Elaine Simpson
I'm based in
Hebden Bridge
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It's Nice To Meet You
My name is Elaine Simpson: I live in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire with my husband, Rod Bailey, who is a retired fine art lecturer.
My passion is Australia - I’ve been a Tourism Australia Premier Aussie Specialist for many years, visiting all the States and Territories in over 20 trips; plus I’m a New Zealand Kiwi specialist and an expert in Round the World journeys. Closer to home I love to sail on Star Clippers traditional sailing ships, having crossed the Med with them several times; and in the winter I avoid the British weather by retreating to Tenerife for several weeks.
My 40+ years travel experience started in university travel offices which gave me an unrivalled knowledge of airline and rail routes and off-the-beaten-track destinations, as many of the students and lecturers came from, or travelled to, some far-out places!
In 1989 I started my own travel agency for independent travellers and was presented to HRH Prince Charles having won a competition for start-up businesses in the Calderdale area. Late in June 2008 I closed that business down and joined Travel Counsellors, providing support and security for myself and my clients.
I’ve travelled widely and have specialist accreditations also for Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai etc, so I can offer a comparable service to all regions with the extensive and highly professional support of Travel Counsellors.
Despite travelling extensively, my own wish-list never gets any shorter: as well as visiting Australia and New Zealand I have spent most winters in Tenerife and have also visited India, Morocco, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Holland, Denmark, Barbados, Mexico, Thailand, the USA: and I’ll go anywhere else given half a chance!
When I’m not booking travel, or travelling, I love to draw and paint and many of my pictures are inspired by the people and places I have met and seen along the way. When travelling I like to get off the beaten track and try out new experiences with a combination of action and relaxation and that is the kind of trip I excel in arranging. Therefore, whatever your idea of a good time, talk to me about it and together we’ll find the perfect trip for you!
There’s a place in everyone’s life for a little self-indulgence and hedonism - we all need times to chill out - whether you find it in 5-star luxury or in a simple beach hut, I’ll go that extra mile to find the perfect place for you to relax and recharge your batteries.
Whatever your travel needs I’d be delighted to help and can either meet you or arrange it via email or phone- so distance is no object in more ways than one!
I look forward to hearing from you.
Travel guides
Explore my guides and blogs
A few days in Malta OCT 2022
We stayed three nights in Malta prior to sailing across the Medterranean to Spain. I wanted to be close to Valletta, where we would sail from and chose to stay in Conspicua, or Bormla, which with Birgu and Senglea, is one of the Three Cities, located within the Grand Harbour to the east of the capital city. It is a very steep and high-density, with ancient buildings stacked up against, and on top
24 Nov 2022 3 min read
Yorkshire with Great Rail Journeys
I had heard good things about this company and I have some clients who really like to travel by rail, so when I heard about this short famtrip I wanted to experience their services; and despite living in Yorkshire I was successful and joined the group, most of whom had never been to God’s Own County. We each arrived separately in Harrogate where we stayed for 2 nights at the Holiday Inn a very go
03 May 2021 2 min read
Cruise around the Canaries
Our cruise from Santa Cruz de Tenerife took us to La Palma, Madeira, Morocco, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and back to Tenerife, all in a week in December 2018. First stop was the island of San Miguel de La Palma – La Isla Bonita is well named - it is very pretty and unspoilt. Criss-crossed by hundreds of kilometres of marked paths it is a heaven for walker; it doesn’t have the mass-market attractions
20 Apr 2021 6 min read
Victoria Road-trip 2019
Day 1 We arrived at Melbourne Tullamarine airport early afternoon then travelled cross-country to the Great Ocean Road, stopping for a late lunch in Forrest, a popular mountain-biking area with a superb brewery and café. At the coast we stretched our legs with a walk down the 86 Gibsons Steps to view rock stacks from the beach; then viewed sunset over the 12 Apostles - a magical experience. On t
27 Mar 2021 6 min read
Australia - Corroboree 2019
Corroboree is a huge event run by Tourism Australia every two years, which brings together Aussie Specialist travel agents from around the World with Australian tourism operators for over 100 face to face appointments over 3 full-on days and in 2019 it was held in Perth, WA. I travelled from Manchester with Singapore Airlines along with other travel agents on great flights with good connections. I
06 Dec 2020 4 min read
Corroboree Gold Coast - October 2017
