As I was bounding around our villa in Umbria at 8 in the morning, Mark eyes me sleepily. “You are soooo excited, aren’t you?” “Yes!” I say. I love hot springs spas more than anything and we doing a…
Why I could never be Marie Colvin and why I’m ashamed
I’m a girlie girl. I write about spas and travel for gawd’s sake, but deep inside, there’s a raspy-voiced tough chic who wished she led life on the edge. The death of Marie Colvin in Syria is beyond shocking for…
My introduction to the Peace Memorial: John Lennon – 30th anniversary of his death
Thirty years ago today was that horrid day when John Lennon was shot and killed outside his home at the Dakota, the iconic building overlooking Central Park. No doubt a multitude of fans are gathering at Strawberry Fields, a 2.5…
Solo travel: hotel disaster in Rome
The pale unearthly-looking desk clerk hands me the key to my room. “You leave the lobby and take the elevator up. It’s a manual elevator, please be sure to shut the doors after you leave.” What the clerk failed to…
My battle with EasyJet
Now I’m not one to complain (oh, who am I kidding?) but after our EasyJet flight was cancelled from Paris to Nice because of flight crew problems last June and we were given a form outlining the compensation we would…
Easyjet cancelled my flight- arghhhh!
I’m not knocking Paris, but when you’re all set to leave Paris and fly to Nice for your 6-day seaside holiday, it’s a major pain in the arse when, after an interminable and chaotic lineup, first the computers go down…
A weekend to travel
With the weather so sunny and delightful you’d think it would be a great weekend to be on the road. Unless you’re me and my boyfriend, Mark. Because then this weekend would have been a very very good time to stay OFF…
Why I resent travel
I must be in some kind of mood today, because nothing would give greater pleasure than listing my pet peeves about travel. Actually, quite a few things would give me more pleasure: a flute of Cristal (how is it that…
These shoes are made for walking … home
I’m sure you’re all waiting with bated breath (what does that mean, anyway – bated?), simply on tender hooks (that’s a strange visual image as well, when you think about it – are they hooks through the toes of a…
The long way home
I knew I should have worn those black pants! It started out as a simple habit, a small way of easing the millions of decisions one needs to make when they travel … I always wear black pants and a…