Simon Parker

2 weeks ago | telegraph.co.uk | Chris Leadbeater |Sarah Marshall |Simon Parker |Charlotte Lytton

A change to this attritional situation is one element of the "revamp". Last week saw a new gateway given a trial run. Traditionally, visitors have reached the site via the main entrance, on the north-east side of the complex. But recent days have seen the testing of a fresh way in, on the Faiyum Desert Road, on the monuments' north-western flank. This is a deliberate measure, designed to reduce congestion - in part by limiting the access afforded to private vehicles.

1 month ago | telegraph.co.uk | Simon Parker

For English cricket fans it is the greatest tour of them all. An up to 25-day battle between leather and willow, fought on sun-baked wickets, in five of Australia's greatest cities: Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. And for what? A tiny urn that has exchanged sweaty hands since the late 19 th century, when an Australian victory at The Oval led to a spoof newspaper obituary marking the death of English cricket.

Nov 3, 2024 | telegraph.co.uk | Simon Parker

Simon Parker is the author of A Ride Across America: A 4,000-Mile Adventure Through the Small Towns and Big Issues of the USA Credit: Simon Parker It has taken me two cross-country bicycle trips and more than 8,000 miles in the saddle to realise that America doesn’t need to be made great again. Because it may already be the greatest country on Earth. Sure, some of the food is rubbish, and tipping has spiralled out of control, but from iconic national parks that are visible from space, to...

Oct 14, 2024 | telegraph.co.uk | Simon Parker

Open roads and people: small-town Americans could not wait to speak to writer Simon Parker on his travels in Wyoming With more than 3,000 miles on the clock, I had cycled into a tight spot. A bottleneck of roaring traffic near Little Rock where the asphalt crosses the Arkansas river. Riding on would be suicide. So, I edged back, slowly, and took refuge in the shade of a nearby gas station. I stood out like a sore thumb. I always did. Because a bicycle and big red panniers are oddities in some...

Oct 7, 2024 | telegraph.co.uk | Simon Parker

‘The age-old defence of the US tipping system goes something like: servers are paid below minimum wage; therefore, they rely on tips to make up the shortfall,’ writes Simon Parker Over the next month, ahead of the US election, Simon Parker – who recently completed a coast-to-coast bike ride across the States – will be diving into the most divisive aspects of American holidays. This week he enters the awkward world of gratuities. Within an hour of touching down on American soil, I was faced...