The River Walk B&B

For more information about the RiverWalk B&B click here

In fact recent research by First Choice, conducted with the Centre of Economic and Business Research (CEBR), shows that more than half of holidaymakers overspent on holiday last year, costing consumers £403m in total.

So to help you make the most of your hard-earned cash here, are 25 top holiday moneysaving tips for before you go, when you’re there and when you get back home. Happy saving!

Before you go

1. The early bird
For families who want to book in advance make sure you’re browsing up to 11 months ahead of when you want to go. This is when flights are typically first released by airlines so there will be plenty of cheaper seats available.

2. Time on your side
If you can avoid flying on Fridays or Saturdays as these tend to be the busiest and most expensive times. If you fly on a weekday you can save a lot of money, so make sure you shop around before booking.

3. Sign up for special offers by email or Twitter
Almost every company in the travel industry will have some special offers that they email or tweet out to subscribers. Sign up to a few providers that you know and like and keep checking what they’ve got on offer.

4. Book airport car parking in advance
If you require parking at airports such as Heathrow  then it pays to look online, check the best deals and book in advance. You could save up to 60% on parking charges this way. It also means that you’ll have less to worry about on the day you travel and you won’t be stung by exorbitant parking fees at the airport.

5. Learn to haggle for your hotel
Don’t just accept the first price you’re quoted. Check online for availability and then check again a week or two later. If they still have availability then chances are they’ll want to get rid of those spare rooms and will be more open to you haggling the price. Make sure you have a few options in case they sell out!

6. Check the latest exchange rates
If you’re flexible as to where you travel then it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on the value of the pound. It fluctuates constantly and, with some clever research, you could end up in a country where your money stretches much further.

7. Plan ahead and shop around for travel money
If you leave holiday money until the last minute then you’ll be exchanging into foreign currency at the airport bureau which will always cost more so make sure you shop around. Whether you go to your bank, the post office or a bureau de change be wary of ‘commission free’ offers because the money will be recouped somewhere along the line. Generally in you being offered a worse exchange rate!

8. Check baggage allowances
Make sure you don’t miss hidden baggage charges. You may think you’re getting a great deal by opting for the cheapest flight but once all the extra charges add up it might not be such a great deal after all. If you are going on a golf or ski holiday for example and are taking your own equipment then airline charges will differ. Check these golf and ski baggage allowances as an example of how you could save money.

9. What insurance do you really need?
If you book your holiday by credit card then make sure you check if your card provider will cover you abroad automatically for doing so. You don’t want to spend unnecessary money on insurance if you’re already covered! If you’re not already covered then you might want to look into joint travel insurance if you’re in a couple. It tends to work out cheaper in much the same way as it does for two named drivers on a car insurance policy. If you’re travelling in Europe then you’ll want to get a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which can be used to cover any necessary medical treatment due to accident or illness within the European Economic Area (EEA).

10. Check your passport
Many people get caught out by not checking their passport well in advance. If it’s expired then you’ll need to pay far more to rush your renewal application through at the last minute. Currently a normal renewal costs £77.50 but the one-day premium service is £129.50 – a £52 price hike that’s easily avoided.

11. Take your own lunch
If you’re flying with a low-cost airline where food isn’t included with the price of your ticket then you’ll have to pay inflated fees for a pretty basic sandwich and a drink onboard. It’s worth remembering that while liquid can’t go through security food can, so why not take your own? You’ll make something far nicer and start your holiday with a great saving.

12. Check your mobile phone use
Call and text charges abroad, both sending and receiving, can be monstrously high abroad. Many phone companies offer bundles that you can purchase before you go away or you could keep your phone purely for emergencies. You are on holiday after all!

13. Play your cards right
Do you know how much your card provider charges for using it abroad? It can be quite a significant amount per transaction so make sure you’re aware of what you’ll be paying for each transaction and try not to make too many withdrawals.

When you’re there

14. Set a budget for each day
None of us want to be penny pinching when we’re on holiday but setting a budget for each day is simple common sense and will ensure that costs don’t escalate out of control. Make it realistic and not only will you avoid overspending but the treats you enjoy will be all the better for it!

15. When in Rome
The big tourist areas in any given town or city are easy to find and so we often flock there in great numbers. However, restaurants and bars in the area raise their prices to capitalise. Why not seek out the places the locals go? They’ll be cheaper and generally better quality plus you’ll experience what your destination is really like.

16. Perfect the art of haggling
In Britain we struggle to haggle as it’s just not in our DNA. However, in some countries it’s rude not to and can make a holiday purchase much more fun. Make sure you do you research on where and when it’s appropriate though as you don’t want to cause offence or pay over the odds.

17. Carry a bottle of drink around with you
Especially if you’re in a hot country it’s important to keep yourself hydrated. Avoid spending more than you need to on drinks from cafes and bars by buying a bottle of water at the start of the day and sipping from it regularly as you see the sites. Investing in a good water bottle carrier will ensure that this doesn’t weigh you down.

