Debs and Mike

Praia do Forte

Posted on March 24, 2021June 5, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Praia do Forte is a beautiful beach village 50 miles from Salvador de Bahia in Brazil

Travelling to Salvador

We flew to Salvador on 19th June 2018 from Rio De Janeiro We stayed all inclusive at a lovely hotel called Iberostar Praia Do Forte which was about a 40 minute drive from the airport. Praia Do Forte is a prime example of eco-tourism. There are 4 endangered Sea Turtle’s in Praia Do Forte. Iberostar is involved in a plan to protect the Turtle’s

Accommodation

The hotel was a good standard of all inclusive but not quite 5 star. The rooms were very spacious and clean. The food and drink in the hotel is also very good with 6 restaurants (Do Lago – Gourmet Restaurant, Novecento – Italian Restaurant, Pelo – International buffet, Mai Tai – Asian Restaurant, Maresia – Mexican Restaurant, Odoia – Bahian Restaurant) and 5 bars. There are also 5 pools at the resort.

There is also a lovely little bar and restaurant down by the beach which is lovely to eat at during the day.

The complex itself is very big with a lot of activities day and night. The hotel was directly on to the beach which was a beautiful beach with soft sand and clear blue sea. You could walk on the beach for miles. There is the centre of Praia do Forte a short distance away with bars and restaurants.

There was entertainment around the pool each day. It was waiter service around the pool but you could go up to the bar and order yourself. The cocktails were made fresh and were very nice. One of the cocktails looked and tasted like raspberry ripple ice cream but because it did not taste very alcoholic we were unaware of how much we were drinking. Caipirinha is Brazils national cocktail which is a made of lime (other fruits can be used), sugar and Cachaca (Brazilian Sugar Cane Brandy). These drinks are very refreshing but also strong. This hotel made the most amazing fresh cocktails.

Location

We walked most days on the beach. The beach was very quiet not sure if it was the time of year we went but each day there wasnt many people on the beach. It was a lovely stretch of beach that you could walk a fair distance in either direction. The sea was warm and relatively calm so could not understand why there wasn’t more people in the sea etc considering there were other hotels near by. There wasn’t anything else within walking distance of the hotel.

World Cup

We stayed at the hotel during the World Cup 2018. The hotel made a lot of effort with regards to the guests enjoying the football. There were a lot of large sculpture relating to the World Cup around the hotel.

On one of the days Brazil were playing, There were live bands throughout the day and BBQ food etc in area’s around the pool which did not usually serve food. Everyone was having the most amazing time.

When it was time for the game a large room was set up with large screen, buffet food, waiter service, bar service and cocktail station. Almost every seat in the room was taken. The whole room was going crazy when Brazil scored a goal. They played Switzerland that day and drew 1 all.

We had met some Brazilian couples so spent the day with them even though they couldn’t speak English and we couldn’t speak Spanish/Portuguese but through google translator we got by. This was one of the best days we had at the hotel. When the game was over the room quickly emptied and although Brazil did not win the party still carried on,

We went to watch England play on one of the days which was quite a contrast to the Brazilian game. The large room was set up again as it was with the Brazilian game but we were the only English guests in the hotel so there wasn’t many people watching the game although it did come with an advantage we worked out that their were 2 waiters to each person watching. Plus point on one hand but the down side was drinks were flowing extremely quickly lol. Did not see much of the evening that day.

Summary

We did experience some very heavy downpours through out our stay but they were short lived and did not spoil our holiday. We did have one day when it rained most of the day. June is one of the wettest months here so did expect some rain. The weather was mainly hot, sunny and around the pool weather.

We were travelling to various detitanations in Brazil and wanted an all inclusive beach holiday in between. We did not venture out of our hotel apart from on the beach during our stay as we had been sightseeing in other destinations prior to this hotel and was going to further destinations of interest after. For what we wanted from the hotel and location this was a very good choice. The only downside was that there wasn’t many English speaker guests at the hotel. Many of the staff also struggled with English. We did try and use a bit of Spanish but unfortunately our Spanish isn’t good enough at the moment. If we venture back to Brazil hope our Spanish has improved.

Images

Forte beach
Pool Scene
Pool bar
World Cup 2018
World Cup 2018
World Cup 2018
Brazil playing in the World Cup
England playing in the World Cup
Cocktail bar in function room for the football games.
Brazilian singers, dancers and footballers
Friends with the locals
Show cooking in Mai Tai restaurant
Buffet restaurante
Meal at Beach Bar

Things to do

Dink a Caipirinha
Visit one of the wonderful beaches
Visit the Tamar Project
Try scuba diving
Do some snorkelling.
Try the local cuisines

Top Tips

If visiting anywhere in Brazil try the Caipirinha cocktail it is amazing
Tamar Project is a Turtle Sanctuary which is a short drive away although we did not go there it does seem a worth a visit for a worthy cause.
Watching the World Cup in Brazil was amazing if you are going to go to Brazil the year it is the World Cup do it then.
This is not a main tourist destination for many countries so be aware that many will not speak English.
Check out the best time of year for weather as some months have a lot of rain. Hurricane season is from June to November.
Check out the Government information before travelling to Brazil https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/brazil/safety-and-security
Check out other destinations we have visited in Brazil. Please click on the following links Rio de Janeiro , Foz Do Iguacu
If going out of the resorts be aware that there is a high risk of mugging and pick pocketing especially in El Salvador.

Weather

Bangkok

Posted on March 23, 2021June 5, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Bangkok is the capital of Thialand and home to the Grand Palace.

Bangkok is also the most populated city in Thialand. Bang is a Thia word which means “village on a stream”

Travelling to Bangkok

We flew to Bangkok on the 30th December 2017 from Heathrow via Kuala Lumper. Basically we had to do this journey due to using Mike’s staff Travel. Although it was a bit of a journey it was worth it as we got Business Class seats. Also we were able to have access to the Executive lounges in both Leeds and Bradford Airport and Heathrow.

Accommodation

We stayed at the Navalai River Hotel which has the name suggests is on the river. There is a stop for the waterbus directly outside the hotel which you can get to through the hotel. The hotel was very clean and service was exceptional. The rooms were decorated to a good standard with all toiletries included. We found that the hotel was ideally situated for what we needed. The cost of the hotel at the time of booking was £70 per night which we thought was a good price for the standard of hotel.

Also the hotel has a roof top swimming pool which we didn’t have time to use. Although it was a small swimming pool it looked nice and very inviting.

Site Seeing

On our first day of arrival we decided to go for a walk. As we walked out of the hotel we were stopped by a man on a Tut tut who offered to ride us to some areas of interest for a small charge. We excepted his offer and he took us to where he said was of interest (which was a small sort of temple) and to a tailor’s which he did not say he was going to take us there. Afterwards we had a bit of a struggle getting him to take us back to our hotel without buying anything from the shop but he finally agreed.

Kao San Road

During the evening we walked down Kao San Road which is a famous street known for bars and street food. Some of the street food was very strange fried scorpions on sticks, fried crickets on sticks etc. Also there were venders selling more traditional Thai food like Pad Thai at very low cost. Some of the bars were put up purely at night. They would bring the tables and chairs and drinks on a small cart and set up a bar.

Significantly bigger bars had live music in them and cost a lot more than the smaller bars but still at a reasonable cost. We did go in one small bar where all drinks were served in buckets. We got a vodka and coke bucket at a cost of £2.50 which went straight to our heads. Kao San Road is buzzing with people drinking , eating and even shopping all night long.

Bangkok Palace

We caught the waterbus from our hotel to Bangkok Palace. Unfortunately we were not aware that both males and females had to cover shoulders and legs so we were not prepared but they did sell clothing to cover up with at the palace.

