25 October 2019

2019 marks a very special anniversary for Travel Counsellors and also for me personally.It defines 25 years since Travel Counsellors began and 25 years since I met my husband at university. It took a while for him to propose but in the years after we met,we travelled the world and I began my travel career. 25 years in business and 25 years together is definitely worth celebrating and in 3 weeks, Travel Counsellors will hold the 2019 Conference–25 Years of Moments that Matter. Having been a Travel Counsellor for just over a year, I have already encountered some “moments that matter” to my business and have created “many moments that matter” for my clients. As a couple, there are so many moments that matter and we have recently celebrated our silver milestone with a week in the Seychelles, without the children. (Seychelles Blog to follow) With conference fast approaching, Head Office have set some challenges. One being vlogging- something that filled me with sheer horror when they announced it (what was I worrying about writing my first blog for, writing is easy, well easier than seeing yourself on camera!) However with the prospect of winning a dream holiday, I have gone way beyond my comfort zone and got in front of the camera in various states of array: no make-up, out of breath, even in my swimwear, to tell everybody 25 reasons why you should book with me. If there is one thing I have learnt, it's that I am not going to be the next fortysomething vlogger or YouTube sensation, but my youngest daughter might be, she is a natural in front of the camera and got more likes than mum! You can watch my vlogs on Facebook, if not for seeing me almost falling off a paddleboard, then to see the beautiful places I visited in the Seychelles. Still not convinced, then here they are: 1. 24 hour Duty Office who constantly monitor global events and are available when unpredictable situations arise, and things go wrong. 2. With over 1900 other colleagues in the TC community, there is always someone there if I need any advice or feedback on a destination or experience, I am unfamiliar with. 3. You have peace of mind knowing that every element of your holiday is 100% financially protected by the independent travel protection Travel Counsellors offers. 4. I not only book bespoke packages but have relationships with many 3rd party suppliers and also book many different types of holiday, including villas, skiing, sailing, cruise, UK breaks. 5. Having been to over 50 countries, I have a lot of personal experience and knowledge when it comes to booking your perfect holiday. 6. With 34 travel partners on the ground in over 84 countries, I have local experts to help plan and arrange a trip to remember for my clients. 7. With over 5 years working for two international airlines and an experienced flight team at head office to support me, I have a lot of knowledge when it comes to booking flights, air tickets, routes and complex flight itineraries. 8. With access to hundreds of direct contracts and relationships with leading hotel brands, from small boutique properties to 5 star luxury all-inclusive hotels it ensures my clients are getting the very best. 9. I am committed to consider responsible and sustainable travel every time I plan and book a holiday. Travel Counsellors work with The Travel Foundation aiming to make the world a better place for future generations to enjoy and explore, ensuring that tourism benefits the local people, the environment and the wildlife through sustainable initiatives that they design and deliver. 10. As a home worker my hours are flexible which means that I am not stuck to 9-5 office hours so if you need to get hold of me, I am always there morning, noon and night. 11. Not only can I book your holiday, but I can also book your airport parking, airport transfers, airport lounges and airport hotels if required the night before departure. 12. Booking with me is stress and hassle free, as I will take away the pressure and hard work of finding you the perfect holiday. 13. The myTC App. From the moment you enquire about a holiday you can have access to all your personalised quotes, itineraries and bookings at your fingertips. 14. I can book packages to major international sporting events across the globe such as the Grand Prix, Rugby World Cup and the Cricket. 15. Looking after your personal data that you share with Travel Counsellors is very important. A big part of the ongoing efforts of looking after our clients’ personal information is to ensure that our Privacy Policy is kept up to date and complies with the GDPR regulations. 16. I am not the internet or an anonymous voice at the end of the phone. I am a human being, someone you can build a relationship with and trust. I will give you that one on one personal service. 17. I have lots of experience booking holidays for families, having been to many countries with my own children. Just because you have kids doesn’t mean that you have to stop seeing the world! 18. Travel Counsellors is an award winning company, with many accolades to our name. 19. There is so much you need to know when travelling to different countries such as visa requirements and vaccinations and it can become a bit confusing at times. I am always here to help and offer up to date advice. 20. As part of the company’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility, we work together to help and support those in need which includes initiatives and activities to raise money for our chosen charity Reuben’s Retreat, as well as other important causes. 21. I am committed to making travel accessible to all and to help and assist those with a disability or impairment who believe it is impossible to go on holiday, find the perfect trip wherever in the world it maybe. 22. With an unrivalled 96% customer satisfaction score, we’re the highest rated company in the world, travel or otherwise. 23. I can book weddings abroad and of course honeymoons and Travel Counsellors have a Honeymoon Gift Registry service allowing guests to give the most memorable gift of all. 24. With a dedicated Groups Department, Travel Counsellors can arrange worldwide travel for groups such as schools and sports teams, meetings, incentive travel, conferences and events. 25. Everyone must travel with adequate travel insurance, which will ensure they are covered against unforeseen circumstances. I can offer competitive travel insurance premiums at the time of booking.

