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Virgin Atlantic Lounge at London Heathrow

Virgin Atlantic’s vision is to create an airline that people love to fly, and they add to that that they want to have some fun doing it. The business class lounge at London Heathrow is a perfect example of just how they are bringing this vision to life.

The airline was created by Richard Branson, and now part owned by Singapore Airlines. It is based out of the UK, and keeps adding more and more routes every year.

I have to say in all of my many travels, I can honestly say that I have never been in an airport lounge quite like it. It is really quite something!

This one leaves you literally breathless. The lounge opened originally back in 2006, although is often fine tuned and updated. It is open to people flying Upper Class or who have a Frequent Flyer Gold card.

Upper Class is what they call their premium cabin as they do not have a First Class but offer a kind of hybrid First/ Business. I say hybrid, as they price it the same as business class fares of their competition but throw so much more in.

The sort of extras that they throw in for the fare includes: a limo that collects you and takes you to the airport (which in the UK checks you in and had a drive through check-in so you never have to queue), a dedicated security channel so you do not have to line up with all other travellers, the amazing Clubhouse at Heathrow, seats on the plane that are lie flat and are the largest in the business, and a sit down bar.

But the feature of this posting is the lounge at Heathrow.

Posted below are a pile of photos of the place to show how stunning it is. It takes your breath away when you walk in for three reasons: (1) as it is so huge, (2) it looks incredible, like a 1970s inspired fantasy of an airport and (3) the glittering array of free services and features.

The services and features include (and remember you pay nothing extra for any of them):

There is probably more but that was all I discovered. The photos probably say more than my ramblings! To see all the photos visit the Virgin Clubhouse gallery on my website: click here

In March 2012, Virgin have launched at JFK a lounge of the same sort of dramatic style and size. Read more on their blog: click here

Or watch this 3 minute video someone has done of the whole lounge:

Read my review of Virgin Atlantic Upper Class: click here

To listen to a podcast I made a few months ago about Virgin right click and save the file associated with this link, or subscribe to my podcasts on iTunes by clicking here

Virgin Atlantic Lounge at London Heathrow

Virgin Atlantic Lounge at London Heathrow

Virgin Atlantic Lounge at London Heathrow

Virgin Atlantic Lounge at London Heathrow

Virgin Atlantic Lounge at London Heathrow

Virgin Atlantic Lounge at London Heathrow

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Rovos Rail Lounge Cape Town Train Station

The bed in our suite on Rovos Rail Train

We travelled on the Rovos Train for 2 nights from Cape Town to Pretoria. It was an amazing experience. I loved it.

Rovos Rail is an independently owned rail service that was created by a visionary called Rohan Vos. He and his team has hunted down old railway coaches from the 1920s and onwards and restored them into a glorious old world glamour. He also has done the same with old steam engines, that pull the train on some of the journey.

Most of the railway carriages were in very poor condition when he found them and has a team of craftsmen restoring and building rich wooden panel interiors.The carriages are luxurious and really old world. There are 3 classes. There are the Royal Suites, which take up half a carriage. The Deluxe suites which are 3 to a carriage, and then the. Pullman suites which are seats in the day and beds at night (more similar to first class carriages today but with individual bathrooms).

We were in a deluxe suite. It is quite a “wow” on entering. Not only because you feel a sense of entering the past, but the size and layout. There is a double bed that is huge and stretches right across the suite. As it is quite high it is fabulous to lie on and watch scenery out the window. Then there is a small table, with mini bar underneath) and 2 chairs. There is a fair sized cupboard and then a great little bathroom with shower cubicle, wash basin and toilet. (The Royal Suites also have a bath!).

I thought the styling and decor was great as felt really appropriate for the feeling of a grander age the whole train creates.As the fare is all inclusive, they had a small bottle of sparkling wine and then you filled out what other drink and mixers you want.

In terms of public areas there are a few great spaces and places which are:- 2 lounges with drinks and nibbles all day. One was in the centre of the train with large sofas and comfy chairs. The other at the rear of the train where the last third was turned into an open air observation area.- small smoking lounge- 2 dining cars. These were very different and from different eras. One from the 1920s and the other from the 1940s. You could use either to get different experiences.- small gift shop in one of the lounges.

The food was very good, especially considering the small facilities on the train. The breakfast was huge and then for lunch and dinner were set menus with choice of 3 to 4 mains. There was a gigantic wine list of South African wines, and as was all inclusive you could try as many types as you wanted.

You have to dress for dinner in at least a jacket and tie.

The service is outstanding at all levels and at all stages. The staff are well trained and very friendly and efficient. This was a major plus. They have many service features which even include shoe shine and pressing shirts for dinner. They even stopped the train to look at and fix our air conditioning!

