Living in Italy (Travel Tale)
"Vicenza? Where's Vicenza?" That's what I asked the man on the train as I was heading back to London with my eurail pass about to expire. I was on my way up from Pistoia, a little town just north of Florence where I had spent the weekend and fallen in love. After traveling around Europe all summer I finally made my way down to Italy, not knowing what to expect. But one thing was certain, the Italians I had met during the course of my travels had touched me in a way nobody else had, except for perhaps the Spanish.
Coming from America and fresh out of college I was a babe in the woods, in search of something that could give meaning to my life. I needed a fresh start, and Vicenza was as good a place as any. More ... (31 Dec 2007)
Luck of the Irish (Waterford accommodation)
The luck of the Irish wasn't with us as we drove south from Dublin. First up I had my first puncture in five years, and this in a new rental car. Second, it happened during a rain storm. Third, when I went to get the spare it was one of those skinny little wheels that look like they belong on a wheelbarrow. It was bright orange and said that it was not safe over 80 km/h. That's a fast wheelbarrow but a slow drive if you're trying to get halfway around Ireland.
I finally figured out how to work the jack, swap the wheels and get the whole show on the road again. Luckily there was a tyre place at the next town and in less than an hour we were patched up and ridiculous orange wheel hidden under the boot mat where it belonged. You might think that it wasn't a good start to our motoring holiday in Ireland. Then two things happened that convince me all would be well. More ... (23 Dec 2007)
Life is beautiful (Arezzo accommodation)
Our GPS definitely didn't want us to stay at Badia di Puma and refused to direct us to the address. I don't blame it as this small hotel is hidden away in the hills above Arezzo. So make sure you have a good map and a good navigator if you're thinking of staying here. And stay you should. It is an excellent way to enjoy Tuscany and just 15 minutes from the lovely town of Arezzo.
On arrival the building looks a little austere which is understandable when you learn that it was built about 350 years ago as a monastery. All that changes when you step inside – there are 18 ensuite rooms with all the modern luxuries. Our room was huge, spotlessly clean and had a very comfy bed. The room was serviced and bed linen changed daily! Air conditioning, TV and free wireless internet complete the picture. Great value for under €100. More ... (17 Dec 2007)
Classic Devon B&B (Dartmouth accommodation)
Strete Barton House is a 16th Century Manor House in the delightful village of Stete in Devon, about five miles from Dartmouth. Originally we'd planned to stay in Dartmouth but after some research decided to book this B&B which proved to be a good idea. We received a warm welcome from owner Stuart and tea and cake on arrival which was much appreciated – something we'd never been offered at any hotel. Our room was spacious with big four-poster bed, beautiful ensuite which included shower and bath, and even a window seat to admire the fabulous view of the garden and ocean. More ... (10 Dec 2007)
Great country cottages (Adelaide Hills accommodation)
The hills that surround Adelaide evoke parts of Germany, particularly the village of Hahndorf which was originally settled by Lutheran migrants in 1839 – according to local tourist brochures. Then there are areas of the Barossa Valley which lies about 50 km north of the city that had us homesick for our own adopted region of Provence in France with rolling hills of vineyards and lavender farms. Curiously the town next to Hahndorf is called Verdun which is also a town in France – the scene of a famous battle between the French and the Germans in WW1. More ... (03 Dec 2007)
Happy wandering in the Highlands (Travel Tales)
We had a day to get there and decided to make the most of it. While probably no more than 50 miles away in a direct line, the Grampian Mountains lay between us and our destination so we took the A86, a fabulous road with striking views along the way. The first stop was at the Dalwhinnie Distillery, the highest distillery in Scotland so perhaps it's the rarefied air that gives the whisky such a pure flavour. A bottle or two were carefully packed away safe from bumps, crashes and inquisitive wives. More ... (26 Nov 2007)
Can't wait to get back (Fort William accommodation)
Just on the north side of the Loch Linnhe lies the remarkable Inn at Ardgour. The ferry takes you across this narrow waterway in a couple of minutes and delivers you to an entrancing remoteness. From Fort William you follow the A82 south for eight miles to the ferry. It's an unlikely setting for a hotel as it's hardly on a busy road or serving a large town but still it seems to be popular.
