Emirati Travel - Is it safe alone?

Emirati Travel…Is it safe alone?

Dear Readers,

In such times of uncertainty, it’s been a tricky blogging process, mainly since we still can’t actually go anywhere – although, having said that, on the day of writing this, we’re actually allowed to go to self-catering accommodation for the first time – if we live in Wales…However, we digress:  it’s a tricky business.  Therefore, we decided to do what we do best, dear Readers, and write from experience.

Today, we’re going to talk about our adventures to the Middle East.  More specifically the more well-known Emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.  Now, I don’t know about you, but a short straw-pole of the nearest and dearest raised very polarised opinions of these places.  Some think of it as a nouveau-riche sandpit, others think of it as a fascinating cultural adventure.  So if you’re up for some adventure with us, read on, dear Readers, read on.

Your Hapless Blogger had occasion to go to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi a few times pre-COVID.  One of the aspects we’re writing from today is the fact that she went there as a single woman, alone.  Don’t get us wrong, we’re not talking from some feminist point of view, just the fact that it was interesting, especially regards peoples’ pre-conceptions.

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE and the second biggest city (to Dubai).  Like me, you may have thought that Dubai had all the money, but in fact, Abu Dhabi accounts for 2/3 of the $400 billion UAE economy.  Having spoken to locals about this fact, it turns out that Abu Dhabi and Dubai are akin to old money and new money.  This is especially true of the more wealthy:  they see Dubai as trashy and common.  They wouldn’t dream of going there, and consider Abu Dhabi the centre. 

Your Intrepid Blogger flew, oddly, from Cardiff Airport – how hilarious is that?  You can actually fly from Cardiff Airport to Abu Dhabi!  Well, almost, you have a small stop in Charles de Gaulle, Paris.  So basically you get on the smallest aircraft in the world from a pretty tiny airport, and then get spat out again at CDG, one of the largest!  Having navigated my way to the correct Etihad lounge, I proceeded to watch what I can only describe as a “procession” of the most glamorous air hostesses I have ever seen.  It was like something you remember as a child:  air hostesses with perfect uniforms, perfect makeup, looking like models.  Not the grumpy Ryanair ones which fling you a flabby sandwich if you’re lucky.  Honestly, dear Readers, it was like a fashion show.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I have rather got used to Ryanair and Easyjet of late.  You tend to forget the glamour and grandeur of a jumbo jet!  Not going to lie, I wasn’t headed for first class, just regular economy, but even that, I have to tell you, was rather fab.  The last time I was in economy on a jumbo jet was a very long time ago, and they have seemed to improve the whole experience vastly.  From the leg room, to the tech.  The food was excellent, the wine was actually very good, and as it was a night flight, it was all rather wonderful.  They even told you which way Mecca was throughout the flight, in case you needed to pray.  They also had the most incredible array of perfumes the perfume houses clearly don’t bother to sell in Europe as we’d consider the solid gold bottles “too much”!  Nothing was “too much” here, and just as I remember in my distant memory, you could have as many glasses of wine as you liked!  Imagine that on Easyjet…actually, don’t…

It’s an odd experience landing in Abu Dhabi (and likewise, Dubai) as you really can’t see anything at all apart from sand.  There are no trees, or little houses dotted around with swimming pools and stuff, just sand.  Apparently, they spray the sand so that it doesn’t affect the aircraft landing.  Abu Dhabi airport is still quite basic, and everyone was in their Kandura, which is that long, white robe, the men wear.  And they were all male.  All the passport control personnel and customs, were male.  Not a female in sight.

Not knowing what to expect, I had booked a shuttle from the hotel to come and collect me (hindsight, dear Readers, is a great thing, and you’d be perfectly fine grabbing a taxi – and definitely better off!).  As this was in April, the first thing that shocked me (idiotically) was the heat!  Off we went, past Yas Island, to the hotel.  I’d chosen the Al Raha Beach Hotel – not for any particular reason other than it looked nice and it was really cheap.  On the way to the hotel, passing such places as Yas Island, the best way I can describe it, and bearing in mind we’re outside the centre, on the periphery, is a sandy building site.  It turned out that Al Raha was rather splendid, situated as it was on the coast, and next to Al Raha Mall https://www.danathotels.com/abudhabi/alrahabeachhotel.  The rooms are enormous, especially the bathrooms, and complete was balcony and view of, well, I suppose you could say the sea, but more like cranes…The lobby is truly fantastic, and once in, with the help of very attentive staff, and having had a sleep, I was truly impressed.

Not once did I feel worried being alone, and I would suggest this felt like a hotel in any country:  actually, with the sort of newly built grandeur, it felt a little bit like Vegas, if you know what I mean.  Your Hapless Blogger’s Less Hapless Friend arrived, also a single female, and off we went to the centre.  Now, again, perhaps a little bit like LA, it’s not like you walk anywhere.  Everywhere is pretty deserted, and your Hapless Blogger’s resident friend clearly knew the ropes.  The ropes to get around Abu Dhabi and Dubai, dear Readers, is one word:  Uber.  You just get your Uber driver, and if you really like him, you commandeer your Uber driver for the day.

The centre of Abu Dhabi was less dusty building site and more rows and rows of what they call “villas”.  These villas are identical box-like houses, and until you get close, you’re not sure if it’s someone’s house or a shop, or in this instance a “beauty villa”.  As mentioned, Abu Dhabi is much stricter and way more traditional than Dubai.  As a woman, you would get a taxi/drive/Uber straight to a Mall or a Villa.  Hence why they have so many malls.  With the beauty villas, they tend to be “women only” because many are extremely traditional, and simply wouldn’t come if men were allowed.  This includes male therapists, so therefore you’ll find very few in these places.  Very plain from the outside, with no windows, these are oases inside, with all sorts of treatments, and a buzzing atmosphere. 

