Two days in Jaipur
We loved our time in Jaipur. It was the full package. Clean and ordered (relatively speaking), pretty, blue skies (no fog), we bumped into friends (yes – really), history and views, as well as amazing food and incredible hotels. Jaipur very much got the Parker seal of approval. We had 2 days in…
View PostOne day in Agra
Agra was our second base and was actually somewhere I wasn’t initially planning to visit. I couldn’t fathom how one building could justify a 3 hour drive. But the drive was of course worthwhile, and there’s more than one thing to see! Agra wasn’t our favourite place. Mainly due to us visiting beautiful Jaipur…
View PostDecember fun and frolics
December, what a marvellous month. Our big discovery was the benefit of storing up annual leave until the last month of the year. Then trying to use it up! I did 5 days of work, had a 12 day trip to India and Christmas off work too. Now there are probably health warnings against not taking…
View PostOne day in Delhi
Delhi is where our Indian adventure began. Colleagues of mine are always here and told me it was the right city to quickly immerse ourselves in the sights, smells and sounds of India. We had just over 24 hours in the city. Our guide Punam (an expert, she’s shown Ralph Fiennes around) and driver BD…
View PostThe annual bucketlist update
Whether or not we like them, we all have a bucketlist or two – for life and in this case for travel. Mine is subject to an annual update as horizons widen or tastes change. I’ve just looked back at my 2014 and 2015 lists and it’s fantastic to see how the travel…
View PostMy instagram tour of Incredible India
I have so much to tell you about India – one of the most inspiring and enjoyable trips we have ever taken. “So far as I am able to judge, nothing has been left undone, either by man or nature, to make India the most extraordinary country the the sun visits on his rounds.” Mark…
View PostMy top 10 travel highlights of 2016
What a year 2016 has been globally. My top 10 highlights may well sound frivolous and privileged in a year when the world has been full of sadness, unrest and nasty surprises. But they made us smile, laugh and relax after some challenging years. Its been good for the soul. I’m amazed we fitted in 6…
View PostNovember fun and frolics
A bit of a strange month – I was manically busy right through the month but I didn’t seem to actually achieve a great deal! Aside from crazy hours, there was one other similarity between October and November… I went to kareoke in both months having never been before. London office life seems…
View PostPlanning our 2017 adventures
We have no travel or adventures planned yet for 2017, none. Come December in a normal year, we’d have plenty mapped out. Not this year. Due to work commitments we’re taking our big trip of the year in December. So we’ve had something to look forward to and plan in Q4… But now we have an…
View PostYachting adventures in the Canaries
Mr P did some vital yachting holiday research for us in October… Too kind! I was manic with work and made a passing comment suggesting he go away with his best buddy somewhere nice and leave me in peace. I didn’t ever expect the offer to be taken up. But it’s OK as it was all…
View PostThe perfect… weekend away
We are big fans of the long weekend – be it in the UK or abroad. As wonderful as it is to go away for a couple of weeks, I find it very easy to relax quickly in just a couple of days. We’re also lucky to have found some incredible places on…
View PostOctober fun and frolics
October was all about the W’s – work, weddings, Wales, winter watery stuff, wine… Work was the predominant activity in play for October. I banked enough hours to not work again until at least the new year. Thankfully the end of the month means the end of the really hard slog and it was…
View PostUnique stays and favourite quirks
One of the highlights at the start of a hotel stay is when you are shown to a gorgeous room and there’s champagne or chocolates or some such other surprise left as a welcome treat. Nothing says hello and welcome to R&R better than that! The Chewton Glen and Cliveden House are particularly good at this……
View PostSeptember fun and frolics
After a crazy August, September arrived quietly and that was just fine… It felt like Autumn arrived overnight from August to September. I love those lovely chilly sunny morning walks to the station and leaves falling from the trees, or the morning runs round the park. I don’t however remember from this time…
View PostHappy and healthy without holiday
You know the seemingly bleak time when no trips are planned, it feels like summer is over, you don’t see much daylight and work is crazy and the mania just.doesn’t.stop? That’s right now! I’ve read enough articles about how people that take regular holidays are happier and healthier and I agree with every…
View PostLazing in the Languedoc
What a gorgeous lazy time we had in the Languedoc, the benefit of doing no research… Aside from booking the hotel, all I knew was that Carcassonne was nearish to where we were going and that it’s a board game. So un-thorough was my research that a few days before we arrived I had to email the…
View Post6 things to do in Stockholm
Stockholm is less than 2 hours flying from Heathrow and perfect for a summer city break. A maritime city full of gorgeous architecture, flat for exploring and if you can stay a little longer there’s 24,000 islands in the archipelago to explore. We visited over the August bank holiday weekend, and I took advantage…
View PostHoliday Blues? Let’s fix that…
So Mr P is a blogger too…. Just occasionally, for work. The content of this particular post is holiday related so he’s letting me share it from his LinkedIn page here on my own Penelope & Parker! I hope you enjoy a foray into the other half of the blog (that normally takes the photos)…
View PostMemorable moments – dairyfree dining
Food used to be really simple – see food, eat it. I like pretty much anything apart from bananas or when the fish comes with its eyes and tail intact on the plate… We have dined at some incredible places over the years (we still do)! But these days it is a little…
View PostAugust fun and frolics
August was a blink and miss it month… Long hours at work but thankfully many hours at play as well, making the most of the summer months, ahead of what will be a stressful Autumn… A couple of days sailing at Cowes Week with work – bumping into old friends, making new ones and…
View PostInns and cottages for a perfect staycation
One thing I adore about the UK is the plethora of great little inns and cottages on offer. If you want to get off the beaten track and find something a little different when it comes to luxury you’ll find it. The luxury of privacy, space and charming hosts. Here are a few…
View PostLearning from travel: doing as I say
Any day away from home on an adventure or indeed when travelling with work is a learning day – whether taking in the culture, learning phrases in the local language, trying some new food or finding out something of the history of a place. I have already shared the life lessons I’ve learnt…
View PostJuly fun and frolics
July was one of those months that just – didn’t – stop… Silly hours at work and working whilst taking “holiday” (good in some ways as that means more holiday still to take…) then weekends crammed full too and the odd half day here and there. September and October at work are going…
View PostKota Porthleven – tasty artistry
When one finds a restaurant that impresses, it is always risky to go back – will it be as good? Riskier still to take ones parents for a special treat. So we arrived with crossed fingers whether it would be as good as remembered. Well – Kota delivered and gets a gold star, it was…
View PostTickled tastebuds at The Palomar
The Palomar really did tickle our tastebuds! If you have been under a rock or hibernating recently you won’t have noticed that we went to Israel in May and loved it – the place, the culture, the people and the food… For everyone else, you know already! Imagine our delight when we ate…
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