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Get to know Royal London

If you’re a lover of all things Royal, then you’ll be looking forward to next May’s Royal wedding which is set to take place at Windsor.  London, a stone’s throw away, is of course a Royal favourite, but where should you visit to follow in the footsteps of the Royal family?  From the obvious locations like Buckingham Palace to places with a less well-known connection to the UK’s best loved family, these excursions will tick all the boxes.

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Fortnum and Mason

Along Piccadilly, you’ll see the distinctive eau de nil façade of the Queen’s grocer, Fortnum and Mason.  The Queen, despite her advancing years, is a frequent entertainer, hosting heads of state and other dignitaries for lavish banquets.  Her annual food bill was recently estimated at around £1.4 million.  Fortnum and Mason receive a chunk of that money but there are plenty of affordable goods to be had for regular customers too.  Don’t miss the food hall and pick up a picnic fit for Royalty.  Time your visit to watch the clock outside chime the hour; Mr Fortnum bows to Mr Mason.

Buckingham Palace

Near to Piccadilly is Green Park, the smallest of the capital’s eight Royal Parks at just 40 acres.  Its tree-lined paths and grassy meadows make for a beautiful picnic spot.  Aim to reach Buckingham Palace by late morning to coincide with the Changing of the Guard ceremony; you can check the exact time at www.changing-guard.com.  For the best view, try to get as close to the Palace gates as possible.  If you’re visiting in August and September, then it is possible to take a guided tour inside the palace itself and that’s well worth the entry fee.

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Queen’s Gallery

At Buckingham Palace, tours of the Queen’s Gallery operate year-round.  Located in what was originally one of John Nash’s conservatories, the structure was destroyed during World War Two.  It was rebuilt at the suggestion of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to house the Royal Collection in 1962.  Exhibits change, but it’s likely you’ll see works of art by an eclectic range of artists including names such as Rembrandt, Hockney, Rubens and da Vinci.

The Royal Mews

The Royal Mews is where you’ll find the Queen’s carriages and it’s found around the corner from the Queen’s Gallery on Buckingham Palace Road.  Guided tours operate between April and October and are included in the price of your admission.  Wardens dressed in a smart navy and red livery will show you the highlights of the collection of vehicles, including the Diamond Jubilee State Coach which is the newest addition to the fleet.  Equally dazzling is the Gold State Coach which dates from the time of George III.  It weighs nearly four tonnes and requires eight horses to pull it.  It’s the coach that has been used to take each monarch to their coronation since the early 19th century.  Animal lovers will also be pleased to learn that you’ll get to meet the horses during the tour.

The Goring Hotel

This exclusive hotel is tucked away a short walk from the Palace in Beeston Place.  It describes itself as “London’s last remaining family-owned luxury hotel – a grand hotel with impeccable manners.”  It’s the hotel in which Kate Middleton’s family stayed on the eve of her wedding to Prince William and this five-star establishment is sure to impress.  If you have the budget, you can stay here too; room rates begin at a little over £300 per night.

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Kensington Palace

Access to Kensington Palace, former home of Diana, Princess of Wales, its gardens and exhibitions is by ticket only.  Inside, you’ll be able to visit the King and Queen’s state apartments, little changed since 1690 when they were built for the then monarchs William and Mary.  Temporary exhibits also feature; the “Diana: her fashion story” collection scheduled to open early in 2017 is sure to be immensely popular.

Diana Memorial Garden

Following the edge of Hyde Park, another of London’s Royal Parks, you’ll come to the Diana Memorial Garden.  Its highlights include a playground, a nod to Diana’s great love of children, featuring as its centrepiece a huge pirate ship.  Also, it’s here you’ll find a memorial fountain built from 545 pieces of Cornish granite.  Water flows in cascades and swirls until it reaches a calm pool at the bottom, symbolising Diana’s sometimes turbulent life.

The Brown Cow, Fulham and the Cross Keys, Chelsea

My final suggestion is to down a drink at one of Prince Harry’s favourite pubs.  The Brown Cow is owned by one of his friends, Mark Dyer, a former officer in the Welsh Guards.  Harry was a regular when in town, before his engagement at least.  It’s the place he chose to toast the birth of his nephew Prince George.  You’ll find it on the Fulham Road.  The Cross Keys in trendy Chelsea is another Mark Dyer establishment.  Originally Chelsea’s oldest pub, Harry celebrated his 31st birthday here.  You’ll find the pub just before you get to the River Thames near Chelsea Embankment.  Cheers!

