Travel changes you, but so does life itself. These more contemplative posts explore what I’ve learned from years on the road, the challenges of choosing where to call home, and the ongoing work of becoming the person I want to be. They’re my attempt to make sense of the beautiful, complicated journey of growing up nomadic.
Despite the year being utterly bizarre, it seems to be over about as quickly as it began! It’s hard to imagine a year ago I was in Martinique, planning for a North American Christmas visit then onto Tokyo for New Years!
It’s not been the 2020 we wanted, but it’s the 2020 we’ve got – and although it’s been challenging, there’s been a lot of good too. This is what I’d like to focus on, all the good bits that managed to slip through the cracks of a chaotic and strange year.
I’ve been so thankful to spend a year back home with my family, rediscovering my fabulous home country and living a much less transitory existence than I am normally used to. Buying a car, renting an apartment, having a small garden – none of these were on the forecast for this year, yet I am enjoying the change of pace that comes with these things.
This blog has been on a bit of a hiatus – so much so, in fact, that I didn’t post a November update. That’s because life got real busy all of a sudden with university exams, relocating up to Auckland, and my first attempt at celebrating US thanksgiving!
But things haven’t been entirely static, you may notice a new design on the site that I’ve been working away on migrating to, and a new photo blog section to contain more short-form and image based updates, as well as a brand new newsletter design & content! So stay tuned, as things around here are gearing up for more travel writing and updates as we plough on ahead into a new year!
Not in a bad way, just in a back-at-work, finding a place to live, last week of semester at school kinda way and I haven’t been posting as frequently as I’d like to have been.
The road trip was a wonderful adventure, beginning in Christchurch (the South Island of New Zealand) winding up through the Marlborough wine region, sleeping in a renovated wine barrel cabin, then onwards to sunny Picton where we admired the gorgeous Marlborough sounds and crossed to the North Island by the way of the InterIslander ferry.
Rural New Zealand is beautiful, and possibly exactly how you’d expect. We explored rolling Hobbiton-esque hillside, took a boat ride through the magnificent Waitomo glow worm caves, drove past ‘Mount Doom’, admired the otherworldly bubbling mudpools and steaming geysers of Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland, and stayed in a luxurious treehouse chalet in the Coromandel coast.
As we settle into a new apartment here in Auckland, and as my semester comes to a close for the year, I will soon have a lot more time to dedicate to personal projects, writing, and blogging.
Spring is beginning to show here in New Zealand, with blossoms blooming and daffodil sprouts coming up. I’m so grateful to see more blue skies and sunny afternoons. After spending a very unexpected winter back in my home country, I’m super appreciate of the promise of spring & summer to come.
When I set out on my nomad journey, I had planned to chase the sun. Other than the occasional dip into wintery climates, for the most part, I’d succeeded for six years! So all this cold and darkness came as a bit of a shock to the system.
But it’s not all bad, of course! I am very lucky to be where I am during the current state of the world, and I am enjoying feeling the anticipation of spring coming on all around and focusing on gratitude for this month.
Anna the flight attendant? Yeah, right! Aviation was not an industry I had ever imagined myself involved in. Unlike many who spend their whole lives dreaming of working in the skies, I had always had other plans for my life. So many, in fact, that I almost had a new career plan for each day of the year.
Doctor, Skydive Instructor and Radio DJ topped the wish-list at various points in my life. Chef, med school dropout, volunteer ambulance officer and graphic designer had made it onto the ‘been there, done that’ pile. Flight attendant was one of the few job titles that had never really caught my eye. So you can imagine it came as quite the surprise to find myself vacuum backed into that tight red dress, slathered in a cocktail of lipstick and hairspray, learning the ropes of emergency evacuations over water.
Truth be told, I was a little lost. I had wanted out of the city I had spent most of my life living in, and I felt a passion for travel. Other than that I had absolutely no clue, or any savings to leave with. That was, of course, until I saw the job listing. Within 6 months of applying, I had my wings and was a fully-fledged short-haul international flight attendant.
Suddenly the world opened up to me, I was living in a bigger city and spending my life traveling. A normal Saturday night for me might be spent going out for dinner in Sydney followed by a lazy Sunday afternoon poolside in Fiji.
My flight attendant career spanned about four years – which is quite a long time in my world of relentless retraining and career hopping. By the time I handed in my wings I was ready to move onto other adventures, but I picked up a few & memories notes along the way
1. Don’t eat the crew meals. Number one rule! It’s hard enough to eat properly when your always on the road, but crew meals are designed to have added salt and sugar. (Check out this article from the BBC on why food tastes bad at altitude, and how catering companies add extra salt and flavouring to make up for it)
2. Diet coke is the most time consuming, foamy, mess of a drink to pour into a cup at altitude thanks to the artificial sweeteners, and to top it all off – it tastes a little odd up there too thanks to our altered ability to taste.
3.Carry dry bags. Having to stash your wet swimsuit in your suitcase on the second day of a five day trip does not to nice things to your clean clothes. Or, for that matter, the overall atmosphere of your suitcase. Same deal with anything that gets muddy, wet, damp, or smelly. Drybags are a lifesaver for frequent travellers, and although it’s been many years since I was working onboard an aircraft, it’s still an essential item I pack on every trip.
