05 October 2023

The world’s most treasured places are precious, and we have a responsibility to help make sure they stay that way. Through expert advise on how to travel responsibly, the travel and tourism sector can be a powerful force for good, so here are some of my tips on how to enjoy your next holiday responsibly. Choose your destination wisely: Many countries such as Cambodia, Maldives and much of the Caribbean rely solely on tourism as their source of income. By choosing a destination that relies on us being there, has a huge positive impact. If we simply didn’t travel there at all as much as 80% of jobs would be lost, having a detrimental impact on the lives of local people. Buy Local: Buying local means the money you spend on holiday stays in the local economy. When you arrive, try to buy locally made souvenirs and go to local bars, cafes and restaurants to eat local specialities (usually prepared with locally-grown fresh produce!). As your expert Travel Counsellor, I can also suggest local excursions to not only enhance your holiday experience but ultimately giving you the opportunity to learn about local cultures and customs, as well as supporting local communities. Suncreams and toiletries: Lots of destinations have now banned many off the shelf suncreams and require a reef safe version. As well as a Travel Counsellor, I am also a proud ambassador for Tropic skincare. Tropic’s infinite purpose is To help create a healthier, greener, more empowered world. There are no toxic chemicals or preservatives in any of their products, meaning that the sun care is both reef and land safe, making a great purchase for snorkelling trips and those that love a dip in the sea! Body Love firming buttercream is an incredible everyday body moisturiser, but with zesty, citrus scents, I love to use this of an evening on my travels as it acts as a fantastic insect repellent. To purchase your sun care and toiletries before you travel, visit www.tropicskincare.com/kerrikelf or give me a call to place an order Keep your footprint small We all do our bit at home to manage the amount of rubbish we produce, and our water and energy use. In other countries this is usually even more important. For instance, there may be very little access to freshwater, or no local recycling services. Remember the basics: take short showers rather than baths, reuse towels and bed linen, turn down/off heating and air-conditioning when not required, turn off all lights and appliances when you leave your room. Respect local culture, traditions and wildlife My favourite trips to put together are the bespoke and tailormade, usually multi destination options. At Travel Counsellors I have access to 100s of suppliers and these include our directly contracted destination management companies (DMCs). Our DMCs are based locally, and I work closely with the teams both out in the destination that you want to travel to as well as the teams based here in the UK. Together we can piece together your perfect itinerary and include local excursions and experiences. Our DMCs are carefully chosen with sustainability in mind, therefore we respect local customs and traditions, but recommend that you do a little background research before you travel. Know how to appropriately dress and learn how to say hello, please and thank you. Not only do we aim to enrich your holiday with local experiences, but we only support wildlife tours with qualified guides where you can see animals in their natural habitats. We only support observation and not interaction, so things such as elephant riding or bottle-feeding baby tigers for example, won’t be on offer through me. Giving Back Many travellers would like to know if there’s something they can give out, instead of money, as a donation – for instance giving children pens for schools. If you would like to give back, consider donating to a local charity that is involved in social or conservation projects, or support the Travel Foundation, a charity with projects in many popular holiday destinations around the world. It's also reassuring to know that when you book with Travel Counsellors you are travelling with a company that actively supports and donates towards this charity too. So if you would like to plan your next holiday, honeymoon, family adventure or maybe a short city break or longer small group tour, but sustainability and travelling responsibly is high on your holiday agenda, get in touch today as I would absolutely love to talk to you about your options in more detail.

28 June 2023

One of my favourite sayings is, you can’t please all the people, all of the time! But actually…Italy does! Imagine quaint hilltop towns looking down onto sparkling Azure waters. Bimble through beautiful buildings and an abundance of art. Shop ‘til you drop in the likes of Milan or linger by lovely lakes. And then there’s the food. Enjoy vineyards and vino and pizza and pasta galore! Italy is one of my favourite destinations. Why? Simply because of its diversity in everything it offers. And so, I’d like to take you on a Grand Tour, from North to South. Venice: Venice really is the city of love and I absolutely loved getting lost in all of the beautiful streets, in and out of the trinket shops and of course no trip would be complete without a gondola ride. I absolutely loved the beauty of St Marks Square, but top tip – It’s expensive. Definitely enjoy it’s beauty, but maybe stop elsewhere for a coffee and cake!! Getting around on the waterways is easy, allowing you to see the sights including the Rialto Bridge. Bologna: Today, a trip to Bologna is where you’ll potentially have the best ice cream you’ve ever had!! Much needed after a sightseeing tour and exploring the Tuscan countryside. Tuscany and Pisa Your base at Montecatini will guarantee an amazing blend of beautiful scenery and historic architecture, famous for its thermal waters and can be considered one of the biggest “spa towns” in Italy. After a visit to The Leaning Tower of Pisa, enjoy the afternoon with free time or take an optional excursion to Lucca, a lovely city within the Tuscan region, a Renaissance city, with views of rolling hills and vineyards just within view outside of the surrounding circling walls. Florence: The best way I can describe Florence is ‘impressive’! Set in the beautiful region of Tuscany, yet it is a vibrant city that offers beautiful buildings with unique architecture and an abundance of art. No trip to Florence would be complete without a trip into the Uffizi Gallery. Orvieto: Heading south onto Rome, one of the best places to stop and break up the journey is the impressive fortress town of Orvieto. Rome: One of my favourite cities! I was blown away by the beauty of the Trevi Fountain and loved the Spanish Steps, and although without a doubt impressive, I was quite surprised at how much smaller the Colosseum is than I’d imagined. Make sure you take a day to visit the Vatican City. My top tip, make sure you pre book. The queues for a ticket are long and no visit to Italy would be complete without a look at the Sistine Chapel. The smallest in the world, you really do feel like you’ve been transported into another country. Make time to spend all day in here. The gardens are just as beautiful as the décor inside. Pompeii: Pompeii is a must Italian experience. It’s a fascinating history after being buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius 2000 years ago. When uncovered, 2 amazingly preserved towns were discovered. A fully guided tour will allow you to explore the once busy streets. Sorrento and Amalfi Coast: Overlooking the Bay of Naples, Sorrento is absolutely breathtaking. With its gorgeous hotels, you can choose to relax and take in the views, although I would highly recommend taking a boat over to the exquisite island of Capri, but make sure you have your credit card! The shopping is high end or if you’re like me, just enjoy a bit of window shopping! The Amalfi Coast offers the most picturesque and iconic stretches of coastline in the world with its picture postcode pastel buildings as you look down below to the sparkling azure waters. Sicily: Sicily sits at the tip of Italy and is easily reached from the mainland by a short ferry. The resort of Taormina is a dramatic clifftop location offering seaside activities down below. So, soak up the sun on the beautiful beaches or unravel spaghetti in a hidden trattoria. If you’re still feeling active after exploring so much of Italy, trek Mount Etna or retrace the footsteps of gladiators at Taormina’s amphitheatre. If you’re wondering how you can experience all of this in one holiday, travelling around is super easy, but one of the best ways to see Italy is on a group tour, with like-minded travellers all seeking the same travel experience, seeing some of the most incredible sights that you’d never be able to see when travelling independently. Our trusted travel partner Travelsphere and Just You offer amazing escorted holidays, providing the perfect balance of immersive experiences and free time to explore, relax and dine. These escorted holidays are the most incredible value for money, including flights, local transport and handpicked hotels, all at a 4 and 5* standard. Adding to that value for money is the expert holiday directors on every tour, with their knowledge and experience they make every holiday authentic, immersive and bring the destination to life. Maybe you’re a single traveller. Whether that be because you are single by status or you and your partner enjoy different holidays, with Just You, travel solo, but never alone. Being the market leader in solo travel you can share your sense of adventure with other solo travellers with NO single supplements and always in your own twin/double rooms, not a little ‘cupboard’ room!! This really is a whistle stop tour of Italy, with so much more that I could tell you about. So, whether it’s quaint hilltop towns, lingering by lakes, the must-see historic cities or the food glorious food! Get in touch today to discuss your travel preferences and I will find the perfect escorted holiday for you. **Thank you to my customers that have kindly shared with me their amazing photos of their Italian experiences shown here.

