Author Archives: johnbennettvfastcouk

I would like to share a little secret with my readers. There is a small island 470 miles from the coast of Venezuela. It is Tobago, part of the country of Trinidad and Tobago the southern most islands in the Caribbean ring. As seasoned travellers to this part of the world we have discovered TobagoContinue reading “Tobago, the unspoilt Caribbean island”

Hens with benefits Introduction Keeping hens these days is becoming a popular pastime, according to the Hen Welfare trust, they are the most popular pet at the moment. Hen ownership is divided between the those who have and those who have not. Hens in a coop providing eggs is how most non owners perceive ownershipContinue reading “Hens with benefits”

Buying fruit and vegetables historically has always been a local enterprise by either the growers having a stall at the end of their properties, or a village shop selling the produce that was in season in a particular area. This for those with gardens and allotments, provided a top up to what they already grew.Continue reading “The resurgence of farm shops”

On a whim we decided to visit Italy, it was one of the places we had on our bucket list but somehow, we hadn’t got round to arranging a visit. We had a seen a deal through one of the companies who sell the holidays which are not snapped up immediately, a five-night half boardContinue reading “Bella Italia-a short break in the foothills of Umbria”

I have always wanted to take a trip to Russia, I suppose it was my inquisitive nature as a retired Cold War warrior feeling the need to visit Red square, flanked ether side by the Kremlin and the huge equivalent of Macey’s. The latter being the exclusive domain of the richer classes. The opportunity toContinue reading “To Russia with Love(and back again!)”

If you are thinking of going to the Caribbean for the first time, I would highly recommend the lovely little island of St Lucia as a ‘starter island’. The island has a chequered history, having been fought over many times throughout history. During the late 1700s, the island was fought over six times between theContinue reading “Take me to Paradise-my second home!”

In 2004 I had the unique opportunity to visit Kazakhstan for a couple of weeks. We were based not far from Almaty which until recently, was the capital before the centre of power went to the city of Astana (now renamed to Nur-Sultan). Kazakhstan was one of the countries on the ancient Silk route whereContinue reading “Two week holiday in Kazakhstan? Yes Please?”

The Battle of Albuhera took place on 16th May 1811 during the Peninsula War against the armies of Napoleon Bonaparte of France. In 1811, Albuhera was a small village on the road to Badajoz, a fortress town held by the French but under siege by the British. In an effort to relieve the siege, theContinue reading “The Battle of Albuhera”

For those not familiar with the village of Elham, it lies in a valley in East Kent just north of Folkestone. It’s a typical Kentish village steeped in history, full of interesting people who pride themselves on the community in which they live. The sleepy rural community around Elham today, does not give any cluesContinue reading “Elham-Its part in the Cold war”