I’m delighted to say that I’ve spent the last few months contributing articles about Shanghai to Culture Trip, a website that I’ve wanted to write for for a very long time! Working with the team over there was really interesting and I learnt a lot about their publishing process. I hope to keep writing for […]
Culture
Top free things to do in Shanghai

Shanghai might regularly top polls for being one of the most expensive cities in the world to live, but thanks to its abundance of reasonably priced hotels and cheap eats, coupled with many interesting and free things to do, it can be an inexpensive place to travel. SINGLES’ MARKET Every weekend amongst the leafy surroundings of […]
Why you should visit Suzhou’s classical gardens

I have lived in Suzhou for three years now and probably haven’t appreciated its famous gardens as I perhaps should have. All that changed, however, while I was researching this piece on what makes Suzhou’s classical gardens so special for Lonely Planet. [Suzhou’s] gardens reflect the profound metaphysical importance of natural beauty in Chinese culture in their […]
A journey through China’s glorious Gansu province

I wrote this piece for the November edition of THE ADDRESS magazine, a digital ‘coffee table’ publication for luxury real estate, food and travel. Read the original article. Glorious Gansu – at the centre of it all The province of Gansu may geographically be considered the centre of China, but culturally and historically the Chinese have long […]
I love China’s dancing grannies!

Over 110 million Chinese people are over 65 and retired, and many have taken to public square dancing: complete with boom boxes, routines, and noise complaints from grumpy hard-working people. I wrote about them for the website White Noise. Hip to be square – China’s dancing grannies It is evening in the city of Suzhou. […]
Sleeping under yak hair: life with Gansu’s Tibetan nomads

I wrote about my experiences of living with Gansu’s nomads for Lonely Planet, remembering the sights, sounds and smells of the grasslands and the yaks the nomads rely upon. Even though I only spent a short amount of time with them, it was amazing getting to know how people in this area of Gansu live. […]
A spring weekend in Danshan Chisui

This article originally appeared in the February 2015 edition of Ningbo Focus. Spring is just around the corner. Soon the weather will get warmer, the days longer, and trees all around Ningbo will erupt in displays of beautiful blossom. To truly appreciate this seasonal awakening you need to get out of the city and into […]