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To Edinburgh And Hogmanay!
Published on 2012-12-28 10:41:43
As I said in my 2012 roundup post, it has been a year of homecomings – so it’s appropriate that I’m ending it by returning to the country that makes up half of my heritage. On paper I’m an Englishman, but my mother’s sid
Haggis Hostels, Edinburgh: Rewriting The Rules
Published on 2012-12-28 08:59:39
This is a post about how much I used to hate sleeping with people. Hostels? Hostels? Let me tell you about hostels, mate. Are you ready? Right then. It’s July 2002, and it’s 3am in Inverness. I awake to find a Korean gentleman shouting a
Hearty: 2012 In Perspective (And A Big Thank You)
Published on 2012-12-26 14:41:22
I’m sat in York Hospital, racked with chest pains, knees like jelly. Inside me, an angry man-child is stomping around, kicking over his toys. I waited too long. I didn’t do enough. I listened to the wrong advice, the wrong people. I let m
Best Foot Forward: Are We Losing The Art Of Walking?
Published on 2012-12-19 13:54:03
An act dwelling in the margins, an almost hidden narrative running beneath the main vehicular text. Indeed, the semantics of the term pedestrian would be a mere curiosity, but for one fact: America is a country that has forgotten how to walk. If yo
7 Ways To Have A Really Great Idea
Published on 2012-12-18 20:00:49
This is a post about awakening the Monster within you. Inspiration Latin: inspirare – “to breathe into” If someone tells you they’re being “inspiring,” raise an eyebrow. Maybe they are being inspiring . . . but it
How To Be Discovered And Make $15 Bazillion (Plus Royalties)
Published on 2012-12-13 12:35:27
Hi Mike, My name is Steve Spielberg – you may have heard of me from such films as ET, Close Encounters and the recent Indiana Jones film I regret letting George Lucas write. (Seriously, the fridge? Well, anyway.) Like many people in the enterta
3 Things To Do In Hull Shortly Before You Die
Published on 2012-12-06 17:42:35
Here’s a story about what happens when you have a really bad idea while running on too little sleep. I have my brilliant idea as the Megabus leaves Doncaster, somewhere around 1am. It’s simply brilliant. It goes like this: I live in Eas
It’s The Words, Stupid
Published on 2012-12-01 19:31:43
Yeah, but…I like books, you know? I like the feel of the paper, the…paperyness of it. The white creases in the spine showing where the book slowed enough for someone to fan it out on a table or chair. I like how new hardbacks creak when y
What Now? – November 2012
Published on 2012-11-15 19:59:19
I’m sat listening to a speaker at Travel Blog Camp, becoming increasingly irate. I’m wandering round World Travel Market, fruitlessly trying to make sense of it all. I’m trundling a suitcase through the streets of Stratford, heading
Desire: Own Your Longing
Published on 2012-11-09 18:43:56
We treat desire as a problem to be solved, address what desire is for and focus on the something and how to acquire it rather than on the nature and the sensation of desire, though often it is the distance between us and the object of desire that fil
Local Travel: Why, Why Not, and What The Hell?
Published on 2012-10-21 21:02:19
“Well, I’m a big believer in massive amounts of discomfort”. Sixty people stare up at me quietly, assuming they’re watching the start of a mental breakdown. There are five of up sat on stage, and we’re supposed to be talking about the importance of travelling like a local, but somehow we’ve wandered into its sister [...]
Blogging Masterclass – Your Questions Answered, Awesomely
Published on 2012-10-10 08:56:52
Hi there! Signed up for my courses yet? Like any multi-talented charismatic millionaire entrepreneur philanthropist social media guru, I get a lot of mail. Obviously I can’t answer it all – I delete nine-tenths of it at random to eliminate the naturally unlucky people (pro tip: don’t work with genetically predisposed losers) – but I [...]
Hello Darkness Once Again: Walking The Vanishing Holderness Coast
Published on 2012-10-08 07:16:28
The darkness hugs my face… *WINK*. The sky flashes. It’s 11pm and I’m twenty minutes out of Hornsea on the south road, treading tarmac in the dark until the grass and trees ghost into life around me and I have to scramble up the verge to avoid the incoming car, squinting to preserve my night [...]
More Stories, Less Data
Published on 2012-09-29 01:01:50
The stars we are given. The constellations we make. - Rebecca Solnit I worry about data. As everything gets faster and more hectic online, as friends and companies and apps and professional deadlines push for quicker updates & ever-more-frantic feedback, we’re pressured to publish not stories, but raw data. Stories are things made from raw [...]
FlyGrip: It Makes Your Phone Designed For Humans
Published on 2012-09-27 07:52:17
All modern phone designs are stupid – and here’s why. Google “I dropped my phone” and you get 125 million results in a fraction of a second. (Go try it). This tells you two things: firstly, that modern phones are designed to be dropped, and secondly, that it’s a complete no-brainer and the whole online [...]
Uncertainty: I’m Just Not Sure (And Loving It)
Published on 2012-09-23 15:42:44
The hardest lesson over the last 6 months, since I quit my job and threw myself into self-employment, has been learning the value of uncertainty. Here is what I used to think uncertainty meant: Fear Recklessness Stupidity Childishness Allowing my many insecurities to flood to the surface and drown my confidence Emotional paralysis – where [...]
Porto & Elsewhere: Give Me (Another) Minute, Will You?
Published on 2012-09-21 08:04:10
I’ve been seeing a lot of the East Midlands Parkway train station recently. The towers of Ratcliffe-On-Soar Power Station have become a welcoming sight, if you can say such a thing about a series of huge concrete tubes belching 10 million tonnes of CO2 every year (the 18th heaviest emitter in Europe). There’s something curiously [...]
Free Book Launch: “Storytelling, or How To Make People Care About Anything”
Published on 2012-09-02 18:05:26
Storytelling. It’s not just for fun. It underpins everything. And I have a lot to say on this topic. So I put it all into an ebooklet. Click here to download “Storytelling or How To Make People Care About Anything“ (PDF, 6.5mb) In an ideal world, you’d look like this as you read it. If [...]
Kathleen Jamie’s “Findings”: Don’t Fear The Dark
Published on 2012-08-27 09:33:57
For five thousand years we have used darkness as the metaphor of our mortality. We were at the mercy of merciless death, which is darkness. When we died, they sent a beam of midwinter light in among our bones. What a tender, potent gesture. In the Christian era, we were laid in our graves to [...]
