02 January 2020

First of all I'd like to wish you a very Happy New Year from myself and Andy!! Thanks so much for all of your support in 2019, I can't wait to get started on 2020!! January is often a dreary, grey month after the bright lights and excitement of Christmas, which is why it is ALWAYS the busiest month in the travel industry… people need something else to look forward to once Christmas has gone. You may not realise it but, as creatures of habit, we tend to do the same things, at the same time, every year. That includes booking our much looked forward to annual getaway. With a lot of holidays now on sale until October 2021 and lots of great offers for booking early it’s the perfect pick me up you need at this time of year. It's where Blue Monday came from, said to be the most depressing day of the year and it always falls in January! Planning ahead is by far the best thing to do when booking a holiday. People often think that ‘late deals’, as they used to be known, still exist, and if you can travel anytime and have no restrictions then there are definitely deals to be had. Sadly not many people have that level of flexibility when booking a holiday anymore and the more requirements you add in, say local airport, short transfer, near the beach, daytime flights etc, the more expensive your trip will be as it's narrowing down the choices you have, The more flexible that you can be the better chance of finding a great 'late deal'. However, if you are looking at travelling at peak times, during children's school holidays, Christmas etc then you will always find the best prices by booking in advance. You'll also find that you are more likely to find free child places, you can choose where you want to stay and if you have a larger family of 5 or more there will be more options in terms of bigger rooms and interconnecting options. Certain destinations and events get busy quicker too so if you are wanting to attend a sporting event, a theme park destination, a music event or something similar the earlier you book the more likely you are to actually get availability. Things do sell out and really popular events can be booked within days of going on sale. When booking something so far in advance it’s also worth considering your holiday insurance at the time of booking as many people make the mistake of waiting until closer to the time of travel to cover their arrangements. This leaves them open to large financial losses in the event something happens to stop them traveling as planned. Travel Insurance is just as important as the holiday itself. It covers you for all number of reasons not just medical cover whilst away, but if you must cancel for an insurable reason before you travel, your luggage and belongings whilst away and delays during travel to name a few. After the awful collapse of Thomas Cook in September it’s also worth making sure that what you are booking is ATOL protected. Financial protection is extremely important to consider when booking a holiday. You will always receive an ATOL certificate for protected arrangements as soon as you book with me. Using a service like mine also frees you up to be doing the things that you enjoy doing! I will source and research the best options so that you don't have to spend days trawling the internet, checking reviews and making sure that it suits everyone in your party because I will take a very detailed brief from you at the initial enquiry stage so the ideas I pick out for you are perfect for you. Tailored to your requirements. Because I work from home we can discuss your requirements on the phone, I can come to you or we can meet for a coffee at a time that is convenient for you. If it's easier for you to chat once the kids are in bed then that is fine with me, or if a Sunday afternoon is the only time you have spare to chat then that's fine too. I also make sure that everything is taken care of in terms of any dietary requirements being notified to the accommodation, I register your passports with the airlines, process your online check in if available, I print all of your necessary documentation and I even write out your luggage labels for you so all you have to do is pack and go! No more check lists, printing things yourself and stressing about if everything is ready. All of the above will add up to a great value, well protected holiday or trip in 2020 and beyond!

02 January 2020

It was only a 90 minute coach ride from Philadelphia to Atlantic City, the home of gambling on the East Coast of America. I wasn't sure what to expect of this little town but it was surprisingly a real gem of a place. We arrived at our hotel, The Hard Rock Atlantic City and after a speedy check in were straight to our lovely rooms. Spacious and just enough luxury without being too over the top. It turns out we picked a good night to check in as Kenny Chesney (a very popular Country singer in the US) was playing at the hotel that night and so there was a real buzz about the place. We headed straight out to the beach area directly in front of the hotel where we found a beautiful stretch of white sand beach. It was not what I expected at all, it was like something straight out of the Caribbean! We went straight over to the Pier opposite the hotel, the oldest Steel pier in North America and home to a number of traditional funfair rides. We couldn't wait to try out the Observation Wheel, the third tallest in the USA.. you enjoy 3 full rotations and it takes about 10 minutes with a stop at the top so you can see the surrounding area. It was a beautiful day so you could literally see for miles! With the 'strip' of casino hotels lining the beach to either end and a stunning view of the Atlantic Ocean below it was well worth doing. We also had our adrenaline fix on a 5 minute helicopter ride from the end of the pier out to either end of the resort, it's certainly the best way to see the area especially for any thrill seekers!! We couldn't leave the pier without enjoying a traditional funfair treat of funnel cake. I've had this in many locations in America and it's one of my favourite sweets but topped with stewed apple and whipped cream sat in the salty Atlantic coast air was by far the best way I've ever eaten it. Our next adventure was a dolphin spotting cruise from Gardners Basin to the north of Atlantic City. We set off on our 2 hour adventure that took us down past and along the shoreline of Atlantic City. We were very lucky to catch a glimpse of the local dolphins but only very briefly on this occasion. The tour company that we used don't bait the dolphins to draw them to the boat or the area but they rely on sightings from local fishermen and their knowledge of where they often spot the dolphins as well as a bit of luck thrown in! Being out on the water was a lovely experience. I also fell in love with a few of the beautiful houses on the harbour as we came back into dock. We left Atlantic City the next day heading further north, past New York where we could see the skyline from the coach, and up into the Catskill Mountains in Upstate New York. We were lucky to be staying at a brand new resort that had only opened a few weeks earlier that offered modern family orientated accommodation with the bonus of it's own on-site indoor waterpark! There were firepits dotted around outside in the garden areas where you could take a hot chocolate and toast some marshmallows, a great bar area and lots of family games to play. We even managed to find time to pop our swim suits on and check out the waterpark which being indoors meant that it didn't matter what the weather was like outside! The waterpark was great and had enough to keep little ones and big kids happy.. it has a couple of bigger slides as well as a wave rider for those who are a bit more adventurous... or you could just bob around in the Lazy River like me. The next day we were up early for our most adventurous activity of the trip, white water rafting on the Delaware River... Now this was an experience. With five of us to a raft we paddled down river where we tackled some of the rapids, and survived! Not only was it great exercise, exciting and fun it was a unique way to see the local wildlife. We saw eagles and possibly a bear (we didn't stick around to find out if it was for sure!) as well as deer. It took around an hour of paddling to reach the end of the course and we were greeted with much appreciated hot chocolate and cookies to warm us up. It was then time to check out the amazing artisan distillery and brewery trail in the area where we toured the sites, heard about the process of how their products came to be and even sampled a few of the offerings.. purely for research purposes obviously! With visits to Prohibition Distillery (from which I may have made a purchase or two!) and the Roscoe Beer Co, which is based in an ex Firehouse so has a great character to it we saw and tasted some of the best that the area has to offer. Our last stop in the Catskills was a visit to Bethel Woods Centre for the Arts and Museum, which probably doesn't mean much to you... otherwise known as the home of the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival!! As a music lover it was such an honour to be able to stand on the ground where that iconic event took place 50 years ago. The location and the museum are fabulous memorials to the event and it was like stepping into a time tunnel wandering through the museum, watching the videos, hearing the stories and seeing the outfits and photos of the whole thing. It's in such a peaceful area so I can't imagine what the neighbours thought when thousands of people turned up for a festival! That was our final stop before heading to Newark Airport, around 90 minutes away, for our flight to Phoenix and the finale to our trip in Scottsdale. On arrival at our hotel, the 5* Phoenician Resort, we checked in and headed straight out into Scottsdale for some food and drink. Found a great place called Dierk Bentley's Whiskey Row where there was live music, great food and we tried some of their local beers before dancing the night away. The next morning it was an early start with a short trip into the desert to Saguaro Lake Ranch for a horse trail ride through the desert. I expected, as a non-horse rider, that it would be a simple flat terrain ride for an hour.... how wrong was I!?!?! It was up hills, climbing rocks, coming down the other side of rocks at very steep angles... I genuinely thought I was coming off my horse several times... but we made it back in one piece and it was actually a really amazing experience, possibly even better than the white water rafting! We were able to relax around the fabulous pool at the hotel before we were finally saying goodbye to Arizona... a short but very sweet trip indeed!

