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What's this blog all about?

Hi, I'm Nicola - welcome to a blog begun in 2012 about family travel around the world, without leaving the UK.

I love travel adventures, but to save cash and keep my family's carbon footprint lower, I dreamt up a unique stay-at-home travel experience. So far I've visited 110 countries... without leaving the UK. Join me exploring the next 86! Or have a look at the "countries" you can discover within the UK by scrolling the labels (below right). Here's to happy travel from our doorsteps.

Around 2018 I tried a new way of writing my family's and my own UK travel adventures. Britain is a brilliant place for a staycation, mini-break and day trips. It's also a fantastic place to explore so I've begun to write up reports of places that are easy to reach by public transport. And when they are not that easy to reach I'll offer some tips on how to get there.

See www.nicolabaird.com for info about the seven books I've written, a link to my other blog on thrifty, creative childcare (homemadekids.wordpress.com) or to contact me.

Wednesday 15 August 2007

Feels like Brussels

Nicola, Pete, Lola and Nell want to travel the world with a difference. We hope to get a taste of many countries without adding to climate change (with needless emissions from aeroplanes) or having to waste hours of holiday time in airport terminals. We hope our adventures inspire you to take a Grand Tour of your neighbourhood whatever the weather. This post is from Nicola

When we had the idea to travel around Britain pretending to be in different parts of the world I’d assumed Brussels would be easy to find. We could try mussels and mayonnaise, or Belgian beer eaten on the streets and then finished off with fondant filled chocolates. We tried this out at a restaurant in Upper Street, London but the idea felt so forced, and also very unBelgian that I almost gave up the concept. But as we explored the Forbidden Corner, an eccentric grotto in Yorkshire http://www.yorkshirenet.co.uk/theforbiddencorner designed by yet another Armstrong (see previous blog entries) – possibly in memory of his horse Hercules – we found a Manequin Pis that actually wees over lost passers-by (see what he did to Nell), just like he more politely does in Brussels on one of those back lanes you can't help but get lost in.

Admittedly in Yorkshire there is a warning, Cave Aquae, but you need to know your Latin to avoid wet trouser legs.

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