You're treated to a magnificent view of Queenstown if you follow the Queenstown Hill Track Queenstown, a small city in the south of the South Island of New Zealand, has come to be known as "the adventure capital of the world". Bungee-jumping was supposedly invented here, and its proximity to picturesque mountains and lakes make … Continue reading The majestic landscapes of Queenstown, Glenorchy, and Milford Sound
The village of Franz Josef, on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, only has a population of 400, but up to 2,700 daily visitors can flood its main street during the high summer season. I had booked a guided hike up the valley to a viewpoint where we could see the face of … Continue reading Walking, kayaking, and hot pools near Franz Josef Glacier
Clear views of the north of the South Island as the ferry comes into Picton harbour New Zealand is definitely a country best explored with a car, or even better, a camper van. It can be hard to access its remote beaches and many national parks without your own transport, and the low population density … Continue reading Beautiful New Zealand: up and down the country via train and ferry
I have spent less than two weeks in Middle Earth, looking at the world around me as I would England in springtime – green and rolling hills, neat parcels of farmland, friendly polite people, and "four seasons in one day" - - that rural existence so familiar to a girl who grew up in a … Continue reading A visit to Middle Earth
Lalibela is unique in the world. More specifically, the 11 rock-hewn churches that sit in the town of Lalibela, Ethiopia, are unique. As opposed to being constructed from blocks of materials from the ground up, they are literally dug inside-out from the rock bed, 11 metres down. (Update September 2020: I have since come across … Continue reading Lalibela, Ethiopia’s inside-out rock churches: very special, but expensive
When I first read about the Simien Mountains a year or so ago in National Geographic, I assumed the name derived from the Latin word simian, meaning ape. In fact, according to my tour guide, the mountains are thus named after the word for north in Amharic, because they are found in the north of … Continue reading Getting up close with gelada monkeys in the Simien Mountains
It must be said that if Abuna Yemata Guh, one of Ethiopia's famed rock-hewn churches, were in Europe, everyone would know about it. It's turning out to be something of a theme in Ethiopia (and is probably true for other developing nations, too): mind-blowing ancient monuments and unique landscapes seem almost completely unknown to "the … Continue reading Adrenaline and sheer rock climbing at Abuna Yemata Guh, the world’s most inaccessible church
In northern Ethiopia, there is a strange land of acidic colours and baking temperatures that has the reputation of being the hottest place on the planet - and believe it or not, people actually live there. After sleeping in the city of Mek'ele, known as the New York of Ethiopia for being a relatively new … Continue reading Visiting Ethiopia’s Danakil Desert, the hottest inhabited place on Earth
I never knew this, but there's a corner of France scattered with 1,000-year-old castles on top of hills. Travel down towards the Pyrénées, into the region of Languedoc, and there is a whole area known as Pays Cathare - or Cathar Country - close to the Spanish border. And you'll immediately notice that there are … Continue reading In Cathar Country
The coming of autumn in Paris is announced by a noticeable cooling of the air, which feels welcome after so many months of heat, and by the appearance of small piles of leaves beneath the trees which line the boulevards. There are shorter, darker evenings and the sun, though still making its comforting presence known, … Continue reading Autumn vibes
no cash on the highway 