Paper cutting craft: decoupage in Switzerland
Scalpel in hand, I hestitate before making my incision. “That’s it, cut along the line you’ve drawn,” says Corinne Karnstädt, encouraging my first attempt at decoupage, the artform at which she excels.
Places to visit
Walking at Castle Eden Dene in County Durham
During my autumn walk it was not the colours of flowers but the golds, russets and reds of fallen leaves that caught my eye. Despite tree branches swaying in the wind, clumps of richly coloured foliage clung defiantly to the trees from which they budded back in the springtime.
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda
“Maintain a minimum distance of at least seven metres,” we were told by guides at least three times during the pre-trek briefing. It’s taken less than five minutes in the presence of the gorillas and, already, that golden rule is broken.
Walking in Egypt’s Coloured Canyon
Hamid Selmi is a man of few words. The Bedouin guide beckons me to follow him and walks through fine golden sand and onto the bedrock that marks the beginning of a trek along Egypt’s Coloured Canyon.
Travelling safely in the COVID-19 pandemic
In mid-August I travelled to Latvia, my first international trip since the coronavirus lockdown. Though keen to experience the destination, I was inevitably unsure as to whether international travel would be safe and enjoyable in light of the global pandemic. Prior to the trip, I weighed up the risks likely to be encountered while travelling and asked myself some searching questions.
Summertime in Switzerland’s Canton Vaud
Looking across the Rhone Valley from the Swiss town of Villars and you’ll see seven jagged summits gnawing 3,257 metres into the sky. Ask a French-speaking local the name of peaks and you’ll be told they are the Dents du Midi meaning ‘the teeth of the south.’
Riding at La Reata Ranch, Saskatchewan
Tanned, with a firm jaw and wearing a white Stetson, there’s something reminiscent of the Marlboro man about George Gaber, the owner of La Reata Ranch near Kyle in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Lisbon’s Museu da Carris transport museum
Lisbon’s Museu da Carris - the Carris Museum, dedicated to public transport - is all too often overlooked by visitors to the Portuguese capital due its location in Alcantara, roughly half way between the city centre and the Belem district.
Quinta de Sant’ana wine estate at Gradil, Portugal
Englishman James Frost is convinced he has found the perfect job; cultivating grapes to make quality wines on the Quinta de Sant’ana estate, which he runs with his wife Ann, 35km from Lisbon in Portugal.
Sunderland International Airshow
Sunderland International Airshow was an annual event held on the penultimate weekend of July. Running from Friday to Sunday, the air show featured flypasts by historic aircraft, aerobatic displays and parachute demonstrations.