30 June 2023

Have you ever been somewhere that you want to remember how you felt at that moment in time forever? If only we could bottle it and take it with us…. Well, this is just how Italy makes me feel. I was sat under a fragrant lemon tree as the evening sun warmed my face on the cobbled streets of Pisa in a pavement trattoria with a cold glass of local white wine and thought that I want to remember this feeling forever. Italy has a way of doing that to you, perhaps it is la dolce vita Italian lifestyle? Perhaps it is because is has something for everyone from the great historical sites to the world-famous artwork, from the stunning beaches and lakes to the cobbled quaint streets and markets. You just want to come back time and time again and experience more of this wonderful country. A great way to experience Italy and see more than you would independently is on an escorted holiday. These types of holidays are becoming more and more popular with couples and solo travellers alike as people want to experience more on their holidays now, see more of a country instead of a one destination trip and taste local food and wine where the locals would eat and where the guides can take you to taste the very best. A very dear customer of mine that has just returned from an escorted holiday to Italy that I arranged for her to Tuscany said it had changed her life forever and she was eager to go back. It was a holiday she will never forget, and it was just perfect. These testimonials are wonderful when I hear that after listening to what a customer would like that I matched it to the perfect holiday. This particular holiday was on a Highlights of Tuscany Tour that I arranged for her through Travelsphere, who we work very closely with and have a wonderful relationship. Tuscany is a wonderful destination to visit and if you haven’t already, then I thoroughly recommend it. Like all their escorted holidays their guides are all local so they know the area, they live and breath it and take you to the best places including those beyond the guidebook places. The sights and experiences you encounter will be what the tourists don’t normally see, and these are the things you will remember about your holiday and want to tell people about and these are what makes your holiday so wonderful. You will of course see the classic sights too such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the galleries in Florence and the medieval town of Lucca if doing the same holiday, and you will have free days too to explore if you wish, and this is the beauty of these holidays. One of the highlights of this holiday was experiencing the Montecatini Opera. Where better to see an opera than in Italy? These holidays are ideal for couples who would like to see more, experience more and delve into tasting local cuisine and not just going on holiday but experiencing what life has to offer. They are also a fantastic way to see destinations if you are a solo traveller, as there is no single supplement, always in a double or twin room and travelling with likeminded people who want to see and experience the same as you. Italy offers the traveller so many places to see and experience so why settle for just one place when you can see and experience many more? You may too want to find your little piece of tranquillity or experience la dolce vita way of life too. If this has inspired you to go to Italy or any other destination and would like to discuss what an escorted holiday is like please contact me and I can talk you through everything and answer any questions you may have. We can have a discussion on what you would like to experience, and I can give you a range of ideas.

