01 June 2019

Have you ever done something so far outside your comfort zone and found it turned into a magical experience? A while ago I was booking a client on a two-centre holiday, to New Mexico and then on to Hawaii. Out of the blue, she asked "why don't you come to New Mexico?" To both our surprise, I said “OK”. Three months later we arrived in Alberquerque, the largest city in New Mexico but not the capital, which is Santa Fe. As there are no direct flights to Taos, from London, we arrived tired and after American immigration, somewhat frazzled. I advise all my US bound clients not to pick up their cars on arrival after a long flight, as they will be tired, and reactions can be slower. I did not take my own wise advice and collected the hire car. We hit the road. Fortunately, the road did not hit back and the two-and-a-half-hour journey to Taos was uneventful. I find driving in America a delight - their roads are, in the main, well sign-posted and US drivers are less aggressive, with better lane discipline, than their UK counterparts - New York and Los Angeles being notable exceptions. As a child I loved watching westerns with my Dad. One of my favourites was an old black and white movie about the frontier scout Kit Carson. I was delighted to find Taos has a museum celebrating him. For a small fee you can tour his family home, see some of the Carson family memorabilia and documents and get a sense of his place in history. For those who like their i’s dotted and t’s crossed, the whole movie can be seen on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=kit+carson+full+movie I cannot resist checking out hotels wherever I go. The Hotel La Fonda, in the centre of Taos, caught my attention. Wondering what the Jane connection was, I sauntered in, British accent at the ready. The gentleman behind the desk greeting me and I introduced myself. After some pleasantries, he asked "You ever heard of Lawrence, ya'know DH?" I admitted I had even read one of his books. "You seen his paintings?" he asked. I said I did not know he was an artist and was treated to one of the most surreal experiences of my life. The gentleman, the hotel manager, took me into a largish room with one wall swathed in fabric. He told me that DH Lawrence had lived, with his wife, on a ranch about 20 miles north of Taos. Then he swished the fabric aside and showed me DH Lawrence's 'Forbidden Art'. There were nine pictures that were slightly risqué, in today's world. Various studies of full-frontal nudity and slightly suggestive imagery. Much less than in the average girlie magazine. In Lawrence's day they were considered so obscene he had to remove them from the UK before they were seized and destroyed. If you pass through Taos, ask to see them. This is the only place in the whole world where they can be viewed. TAOS PUEBLO The proper name for this pueblo is "?alopháymup’?h?´oth?`olbo" Don't worry, I can't pronounce it either. The pueblo (which means village) and the surrounding area is still home to above 4,500 people of the Tiwa national. They are the people of the Red Willow. To offer some perspective - they were building multi-story homes of multiple occupancy around the time William the Conqueror was, well conquering us. In 1992 the village became a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is a delicate balance between a museum and people's own homes. This is not so much a tourist attraction as living history. We had a delightful Native American guide who took us around and offered a fairly balanced view of their lives, past and present. Some of the not so native Americans on our tour were less than respectful, with their whispered smug and prejudiced comments. A few of the residents have opened small shops to demonstrate their ancient skills in clay, wood, leather and carving. Most of them leave the village every day to work in Taos and further afield. TAOS Taos has become a year-round destination. Further north, there is a pretty good ski area, with most of the facilities skiers would expect. It is not a Vail or an Aspen but it can offer good skiing for beginners and intermediate levels, at prices less elevated than it's more up-market cousins. There are plenty of opportunities for white water rafting on the Rio Grande river. This stretch is one of the tamer areas and a local guide told me other parts were 'much wilder'. I will stick to taking the photographs. Conclusions - New Mexico is a Western State, so the local people are laid back, friendly and generally helpful. Do not expect to see cowboys riding the range - for that you will need Wyoming, Colorado and Montana, among others. There is plenty to do for the active souls and plenty to see for the less active. Is it worth a visit? Most definitely! I am looking forward to my return in the near future.