30 December 2022

So you've got engaged. Congratulations. Now is where the excitement of the planning begins, but the planning can be stressful. Maybe you've already bookd the big day and now you’re thinking about a fabulous honeymoon to follow. Maybe you haven’t booked the wedding as you want to say ‘I do’ with the sand between your toes. And let’s not forget about the hen and stag weekend. Whether you’re thinking of somewhere exotic, with sandy white beaches and crystal clear waters, or you want an experience like no other. Trekking through rainforests or maybe a safari. With city breaks from Venice to Vegas, sand or ski, land or cruise…the world is completely your oyster. With having years of experience with being in the travel industry since 2007, access to thousands of suppliers and completely flexible to work with you, I can book what you can dream in all four corners of the world., but here are 5 main reasons as to why you should book your honeymoon or wedding abroad with me. - 1 - A wedding without the worries From start to finish, I’ll manage all of the wedding preparations for you. Legal documents? Flowers? Guest accommodation? As your personal travel expert, I’ll take care of all of the admin. It’s one less thing for you to worry about! - 2 - A day created especially for you Whether you’d like to tie the knot on an island with pristine white beaches or in Central Park, New York, I’ll work with you to create your perfect wedding. I’ll take the time to understand what you like and what you don’t, and craft a wonderful wedding that’s unique to you. - 3 - Time to enjoy your big day Our unique service extends well beyond simply booking your wedding. I will work with you at a time that suits you and together with our duty office based in Manchester, I am on hand 24 hours a day from the moment you get in touch with your marriage plans to the moment you arrive back at your front door as a newly-wed. So you can relax and enjoy your big day. - 4 - Honeymoon Gift Registry Service No duplicate toasters. No lifetime supply of kettles!! Our unique Honeymoon Gift Registry Service allows your guests to contribute to your wedding and honeymoon. I’ll create a special online account for you, complete with your personalised message and photograph, and provide you with guest cards, thank you cards and a honeymoon keepsake box. Our Honeymoon Gift Registry service helps you enjoy those fine details and finishing touches like private transfers, VIP airport lounge passes and once in a lifetime excursions. Whether you’ve set your heart on a luxurious retreat to postcard-perfect faraway shores, a romantic city break or the ultimate adventure trip, the Gift Registry will help make it happen. All we ask for is a small commitment fee which will simply be deducted from the cost of your honeymoon when it’s booked. - 5 - Your money is completely safe Nobody protects your money like Travel Counsellors – in travel. Our independent Financial Trust and ATOL bond offers protection on every element of your booking. I'll even set you up with your own personal account, so that you can mak payments and spread the cost to suit you. Everything that you book with me is completely protected, so all you’ll need to worry about is what you’re going to pack!

11 December 2022

Las Vegas is one of those places that I think we’ve appreciated more since being back and looking at our photos! It’s also one of those places that you can’t understand the true scale of it until you see it for yourself! We had 5 nights and to be honest it was too long. It gave us time to venture further (see Grand Canyon below) and have relaxing days by the pool, but my recommendation would be 3 nights maximum. The hotels We stayed at The Luxor which is at the start of the Las Vegas Strip on the south side. Walking into the hotel for the first time to check in, we were absolutely blown away. We’ve stayed in many hotels over the years of all different styles and star ratings, but this was in a league of its own! You can’t comprehend the sheer size of each of these hotels, they are like a resort in themselves. Centred around the casino in the middle they all have a Starbucks, gift shops, lots of restaurants and of course, each hotel has its own ‘landmark’ or something unique to the hotel Did you know? The Luxor elevators are called inclinators. They transport you sideways at a 39-degree angle up to the 4 sides of the pyramid. Getting around The first day we walked the length of the strip and went into every hotel along the way. If you follow me on IG, check out my story highlights where you can see each of the hotels. Be prepared that the length of the strip is 4 miles long, so walking 4 miles and then in and out of each hotel…you’ll clock up your steps!! The quickest way to get from one end of the strip to another is the monorail. It starts at MGM Grand, and the last stop is The Sahara and has several stops along the way for each of the hotels. From start to finish the journey is around 18 minutes and costs $5 each ride of $13 for a day pass. The Stratosphere There are plenty of dining options in each of the hotels, but we had the most incredible meal in The Stratosphere, Top of the world. The restaurant rotates 360-degrees every 80 minutes, giving the most amazing views of Las Vegas whilst you eat Other dining options Each hotel has buffet dining options or various restaurants that open for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Each hotel also has a food court for typical things such as burgers, subs and fast food. Other options are out on the strip such as Denny’s, an Irish pub part of the New York and pizza stops. Of course if you're a lover of Italian then the Venetian is the place to go, but we had an amazing Italian meal in the A La Carte restaurant, Il Fornaio in New York New York. The New York was also my favourite for breakfast and done the best latte! Downtown Vegas on Fremont street offers loads of dining options and we also had a brillaint meal in the Golden Nugget. Entertainment Downtown was my favourite part of Vegas. Fremont Street was where Las Vegas all started and was exactly how I imagined Vegas to be. With street entertainment, neon lights and famous for The Golden Nugget and Heart Attack grill restaurant. The casinos here are really old school style and there's just as much going on here as there is on the strip itself. If you’ve never seen Cirque Du Soleil, then you must whilst in Vegas. We saw ‘One’ at Mandalay Bay, based on the classic hits by Michael Jackson. It was by far one of the best shows I’ve ever seen and worth every single penny. Other options are 'Love' which is based on The Beatles in The Mirage and 'O' in The Bellagio, which is an aquatic water spectacular. A little tip – the theatres are not as big as London’s West End, so you don’t have to buy the top tickets to get a good view. We also saw Usher at The Dolby Live. He was just brilliant, and an unexpected highlight was that Ne-Yo came on with him, but of course seeing a concert all depends on who is in residency at the time of travel. Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon What I hadn't realised about Las Vegas is how stunning the scenery is behind the strip. Driving away from Vegas and crossing into Arizona was just spectacular. Hoover Dam was just something we done as it was on route, but I was blown away by how amazing it is. Firstly, we drove to the Hoover Dam bridge. You don't have to be there long but it's well worth it. Parking is free in this area and the views are great once on top of the bridge. We then drove around to Hoover Dam itself where parking is $10 for 4 hours. Unless you want a guided tour, you don't need 4 hours! We had a brilliant lunch here in the cafe. It was a big meal, plenty of choice and reasonably priced. Again, views were amazing of both Hoover Dam, the bridge and Lake Mead. From Las Vegas to Hoover Dam was around a 45-minute drive. The drive on from Hoover Dam to Grand Canyon West Rim was just under 2 hours. We would have liked to have done the South Rim, but the journey was then an additional 4 hours. I loved the Canyon so much that next time and a recommendation for customers in the future would be to stay at the Canyon to break up the journey and have the time to experience more. The West Rim though was incredible and well worth the drive. We loved the skywalk, a 10-foot wide, horseshoe shaped glass bridge that is suspended over the Canyon itself. Once you have paid for tickets to enter the Canyon and optional skywalk tickets, your time there is free to stay for as long as you want. At the time we arrived, the sun was setting by the time we drove home and the scenery at dusk was just beautiful. Arizona is like being in another world! It's very rural and very much what you see in old American films with a few basic houses, a church, and the local gas station! Driving home in dusk we saw wild dogs and cattle come out on the side of the road. Many of my friends and regular customers know that Dean (my husband) is into his classic American cars and owns his own Camaro, so he was in his element driving a Dodge Challenger through Arizona, with old classics such as Chevy's on the side of the road and in people's gardens! Overall, the Grand Canyon experience was amazing and one of my favourite days during our 5 nights. If we had the car for longer, we would have done more, and we'll definitely return for a night or two on future American road trips for sure!

