Travel
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How to Get to Ancol Eco-Park, Jakarta and What to Expect
For the first time this holiday it seemed a struggle getting out of bed, a sure sign that we must have adapted to the 8 hour time difference. Going down to breakfast the restaurant manager either had a good memory or maybe it was because we appeared to be the only European guests staying at…
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Exploring the Colonial History of Jakarta: Must-See Landmarks
It was 8.00 a.m. when we drew back the curtains after sleeping soundly for almost ten hours, catching up on deprived sleep from the previous night of travelling. Soon we were ready to experience breakfast in the Jakarta Novotel’s restaurant on the 6th floor. We found a vast array of cooked dishes under stainless steel…
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First Impressions of Jakarta: From the Airport to the Colonial Centre
Our overnight Qatar Airways flight had arrived into Jakarta’s new Terminal 3 which was spacious and very easy to navigate. Immigration was a speedy process as hardly any other passengers appeared to require the same queue but we did have to wait what seemed like ages for our luggage to appear with our two suitcases…
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Discovering Doha: Visiting the National Museum of Qatar from Souq Waqif
It was hard to believe that this was our final day in Doha, the time having passed by all too quickly. We’d arranged a late check out so set off on foot after our leisurely breakfast to take a look at the National Museum of Qatar which opened in Spring 2019. It took around 25…
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A Day at Qatar National Library and Aspire Park: Exploring Doha’s Top Attractions
It was 8.00 a.m. by the time we managed to rouse ourselves from our luxuriously comfortable bed, and on opening the window blinds were pleased to note that weather in the Middle East had returned to normal, following the previous day’s heavy rain. After another leisurely breakfast on the Al Terrace balcony we sipped cappuccinos…
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Doha Travel Guide: Getting Around, Top Sights & Best Things to Do
We had slept for almost 11 hours managing to catch up on the lost sleep from our overnight flight. We woke refreshed at 8.00 a.m. and then enjoyed a long, relaxing breakfast on the terrace of the hotel’s Al Terrace restaurant enjoying the gentle breeze. I started the day with a glass of freshly squeezed…
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Qatar Airways Stopover Programme Review: All You Need to Know
A series of posts on my holiday to Doha, Jakarta and Bali which I visited in autumn 2019 and haven’t documented previously. I realise that we can’t travel right now but are all itching to leave our homes and start exploring again be it near or far, so for the time being why not sit…
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A Day at Corfe Castle, Dorset: What to See and Do
Corfe Castle is a small village on the Isle of Purbeck located midway between Wareham to the north and Swanage to the south in the picturesque county of Dorset. Wandering around the village with its charming buildings constructed from the local Purbeck stone we soon arrived in the village square. Here we found a cluster…
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Arban Hotel, Busan, South Korea Review
Hotel Review Location: Busan is South Korea’s second largest city, situated on the south eastern tip of the Korean Peninsula and is noted for its beaches, mountains and temples. We had taken the Korail high speed train direct from Seoul arriving into Busan in 2 hours and 45 minutes. We were then pleasantly surprised to…
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Wycoller Country Park: A Hidden Gem in Lancashire Worth Visiting
Wycoller Country Park is one of the prettiest country parks in Lancashire and is famous for its association with the Bronte sisters. The village is located four miles east of Colne in the Borough of Pendle. If arriving by car leave the M65 at Junction 14 and follow signs for Keighley and on reaching Laneshawbridge…
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Discover Alicante: Top Highlights and How to Get from the Airport
Our last day in Alicante had come around all too quickly and it was our final opportunity to enjoy some warm, winter sunshine. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and then gathered our belongings together so that we could check out of the hotel. Packing was slightly more complicated than usual as we had bought two…
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Day Trip to El Campello from Alicante: What to See and Do
After the previous day’s high temperatures, it felt much cooler as we set off from the hotel and headed towards the Mercado tram/train station near the central market hall. Our planned destination for the morning was to the small town of El Campello which lies in Zone 1 with adult single tickets costing €1.45 (£1.30)…
