travel

Planning A Trip

December 21, 2018 by Erica Hughes 6 Comments

Doha Skyline At this time of year I often find myself yearning for to feel warm sun on my face; to be able to slip on my summer clothes; and to be able to relax without a care in the world. Christmas time can be so stressful and busy, it tends to take over and dominate the whole month of December and it often makes itself felt in November or even earlier. Add to that the fact that the weather has been getting colder, wetter and generally more miserable for a few months and is unlikely to improve in a hurry and it’s no surprise that I feel the need to escape to somewhere more exotic, or even just somewhere warm and dry.

Getting ready for a trip is important if you are to really be able to enjoy it and switch off. Here are my tips for a successful trip:

Plenty of research. This is so easy to do online these days, but take reviews with a pinch of salt. Using the computer is easy of course, but sometimes it’s nice to consult a good old fashioned guidebook instead.
Get insured. If you are older, you might want to consider a specialist insurer or if you have medical conditions that need to be declared, certain companies focus on this type of insurance and make it easier.
Consider journey length and time zones. If you can only manage a short trip away, you may not want to be flying for too long and your body will adapt quicker to the change in time zone if it isn’t too dramatically different to what you are used to.
Buy early and pack early for your trip. You’ll reduce your stress that way and it will help you get into the holiday mood sooner. There’s no need to go mad buying a new holiday wardrobe, but a new piece or two add some interest.

For me though the destination is all important. Many people are looking to holiday closer to home now and I think it’s a trend that will continue in future years. There are so many great places to visit close to home, especially with us being an island nation and having so much wonderful coastline to explore. The countryside is a draw for many, but our cities hold so many interesting places. London in particular has a lot to offer with historical, cultural and artistic delights by the bucketful. If you want a smaller, more compact city consider somewhere like York or Worcester. A market town is also a good bet as they have a wide range of facilities and there are often plenty of sights to see and explore, especially for a shorter break.

I often like to plan a trip around a culinary experience like visiting a restaurant. It’s a great way to try out regional specialities and get a flavour for the local cuisine. Many cities have a Chinese quarter or Birmingham has its own Balti Triangle to explore for Indian cuisine lovers.

Top Honeymoon Locations in the Caribbean

July 12, 2018 by Erica Hughes Leave a Comment

The Caribbean has a whole range of honeymoon destinations to offer if you are looking for that one in a lifetime holiday, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Each of the islands has a very different feel. Most of the islands belonged to either Britain, France, the Netherlands, Spain or the United States, but the majority are now independent. As well as the differences in language and architectural style that comes from the former colonial powers, there are other legacies like a love for cricket or baseball. Each island though has evolved its unique identity and each has something different to offer. Make sure you get to try some of the local cuisine and of course, some Caribbean rum. The main difficulty you’ll have is picking just one.

Sometimes it’s worth making the journey to your honeymoon destination extra special too. The Caribbean islands are ideal for traveling to by air and sea. The cost of private jet can be surprisingly reasonable and it’s a great way to arrive at your holiday location in style. It’s much more relaxing to travel in comfort and perhaps enjoy a glass or two of champagne on the way.

Take a browse through the holiday locations available on www.Destination2.co.uk and you’ll soon come across many wonderful places to spend that precious newly wed time together. My pick would be St.Lucia with its spectacular scenery. It’s a volcanic island and more mountainous than many in the Caribbean with its famous twin peaks, the Pitons. There are gorgeous beaches and mountain hideaways to base your stay around, but there are some sights to be seen including a drive-in volcano.

The island of St.Martin’s is just the place to experience varied styles of architecture, as part of the island is ruled by France and part by the Netherlands so the buildings reflect that heritage. It also has an airport with a spectacular approach and you can regularly see jumbo jets flying in low over the beach. The Dutch side of the island is known for its nightlife and beaches, whereas the French part is celebrated for its shopping and nudist beaches.

St.Kitts is an island steeped in history, with its imposing Brimstone Hill Fortress a sharp visual reminder of its colonial past. In fact, there’s plenty to see and do here, so it might be better suited to a couple with a sense of adventure, rather than those that want nothing more taxing to do than to soak up some rays on the beach. Foodies will love it too as many of the restaurants specialise in fresh fish dishes.

Ardesio DiVino

August 10, 2016 by Erica Hughes 15 Comments

Recently my husband was lucky enough to go to the Ardesio DiVino wine festival thanks to a competition win. This post is written by him based on his experiences.

What could be better on a summer’s day than to sit outside and share a glass of wine with friends? Well, for sale why not throw in spectacular Alpine scenery and some traditional Italian food? And why restrict yourself to just one glass, mind when you could sample from hundreds of the best that Italy has to offer? In fact, why not do all that, without having to give your wallet a hangover?

Less than 2 hours on RyanAir from Stansted takes you to Begamo in the shadow of the Alps in Northern Italy. A 40 minute drive up into the stunning mountain scenery brings you to the small, picturesque town of Ardesio. Normally a haven for mountain hikers, on the 1st weekend of August the town plays host to an annual wine festival, Ardesio DiVino.

This year, the festival’s 12th, saw 38 producers set up stalls in the winding streets and historic courtyards. They are mostly small, often family run vineyards, making sometimes just a few thousand bottles a year. Each is only too happy to talk (often in varying degrees of broken English) about the wines they make, what gives each one its own unique character and to share their passion. And though these are small businesses, there is no shortage of quality as the smattering of international wine awards (and my own taste buds) can confirm.

Now, I’m no wine expert. Though I know a lot more now than before I went. So if you don’t know your Spumante from your Frizzante, then fear not. Ardesio DiVino is not a cliquey get-together for the wine elite. Of the 3,000 or so visitors, many are locals who come just to enjoy some good wine in the celebratory atmosphere (which extends on the Saturday night to a big party with live music in the town square). There are also craft stalls and a dedicated food festival section to tickle any taste buds that the wine hasn’t reached.

Entry to the festival costs 20 euros per person per day. For that you get your own glass, a map to navigate around the stalls dotted through the town and the chance to sample at least 2 different wines from each producer. And by sample, I mean a generous taster portion that will give you chance to appreciate more than a few brief sips while you channel your inner wine critic. And there will be plenty left in the glass for you to check out your friends’ selections too.

Make sure to take some water with you, to keep hydrated. And a pen is handy too; with so many wines to try, it can be hard to remember where those favourites were, so it’s useful to make a few notes as you go. Especially since, with most bottles selling for comfortably under 10 Euros, you will definitely be wanting to bring some back home. The only decision harder than which wines to buy, is whether you can get one more in your suitcase without having to pay excess baggage.