02 January 2020

Philadelphia has never been a destination that I had ever considered before, not sure why but when the opportunity came up to visit I knew I had to take the chance to see what the birthplace of the United States of America actually had to offer.... I was definitely not disappointed! Philly, as it's affectionately called by the residents, is a fabulous city with plenty of historical sites mixed with a modern, forward thinking tourist industry that is a match made in heaven for anyone who loves to travel and explore. Our hotel was very centrally located in the Midtown area where there is a huge choice of fantastic independent shops, bars and restaurants to choose from, with some awesome murals on the walls around the area. It felt perfectly safe to walk around and we explored just about everywhere on foot. The cost of living was much better than I had found in New York just a few months earlier. I bought a 500ml bottle of soda in an NYC convenience store at a cost of US$6 but in Philadelphia at a similar convenience store I got 2 bottles of soda and a large chocolate chip muffin for the same price. We had planned ahead and had our Philadelphia Sightseeing Pass so that we weren't constantly checking entry costs for everything, we could access all of the cities main sights for one great value price. We visited the One Liberty Observation Tower almost as soon as we arrived in the city which was a great way to get our bearings and understand the layout of the city. It's an observation platform high above Philly's streets. Being on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River on which the city sits, you can see all the way into New Jersey from the top of the tower. With a 360 degree view of the surrounding area it's easy to pick out landmarks and great for photo opportunities. It also gives you a great history of the city if you're not familiar with it already. This was followed by a fabulous tour of Independence National Historical Park, seeing the original Courthouse, Independence Hall which was the site of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution, the US Mint and the famous Liberty Bell. We heard how the founder of Philadelphia, William Penn, set out to build a new, free world away from his homeland of England, a place where democracy and religious freedom were the foundations. Even the name of the city confirms this, Philadelphia is Greek and means 'To love your brother'... his intentions couldn't have been any clearer! Our tour guide was excellent and obviously cared deeply about the history that he was sharing with us. It was a fabulous easy walking tour of around 90 minutes where we learnt just a little about the complex history of the city. From here we headed the short distance to Reading Terminal Market, a bustling public indoor market where you can buy local produce, merchandise and fabulous food. After a wander around the many stalls and stands, live music being played in the centre of the hall and checking out all of the amazing culinary options on offer there was only one thing that I needed to try and that was a Philly Cheesesteak. We asked around and were told to check out Carmens, so off we went to queue (you know it's good when you are queuing!) for our cheesesteak. There was a menu board with about 10 different cheesesteak options but when you're trying it for the first time it has to be the original straight up, no added extras option! A cheesesteak is a sub roll stuffed full of fried finely sliced steak, onions and cheese, usually American cheese but you can add cheddar or other options if you prefer. I honestly have to say it was the best sandwich I have EVER eaten! Once we had polished that off we went on the hunt for dessert. We had been recommended Canolli, an Italian sweet pastry filled with flavoured cream so had to check it out, but I'd also recommend the Dutch Apple Dumpling with custard, another local treat. Philadelphians certainly know great food! Philly also has a budding micro-brewery and distillery industry and most of the city centre ones offer free tours or very reasonably priced tours to see how they make their artisan products. It would be a great way to while away a damp day in the city. We jumped on the Philadelphia Hop on Hop off bus tour for a glimpse of the most important sites of the city which turned out to be a great way to see parts of the city that you might not make it to on your own. The great thing with the bus is that you can literally get on and off at any of the 25 stops on the route and only pay one price. We saw City Hall, a beautiful building with it's iconic statue of William Penn on top, the Philadelphia Zoo, the port area of Penns Landing, the quaint leafy streets of the Old City, Love Park, Logan Circle and the Philadelphia Museum of Art to name a few. We also visited the most historic prison built in the USA, Eastern State Penitentiary too. We had a lovely volunteer tour guide who gave us the history of the site whilst we walked around. It's a very eerie location and although is almost in the centre of Philadelphia feels very isolated when you're in there. With stories of the inmates, the living conditions, the wardens and the ghost stories it was a really interesting 2 hour tour. It housed some of the most notorious criminals during it's time, including famously, Al Capone! It was hard to believe that it was still in operation as recently as 1971! Our last trip of our stay in Philadelphia was to somewhere that I was ridiculously excited to be visiting as it is such an iconic film location. We headed to the Museum of Fine Art for their 'Friday Nights' event where you can enjoy live music in the lobby with cocktails and canapes before explore the gallery at leisure. But before we headed inside it was the outside that we were most excited to see. Made famous in the film 'Rocky ll' the steps up to the museum are the very ones ran up by Stallone to the Rocky theme... we had our photo taken with the statue of Rocky at the bottom then we ran (well, some of us walked!) up the steps to the top for an amazing view across Philadelphia. It was definitely a bucket list moment and something that I'll never forget!! Being only a 90 minute train ride from New York it would make a great twin centre location to combine a real historical trip with the bright lights of NYC in my opinion... would I return? Absolutely! I'd recommend a trip to Philly to everyone!

17 April 2019

Las Vegas has been on my ‘bucket list’ for quite some time so I was really excited to get the opportunity to visit in February as part of my multi centre USA trip. We had chosen the LINQ hotel more for location than anything, being very central on the strip and easy to get to one end or the other. I also liked the fact that it isn’t a ‘themed’ hotel. Travelling along the Strip in the taxi from the airport seeing these huge buildings, landmarks from around the world, for the first time was amazing! Arriving at the LINQ we checked in very quickly and allocated our room, which turned out to be a smoking room but as non-smokers it didn’t prove to be an issue. The rooms are a good size, very comfortable bed and a decent sized bathroom with walk in shower. Plenty of storage space and a full guide to the hotel and local facilities via the in-room TV. We went straight out to explore and headed a little way up the Strip towards the Venetian. We had arrived late afternoon and the flight from New York was 6 hours so we were pretty tired that first evening so didn’t go far. With lots of eateries along the Strip you could choose anything from a fast food restaurant to a full sit down evening meal. It took some getting used to seeing people walking around with alcoholic drinks on the Strip, but the hotels and casinos encourage it as you are more likely to explore if you can wander in and out of places without worrying that you have to finish your drink before moving on. The next day we were up and out early for a buffet breakfast at the Flamingo next door to the LINQ, we decided to take advantage of the Buffet of Buffets pass which gave you a 24 hour pass to the buffet restaurants at all of the Caesars hotels (except Caesars Palace where there was a supplement to pay) which worked out to be great value for money! The choice of food was unbelievable, from fruit , pancakes, cooked options, pastries, Asian and Mexican choices too..... I LOVE pancakes and waffles so took full advantage!! Set up for the day we went straight to the High Roller, Las Vegas’ answer to the London Eye which gave us amazing views over the whole of Las Vegas. It was a beautifully sunny day and you could see for miles, watching planes taking off and landing at McCarran airport just a mile or so away! It's just a 30 minute rotation but it gives great views and different perspectives because it's constantly moving. We wandered along the Strip, checking out the fabulous hotels along the way. Walking inside the Venetian and feeling like you are wandering the streets of Venice was a surreal experience. It really felt like we were outside, even though we weren't. The attention to detail that has gone into these hotels is unreal! The Strip is around 4 miles long so it's great if you love to walk. If not there are plenty of options including the monorail, local buses and taxis/Uber too. We enjoyed an early dinner in the Flavors buffet in Harrahs which again had a huge choice of food and cuisines, with a fabulous dessert station, before joining the Hop On Hop Off Night Bus Tour to see all of the lights along the Strip and then experience Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas. Only we could go to the middle of the desert during a freak cold snap and sit on an open top bus in -2c temperatures! It was definitely an experience and loved seeing the Volcano show at the Mirage, the fountains at the Bellagio and the thousands of other lights along the way! Fremont Street was an interesting place to say the least great if you are looking for old school casinos and some unusual entertainment! We walked through the Golden Nugget hotel, saw the famous nugget and heard about how it found it's way to Las Vegas. We then made our way along Fremont Street with it's interesting street performers before watching the amazing musical light show that Fremont Street is famed for. There’s also an awesome zip line here but we weren’t there long enough to try it out, thankfully! Once back at the hotel we decided that it was time to check out the casino! We found a couple of slot machines and settled in for a couple of hours of gaming. A great tip that we found was whilst playing in the casino your drinks are free as long as you order through a waitress and tip them a dollar or 2 each time. This saves a fortune on the $14+ a drink we would have been paying at the bar for our JD and cokes! We even won a bit on the slots! Next day we planned to use the Monorail to get to the Stratosphere, with the Observation Deck being our focus for the morning. Being only a short walk from the monorail stop to the Stratosphere is was easy to get to from our hotel. We were not disappointed at all once we stepped out of the lift at the top. I could have spent the entire day up there! 84 floors above the ground, we could see far further than the previous day on the High Roller with a bar and comfy sofas to sit and just enjoy the views. The mountains in the distance that surround Las Vegas were just not what I expected. We watched the brave souls who went on the ‘rides’ at the top of Stratosphere, very entertaining for non-riders! We then caught the Monorail and went all the way to the other end of the Strip and jumped off at Paris/Bally’s so that we could walk through Paris, a great hotel with lots of Parisian touches for an authentic French experience. I particularly loved the area where the casino area was with parasols over the slot machines and tables and the ceiling coloured dark blue with little stars twinkling above. Our final stop of the day was at Miracle Mile Mall for a bit of last minute shopping. With everything from designer boutiques to trinket souvenir shops it had a bit of everything to satisfy all shoppers right in the middle of the Strip. Being opposite the Bellagio as you come out of the mall it was hard not to be impressed with the view across to the iconic hotel with it's dancing fountains in front. After freshening up we spent our final evening in Sin City by trying the different casinos along the Strip looking for a slot machine that might just see us win the big one! Unfortunately we didn't, but it just means we have to go back to try again!!!

