Mar 31
As surreal experiences go, there is nothing quite like basking in the 27-degree sunshine, face-up in the grass as the park echoes to the sound of exploding firecrackers. It is the middle of March and the party is in full swing in Valencia. The occasion? A wild, raucous and noisy celebration known as Las Fallas. Read more
Mar 26
In Portugal there’s a saying that goes like this: “Porto works, Braga prays, Coimbra studies, and Lisbon gets the money.” Having witnessed the (practically) rude, no-nonsense attitude of Porto, and its chaotic cityscape, we were about to discover something very different on our arrival in Braga. Read more
Mar 13
There was no way I was ever going to turn down a road trip to Porto. Ever since I visited Lisbon for the first time last October, I knew that I had to come back to Portugal at the next available opportunity. Read more
Mar 10
When night falls and the busloads of day-trippers leave Segovia, the city reverts to its timeless medieval charm. It’s nearing 8 o’clock on a Friday evening and I have just completed the 3-hour journey from Salamanca. The walk to the hotel takes me through a warren of narrow, atmospheric streets and animated squares, interspersed by the odd floodlit monument. Although it has only been a good 40 minutes since my arrival, I am already falling in love with Segovia. Read more
Feb 28
To be honest, I didn’t quite know what to expect when we got to Oviedo. Between reports of the city being “super bonito” (“very beautiful” in colloquial Spanish), I had also heard that much of it was destroyed during the turbulent years of the 20th century. Read more
Feb 18
When it comes to last-minute weekend trips, it’s often best to throw caution to the wind. Ignoring the stack of work due in for Monday, and the fact that I had only just met my travel companions, I loaded my rucksack and headed off to the Plaza Mayor. As much as I loved Salamanca, I was itching to get out and explore another part of Spain. Read more
Jan 26
Ask anyone what they imagine Hong Kong to be like, and chances are that they will describe a neon-lit concrete jungle, martial arts action movies, and a city at the forefront of high technology. But what catches people out upon arriving is the surprising amount of greenery – more than 40% of the territory has been designated as country parks. Hong Kong’s natural beauty is one of its least-known assets, and it is astonishing to consider the options available within such a small area. Half an hour is all it takes to get to a beach, a rural escape or an accessible hiking trail. Read more
Jan 18
On my way home for Christmas, I had exactly 22 hours in Milan between my arrival from Madrid and the departing flight to Hong Kong. Rather than languish in an airport hotel I took my suitcases and caught the next train out from Malpensa – it was nearing 4pm and I had an appointment to make. Read more
Jan 17
My first impression of Tenerife was not of a beach, nor of palm trees and coastal resorts. Instead it was a sea of clouds and then the sudden appearance of a conical peak, dazzling in its beauty and draped in a layer of freshly fallen snow. I instantly thought of Mt. Fuji but there was something about this mountain that made it even more alluring. Read more
Jan 5
¿Puedo ayudarte, cariño? – Can I help you, Darling?
I was stunned. No one on the Spanish mainland had ever addressed me as such, least of all a stranger in a sports shop. “¿Tenéis bañadores?” I asked. In my haste to come I had forgotten to pack a pair of swimming trunks. She sauntered over to a nearby clothes rack and pointed to a trio of brightly coloured briefs. “We only have these ones…” Read more
Plus Ultra 