Puddings // Off-the-Beaten-Track Communities // Big Open Views
Titus has been an inspiring Headmaster at a variety of schools for nearly twenty years. To his delight, this has allowed him "lots of opportunities for holiday adventures"! As a teacher, he has worked in diverse cultures and settings from Bath to Uganda, Lymington to Lambeth and Rome to India. Titus is married to his University sweetheart (🥰) and they have three bean-pole sons!
Here are some of his travel tips, take a trip and feast your eyes!:
WHERE TO GO
Delhi, India
From my first visit, aged 18, I’ve always found this city an intoxicating feast for the senses: magical, captivating, overwhelming, abhorrent and heaving. Not for the faint hearted, but I love it all.
Rome, Italy
I lived in this ancient city for five years. Extraordinary layers of history and beauty at every turn: the architecture, the fashion, the food, but also the back-street graffiti, the peeling paint and the grubby drain covers. Rome struts. Everything has a swagger. To Romans, their city is the centre of the world. I tend to agree.
This guide to street art in Rome is an interesting read for anyone wanting to explore further: https://travelconnectexperience.net/street-art-in-rome-italy/
Isle of Wight, England
From the moment I board the Lymington ferry, I’m transported to ‘never-never land’. Sitting in the sun with tea and toast, sailing towards the rolling hills of the west of the island, I feel a contented kid. The gentle pace and understated charm of places like Brook and Freshwater provide the tonic needed for a deep re-charge. Heaven.
WHERE TO EAT / DRINK
L’Orso - ‘The Bear’, Rome
‘The Bear’ is tucked behind Piazza Navona in central Rome, but there is nothing touristy about this spot. This is the home of mouth-watering authentic Roman fare. Don’t request a menu. Simply ask the waiter to make a ‘selection’ of all that’s good. The trolley will arrive with a dozen dishes. It will be a feast like no other.
The Piano Café, Isle of Wight
This café is located in an old post office, at Freshwater, on the Isle of Wight, this quiet gem serves stunning local food. After a hearty brunch, make sure you walk up Tennyson Down for one of the best views in England.
The Imperial Hotel, Delhi
As you enter the lobby, the sweet smell of jasmine will knock you for six. Having peeled yourself out of your rickshaw, never has a scent been so welcoming. Head to Daniell’s Tavern for an array of wonderful Indian dishes, although nothing can match the Vegetable Thali.
HIDDEN GEMS
Santa Costanza church on Via Nomentana, Rome
This is a hidden gem, in a city of gems. This is a beautifully preserved 4th-century circular church, with a stunning central dome and exquisite mosaics. After the grandeur of so many other sites, not to mention heaving crowds, this ancient little church may be the one building you remember above all others.
Ben’s Cookies Bath
Take a well-earned seat in this tiny setting. Savour the design of Quentin Blake’s drawings on pillar-box-red tins. Order a coffee, consider every flavour of cookie available… and then order the triple chocolate chunk. (You may feel the urge to pray in the neighbouring Abbey afterwards.)
Oosterbeek village, Holland
From Amsterdam, take a train to Arnhem, then hop in a taxi. At Oosterbeek, buy a battlefield guide and hire a bicycle for the day. Start at the Airborne Museum, cycle to the Commonwealth cemetery and then on to the ancient church adjacent to the home of Kate ter Horst (the ‘Angel of Arnhem’.) As you read the stories of the dramatic battle fought here in 1944, you will learn of humanity not only at its worst, but also at its finest. This beautiful and poignant Dutch village will touch you deeply.
BEST TRAVEL / ‘TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN’ MOMENT
Back in the 1990s, I went trekking in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest on the Bwindi Gorilla Trek, to catch sight of the rare mountain gorillas (there are only 900 in existence.) For hours our little group crawled and climbed through dense vegetation. Hushed tones, sweaty tracking, all the time glancing and peering for shimmering black shapes. And then, right in front of us, emerged a giant male silverback. It sat majestic. All-powerful. Slowly and purposefully, he turned and looked at us, staring deep into our eyes … and our souls.
FIRST TRIP AFTER LOCKDOWN
I want to drive to the centre of Bath and walk around the circular architectural gem that is the Circus. I want to walk around and around and around, until I feel dizzy.
APPollo will be providing curated travel tips, guides and bitesize bespoke recommendations for you. Along with a handful of incredibly useful and beneficial tools to help you travel better and experience much more while away.
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LAUNCHING 2021