26 November 2022

San Francisco absolutely blew me away and massively exceeded my expectations. We stayed in the 4* Handlery hotel in Union Square. The hotel was fantastic, and I’ll definitely be recommending this hotel. Not only was it a brilliant, central location but it was a lovely hotel. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the rooms were spacious, comfy and modern. We didn’t have time to use the pool and spa facilities, but they’re there if you want them after a long day of sightseeing. Our flight arrived late afternoon so after checking in we just explored the Union Square area and then had 2 full days before heading to Vegas. I personally thought that 2 ½ days was a perfect amount of time for San Fran. We booked Alcatraz for one day and The Golden Gate Bridge for the 2nd day, and although these aren’t full day experiences, it allowed us to do them at leisure and really enjoy Fisherman’s Wharf both days, exploring the piers, have some lunch and then heading back to Union Square to stop for a few drinks before heading back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. If you have less time to play with, you can do these in one day and I’d suggest that you would need more time if you want to explore further such as Muir Woods, Yosemite, Sausalito or Napa Valley. If we did have more time I think I would have done a movie sights tour. I very much liked Union Square. It was almost like staying in the Covent Garden area of London. There are lots of shops and plenty of restaurants to choose from. A typical city area. Fisherman’s Wharf was much closer to the action in terms of the sightseeing. The boat trips to Alcatraz set sail from Pier 33 and Pier 39 is just a short walk along. Pier 39 is busy with tourist shops, lots of restaurants to choose from and is of course famous for it’s resident sealions! Pier 39 is fantastic for families as it offers attractions such as the aquarium, an arcade and carousel amongst other attractions. Eating out in San Francisco We had an amazing steak meal at John’s Grill The atmosphere was just as amazing as the food in Murphy’s Irish pub.. Café Mason is a very American style diner, and their breakfasts were amazing. Transport in San Francisco San Francisco has hills that are so steep that it’s not really advisable to walk too far. The cable car is iconic in San Fran, so a must really to get between Union Square and Fisherman’s Wharf. There are ticket booths at the start of the tram line, but tickets are cheaper by purchasing on an app called MuniMobile. From Union Square there are three lines that take you over to Fisherman’s Wharf. We took the Powell/Hyde line and stayed on until the last stop which is Hyde Pier. Hyde Pier is well worth a visit. The walk between Hyde Pier to Pier 39 is lined with loads of restaurants, street music and brilliant tourist shops. Hyde Pier is also the best place if you want to hire bicycles to get to The Golden Gate Bridge. Golden Gate Bridge We had decided that we were just going to walk the bridge, but as we started walking, we realised that we had definitely underestimated how far it was from Hyde Pier, so we headed back and hired bicycles from a place called Blazing Saddles. They have two shops in Hyde Pier, one along the main road of the pier and another at the tram stop. We paid a bit extra to upgrade to electric bikes which was $80 per bike for 2 hours, but options start from as little as $20. The price is capped, so if you go over your 2 hours you know exactly how much you will be charged for a later return. The guy in Blazing Saddles was really helpful. We were given a map and watched the route to cycle on a TV screen, so we knew exactly where to go and the best route to take to cycle past the marina harbour and the homes of the rich and famous and some of the route was along the beach which was lovely. San Francisco is notoriously known for being foggy and windy, especially in this area as it is so open. It was a cold day so we did invest in jumpers from the shop in Hyde Pier but there is a lovely coffee shop along this cycle route if you want to stop on the way there or back. Once you get to the bridge there is an etiquette to follow, but there are signs before you enter the bridge. The main things to know is that walkers take priority, and you must keep to the route on the right. There are viewpoints along the bridge for you to stop and take pictures. Once on the other side of the bridge we chose to come straight back, but you will also be given a map from Blazing Saddles if you want to cycle further into Sausalito where there are some lovely restaurants and wineries if you fancy a fancy lunch! Alcatraz I think it goes without saying that no trip to San Fran would be complete without a trip to Alcatraz, but I think it’s difficult to put into words how incredible this visit was and massively exceeded my expectations. A short ferry trip will take you over to Alcatraz Island, but it’s more than just a prison. The prison is of course at the top of ‘the rock’, but what I didn’t realise was how much there is to see on the walk up. I hadn’t given a thought to the fact that the prison officers and their families lived on the island, and you can see their communal areas and take an island tour before you even get up to the prison. Top tip, make sure you head round the back where the gardens are as this area will give you the best views of San Francisco. When you get into the prison itself, don’t just walk around. Get yourself some headphones and take the self-guided tour. The narrator of the tour is the voice of an actual prison officer that served at Alcatraz and you also here from some of the most infamous prisoners too such as Al Capone. The tour tells you exactly which way to walk and where to stop and start, making sure that you see ALL areas of the prison. I loved that you could go into some of the cells, the dining hall, the washroom etc and really get a feel for what life was like for those serving time on Alcatraz. The attention to detail and the authenticity of the tour was so good, that although it’s busy inside with tourists, you get lost in the tour as if you’re the only one in there. I really did enjoy Alcatraz so much more than I expected to. Once on the island you’re free to spend as much time on there as you wish, but we spent roughly around 2 ½ hours there. You cannot take food or drink onto the island, so we took a morning tour and then got the ferry back to San Fran in time for some lunch.

