Uncategorized – Page 4 – 2 Travel Is 2 Live

New York

Posted on November 24, 2020December 13, 2022 by Debs and Mike

New York is the most populous city in the United States.

It is also the most popular destination in America for tourism.

Travelling to New York

In the month of September we travelled to New York. We were due to flyvia Norwegian airlines which we had not flown with before. As we had got a cheap flight costing £200 one one way so we did not expect much. At the airport we were told that we had been changed to another airline but when we went to board the plane in Manchester it was Norwegian airlines. We were very impressed with the plane as we expected a budget airline with no inflight entertainment but instead we got a new plane with the entertainment.

The plane had dimmer switches for the windows and all inflight service was done electronically. You went on the screen in the front of your seat and decided what you wanted to eat or drink. You then chose this and swiped your credit card/debit card for payment. Within a few minutes the drink and or food was brought to your seat. This was a lot more efficient than the trollies on other airlines.

Transfer

We booked a private transfer from the airport to the hotel which was quick and easy. Our driver was waiting for us in the airport with a sign with our names on it. The driver was very friendly and made polite conversation on our way to the hotel. We booked the transfer with Hoppa (not sure of cost but was very reasonable)

Accommodation

We stayed at the Grand Hyatt which is directly next door to Grand Central Station therefore the location is ideal. The hotel is lovely 4 star hotel with very big rooms. The hotel looks impressive from the moment you pull up to the door. You are met by the Concierge who takes you to check in. The hotel has a lovely bar over looking the streets of New York. Everything in the hotel is of an high standard. The rooms are extremely clean and have all the toiletries you need for your stay. The best thing we liked about this hotel was its location. The cost of staying at the Grand Hyatt is quite high at around £330 per night for September. There are many other hotels in the same district at lower cost but of equal standard.

Statue of Liberty

On our first day in New York we decided to go to the Statue of Liberty. We got the tube to Battery Park and then the ferry across to the Statue of Liberty. On the walk to the ferry there is the dome that was outside the World Trade Centre. Although it is damaged considering it was there when the World Trade Centre collapse it is in remarkable condition and a constant reminder of all the people who lost their lives that day. The Statue of Liberty looked different in real life to what we had seen on TV. It seemed smaller than we expected but still very impressive and worth a visit.

Brooklyn Bridge

On our second day which was a lovely sunny day we caught the tube to Brooklyn Bridge. As it was a nice sunny day it was quite busy on the bridge with lots of tourists doing the exact same as us and walking the length of the bridge. The bridge first opened in May 1883 and is approximately 486m long. The Brooklyn bridge connects Manhattan with Long Island. It does not take long to walk both ways as it is not too long. We wanted to see as many sights as possible in New York during the 3 days we were there Brooklyn Bridge being one of them.

Ground Zero

We decided to walk to Ground Zero which was a bit of a walk but we found that we managed to see more of New York this way as apposed to getting the tube. Ground Zero is one of the strangest experiences we have ever encountered. There were 1000’s of people there yet it was eerily silent. Words can not explain the feeling you have whilst being there and how somewhere so busy can be so quiet. Looking around at other people everyone has a somber look on their faces. The size of Ground Zero is enormous and much bigger than we anticipated it looking.

There is a famous bronze statue that was outside the World Trade Centre when it collapse and is still there to this day. The Statue does not look much different now as it did prior 911. The Statue looks basically un scaived by the events of 911. It is amazing how it has lasted through it.

There are several other monuments/buildings etc. around Ground Zero that played a vital part during 911 including St Paul’s Chapel. St Paul’s Chapel is Manhattan’s oldest public building in continuous use.

Time Square

During our stay in New York we tried to cram as much as we could in to the time we were in New York. We went to Time Square on more than one occasion as it was with in walking distance from our hotel and a great place to visit especially in the evenings when all the bars and restaurants were open. Also we did frequent an Irish Bar (O’Briens) whilst we were there. The bar had a great atmosphere and had a mix of tourists and locals each evening. The drinks were the usual price for New York which is a bit more than the UK. Not sure what time this bar was supposed to close but were often in there until the early hours. Fortunately our hotel was not too far away to get to after consuming a quite a bit of alcohol lol.

Central Park

Central Park was also within walking distance to our hotel. We had another bright sunny day and decided to have a walk round Central Park. The Park is lovely with lots to see see and do. If we had had more time it would have been lovely to just sit and have a picnic. The Park is well kept and there are people cleaning it constantly. There are a number of cafe’s, ice cream stalls etc to get a drink and a bite to eat which was very pleasant sat there just watching the world go round. There are also some beautiful horse and carts that will take you round Central Park. We saw a number of squirrels in the park that were very tame and almost ate out of our hands.

Summary

New York is an exciting and interesting place to visit with so much to see and do. Unfortunately we did not have enough time to do all the things we wanted to. Although we found some of the New Yorkers quite rude the majority were polite and helpful. We will definitely have another visit to New York in the not too distant future.

Images

Statue of Liberty
View over looking Central Park
View of Manhattan
Time Square
Time Square
Time Square
Brooklyn Bridge
The Sphere in Battery Park
Squirrel at Battery Park
Ground Zero
St Paul’s Chapel
The Double Check Business Man Bronze Statue

Things to do

Visit the Statue of Liberty
Go to Central Park
Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
Visit Grand Central Station
Go to time square
Watch a show
Go to the viewing platform at the Empire State Building

Top tips

Do you research regarding hotel standard, location and price.
New York can get very cold in the winter months therefore ensure you have appropriate clothing.
If limited for time plan your itinerary to get the most out of your stay.
Tube is a good way to get around if going long distance or have mobility issues.
Check out the chart below for best time to visit New York.
Check out other destinations we have visited in America Washington DC , Las Vegas , Miami , Los Angeles
Check out government safety advice before travelling to New York

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	6	7	9	16	20	27	29	28	24	18	12	13
Low Temp	-3	-3	1	6	12	17	20	20	16	10	5	04
Rainfall	85	57	90	96	114	98	101	87	104	94	69	85
Number of days	10	9	12	15	15	13	13	12	10	10	12	12

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Sunny Beach

Posted on November 19, 2020December 13, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Sunny Beach is on Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coast.

It is known for its lovely beach’s, watersports and nightlife.

Travelling to Sunny Bech

We flew to Bulgaria in the month of June from Manchester Airport. We stayed in the Crown Plaza hotel a few minutes walk from the terminal. It also has a regular shuttle bus to the airport. Our car was parked there for the duration of our holiday.

Accommodation

We booked the holiday as a last minute deal with TUI costing £600 each all inclusive for a week. We stayed at the Riu Helios Paradise which is at the far end of Sunny Beach in an area called St Vlas. The hotel is rated as a 4 star plus and a Platinum hotel. The hotel is 24 hour all inclusive which we made good use of lol. There are a number of specialist restaurants in the hotel including Asian, Bulgarian and Italian. We ate at each of them and was not disappointed with the standard of food.

There is also a nightclub on the complex which is open until the early hours. This was a great place to go as it had Karaoke and dance music on every evening. There was also evening entertainment in the entertainment room but could be watched from outside whilst having a nice cocktail. The hotel has a lovely swim up bar with a good selection of local branded drinks.

There is a full itinerary for entertainment around the pool during the day which was great fun. The hotel has its own beach with a bar and snack bar. The hotel grounds and rooms were very clean.

Adults only Riu

Whilst we were in Sunny Beach an Adults only Riu hotel had just finished being built next door to our hotel (Riu Palace Sunny Beach) and opened part way through our holiday. We were able to go and look round the hotel which had a lovely infinite pool. As everything was very new it felt quite clinical and seemed to lack atmosphere but we are sure that this will change as the hotel is used more.

