Two main themes explain my 2023 travel adventures. The first was a massively serious checking-off bucket list of places and activities including a first visit to the Isle of Man and Malta, the White Cliffs of Dover, Canterbury Cathedral, Michalenegos’ Last Supper, and multiple museums. riding several heritage railways, seeing my Irish ancestors’ hometowns, watching several amazing shows across the world and visiting Concordes on display in three countries! I have now visited 87 countries (out of an ultimate goal of 99 )and reached 578 cities! The second theme was revisiting favourite haunts including Abu…
Place Reviews (Thursday)
Category Archives for Place Reviews (Thursday).
Canterbury: Historic Gem of Southern England
My decision to stop in Canterbury was a spontaneous one. I found this city, located in the county of Kent, to be deeply enchanting, I was really sad to leave. I was impressed with how pretty the city is and blown away by its treasury of history, striking landmarks, gardens, and culture. Canterbury holds significant importance in English history, largely due to its religious, cultural, and historical significance. The city was a major pilgrimage site because of the Cathedral, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury and a centre of Christianity in England. The murder…
Escape to Stunning Lake Como
As a seasoned traveller, I’ve been fortunate to explore many beautiful destinations worldwide, but Lake Como in Northern Italy has always held a special allure. My recent stay in Blevio, with visits to nearby Como and Bellagio, offered a delightful taste of the elegance and natural beauty that this region is renowned for. Where is Lake Como? Lake Como (Lago Di Como)’s strategic location is one of its most attractive features., conveniently situated at the crossroads of Switzerland and Italy, making it a gateway between the two countries. The town is approximately 40 kilometres (25…
Exploring the Heart of Malta
I had no idea that Malta was so a picturesque island with so many stunning landscapes and as rich a history it has. Valletta, the capital city, boasts more monuments per square mile than any other city globally, reflecting its history of conquests and control by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, French, English, Italians, Sicilians, Romans, and various other powers. This led to be declared a World Heritage City by UNESCO. Today half a million people call the 316km (200sq miles)that is Malta home making it the fifth most densely populated country on the planet. My…
Journey to the Isle of Man: A Wonderful Adventure
Let me take you on a journey around the Isle of Man (or Mann), a unique destination that offers visitors a rich history, stunning natural scenery, and a huge variety of activities. Located in the Irish Sea between England and Ireland, the Isle of Man is a self-governing British Overseas Territory with its own government, parliament, and judicial system. Therefore, I counted it as the 84th country/territory I have visited! The Isle of Man is most known for the annual TT Races, one of the world’s most famous motorcycle races, attracting thousands of visitors yearly.…
Australia’s Lakes District- an Introduction
The Gippsland Lakes system is the largest network of inland waterways in Australia. It is a popular tourist destination known for its stunning natural beauty, majestic lakes and pristine beaches. Lakes Entrance is the picturesque coastal town located (unsurprisingly) at the entrance of those lakes! The Gippsland Lakes system consists of lakes, lagoons, and rivers that stretch over 600 square kilometers (360 miles). The lakes are surrounded by lush vegetation, including banksia woodlands, eucalypt forests, and coastal heathlands. The clear, blue waters of the lakes reflect the surrounding landscape, creating a stunning vista that is…
More food than I can eat- riding a Thai Train
The in-transit catering on Thailand trains is amazing. Streams of salespeople hop on and off at every station on the “all stops” trains. They are usually selling hot and cold coffees, ice cold sweetened Thai teas, and fresh fruit, meals, snacks, and take-home goodies. Basically if you want anything from a sliced apple to a Phad Thai, they will find it for you! The first time I rode a train in Thailand, I went to the supermarket to buy snacks beforehand, little knowing that every part of the 4,044 km (2,513 mile) rail system has…
Video: Chefchoen, the Blue Pearl of Morocco
Chefchoen شفشاون one of the most Instagrammed places in the planet is a city of 43,000 in the Rif mountains northwest of Morocco. It’s about two hours south of Tangier and four hours north of Fes. Known as the “Blue Pearl”, the city is painted blue for reasons no one really remembers. There are many, many theories as to why. It definitely brings the tourists in now. I could not resist creating this Blue Blue world Tiktok video…. TikTok link: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS82W2R64/ Related Posts:
Ten Amazing Days in Morocco
A dream for 41 years became a reality with a recent trip across Morocco by bus, car, and train. This beautiful and diverse country, with its rich history and culture provided me with one of the most unique and exciting experiences, I have ever had as a traveller. Morroco was also the 80th country I have ever been to. Arrival I started by flying into Marrakech. I was very impressed with my arrival at the modern Marrakech airport which has flights to and from 78 airports. It is also possible to fly into Casablanca or…
Out of Dili’s Terrible History emerges a Terrific Travel Experience
While it may not be as popular a tourist destination as some other cities in Southeast Asia, I found Dili had some interesting options and is one of the most authentic places I visited last year. Dili is the capital city of Timor Leste a small island nation located in Southeast Asia on the island of Timor (which is divided between Timor Leste and Indonesia). I have wanted to visit since Timor Leste’s Independence. Transport options to this island nation have been few and pricey. It does take a lot of work to organise travel…
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