I’m usually one of the most chilled out people in the world but there’s something about London that gets me stressed. The funny thing is, I don’t realized that I’m stressed until I leave. It’s not until I’m strolling through the countryside of Wales, chilling on the beach in Brighton or exploring some exotic destination that I realize that I have been rushing around like an idiot too.

Views of Falmouth from St Mawes

So while I was sat on a grassy bank of a castle (like you do) in Falmouth, I suddenly realized how relaxed I was. I was enjoying the sunshine and the salty breeze from the sea while watching some fish scurrying around busily in the crystal clear water. I wanted to tell them all to chill out. “Calm down guys, just open your mouth and let the plankton come to you, you really don’t need to work so hard for a scrap of seaweed!” I think there’s a subconscious metaphor in there that isn’t too hard to find.

I was lucky enough to spend last weekend on the British shores of Falmouth. I was lucky not only because it’s absolutely incredibly beautiful but also because the sun actually came out for the entire weekend! Never before have I associated crystal clear water and warm sunshine with England and I’ve made a pledge with myself to explore more of this beautiful area.

Falmouth is Cornwall’s most popular tourist destination and it isn’t difficult to see why. Look at the water in that photo above. If I didn’t know better I’d think it was somewhere in the Mediterranean.

Like most Brit’s, I’m ashamed to say that I’ve barely even scraped the surface when it comes to visiting Britain’s coastline. I’ve driven around the entire coast of Australia and visited practically every beach I could but it was the first time I’d been to Cornwall.

If you don’t know much about Cornwall, I urge you to read this beautifully written piece in Travel + Leisure, ‘The Best of Cornwall, England’. I read this before I visited Cornwall and was head over heels in love with the place before I even arrived. Sometimes, when you have such high expectations for a place it can only lead to disappointment but I can honestly say that Falmouth lived up to every expectation and more.

So while you enjoy some of these beautiful pictures from Cornwall, I’ll be busy gathering all my thoughts together to share more from my trip over the next week.

Massive thanks to FalRiver.co.uk for hosting my trip and showing me another beautiful area in England.

The post A relaxing weekend in Falmouth, Cornwall appeared first on The Travel Hack.

The beach was lined with colourful and crazy kites all weekend.

 My gorgeous nautical themed Avenue Beach Hotel with the comfiest, squidgest bed ever.

The king once lived in Ostend and there are reminders all over the city.

I love these sculptures by Arne Quinze. They’re meant to look strange and out of place to make us question our surroundings and help give cities an identity.

This lovely lady is officially called ‘Sea’ but she’s been renamed by locals at ‘Fat Matilda’. She was originally on the casino but was taken down and never quite made it back up there.

Om nom. The perfect snack after a busy day cycling.

These tasty beers ranged from 7%-13%. 1 word – lethal.

Beer + burgers at Cafe Botteltje = 1 happy blogger

Definitely a contender for the best bar in Ostend.

And a little souvenir to take home with me….

The post A photo journey through Ostend, Belgium appeared first on The Travel Hack.

You’re not alone if you’ve never heard of Ostend in Belgium. When I told people I was going to this seaside city I was met with blank stares, confused looks or a fake attempt to know what I was talking about. I’d never heard of Ostend either but a quick Google search brought up beautiful beaches and pretty houses so I was eager to join a group of bloggers to discover this unheard of Belgium city.

Taking the Eurostar to Brussels (2 hours) and then a train to Ostend (1 hour 12 minutes) was a relaxing and easy journey and I found myself walking along the blustery coast in time for lunch. I love the way you can be in a different country so quickly and I felt like I was a million miles from London.

The scent of fresh fish and the salty sea air blew away the cobwebs as soon as we stepped off the train and you can’t help but relax into the slower pace of seaside living. The promenade is dotted with people taking a leisurely stroll and enjoying the view before stopping at one of the many cafes and bars for a coffee or an ice cream.

Ostend is known as a windy city and we were lucky enough to be around for the Ostend Kite Festival. Huge, playful kites danced through the sky with giant heads bobbing against the wind. Teams of stunt artists fly their kites in synchronization to the beat of music that blares across the beach. The kites captivate anyone who walks past as you’re drawn into the swooping and diving, circling and soaring against the wind.

Kids race up and down the prom on peddle go-karts that seat up to eight people so with the wind behind them they get up some serious speed. I’m tempted to raise a fist and shout at the ‘pesky kids’ but they’re having so much fun that you can’t help but laugh along. We’ve soon joined the fun and have bikes of our own to explore the city at speed.

