Throughout my travel career, I have always loved to hear from tour operators that develop authentic new products and destinations and bring them to market. As a former product and marketing guy myself, I know the value, however subtle, of differentiating yourselves from the competition.
It was therefore great to learn this week, that with unique dedicated flight departures from five UK regional airports, the little-known resort of Lake Jerisjarvi deep within the Pallas-Yllas National Park in Finnish Lapland is now, for the first time, available with Lapland specialist Transun Travel.
A Winter Wonderland
Arriving at Enontekio airport for a 3 or a 4-night stay, you will have just a 75-minute transfer to a resort which is that magical winter wonderland of frozen landscapes, forests bowing under the weight of the snow, the mesmerizing peace, tranquillity and beauty of the white and the indigeneous Sami people who populate the region alongside of course, the reindeer.
Family Size Accommodation
The accommodation you will stay in will be a choice of traditionally built timber cabins with perhaps the biggest attraction being that they are ideal for families.
These “Jeris Cabins” will accommodate from 3 to 7 people depending on the size of your family.
Each enjoys a private sauna, a log burner, an en suite shower room and a drying cupboard for your snow suits and boots which you will have collected on arrival for the duration of your stay.
Jeris Cabins, Lapland, Transun TravelJeris Cabins, Lapland, Transun Travel Blog
Full Board Finnish Style
Meals are taken on a full board basis at the accommodations hotel which is a 15-minute walk (a shuttle is at times available) from the cabins although on one evening you will be treated to dinner at a traditional lakeside restaurant.
Activities & Excursions
Transun Travel has developed a range of fabulous activities and excursions for families titled “Sleigh Bells Ringing”.
This package includes a Husky Sled Safari, a Snowmobile Safari, a Reindeer Camp Visit, a Family Meeting with Santa, Snow Fun (including ice fishing, snowshoeing and tobogganing) and a Cooking Baking & Crafts experience.
If that isn’t enough then there is always the option to add some additional experiences.
So there you have it – unique departures, a magical location, fabulous family accommodation, a range of incredible activities and experiences and above all, a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you and your family will talk about and cherish for the rest of your lives.
I would say that is priceless!
Contact Information
For more information or to book please contact your local travel agent or Transun Travel.
Flights are available from Birmingham, London Gatwick, Manchester, Leeds Bradford, and Bristol.
Transun Travel also offer trips to see the Northern Lights from Sweden‘s Lapland and a choice of other Arctic experiences.
As a huge fan of the Med and in particular the smaller, less commercialized islands such as Porto Santo, Corsica and Gozo, I have had the Canary Island of La Gomera in my line of sight for some time.
It was probably 15 years ago that the tour operator that I then worked for started to sell the principal hotel on the island – the Hotel Jardin Tecina. I remember the hotel’s sales team coming over to visit our offices and make a presentation.
From those distant days, I have always had a desire to visit and enjoy the property’s superb facilities and sensational golf course not to mention get the chance to discover the island’s nature and some rather unique traditions.
Then just a couple of years ago when I was considering some options for a week’s break to recharge and unwind I once again considered the Jardin Tecina however it was just my bad luck that this time my dates coincided with the hotel being closed for some renovations.
I feel it may be third time lucky very soon as it is still very much on my wish list and a post-pandemic dash may be on the cards particularly now my appetite has been whetted once again by my good friend Lawrence Peachey who, out of the blue, sent me the following blog on the beautiful and somewhat mysterious island of La Gomera.
A Perception Changed
Seven years ago I had never visited the Spanish Canary Islands. It was not on my radar, I was not a beach person and I avoided what I considered to be holiday destinations. A visit to La Gomera changed that perception.ย ย
Just a 45-minute fast Fred Olsen ferry crossing takes you from the bustle of Tenerife to the tranquillity and spectacular scenery of San Sebastiรกn de la Gomera. On route make sure you look out for dolphins and whales from the ferry or take a boat trip out to see them swimming in the Atlantic.
La Gomera, a biosphere, is a small volcanic island of 378 km2 with a population of around 23,000 inhabitants and boasts the ideal all-year-round destination with an average temperature of 23ยฐ.
