And a very snowy new year to all!

Ice over the gutter on our cabin.

It's evening here in Japan, with just over four hours left for 2013 in Japan. You find me in Yokohama with the inlaws, having taken the Shinkansen down last night. It was around 12 degrees here today and lovely sunshine. It's a far cry from Ichinoseki, which got a sizable dump of snow on Friday night last week. I woke up on Saturday morning heading to Hachimantai.

Hachimantai, where as you may recall I have already visited this year, is home to some creepy apartments and the Lava Flow. The Lava Flow, set lava from an old eruption of Mount Iwate, is known locally as Yakehashiri. And not too far from it is an onsen and a group of cabins. In fact there are something like 48 4 or 8-person cabins in the woods next to the lava flow. The place has an English translation which is somewhat baffling to say the least - Iwate grilled run international exchange Village.

Inside the cabin.

Yes, not only is it a mouthful and a half, it makes no rightly sense at all! But the cabins were WARM! You have to pay an extra fee to use the heater incidentally, but you wouldn't in your right mind not. Despite it being something like minus 7 outside, we were toasty and warm inside. We were there basically to shoot a short little film as I am want to do from time to time, but if I thought we had had a lot of snow in Ichinoseki, I was to see more than double that at Yakehashiri. Never the less, a very beautiful place indeed, and as we had a lot of fun. It wasn't so cold whilst we were active.

The Onsen turned out to be cooler than the last one I visited. I enjoyed it much more as I could bear much longer in the water in one go. The only issue was the driving - three hours each way on the snowy roads. In fact it wasn't nearly as bad as I feared it might be. Snow does not pose the same issues (slipping, sliding and crashing) as ice on the roads does. There's far more traction. I hope you enjoy the photos. 

And the curtain sets on 2013, and 2014 dawns. Please watch this space for more blogs and of course, the top five of my top destinations. Wherever you are this New Years' Eve, stay safe and all the best for 2014!

Merry Christmas and all that! (a little bit about surviving winter in Japan)

Dear everyone,
Merry Christmas to you all, if indeed you celebrate Christmas. The world is a big, wonderful place and I hope that 2014 will offer me more chances to explore, perhaps back in Australia around mid-year! Here in Japan Christmas is quiet I guess. I havent really done anything today at all. I took receipt of my new computer at least. The old one died last week which is why you haven't heard from me of late. Expect that soon the blogs will be coming again, as I will finish up the last five top destinations of my top ten, write more about Japan and do my best to brave this winter.So far we have had a bit of snow, but not a lot.
To keep the place warm we need to winter-proof the apartment. Unfortunately Japan is not as well equipped for winter as you might expect - for starters, double-glazed windows aren't that common. So, bubble wrap is the order of the day to provide a small bit of insulation.
Here you can see my attempts at insulating the doors/windows. Even the front door, not made of glass, gets a going over in an attempt to keep the cold out. Nevertheless, we find that after turning off the heater, the temperature plummets pretty quickly.

A cold winter's day, through the bedroom window.

Bubble-wrapping in progress!

Last night in Ichinoseki it was around -3 or -4 degrees celcius outside. The temperature inside when we woke at about 6am was plus 4. When we went to bed it would have been around plus 15 or so, which is freezing in Melbourne, but really quite toasty here! It's amazing how your outlook changes.

Front door with bubble wrap and kerosene tank.

Our kerosene heater.

We use a kerosene heater, popular in Japan. Last year we used the reverse cycle heater/air conditioner, and it took ages to start giving us warm air. The kerosene heater has been much better, and only a little more expensive to run. The difference is well worth it. We were fortunate that someone had a spare and very kindly and generously let us borrow it. We have to fill it up from a tank every few days because we are burning fuel, and it's not the best on the eyes, we need to ventilate the apartment regularly. But that's the price you pay for warmth.
Melbourne, my home town, enjoyed a 31 degree Christmas day, we were about 30 degrees less for a maximum here. Next year we hope to go back to a hot Christmas. Everyone here says a hot Christmas is just not right.Speaking as an Australian, I have to disagree...

Short Journeys: Laos

Hi everyone. My latest kindle addition is up and ready, so if you'd like to read about my time in Laos, my opinions, and a little information too. Here is the front cover:

And a link to the amazon page where you can buy the book:

Short Journeys: Laos

And some snippets from the book and photos.

Introduction: Why go to Laos?

