I had the enormous pleasure of having lunch last week with the ever ebullient Olly Smith.
For those not familiar with Olly, he’s the star of many a TV wine and food programme and the regular tasting and vintage selecting expert on BBC’s popular Saturday Kitchen show. Read the rest of this entry »
When it comes to knocking a small white ball around a man-made park while looking for holes with numbered flags in them I’m inclined to agree with Mark Twain, who once said:
‘Golf is a good walk spoiled.’
G.K.Chesterton, who created the fictional detective, Father Brown, would have supported our view. He once said, ‘I regard golf as an expensive way of playing marbles.’ Read the rest of this entry »
If you’re seeking somewhere to cruise to that’s fascinating, foreign and close by – and you’ve ruled out Essex – then Norway has to be the answer.
Given that the Norwegians invaded our country many centuries ago isn’t it time we got our own back? Well opportunities to do this from the comfort of a cruise ship abound. So without more ado let’s consider what this historic nation has to offer us cruisaholic Brits. Read the rest of this entry »
Call it a premonition or pure coincidence, but last week my blog concentrated on how the Americans are coming to these shores with more ships in 2013.
Well, it seems I have been proved to be correct, as Celebrity Cruises has now followed hot on the heels of Carnival Cruise Lines and Princess Cruises in announcing another new ship to the UK. Read the rest of this entry »
Everyone should keep a mental waste-paper basket.
For the older you get, the more useless information you can dump in it.
That statement, or something very similar, was made by a well-known British writer.
But I can’t remember his name. Read the rest of this entry »
If you’ve a yearning for the mysterious east, a day trip to Ramsgate or Lowestoft might fix the problem. But if I know you, your ambitions will extend further than that.
You’ll want nothing less than the Far East, which surely means a visit to the Land of the Rising Sun. Well if your heart is set on Japan, there are few better ways to experience it than by cruise ship. Read the rest of this entry »
UK cruisers will have more choice on their doorstep than ever next year judging by plans announced by two of the biggest American cruise lines in the past week.
Carnival Cruise Lines and Princess Cruises both plan to make a splash on these shores in 2013. Read the rest of this entry »
The first time I went to Brazil I was extremely fortunate to be shown round by an excellent local guide, named Felix.
Felix (sorry, I can’t remember his surname – we sank a lot of caipirinhas at the time) was a very decent intelligent man who impressed me not only with his profound knowledge of his country, but also the voluntary work he did for some of the poorest inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro. Read the rest of this entry »
Unusually for a blogger and keen conversationalist, I tend to be a man of few words. When I walk into a bar or restaurant I often prefer to communicate through gestures and facial expressions.
On a cruise I find this a handy skill to have, giving me another way of conveying my thoughts to those nearby. It can also help me overcome the inevitable language barriers that arise when travelling overseas. Read the rest of this entry »
The power of the pester is ever present in the Davies household thanks to a pair of much loved primary school age children.
Like most parents I suppose I never cease to be amazed by their intelligence, ingenuity and incredible ability to get their own way. Read the rest of this entry »
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