Old Age Passenger

honesttravelguy.com

YOU'RE never too old to start exploring the world.

At the age of 72, my mum decided she wanted to visit the grave of her brother,  killed in Italy at the closing stages of the Second World War. 

Apart from a day trip to Calais, Mum had never been abroad. So I was pleasantly surprised when she said she wanted to go - with me as her companion.

It was the late 1990s and, eager to access the 'information superhighway', I bought my first computer. It was an indication of the potential of my new gadget when I discovered a website for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 

I tapped in a few basic details about Uncle Charlie and, within seconds, exact information appeared in front of me of his grave, plot, row and number in a remote cemetery of Argenta Gap near Rimini.

'I want to go there. Will you take me, Andrew,' my mother asked when I told her about my discovery. I wondered how a woman in her 70s would cope for the first time with plane take-offs, turbulence and airport mayhem.

But I needn't have worried. You see, Mum lead a fairly simple life but, in her way, she was a bit of an adventurer.

She was born the youngest of seven in impoverished 1920s Liverpool. She left school at the age of 11 to care for her ailing parents and soon afterwards Blanche the teenager went to work in a factory. 

One day the girls on the shopfloor dreamt of escaping their bleak surroundings for a new life in the Land Army. Enthusiasm for the plot spread and a group including Mum agreed to meet at the recruitment office the following day.

My mum turned up at the rendezvous expecting to meet her colleagues - but she was the only one there. Undeterred, forms were signed and the new recruit raced off to tell her stayaway pals that she was going to live what was, for them, just a pipe dream. Tales of being chased by bulls and driving tractors during wartime Britain filled my childhood as result of that day of destiny.

I can only guess that she must have worn the same huge, proud smile back then as she did sat next to me, seatbelt fastened, ready tho take off on that Ryanair jet from Stansted Airport. She was so excited. Everyone on that plane must have known who she was, where she was going, why she was going and who was taking her.

My mum would have made a great traveller. She didn't speak a word of any other language - and she didn't need to. She had a great ability, which transcended the need for speech, to communicate with a smile, a nod, a wink and an emphatic chuckle to get her message across. She forged a friendship with an elderly Italian woman at our hotel. I don't understand how - but she just did.

We set off the following day on our mission to find Charlie's grave. A two-hour train journey delivered us to an unexpectedly quiet and remote station with little hint  of activity. There was no sign either of the taxi that I had hoped would complete the last five miles of our journey. It seemed the quest would be scuppered so teasingly close to the destination. And it was too unbearably hot to consider walking.

'Do you speak English,' I asked a woman with a young child who were the only other passengers to alight the train at this outpost. 'A little,' came the reply. I asked for directions to the Argenta Gap cemetery. Her expression revealed that it would not be practical to walk the distance with an elderly woman in tow.  'One moment,' she continued. 'My husband is coming to meet me.' Seconds later she returned to announce that they would give us a lift.

What an incredibly kind gesture.

As the car meandered through the country lanes I reflected that this young family had been a godsend. But their fine nature did not end there. 'How long do you intend to stay here,' enquired the husband as he pulled up outside the cemetery gates. 'About 20 minutes,' I replied as Mum nodded in agreement. 'I have a meeting in the village for about 30 minutes,' he explained. 'If you want, I will collect you afterwards and take you back to the station.'

There we were at a site marking mankind's ability to kill fellow humans in obscenely large numbers. And here was one man showing an at of kindness and love to two complete strangers that filled you with warmth and optimism about the human race.

'Hello Charlie,' said Mum in a voice which could so easily have been 50-odd years earlier on one of his home visits. But she was standing in front of the grave that for decades had been her brother's  last resting place vaguely described for years as 'somewhere in Italy'.

I was overwhelmed as she proudly surveyed the plot as if she was admiring Charlie standing in front of her in his smart military uniform.

She stood there for a few minutes in contemplation before stoically declaring: 'I think we've been here long enough now Andrew. Let's go.'

As we waited at the gate for our lift, it seemed that, in her mind, there was finally closure on over half a century since the last time she saw her brother and the military telegram announcing news of his death. 