Certainly the clothes are not very flattering clothing so ensure you take your own. Eventually when you have paid in to the Palace and you are covered up you can wonder around at your leisure. Hence we were there a good few hours as there is so much to see and take in. It is the most spectacular building we have ever seen .

If you ever go to Bangkok then the Palace is a definitely must see. Make sure you have your phone/Camera fully charged as you will want to take a lot of photo’s.

There is also guards similar to our guards at Buckingham Palace which is interesting to watch when they do their march. Not sure if they minded having a photo taken as with our Palace guards they don’t say anything.

Wat Arun

Also we caught the waterbus to Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn) which is not far from the palace. Although this is a much smaller place to look round it is very impressive. As this was a hot day we went to a near by street to get a cold drink on our way we noticed a little alley way where an elderly couple were cooking and selling Pad Thai.

We decided that we would go in to their little place and have something to eat. It was the most amazing Pad Thai we have ever tasted. It cost 50p including a drink. If we had have had more time in Bangkok we would have gone back there for the Pad Thai.

Summary

Bangkok is a truly amazing place with a lot to offer people of all ages . Bangkok is a colourful and vibrant city with such ornate buildings and so many places of interest. Because we were only here for a couple as we were on our way to Koh Sumui we did not enough time to see and do everything we wanted to do. We will definitely be going back to Bangkok at sometime.

Images

Koa San Road
£2.50 Bucket of Vodka and coke
Lovely clothes we had to buy to go in to the Palace
Grand Palace
Grand Palace
Grand Palace
Grand Palace
Grand Palace
Guards at Grand Palace
Grand Palace
Wat Arun
Wat Arun
Eating street food Pad Thai
Boat trip on the Chao Phraya River

Things to do

Visit Bangkok Grand Palace
Take a boat trip along the Chao Phraya River
Visit Koa San Road
Sample the street food
Visit one of the large markets
Visit Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn)

Top Tips

Take clothes to cover up if going to the Grand Palace.
Ensure camera and phone are changed up as there are so many photo opportunities.
Try the genuine street food which is amazing.
Kao San Road is a great place to visit for nightlife.
Our hotel was on the river which made it easy to travel to various places via the waterbus.
Do not under estimate the amount of wonderful places there are to see in Bangkok allow enough time.
Don’t be put off by stories of how seedy Bangkok is. Of course there are some seedy areas which we did not see but the beauty of Bangkok and the places to see far out way this.
Check out Government information before visiting Bangkok https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/safety-and-security
Check out other destinations we have visited in Thailand. Please click on the following link Koh Samui
Check out chart below for best time to visit Bangkok

Images

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	32	33	34	35	34	33	33	33	32	32	31	31
Low Temp	21	23	25	26	26	26	26	26	25	25	24	21
Rainfall	10	10	50	110	180	180	180	170	220	190	40	10
Number of days	2	2	5	8	17	18	19	21	22	16	5	2

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Dubai

Posted on March 22, 2021June 5, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Dubai is the most populated place in the United Arab Emirates.

Dubai is home to the tallest building in the world The Burj Khalifa. It has also one of the lowest crime rates in the world and is considered one of the safest places in the world.

Travelling to Dubai

We travelled to Dubai from Heathrow Airport in the month of April. This holiday had been won in a raffle with British Airways therefore we were able to travel Business Class. Also included in the prize was entrance to the executive lounge prior to flying. We were picked up from Dubai airport via a private transfer in a luxury car. The transfer from the Airport was around 35 minutes. April was a good time to visit Dubai as the weather was warm but not too hot as with the summer months.

Accommodation

We stayed at Jumeirah Emirates Towers which was a lovely hotel. Surprisingly we were in a Premier Deluxe Room with a view of Dubai. The rooms were very spacious with added luxury. Additionally There was an outdoor swimming pool where you could also buy light and bites and drinks both alcoholic and none alcoholic. Towels were provided by the hotel for around the Pool. Although it was quite small we never had any problems getting a sun lounger. There were no issues within the hotel of having to cover up. We wore shorts and T Staying most days. The breakfast in the hotel was amazing with such a vast choice. Undoubtedly there was something for everyone at Breakfast. The hotel provides a full English Breakfast and boasts that some of its ingredients come from UK farms. Continental Breakfasts were also provided along with many other interesting things to eat.

Sister Hotel

Jumeirah Towers has a sister hotel (Jumeirah Beach). There is a free shuttle service from Jumeirah towers to Jumeirah beach which runs several times a day. The Jumeirah beach hotel has its own private beach and overlooks the most iconic hotel in Dubai the Burg Al Arab AKA the Sail. which is the worlds only 7 star hotel. Jumeirah beach is a man made beach which was previously known has Miami beach. It was lovely to spend days on this beach with such luxury and amazing sun sets.

Irish Village

On an evening we occasionally went to The Irish Village which was a short taxi away from our hotel. The Irish village has live entertainment every evening. Everywhere you go drinks are expensive in Dubai compared to in the UK and the Irish Village is no exception.

Regardless of this the food here was a lot cheaper than other places in Dubai. Also you can sit in doors at the village but most all the entertainment is outside and this is where you need to be to experience the buzz of the place.

Dubai Brunch

When in Dubai it is recommended to go to a Friday brunch (2-3 hours) if you like good food and a range of alcoholic and none alcoholic drinks. The cost of the brunches range from £35 to £300 depending on where you go. Hence we went to The Hive Warehouse brunch with cost around £70 per person. Although this may sound a bit expensive but as drinks and food are expensive in Dubai the cost of this brunch wasn’t.

The staff serving at the brunch were predominately from the Philippines. All the members of staff were so friendly, attentive and helpful. During the brunch the waiters did not wait until you finished a drink before they asked you what your next drink was. They drinks recommended drinks and brought them to try. Consequently we had a least 4 drinks lined up at one point (a bit greedy we know but it is a brunch). There was such a good choice of food to suite everyone’s taste from sea food platters to burger and chips. Overall the drinks and food was so varied and in plenty of supply.

Burj Khalifa

When in Dubai it is a must to go to the Burj Khalifa which boasts a number of world records and took over 122 million man hours and 6 years to build.

Tallest building in the world
Highest number of stories in the world (160)
Highest outdoor observatory deck in the world
The longest elevator in the world

Before travelling to Dubai we were informed that there are area’s where females need to cover up therefore when we went to the Burj Khalifa I wore a long dress and covered my shoulders. When we got there most tourists including women had shorts and tshirts on. Fortunately I (Debbie) had put shorts and tshirt under the dress just in case.

The entrance to go up the Burj Khalifa is in a mall with eating places and shops. The queue is quite lengthy to go up in the elevator but worth the queue. Once in the lift you can sense how fast it goes (10 meters per second) which is amongst the fattest in the world. The views are amazing once you reach the top. There are various viewing areas to see Dubai from different angles. After 6pm the

Dubai Fountain

The Dubai fountain is outside of the Burj Khalifa just a few minutes walk. Dubai fountains run every 30 minutes every day from 6pm – 11pm and lasts around 5 minutes. The fountain is absolutely spectacular and a must see when in Dubai. Over 6600 lights light up the fountain which change colour. The fountain shoots up water to over 500ft high.

Nightlife

Finally we visited a lively beach bar (forgot the name) one evening with great music. The clientele were mainly young ex pats but we still enjoyed it even though we appeared to be the oldest people in there . Especially the cocktails although they were quite strong A ex collegue and his wife had gone to live in Dubai so we met up with them at this bar on their recommendation. It was a very westernized bar with most dressed as they would do in any bar. The skyscrapers of Dubai overlooked the beach bar .

