Inspirations

Travel Lyn Style

8 hours ago

Day 6 – Bergen

This morning started at an hour that frankly should only exist for airport departures and poor life choices.

Not only did I have to get myself ready for our Bergen excursion, but I also had to coax our invalid back into functioning member of society mode. At 6:50am I tapped on his cabin door, attempted to fill the kettle, discovered there wasn’t enough water for two hot drinks and immediately reignited my ongoing frustration with Princess Cruises’ apparent belief that water is some sort of luxury add-on rather than a basic human requirement.

Off I marched to the Deck 16 buffet in search of bottled water. Realising halfway there that our patient hadn’t eaten since the previous evening, I decided that a fainting episode halfway round Bergen would create paperwork, embarrassment and potential lifting injuries, so I added yoghurt and croissants to the mission.

Rookie mistake. You ask for the water first. Always. Several minutes passed before the lovely Cynthia reappeared with two bottles and I returned triumphantly to Deck 10 like some sort of highly caffeinated expedition supply runner.

By 7:40 our patient had been watered, caffeinated, fed and dressed. Only 10 minutes behind schedule, which frankly felt miraculous.

The excursion check-in itself was pure chaos. Our three tour numbers were clearly visible together on the list, but this somehow escalated into us being told dramatically that our bus was waiting and would leave without us. Cue three adults speed-hobbling down gangways and across the pier like contestants in a very niche mobility-themed game show.

The “bus” turned out to be a tiny 14-seater electric shuttle waiting patiently for us while we arrived looking like we’d just completed military training.

Bergen itself was fascinating. Founded in 1070, it was once Norway’s capital and still feels deeply tied to the sea, trade and its Hanseatic history. The city was preparing for Constitution Day celebrations on 17th May, so everything felt unusually calm and organised by cruise port standards.

Our first stop was Byparken, where we saw the surprisingly small statue of composer Edvard Grieg outside Grieghallen. Our guide explained that childhood illness left Grieg physically quite slight, which certainly explained why his statue looked less imposing than expected.

We continued past Lille Lungegårdsvannet lake, where cherry blossom framed the famous Sprøytegutten fountain sculpture, before heading towards the harbour and a view of the UNESCO-listed wooden buildings of Bryggen on the opposite bank. Bergen really does know how to do waterfront scenery properly.

The fish market area was busy but not overwhelming, and thanks to our tiny shuttle bus we squeezed through narrow residential streets in places larger coaches simply couldn’t reach. We passed through Nøstet, climbed winding roads towards Mt. Fløyen and stopped at Skansen for spectacular views across the city, harbour and surrounding mountains.

One of the unexpected highlights was a stop for cinnamon buns and excellent coffee in Bryggen. Norway may be expensive, but at least the coffee generally justifies the financial trauma.

Our guide also informed us that Bergen is Europe’s wettest city. For once, Bergen decided to be polite and delayed the rain until the exact moment we stepped back onboard. Perfect timing.

A very late cooked breakfast followed on Deck 16, awkwardly timed somewhere between normal breakfast hours and the crew laying out lunch. At the same time a full crew-only security drill was taking place, with staff standing in lifejackets at their muster stations awaiting further instructions while we quietly concentrated on fried eggs and hash browns beside them. The upside of operating on such a questionable eating schedule was that the buffet was nearly empty and we achieved the rarest of cruise ship victories: unrestricted access to window seats overlooking Bergen harbour and its increasingly miserable weather.

As we sailed away around 2pm we passed beneath the Sotra Bridge with only 3.5 metres of clearance according to the captain. I was extremely pleased to be safely watching this on the Bridge Cam rather than standing nervously on an outside deck wondering whether my hairstyle was about to become part of Norwegian infrastructure.

The afternoon involved a tactical nap, several trivia quizzes and an Olympic-standard level of people watching.

Tonight was formal night again. Tuxedos and sequins began emerging around 4:30pm, although enthusiasm seemed noticeably lower than the first formal evening. Either people were tired, running out of clean clothing or simply accepting defeat against the North Sea.

We are now heading back towards Southampton with gale-force winds expected overnight. The captain reassured us they would do everything possible to stop us rolling out of bed. Always comforting.

The clocks are going back to UK time, disembarkation instructions have appeared and reality is beginning to creep back in.

Tomorrow is our final sea day, so we may need to resort to increasingly questionable entertainment choices to keep ourselves occupied.

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Travel Lyn Style

1 day ago

Day 5 - Skjolden

The day began with adversity. One of our three musketeers had been struck down overnight with a sore throat, zero energy and enough dramatic sighing to briefly raise concerns about Hantavirus. Fortunately, after medical evaluation involving a mug of Lyon’s Green Label tea, the diagnosis was downgraded to “man flu at sea” and our fallen soldier declared himself temporarily unfit for fjord exploration.

Thankfully Skjolden doesn’t require an early start, with docking only at 11am. Outside, drizzle hung stubbornly over the fjord while two of us took refuge in Deck 16 breakfast territory with large coffees and absolutely no intention of going anywhere until conditions improved.

A Saga ship, Spirit of Adventure, had arrived ahead of us and was busy tendering passengers ashore. The village population of roughly 200 people suddenly found itself hosting about 5,000 cruise passengers. One suspects the locals see cruise schedules in the same way medieval villages once viewed incoming Viking ships.

Several coffees later, an early lunch was consumed, followed by an attempt at the daily trivia competition. We achieved a deeply average 11/20 score with no cheating whatsoever, despite certain team members possessing facial expressions suggesting otherwise. Yes Val, you were right and I should have listened to you.

After regular welfare visits upstairs to check hydration, medication and morale levels, the weather finally relented and we headed ashore. The appearance of sunshine transformed what would have been a miserable walk earlier into a genuinely lovely afternoon stroll. We also laughed far more than necessary at the Princess Cruises sign pointing “To The City”. Skjolden is many wonderful things. Metropolitan powerhouse is not one of them.

Our mission was simple: presents for the girls and medication for our invalid. Both objectives successfully completed.

Skjolden itself is charming. Tiny, peaceful and surrounded by scenery so dramatic it almost looks artificial. Despite the constant arrival of floating apartment blocks full of tourists, it somehow still feels authentic and calm. We spent a while sitting beside the fjord simply watching the light shift across the mountains.

A particular highlight for the golfers amongst you: the driving range beside Skjolden Hotel uses biodegradable golf balls made from fish food which are enthusiastically launched directly into the fjord. Somewhere beneath the water, Norwegian fish are apparently living exceptionally well.

Back near the terminal, the smell of freshly baked cinnamon buns completely destroyed any remaining self-control. The smiling local vendor knew exactly what he was doing. Armed with pastries, shopping bags and the satisfaction of successful errands, we reclaimed a strategic window seat onboard and admired the scenery whilst devouring our spoils.

Our patient accepted medication, rejected food, and insisted he was “absolutely fine”, which in British Isles terminology usually means “moderately dying but carrying on regardless.”

Sailaway was beautiful. We dined as a reduced party of two while watching our wake disappear into the fjord and the village of Skjolden quietly recover from another full-scale cruise invasion.

Dinner was good without being life-changing, after which the evening descended into the chaos of silent disco territory. There are few things funnier than watching a large crowd of adults enthusiastically singing completely different songs into the void while dancing with deadly seriousness.

One final welfare inspection upstairs involved tea preparation, curtain management and medication distribution before disaster struck again: confirmation that tomorrow’s excursion meeting time is 7:30am.

Cruel and unusual punishment.

Naturally, despite the looming alarm clock, I still somehow ended up back downstairs for another round of karaoke, which was delightfully good in places and deeply concerning in others.

Now it’s finally bedtime.

Tomorrow: Bergen.

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Travel Lyn Style

3 days ago

Day 4 – Olden

Having been told repeatedly that the approach into Olden was absolutely spectacular and that I should be up on deck at 5:30am wrapped in layers admiring the scenery, I naturally chose the far more civilised option of watching the Bridge Cam from underneath my duvet in my inside stateroom.

Eventually, after my travel companions started flooding our WhatsApp group with smug fjord photos and snowy videos, I accepted defeat, put on approximately 14 layers and headed up to Deck 17 to investigate what all the fuss was about.

Annoyingly, they were right.

Olden really is stunning. Crystal clear water, snow-dusted mountains, tiny colourful houses and scenery so postcard-perfect it almost looks artificial. The village itself only has around 500 residents, which must make life « interesting » for the locals when Sky Princess and Celebrity Apex arrive together and casually unload another 6,500 people into town for the day.

We sensibly waited for the excursion crowds to thin out before disembarking, then promptly ignored all sensible budgeting instincts and bought open-top sightseeing bus tickets.

The 60-minute route took us through Olden and alongside the extraordinary turquoise waters of Oldevatnet Lake towards viewpoints overlooking the Melkevoll Glacier, one of the many glacier arms flowing down from Jostedalsbreen, mainland Europe’s largest glacier.

The drive itself was beautiful. Waterfalls tumbling down mountainsides, mirror-like lakes, tiny farms clinging to impossible patches of land and the sort of scenery that makes you run out of both storage and battery on your phone very quickly.

Several photo stops were included along the route, alongside some slightly questionable standing-up-whilst-the-bus-was-moving photography attempts. Entirely against all common sense of course… but the photos were worth it.

We decided to hop off in Olden town afterwards to explore. “Explore” may be slightly generous. Olden is lovely, but it does not exactly overwhelm visitors with endless attractions. Still, sitting in the sunshine eating strawberries, ice cream and chocolate while staring at a fjord felt like a perfectly acceptable way to spend the afternoon.

The walk back to the ship was tackled bravely by all involved, despite mobility and enthusiasm levels varying considerably by this point.

Back onboard, pool bar relaxation became the priority before our 5:30pm sail away through the fjords, followed by dinner and then a Sing-Along 80s event where, in a moment of temporary madness, I somehow ended up dancing on stage defending the honour of the massively overpopulated yet strangely silent starboard team.

