https://travelcounsellors.co.uk/sharon.dudley

Sharon Dudley Travel, Arundel (2026)

29/10/2026

Last week, I attended my first event at Sage House with my Mum since her dementia diagnosis back in May.

It was an afternoon tea with a performance by Echoes of ABBA, who were absolutely brilliant.

The food was good, the performance was incredible, and the staff and volunteers who helped make the event happen were wonderful.

But as enjoyable as the afternoon was, I found it quite emotional too.

Being surrounded by people living with dementia at different stages of their illness made me realise, all too painfully, what may lie ahead for Mum. And that is heartbreaking.

As I watched her, hunched over in her chair, picking at her food and seemingly quite distant, I unexpectedly found myself with a lump in my throat, fighting back the tears.

And then something incredible happened.

The band began to play, and suddenly Mum was singing, clapping, waving her arms in the air and even getting up to dance with a wonderful lady who seemed to take her under her wing.

I’ll admit, the dancing made me a little nervous, as Mum is prone to falls! So I sat behind her, ready to catch her if she stumbled. Thankfully, she didn’t.

It was a beautiful reminder that, even when dementia seems to be taking so much away, moments of joy can still break through.

If you haven’t heard of Sage House, it’s a Dementia Hub that provides support not just for people living with dementia, but for their families too.

It’s a charitable organisation that relies on donations, and the support it provides is such a blessing to those who need it.

In one of the photos, you’ll see I’m proudly wearing my ‘Friends of Sage House’ badge, which was handed to me at Corporate Ladies Club last week, a networking group organised by the wonderful ladies at Sage House which also helps raise funds.

You can have a badge too if you’d like to become a regular supporter. For the price of a cup of coffee a month (or more, if you can), you can help Sage House continue its invaluable work.

Just follow the link below to find out more and sign up.

https://bit.ly/DonationMonthlyfriendsofSageHouse

Sadly, dementia can touch any of us, or someone we love, in so many different ways and at any stage of life.

Sage House makes a real difference to the people and families affected by it. If you can spare even a little, it really could make a huge difference.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

27/10/2026

In a couple of days’ time, this is the view I’ll be waking up to every day for the next two weeks. 🌊

Yes, I know what you’re thinking…… AGAIN! 😂

Normally, my trips are a combination of research and holiday. I’m constantly gathering footage for social media and picking up first-hand knowledge so I can share my own experiences with all my lovely clients.

But this time? It’s holiday and holiday ONLY!

I’m having a complete tech detox and downing tools entirely. No research, no working, no social media. Just me, the sea and two weeks of switching off. 🥂

But don’t worry, my business is in very safe hands. A fellow Travel Counsellor, who has been running her franchise for 30 years, will be looking after anything urgent while I’m away.

So, there’ll be a bit less of me on your feeds for a couple of weeks (although I’ve scheduled a few posts to keep things ticking over!).

But be warned…… you can expect to be thoroughly photobombed when I get back! 📸

And if you love sea days as much as I do, a repositioning cruise really is a fantastic way to travel.

Fancy finding out more about these amazing cruises? Let’s have a chat when I’m back. ⚓

24/10/2026

It’s not too late….. to take the family to Lapland THIS Christmas! 🎅❄️

Imagine the children’s faces when they discover they’re actually going to meet Father Christmas in Lapland this December!

And not just a quick visit either. Four magical nights in Finnish Lapland, staying in a beautiful lakeside suite, surrounded by snowy forests and breathtaking scenery.

Husky rides, reindeer safaris, snowmobiling and, of course, that all-important private meeting with Father Christmas.

And the best bit? So much is already included!

❄️ 4 nights in a spacious Family Suite
❄️ Direct return flights with 23kg luggage allowance
❄️ Private airport transfers
❄️ Full board dining
❄️ Husky and reindeer safaris
❄️ Snowmobiling adventure
❄️ Private meeting with Father Christmas
❄️ Winter clothing and snowboots

December 2026 departures for a family of four:

✈️ 7 December – Gatwick from £8,399
✈️ 7 December – Southend or Bristol from £8,199
✈️ 9 December – Edinburgh from £8,499
✈️ 13 December – Manchester from £8,499

Limited availability - Other dates and departures may also be available.