On the journey we had a stop each day to get off the train and stretch our legs. We stopped for an hour at Maijesfontein (an old refueling and stocking town from about 1880s which had an interesting travel museum. On the 2nd day we stopped in Kimberley to see the famous “Big Hole” where all the diamonds came from. But being on the train was fascinating and watching the changing terrain was peaceful and enjoyable in itself.

Rovos trips are not that cheap, and so we found that of the 48 (24 couples) on board only 2 were South African, the rest were mostly from the UK or USA.The service competes with the more famous and longer established “Blue Train” run by South African Railways. That train takes much less time and goes faster. Rovos is a slower and more leisurely trip in a more old fashioned experience.

The train was long with 18 coaches in all and some 400 metres in length. For most of the trip it is pulled by electric engines, but for the last leg on the last day a glorious restored steam engine from the late 1950s met us and pulled us the rest of the way. We were able to get off the train when it met us and get in the driver’s area and take photos.

Rohan Vos who runs Rovos actually was the person who did the welcome speech to everyone at this lovely reception in a special lounge at Cape Town station, and then he was there to meet the train when we arrived in Pretoria, personally wishing everyone a good trip and asking for thoughts and ideas on our return.

I loved the train, love the experience and want to do it again. Soon!

One of the lounges on Rovos Rail Station

SEE ALL MY PHOTOS OF THE ROVOS TRAIN: CLICK HERE

SEE A VIDEO OF THE SUITE WE WERE IN:

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My Tips for Travellers audio podcast has consistently been one of the top 20 travel podcasts on iTunes since the launch in 2005.

In 2010 I launched a App that can be used on iPhones, Android phones and also Blackberry devices.

It sells for just .99 or £1.19

Click on the link for iTunes, Android Marketplace on Amazon, and Cisco AppHQ for Blackberry devices.

There are bonus features for each podcast you don’t get if you just subscribe to the podcasts

FREE Tips for Travellers: Most popular destinations eBook
If you buy the App, you will get access to the exclusive Tips for Travellers Most Popular Destinations eBook included in the purchase. You can access it via the links in the show extras! The eBook will be constantly updated and include all episode extra content

WATCH A VIDEO AND DEMO OF THE APP

More about the app:
Developed by  Wizzard media, experts at creating apps for podcasts series, the Gary Bembridge Tips for Travellers iPhone app not only brings you all of the past 50 global travel destinations, but all the future ones automatically – along with show extras only available via the app that will be launched at the same time as new podcasts and is being added to all the past episodes.

The features of the app include:
- Easiest way to listen to the podcast. Including listening while using other functions.
- Free exclusive show extras – which includes a PDF of facts and tips and also video of a related attraction, tour or hotel.
- Email the show with questions and ideas.

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Visiting English seaside towns in winter is probably not going to give one the best impression and view. But this is exactly what we did when this past December/ January when we headed off on a  short trip to the Kent Coast in England.

Kent is situated in the South East and across the Channel is France. The main port town in the general area is Dover, where the many ferries criss cross the channel. Increasingly, some of the cruise lines also use it as a departure port.

English seaside towns overall tend to be disappointing. As they have never really found a way to recover from the hammering they took when affordable package holidays, and then low cost flights, made travelling to Europe and guaranteed sunny and warm weather. The problem with taking a summer holiday in England is that the weather is unpredictable. You can get glorious hot and sunny days, or you can find your week or two is full of grey and rain.

In their day, English seaside towns were buzzing and popular. Many had holiday camps, such as Butlins. They offered affordable and entertaining breaks. But as the tourists moved away, the towns have generally declined and slowly got more and more run down. The cycle took its toll, as they got more run down and less up-market they relied more and more on budget visitors who had less money to splash out. Less money meant less revenue and less to invest.

Some of the seaside towns down in Devon and Cornwall have not suffered the same fate, as the weather is slightly better and have managed to attract a more affluent visitor. So even towns even like Sidmouth (which personally I am not a fan of) and Beer proposer.

The seaside town stretch in Kent we visited is known collectively as Thanet, and as all are very close to each other they do try and market themselves as one. The link to the official Thanet site is at the end of this posting.

The 3 main towns in the area are: Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs. The advantage is that as all are quite close by, if you are visiting the area it is possible to visit and explore all three of them. Although most do it by car, the area is also popular for hikers and walkers.

It is clear that all of these towns have suffered over the years from lack of investment and a vibrant economy. They all have an air of being past their glory days, and some areas are quite run down and shabby, but it is also clear that there is a pride and passion in the area by residents. You can also now see visible signs that in some parts there are plans,   investment and signs that the authorities are trying to reinvigorate and energise the towns and the area. This will take some time, but it is clear that this is the intention.

