Lesley's Travels

We spent 4 amazing days exploring the sights, sounds and tastes of Singapore When we booked our amazing trip to Australia we knew that we wanted to stop-over in Asia.  My husband had been to Hong Kong before whilst I had stayed in Bangkok, so we wanted to choose somewhere new for both of us. Singapore was the perfect choice! Arrival at Changi Airport Singapore was fantastic, as it was the end of November all the Christmas Decorations were up but its a very impressive airport complete with butterfly garden, cactus garden and an entertainment deck complete with movie theatre, there is even a swimming pool on the roof of terminal 1 which is the perfect place to wait whilst you are waiting for your flight for just S$17 per person Arrival and Getting Around Everyone told us that Singapore would be expensive and yes it can be, but like most holiday destinations it doesn’t have to be. Our hotel was just outside the main tourist area, but one thing you learn very qu...

Everyone going to the States by air or sea needs to fill out an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) form. Applications cost $14 each, yet beware Googling it. Do this and you maybe directed to sites that pretend to be the official web page, and charge an additional fee to process your application Always apply via the official ESTA web page. See the ESTA guide for full info, including renewal help and safety tips. https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html

I'm still coming down from the wonderful trip to India that I've just returned from, a real bucket list experience. I've visited Goa on holiday many moons ago and my parents had visited Kerala and loved it but I  really wanted to visit the real India and the offer to explore the Golden Triangle was just the ticket. Our first two nights were spent in Delhi. In Old Delhi we got to visit the Jama Mosque before a cycle rickshaw ride through the streets of old Delhi visiting the spice market on the way. We also visited the  Gurudwara Bangla Sahib  which is one of Indias most prominent places of worship where they daily feed up to 10,000 people per day, you can even join in making japati's..... We also visited New Delhi, an area that was built in typically British style with colonial bungalows built down tree-lined boulevards with a stop for photos at   India Gate which stands at 42mtrs and commemorates India's soldiers that died during World War 1 a...

January and February have traditionally been very busy months in the life of a Travel Agent as that has been the time since most people book their holidays for that year. When I am my weekly networking event with BNI Meridies I often tell them why its so important to book with a travel agent rather than try to do it themselves.  I also remember a story from one of my clients from when I sent them their holiday quotation and her colleague asked what it was and when she told her it was a holiday proposal from her Travel Agent her colleague replied, "Oh do they still exist"! So I have some up with 10 Reasons as to why they should use us as a travel agent compared to using the internet, strangely not more than 5 minutes before I had been reading an article from a USA agent, who had the same debate with a client. Security - Travel by Lesley is a trading company under Your Holiday Booking  are bonded and licensed so you have peace of mind that no matter what happens, fr...

Your palms are sweaty, your breathing is shallow, your stomach may be churning, you’re in a blind panic thinking about everything that could go wrong and you’re looking for a way out…but there is no-where to go…and you’re stuck here for the next however many hours.  It’s just you and your fear now. Does this sound something like you, when you’re on a plane? When most people think of travel we think in terms of being able to experience some of the most positive and memorable moments of our lives; we can explore exotic places, mingle with diverse cultures, soak up the sun, challenge ourselves in extreme climates…travel is an education in life and culture. However, if you have an anxiety, fear or phobia of flying you’ll probably see it entirely differently because, for you, the trauma of reaching your destination often far outweighs anything you could experience whilst you are there. To understand how fears and phobias develop, and how to cure them, it is vital to understan...

When you think of Benidorm, what pictures do you conjure up?  Is it a resort full of stag and hen parties or is it the TV program where Jonny Vegas sits around the pool whilst Madge scoots around on her mobility scooter? Well, to be honest your not wrong on both counts, but there is so much more to this area than the bright lights, bars, skyscrapers and beaches of Benidorm.  When I tell people I'm staying near Benidorm they laugh and say that's a bit of a come-down for you isn't it; but we have a friend who lives on a gated community just above the picturesque village of Polop with views over Calpe, Altea and Benidorm and so rather than just sitting by the pool every day we headed out and about to explore. Head out of Benidorm and you will find some fantastic and stunning places. We drove to El Castell de Guadalest , known usually as Guadalest , which is a small town situated in the mountains about 25km from Benidorm.  It certainly is situated in one of the mos...

Tia Maria & Tim Rose left the cold and wet UK behind in January as they escaped on their Caribbean Honeymoon to the NEW Sandals Resort in Grenada and were happy to tell Travel by Lesley all about it on their return…. Our Honeymoon at Sandals  Grenada Although we married in April 2013, due to work commitments we could not have our honeymoon until January 2014 - its handy when you know someone in travel, so it was with much anticipation, and with lots of help from our wedding gift list organised by Lesley, we left the UK for sunny Grenada, at last!  and we we were quite happy to get away from the continuous rain that had been plaguing  Britain  for weeks!  Our check in at London Gatwick was smooth and efficient and our wait was massaged by the services of the VIP Lounge: a wedding present from Lesley and a lovely relaxed way to start our journey Our Virgin Atlantic flight to Grenada seemed to take no time at all – partly due, I think, t...