Island Holidays Blog

Morocco

You would think that, after months of struggling to get the 2008 brochure out, there would be a period of calm and relaxation.  Don't you believe it!   I got an email yesterday from one of my tour leaders asking if I would like to consider putting Morocco into the 2009 brochure.   PLEASE!!!!!!!   

Actually, it's not a bad idea - it's just that I'd like a bit of breathing space before getting all creative again and starting to wish my life away by planning so far ahead.  David tells me that, in terms of natural history, Morocco has a nice mix of wetlands, Mediterranean habitats, high mountains and true desert and that the Bald Ibis is the star of the show.

It's certainly worth considering - especially if Dave does all the hard work like writing the brochure copy and the day by day itinerary.  What's the use in having first class leaders if you don't use all their skills I ask myself?

Mingulay

"The Mingulay Boat Song" is one of my favourite traditional Scottish songs - there's something about it which says everything about the islands, just in its atmosphere.   Now I've never personally been to Mingulay but it's high up there on the list of places I really do want to visit one day.  Time (or lack of it) is always the problem.   However, eight of my clients may well beat me to it.   

For 2008 we have introduced a new tour to the Outer Hebrides which is based at a super new hotel at Lochmaddy and which takes in the Uists, Benbecula and Barra - don't the names just make you want to go?  Well obviously they did because, within 3 weeks of the brochure being published, the tour was fully booked.   So I got on to Steve Duffield who is going to be leading to fix another one the next week but, such is his popularity, that he couldn't do anything until the 14th of June.

The result is that the itinerary will need to be a bit different - no point staring out at the sea watching for Pomerine Skuas and the like as they'll be long gone and settling into their northern breeding grounds.  Corncrakes will be extremely vocal still, but difficult to see as the grass will be longer than in mid May.  On account of all this we're going to include a boat trip to Mingulary and its fantastic seabird cliffs.  Sounds fabulous.  If only it weren't that in June I'm up to my eyes in the brochure I'd sign up for that one myself!

St Kilda and Rockall

I love the shipping forecast and I think I have that in common with lots of people - it was one of the eight recordings chosen by a desert island disc guest a few years back, and is the subject of a wonderful book, the title and author of which I can't remember and can't look up 'cos I lent it to someone who never gave it back!   

You might be wondering what brought this to mind.  Simple.  At the Bird Fair last weekend I had a visit from Ko de Korte of Oceanwide Expeditions (the operators of the Russian ships which we use in the Arctic and Antarctica as well as the Scottish Islands) who told me that they have just introduced a new 5-day voyage which takes in not only that wonderfully mystical island of St Kilda but also Rockall (as featured on the shipping forecast).  See how it fits in?

The voyage will be on board the Professor Molchanov, staring in Ullapool on Scotland's north-west coast, sailing to St Kilda and then Rockall before finishing in Keflavik in Iceland from where you fly home.  At the moment, because it's only just been announced, there's plenty of availability, but don't hold your breath on that.  I have a feeling this will be snapped up - just wish I'd known about it in time to get it in t he brochure!  However, I'm just about to write it up for the website and we've got details of dates and prices so give us a call if you'd like to know more.  It sounds fantastic.

Motorways and Chanterelles

Well, that's the Bird Fair done and dusted for another year and what a success it was.   Congratulations to the organisers who had everything running smoothly in spite of the state of the ground - all muddy and wet.  The car parking was a bit of a bother, but they (the organisers) had arranged to have tractors with chains standing by just in case.  The volunteers who act as site wardens and handle everything from rubbish to parking did a fantastic job under difficult circumstances.  Thank you to all of them.  Personally, I had a terrific amount of fun, much enhanced by a surprise visit from my sister and brother-in-law who I hadn't seen for ages and who had never been to the Fair before.   Then there were all the friends of so many years standing plus lots of new people finding out about Island Holidays Plus for the first time.  All in all a great - if exhausting - success.

I stayed with friends in Thrapston last night and left at 0615 this morning to drive north, a journey which was completed in 7 hours including (brief) stops.  I discovered that M & S have one of their "Simply Food" outlets at the Southwaite service station on the M6, so that was lunch (pork pie and raspberries eaten in the car) and dinner for tonight taken care of!  When I got home Karon helped me unload the car and we got most of the itineraries of which we had run out at the Fair and promised to send by post out this afternoon.  Don't know if you're impressed, but I was!   