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Day Trip to Benidorm from Alicante by Tram: What to See and Do
After enjoying a relaxing breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant we wandered along to the Mercado tram/train station where we used a machine to buy two Zone 3 return tickets to Benidorm at €6.40 (£5.30) each. The Alicante to Benidorm tram route is on Red Line One, with services every 30 minutes. We took the 10.10…
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Alicante: The Best Bits – Top Attractions, Beaches & Local Highlights
After the previous night’s lack of sleep, we woke refreshed at 8.00 a.m. and headed downstairs for breakfast. The hotel’s restaurant was surprisingly quiet for a Sunday morning so we had our pick of seating options and enjoyed a selection of cured ham, cheese, fruit and yoghurt. After a couple of large cappuccinos and some…
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Top Highlights of Alicante: Best Things to See and Do
At the time of booking our 6.20 a.m. flight to Alicante it seemed a good idea, breakfast on arrival and a full day of sightseeing in a new destination. In reality, when my phone alarm woke me at 3.10 a.m. to the sounds of a howling gale and rain battering on the windowpanes I would…
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The Pullman Hotel, Cologne Review
Hotel Review Location: The hotel is located in a central yet peaceful location in the Innenstadt district of the city, just an easy 12 minute walk from the central railway station. Arrival and check-in: The spacious entrance lobby is bright and airy with modern furnishings. Check-in is from 3.00 p.m. and it was shortly after…
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Top Highlights of Cologne: Best Things to See and Do
The hotel’s restaurant appeared quieter than the previous morning but as breakfast is served between 7.00 and midday on Sundays, perhaps other guests were having a well earned lie in. We enjoyed tucking into a wide selection of healthy and perhaps not quite so healthy (but equally delicious) options to keep us going for most…
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Exploring Cologne: Top Things to See and Do
After enjoying a hearty breakfast in our hotel we popped on our coats and scarves and wandered along to Cologne Cathedral which had been closed the previous afternoon as a service was taking place. Fortunately, it was open and we were able to admire the majestic interior with its wonderful stained glass windows. This UNESCO…
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Arriving in Cologne: How to Get from the Airport and First Impressions of the City
After recently enjoying a winter break in Düsseldorf, we decided to turn our attention to neighbouring Cologne, another German city that we had yet to visit. Looking into airline schedules from Manchester we discovered that we could fly out at lunchtime on a Friday returning just before midnight on the Sunday allowing us plenty of…
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The White Lion Hotel, Hebden Bridge Review
Hotel Review Location: The White Lion Hotel is a beautifully restored former coaching inn dating from 1657, and is the oldest building in the attractive market town of Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire. The inn has a riverside location in the town centre making it easy to explore the town on foot. In addition to good…
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Düsseldorf’s Japanese Quarter: Exploring Little Tokyo in Germany
Our final day in Düsseldorf began with a leisurely buffet breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express, then after packing up our belongings we took the U Bahn along to Graf-Adolf-Platz to enjoy a morning stroll around MedienHafen (Media Harbour) near the Rhine Tower we had visited the previous morning. This former abandoned city docks located…
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Düsseldorf Highlights: Benrath Palace & the Rheinturm Tower
After enjoying a delicious breakfast in our hotel we wrapped up warm as a strong wind was blowing and took the U Bahn to Graf Adolf Platz so that we could take a ride up The Rheinturm, one of the city’s landmarks (admission €9 (£7.47) or €5 (£4.15) with the Dusseldorf Card. Designed by Horst H…
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Düsseldorf Altstadt & the Altbier Safari
I really enjoy visiting Germany and noting that Eurowings had flights departing from Manchester mid-evening on a Friday we decided to head there for a weekend break. It was just a short 65 minute hop over to Düsseldorf, the state capital of North Rhine Westphalia and our first experience of Eurowings, the low cost arm…
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The White Hart Hotel, Lincoln Review
Hotel Review Location The White Hart Hotel opened in the 14th century as a coaching inn and it has continued to welcome guests for more than 600 years. It’s located in the heart of Lincoln’s historic Cathedral Quarter close to both the cathedral and castle. Lincolnshire is situated in the East Midlands and is easily…
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