Malawi has just been included in the National Geographic’s Best of the World Destinations 2027. It is often overlooked as a holiday destination, with more familiar neighbours like South Africa and Kenya receiving far more visitors.

Not only cited a destination to watch next year according to National Geographic (the only sub-Saharan African country on the list), in 2018 Rough Guides named Malawi number three on their top destinations list and in 2014 and 2022 the country was named among Lonely Planet’s Top Ten Countries in its annual Best in Travel selection. Yet it still is little known to travellers.

In the last couple of years or so the government’s tourism department has done much to encourage visitors. It has waived visas for 79 countries, instigated a tourism university to encourage future staff working in hospitality in the country to excel, and is angling for direct flights from London to be arranged. National park investment of US$18 million continues its ongoing efforts to increase wildlife so that it is increasingly able to offer some of the highest quality safari experiences in the region.

Its Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve are now home to the so-called big five: elephants, leopards, lions, rhinos and African buffalo. There are many other animal and bird species to see also.

Lake Malawi, the fourth largest freshwater lake in the world by volume and famous for having more species of fish than any other lake on Earth, offers beautiful sandy shores ideal for water sports, while Mount Mulanje, a World Heritage site, offers hikes amongst spectacular landscapes.

Malawi is one of the most friendly of African countries, and you won’t feel overrun by swarms of tourists at all. Also, a holiday there is significantly cheaper than the established African tourism destinations like Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania.

However, it is a country with significant challenges. It is currently ranked the sixth poorest country in the world. Malawi’s GDP per capita (roughly representative of annual income per person) is just US$671.50, according to the World Bank.

Life expectancy is currently 67 years - however that is a considerable increase on life expectancy in 2000, which was just 47 years.

It currently faces a severe shortage of foreign currency, which recently has disrupted fuel imports and contributed to rising transport costs. Long queues have formed at petrol stations in recent weeks, while unreliable electricity supplies and shortages of medicines have added to the country’s problems.

And despite the great boost National Geographic’s accolade will bring, tourism is likely to suffer due to the increasing incidence of kidnappings in the country. Last month a British mother from Leicester, Nusrat Osman, 47, was abducted in broad daylight outside her home in Blantyre, the southern African country’s commercial capital. A week later she was rescued, with four people being killed in a police shoot-out with the suspected kidnappers, who were armed with an AK-47 assault rifle and a pistol.

Atupele Muluzi, president of the United Democratic Front, an opposition party, recently said that abductions are becoming increasingly frequent in the country.

The UK Government’s travel advice notes that there has been an increase in break-ins in Lilongwe, Blantyre and Limbe, including violent assaults on residents.

However, travel sensibly and it’s unlikely you’ll experience problems visiting this wonderful country. I’d return at the first opportunity.

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On the Aegean sea and separated from the mainland by nothing more than the slender Straits of Evripos and the Gulf of Evia, it is a popular holiday destination for Athenians - especially as a bridge links it from the mainland.

If you want to see the real Greek way of life and to get away from the touristic resorts that most British visitors to Greece are familiar with, Evia is for you, especially in the southern part of the island. You may have to do without signs for fish and chips and full English breakfasts, and plate-smashing contests in the restaurants may be scarce, but you will experience a laid-back, relaxed haven set in a timewarp from years gone by. Lounging in a cafe watching the fishermen bringing their latest catch to the quay or farmers work the land is likely to be the order of the day.

The mountainous island, which has suffered from wildfires in recent years, has had a rich, turbulent history including a number of occupations. Inhabited since Neolithic times, it has seen Macedonian rule in 338BC, there are Venetian and Lombard watchtowers around the island, and the Ottoman Turks weren’t removed until 1833. There is an Albanian influence too, with a dialect of Arvanitika still spoken on the island.

The south

The sleepy little town of Karystos in the southern part of the island makes an excellent base. Set against a beautiful backdrop of Mount Ochi and fertile plains, perched upon the wide Karystian Bay with whitewashed trees, it has a tranquil square and a good selection of restaurants, tavernas and traditional cafes, many next to each other overlooking the pretty fishing boats. Agia Paraskevi beach, 4.7 miles (7.5km) away, is particularly recommended.

You won’t get wild nightclubs in these parts, and the nearest thing resembling a theme park is a couple of small playgrounds, but then Karystos is a place for simple pleasures. Yet young children will be thrilled with simply mornings on the beach followed by a visit to the ice cream parlour in the afternoon.

You can wander the town, past the busy street of shops, the small archaeological museum, the 14th century Venetian fortress, and an impressive blue and white cathedral. There are seasonal boat trips, while the numerous sandy beaches in the vicinity are ideal for swimming. The crystal clear waters are ideal for snorkelling: dip your head in the sea round these parts and it is like visiting London Aquarium.

A good but time-consuming excursion from Karystos is the 2.5 mile (4km) drive up 1398m high Mount Ochi to the pretty traditional village of Mili. Set in a ravine, it has several pleasant tavernas. Walk up further from the main church at Mili and you reach the 13th century Castel Rosso (red castle), which is ruined except for an Orthodox chapel. Wonderful views of Karystos and the sea can be enjoyed from here. There are ancient megalithic drakospita (dragon houses) ruins to search out too.

The centre

As you travel northwards through the island the roads improve and the towns, villages and beaches get busier, peaking with the island capital, Chalkida, which is now notably industrialised, although its old Ottoman quarter, Kastro, around the Turkish fortress, Karababa Castle, is attractive, having a stretch of waterfront decked with tavernas.

Chalkida possesses a unique geographical phenomenon: the tides of the Euripus Strait reverse direction up to 14 times a day. South of here you come to Eretria, which has ancient Greek ruins including a theatre. Also in the centre is the 82ft/25m-high Manikiatis Waterfall by the village of Manikia, ideal for a day’s hike.

Other highlights for visitors in the centre include Kymi, a wealthy port in the 1880s and which also has a folklore museum displaying traditional crafts and more.

Limni, north of Chalkida, is a pretty fishing village with narrow streets of bright white houses. The pleasant town of Steni, located in the hills of Mount Dirfys in the centre of the island, has a much-welcomed cool climate that can be a great escape from the relentless summer heat.

The north

Northern Evia is home to pine-forested landscapes, waterfalls such as Drimonas, and a spa town, Edipsos, and its healing thermal springs, which was visited by past resident Aristotle. Other notable visitors have included Greta Garbo and Winston Churchill, who visited the spa at the Thermae Sylla Spa and Wellness Hotel here. West of Edipsos there are further thermal springs at Loutra Gialtron.

The charming seaside village of Orei, with its inviting fish restaurants, is worth seeking out too.

Getting there

The large choice of flights offered by carriers from the UK to nearby Athens International Airport makes access to Evia easy.

To reach southern Evia and Karystos, the quickest, easiest way is to catch one of the regular daily ferries that take about an hour from Rafina (which is under an hour’s drive from Athens airport) to the attractive little port of Marmari. In the north, ferries go from Arkitsa to the spa town of Edipsos.

A bridge links the mainland to the island’s capital, Chalkida.

Car rentals can be hard to find in Evia and therefore it is recommended to arrange a rental in Athens beforehand.

