Trip Over to London – England
London is Always a Good Idea!
The cosmopolitan city of London is a thoroughly modern city with a rich history stretching all the way back to when the Romans ruled the world. All the iconic landmarks are right there in the centre of London, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, the Tower of London, the River Thames and so much more to see and do. London is very easy to get around on the underground network, and taking day trips out of London is just as easy with a very efficient and comfortable rail network. If it is Royal pomp and ceremony you are after, there is no shortage it. Parades, guard changing, palaces and gardens to visit, add in a few fabulous museums, theatres, pubs and restaurants…………
Long Walk Through London’s History
The South West East End Area!
As London is a fantastic city for walking, and the weather in early October was quite pleasant, I seemed to quite unintentionally find myself walking and exploring all day. Exploring one area then coming across something else, which led to something else, until I found myself in in 500 year old pub down by The Thames eating fish and chips. Read more….
Regent’s Canal
A Leisurely Walk in London
Beautiful narrow boats are moored all along the canal, some look like they are permanent homes and others would be for leisurely summer jaunts along the English canals. There were people kayaking on the canal, a few stand up paddle boarders, the occasional tour boat and local bird life that lives along the canal…… Read more….
Voyage Up The Thames
Westminster to Hampton Court
The trip takes about 3 hours and you will be entertained the whole way with the commentary from a local Londoner who points out all the places of interest, as well as telling stories about all the things you see along the way. There is a fully licensed bar on board – sipping on a G&T watching the world go by has got to be one of the pleasures of life!…… Read more….
The Chelsea Flower Show
London in Bloom
It was a magnificent sunny, warm day for my visit to the Chelsea Flower Show in London. I couldn’t have planned it any better, especially as it was booked so far in advance. The Show is held over five days in May every year. The sculptures and outdoor ornaments are stunning….. Read more……………..
Kew Gardens
Art and Nature in the Sun
Fortunately when we were there, there was an exhibition of Dale Chihuly art works, one of the world’s most celebrated glass artists. The magnificent glass sculptures are placed throughout the Gardens, and inside the glass houses. They both blend in with and stand out in all environments. . Read more……………..
The Tower of London
The Crown Jewels and a History of Torture
Indulging my passion for history and bringing back memories, I hadn’t been to visit the Tower of London for a very long, long time!! Not to mention my great fascination for standing in places where some historical figure stood centuries before me, albeit, Anne Boleyn was getting her head lopped off, and fortunately I wasn’t. . . Read more……………..
Trip Over to London
Post Cards from London
On my recent Trips Over to London I wrote some shorter stories to whet your appetite with pictures of places I visited, and useful tips if you are visiting London . . . Read more……………..
On the way to work this morning, no rain, not too hot, a perfect Sydney day!!
#morningcommute #walkinthepark #qvb #queenvictoriabuilding #sydneylightrail #stleonardspark #stleonardsparknorthsydney #sydneyinsummer #sydneylife
Had a great time exploring the city of Palermo, it`s been quite an adventure!! Off back to London today.....
#Palermo #palermosicily #solotravel #solotrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything
Easter Sunday in Palermo, not a chocolate Easter egg to be found!! I caught a bus up to Monreale as I had been told the gold mosaics in the duomo were amazing. I think a catholic church service for Easter is not the place an atheist should be! Even if the building was amazing, dating back to the 1100s. I just can`t agree with them asking the poorest people to donate money to the wealthiest organisation in the world, and giving nothing in return, the homeless will still be on the streets tonight!
I then caught a bus to Mondello, apparently the most famous beach in Sicily. Looks lovely but I have never been hounded by so many Indians wanting to sell me a sarong😧!!
#monreale #mondello #Sicily #eastersundayinsicily ##solotravel #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme ##seetheworldthroughmyeyes
A beautiful spring day in London, cool, crisp, but so much warmer than I was expecting 🌞 St James`s Park was in full bloom🌼🌷⚘️🌺
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#London #stjamesspalace #stjamespark #magnolias #pinkblossoms #walkinthepark #traveltheworldwithme #solotravel #solotrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
Yesterday was perfect, not too hot, no humidity, a lovely walk through St Leonard`s Park to the Metro, then today, foggy, drizzly, bad hair.....yuk!!