29 March 2019

We stayed at the Doubletree by Hilton Times Square West on West 40th Street almost on the corner of 9th Avenue. Check in was quick, allocated rooms on floor 31 with a city view. The rooms are small, but this is expected in New York. Room was functional and comfortable though with tea/coffee making facilities, hairdryer etc. Check in also included freshly baked cookies which was a lovely touch! We headed straight out to explore the area and get our bearings. I had planned a route before we left and we made our way up 8th Avenue up to 48th Street where I wanted to see the memorial to FDNY Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9 who lost the most members on 9/11. There is a beautiful memorial and we really felt the need to go and pay our respects before we began our New York adventure. Before we left home we had been keeping an eye on the weather as it had been bitterly cold on the run up to our trip and on the day we arrived it was -10c. Walking into Times Square is something that I’ll never forget… it’s the only place I have ever been where you need sunglasses at night! The lights are amazing and to stand on the Red Steps looking out over Times Square was quite surreal. We headed back to the hotel and had $1 a slice pizza for tea… and the slices are huge! Next morning, we went straight round to the cute coffee shop next door, where everything was $2 plus tax, for a coffee fix and of course the obligatory New York bagel. Had to also sample a blueberry muffin too so breakfast for 2 came in at just over $11, not bad for NYC! First thing on our list was the hop on/hop off bus. We'd purchased New York Passes before we travelled to give us access to lots of the main attractions and sights at a much-reduced cost. We worked out that we had saved over half the cost of paying for things individually whilst there so a great buy for us as first-time visitors! We used the HOHO bus to head downtown to the financial district and onto the 9/11 memorial/museum etc. The bus was great, and it made getting to know the city very easy. The guides are excellent and locals, so they have a lot of insider knowledge. We headed down past the Flatiron Building (one of my favourite buildings – Google it and you’ll see why!) before reaching City Hall. We jumped off the bus and headed down to the World Trade Center site. It’s really hard to believe the two massive towers that stood in that small area. It’s quite serene and wasn’t what I expected at all. It was very respectful though. We went straight to the museum and used our passes for entry. Even now security is still very high in the area (and in NYC in general) so you’ll constantly be going through scanners, bag checks etc. It became normal as our stay progressed. The museum is built into the concourse area that used to run under the WTC. The remains of a fire truck with the back end twisted and mangled is something that I’ll never forget. We spent a little time at the reflection pools where all the names of those lost are inscribed on the outer of the pools. We then headed back to Wall Street for photos and back onto the bus to go back up to Midtown. The bus took us back to Times Square where we decided to go and check out Juniors Cheesecake. We walked into what looked like a real old-fashioned US 50s style diner. We were seated straight away, and I decided on strawberry milkshake and chocolate mousse cheesecake. It wasn’t the cheapest meal in the world at just under $20 for the 2 items, but it was worth every penny. I would go as far as saying that the milkshake was the best I’ve ever had! We finished our afternoon at a little Irish bar across from Juniors where we enjoyed the local Brooklyn lager (highly recommend) before heading back to the hotel. Our hotel had a great rooftop bar that encircles the entire roof so you can get great skyline photos of the city without having to go far at all. In the summer it would be fabulous to sit up there with a cocktail and take in the view. The next day we were booked onto the Best of NYC river cruise (also part of our NY Pass) so after a late brunch we took the short walk to the Pier. Chunks of ice had formed in the Hudson and East Rivers and our cruise was supposed to go around the entire island of Manhattan but because of the ice they could only go so far along each, but it was still a fabulous trip. The guide was funny and informative, making this a trip I would do every time we're in the city. We then popped to the next pier and visited the Intrepid Air, Space and Sea museum much to Andy’s delight (this was also included on our New York pass so even when we hadn’t planned on going, we could throw in extra things when we wanted to). Our last day in New York was visiting all of the Midtown sights including the top of the Empire State Building, seeing the Chrysler Building, visiting the New York Public Library (anyone who is a Ghostbusters fan will understand!) then to Grand Central Station which has the most amazing food court with every type of food that you can imagine… I was desperate to try authentic tacos so took the opportunity to find a great little place whilst in Grand Central to give them a go. Then it was on to Top of the Rock, where you can view the city with the Empire State Building in the skyline. You can also see further North to Central Park which is a pretty spectacular sight too! I preferred Empire State Building and Andy preferred Top of the Rock. Our final night in NYC was spent at the Theatre where we had pre-booked tickets to go and see Jersey Boys just off Broadway. We were on the balcony which gave us an excellent view of the stage and I have to say that this finished our stay off perfectly. Getting around was super easy as most of the time you could walk everywhere (definitely pack comfy footwear) but cabs and Uber are easy and reasonable and if you wanted to be a bit more adventurous the Subway is a cheap and simple way to get around, especially on longer journeys. We didn’t eat at many restaurants because to be perfectly honest we were so tired from all the sightseeing that most of the time we grabbed a takeaway on our way back to the hotel. I’d highly recommend 9th Avenue/Hell’s Kitchen for food as there is every cuisine you can think of and much better value than eating on and around Times Square and only a couple of blocks over. I loved NYC and can’t wait until we get to go back again!

18 December 2018

It’s now less than a week until Christmas and most of us have finished our shopping, maybe even wrapped our carefully planned gifts for our loved ones. If, like me, you still have some bits to get but are struggling for inspiration of what to buy that person who has everything then check out my suggestions of perfect Christmas gifts: 1. Theatre break in London - Why not book a couple of nights away in London, take in a show, maybe book a fancy restaurant and finish off with a spa treatment? You can pre-book all these as well as travel to London from your local train station and have it all wrapped ready to present to your loved one on Christmas morning. 2. Weekend break in New York - Nothing says Merry Christmas like a trip to the city that never sleeps! With a weekend break with direct flights from London starting at less than £500 per person it’s a great gift option. Just make sure that you have your ESTA in place before you book! 3. A week’s cruise from Southampton to the Norwegian Fjords to experience the beauty of the Scandinavian coastline and stunning landscapes, only having to unpack once and having 5* food and entertainment included. With prices starting at just £599 onboard the fabulous P&O Britannia it’s a great gift idea! 4. Experience the Eurostar to one of Europe’s amazing cities, whether you fancy Paris, Amsterdam or Bruges, all are accessible by rail so if your loved one isn’t a fan of flying there are alternative ways of surprising them! 5. Finally, if you know that your loved one loves to travel but don’t know where their next adventure will be, why not give the gift of travel by purchasing some Travel Counsellors Gift Vouchers, they’ll be gift wrapped and delivered in time for Christmas with the added bonus of not buying the wrong thing!