A group of us had come to hike in the highlands and one of our number suggested staying here. We all enjoyed the location and the hospitality of this old pub and the fact that all bedrooms are at the front of the hotel ensuring breathtaking views of the loch and surrounding mountains. At night the dark descends like a blanket and it's only then that you appreciate the wonderful isolation and remoteness. More ... (19 Nov 2007)
Worth a visit (Konstanz accommodation)
Konstanz is an ideal location to explore this delightful part of Europe, which to my surprise is an area few English speakers venture. Nor do they seem to be catered for: most signs, information brochures, websites etc are only in German. It's not that English speakers are not welcome, just that there's not enough visiting to make it worthwhile to cater for them. But the more we toured this area the more we wondered why it remained the preserve of 'locals'. It is picture-postcard beautiful with its rolling hills of vineyards, lovely paths along the river, delightful villages and expansive waterways. More ... (12 Nov 2007)
Fit for royalty (Malmo accommodation)
The history of this building is fascinating and the more you learn the more you feel privileged to be a guest. The original building dates from 1319 and has been variously home to Swedish King Gustav IV Adolf and Leonora Christine who was the daughter of Danish King Christian IV. Perhaps I need to add that it wasn't at the same time! In the 17th century Denmark claimed this part of the Sweden peninsula as its own. This house seems to have been a central part of territorial history, with royalty from both nations installed in residence. More ... (05 Nov 2007)
Best country tradition (Edinburgh accommodation)
Originally set on staying in Edinburgh we changed our mind on the advice of friends who had lived there some time ago. Lying about 30 miles south of Edinburgh is the village of Peebles and it's here that Castle Venlaw Hotel is located. We were planning to do some walking in the Pentland Hills as well as visiting Edinburgh and Royal Observatory.
I'm ashamed to admit it but on our first morning we took an easy stroll into the village and along the river where we became comprehensively lost. And this after 30 years of bush walking and orienteering! Eventually we came upon a fisherman as he was packing to leave who kindly offered us a lift back to town. It was with red faces that 15 minutes later we were dropped off in the High Street. More ... (29 Oct 2007)
Guiding light (Travel Tale)
It was time for another of our irregular forays into the British countryside; always enjoyable and often surprising. It's a fascinating island about the size of a typical cattle station back in Australia but everywhere you look there are layers and layers of history. In the time we've been here we'd stayed in buildings that have served as hotels continuously for hundreds of years. Our favourite pub near where we live is over 400 years old, a fact which the locals find totally unremarkable. In Australia anything over 150 years old has a fence put around it and they charge you to look at it!
This time we were heading for Devon to visit Ilfracombe. Why, you might ask. Tim did. 'But why Devon? And why Ilfracombe? Strange sounding place.' More ... (22 Oct 2007)
Off the track (Travel Tale)
At the inspired suggestion of my travel partner we turned off the coast road and headed inland and soon came to a town called Grasse. Why we'd never heard of this place surprises me as it's quite beautiful and takes the title of being the perfume capital of the world. History has it that the perfume industry began here over 400 years ago. It flourishes to this day. If you're lucky enough to arrive in Spring or Summer you'll find the hills covered in flowers, all there to produce oils for the perfume industry. If you had to have an industry close to where you live this is the one. We stayed at a great B&B called Clos des Cypres (details in Accommodation review) which had quite beautiful gardens itself, as well as stunning views across the heavily-scented valley. More ... (15 Oct 2007)
Good start (Santander accommodation)
On previous visits we'd driven from England to Spain for our holidays but this time we tried something new. There was good reason for a change, more of which later. Departing Plymouth Sunday afternoon on the Pont Aven we sailed south for the Spanish port town of Santander. There is something about travel by sea that immediately puts you in a holiday mood, unlike the horrors of flying these days.