Posted by  |  November 29, 2017 | Categories: Destination information, Europe, Travel advice and information | Tags: , | Comments Off on Get to know Royal London

A visit to Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre

Regular readers of this blog will perhaps remember how I enjoyed a trip to the Christmas markets in Regensburg, Germany last year.  If you’re looking for a German Christmas market destination, then I’d recommend this small city near to Nuremberg as the markets are compact yet very atmospheric, with one located in the grounds of the delightful Thurn und Taxis Palace.  I snagged flights with Ryanair for less than a fiver, making it viable both in terms of time and cost for a day out.

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Copenhagen’s Christmas markets were also well worth the trip, with the Danish capital adding some Scandi style to the proceedings.  This year, I’ll soon be spending the weekend in charming Salzburg, Austria to see how they compare.  In the meantime, you can read more about Regensburg and Copenhagen’s markets here:

https://juliamhammond.wordpress.com/2016/11/25/just-back-from-a-day-trip-to-regensburg/

https://juliamhammond.wordpress.com/2016/12/05/just-back-from-a-day-at-copenhagens-christmas-markets/

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But what about the markets closer to home?  Can the UK compete?  A news feature on BBC Look East about increased security at Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre was not only reassuring but perhaps more importantly, brought the event onto my radar.  It took about an hour and a half to drive through some of North Essex and Suffolk’s most scenic countryside to reach the town.  At midday on the Friday of the Fayre, the Park & Ride was full, as were the town’s long stay car parks.  I began to wonder whether I should have taken the train, though it would have involved two changes and an extra hour on the return journey.  Finally, we were given permission to tuck the car into the exhibitors’ car park.  Was it worth the trip?

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The Fayre

With around 300 stalls spread across several locations in the town, there was plenty to hold our attention.  In total, we spent around 5 hours at the Fayre, beginning in the pedestrian streets spanning Cornhill and Buttermarket.  Moyse’s Hall Museum, which focuses on local and social history, is worth making the time for.

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Outside the museum, we found several enticing food stalls, the best of which specialised in salami and sausage.  Purchase one in the bag.  Not far away, Just Our Stall, which has a permanent base in the town on St John’s Street, had a wide selection of sheepskins and farmed reindeer hides.  Prices were very competitive and quality was high.

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From there, a stroll down Abbeygate Street led us via shops and cafes towards the Abbey itself.  Fairground rides and Santa’s Grotto would keep the kids happy.  Inside, we were disappointed at first to find that there weren’t as many seasonally-themed traders as we’d imagined, though once we got to the reindeer pen, things got a lot more Christmassy.  One of the two reindeer wasn’t too keen on remaining in the pen, attempting to climb out when someone produced a carrot.  He was a real character.

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Through the Abbey gate, the concentration of stalls selling Christmas gifts and decorations was higher, making this our favourite part of the Fayre.  Stand out traders, for their sense of humour as well as their product range, included HaGA Lifestyle which enthusiastically embraced the Danish concept of hygge.  Locals will be aware that their regular base in Eastgate Street has an excellent cafe, a deli and also offers dog grooming.

The Once I Was stall also brought to mind the recycling theme I’d seen in action in Copenhagen.  Each of the products had previously been something else before being repurposed for use in the home.  Tealight holders, chopping boards and Christmas decorations had been fashioned from drawer fronts, fence posts and sheets of plywood.  Also worthy of a mention is The Crafty Foxes.  Based in Queens Road, they offer craft workshops.  Here at the Fayre, they had a range of gift bags for sale which made excellent stocking fillers, as well as some rather unique Christmas tree decorations.

Food stalls were in abundance and there were some tempting and very festive offerings from which to choose.  In contrast to the European markets, however, there was a lack of seating nearby, which meant either standing around or walking around with food and drink.  Hopefully, that’s something which St Edmundsbury Council might consider for next year.

As the sun set, the festive atmosphere ramped up a notch.  There hadn’t been time to duck inside the Athenaeum for the indoor stalls or catch one of the cookery demonstrations in the Cathedral Courtyard.  Walking back to the car, we reflected on what an enjoyable afternoon it had been and well worth a return visit.

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Posted by  |  November 25, 2017 | Categories: Day trips, Destination information, Europe, Events | Tags: , , | Comments Off on A visit to Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre

Review of Thomas Cook Airlines

I’m no stranger to low cost flying, but it’s been a long time since I’ve flown with an airline which made its name catering for package tourists. So what’s it like to fly Thomas Cook Airlines?

