Any Excuse to Travel

Wandering around Williams AZ shortly after 8 am on a Friday morning, I spotted a rare sight. A man smoking. It was such a novelty that I went to join him. We’d been stateside a week and he wa…

The snowbirds who gravitate to Slab City in the Sonoran Desert in California are not your usual run-of-the-mill types that have condos in the Coachella Valley. But snowbirds, those looking to escap…

The desert never fails to conjure up images of Western movies. I expect to see Indians in full battle regalia on horseback on each ridge, and spot the dust plume kicked up by cowboys, with lariats …

I fell for Tucson Arizona. I didn’t have nearly enough time there but it was long enough to know that of all the cities I’ve visited this trip, this is one I want to get to know better.…

Sunrise on the beach, Koh Yao Noi, Thailand. Beautiful, laid back and not yet spoiled by tourism. Follow the link for more pictures and story.

Chilling in Chang Rai: Some of the most impressive temples in Thailand are here in this Northern city. This huge statue of the Goddess of Mercy sits on a hill outside the city. Very impressive and worth visiting.

Chilling in Chang Rai: Some of the most impressive temples in Thailand are here in this Northern city. This huge statue of the Goddess of Mercy sits on a hill outside the city. Very impressive and worth visiting.

Plenty has been written about the differences between tourists and travellers. I’m usually a traveller and very occasionally a tourist – and yes, it definitely depends on who I’m with. I’m not a great fan of guide books that give me the Top 10 things to see and do, all neatly packaged. Such lists come …

We dream of islands in the sun. Exotic places where we can get away from it all. We spend hundreds if not thousands of whatevers getting there and then come home full of the experience. Too often, …

Dubrovnik is a city in Croatia. Dobrovnik is a village in Slovenia. Both have their attractions but Dobrovnik is really special. Magical even. I don’t think I’ll ever grow up. Not reall…

In a workshop last week, one of the participants gave a presentation on being happy. They spoke of how being grateful for the simple things in life can make us happier, as we’re busy concentrating on all that is well with us rather than focusing on what is not so good. And they had a …

Brag about Irish scenery, whiskey, or music. Wrap up Ireland in culture, prose, or poetry. Colour it in 40 shades of green or 50 shades of rain. For me what sells the place is the banter. I’…

I’m generally quite positive, upbeat even. Except when I’m tired. Or hungry. Or feeling ill. Then I can’t stand to be with myself let alone socialise with others. I retreat inwards. Any attempt to …

Posts about South Africa written by Mary Murphy

Ha azt halljuk Kis-Balaton elsőként az érintetlen természet jut eszünkbe a vízimadarak idilli sétája a fényt megtö...