Laos is found in the depths of South-East Asia. It borders China to the north, Thailand to the south, Vietnam to the east and Cambodia to the south-east. It’s right in the thick of it, you might say. It’s not everyone’s first, second or even third thought when they think of South-East Asia, but, perhaps that’s what makes it special - because it is special, very much so.

The peaceful Luang Prabang, perched on the Mekong and the gateway to less-explored north of the country, is one of the most relaxed and calm places to visit in all of South-East Asia. The unassuming capital, Vientiane, is a delightful spot right on the border with Thailand, and out in the east is Phonsovan. Phonsovan is famous for the Plain of Jars, a collection of huge stone jars dotted about the plains near Phonsovan. It’s also in an area that was heavily bombed in the 60s and 70s, and some 30 percent of them didn’t explode on impact. Laos is one of the most bombed/mined countries in the world. The way the community has dealt with the problem of unexploded ordinances is eye-opening and perhaps inspiring.

The Mekong River

Well, it’s a mighty river flowing through different countries winding its way across land to eventually meet the sea in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. In Luang Prabang you are more than a thousand kilometres up stream, but it’s still beautiful. Walking along the banks is a nice experience in the late-afternoon when it’s cooled down ever so slightly. You’ll find the occasional long bamboo bridge which the locals use to get from smaller villages to the town.

Luang Prabang is actually situated on two rivers, the Mekong and the Nam Khan. A confluence of rivers is often a popular place for a town. Walking along either and both in the late afternoon or early morning is a very pleasurable experience. Stop at one of the open restaurants overlooking the river and have a cold drink and take in the serenity. There’s a lot of serenity there!

Kuang Si Waterfall (entrance 20,000 kip, 2011)

For me this was the real highlight of Luang Prabang, a waterfall not that far from town which admittedly a lot of tourists head to. It’s a superb place for a swim and to cool off, and its setting is somewhat idyllic and beautiful.

On said path is a sanctuary for bears which is worth a little look. The company running the bear sanctuary is called ‘Save the Bears’ and the bears there are ‘Asian Black Bears’. They are kept in enclosures of a decent size I guess. I don’t really know what an appropriate size is for a bear to live in, but at least they are safe there and it’s nice to check out.

After you’ve said hello to the bears, keep on going to the waterfall. It’s not that far and it’s a truly beautiful spot. Green and lush, the vegetation parts for the river, and over the top of some rocks the Kuang Si Waterfall heads down to a deep pool of still water, the perfect place to go when the heat is getting  to you. It was regularly in the mid to high thirties when I was there, so it was truly a welcome sight. A small tropical paradise hidden away in the jungle.

Phonsovan - Plain of Jars

Phonsovan was the place I most wanted to visit in Laos, because of the ‘Plain of Jars’ – hundreds of ancient large stone jars spread over three separate areas which has been a mystery for many years. Although really it’s not that much of a mystery, I think, personally, it’s pretty obvious what the jars are, or at least were, they were, for want of a better word, coffins. In fact, this is one of the theories and to me the most logical one.

They are well over a thousand years old, and therefore today they are a tourist attraction, for foreigners and locals alike. Although often they are not high on the tourist’s list of things to see in Laos, I think they should be! The issue that a lot of travellers have is the distance, it’s not in the middle of the Vientiane to Luang Prabang road, and many don’t want to go.

Phonsovan itself is a dusty old town; it has almost a frontier feel, dusty, a little forgotten. At the peak of the day there is plenty of traffic on the wide, main street, but that’s about all there is. There are a few hotels, a couple of places to eat and the MAG centre.

Craters restaurant, main street, Phonsovan.

We had a great guide, informative, helpful, fun. That’s all you really need right? Good English too. We headed out to the third site (Plain of Jars Site III on the ticket) first. We had to walk across fields to get there, and as we did we passed little markers on the ground with white and red paint. They were markers that signified that bombs had been located and removed in the area. Usually they marked out a space and between the markers it was safe to walk. You do have to follow your guide and watch for the markers. Anything that looks like a solid trail will be safe, but don’t go wandering off on your own for hundreds of metres, because there’s plenty of land that hasn’t yet been searched and declared safe as yet. Not that I’m trying to scare people, it’s 100% safe if you just use common sense!

View of the capital, Vientiane

Inside the Gold Stupa, Vientiane.

Laos is a wonderful place... take a look at the book - or why not visit yourself?