Below are some thoughts and observations of each of the towns:

Margate in Kent England

Turner Contemporary Gallery Margate Kent England

Margate felt the more run down of the towns overall, but at the same time also has the most visible efforts to reinvigorate and refresh the town with the opening of the very stunning and modern Turner Contemporary Gallery and updating in the area around it on the beach front. There are also plans to rebuild and open the once vibrant and popular Dreamlands amusement park. There is also the Margate Winter Gardens theatre which always has some show or artist performing.

Ramsgate Kent England

Ramsgate Kent England

Ramsgate has a very large and attractive harbour which is packed full of yachts and boats – and suspect in Summer this is a buzzing and exciting area. There are a number of bars, restaurants and coffee shops overlooking the pretty harbour which even in winter are busy. The town centre is less attractive, both in layout and in types of shops. This town is more for people looking towards the sea and sea type activities, and there are many boat trips on offer.

Broadstairs Kent England

BroadStairs Kent England

Broadstairs apparently is also is a much sought after residential area, with some expensive properties and has been featured on UK Tv shows like “Location, Location, Location”. The town has some character with winding streets and lots of pubs and places to eat. Again in Summer I suspect this town will be buzzing and have a positive air about it. It has a long, broad and sandy beach area that no doubt gets busy. It is the Broadstairs beach in the picture at the top of this posting. The town also has a number of the traditional, if a bit shabby, amusement arcades where one can end up spending too much time (and money) on penny machines and shooting games. There are a number of attractive walks around the area.

Links
Official site for the area: http://www.visitthanet.co.uk/
Explore Thanet site: http://www.explorethanet.co.uk and for specific details on the beaches (including facilities they offer): click here

RTHUN3DTCWTQ

Do you have any thoughts, tips of comments? Leave a comment on the blog. Where you will also find details of how to subscribe for email updates, follow me on Twitter and Facebook, or subscribe for the free podcast.

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Without a doubt, one of the most interesting and enjoyable trips I done in the UK was to to tour the Royal Yacht Britannia. This stunning, and historically important, ship is moored at the Ocean Terminal in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland.

And with this year being the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, it is a good time to report on and review this marvellous attraction.

The beautiful and impressive ship came into service in 1953 and was finally decommissioned by the ruling UK Labour Party on 11 December 1997.

During its service the Royal Family, who loved the ship, used it for official visits to countries all around the world. Almost all of the various royal weddings at the time also included some time on the ship during the honeymoon. The ship was used for a reported 696 foreign trips and 272 in the UK, sailing over One Million miles.

The Royal Yacht’s final big flagship trip was in July 1997, where it took the last UK Governor of Hong Kong (Chris Patten) and Prince Charles back from the “colony” to the UK after the formal handover ceremony to China. Six months later it was decommissioned, much to the dismay and disappointment of the Queen. She was reported to be close to tears at the ceremony.

The ship was then established as a museum which is managed by an independent charitable trust. It has since become a major attraction in Scotland, and attracts a quarter of a million users a year. In early 2012 the ship was moved from her location and put into dry dock for major maintenance and painting, ready for the big Diamond Jubilee Year celebrations for Queen Elisabeth.

So what can you expect if you visit the Royal Yacht?

There is a large gift shop and exhibition that tells the story of the ship before you get onto the Yacht. This is worth exploring. There is an audio tour that you can use on the Yacht, and again I recommend this as gives lots of information, anecdotes and information.

You are allowed to take photos on the deck areas, but not inside the ship for various copyright and security reasons. This is a pity as the inside is fascinating, but you can but the guide book that has them in.

The ship is very well maintained, and the tour has access to 5 of the decks. This includes the Royal living area, which includes the Queen and Prince Philip’s bedrooms, guest bedrooms and the large lounge and dining area which was used for official dinners and events. There is also a grand staircase. You can then also tour the more cramped and less grand crew quarters. It is amazing just how many crew there were, and it is easy to understand why the cost of maintaining and running the ship must have been massive. And why the Labour Government felt the need to decommission.

The crew consisted of an Admiral, 20 officers and 220 Yachtsmen. The various departments included things like seamen, navigation, engineers, supply, medical and even a Royal Marines Band.

On the tour of the decks you will see a garage with a Rolls Royce Phantom V that was taken everywhere, and used by the Royal Family at their destination.

There is now also a tearoom on the ship which opened some years ago to also help get more revenue to maintain and manage the ship.

