Based in Totnes

Lindsay Garner

Looking for help with your business travel? Find out how I can help here

It's Nice To Meet You

Hi - My name is Lindsay Garner and I am a personal Travel Counsellor

I have been with Travel Counsellors since 1999 and I love my job! My clients are not just customers but they are friends and a lot have been with me since the beginning - they are my best referrers! My office is based at home and I also have use of an office at the rear of my husband's business in Totnes and a lot of clients book to come and see me and have a coffee and a chat about their holidays! Its a great way to do business!

I also book business travel flights for some of the local business's here in Totnes and have a Business Travel Page for them to look at. I resigned as Membership Secretary for the Totnes Chamber of Commerce as I had been doing this for 15 years but am still involved in the membership and involved in local activities within the town and am proud to be part of that. My aim is to give excellent customer service and as my business is based on word of mouth referrals it has gone from strength to strength by my name being recommended by my customers to their work colleagues and family.

I have travelled to many parts of the world including the USA, Canada, Western Australia, the Caribbean and Alaska as well as Europe but there are still so many that I wish to see. I tailor make holidays for my clients so that we can get the best holiday we can for you and as a company we have fantastic contacts in places like Vietnam, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand and many more.

I hope that you can tell that I am passionate about my job and would love to hear from you to discuss any travel arrangements that you are looking to make be it leisure or business!

I look forward to hearing from you!

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Contact Me

Whatever your holiday needs I'm here to help you, so simply give me a call or send me an email with your contact details on and I can get things started for you:

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My Videos

5 Reasons to Trust me with your travel ..

3/11/2021

Please have a look at this quick video - it gives you 5 reasons amongst many to trust me with your travel arrangements

My Blog

I absolutely live and breathe travel and I love to write about my experiences! Please take a look through my posts - you might find your own holiday inspiration.

Sorrento Short Break

22 October 2019

We decided to go to Sorrento for a short break - it’s one of those places that I have been booking clients for years and have always wanted to go so we did! After a lovely evening at the Hilton Hotel at Bristol airport we had a relaxing start to our early morning flight to Naples - great flight with Easy jet and arrived on time and the weather was glorious! We left a very wet and windy Bristol, so it was a great start to our trip. We were met by private car and were quickly on our way to Sorrento along the main roads and motorways with the volcano of Vesuvius in our eye line all the time! We quickly left the motorway and made our way along the windy scenic roads to Sorrento and I could not believe that the transfer time was booked as 90 mins... but I soon realised why as we reached the outskirts of Sorrento! The traffic was so busy, and it took longer to reach the centre hence the long transfer time! However, it was good journey and the scenery stunning! We were staying at a simple 3-star hotel in the centre of Sorrento - the Del Corso hotel - nothing special but the location and the staff were great, right in the centre so we could easily walk out in the evenings. The room was spacious and very clean, and we overlooked the fabulous Via Corso which was great - vibrant scene with shops restaurants and vendors but when we closed the shutters and windows - complete peace! Because of the location we were also able to come back during the day after walking around and have a rest - we needed it! There are so many steps in Sorrento! The views are fantastic, and it was lovely to walk down to the harbour in the evenings and sit and have a glass of the local wine. There are so many restaurants in Sorrento you will not have a problem... just so many to choose from. Each one that we ate at was lovely - the food cooked well and so delicious. We took a day trip to Herculaneum but went on the Circumvesuviana railway and travelled with the locals - great experience and so reasonable. Had a wonderful day in Herculaneum and spent a long time looking at this fantastic preserved city/town which was fascinating - we were going to stop at Pompeii but chose Herculaneum instead which was a good choice. Pompeii is larger and although just as fascinating we thought that at Herculaneum there would be more to see in the form of relics that had been preserved and tiles and murals. Another day trip was a coach tour of the famous Amalfi Coast - I have always wanted to drive this but opted for a coach trip instead and was so glad that I did! The drivers are mad! You need to be very confident and brave or just don't care. The steep curvy bends are breath-taking and you can see it all in the safety of a coach! Stunning views and scenery and we stopped off in Amalfi for an hour to take in the wonderful streets and harbour before going up to Ravello before making our way back to Sorrento - a great day out and some wonderful memories. We did take a local ferry to Capri... but to be honest, it was very expensive, long queues and by the time we arrived in Capri Centre we did not have enough time to go to Ana Capri and to see the views and the villas. So if I decide to do it again I will make sure that I do this trip with a private taxi meeting me at the harbour and taking me to Ana Capri! All in all we had a great few days here and it’s a beautiful place to visit for a short break - if you don't mind walking and steps! Love it...

Mahala Mzuri Camp

21 October 2019

I recently booked a client to go to the Richard Branson camp in the Masai Mara - here is her report and pictures: I have recently returned from a great holiday that Lindsay booked for me to the wonderful resort of Mahala Mzuri in the Masai Mara. This resort is owned and run by Richard Branson and it was one of the best experiences of my life! We flew out with Kenya Airways Business class and they were superb – great staff and fantastic service and food – would recommend them above BA! On arrival in Nairobi we were collected and transferred to Wilson airport – we were told that we would not arrive in time for the 0800 flight so had a bit of a weight at Wilson for our departure – we feel that we could have made the 0800 flight but the traffic in Nairobi at that time of the morning was heavy. There is not much at Wilson airport just a snack bar which was not much – however we took our flight at 11 am to Kichwa Tembo Airport and was met by the Branson staff and taken to the camp. I must say that apart from the food which was a little disappointing this camp lives up to its name – the staff were attentive and friendly, and our guide Jackson was just outstanding. He was so knowledgeable and made the fantastic game drives even more special with his extra tales and experience. We saw so much game and wildlife and I was not disappointed and loved it all! We felt very safe at night as there was a Masai warrior on guard to check about any animals that might wander in to the camp as we were not allowed to go anywhere outside the tents from 6pm to 6am which was great. It wasn't far between the tents and the bar and restaurant, but he made us feel safe. I met a couple there who went to Cottars – my other proposed choice – and this one as part of their honeymoon and she said that the views and game drives at Branson’s camp were better – the 1920's experience was fantastic at Cottars but for views and game drives this one was better. The only disappointing thing about the whole trip was the very early morning call that I received about our transfer ready to collect us, but this had been cancelled by Lindsay but obviously did not get through to the driver! We stayed at the Crowne Plaza at the airport and they offer a free shuttle service which we used. Overall a fantastic trip!

Have you considered Sri Lanka..

07 June 2019

If you are wondering where your family should travel this year for your summer break or for an Autumn half term escape, consider Sri Lanka, which is an ideal family destination. Why? Sri Lanka is tremendously family friendly. The island is incredibly diverse and comprises ancient ruins, colonial forts, beaches, wildlife reserves, tea estates and coconut plantations. Thanks to Sri Lanka’s relatively small size, many of these sights can easily be visited on a round tour and together they offer plenty to keep the youngest family members busy. Sri Lanka doesn’t have water parks, theme parks and interactive museums. Instead, kids can absorb themselves in a different culture and have fun whilst learning as they soak up their unfamiliar surroundings. Sri Lanka’s beaches are perfect for sandcastle-building; however, kids might return home having learnt how tea is made and where rubber comes from. They might kayak on a lake or see elephants, leopards, crocodiles and bears in their natural habitat. Kids might learn a little too about Britain’s colonial history as they wander the atmospheric streets of Galle Fort, about Sri Lanka’s ancient cities or absorb Sri Lankan culture as they experience the hustle of a street market or experience a vibrant local festival. Where to travel Along with our preferred partners in Sri Lanka, I have suggested a great family itinerary. After a long flight, the Wallawwa hotel is great for a first night's stay - an 18 bedroom beautifully renovated country house hotel set amongst tropical gardens and just 15 minutes from Colombo airport. Fully recovered from the journey, the next few days are spent in the historic Cultural Triangle. One of the region's newest boutique hotels is the Water Garden at Sigiriya - and a must visit is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sigiriya Rock, a former fortress from the seventh century. The hotel has lovely pools and water gardens as well as spacious villas. After a few nights here, travel south to Kandy, a university town and home to the Temple of the Tooth - Sri Lanka's most sacred shrine. Our recommended hotel here is around an hour south of Kandy, set in acres of landscaped gardens in a former tea planter's residence. There are plenty of options for entertainment here - tennis, croquet, swimming and exploring by bike or taking a hike with a dedicated nature guide. After a week in Sri Lanka, you will now travel to the Western Hill Country, and the brand new Nine Skies hotel - voted one of the best new properties in Sri Lanka in 2018 by CN Traveller magazine. It is best approached by train, with a 360-degree loop of track and spectacular views. There are tea factory visits, tea trails, waterfall swims and hill walks to take part in here. Yala National Park is the island's premier game reserve, home to a dense population of leopards, as well as elephants and sloth bears. Camping at the edge of the park is a magical once-in-a-lifetime experience that all the family will love, with family tents, wildlife art classes and animal identification games as well as the game drives to the spot the real thing. The summer months are ideal for spotting big game on safari as the onset of the dry season and die back of the bush in July and August makes them much easier to see. Complete your circular tour of the island by travelling west along the cove-sprinkled southern coastline to Galle, a 17th century Dutch fort and a town with a cosmopolitan vibe. After sculpting sandcastles in the beach, take a guided bike ride along the scenic inland lanes, or a boat trip on Koggala Lake. It's possible to see whales and dolphins (Nov to Apr) and even visit local turtle hatcheries. Our accommodation here is Why House - all rooms can fit extra beds for children and the staff are so accommodating - arranging cultural shows, snake charmers and even an elephant visit at the drop of a hat! Travelling in the quieter summer and autumn months represents excellent value for money as prices are lower and attractions much less busy. Hotels also promote special offers such as 3 nights for the price of 2 or children stay free. Get in touch now on 01803 898910 and we can start to plan your ideal family itinerary!

Why Choose me?...