4. Sleep is completely underrated. When I first set out into the flight attendant life, the lure & sometimes pressure of meeting up at the bar was a bit too much. I went too hard and lost out on a lot of sleep. I’m older, and hopefully wiser now and I say – catch up on sleep whenever you can – no matter how tempting all the outings, dinners, and drinks will be. Everyone will be meeting down at the bar again tomorrow night for another round, I promise!
Fancy lounging poolside as part of your work week? Look no further.
5. Invest in the most comfortable shoes you can find. Although high heels are often required when walking about the airport, usually after takeoff the cabin crew get to switch into flat cabin shoes. I would recommend upgrading both as much as the company will allow – when the shin splints and numb toes catch up, often a lot of the damage is done and it can take a long time to recover.
6. Keep hydrated. The cabin is a really low humidity place to spend a lot of time, so chugging down the waters is always a priority. When I was training, they recommended 500mls per hour, but personally I think more than that is better. Normally I aim for 2 litres of water a day, but I’d increase that even further on flying days!
7. There will always be passengers who are unhappy about something. No matter how glamorous aviation may sound to those not working in it, it is still a customer service role. You will always get difficult customers, and you can’t please everyone. Don’t let it get to you.
8. Even when it feels like everything is going wrong, there will always be one person (passenger or crew) who thinks your doing just great – make it your mission to find that person & connect with them to boost your confidence.
9. Keep the essentials in your cabin bag(underwear, phone charger, wallet), it’s only a matter of time until somebody looses your check-in for the night and it’s nice to be prepared for anything! I also liked to keep a dress in there that rolls small, wrinkle free as an emergency backup change of clothes.
10. Smile. Always. Not because you have to (although mileage may vary depending on who you work for) – do it because it’ll make you feel better, I promise. (read this article on smiling)
11. Keep a gratitude diary. Sometimes it’s easy to forget how amazing this job actually is! (also, daily gratitude = amazing thing to get in the habit of) and later on, you will be able to look back even more fondly on this time spent in a great job.
12. Take the time to learn a new language. You don’t need to be fluent, just being able to communicate a few words is enough to turn an awkward flight of non-english speakers into something fun & that you learn from. (They really appreciate the effort, too)
13. Keep earplugs and eye masks with you, they always come in handy for those times when you want to catch a few moments rest wherever you are.
14. Learn more about posture. I’ve strained myself from incorrect lifting and sitting twisted in the back galley with my legs crossed far too many times. Practicing good posture, doing yoga, wearing well fitting shoes – these things all help enormously.
15. Pack snacks. Things like nuts, seeds, crackers and tinned tuna seem to make it through most country arrival quarantines un-confiscated. Be wary of fresh produce, meats, dairy and honey if you are travelling somewhere with strict biosecurity such as Australia and New Zealand though.
16. Don’t give buddy passes to people unless it’s an emergency or they understand standby very well. It can get very stressful!
17. Speaking of staff travel, try not to book yourself on a busy flight home the night before your next duty with no backup plan. It generally ends in an expensive disaster.
18. One (more) word: Sunscreen.
19. Passengers will never, ever learn to remain seated until the seatbelt light comes off. It’s an unfortunate, universal truth.
20. Toiletries with screw on lids are a great investment (there’s only so many times a person can forgive an exploded shampoo bottle amongst their things)
21. Keep hydration interesting and carry a selection of herbal tea bags with you. Fruit flavoured ones added to a bottle of cold water make a delicious alternative to plain water.
22. Protein powder/meal replacement sachets can be a great breakfast, especially at 3am when you know you SHOULD eat, but your stomach has different feelings on the matter.
23. Don’t become bitter, and never forget to see passengers as people – no matter how obnoxious they become.
Working as a flight attendant was a truly awesome career, I’m so thankful for all the experiences I was lucky enough to have during this time.
I met some excellent people and have collected memories I will treasure for a lifetime.
It’s me, many years back now!
Ultimately, it wasn’t my forever job. None of them have been so far – but I sure had a great time doing it & it opened up the world of travel and possibilities to me in a way I am eternally grateful.
This year has bought along with it a whole lot less travel, and much more reading about it in travel blogs instead – well, I don’t know about you, but that’s certainly been the case for me!
But what am I reading for inspiration right now? Here’s a few interesting travel bloggers writing about places, and experiences, that I’ve been adding to my return-to-travel 2021 (fingers crossed) wish list
With a focus on Asian destinations, Eoghan and Jili of the Two Birds Breaking Free travel blog have me seriously wanderlusting after some parts of India I’d never even heard of.
James has a pretty sweet blog focused on the digital nomad life that I myself have been living since 2014 (I’m a baby at it in comparison!)
Currently, James is based in Vietnam and providing fascinating guides on the country that has been helping me develop some future plans to finally make it to Vietnam and visit (once it’s safe to do so, of course)! I am especially curious about what Hoi An must be like without tourists.
The Lost Passport refers to itself as Your Ultimate Southeast Asia Travel Guide and woah, that’s totally true. I’ve visited, lived in, and fallen in love with Southeast Asia so many times over the years, but nothing I’ve experienced compares to the detailed guides and info that Josh is putting out over here.
I’ve been lusting after Thailand recently, even though I was only just there in February! I think The Lost Passport’s Guide to Koh Lipe has me inspired to check out this little island that’s been on my radar for a while now.
I had been enjoying Nomadic Samuel’s blog in the past, but somehow it totally slipped off my radar and I’ve had the joy of rediscovering it all over again!
Sam posts really interesting and informative content, and this Emilia-Romagna guide for foodies has me dreaming of planning another Euro trip next summer to indulge my tastebuds in some amazing Italian cuisine.
