Loulé and Faro, Portugal
The Algarve is an ideal place for some spring sunshine: its quick to get there, the weather is warm, the flights are good value and when you arrive in Portugal, Nicola’s mum has a mega pack of croissants ready for you to eat. As with most trips involving Nicola’s family, there was a surprise element involved. It was Nicola’s Dad Clive’s birthday, and we were … Continue reading Loulé and Faro, Portugal
Saint-Malo and the Vendée, France
I lined the MG up with the ramp that led to the ferry and slowed to a stop. It was steep enough that you couldn’t see the top; just a wall of metal ahead of the car. Continue reading Saint-Malo and the Vendée, France
The New Forest, England
Introducing Heidi-Lee and Chris. Heidi-Lee is a South African food blogger; Chris is her fiancé and an all-round nice guy. Back in August, Nicola and I spent a bank holiday weekend camping with them on the edge of the New Forest in Hampshire. Continue reading The New Forest, England
Edinburgh, Scotland
A historic city, built on seven hills. Rome? No – Edinburgh. Land of whisky, cosy bars, wintry hikes and the Queen’s favourite yacht. Continue reading Edinburgh, Scotland
Lake Bled, Slovenia
For Nicola’s birthday, I thought it would be nice to take her to a beekeeping museum, as that’s she’s a keen apiarist. It turned out the nearest one to our home (other than Devon, and we’ve already been there) was in the Slovenian village of Radovljica, so that’s precisely where we headed. Continue reading Lake Bled, Slovenia
Ljubljana, Slovenia
I have it on reasonably good authority (a real-life Slovenian called Igor) that’s it’s pronounced ‘Loo-blarna’. Hopefully that clears that up from the outset. Continue reading Ljubljana, Slovenia
Kruger National Park, South Africa
When you tell people you’re going on safari in the Kruger National Park, they have an unusual habit of explaining that it’s the same size as Wales. People don’t mention the incredible wild animals, the amazing birds or the beautiful landscapes. But that’s what we had set out to see. Nicola and I had booked three nights in the park, at three different rest camps. … Continue reading Kruger National Park, South Africa
Mpumalanga, South Africa
When people visit South Africa, it’s usually a major city, the Garden Route along the southern cape, or perhaps a game reserve. We had other ideas, and along with Nicola’s family, we set off to spend a week in Mpumalanga. It rhymes with a cockney saying ‘mango’. After a long flight from London to Johannesburg we picked up our hire cars and drove to Sabie, … Continue reading Mpumalanga, South Africa
