It’s 10 years since I retired from the British Library. A decade indeed! In mid February I reached my 70th birthday: generally known as a milestone, and it certainly feels like it. Hard not to refer to my age when meeting ex-colleagues, as I did last week, one of whom I had not seen since…
Anne and I awoke to another beautiful day in Kandy, Sri Lanka's cultural capital. At last we were over the jetlag and in good form. Saturday 15 February We began with a relaxing stroll round Peradeniya Royal Botanic Gardens, amongst the best planted and most attractive I have ever seen, with an orchid collection, thousands…
Following four very relaxing days at Sea Rock Villa (Induruwa, near Bentota), we took another 90-minute taxi ride to Veyangoda to join our Exodus group for a two-week long tour of the island. In reality, the south-western third of the island, as the monsoon swings according to the season from one side to the other,…
I need little encouragement to run off to a warmer climate in winter. But why choose Sri Lanka? As the years go by I get less and less keen on long-haul flights but Anne convinced me to go on an Exodus Travels tour of the island, and the more I read about Sri Lanka the…
Here we are again... bashing out a review of our year with its ups and downs. It would have been a challenge to put all this on a card. There are some in-page links to posts made earlier in the year. Or you can skip to the end if we're boring you. If nothing else…
Our fourth and final night in Cirne/Kyrenia ended with a stroll round the harbour, then to "The George" (our temporary local) where we had the misfortune to watch England v Greece on TV. England lost 2-1 and were utterly useless. *** The next morning we took a dolmuş back to Lekoşa (i.e. north Nicosia), where…
You can never have too many holidays. Or perhaps you can? I'l ponder that fascinating question on another occasion. Be that as it may, we decided to take a short autumn break in Cyprus. I'd never been before, but I knew there was a lot to see and October seemed to be the best time…
To the happy few who have followed this blow-by-blow account of our Interrail adventures, I bring good tidings. This is the final instalment. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Monday 24 June (cont.) When we're away from home for more than two nights we like to choose a "local" in which to…
No Flixbus today Our first Italian train of this trip would be the 09:39 Frecciarossa (red arrow) from Trieste to Milan. Friday 21 June The first-class seats were comfortable, though when the brakes were applied it was a bit scary. The complimentary "meal" consisted of a stupid cardboard box containing two biscuits and a tiny…
After two nights in Zadar, an insanely early taxi for the 07:00 Flixbus to Ljubljana. Seven and a half hours' travel, including a wait at Zagreb for our connection, but such is life. Tuesday 18 June How lovely to see Zagreb bus station again - just enough time for a snack and a breakfast beer…
The Wight Stuff 