501 Places

I used to hate London. We came here only when it was absolutely unavoidable. The traffic, the pollution, and most of all the change in demeanour of people as you enter the capital. Drivers are ruder, no-one talks to you or even likes to look at you, and the world seems to rush by at [...]

I must admit that when I first heard we would be staying with an eagle hunter I was a bit confused. For a moment I wondered: does this guy shoot eagles?? He doesn’t, you’ll be relieved to know. The truth however is no less gruesome for those with a queasy disposition. Early in our stay [...]

I have always been fascinated by volcanoes. The awesome power of an eruption, the history attached with major events such as Pompeii and Krakatoa, and most of all the beauty of red hot lava as it breaks from the earth’s crust and sprays, flows or explodes above the ground. We visited Hawaii in 2001 with [...]

I can’t remember the names of these two German backpackers, pictured next to Major Oak (Robin Hood’s tree in Sherwood Forest) back in 1987. I had just returned to my home town of Nottingham after two months on the road, and taking these two young ladies to visit the highlights of Nottingham was very important [...]

We are all drawn to the beauty of a sunset. The change of colours across the sky, the sight of the sun dipping below the horizon and the first stars appearing in the darkening blue of the twilight. I have put together a selection of sunsets that I have been lucky enough to witness in [...]

I didn’t know what to expect in Israel. We only made a fleeting visit – the briefest possible in fact. Our ship from docked in Haifa long enough for us to be taken to Jerusalem and Bethlehem and back again (the first and last time I have ever taken a cruise). Much of what we [...]

This might look like an unremarkable photo of a plane to you. To plane-spotters out there, you will recognise it as a Tupolev 154, and might even pick out the China Northwest livery. For me, this photo represents a memory of irrational panic and overwhelming relief at stepping from this flight alive. Please let me [...]

Crossing Siberia by train is highly recommended. The landscapes change with almost every passing hour, and each morning the daylight reveals a scene utterly different from the one that disappeared into the previous night. Life on the train is exciting, with traders, smugglers and families making their way across Russia and into China. The second [...]

This is one fragile environment that we can’t blame on climate change. Natural forces of erosion are gradually wearing away the stunning sandstone arches in this unsung but beautiful corner of Utah. This one for example, Landscape Arch, lost a huge chunk of rock recently from its left shoulder. Another break like that and the [...]

Bright lights. Movie stars. Broadway. Famous landmarks. New York has it all. Many of us have visited the city on a holiday or shopping break, but have you ever wondered what it would be like to be there for a bit longer? Will the gloss wear off when you live and breathe it for a [...]