We’d decided that we’d missed our window to explore the islands off the mainland—something better suited for spring or autumn. So, after quite a bit of deliberation, we chose to stay closer to the mainland and head west along the coast into the Peloponnese. Inspired in part by Race Around the World (which we’d watched back in the UK), and with help from our new host, we made our way across town to the bus station to catch what turned out to be a very comfortable two-and-a-half-hour ride. The journey followed mostly empty freeways that hugged the coastline, and thanks to the help of another passenger, we even managed to get the driver to drop us off at the top of the road where we were staying.

Xiropigado is a small coastal village of about 360 people, perched on the western edge of the Peloponnese, roughly 150 kilometers from Athens. Like the rest of the village, our apartment is built into the eastern slope of Mount Zavista, and we’re only about a 50-meter walk from the sea!

There are a couple of small markets in town, each selling local fruit and vegetables, yogurt, cheeses, and just about everything else we needed. Along the little port area, there are a few restaurants—and that’s about it. It’s quiet, local, and exactly what we were looking for.

We found a lovely little swimming spot, and over time, we were welcomed by the older locals who come down early each day for a dip. They’ve been eager to practice their English and exchange Greek phrases and local insights with us in return. It’s been a really warm and genuine experience.

There’s so much to see in the Peloponnese, but we’d already been in Xiropigado for nearly two weeks before we managed to secure a rental car from the neighboring town of Astros. That allowed us to begin exploring on weekends.

Our first stop was Nafplio, located on the eastern side of the peninsula. When Greece became an independent state in the early 1820s, Nafplio was its first capital. But for me, it’s the old Venetian architecture that holds the most charm—its piazzas and historic buildings watched over by not one but two impressive fortresses clinging to the hills above. There’s even a small Venetian fortress, Bourtzi, sitting in the middle of the harbor, which only adds to the fairytale feel of the town.

We explored the cobbled streets and stopped in at a restaurant we’d had our eye on earlier—it didn’t disappoint.

Next, we visited Epidaurus, located in the northeastern Peloponnese and surrounded by towering spruce-covered hills. The ancient theater there is still used today for performances and is renowned for its acoustics. Epidaurus was one of the earliest examples of a healing center, operating for over a thousand years and even employing early forms of anesthesia. Unsurprisingly, it’s closely linked to Asclepius, the Greek god of health.

https://www.airbnb.com/l/YR0emh4n

We were certainly exploring the city—our average step count was nearly 20,000 steps a day. With temperatures in the mid-30s, it wasn’t always easy, but we were all really enjoying ourselves. We’ve always found the Greeks to be warm and welcoming, and Athens was no exception.

We spent time wandering through the historic sites around the Acropolis, taking in sweeping views of the sprawling city and the sea beyond. One afternoon, we decided to take the city tram to visit Lake Vouliagmeni. City trams are always a great way to see the real side of a place—far from the usual tourist hubs. This one took us from the city center, through busy neighborhoods, down to the port, and eventually, after switching lines, along the coast as far as the tram would go. From there, we hopped in an Uber.

There’s an entrance fee to access this natural thermal spa, where loungers and cabanas sit neatly in the shade around the lake’s edge. The setting had a distinctly high-end feel—unsurprising with a Four Seasons just around the corner—but more importantly for us, it still felt relaxed and welcoming. The lake, fed by both the sea and an underground spring filtered through a complex cave system, felt strangely therapeutic. It was the perfect, peaceful way to spend an afternoon.

Later, we ate at one of the bustling seafood restaurants farther down the coast before heading back to the apartment, where even Christien had run out of energy. Rachel and I had been running on fumes, so we were grateful for a quiet evening chatting at home.

Christien had a lunchtime flight the next day, but not before a final stroll through the weekly market followed by another exceptional breakfast—yet another spot he had picked. He’s 4–0 on restaurants this trip; every one of his choices has been excellent!

The rest of the week after Christien’s departure was fairly low-key. There’s always a bit of a hollow feeling when friends and family leave. We didn’t make it to the Ancient Agora right away—after another long day of “temple running,” a shaded spot for drinks and people-watching won out.

But the following weekend, after more trekking through the city’s open-air museum, we finally made our way to what was once the heart of the ancient city, with its parliament, bank, and civic center. From a distance, we had spotted the Stoa of Attalus—a long, rectangular building—and up close, it was even more impressive. Once a marketplace and social hub, its side rooms would have housed artisan shops, essentially an early version of a shopping mall. Today, it serves as an important museum.

As we walked around the site, we got a strong sense of what life might have been like back then. Towering above it all is the Temple of Hephaestus, perched on a high point overlooking the city—a beautiful structure, solemn and enduring.