Location

Our hotel was a short walk from the center of Sunny Beach. We walked out most days along the front which was lovely. The only downside was that each shop, bar, restaurant etc you passed someone tried to sell you something. On the positive side they were not as pushy as other countries and as soon as you said no they left you alone. There are a lot of shops selling copies of designer clothing which did not appear to be good quality. There were a lot of things going on at the front and in hotels for children from large inflatables to fair ground rides. We did notice that there was a lot of families in Sunny Beach.

Nightlife

On a couple of evening we did go in to the center of Bulgaria for a few drinks. There were many bars with tribute acts Freddie Mercury, Robbie Williams, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner to name a few. We did go and watch some of them which was great fun with a lot of audience interaction. Sunny Beach is on a similar parr to Benidorm but not as big. We did not stay in the centre of Sunny Beach until the early hours but we were aware that it is a place that never closes.

There are many excursions to go on in Sunny Beach but as we were only there for 7 days we were limited as to where we could go without taking up too much time of our holiday. One of the things we would have done if we had had more time was to go to Istanbul.

Nessabar

We got a taxi to Nessabar which is only a short drive away from Sunny Beach. Nessabar is such a contrast to Sunny Beach with its cobbled street and old buildings. Whilst walking around Nessabar it feels like you are in a completely different place to Sunny Beach. There are lots of gift shops in Nessabar which are different to the ones in Sunny Beach. The restaurants and bars also have a different feel to the ones in Sunny Beach. Nessasbar is very picturesque and definitely worth a visit.

Summary

We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday in Sunny Beach. The hotel was lovely and met all our needs. We also liked the hotel as it was in a quiet area but near enough to all the nightlife to walk to. At £600 each for a week all inclusive we found the holiday to be very good value for money. As the world is such a big place we are not sure if we would go back to Sunny Beach but never say never.

Images

Pool Scene
Pool Scene
Pool Bar
Beach
Nessebar
Nessebar
Nessebar
Freddie Mercury Tribute Act
Michael Jackson Tribute Act

Things to do

Visit Nessebar
Take a boat trip
Sample the local cuisine
See a tribute act or two
Sample the nightlife
Take a day trip to Istanbul
Visit the beach.

Top tips

If you want to be near the nightlife but far enough away should you wish to relax than this area is ideal.
Taxi’s are cheap in Bulgaria and can be cheaper than some excursions.
Visit Nessabar
The tribute acts are great fun and worth seeing.
Designer copies appeared poor quality best to avoid.
We regretted not having the time to go to Istanbul make sure you have enough time.
Hotels vary so much with regards to location, standard etc. Do your research before you book.
Bulgaria is very seasonal, check weather below for best time to visit.
Check out other destinations we have visited in Bulgaria Borovets

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	6	8	11	16	21	25	28	27	24	19	13	8
Low Temp	-1	0	3	7	12	16	18	17	15	14	6	2
Rainfall	41	43	40	54	42	49	33	30	37	47	56	48
Number of days	6	6	7	8	5	6	4	4	4	6	7	5

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Koh Samui

Posted on November 19, 2020December 13, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Koh Samui is

Thialands second largest island.

Koh Samui is famed for its lovely beaches, moonlit parties and its Buddhist temples.

Travelling to Koh Samui

We travelled to Koh Samui in December for the New Year from Bangkok. We flew with Thia Airline which was probably one of the longest planes we have ever seen. The plane was only about half full so we had plenty of room.

Accommodation

We originally booked into the Hacia Leisure Resort in the Lamai area of Koh Samui. When we arrived it was late so we did not unpack and ventured out of the hotel to get something to eat and drink. The next day we were appalled by the hotel. The sink had pubic hair in it and the there was a door leading out to an outside area which could have been nice if it had been looked after but it hadn’t and was very overgrown. Also we wandered around the hotel to take a look as to how clean it was. Our original thought was maybe the room had been a bit overlooked and the rest of the hotel would compensate. We hoped that we would just request for the room to be cleaned properly. On looking around the pool area it was clear this hotel was dirty everywhere.

Discussions with owner of hotel

Firstly we contacted Booking.com who advised that we should only pay for the night we had stayed and find alternative accommodation. Although we tried to do this but the hotel manager refused to give back our passport unless we paid for the full 5 nights stay. Due to how dirty the hotel was we refused and the manager got the owner of the hotel to deal with the situation. We explained to him that we were not happy with the cleanliness of the hotel. He said that there had been a bit of a storm the day before we arrived and that they had not had chance to clear this up. I advised that the storm had not been in the room and that the room was dirty. After a long discussion he agreed to take half of the money for payment.

Fortunately we then found a lovely hotel which was in a better location than the Hacia and was actually cheaper. It was very clean and well located. Throughout our discussions with the owner Booking.com refused to help any further.

The Aumpai Luxury

The Aumpai Luxury was located just off the main road. It was a quiet location but within easy reach to everywhere. The rooms were traditionally decorated and very spacious with a separate kitchen and dinning area. The rooms were cleaned to a good standard everyday. The pool area was small but lovely and met our needs. This is not 5 star accommodation but the price is not too. It cost £200 for 5 nights which was extremely good value. On an evening whilst walking on the outside corridor to our room there were lots of gecko’s/ small lizards on the ceilings and walls. We loved to watch them.

Bars and Restaurants

Koh Samui has so many bars, restaurants and shops to choose from. We found a nice little bar called “The Dolphin”. The cocktails and drinks were very cheap. It had evening entertainment every night. The staff at the Dolphin bar were very friendly and helpful. We also got talking to the owner of the bar who always gave us special attention as there wasn’t many English going to the bar. The bars on the beach are lovely and you can get some amazing cocktails. Although they are not as cheap as the Dolphin bar they are very reasonably priced.

New Years Eve

We were in Koh Samui for the new year. We spent time in the Dolphin bar before heading to the beach for cocktails and to see the New Year in. The party atmosphere on the beach was amazing with everyone drinking, dancing and singing. There was also spectacular fireworks lighting up the sky. This was the best New Years we both have experienced. We stayed on the beach until the early hours

Full Day Excursion

We booked a tour with a tour operator on the main street. The cost of the tour was around £50 for two. We got picked up at around 8am via a Jeep along with other people from other hotels. We took a rucksack with food, drink, mosquito spray, Sunscreen and wipes in it as we did not know the full itinerary and if we would be able to get food and drink along the way. The tour consisted of Wat Plai Laem Temples, Big Buddah, Elephant Trekking, Mumified Monk and Lad Koh Viewpoint.

The day was approximately 9 hours long. Although it was quite a long day it was definitely worth it. We got to see a lot more of the island and its many attractions. At each of the attractions you have a lot of time to wander around by yourselves which is great for photo’s etc. The temples and the Big Buddah are spectacular and worthy of many photo’s. We were dropped off back at our hotel around 5.30pm.

Summary

Koh Samui is a lovely place to visit it has something for everyone of all ages and expectations of a holiday. One of our regrets was that we did not do the full moon party which would have been a great experience (your never too old for fun).

Thailand is a wonderful place and there is so much to see and do. We intend to revisit Thailand in the near future to experience different islands and locations. Thailand is always good value for money. The people in Thailand are some of the warmest and friendliest people we have met. Cant wait to go back soon.

