Travel Lightbulb

Travel Lightbulb is taking a little winter break - don't despair....I'll be back soon bringing you more great travel suggestions! In the meantime, here's a little taster of things to come in the form of one of my travel photos! See you back here soon! 

 I'm starting the new year with something a little bit different. How does this sound....luxury accommodation; a fresh unique restaurant experience AND a shop in New Zealand. The Oyster Inn is in the heart of Waiheke Island, just 40 minutes from Auckland in the village of Oneroa. We'll start with the restaurant, which offers veranda dining under the shade of surrounding palms.  They pride themselves on using the best local produce and you can have everything from delicious fresh oysters (of course!) to pork belly, or fish pie. The vegetables are grown especially for the restaurant by local gardeners.   The bar is the perfect place to meet and mingle (and wash down an oyster or two!) whether it be soaking in the view i the sunner, or sitting by the wood-burning stove in winter. Whatever the weather, you can wander up from the beach and glug on a pitcher of homemade sangria, or lemonade - yum!  The three rooms have all the amenities you c...

Happy new year to you all! To everyone who has supported my blog throughout 2013 - thank you!  All the best for 2014 - let's hope it's a good one and that you all enjoy your travels! 

As this is my last blog post before Santa starts making his way around the world, I just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas. I hope you enjoy the festive season wherever you are spending the big day!  Merry Christmas to one and all! 

Today's photo was taken during the summer on a visit to The National Football Museum in Manchester. The unique building is in Cathedral Gardens, and opened in 2002 as part of a redevelopment of that area of the city. It has around 2200 glass panes, and looks absolutely stunning, especially on a sunny day! In 2010, the National Football Museum relocated from Preston, and is now housed here. It's well worth a visit, even if you're not a big fan of football, there's always plenty to see!  If you want more information about the museum, visit the official website  here , and if you'd like to contribute one of your own travel photos, then get in touch via the address on my contacts page.s

If you've been following my travel blog for a while, you may remember several features on the beautiful island of Sicily. Today, I'm focusing on a boutique hotel set in a 40 acre estate in a dramatic and beautiful part of the Italian island. Monaci delle Terre Nere is a stunning retreat on the slopes of Mount Etna. It is a Baroque house which has been transformed into a classy hotel which has beautiful rooms, and incredible views. The grounds are also breathtaking - full of fruit trees, grassy terraces, and there is an infinity pool with great views to the sea. There are just eight rooms set in and around the main house, and all have an eclectic style incorporating the original features of the building - think 18th century antiques mixed with modern design.  The hotel specialises in organic food and local wines, and there are also several wonderful restaurants which the owner will recommend if you want to venture out. That's certainly something you ...

I recently wrote a blog post about samara Private Game Reserve, which is situated in South Africa's Eastern Cape Great Karoo. I don't usually do follow-up pieces on the blog, but came across a heart warming tale, with a great photo to go with it, and thought I'd share it with you in the form of a Travel Photo Friday! In June of this year, a tiny little cheetah cub was born to Bellini, one of the wild females at Samara. None of Bellini's cubs had survived before, so it was understandable that she decided to hide her new cub under a bush close to Samara's lodge, where she knew humans would find her. Without further ado, let me introduce you to Nala..... It's policy at Samara to leave nature to its own devices, but the staff felt their hearts melt as she mewed with hunger, as her mother had abandoned her, and they agreed to take her into their homes, feeding her every one and a half hours through day and night. You'll be pleased to hear she's thr...

When visiting New York, many believe Manhattan is the only place to stay but with the transport system, everything is accessible. I wouldn't have thought of searching for a hotel in Brooklyn, but I came across one with so much style about it, that it has made me want to check it out!  Courtesy of Wythe Hotel Located in the heart of Brooklyn, the Wythe Hotel is situated on the waterfront in Williamsburg, a real up-and-coming borough. It was build in 1901, and has been converted into a 70 room hotel which is like no other in the area.   Courtesy of Wythe Hotel The rooms have high original timber ceilings, oversized windows, and heated concrete floors. Many of them boast floor-to-ceiling views of the Manhattan skyline, and East River. They're quirky in style, and extremely beautiful. Courtesy of Wythe Hotel  Another huge plus point of the hotel is its 6th floor bar and terrace, with stunning views of Manhattan and Brooklyn - a great place to return t...