Tiny gestures, coded photos and a confession we all missed: The subtle signs Mary and Frederik are reconciled after a breach of trust rocked the Danish royal marriage: SHARON HUNT
A work trip with your teenage daughter in tow hardly screams 'romantic getaway'.
But a recent visit by Queen Mary and King Frederik X of Denmark to the picturesque
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BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Atherton family sell everything to travel world with kids
A couple who has sold their home and all their belongings to travel the world with their children said their decision "just makes sense".Billie and Selwyn Van Der Walt, and their two children, Bligh, four and Rothko, one, left behind their family home in Atherton, Wigan, on Wednesday to start their new life travelling the family sold everything and quit their jobs to begin a few years of travelling, starting in South said the "dramatic" decision made sense due to the cost of living crisis and to spend more time together as a family. "We always knew travel was something we wanted to give our kids, now we get to show them the world," she said."The kids are so excited, they just know we are going on an adventure." Billie, from Atherton, and Selywn, originally from Cape Town, South Africa, met in 2017 while working on cruise have visited more than 60 countries but since moving back to the UK shortly before the pandemic, they admitted they could not keep up with the cost of living. "We would have been content doing the odd couple of holidays a year but the work, family balance in England just doesn't do it for us," said Billie."It felt like we were working to not see each other." It was also their love of travel and the school fine system that set plans in motion last August, when they finalised on their house said they do not want to be fined for showing their children the world."Travel is such a valuable part of education, to see how other people live and experience other cultures first hand," she added."We decided to home educate just so we could travel if and when we wanted to and it snowballed into what's keeping us in England, why don't we travel full time?""We made the leap and instead of getting Bligh a primary school place this September we decided to put our money where our mouth is and really go for it." The family sold everything to afford their first few months will document their journey on the Instagram page, WanderingVanDerWalts, showing trips which will include two weeks in South Korea, six weeks in Japan with a trip to Disney Toyko for Rothko's second birthday, and six weeks in China before settling in Vietnam and Thailand."Neither of us has visited South Korea and we wanted to dive straight into the really unfamiliar and get the culture shock out of the way for the boys," added Billie. Selywn also quit his job at Wren Kitchens and has retrained in coding and software to seek freelance work while away. While the family are excited for their new chapter, they said it has been a "sad goodbye". "Atherton is such a lovely community which has made it hard leaving," said Billie."Our regular chippy gave the kids a present for the plane, everyone is just so lovely here."My children also have a really close relationship with my auntie and uncle who they call nan and grandad, so it is hard leaving them and we will miss everyone."But seeing other families do it has given us the confidence of making it a reality," she added. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Tiny gestures, coded photos and a confession we all missed: The subtle signs Mary and Frederik are reconciled after a breach of trust rocked the Danish royal marriage: SHARON HUNT
A work trip with your teenage daughter in tow hardly screams 'romantic getaway'. But a recent visit by Queen Mary and King Frederik X of Denmark to the picturesque
The Guardian
a day ago
- The Guardian
‘We danced and sang songs to pagan gods': readers' favourite midsummer trips
I enjoyed midsummer at a rented beachside cottage in the Skåne village of Bjärred, north of Malmö, with Swedish friends. We ventured to the local church to enjoy the dancing round a midsummer pole decorated with vibrant blue and red flowers, with many local residents adorned in intricately decorated flower crowns. After taking a dip in the Öresund strait along the long jetty with its bathhouse, we towelled off to indulge in deliciously sweet strawberries and sip Briska ciders into the late hours of We spent the afternoon paddling with one foot in the Baltic and the other in the North Sea at the top of Grenen, North Jutland, Denmark. Then, we headed southwards along the beaches and through the sand dunes to Skagen to enjoy the midsummer celebration at Vippyfyret, where many hundreds gathered, having travelled mostly on foot or by bicycle to experience an evening of music with songs and recital. Artists, composers and poets were among the throng round a great