Olbia Article for Italia! Magazine May 2012

Towel art at its finest!

This little guy greeted me on my last day in Sharm el Sheikh

Star-gazing in the Sinai Desert

I have always felt drawn to the wonders of Egypt, with its vibrant ancient history and sweeping golden landscapes and having already followed the traditional tourist route of seeing the Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza and staring in awe at the many delightful antiquities in the Egyptian Museum at Cairo I felt it was time I wondered a little further to the South. I found myself heading to Sharm el Sheikh nestled on the Southern tip of the Sinai peninsula, a far cry from the inner city hustle and bustle of Cairo and instead found sweeping beaches, and beautiful clear waters. But there was so much more to this southern region then diving and sunbathing and I wanted to explore further in to the local culture.

Beach at my Sharm resort

So I decided to join a trip heading out in to the Sinai Desert, a barren expanse of shifting sand and atmospheric mountains. As our driver pulled off the main road we were dropped off alongside a group of groaning camels, which were to be our transport for the next half an hour. They were surprisingly easy to mount and I soon found myself shifting and sliding with the camels rhythmic footsteps and relishing the experience. It wasn't long before we reached a Bedouin camp where we were warmly greeted and shown in to an open tent. A fire flickered in the open space in front of us and we were each offered a warm cup of refreshing mint tea. Shisha pipes were passed around with the sweet burning smell of raspberries and pieces of freshly baked bread were offered as a snack.

The Sinai Desert

Camel on beach in Sharm

As the day began to shift in to night, we huddled around the fire and some of the Bedouin people began to drum and sing. It wasn't long before we were up and dancing, a surreal moment where the rest of the world seemed so far away. As the night drew on, the sky began to clear, revealing hundreds of twinkling stars. it was a beautiful sight to behold, a network of lights signalling the existence of planets and balls of fire millions of miles away. Peering through a telescope I settled upon the planet Jupiter and was astounded at how much detail I could see, each brown ring was perfectly captured providing me with an insight in to the mysterious beauty of our solar system. Home felt a million miles away and I was happy to stay in the moment; dancing beneath the stars.

Baking Bedouin bread

Pompeii

Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii

The Italian Dream

Last summer I travelled to Italy for the first time and instantly fell in love with the Amalfi Coast. As somewhere that has been treasured by many celebrities and locals over the years, it really is an extremely enchanting place. From the unspoilt beauty of Positano, to the hills of Ravello with its rich, green vineyards, the Amalfi has become a playground for the rich and famous and a destination at the top of every travellers bucket list.

View of Positano from above

The sloping streets of Positano create an intricate maze lined with boutiques and delicious local delicacies, leading you down to the picturesque harbour. Some of the main attractions of Positano include the locally produced Limoncello digestiv which is sold on a small stall down at the main harbour and the multi-coloured, patchwork effect of the painted houses nestled in to the protruding mountains. My fondest memory is walking beneath arches of deep pink bougainvillea flowers and perusing market stalls in the cool, shaded streets.

If you are planning a visit to Positano make sure you visit the Santa Maria Assunta Church with its majolica tiled dome and 13th century icon of a black Madonna and don't miss the La Zagara bakery which has the most delicious pastries, cakes and desserts you are ever likely to eat!

Delicious creamed filled pastries at La Zagara bakery

The town of Amalfi is is focal point at the heart of this coastal paradise and is a UNESCO world heritage site. A magnificent cathedral known as the Sant'Andrea towers above the Piazza Duomo. It dates back to the 11th Century and is adorned in late Baroque style decor with beautifully painted ceilings by Andrea d'Aste. As soon as you walk through the main gates in to Amalfi it feels like you have stumbled across a hidden gem.

Sant'Andrea Cathedral

Nothing prepares you for the intricate streets and delightful businesses tucked away from the main harbour and you most definitely don't expect to find a tiny little Cioccolato called the Andrea Pansa, where they not only sell a local delicacy of chocolate coated lemon and orange strips, but also decadently rich 'shots' of pure chocolate mousse. Pure bliss!

Andrea Pansa taken by Laura Thayer @ciaoamalfi

The Amalfi Coast is completely captivating and I can't help but agree with John Steinbeck when he once said, "It is a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone."

Further Book Reviews for Italia!

La Rocca Di Drena - Editorial for Italia!

Interview with Laura Thayer fellow Travel blogger with 'Ciao Amalfi'

Book reviews for Italia! Magazine

Morocco 2010 for Real Travel Magazine

 

The Travel Bug

It's about this time of year that my feet start to get that travel itch and my mind races with places I've yet to visit. Recently added to my travel bucket list are Cambodia, India, Cuba and Mexico preferably one after the other but I think that could be wishful thinking! Everyday I feel inspired by the passionate travel community on twitter, and as someone who was completely new to using twitter 6 months ago, I can safely say that I it has become an integral part of my daily life. I love that I am linked to travellers all across the globe who are just as in love with travel as I am and are keen to share their amazing experiences. It's a great feeling to know that where ever you are in the world you are not alone. Travel is as much about creating a community as it is about treasuring the memories you create.

Cornish Love Affair

I grew up in Cornwall surrounded by beautiful countryside, rugged coastline and gorgeous beaches. Having spent the last three years studying and working in Bath, I have realised just how much I take this glorious county for granted and how much I now miss living there. My dream of working as part of an editorial team for a magazine seems closer to coming true while I am based in Bath but as everyday passes I feel even more drawn to packing up and heading home. I have many favourite spots in Cornwall with Chapel Porth Beach in St. Agnes and Trebarwith Strand between Tintagel and Boscastle at the top of my list. I recently realised that although I have a strong passion for Cornwall I have never actually written about it and that this could be my next step. So with this in mind I am going to send my C.V to Cornwall Today Magazine in the hope that I might be able to secure some freelance work or by some small miracle an editorial position, giving me a job I love in a place that has impacted on my life in such a positive way. I guess I have realised that inspiration for great travel writing is right on my doorstep.

                                                                    Trebarwith Strand

Highlights of 2011

So 2012 has finally arrived and my New Year's resolution is to make a solid commitment to my blog. I feel sad for neglecting it for so long. Since my last post there has been so much travel news to report from my adventures exploring Sorrento and The Amalfi Coast in June 2011 to completing an amazing four month internship at Anthem Publishing in Bath, working on Italia and Taste Italia Travel titles and perhaps most exciting of all getting sent on my first ever Press Trip to Sardinia for four days with Italia. Over the next few weeks I will upload and update on each experience, including my most recent travels to Sharm el Sheikh the week before Christmas and my recent travel pieces. Until then Happy New Year!