Category Archives: Travel

Things Can Only Get Feta: Two journalists and their crazy dog living through the Greek crisis (The Peloponnese Series Book 1) by Marjory McGinn @fatgreekodyssey #Memoir #TuesdayBookBlog

Posted in Book Review, Humour, Memoir, Travel by

51WjoOjRyYL._SX349_BO1,204,203,200_Author: Marjory McGinn

Published: 2nd Edition ~ February 2015 by Pelagos Press

Category: Memoir, Travel, Humour, Book Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

After an Arctic winter, a British recession, and a downturn in the newspaper industry, two journalists and their dog embark on an adventure in the wild and beautiful southern Peloponnese. A perfect plan, except for one thing – Greece is deep in economic crisis. And if fiscal failure can’t overturn the couple’s escapade in rural Greece, perhaps macabre local customs, a scorpion invasion, zero dog-tolerance, health scares, and touchy expats will.

Marjory McGinn and her husband Jim, along with their manic (but loveable) Jack Russell, Wallace, decided to escape the British recession and relocate to Greece, despite the financial crisis and repercussions, leaving behind their Scottish village and one of the coldest winters in years. Having spent many holidays in Greece, they chose the hill village of Megali Mantineia in the Mani region as their home for the following twelve months. 

Continue reading →

Please Don’t Ask For Extra Glasses: Your Camels Are Here Book 2 by @barbtaub Jayalakshmi Ayyer & Janine Smith #TravelMemoir #India

Posted in Book Review, Memoir, Travel by

519xrQZXm2LAuthor: Barb Taub

Photography by Jayalakshmi Ayyer and Janine Smith

Independently Published: February 2021

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Guess what India? We’re baaack! After our travel adventures the year before in which none of us technically died—although there were times it seemed like an attractive option—my two long-suffering travel companions, Jaya and Janine, actually agreed to another India trip. This time, we chose Rajasthan as a destination, mostly in hopes it would be as far as possible from people who might remember us from last year.Join us as we crash a wedding our first night, fall victim to an ancient curse, ride camels across a desert and elephants up a mountain—and eat our way across Rajasthan in the process.

Our adventurous trio (Barb from Scotland, Janine from Washington DC and Jaya from India) first made an appearance in Do Not Wash Hands in Plates when they decided to (try and) coordinate their outward journeys and meet at an airport in India. This time however, the get together was looking as though it might not happen when beaurocracy meant Janine’s visa was delayed…and delayed…and delayed some more, eventually necessitating an e-visa just in time for her flight. 

Continue reading →

#ThrowbackThursday ~ Do Not Wash Hands In Plates ~ by @barbtaub #Travel #Memoir #Humour

Posted in Book Review, Books, Humour, Memoir, Throwback Thursday, Travel by

Renee at It’s Book Talk began this meme as a way to share old favourites, as well as books that were published over a year ago. Not to mention those that are languishing on the to be read pile for whatever reason.

I knew I would enjoy this, having read the hilarious posts on Barb’s blog during her travels. I wasn’t wrong. It’s a quick, but very funny, read at less than 100 pages and was published in January 2016. Continue reading →

Walking the Belgian Promenade ~ Menai Strait #Anglesey #Photography #SundayBlogShare

Posted in Photography, Places, Travel by

The Belgian Promenade is so named because it was built by Belgian war refugees. More than sixty refugees, men, women and children, fleeing their German occupied home town of Mechelen arrived on Anglesey towards the end of 1914. They showed their appreciation for the help, accommodation and welcome provided by the local people by building the promenade, which was finished in 1916. The pathway follows the Menai Strait from the town of Menai Bridge to Church Island, as shown on Google Earth.

menai-strait Continue reading →

Do Not Wash Hands In Plates ~ by @barbtaub #Travel #Memoir #Humour #SundayBlogShare

Posted in Humour, Memoir, Travel by
  • PlatesAuthor: Barb Taub
  • Photography: Jayalakshmi Ayyer/Janine Smith
  • Category: Travel, Memoir, Humour
  • five-stars

Once upon the Land Before Time (or at least before mobile phones), my two best friends and I decided to leave the US from separate locations and meet up in Europe. To everyone’s shock, Janine, Jaya and I pulled it off—mostly because we went to Luxembourg, a country so small the odds in favor of chance street encounters were almost 100%, but also because Jaya was carrying the BS, a blue suitcase so enormous it took up approximately a third of the country’s square footage and was visible on satellite images. We couldn’t possibly miss.

Jpeg

Barb, Janine and Jaya decided to arrange another get together and chose to meet in India. Barb was travelling from Scotland, Janine from Washington DC and Jaya, who lives in India, would meet them at the airport. A recipe for disaster? But no, they hooked up without too many problems. There follows a hilarious account of an Indian trip of a lifetime, which includes delicious food, wonderful attractions, food, temples, more food, Dehli belly, Indian medicines, lots of food and death-defying driving, to spotlight just a few features. You’ll notice food is the most predominant. As Barb explains ‘I was in India, and it could only mean one thing. Soon it would be time to eat again.’ Continue reading →