Hello, I’m Yvonne Grayston and I’m a Travel Expert at Thorne Travel.
While I’m relatively new to the Thorne Travel team, I’m certainly not new to the travel industry. I previously worked as cabin crew for Tui Airways for 30 years, which allowed me to experience lots of different destinations and explore new places.
Although I enjoyed having a change of career after leaving the airline my passion for travel never wavered, so when the opportunity came along to work with Thorne Travel I followed my heart.
One of the benefits of working in travel for so long is that I have had the privilege of visiting a multitude of countries and experienced a variety of cultures.
I have a vast knowledge of travel destinations worldwide and thoroughly enjoy sharing my honest opinion and insight with our customers.
Customer care has always been at the forefront of my career and it is my passion to provide a first class and personal service to all our wonderful customers.
Team work is a huge part of working for Thorne travel and being part of this amazing team is an honour.
Favourite Places
Kenya, Vietnam and Barbados are top of my list of places I have stayed. Strangest places I have visited would be Easter Island and The Falkland Islands. Most visited place is definitely Lapland to visit Santa !
Travel Tips
Your stomach rules your head so for combating jetlag always have a meal appropriate to the time of day you arrive in your destination – if you arrive early in the morning have breakfast before going to bed, if you arrive later at night have dinner before going to bed, even if it is your 5th meal of the day. Trust me it works !
Most unforgettable – Kenya – as well as soaking up the sun on the beautiful beaches of Mombasa I went on a 2 day safari. I Stayed on a game reserve and saw close up and personal the big 5. The most memorable evening was when I experienced the Tamarind Dhow Dinner Cruise. The food and the setting were amazing.
Surprised – Costa Rica – Although it is known as a rain forested Central American country it has coastlines on the Caribbean and Pacific. The capital, San Jose, is full of culture, the Caribbean side is known for its beaches, and roughly a quarter of its area is made up of protected jungle, teeming with wildlife including spider monkeys. It is essentially like visiting 2 different countries.
In my previous career as Cabin Crew I was definitely an adventure seeker and made the most of sampling the culture of all the wonderful places I was privileged enough to visit. These days I would say I am more of a beach lounger with a book in one hand and a margarita in the other.
My dream travel destination would be Bora Bora – British explorer James Cook called it the “Pearl of the Pacific.” Who wouldn’t want to experience its luxurious resorts, sunny skies, warm waters and laid-back way of life. I would love to snorkel with manta rays, scuba dive along the coral reefs and hike Mount Pahia to watch the sunset.
Travel advice – When you think about a longhaul flight don’t view it with dread. Instead think of it this way – when would you ever get to sit down for 12 hours and do nothing except eat, drink, watch movies and read?? It is the best “me” time you will ever get.
Everyone should visit Iceland at least once in their lifetime. It has the most dramatic landscape with volcanoes, geysers, hot springs and lava fields. There are massive glaciers, a spellbinding Viking history and of course the best chance of seeing the famous Northern Lights.
