Travel, life, loves and laughs.
Ornos Beach, Mykonos has the vibe of a small fishing village that has been invaded. You can tell this was once a sleepy little town but tourism has taken over and today it’s hot and busy. It’s the closest beach to the town of Mykonos with sun beds and umbrellas for rent on the fine white sand.… Read the rest
Benvenuto Bracciano! It’s been a bit of a long day so far. We have been up since 2am and didn’t get much sleep before that with last minute packing, not to mention the excitement. Somewhere en route mid air over Diyarbakir, heading towards Ankara, I have a major pinch-me moment. … Read the rest
The incredible Renaissance castle, Castello Odescalchi, sits in the heart of Bracciano and has borne witness to centuries of change. As we arrive in Bracciano on the first leg of our Summer Holidays, it greets us, presiding over the piazza as we unload our bags, the boys too tired to notice, me bewitched and speechless at the sight. … Read the rest
JA Palm Tree Court is part of the Jebel Ali Resort, an oasis in the truest sense of the word. Located in the southern region of Dubai, near the base of the undeveloped Palm Jebel Ali and next to the Jebel Ali Free Zone and port area, it’s a lush green space set on the coast between sand and sea. … Read the rest
We are only here by luck. Our Bateaux Dubai cruise was an ‘extra’ on our resort weekend stay at the JA Palm Tree Court. We nearly decided to forego it, though thank goodness we didn’t!
Appearing as a bonus in the fine print, we have completely underestimated the value and enjoyment of this activity. … Read the rest
It is somewhat fortuitous that our Wedding Anniversary this year coincides with a visit from my mum. If it wasn’t for this, our anniversary could have very easily ended up being celebrated at home with the boys rather than something rather romantic somewhere rather luxurious like this little interlude at Bab Al Shams.… Read the rest
“Did you know that ours is the only Parliament House in the world that you can get clearance to fly over [in a hot air balloon]?”. I think about this for a moment and I’m not sure whether to be proud of, or concerned by, this fact.… Read the rest
Truly a pinnacle of Australian tourism, the Pinnacles Desert is a sight to behold. Located on the coast of Western Australia, 200km north of Perth, it is not a place that is within easy reach of Australia’s estimated 7.5 million tourists per year, many of whom would stick to the Eastern sea board and never make it to WA at all. … Read the rest
The only word that comes close to describing the enormity of the Forbidden City is “vast” and even this doesn’t seem to do it justice. It’s hard to comprehend that the Forbidden City (Palace Museum) was built in the Ming Dynasty (around 1420) and served as the primary imperial residence until the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911. … Read the rest
Together the Drum and Bell Towers, which stand opposite each other at the end of Drum & Bell Square, were used as the city’s official time keepers (right up until 1924!), the drums were beaten and the bells were rung to mark the time of day.… Read the rest