A Pebble for Remembrance – An excellent read by former colleague and friend
When I first married over 40 years ago, I made many new friends. We would get together as newlyweds regularly as social contact was important for us all. As time passed, some of us formed a group called Active Young Marrieds. This is where I met and became lifelong friends with Ray and Maxine. We…
One Two Dive, Adeje, Tenerife – a refreshing dive with a marine biologist
In 2002, I had a dive accident off the coast of Spain. I had a textbook panic attack, something I attribute…
Lisbon, Portugal – A vibrant cultural city of architecture and graffiti
Getting to Manchester Airport for our Ryanair flight to Lisbon required a very early start. I had booked (I thought) a…
The Coal Mining Museum, Wakefield – Down into the pits with a real miner
Its 40 years ago, in 1984 that the Miners Strike took place. Today the Coal Mining Museum exists to keep the…
Hiroshima, Japan – Sobering and thought-provoking
The journey from Kyoto was a trip along the southwest coast by bullet train at an incredible 200mph. Following the map,…
Kyoto, Japan – No wonder this was the Imperial Capital
Our trip to Japan took place in the Autumn of 2023. It is a time in history when the world is…
Gora, Hakone, Japan – A Volcanic retreat in a beautiful mountainous region
Getting to Gora from Tokyo meant an early start, and heading to Odawara, where we bought the Hakone Freepass. This pass…
Tokyo, Japan – A buzzing futuristic city where nothing stands still
On arrival in Japan, I first noticed that the roads were relatively flat and not a single pot hole … anywhere!…
Japan – London to Tokyo – To the land of the rising sun – Japan Rail Pass
I hope this article assists others to organise their travel plans in Japan It’s not often that I get excited about…
Israel – Two sides of a war and I know which side I stand on
Humans worldwide are faced with terrible news from the Middle East about an area so soaked in complex history that communities…
Funchal, Madeira – Unspoilt, Green and Full of Character
This month, we left on time from Manchester International Airport on an EasyJet flight to Funchal, to the island of Madeira.…
Solar Panels – Is it really worth installing them?
In February 2012, we had solar panels installed. We signed up for the government Feed-in-Tariff and have benefited from it for…
Long Live the King! – 6th May 2023 – The Coronation of Charles III
Saturday 6th May 2023 King Charles III’s coronation took place at Westminster Abbey with all the pomp and ceremony we would…
Lower Mill Estates – A luxury weekend set in idylic surroundings in the Cotswolds
We spent the most delightful family weekend in the Cotswolds recently. My entire family consisting of six adults and five grandchildren…
Ulises by Occre – A great challenge and satisfying model
For my 60th birthday, I asked my wife for the Occre Ulises model kit, paints, motor and battery so I could…
