Those of you that know me know that I enjoy travelling to different places on holiday most years. The sites, the people, the food. So far I have managed to see (dates subject to my terrible memory) -

Holland - 1981-1983, including during that time, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland. I don't remember that much, too young to really appreciate it.

Corfu - 1993. My first real package holiday - a week. Remember getting burnt. Stayed on Northwest coast. Very touristy but people very friendly. Unfortunately the locals lived up in the mountains due to the heat and the coast was left to purpose built resorts for the tourists. A lot of bangers and mash and full english breakfasts available, which I can't stand on holiday, but enough local food was available.

Turkey - 1994 - Loved Turkey. Stayed near Bodrum (the guide in English).. Enjoyed Turkish food - Iskender, Turkish Pizza, cheap beer (10p a pint!). Last week in August and first week in September. The week before I arrived it had been 40 deg C and was only slightly cooler the following week. Managed to see Ephesus and Pamukkale. Very friendly people. Unfortunately tried some unwashed grapes towards the end of the holiday and suffered for about 6 weeks. So if you can't peel it don't eat it!

Kenya - 1995. Kenya was an experience - a winter holiday - still 29 deg C though. To Mombassa and stayed in hotel along the strip. We were advised that it was dangerous to go into town but found, after an armed robbery at the hotel, where shots were fired (Police made sure they had left before arriving), it was just as safe in town, safer even - lol. Again very friendly people in town. Most people were happy despite it being a very poor country. Justice in the townships is swift for thieves if they are caught. Old tyres put round them and set on fire. Safari was great and would have loved to had more than the 2 days. Stayed at Hilton in middle of game reserve in 30m high treehouses. Great to see the animals. Had the best steak ever but no clue what it was. Oh and if you go... don't stray near any inland water...crocodiles. If you go to Kenya go on a Safari. The cheapest and easiest way is to haggle on the beach. The same trip varied in price considerably depending on your haggling skills. Some paid nearly half what others had paid. Oh and cash is generally accepted although I ended up paying part of the hotel bill on my visa as my contribution.

Cyprus - 1996. My first visit to Cyprus but certainly not the last. Stayed in Pafos. Managed to see eastern and central part, including mountains and Nicosia. A bit hot in July but the see breeze at Pafos kept it feeling cooler. Quite a British feel to the place and many of the residents have been educated in the UK. Excellent food, great mixture of good european dishes with an eastern feel.

Italy - 1997. A coach tour of Italy where I managed to get a glimpse of the most of the country. Treviso, Venice, Assici, Sorento, Capri, Pompei, Rome, Florence and up to Lake Garda and Verona. The south was generally poorer but friendlier and food was also better there. Would go back to see some of the sites.

Must have gone somewhere in 1998!

Cyprus (North) - 1999. Another winter holiday. Still 23 deg C although the sun started to set by about 3.30pm and darkness by 4.30pm. Hired car and saw all the sites. Lots of Turkish troops about but they were just as friendly as the locals. Nicosia from this side was more interesting. All low rise on the Turkish side and all high rise on the Greek. No real animosity to the Greek Cypriots evident although the Turkish Cypriots I talked to (again many educated in the UK) wanted the eventual withdrawal of the Turkish troops. Food again excellent, 2nd best steak ever here. At least I know it was beef. Kyrenia was very pretty and capital of tourism prior to 1974. Quite touristy but much less so than the Greek side. Famagusta (again a big tourist destination pre 1974) on the east was an interesting walled city next to the old roman city of Salamis. A lot less tourists (it was november/december after all). So got to experience more of the real Cyprus. Addicted to Iskender, the local equivalent to fish and chips. Donner meat or chicken with spices and cooling yoghurt - yum. You might see a recipe elsewhere on the site eventually.

Andora (skiing) 1999 & 2001. I have been skiing for about 25 years. I don't ski often enough so I am not that good but love the snow. Great couple of weeks staying at Arinsal and tried the slopes at Arinsal and Pal. Andora is duty free so drink was cheap. Flew into Toulouse and travelled by bus (about 4 hours).

Tenerife 2000? - when was I there. Failing memory. Stayed at Gulf del sur resort. Nice but very a purpose built resort for golfers. About 45mins by Bus, 15 mins by taxi from Playa de Las Americas, the capital. Cheep and cheerful beech holiday which I did enjoy. Great inexpensive food. If you don't like British and German Tourists stay away!

Crete - 2001. Crete was quite green in May when I visited. Not too hot although steadily climbing during the week. Quite touristy on North side but less so on the south. Would recommend hiring a car to see some of this beautiful island. Good Minoan museum in the capital.

Feurtaventura April 2002. An unexpected holiday with friends from the university of St Andrews. Just a week but good all the same. Too many naked Germans though. Food was good but it is about half to a third of the price when you leave the resorts and experience the local restaurants which were excellent. An Island of sand really with some nice views in the centre of the island.

Belgium 2002. All Aikido. Visiting one of our guest instructors, Francine. A good time to drink lots of Belgium beer. Could have done with some more Aikido though. Memories of Francine's dog, a big white thing, banned in the UK. Come to think of it many dog owners had what I would term dangerous dogs, rotweilers, alsations etc. Was a bit of a walk from to the nearest town and railway station (about 45 mins) but at least it had stopped raining. We had a bit of a downpour early on and the tents most were sleeping in were awash with water. A quick transfer the barn. I had fortunately transferred my stuff to my (waterproof) tent that day. Francine managed to wind up Iain by saying "Voulez vous couchez avec moi ce soir"

France (Brittany/Normandy) - 2000, 2001, 2002 & 2003. More aikido. This tends to be an exhausting trip of 5 hours training a day for 8 days. In 2002 I had a bit of a holiday afterwards and saw a bit of Brittany and Normandy, Combourg, Vitre, Fougieres, Carentan, Barnville-Cateret. Saw Carnac this year, 3000 standing stones but unfortunately you can not walk amongst them and the trip was a bit disappointing from that respect. Nice beaches around Carnac though.

USA (California & Oregon) Xmas 2002/3. My first trip to the USA. Stayed mainly in Pinole with Mike and Karen near San Francisco for 3 weeks. Unfortunately arrived with an awful cold for the first 10 days or so. Managed to see Yosemite which was picturesque but a bit of a disaster, including 2 flat tyres and losing my snow chains in a tunnel. Managed to see some of Hazel's friends in Astoria, Oregon which was a complete contrast to California. California is full of money with large cars, highways, crime, warm weather whilst Oregon and Astoria had a lot less money, little crime, smaller cars, less or no big highways and was not as warm weather wise. A bit more European. We had a brief trip across the Columbia river so we could say we visited another State (I forget which one).

Scotland. Well as I live here I do tend to have short breaks every now and again. Great scenery up at Rannoch, loch Fyne, Ullapool and beyond. Unfortunately it is still cheaper to go abroad where the service and food is usually much better. Why must we put up with rip off prices and bad service in our own country? Rant over!

Where would I like to see? - You name it I will probably want to see it or have been there already. Eastern Europe, China, Japan and Far East, Channel Islands, South of France, mainland Spain, Antartic to name a few.

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 Copyright Neil Brown 2004