No.15 - Spa weekends away

Valentine’s Day is probably on your radar but is it really what we need, right after Christmas?  If you’re anything like me, you’re probably still trying to shed the pounds that you put on over Christmas and your skin is really dull due to the miserable Winter weather.  What we really want is a proper bit of pampering to ease those aching bones and to breathe new life into ourselves.  So instead of suggesting those sexy, romantic breaks that require us to slide into our tightest frocks,  I thought it might be better to look at Spa Breaks, so where could we be going to revive ourselves this February?

Pool area at Sopwell House

First up, and just a short drive from St Albans in Hertfordshire, Sopwell House Hotel,  offers both a spa and great golf course to it’s residents.  The Spa and pool area has recently undergone extensive refurbish-ment, designed by Sparcstudio, the multi-award winning designers and architects.  Facilities include a pool, Jacuzzi, starlit steam room, sauna and experience showers with heated mosaic seats.

The Spa uses ESPA and Clarins products  and there are a range of Spa packages to choose from, including a range of treatments for men as well as ladies.  For me the great attraction of this hotel, apart from the fact that it is very close to the motorway for ease of access, is the amazingly good food on offer in both of the restaurants.  In fact, if you are still trying to lose the last couple of pounds from Christmas you might want to steer clear of these, as the menus are both very tempting and reasonably priced for the quality of the food on offer.

External Vitality Pool

Next up is the Menzies Hotel in Stratford. Be prepared to park your car next to a Austin Martin and enjoy a Pimms from the terrace over-looking the fish pond and horizon beyond.   The Spa here enjoys an indoor pool, and an external vitality pool (which is walled by glass but open to the sky), heated lounger and foot spas.  There is also a range of experience rooms including a sauna, a Caldarium, a Laconium and a Tepidarium.  In addition, there is an ice fountain, and Tropical and Polar Storm Showers.

A selection of Clarins and Elemis treatments are provided  here but I would recommend that you book before you go, to avoid disappointment.  Their facials can knock a good ten years off you!  The Menzies also has a double treatment room if you want to have a massage with that special someone too.

There is also a gym, tennis courts and a very good golf course here too if you want something more energetic.  Perhaps this is where you might lose that last couple of pounds from Christmas, am I starting to sound obsessed?

If you are staying at the Welcombe Menzies, I would definately ask for a refurbished room throughout your stay and to book any evening meals  at the time of booking.  Their restaurant generally serves good food too, but if you wish, a short stroll down the river side will take you into the heart of Stratford where you can enjoy the theatre as well as a good meal.

The Lion Quay Hotel in Oswestry has a great day spa.  This includes all the usual facilities you might expect including a great jacuzzi area, a vitamin D room designed to make you feel like you’ve been out on a sunny day and a snow room complete with 2 foot of snow.  

The hotel attached to this hotel is right on the river and serves good plain pub grub which is served inside or out, depending on the weather.

So here are my top three reasonably priced spa breaks for February.  Please feel free to suggest more for our readers in our comments section.

You may have noticed that I haven't posted anything for a couple of weeks, and that is because I want to change things up a bit for the new year and to write about things that are seasonal and have been inspired by events around us.  That means that you are likely to get fewer editions but hopefully something just as interesting  as ever.  Thanks for reading, see you soon, and in the meantime, I hope that you can take sometime to check out  LotusTravelEssentials.co.uk happy & safe travelling. 

No. 14 - Where Next - Memories of Australia

 A few years ago I spent nearly 6 months travelling around Australia, that may sound a lot but believe me, it only skimmed the surface of this vast continent.  

Map of Australia

The first thing that struck me about Australia was it's shear size, this was brought home to me one afternoon chatting to some fellow travellers in a Melbourne backpackers hostel.  I happened to mention that I was going to go to Adelaide the following afternoon, as to me it only looked a couple of hours away judging from the map I saw on the wall.  When everyone had picked themselves up off the floor from raucous laughter, I was informed that Adelaide was a 15 hour drive away.  So be warned, what looks like a couple of hours drive on a map in the UK is about 15 hours drive in Australia.  

