Izvorovo is the small historic village in southern Bulgaria that I currently call home (for now). Tucked into the fertile Thracian lowlands and the gentle foothills of the Sredna Gora mountains, it’s a place where rural traditions still breathe easily. Chickens outnumber cars, gardens are serious business, and the local community hall keeps cultural traditions…
Three of the absolute cutest dogs have officially stolen my heart — Dad, daughter and Mum … Charlie, Ruby and Pixie. If this is the welcoming committee, I’d say the next three weeks are shaping up beautifully already. Jane flies out tonight to Egypt, with a little stopover in Turkey to keep things interesting. Some…
Feeling a little tender this morning as I gaze out the plane window, waiting for the last passengers to board. Just like that, my Turkish chapter is almost closed. This journey through Turkey has been a beautiful blend of learning, understanding, joy, and deep gratitude — especially for the hospitality, which truly feels endless. Tea…
Well, we squeezed in two more solid days in the field — and I’m so glad we did! There’s something deeply satisfying about finishing up muddy, rosy-cheeked, and feeling like you’ve properly earned your dinner. But today? A brisk 2 degrees, with snow-rain falling steadily from the sky as if winter wanted the final word.…
Rain, rain… and now snow is predicted. Perfect timing, of course! After two solid days in the fields, I’ve been busy weeding garden beds ready for vegetables and cutting branches and suckers into neat little piles for firewood and compost. It’s honest, satisfying work — the kind where you fall into bed happily tired and…
What an amazing morning spent with the wonderful ladies at the co-op! A room full of talent across all ages — some threading beads with laser focus, others knitting, painting, shaping pottery, working the loom, or cleverly transforming tired old clothes and upholstery fabric into something completely new and fabulous. It’s more than just a…
One of the most memorable places I visited in Ankara was Anıtkabir, the grand resting place of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of modern Turkey.And when I say grand… I mean grand. This isn’t just a mausoleum — it’s a vast ceremonial complex complete with statues, sweeping courtyards, a long ceremonial road, and a museum filled…
Breakfast today came with theatre — and its name was kuymak. A Trabzon classic made from cornflour, butter, local stringy cheese, water and a sprinkle of salt. That’s it. Five humble ingredients… and somehow it turns into a bubbling pan of golden happiness. You dip your toast in and lift — slowly — as the…
Travelling through Turkey, it’s easy to think hazelnuts are just another tasty snack — until you realise they’re part of a story thousands of years old. Native to Anatolia, hazelnuts were being traded here as early as ~2000–1700 BC, long before modern roads, borders, or supermarkets even existed. As you move north toward the lush…
As this new adventure begins, I’m feeling pretty grateful. Nuri, my Turkish host, and Jan, a German Workawayer, picked me up from the airport and took me straight up to Boztepe Hill for incredible city views, that was being enjoyed by others having a Turkish Tea experience. We then wandered through the Grand Bazaar, with…