Being an ardent traveller myself, I was naturally impatient to step out upon the journeys of my ‘passionate travellers’. But self-discipline was necessary. Though in many cases I was already familiar with the landscapes they traversed, before describing their incredible
Travel Snacks of the Past
As we tuck a packet of nuts and raisins, a chewy bar or a handful of dried fruit into our pocket before a journey, we follow an ancient tradition of travellers. But they had more need of it than most
Fleas, Bedbugs and Other Travelling Companions
Fleas, Bedbugs and Other Travelling Companions When one of my ‘passionate travellers’, the great essayist and philosopher, Michel de Montaigne, toured Italy in 1580, he found Florence inhospitable: “I was forced to sleep at night on the dining room table,
Why I Wrote Passionate Travellers
Exciting times! Passionate Travellers: Around the World on 21 Incredible Journeys in History was released on 28 April and is available in paperback and digital editions from all major online retailers, and can be ordered from your local bookshops in
Powerful Women: From Fiction to Fact
The world is happy to celebrate powerful women – as long as they are fictional. From the Greeks’ mythical Amazons and the Valkyries of Icelandic sagas, to Wonder Woman striding heroically across our cinema screens, powerful women are the stuff