Where does the money come from? This is not a country rich in oil or minerals but there are Bentleys and Rolls Royces for sale and being driven about on the roads of Phnom Penh. This is proper ostentatious wealth, completely different to the branded clothing that everyone wears, because when Gucci branded clothes are… Continue reading Impressions of Cambodia – 1. Phnom Penh
Category: Travel
Bloganuary: a road trip
#bloganuary challenge 2 Late last year a friend of mine died. I will call her Cita for the purposes of this story. I was shaken up by the news of her death because it was so unexpected. The last time I saw her was on a road trip we made with another friend, who I… Continue reading Bloganuary: a road trip
The mountain and me (39.B. 2021)
I left you on the train headed to Glasgow. Arriving at night, in the rain, I led my colleague off towards the hotel with extreme confidence which turned out to be misplaced. It's been some years since I lived in Glasgow and my knowledge of the inner city layout has faded somewhat so that it… Continue reading The mountain and me (39.B. 2021)
The Ben
Readers, I made it! I am not dying on this mountain today. But I probably will get very cold and wet.
Island Life – part 5
Before my memories of being in Madeira fade completely in the light of being back to a more regular routine (more on that in another post), I'll write my last set of recollections of my brief slice of island life. Hiking - 25 Fontes: We realised that we couldn't get to this walk by public… Continue reading Island Life – part 5
Island life – part 4 – sensory experiences
My time here on Madeira has been built around not just what I have seen, but also what I have experienced with my other four senses. Hearing The bells of the cathedral that start at 8am every morning and chime every quarter hour.The happy "honk honk" of the Porto Santo ferry when it arrives back… Continue reading Island life – part 4 – sensory experiences
Island Life – part 3 – the dreaming
If your holiday is going well, there is always a point where a little voice in your head says, "You could live here, you know." Yes, that sounds like a good idea. I could live here and I would stay in this nicely located, nicely equipped apartment in the city centre, with bars and restaurants… Continue reading Island Life – part 3 – the dreaming
Island life – part 2
Sightseeing. We have been out and about around the island, not just sitting beside the sea sipping on cocktails. (Sadly, very little of this activity so far.) We came here for hiking (mostly) and hiking we have done. Hike 1: Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. Our guidebook to walking on Madeira offers three classes… Continue reading Island life – part 2
Island life – part 1
One week into our Madeirense holiday and some observations: The Madeiran geography is part cake, part Swiss cheese. Let me explain further. If you imagine a cake where someone has cut random slices around it, that is what the coastline of Madeira is like. Only instead of someone, it's nature in the form of rain,… Continue reading Island life – part 1
Travel in a time of Covid-19
We read all the instructions several times to make sure we'd covered everything. Vaccination proof? CheckMadeirasafe website information completed? Check Airline check-in done? (although with much cursing at the airline's rubbish website on my part) Check (Although the airline website generates a document that declares "This is not a boarding pass. Please check in at… Continue reading Travel in a time of Covid-19
Tales from Tobhamhor 