Panuati is one of Nepal’s oldest towns and one of its most important historically too – largely due to the fact that it’s pretty much been left the way the founders built the town. It’s not too far from Kathmandu either (it’s actually a commuter town for some people) so it makes for the perfect … Continue Reading

One place I knew I really wanted to visit on this trip was Bhaktapur. I’d heard so much about it since we arrived and knew it would have to be added to our itinerary as soon as I knew about it. After leaving the historic town of Panauti, we headed straight for Bhaktapur – which … Continue Reading

I always get excited when visiting Greece! I don’t know if it’s the food, the relaxed way of life or the food that I seem to inhale as soon as I arrive… whatever the reason, it’s one of my favourite countries to explore. That being said, until recently I’d only ever visited some of the gorgeous … Continue Reading

I’d heard some amazing things about the castle of Methoni (from our previous day in Costa Navarino), which was built by the Venetians over 800 years ago. The history of Greece still surprises me so much, it always seems so mystical and ancient… which is pretty obvious when I come to think of it! 🤣 … Continue Reading

Thoughts of Italy conjures up images of beautiful rolling hills, basking in that famous Italian sunshine, stunning cities, ancient churches and colourful picturesque houses all stacked on a hill overlooking the sea. By and large, this has come to be a big reason why most of us visit (or indeed, want to visit) Italy. Thing … Continue Reading

Autumn in London tends to be one of the quieter times of the year. You’re never quite sure what to wear – it starts to get a tad too cold to dine al fresco and the high of the summer’s events definitely start to wear off. Funnily enough, Autumn is also one of the prettiest … Continue Reading

On our final day in Nepal, we were kind of operating in panic mode. We’d spent so much time seeing so many different parts of Nepal that we’d left almost no time whatsoever to explore the capital city of Kathmandu. We had planned to do so the day before but were distracted by the historic … Continue Reading

Boudhanath is one of the largest stupas in all of Nepal and a very important sight to see in Kathmandu. It’s located on the old trade route with Tibet and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. After making our way through the surprisingly fast-building traffic from our first stop of the day, we arrived … Continue Reading

When we arrived at Pashupatinath Temple, I don’t think I realised how big it actually was. You arrive at this seemingly unassuming date, walk through a fairly quiet walkway and before you know it, you’re in the heart of one of Nepal’s most sacred sites. Like Boudhanath before, Pashupatinath Temple is also a UNESCO World … Continue Reading

Day two in Vancouver! Technically, it’s day 3 but jet lag got the best of the very first day so Day 2 it is. Like I said, before, breakfast at the Shangri La Hotel in Vancouver is something of an event. It’s not something you rush – there’s no buffet – everything is made to … Continue Reading

One place I’d always wanted to visit in Norway was Tromso. It’s one of the highest places you can visit – not just in Europe but in the world, so much so that it’s in the Arctic circle! Unlike other parts of the Arctic circle, there’s no chance of you running into polar bears here … Continue Reading

Heads up – this is a pretty long (and very photo heavy post) so you might wanna grab a cuppa tea (or a glass of wine? No judgement) before you get started! (*As I’m currently writing this in Ireland I’ve got a pint of Guinness in front of me so I bid you a virtual … Continue Reading

From Yaya: Let me start by first introducing the newest member of the Hand Luggage Only team. Henry!  I know you’re here for the amazing La Mercè festival in Barcelona, so I’ll keep things brief. Henry is a new addition to the Hand Luggage Only team (as I mentioned before) and will be popping in … Continue Reading

This is a contentious one. 🙂 Austria has absolutely no shortage of absolutely stunning natural sights so you’re bound to find somewhere else say their valley is more beautiful but when you beauty is so renowned that it’s been award UNESCO World Heritage status, you kinda know you got that title in the bag! Despite … Continue Reading