A Wanderer's Worldly Wonderings

19/07/2019

Are you dreaming of the warm sun, clear ocean water, jungles, temples and Pad Thai? Tropical Thailand sure sounds like a sweet escape in Sydney's winter.

But this isn't an ad for a summer get-away. This is how you can bring those feelings to your kitchen. Surprisingly most of Thailand's food is warm and hearty, ideal for a winter dinner. So from four months in the country, I've brought you plenty of inspiration.

“Pad Thai is only popular with the foreigners,” said Pia, my Thai classmate. “I would rather eat something else.” For some reason the renowned Pad Thai noodle dish has becom…

27/08/2018

Sometimes you get too busy living to stop and write. But now that I'm back at home and life has slowed down a little, I've got time to reflect on the past four months of my exchange in Thailand.

This blog takes me back to first impressions of my first few weeks in Thailand, where I was in awe by the amount of food available and still processing just how amazing Pad Thai really tastes.

There’s food everywhere! You can’t walk 5 meters without spotting another place to eat! It’s been almost three weeks since I arrived to Bangkok and for one, I can tell you I haven’t gone hungry. Mo…

16/08/2017

Five months in Medellin gave me plenty of time to meet a range of Paisas, proud of where they come from. Obviously I'm no expert but I do have an opinion or two of the characteristics that unites those from northwest Colombia. While it is still part of Latinoamerica they are very unique in their own special way. If you've had the privilege to visit the beautiful country, do you agree with what I have written?

https://awanderersworldlywonderings.wordpress.com/2017/08/16/what-makes-a-paisa/

27/06/2017

I previously posted about Cartagena on the Colombian Caribbean coast, but this next post is about my favourite place on the coast - Santa Marta. If you ever make it to Colombia, this place is a must. This one is more like a diary entry, a simple retelling of all that happened getting there, in the town and in its beautiful National Park.

https://awanderersworldlywonderings.wordpress.com/2017/06/15/my-favourite-place-on-the-caribbean-coast/

I was given every possible sign not to go. Two planes actually turned around and brought me back to where I started. Yet third time lucky right? So I ended up in one of the most beautiful places on…

19/06/2017

Do you know the Netflix hit, Narcos, dramatically screening the life of Pablo Escobar? I'm sure you've heard of it. Well it just so happens, when I spent five days in Cartegena, they were in need of extras. So two days of my time on the Caribbean coast was spent "acting"... well extra-ing. Quite a unique experience, which you can read about here:

https://awanderersworldlywonderings.wordpress.com/2017/04/05/acting-in-cartagena/

Yep, you read it right. I spent two days acting within the beautiful Old Wall of Cartagena de Indias. And not just for any old documentary, but for the Netflix hit series itself -Narcos.

16/06/2017

Almost five months ago I landed in Colombia. There's no way I could have imagined everything that's happened since. Living in Medellin, definitely game me a good snippet of the Paisa (people of Medellin) life. However, when I arrived I wrote up my thoughts and first impressions. To be honest this has changed a lot, at the very least I have a deeper impression of the city, but it's interesting to see where I started.

https://awanderersworldlywonderings.wordpress.com/2017/03/27/theres-more-than-meets-the-eye-i-think-first-impressions-medellin/

I’ve been here in Medellin for over a month but I still feel like I am seeing so many things for the first time. This city alone has so much history, so many communes, so much diversity and s…

13/06/2017

I have two weeks left on this continent! I don't know quite how I feel about that. With this in mind, I put together a bunch of my experiences in a very biased blog post. If you've ever been curious about Latinoamérica, this covers a range of experiences the continent and culture offers.

https://awanderersworldlywonderings.wordpress.com/2017/06/13/the-best-of-latinoamerica/

I’ve been around Latinoamérica for a year and a half now, so I’ve had my fair share of latin adventures. Obviously this post is extremely biased. I’m basically judging and rating …

18/04/2017

What's the one day when all traditions come out to play, when the tables are laden with good food, when people people take the time to dress up and most importantly when the whole country comes together to celebrate? Actually there's a few throughout the year, but one of the best recognised, particularly here in South America, is their day of Independence. I was lucky enough to celebrate these festivities in Buenos Aires, the second biggest city in South America.

https://awanderersworldlywonderings.wordpress.com/2016/09/30/argentinian-independence-day-buenos-aires/

Argentina 1806. British flags can be seen sailing down Rio de la Plata and for 46 days the British Army occupied Buenos Aires. A year later, the British army once again try unsuccessfully to occupy…

10/04/2017

There's always those times when you will need the help from a perfect stranger. Maybe you're asking for it yourself, or left with no choice. Hitchhiking is usually a choice, but gives you the chance to see the beauty in a complete stranger.

https://awanderersworldlywonderings.wordpress.com/2016/08/15/san-luis-and-the-beauty-of-hitchhiking/

It’s free. It’s social. It’s educational. It’s eye-opening. It’s cultural. I could just keep going, but then this post might turn into: worthwhile reasons to hitchhike…

07/04/2017

What actually makes a place a third world country? In today's age how have we come to judge the makings of a third, first and even second world society. Where do you think Mexico falls in this ranking?

https://awanderersworldlywonderings.wordpress.com/2017/03/08/is-mexico-really-a-third-world-country/

According to One World Nations, it is. According to the Human Development Index it has a ranking of High Human Development, therefore it’s not. So what’s the problem?

03/04/2017

Cancun is the Surfers Paradise for Australians, the Majorca Islands for the Germans, the Mar de Plata for the Argentinians... It's the beautiful holiday destination people escape to for relaxation. Which also means prices are hugely inflated. So how can you make the most of your amazing time in Cancun..

https://awanderersworldlywonderings.wordpress.com/2017/03/07/how-to-visit-cancun-on-a-budget/

First of all – go with money. It’s Cancun! What are you doing there without money? Technically I’ve been budgeting the whole year: staying in hostels, buying food to cook in the hostel kitche…

29/03/2017

Mexico has heaps of hidden treasures, but if you're doing your final souvenir shopping or just want to send someone a gift, where can you find the best tequila, leather and silver in the country?

https://awanderersworldlywonderings.wordpress.com/2017/03/03/where-to-find-the-best-of-the-best-silver-tequila-and-leather/

Apart from being rich in history, both ancient, modern and artistic, Mexico is rich in produce. In the month and a half I was in Mexico I visited about 13 different cities, so I managed to pass thr…