There is so much more to food than just taste. Behind any food is a story – be it of global culinary practices, politics, the contributions of marginalised groups or a history of cuisine development.

Vienna is a city that truly captured my attention. It’s an exquisite place full of stunning architecture, like the Vienna State Opera and the Hofburg Palace, and tree-lined streets running parallel to the mighty Danube River.

Tiger Canyon, one of the most unusual wildlife and safari parks in the world – it has the only expanding population of wild tigers outside of Asia – offers a unique experience to get up close to wild tigers and cheetahs.

Birds are everywhere – they’re found on every continent, with estimates suggesting there are around 50-billion birds in the world (according to some people, that means there are more than 50-billion US government spies out there).

Sunshine, history, great food, excellent infrastructure, easy communication and friendly people – Malta has it all. Remember being taught that Italy is like a boot, and that Sicily is the island in the Mediterranean being kicked by the boot? Look on the map under Sicily and you’ll find a small archipelago strategically situated between Europe and Africa. Small it may be, but its main island, Malta, and the neighbouring island of Gozo are full of enough delights and surprises to lift the spirits of even the most jaded traveller.

During my long life I’ve been lucky enough to visit some of the world’s widest, most open spaces. But I’ve just returned from a trip to one of my favourite “wide spaces” destinations – Kenya’s Masai Mara, a vast landscape where horizons vanish into blue skies, and the grassy plains teeming with game seemingly roll on forever.