04 March 2024

In January 2024 we fulfilled our ambition of taking a winter cruise along the Norwegian coastline. As this was our first holiday in Norway, we decided to spend the first two days visiting Oslo. We arrived to be met by a substantial snowfall – stunning!! Our first day we spent visiting amazing museums travelling on the local buses. On our second day we woke to -20 degrees. After a wonderful breakfast we ventured out into slightly warmer weather, -17 degrees. Sounds cold, actually it wasn’t. The sun was shining, and we spent the day walking around the city. The following day we took the train across the mountains to Bergen where we were to transfer to our ship. Severe weather intervened and we were flown to the beautiful city of Trondheim to board the ship. This gave us an extra day in Trondheim which plenty of time for sight-seeing. We then enjoyed an amazing time cruising along the coastline – the views were breath-taking. We could choose from either sitting in the viewing gallery with a coffee or braving it out on the deck. Our crossing into the Arctic Circle fulfilled another of our ambitions as did Husky Sledding in Tromso. This really was an amazing holiday – the ship’s crew ensured we had everything we needed. Daily briefings helped us decide which excursions we took, and the informal lectures gave us a fascinating overview of Norway. The food was first class. Norway didn’t disappoint us – it met our expectations and more. Will we go back? – you bet we will!!

19 February 2024

January break in Lanzarote / Perfect Holiday I will emphasise from the start, that our hotel in Lanzarote isn’t going to be the right place for everyone, but it was absolutely perfect for us! Lucy has organised a couple of holidays for us previously, so knows what we like. She steered us away from our original choice of going ‘all inclusive’, and recommended a half board hotel which she felt would be much more up our street. And she was completely right! We wanted somewhere quiet and relaxing. When we saw Trip Advisor complaints about the lack of entertainment at the hotel, we knew it was for us! The average guest age was probably 60’ish. It was nice to be one of the youngest for a change, whilst enjoying the fact that there was no music thumping out from phones, Instagram models trying to get the perfect shot or big groups only able to converse by shouting at each other for an hour at a time (all of which we experienced on a previous, and much more expensive holiday in the Maldives). The hotel was refurbished a few years ago, and they did an amazing job. From the outside it looks beautiful, and is surrounded by greenery. The sense of relaxation starts from the moment you set foot in the lobby. Huge, tastefully decorated, and incorporating more indoor greenery, it’s an impressive introduction to the hotel. The welcome at reception was warm and we were soon off to find our room. We’d booked a side sea view room, and I was half expecting a view over a car park, and having to crane my neck to get a glimpse of the sea. Not so. The angle of the window meant that I could sit on my bed and look directly out at the sea. We had the most amazing sunset views every night. The balcony looked out over the grounds AND on to the sea, so was such a nice place to sit each evening. The grounds of the hotel were incredibly well kept. They were beautiful. More than enough sunbeds for everyone, and fabulous views wherever you chose a sunbed. The grounds are also well enclosed, with a wall around, making them nice and private. This was a much nicer than most of the other hotels we walked past, where the grounds were very public, and you could just stare in at everyone sunning themselves. None of the other hotels seemed to have as much greenery as ours either, so they looked very bland in comparison. The food was good, and there was always plenty of choice. Some of the evening meal buffet combinations were a bit random, but you couldn’t fault the quality of what was on offer. There is a station where they cook fresh fish and steak. These are then stacked up on a hot plate for you to help yourself, and can get a bit tough, so I’d highly recommend learning some Spanish so you can ask them to cook you a fresh piece! My only niggle is that there was no fresh water available with the meals unless you paid for it. As well as the main buffet restaurant, where we ate our breakfasts and evening meals, there was an outside bar that also did snacks, and the a la carte restaurant where one meal was included as part of our stay. We did have to ask to book our a la carte meal (they didn’t mention it when we checked in), but it’s a small section so it might be that they have very limited availability. I would recommend making sure you do book it. The meal was lovely. Evening entertainment consisted of a pianist, a saxophonist or a guitarist playing music for a couple of hours in the main lobby bar. We did feel a bit like pensioners, when we took our seats, but that ended up being part of the fun! There are other, more lively bars around the hotel, but as we were literally there to chill out, we didn’t bother with any of them. There’s a little shop directly opposite the hotel where you can buy water, beer, wine, snacks etc to top up your supplies, so that’s really convenient. And the well maintained coastal path is literally outside the hotel. We walked into Playa Blanca, passing various restaurants, bars, hotels and supermarkets on our way. If there was anything else you needed, it was easy to get. Loads of the reviews we read talked about people who were going back to this hotel, having stayed their multiple times before. I can understand why. It’s got everything that you could possibly need for a lovely, relaxing break in the sun. I think we’ll be going back too. We’ll probably do ten days next time. A week’s holiday only gives you five full days at the hotel (because of the flight times etc, each travel day ended up being pretty much a full day), and that wasn’t enough for me! Thanks for getting it so spot on Lucy. We’ll look forward to catching up with you to book again soon!

06 February 2024

Dave and Ruth W, Coventry We first started to use Lucy just after the COVID restrictions were lifted and we wanted some expert advice and knowledge about where we could travel to, what the restrictions were and what we should be aware of. I’ve spoken to Lucy many many times since, and we talk in a number of ways – phone, WhatsApp and email, whatever if easiest for me, Lucy always replies and responds. Lucy has provided her advice now for a number of holidays from adult only 5* breaks for some R&R to some family friendly holidays for all budgets to some magical winter experiences – Her breadth of knowledge and experience is, in my view, second to none – And she does all this to fit around my schedule – No call is too late or early, so much easier and better than sitting in a travel agents! And she also provides us with passport validity advice, FAQs and do’s and don’ts for each holiday. We also get an old school travel wallet for each holiday giving us all the details and things we need to travel with. Lucy takes care of everything so all we need to do is pack and arrive at the airport on time… Lucy has organised holidays to Majorca, Cyprus, Portugal and most recently a magical break to experience the Northern Lights! Everything we wished the experience was going be to, was over exceeded!!!! As part of Lucy’s access to specialist operators, she was able to recommend and organise a very special holiday and took care of everything – Included as part of the trip were organised Reindeer Sleigh rides, Husky sledding, Snowmobiling, walks and of course, Northern Lights search tours each evening. The accommodation recommended was perfect, our own lodge on a small friendly hotel complex – a perfect mix and privacy and socialising! The food was great and hearty which was needed as we burnt several thousand calories each day! I can’t recommend Lucy highly enough and anyone who is looking for some advice, inspiration and some good old fashioned service, I would say – Speak to Lucy Morgans

06 February 2024

At the beginning of December 2022 Lucy organised a short break in Prague for us, where we explored the city and the Christmas markets. We enjoyed it so much, we asked Lucy to arrange a similar break to Vienna in December 2023. How do the two cities and their markets compare? "Christmas market-wise" the 2 cities are quite similar, lots of markets of varying sizes, selling gluhwein, snacks and Christmas trinkets. The markets are usually found in a square in front of significant buildings or churches and are open from late morning into the evening. All are characterised by having a lovely atmosphere of friendly crowds and there is usually Christmas music playing on speakers or live bands. Both cities were extremely cold and snowy making for an even more Christmassy vibe. Either city is a great way to start Christmas. Prague and Vienna are not that far apart, approx 250 miles, so climate and food culture is similar. Lots of breaded meat (Schnitzel) in Austria , lots of hearty goulash and dumplings in both. Beer is cheap and plentiful and Viennese coffee shops to sample Sacher Tort and Strudel are a must. The big difference is scale. Prague has a much smaller old town, tourist area, and once you are in the old town the must see sites such Charles Bridge, Castle, Old town square and clock tower are pretty close by on foot. Vienna is much more spread out, many sites are 10-20 minutes on public transport from the cathedral; a travel pass is cheap and well worth it! In both cities the Christmas markets are close to the main sites, so in Prague we were able to get to most markets on foot, in Vienna on public transport. Vienna is a much more opulent city, many historic buildings are baroque style, lots of gold and ornamentation. Prague, less so. Both cities have a huge number of sites and experiences to try and short break is never quite long enough to do everything we wanted. We are glad to have seen both places in winter, perhaps we’ll return to see them in a different season.

09 October 2023

A short week in Porto Post pandemic, Chris and I have eased ourselves back into travelling with a series of short weeks in Europe. Our rules are simple • Organised by Lucy • City break flying direct from Birmingham • 4 nights During the last 18 months, Lucy has arranged a series of fabulous destinations for us including Venice, Prague, Barcelona and most recently Porto. This time the short week was Tuesday to Saturday, in mid-September. We arrived late afternoon, the small hotel was well appointed, comfortable and friendly. Venturing out we were soon in the heart of the city, which does have a number of pedestrianised streets, and elsewhere decent width pavements with plenty of cafes spilling out and space for easy walking. What we hadn’t realised is Porto is very hilly. It is a steep descent to the river and there are a number of hills within the city so plenty of ups and downs wherever we walked. Many of the buildings are covered in friezes and large scenes made from the iconic blue and white Portuguese tiles, mostly added, we found out during the 1920s and 1930s. Many of the other building are covered in beautiful geometric tile designs too; everywhere you look is interesting! There is plenty to see and do in Porto, we did go to the cathedral and the railway station which has amazing tile friezes. We loved the Bom Sucesso market and walking across both tiers of the Luis I bridge. Porto is also a place for strolling, window and actual shopping as well as stopping and enjoying the Porto alternative to a G&T; white port and tonic . There are plenty of people watching opportunities, buskers and street artists, particularly down by the river Douro on both sides (Porto and Villa Nova). Food is excellent, available at an abundance of good value and popular restaurants. Everywhere English was spoken and there were English menus. No visit to Porto is complete without a tour of a Port Lodge, we chose Taylors as they offer a self-guided tour, finishing with a tasting. The tour was excellent, we took it at our pace and at the end we finished up in their tasting area, a lovely sunny rose garden complete with peacocks where we sampled 2 ports and they offered a menu of snacks and more ports if you wanted. Taylors is further up the hill than some of the other Port lodges and as we climbed away from the hustle of the river side, the views became more magnificent and everything seemed more peaceful. They also sell their port at the Airport, so we didn’t have to worry about heavy bottles as we returned to our hotel. We highly recommend Porto, organised by Lucy, for a short break, and we’re looking forward to our next destination in a couple of months time! Thanks again, Lucy.

10 July 2023

P&O CRUISES - IONA At last ... I got to visit this wonderful Cruise Ship on Saturday and have a good look around. First impressions were how clean and new she is looking even after 2 years of being in service. The décor is very modern; lots of different metals and marble. The facilities on board are immense with over 20 different bars and restaurants to choose from. There are also 4 different theatres/cabaret bars, a cinema, and then also a gym and very impressive spa. All in all, I was delighted to finally see this ship for myself - it’s been a long time since 2019 when I started booking my own customers on this ship and quite a journey with booking and rebooking passengers too during the pandemic. Since then, I have had lots of customers cruise on Iona and the feedback that I have had after their holidays has been wonderful. This summer and next, she is sailing on a Saturday from Southampton to the Norwegian Fjords - and it’s a really lovely itinerary...everything from the moment you arrive at Southampton is made very easy for you …especially if you have never cruised before...Travel Counsellors have complete price parity with P&O Cruises so please do get it touch if you'd like some help with making a cruise booking, or you want to know more about P&O and this lovely ship.