Top Ten Countries Number Six - Japan [PART TWO]

Japan is not a huge country, but it is a pretty big island. And there is so much to see and do. After enjoying the sights of Kansai, I headed to Tokyo. Tokyo in many ways is the ultimate in cities. It’s huge, with a highly efficient metro system to rival that of Moscow or St Petersburg, with more sky-scrapers than you can poke a stick at. Never the less, you can still find some amazing parks and temples there too to keep you occupied. Not satisfied? Well, fear ye not, there are museums a-plenty as well. Still not satisfied? Well, head up a tower to see the city from above. Tokyo tower is great, but there’s also the skytree as well.

If you still aren’t impressed, not so far away in Chiba is Tokyo Disneyland. I visited in August 2012, which wasn’t the best time to visit. It’s was absolutely packed in there, everyone was going. Well what could I do, my holidays are when the school is on holiday, which is basically every school in the country is on holiday. I spent much of the day waiting in queues sadly, however, it still was a lot of fun! The rides are enjoyable, you get a parade in the evening, and for those who felt it still wasn’t quite like theme parks elsewhere, the food they sell is fried, unhealthy and very expensive! It’s hard to go past Splash Mountain as the best ride, but there are of course many rides. I didn’t have time to go on Space Mountain…

Tokyo’s museums are very good. Head to Ueno, also home to the zoo, and you’ll find the National Museum, and the fun Science Museum, both worthwhile, but you may find the Shitimachi Museum more interesting. It is in an old house that has survived wars and quakes, and recreates Japanese life from around 100 years ago inside.

Temples? Well Senso-ji(Asakusa) and Meiji-jingu are perhaps the best two shrines to visit, the latter in the middle of a huge park near Shinjuku. Get off at the Harajuku station, the area there is also a popular spot

Postered wall in Akihabara.

and very interesting. You may meet people cos-playing too. If that doesn’t whet your appetite, there’s the Imperial Palace not so far from Tokyo station in beautiful gardens, and then there’s Akihabara. This famous district of Tokyo is not only the place to buy your cameras and electronic stuff, but it’s full of the strange Maid Cafes, is steeped in ‘geek culture’, and is where the group AKB48 is purported to come from!

Yokohama.

And yet there is more and more in Tokyo. It’s an amazing place. However, Japan offers more and more. Check out the beautiful castle in Nagoya, a very pleasant city (as long as you’re not there in August where the heat and humidity is unbearable). If it is the height of summer and you want to escape the blinding heat, why not head to Nagano-ken? Former winter Olympic Games site, I visited Hakuba last year where it was pleasantly cool in August, not to mention very beautiful. Great opportunity to relax, enjoy the cooler weather, and go hiking.

The down the road you have Yokohama, a wonderful bay-city with a beautiful bay, skycrapers and a ramen-museum (a museum for noodles!). What more do you want?

Further north Sendai is the main city of note. A really nice city with an interesting museum and a great citadel watching the place a-high. Not far from Sendai is Ishinomaki, now my favourite place to go when I want to see a movie. It’s an interesting town, devastated by the 2011 tsunami. However, it is well back on its feet today, and has a couple of things of interest. It’s quite the centre for Manga, and one of the best places in the country is the Ishinomaki Mangatten Museum. Devoted primarily to a famous Manga artist from Ishinomaki, Shotaro Ishinomori. There’s also the replica of the galleon, San Juan Baptista, worth seeing on the bay.

Closer to home, Iwate Prefecture has a bit to see and do as well. Not too far from Ichinoseki are two gorges with annoyingly similar names. ‘Geibi Gorge’ and ‘Genbi Gorge’. Both are very pretty places indeed, but the first is slightly more famous because you can take a special boat trip where the punter will sing for you. It’s a very special place.

Golden Hall, Chuson-ji

The crowning glory of this region though is the town Hiraizumi – only 7km from Ichinoseki. There’s more than one temple of interest in this town, but Chuson-ji, perched atop a hill, is really spectacular. Part of this hilltop complex is Konjiki-do, a gold-leafed hall, not quite as spectacular as Kinkanhu-ji in Kyoto, but nevertheless an impressive sight.

Japan has much more than I can cover reasonably in two blogs. I enjoyed hiking in Yamagata-ken over the peaks known as ‘Dewa Sanzan’, staying in the eastern town of Tsuruoka. In town Zenpo-ji is a very interesting temple complex too. Then there’s Kyushu in the south of the country, and Hokkaido in the north. Both with great beauty and interest, but of the three main islands of Japan, Honshu remains the only one I have visited thus far. Japan is an amazing place, with so much packed into three main islands (and indeed others).