07 November 2022

If great destinations, wonderful freshly prepared food, a modern cruise ship and an adult only holiday appeal to you then Virgin Voyages may be just what you are looking for. It was a mix of the fantastic itinerary and all the speciality restaurants included in the cruise that stood out for me. The cruise was The Valiant Lady’s maiden voyage out of Barcelona on The Irresistible Med cruise; and it did not disappoint. Starting in Barcelona, which is a great city to visit, we chose to have a pre-night stay so we could take in the sights and not miss the opportunity. Sitting out on the Saturday evening on Les Rambles eating Paella with a sangria and taking in all it has to offer was a wonderful start to our holiday. The cruise took in Toulon in the South of France, Marina di Carrara in Italy, where we visited Pisa and then on to Ajaccio in Corsica. From here we went to Cagliari in Sardinia followed by Ibiza in which we also had an overnight stop as well, and then back to Barcelona; all within seven nights. The promise of speciality restaurants and all freshly prepared food also drew me to this cruise. The restaurants are out of this world and the service is impeccable, with twenty plus places to eat you can never get bored of the same things and not a buffet in sight. The Wake (Seafood and Steak), Gumbae (Korean BBQ) and The Pink Algarve (Mexican) were my favourite speciality restaurants. The pizza place, the dock house (serving tapas style food) and not forgetting the ice cream parlour were ideal places for lunch, not forgetting The Galley which I ate breakfast every day as the choice was endless, they also do great lunches and dinners too. The Taste Kitchen offers experimental ways to have dinner and a wonderful way to spend the evening. I loved that Virgin Voyage have really thought about the design of all the areas on the ship; there were so many places to sit and have a drink which were small, intermate and chilled. Virgin Voyages cruises are all adult by design so not a kids club in sight. The swimming pools on board are smaller for you to relax in and there are also hot tubs scattered about. If you are into your fitness then it will not disappoint, with a full running track, state of the art gym, basketball court and fitness classes to work off all the delicious food. The cabins onboard are stunning. We had a Sea Terrace cabin (balcony) with I thoroughly recommend, waking up watching a flock of Flamingos fly past as we were coming into Sardinia was a true highlight. The cabins have everything you need, from a powerful shower, a fridge with replenished water each day, a wardrobe with enough space for all your clothes and movies on the television to watch at your leisure. As it was a Sea Terrace you also got outdoor furniture and a hammock which is very relaxing and will quite easily rock you to sleep. Evenings on board were very relaxed, we spent them enjoying wonderful food and wine and a couple of the nights we watched one of the shows. Dual Reality is one show not to be missed; a modern take on the classic Romeo and Juliet and, also the solo acts in the bars on an evening were a lovely way to sit and have a drink listening to live music. When people think of a Virgin voyage cruise, they think it is for the younger audience. However, this is far from what I experienced. If you enjoy great food and nice speciality restaurants with outstanding service, nice wine and a ship that is purely for adults then you will love it. My experience was that it was for those that want to see a bit of the world, experience life and like the finer things in life without paying a fortune for it. Would I sail the virgin way again? Absolutely, I loved it.

12 July 2022

Sat with a coffee, digging my toes in the soft sand and watching my two children laughing, playing in the sea and build sandcastles is what Sunday mornings on holiday are all about for me. Less than an hour’s flight from Manchester, Jersey offers wonderful restaurants, fantastic castles and amazing beaches that stretch for miles. It is an ideal holiday destination for everyone. This time we went as a family, however the first time we went just as a couple and had a completely different, yet lovely time. We wanted to explore a lot of Jersey this time and as we came as a family of four, we hired a car as part of our package. This made life so much easier as we have buckets and spades, towels, spare clothes, oh the list goes on, and driving is so easy around the island. We could not go to Jersey with our children without visiting Jersey Zoo, founded by Gerrald Durral to promote the conservation of animals, this zoo is a must. Seeing the gorillas and orangutans made their day whilst learning about the animals and what the projects are doing to help protect these animals. I thoroughly recommend Mont Orgueil Castle in Gorey on the East side of the island. This castle has stunning views over the bay and you can explore all the castle so be prepared to go down steps into the dungeon, go up into the towers and see the Halls. It really made a change to be given full access to the castle and go exploring all the rooms and areas. We then went down to the Gorey beach and this bay goes out for miles when the tide is out, so Jersey ice cream in hand we walk across the sand to the sea where we spent the afternoon. Elizabeth castle is probably the most famous castle in Jersey as it is just across the causeway from St Helier. This castle has a causeway to walk across, however when the tide is in you will have to get the duck boat across. From Elizabeth Castle there is a second causeway which goes to a little house on the rock. This is where St Helier was said to have lived. Jersey is steeped in history, especially World War 2 when it was occupied by Germany. The Jersey War tunnels are a must to learn all about the German Occupation. Although we did not visit the tunnels this time I have visited on my last visit and they are really interesting. We did visit La Corbiere lighthouse which is a beautiful white lighthouse that you have to cross a causeway to get to. The causeway is surrounded by dark rock formations and rock pools, you must take note of the tide times and an alarm will sound when the tide is coming in. It’s the perfect spot to spend a few hours rock pooling and plenty of picnic areas. Food and drink is a big factor when holidaying in Jersey. Well known for Jersey Ice-cream and the abundance of sea food restaurants, but did you know it has a gin tour? It really does have a French feel with so many pavement cafes as well. The sea food restaurants are wonderful as the catch is brought in daily straight from the fishing boats. One of my favourite seafood restaurants is The Roseville Bistro just near St Helier opposite the outdoor Victorian Swimming pool. There are many beautiful beaches in Jersey. St Brelades bay is the one where we spent the last day of our holiday. This is a beautiful bay with shallow waters and soft sand. We arrived early and grabbed a coffee to take down to the beach. It was a truly idyllic way to spend our last few hours.