09 October 2023

Lucy organised business trips for me in pre-covid times, so I approached her when it was possible to travel again, and she arranged a fabulous holiday in Kefalonia for us last year, including a villa we would never have found on our own. So when we decided to go on a more adventurous trip this year we were very happy to entrust the planning to her! We explained that we would like to visit the Canadian Rockies and gave her an idea of our dates – then left the rest to her! She came back with full recommendations of flights (including which dates offered the best value), hotels, car hire, ferries and even included recommendations of attractions and places to visit. She suggested starting our holiday in Vancouver, then spending some time on Vancouver Island. Vancouver is definitely worth a visit, and we managed to squeeze in Granville Island, with its quirky shops, street market and cafés; Gastown and its famous steam clock; beautiful Stanley Park; and some fabulous food. We then picked up our hire car and took the ferry to Vancouver Island. Highlights of our 3 nights in the island’s capital, Victoria, were wandering around the beautiful harbour, a trip along the coast to Sooke and a visit to Butchart Gardens. It was immensely reassuring to have Lucy to sort things out for us when our trip went slightly awry. After Victoria we had planned a few days on the Pacific coast, but shortly before we arrived wildfires broke out and closed the only highway across the island. Lucy went into action straight away to find us a fantastic alternative. As a result our next stop was Nanaimo on the East Coast of the island. Our room had a fantastic view over the harbour where we watched the seaplanes fly in and out. And there were fabulous walks and nature right on our doorstep. The remainder of our holiday was spent driving through the Rockies and stopping off at amazing places! (I really recommend the GuideAlong app for anyone planning a similar trip. It uses GPS to provide on the spot advice, from a layby with a great view through to short detours to visit a beautiful waterfall or lake). We spent time in Whistler, Clearwater, Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff. Photographs cannot do justice to the incredible scenery we experienced on our trip – from turquoise lakes (due to rock flour in the water) to absolutely awesome mountain scenes. And we encountered some amazing wildlife en route. The experiences Lucy recommended were fab. We enjoyed afternoon tea at Chateau Lake Louise, a cable car ride up Sulphur Mountain and a walk on a glacier! We covered 2,000 kilometres and stayed in 9 hotels over 17 nights. It was an absolutely fabulous holiday, and we both agreed that we wouldn’t have changed a thing!

27 June 2023

We have used Lucy many times in the past to help book our holidays, as we know she will ensure everything has been considered and taken care of, so we can relax, confident that we will have an amazing time. Knowing this would be the case, my husband contacted Lucy to help him arrange a surprise for my 50th birthday and plan a trip for the two of us. Lucy talked through options with my husband based on places we’d visited previously, duration of visit available, things we enjoyed doing and of course budget. When Lucy found an amazing trip to Budapest the decision was made, and Lucy arranged all the travel details for us…. and all unbeknown to me! A few days before the trip I was finally given the surprise and presented with Lucy‘s super special travel wallet. In there were all the details clearly labelled and even highlighted to make sure we didn't miss important information. Every detail was meticulously planned and went incredibly smoothly from start to finish - arriving at Gatwick at 5am the Meet and Greet car parking, already organised, was very welcome! Check In with the airline was easy and straightforward, considering this was the first time we’d flown since 2019! Helped again by Lucy’s “super wallet” - all paperwork was kept together, with luggage tags even included, which was so helpful. The flight was just over 2 hours and with a driver already waiting for us on arrival; meaning no worries understanding the different taxis (this was something we were a bit concerned about, having watched a few You Tube videos on the “must sees” in Budapest). A short drive (25mins) and we arrived at our hotel. Wow! It was simply quite lovely. A 4star hotel, set in the building of a former palace. Situated in a quiet square, with a very friendly bar/restaurant opposite where we enjoyed several (not all in one day!) Gin and Tonics that were extremely cheap (£2.60)! This bar/restaurant also served traditional Hungarian dishes, with a sharing platter for two which was a perfect way to try several of their local dishes. The hotel was perfectly located for walking around the ‘Pest’ side and visiting the Great Market Hall, Parliament and the memorial of Jewish shoes but it was also easy to walk just across the river to the ‘Buda’ side and explore the castle district, St Matthias church and the Fisherman's Bastion - all definitely worth a visit. We walked everywhere that we wanted to visit, but the hop on and off buses were easily located, as were the trams and metro, if preferred. The Ruin Bars are certainly worth a visit, but only go in the evening if you are happy to queue to get in. We went around 6pm as we hadn’t wanted to queue the night before, when we saw the long queues and this meant we were able to walk in and around the bars freely, which gave us a great view of what they looked like in daylight, which I think we wouldn’t have appreciated in the evening when it was dark and full of people (see photos). Whilst in Budapest we booked tickets to the Szechenyi Palace thermal baths which like much of Budapest was architecturally beautiful. However, unless you want to buy these items, do remember to take your own towel, flip flops and a swimming cap. (The cap is only obligatory to swim in the lane pool, not to access the thermal baths.) We had no problems getting into the baths in the morning, but by half past 3 when we were leaving, there were extremely long queues to get in. Our last evening was spent on the river. Ahead of travelling out to Budapest we booked a candlelit evening river cruise, that included a glass of champagne on arrival, 4 course meal, and entertainment. The duration of the cruise was 2 &1/2 hours. The cruise with Legenda was incredibly well organised. The boat, which had a bubble roof gave amazing floor to ceiling views of the city lit up at night. It departed on time, the staff were extremely attentive and friendly and the food was perfect! Choices were available for each course and would satisfy most people. The music was a keyboard and singer which created a calm atmosphere and was not overpowering. The 2&1/2 duration was plenty of time for the meal to be served without feeling rushed and was a wonderful end to a wonderful weekend. I would definitely recommend one! Needless to say, the departure from Budapest went equally as smoothly thanks to Lucy’s careful planning, with our driver arriving on time to take us back to the airport and another hassle-free Check In to fly back to Gatwick and collect our car. If you fancy a city break, that’s not too far from home that still has all the charm of a city not spoilt by tourism, then Budapest is the place for you - oh and don’t worry about the number of Hen and Stag parties that might be on the outbound flight!! We didn’t see any of these during our stay! Thanks Lucy - we’ll be booking again with you for our next trip!

01 June 2023

Lucy has been organising our holidays for at least 15 years, including cruises, Lapland, New York and Vegas, Dubai to name a few. I use Lucy as she listens to our requests, offers her own experiences plus those from the TC forum, what I like most is she will give you choice. Each option presented is supported by trip advisor links for you to make the final decision with little effort. Lucy has a remarkable ability to identify hotels that are perfect, one’s that you may not find yourself. Lucy takes the hassle from the organising plus the preparation of all the travel documents, delivered to you a week or so before your trip. Our latest trip Lucy has organised was Bangkok, Phuket and Dubai. Our Bangkok hotel was a perfect location, directly on the river, enabling us to use the courtesy river boat to get us to the public river boat stops. Whilst in BK we had a half day private tour to the palace and temples on the first morning as Lucy suggested. That worked well getting us up and out. Unfortunately, we did the night river cruise with buffet. (Not organised by Lucy!) That was awful. Far too busy, it was carnage trying to find the right boat and mayhem at buffet time, would not recommend at all. We also did a Thai cooking class that was really superb. We cooked 5 courses. We were so full we brought the main home and luckily at the Chatrium we had a microwave! Would definitely recommend this. On to Phuket. Wow what a fabulous hotel Lucy selected for us. We would definitely return. The walk to and from the room was very steep but there are cars/vans to help. The cars were cool they were little micras without doors . Food was very good. Breakfast one of the best we’ve seen. Very quiet however after rain the bullfrogs starting noisily honking. That was very amusing. Whilst in Phuket we had a fantastic day with the elephants, feeding, washing, walking and finding them food. Would definitely recommend this trip. Half day tour to the big Buddha and temple nearby. Plus, a drive through Phuket town. This was okay, and although not too exciting it’s a ‘must do.’ Finally, another highlight was a catamaran tour to Phi Phi Island ending on Maya beach. That was a great day. Again, would recommend this over the speed boat as it was much more comfortable and faster too. On to Dubai, again another great hotel and in a superb location right on Jumeirah Beach walk. So many restaurants and activities. We used the metro to go to the Dubai fountains. The journey was so easy, and remarkably cheap (£3 each return ticket) compared to a taxi (£60 return). I have recommended Lucy several times to friends/colleagues, and I can honestly say nobody has ever been disappointed, in fact, we all agree Lucy is the true definition of 5* customer service.

19 May 2023

Long before the pandemic, we booked a holiday via a different holiday company – and about 5 days before our travel date , they rang us to say that it had fallen through, we were distraught because we were notified so late. The alternative holidays that the company offered us were either more expensive or simply unsuitable, so I opted to take a full refund. This was when a good friend of ours recommended me to Lucy. I called her and by the end of the same day she had found us a holiday in Crete. We went, and we had a great time. When my wife and I decided that it was time to visit our daughter in Australia we immediately thought of Lucy - as neither of us had ever been, nor had any knowledge of where to start. I contacted Lucy and the first thing that struck me was her enthusiasm to hear from us again and help us arrange our trip. We chatted about where in Australia we wanted to visit, and I answered lots of her questions; I told her that our daughter was in living in Melbourne, so our plan was to spend some time there, but that we also wanted to visit Sydney and Adelaide plus have a beach holiday on the Gold Coast shared with our daughter. We chatted with Lucy about the duration of the trip, she then took away all of our information and came back with a fabulous itinerary that she had put together for us. Our daughter works at a restaurant on the South Bank in Melbourne, and we asked Lucy to book a hotel located close to the restaurant and our daughter’s flat. Lucy came up trumps with a lovely hotel three minutes from the restaurant and five minutes from her flat. This was absolutely ideal. For the beach part of the holiday, we travelled to the Gold Coast. It was terrific and really worth a mention. Lucy suggested we stop in Broadbeach South. This was a beautiful resort with great bars and restaurants. She booked us a two-bed apartment for the three of us to share. It was really special and had a real feeling of luxury in the way it was decorated. There was a lovely, shared pool at the apartments, and we were located only three minutes’ walk from the beach and about five minutes’ walk from the resort centre. This destination was a real highlight of our trip. Lucy booked our flights there and back and also booked us seven internal flights. She booked accommodation for us in four different places. All of this would have taken us an age to do, but Lucy sorted it in only a few short days. What I can also say is that a friend of mine and his wife went to Australia at a similar time. They booked everything themselves and although we didn’t sit down and compare our costs; from our discussions I am fairly confident that Lucy obtained far more competitive rates. In conclusion, I was delighted with what Lucy did for us, and we will certainly be using her considerable expertise again. She’s a lovely person. Russell & Jacqui .

