30 June 2023

Having seen the Big Fat Greek wedding trip I organised last year, Kim and Chris came to me asking for my help. 12 months later they tied the knot on the beautiful tiny island of kastri, Kos, Greece. Chris's only request was a speedboat and a speedboat he got. Kim wanted simple and non fussy, a greek taverna with delicious food and greek dancing as the sun set..... safe to say we ticked all the boxes. Enjoying a week in resort prior to the big day staying at the Atki Beach Resort, Kardamena with family and friends arriving and leaving on different days. Room configurations for a variety of ages and sex are always a challenge however I managed to find them exactly what they needed, on the dates they wanted at the price they had in mind. Now for the UK party on Saturday, someone pass me my dancing shoes!

06 June 2023

Iceland you’ve been an absolute blast yet again. Amazing what you can squeeze into 72 hrs - *Sky lagoon ?? highly recommend and we always book you the 7 rituals package! *Walking food tour ?? ( incl fermented shark and a shot ??) amazing few hours, a great guide and delicious food *Golden circle super jeep ?? small group or private tour with a local is just the best way to learn about this incredible country - Inky our driver totally rocks *Snowmobile on a glazier (when a storm hits and zero visibility ??????) Good job Inky has been driving them since the age of 9. *Met iceland sheep dogs & ice creamery where you meet the cows ?? totally impromptu by our guide Inky, the best hidden little gems *Snorkel in between American and European tectonic plates in 2 deg water which is the clearest in the world ?? - Incredible experience that I'd highly recommend * Horse riding the landscape on beautiful Icelandic horses 10pm and it’s still daylight ?? I'm not comfortable around horses, or should i say i wasn't. Another fantastic experience *Walk the length & breadth of Reykjavik taking in their fabulous culture, traditions and history ?? found some new places, explored the harbour and can suggest plenty of lovely places to eat and drink and watch the ships. *Meet your lovely local Icelandic agent for drinks ?? our partners in Iceland, Obeo - a family owned and ran business they're the best. * Meet a whole bunch of genuine lovely people from Around the globe ???? Until the next time …… If you'd like to tick Iceland off your bucket list please do get in touch. This wonderful country has become very popular and availability for 2023 is already low, I always advise planning well ahead and using a trusted agent rather than an online booking portal. Weather in Iceland is very unpredictable and having partners on the ground that can rework itineraries, extend hotel stays and work with us is truly invaluable.

11 March 2021

When Sharnie called me asking for help with her wedding in 2022 I couldn’t have been more delighted and really quite giddy. Having known the family for many years through their business Excel Dance and Excel Martial Arts here in Sheffield, I knew immediately the kind of venue that Sharnie and her husband to be Josh would want. Within just a couple of meets we’d narrowed it down from five and then to the beautiful luxurious 5 star Ikos Aria in Kos, Greece. Working closely with the bride to be and her mum giving them guidance on not only travel side of things but exploring the pros and cons of the two options of wedding planners, reception venues, room categories and flights. All the time reassuring them that I’m at the end of the phone through the whole process and their money is 100% protected. Leaving Sharnie to plan her wedding I’m taking care of the 30 guests individually. Ensuring everyone has what they want and when they want it. In June 2022 the happy couple will tie the knot on the gorgeous little island of Kastri, just a short boat ride from the Ikos hotel. With 30 wedding guests joining in their celebrations it’s set to be one amazing wedding that I for one can’t wait to see the photos and hear the stories.

