The Wettest Place on Earth

The Wettest Place on Earth

I’m from England, now living in the USA,  and I have to say that I have got rather tired over the years of people ‘telling’ me that it always rains in England. Or that in England, you never see a blue sky because it’s always grey and raining....
Reims-Gueux, France

Reims-Gueux, France

Abandoned anythings are spooky. Abandoned places that were once the scenes of fun and frolics are somehow even spookier. I’m thinking here about derelict funfairs or holiday camps. I get a bit weird and tend to imagine the ghostly sounds of laughing children....
Hosts: This Laundry Business…

Hosts: This Laundry Business…

Short-term rental hosts often complain that they have had to throw away a sheet, pillowcase, towel or other items because of ‘stains’.  This can really cut into your bottom line very severely. The sheets and so on that I am using now were bought in 2015...
“Well, No One’s Ever Complained”

“Well, No One’s Ever Complained”

Most people are just fine. Yes, there are a few weirdoes in the world and a few strange folks but if you operate a short-term rental you’ve no doubt found that most people are are perfectly fine human beings. This is why, more than likely, when I’ve heard...
Italian Cuisine: Cacio e Pepe

Italian Cuisine: Cacio e Pepe

Here’s another delicious and simple dish from Europe. If you’re not able to travel to Rome these days – and not many people can – then you can at least create one of the city’s most famous – and most easy to make – dishes at...
Visiting London: Necropolis

Visiting London: Necropolis

When you're visiting London and if you're strolling down Westminster Bridge Road, watch out for the building you see above. The architecture is pretty lovely of course. But it also has a rather unusual history It's close to Waterloo, The Houses of Parliament, various...
What3Words. For Airbnb Hosts & Travellers

What3Words. For Airbnb Hosts & Travellers

If you’re old like me, you might remember those huge paper maps that folded into a neat pocket size but could be the very devil to refold. Or even a map book. Or an A-Z. That was the way in the olden days that we found the places were were looking for. Or often,...
Airbnb: Sorting Out This Co-Host Thing

Airbnb: Sorting Out This Co-Host Thing

Go to any STR forum or questions-and-answers setup, and you’ll find that a common question is regarding co-hosts. When an owner has a property they want to rent out as a short term rental, but for whatever reason they can’t take care of it themselves, they...
If You Ever Find Yourself At Barons Court…

If You Ever Find Yourself At Barons Court…

… then here’s a story to tell your companions. Baron’s Court is a tube station in West Kensington, London. The building itself is intriguing. The station opened in 1905 and features a terracotta facade and that lovely Art Nouveau lettering.  However,...
Online Travel Experiences

Online Travel Experiences

There are several reasons why we’re not travelling so much these days. At the time of writing, some countries have travel restrictions for Covid-related reasons. But there are other issues that stop us from travelling the world as freely as we’d want to....
Reading UK and a Victorian Serial Killer

Reading UK and a Victorian Serial Killer

If you asked most people to name a Victorian serial killer, I bet that they would think of Jack the Ripper. Well, forget old Jack. He was a very junior player when compared to Amelia Dyer. Her crimes, too many to be counted, were particularly horrible. The story is...
Bierpinsel, Berlin

Bierpinsel, Berlin

I imagine it’s one of those Marmite things – you either love it or hate it. I think it’s rather splendid, the Bierpinsel. This building, dating from the 1970s, is supposed to ‘look like a tree’ (truly) but from day one has been known as...
Hipcamp: Travel For Today’s World

Hipcamp: Travel For Today’s World

For many of us, the pandemic has made us think very carefully about travel in the future. Yes, there will still be some people who will want go on the sort of trips that they did pre-quarantine, but for others, the thought of being cooped up on a cruise ship or a...
122 Rue de Provence, Paris

122 Rue de Provence, Paris

As you can see from the map below, 122 rue de Provence is not far at all from several of the tourist sights in Paris. But if you happen to pass the building today, although it now houses offices, here’s a fascinating story you can tell your companions.Back in...
What Is Swimply?

What Is Swimply?

In the last ten, fifteen years we’ve seen a huge increase in what used to be referred to as the ‘sharing economy’. And now this is extended to those of us who would love to rent a swimming pool by the hour for fun, exercise, parties, entertaining and...
Swiss Castles In The Laundry Room

Swiss Castles In The Laundry Room

Strange title… anyway, Bellinzona is a rather lovely historic town in Switzerland. It’s famous for its three castles, Castelgrande, Montebello and Sasso Corbaro and they are located near to the border with Italy. I was exploring them this morning.Yes, I...
Virtual Tour. Monaco Then and Now

Virtual Tour. Monaco Then and Now

I’ve said here before that New Orleans is one of my favourite places in the States but one of my absolute favourite places in Europe is somewhere that’s so different – Monte Carlo. I was only about eleven years old when I first went there and –...
The Crooked Forest

The Crooked Forest

You never know, one day you might find yourself in the Polish village of Nowe Czarnowo. It’s just outside the town of Gryfino not far from the German border – see the map below.This isn’t an ancient forest. The trees, about four hundred of them, were...
Do You Know How To Make An Island Cake?

Do You Know How To Make An Island Cake?

You’ve probably not been able to travel to Mauritius this summer. In fact, many people have found that they’ve had to stay at home a lot more than usual this year.  For some reason, this has meant that more people have had more time to enjoy home pursuits....
Windsor Castle, England

Windsor Castle, England

If you’re visiting England, then the chances are good that you’ll include Windsor Castle as one of your must-see places. It’s one of the most popular tourist attractions in England and is an easy drive from Central London. It’s easy to get...
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