Category: Uncategorized
-
San Marino travel guide: How to take a day trip from Rimini, things to do and cable car guide
Planning a day trip from Rimini to San Marino? Here’s your full guide — how to get there, where to ride the cable car, top sights and tips. I was recently back in Ancona, Italy, for work, as I’m shuttling back and forth in my new role working with a publishing company. This year I’ve…
-
Tulleys Tulip Garden Warwickshire: A Complete Visitor’s Guide for 2025
Discover the vibrant Tulleys Tulip Garden in Hatton, Warwickshire – open for spring 2025. Over 500,000 tulips, family-friendly facilities and perfect photo opportunities.
-
Discover Bath, England on a walking tour
There’s something magical about Bath when the sun decides to shine. The honey-coloured Bath stone, which gives the city its distinctive golden glow, just radiates warmth, and with the city warming up now that spring is here, this UNESCO World Heritage site is transported into a photographer’s and videographer’s paradise.
-
Downtrodden Abbey: the ‘un-stately’ stately home left to decline for 40 years
“When are you going to do it up, then?” National Trust volunteer Karen says this is the most surprising reaction people have when they visit Calke Abbey, the ‘un-stately’ stately home in Derbyshire that has been left in a rundown condition for the past 40 years. We’re standing in the grand kitchen, once staffed by…
-
Namaste, Nepal: Over Mountains and Forest and Seas
I’m flat on my arse on top of a muddy hill, my legs flailing and my feet scrambling around. As I fell backwards one of my shoes came off and is lying six feet ahead of me. My face is blushing because everyone that was on the bus with me up to the top of…
-
Namaste, Nepal: It’s So Different Here
I love spending a day on two wheels. I’ve hired a bike. It cost me $12 for the day. Pokhara is a town that stands along the edge of Lake Phewa, and it’s also the gateway to the Annapurna ranges of the Himalayas. As such, most people who are trekking to the mountains will base…
-
Namaste, Nepal: It’s a Holi-Holi Day
Are you going to play Holi? That’s the question that everyone in Nepal has been asking me since I got here. Of course, the (former) English teacher and current editor/proofreader in me wants to correct it to take part in, but we’ll let that one slide. And yes, I am going to participate in the…
-
Namaste, Nepal: Ain’t No Mountain Higher (or, the day I went to see Mt Everest)
It’s freezing when my alarm goes off at 4.30 a.m. Due to its elevation (2,200 metres above sea level), Nagarkot is cold. I’ve only a threadbare duvet cover on the bed and the tip of my nose is freezing. I can see my breath in the air as I arise from my slumber and go…
-
Namaste, Nepal: Lost in the Light
Is there word for something that is worse than atrocious? Atrociouser? More atricious? Whatever it is, it doesn’t even come close to describing these roads that I’m currently bumping and jolting along as we wind our way up into the mountains towards Nagarkot. I’m squeezed into front seat of a tiny little van. The driver…
-
Namaste, Nepal: Remain the Same (Bhaktapur day 2)
Morning in Bhaktapur. I’ve had a great sleep, and now I’m hungry so I head up to the rooftop to eat breakfast. It’s still hazy out there, and I’ve learnt by now that the mountains I can just about make out through the haze are definitely not the Himalayas in any capacity. Om, the receptionist…
-
Namaste, Nepal: Bhaktapur
After Boudhanath stupa, I fold my 6ft 5in frame back into the front of the “taxi” and we begin our journey to Bhaktapur in the Kathmandu Valley. We begin to wind our way out of the city and into the country and the roads out here are atrocious. I have to put my hand against…
-
Namaste, Nepal: Death at One’s Elbow
Today’s the day I see a dead body for the first time. I’ve left Thamel and the centre of Kathmandu behind, and I’m off to Bhaktapur in the Kathmandu Valley. My hotel has arranged a “taxi” for me, and I’ve asked if the driver can drop me off at the Pashupatinath temple and the Boudha…
-
Namaste, Nepal: Running Up That Hill
For all my talk of liking to do things alone and wandering around getting lost in new cities, there are times when I feel like I would like the company of others. My friends Marc and Yvonne visited Nepal a couple of years before I did, and Yvonne puts me in touch with a chap…
-
Namaste, Nepal: A Day in Patan
To the south of Kathmandu, across the river, lies Patan. It is another city, and it can be reached in around 30 minutes by car. I don’t really know what to expect to pay for a taxi, so I google it and I read that one should haggle with the taxi driver and pay no…
-
Namaste, Nepal: The Road’ll End in Kathmandu
“And when you walk around the world, babe, You said you’d try to look for the end of the road, You might find out later that the road’ll end in Detroit, Honey, the road’ll even end in Kathmandu. You can go all around the world Trying to find something to do with your life, baby,…
-
Namaste, Nepal
