Pen's Travels

Life and time wait for no one

Welcome to my world

I love the hills and I love to travel. This blog takes you to some of the places I have visited on my jaunts – the mountains I have yomped up, interesting people I have met (you always meet interesting people in the hills) and adventuresome capers I’ve had on the way.

Auschwitz: A poignant memorial

13/05/2018

The mountain of human hair. A whole room of it. This was the most upsetting part. Mostly black or dark brown, but dotted with the odd blonde curl or splash of grey that would have belonged to someone’s daughter or sister; grandmother or grandfather. This suddenly made it real. Our visit to Auschwitz hadn’t been … More Auschwitz: A poignant memorial

Mud. Mud. Glorious mud on Vulcano

17/11/2017

They must have been exaggerating! Surely I don’t need to throw away my bikini after visiting the mudbaths of Laghetto di Fanghi on the Aeolian island of Vulcano. Do I? I start with this note of warning as I made the mistake of ignoring this advice and have been washing the same load of clothes … More Mud. Mud. Glorious mud on Vulcano

Facing the wrath and spittle of Sicilian guides on Mount Etna

15/11/2017

Red-faced, spitting and swearing, the guide rages that we disrespect the rules, while his group wait wide-eyed and silent behind him. I have never, until this point, experienced anyone who is literally apoplectic. I feel strangely calm. I hold my hands up: “Calm down. Please stop swearing at me.” I suggest he might want to … More Facing the wrath and spittle of Sicilian guides on Mount Etna