Day 1 (1 March 2012)
London, Frankfurt, Graz, Hainsdorf Brunnsee
This is no ordinary meeting of the family. Hainsdorf Brunnsee, where Susanne's family has lived for over 100 years, is a small village and I get the feeling that my girlfriend is the one who flew over the cuckoo's nest! The news that she's returning with her foreign boyfriend gets tongues wagging and peeping eyes at the windows.
Upon arrival, I meet the grandparents who are very welcoming, although I must admit it's pretty easy when they don't speak a word of English and my three months of learning German isn't enough to even...
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Days 1-4 (23-26 September 2011)
London, Javea
I've visited the east coast of Spain every year for over ten years, ever since my parents were searching for their retirement home in the mid to late 90s. Whilst the Spanish have gone over the top with the number of new buildings, spoiling many parts of the Costa Blanca coastline, one natural beauty has remained unchanged: Montgó Massif. I've wanted to climb it every year, and this time I finally did it.
Autumn is fast approaching, but fortunately the weather is excellent, so there are plenty of opportunities to also explore some isolated beaches,...
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Days 1-3 (2-4 September 2012)
London, Barnard Castle, Lake District, Scafell Pike
It has been several years since I last ventured to the Lake District, and it was certainly a long time before I discovered an interest in climbing mountains. I also haven't seen one of my school mates in a couple of years, so it seems like a perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.
Despite my train being cancelled, I manage to make it to Darlington late on Friday night. Rob picks me up and we catch up over a late-night steak and beers. The plan was to drive west tomorrow and tackle Scafell Pike,...
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Days 1-3 (24-26 June 2011)
Antwerp
I've just completed three months without drinking a single drop of alcohol. That's 1/4 of a year, yet it doesn't feel that long so it really shows how quickly 2011 is flying by. I didn't plan on drinking anything until the end of this year's main holiday in August, but it was always going to be tough to avoid a drink or two at a stag-do; a stag-do that is a long weekend in Belgium; a stag-do that is a long weekend in Belgium when there's a three-day beer festival...
An early Eurostar journey takes us to Antwerp, via Bruxelles, arriving just in time for a typical...
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Day 1 (22 April 2011)
London, Glasgow, Fort William
Following an early alarm, I take the underground to Kings Cross, a train for six hours to Glasgow and then hire a car (from the ridiculously friendly staff at Enterprise) for the final three hour stretch to Fort William. Despite a police crash investigation which delays the journey for around half an hour, it's a relatively pain-free journey to the UK's capital of outdoor activities. The weather is outstanding, so it's particularly pleasant to drive through the beautiful highlands and along Glen Coe.
It's a four-day trip to Scotland with...
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Days 1-2 (27-28 August 2010)
London, Stavanger, Preikestolen
The shuttle bus from the airport to Stavanger is running slightly late. It's a mild hiccup at 01.00 after a late Friday night flight from Gatwick. Norway redeems itself as the bus driver takes a detour just so he can politely drop me off outside my hotel!
I wake a few hours later and Tonny, a mate from Copenhagen, meets me for breakfast. There's no time to waste so we jump straight into the rental car and work our way east towards Lysefjorden. It's a hilly, green landscape with water everywhere and actually reminds me of Wales....
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Days 1-5 (29 July - 2 August 2010)
Javea
I decide to surprise visit my father for his birthday. I don't normally visit my parents in the summer holidays, but it's actually really nice to soak up the sun and have a energy-free holiday for a change. For the first time in years, I opt to leave my camera equipment at home, although I'm glad to take my underwater compact camera as it gives me a chance to try some more unusual jump shots.
Using a swimming pool, a 10 second timer, and a huge amount of patience, I finally get the shot I want. Below is the photo, along with a selection of the failed...
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