This is the home of all the travel blogs I’ve written on holiday destinations I’ve visited!
From wine tours in Lanzarote to my thoughts on some of the best restaurants I’ve visited across the world, find out my thoughts on some of my favourite holiday experiences!
In July 2015, I went on an amazing Scandi-Baltic Adventure with Busabout. Over 8 days I visited Lithuania, Latvia, Sweden, Finland and Estonia, checking out the sights, sampling the local delicacies, and enjoying the nightlife!
Time to reveal a few of my packing essentials for long term travel.
It’s almost a year since I jetted off to Mexico to start this trip – an epic three and a half month adventure which I can genuinely say, changed my life. Goodbye stressful job, hola Caribbean! See… look how happy I was?!
I packed a giant case (which was subsequently nicknamed ‘The Beast’) and explored ancient Mayan sites in Guatemala , one of the best coral reefs in the world in Belize, and threw myself down a volcano in Nicaragua!
While I packed reasonably well (everything but the kitchen sink), if I was about to set off on a big adventure again, here are my top 10 must-packs!
Packing cubes have changed the way I pack! Easy to cram lots into, simple to locate in my case, and a great way to organise items. I tend to use the larger one for underwear and socks, and the smaller one for chargers, cables and any other easily-lost electricals. There are plenty to choose from, and Vicki has a fab guide to the best packing cubes around right now.
Stop two on my Scandi-Baltic Adventure was Latvia’s vibrant capital. Riga’s reputation preceded it… I knew it was a prime location for rowdy British stag dos looking for a cheap weekend with buzzing nightlife. Thankfully, I found there was plenty more to the city.
Check out Part 1 of the video of my Scandi-Baltic Adventure now, and scroll down to read all about my time in Riga.
We stayed in the old town, close to the picturesque 17th Century Powder Tower – previously used to store gunpowder. Around a third of the population of Latvia live in the capital, but it didn’t feel congested or horribly built up. I think this was partly due to the number of squares and green spaces (particularly Bastion Hill Park by the Freedom Monument) – something very important to the Baltic and Scandinavian countries. Latvia’s treacherous past was visible – with the Latvian Riflemen Monument and the Freedom Monument standing tall in different parts of the city.
Unofficial “tourist attractions” include the Radisson Hotel – which, as the tallest building around, was once inhabited the KGB. McDonalds also holds some significance in Riga as it was the first to be opened in the Baltic countries. It was seen as a symbolic moment – marking the end of communism. In fact, the queues on its first day stretched around the block!
Time to reveal all about my week sailing around Croatia with MedSailors.
“This is Davide, your skipper for the week…” I was greeted by a tanned, smiley Italian, kitted out in a blue and yellow MedSailors uniform.
*Update* I’ve just returned from an amazing week on MedSailors’ brand new route in Sicily. You can check out the video and blog review here!*
Just moments before, as I walked towards the Baotic Marina near Split, I was a bundle of nerves and excitement. All along the pier, groups of people were hanging around with their giant rucksacks and wheely bags. We were all playing the same game – eyeing up who we might be living in close confinement with, on a 47ft yacht for the next 7 days.
I would be sharing a double room in the bow of the Espanola yacht (a Premier Plus yacht). I was travelling with one of my best friends so the week was guaranteed to be fun, but as I sized up my 4 new shipmates, I couldn’t help but get a good feeling.
Over the next 7 days we would be sailing the Discovery Route – a loop starting just outside Split, and taking us around the picturesque islands of Solta, Vis, Korcula, Hvar and Brac. Each day we would have breakfast and lunch on board our yacht, a few swimming stops, and weather permitting, some sailing. In the afternoons and evenings we would be free to explore small Croatian towns, sample the local cuisine, and get to know our new boat buddies!
After a safety briefing, we set off towards our first stop – the island of Solta, where we would be mooring in Sesula Bay. Within minutes of departing, we opted to mix up some introductory cocktails rather than unpack. As with many companies offering sailing tours in Croatia, MedSailors cater for the youth market (20-35). However, their approach is more sophisticated than most, with an emphasis on good food and company (they match people with similar interests on the boats). This is not to say there is no partying – it is still a holiday for young people… and we certainly enjoyed a few late, boozy nights!
As I write this, I’m back home in the UK listening to the MedSailors playlist I played on the boat, and wishing I was back on board the Espanola. I could tell you minute by minute what we did (and make you very jealous!) but instead, here are a few of my favourite moments…
Packing cubes have changed the way I pack! Easy to cram lots into, simple to locate in my case, and a great way to organise items. I tend to use the larger one for underwear and socks, and the smaller one for chargers, cables and any other easily-lost electricals. There are plenty to choose from, and Vicki has a fab guide to the best packing cubes around right now. 
