Rome – a classics nerd’s top 10

Rome is where my heart lies, when I go there I feel as my soul sings. Why? As a classics scholar it is the place that brings together almost all of my favourite sites and museums. Here I can imagine that I'm back in the age of the first emperor Augustus and that at any … Continue reading Rome – a classics nerd’s top 10

“If adventures do not befall a lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad” – European Itinerary 2018

Jane Austen isn't always the person I think of when I consider adventurous travel. Yet this quote from Austen's Northanger Abbey (which I last read in my first year of university) resonates with me so deeply. Why do I travel? Why do I yearn to leave the shores of Aotearoa New Zealand to seek adventures … Continue reading “If adventures do not befall a lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad” – European Itinerary 2018

Being adventurous: Five new things on our upcoming Europe trip

We're heading to Europe this week. The nature of our trip means that we are revisiting some cities that we've been too before. To keep things fresh and exciting, here are five things new to us this time. Lisbon Never been to Portugal 🇵🇹. We have two nights here. I'm looking forward to the nightlife … Continue reading Being adventurous: Five new things on our upcoming Europe trip

Air BnB – why wouldn’t you?

I've just wrapped up booking all of the accommodation for our month long trip to Europe. All bar one night is booked through Air BnB. And I'm chuffed. Not only do we have more space and greater useful amenities compared to a hotel (yip, I'm talking the all important coffee maker and washing machine) as … Continue reading Air BnB – why wouldn’t you?

Oh Jerusalem!

Jerusalem- a divided city which throbs with history, co-habitation, and modernity. We spend but a few days here but found a city of contradictions. We were not on a religious pilgrimage but instead on a historic tour through the Middle East. This distinction seems important as, at times, I did feel like an outsider gawking … Continue reading Oh Jerusalem!

Three’s a crowd – booking through third party websites

I'm never quite sure whether I'm getting the deal of the century or getting duped when it comes to booking through third party sites. I don't have extensive experience and tend to err on the side of caution when it comes to paying for travel. However, this is in contrast to my scheming mindset where … Continue reading Three’s a crowd – booking through third party websites

Dressing appropriately and respectfully when travelling

I'm a kiwi, summer attire for me is a summer dress, a hat, sunscreen and potentially some jandals (flip flops for the non-kiwi readers). So travelling through hot countries where I need to be mindful of religious an cultural norms can be a bit tricky. Here's my go to list of essential, modest travel gear … Continue reading Dressing appropriately and respectfully when travelling

North Africa and the Eastern Med in three simple weeks – our itinerary 

It seems as if we do our "big" trips from fair Aotearoa every even year and 2016 is no exception. On Friday Darryl and I are flying out from Auckland International Airport on Emirates to Casablanca for three packed weeks getting a taste for this part of the world by exploring six countries in three … Continue reading North Africa and the Eastern Med in three simple weeks – our itineraryÂ