Thursday, 24 July 2014
Good intentions...
As I write this, we are about to embark on a five-and-a-bit-week tour of Australia with two stops in Hong Kong thrown in for good measure. Those of you who know me personally will know I update my Facebook status religiously when I'm on holiday. It's not all about smug, show-off photos of beaches and pools - although there is that too. It's more likely to be about the various disasters we encounter - and believe me, there are many! It's also nice for family to be able to keep up with where we are and what we're doing - especially when it relates to the kids - and it's turned out to be a way for my mum, amongst others, to vicariously holiday through us. So I plan, Wi-Fi allowing, to do the same this holiday. However, I tend to keep my Facebook updates fairly short - partly because not all my FB friends are actually interested and partly because I haven't got the time to write long updates every day. So I plan to try to update my blog regularly - that way, those FB friends who can be bothered can read about our holiday in more detail, while those who think 'here she goes again' can scroll quickly past my posts in their news feeds. And my random blog readers get to hear all about our adventures in Oz - lucky you! There is also an advantage in writing about things as or soon after they happen - trying to write numerous blog posts a week after arriving home is never quite the same, and I can never remember half the stuff that happened. Of course, I was full of good intentions when I first started this blog too. I was going to update it at least once a week, preferably twice or more. It didn't happen, of course - I think I went over a month between updates once. Now I'll be limited to when and where I can get Wi-Fi access on holiday, plus writing posts on a phone is a lot harder than on the PC. And much as I enjoy writing, I don't want to waste precious holiday time blogging when I could be swimming, eating, exploring, catching up with friends or lying on a beach. So, as I said, I PLAN to update my blog regularly, but I make no promises. In the meantime, here's to good intentions!
Monday, 21 July 2014
Fear of flying
I'm lucky that I've never been frightened of flying. Admittedly, I don't actually believe in aeroplanes. You can talk science to me until you're blue in the face, but I'll never understand how a 300-ton piece of metal stays in the air, let alone how it gets there in the first place. As far as I'm concerned, it must be magic, so I try not to think about that too much when I'm actually in the air. But I'm not one of those people who sits nervously waiting at the airport, knocking back a G&T or a Valium. And, on the whole, I enjoy the flight itself, although it rather depends on who's sitting behind me.
This time will be different. For the first time, I'm actually worried about the flight. Stressed is normal - but this time I'm scared. It started, of course, with the announcement about the terrorist threat on flights to and from America. I felt instantly relieved that we were travelling in the opposite direction, especially as we had previously considered America as a destination for this summer. I felt less confident, however, when the advice was extended to all flights. Practically, it's no problem - my phone would always be charged up before a flight anyway, although I imagine the queues for security will be a fair bit longer. It's more the idea of it - someone somewhere's sole purpose in life right now is to work on an undetectable device of mass murder. It makes me feel sick to the stomach. It is always awful to turn on the television and hear about an earthquake or a tsunami, where the loss of life can be devastating. But somehow it feels worse to me when I hear about something caused by other people - deliberate and avoidable. Likewise, there are so many terrible wars going on in the world, and I feel for everybody involved and those who've lost friends and family. But I am guilty, like many others, of being able to put it to the back of my mind, as it doesn't directly affect me. The tragic events of 911 touched so many because it brought things to the forefront of people's minds. Suddenly, this wasn't something happening somewhere else. This was something that could happen to us. I remember trying to explain what had happened to a class of 30 seven-year-olds - it was very difficult to reassure them when I was feeling so scared myself. And here we are again, with a potential threat of another aircraft disaster hanging over us, and the knowledge that there are people out there trying to cause it. But life has to go on, I told myself. It's probably an extra-safe time to fly, as there are so many extra precautions in place. It won't happen to me - what are the chances? But in the back of my mind, there's the knowledge that everyone thinks it won't happen to them - but it does happen to some people...
Just as I was starting to adjust to the whole bombs-in-phones issue, I heard the devastating news about the Malaysian Airlines plane that was shot down (allegedly) over the Ukraine. Hearing about a major plane disaster ahead of taking a flight myself was never going to be good. But, again, the fact that it was deliberate rather than accidental makes it all the more tragic - and frightening. I cried when I read about all those innocent people, going on holiday, returning from visiting family, en route to a work conference - all caught in the wrong place at the wrong time in a conflict that had nothing to do with them. Of course, there are so many innocent people that lose their lives every day, through war, famine, illness or accident - and, as a mother , I find myself crying very easily when I read about it. I confess I often take the route of closing my ears and eyes and not thinking about it, because it's just so damn depressing. But this particular disaster has affected me that little bit more because - well, it could have been me. It could have been my family and friends talking on the news about the tragic end to our trip of a lifetime. It's easy to separate yourself from things that are happening on the other side of the world. But when you and your family are flying right over the top of them, it's a different matter. I'm suddenly filled with such a sense of responsibility, knowing that I'm making the decision to take my children on a flight at such a politically volatile time. Am I being irresponsible? On the plus side, I'm guessing there will be all sorts of extra security and safeguards in light of the recent awful events. There's probably never been a safer time to fly - but I wish with all my heart that the reason for that hadn't been the loss of so many innocent lives.
So, we're going to Australia. On a plane. And I'm scared. But I'm also telling myself not to be so silly. You can't live life too frightened to do anything. Life is short, and I want to live it without regrets - as far as I can. Life goes on, and hopefully we will look back on this summer as one filled with amazing experiences - and we'll be very glad we took the plunge and carried on regardless.
Incidentally, I visited the Cathay Pacific website soon after hearing about the Malaysian plane, in the hope of reassuring myself that they don't fly over Ukranian airspace (they don't). The first thing I saw on their home page was typhoon warnings for flights to and from Hong Kong (our first stop). Great... anything else?!
This time will be different. For the first time, I'm actually worried about the flight. Stressed is normal - but this time I'm scared. It started, of course, with the announcement about the terrorist threat on flights to and from America. I felt instantly relieved that we were travelling in the opposite direction, especially as we had previously considered America as a destination for this summer. I felt less confident, however, when the advice was extended to all flights. Practically, it's no problem - my phone would always be charged up before a flight anyway, although I imagine the queues for security will be a fair bit longer. It's more the idea of it - someone somewhere's sole purpose in life right now is to work on an undetectable device of mass murder. It makes me feel sick to the stomach. It is always awful to turn on the television and hear about an earthquake or a tsunami, where the loss of life can be devastating. But somehow it feels worse to me when I hear about something caused by other people - deliberate and avoidable. Likewise, there are so many terrible wars going on in the world, and I feel for everybody involved and those who've lost friends and family. But I am guilty, like many others, of being able to put it to the back of my mind, as it doesn't directly affect me. The tragic events of 911 touched so many because it brought things to the forefront of people's minds. Suddenly, this wasn't something happening somewhere else. This was something that could happen to us. I remember trying to explain what had happened to a class of 30 seven-year-olds - it was very difficult to reassure them when I was feeling so scared myself. And here we are again, with a potential threat of another aircraft disaster hanging over us, and the knowledge that there are people out there trying to cause it. But life has to go on, I told myself. It's probably an extra-safe time to fly, as there are so many extra precautions in place. It won't happen to me - what are the chances? But in the back of my mind, there's the knowledge that everyone thinks it won't happen to them - but it does happen to some people...
