28 March 2019

I was lucky enough to go on a trip to Doha in Qatar to check out the hotels and excursions available to enable me to give independent and honest advice to my customers wanting to go. Qatar is an ideal place for a short break in the sun or a stopover to break up your long journey to your next destination. We spent 4 days there and saw lots of beautiful hotels, some in the city and some on the beach. Each hotel is individual, but the service remains outstanding throughout with the very high standards that you would expect from such a rich beautiful country. The highlight of my trip was 'dune bashing'. We drove out to the dessert in around 45 mins where the driver of our 4 wheeled drive car let some air out of the tyres and off we went, climbing up the dunes and sailing back down at high speed with not a care in the world! We stopped to take photos of the gorgeous colours of the sea and sand and had lunch and a swim at the end. It was an experience not to be missed! We stayed in the Hotel Al Najada Tivoli which was conveniently situated a stone’s throw away from the Souq Waqif, the Qataris local market. It was full of winding alleys and pathways full of local gifts, fashion, animals, food and spices! There were some lovely restaurants here and we sat and had a coffee watching the locals meeting up with friends and family for their evening out. If you are a 'foodie' then you will love the abundance of cuisine here. Lots of traditional Arabic food with beautiful breads, meats and olives and a great choice of Asian food. Lots of the hotels have buffet restaurants with something to suit everyone. We had a city tour to take in all of the sights of Doha and also a trip to the Museum of Islamic Art, full of Islamic history. The entrance fee is only around £10 and it’s great to spend a couple of hours looking around and taking a break at the café inside. All in all, I had a fab time in Qatar and will be returning! The food, hospitality and weather make it a must-see destination. Next time you are thinking of a break in the sun consider visiting Qatar! Get in touch for more information.

05 June 2018

In November 2017 I was lucky enough to do a full tour of Costa Rica. We started by staying in the capital city of San Jose where we explored the city centre and took trips to the coffee plantations and La Paz Waterfalls. It was a long way up the mountains but travelling through the rain and cloud forest was amazing! Next, we began our journey to the Caribbean coast resort of Puerto Viejo Talamanca. What an experience, listening to the howler monkeys at night from our lodge. The beach has a real laid-back feeling and the Creole food is to die for! We visited the Cahuita National Park where we saw sloths, monkeys, snakes, racoons and also lots of sea life with a snorkel in the warm Caribbean Sea. The highlight of the trip had to be our transfer to our next stop. This was called an 'adventure transfer'. We were collected from our hotel and travelled up to the Pacure River where we began our 3-hour white water rafting experience that took us closer to our next hotel stay in Arenal. Having never rafted before I was very nervous, but the guide was very experienced and settled my nerves and boy what an experience. Afterwards we had lunch provided and then continued on a mini bus to the next resort of Arenal where we relaxed in the natural hot springs in our hotel getting ready for the next day of walking hanging bridges and zip wiring! Our next stop was Monteverde which was a lovely quaint town with some lovely gift shops, bars and restaurants. On the evening we went back to our hotel for a meal and drink around the large open pit fire. Our final stop before heading back to San Jose was the Pacific beach resort of Tamarindo where we had a gorgeous hotel situated right on the seafront. It was a scorching 31* here which was a shock after coming from a cool 19* in the cloud forest of Monteverde! This was a lovely relaxing stay where we could wind down after a holiday full of activities. We would just laze around the pool and watch the Iguanas passing by the sun loungers! All in all, it was an amazing holiday with lots of activities and an equal amount of relaxation. It really is a diverse country with so much to do and see. Get in touch for more information on this fabulous part of the world!

12 July 2017

In June, I was lucky enough to travel to Florida for a stay and play at Universal Studios! On arrival we checked into the Sapphire Falls Hotel. A large hotel with a Caribbean theme, it has the largest pool in Orlando. After our long journey we stopped to have some snacks in the Strong Water Tavern which is the bar near the lobby, lovely and relaxed surroundings and gorgeous food! As we were staying in a Universal Studio hotel, we got to enter the park an hour early so were able to visit the Wizarding World Of Harry Potter and get on the rides before the crowds arrived. This is a real benefit for the hotel guests and it's great getting the water taxi to and from the parks each day. This service runs until the early hours of the morning so you can enjoy the restaurants and bars of City Walk and take the leisurely 10 minute boat trip back to your hotel. There is so much to do in Universal Studios and the Islands Of Adventure it really is a fun packed break! The pool at the hotel was open until 11pm when we were there which was great to come back and relax around after a day of walking the parks! We were the first group of travel agents to visit the new Volcano Bay waterpark which was amazing. Lots of big slides on offer but I loved floating along the lazy river in the sun! We visited all of the Universal Hotels so if you are thinking of a holiday to Florida then give me a call and I can help you choose the right hotel for you.

