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Sri Lanka

Feb 5, 2020 Mark Hobbs

The Sigiriya palace and fortress complex in central Sri Lanka is recognized as one of the finest examples of ancient urban planning, which has resulted in it being recognised in 1982 as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Versailles, France

Aug 5, 2022 Mark Hobbs

The Palace of Versailles was the principal residence of the French kings from the time of Louis XIV to Louis XVI. Embellished by several generations of architects, sculptors, decorators and landscape architects, it provided Europe with a model of the ideal royal residence for over a century.

Malaysia, Penang

Dec 15, 2023 Mark Hobbs

George Town is the colorful, multicultural capital of the Malaysian island of Penang. Once an important Straits of Malacca trading hub, the city is known for its British colonial buildings, Chinese shophouses and mosques.

Costa Rica

Dec 15, 2023 Mark Hobbs

Once prevalent throughout the entire Costa Rican Caribbean, Great Green Macaw populations have declined alarmingly in recent decades. The Ara Manzanillo project is one of the programmes aiming to reverse the decline of these beautiful birds.

South Africa:

Dec 15, 2023 Mark Hobbs

The world-famous Kruger National Park is South Africa’s largest game reserve and one of the finest wildlife sanctuaries on the planet. The Kruger has nearly two million hectares of unfenced wilderness, in which more mammal species roam free than in any other game reserve.

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About Mark & Karen

We have always had itchy feet and loved to explore both close and far. What we’d like to do is spend even more time traveling and finding out more about the fantastic and diverse world in which we live!

As part of our mission we actively working on developing our lifestyle to reduce our footprint and impact on the resources of the planet and at the same time free up more of our time and money to use for traveling.

Initially, we sold our house and moved full-time into an RV. In 2022 we cut loose and hit the road.

We have always tried to be conscious of what we put into our bodies which has eventually led us on a path to veganism. Beyond this we are trying to be greener and are adopting a minimalist lifestyle (living in an RV forces you to live with less).

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South Africa: Oudtshoorn – Cango Caves

The Cango Caves is a cultural and natural landmark in South Africa. The 20 million year-old Cango Caves system consists of a series of hidden chambers cut deep into a thick limestone rock layer. It is situated in the Swartberg Mountains, 30 kilometres north of Oudtshoorn.

South Africa: Cape Agulhas

Cape Agulhas or the "Cape of the Needles" is a rocky headland in Western Cape, South Africa. It is the geographic southern tip of Africa and the beginning of the traditional dividing line between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans

South Africa: Gansbaai and shark cages

Gansbaai is a fishing town and popular tourist destination in the Western Cape of South Africa. It is known for its cage diving in search of sharks and for whale watching. We spent a couple days in this small town exploring the region.

South Africa: Muizenberg beach huts

The Muizenberg beach huts are iconic. Their vivid colours lure you right in. This small seaside town is located about 30-minutes from the centre of Cape Town and is known as the South African surfing birthplace. These beach huts offer some shelter from the wind in the height of the summer season.

South Africa: Cape Town – 10 great things to do

Cape Town is a modern, cosmopolitan city surrounded by nature. Centred around Table Mountain, one of the New 7 Wonders of the world, the Mother City is known for its beautiful beaches, stunning biodiversity, award-winning food and wine, and sheer variety of experiences on offer.

South Africa: Boulders Beach

Just around the corner from Simon’s Town lies Boulders Beach, a sheltered cove of soft white sand, massive granite boulders. Boulders Beach and neighbouring Foxy Beach are home to a colony of thousands of African penguins and it's great fun to watch them go about their daily business.

South Africa: Chapmans Peak Drive

Chapman’s Peak Drive toll road, affectionately known as #Chappies., winds its way between Noordhoek and Hout Bay on the Atlantic Coast on the south-western tip of South Africa. Chapman’s Peak Drive is one of the most spectacular marine drives in the world.

South Africa: The Cape of Good Hope

So named by Portugal's King John II this area has captured the imagination of European sailors such as Dias who first named it the Cape of Storms in 1488 and later in 1580 Sir Francis Drake who called it the "The Fairest Cape in all the World".

South Africa: Cape Town – V & A Waterfront

The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is an iconic 123-hectare neighbourhood and is one of Cape Town’s oldest historic attractions with millions of people visiting from all over the continent and world. There a many shopping, dining and entertainment opportunities, making it a must visit place when in Cape Town.

