Hot and Cold

Tuesday 13 December 2011

We've been battered by storms and gales over the last few days - no real snow yet and our two big beech trees have survived without losing and major limbs - however poor Alison was with me last Thursday in London when the first big storm hit (165 mph wind in the Scottish Highlands - gulp!) We had sales meetings with our colleagues at the Guardian http://www.guardianholidayoffers.co.uk/ and

Daily Telegraph www.travelshop.telegraph.co.uk - i.e. trying to get them to push our tours for next year. It was a successful day and and I bade Alison goodbye as she scooted off back to Gatwick to catch a 5pm return flight to Edinburgh as I headed off for a meeting with our shiny new Chartered Accountants who are located slam-bang in the centre of Oxford Circus which may well be dangerous for meetings given the shopping opportunities for us 'out-of-towners' http://www.elmanwall.co.uk/. My day ended with a mad dash at 6.00pm to catch the Bristol train - a very tired Alison didn't get home until after midnight - high winds at Edinburgh, and a very bumpy landing.

More storms are forecast - but to brighten my day a pile of Holiday Questionnaires landed on my desk this morning from our recent tour to Marrakesh.

"Excellent tour - a very interesting and informative holiday" thank you Mrs Savage

"Tour Manager and Local Guide excellent. A very friendly group of people on this tour. Flexible itinerary appreciated. Pleased to have the company of the tour manager on the flights to and from Marrakesh" - Mrs Jordan - couldn't have put it better myself - thank you.

"Superb Tour Manager"(Michael Gill) - thanks Maureen - Michael (10 out of 10 - gold star!)

"Will definitely travel with Brightwater again"

So to brighten the stormy UK winter days here are some photos I took recently at Marrakesh's wonderful Jardin Majorelle http://www.jardinmajorelle.com/en/

The good news is we will be running this tour next year and it goes without saying that I wholeheartedly recommend this holiday http://www.brightwaterholidays.com/tour.aspx?TID=0564F7F7-042D-41EA-A7E1-95ECEC9783BF

Stop press - exciting news - new brochures in this afternoon - need to watch food/drink in-take at Office Christmas Lunch today if we have to help unload the truck with two tons worth of brochures!

Get around round round, I get around

Friday 2nd December 2011

I did my last garden talk of the year last night in Malmesbury, Wiltshire to a packed house at the Kings Arms Hotel http://www.thekahotel.co.uk/Malmesbury.html. The event had been organised by our good friends at Great British Gardens (Paul and Andrea) who run a brilliant website and have recently opened a little office in Malmesbury promoting our garden holidays. http://www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/ It was very well attended with about 80 guests all very appreciative and keen to visit gardens next year.

I have had this event on my radar for the last few weeks as it was my last talk of the year - and quite a year it has been as you can see from where I've been below.

Watlington (Oxfordshire)

Withington (Herefordshire)

Sittingbourne (Kent)

Inverness

Emsworth(Hampshire)

Royston (Cambridgeshire)

Edinburgh

Biddenham (Bedford)

Budleigh Salterton (Devon)

Wells (Somerset)

Llantwit Major (Wales)

Kings Somborne (Hampshire)

Chichester

Crickhowell (Wales)

Gressenhall (Norfolk)

Evenley (Banbury)

Royal Botanical Gardens Edinburgh (no less)

Clevdon (Bristol)

Milford on Sea (New Forest)

Benmore (Argyll)

West End (Surrey)

Malmesbury (Wiltshire) phew!!

That's 22 talks at say an average of 50 people at each talk who each tell at least 2 people about that nice young man from Brightwater Holidays and I've potentially reached 3300 people who have now had heard of Brightwater Holidays.

I usually find where I am speaking an hour or so before I am due (nothing worse than being late!) then sneak off and find a local pub and have a pint of Guinness and listen to the gossip and chit chat of what's going on in the area - it is a really interesting way to get a grip of what is going on in the country. Perhaps David Cameron should try it? (Best pub of the year? White Hart in Llantwit Major) I have done a hell of a lot of miles and late night drives along the A303 or M4 listening to Radio 4 and sneaking into my house in the early hours - anyway that's another year of talks under my belt. Thanks to all to came - and remember I said it wasn't a 'heavy sell' well we actually have a really nice new holiday brochure out next week.............