Hope In The Time Of Tranquility
Published on 2012-08-25 18:20:06
Between February 1908 and March 1910, an extraordinary series of books entered the world. Printed by Amalgamated Press of London and released in fortnightly parts, the Children’s Encyclopedia aimed not to cross-reference but to teach. Its 760+ articles aimed to give its pre-school readers a thorough grounding in those subjects its authors considered to be the [...]
5 Stories I Tell Myself When I Write
Published on 2012-08-23 19:06:46
This is a post about the lies I tell myself when I’m writing. So I think it’s quite fitting that for the whole of this article I’m going to liberally swap out the word “me” (or the letter “I”) for the word “you”. It’s nothing personal, and I’m not suggesting you’re as much of a procrastinating [...]
Fictional: The Ferries Of Naxos
Published on 2012-08-16 07:44:06
(In which I leave it up to you to decide what’s true and what isn’t). Option 1 The Mediterranean island of Naxos has a problem – and it’s on a geological scale. The 165 square miles of Naxos (the largest island of Greece’s Cyclades chain) are underpinned with 45 million year old metamorphic rock – granite, [...]
2 Star Review: The Book That Forgot Storytelling Is Fun
Published on 2012-08-11 09:05:27
Yesterday I gave up on reading a book and stormed onto Amazon to give it a 2-star review. This is a first for me – not because I’m normally filled with philanthropic goodwill or I’m artfully discerning in what I read, but because I’m lazy. If I read something and hate it, I sling it [...]
How To Get A UK Emergency Passport: An Utter Idiot’s Guide
Published on 2012-08-08 19:05:42
(Reading tip: if you’ve seen Fox’s 24, it might help to imagine that counting-down sound). T Minus 05:35:00 I’m in a Starbucks in Düsseldorf, and my wallet is gone – and with it, my credit cards, my plane tickets and my passport. There’s a simple explanation to all of this, and I make sure I [...]
“You’re Bored?”: Why My Post Went Massively Viral
Published on 2012-07-31 08:20:03
On January 27th, 2012, I wrote a Fevered Mutterings post about things to do when you’re bored. To date, it’s been retweeted 334 times, shared 1,900 times on Facebook and read by upwards of a quarter of a million people. It’s comparable to the impact of a post on the Internet’s biggest news blogs – [...]
The Language Of Olive Oil: A Personal History
Published on 2012-07-24 15:04:30
Ready? Bite. Your first few seconds inside a dolmadaki are all-important: it’s the home of that first intense pop of freshness, a blast of rice, mint, lemon juice, pine nut and whatever else has been added to the mix. It’s probably best to ram the whole oily parcel in your mouth before you bite down, unless [...]
The Language Of Olive Oil: A Personal History
Published on 2012-07-24 15:04:30
Ready? Bite. Your first few seconds inside a dolmadaki are all-important: it’s the home of that first intense pop of freshness, a blast of rice, mint, lemon juice, pine nut and whatever else has been added to the mix. It’s probably best to ram the whole oily parcel in your mouth before you bite down, unless [...]
Freelance Writing: Don’t Do These 5 Things
Published on 2012-07-11 19:31:43
Last year I wrote a couple of posts about what I’d learned so far about being a freelance writer. As expected, the one where I listed my faults got more traffic than the one where I paraded my triumphs (perhaps my “I’m a klutz” personal branding thing is proving a little too successful). But it [...]
Freelance Writing: Don’t Do These 5 Things
Published on 2012-07-11 19:31:43
Last year I wrote a couple of posts about what I’d learned so far about being a freelance writer. As expected, the one where I listed my faults got more traffic than the one where I paraded my triumphs (perhaps my “I’m a klutz” personal branding thing is proving a little too successful). But it [...]
Let’s Define Travel, Once And For All
Published on 2012-07-09 16:55:39
I don’t know where to start with this. Well, let’s start here: Holy seekers go looking for oracles, tombs, sites of revelation. Tourists like to visit ruins, empty churches, battlefields, memorials. Tourist kitsch depends on a sterilized version of history and a smug assurance that all of our stories of the past are ultimately redemptive [...]
Let’s Define Travel, Once And For All
Published on 2012-07-09 16:55:39
I don’t know where to start with this. Well, let’s start here: Holy seekers go looking for oracles, tombs, sites of revelation. Tourists like to visit ruins, empty churches, battlefields, memorials. Tourist kitsch depends on a sterilized version of history and a smug assurance that all of our stories of the past are ultimately redemptive [...]
Ghost Town, Halfway Home
Published on 2012-07-04 21:07:22
He points the gun in my face. I’ve no idea how to react. I fall backwards on the grass, not because I’m scared (it’s all too sudden for that), but because falling over is about the only thing I can think of doing. Down on the ground, it occurs to me that if this was [...]
Ghost Town, Halfway Home
Published on 2012-07-04 21:07:22
He points the gun in my face. I’ve no idea how to react. I fall backwards on the grass, not because I’m scared (it’s all too sudden for that), but because falling over is about the only thing I can think of doing. Down on the ground, it occurs to me that if this was [...]
Here’s The Score, Pitchers Of Crap
Published on 2012-06-27 19:05:44
So, I got a wee bit tired of e-mail pitches that treated me like an idiot. And so the Pitching Game was born.
Here’s The Score, Pitchers Of Crap
Published on 2012-06-27 19:05:44
So, I got a wee bit tired of e-mail pitches that treated me like an idiot. And so the Pitching Game was born.
It’s A Start
Published on 2012-06-22 20:27:45
This morning I put my phone in the freezer. I’d just arisen, I was pre-caffeinated, I’d just struggled out of a dream where I was being chased along Scarborough seafront by Darth Vader improbably clad in luminous Y-fronts (believe me, this was petrifying at the time), and thanks to some savage, awful weather, the house was [...]
It’s A Start
Published on 2012-06-22 20:27:45
This morning I put my phone in the freezer. I’d just arisen, I was pre-caffeinated, I’d just struggled out of a dream where I was being chased along Scarborough seafront by Darth Vader improbably clad in luminous Y-fronts (believe me, this was petrifying at the time), and thanks to some savage, awful weather, the house was [...]
