Lydia Swinscoe

4 days ago | cntraveller.in | Lydia Swinscoe

Hidden in plain sight by the comings and goings of Galle’s lively bus stand and the sun-shaded, makeshift stalls selling stubby bunches of kolikuttu bananas, is the muted pink facade of the Sydney Hotel. It's stood here, outside the sutrdy walls of Galle Fort, for more than a century. Since most tourists don’t venture outside Galle Fort’s walls, Sydney is frequented, first and foremost, by loyal locals and the odd curious traveller.

5 days ago | thetimes.com | Lydia Swinscoe

The best cities in the world often seem to have a gritty, hard-to-penetrate exterior that keeps uncurious travellers at bay — and Colombo is no exception. On the surface, the Sri Lankan capital is ruled by overzealous tuk-tuks, grumbling Ashok Leyland buses and oil-slick black crows cawing from fragrant frangipani trees. But dig a little deeper and curious souls will find an island metropolis buzzing with excitement, creativity and passionate residents.

1 week ago | dailymail.co.uk | Lydia Swinscoe

We’re often told quitting is weak, a way out for those not headstrong enough to handle certain pressures, but I couldn’t disagree more. The first time I quit a job was back in 2009, leaving my first London-based magazine office job in exchange for 12 months of exploration through 15 countries on a seriously tight budget. And the last came about just over 15 months ago, when I decided to become a full-time freelance travel writer.

1 week ago | flipboard.com | Lydia Swinscoe

8 hours agoKATHMANDU, Nepal—Four men left London’s Heathrow Airport for Nepal on a May afternoon. Within five days, they were atop Mount Everest, the 29,000-foot peak where an ascent typically takes weeks of acclimatization and bursts of climbing punctuated by rest. Instead, the four British army veterans …

1 week ago | cntravellerme.com | Lydia Swinscoe

Hidden in plain sight by the comings and goings of Galle’s lively bus stand and the sun-shaded, makeshift stalls selling stubby bunches of kolikuttu bananas, is the muted pink facade of the Sydney Hotel. It's stood here, outside the sutrdy walls of Galle Fort, for more than a century. Since most tourists don’t venture outside Galle Fort’s walls, Sydney is frequented, first and foremost, by loyal locals and the odd curious traveller.