Alison Butcher - Travel Counsellors

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Alison Butcher - Travel Counsellors

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For those who love travel, authentic experiences, and stunning destinations. Tailored travel with personal service & full financial protection.

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03/11/2026

Part 5. Follow me to Norway - crossing the artic circle and the NorthernLights at the end! For this reel you will need your sound on. Also, please follow me for more golden nuggets of information for an easier journey.
This reel is of the blue nose ceremony on Ambience for entering the Arctic Circle. A few volunteers / "pledges" agreed to make a pledge and a sacrifice to King Neptune for safe passage! Of course its a lot of silliness really! However, for me its my 6th continent to visit and quite exciting to enter the Arctic! It was also on Mums bucket list.

You have heard the phrase we are like 2 ships that pass in the night - we'll that happened too when Ambition passed by us!

The Northern Lights are a must see for me but they are a natural phenomina so my top tip is to make sure that you have enough to do without that being the only thing otherwise it might be a big disappointment. Think of.it as a nice thing to see. Photographs will always look more vivid than the reality and many photos have been touched up (these haven't). That said, its still a majestic sight, even through a camera lens! Make sure its on night mode or you may not.see a thing. Sometimes you have to take the photo to see it! Iphones seem to work best. Remember to follow me for more tips.

If travelling into the Arctic is a dream for you too, then call me for some advice and turn it into a reality, with a holiday designed, or selected for you, based on your aspirations.
Alison x

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Alison Butcher - Travel Counsellors
[email protected]
Tel 01244 835287

#

30/10/2026

4. Follow me to Trondheim, Norway!

Its so lovely to arrive at port and have a free port shuttle. On this trip we have either docked in the town centre, or had a free shuttle to take us there.. It just makes things easier.

In Trondheim I opted to just have a wander around the town in a more relaxed way. Sometimes its nice to have things planned and on other days, doing your own thing can be good as its less rushed. Usually, I don’t do many shore excursions but on this cruise, for me there are also some must do things and excursions will make this easier.

Trondheim was founded by King Olav in AD 997. When he was canonized as a Saint, a wooden building was erected over where he was buried and eventually the cathedral making it one of the most important cathedrals in Northern Europe. The original footprint of the building is painted in black lines near the font. Its called Nidaros cathedral which was the old name for Trondheim.

The impressive cathedral is full of stone carvings/masonry, most of which was only built in the last century.
In the visitor centre you can buy a combined ticket for the cathedral and the Archbishops palace and crown regalia. What we found was a building with the crown jewels etc and the rebuilding of the cathedral information which was interesting and an archaeological exhibition so maybe we missed the actual palace!

We then went to the Old Town Bridge (red) which is where you can stand and see the beautiful coloured wooden warehouses on stilts rising from the river, creating some marvellous reflections. Crossing the bridge we found a few cafes and bars, quaint streets with painted wooden houses. It is quiet but with a nice vibe on an Autumnal day.

I hope you enjoy the reel and thank you if you have clicked like or read this far!
If you would like more information, please get in touch. There are many ways to travel here. I don’t charge any booking fees, I am paid like most Travel agents, from the commission that’s in a holiday. My aim is to help people have wonderful holidays and I provide a personalised service because I really do care about my customers.

Alison Butcher
Tel 01244 835287
[email protected]

26/10/2026

Lapland to see Santa?

THERE’S STILL TIME TO VISIT SANTA IN TRUE LAPLAND THIS CHRISTMAS – ALL IN ONE MAGICAL DAYBREAK!

Looking for a magical Santa experience away from the busy commercial resorts? Then treat the family to an unforgettable Transun Santa Daybreak this December!

Enjoy a magical day at our exclusive, secret location in the heart of True Lapland, filled with husky sledding, snowmobiling, reindeer sleigh rides, snow play and that all-important private family meeting with Santa! 🎅

What's Included:
🎅 Exclusive Charter Flights with onboard meals
🎅 5 kg hand luggage allowance
🎅 Resort transfers
🎅 Private family meeting with Santa
🎅 Taster Husky, Snowmobile & Reindeer rides
🎅 Warming lunch
🎅 Loan of thermal suits and boots thermal suits and boots

No theme parks. No gimmicks. No commercial resorts. Just authentic experiences in the magical wilderness of True Lapland!

And the best part? It's all in one unforgettable day!

Birmingham
Mon 07 Dec 2026
from adult £599 child £569

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Sun 13 Dec 2026
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Thu 17 Dec 2026
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from adult £599 child £569

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Mon 21 Dec 2026
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Thu 17 Dec 2026
from adult £599pp / Child £569pp

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Norwich
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Teesside
Sun 13 Dec 2026,
from adult £599pp / Child £569pp

Alison Butcher - Travel Counsellors
[email protected]
01244 835287

26/10/2026

3. Follow me to Norway - Kristiansund

Kristiansund, not to be confused with Kristiansand, is made up of 4 islands all linked by a local free ferry, which can be caught about 250m from the cruise terminal. It is famous for its Klipfisk, fish that was caught, opened up, covered in salt, and dried.

We went on an excursion today to see the marble caves at Bergtatt. On route, we drove along a Fjord and a white tailed sea Eagle, flew past our window!! which were lovely until we discovered what the marble is used for - 95% helps to make magazines glossy! We drank some very pure water that runs off the cave walls after being filtered through layers of rock. We had some pancakes with a "brown cheese" filling or cream and sugar, both were good. The brown cheese is essentially caramelised whey that is sliced. Its not that sweet but it is extremely popular here.

We then drove along the Atlantic Ocean Road. On the Atlantic wa, we drove over the bridge seen in the last James Bond film. From one side, it looks like the bridge ends in mid-air! The mountains were stunning, too.