11 April 2023

Travel Counsellors- and Lucy in particular- came highly recommended from my Mum, who always says Lucy takes the stress out of travelling and that was definitely our experience on this trip! My husband and I were looking for a bit of an adventure together, post-Covid and neither of us had been to South East Asia. Talking to friends who’d been to Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia we decided on Cambodia and contacted Lucy around 5 months before the trip. I really enjoyed those initial chats with Lucy, sharing our “essential ingredients” for the trip, from the research we’d done, and hearing her ideas and suggestions to put together a tailored holiday to suit exactly what we were looking for. We ended up with a 1 week group tour through Cambodia, seeing parts of the country we’d have never gone to by ourselves with a local guide who was brilliant, followed by a week on our own relaxing on the beach and seeing the capital before flying home. This was the perfect balance between travelling around & exploring and slowing down & enjoying a rest. Getting it all confirmed around 4 months before the trip was a great feeling and receiving our tickets and itinerary in the post was so exciting! The highlights of the trip included: • Sunrise at Angkor Wat • Cambodian cooking class • Cambodian circus • Homestay in a rural village • Koh Rong Island • Killing Fields in Phnom Penh We had 3 days in Siem Reap, which was great as it’s a really cool city. This is where we did our cooking class and saw the Cambodian circus. Angkor Wat (and the other temples nearby) lived up to the hype and it’s well worth getting up early to visit at sunrise. We took a bus to Kampong Cham and then onto Chambok for our homestay. We stayed with a family from the village, sleeping on roll-up mats on the floor with a mosquito net, we hiked out to a nearby waterfall, ate local food prepared for us and enjoyed a traditional dance performance from the village children. It was really special and not something we’d have thought of by ourselves. After one night in the homestay, we went to Kampot in South Cambodia- another really interesting city where we visited a pepper plantation and took a sunset cruise. This was the point where we left the group and hopped on a boat over to Koh Rong Island for 4 days to completely unwind by the beach. Lucy booked an amazing hotel with log cabins literally built on the beach and we were happy to spend almost the whole 4 days just sunbathing, swimming and trying out the local restaurants. We did book a night-time snorkelling trip to see the bioluminescent plankton and we hired a moped to explore another part of the island but that was about as taxing as it got! Finally, we returned to the mainland and took a bus to Phnom Penh. The history of Cambodia (its civil war, dictatorship and genocide) is both very harrowing and very recent. We saw traces of it in almost everything we saw and everyone we met. It’s particularly confronting in Phnom Penh though, where we visited the Killing Fields and the S-21 torture centre. We felt it was important to go and to educate ourselves and we’re glad we did but it’s very emotional. If you’re looking for an adventure, I’d definitely recommend Cambodia and I’d definitely recommend booking with Lucy! A few top tips: • Pack clothes that fully cover your shoulders and knees but are still light and cool. We expected this at Angkor Wat but got caught out on days when we “popped into” a temple or pagoda and at the Killing Fields as these are considered a memorial to the dead. • Bring way more US dollars than you think you’ll need. Lots of places didn’t accept card, even in the cities, and you can always change them back. • Try the deep fried insects if you’re brave- we didn’t!

04 April 2023

Our trip to Australia was just the business. I heard about Lucy Morgans from my brother-in -law. He recommended us to chat with her as we were starting to plan our next holiday to Australia. Although this was our sixth trip to see our son and his family in Canberra this one was different because we had decided this time, we wanted to travel Business Class! Lucy was great at picking out a place for us to stay in Sydney and also booking internal flights for us up to Noosa on the sunshine coast. But one of the best bits was the excitement of having Chauffeur Driven transport from home to and from the airport, the complimentary food and drinks in the Executive Lounges and the comfort of a flatbed seat on our 22,000-mile round trip. We flew with Emirates in a Boeing 777 to Dubai and then in a new Airbus 380 on to Sydney. Emirates have a great in-flight entertainment package and whilst watching the latest films, in the A380 the bedside drinks unit was within easy reach! Or if we wanted to stretch our legs, we were able to take a stroll to sit and talk with other passengers in the bar at the rear of the plane. Sydney is a truly cosmopolitan city with lots to see and enjoy. We took a ferry across the Harbour to Manley and enjoyed watching the surfers riding the waves. The ferry runs about every half hour and is an inexpensive way to get great views of Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Australia has a reputation for producing some of the world’s best Baristas and some really healthy breakfasts - it seems a lot of business people in the city had the same idea but we didn’t have to search too far to find some excellent coffee bars to start the day. The flight up to the sunshine coast took just over an hour. It is aptly named as the sun shined all the time we were there (in January 2023). We stayed in Noosa during the school holidays but the lovely beaches were relatively free from crowds – apart from Australia day when most people seemed to want to party on the beach. The water was warm so we weren’t surprised but we chose to relax by the deserted pool alongside our apartment. On returning to Canberra, we took our usual trip back to the Arboretum. When we first visited around 10 years ago the newly planted trees barely came up to our knees. But each time we visit we see they have grown a little bit more. This time it was interesting to see the addition of the children’s garden and the succulent garden. The on-site café is a good place to take in the spectacular views and as you would expect the coffee isn’t bad either! The Botanical Gardens is another interesting place worth visiting. There is plenty of wildlife as well as plants trees and shrubs to admire. Although there is a small charge for parking entry is free. Our favourite part is the tropical rainforest although it can be hard to see each other through the mist. Mount Ainslie probably affords the best views of Canberra although it can be a bit windy. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Australia and Lucy kept in touch both before during and after our stay to ensure everything went smoothly. We would certainly recommend her personal service to anyone wishing to travel and in fact have already done so to several of our friends.

16 December 2022

I was lucky to spend a fantastic 48 hours in Barcelona as a pre-Christmas treat in December 2022. There’s plenty to do in this cosmopolitan city …. its full of character with its narrow streets, boutique shops, and its bursting with tapas and wine bars… How did I spend my 48 hours? Sagrada familia Cathedral : Definitely worth a visit. But you MUST pre-book before you arrive in Barcelona otherwise it’s likely that you might not get in! One of the most visited & iconic buildings in Barcelona. Pay extra to take the lift to the top of one of the towers (there are two tower possibilities which can be included in your entrance ticket) & enjoy spectacular views from the top …but what goes up must come down & be aware there are five hundred steps to walk back down & that the staircase is quite narrow! It is famous for being the largest “unfinished” Catholic church in the world. An amazing building. On the day we visited, the sun was shining brightly, & the colours shining through the stain glass windows were just beautiful. Park Güell: This is another iconic Barcelona ‘attraction’ that is definitely worth visiting. There is a lot of steps & walking - so come prepared in comfortable, flat shoes. Located in the Gracia district; it is the largest park space in Barcelona, and it is another genius idea designed by the famous Catalan architect who has hugely influenced much of what we now see in today’s Barcelona — Antoni Gaudi. We reached the park via the “hop on hop off bus “which most people will be aware are a wonderful way for tourists to get around most cities. The bus stops a short walk from the park - be prepared for lots of steps! The park now makes a charge for tourists to visit. Tickets can be bought on the gate or in advance online …. Port Vell: The Marina at Barcelona or ‘Port Vell’ is a beautiful part of this wonderful city. It is located near the city centre at the end of the famous “Las Ramblas boulevard.” At the Harbour you will find ‘Barcelona Giradabo’ - a huge Ferris wheel very similar to the London Eye. You will also find ‘Maremagnum’ A huge & spacious shopping centre reached by a wooden boardwalk. There are lots of restaurants as well as shops … so it is a great location to have a bite to eat & take in the views of the marina’s boats & water. The Montjuic Cable Car: Take one of a choice of two cable cars rides across the city …..& sit back and enjoy the views… We took one of these amazing cable car rides on the Sunday morning …it travels 750 meters up to the famous Montjüic Castle. During the journey you will see all of the famous sights of Barcelona, such as the Sagrada Familia, and the Camp Nou. “All in all,” Barcelona is a wonderful city – its compact (but prepared to walk a lot still) It is perfect for a short break, or long weekend, as only a short flight from a local airport. Highly recommended. You will love the day-time sights and in the evening the streets come alive with tapas and wine bars!

09 February 2023

It was actually very recently... back in October 2022, when I stayed in Vienna, Austria. I find VIENNA quite an expensive city to stay in.. and as we only needed to stay for one night.... I was looking and found that we had our own excellent TC rates for this hotel... so I thought let's try it, ...why not? The hotel lobby could be a collectors' museum! There are retro radios, retro televisions, retro alarm clocks, typewriters ... lots and lots of retro memorabilia from 1980s etc. mostly laid out in glass cabinets... Also, there is a giant astronaut stood in the reception. ( Yes .. you read correctly +) Adjacent to the reception ... (which is actually just a long cabinet housing more retro things !!) There is a large lounge/ breakfast area. Also a bar ...which is operated on a 'honesty-box' basis ... with a huge emphasis on the fact that karma will come and get you... (if you don't tell the truth on which drinks you have drunk, and pay your dues!) Bedrooms: The quirkiest part of it all - our room had a huge 'space monkey' mural on the wall & was decorated with 'space' accessories. The large walk-in shower was excellent & decked out with modern tiles, basin and mirror. Although, it was located literally in the middle of the room .. there was however a separate wc with its own door !! All in all, I really enjoyed my stay at this hotel. It felt very different, and it felt fun & young... Yet we did not feel out of place being older! Children in particular would undoubtedly love staying here, because every turn, every wall, every corridor - has something unusual to look at. Especially the lifts..! Also, its in a brilliant location close to the famous VIENNA theme park with rides galore for families to enjoy. Definitely give it a 4/5 ??individualism ??Quirky ??Unusual ??Clean ??Comfortable ??Reasonable cost ??Excellent breakfast ??Unlike anywhere I have ever stayed before Have a nosey at my photos ..... And if you want to stay here... Get in touch with me... It would make a fabulous base for your weekend, exploring Vienna !! ??07810557237 ??lucy.morgans@travelcounsellors.com ??02476 991820

