Afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace with the Queen After 8 years of trying to go to a Queen’s Garden Party through the New Zealand Embassy at Buckingham Palace I had given up. It seems that unless you know someone, are…
The Titanic Museum in Belfast is cursed
The Titanic Museum in Belfast is cursed After a visit to Dublin with my in-laws we went on to Belfast for a few days to bring in the New Year in fine style. Well, that was the plan. Instead I…
A Pelloponnese adventure ending with a mugging
A Pelloponnese adventure ending with a mugging In 2010 we decided to return to Greece and explore the Peloponnese peninsula. We married in Greece a few years earlier and love exploring this beautiful country. After leaving Athens airport with our…
Athens, Crete and my mad mate Rabbit
Athens, Crete and my mad mate Rabbit When I was working for the Holland House Youth Hostel in London in 1989 a few of us decided to go to Greece. The hostel is now privately owned and called Safestay Holland…
Our big fat Greek Wedding
Our big fat Greek Wedding Debbie and I were married in May 2006 on the island of Zante in Greece. It was nearly a very short marriage and this is the story about our big fat greek wedding and how…
When Mormon’s go bad and other London’s Holland House Youth Hostel tales
I was living in Holland in 1989 and decided I wanted to go to London for a week and ended up staying over a year. It was the time of Edwina Currie and salmonella, the poll tax riots and strange…
Utrecht a well kept secret
Utrecht a well kept secret Close to Amsterdam is Utrecht city a hidden gem. I have been to this compact city several times. The city is 30 minutes by train from Amsterdam and the same amount of time from Schiphol.…
A visit to Texel Island in the Netherlands
A visit to Texel Island in the Netherlands My wife and I had a visit to Texel Island in the Netherlands in August 2011. I would love to return again one day to further explore and enjoy the island. It…
The town of Beringe in Limburg
The town of Beringe in Limburg My father was from Beringe and ever since I was a kid growing up in Manurewa in New Zealand I had a fascination to see where he was born. Eventually after leaving school at…
Amsterdam and 80 days to go
This random photo is from last year. It was taken at a pub at 2am in the morning in Amsterdam. I am the sober looking one on the far left. I was hoping to do one other trip with the…