There’s so much to like about this city. We loved being able to walk freely, discovering new layers each day. Athens felt genuinely welcoming—but then again, we’ve always found Greece to be like that.

It was an earlish start for us, with a pickup at 5:00 a.m. Although we’d booked a taxi, we both agreed our driver seemed more suited to robbing banks. He was fast—getting us to Stansted in about an hour, the drive just a blur.

We thought that by taking a weekend flight, the airport wouldn’t be too busy. We were wrong—it was rammed! On this occasion, I was glad we’d arrived early. The flight to Athens took about three and a half hours, and we touched down in the Greek capital around 1:30 p.m. (GMT+2). After clearing customs and collecting our suitcase, we met the driver our hosts had arranged to take us to the apartment.

It’s always great when you get a driver willing to share a local take on things that fall outside the tourist radar.

We’d booked our apartment last minute—which, nearly four years into this adventure, no longer feels scary like it used to. In fact, it seems to work well for us now. We chose this apartment because it was right in the heart of the action, with all the attractions, great restaurants, and coffee shops within walking distance.

What struck us first was how green the city is. Yes, like many cities we’ve visited, Athens has its share of “brutish” concrete apartment buildings, but here they somehow fade into the background.

We quickly settled into a routine. After our morning exercise, we’d head to the National Gardens, which sit opposite the Presidential Palace. It’s a beautiful way to start the day, and crucially, the gardens are shaded by a canopy of magnificent old trees—especially important as Athens is currently in the middle of a heatwave. As you walk through, you’re serenaded by a variety of birds, many of them part of the city’s thriving parakeet colony.

Christien flew in later that week for a long weekend, and together we set off to explore the city. With the heat, sightseeing is best done in the early morning or late afternoon. One evening, we wandered through quiet side streets toward the Acropolis. You can see it from almost anywhere in downtown Athens. It sits high on a plateau, glowing at night, but this particular afternoon it stood bold and golden against the cobalt sky.

I must admit, I expected the Acropolis site to be larger, but really, it’s all about the Parthenon. Built around 440 BC, like most significant buildings here, it was erected in tribute to Athena. Beside it is the Temple of Athena, and just along the fortified walls lies yet another ancient structure. Greek mythology was always my favorite subject in school, and I’d forgotten just how revered the goddess Athena was. I can’t think of another capital city where one individual is still held in such high esteem.

Christien had picked out a rooftop restaurant for dinner, which came with a welcome breeze and fantastic food.

We continued our tour of the historic sites, including the Acropolis Museum—an impressive modern building that took nearly a decade to complete. Its glass façade offers unobstructed views of the southern side of the Acropolis, and the building itself is constructed over an archaeological dig site. As one of the guides told us: “Wherever you dig in Athens, there’s a story beneath the ground.”

https://www.airbnb.com/l/O54SHgPV

Six weeks have just flown by.

I had to be in Guildford for a couple of weeks over Easter, and Rachel and Keith kindly invited us to base ourselves in Cobham. They have such a beautiful home and always make us feel so welcome.

We didn’t do too much eating out as we normally would. Instead, we enjoyed relaxed evenings at home, joining soirées with their friends—some we knew, some we didn’t. Christien popped over to see us, and we spent a lovely morning wandering around the splendid Painshill Park. Back in the day, it was apparently fashionable to hire a hermit to live in the park as an attraction, which made us all chuckle—especially when we learned he was eventually fired for spending too much time in the pub.

It was all great fun, as usual, and it’s always tough to leave while also trying not to overstay our welcome.

Back in Hartford, we knew there was always something needing attention. The first few weeks were spent tackling the garden. I’m an outdoorsy person, so although it can be quite arduous, I really enjoy adding new plants and replacing some of the old. Mum loves her garden, and we wanted to leave her with a space she can enjoy with her friends over the summer.

After removing the old greenhouse—Dad’s lab, really, but not a place Mum spent much time—we decided it should go to someone who would bring it back to life. So Jon and I, with Rachel’s oversight, packed it into a van Jon had borrowed and took it back to Braintree, where an excited, green-fingered Jo was ready to take charge.

The shed also needed replacing, so that was next on the list. We had planned to be on our way, but we’d been talking about painting the hallway (up and down) for a while. Somehow, we experienced a bit of “scope creep” and ended up having most of the inside of the house painted—something that took a team of three painters working nine hours a day for fourteen days to complete.

Although it seemed like a great idea beforehand, it quickly became an ordeal. We were all squeezed into a couple of rooms, with Mum and me at each other’s throats, and Rachel—as usual—skillfully playing peacemaker. It was all down to me being incredibly unreasonable, feeling like we’d disrupted Mum’s life too much with all the changes.

