17 December 2019

I was lucky to get the opportunity to visit Indonesia for the first time earlier this month. In the short time that I was there, we managed to take in Ubud, Seminyak, Gili Islands and Lombok. An incredible opportunity to see our most popular destinations within this diverse country. Our flight with Turkish Airlines to Denpasar was seamless. 4 hours from Dublin to Istanbul (with your own seat back entertainment I might add!) and a further 12 hours to Bali. We got to spend a couple of hours in transit in Istanbul’s new airport that opened earlier this year. Duty free here is fabulous. By 2025, the airport is expected to accommodate 200 million passengers with 6 runways! Arriving late, our transfer collected us and brought us the one hour journey inland to Ubud for our first two nights. Traffic wasn’t too bad on the roads but the journey could take over an hour a peak times. Ubud comes from the Balinese word for medicine and would be known as being the spiritual centre of Bali. There is something so peaceful and tranquil about this part of the island. The roads are still quite busy but the scenery of rice terraces and rainforests create calming surroundings. We stayed in the Furama Resort and Villas located 20 minutes from the town. The hotel offers villas with your own private pool, a beautiful spa and lots of activities to take part in during the day. If you want to get away from it all, it is the perfect location. The free shuttle operated by the hotel will take you into the town and it was great to spend a couple of hours wandering around the market stalls and the streets lined with temples and a huge selection of spas. You could expect to pay less than $20 for a massage in Ubud. If tranquillity and zen is not your thing, there are plenty of options to get the heart racing. Excursions can be pre-booked for white water rafting, hiking, tours of the rice terraces and waterfall visits in the area. We travelled an hour by road from Ubud to the port of Padangbai on the east coast of Bali to board our speedboat to bring us to Lombok. The boat took approx. 90 minutes including a quick stop to drop passengers off in Gili Trawangan. Lombok is another one of Indonesia’s 17,000 islands (about a third of which are inhabited). Lombok is much the same size as Bali but the two islands are very different. It's very laid back, a lot less traffic on the roads and offers an unspoiled landscape. It's hard to believe there is a population of over 3 million here. They locals would say that Lombok is similar to how Bali would have been maybe 40 years ago. We never came across any traffic jams and along with tourism, the main source of income on the island is farming. The landscape is mainly unspoiled. We stayed in Puri Mas Boutique Resort and Spa located on the edge of one of the most popular tourist resorts – Senggigi. The hotel is very traditional Indonesian in style. Again, we were lucky enough to stay in 1 Bedroom villas with our own private pool… A real treat! The sunsets here on the west coast of Lombok are stunning! Watching the sun go down from the infinity pool overlooking the beach was just incredible. The hotel also has a spa on separate grounds just a few kilometres from the beach hotel. So, the property really offers two holidays in one, a beach location and a tranquil spa location in among the tropical gardens. The outdoor massage rooms here are amazing! We took a half day tour of Lombok which only made me question how accurate the population count of the island was. It was very quick to get from town to town since the roads are really not that busy and the surfaces were surprisingly quite good. We visited many of the local trades including a pottery village and a weaving village where the workers could sit for 8 hours a day manually weaving scarves and sarongs. It’s amazing to see. We took another half day out to visit the famous Gili Islands just off the coast of Lombok. A 15 – 20 minute boat trip will take you to the group of 3 small islands. Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air. Gili Trawangan (or Gili T) is the largest and liveliest of the islands with lots of bars and restaurants lining the coast. The waters close to Gili Meno are hugely popular for snorkelling and a huge attraction are the 48 life-sized human sculptures, formed in a circle underwater with hundreds of species of fish swimming between. It is easy to get between each island by regular boat trip. Once on the islands, there are no motor vehicles so your options are to walk, cycle or take a horse and carriage. It creates a very easy going and relaxed atmosphere. We took the boat back to Bali from Lombok but it would also be an option to fly the short distance. We had a quick opportunity to visit the popular beach resort of Seminyak located along the south coast of Bali. A popular resort for most types of tourists but the beautiful beach resort hotels on the western side of the resort are particularly popular with honeymoon couples. The beaches offer great surfing and chilled out beach bars with bean bags to watch the sun go down. We visited Bali and Lombok in December which would generally be the beginning of the rainy season. We only experienced one afternoon shower while we were in Lombok and temperatures averaged 28 degrees for our trip. Peak months to visit would be mid-June to mid-September. I was surprised how diverse the areas we visited were, there is definitely a resort, hotel and island to suit every traveller. From the spiritual centre of Ubud to the chilled out lush coast of Lombok and from the lively streets of Seminyak with its famous sunsets to the pristine white sandy beaches of the Gili Islands. But if you're finding it difficult to choose (like me), a multi-centre holiday is the perfect answer to experience it all. If you’re interested in exploring Indonesia, why not contact me and start organising your trip to this diverse country.