Being a Kiwi myself, I love reading people’s experiencing of NZ – and then learning that the awesome Rania is from Thessaloniki(where I’ve spent a lot of time & it feels like home for me) then moved to New Zealand for a long while (my home country) made me even more fascinated to keep reading this pretty awesome blog and follow Rania’s adventures.
I have a particular soft spot for 52 in Kicks because of the beautiful site design, but also because Agata & Sean write about some of my favourite places & I’m loving reminiscing.
David set off on an overland journey in 2005, and is still going now – this website is one of the most comprehensive guides, especially to Nepal, Asia and Overland travel I have encountered and I am loving every moment of it.
My own overland Asia journey pales in comparison to the incredible journeys documented on the Longest Way home, and it’s so inspiring to read.
I’ve been finding it fascinating to learn how different parts of the world are working with the current pandemic situation, and the post Will Nepal Open for Trekking and Tourism is a really fascinating insight into how the situation there is right now.
What are your favourite travel blogs this month? What else should I be checking out to satiate all this pent up wanderlust? Let me know in the comments!
Beijing existed in my mind as an abstract painting, fragments taken from my late father’s many tales of arriving in this mysterious land. Visions of tranquil ancient penzai gardens danced with the buzz of a post-modern metropolis. The city was all these things at once and still somehow more; a breathing, gyrating, living contrast to itself.
The tales from my father I had collected over time, gorging myself on them over and over until China had become a world almost entirely constructed in my imagination. When he died, I grasped those memories even tighter, desperate to seek out these corners of the world that he treasured so.
Home to some of China’s most famous landmarks: the forbidden city, the Great Wall and endless blossom gardens, temples and tea houses. A gentle gateway into the cultures of the far East. Yet Beijing was, as I found all of China, nothing as I had expected.
My entrance was uneventful, I braced for public transport chaos, yet the trip through the metro system and into the hive of Beijing was remarkably simple. The city itself was not the throbbing hum of relentless crowds and mind-boggling skyscrapers, and many of the inner city suburbs provided a tranquil space to stroll, uninterrupted, along the magnificent walls, structures and ancient housing of the gentle tree lined streets.
I stayed for a week, living close to all the things one might want. To my great pleasure we discovered a superb restaurant serving up cold noodles from the Shanxi region of Northern China. Chilled noodles tossed in sesame oil with spiralised cucumber, peanuts and chilli. A dish that would linger favourably in my memory for many months to come.
Quite the opposite of the cold jellied pig foot that has become the epitome of things I dislike of the Chinese cuisine, an anecdote not dissimilar to the stories my father would share with us as children, of bizarre foods lost in translation from his business trips into China – a fond memory full of love and belly laughs.
I explored the ornate, leafy slopes of the imperial Jingshan Park, with its twenty three manicured hectares of peach blossoms and gardens of budding peonies. A tranquil getaway overlooking the chaotic beating heart of the forbidden city below. I took a stroll through the infamous Tiananmen square, whisked away into a feeling of communist times past – a jaw dropping expanse of grey. Stony faced military guarded and the Chinese flag was high and we were overlooked by the most well known of Chinese leaders, including the notorious Chairman Mao.
Wriggling scorpions and starfish lay immortalised on skewers, impaled and displayed and perhaps eventually eaten. Or more likely disposed of, as despite throngs of selfie-wielding tourists flocking to capture the bizarre delicacies, there were very few actually eating them.
I speculated on the validity of these delicacies, and questioned whether perhaps this has all come about for the shock-factor of tourists, as I had not seen the more local parts of China feasting on such things.
Much like Cambodia, the country has come about times of extreme poverty & famine. In these challenging time the people were driven to eat whatever protein sources they could find, insects proved a life-sustaining meal. Necessity, not delicacy.
Beijing is famous for having a world class aquarium, an impressive building housed on the fringes of the sprawling Beijing Zoo. For two large attractions that are one-in-the-same land, they do not bear a striking resemblance. The Zoo was on a beautiful and large piece of land with blossoming trees and a massive variety of exotic animals. However, the care of the animals ranged from the desolate and heartbreaking through to the well cared for and clean. I’ve never had such mixed feelings on such a place. Charging merely a few coins to get in, I ponder why they wouldn’t raise admission and put more time and money into the upkeep.
The Aquarium, however, costs many many times more and it shows. Gorgeous, clean and modern with incredibly exhibits and well cared for fish. An unusual contrast, providing a reflection of China as a whole.
The visit was capped off with samplings of Peking Duck, the most magical set under a sea of ferry lights on a warm spring night, seated next to the glass windows peering through to the preparation room.
My fifteen year old self at the time was incapable of imagining the delight of this dish, the importance of when and how it is served, nor the imagination to comprehend how a pancake may be involved in all of this. Yet my father persisted – planting ideas and memories I would come to treasure for many years to come.
A long, long time before I was able to travel and discover the world with my hands, my taste, my senses; I discovered through books another way to explore the world and visit far off lands.
Now that the traveling life is on a temporary hiatus (well at least for me, anyhow) it’s an even better time to get lost in a good book and allow it to take you on a journey around the world without needing to leave your home.
Reading has sparked in me interests in countries I had never before considered. A good writer will have you engaging all your senses as you journey with them into a foreign destination – leaving you with memories so vivid it’s as if you were there.
