Travel

Since 7 years old I have been travelling independently.  I first took a flight from Liverpool to Dublin unaccompanied, and a train down to family in Somerset, after which I saved my weekly child support benefit and bought my first flight to San Fransisco, age 15, to visit my uncle Michael prior to his wedding. It was a 6 week trip and I was with my Dad’s family West coast, then Mum’s family east coast in Michigan and Detroit.

I turned 16 at Sonoma Mission Inn with my Uncle’s wife to be and her medical school graduate’s group. My first ever all over body massage, and also my first vow to myself I would one day have my own swimming pool so I could swim every day for 20 minutes before work/life/however it turned out.

I am still waiting for the pool, but have enjoyed many a lido around the world. Blog to follow.

Around the same age we were forced into deciphering what our career should be. I told the career’s advisor that I wanted to travel with my work as I enjoy people and experiencing new cultures. I was told to be a travel agent. My mum went ballistic! Like that was the only way to travel with a profession… years later I saw my vision come to light representing my hometown Liverpool all around the world, inviting global conferences to come to the city, and later representing the Liverpool 2008: European Capital of Culture programme.

So my work did take me around the world, and I have always had a skill of following my nose to create amazing experiences and insights to real life in whichever country or city I was exploring.

Often I may only a day’s free time, but with that I create an itinerary that can encompass 7am sushi at the fish market in Tokyo; green tea ceremony; ferry across the bay; off the beaten track markets; cocktail at Lost in Communication hotel bar; and sunset at the Tokyo Tower.

So here I have decided to share my tips and discoveries. Not only for others to be able to explore similar routes, but as an aide-memoire for me, as to the places I loved and would return to if I happen to return to any of the spots. And also what’s needed in terms of clothes, shoes and any extras that I found useful. eg. Tupperware and socks at the ashram in Bahamas… who’d have thought?

Tuileries 2013