While everyone's probably heard of the boy pharaoh Tutankhamun, some may not yet have seen the televised period drama 'Downton Abbey'. So, a few words of background might be useful. First, I have to tell you that I didn't watch any of the programmes - period drama rarely rocks my boat. My wife Pat and millions of others did, however. If you weren't one of them, you can still watch it, for a small fee, on the itvPlayer. It won several awards and starred Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern. It's thought to be one of the most widely-watched television drama shows in the world. So, maybe you have seen it - and maybe I should be sad I missed it (although I'm not!). Anyhow, research tells me that the four series and Christmas Specials ... read more

Having just endured a short stay in hospital, I thought I’d share my notes on things that occurred to me. Okay, I know this is TravelBlog and that the UK's National Health Service has nothing to do with journeys around foreign lands - but I did have to travel to the hospital and, as you’ll discover, it could almost have been China, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland or Romania in England’s green and pleasant land! So, for what it’s worth, here are few of my observations during this enforced time away from home: Buildings are there for a purpose, be it hotel or hospital. Hospitals aren’t hotels, but my recent experience says the service in hospitals is actually sometimes better. It’s the people who make the difference. The many grades of nurses have different, confusing uniforms. ... read more

Looking back on last year's five weeks in India, I cannot help but wonder why some people seem to have an inherent dislike for this crowded and polluted yet absolutely fascinating country. Of course, I can understand how shocking it is to those from developed countries that such poverty, such chaotic and dangerous traffic, such unnecessary garbage strewn by the wayside is out in the open, for all to see. What I cannot understand is how anyone could allow the country's shortcomings to overshadow its welcoming people, its amazing religions, its wonderful wildlife, stunning architecture, flavoursome foods... If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home. Much has been said of the paradoxes discovered by unsuspecting visitors to this incredible land. Grown men walk ... read more

It's a long drive from Mcleod Ganj to Amritsar, so we'd decided to stop for a night at Pong on the way. No, it's not 'Pong' the other half of 'Ping'. Nor 'Pong' the arcade video game. Not even 'pong' the disagreeable or offensive smell (although that's fairly close to the truth). I'm talking Pong the reservoir! There's only one hotel. It turned out to be a carbuncle on the landscape with basic rooms, terrible food, dire management and a website that miserably failed to tell it how it was. The view from the roof was lovely. The boat ride on the reservoir was awful. I thought about ending this blog right here, but you want to know more about why we didn't think much of Pong, don't you? So... First, a confession. It was me ... read more

We'd spent yesterday amid the clamour and cacophony of Delhi's characterful monuments and charismatic markets (see ). At five o'clock this morning, a more different view could hardly be imagined. There was only the merest hint of daylight. There was a chill in the air. There were no buzzing tuk-tuks, no honking horns, not even a background hum of traffic. Apart from a dog barking somewhere in the distance, silence reigned. We were on our way out of chaotic Delhi. Despite the ungodly hour, one of the young men from our homestay kindly supervised arrival of our taxi and quickly installed our bags, some in its boot and the rest balanced precariously on its roof-rack. We sped through an almost deserted city, racing through red lights, crossing junctions without slowing down, not giving the handful of ... read more