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Timing

I chose to fly to Cape Verde, and at the time of booking, I was flexible about which of its nine inhabited islands I would fly to.  The only direct flights from London were with Tui (formerly Thomson) and Thomas Cook Airlines.  I could have flown with scheduled airlines but it would have meant an indirect flight, such as with TAP via Lisbon.  The flight times were convenient too, with an 8.05am outbound option and a 2.45pm inbound flight.  Flying on a Wednesday worked for me, though to get a daily flight option I’d have needed to fly indirect.  From LGW Thomas Cook Airlines fly in winter; in summer the only flights offered depart from Manchester.  But with November temperatures in the late twenties, the islands are a good choice for a winter break, if a little windy.

Additional costs

Though the base fare was reasonable – and even more so now November is almost over – the airline’s pricing model worked on getting its passengers to pay for add-ons.  Some of these prices were pretty steep.  £10 for each sector secured you a hot meal, a suitcase was £25 each way and allocated seating cost from £13 per leg.  I opted just to take a suitcase, given that the carry-on dimensions (55cm x 40cm x 20cm) and, especially, weight limits (6kg) weren’t sufficiently generous for a week-long holiday.  This would be higher on the all-inclusive Economy Plus tariff but the price difference was significant, making it poor value for money.  I didn’t choose the seat allocation and was randomly allocated a middle seat in each direction.  A polite request with the check-in staff got this changed to an aisle seat both ways, but of course this can’t be guaranteed.

On-board service and comfort

The Sal flight operated on an Airbus 321.  Legroom was 28″, 2″ less than on a Ryanair short haul flight.  On this six-hour mid-haul flight, that’s cramped, and I was glad of the aisle seat to be able to get up and stretch my legs frequently without disturbing other passengers.  Service on board was excellent, the cabin crew without exception polite and professional.  Ground staff also conducted themselves well.  Many travellers were on package holidays and thus met by a member of the Thomas Cook team, but as I had booked a flight-only option I had no interaction in this respect.

Other information

There’s an entry visa requirement for UK travellers headed to Cape Verde and this currently can be purchased for €25 on arrival.  So long as Advanced Passenger Information (API) is completed via the Thomas Cook website 7 days or more in advance, this is paid for by the airline even if you are on a flight-only booking.  There’s no need to queue at the visa desk on arrival, saving you time when you get there.

The verdict

Would I travel with Thomas Cook Airlines again?  I was impressed by their punctuality and professionalism.  However, the lack of flexibility in their schedule and the steep cost of extras means this wouldn’t be an airline I’d consider travelling with again, unless like this route, all the scheduled options were indirect flights.

Posted by  |  November 25, 2017 | Categories: Airlines, Destination information, Flights, Product trials | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

A Wicked night out

This week I was fortunate to be invited to a press event to promote Wicked the Musical and The Broadway Collection.  We were treated to a champagne and canapés reception at the splendid Aster restaurant, munching on smoked salmon blinis and bite sized chicken rolls.  I’d been working hard at World Travel Market all day so it was a joy to put my feet up and relax.

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Wicked’s UK Executive Producer Michael McCabe provided a bit of background to this well known tale.  It’s been a while since I saw the movie, I’ve never seen the stage production or read the book, so his contribution was useful in explaining a little more of the story.  In the musical, for instance, the witch is named Elphaba – named for the book’s writer L. Frank Baum, who apparently didn’t like his first name and insisted on being referred to as L. Frank.  But it was the key theme that Michael highlighted that got me thinking: are we born wicked or instead are we shaped by our surroundings and the events that involve us?

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The musical itself was  enjoyable and entertaining.  Wicked compared well to my previous favourites Evita and Les Misérables.  It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and forget the performance is live when it’s as faultless as this.  The characters soon engage and endear themselves, even Elphaba (though of course she’s meant to!) and there was enough humour in the script to stop it from drowning in schmaltz.  And let’s not forget the incredible voices – this is talent that doesn’t rely on audience votes and celebrity endorsement to make you appreciate what you’re listening to.

The highlight of the evening for me, however, came at the end.  We were invited up on stage to handle some of the props and costumes from the show.  I had no idea baby Elphaba would be so heavy or that the witch hat would be so uncomfortable – to my relief I’m not a natural witch after all!  The costumes were weighty too, each reflecting the hours and hours of work that had gone into their design and manufacture.  All credit to the actors who’d be wearing them under the house lights in November, let alone in summer in a city that barely knows what air conditioning is.