The Royal Yacht is open for visitors every day, except Christmas and New Year Day. Tickets cost around £12 for adults. You need 2 to 3 hours to do the tour.

The Official Royal Britannia site writes:

“The Royal Yacht Britannia is one of the world’s most famous ships. Launched at John Brown’s Shipyard in Clydebank in 1953, the Royal Yacht proudly served Queen and country for forty-four years. During that time Britannia carried The Queen and the Royal Family on 968 official voyages, from the remotest regions of the South Seas to the deepest divides of Antarctica.

At the beginning of January 1997, Britannia set sail from Portsmouth to Hong Kong on her last and longest voyage. On 11 December 1997 Britannia was decommissioned at Portsmouth Naval Base in the presence of The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and fourteen senior members of The Royal Family.

Four months later, after intense competition from cities around the UK, the Government announced that Edinburgh was successful in its bid to become Britannia’s new home. She is now owned by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, a charitable organisation whose sole remit is the maintenance of Britannia in keeping with her former role. Britannia is now permanently moored in Edinburgh’s historic port of Leith and visitors can step on board the ship that was once home to the world’s most famous family.”

To see all my photos of the Royal Yacht: click here

Please leave comments on this posting!

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Ulusaba Lodge Sabi Sands Game Reserve South Africa

The Richard Branson owned Ulusaba Lodge in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve, Kruger National Park in South Africa is quite something. It is not only a unique and stylish place to stay, quite unlike anything you would expect from a safari lodge – but also offers amazing opportunities to see all the “big 5″ Game (Lions, buffalos, leopards, elephants and rhinoceroses) on the twice daily safari trips that are included in the price. Saying that, the price is not cheap as this is a luxury resort and experience. But was worth every penny we spent on going there. It remains still today one of the most remarkable and wonderful travel experiences I have had to date.

This is how the lodge is described on their site: “Ulusaba, meaning ‘place of little fear’, can be found amidst the breathtaking landscapes of the Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve in South Africa. At Ulusaba Safari Lodge in South Africa you will discover the soul of Africa, where the forces of nature bring together a wilderness of beauty. It is just a 1 hour and 20 minutes flight from Johannesburg. We have our own private airstrip, and there are daily scheduled and charter flights available”.

When staying at Ulusaba, you are able to go on game drives twice a day with your allocated Game Ranger and Tracker team in open-top Land Rovers. The rangers all keep in touch, and you see a huge range off game, and very close up. The first drive is before breakfast (which means getting up at about 4.30am) and then one before dinner. These are the best times to see game. There are also other opportunities to see game, like walking ones during the day. There are often surprises and treats on the drives, like stopping for some coffee and breakfast treats, and in the evening you can be taken to a big open air event with entertainment and drinks.

The food and drink is all included, and tasty. Dinner is eaten at a long grand table.

To illustrate the type of flight, which has to be in a small plane that can land on the dusty landing strip, and what you can experience getting there, here is a video I made of the flights and views as you fly in and then the lodge. Below that is a video of the STUNNING room.

This was our amazing 2 level room:

More photos I took of Ulusaba:

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Shanghai Skyline from http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithmarshall/474369474/

Visiting Shanghai in China is a bit like visiting a chameleon! It’s constantly changing, constantly different. I’ve been to Shanghai quite a few times over the last 10 years and every time I’ve visited, it’s been like almost visiting a different city. The pace of change is slowing, but this vibrant city is constantly reinventing and changing.

The first time I ever went was in the early 1990s, and at that time the thing that struck me was that the whole city was erupting with buildings. It was reported that there was something like 50‑60% of all the building cranes in the world in Shanghai at that time. Later I think they probably were uprooted and moved on to Dubai, which went through a similar building boom before the financial crisis.

As every time I have gone there it has felt like it is the same but also a different city, it makes me think of a “chameleon”. Changing and adapting to the environment and the world around it.

The good news is that although buildings were erupting everywhere, I was still struck by the beauty of most of the new buildings. One of the things that often happens when cities grow fast is that the beauty of buildings seems to be ignored for speed to throw up buildings. Whereas in Shanghai there is a lot of very stunning architecture and very appealing buildings, many of which emerge even more at night. Most seem to be lit up or have special effects in light happening on them which creates an entertaining view.

Unfortunately there was one problem through all this change and drive to build a modern city. For a long time they just bulldozed away the history of the city. They just knocked everything down. So a lot of historic buildings and old styles were just bulldozed away. In recent years the impact of what was happening was appreciated and there has been a more sympathetic approach to try and maintain some of the heritage as well.