15 August 2019

With only a couple of weeks until the summer holidays are over, dare I even mention the “C” word. For those that are interested Christmas Day is only 132 days away. As soon as September arrives, and the kids are back at school, the real count down begins, and the shop decorations and annoying Christmas tunes will be hitting the high street before you know it and everyone starts charging around like lunatics buying up the shops like there is no tomorrow. In my opinion what better gift to give your children at Christmas than the gift of travel and experiences and a lifetime of wonderful memories. That is what we have done as a family for the past three years and will be doing again this year and have never looked back. We live in a material world, with so much emphasis on brands and the latest gadgets, gizmos and fashion and often the real reason for celebrating this holiday is overlooked and engulfed by commercialism. We made the decision as a family to escape this and spend our main family holiday and quality time together doing what we love most, travelling the world and sharing unforgettable experiences instead of overindulging in presents, food, alcohol and everything that comes with Yuletide excess. Don’t get me wrong we certainly eat well and absolutely love trying the local food and of course a few cocktails wherever we go but it is different to being at home. The past few years have seen us fly off to tropical climes, escaping the cold and experiencing different cultures, food and some very different Christmas Day activities, namely paddle boarding in Tulum last year, water skiing in Sri Lanka the previous year and surfing in Costa Rica the year before that. This year we are ticking off another bucket list destination and taking the girls to Tanzania and Zanzibar where we will encounter a 4-day family friendly safari. These experiences are absolutely priceless and ones that my children will remember for a very long time, hopefully forever, far more than what toys they were given and as quickly as Christmas comes and goes end up being forgotten about when the next new craze hits. The Festive Season for many can be a stressful time, when everyone tries to please everyone and so often you end up getting pulled in so many different directions trying to see everyone, or host everyone and it becomes far from relaxing. Take it from me getting away from it all and coming back rested and relaxed in January and ready to start the new year a fresh is the best decision we have made and one that I recommend to anyone.

12 June 2019

“Where do I begin to tell the story of how great a love can be” ….. Famously A Top 10 Hit for Andy Williams back in 1971, I hasten to add before I was born, this is my Love Story and one I need to share…. 18 months ago, I made my first journey to Venus, ironically the Planet of Love and also the Head Office in Manchester to Travel Counsellors, who at this time I was contemplating on joining. After a significant number of years out of the travel industry, full time caring for my three daughters and supporting my husband with his own business, I decided that 2018 was the year for me and that meant going back to doing something that I loved and was passionate about, “the World of Travel”. Not that I don’t deeply love my children and husband, of course they are the most important things in my world, my universe, but I needed something else, something just for me, to stimulate my mind and my appetite and desire for travel and that ultimately would work around family life. I floated out of Venus that day after my meeting, on another planet. My brain buzzing with thoughts and ideas, inspired, excited and with a renewed energy inside me and before I had even boarded the train, I had made the decision to start my own travel company and go on a new journey, not just home to London. And since last June, when I started the induction course back at the Planet of Love, what an adventure it has been….. I will be totally honest there have been highs and lows, tears of frustration and tears of joy, love and laughter, worry and pleasure, all emotions that come with any relationship. Added to this, there has been lots of fun and happy times and a few (honestly) glasses of wine drunk with new and old friends, who I have connected with along the journey so far. Every day brings something different and I look forward, 99% of the time to what lies ahead, learning about somewhere new and unfamiliar I know little about, meeting new and fascinating people, experiencing interesting destinations and products, talking about and sharing my own lust for travelling the world and holiday experiences with new and old clients, but most of all I look forward to making people happy and fulfilling their own travel needs and desires. Starting out on your own is daunting, working from home can be distracting at times when there are chores to be done but what I love more than anything is the flexibility of working for yourself, being there for my family and my clients when they need me, getting out for a run when it all gets too much to clear my head and being able to work where and when it suits me, morning, noon or night. Sometimes, it is a juggling act but that is where the love and support of my husband and girls really helps me and sometimes I have “A little help from my friends” (another great song!) The support staff and team at Head Office are exceptional and I feel very fortunate to have joined a company that has care and empathy at its heart. The fellow Travel Counsellors I have met have been hugely supportive, receptive and generous with their time and knowledge and welcomed me in like a member of their own families’. The clients I have gained in my first year have been appreciative, grateful and loyal, with some coming back to book holidays with me again and referring me to their friends, colleagues and families. Over the past year “I have eaten many a frog”, something we talked a lot about during my training and today I have just overcome another one by writing my first blog post, which you have almost completed reading. Time and time again, I have sat at my desk and half written something only to give up for fear that it wasn’t interesting or good enough. This could be my first and only post but with a team incentive to Oman, a beautiful country that holds a very special place in my heart, as it is where my father died when I was living there as a child, up for grabs, I thought I must eat this damn frog, every last bit of it, to try and gain some points for my team. What has become apparent over the past year is that I joined Travel Counsellors for LOVE. My love and passion for travel and my love for my family. I am also very happy to say, I have a new love in my life, my business (my new baby which is soon approaching its 1st birthday). I am so grateful to Travel Counsellors for giving me this new addition to our family and I can’t wait to watch it grow, develop and mature over the coming years (and fortunately for my husband, without the mood swings and drama that comes with teenage girls!)