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New York

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of…..as the song goes. And so much more, restaurants, bars, sporting events, music, theatre and of course the people. I simply love this place, I have stayed here whilst working on cruise liners, brought my wife here for long weekends, been to “the garden” to see a Lennox Lewis fight, played basket ball in a cage with scary looking locals (just like in the movies), music concerts, theatre, comedy shows museums and of course the food and drink.
Every kind of food you can imagine in the most diverse city on the planet, simply wonderful.
A great place to hang out and get an insight into what is happening in the city are the Irish bars spread across all districts and on every street. My wife and I decided on a nightcap in one such bar after a fabulous meal in Little Italy. We ended up leaving at around 4am despite the fact we were catching a train to Boston at 8am which by this time was the same morning. The Amtrak coffee despite being good, does not cure hangovers.

No more New York stories you simply must go…….

The Avenue of the Giants, California USA

The Avenue of the Giants takes the route of the old US Highway 101 and runs through the stunning Humboldt Redwood National Park.
I was fortunate enough to cycle through the 31 miles of huge Redwood trees starting at Pepperwood in the north and finishing in Phillipsville in the south.
The route is basically a road running through these huge Redwood trees, passing through small villages many of which were closed as I happened to be cycling the route on Thanksgiving Day.
The route itself is quite eerie because the Redwoods are so big, they overhang each other and block out the sunlight from above which means you are riding in almost darkness along parts of the road.
An essential stop off is the aptly named Immortal Tree, aptly named as it has beaten the loggers saw, a forest fire and had 100 foot knocked off the top due to a lightning strike. The base of the tree has a nine foot gap which you can actually drive through. I did not get the chance because a Japanese tourist was struggling to get his six-foot wide car through the nine foot gap, so I decided to go around.

It was really quite humbling to cycle through these huge trees which were in the forest way before you were born and will still be there long after you have gone.

Managua Nicaragua

Despite a troubled past of revolution, earthquakes and economic depression, Nicaragua has almost risen from the ashes as it is still a fabulous place to visit. Managua the capital, situated on the south shore of Lake Managua is a wonderful city. The Plaza of the Revolution is a great place to hang out, overlooked by Santiago of Managua Cathedral which is now a stunning shell, having been destroyed by an earthquake in 1972.
Some great museums highlight recent troubles however, you would not think so when talking to the Managua locals. I found them so friendly and welcoming, I had many a great night chatting over a beer in the many bars and restaurants of the city. It is chatting to locals in bars and restaurants where you find some great places to go, the best tip I ever had? Without doubt, the pacific beach resort of San Juan del Sur, where I later spent a fabulous week.
Managua, the name is far scarier than the place…..

Antigua Guatemala

My first experience of Guatemala was from Airport Camp in Belize, whilst serving with the Royal Air Force many years ago. Guatemala has long claimed territorial rights over Belize, the now independent Commonwealth state and until recently, British Armed Forces have had a detachment protecting Belize. When I was there, it was two Harrier jets with a small RAF support team and an army detachment, this ended in 1994 when Guatemala recognised Belize as a sovereign state.
My most recent visit to Guatemala was a few days in the capital Guatemala City followed by a week learning Spanish in the former capital of Antigua.
Antigua is a fabulous colonial type city, a world away from the rest of the country. Along with its beautiful buildings and the Acatenango volcano which at nearly 4000 metres towers above the city, the old capital has an abundance of quaint bars and restaurants along with the more modern bars which cater for the many young gringo gap year students learning Spanish. Indeed, the city is built around Spanish schools offering a week of one-to-one tuition at very reasonable prices. I had a fabulous week learning Spanish at one of the schools before heading back into the crime and poverty of Guatemala.
A true oasis away from it all if ever there was one and a great place to learn Spanish.

