Rendezvous in Rio!

/0 Comments/in , , /by

RioI recently headed out from London Heathrow with Latin Routes to explore the cosmopolitan South American city of Rio De Janeiro!  Wow! What an experience!

We arrived in the evening, and as we passed the world-famous Ipanema and Copacabana beaches I firmly had Barry Manilow’s ‘Copacabana’ and ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ etched in my mind and would have for the entire trip!

We were given the most fabulous welcome by the Pestana Hotel – with Caipirinha’s cocktail and the most fabulous roof top views. From the distance we could see Christ The Redeemer appearing and then disappearing again amongst the clouds. It was most eerie.

The first two days I spent lots of time learning everything about this incredible continent, meeting representatives from all over South America.

Faye in RioWe were treated to an evening at Rio’s most photogenic night-spot, Rio Scenarium. The atmosphere was electric – with Samba beats. It is a quirky place, unlike anywhere I have been before. On each of the three floors there is an eclectic mix of antiques from the opulent to the unexpected (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs outside the ladies toilets!). A visit is a must.

On our final evening it was certainly dress to impress, to spend an evening at the luxurious Copacabana Palace. We danced the night away, and I couldn’t help but think how lucky I was to be there!

The team at Latin Routes really did, for me, save the best until last. Our final day arrived and first up was a visit up in the cable cars to Sugar Loaf Mountain – from here the views overlooking the city and it’s gorgeous beaches was a sight to behold.

Then came the big one…. Corcovado, home to Christ the Redeemer. I believe in life, you occasionally witness something truly majestic that leaves you overcome with emotion. For me, this was it! As you approach him you can not help but be wowed by his sheer height and how his commanding position looks over the entire city, protecting it. Then clouds would appear and just has he had done on that first night, he disappeared and then would re-appear. Almost like magic, a rainbow appeared and this memory will last forever.

If you would like information on visiting anywhere in South America, call us to make an appointment – 01706 250006.

Written by Faye Blackburn, Chic Boutique Travel

Parga Harbour

Faye’s holiday to Parga – Mainland Greece

/0 Comments/in , /by

My absolute favourite place in the World is Parga – but when I tell people this the first thing they say is, where is that?!

Flying into the tiny airport of Preveza, the stunning Parga is around a one hour drive away. Situated on mainland Greece – once you arrive in resort, you very much feel like you are on one of the Islands.

This time we stayed at the small, family run Alfa Hotel. The staff here are so friendly and welcoming, nothing is too much trouble. It takes about 10 minutes to walk to the sea front from here, although it can take longer, when stopping to chat to workers who remember us from last time!

The waterfront in Parga is without doubt, the most stunning I have seen. An array of different coloured shop fronts – selling everything from “I love Parga” souvenirs to delicious Greek cuisine. The old town is worth exploring, too. The higgledy piggledy cobbled streets will take you to hidden little hotels and even an Olive Oil factory. As you begin the incline towards the Citadel, it would be rude not to stop off for a refreshing drink in one of the cool bars, offering the most romantic and pretty views.

When you reach the Citadel, the views are simply spectacular. It is there that you can truly appreciate the effort that has gone in to keeping the waterfront the jewel in Parga’s crown.

If you want to explore – there are the most incredible, if a little strenuous, walks to be done. If relaxation is for you, then the quirky little resort train will take you up to Ali Pasha’s castle – with a stop off in one of the nearby villages, en-route.

Due to it’s location – there are plenty of boat trips that you can take to the neighbouring Islands of Corfu or Paxos. If you want to see something majestic, I would highly recommend a coach trip to Meteora. The monasteries built on the top of these rock formations is a sight to be seen and something you will never forget!

If you like you night life low key, Parga is for you. There are so many delicious restaurants to choose from – you will simply have to return just so you can sample them all. Ending the night with a night-cap, some slow-beat music and a view out to sea is my idea of heaven – and here I get to experience my ‘heaven’ every night.

Will I be visiting again soon? ….. I don’t need to answer that!

Milan - Duomo family photo

Bergamo, Italy – Perfect Family Short Break

/0 Comments/in , /by

We departed from Manchester T3 with Ryanair bound for the Beautiful Bergamo situated in the north of Italy, the flight is just 2 hours and a 15 minute transfer from the airport makes it a great option for a family short break of 4 nights.

We were staying in Citta Alta which is elevated over the new town of Bergamo so offering amazing views over the City.

