Category: Travel

TRAVEL GUIDE | Small Town Boy, the best and gay friendly towns of Midwest America

Travelling to America as a gay man you probably think of the usual haunts including New York, South Beach and San Francisco – and they are all fantastic cities, but have you ever thought about small-town America? Well, we recently had a little sojourn to America’s Midwest where we uncovered some gems and found the joy in small-town America.

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Galena

If you’re a fan of the fly/drive holiday, then you’ll want to check out the Great Lakes Facebook page, where you’ll get lots of ideas for glorious cities, friendly towns and exciting hotspots to visit while you’re in the area. One such find is the ridiculously beautiful town of Galena (main street pictured at the start). Around three hours west of Chicago, you’ll drive through miles and miles of farming land, the Midwest is known as the breadbasket of America because of its wheat production – and you’ll certainly see a lot of it. The roads are easy, wide and once outside the city limits mainly free from traffic. You can forget the M6 or M25 motorways. Galena is a different world altogether and as you enter through the town’s giant floodgates (it sits on the Galena River which feeds into the Mississippi River) you’ll be left wondering if you’ve actually stepped back in time.

CREDIT: TheGayUK

Home to just under 3500 people, the town has an incredible friendly laid-back appeal. You must stay in one of the gorgeous, unique suites at the Jail Hill Inn – owned, operated and lovingly restored by the Inn Keeper, Matthew Carroll.

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For lunch fill your boots at the wonderfully authentic Vinny Vanucchi’s Italian restaurant. To really get your orientation in this quaint historic town, buy a ticket for the Galena Trolley – which departs from 10 AM until 9 PM. Your guide will take you on a whirlwind stop of this picture perfect town. If you have a head for heights book yourself on to the Balloon flight experience and see how beautiful the Midwest countryside is from the sky. As you float several thousand feet up let yourself drift with the wind – who knows where you’ll end up next.

Rockford

CREDIT: TheGayUK

Driving on the I20 east, just an hours drive from Chicago is Rockford in northern Illinois. Although home to 150,000 people Rockford manages to maintain its small-town heart and friendly folk are all around. There are two friendly gay bars, The Office right in the centre and Dusty Boots Saloon and Eatery. Home to a number of attractions such as the Laurent Home, the Anderson Japanese Gardens and the Burpee Museum (don’t forget to say hello to Homer the T-REX).

CREDIT: TheGayUK

However, if you’re looking for a real treat, head over to the jewel of Rockford the Coronado Theatre right in the centre of town and book yourself into the theatre tour with Marty Mangas, who really is a gem of a tour guide. If you’re lucky, you’ll even get to see Bob Bates play the 80-year-old original organ before heading off on a backstage experience. Be sure to refresh and replenish the senses with a cool beer down at the Prairie Street Brewhouse nestled on the river’s edge. A perfect look out spot as the sun sets. You’ll find comfortable lodgings at the Fairfield Inn and Suites.

The Quad cities – Moline

CREDIT: TheGayUK

As you set off from Rockford, heading south, be sure to stop off and have breakfast at Poopies. You’ll find it on Viaduct Rd, and you should be prepared for a huge plate of homey food at a decent price. Don’t be put off by the name or the restaurant’s seats – which are actually made from toilet seats.

Moline is a cutesy but agricultural town right in the heart of farming country, one hundred and sixty-five miles west of Chicago. Surrounded by miles and miles of farmland, the population is a little over 43,000 and it sits between The Rock and the mighty Mississippi rivers. Moline makes up the Quad Cities along with Davenport, Bettendorf and Rock Island. There’s a small but friendly gay scene in Davenport centred around Connections and Mary’s On 2nd. For lunch, you must take lunch at Lagomarcinos Soda Fountain on 5th Avenue – their milkshakes and deep filled sandwiches are to die for.

Don’t forget to get up early and take in some views of the Mississippi.

Andersonville

CREDIT: TheGayUK

Okay, cheating slightly here, because Andersonville is actually a neighbourhood in northern Chicago less than a kilometre from the lake front, but it is an absolute must visit. Chicago offers two incredibly friendly neighbourhoods for the LGBT community – the more youth orientated Boystown and the slightly maturer Andersonville. Of course, there are many gay bars to visit and street festivals throughout the year to try out, but one particularly sensational event to try is the Andersonville Annual Midsoomarfest. If you go a stranger, I promise you won’t leave without making friends as the neighbourhood’s streets are filled with a party atmosphere and music stages provide your evening with a crowd-pleasing soundtrack.

