Emma Lidiard

Former Westmorland Gazette reporter, now blogging as she travels the world

Former Westmorland Gazette reporter, now blogging as she travels the world

Latest articles from Emma Lidiard

Blog: Not enough time to explore Thailand

You may have heard the words 'over-developed', 'packed with tourists' and 'crowded beaches' used to describe modern Thailand. So had I. These phrases are enough to put any traveller or tourist off visiting the country and, if it was not for the fact it was nestled neatly into our journey, I would have missed Thailand out altogether. But this would have been a terrible mistake, because now I've experience the silk-coated country it has been promoted to one of my favourite places.

Blog: A fairytale visit to Singapore

Once upon a time in a land far far away, there was a kingdom where everything ran like clockwork, with no rubbish in the streets or plaguing the rivers, everybody walked around the spacious pavements smiling, the air was filled with the soft scent of flowers, toilets flushed themselves and waiters brought cold water every time someone entered from the blissful heat.

Blog: Arrival in Sri Lanka

An eight hour ride on a tin bus pumping Sri Lankan's tropical pop music swept us away from the southern coast's dramatic sandy beaches and into the heart of the countryside.

Our last days in India

'Some things in life are destined to be', I was told by a self-proclaimed monk, who prefers to call himself a wanderer rather than a traveller and who said he dreamt of the organic farm, where we’re staying, months before he arrived.

Wonderful people and terrifying insects in our second week on India

I'm going to die when I'm 89, have a household full of children and be careful with my money; these are the predictions of an old Indian fortune teller who we meet mediating in the shady ruins of an ancient temple. He had long finger nails, young eyes and a mobile phone in his shirt pocket. We have moved on now from the sandy yellow beaches of Goa to the rocky landscape of Hampi.

REVIEW: Lakeside Hotel, Newby Bridge

A NCHORED on the edge of Windermere, The Lakeside Hotel is in a tranquil spot, away from the normal hordes of tourists – and offers everything you could wish for in a venue.

REVIEW: The Borough, Lancaster

THE Borough, in Lancaster, is one of those great venues where you can hide away and enjoy your meal without feeling like the whole room is watching you.