It was time to disappear.

The Valley of the Nobles might not be quite as impressive as the Valley of the Kings, where the detail and finish on each of the mausoleums are truly remarkable, but it offers a unique and fascinating experience of its own. Situated on the other side of the same limestone mountains as the Valley of the Kings, it almost feels like there could be some hidden tunnel connecting the two sites. This particular necropolis is dedicated to the nobles, those key figures who created, ran, and oversaw the administration of ancient Thebes. These individuals were highly respected by the Pharaohs and revered by the masses, making this their final resting place.

Unlike the more tourist-heavy sites, the Valley of the Nobles isn’t on the main tourist route, so we were able to explore it at our own pace. After some haggling with our guide to visit the specific tombs we were interested in, we set off. The tombs here were smaller and lacked the smooth finishes seen in the Pharaohs’ tombs. The entrances and the stairs descending to the tombs were cramped and heavily chiseled, leading to small, humble rooms. Yet, the rooms were beautifully decorated, as if hand-painted, and the artwork was incredibly well-preserved. In my opinion, the tombs of the Nobles were even more intriguing than those of the Kings.

Next, we made our way to the Medinet Habu Temple, another underappreciated ancient site. Built during the New Kingdom period over 3,200 years ago, this temple is exceptionally well-preserved, particularly the vibrant colours that still adorn some of the pillars and ceilings. As I walked through these incredible temples, admiring the architecture, I was once again struck by the complexity of it all. How did they design something so grand and perfectly symmetrical? It’s hard to believe that the incredible precision could have been achieved by ordinary humans, back then, or even today.

Our final adventure was a sunset cruise along the Nile. Well, without much wind, it was more of a tow across to Banana Island, where Mohammed took us through some of the older backstreets. There, we glimpsed the charming simplicity of life, with small businesses tucked into doorways and donkeys munching contentedly on bales of hay. Luxor is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, and the cruise offered a perfect view of this bustling, ancient place.

Back in the felucca, the wind had picked up slightly, which made the journey back more interesting. The small wooden boats with their tall, drooping sails moved gently along the Nile as the sun slowly sank toward the horizon, casting a golden hue over the water. It was the perfect end to our time in this magical city.

On our way to dinner at one of Mohammed’s top recommendations, we had the opportunity to buy tickets for the evening’s light show at the Temple of Karnak, which included a narrative of the temple’s history a show that Mohammed highly recommended. So, after a delicious early dinner at a popular restaurant, we made our way through the bustling night streets. What followed turned out to be a rather unique driving experience.

Driving during the day, when traffic wasn’t too bad, I had accepted that the rules of the road much like the Arabic language were beyond my comprehension. But at night, after the heat of the day, the colourful streets really came to life. It became immediately apparent that no cars had their headlights on. Instead, drivers would only use their lights to communicate with oncoming vehicles. At first, this was unnerving, but it seemed to work. Once I accepted it, it became pretty entertaining.

We arrived just after 7:30 PM at the Karnak Temple, which dates back to around 2055 BC and was continuously expanded over a 1,500-year period. It is the second-largest temple in the world, after Angkor Wat, and is visited by millions of tourists every year. After passing through security, we made our way toward the entrance and were delighted to find that there weren’t too many people there with the same idea.

For me, this is one of those places where my mind seems suspended in time. As I look around, I’m not just processing what I immediately see, but also trying to imagine how it must have looked back in the day. The music and lights were perfectly coordinated, illuminating only the parts of the temple relevant to the story. The sound boomed, and the voices remarkably resembling Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor brought the history of the place to life. The tour lasted about an hour and provided a fantastic introduction to this awe-inspiring location, all set against the backdrop of a stunning starry night sky.

The following morning, we returned around 9:00 AM—slightly later than planned, but it had been a late night. The temperature was already around 30°C, and since it had been hovering around 40°C most days, we usually sought shade by late morning. The daylight gave us a more detailed view of the ram sphinxes that flanked either side of the path leading up to the carved entrance walls, which were adorned with scenes of Ramesses II worshiping the gods.

Once through the entrance, we were greeted by the towering rows of pylons in the Hypostyle Hall, stretching up into the sky. Each pylon was covered in intricate drawings and hieroglyphics, depicting past pharaohs’ glorious battles, opulent lifestyles, and their relationships with gods and their subordinates.

There was so much to see over an area covering more than 200 acres, including multiple smaller temples, mausoleums with intricately decorated chambers, each telling its own story, and even a ceremonial lake. We’ve explored many ancient sites during our travels, but this one is by far the oldest and largest. We spent the morning in awe of this incredible place, absorbing every detail, until the heat became too intense to continue.

