Monday, July 31, 2006

New Horizons

I have now set up a new blog to support my (hopefully) forthcoming sponsored charity expedition, to mark my 30th Birthday.
Please follow the link and add your support

http://explorenewhorizons.blogspot.com/

Many thanks

Monday, June 26, 2006

The Beautiful Game???

Apologies

I am a bad person - I promise one thing and then do not deliver (much like the England football team).
I said I would complete a report of my travels to Chicago on my return. I have been back over 2 months.

So, what of Chicago? Well for the first few days of my trip I was staying in 'the 'burbs' - commuter town of Evanston to the north of the city. This was a fairly affluent area of Chicago and notable for it's complete absence of tourists.
I made a couple of trips in to the windy city for some sightseeing - wonderful views on a clear day from the skydeck of the Sears tower being most notable. Also a visit to the Lincoln Park Zoo with the family. This I had very mixed feelings about. Whilst some areas - partucuarly the monkey/gorilla enclosures and the polar bear pool - where well laid out and maintained, others such as the big cat house were frankly a disgrace.
The sight of adult leopards and tigers pacing backwards and forwards, round and round was distressing to say the least.

On a brighter note however, the weather during my stay was condusive to outside activities and held until the wedding of the year at the Chicago Hilton and Towers which was a resounding success. I even managed to get the groom to the service on time and avoided offending any of the American guests with my typical English sense of humour...even the bride's mother!

Anyway, Chicago is now a distant memory and the whole of the UK if not the world has become engrossed in the World Cup...what hope have we got??

Monday, March 27, 2006

Home and Away

I used to love watching the aussie soap home and away - weekdays at 6pm. far better than neighbours for sure.

Anyway. Yesterday I returned (mostly) unscathed from my week long trip to the high alpine resort of val d'isere. I spent 6 days on a snowboard and failed to break a single bone (unlike one travelling companion).

Val d'isere has a reputation as an expensive and rather upmarket resort. I found it to be mainly full of english holidaymakers. I was suprised I must admit by the number of children taking a skiing holiday during term time but...needs must. I can recommend 'val' as an excellent place for intermediate to advanced skiers although slightly limited for beginners.

Next Sunday coming, I travel again - a little further afield - as I make my way across the pond to Chicago, Illinois, USA for a week of relaxing prior to performing best man duties at a wedding. I will report whence I return.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

In search of snow

The weather these past few weeks has been crazy. I've probably seen more snow falling since Christmas this year than for many previous. But none of it lies on the ground. As such I must travel several hundred miles to the Alpine resort of Val d'isere in search of the real stuff.
I will be spending next week crusing the slopes on my pre-booked snowboard and attempting to avoid serious injury. I have not been to Val d'isere previously but I imagine it to be full of many well-to-do English gentry in their designer ski-wear and gucci sunglasses, I'm going on a freebie.
I shall report back on my findings whence I return.

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Far, far away

In December last, I travelled across many lands (11) and seas (7) to reach the far away destination of New Zealand. This was my second visit to the wonderful country known as Land of the long White Cloud. Those that have never been to New Zealand before wonder how they left it so long, those that have been, feel totally relaxed and at home where ever they are.
During my trip I was visiting friends in Auckland. I laso travelled North to the Bay of Islands, staying in the small historic village of Russell (the first capital of New Zealand and previously known as 'the hell-hole of the south pacific!). In addition I paid a short but enyouable visit to the Coromandel Pennisula a seemingly undiscovered forest east of Auckland.
My final few days were spent on the east coast of the North Island in an area known as Hawke's Bay or Wine Country. Apart from visiting the winery's I paid homage to sea and sky and visited the largest Gannet Colony in the world at Cape Kidnappers, by tractor, across the beach, in the rain.
My report of such an important trip is clearly to brief but I shall ensure that this is not repeated on future journeys.
In March I am spending a week on my backside when I go snowboarding in Val d'Isere, France. News shall follow
Adieu

Travels have passed

Well, it is now clearly several months since my jaunt to the Dartmoor National Park. As such my memories have been clouded and I have very little to recall. I do remember however, the beautiful weather, wonderful scenery and friendly people.