Travel Diary

From Aberystwyth to Almaty via Armenia

Recent Trip Reports:

• 12/08/25 - Ukraine during the Full Scale War
• 09/08/25 - Baltics Trip

As a child, my dad worked as a truck driver in both Russia and Ukraine. He would bring back souvenirs, I would see his photos, and I developed a strong desire to explore these unknown lands for myself. So, I started learning Russian, and when I became an adult and had a bit of disposable income, one of the first things I did was purchase a plane ticket to Kyiv!

I ended up spending an extended period of time in Ukraine, travelling all around the country, from Lviv to Kharkiv. Prior to the full-scale war, I had even looked at the possibility of moving there longer term. I was there, renting an apartment as Russian soldiers lined up at the border in late 2021. It is like a second home to me, and the war has therefore affected me emotionally in ways that are difficult to describe.

However, my experiences in Ukraine further ignited a real love and passion for exploring the world. It was the first country I visited outside of the UK, and I've now been to more than 20 across Europe and Asia, having some unforgettable experiences along the way.

Countries visited so far:

• UK (all 4 constituent parts)
• Ireland
• Germany
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Estonia
• Poland
• Ukraine
• Romania
• Moldova
• Serbia
• Bosnia
• Croatia
• Slovenia
• Turkey
• Georgia
• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Kazakhstan
• Uzbekistan
• Qatar