We witnessed a perfect sunset over the English Channel while enjoying a three course meal accompanied by an agreeable wine. Afterwards we had a chance to explore a little of the ferry, the flagship of the line launched a couple of years ago. Any notions of the ferries of old are quickly banished as this is more akin to a luxury liner with its dazzling white livery, pool and leisure centre, cinemas, wrap around promenade deck and classy bars. More ... (08 Oct 2007)
New wish list (Paris accommodation)
Paris does luxury hotels so well. Think Hotel George V which can usually number some royalty or billionaire amongst its guests on any given day. There are a handful of others that soar in that stratosphere and hold their own with any in the world. It's been a long held wish to spend at least one night at the George V on one of my infrequent trips to Paris but until now it's never happened, mainly because my budget didn't stretch that far. I doubt I'll ever get there now because I've discovered my perfect hotel and it's just down the road, close to both the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. More ... (01 Oct 2007)
Unexpected Tallinn (Tallinn accommodation)
Tallinn is one of those surprising cities in that it delivers a lot more than you might imagine. Perhaps it comes from having few expectations and knowing little about the place except its reputation for miserable weather. We arrived by ship from Stockholm which is a wonderful way to approach Tallinn, especially on one of the rare sunny days. We had only two nights in Tallinn before continuing our sea journey. Staying in the Hotel Telegraaf put us right in the centre of the old town which is a charming area. As the name implies, the Hotel Telegraaf served as the central telegraph office from 1918 until a few years ago – no wonder it has a central location. In 2006 the building reopened as a hotel and spa and in the whole of Tallinn there's probably no finer place to stay. More ... (24 Sept 2007)
Jamaica's best (Negril accommodation)
On our first visit we stayed in Kingston but during a tour of the island fell in love with the west coast which is about as far from Kingston as possible. The westernmost town of Negril is rated as having one of the top 10 beaches in the world – some prize! Needless to say that there are a great number of resorts here and at any cost. After a lot of checking we booked at Catcha Falling Star and it was fantastic. Largely rebuilt since 2004 CFS is a group of cottages nestled on the cliff overlooking the ocean. The view is directly west so the sunsets are stunning. This is a little away from the beaches and the benefit is obvious – you have secluded swimming spots, an exhilarating cliff dive and perfect snorkelling. More ... (17 Sept 2007)
Got it right (Chiang Mai accommodation)
We travelled to Thailand in July with friends from Scotland. They are a delightful couple who had never visited Asia before so relied on us (The Aussies) to lead the way. I suspect that Chiang Mai was the highlight for them as they rated the Baan Orapin B&B as awesome". Arriving in Bangkok we found them sitting happily at a bar opposite the hotel. They weren't difficult to spot as their bright red faces flashed a welcome. The Scots, it seems, aren't used to 100% humidity. Regrettably our hotel in Bangkok had rather old in-wall air-conditioning and as Bill described it you had a choice: have the air-conditioning on and lie awake with the noise or turn it off and lie awake because of the heat. The hotel was booked on my recommendation – one mark against me! More ... (10 Sept 2007)
I think we're lost ... (Alicante accommodation)
Driving through Spain can be a challenging experience for a non-Spanish speaker. Coming through France was fairly easy as I had some French and they had some English. So why did I think that Spain would be the same. Away from the big cities English is not used. My guess is that the Italian and French would get by without too many problems but for the British the challenges were obvious.
Going to a restaurant and spending 15 minutes translating the menu took me back to my backpacking days in Thailand. It is with some relief that I discovered that the word for beer is understood everywhere. Not being able to read road signs led to some interesting detours – thankfully most traffic signs such as Stop and Give Way have common symbols.
It's not all bad as we found on the Costa Blanca. Trying to get from Alicante to Valencia we took a wrong turn – or several it seems – and found ourselves in the most lovely area of mountains and olive groves. More ... (03 Sept 2007)
Agreeable posting (Norwich accommodation)
I think I would have been well suited to being a rector in 18th century England. During our recent motoring trip we came across several Rectories and they were all lovely comfortable-looking buildings in the most agreeable settings. With a small but adequate stipend, a good bottle of Scotch to cut the winter chills, and the largess of my parishioners to help fill the larder, I fancy life would have been quite tolerable. Sure I'd have to perform the occasional marriage and officiate over safe delivery of the souls of the dearly departed – but there wouldn't be the need for anything too physical.
All in all, not a bad life. Particularly if you were posted to Norwich where we recently stayed in the Old Rectory which is now a small hotel. In fact there are quite a few rectories that have entered a new life as hotels and it would be perfectly feasible to do an Old Rectory tour of the UK if you had a mind for such folly. I know of Old Rectory hotels in Bath, Devon, Birmingham and North Wales. No doubt there are many more. More ... (27 August 2007)
Happy traveling (Chania Accommodation)
I've learnt that the trick to happy traveling is to adapt to changes quickly. Years ago I'd booked a trip to Canada only to find that a snow blizzard had closed my destination airport indefinitely. The airline was happy to change my booking and I went to Hawaii instead which turned out to be a great holiday.
