I'm currently following a blog written by a friend I used to work with in Australia. He and his wife decided to take some time out with their children to do a grand road trip through their country. Not only do I admire their courage to undertake such an adventure together, I'm as jealous as hell.
Here's a link to their blog: http://wilsonsaustralia.blogspot.com/
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Saturday, August 09, 2008
New York Yankees
Finding time for anything but sleeping is rare during my regular trips to New York, but I had the spectacular good fortune of watching the Yankees play during my last visit to the city courtesy of a very generous friend. He and his family have been lifelong Yankees fans and they have been in the possession of season tickets for more than 20 years.
Their seats afforded a phenomenal view of the evening's game against the L.A. Angels. Sadly, after a close fought contest, the Angels scored at the top of the ninth and the Yankees couldn't respond in their last inning. Regardless of the loss, it was a wonderful evening of pure Americana; baseball, deli sandwiches, beer, peanuts, excellent company and renditions of patriotic songs before the opening pitch and at the top of the seventh.
The evening was made all the more special by the fact that the Yankees are finishing up the season in their current baseball park before relocating a few hundred yards down the street to a fancy new stadium. For loyal fans, it may be their last season due to the incredible hike in prices that next year will bring; a good seat will cost up to $850 a game! For non-baseball aficionados, there are nearly 150 games a season! It looks like I'll be back to the bleachers for the next game.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Lake District Camping in a Yurt
I finally got K in a tent. Well, a Yurt. And, okay, it contained a wood burner, feather beds, running water, toilet, bread oven and dining room table. So, no, not really a tent in the conventional sense of the word, but it looked like one, and that's what counts.
The wonderful thing about this particular Yurt-tent-like-thing was that it was on a working farm in Hesket Newmarket, under the shadow of Blencathra, an imposing mountain in the North East of the Lake District National Park. The farmer, John, turned out not only to be a wonderful host, but he also provided us with a candid, colourful and fascinating insight into the inner machinations of a livestock farm struggling to survive in the 21st century. B, on the other hand, just thought he was cool because he drove a quadbike.
On our first morning at the farm, we stood enthralled as the farm's 500 sheep were sheared by three men with steel backs from New Zealand.
The view from the Yurt.
The standard format of a day on the farm started with cooking eggs and bacon on the wood burner, playing football with B, walking around breathtaking lakes in the shadow of majestic mountains in the afternoon and reading by candlelight in the evening. All this before drifting into a cosy long sleep as the wind and rain lashed the tent through the night, safely in the knowledge that those nice folks at Featherdown Farms had designed this structure to keep it dry and warm enough for fair-weather campers like my lovely good wife.
We visited places of natural wonder, like this beautiful waterfall near Ullswater.
And looked around a couple of places associated with Beatrix Potter, the author of "Peter Rabbit". This picture is of her home at Hilltop, now in the hands of the National Trust, together with more than 4000 acres she donated to the preservation society after her death.
B also made friends with a couple of boys on the farm.
Wild ponies with Saddleback on Blencathra in the background.
John the farmer stokes the bread oven for cooking pizza.
The view to Fairfield from Lake Windermere.
The wonderful thing about this particular Yurt-tent-like-thing was that it was on a working farm in Hesket Newmarket, under the shadow of Blencathra, an imposing mountain in the North East of the Lake District National Park. The farmer, John, turned out not only to be a wonderful host, but he also provided us with a candid, colourful and fascinating insight into the inner machinations of a livestock farm struggling to survive in the 21st century. B, on the other hand, just thought he was cool because he drove a quadbike.
On our first morning at the farm, we stood enthralled as the farm's 500 sheep were sheared by three men with steel backs from New Zealand.
The view from the Yurt.
The standard format of a day on the farm started with cooking eggs and bacon on the wood burner, playing football with B, walking around breathtaking lakes in the shadow of majestic mountains in the afternoon and reading by candlelight in the evening. All this before drifting into a cosy long sleep as the wind and rain lashed the tent through the night, safely in the knowledge that those nice folks at Featherdown Farms had designed this structure to keep it dry and warm enough for fair-weather campers like my lovely good wife.
We visited places of natural wonder, like this beautiful waterfall near Ullswater.
And looked around a couple of places associated with Beatrix Potter, the author of "Peter Rabbit". This picture is of her home at Hilltop, now in the hands of the National Trust, together with more than 4000 acres she donated to the preservation society after her death.
