19 September 2019

Our second full day was planned to be much more relaxing, by heading towards the coast we knew the pace would be slower. Once again the day started overcast and a tiny bit chilly, however this would soon burn off and become a very hot and sunny day. The first call on our list was Long Beach. Driving there was not quite what I had expected, the area is very industrial as a result of the port but as soon as you reach downtown Long Beach the whole vibe changes and the area all seems very new, clean and modern. Shopping hadn't been on the agenda today but the Pike outlet offered some great bargains, in spite of the poor exchange rate, and we couldn't resist! Being there on a Sunday morning it was very quiet but I imagine it comes alive on an evening with the shopping, dining and entertainment all together in one spot. From there the Shoreline Village looked a good point to aim towards with many boats in the harbour and pastel painted wooden shops along a mini pier, the shops here are more craft shops not your big named brands so we picked up a couple of unusual little souvenirs. By now the heat was picking up so we thought to head for a real beach to get some lunch would be a good plan. The next stop was Seal Beach. This is more of a residential area with not that many shops, bars and restaurants which was a surprise bearing in mind how busy the beach actually was. The sand is pristine, the surf possibly a little slow for the many boarders bobbing around hoping for a big wave, but possibly better for people wanting a quick dip to cool down, we managed to find a quirky café for lunch which was delicious, although a little slow, and decided to head further down the coast. Huntington Beach is the original "Surf City." Driving into the central area it became apparent that it was really busy, so we parked up and headed for that area on foot. All of your surf brands were on sale in the many shops around the main central area close to the pier, lots of bars with people enjoying their day of rest. It was great to experience this however if you are wanting some time on the beach this isn't the place to be, well not for me, some parts of it looked like standing room only. I know Sundays will be busy but just a little further up the coast you get the same beach without the same numbers of people, that would be my choice. This was not the end of our day, we had so many things planned for this trip but the next event was going to be really special. We quickly freshened up to clean the sea salt off ourselves and headed out again. Something we had all agreed was a must for this trip was is to go to a drive in movie. The choice of film was so very easy, in fact we had to hold ourselves back from going to see this at home - Toy Story 4. It was chilly but we headed in and parked up. The parking lot has mounds for you to park on so the vehicle is pointing into the air, many regulars had taken chairs and food, that wasn't an option for us so we grabbed some fast food and just about made the start of the movie, the car radio tuned in for the sound. Then it was over... possibly the end of an era, who knows? Unforgettable in every way.

