Lesley Woodall - Travel Counsellors

Lesley Woodall - Travel Counsellors I’m an independent travel consultant with Travel Counsellors. I offer bespoke, tailor-made holidays - get in touch to find out what I can do for you!

13/08/2025

What is with this weather?!!! 🥵 It’s painfully hot in Edinburgh today. Please take me back to the Arctic immediately! 🐻‍❄️🧊🩵 The idea of another plunge is most appealing today! 🏊‍♀️

Lesley Woodall

11/08/2025

Having been lucky enough to have been on Celebrity Edge, which is the most modern and innovative class of the Celebrity Cruises fleet, when it launched 6 years ago, I was curious to check out one of the older ships, so I was thrilled to have the chance to look around Celebrity Eclipse in Greenock today! This is one of the Solstace Class ships, having debuted in Feb 2010, but she’s had a lovely makeover this year and I have to say, I think she is beautiful! Our ship tour today was topped off with a fantastic lunch in the Moonlight Sonata, which is the main dining room on board. 😋

A lovely day had by all!

For more info on Celebrity Cruises get in touch with me anytime! ❤️

11/08/2025

Calling Celebrity Cruises fans!… I’m here in the Costa del Clyde visiting beautiful Celebrity Eclipse all day today, and whilst I’m on board I can access the best possible deals - exclusive offers that include up to $500 to spend on board during your cruise… so if anyone’s been thinking about booking a cruise with Celebrity, drop me a message this morning and I can get you an excellent deal ♥️

[email protected]
Tel 01899 890035 / 07986 527947
4 High Street, Biggar - by appointment service
Lesley Woodall

I don’t actually have the words to wrap up my coverage of this completely unforgettable Arctic expedition voyage with AE...
30/07/2025

I don’t actually have the words to wrap up my coverage of this completely unforgettable Arctic expedition voyage with AE Expeditions 🩵

I already cried over the slide show they did for us on the ship on the last night and I’ve just been wandering around in a daze since disembarking yesterday! It has been an absolute dream come true, everything I could possibly have asked for in a once in a lifetime bucket list trip and so much more.

All my other posts have just been bits and bobs recorded and snapped on my own phone, so thought to conclude I would share a few of the many amazing photos taken over the last two weeks by the photographer on board - they literally send shivers down my spine! (…and not just the polar plunge one 🤣).

If anyone is considering doing an expedition cruise to the polar regions, please get in touch! I’d love to chat about it with you and hopefully with the hands on knowledge I’ve gained over the last couple of weeks, alongside the various training I’ve done over the last couple of years, I hope I can help you choose the perfect trip for you, whatever that might look like! 🧊🐻‍❄️🐧🐳🩵

01899 890035 / 07986 527947
[email protected]
Lesley Woodall - Travel Counsellors
Lesley Woodall

30/07/2025

For most of the last two weeks in the Arctic I’ve been mostly unaware of the ship’s movement, but having got off the ship and had a few hours to see beautiful Reykjavik, I must say I’m swaying all over the place! 😵‍💫 Been stumbling around feeling weirdly stoned and drunk! Or perhaps it’s best to blame my childish behaviour at the p***s museum on that?! 😂
Time to go home I think! ✈️

29/07/2025

Well we asked for Humpback Whales, and as if by magic, they appeared for us and what a mesmerising display they have given us, before we’ve even finished breakfast! What a perfect finale to a perfect trip 🐳🩵
Once again, it was the careful planning, the forward thinking, and the adaptability of the Expedition Team and the ship’s Captain that meant everything worked so seamlessly. By doing yesterday’s zodiac cruise in the early morning before the worst of the poorer conditions took hold, we were able to leave Greenland earlier than initially scheduled, take that super slow scenic route through all the pack ice, then get the main crossing to Iceland over with overnight, and then have this unplanned extra stop in north Iceland this morning, before continuing onto Reykjavík in time for our flights home. Absolute perfection. Thank you Aurora Expeditions - what a trip! 💞

29/07/2025

Our last day on board Sylvia Earle and having made it across the Denmark Strait, we have just passed what is technically the world’s largest waterfall (though it’s under the ocean!) and we’re now back on the other side of the Arctic Circle. Our morning wake up call from Expedition Leader, Christophe - who seems to have reached godlike status among us guests 🤩 - comes complete with blue skies, warm sun, calm waters, and the promise of not just coffee and freshly baked apple and cinnamon pancakes, but also… more WHALES! All we have to do is sit on the deck and keep our eyes peeled for them! Does life get any better than this?

28/07/2025

Is this the sexiest bow on the ocean? 😎

Aurora Expeditions is the first expedition cruise line to use the innovative X-BOW® design. Here’s some information about what makes the X-BOW® so special 🩵

Instead of the traditional bow shape and design that punches through the water, the X-BOW® hull is curved in a novel shape which increases the foreship volume. As a result, the bow penetrates the waves in a way where the water gently flows over the bow – reducing impact and slamming loads.

The main advantage of the X-BOW® is that it can pierce waves with more stability than a traditional ship bow. Instead of simply rising on the waves and then dropping with tremendous force, the X-BOW® is able to absorb the force more consistently across its surface – enabling the ship to remain more stable during poor weather conditions, increasing comfort for passengers and crew alike.

