A lesson in Degustation. It was reminiscent of our tour of the Moët ad Chandon Last Year but at the same time nothing like it. Actually the only similarity was casks are kept cool underground! I'd spent half an hour climbing up the slippery slopped ancient cobble track leading out the rear of the village passing the remains of an ancient Byzantine empire until I came upon what looked like a mine shaft leading right into the heart of the mountain from which I c...

The human body. It's funny, my body seems more if a testament to my travels than my passport! I have inflicted a fair amount of injured Tobit in the last few months! Scraped/Bruised ribs, smashed knuckles and funky rope burn/scar to for arm from my time in Aviemore. Shredded fingers from scuba diving in Sozopol, Bulgaria Gashed top of foot from Sofia, Bulgaria Sun burn from Almaty Kazakhstan, Good scrape on leg, bruised elbow and chapped lips from hiking I...

My mate Roy from Croydon! It's strange who you meet along the way... Arrive in Sofia and check into my dorm to find this semi naked bear of a man in the bunk under me. He must be late 40's looks 6"4 ish with huge broad shoulders and looks like he just walked out of the NFL. He looks like John Coffey from the green mile crossed with Louis Armstrong. Clearly border out of his mind he was itching for something to do ad someone to chat with. Having just arrived fro...

Nothing grand to report today as most of the time was spent on a bus but alas I have arrived in Sofia! Out for traditional cuisine and the menu is making me chuckle with the literal English translations:- Crust calamari with milk dressing- The organism needs a warm energy, the soul and the body. One I wet myself when I misread orgasm! Then it was topped by this one! Not sure about beer and mussels? May I will try tomorrow! Mussels in a sauce of dark beer- ...

First open water Scuba. The hut in the beachfront smelt like the sea, a saltiness lingering over everything. Despite its humble outward appearance, Precision was the word. Perfect rows of wetsuits hung by size next to precise row of scubapro fins, BCD, masks and snorkels. Despite it small presence whoever ran the scubadive centre was certainly organised. Behind the last row of gear I was met by a simple wooden desk, laptop and go pro it's only decoration. Be...