I love airports. The thrill of possibility, the tantalising menu of all the places you could be within a few hours (even if, in reality, it’s Belfast or Brussels).
Except when I’m coming home – then, I’d rather be almost anywhere else.
So this summer, I decided to change course. Using Interrail passes, I would avoid the deflating denouement of a family holiday by plotting a return journey that we’d all look forward to. The four of us could make our way back to London slowly, stopping along the way and enjoying the transition back to home routines.
How to be more grateful for daily life in five easy steps
The world feels like a difficult place at the moment, and it can feel very hard sometimes to find things to be thankful for; when we are overwhelmed, we have less capacity to notice and reflect on the good things. Yet, ironically, proactively cultivating gratitude is one of the things that can actually help us feel less stressed.
NHS GP dR RADHA
The science
Research has shown that feeling or expressing thanks can actually alter our brain.
- The balance of neurotransmitters change; more serotonin and dopamine (feel good chemicals) are produced.
- This can be long lasting if we make gratitude a regular habit.
- We also get a decrease in our cortisol (stress hormone) levels which helps lower anxiety.
- Being grateful can strengthen the nerve pathways which triggers positive emotion.
How can we build gratitude?
Change your words
Instead of seeing something as a problem, try to see the opportunities within it.
Our brains are very receptive and what we read or write can alter our emotional system.
Express it
This will not only make you feel good, but you will also get a positive response from others.
How can we build gratitude?
Notice more
Throughout your day, try to notice all the things that are going well; has someone opened a door for you, or smiled?
The basics
By being thankful for the small things every day, we are far more likely to be and stay healthy so that we can enjoy them.
What to do
Gratitude can lead to feelings of optimism, lower our blood pressure, and improve sleep quality.
- Write down what potential good aspects there are to the things you don’t feel like doing, or even what could be worse about it.
- Spend a few minutes writing down three things that you are looking forward to that day, or the good things that have happened to you that day.
- Say thank you to yourself for the things you have achieved, or managed to get through and changed that day.
Sales of battery
electric vehicles hit a record high last year.
Starts at £22,995 for the smaller battery
Available with either a 40kWh battery or a larger 52kWh pack, that offers almost 255 miles, the latest, retro-inspired Renault 5 is both a joy to behold and a hoot to drive.
The interior has been lavished with a level of detail that’s typically reserved for more expensive cars.
4 min read
A champion of EV efficiency
It offers a remarkable 491 mile range on a single charge from the 85kWh battery.
It is a technological masterclass inside with the ability to option screens that span the entire width of the dashboard, including an optional display for the front passenger.
Priced from £37,400
2 min read
It’s a lot of money to part with, but this is arguably all the car you will ever need.
The £89,000 Macan is a premium SUV that somehow manages to blend Porsche’s reputation for dynamics and sporty driving with everyday practicality.
The 95kWh batteries can go from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 21 minutes from the fastest public charging outlets.
With the business class-style six seat configuration costing a staggering £76,995, it is by far the most expensive Kia ever made, but it backs up its financial demands with a suite of genuinely useful and impressive onboard technology.
It’s fast, goes a long way between stops and charges relatively quickly but the interior is bland, the onboard technology is infuriating and the experience is devoid of emotion.
All of its gadgetry can’t disguise the fact that performance is weak, even for a typically zippy EV, the ride is fussy at slower speeds and it’s not in the least bit enjoyable to drive on a country road.
- While good value (prices start at £17,935) for the 200-mile max range, there are more interesting options from Hyundai, Citroen and Renault for similar money.
- It attempts to wow with tech, much of which hinders, rather than helps.
- There’s no tangible benefit over mounting your phone to the dash.
- Simply an average driving experience, adequate range and slow charging speeds.
2 min read
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Victorinox paring knife
It’s comfortable to hold, with a point sharp enough for scoring pastry.
ProCook cast iron pan
For unbeatable searing and heat-retention, cast iron is the top choice.
Tesco chopping board
Priced at just £22, I’ve yet to find another board that matches it for sheer value and quality.
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Pyrex jug
It is the perfect vessel for blending smooth sauces, melting butter, or warming stock. It won’t stain like plastic and the red measurements never fade.