Summary

Before travelling to Dubai we were a bit apprehensive after hearing some of the horror stories of people been put in prison for public displays of affection, not been married, not covering up etc. Also we like to enjoy a cocktail or two or three or more when we are on holiday so we were also a bit worried about the rules on consuming alcohol. Fortunately we need not have worried about the above.

All the myths we had heard were totally dismissed. Of course if you don’t respect the country and their culture you may get in to trouble but we never experienced any problem as we were aware of this . We would strongly recommend anyone to visit this most amazing place

Images

Irish Village
Irish Village
Irish Village at night
Beach Bar
Burg Al Arab AKA The Sail
Jumeirah Beach
Burg Al Arab AKA The Sail
Bottom of Burj Khalifa
View from Burj Khalifa
View from Burj Khalifa
Outside Burj Khalifa
Bottomless brunch

Things to do

Go to the Irish Village
Go up the Burj Khalifa
Go to a bottomless brunch
Go to Jumeirah beach to see the Burg Al Arab AKA the Sail
Visit a mall
Watch the Dubai fountain show.

Top Tips

Ladies take clothing to cover up when necessary. You cant enter malls if you don’t
Check out the Friday brunches which are good value considering the cost of food and drink in Dubai
Sharing an hotel room with someone you are not married to is a crime in Dubai be aware of this.
There is no issue with drinking alcohol in places such has hotels and specialist bars but don’t drink alcohol outside of these premises.
Check out Government website for information before travelling to Dubai https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/united-arab-emirates/safety-and-security
Dubai can get extremely hot especially in the summer months this can be unbearable to walk around. Check out the temperatures below when deciding to visit Dubai
Be aware of the countries culture. If you respect the culture and abide by the countries rules you will have a great time

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	23	24	27	32	37	38	40	41	38	35	31	26
Low Temp	14	15	17	20	24	26	29	30	27	23	19	16
Rainfall	10	40	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	20
Number of days	6	4	6	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	4

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Jamaica

Posted on March 22, 2021June 5, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Jamaica is famed for the birthplace of reggae music

The country came under the spanish rule in 1494 until 1655 when England conquered the island. Jamaica achieved independence August 1962.

Travelling to Jamaica

We flew to Jamaica on the 8th September for a 10 night all-inclusive holiday in Runaway Bay. Staying at Bahia Principe Grand Jamaica. As we used British Airways staff travel we booked the flights separate to the hotel. The hotel cost £650 each for the 10 days which we thought was good value. Because BA didn’t fly to Montego Bay direct we flew from Gatwick into Kingston Airport. Fortunately we managed to get nice business class seats on the plane which was a lovely treat, Especially having a glass of champagne before the plane even takes off. Also we booked a private transfer to our hotel which cost around £100 return. The journey is approximately 1½ hours long from the airport to Runaway Bay.

Hurrican Irma

Unfortunately Hurricane Irma, which at the time was the second costliest hurricane and the most powerful hurricane on record in the open Atlantic region, had hit the Caribbean just 2 days before. Undoubtedly the hurricane caused catastrophic damage to many of the Caribbean islands and also tragically resulted in many deaths. Consequently when we were landing the winds were very strong. Hence we spoke to the cabin crew who informed us that the pilot at one stage had been refused permission to land, but due to some skillful negotiation from the pilots we were finally allowed to land. After our flight had managed to land all of the other flights landing or taking off that day were cancelled or diverted.

Although we had booked a private transfer on meeting the driver we were informed that we would have to wait for two more couples before we could head off. However we had to wait for a long time for another couple who did not show up – we assumed that they were on another flight that had been cancelled. Finally we set-off on the journey to the hotel which did not take too long despite it being a fair distance away.

Accommodation

.
We stayed at the Bahia Principe Luxury Runaway Bay in the adults only area of the hotel. It is very big complex with many bars and restaurants. This is classed as a 4 star hotel but we felt it deserved an higher star rating. The rooms have traditionally styled furniture. We were in a junior suit which also had a jacuzzi bath which was relaxing. According to our booking we had booked a garden view room but unfortunately there was no garden to look upon just staff entrance. Also we were on the top floor under the lightning conductor. On one occasion lightning struck and the room lit up like a ball of fire. Consequently we were scared everytime it started lightning and considered asking to be changed rooms.

Food and Drink

There are 4 a la Carte restaurants Steakhouse, Italian, Gourmet and Japanese (You have to book these in advance). Additionally you are able to eat at 3 of the a la Carte’s per week which is good compared to some all inclusive. Shortly after we had arrived we were advised to book the a la Carte Restaurants which we did. Despite some of the negative views we found the food excellent. Especially the jerk chicken which was our favourite dish. We did notice a group of people every lunch time the whole of the group were on their phones constant in the beach restaurant whilst having a meal. We found this quite amusing and did not understand why they had come on holiday to not even talk to one another.

24 hours a day you can find somewhere that will serve food. Occasionally when we had returned from the late bar we would order room service. Although The room service menu isn’t extensive (pizza, sandwiches, nacho’s etc) it is enough.

Throughout the day there are several places around the hotel to serving a variety of food. Unquestionably you will never go hungry at this hotel lol.

Also there are lots of different pools to choose from with several swim up pool bars. Throughout our stay we spent most of the pool time at the adults only pool where it was a party scene everyday. Undeniably this was the place to be to meet people and have some fun during the day.

When you needed to get to one part of the complex to another and it is a distance there are golf buggies to take you around the complex if you need them. Especially if you have any mobility issues this is a good facility to have on a large complex.

Beaches

Because of Hurrican Irma for the first few days of our stay the beaches were out of bounds due to high water levels and some strong winds from the tail-end of the passing hurricane, however these died down and we were able to walk on the lovely white sands and paddle in the little coves where there were many fish.

Though the hurricane had caused a lot of damage it was not evident at this hotel. Surprisingly the beach and the grounds of the hotel were immaculate.

Entertainment

During the evenings there was a wide variety of entertainment ranging from live Jamaican bands to Karoke and a nightclub. There is a large Amphitheatre that hosts shows each night. The cocktails in the piano bar were made from fresh ingredients and they really did taste delightful.

Whenever we went out of an evening we seemed to not come home until the nightclub had finished lol. Therefore we had to get the golf buggy back to our rooms as I think we would have got lost if we hadn’t have.

There are plenty of activities and entertainment during the day and at night to keep everyone happy including a children’s club.

Dunn’s River Falls

The only excursion we went on was to Dunn’s River Falls which is the world famous landmark of Jamaica. The Falls are 180ft high and 600ft long and you can walk up to the top starting on the beach. Obviously it is a tourist hotspot so they recommend you get there early when it is not too busy. Certainly you will need water shoes If you do have any do take them with you, or you can buy them when you are there – you will need them to be able to climb the Falls.

The white sands of the Caribbean Sea are the first thing you see before climbing up the waterfall. You pay to enter the Falls area and this includes the guided tour navigating the Falls. The guides help you climb/walk up to the top by getting everyone in the group to form a human chain. Because it is very slippy in parts so you do need to be careful, although you will have no problem with your water shoes on.

Although is high the walk up it is not too steep therefore it isn’t too difficult to climb . There are little pools along the way where the water is lovely and cool to have a quick bathe in. The walk takes about 1½ hours. There are gift shops and a café / bar at the top of the waterfall and somewhere to get changed and dried off. It is a great experience and we would really recommend that you give it a try if you are visiting Jamaica.