Gaping Gill: Don’t Be Stupid
Published on 2012-06-14 09:32:02
Hey, come have a look at this. Just clamber down there. Follow the side of the stream. (Yes, makes me want to take my shoes and socks off too, it’s that kind of day and that kind of stream, but leave that a second and come over here). Interesting acoustics, aye. Our voices, a little [...]
Gaping Gill: Don’t Be Stupid
Published on 2012-06-14 09:32:02
Hey, come have a look at this. Just clamber down there. Follow the side of the stream. (Yes, makes me want to take my shoes and socks off too, it’s that kind of day and that kind of stream, but leave that a second and come over here). Interesting acoustics, aye. Our voices, a little [...]
10 Ways To Start A Story
Published on 2012-06-12 09:11:44
Read the title? Good. Let’s get started. 1. In The Thick Of It Enoch rounds the corner just as the executioner raises the noose above the woman’s head. Quicksilver, Neal Stephenson You’ve probably heard it as “start in the middle of your story”. Kurt Vonnegut goes further: “start as close to the end as possible.” [...]
10 Ways To Start A Story
Published on 2012-06-12 09:11:44
Read the title? Good. Let’s get started. 1. In The Thick Of It Enoch rounds the corner just as the executioner raises the noose above the woman’s head. Quicksilver, Neal Stephenson You’ve probably heard it as “start in the middle of your story”. Kurt Vonnegut goes further: “start as close to the end as possible.” [...]
How To Fight Crime With Crap
Published on 2012-05-23 16:58:40
My rucksack top is open. I didn’t leave it that way, so…someone else has. They’ve pulled my bag under the chair I’ve been sitting on, and they’ve opened it. Mere curiosity? Alas – my travel wallet is gone, along with my passport, EastJet boarding pass and credit cards. I slump against a wall. I have 5 hours before [...]
How To Fight Crime With Crap
Published on 2012-05-23 16:58:40
My rucksack top is open. I didn’t leave it that way, so…someone else has. They’ve pulled my bag under the chair I’ve been sitting on, and they’ve opened it. Mere curiosity? Alas – my travel wallet is gone, along with my passport, EastJet boarding pass and credit cards. I slump against a wall. I have 5 hours before [...]
The Sheraton Edinburgh – Honestly
Published on 2012-05-22 17:53:07
There’s a knock at my hotel room door. “For you, sir.” “It’s what?” You’re kidding. An hour later, a young lady is squeezing my hand. “How does that feel?” “Um…it’s lovely. Thank you.” (I feel the urge to thank her with a handshake, but she’s already doing other things with her fingers). “I type a [...]
An Odd Place To Be
Published on 2012-05-12 15:25:51
I’m in an odd place right now. There’s a very easy joke to make here about geography. I’m currently in the town I grew up in, Hornsea, in East Yorkshire. It is indeed an odd place, but these days I’m more sanguine about its backwater charms than I was a decade and a half ago, [...]
An Odd Place To Be
Published on 2012-05-12 15:25:51
I’m in an odd place right now. There’s a very easy joke to make here about geography. I’m currently in the town I grew up in, Hornsea, in East Yorkshire. It is indeed an odd place, but these days I’m more sanguine about its backwater charms than I was a decade and a half ago, [...]
Where The Shadows Lie: 3 Fantasy Authors For Fans Of “Game Of Thrones”
Published on 2012-05-10 10:41:35
So, Game of Thrones. Politics, sex, treachery, violence, more sex, more politics, urinating off the edge of the world, intrigue, betrayal, Sean Bean dead yet again, yet more sex, and then a lovely sexual torture scene to round things off. (Look, are you sure there was this much sex in the books, because…? Well, yeah). [...]
Where The Shadows Lie: 3 Fantasy Authors For Fans Of “Game Of Thrones”
Published on 2012-05-10 10:41:35
So, Game of Thrones. Politics, sex, treachery, violence, more sex, more politics, urinating off the edge of the world, intrigue, betrayal, Sean Bean dead yet again, yet more sex, and then a lovely sexual torture scene to round things off. (Look, are you sure there was this much sex in the books, because…? Well, yeah). [...]
Umbria: Give Me a Minute, Will You?
Published on 2012-05-01 19:12:30
Right now, I’m lost in time. I’m stood on a hillside. Heat hisses, in a way I remember from my Cypriot childhood (aha! I’m in the Mediterranean). Everything smells fresh in a way household cleaning products never could. Somebody is picking asparagus – not out of a tin – out the ground. I’m on an [...]
Umbria: Give Me a Minute, Will You?
Published on 2012-05-01 19:12:30
Right now, I’m lost in time. I’m stood on a hillside. Heat hisses, in a way I remember from my Cypriot childhood (aha! I’m in the Mediterranean). Everything smells fresh in a way household cleaning products never could. Somebody is picking asparagus – not out of a tin – out the ground. I’m on an [...]
What’s Your Story?
Published on 2012-04-11 08:40:24
These are the stories of our lives. (No, I promise I’m not springing a daytime soap opera on you. Well…not much). Being able to tell your own story is one of the most powerful lifehacking skills you can learn – and here are 3 reasons for that. (I’m going to use “you” a lot. Feel [...]
What’s Your Story?
Published on 2012-04-11 08:40:24
These are the stories of our lives. (No, I promise I’m not springing a daytime soap opera on you. Well…not much). Being able to tell your own story is one of the most powerful lifehacking skills you can learn – and here are 3 reasons for that. (I’m going to use “you” a lot. Feel [...]
Oh Dear: A How-To-Not Guide For ITB Berlin
Published on 2012-04-03 05:23:49
I’m handed a leaflet on Egypt. (Thanks). I pass suits, hotdogs, more suits, and enter another well-lit carpeted cavern. I’m handed a leaflet on Germany. (Uh, thanks, yes, I’m somewhat aware of the place). I thread between suits and skirts, deeply self-conscious of my hoodie and rucksack. I’m handed a leaflet on…I don’t know where, [...]
Oh Dear: A How-To-Not Guide For ITB Berlin
Published on 2012-04-03 05:23:49
I’m handed a leaflet on Egypt. (Thanks). I pass suits, hotdogs, more suits, and enter another well-lit carpeted cavern. I’m handed a leaflet on Germany. (Uh, thanks, yes, I’m somewhat aware of the place). I thread between suits and skirts, deeply self-conscious of my hoodie and rucksack. I’m handed a leaflet on…I don’t know where, [...]
Party On! / What Now? / Ho Hum.