Make sure you grab yourself a slice of original Chicago pizza pie and a chilled Margarita.

TGUK stayed at:
Fairfield Inn and Suits, Rockford
The Irish Cottage Boutique Hotel, Galena
The Carleton of Oak Park, Chicago

TGUK flew into Chicago O’Hare on Icelandair with a layover in Reykjavik. However, there are direct flights with British Airways, Virgin, American Airlines and United.

Visit www.facebook.com/GreatLakesUSA for more information.

To find out more Visit

1st November 2016
Popular and Secret UK Nude Beaches

Looking for the best nudist beach in the UK?

When searching for a nudist beach, minds often wander to a warmer, more ‘European’ environment. Where banana hammocks are frequently discarded in favour of sunning those few parts that were left to the imagination. But you don’t have to travel that far to get some sun on your privates at a not-so-private locale, there are plenty of nude beaches right here in the UK.

We have nude beaches in the UK? Really? All I can think about is the amount of unflattering shrinkage that will be occurring. But for those of you who enjoy shedding your clothes and parking your posterior on pebbles WHATEVER the weather, there are a surprising number of nudist beaches right here in the UK for you to explore.

Just remember that not all nudist beaches are gay beaches, and not all gay nudist beaches are ok with other “activities”. A nudist beach is not always an excuse to go dogging.

Studland Bay, Dorset

Let’s start with the most (in)famous nudist beach in the UK. Studland Beach has the image of naked men baked right into the title. The popular beach is packed come summertime, whether or not the weather is hot, so this is not the beach to come to if you’re looking for peace and solitude. The shy nudists out there might be better off trying a different beach if you’re still precarious about stripping off.

Studland Bay has a dedicated gay section which, whether you like it or not, has unsurprisingly become a popular cruising ground. Many voyeurists take to the dunes for a little slap and tickle of the bait and tackle before taking a cheeky skinny dip in the sea.

Brighton Beach, Sussex

Originally opened in 1979, Brighton’s nudist beach is one of the most popular and most accessible nudist beaches in the UK. And since it’s Brighton and involves public nudity, the beach is hugely popular within the gay community. Despite the fact that the beach itself is one of shingle and pebbles, it remains one of the UK’s busiest naturist spots. So be sure to bring flip-flops and particularly comfortable towel if you’re planning on sunning your bits in Brighton.

Porthzennor Cove, Cornwall

If you’re looking for something more secluded, and perhaps a little more comfortable and beach-like, then it’s time to head to Cornwall. Britain’s best beaches are tucked away at its southernmost point, many of which are treacherously difficult to access. The rugged beauty of the West Cornwall coastline makes it ideal for naturists, populated with plenty of little coves and rocks that are perfect for sunbathing in your birthday suit. Though naturism is not officially recognised down there, you’ll be sure to come across many isolated coves whose seclusion makes them well-suited for nudists.

Porthzennor is one of the coastline’s secluded sandy coves that is difficult to get to but ensures that there won’t be any passers-by that will be shocked to see your white bits. The crashing cliffs cleave open to reveal several corners of private sand that make an ideal private beach for two (or more). Just be careful when swimming as there are often strong undertows, and the closest land from there is the USA.

St Osyth, Essex

Nude beaches in Essex just seems to be asking for trouble to me. I mean how many people try to tan in the land of fake tan? But low and behold St Osyth exists, not far from Clacton-on-sea, in the heart of good ole Essex beach country. The beach itself is a bugger to get to, taking about 20 minutes to walk to from the nearest car park. So while this makes access difficult for the more “mature naturist”, it also discourages snoopers.

The beach itself is about 2 miles long and isn’t overlooked, with about 1 or 2 miles of ground between it and the nearest road or track. St Osyth is unofficially divided into three different sections: one for straight naturists, one for men only, and then one populated by sand dunes. The latter part has been known to be something of a “swinging” area, but again that’s all just luck of the draw and who’s around on that day.

