Florence is the capital of the Tuscany region. It is also home to Michaelangelo’s famous sculpture “David”. The center of Florence was declared a World Heritage Site in 1982.
ttttt
Travelling to Florence
We went to Florence on 13th July 2022 via coach from our cruise ship. Please click on the following link for full details of the cruise and our itinerary Highlights of the Mediterranean. It took about 1 1/2 hours to get to Florence from the port of Livorno. We had our own guide on the coach who talked us through various area’s we travelled through on the coach. She was very knowledgeable about Italy. It was a bit strange finding out that area’s of Italy do not like other area’s of Italy. For example our guide was from Livorno in Italy and she spoke negatively of people from Pisa although it be in a jokey way.
Places of interest
It was a very hot day 39 degrees with bright sunshine. Later met another guide who took us around various places of interest in Florence. The Guide was also very knowledgeable about Florence. She spoke at great lengths about the The Cathedral of Sana Maria del Fiore and Piazza Duomo. We were at the Cathedral for over an hour. Fortunately we were stood in the shade whilst listening.
The guide took us to see some extremely interesting tourist attractions in Florence including Ponte Vecchio bridge and Michael Angelos David to name a few.
Ponte Vecchio bridge
Florence is a beautiful and interesting place to visit. There is so much to see and do that you could spend more time there but unfortunately we had to go to our next destination which was Pisa, But before we left Florence we were taken to the viewing point which over looks the whole of Florence. The view is absolutely spectacular.
View of Florence from View Point.
There is also Michael Angelo’s David at the viewing point, Should you be in need of a cold drink and a bite to eat there are stalls selling food and drink.
Michael Angelo’s David
Food and Drink
We had lunch at a little side restaurant and watched the world go by. It was a typical Italian restaurant serving traditional food and good wines. Due to the heat of the day the restaurant had good fans which kept you cool. There were a lot of people in the restaurant drinking Aperol Spritz. We just stuck with water and soft drinks as we had a long day.
We had an ice cream in a lovely little bar/restaurant and sat eating it on an upstairs balcony other looking the streets of Florence. The ice creams cost 16 Euro’s for 2 but the surroundings and where we were sat made them worth every penny. The ice cream was very nice too.
Shopping
Florence has a commercial are full of many designer shops but it also has a lot of traditional narrow cobbled streets with nice little bars and restaurants. Florence has the best of both worlds the old and the new. You could spend days in Florence and still not have enough time to see everything.
We then had to head back to the meeting point and wait for our guide to take us back to the coach. We had to wait in intense heat for people who were not back in time. This is always the problem with organised excursions.
Summary
Florence is a beautiful place with so much to see and do. We would like to return in the future and do the things we have not managed to do on this trip. Also it would be nice to have the freedom to go where we want as apposed to an organised excursion.
Images
Baptistery of St John
Florence Cathedral, Giotto’s Campanile, Piazza del duomo,The Baptistery of St John and Loggia del Bigallo
Florence Cathedral, Piazza del duomo,The Baptistery of St John and Loggia del Bigallo
Palazzo Vecchio
Replica of statue of David in the background
Piazza della Signoria
Ponte Vecchio Bridge
Basilica of Santa Croce
Piazzale Michelangelo
View of Florence from View Point
View Point
Things to do
Visit Ponte Vecchio Bridge
Visit the Cathedral
Visit Basiica of Santa Croce
Visit Baptistery of St John
Visit Piazza della Signoria
Visit Piazzale Michelangelo
Visit Piazza del Duomo
See the statue of David
Visit the view point.
Top Tips
If you are able to get to Florence on your own do.
Take hat, sun cream and lots of water when it is hot.
If not on an organised excursion plan what you want to see.
Allow lots of time in Florence to see things
Check out other places in Italy that we have visited. Please click on the following linksRavello , Pisa , Venice , Rome
Check out the weather below for best time to visit. Please be aware that these are averages therefore could be higher or lower.
Pisa is a city in Tuscany and is famous for its leaning tower. Although this is the most famous building Pisa does have a lot of other historical places to visit.
Travelling to Pisa
Firstly we were picked up by coach from Florence as we were on an excursion from our cruise on 13th July 2022. Please click on the following link for full details of cruise and itinerary Highlights of the Mediterranean. It is a short walk from the coach park to the leaning tower. Also there are a lot of people around all doing the same thing. However we had a tour guide who put up a sign for us to follow her as it was very crowded even on the streets. Before we were left to do our own thing the tour guide told us where the meeting point was and when to be back to get on to the coach.
Cruise Ship
It was a particularly hot day reaching 39 degrees at times . Consequently even the dogs had shoes on as the ground was too hot for them to walk on. On the way to the tower etc there are several stalls selling things souvenirs, drinks, food etc. Surprisingly there is even a Mc Donald’s on the way too. Despite expecting Pisa to be very touristy we were shocked to see how busy it was. Also we found it a bit of a let down with a Mc Donald’s not far from the tower itself. It was certainly very hard to take any photo’s as there was always someone walking in the way.
Places of Interest
The leaning tower and the Pisa Duomo Cathedral are in beautiful ground. Undoubtedly the architecture of both buildings are absolutely spectacular. Also you can go in to the Cathedral each day form 10am – 7pm and look round. Subsequently you can ago up the leaning tower but you have to book on busy days as there is always a queue.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa
The Baptistery is also located on the same grounds as the leaning tower. Unquestionably this also has spectacular architecture. The building are stunning and definitely worth visiting. You cant go to Pisa without visiting the leaning tower.
The Baptistery
Time in Pisa
Unfortunately we didn’t have much time in Pisa as we had booked an excursion which allowed us to spend a lot of time in Florence but not has much in Pisa. We would have like to have more time and see more of Pisa not just the leaning tower site. It would have been nice to experience some of the other places of interest and evening time in a nice restaurant and bar.
Food and Drink
Because of the intense heat a lot of people were trying to find shade. The stalls selling cold drinks were always busy even Mc Donald’s had a long queue. The stalls selling souvenir’s etc were reasonably priced. Water did vary from place to place form 3.5 Euro’s to 1 Euro.
