March weather in Britain see-saws between cold snaps, rain, and occasional glimpses of sun. In need of some warmth and colour, while walking near London Bridge, I was drawn by a bold poster whose sinuous illustration stood in sharp contrast to the industrial brick...
Strolling through a leafy Weybridge park, past garden allotments where the first green spring shoots were tentatively emerging, I glanced up and stopped in surprise. High up, on the topmost point of the St James church steeple, where jet contrails streaked the sky,...
While it’s sizzling hot in South Africa in January, thousands of kilometres away in Switzerland, in a picturesque town about two hours’ drive from Geneva, balloonists gather annually for a spectacular festival. Chateau d’Oex (pronounced “day”), located in the Swiss...
The garden of five senses in the French mediaeval town of Yvoire was an unexpected find, its tranquil, timeless setting a striking contrast to the previous day’s adventures. I had travelled with a friend, whose son is an electronic, world, and jazz musician, to the...
It’s no secret that Italy’s battling with overtourism. During the May 2025 long weekend, about 75 000 people descended on the lakeside town of Sirmione, which has a permanent population of only 8 000. Similarly, the historic centre of Venice is home to fewer than...