Greyhound Coaches which tour around Australia

If you want to get a really good feel for the size of Oz I suggest you take a coach from Perth to Sydney.  I got on the bus in Perth at 8.00am on Friday morning and arrived in Sydney at 11.30pm on Monday night.  Bear in mind that the coach was driving non-stop except for odd refreshment breaks at road houses along the way.  

Rubber Plant Tree in Australia

The vast size of Oz often means that people tend to fly between resorts rather than take to the road, but I think this is a big mistake.  The real charm of Australia is often hidden in between the big cities, where you can drive for hours without seeing a house, telegraph pole or human being.  This is supplanted with trees and flowers that you don't see in England.  All plants that you do recognise are super-sized too, for example there was a time when every house in England would sport a rubber plant, and this would be kept in the bathroom and often consist of a single stork with a couple of leaves - in Australia they are trees its the same for umbrella plants too!  

Herd of Emu

You can also see amazing animals roaming freely where in England, you would only see them in a Zoo.  I clearly remember being amazed to see a green cloud fly overhead, to be told that they were budgerigars.  I also recall coming to a crossroads on the border between New South Wales and Victoria and finding a herd of Emu nibbling the shrubs by the side of the road.  

Crossing the Nullarbor Plain in Western Australia is a whole new experience too, seeing amazing lizards basking on the road and kangaroos hanging out in the

The Nullarbor Plain

bush.  Sadly we also saw a great deal of road kill too, and the odd car wreck from a collision with a kangaroo. Apparently kangaroo's are so muscular that hitting one with a car can easily write it off.   I remember hearing people talk of it being essential to fit rhubarb to the front of your car, it wasn't until I went across the Nullarbor that I realised that they were actually saying 'roo bars'!  These are basically the same as bull bars on four wheel drive cars in England.  Oops!

There are so many great experiences to be had in Australia, one of which was when I went to Phillip Island with the Australian Conservation Volunteers.  I spent a long weekend, building hutches for the Fairy Penguins who parade up the beach each evening after swimming all day in the sea.  Apparently Fairy

Fairy Penguins parading up the beach

penguins build their nests into the sand along the beach and when it rains the nests can collapse and kill the baby penguins, so the volunteers build hutches, where the penguins have already built nests so that they can have a better chance of survival.  These little furry critters are super cute to look at but don't make the mistake of giving them a cuddle.  Their jaws, which spend all day catching and killing fish, can take a thumb off if you're not careful.

Another great place to visit if you are over towards Perth, is Wave Rock at

Wave Rock at Hyden

Hyden.  This is an amazing rock formation in the outback miles from the sea, that was formed by volcanic rock hitting cold sea water millions of years ago.  I have pictures of me surfing on a rock!

The Great Barrier Reef

You really shouldn’t go to Oz without visiting the Great Barrier Reef, this is firmly on the tourist trail but it is absolutely breath taking and in my opinion one of the most amazing places on earth, especially for diving enthusiasts.  But don’t worry if you’re not, you barely need to know how to snorkel to get in amongst an amazing array of fishes and coral.

If you are planning a trip, please try to make sure that your visit contributes to the economy of the indigenous Aborigines in some way.  The Aborigines have

Aborigine Art

been poorly treated by white immigrants over the years and this has had a serious impact upon the health, well being and prosperity of the indigenous people of Australia, who are part of one of the oldest surviving cultures in the world.  One way of doing this might be to support their thriving art industry.

Obviously I could go on for hours about the sights and experiences of Australia, but that would require a book, so instead I will leave you with my final recommendation which is a visit to the Daintree Forest and Cape Tribulation north of Port Douglas in Queensland.  Here you can take a night walk through the tropical rainforest at night in search of the red eyes of a crocodile.  Probably the most scariest thing I’ve ever done on holiday, but well worth the cobwebs in your face and the Cane toads landing on your feet.

Night Tour of the Daintree Rainforest

Finally, do heed the health advice of the Australian government and ‘Slip, slap, slop,’ to protect yourself from the very strong sun.  Do this by slipping on a shirt, slapping on a sun hat and slopping on the sunscreen.