This isn’t just a holiday. It’s one of those childhood experiences that will be talked about around the Christmas dinner table for years to come.

And with December just around the corner, there really isn’t much time left!

If you’d love to give your family a Christmas they’ll never forget, drop me a message and I’ll check what’s available.

Prices are for 2 adults and 2 children aged 12 or under, subject to availability and change. Terms and conditions apply.

22/10/2026

Today was my second Revolutionary Women in Business networking event as Area Leader for Fontwell.

Now, don’t laugh, but although I probably come across as a very confident woman who has it all sussed, I’m actually quite shy underneath it all. (I know, I know – I said don’t laugh!)

Before this morning’s meeting, I felt physically sick!

I worry that the venue won’t open the doors for us (even though I reconfirmed everything last night), that no one will turn up, or that people will hate it and expect something more.

As a child, I was a shy, quiet little mouse. If a teacher spoke to me in class, I’d go bright red from head to toe. The thought of having to stand up and speak in front of a group of people was my worst nightmare!

But then I discovered drama, musicals being my absolute favourite.

No one could quite believe that the same shy little mouse could get up on stage and belt out a song whilst playing the lead role in The Boyfriend.

My explanation was simple. I wasn’t me when I was on stage. I was being someone else!

Once I entered the working world, my confidence grew from strength to strength. It had to!

But underneath it all, I’m still a bit of a worry guts.

Anyway, enough of that…

What a lovely morning we had!

It was so nice to see some familiar faces returning and to meet so many new ones too.

I really do love hearing everyone’s stories, finding out about their businesses and seeing new connections being made.

We’re all so different, yet we have so much in common. We’re all trying to make a success of our businesses, dealing with the highs and lows along the way, whilst also trying to look after our own physical and mental wellbeing.

And sometimes it’s just nice to be in a room full of women who understand what that’s like!

A huge thank you to everyone who came along this morning. I really enjoyed spending time with you all, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Our next meeting is Thursday 19th November, and if you fancy coming along, we’d love to see you.

Here’s the link to book:

https://bit.ly/4BkkKID

And a little something for December…

We won’t be having our usual networking meeting, but I’m hoping to organise a Christmas lunch during the week commencing 7th December.

If you’d like to join us, just drop me a message with the dates you’re available that week, and once I have an idea of numbers, I’ll get something organised.

And I’ll leave you with something I said in my follow-up email this afternoon…

A woman is strong – together we are stronger.

17/10/2026

A little icon popped up announcing August’s call for call quality monitoring had been selected.

I quickly listened; over the moon they’d selected this one.

Surely 100%?

You were in fact too helpful; she said. You spent too much time on a non-revenue generating call.

I was shocked, stunned, flabbergasted. 42 years in the industry, 3 businesses in 3 different countries, and my priority, my excellent customer service, was being used against me.

As it was, I was already livid about having failed the 3-month probation for spending too long on calls, when the rest of my KPI’s and Stats were excellent.

With my level of expertise and years of experience that I had brought with me into the position – it was downright humiliating.

This was the final straw.

My shock quickly turned to anger and frustration, and I realised my skills were wasted there.

Although I’d never planned to start another business, I realised the only way I could spend as much time with a customer as they needed, from start to finish, offering them the customer service I’d become renowned for, was to launch another in the industry I have always loved, and am so passionate about.

And so, Sharon Dudley Travel was born. Yes, today is my Business Birthday!

And what a rollercoaster of a year it’s been!

To be fair, most of that rollercoaster has been on a personal level. But if I hadn’t taken the decision to work for myself again, I wouldn’t have had the freedom and flexibility to deal with everything life has thrown at me this year.

