MIXED REVIEWS FOR BRITAIN’S TOP SPOTS

NORA JOHNSON BREAKING VIEWS

THERE is just no pleasing some people. The UK’s got world heritage sites, a vibrant and cultured capital city and great landscapes. But not all visitors are impressed. As some recent less­than­glowing TripAdvisor reviews reveal.

Take Stonehenge for instance. An acknowledged wonder of the ancient world and UNESCO heritage site? Not so for one reviewer: “Just a bunch of rocks.” For another: “The definition of a tourist trap. Miles and miles of travelling to arrive at a park where you’re given an audio guide to some really uninteresting, boring old rocks.”

Surely the white cliffs of Dover, the first glimpse of Britain for many visitors, would fare better? Not exactly: “Except for the historical significance, there isn't anything exciting about the cliffs as they are today. Glistening white? They’re more like a filthy brown.”

Trip Advisor ­ by the people, for the people ­ is a site that encapsulates the internet conundrum. Its benefits to the paying public are obvious but its misuse can be devastating. Undoubtedly a useful tool, it’s obviously only as good as the reviewers. Aim to get corroborating information from other travel sites…or, better still for this year’s holidays, simply rely on your instinct and common sense!

Nora Johnson’s 12 critically acclaimed psychological suspense crime thrillers (www.norajohnson.net) all available online including eBooks (€0.99;£0.99), Apple Books, audiobooks, paperbacks at Amazon etc. Profits to Cudeca cancer charity.

RICHARD is in his 50’s, a retired forensic accountant from Scotland. After falling into an alcoholic coma, following a binge, he knew he had a choice, keep drinking and die, or stop and live. Here is his story…

“I started drinking aged 15. The sensation was amazing, I loved the feeling, was immediately hooked, and wanted more. I come from a big family, and a culture that promotes the use of alcohol. It wasn’t frowned upon, and for many years my behaviour wasn’t unusual.

I had a senior position in a prominent role and managed to keep a lid on my alcohol use. It became a chronic problem when I retired from work – that is when I became a daily drinker (morning, noon, and night). Gambling could have become a problem, but I needed the money for alcohol. Eating became a chore. Relationships became a thing of the past. Alcohol always came first.