Travel Quandry’s.

22nd December 2009 admin Uncategorised Leave a comment

A few things have happened recently on the travel front.

BA are not playing to their strengths. What I mean is they sell quality. They can cut their prices, sure but they will always (quite rightly) cost a bit more, because of what they offer. Someone once said to me, Ryanair are cheap, but how many of their cabin crew can re-start your heart (God forbid you would need).

On a BA flight, everyone on board has been fully trained, for every type of emergency. Although I think they have done great things to get people out flying, I’ve never been taken in by what I call the budget airline myth.

I have always believed that if you could fly BA or KLM or whatever for £20 over the price of Easyjet, most people would do it. Sadly, for BA, I don’t think we will ever get to find out. Whether the strike goes ahead or it doesn’t, nobody in their right mind is going to book summer holiday flights involving BA.

Ironically, there is nothing to say there wont be strikes with other airlines, its just that in most peoples minds, the die is cast.

Eurorail. I read about trains breaking down, people being stranded overnight freezing. Toilets not working and young children vomiting on themselves. Limited water and no food for 10 hours. Put like that, Easyjet, seem like Platinum class on Emirates !.

I was supposed to go to Paris on Eurorail, some years ago, but there was a fire at the time and we ended up going by coach/ferry.

The main criticism people make (and its exactly the same on a “normal” train, when it breaks down) is a lack of information. Nobody is told what is happening, what is being done etc.. Someone needs to take responsibility for this debaucle otherwise, people will just stop using Eurorail and fly !.

Invictus.

16th December 2009 admin Uncategorised Leave a comment

I recently read about a film called Invictus (the superb Morgan Freeman, is tipped to get an Oscar for it).

The film is about Nelson Mandela, and the South African Rugby team and how he used the team as a vehicle to unite the country.

I was interested, as I had the privilege of watching a Rugby Match, in a pub whilst in South Africa. I was struck by the cross section of people, who were made up of every race, tribe and cultural group within the country (SA has 11 national languages) and their instant connection, once the match began.

I’m looking forward to watching the film, and for those that don’t know, Invictus is the name of a Poem by William Ernest Henley, which Nelson Mandela memorized whilst imprisoned at Robben Island (I saw Nelson Mandela’s cell, and spent time in his small garden, within the prison, where he wrote A long walk to freedom ).

In these difficult times of recession and uncertain futures, I thought I would put it up here for people to read.

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning s of chance
my head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley.

Several times while I was visiting the country, I heard Robben Island described as the place where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, with all the other ones…

For those that are interested, these are some of their names.

Update

9th December 2009 admin Uncategorised Leave a comment

I’ve written before about the irony of visiting Athens and then finding out that most of the Elgin Marbles, were actually back home in England, at the British Museum in London.

Exactly the same thing happened in Cairo, where the Rosetta stone is made of plastic (the original, being once again, in the British Museum, London).

There was a brilliant article about it today, on BBC News.

On the subject of adventure, Richard Branson has finally taken delivery of the vehicles which will enable him to offer tourist trips into space.

I’ve found somewhere on the internet, that do Wills for free.

I’ve also realised that my old boss, looks like Robert Peston, the BBC finance expert.

Cold weather arrives.

7th December 2009 admin Uncategorised Leave a comment

Thanks to everyone who came out on the 13th of November, to celebrate the completion of my bluelist. Between Land-rovers, waiting at airports and trying to sleep on planes, I had been travelling for 30 hours, but I still found the energy to stay out for a whole evening with my friends.

A couple of people asked me what I was going to do now its complete. Well, in the short term, I want to sort out my house, the bills, spend more time with friends/family, and stuff like that.

Once things get back to normal, I have another interesting idea, that I’m exploring at the moment. I read in the travel section of the Mail (in between articles on British values and broken society !) about someone who visited a different city for a weekend break, every month for a year.

The idea, is that if you don’t actually mind where you go, you can travel really cheaply.