Stunning Landscapes & Tranquility
The capital of San Sebastiรกn de la Gomera reflects the island’s Maritime history and it was from here that Columbus made his last land stop before heading off to discover the New World. La Torre del Conde (The Countโs Tower) is a medieval military fort and the oldest building in La Gomera. The volcanic rock and sand beach at La Cueva is sheltered by an artificial reef that calms the sea. Look for the Olympic Torch which visited the island on its way to Mexico City in 1968.ย
One of the first things you notice is the long and windy roads that meander across the dramatic landscape. This offers many spectacular views of the picturesque towns, deep ravines, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Garajonay National Park.ย
The many signposted Miradors all offer great photographic opportunities. The Mirador de Vallehermoso and the Mirador de Igualero, particularly, provide spectacular views.
Sea & Volcano View
The best views of Mt. Teide on the island of Tenerife are also to be found in La Gomera.ย If you are fortunate to get a low cloud day it offers the opportunity for some unforgettable views and photographs.
The Mirador Morro de Agando on a clear day offers Mt. Teide in the background, great views of Garajonay on one side and the other the Benhijigua reserve and the Los Roques Natural Monument. Some very good walks are signposted around the area.
Activities Galore
The island is a walkersโ paradise with over 40 walks and 600km of paths chartering different terrains and differing degrees of difficulty. Discover Laurisilva forests, by way of its vast palm groves, to the impressive ravines and cliffs overlooking the sea. A network of paths covers the whole island and lets you explore its most extraordinary spots, especially the Parque Nacional de Garajonay (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) a leafy mass of prehistoric vegetation.ย Wear warm clothes as the forest has a varying range of temperatures.
The island’s walking trails vary from easy, mainly flat walking to the harder terrain of goat herdersโ tracks. Walking the ravines or ancient paths that link tiny villages offers dramatic landscapes and ocean panoramas. You can see why there was a need to create their whistling language to communicate across these impressive gorges. This language โSilbo Gomeraโ was declared by UNESCO in 2009 as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This landscape, more than any other factor, helped to cultivate the island’s history and culture.
Cyclists can enjoy the rugged terrain and many cycle paths. There is a combination of road cycling and dirt road cycling. Some of the routes are not ideal for anyone who suffers from vertigo! For cyclists remember that there are limited flat surfaces on the island so most of your cycling will be up or down hills.
Bird Watchers and horticulturists are also in for a treat on the island. Bolleโs and Laurel Pigeons, Corey Shearwater are to be found. The Hotel Jardรญn Tecina has over 50 plants that are not native to the island and is also home to the award-winning Eco Finca Tecina – a 100% organic garden.
Exploring Local Life
Hiring a car allows you to explore the whole island. Valle Gran Rey has lots of nooks and crannies to explore. The tiny hamlets, the villages like Vallehermoso, and towns like San Sebastian de la Gomera offer picturesque exploration. Check for local festivals, experience the dance of the drum, or visit Los Chorros De Epina and benefit from good fortune and love. The Shepherdโs leap is a traditional way to move between the rocks and steep terrain (not one to be tried by the amateur).
I like the secluded black sand beaches, the craft shops, and the many bars and restaurants serving local delicacies. Whilst tourism is the main business of the island it is not mass tourism. In every bar or restaurant, you will find local people and a place not just full of tourists. This lack of mass tourism, the rugged, unspoiled landscape, and the mild climate are some of the major reasons why the island is perfect for holidays.
Talking about food and drink there are lots of great restaurants that serve fish caught that morning along with locally grown fruit and vegetables. Sample El Almogrote or some of the other Gomeran cheeses or the local palm honey. Try the restaurant at Mirador de Abrante for great views, excellent food, and at certain times an explanation of Silbo Gomero (the local whistling language).
From Simple Homes to Golfing Resorts
The island has a few hotels, apartments, and houses. If you want a holiday with sporting facilities, a spa, a golf course, good food, and bars then stay in Playa de Santiago. The Hotel Jardรญn Tecina has the only golf course on the island along with tennis, squash courts, swimming pools, a banana plantation, and easy access to a couple of beautiful beaches.ย
The golf course was designed by Donald Steel and was the host of the 2015 European Challenge Tour. The par 71 โ 18 hole course offers stunning views of Mt. Teide and offers the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean. The hotel’s Eco Finca Tecina, is an organic garden that supplies fruit and vegetables to the hotel.
