I’d been hearing whispers of the wonders of Asheville for a few years: a liberally minded and creative enclave in North Carolina, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains and on the edge of the famous parkway. I was promised glorious nature, excellent food, an exciting craft beer scene and creativity galore – and it was … Read more
The allure of the southern USA has been calling me for years. I wanted to experience that famous Southern charm, the music, the moss-laden trees, the accent, the mountains, and all the colourful cities and quirks that make up the southern states. It’s a big area y’all, so coming up with a south US road … Read more
I know it might sound hyperbolic. But I think France might just be one of the world’s best countries for a road trip. It just has so much going for it, from fairytale towns to rolling vineyards to elegant cities and miles of varied coastline. Plus within every region there’s a surprise – be it … Read more
Update: See our posts from this trip: Three weeks ago, I was feeling blue. It was exactly a year since we set off on our big road trip around California and I longed for another adventure. But this year has been one of uncertainty and we’ve found it hard to plan things in advance. Over … Read more
A road trip in Italy ticks all the boxes of epic drives, amazing food, friendly people, beautiful culture and some of Europe’s most gorgeous sights. It’s one of our favourite places to road trip, not least because of the food. We return again and again and are always re-intoxicated by its charms. We’ve done a … Read more
Set on seven hills overlooking the River Tejo, Lisbon is sometimes called the San Francisco of Europe, but I think that takes away from its own distinctive charm. The hills are certainly similar, and it shares a golden light, but much of the wonder of Lisbon comes from its history. Most of the city was … Read more
The view from the Dom Luis I bridge sums up the allure of Porto; port wineries on one side, a colourful hodge-podge of buildings and bell towers cascading down the other, and the peaceful Douro river flowing down the centre, lined with buzzing restaurants and people ambling by. The azulejo tiles, baroque and beaux arts … Read more
There’s nothing like a road trip in Europe to make you appreciate the diversity of the continent – buy croissants and go for a walk on a French beach in the morning then sip a spritz beside an Italian lake by sunset. From mountains to coast to cute medieval villages – there’s something to suit … Read more
It’s finally here – the new look Bridges and Balloons. As much as I loved the old site, it had had its day. It was slow as a sloth and as I’d insisted on building it myself, it was frankly a bit of a mess (code and I are not good friends). I wanted something … Read more
I’d been sitting with Anneena for an hour discussing everything from Frozen to the dangers of hiking drunk. She also told me she hopes to be a paediatrician when she grows up, but not a politician as they have a tendency to get shot. T he whole conversation was in English (including the word paediatrician) and at … Read more