Bergamo is a delightful town offering cobbled streets with endless little shops and restaurants where you can purchase cakes, home-made Pizza’s and plenty of other delicious local cuisine. The town’s main square Piazza Vecchia is where the Palazzo della Ragione dominates. My Husband and eldest daughter Lauren went up the narrow staircase and all of the 231 steps to the top of the Bell Tower, Torre Civica, which is 52 metres high. This experience cost just 5.00 euros each and is well worth the climb as the views are spectacular.

The next day we took the train from Bergamo to Verenna Lake Como with just one change in Lecco .The journey is approximately 1hour 40 minutes and cost 37.00 euros return for the four of us. At Verenna we took the short ferry crossing to Bellagio, which is such a beautiful town with it’s winding cobbled streets lined with shops bars and restaurants with stunning mountainous views from Bellagio across the Lake, we stayed for the sunset which did not disappoint.

The next day again we took the 48 minute direct train from Bergamo to the city of Milan, a short ride on the metro to the Piazzo del Duomo and as we came up the steps the Cathedral was breath taking. The bustling square and amazing shopping area of Milan was a complete contrast to Bergamo.

I would highly recommend this area of Italy to visit and it has definitely given me the incentive to see other areas of Italy…….watch this space….

Norway Mountain View

Lisa’s Amazing Trip to Norway

/0 Comments/in , /by

Norway, home to the Midnight Sun in summer and the Northern Lights in Winter, is an absolutely stunning destination at any time of year.

Being married to a Norwegian, I have visited the country many times and was lucky enough to go again this summer for my nieces wedding.

Our first few nights we were staying just outside the coastal city of Stavanger. The city itself is a lovely port town with a 12th Century Cathedral, which we enjoyed a guided tour of. There is a lovely historic part of town with quaint traditional buildings.

When we were there, there were two enormous cruise ships in port, dwarfing all the traditional houses, as this is one of the first stopping off points for the cruise ships sailing up the coast of Norway. Cruising is an excellent way of seeing Norway as you get to enjoy the magnificent scenery of the fjords as you sail up and down the coast.
Being a University city, Stavanger has a lively atmosphere and a varied assortment of shopping and dining opportunities.

Within the Stavanger region there are many scenic attractions, one of the main one being the world famous Preikestolen or Pulpit Rock, located 604m above sea level. We walked to this famous landmark, which took a couple of hours each way from the car park. However, for the less active, you can take a scenic ferry ride up the Lysefjord and view it from below.

After a few days in Stavanger, we flew up above the Arctic Circle to the city of Tromso. In the winter months Tromso is a great viewing point for the colourful Northern Lights which sometimes light up the night sky. Obviously, we didn’t get to experience that wonderful natural phenomenon as we were there in summer.

Although we were just slightly too late in the year for the midnight sun, it still didn’t really go dark and was a strange experience still sitting up at 11pm in the evening, still in broad daylight.

The scenery in the North of Norway is absolutely stunning, with snow-capped mountains all year round. It is extremely popular these days with many tourists driving the Northern Lights Route in campervans and caravans!

We enjoyed a walk up to mountain glacier one day, which was quite exciting. You can walk on the glaciers but you must go on an organised walk where you are roped together for security.

Another fantastic experience was walking up a mountain through quite thick mountain fog but then rising above the fog to experience fantastic views of the mountain tops, blue sky behind them and the whole valley below just thick sea of cloud.

Whilst in Tromso, there was one of the Hurtigruten ships in port, which sail up and down the coast of Norway 365 days a year. They are working ships but you are able to book a coastal cruise for all or part of the journey. This is an excellent way of seeing Norway as the ships stop at many ports en-route for you to get off and explore this fascinating country. In the winter, it is a great way to see the Northern Lights as there is little or no light pollution from the ship. As we sell Hurtigruten I asked if it was possible to have a tour of the ship and they were happy to oblige. On board it reminded me of the traditional cruise ships of the past with wood panelling, relaxing lounges and piano bars and, of course, excellent food. It is a far cry from the large cruise ships with on board night clubs, west end style shows etc!

Norwegian food is wonderful, with lots of fresh fish and seafood. We managed to catch our tea one day, whilst out on a fishing trip. We also sampled Reindeer, cooked in a lovely sauce. They also enjoy lots of fresh baked cakes and puddings so it is a good job we did so much walking!