All too soon, it was time to go, and the Less Hapless Friend, who was actually living in Dubai, suggested we drove there.  As it’s only a 40 minute drive, I agreed.  So off we went to her favourite haunt.  I 100% recommend driving from Abu Dhabi to Dubai at sunset.  We drove past the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque as the sun went down – simply stunning:  this is the biggest mosque in Abu Dhabi and has got to be seen to be believed.   Honestly, words cannot describe the scale.  I would really recommend, to get the best of Dubai, drive in at sunset, as the lights are starting to come on (remembering in these parts, it gets dark very quickly). It’s an awesome sight.

Although you may not like the idea of Dubai:  no history, very modern etc. etc. I challenge you not to be impressed by the splendour and engineering feats of excellence.  Honestly, dear Readers, it’s a sight to behold.  Immediately you enter Dubai, it feels different.  Much less Arabic and much more European.  Less of a building site and more finished than Abu Dhabi, it’s seriously impressive.  Thankfully, the Less Hapless Friend knew exactly what she was going, and we headed for Jumeriah Al Naseem (https://www.jumeirah.com/en/stay/dubai/jumeirah-al-naseem).  This is THE area to see and be seen.  Right next to the Palm, and right next to the sea, this whole area is a sort of exclusive stretch of meandering bridges over swimming pools and a mixture of hotels, restaurants and bars.  It’s pretty fabulous, dear Readers.  In fact, wandering around in the balmy heat of the evening, you could have been anywhere chic, from Puerto Portals to Puerto Banus.

I suppose the best part is that of course, being Dubai, it kind of has the best of the best of everything:  all exquisitely constructed and all shipped in, but still, you can’t knock it.  You enter the Jumeriah Al Naseem, which is effectively a hotel, again, just like Vegas, really, one kind of merges into another.  Inside the most stunning lobby you’ll see everything, from people in their traditional dress, to women dripping in diamonds.  And it seems that the later it gets the busier it gets.  Don’t forget, they don’t drink, so as you went through the lobby and beyond, people were partaking of a kind of midnight afternoon tea (not that it was midnight when we went in, but it was when we left) which was interesting.

We headed for a restaurant called Il Borro (http://ilborrotuscanbistro.ae/).  Readers, have a look at it:  it’s stunning.  Literally like an upscale Tuscan bistro, with all the atmosphere and the food to die for.  We spent the whole evening sitting at the bar, drinking Prosecco, and sharing burrata with truffle shavings and truffle pizza.  Amazing.  Why not.

All too soon, it was time for me to leave, and I headed back to Abu Dhabi and the Al Raha Beach Hotel.  The next day I left for the airport (it’s actually useful to have USD with you, as everyone seems happy to accept them), and had a nightmare.  Thankfully, I’d got there early, because (and apparently, this often happens with Ethiad) they’d overbooked the flight.  And not by a small amount.  It was a little bit like cattle being squashed into a small shed.  There were a lot of us, and not a lot of room.   Fortunately for yours truly, the airline gods were smiling on her that day, because they allowed me on (many people were being diverted all over the place), and we left for Paris.  Now, in typical Hapless Blogger fashion, I nearly mucked the whole thing up at the last minute.  Having got very lost trying to find my plane back to Cardiff, I installed myself near the gate.  Expecting to hear the call for my plane, I got out my laptop and began to work.  Assuming it was a bit delayed, I wasn’t really watching the clock, just listening out as I worked.  Until something told me I’d better check.  Yup.  You guessed it.  Everyone had boarded without me noticing, and they’d closed the flight.  Thankfully, as they didn’t want the hassle of getting my bag off, they grudgingly allowed me on, and there I was, running down the tube thing attached to the plane, laptop wire flailing about in the wind behind me…

Dubai

For reasons best known to herself, your Secretive Blogger then had occasion to return in August (remember, that, dear Readers, AUGUST), this time directly to Dubai.  I chose a direct flight this time.  After the Paris debacle, I didn’t quite trust myself not to miss the connection.  This involved driving to Heathrow Airport.  Main tip:  leave yourselves time.

This time it was Emirates.  Yes, the plane was nice and the hostesses glam, but not quite on the scale of the fashion show we had from Ethiad!  Still, it was excellent service, and we touched down this time at Dubai Airport.  Wow.  Singapore eat your heart out, this was IMMENSE and very, very smart.  And the passport control chaps in their long, white robes, should all have been on the front cover of GQ Magazine (if you know what I mean?!).  This time I wanted to be super close to the airport, so I booked the Roda Al Bustan Hotel (https://all.accor.com/hotel/B759/) again, very cheap.  And again, wow!  It was super.  I got there late at night, and I decided I really wanted a glass of wine (don’t ask), and again, because I suppose, it was a hotel, it was Dubai, off I popped to the bar, which they kept open for me, and didn’t ask a thing.

The next day, I had occasion, with the Less Hapless Friend, to visit some villas with her, so I saw Dubai by day.  Again, very different from Abu Dhabi.  Much more settled, and established, with villas, malls and long, straight roads.  I only mention viewing villas because, dear Readers, I have never been so hot in my life.  I kid you not, and remind you it was AUGUST, I was literally sweating from the backs of my knees!  Genuinely, never in my life have I encountered heat like it.  That evening we returned to Il Borro – because we had to, it was so good and so much fun.

The following day, I attempted to spend by the pool.  This is quite tricky.  As much as the pool was rooftop, and very lovely, the heat was quite indescribable!  That evening, I visited I met my friends in the Mall of Dubai, where we had hot sushi and admired the ski-slope.  Odd. 