Just as I was starting to adjust to the whole bombs-in-phones issue, I heard the devastating news about the Malaysian Airlines plane that was shot down (allegedly) over the Ukraine. Hearing about a major plane disaster ahead of taking a flight myself was never going to be good. But, again, the fact that it was deliberate rather than accidental makes it all the more tragic - and frightening. I cried when I read about all those innocent people, going on holiday, returning from visiting family, en route to a work conference - all caught in the wrong place at the wrong time in a conflict that had nothing to do with them. Of course, there are so many innocent people that lose their lives every day, through war, famine, illness or accident - and, as a mother , I find myself crying very easily when I read about it. I confess I often take the route of closing my ears and eyes and not thinking about it, because it's just so damn depressing. But this particular disaster has affected me that little bit more because - well, it could have been me. It could have been my family and friends talking on the news about the tragic end to our trip of a lifetime. It's easy to separate yourself from things that are happening on the other side of the world. But when you and your family are flying right over the top of them, it's a different matter. I'm suddenly filled with such a sense of responsibility, knowing that I'm making the decision to take my children on a flight at such a politically volatile time. Am I being irresponsible? On the plus side, I'm guessing there will be all sorts of extra security and safeguards in light of the recent awful events. There's probably never been a safer time to fly - but I wish with all my heart that the reason for that hadn't been the loss of so many innocent lives.
So, we're going to Australia. On a plane. And I'm scared. But I'm also telling myself not to be so silly. You can't live life too frightened to do anything. Life is short, and I want to live it without regrets - as far as I can. Life goes on, and hopefully we will look back on this summer as one filled with amazing experiences - and we'll be very glad we took the plunge and carried on regardless.
Incidentally, I visited the Cathay Pacific website soon after hearing about the Malaysian plane, in the hope of reassuring myself that they don't fly over Ukranian airspace (they don't). The first thing I saw on their home page was typhoon warnings for flights to and from Hong Kong (our first stop). Great... anything else?!
Tuesday, 15 July 2014
Freedom
We're off to Hong Kong and Australia a week on Friday, and I admit to feeling a certain sense of trepidation. Lee, if he's honest, would rather camp around France for the summer again, and I must admit I'll miss the tent this year. What I'll miss most, though, is the freedom and flexibility to do what we want when we want. Of course, we're always tied to our ferry or tunnel crossing (although that's more flexible than a flight), and we often book a hotel or the odd campsite in advance. We also usually have a rough itinerary in our heads - probable routes and destinations and ideas for possible campsites. But the beauty of it is that we're not tied down to anything. If the weather is cold and we fancy heading south sooner than planned, we can do. If we particularly like a campsite or there's lots to do in the area, we can stay a bit longer. If our neighbours are too noisy, we can move on to another campsite. Nothing is set in stone, and there's no pressure to be somewhere at a particular time.
This holiday is going to be very different. Although we've included a ten-day drive along the Queensland coast in our itinerary, Australia is way too big a country to be able to drive around it all - that means, of course, that we've had to book a lot of flights. In fact, including our stops in Hong Kong, we have ten flights booked for this holiday. Flights don't just tie you down, they tether you with unbreakable cable-ties. Although in theory the flights could be changed in an emergency, one change in flight has a knock-on effect on all the other flights and accommodation - not to mention the potential charges involved. And even a short flight ends up taking almost a whole day once you allow for travel to and from the airport, check-in times, customs and waiting for your luggage. Although we're going for over five weeks, a large amount of that time will be spent on planes or at airports, and it doesn't actually allow for as much time sightseeing as you'd think. At least when we're driving around France, we can please ourselves, stop when we want to and see things on the way. Not to mention the fact that we don't have to check-in with anyone and our luggage stays happily in the car (this in itself is a huge plus - no grappling with cases and hand luggage to contend with!).
In theory, our ten-day drive from Cairns to Brisbane should provide a little more freedom. In practice, however, it's just not - well - practical. In France, we have a tent - that means you can turn up pretty much anywhere and be able to find somewhere to sleep. Even the busiest campsites usually have at least a few pitches free, and when you have no set route, it's easy enough just to drive somewhere else if they're full. In Australia, we won't have a tent. No, it's not because we're scared of snakes, spiders and kangaroos (although they could certainly cause some issues) - it's more to do with the practicalities (or impracticalities) of packing a tent and all our camping gear and taking it on the plane with us. Which leaves us with hotels, motels, B&Bs, apartments, etc. All well and good, but a little more likely to be booked up in advance than campsites. Add to this the fact that Australia is so much less populated than France, and therefore there just aren't quite so many overnight places to choose from. When travelling with kids, you just can't take the risk of not having anywhere to stay for the night. It's easier to find somewhere with room for two than four, and it wouldn't matter too much to us if we didn't find somewhere until late, whereas the kids need their sleep. Lee and I could sleep in the car if it came to it, but I wouldn't want to inflict that on the kids (nor inflict all of us sleeping in the car on us, for that matter!). The bottom line is that we have had to book all our accommodation in advance to ensure we have somewhere to stay. We'll still have the option of driving straight from one hotel to the next and arriving early or taking a more leisurely drive and arriving later, which will make a change from the rigours of airport check-ins, but this part of the holiday is still pretty much set in stone. We've even booked a few trips in advance because we're scared they'll get booked up and won't be able to fit us in if we don't!
