The A-Z of Hidden Travel Gems (Part 1 of 3)

The Summer holiday season is well underway, and it got me thinking of where I might like to visit. 

With a fairly sizeable bucket list, I look forward to continuing my adventures, especially to countries I have not yet visited. 

Throughout my childhood the exploration of different countries was something I only ever knew.

My Dad was an International Bank Manager and he was posted to a different country every 3 to 4 years. 

I don’t claim to be a native or know everything about these places, but I shall hopefully form a snapshot of particularly memories about each, or provide a recommendation of where to venture if you find yourself in one of them.

For me, finding myself in a different country offers me the best opportunity to learn. 

Being able to recognise and appreciate the different cultures first-hand provides me with an understanding in which no book, classroom or film can offer. 

From a young age, I was constantly having to adapt to different environments and be flexible enough to fit into them as an expat child. 

Here it is then.  My alphabetical list of the places I have been fortunate to live in or travel around. 

It is not designed to be all encompassing but more like notes that might help you check something that is either a popular place to visit or something lesser known.  

Split into three articles due to its length, the first instalment covers countries from A to G, the second part is from H to O and the final section from P to W. 



1.    Alaska

Soon to be visited by me and whilst it qualifies as the largest American state, more will be written about my experience of this remote and perceptually magical place so check back here in Autumn 2026.   

2.    America

I’m not sure I can do the US justice.  

Living in America between the ages of 4 and 10, I was fortunate enough to experience both the east and west coasts and there is much I could write about.  

I made friendships there that have lasted for over 40 years and I shall never forget my peers’ encouragement and positivity throughout my time there.  For me, it’s easy to pinpoint the people as being what made my living in America one of the best places on earth.

However, if there are two superficial things I could recommend to anyone travelling to New York or California it would be this. 

Finding yourself in New York in winter, and particularly around Christmas time, adds to the magic.

Buying some freshly cooked horse chestnuts from a street stall seller and ice-skating at The Rockefeller Center is bound to be memorable.  

Alternatively, finding tickets for a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden will also raise the excitement for any sports fan.  

Travelling about 20 miles west from the city of LA to the coastal Pacific Palisades you might find an eaterie now known  as Gladstones which has been renamed from Gladstones 4 Fish as I remember it when I was young. 

I would be interested to hear your experience of the restaurant because I remember it offering the most casual vibe (punters in ripped jeans clambering into comfy booths and throwing monkey nut shells on the sawdust floor) whilst waiting for possibly the best steamed lobster that has ever been served. 

3.    Antigua

Any research done on Antigua and Barbuda will bring it up as a destination with some of the best sailing and beaches in the world which can be justified.

A special trip we made while we were there was to The Donkey Sanctuary in Saint Paul Parish.  

From the warm welcome received, the staff were generous with their time, informative with their knowledge and we were inspired by the work they do. 

4.    Australia

I can’t admit to remembering my trip to Oz as a toddler but I recall being told I loved the beaches, the openness and the generally relaxed way of life. 

The Aussies seem to have a life outside work that the Brits might admire and so, when I return one day, I shall try to fit in and be more laid back.

5.    The Bahamas

Cruising around the archipelago of around 700 islands has to be a treat for anyone chasing paradise. 

Snorkelling amongst the colourful variety of marine life is probably all anyone will want to do during the day before sinking into a comfy seat with a sundowner to sip on. 

6.    Bahrain

My birthplace.

I decided to return when I was an adult to see where I was born. 

On arrival at airport immigration, the gentleman looked down at my passport, looked up at me and back down. 

When he did make eye contact, he simply said: “Welcome home.”

We had it all planned.  We would take in some sights, experience the culture and go to The Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Unfortunately, we happened to be in Bahrain when The Arab Spring disrupted most things there and kept us indoors for most of our stay. 

We were fortunate that my Aunt is as warm hearted and hospitable as she is and that my Uncle worked at the British Embassy for the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 

With this combination we had a great time spending time with each other and getting out on one of the limited number of flights when we needed to. 

The time we did spend there was lovely because it was with family. 

7.    China

A long weekend away took us to a retreat type place (before retreats became popular) in Zhuhai, China when my parents lived in a Hong Kong. 

There, expat families mixed with one another as the adults spent more time together and us, as children, were given an element of freedom to enjoy each others’ company. 

We spent the days at the golf’s driving range and playing other games and, after dark, hung around and let off small fireworks and bang snaps as our parents spent the evenings at the dinner table. 

Whilst it was only a few days away, the memories I have are of strengthening friendships and outdoor fun and being a child. 

8.    Croatia

A popular destination for tourists, a holiday taken with extended family and our then 3 year old daughter who had just recovered from chickenpox but still feeling drained was spent at an intentionally slow pace. 

Days were spent lazing by or playing in a pool, a beach or two were visited, fancy boats gawped at and evenings at a ‘konoba’ or local eaterie enjoyed. 

The fresh ingredients on offer was a real treat including a wide array of fish and seafood.  

The charm of Dubrovnik’s cobbled streets was worth the visit and as our legs began to ache, a well-earned ice-cream from Gelateria Dubrovnik under the heat of the sun was rewarded in itself. 

9.    Egypt 

Planning a holiday with the intention of scuba diving was easy after hearing all the positive things the underwater world of Hurghada had to offer. 