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Cheap London theatre and live events
According to The Stage, the average top ticket price for plays in 2024 in London was £141.61, and £30.55 for the cheapest tickets. todaytix (todaytix.com) has special offers and deals including last-minute discounted theatre tickets. For example, when I looked today it had an exclusive deal for Much Ado About Nothing at The Globe Theatre with tickets from £8.00.
Example minimal saving: £22.55

Do not book land excursions offered by your cruise ship
If you’re on a cruise, avoid booking the ship’s excursions. It may be the most convenient way, but excursions organised by the cruise ship routinely cost 30% to 50% more than organising an excursion yourself. Exploring independently, you’ll also have more control of the itinerary, and not visit souvenir markets you’re not interested in, or be waiting for the slowest passenger on the excursion. You could use public transport, a short taxi ride or a self-guided walk, make contact with a local guide, or use an independent platform such as Viator to find a tour online. But be sure to research travel times and read reviews before booking, as you don’t want to return to the ship too late - it won’t wait for you.
Average saving on a £100.00 excursion: £50.00

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Eat like a local

Avoid those restaurants and cafes around the main square where the menu is a series of pictures of dishes. You’re likely to be charged handsomely for mediocre food. A more authentic - and far cheaper - experience can be had eating at local markets, food trucks, and local, budget-friendly restaurants and cafes.

Average saving on a £50.00 meal: £25.00

If you’re getting a cab to an airport, stop nearby
Often taxi fares are inflated for trips to and from an airport, and the driver may be charged a hefty sum for entry to the airport and parking, even for a few minutes. If you’re not overladen with luggage, even being dropped on the perimeter of the airport and walking the last bit can save a surprising sum. For example, I recently got a taxi from Crawley to Gatwick Airport. Being dropped off at airport departures costs around £30, while being dropped off at Premier Inn Gatwick Airport Way (postcode RH6 0NX), a 5-8 minute walk to the airport, was £14.50.
Typical average saving: £15.00

* average/typical savings per person

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An annual subscription is just £20 per year. That can be easily recouped following one or two moneysaving tips I post.

Many travellers overlook Umbria and instead head for Tuscany next door, which has a much-more developed tourism industry. Yet Umbria’s more off-the-beaten-track status means it has many unspoiled landscapes, down-to-earth hill towns and villages, and a feeling you are in the ‘real’ Italy rather than a touristy version.

Location

Situated down a one mile (1.5km) steep gravel country road, 2.5 miles (4 km) from the village of Pierantonio (where there’s a few shops and a supermarket), you’ll ideally have your own car. Perugia and its airport are a 20-minute drive away north of the property, the E45 highway is just five minutes away, and Casa San Gabriel is also a good base for exploring Gubbio, Assisi, Todi, Cortona and other Umbrian and Tuscan hill towns.

The accommodation

The three self-contained properties are of varying size, sleeping from two to four, and each have good wifi, a tv, kitchenette with a hob and mini-oven, air conditioning, a terrace, covered pergola and lovely views, the only sound being birdsong. Decked on the exterior with creepers, the interiors are unpretentious and have character, with features like exposed stone walls, beams and terracotta tiles.

Il Fienile, the former hayloft, is the largest of the cottages, and has a mezzanine. La Cantina, previously a wine cellar, has a centuries-old staircase to the bedroom above. La Stalla, the old stables, has a wide panoramic terrace.

Facilities and activities

Facilities include an outdoor unheated swimming pool and gardens that include a vegetable and herb garden and a communal barbecue area with wood provided that guests are welcome to use. In the main house is a lounge with books and board games. There is a pizza oven that guests can use, and regular pizza evenings.

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Activities in the area include hang-gliding from Mount Subasio, hiking in the Monte Subasio Natural Park, cycling, nordic skiing, mountain biking and fishing. Antognolla golf course is under a mile away (1.6km) and a tennis court a 15-minute walk. Bike hire can be arranged.

The winery and restaurant

There is a winery and restaurant, Vineria del Carmine, a 20-minute walk from the property, that’s lovely, if hilly on the way back.

“From late April is when the fireflies come out, and when you walk back from the restaurant in the dark they flit around you and illuminate your way,” says David.

The excellent restaurant creates dishes so beautiful to look at it seems a sacrilege to eat them. Focusing on Umbrian cuisine, examples of the tasty dishes include slow-cooked pork belly with saffron foam, and an unusual sweet and savoury beetroot risotto with Gorgonzola and walnut.

As well as meals, the winery offers wine and olive oil tastings, vineyard tours, truffle hunting and pizza-making classes.

Are children welcome?

Babies and children are welcome, and there is a playground with a playhouse, infant and child swings, a slide, roundabout and lots of toys. They will also love the resident alpaca and goats.

Nearby, Lake Trasimeno offers child-friendly beaches, water sports and other activities and water parks Oasi del Tezio, Laguna Park Trasimeno, Tavernelle Water Park, Sansepolcro Water Park and Umbertide Swimming Pools are all easily accessed. In addition there are activity parks (Activo Park and Pinocchio Park), wildlife parks (Citta Della Domenica Park and Parco del Sole) as well as horse riding.

Are pets welcome?

Yes.

Casa San Gabriel
Località Santa Giuliana 114, Pierantonio (PG) 06019
+39 338 8916641 and +39 335 84844017
casasangabriel.com

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When flying long haul in a plane that has a configuration with four seats in the middle and three by the windows, most people instinctively head to the three window seats either side. However, all things considered it’s better to pick the middle section, as there will only ever be one person stepping over you or one person you have to step over. Along the window it will be two people.

When staying at a hotel, a door wedge, portable doorstop or even a tightly rolled towel can stop someone from opening the door. It’s not just a preventative measure against intruders, but also stops cleaning personnel from bursting into your room at any moment - which has happened to me a surprising number of times, even with the ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door.

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You take the Ueitliberg train from the Haupbahnhof (Zurich main station), which is covered by a Zurich 24-hour ticket costing only CHF 8.80 (£8.04) or so, but varies slightly depending upon what zone you’re in. You can use this ticket as much as you want on Zurich’s trains, buses and trams during the 24 hours, and it is surprisingly good value, when compared to the cost of public transport in many other cities.

The Ueitliberg is Zurich’s ‘little mountain’, 871 metres above sea level and offering lovely views over the city, Lake Zurich and the Limmat valley, and the alps beyond.

After the 20-minute train journey you walk up for a few minutes to the peak, the Uto Kulm. There’s a viewing tower and cafe here where you can have a typical Zurich tipple, such as gluhwein (mulled wine) in winter, or Aperol Spritz or a Hugo (elderflower syrup, sparkling water, Prosecco, mint leaves and lime slices) in summer.

Walk just past the cafe, down the steps just to your right, and follow the signs for Baldern. After about a 20-minute walk along the forest track hopefully you’ll come to the sign for the tea house, the Teehütte Fallåtsche. The website has a map. It’s open on Sundays and most bank holidays (ie January 1 and 2, Good Friday, Easter Monday, WHit Monday) from around 10am to 5pm.

As you approach, the hut, built in 1906, looks rather deserted and plain, apart from its pretty red shutters. But walk inside and you’re transported back in time to a cosy little dark-wooded candle-lit mountain hut with simple benches and tables, a cow bell and a few other bits of paraphenalia. It’s really plain and simple - the menu even moreso - but that’s the key to its charm.

You'll enjoy a spectacular view of the Fallätsche, the Ueitliberg’s heavily eroded natural reserve and valley basin, Lake Zurich, and the Uetliberg mountain range. The teahouse has neither electricity nor running water, but it offers plenty of charm and tranquility. Water is fetched from the nearby well in buckets, and the wood-burning stove is used for cooking and heating. When it gets dark early on winter days, candles and small solar lamps illuminate the cosy room.

All that’s on offer is a herbal tea (CHF 1.00/91p), hot punch (CHF 2.50/£2.28), sweet cider (CHF 2.50/£2.28), Swiss gingerbread (biberli) (CHF 3.50/£3.20), bouillion soup with pancake strips (CHF 2.50/£2.28) and Swiss sausages (landjager and rauchwürstli) with bread (CHF 4.00/£3.65). These are all prices from about 1960 in Switzerland.

It really is a delightful, low-key day out from Zurich.

