Latest news with #NadiaHenry
Travel Weekly
31-05-2025
- General
- Travel Weekly
Three unforgettable stays in South Africa
Nadia "Sparkle" Henry At my agency, I specialize in crafting tailor-made itineraries that reflect each client's personality, lifestyle and vacation dreams. I don't just book trips, I create journeys that are immersive and memorable, often built around unique accommodations rich in culture and history. I always make it a point to travel to and immerse myself in these destinations and accommodations before recommending them; after all, nothing compares to firsthand experience. It enables me to share stories and insights directly with clients, enriching their journey before it even begins. In March, I traveled to South Africa to explore three accommodations that go far beyond just offering a place to sleep. My first stop was Rovos Rail, a family-owned luxury train company that is based in South Africa but operates routes through several countries, including Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia and Tanzania. I embarked on the three-night, four-day journey from Victoria Falls to Pretoria -- a trip that started at the iconic Victoria Falls Hotel right outside the train station. The author in front of a Rovos Rail Luxury Train car in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. Photo Credit: Nadia "Sparkle" Henry Onboard, the cabins are comfortable and well appointed, with your choice of a king or two twin beds, a work desk and a private bathroom with a shower. The fare included accommodations, all meals and drinks, room service, laundry, excursions with guides, entrance fees and taxes. Basically, it's an all-inclusive experience, minus entertainment. That's the one area I felt could be enhanced, perhaps with local performances at some of the stops. One highlight was an early morning game drive in Hwange National Park, where we spotted lions, giraffes, zebras, impalas, baboons and wildebeests. Day three was a more relaxed pace as we took in breathtaking scenery from small villages to majestic mountains and crossed the Tropic of Capricorn, a moment that felt straight out of a movie. If you're looking to check a luxury train off your bucket list, or a client's list, Rovos Rail is a must. Related story: A personal quest to rediscover South Africa Next was the Shalati Resort, familiarly known as the "Train on the Bridge," which is suspended over the Sabi River in South Africa's Kruger National Park. The author's accommodations at Kruger Shalati Resort on the Selati Bridge over the Sabi River in Kruger National Park. Photo Credit: Nadia "Sparkle" Henry I've experienced few properties like this one. The resort offers two types of accommodations: 24 Carriage Suites onboard the train and seven Bridge House Suites located nearby in a lush garden setting. I stayed in both to get the full experience. The Carriage Suite was the standout. With large windows overlooking the river, I could watch animals roam from the comfort of my bed or enjoy the view while soaking in a deep bathtub. The train also features a bar and a pool perched on the bridge. Sipping a drink while swimming above the Sabi River was truly magical. Staying at Shalati includes all meals, house drinks and two daily game drives, one in the early morning and the other in the evening. They offered a different lens on wildlife behavior and were equally memorable. My final stop was Sanctuary Mandela, a boutique hotel in Johannesburg's Houghton suburb. Formerly the residence of Nelson Mandela after he was released from Robben Island prison, this intimate hotel has only nine rooms, each designed to reflect a part of Mandela's life story. I stayed in Room 2, named Rolihlahla after his birth name. The energy and legacy of Mandela are felt in every corner of the hotel, which doubles as a living museum, with memorabilia and stories throughout. The on-site restaurant serves Mandela's favorite meals, prepared by his longtime personal chef, Xoliswa Ndoyiya, who still cooks at the hotel part-time. If you're seeking accommodations that leave a lasting impression, I highly recommend these three for their stories, authenticity and immersive experiences. You, and your clients, will not be disappointed.
New York Post
23-04-2025
- New York Post
Married couples don't like to sit together on flights — here's the bizarre reason why
It's a divisive issue. Sitting next to your soulmate aboard a flight might seem like a no-brainer, but a few oddball couples prefer to be apart — and not just when they're having a marital spat. Travel advisor Nadia Henry, who goes by Sparkle professionally, said she likes sitting away from her husband purely out of seat preference. 'He likes the window, I like the aisle, and we pray that no one sits in the middle of us,' she told USA Today travel columnist Zach Wichter. 'Usually, when the person in the middle finds out that we're a couple, they ask if we want to switch. Usually, the answer is no.' 3 For Brian Murphy (not pictured), 56, a vice president at a company that manages pharmacy benefits in Vermont, Canada, sitting apart from his wife is a necessity on long-haul flights due to space constraints. Getty Images/iStockphoto When the couple does sit apart, Sparkle tries to make the in-flight third wheel feel less uncomfortable by keeping conversation with her hubby to a minimum and passing things back and forth as little as possible. For Brian Murphy, 56, a vice president at a company that manages pharmacy benefits in Vermont, Canada, sitting apart from his wife is a necessity on long-haul flights due to space constraints. 3 'He likes the window, I like the aisle, and we pray that no one sits in the middle of us,' said travel advisor Nadia Henry. Getty Images 'I'm 6'4 so I like to have an aisle so I can stretch my legs out,' the Canuck said, adding that they generally sit in two aisle seats across from each other when traveling long distances. That being said, Murphy said they prefer sitting next to each other on shorter jaunts because 'we don't like having some random person in between us.' Not to mention that it's easier to chat or get things out of the overhead, he admitted. 3 Some couples book an aisle and a window but then offer to switch if a passenger sits between them. Getty Images Sitting side-by-side definitely appears to be the norm in the friendly skies, with columnist Zach Wichter acknowledging that he doesn't 'know many couples who stay split up on planes.' 