10 July 2017

On arrival in Ho Chi Minh City I was transferred to our fabulous Hotel The Reverie Saigon. The hotel was amazing and perfect for a 5* city break. The transfer was an experience in itself as the vespas (the most popular mode of transport) weaved in and out of the traffic. The next day we travelled to Cai where we took a cruise along the Mekong. We also experienced a ride on a traditional Sampan boat and a bike ride where we stopped at a local house and watched traditional rice paper being made with a chance of trying it ourselves! The next morning was an early start as we took a boat to Cai where we visited the floating markets where the small boats are selling the local produce of fruit and vegetables. The evening tour was Saigon by night on a vespa! This was the highlight of the trip, travelling in and out of the crowds and traffic, watching the locals travelling home from work. We travelled through the side streets and back alleys where the locals gather together for their evening. We stopped at two local restaurants for some local Vietnamese food and a couple of music bars. Next day was a trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels which we travelled to by speedboat. We learnt all about the Vietnamese war and got to go down a couple of the tunnels which were built for hide outs during the war. On the final day we spent the morning at the Vietnamese Cookery School which started with a tour of the local food market where we bought some produce to take back to prepare and cook for our lunch! We made spring rolls, fish soup and a lovely banana dessert. Ho Chi Minh City is an amazing place and I would love to go back and experience more of this wonderful country!

06 April 2016

I have just returned from a trip to Louisiana and a 7 night Carnival Cruise, the world most popular cruise line! This really was a 'fun' cruise with lots going on all day and all night. The shows were fab, staff were friendly and the food was amazing! We had live music by the pool during the day but you could always escape to the Serenity adult only area where it was peaceful and you could relax on the luxurious loungers! There is something for everyone onboard with brilliant kids facilities with clubs for all ages, baby sitting, an arcade, a casino, spa, hairdressers, cabaret shows, comedians, movies under the stars and plenty more! There was never a moment to be bored. I forgot I was on a ship, its like a 5* hotel! We did a trip to the Mayan ruins in Belize which was well organised by Carnival and we also docked in Mahogany Bay, Honduras and Cozumel in Mexico. All three were beautiful ports with lots of choice of excursions, there really was something for everyone. Food choice was amazing, you could eat in the Lido buffet, Indian, Italian, deli, burger bar, pizzeria to name a few. We also ate in the steak restaurant which had a cover charge of $35 per person and this was definitely worth it. The food was like a Michelin star restaurant. The staff really do work hard to make sure you have the best experience ever and I certainly did! If you want any more information about this or any other cruise then just get in touch!

28 October 2013

We set off on our journey to Southampton ready to board P&O Cruise ship the Azura, one of the largest of P&O's fleet. On arrival into Southampton, we were quickly shown to our car park, where we parked up, grabbed our bags and proceeded to the check in area ready for embarkation. The check in was smooth as it was so well organised, staff were all really friendly and cheerful and in no time at all we were sat on board having lunch in the restaurant, looking out to see. We had a quick look around the ship before being called to our cabin. It was now ready for us to unpack, our luggage sat outside waiting for us! We unpacked just in time to be back up on deck to join the sail away party with a glass of bubbly! We had an inside cabin for three. There was ample space including storage, with twin beds and a bunk for my daughter. Our cabin steward introduced himself and was always on hand if we needed him. The meals on board were good. You could choose the silver service restaurant, the buffet or a select dining choice, Michelin starred restaurants. There was always something, even a midnight buffet! Entertainment on board was fabulous, there is a playhouse theatre with west end style shows, bars, nightclubs, kids clubs, library, spa, pools, casino, gym, wine bar and more! We were never bored! After our first night on board, we woke up in Belgium where we ventured into Bruges for a day of sightseeing. It is such a lovely, historic city, known as Venice of the North! With cobbled streets, traditional shops and cafe bars, churches, museums and not forgetting the chocolate shops we had a day filled with sightseeing and wandering around this delightful city! After a busy day in Bruges, we were back on board and in the spa for a treatment or two before our evening began again! This evening’s dress code was black tie and ball gown, how lovely it was to see everybody dressed up ready for the evening. After our evening meal, there was time for a bit of retail therapy before heading to the theatre to watch the evenings show. This was our last night on board our two night taster cruise and it definitely left me wanting more! After breakfast, the disembarkation was as efficient as the embarkation and we were soon back in the car, homeward bound. This two night mini cruise was a great insight into the world of cruising and would also be ideal for a special occasion or hen party. There was plenty of fun on board and you could escape to the quiet wine bar or the retreat spa if you wanted some peace and quiet! Definitely something for everyone! If you have a special occasion or would just like to experience cruising for yourself then get in touch and I can give you more information.