Kathmandu, Nepal. Mid-February 2018. For the first time since I left Korea in January, I am in a country I have not been to before. After my illness over Christmas, the trip to Japan, saying goodbye to some very special people, the packing up of my apartment and the selling off of pretty much everything…
-
Dan in Japan: Day 8
Today is the day. The reason why I wanted to come to Kyoto in the first place: Fushimi Inari-taisha, which is one of the most important Shinto shrines in all of Japan. Admittedly, my desire to come is to see for myself the amazing line of red torii gates that leads up the hillside that…
-
Dan in Japan: Day 7
Temple day. I’m staying in the downtown area of Kyoto, so I haven’t really seen a lot of the famous temples yet. Although I know that the famous temples are a little bit out of the town, I am quite surprised at how big and busy the modern Kyoto is. It feels a lot more…
-
Dan in Japan: Day 6
A travel day. Now that I have seen a bit of Tokyo, it’s time for the next step of my trip to Japan, which is to visit Kyoto. I have visions of Kyoto being a quaint little town full of old Japanese-style buildings and geishas, which is the impression I have taken from seeing some…
-
Dan in Japan: Day 5
New year’s day. After the long walk home from Shibuya last night, I don’t rouse from my slumber until almost midday. I can’t remember the last time I slept in that late; it’s certainly got to be a few years. Happily, I’m not stiff or achey, and I’m feeling well-rested. The weather is not so…
-
Dan in Japan: Day 4
It’s new year’s eve. As it is a Sunday, I don’t set an alarm and I wake up a little later than usual. I spend the morning arranging my onward flights to Bali and Australia, since I have only just realised that I need to make sure I have a ticket. Such has been the…
-
Dan in Japan: Day 3
I feel I’ve seen enough of Tokyo’s city districts now. While I was walking through Shinjuku last night I decided that now it’s time to see some temples or gardens – something that isn’t wide roads with lots of people but is more serene an Japanese-y. I studied the map on the subway ride to…
-
Dan in Japan: Day 2
I’m surprised when I wake up that I am not aching all over. Yesterday I did 27,500 steps around Tokyo in my Loake Burford boots, and I am fully expecting to be stiff and aching but I’m feeling surprisingly sprightly. My plan today is to go over to Ginza, Tokyo’s upscale shopping area, to have…
-
Dan in Japan: Day 1
It’s 8.30 am in Tokyo, Japan. The sky is clear and a deep blue, and it is much warmer than it is in Seoul. It was minus 7 when I left Korea yesterday, and it’s around 10 degrees in Japan. I’ve had a good sleep after flying in last night, but I’m groggy as I…
-
Here I Go Again: Day 37
Time to go home. Since it’s a travel day, I am awake a little earlier than I strictly need to be. I set the alarm for 8 am, though there isn’t much left to do other than shower, dress and pack my PJs and toiletries. Since I am awake early enough for once, I indulge…
-
And Now the End is Near: Day 36
My last day dawns. When I think about it, the whole trip seems to have gone so quickly. I can’t believe it was only five weeks ago that I set off for Hoi An. On the other hand, being in Hoi An seems like a lifetime ago. When I set out I was worried that…
-
Counting Down the Days: Day 35
Today is another day that I don’t really have a plan for. I’ve woken up too late for breakfast on the roof again, so I wander down the street with the brekkie sandwich from Gypsy Kitchen on my mind. It’s just after 10.30 when I’m greeted by a friendly waitress who tells me that the…
-
The Day After the Night Before: Day 34
It’s the morning after the night before. It’s 10.30 when I am woken up by the housekeepers banging on the door and then opening it. Fortunately I had put the chain on the door. What I didn’t realise last night, however, was that I had put the sign on “Please make up my room” instead…
-
Old Faces, New Places: Day 33
I sleep in until 11 am and miss breakfast. No matter. I can eat out anywhere. I grab the phone and check messages. I haven’t heard back from Emily yet. I’ve google the wine festival and it starts at 4 pm. I have in my mind something like a country fair in England, for some reason…
-
It’s Good to Be Back: Day 32
I sleep in until 9.50 am. It’s likely to be too late to get breakfast on the roof now, so I make a coffee and think about where to eat. Most bars have breakfast menus. Just down the street is a place which comes near the top of the lists of best places to eat…
-
Thirsty Thursday: Day 31
I wake up earlier than I wanted to. I usually do when I’ve been drinking the night before. The shutters in the bedroom are made of wicker and the sunlight streaks in through them. I make a coffee in the room – finally I’ve got my own tea and coffee making facilities. In Hoi An…
-
Lows and Highs: Day 30
From now on, whenever I wake up on a travel day and I find an insect in my room I’m going to know it won’t be smooth sailing. I have an outdoor bathroom in my hotel room – outdoor in that there is no roof, even though there are walls. The open space is covered…
-
All Good Things Must Come to an End: Day 29