Next up on a journey along the coast is the Seaman’s Memorial, a huge statue dedicated to all the sailors who have died at sea. It’s a sobre but beautiful memorial but you can’t help but be distracted by the huge red statues next to it.

These are the Rock Strangers created by the artist Arne Quinze.

Arne explains the inspiration behind creating the sculptures as a way to give some personality to a city and differentiate cities from one another: “A lot of cities around the globe look the same although they are located on different continents. You can still find identical buildings or the same streets. One can no longer detect any differences, people put up concrete walls around them. Building large-scaled installations makes people feel small as a human being. I hope that they start asking questions about what their function on this planet is. With my monumental sculptures I seek confrontation with my audience. I regard my work as a study about how I experience life and how people in general experience their lives.”

Arne intended to put up something alien in the city to break down the barriers between people. The statues are strange but they do have a magical effect on people as you’re drawn towards them and they bring people together. When the sun reflects off the bright orangey red of the Rock Stranges, it creates a bright sheen that is almost like a halo and can be seen for miles around. I really love the way they look like they’re melting and seem soft and comforting from a distance but when you get close they’re hard, metal objects and you find that you don’t really know what to do with them once you’re close.

The fishing port is the perfect place to end your journey along the prom, especially if you like to explore through food. While the fishermen are at sea, their wives fill the tents around the port with fish so fresh it’s still flapping. Small snacks like prawn cocktails and fresh scampi are available for anyone who likes to eat and go.

Here’s a super quick look around the coast of Ostend:

http://youtu.be/kU5l6rjnLzY

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Hands up if you’re one of those people who has five browsers open on your computer, each with 15 windows open and hundreds of articles to ‘read later’ bookmarked. Yep, I’m one of those people too so when I come across something cool on the internet I can guarantee that it will soon be forgotten and I will never, ever find it again.

This is where Pinterest comes in handy; when you find something online that you like, whether it’s a pair of shoes, a gorgeous sunset, an interesting article, a blog you love or a recipe you’re promising yourself you’ll make, stick a ‘pin’ in it and make sure you’ve got it for later. Add the pin to your browser to make this easier.

You can organize your pins into specific boards to make it even easier to find later on.

One of my favourite boards is Travel at Home because this is exactly how I want me home to look. I don’t travel all the time so when I’m at home I like my home to be filled with souvenirs and travel related decorations. I also love my Gymspiration board, it’s perfect when I’m lacking enthusiasm or motivation to go the gym!

Top tip: I like to use an app called Bazaart to create collages from my pins to make them look even prettier. The app is free and while it does work on an iPhone, it’s much easier to use on an iPad.

Up next for Pin it Forward is Jayne Gorman with her blog Travelling Shopaholic. You can find Jayne on Pinterest too as she pins and blogs about the best places to shop around the world.

If you haven’t joined Pinterest yet, make sure you sign up. Warning, it’s addictive but you’ll love it!

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Ostende is a seaside town in West Flanders and is known as ‘The Queen City of the Coast’ because the king had a home here. There are now important monuments dotted around Ostende that were originally built for the pleasure of the king. From what I’ve read so far, there were major renovations in the area in the early 2000’s and now it’s a modern and stylish city. I’m imagining a place similar to Brighton but with better beer and fewer tattoos.

Friday

On the Friday evening I’ll be meeting up with the other bloggers on the trip for dinner at Histoires D’o and I’ve been promised creative pasta dishes, cocktails and view out to the sea. This pretty much sounds like my ideal Friday night.

There are some great bloggers on my trip so I’ve made a Twitter list to keep up to date with the trip.

The boy is coming along with me too and you can find him on Instagram @samueljbarnes – I’ll make a blogger out of him yet!

I’m pretty excited about the Friday and Saturday nights in Ostende. This is the first time that I’ve had a blog trip itinerary that mainly compromises bars, clubs and beer tasting. I can’t promise my tweets will make any sense this weekend but I’m sure my Instagram photos will be fun. There also seems to be an endless list of restaurant and café suggestions so I’m thinking this will be a delicious foodie weekend!

Saturday

Marvin Gaye Walk-umentary

This is the first time I’ve come across the term ‘walk-umentary’ but I think I like it. The legend of soul music, Marvin Gaye, lived in Ostend for two years and we’ll be finding out how the seaside healing led to his hit song ‘Sexual Healing’ (see what I did there?)

