Travel gives you not only new landscapes but new eyes. Immerse yourself in different cultures and you cannot help but see things differently. This is blog not only about the places we visit and the cultures we experience but also about the good, bad and ugly we find along the way......... I was ripped from... Continue Reading →
The Ebb of Life (Fading away), 2017
I wrote this sitting in the kitchen at my Mum's house, in Wales. If we see our parents or grandparents, regularly, this is something we must all endure; seeing vigorous, energetic people gradually fading away, the sound of shuffling steps rather than strides, the laboured breathing, the struggle to get out of the chair, each... Continue Reading →
Scribblings (poems) 1984-90
These are a few random scribblings from long ago. I wrote a few verses about life back in the 1980s when I was travelling a lot in Australia and Asia. Most I disliked so much that they were consigned to the funeral pyre. A few survived for various reasons and this is a small selection... Continue Reading →
2020 – Poems – Waiting for the End of Time
2020 - “Scribblings from a Trip”. These are rather sombre reflections on the increasing disintegration of the natural environment that we see all around us, plus a few random thoughts on other issues. They were written in the space of a couple of months between January and March 2020 Each “scribble” has a note attached... Continue Reading →
Travelling Light – Writings (poetry) From the Road, 2016
I call these "Scribblings from a Trip". They are, essentially, thoughts and observations that occurred while travelling around Europe in 2016, by train. They reflect my thoughts about our the planet, the past or about life, generally, or they reflect on something that I saw or that happened in a specific moment during those hours... Continue Reading →
The Ship of Poles (& the Idiot Traveller)
We are a ship of Poles. 22 to be precise plus one Ukrainian, 2 Germans and one Australian. We slip slowly down the river, in the Belgian winter fog, out of Antwerp bound for Cape Town via Porto, Vigo and Wallis Bay. Our ship, the six year old, 200 metre, 30,000 tonne, Blue Master 2.... Continue Reading →
Kaptan Kaylee’s Swedish Kayaking Adventure
Always lead from the rear, they say. Heeding this good advice, Kaptan Kaylee took the rear seat in our double kayak when it was offered. We were off on a short four-day kayaking trip in Sweden. This has several advantages on such a trip: (1) the marine serf in the front can't see you when you... Continue Reading →
الإبحار مثل المصري (ببطء أسفل النيل)
1980: The year of Rubik's cube, of the eruption of Mt St Helens, of the establishment of CNN, the start of the Iran/Iraq war, the murder of John Lennon...and Richard Pryor set himself on fire while freebasing cocaine. All important events, of course, but...more importantly 1980 was the year we sailed the Nile. I say... Continue Reading →
Albania – Europe’s former recluse
They say that Einstein said that the sign of an idiot was doing the same thing twice (actually I think the word was repeatedly) and expecting a different outcome. This is the thesis of the Idiot Traveller. I am a world expert, while travelling, in repeating mistakes. I command that you stop misquoting me... I... Continue Reading →
The Marrakesh Express – Two Weeks in Morocco Pt 1. Maudlin’ Musicians and Metal Miners
I must have been in my teens when "Marrakesh Express" came out (1969). Those were heady days. Before Hendrix (1970) and Joplin died (1970). The Lizard King was still alive (died 1971). We were still trapped in Hotel California. Barclay James Harvest would play at our school a year or two later, followed by Genesis.... Continue Reading →