The next day I returned, having had a much less stressful experience of being able to get straight onto the plane in the very swish airport, and managing to regain British soil without a Gallic blip…

So what are our conclusions of our two, solo, whistle-stop trips to the Middle East?  Fascinating places in their own rights, and stunning, awe-inspiring, thought-provoking and just a little be soulless.  There is much that lies beneath, and I’m not entirely sure you’d like to see it, but from my point of view, and as a single woman, not once was I worried or felt uncomfortable.

Take from that what you will, dear Readers, and until next time, allah maeak.

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Space, Man - Welcome to 2021...

 

Space, Man – Welcome to 2021…

Dear Readers,

I think it’s safe to say, that when we published our first “Space, Man” blog back in January 2019, little could we have imagined in our wildest dreams (or nightmares, depending on how you look at it) the situation we’ve found ourselves in today.  We were going to re-hash the War of the Worlds theme, but it seems a bit depressing, and I’m sure if you’re honest, dear Readers, we’re a bit fed up of the doom and the gloom!

So with heads held high, let’s have a listen to Space Cowboy instead:  https://youtu.be/OPkjnRIdQXQ and have a bit of an explore.  If you’re a follower of our social media channels, you’ll know how much we love the topic of Space, and indeed, the fact that our first ever blog post was about Space, is indicative of our interest.  As a first post of 2021 (we thought the last day of January was symbolic, as a getting over of the worst month, and all that) that we’d fly off into Space again, and catch up with the escapades of Musk, Bezos and Branson, our favourite Space Cowboys!

As a quick aside:  who saw the “Star of Wonder” or the Saturn/Jupiter Conjunction over Christmas?  Wasn’t it fabulous?  And how lucky were we to witness it?!

Anyway, back to our Space Billionaires, and despite the fact that the rest of us were having a nightmare of a time, 2020 proved a pretty good year for them, with Branson seemingly appearing to continue winning the race, SpaceX launching astronauts up to the International Space Station not just once, but twice, and even more exciting (but slightly off-topic) NASA managed to get a sample of an asteroid 200 million miles away from Mars.

Predicted for next year, starting with Mr Musk and his SpaceX, he’s hoping to send two more crews of astronauts out to the Space Station again, following last year’s success.  This is the slight difference with the Musk proposition, as it’s masquerading (some might say) as a tad more philanthropic than the rest of them, in helping with the greater good of scientific development…Since signing a deal with NASA (which we reported on last time) SpaceX will become a sort of shuttle, regularly carrying astronauts out to the Space Station.  However, not to abandon our idea of space travel, Axiom Space, a private company, has purchased a trip to the International Space Station for four people.  Three are going to be “citizens” and the fourth will be a former NASA astronaut, Michael Lopez-Alegria.  One of the “citizens” has been announced as a former fighter pilot.

Not content with the shuttle programme and the flying of seemingly paying passengers, tests are continuing on the Starship spacecraft, intended for one day flying paying passengers to Mars.  NASA is heavily involved with this, investing $135 million into it with a view to shuttling astronauts to the moon.  Musk reckons this’ll start orbiting at the end of this year, but that might be slightly on the ambitious side…

And we’re still not finished:  in typically philanthropic fashion, Musk wants to bring the internet to the masses – and we mean masses – but flooding the Earth’s orbit with satellites which will beam internet signals to ground stations in exceptionally rural areas.  Maybe less philanthropic being that the Federal Communications Commission contributed $886 million, and also that Musk would be in charge (effectively) of the entire internet…but does it matter?  It’s business, after all.

So what’s Branson up to nowadays?  Turning 70 this year isn’t slowing him down, no no, in fact, he’s speeding up – literally – hoping to take a trip to the edge of Space in his suborbital spaceplane!  The aforementioned spaceplane has made it into Space twice now, and after an aborted effort in December, Virgin Galactic are going to re-prise that test, fly another one, and then Branson will have his turn.  If all goes to plan, efforts will then double to get all the people who’ve already paid up, into Space.

Like all billionaires, focusing on Virgin Galactic wasn’t enough, and Virgin Orbit, the rocket company, has also been active!

And Mr Bezos?  What’s he been up to?  Well, Blue Origin is planning its first flight for the New Shepard spacecraft with paying passengers on-board this year.  Now, dear Readers, we’ve discussed this in the past, and we’ll discuss it again here for those who haven’t read our previous posts:  it must be remembered that Branson and Bezos are taking people to the edge of Space and back, not into orbit, like Musk.  So it must be considered whether this is space travel as we imagine it or not?  Is it just a very expensive way to get a bit weightless?  Either way, it’s lagging behind Virgin Galactic, as it’s still not opened up sales or announced prices yet.

So there we have it:  if you want to orbit, Musk’s your man, but you have to have super-deep pockets.  If you want to get a bit weightless, then it looks like Branson will get you there first!

Until next time, dear Readers, stay safe and keep planning those holidays!

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The Plan - Let's think about something else...Boo!

The Plan – Let’s Talk about Something Else…Boo!

Dear Readers,

Well, I think we can all safely say that 2020 DID NOT GO TO PLAN. But the question is, when do things ever? Now, we can all say, without a shadow of a doubt, that this time last year, we couldn’t have ever imagined that in a few short months we would be encountering new phrases like, “lock down”; “global pandemic” and “COVID-19”. Plus of course: “turn your camera on”; “can you hear me”; “we can see you but we can’t hear you” etc…

It’s affected all of us, some in truly devastating ways, from the loss of jobs and income, to the loss of loved ones. For most of us, it’s completely polished off travel plans for this year, and with the advent of 2021, the travelists among us will be praying for lift off, in more ways than one.

