Luxury

Seaplane to Shaviyani Atoll: Barefoot Pilots and the Finest Commute on Earth

There is a distinct, quiet magic in returning to the roads of your youth. Growing up in Plymouth, the landscapes of South Devon, where the rugged granite tors of Dartmoor give way to sweeping coastal horizons, were the backdrop to my early life. Returning decades later aboard a motorcycle adds an entirely new dimension to that nostalgia. The long, open miles through the West Country flow past with effortless rhythm, culminating in a stay at one of Devon’s most captivating historic estates: Boringdon Hall Hotel and Spa.

Golf and electric cars share a fondness for numbers. Golf has par, handicap, slope rating and the curious mathematical afterlife of Stableford. Electric cars have kilowatts, kilowatt-hours, charging curves and WLTP figures precise enough to suggest the weather has signed a contractual agreement.

They also share a minor image problem. Both can appear expensive, complicated and governed by people who assume you already understand the rules. Royal Ascot Golf Club and the new BMW iX3 are, in their very different ways, trying to do something about that.

I wasn't in any hurry to get from Edinburgh to Kelso. The drive through the Scottish Borders is one of those routes that's worth taking your time over, with quiet roads, rolling countryside and villages that tempt you to stop more often than you'd planned. It also seemed the ideal opportunity to get to know the new Mazda CX-5.

The car I was driving was fuelled by sustainable fuel from Sustain, produced by recycling atmospheric CO₂. It's part of Mazda's belief that there isn't a single answer to reducing emissions and that different technologies will all have a role to play.

Early one bright and sunny morning in May, we packed up the bike and headed east. Our bike for this journey was the 2026 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 ST. Born from the sun-baked asphalt of the American West Coast, the Pan America ST represents a fascinating paradox: the seamless intersection of unyielding Milwaukee iron and genuine apex-hunting intent.

This was not simply a visit to play golf. It was a chance to understand what the London Golf Club is trying to become, where it has come from and why, three decades after opening, it still feels like a venue with plenty of ambition left in the bag.

The organisation of family holidays has consistently been tasked to me, and it can be quite tricky when organising a trip that spans across two generations. However we thankfully always find a way to make it work. When we decided that a wee jaunt over to our capital city, Edinburgh would be a good shout, the Old Town Chambers for our accommodation was a no brainer. 

At number 4, Picardy Place - an elegant Georgian townhouse in the heart of Edinburgh - something quite extraordinary has arrived. The space is now home to the works of world-renowned artist Yaniv Edery, marking his UK debut. Not content with being a gallery alone, the townhouse also opens its doors for high-end private events, offering one of the capital's most distinctive and intimate settings.

Quinze Ans de Grâce

Some evenings stay with you. Not because of the champagne — though the champagne was excellent — and not because of the company, though the company was as distinguished as any room in London. This evening stayed because of one young woman who stood up, sang like an angel, and reminded two hundred of the city's finest that there are more important things in this world than being important.