28 February 2023

The next day we visited Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon. Here’s another tip for you: Cars use the Lower Falls Entrance (closer to Mono Rock and General Sherman the world’s largest tree) and RVs use the Kings Canyon Entrance at the top. This entrance is about 90 mins further North, exactly the reason you can’t get an RV up from the bottom entrance. They do run shuttles but only from May to September. Another great day looking at nature and it’s still averaging 34 degrees with clear skies. Later we went swimming in the campground swimming pool and were invited to sit round a big camp fire with a dozen Americans had a few cans and listen to little bit of music. It reminded me of a previous trip when we were in Colorado with all the John Denver fans. Next stop, Los Angeles to stay at Walnut Campground, a lovely urban site with excellent facilities including a pool. This ground is in walking distance of a huge shopping mall so we spent the day shopping and sunbathing by the pool. We had a great meal out at our favourite American chain restaurant, Outback. A Blooming Onion to start, followed by Caesar Salad and a Steak. The next day was spent in Santa Monica, only 30 mins in an Uber from where we’re staying. We weren’t able to take the RV in as there was no parking near the front for large vehicles. If you plan to visit in a car, parking would be approx $20. This town has 22 miles of golden sands and is the official end of Route 66. There is a lovely pier that was quiet in the morning but extremely busy in the evening. Third Street Promenade is where you’ll find most of the shops and restaurants and there were plenty of places to rent a bike which many people were doing. A great day exploring. The next day, we took a full-day tour, starting at Santa Monica and included Beverley Hills, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Farmer’s Market, Hollywood Hills and Rodeo Drive. We thought this was the best and easiest way to see everything not having a car and it cost $90 each. Worth every penny. We got to drive past many celebrity houses, although many of them do live in gated communities which you can’t access. We got 30 mins to walk down the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and I managed to see two of my favourites John Denver and Bruce Lee. Then we had a lunch break at the Farmer’s Market - fascinating place with lots of different international eateries to choose from. We didn’t see any celebrities. Then we travelled up the hills to take pictures of the HOLLYWOOD sign. Finally, we walked down Rodeo Drive which is something else! Almost every shop had a security guard dressed in Armani suits and people queuing to go inside. I had to gently ease Mrs H in another direction or it could have been an expensive afternoon. A fascinating city which was well worth visiting to see how the other half live. Time to leave LA for Santa Barbara. It’s a 90 minute drive. The sunshine seems to have gone but it’s still mid 20 degrees. We’re staying at Santa Barbara Sunshine RV Park; it’s only a small park with no pool this time and 10 mins out of the town centre. We caught the local bus into town, only $1 each, and had a gentle stroll on the beach. The next day we took an Uber back in to Santa Monica. The town is quite quiet. State Street is where everything is situated – bars, shops, restaurants. There’s a food market every Tuesday with gorgeous organic fresh fruit and vegetables. It’s not cheap, but it is delicious. On almost every street corner there is a piano and lots of locals play, so the atmosphere is fun and lively. Santa Monica was generally quieter. Great for chilling and walking. Lots of water sports to watch from the harbour and beautiful beaches to explore. Back on the road again, 90 mins drive down the Pacific Highway 101 to Pismo Beach. The campsite is actually in Avila and has its own beach but also close to Pismo Beach, with State Beach perhaps only a few miles away. Mrs H tells me that we are here during the National Clam Chowder Weekend, with live music, entertainment and an opportunity to taste and vote on the best Clam Chowder in town. Great festival. Pismo beach is beautiful and really enjoying our time here. The town is very friendly with great fresh food markets and stunning coastal walks. Great weather for a beer. Moving on 2.5 hours drive along the beautiful coastal highway to Big Sur. There’s fantastic scenery with miles of steep twisting winding roads. You certainly need to concentrate in a large RV but a doddle if you’re in a car. We stayed in a forest in a campground called Big Sur by a river, no Wi-Fi so it was nice to be off-grid for awhile. We would have liked to have stayed another couple of days, but we were late booking and this and other campgrounds nearby were all booked up. We had lunch next to the river we’re some people sat on chairs in the river to eat, I’ll not only remember this place for its beauty but the smell of the pine and the forest. Our penultimate stop was 90mins away to the small seaside town of Carmel. We absolutely loved it here; full of character with a gorgeous beach. It is probably the most we have paid for a campground, Carmel by the River, but well worth it and I would pay it again. Our last place to visit, and the one we are most excited to visit, was Monterey. We saw the John Denver Memorial Plaque, this is where he died in a plane crash back in 1997. I fell in love with the houses on Ocean View Blvd and thought I might buy one until I found out they all cost around $3m, which is just a touch out of my price range. We visited the Aquarium, claiming to be one of the best in the world, and it was awesome. It was $40 entry fee and worth every penny, loved it. We walked Monterey Cannery Street which was full of unusual buildings and shops before heading to the harbour to see more seals. We saw Robert Luis Stevenson’s house and had fish and chips. We had late afternoon tea on Fisherman’s Wharf before walking down the road to the only British Pub we’ve seen all holiday, needing to rest our tied feet after 7.6miles of walking and of course had a couple of beers. One of the best days of the holiday and a great way to end before the drive back to San Francisco and home. If you would like to book a bespoke trip like this, please get in touch. These are my speciality. Next up: Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand – December & January 2022/23