Salter scales
“I’ve had my slim little set of Salter Disc Scales for over a decade, and I’m delighted to see they are still made to exactly the same reliable design today.”
Microplane grater
It uses photo-etched stainless steel teeth that stay razor-sharp for a decade, something the lookalike copycats simply can’t match.
Braun hand-held blender
It’s an essential for everything from making velvety soup to getting the lumps out of white sauce.
Bodum cafetiere
As well as delivering great results, cafetieres are easy to clean and there’s no ongoing filter paper costs or pod recycling to deal with.
5 min read
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Oxo peeler
What truly sets it apart is the chunky, rubberised handle that absorbs pressure and stays completely non-slip, even if your hands are wet. It is inexpensive and incredibly durable.
Falcon pie dish
Made by fusing porcelain onto heavy-gauge steel for smooth durability, it is dishwasher, freezer, hob, air-fryer and oven-safe.
The golden rules for a happy, secure relationship
Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr Amir Levine, author of bestselling book , explains why we behave the way we do in love.
Golden rules for happy relationships
Start with your own behaviours
The foundation of a secure, connected life is being what I call CARRP: that means being consistent, available, responsive, reliable and predictable. All of these qualities can be enacted in small gestures every day.
Express your needs
People need consistency and connection to feel safe. This is not, ‘You hurt my feelings by never replying to me’, it’s more ‘this is the kind of contact that helps me feel secure’.
Golden rules for happy relationships
The appendix ‘inflammation’ rule
If a relationship repeatedly inflames your nervous system, you need to disengage and deprioritise it.
Lean on community
You don’t need hundreds of friends. You need people and places that regularly remind you that you belong.
Stop blaming childhood
Humans are much more complicated than: ‘this happened to you, therefore you are doomed to be anxious’.
Reach for a
secure script
When something unsettles you in a relationship, your first reaction is not always the most accurate one.
If you’re anxious, your brain may jump very quickly to: ‘this is the beginning of the end’. If you’re avoidant, your brain may say: ‘this person wants too much from me, I need to get away’. So one very practical thing you can always do is pause and ask: ‘What would a secure person do here?’
Loneliness elsewhere
When people talk about loneliness, they often assume it means you don’t have enough people in your life. But you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely if those relationships leave you feeling excluded, ignored or disconnected.
What to do
- Build a community that works for your temperament and gives you regular, reliable moments of connection.
- You can still be kind to people while not treating them as someone who belongs in your inner circle.
- Explain what you need. Sometimes people simply don’t realise how you are experiencing them.
- Check in with people: does this person actually feel that I’m reliable? Do they experience me as predictable? That’s the only way that you can start to become more secure.
Do some foods leave
you feeling hungry rather than satiated? Experts say there are…
Foods that leave you hungrier
A bowl of cereal and glass of orange juice
More refined cereals are digested quickly, and fruit juice, whilst one of your five-a-day, contains less fibre than whole fruit. This might mean you find yourself hungry again within 1-2 hours of eating this breakfast.
Swap the orange juice for a whole orange, the cereal for oats and milk or serve it with Greek yoghurt or a boiled egg. This would increase the fibre and protein content; two nutrients strongly linked with fullness.
Foods that leave you hungrier
These pastries are made primarily from refined flour and butter, and are relatively low in protein and fibre.
Toast and jam
Shop-bought packs can contain a lot of white rice, which is digested quickly, and the protein content is often modest.
Foods that leave you hungrier
Vegetable soup
On its own, it is often very low in protein and calories, so hunger can return quickly.
Unless it’s loaded with veggies, it’s probably pretty low in fibre.
Liquids are generally less filling as they require little chewing which may not trigger satiety signals.
Foods that leave you hungrier
Snack bars
They are ideal for a quick pick-me-up, but if reducing hunger is what you’re after, it’d be better to swap it out.
Low-fat yoghurt
A full-fat plain Greek yoghurt with berries and seeds tends to be much more filling due to the protein, fat and fibre.
On an empty stomach, it can actually increase your appetite.
What to eat instead
Instead of thinking about avoiding foods, think about what you can add to them.
- Add beans, lentils or shredded chicken to your vegetable soup and pasta.
- Thicken your smoothies with Greek yoghurt, chia seeds and oats.
