Finding the Universe

Travel tales, photography and a dash of humor

When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to go to the desired page. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures.
  • Blog
  • Destinations
    • Europe
    • North America
    • Asia
    • Australia
    • Africa and Middle East
    • New Zealand
    • South America
  • Photography
    • PHOTO COURSE
    • Buy Photos
    • Photography Gear Guides
    • Photography Tips
    • Location Guides
  • Travel Tips
    • Travel Resources
    • Travel Tips
    • Travel Gear Reviews
    • Packing Lists
  • About Us
    • Hire Us
  • Contact
Home » Blog

Below you’ll find all our blog posts in chronological order of publishing. Looking for something specific? Try the search at the top of the screen, or head over to our destinations page to explore the world!

Indoor Photography: Tips for Getting Great Photos Inside!

Published: 14th April 2020 by Laurence Norah - 2 Comments

Indoor Photography Tips

Indoor photography is one of the more challenging types of photography to master. It is also a great way to keep your skills sharp, and we have more ways to practise photography at home. The main challenge is the light. Often there is not enough light, it is very directional, or it is coming from […]

What to Pack for Havasu Falls – Everything you Need to Bring!

Published: 11th April 2020 by Laurence Norah - 2 Comments

If you’re planning a hike to Havasu Falls, then you are probably wondering what you need to bring with you. This is a great question. The 20 mile round trip hike to the falls can definitely be a challenge, and you will likely be carrying much of your gear on your back. As such, it’s […]

The Best VPN for Travel in 2026 (And the One I Actually Use)

Published: 1st April 2020 by Laurence Norah - 14 Comments

Best VPN for Travel

Before I started writing about travel for a living, I worked full time as a software developer. I’ve kept the interest, and I’ve paid for a lot of VPNs in the years since, mostly because I’ve spent a lot of nights on hotel wifi in places where I’d rather my banking app wasn’t going out […]

Sky Replacement: How to Easily Replace the Sky in Any Photo

Published: 29th March 2020 by Laurence Norah - 2 Comments

Sky replacement - Upper Duden Waterfall

A common photography problem that you have likely encountered when taking photos is that sometimes the sky doesn’t compliment the scene you are photographing. The end result is that we get a lovely shot of some scenery or people, with a flat grey sky that really doesn’t do justice to the scene we are trying […]

The Best Travel Coffee Makers for 2026 (What We Actually Pack)

Published: 26th March 2020 by Laurence Norah - 14 Comments

Travel Coffee Maker

I’ve been brewing coffee on the road for about as long as I’ve been travelling full time, which is a good while now. I used a moka pot for a year when I lived out of a Toyota Landcruiser on a camping road trip around Australia, then a year in New Zealand. These days the […]

How to Add a Date Stamp to Your Photos

Published: 14th March 2020 by Laurence Norah - 19 Comments

Final date stamp faststone

Back when I had a film camera, a common feature was the ability to add a date onto photos. This was a really handy feature, meaning that when you got the prints back from being developed, you could easily see exactly when you took each photo. This was particularly useful when looking back at old […]

Guide to Visiting the Sagrada Familia in 2026: Tickets, Towers and Tips

Published: 10th March 2020 by Laurence Norah - 9 Comments

Sagrada Familia

If you’re visiting Barcelona, there’s a good chance the Sagrada Familia is on your list. It was on ours the first time we visited, and we’ve been back many times since. The Basilica de la Sagrada Familia is one of those buildings that you have to see to believe. Photos don’t do it justice, particularly […]

10 Day Italy Itinerary: Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre, and Venice

Published: 2nd March 2020 by Laurence Norah - 6 Comments

3 Days in Rome - Pantheon

We’ve been travelling in Italy for over thirty years, and by this point I’ve lost count of the trips. I got married in Venice (more on that later), which probably tells you how the country got under my skin. So when people ask us for a suggested Italy itinerary, we have a lot of opinions. […]

How to Use a Compact Camera: A Photographer’s 2026 Guide

Published: 24th February 2020 by Laurence Norah - 2 Comments

Compact Camera Guide_by_Laurence Norah

Quick take: A compact camera is still worth carrying in 2026 when you want a real optical zoom, all-day battery life, and a dedicated camera that slips into a pocket, the things a phone still can’t quite match. To get noticeably better photos than your phone manages, three things matter most: hold the camera steady […]

Our 2 Days in New York Itinerary (Weekend Visit)

Published: 13th February 2020 by Laurence Norah - 17 Comments

Manhattan Skyline - 2 days in New York itinerary

New York. The city that never sleeps. We have visited many times now, and still feel we’ve barely scratched the surface of what it has to offer. Two days isn’t enough to do New York justice. But two days is also a perfectly reasonable amount of time for a weekend break, a cruise day, or […]

« Previous Page
Next Page »

About Us

Laurence and Jessica Norah

Hi there! We're Laurence and Jessica Norah. We've been running this site since 2010 as full time professional travel bloggers. We visit all the places we write about personally, and all our content is based on our own first hand travel experiences. We also take all the photos you see on our sites. So grab a drink, dive in, and read on! You can also find out more about us here. Comic included.
Photography course
monthly giveaway
Carbon Neutral Policy

SUBSCRIBE BY E-MAIL

One email a month from Laurence and Jess: where we've been, our newest guides, a travel photography tip and any reader discounts we've found.

Subscribers can also enter our monthly giveaway. Unsubscribe any time, with one click.

Nearly there

Check your inbox and click the button in our email to confirm your address.

Not there in a few minutes? Check your spam or promotions folder.

Affiliate Information

This website contains affiliate links to products and services that generate a small income to us if you choose to use them, at no cost to you. We only recommend products and services that we use ourselves, and will always link to relevant information, regardless of whether or not there is an affiliate program. See our Code of Ethics for more information.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Sitemap
  • Destinations
  • Travel Resources
  • Photography Tips
  • Monthly Giveaway
  • About Us
  • Work with us
  • Contact us
  • Blog
When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to go to the desired page. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures.

© Copyright 2010 - 2026 Finding the Universe®· All Rights Reserved ·
Part of Travel Cats Media LLC.