B also made friends with a couple of boys on the farm.
Wild ponies with Saddleback on Blencathra in the background.
John the farmer stokes the bread oven for cooking pizza.
The view to Fairfield from Lake Windermere.
Edinburgh
I love Edinburgh more than any other city on earth. It has everything; grand architecture, history, mountain views, arts, culture, it's near the sea and it's home to fabulous, fabulous bunch of people. The only thing that lets it down is the weather. But for some reason, even the rain feels softer than London.
B points out where we stayed in the city.
During the long weekend we spent visiting B's Godfather, we had a great time stomping around the city and at the National Museum of Scotland in particular. Here are a few pictures of what we saw along the way.
B points out where we stayed in the city.
During the long weekend we spent visiting B's Godfather, we had a great time stomping around the city and at the National Museum of Scotland in particular. Here are a few pictures of what we saw along the way.
Moseley Old Hall, Staffordshire
A visit to a National Trust property or garden never fails to fill a Saturday afternoon with a bucket full of interesting facts and a great way to slow down.
We visited Moseley Old Hall in Staffordshire recently. It's interesting because it started life in the 16th century, hid King Charles II during the English civil war and then survived successive remodels and extensions in the 18th and 19th centuries. There are also a number of well hidden priest holes throughout the property and a wonderful, manicured garden around the house.
We visited Moseley Old Hall in Staffordshire recently. It's interesting because it started life in the 16th century, hid King Charles II during the English civil war and then survived successive remodels and extensions in the 18th and 19th centuries. There are also a number of well hidden priest holes throughout the property and a wonderful, manicured garden around the house.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
Standard Car Rally
B and I stopped into a Standard car rally at the weekend. The cars were made in Coventry, near Warwick, from 1903. In 1945, the company bought Triumph. The company was taken over in 1960 by Leyland, and the rest is very sad history.
The rally was held at the charming National Trust house Charlecote Park, just outside Stratford upon Avon. It took place on one of the only days recently when it didn't rain.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Wet 'n Wild Camping
The theme of my last couple of blog posts has been torrential rain, and this update is sadly no different.
Last weekend, I made my bi-annual pilgrimage to the Lake District National Park to climb a few mountains with two close friends. On this occasion, we had planned to "wild camp" on the ridge of a small but nonetheless substantive mountain called Lingmore Fell.
What better night to do it than summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Our intent was to watch the sun go down late at night whilst enjoying a drink or two after a hard day's walking and then revel in the early morning views from our high perch up above the valleys. As with all the best laid plans, it didn't quite work out as we had intended.
The weather forecast was dreadful, but we did an outstanding job of ignoring it. Sadly, the doom and gloom of the Radio 4 weather report, combined with an illness and a fierce hatred of camping in the rain, put off Mike.
From the moment we set foot on the mountain, it rained. And rained and rained and rained. In fact, it didn't let up for more than a minute until we were driving south from the mountains the following day.
Here's 10 important things I learned about being out in a raging storm for 28 hours:
1. Just because the word "summer" features in "summer solstice", don't expect anything less than a cat. 5 storm.
2. Never say "I think the weather forecast might be wrong" in your outside voice.
3. Never say it again 5 minutes later as evidence for the first time you said it; Mother Nature will really, really make you pay for it.
4. When your friend says "I think now is the right time for waterproof trousers", don't snort and think "big sissy".
5. Blackberry's don't like to sit in a puddle of rainwater inside your supposedly waterproof coat for 28 hours.
6. German car keys, on the other hand, are thankfully water resistant down to a depth of 10cms in your rucksack.
7. When entering a busy pub soaking wet after spending the day almost swimming on the mountain, think twice about carelessly throwing all your wet, expensive Goretex kit into that oddly convenient out-of-the-way empty hole under the mantelpiece. Yes, that's a fireplace. No, your kit isn't fire or coal resistant just because its soaked up the equivalent of the Indian Ocean.
8. Frozen sausages take two, miserable, heart wrenching hours to turn a slightly browner shade of raw pink on a pathetic disposable BBQ positioned under a dead tree to stop the storm from extinguishing it, and your only chance of eating.
9. Always cook meat thoroughly before consuming. Semi-raw sausages do not help you make friends in a tent a few hours later.
