Travel Stuff
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Go West
So, having been in Devon for exactly three days, I’m running the risk of starting a local war. By going to Cornwall. I partly blame my acquaintance and staunch Kernowist (I’ll get this terminology sorted our soon) Rob. He was taught how to speak Nottingham by reciting the words “Tony Hadley from Spandau Ballet” in…
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Arrival
So, to recap, this is where the work and travel blogs merge. I’ve landed myself a four month secondment to BBC Radio Devon – and when I’m not busy doing that, I’ve made it my mission to explore as much of my glorious temporary home as possible. And you could do a lot worse than…
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Check Out Your Check In Time
You know what it’s like. You dare to show up to a hotel a little bit earlier than the official check in time, only to be told that your room “is not quite ready”. It’s not always their fault – probably some lazy sod left the Do Not Disturb sign on his door even though…
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Eine Kleine Nachtmusic
“Y’know, we can’t believe it – every time we come to New York we find another neighbourhood where you just wouldn’t have gone to a few years ago – and then, you get somewhere like THIS!” The woman and her husband from Washington DC weren’t wrong. If you take the L Train to Bedford Avenuein…
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Going Underground
Most visitors to New York will concentrate their stay in Manhattan. And why wouldn’t you? All the main attractions are close by, and there’s no shortage of choice. But if you do come here, I’d urge you to hop across at least one bridge. Like Brooklyn’s. Not only do you get a great view of…
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The Right Side Of The Tracks
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. First impressions count. New York is notoriously known as being unfriendly and impersonal – and the stereotypes are reinforced on arrival at La Guardia airport. “You stand DER and DEY’LL woik in an’ call your name.” I’m not sure if it’s a piece of helpful advice…
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Nashville : On The Record
“It show is pretty weather ahht they’re,” says Jodi at the front desk. And it is. After a day of rain and biting winds, Nashville looks good in the sunshine. Broadway is still teeming with tourists, and plenty are heading for a Sunday morning snack. One scoop of ice cream seems a bit mean, so…
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Smashedville
Only in America would people refer to a shopping centre as a mall. And only in Nashville could this idiot mistake a park for a shopping centre. On the map, it clearly said “Bicentennial Mall”. Thinking that this might be some sort of Robin Williams themed retail experience, I got on the free Music City…
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The Next Big Thing
If you’ve ever seen the TV show Nashville you probably imagine the country music scene to be a cross between Fame, Glee and Desperate Housewives. And as someone who knows as little about country as I do, it may seem an odd choice to be attending Tin Pan South, the annual songwriter’s festival. But the…
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A Date With Death
Everyone knows that they do funerals with style in New Orleans. The jazz cortège leading a parade through the street and all the showbiz that goes with it. And they may be gone, but they’re certainly not forgotten, as illustrated by the elaborate headstones in Lafitte Cemetery. Some of these memorials aren’t that old, but…
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