Summary

Having experienced the island we would strongly recommend visiting Jamaica. The people are friendly, the beaches and hotel were beautiful and the hotel provided a truly fantastic experience. We met lots of people of various nationalities and created some very fond memories of Jamaica. We will definitely be going back to Jamaica at some point as we loved it and there a lot of things we didn’t manage to see or do. Also one of our phones got wet and we lost some of our photo’s therefore it would be nice to go back and get some more photo memories.

Images

Dunn’s River falls
Beach Bar
Beach at Ocho Rios
Dunn’s River falls
Dunn’s River Falls
Dunn’s River Falls
Pool Scene
Pool Scene

Things to do

Climb Dunn’s River Falls.
Visit Rick’s Cafe and Dive off cliff if you dare. Many tourists and locals do.
Try the local cuisine especially the Jerk Chicken it is amazing.Grenada
Take a boat trip and snorkel
Do river rafting
Do river tubing

Top Tips

Buy water shoes before going to Dunn’s River Falls as they are cheaper elsewhere.
Book an hotel where you can have a good time without leaving the complex much as some areas are deemed unsafe for tourists.
Book excursions with hotel or rep if possible.
Some people went to local bars with a recommended driver. We didn’t do this as we did not find out the was safe until end of our holiday but would have if we had known earlier.
Check Government website before travelling to Jamaica https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/jamaica .
Be aware of hurricane season when booking which runs from June to November.
Check temperature and rainfall on chart below for best time to visit Jamaica.
Check out other destinations in the Caribbean we have visited. Please click on the following links Cuba , Mexico , Dominica , Antigua , Grenada , St Lucia , St Maarten, Barbados , Martinique

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	28	28	29	29	30	31	33	33	31	30	29	29
Low Temp	21	21	22	22	23	24	24	24	24	24	23	22
Rainfall	70	30	30	60	80	80	60	80	110	130	120	100
Number of days	12	8	9	9	13	11	10	12	14	15	14	12

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Singapore

Posted on March 22, 2021June 5, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Singapore has 3 times as many visitors annual than that of the whole population.

Singapore has 4 main languages with English being the most widely spoken.

Travelling to Singapore

After having a wonderful time in Vietnam we flew into Singapore’s Changi airport on 17th January 2018 – a super modern airport that is kept extremely clean. We quickly found our transfer driver and within 30 minutes or so we arrived outside the entrance to the Village Hotel Albert Court.

Accommodation

The Village Hotel Albert Court is in a pleasant hotel located in the Bras Basah Bugis precinct close to Rochor and Little India MRT stations. Consequently we found it to be a good location right in the heart of the city. Additionally we had chosen to stay in a club room which included breakfast and access to club lounge, with free drinks and snacks each evening which we enjoyed each day! The rooms are modern and very clean with fresh towels provided daily. Basically the club lounge is the lobby lounge which is a small bar serving cocktails and drinks. The access to the club lounge included snacks, chicken skewers, spring rolls, potato dishes and pastries. Drinks were provided free of charge in the club lounge from 6pm – 8pm. Breakfast had plenty of choice which was more than enough to see us through to lunch.

We were very fortunate that the weather was very good throughout our stay as January is one of the wettest months in Singapore. We did however experience one down pour which was short lived. Our hotel did not have its own swimming pool but had a sister hotel which was near by where you could use the swimming pool. As the temperature was quite warm around 30 degrees we went to the Golden Landmark Hotel to use the swimming pool. It was extremely quiet with only us in the pool most of the time we were there. The pool was lovely and water service was very quick and efficient.

Location

As we arrived fairly late in the day so we just walked to a local store to buy some drinks and food and took these back to the room. After a welcome sleep and a decent breakfast it was time to head off around the city and explore. Firstly we walked across to Rochor station and took a train 3 stops to Bayfront. Afterwards we had a wander around the Marina Bay Sands shopping centre and outside through to the Waterfront Promenade.

Also we decided to take a nosey at the rather swanky Marina Bay Sands Singapore Hotel. It’s an amazing structure comprising three main towers joined together by a single structure across the top. Inside you can purchase tickets to visit the observation deck and enjoy the view across the whole of the city.

Botanic Gardens

We walked through the Marina Bay Sands Singapore Hotel to the Botanic Gardens which are absolutely amazing. It was a beautiful day which made it more enjoyable.

So much to see and take in at the Gardens that you could spend a full day there. Lots of giant sculptures and viewing decks so you can see how stunning the gardens are.

The gardens are immaculately kept and very iconic for Singapore. We spent quite a lot of time here as not only is there so much to see and admire but lots of photo opportunities. If in Singapore the Botanic Gardens are a must see.

Nightlife

On an evening we either went to the bars at Clarke Quay or the bars at Ann Siang Club Street. The Clarke Quay bars are basically bars in a shopping center. Although they served nice drinks and was very busy at Clarke we felt that the atmosphere was not up to much. The drinks were also very expensive.

The bars at Ann Siang Club Street varied from bar to bar and also did the prices. There were so many bars to chose from and although not has busy as the bars at Clarke Quay we felt the atmosphere was better. There was live music in some of the bars which added to the atmosphere. We definitely preferred Ann Siang Club Street but may be younger people would prefer Clarke Quay.

Places to eat

There are so many places to eat in Singapore but we enjoyed the food in Little India and China Town especially during the day as the streets were buzzing with lots to choose from. The food was also very cheap compared to the hotels and larger restaurants but of course the surroundings were of a lower standard. The food was very authentic and of a good standard considering the price.

Summary

Singapore is a lovely place to visit with so much to see and do. Definitely need more time than the few days we were there. We will definately go back again to Singapore on a stop over to another destination.

Images

China Town
China Town
Dragon Fruit
Little India
Marina Bay Sands with Skypark on top
Marina Bay Sands with Skypark on top
Botanic Gardens
Botanic Gardens
Botanic Gardens
Botanic Gardens
Botanic Gardens
Botanic Gardens
Botanic Gardens
Clark Quay

Things to do

Visit Botanic Gardens
Visit Marina Bay Sands Skypark.
Visit China town
Visit Raffles hotel
Visit Little India
Visit Clark Quay
Visit Ann Siang Club Street

Top Tips

Botanic Gradens is a must see if visiting Singapore
Ensure your hotel is in a good location to see and do the things you want to.
Clarke Quay has amazing bars and shopping centre.
Ann Siang Club Street is definitely worth a visit with a variety of bars and live music.
Visit Little India and China Town to experience the buzz of the places and the4 authentic food.
Many people visit Singapore has a stop over to another destination if you plan your itinerary before you go you be able to se4e a lot in a short space of time.
Check out government website before travelling to Singapore https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/singapore/safety-and-security.
Check out the weather below for best time to visit Singapore.

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	30	31	31	31	31	31	31	31	31	31	30	29
Low Temp	23	24	24	24	25	24	24	24	24	24	24	23
Rainfall	238	155	174	166	171	163	150	171	163	191	250	269
Number of days	18	13	17	20	19	19	19	20	18	21	25	25

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Hong Kong

Posted on March 2, 2021June 5, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Hong Kong is home to the famous landmarks the Big Budda and The Peak

Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places in the world. It has over 8 million residence in a 426 square mile territory.

Travelling to Hong Kong

We travelled to Hong Kong in the month October flying from Heathrow. This was our first destination as we were on our way to Bali. We had booked a private transfer from the airport which was quick and easy. The journey took around 25 minutes from the Airport to the hotel Bishop Lei International house.

Accommodation

Bishop Lei International House is 20-30 minute walk from the centre of Hong Kong and tourist attractions. The hotel was quite basic but met our needs for the time we were in Hong Kong. When we arrived at the hotel the bedding had something unpleasant on it. When we informed reception they upgraded us to a superior room free of charge. The room was still basic but had an amazing view with window from floor to ceiling. We booked a room that included breakfast which was worth booking as there was always something nice to eat. The staff at the hotel were very pleasant and spoke excellent English.

