Pack your bags, we’re heading off on a
Trip Over the World….
Choose a destination below, and join me to experience the places I have been and get some ideas on what to see and do when you visit these places. Inspiration for those travelling solo, just make the booking and Trip Over The World.
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If you have any questions or comments on any of the stories, or want to tell me your story, please contact me, I look forward to hearing from you.
Trip Planning
Planning a trip overseas is all part of the experience of travel, it takes a lot of research into destinations, flights, accommodation choices, what to see and do, how to get around once you are there, etc, etc, etc.
Flying into Venice
I flew into Venice Marco Polo Airport from London to begin my solo Italian Adventure in early spring, hoping to get ahead of the crowds. This trip was taking me to visit Venice, Florence, Siena, Pisa and Cinque Terre
Heathrow to London
I’ve never found arriving at Heathrow to be as daunting as some have led me to believe – it’s all well sign posted and, basically, just follow the crowd. I need the Piccadilly Line as it goes directly to Green Park.
Herd Of Hope
A herd of elephants arrived in Spitalfields back in 2020. This amazing art installation, of 21 bronze elephants created by Gillie and Marc to raise awareness of the damage caused by poachers.
Sydney to London on QF1
Flying to London from Sydney on QF1, all booked, all packed, having decided to fly on Qantas again hoping things were getting better as Vanessa Hudson, the new CEO, had promised!! And, I have enough Qantas points to apply for an upgrade
Boxing Day Walk
A short Boxing Day walk around St James’s in London learning a bit about the history of the area and walking off Christmas lunch.
Christmas Day in London
Christmas Day in London is so much better for looking at the Christmas Lights than Christmas Eve!!
Christmas Eve in London
The Christmas Lights in London are amazing!! Everywhere you look the streets are all decorated with the most unbelievable lights.
Walk Around London
The big walk I failed to do the previous day had heavy rain, light drizzle and even some sunshine
Arriving in London
Jetlagged up to the eyeballs, I set off exploring the neighbourhood
Flying with Qatar Airways
My first flight with Qatar Arways was a big success!
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After catching the tram across the river, I strolled through Letna Park, there are stunning views of Prague`s Vltava river, the bridges and the castle, not to mention all the flowers in the park.
#flowerseverywhere #viewsfordays #praguelife #solotrip #walkinthepark
The largest synagogue in Europe, built in the 1850s, has been witness to unmentionable horrors during WWII including being bombed. It borders the ghetto where the Jews were left to die. In the garden cemetery there are tens of thousands of nameless bodies and a few that could be identified.
There us a very powerful museum housed here too.
#dohanystreetsynagogue #budapestarchitecture #budapest #soloadventure
Panoramic views from the medieval city of Erice, gazing out towards Palermo, far away and over the hills, across the north coast of Sicily. ✨️ My thoughts are with those in Sicily, Malta, and southern Italy who have lost so much due to Cyclone Harry.
#ericesicily #solotravelinsicily #viewfromthetop #medievalsicily
Inside the Monreale Cathedral, I was surrounded by gold everywhere. This stunning building was constructed between 1174 and 1267 and later adorned with millions of gold-covered glass tiles by skilled local and Venetian craftsmen. Unfortunately, my visit coincided with a packed Easter Sunday service, limiting my exploration of the intricate mosaic work, but what I did see close up at the back of the cathedral was amazing, I even loved the enormous doors to the Cathedral.
#monrealecathedral #glassmosaics #goldmosaics #solotravelinsicily #traveltheworldwithme
Hofburg Palace, the Habsburgs` stunning Vienna residence until 1918. Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) indulged in royal luxury here and spent summers at Schonbrunn Palace. What a life!
#hofburgvienna #sisimuseum #soloadventure #vienna
Finally a sunny day in Budapest, strolling on Margrit Island, great weather, no complaints, perfect!
#margritisland #budapest #soloadventure #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
Had a quick run around Prague after a 4 hour train trip from Vienna. I was last in Prague 9 years ago, all seems familiar except Wenceslas Square....apart from the statue of Good King Wenceslas on his horse, the rest of the square that used to be an elegant collection of historic buildings, hotels, cafes, etc......has now turned into Oxford Street, London...Primark, C&A, Half Price, the list goes on......who thought that was a good idea????
#prague #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme #charlesbridgeprague
After visiting the Design Museum I strolled up Kensington High St doing a bit of window shopping, and came across St Mary Abbots Church and Kensington War Memorial on the corner of Kensington Church St. There has been a church on this site since 1262, but this one is quite modern - dating back to 1872.
