How to stay safe while travelling in Egypt

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 29th March 2014:

Luxor Temple

Since the events at Tahrir Square, many tourists have been reluctant to travel to Egypt. Each time a new incident arises, tentative travellers would cancel their plans with renewed concerns. The result has seen the country’s visitor numbers fall by some 90%.

With international press holding a dim view of safety in the country, Egypt’s Minister of Tourism Hisham Zaazou has even spoke of promoting Egypt without Cairo.

But is Egypt too dangerous to travel to? And how can you stay safe whilst there?

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A perfect weekend in Florence

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 12th March 2014:

Florence

Many years ago when I went on my first holiday as an young adult, paid for with money earned from my first part-time job, I opted for Italy. At the time I was very much in love with Italian food, though admittedly didn’t really know anything about it.

My journey took me to Rome, Sorrento, Amalfi and was due to finish in Florence but a last minute change of plans meant that I never quite made it.

Over the years, work took me to increasingly far flung destinations like Lebanon, Dominican Republic and Tunisia. Florence, at a stone’s throw away, just sort of fell off the radar.

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Tuscany’s “emerging terroirs” – the new wine regions to look out for

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 28th February 2014:

Chianti Classico wines

When it comes to Tuscan wines, everyone has heard of Chianti. The big, bold and characterful Italian reds are known for their cherry and violet flavours as well as bags of acidity and tannins. What you probably didn’t know is that the region of Chianti is also split down into sub-regions such as Chianti Classico and Chianti Ruffina.

The latter is one of the regions that the Tuscan wine consortium is promoting as an emerging terroir.

Unveiled at Anteprima di Toscana recently, the emerging terroirs are intended to showcase what the region could achieve and help consumers look beyond the Super Tuscans that became infamous in the 70s and 80s.

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Ceredigion, a hidden gem in the heart of Wales

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 24th February 2014:

Welsh sheep

If you’ve ever craved a simpler way of life, Ceredigion is the place to go. It’s not the land of the digital detox, or that things are positively stone age; it’s just that in Ceredigion, the cottage industry is king.

All over the county are small producers – often husband and wife teams, sometimes their children too – setting up shop in their homes and living off the land as small holders. Last year, Jenny Davies, owner of the Llwynhelyg Farm Shop, gathered together a few of these producers to create a Welsh food trail.

Just by visiting a few producers, you get a real sense of how wholesome food used to be – as I found out during my recent visit.

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A wine and truffle tour of Bergerac

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 13th February 2014:

Château Thénac, Bergerac

If there were ever a group of people who talked more about the weather than the British, it would be the Bergeracois. And yet, as a region, Bergerac is as French as they come.

Located to the east of Bordeaux, Bergerac is often considered the lesser known cousin of the infamous wine region. For those in the know, Bergerac was the place to buy Bordeaux-style wines but at a significantly better price.

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