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The protection of that wildlife is enhanced by Langkawi being Southeast Asia’s only site to have been granted UNESCO Geopark status. The entire island is deemed a World Geopark, defined as ‘a territory encompassing one or more sites of scientific importance, not only for geological reasons but also by virtue of its archaeological, ecological or cultural value.’

Wildlife-rich mangrove boat trip

A day spent on a boat (kayak trips are also available) in the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park makes a great day out travelling through the mangrove swamps. Boarding a boat at Kilim Jetty, you tour the often narrow waterways of the park, with wildlife-rich rainforest unfurling either side of you. The sight of seemingly endless exposed twisted roots of the mangroves is striking, and nestling amongst the vegetation are pythons, huge water monitor lizards, otters and more. You’ll see a good number of long tailed bonnet macaque monkeys - one jumped on our boat and started rifling through our luggage, so keep your bags closed and secure!

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Langkawi also provides a habitat for more than 200 bird species and you may spot the likes of drongos, hornbills, herons and kingfishers on this excursion.

There’s an area where eagles and red kites particularly like to congregate, and if you stop the boat here you are likely to see two or three at a time flying above you. Unfortunately, some tourist boat companies have for a long time been throwing food to attract them, which has resulted in them becoming lazy and hunting much less. This has caused the number of snakes and rodents to sharply increase, which they’d otherwise normally have caught, creating a wildlife imbalance in the area. Dev’s Adventure Tours is an established tour operator that doesn’t feed the birds. The park is known for its rugged karst limestone formations, and so the ever-changing scenery is another delight of this cruise.

Marvellous marine life

This region is teeming with exotic freshwater and marine life and a visit to Underwater World Langkawi is ideal if you want to find out more. This aquarium features around 500 different species of mammals and fish including turtles, sharks, stingrays and seahorses, as well as seals and African and rockhopper penguins. There’s a rainforest walk, coral garden, koi pond with Japanese carp and a 15-metre underwater tunnel, allowing you to observe the aquatic life up close from every angle.

Visit a cave full of bats

There’s a special cave at Kilim Karst Geoforest Park that is home to an amazing array of bats. Enter the cave, formed from limestone 550 million years ago, and when you shine a light it reveals hundreds of Malaysian fruit bats hanging from the walls - with a few flying around you. As you walk through the cave you’ll notice some dramatic limestone formations, including a stalactite hanging from the ceiling joining stalagmites rising from the floor to form a massive single column. When you leave the cave a walkway guides you through mangrove swamps with their exposed, twisting roots. To get to the cave you can take a boat from Kilim or Tanjung Rhu jetties, and the cave is included in Kilim Geopark tours, such as that offered by Dev’s Adventure Tours.

Meet colourful birds at a wildlife park

Langkawi Wildlife Park is a five-acre animal sanctuary and tropical garden with more than 2,500 exotic birds spanning around 150 species. These include cranes, canaries, ostriches, emus, ducks, owls, peacocks, pelicans, parrots, eagles, toucans, hornbills and flamingos. There’s a walk-in aviary, and young children will especially enjoy joining in with the feeding sessions. As well as the birds, there’s an array of animals including monkeys, meercats, pythons, raccoons, porcupines, mouse-deer, deer, iguana and crocodile.

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Get up close to the marine life diving and snorkelling

Enter the underwater world around the four islands that make up Pulau Payar Marine Park and if you’re lucky you’ll see schools of large fish that are absent from shallow waters. These could include snappers, manta rays, grouper, angel fish, seahorses and barracudas, and there’s colourful corals to enjoy too. The park is situated approximately a 45-minute boat ride from Kuah Jetty. Snorkeling and dive excursions are available from companies such as Scuba Club Langkawi.

Quite a few of my posts are free but every paid subscriber I have on Substack helps keep this newsletter going. These articles take time to research and write. Paid subscribers have access to all posts. A subscription is typically less than a monthly coffee at a cafe, and even cheaper when subscribed annually, so please consider subscribing if you can. And every like or shared post helps the Substack algorithm to show my writing to a few more people.

The idea of jumping into a muddy pond, a freezing, filthy gloop, didn’t appeal at all. I hate the idea of a 10-second cold shower as it is, so all the palaver of changing into swimming trunks simply to paddle in a slimy oversized ditch sounded about as attractive as shingles.

Yin yoga, sound baths, moon bathing, crystal light therapy and more all sounded a bit too alternative to me: my idea of a wellness weekend involves walking occasionally up an escalator on the underground, not mixing spirits with wines and beers over one evening, and swapping an ultra-processed ready meal for cheese on toast.

Nevertheless, my weekend at Broughton Sanctuary, based at Broughton Hall, a Grade I listed 70-room Palladianised Elizabethan mansion within a 3000-acre North Yorkshire estate, was invigorating. Nestled amongst beautiful rolling countryside on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, near Skipton, the wellness retreat offers numerous other activities if those above don’t appeal.

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They include sessions in a woodland sauna, mountain biking, foraging, and at times a Fire Temple Experience, where participants take part in drumming, singing, stories and more within a sheltered wooden structure set within one of the estate’s picturesque woodlands.

There is also a state-of-the-art wellness centre in the grounds. Avalon, which Roger created alongside his partner, Paris, has facilities including a beautiful spa that has been designed based upon sacred geometry, featuring curved sauna and steam rooms, a limestone ceiling inset with Fibonacci spirals, a hydro-massage pool and a luxurious 20-metre clear pool (low chemical pool).

There is also a conference hall, where many wellness sessions take place, and a Somadome, an individual meditation pod, a futuristic cocoon that offers a sanctuary for your mind, guiding you through immersive meditation sessions through binaural beats to entrain your brainwaves into states of coherence along with light therapy.

The estate - which in parts is being intensely rewilded, with 350,000 trees planted so far in recent years - is centred around a 22-bedroom honey-coloured mansion which has been the seat of the Tempest family since the 11th century. Thirty-two generations of Tempests have lived here: it is the oldest landed gentry Catholic family in the country.

One of the family who has lived here is cartoonist Annie Tempest, and her drawings decorate some walls. The current custodian of this impressive 16th century ancestral pile and estate is Annie’s brother, Roger Tempest. He is delightfully down to earth and passionate about his huge wellness project. When I met him, he was dressed very casually in navy joggers and a polo shirt. He showed us a very impressive mural by his other sister, Bridget, in Broughton’s orangery.

I participated in a forest bathing session, which encourages you to focus deeply and reawaken your sensory connection with nature, to fully appreciate the plants and trees and animal wildlife all around us.

After walking for 20 minutes into the forest, we were told to silently stand, forming a circle, in the middle of a clearing.

“Close your eyes,” said our forest therapy guide, Liz Dawes. “Focus on the sounds you can hear, feel the breeze around you, the smells of the woodland around you. Listen to the birds in the trees.”

I’ve never really appreciated nature in such depth: my life is normally so hectic I never seem to properly stand still to really appreciate these marvellous living things, to touch and feel the leaves and plants up close, to appreciate the leaves on the trees dancing in the breeze.

You don’t need to bring your swimming trunks or bikini for forest bathing, it’s essentially simply an easy form of mindfulness where you just slow down and soak up the forest atmosphere.

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Forest bathing or ‘shinrin-yoku’ originated in Japan in the 1980s, when it was found that mindful exploration in a forest could improve memory and concentration, reduce blood pressure and lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Numerous film and television productions have been filmed at Broughton, including Gentleman Jack, Emily, The Thirteenth Tale, Ridley Road, the Ralph Fiennes version of Wuthering Heights. Indeed, Roger told me that by chance my cousin, actor Samuel West, was filming Channel 5’s All Creatures Great and Small at Broughton only a week before I visited.

