29 October 2020

QUEENSLAND – BRISBANE AND NOOSA I travelled to Brisbane or Meeanjin its known Aboriginal name, in October which is their Spring. I think Queensland is my favourite state in Australia out of the 3 that I visited. The climate is diverse, and you can be in green fields one minute and the rain forests the next. In the North of the state, up towards Cairns and the Barrier Reef it is tropical. We stayed a couple of nights in Central Brisbane at the Next Hotel, now the Hyatt Regency which had a fabulous roof top pool. Driving in the area is easy, as they drive on the same side as the UK. The streets are laid out in a grid pattern and a lot named after British Monarchs. Central Brisbane has a lovely waterfront area and the iconic story bridge across the river, which reminded me of London. Lots of restaurants and river cruises too. A newish area is the Howard Smith wharves with a waterside walkway and lots of bars and restaurants, under the iconic Story Bridge. Next stop was to drive over to the Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve around an hour away up in Montville. The reserve has wonderful views of the Glass House Mountains. From there we travelled a short distance to stay in an amazing peaceful retreat in the rain forest. The chalets are all set in the peaceful forest with the bathrooms open to the forest area. This was so relaxing and just what we needed after our long flights. I spent the first evening lying in a hammock on the veranda while Hubbie cooked a BBQ. All the food was available to pre order- amazing selection of steaks, salmon and in the morning fresh croissants are left outside the door. I loved seeing the wild birds, parakeets mostly and the resident possums! After a couple of relaxing days we then drove to Noosa we stopped off at Montville a lovely little town with art galleries and some very green pastures with dairy farms. I would describe Noosa as similar to the south of France. We walked around the famous Hastings Street in Noosa Heads. Great beach, with free roaming Turkeys everywhere - quite a common sight. We stayed in Noosa Blue which was within walking distance of the shops and beach and had a huge underground car park. Lovely swim up rooms too. Parking in the town is difficult with a lot of car parks limited to only 1 hour. My advice would be to leave your car at the hotel and then walk. A short drive from Noosa heads is the Noosa woods, easy to park and not far from the sandy spits at the other end of the beach. There are outdoor toilets, BBQ spaces, and a couple of food vans. Beware this part of the beach is not suitable for swimming, just paddling. A nice evening walk is up into Noosa Head national park, again just in the main town, easy to walk to. In the evening you can see Koala in the trees and the surfers start to gather. If you want you can walk sections of the path from 15mins to around 1.5 hours depending on your fitness levels. There are lots of vantage points and paths down to the coves. We walked to Dolphin Point, unfortunately didn’t see any Koalas. The paths are wide and smooth and well maintained, suitable for wheelchair users. There are accessible toilets and BBQ spaces at the main car park. In Noosa, like many parts of Australia, they eat early. Sometimes 5-6p.m. Be aware a lot of places can stop serving at 8p.m. My favourite eating places in Noosa were the surf beach club, Bistro C and coffee aromas. A lot of Australians start work early, and then finish at 3-4 p.m. and have family time before eating. It can go dark early too, so bear this in mind. I would recommend Noosa for a family as there a lots of places to eat out, Noosa has a large supermarket, Coles, and lots of shops and bars. Most hotels have apartment style accommodation suitable for self catering or room only. If you wanted to stay nearby I would recommend also the Noosaville area, a smaller town just outside Noosa with good family parks, water sports and children’s play areas. It is better for parking too, so a good option.

