Some time ago I wrote an article called 5 Reasons to be a Travel Blogger‘ It got a very enthusiastic response, understandably, given the nature of the role and the lure of travel for so many of us. Most people love to travel, if only for a holiday, and most...

On a shop-til-you-drop day out in Chester with a friend we combined an exploration of the streets, lanes and byways with an in-depth trawl through its department stores, boutiques and quirky independent shops. This Roman soldier seemed oblivious to the light rain dripping down his steel helmet as he chatted...

Flying into Knight Inlet Lodge by sea-plane on a May morning is like entering another world, where time stands still and bears rule the wilderness … Grizzly bear cubs at Knight Inlet   On our ever-noisier digital planet, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to hear nature’s voice, to tune in to...

Equator obelisk Looking up at the Equator Obelisk in Calacalí, a short drive from Quito, Ecuador, it’s very confusing as a relatively short distance down the road is a huge complex which touts itself as the ‘Mitad del Mundo’. So if this is the REAL centre of the earth, why aren’t...

The donkey snorted and stamped its hooves. A flag flapped and snapped in the brisk breeze. In the valley below a goat bleated and a large bird cried out as it wheeled away into the distance. Surrounded by craggy mountains, the late afternoon sun glimmered through the heat and the...

The House of Hannover Hannoverian Kings of Great Britain and Sophia Electress of Hanover   If you’re British you’ll probably know about the House of Hannover (German: Hanover) from school history lessons or elsewhere but, if you’re like me, you may only have a vague notion of why and how we...

Rozel Bay Whenever I’m asked what my favourite travel book is, I always give the same answer; ‘My Family and Other Animals’ by Gerald Durrell. I first read it as child, having been introduced to Durrell via his fascinating TV series including ‘Two in the Bush’ and ‘Catch me a Colobus’....