San Juan del Sur Nicaragua

Situated about 10 miles west from the Costa Rica border and about 80 miles south east of Managua the Nicaraguan capital, San Juan del Sur Is a small beach resort on the Pacific Ocean. I heard about this place in a little Irish bar in Managua, the capital a few weeks previously. Apparently It’s a favourite weekend break for some of Managua’s locals and I can certainly see why, the place is simply stunning. A picturesque bay on the Pacific Ocean with an abundance of small bars, restaurants and hotels, it really is an escape from the hustle and bustle of Nicaragua. My favourite spot was Ricardos bar, a lively beach bar with many locals and a few American expats literally on the beautiful sandy beach.
There were. some great stories on how some of the expats found themselves living in San Juan. One of the expats came to Nicaragua to report on the revolution many years ago, in his words he simply stayed. Another explained his pension would not stretch to somewhere in Bala or indeed mainland Mexico, so he ended up travelling south until he found somewhere he could afford to live.
Sitting on the outside deck of the bar is simply wonderful, the sunset is one I will never forget, I can think of worse Places to retire.

San Salvador El Salvador


Why was I visiting one of the most dangerous cities on the planet and why is it on my website. The plan was to pass through quickly however, 3 days later and I’m still here to tell the tale.
I travelled on the famous Tica Bus from Guatemala City to San Salvador and the plan was to simply stay at the bus station hotel for a few hours and get on the early Tica bus to Managua, the capital of Nicaragua the following morning.
I arrived into the bus station and the 2 huge metal gates opened up and closed pretty quickly behind the bus. I decided to head into the city to try and find some food along with another 2 travellers as there was only an empty vending machine at the hotel. We asked to get out through the huge metal gates, the shotgun wielding security guard mumbled something is Spanish, shook his head and opened the gate to let us out.
We got as far as a dingy shop about 50 yards up the road, bought some drinks and snacks and headed back somewhat faster than when we came.
Back in the hotel I got talking to a young woman who was also on the bus and she was in reception waiting for a lift to the US embassy, where she was going to be working on an exchange programme. The bus station gates opened, in came 2 huge black SUV’s and the woman was welcomed into one of the cars by 2 gun totting CIA types and off she went. Clearly the embassy staff did not use local taxis.
I had a few hours sleep and headed down to reception at about 4.30 am to buy my ticket for the Tica Bus to Managua, as the office in the bus station was closed when we arrived the day before. There was a line of about 30 people who had got there before me and by the time I got to the front, the bus was full, I bought a ticket for the next bus out, 24 hours later….
So I’m in the most dangerous city on the planet with 24 hours to kill, best I head out for some breakfast. I checked the guide books and it turned out there was a shopping mall in the city, Centro Comercial Galerias but I needed to get a taxi. The mall was an absolute oasis in that it was fairly safe compared to anywhere in the city. A food court and a cinema filed most of the day before heading off back to the bus station.
The journey to and from the mall was scary, I locked the door as per government travel advice however, it sems no taxi in San Salvador has a working window, they are all broken and stay open. This resulted in a prayer not to catch a red traffic light, as this tended to be a hangout for groups of not so nice looking men. It was like being an animal trapped in a cage and left me with a real feeling of vulnerability.

That evening we decided to head out to a bar attached to a rather better quality hotel, the plan was for a window less taxi there and back. We arrived and received an escort into the bar by shotgun wielding security guards, the taxi was 10 yards from the bar but we needed an escort. There were no windows in the bar just huge metal bars. There were lots of locals with blue and white stripped football shirts, banners and scarves decorated the bar. It turned out the national team were playing a World Cup qualifier. We had a few beers and some food and by this time the bar was bouncing, San Salvador did not seem so bad.
We had a few more beers and one of the guys I was with had a look at the score. He came back looking rather white and suggested we quickly get a taxi back to the hotel, the USA were beating El Salvador 5-0 with 15 minutes to go, we were the only 3 gringos in the place.
Fortunately, the taxi arrived quite quickly and we travelled the 20 minutes back to the hotel without incident, we were by now used to the sound of gunshots echoing around the city.

I was up early the next morning and got to the front of the line to board the bus. I can’t really say I enjoyed San Salvador, in fact I didn’t, it was really scary but it was however an experience , one of the things I still love about travelling, overcoming the unexpected.

