• More than blossoms – springtime Japan

    More than blossoms – springtime Japan

    For many, a bucket list experience is to visit Japan during the springtime ‘sakura’ (cherry blossom) season, but there is so much more to see. Each year in late March, World Journeys operates a small hosted group to experience it all – Cherry Blossom Japan. It all begins in Tokyo, with the contrasting experiences of…

  • My Morocco

    My Morocco

    Morocco offers the traveller a unique blend of culture, history, cuisine and natural beauty. Essentially, it’s my kind of travel. From the bustling city of Marrakech to the vast expanse of the Sahara Desert and the coastal town of Essaouira, there’s no shortage of fascinating places to explore. Starting with Marrakech, it’s a vibrant city…

  • Cape Town to Dar es Salaam

    Cape Town to Dar es Salaam

    My adventure aboard Rovos Rail was a long time coming.  Having booked for 2020, it only became possible to climb aboard in 2022. My chosen route of Cape Town to Dar es Salaam takes just over two weeks to wend its way from South Africa to Botswana, Victoria Falls, Zambia and finally Tanzania. Quite the…

  • Wild Scotland

    Wild Scotland

    When you think of Scottish cities, Edinburgh and Glasgow will probably come to mind. But the country has so much more to offer its visitors, especially for those looking for picturesque landscapes, wildlife and fascinating history amongst the some 790 harsh and often remote islands that lie in Scottish waters. Along with 70 fellow guests,…

  • Africa on the Horizon

    Africa on the Horizon

    ‘Enforced downtime’ is a very glass-half-full way of describing the life of a travel agent in recent times. With business on hold late last year, one of World Journeys’ friends Pam Hardy, of YOU Travel, Levin, seized the opportunity to head back to her favourite destination – Africa.  Thrilling wildlife encounters, luxurious safari camps and…

  • For the Love of Lions

    For the Love of Lions

    Where is the best place to see lions? Asking me about my favourite place to see lions is like asking me to choose a favourite child. From the wide-open plains of the Masai Mara to the waterways of the Okavango Delta, there are some incredible safari camps and lodges who make it their mission to…

  • Memories of Mana Pools

    Memories of Mana Pools

    Zimbabwe was the first African country I visited and, as a result, it has always held a special place in my heart. Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park and Lake Kariba are all ‘must-sees’ but Mana Pools National Park actually ranks above all of them as one of my favourite places – not just in Zimbabwe,…

  • I Have Loved It All

    I Have Loved It All

    As is the case with many travel-nuts, my early days were peppered with jaunts around the country, and an immersive exchange experience to Tahiti. Learning to bargain was eye-opening, particularly in French, igniting in me an intense curiosity about our incredible world, its landscapes, cultures and languages.  After studying linguistics at university, I told my…

  • A Latin Affair

    A Latin Affair

    Growing up in Christchurch, my desire to travel was first awakened when our next-door neighbour travelled to Kingston, Jamaica for the 1966 Empire (Commonwealth) Games. He worked for an airline, and I thought “how amazing”! I decided then and there, at the age of 12, that tourism was going to be my future. So I…

  • Dreams are free…

    Dreams are free…

    Just like that, Covid-19 changed us; Jack London or Stephen King could have had a field day. We learnt a new language which included: social distancing, Zoom meetings, elbow bumps and self-isolation. Planes were grounded, families were separated across the world, swathes of jobs disappeared, and what was with the dearth of toilet paper? I…

  • Driving Iceland

    Driving Iceland

    As a horse-crazy young girl, the photos of Icelandic horses in my library of equine picture books caught my eye every time.  Noticeably smaller than other breeds, their coats were covered with a gorgeous range of colours and patterns, with fluffy manes blowing in the wind, their eyes reflecting their gentle nature. These adorable beasts…

  • Georgia On My Mind

    Georgia On My Mind

    You’d be forgiven for thinking I was about to wax lyrical about Atlanta or Savannah, but if I ever catch a strain of Ray Charles, my mind drifts to Tbilisi instead. Perched on the shores of the Black Sea and surrounded by the exotic delights of Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia, Georgia has a few…