create your own visited country map
On this page you can read a little about me, who I am, what made me start travelling, where I've been, and where I'd like to go
My name is Serena I was born in 1971 in the town of Dover, England. If you've ever travelled from England to France by ferry, then there is a good chance that you will have passed through Dover.
I have a younger sister called Natalie; you will read more about her in my emails from Africa.
My interests include travel, photography and diving. I am a buddhist, and have been a vegetarian since I was eight years old.
I guess travel is in my blood - my dad used to be in the merchant navy and has travelled far and wide, my mum hitchhiked through Europe in the 'Sixties and spent a number of years living in New Zealand. I had always assumed that I would one day travel, expecting opportunity to come knocking on my door. Life's not quite like that though; you have to take the initiative and get the ball rolling.
"And then one day you find,
Ten years have got behind you,
No one told you when to run,
You missed the starting gun"
Pink Floyd, Time.
Without being fully aware of how it had happened, I found myself at the age of 27 in a "sensible job" that I hated and tied to a mortgage for the next couple of decades - this wasn't how I'd seen my life turning out at all. I have no desire to marry or urge to procreate, so the next big event I could see in store for me was my retirement!
I felt trapped in a life I didn't want, deeply frustrated and increasingly dissatisfied. Things at work went from bad to worse until finally I could take no more. I booked a round the world ticket and arranged to take a year's unpaid leave, and started planning my first big adventure. I wasn't sure what I wanted or expected to get out of it, I just wanted to do something with my life.
I started my trip in Thailand, and within a week I was a born-again traveller! I had been a pessamist my whole life, suffered on and off with depression, and was often overwhelmed with a feeling of hopelessness. Suddenly I felt that the good outweighed the bad, the happy was greater than the sad. Life was wonderful, and there was a whole big world out there waiting for me to explore.
I must always be grateful that I had been so very unhappy with my life, otherwise I would never have been motivated to go in the first place.
Below is a list of countries I have been to. The *asterisk* denotes a country that I have visited only for the day. I have not included any lay-bys at airports, as I really don't think they count!
create your own visited
country map
| Scenery | Culture | People | Food | Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 10 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 38/40 |
| Thailand | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 37/40 |
| Vietnam | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 36/40 |
| Turkey | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 35/40 |
| Egypt | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 34/40 |
I also want to revisit most of the countries I have already been to, with a few notable exceptions (you should be able to guess at least one of those by reading my emails home from Africa), and sincerely hope to make it into space one day...time, money and technological developments permitting...you've got to aim high!
I'm getting a portfolio together at the moment, which you can see here.
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Tales of Asia - A wonderfully informative site covering many Asian countries. If you are going to Cambodia, then this site is essential reading. Find out where to go, how to avoid scams at the border...better than a guidebook for this ever-changing part of the world.
CIA factbook - Crammed with a wide variety of information about every country, and maps too.
Pbase - Want to share your photos with loved ones? You can't beat this site.
Seat 61 - This site is fantastic if you are considering by train in just about any country you can think of, including timetables, prices and pictures of the trains. One of the most astounding things about it is that it is run as a hobby - it's just great. Bravo, man in seat 61!
Travel Health Online - Health advice and a lot more. Search by destination or disease. Includes general safety warnings. You have to register, but it is free to individuals.Foreign Office - A good source of information, but it can be a tad scarey. Don't make this the only place you look, or you may never go anywhere!
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Visit SerenityPhotography.co.uk, where you can buy beautiful pictures from around the world...all taken by yours truly! |