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 1-2 (30-31 July 2011)
London, Moscow, Ulaan Baatar
In 2004 I went on a trip through Scandinavia and Russia, and it spawned my love for travelling and photography. As I visited more countries, I understood the value of getting underneath the skin of a country, rather than simply 'ticking it off the list'. However, when I visited my 39th country last year, I decided to make the 40th truly special.
The requirements were that the location be far from the tourist trail, allow for some beautiful photography, and offer the opportunity to test my newly-discovered interest in climbing. As I researched...
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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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Day 1 (9 April 2011)
London, San Juan, Rio Abajo Forest
It's the first time I've flown with Virgin for 20 years and my expectations are high. It's therefore disappointing that the food is awful, the seats are old and the entertainment screens keep breaking. Worst of all, a member of staff is late which means I was sitting on the plane for two hours before it even takes off.
Most people get off the plane in Antigua, and following some security checks it takes off again for the final 50 minutes towards San Juan. After 13 hours, I've finally arrived in Puerto Rico.
Following a successful...
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Day 1 (12-13 November 2010)
London, Paris, Buenos Aires
I'm pleasantly surprised by Air France. Lots of leg room, half-decent food and friendly staff take me from Heathrow to Paris. There's a bit of a rush to make the connecting flight, but I make myself comfortable for the 12-hour journey to Argentina's capital. Susanne is with me, who I met a year ago, so it's a great way to start our trip across South America, by revisiting the city where we first met!
Day 2 (13 November 2010)
Buenos Aires
We wake in Argentina and quickly find the hotel, just a stone throw away from Av. 9 de Julio,...
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