Welcome – We’re Jude and Ruby
Our Story! Sisters, born in Scotland, decade-long travel lovers, living and working on different continents, and now blogging around the world.
Between us, we’ve visited over 100 countries but it was during an adventure to Montenegro and Northern Albania that we dove in and decided to create our travel blog.
We aim to answer your travel questions by sharing experiences of our travels in a fun, friendly & informative way, to inspire your lifelong adventures.
About us
A business graduate, I spent more than a decade in the travel industry in London creating complex global travel itineraries for clients including the BBC and Citibank. Then Wexas, an international private travel company before joining British Airways. During this time I travelled extensively before having my kids.
Currently, I’m an Assistant Head Teacher in Suffolk, UK, and Travel Blogger! No prizes for guessing my favorite subject is Geography!
As a Human Resources executive, I lived and worked on 4 continents from the Arctic to West Africa and The Caspian. I love learning about cultures around the world from food to local celebrations.
Having given up corporate life I’ve found a new passion for Travel Blogging and of course, more free time to travel.
Why We Blog
We blog to show that lifelong travel is possible whatever your circumstances, budget, and time. We share honest, practical itineraries, travel tips, and ideas based on what we’ve done ourselves. That’s why we only blog on places we have been to!
Our values at TPOP are Teamwork, Practical, Original, and Positivity – in other words, TPOP!!
Where We’ve Lived, Worked & Travelled
Destinations – Where To Next?
Speaking of where we’ve been, well we’re not going to list out 100+ countries but these are the ones where we’ve spent the most time, living in or travelling to several times. Others are places where we have created detailed itineraries for our travel adventures that we want to share with you.
Angola – Luanda
Azerbaijan – Baku, Quba, Lankaran, Qusar
Bulgaria – Sofia, Bansko
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Sarajevo, Mostar
Canada – Vancouver, Montreal
Chile – Santiago, Valparaíso, Puerto Natales, Patagonia
Colombia – Cartagena, Bogota
Costa Rica – Central Valley, Arenal, Monteverde, Pacific Coast
Croatia – Dubrovnik, Zagreb, Split
Cuba – Havana, Trinidad, Cienfuegos
Czechia (Czech Republic) – Prague, Karlovy Vary
England – London, Suffolk – Woodbridge, Felixstowe, Orford, Aldeburgh
Ecuador – Quito, The Galapagos
Estonia – Tallinn
France – Paris, Reims
Georgia – Tblisi, Kazbegi, Kakheti, Gori
Greece – Corfu, Lefkada, Halkidiki, Rhodes, Athens
Hungary – Budapest
Iceland – Reykjavik
India – Goa, Dehli, Agra, Jaipur
Indonesia – Bali, Jakarta
Italy – Venice, Florence, Siena, Pisa, Rome, Naples, Sorrento, Capri, Sicily
Jordan – Petra, Amman
Laos – Luang Prabang
Latvia – Riga
Maldives
Mexico – Mexico City, Puebla, Oaxaca, Akumal,
Montenegro – Herceg-Novi, Kotor, Perst, Budva, Old Bar, Uljinc
Morocco – Marrakesh
New Zealand – Auckland, North Island, South Island
North Macedonia – Skopje, Bitola and Lake Ohrid
Oman – Muscat
Panama – Panama City
Peru – Cuzco
Poland – Warsaw, Krakow, Wrocklaw
Scotland – Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness, Islay, Colonsay, Outer Hebrides, Mull, Iona, Staffa,
Slovakia – Bratislava
Slovenia – Ljubljana
South Africa – Cape Town, Kwazulu-Natal, Durban, Johannesburg, Drakensberg
Spain – Seville
Sri Lanka – Highlands, Colombo
Thailand – Krabi
Turkey – Istanbul
USA – Alaska, Colorado, Florida
Uruguay – Colonia del Sacramento, Carmelo
Vietnam – Hanoi, Hoi An, HaLong Bay, Hue, Ho Chi Minh
Remembering First Trips
Our first holidays were to camping or caravan trips to Nairn or Lossiemouth on the Moray Coast of Scotland.
These destinations were close to our Aberdeenshire farm, but a world away with sweeping sandy beaches, and no end of shells to collect.
International adventures were to Northern England to visit our grandparents on our Mum’s side. The journey was fun as we always had multiple stops, the best one being at Perth for hot soup.
Newcastle was our base to visit Hadrian’s Wall, Beamish Museum, and still, a favourite to return to, the ancient city of York.
Who Inspired Us To Travel?
Our Scottish Granda, sailed from Scotland to Australia in 1953. We have an original diary recount of his voyage. Six weeks to get there, including his return journey of six weeks.
“Travel experiences to your destination can be an adventure too”
Our English Granda took his first transatlantic trip at age 90 having first traveled to Europe in his 70s. He marveled at the beauty of Canada on a cross-country train trip with Mum and Dad! They were also avid travelers when they could get away from the farm and us girls!
“We’re never too old to explore new places.”
“Like Life, Travel mostly goes as planed, but…”
We love this quote Like life, travel mostly goes as planned but can throw a curve and when that happens we learn. It’s true! We have had a few moments on our travels to look back and laugh about now.
Like being stopped from boarding a flight when officials were convinced we’d crossed overland on foot without permission from the Congo into Angola in West Africa.
And being chased out of Colombia by bandits when we mistakenly crossed over the border from Venezuela when kayaking on the Orinoco River!
But we’re still here and all the better for the occasional unexpected travel adventure 🙂