We were up early for a 04:15 AM rendezvous with the “Royal Air” ballooning team at the hotel. From there, we headed downtown to the dock to catch a water taxi, which felt a bit like an assault course. We clambered across and through several boats before finally settling into one with ornate decorations and carpeted seats. Once on board, we waited for several boats ahead of us to head out before it was our turn for the short hop across the river from the East Bank to the West Bank.

At the dock, there must have been at least 70 mini cabs randomly parked, waiting for the armada of small boats to make their way across the water. It was at this point that I understood why we had had to give our passport details. This was a proper military maneuver, with hundreds of people being bundled into their respective taxis. We were shuffled from one taxi to another, eventually making our way to the West Bank port. When the port gates finally opened, it felt like something straight out of a movie—It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World instantly came to mind. All the minivans charged through the gates, squeezing through smaller streets toward the balloon launch site. It was chaotic, but brilliant!

Preparing the balloons was just as exciting. At first, it seemed calm, but then there was a mad scramble to bring each balloon to life before the sunrise. Apparently, there were around 70 balloons in the area, all working frantically to inflate and get them airborne. We were ushered toward our balloon, where our pilot, dressed in his flight liveries, greeted us. After a quick safety talk, we were weighed, and our party of 12 to 15 was strategically placed inside the basket.

The basket gently lifted off the ground as the ground crew held the guide ropes before releasing us into the sky. Apart from the gas burners keeping the balloon steady, everything was incredibly still, and the beauty of what lay around us took center stage. To the left, we could see the mountain range, where the open tombs of the Valley of the Nobles and the pillared façade of the Temple of Hatshepsut stood stunningly against the morning sky. In the middle ground, there were neatly laid-out fields of corn and barley, interlaced with deliberately half-finished houses (always ready for an additional floor). Beyond that, the stillness of the Nile unfolded with little scenes playing out as far as the eye could see.

We were airborne for about an hour, soaking in the surreal views, before our skillful pilot made a graceful descent into the waiting ground crew. They expertly maneuvered us through walkways between fields to a small track. What a fantastic way to start a day!

Mum and I had been wanting to visit Egypt for quite some time after reading a fictional Nile based series, by Wilbur Smith, that we both really enjoyed. Since then, we’ve been trying to make the trip work. We had also planned to spend a few days in Cairo to visit the new museum, but unfortunately, it won’t be fully open until later this year, so we’ll wait. After a smooth drive from Cambridge to Gatwick, we checked in and boarded our flight, which, after 5 hours and 30 minutes, landed us in Luxor.

We’d been to Egypt before, but this was our first glimpse of the Nile. As we flew over the vast arid desert landscape, one of the driest places on earth, it was incredible to see the sudden transformation as we approached the Nile, with lush green fields and thriving crops on either side of the world’s longest river, stretching from central Africa to the Mediterranean. It was truly magical.

I had messaged our driver to let him know we’d landed, and he was there waiting for us as we exited the airport. Egypt is one of those places where it’s not just about what you know, but who you know first—and then what you know. About 10 minutes after meeting Mohammed, who seemed to know everyone, I knew that he and his taxi (number 430) were our team for the duration. By the time he dropped us off at our hotel, we had already sketched out a plan for what we would see while we were there.

Mohammed arrived at our hotel at 8:00 am, and off we went from the East Bank to the West Bank, where most of the ancient attractions are located. It was about a 20-minute drive to the Valley of the Kings, our first stop. The Valley is the burial site of nearly all the kings (pharaohs) of the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties (1539–1075 BCE), including Thutmose I to Ramses X. Since we were early, there weren’t too many people there, and we spent a couple of hours wandering around the necropolis. The deep steps that led to long walkways and burial chambers, with hieroglyphics and intricately carved figures in vibrant colours, were remarkably well-preserved after thousands of years. So far They have uncovered 63 tombs, but the area looks as though it still holds more secrets.

Next, we visited the Hatshepsut Temple, just a short drive away. This temple was built by the first female pharaoh to honor one of the gods so that she would be remembered. I love buildings with a simple but impressive façade. What was also fascinating was that you could see the cuts in the surrounding mountains where the stones had been quarried to build the temple.

Our final stop before lunch was the Colossi of Memnon, two massive stone statues that stand about 60 feet high. These statues once guarded the entrance to a ruined necropolis. There’s currently a project underway to rebuild the site, but first, they have to find the missing stones.