Published on 2012-03-29 08:47:57
Well, that’s that, then. It’s last Friday. I’m stood waiting for the bus. Behind me is the University I’ve been working at for the last 3 years. As of 10 minutes ago, I don’t work there anymore. A number of small voices are squabbling, inside my head. One is yelling “TONIGHT WE’RE GOING TO PARTY [...]
Party On! / What Now? / Ho Hum.
Published on 2012-03-29 08:47:57
Well, that’s that, then. It’s last Friday. I’m stood waiting for the bus. Behind me is the University I’ve been working at for the last 3 years. As of 10 minutes ago, I don’t work there anymore. A number of small voices are squabbling, inside my head. One is yelling “TONIGHT WE’RE GOING TO PARTY [...]
Clueless (And Loving It) in Berlin
Published on 2012-03-22 17:11:44
He points at me – no, past me. A blast of German. “I..don’t speak…” “The train station is closing”. I turn around and head back out of the Alexanderplatz U-Bahn, running just far enough ahead of the advancing officials to buy a sandwich from a kiosk. I’m dimly aware I have a good walk ahead of [...]
Blogging Masterclass Open – SIGN UP NOW!
Published on 2012-03-01 12:38:27
Hello everyone! As you know, I’m something of a goddamn genius. And because I’m enormously big-hearted as well, I’ve decided to scatter the seed of my geniusness far and wide – in as wide a swathe as possible. Yes! That’s right – exclusively to Fevered Mutterings readers, I am proud-and-yet-humble to announce the launch of [...]
Hadrian’s Wall: Fear and Loathing in Twice Brewed
Published on 2012-02-27 04:20:17
Okay, so… I’m a total fraud. But look, I’ve no time to feel sorry for myself. Get inside. Get warm. Self-loathing, later. I step into the pub – and everything goes white. Someone notices me standing in the doorway. “You have a room with us, sir? Ah yes. Shall I lead you there, because it [...]
Okay – I Quit.
Published on 2012-02-18 11:00:47
I’ve decided this isn’t working out. So – I quit. Let’s talk about why. Two Things They Don’t Tell You About Improving As A Writer 1. It never gets easier. In fact, it gets more difficult. Luckily, it’s the kind of “difficult” that makes something deep within you roll up its sleeves and shout “YES! [...]
I Think It’s My Heart
Published on 2012-02-05 18:01:49
“I think it’s my heart”, I say at the desk. The receptionist picks up the phone and speaks into it, unhurried but certainly not dawdling. I’m led to a waiting nurse. They’re all watching me. Waiting for me to do anything…dramatic. Oh god. Not like this. Please. I’m led to a crisply-sheeted bed. “Just hop [...]
Who Is In Charge – You Or Your Map?
Published on 2012-01-29 16:30:17
They say it’s impossible to take a bad photo of Hadrian’s Wall. There are two reasons why this rule doesn’t apply to me right now. 1) My camera just died. 2) I’m nowhere near Hadrian’s Wall. In fact, I’m in a field. The remnants of Hadrian’s Wall cross many fields on their way from South [...]
You’re Bored? That’s So AWESOME.
Published on 2012-01-26 18:38:10
So…I saw your tweet. You’re “bored”? WOW! I am…absolutely floored. Hopelessly lost in admiration! You are everything I aspire to be. Oh. Hold on. ….. Back. I had to go and check what “bored” meant, just in case the definition had changed in recently months, but no! It’s the same! In essence, you’re saying you [...]
Fevered Mutterings: A Year In Review (Part 1)
Published on 2012-01-01 12:05:34
I’d love to tell you about all the amazing stuff I saw up on Hadrian’s Wall this week, or the things I have lined up for this blog in 2012, or the places I’ll soon be visiting and writing about, or start telling you about the other major thing I’ll be writing about for the next [...]
Fevered Mutterings: A Year In Review (Part 1)
Published on 2012-01-01 12:05:34
I’d love to tell you about all the amazing stuff I saw up on Hadrian’s Wall this week, or the things I have lined up for this blog in 2012, or the places I’ll soon be visiting and writing about, or start telling you about the other major thing I’ll be writing about for the next [...]
Introducing Hadrian’s Wall: Where Rome Meets Westeros
Published on 2011-12-22 12:55:57
Watched or read George RR Martin’s Game Of Thrones? Been captivated by that colossal wrought-ice defensive battlement known as The Wall? Here’s some news that may interest you. It exists in our world too. The Wall, the Others… where did that element of the story come from? Did that grow up as a plot device [...]
Introducing Hadrian’s Wall: Where Rome Meets Westeros
Published on 2011-12-22 12:55:57
Watched or read George RR Martin’s Game Of Thrones? Been captivated by that colossal wrought-ice defensive battlement known as The Wall? Here’s some news that may interest you. It exists in our world too. The Wall, the Others… where did that element of the story come from? Did that grow up as a plot device [...]
How To Be Rude To A Latvian
Published on 2011-12-19 20:24:46
(April, 2000) Well, maybe it’s down aisle 3. I try aisle 3. Bread. Strange jars of cabbagey, pickly things. More bread. Larger pickly things. Even more bread. Dear god, Latvians like their bread. Sadly, I’m not after bread, I’m after what is apparently the rarest of things in Latvia – a jar of curry sauce. And [...]
How To Be Rude To A Latvian
Published on 2011-12-19 20:24:46
(April, 2000) Well, maybe it’s down aisle 3. I try aisle 3. Bread. Strange jars of cabbagey, pickly things. More bread. Larger pickly things. Even more bread. Dear god, Latvians like their bread. Sadly, I’m not after bread, I’m after what is apparently the rarest of things in Latvia – a jar of curry sauce. And [...]
Baffled Into Being Myself: 7 Books That Changed How I Think
Published on 2011-12-17 12:21:33
Yesterday, the travel blogging fundraiser Passports with Purpose met its target of $80,000 – and then kept going. Last I heard, they’d overshot by $8,000. And so for everyone who asked me to curry them (keep an eye on your post-Christmas mail, guys) and everyone who donated so generously… Thank you. That money will be [...]
Baffled Into Being Myself: 7 Books That Changed How I Think
Published on 2011-12-17 12:21:33
Yesterday, the travel blogging fundraiser Passports with Purpose met its target of $80,000 – and then kept going. Last I heard, they’d overshot by $8,000. And so for everyone who asked me to curry them (keep an eye on your post-Christmas mail, guys) and everyone who donated so generously… Thank you. That money will be [...]