19 September 2019

The direct flight from Manchester to Los Angeles with Virgin is a great choice to get you to your starting point as quickly as possible, with lots of in flight entertainment to help pass the time on the 11 hour flight. The immigration process was smooth at LAX and we were soon one our way after collecting our hire car. Our base for the next 5 nights would be the Staybridge Suites Torrance/Redondo. Not a luxury establishment, however this would be a base and the accommodation was perfect for us. In fact the layout of the hotel was really pretty, white painted wooden stairwells, winding paths, fairy lights at night and friendly staff, the pool looked nice and there was a patio where many guests were sitting out enjoying the evening with a drink, the most important thing for us was space and we had lots! The priority on arrival is always food and sleep, the reception pointed us in the direction of a local shopping mall where there was a good choice of restaurants, only 5 minutes drive... perfect! We headed straight for a diner which offered shakes and burgers, a relatively quick option so we could head back to the hotel to sleep. No sooner had we started looking at the menu when the whole place started to shake and people were looking around at each other, honestly I thought I had imagined it but we had experienced out first earthquake! This was an aftershock from a quake a few days earlier, the centre was a few hundred miles away so there was no damage done thankfully. Our first full day had been planned with precision. This would be a day of hitting the sights of LA and taking the photos! We drove to Santa Monica to start the drive at the very start of Santa Monica Boulevard and had our first glimpse of the beach, sea and famous pier. The weather was a little cool in the morning, unusual for the time of year but later people told us to be thankful of that. Our Ford Mustang now had the top down, perfect for drive by photo opportunities as we passed down Rodeo Drive, through Beverly Hills to Sunset Boulevard eventually reaching the Hollywood Boulevard. After parking up we headed for the Chinese Theatre, passing many "Stars" on the sidewalk, it is geared up very much for the tourists but I have to say it's good fun. Everyone was looking down so you have to be careful not to keep bumping in to people! There are more than a fair share of street artists trying to earn a few dollars, but that atmosphere was good humoured, a quick drink in the Hard Rock Café and off again! After lunch our next visit was to the only house open to the public in LA designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, having been lucky enough to visit some of his works in Arizona this was high on our list. Hollyhock House is not completely restored, the entrance fee at just $7 each was well worth it though, it is manned by volunteers who are happy to show you around and explain about the history, the architecture and the furnishings... once finished it will be amazing. The location of Hollyhock House is on a hill with some parkland around it, unusual for LA as there are so many houses everywhere you drive, from here we had out first glimpse of the Hollywood sign. So we headed to the Hollywood Hills, mainly to take in some of the amazing houses but also to head towards the Griffith Observatory where we knew there was a good view, the hazy conditions, busy roads and the fact we had a further call meant we didn't spend very long there. I think the Observatory would be on the list for any future trips to LA. Our final stop today is at the La Dodgers Stadium. I bought tickets many months ago as a surprise birthday present for my husband. The heat had well and truly taken hold by this time of day. We thought this was a local match against the San Diego Padres however almost every single person there was a Dodgers fan in the blue and white shirts. We felt a little left out but not for long... once we entered the ground we were each asked our size and given a shirt! Little had I know when booking the tickets this was a "shirt night" for Cody Bellinger, they also do bobble head nights... glad we missed that one! The game was a little slow I have to admit, being a T20 cricket fan I have to say the cricket is more interesting! However the crowd made the game, there was lots of banter in our stand... people weren't precious if you kept getting up for food and drinks. In fact I would say this was all part of the game, everyone was friendly and talkative, big beach balls were being bounced all around the stands and many a Mexican wave went around. Would we go again? Definitely!

28 December 2018

It’s a number of years since we last had a Neilson holiday. We always had a fantastic time and looking for a more relaxing holiday with good sports facilities and activities for a teen we thought it would be good to return, particularly as they have added some new destinations over the last couple of years that we have not been to before. Croatia was our choice. Things have changed lots since out last Neilson holiday. They now charter their own aircraft so on arrival at Manchester we had a dedicated checked in with our fellow holidaymakers, all of us heading for the same place. The airline Titan were great, I had not heard much about them, but I would say they are as good as any other charter, and a couple of hours later we landed at Zadar airport having flown over land to the Adriatic Sea with crystal clear turquoise waters dotted with hundreds of islands. The friendly Neilson staff were at hand to point us to our transfer coaches and in under an hour we arrived at the Alana Beachclub at Starigrad. It was a late arrival so after a quick drink we headed to our room to unpack and have an early night. Day 1 is always welcome morning, the children all meet the childcare team and head off in various directions with a multitude of activities, games and fun on the shore, in the sea and in the pool. Once they are settled its time for the adults to meet the team and book in for any activities. My son and I decided tennis would be our priority in the first week. By chance we had booked on a week where Mark Petchey, ex-GB tennis player and Andy Murray’s former coach, was in attendance. Whilst he did offer private sessions on the whole he joined in with as many general coaching sessions as he could offering additional expert advice on top of the Neilson coaching team. I highly recommend joining in the tennis even if you are a novice, at the end of the week there was an exhibition game (including Mark Petchey) and he let us amateurs try and take a point off him. The fun finished off with an hour of booze and balls… ever played tennis with a drink in your hand!? The meal plan is breakfast and lunch each day and four evening meals. This allows some free evenings to explore town and eat out. Neilson restaurants are usually a buffet service with drinks by waiter, it can be busy at times and very social with people sharing tables, so don’t expect an intimate dining experience! We have always found the food to be excellent, with a salad buffet, hot selection, gluten free area, kid’s options, grilled meats and fish, deserts and a whole section dedicated to fruit. My difficulty is always what to pick with so much choice! The area around the hotel is very beautiful, being on the edge of the Paklenica National Park, the backdrop to the hotel is stunning and a great place for rock climbing and walking on top of all the other activities laid on. The rooftop bar on the 10th floor is the best place to enjoy a cocktail whilst watching the sun set - breath-taking! We took the local bus to Zadar. The old town is very beautiful with its cobbled streets. As the Adriatic increased in popularity many cruise ships now make this a port of call, well worth a visit. Through the holiday between us we did just about everything, my son in particular! Water skiing, paddle boarding, sailing, cat joyride, kayaking, mountain biking, climbing wall, tennis, fitness classes, plus all of the games for the kids big and small. The weekly pool Olympics was an absolute blast with big smiles all round, these activities are all included in the cost of your holiday. The staff were wonderful, just what we had always experienced in the past, each of them offered training, coaching, help and advice always sprinkled with a bit of fun! Well done Neilson 10 out of 10 again from the Clark family!