18. Look for special discount tickets
Many towns and cities have special deals on public transport where you can buy a discounted book of tickets for the underground in advance rather than one at a time.  If you know you’re going to use public transport a lot this can be really useful.  Also keep an eye in your hotel lobby or ask your tour operator for any discounted tickets for the main attractions.

19. The best laid plans
Not everyone will want to plan out their day in its entirety but if you want to save money it’s easy to save on travel if you know where you want to go in advance. It will mean you don’t have to spend money on buses, cabs or petrol constantly backtracking to your hotel or things you’ve missed along the way.

Back home
20. Ditch the car
Not possible for everyone of course but if you can walk or cycle to work when you get back from holiday rather than drive or take the bus you’ll save money and burn off some of those holiday calories!

21. Embrace the potluck dinner
Hopefully you’ve had a great holiday and your friends will be longing to hear your traveller’s tales. Instead of going out on the town invite them round for a ‘pot luck’ dinner where each person brings a different dish for everyone else to try.

22. What’s down the back of the sofa?
Ok, don’t literally look down the back of your sofa (unless you really want to) but do check your wallet for any unused gift vouchers, or any loyalty cards you have for unused loyalty points that could shave welcome pennies off your shopping bill when you need it most.

23. Cut the coffee
This will be a challenge as you may well feel the urge for caffeine to help you get back into the swing of things but try to avoid popping out for a cappuccino or latte if you can. An average coffee will work out at about £3, if you have 5 of those a week then you’ll spend £15 which is £60 a month! A pretty significant (and relatively easy) saving to make when you’re back home.

24. I’ve lost interest
You’ve paid for your dream holiday on the credit card and you don’t want to think about it when you get back. We’ve all been there. However the sooner you pay it off the less you’ll pay in interest charges so work out how much you can realistically pay back each month as soon as you get back and stick to it.

25. Supply and demand
Every destination has its own unique trinkets or goods that can be bought cheaper than back home. You could exploit this to your advantage by bringing some back with you to sell when you get home via eBay for example or you could use them as unique birthday or Christmas gifts. Of course this depends on the space in your suitcase!

For more information please contact Stephen Baker at stephen@propellernet.co.uk or on 01273 760 988

“I believe that the cyclised city is the civilised city”, declares ebullient Boris Johnson. Love him or hate him, London’s mayor is – not so quietly –revolutionising cycling in the capital.

More tourists than locals currently use Boris bikes – a hugely successful £140 million ‘pay as you pedal’ scheme launched in July 2010. Locals and visitors alike can just swipe a membership key, credit or debit card and get on their bike. The first 30 minutes are free and at the end of your journey, it is a simple case of just dropping the bike back to one of several locations in central London.

Amsterdam has traditionally been the world’s most cycle friendly city. From nannies to bankers and school kids to senior citizens, pretty much everyone in Amsterdam gets on their bike. From the 1960s onwards, Amsterdam transformed itself from a congested, traffic laden, commuter nightmare to a cyclist’s paradise. Statistics currently show the preferred mode of transport at 35 percent bicycle, 40 percent car and 25 percent public transport.

This may be impressive but some London boroughs boast cycling achievements that easily match the Dutch capital, despite London being one the most congested capitals in the world. Schemes such as ‘Move by Bike’ includes free check ups for cyclists and a chance to purchase lights and reflectors wholesale. The scheme offers free cycle training, promotes the health benefits of cycling and makes plans to improve security.

London is steering clear of Amsterdam’s biggest mistake: schemes that segregate cyclists and car drivers. Trevor Parsons, a leading light of the London Cycling Campaign (www.lcc.org.uk), believes that integration is the way forward. He says that “in the Netherlands people are compelled to ride on separate cycle tracks and paths where they exist and Dutch police shout at people for cycling on smooth, empty carriageways. We don’t want that over here. Our view is that the whole street network is the cyclists’ network.”

Jane gets on her bike

In just the last year, London has seen a massive 15 percent increase in cycling on the city streets, but the mayor is not resting on his laurels. He ambitiously aims to bring a 400 percent increase in cycling by 2026 and has just announced that London will host a two-day, world-class cycling festival in 2013 on 19–20 May. Named the ‘London Revolution’ (www.london-revolution.com) it will become an annual event as part of the Olympic legacy.

The cycling festival will be the first major event to make use of the Olympic Park in east London after it reopens in summer 2013. Day one will involve a family ride on traffic-free roads in central London, in which it is expected up to 70,000 cyclists will take part. A loop of roads – all closed to traffic – will lead North and then west from the Isle of Dogs to Royal Windsor, taking in landmarks such as Windsor Castle and Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge before arriving at an overnight lodge.

