Travel
Postcard from Iceland
A fat lot of help the Sultan of Oman was. About as much use as a chocolate teapot in the Al Hararis Plain during the hottest hour of an Omani desert day. Creepy sleepy sniffy [more…]
Always Worth Saying
Arts
Always Worth Saying’s Question Time Review
Question Time 25th January 2024 The Panel: Alex Burghart (Conservative) Jonathan Ashworth (Labour) Bronwen Maddox (CEO of Chatham House) Sonia Sodha (Columnist and Author) Konstantin Kisin (Satirist and Podcaster) Venue: Gillingham Despite, or perhaps because [more…]
20th Century
Postcard From Oman
Bob? Remember when I told you despite all the tall tales of derring-do in exotic locations, I work in a supermarket and don’t actually have a passport? Tempted the fates. Something’s cropped up. The sort [more…]
20th Century
Monuments, Ley Lines And a White-Coated Jobsworth
Salisbury Plain The 1949 page of our old family photo album is confidently captioned ‘Bournemouth’ but neglects any images of the Hampshire Riviera resort. Not to worry. They say that getting there is half of [more…]
20th Century
The Dreaming Spires
The 1949 page of our old family photo album is confidently captioned ‘Bournemouth’ but neglects any images of the Hampshire Riviera resort. Not to worry. They say that getting there is half of the fun [more…]
Authoritarianism
Starmergeddon
What is Starmerism? Quite. Last weekend, Labour Party historian MP Jon Cruddas questioned the present Labour Party leader’s readiness for power, damning him as one who has few ties to the movement’s roots or ideology [more…]
20th Century
Postcard From Kiruna
Having been presented with the key to the door, my wilful 21-year-old self used the opportunity to close the lock tightly behind him and allow the trade winds to billow his sails north, all the [more…]
20th Century
Grand Scarborough
Scarborough Beach Scarborough Beach is a renowned seaside destination known for its two sweeping sandy bays divided by the iconic Scarborough Castle. The North Bay offers a quieter ambience, while the South Bay is livelier, [more…]
19th Century
Meet The Family
In part one of this odyssey into the past, you’ll recall me being curious and excited in anticipation of the results of a Christmas present DNA test: Who Do I Think I Am? In part [more…]