Travel Reading: What Makes a Great Novel?
I’m a sucker for excellent narrative and addictive writing style. So instead of serving you up a list of trashy holiday destination reads, today’s list is one of travel reading that features incredible storytelling by great authors who really will transport you to exotic countries around the globe.
So, as I read my way around the world – let me share with you my absolute favourite novels to get lost in.
Table of Contents for today’s itinerary(in case you want to skip ahead)
An epic tale by a spectacular author, this inter-generational story tells tales of family amidst some much darker themes. Hosseini’s writing style is so skilful that by the end you will feel you have run the dusty back streets of Kabul to feast on fistfuls of juicy pomegranates for yourself. A masterfully told story, that I read and reread and devour frequently, and continue to be heartbroken by.
“It was only a smile, nothing more. It didn’t make everything all right. It didn’t make ANYTHING all right. Only a smile. A tiny thing. A leaf in the woods, shaking in the wake of a startled bird’s flight. But I’ll take it. With open arms. Because when spring comes, it melts the snow one flake at a time, and maybe I just witnessed the first flake melting.”
Khaled Hosseini – The Kite Runner
2. The Secret Life of Bees Sue Monk Kidd
Will transport you to: Georgia – The American Deep South
Uplifting, beautiful and transformational. Sue Monk Kidd’s writing will pick up right up and plonk you down in the heart of a George peach farm. This story tells the tale of sisterhood, and the bond between mother and daughter through the eyes of 14-year-old Lily Owen. Set in the 1960’s to a background of racial violence, Lily runs away from her abusive father with her beloved nanny Rosaleen in search of her mother, who she shot and killed when she was just a baby.
Everything from the language, the sights, the sounds and the smells will bring you to the deep South of America in this touching and often humorous (but always heartwarming) novel.
“Now and then sprays of rain flew over and misted our faces. Every time I refused to wipe away the wetness. It made the world seem so alive to me. I couldn’t help but envy the way a good storm got everyone’s attention.”
Sue Monk Kidd – The Secret Life of Bees
3. The 40 Rules of Love: A Novel of Rumi Elif Shafak
Will transport you to: Thirteenth century Turkey and Iraq
East meets West when Ella Rubenstein is first introduced to the Eastern mystic Rumi and his companion Shams of Tabriz. Through editing a novel she begins to grow and learn more about herself and love. Although it sounds rather chick-lit-esque, this novel provides a beautiful integration of Rumi poetry and the life of these two wandering Dervishes. I didn’t initially love Ella’s character – but the wonderful narration of Rumi’s story, and beautiful integration of life in thirteenth century Middle East turned me around on this story. Most of the other characters are vibrant and fascinating, and the undercurrent of spirituality and love is interesting but not sickly.
”For Aziz, on the other hand, time entered on this very moment, and anything other than now was an illusion. For the same reason, he believed that love had nothing to do with plans for tomorrow, or memories of yesterday. Love could only be here and now”
Elif Shafak – The 40 Rules of Love
4. The Mistress of Spices Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Will transport you to: A street corner in California, and the magical spice markets of the East
Despite being set in LA, this novel is anything but. This magical story tells the tales of Tilo, a young woman from another time who has a gift for the art of spices. Through ingenious storytelling and a mouth-watering knack for choosing words, Chitra weaves a magic tale of love and spices from inside the walls of this incredible spice shop. Not only an excellent example of travel writing, but delectable food writing as well. An excellent read if you need transporting to somewhere rather magical and exotic.
“Each spice has a special day to it. For turmeric it is Sunday, when light drips fat and butter-colored into the bins to be soaked up glowing, when you pray to the nine planets for love and luck.”
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni – The Mistress of Spices
5. Little Paris Bookshop Nina George
Will transport you to: Paris and through France following the Sienne.
Skillful story telling, wonderful character development and delightful scene-setting make this delicious novel something special. Nina takes us to Paris, through the eyes of Monsieur Perdu. Monsieur Perdu lives aboard his beautifully restored barge on the Sienne – his literary apocathery. It is here that he prescribes books for all of life’s hardships. After suffering many years of heartbreak, he finally decides to haul up anchor and set sail down through small town France to discover what happened to his long lost love, all those years ago.
This is a heartwarming & charming read full of vibrant characters and a truly French feel. You’ll come away from it feeling like you’ve just spent a month on the waters of the Sienne.
“Books are more than doctors, of course. Some novels are loving, lifelong companions; some give you a clip around the ear; others are friends who wrap you in warm towels when you’ve got those autumn blues. And some…well, some are pink candy floss that tingles in your brain for three seconds and leaves a blissful voice. Like a short, torrid love affair”
Nina George – Little Paris Bookshop
6. Like Water for Chocolate Laura Esquivel
Will transport you to: Vibrant and delicious (and often heartbreaking) Mexico
This gorgeous book has me pining for traditional Mexican dishes and time-traveling back to my numerous times spent in Mexico. A beautiful and at times devastating story of life, magic, feasts and recipes. This story is of Tito, the youngest daughter who has been condemned by traditions to look after her mother until she dies. But despite being forbidden to marry, she falls in love with Pedro. He, in turn, is utterly seduced by her cooking and in an act of desperation to stay near to her, marries her sister. It is only through a string of tragedies that the two lovers are finally reunited. A spellbinding story of life in turn-of-the-century Mexico.
