http://travelcounsellors.co.uk/sarah.newton

Sarah Newton - Gold Travel Counsellor 01235 470022, Grove, Wantage (2026)

22/09/2026

🇺🇸 A little Alaska business update… 🐻🗻🐋

I’m having the most wonderful time here in Alaska, today we have arrived in Skagway and I’m honestly loving every minute of my Gold Trip! 💛✨

Just a little reminder though… I am currently 9 hours behind you guys back home in the UK 🇬🇧⏰

So if you’re WhatsApping me and wondering why I’m taking a little longer to reply, please bear with me! My Wi-Fi is also a little patchy at times, so messages can take a while to come through.

Please continue to email me as normal for all enquiries and bookings. 📧

My wonderful team are back home looking after my business while I’m away, and I know they will look after you just as well as I would! 💜

So please keep those holiday enquiries coming in! ✈️🌴🛳️
Soozie and Robyn will be on hand to help with your enquiries, get those bookings confirmed on my behalf and make sure everything is taken care of, ready for me to pick up when I’m back.

Thank you so much for your patience and understanding while I’m away. It really does mean a lot. 🥰

In the meantime, keep following along with my Alaskan adventures on my socials… because I have LOTS to share! 🐻🐋🦅🗻🛳️

And while I’m busy exploring Alaska, let’s get your next adventure planned too! 😉✈️

Sarah xx
Your Travel Counsellor 💜

21/09/2026

WELCOME ABOARD NORWEGIAN BLISS! 🛳️🇺🇸❄️

John and I have officially boarded Norwegian Bliss and we are currently LOVING it! ❤️

After all the planning, excitement, packing (way too much of it 😂) and finally making it to Seattle, we have now sailed off on our Alaskan Gold Trip and I honestly can’t believe we’re here! 🥰

This ship is absolutely beautiful and there is SO much to see and do that I think it’s going to take us the whole week to discover everything!

So far we’ve enjoyed some amazing food, fantastic entertainment, a lovely wine tasting experience and of course plenty of exploring around the ship. 🍷🍽️🎭

And then there’s everything still to come…

🏎️ Bliss Speedway – A two-level go-kart track at sea! You know we’re going to have to give this a go! 😂

🌊 Aqua Park – Water slides, including the Ocean Loops!

🔭 Observation Lounge – 180° panoramic views at the front of the ship. We had lunch here and even spotted WHALES through the windows! 🐋

🍽️ 22 dining options – From Cagney’s and Ocean Blue to Q Texas Smokehouse, Food Republic and Teppanyaki.

🍸 23 bars & lounges – Well… it would be rude not to try a few of them, wouldn’t it?! 🤦🏼‍♀️😂

🎭 Amazing entertainment – Shows, comedy, live music, game shows and plenty more.

🎸 The Cavern Club (this is Johns favourite) – Live Beatles-style entertainment in this Liverpool-inspired venue. ❤️

🌴 Vibe Beach Club – Adults-only, ocean views, loungers and a huge hot tub… definitely on our list!

💦 Pools & hot tubs – Perfect for relaxing after a busy day exploring Alaska.

💆🏼‍♀️ Mandara Spa – I’ve already got my name down for a massage… because obviously! 😂

🌊 The Waterfront – A beautiful oceanfront promenade with restaurants, bars and lounges.

⛳ Mini golf, Splash Academy and so much more!

Honestly, there really is something for everyone onboard Bliss, whether you want adventure, relaxation, amazing food, entertainment or just somewhere to sit and watch the world go by. 🌎🛳️

And now… ALASKA! 🐋🏔️❄️

📍 Today we arrive in Juneau and we have a fun-packed day all lined up, Whale 🐋 watching this afternoon, so excited.
I cannot wait to see what this incredible part of the world has in store for us!

Keep following along because I’ll be sharing plenty of our Alaskan adventure over the next week… and hopefully LOTS of wildlife! 🐻🐋🦅

This Gold Trip is already living up to everything I dreamed it would be. ✨

19/09/2026

Just booked a nice little Egypt 🇪🇬 November getaway, up bright and early due to jet lag so got a few hours work in 🙌🏼🙌🏼

17/09/2026

Oh my God… I’m tucked up in bed already, and I’m feeling SO excited! ✈️🛳️🤩

⏰ My alarm is set nice and early because tomorrow is finally the day!

We’re flying to Seattle before embarking on the Norwegian Bliss for my Alaskan gold trip cruise ! 🏆🚢🇺🇸🇨🇦

I honestly cannot believe this day is finally here. It feels like I’ve been counting down forever, and I’m beyond excited to experience this incredible part of the world.