06 June 2019

Why should you use my service and entrust your travel arrangements with me? Over the 30+ years I have been in the travel industry the way we research, and book travel has changed massively. Gone are the days of using guidebooks from the library to research your trip and solely having a travel agency to book your flights and accommodation – there is now a huge number of booking websites, travel apps and travel companies which you can book your arrangements through – unfortunately not all are legitimate and not all will take the stress out of booking travel arrangements. So why entrust your travel plans with me, a Travel Counsellor? 1. I’M A PROFESSIONAL There are lots of things we could probably attempt ourselves, but (from experience!!) a professional will certainly do the job better. I have been in the travel industry for over 30 years in various positions from trainee to Manager – this along with my ongoing training with Travel Counsellors has given me a heap of knowledge, experience and contacts. 2. I ADD THE HUMAN ELEMENT The online search engines can’t tell (or care!), but each client is completely unique! I listen, get to know you and suggest some options for your holiday. Together we define what you want from your trip and end up with a holiday that’s perfect for you. I’m your contact from your initial enquiry until the time you get home – no web contact page, call centres, aftersales departments, just me. I really do care about your booking and ensuring everything is perfect. Happy customers recommend me to their friends and referrals are what my business is based on. 3. I SAVE YOU TIME Your time is valuable. There was a report that said holiday research takes the average person an equivalent of 4 working days! I’ll do the research for you or build on yours – sometimes it will take me a few days to narrow down the options for you or to find the perfect holiday but I’m using your brief on what makes a holiday great and ensuring what I offer you ticks the boxes. Again, that human element comes into play! 4. I HAVE THE RESOURCES At Travel Counsellors we have one of the best reservation systems I have ever seen in the industry. I can view live availability for all components of a trip – flights, transfers, car hire, accommodation, cruises, excursions – EVERYTHING! We also have partners in many countries to assist us with more complex itineraries and tour operators that we use for more niche products. Every supplier we use shares our values of fabulous customer service and have completed our stringent health and safety and financial checks. 5. MYTC APP If you don’t have this on your device – download it now! This is the most amazing app – you can view quotes, make payments, view your booking documentation and it will give you live updates on your flights. Nothing not to love! 6. I ADD VALUE I’ll always add value to your travel plans - we call it the TC Experience! The aim is to make every client know how valued and appreciated they are, and I do the little extras for you. 7. 100% FINANCIAL PROTECTION Travel Counsellors offer the highest level of protection you could wish for because it’s fully independent. Set up in 2004, it sits alongside our ATOL cover and financially protects every part of every trip, whether it be the whole holiday, a flight, hotel stay, car hire or even airport parking. It’s completely robust meaning no matter what happens, your money is safe. 8. ROUND THE CLOCK SUPPORT Things happen – that’s just the nature of travel! At Travel Counsellors we have a 24/7 Duty office staffed by an incredible team who have a constant eye on what’s going on in the World and at the touch of a button can work out which of our clients may be affected. We’ll give you a call and make sure you’re OK. If you have an issue and you can’t get hold of me personally, the Duty Office are always on hand to take the call and between us we’ll sort it out – whether the problem is getting there, getting home or anything in between!

Disney and Anna Maria Island

17 September 2018

Hi Lindsay Our lovely holiday was just perfect, seems ages ago already, but we have some great memories. Disney was everything you expected and more really, Port Orleans Riverside was a lovely resort, the garden areas were beautifully laid out and very well maintained. The bedrooms were spacious and attended to everyday. The magic bands were a great idea, loved not having to worry about keys, food, tickets and photos. Anna Maria Island, we didn't know of this location before, but we would certainly recommend it. The holiday rental property was amazing, I still smile every time I think about it and that it was ours for a week. The island is approximately 7 miles long and there is a free trolley service that runs every 20 minutes, fabulous idea. Also, there was a free Monkey Bus (see photo), you just phoned for this service and they would take you were ever you wanted to go, anywhere on the island and beyond, as it is run by volunteers you just gave a donation. I hope this information is useful, if you have any questions just email me, I'm happy to help. Best wishes Jean

Summer Break to Portugal

13 September 2018

Hi Lindsay, Nigel has asked me to do the holiday feedback for you: We liked the general area, but the actual village left a lot to be desired. The main part of the village was a busy main road, with just a few local shops within walking distance. There were some side streets which had a couple of nicer restaurants, which we used a three or four times, but although it was said to be within walking distance from our villa, it was rough, uneven, unlit pavements, and then a section of busy main road without a pavement, so not really suitable to walk at night. We ate out on several evenings but felt that we would prefer to drive. Within about 10 mins drive there was a large shopping complex with a big supermarket. We also found a great Go Kart track back near Faro, which Daniel loved! The actual villa itself was lovely: very clean - and a very well-equipped kitchen if you like to cook (which I do) - the sort of place where you could actually live! The pool was clean, and had plenty of sunbeds around it, and we were provided with pool towels. The pool and villa were cleaned regularly to a high standard. I think the biggest disappointment was the proximity of a dual carriageway to the villa - within 100m - and probably less. And let me tell you, those Portuguese truck drivers use their horns a lot! It wasn't quite so bad by the pool as you had a fence around it, but up by the villa and particularly the dining area outside, you were on a level with that road, and at times it was very noisy. Especially noticeable when you come from Devon - like moving to a city! If you look on Trip Advisor it mentions 'a bit of road noise': well, in August, it's a lot! For me, this was the low point of the holiday - I wanted a quiet break, and the road noise really spoiled this experience. The car hire worked well, and we were able to access many beaches from this area - lovely and sandy, with lots of space: the Portuguese system of some areas for sunbed hire, other areas for towels and umbrellas works really well, and we found some lovely beach restaurants for lunches. Would we go back to Portugal: yes. Would we go back to this place: definitely no. Hope this helps with your 'places to recommend'! Jackie

Constellation Cruise

13 September 2018

One of the older ships of Celebrity but still clean, tidy and beautiful. A very welcoming ship with amazing staff. Quite a large ship but doesn't feel it. We booked for 10 days in August and have to say it was one of the best cruises we have been one both for ship and islands. The ship visited Venice, Dubrovnik, Crete, Athens, Santorini, Mykonos and Katakolon. There were many nationalities onboard. We were fortunate enough to be in a Royal Suite and had an interconnecting room for the children who were in a Concierge Cabin. We were treated so well. Lovely staff who could not do enough for you. The food was amazing in all of the restaurants. The bar staff were great and always remembered your drink. The disembarkation and embarkation were easy not congested and as you can imagine the temp outside was hot so to arrive back at the ship after a long hot day to be met with ice cold flannels and ice-cold fruit water was amazing. Dubrovnik was beautiful. We were there two days so managed to visit the Old Town which was so interesting, beautiful but very busy. The next day we went to the most amazing beach bar, Copacabana. Fabulous crystal-clear water, beautiful beach beds and great beach bar and restaurant. If on a cruise for holidaying, there we would recommend changing some of your euros for their currency Croatian Kuna (they use both but prefer their own). Chania, Crete was lovely, but we prefer the Heraklion end. Chania isn't as pretty as the Heraklion side. Its more commercialised and the beaches compared to that of the Costa Blanca. Very busy. However, we love Crete and will definitely visit again. Food is lovely Cretian Greek and very cheap. The beaches as said before are very busy but the sea is warm and very shallow. Athens we enjoyed very much for the historical side of it. On first viewing it’s just your usual dirty European city but we highly recommend booking a private tour with a guide and tour the whole area. Its then that you see the real side of Athens and see the beauty and history of the area. We were out for 4 hours which was more than enough and most of that time was on the Acropolis. However, we did manage to see many other historical areas and houses. Santorini was disappointing! From the ship it looks stunning and a definite wow factor as you see it perched at the top of a cliff face. You see the adverts on the TV and in the cruise brochures etc of these beautiful white washed homes with blue paint work and infinity pools how fooled we were. From the cruise ship you are taken to shore by tender and you have three choice of getting up to the top either cable car, 580 plus steps or donkeys. Once at the top you are met by the beautiful cobbled very narrow streets and the lovely little white washed buildings however they are all filled with either food shops, takeaways, jewellery shops or their own touristy shops. We walked out of the busy area hoping to find something quainter and quieter but you don't. Nearly every very narrow street had beggars playing their musical instruments or using their kids hoping for money. Very intimidating especially when you really can't get away from them. We found the beautiful hotels, villas and private homes as you have to walk past them and there is absolutely no privacy for them. You are either walking past them or looking down into them. We walked further into Santorini and came across an even more commercialised area with Irish Bars and a MacDonald’s. Then to our surprise we saw that in fact Santorini is two sides and the other side is flat with a main road in and out, a bustling centre with taxis etc. We feel we have been lied to! We definitely wouldn't come back here for a holiday - a day is definitely enough. We decided to walk back down to the tenders as we wouldn't bear to use the donkeys. It was so sad to see as they have to just stand there in 30-degree heat waiting for the tourists. There was no water or food where they were tied up and there was horse poo and pee everywhere, so you can imagine the smell. In all the time it took us to walk down only three donkeys were used by some inconsiderate visitors and all the way down the people on the donkeys were met with abuse from all nationalities. It was a sad situation. Mykonos was one of our favourites. A beautiful island with lovely beaches and the sea was crystal clear, shallow and warm. Many beach bars and all had comfy stunning beds, restaurants and facilities. A little more expensive than other islands but worth a visit and definitely would love to stay for a week. The town is lovely, like Santorini with narrow cobbled streets but more upmarket and quirkier. Very expensive area and has all the top premium brand shops like Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga etc. They call Mykonos the Gay Capital of Greece and it definitely was. Food was lovely, and the people were lovely. Katakolon was not one of the best stops but we managed to find an ok beach on the other side of the island. each area is set up like a strip with restaurant on one side and their tables and beach beds on the other side of the strip. The beach beds are free if you buy your drinks/food off their beach waiters. Unfortunately, because of this policy the beds are old and not very comfortable. The beach was quite dirty and was full of lucky lucky men selling knock off designer handbags, watches sunglasses etc, just like being back in Spain. Venice - Well what can we say. A must visit. I wouldn't visit for any longer than 4 for 5 nights and to visit at the end of May/June or September. August was far too hot and very busy. Beautiful architecture and stunning scenery. Can be a little smelly especially when the tide goes out. Would recommend the Gondolas, expensive but a must. We stayed in the Gritti Palace Hotel and will definitely be going back again. Absolutely fabulous hotel with the most amazing staff. Breakfast is served outside with views of the bustling Grand Canal. We walked out of the hotel to our table and literally stopped in our tracks at the breath-taking location. It’s not cheap but all the added extras the hotel offer is worth every penny. They arrange their own private transfers which we used, and it was so smooth and stress free. They took us under their wing and looked after us right from the airport to the hotel and then the next day from the hotel to the port.

