“Stop that, Barney!” says the patient llama-handler, as the frisky creature continues to make mischief by knocking the top off a metal post with his head. We’re standing in a barn in the North...
Revisiting a Kingdom by the Sea
The green cover of the book was instantly recognisable. A Kingdom by the Sea, written in 1967 by a London Journalist, Betty James, might have gone unnoticed by other visitors to Barter Books in...
Kerrycroy: self-catering accommodation in Perthshire, Scotland
Last summer I had a yearning to travel after being constrained by the first lockdown. As soon as we could, we made plans to go to Scotland. We have great friends, Marion and Henry,...
Wings of a Dove
Take time for your pleasure And laugh with love Take the hand of another And sing for the wings of a dove Whoa, whoa, for the wings of a dove Whoa, whoa, for the...
Dipping my toe back into blogging
The last time I updated this blog was 12 March 2020. We all know what happened after that. Covid. Lockdown. Stay at home. Wash Your Hands. Social Distancing. At a time when travel was...
Mum’s Gone To Japan: Things to do in Osaka
“Here’s the key to your room, number 1001.” “The carpet will be spotlessly clean then,” I whispered to Dougie, remembering the brand of stain remover I’ve got in the cupboard back home. Unfortunately, we...
Mum’s Gone to Japan: Kobe
After six nights in Tokyo and four nights in Hiroshima, our Rugby World Cup trip itinerary moved on to Kobe. Our team, Scotland, already bruised by their battering from Ireland in Yokohama, would be...
Mum’s Gone To Japan: Miyajima Island
If you’re looking for a day trip that involves as many forms of transport as possible, try this jaunt we took from Hiroshima to Miyajima island in Japan. We took a plane from...