Category: City stays
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Postcards from the Seaside

I know my beaches. I grew up in Sydney and had the advantage of swimming at the great urban beaches in this part of Australia’s east coast. Golden sand, the smell of coconut oil and hot chips, squealing children and days so long that they went on forever. And as I grew older and began…
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How not to look like a tourist
You are a tourist but you need not be so obvious – try the ‘blend in’ tactic. We are on the move again. And with the current debacle with lost and lingering luggage maybe it’s time to fly with carry on luggage only. So pack carefully and think on how to mix and match limited…
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USA – Red Rocks and a Mile High City

Denver has been the subject of many songs by famous artists especially native son, the late John Denver, but my fave is by Jimmy Buffet: I’m about a mile high in Denver Where the rock meets timberline I’ve walked this ground from town to town Just to finally call it mine Dating back to the…
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How to see York – in 48 hours

I love cities that have many layers of history, where the stones speak of grim deeds, majestic events, innovative creations and the odd ghost. If your itinerary allows – spend some time in the atmospheric and elegant city of York, in Yorkshire, the UK’s second mediaeval city. Eat, drink, sleep and play – all budgets…
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Travel: How to be bold in Boulder

Reposting this as I have fond memories of this lightning visit to Boulder and the tour of a tea making institution. I’m a total fangirl of Celestial Seasonings and many cups of its Sleepytime Tea got me through the panicky nights and insomnia of Covid-19. Only in Boulder. I had five hours to spend in…
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How to do ‘heritage hotel’

Amid the tall and slender, new and shiny and fair and funky, there’s a place where refinement and coolness resides in Sydney . . . Primus Hotel Sydney. The Presidential suite. When is a hotel not a hotel? Well, it’s always a hotel if it’s a hotel! But if it’s not a tall, shiny new…
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Vietnam & Singapore take the cake

It’s time to talk about cake again. Classic high tea doesn’t have to be taken in an English country garden. These two teas enjoyed in Asia take the cake! When I’m travelling I always plan an afternoon tea experience into the itinerary mix. I think it is the most civilised and friendly ritual anyone could…
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Street wise: Hanoi, Vietnam

www.sofitel-legend-metropole-hanoi.comA quick fix blog this week as I am away on a yoga retreat in the Blue Mountains, a couple of hours west of Sydney (I knoooow, what was I thinking) and am short on blogging time this week. A post on the yoga experience might even make its way here if I survive bending,…
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The (almost half) year that was

I was reading a colleague’s ‘year of travel tales’ and thought I might put my 2018 up in lights too. After a few trips last year that were diverse in their locations I have many warm memories and hopefully some insights into what makes the world tick outside my limited realm. Once I began looking…
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How to: have your cake and eat it too

After ten days sailing on the Red River in North Vietnam we came back to earth (land) and entered the mighty maelstrom of a late afternoon Hanoi happening. It seemed so crowded, so noisy, we had to find some a peaceful place. I’m used to busy cities and love to throw myself into the middle…