Norway is a very long country and there is so much to experience. On this trip we only did 2 parts of the country but there is so much more to see, with its capital city Oslo and other major towns such as Trondheim, Bergen, Lillehammer and Alesund to name but a few. Then there are the wonderful mountain ranges to hike or drive across, such as the Jotunheimen National Park and many, many fjords to sail on. We have experienced a lot of these places on previous visits and I am sure we will be returning again in the future to visit many more. My husband is already planning his next walking routes!

By Lisa Mousley, Chic Boutique Travel

Mini cruise to Bruges

Nicola – Mini cruise to Bruges

/0 Comments/in , /by

We were greeted by the friendly staff at Hull as we boarded the Pride of Bruges, P&O ferry on the overnight sailing to Zeebrugge. The check in process was very quick, we were given our cabins keys, whilst the children were given balloons by a Pirate entertainer.

We stayed in an inside cabin with pull down bunk beds, there is an option to upgrade to outside cabin which gives you a little more space and sea view.

There are two options to eat on board – The Kitchen ,a buffet style restaurant or The Brasserie, a la carte restaurant. We opted for the The Brasserie for our evening meal, we were really impressed with the food and service. The prices were reasonable a starter costs around £5 , main courses around £15 and a desert for £4.50. The Children’s menu was also really good value. After dinner we headed to the bar area to watch the Children’s entertainment show which was followed by live music.

After a comfortable night’s sleep, we disembarked in Zeebrugge where a coach was waiting to take us into Bruges for the day. The journey only takes about 30 minutes.

One of the best ways to see Bruges is from the water, so we hopped on board the canal boat tour of the city. We really enjoyed the half hour tour, the guide was very informative and there was lots of beautiful architecture to admire. Bruges has most of its medieval architecture intact, making it one of the most well-preserved medieval towns in Europe.

We headed down the cobbled streets lined with little chocolate shops, bars and cafes to the Choco Story, Chocolate Museum – a must for Chocolate Lovers.

Tickets were very reasonable, we paid 8 Euros per child and 13 Euros per adult for a combined ticket with entrance to the Friet Museum included. The aroma of chocolate fills the air as you walk around the museum. The children were given a fun quiz to complete on the way round with a chocolate prize at the end. The Museum has alot of information on the history of chocolate and also includes a chocolate making demonstration with lots of free samples of the famous Belgian chocolate to try!

The Friet Museum is the first and only museum dedicated to potato fries, I was surprised to find out that they actually originate from Belgium! The children really enjoyed it, there are lots of fun quizzes for them to take part in and we also got to sample the famous French fries in the cafe!

We stopped for a drink, of course to sample the famous Belgian beer, and ice-cream at a lovely cafe on Markt Square (Market Square).

The Square is surrounded by the most striking buildings which includes what is perhaps the most beautiful building in Bruges, the Gothic Town Hall or Stadhuis, dating from 1376, also the Belfry of Bruges a medieval bell tower in the centre. I was not daring enough to climb the 366 steps to the top, but I can imagine the views from the top would be amazing. There are lots of horse drawn carts in the square ready to take you on a tour around the city, they cost around 50 Euros for a 30 minute tour. Bruges has so many art galleries and museums we did not have enough time in the one day to see them all!

At the end of a busy sightseeing day , we made our way back the coach to be taken back to Zeebrugge port to board the ferry for the overnight sailing back to Hull.

There is still so much more to see in Bruges that we couldn’t fit into one day, we would definitely like to return maybe at Christmas time to enjoy the famous Christmas Markets Bruges has to offer!

View from hotel

Dubai Fam Trip

/0 Comments/in , /by

7-11 May 2017

Day 1
We departed from Manchester at 10.00 am onboard flight EK22 my first flight onboard the fabulous Emirates A380 for a 7 hour flight in Economy class to Dubai.
Upon arrival we were transferred to the Brand New Hotel, ‘The Address Boulevard Dubai Hotel’ for our 2 night stay, in Downtown Dubai and opposite the tallest building the ‘Burj Khalifa’.

Day 2
The next day after a lovely breakfast we walked from the hotel to the Dubai Shopping Mall which is linked directly from the hotel which takes about 10/15 minutes to the entrance of the Burj Khalifa. We proceeded to the 124th floor by a high-speed vertical elevator travelling 10 metres per second, ‘At the Top’, there are floor to ceiling glass walls which gives you a breathtaking unobstructed 360 degree view of the City, desert and Ocean.
We were then transferred to the amazing ‘Atlantis, the Palm Hotel and after a site inspection and hosted lunch we spent the rest of the afternoon at the ‘Aquaventure Waterpark’.

