Travel
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How to Get from Catania to Palermo, Sicily by train
We were up bright and early for our 9.35 a.m. train to Sicily’s capital, Palermo. After checking out of our apartment we trundled our luggage along to Catania Centrale station and purchased two single tickets at a cost of €13.50 each. There is no need to buy the tickets in advance as the tickets remain…
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Visiting Acireale from Catania, Sicily – Day Trip Ideas and Things to Do
It was our last full day in Catania and we decided to spend the morning in Acireale, six miles north east of the city. We travelled there by train taking just 10 minutes with return fares €5 each. On arrival in Acireale station we discovered that it was located 3km out of town. I don’t…
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Everything You Need to Know About Taking the Circumetnea Railway Around Mt. Etna, Sicily
It was a short walk from the apartment to the small Catania Borgo station located near the main Via Etnea thoroughfare. A rack railway operates from this station taking passengers around the perimeter of Mt. Etna and we decided to travel as far as Randazzo, a small town nearest to the summit of the volcano.…
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Day Trip from Catania to Syracuse and Ortigia, Sicily – What to See and Do
It was back to the railway station again after breakfast for a train from Catania to Syracuse. Return tickets cost €14.50 return and are valid on any regional train services. We’d decided to take the 10.30 a.m. train and discovered that this was to be replaced by a bus due to weekend track maintenance. After…
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By Train to Taormina, Sicily from Catania – top sights to visit
After a leisurely breakfast of Parma ham and buffalo mozzarella on freshly baked bread we set off for Catania Centrale station, a lengthy walk from our apartment. On arrival we purchased return tickets from Catania to Taormina (€9 each standard return). Tickets are valid on any regional trains but need to be validated in the…
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Catania – Top Things to See and Do in a Day
After enjoying a leisurely breakfast on our apartment balcony we prepared to go out and made our way towards the main square (Piazza Duomo). The Giro Sicilia car rally was about to get underway so we admired some of the vehicles and spotted a Morris Minor Traveller which one of my elderly relatives used to…
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Catania – The Best Bits to See and Do
We arrived in Catania at 9.00 p.m. the previous evening on a British Airways flight from London Gatwick. Our flight arrived on time and as Catania Fontanarassa airport was very organised it took us no time at all to pass through immigration and only a few minutes to wait for our luggage. To get into…
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The Inn at Whitewell, Clitheroe Review
Hotel Review Location The Inn at Whitewell is located in one of England’s 36 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) on the Duchy of Lancaster estate overlooking the River Hodder in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire. This charming 14th century inn is easily accessible from the M6 motorway with Lancaster being 18 miles to the…
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Discover the Ribble Valley – A Foodie’s Paradise
After a traditional Lancashire breakfast at The Inn at Whitewell we were soon ready to see more of the beautiful Ribble Valley. Our first stop of the day was just up the road in the charming small village of Chipping. Narrow winding country lanes lead into the village centre, its attractive stone cottages bedecked with…
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A Day in the Ribble Valley – Clitheroe and the Trough of Bowland
The Ribble Valley is an idyllic part of the north of England located in north east Lancashire and covering 212 sq. miles of the Forest of Bowland, an area of deep valleys and peat moorland. It’s an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty but despite booming tourism with ever increasing numbers of visitors, it’s still a…
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Travel Guide to Wareham, Dorset – Things to See and Do
On arrival in the town we were following car park signs but managed to park on the road which was fortunate. Leaving the car, we walked past the Town Hall and popped into the Town Museum for a little look. Admission is free and its small galleries depict the town’s history and display historic artefacts.…
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The Great Yorkshire Show
After enjoying my visit to the Great Yorkshire Show last year I was even more excited to return to Harrogate once again to attend the 161st agricultural show. This three day event is one of the biggest in the English calendar and showcases the best of British farming, food and the countryside plus lots more…
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Discover Blandford Forum, Dorset – Things to See and Do