I travelled to Lhasa from Kathmandu with a few friends, at the time there was an abundance of travel agents promising to provide a trip and many of these fell through for one reason or another. I was fortunate, as one of my friends had lived in Kathmandu previously and knew a travel agent. Whilst that effectively secured out trip, we still had to spend 4 hours in the China embassy applying for a visa. Our package was a China South West airlines flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa, a 3 day stay and a 4 wheel drive road trip from back from Lhasa to Kathmandu via the original Friendship Highway.
Arrival at Lhasa airport was an absolute free for all, with the airport arrivals area and subsequent customs checkpoint being absolutely manic. Once through customs we met our guide in Lhasa airport and were loaded onto a minibus which took us to the Tibetan capital Lhasa.
What a place, set in a valley surrounded by stunning mountains with the imposing Potala Palace, looking out over the city. An abundance of shops and markets with an array of unusual items being sold and the obvious, statutes of the palace and Buddas of all shapes and sizes freely available. The street food was off the charts, my motto has been “if its hot, its normally ok”. A visit to the Potala Palace was amazing however, what made Lhasa for me was the people, be it a rickshaw driver or a market trader, a smile was never far away. If this place as suggested by many, has been oppressed since the annexation of Tibet by China in 1950, I can’t imagine how wonderful it must have been before 1950.

I visited San Antonio, Texas almost 5 years ago now whilst playing in the US Blind Open Golf tournament. The tournament was hosted by American Blind Golf (http://www.americanblindgolf.com), a wonderful charity supporting blind golf in the United States and making a huge amount of money for many other deserving charities such as Lighthouse for the Blind and Wounded Warriors to name but a few.
San Antonio is a great city and one I have been itching to get back to, fabulous weather, the amazing Riverwalk which is exactly what the name suggests, about 2 miles of restaurants, shops and bars around a manmade river. The boat trip on the Riverwalk is a must (do this at the start of your trip as it recommends some great places to see and of course, eat and drink). The Alamo is worth a visit, probably just to say you have been, as the history is far better and bigger than the place itself. Then of course, if you bring the family you have Sea World San Antonio. I played some decent golf at the Republic course however, I believe the course has now made way for real estate, still there are many great golf courses in the area.

When I retire and just want to eat, drink and play golf, San Antonio might just be my retirement heaven….

I love this city

Las Vegas could be my favourite city in the world, I have been to Vegas quite a few times, the weirdest one however, was shortly after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre. I was about 1200 miles into a 4000 mile cycle trip from Vancouver to Panama City down the Pacific coast when I reached Los Angeles. My friend was meeting his girlfriend for a week in LA so I decided to fly to Vegas for a week of relaxation after about 1200 miles on a bicycle.
My return flight from LA to Vegas cost around US$50 as Americans were simply not flying after 9/11. A suite in a strip hotel was around US$40 a night as they simply could not fill the rooms. Unfortunately, unbeknown to me, I had arrived in rodeo week. All the tribute acts had gone home for a weeks holiday and everything country music and rodeo took over.
Not the Vegas I was used to, that said, it was still a pretty good week all around, with amazing food shows and entertainment at a fraction of the price it cost me on previous trips.
My next trip a few years later was for a Lennox Lewis fight and a Days Inn hotel off the strip cost me $100 a night, clearly by this time, Americans had decided to travel again.
What a place, great food great entertainment great golf courses. Vegas has pretty much anything you could desire.

The clue is in the name of this one, Paradise Island, Nassau, is what it says, paradise. I managed a week at the Atlantis resort and it was without doubt, one of the most special places on the planet. The Atlantis resort simply has it all, a fantastic beach a waterpark which is amazing, a dolphin sanctuary and some of the most fabulous restaurants anywhere. Steakhouses, Caribbean, Indian, Chinese restaurants and cafés overlooking the harbour watching ships sail by, it just doesn’t get any better. Throw in amazing accommodation ranging from villas to hotel suites, beautifully maintained swimming pools, a casino and a golf course, my idea of Paradise......

