He pedalled on serenely, little caring that he was going nowhere. At first I barely noticed him. Pausing in my exploration of the city, I had perched on the edge of a fountain to enjoy the October sunshine. At a … Continue reading Destination Unknown
This took place on one of my early foreign holidays with my parents in the mid-eighties. We were staying at Obergurgl in Austria’s Öztal. [Note: this was so long ago that the Öztal’s most famous resident, Ötzi the Iceman, had … Continue reading Cowardice and Omelettes
If you were wondering whatever happened to Pinky and Perky, I can confirm that the porcine duo are alive and well and pursuing a lucrative career in the Cairo lift muzak industry. Their rendition of We Wish you a Merry … Continue reading Christmas in Cairo
We arrived at Yaroslavksy station in the evening to catch the Trans-Siberian train that was taking us to Tomsk. We thought it would be more fun to mix with the locals so had booked berths in a compartment for four. … Continue reading By Train to the Oxford of Siberia
An interview with the Rector of the Polytechnic University was not on my itinerary. Even when, in a moment of desperation, I had suggested seeing the university, the possibility did not cross my mind. But then I had reckoned without … Continue reading An Unexpected Interview
I realised that I might have made a mistake when the first thing our guide for the week wanted to know was whether our travel insurance covered helicopter evacuation. It had seemed like a good idea when I saw the … Continue reading Braving Bulgaria
The writers of nauseating management platitudes say that when life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade. In Sorrento, they appear to have taken this advice to heart in a big way. There are a lot of lemons in Sorrento. … Continue reading A Taste of Sorrento
The idea of a pilgrimage for religious reasons is centuries old. People wanted to see places mentioned in the scriptures for themselves, or to see or touch what they believed to be holy relics. In the 4th century AD a … Continue reading A Literary Pilgrimage
In what seemed like a scene from a spy novel of the Cold War era, we waited at the border for our contact. And we waited. Although it was late July, and we had left Kashgar in brilliant sunshine and … Continue reading A Glimpse of Kyrgyzstan
As I sat on plastic chair in a very institutional-looking corridor, I wondered whether I was in my right mind. Outside, the sun was shining and the birds were singing, but I was inside a drab university building waiting for … Continue reading What not to visit before lunch in Bologna
Travels with me aren't 