28 June 2018

Next on our trip was Herculaneum and Mount Vesuvius. I had heard from lots of people that Herculaneum was better preserved than Pompeii due to the nature of the eruption. Pompeii was pelted by volcanic rock and pumice before being buried under the same material whereas Herculaneum was buried under a huge layer of volcanic ash and mud so not sustaining the same level of damage as Pompeii before it was lost. Herculaneum was much smaller than Pompeii too, although this is mostly because the majority of Herculaneum is underneath the new town of Ercolano and so can’t be excavated. For me Herculaneum was the most haunting site we visited as it was clear that life just stopped suddenly. Machinery still in place where it would have been working. Mosaics that look just as amazing as they did 2000 years ago. And the skeletons of around 300 people hiding in the boat sheds who thought that they would be safe there. It felt a little like we were intruding on something very personal, but it had to be seen to give a true sense of the loss that took place. Our guide, Karina, was so knowledgeable on the location as it turned out that not only does she guide there but she also excavated the site for three years! Not just your average tour guide. We headed to a local pizzeria for lunch, recommended by our fabulous guide, and enjoyed great food and wine before the next part of the day, walking to the top of Mount Vesuvius! As we pulled up to the area where the climb begins I was very nervous. I’m not the fittest person in the world and it was very steep. We were told it takes the average person around 30 minutes to reach the crater, so we set off with our group, ranging in age from late thirties to late seventies, and started to make the walk to the top. It was hard work but being cooler up there made it a little easier. It took me 40 minutes to reach the top, but we couldn’t go straight to the crater as we had been followed up the mountain by a thunderstorm and so had to sit it out and wait for it to pass before we could move any further. There is something special about being sat at the top of an active volcano in the middle of a thunder and lightning storm! The storm passed, and we were allowed to make the short climb to the crater of the volcano which did not disappoint at all. Seeing the power of nature up close was truly amazing, something I’ll never forget. Coming back down was just as hard work as going up but was so worth it. The next day we headed to the glamourous island of Capri, enjoying a 45-minute ferry crossing from Sorrento before a guided walking tour of stunning Capri Town, through the little streets and residential area to the most beautiful of viewing spots. A bit of free time to enjoy the sights and trying to spot the odd celebrity before an hour’s boat trip around the island to experience it’s views from a totally different perspective. This was one of my favourite parts of the trip, it’s not a holiday until you’ve done a boat trip! We returned to Sorrento late afternoon and spent a couple of hours wandering the quaint streets, shopping and soaking up the atmosphere before heading back by train to Vico Equense. Our final day we spent the morning at the Museum in Naples where all the artefacts from Pompeii and Herculaneum were taken and are on display to the public. I loved the huge 3D model of Pompeii which showed just how big the site was and how much more work is needed to excavate the remaining areas. A real eye-opener! The last stop of our tour was an afternoon at Oplontis. I’d never heard of this place before and was excited to hear that it was a villa that had also been found in good condition that was buried by the eruption of 79AD. Walking around the what would have been a plush seaside residence with brightly coloured walls, a huge swimming pool and the remains of a kitchen with ovens and worksurfaces intact was so unbelievable. I couldn’t understand how this place was here and no-one really knows about it. It was the jewel in the crown of a week I’ll never ever forget. Having never done a touring holiday before I really wasn’t sure if it would be for me, but I can wholeheartedly say that it was a great way to see the most amazing places, have a guide who is so informative and has a wealth of experience to share as well as getting to meet lovely likeminded people who love travelling as much as I do. I will definitely be doing an escorted tour again in the future!

28 June 2018

Having never been on a touring holiday before, I wasn’t sure what to expect so arrived at our lovely little hotel in the quaint town of Vico Equense on the Sorrento Coast and was very pleasantly surprised. The Hotel Aequa would be our base for the week and our itinerary that was planned meant that we would travel from our base each day by coach or rail to some of the region’s most iconic places. The hotel was in a great spot, very central to the town square, where there were some lovely bars and gelaterias, close to the beach and some excellent restaurants. I was really surprised at how reasonable the prices were for food and drink in the area as I had always assumed Italy to be super expensive. We were on half board at the hotel and the food was local, good quality and varied every night. Our first morning was a relaxed start to the trip as we set off to the port of Pozzuoli where we visited the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre and were guided by our Tour Manager, Karina, a Doctor of Archaeology, no less. Karina’s knowledge of the area and the history was superb. As we moved onto the ancient site of Cumae, an original Greek settlement with its caves, and the Temple of Apollo sat high on the hillside I was starting to understand the attraction to this sort of holiday. The next day was an experience I had looked forward to and had wanted to do since I was a child - Pompeii. I was not disappointed. Boarding the train at Vico Equense station, we arrived at Pompeii station 15 minutes later and the scale of what we were about to experience blew me away. Pompeii is huge! With so much to explore we were lucky to have an expert guide of Pompeii with us and he gave us lots of insight into what life was like in this unbelievable place prior to the eruption in 79AD. Walking on pavements that were 2000 years old, knowing that people ran for their lives on those same pavements was very surreal. We spent a good six hours exploring the ruins and hearing the stories of what life was like. I highly recommend a good pair of shoes for this trip as there is a lot of walking involved. For me the most poignant part of the day was just before we left we found a section where there were some plaster casts of bodies of a family found near the perimeter wall who had obviously ran there for shelter, and hopefully safety, from the eruption but just couldn’t escape, their bodies found laid together, almost like they were just waiting for the inevitable. It really bought home just what this town had witnessed and the loss that came with it. My visit to Pompeii is something that will stay with me forever. The next day we had a much more relaxed day as we boarded our coach for a drive along the stunning Amalfi Coast. Winding roads, sheer cliffs, sea views and pretty little towns made this a wonderful day. We stopped off for an hour in Amalfi Town, which is just beautiful, for a spot of shopping, sightseeing and a coffee before continuing along the coast, through the city of Salerno and onto the remains of the Greek Temples at Paestum. We explored the fabulously preserved site, learning about the inhabitants and what life was like for them. It was a very long and tiring day but such a great experience.

23 December 2016

We continued on to Santa Monica, arriving mid-morning. After a speedy check in at the Meridien Delfina and a quick freshen up we set off through the streets of Santa Monica to the pier where my dream came true! I rode the world famous Ferris Wheel on Santa Monica Pier! I have seen that wheel on so many TV shows and films so to be there was a real memory to treasure. Dream number two wasn’t far behind when I spotted the Zoltar Fortune Teller machine on the pier too (anyone who has seen Big will know just how exciting this was!) It was a great place to people watch and I wandered the pier, enjoying the atmosphere and setting (there are even Baywatch lifeguard stations up and down the beach, who knew they were real)? We jumped in taxis and headed to a great little place, the only rooftop bar in Venice Beach with a superb view of the beach and sunset. When we arrived we had been given the best seats in the house! It had a chilled out vibe but very cool and was a perfect start to our evening in Santa Monica. I have never seen a sky the colour that we saw that evening. We had a couple of hours just enjoying the view and a couple of drinks. It was also interesting watching the number of planes waiting to land in LA Airport! We went back to the hotel to get ready for our evening plans, an arranged site visit of the Loews Santa Monica. This evening was my favourite of the whole trip. After our site visit we were offered the opportunity to experience the patio area of the hotel with its amazing fire pits. It was too good an opportunity to pass up so we found our fire pit. The hotel provided blankets and we all sat snuggly by the fire enjoying the superb view of the pier. The only thing that would have made this any better was dinner and drinks. Cue Julio, our server, arriving to ask how he could make us happy! We said pizza and hot chocolate - he said no problem! Even though pizza wasn’t on the menu they gave us he arranged for the kitchen to prepare fresh home-baked pizzas for us which we enjoyed with hot chocolate laced with Baileys! He made us very happy that night! Full of fabulous food and felling very content with our evening in Santa Monica we made our way back to the Meridien Delfina for a good night’s sleep! The next morning we had quite a full day planned. After a lovely breakfast provided by the hotel, we loaded the cars and started off on our next adventure - Palm Springs via Beverly Hills! Now this was exciting! It was a short 20 minute drive from Santa Monica to Beverly Hills where we parked up (with two hours free parking in Beverly Hills! I can’t get two hours free parking in Mansfield) and explored iconic Rodeo Drive. It was everything I expected and more! What a place! Every designer brand you can think of, true glitz and glamour that I expected. After a spot of lunch in a little Korean place we began our expedition to find the Sprinkles Cupcake ATM. We were not disappointed! This machine made me very happy! I ordered my chocolate and peanut butter cupcake, swiped my card and it appeared in the little dispenser drawer like magic (well not quite, it shows you the video of the machine fetching your cupcake all the way through to delivery!) Cupcake purchased we got back on the road for our longest drive of the trip, just under three hours to Palm Springs. The drive was a little more stressful than it should have been as we chose one of the only days of the year that the desert decided it needed rain! It was dark, wet and with no road lighting. It was totally worth it though when we arrived at our final hotel, the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells. A huge resort style hotel, fantastic for families with lots of activities for children, excellent golf facilities and a luxurious spa. It also had fantastic rooms that were huge and very modern in design with modern amenities. I really liked this hotel a lot. As we had arrived fairly late, at 7pm in the evening, we grabbed a quick dinner at a local Mexican restaurant before arriving back at the hotel to find live entertainment in the bar! We had a fab night of dancing and meeting the locals and residents of the hotel before retiring for a much needed night of rest! The next morning we had a free day. We visited the Living Desert first thing which was an interesting place with lots for families to see and do. We then decided to visit the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. The -2c temperature, zero visibility and four feet of snow didn’t put us off, in our short sleeved tops and jeans! So we emptied the car of every spare piece of clothing that had been discarded throughout the trip and made our way to the base station. We stood in the queue with everyone around us wearing snowsuits, padded attire and sturdy boots and we felt a little unprepared! The trip up was fabulous, with a rotating floor to the cable car, everyone got a fabulous view until we disappeared into the cloud that sat on top of the mountain. On reaching the top we were so pleased that we had decided to continue with the trip as experiencing snow in California was a real treat. With a fabulous viewing platform and an indoor café area we enjoyed snacks and hot chocolate before braving the elements for the obligatory group selfie! After a lot of laughing we made our way back down to the base station. Only a 30 minute drive and we were back to the resort in time for a hot cup of tea by the fire pit on the patio before our early dinner. The food was superb. I’d never tried dates before but will definitely be having them again and I enjoyed the most amazing steak! Enjoyed with a couple of Gin and Tonics it was the perfect way to spend our last evening on what had been an amazing trip. We checked out the next morning and loaded the cars up for the final time to begin our last drive to the airport. We had a short stop at Desert Hills Premium Outlet mall to get some last minute shopping before back on the road to LA Airport. This was a much better drive, in daylight and perfect sunshine, so we got to see what the drive should have been like the few days earlier. The Highway was clear and no hold ups meant we arrived at the airport on schedule and with very little fuss in finding the Alamo depot. Car dropped off and the bus back to the airport went so smoothly, it was a truly great end to a fantastic trip!

