The sun shone brilliantly on Jekyll Island at the culmination of our journey down the east coast of the USA. And that meant one thing. Sunbeds. After more than a week of walking, walking and walking around gorgeous cities, it was great to know that we could settle by the pool in the hotel grounds…
Author: Stephen
A cycle tour of Jekyll Island, Georgia
Our stay on Jekyll Island was all about relaxation but we also wanted to find out more about area, so we hired a couple of bikes and went on a ride. The bikes took a little getting used to, especially the surprising lack of brakes. I only discovered how to stop when I lurched suddenly,…
Heading south from Savannah to Jekyll Island, Georgia
It was time to say goodbye to Savannah and head south, deeper into Georgia. We checked out of our smashing hotel, the Hamilton-Turner Inn, after an over-the-top waffle for breakfast, served by our friendly innkeeper. A true Southern lady, she stopped to chat to us about the fascinating history of her house, including its links…
A cemetery, a murder and a musician in Savannah
Too much high living, rich food and booze had taken their toll on my guts so I didn’t feel too perky on our Sunday morning in Savannah. I steered clear of breakfast and watched Graham tucking in instead. But there was no stopping the sightseeing. Our first stop, with temperatures again high, was Bonaventure Cemetery,…
On the beach at Tybee Island, Georgia
Savannah was sweltering again so we decided to spend a day relaxing on the beach with the Atlantic Ocean and the breeze as our companions. We had, after all, spent most of the week on our feet, nosing around historic homes. After breakfast we jumped in the car and set the sat-nav for Tybee Island,…
A day touring Savannah’s grand homes
Sleep was troubled in Savannah, ahead of a day exploring the city’s Historic District. The air conditioning kept turning itself on and off and my long-dodgy and painful shoulder kept waking me. But breakfast in our hotel was delicious, including a pulled pork sandwich with a firey tomato jam and scrambled egg. Our posh innkeeper…
From Charleston to Savannah, Georgia
It’s surprising what you end up watching on TV in those quiet moments back in the hotel. Take Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network. It’s very shouty and pretty much the same thing every day – man visits restaurant and stuffs his face – but we’d seen him in a place in Charleston so,…
A day touring Charleston’s historic plantations
After a day of exploring Charleston’s historic heart it was time to drive into the countryside, to visit a couple of the plantations that helped the south so rich and so notorious for slavery. The road to Drayton Hall took us through industrial and nondescript suburbs, along dual carriageways lined with fast-food joints and out-of-town stores. Later…
Exploring Charleston’s historic district
No matter what the time, it was hot and humid in Charleston. And with a belly full of food and booze from the night before, neither of us fancied a heavy breakfast. So we popped out for a quick coffee and a pastry at a local cafe instead, before going for a walk around Charleston’s…
Arriving in Charleston, South Carolina
The humidity in Charleston was like nothing I’d ever experienced, matched only by the intense heat. It fair took my breath away as we staggered out of the local airport under the weight of our luggage. It was there that we hired our car from the enthusiastic Rhonda of Avis, who worked incredibly hard and…
A weekend in New York State, from Larchmont to Bear Mountain
Monday lunchtime in JetBlue’s Terminal 5 at New York’s JFK Airport, where we were preparing to fly south to Charleston in South Carolina at the end of a long weekend in the suburbs of New York. Staying with friends who were living in the US for a few years, we’d arrived on the previous Friday…
The Cairngorms: A visit to Craigievar Castle
If nothing else, my first visit to Scotland in years confirmed that the weather can never be relied upon. One day we were hot and bothered in the sun on top of a mountain, the next waking to drenching rain. At least we had Craigievar to visit during the couple of days we were spending…
San Francisco: Cycling around Golden Gate Park
We never got round to crossing the Golden Gate Bridge on our visit to San Francisco, making do instead with a catamaran trip across the bay to the city’s finest landmark. However, we did cycle round the park that bears its name. Golden Gate Park is represented by a big green blob on maps of the…
Scotland in the spring: To Cawdor Castle
It’s surprising what gets classified as a tourist attraction in some parts of the world. How about a shop? That’s where we found ourselves on a wet morning on our last full day in the Scottish Cairngorms, guided by the local tourist board’s ever-optimistic marketing blurb. It was billed as the Scottish Heather Centre but…
Scotland in the spring: To the top of Cairn Gorm
We’d exhausted ourselves on our Rothiemurchus walk but we didn’t sleep well afterwards. Perhaps it was the light, for the sun sets late and rises early during summer in the Cairngorms. So neither of us had the energy for anything too exhausting, despite a much better weather forecast. After another ample breakfast and a gossip with…