“Tita knew through her own flesh how fire transforms the elements, how a lump of corn flour is changed into a tortilla, how a soul that hasn’t been warmed by the fire of love is lifeless, like a useless ball of corn flour.”
Laura Esquivel – Like Water for Chocolate
7. The Magus John Fowles
Will transport you to: Mythical islands of Greece
This was the favourite book of both my parents. But it took me a few tries & my own visit to Greece to truly fall in love. It wasn’t until I re-read as an adult that I came to appreciate this book, and the immersive storytelling involved. A feast for the mind and senses, the Magus brings us to a remote Greek island where our protagonist, Nicholas Urfe, finds himself entangled in the psychological games of a master trickster. A true classic of exceptional writing, John Fowles uses exceptional imagery and mind-bending writing to transport readers to the mythical islands of Greece and the mysteries that lie within it.
“If Greece were a woman so sensually provocative that I must fall physically and desperately in love with her, and at the same time so calmly aristocratic that I should never be able to approach her.”
John Fowles – The Magus
8. The Beach Alex Garland
Will transport you to: The lush jungles and tropical beaches of Thailand
Many people know of the Leonardo DiCaprio film..but in my opinion, I prefer the novel. In search of his own personal paradise, Richard follows a map he’s given to an unknown island, and the secluded beach contained within. With it comes a new way of life, and revelations more exciting, more extraordinary and more frightening than anything of his wildest dreams. A true tale of intrepid travel and adventure, this thrilling story is a lush insight into Asia and Thailands most paradise-worthy beaches.
“If I’d learnt one thing from travelling, it was that the way to get things done was to go ahead and do them. Don’t talk about going to Borneo. Book a ticket, get a visa, pack a bag, and it just happens.”
Alex Garland – The Beach
9. The Alchemist Paulo Coelho
Will transport you to: Andulucia, Spain
An epic classic of monumental proportions. Although a short read, over 2 million readers consider this novel a must-read masterpiece. A well loved universal classic that tells the tale of an Andalusian shepherd boy on a journey to follow his dream, and the revelations, characters and events that happen along the way. One of these, of course, happens to be the alchemist. And so begins a beautiful mentor-student relationship and a story that lingers in your heart and mind for long after you’ve read it.
“We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share.This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.”
Paulo Coelho – The Alchemist
10. Next Year in Havana Chanel Cleeton
Will transport you to: Havana
After the death of her beloved grandmother, a Marisol Ferrera travels to Havana, where her Grandmother grew up. This story captivated me completely. I read it in just a few days, rapturously.
It tells the tale of two stories at once – modern day Marisol and that of her grandmother living as a wealthy sugar heir during the Cuban revolution.
It’s a must read to better understand more of the culture and history of such an incredible, resilient, and fascinating place.
“For many being Cuban is something they carry with them in their hearts, something they fight to preserve even when all they have are their memories. When they left, they couldn’t take anything with them. No photographs, no official documents, no family heirlooms or mementos. That kind of exile makes you angry.”
Chanel Cleeton – Next Year in Havana
11. Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens
Will transport you to: The wild marshes of North Carolina
As a wildlife lover, this story written by a wildlife scientist spoke to my adoration of the natural world. Delia Owens tells a marvellous tale of murder, mystery, womanhood, growing up, and love – amidst many other themes. But what really speaks to me, what made this book unforgettable and kept it glued to my fingertips until the very last page was the incredible descriptive writing of the North Carolina Marsh and all that inhabit it.
“Sometimes she heard night-sounds she didn’t know or jumped from lightning too close, but whenever she stumbled, it was the land who caught her. Until at last, at some unclaimed moment, the heart-pain seeped away like water into sand. Still there, but deep. Kya laid her hand upon the breathing, wet earth, and the marsh became her mother.”
After being introduced to the Inspector Gamache series I immediately became drawn to the pull of exploring Quebec.
Louise Penny has a knack for developing those kinds of places and characters you’d love to jump on in with and spend some time, and each of these I read brings me closer and closer to planning my own visit to the smaller towns of the French Canadian region.
“Everyday for Lucy’s entire dog life Jane had sliced a banana for breakfast and had miraculously dropped one of the perfect disks on to the floor where it sat for an instant before being gobbled up. Every morning Lucy’s prayers were answered, confirming her belief that God was old and clumsy and smelt like roses and lived in the kitchen.
But no more.
Lucy knew her God was dead. And she now knew the miracle wasn’t the banana, it was the hand that offered the banana.”
Louise Penny, – Still Life
13. The Lost City of Z David Grann
Will transport you to: The Amazon Rainforest
I read this book somewhere incredibly far removed from the wet, hot, dense Amazon jungle. Instead I was in a toast warm yurt out on the Mongolian Steppe with snow falling outside. I picked up this book, and I spent the entire day reading it – until I’d finished. I quite literally didn’t put it down (other than a dinner break!)
I’m obsessed with the Amazon. The river, the rainforest, the region – in fact, I’m obsessed with jungles, trees, plants, wildlife and all things wild, really.
Excerpt: For decades scientists & adventurers have searched for evidence of Fawcett’s party & the lost City of Z. Countless have perished, been captured by tribes or gone mad. As Grann delved ever deeper into the mystery surrounding Fawcett’s quest, & the greater mystery of what lies within the Amazon, he found himself, like the generations who preceded him, being irresistibly drawn into the jungle’s green hell. His quest for the truth & discoveries about Fawcett’s fate & Z form the heart of this complexly enthralling narrative
“It begins as barely a rivulet, this, the mightiest river in the world, mightier than the Nile and the Ganges, mightier than the Mississippi and all the rivers in China.”
