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Despite it being a leap year, 2020 hasn't been a year where I've felt like leaping much, what with one thing and another. As such, my annual travel round-up post, where I highlight some of my favourite places for leaping that I've visited that year, has had a bit of a revamp. In January, I had seven international trips booked, but only completes one, to New York and Seattle , before the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the others. This year has been the longest I've been in the UK without leaving the country in two or three decades, and it's been hard not to miss the excitement of discovering new cities and countries, meeting new people and experiencing new cultures. But I have managed several smaller-scale adventures closer to home this year, and I thought this was a good opportunity to share a few stories. 1. Arriving in NYC in the 'before times' I spent a few days working in Manhattan before a conference in Seattle in early February, and in...

After many cold and rainy visits to Barmouth and Dolgellau, where the mountains of Snowdonia meet the west coast of North Wales, I've been rewarded with rather fine weather on my more   recent   trips . Last week's staycation was no exception, and it was warm and sunny — often simultaneously — for most of my short trip to join my parents at a cottage overlooking the Mawddach estuary. Mawddach moments Once again, we stayed at Aberamffra Cottage , on the edge of Barmouth, whose large balcony overlooking the Mawddach estuary — with views of the 19th century railway bridge and Cadair Idris — is a real gem. We spent plenty of time on the balcony, breakfasting, barbecuing and simply enjoying the panorama, especially during golden hour. Barmouth Bridge is a few minutes' walk away and we crossed it several times, both walking and running, in my case. Once you've crossed the bridge, you can join up with the Mawddach Trail , which takes you along the estuary to Dolgellau, with s...

As 2019 comes to a close, and a new year begins, it’s time for my annual round-up of my favourite five photos of the year that feature me jumping for joy in various locations. Regular readers will know that I use this post as a way of looking back on my travels throughout the year. And this year, I visited nine countries, including three that were new to me — Estonia (new), USA , Germany , Switzerland , Slovenia (new), Malaysia (new), Singapore , Spain and France. I also visited several major cities for the first time, including Chicago , Lausanne and Seville , while also returning to New York, Berlin and Cannes. I’m currently in the process of planning my foreign travel for next year, and torn between flying west and east for my main holiday. Stay tuned! 1. The bean leap — Chicago, USA By happy coincidence, most of my favourite leaps of the year featured lakes, or at least bodies of water. You might have to squint a bit to spot Lake Michigan in my photo in front of Cloud Gate, be...