16 March 2022

Last week I had the pleasure of experiencing a day on board Virgin Voyage’s Valiant Lady. I absolutely love cruising and have had the pleasure of cruising on P&O and Royal Caribbean ships but I knew that Virgin Voyages offer a completely different concept to cruising and so I was intrigued to get on board and have a nosy around! So yes, it is a completely different style of cruising, but I absolutely loved it. So much so, that a post on social media just wouldn’t capture the day, hence putting pen to paper to write this blog. First impressions: For those of you who have cruised before, you’ll know that you usually walk into an impressive atrium. Virgin Voyages are a little different. Yes, it’s impressive upon walking in, but what’s different is that you’re straight into the bar area and live music. As soon as you step on board you get the feeling of luxury and elegance, but also a feeling that your time on board is going to be classy fun! Who’s it for: I would definitely be recommending this for a target market of around 25-45 years of age. It has a ‘hip’ vibe about it, so if you’re used to the traditional luxury of, let’s say a Celebrity or P&O cruises for example, these ships may feel a bit ‘party’. If you’re a ‘foodie’, this ship is Definitely for you and we’ll come on to dining later as it deserves a section of it’s own! Adult by design: Following on nicely from ‘who’s it for’, Virgin Voyages are all adults only. Unlike other cruise liners where they may offer families on board for certain sailings but be adult only for some of the seasons, Virgin Voyages were designed from the planning stage to be adults only all of the time and designed purely with adults in mind and you can see this in the detail: -Every balcony cabin has a hammock -Suites have their own music decks for your favourite vinyl’s whilst in your cabin -There are no buffet style eateries that may be popular with families. The dining is definitely catered for adults, with beautiful restaurants and stunningly plated food for the appreciative palette! An adult’s playground: It may be adults only, but there’s definitely a LOT of fun to be had on board. From walking in to the bar area and live music, you’re also on the same deck as the stylish casino. Entertainment starts during the daytime with incredible singers at the piano bar, guitarists giving Ed Sheeran a run for his money, a games area with plenty of board games and of course, enjoy a pre drink at the onboard pub and what I thought was really incredible was The Social Club. You’re very own games room with arcade games, air hockey, shuffleboard and more. The Red Room: No, this isn’t an extension of what I mean by ‘an adult’s playground!! The red room is the on-board theatre. I was fortunate enough to catch a show on board and it was totally different to what I’m used to from other ships. This is definitely a modern concept and has moved away from West End style shows. The team definitely put on a performance, but I would describe it as more of a Cirque Du Soleil style dance/drama. The show I saw was Duel Reality, a circus performance based on Romeo and Juliet, but other shows are very festival and concert styles. The Manor: The Manor is named after Richard Branson’s first recording studio. It’s THE place to be to party on into the evening. A two storey, three bar space where you can party into the early hours. Walking through the most glitziest of corridors is impressive before you’ve even got inside. Dining: What I was most impressed with about Virgin Voyages is that every restaurant is speciality, and every restaurant is included within the price you pay. I said earlier that the dining deserved a section of it’s own within this blog. It has over 20 eateries on board, all with stunning settings and even the casual pizzeria is classy and boasts an incredible Al Fresco dining experience for sunny days at sea. Talking of sunny days, the Ice cream at the ice cream parlour was delicious! I had the pleasure of dining in The Wake. It’s the steak and seafood restaurant offering the finest cuisine. I enjoyed a beautiful clam chowder, followed by fillet mignon with all the trimmings and to top it all off, a lemon cheesecake for dessert. It looked sensational and tasted the same. Definitely an Instagram worthy experience! Steak not your thing? Head to Razzle Dazzle for all things veggie or head over to Pink Agave for a Mexican experience. What really impressed me and what I’ve not seen elsewhere was The Test Kitchen. This is an experimental eatery with a laboratory concept. Make your own cocktails and plate beautiful dishes and be taught how to make them look incredible for your Instagram pictures before tasting these delicious creations. Well-Being: We’ve talked a lot about partying and entertainment, but there’s also room for plenty of R&R for both ladies and gentlemen. Take time to relax in the spa. There’s a separate room for manicures and pedicures with floor to ceiling glass to enjoy the views and for the gents, head to stubble and groom. For the more adventurous, never mind remembering the experience through photos…head over to Squid Ink and get a permanent memory inside this tattoo parlour. Your own space: So now you’ve read this, are you sold and ready to get on board? Then get in touch and ask me about a cabin that suits you. For something more modest ask me about the social insider, sea view cabins and the sea terrace cabin with balconies. All cabins have mood lighting, are spacious and are kitted out with the latest in cabin tech. Now let’s talk Rockstar quarters. The massive suite is very aptly named. I’ve never seen a suite quite so big and the balcony itself is bigger than my living room at home!! The Massive Suite allows you to relax in the lounge, play music in your own guitar room, has a bath and double shower, an outside shower, a jacuzzi and enough space to invite back the whole ship for your own personal party!! If you want a suite experience but not quite on this scale, the gorgeous suite or the corner suite are also big and just as impressive but on a smaller scale to the Massive Suite. Not sure which cabin to choose and which restaurant to dine in first? Don’t worry. That’s what my personalised service is for. Give me a call today and I can talk you through everything in more detail and find the right sailing for you.