Great Malvern and Surrounding Area

04 September 2018

With a new grandson in the family, I decided that after spending as much time with him as I could we would make a weekend of it and revisit one of the places that I used to go to as a child - Great Malvern. I had a great Aunt we used to visit here when I was a child and it was a lovely time to go back and look around and see the changes! We stayed at the Abbey Hotel in Malvern and it was a good 4-star hotel - great attentive staff and courteous although the bedrooms were a little dated. The location was great, right in the centre of the town and next to the museum. We arrived nice and early, so we could have a look around and see what had changed. It's amazing what you remember from when you were a child and how things always appeared bigger then. The old winter gardens outside pool had gone and had been replaced by an indoor pool but the gardens had hardly changed. It was lovely to walk through the garden and see the bandstand was still there. We then wandered around the old town and went to the bottom of the entrance to the hills- famous for its water and walks. After a visit to my old aunt's house which hadn't changed much, we then decided to drive back through Ledbury and stopped off for lunch at a lovely old town with independent shops. A longer route back home took us through the Wye Valley, a beautiful drive through valleys and winding roads. We then stopped off at Tintern Abbey for an ice cream before making our way home. It made me realize that there are so many beautiful places that I want to see in this country as well as the rest of the world!

Cotswold Break

04 September 2018

I had this little review from a regular client who wanted a short break in the UK - this is what she sent me. They stayed at the Wyck Hill House at Stow on the Wold, a large country house hotel at the heart of the Cotswolds. A 4-star property with a spa - a great break away. “Hi Lindsay, Had a great time in Cotswolds so thank you for the recommendation. We visited Stow in the Wold, Broadway and Bourton on the water and a glorious garden with a sculpture exhibition. We drove home through Tetbury. The weather was warm and dry and food delicious if a bit pricey! We will be back to discuss holidays next year when we agree where to go!”

Educational to Kenya

16 June 2018

It was a while ago now, but I was lucky enough to be chosen to travel to Kenya for a beach hotel inspection and a safari! It was my first time to an African country and to be honest I was not sure what to expect. We flew out with Kenya Airways to Nairobi and then took a domestic flight to Mombassa. The poverty along the road leading away from the airport was an eye opener for me but everyone waved to us as we passed! We arrived at our hotel where we were due to stay for a week and as we several hotel visits planned within this trip so there was not a lot of free time. However, typical agents we made the most of our time here! We stayed in the Mombassa Beach Hotel - we were only here for a day and one night, so we didn't get to experience all of the hotel, but the staff were friendly and very welcoming. It is close to Mombassa but the hotel exuded an air of tranquillity with huge and well maintained tropical gardens that provide welcome shade in the heat of the day. It was overlooking beautiful the Indian Ocean with a stunning white sand beach suitable for sun bathing. They feature a lot of wedding and public functions here and hold conferences. All the 152 rooms have sea facing rooms and balconies. The next day we were collected from our hotel and had our own private guide and jeep for a three-day safari trip! So exciting and the crowd of travel agents were all good fun and we got on well, so I was looking forward to this! Well, after a few hours of travelling on the 'roads' - in the loosest terms - we reached Tsavo East National Park! The fantastic scenery and wildlife was worth the discomfort! Kenya is one of the best places to see the Big Five and on our first day here we saw Cheetah and Giraffes - such magnificent animals and so elegant! We had a game drive and our knowledgeable driver pointed out all the different wildlife that was here and stopped a few times for us to take pictures and just take in the view! Amazing. We arrived at our first night hotel - the Voi Safari Lodge - a good three-star property with a fantastic view from the pool are overlooking the savanna. There is a water hole that is close to the lodge and elephants, impala, and zebra to name a few, use it regularly. The rooms were decorated in colonial style with 4 poster beds and the much-needed mosquito nets and the food was amazing. But the biggest highlight for me was that I was lucky enough to be able to have a very early morning balloon ride from a point in the park and we silently took off and travelled over Tsavo east at sun break! It is something else watching the sun rise over Mt Kilamanjaro and then landing in the park for a champagne breakfast! It was a while ago now, but this still holds a special place in my heart and memories! After the balloon landed we were then collected and taken again by jeep to continue of exploration of the park. More animals were seen, and we were lucky enough to see two sleeping lions in the shade of a tree! Our driver got quite close and it was great to see these magnificent beasts so close up! Our next night stay was at a tented camp! I was a little apprehensive of this, but my fears were unfounded. The camps are fully equipped with bathrooms and they are sprayed every night with mosquito repellent and this was the first night that I wasn't bitten! We had a magical evening around the campfire late into the night and the night sky was stunning! So many stars in the dark sky - we were told stories by a Masai Mari warrior all wrapped up with blankets and hot chocolate! Lovely! The next day we looked at some other hotels on our way back to Mombassa and these included Sentrim Lodge – a great place for honeymoons and Lion Hill Safari Lodge. We had another game drive and this time were lucky to come across a large herd of elephants! We were sat in the Jeep and the driver answered his radio then started to slowly reverse back away from the herd - we were not that close - but out from behind a clump of trees the large bull elephant approached with his ears flapping and his trunk swishing! We left quite quickly. We then headed back to Mombassa and spent a few more days just relaxing at the Reef hotel - a lovely beach hotel with an amazing pool area. It’s a lovely family friendly hotel and very friendly staff - its right on the beach and you can walk out of your room and go down to the Indian Ocean and have a dip before breakfast then meander back through the garden and sit outside by the pool to eat your breakfast. It was just what was needed after the safari. I was very lucky to have gone on this trip and would do it again - but I would take a fly safari next time. Easier on your bottom!

Amazing Trip to Vietnam and Cambodia

13 June 2018

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of organizing a trip for some clients to go to Vietnam and Cambodia - it was two of the destinations on their bucket list and they asked if I was able to help them piece an itinerary together. I of course said no problem and I was happy to help. Along with our fantastic on the ground contact in Vietnam and Cambodia we came up with a great itinerary for them and here are some of the highlights. On arrival at Siem Reap they were collected by private car and transferred to their hotel for a couple of nights. They wandered around Siem Reap after checking into their hotel and had a look at the evening street stalls that offer a variety of amazing Cambodian street food and delights - the smells and tastes are overwhelming, and you just can help but indulge! Siem Reap is the known as the Gateway to the Temples and of course Angkor Wat - a world heritage site with soaring towers, is one of the most amazing man-made monuments in the world. It was built in honour of Vishnu in the 12th Century. It is such a beloved and important part of Cambodia that it is included on their national flag! They also visited the ancient Ta Prohm Monastery - nicknamed the Jungle Temple due to the immense branches that have taken root in the stones. They said that this was a unique atmosphere here. They also visited the Angkor Thom Temple which consist of 54 gigantic towers which feature 216 smiling faces of Avalokitesvara, a Bayon deity. Few tourists realise that you can escape the bustle of the South Gate by walking up along the top of the laterite wall (access is possible from any of the gates). You can either walk or cycle round the entire perimeter, safe in the knowledge that with an (almost) uniform shape you’re not going to get lost. There will be some areas where the wall has crumbled a little. With shady forest paths and a small temple on each corner of the four walls, this is an easy way to get away from the crowds. Nature lovers and bird watchers enjoy this route. After their stay in Siem Reap they travelled on to Phnom Penh passing through ancient villages which haven't changed much! They visited the Skun Market which is locally known as the market of the large spiders! This busy market town is visited daily by tourists which go there to 'taste the fried spiders'. Travelling between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh there is not much to see between the two points, but this is a welcome stop for about 30 mins. They have a variety of bugs/insects to taste but the market is best known from the spiders or tarantulas. On arrival in Phnom Penh they checked into their hotel and then had a look around the capital of Cambodia which is located on the Mekong River. They ventured out to the local markets of Phnom Penh where they tried the local street food with dishes that ranged from grilled chicken and meatballs to hot dogs. Plus the local delicacies! There are several day trips that you can do from Phnom Penh but one of the most popular is the City Tour and the Killing Field trip. The tour began with a visit to the temple of Wat Phnom, the city's namesake. Then they visited the 19th-century Royal Palace, see the thousands of silver tiles inlaid in the floor of the Silver Pagoda. After lunch, they were taken to visit the infamous Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, a grim memorial to more than 17,000 people who were executed on the site by the Khmer Rouge. A Buddhist stupa, built to commemorate the victims, houses 8,000 skulls behind clear glass panels, and more remains lie in the disinterred pits of the mass graves. Horrendous but fascinating - a look at history and the evilness of man! The following day they transferred from Cambodia to Vietnam. This involved checking out at the border gate in Cambodia -walking across 'no man’s land' (his description) to the border at Vietnam. He said that it was a little daunting and a bit scary, but they were not allowed guides in this part of the crossing. Once on the other side they were met by another driver and taken to their hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. The following day they visited the Cu Chi Tunnels the amazing underground network of tunnels used in the Vietnam war. It’s a fascinating history and if you are game you can squeeze down into the tunnels for a closer look! They had some free time and took in the city tour of Ho Chin Minh and then flew to Hanoi the following day. Again, to get their bearings they had a full sightseeing tour of Hanoi and its temples and monuments and even hired a cyclo-pousse (cycle rickshaw) and travelled through the artisans, stalls, tinsmiths and jewellers of the Quarter of the 36 Guilds. A fascinating look at local sellers and crafts where no doubt they picked up a few bargains. Their final stop before returning to the UK was to Halong Bay - the amazing overnight stay on a kunk. Here they had fresh seafood and slept overnight onboard the junk taking in the peace and serenity of the Bay - a great end to an amazing trip.