So all in all, it's a pretty different holiday for us. I could tell you fairly accurately exactly where we'll be at any given time on any given day - I have the five-page itinerary to prove it! In theory, this should suit my control-freak personality, but the laid-back part of me (there must be one somewhere!) loves the spontaneity of our camping adventures and the freedom of not knowing where we're going next. Of course, I neglected to mention the time when we drove around the Carcassonne area of France for three hours and tried around 20 campsites, none of which had room for us. We ended up in a convoy of camper vans, caravans and cars with roof boxes, all clearly in the same position, and all desperately hoping to spot a campsite before the others. We found somewhere eventually, of course, but it wasn't very nice, and we had to put the tent up in the dark with two very tired and hungry children moaning at us. I do remember the mounting feeling of panic that we had nowhere to stay and two children to worry about - suddenly that freedom was not looking quite so attractive. So at least this time we know we've got somewhere to stay every night - and, thanks to Trip Advisor, we know our accommodation will be nice. And if I really get an urge for spontaneity and freedom of choice, maybe I'll go for a strawberry ice cream instead of my usual chocolate...
This holiday is going to be very different. Although we've included a ten-day drive along the Queensland coast in our itinerary, Australia is way too big a country to be able to drive around it all - that means, of course, that we've had to book a lot of flights. In fact, including our stops in Hong Kong, we have ten flights booked for this holiday. Flights don't just tie you down, they tether you with unbreakable cable-ties. Although in theory the flights could be changed in an emergency, one change in flight has a knock-on effect on all the other flights and accommodation - not to mention the potential charges involved. And even a short flight ends up taking almost a whole day once you allow for travel to and from the airport, check-in times, customs and waiting for your luggage. Although we're going for over five weeks, a large amount of that time will be spent on planes or at airports, and it doesn't actually allow for as much time sightseeing as you'd think. At least when we're driving around France, we can please ourselves, stop when we want to and see things on the way. Not to mention the fact that we don't have to check-in with anyone and our luggage stays happily in the car (this in itself is a huge plus - no grappling with cases and hand luggage to contend with!).
In theory, our ten-day drive from Cairns to Brisbane should provide a little more freedom. In practice, however, it's just not - well - practical. In France, we have a tent - that means you can turn up pretty much anywhere and be able to find somewhere to sleep. Even the busiest campsites usually have at least a few pitches free, and when you have no set route, it's easy enough just to drive somewhere else if they're full. In Australia, we won't have a tent. No, it's not because we're scared of snakes, spiders and kangaroos (although they could certainly cause some issues) - it's more to do with the practicalities (or impracticalities) of packing a tent and all our camping gear and taking it on the plane with us. Which leaves us with hotels, motels, B&Bs, apartments, etc. All well and good, but a little more likely to be booked up in advance than campsites. Add to this the fact that Australia is so much less populated than France, and therefore there just aren't quite so many overnight places to choose from. When travelling with kids, you just can't take the risk of not having anywhere to stay for the night. It's easier to find somewhere with room for two than four, and it wouldn't matter too much to us if we didn't find somewhere until late, whereas the kids need their sleep. Lee and I could sleep in the car if it came to it, but I wouldn't want to inflict that on the kids (nor inflict all of us sleeping in the car on us, for that matter!). The bottom line is that we have had to book all our accommodation in advance to ensure we have somewhere to stay. We'll still have the option of driving straight from one hotel to the next and arriving early or taking a more leisurely drive and arriving later, which will make a change from the rigours of airport check-ins, but this part of the holiday is still pretty much set in stone. We've even booked a few trips in advance because we're scared they'll get booked up and won't be able to fit us in if we don't!
So all in all, it's a pretty different holiday for us. I could tell you fairly accurately exactly where we'll be at any given time on any given day - I have the five-page itinerary to prove it! In theory, this should suit my control-freak personality, but the laid-back part of me (there must be one somewhere!) loves the spontaneity of our camping adventures and the freedom of not knowing where we're going next. Of course, I neglected to mention the time when we drove around the Carcassonne area of France for three hours and tried around 20 campsites, none of which had room for us. We ended up in a convoy of camper vans, caravans and cars with roof boxes, all clearly in the same position, and all desperately hoping to spot a campsite before the others. We found somewhere eventually, of course, but it wasn't very nice, and we had to put the tent up in the dark with two very tired and hungry children moaning at us. I do remember the mounting feeling of panic that we had nowhere to stay and two children to worry about - suddenly that freedom was not looking quite so attractive. So at least this time we know we've got somewhere to stay every night - and, thanks to Trip Advisor, we know our accommodation will be nice. And if I really get an urge for spontaneity and freedom of choice, maybe I'll go for a strawberry ice cream instead of my usual chocolate...
Tuesday, 8 July 2014
The time when The List didn't work (also known as the time when The List would have worked perfectly well if it wasn't for my husband...)
On reading my last blog, a friend reminded me that The List isn't quite guaranteed to ensure you don't forget anything. To be fair, I didn't actually forget anything at all. The List was written, the bags were packed. Everything I needed for my holiday went into those bags. Most of those bags went into the car. You see? Not my fault!
Luckily, it wasn't an epic camping adventure or a five-week trip to Australia - it was just a week-long trip around the UK, visiting friends. Also luckily, all my clothes were in a case, and the bag in question just contained my 'stuff' - brush, book, make-up, etc. I packed all the bags myself, and asked Lee to load them into the car. He says it was my fault for not leaving all the bags in clear sight. I say it was my fault for thinking it was safe to delegate. Either way, we were at a motorway service station several hours' drive away when I realised. We only opened up the boot because my son (a toddler at the time) had wet himself and needed a change of clothes. A quick search through the boot for his clothes, and I realised my bag was missing. We then had the decision of whether to turn round and go home for it or to carry on regardless. Of course, we chose the latter option. It wasn't too much of a problem, as I still had all my clothes - it just took a trip to the local supermarket to buy supplies (good excuse for a new book!). The only real problem was that my inhalers were also in the bag still sitting expectantly in my hallway at home. Cue a delightful evening spent at the walk-in centre at the local hospital, waiting for a prescription.
So what did I learn from this experience? Firstly, The List is still the way to go - I did actually remember everything! Secondly, if you do forget something, it's not the end of the world. Most things can be bought while you're away (even clothes - what a great excuse!). Lastly, if you want something done, DO IT YOURSELF!!!
Luckily, it wasn't an epic camping adventure or a five-week trip to Australia - it was just a week-long trip around the UK, visiting friends. Also luckily, all my clothes were in a case, and the bag in question just contained my 'stuff' - brush, book, make-up, etc. I packed all the bags myself, and asked Lee to load them into the car. He says it was my fault for not leaving all the bags in clear sight. I say it was my fault for thinking it was safe to delegate. Either way, we were at a motorway service station several hours' drive away when I realised. We only opened up the boot because my son (a toddler at the time) had wet himself and needed a change of clothes. A quick search through the boot for his clothes, and I realised my bag was missing. We then had the decision of whether to turn round and go home for it or to carry on regardless. Of course, we chose the latter option. It wasn't too much of a problem, as I still had all my clothes - it just took a trip to the local supermarket to buy supplies (good excuse for a new book!). The only real problem was that my inhalers were also in the bag still sitting expectantly in my hallway at home. Cue a delightful evening spent at the walk-in centre at the local hospital, waiting for a prescription.
