Today, I quit my job as a pharmacist within the National Health Service (NHS) after over 30 years’ service. As with any major life choice, the decision to wind down my NHS career has not been an easy one. Working as an NHS pharmacist has been tremendously fulfilling In our often precarious world, working as […]

Authentic travel is hot stuff. For many, authentic travel is synonymous with getting to know the ‘real’ or ‘non-touristy’ place. Wandering off the beaten track, avoiding stuff perceived to be touristy and mingling with local people, hanging out where they hang out. They lament tourism as contaminating the culture of a destination, whilst lacking the […]

Does coronavirus herald the demise of tickbox tourism?   Prior to March 2020, travel was easy, relatively cheap and often throwaway. Increased disposable income and a booming low-cost aviation sector had made the world more accessible than ever, fuelling mass expansion of the travel market. Destinations like Amsterdam, Florence and Barcelona were buckling under the […]

Even as a seasoned traveller it’s never too late to learn valuable travel lessons as a recent trip to Japan demonstrated   Each travel experience is different. There is the utterly awesome, ‘I never want to leave this place’ experience. The flip side is the ‘get me out of here’ experience. Most travel experiences can […]