South Africa Adventure

13 June 2018

One of the most amazing tailor-made trips that I have organized was to South Africa! I absolutely love booking this county - it is so diverse and there is so much to see and do so it was a great pleasure putting an itinerary together for some very special clients to visit here. They flew out to Cape Town in February and as it was a special trip they decided to go business class - this gave them the opportunity to arrive fresh and relaxed after chilling out on the flight in the comfort of a chair that converts to a flatbed! Great start to the holiday! On arrival I had arranged for a private transfer to take them to their hotel - they were staying at the One and Only Hotel in Cape Town and were met with refreshments and nibble before they were shown to their room. A fantastic room with views of Table Mountain. My client had also asked me to see if I could arrange for cricket tickets for the day/night game against England which I managed to book, and the tickets were waiting for him with the concierge when he arrived. They said that they had a fantastic time and the atmosphere was electric - England lost but hey ho! Cape Town is an amazing city and so diverse - it has fantastic restaurants and bars and a wide variety of day trips that you can take. Robbin Island where Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners were held is not far and you can combine it with a city tour. One of the best ways I feel to see any city is to take the hop on and hop off bus tour. This gives you great insight to the town and places to visit and doesn't cost a lot! Wineland tours are also very popular and if you feel adventurous you can go in a great white shark cage (my son did this!) and whale watching. Of course, you can also do a day safari or if you wish a longer trip, but my clients were doing something rather special further on in their trip so opted not to do a safari trip from here. After a few days they took the famous Blue Train from Cape Town to Johannesburg - my client needs a bath as opposed to a shower and with our local contacts I was able to obtain a room with a bath for her on the train. The Blue Train is one of the most iconic train rides in the world! Its more than just a train journey, the Blue Train is an all-inclusive luxury rail cruise which show some of country's most spectacular scenery. Its stylish interior and attentive service have made it one of the most famous and highly acclaimed rail experiences in the world. Your elegant cabin by days turns into an en suite bedroom with butler service. There is a Club Car and lounge to enjoy drinks and afternoon tea whilst silver service meals are served in the dining car. My clients loved this trip and said that the staff were fantastic and so helpful and friendly. On arrival in Johannesburg they were transferred to their overnight hotel and back to the airport in the morning for their internal flight to Kruger. On arrival they were met by private transfer and transferred to Ulusaba Private Game Reserve! This property has to be one of the most breath-taking in the world - it belongs to Richard Branson and the views from the rooms are stunning! Ulusaba was voted as the number one resort in Africa in the Condé Nast Traveller Reader's Choice Awards in 2016 and was ranked as the third best resort in the world! My clients had a Rock Suite - a spacious two bedroom suite with living area, but the most fantastic part of this room was that you are on top of the world at Rock Lodge! Survey miles of game-rich bush as you stand eight hundred feet above the wilderness. Here the view is king and there are endless opportunities to spot the roaming wildlife, all set against a backdrop of the Drakensberg Mountains far in the distance. My client said that she was taking a bath and a monkey appeared at her window! Having breakfast on your decking whilst the elephants and other wildlife were drinking in the waterhole below you is a surreal experience! They had two game drives a day and each day was different seeing a variety of wildlife - the game wardens tailor-make your game drive for you so it’s a unique experience. The food and service were outstanding, and they said that it is a placed that will stay in their memories forever! The next part of their trip was to Victoria Falls. They had an overnight in Johannesburg before their flight out, but a problem occurred, and they missed their flight! After a call to me I managed to rearrange the flight for them for the next day - its only once a day to fly there - and they arrived at Victoria Fall Hotels for two nights. The falls rooms were fully booked but we managed to get a standard room for them which they said was still great and whilst there they took a Sundowner Cruise on the lake - a stunning leisurely cruise around Lake Victoria - taking in the magnificent view of the falls as well as the magnificent hippos and otters and if you’re lucky a Monitor Lizard and Nile croc! After all this excitement they needed time to relax and rest, so I booked them a few days in Durban in a beautiful beach hotel. They spent the last few days just chilling out and reflecting on their amazing holiday, not sure if they wanted to return to the UK! It was great being able to piece this trip together for them and to know that I was able to give them a trip of a lifetime!

California Trip to Visit Friends

11 June 2018

I had an enquiry for a client that wanted to go to the USA to visit friends but to also have some time on their own. They wanted small boutique hotels and car hire and also wanted to travel by train from Boston to New York which was a great way to travel! I arranged all of this for them along with the ESTA and assistance at the airport for them and their luggage. Have a look at their itinerary below :- 25 February 2018 Flight: Virgin Atlantic Airways - VS 19 London Heathrow (LHR) Depart: 12:00 San Francisco Intl Arpt, San Francisco (SFO) Arrive: 15:05 Class: Premium 25 February 2018 Accommodation: Ramada Limited San Francisco A Location: San Francisco Intl – US Nights: 1 Check out: 26 February 2018 Board basis: Breakfast-Continental Room: Standard King Your car hire 26 February 2018 Collection point: CALIFORNIA - San Francisco International Airport Collection time: 12:00 Flight number: VS19 Number of days: 9 Car type: MITSUBISHI MIRAGE OR SIMILAR Luggage: 2 items Insurance options: Inclusive Return point: CALIFORNIA - San Francisco International Airport Return date: 07 March 2018 Return time: 16:00 02 March 2018 Accommodation: Hotel Vertigo Location: San Francisco – USA Nights: 2 Check out: 04 March 2018 Board basis: Room Only Room: Run of House (Bed Type Double) Guests: 07 March 2018 Flight: Virgin America - VX 1358 San Francisco Intl Arpt, San Francisco (SFO) Depart: 21:07 Boston (BOS) Arrive: 05:37 08 March 2018 Class: Economy 08 March 2018 Accommodation: Boston Hotel Buckminster Location: Boston – US Nights: 3 Check out: 11 March 2018 Board basis: Room Only Room: Double Queen Train from Boston to New York - TRAIN ACELA EXPRESS BOSTON (SOUTH STATION) - NEWYORK (PENN STATION) DEPARTS ARRIVES (Sun Mar 11) Train 2253 Mar 11, 2018 2 Acela Express Business Cl Seats 11:10 AM 2:45 PM OWN ARRANGEMENTS 13 March 2018 Flight: Virgin Atlantic Airways - VS 4 John F Kennedy Intl, New York (JFK) Depart: 19:30 London Heathrow (LHR) Arrive: 06:30 14 March 2018 Class: Premium

Singapore and the Maldives

11 June 2018

I love tailor making trips for my clients - here is another one that I created for them - it includes a cruise from Singapore - both first time cruisers and they loved it - again a joy to put together! 28 February 2017 Flight: Emirates - EK 30 London Heathrow (LHR) T3 Depart: 16:15 Dubai Intl Arpt, Dubai (DXB) T3 Arrive: 03:00 01 March 2017 Class: Business Seats Confirmed 14 E and 14F 01 March 2017 Flight: Emirates - EK 658 Dubai Intl Arpt, Dubai (DXB) T3 Depart: 04:35 Male (MLE) Arrive: 09:45 Class: Business Seats Confirmed 11D and 11E Your transfer 01 March 2017 Type: SEAPLANE Number of vehicles: 1 Pickup time (guide): 09:45 Pick up point: MLE, Male Intl Arpt, AIRPORT Destination: Milaidhoo Island, Maldives Transfer time: To be confirmed locally Your accommodation 01 March 2017 Accommodation: Milaidhoo Island Location: Maldives - Maldives Nights: 7 Check out: 08 March 2017 Board basis: All Inclusive Room: Beach Pool Villa (All Inclusive) Your transfer 08 March 2017 Type: SEAPLANE Number of vehicles: 1 Pickup time: To be confirmed locally Pick up point: Milaidhoo Island, Maldives Destination: MLE, Male Intl Arpt, AIRPORT Transfer time: To be confirmed locally Your flight08 March 2017 Flight: Silk Air - MI 481 Male (MLE)Arrive: 20:45 Changi Intl Arpt, Singapore (SIN) T2 Class: Economy Seats Booked 8C and 8D Your transfer 08 March 2017 Type: Economy Private Transfer Number of vehicles: 1 Pickup time (guide): 20:45 Pick up point: Singapore Changi Airport Destination: Marina Bay Sands, Marina Bay Cruise Centre Port Transfer time: 40 minutes Your accommodation 8 March 2017 Accommodation: Marina Bay Sands Location: Singapore - SG Nights: 3 Check out: 11 March 2017 Board basis: Room and breakfast-Full Room: Deluxe 1 King Bed Your attraction 9 March 2017 Attraction name: Singapore Night Safari with Dinner Attraction time: 18:00 Your cruise 11 March 2017 Cruise name: Asia Mini Cruise Ship name: Diamond Princess Departure time: 16:00 Return date: 16 March 2017 Time: 07:00 Cabin grade: S% Cabin number: B107 Gratuities: Not included Itinerary Date Detail Arrive Depart 11/03/2017 Singapore EMBARK AND DEPART 12/03/2017 Port KelangKUALA LUMPAH 13/03/2017 Penang MALAYSIA 14/03/2017 Phuket THAILAND 15/03/2017 AT SEA 16/03/2017 SINGAPORE DISEMBARK A Your accommodation 16 March 2017 Accommodation: THE FULLERTON HOTEL SINGAPORE Location: SINGAPORE - SG Nights: 2 Check out: 18 March 2017 Board basis: FULL BREAKFAST Room: Courtyard Room (FBF) / Reduced Rate Guests: Your transfer 18 March 2017 Type: Economy Private Transfer Your flight Pickup time (guide): 06:00 Pick up point: THE FULLERTON HOTEL SINGAPORE, Singapore City (Not inc :Serangoon,Bukit Timah,Jurong) Destination: Singapore Changi Airport Transfer time: 40 minutes 18 March 2017 Flight: Emirates - EK 433 Changi Intl Arpt, Singapore (SIN) T1 Depart: 09:35 Dubai Intl Arpt, Dubai (DXB) T3 Arrive: 13:00 Class: Business Seats Confirmed 10K and 10J 18 March 2017 Flight: Emirates - EK 3 Dubai Intl Arpt, Dubai (DXB) T3 Depart: 14:30 London Heathrow (LHR) T3 Arrive: 18:20 Class: Business Seats Confirmed 17J and 18K

