There are many long distance hiking trails in the Alps and almost certainly the most famous is the Tour Mt Blanc, an 11 Day circuit of Mt Blanc passing through France, Italy and Switzerland. Tens of thousands complete the walk annually and other long distance walks that come readily to mind are the Alpine Pass Route from the Austrian border westwards across Switzerland to Lake Geneva, the Walkers Haute Route from Chamonix and Mt Blanc to Zermatt and the Matterhorn and the Tour of Monte Rosa, another multi day circuit of a major peak. Continue reading →

With the exception of two 12 day trips to Spain and three 48 hour visits back to the UK for minor surgery (and follow up) on my left eye, I consider myself immensely fortunate to have spent most of the period from mid June to mid November this year based in the Swiss Alps. Continue reading →

Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal

I am starting this article at Boulogne-Billancourt in the suburbs of Paris just hours after watching Rafael Nadal win the Men’s single title at the French Open Tennis Championships for the 11^th time in the last 14 years.

Of all the sports played in the world today I think that Tennis has a very strong claim for being the home of not just the world’s most pre-eminent sports personality Roger Federer, but also the sporting world’s two finest exponents of sportsmanship in Federer and his nemesis Rafael Nadal.  Continue reading →

I like to think I am a person with an open mind that embraces many interests, but without doubt, two of the most influential factors that have shaped my life during the last 30 years has been my love of walking in and exploring the high Mountain ranges of the world (and in particular the Himalaya and Alps), and also for the music of the Canadian singer Leonard Cohen. Continue reading →

I first came to Ban Nong Weng in 2006 and I am pretty sure I have been here every year since. It is a small village of maybe 300 or so inhabitants in Isaan, the hot, dry, north eastern region of Thailand, that many people believe provides the economic (and perhaps spiritual?) backbone to Thailand, if for no other reason than the fact that, for generations, the people of Isaan  have flocked to Bangkok, Pattaya and cities throughout Thailand in search of employment and provide the labour force for so many activities. Continue reading →

I have a lot of time for the country of Vietnam. It is one of those nations like New Zealand, France and the USA which appears to have a never ending list of varied attractions, both Cultural and Natural to visit and admire. Continue reading →

As my wife Sharron enjoys living in our family home in the UK (with frequent visits to see her mother in Canada) and I prefer to spend my time out of Britain, either in warmer climates or the mountains, we usually find ourselves spending between three and six months together and living separate lives for much of each year. Continue reading →