For Passports With Purpose, I’m Going To Curry You
Published on 2011-12-08 18:34:10
You know about Passports with Purpose, right? Because I was a little preoccupied over the last month with this and that, I didn’t register as one of the contributing bloggers, and therefore didn’t enter a prize. You know about the incredible amount of amazing (no, really - amazing) prizes to be won, right? All you have [...]
For Passports With Purpose, I’m Going To Curry You
Published on 2011-12-08 18:34:10
You know about Passports with Purpose, right? Because I was a little preoccupied over the last month with this and that, I didn’t register as one of the contributing bloggers, and therefore didn’t enter a prize. You know about the incredible amount of amazing (no, really - amazing) prizes to be won, right? All you have [...]
How To Dominate The World Without Mashing Your Trigger
Published on 2011-12-06 19:10:19
Master entrepreneur-maker Chris Guillebeau has just released his second manifesto, in which he draws comparisons between building a successful career and playing a game like this. I recommend grabbing a copy (it’s free) and having a read. Thinky stuff. It also says a lot about why good computer games are as addictive, or even more [...]
How To Dominate The World Without Mashing Your Trigger
Published on 2011-12-06 19:10:19
Master entrepreneur-maker Chris Guillebeau has just released his second manifesto, in which he draws comparisons between building a successful career and playing a game like this. I recommend grabbing a copy (it’s free) and having a read. Thinky stuff. It also says a lot about why good computer games are as addictive, or even more [...]
Hadrian’s Wall: A Birthday Adventure / Cry For Help
Published on 2011-12-01 18:45:57
Every year I set myself a birthday challenge – something that looks feasible from a distance but turns into a living hell close-up. Last year, I wandered across the North York Moors in an 8-hour October rainstorm (and ended up writing it up for the San Francisco Chronicle). On my birthday this year…well, I was busy. [...]
Hadrian’s Wall: A Birthday Adventure / Cry For Help
Published on 2011-12-01 18:45:57
Every year I set myself a birthday challenge – something that looks feasible from a distance but turns into a living hell close-up. Last year, I wandered across the North York Moors in an 8-hour October rainstorm (and ended up writing it up for the San Francisco Chronicle). On my birthday this year…well, I was busy. [...]
How To Turn Up For Work: The Folk Music Edition
Published on 2011-11-30 17:06:18
Here’s a story about how I found a folk band in my living room. If it’s seemed quiet in this blog recently (and let’s face it, you could have heard a pin drop in here most days), that’s because I’ve been wondering what the hell I’m doing with my career. A month ago, the answer [...]
How To Turn Up For Work: The Folk Music Edition
Published on 2011-11-30 17:06:18
Here’s a story about how I found a folk band in my living room. If it’s seemed quiet in this blog recently (and let’s face it, you could have heard a pin drop in here most days), that’s because I’ve been wondering what the hell I’m doing with my career. A month ago, the answer [...]
All It Takes
Published on 2011-11-24 17:25:00
(2008) The voice coming over the loudspeaker is beginning to struggle. “Uh – on platform 6, the Treno Notte to Roma will be leaving in approximately…” “SHOW ME TH’WAYDA GO-OME…..CAZZ I’M TIREDANA WANNA GOHDA BED…” I can’t make out exactly what’s being said, of course. It’s in Italian. I don’t speak a word of Italian, [...]
All It Takes
Published on 2011-11-24 17:25:00
(2008) The voice coming over the loudspeaker is beginning to struggle. “Uh – on platform 6, the Treno Notte to Roma will be leaving in approximately…” “SHOW ME TH’WAYDA GO-OME…..CAZZ I’M TIREDANA WANNA GOHDA BED…” I can’t make out exactly what’s being said, of course. It’s in Italian. I don’t speak a word of Italian, [...]
This Month In Travelllll (or Why I’m Freelancing Again)
Published on 2011-11-12 17:32:07
So, a few months back I was involved in the founding of a travel blogging news magazine called Travelllll.com, henceforth called T5, lest I break my “l” key. And I worked over there for a month, writing 30+ articles on press trip opportunities and the enviably clever things travel bloggers are up to, and rather [...]
This Month In Travelllll (or Why I’m Freelancing Again)
Published on 2011-11-12 17:32:07
So, a few months back I was involved in the founding of a travel blogging news magazine called Travelllll.com, henceforth called T5, lest I break my “l” key. And I worked over there for a month, writing 30+ articles on press trip opportunities and the enviably clever things travel bloggers are up to, and rather [...]
Austria, Unexpectedly
Published on 2011-07-04 06:41:08
Expectations are hard things to manage. They mess with your memory, fog up your present and drain your future of novelty. On this trip, I did my best to avoid them. Austria and I, we have history. In 1993 I realised my life was in dire need of a shak
Austria Isn’t Just About The Cake
Published on 2011-07-01 14:39:09
As you can see, Austria isn’t just about the incredible, rich, plentiful, gobsmacking varieties and quantities of cake on offer. In fact, it’s approximately 95% about the cake. But there’s mountains and stuff too. (So I’
Megabus: No-Budget UK Travel (If You’re Tough Enough)
Published on 2011-06-28 15:25:55
I’m hollow-eyed and bleary today, and I haven’t had enough coffee. A little later I’ll be pootling round York, picking up travel essentials and converting my Brit money into Euros before jetting off to Austria tomorrow afternoon. To
Bless Me: 5 Surprising Sides To York Minster
Published on 2011-06-26 13:37:54
York Minster dominates York. Arguably, it is York, having been its social and geographical focus for over a thousand years. It’s a Gothic-style cathedral (the largest north of the Alps) of a scale and intricacy that will punch the breath right
Momentum Is Everything (And Everywhere Else)
Published on 2011-06-23 04:35:16
I’ve spent a decade dreaming of being published in a national newspaper. On Sunday, that finally happened – online and offline. (Except…it wasn’t in my own country). I’ve spend a decade dreaming of writing a soon-to-be-
Freelance Writing: What I Did Wrong
Published on 2011-06-09 18:16:59
Okay, so I wrote this post called Freelance Writing: What I Did Right , about the things that worked for me in 2010 as a newly self-employed (p/t) writer. And I wrote it from the heart, as honestly as I could, in an attempt to avoid sounding smug. It
Breaking, Entering, Hijacking
Published on 2011-06-06 04:08:57
Here’s a nice-looking, yet entirely unrelated picture from when I was on Naxos in 2007. Focus on how pretty it is, not how random it is. Thx. ********** I promised myself – myself and others – that I wouldn’t do this again. I
Mountain Guiding: How To Lose Friends And Terrify People
Published on 2011-05-28 06:30:16
We’re on the summit of the 29th highest mountain in Austria, and we’re going to need to call for a helicopter. So believes a member of my walking party, anyway. A good portion of the last hundred yards of the Kreuzspitze has been a near-v
State of Me (or, Me In A State) – May/June edition
Published on 2011-05-22 14:12:04
So, Mike, how goes it? What? Who…who are you? I’m your imaginary audience! Uh, I already have an imaginary audience. That’s the fuel that powers my ego. That’s the crutch that props up my personal blogging, allowing it to stag
Can We Ever Agree On Authenticity?
