Great Escapes Travel

14/12/2021

Exiting the bookstore, Notre Dame rises up in front of you. It’s been closed since the tragic fire in April 2019, and it’s not expected to reopen for another 5 years. You can visit the nearby tourist office and pay your respects or leave a donation for the rebuild. Stop for an excellent ice cream at Berthillon – one of the best ice cream shops in Paris, then head over the river to the impressive Hotel du Ville.

14/12/2021

Next, head back onto the left bank of the Seine to the Latin Quarter stopping at Shakespeare & Company bookstore. It’s a small but rambling store with old books crammed into every nook and definitely worth a visit as you’re walking past.

14/12/2021

Walk the short distance to the Louvre to immerse yourself in possibly the world’s premier museum and a Paris icon. It’s impossible to see everything in one visit so this guide on what to see in the Louvre is a good starting point. The French & Italian masterpieces are the most popular thanks to a truly world-class collection including the Mona Lisa. Napoleon’s lavish well-preserved apartments are another gem.

14/12/2021

Begin with a stroll through the box hedge symmetry and manicured gardens of the Jardin du Palais Royal. It’s surrounded by some of the most beautiful arcades in Paris including Galerie de Montpensier and Galerie Beaujolais. The palace is closed to the public, however, the polka dot art installation is a popular photo spot in Paris.

13/12/2021

Now head diagonally left up the hill on the other side until you reach another sealed track. Turn left and follow the track out of the deer park to the main road. The entrance to Eastnor Castle is in front of you and well worth exploring if you have the time.

Turn right on the main road, follow it for 50 meters and then turn left down a narrow track that brings you to Eastnor Church

13/12/2021

This walk in the Malvern Hills begins at North Quarry Car Park in Great Malvern. It is one of a number of car parks run by the Malvern Hills Trust. It opens from 6am to 11pm and costs £4.50 for the day. The ticket is transferrable to any other of their car parks.

There are 3 options to get back to the beginning of the walk after you finish in Ledbury.

13/12/2021

Take the path on the right side of the car park signposted to British Camp (Herefordshire Beacon) and wind your way to the 338-metre summit. Its strange shape is due to the man-made iron age fort that used to command the views of this area.

Having absorbed the vista, head south over Millennium Hill, turn left and zig-zag steeply down before turning right. Stick to the path that keeps the forest closely on your right and after a while the path heads into the trees to Peacock Villa

13/12/2021

Start at the North Quarry Car Park (P on the map) and take the trailhead at the southeastern end of the car park towards North Hill. Stick to the higher path as it heads through forest. After passing Ivy Scar rock, turn very sharply right (signed to North Hill) and complete a large zig-zag up the hill. Exiting the trees, join a wide track called the Lady Howard de Walden Drive. Follow it clockwise around North Hill for 90 degrees and then turn left and take the clear trail straight up to the top of Worcestershire Beacon

09/12/2021

Sochi
Sochi on the Black Sea is a great winter sports destination and, in fact, hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics. Skis aside, Sochi also hosts the Russian Formula 1 Grand prix and will be a host city for the 2018 Fifa World Cup. Despite winter snow, Sochi offers a subtropical climate and great beaches, making it a key part of the Russian Riviera.
10 Best Places to Visit in Russia
Last updated on September 26, 2021 in Russia

Russia, once the largest and most powerful member of the former USSR, nonetheless remains a fascinating country to visit. It is a country of contrasts, from great subtropical beaches to bitterly cold winter regions in the north. The east may have fewer people, but its lovely cities are among the most popular places to visit in Russia and can hold their own against the west.

Russia is steeped in history everywhere a traveler goes, from vicious battles to great classical music and literature. And almost everywhere visitors can see examples of magnificent art, not only in museums but also in its churches.

10. Yekaterinburg[SEE MAP]
Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg is an industrial city in the Ural Mountains that has many things going for it. It is, however, largely remembered as the place where Tsar Nicholas, the last tsar of Russia, and his family were executed in 1918 during the Russian Revolution.

Today’s Yekaterinburg has a vibrant cultural scene, home to many libraries, theaters and playwrights, and dance companies as well as popular Russian rock bands. Russia’s fourth largest city also has more than 30 museums, including the oldest wood sculpture in the world at the Shigir Collection; another museum houses more than 300 Nevyansk icons.

9. Sochi[SEE MAP]
Sochi

Sochi on the Black Sea is a great winter sports destination and, in fact, hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics. Skis aside, Sochi also hosts the Russian Formula 1 Grand prix and will be a host city for the 2018 Fifa World Cup. Despite winter snow, Sochi offers a subtropical climate and great beaches, making it a key part of the Russian Riviera.

The resort city makes a great summer (and winter) getaway for Russians. Strolling along the pedestrian-only sea embankment is a pleasant experience. Environmentally conscious travelers may want to visit the Caucasus Biosphere Reserve. Sochi also is home to the area’s northern most tea plantations.

09/12/2021

Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg is an industrial city in the Ural Mountains that has many things going for it. It is, however, largely remembered as the place where Tsar Nicholas, the last tsar of Russia, and his family were executed in 1918 during the Russian Revolution.

Today’s Yekaterinburg has a vibrant cultural scene, home to many libraries, theaters and playwrights, and dance companies as well as popular Russian rock bands. Russia’s fourth largest city also has more than 30 museums, including the oldest wood sculpture in the world at the Shigir Collection; another museum houses more than 300 Nevyansk icons.

08/12/2021

Queenstown
On New Zealand’s South Island is Queenstown, a destination known as the dream spot for those in search of adrenaline and adventure. Surrounded by the towering peaks of the Southern Alps, and right on the banks of deep-blue Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown is also an incredibly beautiful spot.

One of the best ways to experience the scenery is on Lake Wakatipu itself. You can cycle around the lake’s perimeter or set off on a cruise of the lake’s magnificent waters. There is also a vibrant nightlife with the town’s small central area packed with bars and restaurants.

08/12/2021

Auckland
Known as the City of Sails, Auckland is the largest and most populated city in New Zealand. It is located on the North Island, and it is known for its vibrant culture and foodie landscape. For amazing views of this beautiful metropolis, climb the Auckland Harbor Bridge.

If you’re interested in learning more about the history and heritage of New Zealand, then be sure to check out the Auckland Domain, which is the city’s oldest part. In the Auckland Domain, you’ll find great exhibits of Maori and Pacific Island artifacts at the iconic Auckland Museum.

26/11/2021

The sails are out and we are sailing and cruising west coast Sabah again!

Sailing days have been few and far between since you-know-what happened… and we are having a great time playing around in the blue, blue water.

26/11/2021

One of the biggest estuaries is where the Tuaran River hits the South China Sea around 15nm from Kota Kinabalu. We were on the lookout as usual, but we’d never seen the sea this colour before. The line between the sea and the river run off was so sharp it could have been drawn with a pencil.

26/11/2021

If you’ve ever had any connection with boats, you’ll know that one of the biggest issues with living on one is the constant equipment failure. It’s the inevitable consequence of living in the corrosive marine environment

26/11/2021

That’s what we were told when we first moved onto SY Esper. So for years we hoisted our various tenders (from plastic inflatable to folding Portabote and smart Tinker sailing dinghy) up and over the guard rail to be stored on deck where they got in the way.

26/11/2021

While wading through the long weeks of lockdown in the waters around Kota Kinabalu, we anchored off the idyllic island of Sepanggar. As usual, the buildings were deserted, there were tourist boats marooned in the sheltered bay and solitary men in beaten up fishing canoes quietly retrieved their small nets.

26/11/2021