Stories

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train with smoke

An open letter to my father on his birthday

I originally wrote this three years ago on the anniversary of my father’s 67th birthday. Today would be his 70th, so I’ve decided now is a fine time to move it off facebook and onto my blog instead. So, here we go: It feels stilted and uncomfortable to try and celebrate the fact you were […]

Oaxaca guide: how to shop for produce at the market

Oaxaca city is full of wonderful markets bursting with amazing produce. Many of them are unassuming, tucked away through a doorway, down an alleyway, or around the corner. Access to fresh & delicious produce is one of my absolute favourite things about living in Mexico. Before you go: produce markets in Oaxaca I’m yet to […]

Puerto Vallarta neighbourhood guide

Towards the end of 2021 I moved to Puerto Vallarta for four months. It was far from my first time in Mexico, but It was my first time in this city as well as the state of Jalisco. When I move someplace new, one of the first things I want to know is an overview […]

Fifty books of 2021

At the beginning of 2021, I set myself a goal to read 50 books. I almost slid just in there, although I didn’t quite finish book number 50 before the end of the 31st

One month in: a few tasty eateries in Puerto Vallarta

I am many different things, but three of the most prominent of those are an avid researcher, borderline obsessive foodie, and Mexico fangirl. This cocktail means that I arrived back in Mexico armed with an enormous amount of lists, mostly centered around where (and what) to eat in Puerto Vallarta. Having spent most of my […]

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An Autumn Adventure in Rocky Mountain National Park

It’s been a few years now since I began visiting and exploring in the US, but it’s taken me until right now to venture into a national park. With my proclivity towards wildlife, forests, and wide open spaces, that came as a surprise to me (and most people) so it was time to set that right.

Lyttelton, New Zealand: 3 Things to Love

The small port-side village of Lyttelton, New Zealand is a place close to my heart. It’s where my grandmother lived when I was growing up; it’s a short boat trip away from where my family lives now; and it’s where my partner and I ended up, by chance, renting a house for the first 6 […]

Reasons I fell for Melbourne | A quick love note

In 2018, I decided to give living in one place a try. Through a few last minute change of plans, and my brother already being there, that place ended up being Melbourne, Australia. As it turns out, I wasn’t ready to stop travelling, and my year in Melbourne was cut short, as I took off […]

Souks, Spices, and Marrakech | How to Explore Morocco’s Red City

I had saved Marrakech for later. To me, it felt like an advanced destination – suited to skilful travellers who know exactly what they are doing. The more I reflect, the more I see how wrong that assumption was. I had bundled Morocco away with the likes of Japan and India for quite some time […]

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Moroccan Kefta Mkaoura

A signature dish in Morocco, with a fodmap friendly twist. Kefta mkaoura is made up of cherry-sized meatballs in a fragrant tomato sauce. GF & DF too.

A to Z of Visiting Aotearoa

This is an encyclopaedia of sorts, an alphabet of things that a local (me!) thinks people should know to better understand not just the tourist sites, but also the culture of this beautiful country.

A Trip Across Mongolia

Beijing to Mongolia, considered one of the world’s Greatest Railway adventures. Memories of the Trans-Mongolian Express through the Gobi Desert.

A Day in Kathmandu | The city of temples in Nepal

Kathmandu wasn’t exactly love at first sight, well at least not in my case. I’d ridden a thirty-six hour bus trip through the Himalayan foothills from Delhi, vomiting out the window the entire way . It had been some bad chicken the day before, It tasted like mud and rotting flesh. I only had a […]