SNUGGLE DESTINATION

There's nothing like a blizzard blowing outside to encourage a little snuggling inside, which in some measure may expain the popularity of Iceland as a holiday destination.

Brown & Hudson specialise in arranging extra special trips for lovers, and others, tailored to individual tastes and aspirations. So the Icelandic trip they propose may take in 'an early morning helicopter flight to a mist-shrouded location surrounded by bubbling hot springs. As the sun rises, and the mist clears, a sea of icy whiteness is revealed from the edge of a glazier.'

This would certainly be a novel way of starting the day for some young sweethearts but the Brown & Hudson specialists have a trick or two up their sleeves. They can arrange for a warm, luxury camp to be situated in this remote setting, miles from anywhere, for champagne to be awaiting on ice - and, the pièce de rèsistance, for a beautifully carved piece of ice to be on hand, ready to be cracked open to reveal a box, and that box to contain a ring carved out of ice from the very glacier upon which the loving couple are standing.

Well, what a way to make a proposal. And snuggling inside the tepee/igloo, the lucky couple may watch Northern Lights dancing across the night sky - though just in case they don't appear, a bespoke fireworks display will be set up, ready to go at the touch of a button.

Other inventive trips can be arranged through the company, see www.brownandhudson.com

MULTI-STOPS FOR THE LONG HAUL

No longer content with a short haul flight to sunny Spain or the South of France, today’s travellers are looking for ever farther flung spots to aim for. And such long journeys have prompted the prevailing programme of stop-overs and extensions to give enjoyable ‘rests’ along the way.

En route to Burma, there was the option of a stop-over in Dubai or Doha, or the slight diversion of a few days in Bangkok. Having already experienced the extensive tourism delights offered in Dubai on an earlier trip, we chose Bangkok.

The Thai capital has grown some since last visited and so indeed has the traffic. Far worse than London, it is throttling the city and visitor access, making the river boats or the sky train - their tube, only above ground - the best means of getting about. The sky train is fast, clean, safe and inexpensive. But of course it doesn’t always go where you want to go and a cab may have to be taken.

The must-see site is the Grand Palace, but be warned, it is swarming, and men and women must wear skirts or trouser that cover the knee, and shoes not flip flops. No shorts, see-throughs, bare shoulders or tank tops. Those not suitably attired have to wear skirts, trousers or shoes provided.

Less grand, slightly less crowded and interesting is the Jim Thompson house and museum. An American who settled in Thailand after WWll , he is credited with rescuing the traditional Thai silk industry. Now, Jim Thompson silks and a whole collection of products are sold internationally, his name guaranteeing the silk used is handwoven in the traditional manner. Intriguingly, he disappeared without trace in the 1960s when out in the Cameron Highlands. His house remains as he left it.

Highly recommended by Audley Travel's knowledgeable agent was a typical Thai restaurant with the irresistible name of ‘Cabbages and Condoms’. So we set off by cab across town, with no warning at just how long this would take. It was, however, worth the trip.

At the glittering Cabbages and Condoms restaurant in Bangkok, left.

Run by a charity with the aim of helping rural poor and to encourage fewer children, this fine establishment not only served good food but is extremely pretty and clearly valued by the locals. We were pleasantly surprised by the bill, which was accompanied by what was taken to be a small wrapped mint but turned out to be a sample of the restaurant’s end name.

But more of a surprise was finding that it has an outpost in the UK, in the unlikely setting of Bicester. Quite why this quiet Oxfordshire town was chosen by the restaurant, which gives advice leaflets with free condoms in the interests of family planning, we couldn’t say. Check it out on  www.cabbagesandcondoms.com