Morfa Ganol, Wales

Wales?! I know, first Essex now Wales, but hear me out. What the Welsh coast lacks in warmth, it makes up for with incredible landscapes to go with your manscapes (I’m running out of naked men jokes here). While you’ll need to pack a pair of walking boots to actually get to Morfa Ganol, you won’t need to wear anything else once you get there. The blissful beach is backed by the Snowdonia National Park, which means it’s pristine clear (albeit slightly chilly) waters are so clean they have earned the highest quality rating by European standards. Waters which are frequented by dolphins and the occasional German nudist. High praise from both.

Cleat’s Shore, Isle of Arran

So at this point in the list, we’ve all but abandoned the idea of a hot sandy beach in favour of whatever else UK beaches have to offer. So in for a penny, in for a pound, and let’s get naked on the brisk beaches of Scotland.

Cleat’s Shore is Scotland’s only official nude beach, and despite that impressive title, it is almost always empty. This makes it a great spot for our first time naturists. You’re far more likely to spend your time conversing with nature rather than other couples. But you won’t be the only nudists on the beach; seals are common in the area, so at least you’ll be skinnier than someone.

Throw in some rock pools, basking sharks and the occasional golden eagle, and Cleat’s Shore is a nude beach with a difference, which, let’s face it, is probably a good thing.

So don’t write off the UK as a great place to strip off. Yes the water may be colder, but the experience may be all the richer because of it. Have you been to any secret or beautiful nude beaches in the UK? Let us know all about them in the comments section below.

Thanks for reading!

26th October 2016
Virgin Holidays Work To Make LGBT Travel Safer

Virgin Holidays Publishes Report on Issues Facing LGBT Travellers

CREDIT: Matt Alexander/PA Wire

At the beginning of the month, Virgin Holidays published its LGBT travel report, which revealed the not-so-surprising statistic that nearly 1 in 3 LGBT travellers feel that they are treated differently due to their sexuality when on holiday.

If, like me, you’ve travelled to a few far-flung locations, you’ll know that attitudes towards LGBT tourists are sometimes less than welcoming. And so Virgin Holidays have launched an LGBT travel campaign called ‘Lose the Labels’ which looks to make travelling safer, easier and more enjoyable for the LGBT community.

The campaign includes a video of Virgin Holidays staff revealing stories that sound all too familiar, sharing times in which they themselves were faced with discrimination while travelling abroad.

The study goes on to reveal that a significant 37% of LGBT travellers have experienced some sort of discrimination while travelling – with a further 6% actually being threatened with physical violence because of their sexuality – and two thirds of us LGBT Brits refusing to travel to locations with an inhospitable attitude towards LGBT travellers… quite rightly so.

With a startling 80% of those surveyed feeling that the travel industry as a whole doesn’t do enough to keep LGBT travellers informed of local laws that could affect our rights and safety, Virgin Holidays founder Sir Richard Branson had this to say:

“At Virgin Holidays, we believe everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, has the right to be whoever they are, wherever they are. That’s why it is shocking that in today’s society some of us can’t even enjoy a simple holiday without fear of discrimination. It’s fantastic that Virgin Holidays are raising awareness around this important issue.”

The three-year plan will see Virgin Holidays focus on empowering staff, informing customers, and influencing partners. In fact, as part of their commitment to the cause, they will stage an LGBT equalities conference in conjunction with international tourism partners, encouraging partners in conservative regions such as the Caribbean to adopt more LGBT-friendly policies.

The campaign also sees the travel provider partnering with lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality Stonewall, as a Diversity Champion. This will see Stonewall support Virgin Holidays in auditing the workplace on its LGBT inclusion efforts and provide advice and support on how to make it a better place to work for all lesbian, gay, bi and trans members of staff.

We all love to travel, and we should do as much of it as possible in my humble opinion, but it’s important to be safe while we do so. However depressing it is to think that in 2016 not all countries accept us for who we are, it’s important to make sure that whatever holiday destination we choose, we’ll be safe.

Tell us about your less than pleasant travel experiences @TheGayUK #losethelabels to let others know where is safe to travel.

You can find out more information on the campaign at virginholidays.co.uk/losethelabels.

17th October 2016
8 Best Gay-Friendly Honeymoon Destinations

So you’re getting married? Congrats! We bet you’ve got enough on your plate and could spare having to plan the holiday of a lifetime on top of that. Have you come to the point where you’re pondering all the unanswered questions and steps that are separating you from actually jumping on that plane?

We hear you.

