THANK you for visiting the paulcoletravels blog site during the past 12 months to catch up on my ramblings, news and reviews from the worlds of travel and music. Your continuing support is both heartwarming and humbling.

As is traditional at this time of year, I’ve delved into the site stats to see which posts most excited your interest during 2024, and the results find new stories rubbing shoulders with old faithfuls, some of which you have returned to three years in a row.

Here, in reverse order, are the most-read posts of the year. Click the links to read the full stories.

10. Mind-boggling architecture you can’t visit

The enigmatic Egyptian landmarks you’ll never find

9. The night I dined right royally with a pop icon

The surreal night Michael Jackson became King of England

8. A mission that all you LEGO fans out there loved

Half a million bricks needed for Lake District remodelling project

7. The geographically challenged Sabbath album

Off to the site of Black Sabbath’s album? It’s not where you expect

6. Home is where the art is – by order of you know who

Peaky Blinders stars in huge new Birmingham street art installation

5. Rock and roll story that I had sadly to update

Blackberry Smoke heartbreak as drummer Brit Turner, 57, dies

4. Big surprise if you go down in the woods today …

The real-life giant hidden in the Welsh woods

3. Walking, quite literally, into the lion’s mouth

Climbing the 1,200 steps to the top of Sri Lanka’s Lion Rock

2. When your holiday home used to be a high flyer

Now you can stay in a helicopter at new Johnny Vegas glampsite

1. Top of the most-read table for the third year running

Batman: the real-life pit from which the Dark Knight rises

Yes, the visit to the remarkable Chand Baori stepwell, in the small Indian village of Abhaneri – posted back in April 2021 – continues to be a firm favourite, still attracting new visitors every day. There’s huge interest in this most amazing of movie locations.

Thanks again for popping in. See you in the New Year!

Read more: My favourite rock and pop albums of 2024

Read more: The books I most enjoyed reading in 2024

Read more: The top 10 virtual travel trips you loved