We recently got back from Kemer in Turkey, which is on the southern Mediterranean coast.
It was our first holiday since COVID kicked off and our first family holiday with 2 young kids too 
We stayed in a very fancy 5* resort that was much needed and very nice to have everything catered for after such long time with no break.
We’re going to look at booking somewhere else for next year soon 
Been to Kemer area a few times and the 5* resorts are great with a good selection of ala’carte restaurants
Which one? 
Rixos Sungate.
Loads of pools, restaurants, spa, water park, shopping centre - all sorts in there. The kids club is phenomenal, there is so much for them to do - our kids were doing woodworking, dance classes, cooking classes and all sorts 
As a result of staying there you get free access to Turkeys largest theme park too. I think they own it as well 
Going to Kenya for a safari next month. Very excited as first proper trip since Covid.
Travelling this year seems much more expensive than previous years. Not sure if I’ll go abroad, might do a staycation somewhere.
Going back to New York next week for a few days, then to Minneapolis for a week 
Just in transit now coming back from Indonesia 
and the other smaller islands. Greatest location I’ve been to without a shadow of doubt, and the people are the sweetest.
Going to Lativa in August - Flexed the cost of course 
Staying Riga or travelling about? It’s a fantastic country.
So in Corfu. Nice but a few places have balked at VISA cards. They’ve still worked but Chip and Pin, having a Mastercard alternative is worth it.
Travelling to Riga, my friends are picking me up and I’m staying with them, very excited as I’ve never been before
It’s only a mini holiday of about 5 days there, but the flights were relatively cheap at £300 round trip
Weird, anywhere I’ve been in Greece, both Visa and MC are accepted (there is never any distinction made).
I am originally from there, and I try to go at least once a year in the summer, just as I am doing this year. I have not explored much of it, so this year I think we will drive around Peloponnisos (the southern bit that looks almost detached on the map) for about a week, but most of the time will be spent at beaches in southern Attica.
Well that’s what I was expecting. And to be fair 8/10 times I’ve used the HSBC Global Money card (VISA) no problem.
But, at least twice it’s not worked without having to do chip and pin. In the supermarket today the terminal “crashed” when I used contactless and I had to wait for it to reboot.
Greece is notorious for the old “sorry the POS broke can you pay cash” tax evasion scam.
This has been cracked down on hard though for the past few years so not a lot of merchants try it on any more. Some still do if they think you won’t know the current legislation, which states the merchant must have a working POS to accept card payments at all times.