One question that should never be left ignored is whether you picked a honeymoon destination that is gay-friendly. With a whopping 75 countries still having some form of anti-homosexuality law, it’s easy to see how your perfect holiday could go awry. Although not feeling comfortable showing your affection to your loved one in public is not something you should ever have to deal with, it’s an especially unwelcome feeling on this special occasion. So, we’ve put together a list of the most gay-friendly honeymoon destinations; areas filled with beauty, vibrancy and friendliness.

1. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

CREDIT: Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain

Bring out the glitz and the feathers! Rio has been a favourite of same-sex partners for decades. With its vibrant carnival and world-famous gay-friendly neighbourhoods, Copacabana and Ipanema, Rio ticks many boxes. The beaches are gorgeous, the views phenomenal, the nightlife exciting and the food amazing. We may also have a soft spot as the Rio Olympics saw the record for the most out athletes participating in history.

2. Barcelona, Spain

CREDIT: Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain

Barcelona is constantly at the top of the most LGBT-friendly lists — and with good reason. A great mix of delicious tapas, fabulous sandy beaches, stunning historical buildings, balmy year-round climate, and a selection of gay bars, saunas, cruises and hotels to boot make it easy to see why it’s a holiday favourite amongst the gay scene.

3. Reykjavik, Iceland

CREDIT: Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain

Same-sex marriage became legal in Iceland in 2010, but the country always had a relaxed and accepting attitude towards gay couples. For one thing, their prime minister is openly gay! Despite all this, the beauty of this outlandish country is what will captivate you the most. Don’t miss the Blue Lagoon: a geothermal spa located in a lava field where you can soak in milky blue water at any time of the year.

4. Buenos Aires, Argentina

CREDIT: Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain

Gay marriage was legalised in 2010 in Argentina, but Buenos Aires was a mecca for gay travellers way before then. Dubbed the “most European place in South America,” it’s a sprawling city rich in history. Take a stroll hand in hand along the pedestrian Calle Florida in the Microcentro, or in the Recoleta, Palermo and marvel at all the beauty without a care.

5. Cancun, Mexico

CREDIT: Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain

Cancun has so much more to offer than the hedonistic reputation that precedes it. There’s a bit of everything for everyone. Sure, there’s the crazy night life if you fancy that, but there are also a whole throng of gay beaches and hotels to pick from, and a carefree, ‘live and let live’ vibe that’ll put you right at ease.

6. Cape Town, South Africa

CREDIT: Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain

One wouldn’t always think of the African continent when it comes to gay-friendly travel destinations, but South Africa was the fifth country in the world and first in Africa to legalise same-sex marriage. Seen by many as one of the most beautiful cities in South Africa, Cape Town promises spectacular scenery, incredible beaches and exotic wildlife. Drive safely, though, as the baboons run free!

7. Taiwan

CREDIT: Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain

Taiwan may also come as a surprise for a gay-friendly destination, but it is one of the most accepting countries in Asia. There’s something for all tastes and tonnes to explore for such a tiny island, including nine national parks (don’t miss the Taroko National Park), a bustling metropolis, pleasant sub-tropical weather and beautiful, remote beaches.

8. Palm Springs, USA

CREDIT: Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain

The sun always shines in the South Californian desert oasis of Palm Springs. As a city that boasts the most same-sex (and the most clothing optional!) hotels in the world, it’s easy to see how you’ll have a great time. Rather go golfing? Hiking? Clubbing? There’s little that can’t be had in Palm Springs.

Parveen Nanda is an experienced blogger and travel expert at Luxtripper, supplying luxury four and five-star hotels and end-to-end package holidays.

28th September 2016
TRAVEL GUIDE: Gothenburg

Gay Days in Gothenburg

Myself and another LGBT journalists were graciously invited by Visit Sweden to attend their West Pride festival, and see how just how different gay life is for the Scandinavians in the welcoming city of Gothenburg.

Travelling to Gothenburg

It’s 8:30 in the morning, and after two days of less-than-fortuitous encounters with trains, tubes and buses, I am well and truly sick of London transport and ready to get the hell out of this city… At least for a little bit.

Sat at Gatwick Airport after clearing security, I get a few moments to sit and watch the mêlée of stag and hen dos downing glasses of wine before scurrying off to catch their flights to Ibiza, Prague, etc.

Classy as ever England, let’s go see how the Swedish do things.