This is important as the history of Shanghai is quite unusual – and surprising -with it being heavily dominated by foreign influences and styles. Right back in the mid‑1800s, part of the city was effectively part of Britain who had a concession over part of the city. As did the USA who also had a concession for part of the city. While the French also controlled another part of the city. This created a divided city with different administrations by the French, by the Americans, by the British. They had their own courts, their own systems and their own armed forces – and different styles and influences.

In the late 1920s, the army captured Shanghai and ran part of it. And then the Japanese invaded it. So a very complicated past!

It wasn’t until after the Second World War that the United States, Britain and France renounced their claims and so it became again part of China, in its entirety. Eventually, in 1949, it fell under the communist forces. But during that whole time, it prospered as it was declared a special development zone, and has been a focus for investment and innovation. So there was a very eclectic and unusual heritage and history, with a lot of it bulldozed. One exception is probably the French sector, which has some amazing art‑deco style bars and buildings that still exist.

Shanghai now has two airports. Pudong, which is now the international airport, and Hongqiao. The newer Pudong airport is relatively far out of the city, and it takes quite a while to get in. The thing that strikes you as you drive into town is, it feels a little bit misty.

What you realize is that this is smog. The pollution is pretty bad in Shanghai. Although there is more awareness of the need to control the emissions from the massive industrial growth, it can be fairly bad. I’ve never really seen crystal blue clear skies. Visitors who suffer from asthma or breathing issues s, sometimes find it, particularly in the very hot summers, more difficult to breathe.

Another change over the years has been that early visitors as China opened up to visitors was the vast amount of bicycles.  There is still a lot, but car ownership and usage has exploded and there is a very sophisticated road system to match. In the centre of the city it’s actually built up quite high, and almost above the city. But of course, it has still has traffic problems as the growth of the city and traffic moves even faster than development can keep up.

One observation which surprised me was how much English there was on the road system. Most of the road signs had English and even the advertising billboards have English on them. So actually, even as a foreigner speaking English, it’s surprising how much you understand that’s really going on. And in Shanghai, particularly, in the tourist areas, English is pretty widely spoken.

One key thing to remember about China is that in spite of all of this growth and energy and it being a very modern city, it does of course have fairly strict legislation and the state has a very conservative approach, and there is a lot of censorship, control and so on. It is important to understand and act accordingly.

But it is easy to forget it often when you’re in Shanghai, just because it seems so modern and contemporary. It is easy to forget there are many areas of life that has strong government restrictions and approaches. For example, the one‑child rule still exists in China, where couples are only allowed to have one child. That does lead to a whole different mindset about life and living.

I also felt that, unlike other parts of Asia, the approach to service is different and less effusive. It’s not that people are unfriendly, it’s just not as service‑orientated as the rest of Asia. People are more pushy and you will find people pushing and shoving, and getting into your “personal space”. This is just a cultural thing, and something you just need to get used to.

You so see a very exciting and dynamic culture emerging by observing the younger generation. They are trendy and embrace change and technology with vigour. This is a generation living though a period of huge change and massive opportunities, and are happy to embrace new ideas and technology. There is a real sense of excitement and opportunity amount this generation.

The city now has the most amazing spread of restaurants and food, amazing shops with beautiful new shopping centers with incredible, stunning decor.

Shanghai is a very exciting place. I really, really like Shanghai. It has a population of about 17 million people. There’s over 350 hotels, with 60,000 hotel rooms. It is really geared up for tourists and for tourism. And there’s is a lot of things to do!

So here are my tips for travellers visiting Shanghai.

Getting and Going there:

Visa: One of the things you need to ensure is that you have a visa! This takes time to get, and so you have to ensure you apply plenty of time before. If you are going to visit there a couple of times, it is best to apply up-front for a multiple‑entry visa. Without a visa obtained in advance, you will not get into the country - as a colleague of mine discovered. As they had no visa, they were frog‑marched across to the airline offices, forced to buy a new ticket, and had to leave on the next flight home. Although, in their case they actually flew via Hong Kong and sorted out a visa from there.

Illness: The other thing that’s very important, that is a hangover from SARS scare some years back, is to make sure that you don’t go when you’re ill with a fever or a cold. There is a scanner you pass through on arrival and if they read a temperature you are unlikely to get into the country.

Packing: As you pack, remember that the Chinese government is very conservative, and make sure you leave out about if there’s anything that is likely to cause offense, or be an issue (like some books and materials)

Deciding where to stay:

As with any travel, be careful where you stay. Not because Shanghai is dangerous, but it is a vast sprawling city and so on a first trip try and stay more central and accessible. I recommend you stay close to the Bund area. Not only is it central, but it is also a very pretty part of town. It’s within walking distance, of the river and other great areas to explore, that I will cover in more detail below.