What will be number five on my list? Well, again you’ll have to wait for that one!

10 – Slovakia

9 – Romania

8 – Mali

7 – The United Kingdom

6 – Japan

My travel writings (available on Kindle) can be found here:

Dhaka to Dakar

Top Ten Countries - Number Six: Japan [Part ONE]

Miyajima, near Hiroshima.

Well I wouldn’t still be living here if I didn’t like the place, would I?

My visit to Japan was in 2011, in April not so long after the March 11^th tsunami and earthquake which had caused so much devastation. However, this first time I didn’t head north of Tokyo. I flew into Kansai Airport and enjoyed an amazing week in Kyoto. Tourists at the time were scarce in Japan, only natural I guess, so accommodation wasn’t so hard to find.

Let me start that I don’t think I like a place better in Japan than Kyoto. Kyoto is just brilliant, another city up there with the best cities in the world (oh I think I can feel another top ten coming on). It’s a friendly place – I stayed out K’s House in Kyoto, and I have to say it is possibly the best hostel I have ever stayed in in my life. This is where I first encountered the special toilet seats and just how clean people like places to be hear.

Kinkankuji.

The toilets at the hostel, like many in Japan, have the special heated seats for cold bums, and bidee functions too. As if that wasn’t enough the staff at K’s House Japan kept the place incredibly clean, absolutely spotless. There were free tours to the Geisha district, I saw a Geisha performance at a theatre, I met so many people at that hostel too, it was really a magic week. I knew straight away that it was not a mistake to come here when I got to Kyoto.

There’s even a train museum in Kyoto, not to mention wonderful temples, with the crowning glory being Kinkakuji, the golden temple in a lake, almost like the Japanese answer to Amritsar’s Golden temple in India. Everywhere people wanted me to be in pictures, it was a strange ol’ experience, one I will never forget. It’s got a wonderful culture Kyoto, a great soul. There was the Manga Museum as well, that was really special with lots of cosplayers and exhibition on this artform, so very very popular in Japan. The Arashiyama Bamboo forest was also a highlight, a delight to explore and walk around for a few hours on paths weaving their way through the tall bamboo.

Cosplay at the Manga Museum.

Then there were day trips. One to Nara to visit the amazing Nara-Park, and the impressive Todaji, where in sits a giant Buddha. Takarazuka was another day trip from Kyoto, where I visited the Osamu Tezuka museum one cold, rainy April’s day. Tezuka created ‘Astroboy’, known originally as Atomu, and is a national treasure. His museum was a lot of fun and very interesting. He created many more comics than Astroboy – Black Jack and a comic/animation version of Hitler in the 1980s.

Temple in Takayama.

But I couldn’t stay in Kyoto forever. Well maybe I could have but that ship has sailed now! I went across to a place called Takayama in the Hida district. With a wonderful, old-world feel and beautiful streets, Takayama lights up a couple of times a year for a festival. At other times of the year, like when I was there, there is a museum which showcases the floats of the festival amongst other things. Actually I had only just missed the festival, which is held around the middle of April each year. There’s also something of a curiosity museum showcasing things from principally 1955-1965 and the Takayama Showa-kan. It’s full of movie posters, houses set up from that time period, and some amazing nostalgia as well. Well, hard for me to be nostalgic about it I guess, I hadn’t been born, but I did enjoy the place.

It’s pretty quiet at times, and one of the best things was the accommodation. I stayed at the Hida Takayama Temple Inn Zenko-ji, part of a temple. It was really cheap and I had my own room. There is an impressive prayer room as well and it’s a unique and special place to stay.

The A-Bomb Dome.

Hiroshima was a fair hike southwards, in fact it’s near the very south of Honshu. It’s another place that will take your heart. There’s the A-Bomb Dome, the only building (or maybe there is one more) remaining after the nuclear bomb was dropped. Not so far away, over the river, is the humbling Peace Memorial Museum, which visitors to Hiroshima should not miss. You’ll find out just what the people of Hiroshima went through that fateful day in 1945.

There are a lot of beautiful parks in Hiroshima, and April is just about the perfect time to visit the city. I went to

Baseball in Hiroshima.

a baseball game there too. Sadly the Hiroshima Sparrows (yes, really) didn't do so well, but it was a great atmosphere. Not to mention the cherry blossoms are out in full force too! It’s really beautiful, so why not take a short boat ride to Miyajima and see the temples and pagodas there, and take a wonderful walk around the island. Several interesting shops can be found as well, but this is a most beautiful island, with a big red gate standing out in the ocean which can be walked to when the tide is out. It’s justly famous as a place of great beauty.