So what did I learn from this experience? Firstly, The List is still the way to go - I did actually remember everything! Secondly, if you do forget something, it's not the end of the world. Most things can be bought while you're away (even clothes - what a great excuse!). Lastly, if you want something done, DO IT YOURSELF!!!
Friday, 4 July 2014
How do you pack for five weeks?!
In exactly three weeks, we're going to Australia. For just over five weeks. Gulp. After countless holidays, to different places and of different durations, I like to think of myself as a bit of an expert on packing. But this one is going to be tough. Here's a few reasons why:
1. Duration
Okay, this one's a no-brainer. A week is easy. A fortnight's no problem. But five weeks is a different matter entirely. Obviously, we can't take five weeks' worth of clothes. But we still need enough to last us...
2. Weather
If we were going for five weeks in the Caribbean, it would be easy. You could pack a bikini for every day of the holiday, plus a few summer dresses, and still have room to bring back a pineapple and a bottle of rum. But when we go, it will be winter in Australia. Obviously, an Australian winter is nothing like a British winter. But it does match our autumn. The temperatures in the north of Queensland are likely to be in the mid to late 20s (Celsius for those who think in Fahrenheit!), but temperatures in Melbourne may go down to 10 degrees - and let's not mention night-time temperatures. When we visited Sydney ten years ago, it was so cold when we arrived that I went out and bought a hat and scarf! Yet two days later, it was warm enough to be wearing shorts and T-shirt. Plus we also spend a few days in Hong Kong, where the weather will be hot and humid. Basically, we need to take winter and summer clothes and something in between. In a nod to Antipodean talent, I keep finding myself adapting Crowded House's song and singing 'Four Seasons in One Holiday...'
3. Weight
Lugging suitcases around is hard-going at the best of times. But this holiday, it's going to be made extra difficult due to Lee's fractured spine. All is nearly recovered, and the specialist said Lee should be able to resume normal 'sporting' activity (ha!) around now. 'Great,' said Lee, 'does that mean I'll be able to carry the cases on holiday?' 'Oh no,' was the reply, accompanied with a grave shaking of the head. This means, of course, that it will be yours truly hefting cases on and off trollies and conveyer belts, and in and out of cars, trains and coaches. Our hold luggage limit is 20kg per case - several people have already been horrified that it's not the usual 23kg. Sod that - I'll be the one carrying it! Not only do we have to pack five weeks' worth of stuff into four cases and four hand luggage bags, but those cases need to be light enough for Lee and the boys to pull, and light enough for me to actually lift! And who cares what the hand luggage weight limit is - we have to carry those bags!
4. Living out of a suitcase
Normally when you go on holiday, you unpack when you get there. It doesn't matter how things fit in the suitcase - as long as they actually do fit - because once you get there, you're going to unpack them all. Shoes tend to go at the bottom of the case, followed by clothes and then anything else. It doesn't matter if you don't know where things are, 'cos they'll all come out of the case when you reach your destination. Clothes aren't kept packed for long enough to crease much - and hanging them up in the wardrobe when you get there means that most of the creases will drop out anyway. Travelling around, however, makes things a bit more difficult. When you're only in one place for a night or two, is it really worth unpacking everything? It would be easy enough if you only had one or two nights' worth of stuff, but unpacking five weeks' worth every couple of days is a hassle, and takes up a large chunk of what little time you have at a destination. So you leave most of your stuff in the suitcase - which brings a whole host of problems. Clothes end up creased from being folded so long. Trying to get shoes from the bottom of your case means the clothes on top get messed up - and how the hell do you put them back again?! How do you find the dress you want in amongst all the other clothes? And how do you separate out the dirty clothes?! Help!
Of course, I refuse to be defeated, and I'm nothing if not resourceful (ahem!). My first weapon is, unsurprisingly, The List. This doesn't apply to this holiday specifically, of course - I have made The List for every holiday I've been on since the age of about 17. It started off as a list in a little notebook - the clothes I would take and all the other important bits like toothbrush, sun-cream, books, etc. Each time I went on holiday, I would dig out my notebook and look at my most recent list and then write a new one, using that for inspiration. It was invariably the same but with slightly different clothes, depending on what I'd bought in between holidays. It took an embarrassingly long time to realise that the computer was actually a far better option than a notebook. I now have a 'Holiday Packing Lists' folder on my PC, with lists for every holiday I've been on for the last five years (which is quite a lot). Each time I go on holiday, I look through the files to find the previous holiday that matches most closely. Is it a few days, a week, a fortnight or the whole summer? Is it UK, city break, beach or camping? You get the idea. Then I read through the list, make a few alterations (don't think we need nappies or a dummy anymore, but the iPhone has now been invented...) and save it for the current holiday, to be used again in the future. Anal, I know. But it's much safer (and easier, of course) than making a list from scratch each time, let alone (shudder) not making one. It's very unlikely that I'll get to my destination and suddenly realise I've left behind something vital, or even something completely unimportant.
Anyway, this will be my first step towards this summer's packing. But what are my plans for dealing with the problems above?
1. Washing
Yup, also a no-brainer. We simply can't take five weeks' worth of clothes - fact. And I refuse (as some people have seriously suggested) to throw away the dirty clothes on holiday and buy new ones as we go - wasteful and expensive! Which only really leaves washing. It's what you'd do at home! We're pretty used to this from our camping extravaganzas - we usually take enough clothes to last around ten days, and then make sure we stay at a campsite with a laundrette. This time we're staying in a few apartments, as well as with friends, so hopefully we'll be able to do a few loads of washing there while we're away. If necessary, we'll trawl the streets of wherever, looking for a laundrette (as we did once in Spain - an interesting experience!). Other than clothes, the duration isn't really a problem. You'd take a toothbrush, phone and camera whether you went for three days or three months. And it's not as if you can't buy things that run out while you're away, like shower gel and toothpaste. The only real problem is books. We're all readers in our family, the kids included. And we read more on holiday than at any other time. Normally it'll take me a month or so to finish a book, but I'll easily get through a couple a week on holiday. Yes, I know, Kindle, blah blah blah. I know it's the solution. But I like books. Hey, something's gotta give.