Sightseeing:

Private tours: On any first visit to Shanghai, I recommend you arrange to go a private tour, rather than, finding your way around. Because although there is transport, and an underground, it can be a very confusing and fraught with challenges. These private tours can be arranged through the concierge at your hotel. It’s going to cost you only about 50 US Dollars a day per person – and that includes travelling in an air conditioned van, with both a driver and a guide. Of course they will take you to tourist trap places like the inevitable pearl factories where they will be getting kickbacks. But you will find you going to get that on most tours, even organized tours. The Luxury Travel blog recommends, for example, a firm called At your Side.

A guided tour is really important on a first trip, especially if time is tight. There is such an ncredibly fascinating and rich history. It is also a fairly complex history, and the guides will explain it and ensure you see all the range of aspects of the varied life and heritage in the city.

City Guides: But, If you don’t want to do that, there is another good option that the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administrative Commission has developed. They have created a series of Shanghai City tour guide series which are fantastic. You’ll find these in all of the hotels. They are themed based on interests, such as “Historical, and Contemporary Scenic Spots”, “Shanghai, a Paradise for Shoppers”, “The Shanghai Science and Publicity tours, an Amazing World of Science and Technology”, “The Dazzling World of Entertainments at Night”,  ”Tourist Attractions New and Exciting,” and even “Tour of Shanghai Old Movies” because it used to be a popular movie making city. There are some more unusual ones with a political spin like the “Tour of Shanghai Happy Farmers Life” going back to nature, and enjoying poetic Pastoral delight. Living in a farmer’s house, having a farmer’s meal, working as a farmer and enjoying a happy farmer’s life.

The series is based on what they call “The Seven Wonders of the World, Seven Days in Shanghai” So you could actually spend seven days on each of these, so they’re really interesting.

Self touring: But if neither the private tour nor the suggested tours in the leaflets appeal, here are the things I would recommend you see:

The Bund Area. This is an area that would be called a key historical and contemporary scenic spot. It’s basically on the riverside, and runs from the Waibadu bridge to Jinling East Road. On the east side of the Bund, is the Huangpu River Sightseeing Embankment which you can stroll along. On the Western side, are a long stretch of Western style old buildings which is known as the World Architectural Gallery. These are just amazing buildings, from the 1920s and 1930s. Very beautiful buildings, nicely scrubbed up and just amazing pictures. On the my photos below and in a linked gallery I’ve got some of these to show just how fabulous they are.

At night, they’re all lit up with colorful lights and it does look absolutely amazing, and gets very vibrant, and buzzing down there. It’s very safe, although there will be a lot of hawkers selling you fake bags and that sort of stuff, as there is a visible police presence and they ensure things are calm and hassle free.

On the river there’s a huge amount of commercial traffic but also loads of tourist boats all brightly lit up. It’s very exciting and vibrant, lovely to walk along and enjoy.

On the Bund you can see across the river to a couple of important landmarks which are worth visiting as well. One of which is the Oriental Pearl Tower. This is reported to be the tallest TV tower in Asia, and the third highest in the world. It has 11 spheres of varying sizes at various heights. There is an observation deck, from where you get the most amazing views of the city. There’s the inevitable revolving restaurant at the top too.

Also on this side of the river, is the Jin Mao Tower. The Jin Mao Tower is really one of the most symbolic buildings of modern Shanghai. It’s the tallest building in the whole of China, and the third tallest building in the world, with an observation deck on the 88th floor. It’s the highest point in China that you can do sightseeing. It can actually hold an unbelievable 1,000 visitors at a time. You are whisked up by a very fast elevator that takes about 45 seconds to get to the top.

There are a couple of new museums, which are worth doing. The Shanghai Museum is especially worth visiting. It’s located in the south of People’s Square. And it has the most remarkable display and review of China’s art. It is also an amazing round building. It has six areas, 12 exhibition halls with bronzes, pottery, porcelain sculpture, calligraphy, painting, jade ware, coins, furniture. It really is just incredible. And that’s quite near the Bund area, but it’s relatively easy to get to on the metro. And you can read more about that at Shanghaimuseum.net.

There are couple of quirky things that you may want to go and do. There is a rather unusual sightseeing tunnel near the Bunt that runs from the Bunt and to the Pearl Tower. So you can actually go from one side to the other underneath the river. It’s a pretty big tunnel, and the interior of the wall has got all these bizarre colors of starfish and blossoms and high‑tech lighting and a very loud acoustic system. It reminds me a little bit of the Freemont Experience in the old part of Las Vegas.