Finally we waited at the meeting point for some time until all the coach was back. Because it was so hot and just stood still with very little shade the time seemed longer. Unfortunately this is the downside to excursion’s as there is always someone who is not back on time. Saying that we had a great time and saw some wonderful sites.
Summary
Although we did see the main sites of Pisa but felt it had a lot more to offer and would have liked to have spent more time. May be to have something to eat and drink in a traditionally restaurant. We definitely feel that there is a lot more to Pisa than what we have managed to write about.
Images
The Baptistery
Typical photo
leaning Tower of Pisa
Angelo Caduto
Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta
Learning Tower in background
Stunning Buildings
Things to do
Visit the leaning tower of Pisa
Visit the Baptistery
Visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta
Visit the Botanic Gardens
Sample the local cuisine
Visit Messo Bridge
Visit the city center for shopping, restaurants and bars
Top Tips
Take plenty of sun cream on hot days and a hat.
Drink plenty of water.
Check out days that may be less busy.
Try to see other area’s of Pisa
Check out other places in Italy we have visited. Please click on the following linksRavello , Florence , Rome , Venice
Check out weather and rainfall below for best time to visit. Please remember that these are averages therefore may be higher or lower.
If you are wanting to travel light there are ways to maximise the amount you can take for carry on baggage.
Buy toiletries in airport – this means that you can take what ever size you want and are not restricted to the 100ml rule .
If needing more than one jacket/coat wear them – you can always take them off when you are in the airport.
Wear coats/jacket with pockets where you can put items in them (not creams or liquids).
Travel Vacuum packs are a good investment as they come with a light weight mini USB pump vacuum which enables you to fit triple the amount of clothes in a suitcase. (always check the weight of the case when full to avoid additional charges).
If you want to take toiletries with you instead of buying at airport, buy the empty travel bottles/tubs (can buy for as little as a £1 per pack) and fill them with your own products.
Mosquito repellent is expensive at the airport and some of the bottles are over 100ml. Mosquito repellent wipes are ok to be left in your hand luggage and have worked fine for me in the past.
If you have more than one carry on bag and are limited to one bag. Get a duty free bag and put things in that as it is not counted as a carry on bag.
Train Travel UK
Using the Train split website is a good way to save money on most journeys – just enter your details in to the website and it will calculate the savings for you. You don’t have to change trains to get the savings – https://www.trainsplit.com
If there is more than one person travelling together it may be worth checking out getting a Two Together Rail card which costs £30 for a year. I have bought more than one of these as I have used one with my friend and another with Mike. You just need a photo of each of you to add onto the railcard – https://www.twotogether-railcard.co.uk
Booking in advance can save a lot of money. You can usually book up to 3 months in advance.
Cheap Flights
When airlines advertise a sale try to be ready to search at the time they state the sale starts to bag a bargain.
If you are flexible with where you want to go and dates try skyscanner – https://www.skyscanner.net/skyscanner/flights. In the search specify the month you are wishing to travel and leave the destination as Flexible. This will bring up all the destinations with the cheapest price for that month. We have had return flights to various places including Prague, Portugal and Poland for under £45.
Booking flights in advance is good too as when the demand for the flight goes up so does the price.
Be aware of additional costs with certain airlines as although the headline price of the flight may seem cheap, when other elements are added, such as hand luggage or reserved seating, it can increase the price considerably and if you are on a tight budget that’s the last thing you need. Certain airlines now charge for a small suitcase. Other airlines may charge a bit more for the flight but include hand luggage and therefore could work out cheaper.
Airport Lounges
Different airports and terminals in different countries all have different choices of Airport Lounges. Search the following to weigh up if it is worth the amount that is being charged.
What is the cost.
What is available in the lounge (wifi, Tv, newspapers etc).
What drinks are available (alcoholic and non- alcoholic).
What food and snacks are available (hot and cold).
How long can you be in the lounge prior to your fight departure.
re you able to stay in the lounge should your flight be delayed (some lounges offer this at a small cost).
Search for discount codes prior to booking . We have used discount codes in the past for airport lounges and have saved up to 12%.
Considering the cost of food and drinks in airports we have found that the lounges are often good value for money and the whole experience more relaxing than being in the main terminal concourse.
Airport Transfers
There are so many transport companies in every country to choose from with various prices for the same journey.
Check prices for more than one company.
Look for discount codes before booking.
Check the companies reviews as some companies have been known to take the money and not turn up.
Check if your accommodation offers airport transfers as this can often be safer and cheaper.
Ensure you have your flight times and address of accommodation prior to booking.
Accommodation
Again there are so many companies to choose from that offer the same accommodation at various prices.
Check price comparison sites such as Trivago and Tripadvisor.
When comparing websites always check you are looking at the same hotel with the same board details. For example one site may offer the hotel at a cheaper price but this may be on a room-only basis, whereas another site may offer you the same hotel at a slightly higher price but this may be on a bed and breakfast basis.
If you have a disability or children do check whether the hotel can accommodate your needs.
Always check package holidays for price as it is not always cheaper to book accommodation, flights and transfers separate.
Check out reviews but be aware if you are paying 3 star prices you are not going to get 5 star accommodation. Take any extreme views with a pinch of salt and look for common elements of feedback from a number of reviews.
Many companies can offer the same package holiday’s at different prices.
Check out what the package includes (does it include baggage and transfers) and if it doesn’t include everything research the cost of the additional elements.
Check out reviews of both the package holiday company and accommodation.
Check if the company is ATOL and ABTA registered.
Check price comparison sites.
Some hotels offer various board bases – do check to ensure that the board basis is what you want before booking.
If booking all-inclusive check out what is included as all-inclusive varies from hotel to hotel.
Some all inclusive finish at 11pm others may be later. Many offer 24 hour all inclusive. Always check that the all inclusive is within the times you want. If you like to have a drink in to the early hours and the all inclusive finishes at 11pm this may put added cost on your holiday.