20 December 2017

The drive from Bangkok to Hua Hin is around 2 ½ hours without a comfort stop. Once you are out of the traffic of Bangkok, the traffic flows and is pretty much dual carriageway all the way there. The area stretches for miles along the coast of the Gulf of Thailand and as we drove along the scale of the resort became apparent. The area is famous for its Royal Palace and being very popular with golfers. Arriving at our hotel the Amari Hua Hin (after a journey with monsoon-like conditions at times) we were greeted with a refreshing drink and typical Thai hospitality as we checked in. We had been upgraded to a room with a pool view which was spacious enough for our needs. We set out to explore the hotel which has a choice of bars and restaurants, very good-sized pool with lots of comfortable sun loungers and headed down to the Shoreline Beach Club. Some of the hotels are not on the beach, like the Amari, and so the majority have created a beach club. Ours had a smaller pool, sun loungers, waiter service for drinks and snacks or the restaurant and direct access onto the beach. The beach is not one of those picture postcard idyllic Thai beaches fringed with palm trees, however it had everything we needed for a couple of days chilling after the hustle bustle of Bangkok. The first place we decided to explore was within sight of our hotel, Wat Khao Takiab or Monkey Temple as some of the locals described it, so we headed off down the beach. We first reached a giant Buddha then headed up the first of many steps wondering if the area would live up to its name! We didn’t have to wait long before the first monkey appeared then another, and a few more - there were hundreds! They are quite naughty as you might expect, one was sat on the seat of a moped whilst it’s partner in crime was trying to steal the helmet! The temple itself and surrounding area is very pretty and with intricately painted statues, however it is a little the worse for wear because of the damage caused by the monkeys. One of our favourite days out was to the Hutsadin Elephant Foundation. There are wildlife parks around the area, but we decided on the elephant foundation due to their work to try and educate people about elephants rather than exploit them in the name of tourism. There are several elephants at the foundation, all had a different story… some had been injured and left to die, but all had been rescued. Our experience started with meeting Song Kran, a 9-year-old Asian elephant and her Mahout. We were given lots of bananas to feed her with then had lengthy talk from a volunteer. It was interesting to learn about the work of the foundation and all about the elephants. We then went for a walk with the elephant. In the wild they walk for miles a day, so exercise is an important part of the day. The elephants are allowed to roam freely at times and can easily escape if they choose to but fortunately for the neighbours this rarely happens. Back in the compound my son and I washed her down, she had a bit of fun with us showering us with water - the experience was truly memorable. No holiday is complete without a visit to the water park! Vana Nava was a short distance from the hotel who sorted us out with discounted tickets. I have to say we have been to some great water parks in Europe and Florida but this for us was the best! Everything is so well thought out with the wristbands activating the opening and closing of lockers, but the clever thing is being able to load money on your wristband so when you wanted food or drink they scanned the wristband to pay for it! No messing around with soggy money. There were hardly any queues, so we went down just about every slide. They have a raised adventure area (you wear a harness just in case) and water is fired at you from all directions - it’s a bit like a wet version of Go Ape! The Flow Rider was all included in the entrance price which again compared to other water parks was great value, excellent fun for the whole family!

