I’m not much of a traveller, England has my heart forever, but I’ve been a few places that were amazing, both inside and outside the UK. Here are my five favourites. Enjoy!
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Me and the better half went here for a holiday in 2009. It was one of the greatest holidays to date, such a beautiful city and such lovely people. We went in June so the weather wasn’t too warm (it was actually rather rainy) and it wasn’t too overcrowded. We stayed in a stunning hotel on a little residential street, and we were the only guests not on a business trip. For some people, Amsterdam has a reputation for being a little seedy, but we didn’t experience any issues the whole time we were there. A great tip is to buy a travel card for the tram when you arrive, then you can scoot off anywhere you like and see the beautiful things the city has to offer. I highly recommend taking a boat along the canals and visiting Anne Frank’s house. Highlight for me was eating in a Chinese restaurant that floated on a canal like a barge. Flight from Heathrow took only 25 minutes from start to finish which might be nice if you’re a nervous flyer.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Being as my better half loves driving like I love cake, we shot up to Scotland in just over 6 hours, goodness knows how. We stayed in a gorgeous spa hotel about 20 minutes from the centre of Edinburgh. This hotel was perfection from top to bottom, lovely staff, delicious food, beautiful rooms, everything was spot on. We sampled more or less everything Edinburgh has to offer (including haggis for breakfast. It’s so yummy!) I’d really recommend taking the tour of Mary Keens Close, where you walk the old streets of the city with a guide, visiting Edinburgh Castle and the lovely second-hand bookstores nearby. Highlight for me was driving to the mountains, the scenery will literally take your breath away. Such a beautiful country. We’re planning to go back again soon, and personally I can’t wait!
Manchester, England
Seeing as my other half is a born and bred Manchester boy, off we toddled to Manchester for our first ever holiday together. At the time we didn’t have a car and made the journey with me clinging to my boyfriends back on his motorbike. Manchester is a buzzing, alive city with so much to offer. I’ve been back on quite a few occasions and stayed in various areas of the city, I’ve always had a wonderful time. I’d highly recommend Afflecks Palace for amazing vintage clothing and homeware and The Hard Rock Café for something delicious to eat. Me and the better half intend to go back again and again as we always find something different and new each time we go. We even put on some dub step and drove around Moss Side in the dark. It earned us only a filthy look from some police officers. We know how to party!
Florida, United States of America
I went here with my family when I was 11. A 14 hour plane ride isn’t really the best start to a day but Florida is so refreshingly different I loved it there. We stayed in a villa with its own swimming pool, and my parents hired a people carrier to ferry us around. There is so much to do and see in Florida – we had a fortnight’s holiday and it really wasn’t enough. America is so very different to England, if that’s not a stupid thing to write. Food, people, the roads, the adverts, it’s all alien but in a nice way. I’d recommend highly visiting MGM studios and Disneyworld, eating a “sno-cone” (like a much nicer Slush Puppy) and visiting an outlet store for some serious bargains. Buy some larger jeans for when you come back as foot-long hot dogs are very addictive.
London, United Kingdom
Europe is our playground, London is our town. 10 points to anyone who knows those lyrics. I love London. I’ve been countless times and still have barely scratched the surface of shops, art galleries, cinemas, theatres and goodness knows what else London has to offer. The Hammersmith Apollo is a great venue for gigs and comedy shows, My Old Dutch is a wonderful restaurant serving the most delicious pancakes I have ever tasted and Camden Market is home to some brilliant shops, and also where I had my first tattoo done. London has many museums that are free or have a very small fee for entry, which can be a great day out for not too many pennies. If you haven’t been to the Old Operating Theatre in Southwark London, I really recommend it-it is absolutely fascinating.