Day 3
We checked out of the ‘The Address Boulevard Hotel Dubai’ and an hour’s drive out of Dubai to Ras Al Khaimah to the beautiful hotel ‘Waldorf Astoria Hotel’, this beautiful hotel is located on a lovely sandy beach.
This resort is mainly attracted to families and in the resort there is the ‘Iceland Waterpark’ and two shopping Malls.
After a hosted lunch we then transferred to the brand new hotel ‘Fairmount Fujairah Beach Resort’ in Fujairah for our one night stay.

Day4
After breakfast we checked out of the ‘Fairmount Fujairah Beach Resort Hotel’ and made our 20 minute journey to the ‘Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort hotel in Fujairah, this family hotel offers great facilities for families and is located on the lovely sandy Al Aqah Beach.
After a lovely hosted meal in the Italian Restaurant we made our way to the brand new Luxury hotel ‘The Oberoi Beach Resort, Al Zorah’ in Ajman for our final night.
This hotel is only a 25 minute drive from Dubai Airport and is a great alternative to Dubai.

Day5
After enjoying a hosted breakfast we check out of the ‘The Oberoi Beach Resort, Al Zorah and make our way to Dubai Airport for our 7.5hour flight back to Manchester with Emirates on the EK19.

Sandals Hotel

Shine bright like a diamond – My week in Barbados !!!

/0 Comments/in , /by

Flying from Manchester, we treated ourselves to the Escape VIP lounge which is definitely great value and a really relaxing way to start your holiday.

Very impressed with the Thomas Cook service – the newly renovated aircraft feature more legroom then the short haul service and all seats feature seat back TV’s. There is an option to upgrade to Premium economy if you prefer or you can upgrade your in flight entertainment package to offer you more movie choices.

On arrival we were greeted by Edward, our driver – a friendly young man who took us to our hotel in no time in order for us to hit St Lawrence gap. We quickly found a great little bar, My Friends Place – we arrived just at the right time because it was happy hour. Great atmosphere and welcoming staff.

Faye in St Lawrence Gap

If you want to experience true Bajan hospitality I would recommend a meal at Daddy’s – delicious food cooked off the grill – yummy! This is where my husband discovered the Islands hot pepper sauce that he had with everything from then on!
If you want a delicious lunch at a great price then Happy Days cafe is the place to go. Smashing service with perfect quick lunch bites.

Sandals Barbados, well what can I say? From the moment we walked into the lounge area we knew we would not want to leave. Beautiful, manicured gardens, lovingly looked after by Markson – a endearing gentleman of great character with lots of funny anecdotes. The rooms are stunning with lots of dark wood – and the Crystal Lagoon swim-up one bedroom butler suite with patio soaking tub for two is just the ultimate in luxury. The little touches such as the tub for two in the bathroom and on the patio are perfect for honeymooners and lovers in love!

Faye Sandals Barbados

Every food taste is catered for – and when we just wanted to chill by the pool we could grab a hot dog from the cute little ‘doggies’ stand or a Pizza from Dinos. Sandals is great for real ‘foodies’ – 11 unique dining experiences in total.

Faye - Almond ResortWe moved up the coast on our 4th Day and stayed at the Almond Beach Resort. When we were welcomed with a rum punch on arrival we knew we were in for a good time! The staff here really are the reason behind the success of the Almond. Nothing is too much trouble and your favourite drink is already poured for you before you have to ask for it. Our room had a gorgeous view of the Caribbean sea – where we could watch the most glorious sunset and sunrise. The jewel in the crown for the dining options here is ‘Enid’s’ restaurant. I would definitely recommend making dinner reservations for here as soon as you can, it is so popular, which is no surprise, the food served is exquisite. Chicken Roti and the trio of fishcakes a particular favourite.

We have made some very happy memories from our time spent in Barbados…try for yourself and make memories that will last a life time!

Michael on the beach

California and Nevada

/0 Comments/in , /by

Nothing like having the beach all to ourselves in November and the sun was still shining! Manhattan Beach was one of the destinations in a week long educational trip to California and Nevada. Looks something out of “Baywatch” (NOT!).