Published on 2011-05-16 19:26:40
“Authentic travel”. Buzz-phrase of a generation. We’re all in search of it. The travel industry is obsessed with it. What a shame we have no idea what it actually is. Here’s an advert you’ll never see. Join us for the fa
All Change At Cyprus
Published on 2011-05-09 18:31:23
For a change, I took the bus to work today. My daypack bulged with books: the Rough Guide to Cyprus, Colin Thubron’s Journey Into Cyprus, Tim Boatswain’s A Traveller’s History of Cyprus, and a number of careworn notebooks with ̶
Blogcast: What Makes Bad Places *Bad*? (Redux)
Published on 2011-05-04 04:47:11
For many years, people have told me I have the perfect face for radio. Every time, my reaction was the same – when the red mist lifted and I finally stopped hitting them, I’d mull it over for a while. You know, that would be fun. There
Trains Lend A Sense Of Perspective
Published on 2011-05-01 07:39:47
Yes, trains certainly give you that. And there’s little more enticing than a railway track meeting the horizon. Railways, like rivers, are difficult subjects for writers because they go on and on. - Eric Newby, The Big Red Train Ride. All photo
How Do You Avoid Wasting Good Advice?
Published on 2011-04-29 11:42:43
What do you do with good advice? Sometimes travel-blogging feels like one big difference of opinion. From the right way to travel to hating on partial RSS feeds, from debating whether the term “street food” is insulting to where the line
Thirsk: It’s Traditional To Stop
Published on 2011-04-27 16:24:25
Outside the White Horse cafe in Thirsk, leathered bikers don’t quite know what to do with themselves. Like seasoned mariners experiencing land-sickness, they stomp around awkwardly, killing time. The sky’s glum but still empty of rain, so
Freelance Writing: What I Did Right
Published on 2011-04-21 05:04:33
Hi! My name is Mike, and I’m the proud owner of a bouncing part-time online freelance writing business (staff: 1), focussing mainly on travel. So that makes me a travel writer, yes? Well…er… Tell you what, let’s discuss that
Freelance Writing: What I Did Right
Published on 2011-04-21 05:04:33
Hi! My name is Mike, and I’m the proud owner of a bouncing part-time online freelance writing business (staff: 1), focussing mainly on travel. So that makes me a travel writer, yes? Well…er… Tell you what, let’s discuss that
How To Fill Your Kindle (& Other Gadgets) For Free
Published on 2011-04-16 18:32:30
Don’t get me started on how much I love my Kindle. Thing is…as nice as it is tracking down an e-copy of a book you suddenly find you can’t live without, it costs money. This is not the road to enjoying the decadent self-disgust that
How To Fill Your Kindle (& Other Gadgets) For Free
Published on 2011-04-16 18:32:30
Don’t get me started on how much I love my Kindle. Thing is…as nice as it is tracking down an e-copy of a book you suddenly find you can’t live without, it costs money. This is not the road to enjoying the decadent self-disgust that
Geocaching 2.0: Now We Can ALL Get Arrested
Published on 2011-04-12 17:07:10
“Are they still looking?” says the hedge. I get to my feet, stretch and casually glance back. Ten sets of teenage eyes instantly fix upon me. “Uh, that’s a yes.” “Well….distract them.” While housemate A
Geocaching 2.0: Now We Can ALL Get Arrested
Published on 2011-04-12 17:07:10
“Are they still looking?” says the hedge. I get to my feet, stretch and casually glance back. Ten sets of teenage eyes instantly fix upon me. “Uh, that’s a yes.” “Well….distract them.” While housemate A
Crush It! – A Blogger’s Review
Published on 2011-04-06 17:54:03
“What, another one?” At the TBU Conference a couple of weeks ago, the inestimably sage John O’Nolan of the WordPress UI team suggested we all read a particular self-help book. Regular readers – hey, allow me my illusions ̵
Crush It! – A Blogger’s Review
Published on 2011-04-06 17:54:03
“What, another one?” At the TBU Conference a couple of weeks ago, the inestimably sage John O’Nolan of the WordPress UI team suggested we all read a particular self-help book. Regular readers – hey, allow me my illusions ̵
It Doesn’t Mean The Same In Greece
Published on 2011-04-05 04:44:09
Athens News, 1st June 2007 (read on Naxos, in the sunshine, waiting for lunch to arrive, picking through my Rough Guide and scoffing the free bread. Yes, a tough day). Share and Enjoy:
It Doesn’t Mean The Same In Greece
Published on 2011-04-05 04:44:09
Athens News, 1st June 2007 (read on Naxos, in the sunshine, waiting for lunch to arrive, picking through my Rough Guide and scoffing the free bread. Yes, a tough day). Share and Enjoy:
It Doesn’t Mean The Same In Greece
Published on 2011-04-05 04:44:09
Athens News, 1st June 2007 (read on Naxos, in the sunshine, waiting for lunch to arrive, picking through my Rough Guide and scoffing the free bread. Yes, a tough day). Share and Enjoy:
“Lost”, We Deserved Better
Published on 2011-04-03 18:29:59
OK, Lost. It’s time we did this. I’m ready. (Spoilers aplenty, duh – and ditto opinions all mine, etc). 1. Your Ending Was Unforgiveably Rubbish “Oh, they can never resolve it properly in the time they have left,” said t
“Lost”, We Deserved Better
Published on 2011-04-03 18:29:59
OK, Lost. It’s time we did this. I’m ready. (Spoilers aplenty, duh – and ditto opinions all mine, etc). 1. Your Ending Was Unforgiveably Rubbish “Oh, they can never resolve it properly in the time they have left,” said t
“Lost”, We Deserved Better
Published on 2011-04-03 18:29:59
OK, Lost. It’s time we did this. I’m ready. (Spoilers aplenty, duh – and ditto opinions all mine, etc). 1. Your Ending Was Unforgiveably Rubbish “Oh, they can never resolve it properly in the time they have left,” said t
TBU ’11: A List Of Top Non-Tens
Published on 2011-03-29 16:53:39
In the style of ieatmypigeon. With a dash of mobilelawyer-style list-hatred. And a dollop of laziness, because 10 is way too huge and my life is short. Last Sunday I attended the second day of the Travel Bloggers Unite 2011 Conference in Manchester.