Day two will see an additional 35,000 amateur and professional riders – some of them world class cycling south and east for a further 80 miles. Beginning in the Olympic Park it will follow the route of the 2012 Games cycle road race, taking in some of Surrey’s prettiest countryside. before arriving at Tower Bridge at the finishing line. A lovely little extra touch is that the route will take in sites covered by cyclists at all of London’s Olympics: Windsor Great Park (1908), Herne Hill velodrome (1948) and Box Hill (2012). Booking is essential, with entrance costing £39 for a day, £78 for two days, and £169 for both days including the overnight camp.

The current cycling World Champion, Mark Cavendish MBE, suggested: “This is the ideal legacy not only for our world class team of cyclists and paracyclists, but also for thousands of amateur cyclists. This event will be a fantastic opportunity to show Britain at its best and to share our Olympic cycling heritage.” Brian Cookson OBE, President of British Cycling seems to agree that the event is nothing short of a quiet revolution, declaring: “This event will celebrate the new place of cycling in British culture, right in the heart of the capital.”

With the London Olympics just around the corner the attention of the lucky few that have tickets, is now turning to where they are going to stay. With many of London’s top hotels holding their rooms for big group bookings visitors are being forced to look elsewhere for a place to stay. However, this is no bad thing as many of London hotel rooms are small, soulless and could be in any of the world’s major cities. In a city as diverse as London, there are many different and exciting alternatives places to stay which are more interesting a dull hotel.

A Room for London

Perhaps the most unique bedroom in London is Living Agriculture’s  A Room for London designed by David Kohn Architects, in collaboration with Fiona Banner. This temporary structure is part hotel room, part boat and is perched on top the Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre. With just one bedroom on offer and as it is only available for a short time,all the spaces were sold out within ten minutes of being online. This is truly unique alternative to any hotel room and its 360 degree  windows give you  views that are only rivalled by the London Eye.

With just two rooms, 40 Winks is likely to one of the smallest boutique hotels in the world but what it lacks in beds it certainly makes up for in character. Designed by David Carter this quirky resting place is ideal of anyone who is looking for an eccentrically English hotel in the heart of London. The hotel is also great who people who are just looking for a day out as they offer old vintage afternoon tea parties and glamorous pyjama parties to passers by.  Its unique combination of high fashion and shabby chic have made this hotel a favourite for celebrity and fashionistas.

Live it up like a local through onefinestay

For travellers who are looking to experience the ‘real’ London then the only option is to stay in a home of a true Londoner. This has been made possible by the launching of a series of new companies who allows guests to stay in in upscale homes while the owners are out of town. Being in the home of real local means that tourists can avoid all of the queues which are typical of a tourist hot spot such as London. In recent years there has been a large increase in couchsurfing, but this is most effective for solo travellers. This new idea of home rentals allows whole families to stay in upscale family homes which have more space than only hotel room. All onefinestay holiday rentals also come with all the amenities that you would expect from a top hotel.

For  further information on Onefinestay - a London based company  which allows visitors to live like a local  - please visit www.onefinestay.com

Rhona Foulis

Where are you from?
Bonnie Dundee!

What’s the first thing you do, when you get to London?
I live in the East End and one of my favourite things to do is walk along Regent’s Canal, go for a swim at London Fields Lido (a heated, Olympic-sized, outdoor public swimming pool) and on the way home pick up carrot and pineapple cake from the Flour Power City bakery on Saturday’s Broadway Market. Or a brownie from Loafing in Victoria Park Village. Ooh, on a Sunday, head to the Sunday Upmarket in the old Truman Brewery for funky but cheap dresses.

Broadway Market

What is your favourite hangout?
If it’s summer – the nearest available green space. If it’s winter – the Curzon Soho’s downstairs bar for sofa-lounging. Plus, there’s a Konditor and Cook upstairs. Curly whirly cake on tap – what’s not to like?

The Gate

What is your favourite restaurant?
For veggie fare (I’m a vegetarian), either Mildred’s in Soho or the pricier Gate restaurant in Hammersmith. The flipside with Mildred’s is that what you save in cash, you pay for in queuing: you can’t book in advance and it’s invariably packed. I’m also a recent convert to Imli for inventive and flavoursome Indian tapas; and you can’t beat the Keralan feast at Rasa. As for Turkish, Dalston’s where it’s at, especially Stone Cave (the overstated décor alone is worth a look!) However if you’ve overdosed on skinny jean chic, a central London branch of Tas is a safe bet.

What was the last exhibition you saw in London?
Er – pass? No, it was probably the Travel Photographer of the Year at the Royal Geographical Society. I can highly recommend both it and the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum – simply stunning. And the adjoining Science Museum Cafe sells awesome Belgian chocolate cake!

What was the last gig you saw in London?
My friend Andy’s band, Fuzzy Star and the Malfunctioning Androids (he’s the Fuzzy Star), at The Wilmington Arms.

