Experience the Rocky Mountains, Canada

When you think of Canada, what do you imagine? Houses on stilts, polar bears and a constant cover of snow? Yup, me too.




These visions are frequently associated with this vast country, but this only exists in extremely remote locations in the northern territories. I and am sure we have the hugely popular TV programme Due South to thank for that. Whilst the southern regions do get a dusting or two of snow in the winter, autumn in Canada is a time of radiant reds, vibrant oranges and burnt yellows as the leaves change colour before they inevitably fall to the ground.

The Rocky Mountains

Canada is a top notch destination during the autumn and draws guests from around the world who wish to climb its peaks, study its wildlife or take in its views. Not only do you get to see an awesome array of colours, but the landscape itself is simply breathtaking. The National Park Service indicates that Rocky Mountain National Park serves as the habitat to 66 mammal species, including the rare lynx and wolverine. Above the tree line, small pikas live in the rocky crevices of the mountains. Black bears, coyotes, elk, marmots, mountain lions, bighorn sheep and moose also live in Rocky Mountain National Park. Banff National Park in Canada has numerous bighorn sheep as well as hoary marmots, grizzly and black bears and the golden mantled ground squirrel, among other creatures. The Rocky Mountains is probably the most notable location in Canada for a stunning backdrop; and autumn here is especially attractive with the annual Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival.

The Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival

The 14th annual Calgary based event will be held for two days from October 14th-15th 2011 and the Edmonton event will be held a week later from October 21-22. In these few days you can expect to taste plenty of world class wine, as well as sumptuous local culinary creations. The main event will take place in the BMO Centre at Stampede Park; here you will find the 2010 Grand Tasting Hall, completely full with everything from value based meals to ultra exclusive fare.
Special Seminars

Aside from the delectable delights in the main hall, you can also spend your Canadian Dollars on an exclusive seminar. Choose between wine and spirit tasting, or a Canadian cheese tasting seminar. Then again, you are on holiday, so why not do both? Although getting some authentic Canadian cheese may not have been on your holiday to-do list, the idea becomes a lot more appealing when you realise that wine pairing is part of the tutorial! Visit The Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival website

Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch) Brewery

If eating isn't your thinking but drinking lager is then you may be interested in visiting the Anheuser-Busch Brewery which distributes its Budweiser beer brands worldwide. The Fort Collins production facility offers free beer tours from its Brew Hall viewing area that overlooks the brewing control room. Visitors also see the large cellar where the beer naturally ferments and learn how Anheuser-Busch packages its beers. You may be happy to learn that for the over 21s complimentary beer tastings follow the tour. The fee, as of 2010, is $25 per person, $10 per child. I am not personally into the lager scene but I am into memory making ads and Budweiser really did themselves proud with this 1995 advert:

Bicycle Tours in the Rockies

In order to burn off the calories consumed at the Anheuser Brewery why not take a bicycle tour? The Rockies offer some of the highest, most scenic touring in North America. There are numerous scenic byways and bicycle events through the Rockies, creating the opportunity for anything from a single-day to multi-week tours. Organized Rocky Mountain bicycle tours take place throughout the summer months. In the late summer, the Colorado Rocky Mountain Bicycle Tour holds a charity event that rolls through mountain passes like Squaw Pass, Fremont and Loveland and includes scenic byways like the Peak to Peak and Trail Ridge Road. All tours run about a week.


If you are about to embark on your next bicycling adventure don't underestimate the power of layering, 't's essential when participating in a bicycling tour of the Rocky Mountains. Not only can Colorado mountain weather shift drastically from morning to mid-day, but elevation changes experienced during tours also create major weather shifts. It is has been known to go from hot, sunny, 85-degree weather to cold, overcast, snowy, 30-degree weather in a few hours. Be sure to pack rain gear and warm, insulating layers. Pack leg warmers, arm warmers and warm, full-fingered gloves. You'll want to wear bicycle-specific clothing, including padded shorts, and attire made from quick-drying, moisture-wicking fabric.
Arkansas River Tours

Between the Royal Gorge region and Salida of south central Colorado, Arkansas River Tours conduct a variety of river adventures. They offer customizable half-day, full-day and multi-day whitewater rafting tours for those who like the thrill of the rapids. Rafts drift upon Class IV waters flowing amid three major canyon areas and the Royal Gorge. Multi-day packages can include meals and lodging at Bighorn Canyon, the Gorge, or Brown’s Canyon, or camping itineraries. Arkansas River Tours offers options to accommodate all rafting abilities from timid beginners to fearless veterans. They also offer guided float-fishing tours for anyone who wishes to take life at a slower pace.