In October 2017 I travelled to Brisbane to attend Tourism Australia’s Corroboree held on the Gold Coast. I travelled with Singapore Airlines: their economy seats are comfortable with more space than other airlines: 9 seats across instead of 10. Good food plus an entertainment system with a huge range of films, TV, music and games to keep you occupied on a long flight. Both flights were 100% full
09 Jul 2019 3 min read
The Big Easy - July 2018
The Big Easy or NOLA: a short action-packed 4 days. Day 1 Jazz brunch at the Court of Two Sisters in a secret courtyard. Fabulous food and service accompanied by clarinet, banjo and double bass, a great start. Our city tour guide tells it’s fascinating history: French, Spanish, American with large doses of unwilling Africans, willing Irish and enthusiastic Italians; a huge port with all the div
22 Jun 2019 6 min read
Return to Thailand March 2018
IIn March 2018 I was fortunate to travel to Thailand with 24 other Travel Counsellors. We flew with Emirates. The flights were great: ample leg-room, good food, wide range of complimentary drinks, superb entertainment system with films, TV, radio, music and games which kept me occupied for the whole journey. Arriving late, our first stop was the roof-top bar at the Centara Grand Ladprao whe
19 Apr 2018 6 min read
Top End of the Northern Territory, Australia November 2007
In November 2007 I travelled to the top end of the Northern Territory en route to Perth for Corroboree with a group of Aussie specialist travel agents. We started with an overnight stay in Darwin, the smallest and most tropical of Australian cities, where we were taken on a city tour to acclimatise, ending the day with a spectacular sunset over the sea. Then we toured: first going to Litchfi
15 Feb 2018 3 min read
Swimming with Whale Sharks - June 2012
In June 2012 I was one of a group of 21 who travelled to the Ningaloo Reef before attending the Australian Tourism Exchange in Perth as part of the Tourism Australia UK delegation. The Ningaloo Reef is Australia’s largest fringing coral reef, and in places is only 100 metres from the shore, making snorkelling from the beach an easy option: it also has a vast array of some of the world’s most ic
11 Jan 2018 4 min read
Puerto de la Cruz - the other side of Tenerife
Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife – my second home. About 15 years ago we first visited Puerto for some relief from the relentless grey of the British winter. First a long weekend, then a week, then 10 days: each year it got longer and longer. Around 5 years ago we realised that, with Travel Counsellors fantastic technology and better broadband than at home in Cragg Vale, it’s just as easy for me to wo
31 Mar 2017 3 min read
Blue Mountains and Beyond - April 2013
8 Aussie specialists arrived very early in Sydney. We were whisked off by bus via the Coathanger - Sydney Harbour Bridge, raising a huge cheer from the group! In the Blue Mountains we travelled to Leura, a little village with interesting shops including Bygone Beauties Teapot Museum - the largest private collection of teapots in the world. There were over 3,500 spanning three centuries in a wond
11 Feb 2017 5 min read
Sunshine Coast and Fraser Island June 2009
After winter in Melbourne for ATE [a travel industry event], a few of us decided to go to the Sunshine Coast for a few days – believing that the name might promise some guaranteed sunshine. How wrong we were! After the cool but mainly dry days in Victoria, we were to have almost constant rainfall and our guides were frequently frustrated by taking us to viewpoints that should have provided pa
02 Feb 2017 3 min read
Melbourne, Yarra Valley & Gippsland June 2009
In June 2009 I was fortunate to be chosen by Tourism Australia as one of the UK Premier Aussie specialist delegates to attend ATE – The Australian Tourism Exchange. It's a huge travel trade event held annually and that year, it was held in Melbourne. The event itself runs for three days and tourism buyers and sellers have around 100 meetings during that time, It’s a fantastic way for tourism profe
30 Jan 2017 3 min read
Kangaroo Island, South Australia - May 2015
Kangaroo Island, Australia’s third largest island at around 155 kilometers long, lies off the South Australian coast south of Adelaide. It has only 4,000 inhabitants, most of whom are farmers, fishermen or otherwise occupied in food or beverage production and it’s a pristine environment with clean air, a few empty roads and a fabulous mix of farmland and wildlife. The ferry goes from Cape Jervi
30 Dec 2016 6 min read
Corroboree 2015 - Adelaide, South Australia
Every couple of years, the event of Corroboree is held by Tourism Australia, in a different city each time, for several hundred European travel agents to meet around 100 Australian tourism suppliers and learn all about what they offer to the travelling public. In 2015, it was held in Adelaide and I was chosen as one of the UK delegates: We travelled with Singapore Airlines, with a day seeing th
28 Dec 2016 4 min read
Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia - April 2015
Day 1 On our first day, we were picked up by Ben Neville from Off-Piste Tours, our local guide to this beautiful, unspoilt region, less than an hour’s drive south of Adelaide. First stop was for our second breakfast of the day, of freshly-baked artisan bread, superb local cheese, and a snifter of local wines overlooking a stunning beach totally empty but for a couple of locals walking the dog.
