February 2025 - Planet Whitley

The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London.

Fascinating naval origins of common expressions in Greenwich

Pushing the boat out at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich One of the unexpected delights of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London, is learning where certain phrases come from. The Nelson, Navy, Nation gallery of the museum focuses a lot on Navy life…

England, Greenwich, language, London, museums, UK

Me, posing on a quad bike before things got scary.

Terror on a quad bike in Cappadocia

When the speed and stunts of a quad bike tour in Cappadocia, Turkey, get too much, it’s easy to feel old and cowardly. The view from the top of the hill It’s the hill that marks my passing from youth into middle age. Emre ploughs…

adrenalin, Cappadocia, Turkey

Crown Fountain in Millennium Park, Chicago.

Top Attractions in Millennium Park: Cloud Gate, Crown Fountain & Pritzker Pavilion

Millennium Park in Chicago features iconic artworks like Cloud Gate, Crown Fountain, and Pritzker Pavilion, showcasing stunning public art.

art, Chicago, Illinois, parks, USA

What happens in a plane emergency?

Ever wondered what happens if someone falls ill on a plane, an engine dies or an emergency landing is required? Well, this should help answer those questions… The vast majority of flights pass uneventfully, barring the odd bit of turbulence and maybe the first choice…

air travel

The Museum of Art Fakes in Vienna, Austria.

Vienna’s Museum of Art Fakes | The stories of the great art forgers

In Vienna, the Museum of Art Fakes lets visitors into the weird world of counterfeit art. Edgar Mrugalla – master forger The Rembrandt (or should that be Rembr-aren’t?) etchings on the wall look indistinguishable from the originals. They’re the handiwork of Edgar Mrugalla, a one-time…

art, Austria, museums, Vienna

The view on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

Mt Doom, Emerald Lakes & the Red Crater on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing

On the North Island, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is New Zealand’s best day walk – and you might recognise the volcanoes from Lord of the Rings. Walking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing The blackened, rough-sided rocks sprawled across the horizon make it pretty obvious that the…

mountains, New Zealand, North Island, volcanoes, walks

Kayaking to the Mine Bay rock carvings on Lake Taupo

A Lake Taupo kayaking tour on New Zealand’s North Island shows off the incredible Maori rock carvings at Mine Bay. Kayaking on Lake Taupo Lake Taupo on New Zealand’s North Island is feistier than usual. A steadfast wind is blowing up, sending the usually serene…

kayaking, New Zealand, North Island, Taupo

Why Rome is a brilliant city for solo travellers

Attraction-heavy Rome is an ideal destination for self-indulgent travel without the family. The treat of alone time You only start to realise how great travelling on your own can be when you rarely get to do it any more. It’s a similar vibe to when…

Italy, Rome, solo travel

Why leaf-peeping is not just for old people

Driving through New England, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, the joy of autumn colours reveals itself. What is leaf-peeping? Up until I actually tried it, I’d treated the concept of “leaf-peeping” with utter contempt. For the uninitiated, the general concept works as follows: You drive…

Boston, driving, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, USA

Street Art in Valparaíso: A Historical Journey

On a street art tour in Valparaíso, Chile, the inventive murals have a history behind them. The Piano Stairs of Cerro Concepcíon Several cities have high concentrations of street art. However, probably only in Valparaíso can you trample all over it without realizing. The truth…

art, Chile, street art, Valparaiso