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Portsmouth to Portugal 7: 20 September
Today we were leaving our James Bond apartment for a James Bond hotel. We were very offended to wake up and find it was raining, but it had stopped by the time we set off south to Estoril, near Lisbon. Wildfires were still burning and there had been motorway closures, but although the sky was still hazy and there were burnt trees beside the road, ( Read more... ) -
Portsmouth to Portugal 6: 19 September
A busker played Skyfall on sax as I walked through the main square. I was tourist shopping, wandering, buying postcards. I found a shop dedicated to fancy tinned fish and spent a ridiculous amount, and now I have to work out what to do with a small can of octopus (I regret nothing). Howard and I had a coffee near the apartment, then I sallied forth ( Read more... ) -
Portsmouth to Portugal 5: 18 September
I was eager to be out exploring and left the apartment before Howard woke up, roaming the streets until a delicious bakery smell lured me into a café for coffee and a pastry filled with Nutella. The town centre is wonderfully walkable (although it does go up and down a lot) and every corner brings a new scenic surprise ( Read more... ) -
Portsmouth to Portugal 4: 17 September
We ate breakfast watched by a small and apparently very angry turtle in a tank on the dining-room windowsill. Two kittens appeared as I was checking out, and started playing with the laces of my motorcycle boots ( Read more... ) -
A Kind of Dream
I try to see new-to-me films at the BFI, I really do, but I always seem to end up going to things I've seen dozens of times on TV. I did wonder, on Saturday, why I'd dragged myself into central London for Watership Down, which I know off by heart. I soon found out ( Read more... ) -
Portsmouth to Portugal 3: 16 September
There are worse places to wake up on your 47th birthday than Astorga. We explored a little (after coffee and pastries in the hotel bar) before getting underway ( Read more... ) -
Portsmouth to Portugal 2: 15 September
I got up at 6:45am UK time (after a very good sleep) to find some coffee, then we headed on deck to watch Santander arrive simultaneously with the sunrise ( Read more... ) -
Portsmouth to Portugal 1: 13-14 September
What with One Thing And Another™, my partner and I hadn’t done a motorcycle trip in mainland Europe (an annual occurrence pre-COVID) since 2019. I’d been looking forward to this one for months ( Read more... ) -
I Shall Be Released
I came back from a two-week holiday (of which more soon) to a funeral, which wasn't ideal, but all the people who advised me to take the long-booked trip and not feel guilty were absolutely correct and I can't thank them enough ( Read more... ) -
Songs for Swinging Spies
With a whole summer of the world of classical music at my disposal, it is perhaps inevitable that I should plump for Prom 57: Ultra Lounge - Henry Mancini and BeyondAnd what a treat it was. Presenter Katie Derham came slinking onstage in a pale pink trouser suit, holding a martini glass, and encouraged us ladies, gentlemen, dudes and hepcats to ( Read more... )