Scared of what the scales might say, I didn’t weigh myself at the very beginning. I just got to work on living a healthier lifestyle and bravely stepped onto the scales when I felt a little bit better about my appearance – on the morning of my assessment! The number staring up at me was 182lbs. This wasn’t to say that I was morbidly obese but I was still overweight and there was a way to go. But I was seeing and feeling the results and that encouraged me to keep going.

Several weeks have passed since my assessment and the scales now show a much healthier 158lbs. My body mass index is well within limits and I am now much happier with my healthier appearance.

The pictures accompanying this post show me at my heaviest (211lbs) and my lightest (158lb). The difference is 3 stones 11 pounds.

There are a few things that I have done to achieve this:

• Portion control – even too much of a seemingly healthy food can be bad for you
• Studying the nutritional values of everything that I eat – from calories to fat to sugar
• Avoiding eating out – so I know what is going into my food
• Ditching soft drinks and sticking to tea, coffee and water
• Switching everything from white to brown – whether rice, pasta or bread (in moderation) and potatoes to the sweet variety
• Eating two meals a day and snacking on gherkins and cucumber the rest of the day
• Going for very long walks
• Drinking plenty of water – normally 3 to 4 litres per day

Dieting is very straightforward and I have no time for anybody who struggles to commit to a healthy eating plan. Healthy eating can be fun and once you identify all of the right foods to eat, making a meal out of them can be really very fun. Sin-free herbs and spices can instantly turn a bland meal into something fantastic e.g. covering a piece of cod with some tandoori spice.

I enjoy oats in one form or another every single day. I take a 35-40g portion and do something different each time – whether a plain old bowl of porridge, an oat biscuit filled with fruit or baked oats topped with honey.

I am about to set off to Thailand before joining British Airways. For the first time in a long time, I am now embarrassed about how I will look in my shorts whilst sat on the beach. I have worked really hard to shed the pounds and I am feeling fantastic.

During my short housing career, I have also worked as a Neighbourhood Manager for First Wessex in Aldershot, a Local Housing Officer for Stonewater in Reading, and now back at Home Group, I am a Housing Manager.

Over the years, I have managed more than 2,000 properties across Reading, Wokingham, Farnborough, Bracknell and Basingstoke, dealing with every aspect of housing management possible and across a variety of tenures – leasehold, shared ownership, rented, key worker, intermediate rents, sheltered accommodation and housing for older persons. I have been involved not only with the every day housing tasks (e.g. income management, anti-social behaviour and general estate management) but also some of the meatier tasks, including safeguarding.

Working in social housing has been full of ups and downs and there have been days where I have gone home and not been able to switch off completely. Decisions made during the day have regularly sat at the back of my mind and you can’t help but dwell on the not so brilliant days e.g. the abuse from just a handful of tenants. But it’s these ups and downs that make social housing what it is. There has never been a dull day in my housing career. Every day has been varied and often enough, I achieved something that I was immensely proud of. My proudest achievement was seeing through a management transfer for a victim of domestic abuse – from making that initial safeguarding referral, seeing the affected tenant enter a refuge and then to emerge many months later, ready to start a new life in a new home that I had found for them.

But for those highs, there were no shortage of lows, and I recall vividly going along to an eviction one day, where the tenant – herself suffering with mental health problems – had no idea what was happening. Her very full mailbox suggested that she was avoiding more than just her rent arrears. Unfortunately, it was what it was, and she was to lose her home. She was understandably distraught, absolutely inconsolable and I had serious doubts about whether or not she could manage the four children in her care. Referring the matter to social services and the police (for the sake of her welfare) was absolutely necessary but you come away from such a situation feeling really low, and you wonder where such people end up.

On the other hand, I once identified a reclusive and very isolated tenant, who spent every hour of every day inside her flat with her dog. Several days could pass before she would see or hear from anybody. It didn’t appear a very fulfilling life. Whilst this particular tenant problem didn’t want to be thrown into social clubs or other groups, where she could meet new people, I needed to get her out, and even more so when her dog died. Realising that she had an interest in gardening, I gave her a part of the communal garden to call her own – and encouraged her to do with it whatever she wanted. She was thrilled and got to work on it immediately. It was amazing to see what a difference my small gesture made.

I have mixed feelings about moving on. Social housing is something that I feel I know inside out. I have loved the responsibilities, the opportunities to make a difference (however small) in the lives of some, and I have really enjoyed getting to meet new people. It really is astounding the number of tenants encouraging you to ‘keep in touch’ when you move on, and I will.