18 May 2020

On my flight to Sri Lanka, I learned that it had just been ranked by Lonely Planet as 'Top Country to visit in 2019' so I was keen for my adventure to begin to find out why. Surprisingly, my highlights began even before I hit Sri Lankan soil. Our flight was scheduled to land in the Maldives and as we were coming in to land, we were treated to the most spectacular view of the islands, you could even pick out the water bungalows, incredible! Our journey continued on to Colombo where we met with our Gadventures CEO (Chief Experience Officer). Gadventures use local CEO's, in our case our guide was UD who accompanied us throughout the week. We transferred half an hour north to Negombo where we checked into the Jetwing Sea Hotel. The hotel has a beautiful setting on the beach. Since it was just towards the tail end of monsoon season, we grew to expect rain and storms to roll in on a nightly basis from 6pm. That first nights storm was like nothing I've seen or heard before! But worth it for the picture perfect blue sky the next morning. Negombo is a working beach with plenty of fishing boats and nets dotted along the shore. Next morning we started our journey inland to Kandy, stopping at Mawanella, renowned for its production of spices. Spice is one of the main industries in Sri Lanka. Our tour of the spice garden educated me in the fact that there is a spice to cure every ailment. Call me gullible but who wouldn't want shiny hair, a slim figure, no aches and pains, smooth skin, strong nails and a natural hair removal cream? To my good fortune the tour ended with a visit to the spice plantation shop. Prices here were not what I was expecting but then again I did want all of the above, so I stocked up! Lunch was the Sthree Craft Centre. GAdventures supports local communities worldwide as part of their Planeterra project. It is non-profit and at Sthree (which translates as ladies), the proceeds go towards funding the local women’s crisis centre. Each of the women working in Sthree had their own individual story. We checked into the Hotel Thilanka overlooking Kandy Lake. Kandy was the ancient capital & is set high in the hills in the centre of the country. It is most famous for the Temple of the Tooth Relic, one of the most sacred places of Buddhist worship. Twice daily, ceremonial offerings are given at which time visitors queue to file past the golden casket in which the tooth is hidden beneath. Getting off the beaten (tour) track leads to my favourite adventures and over the next few hours walking through Kandy we mixed with the locals, bartered in the markets, took a spin in a Tuk-Tuk, chanced crossing the road and learned that the spice plantation charges more than double what the markets do for the same products!! Next morning, we packed up and headed for Nuwara Eliya. The hills outside Kandy are home to some of the most famous tea plantations in Sri Lanka. The misty hills and cool climate provide perfect conditions to grow the best varieties of tea. The views were stunning. We visited Glen Lock plantation which is set on 60 acres. The tea picking is done by women - over 200 work 6 days per week with just 5 days off per month in rain or sun. They handpick and collect at least 20kg of tea leaves per day! Our journey to Ella would see us travelling by train on one of the most scenic rail journeys in the world. Having spoken to a couple of people that previously travelled by train to Ella, they seemed disappointed for me that we didn't get blue skies and clear views, but I have to admit at the time I found the weather conditions brought a mystical feel to the trip. I spent most of the 3 hour journey hanging out of the train taking photos of the views. It was apparent when we arrived in Ella that the small town is popular with backpackers who visit to take on one of the many hiking trails. The 8km trek to Ella Rock is the most popular alongside Little Adam's peak which is the 3km hike we opted for. The views are stunning, a photographers dream as you are surrounded by rainforest, waterfalls, mountains & tea plantations. While in Ella, I took a hairy 15 minute Tuk-Tuk ride to The Nine Arch Bridge, but it was nothing compared to the 10 min walk through the leech infested trail to the track. It was a constant mental battle trying to figure out if you should keep going or stop to check your legs. The whole terrifying experience was worth it to see the incredible panoramic view of the bridge. Every day brought a new experience. Next stop was Udawalawe National Park. There are 26 National Parks in Sri Lanka, each with a