2009 - Cities and Towns

Here's the list of cities and towns I've stayed in during the past year.


Sydney, Australia*

Melbourne, Australia*

Canberra, Australia*

San Francisco, CA, USA*

Stateline, NV, USA

Evergreen Lodge, CA, USA

Santa Barbara, CA, USA

San Simeon, CA, USA

Monterey, CA, USA

San Jose, CA, USA

London, England*

Fort William, Scotland

Portnalong, Scotland

Worthy Farm, Pilton, England (Glastonbury Festival)

Alkham, England

Brighton, England

Southwold, England (Latitude Festival)

Barcelona, Spain

Birmingham, England

Wasserburg am Inn, Germany

Zagreb, Croatia

Smoljanac, Croatia

Supetar, Croatia

Trogir, Croatia

Edinburgh, Scotland

Oxford, England

Alfriston, England

Graz, Austria*



* Multiple entries, non-consecutive days.

Sherlock Holmes

Guy Ritchie's first mainstream movie, set in London's seedy heyday. Robert Downey Jnr and Jude Law are brilliantly cast. Heaps of fun, amazing sets, and in true Guy Ritchie style, awesomely shot fight scenes.

8 / 10.

Stephen Fry in America

I've been reading king of twitter Stephen Fry's travelogue, Stephen Fry in America, during my brief holiday moments over the past couple of months. The ever eccentric Mr Fry rushes through every state in the USA in a London Black Cab, for the most part avoiding the big cities, and taking in unique local experiences along the way - visiting Morgan Freeman's blues club in Mississippi, ice fishing in Minnesota, and an interview with the madam at a legalised brothel in Nevada, to name just a few. An enjoyable read, conveniently broken down into bite-sized (state-by-state) chunks. Definitely inspiration for more American travel for yours truly in the coming years.

Winter Wonderland, Hyde Park, London

Winter Wonderland - 01
Originally uploaded by adrianhind

Soaking up the northern hemisphere Christmas experience - Ice skating in Hyde Park, German Christmas Markets, Glühwein with bonus rum shots, and crazy fun fair entertainments.

Dim Sum at Lotus Floating Chinese Restaurant, Inner Millwall Dock, London

Dinner at The Kiwi Kitchen, Fulham, London

Breakfast "Double" at Aiola City, Graz, Austria

Outliers: The Story of Success

Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers: The Story of Success is a thoroughly enjoyable read. It is rare that I read a book from cover to cover in less than a week, but in this case I was totally engrossed, putting off any of my other reading in order to finish it. In a nutshell, through ten different stories, Malcolm presents a theory that extreme examples of success are almost always the results of both hard work and sheer luck at being in the right place at the right time.

Well worth the read. 9/10.

Hiking the South Downs Way

South Downs Way - 54
Originally uploaded by adrianhind

Over the weekend, I hiked a 38km segment of the South Downs Way, one of the classic UK National Trails.

Day 1: train from London Victoria to Lewes Station; walk from Lewes to Alfriston across farming fields, through cute little country towns, and a grueling 10km segment across the top of the downs, 20km walking in total

Overnight in a hostel on the outskirts of Alfriston, amusing full of 18 and 19 year olds on a University of Brighton freshman orientation group hug weekend of some form

Day 2: walk through more farming fields, Westdean Forest, then along the gorgeous rolling chalk cliffs from Cuckmere Haven, Birling Gap (pictured), Beachy Head, and into the coastal town of Eastbourne for dinner, before train/bus/train back to London, 18km walking in total

The Invention of Lying

Amusing, but forgettable, movie set in a rather drab alternative reality where there is no concept of lying. Great cameo by Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Ricky Gervais' motion picture directing debut.

7/10