Many travel agencies advise to book in advance which can work better for a lot of people. We have found booking around 2 weeks before we want to travel as saved us a lot of money. For example 2 weeks to Egypt 5 star was £1200 we paid £680 last minute.
Let us introduce ourselves! We are Debbie and Mike and our passion is travelling and enjoying life experiences. As we both have grown up children and no pets we are able to travel when we want (work permitting) although we do travel sometimes with family and young children. We also consider ourselves to have quite a young, optimistic outlook on life therefore our experiences on our holidays reflect this.
Reason for setting up the site
The reason we have set up our website is that we want to provide down to earth views, advice and tips for some of the destinations we have visited. Many travel websites focus solely on expensive experiences of far and exotic destinations. Although we do visit some of these destinations we also visit more affordable destinations which are closer to the UK, including places of interest in Europe. On our site we will also include many all inclusive package holidays and cruises.
Unfortunately we are now of an age where the back packer scene and the club scene are no longer for us, but we do like to have a good time! Undoubtedly we like to have fun, sometimes having a drink well into the early hours while meeting many different people. We also like to join in with games and activities when staying in a holiday resort. As well as the fun side of travelling we also like to experience the cultural side of travel and spend a lot of our holiday time sightseeing. Basically we aim to get as much as possible out of our holidays. On this site we will try to cover weather, destinations, places of interest, things to do, entertainment (if in holiday resort), food and drink and nightlife.
We aim to provide advice for travellers who are on a tight budget and also for those that wish to spend a bit more on their trips. Some of the tips we provide at the end of each destination review come from our learnings from our experiences in those locations and which would have been useful to know before we travelled. Many are money-saving tips and we all like to save a bit of money – we believe that if we keep the cost of our trips as low as possible we can afford more travel experiences in the future!
We are new to writing about our travel experiences
Being totally honest we are new to producing a website and writing about our travels so we are sure the site will come with some flaws – we are not professional writers! In addition we are not influenced by or receive any payment from any hotel or travel provider. We are simply here to provide our honest views and opinions on the locations that we have visited. Our main hope is that this site will provide you with a bit of an insight into the locations that we have visited and to provide some ideas and tips should you wish to visit any of the destinations. Over time we have visited so many places which have provided many unforgettable memories. We have written about all of the places we have visited over the past few years.
We hope you enjoy reading our posts on the various destinations we have visited, including package holidays, far away destinations and cruises. Please do let us know what you think by using the feedback function on the site, and also please do share this site with your family and friends. We aim to keep adding to the content of the site as we continue to travel to new destinations.
Bangkok is the capital of Thialand and home to the Grand Palace.
Bangkok is also the most populated city in Thialand. Bang is a Thia word which means “village on a stream”
Travelling to Bangkok
We flew to Bangkok on the 30th December 2017 from Heathrow via Kuala Lumper. Basically we had to do this journey due to using Mike’s staff Travel. Although it was a bit of a journey it was worth it as we got Business Class seats. Also we were able to have access to the Executive lounges in both Leeds and Bradford Airport and Heathrow.
Accommodation
We stayed at the Navalai River Hotel which has the name suggests is on the river. There is a stop for the waterbus directly outside the hotel which you can get to through the hotel. The hotel was very clean and service was exceptional. The rooms were decorated to a good standard with all toiletries included. We found that the hotel was ideally situated for what we needed. The cost of the hotel at the time of booking was £70 per night which we thought was a good price for the standard of hotel.
Water bus stop
Also the hotel has a roof top swimming pool which we didn’t have time to use. Although it was a small swimming pool it looked nice and very inviting.
Site Seeing
On our first day of arrival we decided to go for a walk. As we walked out of the hotel we were stopped by a man on a Tut tut who offered to ride us to some areas of interest for a small charge. We excepted his offer and he took us to where he said was of interest (which was a small sort of temple) and to a tailor’s which he did not say he was going to take us there. Afterwards we had a bit of a struggle getting him to take us back to our hotel without buying anything from the shop but he finally agreed.
Kao San Road
Kao San Road
During the evening we walked down Kao San Road which is a famous street known for bars and street food. Some of the street food was very strange fried scorpions on sticks, fried crickets on sticks etc. Also there were venders selling more traditional Thai food like Pad Thai at very low cost. Some of the bars were put up purely at night. They would bring the tables and chairs and drinks on a small cart and set up a bar.
Kao San Road
Significantly bigger bars had live music in them and cost a lot more than the smaller bars but still at a reasonable cost. We did go in one small bar where all drinks were served in buckets. We got a vodka and coke bucket at a cost of £2.50 which went straight to our heads. Kao San Road is buzzing with people drinking , eating and even shopping all night long.
£2.50 bucket of Vodka and Coke
Bangkok Palace
Bangkok Palace
We caught the waterbus from our hotel to Bangkok Palace. Unfortunately we were not aware that both males and females had to cover shoulders and legs so we were not prepared but they did sell clothing to cover up with at the palace.
Certainly the clothes are not very flattering clothing so ensure you take your own. Eventually when you have paid in to the Palace and you are covered up you can wonder around at your leisure. Hence we were there a good few hours as there is so much to see and take in. It is the most spectacular building we have ever seen .
If you ever go to Bangkok then the Palace is a definitely must see. Make sure you have your phone/Camera fully charged as you will want to take a lot of photo’s.
There is also guards similar to our guards at Buckingham Palace which is interesting to watch when they do their march. Not sure if they minded having a photo taken as with our Palace guards they don’t say anything.
Palace Guard
Wat Arun
Wat Arum
Also we caught the waterbus to Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn) which is not far from the palace. Although this is a much smaller place to look round it is very impressive. As this was a hot day we went to a near by street to get a cold drink on our way we noticed a little alley way where an elderly couple were cooking and selling Pad Thai.
Street Food Pad Thai
We decided that we would go in to their little place and have something to eat. It was the most amazing Pad Thai we have ever tasted. It cost 50p including a drink. If we had have had more time in Bangkok we would have gone back there for the Pad Thai.
