2011 culinary highlights
What better way to summarise a year of travel than with a few poorly collated photographs? I hope that some of these make you hungry (I’m fairly sure that quite a few of them won’t)
Travel collections: what objects do you bring back from your trips?
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. If I could be a teenager again, ready to embark on a lifetime of travel, I’d probably do a few things differently second time around. One piece of wisdom I’d offer those about to start their travels would be to experience the joy of creating a collection of stuff. If I [...]
5 things to do for free in a five star hotel
Let’s face it: for most of us a five star hotel is an elusive treat. With travel budgets becoming increasingly tight most people would pay less for a week’s worth of accommodation than some of the most exclusive places charge for a night. But just because staying a night in a top hotel may be [...]
Is it ever right to make money from tragedy?
The streets and public squares of Budapest were once dominated by a series of giant imposing statues that celebrated the power of communist philosophy. When the Soviet influence was overthrown the newly elected government had to work out what to do with these over-sized symbols of repression. They decided to set up a dedicated park [...]
5 anatomical changes to make travel easier
Travelling to faraway places will always provide us with exhilarating moments. These are the ones that we use to make our friends and family green with envy on our return home. But a trip of any reasonable length will rarely pass without those times when our happy disposition has a day off (or at the very [...]
12 things you wouldn’t expect to find in Japan
Five-storied red pagodas, carefully manicured gardens, geisha girls and futuristic skylines: just a few of the most popular images of Japan. During our month travelling around the country we saw all of the above. Yet Japan is a country we hear relatively little about and in the course of our travels we stumbled across plenty [...]
Backpacking danger: what are the risks and how have they changed?
Policemen getting younger, footballers 10 years our junior being described as ageing veterans, our early years forever framed in grainy black and white: all reminders that our lives move on at a relentless pace. In our travels too the passage of time provides clear evidence that the world we explore today is quite different from [...]
Why living without a smartphone isn’t really that bad
There was a time around 30 years ago when talking into a large brick was the hallmark of a sophisticated businessman. The mobile phones of the 1980s were barely worthy of the ‘mobile’ tag and must have been an ordeal to hold up to your ears for more than a few moments. Thankfully the cost [...]
The benefits of a non-commercial travel blog
In May 2009 I set up 501 Places and posted my first entry. At the time I knew nothing about blogging and had decided to set up this site with the simple aim of keeping to a discipline of writing 500 words a day while I pitched for freelance work. Two and a half years [...]
Miyajima – Japan’s Holy Island
Before we came to Japan I received suggestions from several people about the places we shouldn’t miss. The advice to visit Miyajima was unanimous. Reading a little further into this I discovered that Miyajima is also listed as one Japan’s three most scenic spots. I felt compelled to find out for myself what the fuss [...]
About Andy
Freelance travel writer and lifelong traveller. I currently manage several blogs for clients in the travel industry (see 'Client Blogs' tab). I also provide a wide variety of web content, magazine articles and copywriting services.
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Nate Yomadic: For me, Chinese Dim Sum beats an English breakfast...
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Abhijit: Cool, I\'ll check out the VisitBritain site once a...
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Andy Jarosz: Thanks Abhijit and a good question. I don\'t know ...
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Catherine: Great list. In addition, I think Fisherman\'s Bast...
