The Strathnaver Trail and the Kyle of Tongue It was Saturday and we expected terrible weekend traffic on the narrow roads of this tourist trail. It certainly proved to be like nothing we’d ever experienced before. We drove all day and, if it hadn’t been for a veteran sports car rally of 20 cars travelling in the opposite direction, our total tally of vehicles would have been: one Royal Mail van, two tractors, four fishermen’s trucks, half a dozen motorbikes, another half dozen pushbikes, and three tourists’ cars! After an excellent full Scottish breakfast (just like the full English but with black pudding) at Cloisters, our journey took us back the way we’d come - east to Coldbackie and Borgie - before turning south into the North Highlands on the Strathnaver Trail. This was literally a ... read more

Portknockie - Bow Fiddle Rock - Sandend - Portsoy - Banff - Gardenstown - Crovie - Pennan - Macduff - Dunrobin Castle - Thurso - Murkle After a grey start and another enormous breakfast, we ventured forth into an increasingly bright Wednesday. Our journeys today took us along the coast road to the east of Findochty, passing hundred-acre fields that had been recently harvested and were now full of giant, cylindrical bales of straw. There were many large herds of sheep here too and occasional small herds of brown, black or black and white cattle. Great flocks of gulls, crows and rooks whirled around inland, settling now and then among the fields of stubble. All the time, the sea beckoned to our left as we wound along the A98. We turned off frequently to visit some ... read more

There it was in red and yellow - the packet of cereals on our breakfast table confirmed what most French people would like you to believe: the world’s international language is French, not English. The only English words on this packet were “Corn Flakes”. Details of what they were made of, how to serve them, and volumes of nutritional advice were in French, Dutch, Spanish, Italian and Greek. However, as any Englishman who’s an average French-speaker will tell you, when you start to stumble for a word in conversation with a native they’re almost certain to help you out by saying it in English! So, let’s be generous and say that the English bits were probably left off the cornflakes packet by mistake. Yes, we’ve been to la belle France once again, albeit unexpectedly this time. ... read more

They call it 'dental tourism'. Alas, in my view at least, the two words really don't belong together. 'Dental' relates to injections, drilling, sore gums, and all sorts of other unpleasantness - arguably, none of it self-inflicted. 'Tourism', on the other hand, is something pleasurable - interesting sights, sounds, smells (some better than others), and tastes - apart from occasional sore feet from too much walking, it's totally painless too. Anyhow, here I am enjoying some 'dental tourism' on the last lap to replacement of my smiling teeth (remember: the three front uppers that everyone notices when you smile, particularly when, like now, they're missing!). I arrived back in Budapest on Monday morning. It was cold and wet. I was met by one of the drivers from Dr Batorfi's clinic and taken directly to his high-tech ... read more

I used to be a jet-setter. Well, it was difficult to avoid setting a jet or two during thirty years in the travel industry wasn't it?! Now, in the autumn of my years and working in higher education, I’ve done it again - two foreign countries speaking incomprehensible languages in just a fortnight - Wales and India! My week in Wales was at Aberglasney with Pat. We returned home on Saturday 21 April and I flew to Delhi the next day. Readers of my blog from India last year will know that Pat has an aversion to all things curried, so I travelled alone again. Those readers will also know that, after my holiday in January 2006 with young friend Pintu, I expected to see him again only at his wedding, whenever that might happen to ... read more