Tailor Made Trip

08 June 2018

I have booked a number of clients over the years to beautiful destinations and have had the wonderful task of tailor making a lot of their trips. They vary from European destinations to the Far East, North America and Australia. I thought that I would share some details of some of the trips that have happened over the years. This one was for a couple in their late fifties that wanted a special trip to Thailand - have a look below and see their itinerary. 26/02/2016 Arrive into Bangkok. Guests will be transferred from Suvarnabhumi Airport to their Bangkok hotel accompanied by their guide in the comfort of a private, air-conditioned vehicle. Overnight in Bangkok. 27/02/2016 Bangkok (B/L). Full Day Bangkok Sightseeing. This busy but fascinating day starts with a long-tail cruise through the Thonburi klongs. Sightseeing stops are made along the way at Wat Arun and then at the incomparable Grand Palace where you will visit the majestic throne halls and mysterious Emerald Buddha. Lunch is served at the delightful Supatra River House overlooking the Chao Phraya River. In the afternoon, visit Vimanmek Palace, the world’s largest teak building and finish the day with a stop at the Marble Temple, Wat Benchamabophit, which features a fascinating fusion of Thai and European architectural styles. Time: 08.00 – 17.00 Departure: Daily Note: Lunch is included. Vimanmek Palace is closed on Mondays. Overnight in Bangkok 28/02/2016 Bangkok (B) Half Day Koh Kred Tour. Drive north of Bangkok towards Nonthaburi on the banks of the Chao Phraya River where you cross the ferryboat to Koh Kred, home to one of Thailand’s oldest Mon settlements. Take a walk around the island to witness the local lifestyle in the countryside, visit Wat Paramai Yikawat houses Mon-style marble stupa and the reclining Buddha. Afterwards visit ancient Mon pottery village where is the oldest and largest earthenware making sources in the region. Biking around the island can be a good option. Return to Bangkok by car. Time: 08.00 – 12.00 Departure: Daily Free at your leisure on the afternoon or enjoy hotel’s facilities. Overnight in Bangkok 29/02/2016 Bangkok - Krabi (B). Guests will be met at the hotel by their guide and transported to Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok in the comfort of a private, air-conditioned vehicle. Upon arrival at the airport in Krabi, your guide will meet you at the airport and accompany you during the transfer by air-conditioned vehicle to hotel in Aonang. Free at your leisure when arrive at your hotel. Overnight in Krabi 01/03/2016 Krabi - Elephant Hills (B/L/D). Pick up at hotel in Krabi approx. 08.00, to Phang Nga Province, passing small rural villages, rubber and oil palm plantations. Glimpses of rural life in tropical southern Thailand can be seen along the way. Explore the rivers that cut through the mangrove forest by dinghy with outboard motor (speed cat). There is a maze of channels between the island and along the coast; it really feels like some primeval swamp. further along the coast, meet up with our classical Burmese junk where lunch will be served. Spend the afternoon on a deserted beach, swim, relax or paddle a canoe. Return to the hotel. Overnight at Elephant Hills, Khao Sok. 02/03/2016 Elephant Hills (B/L/D). Wake up to the sounds of nature and birds calling from the bushes. Tea and coffee making facilities are available in the tent for early risers; breakfast is at your leisure. Then transfer to the elephant camp. Here, you can see, touch and find out about the life of Thai elephants and about the elephant project the company is running. Also, the guide will explain about the mahout, the man who takes care of the elephants. Participating in our Elephant Experience, you will get close to and experience hands on these magnificent animals, you will have the chance to interact with them and learn the secrets of their mahouts. A once in a lifetime chance to experience the Asian Elephant, the largest land animal in this part of the world. Returning from the jungle with a huge appetite, you will appreciate the buffet lunch that is served, a variety of Thai dishes cooked not too spicy. After lunch, take a jungle river canoe trip down the Sok River. The canoes are very stable and safe; life jackets are provided as well as a local river guide to paddle the canoe. Drift along the jungle river passing Limestone Mountains and cliffs covered with exotic tropical vegetation. Sometimes hornbill can be seen flying high overhead or reptiles basking in the sun on the riverbanks. From the canoe you can experience a world that has changed little in thousands of years, some of the last areas of primary rainforest. Dinner at the hotel and evening activities including dance performance and cooking demonstrations. Overnight at Elephant Hills, Khao Sok. 03/03/2016 Elephant Hills - Khao Lak (B/L). After a good night’s rest lulled to sleep by the background symphony of insects and frogs, it’s time for a wholesome breakfast before coming face to face with the jungle by exploring it on foot. You have seen it from elephant back and from your canoe on the river, but nothing compares to walking yourself inside the jungle. It is not an army survival exercise, there are no prizes for the fastest, snakes and spider do not jump out at you, it is just an opportunity to explore the ecology of the rainforest, to see a great variety of exotic plants, tropical hardwood trees with huge roots, orchids, palms, ferns, bamboos, mosses; the variety is unlimited. Birds such as the hornbill live high up above, gibbon can often be heard calling to their mates, a macaque or leaf monkey may be heard swinging through the branches, every day is different, but it is truly wonderful to discover the great variety of life forms that co-exists together. This can only by experienced on foot, take it slowly, look, learn and listen, then you too will start to discover some of the secrets of the rainforest. If weather permits, lunch will be served in the rainforest cooked in bamboo, a tradition of jungle explorers for centuries past. Sadly, in the afternoon, it’s time to return to Elephant Hills, then onward transfer to The Sarojin Hotel approx. 17.00. Free at your leisure when arrive at your hotel Overnight in Phangnga 04/03/2016 - 10/3/2016 The hotel representative will assist you to board a private, air-conditioned car to transfer you to Phuket Airport.

Personalised Itinerary for Australia

08 June 2018

I recently arranged this trip for some regular clients of mine that wanted to go to Sydney for the New Year! We had to book it quite a way in advance as you can imagine but this is the trip that I arranged for them:- 27 December 2017 Flight: Singapore Airlines - SQ 321 London Heathrow (LHR) T2 Depart: 22:05 Changi Intl Arpt, Singapore (SIN) Arrive: 19:00 28 December 2017 28 December 2017 Flight: Singapore Airlines - SQ 251 Changi Intl Arpt, Singapore (SIN) T3Depart: 23:15 Sydney Kingsford Smith Arpt, Sydney (SYD) T1 Arrive: 10:15 29 December 2017 29 December 2017 Type: Deluxe Car Number of vehicles: 1 Pickup date and time (guide only): 29 December 2017 at 10:15 Pick up point: Sydney Airport Destination: Castle Reagh Boutique Hotel,Sydney 05 January 2018 Collection point: New South Wales - Sydney City Collection time: 10:00 Flight number: walk in Number of days: 5 Car type: Hyundai Getz, Hyundai i20 or Similar Luggage: 2 items Insurance options: Inclusive Return point: New South Wales – Sydney International Airport Return date: 10 January 2018 Return time: 10:00 05 January 2018 Accommodation: Hunter Valley Resort Location: Pokolbin - Nights: 3 Check out: 08 January 2018 Board basis: Room Only10 January 2018 Flight: Singapore Airlines - SQ 6800 Operated by: Virgin Australia Sydney Kingsford Smith Arpt, Sydney (SYD) T2Depart: 10:00 Tullamarine Airport, Melbourne (MEL) T3Arrive: 11:35 10 January 2018 Type: Seat In Coach Number of vehicles: 1 Pickup date and time (guide only): 10 January2018 at 11:35 Pick up point: Melbourne International Airport Destination: Travelodge Hotel Melbourne South, Melbourne Nights: 2 Check out: 12 January 2018 Board basis: Room Only 12 January 2018 Type: Seat In Coach Number of vehicles: 1 Pickup date (guide only): 12 January 2018 Pick up point: Travelodge Hotel Melbourne Sou, Melbourne CBD Accommodation Destination: Melbourne International Airpo 12 January 2018 Flight: Singapore Airlines - SQ 248 Tullamarine Arpt, Melbourne (MEL) T2Depart: 13:40 Changi Intl Arpt, Singapore (SIN)Arrive: 18:2012 January 2018 Flight: Singapore Airlines - SQ 322 Changi Intl Arpt, Singapore (SIN) T3 Depart: 23:45 London Heathrow (LHR) T2 Arrive: 05:55 13 January 2018 It was a great trip and it gave them the freedom to do what they wanted.

Clients trip to Thailand

06 June 2018

I have received this email from a client who had an amazing trip to Thailand in March. It was a tailor-made trip that took in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Khao Lak. She is a Pilates teacher. “Hi everyone, I am back from a fabulous holiday, in which I stayed in 6 different hotels, did Thai cooking class, met 3 different tribes (including The Shamen, witch doctor), and danced with some of the Hmong tribe. Travelled on a speedboat to do snorkelling at Surin islands, travelled down Kok river in long tail boat where saw elephants and water buffaloes, kayaking off the famous James Bond island and into The Mangroves. Experienced 3 thunder storms. Stayed in bamboo lodge in Chang Rai in middle of jungle overlooking the Mekong river and watched the sunset. Ate loads of Thai curry and chilli omelette. Relaxing happened somewhere amongst that but now am ready to resume classes.”

Rejuvanting Week in the Sun

04 March 2018

My husband and I went to the Barceló Teguise hotel in Lanzarote for his birthday in October - he turned 60 and does not celebrate with a party so we decided that we would escape any surprises and went away for a lovely weeks’ break in the sun. This is an adult’s-only all-inclusive property - we normally do our own thing and tour but decided that we would just chill and relax - read and eat and sleep! We all need that at some point or another! It was a lovely hotel - staff were very friendly and helpful and, although they didn't have a wealth of facilities on offer, it was just what we needed! We relaxed by the pools and just read books and had cocktails served us on request! They had a good spa and a gym and there were aerobics each morning either in the pool or outside the gym. The rooms were lovely - beds very comfortable and clean and we had a top floor room with a Jacuzzi on the balcony - it was great to sit there in the evening and watch the sunset. We did venture out for evening strolls and the area that we were in Costa Tequise had a variety of bars and restaurants that you could eat at - the shops were well stocked although too touristy for our tastes! All in all, it was a great hotel in a good spot - not recommended for people that like lots to do - but for just relaxing and unwinding it was great!

