Unique Experiences

Bucket List Europe: Slovakia

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, December 2023

"Bratislava’s most striking Secession-style building, the Church of St. Elizabeth is renowned for its gorgeous powder blue exterior, which extends all the way up to its 120-foot round tower..."

Bucket List Europe: Czech Republic

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, December 2023

"The Czech capital Prague is one of Europe’s best-preserved cities, with a romantic riverside location enhanced by graceful bridges and a skyline punctuated by medieval church spires..."

Bucket List Europe: Central Europe Intro

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, December 2023

"Prepare to exchange - while the euro is used in Austria, Germany and Slovakia, you’ll need francs for Switzerland, crowns for Czech Republic, forints for Hungary and złoty for Poland..."

Essential Great Britain: Travel Smart Chapter

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, September 2023

"Britain and America are (in the phrase attributed to playwright George Bernard Shaw) “two countries separated by a common language”. Knowing some British idioms can be helpful..."

Essential Great Britain: Experience Chapter

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, September 2023

"Great Britain and the United Kingdom: what’s the difference? GB is the landmass comprising England, Scotland and Wales; the UK also includes Northern Ireland and some smaller isles..."

Great Britain: Sporting Britain

A guidebook article for Lonely Planet, July 2023

"During the 18th and 19th centuries, Britons codified major sports including tennis, cricket, golf, field hockey, billiards, bowls, netball, water polo, baseball, horse racing, squash and boxing..."

Great Britain: Divided Kingdom?

A guidebook article for Lonely Planet, July 2023

"Two historical referendums, one on Scottish independence (result: remain) and another on Brexit (result: leave), have revealed deep divisions between Britain's three member nations..."

Great Britain: Meet the British

A guidebook article for Lonely Planet, July 2023

"For many Britons, their identity is specific to their country, their region or even their city. For me, it’s more general than that. The conclusion I've come to is this: I am British, not English..."

Scotland: Northern Highlands & Islands

A travel guidebook chapter for Lonely Planet, May 2023

"The most popular route through Scotland’s northern Highlands is the coast-hugging NC500, a 500-mile loop of spiky mountain peaks, dune-fringed beaches and brooding castle ruins..."

Scotland: Edinburgh

A travel guidebook chapter for Lonely Planet, May 2023

"It all began with fire and rock. The rugged, rangy landscape of modern-day Edinburgh was formed by three great volcanoes, which rose together here around 350 million years ago..."

DK Eyewitness Prague

A travel guidebook (extract) for DK Eyewitness, September 2022

"A long and rich history has bequeathed Prague a wealth of unique artistic treasures, from Gothic sculpture and Baroque painting to interwar design and contemporary installations..."

Scotland: Northern Highlands & Western Isles

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, June 2022

"As Scotland in miniature, the landscape on Skye ranges from the lush, undulating hills and coastal tracks of Sleat to the deep glens and saw-toothed peaks of the Cuillin Mountains..."

Scotland: Inverness and Around the Great Glen

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, June 2022

"The Great Glen is world-famous for its hill walking, with some of the best routes around Glen Nevis, Glencoe and Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain. Look out for golden eagles..."

Essential Scotland: Edinburgh & The Lothians

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, June 2022

" From floor-stomping ceilidhs to avant-garde modern dance, Edinburgh’s calendar of cultural events - including the Edinburgh Fringe, the world's largest arts festival - is truly outstanding..."

Scotland: Skye and the Outer Hebrides

A travel guidebook chapter for Lonely Planet, March 2022

"Skye's jaw-dropping landscapes and time-honoured castles are popular tourist draws, while those seeking solitude – and stunning sandy beaches – venture out to the Outer Hebrides..."

The Best Free Things to Do in Prague

An article for Lonely Planet, August 2021

"The Astronomical Clock's on-the-hour procession of mechanical figures leaves some tourists underwhelmed. So instead, come between showtimes for a close-up look at the clock itself..."

The Outlander Guide to Scotland

An article for Fodor's Travel Guides, November 2020

"From prehistoric stone circles to medieval castles, dramatic battlefields to majestic palaces, here's our pick of top Outlander locations for anyone looking to recreate the show’s magic..."

Scotland: Northern Highlands & Western Isles

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, April 2020

"The Northern Highlands is a region where roads hug the coast, offering stunning views over the clear blue ocean, across dramatic mountain peaks, or along stunning heather moorland..."