The enthusiasm levels from our side were not exactly overwhelming, so I feel I carried a disproportionate amount of the entertainment burden for the evening.

After the theatre show, we all retired happily to our cabins for some well-earned sleep.

Tomorrow: Skjolden 🚢

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Travel Lyn Style

3 days ago

Day 3 – Stavanger

Last night I went to bed full of good intentions. The plan was simple: wake up early, watch our approach into Stavanger live on the Bridge Camera feed and enjoy a smug maritime moment from the comfort of my inside cabin. When you book an inside cabin, a TV channel becomes your emotional support window.

At 5:30am there was little happening apart from vast expanses of sea and questionable life choices. By 7:30am we appeared to be drifting peacefully outside the harbour while gulls circled dramatically overhead and small boats glided past.

Imagine my delight when I wandered into my companion’s cabin at 8:25am only to be informed that we had actually docked an hour earlier. The Bridge Cam was still showing us floating about in the bay like a confused ghost ship. This did absolutely nothing to improve my already sleep-deprived mood.

Breakfast was a sit-down affair this morning. Sadly, the avocado had clearly endured a difficult voyage of its own and the poached eggs tasted of absolutely nothing whatsoever. The coffee was so bad I’m choosing to protect everyone involved by not discussing it further.

At 10am we disembarked in search of a hop-on hop-off bus. Or, given our collective mobility levels by this point in the cruise, more accurately a hobble-on hobble-off bus.

Following a quick visit to the tourist office, we climbed aboard full of optimism. Unfortunately the experience included hard seats, filthy windows, commentary that sounded as though it had been recorded during a hostage situation, and no earphones. Thankfully I had my own and shared them around like some kind of budget cruise philanthropist.

One of the stops took us to the famous “Swords in Rock” monument, commemorating the Battle of Hafrsfjord where Norway was united into one kingdom by King Harald Fairhair in around 872 AD. Three enormous swords stand embedded in the rock to symbolise peace, unity and the end of conflict.

Naturally, all I could think was that somebody had clearly let King Arthur loose in Stavanger.

After nine increasingly uninspiring bus stops, I decided enough was enough. Feeling both under-informed and underwhelmed, I found an excellent self-guided walking tour online and promptly abandoned my companions to their coffee, pastries and ongoing banter.

It turned out to be the best decision of the day.

The commentary was witty, informative and properly brought Stavanger to life. I wandered through the old streets, learnt about the city’s sardine-canning history, admired the beautiful wooden houses and finally returned just over an hour later feeling vastly more educated and slightly smug.

Meanwhile my companions had continued bravely researching Norwegian café culture.

Before returning to the ship I stopped at the tourist office again and gathered plenty of useful information for future Norwegian cruise clients. You know who you are 👀

Back onboard, hunger levels had reached critical status. A unanimous decision was made to order room service and gather on the balcony of our third musketeer on Deck 9. Club sandwiches and crisps disappeared rapidly under blue skies and surprisingly warm sunshine while, at long last, everybody relaxed properly.

As we sailed away from Stavanger, the ship eased gracefully away from the dock with the help of some impressively powerful bow thrusters. There’s something oddly satisfying about watching a vessel this size manoeuvre itself delicately out of harbour while the engines quietly do their work beneath your feet.

My companions then disappeared for a post-lunch snooze while I wrapped myself in coat and scarf and headed for Deck 18. The sea was growing rougher, the wind stronger and I refused to miss the drama from my television bunker masquerading as a cabin.

Dinner that evening was excellent and we achieved what can only be described as one of the greatest tactical victories of the cruise so far: securing a window table for the remainder of the voyage.

After dinner, despite being tired, we felt obliged to seek out one final bit of entertainment before bed and stumbled across “The Voice of the Ocean” — essentially karaoke with production values and public voting.

Six finalists were selected by audience vote to compete in the grand final later in the cruise. The whole thing was significantly less painful than anticipated and we unexpectedly stayed for the karaoke afterwards, where several passengers demonstrated levels of confidence wildly disproportionate to their singing ability.

A final communal rendition of Sweet Caroline echoed around the ship and with that, Day 3 was officially declared over and out.

Tomorrow: Olden 🚢

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Travel Lyn Style

5 days ago

Day 2 - Sea Day - Formal night

Formal night onboard a cruise ship is people-watching at Olympic level!

Tonight was the Captain’s Champagne Waterfall event. Towers of glasses, enthusiastic photographers, sparkling outfits and enough Blanc de Blanc vin mousseux flowing to encourage everybody into believing they looked absolutely fabulous.

And to be fair, some genuinely did.

There were elegant black tuxedos perfectly tailored, timeless cocktail dresses, crisp dinner jackets and the sort of effortless glamour that makes you think somebody may once have crossed the Atlantic on the Queen Mary in another life.

Others… perhaps interpreted “formal” rather more creatively.

Glittery off-the-shoulder dresses bravely revealing tattoos with life stories of their own. Sequinned jackets fighting heroically against buttons under visible pressure. Summer floral maxi dresses apparently selected for a Mediterranean beach wedding but now making an unexpected appearance somewhere between Scotland and Norway.

There were high heels walking with varying levels of confidence across gently moving decks. Tuxedo collars clinging on for dear life after the third buffet visit. Satin shirts opened one button further than strictly necessary. Shapewear working overtime beneath flowing fabrics. Sparkly handbags the size of a teacup. Bow ties sitting at rebellious angles by dessert.

And then there are always a few gentlemen fully committed to the occasion, proudly wearing formalwear purchased for a wedding in approximately 1998 and determined to get proper value from it ever since.

But honestly, that’s part of the charm of cruising.

Nobody is too cool for it all. People make an effort. They dress up, drink champagne beneath chandeliers, queue patiently for photographs and thoroughly enjoy themselves.

And somewhere in the middle of all the sequins, tight waistbands and enthusiastic formalwear decisions, there’s actually something rather lovely about it.

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Travel Lyn Style

5 days ago

Day 2 - Sea Day (daytime)

Sea days on a cruise have their own personality.

Yesterday was all excitement, sailaway drinks and exploring every corner of the ship. Today the North Sea had other ideas 😅

Cold winds, grey skies and a ship full of people all trying to find the same comfortable chair with a sea view and a cup of coffee.

Outside decks are quieter now, apart from determined walkers doing laps in coats and woolly hats while the wind tries to carry them towards Norway early.

Inside, the ship takes on a different rhythm. Quiz teams form alliances, lift patience disappears completely, and the buffet somehow becomes busier every single time you walk past it.

As it’s Mother’s Day here onboard, there’s been a lovely atmosphere throughout the ship today. Champagne flowing at breakfast for the mums, warm wishes from staff everywhere we went, and even a cheerful “Happy Mother’s Day” from the spa team accompanied by a knowing wink in my direction 😆

In an unexpected turn of events, we also participated in a paper plane folding competition. I can officially confirm that none of us are destined for careers in aeronautical engineering. One aircraft barely achieved take-off, while another performed an impressive emergency landing directly into the audience.

One thing I find fascinating is how quickly a cruise ship becomes its own little floating world. Thousands of people, all settling into routines after barely 24 hours at sea.

And somewhere beneath all the chatter, champagne glasses and questionable paper aviation skills, this enormous ship just keeps steadily carrying us north towards the fjords.

Tomorrow: Norway 🇳🇴

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Travel Lyn Style

5 days ago

Day 1 – Southampton, sunshine and slight chaos 🚢

Cruise embarkation day has a certain glamour in your head… and then reality steps in with duck poop, motorway passport checks and wandering around a cruise terminal like lab rats looking for daylight.

The day started perfectly though, glorious sunshine and genuine excitement as we set off for Southampton. My freshly cleaned car, however, had clearly become a target for every duck in the neighbourhood overnight. Not the elegant start I’d imagined.

After collecting our third musketeer and performing some highly questionable luggage engineering, we somehow fitted 3 adults, a week’s worth of cruise luggage and assorted handbags into my tiny Fiesta. Honestly, I still don’t know how.

Traffic behaved itself and conversation flowed nicely… until it suddenly didn’t.

“Everyone’s got their passport, haven’t they?”

The silence that followed could have won awards.

A quick motorway exit and emergency bag search later, we confirmed we did indeed have 3 adults and 3 passports. Crisis avoided. Holiday resumed.

Southampton itself was surprisingly straightforward. Between Google Maps, port signage and instinct, we found our way to the terminal without too much drama. Car drop-off was easy. The walk to check-in less so for my elderly companions, but we got there eventually.

Then came…the queue.

Not a queue. A QUEUE.

I dropped the others off with instructions to stay put while I tackled the luggage situation and joined what felt like the population of a small country waiting to board a ship. Thankfully things sped up eventually and we received our Medallions. Mine happened to be Gold, naturally 😉

Security itself was painless enough, although the terminal definitely feels like it belongs in another decade. Endless corridors later, we finally stepped onboard to smiling crew members and multiple cheerful “Welcome aboard!” greetings.

First priority: find seats and obtain drinks.

Finding seats was easy.

Understanding the Princess Premier drinks package after a long day? Less easy.

Who orders? Where? What’s included? Why does everyone else look like they know what they’re doing?

Confusion reigned briefly.

Then I realised I’d left my coat and handbag at security.

Of course I had.

After calmly explaining my stupidity to staff, I marched back upstream through the terminal like a determined salmon and thankfully found everything exactly where I’d abandoned it.

Success.

Fuelled by relief and determination, I finally secured two cocktails and a cappuccino for the group just in time for sailaway.

We headed enthusiastically towards the “front” of the ship for the best views… only to discover we were actually standing at the stern while the ship casually performed a 180-degree turn. Still, Southampton looked beautiful in the evening light whichever direction we were facing.

