Travel, life, loves and laughs.
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
Wadi Aday and Yiti, the nearest town, is an off the beaten track, yet comfortable 1 hour drive, south of Muscat. So the day hasn’t exactly gone to plan so far. Not that I can complain – I spent the morning at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque while my husband ran the kids around in 40+ degrees Celsius at the nearest park and then got picked up and taken to lunch. … Read the rest
Mutrah Souq is a delight to the senses, a chaotic mix of sights, sounds and smells. Enter from the Corniche, near the traffic lights where pedestrians can safely cross over and make your way up the main covered corridor. Be sure to look up as there are a couple of spectacular colored ceilings, both glass and wood.… 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
“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
This feels like the real deal. It’s drizzling and I’m finally out. In China. The real China. Old certainly meets new here in the Hutongs (narrow street) district where neon sits beside buildings which are hundreds of years old and now protected as the old town historic district. … Read the rest
Breaching
For many people whale watching is a bucket list item, something to experience once in a lifetime. Off the coast of Brisbane, Australia, with the help of Eye Spy, we’re lucky enough to experience this phenomenon for around 6 months of each year. … Read the rest
Tokyo in 12 hours! Not ideal, but it’s all I have. I’m on a stopover on the way home and have been awake for 24 hours already, having left the UK yesterday and now landed in Tokyo early this morning with a mere twelve hours to explore.… Read the rest