10. For goodness sake, listen to and believe the Radio 4 weather forecast.
Having said all this, Richard and I laughed all weekend. I can't remember the last time I laughed so much and had such a fun weekend in the mountains.
Langdale Pikes being lashed by the severe weather.
View down the Langdale valley.
I bet Gordon Ramsey doesn't have to cook in these conditions.
Last weekend, I made my bi-annual pilgrimage to the Lake District National Park to climb a few mountains with two close friends. On this occasion, we had planned to "wild camp" on the ridge of a small but nonetheless substantive mountain called Lingmore Fell.
What better night to do it than summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Our intent was to watch the sun go down late at night whilst enjoying a drink or two after a hard day's walking and then revel in the early morning views from our high perch up above the valleys. As with all the best laid plans, it didn't quite work out as we had intended.
The weather forecast was dreadful, but we did an outstanding job of ignoring it. Sadly, the doom and gloom of the Radio 4 weather report, combined with an illness and a fierce hatred of camping in the rain, put off Mike.
From the moment we set foot on the mountain, it rained. And rained and rained and rained. In fact, it didn't let up for more than a minute until we were driving south from the mountains the following day.Here's 10 important things I learned about being out in a raging storm for 28 hours:
1. Just because the word "summer" features in "summer solstice", don't expect anything less than a cat. 5 storm.
2. Never say "I think the weather forecast might be wrong" in your outside voice.
3. Never say it again 5 minutes later as evidence for the first time you said it; Mother Nature will really, really make you pay for it.
4. When your friend says "I think now is the right time for waterproof trousers", don't snort and think "big sissy".
5. Blackberry's don't like to sit in a puddle of rainwater inside your supposedly waterproof coat for 28 hours.
6. German car keys, on the other hand, are thankfully water resistant down to a depth of 10cms in your rucksack.
7. When entering a busy pub soaking wet after spending the day almost swimming on the mountain, think twice about carelessly throwing all your wet, expensive Goretex kit into that oddly convenient out-of-the-way empty hole under the mantelpiece. Yes, that's a fireplace. No, your kit isn't fire or coal resistant just because its soaked up the equivalent of the Indian Ocean.
8. Frozen sausages take two, miserable, heart wrenching hours to turn a slightly browner shade of raw pink on a pathetic disposable BBQ positioned under a dead tree to stop the storm from extinguishing it, and your only chance of eating.
9. Always cook meat thoroughly before consuming. Semi-raw sausages do not help you make friends in a tent a few hours later.
10. For goodness sake, listen to and believe the Radio 4 weather forecast.
Having said all this, Richard and I laughed all weekend. I can't remember the last time I laughed so much and had such a fun weekend in the mountains.
Langdale Pikes being lashed by the severe weather.
View down the Langdale valley.
I bet Gordon Ramsey doesn't have to cook in these conditions.
Monday, June 16, 2008
New York
A couple of weeks ago, I stayed on in New York for a day after a business trip to meet up with a friend. He was in the city to meet with a few picture editors and photo agencies. His Web site is listed on the right as "Tom in India". He's an incredibly gifted artist/photographer, a talent that was already clear to me when we originally met at university.
In the limited time we had, we managed to squeeze in Hendricks (best gin in the world) at the Oyster bar in Grand Central (fantastic, genuine seafood and the saloon bar is a little haven for Manhattan residents), chocolate cupcakes from Magnolia bakery (don't get me started on how delicious these beauties are!), coffee and cookies at City Bakery (home of the best cold hot chocolate and melted chocolate chip cookies in the whole darn universe) , brunch at Balthazar (noisy and cramped, but wonderful ambience and delicious food to match) and deep south BBQ in mid-town!!
In the limited time we had, we managed to squeeze in Hendricks (best gin in the world) at the Oyster bar in Grand Central (fantastic, genuine seafood and the saloon bar is a little haven for Manhattan residents), chocolate cupcakes from Magnolia bakery (don't get me started on how delicious these beauties are!), coffee and cookies at City Bakery (home of the best cold hot chocolate and melted chocolate chip cookies in the whole darn universe) , brunch at Balthazar (noisy and cramped, but wonderful ambience and delicious food to match) and deep south BBQ in mid-town!!We managed to burn off a few of the calories by walking all day, down from 42nd through Chelsea to Greenwich Village, then into the Meat Packing district (pictured below) and on to NoHo and eventually SoHo. We ended up in Union Square via Gramercy.
