Our top moments

Top moments

View over Machu Picchu, Peru - After a bit of a climb up a deep staircase of stone steps, we reached the point where you can view all of Machu Picchu. The sun was warm and the sky clear. It was a boyhood dream for Martin come true.

Swimming with Turtles, Barbados - Our first encounter with these beautiful creatures was not our last. We also swam with them in Indonesia and Cyprus. They motivated us to do our PADI scuba diving qualification when we went to the Dominican Republic.

Luche Libre wresting, Mexico - We went with our tour group to a local event on a Monday evening. We were pretty much the only tourists in the arena. It was full of locals, adults and children, some dressed in classic masks, and the show was exciting and loud - we laughed continuously that night.

Dawes Glacier, Alaska - we woke at 4am and made our way to the helicopter pad at the front of the cruise ship. With 'champagne' in hand, we stood in awe at the view as the boat made its way to the glacier, passing many icebergs along the way. A surreal, unforgettable moment.

Paddy Fields, Lombok - after a real trek around rice paddy fields locals invited us to try planting for ourselves, it was an unchoreographed muddy moment.

Top Towns or Cities

Cusco, Peru - A colonial city built on Inca foundations, characterful, charming and something interesting around every corner.

Hoi An Old town, Vietnam - Old town with much charm, lit overnight by 10,000 lanterns. Beautiful and magical, and entirely unexpected.

Bangkok Chinatown, Thailand - an atmospheric maze of market shops and stalls selling everything under the sun. After visiting a nearby flower market, we had a seafood meal there one evening surrounded by neon lights, mopeds whizzing by and locals enjoying freshly prepared food.

Palenque, Mexico - Large restored Aztec ruins set with a Jungle backdrop - we felt like we were on the set of Indiana Jones. What more could you ask for?

Top' places'

Gilli Isles, Indonesia - whilst there are many 'Gilis' surrounding Bali and Lombok, the 3 main Islands are Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno. These islands are magical and idyllic, with beautiful beaches, a relaxed vibe and abundant marine life - we've found our happy place and will definitely return.

Alaska, USA - Stunning natural scenery, historic towns, and cities, fresh and unpolluted.

Peru, South America - A surprising mix of old and new, it seemed to have something for everyone; at great value too. Inca citideals, colonial townscapes, and modern neighborhoods free of their violent pasts.

Top food/drink

Sushi, Mexico - We stayed in a lovely all-inclusive hotel in Cancun, Mexico. It had 7 restaurants, and the food was outstanding. A particular favorite was tuna Sushi, carved and made fresh from tuna fish right before you.

Joe's Pizza, New York - We were less charmed by New York than many visitors (possibly because of all the other places we'd recently visited), but we found this small pizza place near the public library. They just served pizza by the slice. It was, for a change, good value and tasted terrific.

Egg Coffee, Vietnam - a delightful coffee that can only be described as liquid creme Brule. Made with a frothy topping made from whisked egg whites with condensed milk and sugar, it was a lovely drink to have, both hot and cold.

Miss Ya's cooking class, Phuket, Thailand - the food we made in this cookery session was tasty, especially the green and red Thai curries and the dessert made from rice, coconut milk, and mango - yum!

Top Natural World

Iceberg, glaciers, and waterfalls, Alaska - stunning, it took our breath away. The scenery was something that just couldn't be captured in the many photos we took.

Bald Eagle, Seattle - We crossed Elliot Bay from Seattle and landed on its shoreline. About a km, we spotted a bald eagle sitting peacefully on the beach.

Kangaroos, Australia - Considered vermin in Australia, these magnificent beasts just wander the countryside almost unhindered. They have that look as if they own the place and hang around in gangs, officially called a 'Mob'

Reef of Catalina, Dominican Republic - We scuba-dived twice on this island. The reef was like an alien landscape, rich in sealife and quite spectacular.

Most interesting conversations

John- we met John on one of our tours and somehow wandered onto the topic of goals. He wanted to become a wrestler but thought it sounded daft. He'd also written a book, yet to be published. (name changed)

American stranger, Hot Tub, Alaska - Americans seemed to love conspiracy stories, and this guy told us that President Biden was paying every Mexican who crosses the border $400,000. He was convinced. When Martin checked it out, it turned out the American Government was being sued for illegally separating children from families who cross the Mexican border. The settlement being suggested was $400k for the 2000 families affected.

