Swimming with Stingrays in Antigua

You can't really mention stingrays without thinking of the death of Steve Urwin who died by a stingray barb to the chest while filming. Untimely, unfair and completely freakish, this death has managed to make us far more afraid of stingrays than we should be. Even knowing this it took some courage for us all to go out to Stingray City in Antigua and get up close and personal with the stingrays in their natural habitat.

This is one of the most popular things to do on Antigua but as we were out of season we found ourselves being the only ones (so four of us) on this particular trip. Feeling like celebrities having a special trip to Selfridges, we were taken by fast boat about a mile out from land to a reef where you can swim with both stingrays and a myriad of other fish in water that is only a few feet deep (well waist height).

Surrounding this coral reef is a huge drop to the seafloor so you really are on a large underwater platform out at sea. The boats come in to two floating platforms where you disembark, and the stingrays, like Pavlov's Dogs, come in from the open water when they see the boats as they know they are getting a free feed.

I didn't realise there would be quite so many of them. My pictures are misleading as they were taken after their lunch when many had gone out to sea. At one point when we were feeding them by hand (they suck up whole squid from your loosely clenched fist) we were surrounded by 30-40 huge individuals. Stepping into the water in bare feet for the first time is beyond daunting but the expert guides from Stingray City tell you how to place your feet, hold them and what to do if they bump into you which they invariably do. After a few minutes (and a bit of shreeking) we were completely at ease with these amazing animals who are a bit like inquisitive dogs.

These are amongst the most amazing creatures on our planet. They are fish (closely related to sharks) but give birth to live young. They are naturally curious, and here in particular, not at all wary of humans. One large female even sucked my daughters bikini bottom tie causing it to be undone!

We didn't want to leave realising that we had experienced something really special and just amazing - there aren't many other places which allow you to swim with so many out to sea in this way.
If you go to Antigua make sure you go to Stingray City, it's worth every penny!

Antigua - beautiful Caribbean island worth a visit

The Beach at The Verandah Resort and Spa, Antigua

I know I'm spoilt. Edinburgh, South of France... and now Antigua. But honestly it's not always like this and they have all been short breaks (honest). Antigua is our main family holiday. Having both the girls at university for the vast majority of the year it is nice for us all to just hang out for a week. Amazingly they are both happy to do this and happy to come away outside of the school holiday season (oh the joy of being free from the tyranny of the school term) when it's much cheaper. Of course they aren't stupid and have realised that we can afford to go to far more exotic locations once the prices have tumbled. Hence Antigua in September.

We stayed at The Verandah Resort and Spa on the East Coast of the island. This all-inclusive resort is spread out around a couple of pretty bays with sandy beaches and the rooms are in self-contained units. We didn't pay extra for a sea-view but if we had I can see that it would be amazing! The whole development is set within the national park so the planting (think huge palm trees, banana and coconut trees and amazing flowers) is exceptional, even for the Caribbean. The two beaches are safe and the water is calm and only waist deep so perfect for families with very young children.

It is an all-inclusive resort - again it was surprising to find that this included all brand drinks (so gin and tonic was made with Bombay Sapphire rather than a cheap local alternative). Food was mainly buffet and pretty good and the steak in particular was exceptional.

The rooms weren't as luxurious as many we have had for a similar standard of property but they were large, clean and comfortable. The beds are quite firm - though I immediately ordered a mattress topper which sorted out that problem for us all!

All in all this hotel is great value for money and a tip to the wise don't book through a company like Virgin but take a look at Let's Go To. We booked through them and everything worked like clockwork plus we saved around £800 for the 4 of us across the whole package when compared with Virgin - and we still had Virgin flights (more on that in another post).

Anyway enough rambling and here are some of our lovely shots....

View from the resort

The pool at The Verandah

Half Moon Cove, Antigua

Long Bay, Antigua

English Harbour, Antigua

Devil's Bridge

At the bar!

   

Last morning at the Edinburgh Fringe

Rather than dash off (and we did have a substantial drive from Edinburgh to London to contend with) we decided that we just couldn't tear ourselves away and another trip to the centre of town was in order. Edinburgh is like that, it gets under your skin and leaving gets harder every time.

