Adventures, road trips, music & gigs.
Like many of us, I either book accommodation “direct” with providers (so they receive more of the cash paid), or via broker organisations like Booking.com for convenience. The latter often provide better deals given the volume discounts they can get, along with membership loyalty programs. ….read more
I discovered 12go.com when I visited Vietnam and booked all of my overnight train journeys and sleeper coaches via this app. So I can thoroughly recommend it. They send tickets direct via email, or their app. You can simply download it, stick in your wallet ….read more
Well, this was a Christmas gift from more than a year ago that if I’m honest I was in two minds about … A little part of me was worried that this would be full of pretentious tosspots talking about ‘notes’ and ‘body’ and trying ….read more
A short trip designed to introduce Natty to the culture, sights, sounds and tastes of Morrocco. Outside of skiing, it was the first with just the two of us for a few years. We visited two famous cities on this trip, with my favourite, ‘Essaouira’ ….read more
Sunrises on an empty beach, sunsets at our favourite bar and lazy days in between. This little stretch of the North African coast is ideal for a short break. This was a great escape from the January cold back home. It was also a great counter ….read more
Very POSH afternoon tea at the Lanesborough, an unbranded high end hotel located at the site of the old St. George’s Hospital in Hyde Park Corner in Knightsbridge. It’s a pretty awesome place. Top drawer elegance and service off the scale. It was Doreen’s 90th ….read more
Four days into the New Year and a fantastic ski trip involving most of our kids, my sister, their partners and friends. Thirteen in total. We arrived just about in time to catch the Christmas market in the village before it closed on 12th night. It ….read more
When you are abroad, especially in places like Morocco, it can be daunting hailing cabs. There are different types of Cabs, denoted by their different colours, some can operate out of city limits, other can’t. Petite Taxi These are usually quite small, operate mainly in ….read more
With all three of us suffering a little with the lurgy, we didn’t head off to the Brook until quite late where the Underdogs were in full swing. Within half an hour we’d decided to override our colds, sink a few beers and have a ….read more
At the end of the 433 bus route, and only a few hundred yards from ‘Riff Raffs’, is a shopping precinct which sums up this corner of Croydon. For well over a decade, town planners and property developers have seriously screwed things up. Brexit and ….read more
Final journey of the year and a four night budget trip to Morocco. Taghazout We spent the first day acclimatising, wandering the beaches and enjoying the winter sun. We traveled here via WizzAir again, on a flight sold at silly prices (details in hints and ….read more
So much love was in the air last night in Camden, so many beautiful people under one roof, generating a vibe I’ll remember for some time. Fat Freddy’s Drop have been on my playlist since May when we were introduced to them by Kathy and ….read more
A little more expensive than the public buses available from 12go.com, but significantly more comfortable is a little local company called Souk to Surf which operates between Agadir and Essaouira, stopping at locations in-between, the likes of Tamraght, Anza, Taghazout, Imsouane. The smallish (16 seat) ….read more
Italian – Marylebone Another gathering of Emma’s old Uni friends and partners brought us this time to a lovely Italian restaurant called Caldesi. It was my first time here, and as usual with this group of friends, far too much vino was consumed! It’s always ….read more
With Emma being busy on back to back weekends, I grabbed the chance to head back to the beautiful North African country of Morocco for ten days. What’s not to love about this place? The people, food, weather, beaches, waves, blue skies, temperatures, value and ….read more
My sixth week of watching live music at venues across the South and abroad took me back to Papillon, the renovated church in Southampton. It was Emma’s first time here. We bought tickets to see Benjamin Francis Leftwich at the very last minute, jumping on ….read more
I wasn’t a huge fan of ‘The Wonder Stuff’ back in the day, they just weren’t on my radar. So when I got the opportunity to head back to Southampton for a night to see their front man Miles Hunt perform an acoustic set at ….read more
Last night saw us heading off to Camden to see Marc Broussard an American singer songwriter perform at KOKO. It was a packed house. He has a style is described as “Bayou Soul”, which is a mixture of all things “southern”. ‘Twas a last minute ….read more
I met Emma at Bedales after she finished work, Bedales is a nice little wine bar we’ve been to before. Borough Market was buzzing with tourists and people who had knocked off from work early. It’s a great place to sit and people watch. We ….read more