The hotel is up a lot of Hills. Although you can get escalators some of the way there is still a lot of hills to climb. Hong Kong is not a place to visit should you have any difficulties walking as it is very hilly and involves a lot of walking to see the sites and explore the city. There are escalators taking you from one level to another level in the streets though.

Close by to the hotel there are some restaurants and bars. There is also a couple of supermarkets where you can buy most things from.

Places to visit

We queued for 40 minutes to take the tram up to the peak where views of Hong Kong were spectacular. At the top of the peak there are shops and eating places where you can spend as much time as you like. There are also many places to walk to to gain different views of Hong Kong.

We also visited the Big Budda. To get to the Big Budda you need to take a train and a cable car. Although the cable car was still working when we got to the Big Budda we were informed it was closed but a very kind security guard allowed us to go up to the Big Budda. We had had a very heavy drinking night the night before the trip which was not a good idea as we did not get out of bed until mid afternoon.

Nightlife

We were advised that Lan Kwai Fong is the busiest nightlife area. Nightlife in Hong Kong is very good but drinks are very expensive costing around £20 for two pints of beer. Although we did notice a lot of younger people drinking bottles of drinks Cider, Beer, Wicked etc. Consequently we questioned how they could afford to do this when they were so expensive. Then we noticed then that they were going to the 7 Elleven store at the end of the street purchasing the drinks then standing outside bars to drink them. The drinks at the 7 Elleven were a fraction of the cost. On our last night in Hong Kong we decided to do the same and saved a lot of money.

Also we went to Nathan Road which is also known as the Golden Mile. The streets were so busy well in to the night. There were lots of street artists which gained a lot of crowd following. There are many restaurants and shops lining the road to suite all tastes of cuisines.

Places to eat

There is a near by night market which is full of interesting things for sale that you would not find anywhere else. There are lots of street food eating places at the night market. We eat at a very small eating place on the outside skirts of the night market. The food was good and exceptionally cheap compared to other places to eat in Hong Kong.

We went to 188 degrees restaurant which is a lovely restaurant over looking Victoria harbor. The restaurant is on the 41st floor of the Grand Harbour hotel in North Point. The restaurant served modern European food. The views are spectacular therefore the prices reflected the stunning surroundings and good quality food.

Summary

There are so many things to see in do in Hong Kong which we didn’t get chance as we were only there 3 nights on our way to Bali. 5 nights here would have been ideal as we would have been able to see a lot more. We will definitely return to Hongkong if things are safe enough to do so. Should we visit again it would probably be another stop other on our way to another destiantion.

Images

Kaloon Park
View from Victoria Peak
View from Victoria Peak
View from Victoria Peak
Cable car to Tian Tan Buddha
Cable car to Tian Tan Buddha
Tian Tan Big Buddah
Steps to Tian Tan
Offerings of the Six Devas
Nathan Road
Lan Kwai Fong

Things to do

Visit the Big Buddha
Go up the Peak
Visit Lan Kwai Fong for nightlife
Visit a market
Visit Thousand Buddhas Monastery
Visit Nathan Road

Top Tips

Visit the Big Buddha it is a must when in Hong Kong.
The Peak is also worth a visit as you get amazing views of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong is very hilly therefore if you have mobility issues be aware of this.
Drinks are very expensive in the main area’s of Hong Kong but not has expensive away from popular area’s.
Public transport is good in Hong Kong therefore you can get most places easy and at a low cost.
Check out the government website before visiting Hong Kong https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/hong-kong/safety-and-security
Check out weather below for best time to travel to Hong Kong.

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	18	20	22	26	29	30	31	31	29	28	24	20
Low Temp	13	15	17	21	23	26	26	26	25	24	19	14
Rainfall	21	33	45	112	158	237	252	281	166	41	22	21
Number of days	6	9	10	11	115	19	17	17	14	8	6	4

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Rio de Janeiro

Posted on March 2, 2021December 14, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Rio De Janeiro is the 6th most populated place in the Americas.

It was founded by the Portuguese in 1565. Rio de Janeiro was the capital of Brazil until 1960 when the capital changed to Brasilia

Travelling to Rio De Janeiro

In the month of June we travelled to Rio De Janeiro. We were fortunate enough to fly on British Airways in Business Class using staff travel from Heathrow Airport. As we were boarding the plane we noticed 2 armed police officers with a man in handcuffs it was clear that this man was being deported back to Brazil. Due to being in Business Class fortunately we were not sat anywhere near the Police or the man. The flight was around 11 hours 50 mins but did not seem that long as the cabin crew were very attentive and provided us with al a carte meals and lovely drinks. We arranged a private transfer which took about 25 minutes and cost £20 return.

Accommodation

Finally we arrived at Rio Othon Palace at Copacabana beach which we were staying at for 4 nights. The hotel was ideally situated on Avenue Alantica and we had an excellent view of the beach from our hotel room balcony. The hotel costs around £100 a night in June. The rooms are very clean and were adequate for our stay. Additionally there is a roof top pool which is small but again adequate. We didn’t go in the pool as we were only in Rio a short time and wanted to make the most of sight seeing.

Safety in Rio De Janeiro

Prior to visiting Rio we had been warned to be careful at night due to muggings so we were mindful of this when we went out for a walk on the first evening, but the streets were fairly busy and we didn’t encounter any problems. Please check out the government website for safety and security advice when visiting Rio https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/brazil/safety-and-security

Full day tour of Rio De Janeiro

Whilst we were walking around Rio De Janeiro we were approached by a tour guide who offered us a full days tour of Rio De Janeiro for £60 which seemed like a good deal. The guide showed us his ID and the company he worked for which all seemed good. The tour was even better than described, the guide spoke excellent English and was very informative.

San Corado Beach

Firstly we were picked up from outside our hotel and headed off to San Corado Beach where there were a number of hand gliders floating down from the Pedra da Gavea mountain. The San Corado Beach is famous for the hand gliding which is very popular with both tourists and locals. On the hills above the beach there is the largest Flavela of Rochinha.

National Park of Tijuca

Our next destination was the Tujica rainforest which was declared a National Park in 1961. Tijuca rainforest is described as the largest urban rainforest in the World but not sure if this is actual correct as other rainforest also tries to claim this title. A lot of the rainforest has already been cut down for development of Coffee and sugarcane farming. Fortunately due to its status has a National Park the rainforest will now be protected. Our guide showed us around the National Park providing us with information along the way. The National Park is beautiful and definitely worth a visit. From the National Park of Tijuca there were amazing views of the city to be seen. We also saw our first glimpse of Christ the Redeemer from here, looking spectacular in the distance.

Favelas

As the minibus took us around the city we saw a number of favelas which our tour guide told us were safe enough to walk through waving your I-phone around, but we weren’t too sure about that and so decided to give that a miss. The army vehicles situated right outside the entrances to the favelas didn’t give us any confidence either! Rochinha is the largest hill Favela in Rio and even in the whole of Brazil. During the World Cup of 2018 the Flavelas of Rio hit the headlines with regards to the drugs and the mistreatment of residence of the favelas whilst the stadiums were being built.

Christ the Redeemer

Finally we arrived at Christ the Redeemer which is the fourth largest statue of Jesus Christ in the World. The statue stands at over 2310ft tall. The minibus parked up and we then embarked on our walk up to the top. We were very excited to be seeing our first of the seven modern wonders of the world, and when the statue came into full view it didn’t disappoint. It was well worth the walk. It was pretty crowded up there and so getting a photo of the two of us without anyone else in was a challenge, but we finally managed to take one. Seeing the Christ the Redeemer was the highlight of the day.

