The Journal
Stories from the long way round
Trip reports, route guides and budget breakdowns, written on the road and updated when things change.
Featured story · 9 min read
A cancelled flight in the fog, a perfect one the next morning, and a scooty ride to Rajgundha on a road that felt like a path to heaven. Four days solo in Bir, with every rupee I spent.
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Fresh from the road
Ladakh in 8 days: Leh, Nubra, Turtuk and Pangong
An 8-day Ladakh route that puts acclimatisation first: two easy days in Leh, then Nubra, Turtuk and Pangong Tso by shared taxi, with...
Bali beyond Canggu: the quiet east
Sidemen’s rice valleys, Amed’s black-sand coves and the Liberty wreck at Tulamben: a slower week in East Bali, away from the...
A 38-litre backpacking kit list for a month on the road
Everything you need for a month or more of backpacking in India and Southeast Asia, in one 38-litre bag you can carry onto a plane.
Jaipur’s stepwells before the crowds
Panna Meena ka Kund at sunrise, then a day trip to Chand Baori: how to see Jaipur’s most photogenic stepwells before the crowds...
Northern Thailand loop: a 10-day route
Chiang Mai, Pai, Mae Hong Son and Mae Sariang in ten days: the classic northern loop by scooter or bus, with distances, timing and...
Kerala’s backwaters without a houseboat
Skip the overnight houseboat. A government ferry, a village canoe and a night in a homestay show you more of Kerala’s backwaters...
Ubud without the crowds
Early-morning rice terraces, the Campuhan Ridge walk and quieter alternatives to Bali’s busiest spots around Ubud.
Tso Moriri or Pangong: which Ladakh lake to choose
Pangong is famous; Tso Moriri is quieter and higher. How the two high-altitude lakes compare on scenery, crowds, roads and where you can...
A night in the Thar: choosing a desert camp near Jaisalmer
Sam, Khuri or a non-commercial dune? How to choose a desert camp near Jaisalmer for a quieter night under the stars.
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Day-by-day costs and how to cut them.
Field notes
Routes, budgets and the odd bad bus ride, twice a month.
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