Notes from the Road
A traveller’s record of places, provisions, and the small companion who now comes along. More about the author →
Featured Stories
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Four Seasons Sultanahmet: Istanbul’s old prison, remade for celebration
My July 2018 stay at Four Seasons Sultanahmet, with its former-prison history, Hagia Sophia rooftop views, 2022 renovation and the places I would seek out nearby now.
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North Adventures Kamchatka by Russo‑Balt Hotels
My winter at Russo‑Balt North Adventures in Kamchatka: a cottage with a real fireplace, a private thermal pool, three snow adventures, and a restaurant that tested a week-long…
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3 Days in Lake Como: The Perfect Itinerary
My three-day Lake Como itinerary connects lakeside towns, historic villas, gardens, ferries, and mountain views, with room to slow down along the way.
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Babylonstoren: a working farm stay in the Cape Winelands
At Babylonstoren, the garden was not scenery around the hotel. It set the rhythm of my days, from fruit gathered by hand to breakfast and a sunset climb…
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The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra: a night with the Taj Mahal
My stay at The Oberoi Amarvilas in Agra, where the Taj Mahal view, Indian cooking, in-room mehendi, and a pre-dawn buggy made the hotel part of the visit.
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Boulders Beach beyond the penguins
A first-person visit to Boulders Beach, with African penguins, sheltered granite coves, and practical advice for seeing both responsibly.
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Entim Camp: My Birthday Beside the Mara River
My 2021 stay at Entim Camp in Kenya’s Masai Mara, with riverfront tents, deeply personal service, memorable food, and a birthday balloon flight.
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Monasterio in Cusco, a Belmond hotel
A stay at Monasterio before a long-planned birthday at Machu Picchu, with practical notes on altitude, breakfast, the hotel’s restaurants, nearby art, and San Pedro Market.
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Scarabeo Camp in Agafay: three quiet nights after Marrakech
After four busy days in Marrakech, I spent three nights at Scarabeo’s original Stone Camp in Agafay. Here is what stayed with me and what has changed.
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The Fez I remember begins at dawn
I arrived in Fez with an old television version of the city in my head. Three nights in the medina replaced it with something louder, stranger, and much…