Lewis and Clark Trail Adventures

The Missouri River is famous for its historical significance to the Lewis and Clark expedition and its status as the longest river in the US. A Night at the Museum film might jog your memory here. Lewis and Clark Trail Adventures offers scenic river tours that retrace the Louis and Clark Expedition through the White Cliffs river area of Montana and Idaho. The Missouri River canoeing tour spans 47 miles of river, paddled and camped during a three-day excursion that includes camping and canoe equipment, as well as in-depth tour narration for visitors to learn about the river's natural history, its Native American history, its role in the famous Lewis and Clark expedition and its significance to western expansion before the emergence of the railroad. And you thought this was going to be boring! According to Lewis and Clark Trail Adventures, this river tour is "not for the faint-hearted." Custom tours can also be arranged for groups of 10 or more for six-day trips.

Bus Tours in The Rock Mountains

Free Shuttle Buses
It's surprisingly nice to learn that the Rocky Mountain National Park offers a free shuttle bus system that running on three routes through the park. The system runs during the greater summer season from Memorial Day through early October. Service begins as weekend-only, but runs daily starting in mid-June. The Bear Lake and Moraine Park shuttles connect hiking trails and points in the park along Bear Lake Road. The Hiker Shuttle connects the gateway town of Estes Park with RMNP. While these shuttle routes aren't designed specifically as scenic bus tours, they provide visitors the opportunity to sit back and enjoy the scenery -- and they're the best bit ia that they are completely free. Shuttle buses run in the Bear Lake corridor, between many trailheads, the Park & Ride across from Glacier Basin Campground on the Bear Lake Road, Moraine Park and Glacier Basin Campgrounds, and the Moraine Park Museum. There are two routes: the Bear Lake Route and the Moraine Park Route.

Trail Ridge Road Tour

For those that want a more purposeful tour, the National Park Service runs the Trail Ridge Road Tour during select days throughout the summer. The five-hour tour includes stops at popular points along the road such as Rainbow Curve and Forest Canyon Overlook, along with an hour-long lunch at Alpine Visitor Center. Patrons are given time for sightseeing and photography, and there is park staff on board to provide historical and geological information on the area. The tour departs Beaver Meadows Visitor Center at 10 a.m. and returns at 3 p.m. The cost for adults(in 2011) is $27. Youths 16 and under $13. Children not occupying a seat are free. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Centre Book Store or you can call: 970-577-7477.

Commercial Tours

Commercial tour operators such as Estes Park Transportation provide scenic and informational tours of Rocky Mountain National Park. The service's tour includes historic sites in the Estes Valley and an intimate look at Rocky Mountain National Park that stops at such sites as the former Hidden Valley Ski Area, Moraine Park and Beaver Meadows Visitor Center. The tour begins and ends in Estes Park and is led by a knowledgeable team that includes former park rangers and historians. The company also offers a Trail Ridge Road scenic tour during the summer and elk watching in the autumn.

So there you have it folks. It seems that the Rockies has something to offer to anyone and everyone, even Boris Johnson!


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Thrifty holiday beauty tips

We are spoilt for choice when it comes to buying products. The list below is what I do when I am on holiday. The great news is that for very little money and hassle you can have the results you want without the extra heavy cosmetics bag or large bill for travel sized products.

How do I avoid beach hair?

Tangle Teezer, £9.99 at Boots does the job I need. It un-snarls both wet and dry hair without breaking it and works on all types of hair including extensions. It works best if you brush firmly from the roots and pull down.

How do I get natural looking highlights?

When you are over there buy a couple of lemons and everyday after you have conditioned your hair cut a lemon in half and gently squeeze the juice onto your hair and et voila! your hair will be naturally highlighted when you are in the sun.

How do I keep my hair well moisturised on holiday?

Once again I'd recommend you popping to your local supermarket upon arrival at your holiday destination and buy:

1 ripe banana

2-3 dollops of mayonnaise

1 tablespoon of olive oil (not extra virgin)

Get the most ripe banana you can find and mash it up with a fork. Make sure you puree it as the first time I did this I skipped this part and I had clumps of banana in my hair.

Then add mayo and oil and blend until smooth and creamy.
Apply to you hair down to the roots. Don't forget your scalp needs moisturising too. Let sit for 15-30 minutes.
Rinse with warm water and shampoo as usual.

This banana hair mask will make your hair so moist and smooth you’ll think you suddenly have a completely new head of hair.

How do I have great skin on holiday?

I use this recipe wherever I am. It's also a great moisturiser. In a mug pour add in 4 table spoons of normal table salt. Then pour in olive oil (not virgin) and stir. You want to make sure the oil and salt have bonded so keep adding olive oil until there is no more white salt and you can pick the mixture up without it running through your fingers. 

