The Favourites of Aidan Doyle
Aidan Doyle is an Australian computer programmer and writer. He has visited more than 100 countries, and his experiences include teaching English in Japan, working as a journalist in Bolivia and going ten-pin bowling in North Korea. You can follow Aidan at AidanDoyle.net
What are three of your favourite countries, and why?
Japan
I lived in Japan for four years. It has such a fascinating culture and history, along with beautiful scenery. As well as experiencing ancient festivals, it’s possible to do things like dress up as Mario and drive a go-kart around Toyko.
Bolivia
I worked as a journalist in La Paz for three months and had the chance to interview a number of Bolivians about their daily lives.
Egypt
Egypt is hard to beat when it comes to grand historical monuments. Sailing on the Nile and visiting places such as Abu Simbel and the Valley of the Kings are unforgettable experiences.
What are three of your favourite travel moments, and why?
Antarctica is one of the most amazing places I’ve been for scenery and wildlife. We rode zodiacs to visit the penguins. At one point, we disembarked to walk across frozen sea.
Watching the mass games in Pyongyang was a surreal experience. The grand spectacle, as well as the amount of effort and preparation that had gone in to make such a show.
Trekking through the forest to see mountain gorillas in the wild in Uganda. They’re amazing animals.
What are three of your best travel tips?
Check the Atlas Obscura listing for your destinations. They often list interesting places which aren’t mentioned in other travel guides.
It’s good to have copies of important documents stored in your email and on sites such as Dropbox, but printouts can be useful for when you don’t have Internet connection.
Even if you don’t want to do a group tour, it can be worth looking at their itineraries to get an idea of what are some of the most popular places to visit.
Can you answer these questions with just the name?
Favourites airline: Singapore Airlines.
Favourite hotel: Hotel Gracery Godzilla Room, Japan.
Favourite travel book: Atlas Obscura.
Favourite airport: Changi, Singapore.
Favourite city: Osaka, Japan.
Favourite small town: San Andres, Guatemala.
Favourite travel website: Atlas Obscura.
Favourite travel movie: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Favourite restaurant: Gaggan, Thailand.
