Freelance Writer
My loop of north-east Vietnam wasn’t my first bike trip, and I was happy that the sum total of my prior experience meant that, if nothing else had been learned over the years, at least on this one I didn’t pack much. Another product of experience revealed itself quite early on, as I became aware…
This is part 6 of a series about a solo motorbike trip I took around north-east Vietnam in December 2018. Each story can be enjoyed alone, and together they form one big over-arching story. It’s about road trips, motorbikes, solo travel and finding yourself on the open road. And of course, it’s about Vietnam. Sign…
This is part 5 of a series of articles about a solo motorbike trip I took around north-east Vietnam in December 2018. Each story can be enjoyed alone, and together they form one big over-arching story. It’s about road trips, motorbikes, solo travel and finding yourself on the open road. And of course, it’s about…
This is part 4 of a series about a solo motorbike trip I took around north-east Vietnam in December 2018. Each story can be enjoyed alone, and together they form one big over-arching story. It’s about road trips, motorbikes, solo travel and finding yourself on the open road. And of course, it’s about Vietnam. Sign…
The view from my homestay in Pác Ngòi village, Bắc Kạn province, Vietnam. The southern edge of Ba Bể Lake is visible in the background This is part 2 of a series about a solo motorbike trip I took around north-east Vietnam in December 2018. Each story can be enjoyed alone, and together they form…
The view of Ba Bể Lake, from my homestay in Pac Ngoi village. This is part 1 of a series of articles about a solo motorbike trip I took around north-east Vietnam in December 2018. Each story can be enjoyed alone, and together they form one big over-arching story. It’s about road trips, motorbikes, solo…
Maybe it’s a reaction to the slow continuing churn of lockdowns, travel restrictions and the imminent end of summer, but I’ve been on a Parts Unknown binge this week, the travel show hosted by the charismatic and tragically late Anthony Bourdain. Naturally I began my journey in my home away from home, and the iconic…
Photo by Ruby Doan on Unsplash Now it’s feeling like spring, despite the worst weather all winter. Years in Ireland last around 15 months, from January of one year to March of the next, such is the length of the winter. Spring is rarely counted, unless you’re into the league or the lambing, and it’s probably still the…
The Hakuba Valley is quite a beautiful place on bluebird days, with the backdrop of the Japanese Alps reminiscent of their European namesake. Here’s a resort guide for Honshu, Japan’s main island. If you want a general overview of skiing in Japan, click here. For a guide to some of Hokkaido’s resorts, click here.
Winter in Japan is a beautiful place. Happo One, Hakuba valley, Nagano prefecture, Japan. Photo by Tomas on Unsplash A few people have been asking me lately about travelling in Japan in general and skiing there more specifically. The first thing I did on my first visit to Japan in 2017 was get a flight to Hokkaido…