The very unlucky Friday 13 January will be my last day as a Housing Manager and then the sky is the limit!

I was going to explore somewhere new on my own but with overnight trips to Poznań, Wrocław, Szczecin and Łódź costing in excess of £130, the idea was soon knocked on the head. With all flights operated by Ryanair and the frankly horrendous Wizzair, what should have been an enjoyable overnight break would surely have been anything but.

Now I am taking my mum along for the ride, staying in a great hotel (the 5* Regent Warsaw) and flying with a good airline (British Airways). Two nights with breakfast and the cost per person is only a little bit more than the low cost breaks looked at previously.

It was my sister, Emma, that introduced me to Warsaw during the August 2015 bank holiday weekend. It was my 30th birthday present, and, if I am honest, I sort of asked myself “why Warsaw?” when she told me, but I went, had a great time, and now I can’t stop going back. I returned in December, February and September.

Whilst not a first choice of city break destination for many, Warsaw has so much to offer. It’s not only very cheap to get there (British Airways offers flights and two nights hotel accommodation for as little as £100 per person) but it’s very cheap when you get there, the food is out of this world (and wonderfully stodgy) and there is an awful lot to see and do. Warsaw has the most fascinating history – especially going back to World War II – and it’s something that must be seen. There are lots of remnants of the Holocaust across the city, whether some of the last remaining ghetto buildings or a piece of the ghetto wall. In addition, there are some great museums in the city, including POLIN (the Museum of the History of Polish Jews) and the Warsaw Uprising Museum.

So here’s hoping for another great time in Warsaw. If one thing is for sure, it won’t be my last visit!

You can keep up with my trip on Instagram.

Despite only setting off for one night, I choose not to carry hand baggage. Yes, it means a bit of a wait at the other end but it also means that I can carry all the liquids I like. I haven’t the patience to carry little bottles of everything.

A low fat Club Europe breakfast

Today’s flight to Bergen is with British Airways – and it’s in Club Europe – so not only a comfortable 1 hour 45 minute flight but also a couple of pre-flight hours in the lounge at terminal 5. By 6.00am, we are seated in the lounge and enjoying the endless breakfast rolls, cookies, pastries, tea, coffee and more, and all are not more than a few steps away.

The flight too was rather comfortable. A half full Club Europe cabin, a really friendly and attentive service and plenty of food and drink. I had ordered a low fat meal, which comprised an omlette, some potatoes and half a tomato, served with a plate of fruit.

Landing in Bergen shortly after 11.00am, we took advantage of the ‘Flybussen’ – a regular coach service linking the airport and various points of interest in the city centre. The last stop on the journey was the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel Bergen and it was here that we would spend our one night. The bus is around £17.00 return and tickets can be bought online in advance or from the driver.

The area around the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Bergen

In the mad dash to beat the dozens of others leaving the bus and heading to check-in, we briskly walked towards the hotel entrance. After all, when you’ve got a little over 24 hours in a city, you don’t want to be spending more time than is necessary in a queue. The inclement conditions made the wooden surface underfoot a little slippery, as I quickly found out. I fell to the floor almost as soon as I left the bus – apparently falling to the floor in a ‘crumpled heap’. Not my words.

The hotel, apparently a 4-star, was acceptable. At close to £150/night for a room, value for money is pretty typical of this part of the world. The Radisson Blu that I stayed in three years before in Gothenburg was a similar price. The room was acceptable (except it’s location – which appeared to be directly above a night club) and the complimentary breakfast was satisfactory, although there were enormous queues for just about everything. The hot breakfast items were a little disappointing and the only pastry option was a croissant. Again, disappointing.

The Fløibanen funicular

Location-wise, the hotel was perfect, situated right on the wharf and only steps away from a good selection of shops, restaurants and the Fløibanen funicular, which transports visitors to the top of Mount Fløyen in minutes.

Four stars above the door did seem a little generous to me – even with a snazzy Nespresso machine in the room. It was worthy of three stars, definitely, but the facilities were lacking, the breakfast wasn’t half as good as I had hoped for and the hotel staircase looked like something I would expect to find in a 1970s block of flats – bare metal railings and the most hideous brown tiles covering the floors and lining the walls.

For around £9.00 return, the Fløibanen funicular is a quick and easy way of getting to the top of the mountain, from where visitors can look out over the city, enjoy nature trails, eating, shopping etc. Walking up and down is a possibility but it’s quite a hike and with the limited time available to us and the drizzly weather, a warm train ride was a much preferred option!