20 July 2021

This year the famous five became the three muskateers. If you've read my previous girly road trip blog post's you'll know that we're five gals who like to take a road trip every year. Like everyone around the world, 2020 didn't happen so I moved us over to 2021, which also very nearly didn't happen! For a variety of reasons two decided not to travel. Not only had I moved our accommodation dates I'd moved our flights three times and one of those times from Malaga on the mainland to Majorca in anticipation the islands would go green first...... and phew they did, well for a little while anyway. If you followed my social media posts you will recall we were two double vaccinated and one not vaccinated so it was a real road test of the process. If you want to learn more about the tests, procedures, costs, time frames etc do check out my social media and feel free to call and have a chat with me. Personally I'd rather write about and I'm sure you'd rather read about the wonderful 4 days we enjoyed in Mallorca..... I'd booked us a basic but very clean, modern and perfectly located apartment called Habitat Apartments. Exactly a mile's walk to the port & the beach/promenade with plenty of supermarkets, clothes shops, cash machines and bars enroute. If you're looking for something budget with a pool and a choice of one and two bedrooms then you'd not go far wrong with this small friendly complex. I'd not visited Majorca since i was 12 so it was kind of the first time for me. Puerto Pollensa is stunning, just a 50 minute car journey from the airport it's a very easy drive although we opted for the 'flybus' shared transfers so it did take a little longer but it was super easy, efficient and cheap as chips. I'd not hesitate to hire a car in Majorca, from what I saw the roads are very good and drivers are respectful. Puerto Pollensa itself has a few miles of beautiful sandy beaches, gentle shallow waters that are perfect for little ones and a lovely promenade lined with shops, hundreds of restaurants and bars. The port itself didn't disappoint either, I do love a mooch around a harbour. We didn't have one bad meal in the four days and they cater very very well for food allergies. I'm gluten free and was delighted to see fresh GF pizza, pasta, fresh bread and much more on the menus. Needless to say I didn't go hungry. Just set back from the main promenade are serval pretty cobbled streets lined with more restaurant's and bars, we stumbled on these by accident and we're so please we did because again we found some fantastic places to eat, drink and soak up the atmosphere. A trip to Formentora is worth while if you fancy breaking up the day, although it can get very busy and the beach isn't that big. We took a boat trip which was only 25 minutes each way and it allowed us to enjoy a little of the coastline. There are various boat trips available as well as boat and jet ski hire, kayaks and paddle boards are also available by the hour. Our days and nights where spent relaxing on the beach, eating great food & drinking fantastic wine in a relaxed resort that felt super safe and friendly. Needless to say we returned home feeling relaxed and recharged and sporting a pretty good suntan too. If you'd like to have a chat about holidaying here then please do get in touch.

