Paris Boat Show

HI all,

This month see's one of the most popular events in Paris: the Salon Nautique.
Although not holding a stand this year, I will be nipping up to Paris to inspect the 'nouveautés', and to meet prospective clients looking for that special cruise.
Many visitor's attend the show looking for a boat to purchase, but there are increasing numbers looking for that special boat holiday, whether it be a self drive or crew chatered cruise.
If you are unable to attend the show, and let's face it, you may not want to be among so many people!, you may like to visit our site instead where you can see all the self drive boats on display at the salon, and many, many more.
As an English speaking agent, I can assure you that my advice will be impartial and based on my knowledge of the french waterways, hire boat companies, regions, gastronomy and so forth acquired over the past 12 years since I moved to Burgundy.
Visit my site now at
http://www.hotelsafloat.com/
and beat the crowds!
In addition, we are offering some excellent early booking discounts up until the end of the year. With just 23 days to go, contact me sooner rather than later to save up to 15% on published rates.

See you soon.

Rhone cruises and preparing for the Salon Nautique at Paris

Hi and sorry for not having been around for a while. If you could see the piles of work on my desk would you appreciate why!
The post cruise comments are still coming in, and I have been working on a few new projects too concerning my site at
www.hotelsafloat.com
Although the credit crunch is likely to hit tourism, I am quietly confident that 2009 will be a success even so, especially having recently selected a new product to add to our range.
River ship cruises in Europe are becoming an increasingly popular way of viewing a great deal in a short space of time. Ten days ago I had the pleasure of an inspection trip aboard the Princesse de Provence, a ship for over 100 guests, which as her name suggests cruises between Provence and Burgundy. I have to admit that I was overwhelmed by the standards aboard. My assistant and I had adjacent cabins, with a maid between us! We were equally assigned a waiter who was attentive to our every need including our allergies to sea food and lemons. Having the same waiter throughout your stay aboard means not having to re-explain your needs each time you sit down to eat! The food aboard was sumptious, refined and plentiful, and the wine cellar very good too. This level of service was not reserved for us: All guests benefit from this personal service which remains discreet at all times.
The Princesse de Provence offers a range of shore excursions, but guests are equally at liberty to make unaccompanied visits, or of course to stay aboard if they so wish. Spoilt for choice, I am sure that a 7 day cruise would insure time to relax and to visit the towns and villages too, without being in need of a second holiday to recover!
This ship will soon be featured on our site. Should you wish to receive information, please do not hesitate to email me at
hotelsafloat@aol.com
The temptation was to overstay but of course, I had to get back to the office as soon as feasible and here I am looking at the report and website work that I must surely attack tomorrow!
My partner has just created a company, Bouba Meca Boat, so I have been teaching him some basis computer techiques so that he can deal with his own emails etc! For a mechanic, the keyboard seems to be a complete jungle but the logic of Excel is proving far more interesting.

I am now planning my stay at the Salon Nautique at Paris (THE Boat shown) in December. If any of you would like to meet me there, drop me a line in advance so that I can come fully prepared with any information that you may required, whether you wish to hire a self drive boat, join a river cruise or even buy a boat!

On the home front, the latest news is that my partner and I are now officially engaged, but don't worry, I wont be changing my name as James is far easier to spell and to find on the www!

Post cruise comments

Having finished the updating of my site at
www.hotelsafloat.com
I am now enjoying contacting my clients from the 2008 season to enquire about their cruise experiences. Of course, it's wonderful when clients contact me spontaneously once back home. Those emails often arrive on a less-than-perfect day in the office, giving me a boost when I need it. Divine intervention or chance, I leave you to judge for yourselves, but we all know that warm glow when good news or praise arrive out of the blue. Being my own boss is great, but of course nobody pats me on the back to tell me what a great job i'm doing! So, to all of those who wrote to me this season, thank you! Your emails make me smile, and enable me to improve our services.
Some of your comment make it onto the guests comments pages of the site, so take a peek if you would like to see how others have faired before you take the helm!