24 November 2021

We didn’t plan to have a holiday this year, but given the past 18months or so we’ve had, the plans have gone completely out of the window, haven’t they?! Our last holiday was in 2019 for our honeymoon. Of course, we had other things planned in, a weekend to Dublin, 7 nights to Vegas but these have been put on hold because of the pandemic. So, after a busy few months of house renovations, home schooling, settling back to school and everything else that a pandemic throws at you, we decided we were desperate for a holiday! It didn’t have to be anything big, or a massive itinerary. Just a cheap and cheerful winter sun getaway to enjoy some family time, relaxation, a bit of sunshine and just get away from it all. This was my first time to Gran Canaria. We chose the destination as we wanted a week away in October half term with the kids and wanted good weather, and overall, I absolutely loved it! The Hotel: We stayed all inclusive in Servatur Waikiki in Playa Del Ingles. The hotel is a 3*+ and I think this rating is spot on. Aimed at families, it was perfect for us with the boys currently being 6 and 3. The facilities within the hotel were excellent. A lovely splash area, not only exciting for the kids but the sunbeds were close by to the pool so that we could relax and see the boys at all times. The splash pool was right in the middle of the football facilities, playground and kids clubs, so a perfect area for families with children to be. The main pool itself was very big and had more than enough sunbeds. My only criticism of the hotel, and one in which that can’t be helped is that because of the position of the buildings around the main pool, it blocks the sunshine at certain times of the day, so you find yourself following the sun and moving sunbeds!! But that’s me being picky Food was good. It was exactly 3* standard. Plenty of choice everyday and good, decent quality for everyone. The salad bar had lots to choose from, with main meals being cooked freshly in front of you. The dessert bar also had lots of choice and included fresh fruit every day. Playa Del Ingles: We absolutely loved the resort. We like to talk a walk and to eat out even though we were all inclusive. Playa Del Ingles had lots of shops, bars and restaurants to choose from and there was a fantastic supermarket right next door that sold absolutely everything. The beach was on a 5-minute walk from the hotel and was lined with lovely, touristy market stalls and more bars and restaurants. The brilliant thing for families is that there was a lift down to the beach, so no contending with steps and ramps if you have anyone with pushchairs or wheelchairs. Eating out: We had a couple of meals out. We headed to an Irish bar one evening, a tex-mex grill/steakhouse but also had traditional Spanish with calamari for example too. Prices were reasonable. I’d say what you pay for a meal here at home was the same as in Gran Canaria. We would average around £80-£100 for a family of four with the kids sharing a dessert. Puerto De Morgan: This resort is a must visit. We loved it here so much that next time I would consider staying in this resort. However, if you visit for the day, head there on a Friday as this is when the market is on. The markets sell everything from clothes and handbags to toys for kids and tourist gifts and souvenirs. It stretches all around the resort and the marina and if anything is just a lovely walk. Puerto De Morgan is itself a beautiful resort. I loved walking around and having lunch on the marina and the back streets have a wonderful Spanish feel about them. Well worth a visit. I would highly recommend Gran Canaria for families and couples for all ages. There’s something for everyone, but particularly great for a winter sun destination. So, if you’re thinking about a last-minute getaway or planning ahead into 2022, then get in touch as I’d love to tell you more about what the island has to offer and how easy it is to travel post pandemic.

13 May 2020

I started my business with Travel Counsellors in December 2019 and in total I’ve been in the travel industry since 2007. My career started with a company called Snowcoach and at the age of 18 I set off on one of their coaches for a 6 month stint in the ski resort of Val Cenis in France and worked as a chalet cleaner. Not the most glamourous of starts but I Iearnt to ski and had lots fun. The following summer I had a job lined up with First Choice as a holiday rep in Portugal. It was this summer that the merger between First Choice and Thomson began. I had such a great time in Portugal and stayed for two summers. I went on to do 3 years overseas, also covering Lanzarote, Halkidiki in Greece and another ski season in Italy. I came back to the UK and settled into retail at the age of 21 and worked my way up to store manager, covering 3 shops over a 3 year period. When my first son, Dexter came along in 2015, I took 9 months off and went back to the manager’s role, although it didn’t last very long this time around. I just felt that the things that I cared about before no longer mattered to me, and before children I would login to emails over breakfast and take work home to complete in the evening. Now that my little man needed help with his Weetabix in the morning and a bath and bed routine was firmly in place in the evening, I just felt that there weren’t enough hours in the day for me to keep up this role and swiftly stepped down to a part time travel advisor role. My second son, Bobby came along in 2018 and it wasn’t long before I’d had enough of the ‘flexible’ working with no set days, getting out late most days missing tea and bath time with the kids and generally working most weekends. When Dexter started school in September and you start missing things like the nativity play, it hits home that you’ve blinked, and they’ve turned 5 and enough was enough. I love the travel industry and despite the working hours I absolutely loved the job. I love talking to people about their holiday ideas, giving them my professional opinion and turning those dreams into a reality, and as much as being a Mum always comes first, I wasn’t quite ready to give up on work and the travel industry all together. I left Tui and did a short stint with Hays Travel, but just felt as if I’d jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire. The grass isn’t always greener and it certainly wasn’t in this case. Working from home had crossed my mind a few times over the years, but I just never thought that it could be possible. After much research, I stumbled across Travel Counsellors. After one initial chat and a visit to head office in Manchester, I was absolutely blown away by them. Their business model of ‘with us it’s personal’ was exactly what I was looking for. I was drawn to Travel Counsellors immediately as I loved the support team that they have on hand at head office and they have their own TC community where other travel counsellors come together both professionally and personally. I love that their busness model allows me to run my own business, offering fantastic holiday packages which are personalised to every single customer to suit their individual needs, but at a time that suits my clients and works flexibly around family life. Travel Counsellors have been in the industry for 25 years and without advertising or having a high street presence, they have built the business with care and referrals. Travel Counsellors have contracts and relationships with hundreds of suppliers, direct contracts with hotels and flights and what I love best of all is the relationship that they have with destination specialists in nearly every country. This means that I really can package anything together. Whether you want a simple fly and flop holiday or something as adventurous as staying with a local family, it can be arranged. There aren’t any destinations that I can’t get you to including city breaks, beach, ski and cruise. Within my many years in the industry I've faced many challenges such as the Icelandic ash cloud, terrorism, the collapse of Thomas Cook, Brexit and now Covid-19 to name just a few. I hope these challenges have taught me resilience over the years as well as the knowledge and professionalism to deal with anything that is thrown at us, as the travel industry is constantly changing. If you choose me as your personalised travel counsellor, rest assured that I will treat your travel plans as if they were my own. As well as my industry knowledge, I have been to lots of destinations, some of which you can read my blogs. I have travelled as a couple and a family with young children, so I can hopefully offer my own personal tips that I’ve learnt along the way. I'm also quite proud of the fact that I have a certificate in sustainable tourism, as we all have our part to play on keeping our planet in the best condition so that my customers can see it at it's best, and I can recommend which hotels and airlines to use if this is an important factor in your holiday plans. I like to offer personalisation to your travel plans where possible and offer a service at a time that suits you. I don’t work within typical office hours and I like to get to know my customers a bit more personally than you would find by booking with agents in a shop or online, to keep you coming back and referring me to your friends and family. I look forward to hearing from you soon and planning your perfect trip to anywhere in the world xxx

