16 May 2019

Hong Kong really does have it all. Whether you're looking for a city break, beach holiday, cultural experience, family theme park, shopping trip or foodie heaven. I have been fortunate enough to visit this amazing place many times, as a singleton, as a couple and this time as a family and on each visit, I've experienced something completely different. As a singleton I spent my time shopping down Nathan Rd, haggling at Ladies St night market, wining, dining and dancing in Lan Kwai Fong or just simply relaxing by the pool. As couple I still did all those things but added in a few "must do" activities with a trip over to Macau, the horse racing at Happy Valley, and a visit to the Tian Tan Buddha on Lantau. This time as a family I was determined to do in even more! We had four nights at Easter to cram in as much as possible which meant early starts and late finishes, but we managed to fit in all of the following; A day at Ocean Park theme park, with its rides, giant pandas, cable cars and aquarium. A walk around Victoria Peak with a stop off at Mount Austin gardens Funicular ride on the famous Peak Tram. A trip across the water between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon on the Star Ferry. The Light Show. Open top bus tour of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. A 360-degree view from the 100th floor of the ICC. Traditional Sampan boat ride around Aberdeen harbour. Time on the beaches of Repulse Bay and Deep Water. Shopping in Stanley market, Ladies St market, Causeway Bay and Wan Chai. And of course, we ate our own body weight in Dim Sum, Sushi, Wontons, Roast Goose and even some congee for breakfast. In short, we had a blast! Despite all this, I still think there's room for another visit, maybe to explore some of its 200 islands. Until next time HK!

08 August 2018

Bali has been on my bucket list for a while now and until I started my own travel business I'll be honest, I thought it would stay on there until the children had left home. The thought of at 16+ hour journey from the UK with two kids did put me off however when I started to plan a trip to Western Australia, Bali began to look too close to miss. Less than four hours flight from Perth it seemed like a minor detour on our route back to the UK, so I decided it was now or never! With only four nights holiday left of a three-week Easter trip I decided we needed a bit of R&R by a pool but wanted to try and squeeze in a bit of the real Bali too. With the help of our Indonesian office I arranged a family day trip to Ubud, a town in the uplands famous for its temples and rice terraces. A 7.30am pick up ensured we would be able to fit in as much as possible and the first stop was a visit to Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, aka Monkey Forest. This was quite an experience! I learnt a few things that day; 1. There are a lot of Monkeys living in that forest, 2. Macaca monkeys are small but very fast and very feisty, 3. Macaca Monkeys are kleptomaniacs and will, given half a chance, attempt to steal hats, bags, phones, and of course food. There is a long list of warnings before you enter the forest, and these are there for very good reason! Follow them! After an hour or so fending off said Monkeys we headed into the town of Ubud itself. I heard a lot about the area, from friends who back packed there 20+ years ago to honeymoon couples on a yoga retreat so I wasn't 100% sure what to expect. The first thing that struck me was how busy it was. No longer a quiet, off the beaten track, hill top town, it was teeming with tourists and traffic. I love a bit of hustle and bustle, so a trip to the market for a spot of shopping was a pleasant surprise for me but if you were looking for peace and tranquillity then the town itself is not the place! After filling our bags with handicrafts and homewares (which are fabulous by the way!) we headed away from the madness to more peaceful surroundings. Firstly, we visited a local studio for a workshop on "canang sari", Balinese offerings to the Gods, where we learnt about their meaning and spent an hour preparing our own ahead of our visit to the temple. Pura Tirta Empul temple is a beautiful and tranquil place, despite the crowds of worshippers queuing to bathe in the sacred springs. We were awestruck by its history which dates back over a thousand years and felt honoured to be able to leave our own hand made offerings to the Hindu Gods. It was a great experience for the children and one I don't think they will ever forget. Our last stop of the day was a trip to the famous terraced rice fields. A slightly strenuous trek (for me rather than the 8 year olds!) up to the top was well worth the view. Our efforts were rewarded with coconut water, fresh from the nut, and a chance to hear and play a Rindik, the famous Balinese bamboo instrument. After a long day we arrived back at our hotel by the beach in Nusa Dua, (the Melia) in time for a dip in the pool from our swim up room (worth every penny). Heaven! A short but very sweet stay on this Indonesian Island. Bali, we will be back!

