ABOUT ME
Welcome to Grey Globetrotters! I’m Coralie
British travel writer, part-time blogger, empty-nester, history nerd and Anglophile.
With decades of international travel experience, I’m here to help you travel more.
After emigrating to the island of Jersey as a child, every vacation or visit to family required either a flight or a boat trip. Then I won a trip to India and Nepal, spent a month working on conservation projects and visiting temples, and my lifelong passion for travel was born.
Since that time, I’ve visited over 40 countries and lived in 37 different homes in the UK, Jersey, Egypt and the Netherlands.
Yorkshire has been my home for over ten years and I’ve explored it thoroughly, documenting my experiences. From the cutest villages to the best Christmas markets to stunning film locations and everything in between to give you a real local’s perspective.
As an expert on living and travelling in the United Kingdom, I help thousands of people plan their trips to the UK every month, and I can help you do the same.
My main goal is to share authentic travel guides that help you explore like a local, with top visitor attractions, hidden gems beyond the usual tourist trail, the best local food and quirky local events.
My travel style is mid-budget with touches of luxury, so that’s what you’ll find here at Grey Globetrotters.
I share some of the most popular touristy areas and lift the lid on what’s worth your time (and money), like York Minster. You’ll also learn about visit-worthy hidden gems you may never have heard of, like Herm Island and the ancient gardens of Suzhou.
What you can expect from Grey Globetrotters?
If you’ve ever wanted to explore beyond the typical tourist trail, work out how to turn your travel dreams into a reality, or find out how to up sticks and move to the UK, you’re in the right place.
Here’s what you’ll find on this site:
Most of the photos on this website are my own; however, I sometimes supplement with stock images if mine didn’t work out quite as I hoped and I want to showcase the best of a location for you.
Here’s where I’ve lived/travelled
I’ve spent months living and adventuring in incredible locations – both in the UK and worldwide. My expertise lies within the following destinations that I’ve spent significant time exploring as a local:
📍 England – Yorkshire*, London*, Shropshire, Cheshire, Devon, Cornwall, Lancashire, Bedfordshire*, Surrey*, Dorset, Hampshire, West Midlands*
(* I’ve lived in all of these places)
📍 Jersey – pretty much the entire island, as I grew up here 🙂
📍 The Netherlands – Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Leiden, Maarn, Groningen
📍 Egypt – Cairo, Aswan, Luxor, Siwa, Hurghada, Mersah Matruh (yuck 😜)
📍 France – St Malo, Paris, Rennes, Dol de Bretagne, Dinan, Dinard, La Rochelle, St Tropez, St Lo, Nantes, Bordeaux, Caen, Quimper, Biarritz
📍 Greece – Athens, Crete, Rhodes, Kos, Santorini, Mykonos, Zakynthos, Skiathos, Samos, Skopolos, Poros, Hydra, Aegina, Thassos
📍 China – Beijing, Guilin, Xian, Yangshuo, Shanghai, Suzhou, Hong Kong
📍 Germany – Berlin, Hamburg, Lubeck, Cologne, Munster, Potsdam, Dusseldorf
📍 Wales – Llangollen, Bala, Wrexham, Chirk, Pontcysyllte, Eryri, Bannau Brycheiniog
I’ve also visited all of the following locations and will be sharing my experiences as soon as I can 🙂
📍 Australia – Adelaide, Kangaroo Island
📍 Austria – Kitzbuhel, Obergurgl, Solden, Hochsolden
📍 Bali – Nusa Penida, Kuta, Ubud, Mount Batur
📍 Bulgaria – Plovdiv, Borovets, Pamporovo, Sofia
📍 Canada – Toronto, Niagara
📍 Cyprus – Paphos
📍 Gibraltar – Gibraltar
📍 Ireland – Dublin
📍 Isle of Man – Douglas, Ramsay
📍 Italy – Rome, Pompeii, Venice, Sauze D’Oulx (yuk 😜)
📍 Luxembourg – Luxembourg City
📍 Malta – Valletta, Three Cities, Rabat, Mdina, Bugibba
📍 Mexico – Merida, Chichen Itza
📍 Monaco – Monaco
📍 Portugal – Faro, Lisbon, Albufeira
📍 Scotland – Edinburgh, Inverness, Pitlochry, Loch Ness, Loch Tay,
📍 Singapore – Singapore, Sentosa Island
📍 Slovenia – Bled, Kranska Gora, Ljubljana
📍 Spain – Majorca, Madrid, Malaga, Barcelona, Gran Canaria
📍 Switzerland – Zurich, Geneva
📍 Thailand – Bangkok, Kanchanburi,
📍 Turkey – Izmir, Ephesus, Bodrum, Gumbet
📍 USA – California, Washington, Tennessee
A few things you won’t find on Grey Globetrotters
As an empty nester and a lark rather than an owl, here are some things you won’t find on this travel blog:
- Ideas for what to do with tots, teens and in-betweens.
- Suggestions for wild party nights.
- Tips for budget hotels, hostels, or camping.
(I know some brilliant bloggers cover these areas well and can point you to them if you would like recommendations 🙂
I’m also not a pro photographer (although I’ve learned so much from the brilliant Laurence Norah), so you’ll likely find some wonky shots here. Don’t worry though, none of my photos have me flouncing around in floaty frocks or – heaven forbid – a bikini!!
What you will find here is the real side of travel – with honest reflections about what’s great and what’s not, plus plenty of practical travel tips.
Why I blog
I started blogging in 2018 after family and friends begged me for travel tips and information about travelling to China. Today, I share travel tips drawn from my 40+ years of exploring the world.
The main reasons I blog are:
READ MORE: My journey from amateur blogging mistakes to a profitable travel blog!