The remote arctic island of Svalbard – or, at least, its main settlement Longyearbyen, is not as inaccessible as you might imagine! Here’s what lured me there, how I managed to visit, and what I got up to whilst I was in town.
Things to See and Do
Two Nights in… Oslo
Despairing of the lack of a proper winter in the UK, I took a weekend in Oslo in search of snow.
TripAdvisor and Instagram
For 2016, I’m going to try reviewing everywhere I go via TripAdvisor; I’m also using Instagram to post during my travels.
My North American Travel Bucketlist Tour 2015
An overview and links to coverage of my trip to New York, Vancouver, Seattle and Los Angeles via a mix of international business class flights and long distance trains.
Villa Borghese
Art, boats and food were all to be found in these beautiful gardens on the doorstep of our hotel.
Three nights in… Brussels
A long weekend in Belgium – based in Brussels, with a side trip to Ghent – plus Eurostar’s standard premier service.
North Vancouver
Checking out some of Vancouver’s ticketed attractions – the Capilano suspension bridge, and Grouse Mountain – plus some additional wanderings.
Photoset: Vancouver Aquarium
My favourite shots from a visit to Vancouver’s aquarium – the ‘Sea Monsters Revealed’ exhibition, and a wide variety of jellyfish!
The Sky Garden London
To the top of 20 Fenchurch Street, for a visit to London’s highest public garden.
Three Nights in… Strasbourg
A very green Easter weekend in France – traveling by train, and exploring by bike! Thus justifying a pancake-based diet throughout.
Cycling in Strasbourg
Exploring Robertsau Forest on two wheels, via Strasbourg’s Velhop bike hire scheme.
The Telegraph Outdoor Adventure & Travel Show 2015
My first taste of a travel show – with features from talks by explorers to climbing competitions, via a photography exhibition and bike stunt display team.
Two Nights In… Berlin
An end-of-week jaunt to Germany’s capital, to check out some architectural curiosities.
Two nights in… St Helier
A weekend in Jersey’s capital to meet up with some of the Flyertalk BA board (and see if they can drink the island dry of champagne).