05 December 2019

I have two children aged 5 and 2, and let’s face it, just getting out of the house on time is not easy, let alone getting to an airport to check in on time. All parents have been in that nightmare situation in a restaurant or the local supermarket, when your little angel decides to have the mother of all meltdowns! Everyone’s looking, you don’t want to give in to them because that’s not how you do things but ultimately, you’re in public and the screams are loud! We live in a very accessible world now and of course we want our children to have the best experiences and see the world past the four walls of their house. I have travelled on many long and short haul destinations with both of my boys when they were as young as 18 months old. So, here are my top tips on travelling with children…. 1) First of all, allow plenty of time. If you are running late the kids will pick up on your stress. Plus, you’ll have lots of things to worry about when travelling with kids. Don’t add to your list. Plan a good time to leave and add 30 minutes 2) Buy a new toy. Don’t give it to them until the very last minute. If you can hold out until the seat belt sign goes on, then great. Wrap it up so it lasts a bit longer but hopefully a new toy can keep them occupied for a short while 3) This one’s more for babies still having milk but take a change of clothes for both baby and you. Sometimes the change in altitude can make them sick, especially if they’ve had milk during take off or landing. Take clothes for you as you don’t want to sit on a transfer bus covered in baby sick if they’ve been on your lap at the time of the incident! 4) Airlines are quite flexible on you taking milk through for babies even if it’s over 100ml but if in doubt you can pre-order on the boots website and collect airside once you have gone through security 5) On long haul flights embrace the in-flight entertainment. A lot of airlines now have fantastic kids’ films, cartoons and games that work in exactly the same way an iPad does 6) If you are taking your own devices, then make sure they are fully charged 7) Arm yourself with snacks. Not only are most kids kept occupied by a box of raisins and a bag of Pom Bears, but sometimes the in-flight snack boxes aren’t always available 8) Let them walk up and down. As soon as the seat belt sigh is off, let them go. Kids love to explore and hey, they can’t go anywhere! Pinning them into their seat is bound to cause conflict so, wander up and down with them. Most people love to chat to a toddler and make a fuss so a bit of respite from you entertaining them too 9) My biggest tip is to not worry about people around you. You’ve booked your holiday and paid good money to travel. Your children are entitled to be there the same as everyone else on the flight. Don’t get up tight about what others are thinking and if your little one cries the whole damn flight then so be it. There’s nothing you or anyone can do about other than have a large glass of wine at the hotel once you get there! 10) Lastly and most importantly. Enjoy it. Have a great flight. The flight is just as fun for the kids as the holiday itself so the chances are they’ll be as good as gold through all of the excitement

11 January 2020

With half term holidays being around every 6 weeks, let’s face it, to go away in any of the school holidays is costly. I recently calculated that for a family of four to see the Lion King in London’s West End is £237, Matilda £120 (cheapest tickets), roller-skating for an hour or so is £33, bowling £21, cinema £30, Alton Towers £125 and a meal out from £60. This adds up to an incredible £626.00 per family and doesn’t include lunch, snacks such as popcorn, travel, overnight stays, treats etc. I took my boys on a Royal Caribbean cruise last summer and the value and family fun are incredible. When you break down what you can spend by not holidaying in the half term holidays, a cruise is amazing value for money. -You can sail from Southampton – great if your nervous about taking kids on a flight and no restrictions on luggage Going ashore Other than days at sea, the ships sail through the night, meaning you wake up in a different destination every day. The days at sea allow you to experience the onboard facilities and then get out and about on all sorts of trips with the kids. There’s plenty to choose from and in some ports its safe and easy to get to places on your own. Many destinations will offer anything from all day sightseeing on a guided tour to shopping or beach days. Royal Caribbean offer trips into their exclusive island, a perfect day at Cocoa Cay, offering trips into the waterpark, adults only cabanas, the beach and swimming pools. Dining Imagine going to a good quality restaurant every night. We ate in the buffet restaurants a couple of nights and every breakfast as it was easier with our young boys and even these are amazing. A great choice of food at excellent quality. On all cruises you have the option to eat in the main restaurant, included within the cost. These offer a 3 course, menu style dining. Again, exceptional food but this time alongside exceptional service. During the day there are ice cream stations on most ships and the snack facilities are amazing if you don't want a big meal. My boys loved choosing from the Mexican station and eating it on their sunbed whilst watching the outside cinema. You do also have the option of other restaurants, a payable extra and a la carte in style. Sindhu restaurant is one of my favourites, found on board P&O. Other options include things such as Jamie Oliver's chops grille and Marco Pierre White. Entertainment The evening entertainment on most ships has a choice on each deck. From the British pub with karaoke, a robot serving cocktails at a bionic bar to the main theatre where the shows are as good as or sometimes better than west end and Vegas style shows. The theatres have plenty of room for families and one evening my youngest son absolutely loved sitting in his pushchair and watching the dancing on ice show. All Royal Caribbean ships have a royal promenade with a live band, shops, café style snack places and a bar. My boys loved the foosball table and giant jenga And then there’s the rest of the facilities…. Rock climbing walls, ice skating, break out rooms, bumper cars. Disney cruise line pull out all of the stops with the characters on board, Norwegian cruise line have contracts alongside Nickelodeon but to name a few. Teenagers will love their own clubs with playstations, the flowrider experience and even crazy golf for all the family. Whilst the kids are having fun, Mums and Dads are taken care of too with the spa, pools, adult only decks and lots more. We did allow our boys to go to the kids club and creche for a couple of nights so that we could enjoy a meal and a drink for just a couple of hours. The creche were fantastic in asking about routine, evening ‘putting them to sleep’ at their normal time. While the kids are busy the rest of the family can relax or take part in one of the many on-board activities for adults, safe in the knowledge that their children are close by, in good hands and having fun. Service On all cruise ships you can expect nothing less than the best service. You will have your own room butler to look after you throughout your cruise and will not only make up your room in the day but also the turn down service a night, complete with chocolates on the pillow. Everyone always says hello and greets you with a smile. You are always asked about your day, whether you have stayed on board, or ventured out on an excursion and there is always someone on hand to guide you when you're lost around those massive cruise liners! When we recently cruised with Royal Caribbean, we had just ordered our food in one of the main restaurants when our youngest son decided it was the right time for a tantrum! The restaurant Maître de made a point of coming over to us and said, I have grandchildren around the same age, We’ve all been there with our children, please don’t worry about noise or if he doesn’t eat, just sit back, enjoy your dinner, if there is anything he wants to eat, we’ll go and get it, if you need to go back to the cabin to get toys, we’ll keep your food warm. He totally put us at ease, and I think I’ll always remember his kindness as some of the best service I’ve experienced. When you consider what is included in the price; accommodation, travel, food and drink (varies per cruise line), on-board activities and entertainment, taking the family on a cruise holiday not only saves money but surpasses any other holiday option in terms of value for money.

