Black Fried Day: Avoid burnout with an Ultra Luxury Holiday

Black Friday: Thanksgiving. And Taking.

It’s Black Friday, the post Thanksgiving (which we don’t even celebrate) day of pre-Christmas retail meltdown where people are quite literally falling over themselves to bag a bargain. 

Our advice? Head off on holiday instead -we do have some rather good deals in our Black Eyeday sale as we didn’t want to miss out. There are however some holidays that are never likely to feature in the discount bin.

Valuable: The Arctic’s main keys

If you like to stay in a Chalet on your ski or snowboard holidays then the Arctic Lodge in Val d’Isère looks rather cosy. If you fill all 13 places then it costs just EUR 550 per person. Unfortunately this is per night.

Granted, the Chalet staff include a private chef (rather than a hungover tour rep). There is also an indoor pool, hot tub and open bar to try and reclaim some of the cost. That’s if you make it on to the slopes at all.

GET THERE: In spite of current exchange rates, Flight & Eurostar packages to Val d’Isère can still be found for less than the Arctic Lodge's EUR 50,000/week. Chalets, Hotels and Apartments are available and the ski area is the magnificent Espace Killy linked to Tignes.

BVI: Branson’s Valuable Investment

If that’s too cold then how about a trip to the Caribbean. The British Virgin Islands look nice and one of them is Necker Island, owned by Richard Branson. You won’t find this in the Virgin brochure however but it is available to rent - all of it. 

With space for 34 guests, island hire costs a cool USD 80,000 per day. It is All Inclusive and you do get a staff of 100  along with a ‘Disco DJ for one night’. Not sure what happens if Richard needs a room for night though.

GET THERE: If you don’t mind sharing your island with other people, there are great deals to be had in Antigua, Barbados, Cuba, Dominican Republic and St Lucia. Direct flights operate from Gatwick and Manchester. If you want to relax, this is the region to do it. 

Private Flying: Gourmet Chicken or Fish

If you get bored staying in one place, how about a 25 day trip around the world on a private jet? Abercrombie & Kent have a specially chartered 50 guest Boeing 757 departing on 1 May17 for a 'Tropics to the Arctic' trip which costs USD 129,000 per person although it is Business Class.

With flights you cannot miss as the same aircraft stays with your group throughout, you will visit places such as Easter Island, French Polynesia, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Russia and Iceland (the country not the shop).   

GET THERE: There are numerous Round the World air tickets that will allow you to visit many different places on one trip - you just can’t keep the plane. The major airline alliances have plenty of options so aim for one that is strong in the regions you wish to visit.

Queen Mary2: To Southampton via Australia

If jet setting around the globe is just too quick and you have plenty of time on your hands then the way to go is by sea. Cunard’s Queen Mary2 is off around the World on 10 January17. A Top of the range Grand Duplex is the best on board and for £140,000 each you will get a round trip to Southampton. 

Unlike the Isle of Wight ferry however, this journey takes 118 days via South Africa, Mauritius, Australia, Asia and the Middle East visiting 38 ports in 22 countries with Full Board in luxury.


GET THERE: A mere £17,000 will get you a Balcony Stateroom on this trip - it’s probably the wrong trip for an inside cabin. The QM2 can usually be found sailing between Southampton & New York with Fly/Cruise packages starting around £1,000 with no luggage limits on board.

***

Standard low cost packages are bookable through my multi destination EyeLine Travel website. 

For tailor made packages or just for some information, please Contact me and I will do the hard work for you. 

For holidays to Thailand, please visit: http://boutiquethailand.co.uk

For Ski and Snowboard Short Breaks, visit http://alpineweekender.co.uk

e: david@eyelinetravel.co.uk

t: 020 8123 2569

All holidays that I arrange are ABTA/ATOL protected

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Monday (before 6pm) I’ll have Friday on my mind..

David Sutherland

EyeLine Travel 

Crawley

25 November 2016

Rocking around the Departure Lounge: Festive Adventures

Elf and Safety: Not all Laplands are the same

Following the traditional unveiling of the John Lewis ad, it is now full steam ahead to Christmas. Across the country, the bad jumpers are appearing, the shops are getting busier and alcohol consumption is on the up.

So how best to get into the Christmas spirit? Let’s look at some Christmas themed getaways that will deck your halls, jingle your bells and make you wish it could be Christmas every day.

Munich: A beer is not just for October

If you like lederhosen, sausages and boiled wine then you’ll be looking for a German Christmas market. These days they are everywhere but the best? 

Germany of course. Cologne or Berlin are up there but my personal favourite is Munich. Multiple markets (including outside the airport), a great city to explore and the beer’s not bad either. It’s busy and can be cold but worth it.



GET THERE: Fly direct from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Southampton or Bristol.  
GET AROUND: The S-Bahn, U-Bahn and Trams are cheap, quick and easy to use
DON’T MISS: A hearty Bavarian meal & beer at The Hofbrauhaus with Oompah music

New York: Start spreading the Credit Cards

If Black Friday is your festive alarm then forget market trinkets and finding a Saturday morning parking spot in town. Instead head to the glitz and glamour of shopperholic Manhattan. 