23 December 2016

I had never driven in the US before. I have driven in many other places, but never felt confident enough to drive such big cars. So I’m glad that I did this time as the driving is so straight forward. I would highly recommend a GPS as it also came with free unlimited Wi-Fi meaning that we always had access to the internet as well as 30 minutes of international calls a day free of charge and 60 minutes of local calls a day free too (great for keeping in touch with home or if, like us, there were several cars we could contact each other via the free local calls if needed). I drove a full size car which was a Nissan Altima and was perfectly suited to 2-3 people travelling and would carry luggage for that number comfortably. Being automatic the only thing to concentrate on was the road and what was going on around you which made it much easier. We arrived at our first hotel, the Loews Hollywood, at almost midnight and after parking the car in the hotel car park we checked in. I was on the 7th floor and had a room with a view of the Hollywood sign which was great! In a fantastic location, almost on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and easy walking distance to all of the famous sights, this was a great hotel choice. We checked out early the next morning as we had breakfast and a tour of the W Hollywood planned. This was a great opportunity to compare the two hotels and see what both had to offer. It was interesting to find that the metro system directly outside the W Hollywood had links all over LA including the beach resort of Santa Monica meaning that this area is becoming more friendly to those not wishing to hire a car (although car is still the best and most convenient way to visit this area in my opinion). After our tour of W Hollywood we headed on a walking tour of Hollywood which was brilliant! It was so informative and interesting to hear the stories, see the locations of so many of my favourite films (standing in the spot where Richard Gere pulled up in his flash car in Pretty Woman was a highlight) and understanding Hollywood’s role in the film industry. After our tour of Hollywood we set off for the laid back, wonderful resort of Santa Barbara, my favourite location of the trip. The drive was around two hours and was all highway, but with some pretty spectacular views as we headed further North. Beautiful weather with temperatures of around 24c greeted us and made the stay very enjoyable as we could make the most of what the area had to offer. Staying at the Harbor View Inn in a gorgeous room on the front overlooking the beach, sea and pier I found my home. The rooms were spacious with all the home comforts you could need. The staff couldn’t do enough for you, even to the point that I had packed the wrong power adaptor for the US and they provided me with one free of charge during my stay! We headed to the pier for wine tasting at Deep Sea Wines, who I loved as they produce wine that they sell to support local animal shelters, followed by dinner at a beautiful Italian restaurant a little way along the front from our hotel. It was an early night after a very eventful day! The next morning we were up early for a walk into Santa Barbara for breakfast at the stunning Kimpton Canary Hotel. Breakfast was a feast of their signature lemon and ricotta pancakes and a huge bowl of mixed fruits served with coffee, juice and water. A great way to start the day! After our tour we then headed to the Courthouse with it’s amazing clock tower which allowed 360 degree views from the mountains to the sea and was well worth the many steps to reach it (although there is also a lift). We wandered back to our hotel to meet the LandShark tour which I have to say was one of my highlights. Great humour but also really informative about the area and history made this a must do and we even got to see sea lions! The rest of the afternoon was ours to do with as we pleased so we did a bit of people watching and headed to the pier for a spot of lunch and to watch the sunset (the sun set around 4.50pm most days) before freshening up and enjoying a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at the hotel’s restaurant. I am definitely a fan of pumpkin pie! The next morning was an early start as we were heading south to Santa Monica but wanted time to cruise the Interstate Highway 1 with a brief stop in Malibu. It was a beautiful drive with very little traffic and totally worth the early start! We stopped off at a little beach café called Paradise Cove Beach and whoever named it certainly knew what they were doing! With its cute little pier (they love piers in California) and stunning pure sand beach it was totally paradise!

02 December 2015

We arrived into Christchurch airport just after 9am, a short 50 minute flight from Wellington. Picked up our next car (not so much of a beast but still comfy) and got on the road heading to Kaikoura for our date with the Dusky dolphins the next morning. The views on the drive were amazing… Snowcapped mountains, beautiful blue skies and rolling green hills! It was such a relaxing drive. We were hoping the forecast for the following morning was wrong and would improve so we got to swim with Dusky dolphins! The next morning, we called the supplier to be told that the trip was going ahead! Woo hoo!! Only downside was that my cold had gotten worse and Andy had also caught it so swimming in the open ocean of the Pacific at about 6c outside temperature was completely out of the question, so we went to watch instead. It was an AWESOME morning!! Really early start but it was TOTALLY worth it. Two hours on the water watching the Dusky Dolphins play and perform, watching Albatross scavenge from local fishermen and even a few New Zealand Fur Seals made an appearance! Then a 4-hour drive from Kaikoura to Timaru for an overnight stop before we headed to Dunedin the next day to go and meet the penguins and sea lions! It was 22c when we landed at 9.30am in Christchurch 2 days earlier..... It was now 4c at 8am as we headed further South on our adventure! Even had to put the heating on in the car!! Thankfully we had done our homework and packed for EVERY season… it was a good job we had! Driving from Timaru to Dunedin was a really breathtaking journey. It really felt like we were driving through Scotland. Today was another AMAZING day.... Arrived in Dunedin around 1.30pm then joined our trip to see the rare Sea Lions and yellow eyed penguins. We were stood 15ft from real Sea Lions in their own habitat with NOTHING between us and them. We were even treated to a beautiful rainbow with both ends on the beach (no pot of gold unfortunately!!). Another special day on this wonderful trip.... Great start to the next day, a trip to Taeiri Gorge on the Dunedin Railway. There is one point where, once you pass it, that there is no other way to get there than by train, which is crazy to think these days. We hopped off the train to walk across one of the amazing bridges that was built by engineers over 100 years ago and is still in use today. Then we were back on the road to our next stop, which was just an overnight on our way to our next trip packed stay! We did take the scenic route from Dunedin to Invercargill (intentionally obviously!), this was one of the Southern most points of New Zealand.... Next stop across the ocean was the Antarctic!! No wonder it was so bloomin’ cold! Started the next day with the alarm going off at 3.45am so that we could get up and watch the mighty All Blacks in the semi final of the Rugby World Cup. Went back to sleep very happy for a couple of hours then set off for Te Anau.... We were not in the slightest bit disappointed! The scenery coming into Te Anau is simply beautiful. Then we arrived in Te Anau and fell totally in love with the place. Stunning lake and mountains with a summer holiday feel to it. Helped by the very pleasant 19c temperatures. Made great use of our afternoon with a trip out to the Glow Worm caves (not allowed to take photos but can confirm it was a highlight of the trip) before an early night as we were off to Milford Sound the following day. A long (but totally amazing!) day at Milford Sound. A tour with just 4 of us and a wonderful guide. Unbelievable scenery, nature walks and a scenic cruise around the Fjord aboard an old fashioned ship. Even spotted some fur seals! I have never seen water as clear as some of the rivers we saw today. I even walked over a suspension bridge (twice!!) to get to one waterfall. We also saw a really rare black fantail bird that our guide had never been lucky enough to spot before! So our next destination was Queenstown.... I feel like all I said as we rounded every corner was 'wow', the scenery is just amazing. Love Queenstown, reminds me a bit of an Austrian ski resort. We had a corner room with a view of the lake and mountains which was fab! We had known where we were going for lunch that day since before we arrived in New Zealand, a takeaway burger place called Fergburger... And boy was it worth the 50 minute queuing time! I have never seen a burger that size in my life before, we had it at 2pm and didn’t eat for the rest of the day! Absolutely delicious though. That evening we went up on the Gondola to what felt like the top of the world. I don't think we'll ever experience views like that again. Queenstown really is an amazing place with something for everyone. Today's drive took us from Queenstown to Lake Tekapo, halfway to Christchurch, which will be our final destination. The drive was really easy going, beautiful scenery and even stopped off at the ORIGINAL Bungee Jump location, A J Thackett, where we watched the silly so-and-so's jumping off the bridge. Andy did the 130m Zipline though and loved it! The view from our room overlooked the lake and mountains and apparently it's a great place for stargazing! After our final drive of the trip we dropped the car off and checked in to our final hotel..... Felt kinda sad saying our last hotel. We did pick a bit of luxury for our last couple of days though after living out of suitcases for weeks! Coming into Christchurch it's still so apparent what was lost in the earthquake several years ago. Our room overlooked what was once the centerpiece of the city, Christchurch Cathedral, and the damage is still very obvious. Large empty spaces in a city centre still rebuilding after such a devastating natural disaster. Puts everything into perspective. Our last night in New Zealand we celebrated a wonderful, exciting, inspiring and truly memorable trip by enjoying dinner on the restaurant tram that circles Christchurch city centre whilst you dine. I booked it months in advance because it only seats 36 and does just one sitting per night and there were only 12 seats left when I booked! It was a particularly special way to end our trip. Dinner was amazing, setting was superb and the service was outstanding! We enjoyed New Zealand wines and the tour around the city was lovely, taking in sights like the Avon River as we went round. We were so sad to leave this beautiful, friendly, enchanting country.