Relax & Recharge
The island has something for everyone (unless your holidays are all about designer shopping). I use my time there to recharge with a little walking, checking out the great views, practicing my Spanish, and swimming in the sea. I usually stay at the Hotel Jardรญn Tecina and enjoy their many facilities.
With five swimming pools, there is always the opportunity for a swim. The Ahemon Spa offers delightful views of the Atlantic Ocean, Tenerife, and the hotel banana plantation. It is also a great place to enjoy a cocktail whilst sunbathing or sampling the many heated pools and jets of refreshing water. The table tennis tables are frequently visited as on occasion are the Tennis Courts. The 19th hole of the Golf Course is visited on a lazy stroll to the beach and a perfect midway point to recuperate from any strenuous walking. Breakfast on the terrace looking out over Playa de Santiago whilst eating fresh papaya is an ideal way to start the day!
Contact Information
My thanks to Lawrence Peachey for his blog on the beautiful island of La Gomera.
A trip to La Gomera can be booked via your local Travel Agent, Travel Homeworker, or Tour Operator such as Fred Holidays, Prestige Travel, Classic Collection, Sovereign, Kuoni, or TUI.
It is a great island to combine with Tenerife or indeed with parts of mainland Spain and Southern Europe.
Spain is really where my travel life started with memorable family holidays as a kid driving from the UK down through France along the route de Soleil and into northern Spain destined for the coastal resorts of Sa Tuna and Aigua Blava on the Costa Brava.
Back in the ’70s, I was a young boy in the back seat of the family car and I vividly recall, just after crossing the France/Spain border, the sight of a giant bull silhouette that greeted us as entered Spain. This I now understand was one of the many Osborne Bulls, which in those days advertised alcohol but today with the advertising banned, it is just a symbol of Spain. They are even protected under the law.
With its sunny climate and thousands of years of history, Spain is a dream travel destination for many. Its vast landscapes and mountain ranges attract those in search of adventure. The world-famous coastline brings in sun worshippers while majestic golf courses attract golfers from all over the world.
For city breaks, few countries in Europe have so many iconic destinations that ooze culture, art, and style as much as Spain.
If the mainland is not for you, then there are the legendary Spanish islands including the Balearic Islands of Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The Canary Islands are a superb year-round destination and these include Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, El Hierro, La Graciosa and La Gomera.
One important point to remember is that all public transport in Spain is dramatically reduced on Sundays and public holidays
Spanish trains are efficient and comfortable, and nearly always run on time. The best way to travel long distances in Spain is to book the high-speed train or AVE which runs between many major cities. A train ride from Madrid to Barcelona or Seville covers about 500km in just 2hrs 40 minutes.
Buses will probably meet most of your transport needs, especially if youโre venturing away from the larger towns and cities. Many smaller villages and rural areas are only accessible by bus, almost always originating in the capital of their province.
Spain has an extensive system of highways, both free and with tolls and driving is easy and enjoyable. Car Rental is available at airports, train stations, and in major cities at prices reasonable.
Bike rental is popular in major cities and rental is common. Outside towns and cities, cycling is a great way to see parts of the country although bear in mind that Spain is one of the most mountainous countries in Europe and at times can be searingly hot.
Anyone heading from the Spanish mainland to the Balearic Islands will probably do so by ferry or catamaran express ferry (from Alicante, Barcelona, Dรฉnia or Valencia. There is also an extensive network of internal Spanish flights. From the UK there are of course many regional options for mainland Spain as well as the Balearic and Canary Islands.
Top 20 Things To See & Do In Spain
Visit the historic Alhambra palace and fortress complex in Granada, known for its stunning Moorish architecture and gardens.
Explore the vibrant streets of Barcelona, home to iconic landmarks like the Sagrada Familia, Park Gรผell, and La Rambla.