Santa Teresa

After spending some more time admiring the wonderful views from the top, it was on to our next stop, the Santa Teresa neighbourhood. This was a very colourful village where all of the lamp-posts were brightly painted and was full of quirky buildings and artist’s studios. It also is home to a very interesting tram museum. We spent about an hour wandering round the narrow streets, before heading into the city to see the Serlaron Steps.

Selaron Steps

Our final destination was the Seleron Steps Selaron Steps, a beautiful set of tiled steps created by the Chilean artist Jorge Selaron as “my tribute to the Brazilian people”. The steps connect the neighbourhoods of Lapa and Santa Teresa. Selaron has added tiles from around 60 countries and there are now over 2,000 tiles added to the staircase. Apparently both U2 and Snoop Dogg have recorded music videos on the steps!

Cocabana Beach

The beautiful Cocabana beach is lovely and we walked on this most days and did not feel threatened but we were very cautious to keep our valuables safe. On one of the days there were 100’s of Santa’s, elves etc which was very strange in the middle of June but everyone seemed to be having a great time. It turned out that it was 25 years since Santa school started and May, June is the time they start growing their beards for the Christmas period (not 100% sure if this was the reason but this is what we were told).

Bars and Restaurants

The bars in Rio de Janeiro vary as in most places. You can find the usual cocktail bars where you pay around £5 a cocktail and around £2.60 a pint of beer. The smaller bars are cheaper with around £2.10 but not much choice of cocktails. Eating out in a mid – good range restaurant costs around £25 for two (Not including drinks). There are some bars that are just put up for the evening and are selling drinks from small carts. We sat at one of the carts and had a Caipirinha just to give the guy some custom. The drink was lovely and a lot cheaper than the bars. Many of the bars on the front were pretty quiet not sure if this was due to the time of year or if this was due to the risks of mugging etc.

Summary

Rio is an amazing place to visit with lots to see and do. We would recommend anyone to visit here. You have to be aware of the risks when walking around especially at night. We never came across anything that made us worried or felt threatened.

Images

Christ the Redeemer
Christ the Redeemer
Tyuca National Park
Tyuca National Park
Tyuca National Park
Sugarloaf Mountain
View of Rio de Jeneiro
Santa Teresa
Selaron Steps
Selaron Steps
Copacabana Beach
Copacabana Beach
View from hotel room of Copacabana Beach
Copacabana Beach at night
Copacabana Beach at night
Steet Parade of 100’s of Santa’s in June
Steet Parade of 100’s of Santa’s in June

Things to do

Visit Christ the Redeemer
Visit Sugarloaf Mountain
Visit the Selaron Steps
Visit Santa Teresa
Visit Copacabana Beach
Visit Tijuca National Park

Top tips

Book sightseeing with the hotel or a trusted tour guide. Our guide spoke good English and was very informative.
Keep as many of your valuables in the safe in the room as possible.
Be alert when walking on the beach and streets.
Try and avoid the beaches on an evening.
If going to see Christ the Redeemer try and avoid the busiest times as it is hard to get photo’s without a stranger in the picture.
Lots of photo opportunities so ensure camera and/or phone is fully charged.
We did not go to Sugarloaf Mountain which is accessible by cable car and we regret not having the time to do this.
Check out temperatures below for best times to visit Rio de Janeiro
Check out other destinations we have visited in Brazil. Please click on the following links Foz Do Iguacu, Praia do Forte
Check out the government safety advise before visiting Brazil. https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/brazil/safety-and-security

Borovets

Posted on March 2, 2021December 13, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Borovets is a sking resort on the slopes of the Rila Mountains

Travelling to Sofia

In the month of March we flew to Sofia from Manchester via Easy Jet. The journey from Sofia airport to Borovets is approximately 2 hours. We hired a private transfer which costs around £40 each (6 people were in our party). As we were going sking and it was winter the journey to Borovets was very stunning. The scenery on our journey was breath taking. With lovely lakes and mountains along the way.

Accommodation

We stayed at the Festa Winter Palace Hotel which is ideally situated in the center of Borovets close to ski runs and Ski lift. The hotel is one of the more expensive hotels in Borovets but it is also one of the best hotels. We stayed on a bed breakfast and evening meal basis. The food was buffet style service and always plenty to choose from. The hotel itself is beautiful inside and outside. The rooms are immaculate clean and decorated to a high standard. The service in the hotel was also excellent and nothing was too much trouble. When the hotel was lit up on an evening covered in snow it looked amazing. As we had gone at the end of the skiing season there was not as much snow as usually.

Skiing lessons in Manchester

This was our first time skiing therefore had taken a days lesson in an indoor ski and snowboard center in Manchester called “The Chill Factor”. It was a full day with lunch and refreshments provided which cost £175 each. As the snow is man made therefore is quite soft and light. The instructor was quite informative and seemed to teach us what we needed to know to give it a go on the slopes of Bulgaria. We were given a pack at the end of the course advising of what techniques we had learned and a Certificate of achievement.

Skiing in Borovets

We had gone to Borovets on the recommendation of a friend who had been skiing there on a number of occasions and was an excellent skier. Borovets is a lot cheaper than most popular skiing resorts with ski hire costing around £10 per day and lift pass around £5 per day.

Skiing lessons in Borovets

We were also introduced to a skiing instructor who was commonly known as “Mario” as he bares a strong resemblance to Mario of Mario brothers. He is an Olympic skier who represented Bulgaria in the 80’s. His real name is Christof. Kristof and his wife own the White Magic bar and restaurant. Mario also is a skiing and Snowboard instructor.

We had several lessons with Mario at £25 an hour for two of us which is excellent value. Although we had had a days lesson Mario took us back to basics and started from scratch. He did not agree with how we had been taught at the indoor ski slope. We had several lessons with Mario which helped us develop our skiing ability a lot quicker than our day lesson. As the snow in the indoor ski slope was man made it did not compare to the snow on the slopes which was often compounded to what was quite icy. The technique of the snow plough which was used in the indoor ski slope did not work on the icy snow.

Mario was an amazing instructor and made learning a lot of fun as he had a great sense of humour. We had a couple of hours lessons each day with Mario which was enough as it is quite hard work especially when you are learning.

Ski lifts

It was difficult to master the button lifts. They came round very fast and you had to sort of stand/sit on them but it was all good fun. The Gondola lift took you up to the top slopes where there were a lot of slopes for the more experienced skier and some smaller slopes.

Food and Drinks

We had a bailey’s/irish coffee/hot toddie in one of the cabins at the top of the slope which was delicious. It definitely warmed us up not sure how much alcohol was in there but did have a bit of an effect. Probably not the best thing to do when learning to ski. There were many cabin type bars that served food and drinks dotted about the slopes. One of the cabins served burger, chips and a pint of beer for £4. You could even change the beer for a glass of wine for the same price.

The apres-ski in Borovets is great with a lot of bars in a very short walking distance. During the seasons when the snow is a lot heavier you can ski from bar to bar. The age range of the people in the bars is predominantly people in their 20’s but that did not stop us having a great time. All the bars are very reasonably priced so does not cost a lot to have a good bar crawl. We often went to Mario’s bar “White Magic”. He would organize games in the bar which was great fun. One game was to hit a long nail into a large log with the wrong side of the hammer. May sound a bit strange but playing it in a big group after a few drinks was hilarious.

