Every year I take my family somewhere that I think will stimulate them as well as entertain them . Of course my first thought is to find somewhere for our summer holiday that everybody will enjoy, but we have never been a beach holiday type of family, and I think it is far more valuable and enriching to find somewhere that can dazzle with history and culture, as well as the sun.

Last year we all went to Singapore for our yearly holiday and I have to say that it was something of a wake up call to us to go somewhere so different. After recent trips to Greece and Italy, it was a wonderful feeling to be in a totally different continent and culture. I decided this year that we would follow our theme of different cultures and set about finding somewhere exciting and cosmopolitan for us to go. After much hunting around I found some very cheap flights to Beijing online which seemed absolutely great value. I had never given Beijing much thought before, but I loved visiting cities and so did the rest of the family. After consultation with my wife we decided that it would be an excellent spot for our yearly holiday and I booked the tickets there and then.

I have to say that we had a marvellous time in Beijing. It truly was a wonderfully interesting place, rich with historical and cultural values so different to what we find at home. I know that everyone loved the holiday and I only hope that we can come near to matching it next year.