501 Places

When I realised that I would be in Philadelphia at a convention for the start of the 2002 World Cup I could never have guessed just how hard it would be to watch a game. I mean, they have over 100 channels don’t they? And I was staying at the Crowne Plaza, so I would [...]

Most readers will probably remember the old classic whose title I borrowed for this post. For those who don’t, and for those who do, here it is – enjoy while reading. Take it away, Credence Clearwater Revival: If the eskimos have 200 words for snow, then perhaps the British should have the same number of [...]

When we overindulge in something, a natural consequence is to give it up altogether. So it was for me, having eaten burgers 2 or 3 times a week in a job that involved endless hours driving around the UK and almost daily lunches in motorway service stations. I stopped eating fast food in 2002 and [...]

Despite the statistics that show how safe flying really is, those who fly often enough will have some stories to tell. The vast majority of us will never experience the trauma of an actual air crash, but we will eventually travel on a flight where we are glad to get out in one piece. I [...]

One of my top places in the world to visit, the west of the United States is rich with natural wonders and well-managed national parks. I have raved on about the American national parks in this area in a recent post so will spare you my words and just share a few of the favourite [...]

Over the years I’ve encountered many Europeans and Antipodeans who have travelled extensively throughout the world, yet they have never been to America. When I ask them why they have neglected this big chunk of the globe the reply is nearly always the same: “we can do America when we’re too old to do the [...]

The latest guest post on 501 Places is from good friend and fellow St Albans resident Veronica Cooper. Recently home from a trip to the East Coast, Veronica makes her debut in the world of blogging by sharing some of the highlights of her time in one of my favourite US cities: Boston. Over to [...]

Whether we consider ourselves as seasoned travellers or occasional tourists, we invariably seek out the ‘authentic experience’ wherever we are staying. It may be the restaurant that sells authentic food, the authentic hotel run by local people, or the boat trip to visit the authentic village, where “people go about their daily lives as they [...]

The Grand Canyon is surely one of the most famous and instantly recognisable natural wonders of the world. Yet surprisingly few people are aware that just over an hour’s drive from the Grand Canyon, not far from the crowds of the South Rim, is a natural wonder that rivals the beauty of the Grand Canyon [...]

Imagine you are 24 miles through the NY Marathon (for some of us that’s a tough thing to picture). You have ran through the 5 boroughs of the city, and are now stumbling through the final couple of miles on the roads of Central Park. Crowds are cheering you on, and you know there’s probably [...]