Once again we threw ourselves on the mercy of the flyers out and about in late morning sun but it was actually a comic who overheard our conversation that solved the problem of what to do. Of course, a performance showcase! This is the perfect way of getting a taste of some great acts at the fringe but take my advice do this at the beginning of each day and not at the end of your trip to get the real benefits.

image of Lee Camp: standanddeliver.blogs.com

Back in the cave where we had seen Henning Wehn we were treated to an hour of about 8 different performers, from a group doing sketches from Bristol University to a fantastic music comedy and juggling routine from Lancashire. But the highlight, and I really feel we lucked out here, was a young stand up all the way from the US called Lee Camp and we were treated to a tiny taster of his show Destruction! Distraction! Evolution? Oh we wished we'd come across him sooner as his star is definitely on the rise and expect to see (and hear) much more from him.

The Guardian is quoted as saying 'for those still mourning for Bill Hicks, you'll find plenty to enjoy' and although the comedy is very much planted in US culture it translates easily and he references Edinburgh and the UK easily into his set.

He has already been banned from Fox News for being 'anti-American' but he simply puts iPhones, Fox News and all the pressures of modern day living under the comedy microscope. Brilliant delivery, slick, well-written comedy that actually says something - all too rare these days and highly reminiscent of the satirical and political comedy of the Eighties, Lee Camp is a breath of fresh air not to be missed if you get the chance! Alternatively visit Lee Camp and download his podcast for a great sample of his sharp wit and wisdom.

Or check him out here.


   

Edinburgh Fringe - second day and things get serious

Supermen and women on The Royal Mile

It's when you wake up in the morning in Edinburgh and realise that there are far too many shows to even begin to get your head around, that you realise that just getting up and out there is the best course of action. Experience tells me that 4-5 shows in a day is hard-core but do-able. I am sure there are those who get to do more, but I find that after 4 my brain gets a bit too full.

So second day on the streets of Edinburgh and what did we see?

Well we saw lots and lots of flyer-ing on the Royal Mile - start from there to get a feel for the atmosphere and what you'd like to see.

Selling a show on the Royal Mile

We had already pre-booked theatre in the form of the world premier of An Actor's Lament by and starring Steven Berkoff after lunch, and Adam Hills in the early evening, so had plenty of hours to fill - but what to choose?

So the first thing to get us in the mood was a comedy showcase Just the Tonic off the Royal Mile. We got to see 4 stand-up comedians plus compare for £5 - a pound a pop which was much cheaper than the laughs which were really rather good. Checking out new comics is best done via a showcase - then you can decide to see a fuller set by a particular comic at a later date should you choose. These showcases are often free but if you want quality then it is best to pay something, even if it's just a fiver!

Photo: Berwickshire News

Steven Berkoff's An Actor's Lament was our biggest ticket in terms of price and it was definitely an event that had to be booked way in advance. Joined on stage by actors Jay Benedict and Andree Bernard, this new play gives us an insight into the world of theatre from the point of view of an actor, director and writer.

Never one to miss the opportunity to have a pop at critics (Berkoff is well-known for his intolerance of critics) which he does vociferously in the opening speech, he also puts actors themselves under his own particular spotlight showing up their ego-centricities, vanities and of course their enormous frailty. He takes on the world of theatre but also can't resist pulling apart TV soaps and films that are churned out for the money rather than the artistic value. We see the frustrations of being a performer laid bare for all the world to see, but in my opinion the star of the show is the language itself which is both melodic and has acerbic wit but above all is really quite funny. If you get a chance to see it at a future date then grab it - a real theatrical treat is in store.

The Dance Dome

The wonderful thing about Edinburgh is that you can go and see things you wouldn't normally and it won't be a costly mistake. Our little group all like dance and physical theatre so DanceDome in particular caught our eye. This 'event' took place in a large inflatable dome at the bottom of Cowgate in Dance Base and is a 360 degree film created by an international crew based in Cardiff. Using digital technology, cinema and some great choreography the dancers leapt and wove in film above our heads while the rain absolutely bucketed down outside. There were three films in total featuring everything from contemporary dance to parkour and breakdance - and all with original music. Explore more at The Dance Dome.