My flight was delayed, but then this is Gatwick so it’s no big surprise, but before long I am jetting out on Norwegian Airlines to the second largest city in Sweden.

First impressions of Gothenburg

Despite it sounding like Batman’s second home, the city of Gothenburg is bright, open and friendly. Rainbow flags greeted us as we walked out of the airport, flying high and proud upon almost every available flagpole across the city. The best word to describe the city would be ‘welcoming.’ Welcoming to gays, to tourists, and gay tourists alike.

Sweden’s second-biggest city is a peculiarly perfect mixture of artistic venues, universities and trendy hipster locations, all quaintly positioned along Sweden’s Western coast. It’s the home of the Volvo (and you’ll see them everywhere) and is at the heart of a thriving internationally important music culture, producing music acts from Ace of Base (my first ever CD) to the slightly heavier The Knife. Swedish music is hugely gay-friendly, with the Swedish version of pop music making Justin Bieber look positively Goth. Schlager music, as it is known, can be thought of as the songs and acts too cheesy for Eurovision, and it was playing in every gay club, bar and open-air venue that we came across.

Touring the city

Foto: Jorma Valkonen.

Gothenburg is a city that is easily explored by foot. From our cozy retro-chic hotel (Bellora Hotel) on Kungsportsavenyen (yes that’s what the street names look like over there), the longest we ever had to walk was 15 minutes, and that’s only because we stopped for coffee on the way. (Important side note: the Swedish people have a lovely tradition known as fika. If you go on any arranged tours or excursions you’ll likely see several of these scheduled throughout your day. A fika is pretty much just a coffee break, however it is very much tradition to take several fikas everyday. You cannot fika alone, so it is the act of sharing a short break, a hot drink and something sweet with a friend, family member, colleague, or random passer-by. Indulge your sweet tooth and enjoy this Swedish tradition as often as possible).

Travel cards are available, and are a good investment if you’re planning on taking tours and visiting several museums as it allows for free entry to almost all of them alongside your bus and tram travel, but if you just want to wander around it’s easy enough to walk.

When the city was first founded in the 17th century, it was laid out largely by Dutch planners and is still home to several canals. These can be explored by canoe, paddleboat, or by boat tour which comes with plenty of terrible Dad joke-style puns, the core of true Gothenburg humour.

The most famous boulevard is called Avenyn, which is lively and lined with numerous great shops and restaurants (yes, they do have a lot of H&M stores there). For something a little more hipster, head to Haga, known as the ‘old town’ of Gothenburg which was once the city’s working class area and is now awash with vegan cafés and vintage record stores.

We spent our last day touring the islands of Gothenburg’s archipelago, which can be reach easily by tram and ferry, just 20 minutes from the city centre. There are several islands you can visit, easily hopping on and off the ferry, and explore on foot.

There are a few quaint B&Bs on each if you feel like staying the night, or simply stopping off for some lunch or a cheeky glass of wine. We were lucky enough to soak up some sunshine while enjoying a delicious seafood lunch at the LGBT-friendly Pensionat Skaret Guest House, who had proudly raised their rainbow flag in honour of the West Pride weekend celebrations.

West Pride

Those involved in West Pride work all year round to provide support to the LGBT community. West Pride is more of a celebration of their ongoing work, and the success they’ve had strengthening their community, rather than celebrity performances and parades of underwear models (unfortunately). The parade and events are all free and open to all members of the public, and that is one of the things that most surprised and impressed me about Gothenburg, the solidarity. As I said, rainbow flags were everywhere across the city, not just on theatres and hanging outside of clubs, but at the airport, fire stations, churches and small rural B&Bs. Even the traffic lights were changed to show two men and two women holding hands. The spirit of gay pride could be felt in every corner of this city.

The feeling of community was wonderful, and felt all the more important as Sunday’s West Pride parade fell on the day after the Orlando mass shooting. With the whole world reeling from this attack on the LGBT community, the people of Gothenburg stood united.

The parade was the first that I’d attended in which I was actually allowed to march. I was surrounded not just by activists, community organisers and gay club owners, I was walking next to straight families pushing buggies while their young children waved rainbow flags, proud parents, and welcoming religious groups. It was exactly as the name suggested, a celebration of pride in who we are as individuals and who we are as a community.

