I “use” to be very scared of flying so never “risked it”. However, although I’m still scared I did fly for the first time in 1998 and ever since then till Covid I’ve been trying to make up for lost time.
This page is dedicated to all my friends who have had to endure me before and during flights, but especially my long-suffering travel companion/guide Mr Neil West (having said that it should be noted that when I collapsed through fear on a flight to Vietnam he was no-where to be seen!! But I’m grateful to the mid-wife who came to my assistance after the (second) announcement requesting a medic!
The appearance of Neil and Digger was never the same after their holiday in Nepal in 2004.Well what do “Sunday Times” readers know about anything! (see the lovely Bulgarian entry below)
ARGENTINA (Feb 2015)
Durante sus vacaciones Neil y Digger estaban felices de solicitar la nacionalidad argentina (clarkson gracias por revolviendo para arriba! Tosser)
You can never be lost with this many guide books and maps. Brussels is a city of culture
Or not.
BELIZE (April 1999, March 2005)
And it was a Caulker! for snorkling and underwater photography.
BULGARIA (Summer 2000 and 2001-I think!)
In the “old days” it use to be easy to get to Bulgaria. You just needed to tag along with a butch of archaeologists and fly Balkan Airlines
And what wonders awaited you in the villages
And in the cities
But no one can say you can’t have a good time in Bulgaria. Donkey racing is a very popular sport when British archaeologist stay in a small agricultural village and think its like Roman chariot racing (how did I lose?)
CAMBODIA (March 2003)
Ankor Wat. What more can you say.
As the sign says “visit Cambodia 2003”. And we did.
CANARIES (January 2000)
Penguins in the Canaries? seeing is believing.(Presumably if you had the idea that this was a serious travel guide you are getting wiser now)
FRANCE (July 1998, November 2007, August 2015, August 2016, August 2018)
1998-What did you during World Cup 98? Well I went to a small village called St. Bernard-de-Comminges in the South of France of course. Here seen in the (only) bar after the Argentina game.
2007- View from my bedroom window in the chateau across the vineyard to Trichot vineyard.
A police station in downtown Banjul (to report the theft of a hire bike with the shop owner)
Swimming in River Gambia
GERMANY (March 1998, June 2006)
1998- on the Dutch/German border
2006- Leipzig for the clash between Iran and Wycombe Wanderers (disguised as Angola on this occasion)
2006- Wycombe Wanderer fans on tour for the World Cup Finals
GIBRALTAR (September 2008)
View of Gibraltar from the sea
Monkey!
GUATEMALA (March 1999)
Chichicastenango, a window shoppers paradise without the windows.
Tikal. Stunning site in stunning location.
They do like processions
I think I fitted in quite well!!
HONDURAS (March 1999)
Copan
ISRAEL (March 1997)
The first ever photo of Digger on foreign land having been on an aeroplane (Ovda Airport)
Somewhere for Easter with links to Christianity
At this time, 1997, their government was acting as if it was genuine with regard the peace process. Not any more, so don’t go.
ITALY (June 1998)
I don’t usually like cities, but Rome was different. Whether it was all that Roman stuff or the prostitutes on Via Appia………..well thats another storyPompeii- what can you say?!
Herculaneum- what can you say?!!
JORDAN (March 1997)
Petra (well actually its Graham, Digger and Neil)
Day 3 of Diggers first ever foreign holiday. Sleeping rough in Wadi Rum (before the Bedouin took us away….). Re-arrange Fire and Baptism.
Jerash- less visited than Pompeii
LEBANON (October 2009)
Although Neil is an excellent tour guide and friend, I was a little surprised when the first thing he did when I arrived in Beruit was take me to the temporary mausoleum of Rafiq Hariri, his body guards and drivers!!!
Digger spent a week on a “4-39 Club Holiday” in Mallorca. Here we see the tour guide (Jono) attempting to persuade Digger that this bridge is indeed Roman!
Digger investigating a possible location for Swim the Door
MEXICO (April 1999, March 2005)
Yes. YES. YES
1999- Chichen Itza- The ball court
1999- Chichen Itza- Main temple
1999- Tulum. Archaeology and sea swimming heaven
2005- River swimming at its best
2005- When in Mexico
NEPAL (March 2004)
Everest Base Camp is like being on top of the world (apparently some people go even higher!!)
NETHERLANDS (March 1998 and June 2006)
1998- the border
1998- All the best houses in Holland have silly shutters, but with auto-timer photography you can hide them.
2006- can you guess whether there was a football tournament on or not?
2006- one of the more unexpected flags I observed in a house
PORTUGAL (October 2008)
The Institute of Port in Lisbon. Need I say more?!!
I think the receipt says it all.
SENEGAL (February 1998)
Transport was colourful, but you often had to sit on the roof as the inside was sometimes full of fish
At this inland wildlife reserve we saw rabbits and deer……….
Senegal has some fantastic coast.
SYRIA (October 2009)
Palmyra: like Pompeii but in the desert
Great country, great history, great culture…………. crap rulers.