30 July 2019

Yesterday I overhead my eldest son (8 years old) advising his friends’ mum on how they should go on a holiday to Crete. (I think he will take over my business one day). He was telling her all the amazing things we saw and did on our week away in May. As a parent you always hope that the holiday you plan for your family will be a memory maker for your children, and so to hear him speak with such enthusiasm nearly three months on melted my heart. We flew into Heraklion airport and then transferred to our self-catering villa at Galaxy Villas, Koutouloufari near Hersonissos for seven nights. Since having a family, we normally go to a resort with plenty to do; but this time we decided on a quiet complex offering self-catering villas to have a relaxing week away. We had a family villa which had four sea view balconies. My two boys loved it, eating their freshly baked croissants from the bakery opposite every morning looking out to sea. The boys also decided that this was not going to be a relaxing holiday, we are going to do as much as possible, and we did. No trip to Crete is complete without a visit to Knossos. This ancient palace was the seat of King Minos and legend has it that the Minotaur roamed in the labyrinth beneath. Knossos is spectacular, especially if you like your history. A couple of tips – take water with you as it is very hot and dry, also if you are planning to visit the Irakleio Archaeological museum pay the extra one euro to visit both on the same ticket. Our excursion to Knossos also included a visit to Diktaean Cave, said to be the birthplace of Zeus. What an amazing place! Flat, comfortable shoes and water are a must, as the entrance is up a long path. Do look for the vultures flying overhead; we spotted two, circling above. We also visited Heraklion, a very beautiful city and worth a visit. We only had a short time here but could have stayed all day. We visited the Venetian fortress, the Morosini fountain and sat in one of the many outdoor cafes for a well-deserved drink. There are lots of beautiful gift shops here. We took the boys to the Hansel and Gretel sweet shop; it is worth just seeing it, but we had to try a little something and had Chimney cake – yes it was in the shape of a chimney. Crete Aquarium is situated just on the outskirts of Heraklion and if you love sharks and sea creatures it is worth a visit. This was on our list before we arrived in Crete as my youngest adores sharks. It is also ideal if you would like to get out of the sun for a while and it is lovely and cool inside. The aquarium is very good and probably takes about an hour to get around. It took us about 2 hours as we didn’t move from one spot for about an hour just watching the sharks. There is a bus stop nearby, maybe about 10 – 15-minute walk away, but we opted for a taxi. One day we took a stroll down to Hersonissos where there is a beautiful harbour offering lots of different boat trips. The harbour is surrounded by lovely bars and restaurants overlooking the sea. Also situated nearby are lots of beaches. We found a quiet cove with a sandy beach and warm shallow waters. The sea is so clear you can see the fish in the sea. This is an ideal place for snorkelling and diving. Koutouloufari, where we stayed, is a beautiful village uphill from the sea. There are plenty of shops and restaurants with a wide choice of food and the people are so friendly, going out of their way to ensure we were having a lovely time. We did have a few days by the pool, swimming and playing with a giant inflatable shark, which the children named Steve. The staff at the complex couldn’t do enough for us. They served lunch by the pool side and the hospitality that we received ensured that we were looked after at all times. Would I recommend Crete? Yes, absolutely, it is a destination that is great for families, couples and groups of friends as it has something for everyone.