25 February 2023

Here’s the latest instalment from mine & Mrs H’s travels around the world. This time: San Francisco, National Parks, Los Angeles - October 2022. It feels like ages since we had a big adventure. Firstly, I need to update you on a new development. There are three of us travelling now. TC (Travel Counsellor) Ted is our new companion. He’s already well travelled, having been to Paris & Rome with our granddaughters earlier this year, and now regularly travels with my customers too. Travel Counsellors enters anyone who uploads pics of TC Ted on their holidays to the TC socials into a Prize Draw so it is well worth the cost in bear snacks for the chance to win. Just ask if you want him to accompany you on your next trip. We travelled economy to Dublin and from there to San Francisco. There’s a 7hr time difference, so we needed to readjust on landing. But easy to do when it is 24 degrees and sunny! We stayed in the Chancellor Hotel Union Square which was well situated for amenities such as shops, restaurants etc and a Cable Car stops directly outside the hotel. Cable Cars are great value, especially with multi-day passes. We paid $30 for 3 days. The streets are unbelievably steep, but the Trolley Buses are great fun and save legs! Mrs H had chosen our first pre-booked tour, “The Love Bus”! We explored the streets of San Francisco in an old VW Campervan, listening to 70s love songs. We even dressed up! It was great fun and gave us our bearings, taking us round the top areas quickly. We saw the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street (famously known as the crookedest street), Mrs Doubtfire’s House (2640 Steiner Street for the Pub Quizzers amongst you) and The Golden Gate Park. In the afternoon, we walked to Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39; a must-visit for the bustling atmosphere, bars shops and restaurants. Because we knew there were certain things we wanted to see in our short time in San Francisco, we pre-booked all our tours. Our second tour was a smaller city tour (15 people) where we saw more of San Fran including City Hall, The Palace of Fine Arts, Chinatown, the Painted Ladies ($3-4 million dollar houses built in the gold rush, so called because they had to be painted a minimum of 3 colours) and many more. We travelled across the Golden Gate Bridge (too foggy for pictures!) towards the State National Park, Muir Woods, filled with thousand-year old Redwood Trees, stopping in a small town called Sausalito for lunch on the harbour. Smaller tours are great for seeing places in more detail, getting to grips with local history and getting the lowdown on the best places to go. We then went to Pier 33, which for me was a personal highlight. It’s where the boats depart for Alcatraz. The ride across takes about 20 mins and then the audio tour around the island takes about 90 mins. It costs around $45pp and HAS to be booked in advance as it is incredibly popular. You’ll be pleased to know the TC Ted got himself a black and white stripy T shirt so he looked the part, and he managed to escape! We finished this day by stopping at Pier 39 to see the seals. We purposefully left our last full day in San Francisco free, knowing there would be places we had seen on our tours that we would want to revisit in detail. Lombard Street, which we’d seen from The Love Bus, was one such place. It’s all crooked, like a slalom, and fascinating to see; pictures don’t really do it justice, although this video link https://youtu.be/zyyQWvXqJXs might help. We ate in “Eight AM”, voted the 2nd best restaurant in San Fran and had a delicious all-american breakfast. We were sad to leave San Francisco; we’d highly recommend and would certainly visit again. But, all good things come to an end, and it was time to pick up our RV (mobile home). As you will know from previous posts, we have done this before. Granted, it’s not for everyone and like everything, has great advantages and disadvantages. We love the flexibility of it – being able to stay longer in places you like and move on from those you don’t. This RV is bigger than our previous one (turns out that bear takes up some room), so I was slightly apprehensive about manoeuvring and parking. Our first stop was Yosemite Lakes RV Campground. The scenery on the drive was breath-taking, even if the steep drive on the way was a bit hairy at times! In total, we spent two days in Yosemite National Park. I’d say this had to be the best scenery I have seen anywhere in the world. Miles and miles of granite rocks, forest, waterfalls and hiking trails. An absolute must for all nature lovers. El Capitan, a huge granite rock which towers above the woodland, was full of climbers. The weather had been hot and dry, so the waterfalls weren’t as heavy as perhaps they might have been. If you plan on visiting a few National Parks, it is well worth it to buy an annual membership at only $80 per year per vehicle. It would have cost us $35 Entrance in Muir Woods (San Francisco), $35 in Yosemite (and we’ve been for 2 days) and we still have on our itinerary Sequoia Park, so the Yorkshire man in me was chuffed at the savings. You have to make a reservation during peak season (May-Sep) to enter the parks and Yosemite also had a free shuttle bus around the various routes. TC Ted was particularly pleased about free access into the woods. He was often disappearing into them, muttering about having some bear business to attend to… Our next stop after Yosemite was Lemon Cove Campground, just outside Sequoia National Park. 4 hours drive down the mountain and on to the state highways. When you holiday in a RV you have the choice to stay in campgrounds, costing around $70 per night as the time we travelled, which allows you to use all their facilities (washrooms, showers etc) and connect to their water supply, electricity and soil waste. All campgrounds do vary, some with better facilities than others, some cost more than others and the other option, of course, is you can just park of road but do make sure you are allowed.

