After Charlie flew home to see her family, I immediately signed up to a language school in Guatemala. The problem was that I was currently in Nicaragua, 766km south of my destination, leaving me to answer the question: how could I…
The Corn Islands are a Caribbean cliché located 70 km off the Nicaraguan coastline, complete with virginal white beaches, trouble free skies and soothing blue waters. Shack up in a beach hut by the sea for under £14 ($20), and…
Leon is a shabbier, more streetwise and arguably more authentic brother to Granada. There’s no doubt about it, Nicaragua an ideal destination for budget travellers. With private rooms to be found for $8, rice and beans available on the street for a…
Plenty of companies out there are trying to sell people qualifications for teaching English abroad. But are the courses worth the asking price? No, is the short answer. You don’t need any teaching qualifications whatsoever to teach English in Taiwan.…
If there’s one lesson I’ve learned from the road, it’s that when you travel you can have two of the above, but not all three… Anyone here familiar with the ‘iron triangle?’ Originally a management term, it’s also a useful…
Want to know our secret to not getting robbed while travelling in Central America and the rest of the world? Everyone told us that as tourists, we would be obvious targets in Central America. People who had never even been…
Everyone loves dolphins, right? These social animals have been known to save beached whales, become lifelong friends with one another and play with human swimmers. But dolphin watching tours are harming the Bottlenose population in Bocas del Toro…
Flee the really rather average Rivas by boat to the beautiful volcanic island of Ometepe. Though Ometepe is a small place, it’s very much geared up for travellers. In fact, there are probably more backpackers than locals, but once you escape…
As somebody who has failed miserably to learn three different foreign languages, but is having middling success with my fourth, Spanish, I feel uniquely unqualified in sharing my tips for successfully learning a foreign language for free. Enjoy!
Unlike what my grandparents believed, speaking English slowly and loudly doesn’t quite qualify as communicating in a second language. While the prospect of learning a foreign language can be daunting, there are also many benefits. Not only will it save…