Queen of the Valley

Advantages: Interesting, very interesting!
Disadvantages: The most famous tomb is now closed.

...Day 1 in Egypt, site number 2 (and it is only 09:30), so let's do away with the babble and launch right in.... ~What's this place all about then?~ The Valley of the Queens is the burial site for the Queens & children of the Pharaohs of the 18th, 19th & 20th dynasties (1550 - 1070BC). It is said that there are about 70 (some claim as many as 85) different burial sites in the area. Probably the most famous tomb here is that of Queen Nefertari*, which is the largest and most spectacular in the valley. Unfortunately, this tomb is now no longer open, we were told by our guide that a couple of years ago there was some rain in the valley, which caused some damage to Nefertari's tomb. The Egyptian Government went about restoring the damage, and spent roughly a cool million on it. To recuperate the funds they opened the tomb, but...

tazzywazzy 06.02.2007 · Read review
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Review of Valley of the Queens

  Valley of the Kings

Advantages: Chateaux and gardens, old towns and local cuisine
Disadvantages: Unexciting landscapes, well-trodden tourist trail

...Where is the best place in France to get away from it all, to slip off for a few days (or a few weeks, or months), perhaps to your second (or third, or fourth) home? With a country so rich in attractive regions, this could be regarded as a tough question, but the kings of the Valois dynasty in the late 15th and early 16th Centuries were in no doubt about their answer. They picked on the lower valley of the Loire, and in particular the stretch between Orleans and Tours, to site their out-of-town chateaux and hunting-lodges. Where they led the court naturally followed, and soon any ambitious aristocrat felt the need to have a prestigious pied-a-terre nearby from which to keep in touch with current intrigue and to curry favour with the king. The reasons that attracted the Valois kings and their retinues to the Loire Valley...

torr 10.10.2005 (13.10.2005) · Read review
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Review of Loire Valley (France)

The Derwent Valley, Derbyshire

Advantages: A Great Day Out
Disadvantages: Lots Of Enviromental Damage Was Caused During Its Creation

...I am very fortunate that I live only a short distance from the Peak District National Park which offers some of the finest scenery in England. The Derwent Valley lies in the Hope Valley within the Peak District and connects three large man made Reservoirs called Howden Dam. Derwent Reservoir, and Ladybower. I have visited this area many times and I am always spellbound by its sheer natural beauty, but beneath these dark waters lies a sordid tale of destroyed Villages and an Environmental disaster. GETTING THERE Ladybower, the largest of the three bodies of Water lies at the bottom end of the Derwent Valley and directly beside the A57 Road which connects Sheffield to Manchester. The A57 is known locally as the "Snake Pass" due to its winding, twisting nature and this route is one of only three major Roads which crosses...

micksheff 01.03.2006 · Read review
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Review of The Derwent Valley, Derbyshire

The Derwent valley reservoirs

Advantages: A great day out for all the family
Disadvantages: none

...was ceremoniously opened by King George VI on September 25th 1945. Derwent Dam and reservoir? This enormous reservoir covers approximately 170 acres and reaches up to 35 metres deep. A small island lies in the one and a half mile stretch of water. The reservoir and its enormous dam were made famous by the Dam busters ,(or operation Chastise, with Barnes Wallis and his famous bouncing bomb), during World War II. The Dam being very similar to the German dams so the RAF used it to practice there low flying raids. (The majority of the actual film was shot here) Getting there?.. By Road: Along the A57 Glossop to Sheffield road crosses Ladybower by the Ashopton viaduct. A minor road on the west side of this leads to Fairholmes. Approaching from Hope Valley, follow the A6013 north from Bamford to reach Ladybower and the A57...

blissman70 13.04.2008 · Read review
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Review of The Derwent Valley, Derbyshire

Valley of the Thrung Thrung Karm

Advantages: splendid isolation; black-necked cranes
Disadvantages: no gurantees, obviously

...The descent from the Dochu La pass (3050m or 3140m depending which chapter of the book you're reading) is as swift as all Bhutanese downhill drives?slow of speed, yet suddenly there is everything above you and little down below. Unlike the others though, this one ended not in the steep-sided ribbon of a river flow, but in the bowl of a lake that wasn't there. The Phobjika valley is broad, but enclosed, and to wander into it is to head down into a forgotten place. Even by Bhutanese standards this is isolation. Deliberately so. It remained disconnected through history for reasons, presumably, of geography, and then man intervened and - for once getting it right - decided not to intervene too much. It is now a conservation area. Development is severely restricted. Whilst there is mains water, there is no electricity in...