South Africa: Cape Town – Kirstenbosch

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is acclaimed as one of the great botanic gardens of the world. Few gardens can match the sheer grandeur of the setting of Kirstenbosch, against the eastern slopes of Cape Town’s Table Mountain.

South Africa: Cape Town – Robben Island

Robben Island was used at various times between the 17th and 20th centuries as a prison, a hospital for socially unacceptable groups and a military base. Its buildings, particularly those of the late 20th century such as the maximum security prison for political prisoners.

Book Review – The Art of Slow Travel

Many people dream of experiencing the beauty of the difference in language, culture, and geography around the globe. But fears, doubts, and myths hold them back. In this book seasoned slow world traveler Bhavana Gesota, addresses all of these concerns and more.

Namibia: An 18-Day Itinerary

Namibia is a country on the south-west coast of Africa. It is one of the driest and most sparsely populated countries on earth. The Namib Desert in the west and the Kalahari Desert in the east are separated by the Central Plateau.

Namibia: Sossusvlei & Namib Sand Sea

Namib Sand Sea is the only coastal desert in the world that includes extensive dune fields influenced by fog. Covering an area of over three million hectares and a buffer zone of 899,500 hectares, the site is composed of two dune systems.

Book Review – The Third Pole

This book by Mark Synnott explores the expedition to Mount Everest to discover the body of Andrew 'Sandy' Irvine, who died on the mountain along with fellow explorer George Mallory in 1924. The question was did they reach the summit before their death, 28 years before Sir Edumund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing.

Namibia: The coastal town of Swakopmund

Swakopmund is a coastal city in Namibia, west of the capital, Windhoek. Its sandy beaches face the Atlantic Ocean. Established by German colonists in 1892, the city’s colonial landmarks include the Swakopmund Lighthouse and the Mole, an old sea wall.

Namibia: Cape Cross & The Skeleton Coast

Renowned as one of the largest settlement of these animals in the world, the colony of Cape fur seals at Cape Cross marks the spot where the first European explorer Diego Cao set foot on the coast of Namibia in 1486. The spot is now home to a thriving colony of more than 200 000 seals.

Namibia: Twyfelfontein Rock Carvings

This world heritage site is small (less than 1 km2), but includes some remarkable galleries of rock engravings (pteroglyphs) depicting an extraordinary diversity of wild animals – rhino, elephant, giraffe, oryx, ostrich, flamingo, zebra and many more.

Namibia: Khowarib and Palmwag

The desert elephants of northern Namibia have adpated to the environment and thrive along the banks of regions rivers. Other animals such as lions, antelopes and giraffes have also made their homes in these harsh landscapes, but life is always a fine balance here.

Namibia: Etosha National Park

Etosha is one of Africa’s largest game parks, much of which is covered by the silver Etosha salt pan that shimmers in the heat. To the south of the pan there are open grasslands, woodland and permanent waterholes that act as a magnet for game.

Namibia: Nkasa Lupala National Park

Nkasa Rupara National Park, also Nkasa Lupala National Park, formerly Mamili National Park, is a national park in Namibia. It is centred on the Nkasa and Rupara islands on the Kwando/Linyanti River in the southwestern corner of East Caprivi.

Botswana: A Fifteen Day Tour

Botswana, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, has a landscape defined by the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta, which becomes a lush animal habitat during the seasonal floods. The massive Central Kalahari Game Reserve, with its fossilized river valleys and undulating grasslands, is home to numerous animals including giraffes, cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs.

Botswana: Moremi Game Reserve / Okavango Delta

The Moremi Game Reserve initially consisted mostly of the Mopane Tongue area, but in the 1970s the royal hunting grounds, known as Chief’s Island, were added. The Moremi is home to the most endangered species of large mammals: the cheetah, white rhinoceros, black rhinoceros, African wild dog and lion.

Botswana: Makgadikgadi salt pans

The Makgadikgadi Pan, a salt pan situated in north-eastern Botswana, is one of the largest salt flats in the world. The pan is all that remains of the formerly enormous Lake Makgadikgadi, which once covered an area larger than Switzerland, but dried up tens of thousands of years ago.