2. Um...layering?
There's no great answer to this one, really. There's no getting away from the fact that we're going to need swimsuits for the beach, shorts for Hong Kong, raincoats for Perth and jumpers for Melbourne. Not to mention walking boots for Ayers Rock, flip-flops for Queensland and comfy, waterproof shoes for most other places. The only thing we can do is take a few staples in neutral colours and layer them up in the colder weather. Forget pretty dresses and colour schemes - this holiday wardrobe is all about practical, comfortable, non-crease and tumble-dryable (is that a word?!). Denim goes with everything, so jeans, cropped jeans, denim shorts and denim skirt make life easier, as all tops will go with them. Vest tops, T-shirts and a couple of hoodies should see me through all weather, plus a couple of dresses just in case. (You may notice I'm not speaking from a male perspective here; shorts, jeans, T-shirts and hoodies will suffice there - easy!) We've bought light waterproof jackets for everyone - warmer than cagoules but small and light enough to fit in the front pocket of the cases. Plus we'll pack a hat and scarf for everyone (I learnt my lesson in Sydney last time!), which should be enough to keep out the wind. Sorted (hopefully)!
3. New cases
Our old cases are - well - old. They're heavy, they fall over if you attempt to stand them up, and - the most important bit - two of the handles have jammed, meaning they're pretty difficult to pull unless you're four-foot-nothing. Yup, we needed new cases. And this time we needed cases that were light and easy to pull. Obviously, we'll need to pack as light as possible, because I'll have to lift these cases frequently, but the weight of the cases themselves plays a big part in that. I keep seeing these 'lightest suitcases in the world' in shops. Given that they're all made by different brands, they can't all be telling the truth, but they certainly are light. However, they also look very flimsy, and I'm not convinced they'd do a good job of protecting everything inside. So, it was off to my tried and tested friend Amazon, where at least I could read some reviews and work out which cases were likely to survive ten flights (and preferably more after that). I eventually settled on Aerolite cases, which were light, had four wheels and, most importantly, had good reviews. Actually, scrap that - most importantly, they were really reasonably priced. The price seemed to depend on the colour and the availability - the most expensive was £129 but, by choosing the cheapest colours, we were able to get the largest one for £40 and the others (two small and one medium - although it's actually pretty big) for £20 each. They arrived last week, and so far I'm pretty impressed. The handles extend to varying heights, making them easy for everyone to pull. The four wheels mean they can stand alone - particularly vital for the kids, who always let go of the handles when they stop pulling, only to see the cases fall to the ground. The four wheels also mean that the cases can be pushed, pulled or just rolled along next to you. Even a five-year-old and a man with a fractured spine should be able to manoeuver these. And I realised how light they were when they arrived and I lifted the biggest case out of the box, thinking how much lighter it was than our old one. I then searched the other box for the medium case, wondering where it was, until I realised it was actually inside the biggest case - yup, both cases combined weigh less than our old case! They even each came with a combination lock - bargain. Obviously I haven't yet put them through the rigorous testing of our holiday, but so far I'm impressed. And no, I'm not on commission - although maybe I should be...
4. Clever packing
I've had a certain amount of practice at this during our camping holidays, where you certainly don't get to unpack. I've now developed a rigorous system for camping packing, which has worked really well so far. We have the overnight case, which has everything we all need for night-time - toothbrush, PJs, shower gel, book, etc. - and this comes into the tent as soon as we've put it up. We have a bag each for clothes, which stays in the car and gets accessed in the morning when we're getting dressed. We have a bag for toiletries, medicines, shower gel refills, sun cream, etc. A bag for books, toys, board games and other miscellaneous bits. A bag for shoes and a bag for beach stuff. And of course we have boxes for food and cooking utensils - plus sleeping bags, camping stove and so on. Okay, this won't exactly work for flights - plus we won't be needing airbeds and camping chairs - but I can certainly borrow from it. The first thing is the overnight case - this will be what travels in our hand luggage. We'll all take what we need for a night in our own hand luggage - even the boys should manage to carry PJs, a toothbrush, a book and a teddy. This way, if we arrive somewhere late at night, we don't even have to open the cases to find everything we need to get ready for bed. The second thing is rolling. I wasn't convinced initially when someone suggested rolling clothes for packing instead of folding them. I'm still not 100% convinced that it takes up less space or stops creases. However, it does make it an awful lot easier to locate and remove items of clothing without upsetting all the other ones. The final thing is separate bags for different things. I did briefly wonder about using one case for clothes, one for shoes, one for books, etc., but quickly realised the uneven distribution would make this a problem. So my solution is dividers: I'm going to make cardboard dividers to stick in the cases and separate them into different compartments. Yes, I really have no life. Shoes can all go in one compartment, preferably at the bottom of the case when it's standing, to help stabilise it. Clothes will go in another compartment, rolled of course. Everything else will go in the other compartment, probably in the middle. That way, everything should be easy to find and take out without upsetting everything else in the case. I'm even going to have a divider ready to make up a dirty-clothes compartment. Oh yes, I know how to live.
So that's the plan. It's by no means fool-proof, but I'm hoping it will help to reduce some of the potential problems with this mammoth packing task. I haven't even written the packing list yet, let alone made the dividers, but I have been planning this for months. I will let you know if it works...!
1. Duration
Okay, this one's a no-brainer. A week is easy. A fortnight's no problem. But five weeks is a different matter entirely. Obviously, we can't take five weeks' worth of clothes. But we still need enough to last us...
2. Weather
If we were going for five weeks in the Caribbean, it would be easy. You could pack a bikini for every day of the holiday, plus a few summer dresses, and still have room to bring back a pineapple and a bottle of rum. But when we go, it will be winter in Australia. Obviously, an Australian winter is nothing like a British winter. But it does match our autumn. The temperatures in the north of Queensland are likely to be in the mid to late 20s (Celsius for those who think in Fahrenheit!), but temperatures in Melbourne may go down to 10 degrees - and let's not mention night-time temperatures. When we visited Sydney ten years ago, it was so cold when we arrived that I went out and bought a hat and scarf! Yet two days later, it was warm enough to be wearing shorts and T-shirt. Plus we also spend a few days in Hong Kong, where the weather will be hot and humid. Basically, we need to take winter and summer clothes and something in between. In a nod to Antipodean talent, I keep finding myself adapting Crowded House's song and singing 'Four Seasons in One Holiday...'