New York Easter Break

24 October 2017

Another visit to this amazing city - it's one of my favourite cities ever! We travelled here in the spring to watch my stepdaughter perform on Broadway! What a fantastic achievement! She is a principal with Scottish ballet and they toured the USA and my husband and I were privileged to see her perform at the Joyce Theatre on Broadway. We also decided that we would take two of our friends with us and this made it even more special - we did the Empire State Building again but this time at sunset. The views from here are magnificent and in the fading light with the lights of New York popping on the atmosphere was something special. New York is always fast paced and being Easter was very busy but I still found that it was easy to get around and not many queues for the attractions. Central Park was glorious in the Easter sunshine and we opted to do a pedi-cab tour. A great way to get around with a guide but being able to stop and get out and take pictures when we wanted. Next time we might try to hire a bike! We opted to do the Staten Island Ferry this time around and it was fun to see New York from the other side of the island - easy to do and of course free. It's used by many New Yorkers every day. This time as well we opted to do a boat trip up the Hudson taking in all the sights along the way - the Statue of Liberty, Manhattan’s brilliant skyline One World Trade Center’s Freedom Tower, the Empire State Building, Ellis Island, the Brooklyn Bridge and many more. Due to the time difference we couldn't sleep so at 5am went to Times Square - had an amazing coffee and doughnut from a street vendor and could see the lights without the crowds! Fantastic. Also had a great lunch in O'Haras bar close to the World Trade Centre Memorial - great service and friendly staff. Got lost on the Subway which was fun but soon found our way back to the hotel! All in all another great visit to New York - but there is so much that you can do that you can go again and again and again...

Barbados Wedding and Romance Trip

24 October 2017

Its somewhere that I have always wanted to visit so I was really lucky to have been chosen to go to Barbados on a Wedding and Romantic Fam. It was just what I expected. It has perfect places for marriage proposals, weddings and honeymoons. Can cater for small and large groups so perfect for a large family wedding or a small individual one! For wedding venues, you can say 'I do' on a sandy beach with palms swaying, have a full catholic mass, relax in the privacy of a luxury villa, or take over an old Merchants House on the outskirts of Bridgetown - Sweetfield Manor. This was one of my favorite places, a 10 bedroomed Colonial House, 15 minutes from Bridgetown. And you can get married within 24 hours! All you need is your passport. We saw many properties and all had their unique take on weddings as well as catering for the normal guest. So a large variety of choices were available – the west coast had great properties right on the beach. Colony Club was another favourite, and for a complete contrast you could stay on the rugged East Coast at the Santosha Hotel – log style cabins between Bathsheba and Speightstown. Of course you can’t swim on this part of the island but hiring a car is a great idea to visit this spectacular scenery. There were a number of highlights for me but two of the best were snorkeling with turtles! Two firsts and the Island Safari! Fantastic way to see the island in a 4 x 4 jeep- off road was amazing but not for the fainthearted. And of course, the Bajans are great friendly people – all in all a great destination to visit. Give me a call for any further information.

Cancun

08 October 2012

In January my company holds an in house competition and the prize for the winners is normally a ‘free’ trip to the holiday destination that the competition has been based around – this January it was based around Cancun and our team won! As a result 28 Travel Counsellors were very lucky to go to Cancun, Mexico for a week to experience the resorts and hopefully to get a rest! However, due to the fact that this was a free trip we were asked to do some site inspections of some hotels and the areas. One of the ‘promoters’ was a hotel chain called AM resorts and their properties in Mexico are all 5 star properties – so the hotel visits were something to behold! We were lucky enough to stay at two of the properties – the Dreams Rivera Cancun and the Secrets Maroma hotel. The Dreams properties are all inclusive – and really all inclusive – all drinks, mini bar in the room, food 24 hrs a day, and soft drinks 24 hrs a day and if you stayed in the preferred rooms then you were able to use the spa free of charge as well. Treatments were extra but the use of the spa, the Jacuzzi, pools and steam rooms and relaxation areas were free. We stayed at the Dreams Riviera Cancun for 4 nights and the staff were excellent - very friendly, helpful, plenty of choice for food and drinks and nothing appeared to be too much trouble for them. They even brought us burger and chips at 4am! This hotel is based on the Riviera Maya – a beach area about 30 mins away from the Main beach strip at Cancun and is a great place if you want to completely chill out and relax. Cancun itself is the place to go if you want good quality hotels, fabulous beaches and nightlife. The main hotel strip is a Caribbean Benidorm! Lots of hotels, one after the other but of excellent quality and choice. The main reason people go to Cancun is for the beautiful white feathery beaches. We also stayed at the adults only hotel the Secrets Maroma – this again is on the Rivera Maya but is a higher rate of standard of property – it is designed for adults only and again is an all inclusive property – I had a treatment at this hotel – a massage and a facial and the spa area was amazing. Very relaxing and tranquil. You can spend all day there just relaxing in the pool areas, they give you hot towels for your neck and back and on hand with drinks and food. The beach area of this hotel was stunning – the weather was so hot – in the 90’s and you can only lay out in it for 20 mins before you need to cool off in the beautiful clear aquamarine water – the staff were very attentive and it felt a really peaceful hotel. We also visited the Tulum ruins –a Mayan ruins close to the Rivera Maya – we had an informative guide who explained about the Mayan culture which was in place before the Aztecs. The views from the top of the monastery overlooked the wild Atlantic and were amazing. On another day we went to Xcaret – an ecological park where you can view wildlife, turtles, fish and fauna and swim through underground caves. A really weird feeling but exhilarating! I did enjoy Mexico and would go back again – the hospitality of the hotels was outstanding and it is a great place to have a complete hotel break and do nothing!!

Venice Break

12 October 2010

We recently travelled to Venice for a long weekend with some friends after wishing to visit here for a long time! I was not disappointed! We arrived in the afternoon to glorious sunshine and proceeded to the dock to catch our water taxi to Venice Island. It was more expensive to take the water taxi as opposed to the public vaparettos but as this was our first time - I wanted to arrive in style and see the entrance to the Grand Canal in its glory! The water taxi sped across the lagoon and slowed to a crawl as we entered the Grand canal and it was one of the best sites that I have seen. The fantastic architecture, the lower part of the buildings that were no longer used due to the water levels and the scenes of local markets and shoppers was just magical! We arrived at San Marco the stop for St Marks Square and proceeded to our accommodation which was a few blocks away - I was glad that we arrived in the daytime and not on a low cost flight in the middle of the night as it is hard to find your hotel or apartment in the daytime so is impossible in the dark! We went out that evening for a walk and saw tourists who had just arrived around 10pm struggling to find their hotel accommodation and were just wandering around. Venice is an easy city to walk around- and to get lost in!- but just as easy to get back on the right track! You can just wander over bridges and canals and just admire the architecture and the shops and just loose track of time! One morning we rose very early and went to the Rialto Bridge and the Rialto Market which was just a fascinating site! it is a working market and the stall holders were there setting up their stalls with the local produce, fish, tomatoes, vegetables of all descriptions, poultry, game etc etc and the smells were fantastic! We stopped in a 'local' bar for a coffee and after being in there 3 mins - we were bombarded by commuters who had just arrived off the vaparetto and called in for an expresso and a doughnut before going to work! they all stood at the bar and drank their expresso and ate their doughnuts in less than 5 minutes then left for their place of work! Of course there is no charge if you stand and drink where if you sit there is a service charge. We found that it was quite easy to move away from the tourist areas for eating and drinking and if you went a few streets away from St Marks Square and the Rialto Bridge areas there were a variety of cafes, bars , restaurants that served reasonably prices meals of good quality. The Square flooded every night as it was high tides and it is a sight to see the tourists and the locals wading through 6 inches and more of water to get across the square! The restaurants around the square still served customers and the bands still played! it was surreal! We took a trip to Morano Island to see where the glass is made - it was a full day and was well worth it! You can see the glass blowers making their wares which is fascinating. Dont get fooled into buying a pre arranged tour as they take you from the square in St Marks to the Island but take you straight to a factory where you are guided around the glass blowers and can't normally leave without buying something! You can take the local boat over to the Island for a fraction of the cost and wander around the island and see other glass blowers just as easy and much cheaper! Venice is a magical city - fantastic shops, great restaurants and colourful locals and I would definitely go back!

Weekend In Marrakech

15 October 2008

My husband and I with some family members went to Marrakesh for a long weekend and found it was as spectacular as all the travel books and articles said! It was full of amazing smells and colours and the Djemaa El Fna Square was just out of this world! I have never seen so many different parts of a sheep that is used as food! The snake charmers and the acrobats are all around and you have to be careful not to stay watching too long as you will be 'dragged' in to participate! Many of the tourists watching didn't mind this but you have to be careful. We wandered through the Souks and the markets and bartered where necessary, but the prices were so cheap that it seemed an insult to barter but this is expected! We also wandered away from the main square and walked thought the 'local' part of the area which was full of local people buying vegetables, fruit and meat, which was fascinating. Of course you get pestered by the local children asking if they can be your guides and you have to be firm and tell them NO but if you ignore them and walk away they usually get the message. We stayed at a small Riad off of the Kasbah and it was perfect. Tim and Alix the owners were great hosts and gave us plenty of good tips about taxi's and places to visit. It was about a 15- 20 minute walk from the Riad to the Djemma square but worth it as we felt we saw the real Marrakesh. The Riad was difficult to find and at first we thought we were in the middle of Beirut as there is a lot of building in a state of repair around it but once you step inside it is like an oasis! Fantastic! We did not have enough time to visit all of the sites so we would definitely go back!

