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…

Poetry by Robert Mierisch has been a travelling companion for some weeks now. Robert’s work and passion is renewable energy and this is a poem he wrote in 2014 Living in Limbo Imagine a future robust and gentle, Dream of ways to bend waves, wind and sun to meet our…

The Hockney 1853 gallery is housed in a beautiful old mill in Shipley, Yorkshire. I was lucky to spend a lovely weekend with friends nearby and we visited Salts Mill. We ogled at the beautiful home wares store, had a wonderful lunch in the restaurant and then took to the…

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….