dominant animal, in Udawalawe it is the Elephant. We hopped into our safari jeep and headed into the park to begin our search and were lucky enough to spot a few of the gentle giants. Our home for the night was at Big Game Camping where we stayed in pre-pitched tents and enjoyed 'wilderness dining'. It was a great experience to sit around a campfire for the night with a drink and a sing song. The next morning as the campsite was in stillness, the sounds of the birds and animals around us was nothing short of magical. The last part of our journey brought us 3 hours to Galle, located along the southwest. The walled city of Galle Fort with its Portuguese and Dutch influences is a beautiful world heritage site. With narrow streets offering restaurants and shops, it is the perfect place to spend a few wandering hours. We spent the afternoon at Unawatuna Beach, a banana shaped beach which is lined with plenty of beach bars. We stopped off with the stilt fishermen, for of the most iconic traveller pictures from the area. The fishermen fish at sunrise and sunset. During the day, they hang about waiting for tourists to stop by and pay them to take photos. When I was offered to give the fishing a go, obviously I didn't say no! Sri Lanka is the size of Scotland, and is home to almost 22 million people. Despite how small it is, due to the mountainous narrow roads, getting around takes a lot more time than you would expect. This was not my first group tour, but it was my first with GAdventures and I would have to say the experience was superior from the point of view of our guides knowledge and attention to detail and the standard of accommodation. Group sizes with G average at 10-12, with a wide range of ages. I'm already studying the brochure to decide on my next tour!! Call me to chat about your next trip.

26 November 2019

In recent years, Iceland seems to have topped a lot of customers bucket list. With a regular direct flight from Dublin, it has made this unique country very accessible for a popular 3 or 4-night break. And with a flight time of around 2 hours, you’ll barely get to watch the end of a movie! I travelled on a 3-night package in October inclusive of all the main tours taking the hassle out of organising them and budgeting for them locally. The transfer on arrival from the airport was 50 minutes to Reykjavik city centre. It gives you your first glimpse of the barren landscape. The countryside in Iceland is pretty much a lava field with a lot of area extensively covered in moss, it creates a very unusual green hue scene. Trees only make up 1.5 – 2% of Iceland’s landscape so it’s not hard to see why movies like Star Trek and Star Wars chose it as the perfect location for many scenes. There was something quite exciting about being in one of the most volcanic countries in the world. The Western part of the country is particularly volatile and home to Iceland’s biggest volcano, Katla. Tourism is essential to Iceland’s economy and ironically it is the country’s volcanos which attract an unprecedented number of tourists. Our home for the 3 nights was the centrally located 3* Storm Hotel, located within walking distance of the main city sights. Reykjavik is pretty compact and small enough to wander around of foot with the iconic Hallgrimskirkja Church dominating the city’s skyline. The first of our trips was the world-famous Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa situated in the middle of a lava field approx. 40 minutes from the city. When we arrived after dark the weather was particularly bad with gale force winds and torrential rain, it was difficult to imaging changing into swimwear and heading out into the elements. But let me tell you, it was amazing. The weather is irrelevant once you step into the relaxing hot waters. Our first port of call was the Lagoon Bar for a glass of local Islandic beer before applying a Silica Mud Mask on our faces with the promise of radiant skin after just 5 minutes. Next morning, we took a full day tour of the Golden Circle, bringing you east from Reykjavik on a 300km loop. The landscape is incredible starting at Thingvellir National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site) where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. The Silfra crack between the two plates is one of the top diving and snorkelling sites in the world. We travelled on to Fontana Spa, another beautiful hot spring and then to the Strokkur Geyser where the boiling mud puts erupted every 6-10 minutes. It is compelling and difficult to walk away from. The highlight of the day was next, the