Who doesn’t love visiting a Historic Old Town?
My teaching career has shuttled between Europe and Asia on more than a few occasions: I moved from the UK to Vietnam in 2007, Vietnam to Sweden in 2010, Sweden to India …
A Snowy Weekend in the Tatra Mountains, Slovakia
A few weeks ago, I was tired of the rainy, grey, city sky. I desperately wanted blue sky, crisp air, and plenty of snow. I longed to see mountains; and for that, I would have to go to the Tatra …
Gazing into the Blue Eye, Albania
The unbelievably clear water of Syri i Kalter (‘Blue Eye’) in the South of Albania is beautiful, but it is not easy to reach. You have two options: 1) a laborious 5-hour journey along dilapidated roads from the …
Čachtice: The Castle of the Bloody Countess
It’s on a frigid Sunday in late October that I find myself climbing towards the ruins of a 13th Century limestone castle in Čachtice, Slovakia. Battling a bitter wind I draw my coat closer around me; but it is …
Hévíz: Bathing in Hungary’s Healing Thermal Lake
If you’ve been to Budapest then maybe you visited Széchenyi thermal baths; but did you know that with over 1,000 hot springs, Hungary boasts more medicinal spas than any other European country? What’s more, it even has a natural thermal …
A Year in the Life of an International Teacher
I often get people asking me about life as an international teacher, so to honour 10 years of living overseas I have put this post together to show you what a year in my life is like. As I’m a …
Spring in Bratislava is a great time to visit!
Readjusting to a European winter after two years of perpetual summer in India has been harder than I thought. I’m not sure why, because I like winter. For the last few months in Mumbai I’d been looking forward to feeling …
Boulanger & Patissiere: Bratislava’s Macaron Masterclass
I’ve always liked the look of a dainty, brightly coloured, meringue macaron. You know, the ones that you see piled delicately on silver platters in fancy cake shops? They look exquisite, but as I’m more of a cheesecake girl I’d …
Orava Castle: Inside the Lair of a Vampire
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 …
Festivals, Food & Fun: Seven Weeks in Bratislava
Having lived in Bratislava for only seven weeks I am still new to Slovak culture, particularly as I knew very little about either Slovakia or the city before I came here. It is true to say, however, that I have …
A Day Trip to Devin Castle from Bratislava
Autumn has arrived in Bratislava. Only last week I wore summer dresses and flip-flops, but this week it’s all scarves, winter coats and boots. When yesterday dawned cold but sunny, I went for a walk with friends in order to …
A Macabre Mass of Bones and Skulls at Sedlec Ossuary, Prague
Honestly, I don’t know how I feel about Sedlec Ossuary – or, as it’s better known – Prague’s ‘Bone Church’; but I did know I wanted to visit it.
History of Sedlec Ossuary
The history of the ossuary is fascinating. …
Stockholm ICEBAR: ‘The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway’
What is Stockholm’s ICEBAR like? Well, as you’d expect, it’s like walking into a giant freezer. A freezer with a bar, that is. A freezer full of animals elaborately carved into huge blocks of glistening ice. A freezer where people …
Pictures from the Cornish Coast
Most of my summer was spent in Cornwall, a place that I grow to love more and more each time I visit. For this mid-week post I wanted to show you some of my favourite pictures. How I wish I …
Why You Should Visit the Chocolate Museum, Köln
I know that I don’t really need to tell you why you should visit a building full of chocolate, but I’ll tell you about the Köln chocolate museum anyway.
When I went to Köln (also known as Cologne) for a …
Coastal Walk: the Lizard to Kynance Cove
When I was a child my family holidayed in either Wales or Dorset where we would camp, spend hours on the beach, eat picnics by the lake, and go for leisurely hikes. I spent these holidays walking Britain’s wild coastline, …
The One Where I Moved to Bratislava
Just like that, two years passed and I was standing with all my bags at Mumbai airport ready to leave India for another new life somewhere else. You can see my last day in India by clicking the link below:…
Walking With Dinosaurs at the Eden Project
Did you know that if you venture deep into the Cornish countryside during July and August you can walk with dinosaurs?
I wrote about the Eden Project last year (read the post here) about how it is a great …
ABBA Museum: Thank Sweden For The Music
What do the following artists have in common: Roxette, Ace of Base, The Cardigans, Europe, Avicii, Eric Prydz (remember that raunchy work-out video) Robyn, Swedish House Mafia (the clue is in the name), Neneh Cherry, The Hives, and José González?…
Five Reasons Why Stockholm is Best Experienced on Foot
As a participant of TBEX Stockholm I was very kindly given a 72-hour transport pass that works on trains, buses, and some boats across the city. This was perfect for enabling quick transport to the conference, as well as an …