bonfire which was a sight to Jones Guardian Travel readers' tips Every week we ask our readers for recommendations from their travels. A selection of tips will be featured online and may appear in print. To enter the latest competition visit the readers' tips homepage - For an easy midsummer escape from Stockholm, Vaxholm is unbeatable. A fast ferry gets you to the archipelago's capital in under an hour. My tip is to spend the afternoon exploring the town, with its classic Falu-red wooden houses and gardens overflowing with flowers. But don't take the last ferry back. Instead, find a spot by the water and watch as the midsummer sun refuses to set, bathing the islands in golden, pink light for hours. It's a simple, accessible way to experience the magic of Sweden's endless daylight without straying far from the Last summer, while having a break in Valencia, I found out Spanish people mark 23 June as the beginning of summer by celebrating the festival of San Juan. For a few nights around the actual date of San Juan, bonfires, wine and music on the beaches seemed to go on until dawn. The local family I was staying with invited me to choose some old furniture to burn on a beach bonfire and helped me throw it on before we danced round the fire holding hands and singing songs to pagan gods to burn the evil of the previous year! We barbecued anchovies and sausages we had bought at Valencia's marvellous Mercado Central at midnight before throwing ourselves into the Med at 2am – a feelgood way to celebrate midsummer, full of food, friendship and fire!April I've really enjoyed Ride to the Sun – a 100-mile overnight bike ride from Carlisle to Edinburgh held on 21 June. It's inclusive, joyous, community-filled and fabulous. From the Moffat chippy queue to the midnight rave to the toasting of the sunrise on Cramond beach, it's the best way to spend the shortest We stumbled upon the midsummer Noche de San Juan in Cudillero in Asturias. Religious processions gave way to paganistic bonfires where people tossed mementoes of their year to forget. Next up were fireworks and a Brazilian samba troupe. Locals explained that the mayor could justify the expense because it was a prerequisite of getting re-elected. After midnight we headed to the beach for a party fuelled by calimocho (red wine and cola, don't ask). We retired at 8am for a breakfast of chorizo and fried eggs just as a live DJ started Sign up to The Traveller Get travel inspiration, featured trips and local tips for your next break, as well as the latest deals from Guardian Holidays after newsletter promotion Our midsummer stay in Le Pin, a hamlet in southern France between Bordeaux and Toulouse was rich with natural wonders, not always seen but very much heard. From shrieking swifts diving through the 19th-century market hall in nearby Auvillar to a turtle dove purring beside a rural road, it was this bird lover's idyll. We heard nightingale melodies throughout the day as well as after dark, and caught the calls of cirl buntings, hoopoes and black redstarts. And it wasn't just birds. One night, crickets and frogs provided a chirruping and croaking medley – a memorable midsummer nocturne. Sharon Pinner Hiring a bike and exploring Paris for Fête de la Musique was a brilliant way to spend an urban solstice. Every year on 21 June, the city turns into one big free festival, with stages of all sizes springing up outside famous landmarks and local neighbourhood bars. Beginning in the heart of the city to catch some psychedelic guitar outside the Centre Georges Pompidou, we then pedalled past brass ensembles outside jazz bars near Jardin du Luxembourg, classic French techno along the banks of the Seine and scuzzy metal bands in squares of the 13th arrondissement. Lizzy C In the golden light of midsummer, Serralunga d'Alba's rolling vineyards (about 35 miles south-east of Turin) come alive. Staying at Cascina Meriame, a working winery with panoramic views, I savoured barolo and barbaresco wines during intimate tastings led by passionate hosts. Evenings were spent watching the sun set over the Langhe Hills, a Unesco world heritage site, while enjoying local cheeses and nebbiolo wines. The nearby medieval castle added a touch of history to the serene landscape. For a tranquil midsummer retreat blending culture, cuisine and nature, this Piedmont gem is Ifan Morgan ap Dafydd We travelled to Grímsey from Akureyri for the island's summer solstice festival. Arriving early, we hiked to the marker sign and received official certificates to confirm we had crossed the Arctic Circle. Celebrations began at Krian, the only restaurant on the island, and continued well into the night at the schoolhouse. The drink flowed and there was a treasure hunt, dancing, traditional songs and homemade food. Families came together for picnics on the wildflower-covered hillsides, outdoor chess tournaments were played at midnight and, local or stranger, all were welcomed. It was truly
