Lovely Sri Lanka

Beautiful Sri Lanka!

I’ve had to write a little something about some of the places that many of us visit when we go to this sizeable island. There’s quite a bit of ground to cover on the average tour but, sitting in a comfortable minibus with nine agreeable people on my tour, I barely noticed the time passing.

There’s so much to look at. The ‘wet’ zone goes into the dry’ zone, the foliage changes, the coconut trees stop and cashews are no longer sold by the roadside. Now it’s pineapple and then spices ….

Drop to the south and you’re in tea plantations and further south-west and you’re back to the coast – and if you’re very lucky a visit to Yala National Park where game drives take you out morning and evening in the hope of catching a glimpse of the elusive leopard.

All the resorts down the west coast, both north and south of Colombo, have different things to offer. Some of the villages, such as Bentota and Negombo, are turning into quite the little resorts – as we know them. Cafes, bars and shops are springing up around the better hotels and you no longer feel cut off – just you, the hotel and the beach. As with everything, one person’s idea of the perfect hotel or resort isn’t another’s so we have to hear what you like before we choose one. However the interior towns offer a more limited selection so I’ll mention some of them here.

Unless you head for the north (requiring more hours on the road) most itineraries take you east from Colombo. En route you can easily make a stop at Pinnawala and visit the elephant orphanage and watch the rescued elephants of all sizes tread carefully between the shops and cafes on their way to the river. A couple of hours further east and you’ll be in Habarana. This is where you rest up for a night or two so that you can visit Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Sri Lanka’s first UNESCO listed World Heritage Site, and Polonnaruwa, the capital of Sri Lanka in the 11th century.

I stayed in the Chaaya Village, a low rise collection of horseshoe shaped little cul-de-sacs of rooms, set in sweeping gardens adjacent to the lake. You can also contact experts from pest control vancouver to make your garden free from pests and to make it more impressive The poor relation to its sister hotel, the Cinnamon Lodge just next door, it offered me everything I needed and the buffet meals were truly great. The pool’s a tad small and the Cinnamon Lodge is more elegant so if your budget allows go for that; it’s not much more.

Sigiriya, inhabited from 3rd century BC, and the medieval city of Polonnaruwa are both way more fascinating and rewarding than they seem to be from the literature! The sophistication of these ancient cities is awe-inspiring. Three of the ten people on my tour actually made the climb to the top of Sigiriya but it’s not obligatory and it’s not for the faint-hearted.  The UNESCO site says it better than I can ……

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/201

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/202

From here we drove for about an hour and visited the caves at Dambulla where giant statues of the buddha were discovered centuries ago, and on to the Spice Garden where we walked around the gardens being regaled by Bonny, the most dynamic lecturer I’ve ever known, and where we bought cinnamon oil, sandalwood, lime oil, red oil (arthritis). Then we carried on and within a couple of hours arrived into Kandy, a city built around a large man-made lake and with lush hillsides as a backdrop. I wasn’t expecting anything so stunning. Lovely, lovely Kandy.

We stayed at the Cinnamon Citadel and given that I was on the 3* tour I was pretty impressed with this hotel. It’s a few minutes outside Kandy, overlooking the river. The rooms are luxurious and large.  It did have yet another of those large brightly-lit restaurants with self-service buffet but the choice was staggering. At every meal you have a choice of western or Sri Lankan cuisine, meat, fish or vegetarian, vegetables or salad, and so it goes. In the morning you can sit out on the terrace enjoying the view – and the heat of the sun. Best get up early for that experience.

Here you see the Temple of the Tooth Relic (don’t ask), which is cute enough but you wouldn’t want to drive here just for that. It’s Kandy itself which is worth the journey. Walk around in a small group here, though, as you would in Colombo.

South – and quite a drive – you can stop in at Nuwara Eliya, 6200 feet above sea level and  right in the middle of the tea plantations. If I try to explain how heart achingly beautiful this part of Sri Lanka is you’ll start yawning but it really, really is. The town itself is scruffy but safe to wander about and finally get down there with the people and know that you’re in Asia but please splash out just a bit and stay in the Tea Factory. The place is a legend all on its own.