I spent a fabulous chaotic two weeks in Kathmandu, staying in the Thamal region of the city. The taxi ride from Kathmandu airport to the city was an indication of what lay in front of me, absolute bedlam. Perhaps my introduction to Kathmandu was not fair, as there is an absolute abundance of things to do. The city is full of shops, restaurants and travel agents and you can buy pretty much anything your heart desires. My two weeks included treks into the mountains, Visits to various monuments and temples, shopping, rounds of golf at Gymkana Golf Club, a pretty amazing course on the outskirts of the city and a 3 day bike ride into Langtang National Park. What a place.

Bakubung Bush Lodge, Pilanesberg National Park

Your arrival takes you through a manned security gate and your there…. Pilanesberg National Park
Pilanesberg National Park, what a place. Normally way out of my price range however, after winning the South African Blind Golf Open and as a reward for my 16 year old son, guiding me around a golf course for best part of a week, I bit the bullet. A deal on Expedia which included a 3 hour safari and a night time dinner barbeque in the middle of the park for about £300 a night.
The hotel has a nice pool area but the main event was the restaurant. The restaurant was huge and very nicely decorated to give that bush lodge feel. The large terrace coming from the restaurant which overlooked the park was stunning. We had a drink and some food whilst waiting to check into our room, the best food we had in South Africa since arriving 2 weeks prior. Whilst eating, my son didn’t see what all the fuss was about until I suggested he turn around. At the bottom end of the field, I use the term loosely, were 3 elephants with a baby close to its mum, wandering across the bush.
Our safari started in daylight around 4pm and by the time we finished exploring in our safari vehicle, it was dark and we headed for the barbeque. The all you can eat barbeque buffet was not great however, the setting was amazing, local cultural music and dancing included, a pretty special experience.
We drove the 30 minutes back to the resort in convoy and in darkness. By about 10pm the restaurant, terrace and bar were deserted. All that was left, was for me to grab a cold bottle of South African Sauvignon Blanc from the about to close bar. I had a seat on now deserted terrace, looking out into the bush and glimpsing up at the bright stars. I enjoyed the quiet of the bush and my own company, before heading back to the room about an hour later.
Wow what a place………..

The Bridge of the Americas, (Puente de las Americas) is an enormous bridge which spans the entrance of the pacific side of the Panama Canal. I was fortunate enough to cycle cross the bridge on route to Panama City. You come round the side of a mountain and there it is, right in front of you, a pretty amazing sight, Purnte de las Americas. The bridge spans the entrance to the Panama Canal with all of all the ships. yachts and boats of all sizes, waiting their turn to go through the canal. This was the culmination of a 4000 mile cycle trip which started in Vancouver a few months before, what a way to finish. Breakfast at Balboa yacht club overlooking the Panama Canal was pretty special also.

The Friendship highway stretches from Lhasa in to Kathmandu in Nepal. The 12000km Journey can be completed in three days. We used a reputable travel agent in Kathmandu and picked up a Chinese Visa from the embassy and flew from Kathmandu to Lhasa using Southwest China Airlines.
The flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa was pretty spectacular over the Himalayan mountain range, passengers on the left hand side of the aircraft had a stunning view of Everest.
Arrival at Lhasa airport was an absolute free for all, with the airport arrivals area and subsequent customs checkpoint being absolutely manic. Once through customs we met our guide in Lhasa airport and were loaded onto a minibus which took us to the Tibetan capital Lhasa.
After three amazing days we boarded a four-wheel-drive vehicle which would take us all the way back to Kathmandu. Out trip would take us over the Himalayas, through the Tibetan plateau and eventually back into Kathmandu.
We left Lhasa and followed the aptly named Lhasa river and off onto the Tibetan plateau, the journey was quite stunning. We travelled in a convoy of four Toyota land cruisers, reaching a high of around 16,000 feet on the plateau. Two of the land cruisers headed off to Everest base camp one, we carried on over stunning mountains onto our first stop for the evening.
An early start the next day and another long day of travel through amazing scenery brought us to the China/Nepal border. On arrival, we found the border crossing had closed 20 minutes beforehand meaning we had to stay overnight at Zhangmu. After an amazing night in the border town, we set off on the final part on this amazing journey back into Kathmandu. We navigated through landslides, waterfalls which crossed over the roads and the various amounts of livestock which also took the route back into Kathmandu. All in all, a pretty spectacular six days.