Have fun and do tell us about your memories of Australia, we would love to hear from you.

Thanks for reading, see you next week and in the meantime, I hope that you can take sometime to check out  LotusTravelEssentials.co.uk happy & safe travelling. of the great items for sale on line 

Issue 13 -What's Hot - Things to keep us warm on our travels

Seeland Canazei Pac Snow Boots

 The North Face Decagon Jacket 

Okay, so I need to go out and get some groceries, but have you seen the weather out there?  It's cold,wet and miserable, better to stay at home and plan the next trip right?  Well, of course it is, but sooner or later you'll run out of milk or at least need to get to the nearest airport.  In order to do that you will need something to travel in, and that needs to be warm.  Here are a few nifty little items of gear, gadgets and gizmos that you might need.  If so, don't head outside, just order them online at www.lotustravelessentials.co.uk


Firstly, you need the right gear to head out into the cold, especially if its snowing, how about a nice pair of snuggly boots to keep you warm? Then you need a nice pair of ski pants and a ski jacket.  Lotus Travel Essentials has plenty of things to keep men warm too so be sure to take a look.  Once you have your main essentials you might want a new pair of gloves and a hat to keep off that rain.

Sesame Street Big Bird Hat

We also have a range of gloves for all occasions: whether you're skiing, off on business, walking, camping or taking photographs in the snow, we even have diving gloves.  We also have hats for all occasions to.  Apart from our ski hats, we have ski helmets and ski helmet covers too. If you're planning on jetting off to the tropics this winter, don't forget to pop a sun hat into your suitcase.

Warmawear Heated Mens Gilet,
Socks and Scarf set

Of course keeping warm doesn't stop there, what about some thermal socks and a nice warm scarf?  Our heated socks, gilet and scarf set will keep the worst of the weather at bay.  Which will leave you more time to spend out in the cold whatever you plan to do.

However, if all you plan to do is take the next plane out to somewhere hot, then the essential thing you will need for the car journey is a nice electric blanket...

Sentik 12v Heated Car Travel Blanket

Thanks for reading, see you next week and in the meantime, I hope that you can take sometime to check out some of the great items for sale on line at LotusTravelEssentials.co.uk happy & safe travelling.

Next week we head outback to Australia for some surprises off the main tourist route.

Issue No. 12 - Holiday in Focus - The Holy Land - Road Trip Israel

The Dome of the Rock

As this is the last issue of my blog before Christmas I thought it might be rather seasonal to visit the Holy Land, which is of course now known as Israel.  I remember my visit to this fascinating country around 25 years ago, when I was back packing round the world.  I actually flew there from Athens after my trip to Australia and Singapore so I definitely went there via the scenic route!

The Western Wall

Over the centuries, tourists of all faiths have visited Israel, Jews head for the Western Wall, Christians to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Muslims to the Dome of the Rock, so there is definitely something for everyone in this diverse country.

As Israel has experienced it’s fair share of troubles over the years, it is worth while checking out the  current Foreign Office advice on travel before planning your trip, but the current advice is to avoid Gaza and the area close to the Lebanese border, which is pretty much what you might expect.   However, despite being in an active state of war with her Arab neighbours (apart from Egypt) since 1979, she still boasts a free press and an active democracy.

Tel Aviv

As you might expect, Israel has got a rich past and that means that there are lots of interesting and exciting things to do in this fascinating country.  As most visitors are likely to be flying into Israel (going by boat is not advised) the logical place to start is the capital Tel Aviv. This modern capital is rich in café culture and modern shopping malls, and it’s ancient neighbour Jaffa has plenty of antiquities to keep you busy.  Try out Jaffa’s Museum of Antiquities to get you started on your cultural odyssey.  Back in Tel Aviv the large hotels on the beach will house you comfortably while you top up your tan on the beach.  