Nothing quite so drastic happened during our time in Greece recently but after two days in Athens enduring temperatures hovering around 40c (over 100 Fahrenheit!) and air pollution doing strange things to my throat it was time for action. We were spending more time than usual in the lobby bar mostly because it was cool and luckily met Chris and Dale – a young couple from London. They had just returned from their honeymoon on Crete and showed us their photos on the camera monitor. One place that immediately grabbed my attention was Chania which I'd never heard of before. Dale nominated their accommodation at Chania as possibly the best she'd ever had. More ... (20 August 2007)
Hard to better (Hastings accommodation)
They call this area 1066 Country and it’s not hard to see why William of Normandy was so keen to stay here. King Harold II took exception to this and went to Hastings to send him off, back to France. Things didn’t go as planned and unfortunately Harold was mortally wounded in the battle. On 25 December 1066, William was crowned King of England. Some Christmas gift!
Consider that if the Swan House B&B had have been around in 1066 William would no doubt have been happy to stay put and Harold could have remained on the throne. But it was to be another 400 years or so before Swan House was built in 1490. More ... (13 August 2007)
Mountain Air (Travel Tale)
Sometimes you just need to get away, far, far away. My wife and I had suffered the loss of a close friend in March and realized that we needed to get away from London for a couple of weeks. Healing time, she called it.
I rang a friend now living in Turin and put the question to him: did he know somewhere quiet where we could rent a house for a while, preferably in Italy? He phoned me back the next day to say that he’d discovered somewhere he thought might be perfect. It wasn’t a house for rent, but rather a bed and breakfast high up the Chisone valley, half way between Turin and the French border. More ... (06 August 2007)
Once is not enough (Portofino accommodation)
Arriving home from three nights at the Hotel Splendido is something of an anticlimax. The place is superb. Sitting high on the cliff above Portofino on Italy’s Cinque Terre the views are magnificent. The added advantage is that you’re above – and removed from – the hordes who flood into this small and impossibly beautiful village daily.
Our morning started with a sumptuous breakfast followed by a gentle roll down the hill and a short stroll around the harbour. We’d then take coffee at a favourite café with boats bobbing just metres away and enjoy the hum of the village preparing for the day. Tiny vans would deliver drinks to the bars and cafes and the street sweepers would work their way along the waterfront seemingly oblivious to the beauty surrounding them.
Then the trek up the hill back to the hotel, a dip in the pool followed by a lazy hour on our balcony reading or just taking in the view. It was lunch before we knew it. More ... (30 July 2007)
Impressive (Kiev accommodation)
This was my first visit to the capital of Ukraine and I expected Kiev to be like some of the other “old East” cities I’ve visited: grey concrete buildings left over from the communist regime. Instead I found a vibrant city of two million people with its future looking towards the west. There were many influences from Europe and the US, the latter particularly cultural.
Infrastructure seems good and the modern subway and trolley services very efficient. I had one minor problem with a taxi (many are not metered) which was quickly resolved when I handed over US $5, about half of what was asked for in the local currency.
The reason for my visit was that Ukraine had won a joint bid with Poland to host the UEFA European Football Championship in 2012. More ... (23 July 2007)
Magic four days (Hoi An accommodation)
I got off the bus at Hoi An after picking up a tummy bug somewhere along the way. The idea of continuing with the group to Hue the following day just didn’t make sense, particularly as the bus we were travelling on had no toilet. Without going into too many details, being more than a few seconds away from a toilet was not an option.
So I ended up staying at the Life Heritage Resort in Hoi An for four days and it was one of those occasions when an unfortunate circumstance turns out for the better. It was the best four days holiday I could have imagined. More ... (16 July 2007)
Stay with friends (Rome accommodation)
When friends were planning their trip to Italy they asked if we’d found anywhere good to stay in Rome during our visit in 2006. Straight away we both said Anne’s Place. There was no hesitation because staying with Anne and David had been one of the highlights of our trip. We doubted anything would have changed but asked for a report from our friends.
The report arrived by email: “Anne’s Place is fantastic! Worth travelling all the way from Australia just to stay here. Thanks for a great recommendation.” So it’s probably time to share the recommendation. More ... (09 July 2007)
Back to the classics (London accommodation)
To me London is the traditional black cab and the double-decker buses. The Routemaster buses were designed just after the war and came into service in the late 1940s and I can remember riding them to work during my six months in Britain in 1985. There was a conductor who moved throughout the bus selling tickets and occasionally admonishing passengers for swinging on and off the bus from the rear step. But it was fun to do and rather stylish if you managed it well.
On this trip back to London I found that the Routemaster is gone from general service, although some remain on two heritage routes. Gone apparently because the Mayor of London wanted to save the cost of the conductor and make all buses OPO – one person operated. You’ve got to love such uninspired thinking! More ... (02 July 2007)