Steve’s Sojourns Birdwatching in Brittany
It is a constant wonder to me that Brittany as a bird watching destination especially for a weekend is so overlooked by British birders. Apart from anything else it’s...
A Place to Stay. Dar Chennoufi, El Kef
El Kef, in Northwest Tunisia near the Algerian border, hosts an annual Jazz Festival which I visited this year. El Kef is a non-touristy city but it’s full of...
A Place to Stay. Steve’s Sojourns, Tinto House Hotel
I’ve just spent a night as a guest of the 3* Tinto House Hotel located in the heart of Southern Lanarkshire near the small town of Biggar. The Borders...
Camber Sands Holiday Park; Non-stop Entertainment for All Ages!
For years my friends have raved about Holiday Parks. They bought a luxury caravan that Jenny calls her Home from Home. Then they invested in a Pre-loved Caravan for...
A Stranger in Vegas Street Performers at the Fremont Street
The Fremont Street is like a Novel. It has different chapters, each chapter has different acts, each act has a story, and within every story there is a sub-story....
Karl’s Chronicles Article 2 Ghana; Kwame Nkrumah – Changing Course
Arrive in Ghana and it doesn’t take long before you start to acquaint yourself with two impressionable forces. The heat that pulls you down and the courage and vision...
Steve’s Sojourns. Sniffed by the Inuits.
Fancy being sniffed by the Inuits? Well if not and you land on the small community of Oqaatusat in western Greenland be ready! I heard the sound of the...
Rachel’s Wanderings in Spain – 8 – Estate Agents, Spanish Sunsets and Second Hand Cars
It’s been an odd month so far and we’re just over halfway through. The early part of the month saw me visiting family in the UK on a short...
Mercedes-Benz reveals value-for-money GLB
IAIN ROBERTSON Every now and then, writes Iain Robertson, a new model arrives (or will do, this December) that makes you step back in amazement but demands a closer...
Dramatic landscapes and stunning sunsets on Dartmoor
Dartmoor, in the English County of Devon covers some 360 square miles and is an area of truly dramatic landscapes. It is the largest area of open country in...
Gareth Butterfield thinks Renault has finally hit the sweet spot with its Koleos SUV
WHEN Renault last brought the “Koleos” name to the market it was a bit ahead of its time. SUV buyers in those days were either being called “Chelsea Tractor”...
Wellness is on a high with light-headed therapy.
Turmeric lattes were once the fashion trend in coffee shops. Now CBD (cannabidiol) treatments are all the rage advocated by Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow. Laced in chocolate,...
Is space the final frontier? It might be for Skoda and its Superb Scout
IAIN ROBERTSON It takes a lot to get Iain Robertson to make intense pronouncements about some new cars but, having watched the development of Skoda’s largest model, he is...
A Place to Stay. Hotel Bon Sol & Spa, Majorca
I spent two nights at the Hotel Bon Sol Resort and Spa, five miles from Palma, Majorca. Mallorca (or Majorca – both spellings are acceptable) is still a virtually unspoilt...
A Place to Stay. Steve’s Soujourns The Battlestead Hotel
The Northumberland countryside between Hexham and Bellingham has some of the most beautiful scenery in the north of England and a short drive away from the majestic Kielder Water...
Taxi Noir: The Knowledge
Last time I promised to say more about the training that prospective London taxi drivers have to go through: the Knowledge of London. Right, fasten yourself in, it’s going...
Karl’s Chronicles Article 1 Out For Eleven
Roll back the clock to the mid 80s. Halfway through secondary school with no real interest in the outside world, aside from what flickered in from the imagination of...
Let’s dispense with the ‘FREE Electricity’ myth…
IAIN ROBERTSON Tesla has not exactly been helpful to the EV industry, writes Iain Robertson, by announcing that its Models S and X will be provided with FREE electricity,...
Steve’s Sojourns – Sunbathing at midnight
As we slipped gently out of Bergen harbour on the evening tide the sun began to wash the city with a soft orange almost golden cast. There a few...
Vauxhall is expanding its (PSA) product portfolio like never before
IAIN ROBERTSON Addlicted by both ‘difficult’ news and news of entirely new models, writes Iain Robertson, the brand formerly known as Vauxhall (of Luton; a division of General Motors...
Renault dares to thrill with new Megane RS Trophy-R
IAIN ROBERTSON There was a time, recalls Iain Robertson, when Ford Motor Company was deeply entrenched in motorsports and reflected its involvement in celebratory versions of its road cars,...
