Trieste, Italy (Trieste, Italia) Being in Ljubljana meant being tantalisingly close to our beloved Italy. We couldn't see the harm in stopping by for a short visit, so we did our research and set a course for Trieste in the very northeast of the Land of Pizza and Gelato. Being a seaside city, our first experience of Trieste was of wandering along the waterfront towards the main square. Boats of all shapes and sizes were moored off the coast, and a man in a strikingly orange jacket sketched…

Finding ourselves stiff from the ferry but back on dry land, we spent the morning driving across the ankle of the boot that is Italy. As all of us had explored that area of the country on previous trips, we felt no need to stop and beelined straight for a pasticceria (pastry shop) in Salerno. Salerno, Italy (Salerno, Italia) Being back in Italy was wonderful - everyone drove like shit and parked in the middle of the road to have a chat with someone on the footpath in their melodious voices…

If I'm honest, food plays a huge role in travel. I'd never forego delving into the history or architecture of a place, but food and drink has always been a major part of exploration. I love finding national and regional food specialties that really add to the experience of a culture. Here are my top picks from Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Please note that no herring in any way, shape or form (especially pickled) will be mentioned because bleghhh. 1. Speculoos The best biscuit ever…

Trieste, Italy (Trieste, Italia) Being in Ljubljana meant being tantalisingly close to our beloved Italy. We couldn't see the harm in stopping by for a short visit, so we did our research and set a course for Trieste in the very northeast of the Land of Pizza and Gelato. Being a seaside city, our first experience of Trieste was of wandering along the waterfront towards the main square. Boats of all shapes and sizes were moored off the coast, and a man in a strikingly orange jacket sketched…

San Gimignano, Italy (San Gimignano, Italia) On our way to Florence from Monteriggioni (home to our memories of pretending to be Ezio), we stopped for a wander in San Gimignano. Having heard that the town's silhouette looked like a medieval version of Manhattan, we had to take a look for ourselves. Lo and behold! Right in the middle of rolling Tuscan hills covered in neat rows of grape vines, we spotted it. The reason behind the sheer number of towers is simple: the nobility in the town…

Finding ourselves stiff from the ferry but back on dry land, we spent the morning driving across the ankle of the boot that is Italy. As all of us had explored that area of the country on previous trips, we felt no need to stop and beelined straight for a pasticceria (pastry shop) in Salerno. Salerno, Italy (Salerno, Italia) Being back in Italy was wonderful - everyone drove like shit and parked in the middle of the road to have a chat with someone on the footpath in their melodious voices…

If I'm honest, food plays a huge role in travel. I'd never forego delving into the history or architecture of a place, but food and drink has always been a major part of exploration. I love finding national and regional food specialties that really add to the experience of a culture. Here are my top picks from Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Please note that no herring in any way, shape or form (especially pickled) will be mentioned because bleghhh. 1. Speculoos The best biscuit ever…

If I'm honest, food plays a huge role in travel. I'd never forego delving into the history or architecture of a place, but food and drink has always been a major part of exploration. I love finding national and regional food specialties that really add to the experience of a culture. Here are my top picks from Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Please note that no herring in any way, shape or form (especially pickled) will be mentioned because bleghhh. 1. Speculoos The best biscuit ever…

San Gimignano, Italy (San Gimignano, Italia) On our way to Florence from Monteriggioni (home to our memories of pretending to be Ezio), we stopped for a wander in San Gimignano. Having heard that the town's silhouette looked like a medieval version of Manhattan, we had to take a look for ourselves. Lo and behold! Right in the middle of rolling Tuscan hills covered in neat rows of grape vines, we spotted it. The reason behind the sheer number of towers is simple: the nobility in the town…

Finding ourselves stiff from the ferry but back on dry land, we spent the morning driving across the ankle of the boot that is Italy. As all of us had explored that area of the country on previous trips, we felt no need to stop and beelined straight for a pasticceria (pastry shop) in Salerno. Salerno, Italy (Salerno, Italia) Being back in Italy was wonderful - everyone drove like shit and parked in the middle of the road to have a chat with someone on the footpath in their melodious voices…

When I first heard about the no-poo movement, I was skeptical. The idea is that you don't wash your hair with shampoo. Initially I thought my hair would be dirty, greasy and smelly! But when I looked into it further, I found it so intriguing that I had to give it a try. So what are the benefits? Your hair retains its natural oils and as a result your hair becomes more full-bodied and healthy looking. Not only that, but you can save a lot of time when you don't have to wash, dry and style…

If I'm honest, food plays a huge role in travel. I'd never forego delving into the history or architecture of a place, but food and drink has always been a major part of exploration. I love finding national and regional food specialties that really add to the experience of a culture. Here are my top picks from Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Please note that no herring in any way, shape or form (especially pickled) will be mentioned because bleghhh. 1. Speculoos The best biscuit ever…

If I'm honest, food plays a huge role in travel. I'd never forego delving into the history or architecture of a place, but food and drink has always been a major part of exploration. I love finding national and regional food specialties that really add to the experience of a culture. Here are my top picks from Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Please note that no herring in any way, shape or form (especially pickled) will be mentioned because bleghhh. 1. Speculoos The best biscuit ever…

If I'm honest, food plays a huge role in travel. I'd never forego delving into the history or architecture of a place, but food and drink has always been a major part of exploration. I love finding national and regional food specialties that really add to the experience of a culture. Here are my top picks from Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Please note that no herring in any way, shape or form (especially pickled) will be mentioned because bleghhh. 1. Speculoos The best biscuit ever…

When exploring a new place for the first time, there's a good chance that you're going to need to answer the call of nature at some point - and more realistically, several times per day (even more than that if you're a tea fiend like me). The good news is that there will be many toilets wherever you go! And most of them can be found for free. Before I start the list, I must give you an important piece of advice: never pass up the opportunity to use a bathroom when you get the chance, even if…

When roadtripping, you need the essentials and don't have much space for extras. After two years of roadtrip experience, I've boiled down exactly what I need when on the road. What's in my handbag Some people take a backpack, but I find that when popping out of the car to explore a city, a handbag is much more realistic for long wanderings in terms of size and weight. While my handbag is very old, it has lasted me well over the years and is the perfect dimensions for me. You may need to…