Category: Leger

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BBC 1's The Apprentice takes on Coach Tours.

Nana Markin

If you haven’t heard, the BBC 1 hit show, The Apprentice, is taking on the task of putting together a one day coach tour on tonight’s episode.

The Apprentice sees 20 entrepreneurs take on a series of tasks to prove their worth. An investment of £250,000 is at stake to fund a business partnership with Sir Alan Sugar. Each week we see contestants eliminated with brutal honesty coining the famous phrase ‘You’re fired’
Coach tourism is worth £2.35 billion to Britain’s economy and forms a large part of Leger Holidays, as you can probably imagine, the talk of this episode at Leger HQ is rife.
Without giving too much away to the avid fans of the show, the task is set to create a day trip to a top UK tourist attraction outside of London. They are provided with two luxury coaches as both parties depart to their chosen destinations.
We’re said to expect a display of coach sing-a-longs and some questionable lunches on top of some unsuccessful negotiations for attraction entry prices.
Luckily for Leger customers, this is something they don’t have to worry about. With the launch of our new coach, Luxuria, entertainment is far beyond ‘Eye-Spy’ and Karaoke, you are now able to enjoy your own interactive seat back TV with plenty of games, films and music to choose from.
We’d love to know your verdict on the episode, would you go on any of the tours they put together? Leave us a comment or hop over to Facebook or Twitter.

To keep you going before the Apprentice at 9pm tonight, here’s our top 5 reasons why we love coach holidays:

  • Magnificent Scenery

From rolling countryside to snow covered mountain peaks, you can see it all on a coach trip. It makes for some beautiful photographs too!

  • It’s all planned for you

If you’re planning on visiting more than one city, you could be looking for moths for a great deal. Your itinerary is perfectly thought out, taking you to the best places and lovely hotels and you don’t have to lift a finger when it comes to the planning.

  • Meeting great new friends

A coach full of interesting people, with their own stories and experiences all there to enjoy the same thing. There’s no wonder Leger customers find life-long friends on their holidays.

  • Visiting several amazing locations in one holiday

Don’t place yourself in one location with the only escape being your flight home, we can take you from the beautiful island of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea to the Grossglockner Glacier in Austria within days of each other.

  • Great Value

The value of a coach holiday simply doesn’t compare to an air holiday. Multiple destinations, luxury travel and inclusive meals for less than some plane tickets? What’s not to like?
Getting to know each other in the lounge
Why don’t you pop over to our Facebook page and get involved with our Apprentice style task, put together your perfect 5 day tour!
You can also see what our brand new coach, launching in 2015, Luxuria has to offer by clicking here.
The Apprentice, Wednesday nights at 9pm, BBC1

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Directors Choice: Huw Williams goes Walking in the Italian S

Here at Leger we offer a fantastic selection of different and exciting tours, ranging from the classic sights of Europe to experiencing live events such as the Formula One Grand Prix. However, one experience that we are particularly proud of is our walking tours. We have taken our customers hiking through the Austrian mountains to walking in the footsteps of heroes through the Battlefields of World War One. Our Marketing Director, Huw Williams, loves walking and in turn has chosen our Walking in the Italian Süd Tirol tour as his Directors Choice. Huw has kindly answered some of our frequently asked questions about his tour and walking tours in general.

What is a walking holiday and what does it entail?

A walking holiday with Leger is a combination of a coach holiday with sightseeing opportunities combined with graded, guided walks through beautiful, interesting scenery.

As your Directors’ Choice, what made you choose this tour?

I had never visited the Italian Sud Tirol, a destination we’ve specialised in for 30 years, so I thought it was about time!
My wife (who accompanied me) and I also love walking, so it seemed to be the ideal combination. It was a Silver Service departure, too, so that made it even more appealing as I am quite tall and appreciate the extra legroom.

What are the perks of a walking holiday?

