The clue
From beneath his beetling brow Friend is giving me an evil stare. “Hurry up — or there’ll be no time for the beach!” he growls as we walk the ruins of a Roman villa.
He wants to catch a train from a small inland town whose station is less than a mile northeast of the villa. His target: a second, coastal town three and a half miles north-northwest of the first.
But I’m in no hurry. This villa’s mosaics are too interesting. “Sorry,” I tell him. “I don’t care about the beach.”
I would, however, like a bit of time to explore the second town. After all, it was the birthplace of a patient English film-maker whose work was known for its measured pace. One of his films earned him an Oscar for best director.
It was also the childhood home of a writer (born in London in 1943). His biographies include a study of his generation’s most famous band. Coincidentally, two of its members once visited the same town and the trip is said to have inspired one of their hits.
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So I check that Friend has already sorted the travel — and graciously concede to a 16.26 departure. We’ll walk to the station after I’ve seen the villa’s Orpheus.
We arrive just in time for the train. “You’ve got a ticket to ride, haven’t you?” Friend asks as the service pulls in. “But you said you’d sorted the travel!” I gasp.
“I have,” he says. “For myself.” My jaw drops. “There’s no time to buy another ticket!” I wail.
“Guess what?” he asks before he gets to saying goodbye. “I don’t care.”
The questions
1. What is the name of the Roman villa?
2. What is the surname of the biography writer?
The prize
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The winner and guest will stay for three nights, B&B, in a Galaxy Suite with a private pool at the Asterion Suites & Spa in Crete. Set just back from Platanias beach, west of Chania, this adult-only hotel fuses local traditions with lush gardens and a contemporary sense of style. There are 67 newly renovated rooms and suites, alongside palm-fringed swimming pools and the Cretan à la carte restaurant 35°. The serene Orion spa is the place for bespoke therapies using olive oil, aromatic herbs and aloe vera. For more see asterionsuitesandspa.com.
The prize includes return London-Chania flights, also courtesy of easyJet Holidays, which features the resort in its programme of flight-inclusive escapes across Europe, north Africa, Madeira and the Canaries. For more see easyjet.com.
Answer the questions by the end of Wednesday, March 27. One entry per person. See here for the full competition terms and conditions from The Times & Sunday Times. Your information will be used in accordance with our privacy and cookie policy.
How to enter
Last week’s prize
The answers are Britten and Aldeburgh. Mark Doherty from Lancashire wins a break on the Istrian peninsula worth up to £1,750 at the Grand Hotel Brioni Pula in Croatia.
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