Jason Callender Travel Counsellor

05/09/2026

😼 When you arrive in Arles and discover the locals have already found the best watering hole…

⭐️Forget Michelin stars.�🍷Forget rooftop bars.�🏩Forget the fancy hotel.

This little chap has clearly travelled extensively and knows exactly where to go when the temperature rises. 🥵

📍 Place De La République, Arles�💧 Complimentary water�☀️ Excellent location�🐈 No reservation required

Meanwhile, I’m wandering around Provence looking for lunch, w**e and culture…
…and he’s just stopped for a quick drink from a 2,000-year-old bit of history. 🤣

When in France, do as the French (chats) do.
Although I draw the line at drinking from the fountain. 🇫🇷😂

05/09/2026

🎠NEVER TOO OLD FOR A MERRY-GO-ROUND! 🎠

Who says you have to be a child to ride a carousel? 😍

Today in Arles, my friends and I decided to throw caution and dignity to the wind and climb aboard the Carrousel Arlésien. 😉

With its Camargue horses and bulls, flamingos and nods to Arles' Roman heritage, it's a little piece of local character going round and round!

And you know what? Sometimes travel is about more than ticking off the sights. It's about laughing, being silly, making memories and saying "why not?"

Because you are NEVER too old to ride a merry-go-round! 😛

Arles, Provence 🇫🇷

05/09/2026

Bonjour from Arles…. 🥐☕️😍

04/09/2026

🇫🇷International Travel Agent Day... and I'm doing some VERY important research! 😍

🏢Today's office? Arles, Provence.

📆Today's meeting? Moules, frites & a cold b**r, followed by icecream and a cold glass of w**e..... it is over 30 degrees!

🌁Today's view? Old Town French cafe.

After almost 40 years in travel, I still believe the best way to recommend a destination is to experience it yourself. 👀

Because travel isn't just about booking a holiday. It's about the places you discover, the food you taste, the people you meet and the memories you bring home.

And if that means conducting my research over lunch like this... well, someone has to do it!

Happy Travel Agent Day to everyone in the wonderful world of travel. ✈️🏝️🚞🚢

Where's your office today?

04/09/2026

🕵️‍♂️ WHERE IN THE WORLD AM I GOING? 🇫🇷

Time for a little travel detective work…
Here are your clues:

🎨 An artist famously found inspiration here.
🏛️ Romans left their mark, quite literally.
🐂 You might encounter bulls, but this isn’t Spain!
🌻 Think yellow, sunshine and lavender.
🦩 The wild landscape of the Camargue is nearby.
🍷 Cafés, cobbled streets and the French way of life…

And finally…
My destination starts with A and ends with S. Any guesses?

Drop your answer in the comments, no Googling! 😂

Keep following to discover the destination and what adventure I am about to undertake.

02/09/2026

🚨CALLING ALL CRUISE VIRGINS…..

🚢 Could this be the perfect first cruise?

I’ve just returned from a Bank Holiday weekend onboard Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambience, sailing from Tilbury to the beautiful French port of Honfleur, and I came away thinking this could be a really interesting option for anyone who has never cruised before.

Cruising can sometimes feel like a bit of a mystery if you’ve never experienced it. Is it formal? Is it expensive? Will I feel out of place? What on earth do you actually do all day? 😂

My experience on Ambience reminded me that it doesn’t have to be any of those things. With around 1,400 guests, a relaxed atmosphere, friendly service, plenty of places to eat and drink, entertainment, a pool, hot tubs, spa and comfortable public spaces, there’s plenty to enjoy without the feeling that you have to dress up and “cruise” your way through every minute.

And then there’s the rather wonderful bit… You unpack once in Tilbury and wake up somewhere completely different. 🇫🇷

For a weekend escape, that’s hard to beat.
Honfleur itself was a highlight, and getting there was part of the fun, especially after my rather entertaining day exploring the French countryside in a convoy of vintage Citroën 2CVs! 🇫🇷🚗😂

What I particularly like about Ambassador is that it can offer a more approachable route into cruising. You don’t need to spend a fortune or commit to a two week voyage to discover whether cruising is for you. Sometimes a short sailing is all it takes to find out.