What is your earliest London memory?
Arriving into King’s Cross at an unreasonably early hour, having travelled on the sleeper train from Dundee. Nothing was open, so we sat in the park and ate breakfast sarnies.

What have you discovered recently in London?
Dance lessons! I began swing dance classes with Swing Patrol last year and have just ventured into tango with Tanguito.

What would you do if you were Mayor for the day?
Oh, so much! Replace regular rubbish bins with multi-purpose recycling bins. Enable the tubes to run later. Institute more cycle lanes. Ban lap-dancing and strip clubs. Ensure access to the arts for all, by opening up every art gallery, theatrical and musical performance etc for FREE! (Admittedly my Mayoral proposal isn’t the most economically viable.)

What is your top tip for tourists?
You don’t have to stick to the West End for quality theatre. In fact, you’ll often find more interesting and imaginative work at the likes of the Young Vic, National, Bush, Arcola, Almeida, Royal Court and Donmar Warehouse theatres.

Where would you like to stay?
Shoreditch House in the summer – mostly so that I could sample the roof-top pool!

What is your favourite place for a pint?
I’m not a pint drinker myself, but the warm and cosy Dove on Broadway Market serves various Belgian beers, excellent food and jazz on a Sunday.

The Electric Cinema

What is your guilty London pleasure?
Booking the vast, two-seater sofa at the back of the Electric cinema, ordering a large glass of red from its conveniently internal bar and gorging on cake from nearby Gail’s or Hummingbird Bakery. The intimate Aubin Cinema, with its armchair seating, comes a close second.

Royal Court Theatre

Tell me something I don’t know about London?
You can watch a play at the Royal Court Theatre for 10p! The nearby William Curley dessert bar will treat you to a 5-course dessert tasting menu, prepared before your very eyes, for a steal at £15.

Thanks Rhona! To find out what other Londoners love about the capital, don’t forget to keep logging on to CD Traveller

When in Britain the sky is the colour of porridge , the leaves are falling and everyone is succumbing to the  cough-ice, in Barbados it’s hot. Not sweltering sunstroke hot you understand, but blue skies, smattering of clouds, top up the tan hot.

Only a handful of places on earth are more seductive and beautiful in the flesh than on the postcard but, in my mind, Barbados is one of them. Even better: it doesn’t require a string of vaccinations to get there and you’re guaranteed sun and spoken English.

The majority of Brits make a beeline for Barbados’ fabled west coast which isn’t nicknamed the Platinum coast for nothing: this lap of luxury is where the jet set (think leggy models, real estate gurus, playboys and socialites) hang out. For people watching at its most intoxicating, look no further than Lime Grove – a new, overdraft shattering shopping mall packed with people who look like they are living in an Armani holiday advert.

Yes the west coast is good at showing off, but sometimes less is more right? So if, like me, you can survive a holiday without bumping into Simon Cowell and co, head south where you’ll find pockets of paradise that have not yet been lost.There’s no such thing as a bad beach in Barbados, but Brownes beach, Miami beach and Accra beach – all on the sun kissed south coast – are exceptionally fine spots to toast on a sun lounger and then spend longer in the paint box turquoise water than a dolphin. From a distance, the ocean appears a tantalizingly unnatural aqua but, up close, it’s as clear as if poured from a tap.

The three S’s – sun, sand and sea – are invariably Barbados’ biggest headline grabbers but, while undeniably beautiful, they tend to divert from the island’s equally enticing interior. Here you’ll find rolling hills, traditional chattel houses the colour of mint ice cream, beautiful botanical gardens, magnificent plantation houses (step forward St Nicholas Abbey) and the spectacular subterranean attraction that is Harrison’s Cave. This massive underground cave stream system, which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, is the place to gaze in awe at caverns and crystallised formations.

But it’s the island’s east coast that excites me most, being that little bit more colourful, curious, courageous and crazy than the rest of the Barbados. Sequestered by sugar canes and thick fields, this is the Caribbean in its rawest, most real state. I’m staying in the eastern parish of St Philip where on a patch of grass, a makeshift wicket is set up and a tattered ball hurled at a well worn bat while ladies in their best outfits gather at the church next door; where rural roads are lined with home grown produce stands and cows and goats wander into the road, while the blue green sea glistens in the sun and the vegetation has a lush brilliance.

By contrast Bridgetown – Barbados’ bustling capital – is a lively place to stroll overflowing with fruit sellers and souvenir shops targeting cruise ship passengers in search of an ‘I heart Barbados’ t-shirt and Tortuga rum cake. On Broad Street – the Bajan capital’s main thoroughfare – you can also window shop for tax free Rolexes and Ray Bans.

When you’ve had your retail therapy fix, make for the George Washington House (the only house outside of America where the great man resided), followed by the Barbados Museum. The latter is hardly the V&A but does give you a flavour of the colonial period of life. It’s perfectly possible to ‘do’ Bridgetown in an afternoon, although admittedly that goes against the chilled out nature of the island.