Lotto Kite Festival

I’m already getting ridiculously excited about this huge kite festival. I’ve always wanted to go to something like this and see the sky filled with crazy and colourful kites.

If you’ve ever been to a kite festival, let me know what it’s like in the comments below. I have no idea what to expect but I’m hoping I’ll get the chance to fly a kite!

Ostende City Pass

I’ll have a City Pass for the weekend so I’ll be able to explore everything Ostend has to offer. This includes:

• Museum Ship Amandine
• Three-master Mercator
• Ensor House
• Venetian Galleries
• Atlantikwall

Saturday night

There will be beer tasting on Saturday night and dinner at ‘t Groote Huys which looks pretty swish. I’m not going to lie, I’ve already checked out the desert menu and it looks incredible.

Sunday

On Sunday we’ll be taking a tour around the city with a local photographer, Pieter Clicteur. This is going to be a great way to get to know the city and see some secret spots that most tourists wouldn’t stumble across.  I’m also going to pick Pieter’s brains about photography as it’s still something I’m struggling to master.

Sunday afternoon will be filled with what Sundays were made for; food, coffee, strolling, shopping and relaxing before hopping back on the train to London.

If you’ve been to Ostend before and you know of any hidden gems that I should visit, please let me know!

You can follow the trip on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #SoulTrip and I’ll be posting regular updates on Facebook too.

Many thanks to Visit Oostende who are hosting my stay.

The post A weekend in Ostende, Belgium appeared first on The Travel Hack.

As I stood on the roof, looking down on the hotel courtyard, a small orchid and a flower garden, I saw a man dressed in white who appeared to be floating through the trees. He stopped occasionally to look up at the sun but otherwise strolled slowly with his hands clasped loosely behind his back. He looked like his walking on air.

I instantly knew that he must be the yoga teacher and stood watching him for a little while longer, captivated by this peaceful moment

He eventually joined me on the rooftop, 10 minutes late but I was trying my best to be a tranquil and chilled out yogi rather than a stressed out and punctual Londoner, so I pretended not to notice.  He still had the air of someone who had just stepped out of a dream and was all floaty and mystical. Maybe it was because the sun was rising and creating a soft orange light behind his back that made him glow but, in my memory, he’s become some kind of mythical man from the flower garden.

Sunrise on the rooftops

He handed me a rough picnic blanket to spread out across the concrete rooftop which was already beginning to warm up nicely. He introduced himself with a chuckle and I don’t think he stopped chuckling for the next hour and a half.

I was joined by a girl from Germany and he referred to us as ‘Germany’ and ‘England’ as he told us we needed to smile more or jump higher, stretch further, chant louder or laugh with more energy. Yes, he told us to laugh with energy!

For anyone who has been to a yoga class before, you’ll already know that this was unlike any Western yoga class. There were no sun salutations or tree poses or difficult stretches that you have to hold for 30 seconds while patting your head with one hand and rubbing your belly with another with one finger on your nose and one toe on your shoulder. No, this seemed like it was just plain fun.

I’d been excited about trying a yoga class in India, it is the home of yoga after all, but I’m also aware that our Western version of yoga is very different to how they traditionally practice in India. I’ll admit that I go to yoga classes to tone and strengthen on the days I’m feeling lazy and can’t face something as energetic as ‘Body Pump’ or ‘Body Combat’. I know that the meditative benefits can outweigh the physical benefits in yoga but I’m still not sure if I’m spiritual enough to appreciate them

We began with some deep breathing exercises while our teacher told us all the benefits of yoga, some of which I’m still dubious about. I’ll admit that he did look 20 years younger than he claimed to be but I don’t understand how yoga can give you good teeth, shiny hair, and no brown spots or sun damage to the skin. He chuckled as he described his friends who don’t practice yoga and have potbellies, bad skin, rotting teeth and unhappy lives. We couldn’t help but laugh along with his crazy and infectious amusement.

Some of the exercises felt like a primary school PE class with star jumps and teddy bear rolls while some felt more like the yoga classes I’m used to with downward dogs and backbends. Some were more like a chill-out session as we lay on the roof and soaked up the rising sun and I’m pretty sure some were designed to simply make us laugh.

Towards the end of the class he began jumping up and down while bellowing, ‘Come on, laugh, laugh!’ I looked at the German girl who looked equally as uncomfortable as I felt.

