Two For The World

Stepping out onto the streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter can feel intense at first...the noise, the scooters, the energy, the sheer pace of this big, busy city.

So we now have a bit of a 'first morning' tradition to ease ourselves in:

👟 First up: an early morning walk around Hoàn Kiếm Lake. This is one of our favourite times of day in Hanoi - soft light, cooler temps, and literally hundreds of locals gathering around the lake to exercise, dance, stretch, walk, jog and socialise. It’s magic!

☕ Next, coffee: It's a serious business in Vietnam and there are cafés absolutely everywhere. We find a small coffee shop, order a cà phê sữa đá (iced coffee with condensed milk) or egg coffee (it's a thing!), and sit back as Hanoi ramps up around us.

🍜 Then, breakfast: Vietnamese food is one of the main reasons we're here again and breakfast is the best time for two of our fave dishes: pho and bún chả. Our pick this visit is a tiny alleyway Bún chả spot serving smoky grilled pork, spring rolls, rice noodles, tangy dipping broth and the freshest herbs. So good.

🚶‍♀️After that, a wander: Hanoi's Old Quarter is a wonderfully chaotic maze of narrow lanes, honking scooters, roving street vendors, and shops spilling out onto the pavement. For us, weaving our way through the backstreets is the best way to acclimatise to the sensory overload (and get to grips with crossing the streets)....before taking on the city's sights.

Have you been to Hanoi? What were your first impressions?

Hello from Hanoi! 🇻🇳

This is one of our favourite cities in the world - it’s bustling, loud, vibrant…and we absolutely love it!

We’ve visited a few times now, but it’s never felt like long enough. So this time we’re slowing down for a full week: revisiting the highlights, exploring a few new corners, getting beyond the tourist trail, and - of course - eating our way through a very long list of street food and regional specialties. The food here is next level!

Lots to share from Hanoi, stay tuned!

Feeling a bit nostalgic this week after learning that the pretty 'Lovers Arch' at Sant'Andrea in southeast Italy is no more after storms brought it down on - ironically - Valentine’s Day. 💔

This was a happy stop on our road trip through Puglia's Salento region. The rocky coastline here is bustling during the summertime but we visited in early Spring and apart from one other couple, we were the only ones there. Even on a chilly day though, that gorgeous water beckons!

Thousands of years in the making and gone in an evening...nature is constantly changing. We’re grateful we had the chance to see this beauty in its element.

The most scenic stretch of road we’ve driven?

There’s a long list of contenders: the Pass of Glencoe in Scotland, the road to Mount Cook in New Zealand, the Route of the Seven Lakes in Argentina, just about all of the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland…

Perhaps our favourite single-stretch drive, though, is the road from Sogndal to Geiranger in Norway, which can only be driven all the way in the summer months:

🌷It starts with fields of flowers...
📷 Followed by sweeping views up a fjord...
❄ It winds past a hanging glacier and a rushing river...
🌄 Weaves through a narrow valley surrounded by high peaks...
🏠 Meanders along a wide valley dotted with cottages...
🚣‍♀️ Skirts a mirror-like, mountain-reflecting lake...
🌥 Then it climbs up into the clouds...
❄ Crosses a high mountain pass patchy with snow...
🛣 Before winding down a series of switchbacks...
😮 And arriving into the spectacular fjord-side village of Geiranger.

On the road out, the switchbacks of the iconic Eagle Road and Trollstigen await. Or a cruise on the famous Geirangerfjord.

215km of road tripping magic!

What's the most spectacular stretch of road you've driven?

Everyone’s heard of the Vatican, but did you know there’s a second tiny microstate in Italy?

Tucked away on a mountaintop, San Marino is the world’s oldest republic and surviving sovereign state. It was founded in 301AD and today, its 34k people are governed by two heads of state called - excellently - the Captains Regent.

We were road tripping in the east of Italy when we realised there was a chance to visit another country without even trying.

When we learned San Marino’s medieval capital, Città di San Marino, is also a World Heritage site, it was a done deal. But to make it count, we had to stay overnight. A good thing we did.

At around 750 metres above sea level, the ancient citadel towers over the surrounding landscape, promising spectacular views. We were excited!

Our reality? Thick mist and visibility close to zero. We wandered the ridge between the city’s three medieval towers, admired the fortress walls, peered into the mist, and eventually gave up in favour of coffee.

With the end of the day, though, came the magic: a dream-like sunset as the crowds of day-trippers left, the streets quietened, and the Most Serene Republic came into its own, all misty and atmospheric.

And the next morning? Clear skies. Endless views. HIlls and valleys unfolding in every direction. Perfect.

Have you had an experience like this, where staying the night made all the difference?

We’re often asked what our favourite country is. Honestly? We can't land on just one. But there IS a country that we've been back to more times than any other: Italy.

Our first trip to Italy together was over 20 years ago. We’ve been finding reasons to return ever since.

Not that we need a reason beyond gelato. But Italy has just about everything we look for in a travel destination: mountains and lakes, sun-drenched islands, beautiful beaches and coastal areas, stunning baroque cities, charming hill towns, a wonderfully rich cultural heritage. The history is monumental and it's everywhere you look. The food is fresh, local and delicious, the wine is excellent...also, gelato.

No two visits are ever the same. We’ve wandered ancient temples, hiked mountains and gorges, walked on the world's oldest road, gotten lost in the maze-like streets of an ancient troglodyte city, boated on crystal clear waters, biked through old villages, toured (many) wineries, climbed an active volcano, scuba dived on a sunken Ancient Roman town...and so much more.

Italy is also one of our favourite countries to road trip and while we’ve covered a lot of ground now, we're nowhere near done (Calabria and the Dolomites, we're looking at you)....

Have you been to Italy? What’s your favourite place? If you haven’t been yet but want to go, where would you head first?

Ten years ago this month, we packed in our office jobs, put our furniture into storage, and set off on what we thought would be another grown-up gap year.

That year turned into two. We travelled through 25 countries and visited all seven continents. It was epic but it was intense! Somewhere in there, our travel blog twofortheworld.com was born and over time, travel became more than something we loved, it became a lifestyle.

Fast forward to now and we’re back in Aus after a month getting to know the awesome city of Wellington and exploring New Zealand’s lower North Island (still lots to share from that trip!). We're gearing up for another extended overseas stint soon.

In the meantime, we’re taking some time to look back – revisiting ten years of travel, stories, and the places that have shaped Two For The World...and us. ☺️

Come along with us!