The fresh air and exercise in amazing, scenic surroundings give you a real sense of contentment and well-being. A chance to take a step back (excuse the pun) from day-to-day demands and appreciate the simple pleasures of life….one of which is spending time with a small group of walking companions and making new friends.

Are the walks taken as a group or do you go your own pace?

All walks are accompanied by an experienced guide and the group walks together. Inevitably, people walk at different paces and this is catered for, within certain limits.

What did you expect before heading off on the tour and was there anything that left you pleasantly surprised?

Walking guide Christina
Our walking guide, Christina

The tour mostly met my expectations, which it should considering my job! However, my expectations were exceeded by: the comfort of Silver Service and the performance of our drivers; the amazing hospitality at our hotel in Uttenheim, the zum Schlossl (Anna is such a good cook); the friendliness and expertise of our walking guide, Christina; and especially the truly stunning scenery of the Sud Tirol. It was breath-taking.

Is a walking holiday suitable for single travellers?

Absolutely, there were several guests travelling on their own and, to my knowledge, had a great time. Coach and walking holidays are perfect for getting to know your fellow travellers quickly and making new friends.

Which was your favourite walk of the tour?

The Waldner Pilgrimage, from Prettau up to  the Waldner Alm. It had unbelievable views. But every walk was rewarding in its own right because of the varied features of each one.

What would you say to people who think they aren’t fit or experienced enough to try a walking holiday?

A reasonable level of fitness is important. If you rarely take exercise or have mobility issues, our walking holidays are not suitable for you.
However, if you’re a regular walker, whether over gentle or more challenging terrain, we’ll have something to suit because our walks are graded according to difficulty.
I would certainly recommend you do some preparation beforehand, though. It will enhance your enjoyment. And ensure you have suitable boots and clothing.
It doesn’t matter if you’re inexperienced because all walks are fully guided and you will receive pre-walk briefings and lots of tips and advice to help you get the most from each day.

What advice would you give to someone about to head off on their first walking holiday?

Savour every moment and take lots of pictures to remind you what a wonderful time you had…until the next time, that is. Believe me, once you’ve done it you’ll want to go again.

What three words would you use to sum up your experience on this tour?

Exhilarating, friendly, fun.

And finally, given the choice of any European country, which would you personally choose as an ideal walking tour destination?

For me, it’s the mountain scenery I find irresistible. Therefore, it probably has to be somewhere in the Alps. The Italian Sud Tirol fits the bill and that’s probably because it used to be part of Austria until the end of the First World War. So, as I love everything about Austria, I would choose it as my ideal European walking destination. Maybe I’ll choose Walking in the Austrian Tyrol for my next Directors’ Choice!

Here are some of Huw’s fantastic photos from his Directors Choice tour, Walking in the Italian Sud Tirol, this tour is available to view here

If you’d like to take a look at the fantastic choice of walking tours available to book now, click here.

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Macmillan World's Biggest Coffee Morning

Macmillan Coffe Morning at Leger HQ

If you follow us on social media, you may have seen that last Friday, the 26th September, Leger HQ took part in the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. Macmillan offer support for everyone affected by cancer. Last year £20 million was raised through the coffee morning for a fantastic cause and, as you can imagine, can really make a difference.

Our team pulled together and baked us all lots of delicious cakes, some of which we’re still tucking into now. We don’t need an excuse for a cake break.
So far we’ve managed to raise over £150 from our cake sales and we would like to thank all staff and bakers for participating and everyone who donated.
Here’s a few pictures of a lovely staff tucking in for a good cause, here’s to the next one.
 


 
For more information on the Macmillan Coffee Morning, click here.