Images

Dolphin Bar
New years eve beach party
New years eve fireworks
New years Koh Sumui Beach
Mummified Monk
Big Buddah
Viewing Point
Aumpai Luxury Hotel
Elephant Trekking

Things to do

Visit the Big Buddha
Visit the temple at Wat Plai Laem
Visit Lamai Beach
May be go to a full moon party if this is your thing
Try the local cuisine

Top tips

Check out reviews of hotel before booking
Check out location of hotel
Book excursion.
Ensure you have Sunscreen, mosquito spray, toilet tissue, hand sanitizer, food and drink if going on excursion.
Dolphin Bar is great fun and very cheap for drinks.
Bars on the beach are lovely to watch the sun set.
Check out table below for best time to visit Koh Samui
Check out other destination we have visited in Thailand Bangkok
Check out government safety advice before travelling to Koh Samui https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/safety-and-security

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	28	29	31	32	33	32	32	32	31	30	29	29
Low Temp	24	25	26	26	26	26	25	25	25	24	24	24
Rainfall	90	30	30	80	160	100	120	100	130	290	430	150
Number of days	7	5	4	5	9	9	9	10	11	16	15	9

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Gdansk

Posted on November 18, 2020December 14, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Gdansk is a city on the Baltic coast of nothern Poland.

The city is said to take its name from the Gdania River which is the original name of the Motlawa River

Travelling to Gdansk

We flew to Gdansk in November from Leeds and Bradford Airport. The flights to Gdansk only cost us £39 return. We flew out on a Friday for a long weekend. Our main reason for visiting Gdansk was the Christmas Market. Fortunately as we live on around 20 minutes drive from the airport this was very convenient.

Accommodation

In advance we booked an apartment on Air b n b in the centre of Gdansk The apartment was very clean with contemporary furnishing and very stylish. The location was excellent as it was only a short walk to the river and shops, restaurants and bars. There are many nice apartments for rent in good locations and at a reasonable price. We paid £150 for 3 nights which was excellent value. The apartment had everything we needed with a fully equipped kitchen, lounge area, bathroom and good sized bathroom.

Nightlife

In Gdansk there are lots of bars and even an Irish Bar. The Irish bar is what you would expect which is full of people from the UK. Some of the bars are the same price as what you would pay in England. The Polish shot bar is very cheap. As the name suggests it mainly sells shots which people buy around 10 at a time but you can get larger and wine too. A glass of wine cost around £1.50 in the Polish shot bar in other bars cost around £6. The bar is very lively every night so it is well worth a visit if you are wanting to hit the bars.

Christmas Market

Whilst we were in Gdansk we went to the Christmas Market which was lovely. It was very cold but we had come prepared with warm clothes, gloves etc. At the Christmas market they sold the most amazing rum and apple mulled wine. Not only did it taste lovely but on a cold also warmed you up. We might have had quite a few on them whilst we were there purely to keep us warm lol.

Market Food

At the market there were a lot of stalls selling traditional Polish food, Pertogi (polish dumplings), various pastries (not sure what these were called), Placki Ziemniaczane (Potato pancakes), Zrazy (Beef rolls), various polish sausage etc. There were lots of stalls where you could sit down, eat and drink. There were also many stalls selling arts, crafts and Christmas decoration. It was a lovely market and well worth the visit.

Food and Drink

The Golden Gate leads to the Dlugi Targ the main walk through Gdansk. it is not very long approximately 500 metres long. Café, shops, bars and restaurants line the walk. The restaurants cater for all tastes of food from Italian, Indian, Polish, Spanish etc. This walk is very busy all day long with both tourists and locals. There are so many beautiful buildings in Gdansk.It has a wealth of history with many museums.

Motlawa River

Walking along the Motlawa river was lovely both day and night again lots of nice places to eat and drink. We stayed at one side of the river but crossed over to the other where there were some lovely shops and coffee places. The coffee shops sold amazing hot chocolate which was great on the cold mornings.

Whilst walking near the river we came across a man who had a spectacular motor bike. He had various props, items of clothing that you could put on and have a photo taken on his motorbike for a small fee. It was great fun doing this and having photo’s that bring a smile when you look at them.

Summary

Like most places we have visited there never seems enough time to see and do everything you want to. We were only in Gdansk for a few days but we definitely made the most of it. We would definitely recommend visiting Gdansk it is such a beautiful place

AmberSky on Motwala River
Christmas Market
Christmas Market
Having a very large drink lol
Christmas Market
Christmas Market
Pirate Ship
Pirate Ship
Selfie
Motwala River
Motwala River at night
Green Gate
Dlugi Targ
Neptune’s Fountain
Dlugi Targ
Green Gate
Photo on motor bik
Old fashion car

Images

Things to do

Go to the Christmas Market
Try the Rum and Apple Mulled Wine,
Try some of the Polish traditional foods.
Walk along the Motlawa river.
Have something to eat or drink on the Dlugi Targ.
Visit the Polish Shot Bar if you are out to sample the night life.

Top tips

If going to Gdansk in the winter months ensure you have plenty of warm clothing.
There are a lot of tourist type bars which do charge more than the bars aimed at the locals. Check out the local bars.
The Christmas market in Gdansk was lovely and a good time to go for a fun and cheap long weekend. Christmas market starts late November. Dont forget to try the Rum and Apple mulled wine.
We found that the Airbnb was very reasonable in price, centrally located, exceptionally clean, lovely décor and gave us lots of space for our stay.
If you are flexible with your dates to travel Skyscanner can search the whole month and advise of cheapest time to travel.
Check out other destination we have visited in Poland Wroclaw
Check out government safety advice when visiting Gdansk https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/poland

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	1	1	4	10	16	18	21	21	16	11	4	1
Low Temp	-4	-4	-3	1	6	9	12	12	8	4	0	-4
Rainfall	31	24	19	32	33	58	73	70	53	38	29	39
Number of days	9	7	5	7	7	8	10	9	8	8	7	9

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Ravello

Posted on November 18, 2020December 14, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Ravello is on the Amalfi coast of Italy.

Due to its picturesque setting and off the beaten track has a lot of rich and famous visitors.

Ravello is set in the mountain tops overlooking the Amalfi coast of Italy. It has thousands of years of history which can be seen just by walking around this small quaint place. It has the most amazing views of the coast line.

Travelling to Ravello

In the month of June we flew into Naples from Manchester Airport. We pre-booked a taxi to take us from the airport to our accommodation. The journey from the airport took about 1 hour. It was a very hot day so the driver stopped at a little restaurant so we could have a cold drink. The roads up to Ravello are very steep, windy and a bit hair-raising but we managed to get there in one piece.

We had gone to Ravello for Mum’s 70th Birthday and parents 50th Wedding Anniversary as they love the place and go back year after year. They stay in the same hotel, the Palazzo Avino, which is one of the more expensive hotels, but has amazing views and Michelin starred food which we really enjoyed – we are just glad we weren’t paying the bill!

Accommodation

We stayed at an Airbnb for the 3 nights we were there costing £230 which is a very good price compared to the hotels in the area. The apartment was fairly basic but had all you needed should you wish to do your own cooking. As we were with family we ate all our meals out, including an Italian meal at Mimi’s which we would recommend. The apartment also had a large sun terrace which over-looked the streets. It was quite nice sitting up there on an evening with a drink watching the world go by and the lovely sunsets.

Piazza Centrale

Walking around Ravello is quite an experience, with many interesting shops and art galleries situated amongst the cobbled streets. If you are after some artwork or Italian pottery then this is the place to come!

Food and drink

There are many restaurants with spectacular views of the sea. It is worth asking for local guidance on the best restaurants to visit given the wide choice on offer. There is also a square in the centre of the town, the Piazza Centrale which hosts a number of restaurants / bars where you can sit out in the sun and watch the world go by. The Cathedral in the Piazza Centrale hosts a large number of weddings as this is a very popular place to get married – apparently Gary Lineker got married here.

Meal at Mimi Restaurant short walk from Piazza Centrale

Villa Cimbrone

We also took a walk around the Villa Cimbrone which has some beautiful gardens to walk around and again a great view of the coast at the end – there is a small restaurant / bar here and we sat in the gardens with a refreshing glass of wine. On our walk back towards the Villa we saw a helicopter land in the grounds – this place sure attracts some rich people!

