When we were at the Grand Canyon last year, Gareth and I spent a lot of time sniggering at all the tourists videotaping the scenery. It’s a bloody ancient CANYON, people! It’s not going to move! I felt sorry for the poor friends and families who’d be forced to watch the rocks-and-bush action upon their Read More
On 19 June we were on the bus for a good seven hours, making our way from Novgorod to Moscow. When I wasn’t scoffing Finnish chocolate I was pressed up against the window trying to take photos of fast-moving objects. It was an unforgettable journey after four days in the relative glamour and beauty of Read More
They say it is bad luck if a black cat crosses your path. They also say good things happen in threes. So what does it mean if three black cats cross your path? This happened to me today. I am just sitting here, waiting for the piano to drop on my head. As with the Read More
We've already established I'm stingy and not fond of traditional holiday souvenirs. So while my Contiki comrades were gathering up matryoshka dolls by the armload on Red Square, I was more guarded with my precious roubles. I was inspired by Rory's wife Jane who has amassed an impressive collection of international candy wrappers from her Read More
In sharp contrast to the Baltic Binge were our Russian Rations. The Big Red Machine has come a long way since the days of the lengthy food queue, but if you're seeing the country on a Contiki tour you don't really encounter the gourmet stuff. Our guide warned us at the border that Russian tourist Read More
Museum of Erotica, Copenhagen Hotel Delta, Moscow Rhi and I are off on another break tomorrow. I had intended to finish writing about all the Russia stuff before we left, but there's still half a dozen things to go. Eek! Take care of your lovely selves, and I'll post the usual sprawling internet cafe rot Read More
New photo gallery up today: Cars of Russia.
DISCLAIMER: I understand that Lenin was a very bad man. Stalin gets the lion's share of notoriety in the history books thanks to his ruthless purges and war tactics; but Lenin bumped off a few people too. Perhaps his rallying speeches, cute little goatee and the general romance surrounding the revolution often distracts us from Read More
Forget the Brandenburg Gate, the Wall or the big sausages. The most spectacular moment of my Berlin jaunt was seeing That Hotel Where Michael Jackson Dangled His Baby.
Everything seemed so organised and sensible in the Scandinavian countries. For someone like me with a Vitamin Logic deficiency, all I could do was press my nose to the bus window and marvel at it all. First up in Copenhagen I loved the bike lanes. You have the road for the cars, the footpath for Read More