#stmaryabbotschurch #kensingtonwarmemorial #kensingtonhighstreetlondon #london #solotravelinlondon
Another short bus trip from Palermo in Sicily, up the coast to Mondello Beach✨️ lovely to walk along the promenade, but I have never had so many Indian market stall holders trying to sell me a sarong, and this was a quiet day in early spring, peak summer must be horrendous!!! I was hoping to have lunch at Alle Terrazze, a beautiful castle like restaurant just off the beach, but sadly they were closed for a private event, but further along I found a lovely seafood restaurant🥂
#solotravelinsicily #journeywoman #traveltheworldwithme #mondellobeach #sicily
Perched in the hills behind Palermo, Sicily, lies the charming town of Monreale. Easily accessible by bus from Palermo`s Porta Nuova, it makes for a delightful day trip.
1. Monreale Cathedral
2. A couple of well dress Sicilian police men.
3 & 4. The streets of Monreale
#monreale #monrealecathedral #italianpolice #solotravelinsicily #traveltheworldwithme
Explored the stunning Belvedere Palace in Vienna, a former imperial residence that`s truly breathtaking. The gardens were gorgeous, especially with the ponds and fountains coming to life now that winter`s loosening its grip, slightly....!!
#belvedere #schlossbelvedere #vienna #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme
I spent 10 fantastic days exploring Malta 💖 A great place for solo travellers who love history and endless exploring.
✨️ Read about the places I visited by clicking the link to my website in the bio.
1. St Ursula St, Valletta
2. Victoria Gate, Valletta.
3. Upper Barraka Gardens, Valletta
4. The view from my hotel over The Grand Harbour
5. Victoria Gate, Valletta
6. Valletta street scene
#malta #solotravelinmalta #solotravelwoman #valletta #historylovers neverstopexploring
In Erice, I stumbled upon Sicily`s ultimate pastry haven, but what should I try??? The struggle to resist buying it all was very real😋 I was not disappointed with my choice!!
#ericesicily #grammaticomaria #solotravelinsicily
St Paul`s Cathedral dome as seen from the top of 1 New Change, the shopping centre across the road. I walked down Ludgate Hill, Fleet St and The Strand, coming across the Royal Exchange, Australia House, the dragon marking the boundary of London City. Every building along this street has incredible history.
#stpaulscathedral #royalexchange #australiahouse #londondragon #historiclondon
St Matthias Church in the Castle District near Fisherman`s Bastion. Climb the steep stone spiral staircase for a stunning view into the main church and explore the artifacts on display. This historic church dates back to the 11th century.
#solotrip #stmatthiaschurch #budapestcastledistrict
The best part of the day trip from Vienna to Bratislava was the boat trip back to Vienna on the Danube!! The hydofoiling catamaran was fast, about 90 minutes, the crew were great. It was freezing cold and windy outside, but I couldn`t help myself, I just had to keep going out to take photos, then running back in to sip my wine 🥂!!!
Great for solo travelers, I met so many other travellers onboard.
#cruisingonthedanube #twinliner #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme
Vienna`s Easter markets are in full swing now, with beautifully decorated eggs and plenty of food and drink. Great to amble around in the sun, even though it was a bit chilly!!
#solotravel #vienna #eastermarkets #traveltheworldwithme
Yesterday evenings stroll to walk off my enormous Christmas lunch ✨️ past Fortnum & Mason, up Bond St, past the Royal Arcade, then past all the fashion shops dressed up to the nines. Chanel was my favourite 💖 Then Oxford St and back down Regent St to Piccadilly. Londin really knows how to do Christmas lights 🥂✨️💖
#londonatchristmastime #christmaslights #streetsoflondon #bondstreetlondon #regentstreetlondon
The fairytale world of Castle District, perched high above the Danube on the Buda side. Hours of leisurely strolling are a must!!
My solo adventures in Budapest continue...
#budapestcastledistrict #budapest #solotrip
Wandering through Palermo in search of the bus to Monreale in the hills, I stumbled upon Porta Nuova, the ancient gate to Palermo. Which was a good find as it was the land mark I needed to make sure I was heading in the right direction.
#palermo #portanuovapalermo #solotravelinsicily #sicilytravel
Porto Nuovo, or `new gate`, was built in the 15th century, but after a fire, the current gate was built in 1669. Guess `new` is relative! This spot became a hub for me - markets nearby, lovely parks and the bus stop to other towns like Monreale, was just through here. Located on Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Palermo.
To read about the places I stayed on my solo adventure to Malta and Sicily, click the link to my website in the bio.
#palermo #palermosicily #Sicily #portonuovo #soloadventure #solotravelinsicily #traveltheworldwithme #solotrip #seeeverythingdoeverything #sicilianhistory #neverstoptravelling
It was a lovely sunny London day to walk through Kensington Gardens from South Kensington to Baystwater Rd. Kensington Palace was all locked up for the Christmas break.
