Travel | Fifty Four and Counting

Mariposa Hotel Málaga – A Boutique Hotel Right in the Heart of the City

HotelsfiftyfourandcountingOctober 15, 2026

There are hotels that are simply somewhere to sleep, and then there are those that become part of the trip. During our recent visit to Málaga, we spent three nights at the Mariposa Hotel, and it turned out to be a great base for exploring one of Spain’s most enjoyable cities. From the moment we arrived,…

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CuscofiftyfourandcountingJune 18, 2026

Maras Salt Mine and Moray archaelogical site at Urubamba, Cusco – fascinating!

The Maras Salt Mines (Salineras de Maras) are located in the Urubamba Province in the Sacred Valley, at an altitude of…

Antigua Casona San BlasfiftyfourandcountingJune 17, 2026

Cusco, Peru – the original capital of Peru

Our time visiting Machu Picchu was over, and we began our journey from Aguas Calientes Train Station to Ollantaytambo. The train…

Aguas CalientefiftyfourandcountingJune 10, 2026

Aguas Caliente, Peru – a small town before the step up to Machu Picchu

The hotel we stayed in for the two nights visiting Machu Picchu was called the Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel and was…

Macchu PicchufiftyfourandcountingJune 7, 2026

Machu Picchu, Peru – One of the 7 wonders of the world for good reason

Travelling from Urubamba by road we headed to Ollantaytambo where we would catch our Vista Dome train to Machu Picchu Pueblo.…

CuscofiftyfourandcountingJune 5, 2026

Inkaterra, Urumbumba, Peru – An idyllic mountain retreat

We flew to Cusco by Latam airlines from Lima. It was a short 1 hour flight. As we descended towards Cusco,…

LimafiftyfourandcountingMay 30, 2026

Lima, Peru – It has 36 political parties! No wonder they have problems.

Situated on the West coast of South America where you find the Pacific Ocean and just below Ecuador, you’ll find Peru.…

AirlinesfiftyfourandcountingMay 25, 2026

Madrid, Spain – a city of art and culture

The trip to Madrid from Manchester was brief, arriving on an Iberia flight. After checking into the Innside Melia near the…

AttractionsfiftyfourandcountingApril 22, 2026

The Horizons of Khufu – A virtual tour of Khufu’s Pyramid found among the pyramids of Giza, Egypt

There’s something quite surreal about standing in the middle of Manchester and finding yourself transported 4,500 years back in time to…

Astronomy and AstrophotographyfiftyfourandcountingApril 19, 2026

Jodrell Bank, Cheshire – educational and fascinating site of a radio telescope

A day out at Jodrell Bank

AttractionsfiftyfourandcountingJanuary 4, 2026

Virtual Machu Picchu Experience, Manchester – We really felt we were there!

Manchester city centre reached via the very efficient Metrolink, was very cold on the day we arrived for our Virtual Machu…

ContinentfiftyfourandcountingNovember 18, 2025

Tivoli, La Caleta, (Adeje), Tenerife – Fabulous hotel for a winter break

My wife and I were in need of a break. My criteria was peace and quiet, quality rooms with a great…

CountriesfiftyfourandcountingJuly 9, 2025

Porto Bay Teatro, Porto – A quiet, clean and centrally located boutique hotel

Porto in Portugal has a lot to offer for a city break and choosing the right location could be a challenge…

AirlinesfiftyfourandcountingJuly 8, 2025

Porto, Portugal – Where Port, good food and wine can be found in abundance

My wife and I, together with friends, planned a short break to Porto, found on the Douro River which runs from…

AfricafiftyfourandcountingMarch 7, 2025

Katambunga House, Arusha, Tanzania – The perfect accommodation to the start of a safari adventure

We landed at JRO International Airport and were met by our driver, Emanuelle, from Metambezi Safaris. Although we were exhausted, we…