Gareth Butterfield says taking the Suzuki Jimny for a spin was well worth the wait
I’VE had to wait a long time to review this car. And that’s not because they’re rare, it’s because journalists have been queuing up to try it. Suzuki’s Jimny...
He couldn’t stop laughing. ARCHAEOLOGY NEWSFLASH 540a
When he heard I was planning to plunge into the forbidden forests of the Amazon, my friend Andrew rocked with laughter. “I’ll give you three precious tips,” he smirked. ...
Steve’s Sojourns A day in Salamanca,
Breakfast Why not join the people of Salamanca on their way to the office having an Espresso and an amarguillo, scrumptious almond biscuits that are a legacy of the...
A Place to Stay. The Bonham, Edinburgh
If you’re looking for a hotel in Edinburgh do have a look at The Bonham in Drumsheugh Gardens. Lying in the City’s vibrant west end it has been recently...
A Place to Stay. Hotel Dar Ben Gacem, Tunis
We went to the Medina of Tunis for lunch. Wikipedia says; The Medina of Tunis is the Medina quarter of Tunis, capital of Tunisia. It has been a UNESCO...
A Stranger in Vegas. The Golden Nugget Hotel Casino
In 1946, project Diana bounces radar waves off the Moon proving that communication between Earth and outer space is possible. In 1946, the current US President Donald Trump was...
Kia still produces a shining light in Sportage, despite a profusion of SUVs
IAIN ROBERTSON Recently upgraded, although you need to look closely to see the details, highlights Iain Robertson, the latest Kia Sportage serves to reinforce an image that is presently...
Steve’s Sojourns Small Ship cruising CroisiEurope’s Elegant “ Belle des Oceans”
Croisieurope‘s latest addition to their fleet, the RV Belle des Oceans, translates as “The Beauty of Oceans”. Without a doubt, any of this ship’s exotic journeys are likely to...
Steve’s Sojourns “ Sampling the Fjords and wonderful railways.”
Life itself is an adventure and the cruise companies have realised that there is a growing segment between the purist adventure cruisers and those people who are content to...
Rachel’s Wanderings in Spain – 7 – Summer Nights, Capers and Caperberries
So August is here. The earth is hard baked and any ground foliage golden brown but there is one wild plant that is resplendant at the moment and...
The C5 Aircross, Citroen’s new foray into the world of the family crossover (yes, another niche we probably didn’t see coming)
SOME cars have comfortable seats. Others have comfortable suspension. The C5 Aircross, Citroen’s new foray into the world of the family crossover (yes, another niche we probably didn’t...
Steve’s Sojourns “Gujarat India’s less visited treasure”
The mass of saris advancing towards me seemed to consist of every colour of the rainbow. Vibrant shades of reds, yellows, pinks and purples clashed and at the...
Ford celebrates its Motorway Patrol role in classic fashion
IAIN ROBERTSON While Ford Motor Company is under fire again for closing its engine manufacturing plant in Swansea, writes Iain Robertson, its UK-based PR team wheeled out a couple...
A Place to Stay; The Globe, Warwick.
Ann Evans visits The Globe in Warwick There is so much to love about The Globe hotel and restaurant in historic Warwick. It’s steeped in...
A Place to Stay. Hadlow Tower, a Wonderful Place for a Weekend!
Hadlow Tower, in Hadlow village, near Tonbridge in Kent, known as May’s Folly, is a Grade 1 listed building and it is up for sale for £2 million, you...
A Place to Stay. Elphinsone Hotel, Biggar, Lanarkshire
With Fred Olsen starting cruises from Rosyth opposite Edinburgh many people are looking for a hotel to break the journey. Driving from the south on the motorways has become...
Taxi Noir: An Introduction
I offer a warm welcome to anyone about to read my first introductory piece – and of course a big Hello to my fellow contributors. My name is Chris...
SHELLY BEACH SNIPPETS NO. 112 July, 2019
Patricia Newell-Dunkley photographs Reginald J. Dunkley Website: Facebook: Patricia Newell-Dunkley Artist/Writer Google: Patricia Newell-Dunkley for all previous Snippets. Greetings from down under as we drift towards spring, with...
Bentley feels proud to be ‘British’ in setting new US hillclimb record
IAIN ROBERTSON Unlike its former stablemate, Rolls-Royce, at least Bentley can claim that it still designs, develops and produces complete cars in the UK, highlights Iain Robertson, as the...