Hiroshima

I headed up to Tokyo from there, but I had an afternoon in Osaka. There I only visited the Aquarium, not too far from a big Ferris wheel. The Aquarium is outstanding, full of fun and oh so many fish. A little different from the places I usually visit, but well worth it.

And then it was time to head to the big smoke! To Tokyo, the Daddy of all cities…

But you know what? I think that’s best saved for the next blog! The next blog will feature Iwate-ken, Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagano and a couple of other places. Seems I have a bit to write about when it comes to Japan… see you then!

Night-time in Kyoto.

Please Note – I am yet to release anything on Kindle about Japan, you can expect that sometime next year. If you are interested in my travel writings, please visit my webpage –

dhakatodakar.webs.com

Short Journeys - Kazakhstan (out now)

Hi all,

I wanted to get the next blog on the top ten destinations out today, but I have been doing so much writing of late my brain is a bit fried to be honest. I have been working on the latest two additions to my new 'Short Journeys' range, and I finally managed to upload 'Kazakhstan' yesterday. I was hoping to have it ready by the end of November, but the time just wasn't available. So today I present it to you. Kazakhstan, a beautiful, amazing and rather unvisited country in Central Asia. The 9th biggest country on Earth.

The cover I went with in the end. :) 

Short Journeys - Kazakhstan (US Store)

Short Journeys - Kazakhstan (UK Store)

Here are some photos and some snippets from the book to hopefully whet your appetite!

Introduction:

There are a lot of reasons to travel to Kazakhstan, outside from visiting a place which is well and truly off the tourist route and being able to wow your friends when you get home. Ok, that’s not a good enough reason on its own, but I hope to give you many reasons to go to the ninth-biggest country in the world.

Kazakhstan is a country with a long history, a diverse people, and a country which is just growing more and more as every day passes in the 21^st century. There’s something beautifully ancient about the country, something delightfully modern at the same time. A country building a future across a wide land, in a location between Europe and Asia, with a mix of Russia and the Ukraine added to the Kazakh people.

Park in Almaty

Kazakh Museum of Musical Instruments

Almaty:

Almaty is a city of contrasts. In some areas the roads are sweeping and wide, and then there are leafy parks, with statues. Wander through the right park and you’ll find flowers blooming and artists with easels set up as they paint what they see. I visited a couple of museums; one was the Museum of Kazakh Musical Instruments where my friend and I basically had a woman play various Kazakh instruments just for us in a small auditorium. There are malls too, shopping strips and not a single McDonald’s to be found, only a place called ‘McBurger’, definitely not a registered American fast food chain.

There are buses all around the city, as well as trams and trolley-buses – buses which run off electricity coming from wires above the roads, something between a tram and a bus. I had never seen such a bus before I went to Russia, but they are still very popular across Eastern Europe today. Then we have the metro, which was not open when I was in Almaty. The metro however is open today, two years later, in good news for all living in and visiting Almaty. 

Semey: - Dostoevsky Museum

Lenin and Marx next to each other in Semey.

Dostoevsky Museum.

Are you a fan of Dostoevsky, perhaps the most famous Russian writer of all? I have been ever since I first visited St Petersburg and decided afterwards to read ‘Crime and Punishment’. Fyodor Dostoyevsky periodically pissed on the rulers of Russia here and there, and was sent for a few years in exile to Semey, in Kazakhstan, where he lived in the house the museum is housed in with his wife and child. He also started work on ‘The Brothers Karamazov’ whilst he was in Semey.

The house is beautifully done, and I had my friends with me with was good because no-one there spoke English. However, it should be remembered that though the house is full of period dressings, tables, clocks and the like from the time Dostoevsky was in Semey (mid 19^th century), I think I am right in saying that nothing was actually there at the time or indeed owned or used by the great writer.

Astana:

Palace of Peace and Accord

Two giant... samovarry things!

Ahhh, only in Astana.

What I particularly loved about this part of town was that (as is often the case in Russia) the pipes were all above ground. Now I’m not sure exactly what they were carrying, presumably gas, maybe water, but as they run along the road they add to atmosphere and look of the place considerably. That’s the main vision I have in my mind from this part of town.

