Life’s little luxuries: taking a simple timeout

Life’s little luxuries: taking a simple timeout

In the search for the perfect hotel, winter sunshine and glamorous flights it is easy to forget about life’s little luxuries. The things that actually matter. How lucky are we to have what we have? And to already live a life we love. We don’t need to scour the globe for a paradise, there’s…

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The journey: enjoy the A to B

The journey: enjoy the A to B

The journey is as important as the destination! Although perhaps getting up at 6am 5 days a week isn’t the best example of such a journey! Why is it so tough? Despite all the practice. Yet set the alarm for 5am to go on holiday and we leap out of bed before it…

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Monthly Meanderings: September & October

Monthly Meanderings: September & October

Two months at once because not much happened in September! A month always dominated by work! Very little time for much else! October more than made up for that, although a lot of that was work too! This year it was a case of ‘hi September’ and ‘oh, hi winter’… Literally overnight. Perhaps I…

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Amberlair: world’s first crowdfunded boutique hotel

Amberlair: world’s first crowdfunded boutique hotel

We all know that I love a boutique hotel… But how about one where the target customer is involved in its design and funding… Enter Amberlair! An inspired idea – the world’s first crowdfunded boutique hotel! Can you imagine just how perfect and truly boutique a hotel designed by boutique lovers could be? The…

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Me and my: travel companions

Me and my: travel companions

We all have them. Our unflinchingly supportive travel companions! Going everywhere with us, putting up with endless traipsing around… Cardigan, scarf, umbrella and lactofree milk portions… It isn’t just me is it (awkward silence…)? Because travel has so many different types I had a think about what travel companions are steadfastly with me…

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Astor Grill at Cliveden House

Astor Grill at Cliveden House

Where has the time gone since we were special guests at Cliveden House? Somehow I neglected to write my post about the charming Astor Grill. It’s one of those places that I wish was just at the end of my road at home.  Maybe just a little bit further away, for a nice stroll through the countryside?…

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Country life ❤️ city work

Country life ❤️ city work

This summer because of country life, we have not travelled as much as usual. Being blissfully holed up in our new home in the country meant we didn’t want to. We just booked our December getaway and I said to Mr P (only half-joking) that I wasn’t sure I wanted to be away…

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My Travel Bucketlist with the Travel Name Game

My Travel Bucketlist with the Travel Name Game

Hands up anyone who has a travel bucketlist? We all do don’t we! I try to keep mine written down to not lose track. But it keeps changing. Pinterest must take a lot of the blame – it’s basically a photo scrolling wish list that updates by the second… My travel list on there…

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Airbnb in Greece: a Crete retreat

Airbnb in Greece: a Crete retreat

We almost didn’t go to Greece this summer. We had toyed with the idea a while ago. But it was too hard to choose the island, expensive flights, a plethora of accommodation choices… It was in the too difficult category. Then a friend mentioned he had booked an enormous villa and they had plenty of…

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Monthly Meaderings: August

Monthly Meaderings: August

August was a full of fun month! At times it was chilly, so we were justified in lighting the fire at home! That novelty hasn’t worn off yet! Then at times it was simply glorious! And the bank holiday – good grief, we were blessed! Bathed in sunshine, Hampshire and the Costa del Solent…

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10 things: to eat in London

10 things: to eat in London

My travel style is discreet and homely. It follows that my food taste would be similar. Working in London, on and off for ten years and more solidly over the last theee, has been a fun foodie discovery. There is such a choice and something for all tastes. Hidden amongst the big brand…

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British Airways: fasten your seatbelts for turbulence

British Airways: fasten your seatbelts for turbulence

[parallax-scroll id=”6432″] I’ve always flown British Airways. They’ve always had the best choice of routes out of the UK. Until recently they were genuinely good too.  I’ve sat next to royalty before, it wasn’t just my view! These days I’d almost happily take the gimmicks of Virgin Upper or the lack of a…

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Pink sand paradise: Elafonisi, Crete

