A Visual Diary | Rome In Pictures

Rome, oh beautiful Rome! When am I going to visit again. I have neglected to post these pictures before because I thought I was going to do an extensive and detailed post but planning trips to Israel and an extensive tour around Southern Africa took over a lot of time. I did manage post about touring Rome through its fountains as well as my recent post on extending our Roman holiday with a visit to the Vatican City.

Rather than give you a top 10 places to see in Rome I thought to give you a tour of Rome through pictures and a mention of some of the places that we visiting during our stay in Rome. My advice is to definitely have a good pair of comfortable shoes as most of the exploration my boyfriend and I did was on foot. We took in views from the beautiful Parco Savello - Garden of Oranges. This place is a little tricky to get to but the effort is well worth the views. Perfectly lined tress, little benches and the beautiful fountains to take a little timeout from exploring the busy city.

Other places to add to the list are the Jewish Ghetto for a little interesting history as well as beautiful restaurants near by, Trastevere, Piazza Venezia and places like Villa Borghese which has musuems, a theatre, lake and beautiful gardens to explore. All this in addition to the usual tourist sites listed blow.

Interesting Places To Visit In Rome

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Visions of Wild Africa | Exploring Botswana's Okavanago Delta

Back in surroundings that allow you to hear that morning call from the birds chirping at the first signs of dawn. Surroundings unpolluted by urban comforts and as darkness gives way to night allow you to have stars twinkle at you and it's as if the world suddenly melts away with sweet nothings whispered from a lovers lips and like romantic rhythms, perfectly received to your ears. Being at one with nature and back to basics of appreciating the peace and quiet offered by being in the middle of nowhere is one of life's luxuries in the world we live today. Memories of my trip to Botswana last October were just that,...moments of blissful pleasure being back in familiar surroundings. My boyfriend and I had the pleasure of crossing no man's land on foot; Kazungula. This is a small area of land between Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia where we crossed over from Zambia into Botswana by a small ferry. Our Safari journey was to start from right there on the boarder crossing into Kasane, Botswana. As you drive away from the boarder you can spot many elephants in the dried fields. We were in Kasane for 2 days but managed to spot elephants, monkeys, hippos, baboons all without getting on a typical African safari ride.

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London | 10 Things To Do In Greenwich Village

Since moving from Greenwich and into central London I don't really visit this part of London so much, but when the sun is out in London Greenwich is the place to be. Think views across the town, beautiful park, bustling restaurants with river views and historical buildings beaming with charm that you will want to spend a full day here. Just bring a picnic basket and find a spot on the green. Most poeple when visiting London only concentrate on the London Eye, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, St Pauls and a few other place that they few are the perfect tourist spots to hit up. That goes for other Londoners too, if you havent been to Greenwich, or Greenwich Village as its called now, then you need to check it out.

I thought I would put together  a 10 things to do in Greenwich Village. Other than getting yourselves food most things to see and do in this part are all free. 

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London's Best Roof Top Bars

"Lets face it, this is London. When the weather is this good its time to celebrate"

Summer in London is known for being sketchy so when the sun is out it's time to kick your shoes of, put on some sandals and head for London's best roof top bars. While my sisters were visiting from the USA I managed to take them to a few of them as we hadn't managed to explore them on there last visit. One of those was Vista Bar in Trafalgar Square. Sits on top of Trafalgar Hotel with views across Westminster, London's theatre district and of course watching the hustle and bustle of Trafalgar Square. Great cocktails with prices that won't make your eyes water are just what was ordered.

As we are right in the middle of summer(not judging by this week's weather), I thought I would show you some of the places locals hang out in, in the city. These places also offer some of the best views of the city without paying extra to get in. Others not listed at the Elizabeth Hall on Southbank, London's Sky Garden and the Shard as well as a for more slight further out of central London. You can check out my post on views from across St Paul's Cathedral with 5 top places to watch the sunset over London's skyline.

Vista Bar, The Trafalgar Hotel, 2 Spring Gardens, Trafalgar Square, SW1A 2TS. (Pictures below)

Sushisamba -  London's highest roof terrace. Open all year round at Heron Tower in Liverpool Street. Very popular with professionals, so expect a waiting list or queues. The terrace’s point of focus is a tree sculpture with pretty orange leaves that sparkle when lit up after sunset. Cocktail prices are also not for the faint hearted but the amazing views more than make up for the prices. The lift ride up there is worth a go in itself any time of day, although I prefer it at night.

110 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AY

Aqua - Open all year round and offers the perfect spot for watching the sunset with a cool drink in hand and interesting conversations with friends.

5th Floor, 30 Argyll Street, London, W1F 7EB 

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Vatican City - 5 Tips For Visiting The Vatican City In 24 Hours

It's shameful how long its taken to get these pictures on the blog, but when you work full-time and are constantly in the clouds wanderlusting about the next travel experience, writing and editing pictures tends to be slower than I would like. Although, it's better late than never, right? I think this is the only year in the past 5-7 years that I have not been to Italy. I am hoping not to break that cycle by adding a weekend trip to Italy soon so I will be open to your suggestions on where in Italy is good for a short weekend break from London. You can check out my posts on recent trips to Italian cities like Venice, Milan, Pisa, Verona, Rome and my absolute favourite, Lake Garda. Lake Garda is one of the biggest lakes in Italy with many beautiful towns around it. Worth a visit if you haven't been.

When my boyfriend an I visited the Vatican, over a year now, it was just a few days before Pope Francis' was announced as Pope. So you can just imagine how busy St Peter's Basilica and St Peter's Square were but in all its commotion with sightseers, news reporters, and crowds of believers all congregating in the streets, there was a certain spiritual calmness to this micro-nation.  So small is the Vatican City that you can get away with not planning anything to do in particular and still be able to cover most of the independent papal state in one day.

There are plenty of little cafes, bars and restaurants to stop over and have mini-breaks from exploring the Vatican City so there is no need for me to recommend any as most of the ones we stopped at had great food and wine selections. So I thought instead to give you 5 spots or things to make sure you not to miss out on. Also worth pointing out that you should check when and if the Sistine Chapel is open during your visit as sadly this is the one thing we missed out on, on our visit. Then again this is another reason for my partner in crime and I to visit the Vatican City again.

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A Stay At Zambia's Hotel Overlooking the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls + [Packing Tips For An Exotic Vacation]

Summer is here, although that might be a little hard to believe if you are in London. I don't know about you but the months of July and August usually conjure up thoughts of breezy beach fronts surrounded by picturesque sunsets as you chill and just let the sound of the water nearby sooth your soul. Perhaps a glass of wine around, an open wood burning fire and grill. Star gazing in the outdoors with a touch of rustic charm as you melt in pure luxe and relaxation or maybe an exotic vacation with a promise of sun-soaked adventures; The very remnants of my jaunt at Royal Livingstone Hotel. Architecture that speaks of its colonial past, wildlife roaming the grounds and large verandas with a good spread of relaxation areas.

Sitting on the edge of the Victoria Falls is a truly amazing experience to have and having a view of that same river that feeds that Victoria Falls is another experience one should add to that experience. All that and more are just some of the adventures up on offer when staying at Royal Livingstone Hotel(For a full list of places to stay in Livingstone have a look at this list of hotels). I have always found vacations set near the waterside to have a sort of spiritual renewal effect on me, very calming. The views from the patios of Royal Livingstone hotel are just pure delight. You can actually see the mist created from the falls without leaving the sun lounger. The same mist that can be seen some 30 miles away from the falls, in high season. That should give you some idea of the sheer volume of water falling over the 100 meter cravis of Victoria Falls.

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