parishailwood

February 2025 I landed in Sierra Leone with a feeling I hadn’t recognised in years. I travel constantly, sometimes to a new country every week and somewhere along the way the thrill that used to electrify me at every landing began to thin out. I stopped asking for window seats and started wearing an eye…

Travelling to Afghanistan is a profound privilege, especially for a woman from Australia. A certain sense of protection comes with being an outsider, a third party, to Afghan life’s intricate and often harsh realities. Being a foreigner, particularly from a country like Australia, offers a layer of safety that the locals may not have. But…

Leaving a job is never easy, especially when it’s a job you once believed in. But sometimes, the place that was supposed to protect you and nurture your growth can be the opposite. When the realization hits that your well-being isn’t a priority, that your voice isn’t heard, and that the promises of support are nothing…

An alternative place and an alternative view When you think of Egypt, you think of ancient civilizations, inscriptions, pharaohs and, of course, Pyramids, more specifically, those of Giza, which are amongst the most visited tourist sites in the world. However, a mere few kilometres away from these wonders is a city that most tourists neither…

Given the political climate, many things about being a tour guide need to be clarified, especially in the countries where Young Pioneer operates as a woman. Nevertheless, there is intrigue, concern and often judgement which, for the most part, is grounded in genuine interest. So here is the truth about being a female tour guide…

Is it safe for females to travel to Socotra, in short yes it is, but there are precautions that should be taken, as well as cultural norms that should be followed.  What is the backstory to Socotra An island off of the African and Yemeni coast it was once part of the British empire, briefly…

First and foremost, let’s address the elephant in the room, the most frequent question – Is Iraq Safe for women? Granted, it is a good question; I even posed it myself as a 26-year-old woman. Unfortunately, my entire life, what I was consuming didn’t push Iraq to the top of my bucket list. Then again, good news…

Formerly out of reach or your average rank-and-file tourist stop, post-Saddam and ISIS Iraq is now very much open for business, including the Great Mosque of Samarra. What is the hortatory of the Great Mosque of Samarra? Dated from the 9th century AD, or CE (depending on your preference), the site was once the biggest…

The Al-Shaheed monument, also known as the Martyr monument, is one of Iraq’s premier attractions in Baghdad. Unsurprisingly the unique design, vibrant colour, and sheer size stand out amongst the backdrop of traditional architecture in the city. The Al-Shaheed Monuments Purpose The Al-Shaheed monuments story began in 1978, the height of Saddam Hussein’s extravagate commissioning…