So you want to Learn to Fly?
Dreams where you are flying can be magical, but you can learn to fly a real plane when you sign up for a flying experience. If watching the landscape pass below you while you experience your first helicopter flight appeals to you, you may like to sign up for a special flight experience. An experience for two, including a romantic picnic lunch with champagne, can be a wonderful way to celebrate an anniversary or another significant occasion with your spouse or partner.

Try Flying Acrobatics for Some Daredevil Fun

Stunt flying is not for the faint of heart, but if you are something of a daredevil you may love a lesson in flying acrobatics – an experience that will provide you with your fix of adrenalin. An experience operated by qualified and experienced pilots will be safe, and a lesson which includes extensive pre-flight preparation can be enjoyed with less anxiety, if you are a first-time stunt performer. You can also book an acrobatic flying experience for a loved one; anyone who has a love for airplanes and/or extreme experiences is likely to love this gift.

For a Rare Treat, Fly a Vintage Tiger Moth Biplane

You can go on an ordinary domestic flight any day, but a rare experience such as a flight on a vintage Tiger Moth biplane will be an airborne adventure to remember. If you are something of a history buff and fancy yourself something of a flying ace put your prowess to the test. You can whiz around and even enjoy demonstrations of acrobatic flying stunts such as loop-the-loop and barrel rolls. For flight training with a difference, fly a biplane that would meet the approval of the Red Baron himself.

Helicopter Tours Offer a Different View of the Landscape

You may have travelled around extensively via land, but helicopter tours can provide you with an altogether different, exciting view of familiar landscapes. A helicopter flight may be a little noisy, but that is half the excitement – hearing the propeller’s blades turn powerfully, lifting you high over a picturesque scene. A helicopter flying lesson is a great gift for that friend who likes to take charge and experience new things, and a lesson which includes an opportunity to take the controls will provide a memorable experience that is also a great conversation starter.

Microlight Flying – the closest thing to Autonomous Flight

Since microlights are small and light, as their name suggests, they provide you with the closest thing to the sensation of being weightless; the next best thing to the fantastical idea of swimming breaststroke through the air. The speed of flight depends on your wishes, so you can whizz through the air or slow your pace down to a gentle glide, taking in the sights and the rush of having a boundless aerial view. You can book flight training for yourself, or can give a microlight experience to a friend who would love to learn to fly.

Hi Stacey. I’m looking for a gift for my son’s 18th birthday. Can you help?

Anne

Dear Anne,

The 18th birthday is considered to be the most important birthday celebration in any young person’s life, so my best suggestion would be to treat your son to some super fun activities that give him a taste of what’s to come after 18 (all the good things, of course!).

You might consider treating him to a fun-filled driving day with the Audi R8 where he’ll be able to navigate the twists and turns of a professional race-track under the guidance of a trained professional. This is the perfect experience for a new driver (with a full UK driver’s license!) to experience what it’s like to be behind the wheel of a real car!

You might also consider treating him to a Cocktail Masterclass so he can impress his mates at parties and events, flaring and flipping with his new-found bar-magic! This is incredibly popular as a gift for 18 to 30 year-olds and makes an excellent birthday gift!

And finally, why not give him something he can really brag about to his friends and treat him to a Ministry of Sound DJ course? He’ll “rip up the decks” with the biggest names behind the world-famous Ministry of Sound and he’ll get a goodie bag to remember it by as well! This one is a little pricier than the others, but you only live once! And this is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

x Stacey

Yes I agree, our health is of the utmost importance! And it’s good that you mention this at Easter too – everyone is going to be tripping over each other to find the perfect Easter eggs when they could be treating each other with healthy activities that are fun too! There are loads of fun Easter activities that you could enjoy like Sphereing or Zorbing, and there are some healthy food options as well. Here are some of my favourite classes that you might share with a loved one for the perfect Easter gift that is pro healthy living:

Keith Burke’s MARKET FRESH cookery course is a fabulous introduction to healthy eating. You are guided around one of London’s finest fresh produce market to purchase lovely fresh ingredients before heading on to Keith Burke’s (Michelin Star Chef!) kitchen to learn how to prepare them. This is a great cooking course for couples – - I hear that it is heaps of fun!

Another cooking course you might consider is the quick and easy “cook, eat and run” course which is taking the nation by storm. This incredibly popular course is ideal for those of you who don’t have much time to spend enjoying the culinary arts but would like to give it a go anyway… you learn quick and easy recipes that you can cook up in half an hour, and then you sit down with your classmates and enjoy your cooked meal together afterwards. The recipes are delicious and the class has a very friendly atmosphere. Have a quick look at this video to see what I mean:

And finally, my personal favourite is the THAI COOKERY course, also hosted by Keith Burke. If you love Thai food (and I DO!) then you’ll love this course! Keith is friendly and encouraging, the kitchen facilities are superb and the people are all so nice! I had a brilliant time there, I can’t wait to go back! And best of all my new Thai Green Curry recipe is a hit at all of our dinner parties! This is a must do this Easter.