I’m not normally one for returning to the same place time and time again, but I’m happy to make an exception for this little corner of the planet, especially for a weekend. This is our third visit here in relatively short succession. We’ve always come ….read more
This weekend event in Southampton has been growing in both size and quality for a few years, and Saturday was just perfect – with the weather also playing ball too. I decided to spend the afternoon wandering around the pubs and clubs at just some ….read more
The old coast road between Arisaig and Mallaig is one of my favourite ‘go-to’ places to relax and enjoy nature at its very best. It’s a really special place. I found it a few years ago on the recommendation of some bikers I got chatting ….read more
The last time I attempted Helvellyn it was two years ago, I was with Emma, and we were unable to reach the peak given the appalling conditions (ice, snow, gale force winds). We did the sensible thing and turned back about 400m from the summit. It’s ….read more
We thought we’d add this to our travel-blog, although strictly speaking this wasn’t a destination we’d chosen to travel per-se, as the main purpose for the trip here was to celebrate the wedding of a couple of Emma’s long standing friends. However, the surrounding area ….read more
Being only 150 miles south of Cornwall this place is so incredibly close, yet surprisingly, given how often I travel to France, this is my first time here. We stayed in the south west region of Brittany, a village called Plogastel-Saint-Germain, in the historic region ….read more
Festival camping in Dorset After dropping off my son and his friends at Reading Festival, we headed south west to Bredy Farm, near Burton Bradstock in Dorset. We’d booked tickets for their 19th micro-festival called “Be-Cider-Seaside” and encountered some of the friendliest people you could ….read more
A return to Six by Nico for a six course tasting menu in celebration of Sarah’s 30th Birthday. The menu this time was Italian, with an Amalfi spin. We chose the wine pairing option, six courses with five different glasses of wines selected to complement ….read more
Tonight, in the height of summer, it seemed like the ideal time to redeem a voucher we were gifted by my daughters and their partners at Christmas. They know us well. We arrived into Victoria by train and meandered our way towards our destination, via ….read more
Our second camping trip of the year found us back at a place we’d visited in the Spring of ‘22 near Battle in East Sussex. The campsite is really quaint, stuck in the middle of nowhere, but close enough to Crowhurst mainline train station to avoid ….read more
Our first proper camping trip of the year coincided with this little corner of southern England experiencing some hot sunny days and warm sticky nights. We arrived at “Fleets Paddock” our campsite for the weekend with plenty of time to set up the bell tent ….read more
As soon as Fabrice told me he was heading over from Vietnam in order to spend some time in Brussels & Europe, that was my cue to book a Eurotunnel crossing and arrange to meet up to do something, somewhere. No idea what or where! ….read more
The sun is shining 😂 so we headed for Hyde Park to see Kings of Leon, Paolo Nutini and the Vaccines. After a chilly start it turned out to be great weather where the sun shone for the most part. We got an early entrance ….read more
How on earth do you start to describe a place like this? Words and pictures hardly do it justice. I had wanted to show Emma the wonders of Montenegro ever since my cycling trip here two years ago. So I booked a quiet lakeside apartment ….read more
Well it’s that time of year again, so we headed off to one of our favourite places. Bearded Theory Festival in South Derbyshire. We first came here two years ago and bumped into a bunch of beautiful people who are all connected in one ….read more
Now I don’t know what the correct collective noun is…. but Imagine an elegance of Marks and Spencer shoppers had ambled onto an aircraft… well that’s what an Airbus to Mahón, Menorca looks like. A collection of well dressed, well spoken individuals from middle England (‘twas a ….read more
We really REALLY love it here, it ticks all the boxes! On the islands of the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa we walked for hours along the golden sands without seeing a single soul… it felt like we had stumbled onto our own little corner ….read more
A trip full of contrasts, hidden treasures and surprises. We top and tailed a hiking trip to the High Atlas Mountains with visits either side to Marrakech and since we needed clothes for all seasons (+36° and -8°) we took hold baggage for the first ….read more
A weekend away in a country house at Sibton Park, Kent. This HPB location is tucked away in the countryside and ideally located to explore the many historic castles and villages of the area. We booked it a while ago in order to give Doreen, ….read more
I didn’t believe for a split second that somewhere else could compete against my last trip so soon…. but then I didn’t reckon on Prague. Stunning! OK, I got lucky with the weather which was as picture-perfect as it could be when I arrived with ….read more
