27 November 2018

They say that the Football World Cup is the greatest show on earth and can be described in two words - unforgettable and unmissable. Having been to last summer’s event I wouldn’t disagree. It was a trip of a lifetime; having been fortunate to attend the previous World Cup in Brazil 2014 this was always going to be different. It was, Russia was better. My itinerary was clear. I would be in Russia for four weeks staying in Kaliningrad, Kazan, St Petersburg and Moscow watching 8 live matches including both semi-finals and the final itself. All the hotels that I stayed at were either in the city centre or nearby with easy access and with a good buffet breakfast. As a tee-total non-drinking Football fan (yes we do exist) I was always looking for things to see and do apart from attending the matches. All the cities had their museums, exhibitions and zoos which as a former employee of London zoo was a must. Arriving in Kaliningrad I thought I had landed in Manchester by mistake as it was raining heavily. I was later to learn that the city along with St Petersburg both have more rainfall due to the nearby Baltic sea. Kaliningrad would not be most people’s choice when visiting Russia, in the past it had been off-limits to tourists because of the large Military base outer town with its missiles aimed at the west. I was staying at the hotel Moscow which was directly opposite the entrance to the local zoo which was convenient as most zoos are on the outskirts of town. All the soccer stadiums I watched matches at in Russia were friendly and welcoming but the 3 games I saw in Kaliningrad went the extra mile by providing plenty of entertainment. As you approached the venue there were singers, bands, dancers and locals dressed in traditional plus weird and wonderful costumes. There were some good photo opportunities to be had but you had to be quick as it was like the paparazzi buzzing around. The city stadium had the smallest capacity at the tournament with 35,000+ but a good choice to begin my World Cup adventure. Other attractions in the city were the Amber museum with its display of the local gemstone plus the German bunker with its fascinating history. Next it was on to hot and sweaty Kazan where I had the good fortune to attend one of the best matches of the tournament, France beating Argentina 4-3 in a knockout thriller. The South American fans with their enthusiasm, passion and vibrancy always make the World Cup a great occasion. The boisterous Argentinians were no exception making for a good atmosphere however this time it was not a happy ending for them, they were very quiet at the end. Just before kick-off I saw an Argentinian fan pushing a disabled French fan in a wheel chair, both young guys wearing their countries team strips. To me that is what the World Cup is all about when the world soccer family come together to make it a top draw event. Kazan also as its own Kremlin with a very attractive Mosque within its walls. Then it was on to St Petersburg the pride of Russia with its picturesque buildings and numerous tourist attractions the Hermitage Museum being the jewel in the crown. One evening I went to the famous Mariinskiy Theatre to see an evening of dance, I had read that the locals like to dress up for these performances. When I got inside the theatre and observed all the various soccer jerseys I felt at ease in my casual clothes. At the interval who should I meet in the foyer the same couple from Israel who I sat and spoke too on the plane. What about Russian food you ask? I don’t know I never tried it, being a fussy eater I thought it might be a problem however when you have a good buffet breakfast at the hotel and there are favourites like McDonalds and Subway plus local bakers offering tasty salad rolls and cakes you don’t have to worry, even at the stadiums they did a lovely hot dog. Arriving in Moscow for the first time on the same day that England were playing their first W.C. semi-final since 1990 felt like a baptism of fire. A historic occasion, good match but disappointing result. The final itself was one of the best finals for many years and most goals since 1966 (a very good year!) with France lifting the trophy and unlucky Croatia playing their part. Of course, one does not go to Moscow without visiting Red Square, the Kremlin and the splendid St Basils Cathedral where all visitors gather and admire the sights. The Metro stations are not bad either. In all the cities wherever you went there were plenty of police and military around, but they were a visible presence to keep everyone safe. The good thing about the World Cup is that you get to meet fans from all over the world who just want to come and enjoy the Carnival atmosphere whatever the results of the matches. The Brazilian fans with their smart yellow and blue colours always seemed to stand out from the rest. Mr Putin you should be very proud, your people put on Great World Cup. Where ever you went the locals were warm and friendly, the young volunteers who gave up their spare time and who spoke good English were very helpful which made it an enjoyable experience. My trip has filled me with many good lasting memories and images of the country. “Spaseeba” (thank you) Russia. Now where is Qatar on the map? Last but not least a big thank you to Mandy who did a First Class job in making my trip a successful adventure.