14 January 2020

On leaving Rathambore, we set our sights on Jaipur, approximately 4 hours away on a fantastically scenic route through small towns and villages. Jaipur is the largest city and capital of the Northern State of Rajasthan. This city is very different to Delhi and Agra; much more modernised with a better road system but still extremely busy and crowded. All the internal city walls are painted in terracotta, giving it the name “The Pink City”. This, along with Delhi and Agra, forms “The Golden Triangle” which are India's most popular tourist destinations. In Jaipur we visited The Amber Fort, situated high on the hillside, featuring decadent mirrored Hallways and lush Gardens and Courtyards. Definitely worth a visit, but it does get crowded as it’s a very popular tourist attraction. My favourite part of Jaipur was the Walking Street Tour. We did this in the early evening with a guide. We mingled with the locals, sampling some of the local cuisine including Samosas, Kulfi, Lassi, sweets and ice cream. There were lots Arts & Crafts which is all so much more fascinating to see with a local guide who can explain and translate. We met a man who re-plated old pots and pans over a charcoal fire by hand which was quite a spectacle to watch. There was a Wedding Fayre taking place so there were hundreds of people buying cards, dresses, outfits, home utensils etc. A great cultural experience. On our last day in Jaipur we visited The City Palace and the Jai Singh Observatory. The Observatory was superb. It houses 18 observational instruments which have been used for hundreds of years to accurately measure the position of the sun, star and planets and are still fully functioning today. Some real, working history. From Jaipur we flew to Varanasi to see the Ganges. The Ganges is a very sacred place, and our first experience of it was a Thanksgiving Festival which was interesting to watch, despite not really understanding some of the rituals involved. The next day we re-visited at sunrise, approx 5.15am. The Ganges is a pilgrimage destination for many Hindus, so even at this time, many were bathing to wash away their sins Most interestingly, many Hindus choose to spread the ashes of their loved ones in the Ganges and up to 200 cremations can take place daily. To keep things balanced, in the afternoon we visited Sarnath which is one of the most important Buddhist Pilgrimage Centres in India. It is here where Buddha first began teaching. There is a beautiful garden, large commemorative Stupa (large mound) and museum to walk around. And after nearly a fortnight's worth of sight-seeing, we thought rightly that we would be ready for a rest! So we factored in almost a week in Goa to finish our Indian adventure. Goa is an incredibly popular beach destination with golden sand stretching for miles. The main Beach Season in Goa is October to April where the temperatures are around the mid to late 30’s. It's a dry heat, rather than humid but watch out for the mosquitoes! It is very clean and unspoiled, the sea is lovely and warm and there's lots of beach shacks to get very cheap beers and snacks. There are three main resorts: Baga Beach, Candolim Beach and Calungute where we stayed in a small, modern boutique hotel right on the beach. All the resorts are all next to each other and all very much the same. The towns can be lively, if you want them to be, so can cater for the young but the older ones like me can just relax and eat in the vast array of restaurants. Like most major resorts, you can get any international foods you like, but of course the main dishes are Indian so if you like Indian food there’s no better place. We spent roughly £20 on average for Indian starters, mains, sides and a few beers, so I would recommend accommodation of B&B only. We really enjoyed India and are so glad we maximised our time there with the help of the Travel Counsellors network. I genuinely don't think the holiday would have been as authentic doing it another way. Some of the best experiences were because of the local information and contacts. The highlight was certainly the Taj Mahal, but all of our destinations offered something unique and different. When all western cities have the same shops and attractions, there is something very special about walking in parts of the world that haven't changed in hundreds of years.