Botswana: Central Kalahari Game Reserve

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve covers a large section of central Botswana. Its harsh, sprawling terrain is dominated by grasslands, home to wildlife such as giraffes, cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs. There are several fossilized river valleys, including Deception Valley and Passarge Valley, which offer basic campsites.

Botswana: Khama Rhino Sanctuary

Khama Rhino Sanctuary is a community-based wildlife project in Botswana. The animal shelter was established in 1992 to assist in saving the vanishing rhinoceros and restore the historic wildlife populations. Covering approximately 8585 hectares of Kalahari Sandveld, the sanctuary provides prime habitat for white and black rhinos as well as over 30 other animal species and more than 230 species of birds

Zimbabwe: Matobo Hills

The Matobo National Park forms the core of the Matobo or Matopos Hills, an area of granite kopjes and wooded valleys commencing some 35 kilometres south of Bulawayo. The Hills have formed over 2,000 million years ago with molten rock erupting across the landscape — this has eroded to produce smooth ‘whaleback dwalas’ and broken kopjes, strewn with boulders and interspersed with thickets of vegetation.

Zimbabwe: Khami World Heritage Site

Khami (also written as Khame, Kame or Kami) is a ruined city located 22 kilometres west of Bulawayo, in Zimbabwe. It was once the capital of the Kingdom of Butwa of the Torwa dynasty. It is now a national monument and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.

Zimbabwe: Painted Dog Conservation

The painted dog, or African wild dog, was once common in Africa with estimates of over half a million spread among 39 countries. Current estimates put their numbers at about 3,000. Painted Dog Conservation was founded in 1992 by wildlife conservation biologist Greg Rasmussen for the protection of painted dogs and their habitat. The Painted Dog Conservation works to engage and incorporate local communities in protecting painted dogs in Zimbabwe.

Botswana: Nata Bird Sanctuary

The Nata Bird Sanctuary is a reserve which covers an area of 230 km². It is situated on the northeastern fringe of the Sowa Pan, 20 km south of the town Nata. Nata Bird Sanctuary was founded in 1992 with the goal to preserve wildlife, especially bird species. It is one of only three nesting places for flamingos in Africa.

Zimbabwe: Hwange National Park

Hwange National Park is in west Zimbabwe. Its grasslands and mopane woods are home to large elephant herds, lions and African wild dogs. In the northwest, animals gather at Mandavu and Masuma dams, where there are concealed lookouts. Bumbusi National Monument includes 18th-century ruins and pre-colonial rock carvings.

Eswatini: Hlane Royal National Park

Hlane Royal National Park is a protected area in northeastern Swaziland. A flat, lowland area with grassland and shallow pans, the park is traversed by the Umbuluzana River. Roads and trails offer views of diverse wildlife such as lions, elephants, hippos, white rhinos, leopards and giraffes.

Lesotho: Tsehlanyane National Park and Maliba Lodge

Ts'ehlanyane National Park is a National Park in Lesotho. It is located in the Maloti Mountains in Leribe District and is part of the larger Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area. This Lesotho northern park protects a high-altitude, 2,600-metre (8,500 ft) patch of rugged wilderness, including one of Lesotho’s only stands of indigenous forest with a number of rare undergrowth plants that are unique to this woodland habitat.

South Africa: Cape Town – Bo-Kaap

The Bo-Kaap is an area of Cape Town, South Africa formerly known as the Malay Quarter. It is a former racially segregated area, situated on the slopes of Signal Hill above the city centre and is a historical centre of Cape Malay culture in Cape Town.

Namibia: Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch

As the name suggests Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch is situated in the red Kalahari Desert. Less than 300 km from Windhoek it is the perfect stop-over for guests travelling south to the Fish River Canyon. The Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch offers accommodation in the Kalahari in 14 chalets or rooms and 5 campsites. Several interesting activities can be booked, for instance, cheetah feeding, star viewing and bushmen walks.

Botswana: Chobe National Park – Kasane

Chobe National Park is Botswana’s first National Park and has one of the largest concentrations of game in Africa. By size, it is the third largest park in the country, after the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Gemsbok National Park.

Zimbabwe: Victoria Falls National Park

Victoria Falls presents a spectacular sight of awe-inspiring beauty and grandeur on the Zambezi River, forming the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It was described by the Kololo tribe living in the area in the 1800s as ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ – ‘The Smoke that Thunders’. In more modern terms Victoria Falls is known as the greatest curtain of falling water in the world. Columns of spray can be seen from miles away as, at the height of the rainy season, more than five hundred million cubic meters of water per minute plummet over the edge, over a width of nearly two kilometres, into a gorge over one hundred meters below.