06 September 2018

In June, this year I travelled to Tenerife with my daughter Eve. I chose Costa Adeje as it is very popular with my clients and I wanted to experience this myself first hand as I had not been before. I stayed at the newly refurbished Iberostar Sabila, which is a luxury 5* hotel and is only 15 minutes from the airport. I received a warm welcome and glass of prosecco on check in. All the rooms in the hotel have been decorated in the same style. The wood is light and the carpets along the corridors are deep rust which is to reflect the hot lava of the nearby Volcano at Mount Teide. Inside the rooms the walls are decorated to reflect local plants and birdlife, particularly the red chested Robin. Facilities in the rooms are excellent, with free Wi-Fi, double bathroom sinks, separate toilet and glazed showers with two powerful showerheads. A nice touch is the magnifying mirror and powerful hairdryer. There is a well-stocked mini bar and Nespresso coffee machine. Along with the TV, there is a system to allow you to plug in your smart device and play your music through the ceiling speakers. There is a fabulous pool with bar and restaurant. The hotel has a gourmet buffet style food market serving regional delicacies around different stalls, with live music and magnificent views. There is an America Restaurant which serves breakfast lunch and dinner. The breakfasts are unbelievable with an enormous amount of choice. There are around 20 breakfast cereals, and the same amount of fresh juices, cold meats, fish, pastries, egg stations, and sandwiches. There is even a chocolate fountain and free prosecco! I particularly liked the large open communal spaces in the hotel, complete with shops and art galleries and a chill out area with the use of Apple Macs and printers and complimentary coffee. There are lots of restaurants and shops to suit all tastes and budgets within walking distance of the hotel. There is a long boardwalk that you can easily walk to the next beach and up to several villages too. We walked up to La Caleta which is a traditional fishing village with a lovely harbour. There are some great restaurants selling fish from the bay. There is a very small beach, but it has large rocks, ideal to sit or dive from. Another beach area near to the hotel is the Playa del Duque, this beach is large and sandy and has lots of cafes. Be sure to visit the amazing del Duque shopping Mall, if you are wishing to purchase designer brands. If you are looking for something a little cheaper, there are two markets nearby on a Thursday and Saturday. There is also a free shuttle bus to go up to the Siam shopping mall and the Siam water park. There are lots of excursions in Costa Adeje. There is a fabulous tour of the Volcano national park that can be done in half a day. We chose to take a trip in a tuk tuk up to the banana plantations which was great fun. There are hotels and villas to suit every budget, weather is good all year round which makes Tenerife and Costa Adeje very popular with the British. If you would like help in planning your trip, let me know.

14 September 2017

In August we travelled to Lisbon and down to the coast to the Bay of Estoril and Cascais. This area is only 25 minute taxi ride away from the airport. We stayed in Estoril not far from the famous Casino and it was a 3 minute walk down to the promenade. The bay is miles long and consists of several beaches with a mixture of sand and magnificent sandstone rocks. All along the promenade are plenty of places to each from cheap and cheerful cafes to 5* restaurants. It was a heatwave when we there and we did manage to walk the entire length of the bay to Cascais at the far end. However, there is a train that runs right along the beach from Estoril to Cascais and it is only 3 stops. Bikes are available to hire too. Cascais has a lot of luxury hotels and a blend of ultra modern and traditional buildings. There are lots of restaurants to choose from, mostly selling seafood. Seabass is the most popular fish in Cascais and it is lovely served simply grilled. Walking through the village and out towards the marina, we came to a statue to King Carlos 1. We then walked around the headland and into the marina. It was a surprise to see a whole range of shops and restuarants. However, they were all very quiet considering it was peak season. I think they need to address this as there is no signage at all on approaching the Marina that there are restaurants and shops just around the corner, so a lot of people don’t even get to that part of the bay, which is a pity. Whilst we were in Cascais we enjoyed the annual rock concert and during the event there were lots of local food stalls selling traditional donuts. The Portugese love custard. On the beach a lady walked around singing and selling her donuts. These are the traditional custard crème filled donuts known locally as Bolas de Berlim. Also, another custard filled delight are the little custard tarts, known as Pastel de Nata. Really delicious and normally served with very strong black coffee served in tiny cups - Um Abatanado. Be sure to ask for milk with your coffee if you don’t like it strong. On our last night, we ate at the Mandarim Chinese restaurant at the Casino and had an outdoor table with a magnificent view of the fountains. On our last day, we visited Lisbon and walked up the hills and saw the amazing trams that hurtle past at a breakneck speed up narrow roads through tiny gaps between cars. We then walked down to the main square with a magnificent yellow building which is the Government building. Around the square are lots of shops and restaurants. We decided to go on a boat tour and went across the river, under the amazing Vasco da Gama bridge, past the huge statue of Jesus “Christ the King” and across to the Belem tower. This is worth a visit as you can climb up almost 100 steps to the top. Also, near to the tower is the carved stone Padrão dos Descobrimentos built in 1939 as a tribute to the Portugese Mariners and explorers. I would recommend Lisbon as a great city break and will be going back to spend a weekend in the city. I also love the coast especially Cascais as it is so varied and if you stay in the village you don’t really need to go anywhere else. If you like the sound of Lisbon, then get in touch.

