Sydney Explorer

Hello Wonderful People!   The hostel is a wonderful invention; cheap accommodation where fellow travellers can easily meet each other, share their backpacking tales and go for a few bevvies. However, if you've stayed in a hostel for longer than one night, you will start to recognise that every dorm room has its characters. Here are 5 examples of these wondrous creatures, who all seem to appear in every hostel.

Hello Wonderful People!   After a stunning drive through Arthurs Pass and down the coast we stayed for a few nights in Wanaka. This little town nestled by a lake is surrounded by dramatic mountain scenery. The town has a great vibe and I felt like I was in a ski resort in the French Alps. Before we arrived in Wanaka we were torn between skiing there or in Queenstown. However, as soon as we arrived our decision was made. We hired skis, boots and clothing from Green Toad for the equivalent of around £40 (bargain) and headed to our van for an early night in preparation for our day of skiing.

Hello Wonderful People! When I was in my first year of sixth form I was lucky enough to go on a history trip to the good old U S of A. We were there for just under a week and visited New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC. I'd already been to New York with my family earlier in the year and it instantly became my favourite place in the whole world, so I was supper excited to be heading back with my friends to this amazing place.

Hello Wonderful People!   Our second stop in the South Island was Christchurch. We stayed in our campervan on the drive of our friend's uncle's house, so we had the use of hot showers, a nice toilet and kitchen. I obviously knew that Christchurch was hit by an earthquake in 2011 and I'd met several Kiwis on my travels who had told me about the devastation. Nothing could really have prepared me for what the city actually looked like though. I was completely dumbfounded that a city in such a developed country could be virtually demolished by a natural disaster and still not have some level of rebuilding over 2 years later.     

Hello Wonderful People!     After crossing from Wellington to the South Island, our first stop was Kaikoura. We arrived in the dark and camped for the night in an abandoned car park on the outskirts of town, so we really had no idea of what the place was like. Stepping out of the campervan the next morning was a complete eye opener. Not only was the sun beaming down with crystal clear skies, the view that greeted us was pretty special.

Hello Wonderful People!   Before I went to South East Asia it didn't actually enter my head that we would have to get from place to place via some sort of transport. I take a very laid back approach to life and just assumed everything would fall into place when I got there. To be fair this approach worked, as everything turned out fine and there was no need for me to have planned any transport prior to my trip. But for those of you who are planning a trip to SE Asia, I thought I'd write down a few tips for getting around, so you have some idea of what to expect when you get there!  

Hello Wonderful People! Staying in contact with friends and family can be a worry, or a pain, for many travellers. It can be expensive thanks to roaming charges and inconvenient thanks to time zones. There are also a lot of better things you could be doing with your time and money while on your travel adventure. So, I've put together a little list of do's and don'ts to help save your phone bill from a bashing while also being able to stay in regular contact with those you've left behind.  

Hello Wonderful People!   As New Zealand is arguably one of the most stunning countries in the world, full of amazing natural beauty, it is only fair that I share my photographs with you, in an attempt to convey the beauty of this country.    

Hello Wonderful People!     Many would argue that New Zealand is the adrenaline capital of the world; so it only felt right to show my wild side and do a skydive in this beautiful country. Having already done a bungee jump back home in England, jumping out of a plane was the next thing on my adrenaline hit list. And what better location to chose than the stunning Lake Taupo in New Zealand's north island.

Bonjour les gens merveilleux   I love skiing and ski holidays have to be up there in my favourite type of getaway. I may not be the best skier in the world (I once skidded on ice on a black run and collided with a pylon; it was pretty terrifying) but I love it and it's so much fun that I won't let a little near death experience put me off. My favourite ski resort has to be Val Thorens, part of the Three Valleys in France. I've been there twice, once on a uni trip with friends and a second time with my mum and brother. As you can imagine, they were both pretty different trips, but they were both amazing as VT is geared up for all types of people and holiday types.

Hello Wonderful People!   When you pick up your campervan you're full of excitement about your new home and have visions of the amazing road trip ahead of you. Thoughts of driving songs, the open road and discovering new places jump into your head. However, there a few skill you don't expect to pick up along the way, but mark my words you'll learn at least one of theses life changing skills during your campervan adventure.