14 January 2020

If you follow my travels, you will notice that Mrs H and I love to have an adventure; travelling to all parts of the world in different ways. India was next on our list and after the usual initial research of all the highlights and "must-sees" on offer that we all do when starting to plan a holiday, I contacted the Travel Counsellors India Specialist Destination Management Company Trail Blazer. They helped me plan the perfect itinerary and timescale, offering ideas and suggestions and most importantly putting it in a logical order. Specialist advice, usually direct from locations, is a unique and superb resource I have for all destinations and means I can always get any client exactly what they want from their travels. Travel Counsellors have very high standards for all partners such as Trail Blazers and it shows; all the guides were local with exceptional knowledge and they even provided us with a local mobile phone and SIM. We flew out with Qatar Airways, changing in Doha and arriving at Delhi. We had a 30 minute private transfer to the Hotel Lalit in New Delhi. I am so glad we had this transfer as the roads are very chaotic with little control and hundreds of bikes, tut tuts and cows everywhere! Much better to be a spectator than a participant. The next day we took our first trip on a Rickshaw Tour of Old Delhi. It was lots of fun zipping in and out of all the traffic. We stopped at the Spice Market and did a food tasting which featured local samosas, curries and rice for lunch. In the afternoon, we toured some of the sights including Humayan's Tomb, Qutub Minar the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Rhashtrapati Bhaven (where the President lives). I even got to see some local sport. Have you heard of Kabaddi? It's a really intensive contact team sport for 2 teams of 7 players and bonkers to watch. There's even a Kabaddi World Cup. It's well worth a search on YouTube. The next day we moved from Delhi To Agra by train. I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive about train travel in India, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be! The train was clean and spacious, set off on time and having booked first class, we got a reserved seats and a breakfast included. Certainly not like first class at home, but definitely acceptable. We were met by a driver and guide when we arrived at the station who transferred us to the Hilton and later that afternoon took us to see some of the sights. We saw the Red Fort Walled City, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, followed by a visit to the Tomb of Itimad-Ud-Dylan (known as Baby Taj). Both very interesting and well worth a visit. Then we went to the Taj Mahal. Wow. No wonder this is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It was absolutely breath-taking. As a person who is not really into temples, tombs or monuments this was seriously one of the most magnificent things I have ever seen on my travels. It has to be seen to be believed. Mrs H did the obligatory Princess Diana photograph on the bench in front of the Taj and, might I say, looked very beautiful indeed. The next day, we left Agra and the beautiful Taj Mahal and travelled to Rathambore to go on safari. On the way we stopped off at the Marble Factory which, many many years ago, provided the marble for the Taj Mahal. It was amazing to see how they hand grind different coloured stones and insert them into the marble. And such a long process; we purchased some marble coasters to take home which had taken one man a month to make. We also called at the ancient city of Fatenpur Sikri, home of the Mughal Empire. After approximately 3 hours, we arrived in Rathambore and checked in at The Tigeress Hotel. It was very nice indeed, and unusually luxurious for a safari hotel. First class service and excellent amenities. I would highly recommend. Then onto the safari! If you haven't been on a safari, the normal practice is two game drives a day - early morning and late afternoon. We booked an open top Jeep that would take between 2-6 people, with each game drive lasting around 3 hours. On this particular safari, the main attraction was tigers and leopards, plus other native animals and birds including sloths, deer, peacocks, wild boar and mongoose. As we went in early October, after the monsoons, there was still plenty of water and high grass so it is a little trickier to spot the well-camouflaged tigers. I have been on a few safaris now and have always been lucky enough to see everything I wanted to see but on this occasion no tigers. The mantra stands true: You can book a safari, but you can’t book the animals. Before leaving, we attempted one last game drive in the hope of seeing the elusive tigers, but sadly they must have been out to tea elsewhere. The best times to catch them are between November and February.