Caesarea Amphitheatre

Once you’re getting fidgety and want to explore further afield, head a little north to Caesarea to check out the Roman Amphitheatre which is well worth a visit.  Heading further north still will bring you to the historic port of Haifa and heading inland from Haifa brings you to the Sea of Galilee.  I once camped overnight on the water’s edge and was rewarded with a mystical mist rising off the lake in the morning.  Some things just stay with you forever.  I also recall driving through bombed out villages in the neighbouring Golan Heights,

The Golan Heights

which was the result of regular bombing by the Syrians.  Hopefully this area has now fully recovered from it’s injuries and has been resettled.  The area around Galilee is also where you will find Nazareth, reputedly the home town of Jesus, so no doubt you will also want to make a visit to this historical town too.

 

Head back down south from Galillee and you will

Sea of Galilee

arrive at Jerusalem, possibly the jewel in Israel’s crown.  It’s all here in this impressive walled city which dates back to 3000 BC. Don’t miss the famous Western Wall, The Mount of Olives, The Road to Calvary, The Via Delarosa, The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Mary’s Tomb and the Dome of the Rock to name but a few.  I strongly suggest two or three days in this amazing and special city.  I recall staying in a youth hostel within Jerusalem’s walls on Shabbat (the Jewish day of rest) and hearing the wonderful voices of a Jewish boy’s choir echoing through the walls, it was quite stirring to say the least.

The Dead Sea

From Jerusalem I would suggest you head for the Dead Sea to swim in it’s amazingly buoyant waters (or at least float in its waters).  Just a short distance from the Dead Sea is the fort of Masada, one of the most spectacular archaeological sites in Israel.  This is the site of the epic siege between the Jewish and the Romans. In 66 AD some Jewish rebels seized the fort from the Romans, this then became the last Jewish stronghold against the Romans and it wasn’t until 73 AD that the Romans returned to regain their stronghold.  When the Romans finally breached the walls of the fort to retake it, they found that just short of 1000 Jewish men, women and children had killed themselves rather than give themselves up to the Romans.

Masada

I have barely touched upon the riches that Israel has to offer, but I certainly think that this may whet your appetite.  If you have been and done all the other Mediterranean countries, then Israel may well be worth putting on your list of places to go in 2014.

If you have been to Israel or are planning a visit, perhaps you would like to share your itinerary with the readers of this blog via the comments section at the end of this blog.

As I mentioned earlier, I am taking a short break between now and the New Year to enjoy the Christmas festivities, but I will be back in the New Year with more travel ideas to whet your appetite  In the meantime, www.lotustravelessentials.co.uk will be open for everything you need to take on your trip.  Have a great Christmas and I’ll see you again in the New Year.  Happy and safe travels.

Issue No.11 Country by Country - Thailand

The King of Thailand, Bhomibol Adulyadei

The King of Thailand, Bhomibol Adulyadei, has ruled since 1950 making him the world’s longest reigning monarch.  He recently celebrated his 86th birthday on the 5^th December, when he called for unity amongst his people after days of violent protests in Bangkok.

Most of us are familiar with the key attractions of Thailand, particularly the beautiful beaches and fantastic tropical islands that surround the mainland.  But are there some things that we ought to know about this wonderful spot before we decide to go?  Well, in short the answer is yes.  Corruption is wide spread and civil unrest is currently on-going in Bangkok.  The Foreign Office is currently stating:

“A number of political demonstrations have taken place in parts of Bangkok and elsewhere in Thailand since the start of November 2013.  Some of these were violent and resulted in casualties.  Further protests may take place with little warning.

On 25^th November the authorities in Thailand implemented the Internal Security Act in all districts in Bangkok and Nonthaburi as well as the Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan and the Lat Lum Kaeo district of Pathum Thani, which will lead to an increased security presence and possible disruption to traffic.”

Recent protests in Bangkok

However, they are not restricting travel to most parts of the country (apart from the Malaysian border) but do suggest avoiding all political protests.

It is also worth knowing that of the 800,000 British travellers to Thailand last year, most visits were trouble free.

This all seems rather gloomy doesn’t it?  Well political instability is pretty standard for Thailand and whilst this does seem rather alarming, I have travelled there on numerous occasions and have never encountered anything but lovely, polite, charming people.