‘Err, ha, ha, ha?’ I attempted awkwardly with a forced smile. Then I tried again. And again. And before I knew it I was doubled over in hysterics while belly laughing. Once I’d started I couldn’t stop and was wiping the tears from my cheeks.

It wasn’t long before the other guests in the hotel began to wake up and came out to investigate what the crazy people on the roof were doing. They began to follow along from their balconies when they heard our laughter and saw the silly exercises we were doing and it felt like the whole hotel was united in one crazy laughing game.

By the end of the 90 minutes I felt like I’d had just as much of a workout as I would in my normal yoga class but I spent the rest of day bursting into spontaneous giggles at the memory. It may not have been like my usual class but it sure was fun.

The post Laughing Yoga in India appeared first on The Travel Hack.

The Sheraton Signature Massage

I can’t even say the words ‘Sheraton Signature Massage’ which without physically relaxing my shoulders and letting out a little involuntary sigh of pleasure. Yes, it really was that good! I’ve had my fair share of massages but I’d actually go as far to say that this was the best massage I’ve ever had. But it wasn’t just the massage that made it so good, it was the entire Sheraton Gambia experience that made me feel like I was floating on a cloud for the rest of the week.

We arrived early to have a nosy around the Sheraton and strolled around the quaint little rooms to see all the new artwork that a local painter is creating. The manager was keen to make sure the hotel reflects the local culture and these paintings do a brilliant job. Some are vibrant and playful while others are thoughtful or intriguing but they all paint the perfect picture of The Gambia.

Next stop was the spa where we changed into Kimonos and lounged by the pool and enjoyed the sauna and steam rooms. One of my favourite things about visiting a spa is that you can waddle around in your slippers and dressing gown and no one bats an eyelid.

Whilst enjoying the sunshine I got chatting to the gardener who proudly showed off his flowers but also took me to a little pond around the side where huge lizards were lazing on the bank. I would have never spotted them myself, despite their enormous size, so it was great to have a garden guide to show me around.

Just as the sun was becoming a little too intense, it was time for the signature massage.

It began with a Swedish massage to work out all the kinks and knots that I didn’t even realize I was holding. I spend most of my days hunched over a computer so it was a mixture of pleasure and pain as he worked out those crunches. He then moved onto hot stone therapy.

This was the first time I’d had a massage using hot stones and it wasn’t anything like I’d expected. I’ve seen pictures where blissful women lie with the stones lined up along their spine and wondered what the hell that would ever do. I’ve even considered doing this myself during a hot day on pebbly Brighton beach but decided it would do nothing but burn me. The stones were super hot without being uncomfortable and my masseuse rolled them over my muscles with expert skill. He pushed the edges of the stones into my skin to get any remaining bits of tension out of my body and I soon felt like I was on a hot, oily cloud. It was delightful. The massage ended with an Indian head massage which I would have happily let him do all day as he sent tingles right from my head to my toes.

Feeling like a soft ball of clay, I rolled down from the table and quickly got dressed in time for a feast for lunch.

Ngala Lodge Resort

We were greeted at Ngala Lodge with a refreshing glass of Wonjo Juice in the tropical gardens. The juice is made from the hibiscus plants that grow within the gardens and is deliciously sweet.

I was lucky enough to stay at Ngala Lodge for four nights while I was in The Gambia. The website describes the lodge as a ‘piece of paradise’ and they couldn’t have picked a better description.

Ngala Lodge was voted as the fourth most romantic hotel in Africa by TripAdvisor and it isn’t hard to see why. The lodge may not be a brand, spanking new, 5-star resort but it is filled with charm and character. I often find that the super posh resorts feel sterile and all have the same vibe and atmosphere but Ngala is completely unique.

The gardens are filled with secret chill out areas that are tucked away among the flowers and trees. I went for a stroll down to the beach when we first arrived but was lost in minutes between the winding paths and nooks and crannies where yet another comfy sofa was calling me to sit down and relax. Following the sound of the crashing waves and the fresh sea breeze, I eventually stumbled upon this magnificent view.

But it isn’t the stunning views, tropical gardens, huge beds or verandas that look over the sea that make this place so special. The thing that makes is so perfect and keeps people coming back year after year is the staff. I don’t think I’ve ever met such a friendly group of people with such amazing memories. Each and every one of them remembered my name, what I was doing every day, what I was looking forward to and what they’ve recommended and they even remembered how I took my coffee and my favourite glass of wine. It was incredible. And they were always there to suggest the best things to see and do and share stories about their wonderful country.