The bus ran along this highway into ‘town’, the centre of which I have talked about but is much harder to define. In the older part of town, which at some point gives way to the ultra-modern new part of town filled with Norman Foster (a British architect) buildings, there is almost a feel of Astana, albeit a much flatter one.

Short Journeys - The Next one

My top choice - Astana station.

Hi folks
thought I'd share with you the images for the front cover of the next 'Short Journeys' - which will be on Kazakhstan.
One image is a statue in Panfilov Park, Almaty. my second choice at the moment.
Then we have the Zenkoc Cathedral, also in Almaty.

But I think the third image is more interesting and showcases Astana - the sparkling new capital. It's the station there. Unfortunately a number of pics I took are ruined thanks to mold on the camera lens.

Coming this weekend - number six of my faourite destinations!

Top Ten Countries - Number 7: The United Kingdom

So I lied. I changed the order just a little silly me! Had a rethink during the week about which was next, and I am returning to Europe – but not the mainland! The country I am talking about is not really a country – it’s three! England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, it’s the United Kingdom. Or Great Britain. Or just Britain. Or the United Kingdom OF Great Britain if you like. Nevertheless, I’ve been there three times now. Or is it four?

Sylvester McCoy and I.

When I was young, I really wanted to visited the UK, and I had a very very good reason for that – it was the home of the most awesomest television programme in the entire world – Doctor Who. In 2011 I managed to actually meet a whole host of stars when I visited from the show, including Sylvester McCoy, Louise Jameson, John Leeson, Richard Franklin, the amazing Colin Baker, the lovely Sophie Aldred and the charming and incredibly friendly Sarah Sutton, who I met twice!

with Sophie Aldred

For the Doctor Who fan London has it all. Locations of so many episodes obviously, ‘The Who Shop’ for absolutely every piece of Who-merchandise you could dream of, and if you go to Earl’s Court you’ll even find a police box. But the UK has so much more as well.

Big Ben

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

London gives you the recreated but just as brilliant (well, I didn’t time travel so I’m guessing) Globe Theatre, home to Shakespeare’s plays – oh and where they shot the episode ‘The Shakespeare Code’ of the aforementioned show J. The Tower Bridge is a stunning piece of architecture, St Paul’s Cathedral is grand and big and everything you want in a cathedral, there’s Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, the experience of taking the tube (where the 1967 episode ‘The Web of Fear’ was… ok sorry!). There’s Oxford street for all

your shopping, there’s Buckingham Palace for a glimpse of her majesty the Queen, Hyde Park and lots of others, impressive stations such as King’s Cross, London is really the complete city in my book. It’s one of my favourite cities on the planet.

Inside York Minster

I loved York. The town is so atmospheric, there’s city walls to walk around, the stunning York Minster, and for train buff’s a brilliant train museum. The cobbled streets are brilliant too as is the town’s love for Richard the Third, there’s even a rather eccentric little museum.

Gorgeous York building.

Oxford is just as brilliant with its Universities and its buzz. Visit the universities, the churches, feel the student vibe, it’s great. Bristol on the other side of the country I equally loved.

Inside a University in Oxford.

But around the place there are surprises and so much more to see. The countryside is beautiful, and you find surprises like Cardiff – a really lovely city (DW Experience anyone… ooops sorry again). But Cardiff was a real highlight of my 2011 trip. Buzzing, wonderful place. Day trips to castles. Well, it has its own, quite impressive castle too.

Cardiff Bay

Head north to Scotland, I visited Glasgow (scene of the tragic helicopter crash this weekend). Actually a great city with nice pubs and a young vibe. But then you have Edinburgh. With an amazing castle overlooking the place, is there a better place for arts and drama and comedy in Europe? These two places typify why the UK is so awesome – the vibe of the place. The pubs, the streets, wherever you go in the UK something is on. Something is happening. And there are still a list of things I haven’t seen there that I want to, starting with Stone Henge. In that rough area of the island, I visited the Glastonbury festival in 1999. Yes I was much younger, but that was a blast too. Maybe I am too old for it these days.

So. Today’s blog was a bit of a mish mash of 100 thoughts. Sorry about that. I also have no kindle writings concerning the UK. The closest is my Dhaka to Dakar on Europe, but again, NO UK in there. Closest I get is Germany.

Dhaka to Dakar: Book Two – Europe

So we have –

10 – Slovakia

9 – Romania

8 – Mali

7 – The United Kingdom

What will be number six?