Vietnam Veteran, Caribbean cruise - Martin took one of the last sunloungers on the deck of the cruise ship, saying hello to his elderly neighbour. It turned out he was just 19 (like Paul Hardcastle's song) when he went off to fight in the Vietnam War. His deployment of 240 men was down to less than thirty after just three weeks, injured or dead. He was deployed near Hue, one of the cities we were to visit in the second part of our Trip.

Taxi driver, Cyprus - we took a taxi from Larnaca to Paphos, driven by an elderly man who later told us he was retired. Part way through, he suddenly told us how he had lost his son recently. He had been injured by a gas canister during a demonstration he attended. Months later, he was dead, following all sorts of problems. The local media, which we read later, reported an inconclusive autopsy. His dad was devastated and left behind a beautiful daughter whom the family was now supporting.

USA Citizen, Mexico - After a session of wine tasting at a posh and pretentious hotel, a middle-aged woman also participating used us if we had a few minutes for a discussion. We thought it would be about Boris Johnson, our PM at the time. To our surprise, she told us they loved the royal family's history, particularly King Henry 8th. What was our view of Anne Boleyn, she asked? Flabergasted, we made up as much as possible and then tried to change the subject. The Lady who worked for the US government, including the Pentagon, was quite inquisitive. Exactly who was she?

Clara, a taxi driver in Antigua - Given we were technically travelling in a pandemic, we asked many people about their experience of Covid was. Asked about Covid, she said, 'the Government only gave us 200 dollars a month - I cried every day. People shared what food they had to get by.'

Top Hotels

Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi - a stunning hotel with old-world charm, bedrooms to die for, and an ability to put you at your ease despite its famous guest list, which included Donald Trump

Phuket Old Town, Thailand - bord of our Western Hotel some 30 km away we booked to stay here overnight for £30. It was the first hotel in Phuket and was recently restored. Whilst not luxurious, it had an authentic charm, friendly staff, and a great location.

Hotel in Bali - the location of this hotel was unbeatable, right on the beach whilst also within a stone's throw of Seminyak town centre. The hotel itself was excellent, with a delicious breakfast.

Biggest and Best

Cable Car, Phu Quoc, Vietnam - a record-breaking 8km cable car joining three smaller islands.

Cusco, Peru - Cusco is around 11,000 ft high in the Peruvian mountains, where there is 20% less oxygen, and the plane lands between the mountains' sides. It also had an Inca fortress with a stone wall made of stones weighing over 200 tons.

Burj Khalifa, Dubai - next to the second largest mall in the world- is the tallest building. Its head is in the clouds and 830m, touched by the desert sun. We stood underneath, looked up, and decided not to count the floors.

Biggest disappointments

The Caribbean - whilst we enjoyed our visit across many islands, they didn't stand up to their idyllic tourist brochure image; not for us anyway. We appreciate we were on a cruise, so we had limited time on each island, but we tried to see as much as possible by making trips. After visiting the Gili isles, we realise the Caribbean is not for us.

Vietnam beaches and sea - Polluted and full of plastic waste dumped by local people. Ha Long Bay was used as a rubbish tip for the same boats that brought tourists. Hotel beaches were frequently swept for rubbish, ever-present elsewhere. However, nearby polluted streams pumped water into the murky sea that lapped those same sands.

Mexican food & wine - Whilst locals love it, we expected to, but we didn't. It might have been due to their use of corn for oil and tortillas. Equally, their local wine, at least the cheaper end, was dreadful.

Top poignant Moments

Phu Quoc Prisoner of War Camp, Vietnam - The inhumane treatment prisons received here during the Vietnam War was horrific, and the free-to-visit site didn't hold back on the grim detail.

Covid discussion, Tour Guide, Peru - Death rates were 50% higher in 2021 in Peru, and whilst everything was shut down, the Government offered people next to nothing in assistance. People survived somehow on sharing and savings.

Top modes of travel

Back of an open van, Lombok, Indonesia - whizzing round local streets, passing a wedding party and local children shouting hello and giving us the finger!

Back of a moped, Hue, Vietnam - Seeing the sights of the city, then it rained, and we were given ponchos to wear.

A boat trip to dive in Krabi, Thailand - with 8-10 ft waves during a developing monsoon - is a trip not to forget!

Bicycle tour in Hoi An, Vietnam - cycling through the paddy fields and local streets away from tourists. Children would run to the roadside to 'high five' us as we went by.

Kayak / Boat - Exploring the ice fields in Alaska

M & J