22 March 2019

As you know, we love doing something different on holiday. A few years back, we enjoyed organising our own USA self-drive, visiting Aspen, Denver, South Dakota, and Montana. We absolutely loved the freedom and flexibility of creating our own tour. The only thing that could have made this trip better would have been an all-American RV… So, using a well-established and highly recommended company, Cruise America/Cruise Canada RV Rental and Sales, we got in touch to see how to make this happen. They provided all the help and advice required for any first-time users and even had their own comprehensive 25-minute video to watch on their website before we travelled. These types of holidays take a lot of organising. But this is part of the fun. We looked at many pre-planned routes and picked one we liked, then set about tweaking it to suit our exact requirements. We created our own “must do” list, checked out Google Maps and started planning times, distances and campgrounds (so we could hook the RV up). KOA and GOOD SAM Campgrounds are great, but did you know you can also legally stay in the car park of a Walmart at a Manager’s discretion? Interesting fact, but it didn’t really fit with the scenic campsites and vistas we were hoping for! We arrived in Orlando and booked a hotel for the night. We didn’t want to set about driving straight away with jet lag, plus the RV collection is lengthy (approx. 2 hours) as there is a lot to explain and paperwork to complete. Our first leg was Orlando to Perry KOA Campground (200 miles). This was our first overnight stay in the RV and we’d chosen a very rural campground with all the facilities we could need. Even a swimming pool. Debbie and Brian (the camp owners) were brilliant and showed us the ropes and made us feel very welcome. Next to the Gulf Shores, Alabama. We stayed at the Island Retreat Park. This campsite was great and had all the usual facilities including laundry rooms and a swimming pool. This was a popular visitor destination for the locals, which wasn’t surprising given the miles of clean, white sandy beaches and the mid-30s temperatures. Lots of fantastic, local bars and restaurants to relax in. Then New Orleans! We stayed here for three nights. This is an amazing, lively city with so much going on. Because of this, we chose a campground outside of the city and caught a shuttle in daily so we could benefit from dipping in as we liked. Often in cities, we get a “Hop On/Hop Off” bus pass, but we had inside information that the Streetcar (Red and Green Trams) had a better route. And it only cost $3 a day. There wasn’t a commentary on the tram, but we found other ways to learn more about the city. We did a self-guided walking tour around the Washington Ave area using the green Streetcar. Super safe and very interesting. When in New Orleans, you simply must visit the Bars on Bourbon Street, which all have a variety of bands and musicians playing throughout the day and night. Great atmospheres. You can also do Ghost or Voodoo walking tours, hire a horse driven carriage around the city or explore the city by boat. I loved the Natchez Mississippi River Paddle Steamboat Cruise. There was a brilliant live band, and for a small supplement, you can also have dinner on-board. Next up, Memphis! We had to do Memphis – home of Elvis and the Blues - as part of our Deep South experience. We stayed at The Graceland RV Park which was only a 5-minute walk from Graceland itself and the museum. The town is only 10 minutes in a taxi and approx. $15. For entertainment, Beale Street is the place to be with many bars playing the Blues into the early hours. The best tour we went on was the Mo Jo Music Bus and a visit to Sun Studio - I can highly recommend. You can also visit the Civil Rights Museum, visit The Peabody Hotel to see the famous Ducks and even see the hotel where Martin Luther King was shot. And finally, Nashville. This was the much-anticipated highlight of the trip, helped of course by being a country music fan. We stayed about a 10-minute drive out of the city and, like most campgrounds, they provided shuttles in and out of the city for a small charge. New Orleans and Memphis were busy, but these had nothing compared to Nashville! We did a “Hop On/Hop Off” Bus on the first day to see the sights of interest and work out where we wanted to visit again later. There are over sixty bars on Broadway 4th & 2nd Street, all playing live music 24/7. If the music in one wasn’t your thing, you could simply go next door! So many places to see, including The Ryman Auditorium, Tootsies Bar, The Johnny Cash Museum, Hattie B’s Chicken Shop, Music Row Recording Studios and The Grand Ole Opry House. The Grand Ole Opry is something else; it’s the home of country music and anyone who is anyone in country has performed there. We saw a show celebrating their 93rd birthday and saw a range of stars from past and present. Absolutely brilliant. After two and a half weeks touring, we could have dropped the RV and flown home from Nashville, but we decided to leave the bright lights and instead head up to the beautiful scenery of The Great Smoky Mountains. The lakes, rivers and mountains were truly stunning and full of autumn colour. We then travelled through South Carolina and back into Florida travelling down the coast to a place called St Augustine, on the south east coast. It is said to be the oldest continuously occupied settlement of European origin in the United States. A great final destination; one of those little, gems that you occasionally find on holiday and know you will always remember. We absolutely loved this trip and our ability to plan the perfect route and the flexibility to change it when we were there based on new things we were finding out. A great US adventure which has inspired us to create more trips like this elsewhere in the world. Fancy your own adventure? Here at Travel Counsellors, we specialise in doing these sorts of bespoke holidays for you. However you want to travel and wherever you want to stay, we can get involved as much or as little as you like. If time-consuming planning isn’t your thing, just give me your “must do” list and I can create you the perfect itinerary.

