Ever since I was a little girl, I've wanted to see elephants in the wild.  They were always my favourite animal even though I had only ever seen them in Fossett's Circus on the Fair Green in Carrick or in Dublin Zoo on a Presentation school trip.  Seeing them in the wild would be a different kettle of fish.  Anyway, in 2015, that dream of seeing them in their native habitat became a reality as we set off on my 50th birthday trip to Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa.  I was so excited.  We had planned this amazing trip to Africa to mainly see elephants. And, boy, did we see elephants!!  
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I’m sometimes asked “Of all the places you’ve visited which stands out?”  I can say hands down “Southern Africa”.  It’s like nowhere else on the planet.  Wonderful people, stunning scenery, spectacular nature and wildlife and it’s the cradle of humankind to boot.  This is how we got on.  A lot of the good photos are mine; most of the amazing ones are Charlie's.   Enjoy!

Alaska was on my Bucket List since I had visited Canada in 2007 and realised that a holiday featuring snow and ice was not a bad option at all (click here to see Canada Blog).  Once wrapped up it could be quite cosy.  As the saying goes “there’s no such thing as bad weather; just unsuitable clothing”.   Alaska is quite tricky to get to overland so a cruise seemed the way to go.  I had been on a number of cruises before with my Mam, Peggy, so knew what to expect ….but this would be Charlie’s first one.  I knew he was a bit apprehensive about being out at sea on a “boat” and wondered if it would feel claustrophobic or if there would be enough to see and do.  As you will see in this post, he needn’t have worried.

​Packing List for a Month in Australia April/ May

Specific things to note when packing for a trip to tour Australia:

• Distances are huge, involving a lot of cross-country travel so travelling with minimal, portable luggage is essential, wearing comfortable travel clothes.
• The weather and climate is hugely diverse from the tropics in the north, to the desert of the outback, to the mountains….and from east to west coasts.  So dress accordingly.
• Any trip will likely include cosmopolitan city sightseeing, beach and leisure days, trekking in the country and smart/ casual dining locations.  So allow for a wide range of activities.

General Tips to Note When Packing for a Holiday:

• Start with a list BEFORE you pull out all of your wardrobe 😊.  Making a list is less strenuous than sorting through a big pile of clothes.
• The list will allow you see what matches what to make up a full outfit.  If your favourite