My Dream Family Holiday Destination

Travel for me has mainly consisted of European destinations over recent years.  Holidaying in rural France, city breaks in Amsterdam and even a Concorde flight to Paris  have been enjoyed, as we have created many wonderful memories.  That is the beauty of family holidays, knowing you are filling everyone's memory banks with lots of fabulous deposits to be drawn on throughout your future life. But with five children and finances being tighter, we've chosen UK breaks to save cash for the last couple of years, but that has never stopped me dreaming!

This summer, as I scrolled through my Facebook feed I was often struck by the amazing images of holiday destinations that flooded my newsfeed.  Photos of far flung beaches with sun-bleached sands and the azure ocean lapping at the shore, gave me pangs of wanderlust.  Seeing baby turtles swimming in the shallow, crystal waters made we so want to jump into the photos to experience the sight firsthand.  Bora-Bora has always been a place I have dreamed of visiting.  The stilted huts standing off shore hold a promise of the exotic, injecting some tropical magic into your life, even if it's just for one glorious week.

However, my dream destination isn't Bora-Bora, nor is it any other exotic, sun-kissed paradise. Although I would adore lying on a hammock, sipping a cocktail from a coconut shell and feeling the soft, warm, salty breeze on my skin, my dream destination is completely removed from this.  And this is the reason why.

I have a wonderful godson and nephew, Thomas.  He was the first baby I ever held and I adored him from the first moment I saw him. Over the years I have watched him grow into a man who stands a good four inches taller than me.  A man who harboured an ambition to move to America and make a life for himself on the other side of the pond.

This year, my godson and nephew made his dreams come true by marrying his lovely wife Ashley in a beautiful ceremony in Georgia.  We couldn't be there, but had our own celebration, when he sent me all the photographs taken on the day, pouring over each and every one of the images.  I shed many tears of pride and joy as I thought of everything Tom had been through and how hard he has worked to achieve his dreams. To say that I am a proud auntie is an understatement and I am utterly honoured to be involved in his life.

Now he is a resident of the USA, we stay in touch over Skype and I love our chats where I get to see him looking so at home in his new life.

There is nowhere in the world that holds more holiday appeal to me at this time than Atlanta, Georgia, in the state where my godson now resides.

Home to a rich culture, plenty of outdoor attractions, a zoo, botanical gardens, an aquarium (that is the biggest in the world), national parks, amazing architecture and the intriguing sounding World of Coca-Cola, there would be plenty to see and do.  And if we wanted to combine another dream destination, Florida is a neighbouring state.  I long to take my youngest children to Disneyland Resort Florida.

I visited Los Angeles back in 1993 and did the full touristy thing and have to admit to absolutely loving it all!  To do able to revisit the magic of Disney in the sunshine state would be a perfect way to spend a few days.  A holiday destination combining my godson and Mickey Mouse is truly the ultimate vacation!

Visiting Atlanta is definitely on the agenda and we are planning on making it a reality as soon as we possibly can.  I'd love to see the place that Thomas calls home, let him show us around and meet his new family.  The kids would adore the opportunity of visiting America and the idea of flying fills them with excitement.  Spending quality time with their cousin would be the icing on the cake!  A holiday in Atlanta would allow us to create lots of wonderful memories together as a family.  It really would be the most magical, memorable and emotional journey of a lifetime!


This post is an entry for the #Flying100 Family Holiday Challenge, celebrating how flying allows us to make memories and ‘be there’, in association with #Flying100. Find out more at http://bit.ly/flying100 

Maldives - The Scent of Paradise #scentsofadventure

Kuoni have set a challenge for bloggers to come up with the signature scent of the Maldives, one that ignites thoughts of far flung destinations and captures the essence of a tropical paradise.

How can just one fragrance encapsulate the scent of paradise?  To me, the scent of The Maldives would be a rare confluence of the exotic and the tropical coming together to form a fragrance that would evoke the emotions, transporting us to the place of our dreams.  Far reaching, sun drenched white beaches with crystal turquoise waters, teeming with beautiful marine life, lapping at the shores.  Gently swaying palm trees punctuating the scenery against a backdrop of lush, green vegetation.  Clear azure skies, fresh, clean air and the promise of adventure filling your soul and freeing your spirit.

The signature scent of the Maldives would be a combination of the following fragrances...the beautiful aroma of this island paradise.  Combining the evocative odours of the Maldivian national tree, flower, food and fruit with the other flora of the islands, these are the smells which I imagine when I close my eyes and picture myself lying on the soft, warm sand next to my husband, breathing in the sweet Maldivian air.

Pandanus flowers with their exotic, subtle fragrance, known as the vanilla of the east.

Authentic Maldivian cuisine taking its influences form India and the Middle East. Gentle spice fragrances wafting, tempting and delicious.

Rose petals - Finefenmaa the Maldives national flower- soft pink confetti gently tossed and blown by the sea breeze.

Anbu - the Maldivian Mangoes growing on laden trees in the Southern atolls give off the fragrant aroma of their sweet, sun-ripened flesh.

Dhivehi ruh - coconut palms in the language of the islands, the national fruit rich with its sweet, heavy scent of summer.  Memories of Pina Coladas sipped through a straw from a coconut shell.

Infusions of floral Jasmine, Frangipani, Hibiscus and Bougainvillea - ornamental flowers that grow close to the sun kissed beach.

Sea air, fresh with ozone and the tangy scent of salt.

Exotic, luscious, tropical fruits, bananas, papaya and pineapple, fresh and growing in abundance.

image by freeimageslive.co.uk - scubadiver

But if I had to pinpoint that one single fragrance, which truly captures the tropical paradise of the Maldives it would have to be the scent of the luscious, tropical fruits that grow on the shores combined in a luscious, beachside cocktail.  A Mango Colada!

Image by Open Clip Art

Find out more at the Maldives by visiting the Kuoni site:  http://www.kuoni.co.uk/maldives