The altitude, the heat and the rough barren lanscape made this a very special trek Mount Toubkal Our flight arrived in the morning at Marrakech airport and we were already travel-weary and tired from the early start that day. Fortunately today all we would do is transfer straight up into the High Atlas Mountains to…

5 Simple Tips For Staying Motivated During The Winter Months
It can’t be escaped, but most of us are affected by the weather and light conditions around during winter. So when the days are shorter and there is less sunlight in the day – it is well known that we can feel a bit low and less motivated. So what can we do to remain…

‘It’s all in the mind!’ Really?
This morning at about halfway into my 4 mile run, my legs were starting to really complain. They had every reason to, they were just tired and wanted the run to be over! My mind told me it wouldn’t matter if I walked for a bit, or even called it a day and called for…

What to do in Milan for a day
At different points in its history, Milan has been ruled over by Celts, Romans, Goths, Lombards, Spaniards and Austrians. The city sits at the strategic gateway to the Italian peninsula and today is the centre of industry, finances and fashion for Italy. Rome may be the administrative capital, but Milan has emerged as the undisputed…

Our Cinque Terre Coastal Path Adventure
The Cinque Terre area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, consisting of five villages on the very dramatic coastline of the Italian Riviera, just to the north of Pisa. Distinctive pastel coloured houses overlook harbours and beautiful sea views and are reminiscent of the Amalfi coast further to the south. Each village has its own…

Third Man Factor – Our Guardian Angels?
June 1st 1933, and the British Everest Expedition to climb the highest mountain in the world, which had started out as a large scale, well organised military-style operation was coming to a desperate end. High up above 26,000ft, in the death zone, where there is not enough oxygen in the air for human life to…

Lost in Life? Navigating with Improved Self-Awareness
In an article I wrote in 2014, I likened life’s journey, the choices we make and the direction we take, to navigating in the hills. We each will have familiar repeating tasks in our everyday lives that become routine. Yet our life is full long-distance journeys which, as we grow older, take us to unfamiliar…

Avignon Short Trip – 5 Great Sites to see in Provence
Paul has fond memories of living in Avignon for a few months as a young missionary volunteer in 1986, and it’s a place that we have been lucky to visit a few times since. Famous for its papal palaces, roman architecture and castles, Avignon is surrounded by the lavender fields and mountains (including Mont Ventoux)…

Normandy: 6 Places to Visit & Extra Ideas For Your Holiday
We have had numerous holidays in France and even lived/worked in Paris a few years ago, but have never visited this corner of France. The Normandy coastline lies to the north-west of Paris in between LeHavre and Cherbourg. This area is full of historical stories dating back to when the Normans conquered England and William…