One of the things we’d like to remind you of, dear Readers, was our original plan for this blog: the idea was, that through reading our missives, some long, some short, some informational, some poignant, and many funny, that we’d be able to transport you from your sofa on a Sunday afternoon, to some of the most exotic places in the world, in our pursuit for Travel Trends. That’s exactly what we’re going to continue to do! And in the spirit of looking up towards 2021, we’re going to take you to some truly exotic places – or certainly attempt to rival the weird and wonderful we’ve brought you so far. With the help of your hapless Blogger, and the (demanding at times) Jolly Hockey Sticks Mother, and her indomitable pearls of wisdom…we’ll go to some unusual places together.

  In the meantime, we hope you’re making the best of this festive period, and we can imagine that a lot of you don’t really feel that festive, but that’s ok, it’s ok not to feel festive. It’s been a weird one, and so, to take your minds off it all for a second, we’re going to do something totally different. Not festive. Nothing to do with Christmas, and something we promised at the end of our last blog post: spooooooooooooooky. Buckle up, dear Readers, and get ready for the scariest places to stay in the world!

The first place we’re visiting is the Separate Prison in Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia. Although you can’t technically stay there, you can certainly visit if you’re feeling brave. It was called the “Separate Prison” because in the secluded area of Port Arthur in Tasmania, it housed some of Britain’s toughest criminals up to the end of the 1800s. The idea was that prisoners were isolated to a “tortuous” degree, and operated a “silent system” whereby prisoners were hooded and placed in solitary confinement and forbidden to talk to anyone. This resulted in many inmates murdering their fellow prisoners! Reason being that the death sentence was infinitely preferable to staying there another minute. It’s said that the ghosts of hundreds of hooded prisoners wander the halls at night. Port Arthur is open to the public and offers nightly ghost tours…

Next up is Poveglia Island in Italy. This tiny island is where people from the mainland sought refuge from invaders. You’ll find it between Venice and Lido. When the Bubonic Plague hit Italy in the 1500s, infected Venetians were sent here to die. Subsequently, in the 1800s, it was turned into a mental asylum where patients were experimented upon and tortured! Lovely place! According to the locals, the island is cursed with unhealthy spirits and stuffed full of ghosts. People often hear voices, screams and feel an evil, oppressive aura when they visit the island. You can’t really visit the island, because none of the locals can be convinced to take you there! They believe that anyone visiting will be cursed, so much so that local fishermen refuse to fish the area for fear of what they might drag up!

Now to Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta, Canada. This is apparently one of the most haunted hotels in the whole country. It’s an old railway hotel, and styled like a Scottish Baronial castle. There are various ghostly inhabitants, including a bride who fell to her death after panicking when her dress caught alight; a family who were murdered in Room 873, and despite the door being bricked up, can still be seen in the hallway outside. And the most spooky: a bellman, named Sam Macaulay, who was very popular during his time in the 60s and 70s. He’ll still appear to take your bags, but when you try and tip him, he disappears! Guess what, despite being part of the upmarket Fairmount Hotels, you can still stay at Banff Springs…just look out for Sam…

The Hell Fire Club, Montpelier Hill, Ireland was a hunting lodge, built in 1925. The problem here was that they used ancient passage tombs to build it, which, it is said, has angered the Devil, it being on a supernatural burial site. Accordingly, the lodge was the meeting place for a small group of Dublin elites who used the site for “debauchery and Devil worship”. Tales of animal sacrifice and murder abound, and with a favourite being that a satanic creature, in the form of a man, appearing as a guest at a game of cards, where another guest dropped a card on the floor, and noticed the visitor had “cloven feet”. On being discovered, the visitor disappeared in a ball of flames. The most regular ghostly visitor is a young lady who was lucky enough to be placed in a barrel, set on fire and rolled down the hill…Today, you’re able to go on a tour of the site…

The Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town, South Africa was built by the Dutch East India Trading Company in 17th Century, making it South Africa’s oldest building. The first ghost was spotted in 1915, jumping off the side of the building, with the Lady in Grey running, screaming through the castle, holding her face. However, since a woman’s body was exhumed during excavations, she’s since disappeared. Other occurrences are a bell which rings for no reason, and a black dog which pounces on people and then disappears…Today, you can visit the castle, and eat in the courtyard.

Now to Blighty: let’s go to the Ancient Ram Inn in Gloucestershire. Built in 1145, apparently priests used the inn in which to keep slaves and workers used to build the nearby St Mary’s Church. The Inn is situated on two ley lines (lines of spiritual energy emanating from sites such as Stonehenge and Pentre Ifan) however, even worse is that it’s said to have been the site of devil worship and child-sacrifice. It’s well-known in the area that the redirecting of water on the Inn caused a portal of dark energy to open up, causing many ghosts to haunt it. In the “Witch’s Room” you’ll find the ghost of a woman burnt at the stake in the 1500s, accused of being a witch (as an aside, dear Readers, did you know that witches were really midwives?). There’s also a high priestess, a monk, chilling screams and a centurion on horseback. You can visit if you don’t want a peaceful nights’ sleep!

