A Wonderful Winter Day Trip to Winchester

With a free day on Friday, I decided to get out of London and explore a new-to-me city. Located 60 miles southwest of London, Winchester was the perfect destination for a festive day trip. The cathedral city is steeped in history — from its Iron Age origins to the present day — and it's small enough to explore on foot. There's great shopping and dining, and if the winter weather doesn't play ball there's lots to do indoors, including the spectacular cathedral and Great Hall.

My 2024 Holiday Gift Guide for Travel Lovers

Need inspiration for gifts for the frequent traveller in your life this holiday season? Look no further than my list of the best gifts for travel lovers. From old favourites to new discoveries, my gift guide has ideas for every travel lover and every budget, from luggage and bag recommendations, to tech and long-haul flight essentials, fun stocking fillers and more.

Unwrapping My 20-Year Digital Music Journey

Today marks 20 years since I got my first iPod and downloaded iTunes, kicking off a digital music journey that's still going strong. Despite switching from PC to Mac, and various other laptop changes, my digital library has remained mostly intact. So, while others are sharing their Spotify 'Wrapped' recaps, I'm celebrating with my own music data deep-dive. Scroll to the end for the infographic I created!

The NYC Caffeine Chronicles: Autumn 2024 Update

Whenever I visit New York City, specialty coffee shop hopping is always on my agenda. I've been visiting the city's coffee shops for over two decades and it's a pleasure to go both to a coffee shop I've frequented for 21 years and to a whole host of much newer specialty coffee spots on the same trip. NYC's coffee scene has continued to evolve with my own tastes and I always discover new cafes and roasters to check out. My most recent trip was no exception!

A Long Weekend in New York City: Autumn 2024

For me, there's always been something special about New York City. Since my first visit in 1995, I've always loved the sights, sounds, scents — and shopping! I even celebrated my milestone birthday there last November with my family. I start to miss the city before I've even made it back to the airport. And I've been looking forward to this one — my 34th trip to NYC — since I booked in the summer. Read on to find out what I got up to!

How To Spend Two Weeks in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a country I'd wanted to visit for sometime and I'm so glad I finally made it happen in 2024. I spent an incredible two weeks there in September, filled with many unforgettable memories, from sunrise hill climbs and elephant gatherings, to beautiful beaches, captivating cultural experiences and fantastic food. In this guide, I'm sharing my overall itinerary and how it worked out, what I did, where I stayed, how I got around and my other advice and practical tips.

Ten Specialty Coffee Spots To Visit in Sri Lanka

To say that Sri Lanka is a tea country is something of an understatement. The small island nation is the fourth largest tea producer in the world and tea plays a huge role in the economy, culture and people's daily lives. And  as a tea-ambivalent coffee lover, I was excited to discover a small but burgeoning specialty coffee scene in Sri Lanka. Keep on reading to find out about the coffee shops, cafés and roasteries I enjoyed checking out on my recent trip.