A Day in Cassis
A last minute change of plans during a trip to Provence left a friend and I looking for accommodation between St Tropez and Marseille the night before catching a flight from Marseille. Where should we overnight that would be enjoyable but also within easy reach of the airport? It looked like an opportunity to explore Cassis had landed in our laps. About 20 kilometres east of Marseille, Cassis sits nestled at the foot of high cliffs and gazes out at the Mediterranean. It is a good place from which to explore the spectacular calanques (inlets) along this stretch of coast. This one-time fishing village, now a picturesque little town, is…
Kekova – Turkey’s Spectacular Sunken City
The Turkish coastline boasts many beautiful spots but Kekova is one of my favourites. From the narrow streets and ruins of nearby Simena to the picturesque mosque in Ucagiz and the underwater cities at Kekova, it is a region I find truly magical. Kekova refers to both the island and the region. Some will also refer to the underwater ruins as Kekova. The island, Kekova, is an uninhabited island from which ancient civilisations have tumbled into the sea as a result of earthquakes. Twenty years ago strict restrictions on swimming in the area were introduced to protect the ruins but these have all since been lifted or relaxed and it…
Take a Working Holiday in Australia
Australia offers travellers the chance to work casually to support extended visits to the country. This presents a fantastic opportunity to take some time to explore the vast continent and experience life downunder. It is one that many visitors take and end up having the time of their lives. According to the Australian Government department of citizenship website Australia offers the visas ‘to encourage cultural exchange and closer ties between the arrangement countries’. I think it is great that Australia enables people to live and work in the country temporarily. I have had several different and interesting job opportunities working in roles varying from journalism and recruitment to the mining…
Great Barrier Reef Birthday on Lady Musgrave Island
It is my belief that to come to Australia, let alone live in Australia for any length of time, and fail to visit the Great Barrier Reef would be unthinkable. Moving from Queensland to Western Australia limited opportunities significantly, so imagine my delight when the opportunity to spend my birthday on Lady Musgrave Island presented itself. Located on the outer southern Great Barrier Reef, Lady Musgrave Island is the highest point of a coral cay. The rest of the cay forms a ring around the island providing a natural lagoon filled with fish and, because the water is so sheltered, some magnificent coral. Obviously we had come to dive. SCUBA…
Exploring Britain with British Authors
One of the things I love most about Britain is the history and what better way to explore Britain’s history than through Britain’s authors who can transport you to a specific time and place in only a few pages? If you are even half the bookworm that I am, and are interested in understanding how some of Britain’s best writing came to be created, I suggest visiting some of the places that inspired Britain’s authors. There are too many magnificent British authors to list them all here. The following are five of my favourites and five that were clearly associated with certain places that are great to visit in their…
Goodbye Google Reader – Hello alternative RSS readers!
With the clock ticking, in the lead up to bidding a fond farewell to Google Reader, many internet users are looking for alternative RSS readers. Google Reader’s date with death row is June 30, 2013. As of July 1 it will be gone. Don’t panic though; there are several alternatives. Here are five that are free. Feedly Many people have transferred straight to Feedly. It is a user-friendly reader and offers flexibility in story displays. The feed can be set to display posts as text-only, in a list with the lead picture, tiled on the screen, or displaying entire posts. Users can mark posts as read and change settings within…
5 Towns to Visit on Your Next Daytrip to France
Day trips from the UK to France have been popular for a long time. Throughout my childhood my parents would regularly bundle my brother and I into the car to head over to France to fill the car with booze…er, introduce us to France’s wonderful culture and food, ahem. Read on for some great spots to visit on your next daytrip. Getting there There are several ways to get to France for the day. You can zoom under the Channel using the Channel Tunnel or take a cross-Channel ferry such as DFDS Seaways Ferries. It is possible to take your car on either and I would really strongly suggest this…
Violence in Istanbul as Police Attack Protestors
I awoke to shocking images and stories of violence on the streets of Istanbul today. It is probably something that has been a long time coming. Turkey is arguably the most westernised country of its Middle Eastern neighbours but the government has long neglected what many regard to be a basic human right, the freedom of speech. I usually share intriguing destinations, adventures and expat experiences on this blog, but I can’t ignore what is happening in Istanbul. Turkey was my home for years and while the current violence is terrifying the resistance, hopefully, marks a turning point in Turkey’s history. What is going on? A peaceful protest against the…
Where to stay in Istanbul
Spectacular Istanbul is a fascinating city spanning many different periods of history as well as the continents of both Europe and Asia. It offers many accommodation options across several areas of the (very large) city but most visitors opt to stay near the centre on the European side in either Taksim or Sultanahmet. Read on for more information that can help you decide where it is best to stay during your visit. This post is based upon these two areas of Istanbul because they are the areas with the highest density of visitor attractions and hotels (for more information on what to see in Istanbul click here) and also because…
Spectacular Provence Beaches
Having grown up only a whisper away from France, in the UK, I had always rather disregarded the beaches, assuming they would be very similar to UK beaches, with shingle and cold murky water. In northern France they have vast sandy beaches stretching as far as the eye can see. Being the other side of the channel, the water is not very different. But with regards to the Provence coast, how wrong could I be? What a difference a land mass makes Of course Provence is on the south coast of France and the Mediterranean. This makes a huge difference. The water is generally sheltered and beautifully clear. Don’t be…