Gullfoss Waterfall, this two-tiered powerful waterfall is one of the most photographed locations in Iceland. Our next day was another full day tour taking in the South Coast. This part of the country offers a much more lush landscape and all the natural wonders you could image – waterfalls, volcanos, glaciers, cliffs, black sand beaches…the south coast has it all. The main sights included Sogafoss and Seljalandsfoss Waterfalls and a close up of Eyjafjallajokull however my highlight of the day and possibly the whole trip was our Solheimajokull Glacier Walk. Our guide was incredible, as he took us on the same route he had taken the day before and he appeared shocked that the landscape of the glacier had changed so much at each turn, in just one day. It’s sad to thing that it is melting at such a rapid pace, but it made me feel even more privileged to be part of the experience. Our crampons ensured that we would keep upright on our journey to the amazing views at the top. On our last day we took a jeep safari en route to the airport. Our 4x4 super jeep brought us up close and person with the volcanic lava fields with a few bumps along the way. It was a fun and unique way of getting off the beaten track to see some of the remote lakes and landscape you would otherwise not see. I can’t finish without mentioning that the Northern Lights didn’t make an appearance during my trip. A couple of times throughout the weekend, knowledgeable locals mentioned that the forecast was particularly good for that night. The anticipation that they might appear caused great excitement. However, it wasn’t to be, and I’ve come to realise that Iceland has so much more to offer than I ever imagined with or without the Lights, just take it as an added bonus if you’re one of the lucky ones! If Iceland is on your bucket list, why not contact me to find out more. With my first-hand experience and travel expertise I can create the perfect bespoke Icelandic experience all tailored just for you!

13 October 2019

Despite being the third largest city in Spain, Valencia wouldn’t generally appear at the forefront of your mind for a short break to the sun. However, having recently been on a city break to Lisbon and Barcelona, the combination of city and beach was what first attracted me to Valencia as the perfect destination for a Mid-September getaway. After researching accommodation options, the choice of hotel was the real clincher in the deal! From the moment I pictured myself on one of the luxury loungers by the pool at the hotel, well I couldn’t unsee it! Belonging to the ‘Leading Hotels of the World’ group, the hotel I stayed at was located just a few metres from Las Arenas Beach. Within a 10-minute walk of the hotel coming from any direction, you can easily spot its impressive structure. The wow factor continued from entering the lobby to our spacious room with balcony and partial sea view. The staff were incredibly friendly offering a very welcome early check in. The hotel also has an outdoor pool on a roof terrace with loungers, pool bar, restaurant and beautiful views of the beach and a separate kid pool again with luxury loungers and wicker cushioned seats as well as an indoor pool, spa and fabulous grounds boasting a large water fountain pool. There is no fear of going hungry at the breakfast buffet with its huge array of continental and hot breakfast options. And if you wake up with a thirst, a glass of Cava from the drinks counter may help quench it! The bar and restaurant at the hotel were quite expensive but there is a decent selection of restaurants along the promenade within minutes of the hotel. The promenade and beach can be accessed from the back of the hotel by using your keycard. The beach is really lovely, wide and stretches for miles. A promenade runs alongside it with shops and restaurants in both directions and is hugely popular with cyclists, runners and roller bladers at all times of day and night. Nightlife is pretty tame along the beach but it could well have been the time of year that we were there. The main tourist season would be from Mid–June to Mid-September. What to do As much as I enjoyed spending time chilling out at the beach, I was also keen to spend a bit of time getting to know the city. I had a guided cycling tour booked in advance, my favourite means of transport to get to know a city. Why spend an afternoon on a bus when you can freewheel around the city on two wheels! The cycling tour took 3 hours and 15km to complete. Our guide was excellent, beginning the tour with a quick lesson in the layout of the city. We