Summary
Bangkok is a truly amazing place with a lot to offer people of all ages . Bangkok is a colourful and vibrant city with such ornate buildings and so many places of interest. Because we were only here for a couple as we were on our way to Koh Sumui we did not enough time to see and do everything we wanted to do. We will definitely be going back to Bangkok at sometime.
Images
Koa San Road
£2.50 Bucket of Vodka and coke
Lovely clothes we had to buy to go in to the Palace
Grand Palace
Grand Palace
Grand Palace
Grand Palace
Grand Palace
Guards at Grand Palace
Grand Palace
Wat Arun
Wat Arun
Eating street food Pad Thai
Boat trip on the Chao Phraya River
Things to do
Visit Bangkok Grand Palace
Take a boat trip along the Chao Phraya River
Visit Koa San Road
Sample the street food
Visit one of the large markets
Visit Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn)
Top Tips
Take clothes to cover up if going to the Grand Palace.
Ensure camera and phone are changed up as there are so many photo opportunities.
Try the genuine street food which is amazing.
Kao San Road is a great place to visit for nightlife.
Our hotel was on the river which made it easy to travel to various places via the waterbus.
Do not under estimate the amount of wonderful places there are to see in Bangkok allow enough time.
Don’t be put off by stories of how seedy Bangkok is. Of course there are some seedy areas which we did not see but the beauty of Bangkok and the places to see far out way this.
Dubai is the most populated place in the United Arab Emirates.
Dubai is home to the tallest building in the world The Burj Khalifa. It has also one of the lowest crime rates in the world and is considered one of the safest places in the world.
Travelling to Dubai
We travelled to Dubai from Heathrow Airport in the month of April. This holiday had been won in a raffle with British Airways therefore we were able to travel Business Class. Also included in the prize was entrance to the executive lounge prior to flying. We were picked up from Dubai airport via a private transfer in a luxury car. The transfer from the Airport was around 35 minutes. April was a good time to visit Dubai as the weather was warm but not too hot as with the summer months.
Accommodation
We stayed at Jumeirah Emirates Towers which was a lovely hotel. Surprisingly we were in a Premier Deluxe Room with a view of Dubai. The rooms were very spacious with added luxury. Additionally There was an outdoor swimming pool where you could also buy light and bites and drinks both alcoholic and none alcoholic. Towels were provided by the hotel for around the Pool. Although it was quite small we never had any problems getting a sun lounger. There were no issues within the hotel of having to cover up. We wore shorts and T Staying most days. The breakfast in the hotel was amazing with such a vast choice. Undoubtedly there was something for everyone at Breakfast. The hotel provides a full English Breakfast and boasts that some of its ingredients come from UK farms. Continental Breakfasts were also provided along with many other interesting things to eat.
Sister Hotel
Jumeirah Beach
Jumeirah Towers has a sister hotel (Jumeirah Beach). There is a free shuttle service from Jumeirah towers to Jumeirah beach which runs several times a day. The Jumeirah beach hotel has its own private beach and overlooks the most iconic hotel in Dubai the Burg Al Arab AKA the Sail. which is the worlds only 7 star hotel. Jumeirah beach is a man made beach which was previously known has Miami beach. It was lovely to spend days on this beach with such luxury and amazing sun sets.
Jumeirah Beach
Irish Village
Irish Village
On an evening we occasionally went to The Irish Village which was a short taxi away from our hotel. The Irish village has live entertainment every evening. Everywhere you go drinks are expensive in Dubai compared to in the UK and the Irish Village is no exception.
Irish Village
Regardless of this the food here was a lot cheaper than other places in Dubai. Also you can sit in doors at the village but most all the entertainment is outside and this is where you need to be to experience the buzz of the place.
Dubai Brunch
Brunch
When in Dubai it is recommended to go to a Friday brunch (2-3 hours) if you like good food and a range of alcoholic and none alcoholic drinks. The cost of the brunches range from £35 to £300 depending on where you go. Hence we went to The Hive Warehouse brunch with cost around £70 per person. Although this may sound a bit expensive but as drinks and food are expensive in Dubai the cost of this brunch wasn’t.
Bottomless brunch
The staff serving at the brunch were predominately from the Philippines. All the members of staff were so friendly, attentive and helpful. During the brunch the waiters did not wait until you finished a drink before they asked you what your next drink was. They drinks recommended drinks and brought them to try. Consequently we had a least 4 drinks lined up at one point (a bit greedy we know but it is a brunch). There was such a good choice of food to suite everyone’s taste from sea food platters to burger and chips. Overall the drinks and food was so varied and in plenty of supply.
Burj Khalifa
When in Dubai it is a must to go to the Burj Khalifa which boasts a number of world records and took over 122 million man hours and 6 years to build.
View from Burj Khalifa
Tallest building in the world
Highest number of stories in the world (160)
Highest outdoor observatory deck in the world
The longest elevator in the world
View from Burj Khalifa
Before travelling to Dubai we were informed that there are area’s where females need to cover up therefore when we went to the Burj Khalifa I wore a long dress and covered my shoulders. When we got there most tourists including women had shorts and tshirts on. Fortunately I (Debbie) had put shorts and tshirt under the dress just in case.
View from Burj Khalifa
The entrance to go up the Burj Khalifa is in a mall with eating places and shops. The queue is quite lengthy to go up in the elevator but worth the queue. Once in the lift you can sense how fast it goes (10 meters per second) which is amongst the fattest in the world. The views are amazing once you reach the top. There are various viewing areas to see Dubai from different angles. After 6pm the
Dubai Fountain
The Dubai fountain is outside of the Burj Khalifa just a few minutes walk. Dubai fountains run every 30 minutes every day from 6pm – 11pm and lasts around 5 minutes. The fountain is absolutely spectacular and a must see when in Dubai. Over 6600 lights light up the fountain which change colour. The fountain shoots up water to over 500ft high.
