I’m not saying that Annie and Paul shouldn’t be allowed to leave the country without my guidance... but I think they might be the first to agree!
Having successfully returned from their last trip to French Polynesia, they felt ready to tackle a new challenge; a multi-centred western Canada itinerary to include bears, whales, the Rocky Mountaineer, glaciers, fine dining, New York City, and a leisurely return to the UK by way of luxury liner.
I am pleased to report it was a resounding success...
Having used Jo’s services for the last couple of years, we knew that we were in trusted and capable hands when it came to expertly piecing together a special trip, with the added value that she always manages to create.
Our brief: Canada’s Rockies and West Coast, New York City, and back to the UK on a prestigious ship. Planes, trains, automobiles, AND boats, in just over three weeks.
Over to Jo, who having listened intently to our wishes, went away and built us a tailor-made itinerary to suit our preferences.
I was a little nervous after recent leg surgery, but Jo thought of everything, ensuring all of our accommodations were accessible, which was a huge relief and made things so much easier.
We started in Vancouver and were blown away by the relaxed vibe of the city - what a thrill to ride electric cycles around Stanley Park on a bright and fresh day. I can’t recommend that highly enough.
On to Vancouver Island and Canadian nature at its finest - the bears, whales and sea otters made for wonderful sightseeing, and Tofino was wonderful, particularly the excellent Long Beach Lodge boutique hotel that Jo had sourced, where we could pretty much dip our toes in the rolling ocean from our lovely room.
Back to Vancouver by boat to catch the spectacular Rocky Mountaineer train across the Rockies to Jasper in Alberta.
The ride and service were everything we had hoped for - what a gorgeous way to travel across such a special landscape.
Jo had seamlessly arranged our car collection in Jasper and a fantastic onward exploration journey to Lake Louise.
En route, one of our trip highlights was when we visited the Miette Hot Springs nestled amongst the snowcapped mountains on yet another brilliant blue-sky day (not convinced Jo hadn’t arranged that too!)
When we arrived at the Fairmont Lake Louise to our ‘Lakeview‘ room, it felt like Jo had been ahead with a tape measure to guarantee that our view was smack bang on point - it was exquisite, like looking at a perfectly hung work of masterful art.
We spent three nights in beautiful Banff, such a magnificent place that we are already considering going back, before returning on the train to Vancouver and leaving Canadian shores by plane for the Big Apple.
The New York Marriott Marquis was located perfectly for our Broadway theatre experience and taking in the sights and sounds of New York City to a backdrop of yet more magical weather - which was an unexpected yet much-appreciated bonus.
Our return journey to the UK was by ship - not just any old one - but in style aboard the iconic Queen Mary 2 for a memorable seven-night cruise to cap off an awesome adventure.
Any family, friends or associates reading this could be forgiven for not believing that we actually managed to be in each place at precisely the right day and time, but it is a testament to Jo’s organisational prowess and the superb idiot-proof list of travel instructions and information that she had armed us with.
She really did manage to take any stress away and saved us precious time - we cannot recommend her services highly enough.
We co-travelled with friends who had opted to use a different advisor and at every turn they were pig sick, wishing they too had booked with Jo, frequently “oohing” and “aahing” each time they saw our locations and modes of transport.
Thanks, Jo, for a totally amazing adventure.