Night Skiing

For the more experienced skier’s you could do the night time ski which looked great but we were still only novices so had to give that a miss. You could also hire jet ski’s which looked great but due to going at the end of the season we were limited as to where you could use the jetski as there was not as much snow around.

Summary

At the end of our holiday in Borovets we were able to ski a lot better than before we went but still had to stick to the smaller slopes. We do intend to return to Borovets on another skiing holiday. It is a lovely place are far cheaper than a lot of other skiing resorts. We will also have more lessons from Mario (Kristof) if he is available.

Images

Fiesta Winter Gardens at night
Night Skiing
Learning to Ski

Things to do

Obviously go skiing
Try night skiing
Go snowboarding
Go Snowmobiling
Apres Ski

Top tips

Buy Ski wear pre worn for first time skiing as it may not be your thing.
We bought on ebay and got good makes of ski wear at a very good cost.
Base wear is cheap at many sports wear shops.
Accommodation is very cheap in Borovets but standard and location does vary, do your research.
We wasted our time with the indoor ski center at a cost of £175 each for a day which is not cheap. If possible go straight to an instructor in Borovets.
Check out the skiing season which is mid December to Early March.
Check out other destination we have visited in Bulgaria Sunny Beach

Snow Fall

Average Snow fall

December 13cm

January 26cm

February 22cm

March 33cm

Las Vegas

Posted on March 1, 2021December 13, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Las Vegas is well known for its gambling, shopping and nightlife.

Las Vegas is said to be the entertainment capital of the world.

Travelling to Las Vegas

In the month of September we had been to a few destinations in America. On our final destination we flew to Las Vegas from San Diego via American Airlines. This was an extremely short flight. Many people who had stayed in our hotel in San Diego hired a car and drove to Las Vegas as it was only a 4 hour drive. Our flight cost £25 each which was cheaper than renting a car.

Accommodation

We stayed at Caesars Palace which looked impressive from the moment we arrived. When we arrived we were offered an up grade for approximately £20 a night. We were in Las Vegas for 5 nights so we agreed to the £100 upgrade. We were than given a £50 voucher to spend in Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant which meant we had only paid £10 per night for the upgrade.

The room

When we got to our room we absolutely gob smacked by the shear size of the room. It had two extra large king sized beds in it. There was also a dinning and seating area. The widows were from floor to ceiling and over looked the Bellagio fountain. We would watch the formation of the fountain most days whilst having a cocktail or a drink in our room.

The Bathroom

The bathroom was equally impressive with a jacuzzi bath that was the biggest we had ever seen. There was also a 60 inch TV on the wall in the bathroom. The bathroom was actually bigger than a lot of hotel rooms we had stayed in.

Shopping Mall

Caesar’s Palace also has a shopping mall that appears to be open air but is actually under cover. The ceiling of the shopping mall is lit up and designed to look like the sky which does look very nice. It is a decent sized Mall with lots of designer shops

Pool Scene

The pool seen at Ceasar’s Palace is also impressive with several pools to choose from. However we found the drinks round the pool a bit pricey but it is to be expected in hotels of this standard. The Bali beds around the pool were chargeable but you did get your own butler. We did not see many people using this service. It was quite busy when we were at Ceasar’s Palace and if you were not round the pool early enough all the sun beds were taken.

Hotel grounds

Outside of the hotel there is a replica of the Trevi Fountain of Rome. When we were there a duck had nested with her chicks in the fountain they were so cute.

Casino’s

One of the main reason people go to Las Vegas is to gamble. Although we are not big gamblers ourselves we did go round a lot of the Casino’s to see what they were like and have a small gamble. The Casino are very interesting to go to and most of a theme and the decor and surroundings are in keeping with that theme. There are so many to see and all are very big inside so it is difficult in one stay in Vegas to actually see them all. Many of the Casino’s offer free food and drink if you are gambling.

We never were offered a free drink or food but we were told by others that this does happen. We didn’t mind as we did not stay in one Casino very long. Just walking down the street in Las Vegas you get the feel that it is the entrainment capital of the world.

There are so many Casino’s to choose from. One of the Casino’s had a diamond covered car belonging to Liberace which was very impressive. Las Vegas is so unique with the style of the hotels that you could mistake for being in other countries. From the Luxor (Egypt) to the Venetian (Italy). If we were to visit Las Vegas again which we are sure we will we are not sure how we would choose which hotel to stay in as they are all spectacular.

Dick’s Last Stand Bar

We went to the Excalibur Hotel and to Dick’s Last Stand Bar. If you are easily insulted then this is not the bar for you. We had been to the bar that they have in San Diego so we were aware of what to expect. The staff at the bar are very rude on purpose. They even make hats for you and put rude comments on them eg “I rub more balls than a gypsy”. It is a very fun bar to have a drink in. As we had spent time in the San Diego Dick’s Last Stand the jokes were not new to us.

Fremont Street

We caught a bus to the famous Fremont Street which is where the original Casino’s of Las Vegas are. Fremont Street is mainly undercover and has light shows each evening. There are a lot of other shows as well from Tribute acts to DJ’s. It wouldn’t be Vegas if we didn’t watch an Elvis tribute act. There are also many people in fancy dress who charge $1 dollar for you to take your photo with them. Some of them were dressed with nothing more than tape over there intimate parts. Fremont Street is not somewhere I would recommend for families to go to. It sure was an eye opener for us.

Zip Liner

There is a zip linner that shoots you out of a trap door and you fly down the full length of Fremont Street. They put your harness on and then you lay on a bed and are attached to the wires. The bed then lowers down and you are fired out of the door. It was a great experience and felt like you were actually flying.

Grand Canyon and Hoover Damn

One of the places we wanted to go see is the Grand Canyon . Previously we had spoken to some friends who had flown over the Grand Canyon in an helicopter which sounded very excited. We were told that this would cost £350 each to do this. For a once in life time experience this did not seem a bad price. As we like to travel a lot we are often on a bit of a budget therefore this was more than what we wanted to pay. We found an excursion via coach to Hoover Damn and Gran Canyon which cost £75 each. We were picked up at the hotel at around 6am and taken to a small place for breakfast (not included in the price).

Hoover Damn

The journey is quite long by coach but we stopped several times along the way. When we got to the Hoover Damn we had to go through security similar to at an airport. We were informed by our tour guide that the Hoover Damn is a big terrorist target as it is the biggest reservoir in the United States. The Dam’s generator’s provide power to Nevada, Arizona and California. We were given a short time to wander around the Dam and take photo’s before heading back to the coach. The Hoover Dam is a big tourist attraction it attracts over a million visitors each year.

Grand Canyon

We then return to the coach to the Grand Canyon stopping along the way at a little village for lunch. When we arrived at the Grand Canyon we were given time to walk round and take photo’s. Due to the size of the Grand Canyon we were driven to various viewing points. At each point there is opportunity to get food, drinks and visit bathroom. We went in September to the Grand Canyon and it was very hot so you need to drink plenty of water. The Grand Canyon is spectacular and even more impressive than seen on TV.

One of the things we were surprised to see is that there was actually houses at the bottom of the Canyon. Not only did we see house we even noticed a couple of cars (not sure how they got there). We did see people white water rafting in parts of the Canyon. If we had had enough time we would have liked to have done this. At the viewing points there is also native Indians who dance and request payment for photo opportunities. We had our photo with them and paid the small amount they were requesting.

Tipping

It was a very long day approximately 12 hours but definitely worth doing. There was so much to see and although we were given plenty of time for photo opportunities etc the time seemed to go so quickly. Our guide was very humorous and informative which made the whole experience better. When we were dropped off at the drop off point we were told by the tour operator that we should give $15 each to the Driver/Guide. Although he was great we thought that we should have had an option as to how much we should give considering we had already paid for the tour.