Good luck with finding the perfect Easter Gift, and I hope that you manage to achieve those six-pack abs you mentioned!

x Stacey

Hi there, I read your post yesterday on Lamborghinis and I was wondering if you knew of anything along the same lines but with a Subaru. That is my son’s favourite car and I just know that this is one present he won’t be expecting when he wakes up on his birthday! It’s really important that I find something quite quickly so your soonest response would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Elliot

Dear Elliot,

As far as I can tell, Subaru driving days are extremely popular so you’re in luck! There’s a different experience to suit every budget as well.

There’s a Subaru “thrills experience” which will give your son about an hour of driving fun and will only set you back £69 — a very affordable driving day with one of the world’s leading cars! This is the ideal taster session for anyone who has ever dreamed of getting behind the wheel of a Subaru Impreza WRX STI.

If you want something a bit racier then why not treat him to an off-road rally thrill? He’ll get to drive the Subaru (and another group-N rally car) on a loose gravel stage. This is ideal for fans of rally racing and anyone who has ever wanted to experience how the car really handles when pushed under extreme conditions.

And finally, another option you might consider is a “versus” racing day where your son will get to race the Subaru around a track and then see how it compares with another super car like a Ferrari 360.

I hope this helps you to find the perfect gift!

x Stacey

Celebrate your son’s graduation with a fantastic gift that will give him the ‘thumb’s up’ that he deserves after all of his hard work. Graduating from university is no easy task: it takes years of careful planning, hours of laborious studying and don’t even get me started on those exams! That is something I definitely don’t miss! So when your son gets it right, make sure he knows how much you appreciate him.

Treat him to a fun activity like Indoor Paintballing to get his adrenaline pumping and his heart racing: just what he needs after all of his hard work! He’ll be able to team up with friends and let loose inside an indoor paintball ambush arena.

If you’re looking for something a bit more action-packed than paintball then you can’t go wrong with a 160ft forwards and backwards bungee jump! This is a thrill-a-minute adventure that’s only for the adrenaline seeker.

And finally, the ultimate graduation experience gift would be the Multi Cliff Adventure where your son will be able to take part in heaps of action packed adventures on the beach. It’s exactly the kind of fun activity that he’ll love! Here’s a video of some people taking part in this experience… just look at how much fun they’re having!

I was recently invited to one of my friend’s first child’s christenings – and oh what a beautiful invitation we received! I was so excited to see what was on the agenda and then I realised something… I needed to get the perfect gift! So what do you get a beautiful little baby boy for his special day?

It took me a while to hunt through all the different baby gifts to come up with the perfect thing that baby will love (and the parents will adore as well!) but I managed to find it!

Look at this fab photograph on the left! Isn’t it dear? This is what inspired me with the perfect christening gift for baby – a Mother and Baby Photoshoot! Isn’t that lovely?

Mum and baby will be treated to a fun-filled day where they’ll put on their best smiles and pose for a professional photographer. They’ll be able to laugh and have a good time with ‘new baby’ fun and games, and there’ll be some fab photographs at the end of the day too!

I really want to help my friend remember this special day by freezing the moment and capturing her happiness with her beautiful baby boy! I think it’s going to go down a treat, don’t you?

Easter is almost upon us and hopefully you’ve had some time to think about what you’re going to be getting everyone. No? Still stuck for ideas? Then maybe I can help. Here are a few Easter gift ideas for your son to help get the ball rolling!

Easter isn’t only about chocolate, but it doesn’t hurt to enjoy some sweet treats either. If you’re looking for a chocolate-filled fun activity for your son then treat him to a deeee-licious chocolate-making workshop! This is the perfect Easter gift for those of us who have a sweet tooth!

If you’re looking for something a little less chocolately and a little more exciting then why not treat him to a fun-filled day at a Quad Biking Safari? He’ll love being outdoors with the fast and powerful quad biking and it’ll make a great Easter treat. Just look at how much fun these two are having:

That looks like a great way to spend Easter! What a fun activity!

Finally, another top-selling Easter gift at the moment is the fun Circus Skills Workshop which will give your son the opportunity to see if he has what it takes to entertain the crowds. He’ll learn all sorts of fun things like stilt walking and even a little bit of the trapeze. Now Imagine that! Who hasn’t stared up at the trapeze artists and wondered what it would be like to soar through the air?

These are just a few ideas to get you inspired! Remember, you can drop me a line with any questions or queries and I’ll do my best to help you find the perfect gift for every occasion. Simply click on “Ask Stacey” on the right hand side of the menu and leave your question in the comments box. Happy gift hunting!