09 August 2017

I can hardly believe it has been 18 years since we last visited Thailand and that was pre-child! My son is now a teenager and we thought the time right to explore further afield again. As a surprise, I booked us into the Escape Lounge at Manchester, nice to have a couple of glasses of prosecco to get the holiday off to a start! They have a good selection of light bites and snacks as well as drinks. The first leg of our journey took us to Doha flying on a Dreamliner with Qatar Airways, it was nice to see what all the fuss of the Dreamliner is about. My son loved all of the gadgets and I have to say it did seem quieter and smoother than other aircraft we have flown. Just 2 hours in Doha before the next flight, the connection was seamless with no security checks just a matter of getting off one aircraft and finding the gate for the next flight. On arrival in Bangkok, we made our way to the Movenpick Hotel Sukhumvit 15, which is only about a 10-minute walk from the Skytrain station Asok and Sukhumvit 21 a huge shopping center. As a nice touch, the hotel has a couple of tuc tuc's to take you from the side street it is located on down to the main road. We were very lucky to be given complimentary access to the Executive Lounge which was very quiet and relaxing with excellent service, so after a couple of cocktails and a round of canape’s we headed off. We decided the glitzy shopping centre was not what we wanted to see of Bangkok so hailed a Tuc tuc (it has to be done!) and hurtled through the streets zig zagging across lanes of traffic to Patpong, we thought early in the evening would be safer with a teenage boy in tow! The night market still has a huge array of goods of all types and is worthy of a visit, if you do not like the idea of seeing the seedier side of Bangkok follow our example and don’t go too late in the evening. By this time the rain started so we finished out purchases and worked out how to get back on the Skytrain. After a hearty breakfast at the hotel (try the steamed custard dumplings if you get a chance!) back on the Skytrain with a day ticket for the equivalent of less the £3 per person, we were set for a long day. The first call to the Chao Phraya River, from the Skytrain head to the river then hang a left to where the Chao Phraya Tourist Boat runs, a one-way ticket up the river is just 40 Baht, £1, we got off at the Grand Palace as did most of the tourists. Wat Pho, Temple of the Reclining Buddha, was the first port of call and I have to say it is much easier to navigate in relative tranquillity compared to the Grand Palace. It is a beautiful Temple complex has different wats, chedis, and pavilions all ornately decorated, but the giant Buddha at 15m tall and 46m long is the highlight! The Grand Palace did not open until 1 pm which gave us a little time out of the sun and to get some refreshments. The late King Bhumibol Adulyadej is lying in state at in the Throne Hall at the Grand Palace and every day around 10,000 Thai people queue to pay their respects, it was really a sight to behold, all dressed in black, in line waiting patiently in the heat for their turn. The tourists, on the other hand, are a different story! Be prepared for pushing and shoving, ladies trying to shield themselves from the sun with umbrellas and using them as weapons, the scrum to get in probably took about 15 minutes. The Palace is once again very beautiful, but difficult to get really good photographs because of the number of other people there, it did feel like we just followed one big queue shuffling along in and out, one disappointment was that the Temple of the Emerald Buddha was closed, we did get a very quick long range glimpse though. Be prepared for the day and check the appropriate dress code of any Temples and Palaces you plan to visit. Time for refreshment, I had been told Mr. Jones’s Teddy Bear Orphanage is “The” cake shop to go to in Bangkok… hot and cold drinks, iced coffees, milkshakes, waffles, cakes and much more it certainly refueled our empty tanks. Back to the hotel, after a hot and sticky day, nothing beats a dip in the pool, then hit the Executive Lounge again! Headed over to Siam Square to a visit to the Hard Rock Café for a drink and spend a fortune of merchandise then explored the area a little, with cakes and canapes we weren’t hungry until late so found a Thai/Italian restaurant off the main street in the Sukhumvit area and ordered a giant pizza to share! They had Wimbledon on a big screen so we sat and enjoyed some tennis al fresco until very late. Next day, delicious breakfast again and out, we really have the Skytrain cracked now! This time heading to Jim Thompson’s House, the founder of the Jim Thompson Thai Silk Company, he built his collection of art and antiquities from all over Asia, and brought them together in a house which was itself collected and pieced together from different elements of different buildings, the story behind it is fascinating, this is definitely worth a visit… a lovely little oasis of calm within a very big city. Very much a whistle stop tour of Bangkok which leaves more to explore when we visit again