Stories

Moldova’s one of those countries that doesn’t get much press, though that has been changing recently with the high-profile arrest of its president for corruption. It’s poor and misun…

Breakaway republics fascinate me. It’s a story of how a section of a country feels so strongly that they aren’t part of that country that they pull away, but don’t manage to separate…

Tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, nachos, guacamole… Any story about Mexico has to be mainly about the food. I thought I’d had Mexican food before, I thought I knew what it would …

There’s no place like home. When you’re travelling, there’s no need to go without a home: you can create a comfortable environment wherever you’re staying, whether that’s…

When you read about Germany tourism a few things may come to mind: the Black Forest, Oktoberfest, castles — and Christmas markets. If your trip to Germany is during Christmas time, you absolutel…

The embassyThere was already a small crowd clustered around the entrance to the Ukrainian embassy in Chisinau when I arrived, well before the 9am opening time. Three old ladies in long skirts and flow…

Ukraine has been in the news a lot recently, with Russia taking over Crimea and a passenger plane being shot down in Ukrainian airspace, not to mention the revolution last year. They say all publicity…

I used to hate flying into England. When the plane came into land, I’d feel a soft fog of gloom settle upon me as I thought about the horrible weather, the inflated prices, the lack of good coff…

Buying a gift for an inveterate traveller can be a challenge. Perhaps they travel light and don’t want a lot of stuff to clutter their life; perhaps you want to acknowledge their travel habit bu…