3. Weight
Lugging suitcases around is hard-going at the best of times. But this holiday, it's going to be made extra difficult due to Lee's fractured spine. All is nearly recovered, and the specialist said Lee should be able to resume normal 'sporting' activity (ha!) around now. 'Great,' said Lee, 'does that mean I'll be able to carry the cases on holiday?' 'Oh no,' was the reply, accompanied with a grave shaking of the head. This means, of course, that it will be yours truly hefting cases on and off trollies and conveyer belts, and in and out of cars, trains and coaches. Our hold luggage limit is 20kg per case - several people have already been horrified that it's not the usual 23kg. Sod that - I'll be the one carrying it! Not only do we have to pack five weeks' worth of stuff into four cases and four hand luggage bags, but those cases need to be light enough for Lee and the boys to pull, and light enough for me to actually lift! And who cares what the hand luggage weight limit is - we have to carry those bags!
4. Living out of a suitcase
Normally when you go on holiday, you unpack when you get there. It doesn't matter how things fit in the suitcase - as long as they actually do fit - because once you get there, you're going to unpack them all. Shoes tend to go at the bottom of the case, followed by clothes and then anything else. It doesn't matter if you don't know where things are, 'cos they'll all come out of the case when you reach your destination. Clothes aren't kept packed for long enough to crease much - and hanging them up in the wardrobe when you get there means that most of the creases will drop out anyway. Travelling around, however, makes things a bit more difficult. When you're only in one place for a night or two, is it really worth unpacking everything? It would be easy enough if you only had one or two nights' worth of stuff, but unpacking five weeks' worth every couple of days is a hassle, and takes up a large chunk of what little time you have at a destination. So you leave most of your stuff in the suitcase - which brings a whole host of problems. Clothes end up creased from being folded so long. Trying to get shoes from the bottom of your case means the clothes on top get messed up - and how the hell do you put them back again?! How do you find the dress you want in amongst all the other clothes? And how do you separate out the dirty clothes?! Help!
Of course, I refuse to be defeated, and I'm nothing if not resourceful (ahem!). My first weapon is, unsurprisingly, The List. This doesn't apply to this holiday specifically, of course - I have made The List for every holiday I've been on since the age of about 17. It started off as a list in a little notebook - the clothes I would take and all the other important bits like toothbrush, sun-cream, books, etc. Each time I went on holiday, I would dig out my notebook and look at my most recent list and then write a new one, using that for inspiration. It was invariably the same but with slightly different clothes, depending on what I'd bought in between holidays. It took an embarrassingly long time to realise that the computer was actually a far better option than a notebook. I now have a 'Holiday Packing Lists' folder on my PC, with lists for every holiday I've been on for the last five years (which is quite a lot). Each time I go on holiday, I look through the files to find the previous holiday that matches most closely. Is it a few days, a week, a fortnight or the whole summer? Is it UK, city break, beach or camping? You get the idea. Then I read through the list, make a few alterations (don't think we need nappies or a dummy anymore, but the iPhone has now been invented...) and save it for the current holiday, to be used again in the future. Anal, I know. But it's much safer (and easier, of course) than making a list from scratch each time, let alone (shudder) not making one. It's very unlikely that I'll get to my destination and suddenly realise I've left behind something vital, or even something completely unimportant.
Anyway, this will be my first step towards this summer's packing. But what are my plans for dealing with the problems above?
1. Washing
Yup, also a no-brainer. We simply can't take five weeks' worth of clothes - fact. And I refuse (as some people have seriously suggested) to throw away the dirty clothes on holiday and buy new ones as we go - wasteful and expensive! Which only really leaves washing. It's what you'd do at home! We're pretty used to this from our camping extravaganzas - we usually take enough clothes to last around ten days, and then make sure we stay at a campsite with a laundrette. This time we're staying in a few apartments, as well as with friends, so hopefully we'll be able to do a few loads of washing there while we're away. If necessary, we'll trawl the streets of wherever, looking for a laundrette (as we did once in Spain - an interesting experience!). Other than clothes, the duration isn't really a problem. You'd take a toothbrush, phone and camera whether you went for three days or three months. And it's not as if you can't buy things that run out while you're away, like shower gel and toothpaste. The only real problem is books. We're all readers in our family, the kids included. And we read more on holiday than at any other time. Normally it'll take me a month or so to finish a book, but I'll easily get through a couple a week on holiday. Yes, I know, Kindle, blah blah blah. I know it's the solution. But I like books. Hey, something's gotta give.
2. Um...layering?
There's no great answer to this one, really. There's no getting away from the fact that we're going to need swimsuits for the beach, shorts for Hong Kong, raincoats for Perth and jumpers for Melbourne. Not to mention walking boots for Ayers Rock, flip-flops for Queensland and comfy, waterproof shoes for most other places. The only thing we can do is take a few staples in neutral colours and layer them up in the colder weather. Forget pretty dresses and colour schemes - this holiday wardrobe is all about practical, comfortable, non-crease and tumble-dryable (is that a word?!). Denim goes with everything, so jeans, cropped jeans, denim shorts and denim skirt make life easier, as all tops will go with them. Vest tops, T-shirts and a couple of hoodies should see me through all weather, plus a couple of dresses just in case. (You may notice I'm not speaking from a male perspective here; shorts, jeans, T-shirts and hoodies will suffice there - easy!) We've bought light waterproof jackets for everyone - warmer than cagoules but small and light enough to fit in the front pocket of the cases. Plus we'll pack a hat and scarf for everyone (I learnt my lesson in Sydney last time!), which should be enough to keep out the wind. Sorted (hopefully)!
3. New cases
Our old cases are - well - old. They're heavy, they fall over if you attempt to stand them up, and - the most important bit - two of the handles have jammed, meaning they're pretty difficult to pull unless you're four-foot-nothing. Yup, we needed new cases. And this time we needed cases that were light and easy to pull. Obviously, we'll need to pack as light as possible, because I'll have to lift these cases frequently, but the weight of the cases themselves plays a big part in that. I keep seeing these 'lightest suitcases in the world' in shops. Given that they're all made by different brands, they can't all be telling the truth, but they certainly are light. However, they also look very flimsy, and I'm not convinced they'd do a good job of protecting everything inside. So, it was off to my tried and tested friend Amazon, where at least I could read some reviews and work out which cases were likely to survive ten flights (and preferably more after that). I eventually settled on Aerolite cases, which were light, had four wheels and, most importantly, had good reviews. Actually, scrap that - most importantly, they were really reasonably priced. The price seemed to depend on the colour and the availability - the most expensive was £129 but, by choosing the cheapest colours, we were able to get the largest one for £40 and the others (two small and one medium - although it's actually pretty big) for £20 each. They arrived last week, and so far I'm pretty impressed. The handles extend to varying heights, making them easy for everyone to pull. The four wheels mean they can stand alone - particularly vital for the kids, who always let go of the handles when they stop pulling, only to see the cases fall to the ground. The four wheels also mean that the cases can be pushed, pulled or just rolled along next to you. Even a five-year-old and a man with a fractured spine should be able to manoeuver these. And I realised how light they were when they arrived and I lifted the biggest case out of the box, thinking how much lighter it was than our old one. I then searched the other box for the medium case, wondering where it was, until I realised it was actually inside the biggest case - yup, both cases combined weigh less than our old case! They even each came with a combination lock - bargain. Obviously I haven't yet put them through the rigorous testing of our holiday, but so far I'm impressed. And no, I'm not on commission - although maybe I should be...
