25 June 2025

After many enjoyable holidays of doing very little, it was time to be a bit more active on our recent trip to Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. We arrived after a 2 hour flight to Zurich, followed by a 1 hour train journey to Lucerne. Nice short travel times, that’s what I like! Our base for the 7 night holiday was the 4* Art Deco Hotel Montana, which was a lovely hotel, with enticing lake views at b

18 September 2024

My September holiday this year took me back to Kefalonia, where Paul and I met 29 years ago. We have been back since, but the last time was 12 years ago, so we were well overdue a return. This time we stayed in the lovely resort of Agia Effimia, on the east coast of the island. We flew from East Midlands and arrived to warm sunshine in around 3.5 hours. We had pre-booked a car to give us the op

14 June 2024

Our June holiday this year took us back to Majorca, but to a different part to where we’ve stayed before. After a short flight, we collected our hire car and drove 50 minutes to Cala Egos on the outskirts of Cala D’Or, situated on the east coast of Majorca. We stayed in a villa which was in a peaceful area and gave us plenty of space to relax around the pool. There was a good selection of resta

22 August 2023

Different to my normal fly and flop holidays, I was tempted by a seven night cruise on Virgin Voyages new ship, Resilient Lady. It being an adult only ship was a big selling point for me, as well as the itinerary, with calls to Split, Dubrovnik, Kotor (Montenegro) and Corfu. We flew into Athens, and were transferred to the port of Piraeus, where the ship was leaving from. Having completed the ch

29 March 2023

After an unsuccessful attempt to travel to Barbados in March 2020, we re-booked to travel in March this year, and I couldn’t wait! We flew out of Manchester with Virgin Atlantic, on a 9 hour flight (it was 8 hours coming back) in Economy Delight, which gave us a few inches more legroom than normal economy, and was worth the extra cost in my opinion. We stayed a few minutes inland from Holetown,

21 September 2022

This year our September holiday took us to a Greek island that we hadn’t visited before, Ithaca. It’s one of the Ionian Islands, in the same region as the better known Kefalonia, Corfu and Zante. We flew to Kefalonia airport as Ithaca doesn’t have its own, a flight that took 3 hours 15 minutes. From there we were transferred by taxi for a 50 minute drive to Sami, before catching the ferry (only

21 March 2022

Keen to escape the cold, we decided on Gran Canaria for some winter sunshine this year. It was a very smooth process at East Midlands. We had completed the mandatory online Spanish Health forms and had our Covid Passes at the ready, but we didn’t need to show them this time. We were asked if we had them though. The flight took around 4 hours and on arrival we had to show our Spanish Health form

22 September 2021

After twenty long months without setting foot on a plane, the moment finally arrived. I was off to Spain and I couldn’t wait! There was a bit more preparation required this time, but nothing too taxing. I pre-booked a Rapid antigen test with a clinic not far from where we were staying, which we needed to take before our return flight, and pre-ordered our Day 2 tests, so that they arrived before w

23 December 2019

On our recent holiday to The Gambia, we took the opportunity to spend a couple of nights in Lisbon en route. It’s a city I hadn’t been to before but had heard good things about and with flights from Manchester it felt the ideal time to go. We took a 20 minutes’ taxi ride from the airport to the Dalma Old Town Suites, a small boutique hotel in the Alfama district of Lisbon, which we called home fo

09 August 2019

Have you got friends, family or colleagues that have told you all about their fantastic cruise and it’s made you wonder if you should experience this popular travel experience for yourself? Well, here’s a guide to cruises to help you decide. Cruising has really taken off in recent years and I think the main reason for this is that the prices have become very competitive, due to there being so man

27 March 2019

It was back to Thailand for our March holiday this year, but wanting to try a different area, we decided on Khao Lak, staying at The Sarojin hotel, which is a 1.5 hour drive north from Phuket airport. The history of the hotel is written in a book that is provided in each room for guests to be able to read at their leisure. It’s an interesting story about an English couple who had an ambition to b

15 November 2018

Ever wondered what I get up to in a typical day? Here’s a day in my life as a Travel Counsellor, not that there is a typical day as no two are ever the same! One thing I love is working from home and not having to do the daily commute, especially during those snowy days and cold, icy mornings when the car windscreen needs scraping. Brrrr! 0845-0900 I look at my diary to see what I need to do

27 September 2018

My September holiday this year took me to the lovely island of Crete. I had been before, but it was many years ago, so it was definitely time to return. After a four-hour flight from East Midlands, we picked up our pre-booked hire car and were soon on our way to the quiet resort of Panormos, which is about an hour west from Heraklion airport. It’s a lovely, seaside village with cobbled stree

27 September 2018

Whether you have been inspired by recent television programmes, or want to experience a different type of holiday, and perhaps a trip of a lifetime, then an iconic rail journey could be just the thing. When travelling by train, your journey is an integral and delightful part of your holiday experience. What you see from your seat is as much a part of the holiday as arriving at the destination.