I took a tour of the Downton-esque Georgian mansion, with its imposing entrance hall and drawing and sitting rooms sporting grand fireplaces, numerous sculptures and old masters and family portraits, and large, regal bedrooms adorned with four-poster beds. The library boasts more than 1000 books going back several centuries and the house has the largest collection of Gillow furniture in the country. There’s even a room devoted to china, containing stacks and stacks of crockery dating back to 1800.

Between the bedrooms in the mansion and numerous beautifully-appointed, luxurious self-catering cottages spread around the grounds, Broughton can accommodate more than 100 guests and regularly hosts gatherings such as the Hoffman Process (an intensive week of analysis using several techniques, such as Gestalt, Eastern mysticism, deep meditation and group therapy to resolve persistent negative behavioural patterns of feeling unloved and unlovable), the Path of Love (a week of meditation and self-inquiry), and Men Without Masks, a retreat for men to come together as brothers to reflect on their journey into manhood.

It takes no time at all to completely unwind here, and simply wandering the beautiful grounds with their rolling meadow pastures, heather moorland, woodlands, wild reservoirs and meandering rivers - and even a Bronze Age Cairn Circle where you can connect with our ancestors and enjoy a moment of quiet solitude - provides an abundance of calm in itself.

At Utopia, Broughton’s walled garden bistro, you can enjoy delicious, nourishing plant-based food that is both good for you and kind to the planet. The striking building was designed by celebrated architect Sir Michael Hopkins and the garden re-designed by Dan Pearson, and adds to the beauty of this place.

I only sampled a fraction of what was on offer at Broughton Sanctuary, but despite that went away completely rejuvenated - and determined to never take a woodland walk for granted ever again.

Holidays at Broughton Sanctuary start from £160 per night for two people for three nights in a one-bedroom cottage, on a self catering basis.

Broughton Sanctuary, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 3AE; 01756 799608; broughtonsanctuary.co.uk

Quite a few of my posts are free but every paid subscriber I have on Substack helps keep this newsletter going. These articles take time to research and write. Paid subscribers have access to all posts. A subscription is typically less than a monthly coffee at a cafe, and even cheaper when subscribed annually, so please consider subscribing if you can. And every like or shared post helps the Substack algorithm to show my writing to a few more people.

By Ben West

If you are looking for sun-drenched beaches, Disneyland-style resorts, and Mediterranean cafe living, Ireland - both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland - may not be for you. But there’s plenty to ensure a fun-packed family break that will be memorable in a very different way.

The Irish are particularly welcoming to children, and the whole family will be mesmerised by the beautiful sea and landscapes. There are plenty of activities to keep everyone happy, including boat trips, open farms, forest parks, go-karting, fishing, sailing and pony trekking, and visits to characterful castles, imposing monuments and absorbing museums.

Breathtaking landscapes and ancient monuments

Ireland has some breathtaking landscapes and ancient monuments for families to explore, so it would be good to check out at least one of these as a priority.

The Burren in County Clare, for example, is miles and miles of imposing, bleak limestone pavement - often likened to a lunar landscape - ideal for children wanting to let off steam. Inject an educational element by visiting The Burren Centre at Kilfenora (free) which explains its evolution, geology, plant and animal life using audiovisual displays, films and models.

Beautiful Connemara National Park in County Galway displays rural Ireland at its best, and includes arresting mountains, expansive lakes and an unseemly amount of bog, heath and grassland. For background on the history, geology, flora and fauna, head for the visitor centre (free) at Letterfrack.

Located between Slane and Drogheda on the River Boyne, Brú na Bóinne at Donore in County Meath is an atmospheric series of prehistoric monuments that will captivate youngsters. They include 5000-year-old Newgrange, a huge burial mound with stone burial chambers. Entry prices vary.

Farms and forest

Rural Ireland is peppered with open farms for children to sample, and as well as all manner of farm animals, there are often play areas, wagon rides and the like. Forest parks are another fixture of the counytryside, and often these have nature and walking trails, picnic and play areas. The national tourist sites list numerous options.

Irish pubs

You can’t properly visit Ireland without a trip to a traditional pub, and, fortunately, most will make children feel right at home too: pubs play a significant part in Irish life. One of the best is EJ Morrissey’s Pub on the main Dublin to Cork road in the attractive historic town of Abbeyleix in County Laois. Doubling as a grocer’s shop (a common occurrence here, you can’t let shopping get in the way of precious drinking time) it is in a time warp. Decked out with ancient advertisements and antiques, it first opened as a grocery in 1775. Children are permitted until 7pm. Nearby, Abbeyleix Heritage House has exhibits on the town’s history and a playground, and also in the vicinity at Dove House there are sensory gardens (free admission) featuring powerfully scented flowers.

Hit the beach

The Troubles in Northern Ireland and subsequent economic underinvestment meant that its coast was neglected for decades, saving it from overdevelopment - high-rise hotels, dense holiday parks and commercial sprawl - and tourism overload. Northern Ireland’s rugged coastline and unspoiled, pristine landscapes were preserved.

However, more recently it has been fast catching up, and areas such as the Causeway Coast in Antrim have experienced a great tourism renaissance, boosted by it being a primary filming location for Game of Thrones.

The Giant’s Causeway is truly a highlight of the Northern Ireland coast, a World Heritage site and National Nature Reserve. This unmissable natural wonder, which consists of around 40,000 interlocking mostly polygonal basalt columns that resulted from an ancient volcanic eruption and act as stepping stones that lead into the sea, is often viewed by kids as a gigantic natural adventure playground. Set against a dramatic backdrop of awe-inspiring cliffs, there is a visitor centre open daily.

The southern coastline is no less stunning, not least the rugged Dingle Peninsular in County Kerry, which features mountains, moorland and lakes, which can be enjoyed when traversing the waymarked 112-mile Dingle Way, where swimming, beachcombing, cycling and water sports are among the distractions.

Things to do on a rainy day

Yes, it has been known to rain in Ireland, but fortunately there’s plenty to do on a wet day. There are a number of aquariums along the coast, including Exploris at Portaferry in County Down. This one has tanks displaying the local underwater population, but also a sanctuary for rescued seals.

Most cities have indoor adventure playgrounds. Leisureplex is a chain of leisure centres featuring such activities as adventure play areas, a toddler space, ten pin bowling and a live action laser game. They are at Coolock, Blanchardstown, Charlestown and Tallaght.

Unsurprisingly, both Dublin and Belfast have world-class museums and galleries: in the former there’s The National Gallery (permanent collection free) with around 500 major artworks on display, while thousands of historical objects are on display at The National Museum (free).

Belfast’s Ulster Museum (free) has lots to please kids, including an Egyptian mummy, a steam engine and replica dinosaur skeletons.

Water and adventure sports

Rural Ireland offers many opportunities for outdoor sport throughout the country. Most touristic areas have at least one adventure centre, and whitewater rafting, kayaking, boat rental, quad biking, horse riding, pony trekking, sailing, surfing, mountaineering and fishing are all very popular.

Child-friendly cities

If you’ve the family in tow, make a bee-line for Galway. Children will love the beach resort, Salthill, and taking a ferry to the Aran Islands and their sandy beaches. With museums, an aquarium, leisure centres and watersports as well as a good choice of eateries and shops it is a great base come rain or shine.

The charming port city of Cork has a good spread of distractions including a cathedral, but kids will probably like the spectacular coastline with its beaches and coves best if the weather is good.

Of course, for greatest choice head for Dublin and Belfast.

Both stuffed with family-friendly attractions and cafes and restaurants, highlights of Dublin include sprawling gigantic Phoenix Park, home to Dublin Zoo. Dublin Tourism’s visitdublin.com website has lots of further suggestions.

Belfast has enjoyed considerable regeneration in recent years, and of particular interest to familes are Whowhatwherewhenwhy, aka W5. It has loads of fascinating interactive exhibits.

At Cave Hill Country Park there’s a zoo, a Victorian castle and adventure playground (free). More ideas at visitbelfast.com.

