Some Random Popular Posts
Old Pitsligo Church
I loved it here – such a serene space… The church was built around 1630 and the south aisle of the church served as a burial vault for the Forbes family of Pitsligo from 1636 to 1781. ~Bella Read more
Kilmartin Prehistoric Standing Stones and other monuments
Kilmartin is one of my absolute favourite places in all of Scotland – while at first glance there doesn’t seem much to see, there are in fact over 800 ancient monuments, stone circles, dolman, cairns, and other features within the Kilmartin Glen! Add to that, it just feels amazing… I am… Read more
Scotland to Skopje
My final day in beloved Scotland before I head off to my next globe-trotting destination on this amazing world-tour I have created for myself… Then, up ready to leave at 3:00AM to drive to Manchester Airport for my flights from Manchester to Frankfurt to Vienna and finally arriving Skopje, North… Read more
My Viking Hunting Lodge…
As I upload this it is just after 9:00pm and I don’t know what is happening outside but there is a group of people singing an Iceland chant… magnificent! I couldn’t have wished for better here! It is a reflection of the quote that I have the very best there… Read more
Urriðafoss Waterfall and Walter Mitty bridge
Harry Hyundai and I decided to go hunting for a couple of Walter Mitty filming locations, as well as a particular waterfall – and we succeeded on both accounts… After navigating a road that almost swallowed up poor Harry (he’s such a trooper!)… … we arrived at the Urriðafoss Waterfall… Read more
Whalley Abbey
Heading back down from Ashington where I had been staying, I spent a couple of nights near Clitheroe and spent ages exploring and wandering around the ruins of Whalley Abbey. Read more
Agatha Christie and Dartmoor Ponies
What do Agatha Christie and Dartmoor Ponies have in common? Well, normally I would imagine the mystery writer and Dartmoor ponies would have very little in common, but yesterday they both featured in a family reunion of sorts… As you may have read, I have been tracing my ancestry and some… Read more
Snagov Monastery, Romania
Our next destination is Snagov Monastery, located on an island at the northern end of Snagov Lake… …but first a short detour to another monastery… …and a bite of lunch… This is my friend, Adrian… …and it’s a good thing Adrian knew where he was going – finding this place… Read more
Awe-inspiring Elgin Cathedral
Upon leaving my northern Scottish castle in Tain, the sun was shining, and it was a magnificent day! I did have to sit in the car for a while to warm it up and to remove the eighth-inch layer of ice on the windscreen before heading off in 2oC /… Read more
Most Recent Posts
Serbia Road Trip to Zlatibor Region (Post 9 of 9)
…and our journey comes to an end… Read more
Serbia Road Trip to Zlatibor Region (Post 8 of 9)
…continuing on our journey… Read more
Serbia Road Trip to Zlatibor Region (Post 7 of 9)
…our journey continues… Read more
Serbia El Paso? Serbia Road Trip to Zlatibor Region (Post 5 of 9)
Yes! We found “El Paso” Americana in the countryside of Serbia! From El Paso to London? Read more
Serbia Road Trip to Zlatibor Region (Post 4 of 9)
…the journey continues… 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…
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
