After a joyous walk along the River Lea this afternoon, I finally got to see Olympic Park at close range, rather than merely on television as a backdrop for the evening news during the summer months. 2012 was of course the year of the London Olympics, so in […]
London is such a vibrant and exciting place to live – you never need get bored given the array of attractions on offer. But give me a reason to get out and explore England’s green and pleasant lands and I’ll jump at the opportunity. Arriving in quaint English […]
Budget airlines have been heavily criticised in recent years for flying to airports that are miles from the places they are meant to serve. Travellers can feel short changed when they are forced to fork out for expensive transport to their ultimate destination. Using smaller, less busy airports […]
There is just one dress code required for Pamplona right now. Wherever you look in this packed, alcohol-fuelled city, people of all ages are wearing their white trousers and tops adorned with red neckerchiefs. They dance in the streets to the sounds of impromptu gigs from bands, tossing […]
Arriving in a new city there are multiple ways to get acquainted with your surroundings. You could for example spend the day hopping on and off an open top bus, opt for a walking tour with a knowledgeable guide, or if it’s a city on the water then […]
With a host of exhibitions, TV programmes and special events on right now, the Thames is the talk of London. And as the sole reason as to why London is what it is and where it is today, it is only proper that this important river gets the […]
High streets across the UK are struggling: footfall is collapsing and consumers’ spend is going down. Across the UK, there are countless examples of parades of boarded-up shops in what were once-thriving market towns and busy city centres. Several long-established businesses such as Peacocks and Blacks have been […]
Five years ago I vividly recall sitting in my car in a supermarket car park on the outskirts of Hull and talking on the phone to a friend who was moving out to Dubai. It was pouring down with rain and I couldn’t face getting soaked from walking […]
FOR years people have been saying that the British seaside holiday is dead and buried. Those advocating this view have pointed to the growth of cheap flights abroad through the Nineties and Naughties. Why would you want to holiday in a British resort where you would be served […]
Reading an article in the Times today (www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7087627.ece) about Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) workers being paid a “hardship” allowance in certain countries really made me laugh. That’s because Dubai, the emirate with better living conditions that we enjoy in Britain, was included on the list. The FCO […]
Past In The Present 