A few decades ago the town of Nizwa was off-limits, a focus of rebellion and violence. But now it’s a popular day trip for visitors to Oman, and its main attraction is a 17th century fort. So it had to be on the itinerary of our trip to the country despite my lack of driving…
Author: Stephen
Skiing in Selva, high up in Italy’s Val Gardena
I’d been away from the ski slopes for many years despite my love of the mountains in winter. But with Graham ready to give the sport a go, we booked a week in the Italian Dolomites for a week of the white stuff. Selva lies at the head of the beautiful Val Gardena in northern…
Santa Barbara – a winner on the coast of California
With bonkers Las Vegas under our belts and busy San Francisco still to come on our North American holiday, we needed somewhere to charge our batteries. Santa Barbara appealed, with its beach and the promise of summer sunshine, but the weather didn’t play ball. The sun was shining as we drove into town and stayed out generously for…
Discovering the historic village of Locronan in Brittany
A spontaneous decision can sometimes turn up a gem, as we proved with the gorgeous village of Locronan in Brittany. We were driving back from visiting Great Uncle Ray’s grave in Milizac on a gloomy June day when we decided to turn off the main road into the picturesque hills. And there it was, a…
In search of the Northern Lights in Levi, Finland – part two
Levi in northern Finland had kept us busy with winter sports and spas but what about the Northern Lights? Would we ever get to see them or would nature conspire against us? I didn’t hold out too much hope because while the Aurora Borealis have been drawing travellers to northern latitudes for years, many have…
In search of the Northern Lights in Levi, Finland – part one
I’d always dreamt about seeing The Northern Lights, one of nature’s greatest planetary light shows, but the web is full of stories of people who’ve make the trip north to witness them only to be frustrated by cloud cover and dull skies. For the truth is the Aurora Borealis don’t perform to order or appear every…
A journey of discovery at Hong Kong’s history museum
Hong Kong’s Museum of History is a fantastic place to spend a couple of hours, learn about the territory’s past and kill time before the flight back home. It was our last day in the city, and one that dawned with us suffering the after effects of a marathon drinking session the night before. Fortunately the museum…
Hong Kong’s heritage in the New Territories
It would be easy to spend a holiday in Hong Kong and not venture beyond the Island or neighbouring Kowloon, but our Lonely Planet guide suggested a walk in the New Territories that would take us back in time. Half an hour away from our hotel on the efficient MTR railway lies the modern station…
A date with Buddha on Hong Kong’s Lantau Island
There are things I don’t miss about Hong Kong and one of them is queueing. In a city of so many people – residents and tourists – waiting your turn is a frustrating part of everyday life, and we faced some seriously monster queues during our visit to Lantau Island. We were going to see its…
Hong Kong Central and the Happy Valley races
An evening of horse racing at Happy Valley is a Hong Kong tradition and one that we, as 10th-rate gamblers, couldn’t resist. On a Wednesday nights, the course is the place to be in town and tens of thousands of locals, ex-pats and tourists flock there for a flutter, a drink and to be seen….
Hong Kong: Kowloon, from top to bottom
It would be a day of striking contrasts – of beautiful gardens and choked and dirty streets, of seclusion and overwhelming crowds. But that’s probably like every day in Kowloon. After several days exploring the islands of Hong Kong, it was time to stick to the mainland so in the morning we took the metro…
A day exploring Hong Kong’s Lamma Island
Hong Kong is a territory made up of more than 200 islands and we were keen to take a hike across one of its most popular, Lamma. That meant we needed fuel, which was provided courtesy of an excellent breakfast at the Hotel Icon. Throughout our stay we found the food to be delicious, fresh and…
A day out on Victoria Peak in Hong Kong
Strange dreams. A restless night. A raging thirst. Drinking too many cocktails on our first day in Hong Kong had taken its toll on me. Graham had it worse, lying awake for three hours, which meant jet lag was still punishing us several days after landing in the Far East. Fresh from our stay in…
Discovering Macau, by day and night
Beyond the casinos and glitz of the Cotai Strip lies the real Macau, with its colours and sounds, its smells and sights. It was in this real Macau that we discovered the territory’s people, its history and culture. We’d woken on our second day in the city to brilliant sunshine and it was tempting to…
A short break in Macau – exploring on our first full day
The Macau we discovered on our first night in the city is modern, glitzy and built for tourists. Known as the Cotai Strip, it’s a stark contrast to the historic, atmospheric old town. It has elegant and colourful Portugese influences from colonial times, while its streets are crowded with old apartment blocks, temples, shops and…