JANUARY 2012
My friend and fellow travel writer, Caroline Sylger Jones has recently republished my account of a retreat in the Sinai Desert with the Makhad Trust in her lovely blog, Queen of Retreats. This article was first published in Resurgence magazine and I’ve since written two more stories for them, on Bardsey Island and walking in Palestine. I first met Caroline on a press trip to the Maldives in 2004, and whilst I’ve gone on to concentrate on writing about the Middle East, she has carved a name for herself as a bit of a guru on retreats, spas and healthy holidays. As well as her blog she writes guide books and travel pieces for the national press.
NOVEMBER 2011
I was very pleased to have been shortlisted for the recent Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards at the World Travel Market 2011. The award, which went to green tourism writer Catherine Mack for her piece on water issues in the tourism industry, was for ‘best in responsible tourism writing’. I was ‘highly commended’ (i.e. second) for my story in the Observer about Sicily’s first eco-village – and I received a nice framed certificate to prove it!
OCTOBER 2010
At the annual Silk Road Festival, organised by the Syrian ministry of tourism, I was very honoured to be awarded for my contribution to Syrian tourism for my writing on the country over the past few years. The presentation (along with other similar awards) was made at the opening ceremony of the Silk Road Festival in a magnificent setting outside Aleppo’s medieval citadel. You might just be able to make me out on the stage – the only woman in the line-up (apart from the presenter, that is).
Receiving my award at Syria's 2010 Silk Road Festival
