Travel Writing Library

For critics, Nick should have held the ice-axe to his left, on the opposite side of that sheer cliff.

Many journeys are difficult. I made numerous journeys round Malawi where I was stuffed into the back of a tiny truck surrounded by chickens and sacks of maize. The epic bus journey from Lilongwe, Malawi to Harare...

Being the grumpy traveller that I am I have plenty to choose from. But the worst would have to be the sewage train ride from hell. My father and I had headed off on a daughter/dad-bonding trip in 2001.

The worst journey of my life was a short one, and the reason that led to this journey was a small one. It all began with a tiny Chinese character that looked like this “ 北“ .

I had no choice but to allow the weight of my sizeable rucksack to tip me off the back of the motorcycle that had brought me from the hotel to the bus.

I call it “returning to the scene of the crime”. It’s one of the dumbest things that a single male can do. So why do I keep doing it over and over and over? I must be a glutton for punishment.

Struggling to coax my loaded bicycle up Switzerland’s formidable Furka Pass I am all but spent. Compensation is a spectacular mountain upon mountain backdrop and tinkling cow bells.

The danger signs already loomed as we saw what looked like a mile long bus queue snaking along the path. The sun was beating down without mercy on the poor unfortunate souls waiting patiently for the local bus...

Imagine, please, the idyllic natural landscape of Central Europe – old forests, wide blue rivers, green fields, and hills of Southern Poland. What fantastic natural beauty. I promise, you will fall in love with this in a few minutes...

In March of 2003, my girlfriend, Amy, and I trekked the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. Circling for 210 kilometers (130 miles) around the entire Annapurna range—which contains six peaks over seven kilometers (23,000 feet)...