If all this has not put you off travelling to this beautiful country, and it really shouldn’t, then here are a few of my  top Thai travel secrets.

Don’t just head for the islands, whilst these are truly gorgeous, you would be missing out if you didn’t take a couple of days in Bangkok either on arrival or on departure.  We find that after 10 days lazing on the beach recovering from jet lag we're ready to hit the shops, sites and smells of Bangkok for a couple of days before coming home.  Here are some of the things I like to do in Bangkok.

Chatuchak

Shopping in Bangkok is amazing, and it's difficult to know where to go first.  My advice is to visit the vast Chatuchak weekend market.  I’m guessing that you should be able to find something you want at one of the 6000 stalls.  However, get there early before the crowds and the heat kick in and give yourself enough time to cool off with a nice swim back at the hotel in the afternoon.  Be warned though, it's very easy to get carried away here, everything is so cheap you end up buying 10 of everything and then having to buy another suitcase to get everything home!  Like many other places in Thailand don’t expect anything to be genuine though.

Lumphini Park

Lumphini Park is a tranquil idyll in the middle of frenetic Bangkok and if the jet lag is still causing you to wake up at ridiculously early times of the morning, then a visit to Lumphini at around 7.00am can reward you with hundreds of locals doing their Tai Chi around the park.  You can take the morning air and look out for the 6 foot long monitor lizards lazing by the lake or watch the turtles playing on floating logs.  This all ends on the dot of 8.00am with the national anthem.  If you stand to observe the national anthem, you will be rewarded by the smiles of locals acknowledging your mark of respect.  Then in the evening take a walk through the park, pass the zoo to the night market where you can be fed and entertained, massaged and sold too all in one place, I love it.

Eating in Thailand is a bit of an adventure, it is one of the most diverse cuisine’s in the world, so you should find something to your taste.  My husband loves his chillies, so he is in absolute heaven here, whereas, I only like a little bit of spice in comparison.  I still manage to find something to eat, somewhere along the line and out in the islands, you can find everything from Thai, Chinese, Seafood, Brazilian, Italian, McDonalds and Starbucks so no one ever goes hungry.  My advice is to give something a try though, it is normally really cheap, so if you don’t like it, it’s no great shakes.

The Thai’s drive on the same side of the road as us Brits, so I really recommend hiring a car when you are visiting the beach resorts, as there are often hidden gems just around the corner.  We have come across deserted beaches, wonderful temples, authentic food and local markets that we would not have seen had we just stayed in the resort.  However, driving at night can be really hairy though, as street lights and road markings are not widespread.

Thai massage

Finally, find a good place to have a massage, going to Thailand and not having a massage is like going to Paris and not having crepes.  Don’t expect an easy ride though, a proper Thai massage is more like a sports massage than one you are likely to get down the local spa in England.  It may hurt a bit at the time but it will leave you feeling great.

If you’ve been to Thailand, let us know your favourite spots and travel tips.

Thanks for reading, see you next week, don't forget that you can get everything you need for your trip to Thailand online from: LotusTravelEssentials.co.uk happy & safe travelling.

Issue No. 10 - Where Next? - Hull named the City of Culture 2017

  

The Iconic Humber Bridge

A couple of weeks ago saw Hull named as the UK’s next City of Culture 2017.  It did this by seeing off robust competition from Leicester, Dundee and Swansea Bay.  But just what is it that the judges saw that made them want to choose Hull, and why should we consider a weekend in this north eastern city next month?

Firstly, getting there couldn’t be easier, hop on a train from London Kings Cross and you can be there in around 3 hours, buy your tickets in advance from Hull Trains can mean that you can find yourself a bargain.  If you’re driving, take the M1, M18 and M62 East and it will take you right to the door.

Philip Larkin greets you at
Hull Paragon Train Station

There are hotels to suit just about all pockets ranging from the five star Village Hotel to the usual suspects of PremierInn, Holiday Inn Express, Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel and the Ibis to name just a few.