Scotland: Inverness and Around the Great Glen

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, April 2020

"Defined by its spectacular topography, the Great Glen brings together mountains and myths, history and wild nature, then lets you wash it all down with a dram of the world’s best whisky..."

Essential Scotland: Edinburgh & The Lothians

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, April 2020

"Edinburgh is "a city so beautiful that it breaks the heart again and again," as Alexander McCall Smith once wrote. Its seven hills make a striking backdrop for the ancient pageant of history..."

10 Spectacular Scottish Castles to Visit

An article for Fodor's Travel Guides, March 2020

"You can be driving along a winding coastal road, trekking over a craggy mountain peak, or sailing across a fog-sheathed loch, and suddenly the outline of a castle will hone into view..."

The 10 Best Whisky Distilleries in Scotland

An article for Fodor's Travel Guides, February 2020

"With more than 120 active distilleries dotted around the country, Scotland offers opportunities galore to learn the whisky-making process while tasting the amber spirit in its spiritual home..."

Chimp-Spotting on the River Gambia

An article for Lonely Planet, October 2019

"Alpha males confidently chomp on their bananas, fretful mothers clasp their young as they scoop water into their mouths, and hyperactive adolescents swing between the branches.."

Essential Great Britain: Experience Chapter

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, January 2019

"Heston Blumenthal, Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay are just the tip of the culinary iceberg, as chefs nationwide now indulge their passions for high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients..."

Alternative Prague: Escaping the Tourist Trail

An article for Rough Guides, April 2018

"Explore some of Prague’s ecclesiastical oddities, starting with the bearded woman statue in Loreto Church - this is St. Wilgefortis, who prayed for facial fuzz to help escape a betrothal..."

10 Things to Do in Vilnius, Lithuania

An article for The Independent, March 2018

"Vilnius is known for its historical charm, yet it is a city that's modernising fast. Today, for every baroque church there’s a hipster café; for every old cobbled street, a modernist work of art..."

Dining in Style at The Shore in Leith, Edinburgh

An article for Honey Travel by nine.com.au, March 2018

"The setting is gorgeous – an intimate, minimalist dining room looking out on the water – but it's Restaurant Martin Wishart's imaginative, French-inspired fare that takes all the headlines..."

Scotland: Northern Highlands & Western Isles

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, March 2018

"Wild and remote, Scotland's Northern Highlands and Western Isles have a timeless grandeur. Dramatic cliffs, sandy beaches and craggy peaks rising out of moorland like islands in a sea..."

Essential Scotland: Edinburgh & The Lothians

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, March 2018

"Take time to explore Edinburgh’s streets - peopled by the spirits of Mary Queen of Scots, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson - then enjoy a candlelit restaurant or a folk ceilidh..."

Northern Beauty: Scotland’s Secluded Islands

An article for Flight Time (Flybe in-flight magazine), March 2017

"Head beyond the Scottish Borders, bypass the capital, traverse the Highlands and cross the North Sea. Only then will you reach Scotland's outer limits - its remote, remarkable, islands..."

On the Trail of Scotland’s Gin

An article for Honey Travel by nine.com.au, May 2016

"When it comes to Scottish spirits, whisky has traditionally ruled the roost. But right now, the tipple on every local's lips is gin, as new craft gin distilleries have opened across Scotland..."

Sip Scotland On a New National Gin Trail

An article for USA Today, March 2016

"The gin trail features 17 stops, from urban distilleries and bars in Edinburgh and Glasgow to gin makers out on the islands of Harris and Shetland, tempting visitors to explore them all..."

Scottish Gin: Get Into the Spirit of Things

An article for The Independent, March 2016

"Scotland may be better known for its whisky, but it is also responsible for producing 70 per cent of the UK’s gin. And it's the huge growth of craft gin that has really raised local spirits..."

Abadia Retuerta LeDomaine: Five-Star Spain

An article for About Luxury Travel, February 2016

"The hotel began life as the Monastery of Santa Maria de Retuerta in 1146, and this medieval heritage is still in evidence throughout, from the refectory restaurant to the cloister garden..."

Catch Champagne Bar: London’s Finest Fizz

An article for About Luxury Travel, May 2015

"With a blend of traditional and contemporary design, Catch fuses Victorian grandeur with 21st century chic. Sit at the bar for a curated Champagne tasting or just unwind at a private table..."

London’s Most Luxurious Experiences

An article for About Luxury Travel, March 2015

"Even in a city renowned for fine dining, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester is an uncommonly opulent experience. Try the seven-course tasting menu with its sommelier-selected wines..."