20 September 2018

I have a long history of being in love with Jersey. My beautiful aunts, uncles and cousins live there and I have been visiting since I was a teenager. I visited in early June and the weather was lovely - just a bit warmer than the UK. Jersey is part of a group of islands in the English Channel and is only 19 miles from the French coast. There are regular low cost flights to Jersey taking around an hour and you can also travel by ferry too. It feels very French as the road signs are in French, but everyone speaks English. You can use English money too! It’s easy to drive too, as they drive on the left - but 40mph is the maximum speed! If you prefer to walk then there are lovely cliff top walks. I went on a lovely walk with Riley the dog and walked from Bonne Nuit bay to Bouley Bay. The views were spectacular and I met a Jersey cow too! After such a long hike, it was great to get down to the beach and be rewarded with fresh crab sandwiches from Mad Marys beach café! Yummy! Jersey has accommodation to suit every budget – campsites, self-catering apartments, guest houses and luxury hotels. The island is great for families, and people of all ages. There are lots of flat promenades you can walk along too. If you like to keep busy Jersey has lots to see – two castles, underground bunkers from the WW2 occupation and the very famous Gerald Durrell zoo. So, if you like the sound of Jersey why not give me a call and let me arrange your own special trip to this magical island.

02 January 2017

There is something very magical about Marrakech, from the moment you touch down all of your senses are stirred. The smell of cinnamon and rose water, the sounds of the calls to prayer from the Koutoubia Mosque, the vibrant clothing and colourful painted tiles and Tagines in the souks. Marrakech is only a three hour flight from Gatwick and could easily be a weekend destination. I was lucky to be in a group of Travel Counsellors as guests of the Moroccan Tourist Board. My guide was the fabulous Majida from London. On arrival we met with our drivers and were taken to our hotel. The scenery on our drive out was a mixture of beautiful pink coloured stone buildings and very green lush gardens and trees. The hotels in Marrakech are varied with lots to choose from for every budget. The traditional Riads are also popular as they allow you to stay in smaller family style houses right in the towns so you can experience the culture up close. On arrival we were served traditional sweet and delicately perfumed Moroccan tea in glasses followed by sweet pastries. In the evening we were taken to see the famous Jemaa el-Fna square. It was dusk when we arrived and on our approach to the square the horses and carriages were waiting in line for the tourists to ride. The square itself is huge, with lots of music and open stalls. Each area of Morocco has its own style of music and people sit in small family groups playing their music and eating. It is a real family event with children playing with illuminated spinning tops and dancing. Further into the square is the main souk. Our guide Jamal showed us around and for the next hour we walked for what seemed like miles and I was amazed that there were so many stalls selling everything from scarves to giant padlocks! I couldn’t resist bartering for some candles and lovely Moroccan tea glasses. One of the areas we visited was where all the artefacts are made, the craftsmen and women making the leather shoes and the metal ware. After our walk we went up to one of the main cafes overlooking the vibrant and bustling square and looked down over the balcony as we drank Moroccan tea. Later that evening we were invited to the beautiful Riad Kniza for a traditional meal. The Riad was hidden down a labyrinth of streets in the main town. On arrival the musicians were playing and during our meal they entertained us with their dancing and swirling shashiya hats with tassels. The food was delicately spiced. I am a vegetarian and found lots I could eat in Morocco. The vegetables are cooked slowly in a tagine and flavoured with cinnamon or saffron and served with cous cous. Lamb tagine with apricots and figs slowly cooked was also served. One unusual item was filo pastry with duck inside and coated with icing sugar! They certainly have a sweet tooth. At the end of my first day I felt like I had been there a week as I had experienced so much. Day two was a visit to the Mamounia Hotel, and I saw the Winston Churchill suite. The carvings in the plasterwork in Morocco are carved by hand whilst the plaster is wet and some can take a 1000 craftsmen all working together. Lunch was at the Royal Palm Hotel, and the view as we drove into the grounds was one of the most spectacular ever. The Atlas Mountains were in the distance covered in snow. Lunch was a buffet served outside in the amazing grounds with decking and ponds in a rather Japanese style, with Palm trees and the same fabulous view of the mountains. After a tour of the hotel and seeing that all rooms had the views of the mountains, it was time to move on. The next hotel I visited was the Savoy le Grand Hotel, right in the centre of Marrakech and next to the main shopping mall. This hotel had a family style interior with beautiful pool. Dinner that evening was at the Movenpick hotel, a new hotel with beautiful interior. On day three we were off early to travel up into the Atlas Mountains. The drive up was steep and slowly we climbed up to the Tahannaout region. We visited the Terres D’Amanar estate. This is set out in a Berber tradition and has “glamping” style tents, with cosy electric heating. There are two fabulous outdoor swimming pools with amazing views of the snow-capped mountains. They have team building events, weddings, yoga retreats and sports training. I had a go at riding the electric mountain bikes, amazing fun to cycle around in such beautiful surroundings. There was also a selection of rope bridges and zip wires across a canyon. I was not brave enough for this one, but those that did came back with a glow of achievement. Lunch was served under a tent with the spectacular views. The food was simple and wholesome. As they do not have any Wi-Fi, it is very peaceful and a great venue for corporate team building events and anyone who wants to get away somewhere peaceful and very different. Later that evening we were treated to dinner at Dar Mouha restaurant, which was a modern twist on traditional Moroccan food, all served in tiny coloured tagines in a large circle on the table. It was delicious. The next day it was time to leave – I was sorry to go but glad I had had the chance to do so much and learn about the cuisine and local culture. I will be back – Marrakech is very Moorish.