#kensingtonpalace #kensingtongardenslondon #london #solotravelinlondon #traveltheworldwithme
Just a short hop from Palermo, the markets in Monreale were getting ready for the day, filled with traditional Sicilian Moor`s Heads, or Testa di Moro.
#moorsheads #testadimoro #monreale #solotravelinsicily
On the south coast of Sicily, near Agrigento, lies Scala dei Turchi, a stunning limestone formation named after Turkish and Arab pirates who took shelter there in the 16th century. We stopped by after exploring the Valley of the Temples on our day trip from Palermo.
#scaladeiturchi #daytripfrompalermo #solotravelinsicily #sicilytravel
Beautiful day to have another amble around the gardens at Schonbrunn Palace after exploring the Imperial Apartments, in another month these gardens will be in full bloom☀️☀️☀️
#schönbrunnpalace #schönbrunnschloss #palacegardens #solotrip
Popped into Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly yesterday evening ✨️ mainly to have a look at the new double helix staircase built up the middle of the store. Disappointed that they had no feature decorations hanging down the centre of it!!
The lower floors were absolutely packed with people, if one person moved, they all had to. I took a few pics and made a run for it!!
#fortnums #shoppinginlondon #doublehelixstaicase #londonlife #solotravel
A morning walk through St James`s Park on Christmas Day✨️all rugged up and ready for anything 3 degrees throws at me. A beautiful blue sky day in London. Then we eat, drink and be merry....then, maybe, go for another walk.....
#stjamesspark #londonatchristmastime #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme #blueskiesandsunshine
Chilly morning in Vienna today, but apparently its going to warm up big time tomorrow! First stop Naschmarkt, then strolling past Karlskirche on my way to Schloss Belvedere.......
#naschmarkt #karlskirche #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme
The views from Erice stretch endlessly in every direction ✨️ No wonder they built their medieval stronghold here - a strategic spot to survey the land. The view here spans the salt pans and Trapani on Sicily`s west coast, with Isola Lavanzo and Isola di Favignana dotting the Mediterranean, and Isola di Marittimo on the horizon.
#ericesicily #solotravelinsicily #mysoloadventure
Discover the serene Botanic Gardens, just a short stroll down Via Lincoln from Palermo Centrale Station.✨️ A perfect haven from the city`s hustle and bustle. And check out this fashionista lizard! 🦎 While reptiles aren`t my thing, and green isn`t my colour, he pulls it off nicely! While you might be thinking I was brave to get this close, the camera zoom made the magic happen 😜!!
For more on my solo Malta and Sicily adventures, visit my website - link in bio.
#palermo #palermosicily #palermobotanicalgarden #sicilianreptile #greenreptile #welldressedlizard #walkinthepark #solotravel #solotrip #solotravelinsicily #traveltheworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything #seetheworldthroughmylens
The Design Museum over in South Kensington, the `Malta` paving stone was front and centre!!
#londondesignmuseum #southkensington #seeeverythingdoeverything #londonlife
Sunrise on my last day in London, after a few very cold, cloudy days, today we are going with a freezing 2 degrees, and sunshine ❄️❄️❄️
#sunriseinlondon #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #londonlife #coldmornings❄️ #solotrip
Had lunch in one of London`s oldest pubs yesterday, on Fleet St, not far from St Paul`s. Re-built in 1667 after the original Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese pub went up in flames in the great fire of London the previous year🔥
I`ve had better fish and chips in older London pubs - The Prospect of Whitby and The Mayflower - but still very nice to sit by the fire, then explore the rabbit warren of areas in this pub, knowing people have been drinking here for nearly 400 years.
#yeoldecheshirecheese #londonpublunch #historiclondon #solotravelinlondon #londonlife
The grand entrance of the Botanic Gardens in Palermo sets the tone for an enchanting experience, complete with captivating sculptures, statues, and fountains✨️
#palermo #palermosicily #palermobotanicalgarden #statuesinthepark #walkinthepark #solotrip #solotravelinsicily #soloadventure #traveltheworldwithme #traveladdict #neverstoptravelling #seeeverythingdoeverything #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #
The Hungarian Parliament Building from across the Danube at night ❄️ It was a freezing cold evening, but a quick trip under the Danube on the Metro to get a few photos is just what needs to he done!
#hungarianparliamentbuilding #budapest #soloteavel #traveltheworldwithme
Budapest`s streets are full of art✨️ apparently there are mini sculptures scattered everywhere, and I`ve found one of them so far!!
The hunt continues.....