Visit an historic prison

A trip to the city prison instantly focuses the thoughts of most youngsters towards times of old. Cork City Gaol uses wax figures and sound effects to recreate conditions that the adults and children suffered here from the pre-famine era to the foundation of the Irish state.

Castles and caves

Ireland is teeming with spooky castles and cavernous caves. Recommended fortresses include Cahir Castle in County Tipperary, in good nick despite dating from the 13th century in parts. Sitting on a rocky island, it is one of Ireland’s largest, and has everything to let imaginative young minds run riot, including a trap door leading to a prison and vaulted chambers.

An exploration of the dramatic ruins of 16th century Dunluce Castle near Portrush in County Antrim leads to a cave that goes right under the headland.

Stuffed with stalagmites and stalactites, Dunmore Cave at Ballyfoyle in County Kilkenny, is thought to be the site of a Viking massacre. Well-lit and easily accessed, it has an impressive visitor centre with absorbing displays.

A tour of Aillwee Cave at Ballyvaughan in County Clare, created in an early ice age, reveals a frozen waterfall, chasms and caverns, and striking rock formations.

Crag Cave at Castleisland, County Kerry features a network of limestone caves extending two miles underground and which is more than a million years old.

More information

The Republic of Ireland’s tourist board website is discoverireland.ie; for Northern Ireland visit discovernorthernireland.com.

Quite a few of my posts are free but every paid subscriber I have on Substack helps keep this newsletter going. These articles take time to research and write. Paid subscribers have access to all posts. A subscription is typically less than a monthly coffee at a cafe, and even cheaper when subscribed annually, so please consider subscribing if you can. And every like or shared post helps the Substack algorithm to show my writing to a few more people.

I recently stayed at a hotel where at breakfast the waiting staff patrolled like prison wardens, asking about five times whether everything was alright, had I got all I need - even interjecting if I was clearly deep in conversation and was mid-sentence and about to deliver the best punchline of a joke ever told. There was a continual feeling of being watched, which was annoying as I wanted to construct a sizeable free lunch from the bread rolls, cheese, meats, nuts, fruits and other items I had assembled on my table just for that purpose.

Plates were whisked away with sterling efficiency, even if they still had food on them, yet I was ignored when I actually did try to get their attention so that I could be given a coffee, which is normally a staple of breakfast. On my first day I walked around the room to see what was on offer, and one of the wardens immediately came over and asked what I was looking for, she said I looked like I was searching for something. I should have said yes, I was searching for a bit of tranquility as it happens. She then took me on a guided tour, showing me the fruit selection and cheese and cold cut stands and all the rest, which, amazingly, I had already ascertained without assistance.

Bragging about non-existent sustainability initiatives

Just this week I’ve stayed at two hotels that have little signs proudly announcing their fantastic sustainability policies. They both said towels would only be replaced if left on the floor, yet both replaced towels not left on the floor on a daily basis. I told one cleaner I didn’t need the sheets replaced each day, but they entered into a discussion about it to try and change my mind. I suppose they feared for their job if they didn’t make every room pristine on a daily basis.

Another hotel I stayed at kept proudly informing guests that there were no written menus due to efforts to increase sustainability - and we had to instead struggle with unwieldy ones on our phones - yet the hotel bombarded us with plastic water bottles each day.

Hotels like these talk about using solar panels yet have saunas and steam rooms and whirlpool baths operating all day that are hardly used, devouring kilowatt after kilowatt of energy. Or they make a big thing of using local suppliers for their restaurant yet have numerous fish dishes despite being completely landlocked for many miles.

It’s greenwashing. Of course, there are some really commendable hotels trying to reduce energy consumption, single-use items and waste, but so many times I’ve been to ones banging on about installing rainwater harvesting systems, implementing slower-flow shower heads, using more efficient laundry machines, having recycle bins and using recycled materials in construction yet your room is stacked with plastic straws, cups, cutlery, water bottles and toiletry bottles, and the television is blaring and all the lights on as you enter the room.

Being charged for wifi

It is surprising that many hotels around the world still charge for wifi. They are usually the ones where once you’ve paid you can’t get online or when you do the wifi is sluggish or keeps dropping connection.

Useless business centres

Many hotels boast having a business centre, and you picture being able to charge through those emails and print out those documents in a swankily-designed, contemporary co-working space along with a bunch of savvy digital nomads that get the room buzzing. Instead the business hub is a dark and dingy cubby hole next to a loud television with an annoying video on a loop in reception. The desk is an ugly old one retained from the hotels’ last revamp but one that was particularly stylish in the 1980s, while the computer is so ancient the British Museum has reserved a place for one to be put on display. Needless to say, the wifi is dreadful and the printer is out of ink and paper and whenever it is in use it keeps jamming.

Room temperature on tropical setting

In these eco-conscious times it is amazing how often I’ve entered my room and it’s an uncomfortable, energy-guzzling, unhealthy 24/75 or 25/77 degrees Celsius/Fahrenheit. It’s even more frustrating that the temperature controls are either indecipherable or simply don’t work. So many times you press the button to lower the temperature but for some reason the room temperature doesn’t change.

Urging you to check-out mid-stay

Some hotels should be given a restraining order on their love of making everything digital. One in Amsterdam that insisted all dealings had to be on their infernal app contacted me at 8pm the night before I was due to check out saying ‘In preparation for your departure tomorrow, please update your check-out details through the link below.’ Why on earth would I want to do this, and at 8pm on a Saturday night, when I should be out enjoying the city, not attending to routine admin? Why can’t I just hand over my key when I leave rather than have to log into an app and have to plough through all the rigmarole around it?

False love

I got an email from Premier Inn this week declaring: “Your stay starts tomorrow - we can’t wait to welcome you!” I hate this completely non-genuine and unnecessary false love from hotel companies. Well, all companies that do it. It’s ridiculous.

Fussing over my stuff in my room

While it is a nice luxury to have your room tidied on a daily basis, it feels a bit creepy when they’re folding up all your clothes and rearranging the contents of your washbag. It’s annoying when you come back to your room and that book you left out to remind you to take a look at it has been put away, or your charging leads have been unplugged and rolled up so you have to unroll them and plug them in again each day. I once stayed at a bed and breakfast and after buying the Sunday papers that morning and leaving them in my room, they had been disposed of by the time I got back.

Treating guests as thieves

In the old days you’d be treated as an honoured guest when staying at an hotel. Nowadays, however, it’s common to see little signs in your room reminding you not to pilfer the tote bag/bathrobe/any toiletries larger than those miniature ones, but instead they can be purchased from reception.

Of course some stuff gets nicked occasionally, but a look at most hotel rates these days, I’m pretty sure such losses are accounted for.

Installing those tiresome two-piece coat hangers that detach (usually when you’re trying to hang a coat onto it) or clamping the hairdryer to the wall, or the daily inspection of your minibar all seem a bit much.

Even when they’ve checked your minibar daily, reception often ask when you’re checking out whether you’ve taken anything from the minibar - looking into your eyes deeply as they ask it, as they have been trained to do - and you still somehow feel guilty of nabbing a ludicrously overprice minibar G&T, even if you haven’t.

Most hotels have your credit card details anyway, and so if you did swipe a set of expensive crystal glasses (I know someone who actually did this), they’d almost certainly be able to recover the cost.

And half the time, when I exclaim “they’re asking £300 a night for this hovel?” I think we know who the real criminals are.

Quite a few of my posts are free but every paid subscriber I have on Substack helps keep this newsletter going. These articles take time to research and write. Paid subscribers have access to all posts. A subscription is typically less than a monthly coffee at a cafe, and even cheaper when subscribed annually, so please consider subscribing if you can. And every like or shared post helps the Substack algorithm to show my writing to a few more people.