View of fountains from Burj Khalifa
Nightlife
Finally we visited a lively beach bar (forgot the name) one evening with great music. The clientele were mainly young ex pats but we still enjoyed it even though we appeared to be the oldest people in there . Especially the cocktails although they were quite strong A ex collegue and his wife had gone to live in Dubai so we met up with them at this bar on their recommendation. It was a very westernized bar with most dressed as they would do in any bar. The skyscrapers of Dubai overlooked the beach bar .
Beach Bar
Summary
Before travelling to Dubai we were a bit apprehensive after hearing some of the horror stories of people been put in prison for public displays of affection, not been married, not covering up etc. Also we like to enjoy a cocktail or two or three or more when we are on holiday so we were also a bit worried about the rules on consuming alcohol. Fortunately we need not have worried about the above.
All the myths we had heard were totally dismissed. Of course if you don’t respect the country and their culture you may get in to trouble but we never experienced any problem as we were aware of this . We would strongly recommend anyone to visit this most amazing place
Images
Irish Village
Irish Village
Irish Village at night
Beach Bar
Burg Al Arab AKA The Sail
Jumeirah Beach
Burg Al Arab AKA The Sail
Bottom of Burj Khalifa
View from Burj Khalifa
View from Burj Khalifa
Outside Burj Khalifa
Bottomless brunch
Things to do
Go to the Irish Village
Go up the Burj Khalifa
Go to a bottomless brunch
Go to Jumeirah beach to see the Burg Al Arab AKA the Sail
Visit a mall
Watch the Dubai fountain show.
Top Tips
Ladies take clothing to cover up when necessary. You cant enter malls if you don’t
Check out the Friday brunches which are good value considering the cost of food and drink in Dubai
Sharing an hotel room with someone you are not married to is a crime in Dubai be aware of this.
There is no issue with drinking alcohol in places such has hotels and specialist bars but don’t drink alcohol outside of these premises.
Dubai can get extremely hot especially in the summer months this can be unbearable to walk around. Check out the temperatures below when deciding to visit Dubai
Be aware of the countries culture. If you respect the culture and abide by the countries rules you will have a great time
Singapore has 3 times as many visitors annual than that of the whole population.
Singapore has 4 main languages with English being the most widely spoken.
Travelling to Singapore
After having a wonderful time in Vietnam we flew into Singapore’s Changi airport on 17th January 2018 – a super modern airport that is kept extremely clean. We quickly found our transfer driver and within 30 minutes or so we arrived outside the entrance to the Village Hotel Albert Court.
Accommodation
The Village Hotel Albert Court is in a pleasant hotel located in the Bras Basah Bugis precinct close to Rochor and Little India MRT stations. Consequently we found it to be a good location right in the heart of the city. Additionally we had chosen to stay in a club room which included breakfast and access to club lounge, with free drinks and snacks each evening which we enjoyed each day! The rooms are modern and very clean with fresh towels provided daily. Basically the club lounge is the lobby lounge which is a small bar serving cocktails and drinks. The access to the club lounge included snacks, chicken skewers, spring rolls, potato dishes and pastries. Drinks were provided free of charge in the club lounge from 6pm – 8pm. Breakfast had plenty of choice which was more than enough to see us through to lunch.
Golden Landmark Hotel swimming pool
We were very fortunate that the weather was very good throughout our stay as January is one of the wettest months in Singapore. We did however experience one down pour which was short lived. Our hotel did not have its own swimming pool but had a sister hotel which was near by where you could use the swimming pool. As the temperature was quite warm around 30 degrees we went to the Golden Landmark Hotel to use the swimming pool. It was extremely quiet with only us in the pool most of the time we were there. The pool was lovely and water service was very quick and efficient.
Location
As we arrived fairly late in the day so we just walked to a local store to buy some drinks and food and took these back to the room. After a welcome sleep and a decent breakfast it was time to head off around the city and explore. Firstly we walked across to Rochor station and took a train 3 stops to Bayfront. Afterwards we had a wander around the Marina Bay Sands shopping centre and outside through to the Waterfront Promenade.
Marina Bay Sands Singapore Hotel
Also we decided to take a nosey at the rather swanky Marina Bay Sands Singapore Hotel. It’s an amazing structure comprising three main towers joined together by a single structure across the top. Inside you can purchase tickets to visit the observation deck and enjoy the view across the whole of the city.
Botanic Gardens
Botanic Gardens
We walked through the Marina Bay Sands Singapore Hotel to the Botanic Gardens which are absolutely amazing. It was a beautiful day which made it more enjoyable.
Botanic garden
So much to see and take in at the Gardens that you could spend a full day there. Lots of giant sculptures and viewing decks so you can see how stunning the gardens are.
Botanic gardens
The gardens are immaculately kept and very iconic for Singapore. We spent quite a lot of time here as not only is there so much to see and admire but lots of photo opportunities. If in Singapore the Botanic Gardens are a must see.
Nightlife
Clarke Quay
On an evening we either went to the bars at Clarke Quay or the bars at Ann Siang Club Street. The Clarke Quay bars are basically bars in a shopping center. Although they served nice drinks and was very busy at Clarke we felt that the atmosphere was not up to much. The drinks were also very expensive.
Ann Siang Club Street
The bars at Ann Siang Club Street varied from bar to bar and also did the prices. There were so many bars to chose from and although not has busy as the bars at Clarke Quay we felt the atmosphere was better. There was live music in some of the bars which added to the atmosphere. We definitely preferred Ann Siang Club Street but may be younger people would prefer Clarke Quay.
Places to eat
China townChina Town
There are so many places to eat in Singapore but we enjoyed the food in Little India and China Town especially during the day as the streets were buzzing with lots to choose from. The food was also very cheap compared to the hotels and larger restaurants but of course the surroundings were of a lower standard. The food was very authentic and of a good standard considering the price.
Little India food
Summary
Singapore is a lovely place to visit with so much to see and do. Definitely need more time than the few days we were there. We will definately go back again to Singapore on a stop over to another destination.
