I like skiing but I’m no powder hound. I find being in the mountains surrounded by beautiful scenery invigorating and mind clearing. I love the freedom of cruising blue and red runs. Then after a day on the slopes I like nothing better than pootling around a quaint village, indulging in some spa treatment and cosying up in front of a roaring fire in a rather nice hotel. But, I hate the endless queues for lifts, struggling with my skis and being cut up by boarders and skiers who don’t seem to appreciate I like to take skiing at my own pace. So, could Andermatt be the answer to my skiing prayers?
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Portugal’s Alentejo region - a corker of a place
Portuguese wine has been a revelation to me over the last few years. I’d always poo pooed it with memories of overly sweet, slightly fizzy vinho verde produced from stubby Mateus bottles – albeit the bottles did come in handy to make artful candlestick holders!
Luckily for me our local wine shop (Reserve in Didsbury) always ensures that I “try something different” and never seems to get it wrong. So, when I was offered a Portuguese white from the Duoro valley I was amazed to find it was rather good and I haven’t looked back since! Wanting to discover more about the wines of Portugal, on our recent trip to Portugal (after discovering an alternative Algarve – read about how you do that here) Julian and I headed north to the central Alentejo region. But to our delight we discovered more than just wonderful wineries.
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Kaleidoscopic Kathmandu
Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, is chaotic, mesmerising, fascinating and exhausting all at the same time. This slightly bonkers city is an absolute assault on the senses but it’s also utterly captivating and I first fell under its spell when I arrived on the overnight bus from India – a journey that has haunted me for over 20 years!
Now don’t get me wrong, compared to an Indian city, Kathmandu was still a mad old place with the same persistent stall holders and imploring beggars. But it was different. With the legions of trekkers visiting the area over the years, the city had come to cater very nicely for the needs of the independent western traveller – the pizzerias with wood fired pizza, cafés offering salads washed in filtered water and German bakeries with the best tasting cakes, were like nirvana to me after spending months in India living on Dahl!
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Livin' la pura vida in Costa Rica
There’s a local phrase in Costa Rica which is on everyone’s lips, “pura vida”. Roughly translated it means pure life but in reality it means all’s well and life is great and it really is the answer to everything! I reckon that’s why the local Ticos are so warm and friendly and the whole place seems to have a relaxed vibe.
At just two thirds the size of Scotland, Costa Rica is a small country that manages to pack a lot in. It’s a nature lover’s paradise with active volcanoes, adventurous activities, alluring cloud forests and verdant rain forests teeming with exotic birds and other wildlife. There are plenty of beaches too, if you want to throw in some rest and relaxation. There’s enough to see and do to keep everyone interested which is why it makes a great destination for both couples and families.
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