22 October 2017

Last year I decided to go to Italy for my early autumn holiday. I had not decided which region to visit, when a networking client gave me a referral for his 2017 holiday, to Italy! The family wanted to go to an area I knew only by reputation and other peoples’ holidays. Why not go there, I said to myself? Two birds, one stone! So off I went, flew to Naples, hired a car and drove to Sorrento, to explore the Amalfi Coast. Sorrento Named after the ancient Greek word for ‘Siren’, Sorrento would surely have provided a beguiling coastal allure to Ulysses on his odyssey! The town was colonised by the ancient Greeks and their town plan still survives: east to west for the sunlight, and north to south for the prevailing winds. Note to the wise – if your nerves are not in first class working order, I would not suggest you drive the Amalfi Coast. Narrow, windy roads, stunning drops, assertive Italian drivers and large oncoming coaches can test the strongest of nerves. Sorrento is a great place both to enjoy for itself and to use as a base to explore the area. Let the local buses take the strain! The SITA local bus service will take you from Sorrento to Positano and Amalfi, both visually pretty and attractive towns. For anyone with mobility issues, Sorrento is a bit flatter – the upper town and the marina. These coastal towns get pretty crowded in high summer, so going, as I did in September, worked really well. Enough people to make it interesting but nowhere was too full, and I could always get a table at my favourite people-watching restaurant, right in the central square of Sorrento, Fauno Bar. Across the main square, Piazza Tasso, is the little Dotto train that trundles around Sorrento. Ravello Also well worth a visit is Ravello, inland and high up, served by a one track road, controlled by traffic lights. When the lights turned green, I went only to meet a truck coming down. Gulp! Fortunately, he knew the driveway to squeeze into so I could pass. As I drove past he yelled, “Signora bella e folle!” at the top of his voice. When I asked at a shop in Ravello what this meant, the owner laughed and said, “Oh you met Giovanni. He says that to all the women drivers. It means beautiful, crazy lady.” There is a bus from Amalfi up to Ravello, if you prefer not to be ‘crazy’. The views from Ravello are stunning and it has an interesting history, dating back to the Romans. It is now a UNESCO world heritage site. It has had many famous visitors including Humphrey Bogart, who was filming Beat the Devil. He and John Huston, the director, and others drank and played cards there so often, they named the room after him. If you want a week away from everything, maybe with that special man, the Hotel Rufolo is the ideal romantic getaway, superb views, a pool overlooking the bay and scrumptious food – the menu is posted at the gate if you fancy a lunch there. It is not cheap, about €100 for two but worth it for the views and the ambience. Pompeii and Herculaneum I spent one heavenly week exploring the area – delightful locals, delicious food and stunning views round every bend. The amazing Herculaneum for my historical and cultural fix (if wanting to visit Pompeii as well, always do this before Herculaneum – doing it the other way can lead to disappointment). If you are not taking a private tour of the ancient sites, the next best way is to take the Circumvesuviana Train, the Sorrento-Napoli line. Not the most elegant of trains – think London Underground in the 70’s – it is cheap, convenient and it stops at Pompeii and Herculaneum. You can get off, do Pompeii, and get back on again for Herculaneum. You can also visit Naples, the opposite end of the line from Sorrento. Another word to the wise – pickpockets are rampant on the trains, especially out of Naples. Only take exactly what you need and keep it close! I found Herculaneum one of the most moving places I have ever been. I took the audio guide and walking round, listening to the commentary. I could get a real sense of what it must have been like for the inhabitants, literally having nowhere to go and waiting for the end of the world. A humbling experience that made me very grateful for all my blessings. Capri On the day before my departure, I planned my trip to the magical island of Capri, as the cherry on my Amalfi cake. It is certainly beautiful and the scenery is breath taking. It is billed as one of the most romantic places in Europe. You can decide. Many locations in Sorrento offer a day tour to Capri. Well worth booking of one these, as a boat trip around Capri is also included. They take you to the Blue Grotto, where swimming is banned. If you hire your own boat, the choice is yours. As a lone female traveller, I never felt uncomfortable or threatened. The locals are friendly and have a good sense of fun. They are delighted to talk to you, and of course sell you something if they can, and learning a few words of Italian will go a very long way towards aiding communication.

27 July 2017

I was talking to a client who is a passionate Egyptologist. We share a love of Egypt, as I have been there over 30 times. She said she was sad that her husband is no longer well enough to go on day trips. She said she had wanted to visit Highclere Castle, used in the TV series Downton Abbey. When I asked why, she told me that the Carnarvon family, guardians of Highclere, has strong connections with Howard Carter and Pharoah Tutankhamen. They have a superb exhibition of Egyptian artifacts and history related to the finding of the tomb. I had a quick chat with TC Ted and he suggested we take half a day off and proposed the Highclere adventure to my client. She was delighted to accept and a great time was had by all. A very happy client and Ted enjoyed posing by one of the two dozen plus vintage Austen Healey sports cars. They were there as the owner's club were having a day out at Highclere.