I want to do that for a year, while I plan a 2nd bluelist. Places on my mind at the moment, are Cuba, Israel, Washington, San Francisco. If your reading this and you know somewhere cool to visit, then give me a shout.

Well, if the recession is biting, it certainly wasn’t showing on the streets of Chester on Saturday. They even had a chap doing ice sculptures.

A friend recently gave me a TV (he didn’t need it any more, and it was a lot better than the one that I had). I was immensely great full and I remembered a film some years ago called pay it forward.

The idea, is that you do a good deed for someone, and they pay it forward, to someone else, and so on and so on. My previous portable TV (which the “new” one replaced) was more reliable than one that belonged to another friend. Using a shopping trolley, I popped over with it the other evening.

Its Christmas after all, and even when times are hard, there is always some kindness that we can show.

Happy birthday to my old friend Lee Sawbridge (he was with me on my first adventures around the Alps and Europe 20 years ago, and more recently, dropped me at the Airport for the last of my bluelist journeys).

I wont be able to make it on Saturday Lee, but I sent you a card, which I actually chose myself.

In my local the other night, were a band called Severenth. Heavy metal isn’t really my thing, but there music was pretty catchy, and I found myself singing along to it.

It would be fair to say that the band and their fans (who completely filled the pub) weren’t exactly dressed for a job interview and that many of them, you wouldn’t have wanted to meet in the proverbial dark alley.

The thing that surprised (and frankly shocked) me, was how polite they were. People would say excuse me to get to the bar, hold the bathroom door open.

Just goes to show, that appearances can be deceiving. Several times a year, hundreds of suited “gentlemen” arrive in Chester for the races, and cause mayhem. Give me the HM crew any day.

Rumors continue, that the renowned internet sleuth Dave Mandy (aka Dizzy Dave) was somehow involved in the death of Micheal Jackson.

Speculation is based on Dave, having information about the death, before anyone else in the pub that night, despite a large portfolio of Smartphones being represented.

For the record, it was a HTC Android device that got there first, with 2nd place going to several IPhones.

Its was with a mixture of elation and regret, that I watched the final episode of the crime “drama” monk.

It ended on a high note, altough it was easy to work out who the murder was (or was that because Ive watched it so often, and got onto the “wavelength” of the writers).

For several years, I used to watch it on Saturday mornings. I really will miss that show.

Other drama, is that the rather excelent Doll House, has been cancelled. It was commented that this might be because nobody watches stuff on TV any more, everybody downloads, and because it usually misses out the adverts, the producers werent making any money.

I cant really comment, as I dont know the industry that well. Downloading certainly seems to have effected global tv listings. It used to be that house would shown in the UK, 4 months after it was shown in the use. These days, House and dozens of other shows are on less than a week later.

One thing that has shocked me, is the closing down of Mininova (a popular torrent site for downloading music, tv and films, for people that dont know). My suprise, hasn been the close down of the site itself, but the demographic of people who have emailed and called me about finding an alternative site.

I don’t praise or condemn downloading, but I know about technology. The people who contacted me, were mostly, the very last people in the world I would have expected to be “torrenting”.

I recorded Dr Who and the waters of Mars, while I was away in Capetown. I didn’t think it was as good as some of the other episodes Ive watched. That is of course from a story perspective. David Tarrent was as excellent as he’s ever been, playing a kind of manic Dr, who knows his days are numbered.

One other things about the episode, was that it raised a point Ive considered hundreds of times while watching Dr Who over the last 30 years. The question always arises, who doesnt the Dr just put the people who are in danger into the Tardis and “fly” away.

I know all the stuff about one of the people he saves might give birth to a future Hitler, and all the rest, but there and then, it must have occurred to him sometime, to put the present, before the future, and just help the people who are right in front of him. That question was answered for the first time in Waters of Mars.

