Travel Lightbulb

I'm big on birthday's - especially my own (ha ha!), and I'll be celebrating another year of my life on Sunday. In the lead up to it I have been planning some of my trips for this year, and that is one of my favourite things to do. Aside from the actual travelling, I think the planning stages can be so much fun.  I'm a bit of a planning freak when it comes to holidays - I like to know all about the country I'm going to, but also have some tops tips for the place I'm staying before I go. In fact that was one of the main reasons I started this travel blog - all my friends used to ask for tips for their holidays, and it just seemed selfish not to share them with the rest of you! For anyone who shares my birthday on the 28th, have a great day - and why not use some time on your special day to book a trip of your own for this year!

Time for another new feature on Travel Lightbulb! Every year travel magazines are full of ideas for those looking for a bit of adventure, and something different. The lists are usually compiled in December and January to give us all ideas and, if we book, something to look forward to. I decided to wait until now to write this strand, so that I could do a bit of research and give you my pick of a few very different places to visit when you're next looking to head off on your travels. The first of my ideas is something I've always wanted to do. Are you into trains? If so, have you ever thought of doing one of the world's best train journeys? The Trans-Siberian - or as the English travel writer put it "the big train ride"! You'll travel almost 6000 miles, so if you feel like the world is a small place, take this trip and let your mind wander! As well as this trip being as awesome thing to do, it's also a timely one - book now and you would be...

Airstream trailers date back to the 1930's, with the idea of building a travel trailer that would move like a stream of air, and be light enough to be towed by a car and give the owner first-class accommodation anywhere. As you can see by the photo below, they're instantly recognisable - with their distinctive shape and rounded aluminium bodies. I wrote about an airstream that you can stay in in Wales, where you can enjoy retro style in the rolling hills of West Wales. Not where you'd expect to find one, but it works....perfectly! To read my original post, and find out more, click  here.

I love a long walk on a hot summer's day, and the place in the photo below is one of my favourites places in the world to do this. Carrapateira beach is on the West coast of the Algarve in Portugal. In recent years, walkways have been built to protect the cliffs and coastline, and they make it even easier to enjoy this wonderful part of Portugal.  The best thing is even in the height of season, the beaches around this area are so huge they never feel busy. Stunning coastline; endless walks, and beautiful weather - what more do you need!

Cornwall is a beautiful place to visit at any time of year, but the photograph below shows what you can expect at this time of year - beautiful, misty views. I came across a fantastic place to stay if you want to experience so-called 'glamping' in Cornwall.  There's a great place called The Curve which is even suitable for spring camping. You can expect log burners and even a proper bed! It looks onto wildflower meadows, and you'll instantly relax here! If you want to read my original post about The Curve, then click  here.

If you've seen the television series 'Boardwalk Empire', you'll know all about the prohibition era. It was a nationwide ban on the sale (as well as the production and importation) of alcohol that was in place in the United States in the early 1930's. This ban saw the beginnings of the speakeasy, an establishment that illegally sold alcohol - so-called because people spoke quietly about such places when in public or inside it, so they didn't alert the police or the neighbours! They largely disappeared after Prohibition was ended in 1933, and now the term is used to describe retro style bars.  One such bar in Manchester is The Fitzgerald - which calls itself Manchester's best speakeasy bar, and I have to agree! The vibe here is laid back; cool, and quirky - and the cocktails are fabulous.   It's in the bustling Northern Quarter area of the city, and is a great place to spend your evening - at around £7 per fabulously mixed cocktail, ...

When I'm travelling I find I come home with lots of photos of beaches; landscapes, and buildings. Sometimes it's just too easy to wander around a city and not take in your surroundings. On a trip to Lisbon I saw a building that reminded me of an old Chanel advert - does anyone remember the 90's advert for Egoiste with women opening and closing the shutters on a building? If not google it, and I'm sure you'll appreciate why my memory was triggered when I saw the building above! There's so much going on in this photo from the blue sky; the 3D building on the left of the shot, to the fabulous old balconies with washing hanging from them. Look up, look around, and take it all in when you're travelling!

Look at the two photos on this page....which appeals most to you? Is it the luxurious image above - a beautiful property in the Italian Lakes? Or does the scene in the photo below appeal to you more - a rustic cabin in the mountains? I have friends that I know would choose Lake Garda in a minute, but have other friends who would prefer getting away from it all in the second photo.  Personally - I like to mix it up, and experience both luxury, and roughing it. I saw these two photos, and they reminded me to flashback to a post I wrote when I had returned from a charity trek in Peru. Trips like that make you remember that the simple things in life should be enjoyed, and while it's fabulous to go camping....it's also lovely to be pampered. So the question is.....which side of the fence do you sit on? To read my original blog post, just click  here .