Travel Lightbulb

As well as travel, another of my passions is sport. Today's photo was taken at Wembley Stadium before a football game. I was walking to my seat, and looked up to see the sun setting behind the famous arena, and thought it made for a nice silhouette! For those who aren't into sport, the stadium was opened in 2007, and was built on the site of the old Wembley stadium. It holds 90,000 spectators, and the Wembley Arch is an iconic sight. It spans 1,040 ft, and is the longest single span roof structure in the world. It's so high it even requires beacons for low flying aircraft! I'm always looking for contributors for this feature, so i f you have a  travel photo you'd like to share, just send it to me using the email address on my  contact page , and include a short paragraph about where it was taken.  T hanks in advance for your contributions.

My second featured accommodation for Unusual week is a legendary pit-stop on America's world famous Route 66. The thing I love about this place is not only that it's pretty wacky, but also that it was part of the inspiration for the 'Cosy Cone Motel' in the Disney Pixar movie 'Cars'! Those who have travelled along Route 66 will know that there are many icons along the way, and this motel is one of them. The man who inspired the retro motel was Frank Redford, who was heavily influenced by native Indian culture - as you can see below! The motel has a village-style arrangement of nineteen 30 foot-tall tepees made from wood framing, concrete and stucco. Each wigwam is equipped with what the hotel call 'traveller's essentials', and that includes your own barbecue! The 'rooms' also have a fridge; tv; AC/heater and free wi-fi. There is also a pool onsite. The wigwams actually quite spacious - almost tardis-like, as they don't look...

Since starting this blog, I have come across several incredibly unusual hotels, and I decided to feature a couple in a week I've named "Unusual week" here on Travel Lightbulb! Today's incredible place to stay is like no other I've ever seen. It's certainly original, and before I tell you more about it, the photo below says it all. Amazing or what?! Yes, that's right.....it is actually an old Boeing 747 - the first in the world to be converted into a hostel with more than 30 rooms. It sits on a disused runway at Stockholm airport, and is a 15 minute walk from the main terminal, or via a shuttle bus which takes just 5 minutes. The plane was previously used by various airlines including Pan Am and Singapore, and has certainly been given a new lease of life! Some spaces are multi-occupancy dorms, while others like the flight deck (see photo below) are en-suite double bedrooms, so don't be put off by the term 'hostel'. The Cockpit suit...

I took today's Travel Photo in a lush garden in the Caribbean. Flowers that you don't get in your own back garden scream "tropical" to me, and I loved the colours of this beauty against the dark green of the leaves. It's amazing how you can sum up how warm a place is with one photo.....can you almost feel the humidity? If you want to s hare your own travel photo with me, just send it to me using the email address on my contact page, and include a short paragraph about where it was taken.  T hanks in advance for your contributions!

The Lake District is a beautiful part of the UK; and when choosing somewhere to stay, it's nice if you can get a place that takes advantage of the stunning vistas. Linthwaite House does just that, with panoramic views of one of Cumbria's most beautiful stretches of water, Windermere. The location is perfect for exploring; but the hotel itself is set in beautiful grounds, and has a stunning terrace - a great place to sit while watching the sun go down. It's just outside of the main village of Windermere; and although it's very quiet, you're still close to the shops and restaurants nearby. There are thirty rooms at the hotel - all are luxurious and very tastefully decorated, and some overlook Windermere and the Lake District fells.  The owner describes the interiors as Raffles meets Ralph Lauren! Picture crackling fires; afternoon tea, and sumptuous surroundings, and you can imagine what this place is like. Not only is the accommodation super...

I have never been a binocular carrying; bird watching type, but when you visit the Caribbean on a regular basis you can't help but become interested in the stunning colourful birds that are constantly flying around. I recently came across the perfect place for bird watchers and novices alike to watch birds at close hand on the stunning island of Tobago.  We read about Adventure Farm and Nature Reserve on a superb website called  My Tobago  - a fantastic resource if you're thinking of going to the island. Although we'd read a report on a forum, we didn't really know what to expect, but it was one of the highlights of our stay. The twelve acre estate is on the Arnos Vale Road, and is owned by Ean MacKay.  The photo above shows just how lush the entrance to the estate is, and once you've parked up, it gets even better! When we went, there was no one around....just a little note telling us to make a small payment in a tiny wooden box; to take a couple of...