Images
China Town
China Town
Dragon Fruit
Little India
Marina Bay Sands with Skypark on top
Marina Bay Sands with Skypark on top
Botanic Gardens
Botanic Gardens
Botanic Gardens
Botanic Gardens
Botanic Gardens
Botanic Gardens
Botanic Gardens
Clark Quay
Things to do
Visit Botanic Gardens
Visit Marina Bay Sands Skypark.
Visit China town
Visit Raffles hotel
Visit Little India
Visit Clark Quay
Visit Ann Siang Club Street
Top Tips
Botanic Gradens is a must see if visiting Singapore
Ensure your hotel is in a good location to see and do the things you want to.
Clarke Quay has amazing bars and shopping centre.
Ann Siang Club Street is definitely worth a visit with a variety of bars and live music.
Visit Little India and China Town to experience the buzz of the places and the4 authentic food.
Many people visit Singapore has a stop over to another destination if you plan your itinerary before you go you be able to se4e a lot in a short space of time.
Hong Kong is home to the famous landmarks the Big Budda and The Peak
Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places in the world. It has over 8 million residence in a 426 square mile territory.
Travelling to Hong Kong
We travelled to Hong Kong in the month October flying from Heathrow. This was our first destination as we were on our way to Bali. We had booked a private transfer from the airport which was quick and easy. The journey took around 25 minutes from the Airport to the hotel Bishop Lei International house.
Accommodation
Bishop Lei International House is 20-30 minute walk from the centre of Hong Kong and tourist attractions. The hotel was quite basic but met our needs for the time we were in Hong Kong. When we arrived at the hotel the bedding had something unpleasant on it. When we informed reception they upgraded us to a superior room free of charge. The room was still basic but had an amazing view with window from floor to ceiling. We booked a room that included breakfast which was worth booking as there was always something nice to eat. The staff at the hotel were very pleasant and spoke excellent English.
The hotel is up a lot of Hills. Although you can get escalators some of the way there is still a lot of hills to climb. Hong Kong is not a place to visit should you have any difficulties walking as it is very hilly and involves a lot of walking to see the sites and explore the city. There are escalators taking you from one level to another level in the streets though.
Close by to the hotel there are some restaurants and bars. There is also a couple of supermarkets where you can buy most things from.
Places to visit
Big Budda
We queued for 40 minutes to take the tram up to the peak where views of Hong Kong were spectacular. At the top of the peak there are shops and eating places where you can spend as much time as you like. There are also many places to walk to to gain different views of Hong Kong.
We also visited the Big Budda. To get to the Big Budda you need to take a train and a cable car. Although the cable car was still working when we got to the Big Budda we were informed it was closed but a very kind security guard allowed us to go up to the Big Budda. We had had a very heavy drinking night the night before the trip which was not a good idea as we did not get out of bed until mid afternoon.
Nightlife
Lan Kwai Fong
We were advised that Lan Kwai Fong is the busiest nightlife area. Nightlife in Hong Kong is very good but drinks are very expensive costing around £20 for two pints of beer. Although we did notice a lot of younger people drinking bottles of drinks Cider, Beer, Wicked etc. Consequently we questioned how they could afford to do this when they were so expensive. Then we noticed then that they were going to the 7 Elleven store at the end of the street purchasing the drinks then standing outside bars to drink them. The drinks at the 7 Elleven were a fraction of the cost. On our last night in Hong Kong we decided to do the same and saved a lot of money.
Also we went to Nathan Road which is also known as the Golden Mile. The streets were so busy well in to the night. There were lots of street artists which gained a lot of crowd following. There are many restaurants and shops lining the road to suite all tastes of cuisines.
Places to eat
Nathan Road AKA Golden Mile
There is a near by night market which is full of interesting things for sale that you would not find anywhere else. There are lots of street food eating places at the night market. We eat at a very small eating place on the outside skirts of the night market. The food was good and exceptionally cheap compared to other places to eat in Hong Kong.
We went to 188 degrees restaurant which is a lovely restaurant over looking Victoria harbor. The restaurant is on the 41st floor of the Grand Harbour hotel in North Point. The restaurant served modern European food. The views are spectacular therefore the prices reflected the stunning surroundings and good quality food.
Summary
There are so many things to see in do in Hong Kong which we didn’t get chance as we were only there 3 nights on our way to Bali. 5 nights here would have been ideal as we would have been able to see a lot more. We will definitely return to Hongkong if things are safe enough to do so. Should we visit again it would probably be another stop other on our way to another destiantion.
Images
Kaloon Park
View from Victoria Peak
View from Victoria Peak
View from Victoria Peak
Cable car to Tian Tan Buddha
Cable car to Tian Tan Buddha
Tian Tan Big Buddah
Steps to Tian Tan
Offerings of the Six Devas
Nathan Road
Lan Kwai Fong
Things to do
Visit the Big Buddha
Go up the Peak
Visit Lan Kwai Fong for nightlife
Visit a market
Visit Thousand Buddhas Monastery
Visit Nathan Road
Top Tips
Visit the Big Buddha it is a must when in Hong Kong.
The Peak is also worth a visit as you get amazing views of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong is very hilly therefore if you have mobility issues be aware of this.
Drinks are very expensive in the main area’s of Hong Kong but not has expensive away from popular area’s.
Public transport is good in Hong Kong therefore you can get most places easy and at a low cost.
Borovets is a sking resort on the slopes of the Rila Mountains
Travelling to Sofia
In the month of March we flew to Sofia from Manchester via Easy Jet. The journey from Sofia airport to Borovets is approximately 2 hours. We hired a private transfer which costs around £40 each (6 people were in our party). As we were going sking and it was winter the journey to Borovets was very stunning. The scenery on our journey was breath taking. With lovely lakes and mountains along the way.
