Tag: history

London tips for a first-timer

Reading Time: 17 minutes

As you may have read in my other post How to do London in one day, usually when I visit London it’s a day trip, as my trips to England are generally to visit and stay with family in Dorset. However, there have also been a handful of occasions when I have been fortunate to travel from Sydney to London for business. On those trips I have stayed up to a week, squeezing in some leisure time (generally solo) around my work commitments.

Recently, a good friend was planning her own work trip to London, which was allowing her some spare time for leisure too. She asked for my tips on where to stay and ‘must-see’ sites ; of course I was very happy to oblige. This post is inspired by the loose itinerary and recommendations I shared with her.

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A day in the Barossa

Reading Time: 18 minutes
Barossa Valley, SA (Oct 2024)

Taking advantage of a Qantas double status credit promotion earlier in the year, I booked flights to Adelaide and started planning a weekend visiting its nearby wine region. I’ve been to Adelaide a few times and even drove to Mount Gambier once, but had never visited the famous South Australian winery areas. Having heard good things and enjoyed a tipple or two from some of their well known vineyards, it seemed a good idea to plan an adventure to somewhere new. I soon realised there was quite an extensive choice of places to visit and regretted only booking 3 nights away. After a bit of research into the Adelaide Hills, Eden Valley, Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, I determined it was possible to spend a day in the Barossa and a day in McLaren Vale. The hard part was working out where to stay and which vineyards to visit due to the abundance of choice!

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5 reasons to visit Bathurst

Reading Time: 5 minutesBathurst, a picturesque town located in the heart of New South Wales, is an unexpected treasure waiting to be explored. From its vibrant food and wine scene to its rich history and stunning natural beauty, Bathurst has something to offer every type of traveler. Whether you’re a motorsport enthusiast, a history buff, or simply looking for a relaxing getaway, Bathurst has it all! Continue reading “5 reasons to visit Bathurst”

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”