19 September 2019

I’ve been lucky enough to visit many destinations, but Lapland was completely different to anything and more magical than I could believe. Not only did we have an amazing time but we came away believing. From the moment you step off the plane you have arrived at a wonderful, magical Christmas Fairyland. We went to Saariselka in Finland which is located in the Artic Circle in Lapland and also Finlands most northernly location to meet Father Christmas. Now, I am not going to tell you everything because if you are reading this and planning to go you want to experience a little magic for yourself. We went over Christmas day itself and stayed for three nights at the Tunturi, which was amazing, it had log fires, chocolates to eat, Christmas Gnomes and in our family room a balcony and sauna. Saariselka has the longest toboggan run in Europe and it is awesome. Pelting down the run through snow laiden trees – and yes I was screaming all the way down, but so pleased I did it. From the airport we were transferred to a place to get suited up in our Artic clothing; and you need those snow suites. Whilst we were there the temperatures dropped to -28°C during the day, however they can go lower. The search for Santa day is why you go and what an amazing day. This is an experience that we will treasure for the rest of our lives. The experience of meeting the real Father Christmas in Lapland and the look on our children’s faces when he read the letters that they had wrote weeks before was such a delight. Not only do you do your search for Santa, but you have other activities to do during the day if you so wish, including Huskey Sledging, which was my eldest’s favourite; also a reindeer sleigh ride under a blanket to keep warm. We played Ice hockey, and I actually scored a goal – yes this bit is about me, at 41, quite a proud moment, but husband was not watching with the camera, so moment missed! We did tobogganing, skidoo, ice fishing, there was an ice bar with beautiful ice sculptures in. Lunch is included and so are the hot berry juices, pancakes and biscuits in the warming tents throughout the day which are absolutely lovely and very welcoming at different parts of the day when you need a rest and to warm up. With Lapland it isn’t just the experience of all I have mentioned; the people are so friendly and welcoming too; but it is about how it makes you feel and if I could have put that feeling into a bottle and put it into these words for you I would have done. It’s the magic, the sparkle, the children’s faces and squeals of delight, the playing in the snow for hours, the picture perfect white Christmas, the special family time together and the feeling again from when you were a child opening the door on Christmas morning to see if Father Christmas had been.

03 July 2020

It now seems like a dream that we went on safari spanning over Kenya and Tanzania, but I can still remember it as though it was yesterday. The freshly baked pastries served by a sweeping vista of the Masai Mara under a sapphire sky, and when you spot a giraffe whilst sipping champagne it becomes even more magical. The hospitality and welcome we received was second to none from everyone we met, from making the perfect meal to going above and beyond to make sure that we had the best chance of seeing ‘the big five’, to ensuring that our time at each lodge was simply wonderful. Of course, nothing was guaranteed when it comes to the animals, but our game drivers discussed what we would like to see and did their best to ensure we saw them, and we were lucky enough to see all the big five. We experienced sights such as a cheetah chasing antelopes to wildebeest crossing a crocodile infested river, to a new-born elephant calf exploring the Savannah and a gorgeous leopard eyeing potential prey from a tree top canopy. Everywhere we looked was straight from the pages of National Geographic. Now, some of the locals weren’t quite as friendly such as the grumpy water buffalo or the King of the jungle, the lion; but safety was paramount and our guides ensured that our safety and enjoyment were never anything less than safe and comfortable. This continued at the lodges too where we always felt safe and even though you could hear the wildlife I never felt threatened in any way. When I came home I missed the sounds of the lions calling to each other on an evening. A trip like this was not just about the animals, we wanted to experience the culture too; so we went on a guided tour to a local market which are fantastic places, bursting with energy, local crafts and different foods to taste such as red bananas. We also enjoyed visiting the local tribe village. These opportunities are not to be missed as visiting the Masai people submerges you into their way of life and culture. It was a great honour to sit with the chief drinking coffee whilst watching traditional dances and displays. We booked a hot air balloon trip over the Masai Mara when we booked the holiday to ensure we got a place. This was an experience not to miss with unparalleled views and a glorious champagne breakfast in the Mara itself. When we were not on a game drive or an excursion we spent some time relaxing at the lodges. They each had amazing facilities and each was different, from swimming pools to spa treatments, to local displays, musicians and talks. The lodges were also very different and blended in with the surrounding area; for example, at Ngorongoro our lodge was perched on the edge overlooking the crater itself with an awe-inspiring view. Whilst Mbuzi Mawe was a tented colonial affair nestled into rocky outcrops which was so peaceful. This was my favourite as the tent had a four poster bed in and a bathroom, but felt as we had stepped back in time. Sat out on a morning I was joined by a friendly hornbill who seemed to enjoy my company. Nothing prepares you for the experience of a safari, and although the animals are the stars of the show, you leave with more than memories; you leave with a bit of Africa in your heart. I would love for you to experience a safari, there is nothing quite like it, it is a true adventure.