01 April 2020

Flights Choosing to use an indirect flight may too some seem a little bonkers, however there was method in my madness. Saving enough pounds, shilling and pence to let us upgrade our car to a convertible Mustang, which I have to say was the icing on the cake for our road trip. Flying Lufthansa & Eurowings via Germany was actually really seamless and something I’d consider again if there were a significant saving to be had. Miami Airport & Car Hire Landing in Miami like any USA airport was a lengthy process getting through immigration, so I’d always keep this in mind especially if you have small children then have snacks, water and entertainment to hand. Having booked our car with one of our top suppliers ‘flexible autos’ and taking their advice to use Alamo was worth its weight in gold. We zipped through the pick up process and found it professional and very easy. Beachwalk Resort, Hallandale Having navigated our way out of Miami airport and onto the fast-paced busy highways, 50 minutes later we arrived at the apart/hotel in Hallandale beach. I’d be lying if I said it was an easy stress free journey!!! On arrival the valet parking guy met us with a smile and parked our car. Check in was super easy and we made our way to the 30th floor, yes 30th floor. The views over Miami were unreal. I’d booked us a two-bedroom apartment and my word the floor space was bigger than our house making for a perfect 3-night stay. Locally (as in walking distance) we struggled to find any great places to eat, however a chat to the concierge and a short drive and we found a few nice ones. The weather wasn’t on our side so the beach and pool where merely a quick visit rather than lazing around getting over jet lag. Instead we chose to explore using the Mustang and see as much as we could in and around Miami. I’d highly recommend The Beachwalk Resort if you don’t mind being a 30 minute drive away from the hub of Miami, we stayed out of season and I’m pretty sure in Spring and Summer Hallandale would be vibrant and fun and great for families not wanting to be in the Miami bustle everyday. Banana Bay Hotel, Marathon – The Keys Next up from Miami we headed out and down to The Florida Keys. School girl error and top tip – DON’T ignore Google Maps!!! We thought that following the actual paper map was better so we could avoid the fast toll roads & as the crow fly’s it was a shorter route, however what it doesn’t show is the 8 miles of traffic lights which I think we counted around 30 sets of them!! Once we hit the key’s the sun blessed us with it’s presence, the roof was down and life was great. Stopping off in Key Largo for a drink and stretch of the legs, life felt slow & laid back compared to that of Miami. Arriving at our hotel my first thought was ‘cute boutique like’ a small independently owned motel that was the perfect place for our two nights here. A clean, modern but homely family room with a veranda it was spacious and the comfiest beds I’ve ever slept in. A communal pool, hot tub and a tiki bar on the waters edge it was a nice choice. Again being out of season it did feel a little quiet. During our two days we explored plenty of what Marathon has to offer. Several National Parks, the aquarium, a stunning five star hotel for drinks by the sea. We cycled for breakfast using the hotels free bikes (quite a sight seeing the husband on a ladies style bike) and ate dinner in a locals bar enjoying live music. As we left Marathon to head to St Pete’s we stopped for breakfast at Robbies in Islamorada. A friend had recommended this place to me and it didn’t disappoint. You can feed the Tarpon fish (if the pelicans don’t snatch it from your hand first) enjoy live music on an evening and watch the fishing boats come & go. Everglades National Park Our journey to St Pete’s took us through the Everglades, which is pretty much one straight road for 100 or so miles. The whole time we spent gator and croc spotting, and we wasn’t disappointed. Pulling over to take sight of a huge Gator resting on the side of the road (behind fencing that runs the length of the roads in the everglades may I add). Before leaving the Everglades we took an airboat ride (well it would be criminal not too) through the mango groves, the driver was great, spinning the boat around wetting us all although I wasn’t surprised that we DIDN’T see anything other than a few wild birds. The boats are simply too noisy for the wildlife. Treasure Island, St Pete’s Arriving at our apartment for the next nine nights we weren’t disappointed. A lovely two bedroom condo on a complex just steps away from the beach, a heated communal pool and hot tub, shared BBQ area, tennis courts, table tennis and free wild dolphin shows most days. A lovely residential area where we felt very safe and relaxed. Enjoying long beach walks, exploring the local area by car (nothing is really local in USA, it’s so huge). Eating in local beach bars, cooking up our own BBQ’s and enjoying late evening swims. A perfect location for teens and we felt more than happy letting them explore locally and leaving them in the condo whilst we enjoyed the hot tub. I’d highly recommend Kayaking in the local national parks, we had the pleasure of yet another wild dolphin show and one of them swimming so close to the Kayak we heard it’s blow hole. Whilst on the subject of Dolphins, a must is a visit to the rehabilitation center in Clearwater. We spent the most wonderful 4 hours watching the famous ‘Winter’ the dolphin and her friends, learning what fantastic work this charity is doing. Busch Gardens, Tampa Spending Christmas Day in Busch Gardens was brilliant. A lovely surprise for the girls and their Christmas present. Busier than you’d think and although the sun was shining it did somehow feel incredibly Christmas like, with lots of Christmas themes around us, Christmas music and happy families enjoying their time together. If you love rollercoasters and animals then Busch Gardens is a great family day out. Would we do it again? This was our first Christmas abroad and our first family visit to Florida. Would we do it again? Absolutely. Not every year admittedly and having visited and experienced lots within a two week period I’d probably focus our stay on The Keys. I felt we barely scratched the surface and two nights just wasn’t long enough, with its laid back vibe, chilled beaches and fresh seafood, it’s a place I’ll look forward to exploring more in the near future.