She was able to take that peace into the remaining seven years of her life.

Two years after the Italian adventure, she was bitten by the travel bug again as tales of Portuguese delights filled the communal lounge of her sheltered accommodation. 'Will you take me there,' she asked in a phone call.

Now I hadn't been on holiday with my mum since I was a child but this was becoming a bit of a habit. Once again, her ability to communicate and befriend with smiles, gestures, laughs and mouthing words slowly in English was incredible.

Then 75, she still struggled to grasp the concept that people of other nationalities did not instinctively speak her own tongue. We were sitting poolside where she was making 'conversation' as usual with a Portuguese couple and their children.

As the youngsters spoke to their parents, Mum leaned over to me  and whispered indiscreetly : 'isn't it amazing how these children learn to speak Portugal?'

ARGENTA GAP AND THE BATTLE FOR ITALY

GETTING THERE 

FROM THE U.S.

+American Airlines fly from +JFK Airport to Milan

+United Airlines fly from New York Newark to Milan

+Alitalia fly from +JFK Airport to Milan

FROM IRELAND

+Aer Lingus fly from Dublin to Milan and Bologna

Ryanair fly from Dublin to Milan Bergamo

FROM THE UK

+British Airways fly from Heathrow to Milan

Ryanair fly from Stansted to Bologna

PROCEED BY ROAD OR TRAIN FROM AIRPORTS

Legoland Hotel, Windsor

honesttravelguy.com
SOMETIMES as a parent you need the negotiation skills of a UN peace envoy.

You wouldn’t think that luring your six-year-old son to leave the  hotel in favour of going to a major theme park would be the toughest of tasks.

But we were staying at the new Legoland Windsor Hotel and there was no shifting our James from sword-fighting and playing pirates in a huge treehouse getaway.

He had a point though as the building is like an indoor version of the theme park.

The 150-room hotel opened in March and, on the evidence of our stay, is already a big hit with families. If you stay for one night at the hotel you get passes for two days’ entry to the theme park. It means you can have more of a holiday – rather than trying trying to squeeze everything into one day.

And with Heathrow Airport just down the road, you can get a flight from Ireland with no fuss.
On arrival,  you are confronted with the giant Lego house hotel complete with a red ‘plastic’ flag on the roof. A roaring six-metre  dragon puffs out smoke above you as you enter reception.

As the grown-ups sort out the check-in, the children get straight to work  playing Lego – there are bricks of the stuff everywhere – on the floor,  in a pit, a shop, wall displays and in the lifts. There was even a Lego talking whoppee  cushion step.

Our room was decked out in an Indiana Jones-style ‘adventure’ theme on the carpets, walls and furnishings.

First task for our young explorers was  cracking the code of a safe hiding the treasure of a free pack of Lego. The discovered the vital digits by solving clues like finding the numbers of lizards on the carpet and counting pictures of snakes.

There is a bunk bed room for the kids which like the main bed and other furnishings are all of an impressively high standard.

You can also find yourself sharing the room with life-sized model monkey, spiders and scorpions. Other rooms are on the themes of ‘pirates’ and ‘kingdom’.
The restaurant is another haven for kids with just about every kind of dish they could desire in the eat as much as you like buffet. And the real eye-catcher is the big ice-cream machine where the youngsters can help themselves to treats with all sorts of toppings. Don’t worry, parents can help themselves too.

As you’d expect, you dine in the company of Lego character chefs, fish tanks and a giant food mixer.

With evening entertainment for the kids, parents can grab some relaxation time at the skyline bar. Buildings that form the view are, of course, made of Lego – contributing to the 80 million bricks used across the resort.

You could stay at the hotel, which also has a swimming pool,  and do nothing else but just on the other side of a dedicated entrance for  guests lies the huge theme park which needs exploring.

Two of the newer attractions are the Star Wars Miniland and the Atlantis submarine. Scenes from the epic sci-fi films are recreated including The Clone Wars.

We boarded a big yellow submarine where you are plunged into the watery depths to view up close 2,500 marine creatures including cownose rays, zebra and nurse sharks and honeycomb stingrays. There is also an onboard ‘emergency’ requiring the assistance of the kids to navigate the vessel back to safety.

