Africa

Being from a British Arabic speaking background myself, I’ve always favoured short breaks to Arab countries a bit more than the average English holiday maker. Something about the atmosphere, the warm hospitality, the delicious food and the general sense of home I get from these countries really appeals to me when booking breaks. As well […]

Brits tend to think of the island of Lanzarote – and the Canary Islands as a whole –  as an easy fly and flop destination. Most places in Lanzarote are synonymous with holidays rather than adventurous travel, and with days spent relaxing as opposed to exploring. But even though it may not be trendy to […]

I started planning travels with a mind map instead of a list about 2 years ago. It’s not just travel I plan this way now, it’s everything. From blog-related tasks to personal and financial to-do lists they’re all on a mind map above my desk, to keep me focused on what I want to achieve […]

London is incredibly multicultural, meaning it’s packed with cool and curious cross-cultural ideas on every corner. But Egyptian influences in the city are not always immediately obvious – unless you know where to look – so you may wonder if it’s possible to enjoy an entire Egyptian itinerary while out and about in the British […]

I wonder what prompted you to read a post about finding perfect places for winter sun? Maybe it’s the start of January and you’re looking for hot holiday ideas to get you through the month? Perhaps you’ve stumbled on this post in mid-March having suffered an entire English Winter? Or are you actually in Australia […]

I have at least 8 stories to write by Monday about my recent travels, including some blog posts on my 2017 trip to Egypt. So, like any good procrastinator I naturally sat down at my desk today to do an entirely unrelated task. I stumbled on a piece I wrote for the travel industry magazine Travel […]

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 […]

As the year drew to a close I found myself writing a post recapping my favourite travel memories of 2013 and I learned a couple of things about myself in the process – firstly that many of my favourite moments of the year involve nature and animals, and secondly that when I’m not looking for […]

It’s been quite a year for me and my travels; I wrote about the best bits of the financial year in an earlier post: How To Do An End Of Year Tax Assessment Travel Blogger Style – so I decided to round up my top travel memories from the rest of 2013. They are…

If ever there was a time to call to mind a Hamlet soliloquy, I’d say mid-stargaze is that time. Which of us doesn’t seek out beautiful night skies on our trips? Man by nature is in love with ‘this most excellent canopy the air…this brave over hanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire…this congregation […]

Of all the places in which I’ve travelled no destination has made me wish harder for the invention of the eyeball-implanted camera as The Gambia. Nearly every street scene, vendor, vehicle, market stall and school child has you reaching excitedly for your lens. Here are a selection of my favourite portraits of the Gambian people I encountered […]

I’m at Mandina Lodges, an exclusive forest retreat nestled in the tranquil riverside mangrove reserves which run the length of this riverine nation, and my friend and I rock up to find we’re the only female guests amongst a large party of British tree surgeons, here to scope out the surrounding forest as a potential […]

This week a brand new tax year started, and those in traditional jobs have been running year-end assessments and shuffling spreadsheets left, right and centre. So I thought I’d do some rather taxing assessments of my own and calculate the 10 best things I’ve done this financial year, and their real value – monetarily and of course in […]

I’m the first to be picked up for today’s boat trip to go snorkeling in Sharm el Sheikh, so I get chatting to the rep as we take the minibus to the next hotel. Like the rest of the staff at Emperor Divers – and as I soon realise the clients too – my guide is a Brit. I ask […]

Think of Cairo and you’ll imagine Tahrir Square, mob rule and flag-carrying protesters. But Cairo and Tahrir Square has changed in the last 20 months – at the end of September the Egyptian authorities pushed forward with a major clean-up of the city’s revolutionary hub. Having turfed the square they made the controversial decision to whitewash the political graffiti which adorns […]

Learning a few key words and phrases of a language always helps your trip to go more smoothly. Unlike some countries where your best linguistic efforts go unappreciated – or worse you’re answered in perfect English –  Egypt and other Arab countries smile on those who try a bit of Arabic. A few words and […]

Real Egyptians don’t spent their time hanging out at the pyramids or shopping in Khan el-Khalili, obviously. So where should a girl head to on a Saturday afternoon for a spot of retail therapy and a gossip with friends, as well as a soya latte to keep up the shopping spirits? If you want to know where to shop […]