Where to catch Wicked

If you are in London, I’d definitely recommend hotfooting it over to the Apollo Victoria to see it.  You’ll follow the millions that have seen it since it began its run in 2006, many of whom have seen it more than once.  In New York, you’ll find it at the Gershwin Theatre right near Broadway on 51st Street.

It forms part of The Broadway Collection, together with favourites like Blue Man Group, The Book of Mormon, Miss Saigon and The Lion King.  You can purchase your tickets in the UK before you leave from a number of tour operators and agents including TUI, Virgin Holidays and Lastminute.com.  There’s more information on their webpage at http://www.broadwaycollection.com or check out the Facebook page at facebook.com/BroadwayInbound and tweet them at @BroadwayInbound.

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I’d like to extend my thanks to Made Travel, particularly to their most welcoming press rep Anthony McNeill, who invited me to the event and took care of the tickets and refreshments during the evening.  Find out more about them at made.travel.

Posted by  |  November 10, 2017 | Categories: Events | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Why you should do your homework before booking a flight

I had an interesting conversation with a lady the other night about the financial situation of airlines.  A number of airlines have made the news recently for the wrong reasons, including Monarch and its demise.  Her take on things was that it would have been perfectly reasonable to book with them because they’d been around for so long and if you’d travelled with them before, it would be unnecessary to check them out because you would know they were OK.

Monarch

Monarch Airlines plane by Andy Mitchell CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr

I had a different opinion.  Monarch’s financial woes over the preceding few years had been well-documented in the press.  Anyone doing even the most rudimentary of Google searches would have thrown up a number of articles filling out a picture of money troubles and the importance of the end of September deadline to renew its ATOL certificate.  But given that hundreds of thousands of travellers were caught out, I’m guessing my expectation that people wouldn’t shell out hundreds of pounds without checking out the robustness of the company was inaccurate.

What’s also interesting is that following the whole Ryanair mismanagement debacle, many people assume that Ryanair is in a difficult position financially.  According to industry business analysts, however, it’s not.  The graphic on this link reveals that they think it’s in the best position of any European airline when it comes to the risk of going bankrupt:

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/news/planning-a-europe-trip-the-airlines-that-are-in-financial-trouble-%E2%80%94-in-one-chart/ar-AAtYGw4

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If the Dow Jones researchers are to be believed, then it might be an idea to be think carefully before about booking a flight with Turkish Airlines or Pegasus at the moment.  I’ve flown with both and had excellent experiences but last year business was difficult for both of them. The former posted a 2016 loss of $77 million, the latter $36.1 million.  You can read more at:

http://atwonline.com/airline-financials/turkish-airlines-posts-77-million-net-loss-2016

http://atwonline.com/airline-financials/pegasus-airlines-posts-361-million-loss-2016

But then in the case of Finnair, they seem to be doing significantly better than their position on the chart would suggest.  Though Dow Jones suggest they fall into the “In Trouble” category, this article appears to refute that speculation:

https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/finnair_announces_best-ever_quarterly_results/9899848

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Norwegian Dreamliner by Juraj Patekar CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Personally, I’m being cautious over booking with Norwegian at the moment.  Their rapid long-haul expansion is, in my book, cause for concern, given the history of low-cost airlines and trans-Atlantic flights in particular.  I also wonder whether it’s a coincidence that after they announce the commencement of a London to Singapore route, Qantas cans their Dubai layover on their London to Sydney route and goes back to making Singapore their stopover destination.

Whatever your own take on the situation (and I’m not advising you to follow my lead), Norwegian Air currently have a lot of new planes to pay for and face plenty of competition.  Norwegian Air’s CEO has been quick to counter that the airline is in good financial health, but this Reuters article also references the potential impact of their CFO quitting in the summer:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-norwegian-air-strategy-insight/norwegian-air-under-pressure-to-boost-finances-idUSKBN1AA1MR

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I’ll stick to my earlier assertion: if you’re planning on booking a flight, do a little research on your chosen airline first.  Take the sensible precautions: make sure they’re ATOL protected where that applies (charters and packages in general terms), pay using a credit card as your outlay will be protected if the flight is over £100 and consider taking out scheduled airline failure insurance in situations where you wouldn’t be covered if you didn’t.

Posted by  |  November 1, 2017 | Categories: Airlines, Flights, Travel advice and information | Tags: | Comments Off on Why you should do your homework before booking a flight