Vladivostok: After arriving in Vladivostok by coach from Hunchun, China, it felt like we’d entered a different world. China was only a few kilometers away, and yet Vladivostok felt culturally and ethnically closer to Europe than anything. The name ‘Vladivostok’ is derived from the Russian words of ‘to hold’ and ‘east’, perhaps symbolising the city’s strategic military significance – it was never taken by the Japanese during their empire. We were to stay in this

With summer approaching, holiday planning is beginning to take root for many. Instead of travelling to the tourist-packed beaches of Spain or the theme parks of Florida, why not try something more unique. Here’s my list of my top 5 “off the beaten track” destinations to travel to this summer: 1) Northern Pakistan While the visa is a little expensive and tricky to obtain (you have to be a national/ permanent resident of the country

After a fantastic hike throughout Chilbosan area in the morning, through forests I found fairly similar to those in the UK, we got back on the bus to go to a city called Kyongsong, also spelled Gyongsong, which is nearby Chongjin, perhaps an hour driving. Our journey to Kyongsong was definitely the main highlight for me during that day. Passing by fields, mountains, and regular North Koreans going about their daily lives. Especially in the

We had a gorgeous bus journey from Chongjin city to Mount Chilbo (Chilbosan), one of North Korea’s sacred mountains. We passed lush greenery, dramatic cliffs, and through beautiful old villages. The picture above shows the beautiful scenery which we bus passed. The trip to Mount Chilbo was meant to take roughly four hours, including a short stop at another revolutionary site, but our bus broke down in the countryside, delaying us. To be honest, I

After spending a night in Hoeryong city, we stopped by a school on the way to Chongjin. It was, of course, one of the better schools in the area, if not the best, yet is was still a functioning school. Apparently, English lessons are mandatory in the North Korean curriculum. I’m not entirely sure how true that is, yet if it is true, they are obviously not the best at teaching it. In fact, we