10 pictures to help you plan a tour around Mexico’s Copper Canyon

a picture of a picture, with scenery from the Copper Canyon Railway in the background

This post is choc-a-block full of pictures to help you plan a tour around the Copper Canyon in Mexico. Known as the Barrancas del Cobre in Spanish, you might also hear it referred to as “Mexico’s Grand Canyon”. Except it’s bigger than the Grand Canyon. Yup, bigger. As well as spending a day on the […]

Where to spend a month in Mexico – from the Yucatán to Mexico City

pretty pastel buildings in Campeche

Updated February 2020. It’s a country with caves, canyons, cenotes, coasts, cities, culture, crafts and a top cuisine; spending only a month in Mexico is a tough ask. Mexico gives you countless opportunities to interact with the welcoming locals – on the ubiquitous public transport, and at its many sites and attractions. You’ll never be too far […]

A day trip from Campeche to the Edzna Mayan ruins

the Edzna Mayan ruins near Campeche main plaza

I love a good Mayan ruin. If they’re of the lesser-visited variety like Edzná, so much the better. With a few days in the colourful Mexican city of Campeche on the western side of the Yucatán peninsula, a day trip to the Edzná ruins was too big a draw to resist. Getting from Campeche to […]

25 (more) experiences I’m going to have before I die … updated!

Outside York Minster in a tuk tuk!

Three years after first committing this list of my 25 must-do experiences to my hard drive, here’s my light-hearted look at what’s been accomplished, what’s still “on the list”, and what’s been ditched … Why I put my 25 experiences list in writing When I was in Bologna, I met Judy. Judy introduced me to […]

How to buy Copper Canyon train tickets

El Chepe, the Copper Canyon railway train

Updated June 2020. This post gives details on how to buy your Copper Canyon railway tickets before you travel, without having to pay a USD $100 tour operator premium. Andrew and I travelled on Mexico’s Copper Canyon railway in October 2016, from El Fuerte to Creel. We travelled in Business (then known as First/Primera).   Since then, new First Class carriages have […]

The stories behind The Gap Year Edit’s twelve top Instagram pictures of 2016

2016 Yorkshire events - Whitby

Yup, it’s that time of year again … where I share the stories behind the scenes from your twelve most-liked 2016 pictures from The Gap Year Edit’s Instagram account. #12. Bamburgh, Northumberland, England I got my feet wet taking this picture in May – the beach at Bamburgh, Northumberland. Miles and miles of sandy wonderfulness, with a medieval […]

11 tips for travel in Mexico

An old red VW beetle available for hire as a public address system in Izamal, Mexico

Bags of culture. Decent public transport. Good value. Chatty residents. All these make Mexico one of my favourite destinations. Here are 11 tips for independent travel in Mexico. Getting around – 11 tips for travel in Mexico 1. Combis Collectivos / combi vans are a steal for local transport (think camper van of the VW […]