I am so excited to be able to say that I am off to Italy tomorrow morning with mum! First trip of the year and, having spoken to lots of my clients who are also trying to get away for a short European break, we all agree that we can't remember a time when we haven't travelled for so long.

Venice has been on mine and mum's list for years, but we always said we'd go in the Springtime because it gets a bit smelly as the season progresses. However, if there's ever a time to visit in the Autumn, surely this must be it - right amidst a pandemic when tourists will be at their lowest numbers but all the sites will still be open for business.

Here is our itinerary which I've carefully planned to be relaxed and Fibro proof!

Tuesday - arrive and chill
Wednesday - lazy am / walking tour and gondola ride pm
Thursday - lazy am / fast track entry small group tour of St Marks basilica and Doge Palace pm
Friday - lazy am / boat tour to the islands - Murano, Torcello and Burano

We're flying with BA from Terminal 5, London Heathrow and staying at the beautiful Ca'sagredo Hotel on the Grand Canal.

Tell you all about it next time!

When I'm in Cornwall, two of my favourite places to relax are Godrevy (above) and Upton Towans. They are beautiful when the sun shines and I love the combination of funny shaped clouds, blue sky, sea and wild flowers.

Now I've only been to Dublin in Ireland, but this week's post is from guest blogger Frank Lee, where he gives us an insight into his 7 Best Hidden Places in Ireland:

The Republic of Ireland is an island in the North Atlantic and it is divided into two parts; one is the Republic of Ireland which covers five sixths of the total area, while the second part is called Northern Ireland which is the part of Great Britain. The country doesn’t have an extreme temperature in any of its seasons and verdant greenery can be seen everywhere in the country. This was considered one of the packed areas with woodlands during the Middle Ages. Although a number of woodlands have decreased, it is still very large when compared to other European countries. The country has seen many wars and rebellions especially during the colonial days of Great Britain. There were many movements to separate the country from the UK and also there were lots of factions inside Ireland fighting one another, resulting in chaos. The shift towards realism in Irish literature occurred during these days because authors wanted to portray what was happening around, rather than those figures that are higher than life. Ireland has produced great writers such as Nobel Prize winner W B Yeats and Samuel Beckett. The influence of Irish Culture and Literature on English and other languages is so strong that one cannot deny its vast subject matter and its importance. Ireland is a land of multiple places like woodlands, vegetation fields, old monuments and buildings and many literary spots; here is a list of seven best-hidden places to visit in Ireland.

Skelling Michael, County Kerry, Ireland
This spot is one of the earliest spot in Ireland dating back to the sixth century. The stone huts on pointed peaks are the places where the monks lived in the middle of nowhere. This spot, obviously, cannot be found accidentally and it requires a continuous struggle to reach here; first a lot of walking – one can even hire fishermen who are easily available at these places – and then all the way up climbing to the top of the mountain. But once you reach there the sight fascinates you; the mountains are covered with frost and clouds and everything appears so grandiose.

Torc Waterfall, Killarney National Park
This spot is so beautiful and is pictured so many times that you must have seen its photo without knowing where this place actually is. These waterfalls are free for everyone to go and are easily accessible, which makes these waterfalls all the more charming. The waterfall flows from the river Devils Punch Bowl via Torc Mountains. The spot is not only perfect for the waterfall but also for the greenery around and different climbing patterns and challenges developed by the tour companies to hike on mountains. There are also many lakes nearby and climbing on mountains can give you a panoramic view of the surroundings.

Aran Islands, County Galway
The language still spoken in the areas of the Aran Islands is Gaelic and one can find traditional ways of old peoples’ life here. This place is isolated from many other places and is only a forty minute drive from Rossaveel. The traditional way and lifestyle of the people living here offers plenty of things like rentals and hostels.

Glendalough, County Wicklow
Glendalough is called the valley of two lakes and it is present in the heart of Wicklow Mountains. The “City of Seven Churches” was built by monks whose love for isolation from the daily business of life was combined with a refined taste of lush green fields and charming scenery. This place is not just a strolling point, but a lot of things are present here worthy to be discovered, which include old churches and their stones, crosses, different round-shaped towers and many Cathedrals.

Beara Peninsula
Everyone is aware of the Ring of Kerry in Ireland and most visitors visiting Ireland find it necessary to mark this place on their checklist. In this list, I am not completely denouncing this place altogether, but I am offering a detour to the ring of Beara and then moving towards Ring of Kerry. Many traditional and commonly used routes for the Ring of Kerry are full of crowd and buses, so it is an important suggestion to visit the place, but by a different route and enjoying the beauty of a different place as well. This is a walking spot and it is better to stroll down the steep hills if one is a good walker.

Hore Abbey
This place is a collection of many stunning buildings of, either medieval origin, or some people consider them even earlier than this. Hore Abbey contains a fifteenth-century castle, a round tower, and a Gothic Cathedral. This is the best place for students of history, Anthropology lovers and those people who specialize in ancient buildings. This place is so calm and quiet and if you are a lover of such quiet places add a trip to Rock of Cashel.

Dunmore East, County Waterford
This is one of the hidden villages of Ireland - and the secret is not out yet to many of the other tourists - and that’s why this place is worthy of a visit with all its calmness, and the abundance of boats with different painted colors. This is actually a small fishing village perfect for lovers of scuba diving and those finding World War 1 wrecks. Dunmore East is another charming point in the vicinity.

This guest post is written by Frank Lee. He works at Rebates Zone and you can follow him @franklee84

This was the wing walkers warm up act to the main event on race day. Enjoy the grand finale where they take off their harnesses!

The UK's Nigel Lamb setting the fastest track record for Ascot ever!

This is UK's Nigel Lamb's final race. Wasn't enough to take him through to the last 4, but still awesome.

You can't beat proper Cornish pasties!

There is also something to be said for light salads drizzled with delicious, yet simple dressings, cool, refreshing beverages and gooey chocolate brownies, all enjoyed in the summer sunshine in lovely Cornish locations with family. Ah, heaven..

One must let off steam every now and then so one doesn't explode! Enjoying a family go karting session at Teamsport racetrack in Avonmouth. It was awesome!