The Fantoft Stavkirke

After returning back to sea level, we boarded a tram and headed for Fantoft Stavkirke (Fantoft Stave Church). Being out of the season, it was closed, but it was still possible to walk around at a distance. The church was built in around 1150 in Sognefjord but faced with demolition it was relocated to Bergen in the late 1800s.

Heading back into the city, we explored the shops and walked up the hill to the old Bergen fire station.

After sheltering from the rain and having a cup of tea, it was time for dinner, and we headed to the Bergen Fish Market. Sat right on the North Sea, seafood dominates the menus here, and it was a cod and bacon burger that I opted for. There was no batter. Just a generous chunk of fish with some very smoky bacon inside. A meal with a half litre bottle of sparkling water was around £22.00.

Dessert on the way back to the hotel was a McDonald’s McFlurry priced at £2.50.

I unfortunately didn’t wake feeling fresh the next morning having had very little sleep. The sound of music and the feel of bass into the early hours kept me awake for a lot of the night.

The marina in Bergen

After breakfast, we explored the wharf and the local shops for a little while before returning to the airport for the flight home. With no lounge access available at the airport, we arrived there a little under an hour before the flight was due to depart.

This was a quick but enjoyable trip, allowing sufficient time to see the best that Bergen has to offer. Whilst I would love to see more of Norway and Scandinavia, it’s unlikely that I will return to Bergen.

Realising that I could perhaps go down a similar route, I went home and reluctantly applied for a role British Airways. When I say “reluctantly”, I mean in the sense that I did not expect my application to amount to anything. I filled in the short assessment, attached my CV and sent it on it’s way. I expected to receive a “sorry, not this time around” email in the following days.

But I didn’t.

After that initial application, I was invited to complete an online assessment, and, on completion of that, was asked to go along to an assessment day – a first opportunity to meet with recruiters and to take part in various exercises, hopefully confirming my suitability for the role.

Despite having attended a number of interviews over the years, and with a good track record, I was incredibly nervous. I arrived at the airline’s Waterside head office on the edge of London Heathrow Airport shortly before 7.00am for a 7.30am start. Thirty of us nervously waited to see what the day had in store.

The day started with a some reaching, stretching and bracing exercises and was followed by a short presentation and video about the airline and ‘Mixed Fleet’ – the contract that new recruits are offered – comprising both long and short haul trips on many of the aircraft operated by the airline.

From there, the many of us in the waiting area were taken away in groups of five for a short group assessment, and then individually for a role play exercise. Since the airline requests that we do not share online what each assessment entails, I will avoid doing this, but be assured that both are quite straightforward – and enjoyable!

With the group of us again sat together in the waiting area, we waited patiently for some news. We knew at this stage that some of us would be leaving, having not been successful, whilst others would go on and have the opportunity to be interviewed later in the day.

Split into two groups, the walk to the rooms where we would hear the results felt very long!

On hearing that those in our group had been successful during the morning session, there was a great sense of elation amongst us all. Anybody would have thought that we had been offered employment already, but no, we were simply moving onto the next stage – the interview!

The interview was conducted by two interviewers, who would take turn to ask questions. In such situations, I feel quite comfortable, and the time seemed to fly by. I came away after 20 or so minutes feeling pleased with the answers given and telling myself that I could not have tried any harder. As I was returned to the waiting area, I was told to expect the outcome within 7-10 days.

By the late afternoon on the following day, I had my email from British Airways, making a provisional offer of employment. The feeling was indescribable – but it was definitely a pleasant one!

Given the vast number of candidates invited to the assessment, I was pleasantly surprised by just how efficient and organised the day was. All of us knew to expect some waiting, but no wait was ever unbearable, and getting to know other applicants helped to pass most of the time! It seemed that no two people came from the same background – some working in retail, others already in the industry and others in hotels etc. Many were fascinated by my work as a housing officer!

So after close to five years in social housing, I am about to move on, and I could not be more excited. The airline industry is one that I have a huge interest in and one that I feel I belong in.

And what better way to enjoy the sunshine than on a bike?

Stood on top of Beachy Head in East Sussex.

Last week, I made my second visit to Beachy Head, just a stone’s throw from Eastbourne in East Sussex. At around 110 miles each way, it was a long day out, but great weather and great scenery made it very worthwhile. And a fascinating fact about Beachy Head is that the area boasts the highest chalk sea cliffs in all of Britain. Well I never!