20 November 2017

My good friend came to me in early August 2017 in desperate need of a family holiday. Busy work schedules, young girls with more activities than you can shake a stick at, a dog, a renovation project and thrown into the mix some medical things going on, they needed to get away and quick! Having done a few hours research on availability for August I knew what I was coming up with just wouldn't tick their boxes. Knowing my customers is so important, it's what makes the difference between a nice holiday and an amazing holiday. I persuaded my friend Liz to save their hard-earned cash and advised instead to look at October half term. We hung fire and I started the search again in September. Dubai had been mentioned and with a nice budget to work with I first thought 'we can do this'. A few hours in it was clear they'd get much more for their money in Abu Dhabi and enjoy seven days for what they'd pay for four in Dubai. No less luxury, no less sunshine and the same the flight time. The hubby was a little reluctant at first, however after putting together two options that I absolutely knew would blow him away, and sending a little bit of a low down on Abu Dhabi, the decision was made very quickly. October half term 2017 and they jetted off for their much-needed week in the sunshine. Here's their first reactions on arrival at the hotel. “Everyone needs a Karen in their life, tears of happiness as we just entered the hotel room. No idea what strings you pulled Karen but its amazeballs, you only got us upgraded to 'Executive Deluxe Suite' didn't you. We feel thoroughly spoiled rotten. Thank you so much!” Things like this truly make my day. Here's Liz's low down of their holiday in Abu Dhabi: The Bab Al Qsar hotel was beautiful, a traditional and gorgeous serene atmosphere. We loved the fact that we had the option of a pool and a beach right there. The weather was a steady 36 degrees and didn't cool much at night. Be prepared to spend around £150-£200 per evening meal on 'normal' food, but everywhere we ate was very nice. My favourite time of day was sunset which was 5pm and the sun disappeared very quickly. Everywhere was bathed in a magical orange hue. It was also the best time to go visit The Grand Mosque of Sheikh Zayed. A beautiful white domed building with gorgeous courtyards. Basically we loved Abu Dhabi. Liz sent me these fab photos with permission to use them.

24 May 2017

This isn't a journal about any of my adventures, this one is from the lovely Birtles family and their South African Adventure, including a honeymoon for all the family. A year in the planning, working with Lucinda on this was an absolute delight with most discussions held over coffee! Having relatives living in Johannesburg they had a rough idea of what they wanted to do. Originally planned for the December we agreed moving it to April was best for the children because of school and Christmas activities, the weather would be better for the touring they planned to do, and the price of flights. The family flew direct with Virgin Atlantic, and we booked the flights 10 months in advance meaning we got a great deal. Arriving in Johannesburg they spent a few days with family taking in the sights and sounds of the city, enjoying the Soweto tour and visiting Nelson Mandela's house. Collecting their hire car and heading to 'Spring Lake' they took the time to relax, Matt enjoyed fishing and the girls enjoyed the open spaces and the water. Of course no trip to South Africa would be complete without a 'Safari'. An early start to meet their tour guide they ventured into Kruger park. I think the photo of the lion and the family selfie shot in their jeep tells you everything. Having since had lunch with Lucinda to hear all about their adventure this day sounds like a once in a lifetime 'tick off the bucket list' kind of day. From here they drove 12 hours (and some of those hours sounded a little scary if you're not prepared for the South African way of life!) across country to Durban. Spending 3 nights in a wonderful hotel/apartment overlooking the ocean the family enjoyed the coastal life. Sea fishing, building sand castles and beach combing. As if this wasn't enough they were then mountain bound for 2 nights in a tipi! Camp fires, the dark of the mountains with no light pollution, horse riding and truly getting back to basics yet again this sounded absolutely amazing with lots of memories made and treasured - that's for sure. By now it was nearly time for them to think about heading home back to the UK. Taking a flight from Durban to Johannesburg was the quickest and most cost efficient way to travel at just £45 per person. After a forty minute flight they were back in the city in no time, and spent the last few days with family before departing for London. Lucinda is a professional award writer, running her own business - Pure Awards Creative. She helps multi-million pound companies, SMEs and individual entrepreneurs identify and benefit from entering business awards. All this makes for a lady who loves to plan, so as I mentioned earlier it has been an amazing honeymoon to be involved in. Following our lunch last week Lucinda very kindly emailed me these top tips and gorgeous photos. - Roads are good in general. Single lane though until you get into city areas. - Pot holes – there’s lots of them! - All insects are MUCH bigger than here! And often found inside the house but generally harmless including rain spiders, giant centipedes, and moths - Be aware of the seasons in the locations you are going to – places like Durban beach at Christmas are jam packed. - Durban is predominantly Muslim, so lots of halal and some restaurants don’t sell alcohol - You cannot buy alcohol after 2pm on a Sunday – anywhere! Except in your hotel bar (for 3 times the price!) - Steers burgers and chips are excellent! - Car seats are not expected to be used for children over 7 years old - Always ask for a 2nd key for the hire car - Do some research into local companies (like local garage/ locksmith guy) and print off before you go – be prepared for anything! - Buy a data card for calls/ internet when you get there - Always barter with street sellers - Find out about the driving rules – such as the yellow line is for letting others overtake - Watch out for road signs – Hippo’s Crossing was the most amusing! - Always tip around 5 Rand to the car park attendants. This is their living and they have to pay the shopping centre to wear the high viz jacket and earn their money. They will help you drive forwards or reverse into a space even if you are the only car in the car park! It’s a living and they are doing it honestly. - In Johannesburg, do the Soweto tour and go inside Nelson Mandela’s house and visit the Hector Pieterson museum - In Durban, visit Ushaka Marine World If you've enjoyed this journal and if South Africa is one of those places that's on your bucket list but you just don't know where or how to begin planning, then give me a call. Let's talk and see what memories we can create you and your family.