began by cycling along the dried riverbed of the Turia River which once upon a time ran through the city. There is something for everyone along the 8km stretch including gardens, outdoor gyms, playgrounds, a Music Palace, Planetarium, Opera House. It seems the majority of Valencians either run or cycle and the riverbed is the perfect location. A detour from the river brought us through the Serranos Gate, one of the twelves gates to the city built during the 14th Century, of which only two remain. The old town is what you would expect narrow, cobbled and stunningly beautiful! We now knew where we would have our lunch. I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend the bicycle tour. Although 15km might sound like quite a distance to cycle, the city is reasonably flat with plenty of stops along the route. After the bicycle tour we took a stroll back into the Old Town where there was a huge selection of reasonable restaurants to choose from for our al fresco Tapas Lunch. The city restaurants are pretty reasonable just don’t expect to have a quick lunch. The Spanish waiting staff are in no rush to get you a menu, take your order, bring your food or get your bill! Once you are aware of this and don’t arrive hungry, then I don’t see a problem! Getting Around Our flight from Dublin took approx. 2 hours and 15 mins and from there we took the metro from the airport for €3.90 one way with one change to within a 5 minute walk of the hotel. Similarly, getting from the beach back to the city centre with one change at a cost of €2.50 one way. A really great efficient and inexpensive way to get around the city. For a short beach break, I would have no reservations about returning to Valencia and if your interested in escaping to the sun contact me to find out more!

13 October 2019

The landing in Copenhagen is similar to lots of experiences we’ve all had where the aircraft wheels are down as we barely skim over the water, with land making a sudden last-minute appearance. But the airport location gives you a great opportunity to see the city from above as you come into land. (if you’re sitting on the right hand side of the aircraft!) Here are some of my top tips for visiting the Capital of Denmark: Being thrifty in an expensive city I won’t dwell on it as I’m sure it’s quite common knowledge that Copenhagen is expensive. Discussing this before we booked, we rationalised that no matter how high the cost of living is, it couldn’t be much higher than Ireland. Well, it is! But how much damage are you likely to do on a long weekend? There are ways of keeping the cost of your weekend trip down. We took the metro from the airport to the city which I’d highly recommend. Tickets cost the equivalent of approx. €5 each way and can be purchased at one of the many kiosks at the airport. There are 2 metro lines at the airport terminal, and you can’t go wrong as both trains go in the same direction. It will take you 15-20 minutes to get to the city centre. Getting around the city Copenhagen is a compact city, with plenty to see and do on a short break. The city is highly technically advanced. We decided if we were going to tick off everything on our ‘to do’ list, getting around on foot might not cut it. So, we joined the rest of the population of Copenhagen on two wheels. The city bike scheme is just incredible! Bycyklen stations are located all over the city and once you register your credit card number on the touch screen tablet on your bicycle, you’re free to go! Top of our list was ‘The Little Mermaid’, after a quick check on the built in GPS and with the help of the Electric Motor, we were off! These bicycles are amazing! The ‘Really’ Little Mermaid! Roughly 2 km later we arrived along the water’s edge, assured by the GPS that we were at our destination. After a quick search of the area, we still couldn’t see her. It turns out that the Little Mermaid is quite little and the crowds that go to see her are quite large. Once you manage to push your way through the throngs of tourists and take a quick photo, I wouldn’t hang around too long as there is plenty more to explore in this fabulous city. Changing of the Guards Next on the list was the changing of the guards at Amalienborg Palace. We had timed our route perfectly, arriving at the Palace just before the 12pm ceremony. This is another huge tourist attraction in the city and takes quite a while to complete. We stayed for at least 20 minutes and it seemed far from completion, we left at that point to get lunch. Copenhagen Street Food For lunch we were off to Copenhagen Street Food which is