25 September 2011

I went to the Hesse region of Germany, with a small group of travel agents to check out the local spas. In German “Bad” means bath and/or spa. Our first stop was the Hotel an der Therme, in Bad Orb, famed for the 'gradient construction' - a blackthorn wall used to filter and concentrate the mineral salts from thermal waters. Walking beside it was like breathing ozone. After walking the medieval town, complete with picture-postcard houses, cobbled streets and an old city wall, we spent the evening luxuriating in the hotel's spa. Their jacuzzis are a gift from the gods. Indoor and outdoor pools, whirlpools, a liquid sauna and we were ready for the best night’s sleep. After breakfast, we departed for Bad Soden/Salmünster and toured the Bad Soden thermal spa and the surrounding parkland spending 15 minutes in the 'Dead Sea Salt’ grotto, breathing the vapours said to be beneficial for the lungs. After a short walking tour around the town of Salmünster, we drove to the local championship golf course. Nestled in the Spessart Mountains with views of the Taunus Mountains, it is one of the highest courses in Germany – amazing scenery and 18 challenging holes. Anyone remember Elvis Presley and “Wooden Heart”? He lived in our next stop, Bad Nauheim, for two years when he was in the army. The town still honours its 'favourite son'. We checked into the Hotel Dolce and after another walking tour, we dined at an excellent restaurant called Polsters. This was followed a bizarre night-time walk, escorted by a medieval night-watchman, armed with lantern and scary looking, and fortunately fake, pikestaff. As he boomed out interesting snippets, locals and visitors alike gave us funny looks. Next stop Wiesbaden to visit the famous Schwartzer Bok Hotel and Spa and meet a gracious lady who gave us an interesting tour of the town, including another opportunity to ‘take the waters’. Some of the group were disappointed as we had no opportunity to ‘take the wine’ in the festival in the main square. After lunch we were off to Schlangenbad in the mountains. This smaller spa is nestled in a picturesque valley. The word schlange is German for snake and a small harmless one called an Eskulap is named for the one that is part of symbol for medicine. The surrounding area has some lovely and quite steep walks. Some trees are so old they are considered local treasures and noted in a tree register. There is spa-pool, open for day visitors and locals alike. Back on the bus, winding down through the mountains we arrived at Bad Homburg where we checked into the luxurious Steigenberger hotel. After a quick refresh we visited the elegant Kur Royal Spa, the beautiful park and the city, including a quick trip to the old Schloss or castle. Every two years, Bad Homburg hosts a large open-air exhibition of sculptures from around the world. For our final evening we dressed up and headed to the Casino for an excellent meal in their open air conservatory restaurant and the chance to gamble. No-one in our group was brave enough or rich enough to do this, but plenty were hazarding their luck … and yes, mostly ‘the house’ did win. After a substantial breakfast, we drove up to the Falkenstein Grand Kempinski and Villa Rothschild in Konigsberg (also operated by the Kempinski group). Once again we were treated to a marvellous lunch. In the UK travel agents are not always valued, in Falkenstein the mayor paid us the honour of lunching with us. On a clear day you can see Frankfurt or Main-hatten – a word play on the River Main and a passing similarity to the Manhattan skyline in New York. Hesse is a beautiful region of Germany, offering gorgeous scenery, friendly locals, great food – from simple and delicious to haute cuisine – please do not believe anyone who says German food is just sauerkraut and würst, and accommodations ranging from comfortable to outright luxurious. Hesse is a great place for a long relaxing weekend - the idea of indulging in all that lovely food and then undoing the damage in those lovely spas – small ones, large ones, city ones, country ones - has much appeal. It is also a fantastic area for golfing, hiking, history and culture – all in all a surprising variety of activities, and only an hour’s flight away. It was 7 different kinds of ‘Bad’ and all were very very good!

13 November 2009

On a whistle-stop tour of southern Kerala, we tried as many forms of transportation as possible. My favourite was a 38 year old female with a gentle gleam in her eye. It is well worth getting up really early to visit the Elephant Training Camp to watch the youngsters getting their daily bath. For people looking for a different experience homestays are a wonderful way to get to know the people and the culture of the local area. Keralans are warm and friendly and willing to share their time and their knowledge. Cochin or Kochi (meaning from China) is the main shopping area of Kerala and one of its main claims to fame is as the first burial place of the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama. His family subsequently reclaimed his body and returned it to Portugal. Munnar is a well-known hill station in the tea growing area close to the Tamil Nadu state border. Its cooler temperatures can be a welcome break from the hotter coastal areas. Munnar is also famous for spices - pepper, vanilla, nutmeg and mace, cardamom, ginger, star anise and many others. Alleppey or Alappuzha is on one of the largest lakes in Asia. We took a leisurely lunchtime houseboat cruise around the lake - quiet and peaceful and a great way to stay relaxed after an ayurvedic massage. It is possible to take an overnight cruise as well, with a captain and cook to take care of you.