First stop for myself and my wife Caroline, was two nights at the Sheraton Universal, Los Angeles which was pretty much on the door step of Universal Studios. Perfect for being almost first in line as the park opened. Back to my childhood of running around trying to do all of the rides and packing in as much fun as possible. Lots of ticket options available including general admission, front of line passes and VIP passes which is the ultimate experience.

Next stop was four nights in Las Vegas at the Palazzo. Wow, what a great time we had. The Palazzo is a 5 star hotel which is very reminiscent of Italy and together with its sister hotel, Venetian (that actually has a gondola water ride running through the first floor of its hotel). Totally awe inspiring. Lots of things to do in Las Vegas other than the gambling like, shows, helicopter rides out to Grand Canyon, taking in all of the activities in all of the 30 hotels approximately on the famous Las Vegas Strip. We even found time to see Elvis (a really good impersonator, that is!). I could go on forever about this destination but if you want to hear more, give us a call and we can give you a much information as you want to know.

Our last pit stop was back to Los Angeles before our flight back to the UK. We stayed at Holiday Inn, Los Angeles airport. This hotel is close to the airport and has a free shuttle bus to and from the airport. Although a 4 star property it does appear to feel a little tired and in need of an uplift, but the great thing about this Hotel is the ability to pay $5 and step outside and across the road to a small shuttle bus that not only takes you to two malls, it even goes to Manhattan Beach. Unbelieveably inexpensive as the hop on, hop off minibus takes you on a timetabled service from morning into the evening. It’s a perfect stopover hotel with an added extra.

If you want help to plan a trip in California or Nevada, we are able to help. We can help with itineraries, booking flights, hotels, car hire to suit and we can even help sort attraction tickets for almost everything.

2015-01-20_08-12-50

 

Alisons mini break

Alison mini Weekend Break to Budapest, Hungary

/0 Comments/in , /by

We checked in for a 0815am,2 hour 40 minute flight, departing from Terminal 1 at  Manchester with Jet2 flights.  We took advantage of the Ultra modern airport lounge the ‘Escape lounge’ which offers unlimed tea and coffee,  pastries, sausage and bacon butties, fruits , yogurts and alcoholic drinks.

We landed into Budapest airport and cleared customs in a few minutes and we were met by our private transfer to our hotel, the Ibis Budapest Centrum hotel , which is 3 star plus comfortable hotel located on a lovely street with lots of bars and restaurants to choose from and only a short walk to the nearest metro or within a 10 minute walk to the nearest hop on hop off big bus stop that we bought into,  its excellent value for money just £16.00 for a two days pass and includes a free river cruise and a free cocktail in the Cuban bar in the Jewish Quarter called La Bodeguita del Medio.

Budapest still has its own currency the Hungarian Forint approximately 379,000 forints to the pound, on average prices are very cheap a local beer costing just £1.50 and a cocktail for just £3.50 and a two course meal with wine just £20.00 a person.  We dined at the ‘Zeller Bistro’ and a highly recommended Hungarian restaurant to appreciate the Hungarian cuisine called,  ‘ Hungarikum Biztro’.

The city has amazing architecture and the main tourist spots on the Pest side,  is the suspended ‘Chain Bridge’ which spans the ‘River Danube’  between Buda and Pest, the Saint Stephens Basilica a Roman Catholic Church which is definitely worth having a look inside.

The Hungarian Parliament Building is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, one of Europe’s oldest legislative buildings, a notable landmark of Hungary and a popular tourist destination of Budapest. 

Buda Castle is the historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, and was first completed in 1265.

Behind ‘Hero’s Square’ there is  a lovely artificial boating lake lined with  restaurants and bars overlooking the lake to take in the view of the  beautiful building of ‘Vajdahunyad Castle’ .

Taking advantage of the hop on hop off bus we took the yellow line to Buda and after a short uphill walk we came to  ‘Fisherman’s Bastion’  which is a terrace in neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque style, situated on the Buda bank of the Danube, on the Castle hill in Budapest, around Matthias Church. The spectacular views from the terrace are truly amazing and as we sipped our cocktails we were serenaded by three Hungarian musicians.

Our last lunch was taken in the beautiful area of ‘Lizszt Ferenc Square’ on the Pest side of the river lots of restaurants line the beautiful square This is a cute square that is between the old town and the hero’s square on Andrassy Avenue.

We left Budapest on the Sunday evening for our inbound flight back to the UK, there is still so much to discover in this beautiful city and I can’t wait to book my return trip.

