My Top 5 Favourite Places
Levitunturi, Finnish Lapland:
Reindeer sleigh rides, husky sled trips, snowmobiling, skiing, seeing the Northern Lights, with twinkling candle lights in every window… such amazing place! Whilst a little chilly at times (possibly that’s an understatement - minus 42 on one memorable day in January), it is a magical place. Plus you can go to Santa’s Village to meet the big man himself. Now there’s an experience I can’t wait to share with my kids!
Koh Tau, Thailand:
I love all of Thailand, but Koh Tao is one of those places that sticks in the mind…we stayed in a hut on the beach, had lazy starts to the day with huge freshly squeezed orange juices and pancakes, lounging on giant cushions on the beach, then would go for an amazing dive before heading back for an equally idyllic dinner. Or we would wander around the coast line finding stunning bays which we had entirely to ourselves. Then back for more eating on the beach. Blissful.
Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland:
Lauterbrunnen is a little village at the end of a huge valley near Interlaken in Switzerland. With almost 300 metre rock faces on either side of the valley, complete with freefalling waterfalls tumbling down them, and mountains above it is truly awe inspiring. And once you’ve spent a day or two with your jaw dropped admiring the view, you can take the train to the top of the Jungfraujoch, or hike across mountain tops. Or you could go in winter for the skiing…I love this place!
Italy:
Yep, the whole country, I can’t narrow it down to a single place. Venice is totally unique, stunning and, at Carnvale time, crazy! Tuscany is everything you’ve ever imagined it to be - we stayed in a 18th century castle amongst the olive groves, cycled down the dusty roads to the local shop to buy the most delicious fresh produce for lunches by the pool, or drove to one of the many ancient and beautiful towns nearby. Stunning lakes, beautiful mountains, history, culture, Italy has it all. Not to mention the food…the land of gelato and pizzas, how could I not love this country?
Egypt:
Another entire country that completely blew me away. It is so unique, so iconic and so surprisingly varied - from ancient history to stunning dive sites, it has something for everyone. You go expecting incredible history but it is the way the history pervades the present day that is most eye opening - riding camels around the pyramids while our guide took a call on his mobile; or for my cotton farmer husband, watching his Egyptian counterparts transporting huge sacks of cotton on the backs of donkeys. I just hope the political situation there settles down, so this beautiful country is safe to visit again.
… and top five still on the list?
Antarctica; Everest Base Camp; skiing in Lake Louise (or Whistler, or Banff. I’m not fussy); a cruise around the Dalmatian coast; and any tropical beach with a hammock, a cocktail and a kids club…