Seriously though, on a sunny day, what a great place Beachy Head is. There’s not much more than cliffs to see but plenty of walking is possible and there’s even places to stop and rehydrate. Parking is priced at £1.00 an hour (reasonable, I thought) but the charge appears to apply to motorcyclists as well. Parking charges for motorcycles, regardless of where you are, really irritate me! Aside from taking little or no space in a car park (perhaps a third of the space of a car), how do you display a parking ticket on a motorcycle without it being stolen or blowing away? I ended up leaving the ticket in a mobile phone holder with my registration scrawled over it.

Waking up this morning – Saturday – I saw that the weather was again going to be brilliant and I wanted to get back out and enjoy the sunshine. I was toying with the idea of going to the Isle of Wight. Apart from not having been before, I am attracted to the coast when on the bike, and there’s plenty of it there. It was the extortionate price of a return ferry crossing with Wightlink that put me off. As with the car park comments above, how can a ferry company justify £36.00 for a return crossing that takes a mere 40 minutes in each direction, with only a motorcycle?

For the sake of timing, the route was mostly motorways before joining the slightly more exciting A31.

Lying in bed at 6.00am, I was Googling the ‘best beaches in Britain’. I had no desire to set foot in the sea but I love to look at it and take some pictures at the same time. The accessible beaches (as in those closer to home) were few in number so I decided on Lulworth Cove. From the pictures available online, it looked good, and it’s world heritage status gave it some appeal too. At around 95 miles each way, it was also more than do-able.

It was around 8.30am that I hit the road, taking the A33 to Basingstoke, joining the M3, later the M27 and finally the A31. Motorways, whilst quick, are tedious. With lots of south-coast bound traffic and the odd accident on the motorway too, there were several long stretches of traffic, requiring a bit of filtering from time to time. But I arrived in Lulworth in good time after two and a bit hours on the road with a McDonald’s breakfast stop at around the half way point.

The free motorcycle parking at Lulworth Cove. Just go careful on the gravel!

The Lulworth Cove car park is reasonably priced, and, despite a whinge about charges for motorcycle parking above, here they can park for free! From here, however, it’s quite a walk (in terms of distance and hills) but it’s really worth it. The views on the way to the cove, and on arrival there, are spectacular.

The cove and surrounding areas were shrouded in fog when I arrived but that quickly lifted, revealing the chalk cliffs and clear waters below. And as it lifted, more and more people descended on the beaches – with their parasols, cool boxes and giant inflatables.

Enjoying the sunshine and the views from the top of the cliffs

Exhausted from the walk, I found a quiet spot on the edge of one of the cliffs and sat for an hour or so, enjoying the views and catching my breath. I later took a closer look at each of the beaches, taking a few pictures, before ascending the half mile hill in the direction of the car park. From there, it was still a good mile or so back to the car park, though thankfully mostly downhill.

A view that you could never tire of

Back at the car park and dying of thirst, I was pleased to see a selection of shops, restaurants and shops (selling ghastly souvenirs) but I could at least grab a drink and rehydrate before hitting the road once more and heading home. As much as I love fish and chips when by the sea, and even though there was a fish and chip shop there, I was still rather full from my breakfast.

Lulworth Cove, like Beachy Head, is somewhere that I would love to get back to, and all the better if I can manage it in what is left of the summer. Who knows, I might even dig out my jelly shoes and dip my toes in the Channel.

The bike packed up for another epic overnight voyage!

I have clocked up around 13,500 miles since getting the bike in late August 2014 and many of them have been have been the result of some longer trips during the spring and summer months of 2016, including two trips to Wales, multiple trips to Weston super Mare, several south coast runs, and, more recently, to Clacton on Sea and Southend as well, with the highlight of many trips being the ‘chippy tea’, or, when with one of my riding friends in particular, a KFC.

Tenby, Wales

A month or so ago, with my friend Alan, I embarked on a 520-mile trip to Tenby and back again, staying overnight on an alpaca farm in the arse end of nowhere. Asking the owners of the one and only pod if there was a pub in the village, we were simply told “no”. So we jumped on the bikes, headed to the nearest town around 10 miles away and returned with a Chinese takeaway tied to the handlebars of one of the bikes and my own bag loaded with cans of beer and cider. After a full day of riding, there was something rather nice about the peace and quiet, and nothing but hills, fields and alpacas for as as far as we could see.

Pod accommodation is preferred for overnight trips. Pictured here is our pod at Tyn Yr Onnen Farm, Caernarfon, priced at £35 per night.

