Africa

I've just come home from three weeks in Africa - most of the time was spent travelling along the coast of west Africa and I had a few days in South Africa on a game reserve to finish off the trip. I'll post links to future features.

While I was away my feature about an Inuit cruise was published in Wanderlust magazine (on sale now, page 56!) and my feature about a cruise in Tahiti was also published.

Next week I'm off to the Caribbean, Cuba and Mexico... back Christmas Eve!

Sicily and Ottawa

I've actually been in the UK for a few weeks (shock horror!). I did a lovely food cruise around Bute and Loch Fyne (mmmm seafood) with Majestic Line and have been writing a travel guide to my hometown of Bath for Simonseeks.

Recently I've had a feature published about Ottawa in the Independent on Sunday and one about a cruise around Sicily in the Mail on Sunday: check them out.

Off to Africa in November!

Cambridge

Check out my feature about Cambridge here

Hello stranger

Ah my poor neglected little blog, I'm sorry. It's been a really busy few months... I spent a fantastic two weeks in Arctic Canada with Cruise North (stories in the Mail on Sunday and Wanderlust soon) and have just got back from three weeks away with Voyages to Discovery on a Grand Voyage to Norway, Faroes, Iceland and Greenland.

Tomorrow I'm off to Europe to do a cruise down the Rhine so this is just a short post to update everyone. I've added features to my portfolio from the new issue of Cruise International, Conference & Incentive Travel magazine and the Mail on Sunday.

The plan was to revamp my website and blog in October, but I'm going to be writing a travel guide to Bath for www.simonseeks.com so that may be put on hold... watch this space!

G'day mate

I'm home from three brilliant weeks in Oz - mainly in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Highlights were; camping amongst the crocodiles and waterfalls in Kakadu National Park; cruising along the Kimberly coast and stopping at Aboriginal rock art sites, reefs, gorges and horizontal waterfalls; and learning all about the pearling history of beautiful Broome.

While I was away my features about Silversea Silver Spirit and about cruising down the Mekong were published in the Mail on Sunday (see link in portfolio) and also my feature about breadmaking at Eckington Manor was published in BBC Countryfile magazine.

Next Sunday I'm off to Arctic Canada with Cruise North!

Star Clippers, Voyages to Antiquity

Howdy, it's been a busy few weeks for me!I've just got back from a mini-break cruise around the French Riviera with Star Clippers on a four-masted tallship and am off to Italy tomorrow on new cruise line Voyages to Antiquity's cultural cruise to Sicily. I'll post links when the features appear later this year in the Mail on Sunday.

Tahiti and beyond...

So I battled the ash cloud to make it to Paris for my flight to Tahiti last week and enjoyed a lovely week onboard the Paul Gauguin, visiting Bora Bora and other beautiful Polynesian islands for a Mail on Sunday feature that will be appearing later this year.

This weekend I spent the night onboard Silversea's new ship Silver Spirit and my review will also be appearing in the Mail on Sunday soon.

Look out for my interview with Jilly Goolden and a feature about cruise and stay packages in the new issue of Cruise International magazine, out soon. 

Where have I been?

I've just got back from a river cruise in Holland and Belgium with Avalon Waterways and thought I should update my blog. I'm working on a new website, which I am hoping to launch soon - but I'm away so much it's been delayed!

My review of the cruise ship MSC Magnifica was in this week's Mail on Sunday and you can also read my features about Six of the Best Libraries in this issue of the Sunday Times Travel Magazine and find out my Top 10 luxury cruise destinations in Cruise International magazine. My feature about celebrity chefs is also in the April/May issue of Cruise International.

Goooood morrrrnnnning Vieeeeeetnammmm (and Cambodia)

I've just got back from a fantastic cruise down the Mekong visiting Cambodia and Vietnam! There will be features about the trip going in the Mail on Sunday and Cruise International magazine – and look out for picture slideshows and videos from the trip on my updated website, which will be launching in April  at www.amywatkins.com.

Pick me up....at the newsagent

Well, not me exactly. Unless you're in WH Smith's in Bath giving away free chocolate.

But you can see some of my work at the newsagent right now in...

Wanderlust (Feb issue): p10 Seven free things to do in Vancouver

Cruise International (Feb/March issue): p25 Tenerife: Island of contrasts (destination guide)
p28 Hidden Treasure of Madeira (destination guide)
p31 Jewels of the Adriatic (review of Saga cruise around Croatia)
p41 Prices to suit every pocket (eight page guide to cruises for various budgets)
p80 Bars on board (four page round-up of best bars at sea)

Gary Rhodes in Italy

I joined Gary Rhodes for a week in Italy last year - find out more here about his month long trip around the country meeting local producers and sampling local food.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

Well, 2010 is already shaping up to be an exciting year for me ... at the end of the month I'm going on a trip down the Mekong; starting in Cambodia and ending in Vietnam.

This spring I'm heading to Holland to go on a tulip-spotting cruise and in the summer I'm going on a big adventure to Norway, Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland.

My New Year's resolution (ahem) is to expand this blog from a news reel and online portfolio to include observations and information about places I've visited. Hope you enjoy!