Walking through the east gate of Taj Mahal’s gardens I was filled  with an overwhelming sense of anticipation and apprehension - after all the Taj is on everyone’s list of wonders to see. Can anything built by man be that beautiful?

The answer is, quite simply, “yes”.

Poring over a hundred photographs, reading a dozen guide books, listening to countless travellers’ tales all prepare you for its appearance - nothing prepares you for the sheer wonder, nor its stunning, overwhelming beauty.

You are drawn toward the magnificent marble mausoleum, each stride filling you with more wonder and, once beneath the impossible whiteness of its majestic dome, you are loathe to leave.

I have never before walked away from a sight and be compelled -every few strides - to turn and gaze again at this stunning monument. Later, a mile away, in my hotel - the aptly named Taj View - I was drawn again and again to gaze upon its opulence, even through the heat haze of an Indian afternoon.

Sitting on a white, coral-sand beach soaking up the sunshine, with your feet in the azure blue of an Indian Ocean lagoon, is some people’s idea of a holiday in paradise - in the Maldives it is just the beginning of a decadent dive into an adventure for the senses.

There is still a sea of experiences just waiting to be explored, to dip into and sample at your leisure - from fine and often exotic food to the rhythm of Maldivian music, from diving and snorkelling among fish of near unimaginable colours to submitting yourself to a soothing spa massage with the ocean breeze for company.

The Maldives have moved on from being fly-and-flop resorts - though what is there not to like about that notion - to being paradise islands just waiting to engage your every sense - and at the five-star LUX* resort it is done with a welcoming smile and a distinct emphasis on luxury.

There is something exhilarating and warming about returning to somewhere you once called home - even if it was only for two years or so 30 or so years ago - it is akin to visiting an old friend, one you had an near-intimate and revealing relationship with, one that still invokes memories at the very mention.

So, after leaving Snowdonia and Meirionnydd many years ago with a library of fond memories and having had just one brief - and warm, welcoming visit since - I journeyed back to North Wales with my bag brim full of memories and the urge to embrace an old friend.

I tried to reconnect with an ancient, lyrical language - which once was a difficult friend and now alas is a stranger - and the surprising discovery that once again memory is a very poor road map. Why are places not exactly where I left them?

Some places are etched so deeply in the memory they will never fade - Caernarfon’s superb castle, Snowdon’s towering peak, the deep, dark slate mines, ever-changing countryside and, of course, that welcome.

Visiting Xi'an I already knew so much about the Terracotta Warriors but nothing prepares you for the scale and majesty of the scene - apart from its intriguing history, the intricate quality and beauty of the carvings, the attention to detail and complexity of characters - its sheer scale could overwhelm you if it did not have you so fascinated.

If you think that the Warriors - famed as they are - are the only thing Xi'an has to offer, think again. This ancient trading city has more history than you can shake a Ji at and there is something to intrigue around many corners.

Still, do not fall too far under their spell, there is some serious street food, markets, local dining and entertainment to explore and enjoy.