11 February 2025

I think if you cut me in half I swear the Greek Flag runs through me. Throughout my working life as a Holiday Rep and Resort Manager working overseas, I was so lucky to work on many a Greek Island, and yes I do have a preference (but I’m keeping that one to myself!). So imagine how lucky I felt when my daughter and soon to be son in law – who incidentally also met on a Greek Island, told me they were holding their forthcoming nuptials on another, yet to be discovered island, the island of Rhodes. With over 50 guests, this could have been a logistical nightmare, but from start to finish, with the aid of amazing island based wedding planners, it all went off without one hitch. I had the enormous honour of giving my daughter away, so once we had been primped and preened we were collected by our wedding car and taken to the Mamma Mia type Chapel of St Pauls in Lindos, beautifully set on a hillside above St Paul’s Bay and overlooking the Acropolis of Lindos, the boys arrived slightly more dramatically via a speedboat and I have to say they all looked amazing. Following lots of happy tears we then boarded our very own boat and sailed around the Aegean Coast for an hour drinking bubbles and taking in the crystal blue waters and the Acropolis from the sea. We then docked at a stunning taverna set on the water’s edge at Lindos and was entertained with a superb Greek Mezes, lots of Greek village wine, Greek dancers where we all joined in, and made so many happy memories. After the main wedding guests had left the island, hiring a car, we were then free to explore the beauty of Rhodes, from the gorgeous family resort of Pefkos where we were based, to the infamous Faliraki, to the medieval city of Rhodes, every day we had a new adventure. I also realised a long held dream of visiting the beautifully stunning island of Symi whilst in Rhodes, just a little over an hour’s ferry ride took us to the pretty harbour town of Symi, with it’s colourful postcard-like mansions popping up as soon as we approached the port. It’s not a busy island, it doesn’t have an airport, but if you like secluded beaches, breathtaking views of the sea, tiny chapels and total relaxation, I think Symi is the place to be. Top Tips: If you’re tempted to take part in the tourist tradition of drinking beer from a glass boot – ask the price first, they can come in at a staggering €50 if you don’t, and don’t be fooled by signs outside saying beer for €1 – if you don’t specify, you’ll be left with more pain than just a hangover. Hire a car – it’s relatively cheap, the roads are good and well signposted, and lying around a pool or on a beach although tempting, doesn’t really give you a feel for the beauty of the island. Avoid the better known beaches and drive south, the further south, the fewer the crowds. Lindos is a must, day or night, a beautiful village of whitewashed buildings, historical ruins and great views. It’s also known for it’s nightlife, shopping and beaches.

04 February 2025

If you've been thinking about biting the bullet and booking your first Cruise, but still can't make that call, I'd highly recommend taking one of the many mini cruises available to you, they really are an excellent taster of what to expect. Although I'd already been lucky enough to go on two Caribbean cruises with P&O, when I spotted a 4 night trip to Bruges & Rotterdam, I jumped at the chance. I'd been to Bruges once before as a child and even after ALL those years, I could still remember how picturesque the canals were, and this time, having the chance to cruise on the very prestigious Cunard line on the Queen Victoria, was the deal breaker......... well that plus as an adult this time I could not only eat as much of the famous Belgian chocolate that I wanted to, I could also sample the equally famous Belgian beer! From Cheshire we drove down to Southampton without any issue, the ship was sailing at approximately 5pm therefore, it gave us all day to make the journey without the stress of "missing the boat". Parking wasn't any issue at all, we booked a site just on the outskirts of the city and was transferred in, equally we could have parked nearer to the dock in the many facilities close by. Boarding was very streamlined, we offloaded our cases and immediately they were taken onboard like a well oiled machine, we were given a time to board and that also went like clockwork. I have to say the Queen Victoria was beautiful and it didn't disappoint, the decor was classic and opulent and you really felt you were apart of something special. As our trip was only for 4 nights, we opted for an inside cabin, which kept the cost down for us, but it was spacious and definitely enough for the number of nights, if I was going any longer, or going on a Summer cruise, I'd without doubt book a balcony cabin, there is nothing nicer than sitting out on a summer's evening drinking a glass of wine and watching the world go by. We couldn't want for better food or company, we opted to share a table and were delighted with our companions, TOP TIP - save space for the wonderful daily afternoon teas served silver service style, it really is something special. We woke after our first night on board (oh my what comfortable beds!) only to find we were in dock at Zeebrugge, after a gorgeous breakfast we had already planned to get to Bruges under our our steam, although there are many addition excursions you can choose, but after a short walk to the train station, we took a train to Bruges and we were there in no time. Bruges definitely did not disappoint it was as stunning as I'd remembered, each turn we made led to another gorgeous bustling square, almost every other shop sold hand made chocolates, I even found a shop named after me! Yes we did sample the delights of the plethora of Belgian beers, it would be rude not to, wow they are strong! Back on ship it was Gala Night, having been already advised that the dress code was Black or White, we dressed for dinner and felt like royalty, it was so lovely to see the rest of the passengers all dressed up too, and for those that preferred less formal, there was still the option to eat in the buffet restaurant. Following dinner, we thought we'd keep the regal vibe going and head to the ballroom, and whilst it wasn't especially Strictly Come Dancing, we had so much fun taking part in the Silent Disco, seriously don't knock it, you have to try it! Rotterdam awaited us the following morning, we decided that we would just have a mooch around, having never been before, but we were swayed by the many tours on offer, so we decided on a wonderful Harbour sightseeing cruise, from the see the skyline was very impressive, we started the tour in Willemsplein and we were provided with a complementary audio guide. The ship was docked in Rotterdam all day and evening so we were able to come and go as we pleased. Top Tips for your holiday: Dress warmly but layer up, we travelled late October, the weather was as it would be in the UK, but we did have sunny days too. Book in advance if you want to use any of the specialist dining options on board. Check out the available excursions prior to your holiday, for the less intrepid traveller, you might feel safer going with the ships tours.