The first time I saw Manhattan’s skyline in all its lofty grandeur was in a yellow cab crossing the Hudson from JFK. It was 1998 and I was on my second-ever trip to America with my parents. I’d seen it before of course, albeit in films and TV shows. But taking it in up close, … Continue reading Falling for New York in the fall
Settling in for the autumn ahead, it’s a good time to plan a city getaway – it is, after all, the perfect time of year to visit popular destinations minus the summer rush. Rome has always been on my travel wish list, but I remained wary of it being merely a tourist-saturated city. Would I enjoy … Continue reading Rome for one
Early autumn, one of my favourite times of year to venture on a European city break. The crowds you’d likely encounter in peak season are no obstacle, prices have dipped a little and the weather tends to be appealingly pleasant just as the days begin to recede, darken and develop a chill at home in … Continue reading Autumn warmth in Madrid
Cruising the Varanasi shoreline at dawn, I restrain panic. Water is sloshing underneath the timber haphazardly lining the base of the boat and I fret that this is in no way the relaxing sunrise trip along the Ganges I envisaged. Behind me, my guide and driver sit unperturbed, as though they sail in a glorious … Continue reading Varanasi: a place like no other
My first night in Oslo, amidst a sweltering early June heatwave, and I lie in bed coverless, closely cradling a two-litre Pepsi bottled filled with iced water. An ingenious idea from my Norwegian hosts, apologetic for the temperature of their flat: a tastefully decorated space designed to retain heat, rather than stave it. Oslo doesn’t … Continue reading Heat waves in Oslo
The true heart of Seville emerges on Sundays. As locals gather for mass, I spend my morning strolling northwards from the former gypsy quarter of Triana to the soulful Macrena barrio via neighbouring Alameda. Along the way, I happen across contrasting architectural feats like the Metropol Parasol and ancient Alameda de Hercules, a broad avenue … Continue reading Trends and traditions in Seville
What do you think of when you visualise San Francisco? Quite possibly the burning orange hues of the Golden Gate Bridge spring to the fore. Maybe it's rows of multicoloured Victorian houses or cable cars whizzing up and down hilly inclines. How about the notorious Alcatraz Island emerging from the fog that famously blankets the … Continue reading California solo dreaming part II – San Francisco for one
Everyone deserves a little celebration for their birthday, even more so for the milestones, the ones where we think right, this is good news, I’ve made it this far. So, when I arrived at a full 30 years on earth, I decided it was treat-myself-time and jetted off to California for ten days – yes, … Continue reading California solo dreaming – LA daze
One of my favourite things about living in London is the wealth of transport hubs here that make for an easy escape when one is need of a few days away. In particular I love Kings Cross St Pancreas station and the Eurostar terminal – it’s one of the best train stations I’ve travelled through … Continue reading Wandering in Bruges
There are some cities that I have visited and loved not because of any one thing in particular, but because they were simply nice places to spend a few days; places where I could wander around local neighbourhoods and soak up the atmosphere, where there might be a few things of cultural interest, but perhaps … Continue reading Berlin for one
Home. What a powerful word that is. For most of us it’s that place. The place we form a deep attachment to. Sometimes it’s not the place we thought we’d find ourselves, nor the place we’ll stay forever. London — the city that can in an instant push your basic human resolve to the limit, while in another … Continue reading Have you heard of Donegal?
Train journeys. There’s something quite special about them don’t you think? If though, the idea of a train journey has you instantly imagining your morning or evening commute, well that’s not quite the one I mean. Imagine instead that other train journey. The one where your final destination is somewhere quite special, quite unique — somewhere new, … Continue reading Paris for one
I know it’s very late in January to say this, but since this is my first post of 2018 I’m declaring it appropriate – happy new year to you all! Before I delve into writing my usual type of travel blog this year, I wanted to share something that I’ve been keen to discuss recently … Continue reading Can we talk plastic…
Christmas Eve and I’m all packed, ready to fly to Ireland this evening – a miracle of sorts after frantically searching for my passport earlier when I realised it wasn’t in its usual place, eventually discovering it buried deep in what I like to call my-box-full-of-random-things! In grateful mode after the headache-saving joy of its … Continue reading The art of the Christmas thank you. . .
The Art of Travelling Solo 