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Leger Holidays introduce Luxuria

Leger Holidays are proud to present our NEW and innovative Luxuria coach.
In 2003 when we first introduced Silver Service we set the standard for added comfort and style when travelling across Europe. Many of you have been asking “What next?”…the answer is Luxuria – the next level in escorted touring travel.
Luxuria takes coach travel to the next level of comfort, it only seats 31 passengers in rows of three, meaning significantly wider seats and extra leg room.
The deluxe armchair-style seats, some with tables, also feature retractable calf rests, fully-interactive personal touch screen TV’s, offering a wide choice of movies, T.V programmes and music so you can watch what you want when you want.
For added comfort there are cup holders along with USB and UK plug charging points. Refreshments are also available on board and porterage is offered at most hotels.
Luxuria Coach Travel layout - Leger holidays
Another standout feature of Luxuria is the selection of double and single seats, including four seats face to face with tables. On each row there are just three seats rather than the usual four, meaning each armchair-style luxury seat is wider and with more personal space around it for a more comfortable journey. And with up to 7 single seats available, these are likely to be very popular with single travellers and those who enjoy their own personal space.
For more information regarding the new service and the tours Luxuria will feature on please visit our dedicated website page here.
Luxuria Coach Travel - Leger holidays

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If at first you don’t succeed…: a dance cut short ' sur le Pont d’ Avignon ’.

Passing through neat rows of grapevines and rolling green fields stretching as far as the eye could see, we continued with our tour of Provence and the Dordogne on our way to the charming walled city of Avignon.

It was a beautiful April morning and the sun was shining as we continued along twisting roads and past the terracotta rooftops of delightful little villages along the way.
Arriving in Avignon we soon had excellent views of the mighty Palais des Papes – the Popes’ Palace – the largest Gothic palace in Europe, and the famous bridge: Pont d’Avignon, Saint Bénezet or ‘the broken bridge’ as it’s also known. Built in the 12th century, this bridge is the subject of a children’s song Sur le Pont d’Avignon, about handsome gentlemen, pretty dames, gardeners, dressmakers, grape growers and various other people all dancing on the bridge of Avignon. In reality, the bridge is only about 4 metres wide, so not a great deal of space for dancing!

FRA_AVI_000025_F_SS_Small
Strolling through the streets of Avignon

We made our way through the charming streets to the Place du Palais – the second of two main squares in Avignon, dominated by the huge palace which was home to Roman Catholic popes for almost 70 years during the 14th century. Climbing the stone steps we entered the palace for an audio tour around the enormous building with its grand halls, manicured lawn and spacious courtyards. The climb up to the roof terrace was well worth the effort – the reward was an excellent view over the city, the river and the famous broken bridge.

The streets led us to the Place du Palais
The streets led us to the busy Place du Palais
Great vews over Avignon
Great views over Avignon

For many years the Pont d’Avignon was the only stone bridge along the 186 mile stretch of the river Rhône between Lyon and the Mediterranean sea. Over the years the structure was damaged and many of its original 22 arches were swept away by the choppy flood waters of the Rhône. The crumbling bridge had to be constantly repaired until the 17th century when the cost of rebuilding and continual maintenance became too much for the city of Avignon to bear and the bridge gradually weakened. In time, the surviving arches collapsed leaving the four that remain today.

Bags of Lavender are everywhere!
Bags of Lavender are everywhere!

After our palace tour we walked through the city’s tangle of narrow cobbled backstreets, past souvenir shops emitting the sweet smell of lavender from the pretty little bags swinging from displays and out onto the road which runs alongside the Rive Rhône. The oatmeal-coloured stone stood out brightly against the brilliant blue sky as we crossed over the road to get to the medieval bridge. Climbing the steps I could see that the bridge was quite busy with visitors, maybe some of them dressmakers and grape growers wanting to dance ‘sur le Pont d’Avignon’?