09 August 2018

From the Blue Mosque to the Rose Red City and beyond. After flying more than 7500 miles, Toby Rosenbloom recalls the ups and downs of a 42-night tour of 10 hot spots in Turkey and the Middle East, including visits to the world’s tallest building and the lowest point on earth, arranged for him by Mandy Mooney of Travel Counsellors. As a then 46-year-old single, male traveller, my visits to Istanbul, Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel between May and July 2018 were based on an interest in each destination’s art, culture, history and food, not to mention a love of 40C-plus heat and sandy beaches. However, my number one memory is being driven round the Yas Marina F1 track during a tour of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix circuit. I even learned why the Champagne bottles given to race winners are filled with Diet Sprite rather than bubbly. Other highlights of my Grand Tour of the Middle East included… • My huge and luxurious room at Ramada Plaza Jumerirah Beach hotel in Dubai, which as an added bonus had its own private beach • Getting an ultra-high flying bird’s eye view of the capital of bling during a trip to the 148th floor of the Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building – in Dubai. The Dubai Mall, home to the entrance to the Burj Khalifa and the city’s aquarium and dancing fountains, also provided the best retail experience of my travels. But beware. Due to most clothes and consumer goods needing to be imported, it’s not cheap. In fact, I found the best bargains of my travels in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar – just a short hop from the city’s Blue Mosque – where I picked up a pair of Nike Air trainers for a mere £15. What do you mean they might not be genuine? My list of holiday highlights also includes… • Seeing jaw-dropping displays of art at the Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi plus the Sheikh Zayed Mosque – the largest in the UAE. • Touring the many ancient forts between Muscat and Nizwa in Oman. • Taking a taxi along the $800m King Fahd Causeway, which links the island of Bahrain to Saudi Arabia. • The food at the Doubletree by Hilton hotel in Doha, Qatar. The seafood buffet (including lobster) has to rate as my favourite meal, closely followed by the fish kebabs served up by the Four Seasons Hotel – a converted gaol – in Istanbul. The fresh fruit and vegetables, particularly in Israel, were also mouth-watering. Although Kuwait was not my favourite destination, the experience of being caught in a sandstorm will live long in the memory. Qatar, on the other hand, was fantastic. Here, I visited the architectural masterpiece that is the Museum of Islamic Art, experienced a desert safari, watched the sun set over the capital city Doha’s skyline on a Dhow cruise in addition to catching a glimpse of one of the stadia the state is building for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. My own trip coincided with the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and while watching football in hotel bars in Muslim countries during Ramadan is not recommended due to alcohol not being served in many locations outside the UAE, my entry into Dubai provided another positive holiday memory. As I walked through the green channel at Dubai Airport, a customs officer stopped me and asked for my passport. After seeing that I was born in Liverpool, he smiled and told me that Liverpool and Egypt star Mo Salah was “brilliant” before waving me through. My experience of eight of the 10 airports I passed through was very positive, with the notable exception of Ben Gurion in Israel – the final leg of my trip. Here, despite being a (non-practising) Jew, I was detained for two hours because the official at border control took exception to the Arab stamps on my passport. This was certainly the most unpleasant – and scary – experience of my Grand Tour of the Middle East. Once allowed entry into Israel, highlights of my time in the seaside city of Tel Aviv included the mile upon mile of ultra-clean beach, exploring Carmel Market, and particularly the street art, plus a visit to Jerusalem. If Qatar was my favourite Gulf state, Israel’s neighbour Lebanon is the country I would most like to return to. From the incredibly well-preserved ancient buildings of Baalbek and Anjar in the Bekaa valley to the genuine friendliness of Beirut, this country is nothing like the images I have from the 15-year civil war between 1975 and 1990. In fact, Beirut is a thriving capital with great nightlife and some of the best wine in the world. When it comes to well-preserved ancient cities, the Rose Red city of Petra in Jordan takes some beating. My other highlight from my visit to Jordan was floating in the Dead Sea – a feat made possible by the fact that it is both the saltiest body of water and lowest point on earth. Did I say eight of the 10 airports I visited provided positive experiences, including fast and efficient check-in and baggage reclaim procedures? The only other airport inconvenience I experienced was on my return home from Ben Gurion to Manchester via a change of plane Istanbul. After waiting at baggage reclaim for over an hour, I was told my suitcase had not made it onto the flight from Turkey and would be sent by taxi to my home the following day. What’s a 24-hour delay when I’ve a lifetime of happy experiences to dine out on and more than 500 photographs of to keep those memories fresh? Here’s a healthy selection…

