Supporting local and independent businesses this Christmas

This year I will be spending Christmas in France which means lots of family gathering, plenty of food consumption and lots of presents to buy. Now I am not a great fan of shopping. In fact, I hate queues and busy shops. But I do love small independent shops offering unusual items that you cannot find on the high street. I like friendly service and the attention to detail you get in smaller outlets (gift wrapping is always a bonus). I also enjoy shopping online in the comfort of my own home.

I have made a commitment to purchase at least 50% of my Christmas gifts through independent shops. I will try my hardest not to purchase gifts from chain shops or supermarkets. Independent shop owners are struggling to make ends meet at the moment and it is very sad to see these cute little shops disappear. Our high street needs our support to stay alive and interesting.

Last July Skillsmart Retail organised a campaign called Independents' Day to support independent retailers.
A similar campaign has now just started to encourage the public to shop "indie" this Christmas. To find out more, visit their Facebook page or you can find them on Twitter.

Just in case you are wondering why we should all shop in independent shops this Christmas and all year around, here are 5 good reasons:

- They help build strong communities

- They help create jobs locally
- They offer you choice, diversity and personalised service to suit you
- Local business owners invest in community where they are based
- Environmental impact is reduced

If you wish to support independent retailers, join Skillsmart Retail's campaign, "Shop Indie This Christmas" and spread the word, tell your friends and family. We can all  make a difference.

I have started my search for original gifts for my family. I will be sharing addresses of my favourite shops. Feel free to add your suggestions. We all need a little bit of inspiration at this time of the year, don't you agree?  

Tiptoe Traveller in: Malissard, south east of France

Train journeys from London to the south of France: convenient, relaxing and greener  

La Drome

France is the country where I was born and brought up. Even though I now live in the UK, I will always have that special feeling of excitement when I set foot in France. A friend of mine asked me whether I feel more English now that I have spent many years in the UK. My answer was 'England is my home but I will always be French in my heart'. This post is about a quick trip by train to the south east of France, to a village called Malissard, close to Valence in the Drome region.

I travelled by Eurostar from London to Paris and then by TGV from Paris to Valence. My journey was very pleasant and took five and half hours. The check-in processing for the Eurostar only took a few minutes. Once you have shown your ticket, you go through security. Inside the terminal, it is worth noting that there is not much entertainment available but you are only there for 20 minutes or so. In the train, the journey is so quick that you probably just have time to read a newspaper and have a good nap.

Once in Paris, I took the RER to Gare de Lyon. If you can, it is worth buying your ticket in advance in the Eurostar. You will avoid the long queues at the ticket machines in Gare du Nord. The journey takes about 20 minutes. You will need to validate your TGV ticket (this is called 'compostage') at the yellow machines on the platform before boarding the train. Do make sure you have booked a seat on the TGV. The trains get very full (especially at the week-end and during school holidays) and there is little space to sit and stand once all seats have been taken. It is also quite tricky to travel with large suitcases as luggage space is limited. Some TGV trains have two floors and some luggage space is available upstairs. You should try to keep your luggage as close to you as possible as it has been know for bags to be stolen. Not nice I know, but it is better to be safe than sorry!

Chabeuil town hall - photo by Jean Drescher

I went to Malissard to visit some friends. Amongst other things, we went strawberry and cherry picking. The weather has been so warm that fruit are ripening earlier than usual this year. What a pleasure to be able to pick your own fruit. A few kilometres away, you will find Chabeuil, another pretty village worth a visit.


La Pangée: an edible piece of history

On Sunday, we went to a patisserie to buy a speciality from the region called la Pangée. Apparently, 240 million years ago, the village of Beaume Cornillane  (close to Malissard), would have been the centre of the earth when there was only one continent. The cake looks like it has a piece missing to replicate the shape of the continent at that time. It is made from local ingredients including apricots, honey and almonds. Delicious!

After a weekend packed full of activities, eating and chatting, it was time to head home. The trip back to the UK was pretty easy. I travelled from Valence to Lille by TGV and from Lille to London by Eurostar. The journey took six and half hours.