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#stleonardspark #morningcommute #walkinthepark #northsydney #sydneycbd #sydneyharbourbridge #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #changeintheweather
The things you see just ambling around Valletta, sometimes I take the long route around to avoid more really steep and uneven steps, but this always leads to finding more things to see.
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#valletta #vallettamalta #vallettastreets #malta #maltalife #streetsofvalletta #solotravel #solotrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything
Went on an excursion through the centre of Sicily to the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento near the south coast, then remains of Greek Temples built on the 5th century BC! Then we went down to the coast to look at Scala dei Turchi, the natural formation of step like ridges in the rock. Ottomans Turks found shelter here, giving it the name.
#valleyofthetemples #agrigento #agrigentosicily #scaladeiturchi #Sicily #solotravel #solotrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything
Today I set off on the #51 bus from Valletta to Mtarfa in central Malta, in search of the hospital my brother and I were born in. I had read is was now a college, but it seems to be all closed up behind locked gates. I climbed up on walls so I could get a photo of those magic words above the entrance, "David Bruce Royal Naval Hospital".
A few days ago I found the house we lived in in Tarxien, not far from Valletta. We moved back to England when I was 6 weeks old, so memories are a bit sketchy!!
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#malta #whereiwasborn #myfirsthome #mrarfa #royalnavalhospital #maltalife #neverstopexploring #backwhereitallbegan ##solotravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes ##traveltheworldwithme
The Snake went up in Sydney`s Queen Victoria Building as soon as the Christmas Tree came down - wonder what`s coming next.....?
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#yearofthesnake #queenvictoriabuilding #queenvictoriabuildingsydney #shoppinginsydney #explorethecityyoulivein #sydneylocal #sydney #sydneystyle #sydneylife #sydneyaustralia #sydneycbd
Taormina has to be one of the prettiest towns, there is a festival on that seems to involve a lot of flowers, and there are a few thousand more people here than I was hoping for, but we all seem to be getting along!!
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#taormina #taorminasicily #visitsicily #flowers #italianhistory #solotravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything #madeinitaly
Having arrived in London really early, my hotel room wasn`t ready, so I left my luggage there and went to the Victoria and Albert Museum to see the Naomi Campbell exhibition while I waited. Love it when a visit to London coincides with a great exhibition @vamuseum
#naomicampbell #vanda #victoriaandalbertmuseum #London #londonfashion #londonstyle #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotravel #seeeverythingdoeverything #solotravelinlondon #traveltheworldwithme
After a bit of window shopping and a long walk through Hyde Park to Kensington Garden, it rained, it was windy, the sun tried to come out, then it got really cold. I went to the `Dress Code` exhibition at Kensington Palace, the Palace is in the middle of a major conservation project have all the sash windows replaced so the whole building is covered in scaffolding......
#hydepark #hydeparklondon #kensingtonpalace #kensingtongardens #fortnums #oxfordstreet #solotravel #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything
All the decorations are nearly down as Sydney marches into 2025, walking through @theqvb on my way to work is a beautiful way to start the day, especially as it`s been soooooo hot and humidity, or raining lately, a bit of air-con helps!!!
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#sydneyafterchristmas #qvbsydney #queenvictoriabuilding #queenvictoriabuildingsydney #shoppinginsydney #dailycommute #walktowork #streetsofsydney #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #sydneystyle #sydneylife #sydneystreets #sydneycbd
To get a better shot of the Cannon firing, I waited in the freezing cold at Upper Barrakka Gardens to I could secure this spot, the crowds were 10 deep behind me!!
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#vallettacannonshot #vallettasalutingbattery #cannonfire #cannonfireinvalletta #Malta #maltalife #solotravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotrip #seeeverythingdoeverything
The walled city of Mdina, the old capital of Malta, sitting high up on the hill looking out over the country.
It was a bit like arriving in Disneyland at first, actors dressed up as whatever they thought medieval Maltese dressed like and whipping people in stocks, while the horse carriage drivers touted for business, but once you get through all that, it was very beautiful.
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#mdina #mdinamalta #mdinathesilentcity #mdinastreets #maltalife #malta #solotravel
#solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything #neverstopexploring #exploretheworld
All the flowers are still looking fabulous on the walk around Cremorne Point on Sydney`s North Shore.