Cabin time followed, with our little trio split across an inside cabin, balcony cabin and deluxe balcony. Plenty of exploring, unpacking and getting settled into our floating home for the week.

Pre-dinner entertainment involved a surprisingly competitive landmark trivia quiz before dinner at Cielo, where we had a genuinely lovely first meal onboard… which I completely forgot to photograph because apparently I’m already in holiday mode.

After escorting the older generation sensibly off to bed, I decided to continue exploring alone.

The Lido deck was deserted, freezing cold and extremely windy. Very glamorous.

Next stop: the Vista Lounge for one final drink and a little live music before finally admitting defeat and calling it a night.

And that was Day 1:
No lost passports.
No lost handbags.
No missed embarkation.
And only minor emotional damage from the duck attack.

Tomorrow… Sea day, Norway here we come! 🇳🇴

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Travel Lyn Style

1 week ago

Puerto Rico, Cruise the Southern Caribbean and Miami… all in one January escape.

Start with 3 nights in San Juan, where colourful colonial streets, sea views and warm Caribbean evenings ease you gently into holiday mode before boarding Celebrity Constellation for an amazing 7-night sailing through the Southern Caribbean.

This is one of those lovely itineraries where everything works seamlessly. Wake up to a different island almost every morning without once needing to repack your suitcase. Explore Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, wander through Basseterre in St Kitts & Nevis, explore the green volcanic landscapes of Dominica, soak up the atmosphere of St Lucia and Barbados, then balance it all with a full sea day to relax and let go properly. Coffee at the Oceanview Café, a long lunch, a book by the pool or simply watching the waves as you drift by. Cruise works beautifully when the itinerary gives you time to breathe as well as places to discover.

Celebrity Constellation is also a very easy ship to settle into. Smaller and calmer than the newest mega ships, with a more relaxed atmosphere, good dining and enough space to enjoy the sea properly.

After the cruise, instead of flying straight home, finish up with 4 nights in Miami Beach at the adults-only Hotel Greystone. Enough time to enjoy the Art Deco architecture, rooftop cocktails, beach walks and late January sunshine before heading back to London.

Included:
✈️ London Heathrow flights including checked baggage
🛏️ 3 nights at The Condado Plaza Hilton San Juan with breakfast
🚢 7-night Celebrity Constellation cruise
🍽️ Full board cruise with prepaid gratuities
✈️ Domestic flight from San Juan to Miami
🌴 4 nights at Hotel Greystone Miami Beach with breakfast

Departure date: 27th January 2027

Total package price: £2,525 per person based on 2 sharing
£150 per person deposit

Mandatory local resort fees totalling approximately £76 per person payable locally.

Sold by Travel Lyn Style
Package organised by Merlin Travel Group Ltd – ATOL 11770

Prices correct at time of posting and subject to availability and change.

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Travel Lyn Style

2 weeks ago

Sri Lanka is one of the easiest long-haul trips to get right.

You’ve got history, wildlife, scenery and coastline, all within a relatively small area, so you’re not spending your time in transit. When the route is planned properly, it just flows, and this itinerary does exactly that.

You start in the Cultural Triangle, right in the centre of the island. Sigiriya is as impressive as you expect, and worth the early start. Polonnaruwa adds a bit more depth, and the village experience at Hiriwadunna gives you a feel for everyday life rather than just the main sites.

Kandy comes next, slightly further south. It’s a natural stop, not just for the Temple of the Tooth, but as a way of breaking the journey before heading up into the hills.

Tea country is where people usually pause for a moment. Cooler air, green landscapes, and a completely different feel in the central highlands. The train to Ella is part of the experience, not just a transfer, and it’s one of those things people always mention afterwards.

From there, you head down to the south-east for Yala. Proper wildlife, not a staged park, and one of the best places to see elephants, with a decent chance of leopard if you’re lucky.

You finish on the south-west coast in Bentota, which is exactly where you want to be by that point. A few days to relax before heading home.

It’s a full itinerary, but it makes sense. You’re not being rushed from place to place, and you’re not missing the key experiences either.

For a first trip to Sri Lanka, it’s a very solid way to do it.

✈️ Departure: 14 September 2026
🛏️ 9 nights touring Sri Lanka
🍽️ Half board throughout
🚗 Private chauffeur guide and transfers
💷 £1,999 per person
💷 £3,998 total for 2 adults

Sold by Travel Lyn Style
Package organised by Travelpack – ATOL 2866

Price based on 2 adults sharing. Includes direct international flights with 23kg baggage. Correct at time of posting and subject to change based on availability at time of booking.
No fees payable locally.

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Travel Lyn Style

2 weeks ago

Some destinations get all the attention.

But just beyond them, there are places that offer something completely different, often with a much better balance.

Nepal brings you straight into the mountains. Big views, cooler air, and a pace that naturally slows everything down.

Sri Lanka works well if you want variety without feeling rushed. Trains through tea country, wildlife, coastline, and journeys that are part of the experience rather than something to get through.

The Maldives is the simplest reset. Minimal planning, short transfers, and a few days where you can properly switch off.

Thailand gives you a balance of culture, food, and comfort. Easy to navigate, very well set up, and flexible depending on how much or how little you want to do.

None of these are complicated to plan, but choosing the right one makes a noticeable difference to how a trip feels.

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Travel Lyn Style

2 weeks ago

Kathmandu is one of those cities that has a constant energy to it. Busy, layered, and full of life.

What most people don’t realise is that you only need to go a short distance beyond it for that to change completely.

Chandragiri Hills sits just outside the city, elevated above the valley, with a very different feel. The air is clearer, the pace is slower, and the views open everything up. You are still close enough to dip into Kathmandu if you want to, but you’re no longer in the middle of it.

That balance is what makes this work.

This is a nine-night stay built around wellbeing, in a way that feels practical instead of scheduled. You have a programme in place, but it doesn’t take over your time.

Yoga, naturopathy and Ayurvedic treatments are all included, with a focus on how you feel by the end of the stay rather than how much you can fit into each day. Treatments are spaced out properly, so you’re not moving from one appointment to the next, and there’s time in between to actually enjoy where you are.

There’s also a more considered approach to food, with the possibility of personalised nutrition plans designed to support the process without making it feel restrictive or clinical.

And then there’s everything else around it. The setting, the views, the quieter pace of the day. The ability to step away from it entirely for a few days, or to head back into Kathmandu and experience it on your own terms.

It’s not about doing more. It’s about feeling better by the time you leave.

✈️ Departure: 17th September 2026
📍 London Heathrow with indirect flights on Air India
🛏️ 9 nights at 5* Chandragiri Hills Resort & Spa
💷 £2,499 per person
💷 £4,998 total for 2 adults

Sold by Travel Lyn Style
Package organised by Merlin Travel Group Ltd – ATOL 11770

Price based on 2 adults sharing. Correct at time of posting and subject to change based on availability at time of booking.

No local taxes have been advised for this property at the time of posting.

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Travel Lyn Style

3 weeks ago

Southern India, coast to coast, with a very different rhythm to the journeys most people first imagine.

This route starts in Kochi, where the pace is gentle and the setting is defined by the water. The Chinese fishing nets at sunset aren’t a show, they’re still part of daily life, and this sets the tone for what follows.

From there, the journey moves inland into Wayanad. Forests, tea plantations and small communities replace the cities. The Edakkal Caves add a layer of history that goes back thousands of years, with carvings that pre-date most of what people associate with India.

Mysore brings another shift. A royal city with a very different feel, centred around its palace and traditions, but still easy to explore at your own pace. It’s one of those places where you can step in and out of structure depending on how you like to travel.

Then the coast returns. Mamallapuram sits on the Bay of Bengal, where the Shore Temple faces the sea and sunrise becomes part of the experience rather than something you have to chase.

It’s not a rushed route, but it’s a considered one. West to east, cooler hills to coastline, with just enough structure to hold it together and enough space to enjoy it, without feeling like you are constantly on the move.

✈️ Departure 16 January 2027
📍 Flights from London Heathrow with Virgin Atlantic
🧳 Checked luggage included
🚆 Scenic train journeys included
🛏️ 7 nights accommodation in 4* hotels
🚐 Guided touring with local English-speaking guides
🎟️ All monument entrance and park fees included

💷 £1,550 per person
(based on 2 adults sharing)
Deposit £350 per person

Indian tourist visa not included (£21 per person, payable separately)

Sold by TravelLynStyle
Package organised by Travelpack – ATOL 2866
Price correct at time of posting and subject to availability/change at time of booking

If India has been on your list for a while, this is a very easy place to start the conversation, and from there we shape it into something that fits you properly.

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Travel Lyn Style

3 weeks ago

India isn’t one trip.

It’s a collection of very different experiences, each with its own pace and focus.

In Kerala, life slows down. The backwaters stretch for miles, houseboats move gently through the canals, and many stays are centred around Ayurveda and wellness, where treatments form part of the daily rhythm.

In Amritsar, everything centres around the Golden Temple. Its langar is often described as the world’s largest free community kitchen, serving around 50,000 to 100,000 vegetarian meals a day, with everyone sitting together as equals.

Udaipur offers a different perspective again. Set around Lake Pichola, with the City Palace overlooking the water, it’s a place of smaller-scale exploration, narrow streets, and evenings that settle naturally into a slower pace.

Shimla shifts the landscape completely. Set in the foothills of the Himalayas, it was once the British summer capital, chosen for its cooler climate and mountain setting, and it still offers that sense of space away from the intensity of the plains.

Each of these places shows a different side of India.

It’s not about trying to see everything. It’s about choosing the version that fits how you want to travel.

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Travel Lyn Style

4 weeks ago

India doesn’t ease you in. It surrounds you.

Within hours of arriving, you’re in Old Delhi, where every street feels alive with movement, colour and sound. It’s intense, unpredictable, and completely absorbing. And then, just a few days later, you’re standing quietly in the gardens of the Taj Mahal at sunrise, watching the marble shift through shades of soft pink and white as the light comes up and the crowds begin to build behind you.