New York knows how to put on a show so make time for the sights and lights and shop 'till you drop. Or 'till your cards are maxed out. Never understated, you will feel like you’re in a film but the real star is the city itself.   

GET THERE: Fly direct from UK airports to Newark or JFK. Arrive late for jet lag adjustment.
GET AROUND: Plenty of walking, the fast Subway or a yellow cab if you know the way.
DON’T MISS: Central Park with its ice rink to pretend you’re starring in a Rom Com.

Proper Lapland: Looks like Rein, deer

If everything else just feels too fake then the answer is to go to source with a mini trip to Lapland. Packaged trips will allow you to experience the far north of Finland, use local transport and visit Santa’s Post Office. 

At night, which will be most of the time, there is also an excellent chance to see the Northern Lights. Clothing and boots are included along with huskies and reindeers - you can’t keep them though.

GET THERE: Fly from Gatwick or Manchester to Kittila. Bring warm clothes and a torch.
GET AROUND: Packages include sleighs, sleds, skidoos and winter clothing.
DON’T MISS: If you can’t see the Northern Lights here, don’t bother buying a lottery ticket.

Bondi: Put another sprout on the barbie

Finally, if you like everything about Christmas apart from the cold and dark then there is another way. With 9 hours of sunshine and 25c average temperatures, Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia is a traditional Christmas Day destination with a difference.

If a barbecue and beers seems an odd way to spend Christmas, the sunshine will make the long trip worthwhile. Just make sure the sharks have had their lunch before swimming!

GET THERE: Fly via Middle East or Asia. Take a stopover if time permits as a bonus.
GET AROUND: Maximise your time with open jaw flights and domestic sectors.

DON’T MISS: Wearing shorts on Christmas Day at the beach. Or Boxing Day at the cricket. 

***

Standard low cost packages are bookable through my multi destination EyeLine Travel website. 

For tailor made packages or just for some information, please Contact me and I will do the hard work for you. 

For holidays to Thailand, please visit: http://boutiquethailand.co.uk

For Ski and Snowboard Short Breaks, visit http://alpineweekender.co.uk

e: david@eyelinetravel.co.uk

t: 020 8123 2569

All holidays that I arrange are ABTA/ATOL protected.

EyeLine Travel Facebook 

boutique thailand Facebook

AlpineWeekender Facebook

Twitter (@eyelinetravel @bouthaique @alpineweekender)

Jingle all the way...

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David Sutherland

EyeLine Travel 
Crawley

18 November 2016

Controlled Remote: When you need to get away from it all

Stuck in the middle with you? 

There are times when you wish you could escape to the middle of nowhere. It would appear 2016 is one of those. A remote location can cleanse the mind, make technology redundant and vastly improve your pub quiz geography answers.

George Mallory was asked why he wanted to climb Mt Everest before starting his ill fated attempt. His answer? ‘Because it’s there’. That’s good enough for us so let’s consider these bolt holes that are just there. 

Gobi Won-der:The Desert Star

First port of call is Mongolia and a tent in the middle of the Gobi desert. What could be more fun than that? Actually if it's at the Three Camel Lodge then it is quite a comfortable tent so this is a luxury eco lodge to enjoy.

Inspired and staffed by welcoming local Nomadic people who will feed and entertain you in between excursions into the desert.  Just remember to bring plenty of warm clothes.

HOW: Fly to the Mongolian capital Ulaan Baatar with Aeroflot from Heathrow or Gatwick via Moscow (12h) then an onward flight to Dalanzadgat (1.5h) and it’s 1.5h by 4x4 to the Lodge.

Alaska: Baked or chilled?

If the USA seems an unlikely choice, then you have probably forgotten the northern most part - Alaska. The Winterlake Lodge is around 200 miles north east of state capital  Anchorage and situated on a 2 mile lake close to the Alaska mountain range. 

Go in summer for kayaking, fishing and hiking or go in winter for dog sledding and winter sports. Whatever you choose it will be about as far from Times Square as possible.


HOW: Fly to Anchorage from Heathrow with Virgin/Delta via Seattle (16h). From there it’s a 50min water plane (summer) or ski plane (winter) to the Lodge’s aquatic runway.

Newfoundland: Labrador #bounce

If you are looking for a more rugged experience then head next door to the soon to be very popular Canada but keep going until you reach the top of Newfoundland and the tiny offshore island of Fogo which is home to the stylish Fogo Island Inn. 

With the Labrador current creating Iceberg alley this makes for a dramatic, if chilly, trip to one of the corners of the earth. At least according to the Flat Earth Society (which bit don’t they get?). Flora and Fauna is a major attraction with birds, caribou and whales in their respective habitats.

HOW: Fly to Gander from Heathrow or Gatwick via Toronto or St Johns with Air Canada or WestJet (13h). Then it’s 1.5h by road to the ‘Farewell Ferry’ (45min) and a final 35min drive. 