Blandford Forum is a market town in Dorset, 15 miles north of Poole. I’d read the town was noted for its Georgian architecture so I was keen to take a look. Approaching Blandford Forum we passed through pretty villages with quaint names such as Sturminster Marshall and Charlton Marshall. Arriving in the town, we parked…
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The Ultimate Guide to Upton House and Gardens, Warwickshire
The weather forecast was good so we planned a visit to Upton House and Gardens near Banbury in Warwickshire. Arriving around 2.00 p.m. on a glorious summer’s day the main car parks were already full but we were directed to an overflow parking area in a field which was only a short walk from the…
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Exploring the Museum of Toys, Singapore – A Must Visit for Toy Lovers
We were up shortly after 7.00 a.m. so that we could make the most of our final day in Singapore. Breakfast in the hotel’s Crystal Cafe had been good all week and it ended on a high with my favourite roti prata and bread and butter pudding both being included in the morning’s selection. Reluctantly…
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The Ultimate Guide to a Day at Sentosa, Singapore
We made an early start to the day as it was our intention to travel over to Sentosa Island before it started getting busy. After our breakfast in the hotel’s Crystal Cafe we took the MRT to HarbourFront station and then followed signs for the Sentosa boardwalk. Visitors to the island can reach Sentosa by…
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Guide to Walking the MacRitchie Trail, Singapore – Tips, Routes, and Highlights
I helped myself to some nasi goreng at breakfast but the hotel’s version was made with salted fish which had a distinctive strong flavour which didn’t appeal so I moved on to some curry puffs and french toast that was more to my liking. Breakfast over, we picked up some bottles of water and headed…
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Mt. Faber Cable Car and Henderson Waves Walk – Singapore’s Scenic Adventure
After spending the previous day on the tranquil and unspoilt island of Pulau Ubin, it was a change of scene with a visit to Sentosa, dubbed the island of fun! From our hotel we took the MRT from Somerset on the North East line over to HarbourFront station as the Singapore Cable Car runs from…
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A Day in Pulau Ubin, Singapore – How to Get There and What to Expect
At breakfast this morning along with my usual yoghurt and fruit I sampled some fried carrot cake. This tasted quite good but I’m unsure how it gets its name as it is neither a cake nor does it contain carrots! It bears no resemblance to the sweet carrot cake popular in the west but is…
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Why You Should Take The Fullerton Heritage Tour, Singapore
After a leisurely breakfast in the hotel’s Crystal Cafe where we were tempted into sampling many Asian delicacies, we took the MTR to City Hall station. Just outside the metro station stands the anglican St. Andrew’s Cathedral so we started our day there as we were slightly early for our planned activity. The cathedral was…
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Exploring Kampong Glam, Little India, and Supertree Grove – Singapore’s Cultural and Iconic Sights
After a good night’s sleep, we were interested to find out what breakfast would be like. Although the Orchard Grand Court is a serviced apartment, it also offers guests the option of an inclusive breakfast in its Crystal Cafe. Unlike the apartments which have a contemporary feel, the Crystal Cafe is a traditionally furnished restaurant…
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Flying AirAsia from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore and getting from Changi Airport by public transport
It was our final morning in Kuala Lumpur and we started the day with a relaxing breakfast. We then returned to our room to finish off our packing before checking out of the hotel. The lifts were still out of order at the nearby monorail station so once again we had to manoeuvre our heavy…
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How to Visit Putrajaya from Kuala Lumpur – Travel Tips and City Highlights
It was my favourite morning at the Holiday Inn Express as I noticed that the delicious flatbread roti canai was on the menu and I couldn’t resist having several slices along with my usual selection of cheese, fresh fruit and yoghurt. We had planned to spend the day in Putrajaya, 25 km from Kuala Lumpur…
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Malacca Highlights – Organised Day Trip from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
We were up bright and early as we didn’t want to have to rush our breakfast as we’d arranged to be picked up from the hotel at approximately 8.45 a.m. for a day trip to Malacca. Although we usually travel independently, getting to Malacca and seeing all the main sights scattered around the city isn’t…