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#pinkflowers #purpleflowers #yellowflowers #cremornepoint #sydneylocal #sydneylife #sydneyharbourwalks #sydney #walkinthepark #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
A big day of wandering all over Palermo. It`s a grubby, gritty city, everything needs a good wash, but you get over that pretty quickly!! Easy to get around on buses and walking, the Ballaro Markets are quite an experience, all the vendors shouting, very crowded, seafood sitting out in the sun, cooking various gizzards to put on bread rolls (no thanks!!) Then I escaped to the calm of the botanical gardens....
#Palermo #palermosicily #ballaromarket #mercatoballarò #botanicgardens #sicilytravel #solotravel #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme
Walking through St Leonards Park in North Sydney, things took a turn last week when the weather took a dramatic turn, and I got a hole in my "warerproof" shoe covers 🥺🌧!!!
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#stleonardspark #oldstonehut #walkinthepark #blueskyandsunshine #thentheraincame #morningcommute #walktowork #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #holeinmyshoe #Sydney #sydneylife #sydneyinsummer
When I was in Mdina a few days ago, I could see the giant domestic of the Mosta Rotunda off in the distance (have a look at that reel). So I caught the bus to Mosta!
The Rotunda was built in the early 1800s, so quite modern by Maltese standards! I walked up 75 steps of the narrow stone spiral staircase into the dome, then back down to check out the WWll air raid shelter underneath, and the bomb that landed here but fortunately didn`t explode.
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#mosta #mostarotunda #mostarotundachurch #maltalife #malta #solotravel #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything #traveladdict #exploretheworld #exploremalta
The beautiful little island, Isola Bella, in the bay below Taormina once owned by Lady Florence Trevelyan after she was exiled from England. To get to it you need to walk through the water, only 20 to 30cm deep at low tide, more at high tide, but worth it for the views.
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#isolabella #isolabellataormina #taormina #taorminasicily #solotravel #solotrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #neverstopexploring
The Palace built in the late 1500s for the Grand Master of the Knights of Malta. Now used as the office of the President of the Republic of Malta. It houses and enormous armoury collected over the centuries.
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#grandmasterspalaceandarmoury #grandmasterspalace #valletta #malta #maltalife #solotravel #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #seeeverythingdoeverything #worldofmalta #traveltomalta
A lunchtime walk in Hyde Park today, the Archibald Fountain has been all cleaned up, the flowers are blooming and the bin chickens are loving it!!
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#archibaldfountain #hydeparksydney #sydneylocal #sydneylife #sydneycbd #binchickens #binchickensofinstagram #flowersinthepark #lunchtimewalk
Looking out from Cremorne Point on Sydney`s North Shore, watch ferries go by, sailing boats, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, it`s all there 🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🥂
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#sydneyharbour #sydneyharbourwalks #sydneystyle #seeeverythingdoeverything #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldworldwithme #outonthewater #boatsboatsboats #sydneyweekend #sydneylocal #myhometown #sydneyaustralia #sydneynorthshore #sydneybythesea #sydneyinsummertime
Such a beautiful weekend in Sydney, the weather is just perfect!! The sun glistening on the water around Cremorne Point!! 🌞😍
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#cremornepoint #sydneyharbour #sydneyharbourwalks #sydneylife #sydneylocal #Sydney #sydneyaustralia #sailingonsydneyharbour #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #rockformations #sunglisteningonthewater
Walking to North Sydney to catch the Metro into the city in the morning.
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#northsydney #walktowork #pinkflowers #sydneyharbourbridge #sydneylocal #sydneystreets #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #morningcommute
After climbing up hundreds of steps on a narrow stone spiral staircase, the views were amazing from the top of the magnificent, medieval Siena Duomo.
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#Siena #sienaduomo #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #solotrip #madeinitaly #traveltheworldwithme #italytrip #seeeverythingdoeverything
I travelled by train between destinations on my solo adventure to Venice, Florence, Siena, Pisa, La Spezia and Cinque Terre. Very easy to use, booking through @trainline I became very adept at handling my luggage on my own, changing trains and enjoying hurtling through Italy in comfort.
For more info on the art of train travel in Italy by clicking the link to my website in the bio.
