Richard Rutter

We wanted somewhere quiet, with a few nice tavernas and restaurants and a beach (there are quite a few small, quiet beaches). And that pretty much sums up Sivota.

As you might have gathered from the photos it’s also a sailing centre, with all the yachts lined up in front of the main strip of bars. Not that it detracts from the place at all.

It’s quite isolated (but with plenty of facilities: shops, restaurants, bars, cash machine) and you probably wouldn’t want to spend more than a week there unless sailing is your thing.

We also took a day trip over to Corfu town, which is worth a visit.

It fitted our requirements perfectly and I’d recommend it.

I’ve been to Cambridge heaps of times and enjoy myself every time. It’s a great little town spoilt only by the massing throngs of tourists. The market is fabulous and the colleges are quite a sight as you wander by – Kings College Chapel never ceases to amaze.

Do have a go at punting on the Cam – even the locals are known to dabble (although they wait until the off season). And get yourself a picnic, a few cold beers and a frisbie, and head to Jesus Green or one of the many parks for a relaxing afternoon in the sunshine (if you’re lucky).

Most people pass through Woking on the train from London to Portsmouth. I wouldn’t recommend you stop, as Woking is dull, dull, dull.

Fans of the Jam will know that the band are from Woking. Lead singer and song writer, Paul Weller, named his solo album, Stanley Road, after the street in Woking where he used to live. His song That’s Entertainment is most probably about growing up in Woking and even if it isn’t, the lyrics certainly reflect my experience of living there for my formative years:

A police car and a screaming siren
A pneumatic drill and ripped up concrete
A baby wailing and stray dog howling
The screech of brakes and lamp light blinking
That’s Entertainment.

A smash of glass and a rumble of boots
An electric train and a ripped up ‘phone booth
Paint splattered walls and the cry of a tomcat
Lights going out and a kick in the balls
That’s Entertainment.

Days of speed and slow time Mondays
Pissing down with rain on a boring Wednesday
Watching the news and not eating your tea
A freezing cold flat and damp on the walls
That’s Entertainment.

Waking up at 6 a.m. on a cool warm morning
Opening the windows and breathing in petrol
An amateur band rehearsing in a nearby yard
Watching the telly and thinking about your holidays
That’s Entertainment.

Waking up from bad dreams and smoking cigarettes
Cuddling a warm girl and smelling stale perfume
A hot summer’s day and sticky black tarmac
Fedding ducks in the park and wishing you were far away
That’s Entertainment.

Two lovers kissing amongst the scream of midnight
Two lovers missing the tranquility of solitude
Getting a cab and travelling on buses
Reading the graffiti about slashed seat affairs
That’s Entertainment.

Grand Central is a pub right next to the railway station (look to the right on your way out) so it’s a really handy place to meet people when you first get to town. There’s also free wifi and a nice little sun terrace out the back (difficult to find though – look for the door to left of the glass panel next to the toilets). Try a pint of Harvey’s while you’re there – its the local brew and a good one at that.

A great place to live and a great place to visit. One of the best times to visit is in May for the Brighton Festival. It gets busy (so if you need a hotel book well in advance) but well worth it for a unique atmosphere with street performers, open houses, art, performance and bizarreness.

As a whole Brighton as a relaxed atmosphere, with a large gay, student and artist population. There are plenty of great pubs and bars (just avoid West Street – the road from the station to the beach). The shopping is pretty good (especially if you like record shopping – check out Rounder Records in the Lanes) and you’ll find some good places to eat, especially away from the beach and the centre.

The beach between the piers can be incredibly busy. If that’s where you are the best place to get beer is probably the Fortune of War which does off-sales (means you can drink their beer on the beach). But generally you’re best advised to can a cool-bag and some cold beers and settle down on the quieter sections of beach either side of the piers, either towards Hove or the Marina.

When all’s said and done, I’ve lived here for 5 years and hope for at least another five. It’s the first place I’ve felt really at home.