
I had not been to Cape Town for a few years and have been absolutely hooked after a recent short visit. The main difference for me from the last time was the way that the city centre has been brought back to life and revitalised. The streets have been smartened ...

Our trip to Egypt was memorable and inspiring in many ways. Spending time with my colleagues, suppliers and ground agents was precious.
Our visit to Cairo has left me feeling proud as I was there to witness a piece of history in the making. We arrived on the day the elections ...

I was lucky enough to be in Marrakech for a few days recently and while I spent most of my days in a conference hall the couple of times that I managed to escape reminded me just why this is one of my favourite cities anywhere in the world.
Heading in ...

On arrival into to Chile I knew straight away that this trip was going to be fantastic. We flew in on LAN, a very comfortable modern airline with great services and good economy seats (Business Class did look even better). From the airport we headed straight intoSantiagothe capital of Chile, ...

I know I am of a certain age (les said the better) and it is a generation thing but I have to say it doesn’t cease to amaze me how reliant so many people are on their gadgets and mobile phones.
Now I know when I am up and running with ...

When I first started at Bales I was 19, I was asked by my Father to work for a travel agent for a year to give me a greater understanding of the huge number of areas they had to be knowledgeable in and see the great range of suppliers and ...

I have just returned from visiting Shanghai. Suzhou, Guilin and Hong Kong. I first visited Shanghai over 30 years ago in 1979. The Bund was of course there, every person was wearing blue or green trouser suits and the highest building was about 8 stories high, the wide roads had ...

Just three days ago I returned from a fantastic trip to Canada and I cannot wait any longer to share my experiences with you and my colleagues. On this occasion I was lucky enough to visit the two very different provinces of Alberta and Ontario.
My exploration began when I flew ...

So here I am again at Heathrow airport. I came really early - yes I am keen, but true reason is Steve and I were both flying out of the same terminal and he had to be here for 6am so even though my flight is not until midday I ...

Having recently come back from my first trip to India travelling around Rajasthan I’m already starting to plan, where next? Even in just Rajasthan there is such a diverse landscape from the hustle and bustle in the City of Delhi, the beautiful lakes in Udaipur and the deserted surrounds in ...

Have you seen it yet? I am talking about the new 2012/13 Bales brochure. If I say so myself, it is looking fantastic and the new iced blue colour on the cover signifies the celebration of our upcoming 65 years of trading.
Today we had representatives visit us from Antarctic Dream, ...

As I write this the World Scout Jamboree is underway in Sweden. You may not know what relevance that has to us – especially if this is your first time to the blog.
Bales Worldwide are looking after the travel arrangements of the UK Scout Association which number nearly 4,000 Scouts ...

So we have now had the Open Championship Golf and what a very popular victory it was for Darren Clarke. It is not surprising really – he is such an affable genuine person – not that I know him you understand but that is how he comes across to me.
Steve ...

Despite the fact that personally I don’t take to Andy Murray – I was really hoping he would win Wimbledon. It is always such a boost for the country when we have winners of sports or in fact anything. I should admire Andy Murray – I think there is a ...

Visiting China, one of the world's top travel destinations with nearly 4,000 years of history was an epic adventure. It was an unforgettable journey through one of the oldest civilization and most populous nation with its numerous dynasties, distinctive culture, varied food, remarkable entertainment, stunning sceneries, beautiful rural areas, vibrant cities and ...

I am lucky enough to have a beautiful and elegant sister, Joanna, who lives half an hour from Hay (I'm sure I have my own attributes and can't wait to discover them). So, it was the best of both worlds to be able to see her recently and attend the ...

I have just returned from Egypt and there is no doubt that tourism has been greatly affected by the 25th January revolution but you cant help but admire the courage and determination of the local people striving for a free and democratic society for themselves and their future generations.
I received ...

I really don’t know where to begin! So much has happened since I last blogged. I will start with this weekend and work backwards (rather typical of me I think).
Oksana and I went to Gilwell Park, the Headquarters of the Scout Association. The event was the Leadership Team weekend, in ...