Favourite places

I personally think that the hallmark of a good holiday is the wish to return to the same place, or to look for something similar in a new location hence reinventing something that you know is really good! I’m always happy if on the drive or flight home i’m trying to work out when I can return, or what aspect of a trip I need to retain for future trips!!  Here are some of my favourites, I’ve included links to where I have written about the trips recently – there is masses of information about where we stayed and visited at those links that is hopefully helpful! This is just a summary of where I (hope) to visit time and again in some way or another!

1. The north coast of Norfolk

Looking out to Scolt Head Island from Brancaster

Incredibly lucky to have spent my summers growing up here, it is a largely unspoilt part of the UK.  Massive skies and expanses of open space.  Boutique hotels and pubs with rooms are springing up slowly and you’ll see that the price tag is often quite high – this is sometimes known as Chelsea on Sea!!  If you enjoy dinghy sailing then visit in the summer with your boat and take part in the regattas that take place along the coast.  The tidal range here is incredible and that means sometimes the sea is so far out that you can’t see it, and sometimes so far in that it blocks some of the more coastal roads and carparks!  I think this is a great area to stay self-catering, there is great choice and owing to its regular visitors the delicatessen quality and choice of pub food really is superb!  Favourite spots are Brancaster, the Burnhams and Cley.

I have written at length about this area before – here.

2. South Africa

Lions Head for sunrise

You have to be careful here, but the country is so different to some of the bad press it gets about safety. Keep your wits about you, be sensible and you will want to go back time and again!  No jet lag from the UK and the seasons are the opposite way round, so it is perfect for winter sun!  Exemplary service is something that comes as standard – be it a B&B or a 5* hotel, you will be treated like royalty by the friendliest people.  The country is massive, I can’t profess to be an expert (yet) but we have not been disappointed with Cape Town, the cape, Stellenbosch, the Drakensberg, KZN and St Lucia.  Everywhere we visited I would like to return to at some point. In more detail, some ideas – here. And if you like wine, well, buy a second home here!  The wine is world-beating and the £ to rand exchange rate means you can enjoy some amazing, yet affordable options!

3. The Caribbean

Lovers Leap

I think you need to know what you want for the Caribbean as it is bound to offer something for everyone as there is just such a choice.  Years ago we visited Antigua and Barbados – I liked it, but it was busy and it wasn’t very ‘real’ – probably our choice of hotel had something to do with it, but it put me off for a while.  But then my husband went to Jamaica for work, and loved it so much we went back ourselves!  Incredible!  Whilst an awful lot of people don’t go here because of its edginess, that makes it just perfect for anyone that does!!  Incredibly friendly island, and we didn’t feel unsafe at all (could have done without a night time drive through Kingston however).  There is a complete mixture of price points but you can be guaranteed that with carefully picking the smaller more personal and boutique establishments that you will be well away from the all-inclusive horrors that some parts of the island are infamous for!  We really loved our time here, and would certainly love to go back.  It can’t be the only remaining ‘real’ Caribbean, but it is a world away from the busier parts!

4. Cornwall

Cornwall in June – it could have been the Mediterrean

Cornwall in October – quiet and plenty of sunshine

I am incredibly proud of my Cornish roots and much like Norfolk, until recently took it for granted how well I knew the county and how often I got to visit.  This year we’ve spent a lot of time there visiting family (and have just booked 2 days in Mousehole after Christmas as well) and everywhere we visited was wonderful.  As it worked out we were there in the shoulder-season on both occasions, once in June and once in October. We were incredibly lucky with weather and diligently visited everywhere my Grandpa suggested to us!!  It took us properly away from the beaten track and we saw some places that were beautiful and fascinating!  A week in Cornwall you will always get some rain, but there are so many pubs and tea rooms that you should go out in the rain regardless and enjoy the country in all seasons!

5. USA

Wellfleet, Cape Cod

I’m not an expert on the USA, I’ve been twice and seen very little of what is to offer! But I did like what I saw!  First time was a road trip from Boston, via Cape Cod, Newport and ending in New York, the 2nd visit was with work and from my base in Delaware I managed to squeeze in a day in Washington!  Still want to go back to see the Carolina’s in the summer (Dawson’s Creek country) and over to San Fran (including wine country, the coast road and Yosemite).  There is such a lot to offer here that I think wherever you flew to would give you new experiences.  The accommodation seems to be pretty pricey compared to an equivalent in the UK or Europe, but I think with some careful research there are some clever options when out of the cities!

6. UAE

Hotel points don’t get better than this!

So far we’ve only visited Oman, but it had been on the list for a long time and we liked it so much that we are venturing over to Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the new year.  We didn’t do this cheaply – although we met people on our travels that had self-driven across the country and stayed in some amazing small and privately run spots.  Oman is the less glistening sister of Dubai, but not the poorer relation from what I can tell.  Everything is perfect, but in a very laid back kind of way.  The service was astounding at both places we stayed and the trips we took into the desert and to the mosque were inspiring.  Can Dubai and Abu Dhabi live up though, that is the question!  What the Oman trip did is absolutely drive home what a hotel should do well and it has based my choices since then, both in the UK and abroad!  One key learning was to get a club room!

7. British national parks

Scafell Pike summit

There are so many options, be it the New Forest, Snowdonia or the Lake District for starters (and to name my favourites!).  If I go abroad then I normally want to read a book in the sun and explore the country at leisure.  But we find that when we stay in the UK we need to be active and always take walking boots and water proofs!  Some of the best breaks have been the short ones – either visiting friends on Anglesey and enjoying Snowdonia or the beaches, or staying in a pub in the hills and going on long walks with plenty of food, a camelbak of water and a flask of tea!  Closer to home, we must spend a weekend a month on our bikes exploring the New Forest.

8. Eating and drinking

Menu Degustation at Chateau Eza, Eze

Occasionally we splurge on a dinner during a trip, so it isn’t possible to afford to stay at the hotel but an evening is a very nice way to enjoy it!  Places like Equinox in Singapore, or Chateau Eza in France have been incredibly special treats that are unforgettable and latch onto a holiday as a treat… in a work hard play hard kind of way!

I’m sure this list will change over the years as we visit other places, but what I like to do now is build these hallmarks into any trip, I am a nervous traveller – I worry that I will have got something wrong all the time!  So the more I can build in in this manner the less worrying I do!!