By the time it came to 4 o'clock it was a bit of a rush to catch the post at the Ross Bridge (nearest collection point) but I decided to walk instead of take the car - really needed that fresh air and exercise. I came back the long way, through the woods, and was delighted to find that the chanterelles were ready.  So that will enhance the M&S supper something rotten!  They are the most delicate of mushrooms - and also a species of which I am 100% certain, so it's quite safe.  If you never find another entry on this blog you'll know I was wrong!!!!

Ready Steady Go!

It seems no time at all since I was unloading the car having got back from the British Birdwatching Fair.  In fact it's a year - and now we're just about to start all over again!   The good news is that the sun is shining this morning and so we'll be able to get all the brochures and promotional material into the car nice and dry.  The bad news is that I can't for the life of me work out how to get the head rests off the back seats so that I can convert the car into an Estate!   I'll have to put Karon on the case when she gets here - she's good at that kind of thing!

I'm really looking forward the weekend.  As well as being incredibly hard work and exhausting, it's a chance to catch up with friends from all over the world - and to see the majority of my team as well.  I always come back brimming with enthusiasm and optimism but don't worry - it usually wears off after a few days!  Every year I pack my wellies and take the brolley which has always been a bit of a waste of time.   This year I'm considering the sub-aqua gear!  Actually the forecast doesn't look too bad - showers on Friday and Sunday but dry on Saturday - and it's not going to be too hot either.   Why don't you come along?  It's a fantastic occasion.  You'll find Island Holidays Plus in Marquee 3, Stands 3 & 4.

Red hot phones!

It's been going mad in the office this week.  Not that I'm complaining - if the phones weren't buzzing and the inbox of the email bursting I'd be not only worried but thoroughly fed up!   However, it does seem that the 2008 brochure has been well received and I've been very flattered by some of the kind comments that have come with the enquiries.   Not that it's perfect:  I've already discovered two spelling mistakes!   How this can happen after three computer spell-checks (mine, my designer's and the printer's) and four different people proof reading I don't know, but happen it does.   My personal theory is that there are little gremlins making wooppee after the job has been signed off (which, in plain English means that I've decided I can't look at it any more and the printer might as well get on with it).

It's interesting, as well, where the majority of the enquiries are for at this early stage.  Having introduced non-island destinations a couple of years ago (and changed our name by adding the "Plus" to "Island Holidays") I was very disappointed at the response to destinations such as South Africa and Uganda.  This year they seem to be flavour of the month!   UK destinations are also very popular apparently but there's not quite so much interest for Europe.   We'll see what the Bird Fair brings.

There are still quite a few things to do before packing up the car next Thursday and driving south but I expect they'll all be finished by then.  Always the optimist!   Meanwhile two clients phoned up yesterday wanting to join our Azores trip in September.  Late bookings always cause problems but it looks like I'll be able to accommodate them - I'm waiting for them to make up their minds.   Before that is the Faroe Islands and I'm busy making all the last minute detailed arrangements for that tour.  It will be good to get back there - it's been a few years and I do love the islands.  They can be very moody, but that's part of their charm.  It should be a thoroughly enjoyable week.

2008 brochure

At last - the brochure about which I've been going on for months is about to arrive!  It's due from the printer at 2 o'clock this afternoon, after which there will follow a very jolly weekend stuffing polylopes!  I'll be taking a break on Sunday as usual with an added extra in the evening.  My god-daughter is playing viola in the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra's performance at the Perth Concert Hall with no less a celebrity than Julian Lloyd-Webber playing Elgar's Cello Concerto (one of my favourite pieces). 

I'm hoping to have all the brochures out by Monday afternoon so you should be receiving your copy in the next few days.  I hope you like it after all that work!   If you're reading this and you're not on our data base drop me an email (libby@islandholidays.co.uk) with your postal address and I'll get one off to you.  It's been a long hard slog getting it all together and now it's a question of finding the mistakes!  There's an Island Holidays Plus baseball cap for the first person to spot one!

It's hard to believe that the Bird Fair will be underway this time in two weeks.  I've still got quite a few day by day itineraries to finish before then so I'd better stop blogging and get on with the business in hand!