♥ a food, travel and lifestyle blog ♥
Dave and I wanted to stay in Fiumicino for a variety of reasons when we went to Italy in April. At first glance, La Casetta was perfect for our needs. We wanted to be out of Rome, but with easy access to the city. And we needed a place where we could leave our luggage … Continue reading La Casetta, Fiumicino Città, Italy
In 2020 Dave and I had plans to spend our wedding anniversary in Istanbul, followed by a 16 day trip to Croatia. Turkish Airlines fly directly from Cape Town to Istanbul so it was a no-brainer to use them as the carrier for our trip. Why I will never take a travel voucher from Turkish … Continue reading Turkish Airlines
Each country in the Schengen region has its own specific regulations when it comes to applying for a Schengen Visa. And these regulations apply differently, depending on the nationality of the person applying. This blog post is aimed specifically at South African citizens, travelling from South Africa. It is based on my own, extensive experience, … Continue reading Schengen Visa
We recently went away for a Gourmet Getaway to Swellendam. Organized by Alison from Schoone Oordt, this gave us the opportunity to try new restaurants. One of them being La Sosta. La Sosta Serving traditional Italian food, lovingly prepared by an Italian chef, expect a menu that starts with Antipasti. This is followed by primi, … Continue reading La Sosta, Swellendam, South Africa
Sometimes, the perfect getaway falls into your lap, like it did for us with Rose Cottage. Desperate for a weekend away I scoured suitable places within a 2 hour drive of us. I found Tulbagh Mountain Manor and everything sounded idyll. Rose Cottage We were warmly greeted upon our arrival, told to make ourselves at … Continue reading Rose Cottage, Tulbagh Mountain Manor
Having saved up our Avios, Dave and I used them to fly Club World from Cape Town to London in November 2019. Check In and The Business Class Lounge We arrived at the airport about 3 hours before our flight and made our way straight to the Club World Check In. Despite being allowed two … Continue reading Club World Business Class British Airways
Dave and I flew World Traveller Plus on British Airways from Gatwick to Cape Town. We were warmly greeted at the door and made our way to our seats. These are wider than the standard seats and have more legroom. Always a plus in my books. As the plane had a 2/4/2 configuration, we chose … Continue reading World Traveller Plus British Airways
I cannot claim to travel a lot, but we do fly often enough for me to be fussy about our seats. Given a few conversations I have recently had with friends, I decided to write a post about selecting your seats for comfortable flying. Selecting Your Seats In Economy Class To be frank, there is … Continue reading Selecting Your Seats For Comfortable Flying
Mo And Rose at Soekershof was our choice of place to stay for our wedding anniversaries last year. With two swimming pools, boules and a peaceful garden, you might not want to leave. Mo And Rose Here you will find the most amazing cacti garden beneath the majestic Langeberg mountains. Klaasvoogds West is the perfect … Continue reading Mo And Rose, Soekershof, South Africa
The Glenlyn Hotel offers convenient accommodation with on-site parking, in Finchley. Glenlyn Hotel Dave and I stayed across the road from The Glenlyn Hotel last year when we were in London. As we liked the area, and the look of the hotel, we decided to book here for this visit. The hotel and apartments are … Continue reading Glenlyn Hotel, Finchley London
Migennes to Tannay was the route we chose for our 6th barge trip. This trip goes up the River Yonne and Canal du Nivernais. There are 49 locks along the route from Migennes to Tannay and the total cruising time expected is 26 hours. Getting To Migennes I would suggest that you arrive in Paris … Continue reading Migennes To Tannay, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Valle dei Templi is the one stop you need to schedule when visiting Sicily. Situated in Agrigento the site is 130 km from Palermo and 170 km from Catania. This is the largest archaeological site in the world covering a total of 1300 hectares. Getting to Valle dei Templi I would recommend that you travel … Continue reading Valle Dei Templi | Valley Of The Temples, Sicily
When looking to book an apartment in Palermo I can highly recommend you find one overlooking Via Principe Di Belmonte. Specifically I would choose the area between Via Roma and Via Ruggero Settimo. Dave and I chose Appartamento Belmonte for our 3 night stay. Appartamento Belmonte Overlooking the pedestrian zone, Appartamento Belmonte has a lot … Continue reading Appartamento Belmonte, Palermo Sicily
King Georges Guesthouse Last month I booked 7 rooms at King Georges Guesthouse. We were going away for racing and needed to accommodate two teams. I prefer that we all stay together so a guest house large enough is key. Another important factor is parking as we have race cars on trailers. This is my second … Continue reading King Georges Guesthouse, Port Elizabeth
Using Your SIM Card Overseas When cell phones first came to South Africa we had a choice between two service providers. Dave chose to go with Vodacom and I went with MTN. Locally I do not think one is better than the other. But when we travel there is a vast difference. So, how do … Continue reading Using Your SIM Card Overseas
Situated at the foot of the Magaliesberg mountains is Quiet Mountain Country House. Just an hour's drive from Pretoria and Johannesburg this is the perfect getaway for a peaceful break. You will enter the property through a garden door and step into a space with perfectly manicured gardens and delightful statues. Quiet Mountain The word … Continue reading Quiet Mountain, Hekpoort, South Africa
Heatherbank Guesthouse Dave and I spent a weekend in London for a special family occasion. My friend Talya's son was having his Bar Mitzvah. Usually if we are in London we stay with them, but as her mom and brother had also come over, this was not possible. Dave and I wanted a place that … Continue reading Heatherbank Guesthouse, London, UK
The Lovat Everything about The Lovat spells luxury. When Dave and I arrived in Loch Ness we drove straight into the parking lot of The Lovat. We walked into an amazing reception and sat down and a beautiful wooden desk to check in. We had not made a booking and chose to spend the night … Continue reading The Lovat, Loch Ness, Scotland
The Old Inn Dave and I had planned on stopping overnight in Gairloch. We did not make a booking beforehand as we did not think there would be a problem finding somewhere to stay. It was mid-October in the North-West Highlands of Scotland. And who knew it would be so busy? We were told at … Continue reading The Old Inn, Gairloch, Scotland
Castleview By the time Dave and I arrived at Castleview Bed and Breakfast I was all 'blogged' out. It was really not my intention to do a review, and so I did not take any photographs of the room before we had slept in it. But after breakfast I changed my mind as it was … Continue reading Castleview Bed And Breakfast, Dufftown