Some of my happiest travel memories are food-related. Yet none of them feature expensive restaurants – my memories are more likely to be that impromptu picnic in the Florida Keys, the perfect pub lunch in Cornwall, the al fresco family lunch in the French...
Regular readers (all two of you) know that I love Airbnb. I enjoy hosting, which I’ve been doing for ages, and I enjoy using Airbnb when I travel. I’ve met a lot of terrific people, online and ‘in real life’ thanks to Airbnb and I’m all...
Until recent years, a full-on, lavish wedding was something to be desired. (And to have to pay for forever more). It was a status symbol. But recently couples have embraced the minimalistic approach that has taken over so many aspects of our lives. We no longer need...
What does Trollstigen mean? In Norwegian, it means ‘Trolls’ Road’ and this twisty and narrow road runs perilously on the side of a mountain. It’s appropriately named as in Scandinavian mythology trolls are rather evil little goblin-like...
If you’re in the UK and travelling on the north-to-south M1 motorway, then it’s worth a small detour to visit the tiny village of Linby. I’m afraid that I don’t know exactly when the village was initially founded but the church dates from the...
The Vdana Hotel in Las Vegas opened in 2009. It was designed by Rafael Vinoly and has 56 floors containing all the amenities you’d expect from a modern hotel. It was also discovered that it had one huge problem. You may or may not be able to imagine what it is...
Well, would you? Would you cross the Iya Valley on this vine bridge? History doesn’t reveal who built these bridges – or why – but it certainly was an ingenious solution. Wisteria vines were woven together along with planking to produce a footbridge...
If you’re not from the UK, it’s easy to think that ‘only the British’ drive on the left-hand side of the road. And by the same token, British people sometimes think the same – that wherever else they go in the world, they’ll have to...
Most of us know a little about the 1936 Summer Olympics that were held in the outskirts of Berlin. And even for those of us who know very little, the combination of Germany, 1936 and Hitler indicates very creepy undertones. As we can imagine, Hitler saw the games as...
One of the most famous buildings in Spain had its construction started in 1882. And it’s still not completed. It’s estimated that Gaudi’s Sagrada Família in Barcelona will finally be fully completed in 2026. Gaudi himself died exactly one hundred...
Within walking distance of Central Park, the Empire State Building, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and just about everywhere you want to visit in New York, sits the fabulous High Line Hotel. The building is splendid, the rooms are gorgeous and the amenities you can...
In 2018, Mardi Gras was early. It fell on February 13th and because the festival’s date is based on that of Easter, it’s different every year. In 2019, it was on March 5th – quite a difference from year to year. This can make arranging to visit Mardi...
An astonishing place, the National Memorial Arboretum in the UK exists especially as the nation’s tribute to the men and women who have been killed, injured or afflicted by war and in the service of their country. It was conceived in 1988 and designed to be a...
I was brought up by parents who themselves were brought up in the Second World War in the UK. This means rationing, make-do-and-mend, growing your own food and recycling just about everything. Frugal. And therefore I am too. But the cheapest isn’t always the...
You’ll remember Icarus from Greek mythology, right? To refresh your memory, he was the bloke who had wings made of wax and despite being warned not to do so, he flew too close to the sun. The result, naturally, was that his wax wings melted and he fell into the...
This week the internet has been abuzz with the story of a bloke who set up his hammock in the airport and therefore had a much better sleep than all those regular people who were trying to sleep in those uncomfortable airport seating areas. But is this really a wise...
You’ve seen them on the internet. You might have seen them on the road. For several years now, tiny homes have been incredibly popular – understandably. Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live in one? The good news is that you can rent a tiny...
I’ve always liked products that make my life easier, especially if they don’t break the bank. Which I why I’m telling you today about the Keysmart key holder. Sounds so simple, doesn’t it? But you’ll be surprised just how much difference...
If so, then you’ll find that Fort Lauderdale is hard to beat. And there’s so much more than the sea, sand and sun. Fort Lauderdale’s events calendar is always busy – from festivals to theatre, from art exhibitions to sporting events – and...
Wroclaw in Poland has a lot to commend it to the traveller. It has been the European Capital of Culture, the World Book Capital, it has hosted the European Film Awards and has several theatres, festivals, museums, sports facilities and plenty more. The...
