Spice Lands of Kerala

My decision to visit the Spice Lands of Kerala with Cox & Kings was a visit into the unknown in some ways but one which was to prove to be a trip of a lifetime….

From the moment I stepped off the plane to saying my goodbyes to an India Sunset, every moment & experience I had will stay with me forever.

I couldn’t possible put into words what an amazing experience my trip was with Cox & Kings, so as the old saying goes a picture speaks a thousand words & of the 900+ pictures I took, I hope I have captured every aspect of my holiday. Thankfully for you I have edited my pictures down to a more manageable number!
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Club Med Bodrum Palmiye

Liz in the Club Med Bodrum Palmiye Sitting Area

Club Med Bodrum Palmiye is outside of Izmir, on the Bodrum peninsula in Turkey

Club Med Bodrum Palmiye is newly refurbished Resort lies on a hill clad with umbrella pines.

Club Med Bodrum Palmiye is a 4-Trident Resort and its new decor combines Mediterranean art de vivre with contemporary comfort. Its spacious rooms are a tasteful rendering of bright local colour, while the Resort’s centre has been extended, to cater equally for privacy and lively entertainment. The restaurants have all been redesigned. Well catered for they have tables for 2, 4, 6 and 8.
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Karen’s taste of China on a Wendy Wu Tour

A usual day on a Wendy Wu Tour in China’s capital as Karen takes in Tiananmen Square, the summer palace and an acrobatics show.

08:00
After a long but smooth flight from the UK we check into our hotel. I take a shower and then make my way down to the breakfast area to see what delights there are at the breakfast buffet. The inclusion of rice reminds me I am in China.

09:00
Meet our guide Emmanuel who takes a register – an experience I’ve not had since being at convent school. Emmanuel is not his real but the Chinese like to pick a European name as guests sometimes find it difficult to pronounce their Chinese name. We set off in our minibus to Tiananmen Square. This is the largest square of its kind in the world and there’s a huge picture of Chairman Mao presiding over it.
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Karen’s Club Med Kamarina Adventure!

Kamarina is a Club Med 3 trident village in Sicily. Kamarina is Club Med’s largest village and thats a fact!

My husband and I Arrived at new airport at Catania, which is a very modern airport with a few shops and eateries. The Club Med Rep was waiting with a sign so it was easy to locate him. He escorted us to our coach which would transfer us to the Club Med Kamarina Village. The Coaches were all air conditioned and the seats reclined all way back which made the two hour journey quite pleasant! On arrival at the Club Med Kamarina Village the Club Med Rep explains the set up in the various languages.

The Club Med Kamarina Village is a predominantly a French resort. Every guest is given a Club Med cloth wristband to wear so you do not have to buy anything within the resort! The only things that are at extra cost are the items on sale in the boutique on site which I must say have some lovely handbags! The other thing at extra cost is the Club Med Spa which I did go to and found very relaxing.
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Sardinia with Sardatur Holidays

South Sardinia is always degrees hotter than the north. Sardatur Holidays are a specialist tour operator who only feature Sardinia in their product.  Sardinia is beautiful it has many beaches with crystal waters and mountains. They are a small company with only 5 people working for them.  They are able to guarantee almost anything for clients as they have a great relationship with all the hotels in Sardinia so whether it be inter connecting or rooms close to the beach etc.  The season starts from May and finishes in October most hotels close in the winter and open in the middle of May.
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Wedding & Honeymoon in Barbados

As someone who works in the industry I spent a lot of time picking the perfect wedding destination – Barbados.

The Platinum Coast

The west coast has brilliant sandy beaches. Many luxury hotels and big private mansions are situated along this “Millionaire’s Row”. You can still see pretty wooden Barbadian houses with their gingerbread decoration.

I found booking the holiday a joy, from organising the cake, flowers, reception, cars.  I would recommend getting married in this destination – there are no language barriers, and no legal fee, and it’s a romantic destination with great beaches.
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Karen’s journey across the Arctic Circle

Name of cruise: Across the Arctic Circle

Cruise Line: Hurtigruten

Let me tell you - Hurtigruten is a great way (probably the best way) to see Norway. But it is not for everyone. What Hurtigruten did do, was to deliver exactly what it promised from their brochure. Over the fours days, we managed to see some great scenery, while cruising the Fjords and the coastline and also during our land tours - which were very informative.
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The Agent Achievement Awards 2009

The 13th Agent Achievement Awards took place at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on Thursday 23rd April.

The event was attended by more than 500 guests from the travel industry - including over 300 of the top performing retail agents and travel management companies in the business.  Ourselves at Low Cost Deals the online home of Aspen Travel were nominated for 4 awards that evening which were Travel Website of the year,North West England & North Wales Regional Agent of the year,Ski Agent of the year and Luxury Agent of the year.

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Club Med Kemer

Kemer is a Club Med 3 trident village in Turkey.

A lot funkier atmosphere here. As we arrived all the GO’s came out with the music system and danced whilst you disembarked from the coach. There is a nudist beach here and an outside nightclub with foam parties. Waterskiing and wakeboarding is very popular here as they have their own Academy with 3 pontoons.

Kemer is a village with outstanding views but be aware a lot of the accommodation is set on the cliff top. This shouldn’t be a problem as most of the clientele are young and fit. If you wish request lower floors rooms or rooms on the beach. La Pinnede I think these were called, or if you’re really lucky request room number 120, you won’t regret it. The balcony is twice the size of the room and you can see for miles…….
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Club Med Palmiye

Palmiye is a Club Med 4 trident village in Turkey.

When I visited Palmiye I thought it was going to have to be good to beat Beldi but it’s in another world. If you are looking for a luxury treat this is the place to be. There is a separate hotel with bungalow type rooms throughout the village. Nestled in the groves of fruit trees. The reception area is huge with large couches/window displays and a bar. You then walk out through the doors onto manicured gardens and outside terraces.

All the rooms we saw were basic as the deluxe rooms were fully sold out. You have to book early to get what you want here but the basic rooms were still luxurious.
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