15 October 2013

We flew out to Dubai with Emirates on their brand new A380. The flight was luxurious! I had a sneak upstairs into club class too which was amazing! Service on board was great with a lovely menu and complimentary beverages. This was a fabulous start to our holiday in Dubai. On arrival we jumped into our taxi which was great as we had pre-booked it so jumped the massive queues at the airport! We took the journey to our first hotel which was the Melia Hotel, situated in the heart of historic Dubai. This five star hotel is in a perfect location, just minutes from the famous gold souk, Dubai creek and the shopping districts. We explored the bazaars and spice souks and the roof top pool was a great retreat to cool off after a hot and tiring day. With more than 70 shopping malls, Dubai is a shopper’s paradise, with jewellery, electrical, souvenirs and not forgetting those designer shops! You can even go skiing in the world’s third largest indoor ski slope, located in Mall Of The Emirates. Of course, a visit to Dubai is not complete without a visit to the top of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world! It is surrounded by shops, hotels and restaurants. We sat by the musical fountains for lunch before heading to the top! The view is incredible. You really can see for miles from the 124th floor, out across the desert and across to The Palm. Luckily, as we booked in advance, we had an amazing time slot and managed to catch the sunset. The whole experience lasted about an hour and a half...simply amazing! After a busy three days of shopping and sightseeing, we headed off to our next hotel, The Atlantis The Palm. This was a short taxi journey from the city. On arrival at the hotel I was amazed, it really does have the wow factor. Even the lobby is eye opening. We were treated like a celebrity from when we arrived at the hotel. The view we had from our room was amazing and the food is to die for! The diet didn’t go too well! We relaxed on the beach and had fun in the waterpark and aquarium. This hotel was great for families and couples with something going on for everyone! Unfortunately, our holiday had to come to an end, but I was looking forward to our flight home on the Emirates A380! I will definitely be returning to Dubai, a great destination with sun all year round. If you would like more information don’t forget to contact me!

29 August 2013

We set off early hours of the morning to catch the Eurotunnel ready for our long drive in France to our campsite! As it was the busiest weekend for travelling in France we made the good decision of travelling on the Friday and managed to miss the rush! The Eurotunnel really is hassle free. You just drive onto the train and within 35 minutes you’re driving off into France! This is great when you’ve got 2 children asking 'are we there yet!' Our 6 hour journey took us through some gorgeous French towns and villages. The countryside was amazing. We travelled through Rouen, Tours, Nantes and finally reached our destination of 'La Garangeoire' in St Julien Des Landes, on the Vendee. On arriving at the site, we drove up the long drive to see the Chateau in front of us which is where the campsite owners live and they are always seen working around the site. We took a walking tour with Anne, the campsite owner who told us all about the history of the site and the village. We got to go into the chateau at the end – it was amazing! The site has something for everyone, with activities taking place throughout the day and night, from horse riding, table tennis and fishing to live music and crepe parties! The children were never bored and the beautiful weather made it perfect! The town of Sables D'olonne is a short 20 minute drive away which is a must for a gorgeous sandy beach, chic boutique shops and plentiful restaurants. Mussels is the dish of the day! Other great places to visit are St Croix De Ville, where you’ll find great local food markets to sample the fresh cheese and wine. At Apremont there’s an amazing castle with a lake where you can take a ride on a pedalo while soaking up the sun and Brem Sur Mer. There’s a fantastic beach with a lake behind it with a manmade beach. It’s great for swimming and really safe for young children. You can even take a windsurfing lesson on the lake. We really didn’t want this holiday to end. It was definitely worth the journey through France and we saw some amazing places on the way. If you would like more information about this amazing place please do not hesitate to contact me!