Amanda Lamb launches her new luggage range and TSV

Get set for travelling in style with this chic luggage range from Amanda Lamb, presenter of A Place in the Sun. Here she reveals all about the new collection...

What can we expect from your new range?
You can expect value for money and durability. I've lost count the amount of suitcases I've bought, been on one trip and a wheel has fallen off. It's also a bit of fun - the red with hibiscus design will get you spotted, and the black with dog tooth check is a classic choice.   

What are your holiday essentials?
One thing I always take away with me, which may sound strange, is a scented candle or some incense - something that reminds me of home. Plus, always take an iPod, a good book and the all important sunscreen.

Simon's Hogmanay in Vienna

Happy New Year! My Hogmanay was spent working with QVC US in Vienna and it was wonderful! 

We were there to broadcast the first of our Q-Voyager shows from around the world, and had a total of five hours of beautiful jewellery hosted by Lisa Robertson. 

Vienna sees in the New Year by partying in the streets, letting off fireworks, waltzing to the 'Blue Danube' and having a very merry time. We had a crew of cameramen, soundmen, directors and producers from America and a technical crew from Italy to set up all the cables and lights. It was a truly international event!

We had a an eight-camera shoot with a huge outside broadcast truck and it was all held in the Albertina, once a winter palace for the Hapsburg royal family, but now a museum. It was quite a challenge taking over a national treasure trove and making sure we didn’t damage anything.

Simon's new year in Vienna: video and pics

Watch the latest from Simon's Q-Voyager adventure - video and snaps from his new year in Vienna.

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Simon reports back from his first Q-Voyager trip

I started my first Q-Voyager this week meeting my American colleagues at Heathrow Airport and flying to Vienna together. Our task was to give the American audience the sights, sounds and tastes of this European capital. 

The guys were a great bunch and we had fun looking around the Christmas markets, the Palaces, the famous cafes and many other tourist attractions.  Vienna is a great place for a romantic long weekend, and for such a sophisticated city it's actually very reasonably priced.

A live show will be broadcast to the States on New Years Eve. Vienna celebrates New Year with giant street parties and fireworks (often with rockets going off in the streets themselves) so it promises to be quite an evening.

The reason for Vienna, well it’s the home of Swarovski and QVC US have worked hand in hand with them to design 80 new jewellery pieces especially for a five-hour show.   

The video and pictures I've sent back will hopefully give you an idea of what we got up to... after all the weiner schnitzels and kartofflepuffer I think I've gained about a stone!

Simon x

Simon's Vienna trip: video and images

Check out Simon's video and must-see snaps from his first stop with the Q-Voyager: Vienna.

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Simon reveals his first stop on the QVC Voyager

I’ll be off quite soon on the QVC Voyager, travelling around the world with the QVC US team to take a look at the homes of some of our biggest brands. I'll be keeping you posted aong the way.

Our first destination is Vienna, where Swarovski crystals come from, and I have a rough idea of some of the locations I'll be filming in:

Simon Biagi is off on an exciting adventure

I mentioned in a previous blog post that I needed a new camera; well the reason is that I'm going to be travelling a bit over the next year, working with my colleagues from across the pond – QVC US!

The project is called QVC Voyager and it's designed to take the QVC viewer around the world highlighting particular areas that are associated with some of the products we sell on QVC.

In 2009 we're concentrating on jewellery and intend to visit countries such as Austria, Mozambique, Israel, Turkey, America and Brazil (to name a few). QVC US will broadcast a live show from each of the locations and I'm to be the roving reporter making short films to tell the stories of the country, city or manufacturer.

It's a very exciting opportunity for me, not only to travel again but to work with QVC US.

Keep checking back for updates,

Simon

Anthony's top travel gadgets

Hi everyone, Anthony here.

Although the British summer has been a bit of a wash-out, some of you lucky people will still be jetting off into the sunshine.

When I travel I always take Bose noise cancelling headphones - plane journeys are so much more pleasant when you don't have the deafening drone of the engines.

A TomTom Sat Nav is a MUST for driving abroad - I normally pre-programme in the places I want to visit so I can simply plug it into the hire car and get going as soon as I arrive. It's never fun getting lost in a foreign country when you don’t know the roads or worse still, the language!

Another great travel gadget is an Archos multimedia centre. I have the 605 Wi-Fi and it's loaded with comedy programmes to make journeys go quicker. I can also use the internet while I'm away as it has Wi-Fi. Great when you're bored or need to check your emails!

I never really take digital cameras with me, I'll only take one if I'm working really.

What are your travel gadget essentials? Let me know by leaving a comment!

Anthony x

Claudia Sylvester chats about her summer holidays

Hello! Hope you're enjoying the summer!

This is a pic of my daughter Bella and I on holiday in Cyprus recently. We had such a lovely time.

Before the holiday
I love going on family holidays. Before I go I always get a spray tan at my local salon so I'm not too pale. That way I'm not tempted to sunbathe, not that I get much chance with three active children! I'm always on the move - swimming, chasing them along the beach, going on treasure hunts.

Jilly's summer fashion tips

Hi everyone!

I love summer holidays but sometimes choosing the right things to wear can be a bit of a dilemma! Here's my advice on how to dress for the warmer months...

My summer essentials
When I go on holiday I have to have a really good pair of large sunglasses! Not only do they make a fashion statement but they protect the delicate skin around the eyes. My Crocs are also an essential - quite chunky footwear I know - but they're so handy for travelling and you can't ruin them in the sea.

I always pack a couple of long sarongs - when I'm away I wear them from breakfast until dinner! I always buy plain block colour sarongs as they are much more versatile than the printed ones.