As you’ll know if you’ve been following me on
social media, I’m in Monte Carlo catching all the action at the
Pokerstars Championship presented by Monte Carlo Casino®, and enjoying
the sun, sea and sand. To get here, I took my first ride in a
helicopter.

I
flew into Nice Airport from Edinburgh on a regular plane; but I still
had to get to Monaco, which is approximately 1 hour away by car. If you
go by helicopter however, it takes just 7 minutes. It’s a no brainer, if
you want to spend the extra money.

Monacair*
are a private helicopter firm that operate out of Nice Airport. When you
collect your baggage from your regular flight, you head to their desk
to check in for your chartered helicopter flight. You go through their
security scanners, then your baggage is put into a luxurious car with
you by a porter and you are then driven a couple of minutes away from
the main airport to the heliport where your helicopter is waiting.

The
guys take your luggage to the helicopter and help you get strapped in –
the seatbelt is more like a body harness than a traditional plane’s
seatbelt. The pilot will then look behind him to check you are strapped
in and he’ll take off.

It’s very smooth and not
all that noisy (there is sound, but not enough to have to wear
headphones). The views are literally breathtaking as you fly over the
sea and round the coast to Monaco from Nice. When you land, your luggage
will be taken to another car and you will be driven to your home or
hotel – in my case, the Le Meridien Beach Plaza in Monte Carlo.

Monacair
took care of everything for me and treated me like a princess from
start to finish. It was completely stress free and I think i’m addicted.
Luckily, I get to do it all again in a couple of days when I’m
travelling home.

The views of the Cote d’Azur
were so beautiful from the helicopter that it got me thinking of other
places I want to fly over. There are now so many helicopter trips I want
to take! Next on my list is Walt Disney World, New York City, Italy’s
Amalfi Coast and Niagra Falls.

If
you are looking for more information on the types of helicopter trips
and tours you can take, and what to expect from the experience of flying
bu this mode of transport, I found lots of helpful stuff on the Heli USA site – it’s worth a look at for more advice and inspiration.

My trips with Monacair were given to me as a gift. All opinions are my own.

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