TBU ’11: A List Of Top Non-Tens
Published on 2011-03-29 16:53:39
In the style of ieatmypigeon. With a dash of mobilelawyer-style list-hatred. And a dollop of laziness, because 10 is way too huge and my life is short. Last Sunday I attended the second day of the Travel Bloggers Unite 2011 Conference in Manchester.
TBU ’11: A List Of Top Non-Tens
Published on 2011-03-29 16:53:39
In the style of ieatmypigeon. With a dash of mobilelawyer-style list-hatred. And a dollop of laziness, because 10 is way too huge and my life is short. Last Sunday I attended the second day of the Travel Bloggers Unite 2011 Conference in Manchester.
No Harpoons Left In Greece?
Published on 2011-03-24 17:55:04
Could he really be one? Could he? I peered over the top of my Greek newspaper as he passed on his third (third!) lap. Sunglasses? Hiding where he’s really looking, of course. Combat pants? “I am man of ACTION“. Cropped canvas-green
No Harpoons Left In Greece?
Published on 2011-03-24 17:55:04
Could he really be one? Could he? I peered over the top of my Greek newspaper as he passed on his third (third!) lap. Sunglasses? Hiding where he’s really looking, of course. Combat pants? “I am man of ACTION“. Cropped canvas-green
No Harpoons Left In Greece?
Published on 2011-03-24 17:55:04
Could he really be one? Could he? I peered over the top of my Greek newspaper as he passed on his third (third!) lap. Sunglasses? Hiding where he’s really looking, of course. Combat pants? “I am man of ACTION“. Cropped canvas-green
Equipment Fail: 10 Traps of Travel Technology
Published on 2011-03-17 18:25:56
“Does technology make travel less interesting?”, asks Guardian journalist Vicky Baker in this article and on her blog. It’s a question we so rarely asked – maybe because it’s so tricky to answer. (After all, it’s t
Equipment Fail: 10 Traps of Travel Technology
Published on 2011-03-17 18:25:56
“Does technology make travel less interesting?”, asks Guardian journalist Vicky Baker in this article and on her blog. It’s a question we so rarely asked – maybe because it’s so tricky to answer. (After all, it’s t
Equipment Fail: 10 Traps of Travel Technology
Published on 2011-03-17 18:25:56
“Does technology make travel less interesting?”, asks Guardian journalist Vicky Baker in this article and on her blog. It’s a question we so rarely asked – maybe because it’s so tricky to answer. (After all, it’s t
Can We Really Be Friends? The Facebook Years
Published on 2011-03-13 07:10:18
If you’re on Facebook, we can now be friends there too! Cast your eyes towards my right-hand sidebar. (Not literally, please, that would be disgusting). Ta. And Hi. Photo: a warm, increasingly fuzzy-headed evening on Naxos. In Greece, they bri
Can We Really Be Friends? The Facebook Years
Published on 2011-03-13 07:10:18
If you’re on Facebook, we can now be friends there too! Cast your eyes towards my right-hand sidebar. (Not literally, please, that would be disgusting). Ta. And Hi. Photo: a warm, increasingly fuzzy-headed evening on Naxos. In Greece, they bri
Can We Really Be Friends? The Facebook Years
Published on 2011-03-13 07:10:18
If you’re on Facebook, we can now be friends there too! Cast your eyes towards my right-hand sidebar. (Not literally, please, that would be disgusting). Ta. And Hi. Photo: a warm, increasingly fuzzy-headed evening on Naxos. In Greece, they bri
Can We Really Be Friends?
Published on 2011-03-08 17:09:58
Have you actually met any of these people? - a large proportion of friends and family, to me, at various points in the last decade. Hi. There’s a very good chance that we’ve never met. But that’s okay – we can still be friends
Can We Really Be Friends?