Amalfi

On one of the days we decided to get out and about and took the bus from the centre of Ravello down to Amalfi. The journey is full of hair-pin bends and we had heard some horror stories about this road, but we felt pretty safe on the bus. Amalfi is worth a look around, a picturesque coastal town with many shops, restaurants and bars. You can catch boats and ferries to various destinations from here.

Moiori

We decided to take a ferry over to Maiori and really enjoyed the views of the mountains and being able to see Ravello with its stunning villas and gardens from the sea. When we got to Maiori it was a short stroll around the harbour to the beach where we decided to relax for an hour or two with a nice bottle of Prosecco. There are numerous restaurants, bars and shops along the seafront. After a stroll around the town we ventured back to the harbour to pick up the ferry back to Amalfi. We got the bus back up to Ravello, we did notice that a few of the seats on the bus were coming away from their fixings, but it was all fine and we would definitely recommend taking the bus rather than a taxi as it is a fraction of the cost.

Summary

Ravello is a lovely place to visit with stunning views over the Amalfi coast. It is a bit more expensive than other places but is definitely worth a visit. We felt that 3 nights in Ravello was enough but would have liked to have had more time to explore the Amalfi coast more.

Images

View of Amalfi Coast
Amalfi Coast
Amalfi coast
Amalfi
Amalfi
View from sun terrace
Maiori
Steps heading towards Centre
Beautiful flowers linning the whole of the steps
View from Palazzo Avino
View from Palazzo Avino
View from Palazzo Avino at night
Meal at the Palazzo Avino
Meal at Mimi Restaurant
Piazza Duomo
Piazza Duomo

Things to do

Have lunch in the main square outside Ravello cathedral and hopefully witness a wedding.
Visit Villa Cimbrone Garden’s and admire the spectacular views.
Catch a ferry to see other destinations on the Amalfi Coast.
Mimi’s is a nice family run restaurant which serves lovely food at a very reasonable price.
If you budget is a lot higher than ours was then the Palazzo Avino is a place to eat. This was fine dinning at its best.
Take a trip to Pompeii (Bus takes around 1 hour and 40 mins)

Top tips

Airbnb is much cheaper than the hotels.
If you have any difficulty in walking ensure that you find somewhere near the main square.
The main square is a lovely place to sit and have a drink and a bite to eat and reasonably priced for Revello.
If going in the summer months the weather is very hot. Water from bars and restaurants can be quite expensive. Buy from the little mini markets on the side streets.
Get the bus down to the ferry’s where you can catch a ferry to many destinations at a very reasonable cost.
Food and drink is much cheaper at other destinations on the Amalfi coast.
Although Revello is more expensive it is worth a visit as it is such a beautiful place.
Check out the weather below for best time to visit
Check out other destinations in Italy we have visited Rome , Pisa , Florence , Venice
Check out government safety advice when travelling to Ravello https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	13	13	16	19	22	26	28	30	27	23	19	14
Low Temp	7	8	10	14	17	21	24	24	20	16	13	8
Rainfall	105	100	90	80	50	30	20	40	80	130	160	120
Number of days	9	8	8	8	8	5	2	3	5	8	10	11

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Nha Trang

Posted on November 18, 2020December 14, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Nha Trang is well known for his beaches and scuba diving.

It is home to the Nha Trang University, the Naval and Aviation Academy. Nha Trangs economy relies heavily on tourism and is considered one of the most important tourist hubs in Vietnam.

Travelling to Nha Trang

In January 2018 we flew to Nha Trang from Ho Chi Minh City. We had arranged a transfer into the centre of the city, which took about 40 minutes or so to our hotel. The driver was waiting at the airport with a sign with our name on. We had booked the transfer via Hoppa.

Accommodation

We had booked to stay at the Rosaka Nha Trang Hotel. The hotel was a modern, mid-sized 4 star hotel situated in the centre of the city, with just a 5 minute walk to the sea-front. It had a lovely infinite Rooftop Pool. It was only a small pool but we were the only people ever in it. There were plenty of shops, bars and restaurants in the surrounding streets and access to public transport all within a short walking distance. We would really recommend a walk around the streets as there were many fascinating shops to visit.

We stayed at the hotel on a bed and breakfast basis. The breakfast was lovely with a wide range of food and lovely fruit especially the dragon fruit. The hotel supplied all the toiletries you would need. Not a big a hotel but not too small either. It had a roof top infinite pool which was small but as it was January they were not many people wanting to go in it. All the members of staff spoke very good English and were very helpful should you need them to do anything for you. It was my (Debbie) birthday whilst I was there and they made me some little cup cakes with happy birthday on them which was a nice touch.

Mopeds and Bikes

Most people get around Nha Trang on motor bikes or Mopeds. How there are not more accidents in Nha Trang we do not know but we did see a few not too serious accidents. There are so many on the roads and any one time with no clear road using rules. There are also no set ways to cross the road with no zebra crossings or pelican crossings. It felt like taking your life in your hands every time you crossed a road. The advice we were given was to just walk out and walk at the same pace but not to stop. It was said that the motor bikes and mopeds would drive round you. Fortunately this was the case but it did feel quiet dangerous.

Food and Drink

Some of the restaurants in Nha Trang were very interesting from seafood restaurants with the seafood jumping around in bowls outside the restaurant to all you can eat buffets which served many different dishes including crocodile , snake and ostrich. We are quite adventurous when it comes to food but we did not go in these restaurant we stuck to the ones that served more of what we would say is traditional food Pho (noodles and broth), Banh Xeo (Crepe with pork, shrimp and bean sprouts), Goi Cuon (Spring rolls with fish sauce), Bun bo nam bo (noodles with mice beef, peanuts, beansprouts and fiery chilli) just to name a few.

There were lots of bars in Nha Trang also but as we went in January which is not a very warm month for Vietnam they were not that busy. A lot of the people visiting Nha Trang were of Russian nationality. Some of the locals we spoke to stated that Russians prefer to drink in the hotels as apposed to the bars but we did meet some lovely people from Russia in one of the bars.

Street Bar

There was a little bar very close to our hotel. Which looked like a small take away stand when first going to the bar. As more people came to the bar more chairs and tables were placed in the street. Not sure if this is good or bad we don’t think this bar had any particular time to close just when the last person went.

Skylight

We went to the Skylight roof top bar which had amazing views. We had to book a table although not sure why as there was only us and another couple there at 7.30 in the evening. The staff there were wonderful and very attentive. The cocktails were amazing . We had to try a few to make sure we had not missed a good one lol. This bar is more expensive than other places in Nha Trang but still reasonable compared to places in England.

Crazy Monkey Boat

On my(Debbie) birthday my daughter had booked a trip to Monkey Island . We got picked up at our hotel and taking to where the boats leave from. It turned out that our boat to Monkey Island had left over 1 hour ago and all the people on our mini bus were going on a party boat called the Crazy Monkey. They allowed us to go on this boat free of charge and would arrange for us to go to Monkey Island the next day.

Not sure why it was called a Party Boat as the majority of people on there were of a certain age and did not look like they wanted to party. However we spoke to someone who lived in Nha Trang who was from England and he was with a group of friends. He had told us that he loved this boat and had taken the trip on it 45 times.

At 9.30 in the morning they were buying cans of larger and as it was my birthday insisted we drank with them. Not to be rude we of course joined in. We sailed to a destination where we could jump off the boat and swim.

