic on the south coast of Iceland
We visited Iceland on a recce in 2013. The brief to ourselves was to develop an itinerary providing a “best of” and some lesser-known parts of the country for our
A model of the Arc of the Covenant
Blessing the water
Christians showered with blessed water
Priests chanting
Dancing and drumming as part of Timkat
Tabot is wrapped in cloth and carried through the crowd
Priests dance and shake their clappers during the procession
Priests holding Lalibela crosses
Colour of Timkat
Waiting for proceedings to begin
Day 2 of the Timkat Festival, we reach the special ground where the waters are blessed for the Baptism rites. The whole area was crowded, and locals waved lighted tapers as the priests
Cliffs play host to thousands of breeding pairs of guillemots
An icy home for these gulls
Cautious yet inquisitive walruses
Every ledge is precious to these Guillimots
Thousands of Glaucous gulls
Magic
The magestic polar bear
Our trip was all about the Arctic wildlife. The best opportunity to photograph a bear surely had to be the site where the remains of a sperm whale had been
Feel the serenity
Zodiac excursion
Arctic Rainbow
Blue glacial ice
Spend time watching the amazing birds
Waiting for the ice to carve
Ship ahoy
Kayaking in the Arctic
Arctic bergy bits
It’s coldish up here in the Arctic, ranging from daily maximum of 1 degree celsius to an incredibly warm 10 degrees. On the warm days, we shed layers like reptile
Dressing for the ceremony
Hamar women dancing prior to ceremony
Looking cool
Becoming a man
Face paint part of ceremony
Becoming a man today
Young boy ready for initiation
Young men from many cultures must endure rituals to enter manhood. The young Hamar men of southern Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, prove their manhood by eventually succeeding at ‘cattle-jumping,’ a challenge
I do!
Full bloom in Shinjuku Gyoen park - FINALLY!
Blossoms everywhere
Everyone's welcome
Kanazawa castle
Vibrant blossoms
Tokyo with the sakura blooming
Chasing cherry blossom in Japan is well worth it
Take a tour named Japan in Spring and it’s perfectly reasonable to expect to see cherry blossom … and lots of it. What I didn’t expect was the fervour that came with
Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
Magnificient waterfallsa
Blue Lagoon in Reykjavik
Hardy Icelandic horses
Old whale watching ship in Iceland
Whale watching
Quaint farm houses in Iceland
Huskavik port
Cutest puffins in Iceland
Stunning scenery everywhere
Erupting hot springs
Iceland conjures up images of a remote island in the arctic, with freezing temperatures and a small population. After all, who could live on an island in the middle of
What do make of all these Australians
Meet the locals
City view of Tehran
Flag of Iran
Brett at a local restaurant
Local Tehran students
Visit the carpet museum in Tehran
View of Tehran
I cannot recall visiting any country in any part of the world where the people are more welcoming than in Iran. This might sound like a big statement but it’s true. Within my first 24
Nalychevo National Park - Kamchatka
Travertine Creek Kamchatka
One of the many carnivores to be found in Kamchatka
Ex-military helicopter is the standard mode of transport
Valley of the Geysers
A Kamchatka brown bear
One of the many volcanoes in the UNESCO-listed area
I’m fortunate enough to have visited the land of fire and ice on a few occasions. It’s a destination that few people can pronounce and even fewer know where to find. Kamchatka
View of Khiva from the wall
Want to buy a carpet?
Old city of Khiva
A wonderful book to read if visiting Khiva
The walls of Khiva
Walls at sunset
I liked to think I was well travelled but my recent visit to Uzbekistan made me realise that skiing four continents (even including sliding down a couple of runs in
View above Victoria Falls
Brett & Holly Goulston at the falls
Don't miss out on this
Our Blue Dot group ready with raincoats
View from Victoria Falls Hotel
View from the helicopter
Holly Goulston ready to take off
Victoria Falls Hotel
Mosi-oa- Tunya translates to the Smoke that Thunders. It describes the world’s greatest sheet of falling water aptly, where over 500 million litres of water each minute, pours over the
Enjoy the peaceful waterway of Okavango
Mokoros or dug out canoes
Focused on her job
Flying over Okavango Delta
Some impala on our walk
One of our paddlers
Our paddling crew in Okavango Delta
Water lillies in the Okavango delta
Herd of impala in the delta
Gordon and Julie McRonald on tour
Beautiful local girl
Even in the dry season, the Okavango Delta in Botswana’s north west, is an amazing sight. It’s the world’s largest inland delta, which, depending on the season, sprawls across some 15,000-22,000 square
Timurid ruler
Colourful suzannis make a perfect souvenir
Old photos of Samarkand
Exploring Samarkand
Meet the locals in Samarkand
Registan Square Samarkand
Traditional food
Magnificient Sher Dor Madrasah
Samarkand – conjures up so much when you say the name. One of the oldest inhabited cities of Central Asia, Samarkand was a legendary stop along the Silk Road, being strategically
Victoria and Alfred Harbour
Cape Seals
Nelson Mandela's statue on Robben Island with Brett & Holly Goulston
Rock hyrax commonly called a dassie
Wine regions near Cape Town
Table Mountain aerial cableway
African penguins at Simon's Town beach
Victoria and Alfred Harbour Cape Town
Local musicians
District 6 Museum
It’s hard to argue about the beauty of this city, at the very bottom of the African continent. Cape Town points of interest including Table Mountain as a backdrop to the
Nomadic golden eagle hunter
On the road in Kyrgyzstan
Holy Trinity Cathedral in Karakol built with no nails
Livestock is moved to mountains during the summer months
Brod Brennan at Lake Issyk Kul
In Kyrgyzstan they serve a type of bread called “boor sok
Kyrgyz musicians
Summer yurt camp for Kyrgyz family
With an average elevation of 3000 metres and over 90% of the country covered in mountains, you’re in for a treat when travelling throughout Kyrgyzstan. After being in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan the
Mongolian horse and rider at Naadam
Eagle dance by winning wrestlers
Mongolian archery at Naadam
Warming up at Naadam
Wrestling competition at Naadam
Mongolia’s annual Naadam Festival first ran in 1920 but has its roots in the centuries-old traditions of the great Khans. The “three manly sports” of wrestling, archery and horse racing
Panama City bus
UNESCO old town cathedral
Portobelo Spanish Fort
Frank Gehry designed Natural History Museum
UNESCO site Society of Jesus, Casco Viejo
Black Jesus in Portobelo
After a three-day visit to Panama City, I can confirm that Panama is not just about the Canal! Panama City is the most cosmopolitan capital in Central America where many
Victoria Memorial
Artisan making clay statues in Potters Lane
Flower market in Kolkata
Sunset over Hooghly River
Bath time by the Hooghly River
Waiting for the train
Waiting for the next ride
Kolkata is very loud and very busy and some parts (but not all) are dirty. It could be best described as chaotic, but its utterly fascinating and if opening your mind
Whale watching Isle Saint Marie
Tropical paradise
Lobster anyone?
Off the north east coast of Madagascar lies the tropical island of Ile Sainte-Marie, a place where bragging rights are assured because you can almost certainly be sure nobody you know will have heard
Ancient city of Petra
Camels in Jordan
Cool off in the pool
This might be your camel
Desert sunset
Brett Goulston and guides in Jordan
Ready for your camel ride?
Often it’s a country’s capital city that offers a tourist the best things to see and do with the most important places of interest usually located there. This is not