Saint Martin is an idyllic Caribbean island that has completely won me over during this visit. Things are a little complicated here, so let me explain from the outset this is the smallest land mass in the world to be split into two autonomous regions. The capital and the airport are within the Dutch Saint Maarten, and the northern half of the island is French and called Saint Martin. As far as the population is concerned, the Dutch part of the island comprises around 60% to 40% on the French side. However, this tiny Caribbean island has a little more French territory than Dutch. The Treaty of Concordia was signed in 1648 as both countries coveted this beautiful island, and…

I think someone had Jamaicans in mind when the word cool was first defined in the English language. For a tropical country in the Caribbean, there seems to be cool ice running through their veins. These cats are the real deal; and the reggae rhythms, the fist bumps, the languid strides, and the easy rapport of Jamaicans are really starting to win me over. I had a level of apprehension before flying into Kingston, but now that I have settled in and had the chance to explore some of this magical island I'm beginning to understand the great appeal the tropical island of Jamaica has for so many travellers from around the world. The commutes are effortless, cheap and well…

This is Jamaica man. The home of Bob Marley and a bunch of super cool rasta cats, and it's long been my dream to visit the legendary island in the Caribbean. Part of the appeal for a boy from Oz is the sheer enormity of getting over here from Australia, it's difficult to find a location as exotic or far flung. If an Australian wants to visit the beach, well basically just jump in your car and the majority of the population will be by the sea in a jiffy. Alright then, but if a location more tropical is on the cards South East Asia is also on our doorstep. A visit to Bali, Thailand, and other resort meccas are…

The United Arab Emirates are an intriguing travel destination, and up till now I had only ever stopped off in various airports while in transit to Europe. The UAE is ideally situated as a connecting base to the world, and the capital of the seven Emirates is Abu Dhabi. My flight home from Bahrain was already booked with Etihad, the world's leading airline based out of Abu Dhabi. However, when a fellow travel blogger messaged to say that he was currently in the city, I jumped at the opportunity to spend a day with him in impressive Abu Dhabi. I scrambled to have my flight changed out of Bahrain, and jetted out of the island country in the morning for…

There are times spent in any person's life just doing your thing, trying to live a good life and stay true to yourself when an unexpected opportunity presents itself. Well there I was, back in Sydney, basking in the afterglow of a magnificent time in the Arctic just a few months ago and settled back in the office routine. Then my application was accepted to participate as a delegate of the Discover Bahrain program 2014, and I'm happy to be posting this entry after more than a week spent in the capital Manama. The organising team have arranged a very busy program over a period of eight days for the nineteen delegates from around the world. To be honest I…

The annual Airwaves music festival in Reykjavik is a big event on the international music scene. Music lovers from around the world descend on the capital of Iceland to indulge in four days of non stop live music, enjoying the electric atmosphere as the city turns into a huge party town for the duration of the event. The organisers chose to delay the festival until the end of October for the first time this year, in order to extend the all too brief tourist season in Iceland before the Arctic winter begins to flex it's considerable muscle. So here I am, a music lover from way back, enjoying a random chance to join in the party amidst hordes or hard…

Let's talk about the weather for a moment, shall we? I know the topic is generally off limits, but to be honest I obsess about it as much as the next person back at home. I'm confident you can visit any work environment, and a popular topic of conversation always seems to be the weather. But here I am in the glorious Faroe Islands, banging on about the weather as if it's of genuine interest to the reader. The thing is though, my mind's been somewhat occupied trying to find a rational explanation as to why I haven't seen the sun in over a week, and it was the Faroese who finally set me straight. The Faroe Islands are in…

The Faroe Islands are one of the West Nordic countries, and I'm thrilled to chalk up number three in this amazing part of the world. Having already visited Iceland and Greenland during this memorable trip, I've been impressed by the stunning scenery on offer in the Arctic region. Although the Islands are a part of Denmark, there is a unique feel to the Faroes that makes visitors instantly aware you have arrived in a different country. Faroese is a distinct language, and closer to Icelandic than it is to Danish. The culture and traditions of the people on these beautiful islands also stand apart from the Danish, and this out of the way spot makes for a rewarding travel destination.…

Greenland has strong historical ties with the Kingdom of Denmark, originally becoming a Danish colony in 1814, and later a part of the Danish Realm in 1953. It was only in 1978 the world's largest island was granted home rule by Denmark, acknowledging the wishes of the people. The ties that bind are strong and the Danish influence, including the language and the currency are still the norm throughout Greenland. The flag of Greenland has the Danish colours of red and white, however I'm quite sure there's no chance of a polar bear making an appearance on the Danish coat of arms. The world's largest land based predator is not known for strolling around the streets of Copenhagen, as far…

The awe inspiring Ice Fjord in Ilulissat has been granted UNESCO world heritage listing, and is one of the most spectacular travel destinations in the world. If I were a rich man, perhaps I could find it in my power to purchase an iceberg. After all, the staggering scale and beauty of what is on offer in Ilulissat has UNESCO singing it's praises. I can't think of a better location, and a well appointed ice garden amidst such breathtaking Arctic scenery would leave me most content. However, it's not possible to nurse this fantasy with any sense of conviction, as icebergs do not succumb to the petty whims of mankind. They are prone to dramatic displays of awesome power at…