Cocktail Float

A large circular float was then thrown in to the sea. One of the guides on the boat sat in the middle of the float with a jug of cocktail. There was a metal bar going round the float. When in the water we were asked by the guide to hook our feet under the bar so our bodies were floating in the sea whilst he poured the cocktail directly in to our mouths. After this we then got back on the boat and where we had lunch and some people did karaoke. We gave that a miss as we are not the best singers. The drinking and singing lasted until we went back to shore where the mini bus took us back to the hotel. We had an a brilliant fun time on this boat and would recommend anyone visiting Nha Trang to do it.

Monkey Island

Birds

The mini bus picked us up from our hotel to take us to catch the boat to Monkey Island. They first took us to a place which had birds in captivity and flying free. There were deers you could feed and also an Ostrich that you could ride. We questioned if the Ostrich was happy with this the guide stated that the Ostrich is well cared for. Not sure if this was the right thing to do but I (Debbie ) did ride the Ostrich.

Bear show

There was then a small show with performing bears which we did not watch as we thought it was cruel. This part of the trip was not what we wanted to see. Not sure what this entailed as we didn’t want to watch if but the stories of performing bears put us off.

Monkey’s

We had wanted to go Monkey Island as there are thousands of Monkey’s that roam free and most of them are very friendly. You can buy dried bananas there to feed the monkey’s. Once they know you have food they will climb up you, sit on your head etc.

The Monkey’s will do what ever they can to get the food. But they are very gentle and don’t snatch out of your hand. They will try and peel your fingers back very gently if they know you have got food clenched in your hand event the larger monkeys were quite gently. Apart from one monkey who seemed very protective over the smaller monkey’s. Monkey’s see showing your teeth as a sign of aggression. I (Mike) smiled at one of the larger monkey’s which jumped up and bit my arm breaking the skin. We were told that I might have to have an injection due to Rabies but this was not the case. We were advised by the pharmacy and the hotel to just clean it with antiseptic wipes and put antiseptic cream on it. Well I lived to tell the tale.

Sightseeing Tour

On one day we got a taxi to take us to some of the famous sites in Nha Trang. The taxi’s are very reasonably priced. We visited Po Nagar which is a cham temple tower which was built between the 8th and 11th century by the Cham people in honour of the goddess Po Nager which means “mother of the country”. There is an entrance fee to get in but only a small fee.

There are a lot of tourists here taking photo’s and we were no exception. Long son Pagoda a Buddhist Temple which was built in 1886 but was destroyed in 1990 by a cyclone. They tried to build the exact replicate but not in its original location but further down the hill. It is the largest Pagoda in Nha Trang. Thousands of tourists are attracted to see and praise the 79ft tall Buddha statue. The architecture of the pagoda is breath taking with beautiful lush grounds and statues of mythical animals.

Rikshaw Ride

Two older men asked if we wanted a Rikshaw ride which we agreed to do. This was quite a hair raising experience as they were weaving in and out of traffic. Although it was a bit scary the two riders were grateful for us doing this as it was pretty quiet in Nha Trang. We did feel a bit guilty that they were of a certain age and riding us around in a Rikshaw.

Summary

We will definitely go back to Vietnam and visit other destinations. We will probably go back to Vietnam when the weather is a bit better.

Images

Funky Monkey Boat
Feeding Deer at Monkey Island
Feeding Deer at Monke
Riding Osterich
Feeding Birds at Monkey Island
Feeding Monkey’s
Feeding Monkey’s
Feeding Monkey’s
Monkey Island
Rikshaw Ride
Nha Trang Cathedral
Long Son Pagoda
Buddha
Po Nagar
Po Nagar Cham Towers
Skylounge
Sky Lounge
View From Skylounge
Infinate Pool at Rosaka Hotel
Infinate Pool at Rosaka Hotel
Cooking Crocodile
Pickled Snake
Street Bar

Things to do

Visit the Buddha
Take a boat trip on the Cheeky Monkey.
Go to Monkey Island
Visit Long Son Pagoda
Go to Nha Trang Beach
Visit Po Nagar Cham Towers
Visit Nha Trang Cathedral
Sample some of the local cuisine
Take a Rikshaw ride.

Top tips

Check out temperatures for visiting Nha Trang as it was a bit chilly on occasions when we visited (Please see chart below).
Be careful when crossing the roads as there appears to be no rules.
Use taxi’s to visit places of interest as they are cheap and convenient.
A visit to monkey island is a must which can be booked online prior to going to Nha Trang.
The party boat the Cheeky Monkey was also great fun and worth it.
Skylounge roof top bar is great for a cocktail and to admire the views.
Check out other destination we have visited in Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City
Check government advice on safety when visiting Vietnam https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/vietnam/safety-and-security

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	26	27	28	29	32	30	31	31	30	28	27	26
Low Temp	21	21	22	23	25	24	25	25	24	24	22	21
Rainfall	40	10	20	40	50	50	30	40	150	240	240	170
Number of days	6	3	3	4	6	4	5	7	11	14	15	13

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Bali

Posted on November 18, 2020December 14, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Bali is idonesia’s biggest tourist denstination and relies on tourism for over 70% of its income.

It also has a lot of marine life therefore is a good place to visit for scuba diving. Bali forms part of the Coral triangle

Travelling to Bali

In October we flew from Hong Kong which took around 5 hours, The flight cost around £100 with Air Asia. We arranged a private transfer who was waiting in the Airport with a sign with our names on it. The journey to the hotel was relatively short

Accommodation

the Bali Rich Villas in the Seminyak area. It is a relatively small hotel; the rooms were large with all amenities for self-catering provided. The hotel did offer the option of someone coming in and cooking any meals you requested. The rooms were supplied with soft drinks, beers and snacks at a cost, although the cost was very low and often cheaper than the local supermarket. The hotel also provided message and spa treatments which were extremely good value. The pool was quite small but adequate for a cool down and a bit of a swim. The hotel was conveniently situated with only a short walk to reach the centre of the town and the impressive beach.

Food and Drink

The town centre had lots of places to eat and drink ranging from Italian restaurants to American diners. These were quite touristy and we felt that some of them were a bit over-priced compared to some of the more local places. For those who like a bit of a sing song there were also plenty of Karaoke bars a number of which stayed open until the early hours. I (Debbie) like to drink cider and I often find it difficult to find it abroad, but thankfully Bali actually has its own cider which I loved.

Double Six Beach

Double Six beach is a lovely place to visit both during the day and on an evening. It is a lovely bright, colourful beach which becomes very busy towards sunset, as people sit on one of the many bean-bags at the bars on the beach to watch the sun go down – we can really recommend it whilst drinking a lovely cocktail or two. The meals at the beach bars were also very reasonably priced. Each bar has its own live entertainment on an evening. We found it was the best place to be at night in Seminyak. The tide comes in quickly and the bar owners have to move the bean bags row by row to keep them from floating away. This beach has the most amazing sunsets.

Kuta

For those who want a really lively resort then Kuta is the place to be. However we found that Seminyak was lively enough for our needs – we are not teenagers but still like to visit lively bars and meet other people. We often did not return to our hotel until 3-4 in the morning! There is a night club that is open until 8am in Seminyak which we did visit but being an English couple in our 40’s we did stand out a bit as the majority of the clientele were Australian’s in their early 20’s!

Orangutan Sanctuary

Whilst in Bali we went to an Orangutan Sanctuary which was a fantastic experience and well worth the money. You could have photos taken with them at no extra cost although they did suggest that you make a donation to their charity. The Orangutans appeared happy and very well cared for. Some of them were quite playful. The younger Orangutans were not exposed to the public as much as the older ones. The younger Orangutans were cared for by the keepers and pulled around in a children’s cart. Which they often tried to get out of.

Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

We also went to the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud. Here there are over 700 long-tailed Balinese macaques running freely. The Balinese believe that these monkeys protect the area and nearby Hindu Temples. These monkeys are not gentle like other wild monkeys I have been in contact with. They will steal anything and snatch things out of your hands. You can buy bananas at the Sanctuary to feed the monkeys. Of course the monkeys are well aware of this and as soon as anyone purchases the bananas they will steal the whole bunch and run off before you have time to take a photo.

Another important point to bear in mind Is that showing your teeth is a sign of aggression to monkeys so be aware not do this or you are more than likely to be bitten. Despite this it was a lovely experience and we even managed to see some babies.

Lunch near rice fields

When travelling to Ubud our driver stopped off for us to have lunch at a scenic restaurant surrounded by rice fields. It was a lovely hot day to spend a couple of hours having a cold drink and traditional Balinese food. We had satay (means state in Indonesian) chicken skewers that came with rice and vegetables as well as Bebek betutu which is spiced duck and coconut wrapped in banana leaves. The grounds of the restaurant were very picturesque with lots of interesting plants and flowers.

Art work

There are many other tourist attractions in Bali to visit but as we were only there for 7 days before flying on to Kuala Lumpur we did not manage to see as much as we would have liked to have done. We did buy some interesting hand painted art work whilst in Bali at a very reasonable price which is a constant reminder of our amazing time in Bali.

Summary

We had such a wonderful time in Bali. The Balinese people are so friendly and helpful. Bali is one of the few places in the world that we know for definite that we will be returning soon. Everyone we have spoken to who have visited Bali all say the same.

Images

Bali Cider
Bali Rich Villas
Cocktails watching the sunset
Double Six Beach
Sunset on Double Six Beach
Orangutan Sanctuary
Orangutan Sanctuary
Orangutan Sanctuary
Monkey Forest Sanctuary
Art Work from Bali
Art Work from Bali

Things to do

Visit Tanah Lot Temple
Visit Monkey Forest
Visit a Paddy Field
Sample the local cuisine
Have a cocktail watching the sunset on Double Six Beach.
Enjoy the nightlife in Kuta
Spend time a day on one of the lovely beaches.
Buy some art work

Top tips

Decide what you want from a trip to Bali as the places to stay offer different things. If you want somewhere very lively then Kuta would be he place to stay. Seminyak does have lots of nightlife but is also known for its good food and restaurants. Ubud is know for sightseeing and considered a spiritual place to visit. Nusa Duna is more of a family destination and many of the hotels offer good facilities for children. There are also some smaller areas of Bali that may be worth looking into but the above are the main areas to visit. It is very easy to get from one are to another in Bali as it is quite compact.
Drinks and food prices and quality vary so much in Bali check out the prices and menu before.
We dont like to be tied to excursions with lots of people as you have to wait for people not turning up on time and spending lots of time in places that are not of interest and are often places that are trying to sell you something. We found that renting a driver for the day was as cheap as an excursion and we could go where we wanted when we wanted.
Check out government safety advice when visiting Bali https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/indonesia

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	28	28	29	29	30	29	29	29	29	30	30	29
Low Temp	26	26	27	27	28	27	27	27	27	28	27	27
Rainfall	90	90	90	70	70	50	40	40	50	60	70	90
Number of days	18	15	14	12	9	5	4	3	4	8	13	13

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Washington DC

Posted on November 18, 2020June 26, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Washington the U.S capital was formerly known as the District of Columbia.

Washington was named after George Washington, the first president of the United States.

Travelling to Washington

We flew to Washington in the month from Miami. Unfortunately all the flights from Miami were over booked and we were not able to get on our original flight even though our luggage was already on the plane and heading to Washington. We decided to check out flights to Washington from Fort Lauderdale and there was flights available which we then booked. We got a taxi to Fort Lauderdale airport with cost around £45 which we thought was good value.

The flight was to take us to Washington via Cincinnati. We boarded our plane in plenty of time for allocated take off time. We were informed several times by the captain that there is a storm coming and that we would have to wait to be cleared for take off. After almost 3 hours sat on the runway the captain announced that he would be getting extra fuel and fly around the storm. There was a lot of turbulence but not too bad.

When we changed places in Cincinnati that was a completely different story. Throughout the journey nobody was allowed to leave their seats not even the cabin crew. The plane was a smaller plane and appeared to been blown about. We noticed people on the plane in tears and the look of fear was seen in many passenger faces. This was the worst flight we have ever experienced. Fortunately we landed safely and were able to continue our travels.

Accommodation

Although we pre booked a transfer from the airport to the hotel but unfortunately our driver got lost and had to call someone to direct him to the hotel even though we had sent full postal address when we booked. Finally we got to our hotel which was “West End part of Georgetown Collection”. We arrived 9 hours later than we had expected but nobody can be to blame for acts of god. The hotel room was very large and comfortable and within easy walk of all sightseeing attractions. As we had arrived late on a wet evening we decided to plan our sightseeing for the next day and get a good nights sleep.

Site Seeing

We were lucky that the following day the rain had stopped and we had the occasional bought of sunshine which made sightseeing a lot more enjoyable. There are so many places to visit in Washington you do need several days. Unfortunately we did not have several days therefore we tried to cram it all in in the time we had in Washington.

Fortunately most of the attractions are with walking distance from each other. Whitehouse, Washington Monument, The U.S Capitol Building, Supreme Court, Lincoln Memorial, National Air and Space Museum, World War II Memorial to name a few. All of them are free of charge to visit.

Where most of the attractions are there are several food vans selling everything from ice cream to American hot dogs. These vans are excellent value with so much choice. Ideal if you want a bite to eat on the move especially if time is of the essence like us.

Food and Drink

On the evening with ventured in to the area of shops, bars and restaurants. Unfortunately we did not find many bars that where you could go for a drink only. Not sure if we had gone to the wrong area but all we found were small eating restaurants or the big chains like Nando’s. Nando’s being one our favorite chain restaurant we decided to eat in. We were served by the rudest waiter we had ever experienced. Practically throwing cutlery at us. We don’t usually complain but the service was so appalling we asked to see the manager who was very polite and offered us 3 desert. We know it is compulsory to tip in America but with the service we received we didn’t tip. Only tip we offered was “get some manners” lol.

Summary

Washington is definitely worth a visit. So much to see and do for all ages. Unfortunately we did not have as much time as we had hoped to see everything so may be return to ensure we do.

Images

White House
White House
United States Capitol
United States Capitol
Lincoln Memorial
Washington Monument
Air and Space Museum

Things to do

Visit the Whitehouse
Visit United States Capitol
Visit Library of Congress
Visit Air and Space Museum
Visit Lincoln Memorial
Visit Washington Monument

Top Tips

Try and stay near the Whitehouse etc..
Allow plenty of time to see everything.
Take appropriate clothing depending on the time of year. Check out chart below for temperatures and rainfall.
In peak seasons allow time for queueing.
Food from the vans near the attractions are very reasonably price and not bad for food on the go.
Check out other destinations we have visited in America.
Check out the UK government website for travel advice https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	9	10	15	19	24	29	31	30	27	20	15	9
Low Temp	-2	-1	3	5	14	19	22	21	17	10	8	0
Rainfall	70	70	70	70	100	80	80	80	80	70	80	80
Number of days	12	9	13	14	15	14	14	12	11	11	11	11

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Miami

Posted on November 18, 2020June 26, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Miami is the busiest cruise port in the world.

Miami is also the second most popular tourist destination in the United States. New York being the first.

Travelling to Miami

We flew to Miami after spending 5 days in Cancun. The flight from Cancun was approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes with American Airlines. At the airport our private transfer was waiting for us with a sign with our name on it. Our accommodation for the 3 nights we were staying in Miami was The Whitelaw hotel which is on Collins Street. The journey to our hotel was approximately 20 minutes.

