When British Airways’ (then called British European Airways) opened it’s first ever route from the UK to Spain back in 1957, the original destination for those pioneering English holidaymakers was none other than the city of Valencia. Fast forward almost 60 years and many Brits have been to Barcelona, mooched around Madrid and conquered the Costas […]

One of my best friends in the world, recently returned from the trip of a lifetime to Iceland. I was lucky enough to hear all her tips and see her amazing Icelandic photos first-hand, so I decided to ask her to share her top 10 highlights from an epic two-week Icelandic roadtrip right here, to […]

Anyone who has ever visited Iceland knows that on top of the well-deserved reputation for jaw dropping scenery, the small island nation is quirky, cool and cutting edge with a totally unique take on the world around it. I remember visiting Iceland for the first time in the aftermath of the economic crisis  – and as […]

Our brains are busier than ever before; phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, and of course for us bloggers, the need to keep blogging – this cerebral stretching never seems to let up, leaving far less time for taking care of our bodies than we would like. I’ve been putting in exceptionally long hours in […]

I’ve been a bit quiet of late on the blog – and that’s because I’ve been busy making a big move: giving up my base in BC, Canada and deciding to spend all of my time (or most of it at least) back in Europe  – as well as bringing my Canadian fiancé home to Blighty […]

I really fell in love with Menorca on my recent trip to the island – so much so that I am seriously considering a repeat trip very soon, and am dreaming about house hunting there because it’s just that gorgeous. So here are 30 reasons to love Menorca – little insights into why you can and should […]

The very first thing I spy after landing in Menorca, and exiting those double-doors that spit you out of security and into your holiday destination, is a tall pink leaflet dispenser advertising Pretty Ballerinas shoes. Of course like any self-respecting girl, the idea of shoe shopping while on holiday – possibly at a discount – […]

The island of Menorca is sleepier and more tranquil than its big hitting Balearic neighbours, with a reputation for impeccable unspoiled coastlines and eco tourism that’s a world away from the hedonistic holidays associated with Ibiza and Majorca. Best known for beautiful white sandy beaches and Caribbean-worthy coves Menorca is the chosen destination for many nature-loving […]

Do you love holidays but hate packing? Guest blogger and super-stylist Ruth Keel shows you how to pack a suitcase like a pro and look super-stylish on holiday.

At number 2 on my top 10 travel lessons to transform your trips is the importance of getting up close with nature and especially wildlife at any (respectful & safe) opportunity. No matter how much I travel absolutely nothing reminds me of how lucky I am to see so much of the world and puts […]

This isn’t exactly a news flash, but we girls like getting dressed up. And from the moment I arrived in Valencia I was determined to do one thing (besides eat paella): dress up in the famous Fallas festival costume, and become a Spanish Queen for the day. And here’s another thing about girls; we already think […]

It shouldn’t be bright yellow, or fluffy, it isn’t intended for dinner and it’s not supposed to be synonymous with seafood. In fact, technically it’s not even a Spanish dish.  Even though the first food that springs to mind when you think of Spanish cuisine is probably paella, the dish has been bastardised beyond all recognition to a point where […]

Despite the well-documented love affair we Brits have with the Spanish coast, I never went on a family holiday to Spain as a child. Yet one of my most treasured possessions as a little girl was a delicate handheld Spanish lace fan.  So when I was given the opportunity to meet a traditional Valencia fan […]

It’s like a dream come true for a girl to visit not just one but 12 Italian jewellery stores and learn about gem stones, design and precious metals from classically trained Roman jewellers. It’s even more perfect when these happen to be Rome’s best hand-crafted jewellery boutiques, all on the official list of the 28 best shops in Rome. […]

Italy is of course famous for food, but its cities are also celebrated for iconic fashion, classic style and luxurious shopping. So when I was asked to spend a weekend in Italy, meet the 28 best artisans in the Eternal City, and visit the best shops in Rome, it was an invitation I was unlikely to turn down. Here’s what […]