Apple fairs and saucissons

Having been very busy at work, and in the garden tidying up for the winter, it was a pleasure to take an afternoon off on Sunday to visit the local Apple Fair. Nothing to do with iphones, ipods or computers, but a celebration of the wide variety of apples grown in France, and more particularly in Burgundy.

I am a keen apple muncher: I even have a bowl of fruit in the office and often have to wipe sticky marks off the keyboad, but even I was surprised to see the variety of colour and textures on display.

Other local produce on show and available for tasting included apple juice, honey and saucission, the latter being dried sausage which we love to eat with a glass of red wine! Try it, you might actually like it. At one time, this was the Burgundy farmers' staple breakfast and lunch!

We chose saucission de cerf, sanglier et morbiere: Deer, wild pig and a local cheese. So much for the diet this week. These are just too good to resist, and the fact that they keep for months does not interest me at all: I prefer to eat them now, thank you very much.

If you ever get the chance to visit a rural fair in France, often called La Jour de.... , do go. Not only were our tastebuds awakened, but we also met some local musicians, a wood turner, sculptor and still life painter. It's a great way to meet the locals: Even Chataigne the dog enjoyed it (especially the saucisson de cerf)

Some great new books and potential fame!

Ok, So I have nearly finished the site, and have just booked the bi-annual appointment with the Chiropracter. However much attention I pay to my posture during the website update, I always need work on my back and shoulders by mid October. So, just one more week to go before I will be back to normal, well as normal as that can be! Quasimodo out you go!

Brochures for the 2009 cruise season have started to fill up the office, waiting to be despatched over seas. One of the nicest surprises in yesterdays arrivals, was the introduction of some new boats to the Locaboat fleet. Known for the ecological penichettes, and very popular among my clients due to their great service, Locaboat are introducing three new boats to their fleet: The Europa 400, 600 and 700. Now when I have a holiday, I like to be away from TV and noise but each year I am surprised by the number of you looking for TV, DVD, MP3 and even computers when on holiday; These boats have it all ( except the PC's though there is a facility for charging them up!) So, you fellow workaholics, can now take a cruise and keep in touch with the use of a 3G key. Have a look at the Europa's at

http://www.hotelsafloat.com/ and let me know what you think.

Personally, I can see them being a big hit, especially with families. Plus they are surprisingly affordable.

Now for potential fame:

Up until now my claims to fame have been very few and far between: I have appeared on TV twice ( Songs of Praise),have drunk coffee with Richard Gere (film star: I was just 18 at the time, and thought him extremely unkempt with his saturday morning stubble!) and once stood next to Gary Linneker (footballer).

That could soon change, well sort of!

In the 2007 season, I sent a journalist on a hotel barge cruise aboard Le Premiere, in Burgundy.

Sadly this barge is now up for sale and I know that all who have cruised on her, will be very sorry to hear the news.

However, the journalist, Solange Hando, has just contacted me to tell me that she will be writing an article on hotel barging mentioning Hotels Afloat and yours truly! Due to be published next summer 2009, ' 1001 Escapes to make before you die!', will first appear in the UK, USA , Australia and New Zealand, and then in other countries once translated, in 2010. It just goes to show that in this world where politeness seems to be a forgotten art, that acts of kindness are appreciated and remembered.

As Philippe, my wonderful guy, often says: You reap what you sew, Emma.

