One Step 4ward
Johnny Ward is a serious traveller! In 2006 he left Ireland 2006 to teach English in Asia. The move ignited a passion that has since taken him to every single country in the world. He now has his heights set on reaching both poles and climbing 7 of the world's greatest summits. On top of all that, he blogs about his adventures and manages to keep thousands of social media followers up to date with his adventures. Bravo Johnny! Go follow him, immediately!

Recent blog posts

Getting married in Thailand. My Chiang Mai wedding. WE DID IT!
13th October 2022 by One Step 4ward
WE DID IT! After 10 years together, finally Jaa and I got married. And we did it in Thailand’s northern gem, Chiang Mai. What a day it turned out to be. If you’re interested in how it all worked out, or if you’re thinking about getting married in Chiang Mai, or anywhere in Thailand, this should help you guys make some big decisions. Including the Thailand wedding costs! Check it out…...

3 days in Diani Beach, Kenya; All you need to know new
30th September 2022 by One Step 4ward
Diani Beach is a resort area which is situated 30 km south of Kenya’s second city Mombasa. It’s a great escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, and an area of outstanding natural beauty making it perfect 3-day break during your time in Kenya. When it comes to tourism in Africa we hear a great deal about safaris, mountain gorilla spotting and of course, scaling Mount Kilimanjaro, but surprisingly we don’t often hear about the stunning beaches and coastal escapes which many nations...

Phu Chi Fa; How to visit Thailand’s BEST sunrise spot!
4th August 2022 by One Step 4ward
I’ve lived in Thailand for a decade (Bangkok to be more specific, click to check out an insiders Bangkok itinerary here), and I had never heard of Phu Chi Fa. Thankfully my Thai fiance finally told me about it recently. I understand that people flock to Thailand for the islands, full-moon parties, and gorgeous temples. However, Northern Thailand is home to some amazing mountain views....

Visiting the Eiffel Tower tips; Best views, cheapest tickets etc
26th July 2022 by One Step 4ward
Did you know that Paris is always fighting with Bangkok to be the most visited city in the world? And if you come to France, then visiting the Eiffel Tower is perhaps the number one thing on people’s travel bucket lists! In fact, it’s the most visited, ticketed monument in the world. Wowzer....

Visiting the London Eye - How to skip the queue and get cheap tickets
26th July 2022 by One Step 4ward
Opened to the public in March 2000, the London Eye has quickly become one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. And anyone taking a trip to the UK’s capital should make visiting the London Eye a priority. The London Eye was originally only supposed to be around for five years as a celebration of the Millennium, but it’s since become the UK’s most popular attraction. Now it promises to remain a staple on the tourism scene for years to come....

Visiting the Perhentian Islands, Malaysia; Malaysia’s best-kept secret!
29th July 2022 by One Step 4ward
Malaysian Islands are SO underrated. Thailand steals all the plaudits, but honestly, Langkawi, Penang and visiting the Perhentian Islands rival the famous Thai islands. All day long. So let me let you in on another of Malaysia’s backpacking secrets, the Perhentian Islands....

Visiting the Vatican City; EVERYTHING you need to know
8th August 2022 by One Step 4ward
Here’s one for the county counters (me included!). When you’re visiting the Vatican City in Rome, you’re visiting the World’s smallest country (yes The Vatican is a country!). But there are some great ways to visit the Vatican, and some not-so-smart ways to visit. I’ve visited the Vatican City three times now, so I hope I can help you guys make the right choices on your visit!...

The PERFECT 2 day Singapore itinerary & 10 (cheap!) things to do
6th July 2022 by One Step 4ward
I’m based in Thailand, so Singapore is right on my doorstep. Every time I need to leave Thailand, I often travel to Singapore for a weekend away. I know now the perfect 2 day Singapore Itinerary, so let me help you with your trip! I hate checking blogs for help and they talk too much so don’t worry, I’ll keep it simple, so you can enjoy your tour to Singapore, and lean on my itinerary to help you. First I’ll lay out the 5 things to do in Singapore that you can’t miss, then a more...

My Sri Panwa review; The best hotel in Phuket
23rd June 2022 by One Step 4ward
I’ve been a blogger for 10 years. And what a journey it’s been. From being a broke English teacher in Thailand, to visiting every country in the world. It’s a lot of stress, but being a blogger certainly has its perks. And getting to stay at the best hotel in Phuket was one of my early wins! My Sri Panwa review should help you guys see why. I’ve since gone back as a paying customer, it was that good! So while I’m still a backpacker at heart (as my impending tours to South Sudan and...

Siam Amazing Park - Bangkok’s best theme park?
6th July 2022 by One Step 4ward
Bangkok is an international metropolis full of shopping malls, movie theatres and Starbucks but a (completely nonsense) common complaint about Bangkok is that often there are just too many things to fit into your Bangkok Itinerary. Well, I’m here to make that worse. Siam Amazing Park is a little known (at least to foreigners) theme park in Bangkok. So if you find yourself with a day to spare make your way over to Siam Amazing City, Bangkok’s (and Thailand’s) best theme park. But before...

A guide to trekking Mount Rinjani in 2022
9th June 2022 by One Step 4ward
UPDATE MARCH 2022: I was always interested in trekking Mount Rinjani, the highest mountain on Lombok Island, ever since I first visited Indonesia. So finally in April 2019 I finally did it. I had just finished building a library for a rural community in Bali with our Mudita Adventures Non-Profit. And after our 2 weeks in Bali itinerary, we were off to Lombok to celebrate. Before we could crack the beers and jump in the ocean though, we wanted to earn it. So 6 friends and I signed up for a 1...

Pisa from Florence daytrip; How best to do it
29th April 2022 by One Step 4ward
Pisa from Florence. And back in 1 day. Easy! I was on an epic overland trip from Thailand, my new home, to Ireland, my old home. No flights. During which, I tried to visit every country in Europe! I found myself in Florence, Italy but I couldn’t visit Italy without checking out the Leaning Tower of Pisa....