Just finished a road trip around North Canterbury in the South Island of New Zealand, starting in Christchurch, taking in Hanmer Springs and Kaikoura and finishing back in Christchurch. It’s a popular circuit called the Alpine Triangle. We made it a three-day long weekend jaunt, but I would … [Read more...]
The Eagle Has Landed – Near Queenstown, New Zealand
The eagle has landed. Snapped this shot of a Haast Eagle sculpture on the road from Queenstown to Glenorchy at the head of NZ's Lake Wakatipu. Glenorchy-based sculptor Dan Kelly used century-old steel fence standards from a high country station to create this 1.2m high sculpture of the now … [Read more...]
UK Canal Boating: The fast way to enjoy the slow life
Take a break from the rigours of the road when you are enjoying your Great British Road Trip. Catch a canal boat. Having nearly fallen into irrecoverable decay, the canals of Britain are enjoying a renaissance, thanks mostly to the indomitable efforts of volunteers who repair, … [Read more...]
There’s No Such Thing As Spaghetti Bolonese
Sorry Britain - there's no such thing as spaghetti bolognese . . . not in Italy, as I discovered on a recent visit to Bologna. It is, like chicken tikka masala, entirely an English invention and, according to any Italian cook, not one of the better ones. Nonetheless it is a compulsory item on … [Read more...]
How would you like to watch the sun rise at Stonehenge on the day of the summer solstice? No problem. We can do this. Usually that would involve being there with over 20,000 of your closest pagan friends. Not this strange year. The event will be eerily quiet yet millions of people will be … [Read more...]
5 Myths About Finding Cheap Airfares
There’s an awful lot of bullswool talked about finding cheap airfares. All manner of self-styled “experts” will tell you how to find that absolutely amazingly cheap air fare. Sorry to give you a large slosh of cold water but here are some questions with answers you mightn’t like: Is … [Read more...]
On The (Rail) Road To Chiang Mai
What is it about train travel that is so alluring? Is it just a harking back to simpler days? Is it just another manifestation of the retro thing? Whatever. I hadn't been on a train in donkey's years, but having done the Ghan last year I now found myself sitting in one of the 1st class cabins … [Read more...]
Eerie Images Of An Industry Dying By The Day
Imagine being in a helicopter that just flew over the runways of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, one of the busiest in the world. Instead of having an air traffic controller going bonkers, screaming something to the effect of "what the hell are you doing here. Vacate immediately" they were … [Read more...]
25 Famous Places You Can Visit Right Now – Without Leaving Home.
Even as life begins to acquire a patina of normality, as we are let loose from the limitations of lock-down, it will be a long time yet before we can start travelling as freely as we once did, but we can still dream about it and more importantly prepare for it. One of the items higher up on my … [Read more...]