Caribbean: PSV Mind haven

If all that cold just doesn’t do it for you then perhaps survival on a desert island would be better. I say survival but actually the 113 acre private island of Petit St Vincent (PSV) with 2 miles of beaches looks manageable. 

Located in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (which sounds like a sci-fi film), there are no keys, no TVs and no mobile phone reception. Just the Caribbean to keep you entertained. And Room Service for which you need to raise a flag outside your guesthouse.

HOW: Fly from Gatwick to Bridgetown with BA or Virgin (9h) then it’s a 30min flight to Union Island and 20mins by boat to PSV which is between the islands of St Vincent & St Georges.

***

Standard low cost packages are bookable through my multi destination EyeLine Travel website. 

For tailor made packages or just for some information, please Contact me and I will do the hard work for you. 

For holidays to Thailand, please visit: http://boutiquethailand.co.uk

For Ski and Snowboard Short Breaks, visit http://alpineweekender.co.uk

e: david@eyelinetravel.co.uk

t: 020 8123 2569

All holidays that I arrange are ABTA/ATOL protected.

EyeLine Travel Facebook 
boutique thailand Facebook
AlpineWeekender Facebook

Twitter (@eyelinetravel @bouthaique @alpineweekender)

Perhaps it was all a dream...

David Sutherland

EyeLine Travel 
Crawley

11 November 2016

FFS - Festive Festival Survivors in December

Office Party Time: Mistletoe and Wine

Finding a Festival in December is not difficult as most of the month is one big festive event. From office parties with creative photocopying to New Year’s Eve where you pay to go to a crowded pub and not get served. 

Yet amidst the tinsel, mince pies and dodgy jumpers, there are still other festivals slipping under the radar. Let’s give them a moment in the limelight.

Mayrhofen: Funnier than it looks

Austria is not usually a country associated with great comedy - at least intentionally. But the big hitting ski resort of Mayrhofen -home to Hari Kari Europe’s steepest piste-amuses itself between 11-17 December16 with the Altitude Comedy Festival. 

Fortunately familiar names such as Jimmy Carr, Marcus Brigstock and Eddy Izzard are amongst the many performers appearing in venues across the lively town after a day’s skiing.

GET THERE: Mayrhofen is reached from Innsbruck or Munich. Packages including the festival are available in advance. The nearby Hintertux glacier provides guaranteed snow.

Better the Devil you know?

Guatemala on 7th December sees La Quema del Diablo - lighthearted sounding Burning of the Devil. This involves effigies on large bonfires, fire crackers and fireworks with the aim of chasing evil spirits away pre-Christmas. 

Expect a relaxed approach to Health and Safety. Head to cultural and colonial Antigua to enjoy the festivities rather than edgy Guatemala City which may get congested with all the departing spirits..

GET THERE: Fly to Guatemala City via Miami or Madrid and on to Antigua by road. Combines well with the beaches in neighbouring Belize or keep going to Mexico’s Yucatan. 

Float Carriers: Big in Japan

For a Japanese twist, the Chichibu Night Festival or Yomatsuri takes place on 2-3 December  in Chichibu outside Tokyo. Huge illuminated floats are carried through town by rather large gentlemen accompanied by music and fireworks. Helped along by plenty of Saké of course.

An impressive sight that proves there was light before the invention of neon. Just remember the float carriers are probably ex-Sumo wrestlers so it’s really not worth asking how they became that big eating only sushi..

GET THERE: Tokyo is served direct from the UK or via hubs in Asia or Middle East. Buy a train pass before arriving to explore the country including ancient Kyoto and space age Osaka.

Funky Nassau: The Bahama Splits

Finally, how about a nice quiet festive period in the Caribbean. Except that if you are in the Bahamas, it’s the Junkanoo Festival starting on Boxing Day sometime after midnight. This is an enormous mardi gras style parade with elaborate costumes and life affirming music from melodic horns and goombay drums.  

If you enjoy the first one, then it happens all over again on New Years Day - if that doesn’t sort out a hangover, nothing will.

GET THERE: Fly direct to capital and party central Nassau from Heathrow or take a more leisurely trip via a US hub. Bring your party head and expect to make a lot of new friends.

***

Standard low cost packages are bookable through my multi destination EyeLine Travel website. 

For tailor made packages or just for some information, please Contact me and I will do the hard work for you. 

For holidays to Thailand, please visit: http://boutiquethailand.co.uk

For Ski and Snowboard Short Breaks, visit http://alpineweekender.co.uk

e: david@eyelinetravel.co.uk

t: 020 8123 2569

All holidays that I arrange are ABTA/ATOL protected.

EyeLine Travel Facebook 
boutique thailand Facebook
AlpineWeekender Facebook

Twitter (@eyelinetravel @bouthaique @alpineweekender)

Jingle all the way...

David Sutherland

EyeLine Travel 
Crawley

4 November 2016