Back on the surface, there was no longer protection from the wet. The Pirate Falls is a must where the whole family takes to the log ride as it zooms down the slide for a total soaking. We also loved the screams and thrills on the dragon rollercoaster ride in Knights Kingdom.
There is also a Xbox 360 gaming zone with Lego Star Wars and Batman adventures.

There are a vast choice of eateries. We had lunch at a pizza  restaurant. The fixed price buffet means you can keep control of your holiday budget.

There were so many rides and attractions that, even after two days, we still left pencilling in dates to return. And, with two exhausted mites in tow, we didn’t have to worry about going far back to the hotel.

www.legoland.co.uk/hotel

GETTING THERE:

FROM IRELAND:

Fly to London Heathrow with Aer Lingus 

www.aerlingus.com

FROM THE UNITED STATES:

Fly with +American Airlines and +British Airways to London Heathrow  from +JFK Airport, Los Angeles and Miami. Public transport available from airport.

South Tyrol

honesttravelguy.com
LUNCH with a witch and an encounter with a 6,000-year-old  body might sound more like the plot from a Harry Potter book than an itinerary for a holiday.

But this was all part of my Italian adventure. Oh yes — and I feasted at a restaurant owned by a descendant of a witch burned at the stake. South Tyrol is in the border country which belonged to Austria until post WW1 and thanks to this legacy, both Italian and German languages are spoken along with the local tongue of Ladin.

The scenery is stunning here with snow-capped hills and mountains. Lush green valleys create a suntrap which gives the area one of the country’s hottest climates in the summer at around 35°. It is also a haunt of skiers in the winter. We visited Sarentino — home to the Stoneymen — a mysterious Celtic collection of stacked stones on a hilltop where the devil once danced with witches, according to folklore.

We drove 2,600ft above sea level before continuing our ascent by foot with restaurateur Gisella, who promised to tell a haunting tale. The air was thin so embarking on a steep walk left me even more out of breath. Perseverance paid off though and I was soon surveying the magnificent surrounds and tranquility of the Dolomites.

We had only climbed a further 300ft — but it felt more. Before us stood the Stoneymen looking like some kind of memorial or burial ground. Gisella, right, told us about Stockelin, a farmer’s wife branded a witch in the 16th century when her maid had a fatal tumble from the hill after being caught sleeping with her mistresses’ husband. Her daughter Barbara was burned at the stake after she was seen ‘casting a spell’ by rinsing her hair in the river — triggering a crop-destroying storm.

This story is of particular interest to me, explained Gisella, as my grandad owned the farm where Stockelin lived. ‘Does this mean you are descended from witches?’ I asked. ‘No one knows for sure,’ came the intriguing answer. With that, she announced that she was off to prepare lunch and left us to make our descent.

I wondered whether a violent change in the weather would ensue with the unleashing of a spell handed down through the generations. But we were soon lunching at the Auener Hof – Italy’s highest Michelin restaurant. I had my first taste of venison in this exquisite meal and enjoyed its light taste for a red meat. A colleague recommended that I should never try this dish again as it could not be improved.

We also dined with Marta the Witch — as she is affectionately known by local children. She gave us a tour of Proesels Castle where apparently hags would rub frogs on their inner thighs to propel themselves on broomsticks, pigs or even sheep to their rendezvous with Satan at the witches’ seat in the foothills of the Schlern Mountain. We went there by foot and Marta, who enigmatically described herself as openminded as to whether witchcraft exists, regaled us with more tales.

Exercised and fed, it was time to relax at thermal pools at Merano. The ancient Roman hedonists would have been proud of this complex with its pool that snakes outside into the cool Italian night where you can bathe in warm waters and jacuzzis beneath the stars. Inside there are saunas, steam areas and rooms to chill out. You can also enjoy a glass of champagne with your loved one in a copper tub. The mixture of two cultures provides a rich choice of places to eat and drink. We sampled fish night at a traditional Italian family-run restaurant with waiters and plates seemingly flying around everywhere in a frenzy.