The very funny Adam Hills

Adam Hills was our other hot ticket this trip with Adam Hills: Happyism at The Assembly Hall. He opens his show with an audience member joining him on stage for improvised banter which he clearly loves as much as his set. Off-the-cuff and wonderfully spontaneous, Adam Hills is obviously joyful to be alive and although he has a spring in his step his show is one of many layers covering topics from what's not acceptable in society, drawing on his own experiences on US TV, to the differences between Aussie and British culture. It is far more sophisticated than you first imagine seamlessly switching from one topic to another, but he does make an audience laugh - really laugh. He will soon be up with the greats in terms of stand-up and I'm not surprised he has packed out such a large venue for two weeks here in Edinburgh. He overran by 15 minutes - apparently this happens a lot - which isn't great if you've got another show to catch, but it was obvious that he could have gone on all night if time had allowed, we were all having so much fun.

   

Where to stay in Edinburgh when the fringe is on

The Edinburgh Fringe is one of the largest festivals of it's type and actually sits alongside a further 9 festivals held in Edinburgh during the month of August. So to say that Edinburgh gets a bit busy is something of an understatement!

This is our third trip in the last decade so are fairly experienced in terms of the best ways of approaching it all. First off is to pre-book your travel and accommodation and in the case of Edinburgh during August, you really mustn't leave everything to the last minute. If you do, all that will be left will be hotels with exorbitant prices - you may be lucky and get into Edinburgh University accommodation but if you're looking for something a bit more comfortable and less crowded, then we've found hiring a holiday apartment well in advance, is the way to go.

The spacious living room

We booked our gorgeous West End Condo around 6-8 weeks before we planned our trip and really fell on our feet. This was still a bit late to book bargain train tickets (think well in excess of £100 return from London this far in advance per person) so we decided to drive which takes around 7 and a half hours from North London to the centre of Edinburgh.

We stayed not too far from Murrayfield Stadium and just in from Edinburgh Zoo - in fact around the corner from the Museum of Modern Art' which was a fair walk in (I reckon about half a hour to the Royal Mile at a good pace) but is on bus routes and costs around £7-8 by taxi. I cannot write enough superlatives about this particular holiday rental. It's been beautifully decorated and fantastically well equipped with everything you would need. Even a torch in the DVD storage cupboard so you can really see what's there!

The kitchen was better than my one at home (always galling when that happens) and there are two bathrooms in this two double bedroom-ed flat, one with an enormous bath and one with a walk-in shower. There is even a spare single bed up in the loft room so it does sleep five adults easily.

There's a large and comfortable sitting room complete with a huge flat-screen TV with Sky. The folder supplied by the owners really does cover everything from the best places to visit in Edinburgh to when to put out the various bits and pieces of recycling and rubbish. Beds were large, very comfortable and with gorgeous cotton bedlinen - even the furniture was fine quality and solid.

We booked this short break in the UK through Holidaylettings.com and our three night stay for 4 adults cost from £92 per night (outside of festival) which for a flat in Edinburgh of this high standard during festival season was an absolute bargain - we will definitely be back!

Other places to stay if a hotel is more your thing (I haven't tested these but they come up time and again)

21212
Perfect for foodies this multi award winning restaurant has 4 beautiful bedrooms with lounge areas to relax over the two upper levels of the house. You can even have restaurant quality breakfast in bed. 3 Royal Terrace, EH7 5AB 0131 523 1030

The Glasshouse
This is truly amazing - architecturally brilliant and based in the centre there are 65 guestrooms and a two acre roof garden with spectacular views. The Glasshouse, EH1 3AA 0131 535 8200

The Sheraton
This is a Sheraton with a rooftop pool and spa and all rooms have mood lighting, media hubs and amazing beds (the Sheraton is known for it's Sweet Sleeper Bed). Ask for a room overlooking Edinburgh Castle. 1 Festival Square, EH3 9SR. 0131 229 9131

The Caledonian (Waldorf Astoria)
A luxury £24 million renovation and investment programme means that this is one of THE places to stay. Formerly a Victorian railway hotel in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle this is a beautiful place to stay and has the largest bathrooms of any in Edinburgh (apparently). Princes Street, EH1 2AB. 0131 222 8888.





   

Want - Anya Hindmarch inflight travel bag

Why? Because I do.

Realistically I won't be spending £150 on this lovely little beauty bag from Anya Hindmarch as I don't fly first class and really it would be wasted on cattle class (or tourist, or whatever you want to call it) which is where I do fly.