17 November 2016

This year I was lucky to be able to visit my daughter in Santa Cruz, North California. This town is very laid back and has a lovely 1950’s vibe. Soon it will be easy to fly direct from Manchester to San Francisco by Summer 2017. On my first day I had a walk around Santa Cruz, walked along the beach and watched the surfers by the pier. The pier is original and is was built in 1914 and is the longest pier in Western California. I visited the original boardwalk and tried out some of the original wooden rollercoasters. Santa Cruz also has a quiet beach, Natural bridges with rock formations that reminded me of Portugal’s Algarve a good spot for a quiet picnic. The architecture in this part of California is typically Victorian and the houses have the nickname “painted ladies”. It makes for a very quant colourful looking street. On day two I travelled into San Francisco over the Oakland Bay Bridge into the financial district. An amazing view of the city skyscrapers. In the distance I could see the Golden Gate Bridge and the famous but gloomy Alcatraz. I was looking forward to our trip over to the prison later that day. I started off my tour of San Francisco at the famous Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39. The whole view is dominated by the fabulous Golden Gate Bridge, glowing in the sunlight. After walking around and marvelling at the cable cars, and how they managed to go up such steep hills, it was time for an ice cream. At Ghirardelli we had ice cream sundaes at the famous chocolate factory. From there we sat out on the steps looking across the bay. Now it was time to make our way to the ferry to take the ride over to Alcatraz. As we got closer the prison loomed out of the sea, very imposing and gave me quite a chill. Once on the island a guide explained that it was now a national park. Then we walked up the hill to the main prison building. Once inside you can listen on headphones to real ex-prisoners talking about their life on each wing. I was lucky to see the cells were Al Capone was kept in total darkness – I stood inside for only a few seconds for a photo – that was enough! In the bookshop I was lucky to meet an ex prisoner – William Baker, one of the last prisoners to be on Alcatraz and now back on the island signing his book. Then it was time to take a walk up to the city of San Francisco and look at the fabulous shops and buildings, such as Grace Cathedral. Later in the week we travelled down the coast to Capitola, which has fabulous views of Monterey Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Once in Monterey we hired bikes and cycled along the coastal path. What I loved best about California was the very friendly people, great food, with lots of home grown fruit and vegetables, and so much to see and do,

