Current Rock of Residence:
St. Croix, USVI
Island Girl Since:
On and off since 1967
Originally Hails From:
Born in London, UK but left a month later
A transient life has seen Apple live in countries as diverse as Papau New Guinea and Thailand, or Equatorial Guinea and the USA, and another eight in between. A number of them have been rocks. Her memoir, Expat Life Slice by Slice, tells of the highs and lows of that nomadic life – one she wouldn’t trade for all the proverbial tea in one of the places she hasn’t lived, China. Believing the word “no” to be mostly limiting, she has found herself in various roles. From editor to intercultural trainer, from interior designer to Her Britannic Majesty’s Honorary Consul. Apple writes, sometimes humorously, about her travels, and is published in a number of magazines and e-zines, drawing on her experiences to offer down-to-earth observations and encouragement for those about to embark on the global trail, or who already live the life on her regular blog, A Broad View. With short stories published in various anthologies, her debut novel, Fireburn, set in the Danish West Indies of 1878, will be published on October 1st, 2017. www.applegidley.com
Explore posts by this writer:
The Oft-Forgotten Obstacle Between You and Your Island Dream
Immigration Vacation. Permit Purgatory. The Work-Visa-Waiting-Game. Whatever they call it on your rock, this hair-pulling, soul-sucking, confidence-crushing period stands between many of us Island Girls (or Want-To-Be-Island-Girls!) and our tropical residences of...
The Enduring Need of Wanderlust
Home is where the heart is, as they say; where memories are made, where we form solid lasting friendships and even create our own 'families'; and for some of us home is where our roots are, and much more. Those of us that are rock dwellers will all agree on nearly...
“The Squints” – Island Skincare
I can still remember. I had such a relaxing appointment with my local aesthetician (pre-Covid, of course) and just FYI, I’m very into wellness and my face because uhmm…last time I checked my face is hella cute and so is yours (PREACH!). She cleansed my face and put a...
Cricket Is a Game for The People
My earliest memories of cricket involve black and white images on the TV, with my dad sitting in an armchair and a voice droning on and the room being incredibly warm or maybe I associated warmth, droning voices with boredom. I paid no attention to the little men in...
The Science Behind Our Connection to Water
As Islanders we all know we feel better when we're at the beach or in the sea. Well, did you know there's some strong science behind it? I wanted to share this interesting article from Cottage Life that I happened upon this week. We don't need science to tell us about...
A Shoeless Existence
Us ladies all love shoes, right? We all dream of Carrie Bradshaw’s walk-in wardrobe from Sex in the City? Pretty, sparkly, sexy…? By definition, a shoe is ‘a covering for the foot, typically made of leather, having a sturdy sole and not reaching above the ankle’...