16 December 2022

River Cruising is a holiday that I have had my eye on for quite some time & something that I was itching to try... It completely exceeded my expectations.... Below is a snippet from my blog/review which I wrote during my cruise. I hope it gives you a fair view of life on-board and my thoughts whilst enjoying this very relaxing holiday. Leaving Budapest Today we joined our riverboat which will be travelling on a small section of the Danube westbound to Vienna. River cruising is a fantastic way of touring, without having the hassle of packing & unpacking. Our vessel has 80 cabins - accommodating over 150 passengers with almost 50 crew members. Cabins are located on 3 different decks. The cabins on the middle & top decks all have beautiful floor to ceiling windows with Juliet balconies. I’m very impressed with the size & luxurious features of the cabins; definitely in line with hotel bedrooms found in an equivalent 4* hotel. The cabin layout has been thought through carefully with plenty of space to store suitcases etc. There are 2 dining rooms & several lounges including the whole of the top-deck being a sun-deck with loungers & even a hot-tub…! Tomorrow brings our first port-of-call; Bratislava, Slovakia. Bratislava, Slovakia. We arrived into Slovakia’s capital city Bratislava early this morning. The first thing we spotted from our window was a tall observation tower - This is called the “UFO Tower. “ -Apparently over 95 meters tall - your tickets take you straight to the top in 45 seconds via a speedy elevator! After our ‘full English’ breakfast we headed out to explore. Like many cities Bratislava has an ‘old town’ and a newer part too. The old town is very pretty; cobbled streets, & houses dating back to medieval times. There are lots of quirky statues in this part of the city - making it a very interesting place to explore. Good fun on foot - but we noticed that there was also a tourist land train circling around & also the hop on / hop off buses were operating tours too. Bratislava Castle sits high on a hill overlooking the old town & is reached by quite a climb with various steps & pathways. It’s worth the effort when you reach the top & you’ll be rewarded with views across Bratislava & of course too - The River Danube. We returned to the ship for lunch . Full board is included on these river-cruises with usually all drinks (including a full selection of alcoholic drinks too) also being included during these meal-times . The food on board has been of an excellent standard - with plenty of choice at lunchtimes, & a four course a la carte meal is served in the evenings. This ship is not a good place for anyone on a diet ?? • however anyone with any food intolerance is treated very seriously- even with a separate welcome meeting on day one of the cruise so that any worries could be addressed. This afternoon our ship left Bratislava behind & continued our journey meandering along the the river Danube…. Our next stop: Melk, Austria. This morning when we woke, our ship was already docked close to the pretty town of Melk. About 20 mins walk from where the ship was docked; Melk is as picturesque as you might imagine any Austrian little town could be … cobbled streets, ornate coloured houses with flower boxes on their window ledges, pretty fountain in the main square. Just lovely! Towering over the town of Melk is the magnificent “Melk Abbey” painted in mustard & yellow. The grandeur & scale of this beautiful building is hard to describe but it is a UNESCO site & listed as one of the most beautiful churches in the world. Church feels the wrong word to use - it’s so huge - more like the size of a cathedral. Definitely worth a visit. ..and if you can’t manage the steep hill & many steps to reach it, then taxis are possible. The chapel inside with its huge dome, gold decorations & ornately painted ceilings cannot be described here - but suffice to say it was quite an amazing sight. Next stop: Dürnstein. Austria & The Wachau Wine Valley This afternoon we cruised along the famous winelands region of Wachau on to Dürnstein. This hamlet of tranquil Austrian life can be found adjacent to the Danube. Surrounded by lush, terraced vineyards … It is described as a “place where the soul can breathe” ….. ! Life is so busy at home … Sometimes we just need to feel peace & tranquility. Today I found it here; in Dürnstein.

07 October 2021

Kefalonia is one of those destinations that I have been wanting to visit for many, many years. The sister island to both Zakynthos and Corfu, she is located in the Greek Ionian Sea. She is famous for her beautiful beaches & coves, plus her interesting mountainous landscape makes her a little bit different to the other Greek islands that I have visited. She is also less busy with tourists, because she has a smaller airport & is much more rural than the other islands too. Finally the time had arrived for me to travel to Kefalonia - September 2021 - (this was even more “long-waited” since my booking had been moved 3 times due to the global pandemic.) The flights aren’t as frequent as many of the other Greek islands too. The airport is also quieter ( only room for 3 aircraft standing on the tarmac) & once we had landed, we queued in the sunshine to have our passports checked. In my opinion wherever you stay on the island you would much benefit from hiring a small car. Much of this surprisingly large island is extremely rural with narrow roads to get from A to B. My last trip to Greece was back in 1998 to Skiathos, and so my relationship with Greece had been on hold for a long, long time ! What I had forgotten about was the beautiful beaches with clear turquoise waters - most of the beaches in Kefalonia have been awarded with Blue Flag status - particularly for their cleanliness. Having the flexibility of hiring a car means exploring the island is a really fun activity; discovering the island’s amazing coastline & beaches. Many of these are organised with a taverna & sunbeds… but some of which are isolated and secluded. We also used our hire-car to take us north to the famous Melissani Lake. This lake was originally hidden, inside a cave… but back in the 1950s when an earthquake struck the island, the roof of the cave fell in, revealing the hidden lake below. Between 12pm and 2pm on a sunny day, the rays of the sun produce a spectacular show of turquoise colours in the water, in the lake below. Visitors enter the cave through an underground pathway, and then can actually step into a boat to tour the cave. I would highly recommend that you visit this lake. Your trip will be short and sweet, with boat trips around the cave lasting only about 15 minutes. This is a unforgettable & magical place, the colours of the water are just breathtaking beautiful. Another destination not to be missed is the famous beach where Captain Corellis Mandolin was filmed. The beach called Antisamos is reached on a steep windy road, and is surrounded by green hills and lush vegetation. Here you will find a couple of tavernas and plenty of organised sunbeds … again the water is an unbelievably beautiful colour. The capital of the island Argostoli has plenty of shops to keep you entertained. The main shopping area is pedestrianised, & here you will find clothes boutiques, souvenir shops and jewellery shops. There is also a pretty harbour-front which you can walk along, where you find a variety of boats offering to take you out for the day. Lots of the shops are selling local produce, such as Olive Oil and honey. There are plenty of nice places to eat out here too. Eating out is extremely reasonably priced. The two main tourist resorts are Lassi and Skala. Skala was originally a fishing village, & is now famous for its long sandy beach. Here you will find plenty of bars, restaurants, cafes and mini-markets. Lassi is closer to the airport, and feels busier. It is home to 2 of the most famous beaches on the island; Platis Gialos & Makris Gialos. Both of these are surrounded by lush green hills, and like many of the other beaches on the island are quite steep to reach (take good shoes with you!) In conclusion I would say the perfect day spent on Kefalonia would be exploring & finding the perfect beach, swimming in the clear waters, then perhaps catching-up with your favourite book… Then into a taverna to enjoy some shade over a nice long lunch, perhaps you will choose the souvlaki chicken, accompanied with olives and bread…. Or will it be the home-made moussaka with Greek lemon potatoes..? If this sounds like your perfect sort of holiday, do get in touch with me, as I have plenty more secrets that I can tell you about this magical island. For me, it did not disappoint, and it was definitely love at first sight! My only complaint was that I couldn’t stay longer !

11 September 2019

As I write this, I am on my way home from the exciting city of Barcelona, where I have been lucky enough to stay for two days whilst visiting Celebrity Cruise Lines' brand new ship, ‘The Edge’ (launched May 2019). My goodness, visiting this wonderful floating beauty definitely exceeded all of my expectations. Having cruised many times and seen plenty of beautiful ships during my 30 years as a travel agent, (I started young at the age of 15) - I thought that I knew what I was should expect to see. I was very wrong but really impressed and had that “wow” feeling! This ship really is something else! It’s so ‘different’ from what I am used to seeing and not only with very fresh décor, but also a very homely and relaxing feel to it. The first thing that struck me once we were on board was another “‘wow” factor and that is there’s lots & lots of space. Gone is the traditional long reception type desk usually found within the foyer of a cruise ship which has been replaced by individual seating area pods. These have low comfortable seating, and quirky bespoke silver oval tables. This gives the feeling of being in somebody’s lounge rather than the usual formal reception area of a large cruise ship. Next we came to the Martini bar which is located in the centre and is the beating heart of this ship with even more comfortable seating and the bar is accessible from three of the main decks. There is a striking and enormous “feature light chandelier”, unable to be missed as it frames the wide bar and draws your eyes to it because it’s such a centre-piece statement that it makes the Plaza area feel so grand. Each evening a magnificent light show is performed here accompanied by music. You’ll also here find a bar man who can create martinis whilst juggling glasses and cocktail shakers, all at the same time! The Martini menu here will impress even the most knowledgeable Martini connoisseur! From The Martini bar, or Grand Plaza, as it is also called, you can easily reach all other areas of this ship. What I so loved about ‘The Edge’ is that she doesn’t feel overwhelmingly huge, and you certainly don’t feel like you are going to get lost! It is ‘no mean feat’ to create this when your vessel carries almost 3,000 passengers. There’s plenty of choice for eating & drinking too:- Instead of a large traditional Main Dining Room ‘Celebrity Edge’ has the area divided into 4 smaller restaurants, all sharing the same kitchen galley, which gives dining a more intimate & calmer feeling. Each of these restaurants is decorated differently - and each themed with different food Not only American/Mediterranean/Italian/French but each restaurant also serves a standard menu too. With almost 30 restaurants, bars and lounges in total, you are certainly spoilt for choice for where to eat and drink - including a steakhouse, a Japanese sea food restaurant, and the quirky Petit Chef (a technical advance in dining with a digital light show projected onto your plate which has to be seen to be appreciated) We also saw the ‘The Spa’ and ‘Ship’s Gym’ together with beautiful outside areas with the main swimming pool, various bars on deck, The Buffet Restaurant (open most of the day & evenings too.) Next to see was the much talked about ‘Magic Carpet’ for which we had very high expectations! This movable cantilevered platform is suspended from the side of the ship and is a separate floor to the ship! It is additional space that can ride up and down between the decks, and is used for outdoor dining or an outdoor bar! It also makes leaving the ship much easier when it is taken back down to the sea-level on deck 2. Whatever will they think of next? Cruising on his ship will be a really new and wonderful experience to all who choose to cruise on her. Now we come to the Cabins for even yet more eye-openers. Cabins are called Staterooms on Celebrity Cruise Lines and we saw 2 stateroom types. I was very excited to see a ‘Standard Balcony’ as had heard lots about the new “Infinity Balconies” These new fully glass balconies (get your phone ready as you can operate this from an app!) can be opened half-way to make a traditional balcony or, closed upwards to make a “floor to ceiling” large window which gives you extra cabin floor space. Technology is in abundance in the cabin, you can even operate your cabin lighting from ‘Celebrity’s’ mobile phone app too. Don’t worry there are traditional light switches for those who would prefer to do things the more traditionally way! The ‘Sky Suites Staterooms’ on decks 11 and 12 are spacious with a bed facing the sea, plenty of storage space and give you exclusive access to the ‘Retreat’ Lounge and pool area. Upgrade to this stateroom and you definitely will not be disappointed. With Kelly Hoppen from TV's Dragons Den on-board (excuse the pun!), we weren’t disappointed with the various areas of the ship that had been handed over to her to do her stuff with the interior design. One of these areas is the speciality restaurant ‘EDEN’ which can only be described as more of an eating ‘experience’ rather than a restaurant. The decor is various shades of green with once again different comfortable seating areas on 3 levels together with a cocktail bar. Dining tables are located by the large ‘floor to ceiling’ windows so you will be guaranteed a table with a view and all 3 levels of The Eden restaurant are enveloped in 7000 square feet of glass. The waiting staff entertain you with their singing - and acrobatic show - plus other mysterious tricks and theatre, to add to your evening and dining experience. Here we ate a 5 course tasting menu with lobster to start, with duck & steak too and an amazing dessert was bought out to us. A chocolate sphere which was ‘opened’ when they poured hot chocolate sauce onto its top! This ship needs to be seen to be believed and although the décor is opulent & technology has been used in abundance it still feels homely. Also the ship has been divided into lots of different areas which makes it feel much smaller than it is, with plenty of lovely seating areas dotted throughout. She certainly is beautiful and with her 4 new sister ships promised starting with the launch of number 2 early next year (The Apex) there will be plenty of different itineraries to choose from too. For more information give me a call, or drop me an email.