A safari really is the holiday of a lifetime, so that means staying in just the right spot; and having the perfect safari guide makes that trip into the bush even more memorable. I stayed at Thakadu River Camp, one of the area’s most exclusive lodges. “Here comes the McDonalds of the bush, showing us his […]

Today is Mandela Day – the 94th birthday of the man himself, and a symbolic day when everyone around the world should stop and remember what has been achieved in South Africa – as well as what is yet to be achieved. All over South Africa in honour of Mandela Day people are donating their […]

You’ve heard of the Big 5 now meet the unsung heroes of the bush – The Little 5…

This is the most personal post I have ever written. It’s about how Egypt was the original inspiration for my love of travel. That’s because Egypt is in my blood and also as the first foreign destination I can ever remember journeying to, it’s ingrained in my memories. As a child I can remember drinking Coca-Cola from […]

Franschhoek is synonymous the world over with fine wines and high-class dining, but the area is not strictly the preserve of bon vivants…

Having gone undercover for years as one of the world’s top 10 movie locations, Cape Town’s alter ego as the film industry’s best-kept secret has now been uncloaked by none other than James Bond himself after recent rumours…

There’s more to the South African Winelands than the name suggests. But you can’t fit 55 different activities into a place name now can you? Are there really 55 Things to do in Franschhoek other than drink wine? Well actually there are 54 things to do on this list – and then you deserve to pop […]

Just back from three months in Cape Town where she filmed the current high-octane ITV thriller Kidnap and Ransom, Executive Producer Rachel Gesua picks her favourite places to take on the legendary Cape Town nightlife, and shows how to become a bona fide child of the Mother City. At one point during the on-location filming of […]

Want to feel the beating heart of southern Africa’s most-visited and most-loved city? You can’t get more urban cool than the The Adderley, a contemporary boutique hotel located in the centre of Cape Town’s City Bowl.  The Adderley’s small reception, squeezed between shop fronts on the wide thoroughfare of Adderley Street belies the scale, comfort, style and […]

We expected it to be breathtaking, but Route 62 still turned out to be the most under-rated journey we took during our three weeks in South Africa. A tight schedule meant that we drove virtually the entire length of this celebrated back-road through South Africa’s Klein Karoo in single unforgettable day, and our final stop-off […]

First I should point out that you don’t have to have soya milk – but each of these three places does great coffee and superior snacks and has a lovely ethos –  plus happily for me and other soya fans, they can all offer you a non-dairy latte without blinking an eye. Here are my […]

Despite South Africa being full of world class wildlife and impressive Big 5 game, there’s one little animal that really wins your heart against the odds: the dassie. They look like a guinea pig, their name means little badger, and improbably, they are the closest living relative of the elephant,  but these funny, furry little creatures pop […]

Gumboot dancing started in the dank and dark gold mine tunnels of South Africa more than a century ago as a codified tap used by oppressed black miners as a form of communication. But not everyone knows the hidden meaning and history of this dance tradition.

There seems to be some South African terminology that has taken on a life of its own, these phrases seem to have spread overseas to folks who’ve never even set foot in South Africa. For me personally, ever since my holiday to South Africa, there are 6 words which stayed with me, and will always […]

The Soweto tour was the highlight of my trip to Johannesburg – interesting, educational, vibrant, eye-opening, and most of all, fun. Here I’m going to let the photos speak for themselves…

Finding the right place to stay in any sprawling metropolis can make the difference between a great time and a terrible experience, but in Johannesburg choosing the right suburb, and the perfect bolthole is essential if you want to buck the trend and fall in love with the city that everyone loves to bash. When […]

Be careful. That’s all I heard when I told people I was heading to Johannesburg. Please be careful. Don’t carry any valuables. Don’t stop at red lights. Lock your doors. Don’t go into the CBD. Don’t go out at night. Don’t go into the townships. In fact don’t go into Joburg at all, just land […]

If you like Zara you might want to try out a bit of bargain hunting in other Spanish stores whenever you hit Mainland Spain or other Spanish territories. So where should you shop in Spain if you like Zara, and want some chain stores which haven’t made their mark on the UK but have similar quality, prices […]