A taste for
the exceptional.

Bangkok in 72 Hours. Already Planning the Encore.

A grey Austrian October, a flight via Istanbul and a city with absolutely no intention of letting me leave satisfied.

Vana Belle: The Hotel That Became Home

Beautiful pools are easy to photograph. Being genuinely expected is rather harder to put in a brochure.

How Batty Began: A Bridge, a Stranger and a Small Batman

New York, March 2019. I went out to test a camera. Apparently, I was starting a travel journal.

Shangri-La Boracay: And Exhale

The airport supplies the chaos. A boat supplies the transition. The beach handles everything else.

Turks & Caicos: A Beach With Excellent Negotiating Skills

A long journey, a substantial bill and water capable of making both briefly seem irrelevant.

When the Traunsee Becomes a Runway

I went for a quiet coffee. An Air Tractor had a rather different programme.

1% Coffee, Samui. Full Marks for Taking Coffee Seriously.

A small cup, proper attention and no need for a decorative rainforest around the saucer.

Crystal Beach, Silver Promises

A lovely Samui bay. Possibly carrying a little more expectation than one beach should reasonably have to manage.

Ocean Spice: A Very Good Reason to Stay for Another Drink

Warm air, sea views and a kitchen that remembers the view is not the main course.

Shabu Le Wagyu, Taipei: Read the Instructions. Enjoy the Reward.

Initial confusion, an excellent hotpot and five stars I was quite happy to hand over.

★★★★★

Two Seats, Too Many Spreadsheets

The Tecnam made sense. The Bristell made me start planning journeys.

FLYLOG.io: Less Admin, More Aviation

A digital logbook should record the flying, not become a second hobby.

ForeFlight, Italy and the Fine Art of Doing Your Homework

An excellent app. A magnificent landscape. Still no substitute for a proper briefing.

“I’m Still Alive” Is Not a Safety Strategy

A sobering reminder that shared airspace deserves more than shared optimism.

Katana Diplomacy: Austria, Italy and a Very Good Day Out

Gmunden to Lienz, onward to Asiago, then home through a landscape determined to show off.

Venice by Katana. A Rather Civilised Arrival.

A stop in Portorož, a lagoon beneath the wing and a city that hardly needs introducing.

Adieu, Lufthansa Group. Almost Worth It. Almost.

At some point, loyalty starts looking suspiciously like a habit with a membership number.