Penang, Malaysia.

In a time where there is such a critical highlight on Malaysia (Malaysian Airlines to be precise), I thought it might be more important than ever to look at some of the beauty this country has to offer. The loss of the aircraft is incredibly sad and my heart goes out to those families who have lost loved ones.

Malaysia is more diverse than anywhere else I've visited. The cohabitation of so many different cultures, mainly Indian and Chinese, provides ornate architecture and breathtaking scenery wherever you look. Even though many of the religious places attract a number of tourists they remain very spiritual and calming. For me, the contrast of being inside the cool marble buildings with the beautiful landscapes visible from all angles created peace.

Egypt

I live in the UK and honestly this winter has been very trying. It has been constant cold and snow which is not irregular for England but this winter has gone above and beyond to make me feel miserable.

So I left England, I went to Egypt and I found (and thoroughly exploited) the sunshine. It is a beautiful country, there are parts of it which make it one of my favourite places to go, but there are parts of it which I don't like. The pros obviously outweigh the cons, the ornate temples and beautiful food and weather make it exceptional but there is a lot of unrest there at the moment and a lot of people living in conditions which are not ideal.

What I enjoy most about visiting new places is taking photos, maybe too many as in this week long trip I managed to rack up a whopping 850 photos, here a just a few of my most favourite.