Accommodation

Finally we arrived at our destination hotel which cost approximately £110 per night. The Whitelaw hotel is a small hotel which is ideally situated within walking distance to the beach, bars shops ect. Check in was quick and easy with friendly staff. Although The rooms are considered to be Art Decor which was not apparent to us but they were clean and sufficient for our needs. However the lobby area does have an Art Decor feel to it. The hotel does have a small lift which was great for us as we were on the 3rd floor which helped with our heavy cases. Along with the other facilities the hotel provides beach towels and also has an ATM which was great.

Beach

Miami beach was what you would expect and what is portrait in films and also in documentaries. The beach is lovely with white sand and very clean. Even the sea was nice, clean and warm unlike the sea in the UK. As you would expect there are a lot of men and women flexing their muscles on the beach and working out. Miami beach is definitely a posers paradise. Suppose if you have got it flaunt it lol.

There are so many bars and restaurants to choose from directly facing Miami beach which is great if you like to people watch. You also witness people driving up and down the front in their expensive cars. Miami beach does seem to be the place to be. Unfortunately the prices of drinks and food reflect this in many of the bars and restaurants. Of course you can find cheaper places to eat and drink but if you want the location you have to pay the price.

Food and Drink

On our first day we found a lovely bar Icon On Ocean on the front of Miami Beach On one occasion we decided to get a cocktail called “A Bulldog” which is a margarita with 2 bottles of Corona resting on the glass. Undoubtedly this seemed a never ending drink as as soon as you drank some of the margarita it was topped up with the Corona. After one each we felt a bit tipsy but still decided to have another one each lol. Although they were £35 each but during happy hour you got 2 for £35 considering the prices at Miami beach it was a good price. On an evening the bars were very busy even though there is a lot to choose from.

As we liked the location of the Icon On The Ocean we ate there on more than one occasion. The food and service was excellent. Starters are from $9-$17. As we like spicey food we opted for the Firecracker Chicken Wings. Burgers and Sandwiches range from $11 – $17. Additionally there are a range of Pizza, Fish and meat dishes. Considering the location it was extremely good value.

Excursion to Everglades

On our second day we booked an excursion to the Everglades on line which cost around £42 and was around 4 1/2 long. We are so glad we booked it. Firstly we were picked up outside our hotel mid morning by coach and taken to the Everglades. We were split into groups and boarded the boat accordingly. The boat is what you would expect to be flying up and down the waters. Although we drove at quite some speed there were times when we drove slow to ensure no harm came to wildlife etc

Conservation Site

The Everglades are a conservation site and everything is done to try and protect the wildlife and the environment. Our guide was very informative and humorous which made the whole experience great fun. We sat at the very front of the boat which was great on occasions we were able to stand up. I (Debbie) wore a sun hat which was a bad idea when travelling at such speed.

We did see a few Crocodiles/Alligators along the way. Although as they were very still it was often difficult to see them at times. Our guide had a keen eye for spotting them and would point them out. Crocodiles can live in freshwater and seawater. Alligators prefer freshwater. The Everglades is the only place where Crocodiles and Alligators coexist.

Free time at the Everglades

Finally after the Airboat we were allowed to wander round and take photo’s of some of the crocodiles/alligators that were in captivity for rehabilitation before being release back into the wild. Afterwards there was an opportunity to hold one of the babies which we did. Although we was not too sure if this was the right thing to do as it had its mouth taped up. I am sure these animals were very well taken care of as the staff and guides were so passionate about protecting them.

Shopping in Miami

In Miami there are many designer shops and high street shops which are often a lot cheaper than in the UK. Considering the low cost of some goods in Miami we bought some Converse which were at least 1/3 cheaper than in the UK. On most of the streets around Miami Beach you will find the designer shops and some highstreet stores which are also a cheaper than in England

Summary

If anyone is considering to go to Miami we would strongly recommend doing it. It is an amazing place with lovely beaches, greaqt restaurants and bars. There are also many things to do in Miami which we didnt have enough time to do. Because it is an amazing place and we were limited for time we will definitely go back to Miami.

Images

Miami Beach
Ocean Drive
Drinks on Ocean Drive
Bull Dog
Friendly Miami Police
Everglades National Park
Everglades National Park
Everglades National Park
Everglades
Everglades
Snake Skin
Tour Guide
Million’s of Dollars Property
Miami Harbour

Things to do

Visit Miami Beach
Visit Everglades National Park
Have a drink on Ocean Drive and people watch.
Visit little Havana
Shop for Branded goods.

Top tips

Check out hotels near the beach.
Happy Hour is a great time to go out for drinks and food.
Do the Everglade excursion it is well worth the time and money.
Check out the shops for branded goods.
The beach is lovely and is definitely worth spending time there.
Check out weather below for best time to visit Miami.
Check out UK government advice when travelling to America.https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	23	24	26	27	29	30	31	31	31	28	26	24
Low Temp	16	16	18	19	22	23	24	24	24	22	19	17
Rainfall	71	53	64	81	173	178	155	160	203	234	71	51
Number of days	9	6	7	7	12	13	15	15	18	16	10	7

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Cape Verde

Posted on November 9, 2020June 26, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Cape Verde or Cabo Verde consists of 10 islands.

Cape Verde is in the Atlantic Ocean and lies off the western coast of Africa.

Travelling to Cape Verde

Firstly we travelled to Sal in Cape Verde from Manchester Airport. The night before our flight we stayed at the Clayton Hotel which is a short walk away from the terminals, arriving at the airport on the morning of the flight was easy. Due to the hustle and bustle of the airport and a lot of queueing we tend to book in to the Executive lounges as not is this less hassle it can also be cheaper than spending in the restaurants and bars of the airport. When we arrived in Cape Verde (Sal) and boarded our coach we had to wait some time on the coach for all passengers to arrive.

Accommodation

Finally we arrived at our destination The Melia Dunas Resort which is approximately 20 minutes from the airport. As we had upgraded to a premier room it was a larger room than a lot of hotel rooms we had stayed in. The rooms were decorated in neutral colours and to a relatively good standard for the cost of the hotel. The rooms were cleaned well daily with fresh towels provided.

We booked through Tui and paid £700 each which we thought was good value. Tui put this hotel has a 4 star plus but the official rating is 5 star. The location of the room was also good as it was what we felt was the centre of both the Melia Dunas and the Sol Dunas. The Sol Dunas is the sister hotel to the Melia. You can use facilities in both hotels which makes it a big resort to wonder around.

Pool Scene

There are 5 pools in total 2 in the Melia Dunas and 3 in the Sol Dunas and a small aqua park. If staying in the Melia you can use any of the pools. There was never any worry about getting a sun lounger as there were plenty to go around. All the pools have their own bar so you do not have to go far for a drink. The restaurants are also very close to the pools therefore you dont even have to go far for lunch. Beach towels are provided around the pool and can be changed daily.

Bars

There is also a beach bar which both hotels can use. However the Melia did have a beach bar that only the Melia guests could use. This was our favorite bar both during the day and early evening. The staff were very friendly and attentive. Before you finished your drinks they would ask if you were staying for another drink and what would you like.

I would strongly recommend that you ensure you have insect repellent on especially on an evening as the first night there I did not put any repellent on and I was bit either by mosquitoes or sand fly’s so many times I needed to go to a pharmacy.

Dinning

The Melia had a buffet restaurant and 3 A la Carte restaurants Italian, Indian, seafood and Grill. You have to book the A la Carte restaurants in advance but this is easy to do. In the Manhattan bar there is the booking in electronic system which shows you times and dates of availability for each restaurant. Fortunately we managed to book in each of them on more than one occasion.

