A thank you to Sonia, Evesham office

Reference: Alaska Holiday September 2014 Dear Sonia

This is a long overdue letter to give some feedback on the trip that you helped us to organize back in September.

I don’t quite know where to start, so I will begin with the help and guidance that you yourself gave us from the time of our initial visit.

 

As always you were helpful, patient and knowledgeable, putting our needs and requirements first, never trying to persuade us to settle for anything less than what we originally had in mind, but also helping us to be realistic too. This is one of the reasons why we always come back to Carrick when planning our holidays.

 

The company that organized our travel arrangements, planned our route and booked the hotels for us did an absolutely brilliant job. Every hotel we stayed in was spot on, from the hotel in Anchorage through to the B&B in the woods at Tok and the magnificent hotels in between. The paperwork and

itinerary was easy to follow and presented in such a way that it was easy to keep it all up together. Please pass on our thanks and the acknowledgement that their attention to detail really made our trip.

 

Alaska is the most stunningly beautiful place I have ever been to, so much so that it reduced me to tears on several occasions, for all the right reasons I hasten to add. We are already planning to go again in a couple of years to try to see some of the rest of it.

 

I had one disappointment and that was something that only nature can be held responsible for... we did not see the Northern Lights, despite several nights sitting up waiting for the 'Aurora call' that all of the hotels offer to their guests. To add insult to injury they were viewed over Broadway Tower, just 7 miles away from our home, whilst we were away.

 

Even so, nothing could have spoiled the trip of a lifetime, thank you again for the part you played in helping to make it happen.

Paul Carter

Paul

 

I have been meaning to make contact with you for ages, since our return from holiday, but "normal" life has overtaken me and time has not been my own.

My Mum was with us recently, and mentioned she had seen you, which reminded me to put fingers to keyboard.

 

I just wanted to thank you and your staff for all the help you gave us in our holiday to the USA and Canada.  It all went very smoothly and the accommodation you found for us in Yellowstone, in particular, was very comfortable - a cabin on the other side of the road from the main hotel, and was just what was required.  It took us a mere 5 minutes drive to the East Entrance to the Park, which was very quick.  I have to say, once we got in the Park, given the regulation speed limit and coming across the odd Bison standing in the middle of the road, did mean it took at least an hour to drive to other areas of the Park.  Staying outside of the Park, but with easy access to it, meant we had a lot more options for eating out in the evenings, for example, as the hotels within the Park appeared to have limited options.

 

The hotel you found us in Jackson Hole was perfectly adequate, given we were

 

only there for a short amount of time, clean and comfortable.

 

Alcatraz was well worth the visit and, again, thank you for your insistence that we pre-booked it, as otherwise, I don't think we would have been able to do the trip.  The 2-day bus ticket was also well worth it, especially the night time one.  With that in mind, I will plan to call you in the next few days to give you my debit card details for the refund.

 

All the flights worked perfectly and on the internal flights we were almost the only passengers!  The international flights were a lot busier!  Thank you also for sorting Laura's flights out as well.

 

Safe to say, I will have no hesitation in using your services again, and will certainly be recommending you to friends and keeping up the family tradition of using Carrick.

 

With very best wishes to you and your staff.

 

Regards

 

Clare Clatworthy

Reasons why to go skiing

Skiing Inspiration

If you haven’t been skiing before, you need to check out our top inspirational reasons as to why it should be at the top of your bucket list…

Have you ever heard of Après Ski? It’s possibly one of the main reasons skiers continue to visit the slopes repeatedly each year. Whether you’re a competitive or beginner skier you’ll be able to hang up your skis at any outdoor bar on the slopes and enjoy your well-deserved beverage with many other fellow skiers - and then depending how much you’re enjoying yourself – party the night away.

Wherever you decide to go on your skiing trip, you’ll always find spectacular scenery. Many of the resorts are built on cobbled streets, from which you can see panoramic views of the mountain ranges dotted with dimly lit historic lodges. At night you’ll see the surreal pink glow of the sunset and will never be able to take enough pictures to capture it.

If its adrenaline you’re looking for then this might possibly be one of the most extreme sports you can easily give a go. The rush of the slopes is what all skiers love and have in common; you can’t beat the exhilarating feeling of being able to ski past someone in the blink of an eye. Even if you’re a beginner you’ll appreciate the openness of the slopes and feel like you’re going ten times faster than you actually are.

When we say ‘ski’ it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s all about the skiing. Nearly all ski resorts offer a range of snow sports you can take part in from snowboarding and tubing to snowmobiles and husky sledding (dependant on where you visit). You’ll even find spas to relax and regenerate in. Most resorts offer a wide range of beauty treatments and many accommodations come with an outdoor Jacuzzi. If you visit, this is a must – it’s quite an experience sitting in a Jacuzzi being surrounded by the sparkling snow and slopes!

Another aspect that makes ski stand out from your average package sun holiday is the accommodation and cuisine. In most ski resorts you have the option to stay in a catered chalet and enjoy first class food. It’s quite a luxury to have someone come in to serve breakfast and have everything set up so beautifully. The staff at these resorts are so welcoming and friendly and will be willing to offer you as much advice as you need. The accommodation itself is usually out of this world, if you’re looking for something that would seem like it’s been replicated from a film set then you need to experience one of these lodges with their open fires and spacious lounge areas.

As you can tell, a skiing break is completely different to the ‘norm’ and once you’ve tried it you will always want to return to the slopes.