Category: Europe

Normandy – Part 1: A winter break

Reading Time: 24 minutes
Normandy, France (January 2024)

I was warned. In France many attractions and museums close during January and the weather would likely be cold and gloomy.  However timing our visit in the first week of January was our only option. It was also probably the last time our family would all travel together, as Brandon was now 19 years old. I hesitated when booking but as my research informed me there would be enough open attractions for us to visit over our 3 days in Normandy, I decided we would go for it. Continue reading “Normandy – Part 1: A winter break”

How to do London in 1 day

Reading Time: 16 minutes
London, England (Feb 2023)

I will say upfront – one day in London is simply not enough time to see all the attractions it has to offer.

Fortunately for me, I have been to London many times throughout my life so have seen most of its famous sights. On most occasions I visit for the day only; each time with a rough plan, leaving a degree of flexibility. Usually I pick a combination of new places I haven’t been before, along with my favourite things to do and/or places I haven’t visited for a long while. That is exactly what I did on my most recent day trip to London while in England, staying with family in Dorset.

In this post I will cover off:

: How to do London in 1 day

Continue reading “How to do London in 1 day”

Top 10 places to visit in Dorset, England

Reading Time: 11 minutes

For those who don’t know, Dorset is a county of South West England. I have spent so much time there I consider this part of the world as my second home. Having family there, when I was growing up, we used to visit frequently (every couple of years) and my English born dad used to drag, I mean, drive, me and my sister around Dorset to show us all the local sights and landmarks that he used to roam around in his youth. Now as a parent and married to another Dorset native, I do the same with our kids.

These are my top ten favourite places to visit in Dorset.

Continue reading “Top 10 places to visit in Dorset, England”

Winter break in Venice

Reading Time: 12 minutes
Venice, Italy (February 2023) 

I have been to Venice before. It was 30 years ago when I was backpacking in Europe with a friend, on a very tight budget. On that adventure in January 1992 we stayed in youth hostels and bought food from the supermarket which didn’t need cooking (e.g. bread and jam). We visited most of the main tourist attractions like St Mark’s Square, Rialto Bridge and Peggy Guggenheim museum. I even managed to buy a Venetian glass ornament which I somehow got back to Australia in one piece. It still proudly sits on display in my home now. 

This would be a different experience with a bit more spending money. Steve and I were visiting the UK and decided to invite my UK based in-laws (Steve’s mum, dad and sister) to join us on a side trip to Venice for 2 days & 3 nights. Our objective was to spend some quality time with our family that we haven’t been able to see much the last few years thanks to the pandemic – creating memories while experiencing Venice.

Continue reading “Winter break in Venice”