It was unfortunate, then, that we suffered with sinusitis at separate times throughout the time spent there with no diving done at all. 

It was an interesting experience as the security at the hotel was as strict as airport with scanners and metal detectors and we hadn’t been advised that our hotel hadn’t been finished being built so there were many areas that were out of bounds for us. 

We ventured out to the Old town of El Dahar in Hurghada and looked around the local arts and crafts shops and market before it got too hot. 

The holiday was a good opportunity to recharge our batteries and get some well needed early nights.

10.  England

When you live somewhere it can feel challenging to recommend what might be good to visit as a tourist. 

In an attempt to keep to places worth a mention which may not necessarily be mentioned in the tourist guidebooks, I have limited my recommendations to anyone visiting England for the first time to just five.

From north to south, Edinburgh Castle, The Shambles and Betty’s Café Tearoom in York, walks in The Lake District and an obligatory visit to The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop to taste the best gingerbread ever sold.  Prepare for a long queue that is well worth the wait – and make sure you check the opening times to avoid disappointment!  The walks in The Lake District will take you back to nature with a feeling of complete openness and freedom.

Further south, to experience a great English tradition, take a trip to the seaside and walk along the sand or pebble beach, skim stones and amble down a pier to visit the fairground attractions if they have one.  Whilst there are many to choose from Brighton Palace Pier has a range of attractions to suit a wide range of people.  End the day with an open air supper of fish and chips wrapped in newspaper (probably not anymore!) whilst sitting on a bench and enjoying the view of the sun setting over the very cold sea that you might have braved earlier.

11.  Finland

Definitely not off the beaten track (so I have cheated) but absolutely worth including because it is rated by me as one of the best trips ever taken!

An organised ‘Meet Santa in Lapland’ trip might be painful on the purse strings but if the memories that will remain forever are worth every penny.  From dog sledding, ice fishing, snowmobiling and northern lights searching there are many activities to suit you as a family.  Without spoiling the many surprises that are in store for you, the trip’s experience will start from the moment you set foot on the plane in order to get there.

We loved it so much that I am almost wishing my life away to be able to share the experience with my hypothetical grandchildren!

The organisation and logistics of our trip with Santa’s Lapland was so well organised and inclusive that I would definitely use the company again if the opportunity arose.

It’s worth taking a fully charged battery pack with you on excursions because the sheer coldness in temperature will drain your phone’s battery quicker than usual when recording the many memories that you choose to make.

12.  France

There was something fun about hunting for the best macarons in Paris when we spent a few days there. 

From too many to choose from, it was worth the walk to venture around Galeries Lafayette Le Gourmet at 35 Bd Haussmann, 75009 Paris to not only see (and taste) some amazing macarons but to see the wide variety of food on offer. 

The highlight for me was discovering an unassuming restaurant, even when it was recommended by the hotel’s Front of House Manager, called La P’tit Breton (Opera) located at 12 Rue de la Grange-Batelière, 75009. 

Not knowing a reservation would have been helpful as the restaurant was still packed at the end of a lunch service, the staff couldn’t have been more hospitable as they seated us quickly and provided us with a friendly and efficient service with a huge variety of savoury and sweet crêpes to choose from which our whole party enjoyed.  

13.  Grand Cayman

Crystal clear waters and sandy bottomed floors was my main takeaway from this beautiful place (not a bad one either!). 

The one vivid memory I have is being onboard a glass bottomed boat and learning at about the age of 7 that the perception under water is skewed as a diver within our vision misjudged the distance to a shipwreck he was exploring and swam straight into a hunk of metal, splitting his head open and needing scores of stitches. 

Those accompanying him got him up and out of the water pretty quickly as the water turned red and he became disorientated. 

He felt happy he was recovering when we saw him a few days later and probably thankful he hadn’t attracted the infamous sharks in the area (that are mostly harmless to humans)...

14.  Greece

Rhodes proves to be a beautiful oasis of a slightly less touristy part of Greece in which the people are as friendly as they are helpful. 

It is typical that our then toddler became quite poorly during the holiday with tonsillitis and Scarlet fever which led to a raging temperature and general lethargy.

We were advised it wasn’t a very long walk but trekking up a hill seemed like it took an age in the blistering heat to the nearest pharmacy to pick up some prescribed medication and was not something I had banked on and when we got there.  With the only communication between us being hand gestures and facial expressions, we managed to ascertain what was needed and when to treat our daughter.

Deservedly a UNESCO World Heritage site, Rhodes Old Town is well worth a visit and to wander the cobbled streets and get lured into a taverna was definitely a touristy thing to do but, with time on our side, it definitely made us feel like a local in that respect.

Kefalonia, a beautiful spot in Greece, can be part of an island-hopping holiday, but it can also equally form the base of a relaxed and laid-back break. 

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Hopefully the above has given you some good for thought as to where you might go next, you might have recognised a few places and attractions that we have both visited and you might even feel that a place I have described has changed a lot. 

The travelling does not stop there and next month’s blog post will cover the second instalment of countries from H to O that I have been lucky enough to experience. 

In the meantime, if you would like to exchange travel stories or benefit from the support of an organised and adaptable person (required when a person has travelled a lot) get in touch with me. 

Anna

anna@akavirtualassistant.com