Accommodation
Festa Winter Palace
We stayed at the Festa Winter Palace Hotel which is ideally situated in the center of Borovets close to ski runs and Ski lift. The hotel is one of the more expensive hotels in Borovets but it is also one of the best hotels. We stayed on a bed breakfast and evening meal basis. The food was buffet style service and always plenty to choose from. The hotel itself is beautiful inside and outside. The rooms are immaculate clean and decorated to a high standard. The service in the hotel was also excellent and nothing was too much trouble. When the hotel was lit up on an evening covered in snow it looked amazing. As we had gone at the end of the skiing season there was not as much snow as usually.
Skiing lessons in Manchester
Chill Factor
This was our first time skiing therefore had taken a days lesson in an indoor ski and snowboard center in Manchester called “The Chill Factor”. It was a full day with lunch and refreshments provided which cost £175 each. As the snow is man made therefore is quite soft and light. The instructor was quite informative and seemed to teach us what we needed to know to give it a go on the slopes of Bulgaria. We were given a pack at the end of the course advising of what techniques we had learned and a Certificate of achievement.
Skiing in Borovets
We had gone to Borovets on the recommendation of a friend who had been skiing there on a number of occasions and was an excellent skier. Borovets is a lot cheaper than most popular skiing resorts with ski hire costing around £10 per day and lift pass around £5 per day.
Skiing lessons in Borovets
We were also introduced to a skiing instructor who was commonly known as “Mario” as he bares a strong resemblance to Mario of Mario brothers. He is an Olympic skier who represented Bulgaria in the 80’s. His real name is Christof. Kristof and his wife own the White Magic bar and restaurant. Mario also is a skiing and Snowboard instructor.
We had several lessons with Mario at £25 an hour for two of us which is excellent value. Although we had had a days lesson Mario took us back to basics and started from scratch. He did not agree with how we had been taught at the indoor ski slope. We had several lessons with Mario which helped us develop our skiing ability a lot quicker than our day lesson. As the snow in the indoor ski slope was man made it did not compare to the snow on the slopes which was often compounded to what was quite icy. The technique of the snow plough which was used in the indoor ski slope did not work on the icy snow.
Mario was an amazing instructor and made learning a lot of fun as he had a great sense of humour. We had a couple of hours lessons each day with Mario which was enough as it is quite hard work especially when you are learning.
Ski lifts
Gondala
It was difficult to master the button lifts. They came round very fast and you had to sort of stand/sit on them but it was all good fun. The Gondola lift took you up to the top slopes where there were a lot of slopes for the more experienced skier and some smaller slopes.
Food and Drinks
White Magic and Mariao
We had a bailey’s/irish coffee/hot toddie in one of the cabins at the top of the slope which was delicious. It definitely warmed us up not sure how much alcohol was in there but did have a bit of an effect. Probably not the best thing to do when learning to ski. There were many cabin type bars that served food and drinks dotted about the slopes. One of the cabins served burger, chips and a pint of beer for £4. You could even change the beer for a glass of wine for the same price.
The apres-ski in Borovets is great with a lot of bars in a very short walking distance. During the seasons when the snow is a lot heavier you can ski from bar to bar. The age range of the people in the bars is predominantly people in their 20’s but that did not stop us having a great time. All the bars are very reasonably priced so does not cost a lot to have a good bar crawl. We often went to Mario’s bar “White Magic”. He would organize games in the bar which was great fun. One game was to hit a long nail into a large log with the wrong side of the hammer. May sound a bit strange but playing it in a big group after a few drinks was hilarious.
Night Skiing
For the more experienced skier’s you could do the night time ski which looked great but we were still only novices so had to give that a miss. You could also hire jet ski’s which looked great but due to going at the end of the season we were limited as to where you could use the jetski as there was not as much snow around.
Summary
At the end of our holiday in Borovets we were able to ski a lot better than before we went but still had to stick to the smaller slopes. We do intend to return to Borovets on another skiing holiday. It is a lovely place are far cheaper than a lot of other skiing resorts. We will also have more lessons from Mario (Kristof) if he is available.
Images
Fiesta Winter Gardens at night
Night Skiing
Learning to Ski
Things to do
Obviously go skiing
Try night skiing
Go snowboarding
Go Snowmobiling
Apres Ski
Top tips
Buy Ski wear pre worn for first time skiing as it may not be your thing.
We bought on ebay and got good makes of ski wear at a very good cost.
Base wear is cheap at many sports wear shops.
Accommodation is very cheap in Borovets but standard and location does vary, do your research.
We wasted our time with the indoor ski center at a cost of £175 each for a day which is not cheap. If possible go straight to an instructor in Borovets.
Check out the skiing season which is mid December to Early March.
Check out other destination we have visited in Bulgaria Sunny Beach
Las Vegas is well known for its gambling, shopping and nightlife.
Las Vegas is said to be the entertainment capital of the world.
Travelling to Las Vegas
In the month of September we had been to a few destinations in America. On our final destination we flew to Las Vegas from San Diego via American Airlines. This was an extremely short flight. Many people who had stayed in our hotel in San Diego hired a car and drove to Las Vegas as it was only a 4 hour drive. Our flight cost £25 each which was cheaper than renting a car.
Accommodation
We stayed at Caesars Palace which looked impressive from the moment we arrived. When we arrived we were offered an up grade for approximately £20 a night. We were in Las Vegas for 5 nights so we agreed to the £100 upgrade. We were than given a £50 voucher to spend in Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant which meant we had only paid £10 per night for the upgrade.
The room
When we got to our room we absolutely gob smacked by the shear size of the room. It had two extra large king sized beds in it. There was also a dinning and seating area. The widows were from floor to ceiling and over looked the Bellagio fountain. We would watch the formation of the fountain most days whilst having a cocktail or a drink in our room.
View from room
The Bathroom
The bathroom was equally impressive with a jacuzzi bath that was the biggest we had ever seen. There was also a 60 inch TV on the wall in the bathroom. The bathroom was actually bigger than a lot of hotel rooms we had stayed in.