Creston is a small town at the base of the Rocky Mountain range in British Columbia Canada. Getting there is a journey and a half to say the least. A flight from London to Calgary, then on to a tiny plane carrying 16 passengers. The plane was so small, even hand luggage needed to be put on hold for the 45 minute journey over the Rockies. A truly scary and breath taking experience rolled into one. We arrived at Cranbrook “the gateway to the Rockies” and its tiny airport, before an hour long drive to Creston through beautiful countryside.
Why Creston you may ask, I was playing in a golf tournament representing the rest of the world against North America at Creston golf club so I had a fabulous 10 days in Creston. The journey itself was worthwhile just to play on one of the best golf courses I have ever experienced. This small town the base of the Rockies was a fabulous experience. Many great nights at Jimmy’s bar and grill, the fabulous food at the golf course and the wonderful breakfasts in the courtyard of the Retro Cafe on Main Street.

My trip to the Khyber Pass was a long time ambition and I was fortunate to do this before the events of 9/11.
I registered my itinerary with the British Embassy in Islamabad before heading off to the wild west town of Peshawar. A half a day trip to the Khyber Pass was arranged through the Pakistan tourism office.
I was picked up at 7 am from my hotel by an English speaking guide and driver, in a nice four wheel drive Toyota Landcruiser. We then headed to the outskirts of Peshawar to an Army barracks, to pick up our security escort from the Royal Khyber Rifles Regiment. Whilst I was not expecting a special forces soldier, I certainly did not expect uncle Albert from Only Fools and Horses with the beret and AK-47 assault rifle, that was my security escort.
The route from Peshawar towards the north-west frontier and on up to the Afghanistan border was pretty stunning. The road took us into tunnels passing through the mountains which where be built by the British Army around 100 years previous. Some of the villages on route where quite intimidating, many of the shops manufactured handmade weapons, if you needed the weapon of choice, an AK 47, this was the place to be.
We stopped at a local village for a cup of tea and the local children soon appeared, keen to see this new arrival. I had nothing to hand out to the village children but I did however, have a book of UK first class stamps in my wallet. After a game of charades with the children guessing what a stamp was, they all ended up with one each.
The Khyber Pass with the British Army regimental badges paraded on the hillside was spectacular however, the whole area right up to the Afghanistan border was also pretty stunning.
After arriving back in Peshawar an hour before my scheduled trip finished, I was able to fit in a visit to a military cemetery, where many of the soldiers who build the roads and railways in this area were laid to rest, a pretty poignant moment to finish off an amazing day.

My four days in the Indian city of Varanasi was organised by a friend of mine back in Kathmandu. She thought it would be hilarious to let me go to Varanasi without telling me there was a religious festival taking place and very few restaurants and bars would be open and those which were, banned alcohol for the duration of the festival.
It takes more than a religious festival to stop me having a beer after a day of sightseeing. Local children assured me they could find cold Indian beer, indeed they did and at around 50 cents for a large bottle, and they were making a profit on that. Word spread pretty quickly to backpackers in the hotel where I was staying. The young children sourcing beers made a fortune, as I suggested they charge the Australians and Americans a dollar rather than the 50 cents that we were paying and they duly obliged.
Varanasi was a typical Indian city in terms of hustle and bustle however, a pilgrimage for millions to the Ganges in order to bathe in the filthy polluted river, was a quite a spectacular sight. Seeing bodies burnt in front of you and the ashes being deposited into the Ganges is something which will stay with me forever.
A boat trip on the river with views of all the Ghats was pretty spectacular however, I certainly made sure I made no contact with the water. Varanasi was pretty spectacular, and 4 days was more than enough time. The Flight back to Kathmandu on a very small single engine plane over Himalayas was pretty scary and awesome at the same time.