Writing

Professional life

The biggest chunk of my professional life is devoted to The Traveller, the weekly travel magazine that is part of The Independent each Saturday. The remit of The Traveller is to inspire, inform and entertain readers - to help people make the most of the opportunities to travel the world. Regular features include our long-running "48 Hours in ..." city-break guide, and the "Travellers’ Guide" to a destination or a concept. In addition, we feature what we hope is the best in travel writing. And I write a weekly column. To read some of my recent articles on The Independent website - click The Independent button on the sidebar.

I also have a column in the Evening Standard where I answer readers travel queries, I am contributing editor for Condé Nast Traveller (UK) and have a monthly column in Travel Trade Gazette.    

Freelance

In this precarious freelance world you can never have enough jobs. So I also work on guidebooks. For anyone who wants to write about travel, there is no better discipline than working on a guide. You are obliged to labour from dawn till well beyond dusk, trudging from restaurant-past-its-prime via hotel-where-breakfast-is-more-of-a-threat-than-a-promise to a railway station where the schedules are pure wishful thinking and the painted women (or are they men?) are available to rent. Ooh er; Crawley was never like this. Even so, I am actively involved in researching travel guides - partly because it helps to keep touch with travellers' main concerns, and partly because it is constantly surprising and refreshing.

Longer-form books

In addition, I write longer-form books - either solo or with a co-author.

Backpacks, Boots and Baguettes		No Frills The Truth Behind the Low-Cost Revolution in the Skies		Spiral Guide to Amsterdam		Cuba In Focus