27 April 2015

I was very lucky to be part of the winning team and fly out to the Caribbean to spend 7 nights aboard the Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas! I had always admired the amazing amount of activities on board Royal Caribbean ships and know how fabulous they are for the younger generation. But I was delighted to find out that they really are fun for all the family! There is so much to see and do and the design of the ship is breath taking and innovative. I loved the inside balconies that overlooked the Boardwalk, where I looked out across the children’s area, with a carousel, candyfloss and fast food. I watched daring acrobats and divers put on an amazing Aqua show, diving into pools, all beautifully synchronised to music. I loved the FlowRider and had a go at body boarding, whilst the more daring sped past me on zip wires! My favourite place was Central Park, with real trees and designed so that the whole of the area is open to the sky. A lot of the speciality restaurants were in this area and after enjoying an amazing meal at Chops and Giovanni’s table I stepped out into the Park for a cocktail at the bar. I felt I was in the middle of a quaint little street. The entertainment on the ship is very varied and the standard is exceptional. I watched a fabulous Broadway production of “Chicago” and then the next night was entertained by an amazing ice show. As well as all that I was able to wander around the bars, which always had a variety of top class singers, jazz bands or piano players. However, my all-time favourite bar was the unbelievable Rising Tide bar that actually moved up and down the middle of the ship! I was spoilt for choice when it came to meal times! The main dining room was on three floors and was silver service. However, for more informal meals I really loved being able to take breakfast and lunch at several other venues around the ship. As well as the main buffet area, I often ate breakfast in the solarium, with breath taking views out to sea or at my favourite Central Park. I had a tour of the “Adventure Zone” the kids clubs for aged 3-17 years. Designed so that there is something for every age group. But best of all, parents can leave the kids to play whilst they leave the ship and go out for an excursion, very useful if the children don’t want to walk around in the heat looking at ancient monuments! I went up to the Bridge and met the Captain, Johnny Faevelen, who rides a motorcycle around the ship and has his own parrot on board! I also visited the kitchens and saw just how big a pan you need to cook a stew for 1000 people. Every day they cook around 800 eggs! Every evening to help me choose what I was going to do the next day, the ship Cruise Compass is delivered with details of all the entertainment on board and information regarding the next Port of call. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the destinations! I had a great day at Labadee Royal Caribbean’s very own private cove on Haiti, I went snorkelling in Cozumel and sunbathed in Jamaica. So if you think this is the cruise for you - give me a call.