Up in the hills, the mood was more German as we lunched at a farm restaurant and tucked into a platter of sausage, spare ribs and baked ham served with sauerkraut and roasted chestnuts. Go for a drink in the capital Bolzano, where we stayed, and in one bar you will find the lager-swilling associated with the region’s northern neighbours while just along the street there is a more Italian feel with drinkers sipping coffees and wines.

For all the mysticism of this area, a recent event is one of the most fascinating. A couple out on a mountain trek in 1991 uncovered a human body in the snow – backside pointing out. The well-preserved flesh-covered remains left police believing they were dealing with a murder. The man had been killed but he met his demise 6,000 years ago. Nicknamed Oetzi, he is kept on display in a cooled chamber at a Bolzano museum built in his honour. Weapons – including the one embedded in his chest – are also on display with his clothing and tools giving a fascinating insight into his life.

This is one secret that the mountains had kept from the world for six millennia. It made me wonder whether there were a few more mysteries up there waiting to be discovered.

Andrew.

GETTING THERE FROM IRELAND: ANDREW stayed at the Hotel-Greif in Bolzano. Go to www.greif.it for more information. Flights are available from Dublin to Venice with Aer Lingus and from Dublin to Milan Bergamo with Ryanair. Visit www.suedtirol.info

GETTING THERE FROM THE UNITED STATES: Fly to Venice with +American Airlines  to Venice from +JFK Airport, Los Angeles and Miami or fly with +Aer Lingus to Venice from +JFK Airport, Boston Airport and +Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) 

BOLZANO is 140 miles from Venice Airport. You are best advised to make car hire arrangements in advance.

Barbados

honesttravelguy.com
BOTH sets of soccer players looked patiently at the referee as they waited for the whistle to start the second half.

The official referred to his assistants who in turn, wistfully glanced over to events at the side of the pitch for inspiration.

The semi-final of this Bajan tournament was being held up by the interval best-dressed male and female fan competition.

And the excited announcer, rendered almost inaudible by the poor sound system, was in no rush to let the small matter of the resumption of the match interfere with his contest.
Even the chap who entered wearing an Arsenal top emblazoned with Fabregas registered a huge cheer as the crowd sounded their votes.

As with the kick-off time earlier, the second half did get under way…eventually. But this was Barbados where the pace of life would even give the sleepiest part of Ireland a run for its money.

And there are a few things in common between the Celtic and Caribbean isles. Mile after mile of stunning beaches laden with palm trees? Erm, not quite. Or perhaps the all-year round sunny weather? I don’t think so.

Ireland and Barbados share a passion for their national alcohol product. For our Guinness, they have rum. You can get the stuff everywhere. Rum bars are as deeply entrenched in the Bajan culture as pubs are here. Mount Gay rum is heralded as the world’s first rum which has been distilled on the island for 300 years.

“I’d go slow with your first rum punch if I were you,” came the advice from hotel waiter as I sat on the beach surveying this section of paradise.

We were staying at the Colony Club, a former private club back in the days of empire. You could just imagine the mandarins savouring this exotic outreach of their rule And I felt as though I was in a Bond movie as I sat there sipping my aperitif.

The hotel has a pool bar, where after a swim, you can draw up on a stool and enjoy a drink with your feet still bathing.

The four-star hotel keeps good company as neighbours. Just to our left was the millionaires’ playground of Sandy Lane, owned by PJ McManus and Dermot Desmond. While, just to our right, was a stretch of coast that fronted the homes of a host of celebrities.

We went hoping to catch a glimpse of Rihana or maybe Simon Cowell All we saw was Christopher Biggins – the Brit panto star who is so camp  he was conferred as Queen of the Jungle when he won I’m A Celebrity.

I heeded my man’s advice on the punch consumption but I was visiting the island for the rum and food festival – so I was likely to have more chances to sip slowly – he just didn’t say anything about volume. I was even encouraged by a government minister to sup away at the national drink – so I can blame him for the hangover from hell.