Relax on the beautiful beaches of the Balearic Islands, including Mallorca, Ibiza, and Menorca, known for their crystal-clear waters and lively atmosphere.
Wander through the medieval streets of Toledo, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its multicultural heritage and historic landmarks.
Experience the fiery passion of flamenco dancing in Seville, the capital of Andalusia, and visit the ornate Alcรกzar palace.
Discover the ancient city of Cรณrdoba, home to the magnificent Mosque-Cathedral, a stunning example of Moorish architecture.
Take a culinary tour of San Sebastiรกn, known for its world-class cuisine and pintxos bars serving delicious Basque tapas.
Hike the Camino de Santiago, a historic pilgrimage route that crosses northern Spain and culminates at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
Explore the surreal architecture of Antoni Gaudรญ in Barcelona, including the Casa Batllรณ and Casa Milร .
Marvel at the stunning architecture of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, designed by Frank Gehry and housing a world-class collection of contemporary art.
Sample authentic paella in Valencia, the birthplace of this iconic Spanish dish, and explore the City of Arts and Sciences.
Discover the rich history of Madrid, Spain’s capital city, with visits to the Royal Palace, Prado Museum, and Retiro Park.
Relax on the sun-drenched beaches of the Costa del Sol, including popular destinations like Marbella and Malaga.
Explore the ancient Roman ruins of Tarragona, including an amphitheatre overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
Visit the stunning Alcazar of Segovia, a medieval fortress that inspired the design of the Disney castle.
Experience the vibrant culture of Andalusia in the charming city of Mรกlaga, the birthplace of Pablo Picasso.
Discover the UNESCO-listed city of Cuenca, known for its dramatic cliffside houses and hanging houses.
All of Canada but in this case, the Canadian city of Vancouver holds very special memories for me. It was back in 1986 when I attended the Christmas party of the little domestic airline, Air UK and I won the raffle. It’s the only time even to this day that I have ever won a raffle – two tickets anywhere in the world on the Canadian Pacific Airlines network was quite a prize back in those days.
Six months later I and a friend headed off to Hawaii for a two-week lads tour of America’s 50th state however en route we stopped off for a couple of days in Vancouver. I always remember wandering around this stunning city all the time thinking how “Canadian” it was….. funny that, given we were in Canada. I recall the little water taxis, the cool hip bars, Granville Island, the friendly people, and maple syrup.
Thirty years later but with a fading memory of that amazing holiday I am still telling people how much I loved Vancouver and to this day I have always promised myself I would return – the lure of the nature and mountains of British Colombia is strong and I have always wanted to hire a motor home and travel about and to experience the famous Rocky Mountaineer.
Someone who has been more recently to this part of North America than me is Caroline Joyner from the Travel Counsellors. Here she shares her fabulous experiences as a guest of Tourism Vancouver.
Tourism Vancouver
Last year I was lucky enough to visit Canada as a guest of Tourism Vancouver. We packed in so many incredible sights, experiences, hotels and food it is hard to narrow them down but here are some of my top picks.
Vancouver rates as one of the worldโs top cities on just about every count. A vibrant, cosmopolitan metropolis with diverse and distinct neighbourhoods, it is framed by spectacular scenery. Mountains, forests and blue sparkling waters characterise a stay in Vancouver not to mention the incredible wildlife opportunities. ย The city is also foodie heaven – from food trucks to gourmet restaurants with every possible cuisine showcased.
Here are a few reasons to put Vancouver on your bucket list!
Stanley Park
A quintessential city sanctuary, Stanley Park offers a window to some of Vancouverโs best scenery where the mountains meet the ocean and is backed by a perfect cityscape.ย A mere 5-minute cycle into the park and you can also be deep in the temperate rainforest which fills its interior, lush evergreen forest with 150,000 trees a lake and lots of wildlife. There are 27km of trails around the park as well as an open-air swimming pool, beaches, restaurants, outdoor theatre, gardens, lakes, horse and cart rides and a miniature train.
The Vancouver totem poles which give a great introduction to Canadaโs First Nations culture should also be on your agenda. Cycling around the sea wall with a guide brought the city and its history to life for me.