Two other things Im watching at the moment at Mad Men (a brill program I started watching on the Plane back from Capetown) and season 4 of the Unit. I cant believe they stopped making that series, its amazing.

Near and Far have a great Christmas. The search for adventure continues (although its mostly at home for the time being :)…

Back in the UK

25th November 2009 admin Uncategorised Leave a comment

Well, I’m back in the UK and the Bluelist, which has occupied the last six years of my life is completed.

Ill be completing the usual set of pages, as I have for all my other destinations, in the next couple of days, but in the meantime, here’s a picture of my in front of table mountain, taken from Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid campaigners were imprisoned.

There were some brilliant people on the trip (which was once again organised by the Adventure Company), including our amazing guide Charl, a true South African in every sense of the word.

There were also, 3 pretty excellent couples from Australia, England and Scotland, 2 thirty-something singletons, 2 pretty cool blokes, and a cockney girl called Julie.

Ill be witting loads of stuff about the trip, in the next few days, but one thing I would like to say, is how much the media miss-represents South Africa and especially Capetown.

It wasn’t anything like as dangerous as everyone had been saying, and sensible UK precautions, were all that was needed to enable a trip out in the evening (during my visit to New York, there were many more places where I felt uncomfortable, than I did in Capetown).

As I stated before, the trip was inspired by one of Wilbur Smiths books, and as our guide was also a fan of his work, I got to see loads of locations, which inspired scenes from his book.

Will get going now, but near and far, the search for adventure continues…

Top of Table mountain

15th November 2009 admin Uncategorised 2 Comments

Well, Ive finally completed my bluelist, and stood on the top of table mountain.

Ill write a bit more this evening, were off out for the day exploring.

John

Off to Capetown.

11th November 2009 admin Uncategorised Leave a comment

A lot of people ask me what made me select certain places to visit on the blue list and not others.

I’d love to be able to say that it was my keen judgement, or recomendations by famous travellers or something like that.

The truth, is they were places that stuck in my mind, during my growing up years. If (like me) you have every one of the James Bond films on DVD and you watched them all, you might notice that a lot of the places he visits are featured on this website.

Equaly, things like the Treasury in Petra, were inspired by Indiana Jones, and stuff like that.

One of my favourite authors, is Wilbur Smith. Twenty years ago, I read 3 books. The Burning Shore, The Power of the Sword and Rage. The middle book, the Power of the Sword, used table mountain as a significant plot device.

I have been re-reading the book recently, and its just as exciting as it was the first time I read it. Tomorow, I set of for Capetown with the Adventure Company.

If everything goes to plan, Ill be standing on the top of that mountain holding a Blue Disa (a flower which only grows on Table Mountain) on the 14th of November, which will complete the Bluelist, which has taken me 6 years of my life.

Im having a bit of a party when I return, but between now and then, I would like to thank all the poeple who have helped to organise my trips. All the instructors who taught me bushcraft, mountaineering, canoeing and a whole host of other things. All the people who Ive met while traveling for their endless support and all the guides and in country people who have helped me.

I would like to thank my family and friends who have always supported me, even when the things I was doing, appeared to them to be foolhardy.

Most of all, Id like thank all of you, for coming back to this website and continuing to read it.

Ill get going now, as I have a Rucksack to pack. Ive said it before, but it wont hurt to say it once more:

The search for adventure continues…

Update

9th November 2009 admin Uncategorised Leave a comment

I went out to the remembrance Garden on Sunday. I go there most Sundays, its one of the nicest and quietist places in Chester.

There was a service to commemorate those who had given their lives for freedom, both past and present.

I’m not big on sentiment, but I am only able to write whatever I like on this blog, because of their sacrifice.

As modern trends come and go, and one fad, seemingly replaces another one, its nice to see so many young people wearing Poppy’s proudly.

Lately, I’ve been listing to the new album by Akon.

I know some of my “purist” music loving friends, might not approve, but I quite like it, and I find that its played on my IPod more than any other music.