#artinthestreets #budapest #solotrip #neverstopexploring
Started off this morning heading to a market, but as I was passing St Stephen`s Basilica, the bells were ringing to signal a service was about to start. I figured that would be the way to get in without paying the hefty admission charge ✨️I took a few quick photos before things got underway! Then realised I was the only person there who didn`t know the words, or the actions, so when everyone stood up as part of their routine, as I was in the back row, I just backed out completely.....
#ststephensbasilica #budapest #solotravel #sundayinbudapest
Dinner at the Parisi Passage, a historic gem from the 1800s inspired by Parisian arcades, it withstood bombing raids but faced neglect post-war, now revived as a stunning hotel with an incredible restaurant and bar.
#solotravel #parisipassage #parisipassagebudapest #párisipassagecaféandbrasserie
Inside Government House in Sydney, where Princess Anne is staying this weekend✨️ not sure what you do to get to stay there, but clearly she`s doing it....and I`m not!!
Open most weekends to walk through, definitily worth it, a magnificent historic buildingoverlooking the harbour, in the Royal Botanic Gardens.
#governmenthousesydney #princessanne #historicsydney #royalbotanicgardens #explorethecityyoulivein #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #myhometown
Having mastered the very efficient bus system in Malta, after visiting Lower Barraka Gardens and the War Rooms in the tunnels under Valletta, I headed off out to Tarxien to the pre-historic temples, then out to the east coast to the beautiful fishing village of Marsaxlokk to see the traditional fishing boats.
To read about my 10 day solo adventure in Malta, click the link to my website in the bio.
#solotravelinmalta #solotravelwoman #malta #traveltheworldwithme #tripovertomalta
After visiting the Easter Markets at Schonbrunn Palace , I went for a walk up through the gardens, all the way up to the `Gloriette` at the top of the hill way off in the distance.
The Gloriette was built in 1775 for no other reason than the view - when the Habsburgs were sitting on the balcony of their summer Schloss, they wanted something nice to look at, so they had the Gloriette built along with a few ponds and fountains. The world became a better place!!
#schönbrunnpalace #schönbrunnschloss #solotravel #habsburgfamilyresidence #vienna
Exploring Prague with lots of walking and lots of tram rides! Walking across Charles Bridge, up to the castle, through Lesser Town, into New Town, and historic Old Town.
#prague #praguelife #solotravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #seeeverythingdoeverything
Aimlessly wandering around the streets of Prague - beautiful💖
#prague #praguelife #solotrip #praguearchitecture
Arriving in Vienna, I found my hotel at set off exploring the neighbourhood, the architecture is all gobsmacking, but hard to get far enough away from to photograph!!
#vienna #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #solotravel
It`s a museum kind of day in Vienna, 2 to 5 degrees, we`ve had a bit of snow, a bit of sleet, a bit of rain and a lot of cold ❄️❄️❄️
The Furniture Museum is a collection of furnture and other items from the Imperial Palaces, including a display of the toilets from the day.
The museum holds huge stores of furniture that they lend out for movies, plays and other events needing furnishings from that era.
#viennafurnituremuseum #coldday❄️ #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme
On a day trip to Agrigento from Palermo, I had about 2 hours or more to wander around the ancient Greek ruins in the Valley of Temples ✨️Is it just me, or do you love walking around places knowing that others have been walking there for more than 2000 years too?
#agrigento #valleyofthetemples #solotravelinsicily #daytripfrompalermo #sicily
The crowds were out in force in London on a gloomy Boxing Day so just a quick visit to Trafalgar Square, then back to Piccadilly area, through Princes Arcade, which drew me in with the tailoring/sewing/fashion decorations and up past Fortnums.
#trafalgarsquare #princesarcadepiccadilly #fortnums #londonatchristmastime #londoncalling
Walking from Bratislava train station to the town centre takes 15 minutes, passing through a park and by the parliament buildings before reaching the historic cobblestone streets.
This is where the touristification of the town kicks in, every shop is a restaurant or souvenier shop.
Even the castle is a remake of what they think tourists want to see....we actually want to see the original castle!!
#bratislava #streetsofbratislava #solotravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
As usual, when it cones to museums, I usually find the building more interesting than the exhibits!! Vienna Natural History Museum was no exception!!
#viennanaturalhistorymuseum #vienna #solotrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
Czech artist, David Cerney, famous for his politically opinionated art works.
✨️Here showing King Wencelas riding an upside down dead horse into battle. Hanging in the Lucerna Palace, Prague.
✨️Then 2 men (politicians??) pissing on the Czech Republic!! This one is outside the Kafka Museum across the Charles Bridge.
#davidčerney #politicalart #prague #solotrip