West Pride ran hundreds of programs throughout the celebration, everything from the now-famous lesbian breakfast to museum exhibitions on LGBT history. Granted I wouldn’t have been averse to some underwear-clad floats, but the welcoming feeling of support and acceptance would more than make up for it.

CREDIT: Pixabay

Gay Places to go in Gothenburg

While the upside to Gothenburg’s quaint size is its sense of community and its supreme walkability, the downside is the limited options when it comes to going out gaying. For the biggest gay nights, there are parties that take place either once a month or even once every two months. Wish You Were Queer is probably the biggest gay party, set once a month on a docked boat called Rio Rio (which rumour has it may be closing down soon, so keep an eye out for a new venue likely coming soon).

Jazzhuset was another incredible venue we visited, located within in an art deco-style apartment building, it felt a bit like we were crashing someone’s house party. There were stand up comedians performing who were apparently hilarious, I missed most of the jokes as they were obviously in Swedish, before the dancefloor was eventually consumed by the biggest crowd of dancing lesbians I’ve ever seen in one place. Bee Bar refers to itself as a “straight-friendly” bar, situated in the city centre it is an ideal place to grab some gay food or gay drinks whatever the time of day and sit and watch the gay world go by.

The only real gay club that exists in Gothenburg all year round is the infamous Greta’s (confusingly pronounced Giriatas by the Swedes), and it is the city’s biggest and longest-running gay club. It is here that a real love of cheesy pop is absolutely crucial. Do not expect dance remixes or house music to be playing in this two-storey mansion of gayness. If you’re a Eurovision fan you’ll be right at home here. With drag acts regularly flown in from London and the compulsory hot bartenders, Greta’s is the perfect setting for a great gay night in Gothenburg.

Check our listings for up-to-date information.

The men of Gothenburg

Now I don’t like to perpetuate stereotypes, but bugger me the Swedes are frickin beautiful! Think Aleksander Skarsgards just everywhere. Reason enough to book a flight immediately.

For more on gay Gothenburg, please visit www.goteborg.com/en

For further information on gay and lesbian Sweden, visit www.visitswedenlgbt.com

13th September 2016
The top gay travel destinations revealed

So you’re owed some holiday time. It’s time to pack your shiz up and go on vacay.

Are your work colleagues starting to give your work station a wide berth and “concerned” look because you’re giving off that all-work-no-play-makes-Jack-go-crazy look?

But where to go? The world is your oyster.

Well users over at Ranker.com have been voting on the best holiday destinations to go to if you’re LGBT…

Here’s where they suggested:

San Francisco

Ah, possibly the gayest location on earth. Don’t forget to visit the Castro and breath in all that gay history.

Paris

I mean they say Gay Paris don’t they!

Seattle

The weather may not always be perfect, but its stance on equality has always been incredible having legalised same-sex marriage in 2012 and having provisions for gay state employees since 2001. Bravo.

New York City

How you doin’…

Montreal

First of the Canadian cities to get voted on… Best time to go would be early August when the city celebrates Pride.

Vancouver

CREDIT: Pixabay / gtriay

Let the vibrant city invigorate. Check out Davie Village and Commercial Drive.

Melbourne

It’s where Please Like Me is filmed… and find out what our roving travel guy Nick Baker thought of it.

9th September 2016
HOTEL REVIEW | Hilton Garden Inn Customs House

The newest Hilton Hotel in Dublin is the recently acquired Hilton Garden Inn at Customs House. Situated on the river, on the edge of the financial district, the hotel is easy to find from the airport as well as being conveniently situated for shopping and dining.

The hotel boasts 239 spacious rooms, each with a 40-inch TV screen and mini-bar. The minibar can be stocked easily from a large selection of items at the ‘pavilion pantry’ in the foyer 24 hours a day.
The professional and helpful hotel staff are able to assist you with finding your way around town, though public transport choices are also easy to find near the hotel, with local buses stopping just outside the main door, and the tram system running along the street behind. To help you sort through the many dining options the city has to offer, there is a Dublin Dining magazine including all the restaurants in the city and a map showing their locations.

The hotel itself is a short 20 – 30-minute walk from most of the inner city areas such as Temple Bar, Grafton Street (Dublin’s most famous shopping street), EPIC Ireland museum is within 5 minutes’ walk, and much of Dublin’s main shopping areas are within 20 minutes.