16 April 2018

Not a destination I have visited but a hidden gem that Id love to share with you all after my recent clients’ experience at Bom Successo Resort, Obidos, Portugal. 11 students and two teachers travelled to Obidos in Portugal to take part in the 2018 Balby Academy’s Warm Weather Training at the Bom Successo resort. The trip took place over seven days, playing six rounds, at four different courses. Setting off on a short flight from Manchester arriving into Lisbon mid-morning, a one-hour transfer took the group to the Bom Successo resort, where they spent seven nights in one and two-bedroomed luxury townhouses. Fully equipped with everything you need, a real home from home luxury feel, kitchens and dining area were huge with a great lounge area, an outside patio overlooking the communal pool and golf course. Daily breakfast was provided with evening meals taken at the resort club house. The trip consisted of six rounds of golf, at a choice of courses, Bom Sucesso, Royal Obidos, West Cliffs and Praia Del Rey. Daily transfers took the group for their pre-arranged tee times and returned them to their accommodation after the day’s events. A review from Mr Lindley showing the standard of golf you can expect to play on these courses: “Royal Obidos was a stunning example of a tournament-based golf course and some of the views were amazing. The par fives were score able but the par threes and some of the greens were where the course got its own back. The second day was Bom Successo which is a good resort course with plenty of water to frame the course and make it harder. Praia Del Rey was a beautiful part links part parkland course that had been around for many years with some of the parkland hole resembling Augusta National. The course lends itself to good scoring however if the wind picks up it can bite back. The last course we played was West Cliffs which is a spectacular new development only open a year, but the course and club house were amazing. Views on every hole and the high-quality finish means it is the second-best course in Portugal. When the wind blows, which it did, scoring is difficult however the stunning holes and backdrop mean it was a delight to play.” The trip was a huge success and in Mr Lindley and his student’s opinion ‘this trip was by far the best we have been on so far’. It gives me great pleasure to receive a fantastic review of a client’s trip and I always believe a personal recommendation for a resort is always a winner.

06 April 2018

Not your first thought for a weekend destination but one that I would highly recommend! After arranging a surprise weekend break for my hubby we set off for an early morning German wings flight to Dusseldorf, the flight was great at just over an hour and I would recommend German Wings as a low-cost carrier. On arrival in Dusseldorf, you can experience the sky train which takes you to the main train station and then only a 5-minute train journey to the centre of Dusseldorf HBF station. Alternatively, a taxi from the Airport will only take 20 minutes (depending on traffic). Our hotel was the Dusseldorf Mitte a very central modern hotel only a 5-minute walk from the station and 10 minutes to the Rhine and central Dusseldorf. The hotel rooms were a good size, very comfortable with all amenities. They have a nice lounge bar and even an outside seating area for coffee or a few beers. A good choice of Continental breakfast was included, giving a great start to the day. Exploring the city was easy, as we stepped out of the hotel literally around the corner we were on the very fashionable ‘Konigsallee’ every shopper's dream with door to door designer shops, a real window shopping treat. Within 10 minutes we were at the ‘Alstadt’, this is the popular old town in Dusseldorf, it is a warren of cobbled streets with an array of bars, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, bars and ice cream parlours! A walk through the cobbled streets brings you right alongside the Rhine with more cafe bars and restaurants. Here you will find several options to take a scenic cruise along the Rhine taking in the sights with prices starting from only €9.00 Eating out was easy, with restaurants to suite everybody’s taste, several local speciality dishes and a must do visit to Emmi's Waffle and Crepes situated right near the Rhine. A truly great weekend was had by all and I would personally recommend Dusseldorf.