Normally I tend only to drink cocktails when I am on holiday abroad. So that means a Tequila Sunrise sat on a beach with the waves lapping against my toes. Or a Vodka Martini in a swish bar in an American city hotel.

In the UK I only partake occasionally preferring to stick to a glass of good red wine. I’ve had great Martinis at Langan’s Brasserie in London, and good Margaritas at Tiger Lily in Edinburgh. But wine usually wins.

But there is a special place where it has to be cocktails all the way. A quiet town in the Midlands might not immediately spring to mind as a holiday destination, but if you want a fantastic cocktail, served by knowledgeable and extremely personable staff no London establishment can hold a torch to, The Kenilworth, in Kenilworth, just a few miles from BHX airport, should race to the top of your wish list.

This superb boutique hotel with it’s fine luxury rooms attracts people from all over the country, if not the world, to sample its delights. It’s so popular you have to book a table in the bar on a weekend evening, but the booking is worth it because you will want to stay all night long. And work your way through the extensive cocktail menu.

After an evening tasting Mojitos, Martinis, Slings and Slammers, retire to your luxury room and relax. Every detail is taken care of. Great furnishings, a wall sized flat screen HD TV and modern art. There are no coffee making facilities in the rooms. If you want a coffee phone down and they’ll bring one freshly brewed to your door.

But as nice a touch as this is, you don’t really go to The Kenilworth for the coffee. You go for the atmosphere, the professionalism of the staff, the friendship of the owners, and the magic of their Mojitos.

Visit the Hotel Website.

Oh the weather outside is frightful….dum de dum…delightful!

Well after nearly 5 weeks of the thickest snow I have ever seen in my life, forgive me if I hope I never hear that song again. Radio stations I implore you not to play it for at least two years. Okay?

It’s amazing how the whole UK just grinds to a halt when the snow comes. Some argue that we shouldn’t invest in expensive equipment for rare conditions like these, but with a useless car stuck on the driveway for almost a month, and with legs tired from trudging miles in 6 inches of snow, I think there is another case to be made.

Why was the car stuck? Well it is a BMW. These cars are totally useless on snow. And I’m not talking about the really thick stuff. Mine struggles on a dusting. The wheels spin as it vainly tries to grip the road. But it goes no where. A BMW in the snow is no better than a sledge.

So I have missed Christmas parties and on some days taken nearly 3 hours to travel the 6 miles to work. Trips to London have been cancelled because of snow clogged runways, lack of de-icing fluid, and crews out of position. One day I took the decision not to travel to London on the Sleeper Train and cancel my trip. I am glad I did as that very train broke down in the borders and the passengers had to be bussed home.

And on the subject of trains here is a special mention for Scotrail who in my opinion win the award for the most incompetent of all companies during the blizzards. Whilst their website and even the TV screens in the stations continued to proclaim that the trains were running on time, Scotrail were cancelling trains left right and centre. But before cancelling the train they’d have you run from platform to platform for a while, or make you get off one train and get on another before telling you of the cancellation Or they’d simply increase the delay in small increments, lulling you into a false sense that it would actually run. But then that monotonous voice would come over the loud speaker, “We are sorry but the……is cancelled. Scotrail apologies for the inconvenience this may cause you.”

That voice is as monotonous as it is insincere.

So Christmas is here. A real white Christmas. Time to lock the door, open the wine, cook the goose and get ready for the Christmas episode of Doctor Who.

Happy Christmas 2010.

It took an act of outstanding geekery on my part to be reminded of the amazing resources that the internet gives us.

In my last blog entry I mentioned the last British Airways Boeing 757 being repainted in the famous 1980s Negus Negus livery to celebrate her impeding retirement.

Well I got a text from a friend saying that the aircraft’s final flights would be on the Edinburgh run. Having spent nearly 15 years shuttling between Edinburgh and London, often on this maginificent aircraft, I decided on a whim to be on that last rotation out of Heathrow up to Edinburgh. This involved travelling down simply to come back.

It was worth it. There was a real sense of occasion. Old Captains and crew were on board as were other geeks like myself. The take off was spectacular. Why? Because the 757 was built to be overpowered and due to noise restrictions rarely used 100% thrust. But we were allowed to as a special treat on that take off. Forced right back into my seat, we roared into the sky after maybe 10-15 seconds. Breath taking.

But that’s not the point of the blog. As we pushed back from the gate I noticed a ramp agent (one of the guys in the yellow coats) – using his iPhone to film the last ever BA 757 push back at Heathrow. I looked down at him from the front row seat and I knew he had me in his sights.

When I got home I went onto You Tube and it took me 2 minutes to find that video taken by the ramp guy. How surreal to see the scene from the other direction. I could see myself looking down at the camera through the aircraft window.

Just goes to show that there is very little you can’t find on the internet of you go looking for it.

A little more search and I managed to find a few videos relating to that final departure. Here is my favourite. The take off in all its noisey powerful kerosine soaked splendour.

Just stunning.