‘You may well cry in class; lots of people do,’ says Wendy, who will be my yoga teacher for the next 6 days at a Mexican Yoga retreat near Cancun. ‘No I bloody well won’t’ I think to myself, ‘I’m English’. Wendy is the dictionary definition of a Californian goddess, all flowing golden locks, sun-kissed […]

Mexico’s Riviera Maya isn’t short on publicity for its vacation charms, and the entire Yucatan Peninsula isn’t exactly bereft of 5 Star hotel options.  So chances are if you’re headed to this area of Mexico you already know exactly what you want, and that’s likely to be a luxurious haven of relaxation encompassing the holy holiday trinity of sun, […]

A romantic weekend away for Valentine’s Day – sounds like a great idea in principle, right? But as anyone who has tried to book even a simple night away with their partner already knows, the process of finding the perfect hotel for romance isn’t all hearts and flowers. You’re searching for seclusion and sophistication in […]

I’ve been asked the same two questions consistently since I began travel writing. Firstly: How do you make money? Secondly: What’s your favourite country? The answer to question 2 is Italy! (question 1 would take more than a single word to answer!). It may be an utter cliche to say that the best things about Italy […]

At the start of winter I usually struggle with the idea of weekends away to colder European countries – ever clinging onto that last bit of winter sun. But that all changes come Christmas when I’m a sucker for short breaks to snowy cities and can’t wait to hit the European Christmas markets to stock […]

I recently wrote a post sharing some of my favourite things about Iceland and called, rather unsurprisingly, 5 things you should know about Iceland. But of course in compiling this list I ended up thinking of way more than just 5 things that I really believe all travellers, including you should know about Iceland. So, […]

I begin my weekend in Houston like any average tourist, knowing this city has been singled-out by its history of space exploration, is the very definition of a sprawling US metropolis, and that it’s famous for oil and gas. Fast forward 48 hours and I’m wearing my H-Town T-shirt with pride, clutching a NASA fridge magnet and nursing a hangover which underlines […]

If you’re looking for a scenic yet rustic Canadian camping experience, within a 2 hour drive of downtown Vancouver – and one that doesn’t require a 4×4 to access – this small picturesque lake offering trout fishing, boat rental and hiking near Harrison Mills, is a great option for adventurous locals and holidaymakers alike. Let me tell […]

I’ve been craving a trip to Florida lately – but not simply to visit the more obvious tourist meccas of Orlando, Miami and the beaches. After doing a little bit of research on Florida I discovered a surprising range of options in the Sunshine State for a European like me who is living in North […]

The first time I visited Iceland I was blown away by the Nordic nation’s mysterious mix of Scandinavian-style scenery spread across a vast canvas of North American proportions. As I plot a return visit, I’m reminded of my favorite things about the utterly unique island nation – here are the top 5 things I think […]

Of all the clothes I own (in case you’re wondering, it’s a lot) those I buy on impulse, in a supermarket-sweep stylee, are the things I end up loving. Maybe it’s the fact that when you’re in a hurry pure instinct takes over, but I’ve shopped for an outfit in 30 minutes in Manila and made better boutique […]

I’ve been a little quiet on the blog lately – that’s because I’ve been been planning adventures and spending time thinking about a few of my favourite things. Yes, I do love raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens as much as the next girl (unless the next girl is actual Julie Andrews) and while […]

I am a big believer that 3 is the magic number. The so-called rule of three exists because as humans we are constantly looking for patterns and 3 is the smallest number that can constitute a pattern to our brains. It just so happens that 3 is the killer combination for many things – comedy […]

It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey, right? Well sometimes, wrong. When the destination is Arizona’s famed scenic and sacred red rock panorama, specifically the high class hippy hiking mecca of artsy Sedona, and that final section of your journey is a spine-tingling first glimpse of looming rocks under the cloak of darkness, […]