29 June 2018

Our latest holiday took us to Lake Garda, Italy, staying in the resort of Garda. I had never been to Lake Garda so was keen to see for myself the area that everyone speaks so highly of. It is the largest lake in Italy and the nearest airport is Verona. Once we had landed, our private transfer took 35 minutes to get us to our hotel in Garda, which is on the south east of the lake. This is one of

10 April 2018

The Caribbean is one of our favourite parts of the world, and as we hadn’t been to St Lucia in 11 years, it was time to go back. We flew with British Airways from Gatwick which took 8 hours 40 minutes, once they had de-iced the plane at Gatwick! What a contrast in temperature when we walked down the aircraft steps in St Lucia. Off with the coat and on with the sunglasses! We had pre-booked a

05 October 2017

After our fantastic stay in Canada (see other blogs for details) we took a 2.5 hour flight from Calgary to Las Vegas, where we had a 6 nights stay at The Signature at MGM Grand, one night of which we spent at the Grand Canyon. Although we bought a couple of monorail passes during our time there, we still ended up doing a lot of walking. It’s a place where everything looks close, you can see the h

05 October 2017

Having left Banff, (see separate blog) we drove to Jasper for a 3 night stay at the Marmot Lodge. Normally a 3.5 to 4-hour drive without stops, but as there are plenty of things to see on the way including Crowfoot Glacier, Bow Lake, Peyto Lake viewpoint, Columbia Icefield area, Sunwapta Falls and Athabasca Falls, it took a bit longer! It is also a stunning drive along the Icefield Parkway, with m

05 October 2017

For a change from our usual type of holiday, we decided to be active for once, combining two places we have wanted to go to for some time - the Canadian Rockies and Las Vegas. Not your usual combination, I know, but it was certainly an enjoyable one. I have split the trip into three separate blogs, Banff, Jasper and Las Vegas (with the Grand Canyon). We flew to Calgary which took around 8.5 hou

21 June 2017

We decided on Majorca for a sneaky week away in June this year. It was an island I had never been to but had often thought about going to, and with a short two hour flight from our local airport and good weather likely, the time was right! We picked up a car at the airport and drove forty minutes to our villa, in Pollensa. After a couple of days of relaxation by the pool, it was time to go out

28 March 2017

It was back to The Far East for the March holiday this year, and Malaysia was the place we decided on for a two-week break, to escape the cold. We flew from Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur on a 13-hour journey, and then connected onto a one hour flight to the island of Langkawi, where the sun was out to greet us on arrival. After a short transfer, we arrived at the Casa del Mar Hotel, where we wer

05 January 2017

In need of some winter sun, and not wanting to fly as far as The Caribbean this time, The Gambia, in West Africa, was the ideal destination for us. It was only a six-hour flight from Manchester, and with no time difference it meant that there was no jet lag. With a short transfer from the airport, we arrived at our hotel, Leo’s Beach, and we were sat out in the 32° warmth in no time. A bit diff

25 October 2016

Japan is becoming one of the in places to go at the moment, and with its unique culture and diversity, it should come as no surprise. It is such an interesting country where you can visit futuristic cities with skyscrapers one day and traditional villages with wooden buildings another day. The size of Japan can come as a surprise. It ranges over 3000 kilometres across 6,000 islands, from Hokkai

26 September 2016

We fancied trying somewhere different for our September holiday this year, so the French speaking island of Corsica was our destination of choice. Just a two hour flight from Manchester to Calvi, and a short 20 minute drive on arrival to the town in our pre-booked hire car, made for a very easy journey. Calvi is a lovely, small town on the North West coast of Corsica. With a 13th century cit

22 June 2016

It’s enjoyable just to get away for a few days sometimes, so my recent trip to Prague for a long weekend was just the job. The flight from East Midlands arrived within two hours and from the airport it took around thirty minutes by taxi to get to our hotel. Perfect! Once we had eaten lunch, we started to explore on foot. The Old Town square is beautiful and dates back to the 12th century. It