02 November 2018

If ever there was a destination that is forever changing and developing, it’s Dubai! My first visit to this fast-paced and dare I say it, “extravagant” destination was back in 1999; when one line of hotels ran along the beach and all that was behind these hotels was the desert! Since 1999 I have now visited a further 3 times. Now buildings have appeared in front of (and behind) these original hotels that I saw back in the late 90s. The beachfront along “jbr” (Jumeriah Beach Residence) has been extremely nicely finished with a “walk” that leads from one end to the other. This pristine pedestrian area is lined with shops and restaurants and bars along the front - and has a very western ‘holiday resort’ feel about it. When I write pristine I mean it too; you see no litter and no graffiti in Dubai. Underneath the facade of the ‘western feel’ of the “jbr - The Walk” things are quite different though to a Mediterranean resort. No alcohol is served at all outside of the main hotel bars and restaurants - and even then, some hotels are alcohol-free. Alcoholic drinks when purchased are also very expensive - for example a glass of red-wine is approx. £10 a glass. This also means that the popularity of choices for more unusual soft drinks and ‘mocktails’ are in abundance. As holiday destinations go though you won’t be bored! There are plenty of activities to keep travellers of all ages happy. From a trip out to the desert with a chance to ride a camel, to a trip up the world’s tallest building “Burj Khalifa” (800 metres) and its dancing fountains - to shopping in the world’s Largest Mall. Children will love the world’s largest aquarium and all guests can look forward to lazy days by the pool in the guaranteed sunshine. The weather is warm all year round - October averaging a cosy 30 degrees daily. You can visit the old part of Dubai city too - see the famous Spice Souk (market) or enjoy an evening dinner on an old wooden dhow as it cruises up and down the Dubai Creek. The perception is that it is a very expensive destination as the cost of living is expensive, and this is certainly true. Eating and drinking is expensive compared to the UK, but on the other hand getting about is ‘cheap as chips’ - for example a taxi all the way from “jbr” right up to the famous Dubai Shopping Mall (about 30 mins ride) only about £15.00. Local taxis from “jbr” to The Palm would cost say £4.00 (15-minute ride.) I do have some very savvy ways to make big savings on your spending money whilst you are here, so if you are thinking of making Dubai your next holiday destination, be sure to contact me. Those who have not studied Dubai too closely may not realise that the city is divided into several defined and extremely different areas - again be careful to stay in the right area, please do contact me for advice. Manmade ‘islands’ have been built out into the sea - including two that are in the shape of palm trees (good fun to look at on google earth) and further islands supposedly in the shape of a world-map. The Jumeriah Palm is home to the famous Atlantis Hotel and its amazing waterpark. My last trip to Dubai was in 2012. Now (2018) it looks so different again. A metro system has been built (mainly running over-ground) and stretches from the airport right up towards JBR. I cannot think of anywhere else in the world that changes as much as this ‘new land’. In the early 1960s Dubai was still predominately a busy trading port - the first oil was mined in 1966 - and tourism started in the late 1990s. If you come here you must accept that new buildings and building work are a part of its character - but it’s people, it’s guaranteed sunshine, it’s quirky charm and its extravagance will all grow on you, and you will find that you will want to return (as I have done) time and time again. If you are staying in the right part of town, you will love what this unique destination has to offer its visitors for a "different" type of holiday. It’s very clean and both the food and accommodation are of an extremely high standard. Most hotels are minimum 4 stars and have excellent facilities for a luxury break away. For more information on hotels, packages and prices, please contact me for an idea and some quotes.

17 October 2018

This month I have enjoyed a fantastic evening hosted by Emirates Airlines - viewing their amazing A380 aircraft which flies twice daily to Dubai (and beyond!) from my local Airport; Birmingham. The aircraft-type occasionally gets swapped, and on the evening of my visit, instead of it being the usual ‘2 class’ A380 it was the ‘3 class’ A380 and so we were extremely lucky to able to view the first-class suites, as well as business class and economy seating. Usually only the ‘2 class’ A380 operates in and out of Birmingham Airport. For any plane geek (like me!) these A380 aircraft are an amazing fleet. There are 2 showers in the first-class area - and a bar upstairs in the business class area. It’s hard to get your head around the fact that these planes can carry over 600 people on-board! I was extremely impressed with seats in all three of the classes, even the leg-room in economy is very comfortable. The suites in first class are lavish and spacious and can be made up as single or double occupancy. For those of you who don’t know, this aircraft is a double-decker and the notion of going up (or down) the flight of stairs whilst on-board is (again) quite hard to get your head around! We topped off our A380 tour with a bite to eat in the Emirates Business Lounge which overlooks the runway and consists of a cosy-feeling lounge (seats over 100) where business class clients can while away their time before boarding their flight. It was an extremely enjoyable evening learning (even more) facts about this wonderful aeroplane which is actually the world’s largest passenger aircraft and sampling the seating in the 3 classes on offer. Don't forget that Travel Counsellors have access to fares with Emirates that you do not - so if you are intending to fly Emirates it is always worth contacting me to see what our special travel agency fares look like for your dates. Thank you to Emirates for a lovely evening.

06 April 2018

April 2018 I have just returned from a wonderful long weekend away in sunny Prague with my youngest son. We thoroughly enjoyed our three nights spent exploring this historic city with its cobbled pavements, churches galore, beautiful 12th-century squares with buildings that look so perfect they have been painted for a Disney fairy-tale! Getting there; It's reasonable! Yes, compared to the usual favourites for a city break - such as Paris, Venice and Amsterdam, Prague will be a snip of the cost! The flights are easy (only a two-hour duration) and making it even easier we have private transfers to meet us on arrival (takes about 30 mins) that also do not cost the earth! Accommodation - again very reasonable in cost, so much so that you can treat yourself to a five-star hotel and you've still paid a snip compared to cities in competition for your tourism. Contact me for more information. My first impression of Prague were historic buildings with their red roofs, which stand ornately tall with grand windows, and elaborate facades - all painted in sunny colours - cobblestone squares showing off the busy Easter Market that runs every year for about three weeks to cover the Easter holidays. So bring your comfy shoes - Prague is not a place for exploring in high heels!! It's a city that's alive with the buzz of people, restaurants, pubs, and shops... also museums and art galleries - so you'll find something for everyone. Day One We headed for the Charles Bridge first thing to miss the crowds. This is one of Prague's most popular attractions. A beautiful cobblestone bridge stretching across the River Vltava; finished in the 15th century. The bridge is an amazing sight and decorated with 30 statues. Now for pedestrians only - it used to be the only way to reach the old town of Prague... (the only other way was by boat!) But there are now plenty of other bridges that also cross this river that literally runs through the middle of Prague. It's seen plenty of dramas during its long lifetime - including a collapse in 1890 and terrible flood damage in 2002. From here we continued our journey (on foot) up to the Castle, Cathedral and Hradcany District. At the castle you can watch the daily changing of the guard (midday) and also enjoy the views back across the city from the heights that you have just walked! We then made our way to the Funicular Railway to visit the famous Petrin Tower that can be seen from almost everywhere in Prague. It's an Eiffel Tower mini-replica that was built at a similar time. These days you can take the lift or stairs and see the whole of Prague from the top! On the way, we grabbed a picnic lunch as Petrin Hill Park has plenty of nice places to sit and enjoy the views. Heading back towards Charles Bridge (still on foot) we stopped by at Lennon's Wall. Named after John Lennon - since the 1980s has been filled with graffiti - constantly changing - representing peace and love! We then crossed back over the river - not before stopping for an ice-cream break! (Compulsory whilst on any holiday!) Day Two Day two we were up early, in time for our river boat cruise on an old-fashioned wooden canal boat replica - with complimentary refreshments - learning the history of the Vltava River, Charles Bridge, Old Town and Castle. A wonderfully different way to view Prague; from the water. Then we were on the hop-on-hop-off bus tour to hear more about the history of this city - whilst giving our legs a little bit of a rest! Lunch at a local restaurant, overlooking the front. We were so lucky with the weather, sunny days from our arrival. If you aren't into learning about the history of this place - you can shop until you drop! From local and traditional items, you can see high street shops that you'll recognise - we even spotted a Marks & Spencer shop. I defy anyone to say that they were disappointed with the variety of shopping on offer. The other thing I want to mention is Prague's ART - it's everywhere - sometimes it's quirky - sometimes it's historic - it is a city that will excite your vision! There's plenty to see, and art is everywhere that you look! Same goes for eating out. Traditional fare would be a meal of roast duck, red cabbage and dumplings - but for those who like their pizzas or American burgers - your choices too are unlimited! A main meal of two courses with drinks would start from about 900CZK per couple upwards (about £15 per person including an alcoholic drink). Not bad value for money! (April 18) All in all, I can only highly recommend a visit to Prague to you. I apologise to the Prague Tourist Board in previously labelling Prague as a place to avoid, as full of hen and stag dos (We only saw two stag dos during my stay and spotted no hens at all!) It has something for everyone and its people are warm and welcoming. So...get it on your wish-list, or even better - give me a call with some possible dates & let me show you some availability and prices! Lucy - contact me at lucy.morgans@travelcounsellors.com