This was our third longer trip together, having completed a trip to Land’s End last summer (600 miles), a trip to North Wales in May (780 miles) and now this one. Each time, we have opted for pods to sleep in, and they have always been very comfortable and inexpensive (around £35.00 per night). Aside from not having to carry a big heavy tent, pods generally come with electric, light and heat, so perfect for people like me who just aren’t cut out for proper camping.

Fantastic scenery in the north of Wales, including here at Criccieth Beach.

Despite covering an arse-numbing 780 miles in 48 hours, our May trip to Caernarfon and Snowdonia National Park was the most enjoyable trip by far. With some fantastic accommodation, great scenery and roads, it was an all-round winner. The many beaches of northwest Wales and the roads through Snowdonia were quite simply stunning and in the case of the former, they looked even better under a blue sky with the sun beaming down on them.

On our second visit to Wales, where we stayed on a farm, the bikes were allowed to be kept in the barn.

Returning to Wales some weeks later and heading to Tenby was enjoyable but everything in comparison to the north was a little underwhelming; the scenery, the accommodation and things to do and places to eat. We were actually contemplating a 60-mile round trip to the nearest Toby Carvery! The accommodation in Login was very comfortable but a lack of hot water (no hot water at all) wasn’t ideal. I decided to brave an ice cold shower on one occasion and it was cold. So cold, in fact, that I shouted repeatedly, “f***, it’s cold” over and over again!

My 31st birthday celebration in Wales. A Chinese takeaway and a couple of bottles of cider.

Celebrating my 31st birthday on the road was exciting, however, and it certainly beat the conventional birthday celebration – which consists of going to an awful pub in an awful town (in my case, Reading), surrounded by awful people, getting ridiculously drunk and spending all of the following day feeling awful too. It’s just not my thing.

Where overnight trips have not been possible, the bike has been used on trips to the coast and to destinations closer to home e.g. Swindon and Oxford. On warm and sunny days, the coast is where I like to be. It’s an opportunity to take in the sea air and to enjoy some seaside fayre, and it also makes for some interesting pictures and videos on the GoPro, which is, without fail, always strapped to my bike. Recently visited seaside towns include Southsea (awful), Clacton-on-Sea (not bad), Southend-on-Sea (also alright), Beachy Head (disappointing), Weston super Mare multiple times (plenty to do here) and Portland Bill (nice – with a decent little cafe and restaurant next to the lighthouse).

The weekly chicken run

Over the past few months alone, 4,000 miles have been added to the bike’s odometer – that’s a combination of the trips talked about above in addition to very occasional trips to work, a weekly chicken run (usually Newbury) and even the odd trip to the supermarket. It’s safe to say that I use the bike at every opportunity!

The next overnight trip is only 2-3 weeks away and we are again hoping to head to north Wales, making the most of our very short summer.

Imagine our (me and my riding buddy, Alan) delight when the forecast for the weekend 13, 14 and 15 May seemed to get better and better in north Wales – Caernarfon, in particular. The temperatures crept up and any sign of rain and even cloud disappeared from the forecast. Our first longer trip of the year was looking increasingly likely.

The bike packed up and ready for the 280 mile ride to Caernarfon on Friday 13 May

The pair of us covered 600 miles in September 2015, travelling from home in Reading, down to Bodmin for an overnight stay in a wooden hut, onwards to Land’s End the next morning and all the way home again. It was tiring but still a lot of fun and we were very keen to try again – covering even more miles this time around.

We were both keen to explore Snowdonia National Park in Wales so we searched the endless number of available camp-sites before deciding on the Tyn-yr-Onnen Farm in Caernarfon and their new Moel pod for two nights. I struggle with real camping holidays. Being cold in a tent, without light and power, and with little to do had very little appeal, so the pod was a bonus. At just £35.00 a night, it offered a remote countryside location and all the mod cons (including power, light and heat) and access to wireless internet as well.

Tyn-yr-Onnen Farm in Caernarfon was our home for two nights

Finishing work early on Friday 13 May, we are on the road shortly after 3.00pm, covering 280 miles with only quick stop for fried chicken at a motorway service station. Keen to arrive before dark, we took the quickest route possible, which also happened to be the least exciting; lots of motorways, lots of A-roads and plenty of traffic! It was a little after 9.00pm that we reached our home for the next two nights, just as the sun had disappeared below the horizon. As we neared Caernarfon, we road along a coastal road and witnessed the most spectacular sunset.

