life as a writer Archives - Blethers from Afar

Pitch perfect: How to approach hotels and secure press stays as a travel blogger

As much as I love writing about travel, there’s a lot of misconceptions about what it takes to be a blogger. The line I hear most often is: “It must be nice getting all of those free holidays!”. Cue my resting...

The Simmer Dim: A Short Story by Izzy Gray

In 2020, lockdown hit, forcing us into our homes and taking away the usual travel opportunities. It's been a heartbreaking time for many reasons, but if there's one beacon of light to shine through the mire, f...

The Times It All Went Wrong: Take Two

Five years ago (...how?!) I shared an article called ‘The Times it All Went Wrong’, with the hope of showing the, erm, slightly less glamorous side of travelling. Surprisingly, it went down a storm. What do...

My Top Travel Experiences of 2018

As my pals down in Leith would say, 2018 has been a beezer of a year for travel. As well as several trips abroad, one of my missions for the year was to spend more time exploring my home country. Turns out, S...

How not to survive the Budapest metro: A tale of traveling ineptitude

It was a chilly Sunday night. The temperature had dipped below zero and the first flurry of snow had drifted down from the painted black sky, sending a ripple of excitement through the market-goers. The smell...

A Year in Travel: My Top Travel Experiences of 2017

2017 was a year of firsts for me; the first time I had the confidence to travel alone; the first time I visited mainland Spain; the first time I got trapped on a metro at night...oh wait, we're not talking abou...

Conquering Rome Alone: A First Step into the World of Solo Travel

"Get in the car." And with those four words, the conversation had changed. His eyes narrowed. His hand, which had once held mine in a friendly shake, now closed around my wrist. I tried to pull back but his...

Lost for words on the banks of the Liffey: How Dublin saved me from writer’s block

"So this is where the magic happens..." It was the first thought to pass through my mind in what felt like a very long time. Even I was taken back by the satirical tone of my subconscious self. I had just be...

My ill-fated voyage into the Ionian Sea: A Greek misadventure by Izzy Gray

I closed my eyes as another cast of spray came in from the North, slicing across the right side of my body like a barbed tentacle.  I spluttered, the taste of salt hot upon my tongue.  The plastic deck chair, w...

A Literary Tour of Paris

There are few cities I know which could be as inspiring as Paris; with its artistic associations, ornate architecture and thriving cafe culture, it's a city which will not only draw you in, but get beneath your...

Pitch perfect: How to approach hotels and secure press stays as a travel blogger

The Simmer Dim: A Short Story by Izzy Gray

The Times It All Went Wrong: Take Two

My Top Travel Experiences of 2018

Lost for words on the banks of the Liffey: How Dublin saved me from writer’s block

My ill-fated voyage into the Ionian Sea: A Greek misadventure by Izzy Gray

A Literary Tour of Paris

10 great places to go kayaking in Scotland

Secret Santa: A Short Film about Christmas Cheer

12 most Instagrammable places in Edinburgh’s Old Town

Celebrating Kindness: Different ways kindness is shown around the world

Pitch perfect: How to approach hotels and secure press stays as a travel blogger