Shopping Mall
Shopping Mall
Caesar’s Palace also has a shopping mall that appears to be open air but is actually under cover. The ceiling of the shopping mall is lit up and designed to look like the sky which does look very nice. It is a decent sized Mall with lots of designer shops
Pool Scene
The pool seen at Ceasar’s Palace is also impressive with several pools to choose from. However we found the drinks round the pool a bit pricey but it is to be expected in hotels of this standard. The Bali beds around the pool were chargeable but you did get your own butler. We did not see many people using this service. It was quite busy when we were at Ceasar’s Palace and if you were not round the pool early enough all the sun beds were taken.
Pool Scene
Hotel grounds
Outside of the hotel there is a replica of the Trevi Fountain of Rome. When we were there a duck had nested with her chicks in the fountain they were so cute.
Casino’s
One of the main reason people go to Las Vegas is to gamble. Although we are not big gamblers ourselves we did go round a lot of the Casino’s to see what they were like and have a small gamble. The Casino are very interesting to go to and most of a theme and the decor and surroundings are in keeping with that theme. There are so many to see and all are very big inside so it is difficult in one stay in Vegas to actually see them all. Many of the Casino’s offer free food and drink if you are gambling.
We never were offered a free drink or food but we were told by others that this does happen. We didn’t mind as we did not stay in one Casino very long. Just walking down the street in Las Vegas you get the feel that it is the entrainment capital of the world.
There are so many Casino’s to choose from. One of the Casino’s had a diamond covered car belonging to Liberace which was very impressive. Las Vegas is so unique with the style of the hotels that you could mistake for being in other countries. From the Luxor (Egypt) to the Venetian (Italy). If we were to visit Las Vegas again which we are sure we will we are not sure how we would choose which hotel to stay in as they are all spectacular.
New York Casino
Dick’s Last Stand Bar
We went to the Excalibur Hotel and to Dick’s Last Stand Bar. If you are easily insulted then this is not the bar for you. We had been to the bar that they have in San Diego so we were aware of what to expect. The staff at the bar are very rude on purpose. They even make hats for you and put rude comments on them eg “I rub more balls than a gypsy”. It is a very fun bar to have a drink in. As we had spent time in the San Diego Dick’s Last Stand the jokes were not new to us.
Fremont Street
We caught a bus to the famous Fremont Street which is where the original Casino’s of Las Vegas are. Fremont Street is mainly undercover and has light shows each evening. There are a lot of other shows as well from Tribute acts to DJ’s. It wouldn’t be Vegas if we didn’t watch an Elvis tribute act. There are also many people in fancy dress who charge $1 dollar for you to take your photo with them. Some of them were dressed with nothing more than tape over there intimate parts. Fremont Street is not somewhere I would recommend for families to go to. It sure was an eye opener for us.
Fremont Street
Zip Liner
There is a zip linner that shoots you out of a trap door and you fly down the full length of Fremont Street. They put your harness on and then you lay on a bed and are attached to the wires. The bed then lowers down and you are fired out of the door. It was a great experience and felt like you were actually flying.
Grand Canyon and Hoover Damn
One of the places we wanted to go see is the Grand Canyon . Previously we had spoken to some friends who had flown over the Grand Canyon in an helicopter which sounded very excited. We were told that this would cost £350 each to do this. For a once in life time experience this did not seem a bad price. As we like to travel a lot we are often on a bit of a budget therefore this was more than what we wanted to pay. We found an excursion via coach to Hoover Damn and Gran Canyon which cost £75 each. We were picked up at the hotel at around 6am and taken to a small place for breakfast (not included in the price).
Hoover Damn
The journey is quite long by coach but we stopped several times along the way. When we got to the Hoover Damn we had to go through security similar to at an airport. We were informed by our tour guide that the Hoover Damn is a big terrorist target as it is the biggest reservoir in the United States. The Dam’s generator’s provide power to Nevada, Arizona and California. We were given a short time to wander around the Dam and take photo’s before heading back to the coach. The Hoover Dam is a big tourist attraction it attracts over a million visitors each year.
Hoover Damn
Grand Canyon
We then return to the coach to the Grand Canyon stopping along the way at a little village for lunch. When we arrived at the Grand Canyon we were given time to walk round and take photo’s. Due to the size of the Grand Canyon we were driven to various viewing points. At each point there is opportunity to get food, drinks and visit bathroom. We went in September to the Grand Canyon and it was very hot so you need to drink plenty of water. The Grand Canyon is spectacular and even more impressive than seen on TV.
One of the things we were surprised to see is that there was actually houses at the bottom of the Canyon. Not only did we see house we even noticed a couple of cars (not sure how they got there). We did see people white water rafting in parts of the Canyon. If we had had enough time we would have liked to have done this. At the viewing points there is also native Indians who dance and request payment for photo opportunities. We had our photo with them and paid the small amount they were requesting.
Grand Canyon
Tipping
It was a very long day approximately 12 hours but definitely worth doing. There was so much to see and although we were given plenty of time for photo opportunities etc the time seemed to go so quickly. Our guide was very humorous and informative which made the whole experience better. When we were dropped off at the drop off point we were told by the tour operator that we should give $15 each to the Driver/Guide. Although he was great we thought that we should have had an option as to how much we should give considering we had already paid for the tour.
Summary
We had such a great time in Las Vegas but did not do everything that we wanted to do. We will definitely be going back there in the too distant future.
View from hotel room
Pool scene Ceasars Palace
Pool Ceasars Palace
Trevi Fountain replica Ceasars Palace
Ducklings in Trevi Fountain replica
Bellagio Fountain
Bellagio Fountain
Luxor hotel
New York, New York hotel
Freemont Street
Harnessed up ready for Zip linner
Hoover Dam
Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon
Things to do
Try your look in the Casino’s
Even if you don’t want to gamble go and have a look round.
Visit Freemont Street
Visit the Hoover Dam
Visit the Grand Canyon
Go to Dick’s Last Stand bar in the Excalibur
Top Tips
Take water, sunscreen, hat and sunglasses when going to Grand Canyon if going in hot months.
Visit Fremont Street.
Have a look round other hotels and Casino’s
Shop around for tours as they vary so much in price.
Research your hotel before booking to ensure it meet you/families needs.
