20th Century
This Is My England, 1950 – Part 1
Since this journey must begin somewhere, let it begin here in Bakewell with the story of a tart. A Bakewell tart, which, of course — as they are quick to point out — isn’t a [more…]
Travelogue
Arts
A Postcard From a Long Christmas Cruise, Part Six
23rd December – St Kitts I can hardly believe that this is day 23 of my cruise. Much like any other it started with me being woken by the phantom cabin door banger, who was [more…]
Arts
A Postcard From a Long Christmas Cruise, Part Five
18th December – Aruba The ship picked up the port pilot around six this morning and after a very slow trip from Bonaire (it is only 125 nautical miles away) we docked around about 06:30 [more…]
Arts
A Postcard From a Long Christmas Cruise, Part Four
12th December – Barbados This changing the time by an hour every other day is driving my body clock mad! I woke up at 5:20 ages early. The lights of Barbados were twinkling as we [more…]
Literature
Riding the donkou through Japan
When you read about Japanese trains, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the shinkansen, the world’s first bullet train and still a wonder to behold and to ride in. Or you [more…]
Arts
A Postcard From a Long Christmas Cruise, Part Three
7th December – At Sea I can hardly believe that today is the 7th day of my cruise time is flying by. We are heading on a course of 244°, approximately south westerly and it [more…]
Arts
A Postcard From A Long Cruise, Part Two
December 1st. – Sailing day. Well, I think I have done everything. Case packed, car filled with petrol, papers cancelled, all the paperwork printed off and in an A4 envelope in my hand luggage, passport [more…]
Arts
A Postcard From a Long Christmas Cruise, Part One
Being single and with no very close family, Christmas is not an easy holiday. I get invited to stay with cousins, but I have often felt like an outsider as they all have children and [more…]
Arts
A Postcard From India; Goa
Another long day of travelling, including two longish taxi rides and two internal flights, via Hyderabad, saw us arrive in Cavelossim. The journey to the airport in Goa, through the last of the “rush hour” [more…]