Its been a hell of a year for us. On the 15th of March 51 people died in shootings at two mosques in Christchurch. Five people died in a tour bus crash on the 4th of September. On the 9th of December 16 people died when a volcanic island tourist destination had a sudden eruption.… Read More Aroha from New Zealand
On the 4th of September 2010 Christchurch in New Zealand had a nasty earthquake. The majestic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament was closed. This was because it was deemed to need strengthening work. The second earthquake five months later was catastrophic. Here are 2 images from information boards outside the barbed wire fencing showing how… Read More Mary has her Moment
Treasure In the far far north of New Zealand there is a bay, a jewel of a bay with sunken treasure.At co-ordinates 34°58.50’S 173°56.10’E on the 2nd of December 1987 the Rainbow Warrior was scuttled to form a living memorial. For anyone old enough to remember the French nuclear testing in the pacific from 1966-1996 you… Read More Camping in New Zealand
In Italy I can be my future. In New Zealand I am my past until my youngest grows. In NZ I am a woman in a business jacket & smart shoes. A woman concerned with sales call rates & paying bills. A woman who fits her writing into gaps & in the end surrenders her… Read More A Poem about being in Italy called Banana Skins
We have had a lovely last month in Auckland, New Zealand. The weather has been warm and sunny. I grew sweet little heirloom cherry tomatoes, lots of herbs and greens. The beach has been wonderful, especially midweek when the workers are working and the children are schooling and there’s hardly anyone here but me! I… Read More The Next Best Place to Italy
My gorgeous husband bought me a very old book about Italy from the opportunity shop. I have had a bit of fun comparing pictures of some sites I visited against how they looked over 90 years ago. My beautiful book: ‘Wonders of Italy’. (Italy for the Tourist Series): The Monuments of Antiquity, the Churches, the… Read More Italian Timelessness
I have a lovely friend here in New Zealand that has lived in Italy for over a decade. We first met in NZ but our second meeting was in Rome. She has kindly answered some questions about life in Italy. (Molte grazie la mia bella amica). Please see her blog: myhilltoptownitaly.wordpress.com What do the locals think… Read More Life in Le Marche
I am an introvert and traveled alone through southern Italy but met up with an Italian friend in Rome near the end of my stay. In the short time I was with him, I was overwhelmed by him, just by him being himself. I have since read an hilarious blog post on the reasons Italian men are… Read More Cultural Differences
In 1986 Slow Food was born in Italy with a name to directly confront the concept of fast food. It is now a global organisation and was started by Carlo Petrini from Bra, near Turin in Italy. The clip below is for those of you that speak Italian. He had already been a politically active man, he was… Read More Slow Food
When I traveled alone in Italy last year I took a smartphone. I had initially wanted to go with nothing more than an old Nokia mobile for emergencys, however I changed my mind and bought a second hand Iphone4 to take. I bought a data package off a website, (I couldn’t phone out or text,… Read More Travelling Solo with 42 Friends
Adventure riding, travel, coding, and anything else I want
Woman travelling solo through the world and life.
History. Culture. Travel. Italy.
Brisbane, Bagni di Lucca and everything in between
A writer's blog - life sketches
Cultural travel on a budget
Formerly GoodDayRome
Exploring my grandparent's region of Abruzzo - and more of Italy
An Englishman and an Italian / English Dictionary
Let's recollect our emotions in tranquillity
Classics, Ancient History, Linguistics, Academia and more
Life in small-town central Italy
Sweet Travel 