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#traintravelinitaly #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #solotrip #madeinitaly #traveltheworldwithme #italytrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveladdict #travelinitaly #italiantrains #cinqueterre #cinqueterreitaly #cinqueterrenationalpark #cinqueterrecoast
Some of the stations I became familiar with on my solo Italian adventure. Siena had the biggest step up from the platform to the train, but by the time I left Siena I was quite good at handling my luggage so it wasn`t a problem, and Pisa was the easiest and my visit to Pisa was a day trip from La Spezia, without any luggage!! Although I did have to change trains in Pisa a few days later on my way back through Florence to Venice....easy 🤩!!
For more info on the art of solo travel by train in Italy, click the link to my website in the bio.
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#traintravelinitaly #pisa #siena #Florence #laspezia #italybytrain #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #solotrip #neverstopexploring #madeinitaly #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #italytrip #italy #soloitalianadventure #solofemaletravel #solomidlifefemaletraveler #italiantrains #railwaystationsinitaly #traveltheworldworldwithme #traveladdict
The Greek Theatre in Taormina built in 300BC, still standing and still showing plays and operas. The views from the top of the auditorium out over the sea and the town are amazing....I think I took about 200 photos!! Slightly excessive, but I couldn`t stop 🥂🤩
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#taorminasicily #taormina #greektheatretaormina #teatrogrecotaormina #sicilytravel #solotravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotravelinitaly #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything
My last evening in Syracuse, it has been a really lovely place to explore. Making my way up the east coast of Sicily, I`m off to Taormina today.
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#syracuse #syracusesicily #syracusesicilystreets #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #solotravelinsicily #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything #madeinitaly #traveladdict
Flying into London at sunrise, we had to do a few laps before we could fit into the landing schedule. Then straight on to the Underground and into the cool London air, which was so good after the relentless heat and humidity in Sydney.
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#londoncalling #London #thamesriver #toweroflondon #ritzlondon #caviarhouse #qantas #qf1 #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotravel #solotrip #seeeverythingdoeverything #traveltheworldwithme #flyinghigh
An afternoon walk around Cremorne Point to cool off in the sea breeze, summer has arrived in Sydney!! Blue sky, blue water, lots of boats, Sydney Harbour showing off it`s best side 🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞
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#cremornepoint #sydneyharbour #sydneyharbourwalks #sydneynorthshore #sydneybythesea #sydneylocal #myhometown #sydneylife #sydneyaustralia #sydney #sydneyinsummertime #blueskyandsunshine #walkinthesun #seetheworldthroughmylens #seeeverythingdoeverything #traveltheworldwithme #sydneyweekend #boatsboatsboats
First day in Syracuse, arrived early on the ferry from Malta, then a train from Pozzallo to Syracuse. My hotel room wasn`t ready so I walked around Ortigia, had a coffee, checked out the markets, then my room was ready. I settled in then headed off to the archaeological park.....lots of ancient Greek arches, amphitheatres, and lots of modern bronze castings of ancient Greek things!!!
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#syracuse #sicily #sicilytourism #sicilytravel #visitsyracuse #archaeology #ancientgreekhistory #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #traveltheworldwithme #solotrip #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything #madeinitaly
The southern end of the Queen Victoria Building being watched over by Queen Victoria, and Sydney Town Hall across the road.
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#qvbsydney #queenvictoriabuilding #queenvictoriastatue #sydneytownhall #sydneytownhallclocktower #lightrail #sydneylife #sydneycbd #sydneylocal
The never ending parade in Taormina continues.....
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#taorminasicily #taormina #sicilytravel #sicilytourism #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme #solotrip
Caught the bus down to the seaside today, the pebbles were bigger than I`ve seen on any beach anywhere, it was like a rock quarry!! How people were sitting on it was a mystery! Then to top it off it was high tide and I was ill equipped to walk thigh deep through the water to get to Isola Bella. Now I know what to prepare for, I`ll have another go later......
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#taorminasicily #taormina #isolabella #isolabellataormina #sicilianbeach #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything #solotravelinsicily #downbytheseaside
More from Hyde Park in Sydney on my lunchtime walk.
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#hydeparksydney #hydepark #archibaldfountain #westfieldtowersydney #sydneylocal #sydneylife #sydneycbd #sydney #explorethecityyoulivein
Big day yesterday, out and about on Malta`s buses, so far so good, with my 7 day ticket in hand, went off to Tarxien, Marsaxlokk, Sliema and back to Valletta.
