Travel Lightbulb

If you find yourself on the subway in New York City, then make a special trip to Eighth Avenue station because you will find a surprising little collection of permanent art.   'Life Underground' is a cartoon inspired project by Tom Otterness that was commissioned when the station was renovated in the 1990's.  He was inspired by going through old photos of the construction of the subway in the 1890s, which showed workers carrying giant tools. Another source of inspiration was the work of 19th century political cartoonist Thomas Nest.   Whatever the inspiration though, I loved discovering the little figures - and it could take you quite a while, because there are around 130 sculptures hidden all over the station - and too many to include in one blog post, so you'll have to go and discover them for yourself!  Some of the sculptures are shiny having been touched by commuters, so it's easy to spot the most popular ones! If you wa...

The 22nd of April is Earth Day 2018. This environmental movement began in 1970, and has been been bringing conservational issues to the forefront of the minds of the public ever since. This year, they're highlighting an issue that many of us are becoming more aware of - plastic pollution.  When I travel I spend a lot of time by the sea, and I hate to think of the effect that our plastic waste is having on our beaches, streams and landscapes. Let's do our bit to try and make a difference, whether it be ditching a plastic straw in a cocktail whilst on holiday, to refusing a plastic bag and taking your own to the shops. We all want our seas to be as clear and beautiful as the one above....every little move we make could make a big difference. 

If you're a sun worshipper, then you could do worse than head to Palm Springs in Southern California. It has 360 days of sun-kissed weather and stunning scenery. It is sometimes called Hollywood's playground because of its nightlife, but is also known for the hot springs; golf courses and stylish hotels. A few years ago, I featured a quirky party hotel with a real retro feel, so why not flashback to my original post, and read more about it  here !

If you find yourself on the beautiful island of Barbados, you must sample the delicious rum punch on the island, and Cutters Deli is the place to do it. It's a lovely little place, just ten minutes from the airport, and not far from Crane Beach - in fact they will even deliver your food to the beach if you like! Roger and Kim Goddard created this lovely place having moved to Barbados in 1999. They knew this area needed a neighbourhood deli - a place to enjoy good food, and for friends to meet - and so Cutters was born! In case you're wondering where the name comes from, a "cutter" is the Bajan word for a sandwich made with a bread roll.  The first time I visited Cutters I went for breakfast, and boy did it do the job - delicious pancakes with bacon, which certainly set me up for a day of wave jumping on Crane beach.  I loved it so much, I went back for rum punch.....warning......it certainly packs a punch!  One of their main products is Cutt...

Today's shot comes courtesy of Paul Ashley who took it on a recent trip to Brussels. It might take you a moment to work it out, but what a clever shot! This is Grand-Place, the central square of the City of Brussels. It's considered as one of the most beautiful places of the world, and was registered on the World Heritage List of the UNESCO in 1998. The square is surrounded by public and private buildings dating mainly from the late 17th century.  It follows on nicely from my recent blog post about photography - if you look at things differently, this is proof you can get an amazing shot unlike your fellow travellers - thanks for the donation Paul!

Tomorrow sees the start of the legendary Milan-Sanremo cycling race - the longest one day race in the professional calendar. It's the 109th edition of the race , and is famously referred to as the 'Sprinters Classic'. Contenders race over 291km, before finishing the competition with a flying descent into the Ligurian city of Sanremo.  If you're inspired by those sprinters; love cycling, or just love stunning scenery, then this part of Italy is definitely worth a look. It's in the northwest of the country, and is also known as the Italian Riviera.  The long and narrow coastal region is recognised for its capital Genoa, the UNESCO World Heritage Cinque Terre villages, and for being the home of pesto! Renowned for its incredible beaches, beautifully preserved medieval villages, stunning mountains and unique cuisine - what's not to like!

You've chosen your location; booked your flights; and now it's time to capture the local sights on camera. I've got some top photography tips for you from the Jessops Academy team to help you plan ahead and take photos you'll be proud to show off when you return.  Do your research Before you arrive, research the best places to visit and the top tourist attractions. Sometimes I have a look and see how others have captured it, and think about what I could do differently. Would it look great with the sun high in the sky, or at sunset? The rule of thirds The secret to mastering this technique is to visualise a grid of lines running horizontally and vertically breaking your image into thirds. Compose your key point of interest by placing them in one of the thirds or intersecting points of the grid, and that will instantly draw attention to them and make your photo pleasing to the eye. Foreground detail Finally include something in the foreground...

You may have been told that December to March is the ideal time for a holiday in Lapland, and that's because both snow conditions and the northern lights displays are at their peak. However if you're not on the hunt for Santa, then the melting snow between April and June gives a wonderful hint of the phenomenal landscape that has been hidden for months.  In fact, Laplanders say late March-early April is their favourite time of the year. The daylight hours are longer, the temperature improves, and with less cloud cover, your chances of seeing the Aurora Borealis increases. My flashback today features a hotel where you can opt to stay in an igloo - and that option is available until April. To view my original post, click  here.