Success with the scanner

Sorry not to have written for over a week: Shame on me!
However, among all the gloomy news of the financial world, not to mention the wars and political upheaval, I have good news: Yes, I finally managed to install the scanner much to my amazement. Naturally there are plenty of functions that I have still to discover, but I have managed to scan, copy and even print some photos so am feeling quite pleased with myself.
Let's just hope that I don't need to change anything else in the office for a while.
My absence wasn't due to the scanner but the annual overhaul of my website at
www.hotelsafloat.com
It's not complete yet but I have updated prices for the 2009 season and am now dealing with the new boats that I must add.
I am currently offering discounts of up to 15% on certain 2009 cruises so if you fancy a cruise here in France, whether it be aboard a captained vessel or a self -drive, send me an email and I will see what I can do for you.
The merger of Crown Blue Line, Connoisseur and Emerald Star under the flag Le Boat has given me a great deal of work, not to mention my site manager, and I shall be very pleased when I have finished with the site for another year. I actually enjoy updating as just as we are creeping into cold days, I can begin to think about the new boating season in the spring. The downside is the frozen shoulder that I seem to suffer with even though I have an ergonomic chair and keyboard.
Just call me Quasimodo!!
Here in France, Autumn is just around the corner: The leaves are beginning to change colour, conkers galore litter the lanes, and the evenings are drawing in. It's a magical time for us: of mushroom hunting .
Being an English girl, I would never dare to eat a wild mushroom were it not for the guidance and wisdom of Philippe, my partner. He hasn't poisoned us yet so I guess he really does know what he's doing.
The best way to cook wild mushrooms is in cream, with a touch of white wine, and freshly ground pepper. Simply delicious! We eat them as an accompaniment to Beef stew, but they are equally fantastic on freshly buttered toast: Watch out for the calories!
BUT beware: Last year our dog suffered hallucinations and was very ill after eating magic mushrooms which she found in the garden! Ever seen a stoned dog? Not a pretty sight and expensive at the vets.

Time for the early evening glass of wine here in Burgundy. A bientôt.

Printers 2

Well, it's here waiting to be installed! I have to disinstall the previous printer before installing this one, so am feeling nervous about it. What if I cant get it to work and then need to print something urgently? Just thinking about it puts me off working so I have found lots of other more important things to do this weekend, like entertaining friends, walking the dog several times, writing lists of work to complete this week etc! I keep telling myself that it's only a machine, but even that isnt' helping.
No doubt it will be fine. I must get it up and running by Wednesday as the seller is coming to the office to test the phone line, 3G reception and probably my scanner. I WILL do this. It's not going to beat me.
Do any of my readers have the same problem? I sometimes feel as if I am the only person on the planet that doesnt like new machines, which I know are designed to actually make my life easier.
I still remember seeing teachers turn the 'bander' handle at school, and the smell of ink as it dried on our copies: Surely the new printers are better than that, although I bet the teacher's of those days ha more muscles in their arms than those of today.
Perhaps I should start a club for technophobics like me, although I guess that many of them havn't actually moved on to the internet yet.
Ok, my partner's here now so I'm going to enlist his help. As a mechanic, I guess that between the two of us, we should be able to get this sorted.
See you tomorrow, with clean hands hopefully!

Printers!

Ok, I admit it! I am technophobic. I have hung on to my VHS cassettes, the VHS player, and my two tonne, take-all -the -space-on-your-desk scanner for long enough!
Tomorrow I will be installing a new up-to-the-minute scanner/printer etc which I am hoping will also be able to make cups of tea and massage my shoulders after a few hours at the keyboard. My french partner is on the whole fairly attentive in these matters, but all too often disappears off fishing while leaving me to 'relax' when my shoulders are hunched to a point that they almost meet in front of me!

Of course, I'll have to await my son's visit next week to explain how the scanner works and all the wonderful things that it can do, but at least I'm moving in the right direction.
I still can't get my iphone to work properly after 6 weeks, but that's just typical of me with new technology. My kids were able to programme the video recorder etc long before I could even co-ordinate the tv and satellite receiver! It seems to me that just as I catch up with the rest of the world, the planet does a quick spin to leave me trailing yet again. Thank goodness that my kids are on hand to help.

So how come I can use a computer without any problems at all? I can't remember the last time I had a major mishap, and fortunately my son set up a back up to save all my work.
When I was young, I thought parents had children to help them with the washing up and to look after them in their old age: Now I know the real reasons!
Nathan and Rebecca: Thank you for all your help with all things technical!