When in the shower make sure your skin is damp and rub the mixture in circular motions on your skin. It's great for the elbows and knees but also fine enough for your face. The shower will help open your pores. Once rubbed in wash the mixture off which will dissolve in the shower and your skin will feel silky smooth.

The olive oil and salt mixture may sound rather odd but it is something I either take with me or make wherever I am. If you're taking it with you use a decent plastic container within a sealed sandwich bag.

Also don't forget to drink enough water. In general you need 2 litres of water on a normal day. If you are somewhere warm and/or doing more activity than normal make sure you drink more than 2 litres. Water is the magic ingredient which feeds your skin.

Don't let sunburn ruin your holiday

How do I keep my toes and feet in tip top condition on holiday?

You will need:

Soft-bristle brush

My wonder olive oil and salt mix (recipe above)

Compeed Overnight Cracked heel cream/thick vitamin E creamCotton socks
1. Soak feet for 10 mins in warm slightly soapy water. Gently work a soft bristle brush around your nails to both clean them and to loosen dead skin and cuticles. I find a spare toothbrush does the trick.

2. Blot dry with a towel then rub in my olive oil and salt exfoliator gently but firmly. Pay particular attention to the tough skin on your heels and soles. Rinse well with warm water.

3. Towel dry your feet, gently does it around your toes. Massage well with Compeed overnight cracked heel cream or a thick vitamin E cream. Pop on the cotton socks to help the cream penetrate for even softer feet.

How do I reduce my puffy eyes and dark circles?

Now you are going to think I am mad but if you are renting a villa this one is super easy! Cold teaspoons applied on the skin under the eyes work wonders for tired eyes. Put two clean teaspoons in the fridge and when they are cold lay on your back and put the spoons on the dark circles. They will refresh both the area and the eyes.

Cool empty teabags on the skin under the eyes are also a very efficient remedy they calm the skin and prevent it from swelling. I would recommend in treating dark circles with teabags containing chamomile. Chamomile tea is a natural anti-inflammatory that will leave your face brighter and less swollen.

Oh and, of course, drink more water!  Make your own green tea skin toner when on holiday

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Dramatic skies in London tonightl

There were so many photographers on London Bridge tonight waiting catch a glimpse of this year's supermoon that many failed to notice the dramatic skies behind with impending rain. 

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Top Tips for making macarons

Top Tips for making macarons at home:

1. Twist the piping bag right after the nozzle so when you fill the piping bag the mixture doesn't fall straight through.

2. Weigh the baking parchment down. Use a little of the mixture to stick the parchment to the baking tray. This will stop it sticking - clever eh!

3. Pipe the macarons from a 90 degree angle and pipe no more than the size of a 50p to get a 4cm diameter macaron.

4. Knock the tray on the surface to knock the air bubbles out. The chocolate one needs more attention than the others.

5. Two chicks carton of egg whites minimises egg yolk waste. You can find it in Waitrose between the butter and cheese.

6. Add more colouring paste than you need as the colour will dilute when you add the meringue. The paste colour below makes the meringues above.

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Top Things to do in Paris

Could there be anything better than being immersed in the history and culture of one of Europe’s great cities, Paris? This mini guide will help you decide what to see and how to make the best of your time in one of the most romantic cities in the world.

Paris is one of the world’s great style capitals and every time I go I fall in love with it all over again. Still rated as one of the most romantic and fun cities in the world, Paris is full of great food, historic sites and fashion! With Worldclass museums and galleries you can take the family or just that special person in your life for a fabulous break.

No matter whether you're taking a stroll along the River Seine or soaking up city life from a pavement café, it’s easy to see why. Make sure your ‘must see’ list includes the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and Musée d’Orsay. But be sure to spend a quiet moment in the Jardin de Tuileries and savour an éclair from a patisserie or a glass of Beaujolais in a bistro. From culinary delights to cultural sights, the romance of Paris is a dream city to visit.

Top Things to do in Paris:

1. Orsay Museum2. Sacré Cœur3. Monmatre4. Louvre Museum5. Notre Dame6. Paris Bus Tour7. Château Wine Tasting8. Palace of Versailles9. Bateaux Parisiens River Cruise10. Arc De Triomphe

1. Orsay Museum

The Orsay Museum was originally designed as a train station in 1900. By the 1950’s it became apparent that the platforms were too short for modern trains and the building became home to a theatre. In the 1970's it was remodelled and converted into a museum dedicated to displaying art from the period 1848 to 1915. There are many masterpieces at the Orsay include work by Delacroix, Manet, Guaguin, Cézanne, Monet, Renoir, Sisley, van Gogh and many more great artists.

