It is not surprising that many people make it one of their New Year’s resolutions to see more of the world and that is why it is important to spend your time off-work wisely. I have thought long and hard and have come up with my top 2 all-time favorite destinations, which, in my humble opinion, offer some incredible, life-affirming experiences.
I have had many holidays over the years, but one that stays vivid in my memory is a trip to Beijing. The experience was incredible to start with, because my friend and I managed to wrangle an upgrade on our outbound journey and got incredibly excited about the free champagne and fluffy slippers in first class. While other passengers looked cool, calm, and collected during the flight, my friend and I continued to make it obvious that we were not used to this type of luxury — acting like excited schoolgirls.
On arrival I can barely explain the feeling of other-worldliness that enveloped us. Once we left the sanctuary of our top-class hotel with a concierge written note in hand detailing where we wanted to go, we felt we had entered a different realm altogether; while travelling in China can be challenging, we in no way felt threatened or overwhelmed.
Through the hotel we booked organised trips to the big four: Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, The Summer Palace, and of course The Great Wall of China. It was winter, and a thick frosting of snow added to the sense of mystery and wonder that we felt upon visiting the striking buildings of this incredible city.
The Summer Palace, situated amongst beautiful gardens, felt like a magical place, and the lake had frozen over giving it a fairy-tale quality. The Great Wall of China was spectacular, although climbing the steep steps which were covered that day with an icy film was frightening at times; the guide had already pre-warned us that a tourist in a previous year had slipped and broken his leg during the ascent, slightly the worse for wear after too much rice wine during the pre-visit luncheon.
Perhaps my favorite recollection of the trip was venturing off on our own, to one of the huge indoor markets, to buy souvenirs. It is customary to barter and so we were confused when an elderly stall owner angrily threw the purchases my friend had collected to one side, after a seemingly reasonable price was offered. It was only later after doing some quick currency conversion maths that we realized we had actually offered less than one penny for three lanterns, a silk cushion, and some wooden bowls. We went back tails between our legs with the offer we had intended to make; the lady smiled and handed us the items.
Coming a close second in my recommended list of top travel destinations is Cuba. I went with a boyfriend some years ago and needless to say my memories lasted longer than that particular relationship. Spending three nights in La Habana, we became immersed in a world of cigars, salsa, and a vibrant culture that I have never experienced before or since.
A trip to Cuba is like stepping back in time as the streets are adorned with vintage American cars, brightly painted shuttered buildings, and locals sitting on steps smoking and shooting the breeze. We went to the famous La Bodeguita del Medio, one of Hemingway’s haunts, where it is customary to write your name on the wall, which we did of course. I have heard since that some sections have been painted over to allow room for fresh signatures; a shame that decades of travellers, film stars, artists, and writers’ marks have been obliterated in a single brushstroke. There we sampled the best mojitos I have ever tasted.
The second part of the trip was to Guardalavaca, a resort on the opposite side of the island. We only realized how far away it was the night before when I noticed two extra flight codes on the airline information. My then boyfriend was petrified of flying and getting him to board the 1950′s propeller plane for the internal flight was nothing short of a miracle.
Once there we had time to relax. The beaches are simply stunning providing long swathes of pristine, sands, water sports, and numerous all-inclusive hotels. We did venture out of the hotel for a few nights at nearby beach restaurants and sampled the local seafood. In Cuba, lobster is relatively cheap and we gorged ourselves accordingly.
Both holidays provided much more than a generic week away in the sun, and while a tan may fade, a trip to one of these intriguing, culturally rich, long-haul destinations will last a lifetime. For more inspirational travel ideas check out Total Travel Blog and start planning your next trip.
Tweet
































