A special honeymoon to Canada and Alaska

30 April 2008

We wanted to have a special honeymoon, slightly different than the normal beach holiday and we decided to combine two countries that we always wanted to visit, and that was Canada and Alaska. As Canada is such an amazing country we thought that we would sample as much as we could in our limited time, so we flew into Toronto and stayed there for 3 nights. Whilst there we had dinner in the revolving restaurant at the CN tower and it was amazing, we visited the city beneath the city; a huge shopping complex under the streets of Toronto. This was built due to the weather being so cold in the winter months that people do not venture too much above ground level. From the coach trip to Niagara Falls, to the Maid of the Mist boat trip - Toronto was a great place to start off with and it just got better after that! We took the Canadian train from Toronto to Vancouver which took 3 days - plenty of time to just sit back and relax, read a book and sleep! The scenery was vast and at times, it was just miles and miles of grassland, but the staff on board were fantastic and the train company we were travelling with were very helpful and informative. They could not do enough for us and made our journey very pleasurable. On our arrival into Vancouver we hired a campervan and took off to tour for 5 days, where we ventured up into the fantastic Rocky Mountains! The scenery was just awesome, wild bears walking in front of your van as you are driving, wolves and deer and around each bend it was just another "wow - look at that!!" We stopped off at RV grounds along the way, and in every one the people were so helpful and friendly. They love the English accent so we were greeted with enthusiasm wherever we went. The 2 berth camper van was fully equipped with everything we needed including a heater and air conditioning. Driving is just so easy, with little traffic, so the 5 days passed quite quickly, and in next to no time we had travelled though the Rockies and were heading back to Vancouver to begin the luxurious part of our trip - a cruise to Alaska! We sailed on Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas and it was the pinnacle of our trip. This ship is just amazing and has everything that you could wish for, good cabins, great scenery and stupendous food! We stopped off at Ketchikan, Skagway which included an Ice visit to the Hubbard Glacier! It was so surreal - at one point we were up on the top deck looking at the ice crashing down from the glacier, dressed up in hats, gloves, scarves and weatherproof coats and when the ship turned around to depart the Glacier and we sailed back though the ice, we were sat in the Jacuzzi on the pool deck with a cocktail!! Sipping a Pina Colada whilst there is ice and snow capped mountains all around is one of the most surreal experiences I have had! After our wonderful week at sea we arrived back into Vancouver and stayed there for a further 4 days taking in the sights of this friendly city - the cable car up to Grouse Mountain, the city tour of Gastown as well as eating out down by the waterfront - there was so much to see. Vancouver is used as the location in a lot in film sets and you can tour the sites where the films are made. We want to go back as we did not have time to visit Victoria Island and would love to use this as an excuse to return. Not that you need an excuse. The people and the country make you want to return time and time again. It was just a fantastic honeymoon and simply the best three weeks that I have ever had.

My customer stories

Sent by Marie Sadler

Lindsay Garner a lovely lady, has revolutionized my travel. Her remit is to ensure I have a great stress free trip - and she does everything necessary to achieve this. So from organizing medication in the Falklands to arranging a prompt exit from Argentina as international borders closed ( and everything else between) - Lindsay is on the case. It doesn't end when you get home either - Lindsay completed my travel claim and followed it through to success. I've done two round the world trips and visited far flung places - I wouldn't leave home without her. *5 Star service on TrustPilot*

Sent by Nicola Ireland

Already recommending you to all my friends! So pleased to have this service.

Sent by Sharon Scanlan

Lindsay is very knowledgable and nothing is too much trouble. Definitely recommend

Sent by Paul Lamont

Wonderful service from Lindsey always helpful ! Wouldn’t go anywhere else I recommend people all the time x

Sent by Lucy Lamont

Lindsay is amazing, always finds the best holiday for us!

Sent by Lesley Diggens

Lindsay is always very professional and always goes the extra mile to help,we wouldn't think of using any other travel agent,

Sent by John O'Hare

The service myself and family receive from Lindsay is exceptional. Even if we have an issue when abroad she is at the end of the phone to help. Cannot speak highly enough of her.

Sent by Malcolm Mawby

Inspired me to think about going somewhere different! Thankyou

Sent by Jacqueline Heyfron

Will never use a travel agent again. Lindsay is available anytime of the day, any day of the week! Full of useful information and generally is cheaper than the travel agents

Sent by Julie Pratt

Will never use a travel agent again. Lindsay is available anytime of the day, any day of the week! Full of useful information and generally is cheaper than the travel agents

Sent by Barbara Swift

Invaluable patience and help from Lindsay. Unbeatable!

Sent by Tracey Allen

I recommend Lindsay and Travel Counsellors all the time to my friends and family. The service Lindsay has given is excellent every time I book a holiday or just enquire. There is never any pressure to book like other travel agents. Always happy to do business with you. Regards. Tracey Allen

Sent by Jane Geatches

Very good service right down to the small details. Would use Lindsay again and recommend to friends and family. Thank you

Sent by Linda Newman

Nothing is too much trouble for Lindsay I've been really picky over a holiday I've just booked and Lindsay has been patient through out.

Sent by Ian Dunbobbin

Lindsay always available to do the research and booking for us and knows our particular likes and dislikes. I have been booking our holidays with hr for years.

Sent by Susan Aggett

Lindsay is helpful, knowledgeable and provides a friendly service. Thank you.

Sent by Tracy Turone

Lindsay as always has booked us a fantastic holiday with the best advice and care . I always feel totally confident with her services knowing that she is always available and happy to help with any questions which may follow ... I have and always will recommend her to friends and family as I can totally trust her . Look forward to using her personal service again

Sent by Harrison Barrett

Lindsay has been absolutely fantastic in helping us book our honeymoon. Already looking forward to booking our next adventures with her!

Sent by Simon Wood

Thank you for Venice and all the other brilliantly researched and stitched together holidays and breaks you have made for us. Our Venice trip recently was so effortless for us and was very special. All the pieces worked seamlessly together, connections explained and detailed. Our private speed boat Taxi ride beginning and end was magical and along with a great hotel gave us a wonderful time with family who arrived from France, timed so we met at the airport and travelled together. We want to believe you also arranged the amazing weather as well?! We have and do recommend you to friends and family because of your never ending cheerful, ‘no problem’, organising and reorganising when we change our minds. Your attention to detail is reassuring and your back up for help and assistance is comforting. Thank you!

Sent by Tracy Turone

Always helpful and happy to book anything from holidays to flights to car hire. I feel completely confident in what I book with Lindsay. Have recommended her to many friends and family

Sent by Paul Murphy

As always Lindsay not only matched our expectations but exceeded them by getting us a superb holiday package that we are really excited about and are so looking forward to in November. As always Lindsay has been throughly professional and is a credit to the Travel Counsellors brand.

Sent by Fiona Patterson

Another 10 Lindsay! Exemplary service!

Sent by Peta Frost

Hi Lindsay, I would just like to say a huge thank you for organising our amazing USA holidays - 3 so far! We gave you an idea of the things we would like to do and a rough budget and you did the rest! From hiring a camper in Vegas and touring the sights to treating my daughters to a trip to NYC! Not things we could or would do without your help and support. Thanks again and roll on the next time! Simply fabulous Lindsay! Kind regards, Peta, Kelsey & Eliza

Sent by Bruce Wills

Lindsay, I am writing to thank you very much for your continued help and kind assistance to myself and Alma during our recent travels. By letting us have the benefit of your extensive knowledge of all things travel related, you have helped us to get the most out of our trips abroad. We both hope that we can continue to rely on your wise counsel for many years to come. Yours sincerely, Bruce & Alma Wills

Sent by Julie Pratt

We were introduced to Lindsay by our mutual friend Laura and since we met we have never booked any holiday anywhere else since. She is an absolute dream to her customers and is always going above and beyond to help. On our New York trip two years ago we had to phone her whilst in New York for advice as we had gone a little mad on our shopping, and was worried about taxes, luggage etc. She talked us through things and used her brilliant knowledge to overcome to the matter, nothing is too much trouble. We don't find travel counsellors more expensive than other retail travel agents and in fact will get you some really good deals. She also doesn't mind when we bombard her with lots of different holiday ideas etc, then she gets all the prices and then we only take one or even no holiday at all, she is just so easy to talk and deal with. You can also be very honest with her too when we were not too happy with the Transfer in New York and the hotel we stayed in had Roadworks all night, every night we stayed, she managed to get us $200 back off the holiday which we hadn't asked for but was a lovely surprise. We recommend Lindsay in a Heartbeat and believe us when we say you will never go back to High Street travel Agents again."

Sent by Ian Dunbobbin

Hi Lindsay As you know we have just moved house and in need of a break. As you have booked some great holidays for us over the years obviously we would like you to do the same. When you do the booking we know that you will take care of all the details which are important to us: hotel standard/features/location, special assistance, airline preference, flight times, accessibility and transfers. So we'll probably be looking at a holiday in late September/early October, maybe going to Spain in a nice hotel (RIU, H10?) for 10 days and flying from Stansted (which is now only 3 miles away!) Speak to you soon Ian and Margaret

Sent by Sarah Chapman

We came to see you to book a holiday in Bruges last year and were very pleased at how professional and efficient you were. You gave us various options to choose from and booked the whole holiday including the travel. The holiday was everything you said it would be and more. On the way home we missed the Euro Star and, even though you were on holiday yourself, you talked us through the process so we didn’t feel alone and we arrived home safely the same night. Your help and advice were invaluable and we thank you so much.

Sent by Barbara Swift

It's over 7 years since the Newcombes recommended you to us and you sorted our 6 week "world" trip so perfectly. Thank goodness we found you as we've had some amazing big trips since with our daughter, granddaughters, son and his wife and our grandson....all of which have exceeded our expectations thanks to your excellent planning and support before and during those trips. Remember when I left my paperwork at Christchurch Airport and panicked when we got to Honolulu in 2011? You just faxed it all through to the hotel and I relaxed again. When we wanted a hotel in Washington planning for a privately guided tour of the Capitol Building (amongst other things) - our hotel was a 3 minute walk away...perfect. There are so many other instances when just knowing you are on the end of a phone at any time, has allowed me to totally relax and enjoy wonderful holidays. Thank you my friend. You are amazing. See you in the not too distant future to plan the next one.

Sent by Allan Jarvis

Thank you for your email. You have always offered me a highly professional service, which has made my travelling much easier, and without problems. I recommend you to all.

Sent by Harold Briscoe

Just a quick note to how much we appreciate the service we get from you. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you to everyone.

Sent by Jackie Coles

Just wanted to say a massive thank you for helping us with our holiday plans again - you always go above and beyond what could be reasonably expected and we are really grateful for all your hard work. We've been using you for many years now, and have always had excellent service. With our grateful thanks.

Sent by Marie Sadler

Brilliant - relieved me of so much angst. Thank-you Lindsay

Sent by Janet Meyer

As always Lindsay offered a first class service and was really helpful in arranging my travel documents

Sent by Tracey Allen

Cuba will be the third holiday that Lindsay has put together for us over the last five years, we really enjoyed the last two vacations she did for us, Antigua being our favourite. The hotels we stayed in were fabulous. Lindsay takes on board what we want and expect from our holidays and delivers our requests to the letter and more. I am always recommending Lindsay to my friends, and telling them how she looks for the best deals for your money. I have used other travel agents and have not been at all happy with the holidays and the service I have received was nowhere near the standard I have from Lindsay. As long as Lindsay is a Travel Counsellor I will continue to book my vacations with her.

