Some weeks ago a local gallery was closing its doors and I decided to visit its final sale of artworks. A very stylish woman, probably in her mid 50’s  was loading her car with  paintings and sculptures, lots of them.  As she headed into the gallery to pay for her…

As a tourist, how long does it take you to “know” a city? Seeing the main tourist attractions is one thing but getting a “vibe” of the unique character of the city may take much longer. Is it possible to get to know a city in a week or a…

It was raining again yesterday. And cold. The adolescent self wanted some new entertainment only found in big cities and preferably in the northern hemisphere. Call it “post -travel- you’re home again blues” but this kid needs a diversion. My seniors card in hand and rugged up against the elements…

My childhood knowledge of Scotland was an odd image of men in kilts, shortbread, a disgusting haggis thing and some great folk music. In primary school in England our music lesson was a weekly tune – in to the BBC schools program. The class monitor would distribute BBC song books…

It’s been nearly a month since  the cat went into the five star Villa Feline and I locked the door of my home to head out on my travels. I’m on the last leg of the Viva70 Tour heading from Glasgow to London tomorrow, then 3 days in London (Yey!)…

I’ve always been averse to guided tours. In fact, since the days of Sunday school excursions and school tours I’ve never been on a tour. Organised tours conjure up a busload of  rubber necked people sitting in an overheated bus, eating soggy sandwiches, leaky flasks of tea and a guide…

Ilkeston is a town In Derbyshire in the UK, first established on the banks of the Erewash River around the 6th century. During the 19th century,It grew in size due to the numerous coal mines in the area and the existence of Stanton Ironworks, which supplied iron to major projects…

Can a place really be so green, lush and beautiful? I spent the weekend with friends in their converted barn near Skipton in North Yorshire. It was a fleeting visiting to a friend I had worked with in Australian before she married and moved to the UK 20 years ago….

It’s 7am and from my lovely apartment in Nottingham I look out on a landscape waking up to gentle sunshine. It’s going to be another glorious sunny day. I overlook a sea of new buildings and cranes scratching to take their place in the sky. It’s a struggle to house…