Business-wise, it’s been a slow build, but that’s the nature of travel. Holidays are often booked well in advance, and my commission doesn’t come through until around six weeks before departure. So, much of the work I’ve put in during year one is actually building the foundations, and the income, for year two.

And I’m beginning to see that momentum building.

Although this is my fourth business, it’s been a very different experience. Previously, I’ve always been in business with my husband or other business partners.

This time, I’m a complete solopreneur.

Before, I was part of the business. Now, I AM the business!

Learning to believe in myself and finding my feet as a solopreneur has been a learning curve all of its own!

But one of the biggest and most unexpected joys of this past year has been the wonderful people I’ve met through networking.

I’ve absolutely fallen in love with it. The encouragement, support, friendships and genuine sense of community have been incredible. They’ve helped me find my confidence and feel that I’m finally on the right track.

In fact, I’ve enjoyed it so much that I’ve taken on another role as Area Leader for the Fontwell Revolutionary Women in Business networking group.

Our next meeting is Thursday 22nd October, so if you haven’t got your ticket yet, here’s the link:

https://bit.ly/RevolutionaryWomenInBusinessNetworking

And I couldn’t let my first business birthday pass without saying a huge thank you to everyone who has booked their holidays with me, recommended me to friends and family, shared my posts, offered advice, encouragement or simply supported me in some way over the past year.

When you’re building a business on your own, every booking, recommendation and kind word really does mean so much.

I’m incredibly grateful to each and every one of you. ❤️

So, here I am, one year on.

Still learning, still growing, still building, and probably working harder than ever!

But doing something I love, on my own terms, surrounded by people who genuinely want to see each other succeed.

And the very thing I was criticised for a year ago, being ‘too helpful’, is still at the heart of everything I do.

Here’s to year two! 🥂

16/10/2026

The engines thundered as we hurtled down the runway. I was pushed back into my seat by the sheer force of the acceleration.

The noise, the adrenaline, the excitement. I was completely in awe of the whole experience.

And from that moment, my love of travel was born, and I knew exactly what I wanted to be.

“An Air Hostess!” I told my Mum and Dad.

And that was that. Career sorted!

That was three-year-old me, heading out to South Africa on my very first flight.

It was 1967, and I believe we were flying with BOAC, probably on a Vickers VC10, with a couple of stops along the way to refuel.

Back then, overseas travel wasn’t something within reach of every family.

My Mum and Dad had always worked incredibly hard, wanting to build a better life for us.

Little did I know that just three years later, South Africa would become our home, and I’d not only grow up there but begin my career in the travel industry there too!

When I left school, I followed my passion for travel and went to college to study travel and tourism.

Six months later, an advert appeared for jobs with South African Airways.

Needless to say, I never finished the college course!

Back then, you had to start as ground staff and work your way up to cabin crew, which was exactly what I intended to do.

But times were changing in South Africa, and sadly, I was refused that progression - passport issues.

But that didn’t stop me from pursuing a career in the industry I’d already fallen in love with.

And although I never got to fly in my younger years, I did eventually fulfil that childhood dream.

At the age of 46, I finally became cabin crew!

But going back to that very first flight, fast forward 59 years, three countries, three businesses and many different sectors of travel and tourism later, and that love of travel is still at the heart of everything I do.

I sometimes wonder whether that little girl on an aircraft all those years ago could ever have imagined where that first flight would take her.

Probably not.

But the excitement, anticipation and sheer wonder of travel have never left me.

And I still want other people to fall in love with travel in the same way I did.

I’ve spent almost 60 years loving travel, and I still get to help other people create their own wonderful travel stories.

If there’s somewhere you’ve always dreamed of going, perhaps it’s time we started planning your story.

Send me a message. I’d love to hear where your dreams might take you.

12/10/2026

“Did you have a nice holiday?” he asked as they boarded the bus.

“No, you brought us up here a few hours ago. Our flight was cancelled, and we were told to come back and try again tomorrow,” he answered.