Typically the training for a dog used for truffle hunting will start when it is a six-month old puppy. Truffles are added to their food and they gradually register the taste and smell. The owner will start by hiding a ball to find, moving on to hiding truffles, which to the dog is a game, rewarded by a biscuit each time they discover one. More and more the dog gets focused on the distinct truffle smell.

“You also have to train the dog to stop hunting, or they could disappear for ages,” says Giovanni. “And to stop them eating it of course.”

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Umbria is widely considered one of the top places for truffle hunting in Italy, being one of its largest, most consistent truffle-producing regions. The limestone-rich wooded terrain is particularly well known for producing the highest quantity of black truffles (particularly around oak, birch, poplar and hazelnut trees) in the country but the rarest of all, white truffles - which can reach prices of more than €3000 per kilo - can be found at certain times of year.

Truffle hunting is deeply rooted in local tradition, a Unesco-recognised one, and passed down through generations. It is especially established in areas like Norcia, Spoleto, Pettino, Città di Castello and Gubbio. I’ve joined a truffle hunt within the vast grounds of the Tenuta di Murlo agricultural estate, around a 20-minute drive from Perugia, and which has been owned by the same family for generations. It rents out luxurious villas and also has three rooms that are far more modestly priced.

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Truffle-hunting walks are not cheap: in Umbria they typically cost from about €50 to nearly €200 per person, the former perhaps consisting of an hour’s walk and the latter typically lasting half a day or more and including a truffle-based lunch or aperitif.

Sadly there are some unscrupulous operators who put on fake hunting experiences, placing truffles in various spots beforehand, and then ‘finding them’ with you during the walk.

However, the hunt I participated in very much seemed the real deal, with Argo sometimes running out of sight and finding a truffle, or Giovanni, a professional hunter (tartufaio) who makes the bulk of his living selling truffles to suppliers, patiently trying to coax him out of some bushes.

The truffles last around 10 to 15 days when refrigerated, and need to be sealed in a container otherwise the whole fridge will smell of truffles. Broken truffles taste the same as undamaged ones but are much cheaper. Within around 30 minutes Argo has unearthed about €35-worth of black truffles, so it is clearly a very workable career option.

After an hour our walk ends, but not before Giovanni tells us that in the Middle Ages truffles were forbidden by the Catholic Church as they were viewed with suspicion and considered ‘sinful’ foods, for growing underground. They were thought to grow in places frequented by evil spirits or food for witches.

Such a belief seems to very much have disappeared now, considering how highly prized they are by top restaurants and gourmets the world over.

Tenuta di Murlo: murlo.com

Giovanni Truffles: giovannitruffles@libero.it; Instagram: @giovanni_truffles; YouTube

Quite a few of my posts are free but every paid subscriber I have on Substack helps keep this newsletter going. These articles take time to research and write. Paid subscribers have access to all posts. A subscription is typically less than a monthly coffee at a cafe, and even cheaper when subscribed annually, so please consider subscribing if you can. And every like or shared post helps the Substack algorithm to show my writing to a few more people.

The European Union has been working on launching the EES biometric border programme for around a decade, after the proposal was presented in April 2016 as part of the ‘Smart Borders Package’.

The EES system has faced numerous delays due to technical, logistical, and readiness challenges, with the launch being pushed back from 2022 to 2023, 2024, and finally to 2025.

The new system is intended to be fully operational from 10 April at all external border crossing points in the Schengen area to replace manual passport stamping, and is causing untold delays.

The system tracks who is entering and leaving the border-free Schengen zone, and for how long. (Note that Cyprus, Ireland and many Balkan nations are not part of the Schengen area and are exempt from the new EES programme). With biometric data and travel dates being recorded digitally, the EU will be able to more easily identify travellers overstaying the 90-day limit that non-EU nationals are allowed within the Schengen Area within a 180-day period.

I experienced a glimpse of the issues caused by EES when I landed in Madrid earlier this month, and was immediately herded with all the other Brits to a couple of rows of digital kiosks to submit our photos and fingerprints in order to create biometric records. Only about a third of the kiosks were working, causing even bigger queues than there would have normally been. Even when the machines were working, some were struggling to capture all four fingerprints that were required.

When I left Madrid and was back at the airport I was directed to one of these kiosks again, even though I wasn’t required to as now had a biometric record that lasts for three years or until your passport expires if earlier. When I pointed out I didn’t need to visit a kiosk I was told to join a long slow-moving queue of non-EU nationals anyway, rather than to simply go to an E-gate (or ePassport gate). When the border control staff had their backs turned I mutinied and left the queue and instead joined an E-gate and sailed through - only to then join another interminably long queue to have my passport manually stamped, which this new system was designed to eradicate.

I waited an hour to get my passport stamped - by a border official with a bright red sign above him saying his kiosk was closed, and him looking so bored he didn’t even look at me or my passport once. However, I got off lightly, with people around me saying they had been queuing for two hours or more.

Indeed, Airports Council International, representing more than 600 airports, says that border processing times where EES checks are active have increased by up to 70%, with peak-period waits increasing to three hours in some destinations and reaching five-hour delays at Lisbon Airport in December.

A few days after I had returned from Madrid I landed in Rome and the EES chaos was even worse. People weren’t sure whether they needed to register their biometric data or not, and were put in queues they weren’t sure they needed to be in. Airport staff are clearly routinely putting non-EU nationals in queues to register their biometric data, even if they have already travelled through Europe previously and completed registration.

In February, according European Commission official Henrik Nielsen, the EES system had already processed around 17 million travellers and recorded 30 million border crossings in its first four months of operation. It logged about 16,000 refusals of entry, which included 4,000 people who had overstayed their time in the Schengen area.

Travellers who overstay can face financial penalties, problems with future visa applications, and even be issued removal orders or temporary entry bans.

The delays I experienced were while travelling during a quiet travel season, but it is clear once the summer peak season is upon us, delays are only likely to get worse. Throw in border control staff strikes - for example ground staff are currently planning to strike at 12 Spanish airports - or computer meltdowns, and you have the recipe for complete pandemonium.

If the latter happens, many airports have staff shortages (and no doubt are also laying off staff as operations become more and more automated) and won’t have a sufficiently large workforce to revert back to manual passport processing if an IT glitch emerges at some point.

While I can see the logic of governments using digital technology to make border control more efficient, and hopefully at some point faster, the process of being herded from queue to queue, the apparent lack of care about travellers being put in lengthy queues they don’t need to be in, and giving over my photo and fingerprints, no doubt overseen by a series of CCTV cameras, gave a strong air of being in a ‘Big Brother’ world.

While that should be fine in a liberal democracy with efficient governmental checks and balances (and, for example, we know from the current situation in the US that the American Constitution has done no such thing) if we in the future vote in a dictatorship, the EES programme gives them even more tools to herd us up and control us as they please.

Quite a few of my posts are free but every paid subscriber I have on Substack helps keep this newsletter going. These articles take time to research and write. Paid subscribers have access to all posts. A subscription is typically less than a monthly coffee at a cafe, and even cheaper when subscribed annually, so please consider subscribing if you can. And every like or shared post helps the Substack algorithm to show my writing to a few more people.

After an introduc…

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The great thing about Helsinki, where I live - and Finland generally - is the great proximity to plenty of beautiful, unspoilt natural environment such as lakes, forests and the stunning coastal archipelago.

Helsinki, the capital, has great design, great food, great architecture, churches, museums and a UNESCO-listed fortress.

And overall Finland is an attractive place to live because of the high standard of living, the functioning infrastructure, including efficient public transport, the plentiful space. It is very forward looking, very modern, and developing all the time.

