Born in Wiltshire, England, in 1963, I studied geography at Cambridge University. I took a course in magazine journalism after university, working as a journalist and in public relations before deciding to go freelance in 2000. I now work as a feature writer and book author, photographer, editor, PR consultant and copywriter.

I speak French and Spanish but my strongest foreign language is German; I attend classes at the Goethe Institute in London and have developed a deep interest in the cinema, politics, history and culture of the German-speaking world. I passed the Zentralemittelstufenprüfung exam in 2004.

As a travel writer I specialise mainly in European travel, often focusing on strongly artistic, historical or cultural themes, particularly in southern, Central and Eastern Europe. A confident and experienced cook, I take a strong interest in the food and wine of the countries I visit. Since 2000 I have also written about restaurants and bars in London.