On Friday I went off to Norden at some ungodly hour in the morning to grab a parking space before it filled up with rail enthusiasts. Where’s Norden? It’s the park and ride at the northern terminus of the Swanage Railway. The Swanage line was closed due to cuts in 1972 and by 1979 had … More A day out on the most famous steam train in the world
Welcome to the first page of The Picnic Blanket Book, my virtual cookbook of my favourite recipes! Disclaimer: I’m not a foodie. You can’t comprehend how very much I’m not a foodie unless you know me in real life. It’s beyond laughable that I’m starting a food series, let alone calling it a cookbook. Cookbook … More The Picnic Blanket Book: Juliet’s Rocky Road
Welcome to 2019 and welcome to the latest edition of my annual Two Bears Adventure series. This is Tom (also known as Tom Bear and, well, I am a polar bear, hence two bears). You may remember him from Two Bears in Swanage, Two Bears in Charmouth or Two Bears in Edinburgh. This year we … More A day at Lyme Regis: Tom & Julie’s Annual Adventure
Whenever I go anywhere these days I always bring back chocolate because these chocolate tasting posts seem to be pretty popular. And today I have three new brands I’ve never seen before and we’re going to do Dutch chocolate vs Ukrainian chocolate. In the Ukrainian corner: Roshen. If you go to Ukraine, you’ll see Roshen … More Dutch chocolate vs Ukrainian chocolate
Last month I went to my first ever Longleat exclusive passholders’ event – the Sky Safari launch. I’ve been a passholder for nearly two years and I do like to go to the Halloween fireworks and/or the New Year ones, go to the Festival of Light and go and see it all in summer. But … More A cavalcade of balloons at the Sky Safari
Back in the dark ages, when I was a fresh young graduate still looking for permanent work (2007/8), I volunteered at my local Tourist Information Centre. I was not a travel blogger then, nor even a traveller. I had a vague idea that a gap year was a desirable thing but I had neither the … More Volunteering at the Tourist Information Centre
This is my last preparation diary. Next first-post-of-the-month day I’ll be on the plane home after the walk. Booking This month I booked my accommodation in Reykjavik at each end of the hike. I did previously have an apartment for the last night booked but it’s too far out of the city centre and I … More The Laugavegur (Prep) Diaries part 4
I know people like my chocolate posts so today we have another international tournament: Greek chocolate vs Swedish chocolate! I’m not entirely sure those two countries have ever been pitted together in any arena except football because the Mediterranean cradle of western civilisation has nothing to compare to the Scandinavian seat of northern European power. … More Greek chocolate vs Swedish chocolate
Booking The big big thing this month is that I’ve booked my flights and accommodation! Yay! I put it off for a really long time because flights on Icelandair are getting expensive and they no longer include luggage by default. Quite frankly, I put it off because I didn’t want to hand over my money … More The Laugavegur (Prep) Diaries: part 3
I’ve done Swedish chocolate vs Norwegian chocolate. I’ve done Swedish chocolate vs Finnish chocolate. I’ve done Swedish chocolate vs Swiss chocolate. And now I’m doing Swedish chocolate vs Swedish chocolate. This is Swedish chocolate from a normal shop, not from Ikea or from the airport so it’s in its traditional yellow wrapper rather than the … More Swedish chocolate vs Swedish chocolate
I Am A Polar Bear 