a massive Food Hall situated along the water’s edge and home to every nationality of food you could imagine. I had heard quite a lot about it and it didn’t disappoint. The fabulous weather just added to the atmosphere as we sat outside with our gourmet burgers overlooking the canal. A stroll along the canal is a perfect way to walk off your lunch, where every mode of water transport can be seen. From barges to paddle boards, and jet skis to solar powered wooden boats. I could have spent hours watching the world float by. Great Shopping There are some great shopping streets in the city centre. It wouldn't be a priority for me on a short break, but the streets are lined with all the usual high street shops that you would get in any other city. Tivoli Gardens Tivoli Gardens is one of the most iconic attractions Copenhagen has to offer. It is not often you get an amusement park in the centre of a city. Conveniently located between the main shopping streets and Central Station, Tivoli is a step back in time having first opened its gates in 1843. It boasts a choice of roller coasters, performing arts and beautifully landscaped gardens. Nyhavn A visit to Nyhavn is an absolute must. The terraced row of coloured houses along the canal make up one of the most popular dining and entertainment districts of the city. Although it is packed with tourists, we had no problem getting a table in any of the numerous restaurants and bars as many of tourists visiting the area seem to be passing through. Nyhavn really is the perfect spot to pass an evening over a glass or two of Carlsberg! Go Go GoBoat! The highlight of my weekend was a recommendation given to us by a friend. We captained our very own solar powered picnic 'GoBoat' from Brygge Island, and spent an hour navigating through the city canals. It is essential to book the GoBoat in advance. After a very brief introduction on how to 'drive' the boat, we set off with our picnic of cheese and wine. Everything about it was brilliant from seeing a different view of the city to the heart stopping moments when a barge would get a little too close for comfort. It's hard to believe they are so easy going with the rental of these boats, but it just works. Compact Copenhagen! I really loved my 3 days in Copenhagen. I came home feeling that I experienced everything there was to offer. Copenhagen is small enough to leave you satisfied that you've experienced it to the full. Just make sure you don't come home without trying the Danish Pastries!!! If you’re interested in planning your own short city break, why not contact me? With my experience of different destinations I’m sure to find the ideal getaway tailor made for you!

18 February 2020

I’ve been lucky enough to visit New York on a few occasions and each time I discover something new! A trip to the Big Apple will always be packed with sightseeing so my number one advice to make the most of your trip is to get a New York Explorer Pass. With the pass you gain admission to your choice of either 3, 5 or 7 attractions from a selection of over 50 of the top city attractions. As well as saving you money, a few of the attraction entries will come with VIP line privileges that will save you lots of precious time. Some of the attractions I opted for were: One World Observatory The One World Trade Center is built on what was the Ground Zero site. I was a little apprehensive about this as I thought it would be quite an emotional journey, reliving what happened on that fateful day in 2001 but the visitor experience is completely focused on rebirth and renewal and is actually a very positive experience. During the 60 second elevator ride to the 100th floor, the floor to ceiling led screens in the lift show how Manhattan has evolved from 1600 to today. The observatory offers a 360 degree view of the city. I loved the panoramic view of the Hudson River and Brooklyn Bridge. The Beast Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine taking a speedboat down the Hudson River, passing the Statue of Liberty with rock music blasting through the speakers and ending with speedboat doughnuts in front of Liberty Island. Well that is exactly what The Beast entails. It was the best fun and an unusual way of seeing the iconic New York Skyline. They stop within 100 feet of the Statue of Liberty giving you plenty of time to get some close up shots. The crew on The Beast aim to make sure no one gets off dry. I did this in June and with the temperature close to 30 degrees, it was a welcome cool down! The Ride Not your typical city bus tour! You board 'The Ride' at Broadway