Varun's Diary - Thursday 31st July

Back from Athens. It was ... hot.

Photos: 

1) At The Parliament House  ...

2) That building ... amazing

3) Another hill - another wonder

4) The t-shirt says it all!

5) My second job .. maybe?

6) Lots of graffiti in Athens - I liked this :)

7) Red is my favourite colour

Song of the Day: Call Me The Breeze - Eric Clapton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsqF3p8ORDE

Varun's Diary - Saturday 26th July (Happy Birthday Pops!)

It's just gone midnight and I am finally home after a 4-hour drive from Penzance in Cornwall.

Just to clarify - I have NOT been hunting bears ... but have been on a "Bear Hunt" on the Isles of Scilly for the past few days! There IS an important difference!

Yes - I have been on the Isles of Scilly - St Martin to be exact!

I know, just a couple of weeks ago I was in Cornwall BUT I didn't expect to be returning so quickly to that area ...

Part of my life now is to explore what is around me and I have found a true, true gem.

The Scillies (yes, pronounced "sillies") are 3 hours by ferry West from Penzance into the Atlantic Ocean.

From there, 20 minutes by boat to St Martin.

These islands ARE amazing ... white, soft, sand ... secluded inlets ... amazing sunrises and sunsets ... superb cuisine ... AND peace ... ideal for Baby Bears!

So - many, many more photos to follow sometime soon.

BUT:
1) I went fishing and caught ... NOTHING
2) The water was ONLY 10 degrees BUT I still went for a lovely (& brrrr) dip

Back into London this weekend - the Proms have started ... and then early next week a quick foreign trip ... so the diary entry today!

I hope you have been enjoying the shows this week ...

Oh ... I LOVE whisky! ha!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ...

Song of the Day/Weekend: Uptight Downtown - La Roux
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnCLiNDx1qU

Varun's Diary - Monday 21st July

Hi!

Well, the new series has started airing. London today ... and then St Lucia tomorrow.

THANK YOU for all the kind messages about the show!

I am also excited by this: http://dolcevitaproductions.co.uk/win-a-new-winter-wardrobe-up-to-the-value-of-500-with-varun-and-boomerang-of-sweden/

It costs NOTHING to enter!!

I have just filled my wardrobe with Boomerang and any lady or gentleman out there who wins the prize will be VERY happy, I can assure you. From size 12 dresses to cuddly & warm sweaters ... hmmmm.

Managed to jog today ... first proper tennis match tomorrow. Can't wait.

Am feeling rather good and happy.

India winning the cricket? Who would have thought ....

I am writing the next radio show by the way - 80's love songs - any input would be gratefully received!

Song of the Day: Nik Kershaw - Radio Musicola
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcW7OE8LxHU

Varun's Diary Sunday 20.07.2014

Konichiwa.

We sometimes live in a truly terrible world and the events of last Thursday over Ukraine - to me - are incomprehensible. I am deeply, deeply moved watching the news bulletins about the murder of 298 men, women and children by ... spineless, moral-free, cowards. There are no excuses for what happened and the perpetrators of the crime should be brought to justice swiftly. However, why do I get the feeling that they never will ...

I am finally home ... and am pleased to be. I got stuck in a terrible rain/thunder/lightning storm yesterday and was truly awestruck at the power of nature. We should be afraid of nature ... and nothing else.

China was a great success. Video clips etc will be uploaded in the coming weeks.

It's quite odd to have access to Facebook, Twitter etc after a week of ... forced abstinence.

I have had a pleasant few days - reminiscing and ...

I am very excited to be visiting another part of the UK that I never have later this week. More on that to come ...

The new series of Inside Luxury Travel starts airing tomorrow in the UK - with the London episode. Travel Channel UK - 1400 hrs ... with repeats to follow.

I am very excited that we are also doing a competition with Boomerang (http://www.boomerangstore.com/eu/) - my clothes sponsor. One lucky viewer WILL win £500 worth of clothes from the Autumn/winter 2014 collection! Lucky someone! Both ladies and men's collections by the way ... 

Apollo 11 - 45 years ago today.

Photos: 
1) Something nice about a Japanese bedroom - bamboo mats, shoji screens and sconces
2) My ima
3) My "sento"

Song of the Day - Dean Martin - Until the Real Thing Comes Along
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FBzeA_dztI

With all the words dear at my command
I just can't make you understand
I'll always love you baby - come what may
My heart is yours - what more can I say

Varun's Diary (Tuesday):

OKAY - travels start today ...

First stop, London for meetings and a fitting with ILT's exclusive casual clothing sponsor ...

Tomorrow it's off to Shanghai ... so see you next in China!

p.s. photos below
1) beats internet dating! haha!
2) would you trust me to build your house?

Song of the Day: Without You - Nilsson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvJ9Yxef5zI

Varun's Diary (Monday):

Good morning! I hope you all had a great weekend ...