Ok, back to work on the admin site for
www.hotelsafloat.com
The Le Boat prices have arrived so I need to spend a few hours updating them ready for the 2009 season. Sore shoulders, here I come!

Sore shoulders and 2009 cruise prices!

There's nothing more that I like than the annual updating of my site ( NOT!)
http://www.hotelsafloat.com/ has been designed by an expert, Phillip Aldridge of http://www.imi21.com/, and the admin panel allows me to update the site myself. Just when the summer holidays are finishing and the children have returned to school, theoretically giving me some free time, I find myself inundated with literally 100's of prices to update, not to mention adding on the hotel barges that I have selected for the 2009 fleet. Yes, not all boats that I visit meet the grade as I only select hotel barges that I would like to cruise on myself, unlike some other agents with less scruples than me!
So, here I am with very sore shoulders and an aching back after 8 hours at the keyboard updating prices and deciding upon website changes.! Fortunately the day is now drawing to an end and I'll soon be off home to enjoy a glass of rosé in the evening, Burgundy sunshine after taking Chataigne for her daily 7 km run.
Cobie emailed me to say that my clients are lovely and having a good time on Etoile. That makes my day worthwhile, knowing that they are happy with their cruise in the Provence region, even if it is rather windy there today.
Right, home now before any more prices land on my desk!!!

Seeing Stars on the Etoile

Hi!
Sorry not to have written for a few days, but what a few days they have been!
Last Tuesday I took the train to Nimes, and then travelled on to Bellegarde in Provence to visit Cobie aboard her boat.
What a wonderful experience! As soon as I smelt the wonderful aroma of lavender and citronelle on boarding the boat, I fell under the charm of Etoile. Built in 1889 this Dutch passenger barge has been lovingly converted by Cobie to provide a home from home for up to 8 guests, in four ensuite cabins. Cobie and Nico kept me well entertained as they prepared our evening meal, while I enjoyed a glass of white wine from the Rully vineyards. What a meal! Friends of mine reading this blog will know that I have an excellent apetite. As one of four children, I was brought up eating as much as my brothers, who are 6ft as opposed to my 5ft4, and my mother liked us to finish everything on the table. Cobie presented me what she insists is a typical lunch aboard Etoile, but to be this sumptious meal was more than enough for a dinner. Clearly an excellent cook, Cobie served a variety of dishes including fresh melon with ham, a wonderful quiche and a prawn salad ( NOT to be confused with a prawn cocktail!) Easy conversation, wonderful wine and amusing anecdotes completed this evening. As I lay down on my 2m square, canopied bed, I noticed the stars on the ceiling before drifting off into a deep sleep.
Morning came far too soon, and after a breakfast of fresh pastries and croissants, it was time to take the train back to Dijon, and my return to the office.
I smiled all the way back, but came back to a potential disaster!
One of my charters due out on Sunday was under threat of cancellation as the Captain had had an accident during floods on the Saone.
My poor clients! A group of 4 octegenarians coming from Canada.
While I desperately searched for an alternative cruise for them, I didn't have time to call Cobie to advise her that I had returned safely.
On emailing her later that evening, she came to my rescue, offering me two cabins aboard Etoile for Sunday's guests, having had an unexpected last minute cancellation!
When I first met Cobie a couple of weeks ago, I sensed that we would be able to work well together, and that here was a woman that I could trust. Now I am certain of this.
My clients joined Etoile yesterday, and are now enjoying their Provence cruise.
A few days of frantic activity and all's end that ends well.
If you would like to see the Etoile, visit the following site:

http://www.bargingholidays.com/

Needless to say, the Etoile will soon appear on our site at
http://www.hotelsafloat.com/

Now, I must get on with my emails and all those Monday morning tasks.
Have a nice day, and to those that were wondering, yes, the Loire is fine and due to be returned to the wild this evening.

