Amy Watkins sales consultant, Midcounties Co-op Travel, Halesowen
Co-op Cover Star Amy shows she has bags of style
For Amy Watkins, the chance to go to California was a dream come true. “I just love America. I am fascinated by the different
states and the contrasts between them,” says Amy, who jumped at the chance to be a Travel Weekly Cover Star to fulfil her ambition to further explore the US. “I had already been to New York, but this was a once-
in-a-lifetime opportunity that really appealed to me. When I won a place I was screaming down the phone with excitement. Nothing else could live up to it.” And the trip certainly matched Amy’s expectations
after she followed California’s own marketing message to “dream big” about the destination. “Every state has its own personal spin; I could not
believe all the different things you could do in California. There is something for all ages – and we only just scratched the surface of it,” she adds. The contrasts across the state were highlighted by
Huntington Beach, Palm Springs and Santa Monica, according to Amy. “Huntington Beach had amazing hotels and stunning beaches; Palm Springs had an old-fashioned, quaint feel; and Santa Monica’s pier was iconic and the end
Amy’s CV
●2010 to present: senior sales consultant, Midcounties Co-op Travel, Halesowen, Dudley
●2005-2008: sales consultant and foreign exchange clerk, Thomson, Stourbridge, Dudley
●2002-2004: apprentice, Travelcare, Cradley Heath, West Midlands
of Route 66,” she adds. It’s hardly surprising that
if you ask Amy about the highlights of her trip, there are too many to mention. “Everything was a highlight. I remember getting to the first hotel and being treated like a VIP – it was like ‘pinch me, is this really happening?’ she recalls. As a shopaholic, having her photo shoot at the Orange
Premium Outlets was very apt. She could hardly believe the size of the shopping centre, let alone the bargains available on designer bags. “It’s ideal for shoppers and there were some really good deals,” says Amy, who filled all her suitcases, including her new Samsonite case, given to Cover Stars as a gift during the trip, with new bags and clothes. “I was a bit worried about my luggage because I bought so much,” she admits, “luckily I was allowed to bring the Samsonite case as hand luggage on the flight home!” Amy is already planning her next US trip next year to visit San Francisco, Las Vegas and Los Angeles – and the chances are she’ll keep going back.
Would you like to be profiled on Readers’ Lives? Tell us why it should be you! Email:
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travelweekly.co.uk
36 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 21 August 2014
THIS ENTIRE LOOK WAS LESS
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READERS’LIVES
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