Farewell walk in Durham Sunday started with another ‘Nero’ breakfast, following which we returned to the hotel for showers and packing. When ready, we headed out for a final Durham
Category: Big Trip
England Grand Tour (2021): Day 2: Getting Reacquainted with Durham
Before lunch We had breakfast at the local branch of Caffè Nero, a few minutes’ walk away via Elvet Bridge and the Market Place. In due course, we set out
England Grand Tour (2021): Day 1: First Border Crossing and Hotel Stay of the Year!
Edinburgh – Newcastle – Durham I left my flat shortly before 1130, bound initially for Edinburgh’s West End tram stop. I had my rollaboard in tow, unbelievably out for its
England Grand Tour (2021): Introduction
For a pair of committed globetrotters such as myself and my Bristol-based friend Bruce, the first four months of 2021 constituted a horrible period. We may not have realised at
Japan in Winter (2020): Diary Epilogue
While the main part of the trip was over at this point, it would take another four days for me to make my fairly leisurely way back to Edinburgh. Saturday
Japan in Winter (2020): Day 6: Last full day in Sapporo
Today, like Thursday before it, was neatly subdivided into three sections. After sampling a McDonalds breakfast (which, if anything, was marginally better than the previous day’s Starbucks experience), we set
Japan in Winter (2020): Day 5: Getting to know Sapporo
Morning … Today started with breakfast at a local Starbucks – the coffee was nice enough, but the food wasn’t so great. After a brief return to the room to
Japan in Winter (2020): Day 4: Onwards to Sapporo
Morning relocation Today began with another fabulous, private-dining breakfast – just as good as the previous day’s, but tinged with a feeling of regret that we were about to leave
Japan in Winter (2020): Day 3: Heaven and ‘Hell’
Breakfast & Hotel Tour A member of staff arrived at 7:30 to begin setting up for our 8am breakfast. Just like dinner the previous evening, but on a smaller scale,
Japan in Winter (2020): Day 2: To Takinoya Ryokan
Transfer to Noboribetsu Onsen Following our inclusive hotel breakfast, we checked out and took the bus to Memanbetsu Airport. This visit brought home what a small airport this is, although
Japan in Winter (2020): Day 1: Disappointment and Delight
Morning: Cruise to nowhere Spoiler alert: the header image above is what we were MEANT to be doing this morning. We got up nice and early, had breakfast at the
Japan in Winter (2020): Diary Prologue
Before I launch into the main trip diary, this post gives a brief summary of how I got from Edinburgh to Abashiri. Thursday 30 Jan Bruce had spent the previous
Japan in Winter (2020): Featured Flight BA7 (LHR-HND)
At the airport Today’s Club World experience began shortly after being dropped off at T5 by an early-morning RailAir coach from Reading, where we had spent the night at the
Japan in Winter (2020): Introduction
This trip, like many before it, was planned and undertaken as a joint venture with my Bristol-based friend and travelling companion, Bruce. We had both become great fans of Japan