20 August 2018

Having travelled on my own to Singapore every six months for the past 20 years I decided it was time to share it with my children. They'd seen my pictures, heard my stories, and so when I told them we were going they screamed with delight and set about making their "to do" list. First on the list was a stay at the Marina Bay Sands for a chance to swim in THAT pool. The hotel opened two days before they were born, back in 2010, so it seemed only right that it would feature on our itinerary! Second on the list was a trip to Sentosa and a visit to Universal Studios and Adventure Cove Waterpark. I will admit I wasn't overly keen on this request and slightly disappointed that on their first trip to the Far East, and the cultural melting pot of that is Singapore, they wanted to spend their time (and mine!) in theme parks. However, they are eight, and I decided a couple of days of forced fun could be easily counteracted by four days sightseeing! So a deal was struck and the itinerary was as follows; Day 1&2 - Arrive early morning on the fabulous Singapore Airlines direct service from Manchester. Head straight to Sentosa for some time by the beach and jet lag busting fun at the theme parks. Day 3 - Check in at Marina Bay Sands, get our swimming costumes on, and get in that pool! Spend the evening wandering around the awe-inspiring Gardens by the Bay, a modern-day wonder of the world. Day 4 - Catch the hop on/off bus tour and embark on the red route, starting off at Marina Bay and stopping off at the Singapore Flyer, Chinatown, and Little India for some great shopping and food at the hawker markets. Day 5 - Get back on the bus for the yellow route to visit the Botanic Gardens, National Museum, some shopping along Orchard Rd and then down to Clarke Quay for some chilli crab at the famous Jumbo seafood restaurant by the river. Day 6 - Meet up with our Singaporean friends and dine at the country’s' only revolving restaurant, the Prima Towers. Situated in the semi industrial Keppel harbour, it's nothing to look at from the outside but it's a local favourite for classic Beijing style cuisine and great views. Day 7 - a sad goodbye to Singapore but on to Western Australia for some sea and surf! There's so much to see and do in Singapore and we could only scratch the surface in the time we had but that's ok as it means there's still quite a bit on the "to do" list for next time (a Night Safari at the Zoo, the Grand Prix, and a lot more seafood to be consumed!) Singapore is my one of my most favourite places and it's been made even more special having shared it with my children, who now class it as their most favourite place on the planet! We love you Singapore and we will be back!

08 August 2018

Since becoming a Travel Counsellor I pledged to myself that I will visit a new destination every year. Not just to increase my knowledge of the world for myself and my clients but to broaden the horizons of my children. Having visited Marrakech for the first time in 2016 with friends, I decided it would be an ideal place to introduce the kids to a new culture, without spending hours on a long-haul flight. In under four hours you can fly from the UK to places that feel a World away from home. Morocco seemed a perfect place to kick off the travel bug in my children! As with all family holidays there does need to be a balance, and for us this lies between the pool, the beach and some sightseeing and shopping. The weighting of this is flexible, and sometimes does depend on who shouts the loudest but if I can ensure there's a combination of all the four elements we're usually in for a happy holiday. With that in mind I chose a twin centre of Marrakech for the pool, sightseeing and shopping, and Essaouira for more pool, more sightseeing, more shopping, and also some beach. We eased the children in with a stay at the Iberostar Club Palmeraie in Marrakech. It was a good choice. Great pool, great food, great staff and service, and great entertainment yet only 20 minutes from the city centre. We visited the Medina a couple of times, early morning and early evening to avoid the heat (it was August so very hot!) and the kids loved it. The narrow streets, the tiny shops, the trinkets, and even the snakes in Jemaa el Fna had the girls hooked. After 10 days in Marrakech we hired a car and made the 2.5hr journey across to the Atlantic Coast. We stayed just South of Essaouira in an area called Sidi Kaouki, famous for its long stretch of beach and good surf. It's quite a wild place with horses and camels on the beach wandering amongst the locals and so if you're looking for something like the Med, this is not it. The sea is rough so again if you want a gentle swim in calm and clear waters Sidi Kaouki is not for you. When we arrived the first thing that hit us was the sea mist and a huge 10degree drop in temperature, which after 40+ heat in Marrakech was quite welcome. We checked into the fabulous Rebali Riads where we were looked after like family for the next 4 days. The riads are absolutely beautiful, ours being a 2 storey, 2-bedroom house with acres of space overlooking the lovely shared gardens and pool. Breakfast was served to us in our villa and the food and service was so good we decided to book dinner also, which again was served to our dining table and cleared away afterwards. Amazing! During our stay we made the 30mins drive up the coast to the town of Essaouira, which is a much more laid-back version of Marrakech but still offers a wide choice of hotels, eateries, and shops as well as a beach, again popular with surfers of all types due to the famous "Alizée" trade winds. We didn't partake in any water sports during our stay and instead chose to do more shopping and laze about by the pool at the Riad. As I said at the start it's all about balance!