07 July 2017

Mrs H and I booked this one last minute; Marrakech has always been somewhere we wanted to visit plus the resort we stayed in had the perfect mix of quiet and lively to suit all moods and occasions. Plus Mrs H is always a big fan of a bit of sunshine and with temperatures reaching in the mid-forties some days, she certainly ticked that box! Don't forget your sun cream! Our hotel was the Club Med La Palmeriae on an all-inclusive basis for 7 nights. The complex is huge and spacious and very well thought out. All the accommodation is situated at one side of the grounds with the main reception in the middle and the restaurants, sports and activities at the other side. This meant that those wanting some peace and quiet could relax, perhaps around one of the pools near the accommodation area (some of which are super quiet as they are designated for adults only), whilst the other end of the site contained all the action. The restaurants were good; the usual buffet style you get in all-inclusive resorts but with a good variety every day. I’d certainly recommend it for families especially as all the sports are included. Activities such as Golf, Tennis and Archery or even Trapeze are available on a daily basis. (Incidentally, for a man in his sixties, it turns out that I fly through the air with the greatest of ease…). There’s also lots of entertainment both throughout the day around the pools and Shows etc on a night. There’s even a night club for those wanting to carry on until dawn. We were really excited to visit the Town. The “Jemaa El Fna” Square is a must-see place to visit where the architecture and atmosphere combine all the cultures that have settled here to create something truly unique. If you go during the day, it is quieter so you can visit the Mosques, Palaces or Gardens or the maze of market stalls (souks) selling shoes, cloths, spices, leathers, pottery, jewellery, lamps - practically anything! A real shopper’s paradise! Be prepared to haggle as you can get them down to around a third. Some can be a bit pushy but it is so busy that they quickly move to the next customer. By night the place transforms as many thousands of people gather in the square in the cool of the night, often until the early hours of the morning. There are all sorts of sights, sounds and smells to experience such as Snake Charmers, Gambling and even Street Fighting. Just be wary when taking photographs as many locals will want paying if you take a picture of them. Other sites to see include the Atlas Mountains which can be done a half day or full day long coach journey featuring some fabulous scenery, with other local village stops on the way depending on the type of tour you choose. The Majorelle’s Garden and Bahia Palace are well worth visiting not just as a point of interest but also for some local history about the city and its culture. Want to know more? Call me on 07714 850301

19 December 2016

This was another spectacular trip, planned especially as part of our 40th wedding anniversary celebrations. We started the holiday at The Vineyard Hotel which is situated just outside of Cape Town at the bottom of Table Mountain. The hotel was lovely with two great restaurants and gorgeous gardens. I made sure to request a mountain view to make the most of the great location. As usual, we squeezed a lot into the holiday, finding that the hotel was perfectly placed as a good base to explore from. We'd also hired a car and found this a great, flexible way to get about, especially as they drive on the same side as the UK! First we visited Boulders Bay which was approximately 50 minutes away. Here we saw penguins in their natural coastal habitat, nesting in the rocks. I had a great time photographing them and we could park all day for only a nominal fee. Table Mountain is a must-see. A top tip here is to check daily with your hotel reception about the weather; the height of the mountain can make for variable conditions. Also, it is best to visit in the morning when queues for the cable cars are significantly shorter. There are also walking routes for those wishing to scale it on foot. We had a very relaxing day at Camps Bay which was approximately a 40 minutes’ drive. This is a lovely, peaceful coastal resort which is perfect for those wanting a bit more relaxation. We briefly visited the waterfront in Cape Town. It is very lively with lots of bars, nightlife and entertainment. Most interestingly, we visited Robyn Island which is accessed via boat. This was a definite highlight for me; the guided tour around the camp and Nelson Mandela's cell in particular was superb. The tour also included a 15 minute talk from an ex-prisoner which really added an extra dimension to the experience. We couldn't come all the way to South Africa without factoring in the fabulous vineyards and letting Mrs H sample one or two! We moved from our hotel to a small boutique hotel in Stellenbosch which is approximately two hours from Cape Town. Stellenbosch has over 365 vineyards! We organised a private tour with the hotel reception which meant we were driven around a number of different vineyards at a very relaxed pace and had a great time! We loved South Africa and will be definitely returning; maybe the Garden Route next time? Want to know more? Call me on 07714 850301

19 December 2016

The Big Apple has always been on my bucket list, so Mrs H and I took the opportunity to take two of our oldest grandsons (aged 14 and 16) with us for a whirlwind tour of the city that never sleeps. The young H's were very excited and I'd highly recommend NYC as a great destination for teenagers. We flew into JFK. I'd pre-organised transfers but it is easy to grab a big yellow taxi straight into Manhattan which is approximately 60 minutes away, depending on traffic. Having booked many trips for customers to NYC, I knew exactly the right kind of hotels to match our needs and budget. We wanted to be right in the very heart of it so we opted for The Crowne Plaza in Times Square. Like most city centres across the world, unless you are paying top prices, the bedrooms tend to be on the small side but the location was unbeatable. We crammed an unbelievable amount in to our four night trip. An open top bus tour is a great idea in order to get a quick grasp of where you are in relation to the sights and they are very flexible as you can hop on/hop off as often as you like. Times Square was awesome both through the day and at night once the dazzling lights are on. And with Broadway just around the corner we had millions of entertainment and dining options right on our doorstep. Central Park was a particular highlight and unbelievably huge with lots to do including ice skating, horse and carriage rides and Strawberry Fields (The John Lennon Memorial) which Mrs H especially enjoyed. We caught the free ferry to Staten Island to visit the Statue of Liberty. Here's a top tip: stand on the right on the way out and the left on the way back in for the best views and photo opportunities. We also visited The Rockefeller Center, the 9/11 Museum and The Empire State Building. Plus, the young H's wanted to get some shopping in too. The Apple Store is huge and they loved exploring this as well as stocking up on a few designer labels from Macy's, Bloomingdale's and Century 21. We also managed to squeeze in a Broadway show, an American Football game and some great steak restaurants. There was no way we could do everything in our short trip, but we gave it a good go! Want to know more? Call me on 07714 850301