And this time, I’m taking my husband along with me! 💜

Although, I think we may have got a little carried away with the packing… 😂 For the first time EVER, I’m taking two suitcases just for me! 🧳🧳

I absolutely cannot wait to share this adventure with you all over the coming week. From Seattle to sailing through Alaska, I’ll be sharing plenty of photos, videos, experiences and, hopefully, lots of inspiration for you to visit this wonderful part of the world too. 🏔️🦅🌊❄️

So make sure you’re following my socials and come along for the journey!

Alaska, here we come! 🛳️⚓️🇺🇸

16/09/2026

✨ It’s the little things that make a big difference… ✨

Taking a quick visit to the hotel just before my customer arrives is one of those special touches that makes every holiday feel so personal to me. I just wish I could visit them all 💕

Making sure everything is looking fabulous and to get a little feel for what’s waiting for them, because when I book your holiday, I want to know it’s somewhere I’d be happy to stay too!

I hope you have the most wonderful time at this beautiful hotel in Costa Dorada 🌴☀️ Enjoy every minute, make some amazing memories and have as much fun as we did when we stayed here in August! 🥰

Have the best time! 💜

15/09/2026

Receiving photos from my customers who are currently enjoying their Alaska cruise has made me even MORE excited for my own adventure and I’m off this Friday! 🛳️❄️🏔️

They’ve already seen and photographed some incredible wildlife, including a beautiful brown bear, trout jumping out of the water, sea lions resting on the rocks and even some whales! 🐻🐟🦭🐋

And then in Whistler, they spotted the marmot that Whistler is named after, as well as a black bear from the gondola! 🐻 The photo is a little blurry because it was taken through the gondola window, but what an amazing sight to see!

I’m really hoping I get to experience some of what my customers have seen too. Seeing their photos has given me such a taste of what’s to come, and I can’t wait to experience it for myself. 🤩

I’ll also be taking lots of notes and gathering information along the way, so I can bring back plenty of first-hand knowledge and tips to help my future customers plan their own Alaska adventures.

My countdown is officially ON! 🥳🛳️🇨🇦🇺🇸

14/09/2026

🇳🇴✨ NORWEGIAN FJORDS, one of my absolute favourite cruises! ✨🇳🇴

The Norwegian Fjords are one of my top-selling cruises from Southampton, and it’s really not hard to see why! 🛳️💙

P&O Iona sails up to the stunning Norwegian Fjords from April right through to the end of September, giving you the perfect opportunity to experience some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world.

I recently had customers sail on Iona to Norway to celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary 🥂💍 and what a way to celebrate 50 years of marriage! ❤️

Some of the group had sailed the Norwegian Fjords several times before, but for one couple, it was their very first time. They had an absolutely amazing time and I think these incredible photos really say it all! 📸😍

I’ve had so many customers return to the Norwegian Fjords time and time again because every sailing is just as memorable as the last. The scenery is simply out of this world, dramatic mountains, cascading waterfalls, peaceful villages and those spectacular fjords stretching out as far as the eye can see. 🌊🏔️

A huge thank you to my lovely customers for allowing me to share their photos. Take a look for yourself and see just how beautiful this cruise really is!

If a Norwegian Fjords adventure is something you’ve always wanted to experience, drop me an email. We’re already on sale right through to 2028, so why not get yourself booked and start looking forward to your very own Norwegian adventure? 🇳🇴🛳️✨

Your next adventure could be closer than you think! 💜

11/09/2026

Following on from my husband’s post earlier this week… I’m finally out of bed! 🙌

Today is the first day I’ve actually managed to get myself up since returning home from Majorca with the flu. And I definitely wasn’t alone, sadly, a few of us were struck down with this horrible virus and we’ve all been pretty much bedridden all week! 😢

I’m still nowhere near 100%, but I’ve made it out of bed, I’ve even attempted to open the laptop, so I’m taking that as a win! 😂

I’m going to spend the rest of the weekend concentrating on getting properly better, and then, all being well, I’ll be back into the office next week. I’m really hoping that means I’ll be fit and well enough to travel next Friday on my Gold Trip to Alaska. 🤞✈️🛳️

But first, I just want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has messaged me this week 💜

I’ve had so many lovely messages on WhatsApp, Text, Messenger and Facebook, and I genuinely appreciate every single one of them. Thank you for your patience, your kindness and your understanding while I’ve been away from my desk.