My thoughts on train travel

I would definitely recommend Eurostar and TGV travels. The return ticket was more expensive than a flight but the environmental benefits and the convenience make it really worthwhile. Overall, I find travelling by train far more relaxing than flying.

Do you enjoy travelling by train? Whereabouts have you been recently? What is your favourite journey?

Through the lens - Tiptoe Traveller in Ireland

West coast, near Westport

Through the lens - Tiptoe Traveller in Antalya, Turkey

Turkish spices beautifully displayed

New Zealand - A stunning country with inspirational people

Blog4NZ, running March 21-23, is a social media initiative organised to bring awareness to New Zealand tourism in the wake of the recent Christchurch earthquake. Travel bloggers will be sharing memories, photos and stories from New Zealand during these 3 days in order to encourage travellers from around the world to visit this amazing country.


I had the chance to visit New Zealand in January 2011. This was the country of my dreams and this memorable trip exceeded all my expectations. There is so much to see and experience. You will come back feeling amazing and wishing you could stay longer. If you love the countryside and natural beauty, you will be spoilt for choice from the beginning to the end of your journey. This country has so much to offer. Don't wait to see it for yourself. It is so worth it.

Lake Wanaka

Lake Rotoroa

Blue Lake near Rotorua

As you can tell by the pictures above, I love lakes. New Zealand has so many in both the south and north islands and there are all stunning. New Zealanders are very proud of their country and they look after its countryside very well. Ecotourism is a way of life and we should follow their lead.

Have you travelled to New Zealand? What was your favourite area?

Carbon offsetting - is it really worth it?

As keen travellers, we are encouraged to find solutions to reduce our impact on the planet and to travel responsibly. That is very well  but if you can't give up flying because there are no alternative transport to a particular destination, then what do you do? Do you choose airlines that offer offsetting schemes? Do you know where the money goes? Do you buy a flight and then find a scheme where you can select a carbon offsetting project? Do these schemes really work?

Elisabeth at Go Green Travel Green wrote a great post about this topic: 12 Things You Need to Know About Carbon Offsets.

Another good source of information is DirectGov website.

Personally, I am confused. We are told that flying is bad for the environment but airlines come up with such cheap flights that you can't refuse these offers to discover the world. Shouldn't airlines be the ones responsible for offsetting in the first place? Shouldn't the price of the ticket include offsetting?

I would be interested to hear your views on this topic. Do you care? If so, what do you do to offset your carbon consumption?

6 things you should know before visiting New Zealand

New Zealand is a fabulous destination if you enjoy outdoor activities and nature. The best way to discover this country is in a campervan. Having the freedom to drive from one place to another at your own pace is ideal. Being able to spend time up a mountain, by a lake or simply admiring wildlife is indeed magical.


Before you set off, there are a few things you should know, which hopefully will make your stay even more enjoyable.

1. Cashpoint machines: when you visit the South Island, it can be tricky to find a bank. Make sure you have enough cash to last you at least a week.

2. Fuel: if you hire a car or a campervan, make sure you fill up with petrol regularly. Distances can be deceiving on the map and when the petrol is low, it can be pretty stressful to find the next petrol station.

3. Groceries: again, in the South Island, towns are very small. Grocery stores have a limited choice to the point that it can be difficult to find enough ingredients to prepare a meal. When you come across a supermarket, get enough reserves just in case. Tins can be pretty handy at times.

4. Nightlife: If you stay in campsites, nightlife after 10pm is very limited. People tend to go to bed early and get up early. It is worth knowing this as it can be surprising if you are not use to this way of life.

5. Sandflies: New Zealand is a very safe place but if you go sea-kayaking in the Milford Sound, make sure you take insect repellent with you. Sandflies are vicious there. If you get bitten, the spots can last up to two weeks and are very itchy.

6. Distances: New Zealand is a big country. Don't plan to do too much otherwise it becomes a race and no longer a holiday. Enjoy what you see. Make the most of the areas you come across. Follow the signs off the main roads as they are well worth the detour.

If you have visited New Zealand and wish to share some of your tips, please feel free to add a comment.