Ernest Shackleton travel tips

Set on the east bank of the River Cam, Cambridge is surely one of England’s most storied medieval cities, its cathedral and various colleges imbuing it with a grandeur on par with that of Padua, Siena or Salamanca. Synonymous with its world-famous university — not to mention the writers, thinkers and scholars who studied there — it comes as no surprise that this age-old centre of learning is home to a plethora of marvellously idiosyncratic museums and art galleries.

Hit and run tourism is everywhere on the news, with people bemoaning the bad behaviour of tourists converging on one picture or sculpture before rushing onto the next, or taking selfies in inappropriate locations and then moving on, leaving behind mounds of litter and noise. What's clear is that there are ways that tourists can be motivated to change their behavior and some traveler groups are trying to create consensus around what it actually means to visit a country.

Sliding into the frigid teal water, I’m instantly glad for the three pairs of socks I’m wearing inside my dry suit. I slowly skirt the jagged edge of an iceberg flaring out beneath the surface, careful not to veer too close should it suddenly flip and take me with it. Trying not think about the many ways I could meet a grisly end in the icy abyss of Antarctica, I shift my focus to what’s directly in front of my snorkel mask: thousands of tiny gelatinous creatures that look like they come from another world. 

As a kid, I’d write letters to George Bass, an American professor of underwater archaeology who used to contribute to National Geographic magazine. He actually responded, and we carried on this correspondence for many years — me begging him to take me along on one of his expeditions, him always finding a reason not to. Until, many years later [following Mensun’s studies in ancient history and archaeology], he asked if I could be on the Greek island of Kos in a week’s time. I didn’t ask any questions. This was my open door, and I walked through it.

Northern European countries are used to dealing with extreme weather conditions, bringing innovation and practicality with a strong dose of Nordic flair but always rigorously tested and fit for purpose.

If you’re sick of jostling for towel space on the beach, or tired of selfie sticks bobbing about in front of that scenic mountain vista, then here are some pointers to terrain less trodden.