Mine was suni ... warm ... and just right for going on a bear hunt ... not that there are any bears where I live ... oh ... and I don't hunt ...

Anyway ...

Still no tennis or exercise ... maybe I will get some Chinese acupuncture this week to relieve the pain! In two weeks I will be back with a vengeance ... on the road, on the court and in the pool ...

Anyway - I DID visit Mousehole in Cornwall ... which is pronounced Mau-zul by the locals - REALLY? - no - it's MOUSE ... HOLE ... ! What a beautiful harbour. If you ever visit Mousehole, please stay at the little hotel in the harbour - it's magnificent and gives you direct access to the swimming area in the harbour ... and the ice-cream shop that does the most amazing Mr Whippy (!).

I watched the Hobbit (Smaug?) and was left sorely disappointed - mainly because it doesn't end. All these trilogy movies - so annoying. Whatever happened to "beginning, middle and end" in one go? Anyway - how can a dragon ingest liquid gold into its lungs and still get away? Not normal ... but then small men with hairy feet ... ? etc

I am sure I have seen this movie before BUT I think they all become much of a muchness.

Oh (& not related to the Hobbit!) ... I am younger than my favourite actor Sam Rockwell! That makes me VERY happy ... 

Awoke today to a stunning sunrise ... 

Am quite excited that filming starts this week ... it's been a decade of begging to film in China and finally the dream has come true. Saying that this year we have some quite amazing filming locations - including one which will take me "back to my roots" and I think my dear Pops will travel with me ... finally a willing travel companion  

Song of the Day (and quite possibly the Song of the Summer): Alone - Trampled by Turtles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejfMrZQU3Eo

Varun's Diary (Friday):

So my Cornwall sojourn is rapidly coming to an end so I thought I would get the Diary written before the long drive home.

I will be stopping off at some places that have fabulous names - Mousehole for instance (REALLY?)!

I will admit to being a really, REALLY grumpy old frog for the past couple of weeks. This is due to a pulled leg muscle which has kept me off the tennis court, road runnning, pool and the gym! Boo!

I have been eating (too) well instead but am hoping that normal play will resume tomorrow when I am home and the sun is shining.

Last night I enjoyed one of the greatest meal/views of my life.

The Beach Restaurant in Sennen Cove has its own fishing boat (called Rosebud) that goes out every day to fulfill orders only for it and yesterday I enjoyed: freshly caught poached lobster (with orange and mooli salad), hand-cut triple-cooked chunky chips - all washed down with a large glass of Pinot Noir ... WHILE watching the sunset over the Ocean! It was truly memorable ... and apparently rather romantic (if you like that kind of stuff!).

I am looking forward to many more amazing sunsets this year ... from all kinds of lovely places!

Another filming destination was confirmed today ... and I am going to ... ah ... maybe that will be another photo competition for next month!

OKAY! Have a great day and weekend!

Next week - SHANGHAI ... ! Whoohoo!

Song of the Day: You're Gorgeous - Babybird
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GzpcN3vy_Q

Varun's Diary (Thursday):

“I would not wish any companion in the world but you.” ― William Shakespeare, The Tempest

Greetings from Cornwall (South West England)!

I have booked into a small B&B close to Land's End in the village of Sennen where I have been eating fresh fish, sitting on fine, white sand beaches, slurping soft ice-cream (with chocolate Flake, of course) and enjoying a mini-heatwave! From here if you travel West, you will hit the USA ... !

Last night I ticked off another "bucket list" item - I went to the Minack Theatre at Porthcurno to watch one of my favourite Shakespeare plays "The Tempest": travel, shipwrecks, love, lost love, happiness, um .... more love and incredible forgiveness ... all rolled into a wonderful & meaningful bundle of 16th century waffle.

The Minack is a bit like Uluwatu (Bali) - albeit Western outdoor entertainment (without the monkeys)! The weather was stunning, the theatre wonderful and okay the play was not ... um ... professional ... BUT who cares ... it was just lovely ... a truly memorable evening that I wish I could have shared with you all.

The theatre is built into the side of a cliff ... it's very dramatic. Waves crashing against the rocks ... sunsets .... It is one of the most amazing venues to watch a play ... or an opera. Later this Summer, Puccini's Tosca is being performed - see you there!

Minack is a MUST for any theatre lover.

Another really nice thing about Menak is that if you do get "bored" (and lets face it, even Shakespeare has its moments!) you can wander around while the play is still on ... get a cup of tea ... watch the birds dive-bombing into the Atlantic and the helicopters fly overhead. It's so ... easy!

The sun has been very hot here and my face is a wee burnt ... but happily so.

The hotel is quite basic (VERY basic) BUT clean and I am embracing it; all part of the positive work:home division in my new life which is quite enjoyable and quite different.

Today has been more of the same - sloth - thinking - music - reading and relaxing! A better English holiday I have never had!

Happy ....

“What's past is prologue.” ― William Shakespeare, The Tempest

Song of the Day: Say Something - James
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rv7rABbwvU