Now for the most haunted castle in all of Europe: Dragsholm Castle in Denmark. Originally build in 1215, parts of it was used to house noble or ecclesiastical prisoners. It’s the happy home of over 100 ghosts, including Mary Queen of Scots’ husband the Earl of Bothwell who died whilst a prisoner. Also, the White Lady who roams the corridors, and whose skeleton builders found encased in a wall in 1930…Interestingly enough, the castle is now a luxury hotel with a Michelin-starred restaurant, and offers a spooky 2 night ghost stay! In the small town of St Francisville, north-west of New Orleans, you’ll find the mansion of Myrtles Plantation wherein you’ll find the stunning “Tara-esque” (sorry, reference from Gone with the Wind there) grand foyer, complete with French crystal chandelier. A total of 10 people have been murdered in the mansion, including Chloe, who had her ear cut off by her lover…She sports a green turban, and likes to peer at visitors in their beds, and has even appeared in a photo. Another photo has captured “Ghost Girl” peering from a window. Weirder sightings include a child bouncing on the beds, a soldier, a voodoo priestess (another one? We’ve just had one in Gloucestershire?) and the ghost of a previous owner how was shot in the chest…It’s now a B&B…

India will take you to Bhangarh Fort in Rajasthan. This is actually a fort city, built in 17th Century, and contains fort walls, bazaars, palaces and numerous temples. However, it’s the most haunted fort in India. In true Indian folklore fashion, there’s a whole story around it: so a wizard called Singhia was trying to get a princess called Ratnavati to fall in love with him. He was having a bit of trouble, so he made a special oil to do the trick, but it turned into a boulder when she threw it away and crushed him. As this happened, he cursed the palace, condemning the inhabitants to death…Plus another local cursed the fort because it overshadowed his property, and anyone who goes to build a roof for the fort will see it immediately fall down. You can go and have a look at the fort now, if you’d like, but it’s mainly ruins. Interestingly enough, it’s not open at night, as the locals still believe you’ll disappear forever…

You’ll find Australia’s most haunted house, Monte Cristo Homestead, in New South Wales. It’s a late Victorian Mansion, built in 1876 and has some serious ghosts, such as a child who was dropped down the stairs, a maid who fell from a balcony or a stable boy who burned to death. The most active is the son of a caretaker who was found curled up next to the body of his mother, and subsequently chained up for 40 years…You can now spend the night there, as it’s a B&B…

Penultimately, we have Chateau de Brissac, Maine-de-Loire in France. This is known as the “Giant of the Loire Valley” on account of it being the highest castle in France, with a private opera house, seating 200 people, 204 rooms and 7 floors. Originally built as a fortress around the 11th century, King Louis XIII paid a visit in 1620. Here, you’ll find a really active one: La Dame Verte was the illegitimate child of King Charles VII, murdered by her husband in the 15th century in the chateau when he caught her having an affair. Charmingly, she’s often spotted in the tower room of the chateau, wearing a lovely green gown, with gaping holes where her eyes and nose should be…If you don’t see her, you’ll certainly hear her moaning…You are most welcome to stay in the castle, which is renowned for its wines and Christmas markets!

Now, dear Readers, as you know, one of the most popular things about our blog posts is the personal and real nature of our experiences. Therefore, a blog post would not be a Travel Trends blog post without a personal experience. Not naming names or places, but there is a certain cottage in Sussex, in the South of England, we happen to know is, or was, most definitely, haunted. There were three distinct ghosts or ghostly presences. The first being the overwhelming smell of toast without possessing a toaster. The second being the stairs: you try hoovering them? You get thrown off. You try putting a ladder on them? You get thrown off. And lastly, there’s the little girl who was stuck in the well underneath the dining room. For years and years, this room was damp. Presumably because of the (now dry) well underneath it. There was always an odd sort of presence in there, but not an unpleasant one. One day, the cottage was visited by a psychic, who, on entering the dining room, screamed and insisted that the owner of the cottage take the little girl by the hand, and lead her down to the other end of the garden, where her mother was waiting. Although the owner of the cottage was slightly bemused, as he was trying to get it on with the psychic, he did was he was told. Ever since then, the room has not suffered at all from the damp…

So there you are, dear Readers, an unusual, and not-at-all festive blog post to take your mind off things for two minutes. We’d love to hear from you, and if you have any “ghostly stories” you’d like to share, we’d love to hear them! So comment below!

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Britain’s Beautiful Beaches – Ending with England and whelks…

Britain’s Beautiful Beaches – Ending with England and whelks…

Dear Readers,

As the weather has turned somewhat inclement in the UK (well, it’s October: what can we expect?) we thought we’d better hurry up and finish our beach series. Having said that, of course, I am not sure if you’d agree with me or not, but sometimes there is nothing better than a wind-swept beach on a Winter’s day…

Heading further East and South we break the border to England. Let’s start our English beach tour in Devon. One of your Hapless Blogger’s favourite places is Bude. This whole coastline is stunning, and Bude is a lovely, surfy little town next to a gorgeous beach. Take the road out of Bude along the coast and you won’t be disappointed: Widemouth Bay does, once more, what it says on the tin. It’s a glorious view, and we thoroughly recommend a place called Elements (http://www.elements-life.co.uk/restaurant-in-bude-cornwall), for a bite to eat. Follow this road round, and honestly, you enter the most wonderful Daphne Du Maurier country (yes, we are heading into Cornwall and yes we all know that most of her stuff was based in South Cornwall, but you can imagine it). It is simply beautiful.

Dear Readers, I would recommend that you did this route around this time of year, when the majority of tourists have left, it’s still warm enough and I strongly recommend a small car. Preferably one with a roof you can take down to enjoy the scenery all the more (weather permitting, of course), but the roads are not what you would call, er, wide. Especially where I am about to take you next! So we want to stay on the coastal road from Bude to Boscastle. Now, never a stranger to a nice place for a pit-stop (do we feel a theme here?) we want to be heading to Crackington Haven (commonly and affectionately known in the Halpless Blogger household as “Crack”). At Crack you’ll find the most stunning cove of warm(ish) water, perfect for young children (if you happen to have them) or a brave paddle, even in Winter! (See above). Another reason you have to stop at Crack is the coffee: oh my Lord, Readers, the cappuccino at The Cabin (https://www.cabincafecrackington.co.uk/) is the best cappuccino since New Zealand (they take their coffee so seriously there, they outdo the Italians – check out our blog on New Zealand https://www.traveltrendsbyglobalgreathotels.co.uk/2019/02/backpacking-part-3-new-zealand-most.html). Probably because it’s run by a New Zealander. You have to stop there. Fact.