A reading list of travel themed books

As a regular traveller, I find plenty of downtime to fill, especially as we move from place to place. This is a great time to catch up with my reading (or blogging). In this blog post, I have listed some of the books I have read with a travel theme, should you be looking for some ideas for of books to take with you on your journey.

Zambia: South Luangwa National Park

Zambia's most famous safari destination, South Luangwa National Park is tropical, wild, beautiful and full of game. Situated in a wide rift valley, the park is flanked by the Muchinga escarpment to the west and the meandering Luangwa River to the east.

Book Review – The Last Wild Men of Borneo

In The Last Wild Men of Borneo, author Carl Hoffman tells the stories of two Westerners who spent their lives in Borneo during the 1970s and 1980s, when it was still largely wild and unexplored. Their personal journies are very different, but they both become embroiled in the changing nature of this beautiful land where orangutans roamed the jungles and tribes of native Borneans lived their lives as the had done for hundreds of years, unexposed to the outside world.

Malawi: Exploring Malawi a ten day tour

Malawi is a landlocked country in southeastern Africa. Endowed with spectacular highlands and extensive lakes, it occupies a narrow, curving strip of land along the East African Rift Valley. Lake Nyasa, known in Malawi as Lake Malawi, accounts for more than one-fifth of the country’s total area. We took a 10-day tour of Malawi that included visiting two wildlife reserves, a high-forest plateau, a beautiful island on Lake Malawi an stopping on a tea plantation. It was an amazing journey and one we will never forget.

Malawi: Huntingdon House

Originally the family home built by Maclean Kay in 1928, Huntingdon House exudes a colonial charm and unique character that cannot be recreated. This magnificent house forms the heart of Satemwa Tea Estate and is surrounded by sprawling manicured gardens with secret patios and terraces waiting to be discovered by guests.

UK: Lincoln – Castle and Cathedral

We spent the day exploring the picturesque city of Lincoln, exploring its castle and cathedral. Lincoln is a Cathedral City and the county town of Lincolnshire - one of the UK's largest counties. Part of the East Midlands, Lincolnshire sits on the East coast of England, to the north of Norfolk and the south of Yorkshire - nestled between the Humber and the Wash.

Malawi: Lake Malawi & Mumbo Island

Located at the southern end of the great expanse of Lake Malawi, with its deep, clear waters and mountain backdrop, the national park is home to many hundreds of fish species, nearly all endemic. Its importance for the study of evolution is comparable to that of the finches of the Galapagos Islands.

Malawi: Zomba Plateau

Zomba Plateau is a wonder, a one-off feature, it is an upland area of forest and farmland, it occupies a total area of about 130 square km. It rises from the surrounding plain and is an oasis of beauty and calm. Zomba Plateau is radically different from what surrounds it – it is cooler, it has rare varieties of plants, it offers some breath-taking views, and is a haven of seclusion and peace. Zomba Plateau forms part of the Shire highlands that run from the southern end of Lake Malombe. At 2087 metres above sea level, it’s a wonder to see and visit.

UK: York – 10 great things to do

York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is a historic county town in Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a minster, castle, and city walls.

Malawi: Liwonde National Park

Although only 220 sq miles (580 sq km), Liwonde is perhaps the most popular of all of Malawi’s game parks, with its beautiful riverine setting and teeming wildlife offering thrilling safaris. Wildlife includes many elephants, and the river attracts countless hippos and crocodiles. Lions, cheetahs and wild dogs have been recently reintroduced into Liwonde. Antelope include kudu, sable and bushbuck. Leopards, hyenas and black rhinos are also occasionally spotted. Birdlife is exceptionally varied. The river attracts fish eagles and weaver birds build their nests in the thin woodland. Pel’s fishing owl is often seen at dusk along the river’s edge.