That contrast is what makes this journey work so well.

You move on to Jaipur, where daily life and centuries of history sit side by side. Ceremonies unfolding in temples, intricate façades, and moments where you simply pause and take it in. And then everything changes again as you head out to Sariska. Early mornings, open landscapes, and the steady rhythm of a safari. No guarantees, no staged moments, just the anticipation of what might appear.

This is the journey I’ve just returned from. Every hotel, every transfer, every experience has been tested properly, and it shows. The pace is right, the logistics are taken care of, and you’re free to simply take it all in without having to think about what comes next.

✈️ 9–18 October 2026
💷 £2,725 per person, based on 2 sharing

Includes direct return flights in Economy Class from Heathrow with Virgin Atlantic, 8 nights’ accommodation in 4 or 5* hotels, meals throughout as per itinerary, guided touring, 2 jeep safaris in Sariska, all entrance fees and Indian tourist visa (£21 per person to be applied for and purchased separately)

Excludes drinks with meals and tips

It’s a very considered way to experience India for the first time, or to see it differently if you’ve been before.

If you can picture yourself moving through this journey, I’ll share the full itinerary with you.

Sold by TravelLynStyle
Package organised by Merlin Travel Group Ltd – ATOL 11770

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Travel Lyn Style

4 weeks ago

Day 8 – Sariska to Delhi, and home ✈️

Our final morning began slowly, with a later breakfast and freshly made dhosa, a small moment to savour before reality crept back in. The mood had shifted. Still warm and chatty, but with that unmistakable sense that something special was coming to an end.

We said our goodbyes to the team at Sariska Safari Lodge and set off towards Delhi, watching rural Rajasthan drift by one last time. Then, just when we thought the day would be a straightforward transfer, came one final surprise.

🚙 A stop in Shahpura
🏰 A hidden haveli experience
🍽️ A beautifully prepared lunch away from the heat

A short jeep ride through narrow streets led us to Shahpura Haveli, a heritage property that once belonged to a noble family of the region. These havelis were traditionally built as private residences, often centred around courtyards to keep interiors cool in the desert climate. Today, many have been carefully restored, offering a glimpse into Rajasthan’s architectural and cultural past. From rooftop views over the village to intricately decorated rooms, it was an unexpected highlight.

The journey continued with one last reminder of India’s energy. Chaotic traffic, tuk-tuks filled well beyond their intended capacity, and the constant movement that somehow just works.

🏨 Final stop at The Roseate, Aerocity
🍽️ One last dinner together
💬 Promises to stay in touch

By the time we reached the airport, it all felt very real. A smooth check-in, a full overnight flight on @VirginAtlantic with minimal service, and then… Heathrow. Sunshine, efficient e-gates, and familiar surroundings.

But something had shifted.

This wasn’t just a trip. It was a shared experience that turned four individuals into a small group of friends, connected by everything we had seen, learned, and felt along the way.

I am genuinely grateful to @MerlinTravelGroup and @MTGHolidays for the opportunity to be part of this journey.

And India… I suspect this is not goodbye 🇮🇳

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Travel Lyn Style

4 weeks ago

Day 7 – Sariska Tiger Reserve

The excitement had been building for days. After everything we had already experienced, today felt like the moment many people associate with India… an early morning safari in search of Bengal tigers.

My alarm went off at 04:45 and I was not a happy bunny. By 05:30 we were in the lobby, slightly bleary-eyed but fully equipped:

🐅 Passport check
🚙 Blow-up cushion for the suspension check
💸 Tip money check
🔭 Binoculars and phone adapter check
🧴 Sunscreen check
🧥 Leopard print shirt check
🦟 Mosquito repellent… forgotten, but rescued by Jen
✨ Excitement levels at maximum

We headed to the park entrance to collect our official guide and enter Sariska Tiger Reserve, once a former royal hunting ground and now part of India’s Project Tiger conservation programme. Tigers were reintroduced here in 2008 after local extinction, so sightings are never guaranteed.

And that is the reality of safari.

We saw plenty, just not what we had built up in our minds.

🦚 Peacocks, everywhere
🦌 Spotted deer (chital), their coats catching the light
🦌 Sambar deer, larger and more solitary
🐗 Wild boar moving through the scrub
🐒 Hanuman langurs watching us with mild curiosity
🐿️ Squirrels, a hare, a mongoose
🐊 A distant crocodile near the water
🐾 And the unmistakable footprints of tiger and leopard

Factually, the reserve wasn’t empty. It was alive. But visibility is everything, and what we didn’t see shaped the experience more than what we did.

Where the morning fell short, in my view, was in the execution. The driver pushed the pace too much along rough tracks, and our guide lacked both the language and the engagement to bring the landscape to life. On safari, especially when big cats remain elusive, interpretation is everything. Without it, you can feel like you are simply passing through rather than understanding what you are seeing.

After three and a half hours, we returned to the lodge feeling deflated. It’s worth saying this clearly for anyone planning a trip like this: wildlife is unpredictable. Even in parks with higher densities than Sariska, sightings are never guaranteed. The difference is often in the guiding.

We recovered quickly.

A late breakfast, a pause to regroup, and then out into a local village market to source ingredients for our afternoon cooking session.

The market was everything we have come to expect here. Busy, noisy, chaotic, a little dusty, and completely absorbing. We picked out cauliflower, okra, bitter gourd and melons while cows wandered calmly through the centre of it all, entirely unbothered.

Back at the lodge, lunch and a proper siesta felt well earned.

By late afternoon we were in the courtyard for our cookery session. On the menu:

🍽️ Gobhi pakoda
🍽️ Bhindi masala
🍽️ Karela fry with besan

As the ingredients were introduced, I found myself mentally building a shopping list to recreate it all at home. The reaction to UK pricing raised more than a few laughs.

It was hands-on, relaxed and genuinely enjoyable. A reminder that some of the most memorable parts of a trip are often the simplest.

The evening was quiet. Three of us gathered in the lobby for a final drink together. Nic continues on to Kerala, while the rest of us start the journey home tomorrow.

We drive back to Delhi in the morning. A couple of stops on the way, but mentally it already feels like the closing chapter.

India doesn’t really let you leave quietly.

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Travel Lyn Style

4 weeks ago

Day 6 – Jaipur to Sariska

After five full days of constant movement, today felt like a deliberate exhale.

We left Jaipur after breakfast at a very civilised 9:30am and, with lighter traffic than we had become used to, made steady progress towards Sariska. The journey takes around three hours, but what makes it interesting is not the distance, it is the gradual shift in landscape and pace of life.

The city gives way slowly. Roads open up, buildings thin out, and daily life becomes more visible. We amused ourselves trying to capture a “cow in the wrong place” photo, although the reality is that in India, cows always seem to be exactly where they are meant to be.

Along the way, we noticed brightly coloured sacks scattered across the fields. These are often made from recycled fabrics, including old saris, repurposed to carry and protect harvested crops. It is a practical and resourceful reuse of material, and something you see widely in rural India.

Outside many homes, there were also neat stacks of shaped cow dung. This is dried and used as fuel for cooking and heating. In rural communities, it remains an important, low-cost and sustainable energy source, often mixed with straw and left to dry in the sun before use. It can also be used as fertiliser, so very little goes to waste.

And then, high up on the ridgelines, we began to notice the remains of old stone structures. At first glance they look almost accidental, but these are the remnants of small hill forts or watchtowers, part of the wider defensive network that once protected this region. Positioned to command long views across the landscape, they would have been used to monitor movement and relay signals between larger forts. Now, they sit quietly above it all, slowly being reclaimed by the hills.

We arrived at Sariska Safari Lodge almost an hour ahead of schedule. The contrast with the previous days was immediate. Quiet, space, and a sense of calm. We were welcomed with flower garlands and a cold drink, a simple gesture that felt entirely in keeping with the setting.

Security here came in a slightly different form. A German Shepherd named Zoey gave each of us a thorough inspection before allowing us through. Having become used to metal detectors and security checks in city hotels, this felt both reassuring and slightly more personal.

The lodge itself is set within gardens, with a pool to one side, and rooms that are spacious and well designed for comfort rather than show. After a relaxed buffet lunch, the afternoon was left free. Time to pause, reset, and prepare for what we had all been waiting for.

In the evening, we gathered in the courtyard to watch a short BBC documentary on the reintroduction of tigers to Sariska.

By the early 2000s, the tiger population in the reserve had been completely wiped out, largely due to organised poaching and habitat pressure. In 2008, a carefully managed relocation programme began, bringing tigers from Ranthambore into Sariska. Tigers were moved individually, monitored using radio collars, and gradually adapted to their new territory. It became one of the first major tiger reintroduction projects of its kind, closely watched at the time. Today, the population is still monitored carefully, and every sighting feels significant.

As we watched, our four-legged security detail remained busy, ensuring that the local monkeys kept their distance. Her focus and training were impressive, and quietly reassuring as dusk settled in.

Dinner followed, generous and full of flavour as always, before an early night.

Tomorrow starts at 5:30am. The search for tigers begins.

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Travel Lyn Style

4 weeks ago

Day 5 - Jaipur

Another early start, and for once, no resistance from any of us. We had been told to be ready for 8am to witness a Hindu morning ceremony, and it quickly became clear why timing mattered.

As we stepped off the minibus, the sound reached us first. A steady, rhythmic chant rolling through the streets, growing louder with every step towards the temple. The closer we got, the more the atmosphere intensified. This was not something staged or curated. It was lived, shared, and deeply felt.

We paused briefly to receive a bindi before removing our shoes and leaving them neatly in racks outside. Our guide then quietly told us he wanted to take us inside, not as observers, but as guests. He knew people here. We would be welcomed.

