Monday 9 January 2012

French Polynesia by Annette Ross


I flew on Air Tahiti Nui via Paris and Los Angeles arriving in Tahiti just before midnight local time. I stayed at Le Meridien Hotel Tahiti, a gorgeous hotel with lovely views out to sea and of the Island of Moorea in the distance.

In Rangiroa I enjoyed a wonderful day out on the lagoon, with a great BBQ and of course swimming and snorkelling and having the opportunity to see reef sharks, lemon sharks and sting rays. Bora Bora was next on the itinerary. We were met at the Quayside and transferred to the Hilton by the hotel's very smart speedboat. The scenery and amazing shades of blue of the lagoons and sea are breathtaking. A night spent at the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora in an over water bungalow was a real treat and an opportunity to dine at 'Bloody Mary's is not to be missed.

Next on the agenda was the Island of Huahine. A cultural tour of the island provided a good insight in to the history of these beautiful islands. Here we stayed at the lovely Hotel Lapita.

Last but not least, the island of Moorea. Yet another gem of an island. We stayed at the Moorea Pearly Resort & Spa here and went to the Tiki Village where we joined in their 25th Anniversary celebrations which included a Polynesian show.

The scenery, the food, the fantastic diving and snorkelling opportunities, the hospitality - a truly memorable trip!

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Arizona by Madeleine Carter


Nothing prepares you for your first sight of the Grand Canyon, even the last few miles gives nothing away for it is not until you park your car and walk literally to the rim that this awesome sight takes your breath away.  After a four hour drive from a hot 95 degree Phoenix, with snow forecast for the following day we made the most of our first few hours and took advantage of the free shuttle bus that allows you to hop on & off at the many vantage points.  The next day dawned bright but by late morning the weather closed in and, as forecast, the snow arrived and the temperature fell to 0 degrees!

Our next stop on our tour of Arizona was Lake Powell, over 180 miles long with a shoreline of 2,000 miles and formed by damming the Colorado River in 1963. This lake took 17 years to fill and is dotted with side canyons and wonderful scenery. A boat trip is a must here as is a visit to the Glen Canyon Dam where guided tours take you inside the dam itself.  It is a great place to rent a houseboat, many of which come with water-slides & hot tubs! We headed east from Lake Powell to Monument Valley in Utah. As you approach this centre of the Navajo Nation the road straightens and you catch your first glimpse of the 'Mittens' & 'Buttes'. One of the USA's most definitive landscapes and seen in countless Western movies, nothing could beat our sunset horse ride led by Patrick, a native Navajo. With just the three of us we were treated to a truly wonderful experience riding a deserted trail in the valley  with sightings of a desert fox and eagles. The only thing missing was John Wayne riding by, although my husband swears he saw him in the distance!

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Around the World with Jane Caryer


Trip of a lifetime, Round the World, The Big Trip. We’d talked about it for years, now it was a reality. Where would we go? How long for? What were our priorities?

Sydney for New Year’s Eve!
Tennis fans, so the Australian Open in Melbourne was a must.
New Zealand, San Francisco, home.

The itinerary was taking shape. Leave in November, return in March —
19 weeks travelling
Singapore: Stopover, a great start to the trip. The city bus tour is a good way to get around and see lots. A harbour boat trip shows the contrast between new and old.
Australia: Cairns, then north to the Daintree Rain Forest. Clue in the name, it really did rain! Snorkelled the Great Barrier Reef, travelled along the Eastern Coast. Fantastic beaches and a sense of the space and emptiness of Australia.

Kayaked with dolphins in Byron Bay, sailed around the Whit Sundays and went for a 4 wheel drive on Fraser Island.

Where to go for Christmas?
Uluru, the Red Centre.
A night at Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge. Luxury in the desert. Sound of Silence dinner, star gazing, dawn at Uluru and 40°. Not a Christmas we usually have.

Sydney, amazing city. Bars along the harbour have great views and good atmosphere. Near the Hunter Valley for wine tasting and walking in the Blue Mountains. Tour of the Opera House a highlight. New Year’s Eve joined a party at the Opera House. Best fireworks view in Sydney.