27 November 2015

Who knew there was so much to see and do in Auckland? Certainly not me, that’s for sure! We had a fun packed few days visiting various places of interest, on land and water. A day spent in the Auckland Museum exploring New Zealand’s history, a morning spent on Waitemata Harbour sailing under the Auckland Harbour Bridge (wasn’t brave enough to climb it!) and an afternoon wandering the second-hand stores of Devonport finished off with a trip to the local chocolate shop (£2 per single chocolate, it wasn’t cheap but it was sooo worth it!) and fish and chips on the beach! Our next adventure was driving! Not too much of an issue as they drive on the same side of the road as us (thankfully!) and there are so few cars on the road… even in the cities! All I can say is I LOVE NEW ZEALAND! Great drive from Auckland to Hahei Beach via Coromandel Forest Park. Beautiful scenery, great weather and open road...... The best combination! Spent a few hours on the beach, even had a little swim in the Pacific. Our cosy accommodation thought of everything, from sachets of washing up liquid to providing fresh milk for your coffee. We picked well because the pub was open that night in Hahei (only opens Thursday and Friday night!) so a couple of bevvies were in order. Evening at the pub trying the local brews enjoyed with fresh wood fired pizza.... Perfect end to a perfect day! This place was a GREAT choice! Back on the road the next day, final destination Rotorua. But we had a pit stop to make enroute… HOBBITON! Hobbiton did NOT disappoint!! What a fabulous experience. To see where Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit were filmed. To get to go in a Hobbit Hole and to have a drink at the Green Dragon were just dreams come true! It was now time to head to Rotorua. We had a really chilled out day in Rotorua with a couple of hours at Polynesian Spa in the different temperature pools filled with natural mineral rich water. You get used to the Sulphur smell pretty quickly and don’t notice it after a while! But the evening was what we were looking forward to…. Tamaki Maori Village. Andy had been desperate to learn the Haka and he got his chance that night at Tamaki Maori Village, such a brilliant night! It wasn’t the only thing we learnt through the evening, we were treated to some great entertainment, fabulous food and even the bus ride home was a giggle doing International Karaoke! Up until this point Andy had done most of the driving (I only drive little cars and this was a beast!) but with a big 4 hours plus drive looming in the next few days it was time for me to bite the bullet and give it a go. So once we arrived in Lake Taupo I took the keys and off I went….. I LOVED IT! Being automatic helped but such a lovely experience to drive over there. Andy was then a bit miffed as he had to beg me for the keys back! He he We had nothing planned for our day in Lake Taupo and the weather wasn't great for getting out on the Lake so had a chance to really recharge the batteries. I’d picked up a cold on the flight out and had suffered quite badly to this point so took advantage of the lack of plans and poor weather. We were looking forward to heading over to Napier and Hawkes Bay the next day for some wine tasting and 26c temperatures! We arrived into Napier a bit too early to check into the hotel so decided to go and explore the local area. Loved its Art Deco buildings, such a pretty town. We had been recommended to go up to Bluffs Point where you could see the coastline for miles and, as it was a clear day, they were absolutely right. We watched as the little tug boats went out to greet a tanker coming into port, they looked tiny from where we were. We then headed back into Napier and decided to visit the Aquarium (we were too late for the wine tour - worst luck) so it seemed like a good way to fill a couple of hours. It was great fun, particularly watching one of their divers hand feeding the sharks and other fish and the Penguin exhibit where little Blue Penguins who had been rescued and couldn’t be returned to their natural homes lived. After a scenic 4-and-a-half-hour drive from Napier, passing through little towns and lots of countryside (and I mean LOTS of countryside, I have never seen so many sheep in my life!) we arrived in Wellington. We took a wrong turn on our way into the city centre but Andy didn't panic and got us to the hotel in one piece.... We had an impromptu, and unplanned, tour of the city which is wonderful (think I prefer it to Auckland!). Love, love, love Wellington! Silly me didn't book long enough to stay there so have to go back. Did the tram up to the Observatory and had amazing views of the city as well as a great couple of hours in the planetarium. Had to have an early night though as we were at the airport for 5am the next morning for our flight to the South Island…..

13 May 2015

I was lucky enough to get the chance to be on-board the beautiful P&O Britannia just before her launch in March 2015. I am not a seasoned cruiser so it was a great experience to see what cruising is really like. Check in ran smoothly and we passed through security without issue. Boarding a ship is very similar to boarding a plane in terms of security so for someone who hasn't cruised before it was interesting to know that the procedure was very much like what I was used to at an airport. Once on-board we were directed to our cabin by the very helpful staff, even to the point of walking us to the correct lifts to ensure we found our cabin quickly and without any issues. As we made our way through the stunning Atrium in the centre of the ship to our balcony cabin on deck 7, I couldn’t believe how grand the ship was. Cascading over 3 decks, the Atrium is the ships centrepiece and certainly has the WOW factor. Housing a luxurious bar area and the most amazing patisserie it is a showstopper of a location and will definitely be the area to take a selfie when the opportunity arises. The cabin staff are always on hand should you have any questions or need any assistance during your stay. On arrival at the cabin our cabin steward introduced himself to us and asked if we needed anything. Nothing was too much trouble and it certainly came across to us that he loved his job. Our cabin was a balcony cabin and was a good size with a main bedroom area, a changing and luggage storage area and the bathroom. Ample space for 2 people to move around freely. I loved the modern décor, the flatscreen TV and the floor to ceiling glass of the balcony doors. Britannia operates a key card system and is very easy to use, the key card doubles as your charge card for any purchases you make on-board making it unnecessary to carry any cash around with you. We wandered around the ship, exploring the various facilities including the impressive upper deck with swimming pool, the amazing array of restaurants to choose from and the excellent children’s facilities on offer. I have to say that anyone travelling as a family with children of any age (from babies to teens) will be totally spoilt. The pool was a bit too cold on a crisp day in March docked in Southampton to take a dip but I could imagine just how enticing it would be on the high seas in 30c heat! There were hot tubs though so for those days that weren't so warm there was still watery fun to be had! The family facilities were what surprised me the most with a fully prepared crèche, separate rooms for the different age groups, activities available all day and evening long, a chill out room with pool tables and games consoles for the teenagers and lots of fully UK standard trained staff to take care of everything it's an excellent environment for a family holiday. For me, the choice of restaurants was a particular attraction. From Italian to Indian, French to Fusion, there was something to suit all tastes. The layout of the restaurants also surprised me. It never felt like there was more than maybe 20 to 30 of you in a restaurant which is down to the clever design of dividing the restaurants with well placed walls to make it feel like you were eating in an intimate and exclusive eatery. The serving staff were excellent and always made sure that everything was to the guests satisfaction. The evening was a Gala event and we were treated to some truly delicious food inspired by the fabulous Marco Pierre White (who is one of the ships Food Heroes and can be found on-board at various times of the year…. You could even have a cooking lesson with him!) After dinner we made our way to the entertainment venues. Our choice for the evening was an 80s evening which was just brilliant and certainly made our night one to remember. There were, however, many other choices for the entertainment that evening from Broadway style shows, the casino and a jazz bar to name a few so something for all tastes. I took myself off to bed at 2am (you don't realise just how big the ship is until you are absolutely exhausted and walking the corridors to your cabin!) ready for the early get up to leave the ship the next morning. The bed was so comfortable that I was asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow! Next morning it was time to leave the ship, after a very filling breakfast served in the buffet restaurant with cooked breakfast items, pastries, cereals, fresh fruit, yoghurts, tea, coffee and juices all on offer. So off we headed home after our brief but truly wonderful taste of Britannia. It was definitely a case of Rule Britannia rather than a Hard Days Night!

