Routes of Happiness

21/09/2026

Your holiday should feel like yours.

Not Uncle Fred's sister's cousin (twice removed)'s neighbour's best friend's holiday or that person that recommended somewhere 'cheap' on a group chat.

This Monday, here is your reminder that the best holidays are not always the ones everyone else is booking.

They are the ones that fit you — your interests, your pace, your budget, your travel style and the memories you want to come home with.

At Routes of Happiness, travel is personal. It might be a safari, a city break, a walking holiday, a beach escape, a family adventure, a historical wander or simply somewhere beautiful to breathe out for a while.

My job is to listen, ask the right questions and help create a trip that feels considered, exciting and genuinely yours.

Where would you love to go next?

Send me your travel wish list and let’s find your route of happiness.

19/09/2026

18/09/2026

Rounding off the Routes of Happiness Cruise Week with another favourite of ours: the cruise-and-tour combination.

Operators have built entire itineraries around pairing a cruise leg — think the Yangtze, Halong Bay, or the Mekong — with escorted touring on land either side. You get the best of both: the ease and scenery of a cruise, plus the deeper cultural access and local guiding that a fully escorted tour gives you.

Curious whether a cruise-and-tour combination suits your travel style? Let's chat. 🌏

17/09/2026

Cruise Week continues with the polar opposite (excuse the pun!) of a relaxed river drift - its all about expedition cruising.

Think small ships (often under 200 passengers), Zodiac landings, and itineraries built around wildlife and wild places rather than ports and shopping.

Antarctica, the Arctic, the Galapagos, remote corners of the sub-Antarctic islands. These are trips for people who want to get off the ship as much as be on it!

It's not a cruise in the traditional sense at all — it's an expedition with a very comfortable base to come home to each evening.

Is an expedition cruise on your bucket list? We'd love to help you plan one. 🐧🧊

16/09/2026

Cruise Week takes a turn closer to home for us: its all about African river cruises ✨

Two very different experiences here.

On the Zambezi, it's all about wildlife from the water — sundowner cruises past elephants drinking at the bank, houseboats near Victoria Falls, and that unmistakable golden-hour light over Zambia and Zimbabwe.

On the Nile, it's history rather than wildlife: gliding between Luxor and Aswan past temples that have stood for thousands of years, with the option to step ashore into Karnak or the Valley of the Kings.

This is the corner of Africa that we think doesn't get nearly enough attention compared to Europe's rivers.

Zambezi or Nile — which would you choose first? Let's talk about it. 🐘🏛️

15/09/2026

It's Cruise Week on Routes of Happiness , and we're kicking off with one of our favourite ways to see a destination slowly: river cruising.

No packing and unpacking every two nights, no rushed transfers — just gentle days drifting past vineyards, castles and old towns, with your cabin moving with you.

Rivers like the Rhine, Danube and Douro are made for this kind of travel: close enough to shore that you never miss the view, small enough that you actually get to know your fellow passengers.

If you've been picturing a cruise but the idea of a 3,000-passenger ship isn't for you, a river cruise might be exactly the middle ground you're after.

Thinking about a river cruise for next year?

Send us a message and let's talk through the options. 🛳️

14/09/2026

Some love stories begin with a grand gesture. My parents’ story in began at sea.

In the early 1970s, my mother boarded the RMS Edinburgh Castle (part of the Union Castle lines) for a 2-day cruise from Port Elizabeth to Durban along the South African east coast — a 21st birthday gift from her parents.

Somewhere between the ocean breeze, polished decks, and the magic of life onboard, my father appeared in his role as a ship’s steward and representative, entrusted with presenting her with a birthday gift.

What started as a simple birthday moment became the first chapter of a lifetime together.

It is incredible to think that one voyage, one celebration, and one thoughtful presentation could change the course of 2 people’s lives forever.

Here’s to the romance of travel, the stories ships carry, and the beautiful reminder that sometimes the greatest journeys are the ones that bring people together. ✨



Photo credit: State Library of Queensland / Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain.

11/09/2026

Exciting news — I’m holding my first Travel Advisory & Planning Clinic today! 🌍✈️

I’ll be at Caffè Nero in Hexham from 8.30am to 10.30am today (Friday 11 Sept) , so do pop in if you’d like to chat about travel ideas, planning, destinations, itineraries, or your next adventure.

You can also try Caffè Nero’s new Costa Rican coffee blend while we talk travel — including Costa Rica, of course, and other beautiful countries famous for coffee! ☕🌿
Come along, grab a coffee, and let’s talk travel.

06/09/2026

Big news from Routes of Happiness! 🎉

We've refreshed our website to make it easier than ever to explore the blog, gather travel inspiration, and....now book a free travel planning consultation with us, all in one place!

Tap the **Book Now** button right here on our page to book a consultation , or come take a look at the newly updated site:✨https://routesofhappiness.com

Still smells like fresh paint 😂

Let us know what you think! Comment below 👇