Autumn?
It may officially be autumn – but here in Javea on Spain’s Costa Blanca, summer is clinging on. Today, the temperature rocketed up to an incredible 35°C and the Med felt positively balmy this afternoon! It was heavenly – I plunged straight in without my usual hesitation. After yesterday’s cooler overcast weather and the fact that the nights are rapidly drawing in, we thought autumn had arrived, so today’s heatwave was an unexpected bonus. We were enjoying our early afternoon swim when we noticed thick smoke rising from the surrounding hills and curling down towards the coast. We’d passed several police cars with sirens and blue flashing lights coming up the hill when we drove down to the Arenal and wondered what was happening. Apparently a serious forest fire had broken out on the wooded hillsides...
Read MoreBay of Biscay
After what has been an eventful summer, we’re finally on our way to Spain for a belated holiday. We’re taking the car and sailing from Portsmouth to Santander in northern Spain with Brittany Ferries. The crossing takes about 24 hours and we arrive in Santander tomorrow evening. We plan to overnight in Santander and make one further stop in Teruel on our journey south to Javea. Compared with flying, taking the ferry is easy and hassle free. Pont Aven, Brittany Ferries’ flagship vessel accommodates up to 2,400 passengers and is more like a cruise ship than a ferry, with a swimming pool, hot tub (not in use when we were on board), children’s and teenagers play zones, a small spa treatment area and a wrap around promenade for pleasant deck strolls. A five deck high atrium offers panoramic...
Read MoreSpringtime in Spain
How time flies – can’t believe our last visit to Spain was in late October 2012 – nearly five months ago! But then, so much has happened in those months – I’ve published a 15th title for Discovery Books – Always Room for One More, Gary Glading’s delightful second book, Alec and I have been away for a month in Sydney and Singapore, we’ve also had family over from Oz and planned and started major renovations at home. I’ve attended some interesting press events these winter months, including a delicious lunch at Le Caprice hosted by the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto, the launch of QMS Medical spa products into the luxury Thanos Hotel Group in Cyprus, TravMedia’s inaugural press event at The Dorchester (a great source of new and useful tourism contacts) and Ben Fogle’s interesting talk on...
Read MoreA stopover in the Garden State of Singapore
We were sad saying goodbye to our lovely family in Sydney last night. Despite having to leave around 6am, Sarah and Ali insisted on taking us to the airport, where we shared more tears and farewell hugs. Departing from Sydney was effortless compared with flying out from Heathrow last month when it took us two and a half hours just to get through security. We had a trouble free flight to Singapore – just under eight hours with good food and Singapore Airlines’ usual impeccable service. The only disappointment was the abysmal choice of movies. It was mid afternoon when we landed at Changi Airport. We were quickly through immigration and after picking up our bags took a taxi to the Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa Resort, where we are staying for two nights. Our taxi driver mistakenly took us to...
Read MoreHappy New Year!
We went to Dudley Park near Bondi Beach to welcome in 2013 and watch one of the world’s greatest firework displays. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, this annual extravaganza costs about AS$6.5 million to stage. Considering the worldwide publicity it generates for the city, is must be worth every cent! Dudley Park was just one of many vantage points set up all around Sydney to enable revellers to have fun and celebrate New Year’s Eve safely. Although we had to pay a nominal entrance fee and our bags were searched (a strict ‘bring no alcohol’ rule applies at events like this), drinks were on sale at the temporary bars set up in the park. We (and hundreds of others) enjoyed a memorable evening in a lively friendly atmosphere with great disco music, outdoor dancing, bouncy castles, play areas...
Read MoreChristmas ‘down under’
Happy Christmas to all our readers! It’s Boxing Day 2012. I’m writing this from Avoca Beach, north of Sydney in New South Wales, where we (six adults and six children aged from five months to six years) are staying over Christmas. We’re enjoying the use of a friend’s spacious home, a short drive from the beach. Today’s weather has been a mix of hot sun, clouds and occasional rain showers. After a scorching hot Christmas Eve, which we spent cooling off at Avoca’s lovely beach, Christmas Day was a complete washout weatherwise, with thunderstorms and heavy persistent rain all day. We couldn’t even walk off our splendid Christmas dinner. We flew out to Sydney with Singapore Airlines on the A380 – our first time on this amazing plane. We arrived in good time at Heathrow Terminal 3, but then...
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