I never had to get up seriously early until I was into my 20s. Then the redeye mornings started in earnest. These days, as a species, we –children included–are now doing more getting up at unearthly hours to set off on long journeys than probably any people since our distantly wandering ancestors. Although I also… Continue reading
Browsing Category Travel Blog
Never mind the weather: Patrick Leigh Fermor takes meteorological liberties in A Time of Gifts
The man widely regarded as one of the finest British travel writers of the past century set off from London 84 years ago next week on his epic hike across Europe. It was weather just like this week (late November, the start of December 2017). Just above freezing, snow flurries, a biting north wind. Except… Continue reading →
Liverpool celebrated Summer of Love with new attractions
Liverpool celebrated 2017’s outstanding nostalgia anniversary. “50 Summers of Love” celebrates the brief and localised ascendancy of the flower over the gun, the pacifying power of rock music and, er, free love. San Francisco can claim authorship, but it was some boys from Liverpool who gave us Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and All you… Continue reading →
National Gallery of Ireland reopened and reborn
Restored and enhanced National Gallery of Ireland opens in Dublin. The Irish never need much of an excuse to celebrate. But this summer they have a deep and genuine cause for rejoicing. The restored and much-improved National Gallery of Ireland (NGI) opened in Dublin on June 15th (2017), after a six-year building programme in its historic… Continue reading →
Launching a literature festival in an English village – BeaconLit comes to Ivinghoe
Suitably dramatic skyscape over Windmill Field, close to the BeaconLit venue in Ivinghoe, Bucks. BeaconLit, our local literary festival, was launched in 2013. This year (July 1) is the fifth festival. It is now held in the dry and welcome warmth of the local school in Ivinghoe, Buckinghamshire. People attend to be inspired, informed and to… Continue reading →
Corals reefs worth an annual $36 billion to tourism in peril worldwide
Climate change is causing significant damage to a multi billion dollar sector of the tourism industry, the coral reefs of 100 countries and territories, and scientists say there is only a narrowing window of opportunity in which to preserve what’s left of it. A report published in April 2017 put the value of “on-reef and… Continue reading →