North Korea Travel Guide

A guide for World Travel Guide, January 2015

"Perhaps the world's most insular, provocative and challenging country, North Korea is not the archetype of an alluring holiday destination. Yet many tourists are visiting this socialist state..."

Seven Bold Vacations That Break the Mould

A contribution to an article for Huffington Post, December 2014

"North Korea is among the least visited countries in the world. Although the U.S. government strongly advises against travel, Reaney says it is worth the trip for the Arirang Mass Games..."

Stay for Free: Sleeping with Strangers

An article for National Geographic Traveller, May 2014

"I am folded in half. My knees are tucked up to my chin - my chin tucked into my chest. I can’t even feel my feet. In fact, my only sensation is the sharp jabbing below my shoulder blade..."

My Guard: Terror in Transnistria

An article for PureTravel, October 2013

"My finger is deep inside my right sock when I spot Him. Furtively glancing over the headrest in front of me, I spy the dark uniformed figure holding out an imperious palm to halt the bus..."

The Flight to Everest Base Camp

An article for National Geographic Traveller, May 2013

“I heard the plane before I saw it. Sitting mutely in a pallid departure lounge, the dirty put-put-put of the engine trickled its way into my subconscious. It's a peeling, patched-up biplane…”

London’s Top Afternoon Teas

An article for Forbes Travel Guide, April 2013

"The perfect option for lighthearted luxury, the Mad Hattertakes you on a trip down the rabbit hole, with menus hidden in vintage books and teapots decorated with kings and queens..."

East China to Kyrgyzstan

Proofreading and editing for Overland Magazine, March 2013

"The driver swerved violently to avoid it, but as we skidded on the snow-covered road the lump bounced off the bonnet. My blood ran cold as I realised what it was. A human being..."

Off Everest’s Beaten Path

An article for Shoestring Magazine, February 2012

"I feel like throwing up. My head is spinning, my stomach churning, my joints throbbing. I suck in a lungful of icy air but there isn't enough oxygen. Yet still I ignore the thought to turn back…”

The Search for Ischia’s Seaside Spa

An article for The Telegraph (Travel Supplement), February 2012

""Have you got the eels?” I ask, teeth chattering, as my girlfriend steps off the yacht and onto the jetty. She nods. “And the mullet? And the calamari?” She holds the bag of seafood aloft..."

Sleeping with Strangers in Busan

An article for Everywhere Magazine, January 2012

““I am very sorry” he says, with a bow, as the door swings open. “This is all that is left.” I look down at my bed for the night - five-feet long, two-feet wide and three-feet deep - and smile..."

The Search for Ischia’s Wild Seaside Spa

An article for Amateur Traveler, January 2012

"The steam spirals into the sky, pirouetting beneath the delicate winter sun, as the blistering spring water trickles, lathers, into the salty sea. A seagull swoops from the frosted cliff top..."

Killing Time in Europe’s Best Cemeteries

An article for StalkingElk Magazine, November 2011

“An inexorable fixture in every childhood - whether burying your gran, losing your virginity or dabbling in the occult - cemeteries are also great for killing time prior to your own demise..."

Top Marx: When Socialism Meets Tourism

An article for StalkingElk Magazine, July 2011

“China now has more KFC outlets than giant pandas. A mere two decades after some vexed Germans shouted at a wall, the country's about as socialist as Joseph McCarthy in a kaftan..."

Weird Beards and other Bohemian Oddities

An article for StalkingElk Magazine, April 2011

“In the heartlands of Bohemia, Christian institutions offer much more than just war-mongering scripture, cheap magic tricks and kiddy-fiddling clergymen. They offer bizarre trinkets too..."

Ischia’s Wild Winter Warmers

An article for Shoestring Magazine, February 2011

“It was one of those bitterly cold December days in southern Italy, when the chill wraps itself around your bones and draws you into winter, and I was freezing to the seat of my scooter..."

Transnistria: Europe’s Last Kid on the Bloc

An article for Shoestring Magazine, October 2010

“As the 1990s rolled in, and the world watched Poland and co. march forwards to a bright new dawn, no-one seemed to notice that one corner of the Eastern Bloc had been left behind…”

The Greatest (and Most Secret) Show on Earth?

An article for Reader's Digest, August 2010

“North Korea is acquiring a reputation for something altogether different from its newsworthy nuclear programme and alleged torpedo attacks. And it involves schoolchildren in leotards..."