19 December 2016

This was a very exciting, bespoke trip that I created to visit some special places for us whilst celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary. And to tick more destinations off the bucket list! We landed in Denver and began a beautiful road trip over the Rocky Mountains to Aspen. The drive was stunning; the autumn colours made for some fabulous scenery. We even saw some snow on the mountain tops which were picture perfect. Aspen is truly fabulous. It is known as a great, exclusive destination for year-round outdoor recreation balanced with a glamorous downtown full of designer shopping and high-end restaurants. Everywhere was gearing up for their busy ski season which runs from December to April. However, we had particularly chosen Aspen to join the John Denver Anniversary Events. Mrs H and I spent an amazing week singing around campfires, walking along the river and visiting the John Denver Sanctuary. After Aspen, we drove to Mount Rushmore, stopping in places like Cheyenne and Deadwood which gave us a quick taster of the cowboy lifestyle and country music. A highlight of the drive was the Black Hills which gave us ample opportunity to enjoy the scenic views and wildlife that we love. Mount Rushmore is seriously stunning. The four President's faces took four hundred people forty years to complete. We paid the small entrance fee to the museum which was well worth it for the history and the close-up views. We stayed for a few nights in Rapid City, using this as a base to further explore the mountains. We also managed to attend a Rodeo which was very exciting. We finished the trip seeing the Battlefield of General Custer's Last Stand for The Battle of Little Big Horn. I really enjoyed creating this trip; researching all the places we specifically wanted to go and then finding the best way to get it into our personalised itinerary was a great challenge! The USA lends itself superbly for these bespoke sorts of trips and I can't wait to do more. Perhaps a music-themed holiday in the Deep South - visiting Memphis, Nashville, Jackson and New Orleans? Or the famous Route 66? Or some "Bays, Vineyards & Waterfalls" - visiting San Francisco, Napa Valley, Yosemite and Monterey? The options are endless! Want to know more? Call me on 07714 850301

30 November 2015

HELP! The streets are flooded! Finally! I got to visit Venice! This has been on my list of places to visit for ages and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I visited in September when the weather was pleasant and not too hot which made strolling through the narrow, winding streets very pleasant and eating al fresco just lovely. Venice is truly gorgeous; the architecture is stunning and the miraculous way the city appears to float upon the water has to be seen to be believed. Apparently, you are never more than a short distance away from one of the 340 bridges that cross the magnificent canals that form the infrastructure of this stunning city. There are many beautiful Churches & Museums to visit, the Doge's Palace as well as the famous St. Mark's Square. Art & culture is in abundance, as is the ice cream (gelato)! Tours, trips and concerts can be sourced locally - try your Hotel Reception for options - or can be arranged in advance. There are many wonderful places to stay in Venice, ranging from cosy Boutique Hotels to large, luxury 5* Hotels. Due to the compact nature and layout of the city, the majority of accommodation options luckily have views of the canals. We chose to stay in a B&B as we wanted to spend our time exploring rather than relaxing on this trip. Mrs H enjoyed arriving at the Hotel in style via Water Taxi, which dropped us right at the Hotel Reception. Plus a B&B option gave us ample opportunity to sample lots (and lots!) of fabulous Italian food! My waistline is still recovering... And, of course, you can’t go to Venice without going on a Gondola. Yes it was expensive (better to try and share to save costs, but perhaps the romance factor won't be exactly the same?!). But be careful! There are some artificial Gondola’s charging the full rate. How can you tell the difference? You'll have to give me a call and I’ll let you know.