David Grann – The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon
When I visited Morocco for the very first time, I was lured into the magic of North Africa by learning about the storytellers.
Those who would have crowds gathering around in the the Jemaa el Fna square of Marrakech to tell stories. There is a saying in Marrakech that “when a storyteller dies, a library burns.”
This book is a collection of such stories, written down finally to keep them alive and save them from being lost along with the traditional storytellers. It’s absolutely mesmerising.
“And so lie after lie, little by little, the Sahara gradually came into existence, as God threw grains of sand onto the earth from the heavens above. But here and there the odd oasis can still be seen. These are the traces of the original garden, because not all men lie.”
Richard Hamilton – The Last Storytellers
15. Cinnamon City Miranda Innes
Will transport you to: Marrakech
Miranda Innes bought a dilapidated riad to renovate, and so begins an insiders tale of life, riads, and renovations in Morocco. This story is focused primarily on the experience of buying and renovating a house in Marrakesh, but also dips and delves into everyday life in the Cinnamon City of Marrakesh.
Full of flavours, fragrances, and complications of moving to a foreign country, this is an easy read for a swift dip into Moroccan life.
16. The Matchmaker of Périgord Julia Stuart
Will transport you to: A small village in Southwest France
This novel is almost as charming as the Périgord region itself. When Guillaume Ladoucette’s barbershop faces certain redundancy, he must find a new way to earn a keep in his small village in the Southwest of France.
This is how Guillaume finds himself starting up in the business of love, and becoming a matchmaker. But his attempts are somewhat disastrous, often hilarious and utterly delightful.
A light and easy read – I found it an excellent pick-me-up read that transported me right back to smalltown France.
“Love is like a good cassoulet, it needs time and determination. Some bits are delicious, while others might be a bit rancid and make you wince. You may even come across the odd surprise like a little green button, but you have to consider the whole dish.”
? Julia Stuart, The Matchmaker of Périgord
17. Afternoons in Ithaka Spiri Tsintziras
Will transport you to: The island of Ithaka, Greece
Part memoir of Greek ancestry, and part recipe book. Spiri brings Greek food and culture to life in a way that had me drooling onto the page and recounting just how enchanted I was by Greece during my own time there.
Afternoons in Ithaka reflects on life, family, love and creativity. It traverses between her many trips between Australia and Greece, and brings together what it means to be Greek growing up in Australia.
‘I remember crusty just-baked bread, rubbed with juicy tomato flesh, swimming in a puddle of thick green olive oil. I am seven years old. I sit on a stool in my grandmother’s house. It is the height of summer in a seaside village in the south of Greece. We little Aussies devour ‘tomato sandwiches’ as the family chats and laughs and swats flies …
Afternoons in Ithaka Spiri Tsintziras
18. The Little Breton Bistro Nina George
Will transport you to: Brittany, Western France
Nina George has made her way into two spots on this list with her wonderful ways of transporting us right into the heart of France. First with The Little Paris Bookshop, and now with the Little Breton Bistro, her writing continues to be full of heart, beautiful writing, and narrative I want to follow through until the very last page.
The Little Breton Bistro is a tale of second chances and falling in love with a host of unforgettable locals.
After having spent a handful of summers living in Bretagne for myself, I loved how much Breton folklore and stories were brought into this book. It’s a wonderful way to explore a part of France many people don’t get to.
“Court bouillon, made with carrot, shallot, leek, garlic, celeriac, herbs, water and Muscadet, was the heart and soul of Breton cuisine. Langoustines blossomed in it, and crabs drowned in bliss; skinned duck or vegetables simmered in it to perfection. The stock grew stronger with each use and would keep for three days. It formed the base for sauces, and a shot glass of sieved court bouillon could turn a mediocre fish stew into a regular feast.”
Nina George – The Little French Bistro
19. The Gardener of Baghdad Ahmad Ardalan
Will transport you to: Baghdad, Iraq
“Two people, one city, different times; connected by a memoir. Can love exist in a city destined for decades of misery?”
A heartfelt tale of the conflict and tragedy facing Iraq; a forbidden love story between two people from very different worlds and times in Iraqs history, and the romance of living and surviving in these two very different worlds today.
The Gardener of Baghdad is a must read for anyone who’s not known more of Iraq than a war torn country. For those who want to know the beauty, culture and history of Iraq.
20. The Snow Leopard Peter Matthiessen Will transport you to: The Himalayas of Nepal
When I was traveling in Nepal this book was on every book shelf, every store, in the hands of most hikers wandering down the streets of Kathmandu.
It’s a classic for a reason, it is a radiant and deeply moving account of a “true pilgrimage, a journey of the heart.” as Peter Matthiessen spent five weeks hiking through the Nepalese Himalayas to study the Himalayan blue sheep and, possibly, to glimpse the rare snow leopard.
“The secret of the mountain is that the mountains simply exist, as I do myself: the mountains exist simply, which I do not. The mountains have no “meaning,” they are meaning; the mountains are. The sun is round. I ring with life, and the mountains ring, and when I can hear it, there is a ringing that we share. I understand all this, not in my mind but in my heart, knowing how meaningless it is to try to capture what cannot be expressed, knowing that mere words will remain when I read it all again, another day.”