I usually have my own special reason to celebrate American Independence Day  – just like the famous movie title, my little brother was born on the 4th of July. And while he isn’t American (or even English like me) and is now far from being a little boy, he did turn out to be a […]

They say the best things in life are free, and that really does go double for the land of the double-double (that’s a Canadian way of ordering coffee to the uninitiated) – but with these money saving tips, you could cut the cost of that Canadian coffee as well as every other aspect of your trip to Canada, in […]

Utah’s capital may be best known for the Church of The Latter Day Saints, but this one million-strong metropolis makes an equally suitable city break setting for would-be sinners in search of urban indulgence. From quirky shopping to secret street food, luxury hotels to lattes, it’s time to check-in your preconceptions at the door and […]

Most people think of Mayfair and imagine upscale hotels, the beautiful boutiques of Dover Street Market and the high-end establishments of Shepherd Market but take it from a local girl, whether you’re more of a Professor Higgins or an Eliza Doolittle you can still find your fun in Mayfair…

‘Don’t worry, it’s not my first rodeo‘ replied my friend as I apologised for leaving her alone in the stands while I got a closer look at the horses and the real life cowboys performing in front of me. She almost certainly wasn’t the first person to make that joke at the Cloverdale Rodeo and […]

I’ve got a different kind of seven step program for you in this post; one that won’t help break your addictions to travel, shopping and good food but which will show you where to find your fix of the luxurious Monte Carlo lifestyle without leaving London. Here I share my 7 favourite places in the […]

Like most girls I’m rather partial to a glass of bubbly  – and writing about the differences between champagne and sparkling wine recently (as you do) reminded me that along with making me forget a few things, my nights (and days) out with champagne by my side have taught me a few things worth remembering […]

I’d been living in North America for over a year and was in search of a taste of home. So when I heard that I could walk across London Bridge without the expense or hassle of a transatlantic flight I was all ears. Soon I found  myself traversing John Rennie’s original London Bridge without leaving […]

There are plenty of ways to get out onto the water of Lake Havasu – in fact this part of Arizona is probably most famous as a water sports paradise, hosting the jet skiing world championships each year. But if you’re looking for a romantic interlude rather than an adrenaline-fuelled adventure on Arizona’s 20,000 acre lake, this simple $2 ferry […]

The fierce sun is shining down on my map, amplified through the windscreen, as we drive our little red car past endless fields of green lettuce under bright blue skies; the scene is like a child’s storybook illustration come to glorious life. Even more glorious is the fact that it’s December and my boyfriend and […]

Hot air ballooning has the unique ability to turn even the most seasoned traveller into an excited little child. I am that grinning kid the day I climb inside a wicker basket to take to the skies of Yuma, Arizona, where the USA meets Mexico, surrounded by a fleet of multi-coloured inflatable flying machines as part […]

Have you heard the Buddhist parable of heaven and hell? The tale goes that in hell all the tortured souls sit at tables heaving with delectable food which they can enjoy to their heart’s content without ever getting full. It doesn’t sound too bad until you learn the only rule – they must eat everything with metre-long spoons, which […]

The reputation of Dutch design precedes it, so what better way to truly connect with everyone’s favourite canal-laden city than to seek out some of that Amsterdam style during your holiday to Holland…

Mention Portugal and its Lisbon that’s on everybody’s lips, occasionally the Algarve and possibly Porto. The hilltop towns, cork farms and deserted beaches of the Alentejo are a mystery to most – they’re the most magical part of Portugal that you’ve never heard of. These are my most treasured memories of the Alentejo… I’m driving […]

British Columbia’s mountain-and-coast nature is of course its major draw, so much so that BC’s latest tourism campaign is entitled ‘Super, Natural British Columbia’  – and a big part of that super, natural lure is the amazing fishing on offer. One of the local pastimes to which I’ve been well and truly converted (as well […]