And on to Yala, a vast area of forest, scrub and grassland and home to wild elephants, monkeys, leopard, boars, crocodiles, mongoose, and my favourite – the sloth bear. Game drive guides know where to head for but seeing these animals in their own habitat isn’t always easy, even though your morning drive starts at 5am. Still it’s hard to miss the constant stream of creatures at the watering hole if you sit quietly by the pool at the central hotel and anyway you’ll hear monkeys run over your chalet roof at night! There are other interesting things to see in Yala; You can save money and stay in Tissa, about 13 miles away, and just come into the park for the daytime but if you can stay close to the park entrance at Chaaya Wild Yala it’s worth it. They have jungle chalets (so don’t snack on the deck) and beach chalets for anyone whose idea of heaven is jungle behind them and the Indian Ocean in front (me).

And back west to the beaches. I can’t go into all of those here. Maybe I’ll add some reviews in later but if you ever want to ask about Sri Lanka I’m always happy to drop whatever I’m doing and chat about it. You’re never going to be under any pressure to book from me.


Intercontinental Mauritius

I have some great offers to the Intercontinental Mauritius holidays. I am going to give some information here.  However, instead of me writing it, I thought I’d get the hotel’s sales manager to put a few words together.

This is from Shane Jameson: Intercontinental Mauritius Holidays

Intercontinental Mauritius Holidays Beach View

“I think that convenience is a major aspect when choosing a holiday destination. I don’t want to get into barefoot luxury, but you’d be suprised how many people come to Mauritius looking for holidays such as island getaway, that ‘Robinson Crusoe’/’Castaway’ experience and then once it’s on their plate…well, they don’t want it any more. Enter the InterContinental Mauritius Resort Balaclava Fort. In a nutshell, you feel like you are miles away but, in actual fact, are 25 minutes from all the amenities that can cause anxiety when you’re on vacation. Hospitals – that’s plural, shopping malls (also plural) are all a stones throw away so we tick the location box quite well.

For Intercontinental Mauritius Holidays, we’ve got pretty much two of everything in what is a relatively symmetrical resort. Two pools (one heated), two breakfast restaurants (one a la carte), to distinct sides (wings) and last but not least, two nights of the week we have fabulous outdoor dinners that are included on the Half Board, Full Board or All Inclusive packages we have. If it’s wanting to ‘get lost’ then we can show you places you’ll never be found. Alternatively if morning aqua-arobics, a gym workout and a ‘kiki’ by the pool bar are your thing, then that door is also wide open.

Variety is the spice of life, on all the three different meal basis’ we have full dine around in 5 restaurants an three bars. If you don’t like our 14 day rotational menus, then we can apply food and beverage credits against an a la carte menu. All water sports both motorised and non motorised are free with the exception of the Catamaran and the dive centre. We have free wireless internet in all the restaurants, the lobby and the beach – so, if desired, you can update your status, instagram or tweet as often as you want. 120 Deluxe Ocean Facing Rooms, 40 Two-Bedroom Family Rooms, 20 Jacuzzi Suites and 10 Presidential Suites…we love round numbers. Convenience, space, mod-con’s, luxury all in a stunning resort.”


A weekend in Berlin

Berlin is a very interesting city but you need to arrive in the right mindset.  The starkness of the city itself and, of course, its history make for a bleak background. The good part is that once you get past Berlin’s grey past there is a plethora of things to do 24 hours a day. The public transportation runs, as expected, like German clockwork and getting around is easy and economical.

These main draws are historical but must be seen as this is what old Berlin is about:

-The remaining sector of the Berlin Wall
-The Jewish Museum
-The Brandenburg Gate
-Checkpoint Charlie

These four locations will take up a full day at least and if you are in Berlin for more than a weekend you may wish to devote more time to them. We spent two nights in Berlin but were able to get a very good grasp of these and I don’t feel I missed anything.