There’s another thing that the Bajans share with the Irish – they don’t miss an excuse to have a party. Barely a month goes by without a festival to celebrate one thing or another. Every May, they stage a Celtic Festival. Guinness on the beach? Does it get any better? The event marks the rich cultural links between our two countries as a result of forced emigration. Many Irish people facing British courts with the empire at their disposal were faced with the option of a workhouse nearer to home or the penance of working on the sugar cane fields of Barbados.

Thankfully, some of our more shrewd ancestors spotted the opportunity for a bit of a change of scenery for their punishment. We visited the Mount Gay distillery and I met Alan Smith whose enviable job was to quality check the produce. We shared his daily pursuit by tasting rum in numerous various states of the distilling process. We were also treated to a recipe for the ultimate rum punch/ I lost count of the bottles that were added after Number 5.

Physically and on the climate front this splendid island with a population of 250,000 is a million miles from Ireland – but you do detect a shared culture of the English-speaking colonial times. Maybe this is why the likes of PJ, Desmond and the British glitteratti set up holiday retreats here.

There is a humbling modesty about Barbados. It is easy to look at one side of the road and see the plush trappings of the visiting tourists compared to the basic dwellings of the locals.

But they have no concern about the aesthetic appearance of their homes. One man told me: “Unlike you people in we don’t need to build our houses with double glazing and loft insulation.” He had a point. I visited a few places and inside they were as homely as anywhere here. We visited Speightstown for lunch. Here you have the island’s second city full of modesty and character. We ate the national dish of  flying fish at the Fisherman’s Pub and discussed the local delacacies with the staff. They serve ‘green’ bananas as they are full of iron while the riper version – more familiar to us  - is also prepared in its more sugar-filled condition. Outside we entered into a friendly banter as we haggled with a street trader over his jewellery offerings. At another restaurant, our meat was served on individual hot stones – so you could decide how rare or well done you wanted your meat.Back at the hotel, we decided to take a 20-minute speed boat cruise along the coast. Our helmsman gestured towards properties owned by the likes of Cliff Richard and Cilla Black. There was also a mention for the place where Simon Cowell had staged the ‘judges’ homes’ phase of earlier X Factor competitions.

But for us the real stars were the eight turtles there in the sea who circled our boat. One of our group donned snorkelling gear and jumped over the side and swam with the natives.

Who needs the  X Factor when these guys steal the show?

Daily flights operated by Virgin from London Gatwick.

www.visitbarbados.org
www.virgin-atlantic.com

Barn Survivor

honesttravelguy.com
I FELT like Bear Grylls feasting on a lunch of beetle and wild mushroom.

That was my fuel in the tank before I set about my daredevil mission clinging to life with only my fingertips separating me from a fall into the abyss. And my feet were relying on the width of a high rope or a log bridge survival. I would also have to endure watery rapids. My heart was racing and andrenalin pumped through my body as I regained my composure at each stage before the final task of swinging on a rope to safety.

Was that a hungry alligator I saw below looking up in anticipation of a tasty plump morsel?
Not likely. I was, after all, protected by a safety harness. And, unlike TV’s  Born Survivor, I was not isolated in the wilds – just the Preseli Hills of South Wales. I was also safely under the roof of the activity centre of he Bluestone national park resort in Pembrokeshire.
The Sky Trail may have only been 20ft in the air but the prospect of slipping and being left dangling in mid-air was too much to bear – especially as I tackled each stage with my 10-year-old daughter ahead of me and my son, six, keeping up the rear. Our instructor, Chris, assured us at the start that all we had to do was call his name if we got into trouble.

I was about to embark on stage two, which involved a rope walk with only a second cord to hold as support, when the words “Chris, Chris” yelled out from within my ailing frame. And like a sprightly Peter Pan, he was there in an instant to steady the ropes. I was to summon his help again as I tangled myself in another rope crossing – while my offspring looked on sympathetically.

They were ready for the Big Four challenges including wall climbs and a rope drop from the ceiling. I was ready to calm my nerves.

Oh I wish I could have plucked up the courage to tackle the outdoor version – the Steep Ravine – which has 40ft high zip wires, tree climbing and other pulse-raising activities.  You can also try 4×4 safaris and raft building.

