Journal
10th August, 2013. It's a hot day in Siberia and we're waiting outside the Ivolginsky Datsan Buddhist Temple, just outside Ulan-Ude - the final stop on our Mazda Route3 adventure. "You'll present this to the Lama" starts our guide, as she passes us...
Journal
When your dictator president's PR activity amounts to bare-chested romps through the countryside, reinforcing a façade of virile machismo, it's hard not to harbour stereotypes when travelling through a country's backwaters. Recent state-sponsored...
Journal
Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Lovely Spam! Wonderful Spam! The Python folk must surely have spent some time in Siberia prior to writing that infamous song, for the much maligned canned meat product dominates our mealtimes. Breakfast, lunch, dinner - I...
Journal
1977: Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols is released, the Apple II series home computer launches, Marc Bolan dies in a tragic accident, Red Rum romps to his third Grand National, Elvis stages his last concert and a group of journalists...
Journal
After having a quick look around the Great Northern Hotel in King's Cross, London, following a big refurbishment earlier this year, we knew a return ticket was in order to see how things were working out with the impressive railway-themed venue –...
Journal
I must admit, I wasn’t exactly sure where Malta was on the map. I knew it was a Mediterranean island, that it was one of the world's smallest countries, but didn’t quite realise it was just hours by boat from Sicily and Tunisia. Daydreams of...
Journal
The inside of the Sinclair Gas Station in New Orleans hasn't seen a car since the 1960s – at lease not one to work on – and it's been many years since anyone filled their tanks on the forecourt, but there's still plenty of the garage atmosphere...
Journal
Mentally (or physically, if you're sadistically-natured) gather up some antiquated home improvement tools - think rusty hacksaws and dilapidated drills - toss them into a grubby old sack, add plenty of cheap booze, a handful of phak chi (Thai...
Journal
“Fancy staying in a tin shed for our next holiday, dear?” Imagine the frost that would descend over that little scene, but call off the solicitors long enough to experience this unusual bed and breakfast in Sydney's suburb of Redfern. A...
Journal
Japanese architecture. It's all dinky little houses made of wood with paper doors, right? No, hang on, it's all one neon megalopolis of tightly-bunched, towering skyscrapers, isn't it? Actually its a bit of both, as We Heart discovered during...
Journal
Japanese people are mad about Western classical music. They love it. Love it almost as much as torturing people on TV game shows. Which is only a surprise until you hear their traditional music, as heard being played on flutes during the mesmeric...
Journal
There is a magical ski town in Switzerland that is NOT San Moritz or Gstaad but is just as deserving of acclaim and press as its better-known tres chic cousins, it is called Zermatt - a.k.a, home of the Matterhorn and both a skiing (winter) and...
City Notes
“A masterclass in conceptuality,” a hotel that “takes you on a fuzzy trip of vague recollection,” and “a paradise of inimitable escapism.” That’s what we said about Port de Sóller’s impressive Bikini Island & Mountain Hotel three...
City Notes
Hidden in the quiet heart of rural Spain, La Torre del Visco Hotel offers unrivalled luxury and adventures walking in a shepherd’s footsteps across the ancient Aragonese landscape that once inspired Picasso… In the early 20th century,...
City Notes
The world’s first StandardX hotel has opened in Fitzroy, Melbourne, the offshoot of the renowned global The Standard hotels, officially touted as the brand’s “rebellious younger sibling” with an offering of “intuitive hospitality without...
Stuff Crush
See captivating, never-before-published photographs of 1970s and '80s USA cultural hotspots including New York City, San Francisco, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Miami Beach and more in Street Walker, a new publication from revered street photographer and...
Dispatches
Paintings have transcended their origins as the crown jewels of galleries and museums. Today, they hold a central place in homes worldwide, where they not only decorate but also communicate personal taste, style, and emotion. Whether chosen for...
Dispatches
When it comes to your child’s health, dental care is often the one that gets overlooked. After all, baby teeth fall out so why bother? But establishing good habits and visiting the dentist from an early age is crucial for your child’s health and...
Dispatches
When buying a used car, you need to know the car’s history. The last thing you want is to buy a car with hidden problems, whether it’s been in an accident, has outstanding finance or has been stolen. A full car history check can make or break...
Dispatches
Escape rooms are a popular team building activity, but they’re more than just an hour of fun. They create a high pressure environment where communication is key. Working together fast, sharing ideas and solving problems under time pressure shows...