Sitting at a kind of crossroads between the Orient and southeast Asia, with an incredibly rich and varied culture and history, Vietnam has some stories to tell. Not all of them good; many people can still remember the brutal war that took place there in the 1970s – and given this, it’s amazing how quickly [...]| Claire's Footsteps
Fleet Street is one of the most interesting but underrated spots in London. I recently took a walk down the street with my mum, who’s a Blue Badge tour guide, and she regaled fascinating stories from the city! Here are some interesting places to visit on Fleet Street, with websites and Google Maps links! 1. [...]| Claire's Footsteps
From late 2025, UK travellers heading to European Union and Schengen Area countries will face new border systems. These are being introduced for security and data tracking across Europe and will affect everyone entering from outside the EU, including British citizens. Two new systems are being rolled out: Here’s what each involves, how it affects [...]| Claire's Footsteps
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
“Do you have anything that is banned?” said an Uzbek security guard, poking his head around my train cabin’s door as I sat waiting, one of the only people on the train who was travelling all the way to Tashkent. “Nothing banned” I said. He gave my case a cursory glance over, and nodded. “Thankyou”. [...]| Claire's Footsteps
When I first told people of my plans to travel as a solo female in Kazakhstan (or more specifically, to solo travel across the world, but we’ll just talk about Kazakhstan here!), a LOT of people were sceptical. Sadly, the only thing that a lot of people know about the place is that it was [...]| 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
“We were divided for many years. Our country’s not perfect. But we are uniting, and tourism can help with this” our guide Dhanoushka told us as we drove to Sri Lanka’s once war-torn north. The South Asian island nation, often known as the “teardrop of Asia” is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of [...] The post Sri Lanka travel guide appeared first on Claire's Footsteps.| 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
Is Georgia safe? Let’s go into it in this post! Georgia, a nation sitting in Eastern Europe, is somewhere that’s just starting to appear on mainstream tourist’s radar. However, as it’s only just becoming well known on the tourist scene, some travellers wonder about the safety in Georgia before visiting. I’ve been to Georgia twice: [...]| Claire's Footsteps
Louages in Tunisia are probably the most efficient way to explore the North African country. There’s not much information about taking them online, so I thought If’d write this blog post explaining how to take shared taxis in Tunisia! You can use louages to travel between cities in Tunisia; this post is based on my [...]| 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
