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“Short stories and travel reports from my life adventures around the globe”.

Childhood Memories at Fitzneal Street in London.

December 13, 2021

Childhood Memories at Fitzneal Street, London. July, 2019. With thanks to my dad and Uncle Doug for their help in making this article possible. —— I had butterflies in my stomach as I turned off Old Oak Common Lane into Fitzneal Street. Butterflies because, dear god, the street hadn’t changed a bit in over 35 […]

Exceptional Experiences on Cat Ba Island.

September 21, 2021

Cat Ba Island. April 2018. It was a hot and humid overcast day in Vietnam when I finally left Hanoi for four nights on Cat Ba Island. I’d had a wonderful time in the Vietnamese capital, but it had all been a bit full-on. Now, I figured, it was time for a little rest and […]

Florida Nostalgia.

July 10, 2021

Florida Nostalgia. The summers of 1989, 1991, 1994. Hey folks, I’m gonna try something different today. In fact, this is is not your usual programming. After eight instalments documenting my U.S. travel nostalgia, I found myself tempted by the prospect of concluding the series with a piece that goes even further back. Now when I say […]

Mad Day Out Beatles Taxi Tour (Part I).

May 30, 2021

Mad Day Out Beatles Taxi Tour, Liverpool. May 2019. Coming to Liverpool and seeing all The Beatles sites was a dream come true for me. Having toured The Beatles Story, visited the Double Fantasy Exhibition and caught some live music at both The Cavern Club and The Cavern Pub, it was finally time for the prospect […]

Ayutthaya Historical Park, Thailand.

May 01, 2021

Ayutthaya Historical Park. April 2015. I was so damn excited on the train from Bangkok to Ayutthaya! Following my ten day stay in the Thai capital, it was finally time for me to head north to discover some rural delights. Back in Beijing, where I’d planned my trip around Thailand, it was the prospect of […]

Baptism of Fire, a short story from Qatar.

March 17, 2021

Baptism of Fire, a short story from Qatar. In the summer of 2001 I boarded a near-empty Qatar Airways flight to Doha. Reuniting with my family who’d recently moved there for my father’s new job, it was my first time living abroad. —— ‘‘This is your classroom’’ said Jamla, switching on the light. It flickered […]

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The Royal Capital That Was: Exploring Cetinje.

The Royal Capital That Was: Exploring Cetinje in Montenegro. October 2021. As soon as Sladja and I heard about the town of Cetinje, we knew it had to be a priority of our final weeks in Montenegro. A mountain town thirty kilometres from the coast, a former royal seat once home to kings, queens, princes, […]

At the top of the cliff at Rajska Vala Beach in Budva

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16 Nov 2025

From Mogren to Rajska Vala: A Budva Beach Adventure.

From Mogren to Rajska Vala: A Budva Beach Adventure in Montenegro. September-October 2021. It’s been fun adding Budva to the archives these past weeks, but alas, today’s post brings the series to a close. After sharing an overview of a month spent living in and exploring Budva—plus a standalone report on its superb Old Town […]

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09 Nov 2025
- history
- Montenegro
- travel
- wanderlust

Exploring the Old Town of Budva.

Exploring the Old Town of Budva in Montenegro. September – October, 2021. In my last article, Living in the Montenegrin Town of Budva, I offered an overview of this charming coastal community and what makes it such an appealing travel destination. Today, I turn to Budva’s main attraction: its captivating Old Town, with a history […]

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02 Nov 2025
- history
- Montenegro
- travel
- wanderlust

Living in the Montenegrin Town of Budva.

Living in the Montenegrin Town of Budva. September-October, 2021. After six weeks of China blogging I’m excited to return for the second half of my Montenegro series. I know there are some readers who’ll be particularly happy about this, here’s looking at you Travel Through My Lens and the theTravelSketcher. For those of you just […]

Ice Sculptures and Tigers A Long Weekend in Harbin

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05 Oct 2025
- China
- history
- travel
- wanderlust

The Ice Sculptures & Siberian Tigers of Harbin.

The Ice Sculptures & Siberian Tigers of Harbin. Last week I published my article Exploring the Chinese City of Harbin. While it wasn’t the city itself that had initially drawn me, I found myself enjoying the charms of Zhongyang Street, with its historic cobblestones and lively atmosphere. I also soaked up Harbin’s curious Russian influences, […]

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28 Sep 2025
- China
- history
- travel
- wanderlust

Exploring the Chinese City of Harbin.

Exploring the Chinese City of Harbin. February 2010. After six months of living and teaching in Beijing, I was more than ready for a break from work—and for an adventure. Life in the capital had been eventful, often chaotic and stressful, as I’ve detailed in my short story collection Challenged in China! Indeed, that grand, […]