16 July 2014

P and O Mediterranean Cruise – Ventura – 14 days – June 2014 This was the first cruise I had been on, so I was very excited to see if it lived up to my many expectations. I was travelling with my husband, and it was our first proper holiday alone without our two teenage daughters. I boarded in Venice, having made my own flight arrangements. First impressions of Ventura were impressive – what a magnificent ship. The balcony cabin was very spacious - with loads of storage space and a glass balcony. The sheer choice of dining options is wonderful on Ventura. There is a silver service breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea, followed by two dining times 16.30 and 8.30. Or you can try Freedom dining which is more flexible. I ate in the Baytree restaurant and the service was fabulous. The wine waiter, Justin, remembered my wine and it was always on the table when I arrived. I was on a table with three and made good friends. Also there are buffets and pizza areas and of course room service. The food is amazing, I am a vegetarian, but this was no problem and I had a choice of 4 or 5 main courses each day. Although there are drinks packages available, we chose to buy individually. The drinks are reasonably priced, same as at home. Tea, coffee, juice and water are always available in the buffet. There are also specialist dining options – such as East – by Atul Kochar, and the White Room by Marco Pierre White, for a cover charge. I chose to eat at the White Room for my birthday treat. I was not disappointed! I ate outside with beautiful views of the sunset - a night to remember! My favourite bar was the Metropolis that had moving views of different cities. We had a total of 4 days at sea. It is on the sea days that the formal dinners are arranged. This was a lovely chance to dress up. Don’t worry about having to take too many outfits as there is a free launderette on board so easy to wash a few items. The other nights are usually more casual or smarter casual. The entertainment was out of this world. The standard of the shows was amazing. The in house Headliners group put on four fabulous musicals – as good as or better than I had seen in some West End shows. I also saw some fabulous comics, singers, and magicians. As well as the shows, the nightly magazine, “Horizon” lists the events for the following day – as many as 60 per day – including exercise classes, dance lessons, films, bingo, quizzes – all sorts for all tastes. There are kids clubs too -Tumblers - a parent supervised play area for under 2s (doubles as a Night Nursery), Toybox for 2 -4 yr olds, Jumping Jacks for 5-8 yrs, The Den for 9-12 yrs and Decibels for 13-17 yrs. There were four swimming pools on deck - a good mix of family pools and an adult only pool which was lovely and peaceful. There are loads of sunbeds so no need to worry that they will run out. There is also a “retreat” area near to the spa and gym that can be booked, (for an extra charge) which has a shady area and a sunny area, which also serves snacks. This would be a good option if you did not have a balcony. I visited Kotor, Corfu, Civitavecchia (Rome), Corsica, Genoa, Livorno (Pisa), Naples, Dubrovnik and Venice. Kotor was the only port that required the use of a tender to get ashore. Rome is about an hour on the train from the port of Civitavecchia. I had read that it was “easy to get there by train” but this did not prove to be the case. The walk to the station took half an hour, the trains were only one per hour, and due to a train cancellation it caused a delay getting into Rome. I still managed to get around the main tourist attractions – Colosseum and Trevi fountain. A valuable lesson learned! I would recommend a tour next time. In Genoa I walked a short distance from the port, which initially looks a bit featureless, but nearby is a lovely marina and a fantastic aquarium where I was able to see dolphins, penguins and sharks. Again if you wish to travel further there are other options. In Corfu, I took a glass boat trip from the harbour and watched a display of performing sea lions. If you wish to go further afield there are excursions to beaches and boat trips to swim off the boat. Corsica has a gorgeous little port, Ajaccio, with a lovely market selling fresh olives. I took a trolley train round the town and saw the birthplace of Napoleon. Livorno was the port for Pisa or Florence. I chose to go to see the famous leaning tower, and of course had to take the “cheesy” photos holding up the tower! Naples was the base for my excursion to Pompeii. Wow what can I say? Unbelievable that there are such well-preserved remains. I stood on an original roman road complete with wheel marks made from the Roman chariots! Dubrovnik was one of my favourite places. The walled town is very easy to walk around, very steep steps in places but amazing views of the coast and everywhere you look there are hidden shops and cafes and beautiful churches. The currency is the Kuna, but a lot of places will take Euros. If you have enough energy you can climb up and walk along the walls. Croatia is definitely on my return list. And so, that leaves me with Venice! How can I describe the feeling of being on the top deck of Ventura as she sailed into Venice along the Grand Canal? Breath-taking views and ones I will never forget. I took a fabulous boat tour around the islands then up to Murano to see a glass blowing demonstration. In the time it would take me to make a cup of tea I watched a craftsmen make a spectacular glass vase! Next I went to Burano, famous for lace making and beautiful painted houses. Legend has it that the houses were painted bright colours so that when the drunken sailors tried to get home they knew which house to go to! St Marks square is a must see, if a little crowded The remainder of the evening was spent wandering along the various back streets and bridges getting hopelessly lost! However, I was never too far from a nice cool beer which certainly helped. I was fortunate to spend an extra night in Venice at the end of the trip – stayed about 10 minutes’ walk from St Mark’s Square, in the lovely naval district, near to the Giardini Park. From there I sat and watched Ventura sail away – happy in the knowledge I would return one day. So if you want to experience the holiday of a lifetime - give me a call.