April 2024. Hastings. And if you think football posts are not what you pay your subscription for, wait till I get on to Korngold next week. 300 miles north, James was heading to the Etihad in torrential rain to see Level 1 City take on mighty Luton; I’d decided to take in some “salt of… Continue reading HASTINGS UNITED v WHITEHAWK

April 2024. St. Leonards. Finally, another half mile up the hill from the Tower, past the subtle street art, we come to a 3rd distinct area of St Leonards and an actual new (NEW) GBG tick. The Welcome has subtle charms, the joy of that facade only noticed as I look at the close-up a… Continue reading A CHEEKY WELCOME TO THE GUIDE FOR ST. LEONARDS WELCOME

April 2024. St. Leonards-on-Sea. Like Hastings itself, St Leonards seems to have several distinct areas, and after that craft diversion in the heart of Warrior Square’s vegan cat crochet cafes I headed the half mile north to the more “earthy” bit My new Guide tick (yep, still ticking, just more slowly) was a mile north,… Continue reading UP THE ARSE’, DOWN WIV SPURS

April 2024. St. Leonards-on-Sea A quick Thai lunch with the in-laws in Southborough, then an hour south to the coast to check on our caravan in Rye before the letting season starts this week. The south coast storms last Autumn sent the staff building flying (literally), partially into our patio, but all’s well now. The… Continue reading QUEUEING IN THE THREE LEGS

April 2024. St. Albans. I could do with an app that monitors your intake, adjusts for ABV and tippage into pot plants, and sends a message saying “STOP. NOW !”. Instead I have Mrs RM, who arrested my detour out of St Albans Spoons towards a giant McMullen pub next door, and headed me back… Continue reading “Haven’t you had enough ?”

April 2024. St. Albans. An evening in St. Albans, Social Club, trad pub, Wetherspoons. The Spoons was packed. The Waterend Barn is one of the JDW joys, a, er, barn of a place that draws in all human life. An Amy Winehouse tribute had just finished at the theatre next door, and I had to… Continue reading WILL YOU MEET ME IN THE WETHERSPOONS, ON THE CORNER NEAR TO MIDNIGHT…

April 2024. St. Albans. Mrs RM messaged me on the mad dash back from Royston Social, my tick in the bag, to say she was in the Spoons with a large glass of Shiraz and not to rush. Well, I took that as instruction to stop in a bonus pub and picked the first Guide… Continue reading SUSSEX IN ST.ALBANS

April 2024. St Albans. I’d parked up for the night in the Verulamium, the ghosts of Roman Centurions all around, warning me my new GBG tick was 52 minutes walk, and suddenly a half of Citra in a social club on the other side of St Albans didn’t appeal to Mrs RM. You go to… Continue reading LUKE LITTLER IS ON THE TELLY AGAIN

April 2024. St. Albans. Another trip back south to visit both sets of parents; another half-way two-thirds stop in the campervan. It was almost a second stop in a week in Harpenden, too, but a few minutes further took us to St Albans and the Verulamium Park, which suddenly looks very dark. Dark skies are… Continue reading VERULAMIUM

April 2024. Sheffield. I took the first bus back from Millhouses (it was a 3) into Sheffield, a journey filled with life and laughter amongst the three gentlefolk on the opposite seat. “Your hair’s really nice”. “Aww, thanks”. “I’m bald, can I borrow yours ?”. I walked a bit, aimlessly, hoping it was now too… Continue reading POPPADOMS AND MOONSHINE