He looked down at them. Two small children, their little faces full of disappointment.

“Might not bother. We’ll have missed two days at the hotel,” said the lady.

My jaw dropped when he told me.

My husband drives the buses between the long-stay car park and the terminal building.

This is a true story he relayed to me about a month ago.

Not during an ATC strike or any other disruption, just a normal day when travel should have been running smoothly.

I was disgusted to hear how this family had apparently been treated.

When an airline cancels a flight, it’s obliged to offer passengers a refund or rebook them onto another flight at the earliest opportunity. Not simply tell them to come back and try again tomorrow.

Of course, I don’t know for sure how this young family booked, although online with separate components would be my guess. But one thing’s for sure: they didn’t appear to have a human they could call for advice.

And I’m guessing they weren’t regular travellers, possibly even first-timers, as they clearly didn’t know their rights.

It’s devastating enough when your holiday is cancelled, without having to cope with it all on your own.

If you want a human on your side next time you travel, someone you can turn to should things go wrong, DM me with ‘Yes Please’.

Let’s chat.

AI-generated image for illustrative purposes only.

09/10/2026

BOOKING ONLINE SAFELY – DAY 4 ✈️
Are you REALLY saving money?

We’ve reached the end of this week’s series on keeping your hard-earned money safe when booking flights and accommodation separately online.

We’ve looked at flight restrictions, refundable accommodation and making sure your travel insurance provides the cover you actually need.

And don’t forget any transfers, car hire or attractions you’ve booked in advance. Their cancellation conditions matter too!

But once you’ve paid extra for more flexible bookings and possibly additional insurance cover, are you still saving money?

There are alternatives, including booking everything together as a financially protected package. And sometimes that can work out cheaper than booking separately.

I’m not suggesting you shouldn’t book online. I just want you to understand the risks and know what to look out for.

Because if this series helps even one person avoid losing their hard-earned money, it’s been worth sharing. ❤️

Have you learnt anything new this week? I’d genuinely love to know in the comments.

08/10/2026

✈️ BOOKING ONLINE SAFELY – DAY 3: TRAVEL INSURANCE

You’ve booked your holiday, you’ve bought your travel insurance, so you’re covered if anything goes wrong. Right?

Well, not necessarily!

If you’ve booked your flights and accommodation separately, what happens if your flight is cancelled and you lose several nights of your hotel stay?

Will your travel insurance cover those losses? Don’t just assume it will.

My advice? Pick up the phone and ask your insurer.

Find out exactly what cancellation and travel disruption cover you have, and whether you can upgrade your policy if necessary. And get confirmation in writing.

Remember, travel insurance should be arranged as soon as you book your holiday, not just before you leave.

The cheapest policy isn’t always the one that gives you the protection you need.

Tomorrow, we’re bringing everything together. We’ve looked at flights, accommodation and travel insurance, but once you’ve taken all the necessary precautions, are you really saving money by booking everything separately?

07/10/2026

✈️ BOOKING ONLINE SAFELY – DAY 2: ACCOMMODATION

Found a hotel online for a fantastic price? Before you hit BOOK, check the cancellation terms.

If you’ve booked your flights and accommodation separately and your flight is cancelled, you may be re-booked onto another flight — but that doesn’t necessarily mean the same day.

It could be a day or even several days before there’s availability.

And what happens to the hotel nights you’ve already paid for?

If you chose that tempting non-refundable rate, you could lose that money.

My advice when booking accommodation separately is to choose a fully refundable rate, ideally one that allows you to cancel without penalty right up until the time of arrival.

It may cost a little more when you book, but sometimes the cheapest price comes with the biggest financial risk.

Booking online safely isn’t just about finding a good price. It’s about understanding exactly what you’re booking and what happens if something goes wrong.

Tomorrow: Day 3 – Travel Insurance ✈️

Sharon Dudley Travel

29/10/2026

27/10/2026

24/10/2026

22/10/2026

17/10/2026

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