After ambling around town, chances are you’ll have worked up an appetite. Fortunately Barbados has a thriving local gastronomic scene and restaurants such as the Roundhouse and The Cliff have earned a reputation for quality – as well as their arresting views. But if you’re not happily cashed up, panic not – you won’t go hungry in Barbados. Choose from food stalls, then sit and feast with locals eating street nosh like flying fish, cou cou (a cornmeal and okra staple), cutters (meat or fish sandwiches in salt bread) and, of course, jerk chicken with rice and peas. Whatever delicacy you plump for, it must be sprinkled with the fiery yellow Bajan sauce which sits on every table top.

In the evening, aim to watch the sun set from Ramshackle or Dippers – two friendly beachside bars where you can drink rum punch (be warned the ubiquitous Bajan cocktail often includes enough rum to fell an ox) from glasses the size of goldfish bowls, while watching the wavelets tiptoe up the shore. Then dance away the calories at Harbour Lights – the kind of club your Mother warned you about: think hormones, hedonism and a whole lotta fun! The cover charge can hit B$50 on Friday nights but, to paraphrase Bob Marley, when it includes rum punches aplenty, “everything is going to be all right”.

Similarly, St Lawrence Gap – Barbados’ infamous bar strip – is another good time place: a hang out for the young and hedonistic, with a lust for life. You will stay up all night (despite good intentions I never made it to bed before midnight) until the dawn of another cloudless day for there’s always one last rum and coke, to be consumed.

But there’s more to Bajan nightlife than sipping cocktails with pretty young things, to fresh DJ spun tunes. If you’re in Barbados on a Friday night, don’t miss the legendary Oistins Fish Fry. The small fishing village opens it doors to tourists and locals alike, all of whom flock here for the barbecue fish and rum drinking, to a backdrop of reggae, pop and country music. Yet as fantastic as events like the Friday night fish fry are, without a doubt one of the island’s greatest assets is its people. Charming and hospitable, they always have time to talk and help make Barbados one of the most welcoming countries in the Caribbean.

Of course, all this costs. It’s safe to say that Barbados has never been a cheap destination and prices for accommodation can be shockingly high. Then there remains the matter of the journey: the biggest headache with Barbados, is the usually exorbitant cost of getting there. However even if the island leaves you lighter in pocket,  trust CD-Traveller when we say that you’ll leave with a heavy heart. All in all, this is one of the Caribbean’s top treats: I’m going back next year.

Need to know

Getting around
Transport is a doddle compared to other Caribbean countries. Local buses and mini-vans are safe, cheap and frequent although they are not a quiet experience. Buses blare out Rihanna – the local girl done good – and reggae at full volume, and it can take forever to get from A-B because the drivers keep stopping to pick up friends and relatives!

Don’t miss excursions
Two unforgettable day trips include a Tiami catamaran cruise (a five hour cruise with lunch, snorkelling and giant turtle viewing opportunities) and a trip to the Mount Gay rum distillery. Rum is the drink of Barbados be it by itself, with coke or in a cocktail. At Mount Gay Rum visitors centre, you can take a tour of a working distillery and learn a little more about the world famous rum (the darker the drink, the older the rum but note that unlike scotch, older doesn’t necessarily mean better). On Tuesdays and Thursdays, an excellent West Indian buffet that includes macaroni pie, flying fish and Bajan rum cake is offered at the end of the tour.

To book a Tiami catamaran cruise, visit www.tallshipcruises.com. To book a Mount Gay Rum tour, check out www.mountgayrum.com. For more information on Barbados, log onto www.visitbarbados.org

“French people know the Ardèche for it’s quality of life, the warmth of the people and the climate and its inspiring natural surroundings”, Tom Chabbit, a local potter originally from Paris tells me. Yet few Brits, other than white water rafters and a handful of campers are familiar with this scenic region carved through by deep rivers and gorges in the south east of France, not far from the perennially popular Provence.

Privas, with just 10,000 inhabitants, is the ‘capital’ of this largely rural region, dotted with ‘villages of character’ that have been selected for their scenic or historic properties. These pretty, sleepy communities are very attractive for visitors, but the purpose behind this designation is to breathe life back into these deserted settlements, all of which have less than 1,500 inhabitants.

One of these is medieval Balazuc, also classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France. Set dramatically on a rocky outcrop which seems to spring from the deep wooded valley below, the narrow twisting paths are all pedestrianised, so that visitors must leave their vehicles outside the village. Many of them fall in love with Balazuc, as did Tom Charbit a 30-something potter who works from his shop and workshop, the Poterie de la Forge (www.poteriebalazuc.fr).

Tom speaks of the limitless inspiration he gets from nature in the Ardeche, whether from patterns in the bark of trees, or in the dried earth. “When I arrived in the Ardèche the landscape spoke to me very deeply. I was astonished by the views of the river and cliffs. I was soufflé.”

