Stories behind the stories. By Travel Writer, Amy McPherson
I was driving home last night from the east side of Sydney back to the west. I haven’t driven this way for a while and at one stage took the wrong turn and instead of heading toward the main road that would have taken me directly west, I was heading east again. Then, like the …
I work for an international office and have colleagues all around the world. From time to time, they would come for meetings in Sydney and being the traveller of the office, I end up being the ‘go-to’ person for travelling around Sydney. And just like what I mentioned about tourist destinations, they all want to …
I am starting to look into possible travel opportunities around Europe, and many of you know that the Middle East has always intrigued me. One of the first I’d like to attempt is Egypt (because cats were worshiped as Gods in Egypt – you know where this is going ;-)), having spoken about tourist destinations …
I thought I’d write a follow up post to pair up with what I wrote last week on In Defense of the ‘Tourist’. As I said, you can’t avoid being the tourist, but you can avoid being that tourist. Even the most touristy destinations have local areas that will give you an insight into the …
Street food does exist in Europe, and in Germany where the society is used to the concept of ‘take away’ snacks, it is no wonder that there are countless of these wurst stands all over the country, selling variety of sausages and meats stuffed in a bread roll, just enough to fill the gap between …
It’s been nice. Our little apartment in Bonn. We packed up, cleaned it spotless and gave the keys back. The door closed with a loud thud behind us marking the end to another chapter of our travelling life, and what a fantastic couple of months it has been Living in Bonn has been a different …
I am a mountain person. Have always been. I do love the sea very much, and have a soft spot for the excellent dive sites around the world, but I will always favour the mountains and its forests, the furry and tweeting creatures in them, the trees and the streams and waterways that run through …
Discovering a place is like making a new friend. The first time you meet them, you may be taken aback by what it immediately throws at you, and the more you visit and get to know a place, the more you realise there are layers to the personality that you never know existed. This is …
Luxembourg really was a blur. Ten years ago I had come here, on a weekend trip with my fellow in-country studies students. It was the beginning of Spring in 2003, we braved the cold chill in the morning air and got on the train (in those days, we enjoyed both the student discount and the …
We went for a walk yesterday in a quiet and serene part of the neighbourhood, where the grass is green and the ground covered by flowers. Its residents never make a sound, and some often prove to be great listeners to all one’s concerns and troubles. Many come here to sit and listen, to the …
Whether it be the City of Lights or the City of Love, it’s one of the most photographed cities in the world and the setting of many romantic (and often tragic) novels and films. Audrey Hepburn, in a series of photographs and films, created the romantic image of Paris many women now dream of. Paris …
While in Limoges, we had the opportunity to take part in the Le Journées Gaulouises de Saint-Gence, (The Gaulouises Day of Saint-Gence), a festival dedicated to the ancient history. This year’s theme was the Roman chariot and military splendors and the entire town was there (which, for Saint-Gence, a small village in the region, isn’t a lot …
Limoges doesn’t usually make that big a fuss. It is a relatively quiet and sleepy city, and doesn’t attract that many tourists besides the odd few that are driving through this region of France. However, one day a year, the city becomes alive with music. One this day, Limoges holds a giant street party …
We have settled into our Bonn apartment, our home for the next two and a half months. The excitement of moving somewhere new gave us a wave of adrenaline rush as we battled with jet lag, and as soon as we dropped off our bags, shook hands with the landlord and had a quick bite …
I’ve been eating too much. Oh but I have been in food heaven. Not only have I had the opportunity to sample some regional Javanese snacks with Agata from Withlocals where we zigzagged the back alleys of local communities in search of her favourite street snacks and eating at some of the best local eateries. In …
Our flight had to circle when it got to Yogyakarta (locals affectionately call it ‘Jogja’), that’s how popular the place is. From the window I can spot the pointy tip of Mount Merapi in the distance, tall and mighty like a volcano would, with a lush green landscape sprawling from it. “There are a lot more …
I am in Indonesia to see if we can get sponsors for the Asian Women’s Empowerment Conference. I thought I’d mix business with pleasure and check out the area too. A friend from Jogjakarta warned me about this. “I prefer to avoid Jakarta at all costs,” she said, “you’ll never get anywhere.” I was determined …
There is a large patch of green on the banks of the Isar that extend from the centre of Munich all the way up north west of the city’s boundaries. This is one of Munich’s little surprises (well, not so little) and a place to escape to from the chaotic tourist scene of the city …
When I was in London last month, I had planned to just sit around, drink Earl Grey and chill. I’ve been to London so many times and have exhausted most of the tourist activity options that I was out of news things to see and write about. Then, something caught my eyes on this wonderful …
One of those things that excite me about Europe is the abundance of its history and heritage that surrounds the everyday life, especially from a time when no one can no longer ‘remember’ (seriously, no one is that old!), the time of kings and queens, prince and princesses, and their elaborate castles and palaces. Castles …
If you have been following on Facebook, you’ll know that the Crazy Cat Lady (me!) was at it again, stalking local cats wherever she goes, and in Munich, she has definitely found her spot, at the Cafe Katzentempel. <queue: purring from Amy> The cafe is located on a popular cafe street near the university (where …
Hallo. Grüsse aus München! It has been ten years since I last set foot in Munich. Not much has really changed but at the same time it is now a different place. The city is still beautiful, with Marienplatz and its Rathaus-Glockenspiel the centre of it all, with the exception that now I must share the cobble-stoned …
Like anywhere else in the world, you have to come to London with an open mind. It is a city that is old and new at the same time, and it is constantly evolving, and that is what makes this city so fascinating. The current skyline is dominated by buildings of various nicknames: the gherkin, …
Along the Masarykovo nabiezi at dusk, Prague felt magical. It is the City of a Hundred Spires, and even in this ordinary shot, mini spires rise from the top of the buildings pointing to the sky. My memories of Prague is filled with such images. Outside the Prague Castle, the architecture – Gothic, Romanesque and Renaissance, dashed …