Other main attractions are the Alexanderplatz, which is the main transportation hub, and the fantastic museums and galleries. Photo opportunities are as abundant as the beer and bratwurst. Shopping is a popular pastime in Berlin and the shops range from everyday market stalls to the designers on the Jägerstraße. Another sight for me was the fact that there is a Volkwagen/Bugatti dealership in the centre of the city…a haven for petrol heads in the midst of the shopping.

After a day of sightseeing, I don’t think we were prepared for the fact that many of the bars never close. We discovered that the cleaners arrive in the morning to tidy up around the survivers but the party keeps going on. Berlin has an amazing night life which offers something for all walks of life. The ravers can dance all night but there are, also, bars that are more akin to coffee houses where friends can chat the night away and nobody shouts last call.

Before our night on the town we filled ourselves on traditional German fare and I was pleasantly surprised to find cabbage rolls on the menu. I grew up in a household with a strong German influence and the food was a warm reminder of meals long past. While all the normal fast food joints are available, quick snacks can be had from the bratwurst vendors or great restaurants are abundant wherever you are downtown.

We stayed in the old, Eastern, part of Berlin and found that the food options were fewer and definitely not as good as downtown. While the hotels are cheaper outside the centre I’d suggest dining before you get the train back. I also found that the people were much more reserved in the old town and that English was less spoken but the ambience was more traditional…central Berlin is very flash.

A trip to Berlin is, I believe, a must if just to reflect on the past but the new city has so much more to offer.  Flights are available to Berlin Schoenefeld from various UK airports and the train is easy to get into the centre. English is widely spoken and getting around shouldn’t be an issue for even the most reserved traveller. I recommend Berlin for a 2-3 night break but it can also be incorporated into a more comprehensive rail or coach trip.


The Wonderful Le Touessrok

Le Touessrock

Well from the moment I entered Le Touessrock I knew this hotel was special. The warm welcome with cooling towels, fresh fruit skewers, calming sea view combined with the sweet smell of Frangipani  was like heaven to me. My room enjoyed views over one of the hotel’s own islands called Ile aux Cerfs and sitting on my balcony I could hear the sea gently lapping below. This beautifully appointed room had a Sea View and fabulous bathroom with the sensuous egg shaped bath that I really love.

Before I visited Le Touessrock I had heard about their other Islands, Ile aux Cerfs and Ilot Mangenie, however, I can only say that you must take the complimentary boat service to visit these Islands and discover a whole new dimension to this hotel.

This is now on my list of hotels that I must take my husband to!!! – call me for more details.

Independence of the seas

4* Royal Caribbean Cruises from Southampton – Independence of the Seas

The fabulous Independence of the Seas is an amazing floating hotel. Having just undergone some revitalising it is now more amazing than ever. There is something for everyone whether you are a toddler or young at heart. Why not try surfing on the Flowrider ? Or soak up the sun in the above sea level whirlpools. Or take a splash in the on board water park. Or even have a skate on the ice rink. After a hard day around the pool you can then settle down to the wonderful Las Vegas style shows. There are so many shops and cafes on the Royal Promenade that you might not ever want to leave the ship.

With an impressive 3600 passenger capacity and 160,000 tonnage,  makes her the largest ship to ever have been based in the UK.

Dining is a plenty onboard from the three main buffet restaurants to the speciality and A la Carte dining.  With lots of choice of cafes and bars on the Royal Promenade.

Never tried cruising before? Think its not for you? Cruising has something to offer for everyone. Please give me a call and I can go through all of your questions and queries.

If this cruise isn’t to suit then I have lots more on offer from family cruises to adult only cruises.

To Book or Enquire Please Call: 0114 3273436 or email jackief@travel-pa.com

 


Le Touessrok 5* Deluxe Hotel Mauritius

Can you imagine a place so wonderful that you wouldnt want to leave it behind?

Well this is exactly what you will feel like at the end of your stay in Le Touessrok. Guests come back time and time again to sample the luxury and charm of this premium hotel – making this an established favourite on Mauritius.

Tranquil blue waters, fabulous white sandy beaches and service like no other. These are just some of things that make Le Touessrok one of the best hotels in the Indian Ocean and a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. Situated on the stunning Trou d’Eau Douce Bay and only an hour from the airport.