Just one of many lambs/sheep at Tyn-yr-Onnen Farm

The site and accommodation really didn’t disappoint. We were in the top field (of three) and had a large pitch all to ourselves. The views from the pod were fantastic – looking at a mountain to one side and a field of sheep and donkeys to the other. The toilet and washing facilities were just a few steps behind. Permission was given for us to park the bikes right outside the pod, meaning that we could keep an eye on them.

Tyn-yr-Onnen is a working farm with lots and lots of sheep! By day, the sheep were out in the fields and by night, they were back in the barns.

Some of the spectacular scenery seen on our 770 mile trip (location unknown)

After visiting the only pub in the village, we retired for the evening, first inflating our mattresses and pillows and rolling out the sleeping bags. Our pod was just a shelter (as it was last year) so it’s important to pack everything except for the tent. It was a very comfortable couple of nights – helped by the heater, which kept the pod nice and toasty through the night. A more detailed review of our accommodation can be found on Trip Advisor.

Waking up the following morning, I was surprised not to be aching or suffering with numbness following the long ride up the afternoon and evening before! Just like our last adventure, we jumped onto Google and looked for our closest Wetherspoons pub. Thankfully, one was just under 5 miles away in the town of Caernarfon, and we knew some cheap and tasty breakfast could be picked up there.

Harlech – Who wouldn’t want to live in that house down there?

Caernarfon town is nice. It has a nice waterside location and a rather large castle too, along with lots of shops (including the everyday high street shops and the more traditional ones too). On the day of our visit, there was an event taking place around the castle so the town was busy with both vehicles and pedestrians. We eventually found somewhere to park (for free) right next to the castle. In many of the car parks in Caernarfon, charges for motorcycles apply, but we decided not to bother. Even if we tried to display a parking ticket, most probably it would have been pinched by somebody or been blown away by the sea breeze.

The peaceful Criccieth with the castle perched on the hill in the background

After a £5.00 full English breakfast, we hit the road again, heading down the west side of Snowdonia National Park to Barmouth and returning via Llanbedr and Harlech, before heading out westward to the small but pretty Aberdaron. Covering in excess of 150 miles on day two of our adventure, I lost count of the number of times I said “amazing”. Everything was amazing. The scenery, everywhere, was out of this world. It was unlike anything I had ever seen in the British Isles (or in fact the world) before.

At all stages of the trip, my new-ish GoPro Hero 4 Session was recording everything that I was seeing, so that I could grab still images later on. Beaches, hills, trees, lakes, mountains and more were picked up and many of the pictures can be found on my Instagram, which I continue to add to.

A quick stop in Clynnog-Fawr

We returned to the pod after our long day out, freshening up and changing into more practical clothing before returning to Caernarfon for dinner. I had a real craving for an eat-as-much-as-you-like Chinese buffet but we couldn’t find one – and nor could Google – so we opted for something much more ordinary. In hindsight, we probably should have made use of the brick barbecue provided with our pod at the camp-site and dined al fresco, with breathtaking views in every direction.

By the sea in Aberdaron

The following morning, we packed up our stuff, loading everything onto the bikes and hit the road. We pulled up outside Wetherspoons again, decided the bacon the previous morning was a little too crispy for our liking and hit the road again. It would be four hours and 160 miles later that we would finally get to eat, having ridden from the north of Wales to the south; through Aberystwyth, Carmarthen and into Swansea. The views on the way were impressive but as Snowdonia disappeared behind us, the scenery, although good, was not quite in the same league.

After devouring a fish and chip lunch, we joined the M4, crossed the Severn Bridge and tackled the last 150 miles of our Wales adventure. Passing the ‘Welcome to England’ sign, it was all downhill from there and we were waving our goodbyes on the motorway as Alan left at Newbury and I continued to Reading. I returned home exhausted, again with an empty fuel tank and a bike in desperate need of a clean. Hundreds of specks of dust, dirt and dead flies were stuck to me and my bike.

Putting the GoPole to the test

This was a most enjoyable trip and one that I would definitely recommend. The accommodation was excellent (in terms of facilities, location and value for money) and the sights to be seen in north Wales were just brilliant. Even on two wheels though, covering so many miles is not cheap. We filled up multiple times along the way and the cost of fuel for my 600cc bike alone was around £70.00.

To overcome both of these disappointments, I am going back again – but this time there will be no flying and lots of theme parks – and not to mention hundreds of miles on the road, seeing Miami for the first time and returning to the Keys. As always, a slightly better standard of hire care has been booked to make the journey more comfortable!