31 October 2016

Having travelled to Thailand over 25 years ago during my early life as a travel agent, I have been keen to return probably ever since I arrived back! The friendliness of the people, the beaches, the food and buzz of another land has had me itching to revisit for some time. For October 2016 we decided to rebook - and spend half-term in Phuket as a family. Phuket is an island about an hour's flight south of Bangkok. Having never visited Phuket before, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I knew it would be far more commercialised than the quieter Hua Hin that I visited all those years before, & I knew with only a week to cram in a holiday we didn't have time for a Bangkok stopover (I would have loved to revisit the capital city again) so I kept it simple with a week's stay just at Phuket. This is a destination that I do sell, but also one that I was inquisitive to find out more detail and one that I also wanted make my own up-to-date opinions about. I chose a hotel - (of course on our TC books!) - Because of its location in a quieter part of the island. Probably one the quietest parts & least commercialised of the resorts along the Phuket's busy west coast. What we found on arrival, was a resort or should I say smallish village that ticked all of our boxes. A handful of lovely restaurants - many who laid their plastic tables and chairs on the beach each evening, with the lighting being little lanterns hanging from the trees above. Food was both delicious and extremely reasonable - an evening meal of 2 courses with drinks for a family of four persons about £25 ish. This resort also had a sprinkling of shops and plenty of places offering to give you a traditional Thai massage. I opted for a massage on day three; the head, shoulder & back massage. Although I wondered at the time if I was asking to suffer with a bad back for the rest of my stay (!) - The next day my poorly shoulder had never felt more agile & before the week was over I was even contemplating if I should go back for seconds....! The village's beach was beautiful. Picture postcard to be exact. A long stretch of yellow sand, with gently shelving waters and palm trees galore. Our first two days were overcast and without sunshine, so we decided to hire a car but with its own guide / driver. We ended up doing this for two days of our trip; first visit (a whole afternoon) we saw Phuket Town, The Big Buddha, Wat Chalong (temple of Chalong) and also the TRICKEYE Museum (good fun for children) The second outing; (by now the sun was shining!) Our own little west coast 'tour' to so I could see the coastal resorts of Kata beach, Karon Beach, Patong beach and Surin. Our driver even found us a nice little restaurant for our lunch on the front at Chalong Bay. The last few days we spent pottering around our resort/village. Walked and walked along the beach as far as we could go, ate lunch at the local restaurants and meandered in & out of the little shops. We even had our laundry done in the village to save a job when we got home. All in all I would wholly recommend Thailand & Phuket for families & couples; the beaches won't disappoint you, the people are friendly & you'll enjoy exploring and learning lots about a different culture and a world far from home!

31 October 2016

The reason was my mum's 70th birthday treat, but who really needs an excuse for a weekend away ? My 'weekend' was actually 24 hours. Which started on Saturday morning with an early start at Birmingham airport .. but after less than an hour's flight, we'd landed into a new world of beautiful buildings, haggis, shortbread biscuits, bagpipes and tartan! We were also surprised to be greeted by some October sunshine! The new tram link (which opened in 2014) runs from Edinburgh airport straight into city centre and is both easy and convenient. The 'station' (small double platform & with an even smaller place to grab a hot drink) is literally only a few moments walk from the airport terminal itself. Tickets are purchased at the machine on the platform and away you go ...I think it was about £5.50 per person for a single journey into the city centre. Some 30 mins ish later we had arrived onto the infamous Princes Street, (Georgian buildings/shops/ and a beautiful park) and departed the smooth & easy tram journey to continue on foot to our hotel .. only a few minutes walk away. After we'd checked into our hotel and got ourselves sorted with some lunch, we went off to buy tickets for the hop-on-hop-off-bus which would take us to visit the Queens Cruise Liner "The Royal Yacht Britannia" which is now permanently docked at Leith Waterfront about 30 mins from the city. The bus was quite a fun way to make your way to see the liner & let's you view a good amount of Edinburgh's streets on the way ... plus there's an interesting commentary for those who like to know what they are looking at, and some quirky facts... but those who prefer to, they can simply day dream their way to the docks ! The ship is extremely interesting and didn't disappoint my (nor my mum's!) expectations ... the self guided tour with audio handset was excellent too. What somewhat surprised me about this ship was its lack of lavish decor, and how dated it felt ... although built in 1953 it was still being used by our Royal family as late as 1997 so I expected it to look differently inside to how it actually was. "A world away .." in fact ...from any modern ship that I myself have cruised on during the in the last (even) ten years. Plain white walls, and dated furniture adorned the cabins. But the magic that our Queen loved about this ship was definitely not its material items - she loved the privacy it gave her, and the time she enjoyed holidaying with her family. The photos on the walls of the ship showed the testimonies to her time that she loved spending on-board Britannia. On Sunday morning we saw a snippet of the "Royal Mile" and its charm with its splendid old buildings, hidden alley-ways, boutique style shops and even a pub dating back to 1742. The sun was creating long shadows onto the cobbles and a bagpiper could be heard somewhere not far away. So that was Edinburgh... ! Definitely worth investing one weekend (or 24 hours!) of your life to spend some time exploring (with a loved one)this city that really does have something different about it.... Highly recommended!

09 June 2015

We wanted some May sunshine and we weren’t disappointed. This is what I would describe as a really ‘easy’ holiday destination. With a choice of nice ‘day-time-flights’ departing most local airports, (we flew from Birmingham) travelling to the Algarve these days is very simple! With Portugal (the Algarve) I can even package up breaks for shorter durations. The minimum I would probably suggest would be 4 nights – but it’s definitely a place where you could take a short break, find the sunshine & recharge your batteries. My family and I stayed for 6 nights; which meant we missed the manic “half-term getaway chaos," and we also got home in time to have a day at home “spare” – so that we could all be ready for the impending Monday morning ‘back to school’ madness! There is a fast (2-laned ) motorway link right across the Algarve – which means that your transfer on arrival is unlikely to be the prettiest drive that you have ever experienced, but this also means that you will be at your hotel very quickly (and easily) after your flight lands. We chose the resort of Carvoeiro. This is roughly 40 mins drive from Faro Airport – The old village has kept its character and the white washed houses/restaurants face out across a beautiful bay of sandy beach. Cliffs are each side of the bay; the resort did not disappoint. It seemed to be busy with couples and families. Nightlife is low-key but there are plenty of excellent restaurants to choose from. Our hotel – a four star – had everything to keep my two sons (and husband!) happy; two swimming pools, tennis courts and an on-site restaurant that offered food which absolutely exceeded all of our expectations – truly excellent.* Our accommodation was great, but especially good for families. 80 modern ‘Villas’ are dotted throughout well-kept gardens and these each have two bedrooms, three bathrooms and a fully fitted kitchen, lounge and dining area and a balcony and terrace. I was very pleased with the amount of space we had. On holiday I don’t like to hear of families cooped up in one room – this can be a recipe for a disaster. The other great thing about this apart-hotel was that food was included – this meant a real holiday for me. Our first family holiday on an “all inclusive” meal basis, and I must tell you it worked for us – this particular property serves an a la carte lunchtime and evening menu (only one evening was buffet.) The combination of the spacious accommodation with the exceptionally good menu really worked for us. We really enjoyed this holiday – mainly pottering around the resort or relaxing by the pool. I would recommend the Algarve to anyone looking for some sunshine that’s easy! If you keep things simple, you’ll return home relaxed and refreshed, and even the actual travelling won’t make you tired! If you wish to know more specifics about where I stayed with my family, give me a call or drop me an email – I’ll be happy to have a quick chat with you about this.

07 December 2012

I have just returned from an extremely relaxing holiday with my family, where we cruised the Thames from Benson in Oxfordshire to Windsor in Berkshire, and back again. By road (on a good day) this journey would take less than an hour but by river, negotiating the locks, it took us a wonderful six nights. The pace of the river is about five mph and as it meanders its way through pretty countryside and English towns you soon relax and realise that you can be in no hurry! A far cry from our busy life at home, we quickly started to unwind into this rather enjoyable pace of life. Our boat was truly beyond our expectations with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. It was an upmarket little cruiser, rather similar to how you would imagine a typical boat that you would take out on the Norfolk Broads to look like. They have a lovely fleet at Benson, with boats to suit all tastes and family sizes, I suppose ours would ideally suit two couples, or a family with older children. It was very spacious; with a full and very well equipped kitchen, a table and inside seating area that would comfortably sit six adults, plus additional seating upstairs on deck, with a second table and even a parasol and a built in BBQ! There is also a choice of inside and outside steering – good when you are up against “good old English weather”. We easily swapped from one to the other – even whilst still on the move! Being complete novices, we were a little anxious after our one hour “training” but having negotiated the first lock with our “trainer” in tow – we felt we had the beginnings of some confidence, and we were soon on our way. The locks, by the way, are all electronic and mostly manned by lock-keepers along this stretch, making the trip ideal for first-timers like us. Being on the river is an easy holiday – plenty of pubs and restaurants that you can eat at along the way – mooring outside, and even a Tesco Express where you could moor up right outside! We mostly self-catered, eating out three times during the seven days. Overall it was a fantastic holiday which has definitely left us with some great memories that we will treasure. It was a lovely sight too, arriving into Windsor and seeing the magnificent castle overlooking the water! If you want to know more about this trip, give me a call, I am always happy to help!

20 February 2012

I have just returned from a wonderful week’s holiday in the ski resort called Zell am See in the Austrian Tyrol. The resort or small town of Zell am See is located on the shores of Lake Zell – this location I would imagine would be a photographer’s dream destination with snowy mountains that meet the frozen lake, and traditional Austrian Houses with their snowy pitch roofs, and ornate wooden balconies also capped in snow. Zell am See is great for winter-sports and would suit complete beginners through to experienced skiers who enjoy the thrill of a black run. There are plenty of different runs to choose from – and an excellent ski school & instructors to guide you and ensure that you get the best out of your time on the mountain. Non skiers will also enjoy this resort. There is a wellness centre and Spa with a beautiful 25 meter sports swimming pool and state of the art changing facilities. Also an array of walking – including across the frozen lake to Thumersbach (took about an hour) and also there are excellent train links to nearby Salzburg. (The train station for Zell am See is located in the heart of town, and the journey to Salzburg is about 1.5 hours.) This resort has a very friendly and family feel about it. My family and I were made to feel very welcome in the local restaurants – there are many types of eateries to choose from - including traditional Austrian fare – to Italian or Chinese. I would highly recommend a restaurant in the heart of Zell called The Steinerwirt. Delicious traditional cuisine – served in very traditional surroundings. With even childcare activities laid on in the evenings between 6 and 9pm which our children enjoyed on the evening that we dined there, meaning that the adults can relax after the meal with a coffee! Most of the week, I must admit that we enjoyed self-catering – again the town can provide you with plenty of shops and we found food to be pretty much priced on a par with home. We bought basics such as tea-bags with us from the UK. All in all a successful and very relaxing holiday. My eldest son learnt to snow-board this year, and was coming down the ‘black-runs’ by the end of his week of tuition. The snow was pretty relentless during our stay here – I think it snowed without a break for 3 days non-stop! …but this made the skiing conditions with powdery snow on the mountain just amazing.