 

Rooms

Le Touessrok has 68 Deluxe Rooms and 33 Junior Suites located on the beach. 92 Junior Suites and 6 Ocean Suites are located on Frangipani Island which is over the  bridge from the main resort.

All rooms have safe, mini bar, hair dryer, satellite TV, DVD/CD player, telephone, air conditioning, Internet/email access, 24-hour butler service, en suite bathroom with separate shower, in-room multimedia entertainment systems.

Features

An array of Boutique shops, 2 stunning swimming pools, hairdressing salon, luxury Givenchy Spa, activities for 12-17 years, Kids Club 4-11 years , nightly entertainment including resident band, cabaret and shows, 18-hole championship Le Touessrok Golf Course designed by Bernhard Langer, Full range of free land and water sports including bocci ball, floodlit tennis courts, kayaks, snorkelling, table tennis, volleyball, water-sking and windsurfing. All water sports take place on Ile aux Cerf island, a short boat ride away.

Restaurants and Bars

Barlen’s – The wood and thatch beach restaurant and bar on the shore of Trou d’Eau Douce. The restaurant offers a range of dishes, based on a fusion of Asian and European cuisine.

Crusoe’s Restaurant & Robinson’s Bar – On the resort’s romantic private island of Ilot Mangenie, fresh local food and drinks are served on the beach under the trees.

Paul et Virginie & Sands Bar – Lunch is provided at the relaxed, barefoot restaurant Paul & Virginie. The place to relax after taking in the watersports or relaxing by the pool.

Safran – The main feature of this wonderful restaurant that overlooks Hibiscus Bay has to be the open kitchen with tandoori ovens decorated with mother of pearl. Serving varieties of Indian bread, appetisers and main courses.

Sega Bar – The Sega Bar takes centre stage at the resort’s main pool, and is the perfect spot throughout the day for refreshing cocktails, drinks and light snacks.

Three-Nine-Eight – The main restaurant of Le Touessrok is based on three floors. It hosts cuisines of nine countries in a culinary theatre presented by eight show kitchens. This is the place for breakfasts, and sociable and entertaining evenings.

Call 0114 3273436 to Book Now


Western fly drive

Many of my friends and clients have experienced the classic West Coast fly drive but most tend to overlook my absolute favourite San Diego. I always recommend taking as much time as possible to see as much as you can and, when possible, include Las Vegas, San Francisco and Los Angeles. I’ll get to more about the individual locations on separate blogs but let’s just get the itinerary for now.

The glitz of Vegas is always worth a look for at least four nights and, also, to allow for a trip out to the Grand Canyon. Die hard gamblers will want to stretch this out a bit but there is always enough to see as not to move on right away. Exotic shows and bright lights are the normal attractions, but golfers will be spoilt for choice, as well.

San Francisco is the next stop, and you can get there either by road or by air…I’d suggest just getting there by plane and picking up your car on the other end as the 9 hour drive may be too much for some or, alternatively, stopping along the way but this is a wasted night. After about 4 nights in ‘Frisco’, it’s down the coast to Los Angeles and this time it is worth a stop in the Pismo Beach area just to enjoy the scenery.

Los Angeles has a love-hate relationship with tourists; it’s big and smoggy, but there’s a ton of stuff to do, as well. It’s important to consider exactly what appeals to you so a decision can be made as to the length of stay.If you want to explore you’ll need a week but if there are just a couple of points of interest then 3 days will be sufficient.

A short drive down I-5 brings you to San Diego and, arguably, one of the best climates in the world. It’s a busy city with a lot to see but, at the same time, San Diego invites you just to relax. I always recommend at least 4 days but would gladly stay for weeks. Your time constraints may limit you to a couple of days, but at least you’ll get a taste.

In between these major centres, there are other popular options for side trips or stays. The coastline itself has many towns and events to visit, and there are more out of the way choices such as Yosemite, Lake Tahoe and the giant redwoods in northern California. The more adventurous could consider travelling into Oregon and Washington to explore the Pacific Northwest, but you will need to allow more time.