And perhaps that’s exactly why I’d recommend considering Ambassador Cruise Line and Ambience if you’ve always wondered what cruising is actually like. As a travel professional, I believe the best way I can advise my clients is to experience the products I recommend whenever I can.

I’ve now experienced Ambassador for myself so if you’re cruise curious, let’s have a conversation.
📩 Thinking about trying a cruise for the first time? Get in touch and I’ll help you find the right sailing for you.

Send a message to learn more

02/09/2026

👨‍🍳 BEHIND THE SCENES: THE REAL ENGINE ROOM OF AMBIENCE 🚢🍽️

Ever wondered what it takes to feed a cruise ship full of hungry passengers and crew every single day?

I got the chance to find out when I went behind the scenes and into the galley onboard Ambassador Cruise Line Ambience. And WOW… what a machine! 👏

While we guests are enjoying breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, snacks and everything in between, there is an incredible team working tirelessly behind the scenes to make it all happen.

From preparation and baking to cooking, plating, washing, cleaning and keeping everything running like clockwork, the kitchen teams are producing food across multiple outlets and meal occasions, not just for the guests, but for the crew too.

And when you stop to think about the scale of that operation, it is seriously impressive. Imagine cooking for around 1,400 guests, plus several hundred crew, day after day… and doing it all with a smile. 😳

What really struck me was the organisation, teamwork and sheer professionalism. There is no room for “Oops, I forgot the garnish!” 😂
I enjoyed the finished products and they were all delicious. However, thousands of individual tasks have to happen before these tasty dishes reach the dining table and are consumed hurriedly.

So, a huge THANK YOU to every member of the Ambience galley and kitchen teams. 👨‍🍳❤️
You may work behind closed doors, but the enjoyment you create is very much at the heart of the experience onboard.

And after seeing what goes on behind the scenes… I don't think I'll ever look at a bread roll quite the same way again! 🥖😂

01/09/2026

🇫🇷HONFLEUR, WHERE FRANCE SEEMS TO EXHALE. 🇫🇷

There are places that you happily pass through... and places that make you want to stop and stay a while.
Honfleur, on the Normandy coast, is very definitely the latter. 🥰

I spent the Bank Holiday weekend there, and it is easy to understand why this little harbour town has been captivating visitors and artists for centuries.

At the heart of Honfleur is its beautiful Vieux Bassin, the old harbour, surrounded by tall, narrow, timber-framed buildings in a beautiful jumble of colours and styles.

Boats bob gently on the water, cafés spill onto the quayside and the whole place has that unmistakable French ability to make simply sitting with a coffee feel like an occasion. ☕️

But Honfleur is much more than pretty façades.
Its history is deeply connected to the sea. For centuries it was an important trading and fishing port, and it played a significant role in maritime exploration. ⚓️

And then there are the artists.

The extraordinary light around Honfleur attracted painters such as Claude Monet and Eugène Boudin, helping to inspire the artistic movement that would become Impressionism. 👨‍🎨

Stand around the harbour today and you can understand exactly what they saw, constantly changing light reflected across the water, colourful buildings and boats creating an almost ready made painting.

You can wander its cobbled lanes, discover little galleries and boutiques, explore the remarkable wooden Église Sainte-Catherine, or simply find a waterside table and watch the world drift by. 👀

And sometimes, that is the very best kind of travel. No grand itinerary. No rushing from one sight to another. Just somewhere beautiful, a little history, good food, a glass of something chilled... and time to enjoy it. 🍷

Honfleur is small enough to explore on foot, but memorable enough to stay with you long after you've left. Perhaps it's time you discovered this little corner of Normandy for yourself.

If Honfleur or a wider Normandy escape has just found its way onto your travel wish list, you know where to find me.

01/09/2026

Does SIZE really matter? 😳😉