Goodbye, Serendipity
In March 2008 I visited a place that changed my life. Of course, back then bracing myself for every bump in the dusty road I had no idea where the rusted bus careening wildly along the highway from Phnom Penh …
Travelling
10 of the Best European Old Towns to Visit this Spring
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 …
Help! How Should I pack for Tanzania?
This time next week I will be in Tanzania.
Other than a package holiday in Tunisia many years ago, Africa is a completely new continent to me. I am simultaneously jumping for joy about the prospect of my upcoming trip; …
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 spring/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 …
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 …
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. …
The Sound of Silence in Kerala’s Backwaters
Having lived in Asia for 6 years of my life, I am pretty immune to noise by now. I can sleep through the loudest thunderstorm, I like hearing early morning church bells or the Call to Prayer, and I barely …
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 …
Khatu Haveli – Staying at The REAL Marigold Hotel
When I retire I’m going to settle in a place where the sun is always shining and the drinks are cheap; so watching Judy Dench browsing colourful markets in the movie, ‘Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’, made me wonder whether India …
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:…
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 …
Loginn: a Floating Hotel in Stockholm
Spread across 14 islands the city of Stockholm has arisen from the sea, so it seems rather fitting to stay on the water rather than next to it when you visit the stunning Swedish capital. This was my reasoning for …