The Team

What is your first travel memory?

My fondest travel memories as a child are of day trips to Frinton-on-Sea, a lovely seaside town on the Essex coast. I used to go there for day trips from Hackney with my mum, and the atmosphere and sea air seemed just magical compared to East London. I love to go back even today – the sea front has barely changed in 40 years, so it feels amazingly nostalgic. Thanks to these early memories I still love the ocean: my favourite part of a holiday is the late afternoon, watching the sun set accompanied by a cold beer and the sound of crickets, skin tingling from the sea and the sun.

What kind of food do you like to try when you travel – local delicacies, or familiar favourites?

I love cooking, it relaxes me, so I do like to sample the local cuisine. However, I can’t stand cheese so that can sometimes make it difficult! I enjoy trying dishes that are a bit different, although that being said I once had ox testicles for lunch in Shenzhen, China, and I have to say I probably wouldn’t try those again…!

What is the most mind-blowing attraction you’ve ever visited?

Probably the Cinque Terre in Italy – my first visit there absolutely blew me away. I loved it, and want all my clients to see it because it’s so wonderful! Jumping on a train and skipping along coastal villages only accessible via train, boat or foot is my idea of heaven.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it by and why?

Italy. I love the culture, the climate, the food, the family atmosphere, the sea, the history… I’m enamoured by the Italians’ love of cuisine, the way that a meal out is an event – it’s not just about being hungry.

What was your favourite ever journey?

My favourite journey so far was through Scotland – we travelled through the Cairngorms, passing many beautiful lochs. I was absolutely amazed by the scenery there, I didn’t expect it to be nearly as dramatic as it was. A road trip I’d like to do in the future is through the Rocky Mountains in Western Canada. I lived in Canada for a short time, but as I was based in Toronto, I didn’t get to explore the Rockies.

What is your most memorable travel experience?

My most memorable was definitely backpacking around Australia when I was younger. I went away for a year, totally on my own, and had absolute freedom: I had nothing booked apart from the flights, and just a rucksack with me. It was before backpacking in Australia was common, and back then I didn’t have email or a mobile phone, so I had very little contact with home. That made it feel like a real adventure.

Where is top of your holiday wishlist, and why?

I'm currently dreaming about Madagascar... with a mix of rainforest, mountains and beaches, its landscapes look outstanding. I'd love to explore its incredible National Parks and see its unique wildlife, including lemurs and whales. I like the look of the forest lodges and boutique hotels that are sympathetic to the wonderful natural surroundings – in fact, I'm very excited just thinking about it all!

What’s your top travel tip for a successful trip?

Always go with an open mind, and don’t expect to find the same things that you have at home. The world is such a small place nowadays – you can get almost anything, anywhere – so it’s always a pleasure to go looking for something different and discovering a charm specific to that destination.

Mountain, desert, ocean or jungle?

Definitely ocean: I love the sea. It’s my go-to place when I want to clear my mind and blow away the cobwebs. I don’t mind whether it’s a remote beach or a bustling harbour town, I just love the sea air.

What was your favourite ever journey?

It has to be the train journey I took around Europe after finishing university. It was a mammoth trip exploring different corners of the continent, but the section of the journey that sticks in my mind the most is the overnight train from Rome to Nice. We travelled along a section of the track that ran right along the sea just as the sun was coming up, and it was amazing.

Where is your favourite place in the world?

That’s difficult, there are too many to choose from! Although Italy’s Amalfi Coast is definitely up there. In the UK, I would choose the West Country: I love Cornwall, the south coasts of Devon and Dorset, and the National Trust’s Stourhead estate is just lovely for a walk around the lake – especially on a quiet day.

What is the most mind-blowing site or attraction you’ve visited?

I would have to say Pompeii. It was always on my bucket list, and finally saw it a couple of years ago. A lot of people prefer Herculaneum as it has more artefacts, but the sheer size and scale of Pompeii took me by surprise and really blew me away. It helped having a really good guide, too. It made the experience of going to the top of Vesuvius even better, as I really understood the power of the volcano.

If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be, and why?

Probably Ireland – I love that the lifestyle is similar to the UK, but it has so much beautiful countryside and it’s really green. One of my favourite places in the world is Dublin: I love Dublin. I’ve been with friends and shopping trips and weekends away, I really like the city’s friendliness and atmosphere. Somewhere I’d love to visit for similar reasons is Canada, as it’s somewhere with a lot of striking natural landscapes where I could do a lot of walking, and it has seasons rather than being hot year-round.

Food when travelling: do you go for the local delicacies, or familiar favourites?

A bit of both! I will probably try something that is bit different, but nothing that sounds too crazy! My favourite cuisine is Chinese, but that being said my guilty travel pleasure is tomato ketchup – I love it with my food even when I’m abroad, I get through bottles of it at home!

What was your worst travel experience? (and… was it worth it?)

When I left school, I worked as a travel agent, and at the tender age of 17 they sent me to Israel. I travelled there alone and it was quite scary, because I was taken off into a room and questioned when I arrived! They also searched through my whole suitcase which was rather unnerving. I don’t think it was worth it for me, because at that young age I didn’t really understand the culture, I didn’t think the trip was my cup of tea, and I just wanted to go home. I didn’t appreciate the experience at the time, in the way that I would do if I visited now.

What was your most unusual travel experience?

This would be one again in Ireland. When I was younger we went there over St Patrick’s Day, and it was amazing. It was in the countryside in Wicklow, they had a massive St Patrick’s Day parade and it was great. It was really different and unusual, a really fun way to experience the country.

What is your most memorable travel experience?

I always go on holiday with my family – for the last ten years, there has been a group of nine of us that go away together – so I have very fond family memories that mean a lot to me, from many amazing places. One trip that was particularly memorable was to Cuba, which we absolutely loved. I was wowed by Havana, and a visit to Club Tropicana – where the drinks really are free! The cabaret show there was the most amazing spectacle – it was like nothing I’d ever seen before.

Have you ever lived abroad? What did it make you appreciate about the UK?

Yes, I lived in Spain for four years – south of Alicante, near the mountains of Murcia. Whilst it was really enjoyable and I loved the sunshine, living in southern Spain definitely made me appreciate having four distinct seasons: sometimes it could get far too hot for me, and the pace of life was either very busy and lively during the tourist season, or completely dead and quiet.

Where is your favourite place in the world?

I really loved Las Vegas, it’s an amazing city. When I was younger, I wanted to be a croupier in a casino; I also love hotels, so Las Vegas was perfect for me. It has one of the world’s best thrill rides: dropping off the side of the Stratosphere Tower on the roller coaster that wraps around the building is amazing! It’s also so beautiful at night, especially from above in a helicopter. The neighbouring Grand Canyon is one of the most mind-blowing sights I’ve ever seen, the scale of it and the colours of the rock are incredible.

Where is top of your holiday wish list, and why?

Top of our family holiday wish list is Jamaica. I’d personally love to go to Sri Lanka, and Thailand, and I’d also really like to do a safari. And Costa Rica. Oh, and actually, Hawaii – I think that should be top of the list… is that enough?!