UK: York – Treasurer’s House

This house was the residence of the treasurers of York Minster from 1100 until the office was abolished by Henry VIII. It belonged to 3 post-Reformation Archbishops of York, the last of whom, Thomas Young, rebuilt it. Further alterations were made in the early 17th century; the building fell into decline during the 19th century by which time Young’s mansion had been split into at least five separate properties. The present garden front with its classical central entrance bay dates from c.1630. It now contains the furniture collection of the wealthy industrialist and aesthete Frank Green, who restored and remodelled the building after acquiring it in 1897. Inside, Green’s architect, Temple Moore, created a huge hall out of the 2-storey central block with a half-timbered gallery supported by classical columns. There is an early 18th-century staircase that has been attributed to the joiner-architect William Thornton, who worked at Beningbrough.

Malawi: Majete Wildlife Reserve

Majete is an incredible conservation success story – less than 20 years ago it was nearly devoid of wildlife, but now it is one of Malawi’s premier Big Five parks with thriving animal populations and plentiful birdlife. It is truly off-the-beaten-track; a completely unspoilt wilderness destination offering a sense of total serenity, far away from the tourist crowds.

UK: York – National Railway Museum

The museum tells the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It is the home of the national collection of historically significant railway vehicles such as Mallard, Stirling Single, Duchess of Hamilton and a Japanese bullet train.

Tanzania: Ngorogoro Conservation Area

The Ngorongoro Crater - with its lush green plains, woodland trees and wildflowers - is one of the most popular travel destinations in Tanzania. A stunningly beautiful place, it's often referred to as the ‘Garden of Eden’. Ngorongoro has been the site of numerous archaeological discoveries over the years, and it's now one of the best places for safari in East Africa.

Tanzania: Stone Town, Zanzibar

A labyrinth of chaotic alleyways interposed between towering limestone houses with ornately carved arched hardwood doors with brass finishings and terracotta roofs. Stone Town is a melting pot of cultures and one of the last remaining ancient towns in Africa. It offers a rare cultural and historical insight into a former era of trade and exploration.

UK: York – Jorvik Viking Centre

At JORVIK Viking Centre you are standing on the site which revealed some of the most astounding discoveries in modern archaeology. Your first experience at JORVIK is an exploration of the Coppergate Dig, with a fully immersive display taking you back to the 1970s. The Jorvik's interactive ride takes you around 10th century York city, experiencing what it was like living in the city. The sights, sounds and even the smells of the Viking Age are brought vividly back to life as you journey back 1,000 years. There is also an exhibit of rare Viking artefacts, from delicate earrings and socks to frying pans and padlocks and even a fossilised Viking poo!

UK: York – The Castle Museum

York Castle Museum was founded by Dr John Kirk, a doctor from Pickering, North Yorkshire, and houses his extraordinary collection of social history, reflecting everyday life in the county. One of its renowned displays is the reconstructed street, Kirkgate, which has been hugely influential in museum displays worldwide. The York Castle Museum is housed in a former debtors’ prison and an adjoining former women’s prison, a Grade I listed building. The museum’s name comes from the fact it stands on the site of the former York Castle.

Tanzania: Serengeti National Park

The Serengeti is one of the most famous parks in Africa and is synonymous with wildlife and classic African scenery. It is Tanzania's oldest park and a Unesco World Heritage Site. It is home to the spectacular wildebeest migration and offers top-class wildlife viewing throughout the year.

UK: York – York Minster

Since the 7th century, the Minster has been at the centre of Christianity in the north of England and today remains a thriving church rooted in the daily offering of worship and prayer. The Minster was built for the glory of God. Every aspect of this ancient building – from the exquisite, handcrafted stone through to the unrivalled collection of medieval stained glass – tells the story of Jesus Christ.

Kenya: 11-Day Tour

Kenya is a beautiful country and one of the best places in the world for wildlife safaris. The landscapes vary from wide open savannahs to desert to vast lakes to lush mountain forests. Here you will find an incredible array of wildlife.

UK: Cumbria – Lake District

The 885-square-mile Lake District is a hauntingly beautiful part of northwest England that was voted the nation's favorite national park in 2018. The region seduced Wordsworth and other literary giants, and continues to attract sightseers, walkers and adventurers in search of its fascinating heritage and abundant outdoor activities.

Kenya: Masai Mara National Reserve

Masai Mara National Park is located in Kenya along the border of Tanzania and is contiguous with the neighbouring Serengeti National Park. Masai Mara stretches across an area of 580 square miles (1,510 sq km).

