I'm Lesley, a freelance travel & leisure journalist. Until recently I was based in stunning South Africa,  but after a major rethink about the future prompted by the Covid lockdown, I've reinvented myself as an English teacher for adults and moved to Santiago in Chile! I'm absolutely loving it, so you can expect some Chilean travel articles soon!
Here you'll also find some of my quirky, warped and opinionated ideas on life, love, cheesecake and everything else crucial for survival. If you want to follow me on Twitter or Instagram I'm on @lesley_stones
Have fun, and travel safely.

Cine Shorts

Past Lives: A wonderful small and intimate story of what-ifs and would could have beens, when childhood sweethearts are separated. Director Celine Song has crafted a masterpiece.  *****

Poor Things:A manic swirl of a movie involving a Frankenstein-style creation, with an equally cobbled-together set of genres. Colour, black and white, fantasy, fact, fiction, soft porn., philosophy. It kind of works ***

Perfect Days: An incredibly low-key movie where the skill of actor Koji Yakusho completely sucks you into his very mundane world. His emotions and sheer loveliness carry it. It's a fascinating insight to a slice of life in Japan. ***

Anatomy of a Fall: A well-crafted domestic mystery cum courtroom drama as we try to unravel a death in the French mountains. In a mix of English and French with powerful characters and a brilliant dog. Two hours well spent.  ****

Dream Scenario: A wierd creation starring Nicolas Cage as the man who suddenly appears in everybody's dreams. How quickly admiration can turn to hate and innocent people be victimised form a core disturbing theme. ***