4. Clever packing
I've had a certain amount of practice at this during our camping holidays, where you certainly don't get to unpack. I've now developed a rigorous system for camping packing, which has worked really well so far. We have the overnight case, which has everything we all need for night-time - toothbrush, PJs, shower gel, book, etc. - and this comes into the tent as soon as we've put it up. We have a bag each for clothes, which stays in the car and gets accessed in the morning when we're getting dressed. We have a bag for toiletries, medicines, shower gel refills, sun cream, etc. A bag for books, toys, board games and other miscellaneous bits. A bag for shoes and a bag for beach stuff. And of course we have boxes for food and cooking utensils - plus sleeping bags, camping stove and so on. Okay, this won't exactly work for flights - plus we won't be needing airbeds and camping chairs - but I can certainly borrow from it. The first thing is the overnight case - this will be what travels in our hand luggage. We'll all take what we need for a night in our own hand luggage - even the boys should manage to carry PJs, a toothbrush, a book and a teddy. This way, if we arrive somewhere late at night, we don't even have to open the cases to find everything we need to get ready for bed. The second thing is rolling. I wasn't convinced initially when someone suggested rolling clothes for packing instead of folding them. I'm still not 100% convinced that it takes up less space or stops creases. However, it does make it an awful lot easier to locate and remove items of clothing without upsetting all the other ones. The final thing is separate bags for different things. I did briefly wonder about using one case for clothes, one for shoes, one for books, etc., but quickly realised the uneven distribution would make this a problem. So my solution is dividers: I'm going to make cardboard dividers to stick in the cases and separate them into different compartments. Yes, I really have no life. Shoes can all go in one compartment, preferably at the bottom of the case when it's standing, to help stabilise it. Clothes will go in another compartment, rolled of course. Everything else will go in the other compartment, probably in the middle. That way, everything should be easy to find and take out without upsetting everything else in the case. I'm even going to have a divider ready to make up a dirty-clothes compartment. Oh yes, I know how to live.
So that's the plan. It's by no means fool-proof, but I'm hoping it will help to reduce some of the potential problems with this mammoth packing task. I haven't even written the packing list yet, let alone made the dividers, but I have been planning this for months. I will let you know if it works...!
Friday, 20 June 2014
Hilton Rose Hall, Jamaica
Another Trip Advisor review copied and pasted - this time with added videos if you scroll to the end!
For a tour of the hotel and grounds, have a look at my YouTube videos below. You can visit my YouTube channel (Holiday obsessive) for more holiday-related videos (with more to be uploaded soon...).
I’m a bit late with this review, as I stayed with my husband
and two children (five and eight) in February, but we had an amazing time, and
I really couldn’t fault anything!
The staff were all brilliant. With the exception of one lady
at reception, everyone was friendly, chatty and helpful. Contrary to what I’ve
read in other reviews, we never felt under pressure to tip. We usually did tip
anyway (I’d advise non-Americans to change up a bunch of $1 and $2 notes before
you visit, for this purpose) but didn’t feel that the service was any different
on those occasions when we didn’t.
The room was great. Fairly standard for a Hilton, and not
very ‘Jamaican’ but it was clean and comfortable, with toiletries, TV, safe and
iPod player. It had a fridge, which was replenished everyday with bottles of
still mineral water. We had a decent-sized balcony with beautiful views over
the pool and the sea. It was a ‘partial-sea view’ room, and it certainly wouldn’t
be worth paying for the full view, as ours was just fine! No lights on the
balcony if you want to sit outside at night, but we used one of the lights from
the room and could see perfectly. I’ve read lots of reviews complaining about
the noise from the entertainment, but I really didn’t see the problem. It was
fairly loud if you were on the balcony or had the door open, but if you were
inside with the door shut, it was quiet (and the children were able to sleep
through it). We went to bed fairly early (never quite got over the jet lag!)
and it was always finished before we went to bed.
The cleaning was of a good standard throughout. Our lovely
maid Jacinta made towel sculptures every day and left us little notes.
Everywhere was clean, and you often saw staff walking around collecting litter.
Yes, you occasionally saw cups around the pool that hadn’t been collected
because they’d been left in stupid places – this reflects more on the guests
than the hotel.
The food was delicious! We ate almost exclusively in Fresh,
the buffet – the food was so good, we kept coming back, there was lots of
choice, and I like the way a buffet gives you the chance to try different foods
(especially good for children!). There was a theme every night, and there was
always plenty to choose from, including Jamaican specialities and a kids’ buffet.
There were lots of fresh tropical fruit available, and a good selection of
juices and non-alcoholic drinks as well as alcoholic. The breakfasts were
amazing – as well as the usual cooked and continental breakfast fare, there
were omelettes, pancakes, waffles and French toast cooked to order, as well as
a variety of fresh smoothies and some traditional Jamaican breakfast dishes. We
didn’t eat at either of the a la carte restaurants (Luna Di Mare – Italian –
and Three Palms – Jamaican) – we did make reservations but we couldn’t get them
until 9pm, and we soon realised this was too late for the children (and us –
jet lag again!) so we cancelled. If you would like to eat at these restaurants,
it’s worth booking as soon as you arrive. We didn’t eat at the Seaside Grill
either (just didn’t get around to it), but we had some lighter lunches at
Mangoes a couple of times, which were very nice. They also had an al-fresco
barbecue restaurant set up near the beach/pool while we were there.
The pool was great. There’s a traditional rectangular pool
in front of the main building, where aqua-aerobics and other activities take
place, and then there is also the waterpark. This makes it sound grander than
it is, but there was enough to keep us happy – one big slide, on which you need
to go down on an inner tube, and three shorter slides (no tube needed), joined
together with little pools. There were height limits, but these didn’t seem to
be implemented on the smaller slides, although the lifeguards were always very
attentive. There is also the lazy river to float around on a tube, as well as a
swim-up bar (the smoothies/slushies are to die for). It wasn’t always easy to
find a free tube, but we always managed it if we looked hard enough! Same story
with sunbeds – there were the usual reservation issues but we usually managed
to find sunbeds somewhere, and the staff were good at helping with this.