Post weekend blues

HI everyone.
Hope that you all had a good weekend. I certainly did thanks to two very fine bottles of wine received from a client on Friday evening as thanks for her cruise. Thank you Mary!
We drank the rosé on Saturday, and the red yesterday, before heading out for our usual Sunday afternoon walk with Chataigne, our adopted dog, along the banks of the river Saone and the Canal de Rhone au Rhin. Peace, perfect peace.
Apart from preparing to update the Locaboat self drive cruise pages ready for 2009, I tried to find some me time during the weekend knowing that today would be busy. I'm not disappointed on that front, and infact was very pleased to see a number of enquiries for the end of this season. So, having worked on those all day, I am now going to upgrade the Locaboat rates before the phone starts ringing with over seas clients!
And to those of you wondering, the Loire is doing fine!
Tomorrow I am heading to Nimes to inspect a hotel barge offering fun cruises for families, and will let you know how I get on when I next write, probably on Wednesday after my return.

Early morning start!

After a busy day yesterday, I had to head off to Dijon this morning at the unearthly, pre-coffee hour of 8.30 ready to meet some guests. Mr Huon and his group of 19 friends had just spent 7 days cruising on the Burgundy canal on the hotel barge Litote. It was great to meet this man from down under having emailed him so many times over the last year to help him prepare his trip to Europe. The group had obviously had a good time, and I was pleased to hear that the cruise had been wonderful, and the food fantastic!
If you fancy enjoying the same cruise, have a look in the Luxury Cruises section at
www.hotelsafloat.com
Litote is one of the most popular vessels cruising on the Burgundy canal, and is very well known for her crew's hospitality.
Mr Huon and Co are now on their way to Switzerland for a walking holiday, before they head to Tuscany. How lovely to have so much time to travel. Roll on my retirement!
Dashed back to see how our latest baby was doing..... a tiny Loire which we found on the patio yesterday, almost drowning in the torrential rain. She seems to be doing well and likes the kitten formula that we are feeding her on. For those of you not familiar with Loires, they are rather like squirrels but smaller, with a zorro mask and striped down the back. Fortunately they dont grow too big, but they are excellent climbers so if she survives, Chance will soon be dashing around the house teasing the dog and our pet rats, Silver and Stuart.
Work beckons so I have to get on now!

Giving in to that nagging!

HI and welcome to my blog!
'At last', I hear you cry!

Yes, I have finally given in to all those clients and friends who have been nagging me for so long and have created my blog. A bit late, I know, but with a business and family with 4 kids to manage, time is of the essence!

The summer is coming to an abrupt end here but I did finally manage to get a one week holiday in late August, when I headed off to Moissac in the south west of France to spend a glorious week on the easyvie, a hotel barge with a difference! No set itineraries, no set times to be at the table, no set times to go to bed , great company and of course, plenty to eat and drink!

To all of those who know me as a workaholic, I did actually find a couple of afternoons for sunbathing, but have to confess to taking my iphone and pc with me.

Moissac is a beautiful, unspoilt small town on the banks of the Tarn and the Canal. I spent plenty of time exploring the numerous boutiques, visited the glass blower, and relished the market where fresh produce was really fresh, probably picked from the garden that morning in many cases.

Or course, the hardest part of the holiday was having to come back to normality and work. As a way of bringing part of the region back with me, I tried to adopt another dog to take home, but Bouba, my partner, seems to think that one hound is more than enough so I had to make the journey home alone! 7 hours later I was back in the office and at last able to say that I have visited the south west of France, an area that has been on my wish list ever since I became involved in cruising 8 years ago.
Take a look at the half board charter boat, "easyvie" on my site at
www.hotelsafloat.com
Isn't she just so inviting?
I enjoyed my stay so much that I would have been tempted to stay but my current clients were due to arrive, so I had to vacate. The Hasleps are now enjoying glasses of rose wine with Sue and Tom and remembering how to relax while on holiday! With just two weeks holiday per year, they definitely deserve the easyvie!