The flight leaving Cape Town was an overnight one back to London, so we started the day as we had throughout our stay—by taking a long walk along Britannia Beach one last time. Afterward, we enjoyed a leisurely lunch back at the cottage before gathering our things and loading up the car for the final time. We then headed about 170 km south to the airport. After a reflective and incident-free journey of just under two hours, we handed the car back and made our way to the lounge before boarding the flight. Rachel managed to sleep most of the way… me, not so much.

Upon arrival in London, we were reunited with our one case (we’ve successfully transitioned to one medium-sized case and two cabin bags). We picked up the car, then made a visit to see Chris for a good catch-up while he worked his magic on us with haircuts. After that, we dropped in to see an old friend before heading to Cobham, where Rachel kindly allowed us to disrupt her life for a few days. I spent the day in Guildford while Rachel had a day at her office in Crowthorne.

Seb and Ally had rented a cottage for the weekend and invited Rachel, Mum, and me to spend the weekend with them in the Cotswolds, extra special for mum as she lived there before moving to Cambridge. We made our way across the country from Cambridge and arrived at Medlar Cottage in Daylesford Village. The village is privately owned and forms part of a collection of properties located within a two-mile radius of the Daylesford Organic Farm, which has won several awards and aims to become the world’s first fully self-sufficient farm.

After settling into the lovely little cottage, we got ready for dinner. We picked Seb up from a nearby train station, as he’d spent the day in London, and then headed to the Wild Rabbit in Kingham, where we were treated to a fantastic food experience. The service was a bit slow, but we all had plenty to talk about. Feeling pretty tired, we headed to bed early, knowing that little Arlo would be expecting a good walk and our undivided attention the next day.

After a hearty breakfast, we set off for a very eventful walk, where Ally, who had taken on the role of scout leader, guided us through what could only be described as a swamp. With none of the Cambridge crew wearing wellies, poor Seb had to play the part of packhorse, helping us through the deepest bits. Feeling that we’d certainly earned our lunch, we stopped at the famed Daylesford Farm Shop during our walk and enjoyed some delicious risotto.

There are some great restaurants in the Cotswolds, and particularly in this area. So, we decided on dinner at The Fox, which didn’t quite eclipse the previous night’s meal, but was still very good nonetheless. We were all checked out by 11:00 AM, and to top off the weekend, Christien drove down to meet us after arriving from Tokyo. As we walked Arlo, he had us all in stitches with his stories and escapades. After a lovely family lunch at the Farm Restaurant, which, again, was delicious, we all headed our separate ways, marking the end of another memorable family gathering.

After a good breakfast and a final stroll through the vineyard, we were ready to embark on the next leg of our journey. We had booked our next destination the night before, quite by chance. Rachel had painted me a picture of what she envisioned for our final stop, and since these adventures are all about living our best lives, we try not to compromise. With that said, we were close to having to compromise when, mysteriously, the perfect place appeared on Airbnb. After a tense booking process, standing on furniture and pleading with our sketchy WiFi to work, we finally secured the reservation.

Our next stop didn’t have the great fresh fruit, veg, and yoghurts that we had become so accustomed to, so we headed to Paarl, a place we had stopped at yesterday for some excellent coffee under the shade of a generous yellowwood tree. It was to be our final “Farmers Market” shop before making our way northwest to St Helena Bay. After about 160 km and just under 2 hours, we pulled up to our last 5-night stay.

Armed with detailed instructions, we arrived at our high-tech beach cottage, and I’m happy to say it was better than we had both imagined. The uninterrupted view across the Atlantic coastline was simply stunning—each time we looked out, there was something new to see. We planned to use our time here to unwind, as Rachel had been juggling a busy work schedule. Being early risers, getting up to meet the sunrise wasn’t an issue, and we were delighted to learn that this is the only place on the west coast of Africa where both the sun and the moon rise over the sea. We also seemed to be on the cormorant food run, where we were treated to thousands of these incredible birds flying just a couple of feet above the ocean early in the morning, returning at dusk each day. It’s a mesmerizing sight, watching them glide effortlessly over the water, hunting for their next meal.

Our host also has another property in a gated community on the beautiful Britannia Beach, with its flat, white sands. We chose it for our early morning walk, an 8 km round trip. What made it even more special was that it seemed to be a favorite spot for dolphins too. When the tide was out in the shallow bay, it felt like the dolphins were swimming alongside us.

We also took a trip into nearby Paternoster for lunch, where Rachel sampled the locally famed crawfish. Paternoster is one of the oldest fishing villages on the west coast of South Africa, known for its collection of whitewashed fishermen’s cottages and a lovely beach, though there isn’t much else. Despite its simplicity, it remains a big draw for visitors.

We haven’t done too much else, but it’s been a fantastic way to end our South African adventure.