Flyover Canada
Right next to the cruise ship terminal, this flight simulator 4D experience is not something I would have put at the top of my list but it is impressive. After strapping yourself into to airline-style seats, you are suspended before a 20-metre spherical screen. You then fly, feet dangling, over Canadaโs most awe-inspiring scenery and experiences.
Watch the Rocky mountaineer snake its way through the mountains, and fly over snow-capped peaks, the prairies, rainforests, dazzling cityscapes, ย and coastlines. A collective โgaspโ can be heard from the passengers as we fly over the edge of a cliff, all instinctively pulling our legs in and then we even feel the sea spray on our faces. This was no ordinary flight simulator.
Gastown Foodie Tours
I freely admit to being no foodie, but the food in Vancouver is something to behold. Named by Conde Nast as one of the worldโs top food cities, beyond the vast array of cafes and restaurants on offer there is a sort of food appreciation vibe to the streets. Speak to any local and they will gush about their favourite eating haunts. Vancouver is a huge fusion of cultures and thus it seems like almost every type of food on the planet is here in some form โ from food trucks to high-end fine dining and everything in between.
Gastown is Vancouverโs most historic neighbourhood as well as housing its most trendy dining spots. At the centre of its cobbled streets and Victorian architecture lies the famous steam clock which whistles every 15 minutes amusing the crowd which gathers there.
A foodie tour of Gastown involves a wander with a local guide who brings the areaโs history to life. Rejuvenated derelict buildings have been converted to trendy dwellings, at the same time there are some innovative homeless projects and social housing.
After dark, the lamp-lit streets take on a slightly edgier but vibrant feel. You then get to sample several restaurants, having a course in each. Donโt miss the typical Canadian foods such as Poutine (chips, cheese and gravy type mix) and Vancouver specialities such as Japanese hot dogs, sushi rolls and dim sum.
Grouse Mountain
Just a 20-minute drive from the city lies the leafy suburb of North Vancouver, where tall trees tower over every house and lakes & mountains are in every vista. Grouse Mountain, the tallest peak in the area, is home to a veritable mountaintop playground in both summer and winter months. We ascend on the Skyride Gondola to 1250m and survey the incredible views. A low mist hangs over the miles of forest stretching as far as the eye can see and the city skyline and harbour sparkles in the distance.
However there is a lot more than views at the top of this peak, hike the Grouse Grind trail or take a casual walk around the top, visit the wildlife refuge and meet the rescued bears, watch the lumberjack show, ogle the views from Observatory restaurant, take the chair lift to the peak, fly above the trees on the mountain zip lines or take in a show at the Theatre in the Sky. In winter you can ski, snowshoe snowboard, ice skate and sledge and there is also a winter lights trail.
Grouse Mountainโs resident bears Grinder and Coola are 2 orphaned grizzly bears, rescued as cubs and now living life to the full in their 5.5-acre habitat. Breakfast with the Bears involves having your breakfast in a Yurt with a viewing platform looking right over the bears stomping ground and hearing all about their history, life and different personalities whilst you watch their morning feed.
Top Tip: Get up to the top before the crowds with the Breakfast with the Bears experience. There is so much to do at the top so schedule in as much time as you can up there. Take the free shuttle from Canada Place which runs between downtown Capilano- Grouse Mountain during the summer months.
Harbour Seaplane
What better way to see Vancouverโs picturesque harbour than from the air? Bob along the water then soar above the skyline before heading over to Vancouver Island. The tops of the skyscrapers are soon replaced by miles of glistening waters, islands, inlets, forests and deliciously wild beaches.
From above you can appreciate Vancouver and Vancouver Island for its raw beauty. Seaplanes offer scenic flights as well as connecting the main hubs of the area.
Granville Island
Firstly it is not an island, secondly, it is not just for tourists as people often assume. Back in the 1900s, Granville Island was home to factories and sawmills but after regeneration, it’s now a food lovers paradise, with a famous covered market packed with fresh local produce, baked goods, local artisan crafts and a food court. Vancouverโs foodie locals shop here and it’s also now one of the important cultural districts with theatres, art galleries, and workshops. It is located south of the city in False Creek, an inlet, and as such there are also some great watersports opportunities here such as Sea Vancouver which offers the opportunity of whizzing through the Burrard inlet at 55mph in one of their jet boats.
