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Opening HoursLife is in the detail
For a different (and crowd free) take on a classic view – cross the Yamuna River at dusk to see the Taj Mahal glowing pink and reflected in the river.
Tom - Original Traveller
Tom Barber
Original Travel Expert
I have extensive travel experience throughout Middle East, Africa, Caribbean, The Far East and Europe.
My travels
Travel Things I Want To Do Before I Die
- Sudan. More pyramids than northerly neighbour Egypt and a miniscule fraction of the visitor numbers.
- California for sheer diversity of special things to see and do.
- Sao Tome & Principe, because it just sounds magical and unspoilt.
Best Moments
- Diving Neptune's Arm off the coast of Mozambique and generally considered the best dive in the world. It didn't disappoint and we were surrounded by white tip reef sharks and groupers the size of Minis.
Weirdest Travel Moment
- Chicken hearts in Brazil. Bleeurch.
Explore my blog posts
Top Trips for Tots 2020
Welcome to the exciting new world of family travel. You may have to make a few (temporary) compromises to your travel habits, but we're here to help with the transition. What you're ideally looking for at this nascent stage is child-friendly hotels that are, conversely, not entirely…
La Dolce Vita Aboard The 'Blue Deer' - Part 2
After dropping deeply unsubtle hints to Stefano, the owner of the Blue Deer, I flew to Italy ready to board the sublime catamaran off the coast of Ponza. Next, I got to explore Ponza town itself, before heading over to the nearby island of Palmarola and doing some sea urchin fishing…
La Dolce Vita Aboard the 'Blue Deer' - Part One
I've always espoused the mantra (if I can trap someone long enough while I bang on) that if you could take Italy's hinterland, and Greece's coastline and islands, you'd have arguably the world's perfect destination. That was until I had the very, very great pleasure of spending a couple of…
Sabbaticals - Feel The Fear...And Do It Anyway
"It's only normal to come up with excuses not to try something new or bold. We all fear uncertainty and things going wrong. Another way is to focus instead on the potential upsides and how the decision could transform your life for the better" Gil Dove, Leadership Coach
Why So Slow, UNESCO?
The last few weeks have been something of an emotional rollercoaster, haven't they? There was the absolute madness of the Cricket World Cup final, the devastation of honorary Brit Roger Federer losing in the Wimbledon final and, of course the annual updates to the UNESCO World Heritage…
Top Seven Things to do in Sweden
Explore the rest of what makes the west (of Sweden) the best, or hop across to the glorious capital Stockholm.
The Best Family Holiday Ever: Part 2
Part one of my tales from our family holiday in South Africa took us from Cape Town to the Winelands, while in part two we head on up the coast along the Garden Route and then north to the Waterberg for a family safari…
The Best Family Holiday Ever: Part 1
If you haven't seen our latest Family Brochure yet, I'd like to think it's the best we've ever produced, and that's including two that won the illustrious Guardian/Observer Best Brochure of the Year award. The reason? We've meticulously laid out the best family travel destinations (some…
Where to Go for Outdoor Living
If you like your country big then this fab foursome are well worth exploring. Read on to find out how they put the 'great' in The Great Outdoors.
Pimp My Ride
Some roads demand to be driven, so a bog standard hire car just won't cut it. Add some horsepower to your holiday with these upgrades...
Connecting with Different Cultures Through Travel
Despite the dangerously polarising effect of social media and unscrupulous politicians, we all share the same hopes and fears, the same fundamental human condition, and there's no better way to remind yourself of these universal truths than through travel. Yes, the clothing, customs, cuisine…
The Greatest Road Trip Panoramic Pit Stops
You're here for the freedom of the open road, but do stop to take in the sheer magnificence of your surroundings...
Top Seven Things to do in Zambia
Whether you've got a niche wildlife interest or a need for some authentic cultural immersion, Zambia has got you covered...
Are We Nearly There Yet?
Keep the use of that dreaded phrase to a minimum with these road tested ruses...
Destination Inspiration for Slow Travel
The frenetic pace of modern life is a common complaint, but since the world shows no signs of stopping so we can get off, we need a few less radical solutions. Enter: the concept of slow travel; an opportunity to take your foot off the gas and enjoy the world around you at a gentler pace...
Avoiding Carguments
Apparently a quarter of all arguments occur in the car. Here's a road map to avoiding traffic-related tiffs...
The Nine Big Hotel No-Nos
When we're putting together your trip, choosing the perfect hotel is one of the key conversations. The hotels, camps and lodges we work with are - naturally - beyond reproach, but the team here at Original Travel have had to kiss a whole host of hotel frogs to come up with our portfolio of…
The Conservation Conversation
At Original Travel we spend a lot of time discussing our part in the great sustainability and tourism debate. Here's a quick summary of our current thinking…
Cultural spots in San Sebastián
Kaixo (hello in Basque) and welcome to San Sebastian, or Donostia as it's known locally. The city is the capital of Spain's brilliant and ever so slightly batty Basque region. Here's all you need to know about this peaceful and beautiful city, with its miniature Rio de Janeiro vibe, complete…
Wine Tasting in Bordeaux
We love a city that's recovered its mojo, and Bordeaux has most certainly done so. The grand 18th-century boulevards and buildings - paid for by the proceeds of the wine industry - spent decades down at heel until a recent sense of urban renewal lured young entrepreneurs back. Now, with the…
Best Experiences in San Francisco
At first glance Frisco is a city without a clear narrative, swinging from late 19th Century Gold Rush greed to flowers in your hair hippie free love and now home to techpreneurs from Twitter to Instagram. What's the common theme? An over-riding sense of what might be possible when groups of…
The Best of Mexico City
¡Bienvenido a Mexico City! Formerly known as DF (distrito federal) for the past two centuries, Mexico's capital changed its official name last year and is now known as Ciudad de Mexico (CDMX). Once centre of the Aztec Empire, latter day CDMX (catchier than one-time Tenochtitlan) sits gritty…
Travelling with Tweens
The world is their oyster... just don't try making them eat one. Follow these few simple ground rules and these could just be the happiest holidays you ever have...
Europe for Youths
Elsewhere in our blog we've talked about Travelling with Teenagers, given Teen to Teen Advice as well as Parental Advice on family holidays all around the far flung corners of our glorious globe. Now that every hidden nook and secret cranny is now in play with teens in tow, let's not forget…
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