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
Dec 23
What do you do when you get a 5-day weekend in early December? For those of us in Salamanca, the answer was obvious: plan a brilliant escape to the Canaries. Read more
Dec 2
I could never claim to be a morning person, but somehow my last day in Lisbon began shortly before 8am with some soft rays of sunshine peeking through the shutters. Outside, a blue sky beckoned and the scene resounded with a silence I had not experienced since arriving in the city. It was Monday morning on a public holiday and the streets were practically deserted. Read more
Nov 29
Early on a Sunday morning, a red van pulled up to our hostel for the beginning of a 7-hour adventure. The weather was finally beginning to clear up and we had booked ourselves on the “X-Day Trip”, run by an alternative tour company with the best name I’d seen in a long time. Headed by Bruno, a graphic designer turned tour operator, We Hate Tourism Tours was hatched when he noticed that young visitors were leaving Lisbon without having seen many of its best parts. Read more
Nov 21
As the train crossed the border from Spain to Portugal, we began to get the sense that we had passed over into the unknown. Not only was the language different, but the scenery was turning increasing shades of green and our train began to rock from side to side. Read more
