Silvano On The Go

In my 20’s, I visited New York and Boston most years to shop (back when the pound was actually worth something to the dollar!). Then I started exploring other parts of the US and before I realised - it’d been 10 years since my last visit to NYC. The reason for this trip? To take Dad to see his sister who was about to celebrate her 100th birthday.  It was a little touch and go because just before I booked the flights (Virgin - my presence for the Caribbean and America) in September, Aunty took ill and it wasn’t looking great. But praise God, He answered our prayers. I love spending time with Dad and time away seems all that more special. He’d stayed at mine for a couple of nights before we set off. The flight was smooth. Got chatting to one of the upper-class attendants and when he found out I was heading over for Aunty’s 100th birthday, he gave me a bottle of Prosecco to celebrate; very thoughtful! (But neither of us will be drinking it, lol). I’ve visited New York more times than...

  And She’s Off For this trip I booked flights and a hotel through BA. Worth doing as you get checked luggage included at no extra cost. I would normally have taken the underground to Heathrow as I just had a backpack and small case but it was an early flight and I didn’t want to take the risk if there were any delays. Booking a hotel a short bus ride from the airport was less than half the cost of a taxi so that’s what I did. When I set out around 5am the rain was relentless. BA’s quick self-service bag drop - they really are getting rid of humans wherever they can. My bag was 12.5kg; you could tell I definitely wasn’t going to Barbados - you know where you’re quietly praying they’ll turn a blind eye to the 25kg of stuff you’ve packed for Mum.  One hour in the lounge and then I was off. 3 hours 20 mins to SAW airport.  My first purchase was an Istanbulkart - equivalent to London’s Oyster except it can be used for up to 5 people and gives you about 40% off standard fares ...

I haven’t posted since 2018 so there are a lot of countries for me to catch you up on, in between my current travels. For now, I’ll kick things off with last week’s staycation just over an hour’s drive from home. A couple of years ago I did a lodge stay in Cornwall and thought this caravan stay might be similar. Harts Holiday Park, Leysdown-on-Sea was easy to find. While it couldn’t compete with the luxury of the lodge, the caravan was as it looked online. It was meant to house 6 people but in my opinion, anything more than 2 adults and 2 small kids would have been a stretch. I stayed Mon - Fri and it was more or less 5 days of doing nothing; okay, very little. So everyone says I never relax - and it’s true, there’s always something to do, somewhere to go. Even on holiday, I rush around trying to cram everything in. But there seemed very little to do here, especially as it was off-season (not the kind of place I’d visit in the summer or school holidays). The great British weather was b...