At Aurora Expeditions, our main goal is to provide passengers with a safe, comfortable and enjoyable cruising experience. Of course, as we all know, Mother Nature can often have something to say about this as we venture into some of the most isolated and dangerous waters on the planet.

We can’t change the weather forecast, but what we do have a say in is how our ships are designed and built to take on the roughest parts of the Southern and Arctic Oceans. The X-BOW® on the Greg Mortimer, Sylvia Earle and Douglas Mawson is a massive part of this endeavour, making even the roughest conditions on the Drake Passage manageable.

Thanks to the X-BOW®, passengers are able to enjoy more gentle sea crossings, faster transit speeds, reduced vibrations and improved comfort and safety on board. This makes it easier for passengers to take advantage of the dedicated observation areas for photography or to utilise the on-board services, such as the fitness centre, lecture theatre and Citizen Science centres.

As the X-BOW® allows our ships to absorb the impact of heavy seas, ocean spray is also reduced. This means that during safe conditions, it’s possible for you to venture out to the many observation decks and take a photo of the scenery without being drenched by the spray of a rogue wave. We believe this technology ensures a safer and drier environment regardless of whether you’re close to the shore or out on the Drake Passage!

Expedition cruising is all about seeing nature up close and personal, but is often also associated with long uncomfortable journeys. No longer! With the X-BOW® changing the way that Aurora Expeditions travels through Antarctica and the Arctic, we are redefining what it means to experience our fascinating planet for yourself. Relax, enjoy your surroundings and make the most of your time onboard!

How is the X-BOW® better for the environment?
Climate change and carbon emissions continue to be headline issues for the world and at Aurora Expeditions, we understand our responsibilities in protecting and preserving the environment for generations to come.

Again, this is where the X-BOW® makes a huge difference. Our ships have a higher transit speed through waves and experience fewer vibrations – getting passengers to their destinations in a timelier manner. What this also means is that the ship produces fewer emissions and overall lower fuel consumption.

The X-BOW® is a significant step forward in technology, but also in efforts to preserve and protect the environment for the future.

Of course, the X-BOW® is just one of the many features that set these small ships apart from other expedition vessels. Here are some other features to look out for:

Observation decks that offer a range of views out to the spectacular panoramic scenery
Hydraulic platforms bringing you closer to the action from the comfort of the ship
State-of-the-art lecture rooms for informative talks and briefings
Dedicated Zodiac docks which make loading and unloading easier than ever
On-board changing room/mudroom for storing outdoor clothing and gumboots after an adventure
Restaurant and bar serving up a delicious daily menu
Relaxed staterooms ranging from porthole to balcony categories

28/07/2025

One of the things I’ve loved most about this trip with Aurora Expeditions is the fluidity of the itinerary. The captain and Exhibition Leader work together to make sure the voyage is making the very most of the opportunities available in the destinations, whilst doing everything they can to avoid any bad weather or poor conditions. Especially with wildlife, it’s so much about being in the right place at the right time but also the way we have not only managed to avoid various weather patterns and sea conditions that would have made the trip far less enjoyable for me, but we have had such beautiful experiences along the way. When two roads diverge and they… they take the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference! 🧊🩵

Surreal experience this afternoon visiting one of the most isolated communities on Earth! Seriously tucked away on Green...
27/07/2025

Surreal experience this afternoon visiting one of the most isolated communities on Earth! Seriously tucked away on Greenland’s remote eastern coast, Ittoqqortoormiit has around 350 residents, no cars, and vast wilderness in every direction.
Not only is it hard to imagine being so far from our own creature comforts, but also to imagine living somewhere where you have icebergs in your back garden and if you wander a few steps too far out of town you’re likely to bump into a polar bear! 😲

Address

4 High Street
Biggar
ML126BN

Telephone

+441899890035

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Lesley Woodall - Travel Counsellors posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Lesley Woodall - Travel Counsellors:

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Lesley Woodall - Travel Counsellors

My name is Lesley and I’m an independent travel consultant with Travel Counsellors. Being independent means I am able to offer completely impartial, obligation-free, travel advice.

As part of the Travel Counsellors family, I have access to their special relationships with airlines and preferential rates with thousands of suppliers all over the world. There’s no longer a reason to spend endless hours searching online or stand needlessly waiting in a travel agency, I am available to discuss your personal travel requirements, at your convenience, including evenings and weekends, and can offer everything you can find on the high street and more.

The other good news is, absolutely every part of your trip booked through me is 100% financially protected, through either ATOL or the Travel Counsellors Trust, which is the best in the business. It means that you have complete peace of mind that your money is safe.

Originally from London, I have also lived in Australia and currently reside in rural South Lanarkshire with my 3 children, a stone’s throw from Edinburgh and Glasgow. Before having children I travelled extensively, having visited more than 20 countries across 5 continents, so I’m no stranger to overseas adventures. After becoming a parent, my passion for travel didn’t change but my travel needs did - it’s amazing how something seemingly trivial can make or break a holiday with young children (I had 3 under 2 years old at one point!) so I truly appreciate that everyone’s needs are unique. You can rest assured I will research every tiny detail to make your trip perfect for you and ensure you are well looked after, not only before, but during and after your holiday too, and best of all - this comes at no extra cost to you.