Last day on the island. I have to admit, I am starting to agree that maybe one week on the island is too much. I did think at the weekend that I might book a snorkeling trip for Monday or Tuesday, but I wasn’t enamoured with the party boat-style vessels I saw in the waters…
-
Come Monday: Day 28
I finished proofreading the book on Saturday morning, but I always like to go over it a second time after a couple of days’ rest to look for any oversights. Since I miss breakfast again by sleeping in, I head to Breadelicious with my laptop because I know their Wi-Fi won’t cut out every 15…
-
Do Not Play ‘Hotel California’: Day 27
I sleep in late and I miss the breakfast time. Never mind – there are plenty of places for me to go and eat, so I slip out and walk down to the boat station and up the east side of the island. I’m pretty hungry now, and I soon stop in at Chill Out…
-
A Scratch for the Itch: Day 26
Saturday morning. No other insects have appeared in my room overnight, thankfully. Although it is the weekend I continue working on my proofreading assignment throughout the morning while sitting in the hotel’s restaurant. Although I plugged my phone into my power bank last night, when I got up this morning it had not charged. I’m…
-
Third Time Lucky, Twice Over: Day 25
After yesterday’s snorkeling success I decide that today is going to be the day that I find a turtle. I spend the morning doing work just as I did yesterday, then I drop the bike back from where I rented it. I’m not going to bother with getting one again today as it was…
-
I Am On Holiday Now: Day 24
I was looking forward to a long, peaceful lie in – one of those lie ins where you are drowsy and sleepy and comfortable and have no inclination to wake up. Instead I kind of ping awake at 8.30 am but stay in bed for an hour. I’m on holiday now, so I have no…
-
Some Kind of Paradise: Day 23
In a story which will be told in later entries, I lost a lot of photos that I took on my iPhone 7 Plus. When travelling between different destinations I usually pack my Canon camera away and use my iPhone to take photos. Sadly the pictures to illuminate the boat trip to Gili Air in…
-
The Kindness of Strangers: Day 22
I wake up a little later than the last two days, since I have no schedule to adhere to. I’m not sure what to do with the day. Maybe I will go to one of the beaches I went to on Friday? I think about it as I walk up to the Taman bakery and…
-
Blue Monday: Day 21
My new driver is here at 9 am on the dot. I didn’t know if I would get Suda again when I booked a day trip to the south of Kuta. I intimated to him that I would hire him for today when we were in the car yesterday but he said he was lazy…
-
A Little Bit of Magic but a Sour Taste in the Mouth: Day 20
There is a black car waiting outside my hotel when I get to the lobby at 9 am sharp. I assume it is waiting for me and I step towards it, but the driver gets in and it quickly moves off. I turn and I see a man sitting on the steps outside the hotel…
-
Things Can Only Get Better: Day 19
Saturday. I’ve decided to try and see Mangsit beach which is near to Senggigi and should be easy to get to in a taxi. While I browse online another name pops up: Sentagi beach. It’s a bit closer to Senggigi than Mansit. Both of these are said to be nice. I’ve got to take the…
-
Bumming Out in Lombok: Day 18
It’s a sunny Friday morning in Senggigi, though thankfully it’s still not as hot as Singapore. I’m not entirely sure what I will do today, but the first thing to do is head out and get breakfast, since this hotel doesn’t have a restaurant. I chose Senggigi for a couple of reasons. Firstly because it’s…
-
Rough Seas: Day 17
I jump out of my skin when I see what I’ve just trodden on outside my door on the terrace. I thought it was an enormous cockroach, but it turns out to be some kind of grasshopper thing. It’s huge and it’s not moving. Have I killed it? I go and order breakfast and when…
-
Ubud in a Day? No Sweat. Day 16
I wake up feeling tired. I didn’t get a good sleep last night. I woke up a couple of times. The huge bed turned out to be two singles pushed together and one is higher than the other. But no matter. I’ve got a list of things I want to do today. I get my…
-
Strangers on a Plane: Day 15
I don’t need to check out until 12 pm, and the bus is coming at 11.45 am. I awake around 9 am, grab breakfast and then pack my bag. I’ve got a little time still so I head out into the streets around Chinatown to take what I’m calling B-roll photos – better or newer…
-
The Lion City Purrs, Rolls Over and Falls Asleep: Day 14
Monday morning. I sleep in past ten, and wake up quickly so that I can get breakfast before it ends at 10.30 pm. It’s my last day in Singapore, and there’s a couple of areas I want to check out before I leave. I’ve been combing the Singapore Insider booklet, and I’ve done the main…
-
Supertree Sunday: Day 13
I’m groggy when I wake up, such was how deeply I slept again. I decide that I’m going to chill out this morning. There are a couple of common areas and the breakfast room/bar. My main reason, however, is because the laundry room is finally empty. I’ve checked every day but the sole machine has…
Postcards From Dan 