24 talking shop
WISE COUNSEL
I'm on holiday – booking a holiday! & on location
UNUSUAL PLACES Over the last 12 years or so I have made some
bookings from unusual places. I once confi rmed a honeymoon whilst standing in the queue at the auditions for a Harry Potter part with my daughter. However a recent one from 30,000
feet was a novelty even for me! On my return fl ight from Palma I fl ew with Norwegian Air for the fi rst time. The plane was impressive, the staff excellent and the free Wi-Fi enabled me to confi rm my client’s honeymoon to Kefalonia. That really impressed me, so thank you Norwegian, I shall defi nitely be travelling with you again. In Majorca, my villa was very
secluded, high in the Pollenca Hills. The journey up the fi rst time was quite stressful but the peace and tranquillity up there was only surpassed by the views and we only came down to eat out in some great places at Puerto Pollenca. I even returned to the church where I renewed my vows three years ago.
LADY OF THE MANOR I seem to be on a mission to visit as many old historic Manor houses I can this year! Recently I had a
“Medieval Fez is Morocco's cultural, arts and craft and
spiritual capital” SARAH GILBERT, TRAVEL WRITER
delicious lunch at The Gravetye Manor in Sussex. It’s not far from Gatwick so if you have some top-end clients who want to start their holiday in style and enjoy fi ne dining, it is a perfect choice. For my husband’s birthday we tried another – Walton Hall in Warwickshire. It’s a beautiful property with its own chapel and family graveyard dating back hundreds of years. With great fi ne dining, country walks, a pool and spa treatments on offer we had plenty to keep us occupied. But thanks to technology I'm always working! I can’t remember
a time in recent years that I haven’t responded to clients whilst on holiday, and places with no Wi-Fi are now fewer and farer between. It seems we never truly take a
break these days and when we do fi nd ourselves in a technological black hole it is like someone has cut off our right hand! Perhaps we should all deposit our devices on arrival – and then truly relax! E:
Barbara.Charltontravelcounsellors.com T: 01293 737290
CHECK ONLINE FOR DAILY TIPS AT
SELLINGTRAVEL.CO.UK
Hot tips galore!
“For UK holidays, ask how they're getting there. For example, York is a great place to visit by rail” GRAHAM BALMFORTH, SUPERBREAK
Going back home to Tshwane
AS a South African living in London for 15 years, Ethos Marketing's Claire Roadley was interested to discover what is new in the Rainbow Nation and here's what she found on her fi rst stop, her old stomping ground, Tshwane:
"It was lovely to rediscover Tshwane (which includes the capital city Pretoria). I grew up not far from Pretoria on the East Rand (my town was home to both actress Charlize Theron and Princess Charlene of Monaco, so don’t knock it until you've tried it!). I was happy to fi nd that the city has a new nine-metre bronze-coated statue of
Nelson Mandela ,with his arms held in an open embrace in the gardens below the Union Buildings. It’s a great modern tribute in a city that largely celebrated Boer history in the past. The Union Buildings are the seat of Parliament and this is also where Madiba lay in state after his passing. "A gem in the suburbs is Illyria House
– the oldest fi ve-star hotel in Pretoria. It is run by the gracious and ethereal Marietjie van der Walt. Entering the villa’s wrought iron gates is like stepping back in time – where antiques, chandeliers, tapestries and murals transport you to another world. Not to be missed is the spa, the heated roman
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baths, Moroccan lounge and the fi ne dining on the patio. The hotel has just six suites so it's a very exclusive choice! "The Sheraton Pretoria is also a fantastic property and a great base for exploring Pretoria, with views over the Union Buildings. If your clients travel on The Blue Train in 2015 they get a free night’s bed and breakfast. plus fere station transfers. "I even took part in a local event, the
Tshwane Open Master Chef 'cook off' on the mayor’s lawn. And I can cook! My partner and I won 'best salmon of the day' in our cook-off with South African celebrity chef Fortunato Mazzone and Lorna Maseko, a TV presenter!"
Be inspired!
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