- Apple slices with peanut butter, yogurt with berries and hummus with oat biscuits are better snack options than a pre-made snack bar.
- Have alcohol alongside a balanced meal containing protein and fibre.
How to age well
without pain
Will Harlow, a physiotherapist
for the over-50s and author of Independence for Life, shares
the key signs you’re ageing
badly – and what to do about it.
How to know
Ageing well is maintaining the ability to do what you want you want for as long as you want without needing help. Everyone is talking about longevity but what’s the point in living longer if the last decade is painful and you’re [totally] reliant on people?”
The signs to look out for
- The most obvious early warning sign of bad ageing is pain says Harlow.
- Another is losing confidence in doing daily tasks, which can quickly lead to a lack of independence.
- One call Harlow often receives is people calling after having a fall and struggling to get up.
4 min read
How to age without pain
Not just stopping
When people retire, they often put their feet up and stop. Your body really is use it or lose it.
Throughout our entire lives, Harlow says we need between seven and nine hours of sleep.
Social isolation
The lack of connection can increase the risk of premature death by
as much as 29 per cent.
Strength training
It really is the proxy for
overall independence.
The more muscle mass you have, the less chance of heart disease, diabetes, falls and even anxiety, depression and dementia.
The brain can be linked to muscle mass too, Harlow says. It’s not just about being able to lift things. It gives you more energy, better sleep and you’ll look and feel better.
How to age without pain
Daily habits
Do short bursts of exercise, between 30 and 60 seconds, in otherwise dead time during the day.
Stretch in bed
Take joints through a full range of motion for five minutes to loosen it before getting up.
Don’t crash diet
How to age without pain
Harlow advises 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight to stop muscle loss alongside resistance training.
Don’t wait
Harlow finds that many patients put off making a change to their lifestyle until their lives are consumed by pain.
For most people, it’s about reducing the number of times per week you’re exercising, not reducing intensity.
The three ageing tests to do
- Lie completely flat on the floor and get back up to a standing position using any technique. This should take less than 10 seconds.
See how many times you can sit on the chair and stand back up again in 30 seconds. Men should be aiming for more than 14 times and women 12.
The single-leg stand, which involves standing on one leg and balancing for 10 seconds. Everyone should be able to do that and for those under 65, Harlow asks them to do it with their eyes closed.
Despite the job market hiring fewer entry-level roles, employers are still looking for grads…
But you should be prepared to keep an open mind.
We’ve compiled the sectors hiring graduate roles, what degree is required, and what they pay.
The degrees to choose for a career
Hiring in the UK could
finally be on the up
47%
of employers offered entry-level
positions from July.
That is up nearly 15 per cent from the same period last year.
700,000
But graduate unemployment rose to six per cent in 2025 and 700,000 jobless graduates were claiming benefits.
Finance and insurance
- Around 42 per cent of UK finance and insurance employers say they will be open to graduate roles this summer.
- Business loan company Portman Finance Group has taken on 50 graduates over the past four years.
Portman graduates start on £36,000 for the two-year programme and the education you need to apply is a minimum “ABB” of A-levels, and a 2:1 or above university degree. But not in a specific subject.
Trade and logistics
What makes it particularly rewarding is that there’s always something to learn.
Nearly half (47 per cent) of trade and logistics companies will be giving graduates a go this year.
Salaries start at £30,000 with an uncapped bonus, rising to £50,000 plus a company car as a senior account partner.
Technology and IT
More than half (52 per cent) of UK tech and IT firms are actively looking for graduates.
Successful entry-level candidates can earn a basic salary of up to £35,000, with the opportunity to triple that within their first three years of working.
4 min read
Public sector, health
and social services
46 per cent of public sector, health and social services organisations are also ready to take graduates, according to a survey by Manpower.
- For example, Police Now runs a graduate programme into policing. They recruit graduates from any degree field, as long as they achieve a 2:2 or above. Starting salaries range from £31,164 to £42,210 depending on location and rising each year.
Can we treat guests without blowing our budget?
According to Waitrose, a dinner party revival is underway led by younger people trying to reduce the cost of getting together.
Always have bread
People will feast on the
ELLA RISBRIDGER, AUTHOR OF THE KITCHEN BOOK – GOOD FOOD FOR EVERY DAY
bread, and then need less fish/steak/expensive whatever. All small plates restaurants know this: this is why the first thing on the menu is always artisan bread and butter.