Heading across the bridge
Heading across the bridge leaving behind the Palais des Papes

I quickstepped my way through the crowd, desperate to get all the way over to the other side, since it was the view from the banking on the other side of the river that I’d seen all the postcards and in brochures and wanted to capture for myself. Faster and faster I tried to weave through the crowd, camera at the ready. After a few ‘excusez-moi’s, I emerged from the throng of people… and realised… I was trying to cross ‘the broken bridge’.
It was just half an hour until our coach would be departing, but not one to be defeated I did a quick about-turn back through the crowds and with a few more ‘excusez moi’s, rushed back down the steps, along the river bank to the next bridge, over the bridge and down the other side of the Rhône. Walking as fast as my legs would carry me, I jumped over the extended rods of fishermen sitting on the river bank, breaking into a run through a large group of pigeons being fed by families – causing the birds to scatter in all directions – and locals taking their dogs for a leisurely walk.
Back over the bridge at an even quicker pace, I made it back to the coach with time to spare and collapsed into my seat, out of breath, but happy that I’d got the shot I wanted.

The broken bridge, in all its splendour
THE shot: the broken bridge, in all its splendour

Have you been to Avignon? Share your stories and comments with us! We’d love to hear from you!

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Ideas for Father’s Day From Leger Holidays

A new car cleaning kit, baking a cake or a matching shirt and tie set are all very nice ideas but are they a little predictable? Why not take a look at our ideas for Father’s Day.

Many dads across the country would be over the moon with a car cleaning kit, but I was thinking this year I’m going to look at something a little more exciting. This father’s day I’m thinking outside the box something like a Formula One Grand Prix Weekend.
If your dad is anything like mine, then there is nothing he enjoys more than a weekend packed full of sport. Especially when the Formula One season starts. A big ambition of his is to go to a Formula One Grand Prix Weekend. Around this time of year is when the annual comments like “Next year we are going to go to Monaco” or “I would love to of been there for that race” make an appearance.

Formula One Race Weekends with Leger Holidays
Formula One Race Weekends with Leger Holidays

I know not all dads are the same. If a sporting weekend is not your dads’ cup of tea, maybe a Battlefield Tour would be more suitable? Our Battlefield tours are very popular amongst Leger customers. Especially in the build up to Father’s Day, a favourite amongst our customers is the All Quiet on the western front tour.

Trenches on the All Quiet on the Western Front Tour
Trenches on the All Quiet on the Western Front Tour

The Formula One Race Weekends and Battlefield tours are just a couple of ideas we suggest as ideas for Father’s Day gifts. Our website houses a variety of alternatives that maybe more suitable. There are tours that include city breaks, cruises, and many other live events including the Andrea Bocelli in Tuscany.
For more information on any of our tours or for more ideas for Father’s Day please visit our website. Alternatively you can contact our friendly reservations team on 01709 787 463.
Photo courtesy of Flickr user: Jim, the Photographer

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A taste of South-east Europe: Cevapcici

Walking around the streets of Mostar, the smell of wood-burning fires and food charring on open grills wafted through the air… it smelled SO good. The smell was Ćevapčići – the local dish, and I just had to try some.

There are different versions of this dish around south-eastern Europe, usually served with chopped onions, ajvar (a spicy relish made of peppers, aubergine and garlic– pronounced ‘eye-var’) and a flatbread (similar to a pitta bread) known as lepinje.
Why not try making Ćevapčići – pronounced ‘chewapchiechie’ – for yourself with this easy recipe?
To make 6-8 Ćevapčići you will need:
▪    200g Minced Beef
▪    200g Minced Lamb
▪    200g Minced Pork
▪    200g Minced Turkey
(use all of the above meats, or a combination a couple of them)
▪    1 onion, finely chopped
▪    3 cloves garlic, crushed
▪    1 green chilli, finely chopped
▪    1 egg white, beaten
▪    1 teaspoon paprika
▪    Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method 1:
▪    Mix the meat together and set to one side.
▪    Saute the chopped onions in a little bit of oil.
▪    Add the crushed garlic.
▪    Add the onions and garlic mixture to the meat.
▪    Add beaten egg white and paprika.
▪    Mix well.
▪    Form into sausage shapes.
▪    Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least an hour (or overnight)
▪    Pan fry until nicely browned on all sides
OR… even easier…
Method 2:
▪    Combine all ingredients and form into 3 or 4-inch long sausages.
▪    Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least an hour (or overnight).
▪    Cook slowly until well browned, turning often.
 