27 February 2015

Our trip to Malta started with a mid-morning flight onboard Air Malta. The flight was just over 3 hours long and a very comfortable journey. We arrived at Malta International Airport, mid-afternoon (they are 1 hour ahead of the UK) and everything went very smoothly as we passed through immigration taking only around 30 minutes from landing to meeting our tour representative in Arrivals. We boarded our minibus taking us to our hotel for the next 2 nights, the Phoenicia, just outside the city walls of Valletta. Pulling up to the hotel was like stepping back in time, a grand looking building with a beautiful entrance into a cosy but luxurious lobby area. We were met in the lobby by a member of the hotel staff who arranged for our bags to be taken to our room whilst we checked in at reception. Check-in was very quick and was made all the more enjoyable by the staff who seemed genuinely happy to see you. The hotel is set over 4 floors and has just under 150 rooms, so really felt quite intimate with the spaces being cosy and inviting rather than sprawling and impersonal. The room was decorated in a contemporary style using modern colours. It had all of the amenities that you would expect from such a standard of hotel including free use of the safe, wifi in rooms and tea/coffee making facilities. There were some lovely views from the room, particularly at night across to a harbour nearby and the huge church across the road. The bathroom was large and had a bath with shower over. A nice touch was the mini toiletries provided by the hotel and the list of items that you could request if you’d forgotten to pack them. I had a wander around the grounds of the hotel. The views from the hotel gardens is stunning and in the summer would be a lovely place to sit with a glass of wine and enjoy the view. At the far end of the gardens there is an outdoor swimming pool and pool bar which in the summer offers the chance to cool down and enjoy a ‘resort’ feel to your stay. We went for dinner that evening in the hotel restaurant which was preceded by a Manager's Drinks Reception. This reception is a common occurrence and ALL newly arrived guests of the hotel are invited. After the reception we made our way into the restaurant for their Maltese theme night. There was a starters station where there was a huge choice of local dishes, salads, soups and breads. There was then a hot food station with a choice of main courses and there was also a fresh cooking station where meats were cut fresh from the joint for you including roast lamb and roast pork. Finally there was a beautiful desserts station with a range of local and international sweets to choose from. The hotel bar is a really inviting little place with leather sofas and comfy chairs where you can enjoy a drink in lovely surroundings. The barman was excellent and made it more an experience than just a drink in a bar. The next morning I enjoyed breakfast in the hotel restaurant, again with a good choice of cold and hot breakfast options. Cereals, fruit, pastries, cooked breakfasts, omelettes and other eggs cooked to order all served with fresh coffee or tea of your choice, various fruit juices and even Bucks Fizz for those that like the finer things in life. After breakfast we headed out on our trip for the day. We had a fabulous guide whose stories, experiences and pride for Malta was what made the tour so unforgettable. We entered the city of Valletta, just 5 minutes walk from the hotel, and it felt like entering a fortress. The walls are being restored at the moment because Valletta will be the European Capital of Culture 2018. We wandered the streets of Valletta, visiting the Presidents Palace, the Upper Barraka Gardens with its views over Valletta harbour, the various Auberges (homes of the Knights of St John) and finally the beautiful Co-Cathedral of St John with its inlaid marble tombstones and intricately hand carved walls. Our bus then took us around the harbour to an area called Vittoriosa. Here we walked through an area where there were underground bunkers that were built into solid stone walls as protection during the Second World War. We visited the viewing post where guards would have kept a look out for enemy ships and then went onto the Inquisitors Palace where we explored the various rooms and artefacts. There is even shrapnel damage to the exterior of the building still evident from the times when the area was bombed in the war. We then took a walk around some of the traditional streets, only just wide enough for a small car to travel down. This took us into the main square and finally onto the harbour where we met our minibus to take us to Marsaxlokk (pronounced Marsashlok) for our last port of call for the day. We arrived in Marsaxlokk as the sun was starting to go down. The village is well known as a fishing port and attracts many locals at the weekends for the farmers market and excellent restaurants on the sea front. Definitely worth a visit! We then made our way back to the hotel to get ready for our evening at another hotel in the area, The Excelsior. We arrived at the Excelsior that evening for dinner. We were showed around the hotel which is much larger than the Phoenicia at nearly 500 rooms and felt more like a holiday resort than a city break hotel. It has a huge outdoor pool area, childrens facilities, indoor pool and spa as well as a huge restaurant that I felt had a cruise ship feel about it with big open spaces and views over the harbour. Dinner was excellent with a huge choice of starters, mains and desserts and had a more international feel to it. The next morning was our last day on the island and I have to say I was quite disappointed at having to leave as I had enjoyed my stay so much. We still had a lot to visit in the 3 short hours before we headed to the airport. Our first stop at Dingli Cliffs was very brief, we only stayed long enough to take a few pictures. But the view was pretty spectacular. It was now time to visit Mdina, 'the Silent City' which I have to say was a highlight of the trip for me. With its tiny streets, amazing architecture, interesting history and fabulous views to the North and South of the island, I found Mdina a real gem of a place to visit. Whilst there we had a look around the Xara Palace Hotel, which is apparently a favourite with film stars. A unique little hotel with bags of character and luxury touches. We made our way back to the airport having had a truly enlightening visit to this amazing island and I for one will DEFINITELY be going back for more.

10 July 2013

I've just returned from a fabulous stay in the resort of Argassi on the beautiful island of Zakynthos. It is such a fantastic island with something for everyone. We stayed at the Diana Place Hotel on an all-inclusive basis which was a first for me in Greece. I normally love to eat out and try different restaurants and bars so it was not my usual choice of accommodation. It turned out to be the best decision we made. The hotel is centrally located in the resort making it easy to visit the local shops, bars and restaurants if we chose. The food was excellent at the hotel, but we did eat out a couple of times too. The staff made the hotel as nothing was ever too much trouble and they were so friendly, treating us almost like long lost relatives! We hired a car for the majority of the holiday and explored the gems of the island, from the famous Smugglers Cove to the beautiful Keri Bay. We sampled locally produced olive oil at a local factory where they gave us a free tour of the process. We spent lazy days on peaceful, undisturbed beaches and couldn't resist the draw of Zante Town with its pavement cafes and ouzeri's where we could sit and watch the activity at the harbour. One of our favourite spots was a little resort on the south coast of the island called Keri. We spent several days in this beautiful resort with its thin strip of sandy beach, crystal clear waters and inviting family run tavernas. You could also see Turtle Island from Keri which is where the native turtles, known as Caretta Caretta live and nest. Take a look at the photo, it even looks like a turtle swimming in the sea! We ventured inland to an area called Volimes where you can buy all sorts of local produce as well as crafts. It was such a lovely little place and the prices of souvenirs were excellent. We treated ourselves to a painting of Smugglers Cove and some locally produced honey. We also visited a place called Kampi, where a cross on the cliff top was erected in memory of the many that lost their lives during the occupation of the island during the last world war. There is a taverna here which has the most spectacular views and we spent several hours there enjoying a beautifully cooked meze and particularly enjoyed the sunset – it was pretty spectacular! We did spend a lot of time in the resort of Argassi and love that it's a compact with everything you need pretty much on your doorstep. We're not particularly beach people so the fact that Argassi doesn't really have a beach didn't worry us. There is direct access to the sea and the swimming there is very safe and shallow. We did go to St Nicks Beach – there’s a free bus from Argassi. There were water sports, music and bars. We had a brilliant day (just too much sand for my liking!!). We did have to pay for the sunbeds and parasol but as it was free to get there, we didn’t mind. All in all we had the most wonderful holiday and two weeks seemed to fly by. We are now counting down to when we can return to this special Greek Island - hopefully it won't be too long! If you're interested in going to this fantastic island just get in touch - I can share my tips!

