Travel & Trips Blog

One of our favourite walks in Singapore is Labrador Park. One route goes through forest at the top of the coastline - past historic guns and battlesigns from the Japanese occupation. A second route goes through mangroves via a boardwalk - and both end at the seafront. Here are some pics, from just one of many trips along this route.

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I have written before (I think) about Singapore positioning itself as a "garden city" with a stated aim of all residents living no more than 20 minutes from a park. As a result, there are neighbourhood parks in every region of Singapore, all very different to one another. Ang Mo Kio / Bishan are large residential estates, and this is the park that connects them.

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Every summer has to have some shows - it's what Shanhong lives for! So, we were back in London - not for long, but long enough to see a few musicals. All the details are in the shows blog.

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Carisbrooke Castle is a great fortress which began life as an Anglo-Saxon earthwork defence against Viking raids. The Normans raised the shell keep on its towering mound, which you can climb up for amazing views. The castle’s most famous resident was Charles I, who was imprisoned here after his Civil War defeat. You’ll find Charles I memorabilia and changing exhibitions in the Carisbrooke Castle Museum.

Later, Princess Beatrice, Queen Victoria’s daughter, made Carisbrooke Castle her summer home. Admire the award-winning Edwardian-style Princess Beatrice Garden, inspired by the princess. The castle’s best-known modern residents are the much-loved Carisbrooke donkeys. They still demonstrate the treadwheel, which once raised water from the castle well.

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The house and estate created by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at Osborne are unrivalled for the intimate insight they give us into their private lives. This seaside retreat from court life gave them the chance to indulge their interests and express their tastes. It is truly their creation, from the replica Swiss Cottage where their children learned housekeeping to the extraordinary Durbar Room, a tribute to the queen’s love of India.

Victoria and Albert bought the Osborne estate in 1845 and built a new mansion here as an escape from court life in London and Windsor, spending time here every year and celebrating events such as birthdays at Osborne House. Visitors can now visit both the private rooms, and wider gardens and estate.

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Shanklin is a traditional seaside town located on the south-east coast of the Isle of Wight. Nestled in the bay between Sandown and Ventnor, Shanklin regularly tops the charts for the number of sunshine hours. It's a very pretty 'village' with a coastal path, beautiful beach, and a great little theatre where we saw a summer production.

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The Wildheart Animal Sanctuary https://wildheartanimalsanctuary.org/ aims to give safe and loving forever homes to rescued big cats and other animals. These creatures have been abused in circuses and the pet trade all over the world. It's a lovely day out to wander around the grounds, meeting different animals at every turn, and with the glorious coast as the backdrop!

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The Isle of Wight is a relatively small island of the south coast of England, within the English Channel, approximately 3-5 miles from the mainland. The Isle of Wight has a land area of 380 km² (150 sq mi) and had a population of 140,794 in 2022, making it the largest and second-most populous English island. The island is largely rural, with the largest settlements primarily on the coast. These include Ryde in the north-east, Shanklin in the south-east and Freshwater in the west. The island enjoys a mild climate and beautiful coastal scenery and hosts a number of world-class sailing events.

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Today we headed out to the Royal Sandringham Estate, the much-loved country retreat of Their Majesties, King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The estate includes an organic farm, sawmill, residential and commercial properties, local parishes and communities nestled in the heart of The Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It's a big place - but makes for a nice day out! Afterwards, we called in at an owl rescue centre to see some of their birds.

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We had a day in Colchester to meet up with a friend - an ex head of school and my best man at my wedding! A chance to see Colchester castle, on a day that the troops were marching, and to take in a show. Of course, Shanhong found some ducks - so that was her highlight of the day!

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