What followed is difficult to describe without overstating it, but it was genuinely moving. We were drawn into the crowd, surrounded by devotion, music and movement. At one point, a woman behind me gently tapped my shoulder and placed a handful of rose petals into my hands. With a simple gesture, she showed me what to do. I threw them into the air as others did, and in that moment, it felt like a release.

When the chanting ended and we stepped back out into the daylight, three of the four of us had tears in our eyes. Not sadness, but something closer to overwhelm. It felt like we had been allowed into something deeply personal.

From there, we moved into Jaipur’s vegetable and flower markets. The pace shifted immediately. Colour, noise and movement in every direction. At the centre, bulk trading was already underway, with buyers negotiating quantities early in the day, while smaller vendors set up around the edges. Much of the physical movement of goods is still done the traditional way, balanced expertly on heads, often by women. It is not a formalised union system, but a long-established way of working that has been passed down through generations, built on rhythm, strength and experience.

Next was the City Palace Jaipur. Still partly a royal residence, it offers a layered history of Jaipur’s rulers, particularly Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who founded the city in 1727. Courtyards open one into another, each space becoming slightly more private, with intricate detailing and a blend of Rajput, Mughal and European influences. It feels both grand and purposeful, designed not just to impress, but to function.

We didn’t have time to visit Jantar Mantar, but its story stayed with us. Built in the 18th century, it houses a collection of monumental astronomical instruments. The largest sundial can measure time with remarkable precision using only shadow and stone, a reminder of the scientific understanding that existed here centuries ago.

From there, we made our way to Amer Fort. Rising from the hills just outside the city, its scale is immediately striking. Built in the late 16th century, it was the main residence of the Rajput rulers before Jaipur was established. By mid-morning, the heat was already intense, so we took in the setting and its history from the outside rather than venturing in.

At that point, morale dipped slightly and hydration became the priority. Relief came in the form of a small coffee shop and some very welcome iced lattes.

Lunch was hosted at the Jai Mahal Palace. A former royal residence set within expansive Mughal gardens, it manages to feel both central and completely removed from the pace of the city. Calm, understated and quietly luxurious. A place I would recommend without hesitation.

The afternoon gave us time to pause back at our hotel before heading out again for dinner at Samode Haveli. Still owned by the royal family, it retains a sense of continuity rather than reinvention. Courtyards, intricate detailing and a quiet elegance that doesn’t need to announce itself. The food and service matched the setting.

On the way back, we stopped briefly at Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Winds. Built so royal women could observe life in the streets below without being seen, its façade of hundreds of small windows creates both airflow and privacy. Even at night, it holds its presence.

Tomorrow we leave Jaipur.

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Travel Lyn Style

1 month ago

Day 4 – Agra to Jaipur

A very early start today. We left the hotel at 6am, not to chase sunrise, but to experience the Taj Mahal at its quietest. Cooler air, fewer visitors, and far less intensity at the entrance made a noticeable difference before we had even stepped inside.

Seeing the Taj Mahal up close is one of those moments that holds its weight, even when you think you know what to expect. Built in the 17th century by Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, it is often described as a monument to love, but what strikes you most is the precision. Every element is deliberate. The symmetry is exact, the proportions balanced from every angle, and the white marble shifts subtly in tone as the light changes.

Up close, it becomes even more intricate. The inlay work, known as pietra dura, uses semi-precious stones set into the marble to create delicate floral patterns that are still perfectly intact centuries later. Verses from the Quran are inscribed in black marble, increasing in size as they rise so they appear uniform when viewed from below. Even the four minarets are positioned with a slight outward tilt, designed to protect the main structure in the event of an earthquake.

Having fewer people around gave us the time and space to notice these details properly. The gardens, laid out in the classic Mughal charbagh style, felt calm rather than crowded, and for once, it didn’t feel rushed.

We returned to the hotel for breakfast, packed, and then set off by road towards Jaipur.

Our first stop en route was Abhaneri Step Well, also known as Chand Baori, and it was completely unexpected. None of us had heard of it before, which made the impact even stronger.

Dating back over a thousand years, Chand Baori is one of the oldest and deepest stepwells in India, built not just as a water source, but as a vital community space in a region where water has always been scarce. What you see today is an extraordinary geometric structure, over 3,500 narrow steps arranged in perfect symmetry across three sides, descending around 20 metres into the earth.

But beyond the visual impact, it’s the purpose that gives it meaning. Stepwells like this were designed to store water during the monsoon season, ensuring supply throughout the year, and also provided a cool place for the local community to gather. Even now, standing at the edge and looking down, you can feel the temperature drop slightly. It’s a reminder of how architecture here has always been shaped by climate as much as by culture.

From there, we continued to Aagman Camp, set within the rural landscape of Abhaneri. This is not a staged stop, but something much more considered. The camp has been created to offer a genuine connection to village life, supporting the local community whilst giving visitors a way to pause between the major cities and experience something quieter and more grounded.

Lunch was served in an open, relaxed setting, surrounded by farmland. Simple in concept, but very well executed. The food was freshly prepared, rooted in local flavours, and after a morning of early starts and travel, exactly what was needed.

What made this stop particularly interesting was the interaction with local artisans. We watched lac bangles being shaped by hand, a traditional craft where natural lacquer is heated, moulded and decorated with remarkable speed and precision. Alongside this, a potter demonstrated how clay can be transformed into fully formed vessels in just minutes on a wheel. These are not demonstrations created for tourists, but skills that are still very much part of everyday life here, passed down through generations.

Then back on the road for the final stretch into Jaipur.

Our base for the next two nights is the Jaipur Marriott, conveniently located near the airport. After checking in, we had an hour to rest before heading down for dinner.

There’s a noticeable shift as soon as you arrive in Rajasthan. The flavours deepen, the spices become more assertive, and the dishes carry a little more heat. Tonight, I was very grateful for the raita alongside my dhal.

Tomorrow we begin exploring Jaipur itself and start to uncover what gives the Pink City its character.

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Travel Lyn Style

1 month ago

Day 3 – Delhi to Agra

There’s something quite grounding about a 6:30am start in India. The city is already fully awake, and you feel like you’re stepping into a rhythm that has been going for hours.

☕ Coffee first, then straight into Delhi’s Monday morning traffic as we made our way to the station for the Gatiman Express via India Gate. We were told the station wasn’t too busy. By European standards, that felt… optimistic. The scale of movement here is something you have to recalibrate for very quickly.

🚆 The train journey itself was just under two hours and surprisingly comfortable. Food, however, became an experience in its own right. A picnic breakfast from Le Méridien, a second railway breakfast included on board, and then a completely unexpected spread of Scottish sweet treats doing the rounds. No one went hungry.

🚶‍♀️ Arriving into Agra felt like stepping into a different intensity. The crowds surged, and we moved with them, swept through the station and out towards our waiting minibus.

🏰 Our first stop was Agra Fort.

Built in the 16th century by Emperor Akbar and later expanded by Shah Jahan, this vast red sandstone fortress was once the main residence of the Mughal emperors. It’s less delicate than the Taj Mahal, more imposing, but no less significant. Behind its high walls are palaces, audience halls and courtyards that once held the centre of power for an empire.

And then, quite unexpectedly, through an archway and across the river, our first glimpse of the Taj Mahal. Faint, almost ghost-like in the morning mist. It’s one of those moments that quietly lands. You know what you’re looking at, but it still feels unreal.

We’ll see it tomorrow. Properly.

🚇 From there, a complete contrast. The Agra Metro. Ultra modern, spotless, and almost entirely empty. A reminder that India is constantly balancing centuries of history with rapid, very visible development.

🏨 We checked into the Courtyard by Marriott, barely paused, and headed straight back out to the Tajview Agra for a site inspection and lunch. This is a property I would confidently recommend. The pool area is calm and well designed, the Sky Deck delivers exactly what you want it to, and some of the rooms genuinely offer views of the Taj. For a short stay in Agra, it works very well.

🏊‍♀️ A quick reset back at the hotel followed. A swim, a short rest, and then back out again, this time on foot.

🚶‍♂️ We walked along the outer walls of the Taj complex, through narrow streets and into a side of Agra that feels far removed from the main tourist flow. This is where people live and work. Artists, guides, craftsmen.

One of the quieter stories we were told was about a tomb belonging not to a wife, but to a lady of the court. A woman who had served closely within the royal household, and whose final resting place was carefully positioned.

Even in death, she faces towards the Taj Mahal.

Not by accident, but by design. A subtle, almost poetic detail that reflects how Mughal architecture often carried meaning beyond what you first see. Alignment, symmetry and sightlines weren’t just aesthetic choices, they told stories of loyalty, hierarchy and connection.

🥿 As we moved further through the streets and gardens around Khan-i-Alam Bagh, the layers of daily life unfolded around us. This wasn’t just a walk, it felt like stepping directly into it.

The monkeys were everywhere. In the gardens, along the walls, watching from above and, at times, not entirely welcoming of our presence. As we made our way down towards the Hindu temple beyond the monument, a large garden opened up where they began to gather as the light softened.

And then, unexpectedly, a small family of four puppies appeared, playing quite happily alongside them. No sense of conflict, just coexistence.

Squirrels darted constantly underfoot, kites settled into the trees overhead as the evening approached, and peacocks wandered slowly through the gardens, completely unbothered.

It’s that contrast again. Movement, noise, unpredictability, and then moments of complete calm woven quietly through it.

Agra is one of India’s major centres for leather goods, particularly footwear. Estimates suggest several hundred thousand pairs of shoes are produced here every day. Much of it still involves skilled handwork, often within small workshops like the ones we passed, part of a long-established local industry supplying both domestic and international markets.

🌇 And then, just as the day had felt at its busiest, everything slowed.

We climbed up to a rooftop terrace as the sun began to set. The Taj Mahal in the distance, the sky turning deep orange, the noise softening just enough. Vegetable pakora, hot chai, and a moment of stillness that felt very earned.

That contrast is what stays with you. The intensity, followed by these pockets of calm.