At the nearby sixth and 13^th century Château de Balazuc, a pair of Tom Chabit cups sit on a shelf next to an espresso machine and an I-pod player in the defiantly contemporary interior of one of the rooms, where a chainmail curtain is wittily draped in front of a Tadelakt shower. Owners Luc and Florence, both in their 50s, packed up their stressful jobs working as newspaper editors in Paris to lovingly restore the castle and open it as a small hotel in January 2012.

Florence’s great grandfather was from the Ardèche, so she has long had a deep connection with the place, but she is constantly inspired anew by her surroundings. Every morning this once jaded hack stands with her coffee on the sun-soaked terrace on the ramparts from the limestone plateau overlooking the fast waters of the River Ardèche 400 metres below and tells herself: “this is heaven”.

Those staying in one of the individually decorated rooms (from 130 Euros, including breakfast) can enjoy views of terraces known as faïsses that are typical of the local area, wake up to the sound of the bells from the neighbouring Romanesque church and share an Assiette du Chateau’(Chateau Plate) of homemade tarts and salad all made with local produce.

For the owners, it is a dream come true after 15 years of planning. “It wasn’t the right time before” explains affable Florence. When I ask her if she thought it was a brave thing for someone to do, she retorts: “Why? Just do it.” She is excited about offering her guests comfort and pleasure and describes a fairytale scenario that somehow fits with this atmospheric castle. “They just have to ask for what they want. I cook cakes for tea every day and all the drinks are included. Every evening at 7.30pm, I drink local wine with my guests. It is always a pleasure to meet new people and to discover new ways of thinking. It’s paradise. Really,” she laughs.

Marie Antoinette who owns the grand Château Clément in the pretty spa town of Val des Bains is as enthusiastic about creating a home from home for her visitors, and looks genuinely surprised when I ask for a key to the front door – it seems it is always open.

Her affable husband and pastry chef Eric Chabot runs dessert cookery courses (which must be booked in advance), using the chateau’s own chestnuts from its grounds. Although the recipes are inevitably based around chestnut and chocolate, Eric’s specialities, what he creates makes full use of local including milk from the local dairy and whatever is in season, whether peaches or figs. I sip rich, cool raspberry juice and pop chestnuts out of the jar as his youngest child, his ‘little prince’ comes running into the kitchen for a cuddle.

The chateau built in 1870 manages to be both homely and grand, with all children made to feel as welcome as the four resident offspring and given their very own table d’hote before the adults, and all the rooms high spec, with coffee machines and Apple TVs and some with kitchens and even washing machines. One of the ornate living rooms doubles as a playroom, with a giant toy car sitting in front of the exquisite fireplace. Choose from the historic chateau rooms or modern, Manhattan loft style apartments with the latest in modern designs, all with the famous French organic toiletries brand, Melvita, made only 20kms away, in the bathrooms.

Marie Antoinette, ably assisted by her four year old, serves rich and velvety aperitifs of chestnut and champagne cocktails in front of the fire. Over an exquisite dinner featuring local cheeses, vegetables from their garden and chestnut iced parfait and mousse, she tells us how she and Eric have always been enchanted by the area and even fell in love over a box of local marrons glacés (glazed chestnuts).

‘The Ardèche Facebook page has over 12,000 active followers, many of whom have moved away but feel a very strong connection to the place’, Lucile Clara from the local tourist office tells me. There are no trains, motorways or airports in the region. This perhaps points to part of the reason why the Ardèche has retained such a strong identity and seems to speak so intensely to those who have lived here – or even just visited.

Need to know

Château de Balazuc
Luc and Florence Lemaire-Rifaux
Le Château
07120 Balazuc
Tel: +33 951 39 92 11

Château Clément
Marie-Antoinette and Eric Chabot
La Châtaigneraie
07600 Vals-les-Bains
Tel: +33 475 87 40 13
www.chateauclement.com

Ardèche Tourist Board
4 Cours du Palais – 07000 Privas – France
Tel: +33 475 64 04 66
www.ardeche-guide.com

Getting there
There are frequent, comfortable and reasonably priced TGV (www.tgv.co.uk) services between Nîmes and Paris or Lille, with direct connections to London.

Jocelyn, my driver, screeched to a halt. We were almost level with three elephants beside the road to Livingstone town, Zambia, and the bull elephant was obviously in a very bad mood!

He stared directly at me and his huge ears slowly waved to and fro. He was shuffling his legs, his body poised to move forwards.There was more traffic building up behind us. We couldn’t reverse. A car coming in the opposite direction flashed its lights as it passed, distracting the elephant for a few seconds. Jocelyn revved the engine and shot past on the other side of the road. She pulled in further up the road, shaking, and I got out to take photos, walking quietly forwards between the thin line of trees.