Published on 2011-03-08 17:09:58
Have you actually met any of these people? - a large proportion of friends and family, to me, at various points in the last decade. Hi. There’s a very good chance that we’ve never met. But that’s okay – we can still be friends
Zeebrugge: Where I Couldn’t Leave Belgium Fast Enough
Published on 2011-03-02 16:49:32
No ferry. No ferry. This was alarming. Because this was the stop. The sign said so – “Zeebrugge”. Disembarking, I’d squeezed past the surly wide-nostrilled conductor who had greeted my attempts at ticket-time banter with such
Zeebrugge: Where I Couldn’t Leave Belgium Fast Enough
Published on 2011-03-02 16:49:32
No ferry. No ferry. This was alarming. Because this was the stop. The sign said so – “Zeebrugge”. Disembarking, I’d squeezed past the surly wide-nostrilled conductor who had greeted my attempts at ticket-time banter with such
I May Be Some Time
Published on 2011-02-25 16:22:04
“Excuse me,” says my new neighbour as I lock up, shivering in the night air. “Do you live here?” I squint through the glare of the front yard light while my mind explores what else I could possibly be, locking a front door beh
I May Be Some Time
Published on 2011-02-25 16:22:04
“Excuse me,” says my new neighbour as I lock up, shivering in the night air. “Do you live here?” I squint through the glare of the front yard light while my mind explores what else I could possibly be, locking a front door beh
Why I Love Your Travel Writing
Published on 2011-02-19 18:48:45
I love the way you write. Seriously. Such a thrill. I’ve read a lot of travel writing online and offline, and it’s such a relief to read someone who truly gets it. I love your stuff. And here’s three reasons why. 1. You’re Sub
Why I Love Your Travel Writing
Published on 2011-02-19 18:48:45
I love the way you write. Seriously. Such a thrill. I’ve read a lot of travel writing online and offline, and it’s such a relief to read someone who truly gets it. I love your stuff. And here’s three reasons why. 1. You’re Sub
Elsewhere (Sounding Off and Rolling Around)
Published on 2011-02-15 17:49:50
I’m over at EcoSalon today, looking at ways to turn the wearying din of the modern world into electricity and manufacture hydrogen fuel – or, put another way, the equivelent of base metal into gold. It could be *that* big, if they nail
Elsewhere (Sounding Off and Rolling Around)
Published on 2011-02-15 17:49:50
I’m over at EcoSalon today, looking at ways to turn the wearying din of the modern world into electricity and manufacture hydrogen fuel – or, put another way, the equivelent of base metal into gold. It could be *that* big, if they nail
The Blog Post I Least Want You To Read
Published on 2011-02-13 15:11:09
One of the many Rules Of Successful Writing (because there’s more than two, so yes, I lied – get over it) is that all your first attempts will be terrible. Your first drafts will fail to convey anything except confusion. Your turns of phr
The Blog Post I Least Want You To Read
Published on 2011-02-13 15:11:09
One of the many Rules Of Successful Writing (because there’s more than two, so yes, I lied – get over it) is that all your first attempts will be terrible. Your first drafts will fail to convey anything except confusion. Your turns of phr
Balderdash! – Busting 5 Myths About England
Published on 2011-02-07 20:44:01
Ah, England! The mist-shrouded Arthurian ruins, the rolling green hills dotted with sleepy hamlets, nuns on bikes free-wheeling over cattle grids, tankards of warm beer, castles and orchards, jodhpurs and shooting-sticks, where monocles legally repla
Balderdash! – Busting 5 Myths About England
Published on 2011-02-07 20:44:01
Ah, England! The mist-shrouded Arthurian ruins, the rolling green hills dotted with sleepy hamlets, nuns on bikes free-wheeling over cattle grids, tankards of warm beer, castles and orchards, jodhpurs and shooting-sticks, where monocles legally repla
Crossroads
Published on 2011-02-02 01:39:03
“Uh oh”, you’re thinking. He’s been away from his blog for weeks now, and he comes back with a post titled “Crossroads”? Sounds ominous. Is he going to say he’s giving up blogging because he’s moved ont
Crossroads
Published on 2011-02-02 01:39:03
“Uh oh”, you’re thinking. He’s been away from his blog for weeks now, and he comes back with a post titled “Crossroads”? Sounds ominous. Is he going to say he’s giving up blogging because he’s moved ont
I Have All The Non-Answers
Published on 2011-01-19 04:45:31
With freelance work piled high, I’m rushing hither and thither at the moment, fuelled by the usual things (coffee, existential doubt, a useful artificially-induced sense of panic, and these amazing little things). That’s why it’s a
I Have All The Non-Answers
Published on 2011-01-19 04:45:31
With freelance work piled high, I’m rushing hither and thither at the moment, fuelled by the usual things (coffee, existential doubt, a useful artificially-induced sense of panic, and these amazing little things). That’s why it’s a
Racing The Light In Chania
Published on 2011-01-06 20:30:19
I’m running along the harbour wall, and I’m not going to make it. Yet another heart-rendingly beautiful Crete sunset is turning the sea copper, pulling the distant coastline into shadow. Presumably I’ll get bored of these at some po
Racing The Light In Chania
Published on 2011-01-06 20:30:19
I’m running along the harbour wall, and I’m not going to make it. Yet another heart-rendingly beautiful Crete sunset is turning the sea copper, pulling the distant coastline into shadow. Presumably I’ll get bored of these at some po
2010 Was The Year Of….Oh, I Forget.
Published on 2011-01-03 05:00:29
I forgot a lot of really useful things this year. That’s the thing about multi-media modern life – there’s nowhere to put anything. In the words of David Allen, we need better buckets to collect everything in, else it passes right t
The Worst Things To Tweet In 2011 (Part 1)
Published on 2011-01-01 10:13:02
However much I love Twitter (and despite being eternally conflicted, I do love Twitter) – there’s a lot about it that doesn’t bode well. It probably won’t destroy the world anytime soon, but the prospect of using Twitter in 20
The Sound Of Christmas Silence
Published on 2010-12-26 17:38:45
Every year, either on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, I wrap up well and head outdoors, to listen to the absence of everyone. This year it was easy. Instead of going back to visit my Ma as is traditional, I’ve spent it in York. Her pipes are froze
Dumbing Down Is Not A New Thing
Published on 2010-12-17 07:00:58
During our travels we have consorted with several kings, as different in their manners and their opinions as are the different geographical situations of their countries, yet little by little we have found among them the same accord in recognizing th
Maps: How One Travels Far
Published on 2010-12-15 10:04:32
Come with me into my dream home. Yes, there’s a lot of wood. I like wood. (Wooden flooring, so don’t go running around in your socks, there isn’t a doctor on this island. Do you like how the floorboards creak? Creaking is important.
Haunted By Half-Seen Greece
Published on 2010-12-09 17:08:36
Some places haunt you. I’m somewhere north of Naxos, somewhere south of Piraeus, surrounded by the low, dry scatter of islands knows as the Cyclades. The larger, inhabited islands clamber out the water until they’re distant mountains, but
York (1): Those Revolting Northerners
Published on 2010-12-08 04:28:42
It’s AD 70, and the North is in revolt. If you’re a Roman tactician at this time, you’re wishing someone would get around to inventing coffee. It’s all one massive coast-to-coast headache. The Claudian invasion of Britain that
Digging myself out…
Published on 2010-12-06 16:08:11
…after a week of being snowed under. In both senses. Snapped hurriedly as I crunched my way to work this morning. Note: it hasn’t snowed since Wednesday. It’s very cold. ********** In other news, despite my recent uncertainty and ha
Commercial Travel Needs Attention-Seeking Idiots
Published on 2010-11-30 19:28:30
If you’ve recently flown on a certain Cebu Pacific service, you’ll remember the air safety demonstration. And how many flights can you say that about? What first struck me about this was how hot the stewardess nearest the camera is how mu
How The Kindle Won Me Over In 7 Minutes
Published on 2010-11-25 14:01:46
Time – 00:00 Here is Mike, sat at a table. Mike is a bespectacled, somewhat vague and dishevelled looking man of indeterminate age . He’s in front of his laptop – and frankly, they both look like they’ve seen better years. Fro