Five Foot Traveller Blog

What happened today

Some images of the tsunami in Japan following the 8.9 earthquake which hit its northeastern coast earlier today: In Natori, Miyagi prefecture (AP) Whirlpools seen in Iwaki city, Fukushima prefecture (Reuters)   Natural gas...

Hit by a fluke

  It was the strangest backpackers’ hostel I’d ever seen. Everyone was in their 60s. None of the usual scruffy, young types I could relate to and have meaningful conversations with.    The music...

You go, girl

Seeing the world is great fun, but how do you look after yourself on the road, especially if you’re a female travelling alone? Women have a different set of concerns when they’re out and...

Always time for tea

The minute I crossed the road and locked eyes with him I knew I should have turned left. Or right. Or anywhere else. “Good morning, it’s a beautiful day,” the man called out. “Yes,...

Musn’t forget the painkillers

I’m leaving for Istanbul in two days and tried my rucksack on a few hours ago. It’s not heavy (I’ve taken out my three pairs of stilletos, hairdryer and giant makeup bag) but because...

Ditch that guidebook, grab something else!

Guidebooks like Lonely Planet, Frommer’s and The Rough Guide are usually the first books you grab when you start planning a trip. And why not? When they come complete with suggested itineraries and packing...