The bull elephant was getting visibly angry now, flapping his ears and stamping his feet. Suddenly he marched across the road and stood in front of a minibus, forcing it to stop. It reminded me of a police blockade further down the road. The elephant walked behind the minibus and, lowering his head, he pushed it along the road!

I could sense the driver’s hands trembling as he managed to re-start the engine and drive away. Then the elephant charged, his trunk stuck out straight in front of him like a huge rifle, chasing the minibus. Jocelyn screamed out of the window: “Lyn! Lyn! He’s charging!”

“I know!” I naively called back, taking photos. The minibus was safely out of range and the elephant paused, looking around him. He spotted me across the road, between the trees, and the magnificent creature stared straight at me and began walking slowly towards me. It’s a very strange sensation having a wild bull elephant staring directly at you. I regretted wearing a red dress. As he drew nearer, I bravely stood my ground, taking the most marvellous photos, preparing to dive behind a tree at the last moment.

Did I hell. I legged it! Leaping into the car, I yelled, “Quick Jocelyn, turn around! Let’s get out of here!” She needed to do a three point turn, and the elephant was closing in. He was in no hurry. I even had my toes clenched! A few yards from us, he just lost interest. He turned away and stomped across the road again, like a normally mild-mannered man who has been pushed too far and had a confrontation with noisy neighbours. Then he trotted grumpily into the bush. He’d made his point. I nervously stared back over my shoulder as we drove away. The other two elephants still stood in the same place under the tree, calmly watching everything that had happened. Blimey, and we complain about being delayed by bollards in the road!

Every morning without fail Luigi, the head elephant keeper, spends a lot of time observing the seven elephants at The Mukuni Big 5. He watches them to sense their moods. Elephants work because they want to, not because they’re forced to. They enjoy their work most of the time. Even if just a couple of tourists go for a ride, all the other elephants go with them because they like to work as a team.

But sometimes one of the elephants decides that they fancy a day off. So they have it!

I watched the elephants appear over the hill, a keeper perched on top of each one. They approached the gate and lined up neatly, dangling their trunks over the fence.

(The elephants, not the keepers!) We were told that we needed to go with a keeper as we don’t have elephant driving licences. I had a short ride on Mary, which confused her a bit as she was used to going on longer treks. But I had a lot to do and was short of time.Back we went. I dismounted on the mounting/dismounting platform. Mary went straight to her place and dangled her trunk over the fence again.

Luigi gave me a handful of pellets and told me to say, ‘Mary, open your mouth.’

I did and her enormous mouth obediently opened wide, her trunk curled in the air. Reaching inside, I placed about a third of the pellets on her tongue and she closed her mouth. I said it again and she re-opened her mouth. She hadn’t eaten the other pellets yet. She knew that I had more.Fed up with waiting, Mary gently nuzzled my hand with the tip of her trunk and sucked up the rest like a giant Dyson.

In two memorable days I flew over the mind-boggling Victoria Falls in a helicopter, walked beside the Falls and stood right on the edge, nervously holding a guide’s hand, (Eat yer heart out, ‘elf & safety!) visited the crocodile farm and held a baby croc, cruised down the Zambezi at sunset, drinking G&Ts and spotting the wildlife on the river bank, lunched on Livingstone Island, which is under water for half the year, rode on an elephant, cuddled a lion, stroked a cheetah, and had a six course dinner on the luxurious Bush Steam Train while driving through the Bush.

So how was YOUR week?

I’d never considered having a holiday in Zambia before. However now I can’t wait to go back there, probably in the Spring, when the Victoria Falls are at their highest. Zambia is a great destination for the British because it has more in common with our small island, than a lot of European countries. English is the first language and everyone speaks it. They drive on the left. The plugs are three-pin, so you don’t need an adaptor.  Despite the fairly long journey, they are only an hour ahead of us, so I didn’t suffer with jet-lag. The crime rate is very low. Shopping is fun, with unusual thing to buy. And the prices are peanuts. Service for tourists is excellent. Great hospitality. And the accommodation is sheer luxury. And the weather is hot, but not unbearably so. In short? I loved it.

South African Airways flies daily overnight from London Heathrow to Zambia via Johannesburg. Prices from £771.

Cupping
I nervously tried this traditional Chinese remedy – an alternative to acupuncture that is reported to boost blood circulation and suck out toxins – and leaves large circular bruises on your back.

It wasn’t pleasant (make no mistake; this treatment is definitely more productive than pampering). My therapist showed no mercy as she moved the suction cups across my back hovering up swathes of skin in quick succession, so as to encourage the flow of qi (energy) around my body. Fast forward 15 minutes and I was left with a mass of sore, swollen and angry looking red welts – the more toxic you are, the deeper the bruising – proof that I had definitely overdone it during the festive season.

