Archive for April 2015
Just another day in paradise. Missing my Maldives beach bungalow
Can you blame me? When I think back to our one week on a beautiful Indian Ocean island in the Maldives earlier this month, I can’t help but wish for just another day in Paradise. Usually I’m an active traveler, I love exploring a new destination and leaving no proverbial stone unturned. But in the…
Read MoreBailey’s Prize shortlist for 2015
The Bailey’s Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlist is out. I love following the Bailey’s Prize (formerly the Orange prize). There has been some criticism that there is no longer any need for a separate prize for female authors, but if the final list of last year’s Booker prize (see my earlier post) is anything to go…
Read MoreExploring the gold and spice souks in the Dubai
There’s not much of an ‘historic center’ in the über-modern city of the Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. Still, there are a few winding streets that date back to the city’s days as a sleepy fishing village not so very long ago. So on your visit, when you tire of shopping malls and high-end boutiques,…
Read MoreSubmissions open soon to expat writers for Writers Abroad anthology 2015
Expat and former expat writers – mark your calendars. The Writers Abroad group, after a year’s hiatus, is opening up for submissions in May from writers who are currently living outside of their country of origin, or have lived abroad as expats in the past. Submissions are free, and authors can submit one from the…
Read MoreThe Adriatic seaside town of Trani, in Puglia
On a drive from Rome to Bari to catch a ferry, my family and I managed to make good time (never a given on Italian highways during the holiday periods), so we decided to stop off to explore the Adriatic seaside town of Trani. This charming port city, with its long history, is well worth a…
Read MoreHappy as a clam reading on the white sand
Okay, this is completely unfair, but I write this post pre-holiday knowing it will be posted as I return home, happy, relaxed and well-read on gorgeous white sands looking like this. I love the beach, but I generally don’t do the lazy, beach resort kind of holiday. But this year, I really felt I needed…
Read MoreParis from Quasimodo’s perspective
Admittedly, it’s an obsession when I travel: I always want to see a city from up high. I love to get the feel for a place, understand the layout and geography. When I understand the blueprint of a city from high above, I start to feel more like a local than a tourist glued to…
Read MoreAre you on Goodreads?
Are you on Goodreads? I discovered the site a couple of years ago, and it helps me with my reading ‘addiction’ – providing me with lots of suggestions and recommendations for books that should be on my to-read list. I’ve discovered lots of fantastic suggestions thanks to Goodreads, and the fellow readers I follow there. I’m always…
Read More