Travel Tales and More

24 HOURS IN BARCELONA

24 hours is never enough to do justice to anywhere, but squeezed onto the end of a trip to Valencia and the Costa Brava, it was all I had. But even in one day it is clear that there is a lot more to the Catalonian capital than a bit of Gaudi.

COSTA BRAVA – SPAIN’S WILD COAST

Piqued by a newspaper article extolling the virtues of the ‘wild coast’, a solo trip to the Costa Brava proved it to be a beautiful surprise. Full of natural coves, golden beaches and quaint villages it must be one of Europe’s most unspoilt stretches of coast.

IN BRUGES – FOR A LONG WEEKEND

Recognising its historical medieval beauty, a German Commander refused to carry out orders from his superiors to bomb the city. Oft described as the ‘Venice of the North’, a boat trip on Bruges’ canals must offer the best €12 you could ever spend.

PILGRIM’S PROGRESS – ST CUTHBERT’S WAY

We’d already walked down the east coast of Northumberland, and cross the bottom, so now time to go across the top, along St Cuthbert’s Way, from Melrose in the Scottish Borders, 64 miles east to Holy Island on the coast.

A SLICE OF HEAVEN IN SOUTHERN THAILAND

With a trip to Thailand on the cards, I suggested we find somewhere a little off the beaten track. The ‘undisturbed paradise’ which most of us suspect no longer exists. And thus found ourselves on Koh Muk and Koh Kradan, two tiny islands on the Coast.

ALL INCLUSIVE IN OLUDENIZ

Having never been on an all-inclusive package holiday, when some friends suggested an all-inclusive week-long trip to a resort in southern Turkey, and, having barely been overseas in the past three pandemic-filled years, it seemed only right to give it a go. Baste me in sunscreen and bake for eight hours a day.

WALKING HADRIAN’S WALL

The Hadrian’s Wall Path is an 84 mile long trail stretching from coast to coast, from Bowness-on-Solway in the west, to Wallsend in the east. Winding it’s way across Cumbria and Northumberland it seemed only right that we give it crack.

THE MAGIC OF THE SERENGETI

The Serengeti. The name alone conjures up magic. The great expansive plains dotted with isolated trees. Big skies and burning red African sunsets. The Great Migration of millions of wildebeest. But I never dreamed of being there myself.

ON SAFARI – NGORONGORO CRATER AND LAKE MANYARA

Having climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, we realised that the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti were a mere hop, skip and jump away, it was too good an opportunity to pass. And so we found ourselves on safari.

VENICE: A VENETIAN ODYSSEY

Eighteenth century upper class twits may have included Venice in their coming-of-age Grand Tour itinerary, but it took me to the ripe old age of 45 to get there. But I guess it’s never too late to get some Renaissance culture.

TRAVELS DURING COVID – ITALY AND FRANCE

In March 2020, as the coronavirus global pandemic spread its infectious tentacles around the globe, we took a calculated risk to go ahead with a skiing trip to Northern Italy. And for various reasons, I wished we’d stayed at home. 

THE NORTH WEST OF MALTA

Venturing away from lovely Valletta took us to the towns of Mellieha and Rabat-Mdina, the beaches at Ghadira Bay and Ghajn Tuffieha Bay, the Dingli Cliffs, the number one tourist attraction at Blue Lagoon, and the much-lesser known Coral Lagoon.

VALLETTA: THE FORTRESS CITY

Somewhere in the mists of time my then best friend’s parents graciously took me on holiday with them to Malta. So I’d always something of a soft spot for the place. So when the idea arose to go again, I was more than happy to go along with the plan. Perhaps I’d bring my 11 year old self’s memories along too.