The post Luxury in The Gambia appeared first on The Travel Hack.

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Ida Njai is somewhat of a superstar in The Gambia. Mention her name to anyone in the tourism industry and they’re bound to give you a beaming smile and tell you what a legend she is.

This entrepreneurial businesswoman claims to be the only person in The Gambia offering authentic home cooking classes. She’s been running the cookery school since 2008 and has tourists from Monday to Thursday throughout the tourist season (September – May). For the rest of the year she prepares meals for busy families who don’t have the time for home cooking. She studied and worked in the UK and also spent five years working at Mangala Lodge, one of the best places to stay in The Gambia. After so long working in the tourism industry she decided she wanted to do something different and give tourists a genuine insight into Gambian life and that’s when Cooking with Ida was born. She also plans to write a cookery book which I really hope happens so I can get my hands on a copy!

Cooking with Ida

Ida welcomed us like old friends as she ushered us into her courtyard where she had a surprise waiting. Two rails of brightly clothes stood on rails and she directed the men towards one and the women towards another. Yes, we were dressing up in traditional Gambian clothing and in the style that most people still dress. I asked Ida to pick out an outfit for me and, after a lot of help to get dressed, I ended up looking like this:

I actually felt great to be wearing bright and ladylike clothes and to have my hair scooped off my face so I happily wiggled around (the skirt was seriously restricting) dressed like this for the rest of the day.

We were making Fish Benachin so once we’d been transformed we headed to the market where we picked up some fresh fish and vegetables for our meal. I’ve never in my life been to a market like this and could have sat all day watching the young men wade in and out of the sea collecting heafty buckets of fish from the fishermen.

The women waited on shore with buckets and wheelbarrows ready to be filled while they gossiped and haggled and bargained.

Tanji Fish Market

Unlike most fish markets, this one felt alive with energy and colour and noise. It obviously stank of fish but it was more of a fresh and delicious scent that was carried back out to sea with the breeze. After much deliberation, we finally opted for a red groper, a black groper and some barracuda.

We reluctantly left the market and headed back to Ida’s home where the fun really started.

After a fruit smoothie we were set to work on peeling, chopping and slicing while Ida and her employees (who are all family) began working on the main sauce for the dish.

Recipe for Fish Benachin

Ingredients

• Fish
• Seasonal veg
• Salt
• Pepper
• Oil
• Tomato paste
• Tomato powder
• Garlic
• Dijon mustard
• Hot peppers
• Rice

 How to make Fish Banachin

1. Pound your peppercorns, onions, garlic and fresh tomatoes together in pestle and mortar. Ida actually used a wooden bowl with a huge wooden instrument that you can stand up to use it was so big.
2. Add your vegetable oil to a pan and when it is hot, add your pounded ingredients along with tomato paste and tomato powder.
3. Stir, add 5 cups of water and allow to boil for 10 minutes but ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add some more water so you have a thin liquid then add all your vegetables and some salt.
5. Leave to cook until the vegetables are soft.
6. Once the veg is done, take the vegetables out and add the fish.
7. Once the fish is done, take it out and add the carrots.
8. While the carrots are cooking, make your rice and within 10 minutes it should be done.

Hot chili sauce

Gambians love spicy food so this was added on the side:

Combine hot peppers, garlic, oil, a little water, salt and Dijon mustard and cook for 5 minutes.

Simples . And spicy!

And the end result….

The meal was absolutely delicious and we ate in a traditional Gambian manner and all shared the same huge plate.

The post A Gambian Cooking Class with Ida appeared first on The Travel Hack.

I visited a project in India that was aiming to provide work for women but while I was there 70% of the workers were men.

“So…errr….where are all the women?” I asked during our tour.

“We have to employ men to do the jobs that women aren’t qualified to do. The women aren’t educated to do these jobs,” my guide replied.

“So surely it would be better to invest money in educating women?”

“Yes but they can’t afford to not work and may not find a job afterwards anyway.”

It was a long and frustrating conversation and I realized it would take a hell of a lot more than just a few people donating a hundred quid to make any difference to the lives of the people in this village.  It left me feeling deflated and very suspicious of charity projects. But I’m happy to say that the projects I visited in The Gambia were clearly doing some fantastic work and the results were immediately evident.