2. Sacré Cœur

Completed in 1914, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart is located on Montmartre, which is the highest point in the city. I had a fabulous time visiting Sacré Cœur. The complex includes a garden for meditation, with a fountain. When I was walking through there was a choir of monks practicing which heightened the experience. The top of the dome is open to tourists and provides a spectacular panoramic view of the city of Paris. Sacré Coeur is a landmark of Paris, even appearing in several movies such as Amélie, Ronin and Audrey Hepburn's Sabrina and in music videos such as U2's Two Hearts beats as one.

3. Monmatre

Montmartre was once the home of – and the daily inspiration for – artists such as Salvadore Dali, Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Henri Matisse and Claude Monet. Many films have used the romantic scene of Manmatre as their set including La Vie en Rose, Amélie and Moulin Rouge (both 1952 and 2001 versions). Pigalle, an area within Monmatre which is home to Moulin Rouge, is known for its focus on music with many music shops, instrument shops and concert halls focusing on rock-n-roll filling the streets.

4. Louvre Museum

The Louvre Museum is unquestionably one of the finest art galleries in the world. Home to thousands of classic and modern masterpieces, the Louvre is the jewel in the crown of French culture, a towering testament to European civilisation and history.Its quality and importance is highlighted through its popularity as the Louvre is the globes most-visited museum.

5. Notre Dame

The construction of the Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral, undertaken at the initiative of Maurice de Sully, began about 1160 and amazingly was completed within 40 years.Around 1250, Jean de Chelles built the north arm and began work on the south arm, which was completed by Jean de Montreuil.From the middle of the 13th century to the beginning of the 14th century, the chapels of Notre Dame Paris were constructed between the buttresses of the nave. The buttresses next to the chevet were built by Pierre de Montreuil and are particularly fine.

6. Paris Bus Tour

If you have little time in Paris then a bus tour will allow you to familiarise yourself with the geography of the city whilst discovering the main sights of the city in a relaxed way. Each round tour lasts approximately 2hours and 15minutes, and features all of the main sights of central Paris.

7. Château Wine Tasting

France and Paris is home to some of the finest wine in Europe. From champagnes to Bordeaux’s the variety is wide and the quality is high. Whether you are a wine novice or a connoisseur, the Ô Château Wine Tasting is for you! With a unique approach, this is a great opportunity to have some good fun and experience some great French wine.

8. Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles, is one of the largest and most opulent castles in the world. Boasting around 2,143 windows, 1,252 fireplaces, and 67 staircases, the Castle is one of the most visited attractions in France.As a fine example of 18th century French art, this historic building has been on Unesco's World Heritage List for 30 years. The castle was the official seat of power until 1789, but has since been seen as the unofficial seat. Also known as the “cradle of liberty” (Berceau-de-la-Liberté) it was here that the people of Paris made their stand against King Louis XV1, forcing the Royal Family to leave behind their life of decadence and move back to the true capital city of Paris.
I would advise you to get to Versailles early, hop in the seemingly massive line to enter the chateau immediately. If you are armed with tickets already, the security check line won’t take that long, but it only grows longer with each passing hour. The other option is to wait until later in the afternoon, right before closing, but you run the risk of a long line at 6 p.m., the last entry into the palace. Try not to neglect the other parts of Versailles. After taking in the grandeur of the palace, tourists who push on towards the Grand Trianon, the Petit Trianon and the Queen's Hamlet fall more and more in love with Versailles. Strolling through the fairytale garden created for Marie Antoinette, complete with farm animals and grain mill, adds another layer of allure to the already bewildering estate.For a mere €3 you can visit the Potager du Roi, the king’s personal vegetable garden. It sounds goofy, but it’s another experience that compliments the grandiosity of Versailles. Most of the garden’s layout is similar to how it looked during Louis XIV’s time and it still produces tons of fruits and vegetables sold at the markets in Versailles.

9. Bateaux Parisiens River Cruise

Cruise up the majestic Seine and discover the sights of Paris from a new perspective with the Paris Pass! From the water it is possible to see the bridges and monuments of Paris as you could never hope to from land. Bateaux Parisiens River Cruises deliver spectacular and hidden views of this magnificent city. An informative historical and cultural commentary is available in English and on-board guides occasionally take the microphone to inform Paris visitors about current events, exhibits, and festivals.

10. Arc De Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe is perhaps the most iconic of all French monuments. It is at once instantly recognisable and deeply evocative of the military glories and follies of France. Napoleon ordered its construction in 1809 to celebrate the triumph of the Republican armies. However, it was soon after that his empire began to collapse, and the Arc was not completed until 1836. The Arc de Triomphe is decorated with friezes of battle scenes and carved with the names of Napoleon's victories.



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