I am replacing the annual Norfolk post, to focus on our beautiful and beloved Kiran - family pet, faithful friend and magnificent Viszla. His sole aim in life being to please us, he was the first to greet us and this was, very sadly, his last summer holiday with us. Kiran died of a brain … Continue reading Kiran’s last summer holiday →

I’d had a romantic expectation of Cefalonia; crystal clear deep blue waters, white sandy beaches and traditional Greek villages with bustling tavernas. At best, we saw glimpses of these. In retrospect, given the natural beauty, glorious weather and proximity to the UK, I shouldn’t really have been surprised by the sheer numbers of tourists flocking … Continue reading Greece →

With our annual Norfolk trip postponed until later in the summer, we booked a last minute trip to a beautiful former mill. On our first, and most likely last, trip to Anglesey. On the positive side, the mill really was quite lovely. Interior design of magazine quality, a fun outdoor hot tub, a welcome basket … Continue reading Can’t Win ‘Em All →

Our return to Tuscany marks the start of summer, and this year it couldn’t be more welcomed. With Anthony’s GCSEs thankfully behind us, we all needed the break. This year, we flew a day early to visit Florence. Unfortunately we were caught in the heatwave sweeping across Europe, so sightseeing and queuing were out, even … Continue reading Bentornato! 🇮🇹🇮🇹 →

Bovey Castle is our English escape and a real treat. We love the beautiful rooms, pool and spa, and cocktail bar, and the dogs come too!! With its winding roads littered with sleepy sheep roaming across the heather covered hills, it is impossible to do anything other than submit to the gentle pace of Dartmoor. … Continue reading Moors and More →

A welcome return to Zermatt, and it hadn’t lost any of its magic - with the towering Matterhorn backdrop to best vistas, and the charming alpine village brimming with Swiss watch and chocolate shops. Anthony was revising for his upcoming GCSEs, so we decided that a short break to clear his mind after the intensity … Continue reading Zermatt →

Wow. What a fantastic City destination Naples has proven to be, and I was in full sightseeing mode, much to the children’s disappointment. Around every corner is a beautiful church or monument or square, adorned with extraordinary artwork and statues, including that of our family namesake - Chiostro di Santa Chiara - all jumbled up … Continue reading That’s Amore →

Pompeii is the most extraordinary sight. Wandering though the streets we were transported to a different world and the Roman way of living. We dedicated a day to this most iconic and in many ways bizarre place, where the only living residents are the stray cats, whose lives are punctuated by the arrival of hoards … Continue reading Petrified! →

So, another year draws to a close, and time to reflect on 2022, which has been the first year unblemished by COVID in what seems like an age, which has been quite cathartic in many ways. With the end of testing, masks and quarantine, travel has proved a joy. And so to 2023, and, as … Continue reading Lunch on the Beach? New Year’s Day? →

The final stop of our 2022 journey was spent in the beautiful city of Bruges, Khiara-style. I stopped calorie counting the minute we walked out of the hotel onto the chocolate shop lined streets. Heavenly. We had one full day in Bruges. It is a stunning City, to which we will definitely return. In the … Continue reading IT’S CHRISTMAS!!! →