The flickering, grainy image of a hunched figure creeping up a silhouetted staircase, his claw-like hand extending towards a shadowed door, is an iconic piece of cinema history belonging to the 1922 German Expressionist movie, ‘Nosferatu’ – one of …
Around the World in 26 Letters: My Travel Alphabet
I’ve been travelling the world, on-and-off, for almost 16 years—ever since an adventurous 4 week train journey took me through Germany, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic into Romania back in the days when they each had separate currencies. …
Following Edinburgh’s Potter Trail
“How are we going to recognise her?” whispered my friend Grainne as we stood outside Edinburgh’s famous ‘Greyfriars Bobby’ pub.
“I don’t know. Maybe she’ll be wearing a cape!” I replied.
I was not wrong. Indeed, …
Snagov: The Final Resting Place of Dracula
If you read my last Romania post ‘Dracula: Romania’s National Hero’, you will already realise that finding Dracula was high on my agenda when I visited Romania, but it didn’t take long for me to realise that he …
Dracula: Romania’s National Hero
Most people know that I have two passions: travel and literature. Those who know me really well know that I am somewhat of a gothic aficionado when it comes to books. I read Dracula many, many, years ago and, more …
Traveller Debate: South America or South East Asia?
South America and South East Asia are both very popular tourist destinations, but unless you are on a RTW trip you are probably going to have to choose one region or the other. Having spent the first decade of my …
The Life of an International School Teacher
7 months ago I wrote the post ‘Goodbye Classroom, Hello World!’ because I was taking a break from teaching in order to travel. Now I reflect on the profession that I have temporarily left behind.
I became an International School …
Valparaiso – Queen of all the World’s Coasts
The coastal city of Valparaiso has to be South America’s most unique and fascinating city. Row upon row of brightly-coloured, ramshackle houses cling precariously to near-vertical cliffs, forever looking as if one shake of an earthquake could plunge them into …