Anthony Kingsley/Not Just Travel

25/04/2022

“I’m getting ready to board.”

Not an unusual text to receive from a client for a travel agent, but one which gave me immense personal satisfaction.

My client had wanted to book a multi-destination trip at very short notice.

“Oh, it can’t be done,” said several suppliers, citing the different entry requirements of each country, and the difficulty in getting confirmation from hotels and flights in different time zones.

All of which was true. It was difficult. But ultimately, it was a question of whether we want to look for problems or for solutions. Whichever you look for, you will find. A little bit of flexibility and creativity can go a long way, and I really wanted this trip to work for my client.

But more important than the personal satisfaction was the feeling of reassurance that the role of the travel agent is not dead or dying, as so many commentators seem to think.

Yes, if you are just after a flight and a hotel, you would need to have a good reason to pay a little more to book through a travel agent. There are many good reasons, but cost is not one of them.

But if you want something a little more ambitious, a little more extensive, a little more rewarding, you will be grateful for the knowledge, experience and reassurance of a travel agent.

A travel agent could be the difference between a good holiday and a great one, or in my client’s case, between going away and staying at home.

And while you will not want every trip to be ambitious, extensive and rewarding, there is a big world out there waiting to welcome you.

Go explore!

19/04/2022

Let’s get your holiday halo polished up!

We all know that we need to reduce our carbon footprint and that flights are a major issue.

And if we are thinking about our wallets, we may have also seen flight costs shooting upwards as fast as a plane takes off.

So perhaps now is time to be rethinking that family summer holiday.

In 2 hours, 16 minutes you could be in Paris via Eurostar. One advantage of train over plane is that you don’t have to worry about the weight of your luggage.

No, that is not an invitation to pack your entire wardrobe. You’ve still go to carry it.

Lunch, and then back on the train.

We’re off to Deauville, the uber-fashionable resort opposite Brighton, but as far away as fish n’ chips on the pier as it is possible to be. You’re with the in- crowd now, watching polo and yachting, rubbing shoulders with the glitterati at the American Film Festival

But let’s get away, far away from the madding crowd. France is the home of cycling, but not just yellow jumpers and the Tour de France. We’re on holiday, and it’s time to take it easy, to slow right down.

We can hire bikes and e-bikes, even e-scooters if you must, and ramble quietly through the countryside, stopping off at a local inn for some refreshing cider, bread and cheese.

The sun is warm, the kids are laughing, you’ve got a table reserved for dinner tonight at that amazing little auberge you discovered on one of your evening strolls around town last night.

You’re good, your wallet is relaxed, the environment breathes a little easier.

You’re not still hankering after airport queues and flight food, are you?

If you would like more information about how much fun you can have in Deauville this Summer and Autumn, just drop me a line.

16/12/2021

“Don’t worry, you’ll be sober in the morning.”

This is the reply I would probably have given you back in 2019 had you suggested I took a cycling holiday.

Sweat, lycra, sore thighs… No thank you.

And yet here I am this morning at the tail end of 2021 poring over cycling itineraries and guides in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, sober as a guest at a No 10 party. Really!

The Ciclovia Alpe Adria bike path sounds spectacular, running from Salzburg to Grado, some 410 mostly flat or downhill kilometres, along old railway tracks, through tunnels and galleries. Amazing, but perhaps it’s a little optimistic for me.

The beauty of cycling holidays in this region is that it is so set up for cyclists of all standards….even those yet to achieve any standard. You want to hire a bike for a couple of hours, fine. A day, no problem. The eight days it might take you from Salzburg, of course. Anything in between, or perhaps a spur of the moment decision, come this way, your bike is waiting.

Hotels are set up for cyclists with repair shops and everything you need. Hotels like the Suite Inn in Udine even have their own app, connecting you to routes and everything you could possibly want.

So we can plan whatever you want, from an epic 8 day trip to leisurely days soaking up the sun and culture.

I’m thinking of a few day trips, perhaps from Udine, which the brochure describes as a city of bookshops and Inns, a popular and refined city, friendly and cultured. My kind of city.