— Peter Matthiessen (The Snow Leopard)
21. Sapphos Leap Erica Jong Will transport you to: The Island of Lesbos, Greece
I found myself immersed in Erica Jong’s recreation of the poet Sapphos after myself spending time on the Island of Lesbos, home of Sapphos – the greatest love poet the world has even known.
This book is, in true Jong style, rather amorous.. so if you’re not into that kind of story, perhaps give this one a miss. Otherwise swan dive into this magnificent story, taking us from Lesbos to Delphi to Egypt, and even to the Land of the Amazons and the realm of Hades.
“Without the gods, how would I sing?’ I asked. With your own voice,’ he said.”
— Erica Jong (Sappho’s Leap)
22. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle Haruku Murakami
Will transport you to: Suburban Tokyo
I always describe Murakami’s books like being in a dream. Nothing makes sense, but the storytelling is so compelling that you emotionally invest and go along for the ride all the same.
He is one of the most talented storytellers I know of, and all of his magical, surreal books include the most wonderful of characters, delving into suburban Tokyo life, classical music and talking cats. I can’t really describe this book in any further detail – but I do highly recommend it for an incredible journey.
“What we see before us is just one tiny part of the world. We get in the habit of thinking, this is the world, but that’s not true at all. The real world is a much darker and deeper place than this, and much of it is occupied by jellyfish and things.”
— Haruki Murakami (The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle)
23. Memoirs of a Geisha Arthur Golden
Will transport you to: The Gion district of Kyoto
A work of beauty, each time I devour this novel I am transported back to Gion, Kyoto. A city I fell in love with at first site, this story is a tragic and beautiful account of the life of a Geisha. The language is strikingly lovely, and I could read this over and over just for the experience of highlighting new favourite passages.
While there is some controversy, and ultimately a much more fascinating story would come from the true memoirs of a Geisha – this is still a fascinating introduction to Japanese culture and a great way to escape to a foreign land for a few evenings.
“At the temple there is a poem called “Loss” carved into the stone. It has three words, but the poet has scratched them out. You cannot read loss, only feel it.”
— Arthur Golden (Memoirs of a Geisha)
What have I missed?
I’d adore some more book recommendations focused on different countries & cultures, ways to spend this current time of stillness traveling through exotic countries and other cultures in my imagination – so let me know in the comments what I should read next.
It was 2015 in the Southwest French summertime, visiting the Périgord region not far from Bordeaux. Before this, I’d never set foot in Europe. A wide eyed and brand new to this land, so heavy with culture and history. My first glimpse of Paris entailed a zip down the Seine with barely a pause for a face full of religieuse & macarons before departing out of Gare d’Austerlitz bound for the town of Périgeaux.
Later in my travels France would become somewhat of a second home to me, however for now I was viewing these lands with fresh eyes. Completely eclipsing everything I’d grown up with, reminding me that my own land was just an infant in comparison.
Despite being relatively unknown outside of France, Its well worth breaking out of Paris to explore the other side of France. The Périgord region is remarkably lively in the summer months with Parisians seeking an escape from the city, sunshine, countryside and glimpse back in time to what rural French life was like before all the high rises.
Here in the Périgord, each region is more picturesque than the last. Famed for unspoiled natural beauty, abundant wildlife, and exquisite cuisine focusing around duck, truffle, and walnuts. Each quarter of the Périgord is a namesake to it’s most famed product.
Starting in the north, the Périgord Vert gets its name for being rich in forests, meadows and streams, the center is the Périgord Blanc for the white limestone plateaus of Ribéracois-Verteillacois , Périgord Noir named for it’s earthy black truffles In the Southeast, and the Périgord Pourpre in the Southeast who’s region owes its name to the color taken by the vine leaves in autumn, splayed across over 1200 vineyards.
Food is the heart of this region, and even the tiniest of convenience store peddles all manner of duck pate and my most beloved trappe echourgnac
During the hotter months, the small villages in the region host daily get-togethers, where each night of the week it is a different villages turn to host le repas – an out door food court of sorts, but not like anything I’d imagined before. I was excited to find out what a different villages had in store. Audrix is a tiny medevial village, a speckle placed pricisely on the highest point of a small hill. The view is postcard worthy, 360 degree panoramic views across the Southern French countryside, woods and groves occasionally intercepted by fat, rotund hay bales and stone clad cottages.
The summer evenings amble along at an easy pace – with the last round of sunscreen being applied as late at 8pm. In this toasty environment, al fresco dining seems more of a requirement than an option. Long bench tables are set up around the perimeter of the town square, while a band is getting ready to play in front of the roaring hot wood-fired bread oven. A delightful cross between a picnic and an outdoor food market.
Guests bring their own plates and cutlery, often wine too, and then carouse the stalls selecting the rest. The options vary between towns depending on both what is produced locally in the region, as well as what is in season. I made a beeline for a personal favourite – confit de canard, a thigh of duck cooked in it’s own fat, served aside sliced potatoes fried in mushroom and bacon. Stuffed full and happy, I finished off with red wine and cup of strawberries with creme chantilly.
Duck, truffles, fois gras and walnuts are all regional delicacies. Platters of thin, meaty circles of fois gras & rillette sit neatly aside cheese plates and freshly hulled strawberries. Bustling vendors whipping up rich, black truffle fragranced tagliatelle chat to their neighbours grilling up magret canard and steak frite.