Sihanoukville and style aren’t two concepts that always go together. But while some tourists feel that Cambodia’s coastal town isn’t worth visiting  – its reputation precedes it and not always in a good way – I’ve always loved spending time in so-called ‘Snooky’. In fact I think Sihanoukville is one of South-East Asia’s most under-rated beach resorts. […]

When we think of a big city like London we automatically think of the headline attractions that make it famous – and we tend to assume that a trip to the big smoke has to cost the earth. For me moving away from London highlighted the fact that the best things in life, and in […]

Some years I’ve travelled farther afield, some years I explored a little closer to home, but every year I consider myself a traveller. That’s because wherever I go, I’m always looking for change and adventure. This year I changed where ‘home’ was – instead of London, England it was Vancouver, Canada – meaning adventure has […]

There are some cities in the world where you fully expect to find a hipster crowd sucking down soya lattes while reading the papers on a Sunday afternoon. San Jose, frankly, is not one of those cities. So I was delighted to sack off the sightseeing for an hour when I literally stumbled upon the […]

Rio Perdido – literally meaning lost river – is one of those paradise hotels that you can’t quite believe exists this far off the beaten path; you wonder how anyone first discovers it while being simultaneously glad you did – and hopeful that not too many other people have been let in on the secret…

If there’s one thing I always thought sounded like a great thing to do one day, you know, in the future, it was a yoga retreat. But now that I’ve tried a week-long beach side yoga retreat on Costa Rica’s unspoiled Osa Peninsula, all I can say is don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today… […]

In my previous post I got all nostalgic about summer and highlighted 7 spectacular spots from my summer months in British Columbia – but even though I’m happily embracing Autumn (complete with at least 7 pairs of boots to assist me) I’m still singing the praises of some of last season’s most special memories. Here […]

As the sun set on another Beautiful British Columbia summer, I decide to detail my favourite 14 sun-drenched memories from my summer travels. In the second post I cover the secret sunny spaces I found in Europe and Central America, but here in the first installment I share my 7 secret summertastic spots near my […]

When we travel we always hope for picture-perfect weather, and seek out postcard-worthy images, but perhaps it wasn’t a bad thing that I visited Slovenia’s most famous lake, which has a reputation as an Alpine fairytale location, on a day when the weather was wet, and the area shrouded in mystical clouds – meaning it was almost […]

Regular readers might have noticed that I tend to take a cooking class in almost every destination I visit; for me there’s now better way get under the skin of a country than to find out about the food. Nowhere does this thrill me more than in South-East Asia, where a morning spent at the […]

Do you love souvenir shopping on your trips too? There’s something special about collecting treasures from our travels which keep the memory of the place we visited alive long after we return home. Going to an unusual locale invariably means extra items come home with me – typically I’ll go for something I can wear […]

Food can make or break a destination. I remember my first trip to Portugal, when I was distinctly underwhelmed by the food – and as a result didn’t venture back for years (though when I did I found its foodie side.) When planning my trip to Ljubljana I wasn’t sure what to expect from Slovenia’s […]

One of my favourite ways to discover a new destination is to take a tour  – usually not long after arriving – to help me get my bearings and create some context to my new home, even if I’m only in town for a couple of days. I’ve tried everything from food tours and cycle sightseeing to art […]

Slovenians will tell you their country is shaped like a chicken, and their food obsession doesn’t end there as I discovered when I attended a Slovenian cooking class in the capital. Being let loose in a Ljubljana kitchen with five different dishes taught me a lot about a national cuisine to which I was totally new […]

I’m settling into my seat on a flight from London to Ljubljana along with a plane load of other city-breakers taking the short hop to the Slovenian capital. The young professional couple next to me are obviously snatching a romantic weekend break and they both get calls on their smartphones after boarding – he from […]

I walk along Vancouver Island’s vast Cox Beach in the winter sunshine, spotting surfers and sand dollars, meeting four-legged beach goers and admiring washed up chunks of tree that are as beautiful as any piece of modern sculpture in the best gallery in town… I’ve spent the night at Long Beach Lodge  – a refined resort-style property […]