Mike’s Motorbikes

Position: 54°57’51″N 2°52’38″W It’s not really a secret that I like motorcycles. Since my first turn around the Loudon’s orchard in Wantage on a 50cc moped back in 1972 I was hooked. The little bike, probably a Puch or Honda, …

Gloating

If glamorous camping is ‘glamping’, then surely glamorous boating must be ‘gloating’[1]. Surely! But what constitutes gloating in this new nautical sense? First a couple of root definitions: Boating – means simply messing about in boats. A boat is any …

So You Wanna Retire?

Position: Supine Bob Iger’s return as Disney’s CEO 11 months after handing the reins to his erstwhile successor proves both he and Disney’s board lack any imagination. At 71 Iger should be retired and pottering around his mansion. Instead, when …

S*ithead!

…the card game. Not what Carol calls me when I issue a direct order that may save the lives of all on board in a voice that some observers might deem (shall I say?) imperious. The game of S*ithead, known …

Pet Sitting

Don’t Stay Too Long Travelling around Europe on a British passport is no easier than travelling on a Samoan one these days. Overstaying your visa risks a fine, or a ban, or both. For Brits especially, EU immigration authorities have …

Captain Haddock

We continue our occasional series on famous sea captains with the one who influenced me most: Captain Archibald Haddock. Tonnerre de Brest! When asked where my esprit d’aventure comes from, I recount how my grandmother shared stories of her travels …