05 December 2019

So, for those of you who know me will know that this year after 9 years, me and Dean finally tied the knot! For those of you who are close to us, you will have shared are wonderful day. Even more special than the wedding day was our fantastic, fully loaded, jam packed honeymoon! It was a total of two weeks starting off with 4 nights in Miami. From Miami port we sailed for 3 nights around the Bahamas, sailed back into Miami port and flew from Miami International to Cancun, Mexico for the last 7 nights. And we done all of this with a 4 and 1 year old in tow. (Check out my blog with top tips on travelling with infants and young children). Miami Miami was absolutely amazing and exactly as I expected from the pictures, videos and TV programmes. My favourite thing to do in Miami was without a doubt the Everglades. The boys were incredibly excited to ride on an extremely loud hovercraft with a V8 engine, going on the hunt for alligators! When I say boys here, I include my husband and not just the 2 children! Of course, you’re not guaranteed to see alligators as they are in their natural habitat and don’t ‘perform’ on demand for us tourists, but we saw plenty. Each time as exciting as the last. The other wildlife, flora and fauna that you get to see is also just as spectacular. We also enjoyed a boat trip around Biscayne Bay, where the guide will point out the homes of the rich and famous around star island. we even had the unexpected arrival of dolphins swimming along side the boat. Truly incredible. Navigator of the Seas and The Bahamas What can I say? From the second we walked up to the ship it was impressive. Getting on board was then just breath taking. The facilities on board are absolutely marvellous to say the least. With waterslides that go out above the sea, rock climbing walls, a whole deck for crazy golf, kids clubs for all ages and nightly and daily entertainment there really is something for everyone for all ages. The promenade deck is impressive with live bands, an English pub and an opportunity to join in with giant Jenga. You can even upgrade your cabin to overlook this promenade deck and watch the entertainment whilst you get ready for the evening. The Bahamas was amazing. We had our first day on Royal Caribbean’s private island know as ‘perfect day at Coco Cay’. And perfect it was. The kids loved the pirate ship and waterslides for their age. We had plenty of time here to also relax on the beach of pure white sands and crystal-clear waters as well as a swim to the swim up bar and back again to the built in sun loungers in the pool to indulge in a cheeky cocktail. All food was included as part of the cruise and was laid on at Coco Cay island so no need to go back to the ship for lunch and snacks. There were various restaurants and snack shacks to choose from on the island, depending on the activity you indulge in on the day. We headed back to the ship mid afternoon where we watched a movie from the pool before heading back to the cabin. You’ll be spoilt for choice for food and entertainment options on a Royal Caribbean cruise. The next day we had sailed over to Nassau. The capital of The Bahamas. It was raining and heavy storms that morning, but that didn’t spoil our fun. We had pre-booked a trip in a submarine. The highlight of this trip for me was sailing to get to the submarine as the tour guides pointed out homes of the rich and famous as well as the famous hotel Atlantis, The Palm. Fun fact… One of the rooms is know as the Michael Jackson room, costs £25,000 a night and is fully booked for the next five years. Back to the submarine though. This is a brilliant trip for the young and the old. You see lots of colourful fish and we were even lucky enough to see turtles and was a perfect trip for wet weather. Once it brightened in the afternoon we enjoyed the facilities back on board the ship. The boys particularly loved an afternoon nap on the pool hammocks. Mexico We definitely did the right thing with having the final week in an all-inclusive hotel, right on the beach. As incredible as Miami and the cruise were, we were all ready for some much-needed relaxation. Not the boys though. At ages 1 and 4 they were in their element with their inflatables on and blow up boat, jumping in and out of the pool. After a few days of laying on the sunbeds we did feel like we were getting a little cabin fever but a short 15-minute walk took us into Cancun centre where there is an abundance of shops and restaurants. We then got a taxi back as the middle of the day was too hot to walk back but it is extremely cheap for local transport with is being in Mexican Pesos. My highlight for Cancun and a must for anyone was a day trip to swim with dolphins. I was dubious about booking at first as I wondered if it would be a waste of money with the boys being as young as they are, but oh my gosh how wrong I was. We were picked up in the morning and transferred by boat over to Isla Mujeres with light refreshments included on the boat trip over. Everyone has different packages and therefore different time slots of when and where they go for their experience. Even waiting for your time slot is an amazing experience within itself. There are pools, bars with swings as seats, restaurants and areas to view stingrays and manatees whilst you wait with everything included in the price you have paid. With the boys being so young we just had the bronze package where you are in the water with the dolphins but you do a series of activities and games with the dolphin such as handshakes, kisses, belly strokes and other tricks as well as having photos taken rather than actually swim. Perfect for young families, any non-swimmers or someone like my Mum who would have spent hours on her hair and not wanting to get it wet! Overall our trip was certainly a once in a lifetime experience and a jam-packed trip put together because we wanted something incredible as it was our honeymoon, although I would recommend this to anyone. Although we got a lot in to a short space of time, everything was extremely easy, and we’ve made memories to last forever. Feel free to get in touch to chat about my top tips for each destination and discuss in more detail

27 December 2019

LA has been one of my most special holidays, for lots of personal reasons. We spent 10 days in LA in the month of March. Most people only spend three or four nights and I would say that this is more than enough in order to see the main sights. Our reasons for spending much longer in this vibrant city was mainly because my husband’s hobby is American cars and he wanted to spend some time buying a 1970 Camaro. My sister also met us here from Australia and we hadn’t seen her for 2 years, but otherwise a few days would be fine. My best bits: Hollywood walk of fame: Of all the sights, this was by far my favourite. Although only just over a mile long, I could have spent all day walking up and down finding different stars. Everyone who’s anyone has a star. From Mickey Mouse, Celine Dion, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Johnny Depp but to name a few. Muhammed Ali is the only person to have a star on the wall rather than on the floor so look out for that. The walk of fame is also where you can spot the famous Hollywood sign. Deceiving in the movies and famous photos as it is far in the distance, although there is a viewpoint to take photos. From the walk of fame, I would certainly recommend the hop on hop off bus option to take you on a tour around the homes of the rich and famous and onto Rodeo Drive, made famous by Julia Roberts’ shopping scene in pretty women. Not wandering down Rodeo Drive whilst in LA in the words of Julia Roberts would be a ‘big mistake, huge’!! Being a massive pretty woman fan myself, we booked a meal at the Beverly Wilshire. In the heart of Beverley Hills, the meal came with a celebrity price tag! We had a starter and main each, shared a dessert and had one alcoholic drink each and settled the bill just shy of $300. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience and made extra special, as this is where my husband proposed. Disneyworld. The original Disney parks. With two Disney parks to discover and explore, it’s on a much smaller scale to Florida, but by no means any less magical. With my son being almost two at the time of visiting, the size of the parks was absolutely perfect for his age. With lots of rides for the young and old including it’s a small world, monsters inc, bugs life, cars and many more, Minnie and Mickey’s homes to enter into and characters throughout the parks all day to meet and greet, the two days were incredibly exciting for us as adults as well as for my son. Knotts Berry Farm. Setup by the Knotts family who sold berries and juices at the side of the road. They became so popular and the queues became so big that they created entertainment for their waiting customers. The more popular it got, the bigger the theme park became. Home to Snoopy and his gang, this theme park is very similar to Universal. With much bigger rollercoaster rides, it’s amazing for adult thrill seekers and older children. It now has it’s own hotel and waterpark for a family holiday. Eating out: America is renowned for big portions and La did not disappoint on this front. Wherever you choose to stay there are plenty of restaurants to choose from at affordable prices. There’s Denny’s diner to Hardrock Café, and everything else in between for whatever you fancy and on any budget. Getting around: We stayed in Anaheim, which is right where the Disney parks are, and we walked from our hotel to Disney and to the main streets for the shops and restaurants. However, to see and do everything you want to, the only way is to hire a car. LA is an extremely big place and none of the main sights are close to one another, so to see everything car hire is best and a lot of places are either free or cheap to park.