You can reach Granville via bus, car/bike or via the cute little tug ferries (Aqua bus) which run from Yaletown every few minutes.
Top Tip: The False Creek ferry has lots of interesting stops up and down the inlet and is worth a trip in itself for the great views of downtown and the harbour.
Gourmet Cooking Class
Granville is home to some of Vancouverโs top dining spots such as Edible Canada, the Sandbar Seafood Restaurant and the Blue Hat Bistro where you can do a gourmet cooking class run by the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts (PICA). As I said, I am no foodie, and in particular not a fan of seafood at all so it was a somewhat difficult moment for me when we arrived at PICA and discovered that we would be making Moules Mariniere!
The PICA kitchens are specially set up to enable each pair to have a workstation and with some excellent demonstrations, I am proud to report I did succeed in my cookery endeavour. The bonus is that you get to eat what you have made in the beautiful setting of the Red Hat Bistro next door.
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
Not far from Grouse Mountain is perhaps Vancouverโs most popular and infamous attraction, the Capilano Suspension Bridge. The original 1880s bridge that crosses the Capilano River was made of hemp rope and cedar planks, today’s 450ft bridge is suspended using steel cables strong enough to hand a 747 on, and its dramatic canyon views are not for the faint-hearted.
The bridge is now the centrepiece of a kind of outdoor amusement park. Walk the Cliffwalk, a 300ft walkway attached to the cliffs of the canyon and suspended above the river, or take the Treetops trail for a birds-eye view of the rainforest. The Capilano park is 20 minutes from the city and can be reached by car or a free shuttle from downtown.
Top Tip: Being one of Vancouverโs most popular attractions the bridge gets crowded, head there for the opening time to get the most out of your visit.
Not Forgetting
Vancouver has 9 beaches, the best being Kitsilano and the most convenient being English Harbour.
The Vancouver Aquarium is one of the best I have been to. It is focused on sustainability and conservation and is at the forefront of plastics research.
Vancouver has many great museums, including the highly regarded Museum of Anthropology.
Vancouver Island warrants another article in itself – pristine wilderness and beaches, historical Victoria harbour, world-famous Butchart Gardens, too cool surf town Tofino, whale watching and black bear spotting. Head to one of the more rural lodges to have the best chance of seeing Grizzlies โ if your wallet allows Knights Inlet Lodge is a great splurge.
Contact Information
With thanks to Caroline Joyner from the Travel Counsellors for this blog. If you are interested in a holiday to Canada or any part of North America please get in touch with her on the details below.
On two occasions back in early 2000 I visited Bosnia & Herzegovina – once for work, to Sarajevo, and then the other for a week ski holiday over New Year to Jahorina, one of the two major ski mountain resorts over Sarajevo.
People still to this day turn their noses up when I tell them, just like they used to turn their noses up in 1999 when I said I was going to Croatia.
The Bosnian war is now over a quarter of a century ago.
There is so much I remember about Sarajevo – a city that is both uplifting but with the echos of war never far. There are so many stories of those desperate times yet somehow Sarajevo gets under your skin as a place of profound beauty and one that grabs you and gives you hope that even in the darkest of times, there is light.
On my business trip, I purposely stayed in the Holiday Inn on what was known as sniper alley. This was the hotel where the journalists reporting on the siege of the city stayed and I recall sitting in the window of my basic hotel room looking out and imagining the horror of those days when civilians, in the sights of snipers some just 200 yards away, took their lives in their own hands running from point to point to get food or to pass on messages to loved ones.
The story, above all others, that resonates with me to this day, is the one about the shelling of the National Library on August 25th and 26th 1992. In that moment over 3 million books and countless rare artefacts were destroyed. Without a doubt, a huge part of the country’s cultural identity was lost in those moments. Thankfully today that beautiful building has been restored but of course, so much was lost and with it, just memories remain.
Today we are facing our own “invisible” war with so many of us having sleepless nights as we battle the effects of Covid in our lives.