29 May 2015

Just enjoyed an 19 day holiday in China which included visiting many of the wonderful sites Shanghai, Beijing, The Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors, Nine Village Valleys, Chengdu (the Pandas) and stopping of in Hong Kong for three days on the way back. I have to say this has been long on my list of places to visit for a long time and it didn’t disappoint me. Shanghai Is a very busy city with over 26 million people so you can imagine how busy the roads are with many cars often causing traffic congestion. In the city we went on the fastest train in the world in the Bullet reaching 431kph also the quickest lift in the world 88 floors in 42 seconds. Beijing Very similar to Shanghai heavily populated with many cars on the road. Here we visited Tiananman Square which holds 1 million people, the historical sites of The Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and the Imperial Gardens all which are steeped in history. My favorite was the Great Wall this was absolutely amazing, to actually climb part of the wall and see it from the top it stretches for miles Xian The Terracotta Warriors was again one of the highlights of our holiday and understanding the story of how they were found. Nine Village Valleys. This reminded me of my visit to Canada a few years ago the scenery, mountains, colours and beauty will forever be in my memories. According to the tourist board it is the number one place visited in China by the Chinese. Chengdu We couldn’t visit China without seeing the Panda’s wonderful animals in danger of extinction but now, thanks of the Centre, the population is on the up. They have now even managed to put two back into the wild were they are monitoring them very closely. Hong Kong Very much more westernized because it once was part of the British Colony. Shopper’s paradise if you like shopping and want a bargain then this is the place to go. A gentle sail on a Sanpan is well worth going on and of course the tram that takes you to the top of the city were you can see the splendid views. So if China's on your bucket list and you fancy a visit I have plenty more information I can share.

19 January 2015

We visited Gambia for the first time over the Christmas period 2014 which was also our very first time away from the family for Christmas. The weather was a constant 36 degrees everyday, clear skies, no wind and no sign of rain. Our stay was at the Sheraton hotel which was rated 5 star on a All Inclusive basis situated at the end of the resort with its own private beach in a ' On the Beach Villa' meters from the sea. The overall standard of the hotel was very good and the staff provided an excellent and extremely friendly service. The country heavily depends on its own agriculture and tourism for its employment, and this year with the fear of Ebola spreading from other African countries into Gambia, tourism was down by almost half. We visited various towns, markets and points of interest and at no point every felt unsafe. The people were very friendly and all spoke English and often approached you and ask you to buy their goods or have a look round their shop but at no point did they put you under pressure or be aggressive. A visit to the markets and Masasutu Forest is a must, an opportunity to see and view the culture and lifestyle of the country. The cost of living is very low so nothing is expensive and small tips are very much appreciated and welcome by the locals. My overall experience was very good indeed and would certainly consider returning for another visit.

28 August 2014

My very first wildlife adventure was back in 2011 when I visited the Maasai Mara in Kenya. Everyone’s ambition is to see the big five but this is not always guaranteed but it's really exciting searching. The journey started by travelling from Nairobi through the country to Lake Nakuru, the home of flamingo’s, following on through to the Nakuru National where we saw plenty of wildlife. We then visited a Maasai Mara village where we practiced the art of jumping from a standing position which they use when dancing. Within three days of the holiday I was lucky enough to see four of the five elephant, rhino, buffalo and lion, the hardest to find is always the leopard. After making the decision that finding the leopard was the most important thing remaining as a group we decided to concentrate on nothing else. This took two full days but on the final morning of our holiday we set off at 4am and found him. I have quite a few good stories to tell about the holiday if you’re interested or would like any information about the trip please give me a call.

28 August 2014

Visiting the wildlife and rainforest of Borneo has to have been the best all-round holiday I have ever had. Seeing orang-utans and pigmy elephants in their own habitat was amazing. We first visited the War Memorial where many prisoners of war were killed during the First World War with only six surviving out of some 2,000 people held by the Japanese. As we travelled across the country on the way to Sabah we stumbled across a sign for “Raffelsia” where we saw in full bloom the world’s largest single headed flower almost one metre in diameter. Then it was on to the rainforest where we came across a Pit Viper (poisonous snake). Luckily I was close enough to get a picture but not to get bitten. The journey ended with a trip up the Kinabatangan River where we saw plenty of wildlife, birds, crocodiles, birds and monkeys. This was a wonderful experience and a trip I would fully recommend to anyone who like’s an adventure. Once again I’m happy to share with you my experience and photo’s if you’re thinking of going....

28 August 2014

Canada is a one of the most picturesque places I have ever seen. We started our journey in Vancouver where we went whale watching – it was a long day but very worthwhile and we managed to see several whales. After staying in the city for a couple of days sightseeing we headed off across country. Next was bear trekking in Whistler Mountain where in winter people go skiing and in the summer it’s very popular with mountain bikers. I was a bit apprehensive about spending two days on a train but travelling across the Rockies from the Whistler to Banff on the famous Rocky Mountaineer was a wonderful experience and one not to be missed. Colours, splendid scenery, lakes and wildlife; Canada has it all. No wonder the people are so friendly and nice, they have a beautiful country - a place I fully intend to visit again. Once again I have many stories to tell and plenty of pictures to show so if you’re ever thinking of going there then please give me a call. I’m more than happy to share my experiences with you.