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#malta #marsaxlokk #fishingboats #maltalife #solotravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #traveladdict #seeeverythingdoeverything
It was incredibly hot and humid, then wild winds hammered the trees, then thunder and lightening , then it poured.......
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#storm #sydneystorm #thunderandlightening #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #thunderstorms #sydneylife #sydneyaustralia
Went off into the countryside to the village of Shere in Surrey, just a short train trip from Waterloo Station, a fabulous pub lunch!!
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#shere #englishcountryside #whitehorsepub #solotravel #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #waterloostationclock #seeeverythingdoeverything #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #magnolias #sherechurch
As the ferry leaves Mosman Bay as seen from the Cremorne Point walk, Sydney Harbour was sparkling all weekend🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞
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#mosmanbay #cremornepoint #northshore #sydneyweekend #sydneylife #sydneyaustralia #sydneyharbourwalks #sydneystyle #seeeverythingdoeverything #traveltheworldworldwithme #outonthewater #boatsboatsboats #sydneyferries #myhometown #sydneylocal
For more info about train travel in Italy and where I stayed on my recent solo Italian adventure to Venice, Florence, Siena, Pisa, La Spezia and Cinque Terre - click the link to my website in the bio.
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#solotravelinitaly #solotravel #solotrip #italytravel #italianadventure #madeinitaly #tripovertoitaly #traveltheworldwithme #traveladdict #travelinitaly #italytrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
Friday morning walk to North Sydney before the heat ramped up.
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#northsydney #walktowork #walkinthepark #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #purpleflowers #morninglight #palmtree #sydneylocal #fridayvibes #fridayfeeling #sydneylife #sydneystreets
Arriving in the beautiful medieval city of Siena, I checked into @relaisdegliangeli , a lovely boutique hotel. It felt like home 💖. Siena is definitely one of my favourite places in Italy, Made even better by this hotel, it is easy to get to from the railway station or the bus station, the staff are friendly and helpful, the breakfast is amazing!!
Click the link to my website in the bio for more info on the hotels I stayed in on my Solo Italian adventure.
I`m not an affiliate, this is just an honest recommendation.
#siena #sienaitaly #sienatrip @relaisdegliangeli #italianhotels #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #italytrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #neverstopexploring #traveladdict #neverstoptravelling #solotrip #solofemaletravel #solomidlifefemaletraveler #boutiquehotelsoftheworld #italianadventure #relaisdegliangelisiena
More of beautiful Venice in Piazza San Marco and out on the Grand Canal💖
#Venice #veniceitaly #grandcanal #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #solotrip #madeinitaly #traveltheworldwithme #traveladdict #italytrip #seeeverythingdoeverything
On my way to the bus stop the other day, I noticed the row of trees on the main road are all this weird yellowish colour where the bark has peeled off, is this normal??? Certainly not my favourite colour!!
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#sydneystreets #neutralbay #sydneynorthshore #yellowgumtree #aftertherain #myhometown #onthecommute #treesinsydney #crossingtheroad #treeschangingcolour #walktowork #sydneylife #sydneynativeplants #sydneyaustralia #sydneylocal #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
We`re all ready for Santa here in Sydney 🎅🎄🥂!! Best wishes for tomorrow - hope you`re not on the naughty list!!!!
#christmasinsydney #christmasready❤️🎄🎁 #waitingforsanta #merrychristmas🎄
The beautiful medieval city of Siena, one of my favourite places in Italy. It was the third place on my solo Italian adventure, I was made very welcome @relaisdegliangeli a lovely boutique hotel.....I could have stayed forever 💖
#solotravel #solotravelinitaly #solotrip #madeinitaly #traveltheworldwithme #traveladdict #siena #sienaduomo #piazzadelcamposiena #medievalcity #medievalitaly #italianarchitecture #italianadventure
I`m in planning mode getting ready for my next Trip Over The World. Read the new post about my planning process by clicking the link in the bio.
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#tripplanning #tripplanningtime #malta #sicily #solotravel #solotrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #neverstopexploring #traveltheworldwithme
Caught the fast ferry from Valletta to Gozo, had a wander around Victoria, then went all over the Island on top deck of a bus!! That was quite an experience - a double decker bus negotiating streets designed for a horse and cart!! There were times that there was only inches to spare either side!
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#gozo #gozoisland #hoponhopoffbus #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotravel #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything #traveladdict #neverstopexploring