The rooms themselves are spacious with a large comfortable bed, television screen with multiple channels from both Ireland and the UK. The bathrooms are bright and well appointed.

The hotel is a short walk from the majority of Dublin’s gay bars, of which there are a few to choose from, with The George being the only one open past 12pm every night of the week with live drag acts, however it is simple enough to order an Uber and get there quicker for about 5 euro.

It’s a quick cab ride to the area of Temple Bar, where you can find hundreds of restaurants of various styles and varieties. It’s a good idea to check the traffic situation as mid-to-late afternoon traffic runs peak hour right past the hotel, and it might actually be quicker to walk.

To find out more about the hotel, or to make reservations, visit their website.

Following Aaron Holloway on Twitter

7th September 2016
Your Bucket List could set you back nearly £20000
Brits are willing to spend up to £10,000 on their bucket list on average, new research has revealed.

CREDIT: skeezet/pixabay

A survey exploring bucket list budgets revealed Brits would be willing to part with between £5,000 and £10,000 on completing their travel goals.

But with the cost of completing the UK’s ‘top 10 bucket list activities’ coming in at a whopping £18,519 (at an average cost per activity of £1851.90), that would only be enough to complete five bucket list items.

Going on safari (£5,600) and walking the Great Wall of China (£1,139) both appeared in the top five bucket list activities.

And visiting the Grant Canyon (£1,181), going whale watching (£2,000) and taking an American road trip (£3,365) also made the top ten wish-list.

Joe Gardiner, Head of Brand and Communications for TotallyMoney.com, said,

“We all have a bucket list, but many of us probably don’t take the time to work out how much it would cost to complete.

“If you’re serious about getting everything done before you kick the bucket, then that’s where you have to start.”

The thrifty and frugal, however, can start working towards completing their bucket list right now by choosing one of the three free activities on the list.

Starring as an extra in a movie, writing a novel and running a marathon can all be completed without costing a penny.

In the meantime, big dreamers can try a new bucket list calculator to find out how much you need to set aside.

Using the definitive top 50 bucket list, TotallyMoney.com compiled a smart bucket list calculator which gives users the ability to pick their own ultimate activities from amongst the UK’s favourites.

The tool then calculates the total cost of users’ individual bucket lists, before presenting them with the percentage of their salary they will need to save in order to achieve their dreams, based on whether they have two, five or ten years to stockpile funds.

Joe added: “Planning ahead and staying on top of your finances is essential if you’re going to get the most bang for your buck, especially when it comes to travelling and life experiences.”

The Top 10 UK Bucket List Activities

1. See the Northern Lights (average cost: £572)

CREDIT: ColiN00B/pixabay

2. Go on safari (average cost: £5,600)

CREDIT: designerpoint/pixabay

3. Walk the Great Wall of China (average cost: £1,139)

CREDIT: PublicDomainPictures/pixabay

4. Visit the Grand Canyon (average cost: £1,181)

CREDIT: skeezet/pixabay
1. Go on a cruise (average cost: £1,338)
6. See the Egyptian Pyramids (average cost: £1,112)

CREDIT: Kokhanchikov-Depositphotos

7. Go whale watching (average cost: £2,000)

CC0 Public Domain / Unsplash

8. Spend New Year’s Eve in New York (average cost: £1,103)

9. Gamble in Las Vegas (average cost: £1,109)

C2GlobalSales / CC0 Public Domain

10. Take an American road trip (average cost: £3,365)
30th August 2016
HOTEL REVIEW | Holiday Inn Express Portsmouth Gunwharf Quays

A friendly welcome and smile awaits you at Portsmouth’s Holiday Inn Express Gunwharf Quays.

Right in the heart of the newly redeveloped Gunwharf Quays, just in the shadow of the famous Spinnaker Tower, Holiday Inn Express Gunwharf Quays couldn’t be more in the thick of the action if it tried.

The 130 room hotel offers the perfect base for exploring the harbour city of Portsmouth in the south of England. Using this hotel as your base you’ll be able to discover the rich maritime history of Portsmouth with the abundance of museums and exhibitions in the local area, including the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, just seven minutes walk from the hotel.

The rooms look down on to the bustling pedestrian area of Gunwharf Quays, which is filled with restaurants and cafes. The hotel also managed to secure some brilliant discounts at some of the chain restaurants, including a personal favourite of Giraffe, where we were able to get a huge 30 per cent off our meal.