🛺 The tuk tuk ride back to the hotel brought the sensory overload back in full force. If Delhi was a shock to the system, Agra turns the volume up even further. Louder, closer, more immediate. It’s not something you observe from a distance, you are right in it.

🍽️ Dinner back at the hotel was a quieter affair. Everyone aware that tomorrow is the moment we’ve all been waiting for.

⏰ 6am start again.

The Taj Mahal, up close this time.

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Travel Lyn Style

1 month ago

Day 2 in Delhi didn’t slow down. If anything, it went deeper.

We turned the itinerary on its head today, beginning at Qutub Minar and working our way back through the city. It felt like moving through layers of history in reverse, each stop adding another perspective to what Delhi is.

Qutub Minar itself is extraordinary. At 73 metres high, it dominates the skyline, but it’s the detail at ground level that holds your attention. Built in the early 13th century, it marks the beginning of Islamic rule in Delhi, yet what stands around it tells a more complex story. The mosque nearby was constructed using materials from earlier Hindu and Jain temples, and you can clearly see it in the pillars. Intricate carvings, unmistakably non-Islamic in style, repurposed into something entirely different. It’s not subtle. It’s layered, and at times uncomfortable, but undeniably fascinating.

And then, unexpectedly, the present cuts through the past. Aircraft on final approach to Delhi airport pass directly overhead. I found myself trying to frame them against the minaret, setting small photographic challenges as we walked the site. Ancient stone and modern aviation sharing the same skyline.

The moment that stayed with me most, though, wasn’t a monument.

At Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, we stepped out of our shoes and socks, covered our heads, and entered a very different space. Inside, under a gold canopy, worshippers gathered around the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book, paying their respects in a calm, continuous flow. It felt both open and deeply personal at the same time.

We were taken into the kitchens where the langar is prepared, a community meal served to anyone who arrives, regardless of background, and often feeding tens of thousands of people each day. There is a quiet efficiency to it, but also something far more powerful. We stepped in to help serve, handing out trays and chapatis to everyone present. Men, women, children. No hierarchy, no distinction. Just people being fed, equally, with dignity.

Outside, volunteers carried trays of cement across the courtyard to support ongoing repairs. Another simple act, done without fuss, but very much part of the same ethos.

Photos were not allowed inside the temple or at the cleansing pool, and even if they had been, it wouldn’t have felt appropriate. Observing quietly felt like the right thing to do.

From there, a complete shift in atmosphere.

Lunch at The Claridges brought us into a different era. A heritage hotel with a strong colonial feel, calm and refined, offering a pause before the next visit. Just a short walk away was Gandhi’s house. Quiet, understated, and deeply moving. Standing there, reading Albert Einstein’s words about Gandhi, it’s hard not to reflect on how relevant they still feel in today’s world.

Khan Market followed, very much modern Delhi. Polished, affluent, and a reminder of the city’s contrasts. Window shopping was more than enough.

Back to Le Méridien for a brief reset. A quick shower, a change, and the practical side of travel kicked in as we prepared our luggage to be transferred by road to Agra. A small detail, but one that makes tomorrow’s early train departure far easier.

The evening continued at The Lalit, another centrally located property with a very different feel again. Large, contemporary, and home to one of the biggest hotel pools in the city. Dinner here rounded off a full day.

On the way back, a drive past India Gate, lit up at night, gave us one final glimpse of the city before calling it a day.

An early start awaits. 6:30am comes quickly.

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1 month ago

Day 1 - 11th April - Old Delhi

Delhi doesn’t ease you in. It overwhelms you from the start.

After landing late last night and falling into a deliciously comfortable bed on the 15th floor of Le Méridien New Delhi, this morning started slowly. I skipped breakfast in favour of a coffee in the lobby, had a bit of quiet time to myself, and then we had a proper guided tour of the hotel, followed by a buffet lunch that instantly sent my tastebuds into overload.

This hotel is exactly what you need on arrival into a city like this. Calm, polished, cool and very well run.

But that calm doesn’t last for long.

By early afternoon, we were in Old Delhi.

And I wasn’t really prepared for it.

The noise hits first. Constant, layered, relentless. Horns, voices, engines, bells.

Then the smells. Spices, street food, incense, and things you can’t quite place.

Then the colour. Everywhere. Fabric, fruit, buildings, wires overhead, people moving in every direction.

And monkeys. Just there, part of daily life.

Traffic in Delhi feels like organised chaos, except the organisation isn’t immediately obvious. Traffic lights seem almost decorative, more of a suggestion than a rule, while rickshaws, tuk-tuks, scooters, vans, cars, lorries and buses all edge forward at once, each finding just enough space to keep moving. It looks impossible, like everything should grind to a halt, yet somehow it flows. Horns are constant, not out of frustration but as a form of communication. And what struck me most, nobody seems angry. No shouting, no confrontation. Just a shared understanding that this is how it works, every single day.

It’s intense. Completely overwhelming at first. But you adjust quickly, and once you do, it becomes fascinating rather than chaotic.

We walked through the narrow lanes with local guides who grew up here, supported by a programme that helps former street children build a different future. Hearing one story in particular stayed with me. From surviving alone at six years old to now guiding visitors through these same streets. It puts everything into perspective.

We visited small workshops and simple businesses. Wheat being ground into flour, screen printing for office folders, plastic binders being assembled, boxes and labels produced. All within a warren of tiny streets that would be impossible to navigate without our expert guides.

A visit to a Jain temple brought a moment of calm and quiet beauty. A cup of chai, with its sweet notes of sugar, ginger and cardamom, was exactly what we needed before stepping back out into the “bling bling” market. Shops filled with rich fabrics, ribbons, accessories, beads, glass stones and sequins in every colour.

🚲 Rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk. No rules, just instinct and timing. Slightly terrifying, but you wouldn’t want it any other way.

🪁 Rooftop at Haveli Dharampura, flying kites above the city as the light started to soften. Watching locals train their pigeons to fly in formation and return to their roost, hearing the call to prayer from the nearby mosque.

🍽️ A seven-course dinner inspired by Old Delhi street food. The same flavours, but refined and beautifully presented. My vegetarian palate was particularly well looked after, and the rest of the group were equally impressed.

Back to the hotel by 9:30pm. Early night for all, our memory banks need to recharge.

Tomorrow, New Delhi.

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Travel Lyn Style

1 month ago

There’s always a moment on a long-haul flight where everything settles.

The cabin quietens, the pace slows, and you start to adjust to the idea that you’re on your way somewhere very different.

I travelled with Virgin Atlantic on the daytime flight to Delhi. A smooth journey and exactly the kind of transition you want before arriving into a completely new environment.

We landed an hour early at 11pm.

No real sense of the city yet, just the process of arrival, the change in temperature (27C at midnight!), and that slight shift you feel stepping into a different place.

By the time we reached the hotel, it was calm and quiet. More of a pause than an arrival.

Tomorrow is when it properly begins.

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Travel Lyn Style

1 month ago

Every journey begins long before you leave.

There’s the preparation first. The practical side of travel, but also the quiet shift in mindset, when you start to step away from the everyday and into something new.

Then comes the intensity. The colour, the movement, the energy that hits as soon as you arrive somewhere completely different.

After that, structure matters more than people expect. How a journey is put together, how each place connects to the next, and how the experience flows as a whole.

And finally, there has to be space. Space to pause, to take it in, and to let a destination reveal itself at its own pace.

That balance is what I’ll be stepping into very soon.

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1 month ago

Some places feel completely different depending on when you arrive.

In Amsterdam, early April brings the start of tulip season. Colour returns to the canals, the light shifts and the city begins to open itself up again after winter.

In Corfu, Orthodox Easter transforms the island. On Holy Saturday morning, clay pots are thrown from balconies into the streets below, a tradition that turns the whole town into something shared and full of life.

In Seville, Easter Sunday sees religious processions move slowly through the streets. Candlelight, silence and a sense of occasion that changes the pace of the city entirely.

And in New York, it’s simply springtime. Parks begin to fill, people linger a little longer and the city softens, just slightly, around the edges.

It’s not always about choosing the right destination. Sometimes it’s about understanding when a place reveals a different side of itself.

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Travel Lyn Style

1 month ago

Kraków is one of those cities that feels real from the moment you arrive.

Nothing is overdone or staged. Life just unfolds around you. The Old Town early in the morning, when it’s still quiet. Bakeries preparing whatever is in season rather than what sells best. Cafés that gradually turn into vodka bars as the evening settles in.

It’s the kind of place where you naturally slow down without trying.

Give yourself four days and you can do it properly. Wander through the Old Town and Kazimierz without rushing, stop when something catches your eye, sit down for lunch because you want to, not because you’ve planned it.

Then step just beyond the city.

The Wieliczka Salt Mines are extraordinary, far more than most people expect. An entire world carved underground, with chapels, sculptures and chandeliers, all created from salt. It’s one of those places that stays with you.

Starting with a short golf cart tour works well too. It gives you a sense of how everything fits together, so the rest of your time feels easy and unhurried.

If you choose to add a visit to Auschwitz & Birkenau, it’s something you won’t forget. Not an easy day, but an important one.

At a different time of year, you would notice small Easter details appearing across the city, and traditions like Wet Monday still being observed. It’s a reminder that when you travel can shape how a place feels, sometimes in quite subtle ways.

✈️ Direct flights from London Heathrow (cabin baggage only)
🚖 Private airport transfers in Kraków
🏨 4 nights at 4* Hotel Qubus, Kraków (double room, breakfast included)
🧭 Private Kraków city tour by golf cart with hotel pick-up
⛏️ Wieliczka Salt Mines visit with hotel pick-up

📅 16th–20th October 2026
💷 £599 per person based on 2 adults sharing
💷 Total package price: £1,198

Sold by TravelLynStyle
Package organised by Merlin Travel Group Ltd – ATOL 11770
Price and inclusions correct at time of posting and subject to availability at time of booking

It’s an easy city to enjoy, but the difference comes from doing it at the right pace, at the right time.