The climate varies from the north to the south. Finland is a very long country, and very cold winters are normal in the far Arctic north, or Lapland, while they are just cold in the south! Houses and indoor facilities of any kind are well-heated normally. Summers are our reward for getting through the winter - long light days everywhere, and generally pleasant weather, especially in the south. Helsinki, on the Baltic coast, is a great summer city.

Now aged 70, I live here with my wife Eeva-Helena Laurinsalo - it is quite normal for spouses not to take their partner’s family name. Aged 68, she is a retired Finnish journalist. We live in Tapaninvainio, a leafy suburb on the edge of northern Helsinki. It’s close to the very scenic Vantaa river, and just a 15-minute taxi ride from Helsinki Airport.

Our house is a detached wooden house built in 1947. It has a basement with a bathroom and storage space, a kitchen and spare bedroom on the ground floor. The main bedroom and my office, formerly a bedroom, are on the first floor with attic space.

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We have a sauna. They are, of course, very much a traditional and contemporary feature of Finnish life and culture, at home and in lakeside or seaside summer cabins or cottages.

The house cost 650,000 Finnish marks in 1994 (around €182,000/£158,000) and now is probably worth in the region of €350,000/£304,000. Prices here are referred to according to per square metre. Our house has a living space of about 90 square metres. Many people in Finland live in apartments, and there are a lot of new development in central areas.

There aren’t many big cities in Finland. The only other two that I would ever consider living in would be Tampere and Turku. I wouldn’t want to live out in the sticks where it is a bit sheltered, less liberal, where they are more suspicious of outsiders. Living in Helsinki you’ve got all the benefits of a reasonably-sized capital city, and it’s a good, progressive city to live in, through different times of the year. You get the extremes of the seasons here, you feel that more than in most places.

Finland is known to be expensive, and property prices in Helsinki can be high, especially the closer you get to the centre. Taxation tends to be high too. But people are more accepting of that because they recognise that they’re getting lots of benefits from it.

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I first moved here in 1982 after living in Bristol. I was a young man not doing anything particularly interesting in England. I had a degree in English literature, and so did a course to be a teacher of English as a foreign language.

I met a girl on that course, and we got together and she had learned Swedish and so she wanted to go and teach in Sweden. I followed her there, but didn’t stay in Sweden as I couldn’t get a job, so I came to Finland. I couldn’t get a job as a teacher in Finland either and was looking at different options.

I could have got a job in Greece, I could have got a job in Spain, but I didn’t know anything about Finland at all. I didn’t know anybody here, which made it interesting. So it was a kind of an adventure, to do something interesting out of my comfort zone, and see what happened.

I thought I’d probably be here for one or two years. And then the idea was that I would go and live with that girl in Sweden, but that didn’t happen. So I stayed, and found opportunities to do interesting things. I didn’t really want to be a teacher. I’d already dabbled in freelance journalism in Bristol and always wanted to do something based on writing.

I found that there were some English language magazines, including Finnair’s magazine, which I started doing freelance work for. Then I did editing and proofreading for the Finnish tourist board magazine. So there were English language openings. There wasn’t too much competition in those days because there weren’t so many English speakers living in Finland at that time. Alongside my writing - in fact I’m in the process of writing a book about my experiences of living in Finland to be published next year - I then developed a photography career.

I have dual nationality, British and Finnish, and Eeva-Helena is Finnish. I applied for Finnish citizenship after Brexit.

British citizens can move to Finland to work by obtaining a work permit, usually arranged by the Finnish company employing the British citizen. After six years, they may be eligible for permanent residency.

Alternatively, it is possible for British citizens to live or retire in Finland if they obtain a residence permit. Temporary permits are available from one to four years and can be renewed until permanent residence is eligible.

Travel around the country is good. There are railways from Helsinki to most regions, including sleepers and day trains to Lapland, comfortable long-distance bus services, and a domestic flight network, although the choice is a bit sparser than it used to be. Helsinki has trains, metro, a light railway, buses, and ferries to the islands.

I don’t miss that much from the UK, apart from my English family - my brother and sister in Kent and various nephews and nieces and cousins - and my friends. Culturally, Finland has changed a lot since it joined the European Union. For example, we used to not have so many pubs here but now the social drinking culture is more like the UK than it used to be.

You can watch a lot of football here. I can probably watch more football here than I can in the UK. Cricket is something I used to like watching, and I miss that. And I miss the English spring, where you get flowers and leaves on the trees earlier, and warmer weather earlier.

Maybe it is not as easy to make friends here as in, say, Latin countries, but friendships in Finland are genuine and long-lasting. I have a coterie of close ex-pat friends, most of them with Finnish spouses.

I have got out of the habit of just dropping round to people and you tend not to get to know your neighbours so well as you would in the UK. People are a bit more private in that way.

As for cuisine, the best ingredients for a great Finnish meal would be fish or game, mushrooms in season, new potatoes, and berries - blueberries and lingonberries, and cloudberries from Lapland. But standard western and European fare is common too.

Winter heating can be expensive, although our house is old by Finnish standards. We now have a ground heat pump system which has reduced the bills noticeably but monthly bills might go up to and above about €250/£217 for January but down to about €30/£26 in summer.

Half a litre of beer, depending on location and brand, is between €8/£6.95 and €11/£9.55. We don’t do weekly shops but every couple of days about €35/£30.39 for basic groceries. The cinema is €20/£17.37 for an adult.

The health service is very good. You have to pay a small fee if you have an operation, a consultation or similar, but it’s affordable. And of course, if you can’t afford to pay it, there is an allowance made for that.

The downside to living in Finland is mainly the climate. The language is challenging although more people speak English here now than they used to, it’s more or less the second language. Officially Swedish is the second language, but, English is unofficially, especially in the cities.

There’s a stereotype about Finns being gloomy and inward-looking. There’s still some truth in that, but there’s a new generation of more worldly young people, so I think there’s a generational change taking place. It used to be much more of a rural country but now it is more urbanised. More people are moving to the south where most of the urban areas are.

And conversely, Finland has been voted the happiest country in the world eight times in a row. Finns don’t take that too seriously. There’s a kind of happiness, a contentment here, but it’s not that people go around laughing and telling jokes all the time, it’s something more profound than that.

When I first came here, getting back to the UK was much more difficult. Now there are so many flights a day, so many different airlines operating. So it’s not that much of a challenge to go back to the UK anytime.

The fact that I have lived here so many years is testament to how much I love Finland. It really is a special place.

Happy Land: Finding my inner Finn: Forty years in ‘the world’s happiest country’ by Tim Bird is out now (Eye Books, £14.99)

Further information: Tim Bird Travel Photography

The journey to spectacular Saqqarliup glacier is as thrilling as hiking on the huge glacier itself. Greenland has virtually no roads, so reaching it involves a beautiful boat ride cruising past the mouth of an ice fjord, riding an off-road vehicle across rugged, hilly terrain, and then taking another boat 40 kilometres towards the inland ice past huge icebergs. As the imposing glacier appears, the temperature drops rapidly.

It’s important to keep away from crevasses, gaps in the ice that can be far deeper and more dangerous than they look.

When amongst icebergs, occasionally you hear a loud cracking sound in the distance. This is calving, the breaking off of ice chunks from a glacier to form icebergs.

The sled dogs in Greenland, which have been in contact with Arctic Peoples for 9000 years, are a protected species and are becoming rarer and rarer. Nivié Heilmann has worked with the dogs for 20 years and now devotes her life to saving them.

The capital, Nuuk, is tiny, and sadly the American military could probably take it over in under an hour. That doesn’t mean it should.

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There are spectacular panoramas in Greenland at every turn.

Ilimanaq village has only around 60 inhabitants, who mainly depend on fishing and hunting for their sustenance and income.

Drifting silently through a sea of icebergs is an unforgettable experience.

