Blogs
If you are looking for inspiration or would just like to read about our recent travels then please click on our blogs below.
The Queen of Montreal – Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth
The first night of my trip visiting four provinces in Eastern Canada was spent in Montreal where we stayed at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth.
Montreal – Where Europe meets North America!
The last time I visited Montreal, it was in November and it was freezing! This visit couldn’t have been more different as I saw another side of the city and the weather was perfect.
Quebec City – Joie de Vivre
Quebec City was founded in 1608 and is the only walled city north of Mexico in the Americas.
VIA Rail’s The Ocean Train – A Journey from Montreal, Quebec to Halifax, Nova Scotia
I’ve never slept overnight on a train before so was really looking forward to this part of our trip.
One night in Venice..
Venice is one of those cities in the world you must visit and experience at least once for yourself.
St John’s, Newfoundland
The last province on our trip was Newfoundland. We flew into St John’s for a whistle stop tour of the main city sites.
A further taste of Halifax, Nova Scotia
Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia is located in one of the world’s largest natural harbours. The British saw the advantage of this and founded a garrison here in 1749.
Revisiting New Brunswick
We spent the morning relaxing in the lounge onboard the Ocean train. After enjoying breakfast and lunch in the dining car, we arrived in the province of New Brunswick and our stop, the city of Moncton.
Beachcomber’s 30th Birthday Celebration June 2019
I was very fortunate to be invited to take part in Beachcomber’s 30th birthday celebrations in Mauritius. I visited all eight hotels and stayed in three of them.
One night (and a day) in Rome…
The first thing to say is that 24 hours is not enough time to spend in Rome. The sheer amount of history, architecture, art and culture to see, do and experience means you need to spend time exploring it properly.
One night in Florence...
The birthplace of the Renaissance, UNESCO world heritage site and capital of Tuscany, Florence is a beautiful city best explored on foot with a good map and guide book.
Rediscovering Toronto
It must be over 10 years since I last visited Toronto and although I was only staying for two nights I was looking forward to rediscovering Canada’s largest city.
Boutique Caribbean
In June, Michelle visited some boutique properties in the Caribbean on the islands of St Lucia, Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines.
A Sample of Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan might be hard to spell or pronounce but it is easy to find on the map. Located in the middle of Canada bordered by Alberta to the west, Manitoba to the east and North-West Territories to well…the north! The south borders the US states of Montana and North Dakota.
Kuala Lumpur and Bali
The lure of Bali – mystical, exotic and yet relatively affordable.
Hong Kong – A City of Lights
I have visited Hong Kong a number of times but not in the last 10 years, my husband had not been before so we were both very much looking forward to spending three nights in one of my favourite cities.
New Zealand
As many of you will know I have family in New Zealand and lived there myself for seven years. The last time I visited was when my eldest daughter was 5 months, she is now 11 and her sister eight so we decided they were now old enough to cope with the long flights.
Las Vegas, Canyonlands and the California Coast
Now that our two sons were becoming more independent, my husband and I decided we could start considering holidays on our wish list, and one idea we had was to embark on an ambitious trip to the west coast of America. On my husband's wish list was a flight over the Grand Canyon and a drive down Highway 1 from San Francisco to Los Angeles. So I was tasked with the job of constructing an itinerary which would allow us to incorporate both whilst including a number of other national treasures.
All Aboard with Tauck
In the summer of 1925, a travelling salesman named Arthur Tauck put an advert in the paper, offering a new kind of vacation. It was a week-long jaunt across New England in his Studebaker, stopping at all his favourite places. The advert said 'No grumps or pessimists allowed'. Six people responded and the trip cost USD$69 all-inclusive. 90 years on Tauck Tours is still family owned, 83 year old Arthur Tauck Jr is very much involved and is up early every Thursday to read the guest feedback reports.
A Taste of Halifax, Nova Scotia
I had a wonderful time on Prince Edward Island but was looking forward to seeing Halifax as I have not visited the city before. The driving time from the Confederation Bridge to Halifax is just over 2 ½ hours mainly on motorways. We arrived late afternoon and checked into the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel which as the name suggests is located right on the waterfront, seconds from the shops, bars and restaurants along the broadwalk.
Prince Edward Island – 'Life is simply better when you add a little island'
Prince Edward Island (PEI) will draw you into its comfortable, more relaxed pace. The tiny island prides itself on home-grown cuisine, small town charm, world famous hospitality and natural beauty. The landscape encompasses red cliffs, golden beaches and rolling green hills.
Majorca
Michelle has recently returned from a three day visit to Majorca. She visited a number of hotels close to Palma and Port De Pollenca but the highlight of her trip was a one night stay at the Belmond Residencia in Deia.
Florence & Venice
A whirlwind visit to Florence and Venice in April with Kirker Holidays was a wonderful way to experience these two beautiful cities in just two days, although I personally would recommend a longer stay to fully appreciate them.
St Kitts
Michelle visited the sister islands of St Kitts and Nevis in May. One of the world’s smallest nations, these beautiful islands offer an exotic and charming Caribbean experience.
The Arosmari Village – Vamos Crete
Staying in the Arosmari Village gives you a true taste of life in a Cretan Village. It is a small country hotel for adults and couples only and it is just a 45 minute drive from Chania Airport, and about 10 minutes to Kalives the nearest little beach side town. We were only able to spend a week here but we were still able to combine seeing some of the wider area whilst also having some time to relax in this wonderful retreat.
A tale of two Niagara's
The easiest way I find to describe Niagara Falls to people is to ask them to imagine Las Vegas with the hotels, casinos, attractions and bright lights and then add a stunningly beautiful waterfall into the middle of it!
St Andrews by the sea
My favourite place during my visit to New Brunswick was St Andrews by the sea, even though I did end up wearing some very unusual outfits.
It is beautiful resort with lots of charm. Part of the town is a national historic district with pretty inns, boutique shops and art galleries. It is 90 minutes from Fredericton and 1 hour from Saint John.
A Taste of New Brunswick
I was lucky enough to spend 5 days in New Brunswick and got to sample a tiny taste of what the province has to offer. New Brunswick is Canada's only official bilingual province.
Sri Lanka, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean
Sri Lanka is a destination that I have wanted to visit for a very long time and I was certainly not disappointed. There is more to Sri Lanka than just beaches, it offers a rich variety of sights and sensations.
Amazing hotels of Mauritius
I spent a week in Mauritius on a whistle stop tour of the island. We stayed in five hotels and visited 13 others.
Jumby Bay, Antigua
If you want glitz and glamour in the Caribbean, then head for somewhere like Sandy Lane in Barbados. For understated luxury, head to Jumby Bay, a private island off Antigua, it will be an unforgettable experience.
Sue's first cruising experience
Not having experienced a cruise before, and never really having had the desire to do so, I found myself jumping at the invitation to spend 5 nights aboard the luxury Silver Spirit, the newest and largest of the Silversea ships, as it departed from Las Palmas to Funchal.
Sparkly Spa
On the itinerary I received, it said that a stay at Sparkling Hill Resort is more than just a rest, it's a complete renewal. Sadly as I was only there for one night, I didn't get time to be fully renewed!
Discover your inner cowboy (or cowgirl) at Three Bars Ranch
I have never had riding lessons so when I saw that we were going to be staying on a dude ranch for a few nights as part of a fly drive itinerary around British Columbia, I have to admit to feeling a little nervous.