15 December 2016

For me there are very few things more relaxing than watching the sun set. So much so that one of my main criteria for holiday accommodation is a west facing outdoor space. I am fastidious about it and spend hours finding, enquiring, confirming and reconfirming just to make sure! One of my favourite European destinations, not just for sunsets but for many other reasons is Cyprus. My love for the island started in my early 20's when it was the mecca for "girls holidays" and I made my friends holiday there consecutively for four years solid. Those days are long gone now (thankfully) but as I grew I remained in love with the island but just migrated to different parts. In my late 20's, now holidaying as a couple, we moved to the west side of the island and started to stay in the fabulous Aphrodite Hills resort. This is where I first experienced a Cypriot sunset. I became so obsessed with the sunset that I would plan every evening’s entertainment around it. We either had to remain in our west facing apartment until darkness or dine at a restaurant with a west facing outdoor space! Luckily with a couple of restaurants within Aphrodite Hills and more choice along the coast in Paphos, we never missed a sunset. We continued to holiday there, even when the children arrived, (we just upgraded to a Villa!) However I started to feel I was missing something bigger and better just around the corner. So this year I decided to stay "around that corner" and holiday further west near the Akamas Peninsula. The Akamas is situated at the northwest extremity of the island and is mostly inaccessible but for the Lara beach area in the south which is home to the Lara Bay Turtle conservation station. Due to its remoteness, the area is home to an extraordinary range of wildlife, the most well know being the green and loggerhead turtle who lay their eggs on the peninsulas beaches. To fully explore the area you either need to hire a 4x4, book on a jeep safari or if you're feeling brave tackle the roads on a quad bike! Either way it is a great day out. A further drive over to the north brings you to Polis and Latchi. It's about an hour’s drive from Paphos so it's worth making a day of it. Latchi is home to the 5* Anassa Hotel, the Baths of Aphrodite and a great selection of fish restaurants around the harbour. The beaches near hear are mainly pebble so make for good snorkelling or for the more adventurous, diving and sailing. Back to the sunsets....... Our villa was situated in a very small village called Agios Gerogios, 15 minutes’ drive from Coral bay, 30 minutes’ from Paphos harbour. Having only two restaurants in the village we did venture out further down the coast towards the more tourist areas but discovered a quiet area en route called Sea Caves. This is where I found my sunset paradise. At Oniro by the Sea, a great little prefab café bar with a very interesting view of a 1966 shipwrecked cargo freighter. It's a vista that divides opinion but I personally love the juxtaposition of the rusting wreck next to the beauty of the waves crashing into the caves. It has a really chilled vibe with soft music, good food, great service and fantastic cocktails. But the piece de resistance is the sunset! It didn't stop there. A few nights later and a little further along the Sea Caves road we discovered, by accident, a rather unassuming place called Sea Caves Lounge Bar. (I say accident, our six year old twin daughters spotted a playground with trampoline and demanded we take a look!) It was a little rough around the edges and certainly not as polished and "cool" as Oniro but it did have a certain charm and a cracking sea view. It turned out to serve great food at great prices and better still provided the best sunset I'd seen all holiday. A result for everyone! I'm now in search of the best sunsets a little further afield so expect blogs on Queensland, Key West and the Grand Canyon!

15 December 2016

Marrakech has been on my to do list for years now but with a less than enthusiastic husband, I decided to take matters into my own hands and use my 40th birthday as an excuse to book a weekend away for myself and four friends. So five mums, left 10 kids (not home alone I hasten to add) and flew to one of Morocco’s most famous cities for some rest, relaxation and a little bit of shopping! With only a three(ish) hour flight from various UK airports and temperature hitting the late 20’s it is a perfect destination for a balmy June/July mini break. We took an early flight out of Gatwick, breezed through the airport, made the short 15 minute journey to our hotel and we were lounging by the pool by lunch time! On arrival at the hotel we were greeted with delicious Moroccan tea, poured from ornate silver teapots into delicate glass cups, whilst sitting on brightly coloured poufs and admiring the decor in the extravagant lobby. The shopping list had started. After a day by the pool we were ready to sample the delights of Moroccan cuisine. We went for the local dishes of couscous, tagines, kebabs and we were not disappointed! With full stomachs and a good night’s sleep we were prepared for day two - shopping! Up and at them we headed to the Souks. We arrived at the Jemaa el Fna square, which during Ramadan is very quiet in the day with only a few snake charmers and stalls but still has a great buzz about it. We found our way into the souks and weaved through the narrow covered streets full of tiny shops selling all things Moroccan. We managed to spend many hours and many dirhams on shoes, spices, artwork, pouffes, handbags and even a silver teapot! Job done! Marrakech has so much to offer and next time (and there will be a next time) will be a cultural trip visiting the Koutoubia Mosque, Saadian Tombs, it's many art galleries and museums and maybe even a hammam. Or maybe a trip to the Atlas Mountains for a hike or a visit to a traditional Berber village. One things for sure, if I win the lottery I'll be combining a stay at the La Mamounia in the city, with Richard Branson's Kasbah Tamadot at the foot of the mountains, for the ultimate in luxury. In the meantime our 4* hotel with its spacious rooms and ample pool would suffice! On this trip our focus was most definitely R&R, so another night sampling great food and another day lazing by the pool was exactly what we wanted for our Mums in Marrakech Mini Break! Perfect.