In 1825, the world’s first public passenger railway began operating between Stockton and Darlington. What started as an industrial experiment soon transformed Britain (and the rest of the world). This year marks the 200th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, and there’s no better time to explore the places that shaped Britain’s railway story. [...]| Claire's Footsteps
This year, Sri Lanka travel is being mentioned more and more in the news. “Everyone I Know Is Heading To Sri Lanka” Suitcase Mag says. “The winter sun island luring back visitors with heritage wildlife and low prices” iNews proclaims. Tourism in the south of Sri Lanka is booming. But in the north, in areas [...] The post 9 things to do in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka (travel guide) appeared first on Claire's Footsteps.| Claire's Footsteps
From the top of Sigiriya, a sea of green forest stretches for miles. “This area’s all protected”, our guide told us. “You can see how lush Sri Lanka’s nature is”. Clouds gathered on the horizon, and the sun started to set. After an arduous climb up 1,200 steps to the top, taking a breather here [...]| Claire's Footsteps
Few countries have had to contend with situations like Sri Lanka’s last 40 years. First came the civil war, a brutal 26 year conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (otherwise known as “Tamil Tigers”). Of course, the victims in it were innocent civilians – on both sides, but [...] The post Not flying is best for the environment. But the cost of not visiting could be greater. appeared first on Claire's Footsteps.| Claire's Footsteps
We hadn’t even made it to the national park, when we saw an elephant making its way through the roadside trees. “We see them a lot here” our guide Dhanoushka told us. “But this can cause problems. Humans and elephants are still learning to live together in Sri Lanka”. I was on a ten-day trip [...]| Claire's Footsteps
Everyone kept telling me this was the best ferry in Europe. “It’s basically a cruise,” they said. Some even claimed it beat Silja Line. Naturally, I booked it. This was Color Magic, sailing overnight from Oslo to Kiel, and at €289, it was the most expensive ferry ticket I’ve ever bought. I’ve crossed Europe by [...] The post Is Europe’s best ferry worth the hype? appeared first on Claire's Footsteps.| Claire's Footsteps
London to Tangier. On a map, it’s 1,500 miles. Flight time, around 3.5 hours. Without flying? I was about to find out. It was raining in London St Pancras and the crowds were surging. Gripping my coffee like my trip depended on it, the current of people took me as I shuffled through Eurostar baggage [...] The post I did a “Race Across the World” trip in real life 🚝 appeared first on Claire's Footsteps.| Claire's Footsteps
This is Åland: a Swedish-speaking, demilitarised archipelago that’s part of Finland. I’d wanted to visit for ages — mostly because I had so many questions. Why is it Swedish-speaking? How autonomous is it really? And why can’t any country have a military presence here? I travelled here by overnight ferry from Helsinki, and a couple [...]| Claire's Footsteps
Thinking of skipping the plane and taking the sleeper train from Paris to Berlin? Here’s what it’s actually like to travel overnight on the ÖBB Nightjet. The Paris to Berlin Nightjet: route overview The sleeper train departs Paris Gare de l’Est at 19:12 and arrives at Berlin Hauptbahnhof at 08:26 the next morning. It operates [...]| Claire's Footsteps
Paris has been at the centre of European politics, revolution, and resistance for over two centuries. This post highlights six key days that reshaped not just France, but the world – and shows you exactly where to go if you want to follow the story on foot (like I did in this YouTube video). It [...]| Claire's Footsteps
I recently spent two weeks in Jordan, and I have so much to share! Is Jordan worth visiting? I think yes, absolutely – I absolutely loved my time there. There are a few things to think about as well, so let’s dig into the reasons to visit Jordan AND considerations when planning a trip. Reasons [...]| Claire's Footsteps
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is one of the most welcoming and fascinating countries I’ve ever visited. It’s super safe, the locals are among the friendliest people in the world, the food is delicious, the history is fascinating and the landscapes are wonderfully diverse. While it’s a relatively easy country to travel in, here’s a [...]| Claire's Footsteps
Is Everest Base Camp dangerous? Or is Everest Base Camp safe? Let's take a look at Everest Base Camp trek safety.| Claire's Footsteps
Is Georgia worth visiting? Yes! “Georgia is a country for life” I was told on the first day of my second visit to the country. I’ve been to Georgia twice now and both times, I’ve been struck by how welcoming the country is, along with the diversity of attractions and activities on offer. Located in [...]| Claire's Footsteps
Is Tunisia safe for travel? We’ll go into it in this article! It may be the smallest country in North Africa, but Tunisia’s packed with UNESCO World Heritage Sites and thousands of years of history. Not to mention the beaches – Tunisia boasts a stunning Mediterranean coastline, and that coupled with warm weather and cheaper [...]| Claire's Footsteps