The Mona Lisa Scrum
I was back in Paris recently for and it got me to reminiscing. I lived here for several years, not so long ago and was a frequent visitor to the many excellent Parisian museums. Back then, as now, the Louvre did not charge entry on the first Sunday of each month. This meant I could … Read more
Where to Stay in Coron Philippines: Accommodation
Accommodation in Coron in Northern Palawan is varied in terms of quality and price. On a recent trip for various reasons I stayed at two different places. I was in search of total solitude and relaxation, and happily I managed to find it. My general recommendation here would be to avoid staying in Coron town, … Read more
Playing Polo in Argentina: Puesto Viejo Estancia and Polo Club Argentina
Conference centres in hotels are surely the cruelest form of corporate torture. Windowless, soulless and freezing cold due to over air-conditioning. No matter where you are in the world they will wreak havoc on your spirit. Many is the 16 hour day I have spent in these places, watching powerpoint presentations and pretending to be … Read more
World’s Best Bars: The Blind Pig, Speakeasy Manila
Having some knowledge of the Manila bar scene, or lack thereof. I was absolutely flabbergasted to find myself sitting in a darkened booth behind an unmarked door in a Bar worthy of international acclaim. The Blind Pig, has everything you could ever ask for from a modern day speakeasy.Tog the knowledgable and passionate head bartender … Read more
Emirates Airlines, You Rock…..British Airways YOU SUCK.
Take your points and SHOVE them British Airways I am done. A loyalty scheme is supposed to engender loyalty. You spend all your money with one airline and you get treated better than if you spread it around. But the deal with BA is broken. The special treatment is only face value, they use loyalty … Read more
The Botanical Gardens: Singapore
I am very ashamed to say that although I have lived in Singapore for 18 months, this weekend was my first trip to the Botanical Gardens….I have been to the lovely Gardens by the Bay which are a sort of Sci-Fi landscape architect project, replete with 20 meter metal trees and two fully enclosed and … Read more
Climbing Mount Bromo in Java, Indonesia
Birthdays. When you are a child they mean candy, cake and toys. In your teens and twenties they mean parties champagne, nightclubs and vampire weekends. Once you start staring down the barrel of 40, they begin to stink of mortality and the inevitability of the passage of time. Some, when this barrier is reached, choose … Read more
The Soho Beach House, Miami
I have a particular soft spot for Miami, its the chic Vegas by the sea, minus the gambling and fat people. That Will Smith song “Welcome to MiYami” captures the smouldering feel of the place disturbingly well. Many is the lost weekend I have spent there over the years. Usually when in town, I'll stay … Read more
The Idiots Guide to Budget Airline Travel
Today's Airport experience is a goddam sonofabitch for everyone, no matter what class you travel. Its compounded though by most travellers making the same errors all the time and holding the whole security/ check in process up. Its even further compounded by the budget airline industry being a total gang of bastards about the whole … Read more
The Standard High Line Hotel: New York
Bear with me here whilst I take a walk down memory lane…..I spent many years in the late 90's and noughties living in New York. I remember New York's meatpacking district when it was just that. The centre of raw meat packing for the city. It had a few absolutely awesome dive bars, Hogs and … Read more
