Any Excuse to Travel

South Africa
Safari in South Africa
Read about it
Thailand
Gorgeous beaches, beautiful scenery and the food…
Go to Thailand
Andalucia, Spain
Much more than beaches! Gorgeous towns, rich culture, tortured history.
Viva Espana!
Budapest
One of the most beautiful cities in the world
Visit Budapest
Croatia
A tour through the Istria region of Croatia
Visit Istria!
Slovakia
High Tatras, Beautiful Kosice
Visit Slovakia
Serbia
Friendly country with a difficult history.
Visit Serbia
Cuba
Timeworn eclectic architecture, idyllic beaches, great music, classic cars and Fusterlandia!
Experience Cuba
Georgia
Green valleys, vineyards, spectacular mountain scenery, and ancient churches
Georgia, one of the most beautiful coutries on earth!
Costa Rica
Two oceans, volcanoes, and wildlife
A trip through Costa Rica
Venice
At least once in your life, you should see Venice

Visit Venice

Travel is one of the great joys in life, be it a train journey from Budapest to Belgrade, or a road trip across Costa Rica. The joy doubles when it’s shared. Here you will find hundreds of stories that will inspire you to seek out the unusual corners of our beautiful world, and will give armchair travellers hours of entertaining reading.

Latest blogs

Croatia, Europe, Travel

Zagreb revisited

Zagreb hasn't featured on my list of cities to return to. I remember being singularly unimpressed with it, the last time I was there .... for a Leonard Cohen gig back in 2010. Is it that long ago? Granted, few cities are at their best on a…

California, Travel, USA

Salvation Mountain and its message for me

Speaking from a Christian perspective, we live in a time a time when overt expression of religious faith makes many feel uncomfortable. Bible verses and vocal expressions of the word of God aren't exactly crowd gatherers. Not diverse crowds…

California, Travel, USA

East Jesus - the art in trash

Before we hit the dirt roads heading out of Niland towards Slab City, I lost the picture I had in my head of the East Jesus Art Gallery we were heading to see. I'd imagined East Jesus as a quaint little town with perhaps a boutique hotel and…

Ireland

Europe, Ireland, Travel

Night life in Dublin

I find it hard to pass an open door. There's a curiosity about me that wants to know what's inside. This was rewarded last week when we ventured into the Customs House, and this week when we stumbled into the Liquor Rooms on Dublin's Wellington…

Europe, Ireland, Travel

By the Liffey in Dublin

Let's just wander, I said. And see where we end up. We were headed to the IFC in Dublin's docklands, down by the Customs House, to see the 140th annual exhibition by artists of the Dublin Painting and Sketching Club.* Way back in October of…

Europe, Ireland, Travel

Dithering around Dublin 7

Visitors to Dublin can get caught up in the tide of tourists that flows around the hot spots like Trinity College and its Book of Kells. They dip in and dip out of the tidal pools neatly mapped on the hop-on-hop-off bus tours. They sip their…

Croatia

Croatia, Europe, Travel

Zagreb revisited

Croatia, Hungary, Travel

Crossing the Hungary-Croatia border

A mate of mine, on a short-term contract in Zagreb, visited us in the village last weekend. I'd checked the trains and the direct one from Zagreb to Budapest passes through the next village. It should have been easy. It wasn't. There was weekend…

Croatia, Random thoughts, Travel

Rovinj - another Istrian gem

I’m generally quite positive, upbeat even. Except when I’m tired. Or hungry. Or feeling ill. Then I can’t stand to be with myself let alone socialise with others. I retreat inwards. Any attempt to boost my mood or chivvy me back to normalcy…

Slovenia

Europe, Slovenia

Magical forests and healing water in Slovenia

Dubrovnik is a city in Croatia. Dobrovnik is a village in Slovenia. Both have their attractions but Dobrovnik is really special. Magical even. I don't think I'll ever grow up. Not really. I might get a little more responsible, a little more…

Slovenia, Travel

Just over the road

What is it about men and maps eh? He's at his happiest when he's figuring out how to get to wherever it is we're going. And that Friday in Slovenia, he routed us through Kamnik, for little other reason than it was there, and we wanted to avoid…

Slovenia, Travel

Slap Savica

I send postcards. Handwritten. Probably illegible. I might forget to post them until weeks after I've been to wherever it is I've been, but I still send postcards. And I was dead chuffed to receive one from one of my nephews from Singapore -…

Costa Rica

Costa Rica, Random thoughts, Travel

A Little Time at Sea

Costa Rica, Travel

Okay, so I was wrong - about the West Coast of Costa Rica

The west coast fights back. Costa Rica has its say. Irish woman proven wrong. Pick your headline. I am suitably chastened. I said I was singularly unimpressed with the beaches on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. And while I'd still take the…

Costa Rica, Travel

When God finished painting the sky...

Mr Frommer (or whoever penned his guide to Costa Rica) describes the hike into the Rio Celeste as 'an easy trail' that could be jogged in 1 hour or 'strolled' in 3 or 4. We honed in on the words 'easy' and 'strolled' and adding these to the…

It’s all about the story…

Mary is a born storyteller. She travels often for work and for pleasure, and writes all the time. Whether you’re an armchair traveller who likes a good yarn, or a regular tourist seeking inspiration for your next journey, there is something here for you.

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What’s coming

This site is a work in progress. There is a wealth of travel stories here, which we are in the process of curating. We are going back through them to update pertinent information and add travel tips. Check back often.

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Lake Bled

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South Africa

Thailand

Andalucia, Spain

Budapest

Croatia

Slovakia

Serbia

Cuba

Georgia

Costa Rica