And then there’s my amazing team 🥰……Robyn, Soozie and Mahul, you have all been absolute diamonds this week! 💎

I honestly don’t know what I would have done without you this week. You’ve kept everything ticking over, looked after my customers, dealt with enquiries, answered emails and generally picked up the pieces while I’ve been completely out of action.

I could not run my business without you all, and this week has proved that more than ever. Thank you from the bottom of my heart ❤️

I know lots of you still prefer to deal directly with me, even when one of the team is responding on my behalf, and I completely understand that. Please rest assured that everything still comes through me. I know what’s going on, I’m still very much in control, and where I can, I’m still dealing with things personally.

But the reality is… I’m human. I’m not a robot!

And I think my body has given me a very loud and very unwelcome wake-up call this week 🙈

I always like to live life to the full. My motto has always been “work hard, play harder” and most of you probably see all the sunny holiday photos and think I’m permanently on holiday! ☀️😂

What you don’t see behind those sunny selfies is the work!

This trip to Majorca was actually the first trip I’ve taken this year where I didn’t take my laptop with me.

Every other trip, I’ve worked while I’ve been away. Early mornings, late nights, keeping in touch with the team, checking emails, answering enquiries, making sure my customers are looked after, making sure tickets are issued and making sure everyone can go away and enjoy their own holidays.

I absolutely love what I do, and I wouldn’t change that for the world, but perhaps my body has finally decided enough is enough and shouted:

“STOP, SARAH! YOU ARE NOT A ROBOT!”🤖

I’m a mum. I’m a wife. I’m a business owner. And I think I’ve been so busy trying to do everything for everyone that I’ve forgotten that I also need to switch off myself sometimes.

So, maybe this is the little wake-up call is what I needed.

I need to slow down a little. I need to trust my wonderful team even more. And I need to remember that it’s actually OK to step away from the office and have some proper time off.

I know some of you are still waiting to see me, and I promise I haven’t forgotten you. I’ll be in touch over the weekend to make any necessary arrangements, but please bear with me while I slowly get myself back to full strength.

I’m still not feeling great at all, but being out of bed today feels like a massive achievement! 💪🏼

And hopefully, once I’m properly back on my feet, I’ll finally get around to sharing some of the photos from last weekend because WOW… what a weekend it was! 🥳

The girls certainly gave me a fabulous final 50th celebration. So many memories made, so many laughs, and definitely a few stories that probably shouldn’t make it onto Facebook! 😂🥂☀️

Majorca really is an amazing place to party… we just didn’t quite plan on bringing full-blown flu home as our souvenir! 🤣

Anyway, enough from me.

I just wanted to let you all know that I’m still here, I’m alive, I’m slowly getting back on the radar, and I will be back in full swing very soon 👩🏼‍💻

In the meantime, please continue to contact us as normal. The team are here, they’ve got you covered, and they’re doing an absolutely amazing job 🤩

Thank you again for all your love, messages, patience and support.

11/09/2026

Today marks 25 years since September 11, 2001 , a day that changed the world forever 💔

I still remember the disbelief, the shock, and the feeling that somehow the world had suddenly stopped. Like so many others, I remember exactly where I was when the news broke, watching events unfold that seemed impossible to comprehend.

Last year, I had the opportunity to visit the site in New York. Standing there, in a place I had seen so many times through photographs and on television, was something I will never forget. Being there in person made the scale of what happened feel even more real, but more than anything, it brought home the incredible number of individual lives, families and stories behind that terrible day.

Twenty-five years later, we remember the 2,977 people who never made it home. We remember the families who lost loved ones, the first responders who ran towards danger while others were running away, and all those whose lives were changed forever.

We remember not only the tragedy, but the courage, compassion and humanity that followed.

A quarter of a century has passed, but some days remain etched into our collective memory forever.

We remember. We honour. We will never forget. 🇺🇸

09/09/2026

A little update from John, Sarah’s husband:

I’m really sorry to let everyone know that Sarah has come back from Majorca with the flu and is currently very poorly.

Unfortunately, this means that all appointments will need to be cancelled this week while Sarah takes the time she needs to rest and recover.

Sarah’s team are still there and will be looking after her phone calls, enquiries and emails, so please bear with them while everything is being dealt with.

I’m really sorry for any inconvenience or disappointment this may cause, but Sarah needs to concentrate on getting better before she can return to work.

Thank you all so much for your patience, understanding and kind messages.

John

Sarah Newton - Gold Travel Counsellor 01235 470022

22/09/2026

21/09/2026

19/09/2026

17/09/2026

16/09/2026

15/09/2026

14/09/2026

11/09/2026

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09/09/2026

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