Comafrique-Intelizon Initiative

“Light is a primary necessity for development”

The solar panels used to charge the lights

The torches given to the families

The first project I visited is called Comafrique-Intelizon Initiative otherwise known as Light Up a Village which aims to provide solar powered torches for small villages. It may not seem like a lot but, usually, the best plans are the simplest. I went to Kanuma Village but the project has helped many villages all over The Gambian. This was also where I saw the incredible Kumpo dance!

The average family without electricity in The Gambia pays $0.20 for candles a day. These candles give off very little light so strain their eyes, they can be a fire hazard and they’re unhealthy to breathe in. A torch however, costs $0.04 a day, is eco friendly, provides enough light for the family to cook their evening meal and also for the children to study in the evening. It also doubles up as a generator and can be used to charge mobile phones meaning the family can communicate and it can be easier to find work. There isn’t a fire risk or health problems and it helps the children get a better education because they can read in the evening.

Each family who owns a torch pays their $0.04 into a community fund which is then spent however the community sees fit so it also builds community spirit (not that they were ever lacking this in The Gambia) and helps the village develop. The money saved is also put toward buying new torches when they need replacing in two years time. The torches are initially donated by an NGO, corporations, the government or individuals.

Kunuma Village. You can see three separate homes in this picture where a husband, a wife and their children will live together in one house.

A typical home in Kunuma Village

The thing I like best about this project is that the family are immediately seeing the benefits and saving money.  Yes, it’s brilliant to give people things that will benefit them in years to come but what about right now? What about the families that can’t afford to eat. Who cares about long-term projects when you can’t afford to feed your children?

The Gambia Community Stove Project

The second project I visited was The Stove Initiative and it’s another very simple idea. At the moment, most Gambian families cook on old stoves set in stone that can’t be moved. The stoves are outside so when it rains they simply can’t cook, and I’ve been told that during ‘the green season’ it rains a hell of a lot. These stoves also cost a lot to fuel with either charcoal or wood and the forests are getting smaller as people hack the trees down.

Learning how to light the stoves

The Stove Initiative gives stoves to the poorest of families and they run on briquettes made from peanut shells. The peanut shells usually go to waste so it’s a really environmentally friendly option. The briquettes are also half the price of charcoal so, once again, the family are instantly saving money. Win, win.

Wellingara School

On my final day in The Gambia I visited a local school. It was incredibly basic but was doing a great job. There can be up to 50 children in each class but we were told they simply can’t turn the children away. Children do have to pay to go to the school but some children have been sponsored which costs £17.50 a month. This amount covers their costs and also helps pay the teachers and goes towards maintenance costs. Some families can’t afford to send their children to school so the teachers were desperate for more sponsorship.

Wellingara Clinic

A painting on the wall outside Wellingara Clinic

The final project I visited was a maternity clinic which absolutely broke my heart. Every other Thursday they open their gates to women for pre and post-natal care. We were told that they had seen nearly 900 women between 9am-1pm on the previous Thursday. They don’t open for check-ups on other days because they can’t afford to pay the staff. Women can’t deliver their babies at the clinic because they have no facilities in case of an emergency so they have to travel 4km to another clinic. It might not sound far, but if there is an emergency, they have no way of getting there. They don’t have the money to pay a taxi and no one would allow a woman in labour into the back of their car. The clinic are desperate for an ambulance which would allow them to deliver babies there and have an emergency transport to the larger clinic in case something went wrong.

When visiting a developing country like The Gambia it would be easy to stay in a 5* resort and ignore the fact that there is poverty all around you but if you open your eyes it’s there. There are really simple ways to help and offer support with things that mean so little to us but can change a person’s life.

I find it really difficult when I’m travelling to developing countries. I can’t help but feel guilty for having so much but also feel incredibly relieved to be born in the UK, which in turn makes me feel even guiltier. There have been times when I’ve gone on a shopping spree and blown enough money to send a Gambian child to school for an entire year. How is that even fair? I’ve never really thought about how lucky I am to have electricity, running water, an education and a safe and secure home.

My visit to The Gambia has given me a lot to think about. As always, travel brings surprises and can make you reassess your values and think about what’s really important.

I was a guest of The Gambia Experience who have supported these projects as part of their 25 year anniversary celebration. If you would like any more information about these projects, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email thetravelhack@gmail.com or on Twitter @TheTravelHack.

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