Tag Archives: holiday

A proper summer holiday: sports days, birthdays, pyramids, bumper cars … and a subterranean mail train

Posted on August 15, 2026 by fortewinks

La Grande Motte: A Very French Holiday Destination By and large, a Reception School Sports Day wouldn’t normally float my boat. But this was no ordinary Sports Day; this was Little Hurricane’s sports day to which I was invited by … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged adventure, children, daughters, dining, europe, Family, france, friends, games, holiday, life, Party, restaurants, summer, travel, wine, writing | 3 Comments

Costa del Wick: meadows, marshes and meanders.

Posted on May 25, 2020 by fortewinks

A hen party nailed it. Enforced listening to fifteen twenty-something women singing Bohemian Rhapsody at un-rhapsodic volume just fifty yards from our bedroom was not making us happy; the fifth rendition at 5am broke our will to live … there. … Continue reading →

Posted in AirB&B, architecture, Buildings, Design and architecture, Health, holiday, Home, Life and romance, London, property, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged Bicycle, birds, bridges, bushes, canals, countryside, East London, fish, grass, greenery, Hackney, Hackney wick, heron, holiday, lockdown, magpie, parkland, riding, skies, wetland | Leave a comment

Hello to half a century (and then some).

Posted on May 7, 2018 by fortewinks

Fifty-five is not an insubstantial age but not as old as I hope to be one day – assuming I will remain in fine fettle of course. This year’s birthday celebrations extended to before and beyond the day itself and … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertaining, Family, Food and wine, Friends, Health, holiday, Home, Life and romance, London, Motherhood, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged 55, Arcadia Spectacular, Art, Entertainment, Family, Food, Fun, GranCanaria, happy, holiday, humour, Idyll Suites, Innovation, life, Maserati, middle age, Party, sun, Sunday Times, wine, work | Leave a comment

Karma Kandara: a travelogue

Posted on February 13, 2017 by fortewinks

Last year was long and tough. One of the hardest aspects being how much I miss YoungestOfAll, The Exocet who now lives in Melbourne. Last Spring then, flights were booked for a three-week Christmas holiday. Deeming it necessary to shed some of the year’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine, Friends, Health, holiday, Life and romance, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged Bali, beach, Bliss, Cocktails, Garuda, holiday, Karma Group, Karma Kandara, Karma Resorts, life, Luxury, Massage, pamper, Relax, Spa, Treatments | 1 Comment

Sicily and the art of slow

Posted on August 24, 2013 by fortewinks

Mr Smart, Head of Art is ultimately responsible. Chatting last term to Beautiful Boyfriend (mine, not his) he recommended as the starting point for our imminent vacanza, a swanky Palazzo apartment owned by a Countess he happens to know. Palermo … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Design and architecture, Food and wine, Friends, Health, Life and romance, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged architecture, Art, Barbie, beach, boyfriend, campofelice di roccella, Cappella Palatina, Cefalù, Christ Pantocrator, cooking, Food, fruit, holiday, love, markets, mosaic, Palermo, pasta, pesto, Prosecco, sea, Sicily, Smart, sun, wine | 2 Comments

The holiday: Gozo far … and find unspoiled heaven

Posted on August 30, 2012 by fortewinks

Sunbather from ancient Gozo Excitement mounted as my long awaited, high-pamper-factor, sun-filled holiday hove into view, destination Gozo, a tiny island of the Maltese archipelago, which lies about 80km south of Sicily and 290km north of Africa. As yet unsullied … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertaining, Food and wine, Friends, Health, Life and romance, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged Food, friends, Gozo, Health, holiday, Malta, sun, Ta'Cenc, Ta'Mena, tan, wine, Xlendi | 1 Comment