Wow. Just Wow. Now if I’m being completely honest, Vienna wasn’t on my list of cities to visit, but now I’ve been here I can’t quite fathom out why… and mores the point, why Vienna isn’t raved about by more people and more often. It ….read more
Several years have passed since my last trip here, an island I had spent so much time visiting in a previous life.Returning to a place that holds so many memories was a little daunting at first, but I needn’t have worried, it turned out to ….read more
An exceptional night out at the Canary Wharf venue. Our second time at this small niche restaurant chain, the last time we visited the Fitzrovia venue. We started with some “pre’s” near Kings Cross where we found a lovely wine bar called “Bar Rioja” which ….read more
We are back in Gargellen, a picture postcard Austrian village, the jewel in the crown of the Montafon valley and just a stones throw away from the Swiss border. This place is almost always above the snow line and this year being no exception, and as ….read more
I used to buy a local SIM at the destination airport before leaving the baggage hall, or airport proper. This is often the cheapest way of avoid high data roaming charges. However, it’s often not the most convenient (long queues and competing, confusing services) and ….read more
—- Introduction to Anza —- I really didn’t know what to expect about this place, so I came here with a completely open mind… …it blew me away! Anza, is about 30km from Agadir in the southern half of Morocco. It’s one of those ….read more
PIE ‘N’ MASH – VARIOUS Cockneys of Croydon G Kelly – Bethnal Green F Cooke – Broadway Market Being in London I couldn’t stick a post on here without a mention of my favourite East End dish, Pie ‘n’ Mash. Now the problem with Pie ….read more
With the temperature range between -1°C and -17°C the snow that had settled on the day of our arrival stayed around all week, creating near perfect conditions for the rest of our stay, especially when the sun came out after the second day. We stayed at ….read more
A Great New Years Eve celebration at the Brook, Southampton, with Emma, and where we met up with Kaz and Gez, a lovely couple, and old friends who I haven’t seen for an age. The Brook is within “staggering” distance from home, so ideal for ….read more
Another night out with Emma and Hannah, this time with a quick visit to Wembley Arena to see Noel Gallagher high flying birds. This is not my favourite location for music, especially if seated, but if you get standing room and there isn’t a huge ….read more
With summer well and truly over and Christmas fast approaching, we saved a date in the diary for a gathering of our six kids and their partners, in an AirBnB, in the city centre of Salisbury. With no particular plans other than to meet up, ….read more
Paddington, Regents Canal. Well this was a little quirky! A floating restaurant on the Regents Canal in Paddington. The weather was kind to us as we walked along the towpath in search of the barge. Emma had heard of this place from a friend on ….read more
Watched Matt Maeson at the Electric Brixton, an American singer songwriter doing an acoustic tour across Europe. Great evening with Emma and Hannah. The layout to the Electric in Brixton is similar to the Brook in Southampton – but much much larger. TOP TIP for ….read more
We don’t often get to spend time exploring the local area, so during October we thought we’d not travel too far, but explore some of the local villages and towns close to my Southampton home. Hampshire is a beautiful county of England, and much overlooked. ….read more
A last minute trip to visit an old friend in Scotland ended up taking me on a detour via the Lake District, Northumberland and Scottish Borders. The weather played a big part in most decisions which is why I ended up zig zagging across northern ….read more
We spent the week exploring the remote and unspoilt eastern corners of Andalusia and its neighbouring region, Murcia. This part of Spain has much to offer, from its Moorish influence and Roman ruins to its mountains ranges and beautiful beaches, which rival any in the ….read more
This has got to be our favourite Indian restaurant – hands down! The menu here is nothing like you’d expect in a more “traditional UK based” Indian restaurant. It appears to draw from influences from all over the place. The main dish in the centre ….read more
I’ve always loved the colours, dance and music of Notting Hill Carnival – and this year, the warm weather and blue skies made everything even more vibrant. We’ve not been able to make it here for a few years, so when the opportunity arose last ….read more
A few weeks ago I found myself travelling along the B2139 through England’s newest National Park for work. The scenery was so stunning that I took note of the location and made a promise to myself to come back and explore. Well, with the weather ….read more
The final night for this old Blues band at the Platform Tavern Southampton. A great intimate venue by the waterfront just along the road from the Red Funnel terminal.
