For reasons not entirely understood (but then at my stage in life there are many things I do not understand - The Ford Fusion: what the hell is all that about?), or perhaps its my dislike of anything fake, I have a bit of a penchant for Travel Writing - or should I say, the reading of Travel Writing.

Now, just because I can read it, does not of course make me an expert on attempting it myself. However, my experience with 'Bricks & Torture' clearly has not taught me a lesson, and unbowed by the trials of that episode, I began to create what was intended to be a 'sample' chapter of a book of travel writing. Like the masochist that I invariably must be, and in the proud British tradition of pushing on in circumstances where the chances of success are about as likely as Harrison Ford appearing as a token drunk in Emmerdale, I thrust these musings once again in the direction of multifarious publishers and agents.

The result was entirely expected, but still depressing, but then there is a finely blurred boundary between being confident and delusional.

So, this is another avenue. In the same vain as 'Bricks & Torture' (which I am afraid I still think is a particular apt and clever twist on a well known phrase - or it could just be me), I gave this a working title of 'Somewhere Holiday' - Yes, I know, its a bit weak, but then I was feeling particularly feeble by the time I had finished. The 'sample chapter' concentrated on South West France, and had the alternate titles of:

The French Basque Country
Or Do you buy stamps?

I will release individually tasty bites (or unpalatable mouthfuls, depending on your point of view), over the coming weeks, and the only thing I can promise is that they will work in chronological order. More than that, I dare not say.....