10 pictures to help you plan a tour around Mexico’s Copper Canyon

a picture of a picture, with scenery from the Copper Canyon Railway in the background

This post is choc-a-block full of pictures to help you plan a tour around the Copper Canyon in Mexico. Known as the Barrancas del Cobre in Spanish, you might also hear it referred to as “Mexico’s Grand Canyon”. Except it’s bigger than the Grand Canyon. Yup, bigger. As well as spending a day on the […]

Where to spend a month in Mexico – from the Yucatán to Mexico City

pretty pastel buildings in Campeche

Updated February 2020. It’s a country with caves, canyons, cenotes, coasts, cities, culture, crafts and a top cuisine; spending only a month in Mexico is a tough ask. Mexico gives you countless opportunities to interact with the welcoming locals – on the ubiquitous public transport, and at its many sites and attractions. You’ll never be too far […]

Why I’d have another Helsinki city break

a cyclist pedals past some of Helsinki's street art

As someone who errs towards a degree of shabby chic when choosing city break destinations, I wasn’t sure how good a match me and Helsinki would be. I needn’t have worried. Helsinki managed that brilliant trick of balancing “everything just works”, without being glossed and polished to within an inch of its life. Here’s why […]

What’s it like to do the Red Bull ski jump run?

ski jump run Red Bull 400 Lahti Finland

“OMG we’ve GOT to do this!” I enthused, simultaneously holding a glass of wine and shoving the screen of my phone in my husband’s direction. I’d just shown Andrew this … the Red Bull 400. Red Bull 400. Image by Victor Engström and used with permission from the Red Bull Content Pool. It may “only” be […]

A day trip from Campeche to the Edzna Mayan ruins

the Edzna Mayan ruins near Campeche main plaza

I love a good Mayan ruin. If they’re of the lesser-visited variety like Edzná, so much the better. With a few days in the colourful Mexican city of Campeche on the western side of the Yucatán peninsula, a day trip to the Edzná ruins was too big a draw to resist. Getting from Campeche to […]

25 (more) experiences I’m going to have before I die … updated!

Outside York Minster in a tuk tuk!

Three years after first committing this list of my 25 must-do experiences to my hard drive, here’s my light-hearted look at what’s been accomplished, what’s still “on the list”, and what’s been ditched … Why I put my 25 experiences list in writing When I was in Bologna, I met Judy. Judy introduced me to […]