hiker 10.01.2007 · Read review
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Review of Phobjika Valley (Bhutan)

The valley of ghosts

Advantages: A fabulous day out
Disadvantages: Midges from time to time

...I have to say, I don't know where Ciao got the picture above from, but it is pretty awful. Don't let that put you off, as you have to see this place to believe it. What if I was to tell you that within a six miles radius of the village of Kilmartin, there are 350 monuments, 150 of them prehistoric? You might wonder why you have never heard of it (unless of course you have heard of it!). To me, this should be a UNESCO World Heritage site. Instead, it is a little known spot, and the excellent Kilmartin House Museum (see below), nearly closed last year due to lack of funds. ~Where is it?~ **************** Kilmartin valley is in mid-Argyll, about 100 miles northwest of Glasgow and can only be accessed by road. If you don't have a car or don't wish to drive, you can get a bus from Glasgow to Lochgilphead, and then you can get...

weetoon 18.03.2006 · Read review
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Review of Kilmartin Valley (Argyll, Scotland)

Hunter Valley - Wine Tours

Advantages: Got to taste loads of different wines and learn about them
Disadvantages: Not much else to do other than wine tasting

...Hunter Valley has wonderful scenery and is home to a large wine and coaling industries. To the south it stretches from Goulburn River and Wollemi National Park and right up to Barrington Tops National Park to the North. Lower Hunter is where most of the vineyards can be found but Upper Hunter also has vineyards as well as horse breeding and racing. During the year there are festivals and it is a great place for music from folk, jazz and even opera. In the Hunter there are several galleries and museums to see. You can get various tours to Hunter Valley from Sydney or you could hire a car and drive to it yourself. It might be hard to find places however if you drove I would imagine. We chose to take a guided tour, it cost us $95 and included a stop off at the Australian Reptile Park as well which I thought was great value for money...

DeniseKelly40 26.09.2007 · Read review
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Review of Hunter Valley, Australia

*Down In The Valley*

Advantages: Lots Of Good Fresh Air
Disadvantages: Not enough to fill the day

...Being not far from me is Chew Valley Lakes, which is situated to the South West of Bristol. I often drive here just really for a couple of hours out of the house, somewhere I find relaxing, and refreshing, especially on a bright and sunny day. It actually comes under the heading of a Tourist Attraction, but when i think of those words I think of somewhere that would fill a day, and plenty of things to do and see. There are things to do but somehow does not conjure up the word of a Tourist Attraction, here is a guideline of what there is. ***** The Lake ***** The lake as shown in the picture above, is a large reservoir, which actually comes under the County of Somerset, and as I said earlier is situated to the South West of Bristol. You can get to it from the A368, and is clearly signposted. You obviously need a car...

chattell 06.08.2005 · Read review
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Review of chew valley lakes

Lightwater Valley - home of the underdog.

Advantages: Cheap, Largely good rides, At times beautiful...
Disadvantages: ...at times shoddy, In-park prices not so good, looking a little run down.

...Visiting theme parks is ultimately, somewhat of a pot luck experience - queues, weather, ride breakdowns can make or mangle your day, and ultimately that is what you should bear in mind when reading a review on one - you day is not necessarily in your own hands, but the wise traveller would be one who remembers the golden rule - eat early and late, bring a change of clothes, and plan in advance those things you want to do, and you're halfway there. Anyhoo. So is it any good? Almost. Anyone new to Lightwater Valley, and if you are reading this review, then there's a good chance that might be you, on a good day, Lightwater valley is a hoot, on a bad day, it is a chore - but either way, it is home to one of Europe's finest Roller coasters, and for a newbie, that is worth the admission price alone. Although not in the best...

slappy_mcguire 16.04.2009 (22.07.2009) · Read review
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Review of Lightwater Valley

Loire Valley Experience

Advantages: Good food, good wine ,friendly people and great country.
Disadvantages: Lack of french

...Loire Valley Experience. Many people would agree that returning for a second or third time to a particular holiday destination is an obvious indication of its popularity and my wife and I have found such a place in the Centre region of France. We had visited many areas of this interesting and diverse country but were drawn back to the Loire Valley due to the numerous attractions the area has to offer and the friendliness of the local people. The area is known as the 'Garden of France' and benefited through history from its popularity with the French Royal Families who have left a wonderful legacy in the form of its many chateaux, gardens and parks. Such has been their influence that UNESCO has designated the whole valley a world heritage site. The Loire River (the longest in France) is the thread that holds this area together but...

jimpi 02.10.2006 · Read review
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Review of Loire Valley (France)