We headed for the small market town of Saffron Waldron and the English Heritage site of Audley End House, Cambridgeshire where OMD, Heaven 17 and Soft Cell were playing on a stage right next to a stunning 17th century country house. Peroxide blondes and slap ….read more
A weekend away at Ynot music festival in the middle of the Peak District with Emma, Hannah and Rachael. It was the first time we’ve tried this one, and with about 30,000 people it is a little larger than many of the festivals we generally ….read more
Wow. Blur knocked it out of the park last night in a packed house at Wembley stadium. It’s the first time they’ve played here, and you could see how much it meant to them – and the audience! It was pretty emotional with Damien Albarn ….read more
With no plans or fixed agenda, we took our time exploring the hidden corners of Venice (including Lido-Pellestrina, the beaches of Punta Sabbioni, and the islands of Burano and Murano). Our base for the week was a small one bedroom apartment in the centre of ….read more
This short four day trip saw us head for Paris via the stunning town of Arras, where we stopped a couple of hours for a late morning coffee and brunch. Arras is only an hour south of Calais and so was ideal for a leisurely ….read more
So here we are again at Bearded Theory festival in Derbyshire, along with the group from Sheffield we met here last year. The pirate ship corner has been taken over by a green man with a mushroom head – but with infectious sounds, it still ….read more
The Shard, London Bridge Now this was an experience to remember. The views across London are spectacular and I’d certainly recommend it for a special occasion. It’s not your average place to dine. Don’t blink or you’ll miss the journey on the super fast lift ….read more
After a fabulous trip to the Mekong, I left Fabrice behind in his home in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and headed north for the final phase of my Vietnam trip. I was travelling on a standard 1 month tourist visa entering Vietnam via HCMC ….read more
If you want to go from A to B without being sat in endless traffic whilst in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, the ONLY way to get about is by calling a Grab bike, and putting faith in the rider. The Grab App is ….read more
When Fabrice told me he was heading out to work in Vietnam I knew it was only a matter of time before I ended up over here. Sure enough, after consuming a few pints of Belgium beer with him last year I promised to pop over. ….read more
A short off-season break to New England and the historic city of Boston, Massachusetts. It’s my first visit here and wow, somewhere I’d definitely recommend for a short break! We were joined by Hannah who flew in from Minneapolis along with Ben, who came by ….read more
Of all the Alpine villages of this region, this has to be one of my favourites. At the top of a valley half way up the Montafon you’ll find Gargellen. This tiny picture-post-card village sits above the snow line at this time of the year ….read more
This may look a little ostentatious, but when you break down the cost, and consider the benefits, it’s really not… especially when you consider the price of a meal, pint of beer or even bottle of water at an airport which soon racks up… especially ….read more
I love this place! Every neighbourhood of the city has a completely different vibe; from the calmness of the parks, to the buzz of Broadway and Times Square, or the bohemian nature of Hells Kitchen and Greenwich Village, and that’s just a handful of locations ….read more
What better way to spend Hogmanay than with a ceilidh in a Gothic/Baronial style castle by the side of a Loch, in the Highlands of Scotland? It was bitterly cold with snow still on the ground when we arrived at Tigh Mor, the log fire ….read more
A return to the Brook for an awesome band called Dub Pistols, who we’ve seen several times over the years. These guys are legends !