Or the painted city of Pordenone, and the areas around it, with castles and small towns, an invitation to step back into the Renaissance.

Looking at the brochure and imagining the sun on your back, your picnic basket with local produce and wine on the bike, is there really any way to travel through here other than by bike?

Why rush when you can potter?

03/12/2021

Lyon is the gastronomic capital of France, and one of the unmissable spots to visit is the Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse.

Paul Bocuse was a world renowned chef, one of France's finest, and a resident of Lyon, so it is not surprising that they have named a food hall after him.

Food hall is a bit of an understatement. Perhaps Temple to food heaven would be more accurate.

You can get to Lyon via train as well as plane. The train may be a little more expensive and take a little longer, but only a little in each case. It is easier, much more comfortable and of course reduces the carbon dioxide imprint by up to 90%

19/10/2021

You call yourself a foodie, and you’ve never been to Lyons?

Oh dear, oh dear, we shall have to get you to the Gastronomic Capital of the World sooner rather than later.

We might start at Les Halles du Grand Hotel-Dieu, a local market with a difference. Here you will find 9 artisans plying their trade, like Pignol, a father and son confectioner, Trolliet, the family run butcher’s established some 45 years ago. Mère Richard has been making cheese since 1965 and the wine merchant, Guyot, has been trading since 1919.

You may be feeling a little peckish now, so let’s have a light lunch in Les Halles, overlooking the river.

In the afternoon, we might work off some of those extra kilos by wandering through the Traboules of Lyon, secret passages steeped in Lyon’s history of silk merchants and Resistance fighters.

Day 2 will see us at a temple of Gastronomy, Les Halles Paul Bocuse. Paul Bocuse was a legendary French chef, widely credited with establishing Nouvelle Cuisine, using fresh ingredients of the highest quality. The Bocuse D’Or is considered to be the highest award a chef can attain.

The market has 50 producers of some of the world’s finest meats, cheeses, wines, and pastries. The sights, smells, and sounds will drive you crazy, but fortunately I can arrange a tasting tour for you.

The afternoon is when we get to work with a cooking class. There’s not a lot of point in having a weekend in the Gastronomic Capital of the World if you can’t then wow your neighbours with a dinner party chez vous.

If you are very keen, you could have a cooking with chocolate class or a dessert class, perhaps learning the secrets of the Lyonnais Praline Tart.

The next morning will be our wine tasting day with Beaujolais from the north of Lyon, Cotes Du Rhone from the south, and we will try out the less well known Coteaux du Lyonnais.

We could travel out to Perouges, one of the loveliest villages of France, a medieval gem, or Oingt, another lovely medieval village. If you are serious about wine, you might want to visit the wine “theme park” the Hameau Duboeuf.

Food and drink are just two reasons why you might want to visit Lyon, the perfect weekend get away… unless of course you prefer queueing for several hours in the rain to go up the Eiffel Tower or jostling with the crowds in the Sistine Chapel.

It’s time to embrace France again and all that is lovely about her.

16/10/2021

Travel is slowly reviving and with it trade events for travel agents. I recently attended an event to promote the Rugby World Cup in France in 2023.

It may be a little late as match tickets and accommodation are going very fast. If you want them, you will need to start yesterday.

But the event was also a great reminder of what a great destination France is for a holiday. Great food and wine, obviously, but it has much more to offer.

From the Normandy beaches to the great wine chateaux of Bordeaux and Burgundy, from historic cities such as Amiens to the glittering Cote d'Azur, there is something for everyone.

And perhaps just as importantly, France is working hard to become more sustainable as a destination.

Vive la France, I can't wait to embrace you again!

20/05/2021

If you are looking for a reason to visit Denver, Colorado, here are five.

I am a Denver specialist, and I am not sure that I would agree on these for a top 5. Red Rocks, definitely yes, and Denver has a great food scene.

If you would like more information on this amazing city, drop me a line and we can start planning an amazing holiday for you

There’s so much going on in Denver this summer, where do you begin? Here are some top ways to have an unforgettable time.