In Greenland, like most Nordic countries, it is common to leave babies out in the freezing cold, as the fresh air is believed to boost immunity, improve sleep, and build resilience, with babies well-bundled and monitored.

Greenland features in the Danish political TV series Borgen, especially in the fourth series.

There has been a greater presence of warships patrolling Greenland since Trump’s remarks about acquiring it.

You can walk to the icecap from the IceFjord Centre at Ilulissat. It is the world's second-largest body of ice, covering about 80% of the island, with an average thickness of over a mile. It holds enough water to raise global sea levels by about 24 feet (7.4 metres) if it melted entirely.

Photographs copyright Ben West

Quite a few of my posts are free but every paid subscriber I have on Substack helps keep this newsletter going. These articles take time to research and write. Paid subscribers have access to all posts. A subscription is typically less than a monthly coffee at a cafe, and even cheaper when subscribed annually, so please consider subscribing if you can. And every like or shared post helps the Substack algorithm to show my writing to a few more people.

However, overall, the Uganda of today is one of the friendliest and most peaceful of countries in Africa. Indeed, Entebbe now is a pleasant and peaceful town where you can cycle to the Ugandan …

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So it is gratifying that there are some things our country continues to do very well. Walking around the Suffolk village of Ufford recently, amongst beautiful old buildings including an elegant Norman church, reminded me that one of the treasures that remains in this country despite all the setbacks is the quintessential British village.

Such villages are defined for having such attributes as historic stone cottages, village greens, a charming traditional pub, and an ancient church surrounded by attractive countryside. The historic centre of Ufford, three miles from Woodbridge and nestled in the beautiful countryside of the Debden Valley, has much of these, and walking around it reveals a number of historic buildings and features including late 17th century almshouses, a medieval priest’s house, public punishment stocks and a whipping post, and an old forge dating from 1674, which an early owner lost while gambling during a game of cards. Other impressive buildings include a pub, the White Lion, dating from before 1614, and there’s also The Red House, a fine Georgian property.

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Ufford Parish Council produces an informative leaflet, The Ufford Heritage Trail, detailing more information on these village landmarks and more. Free copies are usually available by the village noticeboard.

Suffolk is particularly awash with attractive, historic villages, typically possessing thatched cottages, Tudor architecture and medieval streets. The most outstanding include Kersey, Lavenham, Long Melford, Orford, Walberswick, Peasenhall and Clare.

Further afield, gems of southern England and The Cotswolds include Rye in Sussex, Castle Combe and Lacock in Wiltshire, Hambleden in Buckinghamshire and Bibury, Lower Slaughter and Bourton-on-the-Water in Gloucestershire. Top villages in Yorkshire include Haworth, Staithes, Robin Hood’s Bay and Whitby, there’s Grasmere and Hawkshead in Cumbria, and the unique Italianate village of Portmerion on the Welsh coast. Devon boasts Clovelly, and Cornwall has Polperro, while Northern Ireland stand-out villages include Strangford, Cushendun and Moy. And not forgetting Scotland’s Culross, Melrose, Plockton, and Tobermory. Of course, there are many more beautiful villages in all of these regions.

Whenever you feel despondent about the UK, it is good to reflect on - or even visit - one of these beautiful villages.

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Here’s Steven talking about his experiences (flying four missions between…

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The Broads, with 125 miles of navigable waterways, are a jewel in eastern England’s crown, boasting wonderfully scenic waterways with rare wildlife. A national park stretching into Suffolk, they’re Britain’s largest protected wetland and third largest inland waterway.

Chartering a boat here initially seemed daunting. I’d previously tried canal boating and found the endless locks and manoeuvring trying.

Luckily, there are a number of companies offering boating holidays on the Broads using modern cruisers with all mod-cons, typically including hot and cold water, a bathroom, heating, a fridge, tv, cooker and microwave. The downside is these big, bright white vessels are nothing as pretty as the wooden boats of old that would traverse these waterways.

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Navigating the Broads is mercifully lock free, with inland rivers and shallow lakes - perfect for those with little or no experience. Typically you’ll receive a comprehensive run through and trial run of the boat, the process taking an hour or two, until you feel confident to take the boat out alone. You’ll probably be shown how to fill up with diesel and water, how to use the mud weight for anchoring, and many other things.

Manoeuvring these boats, despite their size, is usually surprisingly simple. Most of the time you’re simply steering whilst moving the gear lever forward to go forward and backwards to reverse, and modern boats often have features such as a bow thruster, adding further control, ideal for trickier mooring situations.

The six rivers of the Broads are dotted with a plentiful selection of attractive market towns and villages, appealing country pubs and pretty rural walks, and changing landscapes including fen, carr woodland and grazing marshes.

There’s an alluring choice of routes. A popular one is from Potter Heigham to Norwich and back. However, do this in a weekend and you’ll be travelling much of the time as it takes around eight hours each way.

I took a shorter, more sedate route, from Potter Heigham towards Wroxham, along the River Thurne and River Bure, an ever-twisting trail with plenty of broads, dykes and river branches shooting off in all directions to explore.

I passed numerous compact timber holiday cottages, with people relaxing, reading, fishing, or simply watching the world slowly go by in their neat, petite gardens. On the open waterways, tall reeds were either side, with hardly a building in sight.

The Broads are man-made waterways created by peat digging, and written evidence of this dates back to the 12th century. Renowned for their biodiversity, they are home to more than a quarter of the rarest wildlife in the UK. I saw many birds: Canada geese, greylag geese, swans, ducks, cootes, moorhens and seagulls were all a regular sight. Teal, wigeon, reed and sedge warblers, kingfishers, marsh harriers and bitterns are also regularly seen on the Broads. There are also around 225 invertebrates, including dragonfly and Britain’s largest butterfly, the swallowtail. Otters, harvest mice and water shrews also populate the area.

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A turn down Womack Water, past traditional wooden yachts moored at Hunter’ Yard, revealed the pleasant waterside village of Ludham, which has a pub and tea rooms. There’s a great choice of stops like these on the Broads: always a pub, shop or cafe nearby to visit.

A few times the Broads Authority boats governing the waters passed by, checking to see that boats observe the speed limit, 6 mph or less. Faster speeds than these can exacerbate erosion of the banks and disrupt wildlife.

The route I took passed extensive marshland and several nature reserves and was punctuated by some pretty sights: two old windmills at Thurne Dyke, the ruins of 9th century Benedictine monastery St Benet’s Abbey, and St Benedict church at Horning.

Horning is a good stopover, having many attractive waterside properties, cafes and tea-rooms, and boat-trips, including a distinctive Mississippi-style cruise boat, the Southern Comfort.

Indeed, Horning is a perfect spot for a drink in the sunshine at one of its three pubs, to reflect on what bliss it is to drift effortlessly along the Broads for a few days - without a care in the world.

Great for independent explorers

You can explore the broads with an experienced skipper, learn to sail, or if you are more adventurous and experienced even take an historic 1930s traditional wooden sailing yacht at Hunter’s Yard (huntersyard.co.uk) near Ludham. Being engine-free, tranquility is guaranteed.

Great for food lovers

The Brisley Bell (brisleybell.co.uk) is a homely old coaching inn with great food, real ales and wines, and rooms to stay in too.

Great for fun-loving families

Near Horning is Bewilderwood theme park (bewilderwood.co.uk), which is a huge, award-winning forest with treehouses, zip wires, jungle bridges, storytelling, boat trips, marsh walks and much more. It contains Broadland Cycle Hire, from which there are many good cycle routes through rural areas to villages and broads.

Quite a few of my posts are free but every paid subscriber I have on Substack helps keep this newsletter going. These articles take time to research and write. Paid subscribers have access to all posts. A subscription is typically less than a monthly coffee at a cafe, so please consider subscribing if you can. And every like or shared post helps the Substack algorithm to show my writing to a few more people.