Travel C.V. steve48

The world according to steve48

Mountain/Desert/Ocean/Jungle... which one are you?
Ocean - especially wild west-facing coasts.

What was your first great travel experience?
My first journey on my own, as a teenager, when I travelled by train from Norfolk to Aberdeen for a college interview. It was my first long-distance train journey on my own; it was my first trip to a big city on my own; it was the first time I stayed in a hotel on my own; and. perhaps most importantly, it was my first trip to Scotland, and I was fascinated by how different it felt.

What has been your favourite journey?
Having learnt Russian at school, I managed to fulfil one of my many ambitions when, in 1979 (not long into my first job), I took a month off work and drove to Moscow and back. It was a massive "Iron Curtain" adventure which involved a lot of planning - filling in forms, applying for visas, and waiting for permissions to be granted. But it was well worth it because it gave me access, as an independent traveller, to communist East Germany, Poland, the USSR, and Hungary - an eye-opening experience

What are your Top 5 places worldwide?
The west coast of Vancouver Island, Vienna, Hong Kong, Faroe Islands, Norfolk.

Recommend a special place to stay
An old farm in Estonia - the peaceful 400 year old Praakli Farm in a clearing on the edge of the forest at Paiküla, near the village of Karla, on the island of Saaremaa. Also, the Bali Shangrila Beach Club, Candi Dasa, Bali - a peaceful haven and a touch of tropical luxury in the jungle by the sea. It's great because it's affordable, it's friendly, and it's not an isolated self-contained resort but part of the local community.

Which three items do you always pack?
Phrase book, map, swimming trunks.

Which passport stamp are you proudest of?
Democratic Republic of the Congo; USSR

Which passport stamp would you most like to have?
Chile. I'll get there one day.

Where or what is your guilty travel pleasure?
I'm mad about maps and I always splash-out on several ultra-detailed maps of the places I go to. I also like to buy at least one CD of local music, wherever I go.

Window or aisle?
Definitely window. But it doesn't often happen.

Member experiences

• Fleeing Burma

  
  
  As a back-up to Kevin Hayden's recent experiences (and gallery) on the plight of Burmese refugees, here's an article I wrote for my local community paper about Burmese refugees in Sheffield.

• I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside ............. In Iceland??

  
  
  Down on the beach kids were digging in the sand; mums were sunbathing; dads were tending the barbecue, while others were swimming in the sea, or buying ice creams. Were we still in Iceland?

Latest forum posts

• Gallery descriptions
  When we add a new gallery we are invited to: -  “Enter a summary description of your gallery”. I quite often skip this bit because the description doesn't seem to be displayed a...
• Isles of Wonder
  Isles of Wonder – great title for the Olympics opening ceremony and a tantalizing Shakespearean description of the British Isles “set in a silver sea” (to quote the man himself but s...
• Number of photos in an experience.
  Hi Simon/Daisy. Is there a limit to the number of photos you can put in an experience? I don't want to start something and then find I can't finish it as intended. Cheers.....steve
• Unusual places to go for a swim?
  Having prided myself on swimming in the sea from an Icelandic beach, reading the last page of Wanderlust magazine's current issue was like  having sand kicked in my face. Apparently Iceland is fo...
• Which are your favourite modern buildings – anywhere in the world?
  Over the years Wanderlusters have posted some stunning photos of modern buildings from around the world, and some of them have been very striking architectural shots. But am I right in thinking that,...