Leave the Cevapcici in the fridge overnight before cooking.
Leave the Cevapcici in the fridge overnight before cooking.

 
And now, for the ajvar:
▪    5 red peppers
▪    1 medium aubergine
▪    3-5 cloves garlic, crushed
▪    1-2 tablespoon vinegar
▪    1 teaspoon paprika
▪    Salt and pepper to taste
 
Preparing the ajvar
Preparing the ajvar

 
▪    Cut the aubergine in half, length ways.
▪    Please peppers and aubergine cut-side face down in the oven until the pepper skins start to blister and go black.
▪    Place blacked peppers in a bowl and cover with cling film to let them steam.
▪    When the aubergine is soft in the middle, scoop out the flesh and discard any large seeds. Mash or chop it (depending how chunky you’d like your ajvar) and mix in the garlic.
▪    Once the peppers are cool, peel off the blackened skin and chop finely.
▪    Add this to the aubergine and garlic mixture, then add the vinegar, paprika and salt and pepper.
▪    Serve chilled.
Spice it up: add chopped chillies if you’d prefer it to have a bit of a kick!
Serve your Ćevapčići with chopped, raw onion, ajvar and flat/pitta bread.
Ćevapčići served with ajvar, onions and pitta bread – just the way I tried it in Mostar!
Ćevapčići served with ajvar, onions and pitta bread – just the way I tried it in Mostar!

 
Have you tried Ćevapčići?
Try this recipe and let us know how you get on.
 
 
 

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My top 10 tips for a comfortable coach journey

One of the great things about coach travel is that you get to sit back, relax and let someone else do the navigating and driving!

 

Of course, all coach holidays are different “ different durations, different countries, different climates, etc, but here are a few things I’ve found useful on all the coach trips I’ve been on.

 

1. Wear comfortable shoes

Wear comfortable footwear that can be removed or slackened off if required. Remember to keep moving from time to time by pointing and flexing your toes, and circling your feet and ankles.

 

2. Wear loose-fitting clothing

Dress for comfort so you can relax as you travel, and dress in layers. Layering your clothing means you can dress/undress to make yourself more comfortable in the temperature of the coach.

 

3. Take a travel pillow

It’s easy to nod off with the motion of the coach as you travel along, so to enhance your relaxation, why not purchase a travel pillow and make your snoozing more comfortable.

 

Make your snoozing more comfortable with a travel pillow
Make your snoozing more comfortable with a travel pillow

 

 

4. Carry wet wipes

Wet wipes are great for freshening up as you travel and take up very little space in your luggage.

 

5. Stretch your legs

If you’re travelling on Silver Service, make use of the rear lounge. It’s a great place to stretch out, read a book or magazine and chat to your fellow passengers or just have a snooze or listen to your music. At comfort stops, even if you don’t need to use the facilities, step off the coach for a few minutes and stretch your legs.

 

6. Carry some change

Some service stations may make a small charge for using the toilets, so keep some change to hand. At some service areas, you’ll be required to pay and take a ticket to use the toilets, these tickets can then be used against payment for items bought from the service area shop.

 

Spare change, anyone? Be prepared with a handful of coins.
Spare change, anyone? Be prepared with a handful of coins.

 

 

7. Choose your reading material

It’s always interesting to read a book fact or fiction with tales of the area you’ll be visiting.

 

Choose reading material relevant to your holiday.
Choose reading material relevant to your holiday, this was mine on my Highlights of Provence & the Dordogne trip!

 

 

8. Listen to music

If you’re travelling on Silver Service you’ll have complimentary headphones provided for your own personal use. On all coaches, of course, you can take your own, personal music player to enjoy your favourite tracks through headphones/earphones as you travel along.