Pink sand paradise: Elafonisi, Crete

[parallax-scroll id=”6416″] For our trip to Crete I did very little research.  We only booked the flights 10 days before we flew, joining friends in a villa in the hills above Chania. Our plans were to relax: spun out from work and moving house. The little trip to Tallinn in April was feeling a…

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Monthly Meanderings: July

Monthly Meanderings: July

[parallax-scroll id=”6418″] July was about being thoroughly British and enjoying life in the village. And cows, but I will come back to them! Oh, and rain – it just didn’t seem to stop! Let me tell you, one doesn’t move to the country for a quiet life. But for community! And by that…

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Travel fears and scares

Travel fears and scares

[parallax-scroll id=”6421″] What scares you when you travel they asked? It would have been easier to ask what doesn’t… But that wouldn’t make much of a blog post! Most things can worry or scare me! At home I hate the dark and being home alone. I sail yet I hate the water!  I…

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Keeping active while travelling with Aaptiv

Keeping active while travelling with Aaptiv

There is an all too familiar routine – travel for work or pleasure rarely leaves time for fitting in exercise. And we come home feeling podgy and unexercised. Then because there’s all the work to catch up on, not enough time to fit in exercise when we get back. So the key is…

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The Telegraaf Hotel: a boutique stay in Tallinn

The Telegraaf Hotel: a boutique stay in Tallinn

[parallax-scroll id=”6422″] When we visited Tallinn in April we were rather impressed! A gorgeous medieval town unspoilt by tourism and some excellent places to stay! The Telegraaf was our base.  It is a boutique hotel located on the edge of the old town.  When we stayed it was part of Small Luxury Hotels. It’s now…

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Monthly meaderings: June

Monthly meaderings: June

June. Was. Busy. And excellent! At sea Each year there is an all women yachting regatta. Fabulous fun as it’s rare to have more than one girl on a yacht crew! Having the chance to sail without the boys is a treat (sorry boys)! The wind blew, the sun shone and we grinned…

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Once upon a time: my travel story

Once upon a time: my travel story

Once upon a time in a quiet bit of Surrey a little girl was busy making scrapbooks of her family travels… Which progressed to photo montages (cringe) and then photobooks… And now she has her own little bit of the www for grown up scrapbooks of her travels… Cute! In case you haven’t noticed,…

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Moving house: making home

Moving house: making home

A new home you say? I would say in equal measure… Never move house but chase your dream! We have had some rollercoaster moments over the years, we continue to, but nothing is like house moving. The most frustrating part is that other people and their plans are involved too and you can bet the…

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Monthly meanderings: May

Monthly meanderings: May

Better late than never, the timing of this says something about just how busy work has been keeping me!.. Manic May seems an apt description! May started in a snowstorm in Tallinn… And ended with a bleak but humid bank holiday weekend… Thankfully there was plenty of sunshine and blue skies in between!  And…

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Home to me is more than a set of bricks

Home to me is more than a set of bricks

Home to me isn’t just a set of bricks. On day 1 it may well just feel like a house… But it becomes a home sweet home, a nest, somewhere secure and a place of sanctuary! My lovely home as it is… I love our home. We have been here over ten years and…

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Relaxing after travelling

Relaxing after travelling

That familiar feeling – coming back from a holiday or a work trip and life returns to its normal chaos.  Straight. A. Way. Sometimes the aura of relaxed bliss (you know, the hard earnt stuff earnt on the beach by doing nothing, not even reading) has gone before even getting onto the M25 leaving Heathrow!…

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12 hours in: Los Angeles

12 hours in: Los Angeles

Sometimes the scheduling gods at work smile kindly… A project in Los Angeles, are you keen… I didn’t have to think twice! California in the spring – yes please!  And yes, the beaches in SoCal are just about as American as it gets! Whilst Los Angeles is not somewhere I would choose to visit on…

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10 reasons to visit: Tallinn

10 reasons to visit: Tallinn

Tallinn is one of the prettiest cities I have visited thus far. It is easy to enjoy – unspoilt by mass-tourism and small enough to get the best of in a long weekend. It was a chance visit to Estonia and a last minute booking. Mr P was touring the Baltics on business and…

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