Your receptionist will be able to help you out with the restaurants taking part.

The hotel is a standard Holiday Inn Express, offering breakfast and WIFI in the price – and free parking for the first 24 hours – each subsequent day costing £2.00 – a great reduction in the normal parking costs for the Gunwharf Quay.

The hotel offers great sized, comfortable rooms, with two pillow options, hard and soft. It is slightly let down by its dispenser soaps and shower gels in the bathroom instead of individual soaps and shower gels, but it’s a minor gripe, when looking at over all value.

The hotel is a short walk from Portsmouth’s only gay bar, the Hampshire Boulevard.

It’s also the perfect place to stay if you’re planning to attend Portsmouth’s Pride, which is a stroll along the seafront to Southsea common.

Portsmouth Pride takes place in June.

Find out more about hotel on its website.

14th July 2016
HOTEL REVIEW | Eccleston Square Hotel

★★★★ | Eccleston Square Hotel

I visited the Eccleston Square Hotel previously to review their restaurant, which I awarded five stars. Classed as London’s most hi-tech hotel, before arrival you’re encouraged to download their app from which you can request various items and drinks to be waiting in your room.

Further to the app, your room comes with an Ipad 2. Again, you control everything using the iPad; from wake up call, free 3D movie requests (for your 46inch), to room service- and of course you still have the option to pick up the phone and speak with someone.

The bed was exquisitely comfy, and it wants to be with a price tag of 12k (literally sleeping on someone’s salary). The only thing it can’t do is make you climax, unless you’re super sensitive and switch that massage mode on full whack- it really goes for it!

The bathrooms are kitted out palatially; a “rainfall” shower fit for four (channel Pamela Anderson in Barbwire when using the shower seat), a TV in the mirror, smart glass technology to frost the glass for privacy, and a lovely selection of L’occitane products.

Upon request you can get the key for the Square’s shared private garden across the road, so we took our Cosmos and went for an evening walk around the gardens. Very pretty and peaceful.

Due to birthday celebrations we took full advantage of the 24hr room service with a fair few bottles of fizz and post-prosecco paninis being brought to the room. So much so the next day we actually had to return a bottle of bubbles to the front desk as we had over ordered. I partly blame the iPad for making the process so easy & streamline.

Breakfast was slightly unfortunate with pancakes cold and bacon hot for my friend, and everything was flavoursome in my full English, but the beans were beastly!

The experience altogether is a clever meeting of automated / hi-tech, and delivery with a smile from the kind and personable team that bring the real touch to your stay.

Hi-tech, high spec , a stay you won’t forget.

16th June 2016
Saudi Arabia Puts £2.4 Billion Into Uber

Uber has had a cash injection from anti-gay Saudi Arabia. A cool £2.4bn to be precise.

CREDIT: Uber

The taxi disruptor tech giant, Uber, has had a giant investment from the Saudi Arabia Public Investment fund (royal government’s investment arm) as it plans to expand into the middle east. Saudi Arabia which bans women from driving has found that 80 per cent of Uber’s customers are women. The deal is said to be worth £2.4bn, $3.5bn (US) and is one of the largest investments in a tech firm the country has ever made.

S audia Arabia is one of the countries where homosexuality can still attract the death sentence. Men found guilty of homosexual acts can be executed by stoning.

The investment now means the company’s value stands at $62.5bn and will give Yasir Al Rumayya, the managing director of public investment fund a chair at one of Silicon Valley’s most prized firms.

Uber has had a troubling history of anti-gay incidents, especially in the US, its home market, with Twitter users reporting their homophobic experiences from drivers on their timelines.

Recently an alleged verbal assault in London left one gay man fearing for his safety after he asked his driver what his ‘craziest’ ride was. The driver, according to customer Lewis Peters, left him in shock, when the driver described two men kissing in the back of his car which he said was “disgusting” and “vile”.

Uber responded by saying,

“Uber celebrates diversity and does not tolerate any form of discrimination whatsoever.

“We take any allegations of discriminatory behaviour very seriously and it is our policy with any serious incident to prevent the partner-driver from using our app while we investigate.”

Does investment from anti-gay governments like Saudi Arabia in a firm like Uber put you off using them?

— TheGayUK Magazine (@TheGayUK) June 2, 2016

2nd June 2016