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Travel Lyn Style

2 months ago

You know those trips where you don’t come back needing another break?

This is one of them.

Four nights by the Atlantic, where the days are shaped by very little. You wake up, look outside, and decide as you go. A walk along the coast that turns into coffee. Lunch that becomes an afternoon. No plans you feel the need to stick to, and no pressure to make the most of every hour.

Cascais has that effect. It’s close enough to reach easily, but once you’re there, it feels a world away from the pace you’ve left behind.

At the Farol Design Hotel, the sea is right there. Not in the distance, not something you go and find… it’s part of where you are. You hear it, you see it, and after a day or two, you fall into step with it.

That’s when the switch happens. You stop thinking about time and just let the day move.

📆 5th–9th June 2026 (4 nights)
✈️ Return flights from London Heathrow including 23kg checked baggage
🚗 Private return transfers
🏨 5* Farol Design Hotel, Cascais – Sea View Room
🍽️ Bed & breakfast

💷 £999 per person (£1,998 for 2 adults), plus €32 (£27.83) tourist tax payable locally.
Total package price including all mandatory costs: £2,025.83 for 2 adults.
Prices correct at time of posting and subject to availability.

Sold by TravelLynStyle
Package organised by Merlin Travel Group Ltd – ATOL 11770

If you can picture yourself here, I’ll make it happen.

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Travel Lyn Style

2 months ago

There are places you come back to, even if only in your mind.

Not because there’s nothing to do, but because nothing is pushing you to rush.

You arrive, and within a day or two, your pace shifts. You stop checking the time. You sit a bit longer than you meant to. You notice things you would normally walk straight past.

It’s not about where you are in the world. You can find this feeling in a lot of different places.

The difference is choosing somewhere that gives you the space to let it happen.

That’s usually where a good trip starts. ... See MoreSee Less

Travel Lyn Style

2 months ago

Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi make a very satisfying combination.

You begin in a city that feels lively, layered and full of contrast. Kuala Lumpur has the gleaming skyline everyone recognises, but it also has quieter streets, old neighbourhoods, temples, markets and some of the most interesting food in Asia. It is the sort of place that rewards curiosity, whether that means heading up the Petronas Towers, visiting Batu Caves, or simply spending an evening eating your way along Jalan Alor.

Then the whole pace changes.

A short flight takes you to Langkawi, where the mood is softer, greener and far more peaceful. This is where the trip exhales. The beaches are beautiful, the sea is warm, and the island has that easy rhythm that makes you stop looking at the time. The Datai is a very special place to stay, tucked into the rainforest on one of the island’s most beautiful bays, so this part of the journey feels private, calm and properly away from it all.

For me, this is exactly the kind of trip that works so well. A few days of city energy, colour and culture, followed by a week where everything slows down and the setting does most of the work.

📆 4th–16th June 2026
🌙 10 nights
✈️ Return flights from London Heathrow, including domestic flights between Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi
🛏️ 3 nights at the 5* Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur + 7 nights at The Datai Langkawi
🍽️ Bed & breakfast
🚗 Private airport transfers throughout
🧳 1 checked bag per person

💷 £2,666 per person
💷 Total package price £5,332 for 2 people, including mandatory local taxes based on 170 MYR payable locally

Package sold by TravelLynStyle. Organised by Merlin Travel Group Ltd – ATOL 11770. Prices correct at time of posting and subject to availability and change. Total prices shown are per person and include all mandatory fees and taxes payable locally based on 1 MYR = £0.19. Exchange rates and local taxes may change before payment locally at the hotel.

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Travel Lyn Style

2 months ago

Northern France Coastal Escape – Self-Drive

There’s something quietly satisfying about crossing the Channel with your own car and, within an hour, finding yourself somewhere that feels entirely different.

Based in Hardelot-Plage, this short break combines wide, walkable beaches, pine forests and a slower pace of travel with easy access to one of Europe’s most impressive marine centres.

At Nausicaá National Sea Centre, the scale is immediate, but it’s the movement that stays with you. Giant manta rays glide effortlessly through the water, slow and weightless, somehow drawing you in.

It’s the kind of moment where time seems to pause, and you realise how rarely we observe marine life at this scale, this closely.

Beyond Nausicaá, the area is quietly varied.

The historic old town of Boulogne-sur-Mer sits within its ramparts above a working port, while nearby Étaples Military Cemetery offers a peaceful and moving visit as the largest Commonwealth cemetery in France.

Back in Hardelot, days can be as relaxed or active as you choose; long beach walks, or activities such as golf, horse riding, tennis and even sand yachting (payable locally).

One evening, something special… Cool K’cahuète, perched on the cliffs at Équihen, offers a small, pop-up dining experience built around seasonal, locally sourced produce — simple in style, but carefully considered, with menus shaped by what’s available nearby rather than fixed in advance.

#AquariumExperience #MantaRays #CoastalFrance #TravelLynStyle

📅 18th June 2026 | 4 nights
💷 £489pp | £985 total (2 adults sharing incl taxes)
🚗 Return LeShuttle crossing with your own car
🏨 Hotel du Parc, Hardelot (Deluxe Room, breakfast)
🎟️ 2 Nausicaá entries included
🍽️ 2 dinners at Cook K’cahuète
💶 €8 local tax payable at hotel

Package sold by TravelLynStyle
Organised by Merlin Travel Group Ltd – ATOL 11770

Prices are correct at time of posting and are subject to availability and change.

Total prices shown are per person and include all mandatory fees and taxes payable locally based on an exchange rate of 1 EUR = 0.86 GBP. ... See MoreSee Less

Travel Lyn Style

2 months ago

Not every trip is about seeing more. Some are about slowing down.

There’s something about being close to the water that changes the pace of everything.

It might be watching fish drift past you in a quiet aquarium, where time seems to stretch and the outside world fades for a while. Or floating in open water, hearing nothing but your own breath as the sea moves around you.

Some people are drawn to the stillness of it. Others to the feeling of being completely immersed in another world.

Then there are the quieter moments in between. A walk along the coast, a pause at the edge of the water, a table set for lunch with the sea just a few steps away.

Often, it’s not about doing more. It’s about slowing down enough to notice what’s already there.

If you had the choice, would you stay above the surface or slip beneath it, just for a while?

#OceanMoments #CoastalEscape #SlowTravel #TravelLynStyle ... See MoreSee Less

Travel Lyn Style

2 months ago

Valencia is a city that reveals itself slowly. Futuristic architecture beside centuries-old streets, lively markets, and long Mediterranean beaches where evenings end with seafood and a glass of wine.

At the heart of it all is the remarkable Oceanogràfic, Europe’s largest aquarium complex. Walk through underwater tunnels as sharks and rays glide overhead, explore the striking City of Arts and Sciences, then wander into the historic centre where shaded squares and tapas bars set the rhythm of the city.

Food is an essential part of the experience here. Valencia is the birthplace of paella, and the city’s restaurants take great pride in preparing it the traditional way over an open flame. The Central Market is one of Europe’s largest fresh food markets, filled with stalls of citrus fruits, jamón, cheeses and local produce, while beachside restaurants along La Malvarrosa serve seafood caught that very morning.

Three days is just enough time to explore, taste and soak up the Mediterranean atmosphere.

📅 Departure: 12th June 2026
🌙 Duration: 3 nights

✈ Direct flights from London Gatwick with easyJet
🧳 Speedy boarding, seat selection, one small cabin bag and one large cabin bag per person
🚗 Private airport transfers to and from your hotel
🏨 4* Hotel Senator Parque Central Valencia
🛏 Double Room with breakfast included

Your Valencia MegaPass includes:
🎟 Entry to the City of Arts and Sciences (Oceanogràfic, Science Museum & Hemisfèric)
🚌 48-hour Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour
🎧 Best of Valencia audio guide
📶 1 GB mobile internet data

Price based on two people sharing
£599 per person (£1,198 total package price)

Sold by Travel Lyn Style
Package organised by Merlin Travel Group Ltd – ATOL 11770

Prices are correct at time of posting and subject to availability and change. We have not been made aware of any local taxes being applicable at the specified accommodation at the time of posting.

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Travel Lyn Style

2 months ago

What if one journey could offer you both the timeless energy of Rome and the relaxed rhythm of the waves lapping at the shore in Sorrento? A few days immersed in one of the world’s great ancient cities, followed by lazy days beside the Mediterranean where the pace slows and the sea becomes the backdrop to your holiday.

Begin in Rome, where history unfolds around every corner. From Piazza del Popolo to the Spanish Steps, the Eternal City invites you to wander its cobbled streets, linger over coffee in sunlit piazzas, and discover centuries of art, architecture and culture woven into everyday life.

Then travel south by high-speed rail to the Bay of Naples. Your base is Sant’Agnello, just outside Sorrento, where clifftop views stretch across the Mediterranean and evenings are spent watching the light fade over Mount Vesuvius.

During your stay, explore the Amalfi Coast on a small-group tour visiting Positano, Amalfi and Ravello, with lunch and wine included. It’s one of Italy’s most celebrated coastal journeys, where pastel villages cling to dramatic cliffs above the sea.

📅 Travel date: 20th September 2026
🌙 7 nights
👫 Based on 2 adults sharing
💷 £2,050 per person

🏨 3 nights at 4* River Palace Hotel, Rome – Court Premium Room with breakfast
🏨 4 nights at 5* Hotel Mediterraneo, Sant’Agnello – Classic Double Room with breakfast
✈️ Direct flights from Heathrow
🧳 23kg checked baggage
🚄 High-speed rail Rome to Naples (Premier Class)
🚖 Private transfers throughout
🌿 Amalfi Coast small-group tour from Sorrento including lunch with wine

💳 Deposit £150 per person

Mandatory local taxes payable on arrival:
Rome €45 per room | Sant’Agnello €40 per room (approx. £75 total).