22 December 2011

I decided that this year was the year that I should take my boys to Lapland to see the REAL Father Christmas - there was no deliberation for me. . . Having booked so many clients to Lapland over many years as a travel agent, I knew that this year was to be our time to go! It really is a once in a life-time experience, so choosing which company to travel with and making sure of what is included is all very important. I opted for the day-trip although 2, and 3 night trips are available. Yes, it IS a long day - but worth every penny! We left our home at 4am in preparation for a 5am check in, and a 7am flight. The flights were smooth and I must say that East Midlands Airport is a lovely little airport to fly from... it all made it so easy. It took us 3¼ hours to fly to Enontekio Airport which is located as far north as you can imagine in Finland. Looking down from the aircraft’s windows we could see snowy scenes and vast expanses of more snow and trees – we felt like we were looking down as the little boy does when he is flying in the famous TV Christmas animation “The Snowman.” On arrival this very small airport we walked across a very snowy runway into a small Arrivals area and were soon straight onto a very warm coach. Temperatures can drop as low as -35 there in December, so warm clothes are required. We went already prepared with our under-thermals, hats, scarves, gloves and layers galore! We were taken by coach to a “village-hall” type building where some very helpful locals kitted us out into all-in-one suits and snow boots then gave us a bag to store our coats and shoes that we had travelled in. The sky was a grey-light and we knew that this was as bright as the day would bring! I think that it was fully dark by about 3pm, so be prepared that it’ll be dark for the majority of your time in Lapland. We soon arrived at the ‘hamlet’ of a handful of houses where we would enjoy a reindeer sleigh ride, another sleigh ride pulled by husky dogs, a fast snow-mobile ride and then be taken off to see the big man himself. My boys were very excited by the snow and there were plastic toboggans and a lovely hill that they could ‘fly’ down, so they wanted to try this first of all! We then set off to the reindeers and the other activities laid on. What I liked about the day was that it was all “laid back” and you could do as much or as little as you liked. There were some short queues for the activities, but we never really waited very long. An ‘appointment’ was made for our family group to see Santa – so we could relax knowing what time we would be off to meet Santa! That part was particularly magical. We were taken by sleigh across a frozen lake and through woodland to a different area where some houses had traditional ‘welcome candles’ shining in their windows. There were candles lighting our way along the route that we were pulled along. The sleigh went quite fast and it was really exhilarating winding in between the snowy trees on our way to see Santa. MAGIC! MAGIC! MAGIC! Santa’s home (for me) was exactly as I had always imagined it would be and we sat quietly as he asked my children if they had been good or not this year! We spent quite a long time sitting chatting with him and did not feel rushed in any way. To me it was very special and is a memory that I will always treasure. Lunch was included in our day-trip and there was plenty of choice – and delicious hearty food. Great for a cold day! Soup for starters was followed by a buffet choice of meatballs, pasta, vegetables, salad, chips or potatoes. I would recommend this trip to all my customers. We certainly enjoyed ourselves and Grandma who was invited to come along with us fulfilled her dream of a lifetime. So in summary a day out that would suit both young & old !

09 June 2011

This was my third time cruising in the Caribbean and our 2nd time cruising this region with our children in tow. We chose NCLs brand new ship the EPIC purely because of its "Aqua Park" with three slides, including the famous EPIC PLUNGE. I can only liken the Epic Plunge to a huge plug hole that you whizz down whilst sitting perched inside an inflatable ring! Our children were not disappointed and were very happy to spend much of their time in this area of the ship. The sundeck is not all about the Epic Plunge and water slides, you will also find the usual more traditional swimming pools here, along with bars, ice-cream machine and a stage where in the afternoons there is often a live band playing. The size and grandeur of this ship will not disappoint you. Its tonnage is a huge 155,873 - slightly larger than my family's favourite ship Royal Caribbean's "Liberty of the Seas." With Epic's exciting week-long itinerary visiting St Marteen, St Thomas, and The Bahamas its all made very easy for you with embarkation from Miami, it is a family holiday that I am happy to recommend. The whole holiday also slotted perfectly into the UK's October half term 2010 (although this itinerary runs frequently throughout the season). For those who have not cruised before on NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line) it must be remembered that their "informal" take on cruising is different from the traditional cruise lines & will not be the right choice for everybody. Dining is in the form of many, many speciality restaurants from Chinese, Indian, Italian and Steakhouses and so on. Guests are encouraged to make table reservations for these speciality restaurants so that they can experience a range of cuisine throughout their cruise. There are also supplements to be paid to eat in these speciality restaurants and we particularly liked the atmosphere in the Italian – with its round tables and rustic feel – even an Olive tree growing in the middle of the courtyard setting. One of the highlights of our week was definitely the Epic calling at the wonderful island of St Thomas with the opportunity to get off and spend the day on the beautiful "Magens Bay Beach". This beach is a short ride from St Thomas Harbour - maybe 20 mins or so across the island by taxi - which you will find waiting as you disembark your cruise liner. The beach is amazing and has idyllic character of white sands against azure blue sea. It isn’t overshadowed by huge hotels and is in fact quite rustic in its nature – with bushes and trees behind the white sands. The sea here is usually very warm (both times I have been lucky enough to visit this beach the sea has been the temperature of a warm bath!) and the water is very gently shelving so safe for the children too. My summary of this cruise American feel and very informal, so might not be for everyone however it has excellent dining choices, state of the art cabins, and fantastic entertainment including the famous "Blue Man Group".... ...So if you were to ask my children if they enjoyed it, then you will hear them begging us to go again...and its a consistent tale I hear from some of my customers who are also parents – When our children are happy on holiday, well thats when we can start to relax....!

09 September 2009

This year we decided to head for the Channel Islands –hoping for some more guaranteed sunshine! We were not disappointed…. It certainly is a very much underrated destination. Quietly nestled only 3 hours on the fast ferry from Poole, it’s an easy-to-reach holiday option. There are also flights from the majority of regional airports. We decided to take the fast catamaran car ferry which leaves from Poole, and arrived late afternoon in glorious sunshine. St Peter Port (Guernsey’s Capital) is a busy port and harbour, with some wonderful restaurants and shops to seek out. The narrow streets are fun to explore, and we found the prices extremely reasonable, and the food was of an excellent quality. One of the things that struck us immediately was the laid back attitudes and slower pace and lifestyle by the islanders themselves, and it is soon that you slip into their slower pace of life with ease. The speed limit on the majority of the beautiful lanes and roads is a mere 25 mph, so life here is taken very easy! I think that to everyone not travelling with their own car, I would certainly recommend that you let me arrange some car hire for you. There is much fun to be had exploring the various beaches and bays around the island, as well as getting out and walking along the cliffs and headlands. Cycling is also extremely popular, with lots of nice places to ride. Tourist attractions aren’t plentiful - it is more the type of holiday where you are happy to potter about, seeing this beach on this day, and visiting that part of the island on another. We were struck by how quiet it was – even though we were in the height of school holidays, so if you want a beach to yourself, you have an excellent chance of finding one (even in the busy summer months) on Guernsey. One of the best and unique things about Guernsey is their local produce that can be bought from roadside ‘boxes’ that work with the honesty box system. We had salads that were fit for a king! Not to mention homemade jam, chutney, and fresh eggs all bought from outside the people of Guernsey’s homes – whilst never meeting the persons whose hard work (and no doubt some passion too!) had laid these products out for us to buy. Also I must not forget to tell you about the freshly caught crab and fish available for you to buy – again directly from the fishermen themselves. Self-catering can be a real pleasure! Our favourite day was when we ventured over to Herm on the ferry. The island of Herm is traffic free and takes only 20 minutes to reach from St Peter Port. Here you can enjoy walking & exploring; the scenery is amazing and breath-taking and the beaches here will give the ones in the Caribbean a definite run for their money – especially on a sunny day. It is just beautiful, and has a laid back and friendly feel. I would definitely recommend Guernsey for a short break, or summer holiday. Anyone who enjoys exploring, walking, cycling, photography, or for families who have young children who simply like to dig in the sand, and for couples who fancy a break away and enjoy fine dining – it really does offer something for everyone! I have access to self-catering cottages and apartments, B&B’s and hotels on Guernsey and also accommodation on Herm, so drop me an email or give me a call if you’d like me to make some initial recommendations…and I will find your perfect Guernsey visit!

02 June 2009

This half term (May 2009) we were again drawn to cruising …in actual fact we had booked this cruise quite a few months in advance – as half-terms and school holiday dates are always the first cruise dates to fill up! So we had plenty of time to look forward to travelling, and we certainly weren’t disappointed. We have cruised many times before, but this time we were in for a very special treat – the world’s largest cruise ship to date. The Independence of the Seas (Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines) is a beautiful floating hotel and has whopping tonnage of 160,000. This ship has wonderful spacious sun decks, including an area named “H20 Zone” especially designed for children – its a wonderland of waterpark and fountains. For those of us who are older, or who don’t have small children, the sundecks have been separated out, and you will also find a “normal” pool and also a completely separate and quieter “adult only” section. This has its own pool & sunbed area, not to mention two large ‘adult-only’ Jacuzzis – that can each seat 16 guests and literally hang out over the ocean on deck 11 of this towering ship! The marvel of this ship as you stand on the quay-side (before you board!) and look up at it is something else, for this ship is like a small floating town and on it you will find an ice-skating rink, a climbing wall, theatres, a beautifully grand 3 storey restaurant with spiralling staircases, and cobbled “main street” with a coffee house, shops, Italian restaurant, ice cream parlour and a pub – there is even a barbers! Not to forget the gym and spa, plus the numerous different bars to choose from too. Our trip was a 4 night cruise – sailing from Southampton to Cork in Ireland. Having been to Cork before, we weren’t at all worried about disembarking – but for those who wanted to sight-see, there were plenty of organised tours to choose from, or alternatively you could get off at your leisure and follow your nose! We couldn’t find anything to criticise about Royal Caribbean….the service we received on board was excellent – particularly in the restaurant, where our waitress Katarina spoilt us rotten! We decided to opt for the relatively new option of ‘my time dining’. This is literally as it sounds and means that you and your party can eat in the main dining room in the evenings at any time, instead of at the times stipulated by the traditional 1st and 2nd sittings (which are still an option to choose on Royal Caribbean’s ships if you prefer a set-time to eat.) The food was of an extremely high standard, with plenty of choices, and even a children’s menu and healthy-eating menu too. We thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance of this ship. Its décor was amazing. With beautiful glass lifts taking you from the lower decks right to deck 14! The views from these lifts let you take in the sheer scale and elegance of this wonderful ship. This time, I “got organised” as soon as we got onboard and I made a booking to treat myself at the spa during the cruise. I had a facial on day 3, and although it was expensive, it was certainly a treat, and I found it extremely relaxing. I also found time to spend an hour pedalling in the gym – whilst our sons enjoyed the explorer club – the exercise equipment has all the latest technology, and who could argue that the 360 views from the windows in the gym aren’t good for your soul? I certainly feel that Royal Caribbean have thought of everything to make your stay onboard a happy one - there's even an ice cream machine on the sun deck and you can help yourself to your heart's content ! (but not waist-line!) I have cruised extensively in the last few years (you will find that it's dangerously addictive!, so give me a call or drop me a line if you’d like some advice or suggestions – whether it be a first time cruise you are considering or if its your 10th! You will find that I am extremely competitive on cruise prices, and I will take care of all the finer details - making sure that you are happy with your cabin and its location, and that the ship I suggest is the right one for you!