Uganda: 12-Day Tour

Uganda is a beautiful country - lush and green (which means it gets its fair share of rain). Uganda has a variety of wildlife and birdlife that is unmatched by almost any other country, with the big draw being the mountain gorilla. But there are lots of other things to see along the way. We planned a 12-day tour which covered most of the south-western part of Uganda. For Uganda, we decided to use a tour company, who provided a car and driver for our 12-day itinerary. We decided to not self-drive in Uganda to give us some time to adjust to what being on the road in Africa might be like. It turned out to be a good decision!

UK: Cheshire – Jodrell Bank

Jodrell Bank Observatory, formerly Nuffield Radio Astronomy Laboratories or Jodrell Bank Experimental Station, location of one of the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescopes, which has a reflector that measures 76 metres (250 feet) in diameter. Immediately after World War II the British astronomer Alfred Charles Bernard Lovell, working at the University of Manchester’s botanical site at Jodrell Bank with war-surplus radar equipment, began research in radio and radar astronomy.

UK: 10 great things to do in Stratford-Upon-Avon

Famed for its ties to William Shakespeare and its romanticized Tudor architecture, Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town packed with history and heritage. Of all the things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace is the star attraction. The renowned poet and playwright lived in the town and you can walk in his footsteps at his childhood residence

UK: Warwickshire – Kenilworth Castle

Once one of the country’s most formidable medieval fortresses, the castle was later transformed into a spectacular Elizabethan palace by Robert Dudley in an effort to impress his queen. Today you can explore the mighty medieval keep, climb up Tudor towers, wander through a unique Elizabethan garden and get hands on with history in the family-friendly exhibition

UK: Warwickshire – Shakespeare’s New Place in Stratford

Shakespeare’s New Place was his family home from 1597 until he died in the house in 1616. The house was demolished in 1759, and a registered garden has been designed on the site where New Place once stood to commemorate the importance of the site and allow visitors to make their own personal connection with Shakespeare.

UK: London – Thames River

On the banks of the River Thames, London has spread out to become one of the biggest financial, entertainment and trade hubs in the world and in part, this is due to the proximity to this large (and famous) river. With many of the city’s biggest tourist sites being dotted along its banks, London’s River Thames has a lot of history.

Uganda: The equator

Uganda is one of the few countries in the world where the imaginary line that divides the earth into two half passes. The Equator or the Uganda equator crosses into Uganda at a point situated 75km south of Kampala along the Kampala – Masaka road.

Uganda: Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park is a very special place; every part of it is alive with variety, interest and colour. It contains an extensive area of wetland and also harbours several species of mammals and birds found nowhere else in Uganda. Another nice thing is that this Park is close to Kampala and Entebbe, and can be reached within 3 to 3 1/2 hours by road.

Uganda: Bwindi Impenetrable Rainforest

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the southwestern part of Uganda on the rim of the Rift Valley. This “impenetrable forest” protects a stable population of 320 mountain gorillas; around half of the world's population.

UK: London – Westminster Abbey & Palace

The Palace of Westminster is a Victorian Gothic masterpiece designed by Sir Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin to replace the medieval parliament buildings, which burnt to the ground in 1834. The result of their work is one of the great buildings of the Victorian era and acts as home to the Houses of Parliament. Westminster Abbey has been the site of coronation for all British monarchs since 1066 and is home to the ancient Coronation Chair, which is found in St George’s Chapel. It is also the final resting place of 30 kings and queens with memorials to Edward the Confessor, Richard II, Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots and more royal tombs found within the abbey.

Kenya: Lake Naivasha

Situated at an elevation of 1,884m, Lake Naivasha is the highest lake within the Great Rift Valley. It dominates the landscape, and is surrounded by a swamp beyond which are forests fever trees.

UK: London – Tower of London

Tower of London, byname the Tower, royal fortress and London landmark. Its buildings and grounds served historically as a royal palace, a political prison, a place of execution, an arsenal, a royal mint, a menagerie, and a public records office. It is located on the north bank of the River Thames.

UK: London – Maritime Greenwich

The ensemble of buildings at Greenwich, an outlying district of London, and the park in which they are set, symbolize English artistic and scientific endeavour in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Queen's House (by Inigo Jones) was the first Palladian building in England, while the complex that was until recently the Royal Naval College was designed by Christopher Wren. The park, laid out on the basis of an original design by André Le Nôtre, contains the Old Royal Observatory, the work of Wren and the scientist Robert Hooke.