16 May 2016

If you are planning to get married in the not too distant future, one thing that may have crossed your mind, is whether to get married abroad or not. Of course, it’s personal choice, but for me, tying the knot in the Caribbean was the best decision I could have made. As well as being cost effective, with an instant honeymoon included, the weather was perfect, and all the stress of planning was tak

06 April 2016

Our welcome holiday this time took us to Curacao, which is a Dutch Caribbean island, just North of Venezuela. It’s a little off the beaten track for us Brits, with no direct flights, meaning that we had to fly from Manchester via Amsterdam. The journey time including the stop in Amsterdam was about 12 hours, so not bad at all. We collected a car at the airport and headed to Cas Abou on the West

21 December 2015

We have been fortunate enough to go to Barbados a few times now. With a convenient flight from Manchester and some guaranteed winter sun, it’s hard to resist. With a strong tail wind, the flight only took 7 hours 30, arriving just in time for an evening meal and a cocktail! We stayed at the Sugar Cane Club in the north west of the island, somewhere we haven’t stayed before. It is an all-incl

24 September 2015

As a big fan of Greece and its quieter islands, I decided Skopelos was next on my list. I love trying new places and couldn’t wait to get there. It doesn’t have its own airport, which was another draw, as it retains its charm and hasn’t been developed like some other islands. We flew into Skiathos, and from there caught a sixty minute ferry to Skopelos, where a rental car, that I had pre-booked

24 March 2015

We visited Thailand a few years ago, where we had a great time in Bangkok and Koh Samui. This time we thought we’d try somewhere different, so we missed out Bangkok and had two weeks on the island of Koh Lanta. We flew with Emirates from Manchester, via Dubai to Bangkok, and then caught an onward flight to Krabi with Bangkok Airways. We were met at the airport by representatives from the Layana

30 December 2014

Having last visited Lanzarote 19 years ago, it was time to pay this Canary Island another visit, and what better time than in winter, when the nights in the UK draw in and temperatures plummet. So off hubby and I went for some sunshine and relaxation. The flight took 4 hours 20 from East Midlands. I pre-booked a car, which we picked up on arrival, and then off we went for our 40 minute drive to

07 October 2014

If you like your holiday to offer good restaurants and a charming, laid back resort with plenty of sunshine, then Kalkan in Turkey could be the place for you. I have recently returned from a fabulous holiday there, with my husband and parents. We flew from Manchester to Dalaman, but flights also operate from other UK airports. We then picked up a hire car and drove to the resort, taking about 1

03 March 2014

What an amazing trip this was! A safari in the Serengeti, Tanzania, followed by a relaxing beach on the island of Zanzibar. It all started with an eight and a half hour flight to Nairobi, followed by a short connecting flight to Kilimanjaro. Amazingly, the pilot took us over Mount Kilimanjaro for spectacular views of the snow-capped summit. On arrival, we were met by our guide/driver who we

23 December 2013

I have recently returned from a two week holiday in Mexico, with my husband, and wanted to share my experiences of this great destination. It is a 10 hour flight from Manchester but only 8 and a half hours coming back, due to the tailwind. We stayed on the Riviera Maya, where there are a variety of hotels to choose from and there is sure to be one to suit you. Our hotel was an All Inclusive, ad

24 September 2013

Having recently returned from the beautiful, unspoilt Greek Island of Meganissi, I thought I would share my experiences of this lovely destination. To get there, you fly into Preveza on the Greek mainland. From there it’s a 45 minute transfer to Nidri in Lefkas, then you’ll need to board a ferry for the 30-40 minute crossing which will take you to Meganissi. My husband and I had booked car hir

14 July 2013

If you are looking for a relaxing Caribbean island off the beaten track, then look no further than Nevis. With its mix of forest reaching to the top of Nevis peak and gorgeous white sandy beaches it is a wonderful destination. My husband and I spent a very enjoyable two weeks there in April 2013. We arrived into St Kitts and transferred to Nevis by boat in less than an hour, meaning if you wa

14 July 2013

Seventeen years after meeting my now husband, we re-visited the island of Kefalonia where we first met. Kefalonia is the largest Ionian island located off the west coast of Greece to the south of Corfu. Its flight time from the UK is approximately 3hrs 40mins, with the airport located in the south of the island. The Island has a very varied landscape from dramatic rocky coastline and mountain