'We generally like to be next to each other,' said Kate Mikkelson, 45, a data analyst from St. Paul, Minnesota, while discussing her and her husband's preferred arrangement. 'With these long flights with planes that have four seats in the center, we tend to go for two of those four, so we only have to bother each other.' Mikkelson said that, among other things, this proximity makes it easy to nudge her other half if he 'starts snoring.' Wichter pointed out that even pairs who initially book a middle and an aisle seat will, unlike Sparkle and her husband, 'usually opt to move if someone sits between them.' In other words, loving couples won't let anyone come between them, even at 30,000 feet. 'To me, this makes sense,' he wrote. 'I find that sitting next to someone I know gives me a little more leeway to shift around in my seat, because I'm slightly less conscious about crossing the armrest divide. Murphy said that giving one's partner mental distance is important regardless of physical proximity. 'A lot of it is just simply giving each other assistance and space,' he said. 'It's not a time to start agitating the other person. It's a time to be very chill and relaxed with each other.' Couples can increase their odds of landing their desired seats — either together or apart — by either booking first or premium seats and checking in at least 48 hours ahead of time, according to Simple Flying.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
Middle seat love? Some couples split up on purpose during flights
Choosing a plane seat often involves a bit of strategy. For us frequent travelers, our favorite seats can vary by plane, and it takes some trial-and-error to know which ones are the best. When traveling with a partner, or with friends, the strategizing can reach a whole other level. There's no right or wrong way for multiple people to arrange themselves on a plane when traveling together, but that doesn't mean that travelers don't have their strong preferences. For some, it's about having their favorite seat on the plane no matter what. For others, it's more about being together and staying out of other passengers' way. Nadia Henry, who goes by Sparkle professionally, is a travel adviser who doesn't prioritize sitting next to her husband when they fly together. 'He likes the window, I like the aisle, and we pray that no one sits in the middle of us,' she told me. 'Usually when the person in the middle finds out that we're a couple they ask if we want to switch. Usually the answer is no.' She said she and her husband try to minimize their conversation and pass things back and forth as little as possible so as not to disturb the person between them when that happens, but she said, they still prefer to keep their favorite seats. Sparkle acknowledged that she might be an outlier though, and that her clients often prefer adjacent seats. 'Most couples, of course, like to have the window and middle seat or the middle and aisle seat,' she said. 'I don't have as many requests as me and my husband do, with leaving the middle seat available.' I, personally, don't know many couples who stay split up on planes. Though some people I know will book a window and aisle seat, they usually opt to move if someone sits between them. To me, this makes sense. I find that sitting next to someone I know gives me a little more leeway to shift around in my seat, because I'm slightly less conscious about crossing the armrest divide. Other couples I spoke to seem to agree. 'We generally like to be next to each other,' Kate Mikkelson, 45, a data analyst from St. Paul, Minnesota, told me. 'With these long flights with planes that have four seats in the center, we tend to go for two of those four, so we only have to bother each other.' For Mikkelson and her husband, it's more comfortable to be next to one another. Brian Murphy, 56, a vice president at a company that manages pharmacy benefits from Montpelier, Vermont, also said that he and his wife prefer to sit near each other on flights. 'We don't like having some random person in between us,' he said. They'd rather be near each other so they can chat or help each other get things out of the overhead. 'You're there as a team,' he said. Last week's Cruising Altitude: Shoes on, laptop out? Why TSA rules change from airport to airport. Still, Murphy acknowledged that it doesn't always make sense to be right next to each other on a long flight. 'I'm 6'4 so I like to have an aisle so I can stretch my legs out,' he said. On long flights, he and his wife often wind up sitting in two aisle seats across from each other. For Mikkelson, helping each other out goes beyond just lifting things into the overhead bin. 'That's the other reason I like to sit next to my husband, so I can nudge him if he starts snoring.' she said. It comes down to your preference. On a plane, you and your travel companion should sit however makes the most sense to both of you. But no matter how you choose to arrange yourselves, there are some general tips that will make your journey smoother. 'I do recommend that anyone who wants to make sure that they have the seat assignment that they want, such as a window seat or an aisle seat, that they purchase their seats ahead of times, or they purchase a fare class that includes the seats,' Sparkle said, warning that basic economy tickets or most fare bundles on low-cost airlines don't include advanced seat assignments, which could leave you separated from your travel group. Murphy and Mikkelson both said that the key to a good flight when traveling with someone is remembering it's just a short part of the trip. Some airlines allow families with younger children to select adjacent seats for free, but a Department of Transportation rule that would make this a requirement that was proposed under the Biden administration has not been finalized by the Trump administration. 'A lot of it is just simply giving each other assistance and space. It's not a time to start agitating the other person,' Murphy said 'It's a time to be very chill and relaxed with each other.' Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Where to sit when you fly with your partner | Cruising Altitude