But how beautiful and stylish is this? And it would make my holiday travelling just that bit more glamorous.

It's plastic and shiny and because it has a clear exterior you can actually find things when you've gone into that 'zoned-out' condition on a long-haul flight. There are two zipped compartments, one for essentials to keep you comfortable at the start of your trip and one for landing. It's a nonsense of course but I do love a good design and this is a very good design complete with Anya Hindmarch bow.

Villefranche sur Mer on the Cote D'Azur

Infinity pool at The Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat

I am a very lucky girl and got the chance to hop on an EasyJet flight to visit some friends in Villefranche sur Mer in the very south of France. I have never been to this part of France, normally sticking to the Loire, Burgundy or Provence, but I was quite simply astounded at how very beautiful this part of the world actually is.

Now I see why rock stars, film stars, writers and painters have made this their home. Who wouldn't given the chance?

Villefranche sur Mer is quite literally over a hill from Nice so a mere 20 minutes (traffic allowing) from the airport. Sharply tumbling down the hillside into the sea, it has the deepest port in the Mediterranean so plays host to super-yachts and the occasional cruise ship the size of a small town. The town and waters were also home to the US navy under NATO so was a place of ill-repute for quite a while. No longer the home to bars and brothels, the sleepy seaside port focuses on small independent restaurants, shops and cafes where you can meander around the 18th century streets, take in the atmosphere or sit in the sun.

Rooftops of Villefranche sur Mer

There is no real beach at Villefranche sur Mer (just a pebbled and packed piece of beach along from the old town) but if you're lucky you can pay a fee and grab a lounger by a pool in one of the hotels. An hour and a half from the UK and you need at least factor 20 suncream! Everywhere has a view of the Cap Ferrat, with the most expensive real estate in the world and you don't ever have to pay for a view! Cap Ferrat is pretty irresistible and we did indulge ourselves to a day pass to the amazing pool at the Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat (80 euros per person). If budget runs to it you can live like a rock star for a day - check out my photos for proof!

The fenicular railway to the pool at Cap Ferrat

Villefranche sur Mer is also amazingly placed to explore the coastline on the uber cheap french railway which runs all along the coast. You can even go to Monaco for around 7 euros - a bargain! Air conditioned and speedy the train can only really be beaten by an open topped sports car but not many of us have access to that!

A walk along the front at Villefranche sur Mer

Do as we did and book an apartment with a terrace up the hill. The 500 steps up will keep you toned and allow you to eat french pasties with impunity. We cooked simple suppers with the freshest of ingredients and watched the sun go down over the bay into the night - bliss! And on Saturday nights there's a free firework display over the harbour for added entertainment.

Steps to the Old Town, Villefranche sur Mer

EasyJet flights to Nice go from Gatwick regularly and if you book in advance you can get some real bargains. Cabs are not expensive but you can walk everywhere (apart from the Cap). Take a long weekend - the short flight time and easy going atmosphere will make you feel you've been away for much longer!

View of Cap Ferrat from above Villefranche sur Mer

Chapel Porth, Porth Towan and St Ives - Cornwall Part Four

Photo of Chapel Porth - Cornwall-beaches.co.uk

There is a walk that is just so amazingly breathtaking I can't possibly do a write-up on my Cornwall adventures without talking about it. Along the coast from St Agnes you will find a National Trust car park above an abandoned tin mine. Park here and take the coastal path to the right. From here you will get some of the more spectacular views that Cornwall has to offer out to sea and along the coast. After about a half hour walk you will come to the beach at Chapel Porth, home to a beach cafe. Highly recommended to us, we stopped for a lunchtime snack and if you do the same you must try the sausage in french bread which is both delicious in itself but comes with onions cooked in clotted cream - yes until you have had onions in clotted cream you haven't had onions, trust me! Along with that (and if this is not enough) for dessert you must try their exclusive (and famous) Hedgehog ice-cream. Organic vanilla ice-cream is slathered in clotted cream and then rolled in hazelnuts. Yup you can hear your arteries screaming but it's worth it.

The infamous Hedgehog ice-cream

Photo of Chapel Porth - Cornwall-beaches.co.uk

To get rid of the guilt you will need to walk further up and along the path which takes you to Porth Towan and down onto it's beautiful beach.