and over the next 90 minutes are part of the most surreal sightseeing tour of Midtown. The seats on the coach are tiered, side facing with floor to ceiling glass windows. The idea is that you are the audience & the streetscape of New York is the stage. Two hosts provide a comedic commentary through the tour, however, what was most impressive was the street performers who appeared from nowhere specifically for our tour. One guy, dressed as a DHL Courier was casually walking along the footpath before suddenly beginning to sing & dance with his mic connected to the speakers in our coach. Since traffic moves incredibly slowly in Manhattan, most of the performers moved along with the coach. A really entertaining way of taking in Midtown….just don’t sit at the end of the row unless you enjoy audience participation! Empire State Building In my opinion, you can’t go to New York and not visit. Although it cannot any longer claim to be one of the highest buildings in the world, its iconic structure has always been part of the New York Skyline and is a must see. If you are having trouble deciding between the observatory at the One World or Empire State Building, I would go with the latter. There is something special about having the chance to stand outside and the location also gives you the opportunity to not only see downtown Manhattan but also Central Park. Or if for no other reason, you need to go to stand in the spot where Tom Hanks finally meets Meg Ryan! Central Park Bicycle Tour This was the absolute highlight of my trip. I’m not sure I can describe the feeling that comes over you cycling through Central Park (or maybe it was just me!). Skyscrapers overlook you on all sides yet it is such a peaceful and tranquil place. At every corner the guide was pointing out the location of a famous movie. There is just something so special about Central Park and throughout the couple of hours I spent there I had an overwhelming feeling of how lucky I was to be there. A really beautiful part of the park is the Strawberry Fields, in tribute to John Lennon. I sat there for while as a busker sang 'Imagine'…..sounds cheesy but you completely get sucked in! Aside from the Explorer pass, we took in a show in Broadway. This is the second time I’ve been to see a show in Broadway. On another visit to New York I queued for a couple of hours only to end up with seats at the back of the Theatre at a musical I had never heard of. Granted I saved $20-30 but I’ve come to realise that the precious time you have on a short break to New York is more valuable than that! Having learned my lesson, I pre-booked to see Chicago with great seats, an amazing production and I wasted none of my time standing in a queue! Bateaux Dinner Cruise The most memorable evening I’ve ever spent in New York was on board a Bateaux Dinner Cruise sailing on the Hudson River. I cannot recommend this highly enough, it is the most perfect way to spend an evening, particularly if you are celebrating a special occasion. We boarded the Bateaux at 6.30pm and with cocktail in hand we enjoyed the views of the New York Skyline as the sun began setting. Throughout the evening we were served a 3 course dinner with lots of time between courses to spend out on deck soaking up the view. By the time we passed under the Brooklyn Bridge, night had fallen and the city skyline took on a different view. It was amazing and all the while a live jazz band serenaded the guests. Everything about the cruise was exceptional - the views, music, staff and food. A few other little suggestions: • Where possible take the Subway as traffic in Manhattan moves at a snail's pace. • Head to Little Italy for dinner for a fantastic choice of authentic Italian restaurants. Conveniently Little Italy is just around the corner from Chinatown. All that fake designer handbag shopping will surely leave you hungry! • Choosing a direct flight from Dublin or Shannon will have you clearing immigration before take-off. We are the only European Country that have this facility and when you see the queues on arrival, you will see how beneficial it is to land at the airport, pick up your bags and go! • Take a little trip to Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan for a little haven among the craziness. It’s a beautiful little public park tucked away between 5th & 6th Avenue. Grab a takeaway & head down for a picnic and possibly some street entertainment. • The High Line is a public park built on a disused railway above the streets of Manhattan. Take a stroll along to see the streets of New York from a different angle.