 

Music to your ears: listen to music while you travel.
Music to your ears: listen to music while you travel.

 

 

 

9. Learn a language

Why not learn a language while you travel? There are lots of language CDs with books to accompany them; learn the lingo while you travel and practice it when you get to your destination!

 

Learn the lingo and practice it when you get there!
Learn the lingo and practice it when you get there!

 

 

10. Keep a diary

With so much to see and do, why not record your experiences in a holiday journal. Not only will it help you identify places in your photos, it’ll also jog your memory when you return home.

 

Keep a diary or travel journal to look back on.
Keep a diary or travel journal to look back on. ©Flickr

 

Also for the comfort of your fellow travellers

Please ensure that your mobile phone is turned to low volume and that any portable devices (tablets, mp3 players, games consoles etc) are used with earphones when travelling on the coach. Please make sure that volume through headphones/earphones is kept to a minimum so that it cannot be heard by your fellow travellers.

 

Check your volume.
Check your volume!

 

And that’s it! My top ten tips for a comfortable coach journey.

 

If you have any more, please let us know.

 

Happy travelling!

 

 

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Leger On Location – Leger Holidays

The interchange at Dover Eastern Docks often has Leger Holidays customers amazed: How on earth can luggage from sometimes up to 30 coaches end up on the right vehicle so quickly? How do so many people from so many different coaches from all over the country swap successfully to the right tour coach where their bags and belongings are waiting for them? But it happens. And the luggage handlers and coach crews make it all look so easy.

We thought the best way to explain what goes on was to spend a day at the port and put together a short film to share with those of you who have yet to experience the ‘smooth operators’ at Dover port… So, on a brisk November morning, Anita and I (Caroline) headed off ‘on location’, travelling from Yorkshire to the south-east coast of England to see this marvel for ourselves.

Leger on Location
On location: Anita and Caroline with our camera man.

 

Pre-production checks

The sky was bright blue against the famous white cliffs, brightly lit by the autumn sunshine, as we passed through security and headed to the interchange.

Caroline: “Even though we weren’t actually going anywhere, we had to go through passport control and, because we would be filming and taking photographs around the interchange, we had to pass various security and health and safety checks – we even had a video to watch and questions to answer before we were allowed to proceed, escorted by a Dover Harbour Board security guard. They take security and passenger safety very seriously here.”

Despite the relatively mild temperature, the wind chill on the coast had us heading for our scarves and gloves in no time. Rob, our security guard for the day, made sure we were wearing our hi-vis vests before accompanying us around the interchange.

Picture the scene

As each coach arrived, it was like watching a well-rehearsed dance sequence – each vehicle sweeping around into the parking area and gliding back into its designated bay, one after the other – all that was missing was some music.

Leger on Location
Coaches sweep into the bays.

Anita: “This was a relatively quiet day, as far as the interchange goes – we only had 7 coaches heading across the Channel. Our busiest time is July and August, when there can be 30 coaches lined up, ready to board the ferry.”

Leger on Location
Coaches lined up and ready to go.

And… action!

Leger guests poured off their feeder coaches and headed into the Passenger Services Building to enjoy a cuppa or stock up on essentials at the shop there, whilst the luggage handlers and coach crews set to work wheeling cases into position.

Leger on Location
Leger guests heading into the Passenger Services Building.

There were flashes of hi-vis jackets circling the coaches like the seagulls doing circuits of the sky above us, whilst the coach crews stocked their vehicles with supplies for the trip. In no time at all, cases had been checked, luggage had been loaded onto the relevant tour coaches and Sarah, part of Leger’s team at Dover, called over the tannoy for our guests to join their tour coaches.
Leger on Location
“Attention all Leger passengers!”

 
Leger Holidays
Friendly drivers show the way.

 
Leger Holidays
Welcome aboard!

