20 March 2025

Apart from route 66 this is arguably America’s most famous and iconic road trip. The road trip usually begins in a city roughly 7 by 7 miles which is where the NFL team the 49ers get their name, San Francisco. A beautiful city, which has gone through some change since covid but is still a must visit. There is so much to see and do in the city and its surroundings, the Bay area, as the locals refer to it. In the city there is the famous Lombard street, a steep, winding road with 8 hairpin bends, probably best to walk down this one. Union square offers great shopping, I like the rooftop restaurant at the Cheesecake Factory. The iconic cable carts help transport you through the very hilly city. My wife always takes us to the Ghirardelli chocolate experience but I’m more of a Dairy Milk fan myself. Fisherman’s Wharf is a touristy spot with thousands of resident sea lions people watching on Pier 39, it’s from this area you can get to Alcatraz island. Union or Chestnut street is superb for trendy bars and restaurants. Or you could try a dish from each specialist suburb, Chinatown, Little Saigon, Russian Hill. The most memorable, North beach, the Italian district, get a slice to go from Tony’s Pizza on Stockton and relax at the Washington Square Park. I’d recommend getting a bus tour over the famous Golden Gate bridge to Sausalito known for its luxe accommodations, acclaimed chefs at farm-to-table restaurants, and art galleries. Cycle back and relax on the presidio taking in your surroundings like you’re on a Hollywood set. Around the city you have the Muir Wood national park, the tallest trees in the world and Napa Valley and Sonoma for wine lovers. If you’re not planning to go to Yosemite or Vegas, Lake Tahoe offers surreal beauty and is on the state border of Nevada, casinos are a plenty. From the city Yosemite is 3 hours inland, it has to be on your radar. Luxury cabins, camping, boutique hotels, whatever your preference it’s a must. I have sent clients to AutoCamp, luxury airstream trailers beneath the stars, its special. Under Canvas is also a notable chain of luxury glamping you can hang your hat on. Climb El Capitan so you can get the view of Half Dome. If you do want to climb Half Dome, book your permit in advance, we made the mistake of getting 85% of the way up to find stewards blocking the way, unfortunately our Lancashire charm didn’t help us ascend any further. Cheats way - Drive up to Glacier Point to witness the Apple Screensaver in all its glory. As you drive back to the coast the next stop must be Carmel-by the sea, about as European as it gets in the USA, a beautiful village with hidden nooks and crannies. Local delicacies from all over the world, my pick the Jeju Kitchen, if you love Korean food like me. Even if you’re not a golfer a trip to Pebble Beach is recommended for the history, coastal views and incredible food. Right next door is Monterey, which is a great place to discover the other highway to what you’ll be driving on, the whale highway. From April to December the Pacific coastline becomes a migration motorway for blue and humpback whales, a must do for any nature lovers. As you venture further south if you have the time, a few nights camping in the Big Sur is well worth a stop. Firepits, sequoias, s’mores, it doesn’t offer the same character building as British Camping in the cold and wet. As you drop down to Southern California, take in the plentiful pampas grass and coastal views, and like a scene out of Top Gear blast that Green Day song on repeat. This will be your longest stint, but there’re plenty of stunning beaches if you need to stretch your legs. A night or two in the up-and-coming Santa Barbara is always time well spent. Exactly how you imagine, palm trees, downtown beaches and Spanish architecture. Finally, you’ll reach the city of Angels in all its glory. Unlike San Francisco, its vast, a good base is always Venice Beach, trendy and touristy, beachfront and close to my favourite street in LA, Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Check out the skaters and muscle beach whilst absorbing the vibrant energy of local buskers and street art. Trendy West Hollywood is also worth a mention to stay. Visit the walk of fame on Hollywood Boulevard, shop like Julia Roberts on Rodeo Drive. Take a trip above sea level to the Griffith observatory or Hollywood sign. On your return take a detour around Beverley hills for some house envy and celeb spotting. Our stay here was topped off by seeing Elton John at the Dodgers Stadium, what a venue, if there’s anybody noteworthy performing try and get a ticket. Word of warning, I’m a confident driver but this city is crazy, get taxis when possible, to take that stress away. South of the city is Disneyland California, Anaheim, if you’re with the family, or if you’re just a big Disney fan like myself. The beaches south, Huntington and Newport both offer relaxing escapes from the city. From here you can either head to straight to Vegas or if you have time San Diego is well worth a visit. Stay in La Jolla, another gem with Spanish Influence just north of the city. Imagine the scene from The Hangover, driving into the abyss, past the Mojave Desert and to the bright lights of Sin City, Las Vegas. It doesn’t need much description. Just do your thing, gamble, drink, sightsee, dine at world class restaurants, see the shows, this city is like no other. Stay at the Bellagio for luxury and 24/7 fountain views. Freemont St offers alternative nightlife and a chance to mix with the locals. Mijo in Durango Hotel is a hidden gem, probably the best Mexican food we’ve ever had. If you’ve got one final drive left in you, please make the journey to the Grand Canyon. Trust me, its worth it. Virgin Atlantic now offers seasonal direct flights from Vegas to Manchester, so a good ending point, hopefully with some winnings in your pocket. My final tip, although I was annoyed when our economy vehicle wasn’t available at the car rental desk it didn’t last too long, as they mentioned I can upgrade to a Dodge Challenger for a small fee, pure American Muscle and power. Wherever you plan to visit, drive in style, go for something American and classic it’ll make the trip like it did for me

