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...]

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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...]

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...]

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...]

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...]

A post in the last couple of days by YoungAdventuress, telling how she was rescued after an accident in the New Zealand bush, brought to mind an article on outdoor survival  I wrote a few years back. Reading through it again, I thought it was well worth posting. It is written about survival in the … [Read more...]

The Lake District is one of the most popular regions for visitors . . . and no wonder.  It is just so blindingly beautiful. It has inspired poets and writers for centuries.  In fact it gave its name to a group of 19th century writers, the Lake Poets, most prominently William Wordsworth, Samuel … [Read more...]

Lately I've been wondering about photography when I am finally allowed out of this locked-down cage and can get back on the road. I have a small compact Canon Ixus camera that I take with me, but being basically lazy I usually just grab a shot of a point of interest with my Oppo smart-phone.  I … [Read more...]