28 Dec 2016 5 min read
Typically Tropical
Barbados - the land of sun, sand, sea, music and rum punch: but that's not all! This was my first visit to the island. I didn't quite know what to expect and was very pleasantly surprised - there is so much more to be enjoyed here, something for all tastes! I was one of 10 Travel Counsellors who were fortunate to win a place on a week's educational trip to the island sponsored by British Air
31 Aug 2016 5 min read
Whistle-Stop New Zealand!
New Zealand – Aotearoa – the Land of the Long White Cloud, the youngest country on Earth, home to the Hobbits of Middle Earth and a hot-spot of geothermal activity… I’d been itching to get back there after visiting, far too briefly, in 2001 and I finally got a chance in September to go with a group of 12 other travel agents who soon became friends on the Air New Zealand economy flight to Auc
31 Aug 2016 4 min read
Magnificent Europe
The Magnificent Europe cruise takes 15 days from Amsterdam to Budapest, we joined the ship for the last 5 days, travelling from Passau to Budapest. Day 1. Arrive in Salzburg and meet the cruise director, Christian, who explained that due to a problem in Germany the sailing schedule was 2 days behind: but they were making up time by the ship continuing sailing during the onshore tours and woul
29 Aug 2016 4 min read
Mex Factor
I had been to Mexico before: around 11 years ago I toured Mexico City, Oaxaca and Tasca and visited many Mayan archaeological sites. This was a very different experience: travelling with a group of fellow Travel Counsellors and staying at or visiting six all-inclusive resorts operated my AM Resorts along the Caribbean coast close to Cancun. We flew with Virgin Atlantic from Gatwick, the flight
11 Aug 2016 3 min read
Passage to India
My first trip to India and well overdue. I thought I knew a bit about it, having booked lots of trips, but there is certainly no substitute for the real thing! Landing in Delhi during a state visit by the Chinese PM meant that many roads were closed partly because of demonstrations by Tibetan refugees and sympathizers: so my first impression was of traffic – crowded, chaotic, noisy, smelly and
17 Oct 2014 6 min read
All at Sea
There comes a time, even for the most intrepid traveller, when the possibility of visiting multiple destinations whilst only having to pack/unpack once, become very tempting indeed. I, along with many of my regular clients, have reached that time when cruising offers that tempting opportunity; all that remains is to select the right cruise. This was my first experience of 'proper' cruising: pre
11 Oct 2013 4 min read
Marrakesh Express
I’d never visited Morocco so offered a quick visit to Marrakesh with 12 other Travel Counsellors I jumped at the chance: the aim is familiarization with the city, plus hotel inspections so that we can recommend them to clients. Day 1 The flight to Marrakesh’s bright modern airport is only 3 hours, the drive into the city around half an hour and my first impressions were of a clean and verdant
28 May 2012 4 min read
Cyprus - the island of love
Cyprus – the island of love – the birthplace of Aphrodite. By no means just a beach resort: with it’s colourful history it is a fascinating mix of cultures but with a strong and unique Cypriot character; and there are a wide range of attractions to tempt visitors of all kinds to the island. We stayed first at the Dome Beach Hotel in Makronissos, Ayia Napa, set on a promontory with 2 beaches
16 Oct 2010 4 min read
Sailing in the Whitsundays
One of my favourite Aussie experiences – sailing around the Whitsunday Islands in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef off the Queensland coast. There are 74 islands, some pristine and un-inhabited, a few resort islands, some tiny, some big enough to have their own airports: all are beautiful and it’s a joy to travel between them under sail. There are sailing craft of all sizes – you can choose the
14 May 2009 4 min read
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