But that is the great thing about Bluestone – you’ll find activities for every age and ability. And you can relax from the athletic lifestyle with a visit to The Well spa with a massage or health treatment. We took the car over with Stena Line from Rosslare to Fishguard. Thanks to our improved roads, we easily made the trip from Dublin in two hours. And as Stena Plus customers we headed straight for the lounge where you can help yourself to drinks and snacks while the kids watch a DVD or swap your car keys to hire a Nintendo DSi. You also get priority boarding on the homeward journey.

Eco-friendly Bluestone is a 30-minute drive from the port. Once there, you acclimatise to the break by exchanging your car for a golf buggy to tour around  and bikes for the family. We stayed in a timber lodge with the upstairs lounge giving breathtaking views over the Preseli Hills. At the centre of the resort is a typical Welsh ‘village’ where you can stock up on supplies, sample some local brew at the tafarn or take your pick of eateries. A buffet at The Yard offers delicious regional fare while you can also have pizza delivered to your lodge.
The children couldn’t wait to jump into the Blue Lagoon water park with its three flumes and outdoor river trail. The complex is heated with biomass from local grass and woodchip. We also tried our hands at laser clay pigeon shooting and archery – among the many activities – to hone our outdoor skills.

One small confession though. The ‘beetle’ I ate was actually the name of a potato skin dish at the indoor adventure-themed Wild Wood Cafe. Maybe I’ll just call myself the Barn Survivor.

Andrew Waller

I travelled to Bluestone with Stena Line.

Visit bluestonewales.com and www.stenaline.ie

FROM THE UNITED STATES:

Fly with +American Airlines and +British Airways to London Heathrow  from +JFK Airport, Los Angeles and Miami. Domestic flights available to Cardiff or hire car and take M4 to South Wales.

Olympic Marafun

honesttravelguy.com

AND the winners of the London Olympics 2012 sprint are, er, me and my daughter.
Well actually, it was more like a decathlon with all the events I packed into a short stay to the English capital – shopping, attractions, food and even a trip to the seaside with a rollercoaster ride and fish and chips thrown in.

First of all I pulled clear of the chasing pack of competitors, ahem other tourists, by taking advantage of the new Aer Lingus route from Dublin to Southend.
The Essex airport in the Thames estuary has been boosted with a e120million investment which has also seen the introduction of a service from Waterford.

You are in a relaxed mood straight away as you board the 60-seater plane, operated by Aer Arran. Unlike the busier planes you are not kept waiting long before you are served a snack and a beer on the 90-minute flight. One landed, the new service scores a huge advantage over bigger airports with its guarantee that passengers without checked-in luggage should not take more than 15 minutes to get from touchdown to arrival on the platform of the adjoining train station. You can even buy your train ticket on the plane.

Then it is just 53 minutes to get to Liverpool Street Station. We got off at Stratford – eight minutes earlier – to check out our hotel at the heart of the Olympics bonanza.
We were also not far from West Ham’s ground – so a new route for fans wanting to get over for matches against the likes of Liverpool and Man Utd.

We stayed at the Staybridge Suites overlooking the impressive Olympic stadium. Breakfast on the rooftop patio – with stunning views – is a must. Rooms come with e8,000 beds and Apple TVs where you can watch movies using your iTunes account. The suites – complete with fitted kitchens – are designed for tourists and longer stay professionals who can ‘move in’.

Just next door is another arena requiring athletic endurance – Europe’s largest urban shopping centre. Westfield has more than 300 shops and the Marks & Spencer’s was big enough to be a mall of its own. There were enough fashion shops to easily outshine the traditional clothing haunts of London’s West End.

We jumped on the Tube – also at the heart of the Olympic area – for the short trip to the 02, formerly known as Millennium Dome. . “Look Daddy, this is where they film the X Factor,” my 10-year-old observed as she admired the monument. Thrillseekers were scaling the side of the Dome. They must have got the idea from the scene inthe Bond movie The World Is Not Enough. We were more than content with the excitement of boarding a Thames Clipper for the high-speed jaunt to Central London. There is no better way to enjoy the capital than zipping along the river with a pint in hand as you survey the riverside heritage.
We enjoyed a stroll through St James’s Park taking in Buckingham Palace and The Mall before we enjoyed dinner at the extremely swanky Kempinski Stafford Hotel in the heart of this upmarket district. Prince Charles’s official residence is just down the road. I was hoping we might grab a nightcap together.

