Shell Baker

Shell on holiday – with her brolly at the ready!

Our Hot Holidays guest today is fabby blogger Shell Baker! Although her name is Michelle everyone calls her Shell, which she prefers. A Christmas Day baby and single parent, Shell lives in the Black Country with her two boys and two cats. Shell loves art and crafts and studied fashion and textiles at college 8 years ago. Nowadays her creativity is expressed in her blog:

http://chellesbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/ which is always a really great read and you can follow Shell on social media:
https://twitter.com/c_o_n_c_h_a
https://www.facebook.com/chellebook78/?fref=ts

And when she’s not blogging, you’ll find her walking round the park, through the woods or by the canal, watching movies, socialising with her friends, or, of course, indulging in her favourite pastime – reading!

ES: Thanks for taking part today, Shell.
SB: Thank you for asking me. I’m excited to take part!
ES: That’s good to hear! So, let’s get on with your Hot Holidays! Where did you spend your last holiday and what made you choose it?
SB: My last holiday was to my favourite part of the UK… Cornwall! I absolutely love it there. I tend to take my two boys there every year so for me its not about choosing it its somewhere my children and I like to go in the school holidays. We always have a great time together.

ES: What is you favourite type of holiday?
SB: I love holidays that involve sightseeing, chilling out, eating out, reading on the beach and spending quality time with my boys.

ES: And your least favourite?
SB: One where is rained all week! OMG can you imagine that there would be no reading on the beach for me!!

ES: That would be tragic! Tell us about your best ever holiday and just what made it so special
SB: That has got to be when I went to Paris. It’s such a beautiful city with such wonderful art museums that I visited. Seeing Claude Monet’s Waterlilies was what made it so special. He is my favourite artist and to see his work first hand was just the most unbelievable experience and it totally took my breath away. Believe it or not I actually stood there for an hour just taking it all in. I was also totally shocked at the fact the painting went round a whole room. It was massive! And nothing like I was expecting at all. And the boat trip to Notre Dame was unforgettable. I was totally in my element!

ES: Sounds wonderful! Have you ever had any holiday or travel disasters?
SB: Oh yes, you’re going to laugh now….a few years ago in Cornwall while on my way to visit friends who live there, the sat nav took me down the tiniest country lane I have ever seen. Well, it was too late to turn back, and then before I knew it I was approached by an on-coming vehicle so I had no choice but to let them past. I ended up getting my car stuck in a ditch and a tractor had to come and tow me out!!! I can laugh about it now but it was a disaster at the time.

ES: Oh, dear! Is there a place you long to visit?
SB: New York I have always wanted to go there after watching Home Alone when I was a kid.

ES: Who’s your favourite travelling companion(s) or do you prefer your own company?
SB: My kids, of course. I can’t imagine going on holiday on my own, not even after reading Single All The Way!

ES: LOL! Thanks for the fab review, by the way. Much appreciated!
SB: You’re welcome! It was the first of your books that I read but it won’t be the last, Elaine!

ES: That’s good to hear! Now, if we can get a bit personal… Have you ever had a holiday romance?
SB: Can’t say I have, unfortunately.

ES: How would you spend your dream 24 hours if you could go to multiple worldwide destinations with no travel or time restrictions?
SB: I would start with a little shopping trip in New York. Then move on to Egypt for some sightseeing followed by a safari tour in Africa. After that to the Caribbean for cocktails and to soak up some sun then to Ibiza to party the night away.

ES: That sounds fabulous. Think I’ll come along! And finally, what tips or advice would you give to travellers and holidaymakers?
SB: My advice would be not to believe what the satnav tells you, and to write a list for packing. I only forgot my sunglasses on my last holiday! And I’d also tell them to make the most of their holiday. After all, you only live once.

ES: That’s so true. Thank you so much, Shell! It’s been great hearing about your Hot Holidays!