<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[DEPARTURE LOUNGE]]></title><description><![CDATA[DEPARTURE LOUNGE]]></description><link>https://www.traveldeparturelounge.co.uk/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Sat, 03 Oct 2026 21:47:38 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.traveldeparturelounge.co.uk/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Our Postcards: Greece]]></title><description><![CDATA[Kefalonia, the island we keep coming back to Our son, Tyler, discovered Kefalonia before we did. He first went in 2020 to volunteer with Wildlife Sense, later becoming a member of staff, and has now visited an impressive ten times. We’ve managed three so far, although each time we return, his growing tally becomes a little easier to understand. Our first visit was in late September 2021. We rented a villa with our daughter and her best friend, while Tyler was working on the island. Travel...]]></description><link>https://www.traveldeparturelounge.co.uk/post/our-postcards-greece</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6aa7e3cf657220a8827512bf</guid><category><![CDATA[Our Postcards]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 15 Sep 2026 13:24:13 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/33f69b_c5c82aab22c543e98949d1ac4f6bcb69~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kim Brooks</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Our Postcards: Bali]]></title><description><![CDATA[How the island won us over Bali was never really on our radar. The journey felt long, the culture felt completely different, and it simply wasn’t somewhere we had seriously considered. Then our daughter visited and came back full of stories about the villas, the atmosphere, the restaurants, the sightseeing and the slower pace of island life. Before long, we were researching flights and wondering why we had not thought about Bali sooner. There are many ways to travel here. Bali can be a...]]></description><link>https://www.traveldeparturelounge.co.uk/post/our-postcards-bali</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6aa4763ed83f50a13adaf2c7</guid><category><![CDATA[Our Postcards]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2026 22:23:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/33f69b_abd886e1638e49b1bd555dca37808678~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_750,h_422,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kim Brooks</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Our Postcards: Barbados]]></title><description><![CDATA[Barbados, with all the family When I think of Barbados, I can still hear it. The sea lapping the shore below our balcony, birds calling, frogs and crickets filling the evening air, and the sound of steel drums drifting up from the beach. We travelled as a family of eleven, across three generations, with my husband, our two children, my mum, my aunt and uncle, and their daughters and partners. My aunt and uncle’s 45th wedding anniversary gave us a wonderful reason to bring everyone together,...]]></description><link>https://www.traveldeparturelounge.co.uk/post/our-postcards-barbados</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6aa72945abcfc8d624a1361d</guid><category><![CDATA[Our Postcards]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 23:58:23 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/33f69b_89d811c7e64c4ce7b67c649c6f53a33a~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_899,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kim Brooks</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Our Postcards: An American Road Trip]]></title><description><![CDATA[Our Family Adventure Across the American West For years, my husband’s parents had told us how much they loved travelling across America on organised tours. Their advice was always the same: if we ever had the opportunity to do one ourselves, we should. Eventually, we did. With our children aged 12 and 15, we booked a 17-day Western Discovery tour beginning and ending in Los Angeles, with a route that would take us through some of the most recognisable landscapes and cities in the American...]]></description><link>https://www.traveldeparturelounge.co.uk/post/our-postcards-america</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6ac0322e2291ee73d35a4e72</guid><category><![CDATA[Our Postcards]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:16:16 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/33f69b_97324a68f395474c8db6977b754b0b63~mv2.avif/v1/fit/w_1000,h_836,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kim Brooks</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Our Postcards: Mexico]]></title><description><![CDATA[Our love affair with Mexico began in 2007, after family who had already travelled there several times themselves convinced us it would be the perfect destination for a family holiday. They weren’t wrong. What started as one trip to the Riviera Maya gradually turned into a collection of holidays spread across fifteen years, each one slightly different from the last. We have travelled there with young children, returned when they were older, ventured beyond the resorts for a little more...]]></description><link>https://www.traveldeparturelounge.co.uk/post/our-postcards-mexico</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6ac03d422291ee73d35a6881</guid><category><![CDATA[Our Postcards]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 15 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/33f69b_88c2d5ba3883429d9941fc0327250015~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_700,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kim Brooks</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Our Postcards: New York City]]></title><description><![CDATA[What made us choose New York City in January is anyone’s guess. It was freezing, and somehow it felt even colder than Iceland in February, perhaps because of the wind funnelling between the buildings or simply because we spent so much of the trip outside. Whatever the reason, we certainly felt it, but we absolutely loved it. With only three nights in the city, we knew we wanted to make the most of every hour, so before we arrived we mapped out the places we really wanted to see. Rather than...]]></description><link>https://www.traveldeparturelounge.co.uk/post/our-postcards-new-york-city</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6ac0445c1bab6ecf4e3067ab</guid><category><![CDATA[Our Postcards]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/33f69b_93a72fe2044845cda0f7e1ec1006f244~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_800,h_503,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kim Brooks</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[City then beach: why this combination works]]></title><description><![CDATA[There’s a particular pleasure in arriving by the sea with a few days of exploring already behind you. You’ve walked unfamiliar streets, found somewhere wonderful for dinner and finally seen the place that made you book the trip. Now there’s time for a slower breakfast, a swim and an afternoon that doesn’t need much organising. A city stay followed by time at the beach gives a holiday a natural change of pace. It also answers a familiar dilemma when planning a trip together. One person wants...]]