The departure date is set for Friday 29 April and I will be visiting for eight days. I will be travelling on my own but catching up with friends whilst over there, and of course joining some of them for countless rides on Rip Ride Rock It at Universal Studios (still, in my opinion, the best rollercoaster ever).

The route this time is London Gatwick to Orlando (with Virgin Atlantic), Orlando to Atlanta (with Delta Airlines) and from there to London Heathrow (with Virgin Atlantic)

Virgin Atlantic will be taking me to Florida this time around – direct out of Gatwick to Orlando and then returning to Heathrow via Atlanta on the return journey. At around £438 return, it was considerably less than the fare being offered by the preferred British Airways. Car Hire was purchased through Auto Europe, with Alamo to provide the vehicle.

After ditching Facebook in the new year, keep an eye on my Instagram page to see trip highlights!

Whilst patiently stood in line at the airport on Friday, I was jokingly asked by another passenger, “why would you want to go to Warsaw?” as if to imply that’s it’s not somewhere worth seeing. Telling him I was visiting for the third time in six months quickly sent him on his way – no doubt to one of the ghastly Costa del resorts of Spain.

Since visiting Warsaw for the first time in August 2015, I have become fascinated by its history and my bookshelf has rapidly filled up with books about the Holocaust, the Warsaw Ghetto and Auschwitz. After reading one, I look forward to returning to Warsaw to see something that I have read about – whether it’s looking for what remains of a ghetto wall, identifying one out of 250,000 graves in a Jewish cemetery or seeing a church that appeared in a war film.

Rather brilliantly, this trip only cost £53 each, and that included a direct flight from London (well, Luton) to Warsaw and a two night stay at the very centrally located Novotel Warszawa Centrum. Being so cheap, a low cost flight was to be expected and we found ourselves flying with Eastern Europe’s Wizzair. Just like other low cost airlines, their cheapest fare gets you a seat and nothing more. The airline charges for absolutely everything else – a flight booking confirmation text message (€1.30), baggage (various prices, which fluctuate according to the time of year – including a charge for a large item of hand luggage and a charge for checked baggage), an on-time arrival guarantee (€20.00), priority boarding (€4.00) etc. You name it and Wizzair has a price for it.

The Wizzair Airbus A320 carrying us from Luton to Warsaw

Apart from raising some concerns about the aggressive attitude of one particular stewardess, the flight was uneventful. Without a screen above our heads, we had no idea of our whereabouts, and the flight crew offered no assistance – as there wasn’t a single word from them for the whole flight. The stewardesses 0ffered a selection of snacks for purchase at the usually high ‘low cost’ prices.

We took a taxi from the Warsaw Chopin airport to our hotel and it took around 20 minutes, costing just 33zł (a little under £6.00). The staff there quickly checked us into a twin bedroom on the 10th floor, which overlooked the Palace of Culture and Science.

The Novotel hotel in Warsaw

The Novotel was said to be a four star and although it was all rather nice, with a very trendy lobby area, the room was a little dreary. Plain white linen on the beds, a single picture on the wall, a locked mini-bar and tea and coffee facilities requiring us to drink out of flimsy paper cups. Okay, so it was cheap, but I would have been disappointed if I had paid a four star price and in return expected four star standards. The hotel location, however, was spot on. The Novotel was very centrally located with very easy access to the central train station (3-4 minutes on foot) and with no end of quality shops and restaurants on its doorstep.

The remaining part of the Warsaw ghetto wall

After dropping our bags in the room, we went in search of the only remaining part of the Warsaw ghetto wall. Google Maps showed us its approximate location and we set off during a short spell of heavy snow. By chance, we glanced into a car park and there it was. It was disappointing that something of such historical significance was acting as a boundary between an office block and a residential area. It was in a poor state of repair with some of the bricks crumbling and glass panels above it (presumably to prevent weathering) appearing vandalised.

We continued our tour of Warsaw on foot. Despite being Poland’s capital city, the main sights are easily reachable on foot, although public transport in the form of buses, trams, trains and the metro (underground) can be picked up easily and cheaply. Whilst there are a handful of hop-on-hop-off bus tours in Warsaw, they aren’t brilliantly cheap, there are few services during the winter months and they cover a very small area. For anybody considering using the service, instead put your money towards a good city map, put on some comfortable shoes and enjoy the walk! On our three day trip, we walked in excess of 20 miles and only once caught a tram – after getting distracted in the Jewish cemetery and letting time get away from us!