In one particular track, called Freedom, he talks about his father coming down from the hills in Senegal west Africa in search of freedom and a new life in America.

In some of his other songs, he talks about his time in the Ghetto, spending time in Prison and stuff like that.

I was looked up some of his details on the internet. His father is one of the most talented musicians that Africa has ever produced, and he didn’t live in a tribe, tending cattle at all.

In fact, if he did come down from the mountains, he almost certainly did so in a Range Rover, with his publicist sitting in the passenger seat.

More disturbingly, Akon has never served ANY time in prison. According to school reports, his attendance and grades were exceptional.

The question I find myself asking, is what kind of world have we created, where honest people, lie about being criminals to promote their music !.

Anyway, I still listen to the music. I like the way it sounds.

I noticed the other day that the pages for St Petersburg 1 and 2 and Moscow 1 and 2 weren’t working.

Ive fixed them now, if you want to have a look.

Finally, can someone print a copy of this out, and show it to Sean and Mandy, as they don’t have a computer !.

John

Update

4th November 2009 admin Uncategorised 2 Comments

The cold is certainly starting to set in, here in the North of England. If like me, your keen to save money on energy (not because I’m tight, but because I can think of loads of fun things to do with the money I could save) have a look at this Quick energy saving checklist.

Another link worth having a look at (recommended by my old friend Matt Bridges) is Zen Habbits. They have a really interesting article on light/simple packing for travel.

I’m not big on “organized” parties, but I popped out the other week with Dan, and we ended up at the Frog and Nightingale, where they were holding a Halloween party.

What can I say, its probably the best night out, Ive had in the Frog, in 3 years. They had a band doing covers, who were themed on the Wizard of Oz (with cowardly Lion, Tin Man, the whole lot).

Some of our other friends turned up attired for the evening (although Bilge, was trying to look like a Pirate, consensus within the pub, was that she looked like quite a Gypsy).

Overall, a brilliant evening.

A friend of Amelia’s called Letty was there. I promised I would show her where to find the money saving expert flight checker. If you reading this, it can be found here.

For £3.30 and the time it takes to make a packed lunch, there are few days out to compete with Delamere Forest.

I keep going back and back, and now, I actually have an ordinance survey map of the area, so I can explore loads of cool places off the beaten track.

Winter is a brilliant time for going out walking, as there are a lot less people about, and the air is crisp.

I do sometimes cheat, and pop into the Cafe, for coffee, rather than doing the “proper” thing and drinking out of my flask.

An orange bivvy bag, is an essential. Not for emergency’s, for which it was designed (although Im sure its pretty good for that too) but folded into a square and used as a seat.

The above picture, is of the rocks overlooking the forest. Apparently, they have rock concerts there and everything.

Whilst wandering around, I saw a superb and rather unusual shelter, which I have added to my list.

Bluelist party on the 23rd of November.

25th October 2009 admin Uncategorised Leave a comment

A few of my friends, are organising an early evening party for me, on Monday the 23rd of November to celebrate the completion of my bluelist (completing literally thousands of must do before you die activities, and visiting dozens of countries along the way).

When I set off for a trip, I put on the paracord with a whistle and torch around my neck, adorn myself with my Rohan trousers and floppy hat, pick up my rucksack, and off I go. It sort of gets me in the adventure mood.

When I come back, I have a similar ritual. I have a bath, and then go to a nice pub and put my mind back into domestic thinking and the like.

Ill be doing the 2nd one, on the 23rd and your all invited (apart from the section involving the bath !), from about 4pm.

If your one of my friends, you’ll probably hear from me soon, with an invite, but if you fancy coming anyway, send me an email/call etc, would be great to see a few of you there (its an early evening drink, wont go on all night, but it will be the end of a 6 year project for me, and would be great to polish it off, with a few laughs and drinks).

A venue hasnt been selected yet, but it will be in the center of Chester. Hope to see you there.

John