They also havean indoor skiing resort, which is a little bit sort of out of town. Again it is a very large indoor skiing resort.

At night, it is worth doing one of the night cruises on the river, because everything’s lit up in Shanghai, and ait is quite a feast to view the city at night from the river.

In terms of shopping, there are a couple of major shopping areas. There’s the  Xujiahui commercial area which has a square at the center, with piles of shopping centers: the Oriental, the Pacific Grand Gateway, the Hui Jin Department Store, etc. But probably the one which is the one that the tourists go to is the Yuyuan Garden Commercial City.

So that’s what I’ve got on Shanghai. It’s a very exciting city. It’s constantly changing. And it’s just partly the whole thing is just being there and soaking it all up and just enjoying it.

For more recommendations on things to do: TripAdvisor Things to Do and the Official Shanghai Visitor Site

Got any tips of your own? PLease add them in the comments section!

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Shanghai skyline at night – looking across from The Bund

The Bund (Shanghai China)and some of the buildings known as the World Architectural Gallery

Tourist boat on the river at The Bund Shanghai China

Oriental Pearl Tower Shanghai China

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Telegraph Cruise Show London Olympia London 2012

The Telegraph Newspaper in the UK is the headline sponsor of the Cruise Show that takes place in a few centres each each. The big show is in London, and it is taking place on weekend of 24 – 25 March. I attended the first day on the Saturday.

The show is held at the London Olympia Exhibition centre in West London, which is between Kensington High Street and Hammersmith. The main hall is a stunning building with huge ceiling and large glass features at each end. It is very impressive, and a great venue as it feels open, bright and very grand. The show started in one of the smaller halls, but has grown and now takes place in the big grand hall.

As the space is also huge, the exhibition is able to be laid out over a good sized space. It does not feel cramped, which is important as the show attracts a large crowd. The pictures I took and are on the posting show this.
The show, in theory, costs about £10 a person to attend. However, many of the Cruise Lines send free entry out to their mailing lists (I got mine from Cunard), and the various Cruise and Travel magazines also offer deals. So you should try and ensure you look out for those.
The venue can be reached by the tube from Earl’s Court, is on many bus routes, or there is a multi storey car park behind London Olympia. It is fairly costly, at £5 for 2 hours and then the charges ramp up (£15 for 2 to 4 hours for example) .

Here are the main pluses of the show:

Perfect for First Time Cruisers as you get to see pretty much the whole industry, compare lines and speak to more experts that you could ever wish for
For more established cruisers who know what they like can also gain, as there are lines and things you may not have known about or considered. For example, this year I discovered an amazing new Africa Queen small ship that goes down the river in Botswana, and another small line travelling around Scotland that I did not know about
The talks throughout the day. There are 4 areas with theatres that have talks all throughout the day. They each have a different focus, with great and knowledgeable speakers. The 4 different theatres focus on: (1) Ask the experts; (2) Meet the Cruise Lines; (3) Small Ship Cruising and (4) World of Travel. Each have programs that run all day.
Most of the cruise Lines have competitions with a free cruise as the prize. This is to get you to fill out a form to enable them to build their database.
You can cover all the cruise lines you want to in a concentrated time. An hour or two, assuming you don’t of to the talks, will get you all the research and brochures you need without the hassle of contacting different lines to get them sent.
There are a number of areas selling great coffee, treats and spaces to sit and discuss and chat.

A fun and informative day out. You come away with a free copy of the Saturday Telegraph, loads of brochures to inspire – and if you are lucky win one of those cruises!

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Telegraph Cruise Show London Olympia London 2012

Telegraph Cruise Show London Olympia London 2012

Telegraph Cruise Show London Olympia London 2012

Telegraph Cruise Show London Olympia London 2012

Telegraph Cruise Show London Olympia London 2012

Telegraph Cruise Show London Olympia London 2012

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Have you heard of “info graphics”? They seem to be very in and very trend at the moment. And the world of travel is proving to be no exception in adopting the use of them.

What is an “info graphic” you may be asking? 

An info graphic is a visual way of sharing data. The theory is that people are more likely to look at it and digest it if it looks engaging and interesting. It is also a way of getting a lot of data and messages into one document – instead of  number of pages or charts. 

In the world of travel, they do seem to (so far) mostly begin used by travel providers and their support agencies as a selling aide for their services or expertise to travel agents or the media and bloggers to get a message across. They are often also used to communicate learning from studies or research, such as what are the most popular places to visit, how people are researching travel online and so on.

There do not (yet) seem to be that many that are designed to be for travellers as such. But they are starting to be used and I suspect they may be used more and more to share more data and information about their product or service, instead of brochures or leaflets. They can be shorter and more to the point and so it is one page of packed, but easy to digest information.