Porth Towan coastline

This one does have a tidal cut-off alert, but if you are lucky (as we were) then you can walk back to Chapel Porth along the beach (which we did). All in all a fantastic Cornwall walk that will leave you exhilarated and wanting more.

Photo of St Ives - Cornwall-beaches.co.uk

Further along this part of the Cornwall coast is St Ives famous for the fact it is a favourite of artists and has a brilliant surfing beach.

Photo of Porthmeor Beach, St Ives - Cornwall-beaches.co.uk

Winding streets house cafes, restaurants, art galleries and bars. You can take a boat out from here fairly cheaply and explore the coast, or sit on the beach and sunbath. St Ives is more of a tourist place than but the wonderful thing about Cornwall is you can experience the touristy and the remote all within a half hours drive from one another. We will return. We dream of a small ocean-viewed apartment somewhere near here - well you've got to dream haven't you?

We stayed at The Creamery in Good to Know, a great base for our Cornwall tour.

The Eden Project - Cornwall Part Three

Back in 1999 The Eden Project was an old abandoned quarry in Cornwall. Hard to believe when you see it today with it's biorbs looming above the beautifully landscaped gardens. Just outside of St Austell, The Eden Project is one of the finest attractions and famous places in Cornwall. Not just an attraction however, The Eden Project is also a charity and social enterprise where they aim to create learning experiences about our world alongside doing valuable research into plants and conservation. Everything they do from the food in the cafe to the water that cleans the toilets are run in the greenest way possible - it made us really stop and think about being a bit more eco-friendly in our day-to-day.

The Eden Project also hosts a rich programme of music, art and entertainment bringing the local community back in through it's doors for more than just the planting. This year they are hosting the likes of Eddie Izzard, The xx and Sigur Ros on their outdoor stage to name just a few. But it is the gardens set within the two huge biomes that people come to see.

Starting in the Mediterranean Biome you wander through the plants and gardens of Southern Europe and even get to dance with the bull god, Dionyssus.

Lemons and olives grow on trees, and you really do forget you are in Cornwall for just a few moments.

Top 10 things to see in the Mediterranean Biome

1. Drifts of colourful poppies and lupins in our Californian grassland
2. Bacchanalian sculptures revelling in the vineyard
3. A collection of heady natural scents in our perfume vats
4. Giant lemon-like fruits called citrons
5. A dazzling array of South African proteas
6. A carpet of tulips in the spring
7. Gnarled old cork trees - and even some cork sculptures
8. Huge sprouting aloe veras
9. The mosaic path; we call it Liquid Gold
10. The delicate flowers and scents of South Africa's Fynbos habitat

Your next stop will be to the star of the show, the Rainforest Biome. Here you will find a perfectly formed rainforest taken from Malaysia to the Seychelles. You will see bananas and coffee growing - and different types of rice, all to the sound of gushing streams and waterfalls. It really is a triumph and opening this year is a skywalk to see the forest from above. Currently you have to do this via a very wobbly aerial walkway - only for the completely fearless. 

Top 10 things to see in the Rainforest Biome

1. The Rainforest Lookout, which takes you above the treetops
2. Mangrove swamps bring a taste of tropical islands
3. The Rainforest Balloon, that lifts our gardeners up to the canopy
4. Our Malaysian hut, complete with vegetable plot and paddy field
5. Bananas - spot bunches of them high up in the trees
6. The waterfall, crashing through our South American rainforest
7. The plants that bring us cola, cupcakes and chewing gum
8. A mini soya plantation, the controversial crop found in all our food
9. Rubber trees, in everything from car tyres to condoms
10. Cocoa and chocolate - everyone's favourite beans.

No visit is complete without lunch and I was very impressed here too. The main cafe is run like a buffet but prices are reasonable (about £8 for a lunch) and suitable for vegetarians as well as meat and fish eaters. Children are probably better off in the Mediterranean Cafe which makes fresh pizza and has paella for the adults. 

There are lots of other things to see and do at The Eden Project but it was raining and so we stuck to the Biomes for our entertainment. It is open all year round and standard adult tickets bought on the door are £23.50. Check out The Eden Project site for concessions and offers.