Category: Around the World in 60 Days

Wednesday, 30 June 2010 Nottinghamshire, UK Land Heathrow at the ungodly hour of 0600hrs. It’s 0230hrs body clock time. No sleep on flight. Despite a large single malt. Am knackered. Heathrow hell is today Heathrow heaven. Takes 15 minutes between aircraft doors opening and sitting on the Heathrow Express to Paddington. A record. Explain to… Read more

Tuesday, 29 June 2010 St John’s, Canada Final few hours in St John’s is spent at St John’s top tourist attraction. A newish building, imaginatively called, ‘The Rooms’. A collection of rooms housing art, artefacts, local history. Etc. Etc. Etc. With an excellent photographic exhibition on the subject of oil. Focussing (excuse the pun) on… Read more

Monday, 28 June 2010 St John’s, Canada Even the blue sky doesn’t make St John’s less grim and grotty than Grimsby. It does allow a walk out of town and up to the top of Signal Hill though. Signal Hill being famous for being the place where Marconi received the first transatlantic signal in Cabot… Read more

Sunday, 27 June 2010 St John’s, Canada Have ordered a bus transfer to the airport that picks up from the front of the hotel. CA$20 for the half hour journey. Exit hotel and greeted by a couple of taxi drivers touting for business. Told I’m waiting for the bus in ten minutes, they offer to… Read more

Saturday, 26 June 2010 Halifax, Canada In need of the revitalising properties of a bacon buttie, head off to the Farmers’ Market. Best place to try for a bacon buttie. Place order at stall. Pay up. Given a ticket. Sit and wait. With my coffee. And wait. And wait. Soon becomes apparent that yours truly… Read more

Friday, 25 June 2010 Halifax, Canada There’s a real buzz in Halifax. HM The Queen is coming to visit in two days. Major preparations are under. Many naval ships in the harbour are waiting to position themselves for the Fleet Inspection. One warship is reflected in the mirrored facade of a newly constructed building. Part… Read more

Thursday, 24 June 2010 Halifax, Canada Well this is it, dear reader. The final rail day on the rails of this trip. Most of the day is spent trundling along the tracks passing the usual landscape of lakes and trees. Very Canadian. The train has actually, and unbelievably, run out of food. A brief stop… Read more

Wednesday, 23 June 2010 Quebec City, Canada Sadly this is the final day in Quebec City. Shall miss it. Been one of the highlights of the trip. Nice old town and excellent hotel. Excellent few hours at the Titanic exhibition in the city. I have a VERY tenuous connection to the Titanic. I am friends… Read more

Tuesday, 22 June 2010 Quebec City, Canada Having booked a tour of the outlying region need to get out of bed super early. A shock to the system. Have got used to a regular lie in, dear reader. The revitalising properties of a mug of tea and a crispy bacon buttie soon wakes me up.… Read more

Monday, 21 June 2010 Quebec City, Canada Well this is all very civilised, dear reader. Quebec City. Is. Very. Nice. Further enhanced by the glorious blue sky. Map in hand, perambulate the Promenade. Like a Victorian pier clinging to the cliff side rather than jutting out to sea. Decked in wood with small bandstand type… Read more