LATEST ARTICLES

Now, Jeremy Clarkson and I have very different views on one certain subject.His views have been widely aired on TV and in print and mine, sadly, haven't. On this particular subject though, Jeremy and I - were we to meet in a cosy pub somewhere for a chat - would...

Do You Run Your Airbnb Business Using Your Phone?

If not, why not? I think that we are so lucky today to have our phones to help us run our STR businesses and I thought I'd write this just in case you wanted any tips about how your phone can help you run your business efficiently and well. Yes, we used to manage in...

The Grand Ocean Hotel, Saltdean near Brighton

You can no longer stay there, but if you're in the Brighton area and a fan of splendid architecture, then a detour to Saltdean is well worth the trip just to see the Ocean. It's now fully restored and has a fascinating, of oh-too-familiar history. This luxury hotel...

The Big Buddha, Hong Kong.

They call it the Big Buddha so it's pretty obvious that an English person like me is going to say "and it is a big bugger'. But what else would they possibly call this huge 112 ft. tall sculpture? The thing is massive. On the right of the photograph you can just see,...

What is YakaMein?

Well, let's put it this way. Would you rather have a hangover or a bowl of alligator meat and / or other meat with vegetables, noodles, egg and possibly the piquant touch of pigs' feet? As a vegetarian, I'd much rather cope with the headache, thank you.But YakaMein,...

How Strong is Your Passport?

That's a strange question really, isn't it? But nevertheless, there are companies today that specialise in analysing this, that and the other and making top ten lists. Or 'most popular' lists. Or whatever comes to mind, it seems. Is there any value in knowing how...

Barbara Hepworth Museum, St Ives, England

There are two museums in England dedicated to the work of sculptor Barbara Hepworth. This one, the one in St Ives in Cornwall, is where Barbara lived and worked until her death. She and her husband, artist Ben Nicholson, had moved to St Ives at the outbreak of war in...

The Bermuda Triangle?

Ships and aircraft mysteriously disappearing. Paranormal activity. Unexplained disasters. Extra-terrestrial interferences.You've probably heard about all the mysterious events surrounding the Bermuda Triange, a loosely-defined area of the Atlantic ocean with its three...

Visiting Spain. What is a Parador?

Where to Stay

You'll find paradors in many Spanish-speaking countries these days but the original paradors were started in Spain in the 1920s. The idea - and rather a splendid one it is too - is that these hotels are housed in some rather magnificent buildings or in areas of...

Dubai: Don’t Try To Out-Drive The Cops

Dubai is a place of huge contrasts. Ultra-modern and luxurious on the one hand and traditional and peasant-style on the other. So have you ever wondered what the cops would use to chase you if they wanted to pull you over for speeding? You probably haven't wondered....

Sweden Top For LGBT Travel

The report just released about the safest and best places for LGBT travel is actually rather scary. It shows how far we haven't come on this planet as far as acceptance is concerned.It's great that Sweden has been found to be the best place for gay or transgender...

Choosing Eco-Friendly Accommodation

We all know that basics of sustainable travel - we know to avoid cruise ships, to choose our travel methods wisely, to avoid places that are being damaged by over-tourism and so on.Using a service such as Airbnb is probably a good idea because you can be sure that the...

The Øresund Bridge

Isn't that just gorgeous? The bridge was built in the last few years of the last century, opening in 2000, but the idea for the connection between Denmark and Sweden had been on the cards since before the Second World War. In fact, it was the war that was the first...

So, How Many Countries Are There In The World?

Well, do you know? Of course, we can all name the various countries of Western Europe - and probably quite a good number of African countries. And we know about places like the USA, Australia, China, Russia and so on.But how many of us, when compiling our list, would...

Hamburg: From Nazi Bunker to Modern Hotel?

Where to Stay

I do like a good hotel but I'm not sure whether this is one I'd like to stay in. It's not open as yet, so I'm secretly hoping that it might be delayed at the planning-permission stage or something. You see, to me this is just a little too spooky.The building, you can...

Hosts: Do You Have Drawers In Your Rental Bedroom?

The reason I ask is because it's just been announced by the hotel trade that fewer hotels are adding chests of drawers to their guest rooms. (If you're reading this in America, you may refer to them as 'dressers' for reasons best known to yourselves).Those that do...

Ross Island: India

The island's official name is, deep breath, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep Island and despite that, it's decidedly spooky. The island was first inhabited in the early eighteenth century but was soon abandoned. This was because of a 'high mortality rate' for reasons...

Gare do Oriente, Portugal