Top 5 ‘Short Hop’ From England Destinations

I’ve decided to create a list of my top five European destinations which are only a ‘short hop’ away from England. Why? So that you know where to visit! But also because I’m from New Zealand (A Kiwi), and each year many Kiwis and Aussies leave their homeland to head to England for an OE (Overseas Experience). […]

Don’t Get Eaten! Bear Safety Tips

I’ve seen black, brown and grizzly bears in the wild numerous times now, I’ve never had a bad encounter with one so what follows is a summary of all the information I’ve gained from a variety of sources – from reading, from park rangers and from locals I met in Alaska. For me, bears are […]

Thoughts on Choosing Your Travel Accommodation

I want to talk today about travel and how our choice of accommodation impacts our experience in and impression of a new destination. I’ve been to some pretty mundane places and had fantastic experiences, conversely, I’ve been to some right up there top destinations and had very average experiences. In my opinion, it comes down […]

Planning For Two Months in Alaska

Months of waiting are finally over, we’re now only one day from stepping foot in Alaska for the first time. Have to say I’m pretty excited. However, I’ve found people’s responses vary quite differently when I say Renee and I are heading to Alaska for two months before New Zealand. Some people instantly understand, they […]

English as Your First Language, Blessing or a Curse?

This post originated when I was asked to enter the Kaplan blogging competition. So if you find my words interesting, entertaining, or if you’d just like to help me win something please head over to the Kaplan competition page here and leave a comment along the lines of “I vote for SamsPlayground.com”. Thanks a million. […]

Getting the Most From a Travel Destination

I recently read a guest post by Will Peach on The World or Bust blog. Will’s article titled ‘The Worst Place I’ve Ever Been: Kuta, Bali‘ was bloody hilarious; Will provided a nice escape from all the positive destination stuff that most travel bloggers churn out. I love travelling, but I don’t always have a great […]

Basic Tips to Better Travel Photography

I’m not a photography expert but I’m fast turning into a serious photography enthusiast. Sometimes I look back at my previous travel photography and I can’t help but cringe – what was I thinking I have to wonder… It’s not all bad, but a lot of it could be better (it can always be better). […]

Shoes for Backpacking

When I was trying to decide what to pack for my first overseas trip I had a lot of difficulty deciding what footwear to take. Footwear is important for backpacking; it makes sense since your feet are your most regular means of transport. But there are so many different types of footwear for so many […]

Hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park

There is an abundance of opportunities for hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park with a staggering 355 miles of hiking trails! The park ranges in elevations from 7,500 to over 12,000 feet; there are plenty of easy hiking trails, plus many strenuous hikes where you need to know your stuff and if you’re not in the best […]

Camping For Free in Utah

For Love of the Land One of the aspects of driving through Utah we really enjoyed was the ease in which we found unique and free camp-sites. On my guest post/interview on Captain and Clark’s website I named Utah one of my highlights from all the time I’ve spent travelling for this very reason. I’ve […]