Once caffeined-up (you’ll need it for this bit) worm your way along the coast to Boscastle and thence to Tintagel. Because you have to. It’s all just so pretty. Although there isn’t a beach as such, Port Isaac is 100% worth a visit, but remember what I said about small cars. It’s a tight squeeze through these villages…

However, we’re digressing from our beach theme. Back to the sands we go, and I can honestly say, with my hand on my Hapless Blogger heart, this is my favourite beach in the UK. Keep your Welsh beaches. Here, dear Readers, is the jewel. As a bit of preamble, when your Hopeless Blogger lived amongst the unsuspecting Cornish, she asked where a chic place was to go. Once they’d finished laughing, they pointed her in the direction of Rock on account of William and Harry frequently spotted there. Oh but Readers, I wasn’t prepared for how pretty it is. Accessible either from the A39 “Atlantic Highway” (still makes me laugh) from Wadebridge, or through teeny tiny roads if you were come from Port Isaac, follow the road down to Rock. Chic? Yes, absolutely, and now Gordon Ramsey lives there, well, who knows. But even back then, it was chic, with gorgeous little shops on the way in, to the pubs and the bars, to the obligatory Jack Wills (before it was too commercialised). Put it this way, it’s very Jolly Hockeysticks. However you take that, it’s the most glorious beach with white sand, water blue as the Aegean, and a wonderful view of Padstow on the other side. In fact, you can take the foot ferry from Rock to Padstow which is great fun. It’s sheltered, too, which makes for great sunbathing opportunities when you least expect it. My record is actually February! Additionally, you can walk round the peninsular to Polzeath, which is bigger and more touristy but still pretty. Although it is Rock which will always have my heart. But wait, I hear you cry, what about pit stops?! Well, if you want to see Gordon Ramsey, you’ll find him at The Mariners at Rock, however if you want to the best view, you should really go to the Blue Tomato Café (http://www.bluetomatocafe.co.uk/) – best iced coffee ever.

Other beaches of note: well of course you have Watergate Bay/Newquay which are lovely, very Atlantic-ish and remind me of Freshwater West in West Wales. They do get very busy and feel less intimate, somehow, to the others we’ve just visited together, you and I, dear Readers. Perranporth is worth a mention, and of course, St Ives is lovely. Completely worth a visit, making sure your car hasn’t grown…

Heading, now, to South Cornwall, and we’re going to go slap, bang into Daphne Du Maurier country: Par. Now, for those who don’t know, the difference between North and South Cornwall is huge. And somewhat undiscernible, certainly to articulate. It’s a bit like trying to explain the difference between the North and the South of Corsica…you just prefer one to the other, no rhyme nor reason, usually. So, I am afraid, I do prefer North Cornwall, but that’s just my preference. However, that doesn’t stop South Cornwall being stunning: take Par Sands for example. This is a hidden gem of a place, and the site of Menabilly, Du Maurier’s inspiration for Mandalay, and her family home for most of her life. Par is gorgeous: white, sandy beach and wild flowers. Not a beach, but definitely a place to visit nearby is Fowey. A firm favourite: a bustling little town with a gorgeous harbour and plenty of fresh fish!

Now, leaving Cornland, we head East for the first time…is it true? Is West best? For beaches? Possibly. However, we can’t deny the fact that there are some right stunners in the East. Now, again, dear Readers, this blog is based on personal experience, therefore there will be trillions of stunning beaches I feel sure we’ve missed. Please never be afraid to comment below on these blogs: we love to hear your opinion, and it’s all in the spirit of sharing information with each other which someone might find useful! Our next stop is on the Jurassic Coast at Dorset: Lulworth Cove. Now, the old memory is going somewhat as this was a geography field trip some time ago, however, I will never forget the colour of the water and the fascinating rock formations. Stair Hole is worth a mention, as is Durdle Door and further along at Swanage, you’ll find a lovely beach. It goes without saying that of course you have the Isle of Wight, however, with no personal knowledge, we’ll visit this one another time. Next we have the Witterings. Sheltered, somewhat, by the Isle of Wight, the Witterings are lovely, if somewhat packed in the Summer. They are very picturesque, and a lovely spot to watch the little boats and dinghies scudding across the water.

Next, dear Readers, we come to our first pebble beaches: Hove and Brighton. We have covered Brighton in previous blog posts (https://www.traveltrendsbyglobalgreathotels.co.uk/2019/10/unusual-city-breaks-dear-readers-in.html) but safe to say, Brighton offers a different beach experience than, let’s say…Pendine…Having grown up next to pebble beaches, I suppose one is used to them. However, I think you’ll agree, dear Readers, there is nothing like the pain of trying to walk across one with no shoes on…Before we leave our pebble beaches, and our tour of beaches in general, let’s just pop to Hastings. This is quite unlike any other beach because, yes, it’s pebble, and looks just like Eastbourne, Brighton and Bexhill, but it has a menagerie of fishing huts and trawlers on the beach. You can buy fish caught right off the boats, right there. The industry is right there, not for the tourists, but real. It’s a working town using its beach to its best advantage. And of course, who isn’t partial to a whelk? Oh…just me, then!

And now we conclude our tour of British beaches – whether in rain or shine, I think we can all agree that we, without a shadow of a doubt, have some of the very best in the World. Keep your eyes peeled for our next spoooooooooooooky instalment of Travel Trends. But for now, dear Readers, stay safe, stay dry and keep warm!

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Britain’s Beautiful Beaches – Wales – Watch out for the North Walian Glitterati and Deer with One Antler…

Britain’s Beautiful Beaches – Wales – Watch out for the North Walian Glitterati and Deer with One Antler…

Dear Readers,

We invite you, once more, to come to the beach with us (bit parky, but you’ll be fine). 