After an incredibly good night’s sleep on that €8k bed, we took in a quick shopping spree encore of the Westfield before heading off to the National Gallery. James Bond was back on our minds as we were shown the room where Daniel Craig filmed – just days earlier – for new movie Skyfall. Bond is seen looking at Turner’s Fighting Temeraire and compares himself to the ship being tugged away to be broken up. You read the exclusive preview here. It was great to see so many school parties being entertained by museum guides.
We walked through Whitehall passing Downing Street and Westminster before boarding the London Eye. Even if you have been before, it is a great way to catch up with the capital’s ever-changing skyline. Even on London’s highest viewing point at 135m, we were still in the shadow of the giant 309m Shard. I would love to get on that top floor.

Before returning home, we still had time to stop off at Southend beach for fish and chips and a ride on Britain’s most thrilling rollercoaster – but not in that order. The Rage at the Adventure Island received its accolade from viewers of children’s TV show Blue Peter. Within seconds you are being flung backwards, forwards and directions seemingly impossible before returning to land. Once our organs had returned to their intended positions, we dined at Sands Restaurant and enjoyed the traditional seaside grub before the short trip to the airport.

Once again the speed through the airport was breathtaking. If Southend wants to follow the trend of taking a celebrity name, I’d suggest The Usain Bolt Airport.

GETTING THERE

FROM IRELAND:
Fly with +Aer Lingus from Dublin and Waterford to London Southend.

FROM THE UNITED STATES:

Fly with +American Airlines and +British Airways to London Heathrow  from +JFK Airport, Los Angeles and Miami. Public transport available from airport.

Pirates of the Corribean

honesttravelguy.com
ARRRR shipmates! Shiver me timbers and welcome aboard this pirate voyage to Inchagoill. Well, ok, the commentary on our Mayo trip didn’t quite start like that – but the expression on six-year-old James’s face was a picture of  excitement and intrigue. We could have easily been in the Pirates of the Corribean.

We set off from Ashford Castle with its air of magic and mystery. Our Corrib Cruises vessel landed echoing to stories of inhabitants dating back to St Patrick. “If you miss the return boat, we’ll pick you up in the morning,” the captain bellowed. We thought he was joking – but you can bring along a tent and pitch up. And there was more swash-buckling fun on at  the Pirate Adventure Park at Westport House – learning about the adventures of Grace O’Malley.

Charis, nine, boarded the swinging boat ride but her screams were so piercing nearby shipping might have thought the battlecry of the Pirate Queen herself had been invoked.We also got soaked on the log plume ride and toured the spooky dungeons. There is loads to do here from archery and a 42km cycle ride to Zorbing – where you  strap yourself in a huge beach ball and roll down a hill. We stayed  at the four-star McWilliam Park Hotel in Claremorris  -  sitting between Knock and  Galway.  

The overwhelming impression is  of quality from the high-spec rooms with HD TV  to the standard of fare in the restaurant and bar. Have a dip in the  pool  and the  Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna. Parents can drop children off at the Bizzie Bees club while they use  the health spa or maybe play  golf nearby. We moved on to the Hotel Westport – a short walk from where our young pirates played. Another four-star hotel that oozed luxury.  Take your pick of things to do – a top notch restaurant, a   musical about Grace O’Malley, a superb pool, gym and beauty salon.

There is  also a Panda Club for kids running throughout the day and evening that includes X Factor competitions and  cinema trips. Forget expensive foreign holidays that offer little more than sun and sand  this mid-term – the children adored our trip to Mayo. It really captured their imagination…and they can’t wait to go back.

Andrew.

GO THERE
www.discoverireland.ie
www.wesporthouse.ie
www.mcWilliampark.ie 
www.hotelwestport.ie 
www.corribcruises.com

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