Total package price including estimated local taxes: £4,200 based on 2 adults sharing.
Price correct at time of posting and subject to availability at time of booking.

Sold by Travel Lyn Style
Package organised by Merlin Travel Group Ltd – ATOL 11770

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Travel Lyn Style

2 months ago

There’s something about the Mediterranean that gently slows the day down.

Morning often begins with the sea still calm and clear, when the light is soft and the water inviting enough for an early swim. Later, villages begin to stir as small cafés open their shutters and market stalls fill with fruit, olives and freshly baked bread.

By midday the real pleasure begins. Lunch by the water is rarely hurried, and it's not unusual for a simple meal to stretch comfortably through the afternoon while the heat settles over the harbour.

As evening approaches, the light softens again and the waterfront slowly fills with life. Boats return, tables are set for dinner, and the sea turns that familiar deep shade of blue and gold that seems unique to the Mediterranean.

It's not a day filled with plans or schedules. It's simply a day enjoyed at its own pace.

Where in the Mediterranean would you like to spend a day like this?

#MediterraneanTravel #SlowTravel #TravelLynStyle ... See MoreSee Less

Travel Lyn Style

2 months ago

On the eastern coast of Corfu, the hills fall gently towards the Ionian Sea, where olive groves and slender cypress trees frame some of the island’s most beautiful views. Across the water, the mountains of mainland Greece rise softly on the horizon, giving this side of the island a calm, almost timeless atmosphere.

Set on a peaceful hillside above Kommeno Bay, the 5★ Grecotel Eva Palace enjoys sweeping views across the sea. Terraced gardens step down the hillside, leading towards a private beach below, while the scent of pine and olive drifts through the warm summer air. It is the kind of place where mornings begin slowly and the horizon seems to stretch endlessly beyond the bay.

Days might begin with breakfast overlooking the water before exploring Corfu’s UNESCO-listed Old Town where Venetian architecture, narrow streets and shaded squares reveal centuries of history. Later in the afternoon, the island settles into its gentler rhythm: a swim in the warm Ionian Sea, a quiet moment on a shaded terrace, or simply watching small boats cross the bay.

Evenings return to the calm of the hotel, where dinner is served with wide sea views and the last light of the day softens across the coastline. As dusk settles over the Ionian, the atmosphere becomes wonderfully peaceful — the sort of Mediterranean evening that makes time feel less hurried.

📅 Travel date: 15 July 2026
🌙 7 nights half board
🏨 5★ Grecotel Eva Palace – Bungalow Garden View

💷 £1,999 per person
👫 Based on 2 adults sharing

✈️ Direct flights from London Gatwick
🧳 23kg checked baggage
🚖 Private return airport transfers

Mandatory local charge payable locally:
💶 Greece Climate Crisis Resilience / Tourism Tax €15 per room per night (approx £42pp for 7 nights). Exchange rates and local taxes may change.

Total package price including local tourism tax: £3,998

Price correct at time of posting and subject to availability at time of booking.

Sold by Travel Lyn Style
Package organised by Merlin Travel Group Ltd – ATOL 11770

If Corfu is calling this summer, tell me your preferred airport and I’ll check the best options for you.

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Travel Lyn Style

2 months ago

🌲 Canada, The Rockies, Alaska & Seattle 🚢

Some journeys are about moving slowly through extraordinary landscapes.

Begin in Calgary before heading into the Canadian Rockies, where Banff sits beneath dramatic mountain peaks and turquoise glacial lakes. From here, board the legendary Rocky Mountaineer and travel through forests, rivers and mountain passes towards the Pacific coast.

After a night in Kamloops and time in Vancouver, continue north aboard Brilliant Lady. Sail through Alaska’s Inside Passage, visiting historic gold-rush towns and remote coastal communities, and cruising close to the immense Hubbard Glacier.

The journey finishes in Seattle, a relaxed waterfront city overlooking Puget Sound.

📅 Departure: 5th May 2027
🕒 18 nights
💷 £4,599 per person - Based on two adults sharing.

Your journey includes:

✈️ Flights from Heathrow
🏨 2 nights Calgary – Sandman Signature Calgary Downtown Hotel (3*) room only
🚐 Transfer Calgary to Banff
🏨 2 nights Banff – Banff Ptarmigan Inn (3*) room only
🚆 Rocky Mountaineer Banff to Vancouver – SilverLeaf Service with overnight Kamloops
🏨 1 night Vancouver – Sutton Place Hotel (4*) room only
🚢 9-night Alaska cruise on Brilliant Lady – full board, inside cabin
📍 Vancouver, Inside Passage, Juneau, Skagway, Hubbard Glacier, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan & Seattle
🏨 3 nights Seattle – Coast Seattle Downtown Hotel (3*) room only

Cabin upgrades available:
Sea View Cabin £250 per person
Sea Terrace Cabin £600 per person

Prices correct at time of posting and subject to availability. We have not been made aware of local taxes at the listed accommodations at time of creation. Cruise fare based on “Lock It In” rate (non-amendable/non-refundable). Port taxes included. Gratuities not included.

Sold by Travel Lyn Style
Package organised by Merlin Travel Group Ltd – ATOL 11770

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Travel Lyn Style

2 months ago

When people talk about travel, the focus is often on cities, landmarks and things to see.

But some of the most memorable journeys happen in places where there’s almost nothing at all, just wide-open spaces.

A savannah where the horizon stretches endlessly.
A river winding quietly through an immense canyon.
Hot air balloons drifting above a landscape shaped by wind and time.
Or the stillness of an Arctic sky illuminated by the northern lights.

Different landscapes, the same feeling of space.

Places like these have a way of slowing everything down. The landscape quietly sets the pace, and you simply follow it.

Some landscapes stay with you long after you leave.

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Travel Lyn Style

2 months ago

Some journeys stay with you long after you return home. Tanzania is one of those places.

Safari days begin early as the plains slowly wake. In the soft morning light the landscape seems endless, and wildlife moves quietly through the grass while your guide follows the rhythm of the land rather than a schedule. It is a way of travelling that encourages patience and observation, watching the savannah reveal itself hour by hour.

This journey explores several of northern Tanzania’s most remarkable regions. Tarangire’s baobab-dotted landscape and elephant herds set the scene before the adventure continues to the legendary Serengeti plains and the wildlife-rich Ndutu area. One of the highlights is visiting the Ngorongoro Crater, a vast volcanic caldera often described as one of the most extraordinary wildlife environments in Africa.

After the golden light and wide horizons of safari, the journey continues to Zanzibar. Warm Indian Ocean water, palm-lined beaches and slower island days provide the perfect contrast to the adventure of the mainland.

This itinerary suits travellers who have always dreamed of an African safari but prefer to explore a few exceptional parks at a comfortable pace, finishing beside the ocean to unwind.

If you can picture yourself here, let’s start the conversation.

#AfricanSafari
#IndianOceanEscape
#TravelLynStyle

Pricing & Travel Details

From £3,229pp (£6,458 total for 2 adults)

👥 Based on 2 adults sharing
📅 Departure 5 September 2026
✈️ Flights from London Heathrow or Gatwick
🕒 Duration 10 nights

🏨 Accommodation & Board
🛏 Arusha – 1 night B&B
🛏 Tarangire – 2 nights full board
🛏 Serengeti – 1 night full board
🛏 Ndutu – 1 night full board
🛏 Zanzibar – 5 nights all inclusive

🦓 Includes luggage, private transfers, guides, park fees & game vehicles

💷 Deposit £650pp

⚠ Mandatory extras
🌴 Zanzibar tourist tax approx £27pp payable locally
🛡 Tanzania visitor insurance approx £35pp pre-travel

Sold by Travel Lyn Style
Package organised by Merlin Travel Group Ltd – ATOL 11770

Price correct at time of posting and subject to availability. ... See MoreSee Less

Travel Lyn Style

2 months ago

China Great Wall and Warriors Tour with Hong Kong
Departure 15th June 2026

Imagine the quiet as you step onto the Great Wall early in the morning. The hills roll away in every direction and the stone beneath your feet has carried centuries of footsteps.

Later, you walk through the vast courtyards of the Forbidden City, red walls and carved marble glowing in the light, trying to picture the lives that once unfolded behind those gates.

In Xi’an, you stand face to face with the Terracotta Warriors. Thousands of expressions. Thousands of stories. None of them replicas. All exactly where they were discovered.

And then the rhythm shifts.

Hong Kong brings harbour views at sunset, incense drifting through temple courtyards, the hum of markets in Kowloon and a skyline that feels entirely modern.

This journey is private throughout mainland China, so you are not following a group from site to site. You have time to look properly. To ask questions. To absorb it.

With British passport holders not currently requiring a visa, China feels far more accessible than it has in recent years.

If you have ever wondered what it would feel like to see it for yourself, this is a beautifully balanced first introduction.

Comment CHINA or send me CHINA with your nearest airport and I will share the full details.

#CulturalTravel #China #PrivateTour #TravelLynStyle ... See MoreSee Less

Travel Lyn Style

3 months ago

There’s a difference between looking at a place and actually being there.

Over the years I have seen countless photographs of extraordinary places around the world. We all have. They become familiar to us long before we ever arrive. We recognise the angles, the colours, the skyline. We feel as though we know them.

And then you stand there.

The scale is different. The light shifts across the stone in ways a camera never quite captures. The air feels different. The sounds are different. The history feels less like something you read about and more like something you are momentarily part of.

Some journeys are about rest and escape. Others quietly change your perspective. They remind you how long the world has been turning and how many lives have passed through the same space before you.

I believe that those are the trips that stay with us longest.

Which place in the world do you truly want to stand in front of one day?

#CulturalTravel #IconicLandmarks #TravelInspiration #TravelLynStyle ... See MoreSee Less