Dear Stacey,

I need an anniversary gift for my son. I already have something for his wife (I got her a new sewing machine) but I have no idea what to get him! He has always dreamed of being a pilot – can you recommend a good flying lesson or pilot course? Anything would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards.

Rita.

Dear Rita,

Congratulations to your son and his wife on their anniversary! I have just the thing you’re looking for as well… what luck!

Treat your son to a 60-minute flying lesson in a four-seater plane to give his flying career a kick start. He’ll get a 30-minute pre-flight briefing outlining the flying basics and showing him exactly what to expect when he gets into the cockpit. Then, a professional pilot and instructor will guide him through the take-off, flying and landing! It’s definitely an experience not to be missed for anyone that’s ever wanted to fly a real plane so I’m sure that your son will really enjoy it. Best of all, he can even use this lesson to boost his flying hours if he decides to pursue his pilot’s license!

Have a look at this video to get an idea of what he can expect during his flying lesson:

As you can see it is a lot of fun! And this particular package will let him take a friend or even his wife along for the ride! What fun! I’m sure they’ll have a ball!

Best,

x Stacey

Hello there. My son is spending a lot of time playing games on his computer and I really want to get him out of the house, please help! I thought that if I bought him a gift ‘experience’ then he might actually go and do something for a change! He has just finished uni (he’s 22) and he hasn’t even gone to look for a job yet. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Mabel

Dear Mabel,

A quick scout of the internet reveals that the top three types of games out there are war games, driving games and RPGs or role-playing games. The idea behind these is that you get to ‘live out’ your dreams if you don’t have the opportunity to do so in real life. I think you should take a quick peek into his room and see what kind of games he’s into, that way we can come up with something that will really entice him away from his computer screen!

In the meantime I’ll recommend a real-life activity for each of these gaming genres. Hopefully it will give you a good starting point when you’re looking for inspiration for the perfect gift!

If your son is into war games then he probably enjoys the strategy and shooting aspects of the gaming world. It tests your focus, your marksmanship and your ability to deal with high-pressure situations. I’d recommend treating him to a real-life war shooting experience which will put him in the trenches as he shoots at targets with an air rifle from a bunker. It’ll give him a taste of how it would really feel and I’m certain that his computer game won’t come close!

If he’s interested in driving games then finding the right gift for him just got a whole lot easier! Treat him to a fabulous driving day in his favourite car like the Lamborghini Gallardo (which has got all the guys in my office walking around all hot under the collar!). He’ll have an amazing day experiencing the real thing, and who knows … he might even be the next biggest name in race driving! Perhaps you could show him the following video as a way to entice him:

And finally, if you notice that he’s playing a role-playing game (identifiable by the little character or ‘person’ that seems to be in front of the screen at all times) then perhaps he’d be interested in some real-life role-playing such as that offered by the Spy Games Experience. He’ll be shown how to use all of the interesting gadgets and gizmos used by real-life spies in real situations which should really get him interested in a more hands-on approach to his favourite past-time!

I hope that you manage to find out more and encourage him into sharing his ambitions, ideas and goals with you. I’m certain that he’d love the opportunity to actually do something in real-life that he’s really interested in.

Best,

x Stacey

Hi Stacy. It’s my son’s birthday this weekend and I want to get him something really fun, something he’ll always remember as the best birthday. He’s turning 12. Do you have any ideas? My wife and I are thinking of asking one or two of his friends to come with so it will have to be relatively affordable so we can pay for all of them. Our budget is about £200 for two/three including snacks.

Michael.

Dear Michael,

I think we can definitely come up with something fun here! I’ve worked on three ideas, each for three kids aged 12 with a budget of £150 (to leave some over so that you can provide snacks for them during the activities).

The first one is an amazing Kayaking and Tubing Adventure for kids. This will give the three of them the chance to learn all about kayaking and tubing from first-hand experience! They’ll have such a blast and it’ll definitely be a birthday to remember. Just remember to pack in extra clothes because they will get very wet (which definitely means extra fun!).

The second idea is a Kids Driving Thrill Experience. This allows kids aged 12 – 16 to get to grips with the driving basics before trying them out in a Ford RS – the car of champions. The best part about this one is that each child will actually drive the car (with an expert instructor right beside him, of course!) and they’ll get a head-start on the rest of their friends! This is a definite hit for all car-lovers and adventure-seeking boys.

Finally, my third ieda is a Kids Spy Camp. This is heaps of fun for inventive and imaginative boys as it puts them in their ‘007 shoes’, ready to tackle the trickiest spy gadgets and gizmos! They’ll have to crack a safe, make it through a laser maze, play a game of laser tag, and do loads of other fun spy activities. Imagine how much fun they’ll have!

I hope this helps you!

x Stacey