After returning to the ship, we had some lunch aboard before going for a trip round the islands on the local free ferry.
You can visit the islands. One includes the old town, another the Klipfisk museum. The ferries get busy between 2-4pm and indeed, we had a 45-minute wait. Understandably, the locals are prioritised, so please be patient as I expect their taxes are paying for it!

Sadly, there were no Northern Lights, but we had a nice catch-up with the diners we shared a table with.

Remember, if you are thinking of going on your own Lapland or Northern holiday/cruise, in search of the Northern Lights, reindeer, huskies, and much more, then I am a travel agent, so please give me a call as I would love to help you plan your next trip! If you want
to receive my newsletter, please let me know by sending me your email address.

Have a great day!
Alison x
[email protected]
01244 835287

lights 🇳🇴

24/10/2026

2. Follow me to Norway - Stavanger

Following two nights and one day at sea we have seen our first sight of Norway and arrived in the small fishing port of Stavanger which is also known as the oil capital of Norway.

Have you ever wondered what cruise goers do whilst on a sea day? Well there is alot of eating to do with a hot breakfast a few courses for lunch if you wish, afternoon tea and then of course comes the 4 course evening sit down meal, or buffet if you prefer. If you like drinking, then a drinks package may suit you so you dont have to think about your onboard spend. Its always good to check the drinks prices before you leave

There are usually shops on board, theatre style shows, live music, quizzes, and sometimes crafts. I used to paint watercolours but haven't picked up a brush for over 10 years, so I decided to sign up to 7 Sea Day afternoon sessions.

Today, I boarded a much smaller vessel to cruise the lyserfjord. The entrance has a large bridge going across it. The scenery was stunning, and whilst it may have been blowing a gale in the UK we were treated to clear blue skies. We stopped off at a small cafe at the base of a cliff. We ate waffles with strawberry jam and sour cream! We then went to the waterfall and onto view the pulpit rock from below. Quite a lot of the iconic Fjord photos are taken here giving a fantastic view 650meters abov us.
We strolled through the old town of quaint, white wooden houses and through a park and back to.the ship. It was all quite compact and close to the port. Not ideal for wheelchairs due to some cobbles in the old town which was a bit steep.

A cloudy evening so no luck with the Northern lights.

Please let me know if you enjoy these posts with a thumbs up. It also helps more people to see them. I am a travel agent so if you want to head north and need some help please let me know.
Thanks
Alidon x
01244 835287 (+44)
[email protected]

22/10/2026

Let me take you on a journey to Norway!

Departure day was quite calm after a few frantic days, trying to decide if taking 2 massive suitcases would be enough for a journey into the Arctic.All this to hopefully see the Northern Lights, dance across the sky in full splendor! It cant just be about that as they may not appear but we have increased the odds significantly choosing the right locations. I hope to see reindeer in the wild, to learn about the Sami people and ride the most northerly train.

Its a bucket list holiday travelling all the way to the top of Norway, where few cruise ships go. Planning a Northern holiday poses different challenges as there are many considerations and options. Not least time of year, weather, what you want to see and do. Having the help of someone who has been there really makes a difference as their are choices to make. For example you have to consider the daylight hours you will have. Polar night starts in November.

I decided to carry a massive duvet coat that has never let me down but at Tilbury docks at 13c I was baking and questioning my decision!!

I drove down to Tilbury docks, it was so easy, we were greeted and helped by staff who removed the hassle of so much luggage. The beauty of a cruise from the UK with no luggage limitations.

Check in was so fast, we only queued for a few minutes for the scanners. Honestly it was so fast. We then boarded and were welcomed warmly and went straight to lunch.

Please follow me to see more about my journey and find out what I see and learn!

Please contact me for help planning your northern holiday!

Alison Butcher - Travel Counsellors
01244 835287

[email protected]

17/10/2026

Would you know what to do if your flight home is cancelled?
Its just happened to one of my clients when Air India decided to pull out from Birmingham Airport. He did not want to fly back to Heathrow but I have sorted it all out so he didnt have to do anything and nor did it cost him any extra. The original flight has been cancelled down (there were 2 legs and only one part was cancelled) and refunded and a new one booked that was a bit more expensive but will return to Birmingham. He was not charged for the cost difference. Before this happened my client was already saying how pleased he was that he hadnt booked it himself and booked through me. As a tour operator I had packaged his flight and accommodation choices so it was all protected. I care about your holiday.

If you would like to feel reassured and confident about your next holiday, then please call an expert on 01244 835287 or email [email protected].

I am paid from the comission already built in. I book all kinds of travel through over 400 suppliers, please give me a call

23/09/2026

It's a sad day to see the closure of this iconic chester hotel that has been such a major part of our city. I understand it will be rebuilt over the next 2 years to resolve structural issues and then hopefully reopened. Thanks and good luck to all the staff x

17/09/2026

Is anyone thinking of a wonderful trip to Iceland? This is a hosted trip and we are using a fantastic supplier who is flexible enough to switch an itinerary around to get the most out of a location with changeable weather. This is for the 5th-8th Feb 2027!

Call or message.me for more details
Alison for more details.

[email protected]
01244 835287

13/09/2026

Did someone say find me a great cruise deal?

If you fancy squeezing in a lovely Celebrity Cruise then let me know. These offers wont be around for long. This is an "elevated" experience!

When booking with me you will get the same great deals,, but you will also receive help and support to guide you when selecting the right cruise, cabin grade etc. It will be me you speak to, a human being, on the end of the phone, looking after you.

I can book the flights you need and add in extra nights, giving you greater flexibility and peace of mind.

Call Alison on 01244 835287 or message me below. [email protected]

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