26 April 2017

Our first ever trip to the ‘Big Apple’ or the ‘City That Never Sleeps’ whatever you choose to name it, its one amazing city! Booked well in advance meant I got us a great deal on the flights and with a bit of research I found us a fab little hotel in a ‘non touristy’ area (us Wilsons like to be amongst the locals when we’re away!). The trip was my daughters' Christmas presents, aged 13 and 10 they absolutely loved it and totally absorbed the whole experience including the miles upon miles of walking we did. We stayed in the Gramercy Park area of New York, just a 10 minute walk to 5th Avenue and a 20 minute walk to the Empire State I’d absolutely recommend this area if you like to be away from the hustle, bustle and bright lights. We managed to tick lots off our bucket lists including seeing a movie being filmed on the streets of New York, eating seafood in the oyster bar of Grand Central Station, taking a horse and carriage ride in Central Park. The delights of a true American milkshake (more calories than you even dare imagine!) the high line, an old disused rail way line that’s now a fab walk way above the city. As well as a visit to Macy’s, whistled a yellow cab, not that they or anyone else can hear you do it but it has to be done. And of course we visited all the popular attractions including Statue of Liberty, Top of the Rock, Empire State and ground zero. Two top tips I’d give are 1) on your first day take the hop on hop off bus tour. They’re brilliant for helping you get your bearings and I have to say the guides are all very individual and each know their own little golden nuggets of information. 2) Plan your days with your attraction visits first thing in the morning, We did this on the last day, and hot footed it to the Rockafella for 9am and were straight up to the top of the rock. We all had a snack enroute then had a leisurely breakfast afterwards at a fab little deli. Every single place we ate and drank, from breakfast to dinner, coffee to a glass of wine was great. With 29,000 restaurants in NYC they’re all fighting to hold their own which means you’d be really unlucky to find a bad place to eat or drink. We experienced your typical American diners to quirky little corner cafes serving delicious healthy dishes and craft beers. As many of our bucket list items that we as ticked there’s still quite a few not yet done. Would we go back?........... absolutely!!

25 November 2016

Sitges, Barcelona. A truly stunning little (well actually not as small as you'd think) place set on the outskirts of Barcelona. This was the choice for our annual girly road trip, our four days a year when we can be ourselves. Not mum or a wife, not a cook, cleaner or taxi driver. Gay Pride was not part of the original plan, when we booked the weekend we had no idea what we was letting ourselves in for and let’s say your imagination is probably bang on! Not your average holiday, I have to admit. Never the less an absolutely fun filled wonderful weekend. For the sake of keeping this blog professional I'll refrain from telling you the full low down of what we saw before our eyes over the weekend. Just a 30 minute taxi ride from Barcelona airport, Sitges is clean and friendly with three fantastic beaches. A town full of cobbled streets that are pedestrian only and filled with superb tapas bars, boutique shops, bars and cafes. It sits on the main train line into Barcelona so just 20 minutes and you're in the city. The beaches are clean and safe with water sports and activities if you choose or you can just as easily relax with an ice cold beer and watch the world go by. Our favourite place to eat, drink and be merry was The Beach House, a beach front cafe bar serving delicious Balinese food with a European twist. The team there are a great bunch and know how to look after their customers. Here you will taste the best 'Espresso Martini' you've ever tasted, perfectly made by Rusty the bar man, shaken not stirred and served with a smile by Simon the manager. I was pleasantly surprised by the prices of eating and drinking. The average meal was coming in at around €110 for five of us including house Cava and a table filled with great food. A little nugget of knowledge for you, did you know that Cava actually originates in Barcelona and is still made and stored in the caves where it originated. Hence the name Cava. I'd totally recommend the house Cava's in restaurants around the Barcelona area. A dry, crisp fizz that is a little moreish! We visited mid-June and the temperature was a pleasant 23 degrees when the sun was shining. We did have an hour or so of rain over the four days. Evenings where a little cool so I'd suggest a light jumper or jacket. As for accommodation there is a real mixture of boutique hotels, apartments, villas and larger chain hotels. Beachfront, more town central and also around the marina area. Would I take my family to Sitges for a holiday? Absolutely! Would I go there for a weekend with the husband? Without a doubt! This Spanish seaside resort has something for everyone, although I'd only suggest visiting during Gay Pride if you're open minded and up for a laugh (and don't take children!)

