Some Random Popular Posts
West Yorkshire splendour…
On my way down to London, I stayed in a couple of glorious locations in West Yorkshire… …that came complete with a helicopter… ~ Bella Read more
Linlithgow Palace
Birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots, Linlithgow Palace and”once a majestic royal residence of the Stewarts, Linlithgow Palace today lies roofless and ruined. Yet entering the palace gates still inspires awe in visitors. James I ordered work on a palace to begin in 1424, following a fire that severely damaged… Read more
They built train tracks before there was a train…
Anyone who has seen “Under the Tuscan Sun” (or if you are like me and have seen it so many times you could just about recite the entire script), will recognise the following: Martini: Signora, between Austria and Italy, there is a section of the Alps called the Semmering. It… Read more
Royal Enclosure at Royal Ascot
Another item checked off my rather extensive bucket list – attending Royal Ascot, in the Royal Enclosure nonetheless, thanks to an invitation from my dear friend, Noreen. It was a glorious day, but I will let the photos tell the story… ~ Bella Read more
Plovdiv, Asen’s Fortress, Bachovo Monastery Road Trip (1 of 4)
What a marvellous day trip! …all 13 hours of it… Leaving Tsarevo on the Black Sea coast, we travelled to Plovdiv, the oldest continually-occupied city in Europe, and the fifth oldest in the world. Older than Plovdiv are Jericho in Palestine, Byblos in Lebanon, Aleppo in Syria, and Susa in… Read more
Magical Isle of Man
The minute I arrived on the Isle of Man, I fell in love with it… This trip was only less than a week, but what a trip! Once I had caught up on some sleep, Laurence collected me from the beautiful bnb in which I was staying. Here, below, are… Read more
Bullers of Buchan
The Bullers of Buchan is about 6 miles south of Peterhead where I have been staying, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The collapsed sea cave forms a circular chasm known as “the pot,” that plunges about 30 meters deep and is adorned with a natural archway through which the sea rushes in.… Read more
Champagne Reception at Downton Abbey
After a lovely night in Derbyshire, I set out under a veeeery strange sky toward Highclere Castle, home of the famous Downton Abbey. The sun was an eerie red colour through the clouds – and at one point, the whole sky turned an unusual colour – well, unusual for the… Read more
Most Recent Posts
Furry pony on the beach
11 out of 10 on the cuteness scale… teaching a furry fluffy pony to jump – it was sooooooo cute! Read more
Historic Exeter Quayside
Exeter Quayside is such a beautiful tucked-away gem that dates back to Roman times. It was a thriving port until the 14th century when weirs were built across the River Exe. Read more
A Sherman Tank in England..?
On this magical day, we set out to explore the Sherman tank that now sits beside a beach in South Devon – but first, a stop for lunch… …and finally we reach Slapton Sands, home of a recovered Sherman tank… ~ Bella Read more
Dartmoor River Crossing
It was a glorious day so George Jeep (rental) and I went for a meander… First, sitting at one of my favourite spots for some reading… …then off to cross the River Dart… Note – this phone box actually has a TELEPHONE in it! …and complete with seals frolicking… (ok,… Read more
Canada owns part of Britain?
Yes, Canada does actually own part of Britain! Welcome to Wolford Chapel… where the building and land are publicly owned by the Canadian province of Ontario, and flies the Flag of Canada despite the chapel being in the English countryside! ~ Bella Read more
Thatched Pub Built in 1620
We first were headed here – but alas, no one was home, so we went in search of another beautiful old pub – and didn’t have to travel far… The Kings Arms, Tedburn, built in 1620… …next stop – CANADA..? ~ Bella Read more
Who is the Luxurious Nomad?
Hello! I am Ms (Leigh) Bella St John – and I am an author, entrepreneur, coach, wine-lover, self-confessed geek, lover of all things Victorian/Edwardian and steampunk, and a Luxurious Nomad!
One of my greatest passions is ‘keeping history alive’.
Thanks to the residual income streams I created from, among other things, licensing my professional development programs, I retired at age 50 when I decided to leave America (where I had been living for the past ten years) and now travel the world fulltime as a Luxurious Nomad (http://LuxuriousNomad.com), living a life many people only dream of living (yes, even in the current ‘situation’) – and unlike most, I travel with ‘essentials’ such as a crystal wine glass, gold fountain pen, and a collection of hats, gloves, etc……
I did not even catch the travel bug until I was in my 30s, and after exploring much of ‘down under’ and parts of New Zealand, I then travelled through quite a bit of Asia, lived approximately 10 years in the USA (spent significant time in 42 states – exploring all extensively by road), several trips to Canada (including the Winter Olympics) and now off exploring amazing places in the UK and Europe, spending a couple of months in one country, then a couple of months in another… I hope to one day meet Mr Right and settle down wherever he may be (and fingers’ crossed he is in Scotland! (or even in England)), but until then, there is plenty of the world to experience!
Essentially I live a version of Elizabeth’s Gilbert’s, “Eat, Pray, Love” – although mine is more ‘wine, pray, love’!
…and I do all this, despite having some reasonably significant physical and mobility challenges, thanks in part to being hit by a car while in Italy a few years ago – and I use a wheelchair from time to time…
…and for those who are interested, my wheelchair is only 13lb – that’s less than most bowling balls! It’s an amazing travel chair that is soooo comfy and whose name is Lancelot (yes, my wheelchair has a name).
Oh, and this photo below was taken at a Steampunk convention in the USA…
