Welcome
After starting out in banking, my passion for travel began with a slightly belated gap year in my 30s, and I quickly realised that seeing the world was more important to me than banking. I took the plunge, quit my job, and lived out of a bag for 12 months. I’ve never looked back.
That initial trip took me across India, Sri Lanka, southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand, finishing in New York.
I couldn't face returning to my old job and seeking an exciting new opportunity, I was lucky to be taken on by major long haul tour operator, Trailfinders, working in their Leeds shop where I stayed until starting a family.
I am passionate about exploring new destinations and specialise in tailor-made adventures. Interesting and off-the-beaten-track requests are my favourite - I enjoy the challenge of creating something that’s not in a brochure.
Family comes first and in addition to travelling with my own kids, I take enormous pleasure in booking quality family time for clients and seeing them have memorable holidays and experiences.
Having been an independent travel agent since 2013, many of my clients have been booking with me for several years and trust me with all their travel arrangements. I find exceptional customer service brings them back, time and time again, and many recommend me to their friends and family.
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My Favourite Places
I’ve travelled to some wonderful places - Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, New Zealand, Singapore, Bali are all at the top of my list, but the following three destinations bring back very special memories.
China
This holiday was a real adventure and something very different for our family. An amazing country, it exceeded all my expectations. We saw the iconic sights: the Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors, Tiananmen Square, and pandas in Chengdu.
Having a local guide also meant we had experiences we would never have managed travelling independently - cycling through rice paddies in Guilin and the city walls in Xian, cooking and Tai Chi classes, eating super spicy hotpot and chatting with the locals in tea gardens.
Our boys were just six and nine, so to make things easy we took a family tour with Intrepid Travel. They loved every minute and really enjoyed having other children to travel with.
South Africa
A destination that has everything - amazing food and wine, stunning scenery, wildlife, outdoor activities, history and culture. Cape Town is a vibrant city, and a great place to base yourselves for exploring the surrounding areas too.
We stayed in Camps Bay known for excellent restaurants and its beautiful setting beneath the Twelve Apostles Mountain range.
It is so easy to see the Big 5 in South Africa and we were fortunate enough to have time to self-drive in the famous Kruger National Park and stay at Lion Sands, a private game reserve.
A lasting memory is following a braai dinner one evening, we were asked to move quickly but quietly as a herd of elephants were on their way towards us!
Turkey
A country that feels like home, I have been lucky to visit many times - especially when we had family living there.
Fethiye is a favourite area and Saklikent Gorge is a place we all love to visit each time we go.
Whilst I love the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean, Istanbul is one of my favourite cities in the world.
It is perfect for a city break or stopover with world famous historic sights such as the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, great shopping especially the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar and delicious food.
Its unique setting on the Bosphorus, straddling Europe and Asia adds to the magic of this fascinating city.
What's on my wish list...?
I have been fortunate to travel much of Asia and it’s my favourite part of the world. I love the food, culture, friendly people, and all-round relaxed vibe.
Japan is somewhere I would love to go and after arranging a holiday for a very good client, I find North Korea very intriguing.
Canada, Peru, Seychelles and Iceland are high on the list too.
What I never travel without...
Travel pillow, cosy socks, pashmina and an eye mask - I never get on a plane without these as I can't bear to be cold!
Best piece of travel advice...
Eat local. For me, food is really important - it is one of the main reasons I love to travel. Although I have had some amazing fine dining experiences, you really can't beat eating where the locals do.
