The Travel Locker is an Award winning Travel Writer, resident in England: The Travel Locker writes reviews for Hotels, Restaurants, Pubs, Theatres, Events, Galleries & Travel destinations, for a local, national & international audience..

Best location ever visited: A really difficult question. I love Australia & New Zealand, but I shall have to choose Canada. The Canadian Rockies are stunning, Niagara Falls were awesome and I loved exploring the cities of Toronto, Calgary, Montreal & Vancouver. I was fortunate to travel through the Rockies recently, on the Rocky Mountaineer, a luxury scenic train, from Vancouver to Banff, it was a simply breathtaking experience.

Lake Louise

Sport to watch or play: My wife would say I watch far too much football, but there is nothing quite like a live football match, as part of a sell – out crowd, supporting your own team. I don`t get the same kick, out of watching football on the television. In my youth, I played a lot of football, having trials at a number of professional clubs, but in my later years, I have taken up walking, as my choice of sport. I can be found walking around my local country park, canal towpaths and county trails, as part of my daily routine.

Up the Saddlers

Music to listen to in the car: I am a great fan of Bruce Springsteen, I appreciated the positive working class sentiments of The Boss. I actually saw Bruce in concert twice, about twenty five years apart! The Boss always gives value for money, his live concerts are a marathon! I like to keep abreast of new music, forever checking out new artists on television and Spotify, listening to a wide range of music, everything from rock, reggae, country to punk.

Starters or Dessert: I must confess to having a sweet tooth. Sticky Toffee Pudding or Tiramisu, are some of my favourites. A moist sponge cake covered in toffee sauce, served with custard or vanilla ice cream, complementing the rich flavours of the chopped date pudding, is a delightful way to finish a meal. The Tiramisu, made with sponge ladyfingers, dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of egg yolks, sugar, and mascarpone, topped with cocoa powder, is heaven in a dessert.

Pub grub or Restaurant: I don`t mind a good pub meal, but I love eating out at a fine restaurant, with table service and a good wine list. Eating out should be an event or occasion. My wife & I will dress up a little when dining in a fine restaurant, particularly in an hotel restaurant, but I do like the informality of a pub meal too.

Your go to meal: I love Italian food so given a choice I will often choose a carbonara, the mix of eggs, cheese, cured pork, and black pepper in a rich silky sauce makes for a fantastic meal. I would combine the carbonara with a bottle of Chianti, followed by Tiramisu , of course!

Weekend Tipple: I like dark beers & porters, and have been known to enjoy a fine single malt or bourbon, from time to time. I have recently discovered the Welsh whisky, Penderyn, which is very nice indeed. With a meal, in a restaurant, I would usually choose a bottle of Chianti or Malbec and when eating out in a pub, go for a local beer.

My go to comfort food: I love cheese on toast. The cheese doesn`t have to be anything special. A strong cheddar cheese, sometimes served with a small dollop of brown sauce!

Breakfast or Brunch: Always breakfast at the moment as my wife and I no longer eat lunch or brunch, eating later in the day, after a light breakfast of fruit, toast or cereal. As I get older, I am finding that two meals a day, is often enough.

My take away order: I very rarely order a takeaway meal, preferring to eat out or cook -in but I do enjoy fish and Chips, when visiting the seaside. Sitting on the wall, with a bag of fish and chips, in somewhere like Whitby, on the north Yorkshire coast, is a real delight.

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