The other night I woke in the early hours and watched a powerful documentary on BBC I Player about a concert that took place in Sarajevo at the height of the Bosnian war back in 1994. It was titled “Scream For Me Sarajevo”.
It’s a remarkable story of members of the rock band Skunkworks led by Bruce Dickinson (of Iron Maiden fame). It charts the story of how the initial idea was hatched, their journey from Split in Croatia to Sarajevo under cover of darkness in the back of a truck and relives stories from the people who organised it and from several individuals who attended.
“Scream for Me Sarajevo” also follows the band’s return 20 years later where they met some of those people who, for a brief period during this bloody war, were offered hope and enabled them to see that glimmer of light in the darkness.
The music is amazing but don’t think that you need to be a heavy rock fan to appreciate it. The “Scream For Me Sarajevo” story is staggering, powerful, extremely sad, emotional and yet uplifting at the same time….I guess that kind of sums up Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina for me.
Now I know I shouldn’t as it doesn’t matter but I am someone who occasionally gets a little agitated in a social media kind of way by the use of those incredibly annoying marketing buzzwords. In 2020 many got on my socially distanced tits.
By June the term “new normal” was starting to grate. In August I was getting rattled by a swathe of “unprecedented times” and by the end of the year the number of “agile” businesses who announced they had been forced to “pivot” had forced me straight into a self-imposed lockdown.
With the BBC ludicrously deciding to welcome in the New Year in this New Normal with Alicia Keys New York it was pretty clear that whilst 2021 was always going to be new it was never going to be normal.
Just days into 2021 I needed my spirits raised and it came this week as I watched an interview on Travelmole and listened to the back story about a marketing campaign undertaken by Brighton-based brand and creative agency Designate for Visit Brighton.
Home From Home
Titled “Never Normal” it gets under the skin of Brighton and perfectly encapsulates a city that has never been normal. As the team at Designate has so expertly recognised this is exactly why it is so special. It’s not always because of its quintessential beach, the pier, the Brighton rock or the fish n chips. It’s so much about those pretty little graffiti-strewn side streets, the Bohemian ambience, the street music, the carefree fashion, its dark and dingy clubs and above all its unique and creative people who have always been so open-minded and welcoming wherever you are from and whatever your views.
Pretty much all my life I have lived within a skimming stone or two of Brighton. As lads, we jumped on the train for a Saturday night pub crawl around the North Laines and those wonderfully cool backstreet bars. In those late 80s days, we ended up at the glitzy soulless clubs like the Pink Coconut or the Event and then as we moved into the 90s and as our tastes in both venue, fashion and music changed, it was over to those darker cooler establishments like the Zap or the Gloucester.
Today wherever you travel to, you are pulled towards the well-known tourist attractions, the family entertainments to shut the kids up for an hour or the familiar restaurant names and bars to check in on Instagram in the hope of attracting half a dozen likes from people who have checked in at the same restaurant with the same ambience, eating the same food but in another corner of the country.
Attitude & Edge
The truth is Brighton has always been naughty, it always had attitude and an edge and it has never been about material things…. people tend not to brag in Brighton… unless you were Chris Eubank back in the day driving around the narrow streets in an American truck the size of a leisure centre. Then again even that was bizarre, so why the hell not?
A few times each year I head down to Brighton like I did back in those days of white socks, pencil leather ties and Depeche Mode. Back then after a handful of diamond whites, it was in the hope of catching the eye of a pretty girl that attracted me. Today it’s to savour good times, share memories with old friends and revel in the ambience of a city that should be celebrated.
Brighton is different and I love how this bold campaign has been constructed. I applaud the team at Designate for this very different approach that highlights the essence and the magic of Brighton which is something you cannot just see or touch!
The city has always been on my doorstep and has given me so many memories. This campaign has certainly inspired me to visit again and I for one can’t wait to meet, certainly not”touch base”, with friends in a buzzy little independent bar, drinking craft beer while recounting stories of old in what has always been, and always will be, the wonderfully “Never Normal” Brighton.
Contact
Designate is an independent creative agency based in Brighton in the United Kingdom and is the clever people behind the Visit Brighton Never Normal campaign.