As other people have mentioned, the beach isn’t the best in
Jamaica, but it’s okay. There is an adults-only beach towards the left, which
was always very quiet, and the right end is more crowded. Again – we always
managed to find a sunbed in the end! The sea was lovely and warm, and there’s
an area roped off for safe swimming, but it was too sandy to be able to
snorkel. We did sign up for a snorkelling trip, but the sea was too rough for
that or the glass-bottomed boat, which was a real pity. We did have a go at
kayaking, though, which was fun and free! There was also the opportunity to go
sailing (also free), but we didn’t try it.
Other activities included tennis, paddle board (like table
tennis), corn toss and giant chess. There were various things organised by the
animation team too, for adults and families, like dance lessons. There were
books and board games to borrow from the towel hut. There was a children’s play
area and a kids’ club, which our boys went to on several occasions. They had a
great time, and did all sorts of things. This was also free, but there was a
small charge for some of the craft activities where they got to take something
home. The evening entertainment was relatively samey – a band and/or singer,
usually playing/singing reggae – but it was enjoyable and laid-back and helped
you feel you were in Jamaica and not somewhere else in the Caribbean. They had
occasional other acts and activities too, like the hermit crab racing, which
was good fun. There is an area near reception where you can get free WiFi, although
you have to re-register every day and it is quite slow. There is a golf course
on one side of the hotel, which is nice for a walk around even if you don’t
play golf. We didn’t leave the hotel except for a visit to the nearby Rose Hall
Great House, which is worth a trip – the hotel has a free shuttle bus that
takes you there. The bus also takes you to a nearby shopping centre, but I can’t
comment on this!
The thing that really made my holiday special was the extras. It was
my birthday at the beginning of the holiday, and our maid obviously saw my
birthday cards, as she made me a beautiful towel heart on the bed with a happy
birthday note. My husband also mentioned it when he made our restaurant
reservations – they then brought me out a special pudding at lunchtime with
candles and my name, and sang happy birthday. When we returned to the room
later, they had sent up a bottle of champagne and a personalised card – these little
touches really made the holiday for me.
All in all, we had an amazing time, the only downside being
that we only had a week and it wasn’t nearly long enough!
Tuesday, 17 June 2014
Review of Champneys Henlow
To save me writing things twice, here's my Trip Advisor review of Champneys at Henlow Grange, where I recently spent a one-night break. Highly recommend if you'd like a bit of pampering!
This was my second visit to Champneys Henlow, after a break of nine years. I was wondering what to expect, after the reviews seemed to suggest that the standards had dropped. Well, I've come to the conclusion that maybe I'm just not that fussy, or perhaps I have different priorities to other people. For me, the most important things are having friendly staff, nice food and good facilities, and in this respect I had no complaints. Life is too short to worry about a slightly worn carpet or a bit of peeling paint. When we arrived, we were greeted straightaway and shown to a drawing room with our welcome pack to complete our details. They obviously do need to work on their admin, as they still had my old address and had not got us down for the correct treatments, despite my having emailed them. However, it was easily sorted after a quick trip to the spa reception - in fact, we were able to arrange more convenient times, so it actually worked in our favour! We also received a complementary upgrade to a superior room, due to the renovation work that everyone keeps mentioning. While we saw a little bit of scaffolding, it in no way affected our stay. Our room was very nice - we had a little table and chairs on a patio outside, overlooking the weir. Yes, we had some mosquitoes, but if you leave the windows open in the summer, what do you expect? There was a warning notice in the room about this - I'm not sure what else Champneys can do!
We had a flat screen TV, DVD player, tea and coffee facilities, hairdryer, Champneys toiletries, a rain mac, a robe and flip-flops (which you can take home). The beds were comfy and the room was clean. If I was trying to be picky, the carpet was a bit old and one of the curtain rods (for closing them) was missing - were we bothered?! The food was delicious and healthy to boot, and we had no problems being seated or brought our drinks - the staff were efficient and friendly. The spa facilities were good; there were a few broken lockers, but we never had problems finding empty ones, and there were plenty of towels. There is a laconium, a steam room, a sauna and a 25m pool (which could have done with being a bit warmer). There are only 5 showers and 2 changing rooms but, again, we never had to wait for these. Despite it being a weekend, we had no problems booking in for classes, of which there were loads to choose from. You have to pay £3 to book in advance, but they are free if you book on the day. We had two treatments each, which were lovely, and a thalassotherapy session, which was good fun. There are plenty of sun beds around the pool, sun loungers outside and some lovely relaxing areas inside, so there are plenty of places to go if you'd just like to chill out for a while. The grounds are beautiful and huge, and there is a nature walk you can do at one end of the grounds. The staff were extremely helpful and friendly, and really couldn't do enough for you. We were given a personal tour of the facilities and, when we were seen carrying bags, everybody offered to help, from cleaners to fitness staff and waiters! We had another small problem on checking out, where we were charged for a bottle of wine instead of a glass - again, this was easily fixed, and we ended up getting the glass free! Overall, the only problem we had was that there simply wasn't enough time to do everything we wanted - next time, I'd like at least a week, please!
This was my second visit to Champneys Henlow, after a break of nine years. I was wondering what to expect, after the reviews seemed to suggest that the standards had dropped. Well, I've come to the conclusion that maybe I'm just not that fussy, or perhaps I have different priorities to other people. For me, the most important things are having friendly staff, nice food and good facilities, and in this respect I had no complaints. Life is too short to worry about a slightly worn carpet or a bit of peeling paint. When we arrived, we were greeted straightaway and shown to a drawing room with our welcome pack to complete our details. They obviously do need to work on their admin, as they still had my old address and had not got us down for the correct treatments, despite my having emailed them. However, it was easily sorted after a quick trip to the spa reception - in fact, we were able to arrange more convenient times, so it actually worked in our favour! We also received a complementary upgrade to a superior room, due to the renovation work that everyone keeps mentioning. While we saw a little bit of scaffolding, it in no way affected our stay. Our room was very nice - we had a little table and chairs on a patio outside, overlooking the weir. Yes, we had some mosquitoes, but if you leave the windows open in the summer, what do you expect? There was a warning notice in the room about this - I'm not sure what else Champneys can do!
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