A few days in Melbourne, then we headed west to Port Fairy, and drove back along the Great Ocean Road, spectacular views all the way.
Seats in the Rod Laver Arena, Federer, Sharapova, Wozniaki, a great day’s tennis. Next a day trip to Philip Island to see the penguins before our time in Australia is over.

New Zealand: Auckland, collected campervan and headed north to Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga. Body boarding on sand dunes, a drive along 90 mile beach and fantastic fish and chips.

Historic Russell, Paihia and the Waitangi Treaty grounds. Excellent Maori guide. Coromandel Peninsula spectacular scenery, crystal clear waters and Hot Water Beach.
Rotorua geothermal geysers and Maori cultural experiences.
Wellington, leave the campervan and catch the ferry to South Island.

North Island is beautiful but South Island is spectacular. Nelson, then the Abel Tasman National Park. Sandy beaches, clear water, seals, stingrays, superb! Wine tasting in Marlborough. Kaikora swam with dolphins and enjoyed the seafood.

Arthur’s Pass, the scenery is getting better and better. West Coast, onto Franz Joseph and the glacier. Helicopter to the top, climbed down ice holes, through tunnels and walked across the glacier.

Lake Wanaka and Hawea, beautiful. Next stop Queenstown “Adrenaline Capitol of the World” Bungy jumping, sky diving and enough to keep us entertained as well.

Doubtful Sound, overnight on a ship. My favourite part of the whole trip. Unspoilt, amazing scenery, mountains, waterfalls.

North to Mount Cook and the observatory at Lake Tekapo. Back to Auckland, Waiheke Island, Stunning scenery, restaurants and wine. Homeward bound now.
Hawaii: Great beaches, surf and shopping. Spotted three whales off Diamond Head, and found the visit to Pearl Harbour emotional.

San Francisco:
The end of our trip. The Golden Gate Bridge. Cable Car rides, sealions at Fisherman’s Wharf and another highlight - Alcatraz.

Home: Missed the winter, had a great time, amazing experiences.
Where next?


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Port Ghalib Egypt by Linda Cudmore


25 minutes drive from the airport we arrived at the luxurious 5* Oberoi Hotel. This hotel offers all suite rooms with sunken marble baths overlooking private walled gardens. There is a private beach within the 48 acres of grounds. An outdoor swimming pool, The Banyan Tree Spa and excellent restaurants featuring fine cuisine.

We then travelled down to Port Ghalib where we stayed at the 5* deluxe Intercontinental Palace Hotel. The hotel has a lovely sandy beach, outdoor swimming pool and lagoon set around lush gardens with a multitude of sport facilities. It has a Six Senses Spa, 3 restaurants including one at the Marina close by and not to be missed is after dinner drinks on the Terrace of the Look Out Bar.

I went snorkelling, enjoyed a ride into the desert in a 4x4 vehicle and had a camel ride.

Port Ghalib is a new and upcoming resort with a lovely marina that features restaurants, cafes, bars, a traditional Egyptian Bazaar and is surrounded by luxury, sophisticated hotels. This resort is ideal for a sporty or relaxing break in the sun.

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Mauritius by Annie Clougherty


I was fortunate enough to join the 2011 Beachcomber Academy in Mauritius in May.

Beachcomber offer 4 and 5 star hotels all over this beautiful lush island. We stayed 2 nights in Shandrani Resort & Spa which offers the finest all inclusive on Mauritius. Shandrani is situated in the south of the island on a private peninsular, a short transfer from the airport which is perfect after a longhaul flight. The extensive all inclusive concept at Shandrani features fine dining at four of its five restaurants and there is a very large selection of internationally branded wines and spirits. On arrival we had a wonderful massage which is also included on the all inclusive package.

The Island has a lot of activities on offer, we visited the Casela Park where we participated in zip lining, quad biking and Segway riding, you can also go walking with lions. The local Mauritians are friendly and you feel quite safe outside your hotel.

We then headed north towards Grand Baie to the resort of Trou aux Biches which has been completely renovated this year into a 5* luxury resort and spa. This beautiful resort has 6 restaurants to choose from and I would recommend the half board plus which includes lunch and dinner. This is a very romantic hotel ideal for weddings and honeymoons.
For the most spectacular setting, I would recommend staying on the southwest coast – Le Morne Peninsular, there are 2 Beachcomber hotels here – Paradis and Dinarobin and you can use all the facilities and restaurants at both properties. There is a championship 18 hole golf course here and a large selection of land and water sports. You can take a helicopter trip from here to view the breathtaking coastline.