20 March 2012

My hubby and I decided that, as we had travelled quite extensively around the world, we wanted to see a bit of the UK. After speaking with some friends we decided on a boating holiday to the Norfolk Broads. We were quite stuck with timings as one of the couple's were pregnant and the other couple were getting married later that year so we decided on the beginning of May. Luckily a boating holiday doesn't rely on having excellent weather for the entire week, although we did have some fabulously sunny days! I would do this holiday again in a heartbeat. It was the most fun, surprisingly educational and made you appreciate a hairdryer!! My husband and I had decided that we were going to get the train to Norwich then a connection to Wroxham, followed finally by a taxi to Horning where we were to meet the other 2 couples, who were driving down. It was all part of the holiday! On arrival at Horning Marina we checked in and were taken to our home for the week - whom we nicknamed Bertha. It was a very funny moment when the deckhand explained that we wouldn't be able to use hair straighteners on the boat as it would blow the fuse! Our faces must have been a picture!! We collected Bertha on the Friday evening at about 4pm and were promptly taken out on a 'training' sail. We all had a go at steering and quickly decided on a Captain! Once we returned to the Marina we were able to set off on our Norfolk Broads Adventure. Due to the time we only made it about 30 minutes down river where we (luckily) found a mooring just outside a rather nice pub. After a beautiful dinner and several beverages we all tootled back to Bertha (all of about 10 steps!). This was all followed by an excellent nights sleep.... sleeping on water is very calming. We awoke the next morning to lovely sunshine so headed off to a local delicatessen to buy supplies and set off on our journey. I have to say that cooking bacon butties as you are travelling along the most beautiful broads was something I'll never forget. We spent the most part of the day sailing, stopping off for a little barbecue in a remote spot to give our four-legged passenger a well earned walk, arriving in Great Yarmouth by about 3pm. Went for a walk into the town and to the beach so we could have an obligatory ice cream as we were at the seaside! Then took a stroll back to Bertha. We had to be up at the crack of dawn the following morning to make sure that we hit Breydon Water at the right tide which we navigated with ease arriving into a little village called Reedham by mid-morning. It had a couple of lovely little pubs and a cake shop so it would have been rude not to have sampled the delights! I can highly recommend the Victoria Sponge and they were all homemade. Spent the evening in the pub that we were moored in front of and saw the most amazing singer who kept us entertained for the entire evening. The next morning we set off for Norwich, having been woken up by some locals (the ducks) trotting around on the roof! The weather was very wet that day which was perfect for exploring the stunning city of Norwich. After some retail therapy and a coffee stop we headed back to Bertha. We found a lovely riverside pub in a village called Surlingham where we chose to spend the evening. The food was out of this world.... didn't even have room for pud! We'd enjoyed our time in Reedham so much the first time round that we returned on the way back to base where we spent another excellent night with a different cake this time! We were into our final few days and stopped off for afternoon tea in Ludham, which we liked so much we spent the night. It was a lovely little Marina and with other boaters around it was lovely to swap stories and enjoy a drink or two with them. Our final night was spent back where we started at the lovely pub in Horning. All in all it had to be the ONLY way to see the Norfolk Broads and we will be doing it again!

20 March 2012

I have been lucky enough to go to Florida many times but the last time I went was to take my husband for his first taste of Florida - and it's now one of his (and my) favourite destinations! If you think that Florida is just for children or that all there is to do is theme parks then you are very much mistaken! We did everything!!! Theme parks, beaches, culture, nature, adventure and much more! Our first day was spent in one of the Disney waterparks, Typhoon Lagoon, which was brilliant! Loved splashing around in all the different pools, running for the wave pool when the siren sounded and the experience of swimming in a tank filled with sharks and other marine life! That was a surreal one! We stayed on International Drive for the majority of our stay but did a couple of nights in a Disney Hotel too, which I'd highly recommend! We stayed in the All Stars Resort and found this to be an ideal base for making the most of our time in Disney. On International Drive we stayed in a basic motel but I have previously stayed in a villa and can see the appeal of both. Nothing can describe the moment that you walk into The Magic Kingdom and see the Castle in front of you! It gives you goosebumps!! We had a good couple of days exploring the different Disney parks including special late and early opening that are only available to those staying on site. Experienced some of the best restaurants that I've ever had the pleasure of dining in whilst in the Disney complex, a particular favourite was the Liberty Tree Inn where we had the most amazing mashed potato I've EVER tasted!! And the desserts were huge!!! Having my 36 year old husband asking if we could queue for the characters autographs was probably my favourite thing about the entire holiday, it's hard not to get into the spirit of becoming a child again yourself when surrounded by everything that you've grown up watching. The parades are a particuar highlight as they just make you smile...... the music, the characters, the floats. It's just so unreal being part of something so spectacular. Another of my favourite places is SeaWorld. The experience of being so close to such amazing creatures is hard to beat! But saying that, my favourite show in SeaWorld was a dog/cat/parrot and all number of other rescue animals that have been rehomed by Disney and are now happily performing for the crowds! It's the sweetest show and you shouldn't miss it! A word of warning... my husband wanted to sit right at the front for the Killer Whale show and, as I knew what would happen, I agreed..... luckily I'd got a waterproof poncho on, he was not so lucky! That'll teach him! We also did a package called 'All Day Dining' which meant that we paid a fee upfront but could eat and drink in the restaurants in the park as much as we wanted. It certainly beat carrying a warm water bottle round all day! You could just go and get a fresh drink when you wanted and snack as when, rather than planning meals etc. There was so much choice, including fresh fruit and ice cream as well as main courses and desserts. The beaches are always a real draw with Florida and it was the same for us. Daytona is fantastic with it's huge stretch of sand, motorbike's and 50's style diners or head to Clearwater for a laid back beach location with a real chilled out vibe. It's around a 2 hour drive from Orlando to both coasts, but it's so worth the drive. I would return to Florida tomorrow as there is still so much for us to explore.... and the old favourites!

30 April 2012

We arrived at Kos Airport in the early hours of the morning and was quickly transferred to our accommodation in Kardamena. It only took 10 minutes and we were in our apartment. We quickly dumped our luggage and headed into the resort to get a drink and some food. We were surprised how much was open as it was approx. 2am! We managed to find an excellent bar on the harbour front, called Crackers with an outside seating area and settled for an hour or so. The next morning we got up and explored our resort. There is a road train that runs the length of the resort and cost us something like EUR5 per person and took around 30-40 minutes, they gave some history of the resort and island, we really enjoyed it. We went to Nyciros, a dormant volcano around 2 hours by ferry from Kardamena and went on the rip up to the crater….. it smelled awful but was a fantastic experience to be able to see the lava just under the surface and to be stood in the crater. We stopped off in one of the little art galleries near the harbour on our way back to the ferry for the return trip and bought the most beautiful piece of art that still reminds us of our trip today. We spent a day and evening in Kos Town which was beautiful! With its Fortress walls and cobbled streets, the Asklepieon (the first hospital ever built) and Hippocrates Tree, there is so much history and culture that we really should have stayed a night or 2 in Kos Town. We ate in an amazing restaurant in the evening, very chic looking with gorgeous cream square parasols over the tables and a meze menu so you could enjoy lots of little dishes instead of a three course meal. We also did a trip to Turkey from Kos as we were only about an hour away by ferry. We spent the day meandering through the backstreets of Bodrum, exploring the and bartering in the shops as well as heading to the Byzantine Castle which looks amazing as the sun is going down. This was a full day excursion and we didn’t get back to our hotel until about 8pm. We spent our second week on the island of Kalymnos, the neighbouring island to Kos. We got a taxi to Mastichari which took about 20 minutes for our EARLY ferry at 7am. There are only 3 or 4 ferries a day. We checked into Kantouni Beach Hotel where we found paradise! It’s right on the beach and has the most amazing pool bar staff. There were restaurants along the beach on either side of the hotel and you could walk to the resort area of Elies Square for more choice. This was traditional Greece, you ate out and socialised with local people. For such a small island there is still a lot to see and do if you want to. We did quite a bit on the island, including hiring a car and exploring the island at our own pace. We visited the small village of Vathi which is the home to the deepest natural harbour in Greece to the opposite end of the island and the tiny village of Emporios. The area is particularly popular with climbers. We went over to the little island of Telendos by water taxi from Massouri and spent the afternoon there (walked round the island in about 40 minutes!) then spent the rest of the day relaxing on the beach. There is no transport on the island at all so it’s lovely for a peaceful day of relaxation. We found so many amazing restaurants and taverna’s during our stay, although probably one of our favourites was the Aegean restaurant in Massouri with gorgeous food and a view of the entire bay of Massouri and the island of Telendos. We ate there at sunset and even now it’s one of my favourite memories. There was plenty of nightlife on Kalymnos if you wanted it from Bouzouki clubs to nightclubs, coffee bars to ouzeri’s. You really got a sense of the culture and everyone was so friendly, speaking to you and welcoming us to their island. I loved both islands, but my heart has stayed in Kalymnos…… I need to go back to fetch it!