Summary

We had such a great time in Las Vegas but did not do everything that we wanted to do. We will definitely be going back there in the too distant future.

View from hotel room
Pool scene Ceasars Palace
Pool Ceasars Palace
Trevi Fountain replica Ceasars Palace
Ducklings in Trevi Fountain replica
Bellagio Fountain
Bellagio Fountain
Luxor hotel
New York, New York hotel
Freemont Street
Harnessed up ready for Zip linner
Hoover Dam
Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon

Things to do

Try your look in the Casino’s
Even if you don’t want to gamble go and have a look round.
Visit Freemont Street
Visit the Hoover Dam
Visit the Grand Canyon
Go to Dick’s Last Stand bar in the Excalibur

Top Tips

Take water, sunscreen, hat and sunglasses when going to Grand Canyon if going in hot months.
Visit Fremont Street.
Have a look round other hotels and Casino’s
Shop around for tours as they vary so much in price.
Research your hotel before booking to ensure it meet you/families needs.
See chart below for best time to visit Las Vegas.
Check out other places in America we have visited Washington DC , Miami , Los Angeles , New York
Check out safety and security advice when visiting America https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	14	17	21	26	31	38	41	39	35	28	19	14
Low Temp	1	4	7	11	16	21	23	23	19	12	6	1
Rainfall	13	11	10	5	5	5	11	14	8	6	11	8
Number of days	6	6	5	3	3	3	5	6	3	3	5	4

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Agadir

Posted on March 1, 2021December 13, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Morocco’s economy relies heavily on tourism and fishing.

Marrakech and Agadir are the main tourist destinations in Morocco

Travelling to Agadir

We flew to Morocco on the 2nd of September 2018 with family and friends. We flew with Air Moroc which unknown to us a dry plane. During the trip on of our friends was turning 50 year’s young and hence we were all in good mood ready for a celebration. When we boarded the plane and noticed we could not have a drink we were somewhat disappointed! Some of the other passengers obviously knew about this and were drinking alcohol they had purchased from duty free (you would never catch us doing such a thing!). The plane was not very full so we had plenty of room to stretch our legs and move about. Not sure if this was due to it being a dry plane or, more likely, the time of year that we travelled.

Accommodation

We had chosen to stay at the Atlas Amadil Beach Hotel in Agadir on an all-inclusive basis. We were a party of 6 adults and 3 children aged 5, 4 and 4 months. The hotel was ideally situated close to the beach and within walking distance of the stylish Marina. The rooms in the hotel were clean but basic, however for the price we had paid they were perfectly adequate. The lobby of the hotel was pleasant and spacious with glass elevators gliding up and down the floors. There was a small shop on site which sold a range of reasonably priced items.

The entertainment round the pool was varied including aerobics, yoga, darts and aqua-aerobics. The entertainment staff were engaging and ensured that we had a great deal of fun during the day, and we joined in with most things. There was also a small children’s pool with plenty of available sun loungers around so that the children could enjoy themselves while the adults watched on from close-by. There was also a small pool with slides for the children.

Food and Drink

For dining the hotel had the usual buffet restaurant plus 3 al-a-carte restaurants; an Oriental, Moroccan and Italian from which you can book one visit per weekly stay. We managed to book the restaurants most nights with each family taking a turn at booking. Not sure how we managed this but we did! To book you have to be at the desk situated outside the restaurant in the lobby before 10am; it’d best to book these as soon as you can during your stay to avoid disappointment. Also you had to fill in what you wanted on a sheet that you gave in at the desk.

Snack Bar

The hotel had a snack bar overlooking the beach and sea which made for a pleasant venue to sit at during lunch. The food was was quite good for a snack bar and had more than your usual burgers, chips and pizza. The waiters at the snack bar were very attentive and brought bottles of red and white wine to our table when requested. We often sat outside for a few hours over lunch enjoying a bite to eat and a glass (or two!) of wine. There was also an enclosed area of sand right next to the snack bar terrace where the children could play.

Entertainment

On an evening we would go and enjoy the various shows in the entertainment room. The entertainment staff did their best to entertain both adults and children and while not particularly professional was still good fun. We were the only couple with no children so we often stayed until the bar closed in this part of the hotel. Unfortunately we did find some of the bar staff in the entertainment room very rude and always looked miserable. For example they cut me off mid-round saying that’s enough – we had 6 adults in our party! On the other end of the spectrum The staff in the lobby bar were great fun and often made us special cocktails. It seemed strange to see such different levels of service in the two bars.

Birthday Celebrations

For our friend’s 50th birthday we booked in to the Asian Restaurant. We had informed the hotel that it was his 50th birthday and they allowed us to go in the restaurant before it opened and decorate it with balloons and banners for our evening meal. The food was delicious and the staff were very attentive. They brought out a birthday cake at the end of the meal and all of the staff, including the chef and kitchen staff came out and sang Happy Birthday which was a lovely touch.

Pool Scene

The pool area was always kept immaculate. There was music and entertainment around the pool which made for quite a lively daytime if that’s what you enjoy. We enjoy music and fun activities so it was ideal for us. However if you did not want the attention the staff would leave you alone. The hotel also provides beach towels; as we needed 8 sunbeds each day the pool attendant always helped us to get 8 beds together and put towels on them. The drinks around the pool are served in small plastic cups. The cocktails unfortunately did not taste much like the cocktails they were supposed to be, but again we had not paid 5-star prices and overall the drinks were OK for the standard of hotel.

Marina

We often went for walks along the seafront to the marina. We were hoping that there would be some bars along the way where we could get a decent proper cocktail. Although we found a couple of bars, there were not as many as we had thought there would have been. The Marina is very picturesque with many boats in the harbour offering leisure trips. There were people trying to get us to go on a boat ride but they were not particularly pushy. As one person in our party suffers from severe motion-sickness and another not keen on boat trips due to not being a good swimmer we decided to give the boat trips a miss.

Summary

We found the most of the Moroccan people to be extremely friendly and helpful. It is a very interesting country which we managed to see on a previous trip to Agadir when we went on several excursions. Morocco is an ideal place if you are on a budget as it offers cheap flights and hotels. There are obviously higher standard hotels in Agadir (you get what you pay for), however if you are on a budget you will have a great time at the Atlas Amadil. We would definately recommend a trip to Agadir. The weather is warm for most of the year and not as seasonal as some other destinations.

Images

Pool Scene
Mike holding Scorpion
Sea Front
The Gang
Birthday Celebrations
Sunset
Beach Bar
Lobby Bar

Things to do in Agadir

Visit the Marina
Visit Souk El Had
Have a ride on La Grande Roue D’Agadir (Similar to London Eye)
Spend a day on the beach
Do a sight seeing tour
Do a boat trip

Top Tips

Research your hotel as to what it offers and compare with other similarly priced hotels
If going all-inclusive be aware you get what you pay for. If wanting cheap and cheerful it is exactly that. (no premium drinks or special cocktails)
Although we did not do any excursions on this visit we have previously and they have been well worth the money and we got to see some of the real Morocco
Check out the weather below for best time to go to Agadir
Check out other places in Africa we have visited Tunisia, Cape Verde , Sharm El Sheikh , Cairo , Hurghada
Check out the government website regarding safety when visiting Agadir https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/algeria/safety-and-security

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	22	23	26	26	26	28	30	30	29	28	25	22
Low Temp	8	9	11	13	14	17	18	18	17	15	12	9
Rainfall	37	29	25	13	7	1	0	1	1	22	29	63
Number of days	5	3	4	2	1	1	0	1	1	3	3	6

Average daily temperatures and rainfall