The latest travel photo Friday is a reader contribution of the Denver Colorado skyline from Laura Ann Klein. Over to Laura for more... It was taken last month from the steps of the Museum of Natural History in City Park. One of the most beautiful things about Denver is our skyline includes a backdrop of mountains referred to as "the front range". Twenty plus years ago, having air this clear was threatened but through rigorous clean air controls we are lucky enough that on most days we can see our mountains to the west. Great photo Laura. You can see more of Laura's travel photos on her blog:  edgyjunecleaver.com  If you'd like to see your own photo being featured here,  send it to me at travellightbulb@hotmail.co.uk. Please include your name; and a paragraph about where and when the photo was taken. All contributions are welcome!

Titchwell Manor is a child friendly boutique hotel which overlooks the North Norfolk coastline and marshes. It's a Victorian farmhouse that has been transformed into an elegant hotel which is renowned for its superb food. The lovely thing about this hotel is the range of accommodation. You can choose between Victorian manor rooms, or more contemporary look in rooms that look onto the stunning herb garden. Not only is Titchwell Manor child friendly, but it's also a great place to bring your dog on holiday. There are lots of open fields and woods to explore, as well as golden beaches nearby. The hotel will even provide a dog bed, dog biscuits and a water bowl in your bedroom! There are two restaurants at the manor - the fine dining Conservatory Restaurant; and the Eating Rooms, which is a stunning and informal dining area and bar with a sea view terrace. I mentioned that the hotel is child friendly, and the cute thing about the kids menu is that it includes mini ro...

I love staying in bed and breakfast accommodation, and the other day, I came across a stunning example north of Castle Cary, in the heart of rural Somerset. Clanville Manor is a working beef farm that offers B&B accommodation in a beautiful Georgian house. The manor has been in the family since 1898, and has been run as a B&B for 17 years.  It featured in the AA Lifestyle Guides as one of '500 Perfect Places to stay', and is also in the top 10% of AA 4 star rated B&B's.  You can guarantee fresh eggs will be served at breakfast time (there are hens in a run beside the car park!) and in the evening there are plenty of great restaurants and pubs to choose from in the area.  There is lots of sightseeing to be done, with museums and National Trust properties aplenty. Having said all that, if you just fancy chilling out then there is a heated swimming pool which is available in the summer months. There are also two self-catering cottages available fo...

Today's photo will be a familiar sight to anyone who has ever travelled through Europe by car. The sunflower fields that greet you in France and Spain in particular are breathtakingly beautiful, and prove to be a real distraction to drivers who are not used to seeing them! These lush fields could be right out of a Vincent Van Gogh painting of sunflower fields in bloom, and are one of the highlights of a driving trip in Europe. If you have a photo you'd like to see featured on Travel Lightbulb, then please send it to me at travellightbulb@hotmail.co.uk. Please include your name, and tell me where, and when the photo was taken. All contributions are welcome!

If you're looking for an unusual experience on California's breathtaking Big Sur coast, then Treebones is just the place. It overlooks the Pacific Ocean with stunning panoramic views in all directions, and is surrounded by the Los Padres National Forest. The main lodging venue is the yurts, which are a great option if you want to feel like you're doing 'outdoor living' without camping.  If you've not heard of them before, Yurts are tent-like circular fabric structures that have wood lattice frames. At Treebones, they are spacious, and tastefully furnished. They even have lighting; queen sized beds, and a hot and cold sink. The shower and toilet facilities are just a short stroll away.  Eating options here can be found in the Wild Coast Restaurant or the Sushi Bar (see above). The restaurant specialises in local ingredients grown and harvested from their own organic garden. As for the sushi bar; it is outdoors with an unobstructed ocean view, and a...

It's the first Monday of the month, and time for another of my  travel ramblings. I decided to feature one of the most important parts of travelling.....flights. Many people love travelling, but hate flying - so which category do you fall into - do you love it, or hate it?  Flying can be an amazing experience, and if you want to get away in a hurry, then simply jumping on a plane, and reaching your destination a few hours later is the easy way to do it. Having said that, there can be many downsides to this type of transport such as a toddler in the row behind you who won't stop kicking your seat, or delays that mean you're stuck in the airport for hours spending your holiday cash on sunglasses you don't need! Surely there are also positives to flying - we all spend the majority of our time working hard, and not getting a chance to relax. So if you're on a long flight then a few hours of reading a good book; listening to some music, or watching a fil...

A few years ago on holiday in Majorca, I went on a drive around the island. I came across a stunning beach which was almost deserted, and had stunning mountains behind it. While taking some photos of the beach, I turned around to see this extraordinary sight. A helicopter was flying out around the coast, and must have decided to take the scenic route - who can blame them - the view was stunning! If you'd like to send in a photo for me to feature here, then please send it and a paragraph about where it was taken to  travellightbulb@hotmail.co.uk