Use vegetables as centrepieces
Add pantry items
Graham’s recipes include a braised cabbage with a preserved lemon sauce, a roast cauliflower with saffron, and harrisa roast carrots with mango labneh.
How to host on a budget
Improve the everyday
Guests will always appreciate a stellar interpretation of the ordinary. Think lasagna or curry.
Cooking dinner for your guests is spoiling them – you’re being generous with your time, your effort, and your home. So don’t feel the need to go overboard elsewhere.
Ask for help
Ask friends to bring a contribution, be it a nibble or a pudding.
Big platter energy
[Presentation] can be the key to elevating something . Spaghetti and tomato sauce suddenly looks like a feast when tumbled on a lovely big plate, dressed with olive oil and parmesan and placed in the middle of the table.
Food writer and editor Eleanor Steafel
How to host on a budget
Taco party
Have one expensive filling, like shredded chicken, and two cheaper options, like refried beans, says Ella Risbridger.
Shop-bought ice cream is so easily zhuzhed up with the help of handy toppings, says Eleanor Steafel.
We’d flown into Menorca on ludicrously cheap easyJet flights during the strange summer of jet fuel uncertainty and hired a car to reach a farmhouse villa in the middle of the island.
Villa Torralba d’en Salort is tucked off a quiet country lane next to a prehistoric settlement of the same name. We came to discover that Menorca is quietly embroidered with dozens of these Bronze and late Iron-Age relics, though with none of the crowds you’d see gawping at Stonehenge – they were nearly always empty.
The villa dates to 1860, with a pool and views of nothing but drystone walls, fields, shrubs and a soaring date palm. Occasionally, a couple of peacocks and a sheep would wander curiously into the field below.
Otherwise, the only other soul we saw there was Vintage Holidays’ rep Tracey Boocock, who came to check in with invaluable recommendations, gathered from three decades of living on the island.
Following her advice, we drove 10 minutes to the village of Sant Climent for the annual summer fiesta. The streets were festooned with bunting, and roads were covered with sand as jet black Menorquin horses decorated with rosettes and ribbons were paraded in front of boarded-up shops.
Hundreds congregated at makeshift bars and food stalls before the culmination of the “jaleo” – when the horses rear up on hind legs in a kind of macho dance – in the main square. We left as darkness fell, but the party carried on into the night.
Our rural base was only around 15 minutes’ drive in either direction from the north and south coasts. So, each day – after a slow start of yoga, reading, a swim and late breakfast – we’d pack the car with towels, parasols and a picnic, then set off for our chosen beach.
Tracey had recommended Es Grau in the north-east as a good spot for families. Set on the edge of a protected park of marshes and shallow bays, the seaside village reminded us of Cornwall and was delightfully tranquil on a cloudy day. We watched kayakers glide through the water as we sat outside Cafe Bar Es Moll, and felt stomachs rumble as the scent of frying seafood wafted out from the open windows of L’avi Bernadet tapas bar.
On the southwest coast, we failed to reach Cala Macarella. Google Maps indicated we were only 15 minutes away from the aquamarine cove when two men in a roadside cabin sent us in a different direction: “Prohibido el paso de vehiculos!” – no cars allowed in the peak summer months.
Instead, we carried on until the road ran out, and ended up beside Son Saura, a Caribbean-like sweep of creamy white sand trimmed by turquoise water, tussocky dunes and pine trees. We were not disappointed.
Slow afternoons on picturesque beaches trailed into balmy evenings under festoon lights in town squares and a million stars on the terrace of our villa. At the end of the week, there was a feeling of excitement rather than dread as we waited in darkness on the unlit country road for a taxi to arrive at 5am. An hour later, we were boarding a huge Grimaldi ferry to Barcelona.
From the top deck, we watched Mahon’s 19th-century fortresses, islands and villa-clustered coves recede in the gentle glow of sunrise, about as magnificent an exit as you could hope to make from a holiday. The air was warm, and passengers around us hushed both in tiredness and awe.
Eight hours on board passed surprisingly quickly – the children had their faces painted and splashed in the top deck pool as Bob Marley’s greatest hits blasted from the bar. After lunch, Barcelona came into view, the next stop on our homeward itinerary.