Afterwards, however, while enjoying some health conscious cuisine against a backdrop of the soothing sound of pan pipes, I did feel strangely invigorated and my shoulders certainty felt looser – though that might merely have been relief that my torture was over.

CD-Traveller’s verdict: If you’re in need of purifying, give the cupping craze a go: it’s  good enough for Gwyneth Paltrow and La Beckham and, if nothing else, makes a great dinner party story.

Scraping
The Chinese sign up for a scraping session whenever they find themselves afflicted with flu or even a just a common cold. Using what looks like a scalpel, your TCM doctor will quite literally scrape your back and throat in long, languid movements. It’s terrifying but not half as painful as you would think and, against all the odds, really does work. Half an hour after my scraping session, my cold symptoms (weeping eyes and nose) had cleared – something a month of western medicine  failed to accomplish.

CD-Traveller’s verdict: Definitely recommended to anyone suffering from a cold or hacking cough. It’s not for the squeamish (see picture above) but is an effective (and affordable) way to get your body back on track.

Acupuncture
The ancient Chinese favourite sees needles inserted into the skin at seminal pressure points to improve your energy flow and repair any imbalances. In China, acupuncture tends to be offered at clinics and hospitals but in Britain, salons and spas such as Ragdale Hall (www.ragdalehall.co.uk) administer acupuncture.

I smiled weakly as my therapist produced the needles but my fears were misguided. For the most part, my acupuncture experience was a relaxing one – only proving mildly unpleasant when the needles entered an area where my flow of energy (or Chi as they say in China) was blocked.

CD-Traveller’s verdict: Surprisingly relaxing. Don’t believe me? Just ask the Iraq war veterans who are turning to acupuncture in their droves to ease their pain. However one acupuncture treatment is rarely enough: a course is recommend for optimum health.

Chinese Reflexology
Aka a supremely painful foot massage. Pressure is applied to various points on the feet, all of which relate to our organs. Again if the flow of energy is blocked, pain is felt. My therapist was able to ascertain from my winces that my kidneys aren’t functioning as well as they could/should. She wasn’t wrong: I have had kidney problems in the past.

CD-Traveller’s verdict: Worth a try for anyone who feels one degree under most of the time – and not just in January.

Chinese pedicure
Ask the stylish Shanghainese the secret to looking (and feeling great) and they’ll reply: good grooming. Even during an arctic winter when feet are hidden away, encased in man made fibres, the Chinese never mistreat their feet. The Chinese argue that a pedicure leaves you feeling more groomed than all the other beauty procedures (read: masks, scrubs and the sort) put together; it’s almost part of your outfit… Fish pedicures, dead skin scraping, cuticle clearing (don’t panic – it’s all terrific, not terrifying) are the name of the beauty game before polish is applied by therapists with hands so steady as to make Petr Cech look shaky. 45 minutes later, you’ll be left with fabulous looking feet.

CD-Traveller’s verdict: As pick me ups go, pedicures are affordable and quick. Translation? Even the time poor and budget conscious now have no excuse for not having baby soft heels…

Tui Na massage
Tui Na is an oil free massage where therapists rub, press, squeeze and work their way around a body as though with the claws of a satisfied cat. So don’t be surprised if your therapist uses his or her forearms, feet, elbows, knuckles and knees to knead out your knots. While it might not sound in the slightest bit relaxing (there’s no scented candles or pan pipe music playing in the background), at the end you’ll leave feeling invigorated and re balanced. In China, both men and women have Tui Na massages at least once a month, to soothe away the stresses and strains of modern life.

CD-Traveller’s verdict: A must. This is one of the best, not to mention cheapest, massages we have ever had.

Everyone has heard of Ragdale Hall and Champneys in the UK, while celebs such as Madonna and Marc Anthony reportedly flock to the Dead Sea to slather on the region’s famous black mud – in their quest for perfect pores and eternally youthful looks. But when talking health tourism, hands up how many of us think of Romania?

Chances are the answer is few, if any. Yet despite being famed for its Dracula thing, Romania should perhaps be known for its health tourism – astonishingly over one third of Europe’s mineral and thermal springs are located in Romania.

And the Romanian government, it seems, has finally woken up to the fact that their country not only could but should be on the health tourism map. The government is making funds available for promotion in addition to selecting and licensing those health resorts that offer treatment conditions complying with EU and international standards.

Most of Romania’s spas and health resorts are within easy reach of Romania’s main international airports in Bucharest, Cluj Napoca, Sibiu, TG Mures and Timisoara and offer natural mineral and thermal springs, thermal lakes and naturally therapuetic mud. What’s more, these year round resorts also offer easy access to skiing, walking, architectural and historical sightseeing of castles, churches, monasteries, medieval towns and villages and unspoilt rural countryside.

So if you’re searching for a spa in which to indulge yourself and beat the January blues, a Romanian health resort could well be the way to go…

To find out more about Romania’s many spas and health resorts, visit www.romaniatourism.com