As somebody reasonably well travelled, I am often asked my favourite countries visited. This is pretty impossible, so diverse are they. I will give it a go. However, if you ask me again next week I am pretty sure the list will change!

Japan

I am just back from a fabulous two week trip. Fuji, bullet trains, cherry blossoms, amazing sights & cities.

What I loved most however was the people & culture. Unique in many ways and a joy to behold.

Cuba

January 2017 saw me, Mrs Wilbur and our great friend Hamish visit the largest Caribbean island on a fab tour with G Adventures.

Starting and finishing in the amazing capital Havana and taking in much of the country including second city Santiago, the trip was most memorable for the music & dance, colour, all things Revolution and stunning landscapes.

Argentina

We only visited Buenos Aires and Iguacu Falls, but that was enough to fall in love with South America’s second largest country.

Culture, beauty, the legend of Eva Peron, football, passion. Everything is brash and alive. The Falls were stunning too.

Uzbekistan

It is a toss up for Uzbekistan with its peerless Islamic architecture and Turkmenistan with its oddball nature, amazing capital (Ashgabat) and eerie desert landscape.

I visited both with Hamish in 2018, crossing the land border on foot between the two Stans.

The buildings of Samarkand, Bukhara & Khiva are jaw dropping, the desert castles amazing, bustling Tashkent invigorating and the train journeys brilliant fun.

Syria

What more can I say about the sadly war-torn country? I consider myself extremely fortunate to have visited in 2009 by train from Istanbul.

Shell-shocked Aleppo will always be my favourite city in the world. Damascu, Palmyra, Hama, Krak des Chevaliers & St Simeon’s Monastery – all incredible.

The people were so, so lovely too.

Apologies Vietnam, Jordan, Italy, Spain, Norway, Turkmenistan, India, South Africa, Indonesia, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, France, Iceland, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Peru, Brazil etc. – you may well make it next week though!