17 December 2019

Whether you’re after culture or relaxation, luxury or local, Thailand offers it all. From ruined cities, ancient monasteries, Buddhist monks, Elephant hills, floating markets, moonlit beach parties, golden beaches or pristine coral reefs, Thailand offers something for everyone at excellent value for money. Where to visit and when: The rainy season in Thailand really varies from region to region, making it the perfect year round destination. I visited Phuket in June and we stayed in Karon Beach. We chose here because it has enough restaurants to eat somewhere different every night, it wasn’t buzzing with nightlife but Patong (which is) was easily accessible. Kata is the next resort along and offers beautiful beaches. We walked from Karon to Kata and then got a Tuk Tuk back. Self-catering or all inclusive?: I would definitely recommend a B&B option over all-inclusive. Why? Because the food is incredible, restaurants in abundance and the cost of living is extremely cheap. We were eating in resort restaurants at around £6-£10pp for large meals. If you hire a car or motorbike and go off the beaten track you can eat a good restaurant meal for around £3pp. My favourite dish was a Thai red curry, although some of the best food we tried was the street food at the night markets. A big tray full of food, BBQ style was around £1pp Just outside of our hotel was a man making different flavour crepes every night. We never ordered dessert as at 50 pence a crepe we indulged every night on our walk back to the hotel. Getting around: Not only are the local Tuk Tuks extremely good fun, they are super cheap. The Thai people are always parked on the side roads waiting for their next tourist to jump in so they are very easy to come by and will take you pretty much anywhere you want to go, so getting from resort to resort is easy. Where to stay: We stayed at the Centara Karon Beach Resort and Spa. With a children’s club and separate pool with water slides this is a great choice for families. A separate pool with swim up bar also makes it great for couples and the location is perfect. 5 minutes from the beach and right in the middle of the resort centre. My highlights: Phi Phi Island. I can only describe it as paradise on Earth. You can reach them by speed boat for adventure or a condor style boat for relaxation. The landscapes of Maya Bay are phenomenal, and it is where Leonardo DiCaprio filmed some of ‘The Beach’. You enjoy lunch, swimming and snorkelling for a perfect beach day away from the tourist resorts Phuket Fantasea: An incredible evening show in the palace of elephants’ theatre. A spell binding, Las Vegas style, acrobatic, theatrical show. But before this, get there early for the festival village shopping street, the tiger jungle adventure and the amazing restaurants all included in the evening. The elephants are also waiting to greet you as you enter the show. You can feed and interact with them which is a must do whilst here. Upgrading our room to a pool cabana room was definitely a highlight. With the private Jacuzzi out on our terrace, we looked forward to coming back for a quick dip every night. Thai massage: Whilst we stayed in a spa hotel, it’s far cheaper to have a massage in the resort. We had a spa day with a facial, manicure and pedicure and it only cost around £30.00 Places to consider: Bangkok. A bustling city and the only place to experience a floating market and a trip on the river Kwai. From Phuket you can get a local bus to Khoa Sok where you can experience a few days in Elephant hills. A luxury tent camp experience in the elephant nature park. From families, couples or honeymooners, Elephant hills has an experience for everyone. Chiang Mai offers everything from national parks for nature lovers and Buddhist temples for culture vultures. Soul seekers can experience a mindfulness morning where you can mingle with monks and find out about their way of living.

17 December 2019

Famous for rum, red stripe and Reggae, Jamaica is a fun filled island for everyone. Jamaica is the laid back, chill island of the Caribbean. With pristine white beaches and plenty of day excursions to choose from, we had a fantastic two-week holiday, mixed with relaxation and days out exploring. We stayed for two weeks in the fantastic Riu Ocho Rios. The all inclusive is brilliant with plenty to choose from in the buffet restaurant with live cooking stations but you can also choose to eat in the speciality Asian and Italian restaurants. Not only was the hotel directly on the beach but it is also a perfect location for Dunn's River falls. This was definitely the highlight of my holiday. 180 feet high and 600 feet long, Dunn’s River is the only waterfall in Jamaica, if not the world that you can actually climb. With rushing water, smooth rocks that the kids were sliding down and naturally carved out obstacles, the climb is incredibly good fun. Whether you’re a Bob Marley fan or not, a trip to Jamaica wouldn’t be the same without visiting the Bob Marley museum, 9 mile in St Ann’s. The bus journey up into the hills gives you an insight as to where he grew up, lived and went to school.The bus journey itself is good fun, with Reggae music playing all the way through the hills. Once at the top you can visit the resting place of Bob Marley’s mum, see his bedroom and sit on the exact same rock where he used to sit and lay for music inspiration. You can also visit his recording studio in Kingston, which is now lined with lots of memorabilia. 60 minute behind the scenes tours are also on offer, with an insight of the record-making process. If you’re a beach lover, then you should consider your stay to be in Negril. The stunning beach is a 7-mile-long paradise with clear blue, tranquil waters and some hotels offering butler service. Also famous for Rick's shack. A famous bar and restaurant located at the top of the 35 foot cliff top, enjoy breathtakingly, uninterrupted sunsets whilst enjoying a meal and a cocktail or two. Also watch the adrenaline junkies jump from the top of the cliff into the waters below! Cool Runnings fan?! Then you’ll love the opportunity to hop aboard Bobsled Jamaica, a high-tech, custom-designed bobsled that speeds you along stainless-steel rails on a 1,000-meter, gravity-driven thrill ride through the forest. If you would prefer a more chilled out day, then don’t miss out on a serene, bamboo raft ride on the 20 mile long river. A 2 hour journey will take you along 3 miles of the smooth river, with your guide explaining how the Martha Brae town has put Jamaica in the history books. My top tips for Jamaica: There are locals on the beaches offering their wares, hair braiding etc. Be polite and just say no Whilst out and about, don’t take anything handed to you. You will be expected to pay for them Try the jerk chicken. It originates in Jamaica and therefore is the best Use the Jamaican dollar, the exchange rate is much better. Although US dollar is widely accepted, I only used this for tipping Drink lots of rum and red stripe! Tip your waiter on your first day. He'll likely remember your order and you won't have to leave the sunbed for the next drink Sing along. Reggae music is played everywhere!