We were staying in El Poblenou, the “new village” in the east of the city once full of textile factories, now reborn with vegan brunch cafes, Middle Eastern restaurants and ornate Modernist apartment buildings. A modern addition is the soaring Hoxton hotel, with a rooftop pool and taqueria. Our family room came with views of the Sagrada Familia’s newly unveiled spires and the Design Museum below.
A bonus if you’re Interrailing is that guests can choose their check in and check out times for free – ideal if you’re arriving on an early train or overnight ferry – and if you’re staying in Hoxton hotels in other European cities, there’s a £20 discount on each stay.
We loved going for a hassle-free, warm evening saunter towards the beach along the Rambla de Poblenou – so much nicer than the touristy La Rambla – stopping for croquetas and duck paella in Bar Nuri, and scoops of creamy gelato from the ornate, century-old horchata parlour El Tio Che.
The next segment of our journey required a rush hour start at Barcelona Sants station for the first train of the day to France. The bustle ebbed and flowed efficiently – we scanned our bags and tickets then boarded a high-speed Renfe Ave train bound for Lyon, which departed bang on time.
Settled in next to picture windows – we’d selected seats on the right to maximise the coastal views en route to Occitanie – my only regret was failing to organise a decent breakfast before boarding. The onboard cafe menu was much like trains at home – overpriced and unappetising.
The views made up for it as we sped through rural Catalonia and into France, towards the coast. Border police boarded in Perpignan, eyeballing us all (a mix of German Interrailers, French couples and Spanish commuters) as they marched through the carriages. Then we were on our way again.
For a glorious half hour or so, there were lagoons filled with flamingos on one side, the Mediterranean on the other, as unmistakably French towns and cities – Narbonne, Sète, Montpellier – flicked by between fields of heavy-headed sunflowers and ripe vineyards.
After less than four hours, we disembarked in Nimes. We’d planned this stop out of curiosity to see what France’s answer to Rome might offer. It is also small enough to navigate on foot.
Within 20 minutes we had walked from the station to the elegant Hotel Maison Albar L’Imperator, where rooms – which have hosted Picasso, Ava Gardner, Hemingway and more – are arranged around a tranquil courtyard.
It was founded in 1929 by the Compagnie des Wagons-Lits, operator of luxury trains such as the Orient Express, to provide rail travellers suitably luxurious accommodation in the south of France. The Art Deco grande dame is now family operated as a contemporary luxury retreat.
After a cooling dip in the pool (Nimes is said to be the hottest city in France), and a soak in the indoor spa pool, we went out to explore as the heat of the day began to cool.
In the Jardins de la Fontaine, we watched hundreds of carp writhe in the spring-fed canals before powering up the steep, terraced gardens to climb the 140 steps of the Magne Tower, the only remnant of Nimes’ Roman walls. My thighs burned for days after, but the views from the top were magnificent.
Down in the compact city, our children kept eyes peeled for brass and bronze crocodile markers in the pavements. The symbol of a crocodile chained to a palm tree was imprinted on celebratory Roman coins after the conquest of Egypt by Octavian (later Emperor Caesar Augustus).
The Roman Arena is one of the best-preserved in the world, and looked almost heavenly in the dusky glow. The Corinthian style, 1st-century temple, Maison Carrée was another stupendous beauty, casually surrounded by drinkers outside a neighbouring bar.
We loved being able to walk from one Roman treasure to another without battling any crowds or grappling with transport. Having learnt from our rookie error, we assembled a delicious picnic lunch at Les Halles market to take on our onwards TGV to Paris.
On the fast InOui train – less than three hours – to the French capital, we decided that Nimes had been an unexpected highlight of our journey home. We’re already plotting where we’ll stop next time.
How to do it
The writer was provided with Interrail Global Passes, which offer flexible, borderless train travel between up to 33 countries in Europe, as well as some ferry connections, interrail.com.
Avis offers car rental in Menorca from around £22 per day, avis.co.uk
Where to stay
She also stayed at The Hoxton Poblenou in Barcelona, which has double rooms from €206 (£175).
And in Nimes, she stayed at Maison Albar L’Imperator, which has double rooms from €202 (£172) including breakfast.
More information