There are numerous other considerations to be had; available time, school holidays when travelling as a family, budget and, ultimately, what you want to see. As I mentioned, I’ll put more detail into individual blogs but this will get you thinking about where to start planning.

If you’d like to discuss a fly drive (or any other holiday), or have these details e-mailed to you, please feel free to contact me at any time.

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    carlisle, carlisle
    Aegean Village | Kos | Reviewed 22 Aug 2015
    I have just come back from a fantastic week in Kos which Jackie booked at very short notice for my daughter and myself. I was a little nervous about travelling alone with my 7 year old for the first time as my husband was working and, to compound matters, I had an injured shoulder. Jackie arranged everything to make the holiday as easy for me as possible. The hotel was lovely and just what we wanted - we had a great break.Before contacting Jackie I had already wasted almost a full day trawling the internet and tying myself up in knots. Jackie did all the research, gave me loads of suggestions and had the whole holiday booked and organised in just a few hours. All I had to do was pack and turn up for the flight. Next time I'm not going to even think about searching online - I'll get straight in touch with Jackie and ask her to sort it out for me! Thanks Jackie! xx

    by Claire Mitchell
    Darlington, Co Durham
    Sol Costa Blanca | Benidorm | Reviewed 17 Jul 2015
    Hi Kristina The holiday was more than fantastic thank you, they looked after us brilliantly at the hotel, upgraded the room. Best holiday ever, we loved every minute.Thank you so very much for arranging it all

    by S Bowden
    Swindon, Swindon
    El Nido Resort | Faraway | Reviewed 15 Jul 2015
    Hi Kristina, We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the fabulous booking you made us, it far exceeded our expectations, it was out of this world. All the hotels were fabulous. El Nido Resort, Apulit Island, was like a piece of Paradise. We would gladly recommend you and your company to all our friends and family, and look forward to working with you again.

    by Mr & Mrs K Manning
    Greenford, Middlesex
    El Paso PortAventura | Salou | Reviewed 04 Jun 2015
    Hi Olivia, Just wanted to let you know that we had a fabulous holiday at El Paso Hotel, It was excellent, the food plentiful and there was a good selection. All geared up for families, with a lovely big pool. Being close to the theme park and water park was the icing on the cake, we even managed to spend one morning on the beach, this was in walking distance. Our private transfer was perfect, no worrying about the childrens seats as they were in our bus. Thank you so much for arranging everything for me and my family, you were so helpful and nothing was too much trouble, you certainly made the whole holiday experience for the eleven of us a complete joy. I will certainly be using you again.

    by Susan Brotherhood
    Welwyn Garden City, Herts
    Playa Pesquero | Cuba | Reviewed 05 Mar 2015
    Hi Kristina, We had a fabulous time. The resort had everything you could want, everyone catered for, people really friendly. The restaurants had a good variety of food, beaches & sea. It was lovely. Thank you very much for finding us this gem.

    by P Harding
    Cirencester, Glos
    Dubai | Reviewed 30 Jan 2015
    We have used Karens expertise on at 3 far away trips to-date and each time we have found Karen to be excellent in offering advise and great service, along with competitive pricing. the hotels have always been first class so we look forward to our next two trips with confidence.

    by john
    redditch, worcestershire
    Tailormade trip | Australia | Reviewed 02 Dec 2014
    Everything went according to plan thank you.The hotel in Sydney was in a great location, as was the accommodation in Port Douglas, Darwin and Singapore. The excursions you organised were excellent, we thank you very much for your help and patience whilst organising our holiday. I have a few ideas for some future adventures so will be in touch for your help.

    by K Sayers
    Nottingham, Nottingham
    Le Preskil Beach Resort | Mauritius | Reviewed 22 Oct 2014
    Just back from our latest holiday at Le Preskil Beach Resort in Mauritius arranged by Dany. Once again every detail was spot on and we had a room upgrade to a "Prestige Cottage". When you travel - Go Dany!

    by Jeremy Lillies
    Mitcham, London
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