The festivities carry on well into the evening as dark doesn’t fall until about 10pm. The local entertainment parades through dressed in traditional clothing; singing, dancing and snaking their way through the crowd in handmade medieval gear. Children play and indulge in rides around the village on a cart drawn by donkey as their parents catch up with their friends and neighbours over a flame-baked, crusty bread. Eventually the crowds disperse for the evening, warm, socialised & sated, ready for a good nights sleep, and maybe even to meet up again tomorrow at the next repas, each day a new village host.
This is not a holiday I have ever celebrated, however being so close to the United States this year, and having so many more friends, colleagues, and a partner who are American brings thanksgiving closer to my heart & awareness.
Tomorrow morning I leave, bound for Montreal on the Eastern side of Canada. So while many people I care about are spending time with their families and eating pumpkin pie, today for me is spent working, packing, and getting organized for a 4am taxi to the airport.
But, not celebrating thanksgiving doesn’t make me any less thankful.
Despite many years of working in the airline industry, the unique and often baffling rules of Chinese airlines still managed to surprise me. On arrival into Bangkok airport we were told , in no uncertain terms, that we were to pay another five thousand baht in overweight baggage fees to this small Chinese airline I had previously never heard of.
I checked our ticket, then again the flashing red display – 15kg of luggage, exactly what we had. Needless to say, it didn’t improve from here.
After some more prodding and general inquisitiveness, it turned out that with Spring Airlines, everything you carry-on is counted in this figure. As a frequent traveller I’m pretty good at maintaining two things = the weight of my check in luggage, and the size of my carry-on. Those are the standard, defining points for every flight I’ve ever caught – every one except for this one.
Steamed dumplings in Chengdu
So, as she patiently explained once more, we were around 20 kilograms overweight, and the fee would be 280 baht per kilogram. After some more re-shuffling, reconsidering if we might want to get rid of anything, and generally questioning this unusual new rule, the check-in agent eventually remembered that although this included all our carry-on bags, it actually was not to include our wallets, laptops, phones and electronics, however it was to include anything in our pockets. After removing everything we could possibly get away with to meet the new rules, we were left with only a small amount of excess to pay and a complicated procedure of many different desks, receipts and countersigning to attend to before having our passports returned. But perhaps this was just a warm up for what was to come.
On boarding, we were to discover that we were the only foreigners on board this all-Chinese flight to Chengdu, in the Sichuan region of China. As the focal point of entertainment for this event, we garnered many inquisitive stares and smiles from small children. As the flight unfolded, we came to learn that only the most important of in-fight PA’s were recorded into English, and that in any case they should just play us the ‘in case of turbulence’ PA as a general translation for whatever was happening.
Planes in China are a curious business, with rules and customs unlike any other. Mobile phones are not permitted to be switched on during any point of a flight – flight mode or not, and the inflight meal options in a class of their own with dried squid, pumpkin porridge, and a few particularly mysterious options that are not only unrecognisable from their image, but unlike the rest, don’t even offer a written translation.
Chengdu, full of mysteries
Signage in Thai toilets
After the novelty of playing us an English announcement periodically wore off, the rest of the 3 hours was spent in almost constant loud Mandarin with no break, and no translation. A young Chinese flight attendant stood up the front and patiently described, demonstrated & marketed each item from the duty free catalogue, one by one, punctuated occasionally by a brief recorded English reminder about turbulence, just to make us feel included. This lasted the entire duration of the flight – an unusual welcome to a new and very foreign land.
Our arrival into Chengdu was a rather nippy 8 degrees, and we were taken on a long shuttle bus ride to the terminal. After quickly filling out my arrival card, I ducked over to the bathroom a few meters away. When I got back, I discovered my bag & passport sitting unattended at the table & everybody was gone. Simply another baffling moment amidst a series of mysterious events. I wasn’t entirely sure whether to feel annoyed that my boyfriend had simply abandoned my belongings, or concerned that he had been abducted.
Heart Chengdu
It turns out the customs officers had descended and he had been left with little choice other than to leave without me. I discovered this once the customs officer was finished yelling loudly and repeatedly in Mandarin, and had finished processing my arrival with a look of complete contempt.
But, in the end we got through fine, baggage intact and into China.
Taxi drivers tried to coerce us out, but after a quick ATM hunt, we got out 10 yuan tickets into the city and hopped on the bus, once again as the only tourists, and with only a vague glimmer of hope as to where this bus might take us. The drive was a movie set in modern day Tokyo – everything in foreign script, flashing lights, neon signs and just for a touch of China, the bus driver riding the horn the whole way. By sheer luck, we were dropped off vaguely in the center of the city, and walked in the cool air through the downtown Chengdu, admiring the amazing buildings and Asian-ness of it all. Very clean, very relaxed. Nothing like I’d expected.
Once we had completed the expert challenge that involved finding our hotel, we unpacked our things and set out for a late-night dinner. Sichuan cuisine has fascinated me for a long time, and as a lover of particularly spicy food I was hoping to find myself in food heaven. We settled on a small restaurant nearby with an illegible menu (as they would all be), a friendly group of men sitting who welcomed us in, and a hostile, female owner who was clearly not to happy about our arrival. We used our translation app as best as possible and settled on ordering what turned out to be a delicious plate of green peppers and pork on rice. A little spicy and very tasty, but we were clearly imposing and ate quickly to get out of her way.
It was a bizarre but not unpleasant welcome into China, and it was definitely time for bed. I was certain there would be many more unusual things to explore in the days that would follow.