27 January 2009

Having never been away at Christmas as a complete family, I have to admit that we did feel a little bit anxious about this venture! Our criteria of wanting the whole family to be together for Christmas 2008, (7 adults and 5 young children in total) meant that hiring a holiday cottage seemed the perfect solution. However, even the catering for persons with different dietary requirements went smoothly. “Woodside” is a beautiful 4 star family home, with plenty of character, located in a quiet area of the Derbyshire Hills in Matlock. It had been the family home of the owner for the past 40 years before recently becoming a holiday let and is available for hire all year round, and perfect for family reunions or long weekends with friends. Jill, the house-keeper was there to warmly welcome and show us around. In the dining room, with its grand table seating 12 and open fireplace with logs provided, there was a lovely Christmas Tree greeting us. The large kitchen has plenty of workspace, is well equipped, and there is an additional table with chairs here too. “Woodside” has two separate seating areas each having a TV, (great to dissolve those TV disputes), sofas and chairs. There are three double bedrooms and three twin bedrooms all with very comfortable beds sleeping a maximum of twelve people. The rooms are extremely bright and airy, and the décor is modern and fresh looking. All the family soon settled in and fell in love with what Woodside offered us for our Christmas away – homely comfort with warmth and plenty of hot water too. We even arranged in advance for Tesco to deliver our shopping on our arrival weekend in readiness for our Christmas break. To ensure no-one was disappointed, Santa remembered that we weren’t ‘at home’ and managed to get all our presents down the chimney here, and to fill the children’s stockings that they had hung by the fireplace! “Woodside” is within walking distance of delightful Matlock. Here you will find everything that you might need, plenty of shops to potter round, swimming baths, a nice park, and even a Sainsbury’s for anything that you forgot to get Tesco to bring! It is Ideally situated for Gulliver’s Kingdom (10 minutes drive), Matlock Bath, Abraham Heights, fabulous walking, steam trains etc. The list is endless and you will find plenty for all the family to do here whatever the season or occasion. Contact me for more details of this cottage which comes highly recommended not only by myself but others who have previously stayed and completed the Visitor’s Book. I am able to offer this cottage for week long hires, or long weekends, together with others that are on our books! Highly Recommended.

25 November 2008

Having cruised many times before, we decided that we’d like to try Norwegian Cruise Lines and see how they compare to the likes of P&O and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines – who we usually favour. I spotted that NCL were offering one of their infamous taster cruises in August – and I decided to book it for the family – my husband and I, and our two little boys. I have to say that we were extremely impressed from the outset. Our ship “Norwegian Jewel” was docked in Dover, and this newish Terminal is modern and comfortable. From the parking to embarkation - everything went very smoothly, and soon we were onboard enjoying our lunch in the impressive Tsar’s Palace Restaurant – this is the main restaurant that is also Norwegian Jewel's formal evening restaurant...but dining on NCL is unlike the conventional cruise lines and there are lots of choices for your evening meal – in venue and style ! There are 12 dining choices - including a French Bistro, an Italian, Sushi Bar, and Mexican. Each dining venue takes table reservations – like a normal restaurant would - meaning you can eat what you fancy, at a time that suits you. However, if you prefer to eat in the main formal restaurant, as you might have been expecting on a more traditional ship – you can simply choose to do this too. It really is all about flexibility and choice. They even have large TV screens located around the ship showing the available seating in the various restaurants ….so you can always see where they have a table. But I have to say, that we never once had a problem in eating anywhere other than where we fancied. The standard of the food, and service was excellent. Our most enjoyable evening was spent in Mama’s Italian Kitchen - the food was wonderful and the service amazing…and the ambiance? Well…it was just like your favourite little local Italian restaurant…. We ordered some wine to accompany our meal (prices onboard are all in dollars and we felt were very reasonable) my husband likes red, and I prefer white….not a problem either….They will store your wine safely, so that you can have it brought out to you the next evening (or at lunchtime) …absolutely wherever you are dining within the ship! You just produce your ticket….. I was also impressed with the public areas, and facilities on board. There are plenty of lovely lounges, and areas to while away your days at sea…This ship certainly has a wow factor and beautiful atrium, and decks. Plenty of room too around the pool area - even on a sunny day at sea. The children’s clubs are excellent, but they do limit the number of children on board, so if you are a family you will need to book early, to firstly obtain a cabin that sleeps you all, and also to book before NCL are up to their bookable limits in each child age group. The evening entertainment was amazing. One evening there was a musical type show with dancing and on another a very entertaining magician. There was also an acrobatic show where they swung above our heads on cloth vines & ropes – quite a sight. Don’t forget all of this is included in the cost of your cruise. Not to also mention the different destinations and ports that your ship will call at. There will be organised trips, or you can please yourself and disembark and have a potter round & then get back on board in time for your lunch ! If you want value for money, and luxurious surroundings, top entertainment, delicious food and wonderful Spa facilities – its for you – everything we experienced was fantastic ! I give this holiday a 5 star Lucy Rating ! If you would like to chat with me more about this ship, or indeed any cruise - just give me a call. Perhaps you have never cruised before and would like some help in which ship I might recommend that you start off with or where you should travel to. Or perhaps you have a question about Norwegian Cruise Lines, or the Jewel itself, please feel free to email me, I will be more than happy to assist you....

04 December 2008

For some reason, I have always fancied Ireland, but never got round to going! It certainly is a hidden gem, with from what I can understand, the only thing holding people back from choosing this beautiful Country for a holiday or short break is its weather! So I am saying to you, please don’t let the weather hold you back from visiting this wonderful country, and its beautiful coastlines. It really has so much to offer. Now the year 2008 is never going to ever win any awards for great sunny weather. But somehow we did manage to find some sunshine in Ireland back in May, and really enjoyed a wonderful week. Our flights took us into Cork. There is a frequent service from most UK airports with a good choice of departure times. As with the majority of the shorter routes, booking early is the key to obtaining the best fares. We decided to book an evening flight, and spend our first night in Cork. Thinking that the airport would be the easiest place to stay, so that we could make a quick get away the next morning, we opted for” The Cork International Airport Hotel.” This turned out to be an excellent choice… a gleaming, new, four star hotel – independently owned, and trying to be different from your standard hotel experience. This hotel comes extremely highly recommended by me, and by fellow reviewers and turns out to be making its mark in Cork as one of the best hotels they have. I would definitely encourage you to consider staying here even if taking a simple short break to Cork itself. (There is an excellent frequent bus service into Cork City too.) The hotel is quirky (it even has part of a real airplane running through the centre of its breakfast dining room!) but the service is great, and the rooms spacious (and unbelievably quiet.) Moving on from Cork with a hired car, we made our way west across to Bantry Bay, which was where our cottage was located. This small and characterful market town is a delight from which to be based in! Traditional Irish pubs and restaurants line the cobbled streets which look out across the harbour from where the fishing boats come in with their daily catch. Our cottage itself was out of this world, but surprisingly good value for money. Located down a small country lane with magnificent views of mountains and the sea, we felt totally relaxed from the moment we set down our bags. All mod cons, and superbly furnished – including under floor heating throughout. We soon got chatting to the owner, who proudly told us that her husband had built and designed the cottage himself. We personally enjoyed the flexibility of being able to self-cater and relax in the evenings overlooking the wonderful views with a glass of wine! There is plenty to see and do around Bantry Bay. The children particularly enjoyed exploring the local beaches on the various peninsulas (a car is essential.) One beach that comes highly recommended is Barley Cove – this is a blue flag beach and will not fail to disappoint even an avid Greek or Turkey beach fan! We also enjoyed a day out to The Killarney National Park where you will find the Torc Waterfall. Here there are plenty of walks to choose from – for even the most reluctant walker – or even for us, with two children in tow! The Lakes in this park are beautiful. Reflections of the water meet with the mountains. What a sight to enjoy over your picnic lunch! This holiday comes high on the list if you feel the need to get away from it all, and relax at a slower pace of life! I have a wonderful choice of cottages that I am able to arrange for you – throughout this Emerald Isle. Or hotel accommodation should you prefer it. If you enjoy exploring what the local area has to offer or pottering around the towns and villages, and also if you love the flexibility of having your own hire car (or you could take your own car from the UK on the ferry.) Even in May half term we saw very few other tourists! The locals are friendly and will welcome you into the local pubs and restaurants…and if you are lucky you might even find some traditional Irish music or dancing too!

19 January 2009

Anyone who has not experienced the joy of a ski resort should try it (and the skiing!) as it really is something different to anything you will have experienced. The scenery is breathtaking, the clear sunny skies unexpected, and the atmosphere wonderful. We have fallen in love with Les Menuires – a resort in the French Alps close to Trois Valleys. We have good friends of ours who own an apartment in this resort – which is where we stay. The “resort” is modern, but still has charm. All the facilities, ski school, lifts, restaurants and bars, are all in the same place (around a horseshoe shape) so for ease of getting about it's great. We "self-cater", but there are plenty of restaurants should you fancy eating out too. We love self-catering here, and it's all part of the enjoyment of our holiday….we take it in turns to get the fresh croissants and warm bread each morning for our breakfast from the bakery, and we buy fresh produce (there are 2 good butchers, grocers, and a really good choice of locally produced food) for our lunches and evening meals. Our children attend the ski school which we have found to have excellent facilities. The school, for the younger children, is particularly well organised, with its own private slopes, and other activities also laid on throughout the day – such as entertainment, face painting and crafts. There are no problems with hiring equipment - here you will find the usual array of hire shops, with all shapes and sizes catered for. The runs are also excellent, (wide too) and can accommodate a range of ski levels. I enjoy the gentle greens and am “happy as Larry” taking the gondola right to the top, and then making my way down at a leisurely pace. There are blue and black runs for the more adventurous. You can even ski to nearby St Martin de Belleville, Val Thorens and also Meribel... Accessibility to this resort is easy too. We took the highly recommended combined Eurostar/Ski train from Ebbsfleet in Kent, via Paris and then overnight to Moutiers. From here we took a taxi for our last 30 minutes ride up the mountain. The train from Paris is an overnight “sleeper” train with couchette carriages - each sleeping 6 persons – it left Paris at about 10pm and we arrived into the heart of the French Alps the next morning at 8am. It is worth mentioning that travelling by train gives you two extra full days skiing because as you are arriving into the resort, most other people who are travelling by air are only just setting out from the UK! Alternatives to the train would be by air & bus or air & hire-car or finally driving down from the UK "under your own steam", which we are planning on doing for 2009. Overall Les Menuires is a good all-round resort for families, couples and singles alike….especially if you’d like to be able to ski straight to the door of your accommodation…! I can arrange the ski train, book flights, or even organise your ferry or Eurotunnel crossing ! I have access to various types of accommodation within this resort too, so contact me if you fancy giving it a try ! It's highly recommended !