Another budget flight took us to the twin city of Budapest where some of our best finds came about by complete accident, like walking into a bar on the Buda side of the Danube river and finding a group of locals singing Hungarian revolutionary folk ….read more
Within minutes of arriving in Montenegro I just knew this would be an experience I wouldn’t forget. My landlady at my accommodation explained that she came here from Lichtenstein back in the 1980s when Montenegro was part of the Soviet Union’s Yugoslavia. She married a ….read more
A last minute birthday weekend in the Algarve, courtesy of a crazily low priced (hand luggage only) flight to Faro! The first morning took us across the Ria Formosa lagoon to the empty beaches and turquoise waters of the Península do Ancão. The final stop ….read more
The final leg – Appalachian mountains to New York. Summary: For the last week of our trip we swapped the peace & tranquility of the Great Lakes and wilderness of the north for the noise and vibrancy of New York City. We travelled across four ….read more
Second leg – Road trip around the Great Lakes of Northern USA and Canada. Breathtaking views, unspoilt wilderness, endless expanse of forests, wide open roads, crystal clear waters, huge freshwater “seas”, long sandy beaches, deep blue skies and crazy temperatures. We headed for the remote ….read more
Minneapolis is a destination that wasn’t on my radar of places to visit, smack bang in the middle of nowhere! So had it not been for Hannah (Emma’s daughter) completing her degree at the University of Minnesota, I doubt I’d have ever visited this city ….read more
An early dash from Cornwall meant we avoided the traffic rush and managed to get to “Boomtown” festival with plenty of time in hand. Boomtown is an amazing festival, it’s a little like a movie set with multiple themes. The Dub Pistols were performing late ….read more
A busy few days, starting at an idyllic sandy beach in Cornwall, a few miles south of the popular beach of Bude. The sea, tide and weather conditions were just perfect for a morning and evening kayak along the coast from our base with some ….read more
A great weekend with family at Bristol Harbour Festival! Live music and DJ sets everywhere, entertainment on every corner and pubs full to the brim. A huge West Country event. So glad we went! The perfect weather for camping out in the Mendip Hills, so ….read more
We spent the morning exploring Columbia Road flower market, this is an old market that has been going for over a century and a half in this part of London. I didn’t realise until recently that the unusual trading day was switched from Saturday to ….read more
We’ve just spent a few days exploring a little slice of Belgium and the Netherlands from our base in Bruges. What a fantastic part of the world! The beaches just across the border in Cadzand were pristine with some great beach bars and restaurants hidden ….read more
Four fabulous nights away at ‘Bearded Theory Spring Gathering’ with Em and a whole bunch of other crazy folk! Somehow we managed to dodge the rain – with blue sky and sunshine for most of the event. It’s a relatively small independent festival in Derbyshire ….read more
Spent the week exploring the East Sussex coastline from our base at a campsite hidden away in the rolling hills and forests near the village of Crowhurst. Over the five days we visited Battle, Bodiam, Hastings, Rye and Eastbourne, explored castles and historic buildings, walked ….read more
This is a great way to enjoy a meal, tapas style and sharing dishes. We had a gift from Emma’s kids, but the staff managed to give us an accidental upgrade which meant an absolute feast of a meal which was also incredibly good quality ….read more
OK.. So the weather wasn’t playing ball, as we headed along the Southbank from London Bridge station popping into the Anchor pub before seeking out “Lumin Beach” a Caribbean themed food-shack just past the OXO tower. We headed inside (for warmth) despite the lure of ….read more