17 April 2020

To give some perspective, Vietnam is roughly the same size as Italy or California and has a population of 95 million (the population of scooters is 45 million!). And mountainous regions make up approx. 70% of the country. Pretty incredible statistics if you ask me! I can’t claim to have seen the mountains but I’m fairly sure I got to see most of the scooters. The traffic, particularly in Hanoi and Saigon, is crazy. By law, there should only be two people per scooter (with helmets!). While I was there it was a regular occurrence to see a family of 5 on any one scooter. If you call for an Uber in Vietnam, you even have the choice to opt for a scooter or motorcar. I’ve no doubt the scooter will get you to your destination a lot quicker! For us pedestrians, the streets were crazy, traffic doesn't stop for anyone but what we learned was if you do cross the road, walk, keep walking but never run! The scooter drivers will get confused and that's where your travel insurance will come in!! I’ll share with you my journey through this incredible country. We arrived in Hanoi and spent our first couple of nights in the Silk Path Hotel right in the centre of the Old Quarter in Hanoi. The hotel is a good 4 star standard. Really good service, great breakfast and a lovely terrace out the front of hotel where you can sit with a drink watching the world pass by. Our first full day began with a visit to Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and we were lucky enough to arrive just as they were changing the guards! This was followed by a walk around the Presidential House and Museum of Ethnology where we learned about the 54 ethnic groups who make up Vietnam. However.....the highlight of the day was a walk around the Old Quarter of Hanoi, getting to experience the sights and sounds (and tastes!) of this amazing, vibrant city. It was just fascinating to walk around the streets seeing their way of life. Life here revolves around food (& karaoke). We dined on typical Vietnamese dishes, sitting on tiny stools on the streets and it was honestly amazing!! Our hotel was just a 10 min walk or so from Hoan Kiem Lake with its iconic red Huc Bridge and offered plenty of shopping on our doorstep with any amount 'genuine' fake North Face Jackets, Designer Bags & branded runners! Bargaining is part of the culture here. Our guide advised us to start at half price, if you settled at 70% of the asking price, you did well. Anything over that and you’ve got yourself a bad deal! From Hanoi we travelled by road to Halong Bay, a beautiful natural wonder off the North coast of Vietnam. I had wanted to visit Halong Bay for years and have to say I was pinching myself that I was there. We had a full itinerary laid out for us the day we arrived including sailing around the amazing limestone structures, monkey inhabited islands and visiting endless caves by bamboo boats. We stayed overnight onboard La Vela Cruises. The next morning we were invited to take part in a half hour of Tai Chi on the top deck while the sun was rising. This was followed by a hike to the top of Ti Top Island where the view right over Halong Bay was spectacular! Well worth all the effort before breakfast. Next on our itinerary was the city of Da Nang, just over an hour flight from Hanoi. We stayed in the 5* Fusion Maia located right on the beachfront in Da Nang. All the villas here come with private pool and the rates include spa treatments. The hotel has an infinity pool overlooking the beach and the food is absolutely incredible. Nothing is too much trouble! If you are looking to treat yourself, definitely look no further. Da Nang is the gateway to the ancient town of Hoi An, just about a 20 mins drive away. I think it is up there with one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited.....and it rained while we were there. I cannot imagine how amazing it is in good weather. The streets of the old town are adorned with colourful lanterns. So stunning! I just cannot wait to return. Our final destination was Saigon in the South of the country. After our 1 hour flight from Da Nang, we started our visit with a quick tour of the city. Quite a lot of the time was spent in the War Museum which I found to be pretty tough to be honest. It was very visual, displaying 4 floors of images from the war and the affects of the aftermath. Saigon is totally different to Hanoi. Much more modern with beautiful French architecture and it is quite a western city. It's almost difficult to believe these two cities belong to the same country. That night was incredible fun as we took a Vespa tour around the buzzing streets. Saigon is full of life, fun and positivity. The tour was a craft beer trip that brought us to 4 venues to try the local craft beers and food. Even if you don’t do the craft beer tour, I would highly recommend the vespa city tour as a great way to see the city. The following morning we travelled by speedboat on 1 hour journey down the Saigon River to the Cu Chi Tunnels. The scenery along the river was fantastic. You can take this trip by road, with the traffic in the city it would take approx. 2 hours. It was amazing to see the network of underground tunnels and to try and understand how they survived, sometimes not emerging for 7 to 10 days. I even surprised myself by crawling through one of the tunnels. Our hotel in Saigon was a real treat, the 5* Reverie Hotel which has been voted Best Hotel in Asia. It's not just that they have thought of everything here....it has gone beyond that. For example, returning at night the tv in the room was showing a log fire burning, the toilet seat is heated and I could choose my particular preference from a pillow menu!! And the views out over the River Saigon are fantastic! I've had the most incredible time in Vietnam and I came home with much more understanding of the history here. Vietnam is changing and growing in interest from International Tourists at a rapid rate. There is no doubt that now is the time to visit!