Vietnam view

My Experiences of Vietnam & Cambodia

/0 Comments/in , /by

I met with ten other travel agents at 8am at Gatwick Airport. After a long but enjoyable flight from Gatwick to Hanoi with Vietnam Airlines, we arrived at Hanoi airport and were greeted by Martin, the Travel Indochina rep.

Hanoi is a charming city with beautiful lakes, shaded streets and lovely people.

On arriving at the hotel, we were introduced to Gaing, who would be our local guide for a few days and for this morning’s first experience of Hanoi, which was to see the preserved body of Ho Chi Minh, the leader of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the first president of Vietnam up to his death in 1969.

This is a sombre experience, more so, seeing how the Vietnamese were saddened by his death and the respect he still has by the people. His nickname amongst them is ‘Uncle Ho’.

Afterwards we went to see the “Hanoi Hilton” not the hotel but the Old French Prison, used to keep the Vietnamese in check, while the French ruled the country. The name Hanoi Hilton, came from the American Air Force officers, who were imprisoned there, during the American/Vietnam War.

That night we had our first experience of Vietnamese food, which was excellent. Martin, chose various Vietnamese dishes for us all to try. The food was all very fresh, healthy with lots of vegetables and fish. The most popular dish is Pho (pronounced ‘Fur’) which is a big dish of tasty soup with noodles, meat and your choice of chillies, herbs etc.

To end the night, we had a few drinks in a local bar, 3 floors up, overlooking a busy traffic junction..  to see the organised chaos from above, is a sight to behold. Crossing the roads in Vietnam an experience in itself. They are full of scooters who don’t believe in stopping and seem to drive on any side of the road in any direction!. You literally have to just cross in front of them and they go round you – really! If you don’t you will be stood there all day!

After a second day discovering the wonderful delights of Hanoi, we then set off to Halong Bay, the highlight of my trip!. We boarded our luxurious boat and, whilst enjoying a sumptuous lunch, set sail out amongst the thousands of limestone islands. We were extremely lucky with the weather and had clear blue sky and sunshine for the rest of the day, the scenery was fantastic! We stayed on board overnight and rose early the next morning to climb to the top of Titop Island to see the amazing views!

On the way to the airport, we stopped  to visit a lovely rice farming couple and their family, who invited us all in for a drink of her homemade rice wine – tasted very potent!

On arriving at Danang Airport we transferred to Hoi An for our 2 night stay at The Hoi An Historical Hotel Hoi An was an important trading town in the 16th century for the Chinese, Japanese, Dutch and Indian, which was heavily influenced by these countries and you can tell in the feel of the place. Lots of Chinese pagodas, the beautiful Japanese bridge and the smell of incense in the air from the Chinese temples.

Hoi An is famed for having some of the best tailors in the world where you can get suits and dresses made for a fraction of the price!

Later we had a great meal at the Duck café, fantastic high end Asian fusion food, from our chef, who recently taught Gordon Ramsay a thing or to about Squid!

We ended the evening with a walk along the river, with all the different coloured lanterns floating on the river and hanging in the trees and on the bridge – a wonderful sight!

The following day we all learnt how to be fishermen ( the Vietnamese way). We went out on the little boats and learnt how to throw the nets and pull them back in ( not much in mine I am afraid!) and  learnt how to navigate a basket boat through the narrow waterways of the jungle before enjoying a wonderful seafood meal on board.

Sadly, the next day, we left Vietnam and boarded our flight to Siem Reap, Camboadia for our 3 night stay.

The day that followed was my birthday and I was treated to a very early start, at 4.45 am, where we were picked up from our hotel, the lovely Shinta Mani, and travelled by tuc tuc to Angkor Wat. We entered by the little-used eastern gate and witnessed the iconic spires of Angkor Wat emerge from the surrounding darkness. What a way start my birthday!! We spent the rest of the day visiting other hotels and temples, including Ta Prohm Temple where the blockbuster ‘Lara Croft, Tombraider’ was filmed.

After diner, we went out and experienced the nightlife of Siem Reap on Pub Street, with it’s bright lights, loud music and ‘crocodile pizzas’. Not really what you think of when you imagine Siem Reap!

For our last day we took a boat ride out on to Tonle Sap Lake and cruised past the floating villages, schools and houses before heading back to the airport for our long journey back to London.

An amazing trip, a lovely group of people and an experience I will remember for a long time to come!