The Quirky Traveller Blog

It’s raining in Carnforth. Yes, it’s New Year’s Day, the fireworks are over and it’s tipping down, it’s bucketing, it’s raining cats and dogs, it’s p*****g down, there’s a heavy shower, downpour, rainstorm … take your pick from our well-endowed English language. It’s been raining since early morning, in stair-rods. There’s no wind and the […]

When I was about eight years old I won the Egg and Spoon race. I only won because I ran so slowly the white ceramic egg precariously balanced on a large stainless steel dessert spoon had no chance of falling off. Those of you for whom winning in sport or other endeavours is, or was, […]

I can still remember the simple joy of reading ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ to my six-month old son as he lay in his cot on Christmas Eve. His bedroom, decorated with ‘Winnie the Pooh’ and Beatrix Potter figures, was dimly lit and cosy. His Dad was downstairs wrapping presents and the smell of freshly […]

Quirky Travel Fact: Tenerife means ‘White Mountain’ in the ancient Guanches language of this attractive island off the coast of Africa. The Guanches, according to my Berlitz ‘Tenerife’ guide book, were. “tall, fair-skinned, blue-eyed people who somehow reached the Canary Islands in the 1st or 2nd century BC from NW Africa and were related to […]

Exploring Switzerland by train has to be one of the best ways to see this perfect country. Yes, it has excellent motorways and roads but rail travel is a pleasure and often quicker than by car or coach. In winter a large area of the country is covered in snow, but unlike the UK, where […]

I love spending money on the niceties of life – for example, a decent bottle of wine, turquoise ink for my old fountain pen, a pretty pair of earrings. A teenage son eats into the family budget. Electricity bills, mortgage payments and running a car are unavoidable expenses. Sadly, I’m no good at saving money. […]