In search of an escape from busy London, Isabelle Duff finds solace in tiny County Louth
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Long before humans began transforming the landscape in Portugal, nature had already fashioned some incredible sights
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P&O Cruises will now host nuptials on its ships and on shore in the Caribbean
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The airline’s A321 aircraft will be out of service due to the impact of water washing on seat covers
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The British stag holiday favourite becomes the latest European country to outlaw electric scooter rentals
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Passengers boarded a replacement plane that took them to Los Angeles after the unexpected landing
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As Steve Coogan’s most famous character returns to our screens, Claire Boobbyer argues Norwich is a charming place for a UK getaway
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The cruise line continues to grow its fleet to boost choice for passengers
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The advice comes from seasoned travelers and hospitality experts, including a general manager of a luxury hotel
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Whether it's frightful family fun or something a little more sinister after dark, these are the best Halloween events to sink your teeth into this year
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A seven-course festive lunch, including traditional turkey ballotine and champagne, will be served to passengers
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The battery ‘spontaneously ignited’ in a passenger's carry-on luggage
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Celebrity Cruises’ newest ship will launch in November with sailings from Fort Lauderdale
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Getting older hasn’t dimmed my love of travel. In my 70s, it’s still all about my next trip, be it a cruise, Goa … or a naturist resort in Crete
I may be 76, but slowing down, or retirement, couldn’t be further from my mind. True, I don’t have a hefty pension or a partner to while away the rest of my days with, but my love of travelling is as passionate as it has always been.
I love scaring myself stupid trying new experiences, and if a friend or daughter is unavailable I’ll go alone. Solo travel is far better than sitting at home looking back instead of forward.
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© Photograph: Peter Flude/The Guardian
© Photograph: Peter Flude/The Guardian
© Photograph: Peter Flude/The Guardian
Martin and Lizzy set off on an epic ride to the south-west tip of Europe in search of freedom, adventure and the best surf on the continent
When I wheeled my bike off the ferry at Roscoff, northwest France, in the summer of 2024, the furthest I had ever ridden was the 99-mile Devon Coast to Coast route over two days. And yet here I was, about to embark on an epic journey, unsupported, towing a trailer with two wooden surfboards, a tent and wetsuits strapped to it. My wife, Lizzy, 62, and I had rented out our house and lent our campervan to friends, so there was no turning back.
Lizzy was also towing a trailer with two belly boards and the rest of our camping kit. She, the veteran of many long rides in her 20s – one of which took her across the Andes – was full of quiet confidence. I was excited beyond words to be setting off on a new adventure, but also terrified of what the road might reveal about me. I had no idea whether my 57-year-old body or soul could cope with cycling for days on end, climbing mountains or setting up a tent every night for three months. My first attempt at a mountain pass, in the Pyrenees some years before, hadn’t started well. I threw a hissy fit at the first hairpin, demanding of Lizzy: what’s the point?
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© Photograph: Martin Dorey
© Photograph: Martin Dorey
© Photograph: Martin Dorey
It’s four decades since the travel writer last ventured on to the slopes. A resort in the Tirol is the perfect place to rediscover the joys of skiing
‘You’re mad!” Caroline the greengrocer said cheerfully when I told her I was going skiing. A reasonable reaction since not so long ago I was shopping on crutches following a hip replacement. My sister’s friends were more concerned: “How old are you? 80? I don’t think this is a good idea. You’ll fall and break something.” My brother, Andrew, 86, decided it was better not to tell anyone.
For at least two decades I’d had a half-buried wish to experience one more ski trip. A final fix of blue sky, frosty air and the exhilaration that comes with finding yourself still intact at the bottom of a snow-covered slope. I was never much good, and hadn’t skied for decades, but that wasn’t the point. At 83, I needed to see if I could still do it. And if I could do it, how about inviting my sister, Kate, one-third of our Old Crones group who encourage each other to do parkrun each week? Then I remembered that, as teenagers, Andrew had joined me on my first ski holiday. That was 67 years ago, but Andrew used to be quite good, so I invited him too. My friend Penny, who is so absurdly young (67, so she says) that she doesn’t really count, was also allowed to come and try her luck with the oldies and practise her German. We all made an effort to get as fit as possible, but none of us had skied for at least 40 years.
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© Photograph: imageBROKER.com/Alamy
© Photograph: imageBROKER.com/Alamy
© Photograph: imageBROKER.com/Alamy
From Interrailing around Europe to trekking in the Himalayas, our tipsters share their memorable trips made later in life
• Tell us about a great winter mountain holiday – the best tip wins a £200 holiday voucher
I went Interrailing at 16 – so decided to do it again at 61! My wife and I bought our passes for all of Europe (under £500 for one-month unlimited rail trips) and it was great to rediscover the sense of freedom and adventure travelling by train gave. Having a romantic dinner in Paris, getting on the night train and having coffee and croissants for breakfast in Nice on the Côte d’Azur for example. I corrected the teenage mistake of trying to do too much and see too many places so we lingered longer in places such as Poland and Romania, soaking up the atmosphere in Wrocław and Bucharest. It was interesting to compare the speed, quality and comfort of train services too. We found that sometimes slow travel was better – like when we got on the wrong train from Rome to Naples, allowing us to appreciate the scenery, locals and way of life of people who were not in a hurry. The trip was a learning experience at 61 as much as it had been at 16.
Peter
© Photograph: Julia Lavrinenko/Getty Images/iStockphoto
© Photograph: Julia Lavrinenko/Getty Images/iStockphoto
© Photograph: Julia Lavrinenko/Getty Images/iStockphoto
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