Travel in Afghanistan

One of the world’s great railway journeys, the Ghan runs from Darwin in the far north of Australia to Adelaide in the south, a distance of 2979km – further than London to Moscow. Following the route of pioneering nineteenth-century “Afghan” cameleers, Shafik Meghji hopped on board to take in some of the country’s most dramatic landscapes.

‘Mini-break’ and ‘Minsk’ don’t trip off the tongue. And if you’ve never considered a visit to the Belarusian capital, you aren’t alone. Anita Isalska explores why the city makes for an interesting trip.

Put aside all images of Hugh Jackman in X Men: a wolverine is the largest member of the weasel family, though it looks more like a small bear. Most notable about wolverines is their strength – far greater than expected for an animal of its size – and though they can be found in considerable numbers in northern Canada, Alaska and Scandinavia, their prized fur has over the years made them a prime target for hunters.

Being well-travelled is one thing. Being an explorer is quite another. From Marco Polo’s Silk Road expedition to Nellie Bly’s epic 1889 voyage around-the-world-in-72-days, these 15 famous world explorers sure knew how to make the most of their time on earth. What’s more, these famous explorers' names might just provide inspiration for places to visit during your own trip of a lifetime. 

Singapore has the most powerful passport in the world, knocking Japan off the top of the list for the first time in five years.

At the start of this year, the Henley Passport Index 2023, compiled by consultancy firm Henley & Partners, revealed that Japan had the most powerful passport in the world. For the fifth year in a row, the Japanese passport bagged the top spot—either alone or tied with Singapore. But now, according to the most recent ranking, based on exclusive and official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Singapore has pipped Japan to the post and become the most powerful passport. Japan has dropped to third place for the first time in half a decade.