30 March 2016

There are a few words that sum up this stunning (there's one) country. Beautiful, fun, relaxing and cheap. Croatia had been on my vision board for a while, several friends had been and I'd never heard anyone say a bad word about the country. August last year we landed in Split airport to a whopping 40deg heat and a humidity I'd not experienced since Miami. Our hire car was ready and waiting and quite quickly we were on our way to the tiny resort Marusici. In usual 'Wilson' style we got a little lost, ended up on a scary dirt track very very high up in the dark!. Turns out we didn't need to go on that dirt track, our resort was in fact on the main coast road. Never a dull moment on our holidays. Marusici is about 40 minutes down from Split airport heading towards Dubrovnik. The village is tiny and quaint with its own private little craggy bay. We had the use of kayaks which we used daily, my girls aged 8 and 11 took to them like ducks to water and were off exploring, with me closely behind. It was a great way to spend time with the girls and really quite theraputic. We enjoyed daily snorkelling and swimming in the numerous coves and beaches we found. A few hours jet skiing, and our first go at paragliding. One of the best beaches (in the eyes of our girls) was Makarska. A busy resort with a chilled Italian feel to it, we'd absolutely stay here next time. The beach was bursting with watersports, beautiful Italians and great bars and restaurants. The girls named it 'The Ibiza Beach' due to the music, dancing, fun and frolics. Makarska also has a gorgeous harbour and town centre that is well worth an explore. Omis, is on the same coast road and is again a wonderful little town full of windy little streets that are filled with delicious smells. Head inland a little from here and you can white water raft, zip wire and abseil. The day we visited it was tipping it down, which is not good when you're in flip flops. It just meant we had to take shelter in several shops and bars throughout the day. Our apartment had the most fantastic views over to the island of Hvar and we'd watch the water taxi's up and down the coast all day. We enjoyed an evening at a little hidden gem of a restaurant that the owners of our apartment suggested. They sent a taxi to pick us up and we spent the a few hours in one of the most beautiful settings I've been in in a long long time. Great food and wine whilst watching the sun sink into the Adriatic sea. Great memories! To sum our week in Croatia up 'It ranks high on the list of one of the best holidays we've ever had' I'd have no hesitation at all in recommending this destination, it really does have something for everyone.

30 March 2016

This was my first girly holiday since being married (15 years ago!) and my first time in Portugal and what a fab time we had. We flew East Midlands into Faro airport and a 20 minute taxi ride later we arrived Olhao. We'd booked a splendid apartment with a roof top pool great ocean views . Our trip was early October and so the resort was quiet and we were lucky enough to share it predominately with the locals.Saying that I sense even high season it wouldn't be a busy resort, with most people opting for the popular Albufera just down the coast. The weekend was spent chilling, laughing, eating amazing food and drinking wonderful local Port. Because it's not a busy, commercialised resort the prices are still very very reasonable. Five of us were enjoying a two course meal with wine for around £12-£15 each ( and trust me the alcohol flowed freely over dinner!) The weather was fab, not to hot but warm enough to sunbathe comfortably. The water taxis over the the islands are regular, cheap and an absolute must. The islands are beautiful, again fairly quiet and unspoilt. There'a local fish market, wonderful cobbled streets with boutique shops, cafes and bars. I'd absolutely go back to this lovely little gem either with the girls, family or with the hubby as a couple break away.