></description><link>https://www.traveldeparturelounge.co.uk/post/city-then-beach-why-this-combination-works</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6aa846b4f448a9cd17bbe5ba</guid><category><![CDATA[The Departure Guide]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 01 Jun 2025 22:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/33f69b_6d1f952579cf446d92b66f99b677d6c4~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kim Brooks</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Japan by city, culture and countryside]]></title><description><![CDATA[A first trip to Japan often begins with a familiar collection of images. Tokyo’s bright streets, Kyoto’s temples, a bullet train passing Mount Fuji. They’re compelling reasons to go, but some of the most interesting parts of a journey happen between those headline sights. There might be a morning spent browsing ceramics in Kanazawa, a walk through woodland between old post towns, or an evening at a traditional inn where dinner deserves as much attention as anything you’ve visited that day....]]></description><link>https://www.traveldeparturelounge.co.uk/post/japan-by-city-culture-and-countryside</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6aa80d63e68f944168376c8f</guid><category><![CDATA[The Departure Guide]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 01 May 2025 22:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/33f69b_77db034695b2462c8d38a8d0735aa38d~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kim Brooks</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Stopover cities worth adding to your holiday]]></title><description><![CDATA[When you’re planning a long-haul holiday, the connection between flights can feel like something to get through. But with a few extra nights, that airport stop could become dinner beside Singapore’s waterfront, a ferry ride across Hong Kong harbour or an evening exploring Bangkok’s food stalls. A stopover gives you the chance to try somewhere new without dedicating your whole holiday to it. It can also bring a different experience into the trip, adding city life before a beach stay or a few...]]></description><link>https://www.traveldeparturelounge.co.uk/post/stopover-cities-worth-adding-to-your-holiday</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6aa80395657220a8827556af</guid><category><![CDATA[The Departure Guide]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 01 Apr 2025 22:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/33f69b_797c443be8a640f08bd0faa556118560~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kim Brooks</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Your first trip to Asia: where should you go?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Planning your first trip to Asia is exciting, but it can also be difficult to know where to begin. Asia is vast, varied and impossible to reduce to a single “best” destination. One person’s perfect first trip might be two weeks of temples, trains and city lights in Japan. Someone else might want warm seas, beautiful hotels and slow mornings by the pool. Another traveller might prefer food markets, wildlife, island hopping or a polished stopover before somewhere more adventurous. The right...]]></description><link>https://www.traveldeparturelounge.co.uk/post/your-first-trip-to-asia-where-should-you-go</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6aa32174571318e8c9e27f06</guid><category><![CDATA[The Departure Guide]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 01 Mar 2025 22:57:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/33f69b_0886153af8c34f15bb38fa4ab72e3408~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kim Brooks</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to spend the perfect week in Italy]]></title><description><![CDATA[A few days of galleries, good shopping and late dinners, followed by time beside the water with nowhere in particular to be: Milan and Lake Como make a very good pair. For a week in northern Italy, we'd spend three days in the city and four at the lake. Three days gives you time to cover Milan's main sights, explore its neighbourhoods and enjoy evenings that start with aperitivo and have a habit of carrying on. Once you've seen what you came for, take the train to Lake Como, where the next...]]></description><link>https://www.traveldeparturelounge.co.uk/post/how-to-spend-the-perfect-week-in-italy</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a9fd7c05b24c1f7af263de9</guid><category><![CDATA[The Departure Guide]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 01 Feb 2025 11:30:59 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/33f69b_c262595f5fac40199aa58c3252ec3f38~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_900,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kim Brooks</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Which Caribbean island is right for you?]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Caribbean is often spoken about as though it is one kind of holiday. White sand, blue sea, rum punch, winter sun. A week somewhere warm where your biggest decision is whether to swim before or after lunch. All of that exists, of course, but the islands are not interchangeable. A holiday in Barbados feels very different to a week in St Lucia. Antigua is not the same as Anguilla. Jamaica has a completely different energy to Turks and Caicos, and Grenada offers something softer, greener and...]]></description><link>https://www.traveldeparturelounge.co.uk/post/which-caribbean-island-is-right-for-you</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6aa32c515462f0629b9a4628</guid><category><![CDATA[The Departure Guide]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 01 Jan 2025 23:52:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/33f69b_a59d4a8666a440489714ca7a7f1dfddb~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kim Brooks</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[In Season]]></title><description><![CDATA[Where to go when: a year of travel inspiration Sometimes a holiday begins with a destination you’ve wanted to visit for years. Other times, you have a space in the diary and the freedom to see where it might take you. The month you travel can make a real difference. It might mean arriving as the cherry blossom opens, finding a favourite coastal town a little quieter, or catching the dry season in a country where the weather changes dramatically from one region to another. From winter sunshine...]]></description><link>https://www.traveldeparturelounge.co.uk/post/in-season</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6aa7d0f1b75fbdc9b183ec6d</guid><category><![CDATA[In Season]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 15 Oct 2024 11:08:36 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/33f69b_db7a1c0ad3d04377b5d94bcdc3ae0ec5~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kim Brooks</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>