Mauritius really has something to offer all tastes.

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Jordan By Paul Keevil



For our 30th Wedding Anniversary Bridget and I decided to travel to Jordan using Cox & Kings. Amman, Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea were the main attractions. We had private guides and a driver, who enhanced our trip with a superb level of knowledge of the area.

We walked in the footsteps of Abraham and Jesus along the Al Ayoun Trail. We had a tour of Amman, the capital of Jordan, and Jerash, where Hadrian once lived. We had a stop at Mount Nebo where Moses saw the promised land. On to Madaba, Karak and Shoubak before arriving at my highlight of the trip - Petra.

Seen in the movie “Indiana Jones The Last Crusade” Petra’s Treasury certainly has the wow factor. 400 years BC the Nabatean people carved it out of solid rock. This is the beginning of Petra which was the size of a small city covering 46 square kilometres. After a guided tour we climbed over 800 steps to the Monastry. Even larger and more stunning than The Treasury, it is a must to see on this trip.

After two days discovering Petra we drove to the Wadi Rum Desert to spend a night in a Bedouin camp. Eating and drinking local food we then relaxed under the stars before retiring to our tent with proper beds.

Next stop was the Dead Sea.
At -420 metres below sea level and 33% salt content the Dead Sea is the lowest elevation on the earth’s surface. The density of the water makes swimming more like floating.

During our visit to Jordan we encountered none of the trouble seen in some other Arab countries. A drop in visitor numbers made this trip even more enjoyable.

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Nevis by Cheryl Locke


This tiny island is approximately 7 miles long and 5 miles wide, and can be reached by a direct flight to Antigua or St.Kitts and then an onward flight or ferry.

Whilst here, I stayed at the Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, which is an AAA Four Diamond and Conde Nast Traveller Gold List property. Originally a plantation for growing sugar cane and then coconuts, Nisbet offers a rare blend of old-world elegance and modern comfort. Built on the site of an 18th century plantation, it was once the family home of Fanny Nisbet, who married British Naval Admiral Horatio Nelson.
It has 38 luxuriously appointed rooms with plantation-style décor spread over 30 acres and a half-mile-long white sandy beach that is protected by an off-shore reef.

The beaches are beautiful and the people the friendliest I have ever come across. Everyone appeared to enjoy their jobs and its seemed to be their pleasure to be of service to us.

What a refreshing change to the services levels we sadly sometimes experience in the UK!

One quote I read which sums the island up was “The charm of the island takes you back to a time when things were simpler, when life was more peaceful, when stress was just a word, not a way of life”. I found that nothing could have been more true.

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New Zealand by Anne Fisk


During April 2011 I was very lucky to be offered a trip to New Zealand’s North Island. On arrival we took a flight down to Wellington, the capital city, so diverse with its shops, many restaurants, historical buildings, harbour, fantastic Te Papa Tongarewa museum full of Maori arts and treasures, botanical gardens, to name a few. The cable car takes you high above the city giving the most amazing view. Our route took us through the Rimutaka mountain range to the wine region in the Wairarapa known for its Pinot Noir. A guided tour of Napier, “the art deco capital of the world” rebuilt in 1930 having been destroyed by a massive earthquake, was fascinating. Travelling through Lake Taupo we arrived in Rotorua where you find the most awesome boiling mud pools and geysers. At our next stop Paihia, we transferred to Opua Wharf where we boarded a luxurious catamaran for an overnight cruise in the beautiful Bay of Islands. The warm waters are home to an abundance of marine life. Making our way back to Auckland a stop at the Kauri museum proved to be very interesting, giving an insight into Northland’s pioneer past through the use of Kauri timber and gum. Auckland sprawls over a narrow isthmus between the sparkling waters of the Waitemata and Manukau Harbours. The best way to see the city’s landmark is to take a harbour cruise. Busier than Wellington, Auckland has something for everyone and you can’t miss the magnificent Sky Tower where our farewell dinner took place in the Observatory Restaurant, 328 metres above street level. New Zealand a magical place not to be missed.
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