The coach crews welcomed guests onto their vehicles, checking seat numbers and ensuring everyone was present. Once all the doors were closed, the convoy of blue and silver vehicles made their way over to the ferry boarding area and waited for the go ahead to board.

That’s a wrap

We waved off each coach as they disappeared up the ramp and onto the ship, wishing we were joining them on their European adventure.

Bon Voyage!

 
By the way, have you ever wondered where the phrase “that’s a wrap” came from? Well, some say it’s an acronym for a phrase which originated in the 1920s when the director of a film used to shout “Wind Reel And Print” to signal the end of filming. So now you know!
The video can be viewed below:-

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“Remember that time when…”

…it’s a phrase used by so many of us with our travelling partners in the days, weeks, months, even years after we return from holiday:

“Remember that time that I got an electric shock from a fence in the Swiss Alps whilst talking to a cow”; “remember that time when I rode around Greece on the back of a motorbike in a bikini” (ok, so we’ve all done stupid things!); “…when I hurried to get to the other side of the ‘Broken Bridge’ in Avignon before getting half way and realising it was broken” (ditto last comment!); “… that time I climbed aboard one of Elvis’s jets on a visit to Graceland” …the things we do in those days away can leave imprints in our minds that last much longer than the holidays themselves.

The road to nowhere
The road to nowhere

It’s all in the detail

I remember sitting with my dear old Grandma – who’d had her fair share of holidays with my Grandad – as she relayed stories of the things they’d done, places they’d been and things they’d seen on their travels, despite not remembering what she did last week! She’d remember times, dates, people – so many details of her experiences whilst on holiday in Germany or Austria or Switzerland or wherever, and it was almost as though, for a few minutes, she was transported back there, reliving the experiences over again. I always found it fascinating how she could remember things so vividly from 40 or 50 years ago!

Lasting memories... Grandma in Pompeii
Lasting memories… Grandma in Pompeii

Time to turn off ‘auto-pilot’

Have you ever had that feeling when you’re at home and going about your daily routine where you sometimes switch to ‘automatic pilot’? You don’t even really think about what you’re doing – whether it’s getting ready for work, cooking the evening meal, dropping the kids at school or doing the weekly shop – it just seems to happen. Yet when you travel, you come back with bucket-loads of memories from even a weekend away. Sound familiar? If you asked me what I did last week, like my Grandma, it’s hard to always remember. Each day of the daily routine blends into the next: Monday becomes Friday; Friday becomes Monday and before you know it another month’s passed. So why do we seem remember so much more when we’re way?

The ‘eyes’ have it (and the noses, mouths and ears too!)

When we’re surrounded by different sights, smells, tastes etc, our senses are kick-started and we actually take notice of what’s around us (although, I have to say it would’ve been pretty hard to not take notice of that electric fence, no matter where it was!). When we’re on holiday, we’re constantly exposed to new things which is why they leave that impression in our minds so much more than the familiar sights and sounds of our everyday lives.

The cow continued to graze as I received a shock!
The cow continued to graze as I received a shock!

Packing it in

It’s also pretty common for us to return from our holiday feeling like we’ve been away much longer than we have – another result of us being much more aware of our surroundings. Each moment of our time away is packed with memories, making the days seem much longer than the same period of time back home. These memories become etched into our memory, stored for years to come, as my Grandma proved to me, time and time again.
Whilst on one of my own travels last year, I met a guy who shared with me something his father used to say to him:

“When you’re at home, you exist. When you’re on holiday, you live.”

What an excellent way of summing it up.
So, remember, life is for living! Soak it all up, take it all in – the new sights and sounds and smells of any new place you visit and any new experiences you have – whether it’s at home or away. And when you can’t actually travel any more, like my Grandma, hopefully all your experiences will carry on through your memories, to be relived time and time again. And that’s another one of the many reasons that thousands of us love to travel each year… the memories of our travel experiences can keep us going through the times in between our adventures… and beyond!
Have you got holiday memories you’d like to share? Be sure to let us know!