Sisterhood of the World Bloggers

My good blogging friend Kelly has welcomed me into The Sisterhood of the World Bloggers fold and I am happy to answer her questions – on a dreary winters evening it has warmed me up no end!  I love Kelly’s blog – we have a similar take on life (work hard, travel hard and comfortably)!  We had a fab afternoon tea this summer – we didn’t stop talking all afternoon so much so that I didn’t manage to catch the train I was supposed to be meeting my husband on!

Where is your all-time favourite destination?

Greece, Maine, Jamaica, the middle of the desert, north Norfolk, Washington DC…. There are many places I have fallen for, as well as some all time favourite hotels too, but the place I always go back to is Cornwall, I lost my heart to it a long time ago and thankfully it is only a 4 hour drive away and there is always something new to see and explore and always a beautiful view even on a rainy day!  We’re off there again soon too thank goodness – this time we are staying at The Lugger Inn in Portloe and I will be telling you more about our stay on Boutique Travel Blog!

Which post are you most proud of?

Why travel? I wrote it quite a while ago but I still think it is one of my best.  It didn’t need much thinking about to write and is one of my more personal posts and full of some old-favourite photos.  I loved writing it, it reminded me how much we’ve seen and done and what a great treat it is to be able to travel as we do and all the benefits that brings.  I wrote the piece in August 2014 and I don’t think my reasons have changed, so I’m still pleased I got it right!

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party, alive or dead?

I would have to invite my friends – I don’t see enough of them and they are so important to me.  Dinner and drinks with friends is always a blast.  New friends and old friends alike – we know each other so well and have such a lot in common, there is not much better than an evening full of banter, laughter and smiles – it is just the next day that can be painful. The last time we got everyone together was for our wedding and what an amazing day that was.  We are definitely overdue another party soon, although I’m not sure I can cater for or host a dinner party of 130!!

Do you have a favourite travel app?

I must confess that I am developing a Pinterest addiction.  I thought I had it under control so it didn’t make it into my blog addicts anonymous post, but then I started researching next years holidays and boom – I have a problem!  The issue is that there are so many darn pretty pictures to look at – and I have always preferred looking at pictures than reading too many words.  I can’t help myself – the amount of pictures I have pinned of Israel already we are going to need a month to see it (and I haven’t even started on the hotels yet), I have barely even started on Rome yet (and we are going there sooner)!

What’s your favourite and least favourite thing about blogging?

Two favourite things – firstly is the people I have met and have great chats with each week, it really is possible to make friends online and everyone is so supportive too!  Secondly – that I now have a year-round all-weather hobby that appeals to my Anna-planner spreadsheet skills, encourages me to travel and always see something new or find something interesting to do (and is well-aligned to time on the sofa with a cuppa or a glass of wine too).

Least favourite thing – I’m never sure how honest the reviews are when they are hosted visits.  The best bloggers are honest no matter what and give credit where it’s due, those blogs are a pleasure to read and are helpful to the hotels and their future visitors alike.  Stays we have had that have been hosted or highly discounted have had nothing to fault, but I can imagine how difficult it would have been to write if they had.

Is there anything you like to do any time you visit somewhere new?

I work for a global professional services firm and we have offices all over the world… I’ve visited many for work-purposes (I even stayed in a hotel in India with a view of the office from the swimming pool and my balcony), but more embarrassingly is the habit I have if I am enjoying a city-break away from work to eagerly  investigate where the building is and go and see what it looks like (and often have a thumbs-up photo taken outside)!  But that isn’t really very blog-worthy and so far more interesting is my habit of seeking out the perfect photo of a glass of fizz/wine and a view.  As you can see from the photo below – we do have a drink before I take the glasses away to be caught on camera!

Where is somewhere you’ve been or something you did that you didn’t expect much of, but ended up loving?

Earlier this year I wrote a post about things I would never do again – there’s plenty of fuel there!  But at the end of that article I was convinced I wouldn’t do the Fastnet Race again (having done it already in 2003 I decided that once was enough) – this is a 600 nautical mile race from Cowes out to the Fastnet Rock off Ireland and back to Plymouth.  How things change – it was my silver lining to the year I’d had before it and I loved it.  I was motivated by a fantastic weekend race to and from St Malo that we won – having forgotten just how much I enjoyed it!  I even jumped into a swimming pool 5 times in one afternoon to get my ‘sea survival’ certificate – having not jumped in one single time since 2003 when I last did the training!  Offline and offshore for 4 days and always surrounded by friends, water and views – not a relaxing holiday but a restorative one.  Even in the bad times (first time seasick, gear failure on board, rain or no wind) it was a blast and I can’t wait for the next edition in 2017!

What’s your pet peeve?

Selfies and selfie-sticks.  I have to admit though, that I have a stick (the lovely folks at Cliveden House gave it to me) and have used it a few times (just a handful and only when sailing) and can see why it could be useful.  We do of course take selfies when we are away – as it is nice to have pictures of us together.  But, what I really really hate is how whenever we go anywhere beautiful and take in the view and look around us, there are more people looking away from the view into their camera lens than enjoying the view and the location.

What’s your most treasured possession?

The hard drive that holds all my photos is pretty important to me, as is my passport (and the one time I went halfway to the airport without it was pretty stressful).  But these can all be replaced – it is the memories that will never be.  What I treasure most is my jewellery as it is the only thing that I will wear day in day out.  I don’t wear much but it is all either from my family or from Mr P and so I treasure it.  I used to take my wedding band off every night, but then I heeded to good advice and its always on – I even sail with it on!

Any onto my nominations

Emma from Martha and the Meadow – a great friend, you really need to check out her Instagram feed as there’s some gorgeous photos

Emma from Adventures of a London Kiwi – fantastic sense of humour and a strong sense of wanderlust

Angie from Silverspoon London – incredible trips all over the world and another lover of Avios!

Polly from Follow  your Sunshine – an exciting year ahead for the Byles’s and great advice for a luxurious trip to Italy

I’ll keep the questions the same:

Where is your all-time favourite destination?
Which post are you most proud of?
Who would you invite to your dream dinner party, alive or dead?
Do you have a favourite travel app?
What’s your favourite and least favourite thing about blogging?
Is there anything you like to do any time you visit somewhere new?
Where is somewhere you’ve been or something you did that you didn’t expect much of, but ended up loving?
What’s your pet peeve?
What’s your most treasured possession?

And the soap that Kelly mentioned in her post… the soap collection is I admit a little on the large size – but they are all from the hotel rooms we’ve stayed in (none are from the cleaning trolleys).  We just seem to have an uncanny ability to stay at hotels that leave about 6 soaps in a room and top them up every time one is used…