Sent by David McInerney

Lindsay is absolutely superb, nothing is too much trouble. Superb service and I would have no problem recommending Lindsay to anyone. In fact I pass her details on to everyone who is looking to book a holiday

Sent by John O'Hare

10/10 The service myself and family get from Lindsay is exceptionally good.. Nothing is too much trouble for her. I cannot speak highly enough of the service she provides.. she really does take it personally.

Sent by Paul Murphy

Having booked several holidays previously I had no hesitation in contacting her again when I was planning my holiday this year as I know that I will be well looked after and that I can contact Lindsay at anytime with any questions or concerns I may have, knowing that I can speak to her whist I am away as well gives real peace of mind.

Sent by Fiona Paterson

Lindsay is amazing and goes out of her way to find the appropriate travel arrangements. She's always at the other end of a phone to answer any questions and sort any problems that may arise. I would highly recommend using Lindsay for all your travel arrangements!

Sent by Rosalind Watkins

Loved the personal help without interruptions, and as a bonus we had a home appointment.

Sent by Jayne Cooper

Fantastic help, nothing was too much trouble and we have now booked our perfect holiday. Thank you.

Sent by Janet Anderson

Lindsay is a lovely and very helpful lady. Nothing is too much trouble. It makes arranging travel so much easier with the help of someone who knows her way around the internet. Janet xx

Sent by Douglas Stoddart

Lindsay took a whole load off my mind. I am sure I will use this service again.

Sent by Diana Rippon

Lindsay has been most attentive and helped us with difficulties while away as well as being meticulous in presenting our package. It's been a pleasure dealing with her. We're very grateful and feel extremely well looked after.

Sent by Jane Gillmore

Lindsay is reliable, helpful, friendly and very efficient. We are now booking our third holiday with her.

Sent by Sharon Scanlan

Lindsay was very helpful and experienced, she knew what she was doing and was available anytime for advice. I wouldn't hesitate recommending Lindsay to book your holiday and I will certainly be using her again for my holidays

Sent by Janet Anderson

She is such a helpful lady and knows the travel business inside out and she is always very cheerful. Nothing is too much trouble for her. I do recommend her to people who want to know who I went to for guidance and help. She is just great.

Sent by Bruce Wills

Mrs Garner has been extremely helpful and we will, most definitely, use her services again.

Sent by Jane Gilmore

Thank you Lindsay for your extremely efficient, prompt, friendly, service which took all the stress out of organizing our holiday.

Sent by John O'Hare

Lindsay gives a very good service. Nothing is too much trouble and she manages to mix being professional and friendly at the same time.

Sent by John O'Hare

I would like to express my gratitude to Travel Counsellors and Lindsay Garner in particular in the way they have handled my holiday requirements over the years. Lindsay removes all the hassle involved, this includes booking flights, hotels and organising transfers. All and any questions and queries are dealt with not only in a professional, but a friendly manner. I happily recommend her to family and friends and will continue to let her make my holidays a wonderful experience in the future.

Sent by Dave McInerney

Hi Lindsay, I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for organising our trip to Vietnam. It was the best holiday we have ever had and even though we were there for 3 weeks we wish we could have stayed for longer! All the arrangements you made for us were perfect, every transfer (7 flights, 14 car journeys, 2 overnight trains and 2 boat trips) ‘ran on rails’ – our guide/ driver pitched up on time every time and at no stage were we worried about the next step, this allowed us to enjoy the holiday even more. The hotels you picked for us were fantastic and the locations spot on. I would have no hesitation in recommending Travel Counsellors, and you personally, to anyone. In fact in the 2 weeks since we have returned I have passed your details to a number of my friends and colleagues already! Both Lori and I look forward to our next trip and will most definitely be giving you a shout. Best Regards, Dave and Lori McInerney

Sent by John O'Hare

The service I receive from Lindsay Garner is exceptional. I have used Travel Counsellor many times over the years, that itself speaks volumes, and have never been let down or disappointed in any way

Sent by Barbara Swift

This is about the 5th or 6th trip Lindsay has booked for us and we recommend her at every possible opportunity. She gives us complete peace of mind, knowing that she has booked exactly what we are looking for and should there be a minor problem, she is always there to sort it out no matter where in the world we are. Lindsay is not just our Travel Counsellor, but also our good friend. Many of our friends now use her and I keep half a dozen of her cards in my purse, ready to give out at the earliest opportunity. Excellent service in all respects!

Sent by Gillian Coltrini

Very efficient, I just sit in my arm chair, tell Lindsay what I want and she does all the hard work. Wonderful.

Sent by Tracey Reep

I really appreciate you organising everything so efficiently for me as I am so busy with business. It is a real relief I can just call you and you sort it immediately. Many thanks.

Sent by Ian Dunbobbin

As always Lindsay provides an excellent service, listening to our wants, making suggestions and then coming up with the ideal package. In particular, for our latest booking (Nov 2014) she found a company that could almost match the recently-ended holiday sale price of Virgin Atlantic.

Sent by Amanda Kemp

Lindsay has an ear for detail and always listens to what's important to me so she can deliver exceptional trips time after time. She often goes above and beyond and always makes herself available even out of work hours and on her mobile, keeping me safe in the knowledge that if there ever was a problem I would always be able to get hold of her. I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone.

Sent by Rachel Stokes

We couldn't fault the service we got from Lindsay Garner. Her response to our emails was extremely quick, even though it was the weekend! We will definitely book through her again and would certainly recommend her to friends (Lindsay was recommended to us by my mum)!

Sent by Sarah Clift

Lindsay is fantastic, she listens to every detail and works hard to find the right holiday package that suits the requirements asked for. I will definitely recommend her to friends, family and colleagues.

Sent by Karen Miles

Very helpful and very thorough, it was nice to have a one to one conversation with Lindsay instead of speaking with a different person each time. I will certainly recommend Lindsay to our friends and family.

Sent by Elizabeth Kessell

We have and do recommend our Travel Counsellor to friends and family. Lindsay is always full of valuable information, along with her ability to make the most complicated holiday arrangements seem easy. We have her to thank for organising quite a few excellent holidays.

Sent by Janet Meyer

Lindsay was really helpful and supplied all the information I needed to make a decision on flights, etc. I would recommend Lindsay and Travel Counsellors without hesitation, and will certainly be using Lindsay again to arrange my holidays.

Sent by Cynthia Hodgkinson

We've used Lindsay several times now and have found her to be utterly reliable, available in emergencies (and we've had a few) and always pleasant and patient. These qualities are especially important with older and unconfident customers. We have tried the .com route and rejected it. What we value is service and Lindsay always gives it.

Sent by Jeannette Wheeler

Lindsay is simply the best in her field. Wherever we have travelled she ensured that our destination and hotels were exactly what we were looking for and when we got into difficulties abroad then she was there for us whatever the time of the day or night helping to sort flights and other practicalities out. I wouldnt book through anyone else.

Sent by Tracey Elliot Reep

Lindsay has been organising my often complicated worldwide flights for over 12 years and I know I can rely on her to be most helpful and efficient at all times.

Sent by Dean Goodall

Lindsay's great. I've used her on many occasions over the years and have found her to be a real aid when planning trips abroad. Lindsay knows her stuff and is very dedicated, Just tell her where you want to go and let her get on with it.

Sent by Richard Shelly

From a last minute weekend break to a multi location holiday Lindsay always comes up with terrrific ideas plenty of options at best prices - I have always found Lindsay to be very professional, helpful and friendly in all her contact with us, I can thoroughly recommend her.

Sent by Jason Norris

Lindsay helped me and my wife book our honeymoon to Australia. At all points, the service provided was excellent, the advice and suggestions were great and we have ended up with the perfect break. Lindsay has ensured that we are kept up to date with any changes and made sure the whole booking process was hassle free. I look forward to our upcoming break and would without hesitation recommend Lindsay to anyone looking to book a holiday with a personal touch.

Sent by Barbara Whitehead

Lindsay is always helpful, courteous and efficient, which is why I always come to her for my rare travel plans.

Sent by Polly McCallum-Reed

This is the second occasion that I have booked with Lindsay. She has been friendly, efficient and has gone out of her way to make things simple for me, bearing in mind the fact that I am sight disabled. I would have given her 11 out of 10 had I been able.

Sent by J AND S (COVENTRY) ANON

Hi there Lindsay, We arrived back from Tunisia yesterday after a fantastic holiday, and we wanted to thank you for doing all the donkey work for us! You listened to our preferences, and speedily gave us 3 varied options – 1 in Italy, 1 in Greece and 1 “wild card” in Tunisia. Furthermore you listed the options for travelling, culture and sightseeing each of these would provide. Having chosen Tunisia, we were amazed at how easy it was for us to get a great holiday booked with the minimum of fuss. We will certainly recommend you to our friends, and your patience with my phone calls and answering questions with regards to our holiday was valued. Thanks again, J and S (Coventry)

Sent by Mike Moss

Just wanted to say a big thank you from us all for the very helpful manner in which you have gone about looking after our holiday arrangements. It all seemed to be very smooth and straight forward from this end and I appreciate the speed in which you have sorted it all out and provided us with the different options to choose from. Thank you and we'll definitely be recommending you.

Sent by Bruce Wills

Lindsay arranged our flights, camper hire and tickets for the Rocky Mountaineer to Vancouver. From our initial enquiry to Lindsay through to the receipt of the tickets and the holiday itself - the service was excellent!

Sent by Pamela Newcombe

We have always found Lindsay to be very helpful, informative and willing to spend time to create the perfect holiday just for you. You feel safe knowing that if problems do occur she will sort it out for you. We are very happy to recommend her to our friends and family and frequently have.

Sent by Bill Whateley

Hi Lindsay Thank you for your help, especially for your help in sorting out the Carcassonne hotels. We are sorry we interrupted the wedding party but it was good to know that we could call you outside of the normal hours and you were able to sort the hotels mess out! The holiday was excellent and we have returned feeling very relaxed – which was the idea. Thanks again for all your help.