An old Lada taxi parked in front of the Palace of Culture and Science

The Palace of Culture and Science (Pałac Kultury i Nauki) has to be one of the most recognisable and most photographed buildings in the city. With plenty of Polski Fiats and Ladas parked around it, there are lots of great photo opportunities here. Of a night-time too, the building looks rather special with coloured lights illuminating it.

Shopping in Warsaw is very good and there’s no end of very familiar shops along Marszałkowska Street including Marks & Spencer, C&A, TK Maxx and H&M, in addition to many more at Złote Tarasy, which can be found next to the central train station. Whilst I didn’t do very much shopping on this visit, I did make a couple of purchases in TK Maxx back in December and found the prices to be around 10-15% cheaper than at home.

Królewska Deska Mięs at C.K.Oberża

My favourite Warsaw restaurant is C.K. Oberża, which can be found on Chmielna – just seconds away from the Marszałkowska Street shops. Whilst the food here isn’t the cheapest in Warsaw, it is (in my opinion) amongst the best and that’s why I have visited on each of my three visits to the city. In the summer months, the restaurant installs a decked area allowing al fresco dining. The food here is very meaty (vegetarians steer clear!) and very stodgy. Portions too are extremely generous here and prove a test for those with the biggest of appetites. Expect to pay around £6-7 per head for a meal with soft drinks and beers charged at £1-2 per serving. The restaurant also applies an optional 10% service charge.

A doughnut from Cukiernia Pawłowicz

Sticking with the food theme, Warsaw offers no end of high end patisserie shops serving up a vast selection of sugary treats without breaking the bank. Although I have visited a few, my favourite place to pick up a sweet treat in Warsaw is Cukiernia Pawłowicz – also to be found on Chmielna. This takeaway cake counter offers a huge array of doughnuts for around 70p, each with a different filling. Just look for the yellow sign and the occasionally long queue outside!

One thing that I found a little unusual on the trip was that Christmas lights remained in the Old Town and many restaurants still had their Christmas trees outside. With a handful of ice rinks dotted around the city and plenty of wooden huts selling crafts, snacks and drinks, the city still had a very festive feel about it. And with a temperatures not hitting more than 5 degrees by day, it definitely felt Christmassy!

The view of the Old Town from Taras widokowy

Down at Castle Square, we climbed to the top of the Taras widokowy – an observation deck offering great views over the Old Town, and, on clearer days, further afield as well. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t the best for us and low cloud and haze prevented us from seeing as far as we wanted to. Still, at around £1 for a ticket to the top, it was a worthwhile experience.

Continuing the history tour, we headed to Próżna Street, which contains some of the last remaining ghetto houses. Unfortunately for us, the one remaining building was covered from the first floor all the way to the top whilst undergoing some renovation works. The building opposite, which once looked identical, has been radically transformed and all traces of its former glory have gone.

Using the GoPro in Cmentarz Żydowski

On the day that we left to come home, we visited the Jewish Cemetery (or Cmentarz Żydowski). I have visited before and was overwhelmed by the size of this resting place. With as many as 250,000 people buried here, you can begin to appreciate its size! The cemetery dates back to the early 1800s and is still in use today and there were no shortage of new arrivals there since my last visit a couple of months ago.

The older graves sit towards the back of this enormous site in what is now a huge wooded area. Hundreds of trees have grown throughout the site – sometimes right through the quite extravagant memorials and sometimes lifting headstones out of the ground.

As you enter the cemetery, there is an information board giving details of the better known Jewish people laid to rest here. Unfortunately, limited signage meant that I was unable to locate Adam Czerniaków.

From our hotel, we walked to to to the cemetery, which was a little over 2.5 miles. Little did we realise but there was a direct tram from the Novotel right to the entrance of cemetery. Look out for the number 22 tram and hop off at the stop which shares its name with the cemetery. You will know that you have arrived when you see a brick wall that appears to run for miles and a large metal gate. You can enter through this gate.

We were a little confused about the trams and weren’t sure how we purchased tickets for them. On the newer trams, there are ticket machines on board, from which you can buy a ticket. Alternatively, look out for ticket machines across the city or purchase from any shop displaying a yellow and green RUCH symbol. There are plenty of Carrefour Express shops across the city and any of these will sell you a ticket. Just be sure to validate it in the machine as soon as you board the tram!

We returned to the airport by direct train from the central train station (around £1.15 one way and taking 25 minutes). This took us right into the basement of the airport. From here, we jumped aboard another Wizzair flight and set off for London Luton.

Another great time was had in Warsaw. I can’t wait to go back again!

You will find lots more pictures from Warsaw on my Instagram page