The weather was kind to us all day, except for a brief period in Times Square (pictured above). It was a lot to pack into a day, so it helped me sleep on the red-eye home.
Friday, June 06, 2008
Typical English Bank Holiday
The typical ingredients for our May bank holiday; rain, country walks and a visit from our good friend in New York. And boy oh boy, did it rain. It even managed to dampen the spirits of our venerable Morris dancers at the asparagus festival in the Cotswolds. Note the river running through their refreshment tent!
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Barcelona
On my third visit to Barcelona, I got to see about as much of the city as I have done in previous years i.e. none. This year, my intention had been to grab an hour with my team before or after our event to see Gaudi's cathedral. It will have to wait until next year.
Monday, May 19, 2008
A Place in the Sun
I'm a bit behind on my blog lately. Travel and, I have to admit, twitter, has kept me away from our Mac at home for too long.
Anyway, we recently spent an idillic week on the island of Mauritius, which is in the Indian ocean off the east coast of Madagascar (which, if you are still scratching your head, is off the east coast of Africa). Everything, from start to finish, was perfect. We had a wonderful time together. Words can't do the place justice, so here are some pictures.
Friday, May 16, 2008
MG in need of TLC
On her 30th birthday, the MG has been checked into one of the finest specialist centers in the country to undergo a thorough diagnostic. She's been sitting on the drive for quite a while, a legacy of when we lived in New York. But that was nearly three years ago and time has not been kind to the poor girl's chassis. We've been waiting two weeks for an update from the MG Restoration Center on what needs to be done, so I don't think it is going to be good news.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Broadway, Cotswolds
I took advantage of my day off before our holiday to complete a quick 8 mile walk in the Cotswolds near a gorgeous town called Broadway. I got up insanely early and I had completed half the route by 8am. The weather was perfect and the views -- well, you can see for yourself.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Weekend Festivities
It was a busy weekend in Stratford upon Avon. The official birthday celebrations of Shakespeare took place on Saturday and the town was flooded with foreign secretaries and diplomats. Getting in and out of the town is beginning to be a nightmare -- the usual summer madness that comes with living in the center of town.
It was the Stratford half-marathon on Sunday. The route passed our house, so it was fun to watch the sweating masses from the comfort of our living room whilst munching breakfast in our jim-jams! B asked "why are they running?" I didn't have a good answer.
It was the Stratford half-marathon on Sunday. The route passed our house, so it was fun to watch the sweating masses from the comfort of our living room whilst munching breakfast in our jim-jams! B asked "why are they running?" I didn't have a good answer.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Las Vegas
I recently spent a couple of days in the office in Stamford, Connecticut, north of New York, but then flew to Las Vegas for one of our big events. This was a similar trip to the one I did in January, but the difference this time was that I didn't fly back to London in the middle of it!
I had a much better experience in Las Vegas this time too. The event was terrific from a professional perspective, and I didn't throw my back out like last time. But my second impression of Las Vegas was pretty much the same as my first; I'm not that keen on it. I can see why people would love this place, but I can't quite get my head around the constant gambling. I don't understand why so many people would gamble so much money knowing that the odds a stacked so high against you. It just seems like a waste of time. But I guess those same people wouldn't understand why I like climbing mountains or walking to London for fun. It takes all types, I suppose.
One thing is very impressive about Las Vegas; it really was built right in the middle of the desert. And it's still getting bigger. Quite incredible.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
National Trust-ing: Charlecotte Park & Cliveden
We spent a couple of recent weekends National Trust-ing. Visiting these beautiful properties and gardens makes for a great day out. And besides, the tea and cake is usually exceptional!
We also visited Cliveden, near High Wycombe, which is a magnificent stately home that commands spectacular views over Berkshire. It is now a very fancy hotel, but the grade 1 listed gardens are open to visitors.
Here are some pictures of Charlecotte Park, which is about 5 miles from our home in Stratford upon Avon. As you can imagine, every local building has some kind of Shakespeare claim to fame, and Charlecotte is no exception. Shakespeare allegedly poached regularly on this estate.
We also visited Cliveden, near High Wycombe, which is a magnificent stately home that commands spectacular views over Berkshire. It is now a very fancy hotel, but the grade 1 listed gardens are open to visitors.
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