09 January 2025

Franschhoek Wine Tram - Blue Route We visited 5 wine estates (maybe one too many!) but the highlight for us was the boutique La Bri. It felt so personal, and if you’re a red wine lover, this is the place to be. We started the day on the tram heading to Rickety Bridge and La Provence. The scenery during this part of the day was sensational, with vast views of the Franschhoek valley and winelands, with birds of prey swooping down to find their prey. Sat with a glass of wine and some nibbles, it was a perfect start to the day. We then navigated to the bus section of the trip and headed to the boutique La Bri, our favourite destination of the day. The biltong and chocolate pairings were absolute perfection. The staff were incredibly wholesome and really made you feel at home, we could've stayed there all did bit wanted to explore further. We carried on to the infamous Mont Rochelle. Pure luxury. I think if you stayed here it would be even better, as day guests we didn't feel the love, however the wine was out of this world. We did have a game of boules which brought back memories of my childhood on our family holidays to France, the competitive spirit was still there. Finally we ended the day at Maison. By this point we were merry at best, as were many of of companions who we'd met along the way. We paired our wine with some tapas and oysters to try and settle down a bit... it didn't work, the wine was constantly flowing as I'm sure you can imagine. This was a perfect end to our wine tram adventure. The winemakers here have taken the best of European traditions and elevated them in a way that feels so unique to this incredible spot. Franschhoek itself is a charming little town packed with independent shops, art galleries, and amazing food options. Fun fact: Franschhoek means “France Corner,” and you can really feel the French influence in the wine and cuisine. We stayed at La Fontaine Boutique, where the staff went above and beyond to make us feel so special. It was the perfect base to explore this stunning region. We ate at the Protege, at the chefs table getting up closer and personal with upcoming rising stars in the chef business. We were also recommended, Le Petite Ferme, stunning scenery as you can see, especially at sunset made it a memorable evening. If you’re ever doing the Garden Route, this is a must!

09 January 2025

This trip was on our honeymoon, well the second part of it anyways, starting in the Seychelles then hopping over to the great African continent, and to one of the most iconic safari destinations on the planet... BOTSWANA. This place is just pure beauty, devastatingly wild, with incredible people and elite service, and a must for anyone wanting the perfect safari trip. Our journey began with a chartered flight across the planes of Botswana from Maun to the local Gomoti Airstrip. A plane where you can tap the pilot on his shoulder was pretty cool in itself, but to get a birds eye few or antelope and elephants below, we started to understand this was going to be special and unlike anything we’d witnessed before. We stayed at Gomoti Plains Camp, which was beautiful, overlooking vast flood plains from the Gomoti river, the staff went above and beyond. Each night eating with the campmates around you in different locations, around firepits, under the stars, they even put warm coal under your chair to keep you toastie. We were a bit unsure when they said we'll be putting a bush baby in your room however we came to realise this was just a hot water bottle, as the nights and mornings do get cold, especially as we were entering their winter. Our guide Mott, after three safaris in three different countries I can assure was the best we've had. Our first morning we followed a group of three male lions, who were thinking about some buffalo breakfast, but decided against the idea. Watching the animals react to the lions was amazing, you really discovered who the king of the jungle really was. Along with the countless antelope species, giraffes, herds of elephants and many other regular animals you'd expect to see on safari. The Okavango Delta is known as being one of the most diverse places on the planet for wildlife. We were lucky enough to discover this first hand encountering a shy porcupine, disguised in the meadow, a Genet and a Serval, two smaller types of cat who are incredibly hard to see. But what really wowed us was the honey badger, known as one of the most aggressive and fearless animals for its size, we felt truly lucky to witness this animal in all its splendour. If you’re not convinced by its furiously please YouTube the animal and watch its fury change your opinion. We were spoilt rotten by the resort, as it was our honeymoon, picture this arriving at a mobile bar with any drink or spirit you could think of, overlooking a watering hole with hippos enjoying the final rays of sunshine, coupled with various local delicacies, watching the sunset over the African savannah, it was one of the most beautiful and memorable moments of my life. This is why I love Africa, there's not many other places across the world would you get such unique evenings. After our two nights in the Delta, our final morning ended with a traditional mokoro safari, a long canoe in which you can discover the animals from the Deltas waterways, a picturesque morning however not the hangover cure we imagined as one a the smallest animals we discovered, made one of the loudest continuous noises, a local frog. There were thousands of them, creating somewhat of an local orchestra. Via local charter we ventured north to the Chobe River region, vaster landscapes, and more herds of Animals which congregate towards the river. The Chobe national park is a public area, so staying on roads was a must, never the less we still managed to capture some inspiring sites. Our guide Toby, had some of the best eyesight I've ever witnessed, spotting a pride of lionesses and their new cubs, whilst driving, 100 yards, covered by the bushes and cooling shade. The reserve we stayed in Chobe provided views looking down upon the Chobe river and wetlands, giving us 24/7 animal sightings. We ventured on a larger mode of water transport, a traditional motor boat helped us see the Hippos and crocodiles up close as well as the fantastic array of birdlife, if you're a twitcher this place is for you. Whilst having dinner the staff would constantly point out hyenas other animals on the march as we selected our starters. Again as it was a honeymoon we were treated to romantic baths after morning game drives, champagne on ice, and speciality dining to make our time in Botswana unforgettable. After two nights in Chobe we got our passports out and headed to Zimbabwe for a quick stop at Victoria Falls. It was a perfect way to end our trip. As you walk around the falls gradually getting wetter and wetter, you become in awe of its thunderous noise and power, it does truly encompass that natural phenomena you'd expect. Our 4 night, 5 day trip is one I would recommend to anyone wanting to enjoy nature and wildlife in its most rawest, beautiful and iconic habitat.