Author Archives: Richard Griffith

About Richard Griffith

My first independent travel experience was a trip to Israel, in 1997, it was here that I caught the 'travel' bug! In 2001 I took an 8-month sabbatical and traveled around South East Asia. Since then I have managed to visit most of Eastern Europe along with India, Bangladesh, and a few other destinations in between. I love travel and I love meeting new people.

Planning ahead? You’ve got to be kidding!

Posted on 23/03/2017 by Richard Griffith

Mary Miro (Casa Mary), the lady who had helped arrange my stay with Loly, met me this morning – to go through my itinerary for the rest of Cuba. This is not my usual style of travelling; I prefer spontaneity … Continue reading →

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Exploring Havana on foot.

Posted on 22/03/2017 by Richard Griffith

Walking around Havana is like being in an action movie – your senses are on constant overdrive. Around every corner there is something new, something that stretches your imagination. The city is like nothing I have ever experienced before – … Continue reading →

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Havana.

Posted on 21/03/2017 by Richard Griffith

When I think of Cuba, I always think of my first night back in Havana after a break. I recall the busy atmospheric streets, the snapshots of lives lived out in the open, and the unmistakable aromas: tropical papaya mixed … Continue reading →

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Casa particular de Loly.

Posted on 20/03/2017 by Richard Griffith

No one has control on when or where they are born, I was so extremely lucky…….. on both counts. For the majority of people living in Cuba life is tough. Prior to the revolution it was even tougher. The airport … Continue reading →

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Cuba, expect the unexpected.

Posted on 19/03/2017 by Richard Griffith

Cuba is like a prince in a poor man’s coat: behind the sometimes-shabby facades, gold dust lingers. It’s these rich dichotomies that make travel here the exciting, exhilarating roller-coaster ride it is. Trapped in a time warp and reeling from … Continue reading →

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México in retrospect.

Posted on 18/03/2017 by Richard Griffith

Palm-fringed beaches, chili-spiced cuisine; steamy jungles, teeming cities; fiesta fireworks, Frida’s angst: Mexico conjures up diverse, vivid dreams. And the reality lives up to the imagining. An Outdoor Life: With steaming jungles, smoking, snow- capped volcanoes, cactus-strewn deserts and 10,000km … Continue reading →

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Chichén Itzá.

Posted on 17/03/2017 by Richard Griffith

The most famous and best restored of the Yucatán Maya sites, Chichén Itzá, while tremendously overcrowded – every gawker and his or her grandmother is trying to check off the new seven wonders of the world – will still impress … Continue reading →

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Tulum.

Posted on 16/03/2017 by Richard Griffith

Tulum’s spectacular coastline – with all its confectioner-sugar sands, jade-green water and balmy breezes – makes it one of the top beaches in Mexico. Where else can you get all that and a dramatically situated Maya ruin? There’s also excellent … Continue reading →

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Xcalak.

Posted on 15/03/2017 by Richard Griffith

Xcalak POP 380. The rickety wooden houses, beached fishing launches and lazy gliding pelicans make this tiny town plopped in the middle of nowhere a perfect escape. Blessed by virtue of its remoteness and the Chinchorro atoll (preventing the creation … Continue reading →

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Laguna Bacalar.

Posted on 14/03/2017 by Richard Griffith

Laguna Bacalar comes as a surprise in this region of scrubby jungle. More than 60km long, this crystal-clear lake offers opportunities for camping, swimming, kayaking and simply lazing around. It’s noted mostly for its large cenote, old Spanish fortress and … Continue reading →

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