The birds chirruping, the sweet smell of blossom, that tickle of hay fever, and the large bright thing in the sky that has been elusive for months. Spring is well and truly here! When this season begins, there’s a sense of new beginnings akin to New Year. I have rejoined the gym and started waking…
Tag: nature
My trip to Fox Village, Japan
From hedgehog cafes, to islands literally full of cats and rabbits that will chase you to be fed, there are many places in Japan that will make you squeal at just how darn cute they are! One of those places is Fox Village in Shiroishi, Miyagi prefecture. During my ten day (eight, actually, if you…
Travel insurance: What to do when a natural disaster strikes on holiday
I was stranded in Bangkok after floods in Thailand. Here’s what I learned: Weather happens. You can’t predict an act of God. We know this, but you still don’t really think it’s going to happen to you, not on your holidays, and not after you scrimped and saved all year for your dream break on…
The ease of ethical shopping
Whilst the exploitation of workers is sadly nothing new, dangerous factory conditions, anti-environmental policies, and even companies supporting apartheid are frequently ‘outed’ on the news channels and on social media. I’m a bit of a reactive conscious consumer; as soon as I hear that a supplier of clothes/food/technology is using slave labour, not paying tax,…
Glasgow: great days out no matter how tight the purse strings!
Around Britain there are a lot of things to see and do. We’re blessed as an island nation to be comprised of four similar, but in many ways very distinctly different, countries. Getting an occasional dose of this British history and culture can be expensive (£8 for a ticket into York Minster, anyone?), but it…
Ever thought of sharing your garden? Now renters can reap the benefits
When life’s filled with unpredictable financial instability, being as self-sufficient as possible can help. For private tenants, the possibility of moving house is always on the cards, and I know I’m not the only one sick to death of renting. How did I deal with this stressful situation? I dealt with it by gardening, and…