UK: London – National Maritime Museum

National Maritime Museum, the world's largest museum dedicated to things nautical, tells the long and complicated history of Britain's relationship to the sea. The museum houses a huge collection of maritime exhibits including maritime art (both British and 17th-century Dutch), cartography, manuscripts including official public records, ship models and plans, scientific and navigational instruments.

UK: Greenwich, London – Cutty Sark

The Cutty Sark is a British clipper ship. Built on the River Leven, Dumbarton, Scotland in 1869 for the Jock Willis Shipping Line, she was one of the last tea clippers to be built and one of the fastest, coming at the end of a long period of design development for this type of vessel, which halted as steamships took over their routes.

Uganda: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park has the widest variety of wildlife of any Ugandan park. The variety of habitats includes grassland savannah, forests, wetlands and lakes. This provides the setting for an extensive range of large mammals and primates.

Kenya: Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Situated in the foothills of snow-capped Mount Kenya in central Kenya’s Laikipia County, Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a trailblazer in conservation, most famous for protecting the world’s last two northern white rhinos.

Uganda: Kibale National Park

Kibale Forest National Park is one of the best safari destinations in Africa for chimpanzee trekking & has the highest number & diversity of primates in East Africa. There are 13 species of primates including chimpanzees living within its boundaries.

Kenya: Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park sits in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's largest mountain. The name "Amboseli" comes from a Maasai word meaning "salty dust", and it is one of the best places to view large herds of elephants.

Uganda: Ziwa Rhino Sancturary

In 2005, Rhino Fund Uganda reintroduced the highly endangered rhinos in Uganda at the 7,000-hectare Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. The sanctuary is currently home to 33 southern white rhinoceros and the lone breeding centre in Uganda.

France & Belgium: UNESCO listed belfries

The Belfries of Belgium and France are 56 bell-towers, built between the 11th and 20th centuries. They are mostly found in town centres and connected to the local town hall or church. At their time, the Belfries represented the growing importance of cities instead of the feudal system in the Middle Ages.

France: Hauts de France – Amiens cathedral

The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Amiens (French: Basilique Cathédrale Notre-Dame d'Amiens), or simply Amiens Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic church. The cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Amiens. It is situated on a slight ridge overlooking the River Somme. The cathedral was built almost entirely between 1220 and c. 1270, a remarkably short period of time for a Gothic cathedral, giving it an unusual unity of style. The cathedral has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.

France: Paris – A guide to visiting Paris

We have both been to Paris many times and absolutely love visiting this beautiful city. The is something truly special about the 'City of Lights'. Of course, there is plenty to enjoy in the culture, restaurants and bars of Paris, but for the first (or many times) visitor, there are some must-see places.

France: Paris – Château de Fontainebleau

The Château de Fontainebleau is located in the small town bearing the same name and lies 40 miles (65 km) south-southeast of Paris by road. It has been the residence of 34 kings and two emperors, Fontainebleau is the only château that was lived in by every French monarch for almost eight centuries. With 1500 rooms, it is one of the biggest châteaux in France, and the most furnished in Europe.

France: Paris – Palais Garnier, Opera House

The Palais Garnier, also known as Opéra Garnier, is a 1,979-seat opera house at the Place de l'Opéra in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was built for the Paris Opera from 1861 to 1875 at the behest of Emperor Napoleon III. It is also famous due to its use as the setting for Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera.

France: Paris – The dome of the Galleries Lafayette

Created by master glassworker Jacques Gruber in the “Art nouveau” or “Art déco” style, the dome ceiling of the Galleries Lafayette is a incredibly beautiful as we as being functional (it lets in lots of light) and has been attracting visitors to the store in its own right for over 100 years.

France: Paris – Sacré-Cœur & the Monmartre

The Sacré-Coeur, consecrated in 1919, is one of the most iconic monuments in Paris. At the top of the Butte Montmarte, it has one of the most beautiful panoramic views of the capital, from 130 metres above the ground. In a Roman-Byzantine style, the Sacré Coeur is recognizable by its white colour. Inside the building, the ceiling is decorated with the largest mosaic in France measuring about 480 m². The crypt is also worth a visit. And to go even higher up, visitors can access the dome where the 360° view of Paris is magnificent.
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