I think they are an interesting tool that will become very big and popular for some travellers. I think they will be used more and more to provide tips for travellers. I think that especially for those who have tight schedules and want to get the most out of the limited time they have in a place, that they could be great travel aides. As on one visual page they can show the best places to visit, what to expect and how to get there. They could be a great travel tool instead of printing off reams off the internet to buying guide books that you may not use again.

I have started to collect various travel infographics that I come across and post them on Pinterest: click here to see the album and follow it. If you come across any that you like, email me your suggestion. I also have links at end of post of some other sites that are collecting travel ones.

Here are two examples of tea that I think are interesting that I have come across and why:

Travelsupermrket.com: 50 Most Popular Travel Destinations.

Based on results for 2011 they are the most visited tourist attractions globally (with all the #1 being in the USA!) grouped into: Public Places (#1: Times Square); Heritage (#1: Union Station Washington); Amusement Parks (#1: Disney World Magic Kingdom Florida); Markets (#1: Faneuil Hall Market Place Boston); Seaside Attractions (#1: Pier 39 San Francisco); Natural (#1: Niagara Falls); Museums (#1: National Air and Space Museum Washington).

To read it better, click on the image and download!

Techie Traveller : The behaviour of today’s tech-based travel afficiando

This one is by Lab42, and I like this one as gives a great snapshot of what tech connected travellers are doing these days: showing the most popular online sites for doing bookings (expedia, travelocity), what Apps they using (flight and hotel deals) and how many do things like check hotel and destinations reviews (77% and 62%), use social networks before (Facebook) and during travels and what they do while travelling (photos, map features, restaurant searches) and after travelling (write reviews and post photos).

Some links:

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Kensington Palace – London

Probably better known in recent times as the place that Princess Diana was living when she tragically died, and now where Prince William and Catherine will be living from 2013, Kensington Palace is actually a massive complex with some 700 rooms with a number of members of the Royal Family having, or are living there. So you could argue that it is not so much as a palace as a gated housing development!

The Palace itself, however, has a much longer and rich history. In fact it has housed royalty since the late 1600s. The Palace has two main areas. There is the private wing where the members of the royal family live, and then the historic state apartments that you are able to visit, and find out more about the long history of the palace.

Over £12 million has been spent on revamping the state apartments, and was re-opened in March 2012. After this revamp, you are able to tour 4 key areas which are:

The Queen’s State Apartments. This is the oldest part you can visit. It is where Queen Mary II lived and where she died. It covers the end of the Stuart reign of England and when new rules of accession came in that included accession to the eldest male heir, no Catholic could be monarch or marry a monarch.
The King’s State Apartments. In here you can explore the areas used by George I and II and see where they would do their public business. You get to see some of the original ceremonial clothes (including one with a massive train that took 6 people to help carry)
Victoria Revealed. This tells the story of Queen Victoria and includes where she first meet the Privy Council at ahge 18 when she became Queen, the nursery and rooms where she did much of her royal business when there and then rooms covering the death of Albert (her husband), the Great Exhibition and her Diamond Jubilee
Then there is a 4th area with exhibitions. On opening was a small exhibition of Princess Diana dresses and then a bigger Jubilee – A view from the crowd. Various others will follow

In the main Palace is a tea room and also a large shop selling various memorabilia and books.

The grounds of the palace are not huge, but in a great location surrounded by Kensington Gardens. In the actual grounds is a beautiful formal garden and then large lawns with a large and very beautiful Organery building that houses a restaurant that as well as serving lunch, serves various afternoon tea options. These involve tier holders with sandwiches, cakes and scones and different teas. 

As the pictures show, the room is fantastic, large, bright and stylish. The afternoon tea great. Though you cannot reserve a time and table and the line to get in can be slow and involve hanging about a great deal.

It is easy to spend a few hours exploring the Palace and gardens. 

One thing I think that is a miss is that as you tour around there is not a lot of detail on the history of the Royal Family and the Palace. The staff are very helpful and will explain, so you may want to buy the Guide Book that costs about £5 so you can better understand the history, or read up about it before you go. I think the limited history and explanation is a pity as you can miss the significance and importance of this Palace.

But saying that, it is a great place to visit – and even better if you also do the afternoon tea!

See some photos I took below, and all of them on Flickr: click here

Kensington Palace London

Kensington Palace London

Kensington Palace 

The Orangery at Kensington Palace

Inside the Orangery Kensington Palace for Afternoon Tea

Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace

Official website: http://www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonpalace/Wipipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kensington_Palace

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