Following on from our Scottish adventure, and moving South now, we come to North Wales.  Not a destination which has ever been high on my list, and to be brutally honest, dear Readers, when I saw the sign for North Wales, I just thought it was a sign for Wales in general via the North.  However, now further educated, it seems North Wales is quite an entity unto its own.  Get ready for another unpopular opinion:  Prestatyn Beach – not quite Rhyl, so don’t worry, but Prestatyn Beach is glorious!  Miles and miles of sandy beach, and again, like our Scottish adventure, North Wales is wonderfully empty (at Prestatyn Beach – not Rhyl and the surrounds due to the sheer volume of caravans – honestly, Readers, you’ve never seen anything like at all and best left there). 

Moving West, you’ll want to follow the coastal A55 towards Caernarfon (not to be confused with Carmarthen which has happened more than once, and there’s at least 5 hours’ travelling time between the two…) and again, what a road.  You will see some of the most dramatic and glorious scenery:  Llandudno is a lovely place to visit with a lovely beach.  For those not scared of heights, something really fabulous to do is to drive round the Great Orme.  As an aside, did you know that Llandudno, and the Great Orme in particular, was the setting for Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland?  There are little clues all over Llandudno, where you’ll see the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, and Alice herself!  To drive round the Orme, with off-the-scale views, is a must, but you may not want to pay the toll.  If this is the case, dear Readers, and your Hapless Blogger is always looking for a loophole, what you want to do is drive up to the Great Orme Observatory and Funicular Railway.  From that carpark you can then double back, taking a shortcut, avoiding the toll, but hitting the best views.  Now, having spent a large part of my youth negotiating the perilous roads of Corsica, driving back down towards the sea was something of a doddle.  However, if you have less intrepid passengers in the car, I would warn you there may be some distress…Incidentally, for a really really cool place to stay, check this out:  http://www.lighthouse-llandudno.co.uk/frame.htm the Lighthouse is ridiculously stunning!  Carry on around the Orme, where you’ll descend again, and head for the beach carpark.  Here, you’ll find Deganwy Beach.  Empty and glorious.  Take in the views of the mountains and the Orme and the clean, clean sea.

Then head to Penmaenmawr Beach – oh, Readers, it’s stunning with a glorious view of Anglesey.  Speaking of Anglesey, here you’ll find some wonderful, and again, utterly deserted beaches.  Another favourite here is Beaumaris:  a great place to catch oysters, or, rather, watch other people catch them, it has a lovely, peaceful vibe.  From Beaumaris beach, you’ll look back towards the mainland over the Menai Straites.  Beaumaris itself has some lovely little shops and cafes, plus a fabulous castle, and, fun fact, the highest population of female millionaires in the UK!  But it’s the beach we want.  Again, you’ll probably be the only ones on it.  We do like to speak from personal experience here, and I urge you, since you are so far in the middle of nowhere, to go to Abersoch.  It’s become a bit trendy of late amongst the North Walian glitterati (feel free to fall off your chair, laughing, but it’s true, you should see them:  all fake tan and implants that’ll have your eye out) and consequently has some chic little bars and pubs, but it’s the beach you want to head for, and the water is so clear and clean, it’s a real treat.

Heading South now, and staying in the middle of nowhere, we head to West Wales.  Now, I don’t know about you, dear Readers, but I do like the odd dolphin or two.  There is no better place to spot them (even more sightings since the waters have been quieter and the early warm weather brought them closer) is a quaint little fishing village called New Quay (not to be confused with Newquay, Cornwall, mark you).  New Quay West Wales is truly a delight to behold:  the best mix of actually quite Cornish-looking architecture but without the Cornish crowds, this is where you want to go to spot your friendly porpoises.  You don’t actually need to go out in a boat, although at the harbour, there are many readily available to take you, you can just perch on the enormous harbour wall and keep your eyes peeled.  You’ll find a lovely little sandy beach, protected by the harbour wall, and perfect for those with little ones.  The other side of the harbour wall you’ll find a superb fish and chip stall which does the most delicious deep fried scallops #justsaying.  Also, as this part of Wales has a heavy Italian influence (I kid you not) the ice cream is to die for!  You have to stop and have a gelato from Crème Pen Cei…

You really ought to visit Cardigan Bay:  Cardigan itself is a pretty little town well worth a visit, but it’s the beach you want to head for.  Therefore you need to follow signs for St Dogmaels and Cardigan Bay Holiday Park (highly recommend this https://www.cardiganbay.co.uk/) to Poppit Sands Beach.  Gorgeous, again, feels very Cornish, and great for kite-flying.

Moving South once more, (please, forgive me for taking you so far from civilisation, but once so far, you must make the most of it) we are now officially in award-winning “Best beaches in the World” territory.  Who would have thunk it?!  West Wales?  Yes, dear Readers, it is indeed, true.  But first, we’re going to head to the spot which Redbull have chosen many times to hold their world-renowned cliff-diving championships:  the Blue Lagoon in Abereiddy.  Now, this is really off the beaten track territory.  Head from Fishguard to St David’s and it’s about half-way in-between.  The Blue Lagoon itself is a flooded mine, and it’s the minerals in the rock reacting with the salt water which cause the startling blue effect.  People enjoy throwing themselves (safely, it’s no Beachy Head here) off the rocks into the clear, blue water of the lagoon. 

Travelling still South, and whilst we’re here, you really should have a look at Whitesands Bay (preferably at sunset).  It does what it says on the tin:  white sands as far as you can see, and a very expensive carpark - £5!  Can you believe it!  The locals are up in arms, although they did feel a bit better when your Hapless Blogger explained how expensive it was to park in Brighton!  And whilst you’re there, you should probably drop into St David’s and have a snoop round the Cathedral – I mean, it’s rude not it.  And the Bishop’s Palace – you won’t regret it.