So what is Hull famous for?  Well, poet Philip Larkin (1922-1985) for one, he was Librarian at the University of Hull’s Brynmor Jones library for 30 years and William Wilberforce the English politician who was the leader of the movement to abolish slavery originated from Hull.  Sadly he died before the Act could be passed through

William Wilberforce

parliament.  To explore the history of slavery, abolition and the legacy of slavery, you can visit the Wilberforce House Museum in Hull’s Museum Quarter.

Other notable but perhaps less worthy celebrities originating from Hull are Maureen Lipman, the Housemartins and the Fine Young Canibals’ Roland Gift. Not forgetting John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minster during the Blair administration.

Heres a shortlist of what to do on your weekend away:

The Hull Fish Trail

Walking the Fish Trail will help to get your bearings visit http://mediafiles.thedms.co.uk/publication/YS-EY/cms/pdf/Hull%20Map.pdf for the route.

You may also want to go in search of the cream telephone boxes unique to Hull

The Deep Aquarium

Along the Fish Trail you will find The Deep aquarium.  To find out more visit: http://www.thedeep.co.uk/

What about a premiership football match?  You can get your Hull City tickets from: http://www.hullcitytigers.com/tickets/

For a bit of culture prior to 2017 why not visit the Ferens Art Gallery. Recent exhibitions have included Andy Warhol, Leonardo Di Vinci and local artist David Hockney.  Visit http://www.hullcc.gov.uk/ferens to find out more.

In the evening try out Hull Truck Theatre http://www.hulltruck.co.uk/book-tickets/buy-online or the Hull New Theatre http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase or for something a little less cerebral, what about a pubcrawl?  There are heaps of inexpensive pubs in Hull, most of which do food.  For a suggested route, check out http://www.barcrawl.co.uk/pubcrawl.aspx?Crawl=2547 

What are your essentials for a weekend away?  Well, don’t forget your:

Weekender bag, Toiletry Bag, Book, Frock, Shoes, Towel and your 

Walking Shoes you can purchase these all from www.lotustravelessentials.co.uk

Thanks for reading, see you next week and in the meantime, happy & safe travelling.

No. 9 What's Hot - Last Minute Christmas Gifts for the Discerning Traveller

Well, believe it or not, there are only about three weeks left until Christmas and what you need, in order to get the shopping done in time, is a miracle!  Don't fret though, I have the very things to stop a divorce in the New Year, you being disinherited from the in-laws and shunned by your friends forever.  Take a quick look at these ideas and order them from www.lotustravelessentials.co.uk 

What about this fabulous red leather birkin bag made in Italy by Carbotti.  As you well know by now, a girl can simply never have enough handbags and this one will be taken absolutely everywhere over the Christmas season.  This bag also comes with a detachable strap and a padlock and key closure.  Just think of the Brownie points you'll score with this one!


Ladies, are you sick to death of him pulling on the same old Christmas sweater each year and wish you could finally get him into something more stylish?  If so, perhaps this gorgeous red Dolce & Gabanna 100% virgin wool jumper will put the fizz back into Christmas?  Just imagine yourself on his arm in this one.  Or better yet, in your arms!

Okay the in-laws are coming, you want to make a good impression but what with I hear you ask?  Well what about 'his and hers' e-readers, you never know your luck, they may be so stuck into the new book that they've down loaded, they may give you a few minutes peace and quiet.    

Now own up, have you given your friends a bottle of bubbly and a box of biscuits every year for the last five?  If so,  you might want to change your strategy before they decide to take you off their Christmas list. How about a nice toasty pair of gloves to ensure that they venture out into the cold to visit you this party season?  And don't forget, there are hats and scarves at Lotus Travel Essentials too, so everyone will stay nice and warm this winter.

Don't forget that there are nearly 2000 products on the Lotus Travel Essentials website, so there is bound to be something there that takes your fancy.  It will certainly save you traipsing round the shops and will leave you more time to do the stuff you like to do over Christmas, like deciding where to go in January...

If you find something on Lotus Travel Essentials site, why not post a comment on who you bought it for, to give others some inspiration?

Thanks for reading, see you next week and in the meantime, I hope that you can take sometime to check out LotusTravelEssentials.co.uk happy & safe travelling.