On one occasion we ate breakfast at the buffet restaurant which had a good choice of food but it felt like eating at a cheap café as opposed to a restaurant. Following this we then ate breakfast each day at the Italian restaurant which was opening during the day for meals. This was both a buffet and waiter/waitress service. This was much more of a pleasant experience. Also we ate there and the seafood restaurant on a lunch time which again also offered buffet and waiter service.

The lunchtime menu’s were not extensive but enough to try different things each day. There was sandwiches, burritos, pizza, burgers, salads etc all cooked to order. There was also a BBQ everyday serving chicken, sausage, burger etc. The drinks were also nice and cold whether this was a soft drink or an alcoholic drink. The wine was better than a lot of wines we have experienced on some all inclusive hotels.

Evening Entertainment

Unfortunately we did not see many of the shows at this hotel as they were on the Sol Dunas site and started at 9pm. We often had not finished dinner until this time. We did see lion king one night which was performed by the animation team. It was mainly aimed at children which was nice to see them all enjoying it and getting involved. The animation team worked hard both day and night and were always smiling.

Santa Maria

The hotel offered a shuttle bus to the town of Santa Maria just 5 minutes drive. It is a lovely little place with a lovely beach and plenty of bars and restaurants. It even has its own Irish Bar (The Dubliner). The Dubliner has a Weather Forecast Stone which is so funny. We took a photo of it and it makes us laugh every time we look at it.

The drinks in the Dubliner are good too. We went to watch football one day but they had a technical issue so we had to go to another bar. We decided to walk to Santa Maria on one occasion and it is a lot further by beach than road and took us 2 and ½ hours. It was a lovely walk though as it was a nice sunny day. A return taxi cost 3 euro’s.

Haggling

The locals do hassle you a bit to come in to their shops but fortunately not too much unlike other countries. We were aware to haggle when buying anything. We admired a piece of artwork in a shop. The store owner asked for 300 euro’s in the end we paid 35. The art work was very large and on a wooden frame. They removed it from the wooden frame and rolled it up for us to take home. We have had some nice comments about this art work which is now in our living room. Not everyone’s taste but we love it.

Island Tour

After a walk in to Santa Maria we booked an island tour whilst in Santa Maria (25 euro’s each) from a local tour operator. The following day we were picked up at our hotel at 8.30am in an open back jeep which seemed like a good idea at the time. We then went to pick up other guests from other hotels.

Our first stop was a salt farm which was not much to look at to be honest.. Children ran out of their houses and followed the jeep.

The next stop was sleeping lion mountain which you saw in the distance and did actually look like a sleeping lion. As the weather was a bit hazy the photo’s were not very clear unfortunately.

Local School

We stopped off at a supermarket to buy fruit, sweets etc for a school. When we were driving to the school we passed little shanti towns. The children at the school were of various ages. They all seemed happy and well cared for. We were not allowed to give them the food directly but had to put them in a donations box. We were also not allowed to take photo’s in the school. As the children only spoke Portuguese we could not communicate with them. The children did seem happy to see us and were very smiley.

The Blue Eye

Our next stop was the Blue Eye. The blue eye also known has Buracona. Basically the Blue Eye is a pool formed by the ocean in to lava rock. The pool is quite small and when the sun shines on it it turns a lovely turquoise colour. On good days people do swim here but as it was windy it was far too dangerous to swim. Also there is a little gift shop here selling souvenirs’, drinks and snacks. The Blue Eye was a bit disappointing as it was a lot smaller than expected, but there isn’t a lot of things to do or see in Sal especially on excursions.

Lunch

As it was approaching lunch the guide took us to a buffet restaurant in a small village. The food was quite basic with fish, chicken, rice, stew, potato’s, chips and bread. Once you had chosen what you wanted to eat it was weighed. Surprisingly you paid by weight for your food. Although we had experienced this method of paying in Brazil we did not expect it in Cape Verde even though it also has a Portuguese influence We found this expensive for the poor quality food but did not mind paying as we felt it helped the locals out as it is a very poor country.

Communication Tower

The next place of interest we were taking to was the area where all the communication to the island is based air traffic, mobile and tv masts. Monte Currai is the hill in the capital city of Espargos where the communication centre is based. Undoubtedly you get an amazing view of Sal from here.

Also the tour guide was very informative as we walked round to see different views of Sal. Along with a lot of interesting facts he informed us that the Portuguese government have provided a lot of money to build more social housing for the poorer people of Cape Verde. The guide pointing out various areas of social housing which could be seen from Monte Currai hill.

Lemon Sharks

There were a lot of tourists where we went to view the sharks. The guides advised us that we could go in the water as it was safe to do so. The water was extremely cold therefore took a bit of time to actually walk in to the sea. Surprisingly the sharks could be clearly seen in the distance. Should you walk close to them they would swim away. The Lemon Sharks are very timid creatures.

Salt Lake

Our final destination was the salt lake (Pedra de Lume). There is a lot of history surrounding the salt lakes and mines in Salt lakes and mines of Pedra de Lume. It is estimated that they go back to the 18th century. It was a great experience trying to swim in the salt lake which was virtually impossible due to the amount of salt. Most people who were in the Salt Lake just laid back and floated.. It was a very strange feeling as it felt more like being weightless as apposed to being in water.

We enjoyed this out of the whole island trip. There is not that much to see and do in Sal but we felt that this trip was well worth doing. The tour guide was amazing and informative. A bit of advice if taking the trip in a jeep either stay inside the jeep or ensure you have warm dark clothing on. The island is very windy all year round therefore at the back of the jeep it was cold and windy with sand blowing up into the back of the jeep. We arrived back at our hotel looking very windswept and my (Debbie) white denim jacket looked a shade of beige.

Summary

Sal is a lovely place to visit for a holiday. You can get some nice weather in Cape Verde depending on the time of year but where it is situated it is often very windy. There isn’t a lot to see or do outside of your hotel. Although Santa Maria does have plenty of shops, restaurants and bars. On the sight seeing from there isnt much to see especially if you are wanting to do this as an excursion. The hotel was lovely with food, dinks and services. Would we go back to Sal probably not as we have seen and done all we needed.

Images

Meal in the Italian Restaurant
Amazing Deserts
Cocktails on the Beach
Beach Day
Hotel Entertainment
Police Patrol
The Dubliner
Dubliner Weather Forecast
Statue in Santa Maria
Art Work bought in Santa Maria
At the Blue Eye
Blue Eye
View of Stadium
View from mobile phone mast
Salt Lake
Lemon Sharks
Map of Sal
Mosquito/Sand Fly Bites

Things to do

Visit Pedra de Lume Salt Mines
Visit the Blue Eye
Go in the sea with Lemon Sharks
Visit Santa Maria
Go to the Dubliner Bar in Santa Maria
Visit a School and take gifts of food
Go snorkeling

Top tips

Take beach towel pegs as the islands are renowned for being windy.
Take jacket etc for evening depending on what time of year you visit.
Sal offers the most to do with regards to the islands.
A trip to Santa Maria is recommended and most hotels are close by with many offering a free shuttle.
Be prepared to haggle. We bought art work that they originally asked for 300 euro’s but only paid 35 euro’s.
Ensure you take mosquito spray. I (Debbie) was bitten so much on one night whilst in the bar near the beach. Not sure if it was actually mosquito’s or sand flies but they had a good feast on my legs.
The excursion was good value for money and worth doing.
Take water shoes if going to the salt lake.
Check out weather below for best time to visit.
Check out other places in Africa we have visited Agadir , Tunisia, Sharm El Sheikh, Cairo , Hurghada

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	24	24	25	25	25	26	27	28	29	28	27	26
Low Temp	19	18	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	23	22	20
Rainfall	2	3	1	1	1	1	11	53	77	53	9	1
Number of days	3	3	4	3	4	4	5	6	7	4	4	2

Average daily temperatures and rainfall