Luxurious Redefined
My Vision: This blog is essentially a way to share memories of some of my travels and adventures. I am a great believer in living a life of ‘luxury’ and experiencing the ‘finer’ things in life, but that can mean anything from staying in an amazing European castle, to sitting under the stars beside an open fire next to a loch in Scotland.
We can make anything beautiful if we choose to see it that way…
Some Random Popular Posts

Zurich is delightful!
After sleeping in and working from bed until noon (that did me the world of good!), I decided to venture out and explore… It was an overcast day, around 1°C / 33°F, but crisp and lovely. My hotel is right in the middle of the city, across the road from… Read more

Creative Creations
One of the joys of my little piece of Heaven in Scotland is curling up and creating… Whether it is writing, creating art, craft… it is the perfect location. Here is a snippet of just some of what I have been up to recently… I decided to give the tired… Read more

Snæfellsnes Peninsula – Part 2 of 3
Leaving Stykkishólmur, we went in search of a giant padlock and, as in the words of Supertramp, we took the long way home… but didn’t realise just what that meant at the time… From stunning green fields, we enter the lava fields… They were extraordinary! Another thing that is amazing… Read more

Colintraive and Ardgarten
My last outing before leaving beloved Scotland… The specks on the hill are sheep… This is the view over to Inverary… …and the castle belongs to the Duke of Argyl… There are no words I could possibly find that would express just how gloriously beautiful this place… Read more

Dunrobin Castle
Dunrobin Castle is in Sutherland, Scotland, and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited houses in Scotland, serving as the ancestral home of the Clan Sutherland. ~ Bella Read more

Fiaker stables and carriage ride through Vienna
What a marvellous morning! Renee, Bethany, and I started at the Fiaker stables – the Fiaker are the Viennese horse-drawn carriages… Marco took us into the stables and we were able to get up close and personal with the horses… The police on the intersection above were doing a roaring… Read more

Venice and the Venetian Riveria
Next stop – Venice! Well, sort of… we just at least drove as far as one can drive… will save the boating bit for the next visit… …the through what is known as the ancient Venetian Riveria… …and I love watching this man go around and around, faster and faster…… Read more

Private jet from Milan to Glasgow
Arrived at the private airport in Milan… greeted by a person who already knew my name, and porters already unpacking the vehicle as I am welcomed into the building… My pilot came to introduce himself… …and then we were whisked off to the jet, that was already loaded, ready to… Read more

Budapest is magnificently beautiful…
After sleeping most of yesterday (and I still feel like I need another week of rest to finally be better – but am well on the way to recovery), today I went exploring through Budapest and was astounded at how incredibly magnificent it is! I wasn’t expecting anything this beautiful…… Read more
Dream Big ~ Travel Well
My Philosophy: Don’t wait! Not one of us know how long we, or anyone else, has on this planet.
If you want to travel – do it now. If you want to have amazing adventures – do them now.
We can always come up with countless excuses why we don’t do things – BUT – when we put that focus onto the flip side of that, it’s amazing how many opportunities emerge.
For instance, as I write this, I am single, almost 60, and I have health and mobility challenges that mean I have to use a wheelchair from time to time – yet I still travel and have amazing experiences and meet fascinating people – all because I choose to. Correct, I don’t have a family so in that sense have more freedom to do so, but I have a friend who, with next to no money and having just become a single mother of three, decided her children would get a better education if they travelled the world – so she went about finding a way to make that happen: and she did!
Dream big – travel well…
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
Travel Tips

The Joys of Travelling Alone
The Joys of Travelling Alone: A Journey of Self-Discovery I was speaking with someone yesterday who said, “I couldn’t do what you do, and travel the world by myself.” I considered her words overnight, and here is my response. In an increasingly connected world, the idea of solitude might seem… Read more

Solo Travel Tips to Stay Safe and Have Fun!
Many people are amazed when they learn that I journey around the world as a solo traveller – and even more than that, I do not have a family ‘back home’ who know my every whereabouts and activity. I truly am the epitome of a solo traveller! While friends have… Read more

My International Chauffeur Service
Ever wanted an international chauffeur? An international chauffeur company who knows you, who operates all over the world, who is reliable, affordable and who also has ‘an app for that’? I love my international chauffeur service, BlackLane. They do all that and more! …and especially as a woman travelling around… Read more

Luxurious Nomad Luxury Skin Care for Pennies!
I had a most delightful conversation yesterday with a lovely waitress at one of my ‘local watering holes’ where I eat, drink and work. She is a beautiful young woman of twenty-five – and when we were joking about her being a quarter of a century, she was astonished when… 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 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 in late 2016, not long before I left the States…
Join me for a glass of red wine and a fireside chat…
I’m currently exploring various parts of the UK and Europe, so if you’re nearby, drop me a line!
Digital Nomad Tip

The life of a Digital Nomad
The life of a digital nomad – a modern embodiment of the age-old wanderer, but with a dash of Wi-Fi and a sprinkle of global connectivity. In this digital age, the life of a digital nomad is not one that treads the Silk Road but rather the silky strands of… Read more