A bit of foodie heaven here now (because travelling and food go together):  take the road from St David’s, through Solva, towards Newgale (stunning beach) to a teeny tiny place called Druidston Haven.  Following your Hapless Blogger’s penchant for finding cool places for a cappuccino/wine you really, really need to stop at The Druidstone (http://druidstone.co.uk/).  Possibly the weirdest place you’ll ever visit:  it’s a bit like you’ve slipped down the rabbit hole and you’re meeting Alice for the first time (we may have a bit of an Alice In Wonderland theme going on here…), and you’ve smoked a lot of alternative tobacco on your way in, if you catch my drift.  It’s very, very cool, and very, very strange.  Right on the Pembrokeshire Coast path and with unrivalled views of Cardigan Bay in all its glory, it is a heavenly place to stop and eat extraordinarily well.  The menu isn’t huge, but it’s fresh, seasonal and not at all expensive.  Be warned, however, if you visit in the winter, it’s a bit drafty, so you might need an extra ski jacket or five.  It doesn’t advertise particularly, and is word-of-mouth mainly.  As Pembrokeshire is the new Cornwall in the UK, you’ll probably see some very famous people hanging out there too.  Not as famous as you, of course, dear Readers, but, still, famous.

Now, let’s toddle further, and find Freshwater West.  We’re visiting this beach for two reasons:  reason one is that it’s a wild, raw, untamed sort of beach with lots of “surfer dudes” as they hold many surfing competitions here.  Reason two is our tummies, once more!  When you approach the road next to the sand dunes, head for the carpark and in the carpark you’ll find what looks like a burger van.  However, dear Readers, this is no burger van, this is Café Mor (https://beachfood.co.uk/cafe-mor.php) quite possibly the best beach food in the world.  Let us picture the scene:  you have your UK summer beach attire on (shorts, hoodie, ski jacket etc) you are perched on a rock on the beach, watching the surfers, feeling the fresh air in your face, with the most amazing lobster roll you have ever had:  the bread baked freshly that day, the lobster caught that morning off those very shores, and the seaweed butter dripping down your chin.  If that isn’t paradise, dear Readers, I don’t know what is!

Heading East now, because you can’t, physically, go any further West!  Let’s pop to the beach heralded as one of the world’s most beautiful.  This beach wiped out competition such as Bondi Beach in Australia, to gain the title of one of the best in the world.  This is Barafundle Bay.  Head to Stackpole, then park the car and walk.  You have to walk – which probably means it’s more preserved and less touristy, but there are so few tourists here compared to other places, that even in high season, it doesn’t get packed.  It is truly outstanding, and I think, to be honest it’s the clarity and purity of the water that does it, and the colour, honestly Readers, you could be in Barbados (apart from the hoodie and ski jacket).

The best thing about all of these beaches, and their outstanding factors for many people is the fact that they are sandy beaches…and that they are empty.  Obviously, the further East you go from here, the busier they get.  However, beaches of note are Freshwater East and Manobier (lovely castle).  Tenby is famous for its beaches, from the dramatic South Beach to the quaint town beach.  Again, sandy, and wonderfully clean.  Beaches of note from here are Saundersfoot, Wiseman’s Bridge, Amroth and thence to Pendine. 

Pendine is a favourite, because, as you might have heard of it before, it is the location for many speed trials, including the famous “Babs”, the racing car in which John Parry-Thomas broke the land speed record back in 1926 at 171 mph.  As you know, Sir Malcolm Campbell then beat him in his “Bluebird” at 174 mph, and then in 1927 Thomas returned to beat him.  Although Thomas beat him with 180 mph, a member of the public walked through the timing beam, meaning Thomas had to go again, and that, unfortunately, didn’t end well.  The beach is still used to this day by the likes of BMW and Mercedes to test their cars, and numerous car shows and actual speed events.  However, it’s a great beach to walk, play, fly kites and go rockpooling on!  It is also Ministry of Defence land, dear Readers, so watch out for unexploded bombs, and, get ready for it, deer with one antler.  I kid you not.  There are all sorts of strange animals which dwell in the MOD lands (don’t ask) and one day, your Hapless Blogger was plodding along, minding her own business, when, like a one-antlered marauding angel/devil/deer, it appeared, standing on the sand dune above her head.  It was GINORMOUS.  He and she started at each other for a while, neither of us knowing exactly what do:  should I scream/faint/or worse?  She shot off pretty quickly…

An insider tip for you now, dear Readers, as we love an insider tip…full of them today in fact…if it’s really busy, don’t go to Pendine the populated end.  Head towards Laugharne, and about 3 miles after you’ve excited Llanmilo, opposite Broadway Country House, turn towards the sea and head to a place called Ginst Point.  Follow the teeny tiny road down, through the other end of the MOD area – don’t worry too much about the big “No Entry” signs, they’re just to keep the tourists at bay (joke).  You come to a carpark, and the most wonderful, deserted white sandy beach of dreams.  From Pendine, on a clear day, you can see all the way to North Devon.  It’s so clear and clean, but don’t forget, this is the Atlantic, so not only is it very tidal, it’s also very dangerous.  As a housekeeping note, from about April until about October, there are substantial jelly fish, so if you have small children and dogs, just keep an eye out…

Wales in a nutshell (or should that be case?).  Other beaches of note are Swansea and the Gower Peninsular.  All stunning and worth a visit, however we would warn of difficulty in accessing most Gower beaches in high season, so again, this is the time to go!  Keep your eyes peeled for England…coming soon!!

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