Most memorable holiday, ft. Isabelle Grey, Kay Langdale and Ruth Hogan

From Cuba to Pembrokeshire, three Bookends authors reveal their most memorable holidays. Part of the Bookends Beach Party series.

Isabelle Grey, author of The Special Girls

Definitely a trip to Havana, Cuba, about six years ago. It’s a place that felt very, very far away in so many different ways. It’s hard not to romanticise the ‘fifties cars and crumbling buildings, even though they represent shortages and hardship, but it was extraordinary, and very refreshing, to be in a capital city with – apart from political propaganda – absolutely no advertising, brand names or chain stores. It was like being in an alternate universe, a road not taken, and one that liberated me to see the people and the place itself more vividly. And what a brave and hauntingly beautiful place! And the music!

Kay Langdale, author of The Way Back to Us

The summer before my eldest left to go to university, the six of us took a road trip on the west coast of the US for four weeks. We travelled around in an old Chevy which I loved. The radio repeatedly played Katy Perry’s ‘California Gurls’, the back seat was occasionally a war zone, but it was mostly a total hoot.

Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things

Pembrokeshire a couple of years ago.  My husband (then fiancé) dragged me to the top of an (admittedly smallish) mountain called the Sleeping Giant. We’d climbed it before, and I was fine going up, but coming down from the very top, there’s an over-hanging shelf of rock which means you can’t see where to put your feet. That first time, I found that tiny bit of the descent completely terrifying and really wasn’t looking forward to repeating the experience. On the second occasion, we got to within metres of the top and I froze. I was literally shaking with fear at the thought of that awkward start of the descent. This is not like me. I’m usually the reckless one. Apparently, my face went an attractive shade of putty. My then partner said I didn’t have to do it if I didn’t want to (I could tell he wasn’t happy, having slogged all the way up in the blazing sun). But as well as being occasionally reckless, I’m also consistently stubborn. I hate to admit defeat. I crawled (literally!) the last few metres, and sat on the summit clinging to the rock. At this point the man who had dragged me up there got down on one knee, produced a ring and asked me to marry him. My reply was ‘Yes. Now can we get down please!’ The descent was absolutely fine. I have no idea what I had made such a fuss about the first time!

More from the Bookends Beach Party:

Win a James Villas holiday voucher

My dream holiday destination, featuring Daniela Sacerdoti, Guinevere Glasfurd, Sarah Maine & Talulah Riley